#ay look at me ending the comic how it started

[lovemomhatepolice]

charles leclerc swf alphabet

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A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?) Charles is a very affectionate person. Regardless of whether you are alone or around other people. It also doesn't matter to him if there are paparazzi or fans around. Showing affection is very important to him. He even has his arm around you all the time - whether it's around your waist or around your shoulders. He likes to feel that you are next to him and wants to show it himself, too.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?) Hm, as a friend Charles is someone everyone would like to have. Literally. Leclerc is able to do anything for his friends. Help clean up after a party? He's already the first one there. Having a hard time in life? Oh, don't worry, Charles has it under control and is already on his way to you - if you feel like it of course. A man will never be able to cross someone else's boundaries.

How did it start? I think Charles is the kind of person who can create a friendship literally out of the silliest situation that could be. How about a simple meeting in a coffee shop when they mixed up your orders? Or a meeting among the same friends? That's definitely the key to success.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?) He loves to cuddle!!! Especially when he is sad or misses you a lot when you were not next to each other. Although he likes to show affection in front of others, when it comes to hugging, it is a more private sphere. When you are alone, he usually cuddles you to his chest (especially at night) or is a little spooner (he loves it) when you cuddle on the couch. Charles is also a fan of hugging you from the side - his arm around your shoulders, that is.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?) I think slowly yes. Charles has been in several relationships in his life, but only with you did he feel that it was time to settle down. It is known, he is still young, after all, he is 27 years old, however, every year he glances more and more towards creating a home nest with you somewhere in Monaco. Well, in cooking he is not perfect, but he likes to help. More often than not, however, he cleans, oh he really likes to clean together with you. You share rooms, that's why it always goes faster for you.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?) Something quiet. Charles knows very well what it's up against. Social media, mass of hate, comments…. With each passing time, these breakups, as well as the relationship itself, are more private. Of course, it is not hidden, however, more protected. And privately I think Charles tries to handle it gently, with respect for the other person.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?) For Charles, a proposal is something big, it's not like simply giving a ring and that's it. I think he would definitely prepare something big, but private. I also think he would have been advised by his brothers when it came to the whole pre-engagement thing. How soon? Ay, definitely not as fast as one might expect, for him it must take a long time before he takes this step.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?) Charles is very subtle with you, as well as with others. Never in his life has he said such words to you that would hurt you somewhere more, or touched you in a way that could offend you He always wants the best for you and treats you like glass

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?) As I mentioned. Charles likes to hug - sometimes, especially in the beginning it can be something like black magic for him and looks very comical, but it gets better with time (please tell me you've seen all those edits where they show Charles hugging people in an awkward way, I'm crying)

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?) Yup, it took him a long time - you kissed faster than it came to the utterance of these words, what's more! You were the first to say them, because you were already fed up with his procrastination - you threw everything on one card and acctually, it worked out

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?) The man is jealous. He may not show it, but he's jealous, dammit. Even of Arthur, although less so here He always has his hand on you somewhere or his watchful gaze And if his jealousy scale kicks in (very quickly) he wants to take you away from that person at all costs or just cozies up

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?) His kisses mainly depend on whether he is wearing facial hair or not. If he has - there is a lot of laughter at it, by the fact that he tickles you, however, when he doesn't have one, you completely give yourself away to pleasure. The most you both enjoy is just kissing each other on the lips, it gives you a lot of comfort after a long day. However, he also likes to kiss you on the belly when you are lying down together, and he himself likes to be kissed on the neck. He loves it.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?) Totally like daddy material! The kids love him, and he loves the kids. He knows well how to take care of them, even though he hasn't had much exposure to them in his life, and he loves it when he has the opportunity to do so

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?) Mornings with Charles are hardcore - even when you have the chance to spend them just the two of them. This man is always in a hurry, he has a lot of things to do and to get up together, it really must be a miracle I don't even mention eating breakfast.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?) Oh, evenings are definitely your time. You always spend it together, no matter what the day was like. You prepare or order food together, sometimes you drink wine. You must watch a movie or at least an episode of a TV series (depending on how much time you have and how tired you are) and often take baths together. It's time for you to calm down and get ready for bed, before which you talk for a long time

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?) Charles was attentive, as in any relationship he starts or even already has. I think he is well aware that many people want to take advantage of him because of the benefits. That's why he opened up to you slowly and it took him a long time to trust you 100%, but when he did, he was very happy

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?) He's patient - ha, well after all he works with the Ferrari team, if he wasn't so patient he probably wouldn't have been there long ago (pardon the situational joke) Coming back, to you he has great patience, I really don't know what it would take to bring him out of it

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?) Fifty fifty Charles definitely does not remember dates, although your birthday and your anniversary he tried to forge by heart (poor result), but small details about you are with him forged in such a place to which nothing and no one has access Will you mention your favorite flowers? Have them on the table the next day Favorite drink? Always fresh whenever you feel like it

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?) Definitely one of the first dates, where you took him to your favorite childhood spot and just lay there on the grass and talked about various topics - it was there that he opened up about his dad and Jules, and you gave him a comfort he hadn't felt in a long time Later you ended up at your house, snuggled together on the couch, watching his favorite movie, which soon became yours as well (there will be a chapter of this in the relationship series!!)

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?) He is protective, very protective. By virtue of the fact that you have a relationship with him, you face a mass of hate - in many cases unjustified. Leclerc has therefore been tempted more than once to clarify some issues with his fans. In the real world, not the media world, he is also protective.

No one will lay a hand on you in an inappropriate way or speak to you that way, because they are immediately next to you. How would he himself like to be protected? Ah, he pretends he doesn't need it, however, he likes it when you make rude comments that are thrown at him. Or when he gets into an argument with someone on the team over wrongful accusations and suddenly you step in, defending him.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?) He is making a huge effort. Leclerc is a perfectionist, so everything at his place must be buttoned up to the last button. Maybe sometimes he will forget a date, such as your anniversary, but then he tries to make up for it and it definitely helps.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?) Emm, I get the impression that Charles can be a bit selfish or complacent at times. Let's not lie to ourselves, social media can mess with your head quite a bit and Charles is a good example of that, unfortunately. That's why sometimes you have to bring him down to earth, so that fame doesn't go to his head

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?) He focuses on his appearance, no question about it. Over time, he has started to dress better, which can be seen without batting an eye (well, I beg you, who among you doesn't remember his tragic outfits of a few years ago), and he tries to keep his hair and facial in good condition

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?) Yes, I think he would feel that way. You were the one who let him settle down by your side and showed him yet another vision of life that he hadn't seen until now. Together you make a really strong couple, and by not giving it to so much media remark, it definitely helps.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.) One of the things that literally knocks him off his feet is your contact with his family. You've single-handedly started learning French to better communicate with them (if you speak French, forgive me) and Charles is fascinated by you. From the first meeting of yours with his mother, he knew you were the only one

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?) Charles doesn't like to lose - he often doesn't show it, but it's definitely one of the things that affects him the most. He takes it very much to heart, which makes him try several times harder later on - which has its pros and cons. In people, he very much dislikes hypocrisy and taking advantage of others, which is also what guides him when he meets others

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?) Charles has trouble sleeping. Due to the experiences he went through when he was a young man, which caused him mental problems, sleep problems also arose. He often sits for long periods of time, and you try with all your might to sit with him so that he is not lonely.

A/N: please do not copy or translate my work! if you have any issues regarding this please contact me in the messages :)

and so we have officially started the alphabet SWF series, one at a time will appear for everyone :) in the meantime also the rest of the NSWF alphabet

more content: formula 1 masterlist, latest one-shot with lando norris, charles leclerc masterlist

#f1 imagine #f1 fanfic #f1 x reader #f1 fic #f1 instagram au #formula 1 x reader #formula 1 #f1 fandom #f1 social media au #f1 #charles leclerc #formula 1 2024 #formula 1 x you #formula one #formula racing #formula 1 x y/n #formula 1 x female reader #formula 1 x oc #f1 x female reader #f1 x you #f1 x y/n #f1 x oc #f1 smut #f1 smau #f1 scenario #charles leclerc smut #charles leclerc blurb #charles leclerc fanfic #charles leclerc imagine #charles leclerc x reader

[kitwing-moving]

UMMM i was thinking about my last viveichi fic and i wanted to write about the friendsies forever promise its been on my mind a lot :] also no way vivian writing at midnight again wtf. sorry this got a little long my brain moved a lot

The little cafe where Vivian worked wasn't one that gained much traffic, tucked away in an unassuming spot, yet it had a welcoming and homey atmosphere that Eichi was particularly fond of. And today, he couldn't help but appreciate it more.

Vivian wasn't aware of the extent of his condition, or at least she masked her concerns rather well. Honesty, if she could, then Eichi would be surprised - it was easy to tell what she was feeling, so expressive it was almost comical.

He adored it. He adored how easy it was to make her simply react, no matter what emotion, and he came to adore the cafe simply because of her.

It was nearing the end of the day, but Eichi didn't pay that any mind. He knew what time the cafe usually closed, but Vivian never seemed to mind letting him stay after hours. Occasionally she would act annoyed, rolling her eyes with a scoff before she smiled at him. It was always a big smile, radiant and clearly excited to see him. She even memorized his usual order, having it ready nearly the moment he came. As if she had started to expect him. It was a routine Eichi came to adore as well, something that was strangely relaxing with a girl who was so expressive and loud. It was part of Vivian's charm, he supposed.

Surprisingly, the door wasn't locked yet. Eichi quietly pushed it open, watching as Vivian mumbled to herself, such an intense look of concentration on her face as she cleaned and dusted. The smell of freshly baked cake caught Eichi by surprise too, and his eyes landed on the two plates of chocolate cake sitting at their usual table.

Ah, how ironic... It was something his doctor would strictly advise against, especially on Eichi Day. But he didn't want to tell Vivian that. He may adore her overly expressive reactions, but the thought of those eyes filled with fear and concern over him was not one he wanted to see today.

"Good evening, Vivian." Eichi took himself by surprise with how eager he sounded, excited. Maybe the earnest way she talked was spreading to him as well.

"Eichi?!" Her head snapped over to him, eyes wide before she smiled. He could see the excitement spread through her, and Eichi felt his own smile widen.

"Yay!!! I hadn't seen you for a while, I thought you were neglecting me..." Vivian sniffled, wiping away a fake tear. "Tell me I'm still your favoritest, riii~ght?" Her voice wavered as if she was really about to cry, yet the smile on her face never left as she drew out her words.

"Sorry, Vivian." Eichi only chuckled, patting her head and watching as she stood on her tiptoes, pushing her head even further against his hand. Just like a cat asking for more pets.

"I, ah..." Eichi trailed off. He had been hospitalized for the past few days, and once more the thought of the unpleasant face of worry from Vivian made his heart clench for a moment. He couldn't share that with her.

"I was overwhelmingly busy. I didn't mean to leave you alone for so long."

"That's oka~ay." Vivian hummed, the sound akin to a purr. "I'll forgive you if you eat cake with me, okay?"

"Of course, of course." Eichi looked at the slices of cake once more. They were cutely decorated, which was no doubt something she did. Brightly colored candies were sprinkles around the vanilla frosting, and Eichi knew his doctor would absolutely advise against eating this.

