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litgwritersroom · 1 year

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DATES ALL AROUND

Love Island, Actually Chapter Six

read it on AO3 | chapter one | chapter five

Jules makes some new friends and tries to make amends with her former FWB, while Bruno and Delila enjoy their first date. Lottie talks with her bff about men while Thea can’t help but think about a certain guy she just met, and River heads out to do something secretive behind closed doors while Bridget deals with moving into a new place.

JULES: girl chats and text messages

“Thanks,” Jules told the pretty bartender serving them when she finished pouring her wine, turning her attention back to the group of girls sitting next to her a moment later.

“I’m sorry but Suresh? Really? God, I know he’s good-looking but I don’t know how you put up with that for as long as you did,” Blake said, shaking her head. “He’s always such an ass. I don’t think we’ve had a single staff meeting where he hasn’t tried to mansplain something to one of us.”

“We get to get away from him at the end of the day; I don’t know what I’d do if I had to live with him,” Jen said, looking genuinely appalled at the thought.

“You know what, all I have to say is good for you, girl,” Hope said, stretching across the bar to clink her wine glass against Jules’s. “I know this sounds crazy but I always got a terrible vibe from him, which made no sense at all because you’re so lovely. Seriously, how does a guy like that even land a woman like you?”

It had only taken a glass of wine for Jules to spill all the dirty details on her relationship. It wasn’t anything the girls hadn’t put together already considering the entire office knew about Talia’s fiancée leaving and Suresh spending way more time than normal in her office, but they hadn’t really known the extent of it. Besides, there was something fun about gossiping over wine that she wasn’t sure she’d ever experienced.

Not only that, but Jules felt validated in a way. Listening to how other people perceived her ex made the entire situation so much easier to stomach; it made her feel as if she had made the right decision moving forward without Suresh by her side.

“You know how it is. You meet at Uni, you fall in love, you think you’ll be together forever…” Jules’s voice trailed off and she waved her free hand, picking up her wine glass with the other to take a deep drink. “I should have known the separation was a stupid idea. Everyone knows men just suggest that so they can sow some more oats and run back to you when they’re done.”

“And you think he was sleeping with Talia even before he suggested the separation?” Blake asked, arching a dark brow at Jules over the rim of her own glass.

“I mean, who knows? My gut says yes but it’s not something I’m going to ask him,” Jules said, shrugging her shoulders. “We both saw other people while we were separated, but I saw one person, and I swear he saw half the city,” she mumbled, tossing back the rest of her wine.

Allegra was there in a flash with another bottle for them, the neck of it poised over Jules’s glass. “Tell us all about this guy you were hooking up with or I won’t pour you another,” she warned, and Jules rolled her eyes though she was unable to keep the smile off of her face.

Allegra seemed a bit aggy at first but she was actually pretty lovely; she definitely had a sort of sharpness to her but Jules enjoyed that about her. Granted, she wasn’t Jake…

She’d felt silly for hoping the bartender would be working that night; a part of her missed him and it was a startling realization for her to have. She didn’t know how she could miss someone she barely knew. Then again, most strangers didn’t give her incredible pep talks and tell her that they were proud of her. But that was something she’d need to confront another time (preferably not in the bar he worked in but still with just as much wine).

“I was out drinking one night and feeling sorry for myself and he was there. There’s nothing much to tell. It wasn’t so much a relationship as it was a…friends with benefits-type thing, I guess. But ‘friends’ implies we were actually friends. I kind of just…kept things surface-level, I guess. I think some small part of me thought Suresh and I would get back together. And it was just sex between Bruno and I so I didn’t see the problem with it.” Jules gave Allegra a grateful smile as the bartender filled her glass.

Jen tilted her head at her. “Did Bruno know it was just sex?”

“I don’t know,” Jules admitted. “It was never a conversation we had. That was mostly my fault, though. Like I said, I refused to let it become anything besides sex.” She sighed, rubbing her temple. “God, but then he invited me to this comedy show he was performing in and I totally bailed on him. It was the same day Suresh had me served with the divorce papers and I was a fucking mess.”

“Have you guys talked since then?” Hope asked, leaning forward a bit, and Jules shook her head.

“No… God, is it crazy to text him? Just to say hi and I guess apologize for blowing him off?” It wasn’t something she’d really considered before tonight, but something about talking about him aloud made her realize just how shitty she’d been to him.

The other three girls shared a collective look before shaking their heads in unison. “Not crazy at all,” Blake confirmed. “Here, let us help you draft a text,” she said, and the four of them (five if you counted Allegra) set to work crafting the perfect message that one could send to their former fuck-buddy that they’d stood up.

“‘Hey! I’m sorry I missed your show. Hope you’re doing well,’” Hope read aloud before handing the phone back to Jules. “I think it’s perfect. Casual, cool, friendly—exactly the vibe you’re going for.”

Jules hit the little send icon and put the phone to the side. Why was she nervous? She’d been adamant that she and Bruno weren’t even friends, what did it matter if he ignored her message? She’d given him no real reason to want to talk to her…

Her phone buzzed on the counter and she picked it up, tension she hadn’t even realized had been gripping her shoulders melting away as soon as she saw the response waiting for her.

No worries, we’re cool. Hope everything is good with you x

“Aw,” Allegra said from over her shoulder. “That’s cute!”

Jules smiled a bit, shooting off another message to him before she tucked the device back into her purse. “Nice to know I didn’t royally screw things up, then,” she mused, taking another drink from her glass.

“Okay, well, now that we have all of that out of the way, how was the sex with your little friends with benefits?” Blake asked, and Jules nearly spit out her wine at the question. She was almost positive that a little went up her nose.

Once she’d stopped choking, she took a deep breath, fixing her brown eyes on the three girls looking expectantly back at her. When she realized they weren’t going to relent, she sighed. “Okay, okay…it was fantastic, all right? Are you happy?” she asked, and the resounding squeals and giggles from the other girls seemed to confirm that yes, they were very happy with her response. “That’s all I’m saying, okay?”

The girls continued to giggle, pressing Jules for more details that she refused to give. She rolled her eyes, looking away from their little group for a moment, and in doing so she caught sight of a familiar face bouncing from table to table in the restaurant’s main dining room. Jake Wilson was in deep conversation with an older couple, both of them smiling widely at him, the man shaking Jake’s hand before letting him go.

As soon as he did, Jake’s eyes found hers and he smiled, immediately making his way towards the bar. “Well, hello, Jules Taylor,” he said, and she couldn’t help but smile, herself.

“Hello Jake Wilson,” she greeted him, watching as he turned to the other girls and politely introduced himself in that ridiculously charming way. As it turned out, he knew Blake through a mutual friend and the two chit-chatted for a moment while the rest of the group continued their conversation.

And by “continued their conversation,” really it was just Hope leaning over to ask Jules about the hunky restaurant employee. “If you’re looking for a rebound, babes, I’d say Jake is going to be your best bet,” she whispered, and Jules felt herself flush.

Was she looking for a rebound? A week ago, she would have said no. But now…well, now she wasn’t sure she was entirely opposed to it. Maybe it was the wine talking or maybe it was the girl talk, whatever it was, Jules knew she was going to have to move on eventually. She was twenty-three for Christ’s sake, she had her whole life ahead of her.

Jake glanced back at her and she offered him a small smile, the one he gave her in return shining as warm and bright as the damn sun. “It was great talking to you girls but I should get back to work. But I’ll see you around,” he said, his eyes fixed on Jules as he spoke before he was gone, off to chat up more of the guests.

“God, he’s just absolutely gorgeous,” Jen said, watching him walk away. “Jules, if you don’t want him, I’ll gladly take him,” she added, looking back at the brunette.

Jules shook her head. “You girls are insane,” she mumbled, finishing off her glass of wine before waving Allegra over. “Could we get the check, babes? All on one is fine.”

“Jake took care of it,” Allegra said with a shrug before moving down the bar to serve another group that had just sat down, leaving a gaping Jules in her wake.

She turned to look at the group, all of whom looked just as surprised as she was. All except for Blake who merely gave her a shrug of her own, finishing off her own glass. “What can I say? He’s a friend of a friend. Now come on, we should head out. Allegra said they’re closing a little early tonight for whatever reason.”

RIVER: from the dinner table

River quickly adjusted her hair and applied her gloss. The cream-coloured, knitted dress she had picked for the occasion was already starting to bother her, but at least it was doing its job of keeping her warm. She took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping out of her bathroom as she tried to calm herself down.

She was never a fan of first dates and, even if she knew him already and had even slept with him, she couldn't stop worrying about messing something up. In the end, the truth was that she liked Noah, for real. River found him intelligent, way too good-looking for his own good, and so more mature than the rest of the boys she had dated before.

It was almost childish of her to say so, but she really wanted him to like her too. Her whole life she tailored a chilled, oh-so-cool-about-what-the-others-have-to-say personality, and she had learned not to really care about boys but this time it was different. She felt a need to be liked she never had felt before.

"Hey, Sunset," River called for her orange-fur cat before enveloping herself in her black coat. With a 'meow', her cat appeared from one of her room's corners and rubbed its cheeks against River's legs, making her stop what she was doing just to pet it. "It's fine, girl, I'll be out for a little while but I'll be back soon."

Startled by the sound of her phone announcing a notification, Sunset left River and made a beeline to her food bowl as quickly as she had come. Giggling, River stood up again and checked her texts.

Noah: I'm here.

It was simple and direct as every single text of his had been up till now but it was enough to make her heartbeat quicken. She grabbed her stuff — purse and keys — and left her place with a smile from ear to ear, barely thinking of anything else during the whole way from her flat to Noah's car.

He had stopped a little further away — it was fine, she could have a walk — and waited inside it. When she got closer, she heard the door unlocking, his hand reaching the handle from the inside. Even when he didn't need to, Noah was overly sweet and polite.

She hoped not that much, though, because her goal was for him to be taking that damn dress off her as soon as possible.

"Hey," she greeted as soon as she got in, "sorry if I took too long."

Noah had the same soft expression he had but somehow, that night, he had stars in his eyes, almost a constellation. River blushed when her own met them and she giggled softly, a joke on the tip of her tongue but before she could say anything else…

"You look beautiful," he said under his breath but loudly enough for her to believe in her own ears.

The whole car trip to the restaurant was much more pleasant than she had thought. Noah had some way of making it all so natural, she had barely noticed the time pass them by. He asked her about her job and she told him about the children in her class, the pair of twins that would drive her crazy every single day. He laughed at their antics and nodded when she shared her struggles.

Soon enough, they were slowing to a stop. Noah craned his neck, taking a look at the restaurant. Not a single light was on, as expected. It was past ten, after all. "Are you sure it's ok?"

She smiled at him and he seemed to ease at that. "Of course, love, the owner is a friend of mine. Plus, like this is much more fun, don't you think?"

With a shake of his head, Noah chortled before turning off the car and opening his door, stepping out into the cold night but not before making a point of circling the car and opening hers as well. As she stepped out of it and he held her hand, River was sure her cheeks would be hurting by the time the night was over, because she couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"I still can't believe you convinced the owner to let us have it," Noah said as soon as they stepped inside the place. "It feels a little… too much for a date, doesn't it?"

"Only the best for you," she joked, making him chuckle. As she made her way to the light switches, her clicking heels serving as their soundtrack. "Let's just say Jake owes me and leave it at that."

With a last look behind her shoulder, River turned the lights on. The place lit up and so did Noah's eyes as he looked around. She beamed at the sight, admiring the enthusiasm that rarely showed up on his face before walking to him and grabbing him by the hand.

"C'mon," she called, "let's go to the kitchen."

Noah offered himself to cook them dinner as soon as he saw the magnificent kitchen Jake owned. Even though River had promised her friend she wouldn't let anyone else touch his stuff, she figured that what was out of sight, was out of mind as well, so she let Noah cook them some delicious fish while they shared a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

River was sure that if she could, she would spend her life talking to Noah. They talked about her family, how her siblings drove her mad, how her mother was going through some shit at the moment — yet, she decided to keep the cheating part omitted for… obvious reasons — and how, even though it seemed not like it sometimes, she really loved her job.

While they had dinner — a delicious meal, by the way — Noah told her about his younger brothers, about how hard it was being the older sibling, about his Uni years with Bridget, and how he loved the 80s and 90s hits. They even bonded over vinyl, even though he had much more knowledge on the subject than her.

It didn’t take long for the main topic of the conversation to turn into books. That was probably the biggest thing they had in common. Even their book lists were pretty similar, with their favourites being almost the same. When that was the subject, Noah seemed to be extra chatty.

“Ok, but why Dorian Gray?”

He had a tea towel hanging on his shoulders, a grin on his lips that matched the flush on his cheeks, and his sleeves were rolled up, showing his toned arms. They had eaten already, and Noah had insisted on doing the dishes. River was sure she had never seen a man look that handsome in a kitchen before, but again the only other man she had ever seen doing something in the kitchen was Bobby.

Propping her elbow on the counter, River laid her head on her hand and watched him move around the kitchen while he was waiting for an answer. Her coat was long gone missing and she was a little tipsy already. “I don’t know, it’s just really,” she sipped from her glass. “Impactful, I guess… Wanted in my skin and did it. With a female artist.”

“Oh,” Noah raised his eyebrows. “Now that that’s answered…” she giggled, “do you have any others? Except for the stardust one, of course.”

“Well,” she stood up again, walking straight to him. Noah smiled bashfully, drying his hands on his tea towel before turning to her, hips against the sink. River rested her hand over his chest as soon as she got close enough, standing on her tiptoes. “Don’t you wanna find out for yourself?”

His low chuckle didn’t take long to become a smirk and that smirk didn’t take long to be pressing itself against her grin. He had a hand holding her back as she leaned into it, and he kissed her like she was air and he had been breathless. River held his face and brought him closer, fingertips exploring his hair.

Soon enough she was sitting on the counter and her dress was rolled enough for her to say she had reached the goal for the night.

Jake would have to forgive her.

THEA: speaking of hot men

The whole day had been hijacked by meetings and more meetings, and when Thea finally had a chance to relax, her team texted her saying Priya had finally touched down, which meant they would be going out for drinks to welcome her aboard. You would think that a work trip to Spain would have much more fun things to do than drinking at the hotel's bar.

"So, how's everything going over there?" Lottie asked with too much interest. "Is that the dress I packed for you?"

Thea had her phone resting against the bathroom mirror as she brushed her hair and tried to turn that mess into an elegant ponytail. Her dress was made to replicate naked shoulders, with the sheer black fabric that made up the sleeves over the strapless cut. Now that she knew her counterpart in the music video was an international hottie, she was thankful Lottie had packed her a couple more dresses than she originally had planned.

Not that she was thinking about coincidentally bumping into him at the hotel's bar, not at all, that never even crossed her mind and was definitely not the reason why she had chosen the shortest of dresses.

"This?" Thea made a point of looking down, trying to pass it as if she didn't even notice what she was wearing. Because of course, she didn't. "Was the first thing I found in my bag."

Half-true. It was the first dress she found in her bag after… rejecting three others! But to be honest, it was the first decent one.

"So what's the meaning behind the pile of clothes in your bed I can see from here?"

With a quick movement, Thea moved her phone around and closed the bathroom door with her feet, a smile on her face. "Which pile? I can't see any…"

Lottie rolled her eyes in return. "Stop that!" She demanded, but Thea never obeyed her best friend's demands. "Tell me, what's going on, why are you so… glammed up."

"I'm not!" Thea insisted as she applied some of her not-at-all-glamourous highlighter. "We are just getting out to have some drinks, you know, me and my team."

"Yeah, sure…" Lottie huffed, a little disappointed that wasn't the time she cracked Thea.

“Never mind me, what’s going on with you?” Thea asked, knowing if she could get her talking about her own life she might be able to dodge any more questions until they would hang up. "Ever heard back from Rocco?”

“Ugh, that snake?” Lottie said, her tone becoming unmistakably acidic just as her whole attitude changed instantly to match the scowl on her face. “He could drop off the face of the fucking earth for all I care. Although I heard he’s apparently fucking his way through America or something.”

“What?” Thea actually paused on doing her makeup, blinking up in confusion at the screen. “Hold on, back up a little. I’m gonna need more context here ‘cause last time we spoke you were still all upset he hadn’t called you back.”

“I wasn’t upset!” Lottie’s indignant gasp was nothing short of theatrical.

“Yes, you were.” Thea replied in an almost bored tone, somehow conveying the action of rolling eyes even as she actually had them fixed on the mirror as she applied some eyeshadow. Nothing too much, of course, just something flattering and that would make her eyes pop a little. “You were upset and pining and going all, ‘why does this always happen to meeee?’ Don’t make me pull my receipts, Charlotte.”

“Fuck you with your ‘Charlotte’, Dorothea!”

Thea gasped in response as if she’d been slapped but it wasn’t long before the two of them collapsed into giggles, somehow still managing to connect so well via video phone call. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they’d been friends since grade school.

“Okay seriously now, what happened?”

“I found out that fucking idiot was cheating on me, can you believe that?” Lottie explained with a huff. “Apparently he was also going out with some waitress.”

“Not one of the girls from The Sterling?” Thea asked with concern, glancing back at her phone. Imagine how awkward if Rocco had been running around with one of the girls from the pub and Lottie would put the place on her black list of places they could never ever go back to.

“No, of course not, the girls you worked with know about girl code.” Lottie said, before crossing her arms. “Not like those bitches at the restaurant I used to work.”

“Yeah, yeah, never mind them.” She replied, applying her eyeliner and trying to move quickly along before Lottie got into one of her girl code rants. “Who was Rocco going ‘round with then?”

“Some Irish girl who works at a bakery or something.” Her friend said, apparently not too worried about finding out more about the girl’s identity. “Then I heard through the grapevine that the fuckwit had some laughable idea that his Irish charm was being wasted over here and that he needed to go to America as once the girls over there heard his accent they’d be throwing their panties at him or some bullshit like that.”

“Whoa.” Thea found that was all she could really say as she took all of that in. Somehow it was a very Rocco thing to do (and a part of her could see he may have a point, but she’d never say that out loud to Lottie). “I’m sorry, babes.”

“Hope someone over there teaches him a lesson. Fucking dipshit.”

“Y’know we really need to study the way you always seem to pick out the worst men possible,” Thea said teasingly as she reached for her mascara, subtly trying to change the subject a little and maybe uplift her mood. “It’s like a gift.”

“More like a curse. I swear, no more men at least until I can consult one of my sisters and have a cleansing ritual.”

“Hopefully the next guy you get a crush on is a better one.” Thea said with as much optimism as she could, but a part of her knew Lottie really had a thing for bad boys.

“Ugh I shouldn’t even say this, but I kind of do have a crush on someone, but…” She trailed off for a beat, biting on her lower lip before continuing. “He’s from work.”

“So? Aren’t you there as a temp anyway?” Thea pointed out with a shrug, as her friend had only started working at this company a couple of months ago after she’d decided she was done with bartending while she figured out what she would do next. “It’s not like you’re gonna make a career working as someone’s secretary.”

“Yeah, I know it’s a short contract. But the problem isn’t exactly that I work with him. It’s more like… he’s married.” Lottie mumbled the last part, as if by saying it as quietly as possible it would not be as impactful as it actually was.

“Lottie!” Thea exclaimed, her voice conveying her shock, dismay and disapproval all at once. She couldn’t believe her friend would even entertain having a crush on someone taken, as Lottie had always been so big on loyalty and especially after what Thea had just been through with Talia.

“What? It’s not like I’m gonna do anything!” She was quick to say in an appeasing tone before shrugging a little, as if it were no big deal. “I just think he’s hot, that’s all.”

“You and your hot men.” Thea rolled her eyes even as she applied her lip gloss.

“Yeah? How about you, any hot men over there?” Lottie asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow, trying to steer them back to her side of things.

“Oh my, will you look at the time! I’m gonna be late.”

“Hey! Don’t you dare─”

“Sorry, really gotta go! Love you, bye!” She grinned and winked at her friend before closing the call and heading out of the bathroom. Thea knew Lottie wouldn’t be too annoyed at what she’d done, and besides she really was just short of running late to meet her team.

A few minutes later, she was at the hotel bar clicking glasses with Priya, Tim and Valentina and sharing appetisers as they enjoyed the little bit of downtime they had now before they could go full steam ahead with the work they’d need to do starting the next day.

She had to admit that even though she’d initially been exhausted at the thought of going for drinks after the long day of meetings, now that she was here with them it was actually quite nice. It was funny at least to hear about Tim’s past experiences in Barcelona or his attempts at rapping or Valentina gamely laughing at his attempts to charm her or telling her own funny stories from other jobs.

“So,” Priya said with a smile as she turned to Thea. “How was it meeting the star of this whole production? Did you and Nicky get along?”

“Well as much as we could, seeing as we don’t speak each other’s languages,” she laughed a little in response. “His translator was a great help and yeah, he seemed very nice.”

“Only nice?” Priya asked, one eyebrow flickering up teasingly. “I know it’s completely unprofessional of me to say this, but since we’re off the clock I’ll admit that I’d love to eat him up with a spoon.”

“Oh totally,” Valentina chirped in from the other side of their table. “If the off the clock thing goes for me too, then oh my god! I knew he was hot, but up close? I was not prepared for that!” She fanned herself with one hand and feigned swooning in her seat.

“Even I have to admit the lad is fit as fuck,” Tim said with a shit-eating grin.

Everyone laughed a little at that, and even though she was also smiling Thea could feel a hint of an unpleasant feeling coiling in her stomach. It couldn’t be jealousy, she’d barely met the man and they were literally nothing to each other. Okay, maybe not nothing, but they were professional colleagues for the next few weeks. Totally professional and platonic. Besides, who was she trying to kid? He was insanely hot and it would be ridiculous to deny it or expect other people to not think the same. The man was an international superstar, for chrissake!

And speaking of him… Thea had taken this specific seat because she was facing the entrance of the bar which was right next to the hotel’s main exit to the street. She saw his profile as he crossed the lobby and damn if that wasn’t her heart speeding up just at the mere sight of him.

Nicky was heading out with his own team. They saw Thea and her group at the bar and they all waved politely at each other, but Nicky, AJ and his manager continued on their way out the door.

Her heart sank a little that they weren’t headed towards the hotel bar, but they probably had dinner plans with the execs from the production company and the record label. She knew she was being silly, she’d see him very soon, after all. But as she glanced back at the exit she’d swear Nicky seemed to hesitate for a moment before heading outside and that he’d looked as disappointed as she felt.

That thought put a smile on her face that stayed with her until she got into bed that night.

DELILAH: get to know yah

Dressed in something simple and nice for her date, Delilah headed out the car park for the short trot across the road to The Little Tandoori. She shot a text off to Bridget as another text from Bruno showed up.

Bruno: Just here x

Without replying, she set her sights on scanning the street and spotted him immediately. He had on a nice, grey peacoat and was looking down at his phone.

“Bruno!” Delilah called out, her heels clacking onto the pavement as she hopped over a puddle, hoping it wouldn’t splash onto the ends of her trousers. She waved for some extra oof, the rolled-up sleeve of her blazer falling an inch down her arm as she did so.

Bruno looked up and cracked a smile the moment he saw her. “Hey,” he said, arm outstretched towards her in preparation for a half-hug, “fancy seeing you here.”

“I know, right? You better not be on a date with someone.”

He made a show of a grimace as they pulled from their embrace. “Er, yeah, sorry, I am! She’s really pretty and she’s gonna be here any second now, I’m sure.”

“Well, if she doesn’t turn up then you need to let me buy you a drink.”

“You know what, why wait?” His brows rose into his hairline as a delighted smile spread across his face and he held his arm out to her. “Come, M’lady, I could never leave you out here in here in the cold,” he added in a silly macho voice as he led her towards the restaurant door. “Speaking of, are you not freezing?”

She pointed back to the car park. “My car’s just there. Not a long walk. Where are you parked?”

Again, his brows rose, but this time there was only surprise. “Oh, I don’t drive. London, and all –”

“Ah, gotcha.”

Bruno opened the door for her before the host inside got it for them. “Oop, thanks,” Bruno said, his arm sliding around Delilah’s shoulders. He felt so warm; it radiated through his coat and drew her closer to him. “I phoned up earlier for a table of two at seven.”

“Lovely, sir, and what was the reservation under?” The host asked back, the reservation book open before him.

“Kaminski.”

The host nodded. “Right this way.”

Delilah huddled in closer. “Ooh, it’s so cosy in here,” she said. “I love it.”

“Yeah,” Bruno smiled. “I wasn’t too sure how fancy to go for the first date, to be honest.”

“Well, this is perfect. Not too fancy at all,” Delilah smiled. She caught his expression freezing up a little before the host announced they were at their table.

