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#plus there's what avery has to be thinking about - like running for her life from a bunch of literal dogs in a forest

luveline · 2 months

Note

Omg please kbd uncle Eddie:’)

dad!steve x mom!reader, 1k

“Hi, Uncle Eddie.”

Eddie rubs his hands together, holds them out in front of himself, and summons the prodigal child forward. “Bethany. Quick, give me a hug.”

Bethie walks into his waiting arms, her giggle infectious as she says, “That’s not my name.”

“Bethie,” Eddie says with a sigh. “You know my full name is Edward. Full names are nothing to be ashamed of.”

“It’s Bethie.”

She pushes the hair off of his shoulders. He smiles at her and her little hands. If someone told him ten years ago he’d be carrying Steve ‘King of Hawkins High’ Harrington’s babygirl around like a treasure he’d laugh in their face, but he loves Beth. She’s hands down his favourite Harrington, and he’s allowed to have favourites as an uncle, though the other clingers are cool too. Beth is Eddie’s favourite because she’s an underdog, and because she’s so clearly infatuated with him. They’re best friends.

He gives her a pat between the shoulders and slips down into a seat in front of the TV. There’s no signs of the other babies nor their parents; Eddie always lets himself in when he’s coming around and he doesn’t expect wait service, but a hello would be nice. “Where’s mom and dad?” he asks, setting Beth down into the seat beside him. He zeroes in on a plate of pretzels and snags a few for snacking. “You’re downstairs by yourself?”

“No! They’re in the kitchen.”

“Really? What about Ave and Dove, then?” he asks through chewing.

“Dove is napping and Ave, um, went somewhere.”

He raises his brows. “Dad took her somewhere?” He imagines Beth would tell him Avery’s run away with similar nonchalance.

“To Grandma’s. They’re going to watch a play.”

“Oh,” Eddie springs up off of the couch. “Stay here, sweetheart, I’ll just go make sure they know I’m here.”

Eddie is scared to open the door. Why is it closed? He supposed parents are deprived of one another but he doesn’t wanna see you kissing. Then again, if he does see you kissing, Steve will die of embarrassment. That’s worth it.

“Hello!” he shouts, throwing open the door.

He makes you both jump hard, Steve’s head thwacking a cabinet and your hand thrown to your chest. You almost fall on your ass where you’re kneeling by Steve’s leg. His pant leg is pushed up to the knee, and you have a tweezers in hand —Eddie frowns abruptly.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asks.

“Steve has a tick, you fiend. When did you get here?”

Steve groans. “The door was locked,” he says, rubbing the back of his head.

“Not well. Just stuck my credit card in there and wham. You guys should slide the chain in if you’re gonna leave poor Bethie all by her lonesome, don’t you think?”

“Eddie, the door was locked,” Steve says. “You’re the only weirdo in Hawkins willing to break in. Plus, I still have that baseball bat in the garage.”

“Sure. Come on, sweetheart, get off the floor. Let Eddie have a stab at it.”

You laugh and pull Steve’s pants down over his shin. “It’s fine, I already got it. He might get Lyme’s now because you scared the fuck out of me–”

“Language.”

“–but I heated it up and I think I got it.” You look up with a smile. Steve pauses his pained head rubbing to beam at you lovingly.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine. Or he’ll turn into a zombie, and that would make him cooler. Win win. So, dinner?” Eddie asks. “Should I go get something?”

“Nah, I made ravioli, you rude idiot. Where’s Beth?”

“I told her to stay put in case you were making out.”

Steve helps you up from your kneeling to dust you off. “Thanks for saving my life,” he sighs tiredly, kissing your cheek.

Eddie rolls his eyes and turns away. Steve should love and appreciate you, you’re awesome, but he’s also a loser and Eddie’s entitled to thinking such disparaging thoughts about his friend from time to time.

You and Steve made a kid as cool as Beth, so Steve can’t be too bad of a loser.

“Uncle Eddie?”

“Yes, my lovely sweetpea angel?” Eddie asks.

She stares at him, adorable in all her chubby-cheeked, sugary-eyed sweetness with her hands held up for another hug. Eddie leans down, says, “Daw, I can’t say no to you,” as she giggles into his hair. He strokes the top of her shoulder with his thumb. “So what’s happening? How did that painting go with mommy, did you put it in the contest?”

Steve nudges you forward with a hand on your shoulder. “He’d make a good dad, right?”

“For sure,” you say, “not as good as you, though.”

“Oh, you’re flirting with me, that’s cool… Are you free Friday night?”

“Probably gonna be pulling ticks off of some other guy's leg.”

“Oh, that’s fine, I was busy anyways.”

Beth giggles as Eddie tips her backward, a mixture of nerves and excitement that kids experience so much more than adults.

“I always expected him to just end up with a kid. Like, one night stand style,” Steve says.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. At least then he doesn’t get stuck marrying somebody he doesn’t love.”

Steve glares at you as you laugh, dragging you into his arms to smush kisses into your cheek. “Don’t even joke about that.”

“Sorry, honey. I hope Eddie gets as lucky as me someday.”

Beth begs to be put down through giggles. “I don’t know,” Steve says, resting his cheek on your temple to watch her laugh, “I don’t think Eddie has luck, just sheer force of will.”

“He’d totally get a baby in a basket on his doorstep.”

Steve mulls it over. “God, he totally would.”

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kris-mage-fics · 9 months

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Scarlet Hollow ask game

I was tagged ages ago by @georgiedoesntfloat and I'm finally doing it! (Not from a lack of want, but my spoons have been seriously depleted by the heat.)

TRAITS:

Your "canon" trait combination? None. My first run was Street Smart + Keen Eye, but I don't consider it my canon run. To me each run is it's own canon, but in alternative or parallel universe. I also have a Hot + Book Smart character, a Street Smart + Powerful Build character, and a Mystical + Talk to Animals character.

What third trait would you add for hardcore mode? I think for my Street Smart + Keen Eye character I'd add either Mystical or Book Smart so they'd find out more about the mystery. Hot + Book Smart, I'd add Keen Eye, because it feels like it would fit her the most. Street Smart + Powerful Build, she'd get Book Smart since she's a teacher. And Mystical + Talk to Animals would get Hot, to balance out how weird they are!

What trait are you least drawn to? So before Episode 4 came out I would've said Hot, but now I think it's Powerful Build. Those two are my lowest. I like playing characters who are smart in some way or notice things, and I like weirdos, so the other traits draw me more. But they are all great and a lot of fun!

Coolest trait? I'm with Georgie on this, it's Mystical! You get the strangest information from it, and it's just generally a weird vibe that I love. Plus there was a Mystical line in Episode 1 that had me laughing for a solid 5 minutes! (The one about being a modern day Cassandra, I almost started hyperventilating!)

ROMANCE:

Who are you romancing? Avery, Kaneeka, Oscar, and Reese for sure. Though one of my characters won't romance anyone. I don't know about Stella yet, I'll have to see if another character I make in the future vibes right with her or not.

What romance are you least interested in? Dr. Kelly and Sybil! I don't think I can bring myself to do those even for the sake of curiosity. Wayne I might do out of curiosity, but that remains to be seen.

Who would you romance if every single character was eligible? Harrison, she seems like a real sweetheart! I love her enthusiasm for Stella's videos, it's very cute!

MISCELLANEOUS:

What character would hurt you the most if something bad happened to them? Oh man, that's a hard one! Okay, I know it's ridiculous, but if anything happens to Dustin I'd cry! But I'd also cry if something terrible happened to half of the characters! At least let me get Tabitha, Kaneeka, Reese, Avery, and Stella through the week (I'm hoping the danger has passed for Oscar and Rosalina, so I didn't include them). Look, I bawled my eyes out at the end of Episode 4, and I've only played it once because I don't want to cry that hard again. I probably won't cry that much, but it could happen.

Would you stay in Scarlet Hollow when the week is over? Me personally? I don't know, I guess it depends on how things turn out. But probably not, I don't really want to move back to the US. As of right now I couldn't answer honestly for any of my characters. There are too many variables, and they all have different priorities in life.

Who would you vote for dog mayor? I didn't actually met the dog militia in my one time playing through Episode 4, so for now I'll defer to Gretchen's judgement and say Scraps. (This might change after meeting all the other dogs.) Tagging no one because I think all the Scarlet Hollow folks I know of have been tagged already. But if you haven't been, and see this, consider yourself tagged! (No pressure though!)

#yes I cry very easily #there's a reason I generally don't play games where really terrible things can happen #I have to be in the right frame of mind to play them #but I love this game so much even if it makes me suffer! lol #scarlet hollow #tag game

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silvertonedwords · 1 year

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Meeting

Because you all asked, here are a few words of Theseus and Tina meeting a few months after Crimes of Grindelwald.

-&-

“Theseus!” Avery leads Tina across the room with a commanding gesture that irks her slightly, though at least she’s fairly confident he’d do the same to any man in her position. Something about America and MACUSA being young and untested, as if the Ministry hasn’t turned to her department for help on several major cases in the past few years and beyond.

“Theseus, meet your American counterpart, then. This is Miss Tina Goldstein, MACUSA’s new Head Auror.”

Tina is struck, as she had been when Newt took the polyjuice, and again when they’d run into the man himself, by the family resemblance. They are quite like each other in many ways--the read hair and freckles; their long limbs.

But also, she is struck by the ways that they are different. Theseus holds himself like an auror. He looks--solid--in a way that Newt doesn’t. Traditional.

“Oh,” Theseus says drily, holding out a hand for her to shake, “we’ve met.”

His eyes dance, and suddenly she sees in them the spark of mirth she’s caught in Newt’s eyes when he’s amused or teasing.

Perhaps she shouldn’t judge so soon.

“Well, kinda,” Tina admits, shaking his hand.

She feels his scrutiny, but can hardly wonder at it. Even if they weren’t at a conference where they’ll likely be working together to coordinate MACUSA and Ministry responses to international crime, he probably has other reasons to be curious.

If she’d met Newt, on a trip to London, say, Queenie would certainly have had much to observe when meeting him.

“I wasn’t aware of that,” Avery says, throwing Theseus a vaguely accusatory look.

“It was brief,” Tina explains, “We were both busy.”

“Although I was treated to a display of Miss Goldstein’s impressive wandwork.”

Tina feels herself blush.

“Well. Get acquainted, then. The first meeting is at nine.”

“Forgive me,” Theseus says once Avery’s left them. “I’d speak more plainly, but that man has no imagination, and I’m afraid he might hold it against you.”

“You don’t?”

Theseus chuckles. “Credit where credit is due. It’s good to be bested every once it a while. It keeps one humble. Plus, Newt tells me you held your own against Grindelwald, even if he wasn’t wearing his own face, so I can hardly be too disappointed in myself.”

“You were frustrated with your brother.” She shrugs. “People are easy to catch off guard when they’re distracted.”

He laughs. “I’ll keep that excuse in mind, then.” He grasps her hand, surprising her. “Truly. I am glad to meet you properly. I’m not sure what Newt’s told you--” he sighs “--I haven’t always been--I’m not sure I’ve always been the best brother for him, but I value his judgement more than he thinks. It is an honor to meet someone of whom he speaks so highly.”

She’s not known what to make of Theseus, exactly. He and Newt seem to be growing closer in the months since Paris, and Newt has seemed perplexed by the change. He’s written her stories from their childhood that depict a well-meaning, but often rigid--sometimes thoughtless--brother who following their father in wishing for Newt to be, well, less Newt. But in the gaps, she’s wondered if it was a burden partly of worry--of, sometimes in the wrong way, wanting to make sure that his brother would be alright. That Theseus fell in love with Leta speaks volumes for his ability to see past the blind, sneering judgements of society. Perhaps it’s a skill he’s learning later in life.

“A pleasure to meet you, as well.” Tina squeezes his hand before she lets it go.

Theseus smiles a softer, genuine smile, looking almost boyish. They really are a little alike, after all. (She thinks perhaps Newt values his brother’s opinion more than either of them is prepared to admit. Although it’s not her place to say.)

Newt’s written other stories of Theseus as well. Nights when he’s knocked on Newt’s door after a few drinks and asked if he could sleep on the sofa rather than return to his empty flat. How, a few weeks after Tina had returned to America, Theseus had made it through the whole of Leta’s memorial service without crying, but had sobbed the moment the door closed on the last of their guests.

She doesn’t bring any of that up for a reason. Work is a place to be alright even when she’s not. She would despise it if every meeting became another place for people to casually inquiry about Queenie, even if they meant it kindly. Does despise it, come to that, when it has happened, and did before, when she was younger and people would ask about her parents.

“I wanted to ask your opinion on a case, if you have a few moments later today. I hear you handled something similar a few months back.”

“Sure.”

“Good.”

“We’d better--”

“Yes, of course.” He nods past the table of tea and coffee to the meeting room. “Lead the way.”

#i really like theseus as a character #and the whole dynamic with the three of them #please please give us a fourth movie and put them in a scene together #my writing #newtina #theseus #meeting #just a little slice of life of their developing friendship

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resetting37 · 1 year

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Avery vs Tatsuo.

I wanted to talk about these two a bit (especially since i vaguely hinted about it in a previous post lol) as I think their dynamic is interesting and I think if either were to be killed then by the other would be the only way to do so.

Not like, arch enemies, but just a deep tension and some hatred they have brought to each other.