Vivian was strangely quiet now, stretching out her arms with a drawn out yawn before plopping right down in a chair. Eichi did the same, watching as she picked the candies off both of their slices and ate them. He couldn't find it in himself to stop her, watching as her eyes sparkled with joy at just having his company.

"Hey." After a moment Vivian broke the silence, swinging her legs under the table. "You're, uh.. Really famous, right?" She glanced up at him sheepishly, smile falling for a moment.

"Hm. Well, I suppose you could say that." Eichi chuckled, reaching over to take a candy off of her cake now. She didn't seem to care, only pushing her plate closer to him.

"Hm." Vivian echoed him, legs now still. "... Do you have any other bffsies?"

Eichi's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Bffsies...? Best friends, you mean?" He didn't know where this conversation was going, yet he couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit guilty at just how lonely she was starting to look.

"Yeah. I-I mean! It's okay to have other friends, but... Um." Vivian trailed off, picking at the fabric of her work uniform. "You... so, uh... Eugh." Sitting up straight, she scrunched up her face. "It almost seems like I'm asking you out. Gross."

"Oh? Would such feelings towards me really be so bad?" Eichi leaned forward with a grin, watching as Vivian bristled before quickly shaking her head. "No! It was a joke, no! Um! I just wanted to know if you consider us friends?! I'm sure plenty of people find you cute and desirable and want you, I mean, I underst... eh. Uh." Vivian scrunched her face up even more, something Eichi didn't know was possible. Her face turned several shades of red as she realized her words. It was a rather adorable look on her, and Eichi felt he wanted to see that blush from her much more.

"I'm just digging myself into an early grave. That sounded like I really was confessing to you. Good lord."

Eichi couldn't help the laugh that escaped him, leaning back as he took a moment to let his laughter die down. "Sometimes you seem to just talk without considering your words. That might be dangerous, Vivian." He let out a sigh, rolling her question around in his mind now. "I do suppose I'd consider you a friend, Vivian. If I remember correctly, you treated me as a friend ever since we met..."

"Yay. Woohoo." She whispered, kicking her legs as she interrupted him. "I'm your friend.. hehe! Yay."

Eichi already had a fond smile on his face just watching her this entire time, but it grew so much that his eyes crinkled at the edges. "Yay." He repeated after her, nodding. "But back to what I was saying... you had treated me so familiarly even when you didn't fully know who I was. It's charming from you, but you tend to act very..." He trailed off, trying to find words that wouldn't be so harsh.

"Naive? Foolish? Stupid?" Vivian suggested. Oddly, she didn't seem to take offense like he had guessed. "Yeah, I guess. I know. It tends to fuck me over a lot, so I already know why you're gonna warn me." Her foot lightly kicked at his. "But I felt in my gut you weren't a weirdo, and my gut was right this time. So there's really no reason t'be on my case about it, rich boy."

"Ah, but what if I was? What if I ended up betraying you, hm?" Eichi's smile fell as he studied her. She didn't seem to care much for his warning, brushing it off so casually, and it worried him. He decided to push further. "You can't trust your gut all the time, Vivian. You won't always be right."

"Yeah, I know." She sighed heavily, picking up her fork to finally eat her cake now that all the candies had been picked off. "But if you're saying all of this, I know you really aren't a weirdo, Eichi. You're trying to warn me 'nd stuff. And if I'm wrong then I really couldn't give a crap."

Eichi opened his mouth to push even further, but she lightly kicked at his leg as an unspoken 'shut up.'

"You don't have to keep saying things about this, okay? It almost sounds like you're trying to paint yourself as a bad guy, and it sorta sucks. It's kinda stupid." Vivian still kept her lighthearted tone despite the topic, seeming to still brushing his concerns and worries away.

"I don't have many friends here, Eichi. It's still so scary here, and I do tend to be scared a lot of the time." She reached over now, stealing a bit of his cake as she continued on. "But I know it's dangerous to not be cautious when it comes to trying to make friends. If someone is nice to me at least once, then I consider them a friend, y'know? Life seems a lot less lonely then."

"That's an interesting way to live. You must experience a lot of disappointment from that, then." Eichi watched as she picked tiny bits and pieces from his cake, mindful to still leave some for him. Her plate was still full though, only one or two bites that had been taken.

"Yeah. It's really trial and error. But I gotta suck it up and get over it cause I know I'll find others that care about me." Vivian hummed, locking her ankle with his as she cut her cake in half to give him some. Eichi knew he would be scolded harshly by his doctor, but seeing how enthusiastically Vivian shared her cake, he couldn't help but want to enjoy it as well.

He let silence fall for a few moments, savoring the taste of the cake and the warmth of her actions. Vivian leaned forward now, elbow on the table as she held her face up with her hand.

"You're a really nice person, Eichi. Others had told me different and they may be right, but in my eyes you're my best friend." Her voice was quiet and just so adoring, and Eichi felt his heart leap. "Not the heir to some... rich person thing, or someone who's widely known. My first impression of you was someone who could be my friend and make this place not so scary, and I was right."

Vivian's mouth hung open for a moment, as if she wanted to say more, but Eichi couldn't tell from the frustration on her face that she couldn't sort out all of her thoughts.

"I understand, Vivian." He kept his voice quiet like hers, matching her tone. He was almost speechless, and he felt a little sheepish under such adoration. In the back of his mind, Eichi wondered if this is how Wataru felt with him.

"Okay. I'm glad. Promise we'll be friends forever, okay? No matter what, we'll always be bestest friends forever, Eichi. I like you a lot."

Reaching her pinkie out, Vivian's leg tugged against his slightly, as if she wanted him closer. Eichi could only chuckle, nodding as he linked his pinke with hers. It was such a childish promise, yet it was charming.

"Of course, my Vivian. We'll always be best friends, alright?"

#🐾.txt #🐾.writing #angel paws

[itissadbutitsmy-artblog]

This might sound a bit dumb, but I have an AU idea where Pepper Mint somehow manages to retain control of his Pepperminteppi form & escape with Cadebra. Cadebra: "So my friend is now an immortal Primordial being that can use massive amounts of black magic. Nice." The Cult has to deal with their God not wanting anything to them (& also being in Wizard Jail for, y'know, murdering children).

OK HIIIIIIIIIIIIII

absolute delight and excitement and beige comics under the cut let's go insane

first off this is such a fun idea but i kept getting stuck because how did they get out if he didnt get at least a little violent? they were in a Situation. thats why he started blasting in the first place in the movie! he kills everyone holding cadebra and then kills everyone else who is looking at the two of them funny, and he tells her to get out before he starts hurting her too. but anyways i digress. au! my polite little boy uou (transcipts in image descs to save on space. i realize i should be doing this in the first place to be more accessible but i dont do it. ay. someday ill get over that brain hurdle)

the profs are so. blank eyed about being Stopped. that’s their GOD. they want him to do the prophesied deeds! but he’s not. “aren’t you our god now” no I’m just that kid but I have this primordial god deity chilling giving me horrible advice now in my head. awful. thanks. i just learned real fast real hard how to love and trust myself

and then also i was like. well like. w. what is everyone gonna say. not nice things. thats a scary insect boy (WHY HE INSECT? IVE NEVER DRAWN PEPPERMINTEPPI PROPERLY BEFORE AND ITS KILLING ME WHY IS HE A BEETLLEEEEE).

and also also. also. ???? drinking the ichor SUCCESSFULLY, is quite literally what og peps just,, keeps saying will Recreate Him, OG Peps, so i guess he did that (?? HELLO) or something similar when he was little but as you can tell he did not uh. keep the scary beetle body. maybe he didnt have a bestie to protect

anyways. so. pep likes being big. :)

also have this

poor pep trying to mediate between the gay idiot he used to be in his head (not the gay idiot he still is) and the giant scary monster from the before-nothingtimes he just willingly added to the vr chat

and his poor fuckin teachers

(ron james is too old and anxious for this shit and life giving magus has a thing about not letting people feel sad :( hes an Emotions Wizard being sad makes him do Evil Magic did you watch the episode Little Dude? gotta keep his students feeling loved and safe or else. especially when they’re um. imbued with massive amounts of dark magic. sorry I like the them)

i also have this from discord

I don’t know how to end this post this au is fun. none of the kids and few of the adults know the significance of this guy. pep is like hnnnnn just wanna be a normal kid but also scarypowerfulbig. enough. to protect. blaines over here like we are not letting him in the school like that are we and weaponhead is like well. the important thing is we aren’t letting the murderers back in. Blaine.

Maybe larry (cousin got fucking murdered by the teachers) and pep (reached level 100,000 just by drinking juice and now kinda scares everyone) drop out together. just chill quiet together. what do wizards even DOOOOOO, get COFFEE??? make up entirely new schools of magic kinda like those jerky secret societies but less jerky (ron James s6e13 “thanks for the crabapples giussepe”)????? just sit around and wait for Blaine (RULES GUY) and Deb (needs structure in her life and thinks school is fun) to get out of class so they can go do things?

also also I was gonna be Sad tm that you said pep was immortal now, but I insist on believing that wizards have long lifespans. so it’s not like Deb and blaine and larry just fucking DIE ten seconds into pep’s infinite life. they’re there. for a while. (:

#i turned into a swirling vortex of delight and wizards over this #adventure time #distant lands #au #asks #traditional #zoomerinaboomercostume #I don’t wanna tag everyone wehhhh #i do need to draw the evil teachers 🔘_🔘 I just love rj and life giving magus so much #brb making Ron James Drinking into my avatar #what do we call him. pepi 🥺

[dinoburger]

"(also Orange anon if you're out there, I think we did cover a lot of this before, yes, yes yes yes)" aye yeah, I'm still out here 👋 -- I've been neck-deep in a different fandom these past few months, so it was a neat surprise to pop in here and see that mention, ahaha. Very opportune timing!

Boy howdy, that leaked seventh chapter... I'd written it off as a bunch of bunk, in light of @/wachtelspinat mentioning that the comic's script isn't done yet. But even without that consideration in mind -- the leak's contents seemed nihilistically final, to me? I had a hard time all those months ago (while the leak was making rounds on social media) picturing it as the comics' legit end destination -- but that may just speak to my lingering (if frayed) sense of hope, lol.

... At the end of the day, though... yeah. I do think that several of the comics' plot beats don't hit as hard as they could; whether that's down to the tone, chosen medium, or pacing (or all three?) in any given instance is a toss-up (for me; I'd have to sit down and seriously think about the writing more) -- but I agree that there's very little time allotted to exploring what happens. And regardless of whether that comic 7 leak was pure baloney or something that the writers were actually workshopping... eh. If it feels like closure, then it can be closure. Perpetual plot-limbo's never stopped other fandoms I've been in from creating whatever they want, at any rate.

"It makes is clearer to me that the way I want to approach this isn't "fixing the comics" but a "what if" from the perspective of someone not beholden to corporate quota and having to match or escalate the tone of the last entry in the series…" and I heartily approve of this, if it's something you wanna do 👍 I'm fond of your work (in general; including stuff outside of TF2), so I'll merrily follow along either way.