It was a small circular seat in the middle of the restaurant, completely open all around. Not ideal seating, but the place was nice. Delilah couldn’t help thinking about how Lucas would have requested a quiet spot in one of the back booths, away from as many prying eyes as they could be. Delilah wasn’t sure if she liked that better or if she was just used to it.

The host pulled Delilah’s chair out for her before handing them each a leather-bound menu. “Here’s the wine list,” he said, handing a menu just as big as the first to Bruno.

Bruno nodded. “Thanks, mate.” Once he was gone, he gave it straight to Delilah. “Do you have a favourite?”

“I do, actually, but I’m not sure what I’m ordering yet.” She placed it down on the white tablecloth. “I don’t really have Indian food a lot.”

“Ooh, I love an Indian. It’s my go-to takeaway.”

“Oh really? I’m a Chinese food girl myself.”

“We’re going to have to find a way to make this work somehow.”

“We can alternate who gets to pick the takeaway each time. It’s only fair.”

“I’m glad we could clear this up now, so we’re not five years down the line and crying over spring rolls and poppadoms.”

Delilah snorted. “While we’re on the subject, if I’m serious with someone and they get a takeaway without offering me, I will get deeply hurt over it.”

Bruno cracked a smile. “Valid, noted. My own little thing is if I do offer and the other person says no, they then can’t decide they want some of my food when I come in the door with it.”

“We can avoid that because if I ever say no, just get me something anyway. I know already I’d regret turning that offer down.”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” Bruno held his hand out for her to shake. “Pleasure doing business with you, Delilah.”

“Likewise,” she grinned. “So, go on, tell me what you usually go for in someplace like this. I’m going to defer to your expertise.”

“First off, how are you with spicy food?”

“I love spicy food, but in a white person way.”

Bruno nodded respectfully. “All right, I can work with that. This stuff is good for sharing between two if you’re up for that.”

It wasn’t something she was used to, but she actually really liked the idea of sharing their food. Especially on the first date. It was an intimacy she was all for seizing.

In the end, they ordered more than they would eat there and agreed to split the leftovers. Delilah ordered a few things she knew, but mostly let Bruno take charge, wanting to see how he would do. He made sure not to just order everything he liked and hoped she’d like it too, but he made more enquiries as to her taste and made sure to get things he thought she’d go for. So far, Bruno was doing excellent.

The wine Delilah picked out came first. She’d gone for a red because Bruno liked it best and she didn’t want him not to enjoy it. It was great to sit down with him and share food and personal facts. He had two sisters who he clearly adored, and was a big football fan – Liverpool FC, of course – the only subject they touched on that he appeared unhappy with was his job.

“So, what’s the plan with that?” Delilah asked, circling her wine in hand. “Is comedy something you’re just getting started in or are you really pushing for it at the moment?”

He paused for a minute, the longest silence had passed between them all evening. “Well - I’ve been looking into it a lot, and while I can’t quit the job at the firm yet, that is the aim. That one day I’ll be doing well enough that I don’t need it. Sooo, yeah. Just trying to get my foot in the door, really.”

“But you’re already performing?” Delilah said, trying to sound encouraging.

He nodded. “Here and there. Things are picking up a bit now that it’s getting colder. Going to comedy nights isn’t the hottest thing to do in summer for some reason.”

“That’s good, I’m glad it’s going well for you. I love seeing people getting the chance to do what they love.”

“Is that what you love to do? Being a music manager?”

She shrugged a little. “I enjoy it. I’ve found something that I can thrive at and I love that it continues to challenge me.”

There was another small pause before Bruno asked, “Does it keep you busy?” Despite him trying to play it off as a casual follow-up, Delilah suspected what he was really asking was how much time she would have for him.

“It does,” she answered honestly. “It’s not a 9-to-5, that’s for sure, but that’s part of why I love it. It doesn’t offer a stable routine, but I’m not fussed about that so long as I can still live.”

He nodded. “How many clients do you manage?”

“Well, I used to have a few smaller acts signed on to me, but I’ve been trying to focus on having less and doing more with those I’m working with. My biggest client at the minute is vying for the Christmas number one, so it’s pretty hands-on right now, I won’t lie.”

“All hands on deck,” Bruno said, half a smile on his face, obviously impressed. “That’s insanely cool. Christmas number one. Hey, it’s not FourWay you manage, is it? My mum and sisters are obsessed.”

Delilah screwed her face up and shook her head, lips pursed. “Nah, FourWay is the enemy right now. That blond one – Eddie – is actually the brother of a friend of mine.”

“Awkward,” he laughed. “I think Eddie is my youngest sister's favourite. I’m blaming it on the blond hair, though. I vow, out of solidarity with you, that if a FourWay song comes on ever, ever then I’ll skip it.”

“You mean you wouldn’t have skipped it before?”

“Not a chance, I’m the world’s biggest fan, but I’m willing to give them up just for you.”

“Modern day knight in shining armour.”

He winked. “You know it.”

The silence fell over them like a blanket; soft and warm, keeping the moment cosy. Being with him was easy. It felt good to be laughing with someone new. As they sat opposite one another with the rosy glow of the candlelight flickering between them, Delilah felt the very epitome of comfortable.

Delilah was stuck in never wanting things to end, but wanting all the moments to come to happen now. Should she linger on now, drawing things out, or move on in anticipation of what’s to come?

After finishing her glass, she asked, “When do you have to be at the club? Should we settle up?”

His heavy eyes had been watching her right back and she had seen all the thoughts dancing through his mind. She couldn’t wait to learn all the little ticks he had, to know him so well that she’d know what he was thinking without even seeing his face. Bruno Kaminski was very quickly becoming one of her favourite people.

“Yeah, we probably should if we want to grab a drink before the set begins,” he said. “I’ll, uh, find our waiter and pay.”

“Do you want to split?”

“Nah, it’s all good. You can pay me back in Chinese food.”

“Consider yourself swindled, I’m taking you to a buffet.”

He grinned. “As long as there’s a second date, you can take me wherever.”

As Bruno flagged down their waiter, Delilah nipped to the bathroom to freshen up. One mint and a redo of her lippy later and she found him waiting by the front door.

“Got everything?” He asked, reaching his arm around her.

They headed out the restaurant, Delilah saying, “All sorted. So, how are we getting to the club?”

Bruno stared blankly at the building opposite once they were out on the street, the thoughts taking their time to form. He sounded mildly embarrassed as he said, “I was just gonna grab the bus, but I can get us a taxi or an uber or something.”

“Taxi sounds good. I’d offer to drive, but I’m a bit over the limit.”

“Yeah, no worries, I’ll order one now. Do you want my coat while we wait?”

“You’re only wearing a shirt under that.”

“I’ll survive,” he said, already taking his coat off. “You’re already shivering.”

“I probably have a coat in my car. I can go grab it while you call.”

“All right, but take mine while you head over.”

“God, you’re persistent.”

“If you start sneezing during my set I’ll have no choice but to call on you from the audience and you already said you didn’t want that.”

She grinned. “All right, have it your way.”

As Delilah slipped away to her car in his warm coat, she sent off a message to Bridget who had already messaged for an update. She sent five emojis of the smiling face with the hearts floating around it back.

BRIDGET: cheers to the new place

Overall, Bridget liked to consider herself a very reasonable individual. She was the type of person who’d usually wake up with a sunny disposition and she went about her days being her goofy, good-humoured self. She figured life already had a way of bringing you down to your knees when you least expect it, so anything she could do to make it easier for herself and others around her was a good thing. She’d rather people think of her as a happy-go-lucky girl or even a shameless flirt than a grumpy, down-in-the-dumps sourpuss. After all, who wouldn’t like putting smiles on other people’s faces?

Right now, Gary really was testing what she had so far thought was a quite limitless well of patience.

It was the Saturday after their wedding and they’d just got back from their honeymoon in Gstaad the previous day. But what should’ve been their first weekend to decompress and settle into their newly married life was taken over by getting most of their things out of storage and moving into their new place.

It would come as no surprise that Bridget hated moving. Granted, she’d never met anyone who would be crazy enough to claim they loved moving day, what with getting all the boxes, cleaning the new place then unpacking everything and moving furniture around. It was always an exhausting day, and not only that but in her case in particular it always brought back somewhat unpleasant memories.

When she was little, her parents moved houses almost yearly. Money had been tight when they first got married and they always leased places for the minimum amount of time rent contracts would allow because they were constantly on the lookout for something more affordable. She knew her parents had tried to shield her from their money worries as much as they could, but she was a smart kid and she’d picked up on their anxieties anyway. She did what she could to help, making jokes to make them laugh and she never complained, but she hated how they’d move to a new neighbourhood every two years or so and she was forced to go to a new school and make new friends.

Which was probably why she’d always been so forward and eager and maybe even a bit desperate to be friends with everyone she met.

Anyway, her family’s home life only became a bit more stable around the time she was about to start sixth form, when some great uncle of her father’s who had lived up in Scotland had suddenly passed away and left him a considerable inheritance. Apparently he’d been the only family member who hadn’t been against their marriage and that still kept in contact throughout the years. In his will, Uncle Iain had said her father had been his favourite great-nephew and the only one in the family that he’d felt was decent enough to inherit his estate. Which certainly didn’t help ease any tensions with other family members, who’d been counting on receiving at least a share of the money.

By then, however, her father couldn’t have cared less about the so-called relatives of his very traditionally white British family who’d shunned him away only because he had chosen to marry an Asian woman. The inheritance helped them buy The Sterling and build quite a nice life for the only family he’d cared about anymore, which consisted of only Bridget and her mother.

Still, Bridget tried to see this moving day with other eyes. She wasn’t moving out due to something bad, she was starting a new life with Gary and it was supposed to be a joyous occasion, just like their wedding day. But a part of her still couldn’t let go of that thought that when Gary had initially proposed to her she’d thought she would just be moving into his loft, not moving into what she considered a freaking huge townhouse.

Juliet had insisted on it, of course. She’d argued that since they were getting married they should ‘do it the right way’, which meant they wouldn’t be living together until after the wedding ─ even though they already spent most nights at each other’s places anyway. Her mother-in-law had also pointed out they should get a bigger place than Gary’s bachelor pad, as someday (“hopefully soon!” Juliet would hint with glee) they’d have children and they’d need a proper house to raise them in.

It all made perfect sense and Bridget knew to pick her battles: she got to organise the wedding exactly as she wanted, going against pretty much everything Juliet had suggested (read: wanted), and she’d let Gary and his mum take care of the details for their new home. But of course, a new place meant renovations which always got delayed and even though Gary hired the best people he knew and even his own crew from his company, the townhouse only got ready to move in right as they’d come back from their honeymoon.

Once again, Bridget thought Chelsea Edwards was something of her personal lifesaver, as she was building her business as a party planner and as a decorator. She’d taken care of overseeing colour schemes for the walls and the installation of any built-in furniture while the happy couple had been away for their honeymoon and the bubbly blonde had even spent most of moving day with them, directing movers into rooms, angling furniture here and there and hanging decorations in all the right places.

Around lunchtime, Bobby came by to feed them with an order he’d picked up from Sweet Cheeks and lend them a hand in the afternoon. By the end of the day, they’d made tremendous progress into getting the new place at least partially liveable. The kitchen would be fully functional right away and the master bedroom and adjoining bathroom were also good to go. They’d still need to put away most of their clothes and personal effects, but they should be able to spend the night in their own bed. The other rooms weren’t as urgent and they could get them settled in the upcoming days.

All things considered, Bridget thought it was as great an outcome as she could expect. Or she would’ve, except for the fact that Gary’s mood had steadily and quite obviously taken a turn for the worse for the past few hours.

She got it. They were jet-lagged from the trip, they’d spent the previous night at a hotel since they’d given up their old places before the wedding, and no one liked moving day. It sucked. It was a whole day of moving things around, opening boxes, cleaning surfaces and cupboards and arguing about inane stuff like where to keep the fucking spoons (cutlery should obviously go in the top drawer of the kitchen island; why the hell would they keep them in the drawer next to the fridge?). But she was doing her best to keep good vibes and a light mood going, and her new husband snapping away over literally nothing was causing her to become bad-tempered as well.

“Oh that’s just great,” Gary muttered under his breath as he took a few steps in the area between the kitchen and the dining room.

“What?” Bridget asked, her tone perhaps a little sharper than usual and she felt herself rolling her eyes, wondering what it was that he was complaining about now.

He grumbled something under his breath in a distracted manner, holding his phone in his hand. “I need to go into the office,” he said, already seeming to brace himself for an argument. “There’s a major issue that’s come up for the bidding for one of the biggest construction contracts we could get for next year.”

“Really?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “You need to go look at it now, on a Saturday night?”

Gary turned to her with a scowl. “The bid defence is first thing on Monday morning. I want to get this solved ASAP, ‘cause I don’t wanna spend the whole day tomorrow at the office, seeing as our home office isn’t set up yet.”

She opened her mouth to interject, but then she just closed her lips and took a deep breath in. A part of her really wanted to pick that fight and make him feel like shit for leaving her in their new home on their first night there. But she knew it wasn’t fair, it wasn’t his fault. He’d delegated what he could while they’d been away, but this looked like something he needed to see for himself.

“You’re right,” she forced herself to say in a softer tone. “The sooner you get it done, the better.”

His sour expression cleared a little and he gave something of a grateful nod back at her. Gary quickly grabbed his coat and keys, pocketed his phone and gave her a quick kiss, muttering, “I’ll be back as soon as I can, darling.”

Bridget looked down the hall, watching quietly as he went out the front door. She just stood there for a few moments, her arms crossed as she shifted her weight from one leg to the other before she let out a sigh and turned to go back to what she was doing before. Then she saw Bobby casually leaning against the kitchen island and nearly jumped a foot in the air.

“Jesus Christ, Bobby!” She exclaimed, pressing one hand over her heart but then she laughed at herself and blushed a little.

“Okay, not the usual reaction I get when people see me in their kitchen,” he quipped with a smile. “Although I have heard word that my chocolate éclairs are divine.”

“Sorry, I thought you’d left earlier with Chelsea?” She replied in a questioning tone, shaking her head a little, as Chelsea had left only a short while ago since she’d had dinner plans.

“Nah, I just walked her to her car.” He clarified with a shrug. “Figured you could still use some help around here to get the Attwood & Rennell household into order.”

She couldn’t help but grin back as he referenced her own words when she opened the door for him earlier that day ─ ‘Welcome to the Attwood & Rennell household!’.

“That’s sweet, but you don’t have to stay. I’m sure you have dinner plans or something,” she said. “Besides, I’m knackered now. Might as well just call it a day and get back to it tomorrow.”

“Yeah, you should take a break. You’ve been at it nearly nonstop,” Bobby commented, concern flashing across his face for a brief moment before he gave her one of his charming and easygoing smiles. “And seeing as no, I don’t have any dinner plans, I thought I could fix us something to eat.”

“I’m serious, don’t feel like you have to stay around just to keep me company, Bobby.” She also gave him a smile, as she could see what he was doing. “And I’m sure whatever you cook up would be amazing, but I don’t think we actually have anything in the pantry or fridge. I had no time to do any shopping yet.”

“That’s okay, I brought a few things over when I brought lunch and Chels also ordered a quick delivery of a few essentials for breakfast while you were upstairs working on the bedroom,” he said, surprising her a little.

She had a moment where she was almost overcome with a wave of affection for all these wonderful people who surrounded her now. She had no way of knowing this back then, of course, but it had been such a momentous event when Gary had walked into The Sterling, as he not only would become such an important, central figure in her life but he’d also brought along so many others that she never would’ve met otherwise. These fairly amazing people were her friends and had become her new family.

Bobby seemed to misinterpret the emotion flashing across her face, as he furrowed his brow. “But I can go if you’d rather be alo─”

“No,” Bridget interjected, perhaps a little too quickly as she saw him raise his eyebrows a little in surprise. “I mean, please stay for as long as you want. After all, I’m sure Gary said, ‘our casa es su casa’.” They exchanged a grin at that before she continued. “I just didn’t want to take even more advantage of you, seeing as you already spent your Saturday afternoon helping us so much.”

“Please, what else would I be doing on a Saturday afternoon?” He said with a jokey dismissive hand wave.

“Probably getting into mischief with River,” she volleyed back with a teasing smile.

“That’s actually very likely.” Bobby chuckled at that.

“It’s been a while that I haven’t seen you around without her, it almost feels weird,” Bridget commented with a chuckle of her own. “I thought Gary said she’d be here, but I can’t blame her for wanting to get out of helping on moving day.”

“Oh no, she was gonna come too but then she needed to go to her mum’s last minute and help her out. Something to do with Chelsea’s birthday party maybe? I dunno, I can’t remember the details,” he said, shaking his head a little then finishing with a casual shrug.

Bridget almost raised an eyebrow at that, because she was pretty sure Chelsea had said her mum had gone to Southampton to visit a friend and would only be back tomorrow, some throwaway comment when they’d been discussing the weather and how apparently it was much nicer over there. But maybe River needed to stay at her mum’s exactly because she wouldn’t be there?

She almost shook her head to get away from those thoughts and focus back on Bobby, as he said, “anyway, I’d say we did a pretty good job today and we deserve a reward.”

“I agree and nice try on convincing me to let you cook something, but we actually still have plenty of leftovers from lunch that should be more than enough for the two of us.”

“Okay, fiiiine. Can I at least make us cocktails or are you gonna go all ‘I’m the bartender of this house’ on me?”

“Nope, I’m so exhausted that I’ll gladly let you have your way around the bar.”

He fake cheered as if he’d won a tough battle and Bridget laughed as she found the leftovers on the fridge, taking the food out of the containers and arranging it in a casserole dish so she could put it in the brand new electric oven that sat on a custom-built niche in the kitchen cabinet ─ Bobby insisted it wouldn’t take long and it made a lot of difference from just microwaving it. She wasn’t so hungry that she couldn’t wait and she trusted his judgement for this kind of thing anyway.

She got rid of the containers and retrieved a couple of plates, and she was surprised to find that Bobby was already done fixing them cocktails when she turned back to him.

“Sit,” he said, pointing at one of the stools that stood at the marble tabletop portion of the kitchen island. “Drink,” he added, placing a cocktail in front of her when she walked over. “Smile.” He finished as he gave her one of his very own bright smiles.

She couldn’t help but smile back even as her brow furrowed a little as she sat down on the stool. “What’s this?” Bridget asked as she inspected the cocktail glass.

“St-Germain Spritz,” he answered as he sat next to her with his own cocktail and they clicked their glasses with Bobby making a quick toast to her new home, which made her smile again. “I saw you had elderflower liqueur and I brought you this nice sauvignon blanc so I thought it’d be a good shout.”

“Mmmm.” It was all she could say in agreement after she took a sip. “Oh yeah, definitely a good shout. I love cocktails with elderflower wine, I always keep at least one bottle at home and one at the pub.”

“You’re such a bartender cliché.” There was a teasing gleam in his eyes.

“As if you weren’t your own cliché just a couple of minutes ago, insisting on cooking me something,” she teased him right back.

“Excuse me, I’m a pastry chef, so the cliché would’ve been if I’d insisted on making us chocolate croissants from scratch to have for dessert.”

“Oh damn you, Bobby! Now forget about dinner, I just want chocolate croissants.”

“Funny you should mention that,” he said with a grin as he stood up and walked across the room before bringing a cardboard box with his bakery logo on it, flicking it open for her to see. “I made a batch this morning.”

She found herself grinning right back at him. “You’re literally the best.”

#litg #litg writers room #writers room #love island the game #lia #love island actually #litg jake #litg bruno #litg suresh #litg bobby #litg noah #litg gary #litg nicky #litg ff #litg fanfic

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oceanmusings · 2 years

Text

Arwen -♡- Spencer | ABC Fluff

(gif made by khat)

A - Admiration (what do they admire about each other?)

Arwen just melts whenever she can witness how deep Spencer cares about things. From his random rambles about the care he goes into learning, or just about people in general. And how he is ashamedly himself. It makes her sad to witness it change the more he goes through things, but she reminds him daily how proud she is of him.

Spencer loves seeing how strong Arwen is for everything she goes through, getting to watch how she can get back up. He feels honored when she allows him to be there too when she breaks down, getting to see all these sides of her.

B - Body (favorite body part?)

Arwen - his hands and chest

Spencer - her shoulders and chest

C - Cuddling (how do they like to cuddle?)

Very much needed, especially after bad cases. Spencer having a bad day or a case is getting to him? Arwen will hold him close to her and let him listen to her heartbeat. Or they would spoon with Arwen being the big spoon. Help him feel secure and safe.

when Arwen needs it Spencer is more than happy to hold her for however long she needs. And neither are allowed to leave the bed without some prime cuddling time.

D - Dates (ideal date?)

With their job it’s a little hard to find time to go on dates, most of it is after getting back home like going out for dinner, catching a movie, or even just finding somewhere quiet like the library or park. Occasionally it's ordering pizza while on a case and eating at the hotel.

E - Emotions (how do they express emotion?)

Spencer and Arwen are the king and queen of keeping shit in. Especially with negative emotions. It’s not until it becomes too much for either that they'll blow up with everything they are holding in. Both have had the talk of needing to tell each other stuff or when emotions are troubling either of them, but it hasn't stuck yet.

F - Family (do they want one? If they do, when? And what does this family look like?)

At some point, yes they have a family.

Arwen said for the longest time: "If Spencer can assure me I can't have twins, then we can have a baby genius." And Spencer never could, especially since Arwen does have twins run in her family so that increases their chance.

Fortunately when Arwen and Spencer do begin to start their family, they have only singleton pregnancies. And Arwen makes really sure that there is only one heartbeat so there isn't any surprises. They do decide to have at least 2 so their oldest wouldn't need to be alone.

They have 2 daughters before adding a "surprise" son to the mix.

- Clementine "Clem" Reid-Valentine

- Theodora "Thea" Reid-Valentine

- Leonardo "Leo" Reid-Valentine

G - Gifts (how do they feel about gift giving?)

They cherish anything either give to each other. Arwen's favorite part of giving Spencer anything is finding where he will put it, she thinks she's bad at gift giving because of how much thought Spencer puts into his own whenever he gives to her. Makes Arwen nervous to give him anything when she does, but he seems to like anything she can give him.

H - Holding Hands (when/how do they like to hold hands?)

Love holding hands, when on cases or at work they won't just to keep being professional. But when they can Spencer always grabs for her hands and interlock their fingers, and Arwen loves to play with Spencer's fingers and just trace them over them.

I - Injury (how would they act if either of them got hurt?)

Spencer is a mess if Arwen is hurt. He can't sit still and can't help but think of every possibility there is. Someone may need to help him come back to earth so he doesn't spiral too far.

For Arwen, she is a complete mess too. She starts preparing for the worse case scenario there is. Sometimes if the team are there they'll need to help her sit still and slow down her panic.

J - Jokes (do they like to joke around or play pranks? How does that play out?)

If Spencer is pushed to he will. Which Arwen will, not enough he'll be terribly mad but occasionally she will do harmless ones. She expects him to return the favor in some way. But it's not something they do a lot. Derek does it enough for her.

K - Kisses (how do they like to kiss?)

Almost kiss each other like it's the last time they can. Arwen always makes sure Spencer gets one at least once a day, if she isn't able she makes sure to give him two the next day, which doesn't happen often for how much either like to kiss each other.

They might have been late to briefing cause of it.

L - Love (how do they show/express their love?)

Both leave little things at their desk or bedside table. Arwen will sometimes leave little treats for him with a sticky note of some joke she looked for online, refilled his coffee or also left a water bottle for him.

Spencer lets her borrow his books, loving to listen to her talk about it with him, leave notes in her own romance books for her to find when they go on cases or on her desk when he goes in early in the morning.

M - Memory (favorite memory together?)

Arwen’s is when he first kissed her. He was so nervous and she couldn't figure out what was happening until he kissed her. His face was so red after he pulled away, her heart and stomach couldn't settle down, she kissed him again and it became more eager and not as nervous and shy anymore.

Spencer’s is when he was starting to ramble and when he realized he was doing it, he started to apologize and stop, but Arwen stopped him and made him continue. Genuinely looking interested instead of trying to be nice or anything.

N - Nicknames (what nicknames do they call each other?)

Arwen - Baby, Darling, Honey, Genius Man

Spencer - Baby, Honey, Sweetheart, My Love

O - Obvious (what’s it like when they fall in love? How is it for everyone else?)

Arwen became like a school girl with a crush when she realized how much she liked him, especially when someone caught on what was going on. Crashing into things, losing track what she was saying, and refusing to be alone with him for long. She denied it for a long time cause she broke her rule of not falling for her co-worker, but it was extremely obvious to everyone and they had to encourage her to say yes to Spencer when he did get the courage to ask her out.

P - PDA (How do they feel about pda? Are they shy or shameless?)

