#there’s so much family drama going on between me my mom and my step mom rn and basically the whole family

[abby420]

there is no greater alliance than an eldest daughter and her mom

[thoughtsforsoob]

ways he shows he loves you - stray kids

a/n: I want to write more to stray kids so here you go! I know I have a bunch of request at the moment and while I do plan on getting to them, I have to allow myself some freedom to create what I want as well! please enjoy and as always, requests are open and so is my 200 event!! (omg im past 300 now and I am so incredibly grateful! thank you so freaking much!)

bang chan - taking you home

I feel like chan considers taking you home as a huge step in your relationship, since ehe seems to love home so much.

he has a nice connection with his family so for you to go meet them means he's basically already planning the wedding

he likes to take you to places he remembers from when he was little (which are probably not too many places because he was just a little guy when he started training)

he also loves to make plans for you, his mom and his sisters hang out together

"you three go out! im paying for girls day"

he enjoys seeing pictures of his favorite people out, having fun together and getting along

the only thing he doesn't enjoy 100% is the teasing that collectively happens between you and his siblings against him but he doesn't;t mind it in the end because it just means you're comfortable with them and vice versa

and when he watches you and berry meeting for the first time...again...wedding bells are going off in his head

minho - supporting your hobbies

I don't see him as someone who is veery comfortable with just saying I love you all the time so he pressers to show it instead of say it

his way of doing so is by getting interested in your hobbies and most likely participating in them

lets just say you're a big fan of collection photo cards and trading! along with that, you also like to make bracelets for concerts! (lmao so cliche but this is what I can explain best! feel free to insert your own interests during the following!)

he definitely buys you albums all the time and when you don't pull him from a stray kids album, he rolls his eyes and keeps buying more until you pull him

he also loves watching you pack trades so he goes stationary shopping with you and buys you the cutest packing materials

he even packs a few trades for you and sneaks in a bunch of extra stickers and other freebies

he will also partake in bracelet making every time you attend a concert!

he loves sitting at the table, making bracelets with pretty beads (he insists on buying you the fancy glass beads for this project), watching a drama and eating snacks.

just seeing you happy and in your element and being able to support it is how he shows his love.

changbin - planning dates

idk about you guys but I feel like guys always leave it to their girlfriend to plan dates and come up with date ideas all the time

changbin is the exception

he knows all of the spots in the city and wants to take you to all of them eventually

he has a running list in a little journal he purchased when he first met you and started going on dates with you

he writes down the names of places he wants to take you to and crosses them out in highlighter when you eventually go so you can still see what he'd written down

he plans trips that vary anywhere from 2 weeks in LA to a evening picnic by the river

his favorite are "spontaneous dates" (in quotation marks because to him, no date is really spontaneous. he always puts some work into it, even if it's a late night run to the convenience store or a trip to the mall)

he's always navigating and making sure everything is perfect

his favorite part of the date is when you praise him for being so thoughtful and creative

he is so happy that he's impressing you and making you happy

he promises to himself that even when you both are old and grey, he's still going to sweet you off your feet with his amazing date ideas

hyunjin - remembers everything you tell him

(no bc...when people remember details about me I feel so happy)

anyways, he is such a good listener and pays attention to detail

whenever you mention something in passing, he makes a note of it mentally or if he knows he'll forget, he will write is down in his notes app

one example of this is during one exam season

2 weeks ago, you had told him bout your finals schedule and when it would start

on the first day, right at 6am he shows up with your favorite coffee order (or anything else if you don't drink coffee) and your favorite breakfast! along with a care package for the rest of finals!

the care package includes: two hoodies of his, you favorite candies, chips, ramyeon, and a couple other things he knew you'd find useful

he remember you telling him you had to get up at that hour to start getting ready for your 8am calc final

when he shows you, you damn near cry because of his thoughtfulness

he eats breakfast with you and makes sure your fueled up and able to focus on your test so you can ace it

the way he also thinks about you when he's out doing things like shopping

Oh I brought you back some eggs because I remember you said you didn't have anymore. also, this new toner because I noticed yours was running low last time I stayed the night."

jisung - never letting you pay

his love language is essentially paying for everything he can for you

if you deny him and tell him you're going to pay, just the thought of you doing something he is more than willing to do for yo has smoke coming out of his eyes like a cartoon character

oh boy and when you actually beat him and pay, he is red in the face

"sungie, I just paid for two coffee's. why are you all red like that?"

"I could've paid! now you have to let me pay for the next 100 things we get together!"

you roll his eyes at him when he makes these silly compromises with you and just rolls with it

for him, it's not that he thinks you can't pay for yourself because ehe knows you are more than capable

if anything, he's proud that his baby is an independent person and can take care of themselves

the reason he does it because he wants you to save your money and spend it on things for you and he wants to take care of you this being the best way he knows how

oh my god...

god forbid you buy him any gifts

he's all flustered and whining about how you shouldn't "waste your money" on him

after talking with him, he lets you pay sometimes but it's rare

felix - matching jewelry

it's all fun and games until you both get exposed...

before we go there, let's talk about how this started

for your first anniversary, Felix wanted to give you something special but had no ides what it should be

he was scrolling through TikTok one night and he came across a repost from you and it gave him the perfect idea

you reposed a couples post about a necklace with the bf's initial on it and he immediately got one made

you better believe hat we went to a famous custom designer and everything to get this made just the way he knew you'd love it

you gives it to you on your anniversary and to your surprise, not only do you have a "f" on your necklace, he get's a matching necklace with your initial on it...

he can't wear it out much but he always put's it on in private

one day...little sunshine over here has to leave to the airport with the group for an overseas concert and he forgets to take off the damn necklace...

"WHO IS (y/i)?" stays are going wild online and trying to find out who it is

from now on, Felix is more careful but now everyone knows his secret :0

seungmin - bring affectionate in front of others

look, this boy is not very affectionate, much less in front of other people

he's a very 'behind closed doors' type of person

when it comes to you though...he's not afraid to show his affection

the first time you noticed it was when he first invited you to meet his member at the dorm for dinner and movie night

he picked you up and brought you inside

you greet all of the members but right afterwards, he immediately just starts to cling to you

he has a hand on your thigh during dinner and during some shot periods, he's actually straight up holding your hand while eating

the boys look at him like he's finally gone insane and you're looking at him with such a confused expression

finally, jeongin of all people, breaks the silence

"hyung? I know you like (y/n) a lot but you're not letting her eat by holding her hand."

his face goes red because he's been caught and he lets go of your hand, putting a low apology to you

when the movie portion of the night comes around, he insists on your sitting right on his lap but if you decline, he is sitting so close next to you that he's literally going to merge into your body

jeongin - sharing clothing/shopping with you

(cw: I know not everyone feels comfy with the idea of sharing clothes for whatever reason and it's totally valid so I made two different options here!)

as we all know, jeongin loves fashion and anything that has to do with it

it's only natural that he wants to involve you into his hobby!

he wants to dress you up all the time!

sometimes, he'll drag you to his room and start to pick items from his closet to replace what you're already wearing...

you have to glare at him so he won't change your whole outfit

he also loves to take you shopping!

he walks into every store with you and asks your opinion on everything because he knows you're actually the one wearing it so you have to like these items too!

shopping can be a very stressful and traumatic experience for some people (ME!)

he understands if this is the case for you and tries his best to give you all the time you need and not overwhelm you with trying too many things on at once and not showing you 101 options all at once

if you don't like how something fits, he will never pressure you to show him anyway

he also never pressures you to go shopping if you're not in the correct headspace for it

there is always assurance from him that no matter what, he loves the way you look in clothes you both pick together!

he also loves to take ootd pics of you and he lets you take his!

he def never pressures you to do this either if you don't wanna

his soft launch of you is a pick of your latest ootd together but your face has a cute little fox sticker over it :D

[stylesispunk]

"The not so invisible string" | part 7

Not outbreak!Joel Miller x f! reader

previous chapter | next chapter | series masterlist

summary: you and Joel were made right for each other at the wrong time. Now, thirteen years later your paths crossed when both of your daughters get in trouble at school. Would be the right time for you now?

word count: 7,8k>

warnings: none but, angst, mentions of bruises, and FLUFF

a/n: Hello, hello! chapter 7 is here! The next one may be the last since it's time to say goodbye to this silly fic, by the way, I hope you like this one because I added everything I could and it's kinda cute. Reblogs and comments are always appreciated. Happy reading 💌 Remember my dm and asks are always open for you if you wanna talk.

dividers by @/saradika.

Joel

I miss you; I haven’t seen you in a week!

You thought that by now, Joel would have begun to behave very differently from the teen boy trying to win your heart back in time, that in your 30s he was going to find different ways to show affection, but he still got the boyish smile on him all the time he saw you, as if you hang up the moon. He still got the dirtiest jokes about salad dressings, and most importantly, he still got your heart in the palm of his hand, but this time he was taking care of it as if it were crystal, and you were so grateful for his actions, talking louder than his promises.

You loved him; he still made you feel like the only girl in the room.

You

Well, sorry for being on a job trip.

I miss you too, but I’m back tomorrow!! Don’t be so needy.

Joel

A delicious dinner will be waiting for you at my house when you arrive.

And well, me.

You

I have a daughter to go see first!

Joel

I will be waiting for the both of you then.

You chuckled at Joel's response; his enthusiasm was evident even through text messages. Despite being apart for just a week, you found yourself eagerly anticipating the moment you would be reunited with him.

You adored the way he always had the time to make you feel special, but he also made his time to include Tara too, as if she were a tiny extension of you to love and take care of as if she were his own daughter.

He was behaving like the father Tara needed.

And you didn’t know this, but Joel was starting to love Tara as if she were his daughter. He knew you and her, plus he and Sarah will become a family soon.

When you arrived again on Tuesday, you made your way to your mother’s house. You couldn’t wait to see Tara. She had been staying with her grandmother while you were away, and you missed her terribly after seven days apart.

As soon as you stepped through the door, you were met with your mother’s smile, welcoming you to enter the house; however, she stopped you for a second.

“Tara seemed to be bothered by something.” Your mom warned.

“What do you mean? Did Dwight do something?” Of course, Dwight was the first person to put the blame on him since he was going to have a day with his daughter because you allowed him to see her once this week while you were away.

“I don’t know, but she was really upset today, and she doesn’t want to talk to me,” she said, her voice tinted with worry.

“Don’t worry, I’ll fix it,” you assured her, with determination in your voice. You knew that Tara often kept her feelings bottled up, especially with all the drama between you and her father.

Heading towards Tara's room, you knocked softly on the door before gently pushing it open. Tara was sitting on her bed, her gaze fixed on the floor, lost in her own thoughts.

"Tara, sweetheart, hey!"" You greeted her, approaching her carefully.

“Mom, you’re back,” she said, stepping up from her bed and welcoming you in a tight hug. You knew her so well that you noticed something was off with her. 

You held her close, feeling her warmth and the familiar comfort of her embrace. "I missed you so much," you whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Is everything okay? Your grandma mentioned you seemed upset."

Tara pulled away slightly; her expression was troubled. "It's nothing, Mom," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. But you could see the sadness in her eyes; the weight of whatever was troubling her was evident in the way she held herself.

You reached out to gently cup her face, tilting it up so you could look into her eyes. "You can talk to me, Tara," you reassured her, your voice filled with love and understanding. "Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together."

“Shouldn’t you be at Joel’s by now?” she mentioned, dismissing the topic.

You sighed softly, recognizing Tara's attempt to divert the conversation. "I was planning on going there, but you're more important to me right now," you replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "If you want to talk about what's bothering you, I'm here. But if you'd rather not, that's okay too. Just know that I'm always here for you."

Tara's expression softened at your words, a hint of gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thanks, Mom," she said quietly, leaning into your touch. “But you should go; he must miss you by now.”

“He actually wanted both of us over for dinner,” you mentioned, studying her face, which shone at the mention of Joel’s invitation, but it faded soon.

“I just... I don't feel like going out tonight," she admitted softly, avoiding your eyes.

Your heart sank at her words, knowing that Tara's reluctance to go to Joel's house was a sign that something was truly bothering her. "Okay, sweetheart," you said, trying to hide your own disappointment. "We can stay in tonight and talk, just the two of us."

“No, you must go,” she said.

You could sense Tara's insistence—her desire for you to go and spend time with Joel—conflicting with her own reluctance to join. It was clear that she was trying to put on a brave face for you, but you couldn't ignore the underlying sadness in her eyes.

"Tara, if something is bothering you, I want to be here for you," you said gently, reaching out to grasp her hand. "Joel will understand if I need to stay with you tonight. Your well-being is my priority."

Tara squeezed your hand, her gaze meeting yours with a mixture of gratitude and apprehension. "I know, Mom," she said softly. "But I'll be okay. And I don't want you to miss out on time with Joel because of me."

You sighed, torn between your desire to comfort Tara and your longing to see Joel. But ultimately, you knew that Tara needed you more in that moment.

"Okay, Tara," you conceded, offering her a reassuring smile. "I'll go to say hi to him, but I'll be back later, and we can talk more then, okay?"

Tara nodded, her expression filled with understanding. "Okay, Mom," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

With one last squeeze of her hand, you rose from the bed and made your way to the door, feeling a pang of guilt as you left Tara behind.

As you made your way to Joel's house, your heart raced with anticipation. Despite the conflicting emotions stirring within you about leaving Tara behind, the prospect of seeing Joel filled you with a sense of excitement and longing.

Finally, you arrived at Joel's doorstep, your heart pounding with nervous energy as you raised your hand to knock on the door. The sound echoed through the quiet night, and you held your breath, waiting for Joel to answer.

Seconds felt like an eternity until you heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door. And then it swung open, revealing Joel standing before you, his eyes lighting up with joy at the sight of you.

"Hey," he said softly, a smile spreading across his face as he pulled you into his arms. "I've missed you."

Seconds felt like an eternity until you heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door. And then it swung open, revealing Joel standing before you, his eyes lighting up with joy at the sight of you.

"Hey," he said softly, a smile spreading across his face as he pulled you into his arms. "I missed you,” he whispered, placing a kiss on your lips.

You melted into his embrace, feeling a rush of relief and contentment wash over you. In that moment, all the worries and uncertainties faded away, leaving only the comfort of being in Joel's arms once more.

“I missed you too,” you replied, your voice filled with warmth as you leaned into him and into his embrace, where you belonged.

“Where is Tara?” Joel asked after noticing the absence of the teen behind you.

“At my mother’s. She said she didn’t feel good, and I know she is lying, but she insisted on me coming to see you,” you said to him.

Joel's smile widened at Tara's thoughtful gesture, his eyes softening with affection but still showing worry. "She's always looking out for you," he remarked, his voice filled with warmth.

You nodded, feeling grateful for Tara's care and concern. "Yes, she is," you agreed, feeling a surge of love for your daughter. "I'm lucky to have her, but she is my priority, so I just came to say hi.”

Joel pulled you closer, his arms enveloping you in a comforting embrace once again. "Maybe you could ask Sarah," he whispered, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Maybe she knows something.”

“Are you sure?” You mumbled against his shoulder.

“Yes, she is inside; come on.” Joel took your hand, leading you inside his house.

As you entered the house, Sarah greeted you with a warm smile, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Hey," she said, stepping forward to hug you. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, sweetheart," you replied, returning her embrace. "How have you been?"

Sarah shrugged with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Same old, same old," she said cryptically, her gaze flickering towards Joel before returning to you. "What brings you here?"

“Your dad is her boyfriend, and he missed her terribly,” Joel answered to his daughter for you.

You glanced at Joel; a smile creeped on your lips at his words.

A mischievous grin spread across Sarah’s face. "Is that so?" she teased, shooting a playful look at her father. "You must really like her."

Joel chuckled, giving Sarah a mock glare. "She wants to talk to you about Tara."

Sarah's grin softened into a more sympathetic expression as she turned her attention back to you. "Is everything okay with her?" she asked, her tone serious.

You sighed, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders at the opportunity to discuss your concerns with Sarah. "I'm not sure," you admitted, your voice tinged with worry. "She seemed upset earlier, and I can't shake the feeling that something's bothering her."

“Dad, can you let us alone for a bit?” Sarah asked Joel.

Joel nodded, but before heading towards the kitchen, he placed a soft kiss on your forehead as a sign of affection and love for you, saying he was there for you whenever you needed him.

As Joel left the room, Sarah turned her attention back to you, her expression filled with concern.

"What do you think could be bothering her?" you asked gently.

“Well, she seemed off this morning at school. I knew she was with her dad yesterday, so I guess it has to do with him,” she confessed, carefully not to say beyond what she knew; it was Tara who should tell you once she feels ready for it.

You nodded, understanding Sarah's hesitation to delve too deeply into Tara's personal affairs. "That's what I was thinking too," you admitted, feeling a knot of worry tighten in your chest. "But I don't want to push her if she's not ready to talk about it."

Sarah nodded in agreement, her expression sympathetic. "I get it," she said softly. "But maybe knowing that you're here for her, whenever she's ready, will give her some comfort."

You smiled gratefully at Sarah, touched by her insight and understanding. "Thank you," you said, feeling a sense of relief knowing that Sarah was there to support Tara too.

Sarah returned your smile, her eyes filled with warmth. "Of course," she said. "Family looks out for each other, right?"

Your heart warmed at those words, and you looked at Sarah, driven by pure adoration, and found Joel was there spying on the both of you. You couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Joel peeking in on your conversation with Sarah; his expression was genuine adoration. You couldn’t help but admire the girl he had raised on his own all this time.

As Sarah caught sight of Joel, she grinned mischievously, clearly enjoying the playful moment. "Dad, you're such a spy," she teased, her tone filled with playful banter.

Joel chuckled, stepping fully into the room and wrapping an arm around your waist. "I can't help it if I'm curious about what you two are plotting," he replied with a wink, his gaze shifting between you and Sarah.

You leaned into Joel's touch, feeling a sense of contentment wash over you at the warmth and love radiating from your little family. "We're just talking," you reassured him, exchanging a knowing glance with Sarah.

