#trying to speak to my mum and explain to her how bad it is and she doesnt care she literally flat out ignores me acts like im not even talki

[g1rlwifetags]

.

[wosoamazing]

Eventual Answers

Part 3 | Beneath the Surface

Warnings: Endometriosis, Hospitals, Surgery, Mentions of Infertility, talks of emotions surrounding life long conditions (specifically Endo)

Notes: I hope this is okay, I tried to make it accurate, and include some of the emotions one might feel. Let me know if I did anything wrong and I’ll try to fix it up. This is the last official part of this series however if anyone has any one shot or blurb requests for this universe let me know. (Also I hope it's not boring, let me know what you think)

You clutched onto your Mum’s hand for dear life as you sat in the private waiting room, you had positioned yourself between Leah and your Mum, your knees bounced anxiously as you tried to convince yourself you were fine and that everything was going to be okay, however it wasn’t working, and a tear rolled down your cheek as you sniffled slightly.

“Bubs, you’re okay,” your Mum told you as she wiped away your tears, you shook your head in response to her, before she lifted you onto her lap, “what’s going on in that head of yours hey?”

“W-what if it’s all just in my head, and there isn’t anything wrong at all,” you admitted to her

“Bubs, that’s not going to happen, it’s okay to be nervous it’s a big thing, surgery is never easy,”

“C-can you tell me what's going to happen again?”

“Do you want me or Leah to tell you,” your Mum said as she reached a hand out for Leah to hold, who was also clearly nervous, however she seemed to be doing a good job of hiding it from everyone else.

“L-leah,”

“Okay,” Leah said before she took a deep breath, hoping her voice wouldn’t give away how nervous she was to you, Leah explained every single miniscule step to you, including telling you that they were going to use a mask to put you asleep before they did anything so you wouldn’t have to deal with any needles. Just as Leah finished explaining, one of the nurses called out your name and you went back along with both Leah and your Mum, and everything happened exactly as Leah said it would.

“Leah, Maddie,” the doctor greeted them as he came out and sat opposite them, “So, surgery went well, she is in recovery now and after we speak you can go see her, we did find endometriosis, stage 3, we removed serval adhesions and there are none left, we also removed most of the tissue along with two cysts on her right ovary, there is some tissue remaining that we couldn’t remove but hopefully most of her pain is now gone.”

____

“Hey bubs, how do you feel?” your Mum said as she noticed your eyelids flutter open, she gently brushed some of the hair out of your face, before placing a kiss on your forehead.

“Mmm, sore, bit sick, head hurts, tired. Where’s Leah?” you mumbled as your eyes slipped shut again, before you fought to lift your eyelids up.

“She’s just in the bathroom bubs, you can go back to sleep, it’s okay. We’ve got to stay here a bit longer before we can go home,”

“Did it go well?” you asked hesitantly as you tried to get yourself comfortable on the bed, the pain medication slowly wearing off at the same time you found yourself becoming more alert was not the best combination for being able to find comfort. Leah smiled and nodded at you, before she softly lifted up your jumper, revealing your abdomen, where you had 4 separate dressings.

“So it’s real?” you asked.

“Very real, they found you had stage 3, they removed all of the adhesions and most of the tissue and they removed two cysts from your right ovary, the tissue they left behind is mainly in and around your pelvis and there is some on your right ovary, so you’ll most likely still have the pelvis pain at times during your cycle and the back and leg pain during your period but it shouldn’t be as bad, you might also still get some pain will ovulation as well” Leah informed you.

“Thank you,” you said before tears of relief started to fall from your cheeks.

“We couldn’t be prouder of you bubs, and hopefully now this makes life slightly easier,” your Mum told you as she hugged you very carefully, before Leah returned with a big box in her hands, you hadn’t even noticed she left, let alone had enough time to retrieve a box of this size.

“We got this for you,” she said nervously as she placed it on the bed next to you. You opened it up and it was filled with various things you loved. There were some tim tams, shapes and a tin of milo, a new lip balm, and some hair products. There were also a few new card and board games, as well as a new pair of nike trackies and a matching hoodie. Which when you pulled out you looked up to Leah who was smiling back, it was one of the sets you told Leah you liked 2 months ago, and you were surprised she remember, you also had some new white nike socks, they have your initials embroidered on the bottom of them, probably so Leah couldn’t ‘accidently mistake them as hers’ again. Leah and your Mum sat with you until you fell asleep.

The next day Katie and Caitlin came around, at 11 the doorbell rang and as your Mum passed the living room to answer the door, she found you and Leah passed out on the couch, the night having caught up to you both, you were both talking to each other 10 minutes ago. 

“I’m so sorry, they’ve both just fallen asleep, and I don’t really want to wake them because they need it. She was up most the night crying and Leah was trying to calm her down,” your Mum said as she opened the door, both of the women were understanding and didn’t mind.

-

Leah had woken up during the night, however she didn’t really know why, she didn’t often wake up during the night without a reason so she was confused, until she heard a choked sob from your room. She doesn’t think she had ever moved so quickly at 11:00pm before. She opened the door to find you sobbing in your bed, your face was red and your eyes were bloodshot.

“Bubs,” Leah said as she crouched down beside your bed, “bubs,” you looked at her, “what do you need? Does it hurt? Do you feel sick?” Leah’s words came out calm but her head was anything but, her thoughts raced around at a million miles per hour as she tried to figure out what could’ve gone wrong.

“I don’t want this,” you cried out and Leah knew you weren’t physically hurting but mentally. She slipped in beside you and you immediately shifted your position on the bed, lying on your back you placed your head in her lap, burying your face in her stomach, you would’ve preferred a hug however you couldn’t have one so this would have to do.

“Bubs, I need you to take some deep breaths for me,” Leah told you as she started to card her fingers through your hair, which you did, allowing you to calm down slightly, you were no longer sobbing however tears still poured out your eye.

It was a weird feeling, being relieved and angry at the same time. You were glad that it wasn’t all in your head and that it was real but it being real meant a plethora of things. You might never get to have kids of your own, you’ll have to have more surgeries to remove the tissue in the future, you could lose your reproductive organs, you would have to live with a disease that affected your life so much, yet there was so little awareness, so little knowledge, so little research. Your crying continued for most of the night and Leah did nothing but be there for you, silently supporting you.

The following week passed by in a bit of a blur, a mix of emotions, pain, and recovery.

Two days after surgery you posted a photo your Mum had taken of you and Leah when you were having a nap together, you were curled into her side, her arms tightly wrapped around your shoulders, and the clear evidence of recovery surrounded you. The caption had no words, it was just a yellow ribbon emoji, something that people with the same experience would know the meaning of and so too would your close friends and family. You wanted to post about it one day, bring awareness to it and help others however currently you weren’t ready for that, you weren’t ready to tell the whole world, telling the world would make it more real, make the possible infertility struggles real, make the fact you may never be able to be intimate with a partner without pain real, it would somehow make everything just that much more real, something you weren’t quite ready to face yet.

[ham1lton]

013 with charles!

013. a great ballroom during an elegant party w/ CL16.

— part of a series of drabbles! <3

one day after classes, you had come home to see an unfamiliar elderly woman sitting with your mother in your small flat. your mother had placed her cup of tea down on the coffee table and introduced the lady as your grandmother, and as the current queen of the small kingdom of genovia.

thanks to that one night, you were now here at a genovian ball held in your honour but instead of being out on the floor and mingling with the guests, you had hid in an alcove. a side-effect of becoming the crown princess means a makeover. your hair had been styled to frame your face, and you were wearing more jewels then you’d ever seen in your life. it was a bit much but it’s not like anyone had asked you how you felt about it.

one day you were attending college, crushing on carlos, who was your best friend’s older brother, and now you were the only heir to a kingdom you hadn’t even heard of before.

before you could think about your circumstances any longer, someone had slid themselves into the alcove. you screamed.

“wait! wait! sshh! please!” a hand covered your mouth as your eyes widened in shock. you’re gonna die in an alcove and around five minutes away from your security. your introvert tendencies are going to kill you. this is the worst day of your life.

“don’t kill me! please!” you say, fighting his hand.

“what?” he asks, voice filled with shock. “i’m not going to kill you!”

“you’re not?”

“no!” you can hear an accent when he speaks. “i’m just trying to hide from my responsibilities. i didn’t want you bringing attention to us. this is my hiding spot when i come to genovian balls.”

“are you from here?”

“no. i’m from monaco. my mum is the monegasque ambassador to genovia.”

“explains the accent.” you say. you can’t see him but he stands slightly tall as he leans against the wall opposite you. “i’m y/n.”

“y/n?” his voice is shocked. “y/n, as in the crown princess y/n?”

“indeed.” you sigh. “that is me.”

“what are you doing hiding away? isn’t the queen looking for you?”

“you’re hiding too. isn’t your mother looking for you?”

“touché.” he laughs. “i guess we’re both running from our duties tonight.”

“so, what’s your name. you know mine and i’m at a disadvantage now.”

“charles, charles leclerc.” he laughs. “i never would have thought in a million years i’d be here with you. this alcove is usually empty.”

“is being here with me a bad thing?”

“oh! no! god no! it’s just unusual. who else can say they’ve been here with a princess.”

you chuckle at his response, feeling a bit more at ease with charles's lighthearted demeanor. "well, charles leclerc, i'm glad to have some company in this unusual situation."

he smiles warmly at you, the brightness of his teeth glinting in the darkness. "likewise, princess. i have to admit, this is definitely a first for me."

you both share a moment of quiet companionship, enjoying the brief respite from the grandeur of the ball. it's a strange feeling, finding solace in the presence of a stranger amidst the opulence of royalty.

"perhaps we should head back before we're missed," you suggest reluctantly.

charles nods in agreement, offering you his arm as you both make your way back to the ballroom. as you step into the light and the music surrounds you once again, you can't help but feel grateful for the unexpected connection you've found. you turn to communicate this to charles, only to be shocked into a stupor.

“what is it?” he asks as you stare at him. “something on my face?”

he was very attractive and your face heated up with embarrassment at the fact you accused the very handsome stranger of attempting to murder you. god, he put his hand over your mouth. was your makeup smudged? did you look okay? you had the telltale signs of a crush forming, and you were transported back to high school all over again.

you were definitely calling your best friends about this later tonight.

you shake your head, trying to push aside the embarrassment of your earlier reaction. "no, it's nothing. just... lost in thought for a moment."

charles gives you a curious look, but doesn't press further. instead, he offers you a reassuring smile before leading you back into the bustling ballroom.

as the music swells around you and the guests continue to dance and mingle, you find yourself stealing glances at charles when you think he's not looking. despite the initial shock of your encounter, you can't deny the flutter of excitement in your chest at the prospect of getting to know him better.

the only thing you miss are the glances he sends back.

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

author’s note: princess diaries au with charles as ur love interest, carlos as lily’s brother and lando as lily. spoilers! charles and reader end up getting married and he becomes her trophy king <3 also, two people requested this prompt!! hope u both enjoyed it <3

[ericshoney]

Stress Baking ~ Sturniolo Triplets

Summary: Your a very good baker, but tend to bake more when your stressed or overwhelmed. What happens when the guys return home to see the kitchen full of cupcakes?

Warnings: usual swearing, crying, anxiety, overwhelmed, mentions of a broken home/ bad parents

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

You loved baking and it was something you were pretty good at. You often baked for you Nick, Matt and Chris, leaving them sweet treats, or even extra so they could share with their other friends.

However, you also stress baked. Whenever you got stressed, overwhelmed or anxious, you would bake. Today was no different.

You were at the guys' place, a good three trays of cupcakes already baked and decorated ready to be eaten. It hasn't been a good day so far. Your mother shouted at you about your job. You had just quit due to the manager being a complete asshole, but she wasn't happy as you were bringing money in she would steal to buy cigarettes and alcohol. You and your mother never saw eye to eye, especially when you posted the occasional video about baking.

So here you were, in the triplets' place, making yet another tray of cupcakes. The guys knew of your rocky home life and always said you could seek shelter in their home, even giving you a spare key, as you had been friends for years now.

So when the trio returned home from filming a car video to see the kitchen full of cupcakes, they knew you were upset about something, especially when they saw the tears in your eyes and heard your phone blowing up with notifications.

"Hey sweetheart, we're home." Nick called softly.

"Oh hey guys." You called quickly, getting the next tray of cupcakes out.

"This is a lot of cupcakes, bub." Chris mentioned, seeing at least twenty cupcakes.

"Yeah, just got baking." You mumbled, trying not to burn yourself.

"How about we take a break, maybe talk about what's going on, yeah." Matt suggested, pulling you away gently.