It started back with Tatsuo lived in Evelow. No hosting abilities, but delved into it behind closed doors (rumors were floating around within a close circle, but it wasn't taken seriously. Hosting is very much illegal in Evelow.) Tatsuo was still as arrogant and a bully as ever though, and Avery became a target when she arrived on the scene.

He was never outright mean to Avery, but calling her a gold digger and laughing about her behind her back can be detrimental when she's desperate for the approval. So when she found out, she took things to the next level and when learned about his hosting activities, decided she was going to report him to the council. No better person to help her than Tatsuo's own sibling Haramitsu, who always played by the law (and her hatred towards Tatsuo probably helped Avery's case.)

So instead of facing repercussions, Tatsuo fled Evelow, and moved to Recom, where he grew in power and notoriety. Even Evelonians had heard of TY or the man who could make weapons out of their hands. He wished he left more so on his free will, and not be influenced by Avery's pettiness, but he forgot about his old life soon enough. And her.

Cut to years later, when Avery travels to Recom (with Zack, who, sidenote, should be mentioned because he was the person she was marrying that got her labeled a gold digger ? And he helped Avery with the hosting accusations against Tatsuo ?? And he grew up with him ??? Oh well, um. This post is about Avery. and she's the one with the much stronger feelings.) in order to possibly find a cure for Morgan's mutation, which is starting to become a little harder to manage. She runs into Tatsuo again, and while he mockingly thanks her for putting him into his current position, she's reminded of his horrible personality.

But the truth is, Avery's still upset she couldn't get Tatsuo to like her. And while she was supposed to have moved on, she still wants him to like her. And maybe even more than that ? And Tatsuo sees how much time Avery is putting into this, and he feeds into it by mocking her new relationship with Morgan. (which, another sidenote, Tatsuo actually hates Morgan because she was an ex-member of his team that ran off with money and a kidney a year ago, and screwed over Seth and Adam, two of Tatsuo's most reliable members. See, so many layers.)

So on top of mocking Morgan, Tatsuo also tricks Avery into thinking that maybe he's coming around to like her ("Could you imagine how things would be if you chose a different rich guy to marry ?") Which, like, confuses Avery, but she's unsure if she likes it. Plus, he said he's willing to help Avery find a cure for Morgan. so that's redemption, right ?

Well, no. Because his teasing of Avery results in him finally stating that she's still just has pathetic and desperate as ever, and adds another laugh in her face, humiliating her once again.

Hm, seems like this hatred is kind of one sided ? Avery seems to hate tatsuo very much, and he's just enjoying tormenting her.

That's when things changes. Because Avery had a little too much of Recom, enough of being away from home, and especially enough of Tatsuo. Needless to say, she breaks a bit.

Of course Avery is horrified of herself (Trinity: "sick !") and this move haunts her even when she sends a message to Evelow asking for rescue and Sean comes pick her and Zack. Safe in Evelow, eventually, but not from her action.

And now it's a little more personal to tatsuo. He has all the more reason to return to Evelow as well. Sure they want to visit old friends, show the city what happens when they shut away hosting, but it's no secret that getting back at Avery is on their mind. (And just as she was starting to get some respect there...)

#oc talk #avery #tatsuo #man i miss going on long rants about ocs #i had to add the stupid trinity line to remind yall she plays a role in this drama #also i have a drawing idea for these two.

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quentinbecks · 2 years

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WiP Monday

I was tagged by my beloved @amistrio to share some of what I’ve been working on recently (not much).

Tagging: @adelaidedrubman @johnnycranes @marivenah @gamer-purgatory @hoesephseed @cameronburke @florbelles @blissfulalchemist @jackiesarch @jacobseed @oc-musings @henbased @shallow-gravy @preachercuster @vasiktomis @aceghosts @queennymeria @indorilnerevarine @josephslittledeputy @clicheantagonist @redreart @shellibisshe @belorage and anyone else who wants to tag me. Head is very empty right now

A little bit of a Charlie and Rafe angst piece

“That hurts a lot less than it did when Nate slashed me there.”

Charlie pauses cleaning his wound to give Rafe an incredulous look. “You shouldn't have even fought him to begin with. What were you thinking? The only other person who survived an encounter with Nathan is Harry Flynn and he only barely managed to escape with his life.”

She can feel tears begin to prick at the sides of her eyes. Since she arrived in King’s Bay she has yet to cry. But, now, seeing her partner so vulnerable and hurt, she can feel her heart begin to shatter into a bunch of tiny little pieces.

Rafe groans, slowly sitting up against the pillows. “For fifteen years I searched high and low for that treasure, Charlie. Fifteen years worth of time and money went into trying to find Avery’s gold. I wasn’t just going to let the Drakes have it just because they felt like they deserved it more. You know I don’t just give up like that.”

“I know,” she nods, sniffling. “It doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.”

If it had been up to her, she would have made sure that Nathan found himself nothing but skull and bones on the floor of the rainforest. But, Rafe’s past with the brothers, plus their stint in Panama, completely blinded him to the situation. Another reason why she shouldn’t have left him to go alone.

“Hey,” Rafe calls out to her softly, bringing his palm up to cup her face. “I’m sorry, honey. Please don’t cry.”

She shakes her head as she leans into his touch, his warmth always familiar and comforting. How can she not cry? How can anyone expect her to behave as if the last few weeks never happened. They did happen and now those feelings are finally swelling to the surface, threatening to spill out for all to see.

A little bit of Gwen and Viktor smut 🙈

It’s tender at first, gentle and chaste pecks, until Gwen feels emboldened. She takes the hand that’s still cupping his cheek, trailing it down until she reaches his chest. There’s a slight hesitation as she starts to worry about hurting him, but golden orbs flicker up at her reassuringly; telling her that’s it alright.

Pushing Viktor back against the pillows, Gwen moves to straddle him. This is far from the first time the two have been intimate, but the energy in the room feels different; it feels electrifying.

“You are,” he pauses, his long fingers running up her thighs, stopping just at the hem of her slip. “You are exquisite, miláčku”

Viktor’s eyes slowly roam her body before he pulls the silk over her head, tossing it to the floor. Her freckled body goes flush as he takes her in. It’s as if he’s looking at her for the very first time.

Dipping her head, she crashes her lips back to his. Unlike just moments before this kiss is heated, her tongue sliding past his mouth upon contact; her hands tugging at his chestnut locks.

Viktor groans as her nails graze the back of his neck, his own hands roaming down her back, stopping to cup her ass. She can feel warmth begin to pool in her belly at his touch and Gwen realizes she’s never truly felt this hungry for someone in her life.

It’s because you love him flashes through her mind.

#I swear I’m working on my fic!#my mind is just all over the place right now #wip tag

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simhaven · 1 year

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The Pykes Part 4

The newly crowned Empress gave birth to princess Olive right after princess Terra's birthday! Now Bison has three kids. I hope she gets Poppy's fabulous red hair.

Later on Terra can't get babies out of her mind. I guess she's wondering when her sister-in-law will have one as well. All in due time Terra. There's no rush. I don't want the Emperor's family to breed like crazy. It might cause some issues....Plus I'm hoping that YOU are not pregnant right now, tbh.

Jon is sneaking around the park to see what he could steal. He is just so suspicious! For no reason at all!

Don relaxes in the hot springs and spends time with his people. It's nice to be the crown prince, but if he dies then they will have no heir for the Pyke family, so we need to get on that actually.

Ah...right on time! Sasha is not the main wife, that spot will be reserved for Nettle or any of the other Greenleaf girls once they become of age, but she can still extend the family line for other vital services of government. Sasha is still leagues above her sister in status at least.

She's is practicing her charisma to appear more polished and acceptable as the prince's concubine. She is of foreign stock, but is a good sim and seems very nice, lol.

Poppy heads to bed early because the Emperor Bison is to busy playing chest with Terra. He is trying to teach her the ways of logical thinking. I love it when he spends time with his family.

They eat well at the palace. Lobster on deck! I can't wait until they get a live in servant though. We need more girls of the right age.

Little Olive aged up into a toddler and has the excitable and eccentric trait. As life moves on, new hopes for the future emerge.

Don and Nettle finally marry. It was arranged by their parents, but they get along well enough and the Emperor need children with a family of noble blood and a wealth anyway.

Kingsley, Don's first child has aged into a toddler(I'm sorry I missed the chance to take pictures of your birth 😖). He is evil and a heavy sleeper. Maybe he should be the new priest since he won't be the heir. It would be a powerful position for anyone to have. That's something for me to think about.

Meanwhile Nettle and Don get to know each other better after their union. That's a great start to the new relationship.

At last, the Pyke's finally got a servant. I had to wait for the next rotation for Wendy to move in so I wouldn't mess up her aging. The Pyke's allow their servants to have a decent size studio outside of their home to live. I have no idea who the second servant will be though. Wendy certainly has a lot of work ahead of her.

As is the nature of romance sims, Nettle is out wooing others. She has not failed yet. If she gets caught she will lose everything and ruin the relationship between their families. She will most likely die too if she gets caught. Cheating in a regular household is bad enough, but cheating on the Emperor or Crown Prince? Suicidal.

It's kind of sad that she turned out to be a romance sim when both of her parents were family sims. I'm worried about her tbh.

When Wendy tries to shoot her shot as, she is quickly denied. Some girls just don't got it.

Terra has moved on from her fiancée's death and making new friends. Thankfully she is not preggo. That would ruin a lot of things for her as well.

Meanwhile her second sister-in-law Nettle is pregnant.

I wasn't sure how the household would run with both wives in the house. I have some midgethetree's mods to allow polygamy, but I have been hesitant to allow any flirty things if I can stop it. She might be moving out into a separate household if things become strained.

Wendy's dad came to visit and Nettle and Terra decide to have a big ole chat outside. It's so cute.

Fred was so shocked his mouth dropped to the floor, lol. I decided that the wouldn't invite Willa inside for obvious reasons.

Avery came over and I had Terra talk with him and Spruce to decide on her future husband.

She decided to be with Spruce. Perfect.

In fact she felt so strongly about her decision that they almost woohooed in her parent's bedroom until they realized the Empress was right there... Oops. Time to flee!

They decided to run to her brother's room to finish it off. These sims are to randy but some of them have more to lose than others and I don't have a herbalist or potion shop to make 'accidents' go away. These noble and royalty girls need to be more careful.

Anyway, that's it for now. Until next time.

[Back to main]

[The Pyke family]

#test of time inspired #sims 2 test of time #sims 2 historical gameplay #The Pyke family

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uncpanda · 3 years

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Blood is Thicker than Water: Part 19

AN: Avery big moment happens in this chapter. Enjoy!!!

As always a big shout out to those who help me with the Spanish. Your help is amazing, and I love you dearly for it!

Master List

Rafael runs through no less than six different proposal plans with Carmen. There’s one with sky writing, another at a restaurant, one in the park, one surrounded by friends and family, he thought about a flash mob very briefly, and even considered tying the ring to Benny’s collar alongside a note. None of them seem right.

“You’re thinking about it too much.”

Rafa stares at Carmen, open mouthed, “That’s not a thing when you’re asking someone to marry you. You’re changing your life forever, you’re making a promise, you’re . . .”

“Please don’t go full lawyer on me.” His lips twitch at the plea. Carmen is more than capable of coming up with an argument, and twisting words. He’s seen her do it to Buchanan several times, and afterwards he always buys her lunch.

“So, you’re saying I should just go with the flow?”

“I’m saying that Y/N isn’t someone who appreciated huge gestures. She likes things from the heart. And I honestly think if you do a flash mob she’ll kill you.”

“It was Google's idea, not mine. Plus we go dancing about once a month.”

“And once again I say, never tell her about it. Think about your relationship. Think about something that means something to the two of you.”

His mind runs over memories of your relationship, and it pauses on a morning about three months after you moved in, and he smiles. “The first time she told me she loves me was over coffee. We were both in our pajamas, and looked like a mess, but I remember her taking a sip and looking up and just saying the words.”

Carmen smiles, “You might be onto something Counselor.”

---

Rafael has been acting squirrely for several days, and you know it has to do with whatever he’s hiding in his office. You spend about an hour of time, spread throughout the day, wandering into his office to quickly glare at the safe before returning back to work. To be honest, the entire secret is bugging the crap out of you. But you deal with it, and instead focus on the fact that tomorrow is your two year anniversary with the man.

It’s the longest relationship you’ve ever had, it’s also the most fulfilling. Rafa is your partner in everything. The two of you support each other, and take turns carrying troubles when the other can’t. It’s an amazing thing to have someone you can depend on, and you thank God for him every day.

---

You’re not the first one to wake up. Despite his eyes being closed, you know Rafa has been up for a while. You had felt the bed move earlier. So, you feel perfectly justified to wiggle a little closer and place a kiss on the corner of his mouth. He smiles, and lets out a little huffy laugh, “What time is it?” His voice is just a little gravely with sleep, and it makes you melt.

“A little after seven.”

He groans, “That’s too early for a day off.”

“Can’t help it. I’m excited. Today is a big day.”

“No pressure or anything.”

He reaches for you blindly and when his hand finds your hip he pulls you to him. You let out a little squeal as he rolls with you, so that he’s hovering, ever so slightly, over you. You can see now that he’s fully awake, his eyes playful. You stretch your neck and press your lips to his. He’s quick to respond, and when you pull away you’re just a tad bit breathless.

He grins down at you, “Happy anniversary my love.” ("Feliz aniversario mi amor")

of dating was fast, but to your pleasant surprise the two of you just worked.