Wish I could talk more, at this particular moment in time, but my deadlines are approaching and so I must go tend to them. Take care. -🍊

glad to see you're still around - no worries, I think I've already covered quite a bit of ground. tbh I don't think it is quite nihilistic because of that structure less focussed on cohesion and more on how hard it can throw the next curveball - it's essentially asking you *not* to think too hard about the implications but to feel sort of stunned by the sharp change in direction.

Even if it isn't a play-by-play, the way it tapped into the pattern, on reflection, exposes the forest instead of the trees, know what I mean? Like there is a structural funnel there that looks much clearer to me.

They can't ever go back to having a serious story with absurd humor because it has fundamentally become a nonsensical story loosely supported by interesting characters, the logical trajectory is to keep upping the ante. Anything they do now that might be serious or hold weight will be undercut by everything that has led up to it, insisting not to think too hard. I can't be mad about that.

I think coming at it from this angle makes it easier for me to pinpoint and delineate what didn't work for me, as opposed to retreading the cosmos of smaller decisions made in line with this pattern. I think it also makes theorising about what could've been all the more interesting, because in recognising those decisions, you start to consider how a different writing philosophy would've effected the story overall.

Well. I think a lot of this is mostly to say "I'm going to think way too hard about tf2 lore, but on purpose now"

#asklies

[writernopal]

Get To Know My OC - Pt. 5

I was tagged by @dogmomwrites here, thanks so much!

Hoo boy it's been a while since I've done this one! Yeah, you read that right, this is part 5! I have parts 1-4 from forever ago that I did for the main cast of AASOAF, Mariel, Axtapor, Fay, and Wilkes. You can find their posts by clicking their names if you're curious to check them out!

SO this time we'll go with the cast from M.O.W, starting with Lexlar!

There are two loud voices in the hall just outside. They banter to each other with ample familiarity and in a language you’ve never heard before. Curiously, though, you only hear one set of footsteps. Was the other voice perhaps coming from a listening stone or some other similar device? No, that wouldn’t make any sense. That second voice is too loud for it to come from something like— The door flies open and your eyes widen as you see the man that steps through. He’s a giant! Tall, broad, admittedly top-heavy, and probably three times as thick as you, constructed of pure muscle and scars. He throws his arms wide and beams the brightest smile in your direction. “Oi, look at ye! Nay know ye proper, but I reckon I’ll take a shine to ye just fine!” His voice thunders around the room as if he’s completely unaware that he’s not in some kind of arena or other loud outdoor equivalent. He strides over, an impressive confidence in each step, dropping his arms to slap the sides of his legs loudly before extending a hand to you. “Been Bosun Lexlar. Pleasure to meet ye!” You put your hand in his after giving him your name and you wonder if it was some kind of mistake to do so. He nearly crushes it in his grip, completely unaware of your pained grimace. He gives you a satisfied slap on the shoulders and takes his seat across from you, eager to begin.

1. Are you named after anyone?

Nay nothin' like 'at. He replies with a pleasant smile.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Ah! Why talk 'bout the somber, ey? Give me 'nother.

3. Do you have kids?

Nay, gotta gift wi' 'em though. Tykes take a shine to me like because I act as they do. He replies with a sheepish look.

4. Do you use sarcasm?

Oh aye. He responds with a comical sort of frown. Get's a rise right quick outta Hartim! He laughs, as he fetches a few leaves from his pocket and stuffs them in his lip.

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Mmm. He thinks as he chews. Their mouths, 'haps? Ye can spot a lie right quick if ye look close 'nough.

6. What’s your eye color?

Bronze. Color o' strength! He declares proudly as he flexes a single bicep and gives it a few slaps.

7. Scary Stories or Happy Endings?

Oh, happy endin's. He replies almost immediately. Life nay been long for most, best to gather what joy ye can from yer years.

8. Any special talents?

If'n a wager been at hand, then aye, I have any talent ye can imagine!

9. Where were you born?

City o' Hantaph in The Heartlands o' The Empire proper. He says with a measure of pride but there is something melancholy in his tone.

10. What are your hobbies?

Gamblin'! Been a right thrill. He nods to himself, very pleased with his answer by the looks of it.

11. Do you have any pets?

Had a jungle cat when I been a recruit in the Reserves. Near bit my finger off. He raises his right hand, pointing to his crooked pinky. Let the fucker go 'fter 'at.

12. What sports do you play/have played?

Never been one for sport. 'Less I be placin' a wager on it. He laughs, pushing the leaves to the other side of his mouth.

13. How tall are you?

6’10”. Colossal thin' as my Pa, Kava rest 'im.

14. Favorite subject in school?

Ah, I been shite at books. Nay liked any o' it. He laughs.

15. Dream job?

He thinks for a long while, rubbing the spot on the tip of his snout between his nostrils. Suppose it nay matters, long as there been adventure promised.

Tagging (gently): @tabswrites @void-botanist @writingmaidenwarrior @pheita and anyone else who wants to do this!

M.O.W Taglist: @moonluringfrost @writeblr-of-my-own @illjustpretend @sparatus @outpost51

Join/leave the taglist using this Google Form.

#get to know my oc #interview with your oc #tag game #m.o.w #lexlar

[mcu-vanity-blog]

GOTG 3 Review (done by the characters I care about)

Disclaimer: I didn't watch the Christmas special

Peter: Has a complete alcoholism arc in the first ten minutes for some reason? It's implied he's been drinking a lot since Endgame and then, like 15 minutes in, he says out loud "This wouldn't've happened if I hadn't been drinking" and then that's just the end of it? My brother in Christ, this movie is 2 and a half hours long, maybe cut that bit aye?

He is very much just another character in this entry. Most of his lines could easily be given to Mantis or Nebula and nothing would really change. Chris Pratt looks visibly unenthused to be here most of the time.

(New) Gamora: Honestly, could've been left out of the MCU entirely since her death in Infinity War. Zoe Saldana is the best part of every MCU film she's been in.

In this film though, she starts off with the Ravagers >> maybe learns that she's a slightly better person than she thought >> goes back to the Ravagers.

She's basically just sort of "also there" for the whole film, and is often just acting as a foil for Peter's arc (which, btw, is realising that this woman who looks like his dead girlfriend isn't actually his dead girlfriend; a fact he already knows).

Idk man, it's weird. I think Zoe just contractually had to be in this one?

Rocket: Is very much the main character of this film, but spends a good two-thirds of it asleep. You mainly see him in flashbacks where he's being abused/experimented on by the film's villain.

It's a very classic James Gunn thing I think; take a small and helpless guy and make the audience empathise with him because of how small and helpless he is. I guess it's not super nuanced in that way, but it's not necessarily an unenjoyable story for him.

It was weird that they decided to give us his origin in what is apparently the final entry of this trilogy though?

Like, "you've loved this character for 9 years now and this might be the last chance you get to see him and his friends all together again! How about we have sleep the entire time and, instead, explain exactly how he became who he was when you met him 5 movies ago!". It's kind of just silly (Dan Harmon articulates this idea really well here at 0:35-0:51).

Nebula: Gets more screen-time and characterization in this film, still not the most interesting character tho :/.

I also don't think that Karen Gillian can act :(. Would much rather have OG Gamora over her

Drax: Still just relegated to unfunny comic relief. His thing in the first movie was that his culture didn't have metaphors and he was a little careless/happy-go-lucky; he wasn't an idiot.

Ever since then? He has exclusively been an idiot.

Don't care, but feel sorry that Dave Bautista still has to play this role, even though he does very well in it <3

Groot: Again, hasn't been interesting since the first movie. He used to be this sort of mysterious, ancient, gentle giant type of character, but he's basically been just a type of sci-fi set dressing in all the movies since then.

I know James Gunn has said he's a brand new Groot from the one we see in that movie, but it's like... why? Compare the scenes of OG Groot to literally any scene of Gunn-written Groot and tell me which one is the more interesting character.

Adam Warlock: Surprisingly good. Unfortunately, he's that same James Gunn character of grown-up person with the mind of a child (think Killer Sharl in Suicide Squad), but it kinda works in this? I like that they let Will Poulter keep his accent and I look forward to seeing him written by more competent writers.

#gotg #gotg vol 3 #gaurdians of the galaxy #marvel #mcu #james gunn

[wipbigbang]

Shit: Finished!

Story Title: We Don’t Talk About Fight Club

Fandom: Naruto

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40978722/chapters/102696600

Summary: 

“That was entirely uncalled for! There is no reason for anyone to have to know I wear reinforced compression briefs, and besides, it is simply for protection while fighting! It has nothing at all to do with decency—” Lee cut off his tirade, stalling his waving arms mid-air, his face flaring a red even brighter than Gaara’s hair.

It would be really nice if Gaara had thought to wear reinforced compression briefs himself, because the mental image that had completely mugged his entire thought process was putting him in serious danger of being completely indecent in the middle of a foreign village.

Or, the one where beating the shit out of your best friend is definitely considered high romance.

Warnings: NSFW (both writing and art). Like Really NSFW. graphic depictions of sparring/fighting

Characters: Gaara, Rock Lee,Temari, Kankurou, Tenten, Hyuuga Neji, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Nara Shikamaru, Naruto Ensemble Cast

Pairings:

Main: Gaara x Rock Lee

Background: Neji x Tenten, Shikamaru x Temari

Implied/referenced: Kankuro x Kiba, Naruto x Sasuke

When I Started: 

I first had this idea back in May after being in this fandom for about 3 months? It was originally a goofy little oneshot idea at first based on the ideas of 1) fighting as a form of courtship and 2) meme format “is that a X or are you just happy to see me?

How I Lost My Shit:

I actually wasn’t planning to make this my WIP fic, I had another one that remains incomplete, because when I started closing in on the submission date my first fic was floundering and in the background of my brain this one started knocking at the door like, "Sup babey, take me out to dinner?” and I was like, “Aye YO” and decided to roll with it.

How I Finished My Shit: 

I owe my entire life and soul to my bang fanartist, who signed on and drew not one, not two, but FOURTEEN FANARTS covering every chapter, single panels, comic style, everything (which are all embedded in the fic, have a look and scream with me, thanks). In the process of oh-my-god?-ing all over the floor, this fic blew out into first 5 chapters, then 6, then ended up at 8 chapters and about 64k words of absolute shenanigans jet fuelled by art and the gaalee discord, which has been like a hype squad in my pocket. 

Thanks so much to WIP Big Bang for inspiring me to finish my shit!

#submission #fandom: naruto #!completed shit #!2022

[xiv-wolfram]

The Hangover - A Comic Script

Prequel - Age 26

Wolfram and Raubahn can't remember the night before.

Catch up on my WoLComics (Chronological List)

This is the script for a future comic. Posting for those who don’t want to wait to get the story. Numbers indicate frame number. A or B followed by ) is for a split frame.

 Wolf and Rau are sleeping in the Sagoli desert under a tree. Wolf no shirt, wearing calfskin pants laying on stomach half on top of Rau's left side. Rau on his back wearing Skyworker’s singlet and boxers. Narrator - 'Ok, this shit is just silly. Wolfram and Raubahn have been together for about a year and a half. Wolfram (the future Warrior of Light) is 26 and Raubahn is 30. They live together and each has hinted about wanting to get married but they haven't discussed it openly yet.'