Spencer isn’t that big on pda, kinda shy but also wanting to keep it private. The most either will do in front of anyone is press a kiss to the cheek or hold hands. But Arwen is the one who will kiss him in front of the team when they are at work.

Q - Quality Time (how do they like to spend time together?)

Reading in the same room or to each other, watching shows or movies together, cuddling or kissing on the couch or bed. Just soaking up each other’s presence.

R - Rhythm (what song reminds you of them?)

Spotify playlist about Arwen and Spencer's relationship

S - Secrets (how open are they with each other?)

Like what I said in “emotions”, they are the king and queen of keeping stuff in. Neither says anything until one finds out, it becomes too much, and then they need to talk about it. It’s honestly the thing both constantly need to work on and the source of a lot of their arguments.

T - Time (how long did it take to get together?)

First time? A year and were together for 3 months before Arwen got scared of her feelings and broke up with Spencer.

Second time? It wasn’t until 2 years later she asked him out. Apologizing for how she treated him. Next time she got scared and Spencer noticed the pattern’s like last time they were together is when he stepped in and made her not give up on this, not let her fear take over.

U - Upset (how are they when either are upset?)

Arwen tries to be there for Spencer, listening to anything he needs to say or just hold him if he needs it. If he just wants to be alone she tries to listen to that one, but that's hardest for her to do cause she doesn't want him to shut her out.

Spencer tries to do the same thing and just be there for her. The best thing he does when she's having an anxiety attack is when she gives him a worry is he asks what the percentage of that worry happening and giving her statistics. That seems to work wonders for her.

V - Vaunt (do they show each other off? What are they proud of?)

With friends and family, absolutely. Love showing how much they love each other and talk about how proud they are with each other with everything. Despite any teasing thrown their way. With their job they have to be discrete, Arwen wears her engagement and wedding ring either in her pockets or as a necklace. Spencer keeps his in his pocket.

But either will take the chance to talk about how proud they are of each other.

W - Wild Card (random fluff headcanon)

Arwen has found the quickest way to get Spencer to go to sleep is to play with his hair. He will fall asleep in minutes. It's commonly seen on the couch on the jet, Arwen running her hand through his hair as he uses her lap as a pillow, completely passed out.

X - X-Ray (how well can they read each other?)

Fairly well, Arwen can tell when things are bothering him or when he’s excitedly holding something back and Spencer can too. Especially when Arwen is getting scared or an anxiety attack is coming.

It's the problem of getting out of either of them for what's bothering them.

Y - Yes (how would they propose?)

They both did it.

She felt ready for that step in their relationship, and felt they were in a space to do that. And they have talked about it in the past, to the point Arwen thought it was time they start making it a reality.

She got a ring and after a couple weeks of planning and getting up the courage to finally ask him. She decided after they got home from a case, not able to wait any longer when to ask him. And it was a happy thing to do to (hopefully) lift up both their spirits. So when Spencer sat down, she sat down with him, and started the speech she had been practicing.

Apparently Spencer had been planning the same and pulled out his own engagement ring for her. Arwen couldn't help but laugh, feeling good to laugh after not being able to for weeks. And both said yes to each other.

Z - Zen (what makes them feel calm?)

If they aren't together on a case they will call just to check in, settle any anxiety might be creeping in. Reaching for the other's hand and squeezing their hand. Watching comfort shows/movies or reading their favorite book to the other.

#arwen valentine #ABC fluff #criminal minds #spencer reid x oc #spencer reid #spencer reid x original female character #original female character #criminal minds fluff #spencer reid fluff #tooth rotting fluff

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harrysgloves · 4 years

Text

Let Your Hair Down (chapter v)

Get caught up with the Let Your Hair Down Masterlist!

word count: 3,128

story summary: Harry gets more than he bargains for when he falls not only for you but your little girl as well.

chapter summary: Harry crashes your and your daughters girls night.

warnings: Language and FINALLY THE SMUTTY THINGS okay not actual smut yet but it’s leading up to it. We got hot and heavy making out, daddy kink, choking, spanking.. you know all the goods.

a/n: Okay so the smut is being put in another chapter, don’t murder me for that! It’s my first time writing smut so it’s taking a bit longer than I thought it would.. anyways let me know if you like the chapter! xx

>>><<<

The workweek was a long and exhausting one but it definitely had its good moments. Like Harry stopping in twice to surprise you with a coffee. Something you weren't at all used to but thought was adorable as he stood awkwardly by the desk both times, looking so out of place but trying his hardest to impress you. He even took you out on your lunch break once and you hated to admit how well you two actually seemed to click and even though a month ago you were so sure you could never be with him, you felt a part of your walls start to break down the more time you spent together.

And you actually started to wonder if maybe you should give him a chance.

But now it was Friday night and couldn't have been more excited to slip on your sleep shorts and your old shirt from high school. It was a tradition in your house since the divorce to spend every Friday night with Thea, having a girls' night. Which meant pizza, Disney movies, board games, nail polish, and your favorite part; a pile of pillows in blankets in the middle of the living room where you two would curl up and cuddle before bed.

Thea was already in her own set of Princess Ariel PJs. She sat in front of the DVD cabinet, trying to find the movie she wanted to watch while you guys ate when there was a knock at your door. You quickly made your way for it, tying your hair up in a messy bun as you walked.

"Thea go find my wallet please." You said as you walked through the living room. Thea jumped at the opportunity to help you out whenever she could and made her way for your purse when you threw the front door open.

The smiling, charming, green-eyed guy in front of you was definitely not the pizza man and you couldn't help but smile at his own set of sweats he was wearing. He definitely had his pjs on and you had a sneaking suspicion that Thea had invited him since he had his guitar with him in one hand and a box of pizza in the other.

"Stopped the pizza guy on the way up." He said nodding towards the box in his hand and you couldn't do anything else but smile at him. You had no idea how someone could be so sweet.

"Was told I had to wear pjs if I wanted to come over. Oh, and I have to play her song for her before bed." He smiled as you stepped sideways and held the door open for him. That child of yours was just as sneaky as her Aunt Sarah.

"Thea!" You sang out and she rounded the corner, sliding in her socks on the hardwood floor when she stopped.

"HARRY! You came! You came!" She yelled excitedly, abandoning your wallet on the counter as she took off and hugged Harry around the legs. A small 'umpf' coming from him when she almost knocked him over.

"Thea," You said, pulling her attention back to you as you shot her your mom look. "You gotta tell me when you invite people over."

"But momma," She sighed, not letting go of Harry's legs. "It's just Harry and he promised to let me practice painting his nails at Uncle Mitch's." She pouted and if you weren't so good at ignoring it you would have easily let it slide. Your quirked your eyebrow at her, not wanting to let this go but not wanting to get into it with her in front of Harry.

"Sweetheart, your mum's right." Harry said as he leaned down to her height to talk to her, completely catching you off guard. Most people never agreed with you when you disciplined her in front of them.

"You should have asked before telling me to come here. Gotta promise you won't do that again."

"Promise." She said in a dramatically sad voice.

"Good now if you're momma says it's fine, I'll stay." He smiled as he looked up to you and Thea turned around with a big pout on her face. Her hands clapped together in a pleading way and her big lip out.

"Pleeeeease?" They both asked at the same exact time and you knew you couldn't say no even if you wanted to. They were just too cute.

"Okay you can crash girls night." You said taking the pizza from Harry's hand and sitting it down in the living room as Thea squealed, happy you let him stay. She pulled him over to the movie cabinet and had him pick out his favorite Disney movie. Insisting he get to pick it since he's the guest.

You pulled out the paper plates and napkins from the kitchen and walked back into the living room as Thea popped in the Little Mermaid into the DVD player. You smiled over to Harry, not sure if he picked it cause it was actually his favorite or if it was because he noticed Ariel on Thea's PJs. Either way it was cute.

You leaned back against the couch when you sat on the floor. Harry sat beside you, doing the same until Thea moved directly in between you two, wiggling her butt to make more room. You laughed a little as Harry looked over her to you and you shrugged your shoulders.

The movie played and you all ate pizza and then moved onto board games and eventually nail painting.

"You should have let momma paint them for you." Thea sighed as she accidentally painted the top of Harry's whole finger instead of just his nail. You looked up from painting your own nails to look at the damage done but smiled down at her.

"You just gotta wipe it off with a paper towel. You're doing a great job." You encouraged her to keep going after showing her how to wipe the messed up part of the nail polish off.

"Are your nails going to match mine?" Harry asked as he looked up towards her, while she stayed hyper-focused on painting Harry's nails, her tongue poked out of her mouth every so often as she tried her best to paint straight.

"But I can't paint my own nails good yet." She said, never taking her eyes off what she was doing.

"Well, I can paint them for you." Harry said as Thea finished his last nail. They definitely weren't the best but she did a good job for her first time. She pushed the bottle of nail polish toward him and laid her hands flat over the towel you had laying down on the floor to catch any fallout.

"Okay, we can match." She smiled as Harry got to work painting her tiny nails the teal color Thea had picked out for Harry. You smiled down at your own nails, trying your best to hide how happy you were right now. You never imagined yourself in this situation but as you sat with both of them it felt weirdly… natural.

After everyone's nails dried and Harry sang Thea her song, it was time for her to go to bed. Luckily, she was easy to put down and was out in less than 15 minutes. You quietly closed her bedroom door behind you as you walked out to the living room but stopped in your tracks. Harry had picked up everything from the night for you.

"You didn't have to do that." You said but still smiled. It was amazing to not have to worry about cleaning up when you were so ready to wind down and relax.

"Wanted to." He said, patting the spot on the couch next to him, some reality tv show playing gently in the background.

"Hold on." You walked over to the kitchen and took down two wine glasses and pulled out a bottle of wine, opening it before walking back into the living room. If you were going to have a full girls' night with him, he had to have the full experience.

"Once she's asleep I usually finish off girls night with a drink and paperwork." You sat down the glasses on the coffee table that was now moved back into its proper spot. You poured you both a glass and set the bottle down. Picking up your glass and plopping down on the couch with a sigh.

Harry quickly picked up his own glass and sat back draping his other arm around the back of the couch, directly behind you. You took a big drink from your cup as his eyes scanned your whole apartment and finally settled on the record collection you had sitting out.

"Got anything good?" He asked taking a sip from his own glass and nodded towards the records.

"Got Fine Line if that's what you meant." You teased and he barked out a laugh.

"I meant other than that." He said getting up to go through the album's but he didn't get very far through it before he pulled out your Up All Night album.

"Always knew you were a fan." He laughed silently as you sat more embarrassed than you thought was ever possible.

"Shut it Harold. I was a proud Louis girl." You snapped back causing him to whip around and glare at you.

"Wow, love, know how to go right for the low blows." He tsked as he put the album back and pulled out a Fleetwood Mac one and placed it on your record player, making sure the volume was down before placing the needle on it.

"Never claimed to be nice." You said biting your lip to stop the grin from breaking out across your face at his slightly annoyed look.

"Can't wait to tell Lou I'm chasing after someone who wants him more." He sat back down on the couch in his previous position but you snuggled up slightly closer to him. Your knees pulled to your chest but you leaned your side in close to him as you took another drink from your glass.

"God, don't tell him that!" You shrieked at the thought as you sat down your now empty glass on the table beside Harry's mostly full one.

"Afraid he won't want to be your boyfriend after that?" He grinned noticing you had gotten flustered as he leaned closer to you and tickled your sides.

"Harry!" You said pushing his hands away from you quickly as you laughed and he joined in.

"Come on, love, tell me who else is on your celebrity top 5." He said, still tickling you as you tried hard to get away. You started to stand up but he wrapped his arms around you, bringing you back down to the couch.

"No way am I telling you that!" You said through giggles, trying to wiggle your way away from him as he straddled your waist to keep your legs from kicking him. Hovering completely over you to keep tickling your sides.

"I'm not stopping till you tell me."

"Okay! Okay!" You squealed pushing his hands down and he immediately stopped tickling you, and rested both of them on either side of your head.

"God, this is stupid, you better not tell anyone. Especially Mitch." You said jabbing your finger at his chest.

"Promise. Now tell me or I'll start again." He said threateningly and you immediately covered your face and let out a groan.

"Luke Hemmings, Sebastian Stan, Chris Evans, Matt Schultz…" you rambled quickly into your hands. You knew he could still hear you by his laughing.

"Hemmings? Really?" He asked pulling your hands down to see your face.

"Hey! Don't talk shit." You started at him, trying to defend your boy.

"'M not. Just surprised. Who's the last one?" He asked as he laid his hands back by your head. You immediately covered your face again but he nudged your hands with his nose, trying to get you to tell him.

"No, it's too embarrassing." You said not budging your hands.

"Y/N, come on." You could hear the smile in his voice and wanted to throat punch him. Smug bastard. You refused and you didn't speak one word. Which meant he started tickling you again.

"GORDON RAMSAY OKAY?" You yelled as you grabbed his hands and pulled them in front of you.

"Wat?" He said laughing so hard the word barely came out.

"I know but listen, he'd make the best after sex food and a girl's gotta eat!" You clamped your hands back over your heated face and Harry literally shook with laughter.

"I didn't beat out Gordon Ramsay in your list?" He asked, still laughing.

"Hey! You're not a Michelin star chef!" You said getting defensive over your list.

"Yeah but he's old enough to be your dad."

"Oh, so we're kink-shaming now?" You quirked your eyebrow, teasing Harry but the sharp breath he drew in, let you know you hit a nerve. Oh. So he was into that.

A big smug grin made its way across your face as you looked up to him with your big doe eyes. Your brain already coming up with a thousand ways to tease him back after he embarrassed the hell out of you. You gripped onto his wrist tighter and pulled him down towards you, his green eyes widening at your sudden movement.

"What's wrong Harry?" You asked in the sweetest softest voice you could put on. "You wanna be my daddy?"

"Stop." He whined and buried his face into your shoulder but you weren't having any of that. Maybe it was the wine or maybe it was the fact your hormones were raging any time he was remotely near you that made you throw common sense right out the damn window.

"Why daddy? You don't like it?" You whispered directly in his ear, biting the side of his neck as you pushed your hips up into his.

He pulled his hand free from your grasp and placed it over your neck, squeezing the side of it. His eyes were completely lust blown and you were proud of yourself for getting this type of reaction from him but when his lips slammed on yours all thoughts of payback left your mind.

He was ferocious with his kiss, demanding. His lips were everything you had been dreaming about and as his tongue traced the bottom of your lip you didn't hesitate once to open for him. Moaning softly as his tongue seemed to move perfectly in sync with your own.

He pulled back from the kiss. Looking shocked that he had done it and quickly removed his hand from your neck but as your chest heaved up and down, you didn't want him to stop. You lifted your face up and captured his lips again.

This time it was his time to surprise you as he lifted you up from the couch and moved to sit with you straddle him. You couldn't help the involuntary rotation of your hips as you got settled on top of him. His hands immediately went to your messy bun, taking the hair tie out of it and throwing it somewhere in the room. His fingers laced into the back of your hair as he pulled you back down to him for an earth-shattering kiss.

Your hands rest on his chest as your lips moved so well together you couldn't help the small moans that left you. You were trying your hardest to not grind against him again but the electricity he was shooting down your spine with just a simple kiss was driving you insane, especially when he took your bottom lip between his perfect teeth, biting it lightly. Tired of his teasing you sat back down on him, moving your hips back and forth to get any type of relief you could. When you felt his growing bulge, you couldn't help but smirk.

"Got a roll of quarters in there?" You leaned back slightly from him, resting your forehead against his own. His hands ran from your hair all the way down your back and thighs, coming back up to rest on your ass before he gave you a harsh spank through the thin fabric of your sleep shorts. His hands went back to your waist, digging in tightly, as he pushed your hips down onto him again.

"Who said you could stop, love?" He questioned as your head fell forward into his neck as you tried to hide your moan.

"Fuck." You whimpered as his erection dragged across your clothed clit. You wanted so much more, needed it. You moved your lips to his neck kissing softly up to his ear.

"Bedroom?" You whispered to him as he kept your hips rotating around him. Your underwear were about to be completely soaked through and if he wasn't going to get you off you would gladly kick him out and finish the job yourself.

He groaned the second the word left your mouth. Your lips ghosting over his ear so he was able to hear every small breathy moan he was dragging out of you.

"Dirty girl." He said spanking your ass again, his rings biting into your skin, and he quickly rubbed his large hand over the place that you were sure was turning red.

"You got no idea." You whimpered softly at the feeling of his hand soothing the sore skin of your bum. It had been so long since you'd gotten laid. Sex stopped way before your divorce was finalized and you hadn't been with anyone else since. You weren't sure how much teasing you could take. You needed him, now.

"You're killin' me." He groaned laying his head back on the couch and pulled you back from his shoulder to look at him. He already looked like a complete mess, making you feel better for not being the only desperate one in this situation.

"Y'sure about this?" He asked, gently brushing back the few strands of hair that fell across your face. You didn't want to sit and debate over all the thoughts going through your head about if this was a good idea or not. You simply nodded your agreement but he wasn't having it, his large hand moved from your hair to your jaw, immediately getting your attention, and drawing a whimper from you. If you knew he was going to be this dominating you would have decided to do this a long time ago.

"Need to hear you say it darling." His grip was still on your jaw.

"Please daddy." You moaned, laying on his shoulder as your nails dug into his chest over his shirt. "Please fuck me."

#Harry Styles #harry #Harry Styles x Reader #Harry Styles x You #Harry Styles x Y/N #Harry Styles Fanfic #Harry Styles Fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #writing #mine #LYHD

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feelssogoodinmyarms · 3 years

Note

for the kiss prompt, #18 with hernst i am *b e g g i n g y o u*

this took a long time to get right so i really hope you like it 🥺

18. “I do” kiss

Ten minutes before the ceremony starts. The church is buzzing with nerves and excitement. Anna, the wedding planner, is running around and doing her best to make sure every little detail is in place. Everyone is some combination of nervous and excited. Even Ilse, who is usually the calmest of the group, can’t sit still. Hanschen nervously picks at the flower detailing on his jacket. A hand swats his fingers away.

“Ilse worked for months on that, you know,” Wendla chastises.

Hanschen sighs. “Nervous habit, I suppose.”

Ernst had wanted the wedding to be in a church, and although Hanschen hadn’t considered himself religious for years, he was happy to do it for his fiance. He still got butterflies listening to Ernst excitedly talk about how they’d deck the whole place in different kinds of flowers, just like he used to dream when they were in high school. Ernst and Anna had come up with most of the ideas for the wedding, although Hanschen had made several contributions he was proud of. Their wedding colors were peach and pale yellow, perfect for a spring wedding. Two colors that compliment each other, just like the couple themselves.

Hanschen thought it didn’t matter what gender their friends were, they should each have whoever they wanted up at the altar with them. Ernst agreed and had picked Martha as his maid of honor, and Moritz and Georg as his other groom’s people. Hanschen had picked Wendla as his maid of honor and Ilse, Melchior, and Thea as his groom’s people. Thea was bitter that she wasn’t chosen to be the maid of honor but didn’t mind as much when Wendla continually got called at seven am to help decide what centerpiece Hanschen should pick or if he wanted a white or cream suit.

Frau Robel had wanted to invite everyone they knew and luckily Ernst and Anna were able to talk her out of it. Still, when Hanschen peers out at the crowd he wonders if he and Ernst should have just tied the knot at city hall. The idea dissolves into nothing when he imagines his fiance standing at the altar in only a few minutes.

Six steps, Hanschen counts as he paces. It takes only six of his normal paces to get from one side of the room to the other. He waits there with his mother, through the doors of the building but not through the doors of the church. The groom’s people have just started to make their way down the aisle and Hanschen fears he might explode with nerves.

“Do stop pacing dear,” Frau Rilow chastises. “You’re making me dizzy.”

Four counts in, hold for six counts, out for eight counts. It was a breathing technique Hanschen had learned back when Ernst and him took yoga. He could feel his nerves begin to subside as he breathed. The last of Hanschen’s friends exit, Melchior gives him one last squeeze on the shoulder before leaving. Hanschen looks at his mom; it’s just the two of them now.

“Honey, you know I’ve never been good with words.” Frau Rilow was already choked up, Hanschen could tell without looking at her. For some reason, it brought a smile to his face.

“Mama, you don’t have to do this. We can’t have you all weepy before we even get to the aisle.” Her eyes were shining with tears and Hanschen felt himself start to choke up.

“Hush now. I just want you to know how happy I am for you.”

Hanschen and Frau Rilow open the doors, arm and arm, and Hanschen’s eyes immediately go to Ernst. The evening sun shines through the stained glass, bathing him in soft light. Ernst’s suit is darker than his, the light gray jacket compliments Hanschen’s cream one. He smiles at Hanschen and the latter’s heart soars just like it did in high school. He barely gets through the ceremony without crying, Ernst wiping away a few stray tears of his own. He barely processes that they’ve been married before Ernst’s lips capture his in a kiss. Hanschen puts aside the fact that his friends and family are watching and kisses his new husband deeply, wrapped in his embrace. When the two break out of their first kiss as husbands, Ernst has the most adorable, happy look in his eyes. It’s only then that Hanschen hears his friends and family’s cheers. The two turn to face them, hands intertwined as they step into their new life together.

___

kiss prompts

#i hope this does them justice!!!#i think about their wedding all the time #its what they deserve #hernst #hanschen rilow #ernst robel #wendla bergmann #ilse neumann #melchior gabor #dwsa #sa #spring awakening #deaf west spring awakening #kiss prompts #rhiannon writes

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oliverlovesthea · 4 years

Text

TRAINING: OLIVER + THEA

Thea cringed as her head impacted the navy-blue mat, her vision spun for a few seconds before, but it was her pride that stung most acutely. They’d been ‘training’ for weeks now and still, she always ended up on her back… and not in the fun way. Just once she wanted to be the one standing proud over Oliver on the mat. As it was, he was standing above her, holding out a proffered hand to help her up.

Reaching up to take the offered hand, Thea folded her thumb over his as if she was going to take advantage of the aid to stand. When he leaned in to leverage her up, she kicked at the back of his right calf. He fell into the kick, landing on his right knee between her calves. Thinking on her feet, Thea lifted her legs, locking her calves around his sides, and using her weight to roll them over so he was the one on the mat. Popping up on her feet instantly, Thea scrambled backwards a few steps, grabbing of the wooden staffs they’d dropped earlier. Seeing Oliver returning to his feet out of the corner of her eye, Thea held the staff like a spear.

When he failed to advance on her again, the young woman lowered the staff slightly, “What’s the matter, Ollie, scared?” She teased, using her wit to distract herself from the totally unfair sight before her. Even after weeks of training, and literal hours spent trying to pretend that watching him work out as they basically hid away in his lair didn’t turn her on, Thea still took every chance she could to surreptitiously check him out. How could she resist? He was all sweaty and gorgeous…and she was losing focus again, damn it!

Something behind them in the computer setup dinged just then and the young woman was grateful for a distraction that she didn’t have to create for herself.

“Do you think its him?” Thea asked, dropping the staff to the mat and making her way over to the computer screens. Shaking the lone mouse to turn off the screensaver, her eyes roamed across the various screens from left to right. Paul, Malcolm’s computer guy, had a variety of windows arranged in a specific manner (not that Thea knew what the organizational system was,) but Thea looked for anything that might require attention.

***

Oliver was sure it was him, and yet he got unnerved when he realized there wasn’t nothing he could use in the CTV records. The man moved like him, it was built like him, and wore his face. He could see a glimpse of him every time the other man decided he didn’t care about cameras that much. It was impossible to miss i. It wasn’t just a similarity. They were one and the same and Oliver couldn’t shake the feeling that was the key to the whole mistery. The only problem was that Oliver couldn’t understand what the mistery itself was. Why did someone with his face approached Thea? Could Malcom be right? He knew he was having more and more troubles keeping his feelings a secret on a daily basis. When any attempt to find out where this man came from, where he would go after showing his hood in the streets was once again futile, Oliver resolved to train more.

It was the only thing he could do to keep his mind from the turmoil of thoughts and emotions he was having lately. Training with Thea was the best and the worst at the same time. He loved to be able to teach her, to share this part of him with her beloved sister, and yet it was a torture, to have her so close and try to put a leash on himself.