You thread your fingers through his hair and tug him down for another kiss. When his lips slip to your throat, drag your fingers out of his hair, down his neck, and splay them against his back. You’re immediately grateful for the warmer weather, because it means he’s sleeping shirtless, and you love the feel of his skin.

He places a kiss right beside your ear and whispers, "¿Sabes lo mucho que te amo?¿Sabes cómo de feliz me haces? Te quiero tanto." You don’t know exactly what he’s saying but you get the gist of it.

The two of you roll out of bed at around eight. You go to shower while he starts the coffee. Despite having taken a personal day, there’s still a lot the two of you want to do; get breakfast, walk through the park with Benny, there’s a farmer’s market the two of you had been talking about for weeks, and then there were your dinner plans. The two of you had decided to recreate your first date. He’s looking forward to a day with no drama, because that’s all the squad has delivered lately.

The past few months have brought less than great cases, difficult cases that have him working all hours and you trekking out to his office to bring him dinner, or just distract him for a while. You’ve gotten exceptionally good at rubbing the knots out of his shoulders and neck.

He loves his job, but sometimes he thinks about leaving it. He thinks about whisking you away to a different state or city, settling down into private practice, and working normal hours. You’d probably prefer that, right? Having a boyfriend who comes home at a normal time, who doesn’t get called in on their days off. He could give it up for you, right?

“Okay! I am ready to go!”

You pop out of the bedroom wearing a dress that you love and always feel confident in, and the sight of you just makes his heart feel full. He’s quick to take your hand and pull you towards him. One hand settles on your waist, the other that the base of your skull, and he kisses you with everything he has, he pours every ounce of love that he can into that kiss. And when he pulls back he gives a little nip to your bottom lip.

You blink several times, and smile, “What did I do to deserve that?”

He cups your cheek with his hand, and leans forward to rest his forehead against yours, “You exist.”

You place a kiss on his nose, and move to wrap your arms around his neck, “You have a way with words that just . . . makes me melt. You make me feel special, and loved, and safe. I love you very much, Rafael Barba. "Eres mi todo.” You’ve been practicing that line for weeks. You’ve run it with Lucia, Liv, Ed, and Catalina.

“You just spoke Spanish.”

You grimace, “How bad was my accent?”

He places a kiss on your forehead, “You did great. Let’s go get food.”

You call Bently over, get his leash attached, and you head to your favorite breakfast joint. The weather is just right, not too hot, but not too cold, just a really nice April day. And true to the promise the two of you made, you don’t lean into the idea of extravagance.

Instead you tuck your body into his side as you walk, and just enjoy the fact that you have an entire day together. It’s been several weeks since the last one, and it’s just nice to reconnect.

You’ve just finished lunch, when he gets the call. A major case, and they need him ASAP. You consider killing your sister, but instead send her several angry gifs. She just responds with question marks. He gives you an apologetic look, “Why don’t I drop you off at home, that way you don’t have to hang around the station?”

You wave off the concern, “I spent my entire childhood there, what the night of an anniversary. At least I’ll get to see you be all snarky and lawyery.”

His lips twitch into a small smile, “Lawyery?”

You lean in and kiss him, “Come on counselor. The sooner we get there and done, the sooner we can leave.”

Rafa sighs. He’s not exactly dressed for court or to make deals but at least he wasn’t in jeans. He’s gone with a pair of slacks and a button down shirt for the day, and his hair wasn’t as neat as he would have liked, but sometimes you had to go with the flow.

The two of you arrive at the station thirty minutes later, and your mouth curls down a little bit. The nostalgic side of you missed the old station and its memories. For the most part you had managed to avoid the squad room for the past two years. The only exceptions being when you brought Rafa or Liv something, or stopped by to drag them home to rest.

You’re there for several hours, and your sister has the good grace to avoid your gaze. While you may have not had anything spectacular planned for your anniversary she knew you’d been looking forward to spending the day together.

“You keep that up and my lieutenant is going to be nothing but a mark on the ground.”

You look up at Finn, “Is this case really that bad?”

He shrugs, “We got our new Sarge today, and there’s an international and personal element involved.” His eyes slide to Rollins, and your frown. It always seemed as though Rollins was stepping in something.

You spend the time seeing how things have changed around the station. The biggest is that Finn seems to know how to work the computer. WHen you had first met him, he’d been convinced that they would just be a fad and he had no reason to learn the operating system. Everything else seems to be fairly similar. But it still feels weird. You don’t know any of the officers in uniform, and you barely know this version of the squad beyond some after work drinks.

It’s nearly eight pm when Rafael finishes, and you two can head home. You’re ready to crash on the couch, but Benny still needs to go out and you’re starving. You order food, take Benny out together, for safety, and come home and collapse on the couch, and that’s where you stay.

You’re in the middle of a cheesy scifi movie when Rafa stands, “I’m getting coffee. You want some?”

“It’s ten at night, we’ll never sleep.”

He smirks, “I’m not hearing a no.”

You laugh, “Bring it on!”

It takes some time since he’s using the fancy new machine he bought earlier in the week. For days he’d been playing around with it and making designs in your cup. “Any chance you can put a giraffe in there this time?”

“You have too much faith in me.”

You smile and relax further into the couch. He comes back several minutes later right as an alien explodes from someone’s chest. He winces at the sight and sets the mugs down on the coffee table. You reach for your phone, ready to take a picture of his latest creation, and then stop.

You suck in a breath, and your eyes go wide as you read the words in your cup, three more times. His hand settles on your back and you hear him whisper, “Breathe amor. Breathe.”

You turn to face him, “Are you sure?”

His smile is soft and filled with love, as he pulls a ring out of his pocket, “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Y/N Benson, will you marry me?”

----

Olivia is five minutes away from heading to bed when her phone buzzes, and she raises an eyebrow when she sees a text from you. She had expected a slightly cold shoulder after having brought Braba in on your anniversary . . . when he was technically off.

She goes ahead and opens the attachment, and her brow furrows when she sees a cup of coffee with foam letters in it spelling out, “Will you marry me?”

Then her eyes go wide as the second picture comes in, one of you and Rafael together, with a very nice ring on your finger. She lets out a squeal, and Ed comes running.

“What is it? Who is it? Do I need my gun?”

She shoves her phone in his face, “Barba proposed!”

This time it’s Ed’s brow furrowing, “With coffee. That man has a serious caffeine addiction.”

#rafael barba #rafael barba x reader #rafael barba imagine #rafael barba fanfiction #rafael barba x you #law and order svu #law and order svu reader insert #peter stone #svu fanfiction #svu fandom

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petersasteria · 3 years

Text

The Life of A Mobster's Wife || Arvin Russell

Russell || Main || Taglist

Mob!Arvin x Reader (Modern AU) Requested? Nah 9,818 words (pls send feedback bc this is the longest mob fic i've done and i want to know if it's alright or if i should just leave the mob au alone sksk) W: asshole!arvin, doesn't follow canon, curse words, killing, cheating, so many fucked up shit

* * * *

Being married to a mobster wasn’t easy. Everything has to be kept under wraps whilst having a lavish lifestyle. But when you’re young, you’re naive and you think that everything will work out and you’ll live happily ever after like some Disney fairytale. Everyone seems to forget that Disney princess stories were adapted from the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. You didn’t know that your life would take such a dark turn the moment you met Arvin. The second he smiled at you, you were a goner. You were hooked on him; addicted. Everything should’ve been a red flag and the people around you told you that something about him seemed off. That should have alarmed you, but you took what they said personally. One by one, they all left you and only Arvin was left by your side. That should have been a sign too.

You told yourself that you’d be happy and you were. You were together for six months and then you got married. Now, six years later, you have a son who just turned six and a husband who doesn’t even sleep in the same bed as you anymore. You didn’t know what went wrong, but everything suddenly changed.

Arvin made sure you and your son were away from him, so he bought a big apartment in the Upper East Side for both of you. Arvin would stay there sometimes, but most of the time, he was working; killing, kidnapping people for ransom, selling weapons, selling drugs, etc. He wanted you away from those especially, Hayden; your son.

You wanted for things to change because Hayden hardly ever sees Arvin and they don’t have a connection. You also wanted another baby and you felt like Arvin was too busy for that. Wanting to focus on your husband, you decided it was best to hire a nanny to attend to your son’s needs. However, it was difficult to look for a nanny when you’re keeping everything a secret. You were lucky enough to hire a personal doctor.

Amelia Avery Hudson is a trauma surgeon, but you hired her as your personal doctor to treat your husband and his men if they have wounds. The other doctors you asked turned down your offer. When you asked Amelia, she immediately agreed. Amelia didn’t really have a choice. She applied because she needed to pay her student loans back. Plus, she needed to keep a roof over her head and rent was expensive in New York. She’s a fresh graduate and she had trouble finding a job that fitted her career path. Your offer was perfect and she saw it just in time. She hoped that no one took the job yet and luck was on her side because she’s been your personal doctor ever since.

Amelia’s only there during the evening from 7PM until 12 midnight. Having signed an NDA, she had no one to tell about the things she’s seen. She knew that if she even tried, Arvin would somehow find out and kill her with no mercy. She didn’t want to risk it.

Amelia’s feisty, but she was nice. The poor girl had a terrible life. She kept moving from one foster home to another when she was younger. Because of that, she grew up strong. She’s a remarkable woman and you were glad that you met her. You weren’t close, but you had a good relationship with her. Sometimes, she’d entertain Hayden which meant a lot to you.

You put up a poster for the nanny position and a few applicants were interested. You looked through their resumes and interviewed them one by one. Out of everyone, only one person stood out. Her name was Celeste.

“Tell me more about yourself, Celeste.” You smiled at her. You didn’t feel comfortable interviewing people in your apartment, so you always made sure the interviewees met you in your favorite restaurant in the upper east side.

“I-I’m Celeste Regina Dela Cruz. Eighteen years old. Um-”

“I know those things.” You laughed. “It’s on your resume. Just loosen up and tell me about yourself. Would it make you more comfortable if I went first?”

Celeste nodded, clearly intimidated. You smiled and said, “I’m Y/N Russell and I never finished college because I got married. I dropped out and left everything behind to be with my husband. I was also pregnant when we got married, so we never really had a decent alone time. I volunteer a lot for my son’s school and I make sure that my son has everything. Right now, he’s on a waiting list for multiple colleges.”

“Wait, how old is he?”

“He’s 6 years old.” You said before taking a sip of water. “It’s nice to be prepared, though. At least we know that he has a slot when the time comes.”

Celeste nodded and you motioned for her to start talking about herself. She widened her eyes and opened her mouth to talk, but the waiter arrived with your food. You both thanked the waiter and began eating.

“Please continue, Celeste.” You said as you took a bite of your food.

“I’m Celeste and I’m from the Philippines.” She said. “No wonder your accent is thick.” You pointed out and nodded for her to continue.

“I was able to come here because my tita- ay sorry- aunt; my aunt brought me here a year ago. I graduated high school, but I can’t go to college yet because my aunt is sick and she’s the one who pays for my schooling. College is very expensive and we can’t afford it anymore because of my aunt’s medicines.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” You frowned. You felt bad, truly. Here you were, a college dropout but you’re living a luxurious lifestyle. Of course, that’s all thanks to Arvin. You were just lucky that you married a rich man. But as you sat in front of Celeste, you felt the need to do something nice for her. After all, in your mind, she was hired already.

“Oh, it’s okay.” Celeste smiled. “We’re getting by. My friend told me to apply to you and that’s why I’m here.”

“I understand.” You said as you folded your hands on the table. “When can you start?”

“Ha? What?” Celeste furrowed her eyebrows.

“You’re hired, Celeste.” You chuckled. “When can you start?”

“Um… as soon as possible!” Celeste exclaimed and you nodded.

“Pack your things and I’ll send for Pemberley to pick you up at your home address. I’d just like to confirm that your address on your resume is still your home, yes?” You asked and she nodded quickly.

“Okay. I’ll give it to Pemberley. He’ll pick you up at 9:30AM sharp.” You grinned. You both shook hands and continued eating.

The next day, you welcomed Celeste in your apartment and gave her a tour. She looked amazed at everything and it was entertaining to see. You told her that she wasn’t allowed in the master bedroom unless told and she wasn’t allowed in Arvin’s office.

You looked at your watch and gasped, “Oh, my! I’m late for a meeting. Make yourself at home and don’t forget to pick up Hayden from pre-school at 2:15. I have a note for you in your room. Please read it.” You quickly grabbed your bag and coat and left.

Celeste stood there and made her way to her room. After roaming around for 2 minutes, she finally saw her room and read the note.

Hello, Celeste! These are the rules:

Hayden can’t eat seafood. He is allergic.

No sugar-y or chocolate-y drinks before bed. Only one glass of milk with no sugar.

Sandwiches are not allowed to be eaten in his room because of crumbs.

If Hayden has no classes, you may take him to the park or the museum. As long as there are only a few people.

Stay away from crowded places. I beg.

Give Hayden a bath before bed.

Call me only when severe emergencies happen.

Your laundry schedule is the same as Hayden’s; TTh.

Always bring a small first aid kit in your bag and make sure you have a full container of hand sanitizer AT ALL TIMES.

Keep an eye on Hayden. He is your main priority.

P.S. Have fun! Eat whatever you want and if you need anything, please give Jose your own list before he goes grocery shopping.

Celeste taped the note on the wall next to her bed and started unpacking her things. She looked at her watch and realized that it was time to pick up Hayden from school. She quickly grabbed her small bag and ran to the front door.

