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#and then *film red spoilers that you already know*
beanghostprincess · 5 months
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Seven-year-old Luffy meets Uta and he is the happiest he's ever been because he finally has a friend. Someone to hang out with who is not the same age as him but close enough. Close enough to be something more than a friend. An older sister, maybe. She appears out of nowhere, on a ship full of dreams and songs and adventures Luffy is dying to go explore too. She's a song that never ends. A song that still keeps playing in his heart when the ship disappears into the sea once again. And he waits and waits for her to come back. He never realized how quiet the village was before Uta came into his life. And then, after singing to himself for God knows how long, the ship meets shore again. But the song suddenly stops. The music that never ended finally has played its last note. Shanks only gives him a vague excuse for his sister's absence and smiles, full of sorrow and guilt but Luffy only sees lies and betrayal and- He can't hear the song anymore. Doubts he ever will again.
But he has to move on because Uta told him to be strong. To follow his dream the way she's following hers if what Shanks said is true.
Then Sabo and Ace come into his life just as suddenly, like a storm. A messy one that makes the uncontrollable waves of the sea sink ships and makes adventures more interesting. The one that dirts your clothes and makes you cold and want to run against the wind. The one that's stopped by the warmest of suns and hottest of summers. And they love him the way Uta did and he loves them the way he never thought he would again. And this time they do say they're brothers, unlike the silent promises he made with the diva. He keeps wondering if they would have gotten along (probably not, because Uta is everything they are not. She's idealistic but thinks things through. And she's sweet and clean and she would hate the way Sabo and Ace are optimistic in a careless way. And how they're rough and caring but dirty. She would say she hates it. She would only say it. Because she might be a diva, but she's also a pirate, after all). And he never mentions her to the guys because there's no need to keep singing a song that's playing too far away for him to listen to it. They'll meet eventually. The four of them. Maybe Shanks too, even.
But it never happens. And Luffy feels like he's soaked in seawater because he's the weakest he's ever been. It's not like losing a limb, like Ace describes, but like losing his strength. Dreams. Soul. And he feels himself melt and drown in tears he can't stop. Ace tells him to be stronger, and Luffy remembers Uta. He should have known better back then too. He lost her and he doesn't know where she is because he wasn't strong enough for Shanks to tell him. He wants to become stronger so he never loses anybody again.
At least he has Ace, though. Ace will never die. And he promises it like Luffy is stupid for having the mere, irrational fear of Ace disappearing. So he believes him.
It's a lie. He lied. He lied. He lied.
It's freezing cold when he loses ace. Literally. His lifeless body rests on the floor and Luffy's hands are soaked in cold blood that was once what decorated Ace's heart. His laugh. His touch. His promises. Everything's gone except his smile. And Luffy wants to die, too. Because if he can't be strong enough to keep his family or his crew, he has nothing else to fight for anymore. He can only hear Ace's vivre card burning down into ashes while the last drop of blood falls to the ground in the middle of a battle Luffy doesn't care anymore about.
Uta. Sabo. Ace.
No songs to sing. No sea to sail. No fire to be warm.
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mariocki · 11 months
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Donald Sutherland steals the show as a disarmingly charming bank robber (turned convict, turned escaped convict), as John Wood in The Saint: Escape Route (5.14, ITC, 1966)
#fave spotting#donald sutherland#the saint#escape route#1966#classic tv#itc#followers of my faves spotted will know‚ as I've rambled about it in tags before‚ that prior to becoming a big screen legend Don spent#a couple of years in the uk as part of the rentayank crowd‚ making a couple of horror films and filling guest spots on genre tv#he'd already done a Saint (3.23 The Happy Suicide) which can be found if you follow my tag#mostly his uk tv roles were of one kind: creepy villains (or occasionally as in his prior Saint ep‚ a creepy red herring)#so this was honestly a delightful surprise; finally someone GOT Donald Sutherland‚ and he gets to play the kind of part#he'd be doing in cinemas in the following decade. he's fun! he's kooky! he's a bank robber‚ sure‚ but he's also just hugely#endearing. and that isn't just me‚ you feel like the script likes him too. damn it you feel like Simon himself wants him to get away by the#end (he bids him good luck with what seems like real sincerity)#hard to express just how adorable this hardened criminal is. in his first appearance he starts a fistfight in prison with Simon and as soon#as Simon gets carted off to solitary he's immediately like 'aww it wasn't his fault‚ i was the one being a dick'#he calls everyone baby‚ including the Saint‚ including numerous middle aged men#i mean SPOILER for the episode incoming but the escape route is so successful and nobody is ever found bc the bad guys are#murdering their clients (i guessed as much and was truly sad when Don got on the boat to get out of the country) which leads to an amazing#scene where Don's like 'Hey baby‚ where's the second boat to pick me up?' and when the gruff villain pulls a gun out he just says#'....baby?' as his final words. amazing. 10 out of 10 no notes performance
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bobigleux · 2 years
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My hot take about Red is, if you make a Venn diagram of One Piece fans and Steven Universe fans, the part where they meet in the middle is the public target of the movie.
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moonydustx · 2 months
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A not so funny story
requests | mastelist
Summary: With Uta controlling everyone and the marine attacking, you needed to contain an unconscious Law who was looking to join the fight. Now, you need to deal with the consequences of him finding out about this.
Pairing: Trafalgar Law x F!Reader
Warnings: blood, Law hurts Reader (not on purpose), they both love each other, but they are idiots who don't know how to talk. Law doesn't know how to express his feelings in this one. Angst, kinda fluff/happy ending.
W/C: 3.6k
A/N: I just saw the movie Red and the idea came to my mind. I need to shake off the rust and get back to writing, I thought it would be a good solution. Despite being linked to the film OP Red, there may be some things that differ from the canon.
For those who haven't seen the film, a spoiler-free context: in the film, we see a singer called Uta, who Bepo is a fan of and, together with Law, go to the show. Problems happen, she puts everyone to sleep and with her power, she manipulates these sleeping people to fight with other people who want to stop her.
italics apply to flashbacks and thoughts
Part 2 | Part 3 (NSFW)
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The cold stone beneath you contrasted with your hot, sweaty body. You could feel the wounds burning on your body and if you reached out your hand, you could find the cause of them, your captain.
In the distance, you could hear someone calling your name and it didn't take long for Penguin to appear in your field of vision.
"Are you okay?"
"He gave me a hard time, but I'm fine. And you?" You grumbled, sitting up and taking in your surroundings. Apparently everyone had gone back to sleep.
"We're tired but fine. You're bleeding, do you need any help?"
"Everything is fine." You stood, with his help. "We need to get them out of here, I doubt the marines will miss the chance to catch so many pirates gathered in one place. At the very least, this will end in a fight."
You chose to help carry Bepo back to Polar Tang. Even though he was big, sharing the weight would be much easier than carrying Law alone. As soon as you entered the submarine, you disappeared from sight, leaving all of Uta's fight behind.
"Do you guys need help? I can see some pretty bad injuries from here." Ikkaku approached, already stopping the blood on your forehead. "Are they both okay?"
"We should take them to the infirmary and keep them under observation." you warned, seeing two other crew members carry them out of sight. "Can we get away from the fight?"
"Yeah, off their radar." someone answered you in the background.
"Perfect, keep us at this depth, keep an eye on the radios, any sign of change, if Law hasn't woken up, you look for me." You leaned against one of the tables, trying to ignore some of the pain in your body.
It was supposed to be just a quick show, at least that's what Bepo had said. Unfortunately for Law, he ended up being the polar bear's requested companion.
"Sure you don't want to change places with me?" Law appeared next to you, while you finished cleaning the kitchen.
"No captain, I'll be right here, with my duties." You smiled at him and, despite being frustrated, he let out a sideways smile.
"You know that I'm the captain right? That I can give the order and you have to go and I don't."
"You wouldn't be so mean, would you?" you asked indignantly and on one of the few occasions, you heard him laugh, even if it was low tone. "Captain!"
"I'm kidding. Just keep an eye on everything, okay? Don't let Shachi and Penguin cause any trouble."
"Yes, sir. And you, enjoy the show."
You were almost regretting not accepting the proposal. Law would certainly be much better at containing you and preventing you from getting into a big fight than you would be doing the opposite. But you liked the idea of ​​him trusting you.
"Everything is alright?" Ikkaku took you out of your reverie, noticing your body slightly bent and the blood falling on your forehead.
"Try holding back a furious Trafalgar Law from wanting to get into a fight and tell me if that's okay." You laughed, even though it took some of the air out of you. "Just a few bruises, nothing major."
"Come on, I'll help you take care of this." Ikkaku gently pulled you by the hand.
"Boys, do you deal with them?" you asked and they both nodded. "If Law wakes up, don't say anything to him about our little fight."
"You mean, about the big fucking beating he gave you?" Shachi teased you, earning a push.
"Exactly. He has bigger problems to worry about than dealing with this."
You and Ikkaku headed towards the dorm you shared. Your friend made a point of supporting you at every step, even if you insisted it wasn't necessary. She sat you down on the bed and grabbed a small first aid kit hidden on one of the shelves.
"Why not tell the captain?"
"Outch" you mumbled with one of the stitches she had on your face. "I have a feeling he's not going to like that we got into this fight without his presence."
"I think he'll be more resentful that you were the one who held him back." You laughed at her silly observation, then grumbled with another needle. Damn fight. "Don't act stupid."
"What you mean?"
"I'll let you choose. Between you being the only one who can steal books from him without him complaining or about every time we disembark, you having to be on his side. Should I mention that time he freaked out because Kid wanted to take you to the crew from him?" she laughed to herself, at her own memory. "What do you need to see that he likes you too?"
"And who said I like him?"
"Okay, you still want to keep hiding your feelings for him, just hide it better." she laughed again. It was clear to her - and anyone else who saw - that there was something between the two of you. You just prefer not to feed this illusion. "Still, I agree that he won't like all this one bit. Let's try to keep out of his sight."
Law was still trying to assimilate everything that happened. Uta's show had turned into a war scene and in the end, even he had become a puppet. That idea would haunt him for a long time.
Despite recent events, Polar Tang was quiet, too quiet. He could hear some buzzing, nothing he could identify. Another thing he couldn't place was you. The last time he saw you, he had tried to bargain for your presence at the show, even though he had asked to change places with you, he didn't think the idea of ​​going with you was bad. You'd probably hate the song, but he'd enjoy your sarcastic comments about any awkward situation. A small laugh crossed his lips when he thought about what you would say to see little Bepo.
At dinner, he observed Shachi, Penguin and Bepo, talking to each other. The concerned expressions denoted the seriousness of the matter, but that could come later. Even though he slept through it all, he still felt tired.
At lunch the next day, again, nothing from you. Ikkaku was also missing. It was impossible for the two of them to have disappeared together and without any justification. He tried not to think about the worst-case scenarios, but no matter how much he denied it, he wasn't such an optimistic person.
It only took a few seconds of your three companions stalling for him to know that you and Ikkaku were up to something or had already been up to something. He left them behind, following with firm steps to your room.
"I didn't see you two at lunch or yesterday at dinner, I wanted to know..." you two found Law leaning against the door of your room. His relaxed position disappeared in seconds when he looked at where Ikkaku's hand joined your forehead. "What happened?"
"Just a few scratches, nothing major." your colleague replied before you could open your mouth. She knew - actually, you weren't that good at hiding it - about your feelings and how easily you could wrap your head around your own words.
"Yeah, they're from yesterday, some scratches." you tried to complement, the captain's serious expression made it clear that that hadn't helped at all.
"Nothing much and that's why you haven't shown up since yesterday?" he grumbled and before he could continue his lecture, he felt his body being pushed forward, with Bepo, Shachi and Penguin falling beside him. "What the fuck?"
"We just wanted to know if you already know that she was the one..." before the bear finished speaking, the other two covered his mouth.
The grey eyes trailed from you to Ikkaku, to the group lying next to him, and back to you again. The small stress that was forming inside Law turned into concern when he saw the small trickle of blood dripping from your eyebrow.
It only took a few moments away for you to appear like that and he would never tolerate that, you didn't need to know about his feelings or how he was already thinking about taking revenge on whoever had done that, he would deal with it after taking care of your wound .
"Everyone out." you made to follow Ikkaku, stopping a few meters away. "Not you, I need to see this."
The door to the small room knocked subtly behind Law, who waited for a few seconds to approach you. The two of you already had a considerable height difference, but when you felt Law's cold, tattooed fingers on your chin, you felt even smaller. He turned both sides of your face, despite the cold touch, you could feel your skin burn beneath his fingers.
"You're warm, but I don't see any trace of infection." Not this one, you thought. "Give me the name?"
"Name?"
"Which idiot did this?" he replied without much patience, his fingers leaving your face behind.
"This is going to be a funny story." you laughed, stopping immediately when you saw him look deep into your eyes, his expression serious in an almost irritating way.
"Someone decided to hurt one of my crew. I don't think it's such a funny story. Who did it?"
"Captain of the Heart Pirates, Trafalgar Law." your answer didn't seem to catch him instantly, with each word that left your mouth, you could see him getting paler and paler. "I believe you already know, but Uta managed to control everyone who was asleep to attack the pirates and the marines and with that, you and Bepo were also controlled. The boys held Bepo and I had to deal with you, but everything is fine. "
"They told me about Bepo..." he seemed lost for words, taking a certain distance from you and leaning on the small table in your room. "So you restrained me, alone?"
"You, actually Uta, didn't have access to your Devil Fruit powers, it ended up being easier. After all, our mission was just to keep you two away from the navy." you explained, leaning on the opposite side to where he was, seeing his crestfallen expression. "Like I said, it's okay captain."
"Where else did I hurt you?" the question took you by surprise, making it difficult to hide your reaction. "I know my strength, I have a feeling it wasn't just that. I could see it myself, but I trust you, so please."
With your fists clenched and your gaze following your every step, Law could see your hand go to your ribs, along with a grumble, as you bent down to pick up a small cloth and fill it with something that smelled similar to alcohol. As much as he noticed you trying hard, he could see you limping. He watched you smear the contents on one of your cheeks and your arm, revealing some bruises.
You stopped in front of him, letting him analyze. Despite the pain throughout your body, Law's proximity was almost like an anesthetic. If he stayed there, you wouldn't mind spending the day under his gaze. Law took your arm, gently sliding his fingers under the bruise, watching you flinch in discomfort. His hands practically put your arm back in place and placed themselves on the zipper of your jumpsuit.
Your hands placed themselves next to his, pulling the device and opening the entire piece. Of all the times he had dreamed of touching your skin, none had felt like this. He liked to imagine how soft it would be, to think about how your body would shiver, to feel with his own lips every piece of exposed skin, while he heard you ask for more. All the purple spots he had dreamed of leaving on your skin were nothing like the one he saw. Thoughts would need to be put aside at that moment.
His hand knocked down one side of your jumpsuit, showing the large bruise on your rib, which made him hold his breath for a few seconds.
"What else?" his voice was barely audible. He knew there was more to it, but he didn't want to be invasive.
"Just this cut." you took off the other strap of your jumpsuit and let it fall below your waist, showing the wound on your thigh. It wasn't that big, but when you both looked at the place, you understood where all the warmth in your body was coming from. "Shit. It wasn't like this last time I looked." actually it was, you just wanted to spare him the worry.
You adjusted your jumpsuit, leaving the top hanging around your waist. Your eyes searched for Law's, but he seemed to be far away, even just a few centimeters away. For some time, he didn't say anything. His eyes followed one point you had shown and others, looking for other signs. His hands prostrated in front of his body, why had he done that? Why hurt you?
"Law?"
"I...I..." the words seemed stuck somewhere inside him. His hands placed themselves next to your face, a gesture you hadn't received from him yet. "I don't know how to apologize. Forgive me, I didn't want any of this to happen."
"No need, Law, really. I was doing what any of us would do, taking care of our crew, taking care of our captain."
Again the words seemed to have escaped him. He just wished he could hold you and apologize a thousand times, hold you there and heal every little part of you and never allow anything to hurt you again. Some conscious side of him screamed in the background that this wasn't anyone's fault, but the sound seemed so far away to hear, while the picture of what he had done was so close to him.
A few seconds passed, his hands were still on your face, while you just enjoyed the awkward affection you received. He didn't know how to deal with that feeling, it was a guilt like he had never felt. Along with a fear, a need to see you well. There were too many things to deal with and at that moment, he chose to be the most rational one.
"It's infected and may have broken something." Law let his medical side take control of the situation. "Room. Shambles."
Before you even noticed the blue dome surrounding you, the two of you had already been transported to the infirmary. You remained standing in your place as you watched the captain hurriedly walk around the room, collecting some materials and before you could try to get on the stretcher, the two of you were already being taken to another place.
The table full of books, the small window of the Polar Tang showing some little orange fish passing by outside, a cozy bed, even with the sheets spread out. That definitely wasn't your room. You watched Law leave the materials on the table and reach Kikoku. You saw the blue dome again, this time, you knew that he was using his powers to confirm that you had indeed presented all your injuries to him.
"I was worried about your rib, but apparently it was just the bruise. Now about your leg, I may need to redo those stitches and medicate you. I can't let the infection spread."
You knew he was nervous, bordering on anxious, but you had known him long enough to know that stopping him from treating you would be even worse. You had chosen to hide your injuries so that Law wouldn't feel guilty, now that he knew, you didn't have much else to do.
"Law." you called out to him carefully, as he prepared the medication. "Do you mind if I bathe first?"
"Sure, I mean, no problem. Just wait a second." He walked away from the table and piled up some things, which he handed into your hand. "Here's my towel, I also left some clothes in case you want to use them, if you don't want to, that's okay. I can ask Ikkaku..."
"This is perfect, thank you Law." you hugged the small bundle of clothes close to your body.
"Room." again, in a matter of seconds, you were at the bathroom door. "I'm sorry, but your leg is really hurt, you shouldn't force it while walking."
"Okay" unlike the time he had taken you to the infirmary, now he had transported you close to each other, which made the air disappear from your lungs. "Can you wait for me? I mean, you said I wouldn't I should force my leg and..."
"I'll be outside, just call me and I'll be here." Please call me, Law's inner voice practically screamed.
Your shower was much quicker than you expected. Just knowing that he was waiting for you outside made butterflies fight in your stomach. You gently dried your body and took the clothes he had given you. Something that looked like shorts - it might have been underwear, but you didn't worry about that right now - and a black button-down shirt. As soon as you button the last button, you can pay attention to the smell of the fabric. Something soft, woody, you wondered if that was his scent.
"Law?" All it took was a small call and he soon entered the bathroom. Not as discreetly as he expected, his eyes roamed your body. "Can you help me?"
"Of course" your feet left the floor, giving you a few seconds to assimilate that he had picked you up and carried you back to the room. He hadn't done this before, but you preferred to just enjoy the sensation, locking your arms around his neck.
With a few steps inside the room, he placed you lying on the bed, pulling a rod further to the side, only then did you notice the hanging IV.
Law bent down, reaching your arm level, cleaning it with a small piece of cotton. He looked at the wound on your leg. In silence, he cleaned the area and took some bandages, placing them across the entire length of the wound. The contrast between your warm skin and his cold hands was strangely comfortable. You wished they would last a little longer there.
"I think we can leave these stitches for another day, but I need you to take this medicine. It's an antibiotic, the infection is small, but I'd rather take care of it soon." He pulled the small needle, seeing your face pale. "I'm sorry darling, but it's the best option we have."
Darling.
That word would echo in your mind for a long time. The fear of the needle that was about to come into contact with your skin eased when you saw the care he took with each gesture.
"Just don't look, okay?" He waited for you to close your eyes. "Just a few seconds and that's it. You'll feel sleepy, but that's normal. As soon as you wake up, I'll bring you something to eat."
He got up and started to adjust the pillows on the bed, the ones that were around and under you. His hands rested around your body, his body was on top of yours, even without any immediate contact. It was inevitable not to get lost in his eyes, or see him do the same with yours. You would like to engrave that in your memory, forever.
"Are you comfortable?" his face still had the same tense expression from the first moment he found you in the room.
"I am, I promise." you replied, in a burst of courage, you brought your hand to his face, touching his cheek. "Law, what worries you so much?"
He walked away, sitting at the foot of the bed. You just straightened up so you could look at him. His tattooed hands took off his hat, fingers tangling against the dark strands.
"I can't deal with the fact that I did this. I did this to you. Of all the people that could have been there, I hurt you." he grumbled, turning so he could look at you. "You do not understand."
"Actually, I understand." your answer left him stunned for a few seconds. "But don't blame yourself, you didn't choose this, captain"
"I know, but at the same time..." he huffed, trying to find the right words, which scratched his insides every time he looked at your scourged face. "You understand me, huh? I mean, I don't just see you as a crew member and something tells me you don't just see me as your captain. And knowing that of all the things that could have happened, I hurt you. I promise compensate you for everything."
"About what you said, about what we see in each other." your thought was interrupted by a long yawn. "What should we do about this?" You made to get up, but the IV attached seemed to transmit drowsiness straight to your body. Your eyes were already starting to get heavy.