 Rau covering eyes with right arm, grumpy - “Wolf would you turn off that gods-damned lantern?“

 Wolf starts getting up, eyes half open, drooling. - "Huh?"

Rau sits upright, looking around surprised - “Thall's balls! How did we end up out here? “

Close shot. Wolf standing up, scratches eye/yawns - “My bloody head is killing me. I don't remember anything.”

Rau looking across the desert confused, thinking - “Aye... We were drinking... and then…the alchemist’s guild…” Wolf off frame - “Uh... Calf …What in the seven hells is this?”

Wolf standing, looks surprised, making WTF face at Rau, pointing to a script tattoo on his lower left torso of the initials R.A. 

A) Rau looks shocked.  - “Is that... My initials?” B) Rau smiles, blushing. - “It actually... looks quite good.”

Wolf smirks and raises an eyebrow. - “Alright, where is yours then?”

Rau looks skeptical and motions to lift his shirt - “I think I would know if I had gotten a tattoo.”

Rau shirt off, bashful look. Script tattoo of the initials W.V. - "Well... We've been together for quite a while. I can't be too upset about this, right?"

Wolf face close up, worried. Thought - ‘Oh fuck, his tattoo is wrong! I’ve been using a fake last name so long that I forgot!’

Wolf stands closer to Rau, awkward smile blushing - "Aye. I must say I like yours as well.  Thought - ‘…and now I can never tell him my real last name. That's fine, I'd rather have his anyway.’

Wolf smiles and puts arm around Rau's neck. Rau holds Wolf’s waist, beaming - “Well Pup, I suppose we're stuck with each other now.”

Kiss

Catch up on my WoLComics (Chronological List)

#WoLComic #FFXIV #FFXIV WoL #OC Wolfram #FFXIV OC #Raubahn #Raubahn Aldynn #WoLBahn #Hyur Highlander #Hyur #WolframSaga

[didsomebodysayspaghettimemes]

UNDERGLITCH FINAL ENDING

Whole Comic

((This is in black and white because it is both UT and UF Frisk))

...This is it. The end of UnderGlitch. Frisk is determined to keep their universe safe. Can’t reset if there’s no button to do so, right? 

I can’t believe it’s actually over... I want to thank you all for your great support. I honestly didn’t believe that I’d ever finish it...but here we are. Ha, wow. Thank you. 

#who can guess who frisk was apologizing to? #ay look at me ending the comic how it started #wow i can't believe it's...over #at least i still have the gaster bonus woohoo #who's excited for that??? #undertale #underfell #underglitch

[fallenangellostindarkness]

Finished Rebelde La Serie and here are some thoughts (long post)

8 episodes were not enough and everything was damn rushed - Just LISTEN! I didn't tolerate Alma Rey's "AY CHIQUILO" for >100 episodes of OG Rebelde and the repetitive jokes/dialogue to only get 8 episodes of this series. Despite the fact that it has a second season (allegedly), the current story needed more depth. It relied too much on the viewers trying to identify each OG Rebelde character's 2022 counterpart and on the nostalgia factor while not really having much of it in the first place.

Despite being a sequel to Rebelde la telenovela, it seems to have more similarities to Pedro Damian's failed Rebelde reboot (Like, la leyenda) and it made me realise that what caused Like to fail was really a mixture of hardcore RBD fans, nepotism (which came with bad acting), and the chaos of trying to have too much in one telenovela for teens, but overall, it was a nice concept.

I absolutely adore Emilia! She's too precious and Gigi's accent is lovely. Andi and Em were my favourite part and I am truly glad that there wasn't too much drama between them and that they connected from the start. I also loved how Andi, despite being younger, was the one to chase Emilia and persuade her to confront her own fears. What I didn't like is that while she was promoted so much, she was barely present in the story. Also, we don't know how much she'll be in the story overall given that it's her last year at EWS.

Similarities with OGR/LLL: Her overall style and name reminded me of Emilia from LLL but personality-wise, they're different and have different storylines.

Andi was perfect! I expected her to be rather mean and arrogant but she was the perfect mixture of though and soft, shy and brave.

Similarities with OGR/LLL: I think in the promos she was supposed to be like Roberta (OGR), but she's more chill and her attitude is more like Manuela's (LLL)

Dixon = cinnamon roll, too pure for this world. End of story.

Similarities with OGR/LLL: His look and the fake name thing made me assume that he was going to be like Giovanni (OGR) or Silverio (LLL) but he ended up reminding me of Leon (LLL) with the whole family mystery thing and the soft boy aura. I am glad they didn't make his family drug dealers or something after all.

Esteban was a bit dull but I was expecting this so I wasn't surprised at all.

Similarities with OGR/LLL: He's a mixture of Miguel and Ulises in terms of background and attitude. I always had a problem with Miguel (OGR) because he was older than Mia and I couldn't stand his aggressive attitude but AH was such a good actor that he made Miguel likable and swoonworthy. Ulises (LLL) was too much of a... carpet and forgettable but at least he was a vulnerable teen boy.

Jana was unexpectedly likable.

Similarities with OGR/LLL: They tried to sell her as the new Mia (OGR) but apart from her looks, she's less superficial. Mia ended up growing as a person and stopped hiding behind a façade in order to cope with her loss and to find her own identity. In a way, Jana does the same but we don't really get to learn too much about her to understand exactly what's her issue. She's quite down to earth and not so clownish like Mia was at some point. Her attitude is more similar to Antonia's (LLL) except Antonia was so... BAD! She had not direction, no personality and was a Mary Sue. So I kind of like Jana more than the other two, but so far she lacks the depth Mia's character had but just because we had a few seasons to learn everything about Mia while only 8 with Jana in which she was focused solely on her vendetta against Sebastian.

Luka was not what I expected at all but his character had a really complex evolution and although it was so difficult to follow his mood swings and camp switching, he's

Similarities with OGR/LLL: I was expecting him more as comic relief and to be a jokester like Giovanni (OGR) and he did have the betrayal/La logia partnership subplot but he was rather unique in a way. He does seem to have the dramatic attitude of Carlo Colucci tho. He did seem to be more like Claudio (LLL) a not only because of the family ties, both being Argentinian and the vibe (I'll always hate the fact that Claudio was this 'macho' torn between the main girls from LIKE when he was giving such gay vibes istg), but because THEY BOTH HAD A SECRET HALF-BROTHER WITH WHOM THEY QUARELLED UP UNTIL LEARNING THAT THE FATHER WAS THE TRASH WHO DESERVED TO BE HATED!

MJ - baby. Beibiest beibi. Best voice. I adore her and completely understand her choices.

Similarities with OGR/LLL: People assumed that she'd be Lupita 2.0 (OGR) but I found her more interesting. When they hinted at a love triangle (MJ-Esteban-Jana) I really rolled my eyes and thought 'Ugh! Not Celina-Miguel-Mia again!'. The LLL character she was most like was perhaps Romina. They somehow functioned in reverse because Romina was seeking a religious path and MJ wanted to be less defined by her religion, but both of them began learning more about their body and sexuality and they both won the heart of the tough guy.

Sebastian is actually a really good villain and I suppose they'll try to redeem him in season 2. He did so many shitty things yet I couldn't hate him despite not having too much information about his motives. Both OGR/LLL kind of toyed with the student-teacher romantic relationship/oversexualizing certain female teachers, so I found his dynamic with Anita quite interesting.

Similarities with OGR/LLL: He gave me Diego (OGR) vibes and most guys from LLL were douches, so I couldn't really place him anywhere. He was quite unique in a way.

Bonus: Karla Cossio pretty much played the same role in both Rebelde La Serie and Like, La Leyenda.

Other things:

- Salvame was really really really bad imho. The beginning sounded so good but once the chorus hits... it's bad. Also, the video the kids were supposed to film was a mess. The OG Salvame video was the definition of 'go give us nothing' while this one had too many things in it. Also Luka looked ridiculous in it. Solo quedate en silencio cover was so much better. Even the other covers by the other bands were better.

- I can't wait to listen to more songs performed by Andrea Chaparro because she's a goddess

- It was said that Luka would interact with Mia so I really hope that in season 2 we'll get to see them. Like had Christian Chavez, Zoraida Gomez, Karla Cossio

- If I remember correctly, Franco and Alma adopted Jose Lujan so technically there are plenty of Colucci's - Mia, honorary Colucci Roberta and Jose Lujan, so Luka needs to chill about Esteban being one

- I think they were referencing/quoting RBD songs at some point but it was difficult to follow. LLL had a few RBD songs part of the soundtrack and Christian Chavez sang one or two.

- I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the sx scene between Jana and Esteban! Rebelde experimented a bit with this but it never had this much nudity. I remember being in 5th grade and barely understanding what happened between Pilar and Joaquin. Also Vico was allegedly promiscuous but I don't remember having any such scenes. On the other hand, Like exaggerated with the number of sx scenes (although not explicit) and I remember the one between Claudio and Antonia being so uncomfortable and disgusting given the actress' real age.

- I really like how they approached the topic of discrimination by tackling social class, nationality, sexuality, the influence of media on how we perceive others and so on. Also, we are exposed to so much US media where people demand representation, especially for the LatAm community that it left a bitter taste in my mouth when I saw many Mexicans being against Gigi, Franco and Jeronimo because they're Brazilian, Argentinian and Colombian, and also making nasty comments about the dark-skinned girls (Andrea and Lizeth). I don't remember too much about OG Rebelde apart from Mia being once punished for making fun of Miguel's northern origin and the whole Jewish vs Christian subplot with Nico and Lupita. LLL had a truly diverse cast but it wasn't handled properly IMHO. It was either brushed off or it felt a bit weird (Silverio being Afro-Lat while his parents were not, Keiko as the exotic Asian presence to cater to the K-Pop generation, Daniel whose Jewish identity was relevant only when he was bitter or for the special episodes filmed in Israel). No comment on the LGBT representation because Rebelde 2022 obviously handled it best.

Conclusion: there were so many expectations and they tried to do too much in only 8 episodes but I've got a good feeling about this series. OG Rebelde was filmed a long time ago and it followed Rebelde Way who was more juvenile. Like, la leyenda had too many things crammed and lost control. So I do have faith in this new series.

#rebelde #rebelde netflix #rebelde 2022 #rebelde reboot #rebelde la serie #like la leyenda #giovanna grigio #andrea chaparro #azul guaita #sergio mayer mori #lizeth selene #franco masini #jeronimo cantillo

[barbenheimer-core]

AUDERE EST FACERE !

하나. chanel : part two — 1.7k words

TURN.

The lights in the shop lowered in their intensity, and Ahyeong gasped, drawing in heavy breaths of air as her limbs finally moved of her own accord, bending low to clutch her knees and balance herself when she slightly stumbled.

"Are you okay?" Wangja the Shop Owner asked, concerned about the sudden change in demeanor.

"I,"— Ahyeong found herself at a loss for words, what was happening to her?— "I don't know."

