#but by the lake scene i knew it was more than half way and it looked so definitive
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If the World Was Ending
Theodore Nott x Fem!Reader
Part Two of Craw Home to Her
A/N- after weeks it's finally here! This isn't a direct songfic like the first part, however, it's accompanying song is If the World Was Ending by JP Saxe
Slight alteration to the original timeline of events of Half-Blood Prince
crawl home to her (part I) navigation slytherin boys masterlist
After that party in the Slytherin Common Room, you and Theo had begun dating. And for the entire month of January, a perfect Valentine's Day, and everything was perfect. Now, with Spring Break is rapidly approaching, the war is becoming more and more real. Everyone in your small circle knew of the tasks that had been assigned to you and a few other children of prominent Death Eaters in preparation of their takeover of Hogwarts at the end of the year.
Draco had begun to stress and look worse for wear as the weight of this secrecy from Hermione started to settle in. Mattheo, who had the worst of the lot of you, had given up on his usual banter with Potter and had been holed up in the boys' dormitory for the past two weeks or so.
Though there'd been an uptick in the moods of Theo and yourself in the midst of your new relationship, the novelty and puppy-love air had dampened when a letter from Theo's father arrived a few days ago requesting a visit home in the upcoming spring break. While your parents had been relatively silent since giving you your assignment, you knew that they'd want a progress update soon, and you hadn't even worked up the stomach to begin at all.
The thought of betraying your classmates and professors at Hogwarts had become sickening to all of you.
Still, sitting here in Theo's arms under a large oak tree at the Great Lake, you couldn't find it in yourself to feel scared or sad. There was a soft and sweet bubble of love around the two of you with a warm air that seeped into your bones and warmed your soul. Theo pressed a sweet kiss to your temple and when you turned to meet his eyes, you were unsure how you never realized that Theodore Nott was in love with you. Especially if he'd been looking at you like that all this time.
"You know I leave next Tuesday, love?"
The deep rumble of Theo's voice in his chest felt like a lightning bolt through your body that had electricity simmering at the tips of your fingers and your toes. How you'd never realized you were also madly in love with Theodore Nott you were also unsure of. Had your body always reacted to him this way? The thought of being away from him for 10 days made your heart sink a little lower than you'd anticipated. You and Theo had been each other's light as the skies darkened and the air turned cold. You could predict now that your mood would suffer significantly from a lack of Vitamin Theo.
"I'll miss you."
"And I you," His arms tightened around your torso and pulled you further back into his chest. "have you heard from your mum yet?"
You shook your head and tried not to think about the rage you'd certainly face if you didn't start on your task soon. You'd never particularly been friends with Katie Bell, but the thought of cursing her made you a little queasy. Especially when it meant the end result was weakening Dumbledore so that Mattheo could deliver the final blow.
Still, Draco and Theo both has worse jobs than your own. Draco was still working on the Vanishing cabinet and adjusting to his new dark mark bestowed to him by his aunt, and your mother, Bellatrix LeStrange. Theo had been tasked with enlisting the help of the Acromantula and Centaurs in the Dark Forest and it wasn't going very well. When he'd returned the other night, he'd had arrow cuts all over after rapidly fleeing the scene when his meeting with a group of centaurs turned sour.
In short, you'd been given an easy and simple task with minimal danger. But you'd been given it because it was essential. Should you fail to deliver this curse to Dumbledore, when Mattheo advances on him, he will surely lose, and the Dark Lord will descend upon the entire lot of you with a fury unknown.
"You'll be fine. And the curse won't kill Bell, she'll just be a little rattled."
You whipped your head upwards to your boyfriend and flashed him a bewildered look. "They asked me to use Imperio, Theo! That's an unforgiveable."
"I know. But in the grand scheme of things, we'll all be otherwise occupied before this whole thing is over."
You settled back into his embrace without another word.
You knew he was right.
But you just couldn't stomach it.
Turns out you were right. You couldn't stomach it.
You tried to be as quiet as possible as you deposited the contents of your stomach behind the Three Broomsticks. Thankfully, the bustling sounds of Hogsmeade during Spring Break were cover enough for the sounds of you retching.
But it was done. Katie Bell had been successfully cursed, given her mission, and sent on her way to the Headmaster's Office.
It was the last few days of Spring Break and Theo was supposed to return soon. Your nerves ad been on edge since he'd left. Now that you completed your task, you felt a little better but you wouldn't be able to relax until Theo was safely back into your arms. Only two more days and he'd be back.
After what turned out to be an unsuccessful attempt to curse Katie, you went back to your dorm room and tried to ignore the growing feeling of dread inside of you. Once your mother heard of your failure through Professor Snape, you were pretty much done for. You didn't attend Dinner that night and instead decided to remain holed up in your bed with your curtains drawn shut. You weren't exactly in the mood for sympathies.
However, your plans to sulk for the evening were interrupted quite suddenly by Pansy Parkinson. "Y/n get up! They're here."
You rolled over halfway and stared bewildered at your friend. "Who's here?"
"The Death Eaters."
A chill ran straight down your spine. They weren't supposed to be here until the end of the year. They weren't supposed to come until Theo came back. Still, you flung yourself out of bed and quickly pulled on your tennis shoes and a jumper to protect you from the cold air. When you finally exited the common room, it was pretty clear where the Death Eaters were. Students were tearing off in waves away from the Great Hall. You could hear your mother's manic cackling and curses fired into the crowd caused even more panic.
You masked your fear with an emotionless facade and began shoving through the crowd towards your mother trying to appear as mean as possible and firing meaningless spells into the crowd.
As soon as your mother could see you, she bound towards you with a grin. It was hard to tell if she was angry or excited. It was always hard to tell. "Daughter! You've done so well. The Dark Lord will be so pleased. Dumbledore is dead!" You tried to smile and look happy with the news but your chest tightened further. Dumbledore was dead, Theo was missing, and you were now back into the clutches of your insane mother.
Part of your heart sunk at her words. You'd never particularly cared for your mother but it was always The Dark Lord will be so pleased or The Dark Lord is proud or The Dark Lord cares for all of his disciples and never her saying those things to you. She was never pleased, never proud, and she never cared. Harry Potter came suddenly around the corner of the corridor and fired a stunning curse that hit Crabbe's father dead center in the chest.
Your mother's face instantly turned from pleased to enraged and she let out the cruciatus curse in a bellow. You didn't see the remainder of the encounter as she and the other Death Eaters took off after Potter. A temporary relief calmed your heart. Snape hadn't said anything to your mother. At least not yet. Maybe you could convince him not to say anything.
As you ran through the castle, you'd noticed dead bodies of classmates that'd been slaughtered by the Death Eaters' rampage. Still, no sign of Theo. You begun to fear for your boyfriend. There's no way that Nott Sr. would come to the castle on this mission without Theo. You were so lost in your head, you didn't see Hermione until you slammed into each other and knocked heads. Your movements mirrored each other as both of your arms shot up to rub at your temples.
"Y/n! Have you seen Draco?"
You shook your head sympathetically and wrapped the brunette into what would probably be the last hug you ever gave Hermione Granger.
"I've got to go, but Theo's looking for you. I just passed him outside of the Charms classroom running around like a madman." She sprinted away from you but turned momentarily to shout after your own retreating figure. "If you see Draco, tell him I love him!"
You took off towards the Charms classroom with a new fervor. Please Salazar let Theo be okay. Finally, you heard his voice. "Y/n?! Y/n!!"
"Theo! Theo I'm here!!"
The moment you laid eyes on Theodore Nott your heart stopped. He was covered head to toe in bruises and his skin had paled since you saw him last. He looked downright awful. But that didn't stop you from launching yourself into his embrace and squeezing like the world depended on it. Draco, Mattheo, Blaise, and Pansy were all rallied behind him. Pansy was tucked into Blaise' side. Draco had his wand drawn and was frantically checking every door in the corridor no doubt looking for Hermione.
"She's not here, D. I ran into her maybe five minutes ago. She asked me to tell you that she loves you. Then she took off towards the East Wing of the castle."
Draco immediately started sprinting in the direction you'd come from with Pansy and Blaise hot on his tail.
You recentered on Theo who pressed his forehead down into yours.
"What has happened to you Theodore Nott?"
"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if the sun were shining or if the world was ending, I will always be right here. With you."
You stared up at him. "The world is ending, my love."
You pressed your lips against his.
okay okay done for now. should I just make this into a series at this point?
WC 1739
2.7.2024
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Let The Light In |Drabble (1)|
Tara Carpenter x Fem!Reader | Platonic!Dewey Riley x Fem!Reader
Drabble One: Splashes & Changes
Summary: Even when you didn't make it easy on him, Dewey only ever tried to help you
Warning(s): Swearing
Notes: Heavily inspired by this scene in Gilmore Girls. This takes place when R first moved to Woodsboro! We get to see how R's relationship with Dewey started out so this drabble mostly focuses on Dewey and R
Masterlist
The fall breeze hits you as you walk out of the school building. You pulled out your book, and continued reading where you left off as you walked. It didn’t take long for a familiar face to join you. You didn’t have to look over to know it was.
“Hey,” Dewey nodded at you. You turned your face to him then looked back, resisting the urge to roll your eyes. You exhaled through your nose as you lightly clenched your jaw.
“How was school?”
“Great.”
“Learn anything good?”
“Oh yeah…tons of things. I’ve got gold stars plastered all over my forehead,” you answered with sarcasm laced in your voice.
“I had an interesting call today. Wanna know who it was from?” You put your book in your back pocket as the two of you continued to walk.
“Not really.”
“So, Mr. Collier—you know he runs the store that’s not too far from your house.”
“If you say so.”
“He said you came in today–”
“He did?” You rhetorically asked, voice lacking interest. You knew Dewey was amping up to something, and you could care less.
“—And he said you took some money out of a little donation cup to help repair the roads. I told him he was ‘crazy, you wouldn’t do that, you weren’t a thief’ that ‘he was just trying to start trouble’ and then I hung up on him. Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy hanging up on Mr. Collier. The guy’s nothing but a jerk—and he is crazy.
“But I was just wondering if, maybe, any of the other things were true.”
“What do you think?” You asked, turning the question back on him.
“I think, if you tell me that what he’s saying is not true then I’m going to believe it’s not true.”
“Okay, it’s not true.”
“That doesn’t sound very convincing—”
You stopped in your tracks and finally turned to face Dewey. You fists were clenched as you spoke, not
“Look, what exactly do you want from me? First my mom drags me all the way from New York to here, now I get stuck with you half the time. I'm in a school that has us doing the pledge of allegiance in six–different–languages—I mean geez! I haven’t even heard of two of them. I’m supposed to be this happy–go–lucky person after being taken from my home, my friends—and now you want what from me?!”
You didn’t need this. You were fine living in a crappy–ish apartment. You were more than fine with knowing the city like the back of your hand, and knowing the people who walked it. What you weren’t fine with was dealing with new faces, and this damn town who seemed to think they knew you when they didn’t.
They resented you, and you knew why. They would constantly compare you to your late psychotic uncle. They were making assumptions about you, before you even stepped foot into Woodsborro.
“I’m just trying to help you,” Dewey sighed as his patience was growing thin. Dewey knew what people said about you, and he knew you heard what most of them were saying. He wished he could protect you—shield you from all of it, but he can only do so much.
“Well stop trying. Stop talking to me, stop following me, and stop asking me questions—just stop!” You were aggravated and annoyed with everything in your life right now. Unforntally, you were taking it out on Dewey.
“That’s what you want?”
“Yes!”
“That’s really what you want?” He asked again, his voice grew a little louder.
“Yes.”
“Fine. You got it, kid!” He threw his hands up as he said this.
“Thank you!”
“You’re welcome!”
You both continue to walk side by side, refusing to look at the other person. When you both walked along the bridge you suddenly felt a force shove you. In less than a second you were standing in the lake, soaked. Pushing your hair back, you look up to see Dewey continuing to walk with his back facing you as if he didn’t just shove you into a lake.
He didn’t spare you a single glance as you tried to hop back onto the bridge. By the time you lifted yourself up, Dewey had already left.
Nobody liked soggy socks, but you knew you deserved it. Even if you were too stubborn to admit it out loud.
—
The next day people were crowded around Mr. Collier’s store. He’s ranting about something, with his hands going up and down as he speaks angrily. When Tara walked closer she finally saw what all the ruckus was about.
Apparently, somebody had put most of his merchandise in Christmas wrapping paper. Tara couldn’t help but chuckle behind her hand when she saw this. Whoever had done this was a genius—but it wasn’t until she looked across the street and regretted that thought.
There you were, wearing a smirk that said it all. You finger wave to her when she meets your eye line. She leaves the crowd and walks over to you. You’re leaning against something when you heard Tara say, “What’s your problem?”
You tilted your head and furrowed your eyebrows at her. “What do you mean?” You tried acting innocent even though you knew she saw right through your act.
“You know what I mean. They all know it was you.”
You stood up straight, before responding. “And? It’s hilarious. Don’t think I didn’t see you cracking up.” Tara turned away her face then turned back to look at you.
“But that’s not the point. The point is you’re just making things harder for Dewey.”
Now she has your full attention. “Wait—what do you mean?” You bit the inside of your cheek as she began to speak.
“He’s getting the blame for all the shit you’ve caused in just a month of being here.”
“Oh…I didn’t realize they’ve been coming down so hard on him,” you say with a softness in your voice. A softness that Tara’s never heard before now.
“Yeah—just try to get your act together.” Tara said before walking off.
You sat on one of the benches nearby, and as you tried to read you couldn’t help but think about Tara’s words. It’s not like you were making it any better for Dewey. He’s probably done more shit for you than you could say your father has.
Moving here was definitely not ideal. All change did was bring more anxiety into your life. So, when your mother told you, you would be moving all the way to California you didn’t take the news well. You still weren’t taking it too well. There were a few reasons your mom told you, as to why you were moving but you knew the main one. To be away from your father.
All you knew is that her and Dewey met in nineteen ninety eight during the ghostface attacks. After that they got close and became friends. You guess they definitely got along well since she made him your godfather.
Dewey was also a former Sheriff. He knew about your track record and always made sure to keep an eye on you. It was extremely annoying, and aggravating. You felt like you couldn’t breathe!
Your mom was a nurse so you didn’t get to see much of her; she always took as many shifts as she could, because more shifts meant more money. Which is something your family could definitely use.
Since you were stuck with Dewey so often you got sick of him—quick.
But now, here you were, sitting on a bench, and thinking about everything. You knew you were the asshole in all this. He was just trying to help you out; he didn't need you making it harder than it already was for him.
You sighed, getting up from the bench and making your way to Dewey’s trailer. You knew what you had to do even if it meant shoving out the words. Apologizing was never your speciality.
You knocked two times, and Dewey answered the door already knowing who it was.
“Hey, kid.”
“Hey. Mind if I–” You pointed to inside his trailer and he nodded, letting you inside.
“So…uh—” You shoved your hands in your pockets, looking around as if you’ve never seen his place before. Dewey looked at you with crossed arms as he stood, his expression still warm. It felt like he was always wearing a warm expression no matter what.
“Hey.”
Dewey chuckled a bit before responding. “You already said that.”
“Right—I wanted to apologize.”
“Okay…I’m waiting.” Dewey took a seat on his futon, looking at you.
“Oh, that was actually the apology…”
He hummed and replied, “For…?” You could tell from the smug he was wearing that he enjoyed this. You exhale, tilting your head back and looking at the ceiling.
“I’m sorry for making things harder than it needs to be.” You finally said, looking back at him.
“Thank you, Y/N. I…appreciate that.” He looked at you with a soft smile; you didn’t get many of those.
“No problem.” You give him a small tight lipped smile before you start to turn around. Before you could leave the trailer you hear Dewey’s voice again.
“Why don’t you stay for dinner? I know your mom’s working tonight and Stepehen’s sleeping over at a friend’s house. What do you say?” His offer caught you off guard. You certainly weren’t expecting that after all the shit you’ve put him through.
“Uh, yeah. That sounds nice, actually.” You give him a small smile back. What you were feeling was indescribable. Frankly, because you don’t think you’ve ever felt it before—or you just don’t feel it often enough. You could tell Dewey genuinely cared about you. It was a strange feeling, but it wasn’t a bad one.
You spent the rest of your night in Dewey’s trailer. You talked and joked with each other as you ate leftover pizza with the television playing in the background.
The next morning you woke up to Dewey cursing at his toaster. “Fucking damnit!” You pushed the blanket off as you got up to see what was wrong. You were rubbing your eyes when Dewey saw you.
“Sorry, did I wake you?” He asked, now whacking his toaster.
“No, you’re good. But–uh, why are you assaulting your toaster?” You looked at the toaster then at him with raised eyebrows.
“I’ve had this toaster for ten years and suddenly it just stops working,” he answered as he continued to hit the toaster on its side.
“Well I don’t know if ten years is suddenly.”
“Whatever,” he let out a defeated sigh, pushing it away. “I have to grab a few things. Will you be fine here by yourself or do you want me to drop you off?” You looked at the toaster as you thought to yourself.
“I’ll be good here.” You answered and he patted your shoulder, making his way to grab his keys.
“Breakfast is on the table, I shouldn’t be out long!” He called out before leaving his trailer.
As soon as he left you went for his tool box—you remembered seeing it the first time you came over. Once you had the tool box you grabbed the toaster and got to work.
It actually wasn’t that bad. There was just some tightening and cleaning that had to be done. By the time you were done you had ten minutes to spare before Dewey was home. It wasn’t until later that night that he noticed something was different about his toaster.
“My toaster—it works,” he said with a bit of shock in his voice. This toaster was a complete hunk of junk just a few hours ago. What happened?
He looked over to see you completely ignoring his words as you read from your book. Then it dawned on him and he smiled.
“Thanks, kid.”
“Don’t know what you're talking about.”
-----------
A/N: I feel like Woodsboro would be obsessed with Christmas....way too early, so that's why I had R wrap Mr. Collier's shit in Christmas paper.
That's 100% one of R's motives. I bet she was walking down the street and got annoyed cause she saw Mr. Collier selling Christmas stuff in the middle of October
Taglist: @t-wylia @lesbianpepsi @jennasfav @alyciaddict @justafoolinlove @steffido1993 @niqmandu @severelyuniquereview @darklron @ravenousinferno @smut-religiously777 @beautifulmongerbanditsalad @vanatalye @alexkolax @andsoigotabutterfly
#tara carpenter x y/n#tara carpenter x you#tara carpenter x female reader#tara carpenter x reader#tara carpenter#jenna ortega#jenna ortega x reader#scream#let the light in au
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WHY HUNTLOW IS A FORCED AND UNREALISTIC SHIP.