"That we can deal with this later. You took care of me, now it's my duty to take care of you. For that, you need to rest." His hands reached yours, giving a slight laugh when he saw you fighting with your own eyes, wanting to leave them open. "I promise not to hurt you again or let anyone else hurt you."
Before you fall asleep for good, you can feel his lips on your hand.
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bloatedandalone04 · 8 months
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Like Fine Wine
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➪the one where you can’t resist hayden’s look for his role in ahsoka.
Warnings: hubby hayden bc i want to marry this man so badly, current age (or 41 year old) hayden, smut, fluff, pet names, unprotected sex, handjob (brief), hair pulling, soft smut, you guys just straight up loving on each other, reader is feral for him, spoilers for ahsoka if you haven’t seen the last 2 episodes, takes place during the filming of ahsoka (back in may 2022), this is just self-indulgent tbh
Word Count: 2.5k
Do not repost this anywhere, reblogs are fine ♡
When you finally made your way back to the hotel room you and Hayden were staying at during the filming of Ahsoka, the last thing you were expecting to see was your husband propped up against the headboard, shirtless with grey sweats covering his lower half, and the script for tomorrow in his hands. 
He looked absolutely divine, and you bit back a moan at the mere sight of him, the wine bottle you had bought from the store across the street nearly slipping from your grasp.
When he heard the door open but didn’t hear your voice right after, Hayden looked up to see you standing in the doorway, an unreadable expression on your face as you stared at him. “Hey, baby,” he murmured in a greeting, flipping the script back to the first page as you closed the door without breaking eye contact. “I was going to ask if you wanted to go over this scene with me, but you seem…preoccupied. What’s on your mind?”
You set the bottle down on the table by the door, shrugging off your jacket as you stepped towards him. “I was just thinking,” you trailed off, biting your lip as your eyes stalked his body like he was prey. 
Hayden sat up against the headboard, a teasing glint in his eye. “About what?”
Kneeling on the bed, you kick off your shoes before crawling over to him and straddling his lap. “About what I could’ve possibly done to deserve such a hot husband,” you answer, taking the package of papers from him and dropping them on the rug beside the bed. 
His hands instinctively grab your waist, his own eyes raking up and down your face. “Eighteen years together and you’re only asking that now?” He teased, his fingers lifting your shirt slightly so he could feel your skin on his. 
“Oh, no, I’ve been asking myself that since the day you messed up your practice run with Ewan and had to restart it from the very beginning,” you say back, watching as a knowing smile graced his lips.
“That was only because you walked on set looking like something right off of the red carpet. Kinda like how you look right now,” he not so subtly gazed down at your body, his blue eyes beginning to darken the longer he had you on top of him.
You roll your eyes but blush at his forward words, resting your hands on his shoulders. Eighteen years together and fifteen since you’ve been married, and he still was able to effortlessly make you feel like you were the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. 
Your engagement ring and wedding band reflected off the single lamp he turned on, unknowingly setting the mood for when you got back. It was on the bedside table next to his phone, which had been turned completely off since he was away from set and planned to spend the rest of his night with you. 
“Aren’t you a charmer?” You mumbled, feeling the cool metal of his own wedding band, that was identical to yours, pressed against the heated skin of your hip. “Seriously, do you even realize how good you look right now?” 
His hair was still somewhat styled in his clone wars look for the flashback scene, and the way it curled in certain spots had your whole body aching for him. If he hadn’t taken off the makeup for the scar already, you probably would’ve been wrapped around him by now. “I don’t know,” he answered, kissing you back when you placed your mouth against his. “I’m not sure I can believe it after you told me that about ten times on set earlier today.”
You and he had actually met during the filming of Star Wars Episode II, but didn’t start dating until Episode III had been fully completed. You went to the premiere together and that was your public debut as a couple, and you still remembered how loudly the fans cheered when he kissed you right there on the carpet.
You, too, would be in a few flashbacks towards the end of the series, in the form of your Force Ghost. Your character was killed in the last half of Episode III by Anakin himself, and you still remembered filming that scene like it was yesterday. 
The tears you shed that day were one hundred percent real, as you were actually saying goodbye to the character that introduced you to your future husband. At that point you and Hayden had gone on several low-key dates, but didn’t become official until a couple of months later. His acting was also more real than not in that scene as he had to pretend to kill you in a somewhat brutal way.
To revisit your character for the first time in over a decade was one of the best opportunities you had ever gotten, and you could only assume that this was how Hayden felt when he was asked to return as Anakin in Obi-Wan. While your scenes wouldn’t be filmed for a few more weeks, Hayden still insisted you stay with him until the filming was wrapped up completely. 
“I’m not apologizing for hyping up my husband,” you say against his lips. “I’m being so serious, Hayden, you look good.”
He grins up at you, pulling your body closer until your chest pressed right up against his, the subtle rock of your hips making you suppress a moan. “Well, thank you, sweet girl,” he nudges your nose with his. “I can always count on you to make me feel good about myself.”
“You so can,” you agree, trailing your hands down his toned chest, smirking at the way his stomach muscle flexed at your light touch. “You’re so attractive, I don’t think you even realize it.”
Hayden hummed, slowly dragging his hands up your body and taking your shirt along the way. “I could say the same thing about you,” he said before asking, “You’re awfully flirty tonight, what’s got you all worked up?”
“You,” came your simple reply, your fingers pulling at the loose string of his sweats. You lean down to place a chaste kiss to his lips, one that leaves him wanting more as you descend your mouth down to his shoulder, where you place a few open mouthed kisses to his skin. “You, being so unbelievably sexy when you’re back in your element on set. The way you looked when you were practicing earlier? The way you look now? You don’t know the things you do to me, Hayden.”
“I beg to differ,” he rasps out when you place another kiss to the base of his throat, his hands quickly fumbling to take off your shirt. It drops to the floor beside the script and you lift your head so you were looking right at him, your body level with his as you slowly rocked your hips against his. “Y/n.”
You give him a teasing grin, sliding your hands down his sides before they land on the front of his sweats. “I know,”you murmur and kiss him slowly, slipping your hand past the waistline and palming him. You hold back a smirk when you find him already hard for you, his body’s way of responding to yours every time you come onto him. “I just want to make you feel as good as you look.”
Hayden huffed out a breathy moan as you pulled him free from the sweatpants. “I want to make you feel good, too, baby,” he managed to say as you wrapped your hand around him, slowly stroking him. 
You hum, “I already feel good from just looking at you,” 
A ghost of a moan escaped your lips when leaned forward to kiss your exposed shoulder in an attempt to quiet his own sounds. 
Though this was a nice hotel, he still didn’t want to risk the possibility of the walls being thin enough for him to receive noise complaints, though the thought had him growing harder in your hand. 
“You don’t know how much you turn me on,” you nearly whisper, the pad of your thumb brushing over his tip and making him groan quietly against your skin.
“After twenty years of knowing you, I think I know exactly how much I turn you on,” he mumbled, bucking his hips up so you stroked him a bit harder. “It’s the same way with you, baby. You make me feel so good all the time.”
You whimper quietly when his hand slips inside the front of your leggings, biting down harshly on your bottom lip when he finds your clothed clit with no trouble at all. Being intimate with the same person for half your life came with that perk. “I want you so bad,”
Hayden lifted his head back up to connect your lips in a kiss, murmuring, “You have me. Since that first day I saw you, I’ve been all yours,” when he pulls away to lift your hips in order to rid you of your leggings and the lace that covered your core. “I love you, Y/n Christensen.”
You moaned at that, moving back to straddle his hips again. Gripping the sides of his neck, you use the tips of your thumbs to tilt his head up in order to be able to give him a deep kiss. “I love you,” you whined as he guided your heat over him a few times, prepping both himself and you with your slickness. “My hot, sexy husband.”
And then you were lifting your hips and sliding onto him until he was buried deep within you. Your hips met his as moans escaped both of you, with Hayden leaning back against the pillows and headboard to let you take full control. 
While he always wanted you in this way, seeing him as Anakin again clearly did something to you, and he was more than okay with letting you take the lead like you needed to. 
You close your eyes and grip his shoulders, moaning softly when you lift yourself up before dropping back down again. “I’m never getting over this,” you confess, though it wasn’t new news. Even though you had been together for nearly two decades, you still hadn’t grown tired of each other, further proving the fact that you were meant to be together. “Fuck.”
Hayden groaned under his breath, his hands gripping your waist as you began to slowly ride him. “Just like that, sweet girl,” he praised softly, feeling the way you clenched around him at his words. “We fit so well together, don’t we? Make each other feel so good.”
You moan a bit louder, nodding quickly as your hands move to tangle in his  hair. The fact that it was you who got to see him like this, and it was you who got to mess up his Anakin-styled hair had you going a bit feral.
“So good,” you agree, dropping yourself down on him with a bit more force, really setting a pace that would ensure you both wouldn’t last too long. He is forty one and you were pushing thirty nine, you couldn’t really expect to be as durable in the bedroom after a long day of filming. 
Still, when he hadn’t spent a whole day on set, Hayden could go for longer, simply because he aged unbelievably well and kept his body in great shape. 
He also wasn’t expecting you to want to jump his bones as soon as you got back from your wine run after he changed into more comfortable clothing, planning on going over a few of his scenes with you before bed. 
That still didn’t stop him from letting you completely drain any and all energy he had left from the day as you grind your hips against his. Small, needy whines left your pretty lips as you moved further down on him, driving him even deeper into your willing and wanting walls. 
“You’re so beautiful,” he couldn’t help but say, making your pace falter slightly as you flushed at his words. “My girl. The prettiest woman in the world.” He complimented as his hands slid up your back and expertly unclasped your bra. 
He pulled it from your body and replaced it with his hands, his thumbs and index fingers pinching and pulling at your nipples. You whimper at the feeling of his smooth fingers against your sensitive buds, tugging harshly at his strands. “Hayden,” you murmur, guiding him into you quicker with swift grinds of your hips. “Oh, fuck.”
“Yeah, baby,” he said under his breath, trailing one hand down to circle your throbbing clit with his thumb. His other hand moved to tightly grip your hip again as you picked up the pace, beginning to feel that tight sensation forming in your abdomen. “You feel so good. So good for me, baby, the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
You cry out, squeezing your eyes shut as you pulse around him, your thighs burning with exertion and forcing you to stop for a brief second before Hayden grabs your other hip and begins thrusting up into you. “Yes,” you gasp out, tangling your hands tighter in his hair as he lifts himself up from against the pillows to really allow him to drive himself impossibly deeper inside you. “Oh, fuck, yes, don’t stop, Hayden, please.”
How could he deny you your wish? In all honesty, he wouldn’t be able to bring himself to stop, anyway, as you were clenching so tightly around him and sucking him in as deep as he could go, he almost blacked out for a second from how blinding the feeling was. 
“Come for me, sweet girl,” he requested quietly in your ear, his deep and raspy voice making you clench tighter around him as your walls pulsed in time with his quick thrusts. “I want you to, want to feel it.”
Your mouth opened in a faint cry and your stomach swelled as you wrapped your arms tightly around him. As your whole body tensed up in his arms, Hayden felt your walls spasm slightly before he also felt the flood of your release coat him. It gave him the perfect amount of friction for him to fall not too far behind. 
His jaw locked slightly, his hands wrapping around your middle and pulling you closer to him as he, too, came. Deep within you, he pushed his seed further with a few extra thrusts before he was forced to stop due to the sensitivity of it all. 
With his last remaining energy, he lifted you up and set you down on the bed next to him. He hovered over you a second later, wrapping your legs around his waist as he nuzzled his head in between the space of your neck and shoulder. “I love you so much,” he whispered in between peppered kisses to your sweaty skin. “Thank you for always making me feel like the most important person, everyday.”
You ran your fingers through his damp and messy hair, playing with the curls as a smile formed on your lips. “You are the most important person,” you reminded him, kissing him quickly before wrapping your arms around him and pulling him further down onto you. “And I love you, too.”
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sanspuppet · 6 months
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Horny thoughts about having San as your boyfriend, damn i can't stop thinking about this man 😮‍💨
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Y'ALL SEE HIS NEW PIC? HAVE MERCY PLEASE MY LORD 🛐🛐🛐🛐
W/T: 18+ content (nono square for minors)
• imagine you two just laying on your shared bed, the both of you minding your business watching your phones, quite bored. And then out of nowhere you expose his defined abs for joke, by dragging his t-shirt up, but making him suddenly so needy for you to suck and leaving hickeys on every inch of his stomach (duuuhh im so obsessed with his chest)
• bet he'd get so jealous, not with strangers but with the other members, geez i think he would be quite annoyed by them flirting (jokingly) with you. But don't you dare to do the same, he'd instantly pin you at the wall and fuck you mercilessly, as soon as you come back home
• obviously he's not always rough, he'd also love you to give him head and just sucking him off, everywhere at anytime, there's no refuses. He'd love especially when you do it suddenly, feeling your tongue licking his dick as a surprise would make him so, and i mean so hard, maybe under the table while he's working, while he sleeps, under the blanket when he's watching a film...
• HE'S AN ASS MAN, PERIOD (and im so happy about it, cuz im obsessed with my ass, too) his fav position would be obviously doggystyle, he'd go crazy at the sight of his thick dick disappearing inside you, your ass red from all the times he would spank it, and slapping against his waist. I think he'd also sometimes, when you cuddle, palm it, lick it, leave small kisses and hickeys around its cheeks (im melting oh my-)
• he'd love to see you wearing his hoodies, especially the gray one (HE ALWAYS WEARS GRAY HOODIES). You wearing only that hoodie, layed on your bed, with him who drags it up a little, enough for him to could finger you, daaamnnn imagine his strong fingers finding their way into your pussy and then playing joyfully with your clit (HRMRNJDJE im going crazy for the things I AM writing on my own)
• when he's on tour he'd ask you to send him pics (nudes 🫢) he loves your sexy-aesthetic photos, no need to say he'd masturbate on them, imagine him stroking his dick desperately, because he needs to feel and see you soo bad. You perfectly know it, so you'd send him audios of you dirty talking just to tease him more (spoiler: he'd probably cum only by hearing your small whimpers), SO THEN HE WOULD PAY YOU BACK by sending you audios while he's reaching his orgasm, damn his moans would be so prettyy
• god... if you'd say to him something like: "baby im horny" he surely would reply to you: "fuck me, then" so you would immediately ride him. Imagine unzipping his leather jeans (i literally scream when i see him wearing them) his cock popping out of his boxers, already hard by the idea of you bouncing on it. And just like that, you'd take all of his length at the first thrust. When you'd stop because of too much friction, after bouncing desperately, he'd raise his hips and fuck you from beneath, overstimulating you because he loves to see you fucked out by him.
• passionate sex with him would be like heaven... 🫠 you layed on your back, on your bed, him on top of you, kissing you deeply, his tongue licking the inside of your mouth so softly. You're caressing his back, and he is doing the same with your hair, he'd attach his nose on your skin just to feel your soft scent. He would also make you understand, you're his significant one, by laying you on your stomach, legs open while he's sliding in and out of you deeply but sweetly, his hands resting on your ass, massaging it. It would be so relaxing, and after he has reached his orgasm, he would took his dick out and cum on your ass, smear it and then lick it off of you.
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The First Fairy Tale
ahdbalidbaidf I'M SUCH A SUCKER FOR UNREQUITED KNIGHT X PRINCESS STUFF (even if it's not clear whether or not Lilia's crush persisted beyond childhood in canon) SO. I'M WRITING THIS… 😭This fic is purposefully ambiguous about the type of love Lilia feels in the end for Meleanor. It’s up to the reader to interpret it as they please. This piece was inspired the story of Madame Red from Black Butler. You don't need to know either to enjoy, but if you do happen to know them then I think you'll appreciate it more. There’s also some references to a few Disney films besides Sleeping Beauty—can you find which ones? I also purposefully repeated some phrases and blended a few references together to give the fic a “dream-like”/deja vu feeling. There was going to be a wedding scene opening with “There wasn’t a cloud in the sky” in reference to We Don’t Talk About Bruno, but I had to cut that since the fic was getting long. Even without that and some other cut scenes, I think this is the longest fic I’ve written before. It’s almost 8k words!!
... Do you remember? I told my first fairy tale to you, my most beloved. ***Spoilers for book 7 part 5 of the main story!***
Imagine this...
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In a castle forgotten by time, a lone figure walked among the creeping thorns. The plants swallowed the grounds, yet he moved swiftly and stealthily, passing over briar as easily as water over stone. Not a single movement was wasted as he traversed the brambled floors.
His ponytail—black streaked with red—fell in his path, the slight whip of it the only trace of his presence. He had traded his battle armor of old for plainclothes long ago, but still hadn’t filled into them yet. To shed the life of a general for that of a civilian was no simple task.
The small, doughy creature pressed against his shoulder sleepily lifted its head. Upon the infant’s crown was a cap of shockingly silver hair, the same color as moonlight. The boy thrusted a pudgy hand into his cheek, delivering a soft pap to the hardened veteran.
“Tch…!” Lilia pulled away brusquely. “Troublesome little creature, aren’t you? Hold still. We’d have made it out of here by now if only you weren’t so…”
Weak, defenseless, frail, vulnerable.
An array of potential words rose to fill in the gap. He settled on the least abrasive one he could muster.
Something cute.
Children like cute, right…? Right.
“… squishy.”
The infant—no, Silver, he corrected himself—seemed curious about the response, staring up with sudden interest. Lilia’s skin prickled at the sensation. He averted his eyes to an interior that had seen better days.
Once a shining jewel to house the crown princess, Wild Rose Castle was abandoned now. The thorns had invaded, climbing the walls and digging themselves into every nook and crevice. Furniture and weapons devoured, flags and tapestries consumed, meeting a similar fate as the nation that had once proudly flew them.
Ruins entombing stolen time.
What had once been a palace teeming with history, with life, was left a barren wasteland. All that remained were shadows of the past which clung thickly to the thorns. One misstep, and they would cut into him, bringing both pain and searing hot memories.
Funny, that: how the natural forces were unrelenting and indiscriminate. Yet the trace of an enchantment in the air suggested otherwise, its telltale tingle palpable. He knew the bramble had come from magical means.
A fairy's spell lingered. Some bygone blessing or curse, told in the tattered remains of a hazy vision and a wish for more halcyon days. Parents wanting to spare their child from the horrors of war.
Lilia's grip on Silver subconsciously tightened.
What rotten luck. I return after all this time to pay my respects, only to find Wild Rose Castle in this sorry state. How the mighty fall.
Silver fidgeted in his arms, as if sensing that something was off. A bit of saliva dribbling from the corner of his mouth, a soft whine gurgling up.
“You’re fussing again already?” Lilia frowned. He awkwardly laid a hand on the infant’s back. Are all infants this incorrigible? "The journey will be a long one if you aren't able to settle."
The infant turned its head, his cheek fitting neatly into Lilia's palm. There was a coo, then a sigh of contentment.
Still shaking off the sleepiness.
"... You're so needy," Lilia grumbled, noting the drool wetting his skin. Silver blinked at him with large, iridescent orbs. "I don't understand. Do people actually find this endearing? To find such joy in raising their young is..."
He hesitated to finish his sentence.
What did a man like him have to say on the matter? Long-lived as he was, that kind of love was something he had ever experienced for himself.
A gentle, warm hand to guide him through the darkness. The love of a parent.
Yet here I am, a loveless fae robbing a baby from its cradle. Just as the humans believe we do.
What irony.
Sadness nipped at Lilia as his thoughts turned to Silver. If anything, the little one had more power to shape the world around it than he ever could.
It was for this sort of creature that the Dawn Knight made a prayer for the future. It was for this sort of creature that Baul's rigid heart shifted. It was for this sort of creature that she...!!
Lilia's fingers had clenched into a vice grip on Silver. The infant cried out, squirming uncomfortably in his new guardian's grasp.
"Shoot...!! Er... there, there. It will be alright."
He clumsily rocked the baby back and forth. It was too vigorous, for Silver bursted into tears. His wails echoed off the desolate walls of the castle, piercing loud in Lilia's ears.
The fae jerked back, holding Silver at a safe distance from him. His grasp, precarious.
This is proving to be much more challenging than I initially thought... H-How do I silence it?!
Lilia glanced around helplessly at his surroundings. Everything was encased in a cage of thorns: antiques, drapes, even the axes mounted for decoration—to liven up the room. They were impossible for him to reach, else he could swing them around to amuse the boy.
Pieces of the past far out of his reach.
It’s not an option. A human babe is not like a fae babe. Lilia’s head swarmed with stress, Silver’s sobs only multiplying his worries. What do I do? What… would she do?
Meleanor…
The name of his princess emerged. Along with it, a scene blossoming in sepia shades.
Her, in a regal black gown and dripping in green gemstones and finery. Him, in a general's armor. A princess and her knight, straight out of a fairy tale.