With a smile, Joel pressed a kiss on your temple, his love for you evident in the gentle gesture. "Well, don't let me interrupt," he said, his voice filled with affection. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

As Joel made his way out of the room, you turned back to Sarah, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "He's something else, isn't he?" you remarked, feeling grateful for the man by your side and the daughter who had grown up under his loving care.

Sarah nodded, her eyes sparkling with fondness. "Yeah, he is," she agreed, her voice filled with warmth. "But we wouldn't have it any other way, would we?"

You shook your head, feeling a surge of love for your family. "No, we wouldn't."

As your conversation with Sarah came to a close, you felt a sense of resolve settling within you. It was time to return to your mother's house and check in on Tara, even if you didn't have all the answers yet.

Turning to Joel, you reached out to take his hand, a gentle smile playing on your lips. "I think I should head back to my mom's house now," you said softly, your voice filled with determination. "I want to see how Tara's doing."

Joel nodded in understanding, squeezing your hand gently. "Of course," he replied, his gaze filled with warmth and support. "Let me know if there's anything I can do."

You leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips, feeling a rush of affection for the man who had stood by your side through thick and thin. "Thank you, Joel," you murmured against his lips, savoring the closeness between you.

With a final smile, you pulled away, reluctantly releasing his hand as you approached the door. As you stepped outside, you paused momentarily, casting one last glance back at Joel, looking back at you with bright eyes and mouthing “I love you”.

You made your way back to your mother's house, your mind buzzing with thoughts about Tara and what could be bothering her. When you arrived, Tara greeted you at the door with a warm smile, ready to go back home with you.

Since you and Dwight ended your marriage, you stayed at your mother’s house for a day until you found an apartment that was perfect for you and Tara to live together.

"Hey, Mom," Tara said, wrapping you in a quick hug before grabbing her bag. "Ready to head back?"

You returned her hug, giving her a reassuring smile. "Yes, let's go."

As you drove back home with Tara in the passenger seat, you couldn't shake the feeling of unease about her. Finally, you turned to her, breaking the silence that had settled between you.

"Tara, sweetheart," you began, your voice gentle. "I know something's been bothering you. Can you tell me what's wrong?"

Tara glanced out the window, her expression troubled. "It's just... I don't know, Mom," she admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I guess I've just been feeling really confused lately."

You reached out to gently squeeze her hand, offering her a reassuring smile. "It's okay to feel confused, sweetheart," you said softly. "But I want you to know that I'm here for you, no matter what. You can talk to me about anything."

Tara nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Thanks, Mom," she whispered, leaning into your touch. "I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart," you replied, feeling a surge of love and gratitude for your daughter. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"

"I love you too, sweetheart," you replied, feeling a surge of love and gratitude for your daughter. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"

She nodded. “You know you deserve all the best in the world,” she said to you, her voice cracking a little bit.

“Do you think so?” You asked playfully, your eyes still focused on the road.

“Yes, and my father never deserved you,” she finally said.

You felt a pang of sadness at Tara's words, knowing the pain she must have been feeling about the situation with her father. But you also felt a sense of pride in her strength and honesty.

"I appreciate you saying that, sweetheart," you replied, your voice soft with emotion. "But he's  still your father after all. What’s between us is just between us; don’t hate him just because he wasn’t a good husband.”

And hating him won't change the past or make things better. It's okay to feel hurt or angry, but holding onto that resentment will only weigh you down."

Tara nodded, her expression thoughtful as she absorbed your words. "I know, Mom," she said quietly. “I just see Sarah and Joel, and sometimes I wish he was my father.”

Your heart ached at Tara's words, understanding the longing she felt for a stable and loving family dynamic. You reached out to gently squeeze her hand, offering her comfort and reassurance.

"I understand, sweetheart," you said softly, your voice filled with empathy. "But “what you have left to say was interrupted by the sound of your phone ringing as if Joel sensed his name being mentioned; he was the one calling, “Oh my god, I’m going to dump him.”

Tara laughed at your words, encouraging you to answer the call, so you put your phone on speaker.

You glanced at Tara, sharing a laugh with her before answering the call. "Hey, Joel," you said, trying to hide the amusement in your voice.

"Hey, Doe," Joel replied, his voice warm and familiar. "I was just thinking about you. How's everything going?"

"We're on our way back home now," you replied, glancing at Tara as you drove. "I just had a little heart-to-heart."

"Everything okay?" Joel asked, his concern evident in his tone.

"Yeah, everything's fine," you reassured him. "Just some family stuff. How about you? How's your evening going?"

"It's going well," Joel replied. "Sarah and I just finished dinner. She's upstairs doing homework now. I miss you, though.”

You smiled at the warmth in Joel's voice, feeling a surge of affection for him. "You just saw it like an hour ago.”

“I know, but still,” he said. “However, I was calling you for another reason.”

“Oh?” you questioned, furrowing your eyebrows.

"I wanted to ask if Tara would like to join Sarah and me for lunch tomorrow after school; I’m taking the afternoon off," Joel said, his voice carrying a hint of anticipation.

You glanced at Tara, who perked up at the mention of her name. Tara's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes, I would love to!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with a tint of enthusiasm.

You smiled, feeling a warmth spread through your chest at Tara's eagerness. "You heard her," you confirmed to Joel, a sense of gratitude washing over you for his thoughtful invitation.

“Great!" Joel replied, his tone filled with genuine pleasure. "I look forward to it. See you tomorrow, then.” He paused, “Please tell your mother she is pretty and that I love her.”

“Bye! I love you,” you said on the phone.

You loved the way he had been including Tara in his life since you had returned to his, making an effortless attempt to make her feel loved and included in every single aspect of your now-joined lives.

The next day, Joel led the way to their table, his smile infectious as he engaged in playful banter with Sarah and Tara. The three of them seemed to hit it off effortlessly, their conversation flowing smoothly as they shared stories and jokes.

Throughout the meal, Joel made sure to include both girls in the conversation, asking about their interests and sharing stories from his own life. Sarah and Tara seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely, their laughter ringing out amidst the bustle of the restaurant.

Tara hadn’t felt this loved by a paternal figure since she was nine, and she couldn’t help but feel the beating of her heart increasing, knowing that this may be her reality for the rest of her life.

Tara found herself opening up to Joel in a way she hadn't with anyone else since her parents' divorce. His kindness and attentiveness made her feel seen and valued, filling a void she hadn't realized was there.

Unbeknownst to them, Dwight was nearby, observing the scene from a distance. His heart clenched with jealousy and bitterness as he watched Joel bond with his daughter. He had always believed that he was the only father figure Tara needed, but seeing her smile and laugh in Joel's presence made him realize that he had been wrong.

Dwight's resentment toward Joel only grew; the man hasn’t only kept the hold of his heart in the palm of his hand, but now he is stealing his daughter from him, and his mind is swirling with thoughts of how to regain control over Tara's affections. But little did he know, Tara's heart had already begun to open up to Joel, and there was no turning back.

As Joel led the way back to his truck, Sarah and Tara chatted animatedly behind him, their laughter ringing out in the crisp afternoon air. But their jovial mood came to an abrupt halt when Joel suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he examined the side of his truck.

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked, her brow furrowing with concern.

Joel crouched down, inspecting one of the truck's wheels. "It looks like we've got a flat tire," he said, his voice tinged with frustration.

Tara peered over his shoulder, her heart sinking as she saw the damage. "Is there anything we can do?" she asked, feeling a sense of helplessness wash over her.

Joel sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'll need to call for a tow truck," he replied, his tone resigned. "It looks like we're going to be here for a while."

As Joel pulled out his phone to make the call, Tara glanced at Sarah, her mind racing with thoughts of what could have caused the flat tire.

But a few seconds later, Joel came back. “I called Tommy; he is going to take the both of you home while I stay here waiting for the tow truck, okay?”

The teens nodded as Joel made the arrangements, and Tara and Sarah exchanged glances, silently communicating their concern. Despite the unexpected turn of events, they knew they could count on Joel to take care of the situation.

"Thanks, dad," Sarah said gratefully as Tommy's car pulled up beside them.

"Yeah, thanks," Tara echoed, offering Joel a reassuring smile.

Joel returned their smiles, though there was a hint of worry in his eyes. "No problem, girls," he said. "Just make sure to get home safely, okay?"

"We will," Sarah promised, giving Joel a quick hug before climbing into Tommy's car.

Tara followed suit, offering Joel a hug of her own before joining Sarah in the car. As they drove away, Tara couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for Joel's kindness and reliability, even in the face of unexpected challenges.

After the girls were out of sight, a voice interrupted Joel’s solitude.

“First, now, are you trying to steal my daughter too?”

That voice. Joel knew that voice that damn well, and he was getting exhausted from hearing it.

Joel's jaw clenched as he turned to face the source of the voice, his expression a mix of frustration and irritation. "Dwight," he said evenly, his voice tinged with disdain. "What are you doing here?"

Dwight's lips curled into a sneer as he approached Joel, his eyes flashing with anger. "I saw you with your little girl and my daughter," he spat. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to."

Dwight scoffed, his gaze cold and accusatory. "Right, like I'm supposed to believe that," he retorted. "You've been trying to worm your way into their lives ever since she came back and got to know my daughter.”

Joel's temper flared at the insinuation, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I care about Tara,” he said firmly. "And unlike you, I actually want what's best for her." He accused,” You saw her here, and you waited for her to go instead of saying hello to her, just to come up at me just like the pathetic loser you are.”

Joel's words struck a nerve with Dwight, his face contorting with anger. "You think you're better than me, huh?" He snarled, taking a menacing step closer to Joel. "You think you can just waltz in here and take over my daughter's life?"

Joel stood his ground, refusing to back down in the face of Dwight's aggression. "I'm not trying to take over anything," he said, his voice steady. "I just want to be there for Tara, to support her and care for her like she deserves."

Dwight scoffed, his fists clenched at his sides. "You don't know the first thing about being her father."

“And you do?” Joel asked, but the answer he received was Dwigth’s fist directly in his face.

As Dwight's fist connected with Joel's face, the impact sent a shockwave of pain through him. Joel stumbled backward, his hand instinctively reaching up to touch his throbbing eye. Anger flared in his eyes as he regained his balance, his jaw clenched tight.

"Is that how you fix your problems?" Joel growled, his voice laced with defiance. Despite the pain, he refused to let Dwight intimidate him. "You think you can just throw a punch and scare me off?"

Dwight's expression twisted into a snarl as he lunged forward again, this time hitting on Joel's jaw, causing him to bleed, but still, with a swift motion, Joel sidestepped Dwight’s attack, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back.

“I’m not going to hit you, not because I can't, but because I have respect for Tara,” Joel said, letting Dwight go from his hold.

Dwight's expression softened slightly, though suspicion lingered in his gaze. "You think you're some kind of hero, huh?" He muttered, rubbing his sore arm.

Joel shook his head, his expression serious. "I'm not a hero," he said.

Dwight regarded Joel for a moment longer before finally turning away, his footsteps heavy as he retreated. Joel watched him go, his jaw still throbbing from the impact of Dwight's punches on his face.

After receiving a call from Tommy about the altercation between Joel and Dwight, you knew you had to go check on Joel. Despite the late hour, you made your way to his house, your heart heavy with worry.

When you arrived, you felt an uneasiness before knocking on the door. When Joel appeared behind the door, you took a look at his appearance. His purple eye and swollen jaw made your stomach twist in pain.

His eyes softened at the sight of you, but the tension on his shoulder told you he wasn’t pleased at all.

“Who told you?” he asked, not a greeting, nor a hug, nor a kiss.

"Tommy,” you replied carefully, studying his subtle behavior.

As you spoke, Joel's expression tightened, mixed frustration and resignation crossing his features. He didn’t step aside, and he didn’t invite you into the house. He just stood there with a weary expression.

“Are you okay?” You asked again.

“Let’s see. I look like an idiot with this on my face; I can’t go to work like this, and I feel tired of your ex-husband.”

You winced at Joel's words, feeling the blame on his words. You couldn’t help but feel guilty; after all, Dwight had appeared in his life because of you. You wished you could take away all this, but you knew that wasn't possible. Instead, you feel small in front of him.

Feeling the weight of Joel's frustration, you took a step closer, wanting to offer him comfort despite feeling somewhat responsible for the situation. "I'm sorry," you said softly, your voice filled with genuine remorse. You lifted your hands to cup his face delicately, but Joel grabbed your wrists before you could feel his face on your palms.

Your breath left your lungs, and your heart sank.

You could feel the tension radiating from him; his eyes were dark and unreadable as they bore into yours. For a moment, neither of you spoke, the weight of the situation hanging heavily in the air.

"I appreciate your concern," Joel finally said, his voice strained. "But right now, I just need some space."

His words stung, a sharp pang of hurt shooting through you as you withdrew your hands from his grasp. You nodded silently, feeling a lump form in your throat as you struggled to contain your emotions.

"Are you putting the blame on me?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. You needed an answer before breaking down in front of him.

Joel's expression softened slightly at your question, his eyes flickering with a mixture of emotions. He hesitated for a moment before responding, his voice tinged with regret.

"No, I'm not blaming you," he replied, his tone softer now. "I just... I need some time to process everything that's happened."

You nodded, understanding his need for space but unable to shake off the hurt that lingered within you.

“Go home, Doe,” he whispered.

With a heavy heart, you nodded in response to Joel's words. His request for space was clear, and though it pained you to leave him in such a state, you knew that respecting his boundaries was crucial in this moment.

"Okay," you whispered back, your voice barely above a murmur. "Take care of yourself, Joel."

Turning away, you walked slowly back to your car, the weight of the situation settling heavily on your shoulders. As you drove home, the silence of the car mirrored the heaviness in your heart, your thoughts consumed by the turmoil of emotions stirred up by the encounter with Joel.

It felt like the night he didn’t fight for you when you left him.

Arriving home with a heavy heart, tears threatened to spill from your eyes as you stepped through the door. Tara, ever-perceptive, noticed your somber expression immediately.

"Mom, what's wrong?" She asked, concern evident in her voice as she hurried to your side.

You tried to offer her a reassuring smile, but it faltered as the weight of the day's events pressed down on you.

"It's nothing, sweetheart," you replied, your voice trembling slightly. "Just a long day."

Tara studied you for a moment, her gaze searching yours for any sign of what was truly bothering you. Seeing the unshed tears in your eyes, she wrapped you in a gentle hug, offering you the comfort of her presence.

"Is it about what dad did to Joel?” She asked, waiting for your answer.

Your heart ached at Tara's question; her perceptiveness never failed to astound you. You pulled back slightly from the embrace, meeting her concerned gaze with a mixture of surprise and admiration.

"How did you know?" you asked softly, impressed by her ability to see through you. 

Tara sighed, her expression filled with empathy. "Sarah”

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as you nodded, grateful for Tara's understanding. "Of course,” you said. “Yes, it's about that," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. "I just feel so helpless, Tara. It’s all my fault for thinking we could be together again.”

“I don’t want you to say that ever again, mom,” Tara said, her tone clear enough.

Tara's words struck a chord deep within you, her unwavering support providing a glimmer of solace in the midst of your turmoil. You looked at her, your eyes brimming with tears, and felt a surge of gratitude for her strength and wisdom beyond her years.

"I'm sorry, Tara," you whispered, your voice choked with emotion. "I just... I thought I could make things right, but instead, I've only caused more pain."

“I bet Joel wants space tonight, but that doesn’t mean anything bad.” She reassured me, “The way he looked at you, mom, He wouldn’t lose you over the prick of a father I have.”

Tara's words brought a small glimmer of hope to your heart; her unwavering faith in Joel's feelings for you offered a sense of reassurance in the midst of your doubts.

"Thank you, sweetheart," you said, your voice soft with gratitude. "I hope you're right. I just... I hate seeing him hurt because of me."

“He is not hurt because of you.”

Tara's reassurance was like a balm to your wounded soul, her unwavering belief in Joel's love for you providing a beacon of hope amidst the darkness of your doubts.

"You're right," you said, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders. "Thank you for reminding me of that, Tara. I needed to hear it."

As the night wore on, you found yourself tossing and turning in bed, unable to shake off the nagging feeling of unease that lingered within you. The thoughts of Joel consumed your mind, his bruised face haunting your thoughts.

Despite Tara's reassurances, you couldn't shake off the guilt that weighed heavily on your heart. The urge to reach out to Joel, to check on him and apologize for everything, gnawed at you relentlessly.

You glanced at the clock beside your bed, its hands ticking away the seconds of the sleepless night. With a heavy sigh, you reached for your phone, the temptation to call Joel becoming too strong to resist.

But as your fingers hovered over the dial button, doubt crept in. What if he needed space? What if he was still angry?

With a frustrated groan, you set your phone aside, resigning yourself to the torment of your thoughts. Sleep remained elusive, the weight of guilt and uncertainty pressing down on you like a leaden blanket.

Just as you resigned yourself to the torment of your thoughts, your phone vibrated with the arrival of a notification. With a flutter of anticipation, you reached for it, your heart racing with hope.

The message was from Joel.

Your breath caught in your throat as you read his words, a mix of relief and apprehension flooding through you.

“Are you awake?”

You typed out a simple "yes,” and just seconds later, he was calling you.

Your heart pounded in your chest as you answered Joel's call, the sound of his voice washing over you like a balm. "Hey," he said softly, his tone carrying a hint of weariness.

"Hey," you replied, unable to mask the relief in your voice.

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Joel spoke again, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "I just wanted to hear your voice," he admitted, his words sending a shiver down your spine.

A rush of warmth flooded through you at his confession, dispelling some of the tension that had been coiling in your chest. "I'm glad you called," you said softly, a genuine smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "How are you feeling?"

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I just want to say sorry for the way I acted, and I wanted to remind you that I love you so much, Doe.”

"I love you too," you replied, your voice filled with tenderness. "More than you'll ever know."

“Go to sleep now, love,” he said, knowing you finally felt at ease. He would never repeat the same mistakes with you again.