An abnormal lucid dream, she thought, that was what she was experiencing. One in which she was aware of her made-up fantasy world but couldn't control her speech and actions at times.

It was like the dream itself had a script of its own.

Huh. Maybe that was it. She just had to follow the script.

"Umm... I think I should get going," she mumbled, hoping her hunch was right.

Wangja looked a bit disappointed that he couldn't carry on the conversation, but nodded in agreement. The sleek black car outside that he had spotted while coming in was probably her driver waiting on her.

Suho was still coughing on their way out, and upon the two shooting concerned looks at him he merely ignored them, gaining his composure and zooming past them and into the dimly lit night in his mildly flustered state.

As Ahyeong stepped into the cold night air, she saw her family's personal car, finding Driver Kwon sitting in front of the wheel through the tinted windows.

Her family and acquaintances must be the same as before then.

"Well, do come by often," Wangja said, handing her the copy of Shiver that she had been sifting through previously, and when Ahyeong looked at him confusedly, he winked, "as an insurance that you do visit, I'm letting you borrow it. Remember, the shop's policy only lets you borrow items for two weeks. Any more and you'll have to compensate."

The girl tucked the comic under her elbow, amused at his antics as if she'd known him for a long time, and said without thinking, "Does ramyeon work as compensation?"

The shop owner grinned, "Aye, you know me so well. Now go. Your driver is giving me the creeps with his glare."

Ahyeong chuckled at that. Driver Kwon was rather overprotective over the Song siblings and got suspicious of anyone who got within six feet of them, even the people the two kids had explicitly stated were their friends.

Bidding Wangja goodbye, Ahyeong slipped into the leather seats of the car, fastening the seatbelt around herself as was the clearly stated rule by the person in front of her who turned the key as soon as she got in, revving the engine before taking off into the night and to, presumably, her home.

Ahyeong paused at the front door, looking at the front lawn with puzzled eyes.

Why did it look even more extravagant than it was on a usual day?

The flowers were in full bloom despite spring having passed months ago, the garden lights were still switched on, illuminating the finely-trimmed shrubs and foliage, and the cars were displayed out in the open instead of being in the garage.

It was as if someone was trying to make a drawing of a picturesque rich household, perfect in every aspect with next to no flaws in its design.

The mahogany doors opened abruptly, halting her thoughts, and the housemaid, Eunjung, hurriedly ushered her in, putting slippers in front of the girl's feet as she toed her shoes off.

"Why were you out so late? It's past curfew. Thank goodness Mrs. Song hasn't returned from work yet, or you would've been in trouble," she fussed.

Trouble with her mother? That was odd. That never happened because Ahyeong usually informed Eunjung of where she was going, and her mother didn't really mind if she was out past curfew as long as she had alerted someone of coming in late.

"I'll prepare your dinner while you wash up. Do you want to eat at the table or should I bring it to your room upstairs?"

"My room, if it's not too much trouble."

Eunjung waved her hands, dismissing her, and scurried off to the kitchen while Ahyeong headed up the stairs to the West Wing of the house where her bedroom resided.

Contrary to what she thought, her room had not been what she expected.

It was littered with cardboard boxes and suitcases, most of them unpacked and organized but there still being enough to do that the floor looked messy.

Ahyeong remembered her involuntary words back at Prince Comics.

So her family moved to Seoul in this dream?

From where though? She's never lived anywhere else other than this city.

Oh well, too bad. There was no use dwelling on it. Her dream would end as soon as she would go to sleep and wake up anyway.

But her nagging mind urged her to clean her room up, and despite knowing that her efforts may be in vain she obliged, and by the end of the hour, her room looked just as it had been in real life.

Setting her towel by the bathroom rack to dry, Ahyeong sat down in front of her desk in her pajamas, where the maid had spread out a variety of steaming dishes on fine china while she had been tidying up.

Leave it to Eunjung to make mouth-watering food for any time of the day.

Just as she raised her spoon to eat the seaweed soup, her door swung open.

Gilyeong stood by the threshold, racing to her and shoving his phone in her face, a rather horrible picture of a mangled body on its screen.

"What the-" Ahyeong dropped her utensils with a clang, pushing the device away from her face with a disgusted expression and glaring at her brother, who giggled mischievously, "I'm trying to eat, you gremlin. Don't make me lose my appetite."

"It's payback for the time you showed me a clip of a gutted person when I was trying to eat pat-bingsu. Now get a taste of your own medicine, grinch," Gilyeong laughed evilly, shoving his phone into Ahyeong's eyesight as she tried to stop him from ruining her eyes in front of her food.

Even in dreams, her brother was as nasty as they came.

"You evil little-" Ahyeong wrestled the phone out of his hands, making the younger Song frown and whine at her to give it back to him, and got an idea as she glanced at the shelf on top of her desk.

"If you promise to behave yourself this week, I'll let you borrow that," she said, pointing at the Junji Ito comic that Wangja had let her borrow.

Gilyeong looked up, and his eyes glimmered in anticipation as he jumped up to grab it from the shelf.

"Woah, where did you get this from?" He exclaimed as he started to peruse the pages, "It was out of stock in every bookstore I dragged you to."

"I got it from a hippie who starred in a drama," she smirked at her brother's puzzled face , "so, do we have a deal?"

She raised her hands as she said so.

Her brother looked up at her suspiciously, eyes narrowed in contemplation, then nodded briefly, "deal."

He raised his palms, meeting Ahyeong's halfway as they did their Handshake of Temporary Truce.

Yes, they had different handshakes for a whole list of situations.

"But you still have to pay up for your flinches from yesterday and now," he drawled while walking out of her room.

Wait, yesterday?

"What do you mean the flinch from yesterday?"

Gilyeong stopped midway and turned around, confused.

"Don't tell me you've been getting amnesia too. We were at the restaurant yesterday with Mum and Dad's investors, remember?"

With that ominous comment, he stepped out, shutting the door behind him.

Sunlight peeked through the half-open blinds, beaming on Ahyeong's face as she woke up and looked around her room, same as ever.

What a crazy dream.

She remembered it as clear as day.

But it was over and done with, and she was in reality now.

For a moment she pondered how she had gotten into her bed, but then trashed the thought. One of her parents had probably carried her here when she had fallen into a deep sleep in the lobby of the restaurant.

She got up, picking up her phone to look at the day and time.

It was around 8 on a Sunday morning, and Ahyeong yawned, kicking off her blanket to freshen up. She woke up too early for a weekend.

Deciding to explore the city for the day, she changed into a button-up and denim trousers, picking up a set of Doc Martens on her way out for breakfast.

"What's new this mornin', gremlin," she greeted Gilyeong while running down the stairs, who sat by the couch reading something, its cover blocked out of her eyesight.

She slightly tripped on the last two steps and hit her knee on the railing, hissing in pain and lightly hopping towards the dining table.

"Good morning, Eunjung-ssi," Ahyeong smiled through her discomfort at the maid, in complete contrast to the way she greeted her brother, and he scowled at her from his spot but didn't say anything.

Eunjung rolled her eyes in good nature at the sibling's antics, all too used to it, "Good morning to you too."

She set down two servings of rice, soup, and a variety of side dishes for breakfast, and the siblings came to sit at the dining table.

As Ahyeong scooped up a spoonful of rice, she saw Gilyeong putting down his book, finally spotting its cover.

She paused.

"Hey, dongsaeng, how did you get that?" She said as she pointed at the copy of Shiver.

The young Song stopped eating, pointing a fake grin at her.

"From the grinch who got it from a hippie who starred in a drama."

This was not a dream.

masterlist

© 2021 Alfia Sheikh, All Rights Reserved

#true beauty #cha eunwoo #hwang inyeop #moon gayoung #lee suho #han seojun #im jugyeong #kang sujin #extraordinary you #lee suho x reader #lee suho x oc #korean drama #kdrama fanfic #kdrama imagine #kdrama scenarios #webtoon

[footballxposts]

Sleeping With The Enemy - Jack Grealish Series❤️‍🔥 (Chapter Two) Curiosity

Warnings: just some more sexual tension for now hehe but y’all better be ready for the next few chapters cause god damn 🥵

Recommended listening: Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande (Slowed).

Quick A/N: if you can’t understand Scottish slang a will translate for you in the comments

Taglist: @storyofavengers @hotyeehawman

——————————————————————————

The rest of my first day working in Aston went much better than I had initially expected. We only had a few minor injuries so I spent most of my time just going through all the players files, mainly looking over their medical history and current rehabilitation plans. That being said, I found it so hard to concentrate as the only thing I could think about throughout the entirety of it was Jack’s words. They were etched on my mind like the winner of a tournaments name being engraved on a trophy. I was extremely thankful Alan had came back into the room when he did, because I really had no idea how to respond to Jack’s comment and to be quite honest, I wasn’t really sure I wanted to.

Now arriving back at Bodymoor Heath training grounds for what was going to be my second day, I tried my best to find a parking space. Spotting one, I positioned my car and took the keys out of the ignition. Just as I was grabbing my things so as that I could make my way into work, I noticed a familiar face walking across the car park and quickly ducked my head so that he wouldn’t see me. But he did. And instead of walking towards the building’s entrance, Jack Grealish was now headed towards my car.

He lightly tapped the window as I pretended to look for something. Giving me space to open the door he quickly stepped away. My heart was nearly beating out of my chest. What did he want? I’ll tell you what I wanted. I wanted to avoid him as much as possible so I wasn’t put in another awkward situation with him, but he really wasn’t making it at all easy. Stepping out and closing the door behind me, he began walking beside me.

“So how’s my girl Ella this fine morning?” he asked, his eyes watching me every step I took.

“Your girl?” I questioned back in a slightly nervy manner, trying to speed up.

“Come on, you know what I mean.” he teased, a smirk now spreading across his face.

“Uh no actually I don’t, because we’re not friends Jack.” I sighed, attempting to pull the door of the premises open but he had got there before me and was now holding it out wide for me.

“Oh really?” he raised his eyebrows in response. “What are we then?”. I hated to admit it, but his accent was honestly so damn attractive too, though I wanted to believe I only thought so because I had watched too much peaky blinders and he reminded me of Tommy Shelby. Standing in front of me and stopping me in my tracks to prevent me from moving any further, I gave him one of those ‘seriously?’ glares.

“Nothing.” I stated. “We’re just work colleagues. That’s it. Just two professionals getting on with their morning, or at least I’m trying to but someone is in the way.” His reaction was comical. Lightly scoffing with a small chuckle, he took a step closer to me, almost closing the distance between us. I was shaking like a leaf internally. He honestly made me so nervous, as if my anxiety didn’t already do a good enough job of that. I gulped as he parted his lips and got the final word in.

“Maybe.” he began. “But I’m hoping to change that sometime soon.” Giving me a smug wink, he moved out of the way and began walking down the corridor the opposite way. I stood there for a few seconds, which felt more like minutes, trying to process what he had just said. He was a very attractive man, and there was no denying it. But was he actually being serious? Only my second day here, and he’s already hitting on me like I’m a piece of fresh meat. Was this what he done with every new girl that started working here? And how many other females in the vicinity was he currently doing this with? Did he just think every girl would fall at his knees and give him what he wanted? And what made him assume I would? Or that I even wanted to? Feeling slightly nauseous at all thoughts and questions now racing through my mind, I shook my head and made my way to my section of the workplace.