"I....Fuck." You mumbled, bursting into tears.

Matt frowned and hugged you, looking at Chris and Nick, who both looked sad, all hating you upset. Matt pulled you over to the sofa gently, waiting for you to calm down as Nick and Chris cleaned up.

"What's going on, petal?" Matt asked.

Chris and Nick joined you, passing you some tissues to wipe your tears. All three waiting patiently for you to speak.

"Mum and I got into an argument about me quitting my job. I fucking hate it and the manager but she still wants me to work there. She only wants my money to buy cigarettes and alcohol." You explained.

"Oh bub, we're so sorry." Chris said softly.

"I hate her so much." You cried, hiding your face in your hands.

"Sweetheart you can move in with us." Nick offered, making you look up at him.

"What?" You called.

"Yeah, why not move in with us? You can continue with your videos of baking and turn that into a career." Chris added.

"You for real?" You gasped.

"Of course, kid." Matt replied, giving you a smile.

You hugged all three of them, feeling overjoyed with their offer. You smiled wide, feeling happier now.

"Thank you so much." You said.

"Anything for you, sweetheart." Nick replied.

You smiled again and then glanced at the kitchen, a small giggle escaped your lips as you saw all the cupcakes.

"Who wants cupcakes?" You asked, making them laugh.

[fallout4-reacts]

How would the companions react to walking in on Sole nude (not in like a sexual way, but like, got a wound on their thigh during a fight and was in the middle of stitching it up in their room with the door closed or something like that)

That raider was ruthless, sneaking around Sole and opening them up like a fish with their bloody, rusted knife. Sole made it through and made it to Sanctuary owing to the stimpacks, but now they has to assess the extent of their injuries and heal themself. Sole totally removed their garments as the enemy drove his blade directly into their ribcage and managed to slide down to the thigh, shocked by the length of the cut. Then they hear footsteps in the corridor...

Cait : She casts a quick glance at Sole before crossing her arms and leans against the doorframe.

"Not bad, I had one like that before. Ya can come back after you're done patching and tell that fool Preston that I'm not going to take care of his stupid tatos. He wants a planter, but I'm too busy with my bat knocking the heads off the raiders trying to take us from behind."

Sole remains stuck for several seconds before regaining the capacity to speak.

"Can you get out of here now?" they ask, their face expressionless.

"What? Are you going to say you're shy? You don't have to; you're hiding a lovely body beneath your armor."

"OUT!"

Codsworth : (OK, not exactly speaking steps) In a nervose movement, his mechanical arms rotate two or three times on themselves. He tries to keep his cool by moving his three eyes in unison towards the corridor.

"Please excuse my untimely disruption, Mum/Sir; I came to inform you that supper will be served tonight in the common room. All of your companions will be present, but if you want, I may arrange a meal for you in your extremely quiet dining room. I understand if you don't feel compelled to... socialize."

Sole smiles at their butler, but he doesn't look at them.

"That's OK, Cods, eh... When... I'm finished, I'll join you in the lounge to discuss this further."

"Definitely!"

And the robot bolted from the room.

Curie : She runs over to inspect the huge wound.

"Oh no! What occurred? How come you didn't provide proper care?"

"That's exactly what I was about to do."

"This lesion requires disinfection and suturing! Just wait for me; I'll collect my equipment!"

Sole would have liked to object, or at the very least inform Curie that it is not appropriate to enter people's bedrooms without their permission because they may be... naked... but the Synth has already gone. Sole, with a pout, casts a glance at... their own health kit.

Danse : If embarrassment could kill him, he would have died right there. His face is absolutely bloodless. Not that he hasn't seen other naked soldiers; intimacy is a very meaningless concept in the field. But Sole, in this situation. He feels as if he has crossed an unbearable line and committed an awful act. He swiftly turns around and makes a motion to exit, but his brain records the second piece of information.

"You are severely injured!"

"It's mostly superficial, but it is."

"Need…help?"

"No, I'm doing just fine on my own."

"Perfect!"

And he's back in the hallway as swiftly as he came. Sole will have to wait until the paladin explains why he came to see them in the first place.

Deacon : (glitch power) As soon as his eyes are drawn to Sole's nude body, a huge wicked smile grows on his lips, and before his friend is able to react, he is in his underwear. Sole is taken aback and takes some time to comprehend what the spy is saying.

"Is this some sort of nudist gathering? Or is this an Adam and Eve celebration?"

"This is MY room, and I am HURT!"

"Oh, yes!"

Deacon is clothed again before Sole can say anything else. The unfortunate vault dweller is fully swept away this time.

"So, let me look at this wound— 

"No, get out!"

"Alright, alright. Whatever you desire! But if you ever feel like the planet is spinning much faster than it should, give me a call and I'll be there."

And now he's gone. Sole winks, unsure whether the scene was real or if they have hallucinating.

Dogmeat : He lies on the bed with his head resting on his legs, waiting for Sole to finish.

Elder Maxson : He enters and exits the room. It was a single continuous motion. With no change in expression. When Sole is finished, they dress and proceed to the living room, where they find the Elder in a pretty stiff position. The Elder, on the other hand, constantly stands straight.

"You're done, Knight. I needed the report on supermutant activity near Satellite Station Olivia immediately. Did you finish cleaning everything?"

"Not a single mutant left alive, sir."

"Perfect, perfect, perfect. I'm returning to the Prydwen in order to dispatch the soldiers to retrieve any sensitive data that may be left. I intend you get there as quickly as possible."

"Yes, sir."

"And, Knight..."

"Yes, sir?"

"Please never bring up this unfortunate incident again."

"The satellite station's super mutants?"

"You are fully aware of what I mean. Dismiss."

"This is my living room, sir."

"Perfect, perfect, perfect. Have a nice day."

He walks out of the home, and we can hear the motor of a vertibird in the distance. Sole then allows themselves to burst out laughing.

Hancock : His smile becomes so large that he appears to have much less flesh on his face. Sole's expression is devastation.

"Wow, this is my kind of job!"

"I am hurt!"

"Yes, I see. That's too bad. Need a hand?"

"Definitely not!"

"Well, I'll meet you in the lounge."

Hancock walks back. Sole takes comfort in the fact that, despite his debauchery, Hancock never crosses the line, demonstrating some semblance of... respect...

Gage : He enters the room and doesn't seem to be bothered in the least. He begins casually declaring the report of Nuka-World's behaviours.

"Porter! I’m naked!" 

"I saw. But as I was saying about Nisha’s operations— 

"I’m naked and I want you to go out immediately."

"All right, Boss."

Sole is still taken aback by the raider's dashing demeanour. But, well, Gage has undoubtedly seen some green ones in his life, and it does make him any more impressed by anything.

MacCready : His expression is stern, as though it were Sole's fault. Sole, for their part, is frozen in place. MacCready makes a hand gesture with a scowl on his face.

"When you're finished—whatever you do—I need your support to recover—

"Get out!"

"Okay, I'll wait in the living room."

When Sole has finished, they proceed to the living room with the intent of reprimanding the mercenary, but he sits quietly on the couch with a broad smile.

"Aside from that, it was a pretty spectacular view. Not too bad, you know?"

The vault dweller pauses before turning to return to their room. Before they rip their friend's head off, they need to scream into their pillow.

Nick Valentine : The tin can has a swirl function. Sole notices this because as soon as they realise Nick is in the doorframe, they can only see his back.

"God! Pardon! I… I didn’t think. I should have known better. I saw you come in and I wanted to... It's unforgivable, God. Pardon."

"It's fine, Nick, and given how many times you've patched me, it's not like you haven't seen these parts of my body before. It's just that you have the big picture right now."

It makes Nick feel even more uncomfortable. Even though they are over two metres apart, Sole can clearly hear Nick's fans react by kicking in all at the same time. They can't help but chuckle at the scenario, but they have too much respect for the detective to make fun of him.

Piper : A reaction halfway between Danse and Nick."Wow, Blue!" she exclaimed in turning heels. "Sorry! I’ll uh," she’s cut off by her nervous laugh, "waiting for you in the living room. Yeah, I’ll just wait for you in the living room. There. Do you have nuka cola in your fridge?"

Preston : He already possesses the grace and stature of a marble statue. He now has the stiffliness. He's not even blinking. He was about to say something, but nothing came out of his mouth. Not even breath, by the way. Sole thinks they could castigate him, but the Colonel's state of stupor is heartbreaking. They stoop, take up their coat, and drape themselves in it. When they speak, they try to employ as calm a tone as possible.

"You wanted to see me, Preston?"

"See... you? NO! Well, uh... you mean like in the expression? Okay, as stated in the expression. Okay. Yes, I was hoping to see you. But not you! I mean, I saw you, I couldn't deny it. I saw you! It’s awful! No! I mean, you're not awful! I regret! I'm truly sorry! I should have made a signal or knocked on the door— 

"Breathe!"

Sole crosses their arms, unsure whether to laughs or be annoyed by this situation. It's the first time they've seen the man in such a nervous state. They decide to take a humoros approach.

"I don't even have a door to knock on. It's all right, Preston; I understand your discomfort and that you don't mean anything."

"Of course not! I am forever thankful to you for understanding me. I mean, to grasp the situation as it is. I'll be in the living room, waiting for you."

"Does a settlement need my help?"

"Yes!" 

"My pip-boy is sitting on the table. Put it on the map, and I'll get there as soon as I can."

"Thank you!"

The man exits the room without further questioning. Sole locates the small community on their map, but they don't see their Colonel again for the rest of the day.

As if he was trying to avoid them...

Strong : The super-mutant frown.

“Puny human should wear armor.”

“Puny human is in their ROOM and you GO OUT!”

“Puny human stupid. Puny human should never let their guard down.”

“GET OUT!”

“Strong get out, but Strong wants to know when human and Strong are going to get the Milk of Human Kindness.”

“GET OUT!”

X6-88 : Hands behind back, straight, and unimpressed.

"Ma'am/Sir, it is not appropriate to deal with such an injury without the expertise of the Institute's doctors."

"X6? Could you just leave my room right away?"

The Courser executes, but only for a few steps in the hallway.

"I reiterate my recommendation that you be taken in to one of the Institute's physicians for a professional body examination."

"Get the fuck away!"

"There is no need to get carried away and use vernacular. Unlike the way you handled the damage you caused yourself on your last assignment, my advice are perfectly adequate."

"I'm perfectly capable of handling the damage I've done to myself, and if you don't want me to do any damage to you, I recommend you take the Sanctuary Grand Tour right now!"

X6 obeys without fully comprehending why the future director places themselves in such a state.

[furiroad]

Furiosa spoilers under the cut 🚗

It's actually staggering how much that movie did not need to exist. Gonna bullet point some thoughts

My sarcastic lol @ the lightning fast sisters cameo at the end where they're all played by completely different people. the quick flash of Cheedo's eyes bc they managed to get Courtney Eaton back for three seconds didn't appease me

I guess it technically passes the bechdel test bc right at the start Furiosa says "be still" to Valkyrie but iirc that's the only pass moment. I know not passing the bechdel test doesn't mean the movie is automatically bad I just think it's interesting considering it's following Fury Road

"she talks to her mother" I don't think they ever said her mum's name out loud

You know how mad max fury road could have a silent version w no dialogue + isolated soundtrack and it worked because you could tell what's going on anyway? This movie has the opposite problem. Way too much talking. They over-explain everything

The best bit was the prolonged torture scene at the end where Hemsworth explains Furiosa's entire character arc and the message of the movie out loud to her and also us

Even his teddy had an arm missing, replaced with a barbie arm. Thanks. We get it

Her arm made robot noises

Actually threw MY arms up in disgust when she went back for that boy she supposedly had a romance with despite the film never bothering to actually show/explain that. I'm calling it a romance because the actors did. I guess it was supposed to be a Capable/Nux parallel but it didn't work for me and not just because I'm a dyke and a hater OK, if you're gonna do a ROMANCE, DO A ROMANCE. don't leave me sitting there wondering why Furiosa is risking it all for some guy she's had ONE conversation with, especially after he offers to get her away from the Citadel and back to where she came from, WHICH IS HER ENTIRE MOTIVE EVER SINCE SHE WAS TAKEN

I DON'T GET IT

Them trying to emulate Max and Furiosa's instinctive, perfect we have to trust each other moment by having Jack and Furiosa... look at each other Meaningfully fifty times while they were supposed to be driving cars? Don't make me laugh! You will never be them!!

