#i think Riley is one of the few fic character i loved from the beginning to the end
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The Vampires Live On
I am participating in @choicesflashfics week 3 Prompt # 3 “Bold of you to assume I would say yes to something like that.” by @debramcg1106 quote will be in bold.
I thought in the beginning this would be a one shot but it’s really not, I think it has the potential to be a few parts, for Halloween as I don’t like zombies, but I think vampires are okay. :)
A/N: I’m pretty sure the idea of Liam as a vampire has been used on the fandom before, so any similarities to anything currently in print on the fandom is completely unintentional. I know I’m probably not the first that has written Liam as a Vampire, and I’m sure I won’t be the last. I take this dynamic into the past and use my dynamics and OCs I have created in my story.
The Book: TRR
Word Count 2425
Ratings and Warnings: Teen/ Character deaths, mentions of blood and stabbing
Pairings: Liam x Riley?
Song Inspiration: Hey Jude by the Beatles
Summary: We get to know the “real” Riley and Liam.
Original Post: 10/22/22 at 9:36PM EST.
A/N2: This story idea actually comes from a short story I wrote when I was in high school after seeing Interview with a Vampire. So I’m totally about to Big Fat Liar myself with this fic, If you have seen that movie as I am recreating the short story from memory, and I feel like there are similarites with Twilight, and Bloodbound. This short story was originally written in 1994, and I’m tweaking it to fit my story lines for my fanfic characters. Also I don’t proclaim to be a historian here, but did google how people would address others in the 1800′s.
I was then, as I am now, and will be tomorrow. I am a vampire, nothing more and certainly, nothing less. I made the choice to give up my life in the sunlight almost one hundred and fifty years ago. I was born Alice Marie Hughes, in 1855 but in this decade, I had chosen the name Riley Antonia Brooks for myself. In this decade, in the year of our Lord 2022, you could pretty much say or do or be anyone you wanted to be, if you had the resources to back it up, and I, along with him, had made quite the nest egg for ourselves.
But back in the years when I was living a mortal existence, the year was 1873 and it was the dawn of a new age in Lumberton, a small province outside of Cordonia. My sister Clara and I, even though orphaned at a young age, were able to as adults get jobs in a local pub serving food and ales to the soldiers and other types of men that came in and out of the establishment. It was a decent wage to be made there, not only from serving, but we also entertained the men, with song and dance, just teetering on the verge of racy and seductive.
The two of us together, we were way before our time.
Clara would have loved living in this century in which I am living now. We’ll get to more of that later, more of what happened to her, and why she isn’t here with me, with us.
The pair of us together, we could charm those men too. It also didn’t hurt that my sister and I were very pleasant on the eyes. The people of that era and time found my sister and I intriguing and scary at the same time. It was because we were not only sisters, but identical. It was like looking in a mirror when we were standing side by side. Some called us witches,
and other names almost anything you could think of, but Clara always had a witty comeback for them. She was our fierce defender.
People had a very difficult time telling the two of us apart. So a lot of time both of us answered to each other’s names.
It was early summer the first time he came into the pub. He came in after a group of soldiers, taking a seat alone at a small table for two.
The young man was pressed and dressed. From his look it was evident this was not the type of place he frequented.
“Clara! Go serve him.” The shop owner meant me. It had been two years of working there, and he still had no idea which sister was which. I nodded, heading in the direction of the man seated by himself.
“Good Evening My Lord, is there an ale or spirit that strikes your fancy?”
He glanced up from his timepiece to stare me directly in the eyes. His eyes were two sapphires that in the dim lighting from the candles seemed to create their own sparkle from the lack of lighting. His smile was enchanting, I found myself staring at his teeth, as I had never seen teeth so brilliantly white before.
“What would you recommend?”
“I do not drink those types of libations, My Lord, but I could bring you the one that seems to be the preferred by our clientele.”
I brought him the whiskey that men from his station typically ordered when they were there.
“Do you require anything else at this moment? Supper is still being served for a bit.”
“I’m not hungry, but I heard there would be a show here? Sisters who perform?”
“Yes, My Lord there is. It will begin shortly. May I take my leave?”
“Yes Miss…….. Miss….”
“Alice Hughes.”
“Alice. I will not forget that name. As the face that it is attached to is unforgettable as well. I am Richard Reese.”
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Reese.”
“You as well Miss Hughes.”
My sister and I quickly went to our small changing room to put on our identical costumes waiting in the hallway for Maxwell to introduce us.
When we walked out to the small stage and the music began to play, Richard sat up in surprise.
So much for an unforgettable face, he kept looking between my sister and myself, another in a stream of people that could not tell us apart. He was attentive to the entire show watching our every move.
When we separated to make our rounds across the room, keeping in our seductive, sultry characters, to flirt with men at their tables, I realized his eyes were now following me and me alone, either he knew I was truly Alice, or he decided at that moment to pick one of us to watch.
Once the show was concluded, we were allowed to have the patrons request time with us to sit at their tables. We always decided separately as that’s how we found the two of us made more money. I was just finishing up with another client when I saw his hand raised. Since Clara was free she walked in his direction. She was there only a few seconds before she walked back over to me.
“He said he wants Alice.”
I walked back over to him sitting down.
“You requested me My Lord?”
“You should be confident like this all the time, Alice. You changed into a different person when you walked out on that stage.”
“It’s a character My Lord.”
“It’s more than that. I’ve never seen someone so radiant before.”
“Then you must not get out much during daylight hours.”
“No. I do not, the evening is my morning, it has been for quite some time.”
“Mine too pretty much.”
I stood.
“Where are you going?”
“Your time is up.”
I continued working, when I glanced up, he was gone. Clara and I pooled our money, giving the house its share, and bagging up our little fortune.
“I will walk with you two home. It’s not safe. There was another murder last night.”
“Thank you Maxwell for looking out.” Clara’s eyes were locked on Maxwell, and his were on her.
The next three nights Richard showed up for the show, and afterwards requested time with me.
“Looks like you have a fan.” Clara said with a smile as she saw Richard waving his hand in my direction beckoning me to come over to his table.
That night when I sat down from the table across from him, he pushed a small purse towards me.
“How much?”
“Excuse me My Lord?”
“For the night. I’m sure this is enough.”
“Bold of you to assume I would say yes to something like that.”
He appeared not to understand. “Is it not enough? I have more.” He produced a second equally large purse of coins.
“I do not sell my body for money My Lord.”
“You sell sex. That whole show was nothing but sex.”
“No. We sell the illusion of sex.
We do not give it, or show all our bare skin to any of you. We sell smiles, interest in your meaningless conversations you wish to have with us, and flirtations. We do not sell ourselves. If that’s what you are looking for from me, you are mistaken, and please do not return here.”
I jumped up from the table walking away.
“Alice….” His voice sounded sad and apologetic, but I kept walking.
Later that evening I talked to Clara as we walked home, with Maxwell following us for safety and protection.
“He made a mistake about what we do here, Alice.
He’s a man, that’s what they do.”
“He thought we were prostitutes.”
“And, there are places with actual prostitutes next door, but did he go there? No?”
“I told him if that is all he’s looking for from me not to return tomorrow.”
“He’ll be back.” Maxwell commented.
“How do you know?”
“He fancies you Alice, and when you’re around him, you look like you fancy him too.
He will be there tomorrow.”
The next evening, Richard was back; his hand was first in the air when their show concluded.
“I really meant no disrespect to you Miss Alice or to your character. I never meant to insinuate something false about you. Please accept my apology.”
“I accept your apology My Lord.”
When it came time for me to leave he kept plunking out coins to keep me at his table to continue our conversations. I was there and only there the whole evening. Richard asked to take me on a proper evening outing in two nights. Our first day we wouldn’t be working. I was actually excited about our… first date.
That next night was when my whole world changed, even though it started out like any other evening. Our shift at the Pub, our show, and Richard…
Clara and I were giggling and talking as we walked until Maxwell shushed us.
We halted in our tracks as Maxwell looked around the area as if on high alert.
Two men wearing masks emerged running from the shadows yelling for us to give them all of our money.
Maxwell refused them. I wanted to just give them the money. But Maxwell insisted that they were not going to take what we all had worked that night and every night to get.
Maxwell whispered “run.” to us, the split second before he lunged towards the two men, the fight ensuing. Maxwell managed to critically wound one, but the other got the jump on him, shooting him. Maxwell’s lifeless body hit the ground.
Clara protectively pushed me behind her.
“Run Alice. Save yourself.”
“I won’t leave you. We’ll give you our money, it doesn’t matter.” I screamed.
“No we won’t. Maxwell died for us. They’re not getting a coin from us while I'm breathing.”
Clara pulled her blade from the folds of her dress advancing towards the man. I tried to help her when it looked like the unwounded man was starting to overpower her, by jumping on his back. Using my fists to hit his back and face. I was thrown off his back, losing consciousness when I hit the ground.
When I woke, he was standing over Clara’s trembling body, blood was pouring from her neck in rivers. Clara was gasping for breath trying to hold the wound closed.
I screamed at the sight. Now I know Richard heard my fearful scream from miles away.
The monster of a man stood wiping the bloody blade on his pants.
Tears were streaming down Clara’s cheeks as she stared at me. “Run Alice… Please…”
I was frozen in fear as he started to advance towards me.
“You can have it. Please don’t hurt me.” I begged, throwing the small purse of coins in his direction.
“It’s not even about that anymore. Now it’s your turn.”
Finally my legs had unfrozen and I could move. I tried to run away. He grabbed me from behind pulling me by my hair. I screamed again. He turned me around and pushed me to the ground.
“Alice….” She held her neck with one hand while reaching for me with the other.
“Clara.”
I was about to die mere feet away from my sister, and I couldn’t hold her hand as our hands only a few crucial inches away from connecting.
I gasped in shock when he slit my throat. It wasn’t pain I felt in those moments, I could feel life spilling from me. I felt tired, as my eyes started to drift closed.
A hand clasped mine, causing me to open my eyes. Clara had managed to slide herself the last few crucial inches to take my hand.
“I’ll go first, to make sure it’s safe for you. Then you follow. Like always.” She whispered.
“Okay. I’m not afraid.”
“That’s sweet.” The man grumbled, picking up the purse of coins. He was standing there for the second before I blinked, and I heard a loud crunching sound and he was on the ground dead and Richard was next to me.
“Oh Alice!!!!” Richard whimpered. “I can save you.”
“Save my sister first.”
“I can not. It’s too late for her.”
I realized I was still holding her hand, but her grip had relaxed. Clara had died in those few moments since I last glanced at her.
“I don’t want to die Richard.”
“I can save you, but you have to give me permission to. I can give you another life, but you have to choose it.”
“I choose it.”
Richard bit his wrist blood trickled from the puncture wound.
He held his wrist to my lips.
“Drink from me and I promise you will live.”
So I drank from him.
Not even a minute later I felt excruciating pain throughout my body. It felt like what little blood left in my body was burning its way from the inside, out.
“What’s happening to me Richard?”
“You have to die first. I’ll be by your side when you wake up. Don’t be afraid.”
I could hear everything around me as my body shut down, my eyes drifting closed, my breaths and my heartbeat slowing. Then I noticed, there were no sounds coming from Richard. NO heartbeat, no breath. What did I consent to, in order to save my life?”
Then I felt my heart stop beating.
Vivid. Dreams. Were they dreams? I saw my parents, I saw Maxwell, and lastly my sister.
“I will miss you Alice. You have a different destiny now.”
I woke up in a dark room. I felt his presence immediately even though he hadn’t spoken. When my eyes adjusted, I could see him clearly, though it was dark, he was sitting in a chair reading a book.
He sat the book on the chair and walked over to me.
“You’re finally awake, Alice, how do you feel?”
I immediately touched my throat; there was no longer a wound.
“I feel….fine.. How long have I been sleeping?”
“It took three days for your body to heal and for death to pass.”
“So I did die?”
“You died a mortal death. But you Alice Hughes are still a living being.”
My stomach growled.
“You’re hungry. I knew you would be. Let’s go get someone to eat.”
“Someone?”
He softly laughed, lighting several candles.
“Look at yourself Alice. I mean really look at yourself.”
I peered at myself in the mirror. I was the same, yet I was different. My skin did not have the same glow it once did, but at the same time, it was glowing. My eye color had changed from the deep brown I knew, to a shade of sapphire almost identical to Richard’s.
“Have you ever heard of the First Family of Cordonia?”
“The Royal family?”
“One in the same. But what the world doesn’t know is… that we are Vampire.”
#bebepac writes#halloween story#choices fanfiction#choicesflashfics#liam x riley#liam x riley forever#the royal romance#bloodbound maybe?#choices fic writers creations
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a list of alters in the 187 system
+ roles & other info - from my fic I've Been Having Revelations
chapter 1:
spencer | host - he/him
- largely the same as canon spencer & relates the most with the body
- has very limited communication with the others
- is what some systems/people in the plural community call the "core," though he dislikes this label
- loses time when dissociating (in this fic, spencer has osdd 1b which is unique for its "incomplete" dissociative amnesia. different alters in the 187 system retain memories while dissociating or not fronting differently)
alice | litte & caretaker (kinda) - she/her
- introject of alice from alice in wonderland, though she doesn't identify with the character
- almost always fronts after ghost (another alter in the system who was fronting at the beginning of the chapter. more information abt them later) and acts as a "buffer" between the trigger/trauma that made ghost front and the rest of the system
- age slides between 7 (the age of alice from alice in wonderland) and 10 (the age the body was when she formed)
- retains some memories & emotions while dissociating
alex | primary protector - they/them
- one of the system's "newer" alters, most of the system became aware of alex's existence during their addiction
- physically, they look pretty similar to spencer in season 2-3, but they don't relate to the body at all, especially their addiction
- they refuse to call/consider themself an addict because they only have memories of actively trying to protect the system from their addiction and recover
- was fronting during the "what if i started taking dilaudid again? would you've let me?" and "this is calm, and it's doctor" scenes
- retains "all" memories while dissociating and few to no emotions
maddie | primary caretaker - she/her
- one of the system's longest-existing alters
- has the best communication with spencer and ofter relays messages and emotions between him and others
- named after the madeleine from proust
- constantly worried
- loves kids
- retains most memories and the "general vibe" of emotions while dissociated (though is disconnected from them)
chapter 2:
ezra | co-host - he/him
- younger than spencer & the body, but looks similar (season 4 ish but with season 1-2 hair). has freckles.
- a little more carefree then spencer, but can still be serious if the situation warrants it
- has better communication with the system then spencer, but it's still limited
- hates coffee but gets anxious without it (he's the one who puts ungodly amounts of sugar in their coffee and the rest of the system had to adjust)
- looses time while dissociating
vic | gatekeeper - any pronouns
- has arguably the strongest communication in the system, though it's closer to making an announcement rather then conversations
- perpetually tired while fronting, never sleeps
- has access to all of the system's memories and emotions, though is disconnected from most of them
riley | little, trauma holder - he/him
- holds a lot of the system's childhood trauma
- "introject" of riley jenkins, only in the sense that he formed after spencer's mom convinced him that riley wasn't real. doesn't relate to his source
- the one who said "i don't want to be here anymore" in 4x7, memoriam
- retains most emotions from memories while dissociating
ghost | trauma holder, protector - they/it/no pronouns
- non-human. it is a ghost alter that fronts when their brain thinks they should be dead/feel close to death
- doesn't have the system's eidetic memory - very limited short term memory & is mostly unaware of what's happening in the system/to the body when it's not fronting
- appears mentally and physically around 10, but identifies as ageless
- mostly non-verbal—speaks in short, "spacey" sentences
- fragment/"incomplete" alter - largely only fronts after specific triggers
#criminal minds#spencer reid#criminal minds fic#criminal minds fanfiction#spencer reid fanfiction#writers of tumblr#fanfiction writer#brain dump#187 system#spencer reid fic#lex rambles#shortmc
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Hello there, I love your writings specially the way you write liam's character and so I had an ask, whenever I listen to Champange Problems by Taylor Swift, I imagine Riley denying Liam's proposal for marriage. It just gives me that royal feeling you know, I would like to request you to write a short excerpt on this scenario. For her personal reasons, Riley, turning Liam's proposal down. I hope it isn't too much to ask for. Thankyou.
I can see why that song made you think of them. It is filled with TRR angst! 😂 I love it when songs make us not only think of our favorite Choices stories and characters but also help in inspiring fan fics for them. I have started a list of songs that I have saved over the years that remind me of certain pairings/storylines. This one is definitely going under The Royal Romance section 😉
I'm making this first person from Riley's point of view for this particular prompt and having it like she is talking directly to us. Thanks so much again @megha-graphy ❤ hope you enjoy it. This is the perfect prompt to get me back into the swing of writing again now that everything is getting back to normal.
@gkittylove99 @krsnlove @kingliam2019 @texaskitten30 @yourmajesty09 @mom2000aggie @ofpixelsandscribbles @twinkleallnight @lodberg @amandablink @neotericthemis @mm2305 @sfb123 @tessa-liam. @moodmusicmonday @choicesficwriterscreations
Rating PG for a word or two.
Song inspiration: Champagne Problems
Masterlist
Champagne Problems
Why??? What was she thinking? How could she do that to Liam?
I'm sure those are the questions revolving in everyone's mind who know what happened. They certainly have been the very ones that I have asked myself every single night since this began, along with a few others.
Why did they have to come into my bar that night? What was it about Liam's actions that prompted Maxwell to ask me of all people to come to Cordonia? How did it get to this point? Why didn't I see it sooner?
Why did I let this happen?
Am I the villain in my own story? I guess in a way I am. I can try to blame others like Constantine. Maybe even Madeleine. But no one made me say it. No one made me cause that expression of pain in Liam's face.
I did this.
Perhaps I could, yes I think I should. Let me start at the beginning. Then maybe you will at least see why I did what I did.
Maybe I will finally understand it myself. I really don't know how it ended like it did.
It's just...*sigh* I...
Forget it. Let's start from the night I met the men who had a hand in changing my life forever.
A year ago...
There are few things that can leave me speechless and on this particular night, I was struck nearly dumb from one such man. I don't think I've ever seen a man more handsome than this one. No wonder he was the one the bachelor party was for.
What girl wouldn't snatch him up as fast as she could? Those blue eyes of his alone are enough to cause heartfelt sighs. Add on his charm, that body of his, that hint of bashfulness. Ugh. No wonder I stayed out all night with him.
Who could refuse him anything when he asked for nothing?
So...lack of sleep, nearly swooning over this real life Prince Charming, and the fact that this seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity (I mean, is it really once in a lifetime? I doubt this happens even in a thousand years!) I said, yes, to Maxwell's offer.
Not only is it a free trip to Europe, it's a chance for romance and adventure. Who wouldn't agree to something like this?! Right? Surely I'm not the only person who wouldn't even pause to think about it.
If only I had taken a moment to think it through.
To be honest, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. I didn't think that the end game to all this was a marriage proposal. I mean, I knew that was what was supposed to happen. I guess...I guess I simply refused to acknowledge that it would be me Liam would propose to. Maybe I thought it would all work out.
I mean, if it's meant to be then it will happen, right? All the feelings will be there. The moment will be perfect. There won't be any doubts.
Won't it be like that?
*Sigh*
It should have. I can't believe I did that to...let's get back to the story.
That first night in Cordonia was pure magic. The palace's ballroom was something straight out of all my fairytale fantasies! The people were gorgeous in their costumes. Liam looked like he had stepped out of the movies! That silver mask highlighted those mesmerizing blue eyes of his. Our game of tag after the ball was so freaking cute.
I can still remember how he looked at me as if I was the one who had stepped out of a dream. He was absolutely adorable. I had to kiss him. With the costumes, the setting, the way he touched my cheek...how could I not sink fully into this romantic atmosphere?
Then his worry that he would hurt me in the end. Liam hurt me? *Bitter laugh* If only that had been the case.