A few hours had gone by of assessing more injuries and whatnot, and before I knew it, it was now lunchtime. Making my way to the canteen, a friendly face appeared beside me, this time being one I was more than happy to see. It was midfielder John McGinn, who I had had in the clinic earlier on that morning. He and I maintained a good conversation about various different things, mainly about Ireland and Scotland’s relationship. Now holding the door open for me, he perked up.

“Hello.” he smiled softly.

“Oh John, hi, everything alright?” I beamed back at him.

“Aye yeah no a wis just wondering if you wanted tae come have lunch with me since your friend isn’t in today and you probably don’t want to sit with Alan and stuff?” he asked with a strong Scottish accent and a hopeful look on his face. He was referring to Samantha, the girl I had met yesterday who worked as a nutritionalist. She had told me how happy she was to have a female the same age as her working at the grounds to and offered for me to come sit with her at lunch, to which I accepted but she had took a sick day today meaning I would probably have to sit and have lunch by myself.

“Oh okay, yeah.” I replied, “Thank you, that would be nice.”

The little grin that spread across his face as he opened the canteen door for me was the cutest. “Great, no problem.” he responded as I began to enter the large dining hall. We made our way over to the food court to get something to eat. Joking and laughing, I was caught in my tracks by a very serious looking Jack, who was now staring at us from where he was seated at one of the tables. Ignoring him, I diverted my attention back to the lunch lady who was placing my vegetarian lasagne back on my tray.

“Oh, sorry thank you.” I said, expressing my gratitude and moving on to get a drink at the end of the counter.

“Vegetarian huh?,” John raised his eyebrows at me.

“Umm yeah aha, I kinda have been for the past seven years or so.” I chuckled.

“Kinda? Whit ya mean by kinda?” He questioned.

“Well.” I began. “I eat chicken, but I don’t eat any other meat or poultry.” Giving me the biggest look of judgement he could muster up, he began to crack up. “No way! Are you serious?”

“Yeah, I know I know. It’s a bit of a weird one to be honest but it is what it is.” I muttered shyly.

“Naw naw, each to their own am no saying anything. But isn’t there a name for that itself?” he queried.

“Yeah pollotarian, but everytime I say that everyone tells me it’s not at real thing and I’m a nutcase and stuff. Besides, a pollotarian is supposed to eat all poultry and I don’t.” I answered, as we sat down at a free table.

“Aye well a canny say a dinnae agree with them.” he teased as the two of us broke out laughing. John was so sweet and wasn’t unattractive either, but even when it came to him I wanted to remain strictly professional. Jack’s eyes were still fixated on us with what I could only assume was jealousy and envy growing in them. Having enough, I watched as he forcefully stood up out of his chair and walked away out of sight.

“What’s his deal?” I asked John who now had a forkful of spaghetti in his mouth. “Who? Grealish?” he replied as soon as he had swallowed it. Nodding anxiously, he rolled his eyes and giggled again. “Ah, Jacky-boy, whit can a say? Serious baller, great hair, great legs. But a flirt and a wee heartbreaker anaw.”

“Oh really, how so?..” I lamented.

“Ah, it’s no really for me to say sorry darlin, but am sure one of his previous conquests could fill you in if your paths cross. He’s no a bad guy, just done some silly things if you get me? How come you’re asking anyways?” he interrogated, nudging me with his elbow.

“Oh I was just wondering..” I trailed off.

“Naw, no way. Has he already tried tae make a move on you?”, an amused look now appearing on his face.

“Not exactly, but I think he’s planning to try to.”

“Aye right a see. Well, word to they wise, as much as a love Jack, if you’re looking for something serious, he’s no the way to go about getting it. A wid focus on your work if a were you.”

To indicate that I understood, I nodded slowly. But why did part of me also feel slightly disheartened and disappointed? I kept trying to remind myself that Jack Grealish was the ultimate no go; not only because I had only started working here and I wanted to keep everything strictly professional, but also because I don’t think I could every forgive myself, let alone my country or the world if they knew. He was supposed to be the enemy. Well, not so much the enemy, but the traitor and rival. However, there was just something about him that made me want to do so many things that I know shouldn’t.

After finishing lunch, I said goodbye to John and set about returning to the clinic. As I exited the canteen door, I felt an arm grab me and pull me into an empty office. Struggling to make out who it was initially, the smell of cologne mixed with sweat that was becoming overly-familiar helped me to quickly register.

#jack grealish #premier league #footballer #soccer #ben chilwell #champions league #chelsea fc #euros 2020 #euros21 #football #avfc #john mcginn #Mason Mount #Aston Villa #aston villa football club #Grealish #footballers #series #blurb #SoundCloud

[mymelodyheart]

Miles Between Us Chapter 15 ~Etched On Wood~

Previously in The Element of Surprise

Annalise perked up at Claire's feeble attempt to sound less grumpy. "Har de har har! I didn't realise you could be funny before coffee. A total package for a marauding pirate if I may say so."

"Tell that to Captain Beard," she mumbled, getting out of bed. 

"Aye, matey!" Annalise mischievously winked. "That's if he happens to be in Isle of Harris this weekend. Which is where, by the way, we're going, as in, now! So get packing!"

Claire stilled and shook her head. "Wot?" She began to shake her head, tugging the covers around her as she made her way to the dresser. "Oh no, no, no! I'm not leaving this place for any man or woman, including you, blondie! I've got a pile of work to do. You know I have deadlines."

"Oh no, you don't. You stop right there, missy! Have you forgotten you agreed with Jamie to take a weekend break?" 

Claire's eyes widened. "Oh, did he also tell you how he got me to agree?"

"No. But you can tell me later on the plane."

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  Claire stood in the quaint wonderland of whisky, gin and assorted spirits, also known as The Island Spirit Whisky Shop. One side of the store was given over to the whiskies, while numerous craft gins and spiced rums were on the other. Absently, she touched one of the bottles of liquid gold, mentally calculating how many bottles she could fit in her small luggage to bring back as presents. When she heard laughter, she glanced up to find Annalise sampling a dram with the owner, effectively ending her dithering and opting to grab just a bottle of single malt in front of her instead. They'd just arrived in Stornaway over an hour ago and decided to put her gift shopping spree on hold .

Annalise raised a whisky glass and winked. "You better start getting busy. Our driver isn't going to hang around and wait for us all day. Found anything you like?"

Claire approached her friend and showed the bottle. "Aberfeldy, sixteen years old. For us tonight."

"Very nice. Glad to see you warming up to this trip for a change. How long has it been since you last checked your phone for Jamie's message?" 

"Five minutes," she replied, scrunching her nose at Annalise for bringing up the sore subject. She handed the bottle and her credit card to the shop owner before facing her friend. "I've sent Jamie a message, and he hasn't replied yet. He's got some explaining to do ...sending me away like this with too little notice." She let out an unladylike grunt. "Why can't our men be here? We're in a beautiful location ...romantic even ..." She waved a hand in the air to prove a point. "I don't understand why you're not so bothered not spending time with your boyfriend when you rarely see him, and you're only here until Monday."

"Oh, poor us girls! Without our men! God help us!"

Claire fought a smile. "Hey, now, if I recall correctly, I had to listen to you moan endlessly about not seeing Willie enough. What was that again, you said just a week ago over the phone?" She tapped her chin and pretended to go through her memory bank. "You can't stand living without him."

"Correction, missy. I told you I couldn't stand living on my own in London. Which means I'm not used to not having you around."

"Ah, my mistake. Must have misheard that part." Annalise snorted a laugh and went to grab a bottle of gin from the shelf, leaving Claire once again to thoughts of Jamie. Any day now, John would summon her back to London, probably with Mary Hawkins and Tom Christie in tow. Though she dreaded going back, she'd placated those thoughts by telling herself she'd be moving to the Highlands soon. 

Despite the valuable inroads to their relationship, Claire wondered if she would have given up London and her job so soon, supposing that Jamie hadn't had PTSD. Would their relationship have moved this fast? She immediately quelled that thought because deep down, she knew in her heart whatever their circumstances might have been, they would have chosen to be together whether it was too soon or not.

She glanced once more at her phone, inwardly debating whether to call Jamie or not. What the hell is he up to? She hadn't heard a peep from him since she'd left the cottage. Something was definitely up, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"So, this work of yours is moving along fast. I bet you can't wait to start your life in the Highlands with your love, no less. So, what's the plan? Are you and Jamie buying a bigger property together, or will you be staying in the cottage to see how the relationship pans out?" 

"His cottage for now. As for what lies ahead, we haven't talked about that far into the future yet."

"Quite right. Future planning is tedious, anyway. It's pretty obvious you and Jamie are meant to be together, no matter what. I saw it coming from a mile away. The way he looks at you ...you can literally see smoke coming out of his ears." Annalise comically waggled her eyebrows as she eyed the other sample bottles on the counter.

"Well, since we're talking about the future and wotnots," Claire began, lowering her voice, "I have been doing a lot of thinking myself. For starters, I want to have Jamie's babies one day." 

Annalise's eyes widened. 

She frowned. "Wot?"

"Babies?"

"Yes, babies." When Annalise continued to stare at her, Claire groaned. "Not now, though, silly! Our relationship might be going at full speed, but God ...I have other plans in mind before that happens."

"Yes, I get that ...but ...but have you and Jamie talked about babies?"

Claire gave the store owner an apologetic smile and pulled Annalise into the alcove by the window. "No. As I said, we haven't talked anything about the future. What's wrong with you? I know it's too early to be talking about babies, but everyone knows where our relationship is heading to. Eventually, somewhere down the line, starting a family would be the next step. Or did you think my move to the Highlands is experimental?"

"No! Of course not! It's not that ... it's..."

"It's wot?"

"I, ah ...the babies part."

"Jesus, Annalise, what's your fret about babies?"

"There's no fret!"

"What is it then?"

"I, ... I'm not sure if I should be the one telling you this, but ..."

"Tell me wot?"

"I thought you knew because why else would Jamie ..."

"Know what? For God's sake, spit it all out! It quite apparent you know something."

Annalise shook her head and sighed. "It's something Willie told me. It was right after when Jamie started to remember bits and pieces about his past. Willie thinks Jamie may have been deeply affected by what he'd learned. You know ...him witnessing your parents' death and you becoming an orphan at such a young age." She puffed out a breath. "Jamie confided to his brother that ...he doesn't want to have children because he doesn't think he'd be able to bear it if they would go through something as horrible as what you've both been through. I know that's not really Jamie talking, and I understand those fears are coming from a place brought about by his condition. Maybe it's something both of you should talk about. I thought Jamie might have already mentioned it."