Max being there for a second wasn't cute! I rolled my eyes

Same at "remember me?" MAKE UP YOUR OWN STUFF

So many things happened because they needed to happen (plot demanded it) and didn't make any sense in context. My favourite was when Furiosa rode her motorcycle up a dune to get away after cutting off her arm and the biker gang couldn't follow her up there for some reason

So much Christian imagery... threw me off tbh

Considering it's Furiosa's movie it sure isn't about her + she doesn't speak at all for almost the first half

This movie was way too long

I called it about the peach seed

I called it that she cut her own arm off

George Miller read some of my blog but not all of it

You know how The People Eater rubbed his nipple that one time and it was delightfully weird and gross and got a good reaction? Well in this movie he's constantly rubbing it, the whole time. Really lessens the impact of the nipple rub

As you can see this movie has made me insane

Like this is not really about the nipple rub but do you get what I'm saying here

Furiosa spends most of the movie hiding her hair (because as we all know, having long hair immediately identifies you as a woman) and then when her head covering gets knocked off and her hair is revealed (omg she's a girl) she leaves it like that and becomes an Imperator. On what planet

The history man frames the entire movie for some reason. Do they show Miss Giddy? Take a wild guess

One of the coolest parts of fury road was that a gang of bikers ended up being hardcore wasteland grannies w guns and loose morals in response to people fucking around for far too long without finding out. Did this movie have anything like that for me? Take a wild guess for a second time

The car fight scenes weren't even that great. Couldn't remember hearing any good music under them (brother in arms truly lightning in a bottle) and they went on for too long which feels wild to say about suped up car battles in the australian wasteland: 2 but oh well. This is how I feel. Fury Road was so good at carefully measuring out high octane action and then downtime and careful, quiet character introspection and this movie had no idea what it was doing either way

Honestly I don't hate it but I feel like it was a waste of time and it doesn't need to exist at all. A real nothing experience. Am I going to see this movie ten times in cinemas? No I am not even going to see it twice in cinemas

I don't know what I was expecting.

oh my god also they played clips of Fury Road over the credits as if to say "remember how fucking good this is in comparison to the dumb shit you just watched"

[lulublack90]

Prompt 17 - Slice of Life

@wolfstarmicrofic July 17, word count 997

Not gonna lie I struggled with this one. I wasn't 100% sure what slice of life actually meant so I did my best with it. Hope you enjoy. Lulu x

Mum came and got me out of bed when all I wanted to do was sleep. She insisted that it was such a nice day outside in the early summer sun that it was a shame that I was sleeping it away in bed. Last night had been a bad one, and I don’t think she really understands how much harder it’s getting each month. She wrapped me in one of her blankets and tucked me in on her garden swing. I admit she was probably right. The warm sun is helping with my sore body. The wind rocks the swing beneath me and lulls me back to a peaceful sleep. 

“Cariad, wake up,” I’m woken by my mum’s sweet lilting voice. She’s Welsh and has such a beautiful voice. Sadly, I take after my father, and I just can’t get my voice to lilt like she can. 

“Mmmm,” I groaned as I opened my eyes to the afternoon sun. It’s right in my eyes and immediately pain shoots to the back of my head. I close my eyes again and my mum slides the shade down on the swing. I try again and I can see. 

My father walks out of the house into the garden towards us. He’s being followed closely by an old man in teal robes. I watched him, fascinated. Because of my condition, Dad tends to keep me away from other wizards. So this is a rarity. 

Mum arranges three chairs in front of me, and they all sit down. 

“Thank you, Hope,” The old wizard says. He turns to me and starts speaking. “Hello, Remus, my name is Albus Dumbledore. I am the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” He says it as if I have no idea what the only wizarding school in Britain is called. But I listen because I want to know why he’s here. “I am well aware of your… Furry little problem,” I gasped, because as far as I knew, the only people that know are myself, my mum and my dad.

“Myself and a few select professors have arranged a way for you to attend the school whilst keeping the other students safe. Is that something you would be interested in?” His periwinkle eyes twinkled at me. I was not expecting anything like this. I didn’t have a chance to reply as my dad jumped in and spoke for me. 

“Of course, he’s going,” Dad holds a lot of guilt over what happened when I was five. I want to think he’s happy for me, but at the same time, I think he just wants to not have to deal with my transformations every month and being at Hogwarts would mean he’d only have to see me on holidays. Mum doesn’t seem as pleased about it though. 

“Will he be safe?” She’s worried. I knew she would be. She's a muggle, and she had no idea how big a deal this is. Maybe it would be good for me to get out of here and meet some people my own age.

“Yeah, I think I’d like that,” I finally tell Dumbledore, cutting him off while he was explaining to Mum about a shack with a secret passageway that no one can get into. 

The next few weeks drag. I’m eager to get started with school. Not in my wildest dreams did I think I’d ever be going to Hogwarts. Dad took me to Diagon Alley for the first time. I was blown away by all the magic. Dad uses magic, but not all that often. He uses it at work, apparently, but when Mum’s around he tends to do everything the muggle way. I’ve never got this. Why would you not use magic if you could? He took me to Flourish and Blotts. That might have been a mistake. He had to lure me out with the promise of a chocolate sundae from Florean Fortescue’s. I’m obsessed with books. I can lose myself in them and forget everything for a while. 

The final thing we bought was my wand. The nutty little man in the shop darted about yanking boxes off the shelves and passing me different wands. It took a few attempts but finally, he found the right one. I held my new wand, 10 1/4 inches, made from cypress with a unicorn hair core, for all of ten seconds before it was whipped from my hand and boxed up.

Thankfully, September has arrived, and we’re on our way to Kings Cross. Dad won’t apparate us, so Mum’s driving us in her car. It’s such a long way to go. Dad’s let me have a few of my new school books out for the journey. I’ve been reading them non-stop since we bought them, and I’ve only got two left to finish. 

It takes forever to find a parking space, but once we do, Dad runs in and grabs a trolley for my trunk. He loads it up for me, and we go into the station. 

“That’s where we’re going.” He pointed at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. We walk towards it and just when I think we’re going to hit it, we pass through onto Platform 9 3/4. The Hogwarts Express is so much bigger than I thought it was going to be. We’re running late, so I don’t get to look at it for long. Dad hurries me onto the train, he helps me get my trunk into the storage rack, and we go back out to say goodbye. 

Mum won’t let me go. Dad has to pull her off me. He gives me a brief hug, and I’m off. The whistle blows and the train starts its journey north.

I’d just settled myself into my compartment, opening my book to keep reading, when the door slid open and the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen walked in.

“Hi, I'm Sirius Black. Can I sit here?” 

[degrassi-fanatic]

Asked You To Write It Down For Me

The anguished-kicked-puppy-dog-eyes Jamie was wearing were just becoming too much for Roy to handle. Every time Roy chanced a look at Jamie’s phone, he would see him staring longingly at a photograph of Georgie and Simon. Then, he would open his text threads to type, erase, and retype texts to Georgie only to shut off his screen at the last minute.

The cherry on top of this fuckin’ horrible sundae was when Roy found Jamie crying by himself in the living room the other day. Jamie never revealed the reason for the breakdown but, it doesn’t take a genius to see that he was feeling insanely guilty over missing Mother’s Day this year because of some brand deal shoot he couldn’t get out of. 

Roy had decided that enough was enough and rang up Georgie himself to tell her that he and Jamie were coming to Manchester for the weekend to have a belated Mother’s Day. 

The belated Mother’s Day, however, is still in the works as Jamie and Simon are currently running around shops to try and find the ingredients for some stellar meal they’re going to cook up for Georgie. 

With those two out, Roy is left in charge of entertaining her and he starts the evening off strong by pouring her a hefty glass of the fancy wine Roy helped Jamie pick out for her. 

“It’s always nice to have you and Jamie around.” Georgie says as she leans against the arm of the couch, her feet on the cushions, “It’s especially nice when you two bring posh wine.”

Roy snorts as he hands her the wine before making his way to sit down on the other end of the couch, facing her, with his own glass filled to the brim. 

“Well, Jamie has been missing you a lot, recently,” he says, leaving out the details to keep her from worrying, “He doesn’t like that he couldn’t make it for Mother’s Day.”

“I told that lad already that he shouldn’t worry.” she says exasperated, “It don’t matter to me when he comes down as long as he knows he’s always welcome.”

“Yeah, well, you know, Jamie.”

Georgie hums thoughtfully before taking a swig of the wine.

“This is good shit, my God,” she mumbles to herself before addressing Roy, “What about you? What did you get up to on Mother’s Day?”

Roy freezes. 

Usually, when people ask about his parents, he gives them the bare details or tells them to piss off, and seeing as he’s speaking to Jamie’s mother, he can’t exactly do either of those options. He doesn’t want Georgie to think that Roy’s some arsehole that’s going to be a bad influence on Jamie. 

Instead, he bides his time by swishing the wine around in his glass, being careful not to spill it. 

“My mum and I— We aren’t like you and Jamie.” Roy explains after a moment, “She and my dad, uh, they’re not really big parts of mine or Ruth’s life. I mean, they did fuck all when Ruth’s piece of shit husband left her and they didn’t even find the time to visit when Phoebe was born, and— I don’t know, they’re not bad people but, they’re not emotionally available.”

“Only person in my life that was, was my Grandad.” he says, smiling into the rim of his glass as he takes a sip in between words, “Then, he died while I was in Sunderland.”

“Jamie told me you went to Sunderland when you were only nine years old, right?” she asks.

He wants to ask if Jamie mentioned this when he was still a fanboy and it was some fun fuckin’ fact about him in a magazine or if he mentioned it to her when they started seeing each other. 

He holds off on it though. He’s not sure why. 

“Yeah,” he answers, “Sometimes, I look at Phoebe and I think about sending her off to fuckin’ Manchester for just the day and I have a heart attack. I don’t know how my parents could do that.”

I don’t know how my parents could do that to me. 

Georgie must be a fuckin’ mind-reader or some shit or maybe she could understand what he was implying because she reaches over to his side of the couch and places a comforting hand on his knee.

Much too quickly for his liking, she pulls off and recedes back to her side. 

“I remember the day that I sent Jamie off for the U-18,” she says as she reaches behind her and grabs a photo of Jamie from that time, the one where he’s grinning so hard at his mum behind the camera, “It broke me heart to do that. The only thing that kept me from flagging that bus down was knowing that he was safer than he was ever going to be here.”

Georgie places the photo back in its place delicately. 

Roy doesn’t comment on how she’s wiping away tears from her eyes.

It might be that moment of vulnerability that Georgie’s letting him witness or it might just be the wine he’s been going to town on that’s got him pissed enough to say this but, the next thing he knows, his mouth is opening and—

“It’s, uh, it’s nice being able to talk about these things,” he stammers, looking away when Georgie sends him a warm smile, “I’ve never really had that with a parent before. Not that I think of you as my mum or something because—”

Wordlessly, she cuts him off by plucking his wine glass and setting aside, along with her own. Then, she tugs Roy in by the wrist until he’s close enough for her to haul him into her arms. 

For a minute, he stays absolutely fuckin’ still, like maybe this is an illusion he can shatter by moving too much. Then, he decides fuck it, and fully leans in, reminiscent of the way he first saw Jamie and Georgie interact. 

“It’s okay, Roy,” she whispers as she tucks a strand of hair behind his ear, “I can have two sexy little babies.”

[fandomshifter]

Y/N meeting the evil dead trio for the first time

[ This is mostly self-indulgent writing but you are all free to read it. Also the backstory is based of my insert characters backstory for Ash vs evil dead!! ]

📜 - You met Ash when he needed to speak to your dad to translate the necronomicon [ After the Kelly possession Arc ] No one in the past had been helpful and Ash had decided that someone who had been in contact with the book before might be the most useful.

📜 - It was late at night when they came knocking, you sleeping through most of the ordeal untill you woke up, a bad feeling in your stomach grew almost making you sick. So you went down stairs to get a drink and small snack.

📜 - "Who the fuck are you guys ?!" You asked, wide eyed as you looked between the unknown trio of people sat in your living room. Your dad let out a sigh as he looked over at you. "Thought you would have stayed asleep Y/N."

📜 - This is how you met Ash, Kelly and Pablo for the first time. It was strange and a little awkward at first. You stayed silent and listened to the conversation sometimes catching eye contact with one of the trio. That's when Ash pulled the book out, you jumped as he slammed it onto the table. "Look here chief, I need you to try and find a spell in that book that can stop all this deadite shit." Your eyes moved from looking at the book to your father, the overwhelming feeling of anxiety becoming worse.