If only my heart was the one broken.
After that night, things kinda turned into a competition. It was always one, but I guess I focused on that aspect of it instead of really looking at what the prize was.
I should have. I should have realized that I wasn't taking part in some stupid game. I was playing with people's emotions. I was going to affect a country! I was going to hurt so many.
So many.
Liam.
Drake.
Maxwell.
Hana.
Olivia.
Tariq.
Madeleine.
Bertrand.
Maybe even Regina.
I can't believe I ended up the villain.
*clears throat*
Anyway, while fighting to win top spot in all those ridiculous contests, I got to know Liam, Drake, Maxwell, and Hana. They were all so, I guess lost is the word I'm looking for. It's like none of them have ever had a normal life. I was their chance to experience freedom. Sorta. I mean, can one really be free in this type of environment?
Liam and I would sometimes sneak off alone. I never could resist kissing him in these moments. The way he held me in his arms. *sigh*. He made it so easy to fall in love.
Then Drake and I started to do the same. Just the two of us. I started to see why this commoner was so disillusioned with the life he was living. His troubles touched something in my heart.
I should have just walked away. Told him I was there for Liam only. But no. I was so sure I could handle all this. All these unexpected feelings.
Why did I let him kiss me after the mess with Tariq? Why did I chase him down at the Beaumont's to tell him I had feelings for both him and Liam? That right there should have been a huge red flag!
I'm such an idiot.
And Hana! She'd never had a friend before. She'd never had someone say how great she was. She didn't know how to handle her feelings.
Why didn't I see they went further than mere friendship?
So, as you know from all the news articles that came out, I was caught nearly naked in the arms of Tariq. Liam chose Madeleine the night of his Coronation. And I was hauled off to the airport. I guess I was banished.
Things would have been made right if I had just gotten on that damn plane.
But no. I was talked into returning by the Beaumont Brothers. I was then given the chance to be Liam's love in secret. He made it sound exciting and romantic.
Am I a masochist? Why would I go back for months of insults? Months of trying to win back a prince turned king? Why would I then develop feelings for yet another one of my friends?
How screwed up am I?
Poor Maxwell. Forced to have me as his doll to dress up for every event. I shouldn't have sneaked into his tent that night in Paris. He might have then continued to think of me as nothing more than a friend.
But I needed him and his never ending optimism and support. Nothing was harder than trying to prove I belonged with this group of nobles. I was so tired of my messed up reputation.
Maybe I deserved the scandal. Didn't I walk the fine line of a scandalous woman with men other than Tariq?
Yeah. I think, yeah, I did.
Did I still want Liam? Was I only doing this as a way to prove that not only could I get him but that I could restore my name? My reputation? Rub it in their faces that I, a simple American waitress, was worthy to be queen?
Queen. How did I remain blind to the fact that I was nowhere near capable enough to be queen of a nation? I don't know the first thing about Cordonia's government. I hardly make sense when discussing America's! I slept through my classes in school that taught all that.
And yet, I dared to think I was the right person for Liam. For Cordonia.
No one deserves someone like me, I'm a phony. A mere villain in too expensive designer dresses.
*head drops in hands*
You know what happened next. I kept all these people around me, making them think I was the best. Making them fall even harder for me. I even had Olivia, someone who was in love with Liam, believing I was what he deserved!
*tears begin to fall.*
What you don't know is that Liam told his father to make it right because he...he....
That last night in New York.
I know you know about Liam ending his engagement to Madeleine. I'm sure you know why he did it. You saw Tariq taking the blame for everything that happened, making me innocent once more in the eyes of the world. What you don't know is that Constantine orchestrated it all.
He knew I wasn't good enough for Liam. He knew I was the last person on earth who should be given power over people's lives.
*sobs*
Loved me. Would have chosen me from the very beginning.
And that last night in New York with Lady Liberty as our only witness, he proposed.
To me.
And I...
I...
Said.
*deep breath*
No.
Why, you might ask. Why would I refuse a man, one of the best men I know? Why would I deliberately break his heart? Why didn't I tell him sooner that I didn't feel the same for him? Why did I let him propose?
I don't know. I kept thinking when it happens I'll know who I love. I really thought I loved him. I mean, I do. Who wouldn't love Liam? But to return a love like his, one of such complete adoration. Devotion. A love with one's entire heart laid before you.
I didn't have that. I had feelings for him. Drake. Maxwell. Feelings I shouldn't have if I was meant to marry and spend my life with him.
And I mean, come on. Do I look like queen material? At any point in my story did I look like I deserved any of what I was given, much less the chance to rule a nation?
Nope. Not one bit.
I was selfish. I was self-absorbed. I only thought of the fun parts. The competition. Me winning. Me taking Liam from Madeleine. Me showing everyone I was better than what I actually was.
Me. Me. Me.
I really am the villain of my own story.
*wipes tears*
So, you're probably wondering what happened next. I ended up saying goodbye to everyone. I couldn't be with any of them, not after the realization that my heart was too stupid to choose between them.
Liam, too good for this world Liam, offered me a chance to have a home in Cordonia as a freaking duchess! Who does that? Can you even begin to imagine the type of love this man must have after I refused to marry him??? I can't. I know I don't have that within me. I wouldn't give my ex anything much less a home and better life.
I at least had the decency to say no to that too.
Liam left. They all did. I didn't stay in New York. I was afraid that I might see them again if they returned for U.N. visits. I erased all their numbers then changed mine before I left town.
No need to remind them of sadness. Broken hearts.
How awful I ended up treating them.
I moved to Reno. I waitress at one of the smaller casinos. There's no chance a king and nobles will come here. They'd go to Las Vegas before thinking of coming to Reno. I have a pretty decent apartment. I've made a couple of friends. Even been out on some dates. Nothing too serious, which is good.
I still keep up with Cordonian news. Liam recently announced his engagement to a noble from a nearby country. The way they look in photographs let's me know it is a love match. They each have the biggest smiles on their faces when they look at one another.
Hana has even been seen on the arm of a handsome noble that I remember meeting once or twice. She too seems to have given him her heart.
Maxwell is now a writer. His latest book is being turned into a movie. I was a little scared when I heard he was back in America, but he is spending his time in Hollywood. He's got a ton of actresses and models wanting his attention.
I don't know anything about how Drake is. I usually see him in the background of photos. Hopefully he's happy. Hopefully he found someone else to give his heart to.
Madeleine has been spending most of her time in the U.K., at her father's duchy. I guess she's okay.
Olivia is another one I don't hear much about. I hope Liam's new engagement doesn't hurt her more than the other did.
Tariq was granted a pardon of sorts from Liam. Maybe he can go home soon and live the life he once had.
Bertrand ended up marrying Drake's sister. They seem to be doing well if the few pictures and articles I've read are anything to go by.
Regina has moved on now that Constantine is dead. She is probably helping plan Liam's wedding to his new love.
They've all gone on without me. My part in their lives was brief and I pray that it didn't do any lasting damage. I never wanted to hurt them. Never planned it.
But I never stopped it from happening either.
*sigh*
I guess that's it. I think I did the right thing by walking away from everyone and everything that came from my brief time in Cordonia.
Didn't I?
#choices trr#the royal romance#choices fic writers creations#mood music monday#song prompt#prompt request#trr liam#trr drake#trr maxwell#trr hana#trr madeleine#trr olivia#choices the royal romance#choices the stories you play
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Book: The Royal Romance/ The Royal Heir (and beyond)
Pairing: Liam Rys x Riley Rys
Word Count: ~4500 (+/-)
Warning: Fairly fluffy; a few sexual references
Song: "Kiss the Girl" - Brent Morgan (okay, so it didn't really "inspire" but you'll know why I wanted to post it along with this fic)
A/N: Happy (belated) birthday, @sfb123! Here is a goofy little fic with some of your favorite people! I hope you enjoy it! There are literally no words--NO WORDS--to describe how I treasure you and our friendship! From some deep, dark moments to ridiculous, TMI, hilarious moments, you've been my partner-in-crime... and gosh, how richly I am blessed to call you my friend! I hope you had an incredible birthday, and I look forward to celebrating with you soon! Love you, sweet friend!
A/N2: HUGE thank you to my brain-stormers and to @kat-tia801 for pre-reading and encouraging me to NOT TO KILL ANYONE (@sfb123, girl, the topic of killing Liam and/or Riley came up more than enough times... but I figured I can't kill either of them on your birthday)
A/N3: I gave our sweet 5-year-old heir rhoticism (speech impediment where someone has a difficult time pronouncing Rs correctly), so some of her dialogue is spelled in a peculiar way; this was added to add more to her character; it was not intended to harass or bully
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The late morning sunshine pours sweet warmth over Riley's exposed skin. Buried under a sea of her tousled raven waves, she lets out a guttural groan before smacking her dry lips together. Not ready to face the bright light of the morning, she reaches her arm across the bed in hopes of finding him, the one who was charmingly insistent that they start celebrating her birthday early with a bottle of champagne last night. But, as she tiptoes her hungry fingers for more of her husband, she discovers one big problem: he's missing.
Instantly sitting up in a panic, Riley surveys her bedroom, her tired eyes adjusting to the light as she rubs her aching head. She finger-combs her tangles out of her face while wrapping a sheet around her naked body.
"Liam?" Her voice gravelly croaks. Clearing her throat, she calls out louder. "Liam?" She hastily shifts to the side of the bed, but as she stands up, a sudden soreness throbs between her thighs. Catching her off guard, her clumsy feet catch on her bedding, tripping her to the ground with a loud thud.
What the hell did we do last night? Whimpering in defeat to herself, she slumps her head back into the heap of sheets around her. Taking a moment to collect herself, she suddenly smells a heavenly waft of chocolate followed by two distinct laughs that warm her heart instantly.
Pulling herself from the ground, Riley grabs her purple silk robe, and carefully waddles her sore body through the royal quarters. Having to stop every few limps, she finally sneaks up onto a handsome sight: her husband wearing an apron while baking in the kitchen.
Riley finally cinches her robe close, crossing her arms as she leans against the entryway. A flirty smirk crawls onto her face; her eyes attend to Liam's plump, rounded rear in his well-tailored slacks. With the sleeves of his maroon sweater rolled up to his elbows, she admires the flexion of the muscles in his forearms as he begins to stir baking goods in a bowl.
Feeling her heart ferally racing, her hunger is interrupted by the precious pitter-patter of a certain five-year-old's bare feet against the wooden floor.
"I did it! I did it, Daddy!" Eleanor beams, holding out her palms for Liam. "I washed my hands!"
"That's my princess," chuckles Liam as he helps her slip her apron back over her head. "Do you remember what's next in our recipe?"
"Hmmm," she taps a finger to her lips, the spitting image of her mother. "Choc’wate?" She softly suggests with a mischievous grin.
"Chocolate?" Liam feigns disgust, placing his hands on his hips and playfully lowering his scowled face into her innocent, chubby face. "You think it needs more chocolate?" He whines.
Eleanor giggles brightly, a toothy grin spreading across her lips. "Uh-huh!" She nods enthusiastically.
Liam tauntingly leans closer into his daughter's face as her giggles grow louder, more uncontrollable. "More chocolate? More chocolate?" He playfully shrieks, enveloping her securely in his arm, bringing her close to his chest as he tickles her belly. Liam finally sits her on the counter, placing a loving kiss along her hairline.
Liam measures out another cup of chocolate chips, and hands the filled measuring utensil to his daughter. "Will you do the honors--?" His words melt into silence as he catches her sneaking a morsel into her mouth. "Hey! I saw that, you little chocolate thief!"
Eleanor quickly grabs another chocolate chip and holds it out in her palm. "Fo’ you, Daddy," she smiles sweetly. Liam shakes his head, hiding his smile. He knew he was whipped, perfectly wrapped around Eleanor's finger since the moment Riley announced they were expecting.
"Oh, my little princess, Cordonia is in some big trouble," he exhales deeply, bending over to match his crystal blue eyes with her gold-flecked chestnut browns. "You are just like your mother," he chuckles. He combs several dark wisps out of her eyes, reclipping them with a Bobby pin. "Let's put the chocolate in the pancake batter this time. Deal?"
Eleanor holds out a thumbs-up. "You got it, dude." Liam smirks at the expression as he reaches for a whisk. Eleanor often tags along with her mom when she wants to enjoy various American past-times, such as old 90s sitcoms like Full House and Family Matters. Liam still doesn't fully understand the reference, but after last year's fiasco of Eleanor giving Xinghai Lee a thumbs up, Liam and Riley agreed that the gesture was for Americans only.
Eleanor dumps the mound of chocolate chips into the bowl while Liam begins to stir the concoction together. Liam checks on his griddle, noting that it's the perfect temperature.
"Daddy?"
"What is it, princess?" He continues to stir as she watches him intently.
"Can you sing the song again?"
Liam snickers. "Aren't you tired of that song--?"
"Uh-uh," she shakes her head. She folds her hands together. "Pwease?" She singsongs.
Liam takes the bowl in one hand while still whisking the batter with his other hand. His voice starts low, almost timid. "Yes, you want her. Look at her, you know you do. Possible she wants you, too. There is one way to ask her."
Liam quietly puts the bowl down, tapping off the excess pancake batter on his utensil. Turning his attention back to Eleanor, he smiles lovingly at her. He begins to sway his hips to the beat of the Disney song in his head, his singing voice becoming louder as he approaches his daughter.
"It don't take a word, not a single word. Go on and--" Liam surprises his daughter with a chaste peck on her cheek, sending her in a tizzy of giggles.
Liam lifts Eleanor into his arms, holding her in the crook of his elbow. He grabs a spatula, handing it to her. He then impersonates his best Caribbean accent as he uses his whisk as a makeshift microphone. "Sing with me now."
Without missing a beat, Eleanor holds her spoon with both hands, squeezing her eyes tight and begins to belt out the tune. "Sha-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-my, oh, my--!" Her words fade into indiscernible words, Liam picking up where she left off.
"Look like the boy's too shy. Ain't gonna kiss the girl." Keeping Eleanor safe in his embrace, Liam takes her hand with his free hand and pretends to waltz with her as they finish the chorus together. "Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la, ain't that sad? Ain't it a shame? Too bad."
Liam stops dancing, bringing his daughter into a tight hug, resting his lips in her hair. Cherishing the moment, he whispers, "He gonna miss the girl."
“Bravo! Bravo!” Riley saunters into the kitchen, clapping her hands as she interrupts the secret serenade.
Eleanor prompts her father to set her on the ground as she runs to her mother, her arms wrapping around her legs. “Mommy!” She nuzzles her head into Riley’s hip, her mom tenderly rubbing her daughter’s back. “Happy buwf'day! Daddy said, ‘Co'donia is in twouble because of you and me--”
“Oh, did he,” Riley raises an eyebrow at her husband, pursing her lips.
Liam bashfully chuckles, a flash of pink painting across his cheeks. He quickly wraps a comforting arm around her shoulders, tucking her petite frame against his body. “Happy birthday, my love,” he tenderly whispers, brushing a sweet peck on her grimaced cheek. Unable to keep up the façade, she catches his lips again with hers, their mouths savoring the tender moment together.
“Ewww!” Eleanor slaps her hands across her eyes, the royal couple tumbling into laughter.
“Now wait a minute,” Riley jokingly protests, “you don’t say ‘ewww’ when Ariel and Prince Eric kiss--”
The young princess turns her nose in the air, her eyes fluttering shut. “That’s because it’s Awie'lle and Pwince Ewic.”
“You’re daddy was a prince--”
“Nuh-uh,” she sasses with her hands on her hips. “He’s Daddy, and he's a king. Like the white beaw'ded me'maid!”
“Did our five-year-old just compare me to King Tritan?” Liam whispers in Riley’s ear.
"Count your blessings," she giggles back, "she watched me put on my lipstick last weekend, and said that I "wooked just wike U'suwa'."
"Oh, you poor unfortunate soul," jokes Liam, gently guiding Riley's lips to his own for one last quick peck.
"Alright, princess," Liam squats down, grabbing his daughter's attention, “let’s get Mommy ready for her special breakfast.”
With an eager, shining smile, Eleanor gives a knowing look to her father before grabbing her mother's hand, dragging her to the kitchen table. Using both hands and all of her might, she pulls out Riley's chair for her to sit down. The little girl then quickly crawls on to Liam's chair to lean over the table to point out the various items on display, including fresh fruit, bacon, sausage and scrambled eggs.
"Wook, Mommy!" She lifts up a tiny bowl filled with marshmallows. "For you' hot choc'wate." Riley smiles sweetly, noticing her favorite mug is filled with the decadent cocoa. "Aunt Hana taught me ove' the phij."
"Mmmmm, it tastes just like Aunt Hana's," Riley boops Eleanor on the nose. "Good job, baby girl."
Liam calls Eleanor over to the griddle, plating up the chocolate chip pancakes. "Hold the plate with both of your hands, princess. Walk it to Mommy." Liam follows behind her with his own plate along with the young heir's plate.
"Here, Mommy! Pancakes!" Eleanor beams proudly, coyly twirling on her toes.
"Eleanor!" Riley wraps an arm around her daughter's body, tucking Eleanor's head under her chin. "These look delicious! Did you make all of this for me?"
"Well," she starts, "Daddy cooked, too."
"It's all wonderful." Riley smiles appreciatively, tightening her arms around her little girl, planting kisses in her hair. "Thank you." With a sparkle of joy in her eyes, she reaches to her husband. Taking his hand in hers, she intimately squeezes it, tracing soft circle across his knuckles.
"Now Uncle Dwake can come ove'!" Eleanor abruptly announces.
Riley looks inquisitively at absurprsLiam. "And why is Uncle Drake coming over?"
"Fo' you' but shhh!" She holds her finger to her lips, innocently batting her eyes. "It's a su'pwise!"
Liam hangs his head in defeat, his fingers rubbing his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Princess, remember? Surprises are secrets--"
Eleanor instantly cups her hand over her mouth as her eyes grow big. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she mumbles under her palm.
Liam reaches across the table, to take her hand. "It's okay. Let's just keep the rest of Mommy's surprises in our heads, okay?"
She holds up her thumb. "You got it, dude."
After the royal family shared their special meal together, there was a strong knock at the door. Just as little Eleanor said, Drake is waiting on the outside of their quarters with Bastien in tow.
"Go ahead get ready, my love," Liam kisses Riley's temple before bounding towards their front door. "Oh, and dress comfortably--"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa--" Riley inquisitively inspects her husband's face. "Comfortably, as in we're going to the zoo? We're going on a picnic? We're going on a boat ride?"
He rests his hands on her shoulders, gently stroking down her arms. He presses a kiss to her forehead. "Something you can sleep in, but you won't mind being photographed in." With a doting smile, he turns back to answer the door.
What the hell, Liam? Riley carefully stands up from her chair, the soreness from the previous night's escapades hitting her like a ton of bricks. "Want to help Mommy get ready?" Eleanor excitedly nods, offering her chubby hand to her mother as they slowly retreat to the bedroom.
With the help of a very opinionated five-year-old, Riley settles on a simple navy blue floral maxi dress with gladiator sandals. As the young mom sits down at her vanity to fix her hair and make-up, Liam bounds through the door.
"Ready, love?"
"Well, I still look like a wet rat," she chuckles as she teases her damp waves with her fingers.
Her husband gingerly sneaks up behind her. He encases her in his arms as he leans against the vanity table. He brushes his pout across the shell of her ear, nuzzling into her hairline. "You are exquisite."
Riley raises an eyebrow, turning around on her tufted stool. She rests a hand on Liam's lightly stumbled cheek. "Although I appreciate your limitless adoration of me, I'm not exactly ready for the possibility of having my picture taken."
"Don't worry," Liam looks forward into the mirror, his eyes sparkling at his bride. She turns her head to meet his dreamy gaze. "Just trust me," he mischievously grins, pressing a kiss against her temple. "C'mon," he grabs her hand, "we're going to be late."