He also knew the time to tell Thea the truth was approaching. Whoever this man was and whatever his goal was Oliver knew he couldn’t let things unsolved between them. If the worst would happen, Oliver needed to know knowing he told Thea the truth, no matter how badly she could react. He was terrified to lose Thea because of his sins, but Oliver knew she deserved the truth, no matter how twisted and frowned upon by society said truth was. She was getting better every day. Oliver already knew she could be a great fighter, Malcom wouldn’t have lost his time training her if she wasn’t, he would have paid more men to protect her, but she was fire and grace, she was everything Nissa would pay to be. The long years of ballet and dance classes she had endured when she was a child gave her grace and speed. While she fought, she danced. She was elegant and lethal, but she doubted herself too much. That was why Oliver didn’t go easy on her, not a single time. Day after day she was able to endure a bit more, to resist a bit longer, to follow Oliver’s moves a bit better. “You are getting good at this, Speedy.” He would tell her as often as possible, in hope that she would start to believe him. Oliver’s strength laid in his endurance and physical force. His aim was close to perfect and he could hold his ground against many opponents in hand to hand fight. Thea was speed and cunning all wrapped in a beautiful package Oliver would love to unwrap. Now Oliver found himself in a terrible situation. He was towering over Thea, she was pinned under his body, on the mattress, she never looked more beautiful to him. Her hair like a halo around her head, face flustered and her chest, God her chest, the labored breath coming from her made her chest jump in the most distracting way. Fuck. He knew he should tell her something. Perhaps reminding her how when facing a stronger opponent she should never allow them to take her to the ground. There stronger fighter always had the upper hand, but the words were stuck in his mouth. He made the mistake to look down and he lost it. Oliver wasn’t proud of how quickly his control snapped. One look at her parted lips and he was gone. Her scent was overpowering and Oliver felt drugged. Everything in Thea called for him and he did the unthinkable. He claimed her mouth in a devouring kiss. If he burned in hell for this, well, it was worth it.

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might-be-a-zygon · 3 years

Text

Flat 40b

Chapter Five

What Road to Take?

AO3 link in the reblogs

Thea wasn’t really sure how she’d wound up spending so long chatting to that odd woman in the odder room. It was all a little concerning, honestly- just a woman sitting alone in a little room like that, with such a secure lock. She’d been half worried that someone had trapped her there, but when Thea had held the door open for her to follow, she’d just said she was waiting for a friend to visit and asked Thea to shut it for her.

She hadn’t expected the sky to have darkened when she left the room, but she wasn’t particularly worried. It wasn’t a far walk to the flat, after all, and she hadn’t had much else to do that day.

Still, her casual dismissal of how late it’d gotten did turn to some degree of guilt when she spotted Yaz, still sitting up in the kitchen, looking at her with a degree of relief.

“Where have you been?” She asked, looking Thea up and down as though expecting to see some injury. “Bill said you went for a walk after the lecture and they you never came back- I was worried.”

Thea had the good grace to look guilty, at least.

“I didn’t realise how long I was gone.” She admitted, taking a seat opposite Yaz at the kitchen table, even if all she really wanted to do now was go back to her room and try and work out who that mystery woman was.

“You didn’t even notice it getting dark?” She could tell Yaz didn’t quite believe her.

Thea considered a moment. She could tell Yaz the truth- they were friends, after all. Best friends. By all accounts, she should tell her, but- something deep inside of her was screaming that telling Yaz about the woman in her vault would be a very bad idea. It seemed to be the kind of thing which she just knew should be kept secret.

“I went to the library.” She lied, digging a notebook out of her bag as though trying to prove her point. “Keep having these weird dreams, I’ve been trying to write them down. Thought I might try and make them into a book or something.”

Yaz blinked at her a few times. She seemed to have been caught off guard by that one. “Weird dreams?” She asked, taking her hands off of the mug in front of her and reaching for the book tentatively. Thea handed it over without complaint.

She hadn’t been planning on sharing them again, but in honesty doing so made her feel an awful lot less guilty about lying to Yaz about where she’d been.

“Is that me?” Yaz asked, holding up a sketch of the pair of them in some sterile room.

Thea grinned, nodding. “Yeah! That’s the one where we’re fighting the little goblin!”

“The goblin?”

Thea flicked forwards a few pages to another sketch of a pting. It had a snarl on it’s face, just like it’s real life counterpart had when they’d faced him on the hospital ship.

“I don’t know what I’m actually gonna call them, yet.” She admitted, “But he’s kind of cute, look. They’re these little goblin things that eat everything.”

“And you’ve been dreaming about this?” Yaz asked.

“Yeah. Probably just too much dodgy sci-fi before bed, but I think there are some cool ideas there, if I could streamline them into something.”

“And you- am I there a lot?”

Thea was suddenly very glad she wasn’t much of a blusher.

“Sometimes.” She admitted, not quite looking Yaz in the eye. “A fair bit, really. You’re my best mate, I like it when you show up. Those are always the best ones- we fight aliens and stuff.”

Yaz broke into an almost proud smile, and Thea had to remind herself not to stare. Had Yaz always looked that pretty when she smiled?

“Aliens?” she laughed, as though at some joke Thea didn’t quite get. “I thought they were goblins?”

“Can’t they be both?” Thea asked, flicking through the pages. “I have one in here about vampires who were fish, too…”

“I’m just saying.” Martha raised her hands in mock surrender, “Maybe if it’s been this long and I haven’t seen anything weird, and you haven’t had any weird readings, it was just a machine error or something.”

“There’s got to be a reason that we were brought here in the first place.” The Doctor responded stubbornly, not even looking up at her. He’d been tinkering with the same bit of the console throughout their entire conversation, and it certainly wasn’t helping her feel particularly heard in the situation.

It wasn’t like she needed his undivided attention- they’d not spoken in person once since she’d moved into the flat- but it was more than a little frustrating to be ignored while she was trying to report what was going on to him. It didn’t help that most of the reason she’d agreed to this in the first place was to learn about emerging technology, and since he’d registered her as a first year, she was going through all the basics over again.

“Go through it again.” He said, more instruction than request.

“Go through what?” Martha asked, showing her frustration a little more, now.

“What’ve you found.”

“I told you already! There’s nothing suspicious. No signs of aliens or anything, just a normal Uni campus.”

The Doctor made a frustrated noise, and Martha couldn’t tell whether it was aimed at her, or whatever he was fixing. He muttered something under his breath, quiet enough that she clearly wasn’t supposed to be able to hear it, though she could just about pick out the word Rose. That one stung.

Of course Rose would have been able to track down whatever was going on immediately.

Or, at least the Doctor might have believed her when she said that nothing seemed suspicious.

“The energy readings from your flat are off.” The Doctor insisted, finally giving up on what he was messing with, though if Martha thought she was actually going to have any attention paid to her she was sorely mistaken, since he moved straight back to checking the readouts on the monitor. “Who’s living there? You’re sure they’re all human?”

“Well I haven’t exactly tested them all.” Martha replied sarcastically, “But everyone seems normal. They’re eating and sleeping like humans.”

“Nobody’s wearing a shimmer?”

“What’s a shimmer?”

“Oh it’s all-“ he made a vague gesture in mid-air which was apparently supposed to mean something. “You know. A shimmer.”

Martha gave him a blank look.

“…Right.” He nodded after a minute. “I’ll get you something to test for a shimmer.”

“Doctor-“

He cut her off before she could actually voice her question, brow furrowing, “Oh- Yeah you’re right, that won’t work if they’re Zygons.” he said, despite not having given her time to actually say anything even if she had known what a Zygon was. “Tell you what, I’ll get you a DNA scanner too.”

“Hang on.” Martha said, “You want me to scan my flatmate’s DNA? How am I meant to do that?”

The Doctor shrugged her concerns off. “I know you’ll work it out.”

Her meeting with Jack had dragged Yaz right out of the town centre, to some pop-up milkshake shop which was she’d heard a few other students chatting about. She’d been meaning to ask if Thea wanted to go (as friends, obviously), so it wasn’t as though she was actively blaming jack for dragging her away from the University for a little while. After all, they had to make sure to avoid his past self.

She’d arrived first, though she could hardly be annoyed about that- it’d been her idea. She arrived, checked that Rose and the other Jack were absent, texted the all clear, then grabbed herself a drink, and snagged a booth in the back corner where they’d be able to chat with some degree of privacy.

“Yasmin Khan.” Yaz heard a voice that was becoming increasingly familiar from behind her, turning around to smile a little at Jack as he approached her.

It was odd, really- being relieved to see him, rather than dreading it. That first time she’d been scared out of her mind (though in fairness, he had kidnapped all three of them), and the second- well. She wasn’t too proud to admit that she’d been so overwhelmed by the Doctor’s return she’d hardly noticed Jack stepping out alongside her. This time though? Well, seeing someone she could actually talk to about all of this was amazing.

“Thank you for coming.”

“I’m always here to help a friend.” Jack said seriously, despite the grin on his face. He slid into the booth opposite her, “Loving the choice of venue, by the way. Very 1950s.”

“Remind you of home?” Yaz asked, just for something to fill the small talk, though she was really itching to get straight onto the topic at hand.

“You’d think.” Jack laughed slightly, as though at some joke she wasn’t privy to. She didn’t push him.

“So.” She said, when he didn’t elaborate. He sat forwards slightly in his seat, already knowing what she was about to say, “You know about this chameleon thing the Doctor used to make herself human?”

“Not quite.” Jack admitted, glancing over behind her, in the direction of the counter. “I know what it is, but I’ve never been around when she’s had to use it.”

Yaz seemed to deflate a little at that. It was hardly his fault, but she’d really been hoping for some more concrete advice about the whole situation.

Noticing her reaction, he gave her a reassuring look, “Hey, don’t worry. I haven’t see it but I called in a friend of mine who has. Great girl, you’ll like her. She was with the Doctor the last time. Plus she’s from this Time Zone so she’ll cause a lot less chaos hanging around here than either of us will.”

“You brought backup?” The relief on her face grew. She’d been beginning to feel very out of her depth, especially with all of Thea’s talk about weird dreams and secret rooms. What was she supposed to say to discourage Thea from sneaking around when she was supposed to be keeping herself safe? She was still the Doctor under all that, after all.

Jack grinned. “The Doctor drops into a lot of people’s lives. Makes a lot of friends. I knew a woman, once, used to say that for a lonely man, the Doctor had the biggest family in the world.”

Odd as it was to hear the Doctor being referred to as a lonely man, Yaz smiled. It was nice to think how many other people out there would always be there for the Doctor when she needed them.

“And this friend of yours can help?” She asked.

“Oh yeah.” He smiled at someone behind her, and Yaz turned to get a look. “PC Yasmin Khan, meet Dr-”

“Martha!” Yaz exclaimed, shock plain on her face, because- That was Martha, right? It was so clearly her. Except Martha was younger than this woman, by a fair few years, and at least judging by the shocked expression on her face, she didn’t recognise Yaz either.

“You two have met?” Jack asked, looking between them.

Both responded at the same time.

“Yes.”

“No.”

Another bewildered look shared, though Jack barking a laugh boke the tension.

“The joys of time travel.”

Martha seemed to relax slightly at that, slipping into the booth next to Jack, and setting a drink down in front of each of them. Yaz didn’t relax. She couldn’t just yet. If the Martha she’d met was younger, why didn’t this one seem to recognise her at all?

“Jack said the Doctor used the Chameleon Arch again?” Martha asked, drawing Yaz’s attention away from that issue for a moment. It was strange, but Jack had said she could help, and Yaz needed all the help she could get working out what was tracking them.

“That’s the thing that turns her human?” Yaz checked. The Doctor had never actually given it a name during their panicked preparations.

“Hang on, her?” Martha raised an eyebrow. “Blimy. He said he could change his face but I never knew he could change it that much.”

“You knew the white haired Scotsman?” Yaz asked. It was what the Doctor had said she’d looked like before.

“He got Scottish too? This must be a few regenerations since I last saw him.” Martha laughed. “I knew spikey hair and sandshoes.”

“Can’t believe I missed them turning Scottish.”

All three of them laughed a little at Jack’s statement, seeming to break a lot of the tension.

“So, spiky hair and sandshoes is who we think is here?” Yaz asked Jack. “You said the past you came here with a previous Doctor to investigate.”

“Oh, no. That was the Doctor with the ears and the leather jacket.” He supplied.

Yaz tried to picture the Doctor running around in a leather jacket, then quickly stopped herself. Nice as that image was, she doubted she’d get much else done today if she didn’t get it out of her head.

Still, that Martha thing was still nagging at her.

“Hang on, if the younger you,” Yaz nodded at Jack, “Is here with a younger Doctor. Then-” she glanced at Martha. “There’s a younger you living in the same flat as me and Rose. Does that mean…?”

“Another Doctor.”

Martha looked between Jack and Yaz, clearly thrown off by this whole thing.

“Hang on. I don’t remember coming here.”

“I don’t either, not really.” Jack said, though he seemed very calm about this whole thing. “Crossing your own timeline can sometimes scramble your head a bit. Makes you forget stuff, so you don’t find out about your own future too early.”

Martha gave him a look. “Do I want to know what you’ve been doing hanging around in your own timestream?” He winked at her, and based on the face she pulled, the answer was no.

“So, three Doctor’s then.” Yaz said, changing the subject. “That feels like a bad thing.”

“Well it’s not a good one.” Jack conceded. “We’re gonna need a way to differentiate, for a start.”

“Ears, Sandshoes and-“ Martha looked to the two who’d met the latest Doctor for a descriptor.

“Rainbows.” Yaz supplied. “She’s going by Thea Smith, right now, though.”

“Thea?” Martha looked surprised. “I would have expected Jane Smith.”

“Might be a little close to home.” Jack suggested.

The pair of them shared a sad look, and Yaz didn’t want to ask.

“Ears, Sandshoes, and Rainbows.” Yaz repeated, trying to get them back on topic.

“They’re like codenames.” Martha said. “It’s like we’re playing spies.”

Yaz felt a shiver run down her spine at the idea of ‘playing spies’. She’d been there, and fun as it had seemed at first… Well, she didn’t want to do it again. She thought about being on the run with Ryan and Graham, knowing how scared her family had to be, the plane, and that endless realm that those creatures had taken her to. They were all still fresh, and had very much put her off the James Bond lifestyle.

“Not spies.” She responded, quickly. The other two looked at her with some surprise. “There was a thing, with the Doctor, and some old mate-but-not-mate of hers. It wasn’t-“

Both of their expressions turned to understanding.

“The Master?” Jack asked and, when Yaz nodded, he spoke with the same bitter anger he’d used when talking about the daleks. “Pity. I’d hoped he’d stay dead.”

Opening up the diner portion of the TARDIS as a student hangout had seemed like a good idea at the time. They’d get to hear more gossip from around campus, and Clara had been kind of hoping it’d get them more information, though as of now she’d mostly just heard nonsense about who was dating who, and which of the tutors had the worst reputation.

The only real consolation was that they were far enough out of the way that they weren’t too busy, despite it being a Saturday morning. She had the distinct impression that most people were probably too hungover from the last night of Fresher’s week to fancy a milkshake.

It’d been an especially easy morning, really, since she’d roped Me into helping her out behind the counter, and she was just cleaning out one of the machines when her girlfriend had nudged her in the side, nodding towards a figure who’d just stepped into the shop.

“Is that…?”

“Jack Harkness.” Me responded, with a tone that suggested she was already bored of whatever drama he was about to drag them into.

It was hard to blame her- it wasn’t as though Earth had a lot of immortals, and from what stories of Me’s Clara had heard and read, they’d run into one another a fair few times over the years, usually with dramatic or dangerous results. Thankfully, he walked straight past them, to settle in a corner booth.

“What’re the bets that he’s behind this?”

Clara shot her a look that said ‘be nice’, despite the very real possibility he did have something to do with this.

“Should I go talk to him?” Clara asked.

Me shook her head. “I’ll do it. I’ve known him longer.”

“Play nice.” Clara said, a pleading note in her voice.

“I’m always nice.” Me responded in mock-offence, though the smile she gave Clara was a little too soft to maintain that charade. She leant in to kiss her girlfriend’s cheek, before slipping off towards the corner table.

The fact that they’d settled in the corner was honestly enough of a worry. There were two empty tables in between them and the nearest other customers, and they were speaking in the kind of low voices which implied they were plotting something.

“Okay, so no spy stuff.” Jack said as she approached, “But we’re keeping the code names.”

“Jack Harkness.” She said, drawing his attention, as well as that of his friends. “I should have known you’d be the source of all this.”

“Me.” Jack looked interested at her intrusion, even if his friends looked baffled. “Or, do I still have to call you Lady Me? Because you know I’m not big on titles.”

“Titles like Captain?” She retorted.

“Touché.” He smiled, in a way which made it unclear whether they were friends or foes. “Least you haven’t threatened me with a sword this time. Loving the uniform, by the way.”

“Still the same insufferable flirt, then?”

“You know you love it.” He grinned, before turning to his friends. “Martha, Yaz, meet Me. I have a feeling she might know a little bit about our problem.”

So, on the one hand, hanging around outside his dead wife’s office was an awful idea. On the other, the Doctor really couldn’t resist. He wasn’t planning on talking to her- he just wanted to see her, for a minute.

He knew that it would only upset him, really. He was just opening up an old wound. Somehow, though, that didn’t phase him. Seeing her for a few minutes- letting himself look back just once. It had to be worth it.

The Doctor was fully planning on seeing a face from his past that would make his hearts ache with loss- though the one he got was one that made them sink with guilt, instead.

Ashildr. He’d lost track of her a very long time ago- somewhere before all that hazy business on Gallifrey. Still, in this time zone he’d have assumed that she’d be managing Trap Street, still, not hanging around a University.

Not walking out of River Song’s office with a smile on her face.

Whatever she was planning, he already didn’t like it.

“Ashildr.” He said by way of greeting, glancing towards the door, but barely catching a glimpse of River before it slammed shut.

“Who?” From the look of false-innocence on her face, he got the impression that Ashildr was being purposefully difficult.

“You.”

“Call me Me, Doctor. How many times do I have to remind you?”

“Me isn’t a name.” He replied, sounding almost like a petulant child.

“Nor is Doctor.” Ashildr replied coolly, crossing her arms.

Since he didn’t have much of a retort for that one, he found himself falling silent for a moment, though when she didn’t get a response, and began to walk away, he found himself asking a question just to stop her from leaving just yet. He really didn’t like that she was here- with everything else that was going on, it made him nervous.

“What’re you doing here?” He asked, still not sounding the most friendly. He didn’t remember much about his last few meetings with Ashildr, but he remembered coming away from them very angry with her. She had to have done something, he just didn’t remember what.

She shrugged, maddeningly casual about the odd reunion. “The same thing as you, I imagine.”

Well that one certainly couldn’t be true. Ashildr may have had some questionable practices, but as far as the Doctor was concerned his and Missy’s current predicament had to be pretty unique.

“I really don’t think you are.”

Seemingly a little thrown off, she asked. “You’re not here investigating all the odd energy readings?”

“Energy readings?”

Ashildr narrowed her eyes at that. It clearly wasn’t the answer she’d been expecting, at any rate. “Why are you here, then?”

“I’ve got a thing to do.” He replied, sounding totally confident in his own vague explanation, even if she looked unconvinced.

“I told you once I’d protect the world from you, Doctor. I meant it.”

“I know you did.”

“Well then, I’d-”

Before either of them could continue their argument, the office door opened, and an annoyed looking River Song stuck her head out, looking between the pair of them as though they were naughty schoolchildren. Seeing that one of them was a Professor did nothing to change her demeanour- not that the Doctor had expected for a minute it would. Not with River.

“Excuse me, I don’t know what the two of you are bickering about, but if you could take it somewhere that isn’t right outside my door, I think it would be better for everybody. Okay?” She said sharply.

Ashildr offered a quick apology, while the Doctor suddenly found his throat had gone dry, his eyes fixed on the woman he’d been fairly sure he’d never see again.

She waited a full minute for him to speak, before beginning to disappear back inside. “Right, then. I’ll take the gawping fish look as a yes.”

“Y-Yes.” He just about managed as the door slammed shut between them.

By the time he’d managed to process what had happened and turned back to Ashildr to continue their argument, she was already disappearing from view at the end of the corridor.

After the third time going through the information they had at this point (which was about as little as they’d had when they arrived), Amy was really beginning to regret deciding to come back to the TARDIS instead of heading to the Student Union.

“Right…” The Doctor was pacing around the console, still. By now Amy was fairly sure he was talking more to himself than to them. “Right so what have we got? We’ve got a professor who doesn’t age-“

“We’ve got a professor who doesn’t age, and some weird energy readings coming from our flat.” She sighed, looking bored with the whole thing. “It’s the same thing we’ve known all week.”

“Wasn’t River trying to meet the professor.” Rory offered before either of them could say anything more. He just wanted them to stay on track, which between the Doctor and Amy was always a tricky task.

“He won’t set up a meeting with her.” Amy responded, “She said he turned her down when she made a proper request, and he’s never in his office when she goes.”

“So he’s onto her, then?” asked Rory.

“No…” The Doctor had moved back over to the scanner, now, bringing up those readings again, as though he was on the brink of some breakthrough the others couldn’t see. “No. Doesn’t make sense. I’m missing something-“ He turned to the pair of them. “What am I missing?”

Rory gave him a blank look.

“Right. Of course. In my head. Yeah…” The TARDIS made a wheezing noise, which appeared to mean something to him based on his reaction. “Oh! Oh, yes. That’s good, okay…” He began digging through a drawer under the console.

“What’s good?” Amy asked, leaning forwards to try and get a look what he was messing about with. When he didn’t respond right away she actually stepped over to get a look at the odd little device he was holding. It looked a bit like a USB drive, just with a display screen. “Doctor? What’s that?”

“What does he teach?” He asked, instead of answering her.

Amy hesitated. She knew that Bill, Thea and Jenny had been to lectures with their mystery professor, but she’d never bothered to work out what the lectures were actually about.

“Oh, I don’t know. I could ask my flatmate, he’s her personal tutor. Not sure what she studies, though.”

“Oh, that’s great.” He tossed the not-USB-drive to her, “DNA scanner. Should be able to work out if he’s human or not. You’ve just got to get close enough to use it.”

“And how am I meant to do that?” She asked, turning it over in her hands.

“Ask your friend if you can tag along to lectures or something.”

“Oh, great.” Amy replied, sarcastically, “You’re signing me up for mystery lectures with the maybe-alien professor.”

“Try and use it on your flatmates too, if you can.” The Doctor responded, either not picking up on the sarcasm, or deliberately ignoring it. He was messing about trying to wire something into the console, now, though he seemed to be mostly doing a lot of running around and sonicing various things.

Amy looked the device in her hands over. “You should’ve given me this earlier. Would have been easy to use it if I went to that comedy night with Rose-“

There was a clatter, followed by a squealing noise from the sonic, as it protested being dropped.

“Something wrong, Doctor?” Rory peered around the central console, looking concerned.

The Doctor picked up the sonic quickly, trying to brush off his slip-up. “What? No. Fine. I’m fine. Totally fine.”

Amy raised an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah. Because when someone says ‘fine’ that many times in one sentence, that usually means it’s true. What happened?”

“I had a friend called Rose once, that’s all.” He seemed to be staying at the other side of the console just so he didn’t have to meet their eyes. “Long time ago.”

“You’ve never mentioned her.” Amy said, nothing accusatory in her tone, though she certainly sounded curious.

The Doctor smiled a little, now, in that far off and slightly sad way he did when he was remembering something long since passed. “I don’t always like talking about the people I’ve lost.”

“She sounds special.”

“Oh, she was. Great woman, that Rose Tyler.”

Now, it was Amy’s turn to drop what she was holding.

#thasmin #thirteenth doctor #yasmin khan #jack harkness #doctor who #madeathing

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onthepageoftears · 3 years

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Wounds and Whiskey (Jaskier x OC) || The Witcher

a/n: okay so this isn’t so much ‘cute and romantic’ as it is ‘thea in pain and jaskier helping her’ but I hope you enjoy it anyway khlghhsd also this is one of those things where I went back to read my doc for Thea and was like “ummmm this is good? why did I stop writing this???” anyway, i’m glad I could find the inspiration to write this little drabble, so thanks for the request!

request: Hi, could you please write something cute, romantic and fluffy between Jaskier and your oc Thea, please? Thanks so much!!

warnings: mentions of blood, wounds, pain, stabbing etc. language, alcohol consumption, but flufffff too hehe

words: 1,580

Please Don’t Plagiarize My Work!

“Shit.” Thea’s voice was scratchy, barely even a sound. Her eyes were still closed when she woke up, and the first thing she felt was pain. Her head pounded, her heartbeat was stuck in her throat, and her arm felt like it was actively pulsing from where she had fallen.

In the time that she had passed out, the sun had drifted below the horizon. Thea knew that before she even managed to crack her eyes open — the darkness was more than just from her own eyelids, and she remembered leaving the inn quite early, planning to only stay out for a couple hours.

So much for that.

Almost against her own will, Thea lifted her eyelids. They were heavy; far too heavy for her liking. She didn’t know how long she had been passed out, but part of her wished she had stayed that way. The pain was more than she expected, but not more than she’d felt before. It was manageable, at least for a little while.