📜 - You didn't recognised the book at first, but after a while all the memories came flooding back. Your eyes widened in realisation, "You can't fucking do that, remember what happened last time! Remember what happened to mum that time you read from one of those things!!" You tried reaching forward to pull the book away , but your dad stopped you. This time it was Kelly who spoke up. "Your telling me there's more than one book?!"

📜 - 10 minutes later after explaining that there wasn't just 2, but 3 books everyone had calmed down and the room had an eery silence too it. It wasn't untill your dad cleared his throat did you say something. "You want me to get a weapon just incase don't you ?" He nodded slowly at your question and with a sigh you got up and grabbed the Axe from the cupboard under the stairs.

📜 - You all stood in anticipation as your dad started reading from the book

Bestiam ex inferno arcesso ut per superficiem ambulare et regulam iterum capiam

The lights started flickering and the house was shaking. You began growing dizzy and nauseous, feeling like you where going to......

BANG

Glass from the windows shattered and you let out a yelp. Then....everything went dark. Silence once again.

📜 - When the lights came back on a soft growling noise could be heard. It grew louder...louder...LOUDER....LOUDER

It was coming from behind you.....

"DEAD BY DAWN Y/N. DEAD BY DAWN DEAD BY DAWN DEAD BY DAWN."

It screamed in your ear. You could tell who it was by there voice. You spun round just in time, moving to the side, escaping the slash of its claws.

"Dad ?"

He looked just like how your mother looked.

Glass shards where impaled in his face. Blood was oozing and dripping to the floor with soft splats.

"What's the matter, don't I remind you of your poor old mother ?" The thing started howling, doubling over as it did.

Your ears where ringing.

You where frozen in place, gripping the Axe so hard your knuckles where turning white.

You felt 13 again.

📜 - In a split second the deadite had moved forward and at the same time a force pulled you back. It was Pablo and Kelly. Ash had his chainsaw on and his boom-stick pointing at the deadite. Kelly pulled you into her chest covering your face as the next thing you heard was another loud

BANG

And a thud.

You felt the warm blood spray onto your back and into your hair. Now your pyjamas are going to be stained.....

How could you say that after watching a man you just met kill your dad ?!?

📜 - You felt someone place there hand on your back and you moved away from Kelly. You showed no emotion on your face. "You okay kiddo ?" It was Ash, he had a look on his face. One that said everything you needed to know. He had been through what you had, all of them had and now all you have is these people who have seen fucked up shit and done fucked up shit to save there own lives and every other person's life on the planet.

"Yeah I'm okay."

[shelbgrey]

Next to me(Emmett Cullen)

Chapter 12: bad dreams and bio trips

Table of contents

“Owen, y/n, get out of the car!” mom shouted as I heard glass shatter and water slashing everywhere.

My back collided with the back window and I flew out of the car and into the water.

“Owen give me your hand” I said with a sob. I pulled him out and he landed into the water with a slap as I turned to my mom. I grabbed her hand trying to pull her out. “hold on momma”

“baby it's okay” she said softly.

“mom!” I shouted setting up from my bed. I immediately regretted the sudden moments as I felt a sting in my head. I looked around patting as I stared at my dark room. “y/n?” I felt a cold hand on my shoulder suddenly. I flinched and saw Emmett by my side.

“How did you get in here?” I asked. "the window.. Are you okay?” he asked concern, lacing his voice.

I nodded. “bad dream... That's all'” I scooted so my back was up against my head board. He followed in suit and kept his eyes on me.

“I wanted to check on you,” he explained.

Before I knew it he was in a flash at the sound of my bedroom door creaking open. “y/n?” Charlie asked in a groggy voice. His presents made me look around; there was no trace of Emmett being there except for a window I barely opened. I looked back at my uncle and lied back down.

“Im okay, just a dream” charlie sighed and sat at the foot of my bed. “Is it the same dream?” he asked.

I nodded fiddling with the end of my blanket. Charlie opened his mouth to talk but it closed as a sleepy and worried Owen walked in. “y/n, you alright”

I looked towards my door and Owen was standing there with an annoyed Bella behind him. I went to speak ut charlie beat me too it. “She's fine guys, go back to bed”

The two did as they were told and quietly went to bed.

“I'm fine, really” I mumbled.charlie mummed a small okay and went to bed.

I slowly sat up from my bed and looked around for the unexpected guest. There was no sound or clue stating he was still here.

“Close call,” he said suddenly. I jumped as he stuck his head through the window. I slightly shook my head and smiled as I entered my room once again and closed the window. He turned around and flashed me a smile showing the dimples I loved so much. I scooted over to one side of the bed and patted the empty spot. “Care to join me?”

He slowly climbed in and lay down on his side facing me. His movements were extremely slow, like he was afraid the bed would explode if he moved wrong. He kept a few inches between us but his massive hand was reached out carefully playing with the ends of my hair. He stared intensely like something weighed heavy on his shoulders.

“What are you thinking about?” I whispered.

He shook his head slightly and smiled. “Just you”

Then there was a pause. “I was scared of losing you,” he admitted. I wiggled closer to him then pulled him closer by his white shirt so we met in the middle.

“I'm okay…we're okay” I said resting my head on his hard chest. “I'm just a bit shaken up”

His arm wrapped around me and his hand gently ran up and down my back. His gentle actions loathed me to sleep. The comfort he gave made me feel truly safe, the safest I felt in a long time. This felt too good to be true.

--------( ....... )--------

Emmett drove me to school the next morning. My biology class had a field trip so I had to get there a tad bit early.

“thanks for the ride” I smiled and kissed Emmett on the cheek. “have fun” he smiled as I clicked out of his jeep to meet up with Rosalie, Damon, and Stefan.

Rosalie greeted me with a hug while the boys acknowledged me with a simple 'hello'. A few minutes went on and group of us hid in a corner as Mr. Molino shouted at everyone for permission slips.

“what's up kid?” Mike said coming up to me and Rosalie. “You're alive!” he said mimicking Victor Frankenstein. Rosalie rolled her eyes and Damon tried not to laugh at Mike's lousy attempts to flirt.

“so I was wondering if you maybe want to go to prom?” he asked. My eyes widened and that's when damon's laughter busted out. Mike tried to give him a death glare but Damon was far to go to pay attention.

“sorry about him” I smiled. “umm I can't I have something going on that day”

Rosalie came to my rescue and put her arm on my shoulder. “we're going to Alaska that week to see our cousins and Emmett wanted her to tag along”

“you can't go another week?” he asked softly. “nope” Rosalie said very bluntly.

Before Mike was about to walk off but I stopped him. “you should ask Bella I think she needs a date and a distraction” he smiled and walked off.

“you know she gonna turn him down too, right?” Alice said coming up with Jasper. I shrugged “as long as he's not bothering me were good.”

Besides I'm still waiting for Emmett to ask me

“he'll ask you soon enough” Alice referring to Emmett with a smile. I nodded believing her.

“Y/n how you feeling?” Angela asked coming up to me with Eric. Eric looked at the group I was with kinda shocked. “guy, this is Eric and Angela”

"nice to meet you" Alice smiled. Eric nodded before hitting my shoulder slightly. “see ya later”

“he's jealous” Jasper mumbled. That made Angela look down. I sighed and gave her a side hug. Eric could be a real idiot sometimes.

"who's jealous?" Edward said returning to the group. “y/n's friend" Stefan mumbled.

“guys let's go!” Mr. Molina shouted making our conversation take a pause. That was also our signal to get in the bus for the field trip.

<Next chapter>

[starlightshadowsworld]

Pre HOO Jason just casually usurping his father for the Olympian throne.

And everyone's like oh how typical of a son of Zeus... Jupiter(?) always searching for power.

Jason's just like "you think I wanted this? We've been lodging complaints for years because you guys never visit us.

If I didn't do this the 1st cohort were gonna sacrifice Steve, and no one wants that especially not Steve.

So we held a vote, and well..." He sighs like someone who's just done with everything. "Everyone voted for me, even Octavian so you know shit is fucked.

Anyway, I'm in charge because you sir are bad at it like... terrible at it. Don't worry I'll give it back, once you sort out your... Everything."

Zeus/Jupiter is pissed as all heck but Poseidon calls a vote and shockingly everyone votes in favour of Jason.

Jason is just yay my plan is working but also... Why me?!

"Why did they vote you?" Asks Annabeth.

Jason shrugs "apparently other than Reyna who said no way, I'm the only other one who has 'common sense' and won't 'fuck things up anymore than usual.'

Apparently keeping a bunch of Romans from burning down camp every other week, makes me qualified to lead. The whole lead them into battle against Krios only made it worse."

Annabeth blinks, before nodding "no yeah, makes sense. I'm Annabeth Chase."

"Jason, Jason Grace.... Erm is she okay?" He points to Thalia who is just trying to process everything.

"Oh she's fine, just a lot to take in. She's my sister, well our sister Thalia Grace." Says Annabeth, having figured it out already.

Jason grins "no way?! Really?" He frowns "hey wait Nico told me she was a tree?" Annabeth snorts "it's a long story."

That he can agree with.

"Soo... What should we do with him?" Asks Percy pointing to the very pissed off Zeus/Jupiter who's laying in a heap on the floor.

"He's going to lose his powers. He's going to become someone that even a newly turned demigod can defeat.

He will know what it means to helpless and have no one to turn to. He will have the same immortality of that of a huntress, all the while everyone he's ever messed with hunts him for sport.

His only allies will be those who choose to aid him. He will be shunned, he will be isolated and learn what it means to be mortal."

Evetuone looks at Jason in shock, probably because it was the first time they'd seen him so serious.

Suddenly an entire legion voting this guy to be Zeus/Jupiter's replacement made a lot more sense.

"And what" spits Zeus/Jupiter, getting up to glare at his spawn. "Makes you think you can do that to me?"

Jason smiles, but it isn't kind "wouldn't you like to know, weather boy?" Before throwing something that engulfs his father in blue smoke.

When the smoke clears, the great king of Olympus now appears as a young man. He tries to pick up his masterbolt, enraged and it shocks him.

Hera is escatic, pulling Jason into a hug "you did it, I knew you had it in you." She says ruffling his hair "Lady Hera!" He pouts, trying to fix his hair.

She frowns "none of that, I have told you time and time again to call me mum." Jason mouths the words as she speaks, very clear they've had this conversation a lot.

"Sorry your majesty, Lady Hera, Queen of Olympus." Hera sighs but her gaze is fond.

"Mum?" Asks Annabeth. "I'm her champion but she'd watch over me as a baby and as a kid so she basically helped raise me." Explains Jason.

He totally knew about the bet Hera and Lupa had to see which he'd call mum first, and he totally wasn't messing with them both.

Nope, absolutely not.

"And er yeah, you guys can take him back to your camp when you want." Says Jason.

Hera lights up, a devious smile on her face. "I'll take care of that" Apollo raises a hand, a similar look on his face "I'll help."

The two vanish with the now fallen king.

Well that should be fine.

Probably.

Jason shrugged, ah well he tried.

"Soo... Who are you anyway?" Asks Percy, curious. Jason sighed, he was gonna have to put that nap on hold.

"Well it all started when my mum left me to the wolves, pun not intended."

(@star-archivist I'm not sure it this what you meant by "needing more of this", but.. Here it is 😅)

[thegainingdesk]

Family Reunion

"You ready?" Henry asked Lewis from the driver's seat.

Lewis sighed and shifted in his suit, pulling his lapels to try to make himself more comfortable. "As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose," he replied.

"If you don't want to go in-" Henry began.

Lewis cut him off with a laugh. "It's my cousin's wedding. What am I going to say?" he asked. "I'll have to see them all eventually anyway, might as well do it now rather than in another 100 pounds."

Henry leaned over and jiggled the huge sack of fat in Lewis' lap. "And how long is that going to take, eh?" he flirted, before leaning over and kissing Lewis' chubby cheek.

Lewis squirmed a little, his fat pressing up against the car door. "Stop it, don't try and make me hard. I don't need to feel any more awkward today." He sighed. "Come on then, no point waiting any longer."

Henry got out of the car and ran around to the passenger side to help Lewis squeeze out. "Here we go," he said, reaching under Lewis' lardy arms.

Lewis batted him away and looked around. "I can do it," he whispered sharply.

Henry smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I know you can, I just like helping out my big guy," he said.

"I know, I know," Lewis said, his voice much softer this time. "Just not today, okay? It's bad enough that everyone's going to be staring at me, I don't want them to think I can't even look after myself."

Henry smiled and squeezed Lewis' huge round shoulder, relishing the way his fingers sunk into the flab there. He stooped down to check his tie and hair in the car's wing mirror, and stood to see Lewis doing the same on the opposite side of the car; his arms shook as they braced against the roof of the car as he bent and his gut sagged down, filling his oversized dress shirt like a balloon.