She was humming while caressing a large egg, a marbled violet flecked with green, dark webbing laced the shell. It conformed perfectly to her chest, pulsating with a strange warmth as she ran taloned fingers over it. Another role she had adopted: mother.
A low chuckle rose from the back of her throat. "Fufufu Look, Malleus. Our dear Lilia has taken the time out of his busy schedule to come pay us a visit."
"It's been quite some time since I last heard you giggle like a schoolgirl. Nice to know that you remain in good spirits." He arched an eyebrow. "... But since when did you decide to name the child? I thought the medical mages hadn't even determined a gender for your heir yet."
"Oh, some time ago," she replied flippantly. Meleanor was always like a storm, unpredictable and acting on her own whims. "I don't need anyone to tell me what my child will be. I already know... my Malleus will grow up to be an upstanding, beautiful man just like my Levan."
She had a dreamy, faraway look on her face. A slight blush to her high cheeks, a shine to her eyes, a kind smile at her lips. Completely unlike her, the tomboy who snuck out of the castle unsupervised and caused trouble for all the servants.
So utterly smitten.
For that moment and that moment alone, Lilia would have believed her a patient princess awaiting a knight in shining armor's rescue. Not him, but her beloved.
Levan.
He had to bite back a terse laugh, mask it with a joke. "Your Levan? Hold on now, you've got to share him with the rest of us. We'd simply crumble without his wisdom."
"I don't intend to share what's rightfully mine.” A teasing smirk he knew well had found its way onto her pert mouth again. “I'm a very possessive woman.”
"As I’m well aware. Alas, I serve such a cruel mistress of evil.”
She chuckled, resting a hand on her egg. "... When Levan returns, we shall arrange for tea. The two of you can regale me with the stories of your journeys. It gets to be so dull trapped in these castle walls. Oh, and of course, Malleus will be joining us. He has yet to experience our cozy little get-togethers.”
Their group. Their trio. The three of them. And now a new member. An expansion of the family unit—no, rather, the realization that something didn’t belong among them.
His heartbeat quickened.
"There you go again, making rash requests of me. You really ought to be more considerate of others. I came all this way out of the goodness of my heart, only for you to bark more orders at me. Don't I get to take a break?"
"I am being considerate," she insisted. "I'm considering Malleus. He is invited. You cannot uninvite him."
"That's not the point. Agh, what am I going to do with you?" Lilia ran a hand through his hair. The frustration was familiar—but so was the fondness that chased it.
“My, my. Such insolence. I’m afraid you’ll be stuck with me for a long, looong time. You should be less stubborn and more kind to your princess,” she purred, her words touched with dry sarcasm. “Isn’t that right, Malleus?”
“I’m too kind to you. Too patient as well,” Lilia sighed. “… It’s you who is headstrong.”
“I must be. I have a country and now a family behind me. A scorned mother’s rage is insurmountable, you know.”
He should have said something back. Played into their usual banter. But he didn’t—couldn’t bring himself to. Lilia looked away quickly, but not quite quickly enough.
“Oh? What nerve you have to avoid the gaze of your princess.” She dropped her playful tone. “Something weighs heavy on your mind.”
“… I can never hide anything from you, can I?”
“You will inform me at once.”
“So you can obliterate what ails me?”
“So that I may put you at ease." She lifted a hand, gesturing toward him. "That is the duty of a queen to her people… and, more importantly, of a friend to another."
Friend.
It stung right down to his bones, hurting more than a blast of righteous lightning. A reminder of what he was: a footnote, a supporting cast member in her grand story. Without that, he was nothing.
An outcast.
His stomach clenched. He forced down a bitter pill and spoke.
"I was just wondering what it must feel like to be in your position, Meleanor-sama," Lilia whispered. "Mother to a nation, and to a child. To wholly devote oneself to the service of others... I will never know what that is like."
At this, she laughed darkly. "I am strong. I have to be, because I have people to protect. You have that strength as well. You wouldn't be able to serve as one of my generals without it. There are just some things in this world worth risking your life for, hmm?"
"I don't understand. My loyalty will always lie with you, with Briar Country... but for a child, I cannot...!!" Lilia stopped himself, reining his emotions back to calm. "I've never known how that kind of love feels. I'm not capable of it."
Meleanor narrowed her eyes as she listened to his woes. Unwise men would think her contemplative. He knew better—she was scheming.
"... Let me tell you a secret, Lilia," she said at last. "A dragon's egg needs its parents' love to hatch. However, true love is a special spell. It's more powerful than any magic, and able to be cast by anyone. If you are able to protect me, then that alone is proof enough that you are capable of 'true love'."
"You make it sound so simple, but is it really like that? The children of man say that fae cannot tell an untruth, yet you so expertly reassure me with lies."
"You're questioning me? Laughable. I am a woman of my honor, unlike you with all your tall tales."
"They're not tall tales. They're real stories of the danger I was in. Danger that, mind you, I got in half the time on behalf of your demands."
"Is that so?" Meleanor had smiled at him then, her teeth gleaming in the dim candlelight. Long lashes fluttering against the emeralds of her eyes. "Then you wouldn't mind sharing a story or two with Malleus."
Lilia bristled at the thought, an old wound reopened. There was a burst of relief that accompanied the dull pain.
I can't sing her lullabies. I don't have her strength either. No partner to speak of, no family to look to. What I do have is...
He pressed Silver into him, keeping a hand rested reassuringly on the infant's upper back. Muffled cries and a warm wetness pooled on Lilia's shoulder. His steps slowed, coming to a steady pace.
The first words were the most difficult to get out.
"... Once upon a time, there was a princess living in this castle." His voice was slow and deep and sorrowful. Not a song, but a longing croon for days he could never return to.
They entered a corridor lined with paintings. The sound of Silver's sobbing funneled into the passage, a greeting to the dour faces of important officials portrayed in each frame. Horned, with raven hair and reptilian eyes, obsidian scales dotting their skin, milky and smooth as wax.
Lilia lowered his head to one as they passed--a woman upon a throne, scepter in hand, her pointed features dappled by moonlight.
"She was many things. Selfish, impetuous, and stubborn… but also brave, strong, and beautiful."
So beautiful.
That had been his first impression of her. A single pale rose amid a garden of thorns.
She was tiny in those days, still trotting about in small, polished heels that clicked with each step, her black dress swishing about. A scaled tail—fluffy at the end--poked out from under there, proof of dragonic heritage. Her long hair was slicked back, proudly displaying a pair of horns and the scales that crowned her forehead.
When she wailed, the skies turned stormy. When she beamed, the sun came out. Her expressions so lively as she spun around in her skirts, the fabric unfurling like the petals of a blossoming flower.
A princess both adored and feared by her people.
"She befriended an unruly ragamuffin.” Lilia's lips quirked, unable to fight them from tugging up. “He was without loved ones, so the princess extended a hand to him."
Lilia had stolen glances at her when he was convinced she was distracted. During royal processions, tending to the horses, when they crossed paths in the halls.
He never let himself stare for too long. To do so was nearly a death sentence. The guards would be upon him in an instant—or worse, she would.
But without doubt, she did.
She would look back, letting a telltale grin take shape when their gazes met.
Him, the nobody picked up by the royal family on a whim. A hopeless squire boy, a knight-in-training, a ward.
Him.
She noticed him.
Picking up her skirts, she'd made a beeline over. Grinning like a gremlin, she would inevitably set a tragedy into motion.
"Lilia, I'm sick of studying! Let's play instead."
"What? I don't want to. Besides, I have training to tend to."
"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport. That's an order from your princess, so you can't refuse!"
“And that's the way the story always goes, a princess and her knight." He passed a glance at Silver. The infant's crying had quieted, and he returned the look, eyes wet with wonder.
Lilia sighed. "... I guess you wouldn't know that, would you? Well, it’s not as though she were your average girl.
"A wicked princess, that’s what she was. There was not a day when she wasn't making mischief and pulling the knight into it with her."
She had had many games, not all of them clearly defined or with rules. Sometimes she changed them on the fly. Sometimes she played without guidelines at all.
Pretend escalated into full-scale magical duels. Scavenger hunts spanned the entire castle grounds. They’d race to see who could relieve the gallery of the most apples in the least amount of time, dig through the treasury for the biggest gems.
On particularly lazy days, a roll across the lawn was enough to amuse them. Petals were plucked, sugary honeysuckle trapped between their teeth.
"You have something stuck in your hair," she'd tease him, picking loose petals out. "Let me get that for you, my most loyal retainer."
He'd hold still, as commanded, let her take as long as she wanted tidying him up.
When the guards combed the garden for them, they’d squish into shrubbery and lay low until the coast was clear. Sometimes their lids would grow heavy and collapse—and when they roused, stars had spilled into the sky, and they’d count constellations until the morning.
Starlight dappling her noble face, her fiery spirit ablaze.
How many diplomatic meetings had they crashed? How many ancient items had they broken? How many headaches had they collectively caused?
Lilia chuckled faintly.
… Those were the good old days.
He continued down the path laid before him, the paintings seemingly chugging along in slow succession. Both people and time passing him by.
"There was another as well. A clever, kind-hearted duke who also warmed up to the knight. The three of them formed a most formidable group.”
“Are you two at it again? You never stop, do you?”
The voice came from the top of the stairwell.
"Levan. So good of you to join us," Meleanor said breathlessly—she had been running about. She slicked back a strand of glossy raven hair and beamed toothily. It wasn't the smile of a princess, but of a dragon yet to be tamed.
He quirked a brow. "Am I joining you? Whoever said that?"
“If you’re jealous, no need to play coy," she teased as the Dragon Duke descended the stairs. "You’re welcome to join us anytime.”
"The princess has already roped me into her antics," Lilia sighed. "Why not make it a party of three? We can all get scolded together later. Misery loves company."
"A tempting offer." Levan lazily tilted his head to one side. He always had a languid way of moving, like a curtain of night veiling the day. "I think you've got me convinced."
"Why did you agree when Lilia asked and not when your princess did?" Meleanor demanded, stomping a foot.
Levan shrugged. Effortless, defiant. "Perhaps you're not as charming as you think you are."
Any other person would have faced her wrath. Anyone else would have been forced to tango with lightning.
Not Levan. He was too hard to stay mad at, and too easy to forgive. His presence alone smoothed over tensions, settled storms.
“He’s a dreamer,” the dusty old court advisors would remark with disdain.
“He’s a dreamer,” Lilia would say, eyebrows raised in surprise.
“He’s a dreamer,” Meleanor would sigh, the stars in her eyes.
Now, she just smirked at him. "I'll have to demonstrate to you just how charming I can be."
She had looked at Levan differently in that instant. Her eyes did not glint at the sight of new prey to toy with, but with keen interest. There was something else too, an undercurrent of some tender feeling Lilia couldn't quite place.
Meleanor had never looked at Lilia like that.
Only Levan.
He shook his head.
I should have known then... I was fighting a losing battle.
"With time, they grew ever closer. Unexpected feelings arose. The knight came to love the princess.” Lilia's feet came down upon the bramble that knitted over the floor. He could not feel it through his boots, but it felt as though he was still being pierced in the chest.
Silver blinked as Lilia plodded along. The gentle rise and fall drying his tears.
It had been a heady spring day, another escapade dodging servants and sneaking beyond the gardens. The flowers had blossomed, the same as the princess. She had grown lovelier by the day, her spitfire attitude untempered.
His flower of evil.
They were crossing a brook then, Meleanor lifting up her skirts to float to the other side, Lilia hopping on rocks to cross. He could have flown with her if he tried, but he was feeling cocky, had wanted to shown off the fruits of his training.
One misstep, and Lilia went flying forward, crashing into her. Their bodies collapsed against one another's as they roll, roll, rolled into a field, blades of grass and stray petals collecting on them. When they at last came to a stop, they laid on their lacks and laughed until their lungs hurt.
Lilia had stared at her again. Her smile, a powerful spell. She caught him in the act, demanded what he was looking at.
"You have something stuck in your hair," Lilia told her as they sat up. "Let me get that for you, my most benevolent princess."
"Stop stealing my lines," she giggled back.
Only if you stop stealing my heart first, he thought. But Meleanor was selfish, and once she had claimed something as her own, she refused to return her new treasure.
Lilia reached--and produced a single white daisy between his fingers. Kneeling, he offered the token to her. "Here. For you."
"Prankster. You planted that so you could appear impressive," Meleanor chuckled, accepting it. "... However, the gesture is sweet, so I thank you for it."
She held the flower to her nose and inhaled its scent. Her lashes fluttered against her cheeks, lips brushing the velvet-soft petals of the daisy. Wind weaving its hands through jet back hair, spots of sunshine dancing across her.
The entire universe was conspiring against him, it seemed.
He remained kneeling, remembering his place. Him, the knight. Her, the princess. But if that was the case, then weren't they perfectly suited for a fairy tale?
Lilia steeled his courage and let the words he had been holding in all that time loose. "M-Meleanor-sama! I... I like you. Not just as a friend. More than that. P-Please accept my feelings!"
Rare surprise dashed her beauty. A crack of light, dawn chasing away the darkness. “Lilia...?"
Here was his weakness, more terrifying than any enemy their country had faced. One young lady, and he folded like a paper crane. His heart in her hands.
And she squeezed.
"I'm not sure if I enjoy this joke. What we had before... I liked that."
More delicate than he had ever heard her speak. Like she was afraid of breaking this.
"This isn't a joke. I'm... I'm serious about you! Please answer me!!" he pleaded. "Will you be mine?"
At once, her face fell. The daisy, and his heart, slipped from her grasp.
"Oh, Lilia," she whispered, a hand clamped over her mouth. "I'm sorry. So, so, sorry."
A resounding rejection, chased by a dreadful loneliness. It had been nothing like the storybooks had promised. Lilia almost wanted to weep at his juvenile naivete.
He hushed, the awareness of it all consuming him.
So this is love.
Love, and the lack of it. How it hurt him so, as it had from had the start. He was always alone, no matter how many people he surrounded himself with.
Was that really love then?
The thought struck him like a fist to the gut.
I thought I loved you. But maybe that wasn’t true love. Maybe I was desperate to be loved back. To have someone to call my own, when I had no one at all before. Maybe I clung to the first person that showed the slightest bit of attention to me.
Even so, my heart ached for you. Longed for you. Believed it was meant to be. Dreamt of you. I wanted to give you my everything.
Lilia tucked the infant’s cheek to his chest. Felt the child’s warmth, his physical presence. The steady drum of something buried deep in him.
There was a wobbly yawn in the silence. Silver, tuckered out from crying, awaited the next part of the story.
The breath Lilia held released. The words, painful as they dropped from his lips.
“But she had eyes for another: the duke. The knight watched as his two best friends fell in love.” Lilia’s nails dug into the cloth that swaddled Silver. “The princess and the duke were happy, so the knight, too, was happy. And why wouldn’t he be? The woman he loved the most was going to marry the man he loved the most. It was a happy ending for the trio."
He had been summoned by the princess that fateful day. Returning triumphant from the battlefield, adrenaline running high, he hadn’t even bothered to make himself presentable first. His hair was a mess, his armor stained with the remains of slain foes.
She waited for him beyond the door.
“Melea… Oh.”
His princess was seated beside Levan. She clung to his arm like a vine on a trellis, beaming like the moon on a cloudless night. Meleanor was drunk on the Dragon Duke.
He had never seen her so happy.
“Lilia! You’re here at last,” she called, waving him over. “Just in time.”
He glanced from her to Levan. “In time for what?”
“For our exciting announcement.” Meleanor wasn’t looking at him. Instead, she gazed adoringly at the man beside her. Somewhat shy. “Would you like to tell him? Or should I? Ooh, this is quite exciting."
Levan smiled softly—but Lilia could sense the slight discomfort in his eyes, the way they darted to his. Guilty acknowledgement, an awareness of betrayal.
I'm sorry, he seemed to say.
Lilia’s blood ran cold.
“I think you ought to tell him,” Levan suggested. His voice was gentle, but they felt like a slash to the throat, cutting deep.
Then Meleanor announced it, unable to contain the secret any longer. "We're getting married!!"
She showed her left hand. The flash of the silver band upon her fourth finger was unmistakable. A ring, binding them with a promise.
Together forever, those two.
Lilia’s world violently tilted. The castle crumbling, the sky collapsing around him. Yet he, the trained soldier, dug his feet in and stood his ground.
You've been bested. Admit it. Admit defeat...!!
He said the only word he could.
"Congratulations."
Lilia could make out the light at the other end of the tunnel now. The world beyond the walls and castle corridors. He knew the end of the story was fast approaching, and how it would sap his strength, his will to fight on.
Still, he continued.
“The new couple were soon expecting a baby. Someone much like yourself.” Lilia prodded at Silver’s flabby chin. “You’ll be graced with his presence soon enough. The princess’s legacy, Malleus Draconia… My responsibility these past 160 years.”
Silver gurgled.
“So enthusiastic. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into,” Lilia softly chided. “We fae and humans…”
… can never hope to understand each other.
"We fae and humans can understand each other," Levan would have countered him. "We can make it a reality."
Tiny hands wrapped around Lilia’s finger. His touch, fragile.
You can afford to be hopeful. It drew a bitter chuckle from his handler. Brief reprieve before the plummet into something deeper and darker than the night that guarded them.
“… In a period of great unrest, the duke went missing. The princess was beside herself with worry—yet she remained stalwart for her people, and for their child. She wished every night for her husband to come home safely.”
They had magical might, but the humans had numbers. Each battle, an exchange of hard blows, casualties high on both sides. Reports rolled in as frequently as bodies did.
The people grew concerned, and so she had donned her mask to reassure them. Stoney faced and strong atop her tower.
“We will recover the missing couriers. We will secure our land and resources. We will beat back the outsiders. Briar Country will rise victorious in the war. Man will rue the day they came upon our shores. This, I swear to you as your princess!!”
Uproarious cheering and applause for her, their sovereign. A goddess of victory.
But he, watching from the shadows, knew better than that. All those years roughhousing with her, and he knew.
The face she showed the public and the face she made in private were two sides of the same card. Princess, mother, wife, friend. So many roles, all of them she played with such strength.
Meleanor only slipped when she thought no eyes were on her. When the servants had all retired for the night, and the moon and its stars came out.
Pressing his back to the wall, Lilia shielded his candle’s small circle of light from view. The hallway was drenched in darkness again.
A few paces away, her chambers to which she retreated every evening with her egg. With her dear little Malleus.
He listened.
Soft whimpers sounded from the abyss. Sounds and sights she would not dare show her people.
A leader such as she could not afford to be weak. The same leader who clutched her child to her and furiously prayed for a happy ending.
“Levan, where are you? Come home… Come home, you idiotic, idealistic man!!”
CRASH!! BANG!! BOOM!!
Lightning lit up the sky. Lilia's flame trembled before righting itself.
Her voice dropped to a devious coo. "... I'm sorry, Malleus. Did that scare you? There, there. It's alright, your mother is here. Your father will be too... and when he does, I shall give him an earful for being away for so long!!"
He listened, for he was the only one who could. He listened until his lids began to droops. He listened until he had to tear himself away.
Before he knocked upon her door. Before he could tell her he was here, to please let him in. Before he could confess, “I miss him too.”
Hold her. Cry with her. Dream with her.
Ask for Levan back.
“I will never wish for anything more than this. Please. Please…!!”
He had listened then, but no one had listened to him in return. Not even the stars.
Cruel celestial beings, he cursed—if they would not grant his wish, then he would take matters into his own hands.
Levan…!!
Lilia swallowed thickly. His footfalls had grown heavy, as if weighed down by cinder blocks.
Silver sleepily gummed his finger. Oblivious as to what was to come.
“The conflict escalated.”
It had all happened so fast. Flying by, a blur. Time was not a concern to most fae—a year was barely the blink of an eye. Everything blending together into an indiscernible mush, taken down with ease.
But war never became more palatable. He had simply trained to become numb to it all. The strong smell of iron, the corpses piled high. It was sensory overload, the taste of too many things at once.
A crimson-eyed demon stood at the boundary of a burning village. Inhaled the fumes, smoke and flesh wrapped in fire. Witnessed the leaping flames stretching to the sky.
Who had lived here? Who had died here? Lilia thought of neither.
Had to, or he would fall to his knees and wail.
He held a small cloth doll, long black hair and red dress. Somehow it had survived the carnage. The lone survivor of a massacre. The rest had been slaughtered or evacuated from the area.
Abandoned, just as he had been.
His gaze lidded, fingers closing around the doll. "… As if it were a day. Everywhere I go, it will be in a blink of an eye. Far Cry Cradle.”
Memories arose, pulled by the strings of magic. They exploded across his vision like fireworks. Tinted green and blue and pink.
There was a ghostly child walking among the ruins, smiling as they clung to their mother, doll in their other hand. Daily life making the rounds in the village, helping with chores and playing games. Story events on fast forward.
Then came the knights stomping in their silver suits, masked fae cloaked in black. Buildings caving in, bodies falling, the clang of weapons colliding.
Screams.
Red, red, so much red.
The child horrified, dropping the doll. Staggering steps backward.