Hayden’s school was just around the corner, so it was easy for Celeste to pick him up. There were many nannies waiting for kids to be picked up and Celeste was a bit overwhelmed that her job was actually starting. She never had training or anything.

A few more minutes of waiting, the door opened and out came a plethora of running and screaming children. During the apartment tour you gave her from hours before, she remembered you showing her a family picture that was recently taken. With that in mind, Celeste was able to remember what Hayden looked like.

Celeste looked around and saw a young boy by the steps, looking around. “Hayden!” Celeste shouted, causing the boy to look at her. Celeste walked over and said, “Hayden Russell?”

The boy nodded. She smiled, “I’m your new nanny. My name is Celeste.”

Using his manners, Hayden shook Celeste’s hand. Celeste grinned and took Hayden’s bag from him. She held his hand and they walked home. The walk home was short and quiet, but it was comfortable. When they walked into the fancy apartment building and into the elevator, Hayden spoke up.

“Can I call you ‘Celie’, instead? Like a super agent secret name? It’ll be cool.” Hayden said, causing Celeste to smile at him.

“Sure!” Celeste said.

When they arrived in the apartment unit, you were already home. Hayden ran up to you and you bent down to pick him up and hug him.

“How was school?” You asked as you kissed his forehead.

“It was fun! We learned so many things and we had arts and crafts and we-”

“That’s great, sweetie!” You smiled before putting him down. “You can play sudoku in the living room.”

Hayden made a face, “But I hate sudoku.”

“Yes, but it’ll help you stimulate your brain. Think of it as a mental exercise.” You grinned before softly nudging him to the living room where his sudoku book was waiting for him on the coffee table. Hayden begrudgingly walked to the living room and you turned to Celeste, “We need to talk.”

You turned around and walked to your husband’s office. He wasn’t there anyway and you had the freedom to speak business there. “Follow me.” You said without looking behind you. Celeste was scared shitless. She did the sign of the cross and prayed on her way to Arvin’s office.

“Aba Ginoong Maria, napupuno ka ng grasya, Ang Panginoong Diyos ay sumasaiyo. Bukod kang pinagpala sa babaeng lahat at pinagpala rin naman ang anak mong si Hesus. Santa Maria, Ina ng Diyos, ipanalangin mo kaming makasalanan ngayon at kung kami’y mamamatay. Amen. (Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you amongst women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners. Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.)” Celeste muttered under her breath. You opened the door to Arvin’s office and was immediately met with the darkness due to the closed curtains and lights that were not switched on. The only light present was the sun’s light peeping through the spaces between the curtains. You walked in and Celeste followed suit and closed the door behind her.

You sat on Arvin’s chair and read the papers that you previously laid there on the table. “Please, sit.” You motioned for her to sit in front of you and she did.

“I told you that I had a meeting earlier. I met with important people and we went through your records.” You told Celeste. Celeste knew that she didn’t do anything wrong and that she had a clean record, but that didn’t stop her from worrying.

Was she in trouble for declining her father’s call from the Philippines? Or perhaps she was in trouble for cursing her cousin. She wasn’t sure.

“And I’d like to applaud you for having remarkable and outstanding grades. Straight A’s?! I didn’t know you were smart. You didn’t put in your resume that you were a valedictorian.” You smiled sweetly. You were impressed.

“I didn’t put it because I don’t want to be hired because I’m a valedictorian. I want to be hired because you want me for the job.” Celeste said and you nodded in understanding.

“That’s very humble of you.” You smiled. “Anyway, I submitted your records to multiple colleges and they immediately got back to me.”

You opened the drawer and took out at least ten envelopes from well known universities. You handed the envelopes to her and motioned for her to read each one.

Yale University

Stanford University

Harvard University

New York University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cornell University

Brown University

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Pennsylvania

Columbia University

“I want you to look through those and read each one. You also have the freedom to check each university’s website to see what they look and what they offer and if what they’re offering is what you want, tell me.” You told her.

“That’s very nice of you, ma’am.” Celeste said, clearly overwhelmed with what you just told her. “I can’t afford it. It’s too- mahal. Ang mahal po kasi.(expensive. It’s too expensive.)”

You stared at her as she spoke to you in a foreign language. Not just any foreign language, her native language. She quickly realized what she said and said, “The tuition fee is too expensive.”

“You know, for a valedictorian, you’re kind of slow.” You joked. “Sweetie, you don’t have to worry about it because we’ll pay for your tuition fee.”

She gasped and squealed, “Thank you!”. She jumped out of her chair, did a small dance, and went up to hug you which took you by surprise. You smiled brightly and patted her arm as a sign of affection. It felt nice to do something good for once even though your husband does a lot of bad things. Sometimes you think that all the good things you’ve done are payback for all the bad things Arvin has done.

Celeste quickly let go of you and went back to her seat. She cleared her throat and apologized and you waved your hand and said that it was nothing. You debated with yourself on whether you should tell Celeste about your husband’s mob or not. You decided against it and told yourself that you’ll tell her when she asks.

“I’ll enroll you in any university you pick and I’ll make an arrangement that your tasks during the day until you pick up Hayden, are done face to face. Meaning, you’ll physically attend classes at the university of choice. Of course, that only applies here in New York.” You explained.

“Should you choose a university that isn't in New York, you'll be enrolled in online classes." You told her and she nodded.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much!" Celeste said sincerely which made you smile.

"You're welcome. Study well and you can join Hayden in the living room now. I'm sure he's done with his sudoku. He should be reading his French book now." You said as you looked at the time on your phone before standing up. Celeste stood up too and held the letters close to her chest.

"I think my husband is coming home tonight, so we'll eat dinner at his favorite restaurant. Get ready at 6PM. Knowing him, he'll be late." You said and left the office with Celeste following behind. She closed the door and quickly went to the living room to check out the letters.

You went straight to your shared bedroom with Arvin and quickly went to your walk in closet that Arvin built for you. You scanned through the rack for dresses and scanned through multiple shoes to match your dress. You knew it was still 3:30PM, but you liked being prepared.

Your phone rang and you immediately answered it without looking to see who it was. “Hello?” You answered while grabbing a cerulean colored cocktail dress from the rack and holding it against you and checking it in front of a mirror.

“Y/N, honey, it’s me.” Arvin said. His voice was raspy and there’s no doubt that it’s because of his smoking habit. He’s trying to lessen it because according to him, he didn’t want to have cancer and he didn’t want his life cut short. Despite that, he still smoked… less than before. He was really trying. Key word: trying.

“You’re smoking right now, huh?” You asked, already tired of his shit. You loved him so much, but you didn’t have the energy of being his wife anymore. Probably because he doesn’t treat you like one.

“Mind your own business, woman!” Arvin hissed. You knew he didn’t mean it, but it still kind of hurt. “I’m just worried about you and you said that you’ll lessen the smoking.” You said calmly. You didn’t want to fight with him; it’s useless.

“I am. This is my third stick today and it’s late in the afternoon.” Arvin said, pushing his hair back. “Anyway, I called to tell you that I’ll be coming home tonight and I’m sleeping there.”

“Wow, it’s been a while. How long will you stay here?” You asked, hiding your excitement.

“I’m taking 7 days off. Starting tomorrow.” Arvin said. He gathered his things, got up from his seat and walked out of his office. “I’m leaving The Hamptons as we speak.”

“Alright. I’ll be waiting for you.” You said.

“What’re you up to right now, darling?” He asked, exiting the mansion and went straight to the limo. The door was being held open by Jeeves, the chauffeur. Arvin got inside and Jeeves closed the door before quickly getting in and driving.

“I’m picking a dress for tonight. I made reservations because you’re coming home.” You told him and he smiled.

“That’s sweet of you, darling. I’ll text you when I’m almost home, okay?” Arvin said.

“Oh, ok-”

Arvin hung up the phone and you sighed. You put the phone on top of the small chair before picking another dress.

Hours later, you received a text from Arvin saying that he was already around the corner and that he’ll just wait for you in the limo. You quickly finished getting ready and walked out of your room wearing a steel blue dress that you knew Arvin loved. You wore heels that matched it and wore dangling earrings that you wore on your wedding anniversary.

Celeste was wearing a polka-dotted blouse and a skirt that ran until her knees. She was wearing an old pair of Mary Jane’s and her hair was neatly combed. She had a hairpin to clip it back and on her shoulder, was a ‘nanny bag’ that you gave her. Hayden was wearing black pants and a button up that you bought last year. He was wearing black sneakers to match his outfit.

All three of you left the apartment and quickly made your way to the elevator. The elevator ride was short and before you knew it, you were in the lobby. Seeing the limo from afar, Hayden ran towards it causing Celeste to run after him. You walked quickly knowing that Arvin hated waiting.

Hayden opened the limo’s door and went inside to give his father a hug. “I missed you, daddy!” Hayden said with a smile and kissed his cheek. Arvin hugged back tightly and kissed the top of his head.

Arvin loved Hayden. The boy was like a copy of him and Hayden was Arvin’s most prized possession. He was the reason that Arvin worked hard and he was the reason that Arvin is sane. Although he doesn’t mind having more kids, Hayden was more than enough for him and he was content with that.

“I missed you too, buddy!” Arvin smiled widely and sat Hayden on his lap. Hayden started talking about what happened while he was away and Arvin was listening. Celeste went inside the limo and sat across from Arvin causing him to glance at Celeste up and down with furrowed eyebrows. You quickly got in the limo next to Arvin and closed the door. Jeeves asked if everyone was ready and you said yes. Jeeves started driving and he turned the music down a bit.

This caught your attention and you internally groaned. You looked at Arvin and quietly said, “Really? You’re playing this music again?”

Not leaving his gaze on Celeste, he said, “My limo, my music.”

You rolled your eyes and looked out the window. Arvin’s music played through the speakers and you decided to help yourself with a glass of champagne just to get through the night.

“Are you washed? (Are you washed?) In the blood (In the blood) In the soul cleansing blood of the lamb?”

The music filled the quiet limo, Hayden stopped talking a minute ago, finding the scenery more amusing than his own stories. Arvin nudged you and whispered, “Who the hell is the chick?”

“Hayden’s new nanny.” You whispered. “I hired her yesterday. She’s from the Philippines and-”

“You know what? I’ll interview her during dinner.” Arvin cut you off. “I already interviewed her and she’s qualified.” You hissed.

“Really? Doesn’t seem like it.” Arvin said. “I’ll do the talking. You already got to know her and it’s my turn now. I want the best for my son.”

“She’s very intelligent, you know.”

“I don’t give a shit, Y/N.”

“Daddy said a no-no word.” Hayden said, his eyes not leaving the window. “Also, can I get a puppy? Jason’s daddy bought him a new puppy and I want one too.”

“Tomorrow.” Arvin answered. “I’ll pick you up after school and we’ll buy a puppy.”

“Arvin, babe, he’s not responsible enough for a puppy yet.” You told him, but Arvin shrugged you off. He didn’t care what you thought. If his son wants a puppy, he’s getting a puppy.

You arrived at the restaurant and immediately got out of the car. You went down first and Hayden followed after. Arvin glanced at Celeste and motioned for her to get out first and she did. Arvin was last and he closed the door behind him. “Buy yourself some food, Jeeves.” Arvin said as he handed $200 to Jeeves through the driver’s side. “Pick us up when I text you. Don’t be too far, alright?”

“Yes, sir.” Jeeves said before driving off.

You all waited for Arvin and all four of you entered the fancy restaurant. The hostess led you to your table that had a small card that said: ‘Reserved for Mrs. Russell’ in cursive. All four of you sat down and the hostess provided menus for you, Arvin, and Celeste. A kids’ menu was handed to Hayden and he smiled and thanked the hostess. Holding a menu made Hayden feel like a real man. He wanted to be just like his father and that scared you because Hayden doesn’t know about Arvin’s job. Neither did Celeste and you felt sick to your stomach knowing that you brought two innocent people in danger. If things get worse, you’ll fire Celeste and let her go back to her family while you make sure that traces of her are gone. After all, if they find Celeste, she might get killed. Chances are, her family gets killed too. It’s all connected.

Anyway, all Hayden knew was that his father takes down bad guys. To him, Arvin’s a hero. But you knew better. Hayden will find out when he’s older. One day, he’ll understand that not all people who take down bad guys are heroes.

You all ordered and handed the hostess back the menus. Arvin took a sip of his water and cleared his throat before turning his attention to Celeste. “What’s your name, and where are you from?” Arvin asked.

Celeste stared at him in shock, “A-Are you talking to me, sir?”

“Who else would I be talking to? Of course, I’m talking to you.” He scoffed which made you slap his arm lightly. “Introduce yourself to me. We haven’t met and if my wife thinks you’re qualified for this job, it is also my right to see if you’re qualified as well.”

“U-Um, okay. My name is Celeste Regina Dela Cruz and I’m from the Philippines. My aunt brought me here last year. I only graduated high school and-”

“Alright. How did you find out about this job?” Arvin asked.

“My friend told me about it, so I applied.” Celeste said. A waiter came by and poured champagne on yours and Arvin’s glasses while he poured water on Celeste’s and Hayden’s.

Arvin nodded, “Alright. Were you a nanny before this?”

“No, sir.” Celeste answered.

“So, what makes you qualified for this job? Why are you here?” Arvin questioned.

“I’m here because… I want to work and I think that being a nanny is the only way.” Celeste answered and Arvin nodded before turning to you.

“Have you discussed her salary?” He asked and you shook your head. He nodded and turned to Celeste, “Will $100 a day be enough?”

“Yes, sir.” Celeste nodded furiously.