Straining, Lewis stood up straight and turned round to face Henry. He reached out to grab Henry's hand and squeezed it, before the two walked towards the reception. Upon entering, Lewis recognised someone and took a deep breath.

"Kieran! Hey! How've you been buddy?" he asked.

A look of confusion passed across his cousin's face, and his eye's searched Lewis' face and body. "Sorry, I'm not sure that I…" His eyes settled on Henry for a moment, and then flicked back to Lewis' face, before widening. "Fuck. I mean, sorry. I mean." He coughed and spread his arms wide, forcing a smile on his face. "Lewis! I didn't recognise you with the…" He paused. "With the beard! You're looking… You're looking good!"

Lewis smiled. "Yeah, the beard's confusing a lot of people these days."

Kieran went in for an awkward, short hug and then looked around. "I think that's my mum," he said lamely. "I need to go help her with her, umm, hat." He ran off.

"Fuck me," Lewis said, turning to Henry. "I can't believe he didn't recognise me. I forget sometimes how much my face has changed."

Henry nodded. "It really has. For instance, you used to have a jawline," he teased.

"Shut up," Lewis said, unable to hide the smile on his face.

"No really!" Henry insisted. "I have a definite memory of there being some kind of bone structure, and if I'm remembering correctly, there was even a distinction between your face and your neck."

"Oh, fuck off," Lewis retorted, pinching Henry's bum playfully.

"Who was that?" Henry asked.

"My cousin Kieran, he's my uncle Fred's son," Lewis explained. "You've definitely met him before, he's the pig farmer."

"Oh, him!" Henry said. "I'll have to chat to him later, see if he's got any tips for growing hogs for me," he said flirtingly.

"Don't you dare speak to him," Lewis warned, only half-sure that Henry was joking.

"Or maybe I could give him some tips! I'm quite the pig farmer myself, you know," Henry whispered into Lewis' ear.

"Oh, yeah?" Lewis replied, lowering his voice and bending his head down a little. "And what advice will you give him exactly? Wank them off and play with their nipples while they down four pints of ice cream?"

"Hmm," Henry said thoughtfully. "Perhaps my techniques aren't quite applicable."

Lewis rolled his eyes and grinned, looking around for some other relatives. He remembered back to the last family event he'd been to, a wedding more than three years prior, and all the comments that had been made about his slight weight gain at the time. "You want to lay off those beers! You'll end up looking like your father!" At the time he'd felt positively obese, but looking back he'd barely had a dad bod with a bit of a beer gut. Now, the idea of joking that he could end up looking like his dad would have an entirely different meaning. He must outweigh his old man now by, what? 200 pounds? More? He wasn't really sure how much his dad weighed, but probably at least 250 pounds.

Lewis wasn't even sure how much he weighed himself, outside of a visit to the doctor's office a few months ago when he'd outweighed the limit on the scale in the doctor's office. "Look," his doctor had told him. "I could send you to a practice nearby which has a specialist scale, but to be honest there's not much point. You've exceeded 200 kilograms, do you understand that? That's well over 30 stone. Any specific measurement will just tell us what we already know - that you're extremely morbidly obese. We really need to get your weight under control. Tell me about your diet." Lewis had done his best to answer his doctor's questions, doing his best to ignore the raging hard-on he had throughout the rest of the appointment, avoiding his doctor's gaze because he was sure he might cum right then and there if he saw how shocked the handsome man was. How long ago was that now? 6 months at least. How much could he have put on in the time since?

"Lewis dear! Over here!" Lewis turned to see his mum waving, face beaming. While he'd managed to avoid his extended family for a few years though a mixture of covid lockdowns, holidays and outright lies, his parents and sister had had plenty of opportunity to watch his weight climb since meeting Henry.

"Mandy! Kieth!" Henry cried, bounding over to them, kissing Lewis' mother on the cheek and giving her a big hug, and grasp his father's hand in a firm handshake. Lewis followed much more slowly. "How's my favourite couple?" Despite causing their son to more than double his weight in the last few years, Lewis' parents positively loved Henry.

"Hi Mum," Lewis said, hugging her. He could feel her arms struggling in vain to meet around his back.

"Oh, you look lovely don't you?" Lewis' mum said, pulling back and smiling. "Is that a new suit?"

Lewis could see his dad roll his eyes. "Yeah Mum," he replied. "I thought it would be nice for Rose's wedding."

"Oh, that's nice, it looks lovely. Very slimming!" She brushed her hands down Lewis' lapels, her hands not quite reaching the top over his gut. "Are you not wearing that watch we got you a few Christmases ago?" she asked.

Lewis looked down at his wrist, probably twice the size it was when he received the watch, and noticed a deep crease in the fat there when he bent his wrist. "Needs a new battery mum," he lied.

"You've been looking after yourself?" Lewis' dad interjected. He looked Lewis up and down, a look of disapproval on his face, and patted his own sizeable stomach.

"Yeah, yeah, you know, been on holiday to Italy a few weeks ago and-"

"Started exercising have you?" his dad interrupted.

Lewis cringed. "A little bit," he said. This wasn't a complete lie. At this point a lot of basic tasks felt like a complete workout. "I've just been so busy, with the promotion and stuff."

"Oh, you said!" his mum cried. "How's that been going? Did it come with much more money? Will you be looking at moving do you think? Somewhere with a bigger garden maybe?"

Lewis smiled, relieved at the change in topic, and even more relieved when Henry took over the conversation, pulling out his phone and showing his mum some of the houses they'd been looking at. He made some half-hearted noises that could well have been words, and moved away, making a beeline for a long table at the side of the room covered in glasses of champagne at one end and canapés on the other. He took a glass of champagne for both himself and Henry, and as many canapés as he could carry, stuffing a few in his mouth for efficiency. As he made his way back, he could see people pointing and muttering under their breaths. He could just make out some of the comments.

"Bloody hell."

"That's never Lewis is it? Not Mandy and Keith's Lewis?"

"Look at the size of him!"

"Well he'd put on a bit of timber last time I'd seen him, but nothing like this."

"See Vanessa? How can you say I'm too fat when he's walking around like that?"

Lewis knew his erection might just be visible through his trousers, but between the quivering ball of fat above it and the mound of fat it was trapped in, he knew no-one would notice it. As he approached his parents and Henry, he closed his eyes and sighed as he saw who was with them.

"He's put on even more weight Mum, you can't seriously tell me you think it's fine. Dad, back me up," Lewis' sister Hannah said.

"I'm staying out of it," his dad said into his champagne glass.

"Hi Hannah," Lewis said.

"You can't have actually gotten fatter," Hannah told him bluntly.

"Nice to see you too, I'm great, thanks for asking," Lewis replied.

"Oh fuck off, like you didn't expect anyone to say anything," Hannah snapped.

"Be nice you two!" their mum said, her voice high.

"Oh come on Mum!" Hannah cried. "Will you even be able to fit into the chairs?" she asked Lewis.

"I'll be fine," he said dismissively.

"Are you sure? You must be, what, over 300 pounds now?" Hannah asked. Lewis smiled to himself at the idea that someone could have so little concept of his weight that they'd think he'd weigh so little.

"Somewhere around that, sure," he told her. "It'll be fine, I've sat in chairs before, don't you worry about me," he said dismissively. In truth, it was something he'd worried about himself, and Henry had called ahead to the venue to ask what weight the chairs were rated at. He could, apparently, destroy most of their chairs, but they had some reinforced seats he could use as well, which had some distinct features he could look out for.

"Lewis, I think we're supposed to put presents over there, come on," Henry interrupted them. Both Lewis and his mum smiled at him gratefully. Lewis held his hand as they walked away, turning back to see Hannah in furious conversation with their parents. "Are you really over 300 pounds now?" Henry teased as soon as they were out of earshot. "That really is disgusting, I can't believe anyone could be so enormous."

Lewis laughed. "I guess I should start a diet as soon as possible, shouldn't I?"

"Absolutely," Henry said sternly. "Here, you finish those canapés, I'll go get you some more. I'll see if I can flirt with that waitress and get her to give me a whole tray."

-

The ceremony was beautiful, with absolutely no guests crashing to the floor as they crushed their chairs, and any comments about how some guests must be triple the weight of other guests were kept respectfully hushed and brief.

Afterwards, Henry and Lewis made their way from obscure relative to obscure relative, each of the conversations strained and short. Each of Lewis' relatives would run off with their heads close together in conversation and would almost immediately go to gossip with another small group.

Henry leaned over to Lewis' ear. "I think you're something of the elephant in the room," he teased, stroking one of the saddlebags of fat at Lewis' side as Lewis' cousin Jessica walked away with her husband.

"The whole point of the elephant in the room is that no one talks about it. I don't think it quite applies here," Lewis said smiling.

"Okay then," Henry acquiesced, leaning back. "How about 'a cautionary whale' then?"

Lewis laughed. "I like that!" He waved at his aunt Jane, who pursed her lips and said something to her son Anthony. "A warning to everyone about the dangers of gluttony and sloth."

"Shame it wasn't a church wedding really," Henry said. "Your message against vice would have been very fitting."

"And I'd have been able to sit in the pews with a lot more confidence," Lewis grumbled playfully.

"I'm not sure about that actually," Henry corrected him. "A lot of those pews are quite old, you know. You'd be destroying an antique."

-

"Stop it!" Hannah hissed at Lewis. "You're making a scene."

Lewis froze with his arm outstretched towards his mum's plate and looked around. "What?" he asked. "How am I making a scene?"

"It's fine Hannah!" their mum insisted. "I can't eat any more, it's too rich!"

"He shouldn't be taking things off of people's plates though!" Hannah cried softly. "We're at a wedding, it's uncouth."

"Oh, it's not that bad," Henry said with a wide smile on his face. "Everyone else is doing it."

Hannah rolled her eyes. "But it's different when it's Lewis, isn't it?"

Lewis scoffed. "What does that mean exactly?"

"Come off it!" Hannah spat. "It's different because everyone's staring at the great big fatty."

Lewis' cock jumped below the great gelatinous ball that had taken over his torso. He looked discretely over at Henry, and saw him grinning gleefully. Underneath the table, Henry squeezed one of Lewis' mammoth thighs.

"Don't be like that Hannah!" Lewis' mum whispered. "Why can't everyone just enjoy themselves? No-one's looking at anyone."

"She's right Hannah," Lewis' dad said quietly, speaking for the first time in a while. "You know that I-" He stopped himself. "The only one taking any notice is you, at this point. I finish your mum's meals all the time. If you're worried about making a scene then maybe stop making one."

Hannah huffed and grabbed her wine glass, emptying it and refilling it, before slumping back in her seat and pulling her phone out of her clutch, undoubtedly complaining about her enormous brother to someone or other.

"I'm done as well," Henry announced with a smirk, his eyes flicking to Hannah. "Do you want to finish mine as well Lew?"

Lewis grinned and happily took the remaining lamb off of Henry's plate, putting it next to his mother's chicken. Hannah clenched her jaw but stayed quiet. Lewis' dad sighed softly, before turning to make small talk with his brother.

Shortly after dessert (Lewis was happy for the opportunity to try each of the options), Lewis and Henry stood by the bar, each nursing a pint. Henry looked around to check no-one was watching before reaching over to rub Lewis' gut, squeezing the fat gently. "You okay?" he asked. "Did you have enough to eat?"

Lewis burped. "Not really, still bloody hungry," he grumbled. "Bloody tiny portions."

Henry nodded sympathetically, his own stomach feeling overly full despite having given much of his meal to his boyfriend. "I think they've got pizzas later, for the guests who are only coming for the evening. You can have some of those." Lewis smiled, happy for the promise of food later. "Or I put some snacks in the car to tide you over if you need them?"

"Maybe later," Lewis said, starting to make his way back to the dining area. "I think they're doing the speeches soon." Henry took his hand and the two moved back to their table, where Hannah sat in steely silence.

-

"Fuck me, it's never Lewis is it," Lewis heard from behind him. He turned to see a bald man with a moustache swaying slightly, his own gut firm and round above a straining belt.

Lewis sighed a little and forced a smile. "Hi Uncle Ian," he said through gritted teeth. Ian was the family alcoholic, family bigot, and all around family knobhead.

"But fuck me, you've gotten fat, haven't you?" Ian said, slurring a little.

Lewis clenched his jaw. No matter how arousing comments like these could be, it didn't make the actual conversations any more enjoyable. "Yep, that's right Ian," Lewis said, hoping agreement would diffuse the situation, and tried to catch Henry's eye across the room to get him to come save him. "I've put on a fair bit of weight, haven't I?"