She let her fingers graze her throbbing arm — bad choice. The sharp sting of pain made her squeeze her eyes shut once more; after the pain subsided — only slightly — she lifted her eyelids again. Yeah, just as she thought: she had gotten stabbed with a knife, or dagger, or some other blade. But somehow, the blood wasn’t pouring as profusely as it should have been. Which meant that she already lost far too much.

Thea bit her tongue as she pushed herself off the ground with her good arm. Her feet were wobbly, but she was able to stand without much trouble. Of course, she also had to lean against a nearby tree, but it was the small victories that she would celebrate.

She forced herself to breathe carefully as she trudged towards what she hoped was the road. In the darkness, and in her pain infused vision, it wasn’t very easy to tell. But still, the moonlight guided her steps, and she eventually made it to the road she walked earlier that day. Blinking at the sight in front of her, Thea realized she wasn’t too far from the town. Despite the pain she was in, she couldn’t help but feel proud of how far she had gotten before passing out — perhaps a new record.

As much as this was helpful, the pain in her arm was only getting worse. She’d have to get back to the town, and fast. She had her bow still fastened on her back — how it wasn’t snapped in two, she’ll never know — but her other supplies were in the bag she dropped. Dropped, yes. That was what happened. Even now, she couldn’t be too sure. Who had even stabbed her in the arm?

She’d catch up to her memory later. Now, she needed Jaskier.

Never thought it would come to that. She laughed to herself through gritted teeth. Even in immense pain, she could still cling onto the bard that, surprisingly, helped her on more occasions than she could count. He was useless at times, but she had come to the point where she could call him…a friend. And she hadn’t had many of those.

She was looking through the slits of her eyes by the time she pushed open the inn’s front door. Her breaths were heavy, limbs heavier, and she couldn’t even imagine how she looked to the inn keeper.

Luckily, she didn’t have to worry about it.

Jaskier’s strumming came to a halt. Even in her half-conscious state, she could see he was sitting alone in the empty tavern. Perhaps he had just performed and was waiting for her to return. Either way, he jolted from his seat, letting his lute hang beside him.

“Thea? Thea what the—“ He stopped, his eyes filling with horror. “Shit, what happened to you?”

“Ambush,” she managed, keeping her hand clutched against her wound. She would have given more information if she hadn’t been so focused on keeping herself up on her feet — or if she had remembered it at all. She must have hit her head when she passed out, because all she had now were still just puzzle pieces of the memory.

Without a word, Jaskier lifted her good arm over his shoulders and latched one arm around her waist. Her weight was practically all on him, but she didn’t mind. Her feet barely touched the floor, and finally, she felt like she could breathe normally.

Thea opened her eyes again to Jaskier rushing around their room. She was sitting in a chair — she didn’t remember getting here. Must’ve passed out again. Her eyes blinked drearily, but widened immediately upon finding the bottle of alcohol beside her.

“Don’t touch that.” Jaskier sat in the chair across from her, his frown making her pout. “We need to clean the wound.”

“We need to numb the pain.”

Jaskier pursed his lips.

Thea blinked back.

He rolled his eyes. “One drink.” He lifted the bottle for her, bringing it to her lips and tipping it back. The liquid burned as it fell down her throat, but immediately, she felt better. Well, ‘better’ was a relative term. But she already felt the color returning to her skin as Jaskier placed the bottle back on the table beside her.

Somewhat more awake, Thea leaned back in her seat. Her eyes threatened to droop shut once more, but she didn’t want to give in. Not yet.

Jaskier inched the wet towel towards her arm. She watched him as he tried to gently pat her arm, where a mixture of dirt and dried blood caked on her skin.

As soon as the towel made contact, she winced.

“Did that hurt?”

Thea grit her teeth. “No.”

Jaskier quirked a brow. Instead of saying anything else, he leaned forward again, this time taking her arm in one hand and using the towel to clean the wound with the other. It got easier to expect the warm cloth against her open wound, but Thea still flinched. She hated it, but she was too tired to pretend it didn’t hurt.

Jaskier’s eyes were focused. His fingers around her arm were gentle, but firm. The tips were calloused, rough against her skin. She was trying to ignore the fan of breath that hit her skin as he leaned closer, doing his best to clean the area around her wound. She supposed it was easier to focus on his proximity — and the way his lashes brushed against his cheeks, or the parting of his pink lips — than the pain she was in.

Jaskier’s voice was low when he spoke. “Why is it that whenever you go off on your own, something catastrophic happens?”

Thea’s eyes flicked to the bard. He was dipping the cloth into the bucket of warm water, but as soon as he turned, his smirk rose.

Thea narrowed her eyes at him. “You know, you’re not as funny as you think you are,”

“Funny enough to make you laugh.”

Thea cursed the twitch of her lips. She cursed even more when Jaskier noticed it, a gleam reaching his gaze.

She rolled her eyes to make up for it, then sat up in her chair and jut her chin out to the bottle beside her. “Alcohol. Now.”

“You’ve had enough.”

Thea scrunched her nose. “What are you, my suitor?“ Jaskier’s eyebrows shot up, and, if she was seeing right, his cheeks reddened. She ignored it and continued, “I can drink what I want to. And it’s not even for me. We need to disinfect the wound.”

Jaskier avoided her gaze as he reached for the bottle. “Right.”

“Wait,” she said, just before he was about to pour the liquid over her wound. “Give me the towel.” Jaskier did, and she used her good arm to shove it in her mouth. With a nod of her head, Jaskier poured the alcohol over her arm.

Her scream was muffled, but it didn’t stop the tears that sprung to her eyes. She squeezed them shut, trying to ignore the stinging in her arm.

Then, memories.

Walking through the forest. Gathering herbs. Eyes searching for a good tree to climb. Somewhere she could stretch her bow back without a problem. Food, so they didn’t have to buy more at the inn.

Then a pain in her arm. A knife, with a man on the other end of it. She didn’t even look to see who it was before ripping the knife from his grip and out of her arm, back down to the side of his neck. His eyes flickered until they faded completely, and his body fell to the ground with a thump.

“Dat Ucker.” Jaskier pulled the towel from her mouth, allowing her to pant through her gritted teeth.

“What fucker?”

“The guy that stabbed me. Shit.” She winced at the tingles in her arm; her eyes felt heavy once more, but she urged them open. Before she could tell him to, Jaskier began carefully wrapping her wound.

Thea’s words came out with less cruelty than she’d intended; they fell from her mouth in an exhausted slur, “If he weren’t already dead, I’d fucking kill him.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Jaskier murmured, and with a few more dragged out blinks, Thea finally let herself close her eyes. She kept them closed as Jaskier finished the bandage, guided her to her bed, and settled her under the covers. Then, she let sleep fully take over.

#ocapp #jaskier #the witcher #the witcher drabble #jaskier x oc #jaskier drabble #my writing #thea #my ocs #my drabbles #the witcher netflix #julian alfred pankratz #joey batey #oc drabble #the witcher oc

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ugly-crying-over-bucky-barnes · 4 years

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Blue Eyes Part 23

Summary: After the Garrison is shot up, the youngest Shelby daughter finds a new home in London. She strips herself of her last name and tries to live a peaceful life far away from her brothers’ chaos in Birmingham. But fate leads her right back into it after she runs into Alfie Solomons.

Part 23: Ella makes a decision to return to Alfie.

The ocean made Ella think about Margate and her confrontation with Alfie on the beach. It was a strange paradox because it felt like a lifetime ago but it was still so fresh in her memory. She sighed deeply and submerged her hands into the damp, cool sand. The coarse texture grounding her. It was as Isabel had taught her. To use nature to her advantage. It was uncanny how the prickly feeling of a piece of bark, a smooth stone, or the unbearable cold of a river would startle Ella back to her senses. To remind her that she didn’t want to be numb, she wanted to be alive.

She had come out to the beach, about half a mile walk from where they’d camped, to make her decision. The Youngs had arrived the day before and offered to take Ella north with them if she so chose. Even Isabel offered to accompany her if she did decide to go north.

Ella’s heart longed for Alfie but she didn’t want to make the choice based on their separation. There were plenty of times that she wanted to go home simply because she missed him so much it hurt. But she wasn’t there to escape him. She was there for a purpose, to find herself. The decision had to be based on whether she had truly come to terms with her losses.

Mind still whirring, she stood up from the sand and walked to the shore’s edge. She waded through the water up to her shins, gathering her long skirt to her thighs to keep the fabric dry. The Atlantic was relentlessly chilly and the sharp stings of cold cleared her head within moments. She let her toes sink into the sand. The salty air whipped up around her, stirring up her hair and loose blouse.

She didn’t see Lilac in her dreams anymore. She hadn’t dreamed of the foals either. They had moved beyond the fog, out of sight, to a different place. They were at peace. And so was she.

~~~~~~~~~~~`

“Ella Shelby!”

On her return to camp from the beach, a man on a horse approached. Once he got close enough, she recognized the face from her past. Isaac was one of the Young boys. They ran into each other quite often at fairs. His brothers often tempted her brothers into boxing but Ella couldn’t recall who won the most.

Isaac appeared to have grown into his awkward, gangly height. No doubt from being on the road his entire life.

“How are you, Isaac?” Ella greeted politely.

“Good,” The man pulled his horse up to walk beside Ella. “Heard you’ve been traveling with the Lees, finally leave Birmingham behind? Going back to your roots, aye?” He wondered.

“I’ll be returning to London very soon.” She informed him firmly. Even though she'd only just made the decision to go back home, it felt concrete. It was a good indicator that she'd made the right choice already.

“Thought you were gonna come up north with us.” He looked a tad disappointed at the news.

“I’ve decided to return home.” The two approached the camp where Isabel was out with Roddy. “I’ve a husband to return to. It’s been a long time we’ve been apart.”

“Married?” He snorted. “To think Ella Shelby actually got married. I never woulda believed it. Lashav, to think you were holding out for me all these years.” He pressed a hand to his heart and dismounted his horse.

Ella rolled her eyes. “You’d be so lucky.”

Isabel walked over, giving the Young man a look. “So keres?” She confronted him.

“Nothing, Izzy, just greeting Ella,” Isaac replied. “Didn’t know she married a gadje.”

“Va, I’ve seen him and he could probably eat you alive.” Isabel retorted and linked arms with her friend.

Isaac only chuckled and shook his head before heading into camp with his horse in tow.

“Idiot,” Isabel muttered. “How was your walk?”

“Good.” Ella nodded and followed her back to the vardo. “Got to clear me head a little.”

“And did you decide?”

Ella glanced over her shoulder to where Isaac was. “Well, I’m sure as not hell traveling anywhere with him.” She laughed and sighed. “Besides, I miss Alfie too much to go any further. I’d like to go back.”

Isabel smiled warmly and squeezed her friend’s arm. “I’m so proud of you. Let’s get a letter out to him as soon as possible.”

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

Nine months after she left with the Lees, Ella sent a letter to Alfie saying she would be returning to London. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest when he read those words. He’d been waiting every day for that letter to finally arrive. Reading it through felt like a dream. His Ella was finally returning to him.

Alfie drove out with Polly and Tommy to greet Ella and welcome her back home. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the vardos and smoke rising from the fires. He got out of the car with energy in his step.

“Alfie!”

The sight of her struck him like a bolt of lightning. There was a glow about her that Alfie hadn’t seen in so long. He thought that side of her had been torn away from him for good. But there she was. Ella had gained back the weight she lost in the hospital and the sparkle was back in her blue eyes.

Alfie couldn’t wipe the smile off his face when he saw her running over. Her hair had grown out and the Lee girls had intricately braided wildflowers into her dark hair. An alluring nymph of the British countryside. She moved across the long grass with such grace and weightlessness that was otherworldly.

“There’s my wild gypsy girl.” He laughed and swept her off her feet, spinning her around. “Fucking missed you like hell.” He groaned and buried his face in her hair.

“I missed you more.” She replied with all the charm and wit that had been covered with anger and sorrow. “Oh! I helped a mare foal!” She exclaimed joyfully. “We named her Lilac, she’s an Irish Cob. Oh, there’s so much I need to tell you.”

Alfie chuckled at her enthusiasm. It was so relieving to see her so happy. It truly made the wait worth it. “Well, you’ve got plenty of time to tell me everything, love.”

Ella was overwhelmed with the distance that had been put between them. Spurred on by the reunion, she kissed him. Both were a little too caught up in the moment to remember where they were. Alfie let her back down on her feet but continued to kiss her, gently parting her lips and pressing a hand to the small of her back.

Tommy rolled his eyes and cleared his throat to break the two apart. “Are you going to say hello to us too?”

Ella and Alfie drew away, both looking a little sheepish. He let her go so she could greet her brother and aunt.

“Where’s this foal then, chavi?” Tommy asked.

“She’ll be with her mother now; Isabel is out with them I think.” She said and waved her brother along to follow her to the pastures they were camped.

Alfie and Polly followed a bit farther behind them. “She looks much better.” Ella’s aunt noted. “You did the right thing.”

He shrugged. “I would wait years for her if it meant she’d come back better.” He watched Ella and Tommy go out to see the mare and foal and the sun felt a little brighter.

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

Ella was afraid that Cyril and Anthea were going to have a heart attack when she walked into the room. The two tackled her, tails wagging and licking her cheeks.

“Hi, hi!” She giggled, dropping to the floor and trying to hug them both close. “I know, I missed you too! Oh, Thea, look how big you’ve gotten.”

“Yeah, she’s taken up to chewing on the fucking baseboards,” Alfie grumbled and hung up his and Ella’s coat.

“Oh, naughty girl.” Ella cooed. “Were you giving papa a hard time while I was gone?”

Alfie chuckled. “They were alright, missed you like hell though. Everyone did. Can’t tell you how many times your brothers asked if I’d heard anything from you.”

Ella stood up and walked over to him. “I missed you all too. Missed you the most though.” She touched his cheek.

“I won’t tell anyone you said that.” He winked at her and rested his hands on her hips. “Let me get a look at ya.” He murmured, his eyes grazing over her. Studying her face. The features that he had memorized. Seeing those blue eyes again was like a dream. He lifted his hand to trace the braids woven in her hair. “Grown it out again, have you?”

“Your hair’s longer too.” She remarked once she saw him without his hat on.

“Yeah well…” He cleared his throat. “’Member when I told you ‘bout Jewish mourning?”

It was quite fuzzy. Alfie had told her only moments before it got out that she was pregnant. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Parents are s’posed to mourn for a year. Now I know that I weren’t…” He blinked a few times and shook his head. “Never mind.”

“Alfie.” She lightly scratched her nails over his cheek and drew his eyes to her. “It’s okay.”

“I should’ve taken that fucking bullet.” He mumbled and touched his forehead to hers. “I’m sorry.”

“But we can’t go back. All we can do is go forward. So that’s what we’ll do. I’ve learned not to apologize for things that were beyond my control.”

The two held each other close in the hallway. Reuniting and syncing their hearts to beat as one again.

~~~~~~~~~~

October 23, 1929

Camden Town, London

“El, can you please do some gypsy magic to get this baby out of me?” Minnie bemoaned from her spot on the couch. The woman was heavily pregnant and trying to reach her stockings to fix them. After a few attempts to stretch over her massive stomach, she gave up with a disgruntled noise and flopped back against the throw pillow.

Ella laughed as she came in from the kitchen. When Minnie’s husband was working, she’d taken up to helping her friend around the house. It was a good way to spend the time now that she didn’t work at the law office anymore. Instead, she was back on the Shelby payroll so long as she fostered good communication between her husband and brothers.

“I’d have to ask my aunt she might have some tricks.” She set down the tray of tea and lunch for her best friend. “Here.” She offered to help adjust her stockings.

“Just take ‘em off,” Minnie grumbled. “Not like I can go anywhere looking like a beached whale.” She folded her hands over her stomach with a pout.

Ella smiled and shook her head, tugging off the stockings and placing them over the arm of the couch. “Anything else you need?”

“Oh, El, you’re such a gift.” Minnie sat up and touched her friend’s cheek affectionately.

“Well, as long as I’m the top choice for babysitting.” She teased. In the years that had passed since her miscarriage, Ella’s life had been very steady. It was something she enjoyed very much. The consistent routine was a joy to her and there was very little she would change. Her relationship with Alfie was strong and she was learning to trust her family again. It was comforting to know she could balance the two and that her love life and family life didn’t have to be at constant odds. Even though Arthur gave Alfie deadly looks and Tommy did his best to come out on top in negotiations, they were becoming accustomed to having him around.

“I’ve got to get my nails done before Thursday.” Ella frowned at the chipped polish on her nails. "They look a mess."

“What’s the occasion?”

“Oh, Alfie and I are going to Paris for his birthday. His birthday's on the first but he’s got a meeting that weekend so we decided to go early. We figured the longer we waited the worse the weather would be."

Minnie smiled coyly. “How romantic.”

Ella rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the silly smile on her face. “He’s calling it the honeymoon we never took.” She admitted. "I think he's just being silly is all."

Her friend squealed. “Oh, bless you both. Still so in love after all these years.”

“We haven't been together that long.” She winced playfully. “I’d hate to grow tired of him after four years.”

“Well for your fifth anniversary he’ll have to take you somewhere else if you’re going to Paris this week. Now I’ve heard Venice is just gorgeous.” Minnie gushed. “Or somewhere on the Mediterranean. Warm weather, beautiful beaches. The water's actually warm and clear instead of the shit we've got here.”

Ella just laughed. “I think I’d be quite content celebrating our anniversary in London. Sometimes it’s nice just staying at home.” She hoped that by their anniversary next year, things would still be peaceful and unnoteworthy.

October 28th 1929

Paris, France

“Alfie, love, will you do up my dress?”

He came out of the hotel suite’s bathroom, fixing his cuff links. It was fairly rare those days that Alfie got so dressed up. He and Ella frequented some of the Shelby events but he certainly wasn’t going to imitate Tommy with his immaculate tuxedos and expensive trappings. But for a dinner with his wife, he’d dress to the nines.

“Fucking hell.” He quipped from the doorway. “Ella Solomons, how many times have I told you to warn me ‘fore you put on a number like that?” He put a hand to his heart as if the sight of his wife had nearly knocked him right off his feet.

She giggled. “Oh, stop it.”

“Honestly, love, you look a dream.” He continued and began buttoning up the back of her royal blue dress. Alfie adored the color on her as it always managed to make her eyes appear even more bright than they already were. When he finished, he took her hand and led her into a little spin so he could see all angles.

Ella blushed and spun around teasingly. The deep blue gown cinched at the waist but had a loose bodice with stunning silver beads. The skirt grazed the ground but had a slit that reached just to her knee, giving Alfie a sinful glance at her silver-colored heels.

“Swear you make everything look good, El.” He remarked.

She smiled and drew him in for a deep kiss. “I think it’ll look better on the floor.” She purred against his lips.

Alfie groaned. “You wanna make us miss our dinner, love?” He growled playfully, pulling her flush to him.

“No, I’m starving. Just wanted to give you a little preview for tonight.” She pecked his lips and slipped away from his grip.

He chuckled. “Cheeky girl.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

After a few filling dinner courses, Alfie and Ella decided to take a walk around Paris before returning for the rest of the night’s activities.

“I have something for you.” He said as they walked hand in hand through the lively streets.

“Me? It’s your birthday coming up, not mine.” She replied and poked his side. She'd already given his birthday gifts before they left, that way she wouldn't have to travel with them and risk losing the presents. Alfie was chuffed to open the finely made matching leather collar and leash for Cyril and Anthea, a beautiful fountain pen with the date of their wedding engraved in the silver, and a scarf since he'd been complaining audibly about the turning weather.

“I know but I don’t need an occasion to spoil you, now do I?” He stopped and pulled a box out of his pocket.

“Alfie…” She took the jewelry box with a look of hesitation.

“Go on, open it. I ain’t waiting for Hanukah to give it to you.” He smiled encouragingly.

Ella sighed and opened the box. Embedded in plush was a gorgeous necklace, the chain embedded with tiny diamonds, all linked together ending with a teardrop-shaped blue-gray Alexandrite stone.

“Alfie…” She stammered in disbelief. “It’s gorgeous.”

He smiled. “You like it?”

There were tears in her eyes as she nodded. “You didn’t have to…”

“None of that, now.” He carefully took the necklace out of the box and helped put it on. “Had them add the diamonds to give it a bit more. Looked sorta plain without them. Took me forever to find the gem though, clearest one I could find.”

She laughed. Her husband was such a jewel critic. He’d refuse anything that wasn’t absolutely perfect. “I don’t know what to say.”

Alfie rested his hands on her shoulders and turned her back around after he did the clasp. “Don’t hafta say anything, love. You deserve everything, no questions asked.”

Ella kissed him softly. “I love you.” Her fingers began to work at his bowtie, slowly undoing the silky black fabric.

“What’re you doing?” He murmured, a little too occupied with kissing her.

“I want you to take me back to the room,” She left kisses over his cheek, moving to whisper in his ear. “Take this dress off me but leave the necklace on. Take this,” She placed the undone tie in his hand. “And use it to tie me to the bed.” She nibbled on his ear lobe. “And fuck me however you like.”

Alfie was afraid his knees were going to give in right then and there. “Fucking hell, woman, you tryna do me in?” He groaned helplessly. "Ain't even me birthday yet and you've already treated me like a king."

Ella pulled away and gave him an innocent look. “Not sure what you’re talking about Mr. Solomons.” She batted her eyelashes and reached a hand out to him. “But will you escort me back to the hotel?”

“You minx.” He shook his head and gladly led her back to the suite.

October 29th 1929

Paris, France

Alfie and Ella slept through most of the morning. After the eventful night together, they were more than happy to sleep in. With no engagements to attend, they could stay in bed the rest of the day if they so pleased. But the phone began to ring in the early afternoon interrupting their piece of heaven on Earth. Alfie groaned and threw a pillow over his face to try and block out the noise.

Ella stirred and cuddled close to her husband. “Alfie, who’s that calling?” She mumbled absent-mindedly.

“Dunno, love. Not important though.” He wrapped his arms around her bare body.

She smiled sleepily and pressed her cheek into his chest, content to ignore the ringing, just waiting for it to stop.

It did, for a moment. Alfie kissed her forehead and ran his fingers over her hips and thighs. “How are you?” He asked.

“Good.” She threw a leg over his hips to straddle him. “I don’t think this has to end though.” She murmured and kissed his neck. "I think we're well rested enough to continue last night's activities."

“You’re relentless.” Despite that statement, he began to wake up more and captured her lips.

Then the phone began to ring again. The loud, obnoxious chiming along with the vibrations of the receiver rattling. They parted and Ella moved to get up. Alfie wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her in bed. “Ignore it.” He coaxed again and rolled them over so he was hovering over her. The ringing continued for a bit as he kissed down her entire body, grazing each little mark he’d left the night before.

Ella soon forgot about the phone and giggled, wrapping her arms around her husband’s neck as he lavished her with love. "Oh, Alfie." She sighed adoringly, gratefully indulging in her husband's affection.

But the phone went off again.

“Fucking hell,” Alfie grumbled, the third calling really beginning to turn the mood sour.

“It’s gotta be important.” Ella bit her lip. “You should get it.”

Alfie ceded and reluctantly left his wife in bed, getting up to answer the phone. “This better be fucking good.” He barked into the phone.

“I’m guessing you haven’t read the news,” Tommy replied.

“No, mate, I’m on holiday with me wife, I haven’t had the chance to read the fucking news.” He retorted, grumpy that his brother-in-law had interrupted their morning. Nothing like Tommy Shelby's voice to completely turn his mood upside down.

“Well, I suggest you do. The world’s burning.”

“Tommy, I ain’t in the mood for your gypsy mystique.” Alfie turned around to his wife. “Ella, love, will you go get the paper?” He requested.

She looked a bit confused but got out of bed. After putting on a robe, she stepped outside and picked up the newspaper that had been left at the hotel door. She read the headline as she walked back into the room. “It’s in French, I can’t understand it.”

Alfie took the paper and tried to pick out any words he recognized. But his French was very limited. “Tommy, for fuck's sake, just tell me what happened. Neither of us read French.”

“The stock market’s crashed.” He finally answered. The words were still difficult to get out. It was as if saying them made it true and he desperately did not want that to be the fact.

“Well, that’s what you get for investing in America, mate. I never trusted them.” Alfie shrugged.

“The whole world’s fucked, Alfie, this affects you just as much as it affects my company.” Tommy retorted with a bite in his voice. He wasn't in the mood for Alfie's superiority complex over him.

Ella perched on the edge of the bed and watched her husband discuss the matter with her brother. Although she was listening, she wasn’t too sure what was going on. But the longer Alfie spoke with Tommy, the more worried he looked.

“Didn’t think you wanted me at family meetings, Tom,” Alfie said after Tommy said he and Ella needed to return to England to attend the family meeting the next day.

