#trey lane

[treylane]

[X]

[madebysimblr]

[laughter from the kitchen]

Chance: No no! That's not how it happened at all!

Callie: I think I remember better than you!!

Xavier: Yeah! Remember you're the youngest of us all!

[more laughter]

-

Arturo: But anyway, there's not much I want to hold onto. So the move should be easy enough. I'm just excited to wake up to you every morning. I don't want to waste another minute.

Kim: I'm so happy for you both! It's nothing less than what you deserve, Art.

Maren: You'll have us over for dinner, right?

Joy: Of course! You're all welcome over any time!

Rory: Looking forward to it!

Grace: To what?

Arturo: Having everyone over for dinner once I move in with Joy.

Grace: You're moving in together?! Oh that's wonderful! That sounds like a reason to throw another party!

Arturo: [laughs] You're gonna wear us all out.

Grace: Oh please, you're making us sound old.

Kim: Grace, we are old. We all have grandkids!

Grace: Ha! Having grandkids doesn't make you old! I refuse to ever grow old, actually.

Kim: [laughs] Let me know how that goes.

Rory: [quietly] She never changes does she?

Susanna: [quietly back] That's not true. We wouldn't speak to her if she hadn't changed a little.

Angel: Gracie? Whitney's on the phone. She said she only has a second.

Grace: Oh! I'll take it upstairs. Thank you!

Kim: How sweet! I'm surprised she wasn't here though!

Grace: Ah, the twins can't quite handle a plane yet. Plus the met ball is going on! [laughs] I'd also pick that!

[bunni-v1]

Can I please request a reader that has been so traumatised by what’s happened in the Scarabia book that they actively avoid the entire dorm and have Ace and Deuce as their guard dogs (I love those two and I really love how you wrote them as the readers protective besties during the Malleus break up fic). Like how would Kalim, Jamil and Adeuce react to that?

I find it really cathartic when I read fics that have the characters feeling guilty after what they put the reader through whilst the reader is getting support from their friends.

(Something I’m really salty about in twst is how no one ever holds the overblots accountable for what they’ve done. I full on agreed with Ace when he told Riddle that crying wasn’t going to erase all that he did before the overblot and I literally fell in love with him when he punched Riddle after he insulted us/Yuu/the player. I understand that those boys are traumatised and are in desperate need of therapy and overblotting was the only way for their problems to be solved but the treatment they inflicted on Yuu/us was downright hellish. Azul made us homeless and tore us away from the only family/comfort we had in twst (the ghosts) and then sent the tweels to terrorise us in our attempts to reclaim said home and free our friends from servitude; Jamil kidnapped us, hypnotised us, locked us up in a room against our will, isolated us from Adeuce and took away any contact we had with them, forced us on long marches in the dessert and turned a blind eye to our clear suffering during that time; Vil acted like a literal demon to not only us (and then almost made my Deucey cry) but everyone else as well and that was before he decided to try to murder an innocent teenager. Like why does no one understand just how much this can damage an actual child who has no magic and has been stripped from their home and family?)

Reader Terrified of Scarabia After Jamil’s Overblot

TW: PTSD; Mental Breakdown; Disassociation; Mentions of Abuse; Kalim and Jamil are tragic

Info: Ace, Deuce x Reader (platonic or romantic); Kalim, Grim x Reader (platonic); Jamil and Reader (neutral)

🍓I love requests like this tbh. My own OC sorta has her own grapplings with this stuff that I like to touch upon, and I’m excited I get the chance to talk about it here :) THIS IS LONG AS HELL BTW(like this intro here lol). I had a lot of fun writing it :))) I added a cute, shorter little grim part, because our little guy deserves more lovin’ than he gets. I also decided to do a cute little (read: long) intro, and then head cannons since you didn’t specify for either. I hope you enjoy this style, and I’m sorry for the wait <3

You had been through… a lot in your time at Night Raven College. Being thrown into a completely different world would’ve been enough, but it seems that the great seven thought you needed some extra troubles. You weren’t sure how you could’ve encored their wrath, but you were, and you were chugging along despite it all.

First was the attack from the phantom in the mines — something that should’ve been foreshadowing for what was to come. You didn’t even do anything to be in this position. It was Ace Grim and Deuce, but you got dragged into it all because you were “Grim’s keeper.” You managed to befriend Ace and Deuce though, so it wasn’t so bad.

Second was Riddle with his unending temper and strict rules. Despite everything telling you to just stay out of it, your good-natured heart just couldn’t stop you from helping Ace and Deuce. Nearly dying in the process, you managed to help Riddle and made newfound friends in Heartslabyul. 

Third came Leona, the selfish, stuck-up, lazy no-good prince of the Savannah. You knew he was trouble from the start, and you wanted nothing to do with him or his little lackey Ruggie. Then he hurt Trey, and you couldn’t stand by while he reigned terror on the school. He was a favorable ally to gain in the end, so you could dismiss his actions so long as he kept in his lane.

Fourth was Azul, another student you figured would cause you trouble. With the extra scary Jade and Floyd always tailing him, and that too buttery sweet voice of his, you were determined to keep your distance. Again, however, your friends were in trouble and you couldn’t help but help them. Azul was a broken person, and you could sympathize with his struggles. He even gave you a job at the lounge to help with funding yourself, so he couldn’t be all that bad.

You’d come to dislike the other house wardens out of principle. A pattern had emerged among them, and you weren’t going to fall victim to another horrific overblot. You still had suction cup-shaped bruises on your arm from Azul’s breakdown. Leona had given you more than just a nasty burn from the scalding hot whirlwind of sand he conjured up. The scars Riddle left behind on your face and arms were healed, but they still ached when you touched them. All painful reminders that you could not truly trust anyone here, that anyone could lose control of themselves and hurt you. Yet…

When you met Jamil in the kitchen, he seemed so kind to both you and Grim. He seemed so genuine and honest. Maybe it was wishful thinking, or maybe it was you missing your friends, but you wanted to trust him despite your gut feeling to be distrustful. Could everyone here really be that bad? Certainly not. Ace Deuce and Jack went here as well… so surely… surely…

The alarm bells didn’t ring at all during the dinner, and Kalim — despite everything you’ve been through — seemed so nice, if not a little overbearing. You could see the tiredness on Jamil's face, and you had the kindness in your heart to express your sympathies. And oh, Jamil so humbly assured you that he was fine. Filling your head with little half-truths and ideas that Kalim had been overworking not only him but the other students. That he had been acting “off” as of late.

You saw Kalim’s sudden shifts in personality. How he would be so sweet, so kind and soft. How he made sure you were enjoying yourself, made sure you ate to your heart's content, made sure you were comfortable in your uniform and your sleeping quarters. Then he would be yelling at everyone, demanding unspeakable exercises and work.

If Ace were there with you, he would’ve called bullshit. Still, you trusted Jamil to start. You actually believed he was kind and had good intentions. You believed that Kalim was the real evil here.

Then he wouldn’t let you and Grim leave, and the students were suddenly so aggressive toward you. He took everything you had and stripped you of your dignity and pride until there was nothing left but fight.

Truly, you didn’t realize it was him that was the issue until he was over-blotting in front of your eyes. It wasn’t an unusual sight to you at that point, you’d defeated multiple overblots and befriended these people. You don’t know what it was. The way you’d trusted him. The fact that you felt truly alone without Ace and Deuce. This one broke you…

You just didn’t feel a damn thing after he was saved. You felt no pity, no joy, no relief. Absolutely nothing, an empty void in your chest. Even as everyone around you celebrated, there was nothing. You stood watching everyone parade around with glee blankly, unable to speak to anyone around you. Just listening to the voices that had begun to mesh together.

You didn’t show anything until Ace and Deuce showed up. Something about their faces, the way they were looking over you, the way they seemed so scared for your wellbeing… it made you cry. It made you cry and cry and cry until you couldn’t make any noise and then you cried some more. They had to drag you away from everyone because you just couldn’t quite stand upright when Deuce would try to get you to walk away with him…

The days after were blurry. You remained holed up in your dorm, unable to really move from your bed. Ace and Deuce stayed in their own separate room next to yours. You could hear them talking through the walls about how worried they were about you, how angry they were at Jamil, how angry they were at themselves for not getting there in time to help you. If you’d had the energy, you would’ve scolded them for being so hard on themselves, but you could hardly speak in the first place.

They cared for you as best as they could. Deuce attempted to cook the recipes Trey sent him over magicam, making sure you ate and stayed hydrated. Occasionally you’d hear Azul downstairs, and Deuce would give you something nice from the Monstrolounge — free of charge, he promised. You could tell that he wasn’t sleeping much in his worry over you. 

Grim remained at your side as loyal as a dog and boasting that he’d keep you safe, but you knew he was scared too. He proclaimed that he would keep you safe, but you could feel him trembling at every sudden noise. You had to comfort him from the horrific nightmares he was having. That was okay, though, he was family and you were his.

Ace was the only one who really kicked your ass into gear. He’d tug you out of bed and into the shower as people began to return from winter break. Made you go on walks around campus to show you that you were completely safe. Eventually, he’d been able to get you to visit Azul to thank him directly for his kindness. He wasn’t soft or gentle with you, that wasn’t in his character at all, but he made sure you felt safe enough to return to classes before they started.

They both worked hard to help you recover, but you were still so afraid…

Ace

-Ace isn’t exactly the most comforting person, and he never claimed to be. 

-He’s not good at reassuring people, but he’s good at being honest, and if he was being honest he knew that you were safe around him and Deuce.

-He walks you to and from classes, spends most of his nights in your dorm doing whatever the hell you’d like him to do without complaint, distracts you when you’re freaking out, and most importantly keeps that snake as far away from you as possible.

-If he was being honest with himself, which was his whole thing, he didn’t really get your reaction to everything. 

-You’ve all been through this before, it's textbook at this point. A guy does some shady shit, a guy gets caught doing said shady shit, a guy overblots, and you defeat a guy with the power of friendship. Boom. Done.

-He’d get it more if you were completely alone, but grim and the octanivelle freaks were there! Kalim too, and he’s always seemed pretty nice. Not the best company, sure, but still you had people helping you out.

-When he looks at your face and sees how tired you are, he forgets the logical stuff. All he can hear are those horrific sobs you let out when you saw him and how you nearly ripped his uniform in half with how tightly you were holding him and Deuce.

-If that was too much for him, he can’t imagine how badly it must’ve felt for you. How bad it must still feel.

-So screw what he thinks, he’s gotta make sure you’re taking care of yourself.

-He doesn’t ask you how you’re feeling, he knows it's not good. He focuses on keeping your mind off of everything that might trigger you.

-Reroutes your paths to classes to avoid Jamil and Kalim completely. Sure it’s longer and more annoying, but it's better than you going dead silent and shutting him and everyone else out again.