He barely cast an eye at them. Surveying the scene straight out of a hellish dream, he sought out a familiar shadow. Had he walked among them, seen the same things he had?
To no avail.
Lilia blinked, and it was the end.
He had not treaded along this path.
“… Damn it, Levan.” He gripped the doll harder—as if to squeeze out its secrets. Making me hunt you down like this...
“General Vanrouge.”
Lilia did not turn. “Baul.”
“Sir.” He saluted to his superior. “The troops are rested. We are prepared for the final march to the Eastern Fortress.”
“… Yes, I understand. Let’s move out.”
He let the doll fall to the ground. His hands now freed, he pulled his hood up.
“General?” Baul called tentatively.
“The weather is chilly today, don’t you think?” The question, dismissive. Lilia slipped his mask back on—a beastly bat, glaring, teeth protruding.
His tears hidden from view.
Baul nodded. “… Yes, it is. I will remind the men to bundle up, sir.”
He looked away. “Good.”
Lilia firmly set his jaw. “War came knocking at their door, claiming many lives… and threatening to take the princess and her child too.”
There was something automatically off about the fortress when they slipped in. The infiltration too smooth, the corridors too quiet.
Combing the building yielded few results. There was no Levan, no Dawn Knight. Only cowering staff and scattered humans in iron armor piloting sputtering metal monstrosities.
He cut them down the same as the rest. A mad boar, seeking a true challenge.
"Where are you?! Show yourself...!!" Lilia's demands were hollow in the empty hallways.
A demon snarling for sacrifice, the humans called him. A heartbroken dreamer, seeking the love that he had lost, his troops would whisper amongst themselves.
They found him at the end of a trail of carnage. Panting, sweating, hoarse. The lines between man and monster converged in Lilia Vanrouge.
Then the message was delivered, striking fear into the fearless fae.
"... What?"
The weapon in his hand faltered as realization ripped through him.
“Wild Rose Castle is under siege?!”
"She summoned her knight to her side.” Lilia’s voice quivered, growing small. You’re weak, he snarled at himself, so very, very weak.
Silver, too, seemed to sense the shift in him. He rubbed his cheek against the fae’s finger. Was he trying to comfort himself, or his newfound caretaker?
“The princess asked of him to take her child to safety somewhere far, far away. To forget her. It was her final selfish request for him.”
He had found her seated upon her throne, one arm curled around her precious egg, the other grasping her scepter. It was a sight so familiar, so safe, his chest lifted with relief. Lilia ran to her, calling her name.
"Meleanor-sama!!"
Her arm swept out in an arc, face twisted with fury. On command, a bolt of lightning crashed down in his path.
"Tch...!"
Tucking and rolling, Lilia darted off to the side, narrowly dodging the strike. Where he had once been was a massive scorch mark on the tiled floor.
“You’re LATE, Lilia!!” Meleanor roared. "What if something had happened to me or Malleus before you had arrived?!"
"Hah. As though you would allow that to happen," he scoffed. "You would kill the Silver Owls dead if I weren't here to stop you."
It was their usual game, a playful chase, the exchange of pokes and prods. Today, Meleanor had no such humor. Her expression turned from rage to one of eerie calm.
Lilia shivered.
"They've come for us," she whispered, hugging her egg tightly.
They had always known this day was a possibility. Now it was here, so palpable it was unreal.
From the bridge that ran to the castle came ugly chants twisted with hatred. Hot, oppressive, heavy. The sound like smoke snuffing out the daylight.
“Kill the witch!”
“Seize the castle!”
“Bring me the spoils!”
Horror raced through him.
“Let’s get you to safety, princess. Quickly, before they breach the drawbridge. My men can only hold them off for so long—”
She rose from her throne, descending from her dais. Her stride was not urgent, not eager to flee—the pace closer to the kind one might set for a garden stroll.
Meleanor faced her knight with a small smile. The same one she offered right before suggesting some sort of mischief.
“Lilia.”
“Princess…?”
“I refuse to run.” Her eyes flickered like green fire. “I will stand and fight.”
Panic pulsed in his ears.
“What?! Of all the foolish, hard-headed decisions you’ve made… This is absolutely the most foolish and the most hard-headed one!! I won’t let you go out there. I can’t. You’ll be…!”
A fist closed around his throat. The word died there, half-formed.
“What is it that you wish to say? That I will be hurt? Killed?” Meleanor challenged. So steadfast, so brazen. “You think so little of your princess.”
“This is NOT the time to argue the technicalities!! We need you safe and well, Meleanor-sama. Think of your people! Think of Levan, your child...!"
Think of me.
She bared her teeth. “What is my power for, if not to protect those I love?”
Her gaze lowered to her egg, then to Lilia. “... You must flee to Black Scale Castle. They will not be able to follow you that deep into the mountain range.”
"I won’t abandon you. If you will stay, then let me fight alongside you as your sword and shield!"
"You have already done plenty for me. Do not mean to play the role of martyr too." Meleanor straightened, looking the part of a regal ruler. “You must go. I have guests to receive.”
"Argh, you stubborn princess!! How will you fight by yourself when you have your child to consider?"
"That," she laughed softly, "is a simple riddle."
His eyes sharpened with recognition of her next scheme. Meleanor wordlessly deposited the egg into Lilia’s arms. It was warm, humming from within the shell.
A life yet to be born, wishes yet to come true.
“I am entrusting you with Malleus,” she murmured sadly. “Please take care of him in his parents' absence."
“Don’t speak that way!!" Lilia snapped.
Don't speak as though we will never meet again, as though this is the final page of our story.
“In the first place, I could never… I can’t raise this child. I don’t know what it is like to love—not the way you and Levan do. I’ve never had parents. I can’t be one, not when I don’t understand that kind of love!”
Meleanor’s face softened. “But you love me, don’t you? And you love Levan too.”
He nodded. Slow, hesitant. “We were young. It was a long time ago,” Lilia mumbled.
“You love us,” she grinned, “so surely you are capable of loving our child, the product of our love—and Malleus will feel that. He will respond to you.”
“I’m not…”
“You are deserving of love, Lilia.” This, Meleanor spoke firmly. “Do not let yourself believe otherwise. I shall never forgive you if you do.”
The shouts were growing louder. The castle shuddered, stopped, and shuddered again. Doors being rammed at, forced open.
“Go,” Meleanor hisses. “This is an order from your princess. You cannot refuse.”
She had told that to him many times before. In dreams, in their games. Now, it hurt to hear more than any blow he had taken from battle.
Something in him gave, and instead of stepping away, he stepped forward. Inching closer to the woman out of his reach, but never touching her.
“I’m scared,” Lilia confessed, quiet as snowfall. “What if I lose you like we lost Levan?”
Then I will be alone again.
“Be not afraid,” she reassured him. Meleanor did not meet him in the eyes.
“Do you promise we will meet again?” he pressed. The egg felt as molten as magma against his armor. “Do you swear?”
BAM!!
The grounds shook—the Silver Owls had successfully taken down a set of barricaded doors.
The cries had reached a fever pitch. Boots trampling upon the sacred grounds. Louder than ever.
Meleanor’s expression darkened, turning grave. It was the look of men at midnight, alone in the woods. Hollow, haunted, unsure of their fate.
No.
“No…!!”
He launched himself at his princess, a hand outstretched for hers. She made no effort to reach for his.
Did not have to.
Lilia fell short, his foot snagging on something. He instinctively twisted his body, shielding the egg in his arms from the floor. His gaze tore to his ankle, where bramble has sprouted up and tangled itself with him.
More thorns crept up around him, swallowing the ceiling, the walls. They latched onto his limbs, dragging him away, away from her. He grunted, struggling against them, against his fate.
Her doing, her magic.
"... Farewell, Lilia."
Tears prickled. His voice raised, pleading with her.
"Meleanor-sama, don't do this.”
She walked past him and ahead, forever out of his grasp.
"Farewell, Malleus."
He tried again, even knowing it was futile.
The bramble was weaving together, forming a tough wall between him and her.
"Meleanor-sama...!"
Through the last opening, a perfect circular window, she uttered her final words to him. That knowing, daring grin. Eyes beholding a gleam brighter than starlight.
"May the Night bless you."
And then she was lost to him forever.
"MELEANOR!!!"
Lilia laid a hand upon the ajar doors to the fallen castle. Fingers curled. At last, he had made it to the frame separating the inside from out.
“... That was the last time the princess was ever heard of. The end to her tragedy.”
He summoned his strength and broke free, entering the waiting night.
The moon, a spotlight for the two.
Silver bristled as he felt his first cool breeze. Still, he did not fully burrow into his blanket—for his glimpse of the stars stilled that instinct. That's right, Lilia thought, of course he would be enchanted. It's his first sky.
Many firsts.
"If you like that, you'll be excited to know that it's always changing. There are a number of new skies to see. It follows us wherever we go."
So we will never be alone.
The sky, so sprawling, so grand. So accustomed to everything and anything.
His small, lonely, insignificant existence was nothing compared to it.
Ah.
A single tear rolled down his cheek, landing on Silver's nose. The infant stilled, feeling the wetness upon his skin.
Lilia furiously wiped it away, then rubbed at his traitorous eyes. The sadness failed to recede, the memories welling. Promises, hopes, dreams dredged up. Yesterdays calling out to him.
"... You lied, Meleanor,” Lilia rasped into the night. “You told me I would be stuck with you for a long time. So why… Why did you have to leave us so soon?”
A thousand swords stabbed into his chest. The pain radiated outward, a bloody bloom.
"It’s not fair," he sobbed, hanging his head. "It’s not fair at all. Meleanor, Levan… You’ve gone off together to a place I cannot reach, a place I cannot run to. You’ve left me behind. How am I meant to go on like this?”
I'm scared. I’m scared of the dawn and the tomorrows it will bring. Tomorrows without her and him in them. Tomorrows I must face alone.
More tears, plip, plip. A light drizzle upon Silver's face.
The infant stared up through aurora eyes. Not understanding, not knowing anything.
"How could I...”
Lilia’s voice caught on something sharp. He took a trembling gulp.
How could I learn to love you? When your kind, your very father, has taken nearly everything from me?
"... Hey, Silver."
The child cooed, as if in recognition of his own name. More likely, just responding to the sound of Lilia's voice.
Silver, the color of his hair. Silver, the shine of cloud linings. Silver, the start of something new.
"Tell me. What should I do?" Lilia's forehead and his touched.
Silver kicked his bendy little legs at the contact. Flailed his arms.
“Please guide me. I’m lost." He choked up. "I’m… so lost.”
Be the moonlight that guides me in the darkness. When all hope is lost and the stars have gone out, there will always be a silver light illuminating the path out of the black forest.
Show me the way, Silver.
“Show me if I can truly love you from the bottom of my heart.”
Lilia hugged the child to him. Felt his heartbeat, the same throbbing warmth that had radiated from Malleus’s egg.
After all that time alone amid the bramble… He was here. He was alive.
Up until her final moments, she had been thinking of them. Of this. The people she cared for, a baby not yet born.
The love he had let go, the love he had lost, the love he was he had to learn… It slipped away from him so easily, like grains of sand sifting between his fingers.
Lilia sighed with his entire body. The wind, drying his tears. He looked again at the child he had taken.
Silver giggled when he saw Lilia’s face. The boy’s eyes were clear. An unclouded, colorful aurora.
A weight in his chest lifted.
“… Did you enjoy that sad story?”
No answer, but a bop on his nose. Unintentional, he was sure.
Lilia rubbed at the place where he had been struck. There was no wound, no mark. Just a rapidly fading warmth where Silver's small fist had connected.
“… Silly thing,” he groused. In spite of himself, a stuttering chuckle rose from his throat. “If it will keep you from making needless noise, then I will tell you as many stories as you like. You need only promise to not laugh if I shed another tear.”
Silver squealed—close enough of a confirmation for him.
Lilia tried smiling. The corners of his mouth quiver before giving up.
Meleanor’s parting words floated to him. “May the Night bless you.” With that, it was the end of her tale.
The very same words uttered anew, a blessing for the boy once blonde. A fresh chance, the beginning of a new story.
Lilia looked to the horizon.
The first rays of sun were peering through the darkness. Gold streaking black in small slivers. Dawn had arrived.
A new chapter to their fairy tale.
184 notes · View notes
anundyingfidelity · 1 month
Text
I'M A RUIN — Soldier Boy/Ben (Part IV)
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Series summary: After the events of the Seven Tower, you present Grace Mallory a new secret project you're working on already to develop a cure to Compound V. The only problem? You need Soldier Boy for that.
Pairing: Soldier Boy/Ben x female reader.
Word count: 2.8k.
Warnings for series: set after S3 (spoilers), some OOC!Ben, some depressed!Ben, angst, hurt/comfort, eventual smut, slow-burn, language, PTSD, reader has Compound V (she's no Vought supe tho), Soldier Boy being an usual asshole, reader is a fucking liar.
Warnings on this chapter: Reader's parents are fucking irresponsible and disgusting people, mentions of a dead parent, Homelander!!!! (he's a fucking warning), sexual assault (touching, kissing, etc.) and some after thoughts, you know the usual questionable stuff on TB universe, Ben's point of view and presence=red flag.
Notes: more about reader's past in here! And just want to add that this is how i imagine her suit on this chapter. I'm also using a lot of inspo from Sue Storm of the Fantastic Four because I love her, so yeah. And thanks so much for reading it means a lot to me! ^^
this fic tags: @k-slla @syrma-sensei @mostlymarvelgirl @cheynovak @drasticemotions @blacknoirr @deans-spinster-witch
☕ if you like my writing, support me with a ko-fi !
get yourself in the taglist!
Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | | Part VIII
GEN MASTERLIST! — SERIES MASTERLIST!
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Part IV: Countdown
2009
"Spectrum, turn around, please," the lady on the other side of the camera ordered.
You did as she told, turning slowly and showing a complete view of your suit. Made of unstable molecules, the suit was your best creation at the time. It was all white with black details, and finally you had something covering your whole body that'd turn invisible when you commanded. Your boots were the same, specially built to disappear and blend with your powers when needed.
"Great, show us what you can do," the woman said.
You nodded, your heart beating so hard on your chest. You didn't want to fuck it up. Not for your mother. She was the main reason why you were there in the first place. You took a deep breath, with eyes closed you raised your palms at your chest level and created a force field around your figure. The force fields you learnt to make over the years of self training were like gigantic bubbles that allowed you to float around if you said so, and they protected you or anyone or anything they were covering.
The camera, the couch, the table, and any single thing you found in the room were now surrounded by the fields, lifting them up a couple of feet from the surface. And once you thought it was enough, they landed slowly on their place, the fields vanished just like the one around yourself. Though the lady on the other side didn't seem amused or surprised.
"I also turn invisible," you said for the first time after your personal presentation was over.
"Go on," she plainly answered.
And within seconds, you slowly disappeared from her sight. The fabric of the suit faded away.
"I created this special costume to turn invisible without, you know, being naked," you commented.
Still, there was no clear answer on the face of the woman. She was just busy taking notes and filming your audition with the steady camera on the table. She said nothing, her eyes glued to her writing. Disappointed, you made yourself visible again.
"That's impressive!"
You gasped. It was that voice you heard so many times on TV. His steps came closer and he stopped by your side with a smile on his face.
"Homelander," the woman called with a wide, fake grin. "You weren't supposed to be in here."
"Just passing by, wanted to say hi. I'm really amazed by you, darling."
You tried to smile the best you could. But you were so tense and flustered now that he was in front of you. Your childhood hero, coming to see you at your audition. Even before you got a clear response from Vought. It felt like a dream. Any child had dreamt of it at some point.
You grew up with him and the Seven. He was one of the reasons you forgot every single problem and responsibility your dysfunctional, selfish family put you through from a young age. To them, you were just a doll to play with and show off. The perfect daughter. But seeing the Seven was totally different. You wanted to be like them. Too sad this part was also linked to your mother and her self-centered shit. If only...
"Thank you," you barely answered with a soft voice, looking down on your boots.
"I've been out there, hesitating if I should come in, since you created those force fields. Wow!" he praised, making you chuckle. "You left the door open on purpose, didn't you two?"
All you could do was chuckle again, you felt your cheeks burning at his banter. He smiled along with you before turning his eyes to the lady.
"Hey, Greta. Can you leave us alone for a moment?"
"But I have to-"
Homelander chuckled, cutting her words. "Absolutely no, I can continue for you. Remember?"
Greta, as he called her, swallowed thickly and her eyes switched between you and the supe. "Sure, sir."
She lifted herself up from the chair, took her things and went out. You noticed the camera was still in place, that meant it was still rolling.
Once the door closed. "So..." he began, walking a circle around you. "How'd you create this... costume of yours?"
"Well, I like science," you nervously smiled, playing with your glove-covered hands. He passed by your face this time and paced around one more time. "It took me a while to figure out how but I did something with the molecules, created my own patent of the matter and did this complete costume."
Homelander stopped at your back. He hummed. "Smart. Tell me..."
His pause made you answer what he was looking for. "Spectrum."
"Spectrum, why do you want to be part of the Seven so bad?"
Homelander dragged your alias with a dark voice, one that replaced the long warm and welcoming tone he had with you at first. You licked your lips, anxious and out of words. Once behind your figure, he angled himself so close to one of your ears that you felt his hot breath on your skin.
"So? I know you have something to say, dear."
"I- I just want to help others... Do what you guys do..."
The next thing you felt was the supe's strong body pressing on your ass. You gasped loudly as his hands grabbed the sides of your hips forcing you to fall back against his chest.
"Go on," Homelander whispered.
One of his hands roamed over your stomach slowly, right under your breasts, and you were absolutely caged on his grip. You took deep breaths, closing your eyes as he touched you over the suit.
"I- I know science, I told you. Also I can help the team w-with new inventions of my own... Create technology t-to fight very bad threats," you stuttered.
"Mmmh, yeah, I like the sound of that," Homelander chuckled against your neck, his lips tracing soft and unwanted kisses on your skin.
"Please- ah!"
He harshly pushed you against his groin. Your breath caught in your throat at the feel of his crotch. This wasn't what you thought it was. This was not what your mother signed you up for.
"Tell me, did your father know how much of a fucking slut you are?" Homelander hissed, his hand cupping your covered breast.
Something inside you emerged at his question. His touch was disgusting and it was making you sick and the mention of your father, your dead father, made it even worse.
"What do you know about him?" you asked in a dark whisper, still planning your next move.
Deep inside, you were scared of Homelander, it was a new face he had yet to show to the world.
"Just the basics, honey," he said plainly, forcing you to walk with a grip on your arm. The supe sat on the couch and pushed you to his lap. "He was quite the rich man, Edgar knew you'd be a great deal to the company, well, your money of course."
You let out a gasp. "What?"
"Honey, he was one of our most valuable shareholders," he playfully answered, his hands cupping your cheeks.
And it clicked. Your mother supported your dream just because she'd still be getting profits from Vought. The firm was now under her name, and she needed something more to strengthen the relationship between Vought and your father's inheritance. The fucking witch. And then, your father. He was the one financing this piece of shit sitting between your legs. Were all supes like this behind their masks? If so, fucking crap. Everything you believed in was bullshit. A circus. And they clowned you so well. And above all, the sickening man that had been touching you without your permission the past endless minutes...
"Oh, poor thing, you didn't know," Homelander's intense blue eyes widened when he immediately noticed your confused, blank face.
Your eyes filled with tears and still, you refused to cry in front of the asshole you once admired.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of you here with us," he smirked. His fingers on your neck, feeling your pulse. You closed your eyes so hard, your nose wrinkled and you held back a sob when his hand added pressure around your collar. He leaned closer, his lips finding yours in a sloppy kiss as you tried to resist his touch. "So fucking useful," Homelander whispered against your lips. He gave you that mischievous grin of his. You shivered. "I can't wait to ruin you. Every single inch of you."
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The same past memory of Homelander haunted you the next day. The way you found out about your father's business with Vought and how the supes showed their real faces was the main reason you were here now.
You remembered you had to hit Homelander as hard as you could to escape from him and use your force field to protect yourself before running away and leaving the tower, fully invisible. Not that it was a great help since Homelander had a lot of abilities with his vision, and he could hear the beating of your heart miles away, but for you, it was worth the try. It was a surprise he didn't follow you that day. Instead, Vought got a new deal with your mother for the budget and you hated that. You cut all communication with what was left of your family after that day, knowing it could've been so much worse.
Homelander and Vought, however, were after you now. And he was a difficult face to forget. Not only because he was faking everything from the public but because Vought was after your father's money. And deciding to step away from all the illegal stuff they did, you left for college. Science was always a part of you and it's what got you here, under Grace Mallory and the CIA, doing different jobs you were not so proud of, but now, you were looking for a cure. It was all that mattered those days, until you found out that your mother had been experimented on during her pregnancy. A fucking lie. That's what your life was. That's why she cheered you to go to that stupid audition and fell into the hands of that monster at twenty-three years old.