1. First impressions:
Raeda has the most amicable meeting. About Lumity, Amity shook Luz's collar and almost got Principal Bump dissect her. It stems from misunderstanding, because Amity doesn't know Luz is human but a strange non-Abomination that Willow used to cheat. About Huntlow, Willow seems to be violent for no reasons at all. Hunter disguises as a Hexside student so to Willow, he's just a student that she doesn't know. He's not a threat at all. Yet she summons the vines to wrap him tightly and drags him down the ground so hard that the asphalt gets damaged. Treating strangers like this is not fine and out of character for Willow.
Also, when Hunter is about to leave again, Willow drags him down the ground and takes him to the field without asking his permission. This crosses boundaries a lot. In comparison, even though Amity sees Hunter as an enemy in Eclipse Lake, she just simply uses Abomination magic to capture him, not dragging him down violently like Willow.
2. Understanding:
Raine and Eda have a genuine common interest in music, magic (Eda is interested in wild magic and Raine supports her). Luz and Amity are both interested in Azura, the idea of being not enough for anyone, the idea of being accepted and loved for who they really are. Amity is also interested in Luz's glyph magic and she learns to draw it many times.
About Huntlow, I don't see any common between them besides flyer derby. The whole “Half a Witch” is forced. Half a witch means a witch who is not powerful enough. Willow is a powerful Plant witch, her fathers just didn't realize her real magic talent and put her into Abomination track, which isn't her forte. If you're only good at Maths, but not Chemistry, does it make you unintelligent overall? Of course not.
About Hunter, first off, he is not even a witch. He's a Grimwalker with no bile sack, his pointed ears were adjusted to look like witches’. Also, he's skillful at using magic staffs so no one sees him as powerless. He's the elite Golden Guard, one of the most powerful figures under Belos. No one dares to call him half a witch, even if they do think he's weak. And how he quickly recognizes the illusion of Willow in S2ep18 is unrealistic. How come Gus, Willow's long-term friend can't figure out before Hunter? The fact that Willow seems to be scared of Hunter is understandable. Last time, he literally locked her and her friends up, then kidnapped them, he also worked for Belos. Who knows if he's gonna do the same?
Hunter and Willow know little about each other. It's one sided. Hunter knows Willow is a strong and independent person, a caring and selfless girl. But Willow knows too little about Hunter compared with Luz, Gus and Amity. They never have a serious talk about Hunter's trauma caused by Belos, only a short scene of Willow cutting his hair. In Thanks to Them, Hunter has a deeper conversation with Luz and Gus than with Willow. With Willow, he just blushes even though nothing happens. Gus and Hunter's bond makes more sense than Huntlow to be honest. They both like Flyer Derby, they both like Cosmic Frontier, Gus knew about Hunter's being Grimwalker and his conflict with Belos, Hunter comforted Gus when he felt sad in Labyrinth Runner and when he missed his Dad. Hunter's screentime with Gus is even more than with Willow. Their platonic bond is stronger than Huntlow's forced romantic one.
Feeling development.
The way Willow and Hunter like each other is too rushed and unexpected. Starting with Hunter, he met Willow only one time in ASIAS and started to have a crush on her? He only met her once directly and already blushed? And Willow, she treats Hunter the same way she treats everyone. Only until Hunter has power and saves her does she fall for him. It's so rushed all of the sudden. Some people say they live together in Luz's house for months so they have feelings for each other. But there are no bonding moments between them besides the cutting hair scene. Even though the show is cut short, from Willow's scrapbook, she and Hunter don't have any bonding moments between the two of them.
Comforting.
It's one sided again. Hunter is understanding and sympathetic towards Willow. Meanwhile, how Willow tries to comfort him is questionable. He just lost Flapjack and Willow isn't understanding at all. She gives him the Flapjack picture, causing him to feel grieving again. He's been struggling to hold back his grief to focus on helping others. This backfires really back. She should have waited until Hunter brought things up about Flapjack first, just like Gus. He knows Hunter is a Grimwalker since the Day of Unity, but he doesn't bring anything up first and waits until Hunter says it first. He thinks about Hunter's emotions after being traumatized by Belos
Also, when Hunter looks upset, Willow should have stayed to continue to comfort him?! Instead, she acts like she's the one who is hurting and leaves. Imagine you're feeling sad, someone tries to comfort you. You haven't felt better since you need time, they feel sad and leave you. Now you feel guilty because you can't be happy to make them happy. This is making things worse. Hunter can't even make himself feel calmer after Flapjack's death, yet now he'll feel guilty because his own sadness and grief makes Willow feel sad! Also, when Hunter calls out, she keeps walking and ignoring him.
In conclusion, Willow and Hunter are better off as friends. They don't have any romantic chemistry or deep understanding. The ship is so forced and rushed.
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|| Star-Crossed ||
Pairing: Frank Castle x Female reader
W/c 13.3k
Tags/warnings: Romeo & Juliet style gangster forbidden love Punisher/Daredevil AU, super-protective Matt, Jack Murdock is alive and well, some pretty old fashioned chauvinistic values, violence and injury, (protected and unprotected) p in v sex, oral (f rec), *spoiler* (kids in the future).
Author's note: Aaaaah it's finally done! I started this in December 2022 and I've had to leave and come back to it several times trying to work out how I wanted it to go. Huge big massive thanks to @mindidjarin , @the-fox-den and @theradioactivespidergwen for all the beta help!
If you enjoyed it, let me know!
Epilogue
The Italians and the Irish. The Castigliones and the Murdocks. Two mob families that have been feuding for generations. One mired in dealing arms and the other in throwing deadly punches with them - running illicit underground fight clubs and loan sharking.
Matthew Murdock was one of the best fighters in the entire city; after all he was the boxer Battlin' Jack Murdock's son. 'The Devil O' Hell's Kitchen' they called him.
And he was your big brother.
He would certainly have some choice words for you if he knew where and who you were with right now.
"Princess, fuck, you're somethin' else y'know that?"
Your body felt flushed with heat and bliss as you collapsed in Frank Castiglione's lap in the back seat of his car, laughing as his stubbled jaw tickles you when he kisses up and down your neck, like he's still hungry for you.
"You say that every time Frank," you smile as you push yourself up off him, tutting as he ties up the condom and throws it out the fogged window before cleaning himself up.
Sometimes you have to pinch yourself to remind yourself that you aren’t dreaming. When the man that was so terrifying they gave him the nickname of 'The Punisher' was between your thighs, or you were between his, life felt like a fever dream.
"I'll buy us a villa in the Lakes. You'd fuckin' love it there sweetheart, I just know it. You'll wake up and enjoy your morning coffee on the bedroom balcony overlooking the water. I'll treat you so goddamn right…"
The scene he painted with his words was so clear in your mind and yet- "Frank we can't -"
"Baby, you deserve more than what I can give you in a half hour in the back of my car."
You pretend not to hear, adjusting your dress to look a little more decent.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me this is enough for you.”
You sigh softly. You didn't need to see that puppy dog look of his to know life wasn’t fair.
"No Frankie, you know it's not, but I can't be with you like that… my father and Matty would kill you if I ran away to Italy with you!"
He tucks some of your disheveled hair behind your ear. "So you're just gonna keep leading me along like this, huh? I wanna be with you baby. I want you."
"Frankie I want you too, but they'll get suspicious if I spend any more time out and about. My da and brother think I'm taking a dance class right now."
He half snorts with laughter. "Yeah well when we 'dance' you do got some smokin' hot moves sweetheart; but I don't want you showin' them ones to anyone else."
"As if I would." You say with mock indignation. "Anyway, it's a good enough cover for why I'm always so worn out when I get home!"
Frank just smirks. "Let me at least take you dancing for real. Tell the old man you're going out with your girlfriends one night."
You roll your eyes. "Aye and if one of my da's men sees me out with you? You’ll be dead and I'll at least be locked up with a flippin' chastity belt forevermore after that!"
"Baby," He pleads and his words hit you in the heart and gut, "I've gotta be with you. We gotta find a way to make this work."
You push up off of him, frowning slightly. "The only way it could work is if you go straight. Get out of the family business and be respectable. Then maybe my da would at least listen to us instead of reaching for his gun."
He just laughs. "Me? Respectable? Well I wouldn't be able to give you trinkets like this if I was makin' a 'respectable' living now, could I?"
He produces a gold necklace from his waistcoat pocket and places it in your open palm, smiling at your surprise. It's a fine dainty sparkling chain with a little heart hanging from it. You turn the heart over and your breath catches in your throat as you read the small engraved letters 'FC' in flowing script.
You feel giddy. "Oh Frankie…"
"Now you have my heart, sugar."
You want to scream out. Why did you have to go and fall in love with a boy from a crime family? Why did it have to be a Castiglione? It went against everything your two families stood for. Why did everything have to be so damn complicated?!
You lean forward to kiss him, fingers smoothing down his lapels. "Frank, I… I love it, but you know I can't wear it…"
He nods, resigned. "Yeah, sure." It feels like you've just kicked a puppy. You lift up your heel and slip it into your shoe for safekeeping.
"But I'll keep it with me, always."
He at least manages a smile and you kiss him again, chiding him as he sneaks his hands in places that'd make a priest blush.
"I've gotta go…"
"Ten more minutes, five even! Please babygirl, I'll make it worth your while." He pleads so prettily for the son of one of the cities' biggest mobsters and you very nearly crumble.
You extricate yourself from his grasp, trying to stay focused. If you got home late there would be questions. Your family was very protective of you. "You always make it worth my while Frankie."
"Dancing. This Friday. Wear one of your pretty dresses… mm, and don't bother with the panties."
"Frank!"
He hands you your coat, his lips pressed into a smile that you want to kiss off his face. "Can't blame me for tryin'. Fuck, I'm missin' you already."
"I'll seeya. Be careful." You say opening the car door and looking around to check the coast is clear before scooching out.
"Friday, yeah?" He calls after you hopefully.
You turn and flash him a grin as your heels clack away down the alleyway. "Friday."
~
"How was yer dancin'?"
You just about manage to stop yourself from jumping six feet up in the air as Matthew appeared seemingly out of nowhere as you closed the front door behind you.
"Oh excitin' and tirin', as usual." You reply, hanging up your coat and placing your keys on the sideboard.
"Where's da?" You ask, noting that his coat was missing from its usual place.
"Out. He's meetin' some new guy. One of' the big fight brokers from the other side o' town. He can fix us up with some top names, reckons we can make some real good money."
"Why aren't you with him, Matty? You bein' the best one an all…"
"Yeah I'm goin'. Wanted to make sure you got home okay first. You've been getting back later 'n later each time yer out. Da was worried. An I was too."
You laugh. "Oh Matty, you're so damn sweet, but I'm fine as you can well see. Us girls just love to gab on after, you know that."
He didn't look convinced but he nods all the same and that's when you see the blood drip down from behind his ear.
"Matthew yer bleedin'! I didn't know you had a fight tonight?" Your hands reach for his shoulders to keep him still as you have a closer look and then guide him towards the bathroom.
He shrugs. "Wasn't somethin' I planned exactly, one of the fuckin' Castiglione lads showed up at the gym.
"What? Who was it?"
It couldn't have been Frank, there was no way, but that didn't stop your heart creeping up your throat.
"One o' the younguns, just shit talkin' and tryin' to stir up trouble. Managed to clip me before I booted his arse down the street. Christ, I'd love a real excuse to fuckin' kill the lot of em…"
You stay silent, focusing your attention on gently cleaning the small cut and sticking a plaster over it.
"There. It's only a wee one, thankfully."
"Sis, yer a doll. Always lookin' out fer me." He pecks you on the cheek before grabbing his own coat and heading out. "We'll be back afore eleven. Stay inside okay?"
"Alright Matty, see you later."
~
It felt like you had been waiting months by the time Friday finally rolled around. You met the girls, Karen, Marci and Dinah at the dancehall, trying your best to pay attention and stay engaged in conversation but you found yourself constantly scanning the bar for him.
You freeze as you feel a hand on your waist and you whip around with your fist raised, ready to clock the slimeball who had dared to touch you.
"Woah, sweetheart!" Frank raises his hands in submission and chuckles as your expression changes from pissed to adoring in a fraction of a second.
"Frankie." You purr as he slides his arm further around your waist and takes your softening fist in his hand.
"If you're done with the fightin', may I have this dance?" He asks, leading you onto the crowded dance floor.
You nod and flash him a smile, trying to calm your excitement and allow yourself to melt into the solid mass of him, as you drift further away from your group of friends. "Missed you Frankie…"
He pulls you even closer and you can feel the heat of him through the thin fabric of your dress.
"Missed you more. You look so gorgeous darlin'," he says. He dances with you for a while, and oh, he's got all the moves - spinning you around and dipping you for several songs before he's guiding you towards a quiet corner away from prying eyes. You giggle as he noses your ear and kisses your neck, and when you meet his hungry mouth his fingertips dance up the outside of your bare thigh making you shiver.
"Someone might see!" You warn. You should break away, but you're eager for his touch and he knows it.
"Don't care. I need a taste baby. Been thinkin' bout you all week. Can you feel that?" He asks, and it's a dumb question because he's rock hard against you and it's driving you insane. Your mouth goes dry as he takes your hand and holds it over the front of his pants. "That's what you do to me princess, fuck… that's what you do."
You glance around, your nerves on fire with the excitement of getting caught but no-one is paying the two of you any mind.
"What about the bathrooms?" you pant into his mouth as he kisses you breathless again.
He grins, trying to hold in his groan as you squeeze his clothed cock in your hand. "What about 'em sweet girl?" He teases, knowing full well what you're implying.
As soon as the stall door's locked you pounce and it throws him for a loop. He's usually the one to take control but he'll be damned if he won't let you get what you want. You place both of his hands underneath your skirt right on your bare ass and you swear you could get addicted to seeing the expression that appears on his face as he realises you've honoured his request and you're not wearing a shred of underwear.
He squeezes your warm flesh as you unbuckle his belt and open his pants, taking his thick cock in your hand and giving him a few firm strokes. You slip your hand into his pocket and find what you're looking for, tearing open the packet hurriedly and rolling the condom onto him before you hike up your leg and urge him to pull you up.
It's a struggle for you both not to moan at the sensation as he sinks inside you. He turns you both so your back's against the stall, wrapping your legs around him and bracing his own legs wider so he can fuck you the way you crave.
You hear people coming into the toilets, laughing and chatting but it's no big deal, it's the kind of place that young lovers meet to spend some 'quality time' together, and you two were no different. You'd asked your friends to let you know, unlikely as it was, if any of your family appeared, so you felt as if this was the closest to having a relaxed intimate time with Frank as you could get.
You're at eye level with him as he thrusts into you against the stall, you love being able to see his face when he's inside you and watch him try to hold it together when he comes apart.
"Frankie," you moan, "oh fuck… feels so good!"
He kisses you again and it's so possessive you almost lose it, his hand reaches up to grip the top of the stall to give him more leverage to drive into you deeper and harder.
"Princess, you're a fuckin' dream. Touch yourself baby, make it feel good, that's right baby, let me feel it too."
You do as he says, unable to curb your impassioned cries as it takes almost no time at all to near the peak of your pleasure.
"F-fuck Frank- ohh god-!"
He curls in against you, his breath hot and heavy, letting go as he feels you spasm around him with the last few desperate thrusts.
"Marry me." He pants, still holding you tightly up against the stall door.
It takes a few seconds for the post orgasmic fog to clear from your brain so that you can process the words you think you just heard coming out of Frank's mouth.
"W-what?"
"Marry me darlin'. I'm askin' you to make me an honest man. Will you?"
"In the toilets? While you're still inside me?!"
He chuckles. "Hell, I know it ain't Paris, I just… I love you."
You beam from ear to ear, laughing too. Suddenly it doesn't matter where you are, you're just overflowing with unfiltered glee at his words.
"Oh Frank, I love you too!" his lips meet yours over and over, raining kisses all over your face until you're both laughing so hard you have to slip out of his embrace.
"You uh, haven't given me an answer, sweetheart..."
You can't help your sigh as you press your palm to the side of his face. "I told you before baby, a miracle would have to happen for us to be married. I want to, Frankie, I really do more than anything but I just don't see how."
He kisses you on the forehead before he cleans up and helps you fix your hair and dress. "Yeah, I know." He sighs.
~
You practically hop, skip and jump up the stairs when you get home, so elated with Frank's admission of love for you that the prospect of never being able to actually marry him couldn't even drag your mood down. Matt comes around the bottom of the staircase to see what all the noise was about.
"A good night then, love?"
"Oh Matty, it was just perfect!"
He smiles wide. "Glad to hear it pet, love seein' you so happy."
You were dancing around so much that you failed to notice the necklace Frank had given you fall out of your shoe and land on one of the stairs.
But Matt noticed it. You'd disappeared into your room by the time he'd picked it up intending to give it back to you. But then he ran his thumb over the charm again and again, gritting his teeth harder each time he read the engraving. He couldn't believe it.
He tried to stop the rage he felt rising from his gut, but this wouldn't stand, that was for sure. His little sister would not and could not ever be associated with that Castiglione scum. Matt's hands instinctively curled into fists. He was going to hunt down that son of a bitch and after he was done with him he knew he would never be going near you again.
~
When you come out of the shower and dress, the house is deadly quiet. You knew your dad was likely down at the gym training with the boys, but you called out for Matt, eager to hear about his next fixture. You loved your brother like no one else. After your mum was gone you were brought even closer together, most days you were never apart and even when he started fighting he'd always have the time to teach you some technique and even let you cut loose on him at the gym after school. He was so very protective of you when you started seeing boys, none of them were ever good enough for you and if he had his way you'd probably die a spinster.
"Matty?" His jacket was still on the peg. Then a glint on the sideboard caught your eye. The necklace.
Oh no.
Fuck, it must have fallen out earlier and he'd found it. You picked it up, brushing your thumb over Frank's initials. Your heart dropped like a stone as you knew what Matt was likely to do.
When you reach the warehouses down at the waterfront, you could already hear the commotion. A large circle of people stood near one of the huge open loading doors, mostly Castiglione men and some women, shouting and gesturing towards the center. You run up, forcing your way through the crowd to find the cause.
Your eyes find Frank first. He'd look so fine if this was any other situation. The muscles on his chest and arms rippled as he stripped down to his vest. He was wrapping his hands with cloth as a few of his clan around him amped him up with whoops and hollers.