“Alright, then. $100, it is. I’ll give you extra if you’re good.” He said before taking out his phone and kept himself busy. You gave Celeste a tight lipped smile and did the same.

What Arvin said struck a nerve on you. You knew of his affairs and ladies, that’s why you never visited your mansion in The Hamptons. You knew there’d be a plethora of girls who are throwing themselves at your husband. You also knew that he wasn’t faithful and you knew that because he smelled like women’s perfume and sometimes he’d have a smudge of foundation on his white shirt. You stayed with him anyway.

“Thank you, sir.” Celeste said with a small smile. She turned her attention to Hayden and entertained him with stories from back home.

“How was work?” You asked Arvin and he shrugged.

“Nothing special. Rodriguez finally paid back what he owes, so that’s that. Also, dad visited me this morning. He said that he wanted to see Hayden. I told him I’ll think about it.” Arvin said with no emotion.

Arvin’s relationship with his dad, Willard, was rocky. It was no secret that Arvin preferred the company of his mom rather than his dad. Charlotte, Arvin’s mom, was the sweetest lady you’ve ever met. She helped you with your pregnancy and she’s the one who told Arvin to keep you away from the mob things. She didn’t want Hayden to grow up in such a bloody environment. Besides, it wasn’t safe. She’d occasionally visit you and Hayden when she’s not busy.

“How were things while I was gone?” Arvin asked.

“Same old. The only new thing was hiring Celeste.” You told him and he nodded. He moved closer to you and asked in a low voice, “Does she know?”

You shook your head and he nodded, “Good. It should be kept that way.”

“We’ll be paying for her college education.” You said quietly and Arvin’s head quickly turned to you as he glared daggers at you. You paid him no mind as you took a sip of your champagne. “We’ll talk later.” Arvin said sternly.

The waiter arrived with your orders and all four of you began eating in silence. Celeste was too awkward to start a conversation, Hayden didn’t know what to say, Arvin will talk to you later in his office, and you didn’t want to engage in a conversation nor start it.

After that, you ordered desserts. You initially didn’t plan to order any, but Hayden wanted the strawberry cake that he saw at the other table. Therefore, Arvin ordered four slices of that. As Arvin took bites of it, he chuckled which made you look at him through your peripheral vision.

“What’s so funny?” You asked, before eating the cake that was on your fork and chewing it. Arvin shook his head, “Nothing. I just remembered our wedding cake. It was similar to this.”

You smiled at the thought and nodded, “Yeah, they are similar.”

Your complicated marriage with Arvin made you stressed. You didn’t know how to act around him, but he was a great actor. He acted like he wasn’t cheating on you, he acted like he wanted the domesticated life, he acted like everything about his family was normal, and above all, he acted like he was still in love with you.

The truth is, Arvin isn’t in love with you anymore. But he loved you; he still does. He will never stop loving and caring about you. He just doesn’t get the same feelings as he used to. Before, one look at you gave him butterflies in his stomach and the world turned into slow motion. Now, he looks at you and he feels nothing. In his mind, you’re just his wife and the mother of his child. He didn’t know what to do anymore, but he knew he couldn’t leave you. Leaving you would ruin him because he knew you’d take Hayden away from him.

Being unfaithful wasn’t part of his plan, but it just happened. Then it kept happening with different girls and he hated himself every time. He knew that you knew. After all, he wasn’t discreet about it either. Both of you just pretend that nothing’s happening, it’s all swept under the rug and it’s killing you.

After dessert, Arvin texted Jeeves to pick you up as you called a waiter for your bill. After paying, Jeeves was already outside. Celeste got up from her seat and carried Hayden, who was falling asleep already. You and Arvin followed.

The ride home was shorter and quicker. When you arrived in the apartment, Celeste went straight to Hayden’s room with him fast asleep in her arms. Arvin cleared his throat which caught your attention. You looked at him and he nodded his head towards his office. He went there and you trailed behind him.

When he opened the door, he switched on the lights and went straight to his desk. You entered and closed the door. You sat in front of him and waited for him to talk.

“Since when were we paying for someone else’s education?” Arvin asked.

“Since now.” You answered boldly. He bit the inside of his cheek and nodded, “Why?”

“I’ve seen her records. She’s a valedictorian and she deserves to go to college. Her aunt can’t pay for it and I volunteered. It’s a little ‘thank you’ for taking care of Hayden. Taking care of a child isn’t easy.” You explained.

“That’s her job. Her little ‘thank you’ is her salary.” Arvin said with his thick accent.

“She deserves more than that.” You told him. “We have so much money, anyway. Paying for her college education won’t even cause a dent in our bank account. Besides, you told her that if she’s good, you’ll give her extra cash. Now, what do you mean by that?”

You and Arvin stared at each other in silence. The tension was thick. It was obvious that you both have problems that you refused to bring up.

“Let’s go to bed.” Arvin said after a minute. He stood up and you stood up too. Both of you left his office and he turned the lights off. He went straight to your shared bedroom and you went to Hayden’s bedroom. When you peeked inside, Hayden was already asleep and wearing his pajamas. You took off your shoes and walked to his bed. You laid down next to him and hugged him as tears streamed down your face.

Being Arvin’s wife wasn’t easy and it wasn’t like the fantasy you had initially thought. You wanted a happy family, but Arvin doesn’t even lay with you anymore. Your day was tiring and chaotic with a mix of high and low emotions. You knew that it would repeat the next day and you already dreaded it. For now, you’ll just cuddle your 6-year-old son and try to get some sleep.

The next few days consisted of doing your daily tasks. The only difference is, Arvin was home and he joined in various tasks. He accompanied Celeste in picking up Hayden at school and true to his word, Arvin bought Hayden a puppy.

Now, the puppy is part of your daily tasks too. Hayden named his puppy 'Jack' and he loved it. Part of his new daily life, Hayden always made sure that Jack was nearby whenever he did anything whether it be sudoku or reading his French picture books.

Arvin loved Jack too. He even swore to Jack that he'd come home often. You rolled your eyes at that, but chose not to say anything. While you thought that nothing in your marriage will surprise you, you thought wrong. After his 7 days off, Arvin came home every night solely because of Jack and Hayden.

'Perfect.' You thought. 'At least he's coming home every night.'

It was now Sunday which meant that Hayden had horseback riding lessons at the back of your mansion in The Hamptons. Celeste was watching over Hayden with her cheap sunglasses on. The skirt of her dress was slightly lifting up due to the wind. You offered your hat to her, but she declined. She said that she was used to the sun because of the weather in the Philippines.

You and Arvin were in his office looking over Celeste’s university of choice. You were making calls and Arvin was checking out the university’s website on his laptop. You were currently on hold and you grabbed Celeste’s acceptance letter from Arvin’s desk. The envelope was open and you sat down on Arvin’s desk as you took out the letter from the envelope and read it.

Cornell University

Celeste Regina Dela Cruz 2264 Oak Street Manhattan, New York 10021

Dear Celeste Regina:

Congratulations on your acceptance into the College of Engineering at Cornell University! We are very pleased to be welcoming you to this coming academic year.

Very soon, you will receive your official letter of acceptance from us in the mail. We are excited that you will be joining the Cornell community and know that you will make a very positive contribution to the university.

Best regards,

Amanda K. Bishop Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment Cornell University

ENROLL AND DEPOSIT ONLINE: Please retain the URL and PIN provided in the notification email you received, as well as the password you created to view this letter. You will need all three in order to log in again to complete the Enrollment Response Form and submit your enrollment deposit.

You finished reading and before you knew it, you weren’t on hold anymore. You began talking to the person in charge and Arvin glanced at you from time to time while scrolling through Cornell’s website.

“I think she’ll enjoy Cornell, darling.” Arvin said, exiting Cornell’s site and you glanced at him and gave him a thumbs up before turning your attention to the call again. After an hour, you end the call and turn to Arvin.

“They agreed to let her do online classes and occasionally attend classes physically.” You informed him and he nodded.

“Do you think Hayden will get into Cornell? It’s a nice university.” Arvin asked. “I don’t really care where he gets in. I’ll be proud regardless.”

You gave him a small smile and said, “That’s wonderful. Speaking of Hayden, his horseback riding lessons should be done by now. Let’s go.”

You left Arvin’s office and he quickly followed behind you. “Is there something wrong?” He asked and you shook your head, not saying anything.

Days went on that way. You talked to Arvin less and less and he was starting to catch on to that. He also noticed that you don’t sleep next to him anymore and that you always made sure that you weren’t home when he comes home from the mob business.

The party was in full swing and the children were having so much fun. Arvin wasn’t a fan of parties, but he decided that it would be nice to have other children around the apartment. Hayden’s friends and classmates played around and the nannies were all huddled in one corner as they watched the children. Some of them even played with Jack.

You were with the parents and you couldn’t find Arvin. It was time for Hayden to blow the candles and you wanted you and Arvin to be there beside him. You looked for him everywhere and you forgot to check his home office. ‘He’s most likely in there.’ You told yourself.

Without knocking, you walked in and gasped when you saw the sight in front of you. The back of Arvin’s chair was facing you, but you didn’t need the chair to fully face you to know what they’re doing. A young woman, in her early 20s, was sitting on Arvin’s lap and you could see her bouncing up and down. Arvin wasn’t even hiding the fact that he was enjoying it. You quickly left and closed the door.

You knew he was cheating on you, but seeing him in action made it so real. You told yourself that you weren’t going to cry, but the tears you held back were freely streaming down your face. You quickly wiped them away and Celeste saw you.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” She asked. She was worried about you. You faked a smile and nodded, “Yeah, I’m alright. I just can’t believe that Hayden is 7 already! Time flies by so fast.”

Celeste nodded and smiled, “Okay. Hayden wants to blow his cake now.”

“Okay. Tell him to get ready.” You told her and she nodded, quickly leaving you alone. You glanced at the door of Arvin’s office and debated on calling Arvin’s attention or not. You decided that you weren’t going to call for him. If he cared about the little family you made, he would have the decency to not cheat on you on your son’s birthday. With that in mind, you held your head high and walked to the kitchen where everyone was waiting. Hayden was sitting on the bar stool while his cake was placed in front of him, on top of the countertop.

You smiled brightly at him and stood next to him. You kissed his cheek and gave him a side hug. “Where’s daddy?” Hayden asked you, looking up at you with innocent eyes.

“He’s busy cheating on mommy, sweetheart.” You wanted to say so bad, but you held back. It wasn’t nice to bring personal problems to parties. Especially your 7-year-old son’s party.

“He’s answering an important call for work, buddy. He’ll catch up later.” You lied. Hayden frowned, but his mood changed when everyone started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ while some took pictures of you two. Celeste lit the candle that was shaped like the number 7. After the song, Hayden closed his eyes and made a wish before blowing his candle. Everyone clapped and you gave everyone a slice of cake.

When everyone was eating, Arvin finally walked out of his office with the young woman with him. He gave her $100 and whispered, “This is for not telling anyone and for spending time with me.” He winked at her and she blushed before quickly walking off to the kid she was watching.

Unbeknownst to them, Celeste saw the whole thing. She looked at you, Hayden, and Arvin and she looked torn. She wanted to tell you, but she was scared of Arvin. She thought that he was sketchy and she didn’t fully trust him. If she doesn't tell you, she’ll feel bad. So she quickly went to her room, called her sister and sat on her bed.

Toni, her sister, answered, “Oh, bakit ka napatawag? (Why did you call?)”

“May chika ako! Tangina, ‘di ko alam kung ano gagawin ko. (I have tea! Fuck, I don’t know what to do.)” Celeste said. She was panicking in her room and she truly didn’t know what to do.

“Ano ‘yon? (What is it?)” Toni asked.

“‘Di ako sigurado pero parang nambababae itong tatay ng alaga ko. Sabihin ko kaya sa asawa niya? (I’m not sure, but I think the dad of the kid I’m taking care of is cheating on his wife. What if I tell his wife?)” Celeste bit her nails nervously. Toni was quiet and said, “Ikaw bahala. Kung sa tingin mong kakainin ka ng konsensya mo, sabihin mo na. Kung kaya mong magkunwari na wala kang alam, edi ‘wag mo sabihin. (It’s up to you. If you think that your conscience will eat you alive, tell her. If you can pretend that you don’t know anything, then don’t say anything.)”

“Kung ikaw nasa pwesto ko, ano gagawin mo? (If you were in my place, what would you do?)”

“Wala. Kunwari wala akong alam. Saka ko na lang sasabihin pag tinanong ako. (Nothing. I’ll pretend that I don’t know anything. I’ll just tell her if she asks me.)” Toni answered.

“Sige. Chat nalang kita mamaya. Kailangan na ako sa labas. (Okay. I’ll chat with you later. I think they need me outside.)”

“Okay, bye!” Toni said before hanging up. Celeste took a deep breath and walked out of her room.

Some people were already leaving and Celeste immediately grabbed a big garbage bag to pick up the paper plates and paper cups that were left behind.

“Where have you been?” You asked Celeste sweetly. She jumped at the sound of your voice which was weird because she wasn’t jumpy.

“I-I went to my room to talk to my sister.” Celeste said. It was true, but she didn’t tell you why. You nodded and said, “Send her my regards.”

Celeste nodded and proceeded to clean up. You walked away and thanked your guests for coming to Hayden’s party. You’ve been avoiding Arvin for hours now and it was like he wanted to talk to you alone. You didn’t want to.