Riley pulls back on her hand, digging her heels. "Now wait a minute," she crosses her arms. "I'm seriously not ready yet--"
"Wil’w the pwane take off without us if we’re wate?" Eleanor asks her father with grave concern in her voice.
"Plane?" Riley slowly shifts her gaze from her daughter to her husband. Liam shares a toothy grin as he snickers. "We're flying somewhere?" Riley anxiously fumbles through her hair products to start an emergency blow-out.
Liam walks over to the vanity, leaning against it as he looks down at her. He gently places his finger under Riley’s chin, guiding her bright eyes to his attention. "Please, love–"
“I can’t go out like this. I–I just can’t–”
"Please." He takes her hand, pressing an endearing kiss on her knuckles. "Trust me," he winks.
Sporting a damp, messy bun and oversized Chanel tortoise-shell sunglasses, Riley avoids any and all reporters while boarding the royal jet. But, once entering the plane, her jaw drops at the sight before her.
"SURPRISE! Happy birthday, Riley!"
"You guys!" Riley squeals as she motions for a group hug around her good friends Hana, her new girlfriend, the Beaumont brothers with their wives, and Drake with his wife Alaina. "I can't believe you all are here, too!" As Riley glances around the jet, taking in all the familiar, beautiful faces, she is relieved to see the other children for Eleanor's sake.
Another jolt of excitement hits Riley when she recognizes Paul and Marco, her make-up and hair duo for whenever she has to make a television appearance. But, normally for public appearances, Riley's got the conservative-beauty-look down on her own; why would they be needed for this trip?
After a few titters and more hugs, a hush falls over the Cordonian travelers as champagne is served. Riley snakes her arm around her husband's waist. "Well, chief, what's next?"
"Well, actually, I'm going to let our good friend Drake explain." Liam guides Riley into a seat. "He's the one that pulled this trip together."
Drake? Riley raises an inquisitive eyebrow to her long-time best friend as he grabs a bright purple gift bag.
"Eleanor?" He joyfully calls out, "come help your moma open this gift." The little princess dutifully jumps up from playing with Bartie and Jackson, swiping the present before crawling into her mom's lap.
Together, they begin pulling out tissue paper until a big, fluffy stuffed animal flops out of the bag. "Can you tell everyone what it is?" Riley whispers, pressing gentle kisses into her daughter's toasted chestnut locks.
"It's a teddy bea'hr."
"That's right, baby," she takes the stuffed animal into her arms, giving it a questioning look before raising an eyebrow to Drake. "It's a teddy bear."
"Keep looking," Drake chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck.
Riley gently toggles the toy in her hands, noticing that the teddy bear is holding a masquerade mask in one hand and a microphone in the other. And suddenly, it hits her. Riley looks back up at Drake, her eyes wide. "No. Way."
Drake ruffles his own hair, stifling a big smile as soon as he sees the understanding on his friend's face. "I talked with some of the producers for Cordonia's the Masked Singer, told them what a big fan you were… yeah, well, one thing led to another and--well, um, the producers in America loved the idea of having the Queen of Cordonia as a guest judge--"
"Oh. My. God!" Riley shifts her gaze to Liam before shifting it back to Drake. "You're kidding me--" her breath hitches in her chest. "I'm going to be a judge? On the Masked Singer?"
"On the Masked Singer," reiterates Maxwell, swiping his hands in the air, imagining the title of the show in bright lights.
"Like--like with Nicole Scherzinger and-and-and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg?" Her voice trembles.
"That's right, my love," Liam comfortingly strokes her back, sitting on her armrest.
Riley begins to tear up, covering her face immediately from the overwhelming feelings of joy.
"Don't be sad, Mommy!" Eleanor gingerly pats her mom's cheeks.
Riley quickly wraps her arms in a tight embrace around her daughter. "I'm not sad, baby girl!" She presses her lips into Eleanor's chubby cheek. "I am so happy." Riley looks around the room at all of her doting friends. "Thank you all so much. This," she stifles a sob, " this is a dream come true."
"Ordinary girl from New York is whisked away to compete for a prince's hand in marriage, becomes queen and then lives happily ever after," sardonically recounts Drake, "but yes, being on the Masked Singer is a dream come true." The entire cabin falls into a tizzy of laughter as Riley sticks out her tongue.
As the giggles die down, Liam explains that he hired Paul and Marco to come along, and that Maxwell had already pulled a few party dresses for her to wear. But, for now, she was to rest. Next stop: Hollywood.
As soon as the royal jet touched down in Los Angeles, Riley was immediately taken to hair and makeup, escorted by Liam, Maxwell, Marco, and Paul as well as Bastien and a small security team. They styled Riley with a slicked-back high pony-tail. They placed some extensions in her hair to show an ombre effect of platinum blonde on the ends of her dark revenge tresses. At first the queen was unsure of the look, but after being mistaken as Ariana Grande four times, she loved it.
Maxwell styled her in a Givenchy white single strap bodycon dress with iridescent sequins that elegantly shifted from the faintest of purples and greens. And to tie it all together, she rocked a pair of purple stiletto heels.
As the finishing stroke of her deep, oxblood red lip is painted on by Marco, non-crew members were called away from the backstage area. Giving Liam and Eleanor a quick hug, Riley said her 'goodbyes' until after the recording. But even as she watched them walk away, a sudden rush of anxiety floods her veins.
Looking down at her dainty wrist tattoo, she is reminded of her family back in New York. Gosh, she misses them, especially her sister Danielle. She was always good at making Riley relax and calm down.
Suddenly, a mischievous glint twinkled in the young queen's eyes. Riley looks around, noting that no one was even close to her area. She stands up from her director's chair and closes her eyes. She gently shakes her arms and legs, finishing with a delicate head roll.
Standing back up, she begins to make peculiar sounds with her mouth. First, she starts by blowing raspberries with her lips, throwing her voice quickly from a high decibel to the lowest octave she can reach.
"Brrrr! Brrrr! Brrrr!"
While she makes this sound, her hands mimic the pitch of her voice, starting off slightly above her head, and with the flutter of her fingers, her hands float down until they are in front of her chest.
After a few of those, she opens her eyes to stare at herself in the mirror, only to continue the noises. She opens her mouth wide.
"Mah! Mah! Mah!"
With each of these surprising sounds, she bundles her hands into a fist, but then abruptly throws her fingers open into a jazz hand.
"Looks like someone's breaking free."
Riley's cheeks burn red with embarrassment and she twirls around to see her sudden audience. And is once again stunned. "You! Your-your--"
"Nick Cannon," the tall host of the show cheerfully greets her. He reaches to shake her hand, but stops himself. "Oh, I'm sorry, Riley, I mean,, um, your Majesty. I'm unsure of how this works--"
"Please," Riley laughs, reaching out with her hand to shake his hand. "I'm just a girl from New York that wears a new piece of jewelry. And, yeah, well, rules a country," she shrugs as they both fall into titters.
"Well, it is an honor to meet you. Have they already walked you through on what to do?" She nods nervously. "Remember: this isn't live. We get to edit things and make ourselves really sound good. Wait for the signal, and you'll be part of the family in no time."
Just as he said, Riley was signaled to a special holding area where she was given a mask on an ornate stick that matched her outfit. After a final makeup touch up, she was ready.
"... all the way from Cordonia, give up for her majesty, Queen Riley Rys."
Showtime. Riley glides flawlessly across the stage, waving at the audience, and taking in the fact that the judges are standing up--and shocked-- because she's there. Riley quickly finds her seat on the judges panel, and comments about what an honor it is to be there and how much she loves this show.
But, right off the bat, Riley notices something is amiss. There's an empty chair next to her. Is there another secret guest judge? Could it be Liam?
"Now, your Majesty, we were given the opportunity to talk with your husband." A picture flashes up on the big screen of the two of them at Disney World, wearing Mickey Mouse ears. Multiple whistles and awes come from the audience, making Riley blush and smile adoringly. "He caught us up to speed with some of your favorite pop culture icons." Riley playfully covers the embarrassed look on her face before looking back at Nick. "When we heard you loved this 90s band, no doubt we were going to have to have her guest judge with you."
Riley's face falls as her eyes shift anxiously around her.
"Please give it up G-loc, Ms. Harajuku girl herself, Gwen Stefani!"
For Riley, time seemed to stop, moving at a snail's pace as her ultimate idol walked onto the stage. She instantly remembers where she was the moment she first saw No Doubt, the moment she first heard No Doubt. She remembers the late night serenade with her sister and cousins, singing along to Tragic Kingdom.
And now, Gwen Stefani is walking towards her. As she begins to curtsy, the inner eight-year-old Riley threw her arms around the pop icon as she began to cry heavily. Luckily, Paul and Marco are nearby and quickly repair the tearful damages; they were fully aware this would happen.
After the initial shock wore down, it was on with the show. Riley's incredible knowledge of pop culture as well as her voice recognition really shined as a judge. The costumes were stunningly intricate, and the voices were beautiful. Riley's guesses ranged from Coolio to Natalie Imbruglia. But the one guess she would put money on was the contestant in the juicy riblet costume; that had to be Armie Hammer.
In person, she found Ken Jeong to be quite hilarious and Robin Thicke even more handsome. Gwen Stefani is proving to be Riley's long-lost big sister, and has already invited her and Blake Shelton over for dinner at the palace. The other women on the panel were just as the queen expected. What you see on TV is exactly what you get in person: personable, funny with a slight twinge of air-head. Riley was impressed with how open they were about their plastic surgeries, even recommending a few doctors for when the queen is older and ready.
As the filming was coming to an end for this episode, Nick Cannon calls for everyone's attention. "We have a special announcement from our producers. Since this has been a night of surprises, we decided to have just one. More. Surprise." The judges and the audience members begin to murmur amongst each other. "Please welcome the duck!"
Out waddles a tall, yellow duck. A video clip rolls, giving the clue package. The hints include the following: he's performed in front of thousands; he first picked up a guitar at the age of twelve; there was a huge scandal surrounding the start of his relationship with his now wife
Gwen leans over to Riley to whisper. "He's as tall as Blake--!"
"Do you think--?" Riley's eyes light up, excited to possibly be meeting Gwen's husband.
Gwen shrugs her shoulders, but the excitement reads all over her face. Riley sits up in her seat, eager to see the performance. She wasn't the biggest fan of country music, but she was totally thrilled for the experience.
The video stops and the house lights dramatically turn down as the duck waddles to the center of the stage. Tiny twinkling lights appear, mimicking lightning bugs. A single note thrums on the piano until a melodious baritone voice pierces through the darkness.
"There you see her, sitting there across the way."
Riley freezes, slowly bringing her hand to her mouth. Her eyes begin to well with tears as her heart skips a beat. She knows that voice.
"She don't got a lot to say but there's something about her."
Riley stands up, quickly making her way to the stage locking eyes on the duck.
"And you don't know why, but you're dying to try, you wanna kiss the girl."
Riley can't help herself, sliding her fingers under the gigantic duck costume head, ripping it off, prompting Nick Cannon back to the stage.
"Never a dull moment here at the Masked Singer. Please welcome his Majesty, King Liam Rys of Cordonia."
Riley throws her arms around her husband as his lips meet hers. As their kiss deepens, everyone around them continues with the song. Standing front and center holding one another, Liam pulls his wife close to his chest as she plays with the costume feathers.
She finally looks up at him. "The duck?" Liam begins to blush as everyone continues to sing loudly. "Why the duck?"
"I know how much you like them." Riley gives him a suspicious look as he licks his lips seductively.
"I thought maybe the waddle would make you think of me," his voice darkens, "since I seem to have that effect on you."
"William Rys!" She jokingly swats at his chest before he envelopes her tightly to his body. He leans down, placing a kiss on her cheek before his lips find her ear.
"Happy birthday, my love."
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If you have not already read her fic, check out @sfb123 's fic about the Masked Singer right here -> Unmasked
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PERMA
@ao719 @charlotteg234 @chemist-ana @foreverethereal123 @issabees @jerzwriter @kat-tia801@khoicesbyk @lovelyladyk88 @lucy-268 @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @neotericthemis @peonierose @schnitzelbutterfingers @sfb123 @shannonwrote @socalwriterbee @tessa-liam
ALL TRR/TRH
@angelascribbles @burnsoslow @gkittylove99 @iaminlovewithtrr @lovingchoices14 @motorcitymademadame @princessleac1 @rubiwalker
ANYTHING LIAM
@amandablink @bbrandy2002
#happy birthday sfb123#the royal romance#the royal heir#choices trr#choices trh#liam rys#liam rys x riley#liam x mc#choices fanfic#choices trr fanfic
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Chapter Nine, part one: Out in the open
Book: The Royal Romance
Rating: 18+
Pairing: Drake Walker X F!MC (Riley Herreld)
Word count: 6000
Series Summary “What if”: Riley and Drake spent a passionate one night stand together on the last night before the social season. The next day they find out the harsh truth of her being the new suitor in town and him being the handsome best friend of prince charming Liam… Are they going to write a fairytale of their own or will everything crash and burn?
Masterlist
In this ninth episode, Part 1: We dig into the situation where Riley’s in, find out things about her past and she decides to take a leap of faith.
Again Liam based chapter, next one will be all about Drake again.
A/N: First of all, a very special thanks to @kachrisberry for sharing her thoughts with me and editing and most of all inspiring! Thank you! You’re amazing!
A/N: PLEASE CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS!
A/N: So I promised you guys the Burger Double Date… But I couldn’t do it yet. See my additional A/N right here why if you’re interested!
A/N: Thank you for reading and staying with me during this series! Please let me know if you want to be added to or removed from the taglist!
A/N: SOOOOO I'm not very familiar with how laws work and only a bit familiar with business structures (of course, did some research) so please be gentle and it's fic. So I just tried to create something that might not be accurate at all! But in this world it is.
A/N: Disclaimer: Characters and some dialogue owned by Pixelberry.
Episode Warnings:
Bullying (trough talking down), referring to physical and emotional abuse and murder. Language (Swearing also unholy- and sexual terms). Please do not read if you’re triggered by any of this.
Out in the open, Part 1.
Three months before the start of princess training.
Benjamin, Riley’s stepdad, and Karen, Riley’s mom, are sitting in the back office of their luxury car company.
Benjamin grins, “you’ve got to give that girl some credit. It's been three fucking years since she found out about her sister's co-ownership of the family business. And she is still searching for a solution to get her sister's name off the company. What a waste! She would have made a great addition to the family company with her undying determination if she wasn’t such a fucking moral knight.”
Karen rolls her eyes, “focus Benjamin! We are talking about how to get rid of that pathetic daughter of mine, not pointing out the few positive notes which are not positive for us to begin with.
We need her out of our hair if we are serious about taking bigger jobs. I just refused the third car strip offer this month because she walks into the shop at the most unpredictable moments! She does everything to prevent us from expanding.”
“Ahhh, and that is where I come in. God, I love a good entrance at the right moment.”
Benjamins and Karen’s heads snap towards the door and see a tall man standing in the doorway with a leather business case in hand. He presents himself with his arms wide like a showman, clothed in a fancy three-piece suit combined with a top hat.
Benjamin jumps up, “who the fuck do you think you are barging in like this? Do you have any fucking idea who the hell you are dealing with?”
The man smiles broadly and bows, “James Perkens Valtoria, at your service.” He straightens his back, moves towards one of the chairs, and sits down with a dramatic touch.
He meets Karen’s eye and she flushes completely red, “and maybe you should ask your wife who YOU are dealing with since she remembers me very well, don’t you hon?" He ends his sentence with an overly confident wink.
She stumbles, “James… it’s been a while since I saw you. This is my husband, Benjamin.”
James grins and nods towards Benjamin, “always nice to meet the partner in crime… But a long time indeed. If I’m correct it's about 23/24 years ago? Since Riley is getting 23 in a few weeks isn’t she?”
Benjamin frowns, “you’re Riley’s biological dad? The one-night stand guy?”
“The one and only!” James grins, “but Karen, you must have been really desperate after I refused to be used for my money! Damn, you remember how you tried to trick me into marriage with that little worm?
But I never expected for you to end up with a pathetic small-town criminal!" He turns to Benjamin, "so how are things going? Are you already a step closer to the big boy league? OR are you stuck at laundering, running special errands, and selling stolen cars just like your daddy and granddaddy?”
"We are doing just fine, thank you ve..."
Karen rolls her eyes, “Shut up, Benjamin. What the hell are you doing here, James? Because I doubt that you took an eight-hour flight from that crappy Cordonia just to point out some sore spots.”
James grins, “you are right about that, Karen. Because I’m here to finally give you what you initially wanted 23 years ago…"
"Oh, really? What's that?"
"A chance to make money off Riley’s back, while getting her of yours in the process. How's that? You get money, and in three months you can finally say yes to those stripping jobs and set a step in the right direction towards the big boy league... " He casually leans back in his chair, "I mean, how can you say no to that?"
Karen eyes him suspiciously, "we've learned that if something sounds like it's too good to be true, it probably is. So... what's the catch here? What's in it for you?"
"I'm just taking her back to Cordonia. I never got the chance to, you know, settle down, get a heir. I need her to marry for the stability of the house Valtoria, maintaining the bloodline. That's all."
"Nah, not buying this James, still feels like an unfair deal at your side, and that's not how things work in this business. So, what's in it for you? What are you planning to do with her?"
"Since when do you give a hoot about her? What the hell do you care?
"I don't, James," and she puts up a wide grin, "but I know your type, and I know that it takes a lot of desperation for you to show up here. So there MUST be something you're not telling us, meaning we are definitely pulling the short straw here. Besides, it could be VERY beneficial for you to let us masterminds into your plans."
"I highly doubt that."
"Well, then. Bye-bye," and Karen shrugs, taking a seat behind the office, pretending to work by clicking wildly onto the keyboard.
James stands up, "okay, missed opportunity, but suit yourselves," and he disappears through the door.
Benjamin is fuming, "what the hell are you doing? That man gives us a golden ticket to finally get rid of her, and you are sending him away?"
Karen rolls her eyes, "do you seriously believe that he would take an eight-hour flight if he's only planning to arrange a marriage with a random noble for stability purposes?" She grins and taps her fingers against each other, "nooo, there is more to this. Trust me! He is desperate, and he is coming back."
Present-day
Riley puts on a plastered smile as she sees how Liam is having trouble with climbing down the balcony, “come on Liam. Tik Tak… don’t risk your life by keeping a woman from her burger!”
She really tries to keep her spirits up, but it's getting harder and harder as her mind keeps racing back to the conclusion she came to earlier tonight. Maybe it is better to leave, to see if James agrees to an arranged marriage instead of this. Because after everything that happened at the tea party and what just happened in her bedroom, it might be the only solution.
She takes her phone out of her pocket and starts tapping. Her eyes drift over the lines over and over again, but her finger keeps hanging above sent.
R: Me getting married was all about the stability of the house Valtoria, so why would he object for me to go with the arranged marriage? Right?
She rolls her eyes at her own words.
R: Seriously Riley? Still, keeping up the dumb act to get through it? There is no way that this could be about stability and maintaining the bloodline alone. There is more to it, and you know it. You just haven't figured out what... And that's why you are feeling so guilty towards Liam. Because you don't know what you are getting him into. And whatever it is, it can't be good. And he doesn't deserve that. So you need out. And that starts with texting the guy who took you here. Go!
And she taps 'sent' and stares for a few seconds at her screen before putting it back into her pocket.
She knows asking this might be a bit of a long shot, but she hopes that quick results, meaning if possible marrying within the week, could be a way to persuade him into agreeing.
And as long as he didn't find out about the connection she and Liam already share, he might actually bite and go for the fast-food option instead of gourmet. Because well, if she learned one thing, James is certainly not a patient man.