“Things have changed,” Tommy replied in a clipped tone. “Noon tomorrow.”

Alfie was going to say something else but his brother-in-law promptly hung up the phone. “Don’t think we’ll be able to make noon tomorrow.” He muttered and scratched his beard.

“What’s happened?” Ella asked.

“Stock market’s crashed. Things aren’t looking good. Your cousin’s gonna get thrown in the cut once he gets home. Your brother’s right pissed at him.”

“Things are looking good…so what does that mean?” She shook her head. The news was a bit of a shock. According to Michael, the New York Stock Exchange was going to make the company a fortune. There was no ceiling, in fact, it would only keep going up.

“It means the world’s in for quite a shock.” Alfie sighed and ruffled his hair as he thought through what Tommy had told him. “I’ve got to make arrangements to get us back home.”

She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “We’ve got tickets for Thursday to return home.” They had, after all, planned to be in Paris all week before Alfie’s birthday.

“I know, love.” He walked over and kiss her hair. “But Tommy wants to address the family.” The two embraced, a little stunned by the news. “I suppose that includes me now too.” He grumbled into Ella’s hair.

Romani:

Lashav: Shame So keres: What are you doing? Gadje: Non-gypsy Va: yes

Permanent Tag: @papa-geralt-of-cirilla @giftofdreams @biba3434 @kimmietea @karmezii @enrapturedbythemoon @vampgirl1997

Tag list: @deaflikehawkeye @octaviareina @mylovelykelsifer @doubletriplepowerbomb @ramblingbaby @fuseburner @kaetastic

Masterlist

PB Masterpost

#alfie solomons #alfie solomons x oc #alfie solomonsxoc #alfie solomons imagine #peaky blinder imagine #peaky blinders #peaky fookin blinders #peaky blinders fanfiction #fanfiction #ofc #shelby sister #shelby ofc #shelby oc #tommy shelby #cyril solomons #polly gray

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dark-horse731 · 4 years

Text

The Heartbreak prince drabbles

The Heartbreak Prince drabbles.

By DaRk-HorSe731.

Based on characters created by @kylorenvevo.

← Your smile. Part 1.

Your smile. Part 2.

Rey wasn’t prepared for that. She didn’t quite know what she expected from him, too captivated with her own desires. A scold, a yell? Another comment about how this is unacceptable? Anything, but this. He looks... devastated and broken. And she can’t see the end to the sorrow and pain in those eyes. This look is so familiar... Has seen it so many times in the mirror. Color drains from her face. Stupid, stupid, stupid! What was she thinking? Is this what you wanted, Miss Niima? Her heart drops somewhere deep down, and Rey feels nauseous that she let it happen. She knows when was the turning point, remembering with a shudder, how terrified but excited she felt at that moment.

Rey and Seff were standing in the Entrance Hall after dinner, talking about everything and nothing, smile spreading on her face at some funny joke he made, when he looked at her with soft longing, his face just a few inches away. Suddenly it felt like a trap, because she knew what he was going to do, and it was her own idea to go this way, but Rey couldn’t lie to herself, she didn’t want that. Not with him, not like this. Seff was a very nice guy, too pretty, too smart, too good for her. His lips were soft, and his kiss was shy and awkward. She stood still with her eyes wide open, trying to enjoy what every other girl in this damn castle had experienced dozens of times, but it was just too good. She didn’t want good. And then she felt it - a cold shower of goosebumps creeping down her neck to her spine. Rey immediately knew it was him, turning her eyes to the dungeon’s entrance... And there he was. Standing in a shadows, Professor Solo wore all black today, looking at them with such intensity in his eyes that could probably make her heart stop any second without magic involved. With his fists clenched and head bowed he looked like a predator, ready to make a strike. Maybe it was her imagination playing with her, but she could swear she felt his unrestrained desire to hex Seff, and deliver her a punishment for being such a bad dirty girl. Suddenly Rey was weak in her knees, and failed at surpassing a moan just from a thought that it could be him, she was kissing now. Seff misinterpreted her reaction, which encouraged him to deepen the kiss. It was an instinct when Rey finally parted her lips and let her tongue slide upon Seff’s lower lip, not breaking her eye contact with Solo. She saw him gulp at that movement and flinch when Seff brought his palm to cup her cheek. It could be him, she thought. Look, how desperate you made me feel. I’m kissing someone else, when it could be you. Ben’s eyes widened and even in the shade of dungeon’s entrance Rey saw how paler his face became at that moment. He stumbled back, looking completely terrified. Could it be that... Rey was sure her heart was going to tear her ribs apart, and then, thankfully, the kiss has ended. She faltered from emotions that was overwhelming her, looking at Seff’s rose cheeks and shining eyes just for a second, and trying to calm her raged breath. But the next moment when her eyes darted to the staircase - Professor Solo was gone.

That look hunted her dreams and conscious until this very moment.

NO! She wants to scream, to tell him how sorry she is for her completely immature behavior. Promise him it didn’t mean anything, and she will go straight to Seff after this and tell him that it was a mistake, she will definitely break his heart, she didn’t care. All Rey wanted is to never ever see that look on Ben’s face again!

She watched with horror how he silently tried to hide his emotions behind his mask but failed time after time. His skin was grey with dark circles beneath extinct eyes. How could she do this to him? Her heart painfully burns in her chest at this sight and Rey just wants to run and hold him as tight as she can, singing soft lullabies in his ear to smooth his pain no matter how long it takes. The look on Rey’s face makes Solo wince. He must be thinking she pities him. If only he knew... And before he could hide himself behind the mask and turn away from her, she pushes herself off the desk, quickly closing the distance between them, watching his eyes widen with fear, when Rey takes his hands. They are trembling a little, but it’s enough for her to feel even more shameful. I’m a monster. He’s not moving, not backing away, so Rey looks down and softly caresses her incredibly little thumbs over chalky spots on his fingers. Solo let’s out a long breath, that sneaks into her hair and gives her neck goosebumps. His hands are cold, not like Rey remembers them and it breaks her heart a little further. She wants to give them her warmth, and ends up with her hands covered in chalk too. Not as Rey cares much, but Ben Solo must always look perfect, so she casts wandless non-verbal “Scourgify!”, too afraid to let his hands go and ruin this moment. She hears Professor Solo gasp in surprise and wonders if his look changed, but now it’s her turn to feel insecure. He still haven’t said anything and she’s already pushing boundaries. Is this too much again? Should she step away and apologize? But to be honest even if Obi-Wan Kenobi himself walked into the classroom at this exact moment she wouldn’t find the strength to let go of Ben Solo’s hands right now. She must look very ridiculous, holding them like they’re Merlin’s treasure.

“You’ve mistaken the date of final battle in the First Wizarding War.” Quiet voice awakes Rey from her thoughts. Rey blinks. Did she hear him correctly? Is he really talking about damn essay? Now?! But his voice is calm and soft, so she dares to look up and holds her breath at how broken he still appears. Rey wants to smooth all worries from his face and finds nothing better then to answer: “I promise to learn them all properly, sir, so Dark Wizards would be satisfied with my qualifications.” Rey’s not angry or offended, like it used to be, so she hopes her tone is soft, maybe even sweet. Now it’s Professor Solo’s turn to blink. It takes him a few seconds to realize that she’s not indignant by his remark, but actually joking. Panic starts to slowly take over her. Why does she always embarrass herself when he is that close to her? But then... He smiles. And just like that Ben Solo takes her breath away. Again. Rey is so transfixed by this beauty, she forgets how to breath. He suddenly looks much younger and healthier. And in this same moment all the darkness behind those eyes vanquished, the light and warmth filling his irises. Rey can’t help but smile back, feeling so relieved and proud of herself. And something more. Her magic. Pouring through her veins with renewed effort, tickling on the tips of her fingers. It is a true wonder, she thinks, how his smile brought back her life force. But in the same time she realizes how tragic all of this is. Has anyone ever seen that smile before? Rey can imagine a curly boy at Ilvermorny, smiling like that everyday because there is no reason yet to lock himself behind his mask. Not broken, not tortured, without Dark Arts as his partner, with no blood on his hands and no weight of heavy guilt drugging him further into the darkness. I’m not a good man. She hears him thinking. How could he say so? He is better then most of the people she met in her life. And she never saw anyone more beautiful then he is now. She is sure the world is wretched without Ben Solo’s smile. She looks and looks, and looks with wide eyes, trying to memorize every detail of his face right now. So overwhelmed with his beauty, Rey blinks the tears away. “There it is,” she whispers breathlessly, realizing she wasn’t really breathing. Ben looks a bit confused, but Rey is too happy to back down. Her grin becoming wider. “Your smile.” He gives her incredulous look, but lets out a little laugh eventually, and she happily returns it. Rey will never forget how magic was wrapping their intertwined fingers, coming back to her, making her more full and powerful then ever. How cute his cheeks turned pink and how he closed his eyes a little while laughing. She held his hands tighter. He let her.

Thank you, Thea, for inspiration!💚

There will be more drabbles, hang around! :)

#fic: the heartbreak prince #the heartbreak prince drabbles #kylorenvevo #diasterisms #star wars au #harry potter au #hogwarts #reylo hogwarts au #reylo #miss niima #professor solo #ben solo #kylo ren #eurydice niima #eurydice #rey & ben #reylo angst #reylo fluff

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violetwolfraven · 4 years

Text

Drive! Fucking Drive!

@nightphans tagging you cause you seemed to like this idea and now I’ve expanded on it so... here goes my attempt at writing a new love interest for Kevin.

...

Kevin usually could put on a smile for his fans, but today was not a good day.

Him and Thea had been fighting (and it was bad, as in, they hadn’t so much as talked on the phone in two weeks bad), Andrew was off the court with a concussion, and the Foxes had a game against the Ravens in two days. While Kevin had come a long way, being away from them for almost 3 years now, he still didn’t exactly enjoy seeing his former teammates, even without Riko among them.

If any of the other Foxes had been there, Kevin probably could have handled it. Hell, he’d take one of the freshmen over facing this alone.

But he hadn’t thought it would be a big deal to go on a coffee run in Columbia alone, and then it was, and that was why he was running from a swarm of rabid fangirls.

Kevin wasn’t as fast as Neil, but he could definitely haul ass if he needed to, which was exactly what he was doing now. His only really clear thought was that he needed to get away and there was a convertible right by the curb and the top was down and it wasn’t going too fast yet so—

Parkour-jumping over the side-door into the passenger seat without asking probably wasn’t the smartest decision, but Kevin was desperate. He’d walked here, and there was no way he’d escape if he was sprinting away from fangirls all the way back to the cousins’ place.

“Fuck!”

The driver slammed on the brakes, probably rightfully. That was a reasonable reaction to having some guy jump into your car.

He didn’t recognize her—hadn’t even gotten a good look at her before he jumped into the car.

The driver was a young woman about his age, with hair dyed bright purple and brown eyes. She looked like she couldn’t decide whether to scream or punch him in the face.

She didn’t look like she had a clue who he was, which was unexpected, but Kevin wasn’t complaining.

“Hi,” he said, “I’m—“

At that point, one of the fangirls screamed and he remembered that he was running.

“Drive! Fucking drive!”

Whoever this woman was, she had quick reflexes. She didn’t question it. She just floored it out of the parking lot and narrowly avoided a car accident as she pulled onto the road.

“I’m sorry!” she shouted over the wind in a tone of voice that said that she absolutely was not sorry, “But who the fresh fuck are you?”

“I’m Kevin Day!”

“Am I supposed to be impressed? Why were those girls chasing you?”

“I’m a very famous Exy player!”

“Exy? You mean that indoor lacrosse ripoff?”

Kevin honestly didn’t think he’d ever been more insulted in his life.

“Exy is not a—“

“Tell it to someone who cares.”

At that point, the woman pulled over on the side of the road, safely a few blocks from the coffee shop.

“Look, I don’t give a flying fuck about any kind of sports,” she said, “I don’t know who you are and I don’t care to. The only reason I didn’t kick you out of my car right away is because you looked scared, and I have trouble turning away from people who look scared. It’s kind of a problem.”

“Seems like a good way to get yourself mixed up in things you can’t handle,” Kevin noted.

“Maybe. What about you? Have a lot of trouble with fangirls, Exy-boy?”

“Sometimes.”

She smirked, “What? Didn’t expect it, being a big-shot athlete?”

Kevin didn’t say that he’d never had a choice in being a big-shot athlete, so he’d never gotten to choose whether he wanted to deal with the fangirls and the press and all the not so fun things that came with the sport he loved.

The woman seemed to notice that the question was a touchy subject. She sighed.

“Look, what I’m trying to say is that you quite obviously need help, and I have nothing better to do this morning. Where do you want me to take you?”

Kevin was kind of in shock, to be honest. He hadn’t gotten much opportunity to meet people besides his team, being kind of anti-social, and he’d thought Renee, Abby, Jeremy Knox, and maybe Matt were the only people this nice on Earth.

Well, this woman didn’t seem nice, exactly. She didn’t seem like she particularly wanted to help him, just that she didn’t want to leave him on the side of the road. Plus, she definitely swore too much to be considered the conventional kind of nice.

Kevin would take it.

“My friends have a house here in Columbia. It’s not far.”

“Cool. Kevin, was it?”

It was so weird to talk to someone who didn’t know his name.

“Yeah. Kevin Day.”

“Well, what’s your friends’ address, Kevin Day?”

Kevin gave her the address.

Apparently, he’d been gone long enough that the cousins and Neil were getting suspicious.

They all seemed relieved, but very confused as he pulled up in a black convertible with a random young woman with purple hair.

“Did you get kidnapped?” Neil asked pointedly.

“If I was going to kidnap him, I wouldn’t have brought him back to you, now would I?”

“I got swarmed by fans and she gave me a ride,” Kevin explained, getting out of the car.

“Oh,” Nicky flashed her a smile, “Well, in that case, thanks for saving our guy!”

“I’d say ‘any time,’ but with any luck, I’ll never have to save Kevin here’s ass again, so... here’s hoping I don’t see any of y’all around.”

They all shot Kevin confused looks, except Andrew, who was just giving the woman a very suspicious once-over.

“She’s not an Exy fan,” he explained, “She didn’t even know who I was. I just jumped in the car and told her to drive.”

“And she actually did it?” Neil asked.

“She can hear you,” the woman said pointedly, “And if you’re all good, here, I’ll be on my way.”

“Then ‘be on your way,’” Andrew said, slightly mocking her South Carolina accent.

The woman glared at him for a second before tossing Kevin the jacket he’d accidentally left in her front seat and getting ready to drive away.

Kevin didn’t know why he did it, but he didn’t miss the annoyed look on Andrew’s face when he called after her.

“Didn’t catch your name!”

“Aria!” she called back, “And you’re welcome, by the way!”

Kevin probably should have thanked her before she was halfway down the street, quickly getting farther and farther away.

“So,” Nicky said with a shit-eating grin, “Aria, huh?”

“Fuck off, Nicky. I met her ten minutes ago.”

“She’s a risk,” Andrew said bluntly.

“None of us are probably ever going to see her again,” Kevin pointed out, “So it doesn’t matter if she is.”

...

Imagine Kevin’s surprise when he did see her again, at that same coffee shop, a couple months later.

It was another bad day, ironically. Tabloids were spinning stories about Thea and one of her teammates, and while Kevin didn’t think she’d cheat on him, he couldn’t deny that she never smiled for him like she did in those photos.

She was flying into town tonight, and she’d said over the phone that they needed to talk.

Basically, Kevin was about 90% sure they were breaking up, and Nicky had suggested going to Columbia to cheer him up last night.

He was sad about it, but not as much as he’d expected. He’d kind of seen it coming. Thea was still too much a Raven for him to ever fully relax with her, and being around him often made her revert to an emotionless mask he never saw when he watched her games on TV.

In the Nest, they’d found solace in seemingly the only other person who wasn’t a complete sociopath—besides Jean, of course—but now, they were in a big, bright world full of people who weren’t sociopaths, and as Neil bluntly pointed out, neither of them were what the other needed anymore.

At first, this morning, Kevin thought Aria was going to ignore him, but she didn’t move when he came over to stand next to her while they waited for their orders.

Andrew, sitting in the chair in the corner, glared at him, but didn’t intervene.

“Do you always come back to places you already got swarmed at?” Aria asked.

Kevin shrugged, “They have good coffee.”

“On that, we can agree. It was Kevin, right?”

“Right.”

Kevin realized he didn’t really know what to talk about. He could usually just talk about Exy and if a teammate didn’t want to talk about that, they’d start a conversation about something else.

Kevin didn’t know how to talk about much else.

“You go to school here in South Carolina?”

Aria shook her head, “Nope. I’m headed back to New York in the fall.”

“What school?”

“Trying to stalk me, Kevin Day?”

“Well, I don’t even know your last name, so I’d have a hard time if I tried.”

She smirked, but didn’t tell him her last name.

“I’m going to the Juilliard School. Performing arts is kind of my thing.”

“Cool.”

Kevin knew absolutely nothing about performing arts, but Aria sounded pretty proud of herself, so the Juilliard School was probably a good one.

“What about you? What school do you go to?”

“Palmetto.”

“And you didn’t go home for the summer?”

Kevin shrugged, “Training camp.”

And he didn’t have a home to go back to, unless Abby’s house counted, but Aria didn’t need to know that.

“Well, I leave in three months,” Aria said, “So probably no use in being friends if there’s a time limit.”

She picked up her coffee when they called it out.

“See you around, Kevin. Or not, if you decide to stop being a dumbass and keep coming to places where fangirls run rampant.”

Kevin was tempted to argue with that, but she actually had a point.

He and Andrew did leave pretty quickly after they got their coffee to avoid anyone recognizing them.

“What did she say to you?” Andrew asked when they were back in the car.

Kevin shrugged, “She told me she’s going back to New York for college in the fall, so there’s no point in being friends. She also said that I should ‘stop being a dumbass’ and coming to places I’ve gotten swarmed by fangirls before.”

“Well, she’s right about you being a dumbass.”

Kevin figured that would be the end of it.

...

It wasn’t. After a few more times running into Aria in that coffee shop, Andrew asked her to come with them to Eden’s the next time they went, and as much as part of Kevin wanted to stop him, he didn’t.

He actually really liked talking to Aria. She kind of reminded him of Thea, with the seemingly unbreakable defiance she always carried, but at the same time, she absolutely was not Thea. Aria joked more, was less concerned with survival in the way of someone who’d never had to fight for theirs, and as she’d made it very clear, didn’t give a flying fuck about Exy.

That was still weird. Having to come up with small talk. Aria didn’t know anything about Exy and Kevin didn’t know anything about performing arts. Instead of those things, they talked about the latest movie, which meant that Kevin actually had to go with Nicky and Aaron to see those movies, or debate their favorite Jane Austen novel, or just bitch about how hot it was. That had never happened with Thea.

It was probably weird to keep comparing his new... well, he didn’t know if he could even call her a friend yet, to his now-ex-girlfriend, but Kevin had thought about it more times than he probably should.

Oh, yeah, him and Thea had agreed to stay in touch, but after a talk, were both more relieved than they should be about breaking up. Neil was right. They weren’t what each other needed. And yeah, Kevin had been sad about it for a bit, but he couldn’t deny that Thea was happier now, with that teammate of hers. He was happy for her, and...

And he knew that Aria was pretty in an unconventional kind of way, and she was witty and funny and he really didn’t know if he was attracted to her or not.

Honestly, even if he wasn’t, Andrew would probably still see her as a threat.

She’d probably never speak to him again after whatever Andrew was going to do this weekend. But Kevin knew none of the other Monsters would ever get off his back until he let them question her.

It was kind of surprising when she gave him a weird look as he started drinking.

“Aren’t you a pro athlete?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Aren’t pro athletes supposed to stick to a diet or something?”

Aaron smirked a little, and Kevin fought the urge to roll his eyes. Nobody except Aaron and Neil actually even remotely followed those. Kevin would, but unfortunately, an athlete’s diet didn’t include copious amounts of booze.

“Don’t actresses have to stick to a diet, too?” Andrew asked.

Aria shrugged, “I don’t have a contract yet. And besides, I pretty much burn whatever I eat with dance, so as long as I keep rehearsing over summer, I probably stay about as fit as you guys.”

Kevin seriously doubted that. He didn’t mean to let it show on his face, but Aria was already shooting him a sour look.

“I would like to see you last an hour at a dance call at my school. Sports are hard, sure, but you guys don’t have to look pretty and stay on-beat while you do it.”

Nicky snorted, “She’s got a point. Can you do, like, flips and stuff?”

“I can do an aerial. One of my best friends is so good at tumbling and stuff that he can do a backflip, but I’m not quite there yet.”

“Cool! Can you sing, too?”

Aria grinned and sang along to the next couple lines of the song that was playing.

“I’m on my guard with the rest of the world, but with you, I know it’s no good. And I should wait patiently, but... I really wish you would.”

She actually sounded pretty good.

“Awesome!” Nicky exclaimed, “You’re a triple threat!”

Aaron gave him a weird look.

“What? I went through a theatre phase in high school.”

“Well, theatre is gay culture,” Aria admitted.

“Interesting,” Andrew said dryly, “How you claimed you knew nothing about Kevin, or even Exy, and yet you know that Nicky’s gay.”

Aria just shrugged, “I still don’t give a flying fuck about Exy, but after y’all invited me out, I got curious. Spent some time on the Internet. Speaking of which, your Wikipedia page didn’t say you were as socially awkward as you seem, Kevin. How the hell did you get a friend as nice as Nicky?”

Neil and Nicky laughed. Aaron hid a smirk.

Kevin glared at them. Obviously, he wasn’t going to tell her about that deal with Andrew, and therefore basically getting adopted by the Minyard/Hemmick family, but he did give Aria a fairly truthful explanation.

“You get pretty close with people when you play on a team. Sometimes, things happen and you can’t help but care about someone.”

“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said about any of us, Kevin,” Neil said with a shit-eating grin.

“Fuck off, Neil.”

Aria raised an eyebrow, “Woah. Seems like you’re just as much of a bitch as me.”

“Excuse me?”

Nicky was losing his shit laughing, and even Andrew seemed to find that funny, not that anyone who didn’t know him well would be able to tell.

“So, what else did our Wikipedia pages say?” Neil asked.

Kevin knew for a fact that Neil knew exactly what his said, but he didn’t say that.

“A whole lot of interesting stuff,” Aria admitted, “Your team seems pretty messed up.”

“That kind of sums it up,” Neil agreed.

“With any luck, I’ll have one someday. A Wikipedia page, I mean. Not that any of you will probably read it, but I’m gonna be on Broadway someday, so you can read all about it when I’m... well, probably not as famous as you. Broadway stars are famous to high school theatre nerds and basically no one else.”

“Convenient,” Andrew said, “Wanting to be an actress and meeting someone randomly outside a coffee shop who’s famous enough that his endorsement could probably get you exactly where you want to go.”

Aria seemed to get what he was implying, and she glared at him.

“Trust me, if I’m getting there, I’m getting there on my own. Victory tastes a lot sweeter when you got it fair and square, because then when you say that you’re better than the people you beat, you know for sure that you’re right.”

Kevin knew exactly what she was talking about.

Aria took a sip of her drink, still glaring at Andrew.

“If you wanted to know if I was a threat to your socially-awkward buddy, you could have just sat me down and asked questions like a normal person. If you had asked me if I was planning on using any of you to further my career, I would have told you that as a bisexual woman of color in performing arts, I have worked my ass off to get this far, and I sure as hell am willing to work my ass off even more to get myself the rest of the way. I’m not interested in taking shortcuts. So, if you still think I am, kindly get your coffee at a different time of day, because I’m not seeing you intentionally, but I’m not changing my schedule to avoid you, either. Basically, thanks for the drink, but I can call myself Uber, so don’t worry about driving me home.”

With that, Aria grabbed her bag off the table and started walking away.

To their credit, all the guys had the decency to look at least a little guilty, except Andrew.

Kevin didn’t want to know the look on his friend’s face when he followed her.

He caught up to her on the sidewalk, outside, waiting for her Uber.

“You weren’t kidding.”

“What?”

“You said that helping people who looked scared was a good way to get myself mixed up in things I can’t handle,” Aria said calmly, “And you were right. Don’t think I missed all the messed up headlines your friends have made when I looked up you and your team.”

“And you still came with us tonight?” Kevin asked.

She shrugged, “Seemed like they’d only get more suspicious if I cancelled. I didn’t feel like getting stalked by a team of athletes with half a dozen homicide accusations between them.”

That was actually fair logic. To be honest, Kevin was surprised there were only six accusations between Neil, Renee, and the twins.

“They’ve all seen some messed up shit,” he explained, “They’re just trying to protect me.”