The next day, you found yourself standing in front of Dwight's house, your heart pounding with a mix of apprehension and determination. You took a deep breath before raising your hand to knock on the door.

After a moment, the door swung open, revealing Dwight's girlfriend, his mistress. Her expression hardened when she saw you, and she spoke with a hint of disdain in her voice.

"My daughter is here," she stated bluntly, her tone bordering on hostility.

You held your gaze, refusing to be intimidated by her. "I didn't come for her," you replied evenly. "Where is Dwight?"

Her eyes narrowed at your question, and for a moment, she seemed to consider whether to answer. Finally, she stepped aside, allowing you to enter the house. "He's in the living room," she said tersely.

“Can you tell him to come outside?” you said, not showing emotion.

“Okay”

As Dwight stepped outside, closing the door behind him, you couldn't contain the surge of anger that coursed through you. Without a word, you lifted your hand and delivered a sharp slap across his face.

"Ouch, what the hell is wrong with you?" Dwight exclaimed, his hand instinctively rising to his stinging cheek.

"You know damn well what's wrong," you retorted, your voice laced with frustration and indignation.

Dwight's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with defiance. "I don't have to listen to this," he snapped, turning to walk away.

But you weren't finished. "Oh no, you're not getting away that easily." You grabbed him by the neck of his shirt. 

As Dwight attempted to walk away, you couldn't let him escape so easily. Fueled by anger and frustration, you moved swiftly, grabbing him by the neck of his shirt to prevent him from leaving.

His eyes widened in surprise as you held him firmly, your grip tight and unwavering. "Let me go!" he growled, struggling against your hold.

You tightened your grip, refusing to back down. "No," you replied firmly, your voice dripping with determination. "We're going to have this conversation, whether you like it or not."

“Listen to me now. Joel didn’t press charges against you, but I will if you don’t stop acting like this.” Your grip on his shirt left him speechless. “I’m tired of you trying to ruin my happiness when you know damn well what you did, and not only that, but acting like a bully when you’re pushing your 40s is pathetic; you may be older than me but not wiser.”

Dwight's eyes narrowed as he listened to your words, a mixture of anger and resentment flashing across his face. Despite his attempts to break free, your grip remained firm, holding him in place.

“Are you threatening me?” he spat.

You met his glare with steely resolve, feeling fury and disgust towards that man. "I'm not trying to dictate anything," you replied, your tone unwavering. "I'm simply telling you how it's going to be if you don't change your behavior."

He didn’t say a word, inviting you to continue.

“Tara doesn’t want to see you, but I told her you’re her father, and what happened between us should define her relationship with you, but if you ever pull a stunt like this again, I’ll make sure you will never see her,” you stated firmly, your voice leaving no room for argument. "I won't hesitate to protect myself and my family from your toxicity, so you will take a step away for a while; you will change your behavior and start acting like a man; and once you’re ready to be a father, you call me, and we can arrange a meeting with Tara.”

He gulped. “Okay.”

His shoulders slumped slightly, and he averted his gaze, seemingly unable to meet your eyes.

"Fine," he muttered, his voice lacking its usual bravado. "I'll stay away... for now."

You nodded, not entirely convinced of his sincerity but determined to hold him to his word. "Good," you said firmly. "And remember, this is your chance to make things right. Don't waste it." You paused, “Now I want you to get on your knees and promise me you will never go for Joel like that.”

As you waited for Dwight's response, he hesitated for a moment, his expression conflicted. But eventually, he let out a heavy sigh and slowly sank to his knees before you, a begrudging acknowledgment of your authority in this situation.

"I promise," he muttered, his voice strained with reluctance. "I won't go after Joel like that again."

You watched him carefully, your gaze unwavering, as you waited for him to finish his vow. Once he had spoken the words, you nodded, satisfied that he understood the gravity of his promise.

"Good," you said firmly, your tone leaving no room for doubt. “Go to be happy with the family you choose; you have the chance to be a good father for that little girl of yours. And you will let me be happy with a daughter and the man I love.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, ashamed for the first time, but you didn't want to buy his act so easily yet.

You observed him silently, your resolve unwavering as you awaited his apology. When he finally spoke, offering a half-hearted sorry, you shook your head.

"Say sorry when you mean it," you replied firmly, your tone leaving no room for ambiguity. "And remember your promise."

With that, you turned on your heel and walked away, leaving Dwight kneeling on the ground behind you, you were determined to protect your family and ensure that Dwight stayed true to his word.

When you returned to your apartment, your heart skipped a beat as you noticed Joel standing by the door, a concerned look etched on his face. His eyes softened when he saw you, and he took a step forward, his expression filled with worry.

“What are you doing here?” you asked, stepping back at the sight of him, still carrying the colored traces of Dwight’s fist on his face.

“I wanted to see you, but nobody opened the door, so I was leaving,” he said, his voice laced with concern as he noticed a somber demeanor on you.

“Yes, Tara wanted to spend the day with my mom, so she left earlier and I was doing something,” you informed, stepping forward to open the door.

Joel followed you inside, his gaze lingering on your face with a mix of concern and curiosity. You could feel the weight of his gaze, his eyes searching yours for any sign of what was troubling you.

"Is everything alright?" he asked softly.

You hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal about your encounter with Dwight. But seeing the genuine concern in Joel's eyes, you knew you could trust him with the truth.

"Not really," you admitted, your voice tinged with frustration. "I went to Dwight's.”

Joel's expression darkened at the mention of Dwight's name, his jaw tightening with anger. "Did he hurt you?" he asked, his tone low and dangerous.

You shook your head, offering him a small smile to reassure him. "No, nothing like that.” You paused, “It was actually me who slapped him on the face.”

Joel's eyes widened slightly in surprise at your revelation. "You slapped him?" he echoed.

You nodded, feeling a surge of empowerment at the memory of standing up to Dwight. "Yeah," you confirmed, with a hint of pride in your voice. "He had it coming."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Joel's lips. "I wish I could have seen that," he said, a touch of amusement in his tone.

You laughed softly at his comment, “Well, we also talked, mostly me, and I think it's all okay.”

Joel's smile softened at your words, his eyes reflecting his relief. "I'm glad to hear that," he said sincerely, pulling you into a comforting embrace. "You're incredibly brave, you know that?"

You leaned into his embrace, feeling a warmth spread through you at his words. “I’m not”

“Yes, you’re. You stood by yourself, and that’s always brave,” he reminded you, pulling back slightly. He cupped your face in his hands and met your gaze with all the love dancing in his eyes.

You smiled at him, lifting your hand to caress his face, where his eye was still bruised as a violet. Your heart ached for him, for love, and for the memories he always brought with him.

"This reminds me of something,” you murmured softly, your voice filled with a tint of amusement at the memory.

He chuckled softly, a fond smile playing on his lips as he recalled the same thought in his mind. “And I always get the girl,” he said.

A soft chuckle escaped your lips as Joel's words echoed the sentiment you were about to share. "Yes, you do," you replied, your voice laced with affection. "But don't think you can use those puppy eyes to get out of trouble every time."

He stole a kiss from your lips and pressed his forehead against yours. "I still have the ring," he whispered.

Your heart skipped a beat at Joel's words, a rush of warmth flooding through you as you gazed into his eyes.

“Then, ask me,” you whispered back, your voice filled with love and certainty. You didn’t care about rushing things anymore; you knew that, for a marvelous reason, what had made you separate for thirteen years was the same reason that brought you back together, this time older and wiser, and you wanted to dive in, not hold back anymore.

Joel's eyes widened slightly in surprise at your words, his breath catching in his throat as he processed the depth of your request. But beneath the surprise, there was a glimmer of joy and a spark of hope that ignited in his eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper as he searched your eyes for any hint of hesitation.

You nodded, a smile playing on your lips as you met his gaze with unwavering determination. "I've never been surer of anything in my life," you replied, your voice filled with conviction.

“Well, I don’t have the ring with me right now,” he warned, embarrassed.

Your smile widened at Joel's words; his concern about the ring only added a touch of genuine joy to this. "That's okay," you reassured him, reaching out to gently squeeze his hand.

“I’m doing this anyway,” he said, getting on one knee and causing you to chuckle, hiding the emotion in your throat.

As Joel kneeled before you, your heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and joy. Despite the playful chuckle and tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, threatening to spill over, you allow him to continue.

"Will you marry me, Doe?"

a/n part 2: Before someone says the last part may be stupid, let's clarify this is fiction.

tags 💌: @joeldjarin @missladym1981 @yomiyasxx @aliengirl99 @lola8888673 @nottodaysattan @picketniffler @violinchick @sadgirlcheesecake @caitlynsixxx @luvwanda @sarahhxx03

[narcissarina]

𝔊𝔬𝔩𝔡𝔢𝔫 ℭ𝔞𝔤𝔢, 𝔅𝔩𝔲𝔢 𝔅𝔬𝔫𝔡𝔰

જ⁀➴Previous chapter

Pairings: bodyguard!Leon × college billionaire!reader

Word count: 935

Tw: shooting

Summary: You confronted your step-mother.(please i suck at summarizing as the chapter progress)

𝚇𝙸𝙸𝙸.

“Never thought you had a guts to even consider me as your mother, dear.” The woman in front of you, who’s your step-mother—the mistress of your father, the woman who ruined the marriage of your parents. She was right, she never expected you to even consider her a mother, let alone being called as a Mother.

You take a deep breath and look at her dead in the eyes, “you’re right, I don’t consider you as my mother,” you frown and clenched your fist, “I only called you mother because of my father, now that my mom is gone. I called you mother because my father wanted me to.” You remark as you could feel the tears from the back of your eyes.

“You ruined their marriage, you took father. Now you wanted to take my life too?” you weep, fist clenching as your nails dug to your skin.

She chuckle and turns into laughter, she laughs as if she’s royalty, hand on her mouth as she lets out a laugh. “No hard feelings, dear.” She flashes a smile and put her hand on her hips, “you’re just ruining my plan, that’s all. Got to take matters to my own hands, you know?”

“What did I ever do to you?”

“You did nothing wrong, but your birth did and so does your mother marrying your father.”

Leon could only stand beside you, listening as the family drama unfold. You felt betrayed by your step-mom, you thought she’s a decent woman with a habit of controlling others to their clothing of choice. She always looks out for you best, managing to fool you when she thought she’s concern for you.

But she isn’t.

She was even relieved that when you go to your school party that a student held, you were almost assaulted. Little did you know, that she knew that Leon wouldn’t be by your side that time. But what about the bring your bodyguard bullshit? That was just a façade.

She paid them money, the drugs and the men… it was all hers, Leon always thought that no one in the right mind would just do that out of the blue—you never made enemies, you shut idiots out from your world.

The more she talks, the more Leon loses his shit. As if his ears were ringing at the annoyance of her voice, “god, you fucking talk too much.” He aim and shot her in her left shoulder, she screamed and ordered her ‘men’ to attack, “ma’am, we’re just scientist.”

“Do I look like I gave a shit?! I pay you dirty money so do as I say!” The woman snaps while gripping onto her shoulder, hissing and groaning in pain. The three men don’t know what to do, the big guy attacked with a chair in hand, Leon pulled you aside and shot the guy in between his eyes.

“I don’t have time to play games!” Leon shouts and made a quick rundown at the two men, shooting them in their leg. The woman got to her feet and tries to run away, Leon shot her in her leg—making her scream in pain and agony. “You’re not escaping me.”

Leon turns to the tan male, “when I ask a question, you better answer truthfully if you wanna live.” The agent threatened, pulling the mans hair, “tell me,” Leon kneels and make him meet eye contact, “will she turn to, you know. One of them?”

The man lips trembled as he answers the agents question, “n-no, although there will be side effects since we buried the piece deep in her skin—she wouldn’t survive if we stuff a bigger piece inside her wound,” his pistol points to the mans chin, “to be sure though, she needs some medications…”

Leon nodded and stood up, letting go of the mans hair, “I think I’ve heard enough.” He turns to his earpiece, “Hunnigen, send the choppers.”

“Just did.”

The agent smiled and walks up to you, “you’ll be fine.” He assures, “help me with them, hm?”

You manage to help Leon with the three people who’s behind of this all, the sun is already rising and it’s now 7 in the morning. When out of the mansion, you took a deep breath and inhale the welcoming breeze as it touches your skin.

The three were badly wounded by Leon’s shot, he didn’t bother patching them up.

The blonde agent stood beside you, watching as the sun is rising. Silence filled as he spoke, “we did good.” Leon said, you smiled at him and lay your head on his shoulder. “Hope you didn’t forget the thing you’re suppose to bring back.”

Leon chuckle at your remark and held it high in his hand, “don’t worry,” she smiled and wrap his arm around your shoulder, “mission accomplished?”

“Mission accomplished.”

You heard wringing on the distance as it come close, it was the chopper that Leon called for. There was a couple of agents in that chopper, slowly it got to the ground and took the case from Leons hand and took the criminals in.

“I’ll get you home safe, princess.” Leon mutter to your ear as he assist you inside the chopper, it was now the time for you to relax as you feel Leon’s heartbeat right beside your ear. You hum in content and let your eyes rest, he’s there when you nee him to protect you.

You have a lot to catch up in school and get interviewed by the authorities as your father is worried sick.

But it’s been a fun but terrifying journey, right?

Next Chapter>>>

[cyn--ical]

Autumn

Jeremiah Fisher x Conklin Sibling 

*moments of months with Jeremiah until next Summer -takes place between the first and second seasons*

The soft crackles and hisses of the fading fireplace filtered in through the double french doors, leading in from the living room and into the dining room. The house smelt like cinnamon and sandalwood and you were starting to get a headache

"Mom I have to leave now if I wanna be ready by 9" you sighed

"-Anddd you can, just after you help me finish this" she said motioning to the boxes of what she liked to call Susannah's 'Martha Stewart collection'

Laurel walked around the white marble dining table and took both your hands in hers, bringing them up to her lips "Honey you're so much better at this than I am, and I just want it to feel like her autumn before they get back" she whispered

"Why can't I ever say no to you" you groaned, leaning into your mom for a hug

"Oh the drama" She laughs, giving your hair an affectionate tussle, before pulling out another glass pumpkin from one of the many boxes that lined the kitchen counter

You'd just finished perfectly positioning the last of Susannah's decorations when you heard the locks on the front door

"We're back" Jere's voice echoed through the hall

You rushed out to meet Susannah before Laurel could fuss her upstairs

"Do you like it?" you asked, your heart sinking at how small and tired she looked as you walked her around, showing off what you'd spent the last hour and half doing

Jere lingered behind, ready to take his mothers hand at any slight stumble in her step

"AD couldn't have done it better darling" Susannah smiled, pulling you into her teddy coat, leaving a kiss on the top of your head

"Laurel! she's even remembered the little squirrels on the mantel" Susannah squealed, pointing excitedly at the little family of figurines dressed in checkered coats

Everyone loved seeing her this way, all giddy and full of life over the smallest things, these moments were rare and they held onto the them as long as they could

"She definitely got switched at birth, y/n's you all over" Laurel laughed

"My first girl" Susannah sighed, squeezing your hand tighter. You could see a tear start to sparkle in her eyes and you knew your mom hadn't missed it either

"Alright, alright, god, you're worse than my mother in law, Beck" Laurel rolled her eyes, gently putting a hand on Susannah's back, leading her towards the stairs

"You two have fun tonight and I want lots of pictures" Susannah grinned at you and Jere, sharing a look between you both as Laurel glared at her and up the stairs

"Take care of her Jeremiah" Laurel said, as she started to make her way up as well "-And no drinking" she called down, before you hear the soft click of Susannah's bedroom door

He'd been quiet this whole time and you knew that meant today hadn't gone well

"You know we don't have to go tonight"

"What..and miss seeing you in a slutty little outfit" Jere smirked raising an eyebrow at you

You rolled your eyes at your boyfriend, tiptoeing up you brought him into a hug. You could feel Jere's body relax against yours, the weight of the day rolling of his shoulders as your shared the pressure he carried. He rested his head in the crook of your neck and breathed in, it felt like the first breath he'd taken all day

"The Doctors said her treatment has plateaued, they said it gets worse before it gets better, but I don't think she's going to get better" His voice breaks as he says that and you feel helpless not being able to do anything but hold him tighter

"She will, they'll keep trying" you whispered into his hair

Jeremiah pulled away, wiping his eyes with a nonchalance

"So when do you wanna leave" he asked, clearing his throat

"Jere, we really don't have to go"

"I need to get out of this house" He snapped

"-I'm sorry" He sighed, seeing the look on your face, "I just can't deal with this stuff all the time and Conrad was supposed to come today"

You nodded your head in understanding. Belly was supposed to be here too, she'd been avoiding seeing Susannah a lot these days, she said it was too hard for her. Laurel had been furious with her for weeks now. But Belly was the youngest, she had been too young to remember the first time Susannah got really sick. It was a little selfish and you hated being your mom's go to emotional crutch but you tried not to blame Belly too much. Especially because you could see how much harder it had been on Jeremiah with Conrad

Susannah's constant need for picture perfection had made Jeremiah a chronic people pleaser and Conrad an anxious avoidant. One desperately wanting to be there for his mother but suffocating under the burden of doing it alone and the other stifled by the desire to be there for his brother and see it through together but struggling with his inherent need to bottle up and run at any sign of vulnerability. Both of them fighting to maintain the facade of the 'White picket fence Americana Fisher Family' like their mother had always wanted

The Conklin's being the only thing keeping them grounded in reality. However ugly it currently was, it was their only solace

____________________________________________

*not where I thought this story was going but, heres an exposition dump ¯\_(ツ)_/¯*

[dangermousie]

Ep 27 was all plot and no ship. In fact none of my favorite characters except Jiang Li herself appeared in it - it was devoid of the Duke, his sidekicks, Shen Yurong, Princess Wanning, any of the Yes and except for a few seconds’ appearance devoid of Jiang Jingrui.

Still it definitely moved the plot forward - namely the plot of the serpents’ nest that is the Jiangs. Because the grievances were not suffered by our protag but the original Jiang Li and any connections of love or blood were also not hers but the original Li’s, she’s able to be clear headed and not really emotionally involved except insofar as she feels bad for injustice and she’s gonna need that because stepmom has lost the few restraints she had and the rest of the family is useless.