"A bloody fair bit!" Ian said loudly. "Now, we're a big family, nobody's denying that, not many of us are slim, not the men anyway, but you." He stepped back a little to take in all of Lewis. "You're something else. You're enormous! How does that bloody happen?"

Lewis continued to try and catch Henry's eye. "Eating I suppose." He thought about what Ian had said. It was true that most of the men in the family were overweight, but that fact seemed almost comical to Lewis now - none of the rest of them were even over 300 pounds! They really felt like some beer guts and shopping for extra large sizes made them some kind of fat family, meanwhile he could barely remember being so skinny these days.

"Here," Ian continued, either unable or unwilling to pick up on Lewis' desire to leave the conversation. "I remember when I used to bounce you on my knee! Wouldn't want to risk that now, would I?"

Lewis faked a small laugh. He felt a hand on one of his love handles and relief washed over him when he heard Henry's voice. "Lewis, have you got the car keys? I wanted to grab something quickly."

"I'll come with you!" Lewis said gleefully. "Lovely to chat Ian!" He lowered his voice as he walked away as quickly as he could, Henry strolling idly next to him. "Thank you so much. I reckon if we just nip outside for five minutes he'll have latched onto some other poor soul."

"That's alright, I saw you looking for an out," Henry replied. "What was he talking to you about, anyway?"

"He was showing off his incredible powers of deduction to tell me I've put on weight," Lewis said.

Henry fake gasped. "The sheer scandal of it all! Here, I think they're doing pizzas soon, if we hang around over there we can be first in the queue."

-

Lewis' feet were starting to hurt from supporting his elephantine weight. He and Henry had gone around, saying their goodbyes, before Henry had gone outside to order a taxi, and Lewis got one last slice of pizza while they waited. He waddled over to a small cluster of chairs by the entrance, pizza in hand.

Lewis yawned as he manoeuvred himself around and lowered himself down onto one of the chairs. A loud creak came from underneath him. He hadn't checked to see if it was one of the reinforced chairs. He tensed. The creaking stopped for a moment. Maybe he was fine - maybe the venue was wrong about how much weight the chairs could take. A crack rang out. Everyone turned to look. For a moment Lewis was suspended and the chair held firm, before he fell to the ground with a crash, splinters of wood beneath him. Lewis felt a shockwave travel through his fat, the lard rippling and rolling afterwards.

Lewis lay flat out on his back, shocked and dazed. He heard people rush over, saw concerned faces peer into his view, and felt dozens of hands attempt to slide underneath him or grab his limbs in an attempt to hoist him up. He caught his breath for a moment, and listened to the voices around him.

"Well, are you surprised?"

"I can't believe it hadn't happened earlier."

"Been stuffing himself all evening. I saw him eat his mother's dinner, you know!"

"Causing a scene."

"And he's still so young!"

"Well a lot of that side of the family are a bit larger but really."

"So fat."

"Disgusting."

"Stop crowding him! Step aside! No, I can sort it, just go dance, yeah?" Henry crouched down and his face came close to Lewis'. "You okay? Not injured?"

Lewis shook his head. "Got a lot of padding."

Henry smiled. "And you haven't hit your head?"

"No, I'm fine, really."

Henry nodded. "Right then," he said, before placing a foot on either side of Lewis' thighs and crouching down. Henry gripped Lewis' hands and pulled, leaving back on his heels. Lewis strained and twisted, until he was eventually in a sitting position. From there, he got on his hands and knees and then slowly stood.

Lewis looked around. Unsurprisingly, most people were looking his way. Hannah and his parents stood in the corner, clearly deep in an argument about him. Relatives he barely knew the names of whispered to each other and made no attempt to hide their pointing. People he'd never met watched dumbfounded. He turned to Henry. "I think we should go," he said simply.

Henry nodded. "The taxi's on its way, we can go wait for it." The two hurried outside.

Stood in the cool night air, Henry put his arm around Lewis' waist and lay his head on his broad shoulder. The two stood in silence for a few minutes.

Eventually, Henry spoke, one hand idly stroking Lewis' back. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Lewis took a deep breath in. "Embarrassed. A bit sore. Horny." He paused. "Happy it's over with, but pleased it's happened now. Still quite hungry as well actually, I never got to eat that slice of pizza."

Henry smiled. "We'll order you something when we're in the taxi, don't worry."

"Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt." A voice came from behind them. The two turned to see a young fit man, barely older than twenty coming up to them. "I just wanted to say that it was nice to see you two here."

Lewis knitted his brow. "Sorry, I don't remember…"

"No, no, we haven't met," the man said. "I'm Arthur. I'm Warren and Rose's friend. You're Rose's cousin, right?" Lewis nodded. "It's just I'm…" He paused, and his mouth opened and closed a few times, searching for what he wanted to say. "I'm gay as well," he said finally. "And it's nice to see a…" He paused again, his eyes locked firmly on Lewis' gut. "Couple like you two, at something like this."

"Well it's nice to meet you Arthur," Lewis said, smiling.

"It's just sometimes I think about, you know," he said, only looking up briefly from Lewis' middle. "I'm sorry everyone was making comments and being rude." His hand fiddled with the buttons on his shirt at his trim middle. "I think it's great that you're, uh… So confident." He took a deep breath and placed a hand on his own flat stomach. "Together I mean," he corrected himself, his eyes snapping to meet Lewis' eyes.

Henry smiled, his eyes glinting. He dug his phone out of his pocket. "Well Arthur, why don't I give you my phone number and we can stay in touch? That way, maybe we can sort of be your mentors in," he rubbed Lewis' gut in a slow wide circle, "everything about being gay."

Arthur swallowed. Hard. "I mean, I've already had boyfriends and ugh…"

Henry reached over and took Arthur's phone from his loose hand, quickly putting in his number. "I'm sure you have, a handsome boy like you." He leaned in. "Have they been the boyfriends you want though?" He stood next to Arthur and slung an arm around his shoulder, so that the two were looking at Lewis together. "Or maybe you're not quite who you want to be yourself yet?"

Lewis walked over to stand next to Arthur as well, so that the young man was pinned between him and Henry. He could feel the thin man relax into his side. Arthur nodded. "I'll, umm, I'll text. Maybe we could go for dinner?"

"I'm always happy to go for dinner," Lewis said and patted Arthur's shoulder. "But I should warn you, lots of people start to put on a little weight at your age. You might have to start watching what you eat." Arthur shuddered slightly.

A set of headlights rounded the corner and Henry broke away as if nothing had happened. Arthur stumbled and had to put a hand of Lewis' side to steady himself. "Well, this is us!" Henry said cheerfully. "Make sure to text us, won't you Arthur? Lew, will you need help getting in? I ordered a bigger car so you should fit okay."

"I should be alright, yeah," Lewis said. He turned to Arthur. "I was probably your size at your age, you know?"

"Yeah?" Arthur looked pale.

"Yeah," Lewis said with a smile. He heaved himself into the back of the taxi, and struggled with the seat belt. He wound the window down. "We'll be seeing you Arthur."

Henry laughed as the taxi pulled away. "Looks like you've gotten yourself an admirer!"

Lewis smiled. "Bless him. I was probably the same when I was his age, gawking at every fat man I met." He kissed Henry gently. "Until I met you that is."

"How much do you reckon he'll weigh this time next year?" Henry asked, his eyes wicked.

"God knows. He might put on twenty pounds and then freak out, or maybe he'll get properly fat and blame it on being at uni and the stress of exams," Lewis said. "Do you reckon he'll get in touch?"

Henry shrugged. "I reckon he'll stare at my number for about a week, then freak out and delete it." He pulled out his phone. "Right, I need to stuff you silly when we get to the AirBnB, what do you fancy?"

"You choose," Lewis said. "You always do anyway."

"I've got to make sure you're well fed, don't I?" Henry said, his voice innocent. His phone buzzed and his eyebrows rose. "That's Arthur. Wants to know if we're free next weekend?"

Lewis grinned. "Ask him if he wants dinner at ours. Let's show him how I can really eat."

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

I told my mother that I think I have ADHD a year ago. she clearly didn't think so, but booked a doctors appointment for me anyway, but she was clearly only entertaining the idea in a 'sure, the esster bunny is real' kind of way. we went to the doctors, she said 'do these two things and come back in a month'. I did. we didn't go back.

my friend with most of the same symptoms as me went and got a test done, and she was diagnosed with adhd. she said she asked the person who was testing her about me and my symptoms, and they said 'that definitely sounds like ADHD'. adhd and autism run in my family, but my mum doesn't seem to like the idea of me having it so she just dismisses me.

I was trying to explain how hard it is for me to get started on things, and she said 'you just need to figure it out'. no help offered at all. I was trying to explain sensory issues and she said 'it's not that bad, just deal with it'. I was trying to explain lack of emotional regulation (made worse by my period) and she said 'you need to calm down'. i was apologising for forgetting to do the laundry and she said 'you need to be better.' one time I went nonverbal and she was yelling at me to 'just speak, it can't be that damn hard'. my symptoms are always dismissed as 'find a way around it' or 'just do better'.

she just doesn't listen to me whenever I try to tell her something, yet she's always preaching that I can vent to her.

I wanna go back to the doctor but im scared she'll say no. it's just really hard to get shit done with her always breathing down my neck and telling me I need to do better, because I'm doing the very best I can but it's never good enough. I don't know what to do to get through to her

I'm sorry that this is long a turned into a vent... don't feel pressured to answer this

Hi there,

I’m sorry you’re going through something that seems very nerve racking. Have you tried explaining specifically why you can’t start a project and why you forget things.

Here’s an article about trouble getting started with tasks. It’s for adults, but I think it could be applied to teenagers too:

If you’re having trouble with chores, here’s a helpful blog post talk about making routines and checklists for chores:

Hopefully these can help. Thank you for the inbox. I hope you have a wonderful day/night. ♥️

[darklydeliciousdesires]

London Will Burn - Chapter Seven.

Huge thanks to my little audience for your continued investment in this. Your commentary gives me joy to read, so don't be shy, DO let me know what you think of it :)

Previous chapters - One Two Three Four Five Six

Tag list - In the comments, please DM to be added/removed

Words - 3,815

Warnings - 18+ content throughout. Minors DNI.

The feeling of something solid, inflexible and metal hitting his arm preceded it, the irate scream of the girl he had wronged in trying to do right for his father, despite his own feelings. “You fucking bastard, Sean! You fucking cunt! How dare you do that, how fucking dare you!” 

Repeated strikes hit his arm and chest, the cosh she wielded unlike anything he’d ever felt strike him, his head only narrowly missed when he put his arm up to block the blow. That’s when she changed trajectory and instead, sent a painful welt across his ribs, her next catching his cheekbone and splitting the skin.  “Fuck you! Fucking fuck you!” 

“I’m sorry, Rin,” he began, grabbing her arms and preventing any further blows, Finn coming between them and hauling her back. “I’m sorry.” 

“Catherine, what the bloody hell do you think you’re doing? For Christ's sake, calm down, girl! What’s the matter, eh?” he growled, yanking her away from his son, Rin glaring unblinkingly.  

Her rage was palpable, her cheeks puce, teeth gritted. “Ask your fucking son what the matter is.”  

Finn didn’t have chance to say he’d prefer it to come from her, Rin shaking herself loose of his grip and fleeing, running up the street to jump into a waiting Maybach, the car roaring away as he turned to view his son. “What in god’s name was all of that?” 

Gingerly touching a hand to his cheek, he didn’t think the bone was broken, although the split over skin hurt like hell and was pouring with blood. “Trust me, it was bad. The Strand isn’t the ideal location to reveal it, either.” Twenty minutes later and they were in the kitchen back at home, Sean holding a towel full of ice to his face while explaining the event that had prompted him to receive a beating via an irate blonde brandishing a cosh.  

Finn stood and absorbed it all before speaking, which gave an also present Marian plenty of room to open her mouth. “You bloody did what?”  

“My methods might not have been orthodox, but they yielded results.” 

Her mouth dropped open. “Not orthodox? Not fucking orthodox? Jesus Christ! What you did was vile!” 

Sean was incredulous. Not because he didn’t know what he done was wrong, but that his mother of all people was the one pouring scorn upon him for it. Marian Wallace was not exactly known for her genial magnanimity.  

“Son, you made the wrong choice. Getting Kevin’s back up like that, for fuck’s sake! We want him compliant,” he began, Sean cutting in. 

“And now he is, so what? Fucking what, dad? I did what you told me and secured the deal. You should be happy.” 