Opposite him stood your brother, still in his regular clothes with his shirt sleeves rolled up.
Your stomach lurched with a rioting combination of butterflies and bile.
They were going to fight.
"No!" You shout, pushing your way past the crowd and running between them. You're not sure which one of them you were yelling at, your heart tearing itself in two with the prospect of what was about to happen.
"Go home wee girl," Matt barks, and Frank catches your eye.
"He's right for once baby, get out of here. You don't need to watch me beat his ass."
"Frankie, no! Just let me talk to him, you don't have to do this, you don't need to fight!" You wheel around to face your brother. Your blood.
"Please Matty, you don't understand! Stop," your eyes burn with the tears that threaten to flow. "Please don't, you can't… I love him!"
You try pushing him back but it has little effect. He keeps on staring past you in the direction of Frank, his head tilting minutely as he listens to him tie off the last of the wrap and clap his hands together, testing them.
"I think I understand enough. An' I'll be talkin' to ya later, that's for fuckin' sure, now get on home!" Matt growls.
You shiver, feeling sick with anger and the sheer frustration that the two men you love with all your heart were going to fight because of you. It wasn't heroic, it wasn't romantic, it was raw and ugly and you wished you could do something to stop them.
"You wanna set rules?" Frank asks.
Matt almost snorts with laughter. "Rules? Rules?! Don't think ya know the meanin' o' the word seein' as you've had yer greasy mitts on my fuckin' sister!"
Frank wasn't going to publicly shame you by telling him that it was you who had come to him. No, if there was ever a hope for the two of you he'd play this clean and right by your family like you wanted.
"Fine." He nods, smacking his fists together and starting to circle his opponent. "C'mon then Murdock, if you wanna do it this way, ding-ding. Let's go."
They drew up fast to each other and it was Frank who threw the first punch. Matt easily ducked it, dodging to the side and countering with his own punch that you couldn't see land through your tears; but it hit its mark as you hear that sick sound that you would usually relish when you watched the betting fights. But not today.
You run back home in a daze, unable to think of anything other than what if Matt kills him, and what will your father do to the two of you if he doesn't?
Tears continue to blind you and your heart is a dull, burning weight in your chest as you reach the front door. You can hear the TV on in the living room so you run upstairs avoiding the inevitable questions. You throw yourself on your bed and cry into your pillow until you finally hear the front door slam.
The voices of your father and Matthew are muffled at first and then your da is shouting. You cower as you expect him to come crashing through your door but it doesn't happen. A little while later there's a soft knocking at your door and Matt's voice floats through. "Little dove… c'mon lass, it's over."
You let out a loud sob, the horror of what he might have done washing over you, he'd never killed anyone before but…
"I hate you!" You push yourself up for long enough to scream through the door before burying your face in your bed covers again; pained heaving breaths wracking through your body as you cry your heart out.
He comes in and sits down on the edge of your bed as you turn away towards the wall. "You'll love me again soon enough. I've saved you a life o' heartbreak angel. He knows he won't be comin' near you again."
He sounds stuffed up, like his nose might be broken. Good. The words do little to stem the flood of anger you feel but now you know Frank is alive at least. "You can't stop me from seeing him, and you sure as hell can't control who I love!"
Matt smooths his hand over your arm but you jerk away from his touch.
"Here, shush now, you want Da rippin ya a new one? I've only just managed to calm 'im down cause he's none too happy about the situation. You're a smart girl, you know this can't be. A Murdock and a Castiglione?" Matt spat the name like the taste of it in his mouth disgusted him. "It's bloody ridiculous! There's never been a time we've not been dead set against each other. And ya better not have been tellin' him any of our business… Da will go properly spare then."
"I’ve never told him anything! I don’t care about the stupid business because I'm in love with him Matty! I love Frank and none of you can change that."
Matt sighs deeply, his voice hardens. "That's enough now! You'll get over him eventually. There are plenty of better men out there that deserve ya anyways. I won't hear any more about it, an neither will Da. It's finished."
He makes you feel like a child and you can't stop your tears. You cry softly, your blanket damp and crumpled from gripping it so hard.
Matt gets up. "We'll see ya downstairs for tea."
The door closes, and you feel more alone than ever before.
When you finally drag yourself downstairs to eat something your mouth drops open as you see Matt's face. Your earlier suspicions were correct, Frank had managed to break his nose, he had more than a couple of cuts on his brows too that Da had stitched for him, and from the way he moved around the table you could tell he was decently bruised. The fact that Frankie had gone down swinging was little comfort when it was your own kin hurt.
You ate in silence. Neither you nor your father were ready to look each other in the eye, nevermind speak. On the way to your room you looked for the necklace but it was gone.
You cried yourself to sleep.
~
You spent most of the day alone in your room. Your father came in to check on you, but as soon as you opened your mouth to talk about Frank, he shook his head, slammed the door and left you angry and resentful all over again.
At night you found your bedroom window locked but that wasn’t going to put a stop to your plans. Using a hair grip and a lot of determination, you jimmied it open and climbed out and down the fire escape. Nelson's was where you were headed, they owned almost the entire meatpacking district and their main shop wasn't far from the house. Everyone went there so you knew you might be able to find out about Frank.
The bell tinkled as you entered and Foggy was just closing up. But as soon as he saw it was you, he pulled off his apron and leapt over the counter to wrap his arms around you.
"Oh honey!"
"You heard?"
"You're surprised?" He asks as he leads you to the back of the shop so you're not seen. "It's pretty much all anyone's talking about. Actually thought your old man would have you locked in."
"Yeah well, so did he…"
Foggy laughs at that. He's Matt's best friend and practically family to you, and out of all of them he's the one that doesn't treat you like you're still a kid. You could trust him not to grass you up for sneaking out.
"Foggy, please tell me, have you heard anything about Frank, is he okay?"
"Well your bro didn't pull his punches… He's pretty banged up from what I've heard, and uh, he’s in the infirmary. That much I do know."
Your heart feels like it's banging against your ribs and your stomach twists into a tight knot. "Oh my god, Foggy it's that bad? Wh- I need to- I need to see him!"
Foggy places his hands gently on your shoulders trying his best to calm you down. "Hey, it's okay. As far as I know it was just a precaution for concussion. Um, and for stitches, cracked ribs, and stuff. I know it's not what you wanna hear, but it coulda been a hell of a lot worse."
You swallow past the huge lump that's formed in your throat thinking about some of your brother's unluckier past opponents. "Yeah…"
He sits you down, gesturing at the makeshift bar beside him. "Tea, or…?"
"Something stronger, Fog."
Foggy sighs and uncaps a half full bottle of scotch. He pours two glasses, and you quickly down the scotch, not caring about how rough it is or how much it burns.
"You know I don't judge but geez, what have you gotten yourself into?"
You grip the glass tightly and wait for Foggy to give you another finger of scotch before answering. "He's so good to me, Foggy.. Nobody sees it and no one understands. They're just blinded by this fucking age old rivalry between our families. it's insane! I love him, he loves me and I don’t know why everyone can't just mind their goddamn business? Why can't we just be together?!"
He sighs again, deeper and more fraught this time. "The thing is, this is much bigger than love hon. This… it could trigger another war. You think your pop is pissed at you? I don't even wanna imagine what Don Castiglione is gonna do to his son even after what Matt's done to him over this. Your families don't cross, and when they do blood is always spilled!"
Your brows knit together, face falling at the thought of how Frank might be punished, how he'd be kept from seeing you too. "Foggy, I need to see him. I know you must have contacts, you can help us meet without anyone knowing… please? Please can you do this for me?"
Foggy paces nervously. He loves you so much, would do near anything for you but…
He runs his hand slowly down his face. "Look, you just can't be seen near Frank at all, okay? You can't risk that and neither can I. But I do know someone; a nurse actually. She's a good friend and I might be able to get a note to him for you through her. But that's it, okay?"
He wheezes at the surprising force as you fling your arms around him and he gives you a small smile as you hug him tightly in gratitude.
"Thank you, Foggy!"
~
"There's our big cock-for-brains! How're the ribs, Francesco?"
Frank winces as he shifts on the couch to sit up as Billy swaggers in and throws himself down beside him.
"Better, asshole." he grumbles back.
Billy smirks. "Oh! Last time I checked I wasn't secretly fucking a Murdock but I'm the asshole? Heh, yeah that's a good one."
Frank doesn't even dignify his comment with a response but Billy keeps going.
"So, is she nasty? I'll bet she is. Does she fuck as well as that brother of hers fights? Actually, thinkin' about it she does seem to spend a lot of time with him-".
Billy gags as Frank suddenly grabs him around the throat, ignoring the dull pain in his body as he pushes him hard into the seat, choking.
"C-christ Frankie relax, I take it back! Fuck, I don't mean it, I just needed to know how serious you are about this girl!"
Frank lets him go with a growl. "You're fuckin' lucky you got such a pretty face Bill. If you were anyone else I woulda messed it up. 'Course I'm serious."
"Yeah, yeah I can see that," he half laughs, coughing and rubbing at his throat. "Well, you better have this then." He hands Frank a folded up piece of paper.
Frank's eyes light up as they flit over your words, but then he scrubs his hand over his face shaking his head, his worries sinking in.
"What is it?"
"Shit, she thinks it's her fault that we were found out. Shouldn't have given her that damn necklace… should have been more careful… fuck!" He pushes himself up with a groan and starts pacing the room, the muscle in his jaw twitching and ticking as he thinks.
"I've fucked this up. I need to see her."
Billy's expression turns to concern. "Frankie, you love this girl, right?"
The intensity of Frank's look gives him the only answer he needs.
"Maybe you should just lay low for a while. The last thing you wanna do is potentially stir more shit up and get both of you in an even worse way. Just keep your head down, focus on the work, and then… who knows? Hell might freeze over."
Frank hates the idea of you thinking he's abandoned you, it guts him, but he knows Billy's right. He has to keep his distance for now.
Fuck, he misses you.
~
A week goes by after you gave Foggy the note. And then another… and another. He can't possibly have given up on you, surely? But hope of ever seeing him again in the way that you did before starts fading quickly along with your anger at your brother. You had blamed him for everything, for perpetuating the rivalry, for telling your father, for putting Frank off you. You cried until you felt as though you had no tears left to cry.
Matt tries his utmost to distract you from your moroseness, dragging you along to his fight fixtures that you used to love watching. But every one of his opponents that he beats just makes you think of Frank.
There had been word of a huge arms shipment arriving at the docks later that week. Your father, uncles, and cousins spent most of their time planning on how they would get their hands on it before the Castiglione's could. It was a major job and a big risk, but if they could pull it off, it'd mean they could start selling weapons on the side and make even more money. You tried to talk your da out of it, piling up all the reasons he shouldn't get involved. But if there was anyone he was gonna take family business advice from, it was not going to be you.
"Matty I don't like this. We’ve got enough fingers in pies surely? We're doing alright, why is he so keen on going ahead with this job?"
Matt bounced gently against the ropes of the ring. "He wants to get one up on the Castiglione's, angel. He won' let your little dalliance hold shame over us, he wants everyone to know who's boss."
Shame. The word made you grit your teeth till your jaw hurt, you were sick of this. Your father was a proud man, too proud sometimes. Nothing about it felt right but neither Matt nor your da would give your concerns the time of day.
When the big night arrived you were ordered to stay behind, meet up with your girlfriends and go dancing or see a movie or something. Stay out of trouble.
Like hell.
You carried on as if you were happy to stay home, but as soon as Matt and your da left to meet the others at the warehouse you followed a little way behind. You couldn't shake off the bad feeling that was slithering up your spine.
~
Frank smacked the cartridge back into the handgun he had just finished cleaning and laid it down on the massive table along with a gleaming array of other weapons.
"Ragazzo, you ready?" Billy's voice drew him out of his silent brooding.
"Yeah, yeah. Gear up and we'll head to the docks. M'just itchin' for somebody to step out of line." Frank growls, slipping his gun in the back of his pants.
Billy throws him a grin and secretes his own arsenal of firearms and knives about his body. "Y'know, I kinda hope they do, I just love to watch you work, Frankie."
~
It was late when the boat docked. The Murdocks had intercepted it on its way in further down the river, overturned the guards and crew and steamed in ready for when the Castiglione's would inevitably be waiting for their delivery. You knew a couple of your cousins were stationed around the yard, lurking in the shadows of the huge containers just like you were. You knew how to stay hidden and move like a shadow when you needed to. Once a Murdock…
You see the Don's men arrive right on time, none the wiser as to what has happened until the gangplank is lowered and it's your da that steps out, flanked by two of his heavily armed henchmen. You couldn't see your brother.
"What the fuck is this?" Don Castiglione spits. He is every inch the gangster, tall, broad and extremely intimidating. You'd never seen him this close before but you could now see a bit of him in Frank.
"You Irish mutts think you can just take what's mine, huh? I'm insulted! You should stay in your own little game Murdock. Take my advice, the guns do not suit you.
His men move forward and your da holds up a hand. "Now fellas, we don't wan any bloodshed tonight. If ye take a look around you'll find yer outnumbered n' outgunned. So, if ye will jist step aside we'll be loadin' these up in our trucks and'll get out of yer way and we'll hear no more about it, right?"
You see the rest of the Castigliones gradually appearing from out of the woodwork, and then you see him. Your heart sighs with relief that he's okay as far as you could make out. The glint of his piece shines in the moonlight as he moves to stand near the Don, who whispers something to him.
"Francesco, you are going to make good on your… mistake, and bring me my guns, capiche?"
They stand stock still for a long moment as Frank stares him down before they both suddenly spin on their heels as a deep voice like burnt gravel cuts the silence; effectively interrupting the confrontation.
"Gentlemen. I believe I can resolve this rather… delicate situation that we have here…"
It's Wilson Fisk. The fucking Kingpin.
The metallic clack of weapons all around being raised and aimed at the newcomer echoes around the yard. However, the huge figure and his men remain unperturbed.
"Mr Murdock," he continued calmly, "if you would please step aside, I will take what is mine."
Your blood runs cold. You knew your da would never back down. He was stubborn and tenacious and had definitely passed that trait on to you and Matt. Damn his fucking pride, you wanted to run out between them. Where the hell was Matty?
Just as you predicted your da stood his ground, finger hovering near the trigger.
"Y'think yer the fatcat around here don't ya, son? Well, I'm 'fraid to say that yer jist plain fat. Now run along an' let us men finish our business eh?"
Time slowed to a crawl. It was like everything was running through a sea of molasses. A shadow leaps over the railing of the boat onto the dock, it's running towards Fisk's men, Frank runs too as you see too late as Fisk's right-hand man raising his gun at your father. The shadow plows right into the second man who had also brought out his weapon, tackling him down to the asphalt. Several shots ring out like cracks of thunder and you scream as all you can see is your father dropping to the ground, there are more gunshots and then it's all over as quickly as it had begun. Your eyes frantically search the scene trying to understand what had just happened.
Fisk is gone; disappeared into thin air along with one of his men. The other of Fisk’s henchmen was lying in a pool of blood at Matt's feet, one or both of the families had shot and killed him. You run out as you see your father being helped to his feet by Matt. They are alive and unhurt and you thank whatever gods would listen.
It's then you see another body lying limp in front of them.
"No….no no no!" You hurtle across the yard towards it, Billy Russo and the Don are heading exactly the same direction.
Towards Frank.
"Jesus Christ girl, what are you doing here?!" Matt rages at you. You fall to your knees as Billy turns Frank over onto his back, feeling for a pulse and listening for a breath; any sign that he is still alive.
Your father's voice is muddied in the background as the two families crowd around the scene. "H-He… that boy saved my life… he saved ma fuckin' life!"
Blood seeps from Frank's stomach onto the ground.
"Frankie no, no don't die! Don't you fucking die! You hear me?!" Tears flood down your face as you grab his hand and squeeze. Billy puts pressure on the wound, slapping his face a couple of times trying to get him conscious. "C'mon bro, c'mon wake up for me! Wake up!"
A van screeches up nearby and the Don orders his men to lift Frank and put him into the back. You climb in beside him, ignoring their protestations and grateful for Billy who snaps at them in finality. "She's coming with us.."
Matt runs up to the van after making sure your da is taken care of. "No… c'mon we need to get gone. You shouldn't even be here!"
"He saved our da, is that not worth anything?" You sob at him as Billy climbs in with you.
"Leave her be." Billy says. He slides the door shut and Matt's left standing as the van speeds off into the night.
~
Frank suddenly draws a wheezing breath as you hold onto his hand in the back of the van.
"Oh thank fuck. Frank! Frank, can you hear me?" Billy practically yells at him, ripping up his shirt and pressing it to the bullet wound as Frank gasps and groans in pain.
"Y-you holdin' my hand Russo?" He croaks, and you give it a squeeze, leaning over him so he can see you.
Your eyes briefly flick up to meet those of the Don, who has been silent the whole time.
"Frankie, you're okay." You tell your lover. "They're taking you to a doctor. You're gonna be okay."
"Darlin'," he tries to sit up, starting to cough and you hold him down. "What you doin' he-" he coughs again and Billy helps keep him still.
"Shh, yeah I'm here, just don't move, don't move." You try not to think about how much red there is pouring out of him and onto your hands.
"Fuck… fuck it hurts- your dad, he okay?"
You stroke your fingers through his hair and try to smile. "Yes, oh god Frank, yes he's fine, he's fine! Now shh, don't speak, just hold on for me alright? You're gonna be okay, it won't be long.
You share a worried glance with Billy and hope that it's not far now.
Billy barrels through the A&E doors ahead of you and the Don's men who are carrying Frank.
"We need help here! Where's Claire? Get me Claire Temple!" he growls, taking an empty gurney from a nearby orderly and helping get Frank on it as he drifts in and out of consciousness.
A woman in scrubs very quickly appears from the triage area and immediately takes control.
"Okay… we got a gunshot wound, anything else you wanna tell me? Was he conscious before now?" she asks you. A flash of recognition passes between you both, you had seen her patch Matt up after his fights a few times.
"No, no nothing else, yeah he was talking just a moment ago. He's lost a lot of blood on the way, can you help him, please?!" You plead.
"We'll do our best. Please wait here."
Billy pulls you along as you both follow after the crash team taking Frank through the double doors, but Claire stops him short after she lets Frank's father go through with them.
"Hey, we're family too!" He protests.
"There's too many of you to let into the room, please, just wait here. Someone will update you as soon as we can. Right now, our main priority is to get him stabilised. Please, let us do our job."