The thought of your father supporting the horrid things Vought and the Seven did for decades was unbearable, and since Homelander's visit the night before caused those memories and nightmares to be back. It took a great effort to get out of bed and come to work that day. You'd make sure to compensate yourself for it later. But now, you were in a hurry to your daily session with Soldier Boy. You saved your phone in the pocket of your trousers after checking the time as you walked down the aisle, grabbing tightly the report of your patient with your other hand. Well, thirty minutes late wasn't nothing.
"Doctor!" you heard a female voice running towards you in the halls that made you turn on your heels. It was your young assistant.
"Hey, Bianca. What's wrong?" you asked as you noticed she was a little out of breath.
"We ran another test. The supe survived," she blurted, handing you a tablet that you didn't take. Sometimes the change in the results was minimal.
"That's great. Any significant improvements?"
"Well, just minimal effects. Right now some fever, fatigue, dehydration, and uhm, low pulse."
You sighed after another illusion. "Right. I don't think those are minimal effects, Bianca. Please check our patient and see how the powers are working. Run blood tests, all tests you can and then you can provide me the results. I'm a little busy right now."
She nodded with a shy smile, looking around subtly. "Sure."
You smiled back as best as you could. "Anything else?"
"No, it's just- I see you go this way a lot," Bianca pointed to the direction you were heading with her gaze. "That's Soldier Boy, isn't he?"
Your brows furrowed. "Why you ask?"
"Nothing, well, my grandpa used to talk about him all the time," she giggled. "I was just curious, sorry."
"No problem. I get it. But I really have to go, please make sure those results are on my desk by the end of the day," you ordered kindly.
"I will."
"Thanks, Bianca."
With that, you gave a last smile and began your walk again away from her, slower than before. For some reason something was off since you entered the building. It felt different. Totally weird. For the record, since Homelander threatened to have your head off, you paid twice the attention to your surroundings and the people around. You didn't know if there was something big planning right now in front of your nose. You just walked a couple of feet when you felt someone following behind, that was probably watching over you. In a swift movement, you turned on your heels but no one was there. The aisle was empty.
Bianca was already gone and almost no one would wander on this wing of the building, for obvious reasons. With caution you resumed your steps, telling yourself that you were not going insane.
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"Robert Singer and I have been hard at work bridging the divide between the human and Superhuman communities. I've seen that divide firsthand in my three years running the FBSA—"
Ben scoffed, taking the TV controller to turn the screen off. "Bullshit."
He stood in the middle of the room with nothing but a towel hanging down his hips after taking a shower, taking the last smoke of his blunt. He grew tired of waiting for you, so he just took a shower and now, everything on the fucking channels was the stupid campaign by Victoria Neuman being supported by Vought and the fucking brat he was supposed to call his son.
With a deep breath, he finished the weed and threw the remains on the ashtray over the new coffee table. His mind started to wander away, realizing he had been a little calm the last couple of days after he almost blew up the fucking place to the ground. Inside, Ben knew your words and actions were a lot of help for the small sense of serenity that started to grow within his chest after that moment. Absolutely that was something he wouldn't admit, ever. But if he was to say, he was actually relieved.
Taking a look around, his place was not that big of a mess. You were certainly used to his clothes around the floor and the sofas, so it wasn't really important. What he found annoying though was you pushing him to read the stupid books and write down his feelings. He wasn't going to do that. If you were there to medicate him, so be it. He wondered why you took so long to do it. Probably he should be stoned enough to not feel anything. That was fucking better.
Just as he started to go over his mental plan to get the hell out of your prison, the door opened. He smirked at your sight. As always, an useless armed man standing behind your figure. You dispatched the guard and stepped inside Soldier Boy's place, the door closing with a loud sound.
You stopped your tracks just a few steps away from him. He noticed your eyes tracing his half bare body in a quick motion, before turning to his face with an arrogant smirk on your lips.
"See something you like, sweetheart?" Ben teased.
With a light chuckle, you held your head high. "Don't be delusional, it's just basic instinct."
"Believe me, I fucking know that," he snarked, taking over your figure with his green eyes the same way you did before. "Basic instinct."
You rolled your eyes. "So," you sat down in your usual place to start the session, making a pile of three of his shirts in the empty space. "Make yourself decent and then we can continue."
Ben took some sweatpants and a shirt from the floor and started to dress himself in front of you, without much care. He smirked as you turned away your gaze to focus on the report lying on your lap.
"You're late," he remarked, taking his own seat once he was done with his clothes.
"Yeah, I had some things to do," you mumbled going through the pages. "But I see we can start now."
He took a deep breath, staring into the distance. "Don't make it boring."
You grimaced, looking back at him. "Can't promise that."
Ben sensed a playfulness coming from you. Could it be that, after recieving your comforting words, he was seeing another side of you? Like the side that would actually trust him, because you still arrived. You were sitting in front of him. You were with him, in the same fucking room where the sun was far from getting. Yeah, you were there but he was too full of ego to bring his walls down again. He wanted to convince himself he wasn't vulnerable. He knew he was more than that. He was Soldier Boy, the man who had to stop Homelander and his fucking kid.
He smirked. "Well, sugar, I can ask you to try."
95 notes · View notes
alocon · 2 months
Text
A Soulmate Who Wasn't Meant To Be [6] - Max Verstappen
written by alocon
Note: Name and Part One based on the song A Soulmate Who Wasn't Meant To Be by Jess Benko
Summary: After a lot of rumours on twitter, all is revealed in an episode of your podcast
Before you read: Use of Y/N (sorry!!), angst (kind of), THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SENSITIVE CONTENT. LIST BELOW, PLEASE BE WARNED THAT IT WILL CONTAIN CHAPTER SPOILERS. Look after yourself
WARNINGS: Discussion of pregnancy, loss of a child, and other difficult subjects such as mental health and cheating
NOTE: There is social media at the end which is important to the story but I can summarise at the start of the next chapter so don't worry if you can't read this, you will get a summary next chapter x
fc: Blanca Soler
[Previous Part Here][The Masterlist]
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A Soulmate Who Wasn't Meant To Be [Part Six] - MV¹
youruser
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liked by maxverstappen1 and others
youruser: Hi all! I know that recently there have been a lot of rumours about the end of the 2018 season and my break up with Max, as well as allegations of me cheating on him. I have already discussed these rumours and clearly stated that it is not true, as has Max. However, I feel that you still haven't been given enough of an explanation on the situation as a whole and I am finally in a situation where I am able to talk about it. I am making this post for a fair warning that this episode of my podcast will contain themes which may be sensitive to some individuals. The warning list is written below...see more
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maxverstappen1: Proud of you for being able to discuss that
youruser: Thank you Max
user1: Any guests or just you?
youruser: Me, Max, Charles, Seb and Kimi
user2: Not her trying to make money out of this situation
youruser: As has been stated since I started my podcast in 2018, all money goes straight to charity. Earnings from this week's episode goes to The Pregnancy Association of Europe, a charity that looks into why pregnancy goes wrong, if there is a way to prevent it and gets help for those who suffer loss during pregnancy. (A/N: MADE UP CHARITY FOR THE STORY X)
charles_leclerc: Might've cried a little bit whilst filming this, but I think we all did.
maxverstappen1: I did
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Pole Position Podcast - Episode 75: Let’s Talk Babies w. KR7, SV5, CL16 and MV33
Y: YOU, M: MAX, C: CHARLES, S: SEB, K: KIMI
The podcast started off with Seb sitting in the middle of the sofa. There were two people sitting beside him: Charles and Max. Then, on one of the mini seats to one side of the sofa was Kimi and to the other was an empty seat for you, you were behind the camera. 
Y: This is a very different episode of the podcast. Right, can we check our audio syncs up before we start? 
You placed your headphones on, counting down for everyone to clap. They did and the audio synced up perfectly from each mic. You returned to your seat. The table, which was usually bare apart from the notes from the episode, including questions and other things, had no paper, instead having a variety of foods. You looked at the camera. 
Y: Alright, hello everyone. Welcome to the Pole Position podcast. Hope you’re all doing well. This is episode 75 and I am here with four lovely people, rather than one or two like I usually do. So, one by one would you guys like to introduce yourselves? Char maybe it’s best if you start because you’ve done this many times before?
C: *he nodded* Hello everyone, I’m Charles Leclerc. I am a Formula One driver who drives for Scuderia Ferrari. I’ve been on this podcast a lot. I’m basically the co-host at this point.
You chuckled
M: Hi, I’m Max Verstappen, I am a Formula One driver who drives for Red Bull, and a 3 time world champion.
S: I’m Sebastian Vettel, a retired Formula One driver who has driven for BMW Sauber, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin. I am a 4 time world champion.
K: And I’m Kimi Raikkonen, also a retired Formula One driver who has driven for McLaren, Ferrari (twice), Lotus and Alfa Romeo… Did I miss one?
Y: Sauber, right? When they were sponsored by Red Bull and Petronas?
K: How did you remember that and I didn’t? You’re basically a child.
Y: How am I the child here, both of those two are younger than me.
C: Wait, we are?
M: Yes??? She’s August 23rd, I’m September 30th, you’re October 16th.
C: 1997? *He looked at you, still confused*
Y: Yes, how did you not know that? We’ve known each other since we were 3, Charles.
C: I thought you were ‘98 for some reason.
K: Come on, even I knew that.
You clapped your hands, getting everyone’s attention.
Y: Right, back on track. Today’s episode is a more emotional one. As you know, when I started my podcast, I didn't really properly explain why I started it. I kind of summarised it, I think I said that it was something recommended by my therapist to talk about life. But I’ve never really used it to talk about the deep stuff. So today we’re going to talk about why I actually started this podcast and what happened in late 2018.
Y: I know people will be wondering why I need 4 other people to explain this with me. After the end of 2018, my brain kind of suppressed most of the more minor details and stuff so some of it I don’t remember much of, which is why these 4 are here, to kind of put all of the pieces together. So… Where do we start? With the breakup or the tests?
C: What one happened first?
M: You told me that the tests happened on Thursday evening so maybe the breakup.
Y: Alright. Max, do you want to take the lead on this one?
He nodded.
M: Alright so I broke up with Y/N on the Thursday morning before the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2018, aka Media Day. In hindsight, that was a really shitty thing to do. Everyone was really surprised by it because I absolutely was a dickhead when we split up. However, what I should’ve done is been completely honest and discussed my reasoning. I broke up with Y/N because my dad threatened me with an inappropriate sexual photo of her which he had somehow got his hands on. Likely egged on by Christian. I didn’t know how he got his hands on it, I don’t know what happened, but he had threatened to have it leaked if I didn’t break up with her, so I deemed it for the best and I did it. But the real issue was that I didn’t tell her why. I didn’t keep her in my life, I completely pushed her away. Again, a beyond stupid mistake, possibly the worst of my life. 
Y: Yeah, so that happened, it impacted me pretty badly. 
S: I think that’s an understatement there, no?
K: Just a bit. I remember her completely breaking down to me over it straight after it happened because she didn’t want to worry you two and she didn’t want to ruin Max’s friendship with Charles.
Seb, Charles and Max all looked at you. This was new information for the three of them. 
M: I’m still, genuinely really sorry about that. I feel so bad about the way I did it. 
Y: Max I’ve already forgiven you for it.
M: And yet I will apologise until the day we die if you let me.
C: ANYWAYS, so then in the evening I get a text from her basically saying “Hey, can you come over, it’s kind of important.” And I know this woman’s tendency to underreact in situations so when she said kind of, I took it as “likely very important” and headed straight there.
Y: Do I underreact or do you overreact?
M: Both
K: Both
S: Both
Y: Great.
You reached for a tortilla chip that was in a bowl on the table and took a bite after dipping it in salsa.
Y: So Charles comes over, asks what's wrong without hesitating. I didn’t even get a hi out, just opened the door and boom. Question. So I explained to him how I had been feeling kind of weird and I’d been feeling sick and tired all the time but it had been happening for a couple weeks and I knew it wasn’t sickness. That’s as far as I remember before the tests.
C: So I was like “oh, that’s weird. Have you had your period recently?” You said no but it didn’t usually anyway, I don’t know how it works.
Y: Basically, a side effect of the contraceptive pill that I take is that it stops my period. So either way I wouldn’t know just from that sign.
M: You still take it?
Y: Yeah, I do.
M: Are you actually getting laid?
Y:... Anyways, moving on.
Max laughed at that as Charles continued talking.
C: So, because it would probably cause some media attention if she went to buy tests or I went, we asked Hanna to and she was more than happy to. So she and Seb came over with pregnancy tests and dinner and like a LOT of ice cream just in case because we decided that we can risk our trainers yelling at us to cheer her up. I was not aware that her and Max had broken up by this point. I don’t think any of us except those two were.
K: And me.
C: And Kimi. 
S: So anyways, me and Hanna come over and we sit on the bed and talk whilst Y/N is downing water like there is no tomorrow, you know, so she could take the tests. And then she did the tests and we spent the next 5 minutes talking whilst we ate some of our food and then she checked the test and she was pregnant. We were all happy for her because, and correct me if I’m wrong here, guys, weren’t you two like kind of casually trying at this point?
Max looked at you and you smiled, indicating that he could answer.
M: Kind of. We were to the point where we wouldn’t complain about being parents so it was a kind of situation of “if it happens, it happens but if not, so what”.
C: So then she got a little upset and we were like “why are you sad, weren’t you guys okay if this happened?” and that’s when she told us that they had split up earlier that day. So, really, like god awful timing. 
Y: The rest of that evening was just kind of like them cheering me up. I tried to contact Max but he had blocked me, which I didn’t really understand at that point.
M: It was so I could not call or text because I didn’t want the photo to be leaked.
You nodded.
Y: So I think it was me, Charles, Seb, Hanna, Kimi, Minttu, Lew, and Val, except Lewis and Valtteri didn’t actually know. The others did though. I think, before this podcast gets released, the only people who know are the people here, Christian Horner, Fred Vasseur, Hanna, Minttu, my mother…
M: Christian knew?
Y: Yeah, we’ll get into that later, though. And Fred knew because I had to call him to be like “I have to go to the hospital about this tomorrow, I can’t race this weekend. And he’s family to me. So rather than racing, I went to the hospital. Hanna and Minttu came with me. Turns out I was 8 weeks along. I was like “shit, if I have this baby I’m going to miss so much racing” but apparently I was safe to drive after the 20 week mark until like the start of the 8th month as long as I was more careful than usual and got check ups after every race. SO overall I would’ve missed maybe like 6 races, so I was like, right. I should tell Christian, you know? Warn him. So I told Christian and he instantly started complaining, being like “What if this what if that? This is why we should’ve hired a man to drive”, that kind of stuff. But I think that was the heat of the moment. But then he doesn’t change and he tells my mother for some reason because he knows her and she kicks off and basically disowns me and tells me that I am not making a good choice and that I’m crazy and stuff. Fun. Anyways, going into December, I was really really overwhelmed. I don’t know what it was like from an outside perspective but it was shit from mine. 
K: Terrifying.
You all turned to look at Kimi. The entire 20 minutes of the podcast so far, he hadn’t had much to say, which you got because he’s Kimi Raikkonen.
K: From an outsider perspective it was terrifying. From my perspective, at least. Seeing the way you were so stressed and you wouldn’t eat as much. You were no longer happy, you were constantly anxious, even about how you looked, if people could tell, if you weren’t looking as nice even though you looked fine. It was really scary seeing you go down such a path, especially after everything your mother said to you. 
You sniffled slightly, getting emotional as you never really publicly opened up about this stuff. Charles and Seb agreed at this point.
Y: So then, a couple weeks into December, I can’t remember the exact date.
C: December 11th.
Y: December 11th, I was feeling strange. I had really bad stomach pain. Like awful. I just figured, for some reason, that it was because of the fact I hadn’t eaten much yet that day so I decided to sleep it off, see if I felt better in the morning. And, before we get into this, this may be slightly graphic and it’s a lot more graphic than I described to Max and Seb and Kimi so please be warned. I wake up in the morning, about 3am. And I sat up in my bed and I felt something wet on my lower body. So I was like “What the fuck” and I turn on the light and, uhm.
You paused, taking a deep breath in an attempt not to cry. You felt a hand slip into yours and squeeze. You looked to see Max looking at you with those soft, beautiful eyes. He was looking at you in the most gentle of ways. You felt yourself tipping over the edge slightly, voice cracking as you began to speak again.
Y: I turned on my light and I just saw red. Like, my bedsheets, which were usually white, were just red. Everything was red. I don’t remember too much after that, other than just feeling numb. Charles had been staying with me at that point. Max had just moved out and Charles’ apartment had flooded so I invited him to stay in my house until the apartment was sorted. I don’t really remember much, I don’t know if you do, Char.
C: I do. May I?
You nodded.
C: So I wake up because I hear a scream. Like not a happy one. Just a shocked sounding scream. So of course I went straight into her room to see if she was okay and the lower half of her bed was covered in blood, her shorts, her legs were all just covered in blood. It was, excuse the explanation, like something out of a horror movie. And she just… kind of sat there. Frozen. It was like she couldn’t move or speak, she just sat there. Kind of void of all emotion on her face other than her crying. I remember taking her phone and calling her baby doctor person, because she gave her phone for emergencies. And she answered and I apologised for calling so late and explained the situation because of the amount of blood just… Didn’t look normal. And she said to take her to the hospital if I was concerned. So I did and we went to the hospital and they sorted everything out. I don’t remember exactly what it was but either way we went home and we spent the next week or so just camping in, eating junk food, trying to relax and at least attempting to be calmer. I think it wasn’t until the new year that you told Christian. 
Y: Yeah, I started therapy like a week after the miscarriage. And then, on the 29th of December was when you two, Han and Mina found out, I think?
S: Yeah, I remember Hanna sitting down when we got there.
K: You being late, as usual
S: Yeah, yeah. So Hanna asked how you and nugget were, which is what we had nicknamed the baby and you just kind of cracked. You started crying and they asked what was wrong and that’s when you told us that you had miscarried. So we went out and tried to make sure you had the best day of your life. 
Y: That’s where the photo came from as well. The photo of me and the “mystery guy” whose face was blanked out was just a photo of me and Charles hugging because I got a little upset. I will post the photo here and if you’re listening on Spotify or Apple music, the screenshot of the story with the date attached is on my Instagram story highlights.
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Y: So then I told Christian and he told my mother once again and also then proceeded to use it against me. BUT that’s all we have time for today. If anyone wants, we can do an episode purely based on my RBR treatment. Just let us know. Have a lovely day, I’ve been your host Y/N and we will see you next time.
Max, Kimi, Seb and Charles all said goodbye before the episode ended.
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-Word Count: 2.6k-
Hi all!! Here's part 6, more drama unfolding. This story will continue to slander Christian Horner btw. In this story he is an awful person because it made the plot better x Anyways hope you enjoyed Max going on a podcast (well, two) because she asked him to so it was worth going on. Have a good day x Alocon
Taglist: @c-losur3 @itsjustkhaos @reidsworld @d3kstar
98 notes · View notes
misguidedasgardian · 8 months
Text
I need to (9)
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... Remember
MASTERLIST
Summary: It turns out, you can’t outrun the past 
Pairings: Cregan Stark x Fem!Reader 
Warnings: MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS cursing, talks about cheating and inappropriate relationship, angst, fluff, hints of blackmail, gaslighting, this is awful, might contain some triggers regarding psychological abuse relationships, and relationship with power imbalances, toxic relationship
Wordcount: 3.998 k how cool 😂
Notes: Can’t believe we are already in the 9th chapter! what a trip! hehe Anyways, like it was said in the warnings... it gets a bit angsty
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Cregan was nervous
Really nervous 
His room was a mess, his bed completely covered by clothes, his own clothes, that he had tried on and then discarded for different reasons
“This one is too formal”
“This one has a small hole in it”
“This one makes you look like a creep”
“This one makes you look like you just ended filming Aegon’s conquest history channel remake“
All commented by Jace
“Dude it is going to be fine! just a shirt and some jeans will do”, said Jace, “maybe a button up shirt with jeans, clean jeans…”
“I want to make this special”, he said, “like, enough that it looks like I care… but not enough that she thinks she is under dressed”, he continued
“Wow”
“I really like her, I want this to go well”, he looked at Jace in the eyes, making him smile
“Where are you taking her?”, he asked
“To that place with Yitish food?”
“Oh it's cool”
“Right? I mean, it is not very fancy, but is a treat, the place looks amazing, and it has a great variety of food you know, plenty to pick up from… and it's kind of intimate too, but not that fancy that we are nervous because of it…?”
“She is going to love it”, he said, confidently, “I’m happy for you guys, even though you just met, I can tell there is something going on”
Then Cregan’s phone dinged, he grabbed it and smiled when he realized it was a text from you, but then he got serious
“What?”, asked Jace
“She canceled”, he said, sadness sneaking into his eyes
“Why?”, asked Jace, “did she say?”