R: And you know what, if he agrees. I'm just going to ask for the biggest dickhead there is, making me only feel guilty until a just bearable level, and voila. Problem solved. No more hurting a sweet, caring, and innocent man. Yes, the only option is to leave. Even if it means... even if it means never finding out what this thing with Drake is.
She sighs at the thought. Life has never been really kind to her, to begin with, but this was truly a finishing blow.
Meeting a guy the day before the social season, for the first time in her pathetic life-crushing hard and never having the chance to find out what it is or what it could've been. Hell. The feeling of having an actual chance at happiness slipping through her fingers felt like a punch in the stomach. But hey, what's new right?
And impatiently she grabs her phone again, to see if he already responded.
R: But what if he says no? That will mean that there is no way for her to proceed. But if she just dropped everything her sister could be facing the consequences. But if she doesn't Liam might be facing consequences... So that means... there might be one leap of faith left...
All of a sudden she feels her phone vibrate in her hand, and she snaps out of her thoughts. She frowns at the screen as she receives a whats app phone call from 'James, source of all evil, Valtoria'.
R: Huh? He never calls over whats app. He is paranoid AF and if he calls me he would do that with a disposable phone.
She picks up but holds still, as she recognizes the voice of James, clearly not knowing that she can hear everything.
"That bitch, she sent me a text saying that she wanted out and going for an arranged marriage."
R: He must have accidentally pressed call after reading my whats app. God that man and modern equipment. NOT a match.
"Is that so bad though?"
Riley frowns, as she recognizes her dad's voice.
James ups the volume of his voice, "are you kidding me. Didn't you just hear her having a heart-to-heart with that oblivious prince of hers? Good thing we bugged her room. Hot damn! He actually wants to take that pathetic low life on five dates.
No way we are backing out! If she becomes queen, we actually have the chance to throw over the throne and take Cordonia into our own hands. And I know... it's not my thing to say, but we are officially in for the long run ladies and gents."
Riley blinks at his words. So it was true. There was more to it than just stability and a bloodline. No way of denying it after hearing those words coming from his mouth. James was after power, after Cordonia.
And she realizes that no matter who she marries, there will be far going consequences, not only for her future husband but also for his people.
And with him hearing everything that just happened in that room, the five dates and the developing connection. And even though it was just friendly from her side, it was there.
She looks up as Liam dusts himself off after he fell into the bushes, and he waves at her. A surprise hits his face as he sees her with a phone in her hand.
R: Oh God, James is never going to let me get out of this.
Liam, he cannot choose me... I can't hurt him and jeopardize his people like that. But also in an arranged marriage, there will be a lot of innocent people hurt. This is so much bigger than just my sister. Oh, God.
But the thought of her sister as a casualty breaks her heart. She looks up as Liam gets closer and closer with a broad smile, which turns into a worried one as soon as he spots the look on her face.
R: So the only way to get out of this is to fix my sister's problem. And John, Nick and I have been trying that for three years now...So what hope is left? I'm going to hurt someone innocent nevertheless. So maybe, maybe... there is only one solution left.
And with a sigh, she makes a decision.
R: I... I need to tell him everything. That will at least prevent one disaster from happening...
She motions Liam to stay quiet, and she turns James on speakerphone. Liam mouths in confusion, 'what's going on?' And she points to her ear, signing him to just listen.
Her eyes watering and her body shakes in a mixture of adrenaline, fear, but also relief that leading him on will stop. Liam remains quiet and slings an arm around her shoulders to steady her because her body is almost uncontrollably shaking now.
She swallows as she recognizes her mom's voice.
"We just have to be really careful though, if she ever finds out that there are more innocent lives at stake than only her sisters, then there will be a chance that she chooses for something we are not going to like."
Riley closes her eyes as the tears start rolling. It hurts that her mom knows her so well, but doesn't give any fuck until she can use it for a risk assessment to secure her own purposes.
Her mom continuous speaking, "after these three years we have seen that she will stop at nothing to help her sister, so by the time the social season is over, she could start to care about this god-forsaken country. And that might be the reason for her to just spill the beans.
So would it be that bad to avoid taking that big of a risk and to let her marry another powerful noble within the week?
Besides, our plan involves messing around with a marital prenup, and the risk that they find out that we've been messing with papers is a lot bigger when we are talking about a royal wedding with all the royal guards around, instead of an arranged one with a lot less security and publicity to worry about.”
They hear James sigh through the phone and Riley still has her eyes closed, not ready to meet reality just yet.
"Have a little bit of fate in the great man I am, Karen!
I've got this all figured out! It takes one phone call to initiate the emergency plan, making the guilty look innocent and the innocent will take the fall here. So when she actually dares to threaten to come clean, we can use that as leverage or if she goes straight to the press, she will be cutting her own finger off since I have contacts all around the press agencies. We will be hearing it before they print, twisting the story towards our own hand. Easy peasy."
"You know, that's rich coming from a guy whose company is not at stake, without being certain to get something in return."
"Look, I know that it is a big risk the two of you are taking, but you are receiving big dimes for Riley right now, and I did promise to help you guys get in the big league with my contacts by starting a new business after everything works out.
Besides, the two of you kind of dug your own grave when you decided three years ago to not just get rid of her, but to fill one plothole with the other, just to keep her from turning you guys in. We both know how much it literally cost you so far."
Benjamin sighs, "I told you Karen that we should have gone with murder, but you thought that it would only create a bigger mess."
Riley's hands turn into fists. The way they were talking about her, how easily and casually the topic of murdering her rolled off their tongues.
It hits her hard as the only thing that stopped them was because it would create a mess.
It is not like she didn't know that she means less than nothing to them. Her stepdad always despised her for not being his 'blood' and the only thing her mother sees when she looks at her is a missed-out money bag and a burden to live with. But this... indescribable.
And she feels how Liam's hands clench around her shoulder, pulling her closer and his breathing becomes unsteady.
"Well honestly, I'm glad you guys are the amateurs you are because otherwise, the two of you left me empty-handed.
So I say we are continuing with her persuading the prince, and if that's not working out we will find another powerful man.
She gets married just like we are planning and we will make sure to fraud the marital prenup, making everything owed shared equally. We will write the company over to her name, plant evidence that the royals or other random powerful guys' families are using the company for laundering, causing so much of a scandal that they can do nothing but step down. Liam, or another random dude, and Riley will die in a horrible suicide plan, and because the Rys family will be done for and in their will, they will be leaving Cordonia to me..."
"You mean us," she hears her stepdad say with his stern voice that runs an oh-so-familiar shiver of fear through her body.
"Of course, of course. To us! And besides, if Liam doesn't pick Riley, then we always have our option for the arranged marriage. Framing the guy in the same way and we will live happily ever after... As long as house Valtoria does not end up empty-handed, it's fine. But not before we chase the jackpot!"
Liam hangs up the phone and all of a sudden it turns quiet around them. She keeps her eyes closed, but she can't stop the tears and they roll over her cheeks. He pulls her even closer, whispering "oh Riley, what the hell is going on."
She finds the courage to open her eyes and tries to wipe her tears away, but they keep coming, "can we talk somewhere private?"
Liam nods, "let's take a walk in the maze! We will have all the privacy we need. I will text the guys that we are running late and to ask them to wait for us at the secluded beach we always used to hang and hide from the press."
He now holds her tight in a side hug and leads her over the terrain, into the maze. They remain quiet, needing to be certain that no one would overhear them talking as they finally arrive at the three where they held their first date less than twenty-four hours ago.
Riley sighs, "O my God, I don't know how I could have been so stupidly naive. I'm so sorry Liam."
He tries to pull her close again, but she sets a step back. "First you need to know everything, please. Just," and she motions for him to stay back and even though he really wants to hold her right now, he nods and accepts it, waiting for her to begin.
Riley takes a deep breath, "James told me when I was forced to come here, that the only reason I was here was so that I could marry for stability and the bloodline of Valtoria. I didn't know that they were planning to take over Cordonia, what the hell? Can they even do that?"
"I don't know Riley, but I will take it up with Bastien. He will know at what kind of risk we actually are, it will be alright. Step one is knowing."
She frowns at his static reaction, and she meets his eyes, but they are unreadable, "how do you remain this calm, Liam. Hell, I betrayed you. You should be fuming, calling the guards, have me locked up for treason."
He takes a deep breath, and carefully sets a step forward. And with a finger under her chin, he forces her to look up. Their eyes meet and he finally lets her in again. A mixture of sadness, combined with fear, anger, and just a bit of tenderness.
"Riley, honestly I'm fuming. But not at you. The way they talked about you, it was so, so heartless."
It's becoming more and more clear that it takes a lot of effort to keep calm, as his eyes start to water and a light crackle in his voice breaks through. "You asked me tonight how my heart survived over all these years, but if these are the people who you have to call your parents. How the hell did yours?" He brushes her cheek," but right now, my anger will not be helping, so I try to remain calm and we will be figuring this out. Together. Riley, we are going to help you and not let you down. You did such a brave thing just now. And know that I will be saving my anger for the moment we get these three behind bars."
She takes a deep breath getting her tears under control, "but I don't understand. Why would you help me? You know me for less than 24 hours."
"Oh, Riley. In the little time that we know each other, I've come to find that your heart is in the right place! And you're a wonderful person who deserves love and support.
Plus, how can I blame you for this. Your mom stated how you've been protecting your sister, and they kept worrying your heart would get in the way of their plan. None of this is on you."
Carefully he searches for her hands and entwines his fingers with hers, "So instead of talking about who is to blame, which we know who is, let's talk about the situation because I need to know how it began and everything up until now so that we can help you and your sister."
She nods and takes a deep breath. “Three years ago, I found out that shady things were going on in my stepdad’s luxurious car company, after overhearing a private conversation my mom was having with a potential client.
So silly old me decided to break into my stepdad’s home- and work office, and since he is stupid enough to use his favorite car as his password, I was able to get in his computer. I found some documents, and after examining them with John and Nick, we discovered that the company is a set up for laundering and selling stolen cars.”
She sighs as she tries to keep her emotions under control, “but the worst part was finding out that my sister was co-owner with my stepdad. I’ve been taking care of my sister for all of her life, and I never heard her talking about her wanting to take over the company.
So... the only thing we could think of, was that it had to be a setup.
John and I decided to talk to her about it and she told us that she had no clue.” She swallows as she recalls the fear in her sister’s eyes the moment she told her what exactly was happening in the company, and with her being 50% it meant that she could be held accountable for everything that was going on.
She lets go of Liam's hands and she shifts nervously in place, trying to get her emotions under control. “And at that moment we promised her to do everything in our power to help her. So I decided to start with confronting my parents. By myself...
Which might not have been the best place to start, especially not alone.
I should’ve brought John or at least told him about it, but hell, I was fuming!!”
Her hands turn into a fist, her eyes spitting fire and she turns back to Liam, “I’ve been mentally and physically abused for the biggest part of my life. And I took it. All of it. Because I had to stay and take care of my sister. No, they never touched her, never called her names, because she was their blood. But she deserved love, to be heard, and all the support a young woman needs in this world, which my parents were absolutely not capable of giving. So I did that, at every cost.
I accepted every goddamn thing they threw MY way, every punch, every word that felt like a stab in the guts, but I lost it when I found out they were doing this to her. To HER. And that was their mistake!” She takes a deep breath, her fist still clenching.
“Oh, Riley…” But the moment he takes a step towards her, she shakes her head, “no, please. I need you to hear everything, Liam. Before you decide to help me.”
Liam nods as he finds it harder and harder not to comfort her, “okay, so you confronted your parents? Oh God, by yourself.”
“Yes. They told me that if I ever planned to turn them in, that they would be framing my sister in taking all the blame.
And hell, what did I know? If they were already capable to make my sister part-owner, without her knowing... What more could they do? So, at that moment I knew that I needed help with this solution. I decided to go with their story.
But... it turned out that me promising that I would never tell, that I would let things go was not enough for them.
Because, well, even though they hated me with every fiber in their body, they both knew that I was lying. They both knew that I was never going to let this go.”
She falls silent and her eyes turn cold, “So they put some force with their words. Two hours later I woke up in John’s room. They threw me out and burned everything I had. John has been my neighboor all his life, he rushed over because he heard," and she swallows, "certain sounds trough the walls. He came to my rescue together and managed to safe me with my favorite stuffed animal and that was it.”
She sets her jaw and meets Liam’s eyes and she sees him standing with pure shock on his face, “So in the past three years I moved into an apartment with John, and I turned to lawyers specialized in business law and private detectives, just to see if I could get her out of the company in one piece.
I wanted to know if it was possible to prove that she’s innocent. But again and again, they told me that there was no hope. Eventually, I dropped out of university, started working full time in a bar to pay the bills and to save up for my sister’s education, so that she at least would have a fair chance in life, since my parents took all our funds away.”
Liam looks at the woman in front of him, and he was never so taken aback by someone. The fierceness, her determination, her caring for her sister no matter what, and even though she had to go through the worst possible thing for all her life, she managed to stay positive, to have faith in others until they prove it wrong. He swallows back tears as he whispers, “and then James brought you here?”
She nods, noticing him holding back tears the second their eyes meet. It was hard for her to acknowledge the care in his eyes and actually believe that someone who knows her for this short period was able to feel that towards her.
She averts her eyes, “He showed up at my 23rd birthday. Bringing me the gift of marriage, since I was his long-lost daughter.
I declined of course and he was not happy. With the investigation, my job and I couldn’t leave John, Nick, and my sister behind.
But unfortunately, he was not one to let go. He came back with my parents, blackmailed me by threatening to expose my sister. At first, I didn’t get why my parents would be putting their company on the line like that, but well… Apparently they are getting a huge monthly bonus, and the chance to join the big boy league once they drop everything on someone else.
And well, now I’m not around anymore to keep my parents on their toes, they will be adding bigger crimes to the list. So.. If I don’t figure it out fast, the crime list will only be expanding, making things worse for my sister, because with this many lives at stake. I will be forced to expose everything…”
Liam smiles softly as a few tears escape, “if we, we Riley. We are going to figure this out together..”
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath because she can’t accept his help before he knows everything. That way he will be able to make an honest decision. But it will be going against Drake’s wishes, without them talking first.
R: No more secrets, I’m sorry Drake. Please forgive me.
And she starts tearing up, “Liam, I need to tell you one more thing though. After that, you can decide with the whole picture in sight.”
“Of course, please.”
“The night before the masquerade I went to Kismet with John and Nick, to celebrate one last night of freedom.”
Confusion is showing on Liam’s face, “what? You went to Kismet? But the guys went to Kismet the night befo…” he falls silent, feeling in his guts where she’s building up to.
“I.. uh, know because I kind of ran into Drake over there."
He stays silent and Riley reads the horror on his face as realization dawns on him.
"I didn't know that he was your best friend, and well he didn't know that I was going to be your suitor. We kind of made a mistake without knowing that it was a ... you know." Riley feels a clutch in her stomach the moment she called their night a mistake because it felt like everything but a mistake, and she couldn't bear to get the word over her lip again.
Liam's stomach drops as he recalls what she is actually saying and he composes himself. He puts on his so well-trained political voice, "I see. So you were the one-night stand?"
Riley sets a step back, as she sees the sudden change in his whole attitude. His straight back, his stern, and politically correct voice. But the only thing that he couldn’t hide from her was the emotion in his eyes, screaming confusion, anger, and disbelief. And he was right to be angry of course. So she nods, but remains quiet, not sure what to do.
"Okay, well thank you for sharing, Riley." He puts his hands behind his back, "So, let's talk about how we proceed here, is that okay?”
Riley frowns, not sure how to react as he casually brushes over what she just told him. Didn’t he want to know if it meant something? If it still means something? But before she can react he continues.
“Well, I need to talk to Bastien to see what the risks are for our beloved Cordonia if you stay to participate further in the social season.
He also will be our key to figure out how we can help your sister and you put those three behind bars. But for now, I think we should keep up our appearance that you are my suitor until we know for sure that you actually can remain one."
Riley stares dumbfoundedly at him, "whha.. what?"
"I said that...
"Wow, wow, I know what you said. And you want to keep participating in the social season? But why? I kept everything from you! And aren’t you, not at the least mad at me for, you know?
Liam, I mean… Drake and I… I might need to figure out.."
He coughs, interrupting her since he definitely doesn’t want to find out how that sentence ends, "I will certainly talk to Drake yes, but it's like you said, you both didn't know that the two of you made a definite mistake. The only thing I can hold him accountable for is not telling me."
"I don't think you should hold him accountable alone, even though he is going to say that you should. Liam, I made my own decisions, I'm just as accountable as Drake. Besides, don't you have, you know, questions?"
Liam swallows, he had many, many questions. But he was scared that she would be answering them in all honesty. And he was certainly not ready to hear those. He just wanted to change her mind about him, about Drake, and he needed time for that. But first, he needed to find out if she could stay.
So he shakes his head, as she very well sees the thousand question marks in his eyes.
“Why don’t we just focus on looking forward. Because nothing is going to change my mind, Riley. I am going to help you. No matter what. If you are allowed to stay or have to go. But I am hoping that you will be allowed to keep participating.”
She sighs, "I don't get it, Liam. Why would you want me still in the social season after all of this? Why are you still willing to help me? God, how am I ever going to repay you for this?"
"Because first of all, you fought long enough and you deserve someone fighting for you too. Second, I think that you will be good for Cordonia, my feelings for you aside.
But before I speak my mind further, I first want to wait after I've talked to Bastien to see if it's even possible. And to answer your next question, yes you can tell Drake if he promises to keep his cool as James makes an entrance, but for now, we have to leave Max out of it."
"Because of his ties to Bertrand?"
"Indeed, I will be talking to Bastien tonight. There is enough privacy at the wiggling tail to do so, but for now, it is important to keep up with you being my suitor in front of Maxwell.”
Liam sighs as her earlier words play through his head, Drake and I… I might need to figure out..'
And if he is really honest with himself, he has been denying the way the two looked at each other today. How effortless she made Drake laugh, their banter, and him looking out for her like he has been doing all day and apperently yesterday.
So If she is able to stay, which he hoped for, she is going to be seeing Drake a whole lot. And most of the time he is not able to join them.
There could be a possibility that it doesn't work out between them, that she falls for him instead for Drake. But as long as there remains a question mark between them, neither of them will be able to build something. Besides, even if she chooses to be with Drake, arrangements are not unusual in Cordonia. He shakes his head.
L: Step after step Liam. First, figure out IF it's okay to stay. Wait for what Bastien advises. But until then...
And he takes a decision he rather not, but there is no other way.
He meets Riley's eye, who is waiting patiently as she clearly has noticed him disappearing in his thoughts.
"So I get that it's not the easiest situation right now. And I meant it that I want to wait for Bastien's advice to see how we proceed. But until we get there, I just want to say; If you or Drake decide to do something stupid together, just make sure you do it where no one sees, is that clear?"
"What?"
"You've heard me, Riley, let's not make a big deal of this okay? Us Cordonians are not really known for our monogamy, an arrangement outside of marriage is not out of the ordinary, as long as we know it from each other and can talk about it, that is. Just make sure no one sees, and we will be fine. Now is there anything else?"
"Ehm..." Riley is still flustered about what he just told him, "ow, you might also want to discuss with Bastien about searching our rooms. They apparently bugged mine, but are you sure about..."
He rolls his eyes, "you heard me Riley, and I will and I am. Now let's go. The guys must be worried sick." And without further ado, he walks towards the exit of the maze, leaving a flustered Riley behind.
“Did he just…Wait, what just happened?”
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Chapter 9, pt.2
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Title: Scribbles of Love
Rating: General Audiences
Relationship(s): Talia Al Ghul/Bruce Wayne (Brutalia), Talia Al Ghul & Unnamed Child, Bruce Wayne & Unnamed Child,
Characters: Talia Al Ghul, Bruce Wayne, Minor Original Character(s),
Summary: Miraculously, Bruce and Talia have been married for quite a long time now. In fact, their first year anniversary is coming around the corner, and it's suddenly dawned on Bruce that he doesn't have anything to give her. He soon decides he wants to give her a love poem, but there's only one problem: Bruce sucks at writing poetry. As the anniversary comes closer and closer, will Bruce manage to write a half-decent love poem in time?