The two of you reluctantly move over to the seating area as the other men go back outside to the van. Billy paces as you sit chewing your nails down to the quick.
"What you said…"
"What?" Billy asked.
"'We're family'." You say, catching his eye.
He stops his pacing, looking at you with sincerity. "If you're important to Frank, you're important to me. It's that simple."
You give him a small nod, returning to biting your nails and waiting with worry.
Billy sits down beside you. "I'm sure he'll pull through. The fucker is hard to kill." he smiles and you return it, thankful that he's here.
"Yeah, he's gotta be alright."
~
After a few hours, Claire comes through the doors and you and Billy quickly get to your feet.
"He's stable. We were able to take the bullet out. It nicked an artery on the way in, but thankfully it missed his vital organs. We did have to give him a transfusion as he had lost a lot of blood. But, he's been stitched up and resting comfortably.”
"Oh my god," you felt the leaden weight lift off your shoulders slightly. "Claire, I can't thank you enough… Can we see him?"
She nods. “You can. Just know that’s going to be groggy from the drugs we gave him. But I’m sure he’ll still appreciate the company.” You and Billy thank Claire before going into Frank’s room.
He was groggy as Claire had warned you, but he returned the soft squeeze of your hand as you knelt down beside the bed. "Frankie, I'm so glad you're alright!"
"See, told you he was hard to kill." Billy said, patting Frank on the leg and smiling at him.
Frank chuckles, wincing slightly. "Yeah, you're not gettin' rid of me that easily. Baby, I'm sorry I got you into trouble. It's all my fault." He's looking into your eyes as he speaks, his hand reaching weakly for your face and you feel the bite of tears returning.
"Hey now, don't you cry over me darlin', I'll be alright. Everything's gonna be just fine, you didn't do nothin' wrong."
You sniff and laugh a little, stroking his hand that's cupping your cheek and wiping away your tears. "I'm the one that's supposed to be saying that! I missed you…"
"I missed you too. Not that I don't appreciate it, but you shouldn't be here. You should be with your family. With Fisk back on the scene it's dangerous baby, for all of us. What were you even doin' down at the docks?"
"I just had a bad feeling…" you interlace your fingers through his. "...but because of you my father is alive and well. I'm right where I need to be."
You're suddenly aware of an imposing presence as the Don entered the room. The man's even bigger than you had thought on seeing him up close.
"Ah, so finally I get to meet the bella ragazza causing all of the trouble? The little bird that has my Francesco's heart, hm?"
Frank rolls his eyes. "Papa…"
You step forward. "I- I'm sorry Don Castiglione, I really didn't mean to-"
He takes your hand kissing the back of it briefly. "You make my boy happy, and so I am happy. So good to finally meet you, however I wish it were under better circumstances."
You swallow your nervousness down, nodding, actually surprised with how easy going he seems in private. "Thank you sir, it's great to meet you too."
"We are taking Francesco home tomorrow to recuperate, why don't you come and stay at the house with us? We have many rooms and I am certain he will recover faster if his love is nearby, hm?"
You're unsure what to say to such a generous offer, but Frank answers for you. "She'd love to papa."
You nod politely, still a little intimidated by the Don. "I would, but only if you're sure."
"It would be my pleasure, my dear."
Frank kisses the back of your hand. "Alright, I hate to say it but you better scoot, sweet thing. There's some shit we need to sort out…"
You sigh, not even being shot could stop the 'big men' from having their secret meetings. You bid the Don thanks and goodnight and catch Billy at the door. "Please will you make sure that he rests tonight and he doesn't do anything too stupid?"
Billy just chuckles, "you know that's an impossible ask, right?" He pulls you into a quick but surprisingly heartfelt hug as you stand up. "But I'll do my best bella nemica.
Frank can't help laughing softly at the nickname, groaning at the pain as it makes his stitches pull. "Oh that's a good one Bill, I'm stealin' that. You take care darlin', love you so much."
"I love you Frankie, I'll see you tomorrow!"
~
As you walk out into the hospital foyer you find your father waiting for you.
"Da, I…"
He pulls you into his arms, squeezing you so tight and you hug him back, relieved. "You shouldn't have been there tonight…"
You slump against him, the exhaustion from everything that happened suddenly hitting you like a truck. "I know, I'm sorry. I had to come, I was worried about you both. I'm so glad you're alright."
"Is he… okay?"
You're surprised he cares at all about Frank but you nod. "Yeah, I've just seen him, he'll be fine. Where's Matty?"
"Out with boys patrollin', makin sure the streets are safe. Listen pet, I'm reckonin' we need to meet with the Castigliones to try an' organise some kind of truce. If Fisk is back and makin' a play to control the Kitchen we're gonna need more people an' it makes sense to join our forces."
You stare at him, your eyes wide not daring to believe. "Tell me you're serious. Please tell me you mean that da."
"That boy saved ma life, little dove. An it's war now, this changes things."
"But you've always hated them! Is Fisk really such bad news that you'd forget everything you drilled into me and ally with them?"
"Darlin, ye have no idea…"
When you get back home you spend most of the night into the early morning talking with your father. He asks so many questions about Frank. He asks about his family and about your relationship, and you answer what you can. In turn you grill him about Fisk, and he paints a dour and terrifying picture. You understand now why he'd go back on his previous vow.
"I need ya to arrange a meetin' with the Don. D'ya think you can talk to yer lad about it pet?"
"Uhuh, actually he offered me a room there so I could spend some time with Frank while he recovers… but I know what you're going to say so-"
He cuts you off. "Ye knew I was goin' to tell ye that ah think ye should go?"
Your jaw almost hits the floor in disbelief. "You do?"
"Aye, you'll be safe enough there. Don's got a lotta men, an' that Russo I know is a good shot."
"Matty won't be happy."
"No, but don't you worry 'bout that, I'll see to 'im."
You look into your father's eyes, and you can see he's asking for your help. You were scared. Kingpin had taken control of the shipment after everyone had scattered and who knew what else he had up his sleeve or when he'd choose to strike next.
But this… this might just be the way to bring him down. If he knew anything about Hell's Kitchen, he'd never suspect an alliance like this. Fuck, even you would never had imagined it could be possible.
The next morning you pack a bag, call a cab and go over what you're going to say to the Don when you get there. Matt must have stayed at the gym last night and you don't get a chance to speak with him. In a way you're almost glad as he'd probably chew you a new one for doing this.
The cab pulls up on the huge gravel drive and four well-armed guys in fine fitting suits give you a thorough once over and check your bag when you get out.
"Hey! Keep your paws to yourselves, you animals. She's good." You are so relieved to hear Billy's voice, and he flashes you his charming smile while guiding you towards the imposing front door.
"We figured Francesco would be safer here. The doc at the hospital wasn't keen on that idea, but what can they do?" He takes you straight inside. "You are here to help me look after the lil shit, aren't you?"
You follow him down the marble floored hallway, your eyes flitting around taking in the rather opulent but classic decor. "Of course, and who wouldn't rather recuperate at home if it's like this, holy crap!"
Billy smirks as he opens a door and ushers you inside the plush room.
You were so pleased to see Frank's smile. "Am I glad to see you again, sweetness." He tells you.
You bound across the floor to the huge bed that your beau is resting in. You're relieved that he looks so much better. You hold his face in your hands and are happy to see that he's back to a healthy colour. You pepper gentle kisses all over him, letting him know how happy you are that he’s better. Billy leaves you both to it and you're grateful to have some time alone with Frank. And so it seems, is he.
"Frankie, you look good, how are you feeling today?" you ask, squealing in surprise when he pulls you into the bed to lie beside him.
"Careful baby!" You exclaim before he's capturing your lips, not caring about the pain in the side of his gut if he gets to taste and feel you again. That wild want is there in his eyes when you break away and it's hard for you to resist giving in to it when his hands begin to roam over you.
"God I've missed you, missed having you…"
You huff at him. "Frank, you know I'd want nothing more… but you've got to rest, you've been shot for Christ's sake!!"
"Yeah, yeah I know," he says, the corner of his mouth pulling up mischievously. "but there's still some things I can do…"
You feel the heat in your face even as you shake your head at the audacity of him. He never gives up, yet another thing you love about him.
"Just be serious for a minute. My da’s asked if you can arrange a meeting between your father and him. He thinks our families should work together to stop Fisk."
He stops messing with you as he considers it. "Well shit, ain't the worst idea. And you agree?"
"I do. It makes sense, and it's the last thing Fisk would expect.
Frank mulls it over for a moment and then calls for Billy. "Hey man, can you get my dad in? Think we've got a proposal for him."
You're suddenly nervous for a different reason, hurriedly standing and smoothing down your clothes as the door opens. Frank reaches for your hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.
"Hey, don't you worry baby." He reassures you under his breath. "Just tell him what you told me."
When you relate your own father's thoughts to the Don you're surprised when he doesn't interrupt, instead listening intently.
"...and where might the meeting happen?" He asks with interest.
"I think I know a place."
~
Foggy's in good spirits when you drop in to the shop. He’s glad that you’re okay, but his pleasant mood doesn't last when he hears what you've got to ask him.
“You want me to have The Murdocks and Castigliones under the same roof? Are you kidding me?”
"But your place is neutral ground, Foggy! There won't be any trouble I promise you."
He paces around frantically. "No trouble?! You can't promise me that!"
You fiddle with the snack display by the counter. "Look, I know it's a lot to ask, but if we can stop Fisk from becoming a permanent fixture everyone will be better off. Please Foggy, for the sake of the Kitchen." He stops his frantic pacing and pins you with a worried look.
“Fine. But if anyone gets shot, remind yourself I told you this was a bad idea.”
~
A couple of weeks later you found that Foggy wasn't exactly wrong in what he had told you. With the heads of both families and their closest lieutenants gathered in the large space of the Nelson's back room, the air quickly grew thick with tension. Matt arrived first with your father; stopping in his tracks as soon as he sensed you. You hadn't seen each other since that night at the docks.
"Matty-" you start. "alrigh' dove." he replies, only giving you a curt nod as he makes his way to the end of the long table. You sigh. This was going to be a long night.
When Frank comes in Matt stands quickly, his chair shrieking along the floor with his fists bunched at his sides. The Castigliones bristle, fingers itching and ready to reach for weapons. The tension was ramping up fast and it felt as though the meeting was about to fail even before it could begin.
"Ahh there he is. The golden boy. Fuckin’ cunt of the hour." Matt snaps.
"'The hell…?" Frank starts.
You found yourself getting to your feet.
"Christ Matt, will you just behave? Frank saved our da's life, does that mean nothing to you?"
"Aye it goes a way, but does he think he's better than us? That you're safer with him, with them, than us? Was that why you didn't come home, pet? Was this all his fuckin' idea too?!"
You'd never seen Matt this upset and angry before. You had to calm him down before something irreversible kicked off between the families. Frank shot you a concerned look but didn't interfere; knowing that anything he said could make things even worse. You pull Matty aside, whisper-yelling at him.
"Hey, listen to me Matt. Me staying at the Don's was da's idea, and getting everyone together was his too! Did you not know that?" You hiss.
Matt huffs. "No. I just thought that…" he paces before running a hand down your arm. "we're the ones that keep ya safe, love, yer family. Not them. It just feels like-" he stops himself, unable to fully admit his jealousy.
You urge him to continue, you don't want there to be bad blood between the two of you, especially now.
"I worry about ya dove. I know ya say ya love 'im, I just don' wanna see y'get hurt. When you're wit me, you're safe, y'can't get hurt. You know I love you too."
His expression is so honest it makes your heart burn.
"Matty, I love you so much, and I know you're just looking out for me but please, you've got to let me live my life for myself. I'm a grown woman now. You don't need to keep protecting me from everything!"
He sighs with resignation and you squeeze his arm.
"I know you're not sure about Frank but he really does love me, and I don't believe that he'd ever hurt me intentionally. And this? This is the best shot we've got at Fisk, you know that. Please don't throw this away Matt, do it for the Kitchen if not for me!"
He softens as you plead, "I'll do it for both of youse."
You kiss him on the cheek and whisper a sincere thank you before returning to the table where discussion is already underway. You walk over to stand beside Frank and kiss him swiftly. He's a little surprised that you'd make your relationship so public with the current situation as it is.
"S'everythin' okay princess?" He asks nervously as you place your hand in his, and let out a thankful sigh along with a shitload of tension.
"Everything's grand, Frankie." You say with a genuine smile. "Let's get this started."
The heads of the families agreed that they needed to find out what resources Fisk had, how many men and how much firepower he possessed before they made their move. It was proposed that members from each side should scout it out, and ultimately it was decided that Matthew and Frank would go.
As you watched Frank slip his pistol into his holster and give you a wink, you were reminded of the day you had first laid eyes on him. It felt like a lifetime ago even though it had been just over a year since you'd walked to the store with Matty, and Frank and Billy had been in there.
"Well that's my day ruined. Can't breathe in this town without runnin' into a Murdock, or two." Billy had remarked, looking you up and down with dark eyes and a devilish smile.
Matt stiffened, moving in front of you, jaw and fists clenched. "Y'know this is our territory Russo, so get lost or I'll help ya find your way out..."
However, your attention had been on Billy's companion, who you would later find out was the Don's son. His face was set hard, but he had warm brown eyes, and a big boxer's nose that drew your gaze. When they had left the store Frank had looked back over his shoulder, the faintest smile on his lips as he threw a wink your way and you found your face heating up.
Now they were heading into dangerous territory working together. Your heart was in your mouth as they both finished kitting up, arming themselves to the teeth just in case shit happened to go south.
"Please be careful." You say to Matt, your words somewhere between a prayer and a blessing.
"M'always careful, love." He replies before he lets Frank talk to you.
He brings your hand up to his lips and kisses the back of it as he looks into your eyes with a serious expression. "You promise me you'll go straight on home, yeah? Don't want you on these streets tonight baby."
You stroke the side of his face and bring your forehead to touch against his, breathing him in. "I promise. And promise me you'll look after each other."
Both men nod and then head for the door and you and your father head for home.
~
Matt stops Frank with his arm as he listens to check that the way is clear for them.
"Alrigh', we're good." He confirms after a couple of beats.
"Reckon we can get a read on em from up on that roof there, it covers most of their exits." Frank suggests, and Matt nods and follows. When they're situated, hunkered down side by side behind a low wall, Frank feels the oppression of something waiting to be said. The muscle in his jaw ticks as he clenches it and he can't stand it anymore.
"C'mon man, can we just get this over with? Say what you gotta say, I know you wanna. I can take it."
Matt swallows his pride and turns to his former foe after taking a pensive breath.
"Yeah, you're right, I have got somethin' t'say to ya. M'sorry. I was wrong about ya an I've been a right shitebag to you an ma sister all this time. But, there's a right thing to be done an' I'm hopin' tha we can move on?"
That wasn't what Frank had expected at all, a swift one-two knocking his brain around in his skull, but it felt like a dark cloud was lifting and he actually started to smile.
"I know you're just lookin' out for her Murdock, I get it, and I really appreciate you sayin' that. Might not have seemed like it but I've got a lot of respect for your family after meetin' that girl."
Matt nods. "Feelin's mutual. I shoulda just trusted her in the first place but y'know what's she's like, always gettin' hersel' into trouble."
Frank chuckles quietly. "Don't I know it."
They keep watch for a few more hours, noting the comings and goings of Fisk's men. After clocking where the weapons are stored, they manage to sneak in and get a good idea of what kind of firepower they have before reporting back.
The two long feuding families of Hell's Kitchen drive the Kingpin out of their territory in a spectacular blaze of fire and fists. He certainly didn't expect the Murdocks and Castigliones to team up and take back what was theirs; which was a huge advantage for the families. When Frank and your brother returned triumphant you leapt into Frank's arms, kissing him over and over and until he was almost begging for air.
When word spread of the victory everyone headed to Josie's to celebrate, but Frank knew his fight wasn't quite over. There was something else he had to do.
He's feeling like he knows real fear for the first time in a long while as he approaches Jack Murdock in the bar. He's got just one aim. One question.
Jack nods at him as he comes over, signaling the bartender to pour them a couple of whiskeys.
"Alright lad? We did good, eh?"
"Yeah, that we did. You, uh, know why I'm here?"
"Aye son, I know. C'mon then, out with it." Jack says to him.
Frank's mouth nervously forces a smile and he takes a deep breath before he begins.
"Sir, I'm sure by now you know just how much I care for your daughter, and if you don't, well… thing is I love her. Love her with all my soul and with your blessin', I want to ask her to spend the rest of our lives together.."
Your da raises an eyebrow. "Oh aye, is that so? An' would ya do right by her? 'Cos ya know if y'don't you'll have the whole clan comin down on ye like hellfire?"
"I know that and I will. She's my life now sir, couldn't love no one else more."
"Alright boy, but y'know we'll be watchin' ya."
He grins and raises his glass to Frank's own. "Well y'have my blessin', and I've no doubt she'll be happy wit ye."
Frank breathes out a solid sigh of relief and can't wait to tell you, to ask you to be his forever.
When he does it's a little bit more romantic than a toilet stall in the dancehall. He picks you up in his car the next evening. He's got the top down and is waiting next to the open passenger door as you step out of your house. You take his breath away every single time he sees you but tonight it's different, you no longer have to hide your love for each other. He takes your hand, takes all of you in, your dress, your hair, your beautiful smile. He knows he's a lucky man.
"Where are we going to baby?" You ask, but he only smiles and tells you to hold tight. You're curled around his arm the whole way as he drives you both to the hills outside of the city.
When he pulls up at a quiet parking spot you get out and can see the twinkle of the city lights below mirroring that of the starry sky. When you turn around to show your excitement he's pulling a hamper and blankets out of the trunk.
"Oh Frankie, this is so gorgeous! Thank you so much!" You squeal as you help lay out a blanket and he digs out some delicious treats, glasses, and a bottle of wine.
"Gorgeous spot for my gorgeous girl."
He opens the bottle then fills your glass and his own, and you raise them to clink and take a sip. He watches you looking out at the view, a mild breeze weaving through your hair. You're just sitting there and he almost can't believe how head over heels he is for you. Things could have turned out so differently but he's eternally grateful that they didn't.
When you turn to him you can't help but giggle at the insanely adoring way he's looking at you.
"What is it?" You smile, taking a bite from a plump red cherry.
Frank brings his hand up to the side of your face, his thumb passing lightly over your lips as you look up at him with your big eyes.