When everything was clean, it was already time for Hayden’s nighttime yoga routine. He quickly went to his room and started getting dressed in his yoga outfit. Celeste went to her room to grab her books, so that she could read while Hayden did his yoga. Jack went with them and Celeste was more than happy to know that the dog was joining them.

It was only you and Arvin in the living room. The tension was thick. You closed the door after the last guest left and Arvin started talking, “Why didn’t you call me when Hayden blew out his candle?”

“Was I supposed to?” You snapped and gave him a death glare which he seemed to return.

“Of course you were supposed to! I’m his dad and I should be there for him!”

“Why weren’t you present for most of the day, then? Where were you when I needed you? Where were you when I needed help with Hayden’s gifts? When I needed someone to give drinks to the adults, where were you? You weren’t around, Arvin. You were busy with God knows what!” You raised your voice.

“What are you saying?!” Arvin shouted.

“I’m saying that you’re not there for me and you haven’t been for a long fucking time!” You shouted back. This started a screaming match between the two of you. You didn’t even notice how loud you were shouting.

Hayden stopped doing yoga and looked at Celeste, “What’s going on?” Celeste looked at Hayden while listening closely. She sighed and told him, “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

Celeste walked out of Hayden’s room not knowing that Hayden followed her out. She only realized that Hayden followed her when she heard Hayden shout, “Stop fighting!”

You and Arvin stopped to turn your heads to Hayden who was already crying at the sight of his angry parents. The sight of Hayden crying made you cry too. You walked towards him, but he ran away to hide in his room. He locked the door and Celeste was just standing there awkwardly.

You wiped away your tears and to your surprise, Celeste spoke up. “Ma’am, sir, um, please don’t fight anymore because Hayden will not like it. If you can’t stop fighting each other, do it for Hayden.” Celeste said softly as she looked at both of you.

“Hayden is a very nice kid and he’s very smart and he’s very obedient. He does everything you tell him to do even if he doesn’t like it because he knows that it will make you happy. He doesn’t deserve to have parents that are fighting all the time and he doesn’t deserve a family that has problems. If you have problems, just talk about it. Don’t yell.” Celeste told both of you. She was trying to be a peacemaker and both of you commended her for it. It wasn’t her job to be a peacemaker, but she’s being one right now.

“Sir, I saw you a while ago at the party with a girl and you gave her money. Being unfaithful is not nice. You should be faithful to your wife because she’s doing her best. If you don’t love her anymore, why are you here?” Celeste said. You knew she didn’t mean anything wrong, but Arvin took it the wrong way.

“Excuse me?” Arvin asked, offended. “I’m offended that you had to ask me why I’m here. I’m here because I live here. It’s my money, it’s my apartment, and everything here is from me! So don’t ask me why I’m-”

“She’s right, Arvin.” You said and turned to look at him. “I’m tired of all this fighting and all this pretending. From now on, I’ll sleep in Hayden’s room. If you enjoy sleeping with different women, you’re surely going to enjoy sleeping alone.” You snapped before leaving the living room to go to the bathroom to wash up.

Arvin glared at Celeste angrily and she said, “Sir, I understand if you fire me. It’s fine. I’m sorry for disrespecting you in your house. But before you fire me, think about what I said, sir. Also, think about your son. You can’t take care of him because of your job and your wife can’t take care of him because she’s busy with different things. If you fire me, no one else will look out for Hayden. Thank you for listening, sir.”

Celeste looked down and went to Hayden’s room in hopes that she could coax him into unlocking the door and letting her in.

Arvin sighed in distress and rubbed his face with his hands before going to the master’s bedroom and slamming the door.

Arvin didn’t know what happened. All he remembered was going to an event that was attended by his mob allies when all of a sudden, his rival mob attacked them all. A lot of shooting happened and he was sure that his mob friends were killed. He hoped they weren’t.

People were screaming and he heard someone crying at some point. His people were scattered everywhere and he didn’t know if they were alright. He didn’t get out scott-free, though. He got shot on his side and he was shooting his rivals all while trying to get out of the venue to get in the car and go back to his mansion.

When he arrived, Amelia was already on her feet and doing her tasks. She was the only doctor, but she pushed through and it amazed Arvin how Amelia could help them. He admired her and thought that she was strong. Her job isn’t easy, after all.

A few hours of taking out bullets from bodies and declaring one person dead on arrival, Amelia was finally finished with her job. She was in Arvin’s office to get her paycheck while Arvin wrote her salary on a check.

“$20,000” Arvin wrote before handing it to her with a tight-lipped smile. Amelia took the check gratefully.

“Thank you, Mr. Russell.” Amelia smiled before grabbing her bag and leaving. Arvin sighed and leaned back on his chair. He hasn’t been home for a while and Hayden didn’t want to speak with him whenever he called you to talk to Hayden. It broke his heart.

He put a hand on his gun wound and closed his eyes to rest for a while to think about his life. He never really thought that his life would turn out like this, but he knew that someday he’d have to take over the mob. When he took over, that’s when he met you.

In truth, he didn’t know how or what to feel when it comes to you. He’s confused. His thoughts were interrupted by his phone ringing which made him groan. He opened his eyes, grabbed his phone, and answered it without looking at the caller ID.

“Hello?” He answered.

“Hello, Russell.” His rival, George, said. Arvin could almost imagine the smug look on George’s face. Arvin gripped his phone tighter, “What do you want? You killed one of my men. Isn’t that enough?”

“Quite frankly, no. I would send my condolences to the deceased family, but I don’t really give a shit. Besides, it would teach you a lesson from stealing from me!”

“For the last time, I didn’t steal from you!” Arvin shouted.

“Your men joined my mob and stole from me!”

“It’s not stealing if they’re getting what’s rightfully ours.” Arvin hissed. “If anything, you stole from me!”

George scoffed, “If you really think that way, fine. Just know that you’ll pay for it.”

“I’m not paying for anything, George.” Arvin chuckled bitterly before pouring himself some scotch with one hand.

“Not even for your family?” George asked. “Wow, that shit’s cold.”

“What’re you talking about?” Arvin asked with furrowed eyebrows as he took a sip of his drink.

“Oh, you’re not informed?” George said sarcastically. “Your wife and son are here with me. If you don’t give me back what you stole from me, I’ll kill them. You know where to find me, Russell.”

George hung up and Arvin yelled in frustration. He sat up and winced because of his wound. He ran a hand through his hair and thought about how he’ll save you and Hayden. Him and his men talked about plans and when they were able to finalize, they wasted no time in going to George’s place.

The plan was going to George and giving him a duffel bag filled with rocks, so that he’ll think it’s the thing he was looking for; the thing he claimed Arvin’s men stole. Arvin decided that it’d be best for his men to ‘give it back’ to George while he and a few guys would look for you and Hayden.

Arvin heard George shouting about everything being fake and he heard gunshots. In a span of a few hours, his mob was shooting people again. He heard Hayden’s familiar cries and followed it while being covered by Javier, one of his men.

When Arvin found the room where George kept you and Hayden, he gasped when he saw you lying in your own blood, unconscious next to a weeping Hayden.

“Daddy!” Hayden cried and it made Arvin’s heart break. He had so many questions running through his mind. How long have you been unconscious? Why are you unconscious? Did they hurt both of you? Where’s Celeste?

Arvin quickly untied Hayden and he didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around him. “It’s okay, buddy. Everything’ll be okay.” Arvin whispered and kissed the top of Hayden’s head. He lets go of Hayden and knelt beside your body. He untied you and panicked when he saw multiple gun wounds on you. He knew that if you stayed longer, you’d die.

Arvin turned to Hayden and said, “Listen to me, okay? Take care of mommy and don’t go anywhere. Got it?”

Hayden nodded and wiped his tears. “Are you coming back?”

“Of course, I’m coming back.” Arvin reassured him. He stood up and quickly left the room and shot every person from his rival mob. When he saw George, all Arvin saw was red and started beating the shit out of his rival.

George didn’t get a chance to defend himself because Arvin just kept throwing punches and hits. Arvin wanted George dead for bringing his family into their problems. Arvin didn’t care about George’s bloody and bruised state. Arvin pushed George to the ground and whipped out his gun.

“This is for my family.” Arvin panted. He looked at George in the eye and shot his head mercilessly. He looked at his surroundings and saw that almost everyone in George’s mob was dead and the few that were alive, are either unconscious or terribly bruised.

Arvin ran back to the room and picked up Hayden. “I told you I’d be back.” He said as Hayden rested his head on the crook of Arvin’s neck.

Arvin ordered one of his men to carry you and immediately drove to the mansion. Arvin called Amelia and said that he needed her ASAP.

“Mr. Russell, it’s late and it’s not my schedule.” Amelia said groggily. She was already deeply sleeping and Arvin disturbed her greatly.

“I know, I know and I’m sorry. I need you ASAP, Amelia. It’s my wife this time.” Arvin said frantically. They arrived at the mansion and rushed you to the medical room where Amelia was hours before.

Hayden was asleep in Arvin’s arms and he went to his room to let Hayden sleep there comfortably. He hears shuffling around on Amelia’s end as he did his best to tuck Hayden in.

“I’m on my way.” Amelia said.

“Okay, please hurry.” Arvin pleaded before hanging up. He looked at Hayden and smiled a bit at the sight of his son fast asleep. He quietly left the room and rushed to the medical room where you were being kept. He wasn’t a doctor and he didn’t know what to do. Time was running out and for the first time in years, he finally saw you.

He finally realized how important you are in his life. He finally realized that it would hurt him deeply if you were gone. He couldn’t imagine going on with life without you by his side. He didn’t notice Amelia walking in the medical room and he only acknowledged her presence when he was being escorted out of the room by her.

“Wait, no! I want to say, Am-”

“You know you can’t.” Amelia said sternly. “It’s protocol. You can’t be here. Just wait outside.” Amelia pushed the mobster out the room and locked it. The whole time he waited, Arvin was pacing back and forth. He was restless. Who wouldn’t be? If your spouse is undergoing a procedure, you’d want to know about them, right? Arvin had no clue how you were doing.

Three hours later, the door opened and Amelia stepped out of the room. She was clearly tired. Arvin stopped pacing and stared at Amelia who only said, “She’s okay.”

“Thank you.” Arvin sighed in relief as he walked towards the room.

“You don’t need to pay me. Consider it a freebie. I know what it’s like to grow up without a mom at a young age and I don’t want that to happen to Hayden. Take care, sir.” Amelia smiled softly before leaving.

Arvin went into the room and pulled up a chair to sit next to your bed. He held your hand and stared at you. It’s been a long time since he’s seen your face. You were beautiful. You always have been and always will. Seeing you unconscious scared him greatly and it made him realize how much he still loves and cares about you.

“Y/N, I’m sorry this happened to you. I mean it.” Arvin said softly. “I love you. I’m sorry it took me almost losing you to realize that. You don’t know how sorry I am, sweetheart.”

“I can’t imagine the pain you must have felt when Celeste came clean about seeing me and some other girl on Hayden’s birthday. But I know you, Y/N. I know that you’ve always had a feeling that I was unfaithful and I can’t imagine your heartbreak when you found out about it being true.”

“When we first got together, I promised I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. I’m sorry for breaking that promise. I’ll be better for you, Y/N. I’ll come home and I’ll stay with you whenever you need me. I’ll be present for Hayden and I don’t want to argue with you anymore. I want us to go back to normal and I know it’ll be hard for you, but I’m willing to try.” Arvin said with hope in his eyes.

“I also know that you’re awake and that you can hear me clearly.” He added as he looked at you. You slowly opened your eyes and looked at him, “I hate that you know me well.”

“I actually love it. It makes me feel like I’m still in touch with you. Lord knows I’d be heartbroken if I can’t read you anymore.” He chuckled lightly before pressing a light kiss on your hand.

“Did you mean what you said? Trying again?” You asked and he nodded. “Then, I’ll try too.”

However, some relationships work out and your marriage turns into something better than before. It happened to you and Arvin. He kept his promises and soon, you were blessed with a second child. Celeste was alright and you treated her like a sister you never had. In return for sending her to college, she did well in her studies and made sure to show you her grades which made you proud.

Everything was coming together and you were thankful that things took a nice turn. Your life as a mobster's wife wasn’t so bad, after all.

* * * *

𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐍 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓: @cocoamoonmalfoy @parkerpeter24 @slutforsr @rumplebutterbaby @dummiesshort @quxxnxfhxll @bora-world @supred12 @more-like-reyna

𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓: @holland-styles @trustfundparker @calltothewild @felicityparkers @hufflepuffprincess24 @tommysparker @justasmisunderstoodasloki @quaksonhehe @call-me-baby-gir1 @itstaskeen @theonly1outof-a-billion @lost-in-the-stars03 @justafangirlduh @piscesparker @speedymaximoff @miraclesoflove @lexirv @blairscott @getbywithasmile @pqrkerr @lavender-writer @blackbat2020 @hoodpankow @bi-lmg @emmastarz

#arvin russell #arvin russell x reader #arvin russell x y/n #arvin russell one shots #arvin russell blurbs #arvin russell fic #arvin russell imagine #in-a-lot-of-fandoms-tbh

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prettywordsyouleft · 3 years

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The Cowboy - Part 3

Summary: Leaving the city for a rural area called Blayne seemed simple enough. Your task was to convince the people to agree with selling their land for a resort redevelopment. But once there, you soon realise that your city ways are entirely different to theirs. Winning their trust was going to take some effort, and when you start to fall for a local cowboy, you wonder if you really needed Blayne more than the city life after all.