“She said she is very sorry, but she can’t make it, and that I please don’t hate her for it”
“Oh man”, whined Jace, “I know she likes you, maybe she got too nervous”, he tried
“Yes, maybe I jumped the gun, maybe I was too fast”, Jace twisted his lips, “well… I hope I didn’t make it awkward”
“You didn’t”
“I was really looking forward to it”, he whispered, “I wonder what happened”
“Well lucky for us… we have a man on the inside”
. . .
You hugged into the pillow tighter as you fell someone opening the door, embracing yourself for the coming storm that was your roommate
“Heeey!”, she sang, “how are the preparations going?”, whe she saw you, laying on the bed, you heard her stop in her tracks, “what happened? why aren’t you getting ready for your date?”, you sniffed, couldn’t hold it together
“I can’t go on a date with Cregan”, you whined
“Why not? you were so excited”, she asked
“He was here…”, you whined, “my ex, Aemond was here…”
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48 hours before
You had your morning free, and so did Cregan, so he had accepted to pose for you for the photography class 
You met in the park that joined all the buildings together
He was waiting for you, so handsome, still in winter clothes, so were you
As soon as he saw you, he drew a big smile that made your heart jump within your chest. You smiled widely
“Ready for some pictures?”, he asked
“Oh I hope you are ready”, you teased
You grabbed him by the hand and dragged him to an evergreen tree that was in the main part of the park, it was huge, with purplish-red leaves and a white color on its branches and trunk, it was breathtaking, you knew here in the North they called it “the heart tree”
One of the branches hangs low, so it was perfect for Cregan to stand in front of it, the beautiful leaves in the background 
“Watch the ISO and the exposure”, he said as he smiled at you, entertained
“Oh no, I’m using automatic”, you mocked, his face got all serious and you snapped a picture
“Hey…”, he protested
“Am I the teacher’s pet or not?”, you teased, he laughed wholeheartedly 
“Alright”, he said posing. He had control of his “model face”, he was so handsome you were thankful you had the camera hiding your face or else he would see clearly how nervous you were.
“I’m thinking something…”, you whispered
“What?”, you pushed him into the tree, he laughed, a couple of leaves frames his face, and you snapped photos, of the beautiful leaves, and his laughing face in the background
“YES!”, you cheered, checking the pictures, they were great
“Can I see?”
“Oh no”, you teased, “you will have to wait”, he hadn't showed you the pictures, you were not going to show him yours yet
“Wanna grab a cup of coffee?”
“Yes”, you said back, you started your walk towards a small cafeteria just outside of campus
“Is the cold getting to you yet?”, he asked 
“No, its fine”, you whispered, “I like it”, you entered the small coffee shop, as the rest of the campus, it was made of old stone, had a nice, ancient but cozy sense to it, nice warm lights, wooden tables and vintage coffee machines, cozy seats with wooden cushion made of soft, old colors, it was so beautiful 
“How do you like your coffee?”, you let him invite you, as you smiled coyly at him
“An Ashford with a spoonful of chocolate, no lactose milk, two sugars”, you said with a shy smile
“You have a sweet tooth” he muttered looking at you with a smile on his face, “I like that”, poor barista felt like she was intruding while you undress each other with only your eyes 
“How do you take yours Ser?”, you teased back
“Dornish”, he finally broke the spell and talked to the woman, “semi-skimmed, a spoonful of cinnamon, one brown sugar please”
You had to take a mental note of that
You took your coffees and sat on a cozy table by the corner
“What do you think about Friday?”, he asked, “for our date?”
“I’d love to”, you answered with a big smile, it was two days from now, “where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise”, he said
“Uh, what about the dress code?”, you teased
“Mmm”, he hummed, “I’ll leave it to you”
“oh c’mon!”, you whined, “you have to give me something!”, you teased, he shook his head, he looked at your cup and smirked
“Now, I don’t want to push it and get between a girl and her caffeine, but… “ he said with a smile, “I am curious about your beverage”
“That’s funny, I am curious about yours”, you teased, “so specific and exotic”
“Let’s do it then”, you looked into his eyes as he looked into yours, you passed each other's coffees, fingers touching
The taste was strong, but comforting, much like Cregan himself, so foreign to you and yet, it felt kind of homey
He moaned softly, catching your attention
“So creamy..”, he whispered, his intense gaze on you
“Yours not so bad itself”, you whispered, completely flustered.
His gaze was on you, yours was on him, the smell of chocolate, coffee and cinnamon was in the air… the heat from the small wood heater warm your body as the sip of the coffee had, soon, Cregan was too far for your own comfort, he seemed to notice, moving on his spot to come close to you 
“I bet it tastes even better… if I do this…” Cregan leaned in, and you felt your heart in the back of your throat, a cinnamon taste in your mouth
He was going to kiss you, you closed your eyes and puckered your lips like a tennager in those cheesy romcoms, but the kiss never came
“HEY GUYS!”, Ben joined you at the table, clearly oblivious to what was going on, Cregan and you separated as the other burned your skin, trying to make him believe nothing had happened
Shit fuck
“Hey dude”, said Cregan with an embarrassed smile, “how that paper coming?”,
“Great”, he said, “you won’t believe what my economics professor did today…”, he started chitchatting, Cream arm was behind you, he didn't remove it as he got comfortable on the Long chair next to you, as he listened to his friend
You were about to kiss him
The boys started talking, you chipped in once in a while, but you had classes son after, so you apologized and left 
You were about to kiss Cregan… the taste of cinnamon still lingered on your lips, it was exhilarating, scary and exciting all at the same time
Besides photography you had six very demanding classes, and you needed to focus, your performance was way better than the one in Dragonstone, you were more invested, more dedicated and far more interested, but… the first semester was always the hardest, it was a hard contrast against highschool and…
You had a date with Cregan Stark
Oh gods
What were you going to wear? jeans? sneakers? boots? a dress with many layers so you won’t freeze to death?
Homeworks and research had you spend the rest of your day head down into the computer lab and wood workshop, trying to get ahead some work so you would have friday free
Also, you used a special program to develop the photos, the face of Cregan staring back at you his flirty eyes, his smile
He was so handsome… 
You wondered what he thought of you when he developed your photos.. no matter, you prepared the 5 photos of his portrait and were done for. Wanting to leave him for the next 48 hours until your date. 
Tomorrow you had design workshop, the most important class of them all 
You needed to get your head in the game, you were struggling, as many first years, but you needed to keep the work up, and even though you wanted it, bad, you couldn’t get distracted with Cregan.
28 hours before
But as you were preparing to get out of your room the next morning, Sara already had left, you opened the door, and gasped
Finding someone else at your doorstep, wanting to knock on the door
“Aemond”, you whispered, wide-eyed and shaking, he smiled softly, his eye twinkling
“Hey stranger”
You were cutting classes for him, as you looked at him flinching, squinting your eyes as he sipped on his black coffee from the Arbour, no sugar, no happiness, pure bitterness. He made a sour face and let the coffee sit a bit away from him
“This place is… picturesque”, he said like he was looking at a week-old roadkill
“I like it, it was character”, you said defensively
“Of course you do”, he said mockingly. You watched him expectantly, you started playing some sort of sick game, whoever speaks first, looses 
He looked back at you, and then he drew an amused smirk
“Well, I think you proved your point”, he lost
“What do you mean?”, you asked
“You punished me, ghosted me, fled from me, you proved that you can be independent, I learned my lesson, now let’s go back South”
“I didn’t come here to prove anything to you”, you said, “and much less to punish you”
“Did you get my emails?”, he continued
“No”, you lied, and he knew you did, because he smiled, “I did a week ago, what does that have to do with anything?”
“I told you I was coming…”, he said, “I told you you tricked me, that woman tried to babytrap me”
“Did she trapped you with her vagina?”, you whispered angrily leaning over the table, “what was it? a carnivorous plant? Were you an innocent fly?”
“Stop it!”, he whispered back, “you are being childish”
“And you are being borderline a psychopath”, you said back, “is over between us Aemond, you cheated on me, we are done”, he smirked
“When did fighting for your relationship stop being romantic?”, he asked
“I told you…”, you were getting angry, and he had barely moved his lips, he was fresh as a lettuce, so, you needed to calm down, “I don’t want to work things out, cheating is a deal breaker”
“And I’m telling you… I think you should reconsider”, he said simply
“Why would I?”, you asked back, “is not like we are married with two kids, Aemond…”
“Not yet darling…” he said with a smile once it would have made your legs turn to jelly, “I’m thinking it would be foolish to throw it all away, many thought we were the perfect couple, we had the looks, the money, the influence… all of it”, you rolled your eyes, “we are perfect for each other”
“No we are not”, you said, your lip trembling.
The worst part is? He could manipulate you, he could make you believe his words, right now, sitting in front of him, you felt powerless, even though now you were in your university, across the continent, with your friends, your terrain…
He still had that power over you
“See, I think we are”, he said
“You… never took me seriously”, you whispered, “you made me change colleges, you were willing to sacrifice my future…”
“I never make you do anything”, he said simply, your eyes filled with tears, “you did on your own volition, you decided to go to the best school on the country on your own”
“I didn't”, you whined
“You did it because you knew it was the right thing to do”
“Aemond I don’t want to be with you anymore”
“Why, because I looked away once?”
“You fucked my teacher Aemond, a professor of the school”, you said, “my mentor, the only one who gave a shit about me”
“Well, now we know why, don’t we?”, you froze, “she used you to get to me, she targeted you… to use you to get to me”
You believed him
“Aemond, you fucked her”
“I know”, he said, seriously, “I fell for it, but now, I’m telling you that I regret it, that it might just be the biggest mistake of my life, because I lost you”
“You are sad because you lost the founding for your father’s campaign”, you said bitterly, he smirked
“We are perfect for eachother”, he said, “we belong together”
“Aemond, this whole thing made me realize that… we are not so perfect for each other, we want different things”, you whispered, “you want… I don’t know, global domination, power, a public life, I don’t want any of those things”, he only looked at you, angrily
“Are are together since the tenth grade”
“I know”, you said, “and it was beautiful, innocent and sweet, but we are not kids anymore”
“No, you are right”, he said, “we are no longer kids, what we do, the decisions we make, matter and affect those around us…”, you frowned, not knowing what he meant, “Now I know, you shared that picture to damage me as well”, he said bitterly
“I didn’t share that picture”, you said firmly, “I just wanted out”
“You wanted revenge, you got rid of her because you wanted her gone”
“That’s not true”, you whispered, “Maris Baratheon stole the picture from my phone and spread it around, not me…”
“Either way, you took it”, he said, “You spread that photo of us”, he said with venom in his voice, “Do you want to play that game?”
“I didn't spread anything!”, you said back
“Do you know what I can get out there? from you?”
Your world stopped spinning as you looked at the man across from you
He had nude pictures of you
Things you had sent him, and he had taken screenshots of, you knew because you received the notification. WHen you confronted him, he gave you this whole speech, that he was your boyfriend and there had to be trust between you, that is “how relationships work”
“Are you threatening me?”, he chuckled darkly
“No darling, I… just… pointing out the trust we had for each other”, nothing, because you didn’t have nude pictures of him, he never send you one, and the ones he did, you didn’t take screenshots, “the things we had shared, and lived… together”
It was a threat
A single tear fell from your cheek
“Now now, why are you crying?”, he asked innocently
“Aemond let it go, you are in Dragonstone, I bet you can find someone better than me, someone that wants the same things as you”, you said softly 
“No one like you babe”, he whispered 
“Aemond, we are not getting back together”, you said firmly
“I don’t think you are thinking clearly”, he repeated, “we love each other, I came all the way up here for you!”
“I didn't ask you to!”, you fought
“Together, we have money, influence, power, together we have a future…!”, he continued
“I wonder who benefits more from all of this”, you whispered 
“...And we love each other”, he continued
“Not anymore Aemond…”, you tried to stand up, but he stopped you, grabbing your hand
“I’m here for three more days”, he said, “I advise you to think about it, or else… I might let someone steal your pictures from my phone like Maris stole yours”, you paled, releasing yourself, and exiting the cafeteria, you could still make the second part of your class after the recess
But you couldn’t focus
He wouldn’t do that, would he?
No…
He would, you knew he would, he would spread them all around Dragonstone campus, and perhaps even here, but you didn’t know they would fly here
Your face was in those pictures 
4 hours earlier 
Your nerves had been on edge since yesterday, you thought about it even, coming back to him, but you couldn't, if he was going to post those pictures fine, you could not live your life blackmailed by your ex boyfriend
You met Aemond again, this time, in the fanciest restaurant in town, way out of your budget but enough for me, you found him sitting there, sipping a cup of wine
You in jeans and a sweatshirt under your jacket, you tried to ignore his disgusted face
“I thought this palace could be ideal to celebrate”, he said softly
“Celebrate what?”, you asked shyly
“That we are recuperating what we once had, because of course you regained your senses” he served you whine
“I don’t think you are understanding what is going on”, you warned, he sighed, apparently giving up
“This place has changed you…”
“Thankfully”, you said sharply. He looked at you, he got angry, you could tell, he already knew by looking back at you that you were not going to budge, that you were not going to crawl back to him
“Not really”, he said bitterly
“Aemond, I’m not going back together with you”, you said firmly, “my life is here now”
“Your life? away from your family? and your friends?”, he mocked
“My friends are here now, and I see my family any time I want”, you defended
“in a second-rate school?’
“Is the best school on my field”
“Design”, he mocked, “do you think here, alone, by yourself, can you achieve all the things i can give you? easily?”, he was lashing out, and you were going to take all his heat
“I want to discover it”, you said simply, he frowned, you could tell 
“Do you think you can find someone who is going to love you as much as I do?”, he continued, you stopped moving, “who can give you all the things I can?”, you only looked at him, “you will never found someone like me, especially not with that guy you are shamelessly walking and talking to”, now you were scared
“How do you know?”, you asked, and then you shook your head, “Aemond, I really hope so”, you said back, “I really hope I never find anyone like you ever again”, you were to stand up
“I made you”, he bit out, “I made you the person you are today, I gave you everything, you were just an orphan when we started dating you had nothing… I gave you connections, I introduced you to my family, and my friends in Dragonstone”, you only looked at him with pity, “last chance… are you going to throw all of it away?”, he asked
“I already did”, you bit back, “Don’t ever contact me again Aemond”, you whispered, “I thought we could be civil, but if this is how you want to ends things, so be it, I don’t ever want to see you again”
“That is going to be difficult in political events”, he mocked
“I’m going liberal”, you answered blankly, “And your friends all acted like they had sticks up their asses, oh and Aemond? Apart from Helaena, your family SUCKS! your brother has hired sex workers and he is only 21, and has a drinking problem, your grandfather and father are creeps and your mother Aemond, your mother is in a religious cult!” you said before you storm out of the restaurant 
And that is how Sara found you, curled up in your bed, sobbing
When the adrenaline of the rage and the heat of the fight abandoned you, you started crying and couldn’t stop
You were sad, scared of what Aemond could do, and in hysterics, because you still believe what he says, because he had power over you
What if nobody ever loves you?
When she entered Sara saw the state you were in and went to hug you tightly
At least you did have friends, you did, good friends, with even only two months of meeting them you knew that you loved 
“What happened?”, she asked. And you told her everything
. . .
It took you all night and the rest of Saturday to regain your composure, you knew you owed Cregan an explanation.
So you went with Sara to their palace, half an hour before they had invited you to play board games with the rest of the group, and order from The Tavern Wings and Beer, you really thought Jace and Sara had made this up for you and Cregan to talk, because you knew Jace had asked Sara why you canceled your date
As soon as you entered the apartment, Jace and Sara locked themselves in the kitchen with lame excuses, leaving you and Cregan alone
“I’m sorry Cregan”, you said, he could see how sad you were, and he wanted more than anything to console you, “I really do like you, but I don't want to string you along, really I… my ex did a number on me, and he paid me an undesired visit yesterday, and I realized I’m just not ready to date yet”, you said, finally looking at him, “but I really do want you close, and hang out with you, do you think you can settle for a friendship first?”, he smiled softly
“Of course I can”, he said, “thank you for telling me”, you begged him, with your eyes, even without releasing it, and he couldn’t help it, he hugged you against his chest, and you immediately hugged him back
“I’m sorry”, you whispered against his chest
“You have nothing to be sorry for” he said, caressing your back
Jacaerys and Sara were clearly listening, when they gout out of the kitchen with big smiles on their faces
“Let’s warm up before the rest get here”, said Jace
“I think we all need to sign agreements before a notary that clearly stated that what is going to happen here, when i completely destroy at “Iron Bank property” is not going to affect our relationship with you guys”, you laughed 
“Oh I agree”, tease Sara, “But when we play ruins of old Valyria, that is when I’m burning you all”
Baela and Rhaena, Alysanne, Ben, Jon, and you four
It was so much fun
Perhaps tomorrow everyone was going to know how you looked naked, but tonight? you were going to enjoy it 
If you still had your friends by your side, you had nothing to be afraid of.
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More notes: now we are done, we are not going to be seeing that fucker anymore, for the time being, I mean, he got the message, he won't try to get with reader again, but he might be mentioned or show up in the future when they run into eachtoher
I edited a sentence int he discussion about Alicent, not fair what I wrote, I edited it
taglist! ❤️
@mxtokko @princesssterek @thefandomimagines @iamavailablesstuff @misspascalpunk @sweethoneyblossom1 @ipostwhtifeel @lunamoonbby @ahristata @watercolorskyy @yazzzmints @n4tforlife @littleshadow17 @alexa4040 @speedyballoonpainter @hc-geralt-23 @rayrayredpanda @eralen @yentroucnagol @valeskafics @iloveallmyboys @schadenfreude-and-sarcasm @ttkttt @aleemendoza2425-blog @drwstarkeyy @casualfansoul @urmomsgirlfriend1 @bruher 
270 notes · View notes
yibocheeks · 19 days
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War of Faith Translated excerpts from the livestream where the cast watches ep 28-29 (spoilers under the cut)
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Director Yao says that Wang Yang added this gesture of straightening Wei Ruolai's clothes in this scene (unscripted)
They get to the part where Wei Ruolai is being taken to the execution grounds. The MC asks Yibo: At that time was Wei Ruolai preparing to meet his death or did he think that he was going to be saved? Yibo: Who would think that there would be someone that would save him?
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They watch Wei Ruolai run away from Lin Qiaosong Director Yao says about Yibo: He could join the Olympics sprint! He performed so well here.
Wang Yang (on when Shen Tunan realizes that Shen Jinzhen is the sniper who saved Wei Ruolai): [Tunan] is very conflicted, because on one hand, Wei Ruolai still lives, on the other hand, the person who saved him is Shen Jinzhen. So this was really difficult for him. Director Yao: He was always guessing that maybe his sister was a communist, a part of him had already prepared for this, but he didn't want to face the reality.
They watch Ruolai, after he has escaped from Lin Qiaosong and is alone with Niu Chunmiao. MC: At this time, director, do you think that Wei Ruolai is in a perplexed state of mind? Director Yao: Yes, because right now he is at a dead end. He has already given up his previous set of beliefs, but he has not yet found a new set of beliefs. He followed what his parents believed in, but he was unfamiliar with the communist set of values, which were different from what he knew. He had never met a communist, the only one he knew was his brother, but his brother passed away. So he didn't know the theories behind it. He wouldn't easily accept a new worldview that he was completely unfamiliar with. At this point, the two female characters helped to push him in that direction. The MC then asks Yibo to share what his thoughts are on Wei Ruolai's state of mind at this time. Yibo: I think the director's analysis is very well said. (gives a thumbs up)
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Director Yao: Yibo is very good, he will immerse himself in his own imagined scenario, a certain atmosphere, in which he will then think about how the character will respond.
On Wei Ruolai's character development Director Yao: I think [the way Wei Ruolai's character develops] is more of a realistic take. A person will not think, I want to join the communists and immediately convert to that side. It's not realistic. We want the audience to believe in this process. His change happens one step at a time. Even when he arrives in Soviet Jiangxi, he didn't immediately join the Red Army. He wanted to see a bit more. Then after another incident happens, in his heart he holds a lot of resentment and hatred, there were things that he felt were unresolved in Shanghai; he met a group of lousy people and this made him angry, but there was nowhere to direct this anger. Then when he went to Soviet Jiangxi, he found the same thing that happened, but that the Red Army really seemed to treat those who are poor well. He thought, this is what I want, what he couldn't get where his shifu was, so this excited him.
Director Yao says that the little motorcycle that Yibo rode was vintage, and that it broke after Yibo rode it once.
They talk about the scene where Shen Tunan slaps Shen Jinzhen Director Yao: That day, Wang Yang's biggest dilemma was whether he should really slap her, while Li Qin was thinking about how she should respond to the slap. Wang Yang is quite softhearted. He had quite good control, he didn't actually hit her and his tears also came out. This is very difficult to control. That day Li Qin also said to him, "Ge, just go for it." But he never actually hit her. He's too softhearted. (jokingly) Once we got the scene I yelled cut right away. It was a difficult scene to film. The mentioned scene starts to play. The MC asks Yibo a question about Wei Ruolai but Yibo points to the screen and says (with a gremlin smirk): Let's continue to watch this scene Li Qin: The audience has already seen this. Yibo: Oh I haven't seen it yet Director Yao and Li Qin: Oh then watch!