"God, I just…"
You tilt your head in curiosity as he reaches into the hamper for something, producing a small black box which he opens in front of you on bended knee. It's his mother's ring, a delicate and twisting precious metal band set with a small sparkling diamond glinting up at you.
"Oh Frank…" you gasp, any other words are lost in your surprise but he carries on.
"I love you baby, so goddamn much. And I know I asked you before but I'm askin' you now, proper. Your da gave me his blessing and I'm hopin' that you will too… please say yes darlin' and marry me? I've wanted to be yours since the first damn time I saw you. What do you say? Talk to me baby, don't leave me hangin' like this!"
Your hands come up to frame his face and you kiss him over and over and over as you answer an excited 'yes!' between every one. He's laughing with a smile so big as you hold out your hand for him to gently take the ring and slip it on your finger where it fits perfectly.
You kiss him again, this time it's slow and lingering on the lips and he wraps you up in his embrace as he deepens it, laying you down on the blanket underneath him. Your fingers slide into his hair and his hands squeeze the roundness of your ass eager to feel each other as your kisses become more heated and desperate.
Your eyes meet. "I'm yours forever now, Frank, make me feel like it."
He wastes no time answering your request, running his hands over your body, nipping and kissing at your earlobe and just below as he caresses your breast, and you push your hips up against his moaning with pleasure. You slip a hand down to feel his hardening cock through his pants, frantically scrabbling to loosen his belt and free him as he curls his fingers around the waistband of your panties pulling them down, his lips almost never leaving your skin.
"Baby, baby… mm, goddamn you're so perfect for me." He murmurs and you let the night sky hear just how good he makes you feel as he slides his fingers through your slick folds, teasing at your clit with light strokes.
"Yeah, you like that, huh? That what you need?"
"Frank please, I can't wait! Just- I need you…" you plead, pressing your body up against him and stroking your soft hands up and down his erection to make sure he gets the message.
"Oh shiiiit… alright sweetheart, shh-shh. I got you, I got you…" he whispers against your skin as he pushes his pants down and your silky dress up, quickly rolling on a condom. He moans along with you as he finally sheaths his thick length inside where you need him the most. both of you gasp at the feeling. You claw at his shirt, pull him as close as you can when he starts to rock into you. Every thrust of his hips has you desperate for the next, you want him so deep so that you can feel him for days after this and you tell him so, driving him crazy and making him fuck you even harder.
"Anythin' you want, I'll give you anythin' love, just wanna see your pretty face when you come for me."
He wraps a strong hand under your thigh, pulling it up making you moan out again at the new delicious angle, arching underneath him as he draws back almost all the way out and then fills you back up again, taking you so easily to the edge of an earth shattering climax. His hand comes up to cradle your face, watching you, seeing the love he feels for you reflected in your beautiful eyes.
"Frankie, you're gonna make me-" As you approach the precipice, the only thing in your mind is that he's yours and you are his.
He seals his mouth over yours, tongue teasing against your own, your whimpers muted as he does all he can to make you fall apart, to pulse and clench around him, your vision whiting out with only this blissful sensation spreading through your body and the sound of his voice in your ears while he talks you through it.
"Yeah baby, that's it my sweet girl… god I love you so fucking much-"
You cry out to the stars as you share in this intimate moment, showering each other in endless, breathless declarations of love.
.
.
Epilogue
#frank castle x female reader#frank castle AU#punisher AU#frank castle smut#frank castle fluff#romeo & julier gangster AU#daredevil AU
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𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐠𝐞
━───────⊹⊱✙⊰⊹───────━
Xavier Thorpe x reader
Category: Angst, Fluff
Warnings: none, heartbreak, maybe violence
Summary: (Name) is in love with Xavier, but can't be sure about his feelings and therefore does nothing. Until the Poe cup, where Xavier desires to make her mind a mess.
Words: I have no fucking idè
A/N: this was supposed to be a super long fan fiction that went in-depth and had a great story. But I only had the energy to write the first scene. I hope you'll enjoy it either way. Thank to @eunoiathewriter for the help;)
Yeah
━───────⊹⊱✙⊰⊹───────━
The sun's autumn beams were stronger today than they had been in a long time and it was refreshing to see the blue sky instead of the grey clouds that were filled with cold rain.
(Name) wished that she could feel more delight in the orange globe, but her skin had been itching ever since she stepped out in the sun.
Yoko did recommend a very good sunscreen a while ago, but (Name) lost her bottle, and didn't think about getting a new one since it was autumn and she thought that the sun wouldn't be as irritating as it was right now.
(Name) adjusted herself in the black-painted canoe, already feeling uncomfortable in the wooden seat. It created a small ripple in the water, and she couldn't help but transfix it since the sun made it look like a thousand shining tears. She loved the water and adored taking a swim in the lake when she used to be young, it was calming and brought her joy which was something that she was always searching for in her life. Joy and content, so she was sure that she was living her best life. But of course, it wasn't easy. It was like, so it wasn't supposed to be.
Someone cleared their throat above her, and her attention away from the beautiful water, to see that Enid we're looking at her with a teasing grin.
"What?" (Name) asked with a perplexed furrow in her eyebrow as a giggle left the blond girl's lips.
Enid looked away from her, and instead fixed her eyes on something to their left, and (Name) slowly followed her gaze to where it was pointing.
When she spotted what Enid was implying (Name) to look at, she snapped her head back towards Enid and gave her a malicious glare, to which Enid returned with a cutesy wink. A habit that had become a costume.
What Enid had been looking at -or rather who- was a boy from one of the opposite teams. A boy with long, light golden hair, that was sadly covered by a mildly atrocious jingling hat.
Her grip on the oar tightened as Xavier playfully smiled at his teammates, for it felt like she was going to throw up butterflies. Not many knew that she had a romantic interest in Xavier, and she intended to keep it that way for as long as possible. If it was something she despised, it was when people she barely knew were up and rummaging through her personal life.
Then, absolutely out of nowhere, a shot tore her eardrums, jubilees from other students echoed over the lake, and her teammates yelled at each other to row faster. She hadn't even realized that Weems had been speaking in the first place.
The autumn wind blew coldly against her face as they accelerated, and water splashed against her hands, perfect droplets landing on her black nail polish. A shiver ran down her spine when the tip of her sleeves got wet, and for only a second she lost her attention to the race and tried to roll up her sleeves.
"Duck!" Someone shouted, and (Name) felt a hand press down her head from behind, making her barely miss the axe that came swinging towards her.
"Pay attention." Wednesday chastised her. (Name) pursed her lips, she was about to apologize, but it got caught in her throat as one of the four canoes was split in half as it crashed into a big red object in the middle of the river. The people in the boat flew off it on the impact, and with screams landed in the murky water.
Something, like a shadow, swished under the canoe, and she bit the inside of her cheek in both nerves and expectation.
But nothing happened, and they were seeing the end of the tunnel as their water road got smaller and the small dock was able to be spotted. The clowns got to port first, which left a taste of disdain in her mouth along with with a pinch of annoyance. She watched as one of them left the boat to run into the forest, right for the flag hidden amongst the leaves. But she didn't see who it was.
Barely a minute after, their canoe made contact with the sore, jerking slightly at the impact.
"Who will get the flag?" (Name) hastily questioned while tying the boat.
"I think that-" Enid began but was interrupted by Wednesday.
"(Name) should get it, she is the quickest on her feet. And the canoe needs to be guarded." (Name)'s eyes shot up to meet Wednesday's in absolute shock. But Wednesday we're visibly stuck in a stare-off with Enid.
"Fine." She settled and proceeded back to sit in the boat, seeming to have a few phrases exchanged with Thing. (Name) looked on Wednesday again, wanting to complain that she was an awful choice. But she didn't leave any room for (Name) to kvetch and gave her persistent nod before turning away.
And they were short on time, so she clenched her jaw and began to jog into the autumn.
Finding the flags wasn't hard, but pulling her team flag out of the pile of stone was proven to be harder than she assumed. It was shoved in between three big stones, and they were squeezing the end of the flag into a position that was difficult to manipulate.
Even though she did consider herself to be a moderately strong person, excluding the perks of being an undead, bloodsucking creature, this was getting ridiculous.
She braised one of her legs against the stone and gave it a last wag before she yanked at it with all of her strength, and finally, it came out.
But the backlash was that she lost her balance and fell straight down on her back, dropping the flag in the process.
A hiss of beating pain that bloomed in her back escaped her, and the air left her lungs. So she had no choice but to lay on the ground just so that she could get her breath back.
"What are you doing?" The question startled her, and her eyes shot open to be met with the clown-painted face of Xavier.
Her body tensed and she quickly swallowed the embarrassment and nerves down her tight throat.
"I fell." She voiced, almost like a robot. Xavier scoffed as his feet shuffled around by her head, where he was standing.
"You don't say." She didn't answer, mostly because she felt like there wasn't an answer, otherwise because she felt close to speechless.
There was a quiet second as Xavier waited for an answer that wouldn't come before he realized that he was waiting for nothing, and instead, he walked over to her feet where the flag had rolled away.
She began to slowly push herself off the ground, grunting as her back stretched from the comfortless position. And at the same time, she didn't dare to look away from Xavier, for he now stood his full height, with her flag in his right hand, and his flag in his left. Clenching her fists, she stood up and looked at Xavier, stretching out her hand.
"The flag, Xavier." He looked at her with devious eyes and she pursed her lips in dread as he didn't seem to budge.
"Please, there's no time for this." She didn't want to turn towards desperation to get what she wanted, but neither did she want to see Enid disappointed for another year because her team didn't get the Poe Cup. And especially if she could have done something about it.
He seemed to be contemplating but she knew that he just wanted to tease.
"Alright, since you said please."
He sauntered closer with the black flag extended toward her, and she took a strong grip around the hilt so that he wouldn't be able to pull it away. But she was about to take it completely in her hands, Xavier, pulled quite hard at his end of the flag, sending (Name) straight into his chest with a yelp.
"On one condition."He declared, and she wrinkled her eyebrows in both puzzlements, and to hide her flustered face.
She jerked in surprise as one of his hands came up to her cheek. It warmed against her autumn skin, and the contrast felt like a sunrise. Where night meets day, and the moon gets a glimpse of the sun before she disappeared behind the edge of the earth.
His smooth thumb caressed her skin, and her world ended as the sun in her heart rose.
"You can stop me whenever you want." He whispered.
She would never stop him.
Fingers came under her jaw, and Xavier angled her face towards his. A breath, containing her uncertainty left her cold lips, and something resembling a tidal wave raised inside of her.
Xavier's big, brown eyes met hers, crammed with fierceness and perseverance. (Name) had never seen him look at anyone with the same fire, and she almost questioned if the eyes she was gazing into were Xaviers.
But what disclosed his true self, were the underlying innocence and softness in his eyes. That kind of innocence and softness made him look like the boyish teenager that he truly was. It comforted her, he comforted her in the most unexpected ways.
His breath fanned upon her nose, and she sweetly realized that he'd brought his face closer.
A precious pair of lips were placed upon hers, fitting in between hers like a puzzle, and (Name) found herself wanting to bask in that feeling forever- to never let anything sad, heartbreaking, angry, or frustrating get to her mind again. Only ever live in this silent peace that finally had settled in her heart.
Nature interrupted them, interrupted the moment that she had yearned for, interrupting the fleeting feelings of longing inside Xavier's ribcage.
He broke apart from her as the dry leaves were crushed against the earthy soil, and his panicked eyes passed swiftly over the area, trying to locate the source of the sound.
A glance was thrown toward (Name), and when their eyes came together, like lightning clashing against each other, Xavier's hand swiftly pulled away from her now warm skin, and (Name) could decipher the change of emotions in his face and she realized that she had dragged herself into something painful.
The resting comfort of his face was pulled into regret and anxiety.
Then he swallowed while shaking his head before he ran.
He flew away from her, from her cracking heart and her conflicted mind.
━───────⊹⊱✙⊰⊹───────━
That's it folks, part 2 maybe?
#Xavier x reader#xavier thorp x reader#xavier x reader#xavier#Xavier thorpe#Thorpe#Wednesday addams#Xavier x fem!reader#romantic#Wednesday#enid sinclair#Xavier Thorpe x fem!reader#Enid x reader#Netflix series#enid x wednesday#Xavier x you#Xavier thorpe x you#Love#angst#Xavier angst#Xavier fluff#Xavier thorpe angst#fanfiction#fanfic#Xavier fanfiction#Fanfiction angst#Wednesday Xavier#Wednesday fanfiction#Xavier oneshot
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Cabin In The Woods...
Rating: M
Words: 1525
The birds chirping softly in the trees that surrounded you was about all you could hear as you sat on the porch of the cabin Lewis had taken you to. It was isolated, hidden, he wasn’t lying when he described it as a secret little get away for you both, it was so secret in fact, it would be unthinkable that anyone should accidentally stumble upon you both.
There was not another sign of life for miles around you, your scenery was engulfed in the thickest forest, with the cabin sitting just on top of a lake. It was your idea of perfection, it was everything you both needed to unwind from what was Lewis’ crazy life and now yours too, even if only for the few days he was allowed to disappear.
Tems set the scene for you, her beautiful voice singing the faintest of lyrics as you allowed yourself to just be present on the porch of the cabin, without any thoughts, there was nothing to think about when the present was so amusing, waiting for Lewis to join you with the meal he had been cooking for you for the past half hour.
You heard the porch door open and smiled to yourself, it was really easy to miss him, even when he was only just a few metres away, the moment he graced you with his presence once more always filled you with contentment.
“I missed yo-Lewis, what are you doing?”
Your words were halted twice with pure shock at the sight of him, standing proudly in front of you with not a stitch of clothing on, he had the most devilish of smiles on his face and you knew then that he was about to do something wild.
“I’m going for a swim.”
It was impossible to take your eyes off of him at the best of times, but as he walked past you, his pert cheeks right in your eye line, all you could do was stare in awe.
“Are you going to join me?”
He tempted you with the proposal as he stood at the end of the decking, his body turned to face you just enough that you had the perfect view of his sculpted, god-like body, with a dick to match; how would you ever be able to refuse an offer so enticing?
“Lewis, this is so dangerous, anyone could see us!”
You protested with words but your actions told a different story, never before had you rid yourself of clothing so quickly, and as you reached the end of the decking, completely naked, Lewis jumped in first, just to make sure he splashed you with the water as he did so.
“There’s no one around, baby. Now bring that beautiful body to me.”
You were a little more gracious with the way that you jumped into the lake, landing just beside him with more elegance, yet the moment you hit the water you froze.
“Oh my…it’s so cold!”
“Come here, let me warm you up.”
Lewis wrapped his arms around you, and you wrapped your thighs around his waist, such a normal position for you both in a less than normal situation. Once he was sure you had gathered yourself enough, he traced both hands down your arms, catching your fingers in between his as he kissed you.
“Thank you for coming with me.”
He whispered into your lips as he teased you with almost kisses, his lips brushing over yours as you tried desperately to catch them on instinct.
“This place is beautiful, Lewis.”
“You are the true beauty here.”
It felt like hours that you both mused in the closeness of your bodies, your lips unable to stay apart but for a few short moments that allowed him to purr love at you, until you felt that ever familiar poke at your middle.
“Oh?”
You giggled as he looked embarrassed that it had happened, like you both weren't absolutely certain it would lead to this the moment he left the cabin naked, everything you did eventually led to this.
“I couldn’t stop it, it wants you all the time…I want you all the time.”
His hands ran down your back to find your ass, it was so easy for him to lift you up, it really took no effort at all, yet the rate at which his breathing grew heavier, the closer he was to being inside of you, would have you mistaken for different.
Both of your lips parted into a moan as you slid down on him, it didn’t seem to matter how many times he had been inside of you, every time felt like the very first, his size was so unforgiving it was impossible to get used to, not that you would ever want to; the first stretch was always your favourite.
“You feel that, baby? You feel how much I want you?”
Lewis didn’t move, content enough for the moment just having you engulf him with your warmth, such a stark contrast to the cold water, he kept you sitting on him whilst he sucked on your bottom lip.
“I feel it…I feel it so deep, Lewis.”
You tried so hard to follow his lead, to take it slow, but you needed more, your body craved more, and so you began to roll your hips just enough to feel him at all angles.
“Slowly, baby…we don’t need to rush.”
With both hands placed firmly on your ass, he guided you to the most gentle of rocking motions, he was determined that you both would savour the moment for as long as possible, and as much as he wanted to give into the temptation to fuck you back, he was willing to let you control the pace, at least for the moment anyway.
“Good girl…just like that, use my dick, it’s only here to please you.”
Lewis could not help himself but talk when inside of you, even when his lips were distracted by yours, your tongues finding the others in a dance constantly, still he had to tell you all of the thoughts that ran through his mind, like they weren’t evident by the throbbing you felt against your walls.
“Har…harder, please.”
You whimpered your words as you felt yourself drawing closer to your finality, the way in which you dug your nails into the soft skin of his back had already warned him of what was to come, yet he wanted to hear you ask for it, almost beg in a way, before he gave it to you.
“Anything my beautiful girl needs…”
With that, he controlled your movements totally, thrusting his hips to meet yours, and making it so your moans echoed out across the lake and through the trees, should anyone have been within a mile of you both, he made sure they knew just what he was doing to you in the water.
“Shit, you’re so tight…”
As if Mother Nature was waiting for you both to reach your peaks, as your orgasms crashed through your bodies in a rare unison, the heavens opened and showered you with rain, to be certain that as you both fell apart there wasn’t an inch of you left dry.
It wasn’t until the very last of the orgasmic shockwaves ran through your body, and he was sure that there wasn’t an inch more of pleasure that he could give you, that he released you from the tight hold you had both found yourselves in, wrapped in each others arms, your heart beats rapidly racing against the others chest.
“That was fun, we should go swimming more often…”
As much as he loved to talk to you through the moment, the very aftermath was the same, careful to ensure you knew that nothing had changed, even after he had his way with you.
“Maybe we can tomorrow, but right now I want to dry off…what happened to the dinner you were making anyway?”
“Oh, that…yeah, we might need to order in, I got so distracted just watching you out on the porch that I burnt the rice…”
His face was that of a guilty one as he helped you climb back up to the decking first, giving your ass a little spank as he did so, before he put his muscular arms to good use, climbing out himself.
“How did you even manage to burn rice? Surely you deserve a medal for that.”
“What can I say, baby? Winners find new ways to win all the time.”
“Well this winner better get himself inside and find the nearest restaurant because you certainly made me work for my meal today.”