A/N: This fic is for @brutalia-week Day 1: “I made it for you”. It takes place in an alternate universe where Batman: Son of the Demon worked out. I think that’s all you need to know before you begin, so... enjoy!
(The fanfic is under the line below, but if you’d prefer to, you can also read it on Ao3(x) and FF.net (x)!)
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Talia was training, as usual. Her feet were planted to the ground like a tree's deep roots, with her knees bent ever so slightly to get a good stance. The smile on her face was soft, but she made sure her strikes were anything but. Like Ra's has taught her so many years back, her moves were smooth and fast, a bit graceful… but powerful. The sword in her hand would've demolished anything in its path, as it zoomed around the room…. if she had been aiming for anything but an imaginary opponent, that is. Her hair flew into the air as she abruptly bent down (while still attempting to keep her feet as well-planted as possible) to swipe her "opponent's" feet. She pulled up and jumped, imagining that they were doing the same move back to her. Continuing to imagine each move, her arm twisted and turned to hit their sword back every time, getting faster and faster and faster and faster and…..
Knock, knock. Talia pulled herself up, mentally clearing herself from the perilous fight, at the sound of knuckles softly pounding on the door. "Come in," She called, slowly trotting over to the door. Just outside the door, Batman stood. His cowl was casually flung back to uncover his real face, and as he began to pull on his gloves and belt, it became clear he was about to get out of the vigilante gear. He sighed, neglecting to look at her as the pulling became more of just fidgeting and less of actually pulling them off.
"I… have to go." He began, his eyes still looking off into the distance. "It's just… a… small errand. I won't be long. Maybe an hour or two, but….. I can't keep watching the baby while I'm gone so I figured I should let you know." He immediately turned and began walking away as soon as he had conveyed the necessary information. Talia's eyebrow rose, noticing the odd behavior, but quickly shrugged it off. Her husband always acted secretive, so she doubted there was anything to worry about.
"Okay, Beloved. Farewell!" She quickly leaned in to kiss him on the cheek a moment before he left. Batman turned back towards her, his classic vacant expression turning into a smile for a moment. It only took less than a moment to go back to normal, though, as he quickly continued walking and went into a walk-in closet to get ready for his "errand". Once he was out of sight, Talia made her own way over to the baby's nursery in the opposite direction.
She swiftly picked the baby up, watching as the baby's eyes lit up in a giggle. The baby continued to smile and laugh even more as she kissed his small, round little nose. Talia rocked her child in her arms, ambling around the nursery. Soon, the high-pitched laughter had faded into the peaceful squeaks of a sleeping infant. The baby was slowly set back down into his crib. Talia patted his little head as gently as she could, before setting up the baby monitor and going to a nearby room to train a bit more.
Meanwhile, Bruce had just arrived at what he had told Talia was just an errand. He went into the front door, and was greeted by a friendly-looking person, sitting on a lounge chair just a few feet in. They smiled at him, and motioned for him to sit down at one of the many desks spaced around the room.
"Welcome. You're a bit early, so we'll just be getting started in a few minutes." They explained. He simply nodded in return. Luckily for him, they seemed to be unaware of his fame back in Gotham. Talia had still been doing some work under Ra's, and so they hadn't been in Gotham for quite a while due to where her father wanted her. Bruce had been enjoying the lack of fame and the dreaded paparazzi through their whole trip, and this was no exception.
Silence followed for a few moments. They both looked down their laps, unsure what to do or say. Awkwardness plagued them both, but eventually, the person in front of Bruce decided to start talking again to get rid of it.
"I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Riley, what's your name?" They asked, reaching a hand out to shake hands. Bruce put his hand out as well, and they shook for a few seconds before he answered the question.
"My name is B-" He quickly got interrupted by a flood of people coming in. The clock had finally ticked that it was 10:00, meaning it was the exact time to start. Everyone sat down quietly. Riley jumped up from their chair, rushing up to the front.
"Welcome to this poetry class, everyone. I assume all of you are here to improve your knowledge of poetry to a level beyond what you were taught in school, or possibly even to build up to a career as a poet. My name is Riley, and I'm your instructor." They explained, and a wave of nodding ran through their audience. Bruce nodded, but stared for a moment in awe of the fact that he hardly remembered even just what he had been taught in school about poetry. He looked down at the desk in front of him, the idea finally occurring to him that maybe focusing all his later teenage years on training to become Batman instead of paying attention to High School was a mistake.
But there was nothing he could do about it now. Poetry hadn't ever been necessary until this situation. But here he was, lying to Talia that he was just "going out on an errand", because there was absolutely no way he could write her a love poem without extra help. It was an embarrassment, really, but poetry just wasn't one of his strong points. It required so much emotion, so much expression of it, and expressing his emotions just wasn't something Bruce naturally did.
"Of course, this is more of a beginner class, so even though some of you may become poets some day, we'll be starting with the basics for today's class." Riley continued the class introduction. Bruce sighed in relief. Perhaps he would actually be able to follow what the instructor was talking about, and be able to give Talia a half-decent poem when it was over. "First of all, most good poems have a lot of figurative languages. These are things that stretch the literal meanings of the words you use, and create an image or effect using them. Some examples are how saying 'Your eyes looked like stars' is a simile, a type of figurative language. There's also metaphors, which are essentially the same thing, but without using the word 'like'."
Bruce thought about this for a moment, and got out a piece of paper to attempt to start his poem with some figurative language. "What's Talia like?" He mumbled, remembering everything about her that he loved so much. She was such a good fighter, and yet kind of graceful, which he was sure he could relate to something, so he took note of that. Her eyes were kind of jewel-like, shiny and beautiful, and her dark brown hair was like chocolate, so he wrote that down, as well.
But most of all, what he loved about her was how much she tried for love. Even though everyone would say that her fighting abilities are her greatest power, her secret weapon, Bruce knew none of those meant anything. Not without the love she used those abilities for, at least. He wasn't quite sure how to say this poetically, though, so he decided to get back to it later.
Eventually, the class ended, and Bruce came back home. Then, next week, he went back to the class and continued to work on his poem. Every week this continued, until their anniversary came around. By then, his poem was nowhere near perfect, but he had tried. There was no way he could back out now, after spending so much time working on it.
Bruce stuffed the poem inside his pocket, and went to their room to get Talia. She sat on a stool, brushing her hair nonchalantly. She had already gotten changed into a beautiful dress, going down to her ankles with embroideries. Bruce stared for a moment, thunderstruck. An embarrassingly goofy smile was on his face, but he quickly shook it off and returned to his default, impassive expression.
"Are you ready, Talia?" Bruce asked, reaching his hand out to help her up. Talia got up herself, but took his hand anyway, nodding. Both bringing along a present, the couple held hands as they made their way to the car. They were planning on going to a fancy restaurant for their anniversary, and exchanging gifts after dinner.
"I can't believe it's been a year since we finally got together, Beloved." Talia said once they were in the car, smiling, "It's been so happy. We were so sad, and we kept having to reject each other, but then this happened, and now… I don't think anything will ever get in between us again." She clutched her necklace, thinking back to the time, almost a year ago, that he had given it to her. For once, she could think about that kind of time with pure joy and hope, instead of longing.
"Yes… I don't usually consider myself cheerful, but you're right. I honestly don't think we could be happier." Bruce looked down at his lap, lost in thought. "That baby is going to have everything. Our love, a family, a home, and of course, happiness. We've really done it." He mumbled.
Talia nodded, right as they pulled up to the restaurant. She scooched out of the car, pulling Bruce along with her. They went inside together, got seated, and ordered their food. As they waited, they decided it might be fun to give each other hints about the presents.
"I'm going to give you two gifts, technically." Bruce explained, feeling his pocket for the poem, plus the earrings he was going to give her along with it. "One's just…. A fairly basic anniversary gift. But the other thing, well, it's a bit more from the heart… I suppose. I don't know, I tried to make it special." He sighed.
Talia smiled, "That sounds wonderful, Beloved. I can't wait to see it." Bruce gulped at the thought that he may have gotten his hopes up for his half-baked writing, but she didn't seem to notice his nerves. "I just got you something basic, too, but it's the sort of thing that's customized to be quite special."
"That sounds wonderful, too." He replied, reaching across to put his hand on top of hers romantically. She wrapped her hand around his in reciprocation. They both leaned in to kiss, smiling.
"Here is your food," They both got knocked out of their romantic moment by the sound of their waiter's voice. They both pulled out of the kiss, and leaned back on to their own chairs. "Oh, was I interrupting something?" The waiter asked with a chuckle, before setting down both their dishes in front of the one who ordered it.
The waiter left, and both Talia and Bruce ate dinner. They talked and smiled as they ate, both attempting to get the other one to slip up and tell them what their present was, with little to no success. Soon, both Bruce and Talia were finished eating, and they quickly got out their presents.
Talia picked up a bag that Bruce had noticed she'd been carrying along throughout the trip, and reached inside. Out she pulled a little box, wrapped in bright, colorful, wrapping. She pushed it in front of Bruce, grinning.
"Go ahead, open it." She insisted. Bruce slowly began to peel the wrapping off, and opened the box that was inside the wrapping. Inside was a beautiful pendant, covered in small gems of all kinds of shapes and colors. The jewels sparkled, almost like magic, and a smile grew on Bruce's face.
"It's… beautiful." He commented, flipping it over in his hands cautiously. He stared, mesmerized at all the jewels. His fingers clutched it tightly. Talia's grin only grew. He was even more happy with it than she thought he'd be, and he hadn't even opened it yet.
"Open the pendant, it's even specialer inside." She nudged, slightly impatient. Listening to her words, Bruce gently flipped the pendant open. Inside, there was a picture of their sweet little baby. Talia reached over, touching a little bump on the back. He flipped it over, realizing it was a knob. Talia turned it, and the image changed to a picture of herself. "There's quite a few different pictures in it, and the knob changes it. I tried to get all of your closest loved ones, plus a picture of yourself in case you're ever in the mood to be vain." She laughed.
Bruce pulled it closer to himself to see it better, and began switching the knob between them all. "I… I love it." He leaned over to her, quickly pecking her on the cheek. "It's perfect." Her smile grew even more than it already had as he opened it. Bruce adjusted the knob to be on Talia again, and put it on.
"I'm really glad." Talia reached over and squeezed Bruce's hand. "Now, would you like to get out what you're giving me?" She beamed with excitement, almost as much as she had beamed when he opened his own. Bruce pulled the earrings out of his pocket, and nudged them in front of his wife.
"I suppose I thought you might like those, but I put a lot more effort into my other gift." Bruce spoke cautiously, too focused to let himself smile anymore. Talia took the earrings, which were actually quite beautiful and expensive, and exchanged the earrings she was wearing currently with them. As she does that, he pulls his poem out of his pocket. "I wrote you something. I know you were probably concerned about how I kept going out at the same time each week without telling you where I was going, but that was just because I had to take a writing class if I wanted to make this even slightly decent."
Talia frowned, "You keep a lot of secrets, but it's nice to know that at least one of them was out of love, and not fear or mistrust. Either way, thank you for the earrings. They are more than beautiful." She let go of the frown quickly after getting it, and gestured for Bruce to go on. "Now, I'm more than excited to hear what you've made. Go ahead."
"When you are here,
I can only think about you,
But even when you are far,
I simply do it with longing, too;
I love you all the time,
Day… or night,
In the ocean, ground, or even sky,
And this why:
Your eyes look like jades,
And your smile like beauty in a solid form;
You hair looks like silky chocolate,
Your entire body is something I adore;
You are stronger than you seem,
But so very graceful, as well;
You fight stronger than a demon,
With an angel's good intent, and morale;
Yes, you move like a swan,
But much, much, more than that:
You love deeper than anyone could ever know,
Just something that you have taught yourself,
Your intentions are more than just moral,
But an emotion, in itself;
So with that much personality,
It is my honor to be able to love you back."
Bruce spoke the poem as clearly as he could, trying not to stutter or chicken out. It felt odd, showing this much emotion, but in a good way. Once he was finished, he looked up from his poem, smiling. Talia was rubbing her cheeks, wiping away the tears that had formed. Bruce leaned over to kiss the unoccupied hand, desperately attempting to make the moment even more romantic.
Before he had leaned back on to his own chair, Talia quickly pulled him into a kiss, "I love it, Beloved. Almost as much as I love you." She took the paper from Bruce's hand, folding it up and putting it in her pocket. "If you don't mind, I want to be able to remember this moment. Forever."
"Of course," Bruce said, trying to pretend he wasn't surprised that she had liked his poem so much. Perhaps she was simply humoring him to spare his feelings, but if she was, she was doing an incredibly good job at it.
They quickly paid for the meal. Bruce and Talia both beamed as they rode off into the night, hand in hand.
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A/N: Okay, now that you're done, some disclaimers:
I am not necessarily saying Bruce's poem was actually bad. He views it as bad, and it's certainly not perfect, but... I'm not necessarily saying it's bad myself, if that makes sense, (although I definitely did purposely not spend too much time on it when I was writing this).
Also, I'm not sure where this fanfic takes place, lol. It's just not in Gotham, but the rest if up for interpretation.
Oh, and I'm aware this entire fanfic is quite boring. The plot isn't very interesting, I'm afraid, but... oh well.
#brutalia#brutaliaweek2021#talia al ghul#batman#bruce wayne#fanfic#fan fiction#baticorn writes#fanfiction#demonbat#ship weeks#poetry#love poems#talia al ghul x batman#batman x talia al ghul#talia al ghul x bruce wayne#bruce wayne x talia al ghul#brutalia fanfic#son of the demon#batman: son of the demon#bad poetry#batman fanfic#dc#dc fanfic#dc ship weeks#dc events
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Can we talk about how Sam is as useless at this as Bucky is, really, and it’s massively sweet?
Yeah, I’m writing about Sam because we all love us some brainwashed, century-old assassin endless array of hurt/comfort here but this idea that Sam, because he’s a therapist and not always a crying, nightmare-sweat-drenched mess, is Captain Got It All Together is not truth... because this poor broken-hearted kitten absolutely does not and it makes him so much more of a better-realized, fuller character...
I’m not trying to wade any ship wars here or any fandom strife over the Bucky slant to fic/sometimes erasure of Sam here... I love both of these characters equally and ship them but my point here is that I think that because Bucky’s trauma is more well-documented and, for lack of a better word, “flashier”, that some people might think Sam looks perfectly well-adjusted. By comparison, he probably is but this other, quieter story happening with Sam is necessary reading here if you’ve been sleeping on the complexities of one Sam Wilson that aren’t the ones the show is focusing on more explicitly relating to his lived experience as a Black man in America. (They’re not completely separate either but not only this part of his life.) What do I mean, exactly?
Been wondering how these two are falling in love but can mainly just get it from Bucky’s POV because Sam is awesome and Bucky is sad and need love? Not sure what Sam is getting out of his relationship with Bucky? Not totally sure you ship it but leaning that way? Yeah, pull up a seat because this thing I wrote after Ep 5 here (so spoilers through that) is basically an old-school ship manifesto at this point but comes at SamBucky/WinterFalcon from Sam’s side, rather than Bucky’s. (I have nothing *against* Bucky. I just think you’re missing half the goodness of this show and half the surprisingly tender romance of all of this if you are not focusing on Sam as much as Bucky.) If this interests you, then read on, being forewarned that it’s a little long...
So... Sam Wilson is a sweet, kind, warm-hearted, empathetic, drop-dead gorgeous superhero soldier flying military veteran therapist... whom the canon suggests is Bucky Barnes-level obsessed with his dead former partner (in some sense of the word), Riley. You thought it was just Bucky with the angsty past love? Oh no... oh, no no no....
Consider that Sam’s been back in Delacroix twice now in TFATWS and not once has his sister-- who adores him and who knows everyone in town-- suggested that she call up any one of the at least ten decent single people she has to know who live in the area to take her f*cking *dreamboat* of a brother out. Forget the show putting Sam in like twelve pieces of canon and not throwing a single human (not named Bucky) at him and what that implies-- we all know that Sarah wouldn’t care what kind of human her brother was attracted to and yet she and the entire community of Delacroix can’t seem to find this guy a date. He’s sweet and hot and an Avenger but our Sam’s a monk, you guys... More to the point... they don’t even try. They know better than to try anymore... which says a lot.
Going back awhile now, when Sam met Steve, he was still this equally dreamy and he didn’t even have any Avengers-related problems getting in the way of his potential dating life. He had a normal job working for the VA in DC. Yet, he clearly was seeing exactly no one and while I am willing to admit that pretty much any human would drop everything and follow Steve Rogers around the world, it’s clear that Sam wasn’t seeing anyone at the time because his life was able to be dropped in a second and he also had that file with Riley’s photo at the ready, man. At. the. ready...
He responded to the opportunity to follow Steve with no less need when it came to his own post-trauma-of-war identity as Bucky does. This isn’t to say that Sam is *as* lost as Bucky because it would be hard to out-do the once-brainwashed assassin who has been alive for a hundred years but Sam saw all sorts of hell. He’s a therapist for veterans because he’s had to get beyond *his own* PTSD and he’s really aware of how that is a journey that doesn’t exactly ever end. It gets significantly better and he knows how well it can-- that’s why he can tell Bucky that there is hope of that-- but it is very clear that Sam Wilson is still suffering his own kind of PTSD and his own grief for the death of a guy who likely couldn’t love him the way he needed him to.
I know we don’t know a ton about exactly what Sam and Riley were but I think there is enough to infer that they probably actually weren’t a couple. For one thing, Sarah never mentions him and even if the show wanted to be vague about things, they could phrase it like “it’s been forever since you brought back someone to the house, haven’t met any of them since Riley” or something. There are ways to infer that they were a thing and the nature of it, if the show wanted to do that but all they have suggested so far is that Sam was in love with Riley. We know he and Riley were friends and worked on the Falcon suit project together but what we are getting out of what they are giving to us is that Sam loved him but it’s not clear that they were even a couple. I’d even say the picture of them that he shows Steve and Natasha is supposed to evoke that they weren’t a couple-- it’s of Sam looking at Riley, smiling like he’s the moon and the stars, while Riley is smiling but just a bit and he’s looking at the camera, not at Sam.
In other words, remember Miller’s analogies from school? Sam is to Riley as Bucky is to Steve. I just offended every person reading this who thinks that Steve and Bucky weren’t an unrequited thing *ducks* but I feel like we’re supposed to take from what they give us that Sam knows a little something about being mad for a guy who thinks you are his best buddy but doesn’t look at you in a romantic or sexual way and you feel like you’re dying over it. Sam gets Bucky because Sam *is* Bucky when it comes to this.
If Sam and Riley were just the best of friends, Sam still would have mourned him greatly but it would not necessarily have impacted his love life the way it seems like it might have. I’m not necessarily saying there was no one but this is a man who even when it felt like Steve Rogers-- whom Sam obviously found attractive-- seemed like he was making Sam question whether or not he was coming onto him or just super-nice and making a new fellow veteran friend... even when that was happening, Sam’s response was that he didn’t hate it or anything and he was willing to help Steve with what he needed in this friendly, advice-giving sort of way and maybe they had a thing, who knows, but it was clear that Sam-- a guy who has to be hit on *all the time*-- wasn’t really used to the idea of there being someone in his life. So, he wasn’t letting anyone into his life. He would have had the chance, no doubt. He was choosing not to. Why would you choose not to? If you were grieving the loss of a man you couldn’t get over and you thought that you weren’t ever going to love anyone like that and maybe having someone wasn’t going to happen for you.