-He does everything in his power and you’re doing so well… and then the VDC happens. 

-You’re given the title of manager and you’re forced to be around these people who terrify you. 

-Vil won’t budge on anything and sevens Ace wishes Rook would let him try out a little target practice with the (illegal) bow and arrows he’s got in his room.

-He keeps himself between you and Jamil at all costs. He won’t let Jamil bother you at all, not that he was trying in the first place.

-The real issue is Kalim, which sounds crazy, but it’s true.

-Kalim is so… forceful. A pretty strong word, but honestly the only one Ace can think to use.

-He’s really nice, really sweet, seriously such a good guy… but you’re still unsettled by him.

-There are several times during practices that Ace has to yell at him to just leave you alone.

-Sure, it gets him a pretty big scolding from Vil, but he couldn’t care less honestly. He doesn’t wanna risk you having a panic attack because Vil doesn’t wanna be a responsible leader.

-You confide in Ace a lot. How you really want to move past all this, but Crowley won’t provide you with any form of therapy, and you’re just not ready to forgive Jamil or Kalim for what happened.

-He won’t tell you this, but hearing you talk like this breaks his heart.

-You’re normally so strong, so brave, so confident… and now you’re absolutely broken.

-He’s proud of you for putting on a brave face to placate Vil, but he’s angry you have to.

-Surprisingly, though, you do begin to warm up to Kalim. Just a little. 

-It's only when Ace, Deuce, or Grim is around, but it's a really big step forward in his eyes.

-You’re getting back to where you used to be little by little.

-He still won’t give you or Jamil the chance to reconcile, but you honestly couldn’t be more grateful for that.

Deuce

-Deuce is incredibly different from Ace in how he handles everything.

-He’s a delinquent, sure, but he’s a Mama’s boy at heart. Therefore, he’s much more equipped to help you emotionally through all this than Ace.

-Where Ace is the harsh pushing force to keep you going, Deuce is the calm where you can rest and cry your heart out for as long as you need.

-As I mentioned, he makes sure you’re eating and drinking and at least speaking to someone.

-He asks Trey for recipes without leading on to what’s going on and asks Cater for advice on helping someone feel safe after a traumatic experience.

-It’s not subtle, but it helps.

-He handles making all your meals, even though he isn’t the best cook, he absolutely puts all his heart and soul into everything he makes.

-A good portion of his days are dedicated to cooking for you, and he gets pretty damn good at it by the time classes start up again!

-With Sam’s shop closed, he has to go into town to get the ingredients he needs, and then he has to spend hours preparing and serving the food.

-He watches you eat, encouraging you that everything is safe and that he made it all by himself by hand. 

-He doesn’t question why things ended up this way for you, he wonders how can I help?

-And he does help, a lot, more than just with food.

-Sometimes, late at night, he hears you crying alone in your room. He gets up from his own bed, quietly enters your room, and holds you and grim while you both tremble in fear.

-It makes him so mad. Mad that this happened to you. Mad that Jamil did this in the first place. Mad that he couldn’t help more than he already is. 

-Like Ace, he accompanies you to all your classes and makes sure to stay close to your side if any Scarabia students are around.

-He’ll go anywhere you need him to, and if you’re not comfortable being alone and he’s got plans, you’re invited to join him. No matter what anyone else thinks.

-Things get better little by little. You make strides in your ability to be independent again and you’re smiling and joking around like you used to. You even agreed to try out for the VDC with him and Ace… a big mistake.

-He didn’t expect to actually get in, let alone get in with Jamil and Kalim. If it were just that he could’ve been civil, but no, you had to be dragged in too… because that’s always how it works out.

-He has to hold himself from getting in Jamil’s face more than once because just him looking at you is enough to send you into a clear panic attack.

-Deuce does his best to comfort you between all of this, though. Being your shoulder to cry on and trying his best to be your protector… it's just hard. Hard to see you like that, and hard to keep his cool for your sake.

-It's worse with Kalim because both you and Deuce know he means well. You both know he wants to reconcile, but you’re not quite ready.

-Deuce helps the confrontation with the two feel a bit easier though. He acts as a mediator between you and Kalim, and eventually, he’s proud to say he helped you trust Kalim just a little bit.

-Jamil… both of you could use some work, but Deuce is more willing to hear you out on him than Ace is.

Grim

-Grim was there with you the whole time. He understands the fear you’re feeling deeper than anyone else.

-He could just tell something was wrong the second he saw your face. Despite all the celebrations, he was focused on making sure you were at least a little okay.

-He tried to talk to you, tried to make you feel okay, but the only comfort he could offer you was letting you hold him while you cried.

-He could still hear your cries, and they made him want to cry too. He almost did, but he was your guard cat — he had to be strong for you.

-Unlike Ace and Deuce, he never left your side. Not a second. He was there with you from the moment you were unwittingly kidnapped to the sleepless nights in your dorm to the horror of finding out you’d have to work closely with Jamil for the VDC.

-He made his distaste for him very known, sure to make a snarky comment at least once every time he saw him. 

-It was so bad, at one point, that Vil had to give him a stern talking to. He didn’t stop regardless.

-You are Grim’s best friend, the only family he has, and Jamil hurt you in unspeakable ways. He couldn’t just sit back and be okay with that.

-He’s really such a good guy.

Kalim

-Kalim means well. With his whole heart, he has the best intentions… just not the best execution.

-See, he didn’t notice initially that anything was really wrong the whole time.

-He didn’t suspect Jamil at all. In fact, he thought that you were really enjoying your stay in Scarabia, you seemed so happy and chatty up until Jamil flipped things on their head.

-Call him air-headed, but he was caught up in his own whirlwind of emotions at the time. You know, the whole betrayal of his supposed best friend took a toll on him too.

-It wasn’t until you were sobbing your throat raw that he realized something was really wrong.

-The look of sheer terror on your face when you made eye contact with him sent shivers up his spine.

-He knew that look. He’d worn that look on his own face too many times as a young child.

-Believe it or not, without Jamil’s intervention, he knew to keep his distance. He knew he had to give you time to adjust.

-Then a few days turned into weeks and weeks turned into a little over a month, and he had hardly seen you around campus.

-You are avoiding your normal route to class, and when he did see you he was also greeted by the harsh glares of your good friends.

-He understood if you’d never want to talk to him ever again, honestly. He couldn’t blame you. You were more headstrong than him, after all.

-Still, when the VDC came around… he was hopeful. Truly he was hoping that something would give.

-He would talk to you in hopes of showing you that he meant no harm, but Ace or Deuce or even Grim would shove their way between the two of you.

-Several times Jamil had to tell him to knock it off because “It’s not worth forcing.”

-Still, he wanted you to know he felt bad. He felt horrible.

-In a very un-Kalim-like move, he quietly asks you if you can speak with him. Alone. But in a crowded enough area that you wouldn’t feel threatened.

-He didn’t expect you to accept it, he wouldn’t have blamed you at all. But you said yes. 

-You showed up, with Grim by your side, which was fine. He earned some apologies too.

-He poured his heart out to you, apologizing for things that he couldn’t even control. In turn, he listened to you rant about how scared you were, how angry you were, how you wished you were any of these things.

-And after that, things improved. Slowly, but surely. You became more comfortable around him, and you spoke to him again.

-Sure, you wouldn’t be caught dead at one of Scarabia’s parties, but you considered him a friend. 

-That’s all he could ask for.

Jamil

-Jamil is the monster in your story. 

-He’s the evil guy who kidnapped, manipulated and lied to you.

-He’s the one who used his misplaced anger as an excuse to hurt others.

-He’s the boogyman who made you endure days of long and hard training, just because he could.

-Of course, he felt bad. What he did was unspeakable, but he was more concerned with how his reputation would last after the overblot.

-More concerned with it not getting out for the safety of his family.

-Even with you sobbing, he just thought you were being dramatic in all honesty. You have a reputation already, he knew you’d been through this whole thing before.

-It didn’t really strike him how badly it affected you.

-He didn’t notice how you switched paths, how you were never in the same area as him for long, and the glares of your friends never once phased him.

-Even Ace’s snarky comments during basketball didn’t bother him for a second.

It wasn’t until he accidentally bumped into you in the hallway, and he saw the look on your face that he realized.

-The terror in your eyes, the way you shrunk back as if he would strike you. It was the same way his parents acted around the Asim’s.

-If he were a more insane man, he might’ve found it liberating, but it wasn’t.

-He had become what he hated to you, he had done what he hated to you. 

-Jamil was not only your monster, but he was his own.

-He steers clear of you and keeps as much distance as possible for both your sakes.

-He couldn’t handle someone looking at him like that, and he was sure you couldn’t handle the sight of him after what he did.

-Still, this is NRC, and luck is never on anyone's side here.

-Both of you are forced into a position where you cannot escape the other, you have to learn to live with the awful pits in your stomachs.

-He keeps Kalim away until you both are on good terms, then he simply watches quietly.

-He won’t apologize, he won’t antagonize, he won’t speak unless spoken to.

-You two never truly recover your small lasting friendship, but you do make amends with each other.

-During the trip to the scalding sands, you get to meet Najma, whom he’s confided in about ‘accidentally upsetting a classmate’.

-You get to have a good talk with her, and it makes you really realize some things about Jamil.

-You realize he’s just as broken as you, just as tired as you, and that he feels the most immense amount of guilt for hurting you.

-You, being you, find it in your soul to forgive him.

-Nothing really changes between you. The guilt is still there, and the fear still shakes you to your core, but you both have closure.

-In a situation like this, closure is the best grace a person can ever have.

[my-cursed-brain]

Songs that I associate with twst characters:

- Riddle: Top of My School by Katherine Lynn-Rose

- Ace: Don't Stop Me Now by Queen

- Deuce: Punk Tactics by Joey Valence and Brae

- Cater: Ladies Night by 11 Acorn Lane

- Trey: So sorry but I don't have a song for him :(

- Leona: ANTI-HERO by SEKAI NO OWARI

- Ruggie: You're Gonna Go Far, Kid by The Offspring

- Jack: I don't have a song for him either :(

- Azul: Sibyl by wotaku (There's an amazing animatic for this on YouTube and you should absolutely watch it. Yes it's for Twst.)

- Floyd: The Trouble by Club Danger

- Jade: Puppet Boy by DEVO

- Kalim: On Top Of The World by Imagine Dragons

- Jamil: Trust in Me from The Jungle Book

- Vil: All That Glitters by Earl

- Rook: Love Me Dead by Ludo (listen nothing I put here will sound sane so just don't think too hard about it.)

- Epel: Mama's Broken Heart by Miranda Lambert

- Idia: Game Over by Falling In Reverse

- Ortho: iRobot by Jon Bellion (I have so many songs that fit Ortho but this one makes me the most emotional.)