I found this ep humanized both Ruoyao and stepmom for me. I found it so tragic that Ruoyao has finally stopped stepping out of her mother’s monstrous, smothering shadow (her mother’s love always looked controlling and conditional but this ep shows just how downright abusive it was and how Ruoyao had so little chance) only to have her agency taken away from her by mommy on the most basic level. A woman who would poison her own child to get rid of a stepdaughter should not be called a mother in any sense.

I hope Ruoyao gets some sort of a happy ending and a way to find out who she actually is but I doubt that since the drama very clearly implied in this ep she is not a Jiang but is a child of adultery between stepmom and diviner. Papa Jiang is not much of a father even to his blood (he just goes with whatever the woman he is currently sleeping with likes) but the moment he discovers she’s not his, that nunnery is gonna be best case scenario for Ruoyao. Not every family can be the Fans from JoL or the Xiaos from Nirvana in Fire 2.

Stepmom? What a horror show but the drama humanized her (while showing she shouldn’t be allowed to run around at all.) All the woman wanted at the start was to run off with that painter and live in obscure bliss (Ruoyao’s desire to run with worthless ex-fiance is quite reminiscent of that - like mother like daughter - tho at least Mom’s boo genuinely loved her.) But daddy prevented it and was going to marry her off to some sort of mental defective with a family that wanted that dude to have a child (and in that society that marriage is pretty much life of horror) unless she found herself another match and was all “why don’t you off Papa Jiang’s wife, she’s sick anyway” - and not excusing stepmom being a murderer but it’s like Shen Yurong - when all your choices are bad choices you are way more likely to do bad things to survive. In some other alternate universe, she married that painter who never became a diviner and is living a placidly virtuous existence.

Honestly, the moment she killed a friend to escape a hellish marriage it was the end for her - she sent Jiang Li away because of the whole “I murdered your mom can’t have you find out or just look at you” (and daddy blames her for soft heartedness in not killing her!!!) and the other kid was an accident - it’s basically she started out as a villain out of perceived necessity but then she had to continue and got worse and worse. The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step, indeed.

I found it poignant she ultimately wasn’t able to maim monster daddy as requested by diviner. Not so poignant that she’s apparently repeating the way she was parented in the way she’s parenting her daughter despite knowing firsthand what that’s like. (But I wonder how much her obsession with getting Ruoyao the best marriage, the nicest reputation (no showing in public at age x), the best womanly skills (zither) is driven by her forever remembered terror of being a woman with no power and no options and no good marriage prospects.)

Even that scarred cousin who married the abuser got a little bit of interest from me - the way she tells his paralyzed body that even tho he beat her so badly she will take excellent care of him and the sheer terror in his eyes was great. Go girl!!!!

Still, hope next ep brings back the Duke and Co. (Jiang Li sent away the guard the Duke had on a mission for her and girl - bad life choice - guard had a big point in that he was there for her protection. And now diviner is coming and there is no guard. I guess she’s so bad at listening to instructions, the Duke will have to move in with her himself to make sure she does what he wants. What a hardship 😂)

[agendabymooner]

colour me your colour || toto w. x ofc (7)

Summary: Tilly Marie nearly loses faith in her passion as she refuses to listen to everyone who told her to quit. Everyone but one. And it’s the man she met years ago at a racing event she didn’t want to attend. Who would have thought that her father’s partial ownership of three brands could take her to the zone of Mercedes and meet the love of her life?

Chapter summary: It turns out, Tilly and Toto looked like they were loving each other up constantly - so Tilly's mother, Blanche, had decided to step up to warn her about the wonders and failures of being in a relationship with someone more mature.

Content warning: Age gap relationships, use of explicit language, brief mention of Max Verstappen x OFC (Sylvie), mention of divorce and mental health problems

masterlist

vii. age is just a number and love is just a shame

LOVE ON CAMERA: Future Racing Teams Major Shareholder Tilly Hearth Sends Mixed Signals Alongside Toto Wolff

“Are they the newest power couple of F1 or is this putting their teams to shame?”

AGELESS ROMANCE: FIA Executive’s Daughter Tilly Hearth Cozies Up with Mercedes-AMG Petronas Team Principal Toto Wolff Post Qualifying Interview

“Is this a ploy to get a favourable result for this year’s championship?”

This isn’t the kind of day I’d like to have today. I’m not going to be distracted by some silly gossip outlet’s article.

“I’ve read that. That’s fucked,” Daniel huffs out, peering over my shoulder. Today’s going to be a disaster. I haven’t even seen my family just yet, and now I’m being hounded by gossip sites about my love life. Was I ever thankful that I told my sisters about the “rumours” that’ll soon circulate around the paddocks and F1 world beforehand. 

“Tell me about it,” I mutter, resting my head on the table that I sat on. 

“That should have stayed in the garage or something, I don’t know how they’ve managed to even know it’s Toto,” he says. 

I look up at him and answer, “The Daily Mail caught me arriving in a Mercedes with him yesterday. Remember?”

“They’re fucking fast to capture that,” Daniel shakes his head incredulously, “you were practically running away like you robbed him.” 

“I told him that the British media are too invasive,” I scrunch up my face, “some of them were just here to get some drama to broadcast throughout England and fuck all.”

“Sorry you have to go through that,” he offers a sympathetic smile as he pats my shoulder, “I hope they’ll fuck off for once.”

I gave him a lopsided grin. “Don’t expect too much from them— shouldn’t you be waiting in your driver’s room right now?”

“TILS!” My back nearly broke after I turned my upper half around. A strangled screech escapes my mouth as I stand. Daniel, who’s standing behind me, is accidentally pushed off to the side as four arms wrap around me. I can’t even see Daniel’s reaction but I can hear him introducing himself to a woman. 

I pull away from the embrace as I look between my sisters. Last time I checked, Aimee- our youngest sister- was on her trip to Scotland. What’s she doing here? I look at Stevie, her hair tied neatly, her ponytail coming out of the Mercedes cap that she’s wearing. 

“What’s with the Mercedes get up?” I look at Aimee, who’s wearing a white Mercedes shirt. They’re in the Red Bull hospitality. 

“Hello, too,” I shake my thoughts away as I grin, looking past my sisters and approaching our mother.

“Maman!” I exclaim, hugging her tightly before giving her a once-over. “Still pretty I see.”

“You’re still as hilarious, Tilly,” she rolls her eyes, keeping her arm around my waist. I look at Daniel and he’s standing there with a grin.

“Daniel, you’ve met my mom,” I gesture at my sisters, “these are my sisters, Stevie and Aimee. Steve, Aims, this is Daniel. He’s a driver for Red Bull.” 

Stevie immediately reaches out to shake his hand. She looks more like our grandmother, according to Maman. Nobody could ever mistake her for someone else besides Nan. Her honey-blonde hair and blue eyes are the kind of features that’ll make you feel like you’re in a tropical paradise. 

“Holy shit, you really weren’t joking when you said your sisters are models,” Daniel’s eyes widened as I nodded. “How do you push yourself through it?” 

“It’s— ehh…” Stevie scratches her head and tries to answer his question, “Modeling is kinda fun… if you’ve been doing it for a long time. Like racing.”

Aimee only waves at Daniel, then she’s hiding behind Stevie. Her mother always encourages her to be more… out there yet she disagrees. She can be whatever she wants to be, she’s 14, but she pressures herself to stick to one thing like an adult. She told me once about wanting to model as well and expressed how she wouldn’t do well like Stevie and our other sister would. I don’t know what made her think that; her brown skin and eyes made her glow, like she has her own spotlight. She’ll need to be encouraged more. Or perhaps I should just accommodate her and her camera shyness. She didn’t like being in front of the cameras.

Speaking of our sister. I look around and ask, “Where’s the other one?” 

“Causing ruckus somewhere in the pits,” Stevie jokes. I look at her with my frown becoming more obvious. What is she even doing in the pits? How did she even get in the pits? It was a question never asked yet Stevie has an answer to it. She tells me, “We met Lew in their area and he gave us access to the garages. Just to say hi to a couple people we might know. Now she’s probably running amuck in there—“

“Stupid, stupid, dumb boy,” I hear a hiss nearing us. Daniel peers over Maman’s head.

He gestures in her direction, “I think we found her.”

The middle of the three approaches us as she wraps her arm around me, still seething and her head rests on my chest. I turn to look at Maman and my other sisters, my forehead creasing as if I’m asking for an explanation. They’re just as clueless as I am.

I pat her on the back, “Daniel, this is Sylvie. Sylvie, that’s Daniel— the driver for Red Bull.” 

“Hi,” she nods curtly before her eyes burn with irritation and anger. She gives me a dirty look. “You know— if Father is giving you Red Bull, do you think you can fire that idiot?” 

Daniel’s eyes widen at the comment while Maman hisses at Sylvie, “Sylvie!” 

“What?” Sylvie scowls at our mother, “he’s such a bloody nuisance—ugh!”

“You’re not even telling us who it is, sweetheart,” Daniel pipes up, his face expressing amusement as he continues to goad Sylvie into spilling her feelings. 

“Verstappen! Did you know he’s the reserve driver for Toro Rosso?!” Sylvie stomps her feet like a child as she groans aloud. She’s so bloody dramatic. 

But hearing her answer makes me say, “Ahh. Max.” I can’t say anything else besides those two words; Sylvie despises Max Verstappen since god knows when… maybe at birth. The thing was that they’ve been best friends— like soul mates since birth so it wasn’t exactly hatred that they’ve shared for the past few years. She claims that she sees him all the time and “thinking about his ego gives her a migraine.”

And she quit racing. She enjoyed karting as much as Aimee did, but for some reason, she quit attending the tournaments two years ago. She pushed herself with modeling even more instead of joining Formula Three. My father wasn’t happy with that. Sometimes, I’d like to think that her hatred for Max would soon disappear and that he may be the reason why she quit. I’m not blaming him of course. But there should be a reason why she’s acting like that towards him, right?

“Tilly, please please promise me you’d fire him,” Sylvie whines dramatically, clutching onto my Red Bull jacket as I continue to stare at her. She’s growing taller and she’s beginning to look more like an adult, but her petulant behaviour says otherwise.

“No,” I pushed her off with a sigh, “I can’t do that, lovie.”

“Why not?”

“Because Verstappen is a good driver and if your sister did fire him everyone would chase after him. It would be a shame if Red Bull loses an asset,” Daniel answers for me, making me nod in agreement. 

“And he isn’t in Red Bull, love,” I explain, making her groan aloud. 

“He’s shitty,” Sylvie curses out, crossing her arms with a grumble, “he’s an ugly Neanderthal. He pisses me off to no end. You can be good at driving and be bloody handsome, you know? Clearly he doesn’t—“

I rolled my eyes, now turning to Daniel as my pager went off. Looking down at it, I give Daniel a once over and say, “Garage. Go now.” 

“Fine fine fine,” Daniel rolls his eyes before grinning at my family, “I’ll catch you pretty ladies later, yes? Sylv, maybe you can rant more about him later. If you want, I can pass a message.”

“Dis-lui que je le déteste,” tell him that I hate him. Sylvie tells him with a huff. Daniel gives me a look and I can only tell him, “Don’t worry about it. Go.”

“Get that P1, Daniel,” Maman tells him, making his grin stretch until it reaches both of his ears. 

Daniel winks at her, “I’ll make sure to dedicate my win to you, Mrs. Hearth!” He stalks off. I look at the four of them. 

“I’m going to the Mercedes zone to see Lewis,” I announced with a shrug.

Stevie’s eyes brighten at the announcement and she exclaims, “I’m coming along!” 

“Haven’t you seen him already?” Sylvie snickers—surprisingly happy now— beside me as I chuckle quietly, trying to avoid having to laugh loud. 

“You know,” Aimee begins with an evil smile, “some people might think that you’ve got you know… a crush on Lewis?” 

Stevie, who’s standing between the two, has taken the chance to reach out and pinch their sides. The girls cry out at the pain, leaving me no choice but to hit Stevie at the back of her head as lightly as I could. She pulls away, shooting the both of them a death glare. 

“You three,” I jeered, “if you won’t stop I’m going to leave.” 

It did not take long until Toto found me and met my family. Him finding me somehow made me think that he has some sort of antenna that’ll lead to me. How he manages to either come across me or find me is amazing. Like a mastermind.

It didn’t take my sisters long to catch onto the stories that Lewis clearly wanted to tell about the time spent with Toto. He was rather vocal about his feelings about the three being here — not wanting to save face and be pretentious around his teammate any longer. The interview yesterday was nothing but a way to avoid the fines— Lewis really didn’t want to act all friendly but had to do so. I was only there to make the situation better… somehow. Lewis texted me yesterday about how thankful he was to have me there for the interview.

“Tilly,” I look around and ask myself where the voice came from, only for me to find a 6’5 figure nearing me. Toto Wolff’s rare smile appears as I nod as a greeting. “Nervous?” 

“About my drivers?” I scoff, “No way. Are you?”

“Eh, I’m confident that Lewis and Nico would do a good job,” he answers lightly.

“I know my boys would do alright,” I murmur next to him, “but it seems like the power unit’s been fucking them over. At least Vettel is being fucked over by it.” 

“Well, let’s hope that doesn’t happen this time.” 

“Christian didn’t have an outburst in Austria for nothing,” I joke quietly, making him chuckle under his breath as he refrains from laughing. Oh my god. Handsome.

“Oi, lovebirds,” I sigh as we both turn around to face my siblings, my mother and Lewis. Sylvie continues to tease, “Tils, if you’re done being flustered—“

“I forgot how bloody blunt you are,” I interrupted her with a glare. She cheekily smiles as I look at Toto. I gesture at my family, “My sisters— from left to right are Aimee, Stevie, Sylvie. That’s my Mama. Everyone, this is Toto Wolff. He’s the Team Principal of Mercedes.” 

“Oh look at that,” Toto teases me with a smirk, pointing at their Mercedes hats, “everyone’s a Mercedes fan.” 

I roll my eyes, “They’re bound to run the teams you’ll be competing against, Toto. I wouldn’t be that excited.”

“But at least now I know where their hearts belong,” he continues with a shrug. He looks at my family, reaching out to shake my mother’s outstretched hand. “Pleasure to meet you all.” 

“Likewise,” my mom introduces herself, “Blanche Ford.” 

“Ah, you are the lovely Miss Ford that Tilly’s talking about,” he grins, his charm obviously taking effect on no one but me. “I finally found where your beauty came from, schatz.” 

My face suddenly feels warm as I look down to my feet, watching them as I rock back and forth. 

I didn’t notice Stevie slowly inching toward Lewis but I can hear her say, “Oh she is in love love.” I can’t even debate on anything in front of the person that they think I’m in love with. Am I not allowed to admire a fine specimen such as him? 

And Stevie is literally in love with Lewis! She’s been cracking the worst jokes ever and Lewis is laughing, she’s so proud of herself. She’s telling me, of all people, that I’m in love with the Mercedes team principal whereas she’s literally pining after his driver. 

“Hey Lew,” Sylvie then turns towards Lewis as he gives her a questioning look, “mind if you make Toro Rosso cry a little bit?” 

“Sylvie,” I warn her, “you cannot just say, ‘please make them lose a bit harder’ to someone just because you hate the reserve driver.”

Toto’s forehead creases at my warning. Sylvie ignores the look on his face as she says nonchalantly, “You’re right, I can just smack him in the face if I “accidentally” come across him at their garage.” 

“Stop resorting to violence,” Lewis tells her with a scowl, “there’s other ways to handle a situation than a fight.” Yeah, like he wouldn’t have done that last Monaco race.

My eyes peel away from the conversing people as I look at Toto, “I’m off soon enough. Are you ready?” 

“Ready,” he answers me with a nod. “Will you be there at our after party if we win?”

“I’m not exactly the full on party kind, to be honest,” I tell him, “it gets overwhelming talking to people. It doesn’t sound as bad, though. But it’ll get overwhelming at some point.”

“Fair enough,” he agrees before pausing, then he looks at me once more and asks, “How does dinner sound?” 

My mouth did not even hesitate to answer, “Depends. If either Red Bull or Mercedes get a podium then sure.” As if I was expecting it to happen. Toto felt the same, I think. He didn’t take a second to think about his next move as he continued,

“If we get a first?”

I shrug out, “Well, I’ve got no clue just yet.” 

“I’m looking forward to it then,” he grins. 

Yeah, Mercedes is definitely getting a podium today. 

“You’re thinking again,” my mother says, pulling me back into reality as I shake my head and glance at her. “That must be hurting your head.”

“Maman—“

“I’m joking, ma fille.” 

It’s so hard to lie to someone who practically knows everything about you. Even the dirty laundries I’ve never aired out? Yeah, she knows about them yet she never mentions anything. 

She pays attention to details as she’s used to staying at home as a mother. She told me once that she has enough money that she doesn’t need to work, but she writes under pen names that eventually makes her a lot more than what one should have. Her marriage and divorce clearly never stopped her from pursuing her dream all while she takes care of her three daughters by herself.

Julius Hearth, I rarely call him father now, divorced Maman shortly after Sylvie was born. I was 13 and with enough support from the staff in the household, Maman was able to cope without endangering herself nor anyone. Was I ever thankful for having a chauffeur? Absolutely. If it wasn’t for Jordan, the lovely driver, I wouldn’t have been able to get home earlier so I can spend my time with my sisters. Maman was resting, and I always made sure she’s doing that. 

Now that she’s feeling better, she’s managed to get back up and running. The Mother’s Day celebration in our middle school had her running across the field with bare feet. She certainly loved the game especially when Stevie and I were screaming our ears off. She began taking Stevie to her karting class, which then changed into modeling the moment my sister claimed to work as a model. 

So throughout my life, she could sense the emotions deep inside her daughters. She could tell which career we wanted to have and if she was able to support it. 

She could tell anyone a thing or two about themselves just by looking. So it wasn’t a surprise that she decided to deduce me. 