And so the night ended much like the day had, smothered in tranquillity, wrapped in peace, both of you laid on what was by far the largest sofa you had ever seen, in front of the log fire, feeding each other potatoes because it turned out that whilst the middle of nowhere was the perfect setting to escape to with the love of your life, when the love of your life is Vegan, take out options are very limited.
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Rwrb movie review, obviously spoilers below
3’5/5
Half a star for “Prince Henry belongs to Britain. Henry Fox has to belong to himself or else he’ll vanish.” “Can he ever belong to someone else?” “Only momentarily.”
Half a star for this masterpiece:
Would have been a full star if it had been longer.
Half a star for “My life is the crown and yours is politics and I will not trade one prison for another.”
Aside that, the movie is a 2/5
The book is much better.
Things I liked:
Sweet moments between Alex and Henry.
Henry after the lakehouse.
Zahra.
What they did with the text messages (see above). I think it was incredibly creative and I really like it.
Things I did not like:
What they did to Alex’s character. They completely butchered my boy and I’ll never forgive them. What do you mean the meeting at Rio is the only reason Alex disliked Henry?? What about the constant comparison between both of them than the media and the public makes which is just a constant reminder to Alex than he will always have it harder for being brown and the son of the first woman to be president?? Why about the whole thing leading to Rio?? The magazine, Alex kind of idealizing Henry and wanting to meet him and Henry to turn out to be not what he expected so there’s just another bitter taste on top of it?? What do you mean his parents are not only together, but happily together? If they were together but unhappy it would make sense. They can’t divorce, Ellen already has it hard enough being a woman and a democrat to also be a divorced woman. But happily married?? Tf? We already knew June wouldn’t be there but I still miss her, and without her something about the movie falls flat. Alex overworking himself, his insecurity, his public persona, etc etc where the fuck is it. Why did they make Alex a one dimensional character? I’ll never forgive them for what they did to him. That being said, I think Taylor did a good job portraying him, and the problem is just the script and the decisions made. If the script and all was good, I think Taylor would have really been able to fully show and portray Alex.
This guy Miguel, I skipped every scene he was in except the one where we meet him. I hate him, why was he even added. I genuinely don’t get that writing decision.
I get we didn’t get more Bea and Pez, we didn’t have enough time to show everything, but what shocks me is not getting more Philip / the king. Something to fully show monarchy’s homophobia would be nice. They just added everything in the last second and it was incredibly rushed.
Catherine??
No Dear Thisbe???
Half the e-mails either being cut up or replaced by new e-mails, taking away the best ones and the feelings of having to hide, of loving each other from distance, etc etc
Many many scenes taken away. I understand there was not all the time in the world, I don’t need everyone to come yell at me in the replies, I know. This is all criticism while having in mind than it’s a movie, not a tv show. But that’s what bothers me. A book with so many subplots, all equally important should have been a tv show not a movie.
Your song was not on the movie at all, not part of the soundtrack not even mentioned. Can’t Help Falling In Love With You for the v&a dance is a good decision. The symbolism of it (Henry thought himself of incapable of being loved, his position and being closeted and everything and just the way he was too much of a burden, but Alex plays that song specifically, he can’t help falling in love with Henry, it’s not a chore.) But it also takes away from us the I love him on purpose, since these two statements contradict each other.
The lake confession, but since Alex apparently has no depth I’m not surprised.
Alex coming out to the world and confirming their relationship, therefore also outing Henry without even consulting him??? What even was that
These ones are not really important but I don’t get it: why is bea younger, why are Henry’s last names different, why do random women just kiss Alex in New Years without even asking
Some photos:
By the way, this is what I call cinema:
#I’m sounding a lot like a hater trust me there were lots of things I enjoyed#rwrb movie spoilers#rwrb movie#rwrb spoilers#rwrb#casey mcquiston#red white and royal blue#firstprince#alex claremont diaz#henry fox mountchristen windsor#red white & royal blue
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Reached episode 34 of Mysterious Lotus Casebook and I'm doing a write up of longer thoughts but right now this is my immediate reaction:
GODDAMMIT Di Feisheng was SO close. He got rid of the mind control bugs, he had the karmic bug box and shards and knowledge of how to destroy them. He was in the process of getting the fancy salt. He had the Styx flowers. ARG. SO FRUSTRATED.
The level of disinterest Di Feisheng has toward the Jiao Liqiao's love is truly legendary. He pays as much attention to it as he did when he first met her. As in barely any attention - just enough to register that yes she's still obsessed - and then... ????
It's terrible what was then done to him afterward - but not gonna lie, the gender role reversal was hot. Him being the wife is hot. I can see why Jiao Liqiao wanted to own him, because the man is ludicrously attractive when he's suffering and without power. Ahem. That throne room scene. Half of me was screaming for LLH or FDB or Wuyan to fly in and get him out of there - but the other half was like 👁👄👁🤌🤌 can he be rescued by the other two so they can help heal him up? And like catch up on wtf was going on while he was away from them?
Shan Gudao's reaction to JL's tendon cutting and lovesick drama - the wince and "ok enough of that - play with your food somewhere else in private" was pretty interesting. Something something about how he seems to pay attention to things and delivers them. I need to organize my thoughts better but I liked that he did actually deliver DFS to her with the understanding that he(dfs) was destined for her bedroom despite having no interest in women.
The hilarity of the meet cute between him and Jiao Liqiao -- he literally was there for something else and just happened cut her ropes as an afterthought on his way out. Did he even notice her beyond "oh there's a tied up girl, I guess I should do something about that." Meanwhile his appearance was a life changing event for her. I mean. That rock star number he was wearing, plus the skirts twirling as he came in, killed, and left as quickly -- the man sure makes an impression without even trying.
So out of possessive jealousy, Jiao Liqiao killed off Di Feisheng's entire leadership team for being too close to him... how the fuck did Wuyan survive all this time? Like she knew he existed - he was one of the guys she caught and chained up in an earlier episode. Maybe I will write more thoughts on him after rewatching his few scenes...
I keep saying Di Feisheng is pretty - but like Di Feisheng looks exceptionally pretty in that dark green outfit. Same with the green outfit he wore when he got amnesia and went into the lake. Imo it's his color- moreso than the red.
I figured out how replies work now so I should actually reply to replies this time.
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Ship asks, Bering and Wells edition!
what’s your favorite headcanon of them?
what’s your favorite canon moment of them?
rant about them
well, my headcanon for them is that they actually end up together, but nobody knows :D they suspect, but pretend they don't see, like I am pretty sure that they would not want their relationship be known to everyone, at least not in the beginning, maybe half or an year after asjkhajkhd so it would all lead to stupid situations, cos I love when they have fun and just laugh and nobody dies
I have 2 fav moments, actually more, but I can't choose all, the first would be 'we're forever destined to meet at gunpoint' the moment I realized I ship them, the quote that made me go insane, the entire scene, the entire episode is like the best thing ever, whenever I feel down I just go and rewatch for the team, instant boost, best thing ever.
and the second is from 'reset', I will just throw screenshots here, cos I have no ability to put emotions into words when I watch this scene
anybody expected me to not go insane over them after tHIS??? come on this is like all of my ships at its finest, this is such a doctor x master thing to do
but also Emily Lake scenes?????? this shit should come with a warning honestly
I knew I will fall for HG Wells before I even saw her, because let's be honest, you can't not fall for Jaime Murray, look at her, she is the best, but I definitely did not expect to fall for the ship so hard, like I did not know anything about this fandom before I started watching it, nobody told me there is tHIS! you have to give a fucking warning here for the newbies, look at me, years passed and I come back to gif every goddamn moment with them, I have not finished giffing it all yet, cos I can't gif some scenes in peace
how do you gif HG's sacrifice without 3 mental breakdowns in between????/ I giffed this part from reset and wanted to chew on my laptop cos you can't just gif it and not yell every second of the process
that's insane they are not canon, but who gives a fuck about canon, cos they are more than canon, they are literally the definition of angst and pain, I will forever hate the show for doing what they did and giving them straight lovers and making myka and... well, I never finished the show cos of that. cos how can I?? anyone remember this show for myka and pete being together? I don't for sure, and I don't really see anybody talking about it after so many years, we remember the good things - which are Bering and Wells lol. yeah, I know there were many great things in the show, stories were fun, characters great, etc, but I remember this show and still gif it and love it due to Helena Wells, and specifically this pairing, I don't think I would have loved it the way I do if there was not HG or this couple. They are WH13 for me. and while being canon is not important for me, just imagining what an impact they would have if the show let them be together, that would be fabulous.
anyway, they are the best thing in the show for me
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i dont think im gonna watch HSMTMTS season 4 :(
I cannot watch this. Maybe I’m a debby downer. Maybe I’m a negative nancy. Maybe I’m expecting too much realism from a TV show. However, no show has made me feel so offended by the treatment of one character more than this one.
My poor boy EJ was completely and totally DISCARDED by EVERYONE in the last season. He was juggling so many things such as college, his friends, his dad, and his girlfriend, and all he wanted was to enjoy his last summer as a kid by spending it with people he felt he could be the most comfortable around.
Instead of that, however, he is suddenly and without warning pushed into being the director of a musical that he did not know anything about, while also being the pseudo-camp counselor because apparently, investing more than one adult into a summer camp is worth it to the Camp Shallow Lake owners. And yet, no one seems to acknowledge how unfair this is, not even EJ himself.
All he does is push through and do his absolute BEST to make it happen. However, because he can’t adapt to this new role flawlessly and balance everything perfectly, to his fellow campers who are not dealing with anything of that nature (no, Carlos’ inability to climb a rock wall doesn’t count) he becomes a bad friend, a bad cousin, and a bad boyfriend.
And due to the fact that he was too busy while running a show that he had no business running, to devote every second to his girlfriend, the final straw in their relationship is Gina’s discovery of a letter that was not her business at all. Perhaps his reason for hiding it was because of her reacting the way she did. We’ll never know, because EJ’s feelings were never given a first thought, much less a second and he was never able to explain.
And thus, in the last half hour of the final episode, we get Ricky and Gina, who have decided that they’re each other’s one true love based on.... what again? Oh yeah, some chocolates she thought he gave her. And some other stuff too, I suppose, but that’s all it took for some to decide that they were a valid ship.
Ricky who was HOPELESSLY devoted to another girl for 2 seasons straight, whose whole reason for being in the drama club was for her, for whose primary interactions with Gina were either because of her or about her, suddenly decides that Gina is the one he’s looking for ONLY after driving to said summer camp on a whim because his other girlfriend was discovered to be the saboteur we all knew she was. Shockingly (but, maybe not to some), Gina reciprocates. In the last few minutes of the last episode, Ricky and Gina kiss, not even 12 hours after Gina breaks it off with EJ for good.
Now, what’s my problem with this? It’s so sloppy and unrealistic. Now, the show itself is unrealistic and as a theater kid myself, I can tell you that for sure. Our sets aren’t anywhere near as elaborate, we don’t have a strong supporting ensemble cast and overall, the whole concept of any school club having that much devotion is a serious stretch. But it’s done well. Or it was. N
Rini was a couple we were somewhat rooting for from the start. Portwell we grew to love because of the slow burn and the slow reveal of the couple’s true feelings for one another. Now, we are expected to believe that 2 seasons of solid Portwell build up (as well as the first half of season 3 before they began having problems) is just calmly thrown away and for what? For Rina? A subplot/sub-ship that was made possible by under 10 scenes together? Ricky, who was so devoted to Nini and promised never to let her go again and Gina who wasn’t able to give her obviously overburdened boyfriend any grace? That’s the ship that we’re supposed to root for?
I don’t think so. It was sloppy and badly done and it made no sense whatsoever. If they had to end the Portwell relationship, for whatever reason, I don't know, perhaps they didn’t want to encourage a sophomore-senior relationship or going to college while dating someone in high school. They could’ve easily done what they did with Ricky and Nini, and break them up on amicable terms because a relationship with someone in high school and someone in college just doesn’t work.
They had no reason to abuse EJ’s character and ruin some of his relationships, before never talking about him again, while Ricky swoops in and takes his girlfriend AGAIN. It was so unnecessary and at this point it's repetitive. Because everytime there’s a season that starts off with 2 characters being madly in love, we all know it goes.
So I don’t know how much I'll be watching.
(lol i just wanted to get this out of my system after watching the season 4 trailer)
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On June 23rd, 1816, Percy Shelley and Lord Byron got a boat together and set out on a sailing trip around Lake Geneva while sightseeing and reading Rousseau’s famous novel Julie, which takes place there. Percy chronicles this in his and Mary’s joint publication (her first publication), History of a Six Weeks’ Tour. They don’t name-drop Byron for privacy, but call him their “companion.”
Day 1, June 23rd, 1816 —
Percy Shelley, History of a Six Weeks' Tour:
“It is nearly a fortnight since I have returned from Vevai. This journey has been on every account delightful, but most especially, because then I first knew the divine beauty of Rousseau's imagination, as it exhibits itself in Julie. It is inconceivable what an enchantment the scene itself lends to those delineations, from which its own most touching charm arises. But I will give you an abstract of our voyage, which lasted eight days, and if you have a map of Switzerland, you can follow me.
We left Montalegre at half past two on the 23d of June. The lake was calm, and after three hours of rowing we arrived at Hermance, a beautiful little village, containing a ruined tower, built, the villagers say, by Julius Cæsar. There were three other towers similar to it, which the Genevese destroyed for their own fortifications in 1560. We got into the tower by a kind of window. The walls are immensely solid, and the stone of which it is built so hard, that it yet retained the mark of chisels. The boatmen said, that this tower was once three times higher than it is now. There are two staircases in the thickness of the walls, one of which is entirely demolished, and the other half ruined, and only accessible by a ladder. The town itself, now an inconsiderable village inhabited by a few fishermen, was built by a Queen of Burgundy, and reduced to its present state by the inhabitants of Berne, who burnt and ravaged every thing they could find.
Leaving Hermance, we arrived at sunset at the village of Nerni. After looking at our lodgings, which were gloomy and dirty, we walked out by the side of the lake. It was beautiful to see the vast expanse of these purple and misty waters broken by the craggy islets near to its slant and ‘beached margin.’ There were many fish sporting in the lake, and multitudes were collected close to the rocks to catch the flies which inhabited them.
On returning to the village, we sat on a wall beside the lake, looking at some children who were playing at a game like ninepins. The children here appeared in an extraordinary way deformed and diseased. Most of them were crooked, and with enlarged throats; but one little boy had such exquisite grace in his mien and motions, as I never before saw equalled in a child. His countenance was beautiful for the expression with which it overflowed. There was a mixture of pride and gentleness in his eyes and lips, the indications of sensibility, which his education will probably pervert to misery or seduce to crime; but there was more of gentleness than of pride, and it seemed that the pride was tamed from its original wildness by the habitual exercise of milder feelings. My companion gave him a piece of money, which he took without speaking, with a sweet smile of easy thankfulness, and then with an unembarrassed air turned to his play. All this might scarcely be; but the imagination surely could not forbear to breathe into the most inanimate forms some likeness of its own visions, on such a serene and glowing evening, in this remote and romantic village, beside the calm lake that bore us hither.
On returning to our inn, we found that the servant had arranged our rooms, and deprived them of the greater portion of their former disconsolate appearance. They reminded my companion of Greece: it was five years, he said, since he had slept in such beds. The influence of the recollections excited by this circumstance on our conversation gradually faded, and I retired to rest with no unpleasant sensations, thinking of our journey tomorrow, and of the pleasure of recounting the little adventures of it when we return.”
UPDATE: I took my dates from Shelley, but his dates must have been confused and Byron's must be more accurate. Because I'd been confused by Byron's dates in the past, since he often wrote past midnight (thus often referring his prior day as "today"), I had assumed Shelley was more trustworthy. According to Shelley and His Circle vol. 4 pp. 700-701, they left on June 22nd which was a Saturday, and so I believe each day of their trip would be one earlier than I and Shelley stated in these posts.
Taken from Shelley and His Circle:
"TIMETABLE OF THE LAKE GENEVA TOUR
June 22, Saturday: Sailed from Montalègre, slept at Nernier.
June 23, Sunday: Sailed from Nernier, slept at Evian.
June 24, Monday: Sailed from Evian, encountered storm off Meillerie, slept at St. Gingolph.
June 25, Tuesday: Sailed from St. Gingolph, saw the mouths of the Rhone, visited Chillon Castle, landed at Clarens, visited bosquet de Julie, slept at Mme. Pauly's house (Place Gambetta) at Clarens.
June 26, Wednesday: Visited Le Châtelard, and the bosquet de Julie, sailed from Clarens, visited Vevey, slept at the Hotel de l'Ancre at Ouchy.
June 27, Thursday: Visited Gibbon's house at Lausanne, slept at Ouchy.
June 28, Friday: Remained at Ouchy.
June 29, Saturday: Sailed from Ouchy, slept at [?Rolle].
June 30, Sunday: Sailed from [?Rolle], arrived at Montalègre."
#i wanted to start this yesterday#regret#shelley and byron’s sailing trip#literature#english literature#aesthetic#poetry#lord byron#percy shelley#romanticism#romantics#english romanticism#romantic era#romantic poets#sailing#travel#geneva#the geneva squad#geneva squad#lake#beauty#writing#history#dark academia#rousseau#books
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Regency Romance Update: September 20th, 2023
Why does life stuff always happen all at once? Here I go and start to finally have some momentum on this thing and I spend the next several weeks spending my days off dealing family obligations and a root canal. I need a vacation in the woods for at least a week where I'm not expected to see anyone or do anything.
Anyway, exhausted rant about living under capitalism out of the way, the WIP.
I have gotten some more scenes half written in my notebook, but haven't had real time to transcribe and edit, so no telling how many new words I've got. Mostly I've just been jotting down ideas for scenes to go into the second act and draw out Finn and Juliana rebuilding their relationship.
So far I've got a scene where Juliana confront an Anti-Stradfordian and Finn basically has to pull her out of the room before she tears the man's throat out. The use of dance to reflect the state of Juliana and Finn's relationship. A scene where Juliana dresses as a man for a play and Finn clocks how much more comfortable she is in men's clothing. Need at least one scene with Finn coming out of a lake. And plenty of back and forth between them fixing the play together.
I've also decided Finn is working on a drama, which he is not having a good time with since most of the stuff he writes are comedies with a guaranteed happy ending. Queue discussions on Finn's pessimism towards happy endings in real life vs. Juliana's fundamental belief that at the end of the day the universe will look after her.