Pairing: Jung Jaehyun x female reader

Genre: cowboy au / drama / romance / if you squint there’s some enemies to lovers up in here.

Warnings: Jung Jaehyun is a cowboy, need I say more? (a bit of angst and drama, and it sometimes might feel like you’re reading a Nicolas Sparks book, so I’m told lol)

Word count: 2054

This series will be updated every Thursday and Friday.

Preview | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

“What are you handing me those for?” you asked when the man you had arranged to meet with at eleven shook your hand in greeting and then placed a pair of gumboots up on the hood of your car. You eyed the footwear and then looked back at Avery McConnell with interest.

Avery chuckled. “I know how expensive those boots are.”

“It’s not muddy, though. I’ve come at the end of spring.”

“You’re in for an awakening, Y/N. Trust me, put them on.”

You took Avery’s advice and followed him over to his truck. Climbing inside, you then glanced at your guide. “Thank you for meeting with me today.”

“Hey, it’s my pleasure. Always nice to see a new face once every three or so years,” he teased, and you laughed with him.

“So I’m learning. Not many venture out here.”

“It would be nice if people did.”

“Right?!” you enthused instantly, gesturing to the mountain ranges in the distance. “This place has so much untapped potential.”

“You won’t get to un-tap it, Y/N,” Avery told you upfront as he swung the vehicle out onto the main road. “But I wish there was a happy medium. If we could create more jobs and better housing, it would improve our farming. It’s hard to get help to come out here when services like Amazon don’t.”

“Wait, they don’t?!” you groaned heavily at the concept of not being able to order coffee pods in bulk.

“You’ll have to set up a PO Box in the township over. And if you need to have any internet meetings, it’ll be best to do them there too. The internet reaches out here, but the signal drops so frequently that no one bothers.”

“Why hasn’t anyone asked for services to be improved?” you asked and Avery smiled at you knowingly. “What? You can request cables to be laid, and I’m sure if you pay half the cost-”

“There’s not a huge focus on the internet out here when the sun rises in the morning for outdoor productivity. Most of us just have mobile phones to ring one another when we’re out on our property. And even then, the signal can be dodgy.”

“But there could be improvements,” you insisted, and Avery nodded.

“You’re persistent.”

“Well, it’s not the primitive age. I appreciate there’s a historical factor and a tight-knit community here, but this land is capital, and you could all win from some modern intervention.”

“I’m not your enemy,” Avery admitted, parking the car up on the side of a country lane. “I went to the city to escape how plain Blayne is.”

“You did?”

Avery nodded.

“Then how come you’re back?”

“It’s my home. It’s strange. Not a lot of people get why we live like this, but to us, it makes the most sense. Plus my old man got sick and needed me to help take care of the steer.”

“Okay, I’m going to sound really ignorant for a moment, but is a steer some kind of deer?”

“You came out here without knowing your basic farm animals, Y/N?” he asked with a laugh, and you rolled your eyes. “Come on I’ll show you why we need gumboots around here.”

Holding your nose, you attempted to listen to Avery’s speech about how the pigs of Blayne were some of the best meat pigs in the country. However, you were overstimulated by the smells and the sounds of the barn that you couldn’t quite keep up with the knowledge he was passing on to you.

“Ah, so this is where you were,” a voice mentioned, and you spun around, letting go of your nose and gasped for air. The newcomer smirked, his dimples deepening.

God, you wanted to hate him for being so attractive.

“You know me. I’ve got to help any damsel in distress out.”

“Where is she?” he teased, and you rolled your eyes. “Oh! Miss City, are you getting snippy with me?”

“Thank you for the warning about the owl.”

He grinned. “You’re welcome. So, seen enough pigs and want to go back to the city yet?”

“Not a chance.”

“That’s a pity, should we take her out into the cattle fields, Avery?”

“No need to be that eager to get rid of me,” you bit back and Avery, who had been watching the two of you, started to laugh heartily. You realised then how similar it sounded to May’s laugh. You pointed at him. “Wait, are you two-”

“Sadly, I’m related to him,” Avery admitted dramatically, and you glanced at the scowl on the other man’s face. “Come on Jaehyun, who wants to be your cousin anyway?”

“I never asked to be related to you either but here we are!”

“Jaehyun,” you breathed, and the man in question blinked at you curiously. “Oh, I didn’t get your name last night, you see.”

“I thought you had,” he answered back, grinning again. “Mr Cowboy, isn’t it?”

“Well, you do look like the typical cowboy in the movies when you go around in your boots and hat,” Avery defended, which you couldn’t help but snort a little at.

Jaehyun folded his arms across his chest. “Cattle fields, next. Right?”

You followed them out onto the field, watching where you stepped. Now you knew the reason for the boots. If there hadn’t been enough dung and muck in the pig barn, you certainly had seen more than enough of it out in this field. Climbing up the hill after the two men, you huffed at how easy it was for them.

“I guess there’s no need for a gym membership out here,” you muttered, sucking in a deep breath.

Jaehyun turned and looked at you then. “Come on, Miss City. The cows are over here.”

“I never wanted to see a damn cow, I came to survey the land for suitable resort spots,” you grumbled out of earshot, grateful when the slope evened out, and you reached the top of the field.

Stopping to catch your breath, you blinked at the view. In every direction you looked, the mountain range was so beautiful. All you could see was an expanse of land, which held a lot of possibilities. A golf course, a swimming and spa resort were merely two of the possibilities for Blayne’s development. Being close to nature whilst enjoying leisure pursuits could really put this place on the map.

You turned again, smiling at the wondrous thought of redevelopment until you saw what had come upon you. Backing up from the impossibly large beast, you raised your hands in defence.

“Nice cow.”

“She sure is a beaut, isn’t she?” a voice mentioned at your side, and you yelped in surprise, slipping on a cow patty.

Strong arms reached out to balance you before you hit the ground and you looked up into the face of your saviour, Jaehyun washing his gaze over you momentarily.

And then he started to laugh. “Wow, Miss City, you sure are jumpy! Feeling a little scared, are we?”

“You scared me first!”

“Was it me or the cow?” he questioned with a chuckle, and you yanked yourself free from Jaehyun’s grip, skirting around the curious animal and dashing over to Avery’s side.

He seemed equally amused. “You sure this is a place for you?”

“I’m adaptable,” you muttered, blinking rapidly.

Even you didn’t believe your words now.

“Wow, I’m exhausted,” you mentioned when you arrived back at your residence, falling down onto the couch with a groan.

Jaehyun had joined you for the rest of your exploration with Avery, much to your disdain. Every time you got close to discussing some sort of loose plan with the man, Jaehyun would distract you or shoot down your ideas entirely.

You glared up at the ceiling. “Stupid Cowboy. What would he know?”

The phone rang then, and you whined childishly, hauling yourself up from the couch and going over to answer it. “Oh good, you’re there!”

“Ah, yes. You have a nice home here, June.”

“You think so? It was once the home I raised my children in until we built the one we’re in now. Ah, that’s why I called you. I’ve made extra food and wanted to invite you around for dinner.”

“That’s too generous of you.”

“It’s the least I can do after knowing how long the boys had you out for. I told them to take it slow since you weren’t used to our ways yet. I bet your feet hurt.”

“They do, I’ll admit it,” you confessed and June giggled down the line with you.

“That’s it then! I’ll send Jaehyun around to fetch you!”

“Oh, it’s fine. I can drive myself there if you give me directions.”

“He’ll be there shortly, dearie. I pushed him out the door long before making this call.”

“Well, he should be here then,” you mentioned, glancing outside the house with some unease. “I’ll get ready!”

“See you soon, Y/N.”

After placing down the phone, you dashed upstairs to freshen up your appearance, pulling out a floral boho styled maxi dress that you had bought specifically for your country adventure. Picking up a straw hat and accessorising your middle with a woven belt, you laughed at how carefree you looked out of your usual business attire.

“He should be here by now,” you guessed, looking down the drive for Jaehyun’s truck. Collecting your bag, you stepped out of the house and locked it, slipping the keys into your purse and then jumped when you heard a loud whinny.

Turning to the field adjacent to the drive, you gaped at the sight before you. Jaehyun watched you for a moment before leaping down from the wagon. “It’s a good thing I had to run errands for Dad and didn’t bring a horse for you to ride instead, huh?”

“You didn’t bring the truck?”

“You asked if it was legal yesterday. I doubt you would have gotten in it.”

You eyed the large animal warily. “And you expect me to get up there?”

“Miss City, don’t tell me you’re scared of a mere horse. Back before any car, they were man’s best friend.”

“I thought that was a dog,” you murmured as Jaehyun leapt back up onto the cushioned seat of the wagon, his hand reaching down for yours.

“Ever seen a dog plough a field for crops?” Jaehyun asked with a chuckle, his grip firm around your wrist as he helped you up.

You sat down and looked around yourself hopelessly. “Do I need a seatbelt?”

“You really haven’t experienced much in life, have you, Miss-”

“Y/N,” you interjected, smiling nervously. “Please, call me Y/N.”

Jaehyun stared at you again and then smiled, picking up the reins. “You can hold onto me if you get scared, Y/N. I won’t tell anyone that our city slicker is frightened to ride on a horse wagon.”

“Why did I agree to go out tonight?” you wondered with a groan, shrieking and grabbing onto the front of the wagon when it started to move. Jaehyun laughed at you before eagerly asking the animal to move faster, your hands gripping on more tightly to the bar. “You’re working too hard to get rid of me, Jaehyun.”

“Really? Is it that noticeable?” he wondered and smiled when he watched you loosen your grip. “You’re adapting to this pretty well, though.”

It was your turn to look at him, a smile forming on your lips. “I am, huh.”

He glanced at you and nodded. “Who knows, maybe you’ll last more than a week.”

“Talk to me again when I make it to a month.”

“You’ll be riding a horse by that time,” he suggested, and you scoffed loudly.

“No, thank you. I’m not here to play farm. I’m here to work.”

“Farming is one of the hardest jobs out there. I thought you were here to see how us Blayners tick?”

“Well…”

“I guess you better think about what you’ll wear for a horse riding lesson tomorrow then.”

“I never agreed to it,” you objected and then sat back in your seat when Jaehyun leaned towards you.

“I like your dress by the way. It’s pretty.”

“Still full of yourself,” you mumbled, fanning your cheeks with how hot they grew with his compliment.

Jaehyun grinned. “Still enjoying it, aren’t we?”

_________________

Part 4

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thequibblah · 3 years

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⭐ honestly there are so many things that I'd likevto ask which is why I want to ask a broaderish question.. How do you approach the characterisation of your "Main cast"? I think you have created some really great complex characters even though they do not exist in canon or even fanon (Germaine in example)

I hope this isn't too broad lol

no, i don't think it's too broad! just let me know if my answer doesn't actually touch on what you were wondering about haha

character creation for me tends to be spontaneous rather than conscious — i.e. i'm just writing my way through a scene and i'm like anyway, these people are new and they're friends or they're dating or they hate each other, and there's rarely a ton of forethought put into it. the vast majority of the ct cast was like that, i would say, except possibly michael, who was the first love interest i invented so there was a little more intention there

(but other than him i was really pulling things out of nowhere for the rest of the students especially — including with emmeline which sometimes surprises me)

the exception is, of course, the main cast. they and sara were very intentional, and i wrote little bio thingies for them before i started even outlining the fic. i mean the non-canon main cast, of course, lol — mary, dorcas (they're both canon but i've invented virtually everything about them, so), and germaine.

i did actually do a lot of hemming and hawing about how many girls there would be in lily's year in gryffindor. as discussed in a previous "my beef with j/k/r" instalment on this blog, the numbers of the hogwarts population really don't make sense at all, so i knew i could be flexible and kind of hand wave any questionable bits away. but the composition of the gryffindor girls was crucial in deciding lily's characterisation, imo — an easy way to convey implied characterisation is to show someone in contrast to the people around them. so: who is lily within the context of her friend group? is she friends with all the girls she rooms with?

separately, i've always liked writing friends in groups of four. in the planning stage of this i was like urghhh it's four girls, the four marauders, is that like too perfect....... and one thing i HATED was that people could then map on each marauder to each girl (lily = james is a bit questionable, though i firmly believe they're much more alike than they seem, but it kind of works.... mary = sirius, dorcas = remus, germaine = peter). and i didn't, and don't, want to make it seem like i've just made vaguely distinct female versions of each marauder!

i've made my peace with that risk, of course, and i think each of the girls is significantly different from "their marauder" (LOL) that it's actually fine — and, better still, if that thought occurs to anyone i hope that their characterisations will go on to provide interesting nuance to the parallels

but, anyway, tangent aside, i love groups of four because i think basically all my life i've had groups-of-four friendships. to absolutely go to bat for us foursomes, it's nice because no single person is the obvious odd one out, and each combination in pairs brings something different to the table — the role that doe plays in the group of four at large, for instance, isn't exactly the same as who she is in her individual friendship with mary, lily, or germaine.

the three main cast members came of some very clinical answers to those initial questions about lily.

one, i have always liked having mary be one of lily's friends, and in my characterisation of her she's obviously a great foil to lily, as a fellow muggle-born student. so, she was a lock.

two, i wanted to write one other canon order character, but i didn't want it to be marlene because in my reading of her canon mention, lily is unlikely to write a letter to sirius with her full name (paraphrasing but "i was so upset when marlene mckinnon died, i cried for ages") or, indeed, write a letter discussing how sad marlene's death made her, if they were besties and schoolmates. i went with dorcas because why the hell not? in developing her i then added all these thoughts

three, i felt the need to make up an oc so i could have absolute freedom over their fate. i had certain preconceived notions about mary and dorcas and what their stories would be, so there were other things (e.g. playing quidditch) that i wanted to have a friend of lily's do that they couldn't. plus, i wanted to write a massive lesbian.

another little sticking point, though, was that i (for a very SHRUG?? reason) didn't want lily to be besties with everyone she's lived with, but i didn't want to insert a catty rival into her dorm either. (now, don't get me wrong, i do love a good rival. i did, after all, write mary and amelia, and i am a known appreciator of carlotta meloni, and i adore TLE's marlene mckinnon. but i wanted the gryffindor girls to be like lily's safe space — a contrast both to her home life and to her recently-strained friendship with snape, where she's spent some time having to second-guess herself a lot. in my mind her friendships with all three of her besties coalesced at various points organically, until she was like wow wait i do actually have a home base here.)

the compromise was someone who was friendly with lily, but there's no strain on that friendship to be more than it is — which, sara and lily respect each other but have also learned they're not so alike that they need to hang out all the time. sara, to lily, is the girl you do things with because you're schoolmates, and then once you're out of school you amicably drift apart and occasionally leave a nice comment on their instagram

so that was how the gryffindors coalesced in my mind as placeholder figures. i will fully confess i start with tropes and then work out ways to deconstruct them or complicate them — as i've talked about in multiple of these questions, i think a lot of my characters are caught between sticking to their perceived label and acting the way they want to, aka the ripest high school drama fodder known to humankind

Wearing a fake smile and watching her sister’s sickening love life had put things in perspective a little. Why should she always do what was expected of her?