“Yeah, I got that. Just don’t particularly see why I’m worth the fuss. I’m leaving in 2 months and I’m not coming back until Christmas.”

“They’re paranoid.”

“And you’re not? Judging by the articles analyzing you, you don’t go anywhere without at least one of them.”

Kevin had to admit, he usually didn’t. Even after 3 years away from the Ravens, he still didn’t do well alone.

He shrugged, “Sometimes paranoia keeps you alive. You don’t really seem like a threat, though.”

Aria snorted, “Thanks.”

She took a deep breath, seeming to be psyching herself up for something.

She took a piece of paper out of her bag and handed it to him.

It was a business card, with only three lines of information. A phone number, an email, and...

Aria Kennedy. It said her last name. By giving him this, she was making it a lot easier for him—and by extension, Andrew and the others—to look her up.

“You don’t have to use it,” she said simply, “But oddly, I actually enjoy talking to you. You make good conversation, for a jock.”

“You make good conversation for a sarcastic theatre kid,” Kevin admitted, “Aria Kennedy.”

Aria smiled a bit at that, “I’m not watching your games.”

“I’m not watching your plays.”

“Wow. I’m so crushed.”

Kevin laughed at her deadpan tone.

“Look, I’m not stupid,” she said, “I get that there are probably a lot of people out there who want to get with you for the fame and all that. That’s probably part of what your friends are protecting you from. But that’s not me. I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m barely looking for a friend. It just seems like you could use one who hasn’t done a turn at county.”

“Maybe,” Kevin admitted, “I’d like to be friends.”

He probably should figure out if he even wanted to be more than that, but for now... a friend seemed good. Even a friend who was moving to New York for most of the year.

Aria saluted with two fingers as she stepped into her Uber, “See you around, Kevin Day.”

Kevin nodded, “See you around, Aria Kennedy.”

...

((I’m sorry if this is out of character for Kevin. I’ve only read aftg once.))

#all for the game #aftg #kevin day #kevin x oc #oc: aria kennedy #violet’s writing

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fericita-s · 4 years

Text

Beginning After The End (Part 1)

This is a story about how Agnarr and Iduna’s friends, particularly Thea, move on after their deaths. Thea is an OC from When All Is Lost, a series about Agnarr and Iduna that @the-spaztic-fantastic and I have written together. This story wouldn’t have happened at all without @the-spaztic-fantastic contributing generously with ideas and edits and brainstorming sessions and the need to see Thea having a happy life after we killed off her husband in Into The Unknown (ok fine, that was mostly me but she was in total agreement it needed to happen!) Hubert first appears in The Color of Virtue which @the-spaztic-fantastic wrote for WAIL and I appreciate her letting me feature him in this story. I’ll post this in four parts over the next few days.

The stones rose up out of the ground and Princess Anna looked impossibly small against them, her hands clasped tightly and her head bowed in muted sorrow and reverence. Thea wished she had been as composed during the service for Elias a year ago instead of sobbing throughout, Sasha and Vadik clinging to her in a way she didn’t know a seventeen-year-old and a nine-year-old could cling.

Perhaps that was why Queen Elsa hadn’t come. Perhaps she too had been unable to stop her outward displays of grief and mourning that would have been too devastating for Arendelle’s citizens to witness from their teenaged monarch. Or perhaps it was now deemed too dangerous for the remaining members of the royal family to be in the same place. There had been a few assassination attempts over the years and rumors of ill health were always rampant. Especially this past winter which had taken so many in a sweating sickness including the elder Calders. Elias’ parents had both gasped his name as they died.

Too many gone.

Thea watched as the priest put a hand on Anna’s shoulder and said “Have courage.” Anna nodded, eyes downcast and Thea wished she had the energy to go tell her to have whatever she wanted: anger, fear, sadness, nothing. But when she took Anna’s hand in the receiving line, she knew it was something else she needed to say and she tried to hug Anna the way Iduna always had, both arms tight around her waist and head tucked against Anna’s.

“They loved you very much,” Thea whispered, only loud enough for Anna to hear, and then tightened the hug when she felt Anna’s breath hitch at her words. Thea made soothing sounds against Anna’s ear like she did for little Elias, like she did sometimes even for her older children who wouldn’t ask for it, but whose bodies relaxed at the noise when she tucked them back under covers after troublesome dreams. “They were very proud of you, and I am too.”

***

Thea dried her eyes with a handkerchief and linked her arm through Sasha’s as they left the service.

“It was longer than Father’s service. But not so long as Grandmother’s and Grandfather’s,” Vadik said as he reached for Thea’s free hand. Her heart seized at the thought that her ten-year-old son had been to enough funeral services in the past year to compare them.

“The music was beautiful. King Agnarr would have loved the violins,” Sasha said, sparing Thea the need to respond. “I bet the baby would have liked listening to the choir.”

Vadik giggled. “He would have tried to sing though. And clap.”

“If he did, Queen Iduna would have liked that better than any instrument,” Thea said and smiled in spite of the sadness. Little Elias did that for her, for them all. Delighting in his arrival and his first smile, first words, first steps; he pulled them all out of the pit of grief they so often found themselves in.

“Still, it’s best he’s home with the nursemaid. Cook has probably already fed him lunch. Should we -” Thea stopped and watched in confusion as Sasha dropped her arm and pulled away, walking with urgency towards a man still facing the stone pillars.

“Uncle Hubert! Uncle Hubert!”

Sasha pulled on his elbow and the man turned to her, smiling while wiping at his eyes and at his neatly trimmed beard and Thea saw that it was indeed Hubert. Hubert, who had grown to be such a close friend that even after Elias’s death they had continued to exchange letters.

There was more white in his beard than the last time they had seen him, and perhaps less of it on his head, but he still had the same tall, trim build of his youth. Thea’s eyes were trained on his beard, wondering if Elias would have also been starting to have streaks of white appearing in his hair had he lived to bury his best friend instead of preceding him in death. Thea swallowed painfully, a feeling like panic and longing fighting in her chest.

Hubert hugged Sasha and then shook hands with Vadik, exclaiming over how much the children had grown since he had last been to Arendelle.

“If you think we’re big, you should come see little Elias! He’s the chubbiest baby you’ll ever see and Mother says he’ll be bigger than me soon!” Vadik said and then looked at Thea.

Sasha had linked arms with her mother again as Thea took a deep breath past her mounting emotions and smiled at Hubert. “It’s good to see you, Hubert.”

“It’s good to see you, Thea.” His smile was a pained one that surely mirrored her own.

***

“How long did you know him? The king?” Thea asked. They had switched to French, a more comfortable language for Hubert and one Thea was eager to speak in. Speaking it reminded her of days in a Parisian finishing school when she had less responsibility and more time to pursue her artistic accomplishments, and though she had taught the children, they were never as eager to leave the ease of their native tongue.

Vadik and baby Elias had gone to bed, Hubert helping out with stories of trains and lullabies. Sasha had given him another hug before bidding them both good night and retiring to her room. Thea half expected to come downstairs and see Elias and Iduna and Agnarr in the sitting room, to take up the evening amusements as they once had while vacationing together in the Royal Sommerhus so many years ago.

But of course, it was empty.

The servants had left some spirits on a tray by the fire for her and Hubert and she poured him a glass of akvavit before pouring some for herself. She settled in a chair by the fire and he did the same.

“I knew King Agnarr for over two decades. I met him when I was twenty, assisting with a trade negotiation. He was a few years younger, but already so serious and earnest in doing the best for his kingdom.” He swirled the liquid in his cup and sighed. “When did you first meet? Was it Iduna you knew first?”

Thea took a sip of her drink and smiled. This dance of grief - fond memories that were no less happy for being remembered when sad - was something she had learned in the past year. For a while she had tried to avoid even thinking of the happy moments, afraid she would tinge them with an irreparable sadness now that Elias was gone. But the children wanted to be told the same stories about their father again and again, and even her mother-in-law and father-in-law could only be soothed by memories when in their sick bed.

It was a fresh wound, a bright one, still stinging, to think of Agnarr and Iduna. To add them to the trove of treasured memories that were now of a limited quantity.

“I had the opposite impression when I first saw him. It must have been around that many years ago.”

“Oh?” Hubert looked surprised, but intrigued, and settled back into his chair in anticipation of her explanation.

“The day I arrived in Arendelle from finishing school was the day he and Iduna crashed into the fjord on that ridiculous velocipede. I thought my parents had made quite a poor decision in starting a business here, even though my father had claimed it was ripe for a print shop with the new King’s Academy growing the demand for books and printed materials.”

Hubert was smiling and it was enough encouragement for her to continue. He clearly liked remembering them too.

“I saw the commotion and thought it was just some school children having fun until the sailors and the fisherman started addressing this boy as king. And then he refused to get out of the water until Iduna was safely lifted out and someone had fetched her a blanket. I thought it scandalous that a young king would put a lady in a situation like that, at worst in danger of drowning, at best in danger of catching cold. And then to learn she was a commoner and they weren’t even courting...it was Elias who explained it to me later, what he was really like. But, no, it was not a good first impression.”

Hubert laughed now. “This was before their courtship then. I remember Agnarr being inept in that area of kingship.” He leaned forward, placing his drink back on the tray and putting his elbows on his knees. “Did you know I asked him about Iduna after his eighteenth birthday ball? I had a dance with her and was enchanted. And he and I got along well so I knew he could tell me if she already had a young man courting her. But he didn’t tell me of his feelings for her! Instead, he told me where I could find her at work! She let me down kindly.”

Thea put a hand to her chest and laughed. “I never heard that story!”

Hubert nodded with a small grin. “It’s true. The next time I came to Arendelle they were courting and Agnarr apologized for not speaking of his intentions to me earlier. I told him it was no matter, as long as he had apologized to her for not speaking of his intentions earlier!” Hubert leaned back again and sighed. “So wise in some ways, and then so like a child in others. I’m glad he got to have his own family before...this. Before his end.”

Thea took a drink and nodded. “They loved each other so. It’s a good legacy they leave, though too soon to do it.”

Hubert looked at her steadily, and she wasn’t sure what to read there. He reached for his glass again and clinked it to hers. “Elias as well.”

***

Thea showed Hubert to a guest room, insisting he stay with them instead of on his ship docked in the harbor. The inns were full of foreign dignitaries paying homage to the king and queen and the idea of sleeping on a boat after talking about three loved ones who died on one felt like too heavy of a thing to bear.

She walked through the narrow hallways of the house, checking on each child. Vadik had thrown the covers off so she tucked him in and kissed his head, glad he couldn’t roll his eyes at this sign of affection while asleep. Sasha had fallen asleep with a book on her chest and Thea smiled as she tucked a ribbon into the pages as a bookmark and set it on her bedside table. In the nursery, little Elias was sleeping on his stomach. He looked even rounder in sleep. She pressed a hand on his back and breathed with him, the calm of his steady breaths finally making her feel sleepy.

In her room, she undressed by herself. Her lady’s maid had gone to bed hours before once Thea had assured her she could manage. The woman had been yawning before Thea and Hubert tired of reminiscing, the comfort of shared stories and dear friends a balm on this difficult day. She closed her eyes as she stepped out of the mourning gown, longing for the feel of Elias’s hands slipping underneath her chemise and kissing her throat as he unbuttoned and unlaced. With her eyes closed and her head a little fuzzy and warm from the akvavit, she could almost feel his breath on her neck and his hands at her waist, warm and eager on her skin.

She discarded the dress and hoped it would be a long time before she needed it again. As she pulled her own covers tight against her body, she began her regular nighttime ritual. Reaching for the memories she wanted to play across her mind until she surrendered to sleep, she thought about how Elias had explained the king’s behavior to her. It had been at the same ball Hubert spoke of, held in honor of Agnarr’s eighteenth birthday.

By then, Arendelle had weathered an outbreak of Rock Pox and fared far better than its neighbors. Thea had been impressed by the quick response of the crown to procure medicines and supplies for everyone in need, to compensate affected businesses, and to recognize Iduna with a medal and a council seat for her contributions to the quick containment of the illness.

She tucked her hands under her cheek and thought of the dress she wore the night of the ball. It was a brilliant green, the finest silk she had ever worn and one her parents were proud to be able to afford with their earnings from the print shop, now successful and producing more content than they had hoped. A footman had presented her and all of the other ladies from Arendelle with golden pins in the shape of wheat and she had held it in her gloved hand. Foreign princesses had already affixed crocus pins to their dresses, the more daring ones placing them very close to generous displays of decolletage.

It was the second time she had seen Elias.

The first time was that day at the dock, when the king and Iduna were treading water in the fjord. Thea had gaped at them from the deck of the French ship delivering her to her new home. What was this place? Where people watched as a king almost killed himself and a young lady? In the chaos, Thea remembered seeing a tall, dark-skinned young man and a shorter, light-skinned and more compact young man clapping each other on the back as they pointed to the king amidst fits of laughter. The taller one caught her eye, winked, and smiled. It had been a handsome smile. Wide and easy. She had turned her head, blushing.

And then she saw him again at the ball.

He bowed to her and asked her to dance and she shoved the pin into her reticule so she could take his hand.

When the music started, he steered them effortlessly and she followed him, grateful that he was a better partner than the clumsy boy she’d been assigned in finishing school.

“You’re that girl. I saw you the day the king fell in the water. I wondered if you had sailed right back out of Arendelle after that.”

She was a little breathless from the dancing, even though they had just begun. “I was arriving that day, sir, not departing. My family set up our print shop in Market Square. I’ve been busy helping them arrange business.”

“Oh, the Jorgens! Yes I believe my father knows yours. He’s the trade minister. Always needing duplicates made of various agreements. I’m Elias Calder. Welcome to Arendelle.”

She smiled and didn’t speak, concentrating on the steps, on the muscles she could feel coiled beneath her hand, on his smile, so winsome and open.

“You’re not like the other girls.” He said, suddenly.

She hmmphed and turned her head so she looked over his shoulder as they continued the steps of the dance.

“Is that rude? I’m sorry. I meant to pay a compliment.” His eyes were amused even though his apology sounded sincere and it elicited a flare of irritation in her chest.

“Either you meant to insult my sex generally or me personally. I'm not sure which is worse but either way it makes you a rude clout.”

“I’m sorry.” The amusement in his eyes had vanished, replaced with genuine worry. “I just meant - every other woman here is falling over themselves to get on Agnarr’s dance card, to show their appreciation for his gift, to wish him a happy birthday. But you’re not.”

She gave a small smile. It was an acknowledgement that he had been watching her and she recognized it for the compliment it was.

“I don’t want the pin to ruin my dress. And,” she leaned in closer to his ear and whispered. “I’m not sure the king is worth all that trouble.” She had meant to avoid her voice carrying, but the closeness brought a thrill that had nothing to do with fear of being overheard.

Elias looked puzzled as she pulled away from his ear and they continued the movements of the dance. “No?”

She shook her head, pleased her curls might be shown to good effect. She hoped he was watching. He was very handsome. And light on his feet. And if he winked at her again she might not turn away.

“He seems a very inconsiderate man to drag a woman on an adventure that ends with her in wet clothes in public. Does he not have high regard for his citizens? Does he think women not born of royalty don’t merit the same kind of attention and consideration as those you’d find in court? Or is he ignorant?”

Elias smiled at her. “I’ll tell you a secret.” He leaned towards her ear, whispering, and she could feel every one of the fine hairs on her neck as he did. “Agnarr is madly in love with her and we all have a bet going of when he'll finally realize it, summon his courage and ask her permission to court her."

"He wouldn't ask her father?" Thea had asked, hoping he would remember this hint for how to court a woman.

"Oh, um, Iddy - Iduna is an orphan too. We think it's part of why they get on so well. Mutual understanding of unspoken things and all that."

Thea nodded, considering this new information.

“When she moved to Arendelle from the orphanage, he welcomed her to town with a golden mortar and pestle.”

“Gold?” Thea laughed at the absurdity. “For a mortar and pestle?”

“So you’re right that he is ignorant in certain matters. But I think he genuinely loves her. He’s certainly devoted. There’s nothing untoward in his attentions.”

The dance ended and Thea watched as Agnarr walked back into the ballroom from the balcony, Iduna a few paces behind and clutching at a necklace.

Elias walked her over to the refreshments and ladled a cup of punch before bowing to her again. “I promised my sister a dance. But I hope to find you again soon, Miss. Jorgen. And perhaps you’ll let me learn your first name, as well as the proper way to court a lady in the French fashion.”

He winked and was off through the crowd and two decades on, Thea clutched at her pillow and hoped sleep would come before the tears.

#agduna #WAIL #when all is lost #beginning after the end #agnarr #iduna #elias #thea #hubert

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happymeishappylife · 4 years

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DC CW Shows

I finally caught up on all the DC Universe shows. Quite an accomplishment for me considering I was 2 seasons behind. It feels good to finally get caught up to speed, but some of them are starting to feel like chores getting through them, rather than fun entertainment. A concern that gets amplified by the fact that the producers want to add on 2 more shows to the line up. So I felt like it was a good idea to breakdown my thoughts on each of the shows and what I liked/didn’t like. Plus then I will break down my thoughts on Crisis, because I have a lot of them. I’ll also rank these as I go as far as which ones I liked best, beginning with least to best. So let’s begin:

#7 - The Flash

I used to love this show so much. The first two seasons were a lot of fun and I loved all the characters so much. Thanks to the writing though, I can’t honestly say I don’t like this show much at all anymore and that’s kinda sad. Part of the reason is it became soooo angsty. Like the reason The Flash was great, was it was the antithesis to the angst on Arrow which made it so refreshing to watch. Now it’s like everyone must suffer some sort of pain over the tiniest things or worse, they become entrapped in characters and situations like its been haunting them for years when it only got introduced a couple episodes ago. At this point the only characters I care about are Caitlyn/Frost, Joe and Cecile West, Wally (when he’s on, which is like never), and Ralph. And that’s painful that Hartley won’t be returning to fill that role anymore because he was the only one who still could joke and laugh around like old Team Flash.

Season 5: Overall season 5 had a pretty solid storyline despite some of the angsty writing. After a while though I got pretty sick of fighting Chicada over and over again, especially Grace’s version. My one big pet peeve with it though was the relationship of Nora to Barry and Iris. I’m sorry. I can’t honestly picture any 20-30 something meeting their adult daughter and automatically assuming the role of an actual parent and treating her like a preteen. That always felt super weird and uncomfortable. Not to mention it happened almost automatically with little to no hang ups on ‘is this really our kid? Should we trust her?’ Plus then it created angst between Barry and Iris which I’m really over at this point in the series because their relationship was never my favorite to begin with.

Season 6: A hot mess. Granted, because of Crisis and Covid-19, the season probably didn’t get a fair chance to play out to it’s full potential. But cutting the season into two arcs didn’t do it any justice. Especially because instead of having character growth, I felt like a lot of the characters regressed. Take Barry for instance. The whole first part of the season is him prepping/training the team to take over for him after Crisis since he believes he is going to die. Only when he doesn’t, he assumes the role of leader still without actually leading. He stops telling his team members key details and putting aside the fact he killed the speed force, he stopped being a hero. The whole fight scene with Mirror-Iris, was so bizarre to watch. Yes, Barry would never hurt the real Iris, but she’s not and instead he just stands there and gets stabbed over and over, crying at the end that she’s not there. It’s really hard to watch.

#6 - Arrow

Arrow used to be in my top 3 slots as last I left it. The storylines were still on point. But leading up to Crisis and the show ending, there were some things that worked for me and some that didn’t. Still, kudos to the team for standing their ground and saying that we’ve told all we can tell, let’s put this show to bed and give it a close it deserves. It made the ending super emotional, but at the same time satisfying despite, Oliver’s death in the universe. My only complaint is the fact that the producers can’t put it fully to bed and now want to reboot Arrow all over again with Mia and the canaries. Don’t get me wrong watching strong women take more of the leading roles is awesome, but not to tell and retell the same storylines.

Season 7: The first half of the season when Oliver was in Iron Heights was not my favorite. Mainly because as it continues to develop it was like all the reasons he got put in Iron Heights to begin with no longer mattered. Diaz is still on the lose, he’s still playing his games in prison, and really what was the point? Now the second half of the season where we focus on his rehabilitation into society and working with the SCPD to track and take down his sister Emiko, was actually good. Too bad it got horribly overshadowed by a time travel flash-forward storyline to introduce and make us care about Mia.

Season 8: Obviously this season was the closeout season and the season leading up to Crisis. But I liked the way they treated it. They gave cameo spots and guest starring spots to former faces like Thea (she’s still freaking awesome), Tommy, Moira, and even Merlyn came back. My only complaint was that all of sudden we did have another time travel situation on our hands to meet our future kids. Thankfully I felt Arrow overall took that development better than the Flash, which since that was only a couple episodes and not a season, says something about the writing. Plus the post-Crisis pilot for the Green Arrow and Canaries felt a little out of place given everything that happened and a little insulting.

#5 - Supergirl

There’s parts of Supergirl I still absolutely love to pieces and the writing that are still doing it the justice that started the show by telling storylines of not only heroism, but commentary on today’s events to help push for progress. I love the whole cast of characters and think the acting has been great. My only complaint is with Season 5 and the fact that the show is beginning to find its tipping point of being less than stellar. I mean, I still enjoy it, but it’s beginning to show its where and tear so I’m worried what’s going to happen as it continues forward. Especially as it gets hyperfixated on Lex Luthor, who don’t get me wrong is a fabulous villain, but isn’t that Superman’s arch nemesis, not Supergirl’s?

Season 4: What a great commentary to tell throughout the season that parallels the feelings and conversations being had about immigration in our own world. I thought the idea of the Alien Amnesty Act squaring off against Ben Lockwood and his Agents of Liberty was not only great commentary but great story telling. I also loved that we got to introduce Nia Nall into the series because she’s fantastic and has become one of my favorite characters. I even love the twist reveal of how Ben Lockwood isn’t the enemy, it’s really Lex Luthor and his communist Supergirl clone. Plus Jon Crier plays an amazing Lex Luthor.

Season 5: Don’t get me wrong, the stakes and the storylines with Leviathan and Obsidian North, I do think are important and worth telling, but they detracted from the main storyline that developed at the end of last season which was Lena and Kara’s new relationship. Yes, it was still hit on and explored, but by far that was the storyline I was interested in seeing the most, not Ramah Khan or Virtual Reality horror stories. Also, while I like Lex, thanks to his antics during Crisis, the second half of the season felt hijacked and became this witch hunt. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to see what he and Lillian are doing, but I wish it played out more in the shadows and less of the actual screen time. I’m also glad Lena is back on Kara’s side again. But Brainy better not be dead! He’s one of my favorites even if his motives during this season were hard to watch.

#4 - Batwoman

I actually really, really, really liked Batwoman’s first season. Getting to know the badass that is Kate Kane and watch the horror’s of Gotham play out week to week was such a refreshing change of pace. After all, The Flash and Supergirl are undeniably heroes and must carry those burdens(?) as they fight for truth and justice. And Oliver was a vigilante, but while he took down drug lords, weapons dealers, etc. the stakes of being a vigilante in Star City is nothing compared to wearing the cape in Gotham. I loved the cast and seeing the stories play out of their past and how they connect to each other and also how some of them discover who Batwoman is, was fantastic. Even as creepy as Alice is, I enjoyed seeing the performance of the completely unhinged and psychotic villain take the stage to play out her twisted fantasies. I also appreciate the openness that Kate brought to being an out and proud lesbian, even revealing her super identity to a teenager to prove that it does get better and lesbians can be awesome is super freaking powerful. I even like that with the shortened season, it didn’t feel like we got robbed of an awesome storyline, but now we get to why this ranks fourth on my list instead of higher: Ruby Rose left the show and we get a whole new Batwoman. I get that this is out of the hands of the producers and the writers and I am super sad to see her go. But its hard not to feel like we lost a whole season of introduction and development to just reset and begin again. I’m not sure how they will handle it, but I do hope that a lot of the cast stays and stays in their roles. Especially Luke and Mary who are a great team. Mary is also like my all time, instant-favorite character because not only is she super wicked smart, but she has so much humanity in her so I hope she still continues on the show.

#3 - Stargirl

Yes, yes, this show is still airing which is why I can’t speak to the overall season arc in finality yet, but I absolutely have been loving this first season. Again, what a refreshing new reality to step into and what a great new storyline to pursue. This rag-tag group of teenagers becoming the new Justice Society of America is a fun telling and already, the stakes of the Injustice Society are so high! Like I was expecting that it was going to be like the other shows where slowly by slowly we meet all the bad guys in different seasons, but instead it feels a little flipped since we don’t have all our new heroes on the stage yet. Still I love Courtney and her relationship with Pat as she discovers these secrets of his past and their new home of Blue Valley. I love her recruiting reasoning to bring Yolanda and Rick into this crazy plan and even her acceptance of Beth becoming the new Doctor Midnight. Plus, the show keeps surprising me because on one hand, giving these teenagers these powers to help them redeem their self esteem is a great storyline, which is why I was expecting them to force us to like Cindy since the beginning of that episode was leading up to maybe becoming friends with her, but no. Turns out she is the super bitch and super villain of the show and that’s kinda awesome. Also I like how because their teenagers, their secret identities aren’t really that secret, which makes it’s kinda fun, but also dangerous. We’ll see how the last 3 episodes play out, but I can’t wait.