In general I've got a better sense of the internal progression of both characters. In any given scene Juliana is running the gambit of human emotion meanwhile Finn is so consistent in his pining he's reached a state of zen.
Oh, and I'm finally starting on some spicy scenes, as a treat.
Thanks for your patience y'all. Here's a snippet for your troubles.
He turned his head to find Jules engaged in some conversation with Robert.
She was in costume, full men's attire from her well worn boots to the working man's cap on her head. The sleeves of her loose fitted linen shirt were rolled up the elbows while the dark green vest hung confidently undone. Her hair was hidden from view, buried under the cap so not a stray curl escaped. These were simple tricks he had seen countless times on a number of actresses, but never had the image rendered him so in awe.
More than the clothes themselves, she held herself differently. He knew her to be naturally athletic, something she often hid with careful movement and the compulsion to make herself smaller. Now she allowed herself to stand tall. Her weight wasn't being pulled up by some invisible string but allowed to sit on her bones be be part of her. The curves of her body were strategically hidden while her lips and eyes allowed just the peak of her femininity. He was left with the impression of an androgynous youth ready to lead him to the nearest glen and never be seen again. He'd follow her gladly.
taglist below the cut
@clairelsonao3, @auroramagpie, @janec23, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs
#author update#regency romance#snippet#writeblr#romance writer#romance writing#romance#writers on tumblr#original writing#original romance#original characters#juliana hamilton#michael finnegan smith#wip: untitled regency romance
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1, 2, 3 + grovyle pmd?
1. Why do you like or dislike this character?
i love grovyle so much... he's genuinely one of my favorite characters ever and i could talk for hours about why i like him so much, but to keep it short ill just talk about how unique he feels. pmd2 in general feels so unique largely because of grovyle. he's introduced as a villain and because of the lengths he's willing to go to achieve his goals he acts the part really well (i feel like ive made a billion posts about the crystal lake scene alone). and after the big reveal in the dark future it's so interesting to see this ruthless and cold character who we knew as a villain just a few hours ago start to show a softer side. and i love how even after befriending him (or re-befriending him i suppose), he still has a very rough personality. he's my best friend in the world
2. Favorite canon thing about this character?
i absolutely love how he works as a character in the sense of storytelling. he's an extremely interesting foil to both pmd2 partner and dusknoir, but i love comparing him to partner especially. grovyle sees the solution to a problem and immediately goes through with it, without hesitation and letting nothing get in his way. partner, on the other hand, sees the solution to a problem, but hesitates and doubts themself as they see it through. but pmd2 shows that even though partner has doubts and hesitations, that they aren't any less strong than grovyle is, and when it matters most, partner is the one to pull through and find the solution.
back to grovyle though, i also love the things his character is associated with. i love how he's associated with the sunrise [linking emma's post about it bc everything i like about it is said there], and i also love how, as a brightly colored grass type, he (and celebi, by extension) could be seen as a representation of the future he wants to create.
3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?
im gonna be real anon i sat here thinking about this one for like half an hour. and really i could not think of a single thing. i like everything about him, including, and perhaps especially his character flaws. i guess he's kinda hard to draw? it took me like 3 or 4 months of drawing him to come up with a design i really liked. oh and his red spots should be more pink. grovyle should be pink. remember this always
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Amusing Darkness
A Nexo Knights Rewrite deleted scene
/|______________________________________|\
“Ah… The power’s out.” The old man chuckled to himself at the humor obscured in the lack of artificial light. While the dozens of townsfolk screamed and raced for the nearest exits after the king’s unpleasant declaration of darkness, he and his accomplice stood idle in the crowd and budged little when mortal bodies shoved against their sides. Both wore matching cloaks to conceal their faces, find fabric dyed a rich emerald green and embroidered in sigils and runes of golden thread. He, a seven food colossus of a disguised human, made little effort to hide his hearty weight and rounded stomach. It made him look plentiful, he reckoned. Wealthy in necessities and grateful for his fortune as a king.
His partner, standing only a foot and a half lower than him, was more scrawny compared to his eye-catching stature and barely indulged in the fineries of their lives. Bitter green eyes surveyed the chaos around them, and her mouth contorted in a dissatisfying grimace. “Foolish. It’s like they don’t want to save themselves even if it’s a petty thing to fear.”
“‘Tis a fear of many mortal kind, my dewdrop,” the king hummed back as if the idea amused him. “When man grows comfortable in safety and solitude, the sheer thought of the dark can deter many’s hearts. But still, I get your point. The locals are practically tripping over themselves trying to leave. It’s quite a sunny day, and light is light even if its path is blinding.”
“I swear on Puck’s two left feet, if I have to endure one more body colliding into mine-“ A mother shoved her way past the lady with two children in her arms. Her frantic apologies were met on deaf ears as the princess silently felt her patience thin into fragile glass.
A hand on her shoulder kept her from unleashing karma onto the woman. “Temperance, Nimue. They do not know better than primal instinct. Let them calm their simple minds.”
The sigh she vented through clenched jaws could poison a dragon with the sharp chill of her temper. Delicate hands concealed by leather gloves adjusted the latch of her cloak and pulled her hood further over her skull. “Yes Father, as you wish...”
“Good. Now, shall we follow the crowd outside? See what they’re up to now?”
“…I suppose.“
The two turned away from the balcony of the Joustdome, away from the gathering of robotic slaves and clumsy knights struggling to adjust to the building’s darkness, away from the evil that would awaken in less than an hour. That wasn’t their problem. They came to watch the people, no more than that. A long week of exploring the wild lands of Knighton was more than enough reason to take a break from the adrenaline of a monster hunt and observe the local ant hill of mankind. His Majesty had the luxury of a child’s invitation into this precarious land and thought it best to entertain his daughter with the people’s infantile routines and materialistic desires. While he wasn’t surprised she found little enjoyment in their paranoid behavior, it drew a smile to his face to know she at least paid attention.
“If I may ask,” the Lady of the Lake uttered to his side. “Is this what you’ve intended to do with that squire you cursed?”
The king’s eyes furrowed like a thread tightening into the braids of a crochet pattern. “Hm? Elaborate.”
“To instill fear. To toy with the man’s simple mind. Is that what you seek to do with the squire?”
“Oh! Yes. Sort of, among other more important things. Fear is not something I wish to purposefully inflict on others, especially the mortals who can’t keep their bladders in because of a good jumpscare. But it is something necessary. It’s a driving force, the emotion of fear is. It can either make or break a mortal.
“And that’s what I intend,” he mused. Whether the purr of his throat was for melancholy or malice, only time would tell. As far as his daughter knew, it could’ve easily been both. “To see if this squire will push through and stay true to his word or crumble under the horror of it all. Simple really.”
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Build-a-twink
(Read on AO3)
(Based on this post)
Adam resettled on the couch, then squirmed and shifted again. Hugging the pillow tighter, he turned half his face into it so only one of his eyes was free to look at the TV screen.
On said screen, a man who had been presumed dead was currently reuniting with his family and lover.
Adam? Michael said, more tentative than usual. Are you alright?
When he raised his head off the pillow, Adam saw Michael's projection standing next to the couch, the perfect mirror of himself in some ways, but not in so many others. For one, Michael wasn't wearing pyjama bottoms and a soft t-shirt, but his usual get-up. Jeans, a black t-shirt and the black jacket that Adam had eventually convinced him to don instead of the butt-ugly green one. His hair was also decidedly less messy than Adam's currently was, after hugging the pillow.
And of course, the way he held himself and just the way he looked, his facial expressions – that was so undeniably Michael that Adam sometimes forgot that they technically looked the same. When he'd first had access to mirrors again after the cage, Adam had often been surprised at his own reflection. Wondering who that dude impersonating Michael (and doing a poor job at it) was.
“Adam?” Michael asked, this time in the voice that sounded like it came from outside Adam's body, though of course in reality it didn't.
“Sorry, yeah.” Adam sat up a little. “I'm fine.”
“Are you sure?” Michael frowned down at where Adam was now clutching the pillow to his stomach.
“Sure.” Adam hugged the pillow even tighter.
Casually, or at least pretending to be so, Michael moved his head towards the TV. “The movie is a happy one.”
“Yeah,” Adam agreed. When he glanced at the screen, the reunion scene was over, all hugs given and done with.
Adam's grip around the pillow relaxed a little.
“Did it upset you... because you had no one to return to?” Michael asked sombrely, without looking at Adam.
“What?” Adam blinked at him, needing a moment to process what he'd said. “Oh, dude, no! I'm not sad about that.”
Admittedly, it had been a bit difficult to return to Earth but not have any family or friends there. It had felt like when he'd visited Windom only to find that his house had been renovated and strangers had moved in. An empty, lonely feeling, filled with longing for something that would never come back.
And then, later, when he'd woken up at that lake without Michael... But that was in the past, and Michael was back now.
For a moment, Michael said nothing, and just sat down on the couch next to him. Just when Adam thought he'd evaded that conversation, Michael said: “But you are sad.”
“I'm fine.”
Michael gave him a look. “You're hugging that pillow like it's going to run away if you let go. And the way you're pulling your legs against yourself means that you-”
Adam groaned. “I know what it means, Dr. Phil.” Huffing, he stretched his legs out, and put the pillow next to him on the couch. The knot in his stomach didn't ease, though. “Happy now?”
“No.” Michael kept looking at him sternly. “I didn't learn your human mannerisms just for you to pretend they don't mean anything.”
“Oh, that's what you're worried about, huh?” Adam teased him, but Michael didn't rise to it, knowing he wasn't serious.
“Adam,” he just said again.
“Alright, fine.” Adam sighed and looked down at where the hand of Michael's projection was resting on the couch. It wasn't solid, Adam knew that, didn't actually touch the couch and couldn't touch him – and yet, he itched to reach out and take it. “But it's stupid.”
Michael rolled his eyes dramatically. “Spit it out.”
Instead of an answer, Adam gave into the urge and traced one finger over the edge of Michael's hand. There was nothing there, Michael's 'body' just a projection he tricked Adam's brain into seeing.
“I know we're as close as two people could ever be,” Adam eventually said, “but... sometimes I wish I could touch you.”
Michael was silent. Adam withdrew his hand.
“Sorry. I told you it's stupid.”
“You never said anything in the cage.”
“Things were different down there. We were mostly trying to survive, to distract ourselves and each other. And the way we existed down there was wonky anyway. Sometimes you were your true form, sometimes you looked like me... But now...” Adam looked away. “We're out, we're safe, and...”
“And you're human, so you want human forms of companionship,” Michael concluded, a touch of disappointment in his voice.
“No! I mean... yeah, kinda?” Adam sighed. “I don't know. I just wish... never mind.”
“You could have that,” Michael said, a strange wobble in his voice.
Adam's eyes snapped up to his face. “What?”
“I could... give you some room... go to Heaven for a bit,” Michael said, frowning and not looking Adam in the eyes.
“What? W- why would you leave?”
The bewilderment on Michael's face would have been endearing if Adam hadn't been feeling the same.
“You want human companionship,” he said slowly. “If I leave, you can go and find that. I mean... technically you could do that while I'm here, but that might be weird.”
“No! What are you talking about? I don't want that if it's not with you!”
Michael blinked at him.
“Sorry, that... that came out weird.” Adam blushed and fiddled with a string that had come loose on the pillow several days earlier. “Just.. I don't want you to leave. I want you here, only... more tangible. But I get that it's not really possi-”
“How often?”
“Huh?”
“How often do you wish you could touch me, physically?” Michael asked.
“It's fine. Don't worry about it. Really, I'm just being silly. Like, you're literally inside me and your grace is all around my soul and stuff, all of the time,” Adam babbled, not wanting Michael to think that he didn't understand, or that he didn't value what they had. “If we were human- both human, I mean, it would be like we'd be sitting on top of each other all the time and-”
“Adam.” Michael's voice was calm, but clear and determined. “How often?”
Adam squirmed on the couch. Glanced at Michael, then averted his eyes again. “Every day, lately. But it's fine, I'll get over it, and we don't have to change any-”
“Adam.” Michael fixed him with a look. “You do know we can do that, right? I can get a different vessel.”
“No.” Adam flushed. The thought of Michael being inside of someone else – just no. “I don't want that, you... you'd be puppeteering some poor bastard, and then what? Would you let him out all the time? Would he be watching everything we do? Would-”
Would Michael have an agreement with him, too?
When Adam finally looked back at him, Michael's expression was soft.
“I don't want that either – to share a body with someone else.” He frowned. “Maybe there's a way... but to possess someone, I need their consent, and that means there has to be a soul present...”
“I know.” Adam reached out again, then pulled his hand away when he noticed what he was doing. “Look, I know this isn't gonna work. You can't just make yourself solid and neither of us wants you to possess someone else. It's fine. I can handle it.”
“Maybe there's still a way. I can ask Raphael,” Michael offered, but Adam shook his head.
“You don't have to. It's alright.”
Sometimes, Michael 'left for work', which meant he stopped possessing Adam to go help out in Heaven. The phrasing had started as a joke, but as time went on, they had used it less and less ironically.
Whenever this happened, Adam needed a moment to re-adjust. After running on archangel juice for so long, the transition to being mostly human again was always jarring.
It had its perks, though. For one, Adam could sleep again. And everything tasted even better when you were just a little bit hungry or thirsty. It was also somehow easier to relate to other people again when you couldn't travel great distances in the blink of an eye and had to actually do something to maintain your body.
It was still a taxing process. Usually, after Michael left his body but before going to Heaven, he would wait to see if Adam was alright. It was the same this day – Michael hovering nearby, all blinding light and churning heat, a myriad of eyes all fixed on Adam as he blinked his own eyes open.
“I'm fine. Go,” Adam said, sluggishly waving a hand.
Michael slow-blinked at him with all his eyes, an affirmation or maybe a sign of trust or both, before he vanished into the ether.
Then, Adam was alone, and he took a moment to process that fact, too. In addition to the physical change, there was also a mental adjustment, since he was suddenly alone in his own head. That was always more unsettling than he would have liked, though ultimately he could calm himself with the knowledge that he only needed to pray to Michael to be heard.
While Michael couldn't always react immediately to his babbling, since the connection only ran one way and he couldn't just drop everything to come back when Adam prattled about his day, it still made Adam feel like he wasn't alone.
That day, it was somehow easier, though. There was still the tell-tale emptiness in the spot around his heart – his soul – where Michael's grace usually sat, but it was easier to handle. Adam imagined he was the housewife (or househusband in this case) of a rich corporate type who let him live in his shiny expensive apartment and spoiled him wherever he could, but spent long hours at work. (None of which was too far off the mark.)
Adam started humming at that, and then he turned on the radio they'd bought for the kitchen. While Adam could have gotten a Bluetooth speaker to connect with his phone or something, that just didn't feel right. In his youth, the radio had been Adam's friend in the many lonely hours when his mom hadn't been home. Now, it was his friend again when Michael was gone.
They also listened to it together, sometimes, though Michael always got annoyed when the music stopped and people started talking. Adam found it soothing, and interesting, but he would sometimes change the station when the news came on, or when Michael grumbled too much.
Now, he just let the radio play, choosing a rock station as he pulled ingredients out of cupboards. It would be blueberry pancakes today, he decided, and stooped to get a mixing bowl from below the counter.
There would be orange juice and coffee to go with that, just like he always got in Cousin Oliver's Diner when his mom and him had gone there for breakfast.
They'd gotten fresh oranges the day before, when they'd stocked up for Michael being gone. Adam didn't always trust himself to go for groceries right afterwards, so it was better to do it before.
As Adam prepared his pancakes, he whistled along to the radio. Later, he ate on the balcony, then stayed outside in the sun, sipping his coffee.
There were books afterwards, and games. Gabriel had gotten him a Switch at some point, for whatever reason. Raphael said it had been an offering of peace towards Michael after they'd had a fight, and since Michael neither needed anything material nor would have been likely to accept anything, it had gone to Adam.
Not that he minded. Being able to play Pokémon again was kind of fun, and he had quickly found out that there were a lot of cool games for the Switch. Michael was only all too eager to get him anything he wanted, so Adam now had a whole shelf full of those slim boxes with the tiny cartridges.
He mostly played them when he was alone, though sometimes Michael liked to watch. He'd helped choose names for the animals on their farm in Story of Seasons, and had insisted that they call it 'Milligan Farm'. He also had a lot of ideas on how to optimize the use of their in-game days, to the point where Adam was basically just acting out his directions.
Maybe he should just let Michael play it directly. Though he might deny that he liked it.
In any case, Adam left that one for when Michael was back, and instead fired up Diablo III. He could play that for hours – and he did, only realizing how long it had been when he realized it was dark.
Sighing, he put down the game to fix himself dinner, then played a bit more until he felt sleep tugging at him.
It was weird, feeling exhaustion again, but there was also something incredibly relieving about it.
Despite everything, he was still human.
There had been a time when that had scared him, when he'd first woken up on the shore of that lake, with Michael gone and no one giving him straight answers about what had happened. Everything had seemed scary then, even just walking and talking to people. Now, Adam felt more secure, though that might be because he had a place to stay, safely warded against demons and most angels.
You couldn't ward against hunters, which was unfortunate because Adam really would have liked to keep Sam and Dean out permanently. Then again, it wasn't like they contacted him often.
Adam rarely left the apartment while Michael was gone, though he was working his way up to it with occasional trips to the local farmer's market. (Michael always insisted that fruits and vegetables should be fresh, and the ones from the supermarket spoiled much quicker than the others. Sometimes, Adam suspected Michael was partly responsible for that, though it also happened when he was gone, so probably not.)
The next few days passed with more games, reading and a stop by Adam's favourite coffee shop. (It had a latte with amaretto, chocolate and cherry syrup that was to die for.)
Adam had just started the washing machine so he could wear his favourite shirt again when he felt the familiar presence of an archangel descending, the room suddenly beginning to glow.
“Hey Michael,” he said, and the windows rattled in response. “Come on in.”
Possession was... a lot. When an archangel poured his being into a tiny little human, it was bound to be a tight fit, and it felt like Adam might burst from the light and the heat, more and more of it coming where there should have been no space left anymore.
It was a lot, and it was painful and glorious at the same time, almost orgasmic. Michael always huffed when Adam used that word, and it wasn't like either of them was usually aroused when it happened, but the sensory overload did come close.
A mind fuck, Adam sometimes called it jokingly, just so Michael would roll all of his eyes in exasperation.
“Hey there,” Adam said happily when it was done, feeling Michael's grace swirl around his soul and settle within him.