And since she kindly observed what I’m thinking, I decided that this is the right time to discuss the shitshow that we call Julius Hearth. 

“Father is naming me as the shareholder for his teams,” I’m staring at her as if I’m feeling so solemn about such a matter. “And he’s giving me everything. Did you know that?” 

“Yes and no,” Maman tells me. I’m so glad the girls aren’t here and being watched by our personal guard as they prepare themselves to watch at the grandstand. I didn’t want to expose them to this for now.

Maman continues, “I knew he was going to give up his position in his teams but I didn’t think he’d pass it down to you. Or to your sisters for that matter.” 

“He wants me to hold ownership on those teams and his money, Ma,” I tell her, “all because he wants that promotion at the FIA and to keep Red Bull on a leash.” 

“He only said he trusts you and your sisters enough to do his part,” she sighs, her sympathetic smile can be interpreted as a charming one. “I wish I could do more but… I’ve no place in power.” 

The sad truth is: she’s right. She can only do so much with the company. Even if I’ve taken her in, word would still get out to father. He still doesn’t trust her, despite being the one to cheat and be absent in the household. 

“Toto is a decade older than you,” I must have zoned out again because her voice drowned out while my eyes squinted. But her voice returns the moment she mentions him. 

The cold tone on her voice after saying that has me questioning her. She then continues, “Much like your father is to me, Tilly. He’s an older man.” 

“What does that have to do with anything?” I ask her, actually curious about what she’s insinuating. 

“Just—be careful with him,” she tells me quietly, her voice warning me like she’s been there before. She had been there. She married our father when she was 28 and he was 40. “Older men, no matter the validation they’d give you, would hold their maturity above your own. I’m not saying most men but… be careful when you’re falling in love with someone who’s seen more in the world than you have.

“They tend to hide that away from you.” 

Her advice, while it’s something to remember, has me laughing as if it is actually a joke. But still, a piece of it was etched into my heart and brain. “I’ve only met him,” I shrug and deny, “I don’t think I’d fall for him that fast.”

She rolls her eyes as if she doesn’t believe it. She says, “With how you two looked at the picture? Some are already saying that you’re smitten. Just as he is. I think you should give him a shot.” 

“Oh, Maman,” my eyes narrowed at the comment, “Don’t believe what you see on the internet.” 

“I’m just telling you what I can see,” she giggles quietly, finally standing up and gestures, “Come on, do you really want to miss out on Lewis winning?” 

“I’m supposed to be rooting for Red Bull,” I mutter to myself, standing as I begin to take her to where the girls are.

At first, I wanted to ask myself why she brought up Toto as if I was meant for him. I wanted to ask her what made her think that I’m even willing to try things out just like the others are thinking. 

But everyone is slowly seeing it as much as I am seeing it. For such a short period, he has already decided to do the things he wouldn’t normally do just to reach out to me. In this busy weekend alone, he’s managed to squeeze me into his schedule no matter how stressed he looked before everything. He acts as if he’s much calmer than me when he has a whole team and another to run. 

Maybe my mother is warning me about the price that relationship may come with. Perhaps she’s afraid that the fate I want for myself isn’t something that I’ll get if I continue on with this.

Or she’s just scared that she’ll have to watch that scene again. But instead of her falling apart, it’s me this time. 

Who knows. 

[obstinaterixatrix]

In this romantic Boys' Love manga, sparks fly when a salaryman who's given up on love reunites with his crush from high school.

Kanade feels like he's living under a constant storm cloud with his unfulfilled life. Stuck working a typical office job and keeping himself closeted, he's convinced there will be no sunny days ahead. But those monotonous days are suddenly interrupted when he reunites with Mashiro, an old classmate he harbored hidden feelings for! Finally, Kanade has found a bit of sunshine in his gray, dreary life with Mashiro's arrival. With a chance to get to know each other again, could this be Kanade's second chance to find love with the one who got away?

this is a romance that involves a reunion between former classmates. I was so excited that this got licensed, it’s one of my low-key faves because I love miserable office workers and I love men with problems. the main character is a gloomy avoidant guy and the love interest is a pretty brash optimist

I wish the preview went just a little further because in the next few pages, the main character’s response to his crush confessing to him is to say ‘are you an idiot’. and the love interest’s response is to be like ‘I am literally going to bother you so much forever until you believe me unless you Actually Say With Your Whole Chest you’d hate that’ it’s really funny

I’m a little ambivalent on how a coworker situation was handled, with one coworker pushing the main character to be honest and essentially out himself and fully reject someone else—depending on how I’m feeling, it’s either a little misguided and using false equivalence to push the main character a certain direction, or it’s an interesting clumsy situation that emphasizes the main character’s need for growth through well-meaning but flawed ensemble characters…

what I really like about the series though doesn’t show up until end of volume 1 and midway into volume 2—it’s a bit of a role reversal because it’s actually the gloomy guy who realizes Oh, My Boyfriend Has Problems And I Have To Look Out For Him. to spoil things a bit, the love interest’s mom has… clearly some mental health issues, and I was kind of impressed at the balance the author struck between ‘negative impacts on the love interest’ and ‘acknowledging care for an important family member’. It’s pretty hard to hit the nuance of wanting to maintain contact and not completely cut someone off when they do things that are hurtful, but I think the author was pretty successful (especially since the emphasis is on the love interest Establishing Boundaries And Taking A Step Back)

anyway, it’s a series that’s good for low-ish stakes slice of life romance with a satisfying level of heated drama. I hope volume 2 comes out quickly…!!

[lowkeyerror]

Falling Fast pt3

Wednesday Addams x Reader

Word Count: 3k

Notes: Hellhound reader, sort of filler chapter for the next part

Summary: It's parent weekend. The Addams family arent the only ones coming to Nevermore, so is Y/n's mom. The parents meet each other and the circumstances are... less than ideal.

An: Also sorry for the wait, I was kind of feeling a lot of pressure to make part 3. Didn't want to let you guys down, hope you like it 😊

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Masterlist

Eugene wasn't dead. That's the part of the message that Y/n and Wednesday tried to focus on. It was a miracle that the boy survived, but hearing that he was in a coma was hard. Especially on Wednesday, she went to visit him as much as she could. Y/n offered to accompany her, but she said that she needed to do this on her own. It was the only time the two spent apart, that wasn't due to class.

Y/n thought they would be safe from unwanted drama during parent weekend, but she was mistaken. The violinist knew very little about the tensions between Wednesday and her family. The girl's knowledge of Wednesday's parents was the legacy they left behind at Nevermore.

Y/n stood with Enid and Wednesday as principal Weems gave a speech to the students and parents alike. Once she had concluded, every student dispersed to find their parents.

" Let's get this over with," Enid sighs, before going to find her family.

Wednesday was about to do the same, but Y/n stopped her momentarily," If things don't go too well, you can come find me."

" I wouldn't want to interrupt your time with your mother. I'm fully capable of-"

Y/n squeezes the girl's hand," Mon cher, I know you can handle it on your own, but I would like to help. Together, remember?"

Wednesday's features soften, in the way they only do for Y/n," I will keep that in mind."

Wednesday squeezes her lover's hand once more before fully releasing it, and walking over to her family. Her mother, brother, and father all had their eyes on Y/n. It was a little intimidating, but Wednesday was quick to tear their attention away from the girl.

" Someone special?"

Y/n's smile grew at the sound of her mother's voice. She ignored the question for the time being and wrapped her arms around the short woman.

" It's good to see you, too, kiddo. How've you been?"

" Well-"

" I am terribly sorry to interrupt, but it is imperative that I see you in my office. So we can discuss a few things about your daughter this semester," principal Weems makes herself present.

Y/n's mother looks at the girl curiously before they both follow principal Weems up to her office. When they arrive, Wednesday and her parents are already in the office.

" Well, this is going to be interesting, isn't it?" Y/n's speaks lowly so that only Wednesday can hear.

" I'd hope so. You know I hate the mundane," Wednesday has that unbothered look in her eyes.

Y/n watches as Morticia and principal Weems go back and forth about their school days. Charisma drips at the end of every word that Morticia says. She seems to understand where her girlfriend gets her presence from.

She tunes out the conversation until it turn to the topic of Wednesday and, subsequently, herself. Principal Weems puts it in light terms as she talks about Wednesday's assimilation to the school.

The girl standing next to her steps forward to dispute the claims," Because I refuse to embrace the culture of dishonesty and denial permeating this school. Starting with the monster that killed Rowan and put Eugene in the ICU. Although I do hear he is on the mend."

" I'm sorry, but what does this have to do with my kid?" Y/n's mother interrupts, gaining the collective attention of everyone in the room.

Weems smiles at her," Well, you see, your daughter and Wednesday are quite… close. They tend to wind up in these situations together."

" These situations are a direct reflection on this school's negligence, as well as the negligence of the Jericho police department. You both are letting some murderous creature run about this town. Quite frankly, if it weren't for Wednesday and I, Eugene would be dead," Y/n steps forward to be next to Wednesday.

Principal Weems pales slightly at Y/n's words. The parent's return their attention to the school's leader.

" As you can see, they are close, just like I said. Dr.Kinbott and I have spoken and we both agree that it would be most beneficial for you all to attend a group session this weekend," Weems keeps a tight smile on her lips as she deflects from Y/n's statement.

" Why a group?" Y/n's mother asks another question.

" Dr.Kinbott believes that Y/n has made tremendous strides with her therapy session, while Wednesday has been less than willing to open up. Again because of how close they are, she has hypothesized that having Y/n there may help Wednesday open up a bit more."

Every time principal Weems mentions how close they are, there is a twitch amongst the pair. Having their parents in the room, while Weems hints at their relationship, feels immoral.

The rest of the conversation plays out, with Wednesday refusing to go and her mother siding with her. However, Gomez encourages them to go.

Once they left the office, Y/n's mother pulls her aside," Should I be worried about the Addams girl? Her family seems… eccentric. She's getting you into trouble."

" Mom, I promise that she's doing the right thing here. You don't need to worry. Besides, you always said a little trouble would be a good thing for me."

Her mother sighs," I trust you, sweetheart, I'm just a little skeptical. Just how 'close' are you to that girl?"

Y/n's face involuntarily sells her out, turning an intense shade of red," um pretty close."

Her mother didn't push any further, expecting to get any other answers from this weird group therapy session.

" Y/n, may I speak to you for a moment," Wednesday's stale stare put the girl on edge a bit.

She looked at her mother for the confirmation that she was free to go. The woman hesitated but sent the girl with a smile and a curt nod.

Y/n walked with Wednesday until they were in a secluded area. The Addams girl let out an irritated huff," I don't want to go to this group therapy, it's pointless."

" Wednesday, therapy only works if you speak about your feelings," Y/n tells the girl gently.

" I refuse," she says plainly.

Y/n takes both of the girl's hands in hers," If you were able to tell me how you felt. You can do the same with your parents."

Wednesday gaze was unmoving," Those are two completely separate instances. I almost lost you twice, my… feelings, ejected from my body without my explicit permission."

Y/n didn't relent," You can lose them just as easily as you almost lost me. Especially since you're away from them. If anything happens, do you want to leave this tension unresolved?"

In an uncharacteristic move, Wednesday lays her head on Y/n's shoulder," I just want them to leave. It's much easier to carry on with the investigation when it's just you and I."

" It's just for the weekend, mon cher," Y/n's arms wrap protectively over her little cloud of darkness.

" They've been here for less than a day and I already have to go to an extra therapy session."

Y/n places a kiss on the girl's head," I'll be there. It won't be so bad if we're together, right?"

Wednesday detached herself from the girl, regaining some of her composure, " I suppose having you there might make it less insufferable."

" That's what I'm here for."

Y/n thought her talk with Wednesday would help with therapy. Maybe they would've if Tyler hadn't given Wednesday her father's criminal record.

The meeting was very tame in the beginning. Y/n and her mother definitely were easier to get responses from than the Addams. Dr.Kinbott seemed to be focused on the L/n's until she asks a question that folds the Addams' into the equation.

" Principal Weems tells me that the two of you are close, Y/n do you want to tell me about that or would you like to start Wednesday?"

Once again, the attention is on the two girls. Wednesday's stoic look doesn't waiver," We are romantically involved."

Y/n's jaw drops as a blush covers her features.

" Y/n is that true?" Her mother asks her.

Y/n nods slowly," Yes, Wednesday and I are seeing each other."

Before anyone can say anything else, Wednesday stands from her seat and faces her parents," Now that the proverbial cat is out of the bag, I think it's high time my parents faced the music. It seems they've been lying to me, keeping secrets. Murderous secrets, that need to be addressed. Who was Garrett Gates and why are you accused of murdering him?"

" Is your girlfriend always so dramatic?" Y/n's mother whispers to her, and the girl silently nods.

Things get pretty intense between the Addams family; they all storm off in different directions. Y/n gives her mother an apologetic look before chasing after Wednesday.

" Wednesday wait!"

Y/n catches up with the girl mere seconds before the rest of the Addams' storm out of the building. Morticia gunning straight for Wednesday. Their dispute was brief yet definitive, leaving the girl to storm off yet again.

Y/n chases after her once more. When she finally gets in front of the girl Wednesday speaks," I'm going to visit Eugene."

" I'm coming with you," Y/n says.

" I want to be alo-"

Y/n cuts her off," I haven't seen him yet and I'd really like to go with you. I know you feel like you have to be alone because you're upset, but you're wrong."

The girl then extends her hand for Wednesday to hold. Wednesday stares at the hand before her eyes soften and she takes it. They walk together in silence to the hospital.

Seeing Eugene in his current state was hard for Y/n. She didn't enjoy looking at his motionless body. It almost made her flashback to the night it all happened. It was as if she was seeing him in the freshly covered blood with his stomach torn open.

She stayed close to the door as Wednesday talked to their comatose friend. It wasn't until Wednesday said it should've been her instead that she spoke up.

" It shouldn't have been anyone. The town should've put more effort into solving this investigation. If they would've done their jobs, Eugene wouldn't be here."

Wednesday keeps her gaze on Eugene," Justice isn't something that can be funded by a paycheck. They get paid regardless of whether they actually do their jobs. It's appalling."

The conversation is cut short when Eugene's parents enter the room. They take time to talk to Wednesday and tell her how important she was to Eugene. Y/n can feel the girl's guilt expand the more they talk. Once they turn their attention to Eugene, Wednesday takes off with Y/n behind her.

Once she exits the hospital, she turns to Y/n," Maybe you should spend some time with your mother."

Y/n frowns," Wednesday-"

She shakes her head," I'm not pushing you away. You have been looking forward to seeing your mother, I don't want to take up all of your time."

" I don't mind being with you," Y/n can already tell Wednesday's eyes are somewhere else.

" I know you don't, and I'm… greatly appreciative for that. I just- I'll see you later," she doesn't do well at making her girlfriend less worried.

Especially when Y/n gets a glimpse of Morticia heading into the cemetery. Wednesday was only a few paces behind her.

All Y/n could do was sigh. She took Wednesday's advice and found her mother. They spent the rest of their morning walking around Jericho before heading back to the school for lunch.

" So… what does your girlfriend do?"

Y/n nearly choked on the mediocre chicken she was eating," What do you mean?"

" I mean, you turn into a giant dog composed of fire and ash, there's a table of vampires to our right, and magic mermaids to our left. What does she do?"

Y/n pauses," Wednesday is an Addams. Both of her parents are alumni of this school. She has an affinity for truth, no matter how dark it is. She doesn't do anything, per se."

" Except cause trouble," her mother adds.

" Sometimes there is trouble in truth," Y/n bites back at her mother.

Her mother takes her hand," Look, she's cute, and I like that she's brought you out of your shell. It's just she has a lot going on with her life and-"

Y/n's gaze is unwavering as she looks at her mother," My relationship with Wednesday is not a topic I will be swayed on."

" Kiddo, come on. I was just saying-"

" I love her."

Her mother's eyes widen at the statement," You do?"

Y/n nods more to herself than her mother," I do. So I'd appreciate it if we could drop this now."

Her mother would've pressed on a little more if Sheriff Galpin hadn't stridden through the Nevermore quad, and placed Gomez Addams under arrest for murder. The murder of Garrett Gates, the man she spoke about in therapy.

How could this happen? The murder was over 2 decades ago, what probable cause could've come up to cause this effect. Y/n watched as her girlfriend stood defensively after watching her father being courted off. She wanted to rush over to the girl, but after chasing her all day, she learned that eventually Wednesday would come to her.

The day progressed and the only thing Y/n could think about was Wednesday. She tried to enjoy the time with her mother, but the slight strain on their relationship had grown quite a bit.

It was late when she heard a knock on her room door, but Y/n was wide awake. It took her less than a minute to answer the door.

" I figured you'd be awake, so I came to tell you to rest," Wednesday was carrying a shovel in one hand and a flashlight in the other.

" Are you alright, at least?"

" I'm fine, cara mia. I will clear my father's name, and he'll be out in no time."

Y/n yawned," Are you going by yourself?"

" My mother is accompanying me. Now, you're clearly tired, so I will leave you to sleep," the girl turned to leave.

" Wednesday wait," Y/n called to her, causing the girl to turn back around.

Y/n leaned down swiftly to place a kiss on top of the girl's head," Be safe."

Y/n closed her door after that, but Wednesday stood there for a moment, basking in the gentle gesture. She hated how much she liked it.

In true Wednesday Addams fashion, she was true to her word. Her father was out of jail the next day. It was an eventful ending to parent's weekend.

"I'm going to miss you kiddo," Y/n's mother pulls her into a hug.

" I'll miss you too," the animosity from yesterday has dissipated in light of their farewell.

Her mom paused briefly," Maybe you can invite your girlfriend over during the break. So we can get a little more acquainted?"

Y/n smiled then gave her mother a nod," I appreciate the effort, mom."

With a final wave, she's off just in time for Y/n to watch Wednesday bid farewell to her parents.

" That seemed like a pretty tame goodbye. Did you sort out the family angst?" Y/n approached the girl after her family cleared.