- Malleus: Tie between two songs. Epoch by Savlonic (remixed by The Living Tombstone) and Wish That You Were Here by Florence + The Machine

- Lilia: Baby Mine from Dumbo

- Silver: Once Upon a December from Anastasia

- Sebek: Warriors by Imagine Dragons

- Chenya: Cheshire Kitten by S. J. Tucker

- Crewel: Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie! by ABBA (Idk why but he has ABBA vibes to me.)

[wisted-twunderland]

TWST boys go to Disneyland!

Heartslabyul

Ace: Is an absolute fiend on the teacups and knows which one spins the fastest (the orange diamond) and how to really get it spinning.

Deuce: Gets spun too fast on the teacups by Ace and throws up. When he feels better he enjoys being the Pilot on Smuggler's Run.

Cater: Documents the whole thing on Magicam in real time. He gets all of the classic shots, like the selfie in front of the castle, holding up the Dole Whip in front of the Tiki Room, etc.

Trey: Spends a lot of time on Main Street sampling all the different confectionaries. Also sits with Deuce after he throws up.

Riddle: Will ride the Alice in Wonderland ride and talk about all the historical inaccuracies to anyone who will listen.

Savannaclaw

Leona: He's been dragged here too many times with his nephew and made to ride all the kiddie rides, so he'd rather skip the whole thing and nap in the hotel room. But when he is inevitably dragged to the park, he enjoys the atmosphere of Adventureland and eats an unreal amount of meat skewers from Bengal Barbeque.

Ruggie: Doesn't go because it's too expensive. Nah I'm just kidding, he goes, but he definitely packs all his own food. Goes through the bakery tour and the Ghirardelli factory tour for the free bread and chocolate until he's told he can't have any more free samples.

Jack Howl: He likes Frontierland best, because it's the least crowded (and the cactus landscaping is exceptional).

Octavinelle

Azul: He's not big on rides, but he really enjoys scouring the historical showcases at the front of the park. As the owner of his own up and coming mega-conglomerate, he is eager to glean any information he can about the park and its rise to fame (and fortune).

Jade: He's very eager to get a selfie in from the yellow mushroom in Fantasyland, claiming its because of its historical significance. (Did you know it used to be a ticket booth?)

Floyd: Rides any and all of the roller coasters as many times as possible. Is not above pushing past little kids to run to the next ride.

Scarabia

Kalim: Is as excited as any kid there. Wants to see and do everything, and cries at the fireworks at the end of the day.

Jamil: Spends most of his time trying to keep up with Kalim and make sure he drinks some water once in a while. Enjoys the music and the parade more than he lets on.

Pomfiore

Vil: Enjoys the park from under a sun parasol, UV shades, and a high SPF sunscreen. He HATES that Snow White's Scary Adventure has been turned into *~*Snow White's Enchanted Wish*~*. The kids of today are WEAK.

Rook: He is hunting aiming to meet as many characters as possible and get them to sigh in his hit signature book.

Epel: Makes it his goal to sample every kind of candy apple in each of its differently decorated forms (Poor bear apple, Mickey ears apple, marshmallow apple, baby yoda apple, etc). Also a roller coaster fanatic.

Ignihyde

idia: Rides Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blaster's over and over trying to beat the all time high score (it's his). Knows where all the best targets are and can turn the cart with one hand while shooting with the other. ("This is the OG of interactive rides, even though Toy Story Mania may be more modern, this ride paved the way. At the time getting your picture taken and sending it to friends via email was unheard of but this ride blah blah blah blah...)

Ortho: Enjoys Pirates of the Carribean for its theming and "primitive robotics". Likes Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln for the same reason.

Diasomnia

Malleus: Will purchase and consume a Mickey shaped ice cream bar at every opportunity (He knows where all the ice cream carts are by the end of trip). He finds Fantasia amusing and says that the dragon is a "passable likeness".

Lillia: He's amazed at how much the park has changed since he was last here ("Star Wars Land? That area used to be a petting zoo.") Enjoys Haunted Mansion and startling Sebek in the queue.

Sebek: "We need to make sure we use our Lightning Lane at precisely 3:30, and then we must get to Goofy's Kitchen immediately after for our character dining experience, after which we must reserve our spot for the fireworks..." He's extremely concerned with getting the most out of the trip and ensuring that Malleus has a good time (Malleus doesn't care).

Silver: Enjoys the Sleeping Beauty walkthrough, as it is dark, full of vintage charm, and uncrowded. Falls asleep before the fireworks ever start.

[positivexcellence]

Interview: Jared Padalecki on Walker Season 4, The Show’s Future & More

KSITETV’S CRAIG BYRNE: What can you tease about The Jackal, particularly in relation to his history with certain characters?

JARED PADALECKI: The Jackal is a serial killer who haunted then-Ranger James and Ranger Walker five years prior when they were partners, and before Ranger James became Captain James. The Jackal, and his choice of kills and the victims he left behind, really tortured and tormented James and he took it personally. We were never able to solve it, and the Jackal;s case went cold, and we have kind of assumed he had died or stopped or something. And then, as we found out during James’s wedding of all times, someone with a similar M.O. to the Jackal surfaced, and because of how dark it sent James five years prior, Trey and Walker decide to look into it low-key with Detective Luna from Corpus Christi, who Walker and James had worked with back in the day.

We find out in Season 4 that sure enough, the Jackal is back, And so, Walker finds himself stuck in a position. We’ve learned in the first three seasons that keeping secrets among Rangers is not a great idea, but Walker thinks he’s doing what’s best for James. He doesn’t want to him spiraling. James just went on his honeymoon, and he’s married, and he’s going well. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe this is a coincidence. But we soon seem to settle that it is the original Jackal, and the Jackal is back. Walker takes it on himself to save James from that same torment that he went through five years ago., but the question is how much can Walker take on on James’ behalf, without falling prey to the same feelings himself?

Twitter made me ask you this: Is there any chance that The Jacckal might be played by an actor that you’ve referred to as “Jackles” before?

[LAUGHS] No. All But that’s a great question!

The readers of KSiteTV loved Walker Independence, and it’s great that hopefully we’ll be seeing more of Justin Johnson Cortez as Detective Luna. Is there any chance we might see more people from the show in new roles in the present day, or maybe another Hoyt flashback?

JARED: Let’s say yes. We will be seeing some of our our Windy family. We loved the show as well.

And is there any chance we’ll see those classic characters again?

The answer, again, is yes.

Jensen [Ackles] and I used to have something funny during Supernatural. We did several seasons with 23 episodes, and we likened it to sports analogies. We’d be like “you know, if you’re going to shoot 23 three pointers during a game, you’re not going to make ’em all. If you’re gonna drive the lane 23 times, or go to bat 23 times, then you’re gonna put some air balls. You’re gonna strike out sometimes. But with 13 episodes, they’re all knockouts. They’re all home runs.

We didn’t waste any time this year [on Walker]. We have 13 episodes to make an amazing season of television. I’m on set right now shooting the finale, and I can say with confidence that this is our strongest season.

Are you feeling good about the possibility of a fifth season?

I am. I don’t know… I mean, even during Supernatural’s last season, something can always happen. There can be a strike. There can be COVID. There can be a merger. There can be something.

My career for the last 25 years has been based around not really knowing what’s going to happen. You know, “is Gilmore Girls gonna go? Am I going to get an option to do it again? Oh, now it’s CW instead of Warner Brothers. Oh, now we have a new showrunner. Oh, now we have another showrunner! Now we’re changing nights. Now there’s COVID. Now there’s a strike.” [Last year’s strike] was the second strike I had been through in my career. So, all I can speak to is the quality of work we’re putting out, and there’s nothing I could change.

I will say that I have no reason to think that we we will not carry on. I intend to do the show for another 10 years, so hopefully the powers that be feel the same way. I know our cast and crew all hope for the same. We’re willing and able. Our writers are incredible, with the stories they come up with and the speed with which they can come up with great storylines and great arcs for each and every character… and our crew that makes it… if I was a network, then I would want this show to go as long as everybody who’s making the show would go.

I couldn’t be more proud of the work that we’re putting out there. I think we kind of stand alone, as far as new scripted hour-longs out there. We’re a great combination of heart and action, and trying to mimic reality as best as possible, which I think is needed and necessary. I’ve certainly heard from fans on the street and via social media and whatnot, how much they appreciate it and enjoy it. I’m very optimistic.

How are things with Cordell and Geri as we get into Season 4?

They’ve had five months together since Larry and Kelly’s wedding, snd things have been going well. Things have kind of cooled off; the Jackal’s trail went cold, and so maybe it was not a big deal. They’ve kind of been enjoying the summer with August and Stella and Bonham and Abeline, and they’ve had some time together.

There’s been work for Cordell and for Geri, obviously, but they’re on the same page. They’re living together, and they’re enjoying each other’s company, and they found a place.

Obviously, they both went through some hardships in their prior relationships. Luckily, I think with a lot of great relationships, when they become romantic, they start as friendships. Because Geri and Cordell started as a platonic relationship for many years, they’ve seen each other as friends, and they kind of know who each other’s hearts are. I think they’re enjoying that time and chance to breathe together, and just be with each other.

Is it hard for Cordell that Stella and August are both growing up, with Stella already off to school and August approaching senior year?

It’s very, very hard, and I think you’re more prescient than maybe you even realize; we kind get into that in Episode 2, and as the season goes on, of what it’s like to be to be preparing to be an empty nester, especially without your spouse. So we certainly do see that, and again, going back to what I said earlier about Walker’s storylines imitating life as best as we can, we certainly do see Walker going through that very real [situation].

At work, he is this big Texas Ranger who gets to go in and save the day and all as well, and then at home, he wants to be a Dad, but the clock is ticking. One of his kids is already gone, and the second is a senior in high school, and presumably soon to be spreading his wings. So what does that look like and feel like for this big tough dude?

Will we get to see Walker’s reaction to the situation that Stella got into at the end of last season?

Oh, yeah. And that storyline doesn’t stop, because it’s not all over. Obviously, months have passed and there have been investigations and there is conclusion of sorts, but as with most things in life, it brings about a whole new set of problems that we will deal with through the entire season.

Why should people check out the season premiere on Wednesday night?

I think a lot of us, myself included, have been dying to see what the whole Walker clan is up to. Not with the Walker clan with with the last name Walker. And we get a great catch up with a friend we haven’t talked to in a while. We have action. We have comedy, we have drama… but also, it feels like a dear friend that I haven’t caught up with in way too long, and I get all the ins and outs of what’s been going on their lives over the last period of time

ksite

[guywrestlingaddiction]

Logan Vaughn (bgeast.com, Jonnyfirestorm, various sites) / Logan (Thundersarena)

Erotic stars don't always make the best gay wrestlers, but every now and then, one of them breaks through.  Take for example Logan Vaughn.