Like, imagine Sam’s surprise when The Winter Soldier turns up, nearly kills them all, disappears and they go on the run and he starts hearing Steve’s confessional stories about the guy who was his best friend and in love with him and Steve has literally never said those words aloud because they’re from the *1940s* and he’s felt guilty all this time for hurting him. Steve’s the kind of guy who would feel guilty for not being in love with someone who was in love with him. That’s when Sam, who thought he had more in common with Steve, realizes he’s actually *Bucky Barnes* in this story. He’s the damn Winter Soldier in the Steve-and-Bucky version of him and Riley.
That is how Bucky evolves from “the kind of guy you have to stop” in Sam’s mind to the guy he’s hanging out with in every fight and snarking over the car seats with. He’s like yeesh, I thought I had a few years of this ungodly pain and that was bad... this poor bastard’s been in love with a Riley who could and probably will live until he’s a hundred and thirty. Sam starts getting into this whole antagonist origin story of The Winter Soldier here because he realizes that one wrong move-- one case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time-- and he could have been captured during the war he was in. He could have been tortured like that, so easily, and he knows what it’s like to be tortured by love in that way.
Bucky, for his part, when he begins to get his mind back and more fully remember Steve and his past, takes one look at Sam and is thinking like... that poor SOB... oh, look, it’s 21st Century Me. So, you fell for Steve Rogers, huh? Welcome to the club. We meet every Tuesday at two to discuss being the pining best friend in love with a guy who, in all likelihood, is attracted to both of us but unless Tony Stark can shake loose a bit of the freak in The Star-Spangled Man With a Plan, we’re not getting anything but a most earnest and sincere friendship out of this (and if Stark can’t, no one can....)
Like, Bucky’s Steve love is pretty pure. He wants him to be happy. He’s hurt that Steve doesn’t love him the way he loves Steve but he does love him as his best friend as well and wants him to have what he wants out of life. If that’s going back in time to Peggy Carter (who wouldn’t, really?) and leaving him behind then, fine. He wishes he were still here but he’ll deal but he’s going to be keeping an eye out for the other guy left behind-- Steve’s new modern era best friend person. Bucky’s so gone over keeping Steve safe that he can’t even resent Sam’s presence-- he’s thrilled he exists. Someone good to look after Steve when Bucky couldn’t! Sam Wilson is heaven sent and must be protected at all costs! So frequently from some kid with webbed fingers, apparently!
Sam, meanwhile, is challenged by the dilemma that Bucky appears to think that they’re in the same boat while Sam, who for sure had a little crush on Steve as who doesn’t, has really come to realize that he is far, far more into the tragic one here. He’s so irritated about it. It would be simpler if he just fell for another blond soldier with red, white and blue blood who couldn’t love him. At least he’d just be completely hopeless then but the brainwashed one? The one that thinks he’s horrid but is so good that he can’t even bring himself to be that jealous of Sam when he clearly thinks Sam is sleeping with the guy he’s loved for years?
Oh, Sam’s gone on that one...
Bucky’s still a mess then so it’s harmless enough to just pretend he’s not writing himself into touch-starved Bucky fanfic in his own mind here but when Bucky keeps saving him in different fights? When he catches him looking once or twice. When the bickering is really flirting and Sam knows he means it that way, too? When the poor guy just gets his mind back, they all reunite and go to one battle and then the two of them disappear and miss *five years* of their lives? When then, soon after, Steve is gone, too?
When it begins to feel like *they* are now the story and meant to go through the rest of these things together? I mean, when everyone else is all on about the fate and destiny of it all-- Stark’s big sacrifice being the one way to save everyone, Doctor Strange going on about all the possibilities of the universe on a saving the world level but it so personal to the people Sam and Bucky know, Steve choosing to go back in time because he can and be with the woman he loved and never got to have...
...standing there in the funerals and aftermaths of all of this together, by virtue of being Steve’s Friends Who Aren’t Really Part of This Gang Exactly... are Sam and Bucky. What are the odds that they are supposed to be the rest of one another’s story? Sam was wondering it. He for sure hadn’t felt like this since Riley... he might not have really ever felt it at all before.
Can we just admit that while there’s been some guys in the past-- and it could be rephrased as ‘some people’, as while Sam is written to suggest he’s at least into men, he could be into people who don’t identify as men as well-- but there’s not been someone who has been able to love him the way he’s loved them.
He’s from the South and Black and the show taps into the racism he’s been through as a result. Not obviously in Delacroix, where he feels safe and seen, where people care about him and don’t care that he is not straight, but in other parts. He’s been in the military, where homophobia is still pretty rampant and it’s a culture of a lot of heterosexual machismo. (Hell, the show even has a kind of walking, talking example of a guy everyone knows was the epitome of that kind of culture, even if he’s been broken by that world, too-- John Walker.) It’s not even really clear if Sam is out and, if he is, to whom. He seems to be the kind of person to want to be himself as much as possible and Sarah likely knows because they are close but I’m not so sure that a lot of Sam’s military buddies actually did. He really strikes me as the guy who gets along with everybody and whom everybody loves-- but whom few people actually *know* because he keeps himself (all of himself, not just his sexuality) private from others...
...which is also a hell of a lot like one Bucky Barnes.
Guaranteed they became such fast friends not just from being sort of left with one another in the aftermath of Steve and their attraction but because Sam was amazed to find that Bucky was actually pretty funny and Sam just kept talking to him because while he has-- or had, anyways, before he ran off with Steve-- a ton of people he’d consider friends, he doesn’t really have anyone he’d consider to be a close friend and hasn’t since Riley. Bucky, just still stunned to be free of mind control and that there was another human being talking to him instead of looking at him as a weapon to program to kill, was eager to listen to and absolutely thrilled when he could find something sarcastic to say to make Sam laugh that surprised laugh and light up.
These two damaged couple of guys spent most of this show and the months before it just terrified by how much love they were feeling for one another and were very happy to let any conflict they could get in the way of it-- any excuse to claim they weren’t feeling totally seen and run for the hills back into their own trauma.
It’s not just Bucky doing this. He might have been the one not returning the texts at the start, the one who seemed to be withdrawing more, while Sam was texting him still to check in on him but how quickly that began to flip around by Episode 5.
Suddenly, the brave one is Bucky. It was Sam for the first few episodes-- he was stil trying and so hard, despite not getting what he needed in return and Bucky still sending signals that he wanted him but was happy to still revel in being too damaged and scared to try harder. By Episode 5, though? Bucky’s not only learned to trust himself again, it is proven to be what he was afraid of: not being able to protect and love Sam the way he wanted to and that Sam would leave him. Triggered by the shield as a metaphor for not caring about Bucky, not having a reason to still pursue him, Bucky thought he had successfully pushed Sam away and that Sam would really stop texting because to not do so would be to admit to one another that they wanted to be around one another and this wasn’t just about Steve/Captain America. By Episode 5, Bucky shows up in Delacroix not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but with eyes only for Sam and is every one of Sam’s favorite Bucky Barnes fantasies come to life.
It’s now Sam flipping out. Would you have expected the Sam of the first two episodes to be a babbling mess in the face of a flirty Bucky stretching and claiming it’s time for him to go get a hotel room? To try to be playing it cool but winding up asking him to stay forever and telling him he likes his tight t-shirts in the middle there? To get so nervous that he suddenly is babbling about six toes and flirting with Sarah, showing how jealous he was of Bucky just... smiling and being this guy Steve had said was under there but that Sam had only had small glimpses of so far? If he was gone for the broken Winter Soldier... he’s wrecked by a single smile from this Bucky.
This is the same guy who spent the first few episodes confident to a point of near-cockiness, loving flirting with and teasing Bucky, the one that seemed more well-adjusted and in control of himself. Overall, he is but there’s something there when Bucky shows up and White Wolfs Sam into a sputtering mess who is sending him little glances, as if they’ve switched bodies from the first few episodes. It shows *just how much* Sam is comfortable with Bucky and how rare it is for him because he would react differently to Bucky’s more overt flirting of Episode 5 if how he is with Bucky was his default in life. Instead, we see that some of it is posturing-- it’s the Sam equivalent of lifting heavy things and using power tools. His is the humor (what’s a better aphrodisiac than making the Winter Soldier laugh or flirt back or blush?) and the bicker-caring. We even see where it comes from, in a way. Sam is a soldier-- he knows how to help other traumatized soldiers and when we saw him in his VA group session when we met him, we saw him using that kind of machismo world and its language to communicate with the soldiers in the group. The difference for him with them versus him with Bucky is that he’s also flirting with Bucky. The buddy cop thing is intentional-- it’s Sam’s strategy, it’s been Bucky’s choice to respond to it and they’re playacting it as how they talk because it’s been easier than admitting that they are completely gone on another and just want all the soft things.
Up until recently anyway and now Sam’s reeling from a man he’s fallen in love with showing up and loving him back. Don’t think for a second that Bucky doesn’t know enough by now to know that it’d totally undo Sam but the surprise of it to the audience only really exists if you don’t think Sam and Bucky have anything in common besides their now-gone mutual friend. In reality, they’re endgame.
#tfatws#sam wilson#sambucky#bucky barnes#thefalconandthewintersoldier#marvel#bucky#buckysam#winterfalcon
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Forever Mine
prologue
❦ summary — The time for Princess Riley to step into her role as queen fast approaches and finding the future king is Cordonia’s top priority. Commander Liam is aware of that, and plans to make sure the Princess ends up with someone suitable.
➺ a/n: so i got this idea for an evil-Liam fic, where the roles between him and Riley are switched, but they don’t meet the same way & nothing besides the Social Season is similar to things that happen in canon. basically, Liam is one of the higher-ups in Cordonia’s military (i don’t know much about militaries in a monarchy, so bear with me and keep in mind this is fiction) and yeah, it all just goes from there :) this might end up being a mess, but I hope you all enjoy it!
❦ word count: (+/-) 1195
➺ catch up here!
*all characters belong to Pixelberry, except those unique to my story*
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Liam remembers his first audience with the royal family. He had become a General just a few weeks prior. The air had been tense, and the silence almost gave him a headache. The king had invited him to dinner with his family a week before — as Constantine’s declarations of war became more frequent, Liam’s superiors had confidently brought him to the table. The King was a witness to the crazy strategist who was willing to gamble everything on a whim. The king almost dismissed him from his presence, but again, the young General’s superiors were frighteningly confident with him.
At the dinner, Princess Riley had quickly glanced between her father and her brother. Liam had heard that Prince Leo had come to the dinner reluctantly. Tired of the silence and aware that he had to impress the king, Liam effortlessly picked up a conversation with the young princess. The life in her eyes enraptured Liam. He had never been a lover of music, but her voice was a melody that only a goddess could create, and he wanted to listen to it nonstop.
But he told himself to not let his gaze linger on her for long. For one, he was there for the king, not the childish princess. The entire nation knew she was sheltered and unwise in the ways of governing. Many people spoke of her recklessness as well.
Secondly, Liam knew the impression he made tonight could mean another promotion: in the past few days, the king had summoned Liam instead of the Commander that he had relied on most of his reign. Liam was not going to jeopardize this opportunity.
And lastly, the difference between their statuses was too large for Liam to dream of any possibilities. No matter how hard he worked, in the eyes of society, he would never be good enough for her. More than that, they were from different worlds. She was expected to marry a well-known noble from one of the Great Houses, or perhaps her hand in marriage would be used as a peace treaty.
So Liam turned his attention to His Majesty, and soon had Leo engaged in the conversation, too. He would accidentally glance in the princess’s direction a few times, and his heart would jump when he noticed her intense gaze on him.
After that evening, Prince Leo always spoke comfortably with Liam, relying on him before having audiences with Constantine, and even inviting Liam out for an occasional drink.
The next time he saw the princess was when he bumped into her and her childhood friends, Duchess Olivia of Lythikos and Drake the commoner. Riley had introduced Liam with words sweeter than candy, and he felt he would have died happy had those been the last words he heard.
Liam and Drake already knew each other through Leo. Drake gave him a friendly pat on the back. Though the Duchess was polite, she had an edge to her tone. Riley asked if Liam would join them for dinner again. He was obligated to comply, but he wouldn’t have denied her for the world.
He slowly became close friends with Leo, Riley, and most of the people within their circle. He was only a bit older than them, but they shared common interests. Liam had never prioritized making or having friends, but not only was this group pleasantly sociable, but it also helped his public image. He maintained his focus on his duties as General, though, and always remembered to keep a distance from Riley. Though his heart longed for her love and attention, Liam had to convince himself that he was fine with a merely platonic relationship.
Weeks later, when Prince Leo abdicated, Liam had been the one to hear Constantine curse his son while Leo packed his bags on the other side of the palace. Liam had seen the panic in Riley’s eyes. Liam had been the one to calm her, to tell her she would be the perfect queen, and he even offered to guide her through everything she was going to have to learn.
Leo had believed that Liam sympathized with him, so the Prince had ranted about his father endlessly the night he left. Leo made Liam follow him out of the front door, and made him promise to watch after his sister.
“Make sure she doesn’t get into trouble,” he had said with a smile. Liam knew that even though Leo had made such a request, he still had to keep his distance from her. “I wish I could stay and help her with the transition, but you know I just can’t be here.”
“Of course,” Liam had stated, though he’d never be able to understand why a man would abandon his duty to his nation. Leo was also putting Riley in pain. He was going to leave her alone. Who could have the heart to leave such a precious soul? “We’ll all be here when you visit.”
Leo had given Liam and brotherly hug, then got into a car and drove away.
In the coming weeks, Riley had begun to see Liam as a useful source of knowledge and kept the young General on her side, even when the king demanded his presence. Liam taught her whatever she wished to know, and found her far more intelligent than people gave her credit for. Her presence was always a sweet blessing: her smile was enchanting, her focus never faltered from him, she was more optimistic and kind than anyone he had met.
She never failed to make him happy and was always ready to cheer him up when a meeting with her father hadn’t gone as planned. He loved her, and he wanted her to love him.
Becoming Commander had pushed Liam away from Riley further — it upset her, saying that she detested being pushed away from a close friend, and she constantly requested his presence during their free time. Even though most of his time was spent with the king or other advisors discussion Cordonian issues, he was eager to clear his schedule for her.
Liam joined the royal family for dinner almost every night, and he was practically living in the palace. He had noticed that the princess was making herself scarce after meals. This behavior of hers had lasted barely a week before Liam decided to investigate, Leo’s request to keep an eye on her echoing through his mind.
Through the window, he sees her going into the garden. Liam found himself racing down the staircase and following in her direction.
Liam knew to stop when he heard a rough voice call out to her. “I’ve been waiting for you,” an unknown man says.
The princess laughs, a sound which draws Liam to her, but he maintains a distance and hides himself from their view. He can’t hear what they say, but after a while the man walks away from the garden, passing by Liam’s hiding place. Formal clothing. A noble, Liam realizes. But who could it have been?
He waits for an appropriate amount of time to pass before he comes out of his hiding place.
“Riley?” he calls out to her. She always insisted the Commander call her by her first name.
“Liam!” Her face lights up when she sees him. She pats the stone bench next to her, signaling him to sit. Though it would be improper, Liam knew that Riley wouldn’t stop insisting, and he hated to see her upset.
“I’ve seen you come here often lately,” Liam says. He expects some kind of reaction from her, but she only smiles.
“I like to think of my mother when I come here,” she states. “I’ve been thinking of her often as of late.”
“May I ask why?”
She doesn’t hesitate to continue on, and Liam’s heart swells at how comfortable she is around him. “I wish she would give me some advice about becoming queen.” After a pause, she continues, “But also...”
When she doesn’t continue, Liam prompts, “Also?”
A gentle frown comes across her face. She lowers her voice. “There’s... this noble. From one of the lower houses. I... I think...”
Another pause. Liam knows who she’s talking about. Is she in love with him? he wonders. What other reason would there be for her to mention him?
“Your Social Season is about to begin soon,” Liam reminds her, partly hoping that would convince her to forget about that man.
“Yes, but... say he was one of the contenders. Do you think maybe...” Her voice was as hopeful as a child’s.
Liam stands from his seat next to her. He reaches for her delicate hands and raises it to his lips. “If he is worthy enough, then of course.”
He leaves her in the garden and goes back to the palace. He knew that whoever that lesser noble was, he was in no shape or form worthy enough for his darling.
Days before, Constantine had taken Liam’s advice when the king approached him and wondered if it was time to start his daughter’s Social Season. The only reason Liam agreed was because he knew he was in the perfect position to influence which man she would marry. Even if Riley felt that she was the one in control of her Social Season, she would be wrong; Liam was the one who knew who was good enough for her, and he planned to implement that knowledge during the season.
Liam thinks to himself for a while, and estimates that he can have that man gone by morning. Perhaps sooner, if he didn’t show up to dinner with his Majesty.
Security footage provided Liam with the rooms he was occupying. He asked some servants for his name. After some research about the man and his reputation — something the princess clearly didn’t know about — Liam drafted a straightforward letter and had two of his inferiors deliver it, who were tasked with escorting him out of the palace.
The next morning he found Riley crying in her quarters, a wrinkled letter in her hands. Liam’s heart gave a jolt, and he wondered if she had found Liam’s threatening letter. But as he entered her room, he saw that it was a different one. He wrote to tell her goodbye. He’s gone, Liam thinks to himself.
He takes a seat next to her on the edge of her bed, Drake on the other side of her. Riley doesn’t hesitate to lean her head against Liam’s shoulder, and Drake goes to close the door.
Once her crying slows down, Liam retrieves something from his back pocket, convinced it would make her feel better. He had been holding back his feelings, afraid that he would draw her away, but Liam still wanted to give her a token of his affection.
A necklace. Immediately her tears subside. She turns her back to him, asking if he would help her put it on.
Liam stops himself from caressing the smooth skin on the back of her neck, aware that Drake was still in the room.
She walks towards her mirror and examines her new piece of jewelry. Liam stands behind her, and she gazes at him through the mirror. They make eye contact and, she quickly averts her eyes and blushes.
The door opens. Riley’s handmaid, Maria, rushes towards her. Noticing tear stains on Riley’s face, the woman grabs a tissue.
“The Masquerade Ball beings in a few hours,” Maria tells her. “It’d be best if we start getting ready.”
“Of course,” Riley says. As Liam and Drake walk out the door, she offers the men a smile.
“I feel like Constantine’s rushing the Social Season” Drake says to Liam when they leave her room. “Leo’s didn’t happen this quickly.”
“The King has his reasons,” Liam says, though he doesn’t know what they are. Maybe he’d ask His Majesty about it later.
“Hm.” Drake gives Liam a pat on the back before walking off. Liam continues on his path towards the king’s office, itching to see the guest list and who exactly Riley’s suitors would be.
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please let me know if you would like to be added or removed from the tags :)
tags: @twinkleallnight @gkittylove99 @sweatyrysconnoisseur
#the royal romance#trr#the royal romance fanfic#trr fanfic#drake walker#liam x mc#liam x riley#trr liam#choices trr fanfic#choices trr au#trr au fanfic#trr au#choices fanfiction#evil liam
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About My Writing
Original Post Date: 05/02/21 at 6:33PM EST
I saw something similar going around another Fandom for writers and thought it might be fun for Choices!
Thanks to @speedyoperarascalparty and @axwalker for tagging me!
I’d love to hear what some others like @dcbbw @ao719 @bbrandy2002 @burnsoslow @darley1101 would have to say what their favorites are.
1- Favorite fic you’ve written and why:
* This story will never change. The reason I came to the fandom was because I wanted to write a backstory for Riley Brooks from TRR. So my favorite Fic that I have written is The Life Of Riley Book One is solely Riley’s backstory up until she leaves for Cordonia, which i have her doing differently than canon. I always wanted to know what her life was like before Liam and Cordonia, and since PB left that out, I decided to create a life, and a family for her on my own. I also love the supernatural component of Riley’s brother Jaiden in this series.