" My mother provided me with information about my visions and about principal weems. I'm quite certain I know what happened to Rowan."

That's what led to Y/n trailing behind a determined Wednesday, who was headed straight for the principal's office. Y/n was in shock as Wednesday revealed the secret that Weems was keeping, not only about Rowan, but herself as well.

It's when Wednesday threatens to tell the sheriff that tension multiples. Weems makes a menacing move towards Wednesday, which alerts Y/n.

The hound is quick to lean her own hand on the desk and growl at the principal. Her body is towering over Wednesday as she glares at Weems.

" Easy there, Ms. L/n, I'm not above getting a hellhound spayed."

The comment from Weems only angered the girl more. Her eyes narrow and her jaw clenches. There's an adrenaline running through her body, begging her to let the hound out.

Wednesday's hand found its way on top of Y/n's. The hound shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath.

" Good puppy," Weems teased as Y/n stepped back from the desk.

Wednesday kept their hands interlocked. A commotion outside breaks the tension in the room. Weems is the first out to the balcony, followed by Wednesday and Y/n.

They watch as the grass beneath burns with the words " Fire Will Rain."

Y/n's eyes were fixated on the words. She wasn't scared of fire, in fact it was apart of her nature. If it were to rain fire, the hell hound would bask in the glow of the sparks. It would find comfort in the ash on the ground.

If this was the scare tactic, it didn't phase her at all. She'd walk through fire however many times it took to keep the school safe. To keep Wednesday safe.

The girl with the pigtails squeezed her hand once more as they looked out onto the lawn.

" I've never been scared of fire."

She plucked the words right out of the other girl's mind," Me either."

Weems didn't like the two girls together. They stood as a united front that lacked fear, or hesitance. They had quite literally been involved in the unraveling of Nevermore upon introduction.

Weems knew the night she heard the violin intertwine with the cello that trouble would ensue. She could've never grasped that such a beautifully intense melody would be less complicated than dealing with the musicians that composed it.

Larissa Weems thought that Wednesday and Y/n were dangerous together. Dangerous may have been the wrong word at the time, it was more like they were destined for each other.

And destiny could not be changed.

Taglist: @trishatheotaku @rayliz793 @ognenniyvolk @screechcat @anticr @blazemaster4014 @elduster @awolfcsworld @lexthetiredstudent @anouknagel @jujuu23 @myfturn @cfvgbhndun-new-blog @rainbow-love4ever @tundra1029 @simperingghoul

[letstrythisout4]

Thinking about Victorie (Tori) Weasley

First things first I dont fuck with the approximated ages of this generation. I just- no. Like the math isn’t mathing for me, so in my head this is how it goes. I think Victorie is the eldest of the entire generation, I think she was born in 1998. That is not canonical but I like it so much more yk. I like to think that she’s older than Teddy by a couple months. I don’t think she was a planned baby (much like Teddy) but yk. Bill and Fleur were young and dumb and shit happens idk. I just don’t like the…let's say canonical implications of Teddy and Tori dating at such a young age, AND if Tori is born sometime during the war it's a little moral boost or whatever, this is what we're fighting for type shit, much like Teddy. (But this will also play into a headcanon that ill get into later in this post about like politics, social standings yadda yadda, so stay tuned)

I like to think that wizard genetics are weird, right. So in the case of the topic for this post, Victorie Weasley, this would mean that Tori and all of her siblings have Veela traits despite being like what an eighth (im dumb and bad at math so dont bully me if thats wrong) Veela. I like to think that Tori is the most Veela-like; where all of her siblings have the classic red Weasley hair she was born platinum blonde and just in general looks way more like her great-grandmother than anyone else in the family.

I think that she is kind of deemed precious by the entire family, I mean she was born in such a moment of darkness and provided so much hope for regrowth after the war and that never left.

That girl was spoiled, heavily.

I mean the first grandbaby and she’s a girl. Molly adores her like no other and definitely hovers a lot.

I think Tori being born is a major part in fixing the relationship between Molly and Fleur.

ALSO imagine being Tori and learning the lore behind your mother and your grandmothers relationship before your birth. I feel like most people have a point where after youve grown up, maybe when you’re a teenager or an young adult, where you get to know like the family drama; imagine just ONE (because the weasleys have other shit to that i can get into later) piece of your family drama/lore is that your grandmother used to have beef with your mom and straight up used to hate her. Like the grandmother that you adore used to talk shit about your mom. (That’s not an uncommon thing at all, I know that something that people go through but its still crazy yk)

You know that trend where its people photos as adults and then as kids with the Megan song where its like “Knowin' nothin' in life, but I gotta get rich · You could check the throwback pics, I been that bitch” THAT IS TORI

I like to think that Tori and Teddy grew up like two peas in a pod. If they went more than like three days without each other when they would finally be reunited -especially as little toddlers- they were so dramatic, refusing to be more than 5 steps from each other.

I like to think George is the one who gave Victorie the nickname Tori and she just loved it so much that after the age of like eight she stopped answering to her full name unless her mom or grandmother (on her mothers side) was the one calling her.

Tori and Teddy are like the heads of the Next Gen. Way before they even became a couple they were the older cousins, they were respected and looked up to by the rest of the Next Gen, their just a power duo.

(I think Tori has like a two to three year distance between her and Dominique, and then I think that Dominique is kind of like the eldest of all the kids. So basically the next gen is Tori and Teddy, no kids born for the next 3 years, then Dominique then everyone else)

Tori and Dominique both grew up heavily in Veela culture. I can’t remember if I’ve said it on the blog or just thought about it alot but I think that they both were sent to Beauxbaton for a couple years for the equivalent of muggle elementary and then transferred to Hogwarts.

I think Tori ( because she is so Veela-like) perhaps got bullied and harassed. I’ve seen a lot of people dive into the implications of being Veela or part-Veela so I won’t get into it too much but Idefinitely think that she had her fair share of just straight bullying. 

Now a little bit of a switch up but stick with me. Imagine with me, that the Weasley family is a fallen noble house (maybe even ancient).

The house fell maybe during the first war or a little prior due to blood supremacy; they were clipped out the pureblood scene when they were just a little too loud. 

Now the house has fallen and post-secondary wars the Wizarding World in Europe is trying to rebuild itself. 

Tori (in my head) would take advantage of that. 

Listen, we've seen the Weasley family kind of get treated like shit because of their relationship with muggleborns and their financial situation and their lack of political influence. In theory if they were to rebuild the house there would be no better time than postsecondary war.

But I don't think that they do. Molly and Arthur are happy just to be with their family. All of the Weasley siblings we know of , except for Percy, are (for lack of a better word) free spirited non-socially conforming people yk. Bill is a curse-breaker, Charlie works with fucking dragons, the twins opened a joke shop and Ginny is a quidditch icon. I doubt they give a fuck about social status in the sense of regaining former political power. Especially because they all seem to have had it kind of easy. I mean yes we know they get comments about their finances and whatever but like…Weasleys are tough as shit, they'll just beat the shit out of you and call it a day.

Percy though is an exception, Percy did want to be in the Ministry. He was attempting to climb the ranks but I think after the war…after Fred’s death, he does not care, at least for the next few years.

I think Tori does care. I can see a world where Tori is getting harassed because she is part-Veela and I mean lets be real there must still be Death eater sympathisers at Hogwarts and Ican only imagine he fucking target the next gen had on their backs. I don't think that it's an issue for the other kids because well they have each other to rely on and the older cousins aka Tori and Teddy who as the eldest set the standard of like hey we are not meant to be fucked with. 

I think Tori and Teddy both faced heavy harassment for being half-blood and fought back. I think the two of them were perpetually in detention simply because they refused to sit there and take it.

I think Tori is bitter because of course this harassment isn’t just little kid petty ignorant bullshit, this expands into the grander political/social scene. Her family is beloved by half the Wizarding community sure, but they are seen as Harry Potter's sidekicks. The other half would kill them if they could get away with it. 

I think Tori looks around and sees that yes the war is over but ignorant purebloods still hold power. They still have their elite clubs and balls and still shoot down laws that could make change, I mean yeah a lot of people died or went to Azkaban but that was just Death Eaters, they are plenty of blood supremacists that couldn’t be convicted because well they haven’t done anything. They just refuse to let half-breeds into any important position of power *shrugs* voting against something isn’t illegal.

In theory the Weasley House could be great and as the eldest Tori is in a position to make it great. 

Tori Weasley looks at the snobby pureblood society and decides I am going to get in there and change it for the better or die trying.

Give me Tori Weasley who in her 5th year walks into Flitwick's office for her consultation on her future career paths with notebooks filled with information on Wizengamot, all the pureblood families, pureblood customs, etiquette, niche traditions, clubs, events, everything. Information on every level and subsection of the Ministry. 

Tori Weasley who works her ass off to be the top student of her year, before because she simply was competitive but as she gets older she is intentionally trying to stomp on every highly-tutored pureblood who thinks they have an advantage. She wants to be the best with no room for discussion and she is.

Give me Percy Weasley who is watching his niece grow up to be a mini him. She always had his tendencies even when she was at Beauxbaton, obsessed with rules and wanting to know everything. She looked up to him. But now, Christmas of her 6th year, 16 year old Tori was like looking in a slightly distorted mirror. She rallied her cousins and siblings, yelling at them if they were too loud or bumped into her, messing up what she was writing.

Percy warned Tori of greed and ambition and how blinding it could be. But Tori just had to respectfully shut him down. Greed? Ambition? Yes, yes she could admit she could find satisfaction in always being right but at the end of the day this wasn’t about her, this wasn’t for her.

This was for the family.

Tori didn’t want a position of power for herself.

She wants to rebuild the House of Weasley into a respectable name, politically, socially, and financially. She wanted to form allies with other like minded Houses like the Abbots, and wanted to formally politically oppose blood supremacy. 

She wanted their seat back in Wizengamot.

As the eldest she had much to gain from this, yes, she would be the head of the family… but she’s always been the head of the family. She gave the generation before her something to fight for during the war, she gave them something to live for after the war, she gave her generation a reputation to use for when they were at Hogwarts so that their years could be easier. And she would be giving all of her success to the next generation as well.

Tori is greedy and ambitious, yes, I mean you definitely won’t see her handing over the position as Head of the family to just anyone but so long as it benefits the family…

She starts her plan the second that she leaves HogwartsI think Tori is someone who becomes incredibly famous because of her efforts. I mean incredibly intelligent, beautiful, witty, and well known through coming from families that fought in both wars, I think she is set up to become a media darling. 

Photos of her arguing passionately in Wizengamot make it on the front page and that is where she gets her start. 

I think she grows into a name that is so well known that before she gets a seat in Wizengamot she’s already building connections.

I like to think that Tori is incredibly successful, that she reestablishes the House of Weasley and garners more respect for the House of Prewett. Tori is making political moves shutting down underhanded oppression and advocating for different communities. Tori is at every event, every ball, every club. And I mean even the ones whose crowds are primarily made up of blood supremacists. Why does she go? Because you never know what you’ll overhear. Why is she even invited? Because her name is too big in the Wizarding World to not be invited. 

I think Tori Weasley is the youngest member of Wizengaot ever, becoming the official representative of the family and taking up the seat for the family at age 22.

I think everyone is incredibly proud but I think Arthur is the most proud. I think he never held a passion for politics or House matters but I would imagine that he is old enough to remember what it was like when the Weasley name was respected and we know that he lived through the disrespect that the Ministry put them through after the first war. 

I imagine a seat in Wizengamot pre-first war used to be a symbol of status and respect because you have to fight your way to be an option to fill the seat and you have to be elected by your fellow Wizengamot members to actually take up the seat. Losing your seat in Wizengamot must feel devastating so to see it be regained, not only is personally satisfactory but also feels like a symbol of true progress.

(lemme know if yall want my opinions or headcanons on literally any character of any era because I have many, also if yall want elaboration on anything)

[makethatelevenrings]

Angel By the Wing - TEN

Chapter Warnings: swearing (ofc), throwing up/nausea, a creepy guy for .02 seconds, canonical cancer of a character

Series Masterlist

“I’m a little earlier than normal today,” you said from the doorway. After your fight with Jake, you just needed a moment to escape. Somehow, you found yourself on Sarah and Tom’s doorstep. Sarah ushered you in without questioning the stricken look on your face and she encouraged you to go on upstairs to Tom’s office.

The silver haired man beckoned you in and waved for you to sit in the chair next to his desk. He finished typing something on his computer and then turned to you, a raised eyebrow indicating his silent question.

“I’m fine,” you answered. “I just…stuff.” A vague hand wave punctuated his statement and he huffed out a quiet laugh before opening an application on his computer and typing something down.

Do you want to elaborate more on this stuff? The screen read. You rolled your eyes and shrugged.

“You don’t want to hear about my issues,” you assured him.

It’s better than getting my ass beat in checkers.

A small smile tugged at your lips and you sighed. “It’s nothing. Stupid boy stuff.”

His nose crinkled as he screwed his face up in disinterest. Despite being married for a few decades and having a daughter who was married with kids, Tom wasn’t particularly interested in dating drama, but he looked at you with careful consideration.

Any man should be grateful to know such an intelligent and kind young woman such as yourself. You’ve brought so much joy to our family in the few months we’ve known you. If they’re making you upset, then they’re not worth your time. And if he makes you cry, I do have a gun.

You laughed despite the tightening pain in your chest. You had read about dads in books, saw them shown on TV from Charlie Swan to Jim Hopper, but you never really had a dad. Your dad was physically in your life but he wasn’t actually there. He wasn’t someone you could talk out problems with or ask for advice or learn how to change a tire or whatever dads are supposed to teach you. He just came home from work, fell asleep on the couch, ate whatever your mom put in front of him for dinner, and then slept some more. He wasn’t a bad person, he just wasn’t present.

So having this man could have easily turned you away when you showed up on his doorstep looking like a lost kitten, but he took you in and made you feel safer than you ever have. Sarah and Tom never judged or criticized you. They were good, kind people.

“I’ll keep it in mind,” you teased. “Now, can I start reading? Or do you want to interrogate me on something else?”

He let out a huff of a laugh and leaned back in his chair, gesturing for you to proceed. You pulled out the Agatha Christie novel from your purse with a flourish and cracked it open where the bookmark held your place.

“Now, where were we…”

You were nearly to the part of the novel where Hercule Poirot started to piece together the evidence when a voice interrupted you.

“Admiral.”

You turned at the sound of a man’s voice. It was the guy who had been frequenting the Hard Deck. You had figured he was Navy, but this confirmed it. His gaze flickered to you and he dipped his head in greeting. 

“Ma’am,” he said. You glanced at one of the photos on his desk, noting that it was Tom and the man but much younger. Ah, Navy business. Standing up, you folded the bookmark between the pages and tucked the book into your purse.

“I’ll go help Sarah with dinner,” you said. You paused in front of Tom and reached down, squeezing his hand. He smiled up at you, pride shining in his eyes. He was proud of you.

The moment you stepped into the kitchen, you knew something was wrong. Sarah’s eyes were red-rimmed and tinged with a sadness you had seen before.

“No,” you breathed.

“Sit down, sweetie,” Sarah croaked out. She beckoned your forward and you sank onto the stool across from her. She reached out, her slim fingers interlocking with yours. You clasped her hands tightly.

“How bad is it?” you breathed.

“The treatments aren’t working and he’s just so tired, hun. When Maverick came by, it just hit me and…I don’t know what I’m going to do without him,” Sarah whispered. “It’s not like I didn’t see this coming. The cancer has been so aggressive, I’ve been preparing for this but it still…”

She trailed off and you could see it in her eyes. The pain. The grief that has been building. Your wounded heart shattered even more seeing her so heartbroken.

“Whatever happens, I’ll be here for whatever you need,” you promised.

“I know. I’m so lucky I met you.”

For a brief moment, you felt wanted for once in your life. Sarah didn’t treat you like a prop to show off like your mom and Tom didn’t ignore you like your dad. They were proud of you. They were grateful to know you.

“Oh, there will be plenty of tears to cry in the future. No use crying now,” Sarah announced. You could see how she pushed her grief back and let a smile settle across her face, no matter how false it was. Sarah pinched your cheek and then stood.

“You can help me make the pico and guac for dinner,” she said. “It’s nacho night.”

You accepted her hand as she pulled you up to join her at the island, various vegetables laid out before you. As you began chopping, you recalled what she said earlier.

“Maverick? Who is he?”

“Pete, he was a friend of Tom’s at Top Gun. They flew together a while back. He lost his partner when they were training. Goose Bradshaw. Horrible accident.”

Bradshaw. Like Bradley Bradshaw.

That was the man who pulled his papers. That was the man who made him weep on the beach. You thought back to that night pressed against Bradley, staring out at the ocean, as you sliced open an avocado. Your eyes cast over the sight of the creamy green insides that you had eaten plenty of times before.

But this time, your stomach turned at the smell and sight of the avocado. Biting back the involuntary gag, you turned away from the sight and raised the back of your hand to your mouth. Sarah looked up from where she was frying some chicken breasts.

“Honey? Are you okay?” Concern painted her tone and you could have nearly fucking wept at the sound of her kindness.

“I…phew, I just got hit with a wave of nausea. I might have caught a bug at the bar,” you said. You tried to shake off the queasy feeling, but it remained. “I’m sorry, but I should probably go home. I don’t want to get you or Tom sick.”

Her brows creased in a frown but she nodded. Sarah wiped her hand on a towel hanging from the oven and she came over, pressing the back of her hand against your forehead and then your cheek.

“No fever, but it could just be a stomach bug. Go home and rest, okay? I’ll call you tomorrow to check up on you.”

“Thank you,” you mumbled. You started to walk over to grab your purse, but you paused and pivoted on your heel to rush back and pull her into a hug. Sarah’s arms quickly wound around your back and she squeezed you gently.

“Thank you,” you whispered again before you pulled away and gathered your purse up.

The drive home was only a twenty-five minute drive away, but you groaned when you turned on your car and saw the little “E” sign on the dash. You had promised yourself that you would get it on the way back, but that was before you felt like you were going to hurl any moment.