Logan Vaughn (bgeast.com / Thundersarena)

Logan Vaughn (Jonnyfirestorm.com / various sites)

Now I've noticed Logan Vaughn as gay film performer long before he showed up on the gay wrestling mats, but it really wasn't until he showed up at Bgeast where I noticed all of his ahem, assets.  Sure he's got that thick booty but what really stood out to me were those huge tree trunk legs - don't believe me? Just look at how intensely Trey Dixon feasts on those things.  He worships those impressive legs (and the rest of Logan) like there's no tomorrow.  

Appearances [Not all shown]

Logan Vaughn (bgeast.com)

What is it they say? Get a man that looks at you the way a hungry Trey Dixon looks worshiping Logan Vaughn? 

Logan Vaughn v Trey Dixon

Logan Vaughn v Lane Hartley

Logan Vaughn v Hector Perea

Logan Vaughn (Jonnyfirestorm)

As a bonus, Jonny also looks amazing in this match!

Logan (thundersarena)

Eagle vs Logan Vaughn & Vinny

Brute vs Logan Vaughn

Dominic vs Logan

Marco vs Logan Vaughn

Logan Vaughn (various sites)

[faeryarchives]

heart calls

alternate title: you were having your daily late night video calls with your s/o but then suddenly you fell asleep during your discussion

᯽ tried to wait until you wake up but ends up falling asleep; they wanted to wait for you to wake up from your 'nap' but somehow seeing your peaceful and sleeping figure, a sudden wave of drowsiness hit them causing them to also fall asleep. this leads to you waking up only to find them smiling at you through your phone while greeting you a 'good morning' - their voice going lower by a tone. would probably keep you company while you fix and prepare for the day + reminding you of certain things you might missed and ends the call with a soft i love you 🫂

— deuce spade, trey clover, ruggie bucchi, kalim al asim, malleus draconia (ok he doesn't really know how to end a call),

᯽never safe from the pranks; they really love you, they do but they also want to see your reaction that is why they set their background into a horror setting whether be it in the woods or dark hallway - they have it on along with a ghost filter on + 100% would call your name first in a soft voice until it goes louder and louder waking you up and you screamed when you saw a ghost (aka them) facetiming you. ends up with a movie marathon and date later on to stop you from sulking please they meant no harm 🥺

— ace trappola, cater diamond, floyd leech, rook hunt, lilia vanrouge

᯽goes down the memory lane; there is something about just seeing you sleeping peacefully with a smile on your face in their company in a video call just made their heart warm especially when you admit that their voice and presence just brings you comfort and smooths your stress away - they are just so lucky to have a person like you in their life 🙌 would call out your name, calming you down whenever you call out their name while dreaming. probably took a photo of you and setting it as their wallpaper after asking for your permission

— leona kingscholar, jack howl, jade leech, jamil viper, vil schoenheit, silver

᯽ worried company; they hate to wake you up but they are just worried like what if you strain your body while falling asleep in front of your study table? are your windows and doors closed? no worries though - they would wake you up in the most gentle way possible and after making sure that everything is fine, they would often sing you to sleep or even tell you about a funny story back before you came in twisted wonderland + when finally you fell asleep, they are that type of person who will give you a kiss on the forehead through the screen whispering a 'good night sweet dreams' before ending the call ❤️

— riddle roseheart, azul ashengrotto, epel felmier, idia shroud, sebek zigvolt

note: i would probably make more of these until i can continue the requests in my drafts and inbox ueueueu i hope you guys enjoyed as usual hihi <3

[blurredcolour]

If You'll Be My Bodyguard | Part One

If You'll Be My Bodyguard, I Can Be Your Long Lost Pal Masterlist

Summary: Your assignment as Austin Butler’s bodyguard, masquerading as his personal assistant, begins after your boss’s successful pitch in Palm Springs.

Pairing: Austin Butler x Female Bodyguard Reader

Warnings: Threatening letters, Discussion of death threats, Firearms, Language, Vaping, Alcohol consumption, Body image issues, Rating – T.  

Author’s note: As stated on the series page, Austin Butler has an unnamed model girlfriend in this series. She is not based on anyone in particular, please do not interpret my descriptions of her and her actions as commentary on any real individuals in Austin Butler’s life.

Word Count: 4428

“…You think you were so very clever, you filthy satanist. That you got away with it. You should have let the dead stay at peace! God knows! God has seen you for what you truly are! A witch! A warlock! A necramanzer raiser of the dead. There is a special spot in hell reserved just for you, Austin Butler, and it is my god given, heavenly ordained duty to see you there right quick...”

You set the photocopied sheets down on your lap, knowing the letter continued on in the same vein for several aggressively written pages. The author had pressed the pen so hard into the paper that the letters made shadow-filled hollows and curled the pages. Hatred had been scribed into the very fibres of the looseleaf before being crammed into an envelope and sent to an actor you, like most of the world, had only a nascent awareness of.

The car took a tight corner, pressing you up against the muscled form of your colleague Marwan, and you quickly straightened with an apology.

“Don’t worry about it, but why are you bothering with those letters again?” He gestured to the black and white photocopies in your lap.

You shook your head with a sigh.

“I... some notion that they might help me to know them if I ever see them out in a crowd somewhere?” Your shoulders rose and fell beneath your simple navy blazer, a knee-length dress with an A-line skirt in a matching shade beneath.

“But we don’t even have the job yet…” Argued Trey from your other side and you huffed out a self-deprecating laugh because it was true, you were absolutely over preparing for a proposal.

“Don’t you dare go jinxing this for me, Treyvon.” The owner and operator of Lane Protective Services, Scott Lane, quickly rejoined from the front seat.

You smirked and elbowed Trey in the ribs for getting him started again. It had been a very long drive from Los Angeles to Palm Springs. While only two hours in time, it had stretched into weeks in experience the longer Scott expounded on the business theories he ascribed to. He had finally trailed off about fifteen minutes ago but was once again feeling the need to mount his soap box.

“Terrible as it is that this is happening, award season is the perfect time for us to work for one of the hottest actors for the year. The public at large will have no idea, but those who know, will know. Free advertising. More work than we can handle, that is what I can only dream of…”

You did your best to tune him out, feigning interest in the threatening letters before you once more. It wasn’t that Scott was a bad person, he was just a little blunt and monetarily focused. The rest of you, Ari the driver included, were in the business to help people. You had each acquired a unique set of skills through your life experiences that lent themselves well to standing between notable people and the threats against them.

You had grown up in a rural area, raised by a hunting family, giving you a familiarity and confidence with firearms. In the same vein, you had also been a highly energetic child and an early encounter with the sport of judo had proven to be a useful outlet for you. You were also born with an innate talent for it and had progressed quickly to the competitive level. There were serious discussions about pursuing Olympic level training, but you had seen what that had cost the professional athletes.

And so, when Scott had appeared at one of your college tournaments with a business card and an interesting proposition you had made the decision to get into personal protection. Lane Protective Services had guided you through the training and licensing processes, and this would, if Mr. Butler’s team accepted the proposal, be your fourth assignment with the company.

To everyone’s relief, Ari pulled into the parking lot of the hotel where the potential protectee was staying for a weekend of events, and where time necessitated Scott would be delivering the proposal. Trey slid out and held the door for you to follow him, and you stepped out into the sun with a grateful stretch. Sharing a backseat with two well-built men for two hours had been snug. You grabbed your bag from the trunk and followed the group up to the room Scott had optimistically rented for two nights.

It was his hope that you and Ari would be staying to immediately begin accompanying and driving Mr. Butler while Marwan and Trey returned to his home to begin setting up the protection detail headquarters and sleeping space in the guesthouse. After one final inspection of the group’s business casual attire, Scott led you back to the elevator and up a few floors to where the suites were located. His knock on the door was answered by a redheaded woman you recognized from the briefing file as Mr. Butler’s Manager and Publicist Kate Rosen.

The group was ushered in, and Scott set up his slide deck on his laptop, giving you the proposal booklets to hand out. You swallowed back your sigh at the fact that he was delegating that to you, the only woman in the group, and you passed one to Kate. You glanced to see if Mr. Butler had joined you just as he stepped over the threshold from the bedroom into the sitting room. You had worked with celebrities before. Breathed the same air as many of them before. But the tall, long-limbed, tanned man in a suit and white button up, with maybe half of the buttons fastened, who appeared before you still selfishly stole all the oxygen from your lungs.

Silently, you waited until he had assumed the empty chair beside Kate before offering the booklet to him and going to stand beside Ari. Ari who had shot you a look with both eyebrows raised that you deliberately ignored. Turning your attention to Scott as he began to speak allowed you to breathe again. You listened patiently to the well rehearsed presentation which centered on you acting as Mr. Butler’s personal assistant for as long as it took the various law enforcement organizations involved in the investigation of the threatening letters to resolve the issue.

“She has a 7th-dan black belt in judo, is fully trained in close quarter fighting as well as tactical firearms, and has a multi-state, non-resident concealed carry permit.” Your eyes drifted to your shoes as Scott reached your list of selling points, finding it all-together awkward to be summed up by your achievements.

“Wait…are you armed right now?” A soft, resonant voice that tasted like honied whiskey interrupted Scott’s litany of your achievements and you raised your head to look at the man who had posed the question.

“Yes Mr. Butler.” You nodded politely.

You watched as he tilted his head, looking over your outfit. “But where?”

“A better question, Austin, would be why are we putting the smallest person in the room beside you the most? I recognize your argument about the optics and definitely want to keep this whole sordid thing out of the gossip columns but, what if the person threatening Austin is huge like one of these men? Are we not looking for overwhelming force?”

“An excellent question Ms. Rosen.” Scott looked to you and nodded. “Full force takedown of Trey please.” There was hint of glee in his voice, and you knew you were a device to provide payback for his earlier doubt of the success of this pitch.

Nodding once, you undid the button on your blazer, walking up to Trey before feinting at him. His response was to lunge forward, and you used his momentum against him, throwing him to the carpet in a perfected judo toss. You pulled your pocket pistol from its holster on your inner thigh, pressing it against the back of his head.

“Oh.” Came a quiet sound of realization from Austin as you answered his earlier question.

“Well then…” Kate cleared her throat and nodded.

You quickly holstered your firearm, having never released the safety, and helped the larger man back to his feet. Straightening your dress, you went to stand beside Ari quietly, once again looking at your shoes.

“Shall I proceed?” Scott asked cheerfully and continued his pitch after a few stunned nods.

He laid out the rest of the plan to have Ari take over as Austin’s driver and for Trey and Marwan to ensure security of the house and be on protective duty overnight. As Scott wrapped up, hands were shaken and your group headed back down to the room to wait, passing what looked like a football team in the hallway. Surely the next pitch. Scott’s idea was unique, you just weren’t sure if it was what they were looking for.