*My close second favorite is Just the Way You Are: My favorites that I have written are honestly so because they helped answer some of the questions that I had in my heart about the series that I feel PB left unanswered. Being a crossover with Perfect Match, you get to see the life of the MC after the fall of EROS, her living her life with her LI which for me I chose Hayden for her. This series ALSO has a supernatural component.
2- Biggest success/most popular:
* Fast Forward: The story takes place a little over five years after Liam and Riley are married and have their children. There’s a of drama in this series, but overall it was popular.
3- Biggest flop/least popular:
*My favorite is of course the least popular one. The Life of Riley Book One. There is no basis for it, nothing resembling canon until you get to the last few chapters, is when we start to see glimpses of Liam and Riley in the months before they meet each other on the streets of New York, which is my meet cute for them. I did try to incorporate bits and pieces of Cordonia via newscasts throughout this series. So The Life of Riley has a lot of Original characters and I think that’s part of the reason it wasn’t as popular with readers, simply because there was no PB basis of who these characters were.
4- Most Challenging and why:
*Mia’s 🌎 World : This is the spin off of Pop’s Place. In Pop’s Place I was just truly beginning to develop Mia’s character, in Mia’s World, I really dove into some of her character flaws, and wrote her.... exactly how I was at her age. I felt awkward and struggled with insecurities. So it has been difficult writing her this way as I have in a way put myself on display in this series. A lot of the chapters in here are based on my personal college experiences. So for me, I’m very protective of my Mia character. Because... she is Me.
5- Something new you want to try:
* Who knows, maybe I’ll eventually start writing another story pairing. Right now i’ve only written TRR/TRH, and dabbled via crossovers into Perfect Match and the Freshman Series.
#bebepac writes#a whole lotta stuff#trr fanfic#trr fandom#trh fanfic#trh fandom#perfect match fanfic#perfect match fandom#the freshman series#trr x the freshman series#trr x perfect match
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Christmas with a stranger
This is my submission for 'gift of cheer' by @cordonianroyalty and @texaskitten30. This is the fluff one shot requested by @anjanettaexcordonia.
Characters belong to pixelberry
Pairings:LiamxRiley
A/N: this is the first fic I have ever written, so i apologize for any mistakes. Criticism is openly accepted, negative or otherwise. Feel free to say anything!
Tags: @texaskitten30 @cordonianroyalty
@kat-tia801 @eadanga @xxrainbow-princessxx @knightthunderis @kingliam2019 @anjanettexcordonia @stuti-singh @queenrileyrose @bbrandy2002 @twinkleallnight @bebepac @ladyrileyrussel @hopelessromanticsposts @dcbbw
Summary: Two strangers spend Christmas day with which each other, which changes the rest of their lives.....
Song inspiration: All I want for Christmas is you
Word count:2683
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
Don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas Day
I just want you for my own
It was the morning of Christmas, and Riley was overly excited. She always waited for this time of the year, especially Christmas. Nothing is more enjoyable than sipping cider in the presence of her beloved and enjoying the Christmas meal, she always thoughts. Orphaned at 4 ,she didn't had a blood family to celebrate with , but was blessed with a great deal of foster family and friends. Every year, during Christmas, as a sort of tribute, she spends the entire day celebrating with the children of her previous foster care. Watching those kids playing merrily reminded her of her own good days in the past.
She quickly ate her breakfast and made her way out of her NY apartment, whistling and softly humming to the tune of All I want for Christmas is you, her favorite song.
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
Baby....
She was so engrossed in her little singing gig that she barely registered the stranger coming towards her, and crashed right into his broad chest, spilling her reticule's content on the sidewalk.
"Oof"she yelped, rubbing her forhead.
"Oh! I'm so sorry! Let me help with those! " the stranger apologized.
Riley and the stranger kneeled down at the same moment to collect her scattered belonging, and for the first time the two glanced into each others eyes. Ocean blue eyes locking onto dark ones. Damn... Those eyes.. Riley swallowed.
"Ahem" she softy cleared her thought, quickly collected her belongings, and stood up.
"Sorry for that. Should've watched my steps. " then she quickly disappeared into the crowd, not noticing the stranger eyes on her from behind.
Riley finally arrived at the foster care. Loving hearts. A bit strange name, but filling her chest with warmth nonetheless. She rummaged through her reticule for her Digital key card, but it was not there.
"Uh...?"she muttered. "Where the hell is my keycard? "
After a few moment of searching she gave up. "Im not going to get in there without my key card...."
"Excuse me Miss.... But I belive this is yours. " a voice behind her startled her.
Riley turned around and found herself staring at the pair of those same dark eyes she encountered earlier. I'd recognise those eyes anywhere, even though I had stared at his eyes for less than 5 seconds. The (cute) guy i bumped with!
"Ahem" the stranger let out a exaggerated cough and riley realised that she has been staring at his face for a solid 10 seconds.
"Right.. Ahem... Sorry... I mean... Thank you for returning this. You totally saved my ass--, i mean my...my...job". Way to make a fool of yourself Riley.
The stranger laughed quitly. "Well then I am glad I could save your job. But I should get going."
Just as he turned, a little voice in the back of her head called out to her, and instinctively she reached out and grabbed his sleeve.
"Er... Sir... I know this is extremly forward of me... But if you would be kind enough to spend the day with volunteering at the orphanage I work at? We are kinda short-staffed tonight, and there aren't much volunteers. Those children at the orphanage will be quite happy to see a new face. You could spend the with them. And me. If you are free, that is?
Crap. Crap. Crap. This i really asked a random hot stranger to volunteer?! Snap the hell out of it Riley!
Plz say yes. Plz say yes. The little voice inside her screamed.
To her surprise, he gave her a smile. "Id be happy to. I don't have any special plans for today. Btw. "
He smiled, and stuck out her hand to shake hers.
"Liam Rys"
"Riley Brooks". She said she she shook his hand. A familiar electric tinge sparked through her veins as she held his hand. His hand impossibly smooth underneath her. Woah! Are guys even supposed to have this soft hands? I wonder what kind of moisturiser he uses....
"Miss Brooks --"
"Call me Riley. "
"Well ahem, Riley.. it is rather cold outside. What say we make it inside? "
"Oh right."
She quickly swiped her keycard and stepped inside, sighing contentedly as the warm air from the heaters enveloped her. She melted a little inside as she felt Liam's warm body alongside her. Brushing this aside, she focused her attention on the scenario in front of her. Numerous gift boxes piled beneath the Christmas tree... Children merrily running and there... Volunteers mingling with each other and the children... The aroma of the food... And the Christmas songs softly playing in the background. A wide smile played on her lips.
While Riley was busy observing the surroundings, Liam found his sight stuck on the beautiful women he had known for not more than 15 minutes. She was beautiful, in a way that the noble ladies back at home in Cordonia arn't. And seeing her here in here element, smiling widely without giving a damn about public decorum or whatsoever, he found himself attracted to her. And without a second thought, he agreed to volunteer. We'll see how the day goes...
Liam cleared his throat, claiming her attention. "So what needs to be done? "
"As you can see this is a orphanage, so the children here dont have any families to celebrate the holidays with. So each year, myself and many other gather here to celebrate the celebrate with them. Thats what we have to do. Mingle with the children, play with them... And make them feel loved. "
"Sure. I can definately do that. I actually volunteered too at orphanages back home."
"If I may ask, Where are you from?
Liam immediately stiffened at the question. When he asked his father for a quiet getaway before the beginning of the social season, meeting Riley was not on the itinerary. And the fact that he was leaving Tommorow didnt helped either. The last thing he wanted to do was to lie with her, but he wasn't going to destroy these good moments he had with her by revealing that he was the crown prince of cordonia.
"I'm actually from one of the small islands surrounding Greece. "
Before she could open her mouth to ask more, Liam immediately turned away to play with one of the children.
The day went on quite peacefully and quite enjoyable for Liam. Holidays back home were anything besides spending with families. It was all about press conferences and photo ops and disguised motives hidden away in gifts. But here I was a lot more different, the sight of children playfully jostling each other without giving a damn made him smile, as that was the part of childhood he missed.
He suddenly felt a small hand on his shoulder and his pulse quickened at the feel of skin over his clothes. Behind her was Riley, holding a eggnog mug in her hands.
"Not to ruin your volunteering gig, but I got you something. "She said as she handed him the mug. Their fingers brushed, and lingered for just a moment longer.
"Ahem. Thank you. " Liam blushed, his ears turning pink.
Riley chucked softly at his antics. He is already so cute, and looks extra cute while he blushes.
Night came quickly. After winding up all the activities for the day including the gift exchanging and christmas dinner, all the children were put to bed and the volunteers were bidding their goodbyes. Only the foster care staff plus liam was left behind.
Riley glanced around. All the staff were mingling on the rooftop, with only her and Liam left in the main hall.
"Hey.... " she softly asked Liam, who was lounging in a chair beside her.
"Yeah? "
"Will you accompany me for a little walk around the times square? I just wanna clear my head a bit. " And hopefully spend some time with you...
He smiled. "Sure! Just let me get my coats. "
The pair walker out of the building and into the cold, brisk night. Celebrations were in full swing outside. Its called the city who never sleeps for Nothing.
Outside was really cold, and with the softly falling snow Riley barely suppressed the shiver that ran up het spine. Suddenly she felt strong arms around her shoulders and a moment later a coat was wrapped around them.
"I would be a terrible gentleman if a let a beautiful lady like you freeze to death. "
"Beautiful, huh? " she teased.
He blushed. That blush.
They both arrived at the square, staring at the enormous Christmas tree situated in the very middle. The glow of the lights and mini bulbs bathing them both in a gentle bluish light.
"Its really beautiful, isnt it? Riley asked. Just as she turned her head towards him liam's eyes quickly found their ways towards the decoration. Was he really admiring me than the beautiful decoration in front of him? Was it possible that he was feeling the same fluttering in his heart that she felt whenever they interacted? No, it can't be. I am reading onto this too much. We are strangers. Strangers.
"Indeed it is. " Liam quitly whispered, hiding the blush in his cheeks. Crap, she caught him staring at her. I hope she doesnt think i am creep or something. To Liam even the most beautiful decorations paled in front of her, she was more beautiful than any sights he had laid his eyes on. Don't get too attached, Liam. Its temporary. You are going to leave tomorrow. There can nothing be between you and her. You have a duty back home. This is just a little escape from reality. They are strangers. Strangers.
Just then the local band striked up a a waltz. All around them peoples paired up, with Riley watching the couples with a hopeful gleam in her eyes... which didnt went unnoticed by Liam. And in that moment, he knew what he had to do.
Liam bowed a little in front of her, and held out his hand, his other arm draped around his back. "May I have this dance? "
She smiled as she put her hand into his, her pulse quickning, "It would be my pleasure. "
She awkwardly bowed, earning a chuckle from Liam as he sweeped her in his arms, her one hand on his shoulder, his on her waist, their free hand twined together. They elegantly twirled together on the makeswift dance floor, stepping in time to each rhythm. As they glided together, liam couldnt help but gaze down at her angelic face, illuminated by the surroundings. His gaze strayed to her lips just as Riley glanced at him, they met each other halfway as their lips come together in a magnetic kiss. Time seemed to stopped when his lips met hers, and the flutter in their chest intensified. Riley's finger gently curled in his coat as liam tangled his hands in her soft brown curls. She smelled like jasmine, a scent that liam is all too familiar with. Their hands tighten around each other, almost desperately, refusing to let go, their lips moving against each other in perfect harmony. Liam tightened his arm around her waist, pulling her into his chest, and Riley softly sighed as she breathed in the scent of him.
For that moment it was only the two of them in the entire world, all the surroundings fading into nothing. Their little bubble of heaven was broken as the pair heard the the sound of clapping and soft cheering. Flustered, Liam grasped her hand and led both of them out of the dance floor and into the streets, grinning all the way.
The two of them found themselves at the threshold of a quint restaurant, and they both collapsed onto the stairs, still holding each other while wearing goofy smiles.
"So... That was.... Something else.. " Riley chuckled.
"Indeed it was. " Liam snickered.
As he glanced down at the lady in his arms, Liam felt a sudden tinge of guilt in his chest. I still haven't told her who I am. I have to tell her.
After her laughter had subsided, Liam gently took her shoulders in his hands and looked square in her eyes. "Riley, can I have a word with you? "
"Yeah... What happened? "
"I haven't told you where I am from, or what I am doing alone in a unknown city without my family. The truth is I am the Crown Prince of a small country called Cordonia. "
Riley stared at him, then burst into laughter. "Haha, Liam, nice joke. If you are a crown prince then i'm Kate Middleton." She stopped laughing when she saw the look on his face. "Oh, you are serious?"
Liam nodded. "Of course. I have no reason to lie to you. I just wanted to let you know that....that...." He struggled to move forward. "That i'll be leaving for Cordonia Tommorow morning. My social season will commence once I get back. I have to choose a bride from all the noble ladies presented to me as suitors. "
Her face fell. "You... You are really going back... I just thought we.... " She trailed off.
"I knew Riley, and I am sorry that I didn't told you sooner. I understand if you are mad--"
"Of course im not mad Liam. You did what you thought was the best. You just wanted a nice time without wandering about your duties."
"I... I wished we had more time together Riley." He whispered.
"Then lets make the most of it. We just have this night tonight, Liam. And I want to make it count. For just this one night let's just be Riley and Liam, two peoples without any obligations.
Riley pointed to the mistletoe over their head, then leaned forward to capture his lips in a heated kiss. He immediately responded, his hand cupping the side of her neck tenderly as she ran her hair through his dark hair. They pulled apart, staring into each others eyes, then their lips came together again, more passionately this time.
"Merry Christmas, Riley."
"Merry Christmas, Liam."
The night was spend together in Liam's suite, tangled in the sheets and in each other's arms.
************
The next morning
Liam woke up in his room.... Alone. He glanced around, none of Riley's belongings were in sight. A single note was on the coffee table beside the bed.
Liam,
I want you to know that the short time I have spend with you more to me than I could describe. You gave me the one thing I wanted most for Christmas...Family. I'm grateful for that. I'm sorry that I had to convey this to you by a letter, but i thought it would be better for both of us. Perhaps we will meet again.
Riley
Liam reached and wiped the lone tear that has escaped on his cheek. "I'm grateful for our time together too, Riley.
**********
Cordonia
It was the evening of the masquerade ball in the palace. Liam was dressed in his usual black regalia with a matching ornate mask. No matter how hard he tried, his thoughts managed to make their way back to Riley. Be a good prince, Liam. She's gone.
Liam stood in the huge elegant ballroom, a queue of noble ladies in front of him. Each lady he encountered, whether it was the poodle loving lady Penelope, the diplomat's daughter Kiara, or his best friend Olivia, made him realize that none of them were her.
The next lady approached, who was adorned in a white angel costume, with a literal halo above her head, her blue eyes peeking out of the glittering mask. Why are those eyes familiar...
"Hello..." Liam greeted her politely. "I don't believe we have met... Have we?"
The women smiled, then reached behind the back of her head to loosen the mask strings, Liam caught a glimpse of a familiar face as she removed her mask.
"Riley..."
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Are there any comics you're reading now that you'd recommend?
Oooh, comic recs. This ask makes me so happy!!! How much time do you have?
Alright, well let me preface this by saying I primarily read Marvel. Right now I’m rereading the Jason Aaron run of Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor which was AMAZING so I highly recommend that one. (Shameless self promotion, but I wrote a fic about that story - I love those comics so much.)
Before COVID, I was reading the following titles:
Star (which is a spin off of Captain Marvel where Riley was pulled into some shenanigans, came back as a hero who was actually a villain)
Hawkeye: Freefall because… Hawkeye being a bit of a fail boat and just generally a good story that pulls in a lot of other Marvel characters
Valkyrie: Jane Foster which is a continuation of her story in the Mighty Thor comics
Captain Marvel
Captain America
Ms. Marvel
Falcon & Winter Soldier (BUCKY WITH A CAT ON A MOTORCYCLE!)
Right now new comics are kind of on a pause and it’s kinda hard to figure out what Marvel is putting out. I know they pushed the last 2 Star and Hawkeyes out on digital.
Looking at my older stuff, the first comic I actually bought was an omnibus of Brubaker’s Captain America where he introduces the Winter Soldier, and then the Death of Captain America where we get BuckyCap. Those will always hold a special place in my heart, and I go back and reference them sometimes when I’m writing fic.
If you’re looking for a more fun dynamic, I really loved Tales of Suspense: Hawkeye and Winter Soldier which is a short run team up where they’re trying to track down someone who is killing Nat’s old enemies (I have not and will not read Secret Empire Nazi Cap but all you need to know is that Nazi Cap kills Nat during the run, which they cover in the beginning). Her two ex boyfriends think she may actually be alive and go looking for her which leads to some amazing snarky interactions between the two.
Winter Soldier: Second Chances is a more recent short run where Bucky is basically running a witness protection situation for reformed villain minions that are trying to get out of the life. He ends up taking a kid under his wing and trying to figure out how to help a young kid being forced to kill.
Nathan Edmondson’s 2014 Black Widow run with Phil Noto is hands down one of my favorite story and artwork combos. Not only do you get to see Nat being a bad ass, you also get to see her in her daily life and trying to make a difference. This story brought in a ton of additional characters from Bucky and Clint to X-23 and Frank Castle, and even a surprise cameo by Anderson Cooper!
Here’s the obligatory rec for Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye run. Amazing, loved it but you can read a million other people’s rave reviews.
One run that I actually really enjoyed but kind of started on a whim was Chelsea Cain’s 2016 Mockingbird. I started reading it because I was interested in Bobbi Morse on Agents of SHIELD and DAMN did I find out how much of a badass she was on her own. The story starts out with her going to a SHIELD clinic because she’s got to get weekly check ups and is kind of starting to get some superpowers. Clint and Lance Hunter, her ex’s, are featured in the story.
Charles Soule’s 2014 She Hulk run is another favorite. I love extremely competent lawyer Jennifer Walters who just happens to also be 7 foot tall emerald green She-Hulk. The story follows her starting at a new practice and trying to balance her drive to help the little guy with needing to charge billable hours. It also intersects with the old man Steve storyline when she represents him in a wrongful death suit facing off against Marvel’s other superhero lawyer Matt Murdock/Daredevil!
If you’re looking for a non-superhero comic, Ed Brubaker’s Fadeout is my favorite. It follows WW2 vet and Hollywood screenwriter Charlie Parish who wakes up from a blackout in the same room as a murdered starlet from the film he’s working on. This has the feel of an old Hollywood film noir who done it and talks about PTSD and the Red Scare. I do want to put a trigger warning on it that it does touch on sexual abuse but it isn’t explicit.
These are just the ones that come to mind off the top of my head. If I was at my apartment I’m sure I could pull a lot more of them.
As an aside, I know that getting into comics can kind of be cost prohibitive. While I 1000% recommend going in and supporting your local shop, I also know sites like GetComics.info are helpful if you just want to browse before diving in. I may have gotten a few off there myself when money was tight or I wasn’t super invested in a character. Just make sure you have a CBR program so you can read them once they’re downloaded.
Hope this helps! And happy reading!
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Nothing’s Fair in Love and War - Five
Title: Nothing’s Fair in Love and War
Fandom: Peaky Blinders
Pairing: Thomas Shelby x Daphne Scott (OFC)
Warnings: Swearing, drinking, smoking.
Word Count: 4071
Author's Note: Hello, again and welcome to the new update. Things start to develop right now and I want to know what you all are thinking of it. Thanks to everybody that commented and liked the fic. Please, let me know what you think. It makes me really happy and helps improve the story. What do you think of the characters, are they too OOC? Something is bothering you? There’s too much scenes of the show in there? What are your thoughts? Share with me.