“For the love of god,” Finn groaned, shaking his head. “What the hell is wrong with you?” 

“Oh, come the bloody hell on!” he scoffed, reeling from the reaction he was receiving. “It isn’t like half of our dealings are in any way, shape or form cogently principled, so I fail to see why I’m being lambasted here! Honestly, you pair of all people are lecturing me about morality? That’s rich.” 

Marian was incensed. “Sean, she’s eighteen fucking years old, and you took advantage of her!”  

“Oh, what? Scared that my actions will have you cast out of Diane Cavanagh’s elite social circle are you, mum?” he charged her with, his mother narrowing her eyes. Of course, he was right. The moral high ground she had climbed upon was for no other reason than how all of this would reflect upon her and his father.  

Finn leaned a white knuckled hand against the counter, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It isn’t how we handle business, son. It isn’t how we continue receiving respect, to counter it with such fucking disrespect,” Finn began, Sean’s mouth dropping open in incredulity. 

“Yet you fucking had me kneecap someone only three weeks ago?” he charged with a snort.  

His father pointed a stern finger. “You’ll not fucking interrupt me! You’ve been in this for four years, you ought to understand the way we operate by now. Using a man’s daughter against him as a bargaining chip is not how we remain professional, exert our dominance, or come to an agreement.” 

Sean smirked, and his mother had to be held back from slapping him for his gall. “Funny, that. Because my dominance is exactly what led to the agreement we sought being completed.” He closed his eyes momentarily and saw her there beneath him, at the mercy of his cock, almost crying for how good he gave it to her.  

 His guts then prickled uncomfortably. Again.  

“You absolute bloody shit, Sean!” his mother raged, opening her mouth to continue, her husband cutting her up.  

“I’ll handle it,” he assured her, grasping her upper arms and kissing her head before turning to his youngest. “Office, now.”  

He followed his father silently from the kitchen, wondering just how large the barrage of shit he was about to have heaped upon him would be. Entering the office, Finn went to his whiskey and poured two glasses, passing one to his son, his free hand then clipping him hard straight around the head.  

“That’s for the mess you left with your actions. You’ll fucking learn your lesson there, boyo.” His eyes narrowed, the portly man staring him down for a few moments before his smile began to grow. 

“However, you got the signature and truly, that’s all I care about, me lad. I had to come down on you a bit, because of your mother. You have to learn, though, we keep our messes hidden and easily cleanable, and you should have known that the girl would publicly give you hell when she found out. She’s her fucking father’s daughter, that one. You need to deal with it, should she make any more noise that brings our name and reputation into disrepute.”  

Sean nodded; the message understood. “Shall do, dad.” 

They remained silent for a time, sipping their drinks, Finn suddenly snorting softly with laughter. 

“What?” 

Sinking his whiskey, the elder of the Wallace’s shook his head. “Holy fuck, she really fucking came at you with both barrels blazing. Jesus wept!” 

“I’m glad you find it so entertaining,” he pouted, his ribs and face still throbbing.  

Finn lifted his chin, walking back to the whiskey bottle. “Learned your lesson there, eh?” 

He had. It was a lesson learned in how to handle the nature of the business, how to be ruthless in a more covert way, to handle fallout but ultimately, how to keep the Wallace name both clean and on top. He’d also learned that emotional investment had its place, and it was not within the realms of subterfuge.  

As for Finn, it was the moment that first sealed the notion over his son’s predisposition for reckless actions borne of emotional volatility. It also meant he had to involve himself in the deal to smooth things over, try to gauge whether Sean was likely to receive a bullet in the back of his head at some point in the future over his actions. That of course meant visiting Kevin personally.  

While underneath, he truly didn’t give much of a shit over his son’s methods beyond wishing his punishment for them hadn’t been so public, he had to make appearances directly to the contrary as he sat with Kevin in his home office at the fireside, the men sipping whiskey.  

“I ain’t happy. I really bloody ain’t, old lad. Using my daughter to hold me over a barrel like that? He went too fucking far. The fact he made it so I had to witness him fucking sexually brutalising my girl an’ all? Fuck that, and fuck him,” he spat, his eyes leaving the fire to stare menacingly at Finn.  

He sighed, knowing this anger wouldn’t be quelled at any point soon. “I know, Kev. Believe me, I gave him a fucking broadside for his actions. I did.”  

“If there wasn’t so much money tied up in all of this, so much to gain long term for me, and the fact I fucking think the world of you, trust me, Finn. I would have personally cut your fucking son from his ears to his arsehole for doing that to my girl. Fuck, I’m fucking surprised she only took a cosh to him and didn’t end up knifing him herself. She’s got one hell of a temper, my Catherine. He needs to know, though. That ain’t the way we do business. Not now, not ever.” 

Finn nodded, in complete agreement, or at least seeming to be for appearances sake. True, he’d rather Sean hadn’t acted so below the belt where professionality was concerned, but at least it had secured a signature that Kevin should have given in the first place. “I’m in agreement with you there, mucker. However, if anyone is going to lay hands on my son, it isn’t you. Catherine gave him a damn good hiding, and it’s done with. We’ve signed, now let’s move on.”  

Kevin saw it well In Finn's eyes, the flash of menace, the reason why within London’s reach, he was king. Of course, he returned it. Finn Wallace might’ve been king, but he was the treasury, one of the main investors into his projects, both above board and below. He only stayed for a further half an hour, gauging that Sean wasn’t in any danger of reprisal retribution, leaving the office just as Rin was alighting the stairs.  

“I’m sorry, love,” he offered, resting his hands to her shoulders and placing a kiss on her head. He liked the girl, that much was true enough. He supposed in some small way he felt a little guilt that she’d been hurt by his son’s actions, but not much. “If it’s anything to you, he took himself off to casualty earlier. Fractured cheekbone and a broken rib.”  

Rin sniffed, clenching her jaw. There was no way she would show weakness before the powerhouses that were her father and Finn Wallace. Never. “Your son means less than nothing to me. I appreciate you for apologising, though.” Finn went in the direction of the side door, Rin the lounge to grab the bottle of nail polish she’d left in there, going back up to her room and her vodka.  

She treated herself to a very large bottle of Absolut Vanilla on her way back home from giving Sean the beating he deserved, but that she felt absolutely no better for having delivered to him. How could she, when the only thing she wanted was to kiss him rather than take a cosh to him? When all she wanted was for it not to have been true, for him not to have sold her out like that?  

How could he, after the weekend they’d shared? Her father had shown her the video he’d received, of which she’d only been able to watch two seconds of before demanding he delete it. He’d recorded it on that first Friday afternoon, but surely, if that was all he’d needed, why had he turned up again? Moreover, why had he stayed right through until Sunday?  

There’d been a connection there, she knew it, she was neither blind nor stupid. She wondered if he’d had his arm twisted into it, if he’d decided to use her, then during the weekend they’d spent together felt differently, only to have to resort to his original blackmail plan. Rin being Rin, she groaned at herself, sinking another measure of vodka. 

“He used you for what he could get. Fucking deal with it. That’s what happened, anything else was all in your own head.”  

But was it? Pondering upon it would do no good, trying to explain it to herself. It didn’t mean Sean Wallace and his fuckery did not live rent free in her mind for the foreseeable, though. Still, she moved on, continued a life without him in it, knowing that some pieces of that puzzle would forever remain incomplete.  

As for Sean himself, he’d walked out of his father’s office that afternoon and back into life as normal, the deal went ahead as planned, and he tried not to give Rin too much of a second thought. Besides, so he heard on the grapevine, her plans to remain in London had changed just a few months later, the eldest of the Cavanagh children making an unexpected move overseas, for whatever reason.  

Out of sight, out of mind. Or rather, she should have been, yet there was not a day that passed where the guilt of it and regret didn’t gnaw at Sean like an angry wolf. He knew she could have been the one thing in his life that was real, true and beautiful. He had nobody but himself to blame that what he’d felt spark between them never did flourish. Truly, he had no one else to admonish for the fact that for the relatively fleetingly short remainder of his life, Finn Wallace saw him as little more than an impulsive liability, steadily putting more and more trust in Alex Dumani than his own son. 

And then, then everything changed years later with one visit to a tower block within the Albanian district, the mighty Finn Wallace taking his last breath because of the actions of a naive young gypsy boy and a loaded gun. It was the start of a chain of events that saw the Wallace empire topple into ruin, and would ultimately leave Sean almost dead on two separate occasions.  

The second, after murdering the brutal enforcer and untrustworthy partner that was Koba, saw him hanging by his neck after a lengthy final showdown with the ex-policeman-turned-hitman Elliot Finch, the investors closing in to prevent Sean’s return to the top.  

As he struggled, his air being cut off by the ratchet strap he dangled from, Sean saw white spots clouding his vision, trying desperately to loosen his crude noose. His eyes darted between Elliot and Billy, the latter begging the former to let him down.  

This was it, he thought, sliding from the precipice of life and into death’s cold, gleaming jaws, his vision fading further, but not enough that when he heard a shot ring out, he didn’t see Elliot’s skull blown open, his body dropping. The jaws of death had indeed closed, but not around him.   

Figures dressed in black suddenly swarmed the area, one running to Sean, swinging the rifle responsible for Elliot’s demise behind themselves and grasping the metalwork he was dangling from, brandishing a large knife. The pressure gave, air rushing back into his starved lungs, his body hitting the ground with a thud.  

“Silas, get Billy. Get him in the fucking car, quickly.”  

That voice. No. It couldn’t be.  

Her hands reached for the strap, yanking it free of his neck, Sean gasping and gurgling, his vision still swimming as she pulled up the balaclava that had been covering her face.  

Time had only made Catherine Cavanagh even more beautiful than he remembered.  

He wheezed, attempting to speak, although he had not a single clue over what the hell to say to her, the lover he’d wronged almost seven years before. Now here she was, returned to him, saving his life.  

He coughed, watching as one of the men she was with came running over, crouching to lift him.  

“Why?” he eventually croaked, the burly man throwing him over his shoulder.  

“Atticus, get rid of the bodies. Get them over to the plant, George knows you’re on the way.” The chemical plant. Sean remembered well, how Kevin Cavanagh disposed of those who displeased him. Except, there wasn’t a Kevin Cavanagh any longer, the man having passed away from stomach cancer three months before.  

So, Catherine was back to take her place at the helm of the Cavanagh empire. What that meant for Sean was anybody’s guess, and he wagered he’d likely be the last to find out as he was bundled into the back of a black Volvo SUV, Rin climbing into the front, the large man who had carried him seating himself behind the wheel.  

His focus cleared more as he lay against the cool leather upholstery, wondering where he was being taken. He didn’t trust at all that he was completely removed from the line of fire. Sure, Elliot had been terminated, but that didn’t ultimately equal his own safety. Or that of the person most important to him, all he had left in the world after his mother had shown her hand, every card within her grasp duplicitous and cunning, playing that hand against her own sons.  

“Billy...” 

Rin turned as he sat up, watching him struggle to pull a seatbelt around himself. “He’s being taken to a doctor, a very good one.” 

“Who? And where?” 

Of course, once he’d regained use of his voice, she had expected him to begin demanding answers. It was true to form if nothing else. “None of your concern. Suffice to say he shall be well looked after.”  

“I want to know, Catherine.” 

She turned again to view him, her eyes narrowed. “You are not in a position to demand anything of me. I saved your life, I saved your brother’s life, and I took out the menace who would never have ceased coming for you, had he been allowed to live.” 

“Why?” 

“You’ll find out in due course.” 

“I fucking asked you why, Catherine!”  

Oh no, not much ever put a dampener upon Sean Wallace’s ferocious temper. Before she could reply, though... 

“Hey, white man. You do not speak with my boss like that, eh, or trust me, my friend, I do something about it. You will not like if I choose that, eh, so be quiet, yes?”  

“And who the fuck are you?” Sean scoffed; his voice still hoarse. 

Immediately, the driver slammed on the brakes in the middle of the dark, desolate road, taking about a month off the tire tread. Applying the handbrake, he turned in his seat, his coal black eyes staring unflinchingly. “I am former commander in Kenyan Army, white man. I am biggest, blackest thorn in your fucking side if you ever go against me or my boss, eh. I am living hell and no mercy. That is who I am. I am also the man who tell you to shut up, so do it. Shut up. Do not make me leave this driver’s seat.” 

His pride burned, but Sean weighed up his odds. He was at an extreme disadvantage as it was; against a man who was not only ex-military, but also an estimated six feet three in height and around eighteen stones of pure muscle, he could guess. It likely would not end well for him. At all.  