Claire paused for a few heartbeats, absorbing Annalise's words. Should I be worried? A part of her knew it was his PTSD symptoms amplifying those fears in Jamie's head. The other part, she wasn't too sure. But he'd made so much progress, she thought. She waved a hand in dismissal and let out a humourless laugh. "Oh ... don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure Jamie didn't mean to say that in its entirety. You know how men are like ...they tend to have reservations about children and stuff like that in the beginning. Besides, he understands how his condition affects his reasoning, decisions and emotions. He's very aware of that. He told me so. So him saying not wanting to have children is not a projection of what's truly in his heart." She gave her friend a reassuring smile even though a smidge of uncertainty was starting to creep in. "Jamie and I are in love," she said with all the conviction she could muster. "And we've proven that with love, we can achieve anything. As for his current views about not having children, they will eventually change. After what he's been through, it's understandable he'd be worried about history repeating itself. He's slowly but surely recovering, and as soon as the new therapist arrives, it can only get better from there. I'm quite sure of it"

"Claire ..."

"There's nothing to worry about," she said firmly this time. 

Annalise grabbed her hand. "Claire ...I have no doubt that he loves you. Even a blind man can see that. But think about this. What if ...what if he can't give you what you want? I mean babies. That's what you want one day, isn't it?" When Claire nodded, she continued. "You should talk to Jamie about your dreams of having children one day before moving here to Scotland. I don't want you to invest your time and emotion in a relationship that will probably end in regrets. I like Jamie, and I love you, and I love the love you have for each other. But I don't want to see the both of you hurt ...just because you failed to see each other eye to eye. Please promise me you'll talk about this with Jamie before turning your life upside down and moving here to Scotland and start playing house. There's a lot at stake here, Claire. Please, just talk to him. At least you know if you're both on the same page or not."

"Fine. I'll talk to Jamie. But under one condition." Annalise nodded in response. "If we're going to have this break together, promise me to refrain from any more baby talks."

"You started it."

Claire sighed. "Yes, I did," she admitted. "But it ends now."

"Alright, but I'm only going to say one more thing and then we can go back to holiday mode." Annalise made a broad gesture. "I can see that our little talk rattled you a bit. And don't you dare deny it!" When Claire shrugged and made a gesture to carry on, she proceeded. "I just want you to know, despite the uncertainties you may be harbouring right now, ...thanks to my big mouth, nothing changes the fact that Jamie loves you. I'm sure after you've talked, you'll arrive at some compromise about this baby thingy."

Despite herself, Claire laughed out loud and rolled her eyes. "Holy hell, we sure are a bizarre duo, aren't we? Poor Jamie. Here we are talking about babies when he probably hasn't even thought about marriage. If he could hear us talk right now, he'll probably put me on the next flight to London."

Annalise looked at her sheepishly. "Or perhaps not. Shall we get going?"

She raised a dubious eyebrow at her friend. "Hey. What's that look for?" 

Annalise wandered back to the check-out counter, laughing. "That was my wise, venerable sage look. You like?"

"No, knock it bloody off!"

..........

Jamie pressed the cold pack against his throbbing eye and tried unsuccessfully to tamp down his irritation at Quentin. Stood in the cottage's open space lounge, which comprised the kitchen and dining area, he turned away to face one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. For the first time, he noticed the stunning vistas before him. Looking out to the south, there's the view of the village and valley, and the west the vast, beautiful beach, and to the north, the rolling hills. Under normal circumstances, he would have enjoyed the sceneries, but the crunching sound of Quentin's meat mallet on walnuts might as well have been a tree stump grinder splintering his skull.

"Do ye mind?" Jamie muttered, turning around to glower at Claire's uncle. "That godawful sound is making my headache worse." 

"Stop whingeing." Quentin didn't bother to glance up from the chopping board on which he seemed resolved to make continuous head-splitting rackets. "Because of you, I haven't eaten all day. What kind of boys' trip is this anyway? There's no food or booze except for the bottle of expensive champagne... these walnuts ...and that ..." He jutted his chin at the fruit basket and shook his head in disgust. "Sorry I can't accommodate your headache." He watched the walnut shell fly across the counter when his mallet hit the chopping board. "As for the black eye, I'm sorry about that too."

Willie chuckled from behind his open newspaper as he lifted his feet to rest them on the coffee table. "Everyone will now think Claire dropped one on ye. How did it happen again? I didnae quite catch the whole story since both of ye were too busy grumbling at one another when I arrived."

Jamie glared with one eye. "As ye've already gathered, Quentin did this." He pointed his index finger at the evidence and adjusted the cold pack with a free hand. "And I cannae for the life of me understand why it was supposed to be a good thing."

"I told you already ...we had a bit of miscommunication," Quentin shot.

"Miscommunication?" Jamie sputtered, throwing a hand in the air in disbelief. He spun around and faced Willie. "I said to him if I start having one of my panic attacks on the ferry..."

"...you wanted to be knocked out," Quentin interjected.  

"Jesus Christ! I never said that, and I wasnae having a panic attack. I was feeling queasy."

"Yes, so queasy he turned green," Quentin added, hammering the walnut with more force this time, making Jamie flinch at the offensive sound. "And here I thought he was having a panic attack. He never mentioned anything about being prone to seasickness. So when he started to act all weird on me, I decked him."

"On my eye of all places!" Jamie shouted, slamming the cold pack on the kitchen counter. "When I said I'd knock myself out, I meant I'd take my medication and sleep it off in the car." He pointed a finger to his eye. "Look at this ...I look like I participated in a pub brawl."

Willie glanced up before turning a page of the newspaper. "Aye, that ye do."

"Well, you should have told me more about your condition," Quentin stressed, pointing the mallet at him. "How was I supposed to know what a panic attack looks like?"

Jamie blew out a breath. "Even if it was a panic attack, what made ye think socking me on the eye is the answer?"

Quentin shrugged. "I guess I get panic attacks too, ...now there!" When Jamie turned away in frustration, he pressed on. "Look at the bright side ...I got rid of your seasickness and saved you from having a relapse."

"I told ye already I wasnae having a panic attack, and I havenae had one for some time now!"

"Hey, may I remind you that I offered to drive Claire and Annalise to the airport and fly in later as Willie did? Your brother would have been in a better position to deal with your condition. I know you wanted to talk more about that bloody bench, but ..." Quentin shook his head as if remembering something. "Say ...I still don't understand why we haven't gone altogether. All this palaver with keeping this whole thing a secret and Willie taking the next plane after dropping off the girls." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Another thing, no one's told me yet where the girls were heading to."

Jamie gave his brother a warning cough.

Willie sighed and lowered his newspaper. "The lassies are somewhere having fun. Anyway, ye'll be getting yer wish granted. Ye'll be flying in my place when we return back to the mainland. Jamie told me CalMac ferries banned ye for a year."

Jamie bit back a smile at Willie's smooth change of subject.

"So Jamie told you." Quentin popped a walnut in his mouth. "Did he also tell you he didn't even try to explain to the police that it wasn't my intention to knock him out cold? That my intention was to help."

Jamie took a slow breath. "How could I? My head was still reeling from your punch. The police could only take in reports from eyewitnesses." 

Quentin cast the mallet aside and flattened both hands on the counter. "All right, all right ....never mind that. What's done is done, and I apologised already." He paused for a few beats and frowned. "So ... what's happening now? Why are we sitting around in this cottage when we could be organising some grub and booze?"

"Just hang fire for a little bit more." Jamie took out his phone and pretended to fiddle with it. It was becoming more difficult to distract Quentin by the second, but he needed to do this right if his plan was going to work. "The landlord is supposed to stop by. It shouldn't be long now."

"Well ..." Quentin glanced at the wall clock. "If the landlord doesn't come anytime soon, I'm going to find the nearest pub. I'm starving. And don't tell me to eat fruits. I want a proper hot meal. And I need a drink after the morning we had."

Not happening! Jamie couldn't have him doing that. "Look, dinnae start lining yer imaginary shots just yet. Pubs open much later here. Maybe while we're waiting, ye can show me that bench we were talking about." He gave Quentin a meaningful look. "Remember? It's one of the reasons why we came here for. Ye've delayed it long enough bashing those walnuts."

Quentin lifted an eyebrow. "Can you blame me? If we'd eaten first, we wouldn't be having this discussion, and we could be looking at that bench already. As it stands, I have to settle for walnuts. Besides, can't the bench wait? You said this trip would be entertaining. And smashing walnuts is not my idea of entertainment."

Jesus, why does everything have to be difficult with this man? 

Willie finally took pity on Jamie as he regarded them both with a mixture of impatience and amusement. "Look, I ken ye're both a bit on edge and didn't have a good start to the day." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "I know ye're hungry, Quentin, and I know yer eye's in pain, Jamie, but bickering at one another is no' gonnae help yer cause." He clasped his hands and gave Jamie a knowing look. "Why don't ye both go and look at that bloody bench while I wait here for the landlord. That way, we're getting something done. Fair enough?"

"Fine." Jamie and Quentin said simultaneously.

Willie's head briefly fell back, and he heaved a relieved exhale up at the ceiling. "Finally, they agreed on something."

Quentin ignored Willie and looked at Jamie. "Right, we might as well." He made a sweeping gesture with his arm. "If you'll follow me," he instructed before heading for the front door.

Jamie glanced at his brother, who just nodded and returned back to reading the newspaper. Rolling his head on his shoulders, he followed Quentin out of the house and to the back garden. 

Halfway, Quentin glanced back at him. "So ...about that bench, you still remember this place?"

"Only vaguely," Jamie responded quietly, overcome with acute nostalgia as he began to take in his surroundings. 

The last few nights, while Claire had been cooped up in the shed doing edits, he and Quentin had been trying to piece their history together, mostly to help Jamie understand the past. It had been a frustrating feat at best for Quentin, trying to unravel Jamie's memories as a toddler that they'd almost laid the past to rest. Until Jamie had mentioned a bench with engravings in a garden of a coastal retreat, he'd once visited as a wee bairn. To his astonishment, Quentin had immediately known the place. The more they'd talked about it, the more the memory of that day made sense and became vivid until an idea came to Jamie's mind ...to use this trip for his plan.

When they reached the back of the house, they came to a stop, and there in the middle of the freshly trimmed lawn was the bench. Fragmented images began to flood Jamie's brain, colliding together to form a vivid picture. As if being pulled by an invisible force, he made his way towards the seat. Laying a hand on the surface, he caressed the weather-worn wood, relying on his heart to know what to search for. When he found the familiar yet foreign carving, he knew he'd made the right decision to arrange this trip. "Here it is."

Quentin stooped down beside Jamie to take a better look. "Jesus, it is really here," he whispered. "Just as Henry told me." He glanced at Jamie. "And you remembered. How old were you when you were last here?"

Jamie sat on the bench and briefly squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them again, he took a deep breath. "At the most, I must have been four. It was summer. My ma needed a break from us boys, so Murtagh took Willie and me on a trip here to visit Harry. Jenny stayed behind. I cannae mind what Harry was doing here, but I do remember him showing me this when my godfather disappeared into the house." His fingers traced the engraving. "I never understood then what it meant when he read it out to me. He'd told me it was our wee secret."

"It was a secret, alright. Henry wouldn't have wanted Murtagh to know." 

"Aye, I sort of caught the gist of it then even though I was too young to understand."

Quentin spoke with a distant look in his eyes. "Henry told me everything that happened that day and how it had been difficult for him to keep their trip here a secret from Julia. It was supposed to be a surprise."