As always, this haven’t been proofread, so feel free to report any mistakes back to me; warnings are expecific for each chapter. Also, your feedback is also highly appreciated. Tags are at the bottom, let me know if you want to be added to the tag list.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter Summary: Alfie and Daphne have a little conversation that opens their eyes for things that they might have been ignoring. The Shelby Brothers Limited start to put into action their expansion and Daphne has a very interesting encounter.
Masterlist
Five
They were both sitting at the table, breakfast served, newspaper on their hands and silence filling the place. Cyril was sprawled out on Daphne’s feet enjoying the little ray of sunshine entering through the window. Things have been surprisingly good in the Solomons’s household.
“The Blinders took the Eden Club.” She said nonchalantly, taking a sip of her coffee, neither of them taking their eyes out of the paper.
“I heard.”
“Are we ignoring it them?”
“For now.” She sighed, resigned, knowing that he wasn’t going to talk anyway.
“Will you need me next Wednesday?” Alfie lowered his newspaper at that, observing the woman who still had the object hiding her face.
“Not that I remember. Do you have something planned?” She folded the paper, putting it aside on the table and looking up at him.
“Polly Gray invited me for tea.” He blinked once, twice, before folding his own journal and throwing it beside hers.
“Isn’t this Thomas’s aunt?” There was a hint of surprise on his voice. He remembered the woman from Daphne’s party, she seemed skeptical of the young woman the whole night, watching her from aside, trying to make Daphne slip on her words. It did not made any sense that the gypsy woman would invite her for tea without ulterior motives. Unless… Unless that she had seen what Alfie had been trying to ignore since the first time that Thomas Shelby had put his feet at the bakery – or more precisely, since the first time he had laid his eyes on Daphne.
“Yes, it is.”
“Are you considering her offer?”
“Maybe.” He scratched his beard, not taking his eyes of hers. Daphne could almost hear the gears working inside his head.
“Well, it could be good to build up trust, you know. She seemed a little guarded around you.”
“She was analyzing me. Both of us, for that matter.” She took a sip of her coffee.
“Yeah, but she seems to have picked more interest in you than in old, creepy me.” Daphne rolled her eyes at that – he wasn’t that much older than she was.
“We are women, Alfie, sometimes we see things that you men don’t.”
“Like the fact that Will still loves you?” His statement surprised her. Alfie was like a brother to her, they talked about almost everything and he was one of the first that had the courage to point out that William had fallen for her in France. “You can’t tell me that I was the only one who noticed the staring contest between him and our darling Thomas.” She stayed silent, looking at his blue eyes to try to discover where he wanted to go with this conversation. “I’m not stupid, Daph, I’ve been fighting your suitors since we came back from France, I know when a man looks at you as something more than the powerful businesswoman that works with the mad Jew. And that is the way Thomas Shelby looks at you.” He propped his elbows onto the table, hands placed together underneath his chin. “And don’t go telling me that he is curious about us because we’re past this point now.” She smiled, a genuine one, and Alfie had to fight the urge to not do the same.
“He is curious.”
“Well, you know what they say, curiosity killed the cat.” She saw the smirk on his face and the joke in his tone.
“Are you planning to?”
“It depends on where his curiosity is leading him.” Daphne really wanted to believe in him but there was something in the way he talked that told her that he was willing to do what it takes to keep Thomas Shelby from getting too close to her. “You go on and met Polly, aye. See if you can discover something useful to us. Either way, it may be good being on her good sides.” It would come in handy having her out of the bakery if he was going to do what he was planning. Alfie knew her for a fair amount of time to recognize the signs – she was falling for the Brummie gangster.
Since they met, Alfie never saw Daphne show any interest in a romantic relationship. She flirted just alright, could lead men on to think that they had a chance of winning her when the truth was far from that. He even suspected that she and William had some kind of fling at some point. But he also knew that the doctor wanted more – he had talked to Alfie about it in a drunken haze one night. He said that he would rather be in her life as only a friend than not being in her life at all. There is no need to say that they never talked about that ever again.
Yet, he had discussed the topic with Daphne a few times – he was protective of her but it didn’t meant that he didn’t wanted her to be happy, which he truly did. He was a bad man, by society standards, that is, he always had been. Taking what he wanted, manipulating people, lying, deceiving, beating, killing… his whole life. She was completely the opposite – gentle, caring and loving, with a fierce personality and courage that would put any man he knew to shame. Daphne deserved the world – but she did not believed in that. Not after the war. Not after losing everything, after being unmade and having to pick up the pieces. So she ignored everything, everything that could make her feel alive – including the hint of attraction that she felt for William and with that any chance that he had of convincing her that they could be good together.
Considering all of that knowledge, Alfie found a little amusing, at first, the sudden interest that Thomas Shelby had shown towards her the first time they met. It was subtle, the Brummie was not a man that used to show his emotions freely, but the Jew caught his gaze and recognized the curiosity there. And she was right, indeed, because in the beginning all that Tommy wanted was to discover what her connection with Alfie was. But that changed quickly when he learned that she had no romantic involvement with the Jew and he was more than surprised when he saw the hint of interest in Daphne’s eyes the day Tommy brought his man to the bakery.
Alfie didn’t liked the path things were starting to run up to, so he decided to play his cards and deal with things his own way. Thomas Shelby was no good men and that wasn't the first time he crossed somebody to his own benefit so he shouldn't feel guilty for behaving like the gangster he was. Then why he felt like he was doing something wrong?
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Thomas was leaning onto the dresser, reading the newspaper and smoking while he waited for his brothers and aunt.
“Are you alright?” Polly asked when she entered through the front door, taking off her gloves and going to sit by the fire to try and warm up. Tommy clears his throat, throwing the paper in one of the chairs and taking the bottle on the table.
“What is it? Just us?” Arthur asks, curious, standing beside his younger brother.
“Just us.” Thomas uncorks the bottle and starts pouring the liquid into the three glasses displayed on the table.
“Are we celebrating?”
“Just taste this.” Tommy hands the glasses to each of them. Arthur and John sit on the lovesit, the eldest Shelby takes the drink in one gulp.
“What do you think, Arthur?”
“Yeah, it's good. Good stuff, really nice. Too good for the Garrison. I suppose we could shift it to the toffs at the Eden Club. Why? What is it?” He asks, curious like the other two. Tommy starts explaining while Arthur takes the bottle and pours himself another glass.
“That is part of an export drive. We now have a secure warehouse in Camden Town and secure passage to the Poplar Docks. So, on Monday morning, we'll be sending out our first export crate. A crate of Riley car spares bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia.”
“Where there's prohibition.” Polly finishes for him. He gives her a half smirk, pointing at her with the hand that holds the cigarette.
“Where there is prohibition. All over Canada and America, people are making their own booze in bathtubs. But rich people in New York, in Toronto and Boston are still paying a lot of money for the real stuff. So, on Monday, the first Shelby company crate will contain a thousand Riley carburetors. But hidden in the packing will be five hundred bottles of the finest quality single malt Scotch whisky.” Polly is examining the bottle that Arthur had put back on the table. “And we, Shelby's, have a license granted by the Minister Of The Empire himself, which means our crates won't be searched.” Thomas sees the hesitation in his aunts demeanor. “And, Polly, all of the whisky will be packed at the docks, so Michael can do the books without being involved. Like I've been telling you all for a year now motor cars are the future.”
“So, how is your life then, Tom?”
“On the up, Johnny, on the up.” Tommy is supervising the shipment of the crate while smoking a cigarette.
“But, Tom, really, come on, how is it?” The gypsy steps closer to Tommy, hands on his waist. “You know I hate to see you not even married yet. I have a fine looking cousin, she'll make your life hell. You deserve her!” He laughs and the gangster smiles a little. “We haven't had a good old wedding in a long time.” The gangster can do little to stop the image that his brain conjures in his head - Daphne, standing at the altar in a white dress veil upon her face. Damn, woman for making him want things he can’t have. He is quick to go back into business.
“Have you had a look inside these boxes, then, Johnny?” The man is carrying boxes to the boat and tries to run away from the gangster’s question.
“What do I want to look at car parts, Tommy, when I haven't even got a car?”
“Faith in family is a fine thing, eh? And I wouldn't even be counting. If twenty five becomes twenty four, then twenty four it is.” Tommy walks closer to him, stopping by his side.
“Oh, you know I'm no good with numbers, Tom.” The gangster puts his arm around Johnny’s shoulders.
“And if 24 ever became 23 then that'd be tax. We don't pay tax.” The man looks at him clearly frightened.
“No, Tom.”
“Good man.” Tommy pats his back and makes his way to the stairs of the warehouse,, where he mets Billy Kimber.
“I put an iron door on, and we've put iron bars on the windows and across the skylights.”
“Good.” The gangster passes by Billy and the man follows him up.
“So what will you be keeping in here, Tommy?”
“Temptation, Billy. Temptation.”
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“Morning, Arthur. I was just passing.” The eldest Shelby is fucking a woman on one of the couches of the club, pointing a gun at the alleged threat entering the room. Tommy just walks by, going directly to the back room take a look at the books.
“I think I'm in fucking love.” Arthur takes a few minutes to go met his brother, appearance disheveled and still breathing a little heavy. “Drink!” He becomes one of the waiters and sits down in front of Tommy, buttoning his shirt. “She don't know where to look.” The waiter comes with a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. “Whisky, Tommy?”
“No, I've got a long drive ahead.” The younger Shelby is deeply concentrated in the number in front of him,
“You off home?” Arthur asks, serving himself a glass of the alcohol.
“Mm-hmmm. Eventually.”
“To Birmingham.” The eldest Shelby raises his glass before taking the shot.
“What's this?” Tommy asks turning a page and tapping his fingers on it. “Olives.”
“Yes, it's miscellaneous. It's, erm, olives. Sticks, you know, with little bits of fucking onion and things. That's what that is.” Arthur gestures while speaking and Tommy just stares at him.
“We've taken six hundred pounds on olives.” The older man seems a little unset
“Yeah, with little bits of onion.” Tommy takes a drag of his cigarette before speaking, very calmly.
“I told you, Arthur, the dealers sell the cocaine, we take a cut. We don't sell direct. The Home Secretary's cracking down and I don't want this to fuck up everything else, you understand?
“I understand.”
“How much of that six hundred came out of your pocket?”
“It's under control.” Arthur says after a while, pouring himself another drink.
“I put you down here because people are scared of you, Arthur. But if you don't straighten up, it'll be John's turn in London.”
“No need. I can handle it.”
“It's under control?”
“It's under control.” Tommy closes the book in front of him, leaning back in the chair and crossing his legs while Arthur downs the whisky.
“Fucking tidy profit, though, eh?” They both smile, while Arthur looks around.
“It's happening, Tom.”
“Good. Good.” Thomas gets up, taps the book on the table and leaves but not before shouting to his brother. “Straighten up, soldier.” Arthur kneads his fingers through his hair, finishing to button up his shirt and taking the money from the table.
“Yes, sir, Sergeant Major.”
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After knocking on his sister’s door and waiting for her to open the door for him, Tommy it’s taken a little by surprise when he is received by a young man.
“I'm looking for Ada.”
“Who are you?” Thomas just pushes him away and marches into the house, the man follows him.
“Ada.” He greets her sister.
“I asked you a question.” Tommy turns to face the man that had just passed through the living room door.
“It's all right, James. This is my brother.” The woman doesn’t bother herself by the presence of her older brother.
“Who's he?” Tommy asks and Ada answers nonchalantly.
“He rents a room.”
“You need to rent out rooms?”
“Actually, she doesn't charge rent.” James answers instead.
“He's a writer, which means he's skint.”
“You get up late these days, Ada.”
“Mm. I go to bed late.”
“Yeah? Where's Karl?”
“What do you want, Tommy?” Ada lowers the paper in her hands and notices that Tommy analysing James and is quick to say. “Oh, God, before you start sizing him up for a wedding suit, he's not interested in me. Or in girls of any kind.”
“Ada!” The writer reprehends her.
“What? Tommy won't judge you.” She goes on reading the paper again. “He sure as hell won't go to the police.”
“Look, I'll go and get dressed.” James makes a move to leave but Tommy stops him.
“James I'm Thomas.” The gangster extends a hand to him. “Pleased to meet you.” The young man seems a little unsure, but reaches for Thomas’s hands, shaking it. “Can I have a minute with my sister, please?”
“Yes, of course.” He leaves the room and Thomas takes a seat on the couch, looking around and then at his sister.
“So, does your lodger know your name?”
“Yeah. Thorne. You think I'd tell anybody anything else? Your Brummie boys are all over the papers. Just one last push, eh? Then you'll go legit? Just one more obstacle to get round then it'll all be straight?”
“Actually, yes.” Tommy seems unamused by her commentaries. Ada scoffs before talking again.
“Personally, I find it quite amusing. Men like you are becoming very fashionable down here. No society party in London is complete without a gangster for the girls to go giddy for. Anyway, what is it that you want?”
“I don't have any children, Ada.” That takes her attention. “So I have set up a trust fund. The beneficiaries will be John's kids and Karl. In order for Karl to benefit, I need your signature.” He takes a paper from the inner pocket of his coat, unfolding it and putting it onto the table for her to take. “I've set up an account. Money will be transferred in the event of my death. It'll set them up for a new life.” Ada folds the newspaper, putting it aside to take the thing he has left on the table.
“Are you sick?”
“I'm just doing what any ordinary man would, putting my affairs in order.” She paused for a minute or two, reading the terms of the trust fund.
“And putting your affairs in order includes admitting that you feel something for Daphne?” Since he had came to her asking about the woman, Ada had been dying to ask him about it. After her conversation with Daphne and seeing the way they both looked at each other at her birthday party, the Shelby sister was more than convinced that there was something in the water. Tommy rolls his eyes, scoffing at his sister but she doesn’t give him a chance to talk. “Wherever it is that you are doing that made you think about putting up a trust fund for your nephews certainly is trouble enough to make you stop moping around because of that damn barmaid and move on to someone that’s worth.”
“And Daphne is.” Ada sighs, irritated by his cold façade.
“You know what, Tommy. Go on and keep on pretending that you don’t care about anybody anymore. Keep on lying to yourself about what you really feel. Maybe that way she can have a chance with somebody that bloody deserves her!”
“I don’t know if that man really exists.”
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Daphne was sitting at the cafe, book in hand and a cup of tea in front of her, appreciating the piece and quiet when she noticed the man coming towards her. She knew that it was just a matter of time, she had already noticed that Finn had been following her all day, it was obvious that it had something to do with his older brother’s doings.
“Mr. Shelby.” She lifted her gaze to met his and saw the little hint of surprise in there.
“Miss Scott, a surprise to find you here.”
“Really. You mean that the fact that Finn is out there in the cold taking guard to see what time I arrived is totally coincidence.” He gave her a sideway smirk at her cleverness. He wasn’t expecting to get caught so easily. “Call the poor boy inside.” Thomas beckoned the younger blinder inside and in a minute he was by her side, looking at his brother a little concerned that he would get reprimanded.
“Hello, Daph.”
“Hello, Finn. Why don’t you go to the counter and ask Mary for a sweet? On my behalf.” He looked at his older brother for permission before thanking her and walking towards the counter. Tommy pointed at the chair in front of her.
“May I?” She closed her book, putting it aside.
“Be my guest.” The waiter came to the table immediately and she asked for more tea and something for them to eat before Tommy had a chance to talk. When the waiter left he was looking at her, smirking. “So what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit outside of the bakery?”
“I was just passing by, thought that would be good to see you.” The warmth that spread through her was something that Daphne wasn’t expecting.They weren’t friends, they were just business partners and all that considered he was still a stranger for her - what little information she had of him, besides one or two things confided to her by Ada, was mostly business related. However, for some reason that she couldn’t quite understand, the simple fact of this man sitting in front of her and saying that he thought that would be good to see her in such a casual manner, like it was something that he had been thinking about for a while, made her heart flutter.
“Everything alright with the first crate of Shelby Brothers Limited?” He smiled as he noticed the faint blush on her cheeks and the fact that she was redirecting the topic. It seemed that Daphne Scott would never cease to find a way to amaze him in some way.
“All going according to the plan.” There was silence again as the waiter came back with the food but they never averting their gaze from each other more than what was strictly necessary. Daphne thanked the waiter and took a sip of her tea. “How’s the preparations for your friend's wedding?” If she thought that his inquiry was strange she didn’t showed it.
“Rushed but going well despite William’s complaints.” At the mention of the doctor’s name Daphne saw Thomas’s flinch but he quickly regained his composure.
“You seem pretty close.” He took a sip of his own tea trying to put the image of the doctor hugging Daphne to the back of his mind.
“Yeah, we know each other for a long time. William is a good friend.” He made a little pout murmuring a “hmm” and then there was silence. Being under his stare was never unsettling, not like it was with other people sometimes, she felt surprisingly comfortable with the silence in a similar way than what she felt around Alfie. But the Jew was right - like Ada and Harriet - there was something in the way he looked at her, something that wasn’t just curiosity. He looked at her like he knew something about her that she hadn’t figured it out yet and she had to admit that she felt compelled to discover what it was.
“Friend.” The word was said as if it contained venon. “I see.”
“He’s a good man.” She said casually and he scoffed at that.
“Yeah, I bet he is every mother’s dream for her daughter. Any particular reason to way he’s not married yet?” She arched and eyebrow at him.
“Any reason to why you are not married yet?”
“I am not a good man.” Thomas leaned back into the chair, analysing her piercing gaze.
“I doubt that this is a hindrance, lost count of how many women I saw daydreaming about marrying Alfie.” She smiled, biting a scone and taking her time chewing it. “There are people that are drawn to danger.”
“Are you?” There was the glint in his eyes again and Daphne paused for a moment before answering him.
“If I feared danger I wouldn’t live with a gangster.” It was a bold affirmation and he noticed that she did nothing to conceal it. He looked around, people seemed too absorbed into their own conversation to eavesdrop, even then, he was surprised by her bluntness. Thomas let the statement sink in with a prickle of satisfaction, a smirk creeping into his features. “You didn’t touched your food.”
“Not hungry.”
“Would you disregard me like that?” He knew what she was doing, trying to guilt trip him, so he decided to entertain her and began to eat. She seemed rather satisfied with herself as she took another bite of her scone, smiling.
“Are you going?” Tommy gave her a confused look, like he had been distracted. “To the wedding.”
“Do you want me too go?” The question caught Daphne by surprise even when she knew that the leader of the Peaky Blinders’s boldness. Yet, there was no surprise to her in figuring out that yes, she did want him there.
“Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Shelby, but you don’t seem like a man that cares about anyone else’s opinion.” He rested his elbows on the table, leaning in closer.
“And if I care about yours?” She felt lost in his gaze, lost into this strange feeling that she had around him. But the moment had come and go just as fast when Josiah approached her, informing that she was needed at the bakery. So she had to excuse herself, getting up to leave. Daphne extended her hand for him to shake, like usual, and was taken by surprise when his rough fingers turned hers around, guiding them to his lips. He kissed her knuckles, a barely there touch, but his azure eyes stared at her conceding everything that he did not say. “See you then.”
Tags: @stressedandbandobessed7771
#peaky blinders#peaky blinders fanfiction#peaky blinders fanfic#peaky blinders imagine#thomas shelby#tommy shelby#thomas shelby fanfiction#tommy shelby fanfiction#thomas shelby fanfic#tommy shelby fanfic#thomas shelby fic#tommy shelby fic#thomas shelby imagine#tommy shelby imagine#thomas shelby x ofc#tommy shelby x ofc#thomas shelby x oc#tommy shelby x oc#thomas shelby x original female character#thomas shelby x original character#tommy shelby x original character#tommy shelby x original female character#peaky blinders fic#my writings#psycheswritings#nothing's fair in love and war
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soapstud019
Skitzy's Art Blog
restingknight
Sleep Well And All The Time. Right Now.
iikelyy
:)