Maybe you could stop by a gas station and get gas and some ginger ale. That sounded like a good idea. The closest gas station was about eight minutes away, but rain started to splatter across your windshield the second you pulled out of the neighborhood. By the time you parked in front of the gas station, it was steadily pouring.

You dashed inside and made a beeline for the soft drink section. Ginger ale. Blessed ginger ale. Carrying your treasure to the register, you were dimly aware of the shattering thunder outside.

“Looks like a pretty bad storm,” the attendant said in the classically chipper retail voice. You offered her a tight smile and nodded. You were relieved once the card reader chirped and you could grab your drink and head back to your car.

“Drive safe!” she called. Raising the ginger ale in salute, you pushed through the door and back out into the pouring rain. You slid into your front seat and cracked open the soda. Small sips, you reminded yourself.

You put your key into the ignition and turned it, but your car let out a pitiful whine and then dropped off.

Fuck no.

You tried it again and your engine wheezed and then spluttered into a pathetic silence. This couldn’t be happening.

And that’s when the nausea hit full force. Your hand scrambled to grab the door handle and you stumbled out of the seat. You barely had time to step into the rain before you were bending over and throwing up the contents of your lunch.

Tears sprang to your eyes, an instinctive reaction to whenever you threw up, and stomach acid burned your throat and nose. A sob spilled out of your mouth followed by another round of vomit.

“Fucking hell,” you croaked out.

This had to be a low for anyone. Standing in the gas station parking lot in rain drenched clothes, strings of vomit dripping down your chin and nose, and crying like a toddler who just spilled their juice and a dead car battery.

You dragged yourself back into your car and crawled into the front seat. Grabbing your phone from the cup holder, you hesitated when thinking of who to call. Sarah was closest, but you couldn’t inconvenience her like that. Penny would have just opened the bar so she wouldn’t be able to come until she could make sure someone was covering for her. Usually, you would be the one covering for her.

Phoenix could help, but she had mentioned that she and Sofia had plans to see a movie tonight…

Your thumb hovered over two names in particular. You hesitated before tapping the first name in your texts. The phone rang for a while before it went to voicemail.

“You’ve reached Seresin! I’m sorry I can’t come to the phone right now. Leave a message or send me a text. And if you’re a telemarketer, don’t bother. Always a pleasure.”

You cursed under your breath and flinched when someone tapped on the window of your car. A man stood there, his hand poised to tap again. You offered him a tight smile and cracked open your car door.

“Car troubles?” he asked.

“Yep,” you laughed, a little too high pitched to be natural.

“I can help you with that.” There was something in his eyes that made you wary. It was the look every woman recognized in a man. Something predatory, as though he would be rewarded for his unneeded service.

“No thanks, my boyfriend is on his way,” you lied. You needed your next call to be answered or you were well and truly fucked. Maybe you could call Coyote?

Without waiting for his reply, you slammed your door shut and checked that it was locked to be sure. You pressed on the second name and held your phone up to your ear. It rang once, twice, three times.

“Please pick up,” you whispered. You could see the guy hanging around near your bumper. “Please.”

“Hey!” Rooster’s voice met your ear and you nearly sobbed in relief. “What’s up? You aren’t at the Hard Deck?”

“Bradley?” you whimpered. God, this was pathetic, but you really couldn’t bring yourself to care. Your mouth tasted horrible, bile stung your throat still, your clothes were soaked and cold against your skin, and you really just wanted to go home to your shitty apartment and curl up in bed.

His voice sharpened, the background noise fading away. “Hey, what’s wrong? What’s going on?”

“I stopped for gas and my battery died,” you explained. “And, uh, a few other problems but that’s unimportant.”

You heard shuffling over the line and then Bradley said something to someone in the background before he came back to the phone. “Can you send me your location? We’re leaving right now.”

“Yeah, yeah, I can text it to you,” you sniffled.

His voice softened at the sound of your tears. “Do you want me to stay on the line?”

You hesitated. You were already being a bother, you didn’t want to inconvenience him anymore. But you also felt so overwhelmed that having someone to talk to would be nice.

“If you can,” you said in a quiet voice.

“How ‘bout I put you on speaker, okay? That way Hangman can join in. You know how he gets when the attention isn’t on him.”

“Jake?” His name tinged your tongue with hope.

“Hey darlin’, sorry I missed your call. I didn’t hear the music over the noise at the bar. Rooster said you were having a little car trouble.” That damn Texan drawl filtered through the phone and you laid your forehead on the steering wheel, relief surging through you.

“Yeah,” you choked back a laugh. “Think I might have caught a stomach bug too.”

Both men grunted, a mixture of disgust and concern. You could hear the sounds of a car moving in the background and you knew they were coming. They would be there soon.

Your boys were coming because you called.

You didn’t have the energy to tamp down the rush of emotion that bubbled up in your chest. Instead, you focused on listening to them banter back and forth as they tried to get you to laugh. It couldn’t have been more than fifteen minutes when Jake’s truck pulled up beside you. You ended the call and unlocked the door, but Bradley was already at your door and opening it for you before you could pull the handle.

“C’mon, Jake has some extra clothes you can change into. He’s on the phone with AAA to get a tow out here and take your car to a shop.” His warm hand enclosed around yours and he ushered you into the back seat of Jake’s cab. The blond shot you a smile from where he was seated in the front seat and Bradley took your key before he shut the door behind you and then went around to get your purse and other belongings out of your car.

Jake pointed at the gym bag parked on the floorboard of his backseat. You dug through it and found some basketball shorts and one of his t-shirts. Tugging your soaked shirt over your head, you quickly yanked on his shirt and then shimmied out of your jeans once the hem of his shirt fell across your thighs and pulled on the shorts. You knew he was trying hard not to look at the mirror, but it was nothing he hadn’t seen before.

Jake was a gentleman, however, and you appreciated that at this moment. Because you felt like shit.

Your stomach was beginning to settle, but now you were acutely aware of the empty feeling that remained thanks to losing all the sustenance that was in you. Vomiting always took a lot of energy out of you and now you were exhausted.

The door next to you opened and a rain-drenched Bradley greeted you with a bright grin and roving eyes. He wasn’t looking at you with the burning gaze he had at the wedding, but something more intimately caring and concerned.

“Do you want your ginger ale or do you want me to hold it?” he asked as he placed your purse down next to Jake’s gym bag.

“Can you hold it?” you asked. “I don’t think I need it right now but…”

He nodded and started to back away to go sit in the passenger seat, but you let out a soft sigh that made him pause. Jake must have noticed his hesitation because he jerked his chin towards the backseat and pulled his phone away from his ear.

“There’s more clothes in there, Bradshaw. You take care of her, I’ll worry about the car.”

Bradley climbed in next to you and you placed your forearm over your eyes as he began to strip. Jake chuckled, low and throaty in his chest, and you pulled your arm away so you could shoot him an annoyed look.

“It’s nothing we all haven’t seen before, angel,” he teased.

“Angel?” you questioned, a yawn taking over at the end of your question. He looked back at you, blue eyes soft and warm.

“Yeah, darlin’. How you feeling?”

“Better. Threw up twice in the parking lot. Some guy wanted to help me with the car but I didn’t like his vibes.” They both stiffened at your words, but you waved them off. “He’s gone now.”

Bradley settled back in the seat, clad in a pair of Jake’s sweats and another shirt that pulled across his chest in a delicious way. But you couldn’t focus on the way he looked right now. You just needed to lay down.

Without asking or prompting, you stretched out on your side and laid your head in his lap. Bradley’s hand settled against the back of your neck and he rubbed his thumb into your shoulders. You hummed at his touch and nuzzled your cheek against the soft fabric of the sweatpants.

“Thank you both for coming,” you murmured. “I’m sorry for ruining your night.”

“Nah, sweetheart,” Bradley assured you. “There’s no place we’d rather be.”

Your eyes were shut as you focused on keeping the lingering nausea at bay, so you missed the way the two men shared a look through the rearview mirror. Bradley nodded once and Jake looked away.

“Take a nap, sweetheart. I’ll wake you up when we get to your place.”

You curled up against him at the thought of returning to your empty, shithole of an apartment. The cold bed in the middle of the water-stained walls and sagging ceilings.

“Nah, she can stay at mine,” Jake said. It’s like he read your thoughts. You cracked your eyes open and looked at him in the mirror, finding that he was already watching you. “That okay?”

“That’s perfect.” You hesitated, figuring that your next request wouldn’t go over well. Jake saw the indecision flash across your face and he turned back to look at you.

“What?”

“I just…” You paused and then sighed. “Would it be alright if Bradley stayed too?”

Jake glanced at the brunet and then back at you. “Yeah, angel, that’s fine as long as he’s cool with it.”

Bradley’s thumb now traced circles against the back of your neck, warmth seeping into your skin and making you sleepy. “Yeah, angel, that works for me.”

Tag List: @mizzzpink​ @xoxabs88xox​ @dreaminglandsworld​ @khaylin27​ @loveforaugust​ @phoenixssugarbaby​ @atarmychick007​ @mak-32​ @itsmytimetoodream​

[waitmyturtles]

CONTINUED UNPOPULAR OPINIONS ABOUT STEP BY STEP, EPISODE 11

I will spare y’all my biting criticism with a read-more. But, TL;DR -- my review is short (for me, HA!), and I hand this show over lovingly to anyone who wants it. 

(Thanks to continued conversations with the inimitable @lurkingshan and the utterly lovely @neuroticbookworm to ensure I’m not going insane with these thoughts.)

At this point, I don’t know what narrative lens we’re supposed to be watching this show through*. Maybe a few of them, together, but that is striking me as an understudied, overambitious, overworked, and confused approach to understanding this show.

Is it a queer narrative about how Jeng has been closeted-ish/held back in his public queer identification for so long that he’s turned into an inconsistent, incommunicative, distrusting putz? Is there a connection between his family being disapproving of his sexuality, and/or him running away from a filial fate of taking over his dad’s company -- and him being a bumbling asshole to Pat?

Is it a trust narrative about how Pat can’t trust ANYONE? Put, Jeng, Jeng’s dad, the company, Toh? Maybe even Chot? (I’m just throwing that out there, since Chot sent him into the battlefield with Jeng during the last episode -- I love Chot, I ain’t blamin’ Chot.) (Maybe I analytically get to this narrative by... assuming Pat can’t trust anyone, since his loving, COMMUNICATIVE parents ended up getting divorced?) (And in the process of that divorce, we learn, in part, that Pat’s mom couldn’t find her full potential in life unless she was outside of the marriage?) [So maybe that’s what needs to happen to Pat? Since Jeng is CLEARLY UNDERMINING Pat’s efforts to be successful on his (Pat’s) own, in multiple ways, by really not allowing Pat to have control over his (Pat’s) own life?]

Is this a MACRO MACRO narrative commentary on the failings of BL tropes and the BL industry as a whole? (The reveal of the once-toxic Ying as a fujoshi?)

It could very well be all of these narratives at the same time. However, the execution of this storytelling, at this point, is so inconsistent and choppy that 1) I can’t exactly tell, and 2) I’m so frustrated about the amount of time that I’ve spent trying to understand this show that at this point, I don’t really want or care TO care.

To refer back to my first point (*) -- I think it’s unfair for me to demand that ANY show have a singular narrative lens. But I propose that Step By Step would have been an actually successful drama if it hadn’t tried to do so much. I’m EXTREMELY biased right now on this kind of analysis, because I’ve just finished Until We Meet Again for the Old GMMTV Challenge, and watched two narrative lenses in DeanPharm and KornIntouch come together into one cohesive story. (And, fuck, I cannot believe I’m saying this about a New Siwaj show.) I mean -- you can take filmmaking classes that can teach screenwriters and directors how to handle multiple narrative lenses successfully.

Maybe that’s the word: cohesiveness. I’m not seeing cohesiveness in Tee Bundit’s Step By Step. Instead, I watched an episode with actual minutes -- MINUTES! -- spent watching an office team held in tension as internet “likes” poured in. Looking at computers. I spent MANY MINUTES watching Jaab WAFFLE over MULTIPLE episodes going back and forth on Jen... only to discover that he missed Jen’s departure to Japan -- a Very Big Life Decision that Jaab just *missed.* Okay.

And.... we are left with the break-up of Jeng and Pat. And a time jump. 

I mean. 

All that growth of the previous episodes, all that slow burn, all that processing of Pat’s growth into a hopefully successful professional digital marketer. For what. No cohesive character development or a sharpening of any narrative lenses.

The last thing I’ll offer is that I understand that Tee Bundit added themes to this show that were not present in the original novel, such as the aforementioned macro commentary on the BL industry and other workplace storylines. And, starting with episode 10, he was on his complete own, outside of the novel’s romance arc (thank you to @lurkingshan for confirming this for me). I’ll theorize, therefore, that what we’ve been watching these past few weeks is a Frankenstein-ed approach to this story where the novel focused on the romance aspect of Pat and Jeng, and Tee’s been wanting to drive home themes of workplace success (I think); professional growth (I think?!); homophobia in the workplace and the harms of either being disapproved of and/or being closeted or closeted-ish in general (Jeng, Chot/Krit, Pat), plus that macro commentary on the BL industry that got edited out. 

But, and I emphasize here: not a SINGLE one of these threads has been illuminated to the point of clarity. I’ve wondered in the back of my mind if Tee maybe threw the baby out with the bathwater on this show AFTER the whole ZeeNew debacle, but -- whatever. The seams on this show were fraying weeks ago, and it shows.

Again -- I can’t think much longer on this show. It’s over next week. After a break-up and a time jump. We’re on the express train to a likely happy ending that I’m going to guess will be totally unearned. I had high hopes for each episode, only to be sorely disappointed since episode 8, when the drag got so unbalanced that I started to raise red flags. I want to see a surprise turn towards good storytelling for this finale next week. I want to be proven wrong about my instincts, but I ain’t putting any of my money on it.

[bexktaegeun]

Hello Hello

hello, introducing my bby! kwon taegeun! it was split between him and another muse! hopefully i can bring her later! now onto my baby! below i'll have his about linked and under the link! i'll have some basic info about him AND some lose plot ideas! if you see something you like or you think he'll fit or if you just wanna plot! let me know! 

also quick edit! open for water bomb event plotting!

ABOUT 

was born on august 18th 2005 in daegu

his fathers second child from his girlfriend who dumped tae with him

he finally settled down in his 3rd major relationship and second (rich) wife

he was cared for growing up and spent a lot of time with his grandparents on his dads side 

grew up with his step-mom as his mom and her family were nice-ish but it was clear that tae was seen as separate 

but still, he grew up with money so like...that's good right? 

a lot of missed in events in his life but it was made up with toys and money, he was well fed, sure his parents didn't care when he wanted to go off and become a trainee but they never forgot a birthday

he tried to bring it up once and was guilted in silence so he never brought it up again

as soon as he found out about taeha, he started to look for her

it was what pushed him to come to seoul, along with wanting to become a trainee

he's sad boy, he feels lonely at and fills the void with friends or parties or just being around people 

he downplays his parents treatment

actually, would downplay anyone's treatment of him because he's convinced himself he's lucky

is lying to taeha about how much contact he has with their dad and that he's funded by his dad, she thinks its all coming from the grandparents 

does love attention when he gets it

wants to be beloved by everyone and anyone, just to fill the void a little 

maybe, if he becomes super beloved his parents would notice him more

maybe his birth mom would seek him out? 

loves his older sister and loves having an older siblings

kinda buys his friends, he does want them but he doesn't want them to leave so he spends money 

easily taken advantage of and will excuse mistakes

in his last year at school

is taking dance/vocal/rap lessons, likes to run the streets to hang out, is on a dance crew and has gotten into working on music

pours all of himself into that because he wants it back 

when he's not dancing....he...has a random interest in wood-working? well, when your a kid who has money..skys the limit

also as much more normal interest: mysteries, food (baking but doesn't mind cooking), coffee black, enjoys sour candy and foods, he wouldn't call himself a gamer but he does play harvest moon and cooking momma

loves over the top dramas 

biromantic king! 

PLOTS / CONNECTIONS 

 i haven't said which high school...so some high school friends or friend?

you have a super expensive meal out and he totes cover the bill when you can find your wallet

rivals? street cats? both of you are dancers and often compete and try to out best each other like fighting cats 

use him! i mean it! if your muse is hard on money, he's an easy target because he'll give within reason and gift even more 

he has one or two npc friends that def just use him for things and he makes excuses and your a new friend OR old friend and your like wtf? they don't care about you but he just wants to be wanted

a past summer romance...like last summer with a female muse but she broke it off when school started, it wasn't anything serious but tae has been crushed. sure, he's getting over feelings for another and SURE you both agreed it was just some summer time fun to appear at parties together or just have something for the gram but it's kinda weird when ya'll share a friend group but tae pretends like you aren't there. (to mention, nothing really would've happened it was like one month romance of cute dates, maybe some kisses and a lot of posting each other or hanging out together. maybe it was time for you muse to buckle down on school) 

dance/vocal/rap/producer muses if you have plots or crews he could join

he's taking spanish and english lessons (fucking random but he meets people) 

also has picked up the guitar and drums if you wanna do something around that!

uh, he has a small website in which he sells some of his crafts, so maybe for that! it's wood works, paintings, carvings and etc! 

any muses who have part-times jobs and have places that would be hiring! his grandparents are legit concerned about how he views money and has told him to get a job, so he will

With that! I thank everyone for the welcomes! If you see something you like, message me or if you think he could fill your plot! Just like this and I'll come to you!

[josette-park]

Of Belgian Waffles and Second Chances

Summary: After learning about the Merge, Josie leaves the Salvatore Boarding School behind her and heads for Belgium.

Prompt: Canon Rewrite

Word Count: 773

---

“Josie?”

Josie turned to see her ex-girlfriend, Penelope Park. Penelope was shocked to see her, Josie could tell. It’s not surprising, Josie has shocked herself that she’s here. 

“Hey, Penelope,” Josie smiles.

“What are you doing here?” Penelope asks as she walks up to Josie.