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The MC brings up that netizens discovered that Wei Ruolai, Shen Jinzhen, and Niu Chunmiao used the same red swallow cup, and that this was an easter egg that showed that they were all on the same side. The director clarifies that this was a coincidence.
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The MC then asks: Did the actors themselves notice this detail? Yibo: I also only realized after it was pointed out.
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jxckchxmpi0n · 1 year
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Press tour
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Jack Champion x Actress reader || m.list
Summary : You and Jack have been on a press tour for a few weeks as scream vi was just released. An interview with MTV leads to the realization someone's in love
Word count 1.6k
Tag list: @chaethewriter @demausbreaux
Warning: spoilers for scream vi
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It was the last interview of the day. Answering fan questions with Jack for MTV. Both of you were tired and ready to call it a day. As you sat down, the producer came over to explain how it works. "So what will happen I will read you guys the question, answer however long you want keep it flowing simple easy and your done" the costume director came over fixing Jack's clothes and your hair was being fixed.
"What do you say after this wanna get food?" You couldn't turn your head, but out of the corner of your eye, you could see him staring at you. A soft blush came to your cheeks as you hummed a yes. Satisfied with your answer, he turned back "good"
"Alright, we're on in 5, 4, 3" the producer stood behind the camera as they finished the countdown.
"Hi, I'm y/n l/n," you waved and smiled at the camera.
"I'm Jack champion, and we are here with MTV to answer fan questions about Screamvi." he winked at the camera.
'What's your favorite memory while filming scream?'
Jack held a bright smile on his face as he flashed through all the memories of you and the other cast members on set. As you both sat there making comments about how hard it was to choose, Jack was the first to settle on his favorite.
"I would have to say my favorite memories would be when- and well spoilers if you haven't seen it yet- but umm definitely the whole wiping the knife in sync with Liana" you watch him in awe as he explained it was so satisfying yet hard to film. "Overall, it was just very fun to experience the whole scream and ghostface." he turned towards you after he rambled on, a soft blush creeped on his cheeks as he realized.
"You're adorable." You turned to the camera, but your body was still facing Jack, "I would have to say the frat party. There was this scene that we filmed. I don't know if it will ever see light- but it was Chad he was hyping up Ethan to talk to a girl. Which is in the movie - but there's a snippet where we see Ethan actually trying to make the moves on Scarlett, my character look at him so confused because she sees Chad behind him jumping up and down like a little school girl."
"Who are you close with on set?
You both laughed as you thought about the times the cast would just hang out and mess around. The first to come to your mind was Jack. You guys were and are always attached to each others hip. There were many times when filming went late, and the amount of energy that went into filming had finally caught up to both of you.
Mason had found both you and Jack sleeping on the apartment couch while they were filming the "core four scenes" you laid on the inside while Jack laid halfway on you. Mason saw a blanket on the end and just threw it over you two. But what you don't know is Jack woke up and saw Masons' actions. He smiled and saw Mason giving him a thumbs up.
He felt you move underneath him, worried you'd wake up he stayed still. Mason already walked away, and Jack was slowly falling back asleep, his arm laced around your waist as he laid on you. Your arm laid over his back as if you were trying to pull him close if possible.
"I would say y/n, we spent a lot of time together on set and off when we weren't filming," he felt himself get warm, his ears slowly turning red. Shifting in his seat, he made eye contact with you and saw the soft smile you always wore. The one he loved, the one that means he had your full attention.
"That's a good point. There were days they called us in, but we didn't film anything. We were just there to be there if they needed us. So that resulted in us hanging around set trying to find stuff to do. " You saw Jack in the corner of your eye messing with the hem of his shirt, something he always did when anxious.
Your eyes softened at the sight of him, his curls loosely sat on his head, some falling in his eyes. The freckles that were sprinkled around his face - shit. You were madly in love with him! How could you not be? He's a gentleman. He pays attention he's funny he's sweet, he's caring - he's Jack.
"Are you guys aware that many of the fan ship both of your characters together, as well as you in real life?"
Your face grew a shape of red so fast, giggling you quickly jumped in before anything could be said. "I think it's adorable to see what the Fandom creates."
Jack was still on the idea of people out there saying you guys should be together. Well, they aren't wrong. You and Jack are basically a couple, just without the tile. He liked you a lot, and he liked the idea of being with you. But his heart sank at the thought of you not feeling the same way.
Without thinking, Jack quickly jumped in, "I agree with the fans. Maybe in a different universe or something, uh, you know, " an awkward laugh went through his body as he just realized what he had said.
You, as well, very confused awkwardly laughed. On the other side of the camera, the producer motioned for you to do an outtro. Smiling at the camera, you said your name as well as Jack's as he was stuck in thoughts.
"Screamvi is out now in theater." You blew a kiss to the camera, and Jack did a little wave.
"CUT" beautiful guys, we'll get makeup and costumes to take you back, and you guys are free.
Awkwardly, you stood up, taking your mic as well as Jack. "Did you still want to get some food?" He couldn't even look at you. He was so red. Thank god his hair covered his face for once.
"Yeah, uhh, that sounds good. I'm just gonna go change and meet you at the car. " Before any more, he could be said he sped off towards his dressing room.
Twenty minutes passed by, and he finally pulled himself together. He paced I'm his room debating is he wanted to tell you about you feelings.
His stomach was doing flips as he was walking to you. His hands became clammy as he got closer. He saw you standing on the wall looking through your phone. Do it while we're out.
You looked up and saw him walking towards you. He looked like a lost puppy. Looking around, trying to understand where he was, the dark brown of his eyes found yours, and for a second, you saw a calmness take over his body.
"Ready to go?" He nodded his head, and you made your way to the car.
-
There was a cafe on the corner near your place that both of you loved. It was your favorite place. "What you gonna get?" You continued looking at the list as he looked at you. He noticed the shine in your hair, the glow in your skin, the way you bit your lip as you debated what to eat.
"I think I'm just gonna get the club sandwich. Something simple and easy. What about you?" He looked down to remember what he even chose.
"The pasta sounds pretty good. I might just get that." Satisfied with his answer, he closed the menu. The waitress came out and took our order. Food was out in a matter of minutes.
Once the bill was paid, you made your way to your apartment. You were raving on about a story on your upcoming role in a movie, while Jack was stuck in his head.
"Y/n, I need to tell you something." Stopping in the middle of the stairway to your door, you looked at him confused.
"You finally gonna tell me what's been going on in that pretty head of yours?" He smiled. He knew you noticed it.
"Listen, I love you, and I love our friendship - but this," he motioned between you and him. "I want more. I want it all. I want to hold your hand. I want to hug you. I want to be able to look at you and adore you - well, even though I do that already - but god y/n, I'm like in love with you. "
You stood there mouth ajar as he just confessed his love you you. Jack champion said he loved you. A wide smile took display on your face as you stepped forward. Grabbing his shirt, you pulled him into you, and your lips met his.
They were so soft, yet chapped. It took him a second yo realize what was happening, but the second it clicked, he grabbed your waist, pulling your body into his. Smiling into the kiss, your hands made their way to his hair.
He groaned as your hand pulled on it, and your lungs burned as the kiss continued. You felt him pulling away but wanted to keep going. His eyes hazed with lust as he looked at you. His lips swollen and red, your matching his.
"I want it all as well, trust me. I love you," he reached up and tucked a hair behind your ear and kissed you again.
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quitealotofsodapop · 2 months
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The crew listens to Epic: the Musical.
MK's favorite song is Legendary.
Wukong identifies with Just a Man (not that he'll admit it).
Macaque likes Ruthlessness because he's an emo little stinker.
Sandy likes Open Arms (of course).
Tang and Red Son like Warrior of the Mind.
Pigsy really thinks the monkeys should take Luck Runs Out to heart.
Mei likes Keep Your friends close (a fun bop that belies danger underneath, just like her).
I have to be careful binging a new muscial (or in this case Saga) cus I end up playing each song on loop for hours. Opinions might change once the full and finished versions of later sagas are released.
I love all these hcs <3
Im imagining the gang likely sees/listens to Epic on the reccomendation of MK (who's currently on a Greek Mythology hyperfixation), and he gets them all to watch the full play - maybe in the future as a irl performance or film.
"Legendary" is SUCH an MK song. Both him and Telemachus growing up with the stories of someone dear to them and wanting to replicate their success. I could also see him really liking "Warrior of the Mind" with the theme of "some nobody" gaining the favor of a god (reminds you of anyone?) + SWK is infamously the personification of The Mind in Jttw so its a bonus. MK is smiling evily whenever a harsh plot twist occurs and his fam are shocked silent. >:3
Sun Wukong feels targeted personally with how many of the Epic songs remind him of his past. Ofc he starts crying halfway through "Horse and the Infant", and is inconsolable during "Just A Man" - verbally yelling "NO!" at the end. And like Nezha and Sandy is *silent* during Posideon's songs. Is super jazzed during the triumphant Ithaca Saga though! And feels mega catharic during "King" when Odysseus proves that he still rules to the suitors! He tries his best to hide how much the muscial is affecting him.
Macaque is a canon theatre Nerd - so he's already listened to the musical multiple times, but he's uber excited to see the live performance (and secretly bond with his found fam). Is rocking out during "Ruthlessness" and "Done For" in particular, so much so that he's fidgeting and dancing within his seat. He also vibes with "No Longer You" as someone with powers of prophecy. Is really amazed how much Wukong gets into the musical, but in retrospect understands *why*. Him and Wukong accidentally share a glance during "Would You Fall In Love With Me Again" and it gets a little awkward afterwards.
Mei is similarly excited to see anything with her bestie, so she tried her best not hear/see any spoilers ("it's a centuries' old story Mei" "Ssssh!! Dont tell me!"). She was shooketh by how hard the muscial goes. "Keep Your Friends Close" is her fave based on beat alone. She gets delightedly scared and amazed by consistent horse imagery used with Posideon (shameless link to my fave Animatic of "Ruthlessness").
Tang loves himself some historical and mythological adaptations, and is estatic that MK has given him an excuse to go see one! He's not as familar with Hellenic mytholgy as he is with Hindu-Chinese, but he knows enough lore to make the pog-champ face at every foreshadowing/reference. "Warrior of the Mind" really gets to him as a song about valuing your smarts. He also feels really empathetic for Calypso.
Pigsy only went cus Tang begged him. He feels super lost by the deep Greek lore he's missing, but he can get Odysseus's whole thing with trying to get home - but he def identifies more with Eurylochus. "Luck Runs Out" proves this to him. Later on he feels that the second-in-command was justified in having the soldiers rebel against Odysseus after so many losses (who wouldn't after losing all their friends?). Audibly gasps at the end of "Just A Man" - cus who would just do that!? Is a little freaked out by Circe turning the Athenian's into pigs - Eurylochus is depicted as partly-transformed, played by a pig-demon actor who was in super convincing human makeup in the previous sagas. He also gets protective feelings by-proxy seeing Telemachus's situation since the prince reminds him of MK. Is surprised by how much he likes the musical!
Sandy feels betrayed. This isn't like Disney Hercules at all! He does really enjoy Polites message in "Open Arms" and the later moments when the hopeful soldier's outlook is proven correct. He's a little overwhelmed at points though - he get eerily quiet during Posideon's scenes. He sobs joyfully when Odysseus finally makes it home and reunites with his family! :')
Because of this really good animatic/almost child-like depiction of Aelous by gigi; I can def see "Keep Your Friends Close" being Nezha's fave. It reminds Nezha of when he was far more carefree + has a solid lesson on about trust/"forbidden fruit". He also enjoys the more march-like tune of "Survive". He does however, freeze when he listens to Posideon's songs "Ruthlessness" and "Get in the Water" - he has been on the bad end of a sea god before and is quietly shtting himself for Odysseus.
Red Son goes in feeling like he could have stayed at home listening to the musical on his phone while working on a car instead. He is however blown away by the heavy themes and performances, especially "Warrior of the Mind" and Telemachus's situation - a prince forced to grow up fatherless and protecting his mother from suitors due to his dad pissing off a higher power? Hello?? Accidentally shrieks "YES!!!" when Athena becomes Telemachus's mentor/friend after "Little Wolf".
Princess Iron Fan I could see loving any song including Penelope (she empathizes with the Queen's situation hard), but unexpectedly enjoys "Keep Your Friends Close" - she's a fellow Wind Goddess at her core. It also reminds her of her not-so-little-anymore nephew.
DBK on the flip side loves the heavier songs like "Polyphemus" and "Ruthlessness". This man is a Posedion apologist. He does feels bad for Odysseus by the end though - man just wants to get back to his wife and kid dammit!
Bonus: The Spider Gang are watching the bootleg and Spider Queen agrees with Circe's whole girlboss attitude especially "Puppeteer". Scorpion Queen is Calypso in "Not Sorry For Loving You".
This got a little away from me - hope you enjoy!
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Text
Time the Series - Episode 1
Another time traveling show. This time by expectations are basically on the floor.
So before I say anything here's the official synopsis: Foam, a famous actor, saw Chris, the lover, killed in front of him by the police. But fate gives Foam a chance to go back and correct the past for what he did wrong, causing Chris's death. When a mysterious man gives a clock that can travel back in time to Foam, will Foam be able to fix the past and save a lover's life? Only time will prove it! MDL You can watch it on YT, Gaga. Uncut on WeTV.
I watch the cut version, if anyone watches the full version please let me know what I missed. Not that I'm all that invested but still. This is basically a "I watched it so you don't have to" type of review so obviously, all spoilers from here on. Skip to the end for my short review.
We begin with a police chase that ends with Chris being caught but then there's a sniper and he gets shot. Very exciting already.
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Cut to Foam waking up in bed and promptly pouring himself red wine while he cries and reflects on his lost love. Warning for singing and guitar playing in flashback.
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The next day he's passed out and won't answer his phone and everyone is very upset, cause he's an actor and there's a lot of people waiting for him to shoot a commercial. There's already a war of managers happening btw. The one in pink is Foam's manager, the other one wants to be his manager. I'll be calling her the bad manager from here on for reasons which will become obvious.
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So eventually he arrives and they shoot a commercial for some skin product that is amazing for the skin if we believe the people that show up to help Foam with his lines, cause the boy is struggling.
And apparently it's his birthday and he makes the weirdest call to his mum to ask her to wish happy birthday and the subs have the mom saying "Hello, dear" but there's actually no sound from the other side of the conversation. Amazing.
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After this the drama really begins. And I mean there's so much happening and none of it is good.
So really quickly: - Birthday party where Foam is the DJ and there is some really bad dance acting happening. - The bad manager drugs Foam and assaults him and is interrupted by the good manager. - The two managers insult each other in front of passed out Foam and a physical fight ensues. Slap, screaming, slap, insult, slap, begging, more slapping. This is all very dramatic btw, almost lakorn level dramatic. Glass on the floor, bad manager picks it up and stabs the good manager. - Bad manager's bodyguards take her and Foam wakes up with the bloody glass shard on his hand.
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Panic sets in, everyone comes and for some reason some dude is filming this whole thing. And we get our second police chase of the episode. This time Foam is the one doing the running.
Foam hides in a dark ally where he meets a stranger with a shining pink necklace that invites him to his place and of course he goes, because why not?
Then he recognizes the necklace/watch because he gave his boyfriend one that looks exactly like it. And then this:
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Guy in alley - gives Foam pink shiny watch - dead boyfriend appears.
They immediately jump each other, as you do when all of a sudden your dead boyfriend is in front of you again, and Foam wakes up thinking it was all a dream. But was it? I have no idea.
Foam wakes up, hits himself, hurts himself and wonders why he's in his old apartment. He goes outside and it's five years before Chris died. The end.
So... to recap. I don't even know what to say. This is from MFlow, the same company that brought us the mess that was Beyond The Star so my expectations were really low.
With that said, I can't in good conscience tell any of you to watch this. It's not good. From the previews it seems Foam is going to meet Chris all over again except he won't remember him. Fun times all over again. I'll be honest. I probably won't be watching this, but come next tuesday if I have nothing better to do I might check it out. Depends how much I remember the experience and how curious I get about how they will deal with the time traveling. I obviously have not learned my lesson.
If anyone watches it please let me know what you think.
Thanks for reading.💜
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ichorai · 2 years
Text
almost (sweet music) ; robin buckley.
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track two of WASTELAND, BABY!
pairing ; robin buckley x harrington!f!reader
synopsis ; five instances robin fell in love with you just a bit more.
words ; 3.7k
themes ; fluff, mild angst
warnings / includes ; profanity, reader is steve's sister, mild season four spoilers, brief description of injury, one kiss (!!!), lots of seventies/eighties movies, eddie LIVES bcs fuck the suffer bros, steve being annoying but we love him, it's a gay mess in there folks :D two awkward lovesick lesbians <3
main masterlist.
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“Back again, nerd?” your brother called out from behind the counter of Home Video, cocking an eyebrow at you as he splayed his palms over the smooth surface. His elbow knocked against the metal rack of snacks just to the side, brightly-colored boxes of Raisinets and Goobers toppling to the ground. 
Barely holding back a snort, you stuck your tongue out at him. “I’m not helping you pick those up. And I’m not here for you. I finished Footloose, so I’m in the mood for something a bit more on the darker side.”
Steve glared at you as he shuffled around the counter, grumpily picking up the boxes from the floor. “Over there,” he bit out, dumping the Raisinets back on the counter with a derisive huff before using his head to beckon towards the back of the store. “Horrors and thrillers are near the back. Robin’s doing inventory, go ask her what’s available.”
Your heart seemed to crawl into your throat at his words, and you managed a tight nod, swiveling on your heel to make your way to the back.
The store was dimly lit with few overhead lights the color of molten honey, accompanied by the neon red signs littered around the store. Your teeth worried on your bottom lip upon seeing the back of Robin’s head pop up from an aisle over.
“Hey Robin,” you said, which startled a small noise of shock out of her. Her head whipped around, eyes blown wide open. 
“Oh my God, you scared the crap outta me!” she spoke over the shelf of films. “You really know how to sneak up on a person, huh?” 
A wince fell from your lips. “Sorry. Steve told me you could fix me up with a couple watches. Anything with horror or action would be great.”
“Yeah, for sure. We’ve got Terminator, The Exorcist, Scarface, Star Wars, Jaws, Mad Max, Nightmare on Elm Street… any of those seem interesting? I personally recommend the last one if you’re in for a good spook. Plus Nancy Thompson in that movie is super—” She abruptly paused in her words, staring at you with owlish eyes. 
You tilted your head. “Super…?”
Scratching the back of her neck, she slowly winced out, “Super, uh, cool. Love her character.” She fumbled for a moment on her side before handing the movie’s sleeve to you over the aisle. 
A gentle smile graced the corner of your lips as you observed the cover art. “I’ll let you know what I think.”
“Yeah!” she blurted out, a bit louder than she meant to be. Rouge dusted over the freckles on her cheeks. She started walking around the aisle to make her way over to you, another movie clutched between her fingers. Before she could even think to stop herself, the words were already tumbling from her mouth, “I mean it doesn’t have much action or horror but one of my favorites is this one called E.T. You should totally watch it, one of my all-time favorites now. I know it seems absurd, your brother tells me I’m a lunatic, but I believe UFOs a hundred percent exist. The universe is just so big, you know? There’s gotta be aliens somewhere out there. Now, I’m not completely bonkers, I don’t believe in stuff like the Jersey Devil—though I’m on the fence with Bigfoot. Big hairy ape-like creatures living in the mountains doesn’t seem too absurd, right? Oh God, I’m talking too much. Am I talking too much? I should shut up. God, this is so embarrassing. I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m saying all this.”
You stood there, smile just about permanently etched into your lips as you listened to her endearing rambles. “No, no, it’s nice,” you said quietly, a stark juxtaposition to her lively chatter. “I like hearing you talk. It’s very insightful.”
The genuine surprise that flooded Robin’s features made your heart break just slightly. How many times has she been told to be quiet and keep her thoughts to herself? You gently took the second movie from her, your fingertips grazing her own.
A quiet, awkward silence filled the space between you, and you scuffed your shoe against the wooden floors before jerking your head to Steve trying to balance a pencil between his nose and mouth. “Thanks for the recommendations, Robin. I’m sure I’ll love them. Make sure my brother doesn’t torture some poor girl into going on a date with him.”
A chuckle bubbled in her throat. “Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure he’s hit a decade-long dry spell—and believe me, celibacy makes him very cranky. I can assure you, that is not fun to deal with.” Robin paused for a moment when you started cracking up with laughter, her stomach squirming with glee. “See you later! Or, maybe not. I hope I do. But if I don’t, that’s fine too, I—I’m doing it again. Shit.”
You wrinkled your nose in amusement, and Robin felt like she was going to spontaneously combust into flames. Did you have to be so cute? 