#2 - Black Lightening

Talk about real gritty, dark, and powerful storytelling. I enjoyed the first season, but these last two have been a real punch in the gut in good ways and the writers have been outdoing themselves to provide heartfelt, real, honest emotions and discussions to the world of superheroes, compared to the other shows. And it’s hard, but the gruesome nature of the show also highlights some of the real struggles going on in the Freeland Community which of course highlights the issues in our own world around the Black Community. The whole spinal chord ripping scene will haunt me forever and not only because they keep replaying it, but because of how insane that was. The cast is also great and I love that at the end of Season 3, it’s not just a family of super heroes, but a group of powerful metas squaring off against the government and the most dangerous threat of all so far: Gravedigger. Gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.

Season 2: Now that the whole family knows the stakes of what they have gotten themselves into with Tobias and revealing the girls have power, I love the way we got introduced to the ASA and the pod kids as a menial threat while still struggling to take down the perceived ‘bigger threat’ that is Tobias. Jennifer also having trouble coming to terms with her powers and how to use them I think was a great way to explore that not everyone wants to be a superhero, especially in antithesis to Nyssa who is a full on badass as Thunder and Blackbird. Watching Khalil’s story in this go from obedient lap dog to a runaway and finally a victim of Tobias’ violence was hard, but I felt was justified throughout and made him that character you want to root for, even when not everything he’s done has been great.

Season 3: What a harsh turn of direction. A full on occupation of Freeland, house arrest, killings on the street, and an underground railroad of metas or suspected metas completely changed the tune of this show. Watching each of the Peirces struggle to find out who the ASA is, what their doing, if their actions are justified and if the Marcovian threat was real was really fascinating to watch. The showdown with the Marcovians too with a whole team behind them was also a nice change of pace, even if their mission didn’t end the way they expected. I think the amplified stakes though of what happened and what’s to come will continue to develop into an incredible show, minus one now big problem I have, but I will detail that out below when we talk about Crisis.

#1 - Legends of Tomorrow

You can fight me, but Legends of Tomorrow is the best goddamn shown on this network for one simple fact: They don’t take themselves seriously. There is no real angst and because of that it makes the adventures so fun and so hilarious that its such a great break from all of the other shows. Plus, because they keep swapping new and old cast members into the show, it always feels new. Kinda that Doctor Who spirit, which I love. That and because there are hardly any rules to a time travelling group of heroes who don’t really want to be heroes, you get ridiculously themed episodes like Bollywood Musical or TV Crossovers. It is what makes the show a total blast.

Season 4: As the team gears up to track down magical creatures throughout history, you get the introduction of permanent team member, John Constantine who I freaking love for his cool, aloof character and yet sarcastic and sassy contrast to the sunshine and bro-squad that is Ray and Nate. I also love that the season not only was about capturing these magical creatures, but fully rehabilitating Norah Dhark into a good guy now accidentally turned fairy godmother. To be honest, I definitely did not see that one coming. I like that fighting the demon lord also helped transition the show from Season 4 to 5 to fight hell spawn creatures. Quite a leap from the original Legends concept, but again that’s what makes this show so fresh.

Season 5: Part of the other fun of Legends is getting to see old characters get reinvented. I loved the storyline with Charlie and her reveal to be Clothos, one of the 3 fate sisters and the reason the ancient loom got destroyed. I also loved Tala Ashe’s portrayal of Zari in a different timeline because the difference between tech-geek, super smart Zari and social influencer extraordinaire Zari were well done. Plus we got another awesome bro-squad member in Behrad who I hope sticks around for a while. The only bummer was saying goodbye to Ray Palmer. Ray has been one of my favorite characters in the Arrow-verse and seeing his exit was sad and partly because I think it could have been handled better. Like don’t get me wrong, seeing him have to get approval from Damian Dhark to marry Nora was entertaining and I’m glad he isn’t dead like Dr. Stein or Leonard Snart, but I just feel like the exit was a bit rushed. The good news is, it opens the door for Ray to return and I hope we get to seem in the future.

Alright...... To end this long spiel, let’s talk about Crisis on Infinite Earths and what that now means for all these shows. Because unfortunately.... it can’t be ignored. And I’m sorry to sound pessimistic, but to be honest, Crisis wasn’t my favorite story and was too hyped for the end result.

The only show who came out better for Crisis, in my opinion, was Arrow. Mainly because the story of Oliver’s last sacrifice to reboot the universe was the only one that made complete sense and doesn’t complicate the show after it happens. Granted it could be because it was used as the show’s exit, but still. I used to love crossover episodes and getting the whole team together, but now because there is soooo much going on in each show and such a large cast, these big multi-night and multi-universe shows just feel scattered because you are constantly hopping around and between each of the characters and all the individual storylines don’t matter. Like remember when Barry and Oliver would actually talk about what they were up against? Miss that. That and Oliver, Barry, and Kara stole the show even when it was other shows turn to shine. Like Kate was hardly in it, even in her own episode and the Legends weren’t in it at all. It was just Sara and Ray which was disappointing because as Crisis was their season opener, you missed a real chance to have the Legends save the day. Don’t get my wrong, there were some great moments during crisis and I liked the nod to past versions of the DC characters, including Brandon Routh getting to play Superman again, but overall it just made chaos for things that don’t make sense post-crisis.

Like yay, all our favorite heroes are in one place and created the justice league to help each other, but once Crisis is over, nope sorry, no one can be bothered to borrow a hero friend. Like that makes sense for some shows, Batwoman for instance isn’t that close to everyone and her storyline is so rooted in her own family drama, that ignoring the other supers made sense. The Flash’s stakes weren’t high enough to involve anyone else, so fine. And Legends of course travel through time and so aren’t around, fine. But Supergirl’s takedown of a longstanding secret group of people capable of bending Earth’s elements to create catastrophic events, isn’t enough to at least reach out to Cisco or Luke for help tracking them? That seems underwhelming. Plus where are the aliens in all the other cities now? Or the metas in National City? That’s a pet peeve, but more so because of the biggest twist in Crisis:

Pulling Black Lightening into the Arrowverse. Like the shows writers and producers, I think Black Lightening works better outside the Arrowverse which was the intent and goal from the get go. Pulling Jefferson Pierce’s family and world into the same Earth as all the other shows, no longer makes the shows storytelling as strong and maybe it was because this was a last minute decision, but there is just no justification post Crisis as to why they had to come in. I mean, The Flash and Black Lightening have metas related issues, you would think that alone would be a prime source of teaming up. Especially when Cisco goes out on a worldwide quest to document metas, you’re telling me skipped over Freeland? And where’s our favorite Kyrptonian to fight for truth, justice, and the American way as Freeland is being occupied by the ASA? Oh, what too busy going after Lex Luthor? Sorry, I’m not buying that Kara Danvers ignores racial injustice. Like I get that maybe it was a way to be able to use Black Lightening later in cross-over events, but the fallout from bringing them in this season with everything going on is a huge mistake in my opinion. And heck, having shows exist outside each other is probably a good thing. Too many and these crossover events don’t feel fun anymore, they just feel chaotic. I think I’m with the Legends on this one: the crossovers aren’t worth it anymore.

#cw dc universe #thoughts #reactions #legends of tomorrow #black lightening #stargirl #batwoman #supergirl #arrow #the flash #crisis on infinite earths

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soldierswar · 4 years

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The Incident

Dad!Bucky X Reader

All the fluff

Plot: Bucky sends his wife on a little getaway trip for the weekend, leaving him alone with their two small children.

Little does he know how much of a handful they can be when it's just one parent watching them.

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Bucky had no idea how Y/N did it.

Y/N had been stressed out from work, along with mothering two young children. So, during her vacation time, he sent her on a five-day spa weekend with her sister upstate. He was more than happy to do so, and he loved the idea of spending more quality time alone with kids. But taking care of them by himself didn’t usually go past a few hours. This was actually the first time that Y/N had actually left for more than 24 hours since their five-year-old firstborn daughter Thea was born. And Y/N hardly ever left the house and left Bucky alone with the kids after their now 3-year-old son Aaron was born. It wasn’t like he never helped take care of the kids. Bucky and Y/N always made sure to share the workload. And that dynamic worked so well. But there were those times where Bucky did have to leave for a few days while out doing assignments. But now…he really understood why Y/N was especially stressed out when Bucky had to leave and she was alone with the kids while also working from home with them running around the house all of the time. They were absolutely crazy. “Thea, stop doing cartwheels near the top of the staircase!” Bucky warned. Again.

With Thea, it felt as though he had to keep an eye on her 24/7 so that she wouldn’t seriously hurt herself. It had been that way since she was a baby. Bucky and Y/N were so proud and amazed at how smart she was presenting herself to be from such an early point in her life…But that also came with its challenges. Because of that, baby-proofing had to be done at a whole new level. The second she learned how to walk, she knew how to get around to try to get to do what she wanted, which resulted in her putting herself in harm’s way. They always joked that they would have wrapped her up in bubble-wrap at all times if they could without child-services getting in the way. They would have even wrapped her while she was asleep just in case. Aaron was a lot more mellow than her. But if he didn’t like something, he would fuss and cry until one could figure out how to calm him down. Not necessarily in a bratty-tantrum kind of way. But he would be genuinely (and sometimes heart-wrenchingly) upset and not stop crying until things were resolved. If it wasn’t his hyperactive sister bothering him when he wanted to chill out, it was him not wanting to finish his vegetables, or not wanting to go to bed. Or, (here was the kicker), wanting to go to bed too early. The first time Aaron tried that, Bucky thought that it would be a great idea. Until he got up at two in the morning hungry for breakfast. He was just all-around a sensitive kid. Y/N made sure to keep a detailed schedule up for him, and even had a few meals prepped for them. At first, Bucky had protested that and claimed that he could handle it all on his own. 12 hours later he was extra grateful for all she had prepped for him. Finally, the kids were settled down on the couch with Sponge-Bob playing on tv, and they were ready for a snack. Bucky made his way over to the kitchen and opened the fridge to grab them their favorite apple sauce. He smiled hearing them in the background laughing with each other. Bucky and Y/N were so happy to have kids that not only loved one another so deeply but got along so well. Thea wasn’t planned at all. He and Y/N wanted to wait a little bit longer, before having kids. But in her signature fashion, Thea showed up with a dramatic and booming entrance. They later decided to have another kid a couple of years later so that she could have a companion to grow up with. And the two of them in no way regretted that decision. They were perfect. Suddenly the laughter stopped and Bucky heard a loud “thunk”, followed by a loud holler. His first instinct was to think that Thea had hurt herself. He really did think he dodged what was most likely inevitable, (especially since it was the middle of day 4). But it didn’t sound like that. It sounded a lot more like Aaron. He quickly made his way over to the living room and found Aaron standing against the back of the couch screaming louder, and louder by the second while holding his arm. Oh no.

He made his way over and carefully but frantically examined him for any potentially life-threatening injuries. His head wasn’t bleeding but would probably need a doctor’s examination. And since he could stand up, he knew that there was no way his spine was broken (thank God,). But, considering how he was holding his right arm that was turning red, and a little blue, that was definitely the main concern. Suddenly, Thea started to cry. And Thea crying made Aaron cry even harder. Dear God. Why today? He wanted to call the ambulance. But logically, he knew that it was nothing serious enough for that…But he still wanted to. He quickly threw that logic aside and acted quickly. “Thea, stop crying,” he snapped. “Get your stuff, we’re leaving now.” Thea looked at him angrily but was able to stop the waterworks. Which as suspected, helped Aaron calm down a little bit. Bucky quickly grabbed a long kitchen towel and made a makeshift arm sling for what he suspected to be a sprained and hopefully not broken arm, and hurriedly took the kids and strapped them in the car. … On the ride there, Bucky got Thea to talk about what had really happened. Aaron had decided that he wanted to take on traits that mimicked his sisters, and tried to balance himself and walk on the back of the couch. And then…well… the fall happened. Figures. But of all kids for that to happen, Aaron was not the kid he thought it would have happened to. Aaron still cried on the way there, but at least he was no longer screaming. When they finally got to the children’s hospital, the emergency room was luckily empty. Therefore, they were able to see him and get x-rays done on his arm right away. He was relieved to hear that there were no signs of a concussion. Another thing that Bucky was terrified about was hospital staff questioning whether or not he actually hurt his kid, or if he was just being neglectful. He knew that they had who he was and that it was on file. It would be an easy assumption for them to think that he snapped and did something to him out of anger. It was one of his biggest fears. He would never do anything to hurt his children like that. He felt guilty enough about that happening on his watch. But when Bucky felt comfortable enough to express that concern to Aaron’s doctor, she snorted followed by a chuckle. “Listen, Mr. Barnes,” she said. “You have two very young, and very active children on your hands. Things happen. And it’s a very minor ‘green stick’ fracture that easily checks out as one that happens because of a fall. You came in almost immediately after it happened, you made a makeshift sling for his arm, and you looked as though he was about to die if he didn’t get attention within the next 30 seconds. Nobody here thinks you did anything wrong.” He was so relieved. But still felt horrible about what had happened. He looked over at Aaron who had calmed down not long after getting his x-rays done. He contently sat on the ER bed playing with his stuffed duck that was thankfully laying on his car seat and sucked his lollipop that the x-ray tech had given him. He also got stickers for being such a good and brave kid. Thea sat on Bucky’s lap who also needed comfort. She too felt guilty about what had happened. But Bucky assured her that she was in no real trouble. But advised her that as his older sister, she had to watch out for him when he wanted to do something like that. He could have seriously hurt himself. She was feeling a little bit better and was also given a lollipop. But she still insisted on staying on Bucky’s lap and fell asleep with her head against his chest before Aaron even picked out what color he wanted. … It was finally night time, and the kids were sound asleep in bed. Y/N had insisted on coming home as soon as Bucky called her about what had happened while they were at the hospital, and she was home within a couple of hours. By the time she got home, the kids were fed, and they were both calmly playing games together on their play-rug in the living room. When she saw both of them, and they ran over to her over the moon to see her she didn’t even seem concerned at all. After a long day, Bucky and Y/N laid on the couch and ate popcorn and milkshakes with a movie playing in the background. Y/N could tell that Bucky still felt incredibly guilty and was beating himself up about what had happened, despite what the doctor told him. “Bucky,” she sighed. “Do you know how many times those kids bump and bruise themselves when it’s just me watching them? We have six ice-packs in the freezer for a reason. They’re crazy.” He chuckled. “I really underestimated their mischief,” he replied. She snorted. “Trust me, love. A broken bone was bound to happen any day. I’m just shocked that it didn’t happen sooner. And trust me…It will happen again.” She took a long sip of her milkshake. Bucky groaned. “Are you sure that you want to have another one?” Y/N looked down and rubbed her 8 month-old pregnant belly. “I think that you’re a little too late to ask me that question, Barnes,” she retorted. He let out an exaggerated sigh and set his hand on her belly. “We’re keeping this one in until she’s old enough to start school, okay?” he declared. Y/N nodded sarcastically and proceeded to rebut that she would only agree to it if he was the one carrying the baby. “Okay, fine,” he sighed defeated. “But we’re doing the bubble-wrap thing with this one.” This, Y/N agreed on, and they shook hands on it. The next few years were about to get even more interesting.

#Bucky X Reader #Bucky X Reader fluff #Bucky Barnes #Bucky Barnes X Reader fluff #dad!bucky x reader #fluff #marvel #marvel fanfic

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ucflibrary · 4 years

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Ready to fly your flag?

Pride Month has arrived! While every day is a time to be proud of your identity and orientation, June is that extra special time for boldly celebrating with and for the LGBTQIA community (yes, there are more than lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender in the queer community). June was chosen to honor the Stonewall Riots which happened in 1969. Like other celebratory months, LGBT Pride Month started as a weeklong series of events and expanded into a full month of festivities.

In honor of Pride Month, UCF Library faculty and staff suggested books from the UCF collection that represent a wide array of queer authors and characters. Click on the read more link below to see the full list, descriptions, and catalog links.

With the Libraries’ on remote resource access, the usual extended physical display isn’t available so we have created a list of ebooks and streaming videos that you can access from the comfort of your home.

A Wild and Precious Life: a memoir by Edie Windsor A lively, intimate memoir from an icon of the gay rights movement, describing gay life in 1950s and 60s New York City and her longtime activism which opened the door for marriage equality. Edie Windsor became internationally famous when she sued the US government, seeking federal recognition for her marriage to Thea Spyer, her partner of more than four decades. The Supreme Court ruled in Edie's favor, a landmark victory that set the stage for full marriage equality in the US. Beloved by the LGBTQ community, Edie embraced her new role as an icon; she had already been living an extraordinary and groundbreaking life for decades. Suggested by Kelly Young, Administration

How We Fight for Our Lives: a memoir by Saeed Jones Haunted and haunting, Jones's memoir tells the story of a young, black, gay man from the South as he fights to carve out a place for himself, within his family, within his country, within his own hopes, desires, and fears. Through a series of vignettes that chart a course across the American landscape, Jones draws readers into his boyhood and adolescence--into tumultuous relationships with his mother and grandmother, into passing flings with lovers, friends and strangers. Each piece builds into a larger examination of race and queerness, power and vulnerability, love and grief: a portrait of what we all do for one another--and to one another--as we fight to become ourselves. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: essays by Alexander Chee Chee’s manifesto on the entangling of life, literature, and politics, and how the lessons learned from a life spent reading and writing fiction have changed him. In these essays, he grows from student to teacher, reader to writer, and reckons with his identities as a son, a gay man, a Korean American, an artist, an activist, a lover, and a friend. He examines some of the most formative experiences of his life and the nation's history, including his father's death, the AIDS crisis, 9/11, the jobs that supported his writing--Tarot-reading, bookselling, cater-waiting for William F. Buckley—the writing of his first novel, Edinburgh, and the election of Donald Trump. Suggested by Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collections

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn't sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But Juliet has a plan, sort of, one that's going to help her figure out this whole "Puerto Rican lesbian" thing. She's interning with the author of her favorite book: Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women's bodies, and other gay-sounding stuff. With more questions than answers, Juliet takes on Portland, Harlowe, and most importantly, herself. Suggested by Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collections

No Tea, No Shade: new writings in Black queer studies edited by E. Patrick Johnson This book brings together nineteen essays from the next generation of black queer studies scholars, activists, and community leaders who build on the foundational work of black queer studies, pushing the field in new and exciting directions. Suggested by Jada Reyes, Research & Information Services

Over the Top: a raw journey to self-love by Jonathan Van Ness Before he stole our hearts as the grooming and self-care expert on Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, Jonathan was growing up in a small Midwestern town that didn’t understand why he was so…over the top. From choreographed carpet figure skating routines to the unavoidable fact that he was Just. So. Gay., Jonathan was an easy target and endured years of judgement, ridicule and trauma—yet none of it crushed his uniquely effervescent spirit. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll come away knowing that no matter how broken or lost you may be, you’re a Kelly Clarkson song, you’re strong, and you’ve got this. Suggested by Kelly Young, Administration

Queer, Trans, and Intersectional Theory in Educational Practice: student, teacher, and community experiences edited by Cris Mayo and Mollie V. Blackburn Queer theory, trans theory, and intersectional theory have all sought to describe, create, and foster a sense of complex subjectivity and community, insisting on relationality and complexity as concepts and communities shift and change. This collection brings these crucial theories together to inform pedagogies across a wide array of contexts of formal education and community-based educational settings. Suggested by Anna Dvorecky, Cataloging

Real Queer America: LGBT stories from red states by Samantha Allen Allen takes us on a cross-country road-trip stretching all the way from Provo, Utah to the Rio Grande Valley to the Bible Belt to the Deep South. Her motto for the trip: "Something gay every day." Making pit stops at drag shows, political rallies, and hubs of queer life across the heartland, she introduces us to scores of extraordinary LGBT people working for change, from the first openly transgender mayor in Texas history to the manager of the only queer night club in Bloomington, Indiana, and many more. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

Shakesqueer: a queer companion to the complete works of Shakespeare edited by Madhavi Menon Exploring what is odd, eccentric, and unexpected in the Bard’s plays and poems, these theorists highlight not only the many ways that Shakespeare can be queered but also the many ways that Shakespeare can enrich queer theory. This innovative anthology reveals an early modern playwright insistently returning to questions of language, identity, and temporality, themes central to contemporary queer theory. Chasing all manner of stray desires through every one of Shakespeare’s plays and poems, the contributors cross temporal, animal, theoretical, and sexual boundaries with abandon. Together they expand the reach of queerness and queer critique across chronologies, methodologies, and bodies. Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/Research & Information Services

Sister Outsider: essays and speeches by Audre Lorde In this charged collection of fifteen essays and speeches, Lorde takes on sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class, and propounds social difference as a vehicle for action and change. Her prose is incisive, unflinching, and lyrical, reflecting struggle but ultimately offering messages of hope. This commemorative edition includes a new foreword by Lorde-scholar and poet Cheryl Clarke, who celebrates the ways in which Lorde's philosophies resonate more than twenty years after they were first published. Suggested by Jada Reyes, Research & Information Services

Stories I Told Myself: a memoir by Brian D. Crimmins (UCF Thesis) Stories I Told Myself: A Memoir explores the experience of growing up gay in the 1980s. It is one boy's journey toward self-acceptance set against the conservative backdrop of a rural community on California's central coast. The story illuminates the hunger for a life different than the one being lived, and the ever-present sense of being different exacerbated by bullying and unrequited love. It is a narrative of evolving identity, and includes cultural insights and societal context of the time period. The author poses a fundamental question, "How did I make it out of the 80's alive?" and he explores the answer with poignant humor and self-examination. Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/Research & Information Services

The Book of Pride: LGBTQ heroes who changed the world by Mason Funk Captures the true story of the LGBTQ civil rights movement from the 1960s to the present through richly detailed, stunning interviews with the leaders, activists, and ordinary people who witnessed the revolution and made it happen. Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/Research & Information Services

The Crimson Letter: Harvard, homosexuality, and the shaping of American culture by Douglas Shand-Tucci Historian Douglass Shand-Tucci explores the nature and expression of sexual identity at America's oldest university during the years of its greatest influence. The Crimson Letter follows the gay experience at Harvard in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, focusing upon students, faculty, alumni, and hangers-on who struggled to find their place within the confines of Harvard Yard and in the society outside. Suggested by Pat Tiberii, Interlibrary Loan & Document Delivery Services

Time is the Thing a Body Moves Through by T Fleischmann Sebald meets Maggie Nelson in this autobiographical narrative of embodiment, visual art, history, and loss. T Fleischmann uses Felix Gonzales-Torres's artworks--piles of candy, stacks of paper, puzzles--as a path through questions of love and loss, violence and rejuvenation, gender and sexuality. From the back porches of Buffalo, to the galleries of New York and L.A., to farmhouses of rural Tennessee, the artworks act as still points, sites for reflection situated in lived experience. Suggested by Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collections

Trauma, Violence, and Lesbian Agency in Croatia and Serbia: building better times by Bojan Bilić This book uncovers some of the major moments in the fragile and still poorly known herstory of feminist lesbian engagement in Serbia and Croatia. By treating the trauma of war, homophobia, and neoliberal capitalism as a verbally impenetrable experience that longs to be narrated, this monograph explores the ways in which feminist lesbian language has repeatedly emerged in the context of strong patriarchal silencing that has surrounded the armed conflicts of the Yugoslav succession. The book renders visible a surprising diversity of activist initiatives and the resilience of transnational affective ties, which testify to the creativity of lesbian activist mobilizations in the ambivalent semi-peripheral space that used to be Yugoslavia. Suggested by Anna Dvorecky, Cataloging

We Are Everywhere: protest, power, and pride in the history of Queer Liberation by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown Have pride in history. Through the lenses of protest, power, and pride, this is an essential overview -- and a visual record -- of the history of the Queer Liberation Movement in the United States. With exhaustively researched narrative and hundreds of stunning photographs, this sweeping book traces queer activism from its roots in the late-nineteenth-century -- long before the pivotal Stonewall Riots of 1969 -- to today, casting new light on many of the movement's trailblazing activists and organizations. Suggested by Christina Wray, Student Learning & Engagement

#ucflibrary #featured bookshelf #reading #booklr #lgbtqia+ pride #queer

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