Josie smiles tightly, “I did a lot of thinking after you left. My dad told me what the Merge is, and I came to a decision.”

Penelope’s face drops, “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Josie asks, confused.

“I should have told you what the Merge was, but I just couldn’t. I couldn’t be the one to tell you it was between you and Lizzie,” Penelope explains.

Josie looks down at her hands, “It wasn’t on you to tell me. I should have known all along. My parents never should have hidden this from us.”

Penelope nods in agreement, but she says nothing else. Josie isn’t sure where to take the conversation. She should probably explain why she’s in Belgium at Penelope’s new school.

“Um, so anyways,” Josie says, “I decided I needed to be away from my family. My parents lied to me, and knowing what we are going to have to go through, I just can’t face Lizzie right now.”

“That’s understandable.”

“Yeah, I thought so,” Josie takes a deep breath before she says in a rush, “I enrolled here.”

Penelope’s eyes widened, “Here?”

Josie nods, “Yes, I just wanted to get away from Mystic Falls, and this was the first place that came to my mind.”

Penelope smirks, “Oh, and what attracted you to Belgium?”

Josie returns her look and shrugs her shoulders, “There was someone that I wanted to see again.”

They stand there for a while, just smiling at each other. It had been a while since the two of them could just be. There was no other drama, nothing pulling them away from each other. Everything was out in the open now.

A student coughing brings them out of their haze and Penelope offers her arm, “Let me show you around.”

Josie links their arms and Penelope shows her the campus. It isn’t as big as the Salvatore School, but it’s catered to witches. Josie had looked at her schedule, and she is excited to learn so much more about her powers and her heritage.

“Do you like it here?” Josie asks Penelope as they walk.

Penelope smiles, “I’m liking it a lot more, now.”

Josie turns her face to hide her blush. Penelope was the only one who could bring this reaction out of her. This is what Josie wanted, some time to focus on herself, to figure out what she wanted. She wanted to learn to be a little bit selfish, and she knew who she wanted to teach her.

“A noble quest,” Penelope smiles, “I shall take my role with the utmost sincerity, I promise you, Josette.”

“You know,” Penelope says, “There’s a great place that has the best waffles. Josie, you need a true Belgian waffle now that you are in Belgium. Please tell me that you haven’t had one yet, I want to be there for your first one.”

“You’re in luck, I haven’t been anywhere yet,” Josie says, “My mom picked me up at the airport and dropped me off here. That’s all I’ve seen of Belgium so far. You’ll have to be my guide.”

They continue to walk with their arms linked and Josie asks, “Is this an all-girls school?” She has only seen female students walking around the campus.

Penelope throws Josie a look, “Did you do any research on this place before you jumped on the plane?”

“It had everything I was looking for,” Josie shrugs. Penelope still doesn’t seem to understand, so Josie clarifies, “You.”

Penelope pauses in her steps, “You really came all the way here just for me?”

Josie looks away. There is no other place she wanted to be, but she wasn’t sure where she and Penelope stood, “Yeah. After the whole mess, you’re the person I wanted to see.” Admitting it was hard, but she needed to do it. Lies had messed up her life for too long, she needed everything to be out in the open.

“Well,” Penelope muses, “then I guess our waffle excursion might be a date.”

“I was hoping it would be,” Josie blushes.

An honest smile shines across Penelope’s face as she confirms, “It’s a date.”

“Perfect,” Josie says as she uses her hands to draw Penelope in. The kiss feels like coming home. Nothing in her life has made sense since she found out about the Merge, but now it all clicks into place.

[outrunningthedark]

I think Eddie’s arcs are better because Eddie is actually allowed to grow while Buck keeps taking one step forward two steps back (as Oliver said both before season 5 and 6)

This is the gist of it, yep. Eddie and Shannon reconnecting -> Eddie isn't the parent Shannon knew when she left him, he's willing to leave the past behind and start fresh, be better The fighting arc -> Eddie is angry with himself for not knowing how to help Christopher cope in the aftermath of Shannon's death, and we learn that he is also struggling with his own grief because Lena and Bobby called him out about his behavior skateboarding episode -> Eddie makes his own assumptions about Christopher's capabilities (hello, ableism), but (with some help) realizes that not everything is/should be out of the question - he, as a parent, has to be willing to adapt to the circumstances and put in the work EddieAna -> Starts dating her because he's trying to convince himself he's ready to move on after his failed marriage, stays in the relationship because Christopher likes having Ana around, but when things started getting "serious" (Ana being referred to as the mom, being invited to the Flores family Christening) Eddie was able to initiate the break up before he ended up in a second marriage he didn't want. (Following his heart. Not Christopher's.) Eddie leaving the 118 & breakdown arc -> Christopher's concern over his safety is one of the reasons Eddie decides to start a new career, but they have a conversation ON SCREEN where Christopher clarifies that he never meant Eddie should quit doing what he loves. Eddie goes to Bobby about being reinstated, Bobby says he's clearly not ready yet, Eddie goes to therapy BEFORE THE BREAKDOWN because he WANTS to get back to the family, but he's not fully committed. Until his breakdown. Dispatch fire -> "God has spoken." Eddie knows he should be saving lives while in his LAFD gear, not from behind a desk Eddie going home to Texas -> Comes to an understanding with his father, agrees to work on repairing/rebuilding the relationship, also confirms that he's still doing things for himself first by wanting to get better for himself just as much as for Christopher [stopping there because I think I've made my point!] Whereas with Buck... What gets me 🙄 is that there was obvious, understandable growth between seasons one and three DESPITE his past that made him the character we met at the beginning. Dating Abby got him out of the 1.0 phase, hooking up with TayKay in s2 made him realize he didn't want to go back to being That Guy (and Ali was the proof, so her brief resurgence did what it was meant to do). Season 3 was about Buck being alone (Honestly...this is one that doesn't get discussed enough. "Buck needs to learn to be by himself and be comfortable with that." The man had ZERO romantic prospects in all of s3 WYM???) And then, ofc, seeing Abby again made it so that Abby would never be a "what if" situation. He had to let go of that part of his past, and he did. By going to a party and spending it with he Diaz boys. Hm. And then the next season three episodes in having a co-parenting moment. Hmmm. After that? The show was like "We're just gonna take all this growth and throw it out the window for a storyline that is talked about ONCE in two years (Buck's childhood trauma) and also because in our heads it makes for better ~drama~ if Buck's being stupid without Madney around." ...Despite the fact that talking to Maddie didn't lead to the breakup and Buck doesn't go to Chim for like, anything, and Chim isn't the one who calls Buck out on his bullshit anyway! (And we all know how the BL kiss could have been a decent plot point if it played any kind of role in the BT break up. But it was simply A Thing That Happened because sometimes this show turns into a soap!) Just because someone's enjoying the current path Buck is on doesn't automatically make it good storytelling. Please stop equating a series like 9-1-1 with a fanfic that you post for yourself and don't want constructive criticism on, thanks!

[softcarebears]

ok pookie we got

!!!drama!!!

so there’s this girl (you’ve seen one pic of her) that we’re gonna call pinkie for privacy reasons

pinkie and me have been friends for 3 years, and i’ve been in a group w/ her, bbsf and two other ppl for 2 years

so, imagine my surprise when i’m talking to another in our group, who i’m gonna call cowgirl. and me and cowgirl were gonna go shopping together so i texted pinkie and asked if she wanted to come w/ us and she doesn’t even read my message, but cowgirl texts her less than a minute later and she instantly responds

and imagine an even bigger surprise when cowgirl tells me that pinkie has been inviting everyone to come over and hang out multiple times in the past month, except me. she was completely ignoring me in our pms and in every single group chat that we were in, which everyone found weird bc we were just having a bunch of fun on the last day of school

so me, cowgirl and bbsf r talking and they were like, yeah we’ve been on the phone w/ pinkie constantly, she always picks up, why won’t she she pick up for you

and then i talk to my best friend, let’s call her bunny, and she used to be best friends w/ pinkie, but then bunny’s ex made out w/ pinkie and pinkie was too afraid to tell bunny, so bunny doesn’t like her all that much, and as soon as she finds this out, she’s fucking livid and is like trying to figure wth is her problem w/ me so we talk to pinkie’s little sister violet bc we’re both friends w/ her and we talk to cowgirl one more time and so they talked to pinkie and she finally at least started talking to me in the group chats, but still hasn’t even read my pms sense the last day of school, and hasn’t responded sense graduation but i thought everything was fine now

but then, last night i got a call from violet and her best friend june and they were literally so confused too cuz pinkie is constantly on the phone w/ bbsf and is constantly texting cowgirl so now everyone is confused and we get to talking and between violet and june last night and then bunny when we were out shopping today we’ve come up w/ the 3 most possible answers

pinkie has a crush on bbsf. as i mentioned she’s constantly on the phone w/ him, but she won’t hang out w/ him when i’m there, and she has gotten oddly upset when bbsf went to me, someone who he’s been friends w/ sense the 2nd grade and who’s met almost his entire family, vs pinkie who he’s only been friends w/ for a bit over 2 years, who refused to even talk to his sister and who makes fun of him constantly. which was just really strange.

pinkie has a crush on me. this one was suggested by june, who essentially is pinkie’s second sister and bunny and violet think so too. basically the last day of school pinkie called me pretty cuz i had my bangs pinned back bc bbsf and me were painting each others faces, and in the group chats she’s called me pretty a couple more times sense then and has complemented my athletic skills. and then when we were sleeping over at our friend’s house she insisted on cuddling me, she’s also constantly holding my hand and hugging me. now these sound minor but according to the other 3 the next section does definitely support this theory

2b. moments that can either mean she likes bbsf or me, but it’s a weird gray area. for starters, a couple months ago me and bbsf were talking about houses bc i really like spanish style houses so me and him were taking about for the first like ten minutes or so of lunch and then pinkie ran off w/ cowgirl and another one of our friends to go gossip in the bathroom and when i saw and caught up w/ them pinkie yelled at me when i asked why they left w/o me “well you were making out w/ ur bf!” and cowgirl and our other friend both agreed that she was being strange, we don’t know if it was bc of me or bbsf tho. she also got upset when, for cowgirl’s birthday we went roller skating but the rink was over an hour away so cowgirl’s mom and step dad drove us, i was in cowgirl’s sd’s truck in between bbsf and our other guy friend that i did track w/ jr and obviously i was taking to them bc we had nothing better to do. but then when pinkie got there after us and rode w/ cowgirl’s mom bc she completely forgot what we were doing and was an hour late, she got upset when jr mentioned what happened on the ride to the rink (which wasn’t anything romantic, we talked about music and cars) and then when me and bbsf were sharing a slushie bc we always share food and drinks she got upset too. and then on the way back to cowgirl’s house, her jr and jr’s sister, plus another one of cowgirl’s friends that joined us later on went in her sd’s truck, while me, pinkie and bbsf went w/ her mom, pinkie was being, let’s just say, strange. VERY touchy w/ me mainly (like there’s a pic of her cuddled up to my shoulder) and then when we stopped by the store to get beer and candy she just kept pulling bbsf aside and being weird w/ him. then further on we were all back at cowgirl’s house and we were in her room w/ me, jr, his sister and bbsf sitting on the couch, i do have to admit that my head was in fact on bbsf’s shoulder, and pinkie had seen us holding hands earlier, this was also the same night he held me by my waist and stuff. as soon as him and jr left, pinkie was like going off abt how surprised she would be if we were like an actual successful couple, to were cowgirl’s other friend gave her the biggest side eye ever. and then she didn’t talk to me for like a week afterwards.

3. this is the theory that violet thinks is probably the most true, pinkie is jealous of me. according to her she didn’t even know that we didn’t talk for like a month bc pinkie would constantly mention me. and i do have to provide some personal backstory here on myself, i come from a bad part of down, and my parents are divorced, plus my dad died in 2022, my mother was a teen mom (17 w/ my sister, 22 w/ me) and i have a different dad than my siblings. i also grew up w/ very little adult supervision which led me down the path i’m at now, the popular party girl, who has a tsap. i’m home alone for hours on end, i’m constantly out and about hanging out w/ ppl w/o any adults. i’ve been at this lifestyle for about 4 or 5 years, so a bit before i met pinkie and let’s just say, she’s an introvert w/ strict parents, basically opposite of me. prime example is that me and pinkie were meant to go see the barbie movie last year, but pinkie flaked bc her parents said no so i said fuck it and went w/o her, i was completely alone wearing a tight pink dress that honestly belonged more at a cocktail party than anything and had an amazing time, but when i mentioned this to pinkie, she just got upset at how she was never allowed to do anything like that and how she could never have the body to wear a dress like that. she also literally has me in her contacts as “dancer, artist, mua, actress, model, popular, party, batman” (to add to this, the batman thing is a joke that she’s not a part of that a couple of my friends that she absolutely despises came up w/) and she constantly comments on how popular and outgoing i am, here’s some direct quotes that’s come from her

“dakotah i can’t believe how much applause you got at the student gov elections, i got less than half of that.”

“well yeah, of course she wrote a song about you, look at you!”

“kota, how can you wear crop tops and mini skirts constantly, my body is too straight for that to look good on me, but you’re perfectly curvy.”

“of course kota is hosting a big blow out party, she’s one of those popular girls.” (i didn’t actually hear this one, june and me are friends on snap chat and my story has pictures of a party at my house and pinkie saw it when june was w/ violet)

this is along with apparently a bunch of things she’s said to violet and june about how i dress and how my hair is and, probably the most important part of this, she hates whenever anyone has a crush on me, primarily when guys have a crush on me, she threatens to kill them and lock them in her attic, which is strange. she’s also the girl who i told u about a couple months ago who got upset at me and bbsf for being popular and not hanging out w/ her as much.

sorry that this is so long pookie, but this isn’t even all of it, this is only the stuff she’s done sense october of 2023, looking back at her older behavior, it’s even worse

but i needed an outsider’s perspective bc all of my friends r either close w/ pinkie or absolutely don’t like her so i needed an unbiased opinion

hmm...yes i know im so late help😭😭 exams have started so im not that active

THIS STORY IS SO CONFUSING AND THERE'S SO MANY OUTCOMES OF IT HELP IDK EITHER QUEEN😔

i agree with all the possibilities that the council has implemented...

(1.) honestly in my opinion since she is pan... possibility numero 2 or 2b seems more like it imo...she may have both OR EITHER a crush on you or on boybsf...since she got mad at both of y'all for sharing slushies and was forcing bbsf to drink hers...and made a scene when you and bbsf were talking during lunch

(2.) the fact that she exaggerated and said that you and bbsf were "making out" when both of y'all were actually speaking about houses...gives me as sense that she is jealous...of bbsf?? of you...IDK THIS WOMAN IS CONFUSING...i feel like she was jealous that you were speaking to bbsf and not her...lowkey...or maybe its the other way around...idk

(3.) she's 100% jealous of you queen...high chance that she has a crush on you and is jealous of how seemingly perfect your life is even though it ain't...yknow since

(also pookie pls be careful when you're alone or hanging out with ppl...humans are scary and i don't want you to get hurt...like carry a taser or those pepper sprays with you at all cost...also sorry for your dad losing a parent sucks😔💗)

number 1: you're prettier and more popular than her

(us pretending like we didn't know that *insert le hanni gasp*😱)

number 2: incredibly talented and good in different spheres such as ballet, choir and basketball and others...and even in student council or the gov election stuff...she mad she ain't moulinexing like you😔😙

number 3: you're academically slaying like classtopper schooltopper wtv you are BABYGIRL YOU IS A ROOF BECAUSE YOU TOP EVERYTHING EVEN ME😔🥵🤪💥 😛🦅

number 4: you have more freedom (attend or launch more parties or hangouts etc) than her whereas she has strict parents...so she feels like she is missing out on the good youthful and teen stuff...right😱

number 5: she's definitely insecure of her body and herself in general and constantly compares herself to you😬

number 6: she wished that she was outgoing as you

number 7 :basically you're everything that she aspires to be like...SO SHE MAD SHE AIN'T A SLAYFUL CUNT SERVING LEFT NO CRUMBS ON THE PLATE QUEEN🦅💯

but she's mad that she cannot hate you since you just have that natural star quality yknow so she speaks behind your back and ignores you and distances herself so as to let go of her "romantic feelings" or "hatred" for you and to not let it grow more...do u get what i mean...RIGHT😛

honestly i highkey think she has a crush on you🦅😱SEEMS MORE PROBABLE😛but she mad boy bestie is stealing the spotlight

pinkiecore💌:

hmmm she's such a sussy baka like WHY DOES SHE SAY SUCH SUS AND CONFUSING STUFF...SHE NEED TO BE LOCKED UP FR

LIKE SHE WENT OFF SAYING SHE'S SHOCKED THAT IF YALL WOULD DATE THAT YALL WOULD LAST

girl..THAT MEANS THAT SHE THOUGHT AND WISHED THAT IF YOU AND BBSF DATED YALL WOULDNT LAST FOR LONG...BASICALLY THAT MEANS SHES PRAYING ON YOUR DOWNFALL AS A POTENTIAL COUPLE...WHICH MEANS SHE HAS A CRUSH ON YOU (or bbsf but i think mainly its you) OR does not want you and bbsf to last so that she still has a chance or an opportunity to be with you (or him) and even ignored you for a week hmm...+

she threatened to murder ppl who had a crush on you like girl this ain't american psycho or scream tf...LIKE WHY TF ARE YOU THREATENING TO MURDER OR ABDUCT PPL... im scared bro...😔

+ she's incredibly touchy + saved your number with affectionate names...

+ ignores you + calls you pretty and compares herself to you + mentions you and talks about you all the time + gets upset a gazillion of times...

= ITS EITHER SHE WISHES TO BE LIKE YOU / IS JEALOUS OF YOU OR WANTS TO BE WITH YOU !!!

but also her not telling bunny about the make out with her ex (so ew ) + talking shit behind yo back + keeps bbsf away from you + blatantly ignoring you = CLOWN SHIT🤡

anyways i yapped too hard😔gotta go revise english literature for tomorrow WISH ME LUCK AND UPDATE MEEEE🥺