The wait was not long. Forty-five minutes later Scott got the call, confirming the contract. The group headed back up to finalize the paperwork, and you noticed that Austin seemed a lot more relaxed in the presence of Baz Luhrmann and his partner Catherine. It could also have been the glass of whiskey on the rocks gripped loosely in one hand, or the vape pen dangling from the fingers of his other. All they did for you was provide a distraction by pulling your focus to his plush pink lips as they took in the glowing amber liquid or exhaled plumes of sweet smelling vapour.

Hands were shaken again before Kate gave the keys to Austin’s house to Trey and he left along with Scott and Marwan in a rental car to make preparations. Ari went to have the town car the five of you had driven out in cleaned for the award ceremony that night and that left you to build a relationship with protectee. It would be crucial to keep him safe over the next while.

“If you’ll be my bodyguard, I can be your long-lost pal…” Baz sang in your direction, making you smile softly – after all, as far as most people would know you were a personal assistant, and stoicism would not suit that appearance at all.

“I can call you Betty, and Betty when you call me, you can call me Al!” Austin joined in, making you swallow thickly at the smooth, caramel quality of his voice.

“Baz, pleasure to meet you.” The world-famous directly shook your hand warmly as you introduced yourself in turn.

“No, no” Austin punctuated his statement with playful jabs of his vape pen and you finally became aware of the fact that he had button his shirt up the rest of the way and put on a tie. What a shame.

“I think that’s perfect. Betty. My personal assistant Betty.” He finished with a grin.

“Certainly, Mr. Butler, Betty is an acceptable cover name. Thank you.” You nodded.

“But you gotta call me Al, then.” He playfully pouted a little and you pressed your lips together to prevent too wide of a grin.

“I’m sorry Mr. Butler, I am not able to do that.”

“She can throw me across the room, but she can’t call me Al.” He teased, earning a chorus of laughter from Baz and Catherine.

Kate pulled you aside and took you through his schedule for the next few days – awards ceremony to start in two hours, after party, followed by brunch the next morning and then back to LA for a cocktail event.

“We’ll get you set up with the full thing later but for now, carry mine. Here’s the bag I use. He cannot walk the red carpet with his personal effects, they have a terrible habit of getting lost in all the hugging and interviews. I’ll have you carry them too, unless that interferes?” She looked to you with a tilt of her head, and you shook yours in response.

“Not at all, Ms. Rosen, I just might have to drop the bag during an incident.”

“Right ok…well I’ll pick it up then. That’ll be my thing during an incident.” She cleared her throat. “Scott said you would have a wardrobe? This looks good, blazers, dresses…if we go to the Oscars, they’ll want you in a gown but the rest this or a pant suit will do.” She nodded.

“I will call our wardrobe specialist when we get back in town day after tomorrow.” You nodded and she smiled in relief.

“Good…and you’ll keep him safe?” She looked into your eyes seriously.

“Yes ma’am, that is why I am here.” You replied earnestly.

“Good.” She beamed and bustled off to try and round up the trio who needed to get going.

As they finally made their way towards the door, you strode quickly forward.

“I will have to go first, is that all right?” You asked, quickly wedging yourself between Austin and the door as he reached for the handle.

“Oh uh, yeah, of course…” He nodded, pulling his outstretched hand back to rub the nape of his neck.

You offered a small smile and lowered your voice so that only he could hear.

“We’ll get better at this, Mr. Butler.” You nodded softly, smile widening as his stunning blue eyes met yours and crinkled at the corners.

“Yes, we will, Betty. Yes, we will.” He nodded warmly and gestured for you to proceed.

You nodded warmly and opened the door, doing a quick scan of the hall before stepping out, letting Kate hold the door and bring up the rear. Two town cars waited at the curb, and you led Austin over to where Ari stood holding the door open.

“I’ll sit up front.” You nodded to Kate and Austin, making sure they got into the back before sliding in beside Ari.

It felt somewhat silly to drive just two blocks over to the Palm Springs Convention Centre, but it was the ‘done thing’ and safer regardless. On the ride over, Kate gave you a crash course in how to be an assistant on a red carpet. Climbing out first, you surveyed the area as you moved to open Austin’s door before holding the bag open for him to hand over his personal effects. He smiled and squeezed your shoulder, and you could not help but notice the slight tremor in his hand.

“You’re going to do great, Betty.” He murmured and you nodded softly.

“You, too, Mr. Butler.” You tucked the bag on your arm before leading him up to the entrance to the red carpet and there your paths diverged.

You kept pace with him behind the row of reporters, noting the quickest path to him every few feet you moved towards the door of the building. You were reassured that Kate was permitted to be right up there with him and nodded to her every time her eyes sought yours. You barely knew the pair of them, but you could already tell they had a deep bond.

Inside the lobby, Austin retrieved his wallet, vape pen, and phone from your bag before heading inside to be seated. Kate spoke to one of the organizers who found you a space along the back of the room to stand, with a fairly good view of Austin. It was not ideal, and you would have a conversation with her about future ceremonies, but it would have to do for now.

A few hours in, however, you were starting to regret the heels. You would have a conversation with Shyla, the wardrobe specialist, about flats. Once Austin received his award, Kate came to lead you on a rather circuitous route to the press room where he and Baz were being hailed with camera flashes and questions from the assembled reporters. The two men were so very charismatic that it was tempting to allow them to distract you, but you found the professional fortitude to focus on the room, assess the threat, find the person who could not spell ‘necromancer.’

Once you were satisfied that individual was mostly likely not in that room, you were able to relax into a watchful patience. There was an afterparty before the very tipsy pair of men were herded back to the hotel. You made sure that Austin was safely in his room before retiring to the room you shared with Ari.

You used the steamer from the closet to smooth the wrinkles from your light gray dress and blazer from your bag to be ready for the brunch tomorrow. Locking your gun in the safe, you were nearly asleep by the time Ari returned from securing the car for the night.

Arriving at Austin’s suite at nine am, you sat down with Kate to go over the schedule.

“So, the hardest part for me was the separation during the ceremony. I am aware that it’s impossible for me to get tickets but is the back of the room really the best we have?” You asked carefully.

“Would it reassure you to know how difficult it is to get inside these things? Especially the rest of the ceremonies moving forward…Nonetheless I will see what I can do. Maybe you can have my spot for the ceremonies as long as I can remain nearby for the press moments. Stay tuned, ok?” She offered and you nodded.

“Thank you, I appreciate that.”

“Oh no, call the authorities, what are you two conspiring about…” Austin rasped from the doorway behind you, making both of you turn to look at him.

You swallowed roughly as your eyes landed on his loosely tied robe, barely concealing his tanned skin with only his boxers underneath. The morning light glinted off the chain around his neck, highlighting the soft, golden dusting of hair across his chest.

“Good morning, Mr. Butler.” You said quickly and looked back to the schedule. “Thank you very much Ms. Rosen.”

“Austin, get dressed before you kill Betty. Brunch starts at eleven and I’m assuming you want some coffee?” Kate stood as Austin nodded. “Betty what’s your order, I’m going to Starbucks for the good stuff. We’ll send you in the future, I suppose, but you should get to know that boy…maybe you can teach him how to button his shirt.” She smirked and you bit your lip to hide your delight at her jibes.

Once she was armed with a full Starbucks order, Kate headed out, the door clicking softly in the silence in her wake. You turned back to the schedule in front of you, drafting an email in your phone for items you would need from both Shyla and IT. You looked up as the door to the bedroom opened again to reveal a fully dressed Austin.

“Better?” He drawled with a smirk, and you let out a short huff of laughter despite yourself.

“Yes, Mr. Butler.” You grinned and watched as he settled into a wide-legged seat on the couch.

“Can I ask you a question?” He asked, his long fingers stroking along his jaw, momentarily distracting you from his words before you managed a nod.

“Of course.” You replied as you moved to sit on the plush chair to his left, tucking the skirt of your dress underneath your butt before sinking into the cushion.

“Why does this person wanna kill me?” The voice asking that question seemed to come from someone much smaller and much younger than the man sitting beside you and you felt your throat clench.

“Well, I…I won’t claim to have any expertise in behavioural science, but it very much seems like an unstable person who has decided to fixate on your achievement.” You replied carefully, smoothing and pulling at the hem of your dress.

He exhaled slowly in response.

“They think I…summoned him from the dead or something?” He shook his head. “Makes me sad…”

“As far as I understand the police are making headway in the investigation. Hopefully, this won’t go on much longer and everyone can move on with their lives. And they can get the help they need.”

He nodded thoughtfully, those elegant digits of his moving to trace the contours of his lips.

“So where are you from, Betty? I want to get to know you…”

You smiled softly and happily indulged him, answering questions about yourself and posing them back to him in return. You were so ensconced in the conversation, that Kate’s return startled you a little. You accepted your beverage gratefully and retreated to the table as she moved in to go over his schedule with him for the day, which ended with the W Magazine & Louis Vuitton awards season dinner.

“So, we need to be in the car driving back to you house by three, ideally, to give you time to get changed and get you and your girlfriend loaded into the car and onto the next event.”

“Understood.” He acquiesced with an innocent smile, and you had a sneaking suspicion that time was an ongoing issue.

Over the course of the brunch, it became quite apparent why as, though gentle and soft spoken, Austin was also kind and affectionate and seemed to thoroughly enjoy connecting with people. He was also very much in demand at the event, with so much buzz around him that people were lingering in informal queues to get a chance to just shake his hand and congratulate him on the movie. You could only surmise it made the threats even more bitter as they tainted such remarkable success.

The four of you, with Ari behind the wheel, were not driving back to Los Angeles until four-thirty and Austin was frantically texting his girlfriend with apologies while Kate was on the phone making sure everything was set for an upcoming appearance on Jimmy Kimmel. You took the opportunity to have a small nap in the front seat, confident that Ari had the situation under control and equally confident that it would be a long night.

As Austin dashed inside to get ready, Kate grabbed her car and headed home, and you went to deposit your bags in the guest house you’d be sharing in rotation with Marwan, Trey, and Ari. There was a living room with pullout couch, small kitchen, bedroom, and a simple bathroom. You found a place to hang your clothes and stash the rest of your things, freshening up and eating something quickly before you and Ari headed out to wait for the couple.

And what a couple they made. Both equally tall and thin, strikingly beautiful, youthful…you swallowed the bitter taste of envy that flooded your mouth and smiled warmly to Austin’s girlfriend as he brought her over to make introductions.

“Very nice to meet you, miss.” You nodded professionally as you shook her delicate hand and tried not to take it personally as she barely looked at you before hugging Austin’s arm.

The lithe, long lines of her arm only served to make you acutely aware of every bulge and ripple of muscle beneath your clothes. With mere proximity she reignited every insecurity you had ever felt about the body that diligent judo practice had built. You were Hulk Hogan in a dress.

“We gotta get going, babe.” She reminded him and Ari moved forward quickly to open the car door for them to climb in, blessedly yanking you out of your descent into middle school angst.