(we construct ourselves in contrast to those around us....)

mary started off as boy-crazy, doe started off as idealistic, and germaine started off as struggling to find her place. then i built up from those foundations, adding in tropey bits i enjoyed and wanted to engage with — i wanted doe to be passionately principled, but the gentler counterpart to mary, and even-tempered where lily runs hot. i wanted germaine to be a little bit thoughtless, changeable, someone utterly herself but still uncomfortable in her own skin. knowing, then, that the other two were going to be, how shall i put it, gentler hearts (LOL), i went back to mary and decided she would have this tough-girl, queen-bee persona.

then doe got her family background, which added in her ambitions and hinted at her future, and made it so her foundation would be threatened by events of the story. obviously i was writing mary in the aftermath of the mulciber/avery incident, so i needed to ask how much her take-no-shit vibe was threatened by it — and if not, why? how? unsurprisingly, even to people like amelia...

“At least I’m not overflowing with insecurity,” said Amelia. Mary laughed. The sound echoed through the courtyard. “We both know that’s not true.”

...the persona is put-on, but the "real mary" is so caught up in the invented mary that even she couldn't hope to uncover an authentic self...nor would she necessarily want to, because her affected self is still her...

wait don't get me started

germaine was already a quidditch player, and i wanted her to be a seeker because that's automatic investment in perhaps the single player with the most impact on the game — crucial for what i knew would be many, many quidditch sequences, where james wasn't always the most important pov! some of that seekery vibe leeched into who she is: she's searching, right from the start, for a sense of self that feels just out of reach:

“This year is going to be a year of change,” Germaine said [...] “Henceforth I will be going by... Gemma.” The girls looked at one another for a beat. Then Lily, Doe, and Mary burst into laughter.

she's more anxious and outwardly uncertain than her friends, and i wanted to consciously engage with that — proper teenage awkwardness, the kind that wouldn't really happen to Main Character lily, I Have No Sense of Shame mary, and I Am Overflowing with Good Sense doe. more than the other three, germaine is a normal person in the context of this world — she's not a muggleborn, so the war has a different impact on her; she's not the child of activists; she's not well-off. an absolutely spontaneous invention that i was really quite thrilled by was having her sister be crouch's secretary, because it's such a sudden, shocking realisation for her that she's got such a close connection in the thick of it

Germaine clapped a hand over her mouth. “Big news soon,” she mumbled. “Big news soon, that’s what Abigail said, only she didn’t say what big news…”

so germaine is really just... living her life, an indie coming of age film in which her friends' subplot is a fucking war LOL

i defined germaine in contrast to the other girls a lot when drawing out the characters for myself, mostly for a practical reason — i didn't want her to overlap too strongly with any of them, since she's the only one who's wholly my invention. i think some of that remains in her characterisation, but i decided to make it conscious instead:

Germaine saw herself as a happy medium, flexible enough to stretch sympathetically between her friends. But— What does it mean that I define myself in comparison to them? Nothing. She was only seventeen and she was finding her way.

i knew germaine was going to get the chaotic sporty romance pretty much right off the bat, but, fun fact, i hadn't actually picked out who her love interest would be until after i started spitballing other sixth years' names and had a basic idea of who emmeline was. wild!

i feel like i haven't said all i want to say but let's stop there or i'd go on forever, ha!

#director's cuts #ask me #anon

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valkyrie-selfships · 3 years

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2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 for your uncharted S/I? :)

2. What is your s/i’s name? Is there any particular reason you chose this name/does it mean anything? - her name is georgia! georgia is about as close to my real first name as I'm willing to get on the internet, and the surname means nothing really, just a filler space. 5. Does your s/i have a hobby or occupation related to your f/o’s universe? - it's actually in her little s/i page on my carrd, but it's rock climbing! specifically free climbing. basically, my brain looked at the climbing mechanics in the uncharted games, and realized that was about the closest I'd get, and plus, being able to climb like that sounds super fun! ( see catherine destivelle for inspiration ) 6. Give us a physical description of your s/i! - roughly average height, moderately muscular, as living a life climbing things and running away from bad guys gets you pretty well toned. dark hair, blue-green eyes. has her ears pierced. technically should have glasses to read, but never uses them. 8. What is your s/i’s fashion sense? Any outfits you’d like to show us? (Either a collage, a drawing, or some other way of displaying it!) - she has a very indiana jones/lara croft kind of styke. keep it simple, confortable, and unremarkable. life of an adventurer! 9. How does your s/i meet your f/o? - georgie met sam through her "travel" blog, which has turned into her compiling her research on life's lost treasures, manly the lost treasure of henry avery, and the possibility of libertalia existing. then, she's meeting his brother, and their partner, and then they're planning a trip to panama. 10. Does your s/i have any animal companions? If not, what do you think they’d have? - she doesn't have any pets right now, per se, but if she was to get one, it'd be a dog. something big and energetic, but still cute.

#love was the greatest adventure of all #thanks for the ask !!

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wayhavenots · 3 years

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I forgot to turn my asks on, sorry 🙈 thank you so much @grapecaseschoices !

3. How did they get the promotion to detective and what do they think about it?

Avery: The running theory is that Captain Sung tossed a coin to see which of Avery or Tina should get it. (More likely, Tina's slight advantage in maturity was overshadowed by Avery's admittedly steep advantage in scientific skills.) In either case, she doesn't really want it. Wanting something, working hard for something...that can only lead to disappointment. But she has it now. Might as well do a good job.

Jenny: She's a hard worker and extremely committed to the town and its safety, a natural choice. She doesn't expect the promotion but is thrilled to accept, happy to be following in her father's footsteps.

Bianca: Not very clear why she was picked, outside of Reele retiring. It might be her don't-fuck-with-me attitude that Sung thought might be useful to have in a position of leadership. In any case, she doesn't really want it but isn't going to say no.

Dove: She's a hard worker, ambitious, smart. A good choice for the position, and she wants it.

7. Who is their Love Interest and why?

Avery: Nate! She's very much against encouraging anything romantic with her coworkers---but it's hard when she finds herself so drawn to Nate's genuine kindness and warmth. And especially hard when he says things like "I'll give everything to keep you safe." Oh, man. Who says stuff like that? Plus, they have a lot in common (both being super nerds).

Jenny: Farah! Jenny is very sunshine and rainbows and heart eyes. A lot of Farah's flirting goes over her (six foot tall) head...but she is drawn to her fun and positive energy, a lot like her own.

Bianca: Adam! They are very similar. She will punch away all of her emotions. They're both headstrong and need to be in charge, in control. The difference is that Bianca is still ruled quite a bit by her emotions, particularly anger, whereas Adam keeps a tight lid on his. Bianca doesn't want to be drawn to him, and it takes her a while to realize that it's more than physical attraction simmering between them (well, at least on her end---who knows what Adam is feeling?).

Dove: Morgan! They challenge each other. For a human, Dove is difficult to read, having trained her body not to give too much away; Morgan is the first person to be able to see through her calm, cool, collected veneer. Plus, Dove appreciates and admires Morgan's brashness and ability to say exactly what she wants, when she wants.

14. Do they get along with Tina and Verda?

Avery: Yes! She and Verda are both science geeks, and she and Tina are both pretty light-hearted.

Jenny: Yes, but she gets along with pretty much everybody.

Bianca: ...Not especially, but she doesn’t get along with anybody. She has a quick temper.

Dove: Yes, and especially Verda. She doesn't always get Tina. But she is charming and can get by.

17. What are their hobbies?

Honestly, I never considered this, so this is kind of made up on the spot.

Avery: A huge nerd, though she tries to keep it hidden. She’s very much into sci-fi and fantasy novels and TV shows, as well as DND (though she hasn’t played since college). Anything that lets her escape the real world for a while. (She accidentally lets this DND thing slip to Farah and/or Nate once, resulting in a Unit Bravo one-shot that goes, uh, pretty badly.)

Jenny: Basketball! (She's six feet tall; she kind of had to, in high school, and she liked it.) Maybe guitar, too. Definitely volunteering where she can.

Bianca: Solitary athletic activities. Jogging, biking. (But if Adam wants to jog near her, in silence, at the same time? She wouldn't mind it.)

Dove: Sodoku, logic puzzles, anything to keep her mind sharp. She used to sing, too, and has a lovely voice.

20. What is their personality?

Avery: She’s like a little court jester, performing for the attention of the queen (her mother). Behind that, who knows? Certainly not her. Following her relationship with Bobby, she becomes extremely guarded. Though she is pretty emotional (her heart stat is higher than her mind stat), she doesn’t want to be, which is why she spends so much time learning about science and technology and languages. If she's funny, if she's smart, people will like her.

Jenny: She is sunshine and rainbows and the heart eyes emoji as a person. She will give her time and energy to help anyone with anything. She cares with her whole heart. But she has a self-sacrificing nature and believes her purpose in life is protecting the people around her. (...A lot like N, when I think about it lol.)

Bianca: She is emotionally-driven, and that emotion is anger. She is small, and she is tired, and she will kick your ass if you get in her way. She has no patience. Every emotion she feels aside from anger is converted to anger, and then subsequently converted to punches, physical or verbal.

Dove: Imagine, like, a Disney princess on the outside and morally ambiguous mercenary on the inside. She is charming when she needs to be and will flat-out lie if it makes life easier, and she will not lose sleep over it. Her moral code is just to follow The Rules and to use Logic, Reason. She is very much a mind over matter type of person. Finding out about the supernatural turns quite a bit of that on its head.

#detective asks #avery lin #jenny yang #bianca dimarco #dove shepherd

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dolls-and-cats · 3 years

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I've been wanting to let one of my dolls be an East Asian historical character. For Ilse Müller's story that I'm creating (German immigrants in Texas), I feel like I have enough information to "write" scenes myself. But I don't feel like I know enough about East Asian history to be able to create a story on my own, so I was thinking about books.

One of my all-time top five favorite books is The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery, *and* it's set in the 19th century, which for whatever reason is the time period that is really appealing to me right now. So!!!!! In 1891, protagonist Aurelia/Urako (white, French-American but became an adult in Japan) moves away from her unhealthy relationship with her employer she has served since childhood and moves to New York. Her friend, Nimiko, nicknamed Inko (Japanese, a fellow servant she has a romantic relationship with) makes the huge decision to move to New York with her. They have some money and are about to start their bright future together. After everything Aurelia has slogged through, "the unhappiness of my youth" she gets to experience "the happiness of my middle age."

My Molly doll has been in the 1940s for three decades and is desperate for change, so she will be Aurelia/Urako. (The character is supposed to have black hair and an hourglass figure, but I don't have an infinite number of dolls, so we'll pretend). And I'll ask for the 18" Journey Girls Callie doll (a little slimmer than Aurelia, which fits) for Christmas to be Inko. And omg, there are sewing patterns for kimono that say they are easy rather than intermediate!!! wahooo!!!! aaaand I can make them both American-style 1890s dresses too!!! Plus it is such a positive and life-giving book...I will love digging deeper into this.

The jumping-off place I'd like to take is imagining Aurelia's and Inko's life together in New York. Inko runs a sweet shop. I wonder what it will have that I can make out of clay???

How am I really supposed to do my job this afternoon while I'm focusing on this???

update: I went ahead and ordered the doll who will be Inko (as part of my Christmas gift)! Now I am going to dream about the period clothes I will sew!!!

later: I was eagerly looking to see whether Ellis Avery had written another book when I found out she died last year at age 46 of cancer. I feel connected to her from reading her rich, three-dimensional characters, and I'm floored that she died, not much older than me. As I look forward to imagining her character Aurelia's happy middle age, I wish Ellis Avery could have had more of that herself.

Why is this life so unkind.

I look forward to reading The Family Tooth: A Memoir in Essays and The Tree of Cats. And I recommend The Last Nude.

#serotonin #19th century #the teahouse fire #ellis avery

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