“I’ll definitely be back sometime soon. See you later!” you said before turning on your heel. Pausing at the end of the aisle, you looked over your shoulder one last time. “Oh, and, for the record, I think you’re right. Our universe is way too big for there not to be any aliens.”
With that, you strode out of the store, flipping Steve the middle finger and high-fiving Dustin who was just making his way inside. 
Robin’s feet were planted to the same spot, her eyes fixated on nothing in particular as she replayed your conversation in her head over and over again. A silly smile had plastered itself over her mouth. 
Shit. This wasn’t good. She wasn’t into her best friend’s sibling, was she? No, that was just absurd. 
You did have a really pretty smile, though.
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The Harrington’s doorbell trilled faintly when Robin pressed her finger on the round button. Not even a full second passed by before she pushed on it twice more, tapping her foot against the welcome mat with impatience. Absent-mindedly, she tucked a strand of her short, mousy hair behind her ear—it’d recently been trimmed; partially due to the heat of summer approaching, and partially because Robin knew she’d get back into the nervous habit of chewing on her hair if it got too long.
Finally, the door swung open.
But it wasn’t Steve who greeted her, it was you.
You, with that curious smile Robin had grown so fond of. You, with your multi-hued checkered button down that was far too large for you. You, with a birthmark she’d never noticed before just beside the corner of your eye that Robin wanted to kiss so very badly—
“Hi, Robin,” you said, effectively snapping her out of her reverie. “Are you here for my brother?”
It took her a good second to swallow down the lump in her throat and croak out, “Yeah! Yeah, is he here? See, we’re supposed to go to the arcade today but he told me the arcade isn’t a fun place to hang out anymore, which he only says because I absolutely demolish him in every game we play. So, I’m not so sure, we might be going somewhere else. I’m running my mouth again, aren’t I?”
“It’s fine,” you waved her off with an easy shrug before she could apologize. “I finished Nightmare on Elm Street, by the way. It was really fun! And you were right, Nancy Thompson is super cool in this one. The actress is gorgeous.”
You felt a sudden scuff on your shoulder, Steve’s face appearing only inches away from yours, twisted into a sneer. “Who’s gorgeous? Me?”
“Get off me,” you barked lowly, shoving him away with a palm flat against his cheek. “And none of your business.”
Steve reached over to muss your hair, and you fruitlessly attempted to duck out of his reach, but his damned long arms managed to twist you over and rub his fist over the crown of your head. “Stop, you’re such an ass!” you hissed out, grabbing his thumb to bite down on it. 
Robin watched with amusement as Steve yowled out a string of profanities, jumping back and wiping his finger down his jacket. He glanced over at her before saying, “You know, Y/N has a bunch of posters of actresses she likes. One of Jessica Lange, another of… Jennifer Beals, was it? Oh, and one of Carrie Fisher in that Star Wars movie! In a bikini.”
Eyebrows raised in surprise, Robin swiveled her gaze to you just in time to see your scowl deepen, fist colliding with Steve’s bicep with a satisfying smack. “Shut up, you dickhead! Oh my God!” 
You threw your hands up in exasperation, briefly shooting Robin an apologetic look before swiveling on your heel and storming away.
“Bye, Y/N!” Robin called over Steve’s cackling shoulder. “That was uncalled for,” she said to her friend, who had righted himself whilst swinging the car keys around his pointer finger. “Great taste in actresses, though.”
Mirth danced in Steve’s eyes. He unlocked his car, clambering into the driver’s seat. “You have my approval, by the way,” he commented as soon as Robin swung in. 
The brunette quirked an eyebrow upwards with confusion. “Huh? Approval for what?”
Steve snorted. “If you wanna date Y/N, you have my approval. I say go for it.”
Uncharacteristically, Robin stayed quiet, her mind moving a million miles a minute. If Steve looked over, he probably would’ve seen steam coming out of her ears.
“It’s clear she’s into boobies, too.”
Robin’s heart lurched into her throat. Hollowing her cheeks for a moment, she leaned back into the carseat and shot him a half-hearted glare.
“God, Steve, don’t say boobies!”
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A gush of cold air from inside Family Video greeted you as you pushed open the glass door, sheepishly grinning when Robin’s head snapped upwards, a surprised grin flourishing over her face.
“Hey, Y/N! How may I assist you on this fine day?” 
You leaned over the counter and slid E.T. towards her. For a second, Robin seemed mortified, carefully studying your expression for any sign of aversion to the film.
“I liked it,” you reassured her, smoothing your hands down your shirt, exhaling a shallow breath. Damn it, you couldn’t remember the last time you were this nervous. “I was hoping you could recommend something similar! Turns out I’m more into sci-fi than I thought. I never really explored the genre outside of Star Wars, to be honest.”
“Of course!” Robin twisted to snatch a long sheet of laminated paper. “This is a catalogue of all the films we got in here. Pretty stacked—listed in alphabetical order, and the genres are color-coded. Blue for science fiction… right there. I mean, I’d personally recommend Westworld and Alien. Those are classics you can’t miss out on.”
The way your eyes widened as you peered over the list, accompanied by your slightly-parted lips and your nearly intoxicating citrus-scented perfume made Robin’s head spin in the best of ways. Subconsciously, she leaned over closer, the sleeve of her striped tee brushing your arm. 
“I’ve heard Westworld is really good,” you said, looking upwards, mildly surprised to see Robin’s face only inches away from yours. Blinking, you managed a nervous smile before continuing, “Would you, uhm, be willing to rewatch it?”
Robin’s eyebrows inched closer to her hairline in thought. “Westworld? Yeah, I haven’t watched it in a long while. Would be nice to revisit.” 
“Sorry, let me rephrase.” You internally cursed when your voice cracked, and you straightened your spine before stiffly asking, “Would you be willing to rewatch it… with me?”
It took around ten seconds for Robin’s malfunctioning brain to piece together the implications of your original question and it dawned on her that you were asking her out. You were asking her out.
Holy fucking shit.
“Yes!” she blurted out, leaning even closer in her fervor. This close, she could see the tint of your shiny lip gloss, the roiling hues of your eyes, the small, faded scar on the side of your jaw. You were whittled from pure angel’s light, she was nearly sure of it—clementine in aroma, tangerine in joy, marigold in joy. Robin wanted all of you.
The softest of beams canvased itself across your visage. “Perfect. How does this weekend at my place sound?”
“Perfect,” Robin breathily parroted. God, she wanted to kiss you so very badly. “Even if I had plans, I’d cancel ‘em just for this. There’s no way I’m missing out on rewatching Westworld. Nothing like gun-slinging robot cowboys to kick off the weekend. What should I bring?”
You puckered your lips to the side in thought. “Just you,” you said after a short moment, so quiet that it just barely bordered on whispering. 
Her mouth twitched upwards in amusement, mirth dancing amongst the sapphire of her bright irises. “That, I can do.”
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“So remind me what we’re making again?” Robin asked as she pushed the cart along.
Your fingers skimmed along the shelves, muttering the labels under your breath until you abruptly stopped. “Molotov cocktails. They’re easy to make, and can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time—let’s just hope Vecna isn’t fireproof. Here, we’re gonna need around four of these jugs of kerosene. Actually, make it five. A little extra won’t hurt.”
Robin helped you load the cart, her eyes trained on you as you pulled out a crumpled list of ingredients from your pocket. “So what’s all this kerosene for?”
“It’s highly flammable—so we’re filling up as many fragile bottles as we can and sticking rags into ‘em to light up when the time comes. Gotta be careful with this stuff though, if it gets too hot, it might just catch on fire and our supply would dry out.”
 “Right,” Robin piped up, following after you with a dazed smile. “You’re really smart, you know that?”
For a second, you froze in place, heat flourishing over your cheeks. “Thanks,” you grunted out, pointedly avoiding her gaze so she wouldn’t see your evidently flustered features.
The two of you left the store hurriedly once Nancy spotted Jason by the gun rack. Nearly half an hour later, you were outside the RV with your brother and Robin, filling the umpteenth bottle with kerosene. Your nerves were practically alight on fire, anxiety clawing away at your insides at the prospect of coming face to face with Vecna—but you managed not to break down into a panicked mess. It was the last thing any of you needed right now.
“I gotta go take a leak,” Steve announced unceremoniously as he hefted himself onto his feet, glancing down at the two of you. “I’ll be back in a bit.”
As he trudged away, you could feel Robin’s eyes shift back onto you. “Y’know, I usually consider myself to be more of a glass half-full kind of person. But…” she bit down on her tongue, forcing her gaze away when you quirked an eyebrow at her.
“But…?”
“I don’t know, I just… I don’t know if we’re going to make it out of this one.”
You tightly pursed your lips at her words, setting down an almost-empty jug of kerosene onto the grass. Boldly, you moved your hands to shift on top of Robin’s knuckles, your thumbs stroking comforting circles into her skin.
“Look, I’m not very good at comforting people—that’s honestly more of Steve’s thing, so bear with me here. Even if this is gonna be the end of the world… I’m glad I’m gonna be by your side when it happens. Besides,” you added, shrugging just slightly with a mild smile twitching at the corner of your mouth, “I always imagined the end of the world to include an alien invasion of some sorts so… I guess this is something of an upgrade.”
An amused snort erupted from Robin and she tossed her head back to laugh full-bellied chuckles. You slipped your hands away from hers so you could get back to work. “It’s a shame we never got around to watching Westworld. A lot’s happened since then, huh? Feels like that was years ago.”
A twinge of sadness splayed over your chest. “Yeah,” you breathed out.
“Would’ve loved to go to England or something before I died,” she hummed absentmindedly as she grabbed another rag to stuff into the glass bottle. “Maybe Greece. Oh, Japan! There’s so many places I’d love to visit. What about you? Do you have any dream destinations?”
“I’d love to go to New Zealand,” you postulated, unscrewing the cap of another kerosene jug.
“Yeah?” asked Robin with a curious lilt to her tone.
You bobbed your head once. “Yeah. It’s quiet there… tucked away at the corner of the world. Away from everything. Gorgeous scenery, too.”
“That does sound nice,” she said, chewing on her bottom lip in thought. “Don’t think I’d have any money for those trips though—at least not if I decide to keep working at Home Video for the rest of my life.”
“I like that you work there,” you put forth without thinking. “Movies made a good reason for me to come and talk to you.”
The grin that flourished over her lips made your stomach turn over with nerves. “You know, in the beginning, I thought you hated me. You’d never talk to me whenever I came over.”
“I was intimidated,” you admitted, wrinkling your nose at the memory. “You were a pretty girl that was friends with Steve. I think I just assumed the worst.”
“Your brother’s a good friend.” She took extra care to emphasize that last word. “But you? Unclear. I mean, it’s totally okay for it to be unclear right now. Besides, it’s not really the time to—”
“It doesn’t have to be unclear,” you interrupted a second too quickly, before wincing at your initial vigor. 
Surprise painted itself crimson over the freckled canvas of her face. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” you murmured, sending her a shy smile.
Robin could only beam back dopily, muttering out a dazed, “Cool. Cool, cool, cool,” beneath her breath. Then, she tacked on, “I really, really like you. If that wasn’t clear yet.”
 Before you could vocalize your reciprocation, Steve rounded the corner of the RV, throwing his hands up into the air and exclaiming in exasperation, “Finally! Took the two of you long enough. Jesus, I thought I’d have to lock you guys in a room together or something.”
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Hawkins High was transformed into a makeshift shelter after the ‘earthquake’ that Vecna caused. You were hunched over on a medical stretcher, head throbbing from the healing gash on the side of your head. The memory of dried crimson caking the expanse of your cheek lingered in the back of your mind—you had used an alcohol wipe to gently clean the wound, tears stinging the corner of your eyes from the burn. There was also a temporary brace fixed over your badly sprained ankle—an injury you acquired when hacking away at the tentacle-like vines suffocating you and your friends.
Despite your battered state, you still tried helping out, sorting through a couple boxes of clothes beside your brother, who wore an expression of clear concern, constantly mother-henning you into taking a break when that was the very last thing you wanted. 
“Okay, okay, you can sort through these,” Steve relented, rolling his eyes with an exasperated huff. “But you stay sitting. You hear me?”
“Fine!” you snapped back, before biting down on your tongue and shaking your head. “Thanks, Steve.”
Your older brother shot you an indiscernible look, before bending down at the waist and planting a firm kiss onto the top of your head, mussing your hair slightly when he righted himself back up.
The sound of Robin’s voice appearing by your side made a startled noise fall from your throat. “Hey, guys!”
“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” Steve asked, using his head to beckon to the empty food station.
Faint pink canvassed over Robin’s freckled cheeks. “Yeah, I’m just taking a five minute break—I’ve made enough PB and J sandwiches to last a lifetime. Maybe you should go on a break, too.” She glared at him pointedly, clearing her throat whilst using her eyes to gesture to Dustin and Eddie at the other end of the school gym.
Steve wrinkled his nose. “Just say you want to be alone with my sister and go! Jeez, you don’t need to be so cryptic.” The two of you snickered as he grumbled under his breath, folding up the last in his box before clapping Robin on the shoulder and heading off to Dustin, who beckoned him over with a wide grin.
“You alright?” Robin asked, voice suddenly far more tender, gazing across your tired features with a tender expression. “How’s the foot? And the head? Man, you really… really took a beating there, huh? I have to admit, I was genuinely scared that was the last time I’d see you.”
 “I’m okay, I think,” you admitted, shifting slightly so she could sit beside you on the edge of the bleachers with a pained grunt. Robin took a seat, her arm pressed right against yours. She was warm, so very warm, and your sleepy eyes grew hooded with exhaust. “Considering we all almost died.”
A comfortable silence stretched over the two of you, a blanket of security and trust, unspoken feelings.
“I never got to say it,” you mumbled drowsily, the uninjured side of your head dropping to rest onto her shoulder. Robin’s arm went around your back, clutching you to her side with a pleasant hum. She couldn’t help but notice just how nicely you fit against her. “I really, really like you, too.”
Your head lifted just for a moment to get a good look at her expression, which had gotten considerably softer, her bright eyes flickering down to glance at your lips for a moment. You dipped your head once as if to give her the green light—that you wanted her to kiss you.
And she did.
The kiss wasn’t like how they described kisses to be in the movies. There were no fireworks, no explosive passion, no feverish desperation. Only bumping noses and gentle smiles. And it was utterly perfect.
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totaled-drama · 5 months
Text
My thoughts on season 2 so far!!
The episodes are in order but some of the notes might be out of order
Most of these are from when I was still watching it. Some of them are just my thoughts afterwards
Spoilers for episodes 1 through 4
Episode 1
-Everyone’s reactions to the floor opening up underneath them 😭
-The hockey bros hugging :’) I am going to be talking about them a lot.
-Everyone looks absolutely MISERABLE on the dock
-Emma being mean to Nichelle :(
-“Who was that?” “I don’t know.” AJDHSJDHSH
-Ripper asking Axel how she’s been!!! He does not hold a grudge
-Is there going to be an explanation for why Millie didn’t read the guide that Priya wrote?
-Everyone dislikes Bowie but not Julia?
-RAJBOW!!!!!! They gameplanned before the game started :) that’s so nice
-Bowie’s apology and Raj’s face in the confessional ajshsjsg
-Priya is the canon winner!!!!!!!!! omg
-Priya picked Millie :) prillie!!!!!
-Raj hugging Bowie!!!! They look so happy
-Priya and Emma friendship!!!!!
-“Pick Wayne!! :D”
-Wayne tackling them in a hug 😭 he’s so sweet
-MK and Julia alliance omg
-Ripper got picked last :( Nichelle is happy though :)
-Okay so this challenge is just red light green light
-Millie and Priya IMMEDIATELY getting out of the challenge at the beginning
-Chase. Dude. What was the plan there
-“On a dime, bro. >:)” THEY’RE SO SMUG
-Zee having a soda sponsorship is so funny
-Everyone rooting for Emma and not Nichelle :(
-Nichelle won!!!!!!!!!! Yippee!!!!!
-I like that the hockey bros seem to vote based almost entirely on how well everyone did in the challenge. Idk it’s very in-character for them to vote based on that
-SCARY GIRL. WHY DID YOU SAY THAT
-Oh she is not happy
-Bye Scary Girl
Episode 2
-Priya has a crush on Caleb???
-RIPAXEL???????? RIPAXEL IS CANON??????????? WHAT
-Ripper is getting dating advice from Bowie and Raj :’) they are friends!!!!!!
-Ripper’s face 😭
-This challenge looks incredibly painful
-Nichelle high fiving everyone :)
-“Sorry, Coach, sorry :(“
-Chase trying to film a vlog AJDHSJSG
-Ok so the Rat Faces team are going to sweep
-Zee :)
-Damien is facing his fears!!!!!! :) Damien and Millie friendship :)
-Ripper 😭 BUTTER???
-The hockey bros getting stuck ajshsjsg
-“I feel like I’m ruining a romantic moment by being here.” WAYNE. With one line he has managed to completely get rid of any fear of a “Wayne is jealous” arc. Incredible. Thank you Wayne total drama
-Bowie and Julia getting stuck too ajshsjsg
-HE COUNTED THE BEAR
-Caleb carrying Zee!!! That’s so nice. They are friends :)
-Priya and Axel helping Caleb and Zee :)
-Chase does NOT care about the challenge right now
-MILLIE. MILLIE TOTAL DRAMA. WHY DID YOU DO THAT
-DAMIEN 😭😭😭 HE DID NOT DESERVE THAT
-Bye Chase
Episode 3
-Damien :( you did not deserve that
-MILLIE. MILLIE DONT TRY TO JUSTIFY IT
-Damien is SO mad and rightfully so
-MK and Julia are cheating!!!!!!!
-“Ohh they’re making the challenges hard on purpose!!” AJSHDJDDH
-The hockey bros :) they’re so silly in this season
-Oh yeah everyone is definitely mad at Millie
-Prillie :)
-Priya knew about the training guide thing already??? Ok
-Ok so clearly Caleb wants to be in an alliance with Priya, but they haven’t talked about strategy AT ALL so far
-Is Ripper actually going to go flirt with Axel in the middle of a challenge
-“BUT CHEATING IS…WRONG!!!!” They look like they’re going to cry 😭
-The hockey bros high fiving and immediately getting stuck ajshdjdh
-RIPPER AND AXEL 😭
-THE HOCKEY BROS ARE WEEPING
-Damien and Nichelle do not like Millie right now
-Nichelle is a lot more confident now!! :)
-Millie apologized!!!!!!!!! Yippee
-They hugged and immediately got stuck ajdhsjdh
-Damien :) he’s so nice
-MK and Julia are really enjoying making plans together :) idk it’s nice to see them getting along. I think one of them might betray the other at some point though.
-Zee has a raccoon now asfhdfsf
-Caleb having to carry everyone 😭
-Wayne and Raj 😭😭😭 that was the saddest “hoot hoot” ever
-They’re so sad about cheating that they aren’t even happy that they won :(
-Bye Millie :(
Episode 4
-Raj is fishing!!
-Bowie 😭
-Did Axel just break and then un-break Ripper’s nose
-The hockey bros still want to play fair :)
-Oh I like challenges like these!! I like it when we get to learn more about the contestants
-Priya hasn’t mentioned Millie at all in this episode which is surprising. I thought she’d be more upset about Millie’s elimination
-Ok so Emma thinks she’ll do well in this challenge
-“Why are they wearing life jackets?” “For safety :/“ ADFGDGDHD
-Terry’s line delivery is so good
-Raj is first :) he looks so happy about playing fair
-Bowie and Wayne were so concerned when Raj fell 😭
-Zee :) I am worried that he will be eliminated soon but I am glad he is still here
-Wayne looks so nervous about picking the wrong answer
-Emma got another answer wrong
-Nichelle is doing really well this season!! I mentioned before that she’s more confident, but she also definitely seems to still be upset about how Hollywood treated her
-I think Nichelle is going to make it to the merge this season hopefully
-Ripper :)
-I don’t usually like miscommunication plots. I don’t think I like the fact that Priya thinks that Caleb is flirting with her. He doesn’t seem to be flirting with her on purpose, it seems more like he just wants to be in an alliance with her
-MK and Julia still want to cheat but Bowie seems a little more hesitant about it now despite still going along with it
-“If MK’s brain drove a cool car, I’d date it” JULIA
-Priya is tricking Emma into giving them the right answers 😭
-“CYCLONE SPIN CYCLE” ASFHDGDHDG
-THEY’RE SPINNING
-Zee told Emma about the plan and she is NOT happy
-Axel likes poetry!!
-MK :)
-“I HATE RUNNING” AFHDGFGDG
-Raj thinks that Bowie is playing fairly 😭
-Bowie is dancing!!
-Emma’s last question is about Chase :(
-EMMA WAS RIGHT BUT SHE GOT IT WRONG
-Raj hugging Bowie at the end of the challenge 😭 Raj looks so happy and Bowie looks so guilty
-Bye Emma :(
-RIPPER?????????????????? HE WROTE A POEM
-THEY KISSED?????????????????????
-RIPAXEL IS CANON
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