During the drive to the dinner party, you respectfully kept your eyes forward and your ears closed to the hushed, intimate tones of conversation in the backseat, punctuated by husky laughter or feminine giggles. Accidental, unintentional glances in the rear-view mirror told you they were huddled together, heads bowed close, hands clasped. A stunning pair of human specimens that, for the first time in your career, left you feeling utterly out of place.

You were grateful for the quiet intimacy of the dinner, the bench at the back of the dinning room for you to wait, the low security risk. You found excuses to go over and check on Austin, but otherwise scanned the room and kept an eye on things from a distance.

Not only were they a beautiful couple but they were a favourite as well, with many of the other guests stopping by or rotating through the chairs near them once the formality of the courses broke and mingling resumed. A glance at your watch told you it was well past midnight, and you praised the foresight that had led to your nap in the car. Nevertheless, relief flooded you as Austin sauntered over to let you know you’d be heading home as soon as his girlfriend returned from the washroom.

“You must be starving!” He exclaimed softly, suddenly casting his eyes around for something to satiate hunger he thought he perceived in you.

“It’s all right Mr. Butler, I had something to eat while you were getting ready.” You reassured him and found yourself briefly blinded by the brilliant intensity of his smile loosened by alcohol.

“Oh good, can’t have you dying on the first day, Betty.” He smirked and elbowed you in the arm playfully, causing a chuckle to tumble from your lips.

“Second, technically…” You smirked but trailed off as you watched his statuesque girlfriend, with her rich hair and striking eyes reclaim control of his arm.

You saw a veil fall over his eyes…creating an invisible barrier between you as she drew his focus like a high-powered magnet. As though you simply ceased to exist in that moment. In her presence. Turning sharply on your heel, you began to weave your way out of the dining room, only glancing back to be sure they were keeping pace.

The consummate professional, you saw them safely to the car and into the house before going to take a shower and sitting on the small patio outside the guest house to eat some pizza the night shift had bought. The rustle of the Santa Ana winds through the palm fronds above worked its magic, capturing the tension in your body and carrying it away towards the Pacific Ocean. At last, you felt ready to retire for the night.

Standing to make your way inside for some proper sleep, a very distinct and enthusiastic female cry reached your ears from the main house. It only served to hasten your steps and you sent an earnest prayer out into the universe that the unstable letter writer was found sooner rather than later. Because this was going to be a very trying assignment.

Read Part Two

If You'll Be My Bodyguard, I Can Be Your Long Lost Pal Masterlist

[jaylleoo14]

TW: BOTMM is a short drabble leading up to Keratoconus Entrapment. Although nothing explicit happens in this drabble be wary that the following will contain such themes/mentions (along with Keratoconus Entrapment): Horror/dark themes, deaths/murders, butchering/gore, unsettling descriptions, kidnapping, gen violence, blackmailing, alcohol, partying, corruption, morphed views of artistic expression, manipulation and gaslighting. All characters are aged up, you have been warned 

This idea sparked while I was listening to an audio and I was like "hmm, i like how ominous and spooky this can be." then suddenly boom, Jade Leech has spawned. So hear me out okay WAIT IM ACTUALLY KINDA SCARED RN BECAUSE SO MUCH IS BEING ENVISIONED IN MY MIND😭🙏 :') Okay but as the ideas kept on racking and stacking on top of each other I started to get a little "oh wow, this is actually starting to sound kinda good tho-" (im envisioning an uncanny Jade rn and i'm scared-)

Have you heard?

Heard of what?

The Mushroom Man who lives down Rocker Lane.

I. From paints to charcoal, to clay to wood. Then to pencil and pen, then back to your roots of finger painting on cardboard.

You've always had this sort of love for drawing. Since you were little you can recall your mother had always talked about how you were such an artistic child. A crafty one at that. Your dad was always telling his friends that his child was always so expressive and imaginative whenever the topic was brought up. Continuing on keeping up with art along your adolescence, to middle school, to then high school, you felt like you knew what you wanted to do. That being why you decided to go pursue an art major.

The university you are going to attend, University of Arts in Atlantica, was where you'd be heading on over next. Its a funny feeling in your stomach really, moving out and all and going to meet new people as you drift away from your old ones. The feelings welt up inside you slowly, feeling a sad weight bringing you down. You'd be staying in a co-ed dorm, at least then you'd be able to hopefully meet new people and make more friends. That's one of the main things you were looking forward to. It's time to look on the positive side here, and as you make your daily affirmations to yourself you bring out your phone to go to your notes app to remind yourself of the good things that happened and what to look forward to.

I saw a man helping his old relative (not sure) down a street earlier. That was really nice.

I saw some black cats cuddling with each other near the grass yesterday

the weather is nice today, it's not too windy and the sun is out high

I was able to pack another box of my stuff, I should go reward myself now

I was able to send in my resume for a job application nearby. I should also reward myself because I did a good job at tending to it.

Oh, that's right. You recently did submit a job application. You submitted it to a bakery oddly enough.

Art comes in many different shapes and forms, and you personally had another interest. That being the culinary arts. For at least once in your life you wanted to experience the working life of a culinary student, and although pursuing it as a career plan wasn't your solid choice - it was one of the options. And thankfully enough, the man there who skimmed through your resume seemed rather gentle about your chances. Hopefully you get the job, I mean you have plenty of experience before as well with handling and decorating foods. That was the main thing you were interested in. Sure you do enjoy baking, but it was the expression of being able to decorate cakes and pastries there that you were more eager to do.

Trey was the person who introduced himself first, claiming that his family owned the business. After the whole process of submission for your intended new job, something blue catches your eye. A natural call of curiosity causes you to divert your eyes a little away from Trey- who was finishing up the bases of what's to expect- and see a tall man through the window of the kitchen door. He had teal short hair, a longer black length of hair tucked behind his ear and his eyes looked rather sharp and lifted from the side. If for just a moment of observation, Trey caught where your eyes were distracted at.

"Oh, well it's still business hours, you know. He's another employee working here as well. If you get the job you'll see him more frequently." He says it so casually, but you would really hope you do get the job. Fiddling your fingers a little, you show a bit of anxiousness but you keep it professional. "What are the chances of me getting hired? I'm really eager to get this position."

A thoughtful look is splayed on his face, his glasses framing them well. "Well your past work seems promising. It doesn't look professional enough for it to display but I'm sure with enough practice it may work. Just wondering though, you're an art student, yes? Do you think you'd manage the hours alongside your classes?"

His words were a little hard for you to hear but you greatly needed it, a set reminder that you really still are an inexperienced culinary artist if anything. However you proceed to give him a determined answer. "Yes, I'll manage. I will uphold my duties responsibly, please consider taking me."

"They seem eager, don't you agree Trey?" Both your attention is turned and directed on the voice who spoke from behind, the teal haired man coming forward. He had a black plain apron on with the logo of a clover on his right chest, a white chef shirt on as the sleeves are rolled up to his elbows. “Eagerness and experience are two separate things. I’ll consider it, don't worry.” 

Not knowing what to say, the teal haired man turns his attention onto you. You both meet each other's eyes and his lips curve more upward to be more inviting and polite. “Oh how rude of me, where are my manners? You can address me as Jade Leech.” He goes over to shake your hand as a formal greeting, and ever since then things have been going alright. Would you look at that, you got the job! And you’ve already moved in, meeting friendly people from all over with wild stories to tell. “Ugh, such an extroverted thing to do. I could never.” Idia’s voice is made metallic through your phone as you tell him about how you plan on going to this frat party to welcome the new incoming people. It was a new time of your life, why not let loose and meet new people? “Your reasoning still stinks. Imagine all the sweaty smelly bodies you’d bump into there. Not only that but eee! So many loud normies! My HP would already max out by the time I get there, definitely not.” 

“Look, I’ll be back soon okay? I want to try and enjoy this night before anything real happens like classes and work.” Bringing your coat on, you sling over a fanny pack over your torso with all the required things for what you can expect at this frat party. “If you don't let me know that you came home safely I’ll be adding modifications into that device of yours.” A simple reassurance is all it takes for him to hang up and with some worn converse shoes you slip out of your room. 

Clink!

Here's to a new school life. Surrounded by other lively participants of party go-ers, you hold a drink of alcohol in your cup. Everyone seems to have a good time, the music is blasting, the people are dancing and enjoying their time, and you have crazy party go-ers here climbing the roofs and pulling crazy stunts. It's quite the impression really. Taking a step outside all the way to where the cars are parked from the frat house, you take a deep breath and catch yourself a breather. Idia was right for the most part, and for this to be your first time at a frat party it was definitely overwhelming. However one thing for sure was that you were able to meet new people and enjoy your time there, just needed a little break is all. 

Little did you know though, that nearby deep in hidden trees and bushes laid a beaten up person. Most likely dead. No, definitely dead. For Jade Leech is always one to ensure that the deal is done. Frat parties, loud music, drunken party go-ers, it was all the perfect set up for him to strike and take advantage of. Who would know if just a person or two went missing? Especially ones who come by themselves. He’s got an eye for people you could say, with the way his eyes are arched up so meticulously. The location was just too good to miss out as well. Here it’s a little more isolated with vegetation growing around, the house being more secluded due to its bigger land. Blood is soaked into the dirt, his smile content that the earth is gaining some nutrition. 

Oh, what a surprise. He sees a familiar figure in the distance leaning up against one of the cars on the dirt path. It’s you. He could strike, but it would cause trouble. You aren’t his target. At least not yet. He can play a patient game, and a patient game he will play. The future awaits many things for the two of you, so until then, enjoy your fresh new life and your new job. You clock in the day following tomorrow, where Jade will surely start to learn more about you. And as much as he will learn about you, you my dear reader, will surely start to learn about him much more than what ordinary people see and know about him behind closed, faux smiled, bloodied doors.

I hope this reaches the right audience, but to all my dark/horror/yandere enthusiasts

just know..... JADE IS A BAKER IN HERE WITH NICE MF ARMS>&lt;

Literally the only thing i was fixated on when I was writing this, I was like "oml yes Jade with them nice buff baker arms anfisdifbfiubwif Trey you arent gonna be alone in this✊🤞." I practically melted just thinking about it while writing this ^^;

[madebysimblr]

Some party vibes, and of course Family Pictures!!