The driver continued, turning to Rin, doing a double take. “Why do you look like this, eh? You bite back biggest grin.”  

She chuckled softly, reaching to squeeze his shoulder. “Ever my no-nonsense protector, Sokoro.” And boy, had he been just that for the past seven years.  

He beamed, putting his foot down. “I promise this to your father, and I promise to you.” He then reached for the dials at the front of the car, turning up the heat. “Ahh, this is better.” 

“Sok, it’s like a fucking sauna in here as it is!” Rin exclaimed, cracking her window a little. 

“It is cold, yes? February in London is chilly, eh.” 

“Well,” she hummed, “I suppose when you’re used to it only getting as low as ten degrees in winter, it must be somewhat of a shock to the system, to experience temperatures in the minuses.” 

He whistled, chuckling. “It is an experience, eh.”  

Sean quickly pieced together what he was hearing, not that anyone could miss it, really. It seemed Rin had been over at the place he remembered her telling him about, the wildlife reserve in Kenya. Why, he wondered, had she chosen that desolate location in the middle of nowhere, abandoning her dream of attending LSE once her A Level’s were done with? It seemed out of character, for her to relinquish a goal she had held for so long, no matter how much fondness she had for the place she’d told him about.  

Why Africa? It didn’t make sense. Had he made good on his threat to release the video of them having sex to the internet, he’d quite understand her desire to run away, find refuge in a place like that. But he hadn’t. Why had she vanished? These questions and more bubbled upon his tongue, but the threat of Sokoro’s ire as well as his own exhaustion after once again brushing up against death kept him silent, resting his head against the window as he watched the dawn break over the countryside. 

Just under two hours later and they were turning into the long driveway that led to Mulford Hall, the vast property exactly as he remembered. How different would life be for him now, he wondered, if he’d ignored his father and deleted that video the last time he was there.  

Stepping from the car, he felt a little lightheaded but not so much that it impeded being able to walk unassisted, not that he was likely to receive such, Rin and Sokoro striding ahead to the side door. He could see it in his mind, the eighteen-year-old version of her standing there in her big sweater and socks, sighing. It still needled at him, how he’d killed dead the connection he had with her, all in the name of power and business, both of which he’d ended up losing anyway.  

Even if he’d still lost everything, he had a feeling he’d have never lost her in it all, had he done the right thing.  

They walked into the kitchen, Rin taking a large, paper bag and sliding it across the counter to him, her eyes not meeting his. “Here, clean clothes. Go take a shower and make yourself comfortable. I have a meeting to get to. Sokoro will be here, keeping an eye on you, so don’t even think about trying to escape.” 

He raised an eyebrow, lifting the bag from the island. For a brief moment, it flashed through his mind, her sitting where the bag had previously been, and him between her legs, fucking the living hell out of her. “So, I’ve been kidnapped, then, opposed to being saved?” 

Her eyes met his then, without any trace of warmth. “You’re here for a purpose. I’ll be back later.”  

The revelation of that purpose was one he’d have to wait upon a little longer, he supposed, Rin exiting and leaving him being stared down by the Kenyan giant of a man, his arms folded.  

Sean couldn’t help but wonder if he’d fared better to have been left hanging. 

[fairiencarnate]

Nobody talks about how triggering it is to be forced to prove your mental health struggles to doctors & government services so that you can receive help. Being abused and labelled "bad" by teachers when really I was anxious and struggling, to feeling like people think I'm faking anxiety attacks for sympathy/benefits/leniency whenever I'm asked to explain or prove my anxiety.

When I was 8 and shy with no friends, a teacher liked to pick on me. She did many cruel things, but one that sticks with me was she would call me bad, naughty, etc, whenever I was too scared or shy to do something. On my last day at that school, she wanted every kid to stand up individually and tell the class their most embarrassing story, for "fun". When I couldn't do it, she told me I was a really bad kid, and threatened to lock me in the resource room/cupboard over summer break if I didn't comply. I fell apart in the car when my mum picked me up and never saw the teacher again. The word "bad" was etched into my mind.

I remember being 14 with a social worker in my living room trying to assess my lack of ability to be at school without throwing up from anxiety, so I could start home schooling temporarily. I remember having no clue how to portray or explain my anxiety, no way to force a display of it. A few weeks later I was marched to an office where I was hounded with questions about my traumas by a skeptical woman until I was so overwhelmed and humiliated that I was bawling my eyes out and frozen, unable to speak. They intentionally triggered me to prove I was sick. Once I was in an uncontrollable state of emotion, she was suddenly warm, kind, even validating. She probably didn't want to make me cry. But government protocol made her.

15 minutes ago I got off the phone with a nurse who very much sounded like she didn't believe me. I asked for a doctor's appointment to sign a medical certificate on my work ability, just like the one I'd routinely gotten years ago before I found part-time work and decided to get off the benefit (even though I was still eligible since it was part-time, I just really hated being on it). The certificate tells the government that I can work up to 20 hours so they don't expect me to look for full-time work, which I can't without mentally crashing. I eventually booked the doc appointment, but not without having to explain and over-explain and explain again to this person why I think I need it. Certainly not without breaking into tears and barely being able to squeak out a "thank you, bye" before hanging up.

She didn't even do anything wrong, it's procedure to ask questions, but god it takes me back to feeling like nobody sees me as someone struggling with anxiety. People just see me as "bad".

And I wish I could grab these people by the shoulders and scream "I don't want to be this way. I would give anything not to be this way. I am deeply angry with myself all the time for the way that I am."

[courage-in-immensity]

Jilytober – Bittersweet Challenge Prompt: I really wanted it to be you

Thanks @jilytoberfest

“How reasonable is it to want to kill someone I've met once?” James Potter asked his best friend, huffing as he struggled with his bowtie. That was the first thing that could have made Sirius stop admiring his hair in the mirror. He spun around and stared at James in confusion.

“What on earth are you talking about? I’ve heard of wedding day jitters, but never the urge to commit murder. Considering my family, the fact that there has never been a murder at a wedding is quite remarkable. But I repeat, what the hell?”

“Lily had a letter from her sister,” James explained, turning away from Sirius to examine his own hair in the mirror with an air of hopeless desperation. “Why do I bother? There’s no fixing this.”

“It’s just as well that your dear old Dad didn’t live long enough to see this,” Sirius mused. “Ironic that his haircare potions can’t do a thing for his own son.”

“Rude,” James muttered half-heartedly, but Sirius could tell he was still preoccupied with Lily’s pain. “Can we get back to the point? I always knew Petunia doesn’t like me, but anyone who could treat Lily like this makes me so angry I can’t think straight. She’s just…ugh!”

“Muggles,” said Sirius, as if that explained everything. “They just don’t make sense sometimes. Lily’s Mum and Dad seemed happy enough that you guys were dating. Why does it matter what her sister thinks of you?”

“I don’t care what she thinks of me,” James insisted. “But Lily does for whatever reason and that is what matters. The fact that she refused to be here today is upsetting Lily and that’s not okay. I don’t know if I’m making any sense to you, I just want Lily to be happy.”

“A wedding is one day of her life, Prongs,” Sirius pointed out with unusual insight. “You make her happy every day, that’s what really matters.”

“Not so long ago, she would have been happy if I never spoke to her again, actually,” James laughed. “Whether that’s a good thing or not, my life just doesn’t make sense without her.”

“Save it for the vows, mate,” Sirius grimaced in mild disgust. “Are you good here? Speaking of beautiful things, I really want to steal Marlene away from the bride for a minute. You may not be allowed to see her yet; the best man has no such limitations.” Without waiting for a response, Sirius spun around and left the groom to his musings, there was only so much talk of sappiness a guy could take in one day. He followed the sound of girlish squealing across the hall to where Lily’s bridesmaids were getting dressed.

“Is everyone decent in there?” he called, holding one hand over his eyes for good measure. There was no explicit answer, but Sirius decided to take his chances anyway. In the bridal chambers however, the frenzy was for a different reason than Sirius was expecting. “What the hell is going on in here?” He stared questioningly at Lily’s matron of honour Alice, notoriously calm by nature, the stress levels radiating off her freaked him out. “Where’s Lily?”

“I last saw her holding a letter an hour ago and nobody’s seen her since,” Alice admitted miserably. “Do you have any idea what could make her do a runner like this? She didn’t try to sneak off to see James, did she? She has to know that’s terribly bad luck!”

“No,” Sirius reassured her. “James told me the letter was from Petunia. I wouldn’t put it past that crazy sister of Lily’s to upset her somehow or other.”

“You’ve got a point there,” Alice admitted. “What the hell are we going to do? Where could she possibly disappear at a time like this?”

“I have a hunch,” Sirius murmured mysteriously. “Take it from someone with plenty of awful relatives, sometimes it all just becomes a bit much. I’m sure she just needed a breather from all this chaos. It doesn’t have to mean anything bad.” Alice was still staring at him cynically so Sirius decided not to waste time with words. “Leave it to me,” he said. “There will be no runaway brides here today.”

With that he spun around and walked away from the panicky bridal party, a man on a mission. It was a beautiful day in Godric’s Hollow and nothing in the atmosphere suggested bad omens except for the suddenly missing bride. Sirius looked all around, steely grey eyes sweeping one empty room after another. “Where the hell are you, Evans?” he muttered to himself, feeling the tension despite his cool words to Alice.

As a last resort, he ventured outside, moving towards a large tree across the lawn of the Potter residence. Finally, he spotted Lily’s flaming red hair in the distance, she was sitting on the ground at the base of the sturdy tree trunk, her wedding dress billowing around her like an exotic cloud.

“Lily?” The sound of Sirius’ voice made Lily’s head snap up, an ironic deer in headlights panic in her red-rimmed eyes. “What are you doing out here? Everyone’s freaking out inside.” His gaze landed on the crumpled letter clutched in her fist. “What’s that?”

“Petunia,” Lily whimpered, after staring at him blankly for a moment. “She sent her wedding invitation back ripped to pieces.”

“You have got to be kidding me.” Pure disgust clouded Sirius’ face for a moment but he squashed down his anger at the misery on Lily’s face. “I’m sorry Lil, as I told James earlier, I know a thing or two about awful relatives.”

“Despite all this, I wish I could tell her: I really wanted it to be you,” Lily sighed, subtly wiping the tears from her eyes. “What little girl doesn’t imagine her big sister as her maid of honour? What did I do to offend her so much besides not being entirely normal?”

“Normal is completely overrated,” said Sirius firmly, looping an arm around Lily and pulling her into a hug. “For what it’s worth, even if it feels like you don’t have a sister who cares right now, I can tell you one thing I know for sure. You have brothers who would never ever talk to you the way she does.”

“Thank you,” sighed Lily, leaning into the embrace for a moment. “You’re pretty great, you know that? I’m sorry about a lot of the harsh things I said at fifteen.”

“We deserved it,” shrugged Sirius, laughing off the apology. Suddenly there was a commotion behind them and the duo spun around curiously. “Is that really the best idea?” Sirius mused, staring at Remus leading James across the lawn.

“I’ve heard of guide dogs, wolf companions are a first,” Lily laughed in spite of herself. “At least it looks like he’s trying somewhat to respect tradition.” James was stumbling towards them across the lawn, as good as blind without his glasses on. Lily was stunned by the sheer strength of the love she felt in that moment and had to lean back against the tree as her knees trembled. “Haven’t you heard it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, Potter?”

“Technically, I can’t actually see you,” James pointed out, letting go of Remus’ arm and reaching towards the sound of Lily’s laugh. “I was worried about you when Sirius told me about Petunia’s letter.” He shrugged sheepishly; “Sorry if that’s overkill, I just needed to make sure you were okay.”

“I am now,” Lily promised, glad he couldn’t see her clearly as she wiped her eyes on her puffy sleeve. “Your friends are pretty great, Mr. Potter.”

“I’m well aware of that,” James grinned at her, clearly relieved that she was okay. “And the soon to be Mrs. Potter is even better, let’s be real.”

“No arguments here,” Sirius and Remus agreed in unison. “Just make out already, screw the rules.”

“Well that’s what you boys do best, isn’t it?” Lily couldn’t stop herself from pointing out. She slipped her arms around James’ neck and leaned up on tiptoes to kiss him gently. “I can’t wait to be yours,” she said softly.

“You already are, babe,” said James firmly. “Or at least my heart is yours. Nobody else has the power to make me this cheesy, you better enjoy it. I can see you with or without working eyes, just for the record.”

“I love you, you dork,” Lily laughed and melted into the embrace that had become her safe place against her will years ago. Now she wouldn’t change the promise of her future as Mrs. Potter for anything.