Hi, Michael said. How have you been?
Adam had only prayed to him once or twice to let Michael know he was doing alright. He hadn't wanted to disturb him while he spent time with his siblings and worked in Heaven, but Michael was always anxious about Adam's well-being.
“I'm good. Lost against Arkanine again, but I think I'm getting better. What about you? Any news in Heaven?”
“Well, you know Heaven,” Michael said, using his projection. “There's always something new these days.”
He shook his head, probably thinking about how it had been quite the opposite for most of his life, Heaven being unmutable. Then again, so had the angels been, with some notable exceptions. That was a thing of the past now, and as its residents had changed, so had Heaven.
It was an ecosystem, after all, where everything was connected in a very literal sense. Angels hadn't been supposed to be individuals, but part of something bigger. Except that the whole concept was flawed since it had been based on beings who had been created one after the other, some before Heaven had even existed.
“They're trying the shared Heavens on a larger scale now. There were some hiccups, but they've mostly sorted them out, and are currently creating a system to connect the shared Heavens to each other without it being too confusing. Right now, there are only about half a dozen shared Heavens, but if they really roll this out for all souls, there will probably be millions, if not more, so there needs to be a way for the humans to navigate between them without getting lost.” Michael shrugged. “It's a daunting project, to say the least, especially without any God.”
Adam nodded. While Jack had taken on his grand-father's powers and job at one point, they'd put it down again after a few months. Stabilizing Heaven had been a top priority, and after that, the remodelling of Heaven didn't seem to require a God anymore.
Besides, being mostly all-knowing and all-powerful had weighed on the kid, and they hadn't wanted to do it anymore. So they'd split the power between several people as well as Earth itself, and Jack had stepped down.
They were still involved with the construction work, just not as the leader anymore. There was an angel council, nowadays, decided on in an actual election. Castiel, Gabriel and Raphael were all on it – Adam didn't know what it said about angels that they'd elected those who had run, or tried to run Heaven before, plus the other remaining archangel on the ballot.
Maybe they were the best for the job, or maybe the angels still needed to learn how to think for themselves. Whichever it was, Adam was sure it would work itself out over time.
Michael seemed thoughtful, and Adam chalked it up to him still contemplating Heaven. But then he said, somewhat nervously: “There's something else. I talked to Raphael.”
Adam looked at him in confusion. “Okay?”
Michael talked to Raphael all the time, and he wasn't usually so careful about telling him. So what was this? Would Michael be needed again soon? Was he just stopping by to tell Adam that it would take longer?
What if it would take a lot longer, or if he had agreed to go back to Heaven permanently, after all-
“Adam,” Michael said soothingly, “it's nothing bad, I promise.”
Adam blushed, having been caught spiralling again.
“Sorry,” he muttered, and felt Michael curl more tightly around his soul, letting him know that he wasn't going anywhere.
“It's about what you said a few days ago. Wanting to touch me?”
Adam blushed even more deeply, but nodded. When he said it like that, it sounded almost inappropriate...
“I talked to Raphael – well, and Gabriel – about it and there might be a solution. One where I don't need to share a body with someone else.”
Adam felt his eyes widen as his heart skipped a beat. “Really?”
“Yes. It's... unconventional, and we're not entirely sure if it will work, but I think it's worth a shot.”
“Well? Are you gonna tell me what it is?” Adam asked, then listened carefully as Michael explained.
It was unconventional, or more like a little crazy, but then again Adam had been living with an archangel in his head for more than ten – or one-thousand – years, so crazy was pretty much his normal now.
“Good morning!” Gabriel said as he sauntered into the apartment, Raphael, Jack and two more people in tow.
“It's the middle of the afternoon, Gabriel,” Michael chastised him, and frowned at the two people Adam didn't recognize. “What are they doing here?”
“If you may remember, Adam was the first and last person for whom this was done successfully,” Raphael said calmly.
Adam?
Adam and Serafina, Michael said, the first man and his angel trait- I mean bi- I mean lover.
Wow, old habits really die hard, huh, Adam commented. If she's a traitor and a bitch, then what are you?
Shutting the hell up is what I am, Michael grumbled, and concentrated outwards again.
“He didn't do it himself, so what use will he be?” he asked Raphael.
Adam – the biblical one – raised an eyebrow, as if to indicate that he was right there, thank you very much.
“He's moral support,” Gabriel answered. “Now can we start? I have a date in two hours.”
A date? Adam asked curiously. Do you know who he's-
No, and I really don't want to know, Michael said decisively.
Spoil sport.
“Why did you schedule a date for today?” the Biblical Adam asked, with the air of a man commenting on the weather, not discussing time management and love matters with an archangel.
“Well, the date was scheduled before this whole thing.” Gabriel gestured between the people in the room. “And you don't exactly cancel on the Queen of Hell.”
Everyone stared at him except for Raphael, who just let out a long-suffering sigh.
“We should get started,” they said dryly, and everyone stepped closer, gathering in a circle.
“Are we going to do it like we discussed?” Jack asked, the first time they had spoken since entering.
“Yes.” Michael nodded, and pulled out his angel blade.
Serafina twitched, which was interesting – her vessel didn't move, but her wings did, and there was a displeased ripple in her grace. The Biblical Adam just frowned at the blade while everyone else looked at Michael expectantly.
Look away, Michael told Adam.
No way. If you're gonna fillet our chest, I'm gonna watch.
Michael sighed. Don't tell me I didn't warn you.
He pulled up their t-shirt, revealing naked skin underneath, then put the angel blade against their ribs. With a quick, but deep cut that he barely let Adam feel, he opened up their rip cage.
Then he shoved a hand inside.
Geez, this is like a saw movie or something, Adam commented. It was a bit odd seeing that on himself, feeling Michael's hand rummaging inside of him until he got a solid grip on a rib.
A quick twist of the wrist, and then Michael pulled the rib out of Adam's body.
Whew. That sure is something. Adam was looking at the rib in fascination, the pre-med student in him trying to figure out which one it was while another part of him flinched at the thought that this had come out of his body.
For anyone else, the thought of losing a rib would have been distressing. Just as he was thinking about that, though, Michael already healed their wounds.
Re-growing the rib would take a few more minutes, since Michael wanted it to be as painless as possible for Adam. So Michael handed the bloody rib over to Raphael, who huddled together with Gabriel and Jack to start the process.
Then Michael sat down on the couch and waited until the rib was complete again.
Will you be alright if I go now? He eventually asked.
Yeah, of course. Adam nudged him with his soul. Have fun at Build-a-body.
A ripple of amusement washed from Michael to Adam before he separated from him, grace uncoiling from soul to leave his body again.
When he was gone, Adam felt bleary for a moment. He only realized his eyes were closed when he felt, but didn't see, a hand on his leg. Blinking his eyes open again, he saw Serafina kneeling in front of him.
He could still see her wings and grace, he realized in fascination, even though Michael wasn't possessing him.
“You okay, kid?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Adam said, and craned his neck to check what the others were doing. But he couldn't really make anything out except a bright glow and the vague outlines of Michael's true form between Raphael, Gabriel and Jack.
He could see their wings and grace too. Interesting.
He didn't usually spend time around angels without Michael present, so he hadn't known that he could see them like this on his own. Maybe a side-effect of the long possession. He didn't think he'd seen Zachariah like this, only remembered the sleezy-looking business man they guy had been possessing at the time.
“Must be a first,” Adam's namesake said, coming to sit next to him on the couch. “An angel making himself a body from someone's rib.”
“Aren't we all ultimately made from your rib? Eve was made that way, right?” Adam countered.
The other Adam smiled sadly. “Yes, she was.”
Adam suddenly wondered what had become of her. While Michael had told him about an Eve, the Mother of Monsters, he had been very clear that this was not the Biblical Eve. Apparently, there had been an earlier Eve, made even before the first angel was created.
At one point, Adam had wondered what it said about God that he had created monsters before angels. Now, knowing all that he had done, Adam was pretty sure he knew what it meant.
Adam wouldn't ask about Eve. It wasn't any of his business, and besides, you don't ask about someone's ex or dead wife in front of their current girlfriend.
“How long do you think it will take?” he asked Serafina instead. Since she was an angel, he figured she might have an idea.
But she just shrugged. “I wasn't there when Eve was created and besides, no one here is God. So... anything between ten minutes and forty days, I guess.”
Adam made a face. Forty days? It wouldn't take that long, right?
“What she's saying is that your guess is as good as any,” the Biblical Adam told him, leaning his arms on the back of the couch. “Hey, while we wait... you don't happen to have any... herbage, do you?”
Adam looked at him for a moment. “I'm guessing you don't mean basil.”
The Biblical Adam laughed. Huh. The first man, a stoner.
Well, he'd had to deal with this world's bullshit for a long time, so maybe that shouldn't have been a surprise.
“Alright!” Gabriel suddenly said, and Adam turned to see him take a step back to regard his work. He was still blocking Adam's view, and Raphael was still leaning in and seemingly fussing about some detail. But it seemed like they'd be done soon.
When Jack's eyes stopped glowing, Raphael stepped back too, the specifics apparently straightened out now.
“May I present to you,” Gabriel said dramatically, whirling around to face Adam, “in a brand-new vessel, coming to you from that guy's rib-”
Gabriel gestured to Adam, but was interrupted both by a sigh from Raphael and by Michael pushing past him.
“For fuck's sake, Gabriel,” he grumbled, and Adam's eyes widened at the first sight of him.
When Michael's eyes met his, they turned soft, and they just looked at each other for a long moment.
Into the silence in the room, Serafina suddenly said: “Why does he look the exact same?”
Adam blinked. Yes, Michael looked like him, safe for the clothes and the way his hair was styled. (Michael liked their new hair-cut on Adam, but not on himself.) Adam hadn't even noticed, or rather, he'd expected him to look that way – the same as his projection.
“The clothes are a nice touch,” the Biblical Adam commented. “Eve didn't have clothes, at first. Well, neither did I at that point.”
“We need to monitor the situation in case the vessel isn't sturdy enough, but at least the possession worked. As we theorized, a body made specifically for an archangel, out of the rib of a man who previously consented to possession, can work,” Raphael said, like a doctor talking about the medical break-through of a complicated surgery that had never been attempted before.
Well, it was kind of like that, in a way. Michael had been transplanted into a different body, one that archangels (and an archangelic nephil) had first built themselves.
Still not fully processing everything, Adam got up from the couch and took a step towards Michael. This felt surreal.
A part of him was afraid that if he reached out, he still wouldn't be able to touch Michael.
But then Michael closed the distance and took his hand, and Adam's heart skipped a beat.
“Hey,” Michael said softly.
Adam couldn't have kept down his smile if he'd wanted to. “Hey,” he replied, feeling the warmth of Michael's hand against his.
“Uh, does anyone else hear a swelling string orchestra?” Gabriel asked, only to get nudged in the ribs by Raphael.
“Seriously, why does he look like him?” Serafina whispered. Adam heard it, but he wasn't going to look away from Michael to reply. “It's weird. And I thought they made the separate body so the kid didn't have to bother with him anymore, but now they're holding hands?”
“I'm not leaving Adam's side,” Michael said, loud enough for the whole room to hear, but also not looking away from Adam.
Good, Adam thought, squeezing his hand.
They'd never touched like this, couldn't have done that, but somehow it felt natural, like the translation of what their grace and soul often did to this new situation. This was what Adam had wanted. It felt amazing, and the possibility of more – a hug, maybe – almost made him dizzy.
“Perhaps we should leave, and let them... adjust,” Raphael said.
“Didn't you say you want to monitor him?” Gabriel asked, surprised.
“They can always pray to us if anything happens. We shouldn't hover.” With that, Raphael was gone – out of the corners of his eyes, Adam saw them leave, then re-appear and take a protesting Gabriel with them.
“Oh. Then we should leave too,” Jack said, and nodded at Serafina. Within a few seconds, and with Serafina's hand on the Biblical Adam's shoulder, they were all gone.
It was just Michael and Adam now. They kept looking at each other, until Michael's eyes dropped to their intertwined hands.
“I could get used to this,” he said thoughtfully, letting his thumb trail over the back of Adam's hand. “Though it's a bit weird to be all alone in this body.”
Adam winced, thinking much the same. “Do you think... Could we change back if we wanted?”
Michael's eyes flicked from his chest – where his soul sat – up to his eyes, a smile forming on his lips. “Yes. Gabriel came up with a stasis spell, so we can always put this body to the side.”
“Cool. Then I won't grow old as quickly.” Adam grinned at him. When Michael possessed him, he didn't age. “Can't have me get all grey and wrinkly while you look like the pinnacle of youth.”
Michael rolled his eyes. “Good to know you only keep me around for vanity reasons.”
“Oh, shut up.” Adam had the crazy urge to lean in and kiss him. But he caught himself at the last second, just swaying on his feet a little.
“Are you dizzy?” Michael asked, frowning.
“No, just... giddy, I guess.” Adam chuckled. “This is so unreal.”
“On the contrary, it's very real.” Michael put his free hand on Adam's arm, maybe to steady him. It was odd not being able to read his thoughts, but there was also a thrill to it.
And the touch of both of Michael's hands was so warm...
“What did you want to do?” Michael suddenly asked. At Adam's confused expression, he added: “You said you wanted me to touch you. But I didn't exactly ask how you meant that.”
Adam blue-screened for a moment. Judging from the concerned look on Michael's face, he might not actually have been breathing.
“Um,” he then made. “What... what do you want it to mean?”
Michael blinked, looking surprised. Then he blushed.
“Well...”
Adam stared at him, entranced by how cute he looked, all shy like this.
“Well?” he prompted, trying and probably failing to keep a hopeful note from his voice.
Michael shifted on his feet. “Well, I have... some ideas.”
And Adam was content to try them all with him.
#Midam#Yes Adam is a twink there I said it#Body horror cw#It's consensual though!#Adam didn't need that rib anyway#Quick writing
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MY ATLA LIVE ACTION S1E4 THOUGHTS
EP3 - EP5
Oh boy do I have things to say about this one.
Firstly, the way they wrapped things up from last episode was good enough, I guess. I think they might have tried to push too much into these two episodes this time, so hopefully they don’t bite off more than they can chew in the back half of the season. There’s something to be said about how early some plot lines seemed to get resolved and new ones were introduced, one even being more or less forgotten until the final few minutes of the episode, to make way for other story threads that just didn’t hold up to me.
Next, I have problems with Bumi. I think with Aang’s new character arc, the themes with Bumi makes sense, and I understand its inclusion as a whole, but Bumi was NOT the vehicle to present that with. The correct mannerisms are there, but I’m just not buying him as Bumi.
Lastly, there’s something that was partly introduced in this episode that has me concerned, which I will make clearer under the cut for spoilers, along with something that decidedly Wasn’t introduced.
Overall, there’s some sense of disappointment around this episode for me, here’s to hoping it gets better.
Live reaction and spoilers under the cut
shit i lowkey forgot they arrested aang? too busy writing the last review ig
this dungeon visually kinda has ba sing se lake laogai vibes. could be cool to draw parallels in later season(s)
cell mate iroh lets goooo
i’m not entirely sure i like the inclusion of the mechanist at omashu. i feel like his motives for helping the fire nation are a lot less believable to me in this location, since omashu is a stronghold and bumi is No Pushover. then again, we don’t know that yet, bc bumi has Just been introduced. considering we cut to iroh talking about how omashu is so impressive. idk
Other than “it is I who owe him” about zuko, idk if iroh is really hitting for me. this is the first time this season where i’ve been like “yeah that’s iroh”. he’s just sort of uncanny iroh most of the time
BUMI TIME
bros asleep hahaha
bumi: “tea?” aang: “okay,,” the inflection on that was great. great delivery dfksjdh
oh we’re skipping the whole trials thing. i’m not angry about that, but Where is flopsy???
okay bumi is good. we love live action bumi in this house.
jet jumpscare
hell yeah katara get his ass
so this choice for zuko to make is def a parallel to the winter solstice episode where iroh was captured, right?
is bumi. angry at aang? that doesn’t feel right. i revise my earlier statement. his mannerisms are perfect, but blaming aang is Not bumi. this does Not vibe
SECRET TUNNEL GUYS?????? the guys are here what??? i wasn’t expecting them
that zolly shot though
please just stop talking and sing secret tunnel i need it so bad. i don’t even care that it’s a season early
THERE IT IS
omg i was right with the whole zuko winter solstice episode conflict. almost a one-to-one in visuals
bumi aang does not need this right now. i appreciate the rock candy growing crystals, but god. bumi is being so mean
i have to say, i like sokka being the one to figure out the cave of two lovers path. they seem to be highlighting his intelligence more overtly in a way the original show didn’t do until later in book one.
also liking the conflict between sokka and katara making a return. i knew that ended too fast during the jet arc.
so this is a scene where it’s nice to have the perspective of some random earth soldier from ba sing se, but iroh shouldn’t need this conversation. it might have been better to be given this explanation a different way? or i guess. it’s to give exposition about lu ten?? is that needed right now?
loving the white mourning clothes. loving that not everyone is wearing them, too. it would have been really interesting if one of those people who wasn’t wearing white was ozai. a little visual conflict for those who happen to know the significance of the color. weird that we’re getting iroh backstory before zuko though
ohhhh leaves from the vine instrumental. good, good inclusion there. for people who know from the cartoon, that really elevates that moment, and for people who haven’t seen the cartoon, it might elevate a certain moment from tales of ba sing se later since the association is already there
okay so the crystals literally don’t matter, fuck me AND sokka i guess
i need bumi to stop actually
goddam, zuko, just yank that knife out why don’t you. no concern for blood loss then
WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S NOT ABOUT THE CRYSTALS. they sense feelings??? what do you mean 😭😭😭 what happened to earth sense
literally shut up bumi
this is not the wise old bumi that we know
thank you cabbage man, you really rounded out the episode
okay, i’m starting to see iroh. thank you.
also the leaves from the vine backing is still nice. it has the connotation of iroh claiming zuko as a son this scene in my mind
likes: environment design, visuals, the mechanist, leaves from the vine placement
worried about: the lack of introduction to the war balloons, the slight retconning of earth sense (what will this mean for toph in a potential season 2??), overlooking a perfect setup for a white lotus introduction
dislikes: bumi >:( (and he was most of the episode), changing the glowing crystals in the tunnel to be useless??
#atla#atla live action#avatar the last airbender live action#avatar the last airbender#long post#NOT vibing with bumi#hope we can come back from this :(
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