The Cortes' - Susanna, Rory, Aiden, Xavier, Trey, & Sorella The Kassabians - Maren, Kim, Callie & Lane Joyturo~ and The Harringtons - Santos, Angel, Grace, Chance, Santiago, Bria, Micheal, Lucinda, & Carmelo

[eludin-realm]

Character Name Ideas (Male)

So I've been browsing through BehindTheName (great resource!) recently and have compiled several name lists. Here are some names, A-Z, that I like. NOTE: If you want to use any of these please verify sources, meanings etc, I just used BehindTheName to browse and find all of these. Under the cut:

A: Austin, Aiden, Adam, Alex, Angus, Anthony, Archie, Argo, Ari, Aric, Arno, Atlas, August, Aurelius, Alexei, Archer, Angelo, Adric, Acarius, Achilou, Alphard, Amelian, Archander B: Bodhi, Bastian, Baz, Beau, Beck, Buck, Basil, Benny, Bentley, Blake, Bowie, Brad, Brady, Brody, Brennan, Brent, Brett, Brycen C: Cab, Cal, Caden, Cáel, Caelan, Caleb, Cameron, Chase, Carlos, Cooper, Carter, Cas, Cash, Cassian, Castiel, Cedric, Cenric, Chance, Chandler, Chaz, Chad, Chester, Chet, Chip, Christian, Cillian, Claude, Cicero, Clint, Cody, Cory, Coy, Cole, Colt, Colton, Colin, Colorado, Colum, Conan, Conrad, Conway, Connor, Cornelius, Creed, Cyneric, Cynric, Cyrano, Cyril, Cyrus, Crestian, Ceric D: Dallas, Damien, Daniel, Darach, Dash, Dax, Dayton, Denver, Derek, Des, Desmond, Devin, Dewey, Dexter, Dietrich, Dion, Dmitri, Dominic, Dorian, Douglas, Draco, Drake, Drew, Dudley, Dustin, Dusty, Dylan, Danièu E: Eadric, Evan, Ethan, Easton, Eddie, Eddy, Einar, Eli, Eilas, Eiljah, Elliott, Elton, Emanuel, Emile, Emmett, Enzo, Erik, Evander, Everett, Ezio F: Faolán, Faron, Ferlin, Felix, Fenrir, Fergus, Finley, Finlay, Finn, Finnian, Finnegan, Flint, Flip, Flynn, Florian, Forrest, Fritz G: Gage, Gabe, Grady, Grant, Gray, Grayson, Gunnar, Gunther, Galahad H: Hale, Harley, Harper, Harvey, Harry, Huey, Hugh, Hunter, Huxley I: Ian, Ianto, Ike, Inigo, Isaac, Isaias, Ivan, Ísak J: Jack, Jacob, Jake, Jason, Jasper, Jax, Jay, Jensen, Jed, Jeremy, Jeremiah, Jesse, Jett, Jimmie, Jonas, Jonas, Jonathan, Jordan, Josh, Julien, Jovian, Jun, Justin, Joseph, Joni, K: Kaden, Kai, Kale, Kane, Kaz, Keane, Keaton, Keith, Kenji, Kenneth, Kent, Kevin, Kieran, Kip, Knox, Kris, Kristian, Kyle, Kay, Kristján, Kristófer L: Lamont, Lance, Landon, Lane, Lars, László, Laurent, Layton, Leander, Leif, Leo, Leonidas, Leopold, Levi, Lewis, Louie, Liam, Liberty, Lincoln, Linc, Linus, Lionel, Logan, Loki, Lucas, Lucian, Lucio, Lucky, Luke, Luther, Lyall, Lycus, Lykos, Lyle, Lyndon, Llewellyn, Landri, Laurian, Lionç M: Major, Manny, Manuel, Marcus, Mason, Matt, Matthew, Matthias, Maverick, Maxim, Memphis, Midas, Mikko, Miles, Mitch, Mordecai, Mordred, Morgan, Macari, Maïus, Maxenci, Micolau, Miro N: Nate, Nathan, Nathaniel, Niall, Nico, Niels, Nik, Noah, Nolan, Niilo, Nikander, Novak, O: Oakley, Octavian, Odin, Orlando, Orrick, Ǫrvar, Othello, Otis, Otto, Ovid, Owain, Owen, Øyvind, Ozzie, Ollie, Oliver, Onni P: Paisley, Palmer, Percival, Percy, Perry, Peyton, Phelan, Phineas, Phoenix, Piers, Pierce, Porter, Presley, Preston, Pacian Q: Quinn, Quincy, Quintin R: Ragnar, Raiden, Ren, Rain, Rainier, Ramos, Ramsey, Ransom, Raul, Ray, Roy, Reagan, Redd, Reese, Rhys, Rhett, Reginald, Remiel, Remy, Ridge, Ridley, Ripley, Rigby, Riggs, Riley, River, Robert, Rocky, Rokas, Roman, Ronan, Ronin, Romeo, Rory, Ross, Ruairí, Rufus, Rusty, Ryder, Ryker, Rylan, Riku, Roni S: Sammie, Sammy, Samuel, Samson, Sanford, Sawyer, Scout, Seán, Seth, Sebastian, Seymour, Shane, Shaun, Shawn, Sheldon, Shiloh, Shun, Sid, Sidney, Silas, Skip, Skipper, Skyler, Slade, Spencer, Spike, Stan, Stanford, Sterling, Stevie, Stijn, Suni, Sylvan, Sylvester T: Tab, Tad, Tanner, Tate, Tennessee, Tero, Terrance, Tevin, Thatcher, Tierno, Tino, Titus, Tobias, Tony, Torin, Trace, Trent, Trenton, Trev, Trevor, Trey, Troy, Tripp, Tristan, Tucker, Turner, Tyler, Ty, Teemu U: Ulric V: Valerius, Valor, Van, Vernon, Vespasian, Vic, Victor, Vico, Vince, Vinny, Vincent W: Wade, Walker, Wallis, Wally, Walt, Wardell, Warwick, Watson, Waylon, Wayne, Wes, Wesley, Weston, Whitley, Wilder, Wiley, William, Wolfe, Wolfgang, Woody, Wulfric, Wyatt, Wynn X: Xander, Xavier Z: Zachary, Zach, Zane, Zeb, Zebediah, Zed, Zeke, Zeph, Zaccai

[merrock]

INTEREST CHECK & ACTIVITY CHANGES!

Don't worry, we haven't forgotten activity checks! Lindsey and I have been working behind the scenes at ironing out some changes to how we do activity checks, to give you guys a little more leniency while allowing us to stay on top of things with less stress / guilt.

Starting on Monday, May 8th, our activity requirements will be changing. Any account inactive for two weeks will be automatically unfollowed. Accounts that are inactive for one week, display inconsistent activity and/or are not replying to open starters will be warned. Checks will be done twice a month -- once at the beginning/end, and once in the middle. That should give people plenty of time in between and also a little more structure. I will have a more detailed post on this on Monday, as well as adjusting our rules then, so if you have any questions, please ask!

Another thing that we are introducing at this point in time is our 'extended reserve for future use' section, in which players can now reserve one face that they plan on developing a character around. Only one, however! We don't want to encourage face hogging, and if a significant amount of time passes, we will reach out to check and see if you're still moving forward with said character. We know (from our own current experiences!) that it can sometimes take much, much longer than one week to properly research and develop a character, and want to extend that courtesy to our writers.

So! To get everyone on the same page and with a fresh, clean start, we are giving everyone this weekend to contact us and interact with this post. If you are good to go, just like it, we'll cross you off the list and your roles are yours. If you need to drop or swap, or pause anyone, or make any changes, let us know! Happy to help.

PLEASE LIKE THIS POST TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU'VE READ IT AND WOULD LIKE TO KEEP YOUR ROLES!

Anna -- Sylvia Cuenco-Burke, Reyna Delgadillo, Jayla Hopkins, Alec Jacobs, Wesley James, Corrine Khang, Cathy Pacheco, Esperanza Tamayo.

Bri - Cordelia Browning, Eliza Edelman, Fallon Harris, Spencer Lawrence, Emeline Newman, Marquis Owusu, Vivienne Quinn, Ramsey Salazar.

Chayya -- Marlow Newman.

Emily -- Veila Madison. -- @veilamadison

Erin -- Lara Marie Caruso, Miranda Hartman, Bryan Lawrence, Jamie Mariadaga-Evans, Vincent Matthews, Mekelah Reddy, Joella Suh, Alice Zhao.

Frankie -- Deacon Newman.

Janessa -- Mateo Fuentes, Zoey Lawrence, Chloe Nwokobia, Yesenia Rivera, Elizabeth Stewart, Alexander Stone, Jennifer Suh.

Jen -- Thomas Browning.

Katie -- Owen Anderson, Rafael Bardales, Estelle Carter, Nari Gim, Olivia Hartman, Joshua Lane, Cage Newman, Darrius Powell.

Lindsey -- Aleja Alverez, Chetan Gupta, Greyson McVey, Kellan Newman, Elise Quinn, Trey Wright, Iris Xanthe, Amina Zaidi.

Mags -- Cassidy Miller.

Maria -- Vitus Aydin.

Myr -- Amanda Howard.

Nikki -- September Grant. @sxpt-xmbxr

Steph -- Katherine Evans, Thalia Williams.

MOD NOTE: I will cross names off of this list as they like the post and/or reach out to us. Those on hiatus automatically get a pass for now, and have been exempted. If you have not responded by Friday morning, we will tag you, just to give you a little notice. Unfollows for those who have not interacted with and/or messaged us will be done on Monday.

[faerietempest]

🎶 My username in songs 🎶

Thank you, @cowplant-snacks for the tag! 🤎

It was SO hard to pick just one song for some of these. But I truly appreciated the trip down memory lane with a lot of the music that this little game took me on. Enjoy a variety of songs that represent songs/artists that I had an obsession with at one point or another, and that most likely altered my brain chemistry.

F - Finesse - Remix by Bruno Mars, Cardi B A - Awake My Soul by Mumford & Sons E - El Tango de Roxanne - Moulin Rouge R - Roses by Outkast I - Invincible by Aminé E - Elaborate Lives - Aida T - Thnks fr th Mmrs by Fall Out Boy E - Electricity by Silk City, Dua Lipa M - Mercy by Duffy P - Promise by Laufey E - Embraceable You by Ella Fitzgerald S - Say Aah by Trey Songz T - Teeth by Lady Gaga

I'll tag @antiquatedplumbobs @ivyandink @pixelnrd @peebsplays if you would like to do it!

[blackrosesfanfic]

Chapter 258

Trey

Lane turns around and grabs my face. He kisses me then frown his face up at me. I love his personality. He loves playing games and trying to make people laugh. His games are never evil or get him in trouble. He kisses me again. I bite at him then kiss him back. He frowns again making a funny face this time. I chuckle.

"Dylan!" Cammie snaps.

"No." He says hiding.

I help him hide under the pillows of the couch. JJ bounces into the room followed by Cammie. She had a towel and clothes in her hands.

"Where is Lane?"

"I don't know."

She looks behind her. "I sent him in here to you. He didn't come back out of here."

I shrug. "Oh. Why you need him?"

"It's time for a bath. The water got green bubbles." JJ says excited.

"I here." Lane says revealing himself.

JJ spins around like he shocked. "Lane!"

"Come on." Cammie says walking back out the room. "Lane you were hiding from me?"

"Yeah." He says excited.

I answer my phone. It's Chris. "What's up?"

"She just had low blood. It's fucking low as shit. They had me fucking shitting bricks. I need to get better at thinking under pressure."

"Shit don't get easier."

He sighs. "I'm just glad you there and going through this shit before me. I got you by my side."

"I'm already married but you can be my side bitch."

"I ain't paying you no fucking attention. We probably gonna come by there after she sees the doctor. I hope she don't need to be admitted. Oh she is going to talk to her parents on her own. Without me. So they can talk shit about me."

"Why on her own?"

He takes a few seconds. "Cause I have been working my ass off to make her feel better these past few days. She been giving me her ass to kiss. She admitted it and to make up for it she gone talk to her parents alone."

"I mean I get that but you still don't want to put it off on her. Be there still."

"I like punishment better."

I chuckle. "No you don't. Cause when she sad..."

"Yeah." He sighs. "I'll call you back. I'm bout to go upstairs to their hotel room then."

"How you know you ain't miss it already?"

"Her dad just went upstairs. So I'm sure she waiting on him." He says. "Aight."

"Yeah." I say hanging up.

How do I supposed to help him through his shit when I don't know what the hell I'm doing for myself? Don't really feel like having the weight on me. I could really use advise myself. Forrest walks into the room carrying Caden.

"How your baby and his mama doing?"

"Good." He sits down.

I nod. "They don't need shit?"

"She got a new nigga."

"What is that saying to me about her needing shit?"

"If she need shit her nigga can get it for her."

"But she carrying your baby."

He shrugs. "I went to her last appointment with her. Going to the next one. He found out who I was and ain't letting her answer her phone for me. So let him take care of her. She was hinting around that he mad cause she ain't saying she hate me and talking child support. So yeah."

"You picking this lifestyle huh?"

"Everybody ain't God's favorite."

I sit up. "Damn what's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't nobody else get a wife like Cammie cause you got her."

"It ain't cause I'm better than you."

He bites Caden's hand making him laugh. "Well anyway. I'm keeping the peace between us. She down for coparenting and she gets along with April."

"Shit that's a blessing. Aggravating ass lady."

"Cad." Forrest says holding Caden up. "You got the dance moves?"

Caden turns his head in my direction. He kicks his feet and yell at me. Not a cry just a loud ass yell. Forrest turns him towards me. Caden looks back at Forrest and yells again. He swings his arm hitting himself. He gets mad then starts crying.

"Caden." I say.

Forrest brings him over to me. He doesn't stop crying when he gets to me. I rock him a bit.

"Aye take him back where you got him."

"Cammie gave him a bath. That's where I got him from. Can't take him back."

I put him on my shoulder then start patting his diaper. He screams a few more times then settles down a bit. He was done with Forrest very quick. I rock him some more then stand up rocking him. He quiets all the way down now that he got me up. He holds his head up looking around.

"Man just give me the baby when it's walking and talking."

"You gonna miss everything." I say holding Caden so I can look at him. "Caden?"

He watches me then start dozing off. He tries to move around waking himself up. I go to the bathroom that I hear all the noise in.

"Where King?" I ask.

"King went he mommy." JJ answers.

Lane was stacking bubbles on top of a boat. "Stupid ass."

"Say it again and I'm going to slap you in your mouth." Cammie snaps reaching towards Lane.

"Mommy." Lane rus away from her.

"Don't you call nobody that."

Lane just looks at her then goes back to playing like it never happened. I jump scaring Caden. Cammie had touched my leg. JJ laughs looking up at me. I smile then lean towards Cammie. I wasn't paying attention to her. After I kiss her she gets on her phone.

"I'm back." She says.

"So how are the babies?"

"B. A. D."

Lane stands up. "What you say Mommy?"

"B. A. D." JJ repeats.

"You say that!" Lane laughs splashing in the water. "B. D."

Cammie chuckles. "Girl. They are doing fine. You hear Lane and JJ."

"Hey, Lane. Hey, JJ."

I turn and walk out the room. The phone said it was Kim. More than likely k. Michelle. Gwen stops me in the hallway. She takes Caden from me without saying a word to me. She walks away talking to him. That boy is fucking sleep but thats how they like him.

Cammie

Trey moves Lane off of my lap. Now why he bothering my baby. Lane has been on my lap being good for about an hour. Watching YouTube videos and playing a million games for 2 seconds. Not bothering nobody. With his headphones on, I might add. Perfect little angel enjoying my lap being free of Caden. In this case or Trey.

"Daddy." Lane says taking his headphones off. "I go to Mommy?"

"She right here." Trey says putting his head in my lap.

My poor baby so confused. He puts his tablet down and walks away. Trey sits up kissing my lips. His childish ass is probably proud of himself for getting rid of the competition. I shake my head as he turns to the TV. I had it on reruns of other Dancing with the Stars shows.

"Why you watching this stuff?" Trey asks.

"To see what the show really about. Looks like I'm going to be paired with an unlikely match. Probably older and white. Young black raising to fame dancer. Underdog partner."

Trey looks at me. "You making that up?"

"No."

"Doesn't seem like you planning on winning."

I kiss him. "Just to the finals. That's my goal."

"So you gonna have to train your partner really good."

"That's MiMi's job."

Trey blows. "Really?"

"Yeah. Plus all the men do are fancy steps and catches. I mean it's not like super hard to catch somebody and shake your hips a bit. But for a non dancing background white man. Geesh. I dont have the patience after dancing with Chris for so long."

"Your kids?"

"They have dancing backgrounds, they black, and they love to dance."

Trey looks at the TV. "So this not going to be simple?"

I suck my teeth. Trey looks at me. "Lane?"

"Ma'am." He says turning to me.

"What do you have?"

He looks down then at me. "This?"

I roll my eyes. "You want me to yell at you. You know you know better. Give it here."

"This?"

"Oh shit." Trey says playing attention to Lane.

I hold out my hand. "Bring it here, Lane."

"I don't Mommy." He says walking to me. "It okay. Okay?"

"Talking his self out of trouble." Trey smiles.

This boy had a fucking knife out the kitchen. I don't know what he is doing with it. I don't know why the boy was in the kitchen. Trey grabs the knife from Lane then gets up walking out the room with it. Lane goes running after him talking about something. Like did you fucking come in here to kill somebody? Your daddy because he moved you out the way? What exactly is behind you carrying a damn knife? He comes back with a bowl. He sits it down by my leg then climbs on my lap. Trey comes back into the room eating something. Lane had strawberries, blueberries, and yogurt.

"Your mama was in the kitchen cutting up fruit for Ike."

"She didn't see her grandson steal the knife?"

Trey shrugs. "She was using the one she had. The rest were put up."

Lane eats his blueberries talking to himself. Trey squeezes himself between me and Lane. Lane sits back squeezing Trey more then he goes back to eating. They better leave me alone. Lane blows frustrated. I don't know what his problem is. He rams his body back against Trey again. Trey gets in my face moving away from Lane.

"Yall really killing it." I say through my teeth.

"We love you." Trey says kissing my neck.

I pause the show rewinding it. "I should be able to pick my partner. Have an audition first. I swear I ain't with no bullshit."

"That King say. Bullshit." Lane says cutting his eyes at me.

"Don't play with me."

Lane licks his finger. "I do it Mommy? Me? I do?"

"That's a bad word."

"No it not. What?"

I roll my eyes. "Go be a kid."

"Bullshit is a bad word." Trey says.

"No it not." Lane sucks his teeth. "Bullshit?"

"Shit. Bullshit." Trey explains.

Lane ain't having it. "A bull."

"Bullshit."

"A cow?"

Trey looks at Lane. "A cow?"

"B for Bull." Lane says like Trey stupid.

Trey looks at me then kiss my lips. "Your turn."

"I am not following him up." I snap.

Lane keeps eating his food like he won his case. He is going to say that fucking word again. He knows he isn't supposed to say it. I'm not playing games with him. I'm not following his ass up. Trey lost to an almost 3 year old. I can't just call him 2. He pass that stage. We doing full sentences and logic now. Tell me exactly why I can't do it. That's his current stage. Why? King says it why can't I?

"Lane Who said a bull is a cow?" Trey asks.

"Huh?"

Trey takes his food. "Who said a bull is a cow?"

"My fruit." He whines starting to get down. He is going to tell on Trey.

"Here." Trey says giving it back. "How the hell he knows that?"

Lane goes back to eating his food.

"Lane?"

"Ma'am Mommy."

I smile kissing him. "B is for bull?"

"Bah." He says.

"Oh." I kiss him. "Very good. Where did you see the bull?"

He licks his hand. "The church. The big church."

Trey sucks his teeth. "He tells you just that simple."

"I asked a different question, Tremaine. He figured it out on his own so he didn't know the answer to your question."

"Yeah." Trey says mad still.

I sigh kissing him. Lane spins around looking at me. He watches me kiss Trey again. He pushes the empty bowl off his lap. Just for attention. I push his ass down towards the bowl. He fights me then hits the floor. He picks the bowl up throwing the spoon. I ignore him.

"Lane, I love you." I say.

He moves towards the spoon then looks at me. "Mommy?"

"Daylan."

"Get the fork." He says grabbing it.

"I love you, Lane." I say again.

He runs. "My fruit." He starts whining.

"Right here, Lane." Someone says to him from the hall.

What am I gonna do with all these men? Caden fighting Lane. Lane fighting his fucking daddy. Next they both gonna be fighting Trey. If Trey doesn't spoil Caden so much he doesn't listen to me like Lane does. Me and Lane understood each other before Trey. I don't get my way with Caden. I can't say Trey not around because he is always there.

"If our next baby exist and it's not a girl I'm leaving." I say.

"I got what my mama had. I wouldn't care if we didn't have anymore." Trey says getting in my face.

I kiss him. "There goes your son."

Lane walks into the room whining. Gwen is behind him with his bowl. He cries pushing her back out the room. She lean over and stand him up straight. I'm getting happy inside to see some real discipline but she fucking gives him the bowl. He takes it walking away no more crying. Fucking fake. Where is the discipline?

"O big face snotty nose." Trey says to Lane.

"Mh." Lane says twisting his shoulder like he don't care at Trey.

I grab the bowl that almost tilts over on me. He falls out on the ground.

"Boy you need... get this bowl." I snap.

"It mine." He pouts.

His ass sleepy. I roll my eyes. "I know that sir. Get your bowl."

He climbs up on my lap first moving Trey. Oh my goodness. Trey picks with him. I'm about to run away. I sit the bowl in Lane's lap. He starts eating the blueberries out of the bowl. He had more blueberries than anything else this time. Trey kisses Lane. Lane tries to feed him a blueberry. They friends now?