Jamie couldn't help laughing out loud. He knew the feeling. "Aye, I can imagine," he replied, hoping Quentin would finally take the hint and see the real reason behind this trip.

"Did you know Henry had always wanted a son for his firstborn?" Quentin asked out of the blue. "Don't get me wrong, though. Claire was the light of his life, and he loved her. So much so, he would stare at her for hours while she slept. So Julia told me anyway. But he'd always said he wanted a son. I think it had something to do with him spending a lot of time with you and your brother during the summer, even before he met Julia." He smiled at Jamie. "He had fond memories of you and your brother, and it was very apparent from the stories he told me of you."

"A son," Jamie murmured, shifting on the bench as another memory popped up. "Aye, he'd mentioned something about wanting a son. He used to joke about having one, one day ...a strong lad like me were his words." He got up from his position and scoured the seat once more with his fingers and eyes, trying hard to remember where the other etching was. "I seem to recall myself asking Harry what if the baby turns out to be a girl. I cannae mind his reply, but he told me to pick a girl's name because he'd already had one for a boy. After I picked one, he carved both names we came up with on this bench ... it's here somewhere."

"Really?" Propping his specs on his nose, Quentin hunched over and began to search. "Can you remember the name you chose?"

He shook his head. "I probably came up with something daft ...like some cartoon character Jenny used to watch. "

"Or perhaps not." Quentin hunkered down, gliding his hand over the wooden surface of the edge of the bench. "Take a look at this." He stood up and took a step back to allow Jamie to see better.

What Jamie saw next took his breath away and only confirmed that niggling feeling in his guts. It hadn't been a misplaced memory nor a dream. He unseeingly watched Quentin squat down again to take a better look at the engraving, barely able to formulate words to express his emotions over the thoughts running through his head. Was this Harry's way of sending him a message ...a blessing of some sort? Or was it just some quirk in the universe, and everything had been purely coincidental? If it was the former, he'd been taken on a merry rough ride, and he could almost envision Harry's delight at his handiwork, watching them by the sidelines. Like Quentin, he was momentarily at a loss for words.

"You know, Henry's been gone for years," Quentin finally spoke after a long silence. "And it astounds me that you refer to him by his nickname with such familiarity. Only Julia called him Harry. As a matter of fact, now that I think of it, sometimes you talk about him as if he's still alive. You may have forgotten many of your memories of Harry, but it's quite obvious the special bond you had with him is still there, and it must have made an impact on your life."

Jamie almost laughed out loud. If only Quentin knew. He debated whether to say anything about Harry's mysterious appearances, but after a few indecisive heartbeats, he thought, bugger it. He might as well let the cat out of the bag. "Harry has appeared to me," he blurted rapidly before he could change his mind. "Numerous time. As solid and as real as we are standing here right now."

Quentin frowned. "What do you mean?"

Briefly, he filled Quentin in on the mystery that was Harry, from the first time the appearances began and everything in between and watched an array of expressions register on the older man's face. "I've only shared this story with Willie and Claire, and now ...you. It's not something I like to share with just anyone. But because ye're Harry's brother, I thought ye ought to know as well."

Quentin let out a low whistle. "That's some story. I don't know what to say. I've never believed in all these mumbo-jumbo spirit sightings, but ..." He let out a huge sigh. "...though your story is bizarre, strangely enough, I believe you. That night when you mentioned this place and this bench, I dreamt of Henry after. For the first time in years. He was sat right here, not saying a word. That's why I agreed to go on this trip. The notion that he may be trying to say something did occur to me and thought I might as well see this special place of Henry and Julia for myself."

Jamie let out an exhale of relief just as he saw Willie walking in their direction. His brother made a motion of tapping his watch, which could only mean one thing. He needed to make a move. Straightening up to his full body height, Jamie faced Quentin and cleared his throat. "Speaking about this place ..." He swallowed and braced himself. "I haven't been entirely honest with ye."

"Is that so?"

Willie came to stand beside them, a slow smile spreading across his face.

Jamie disregarded his brother's knowing smirk. "There's also another reason for this trip that I meant to tell ye."

Quentin muttered a curse. "You're going to tell me this isn't the all-lads trip you'd been going on about, is that it?"

"Aye ...no! I mean ..." He tunnelled impatient fingers through his hair. "What I meant to say is ...with everything falling into place ...Harry, the engravings on this bench a-and how our history are sort of intertwined together ...I -I thought ...right here and now would be a perfect time."

"Perfect time for?"

Jamie puffed out a breath. "Perfect time to ask for your blessing."

"Blessing for what?" Quentin's brow puckered, but by then, he knew Jamie well enough, and it only took a quick study of the situation to determine exactly what was going to be asked. Quentin's eyes widened at the realisation. "Holy hell, Jamie! Are you bloody kidding me? Is this what all this has been about?"

"It's been coming to this, cannae ye see it?" He worked to steady his voice. "Ye dreamt of Harry sat on this bench. That must mean something, and ye know it. Everything that's happened to me ...Claire coming to the Highlands ....those ..." He pointed at the bench. "...those engravings ....they didn't happen by chance. All of it has led to this day.."

"Jesus! I can't believe you're making me want to thump you a few hours after I just walloped you on the eye and apologised for it." He rolled up the sleeves of his top. "I was just beginning to warm up to you, lad. But it has to be done. It's a rule."

"Rule? What bloody rule?" He watched Quentin clenched and unclenched his fist. "Ye really are gonnae thump me, is that it?"

"Rule is rule," Willie murmured, watching them closely while sneaking glances at his phone. "But best get this settled soon because we dinnae have much time left."

"Time for what?" Quentin shot. "What the bloody hell is going on now?"

Jamie's patience was swiftly deteriorating. "Look, Quentin ...ye can thump me later, alright? I'll even offer ye my good eye. But right now, I need yer blessing." 

Quentin laughed incredulously. "Listen, son, you don't get to schedule your own thumping." 

That was the last straw. Whatever patience Jamie had left dissolved. There was no time for pussyfooting. He took two steps forward and brought his face close to Quentin's. The older man looked too shocked to react, so Jamie took advantage. "Listen to me, ye cantankerous ol' git. I tried being patient with ye because I know ye like me even if ye have a funny way of showing it. But this intent on giving me grief for whatever demented reason ye have and deriving joy out of it is bloody mental. So, I'm asking ye in the nicest possible way ...give me yer blessings. Ye're gonnae give it to me anyway. So cut out all this shite and give it to me now."

A tense silence between the men ensued, and they all stood stock-still waiting for each other to give in, and the only discernible sound to be heard was the waves crashing on the beach.

When the phone notification went off, Quentin and Jamie momentarily forgot their stand-off and whipped their attention to Willie. "So gentlemen, what is it going to be? It's nearly showtime."

Quentin's eyes narrowed. "Showtime?"

..........

"Òran na Mara," Claire read out loud as they drove past the hand-carved wooden sign. "Song of the sea. How very fitting."

"I think it's romantic," Annalise whispered in response, smiling at her from the passenger seat in front. 

"Weel, here we are," the driver announced as they pulled into the driveway. "Welcome to yer home for the next few days." 

Claire leaned forward to take a better look at the cottage with a thatched roof and stone wall. Though it retained its traditional features, the beautiful structure had all the subtle hallmarks of luxury, and she could tell it had been sympathetically modernised without compromising its original character. She smiled when she caught a glimpse of the white sand beach and the turquoise Atlantic ocean. "This is gorgeous, Annalise. Jamie's outdone himself with this surprise."

"He certainly has," Annalise grinned. "Shall we?"

They both hopped out, and while Annalise sorted out the driver, Claire could only stand there in awe of the surrounding. Everywhere she turned, there was something to look at - beaches, rolling hills, and islands on the horizon. She was so taken by the natural beauty around her, she didn't even notice the car drive away. 

"Wait till you see inside. Jamie showed me pictures of the interior." Annalise walked up to the house and opened the wooden door, and Claire followed, hefting her luggage.

Inside was just as breathtaking as outside. "Wow," Claire breathed, admiring the views from the numerous windows. "This place is huge. There's probably enough room to accommodate ten people here. What are we going to do with all this space? The boys should have come."

Annalise just shrugged and smiled as she opened the glass door that led to the back garden overlooking the beach. "Why don't you go out and enjoy the view. There's a seat over there. I'll go and find us something to drink."

She stepped out of the cottage and sucked in a deep breath of salty air, and immediately felt at peace. Shading her eyes from the sun, she surveyed the curved bay of the beach and the peninsula in the backdrop. As far as she could see, there wasn't a soul in the area, nor were there passing cars to be heard, just the sound of nature, white sands and blue skies ahead. Oddly enough, the scenery uncannily reminded her of her mother's painting, which hung in her family home in Oxford, making her momentarily wonder if it was still there.

Sighing, she pulled out her phone and swiped the screen. There was still no message from Jamie. She decided it was no use pining over him when he must have spent a fortune sending her here to have some quality time with her best friend. He was thoughtful that way, even though sometimes to a fault. With a shake of her head, she shoved her phone back in her jeans, but something brought her up short as she made her way towards the bench. A familiar scent.

Before she could turn around to seek for the source, a pair of strong arms slid around her waist, soft, warm lips gliding along the back of her neck.

Exhilaration snapped in her veins. "Jamie," she breathed, turning around to wrap him in her arms. "You're here."

"I'm here," Jamie returned gruffly, his big hand rubbing circles on the small of her back. "Did ye really think I'd let ye out of my sight for a whole weekend when ye could be returning to London anytime soon?" He buried his face in the crook of her neck, nuzzling his nose against her skin. 

"A part of me didn't think so." She tipped her head back and forced him to look at her. When his face came to view, she did a double-take. "Your eye! What happened?"

His lips twitched. "Dinnae fash, Sassenach. It's just a minor accident. So, do ye like yer surprise?"

Her lungs released the pent-up breath she was holding in a rush. "I love it and even more so now that you're here." 

He smiled and took a moment to search her eyes before their mouths joined, warm hands cradling her face. His tongue parted her lips and stroked with the utmost tenderness in a slow, savouring kiss making her aware of their hearts pounding in unison.

"Sassenach ..." He trailed off to brush his lips against her temple. "Before anything else, there's something I have to show ye."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Another surprise?"

Tongue tucked into his cheek, he momentarily glanced over her shoulder before his gaze ticked back to hers. "I suppose ye can call it that. Have ye been here before?"

She noticed the immediate gravity in Jamie's expression as he kissed her brow. "No. I haven't. But I must admit this place does feel familiar."

"How so?"

"The views ...it reminds me of my mother's painting. She's probably been here at one point."

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "She was."

"She was? How do you know? Uncle Lamb told you?" she asked rapidly.

"Patience, woman! Too many questions all at once." He tugged her towards the bench, and when he let go, he stooped over the seat and ran a hand over the wooden surface. He glanced up at her and smiled. "Come here and take a look at this."

Claire did as she was told, and as she crouched down, her eyes landed on a string of words carved in what looked like a feeble attempt at calligraphy.

 Henry and Julia - At the end, as at the start, through all the in-betweens, until the world stops spinning.

 A choppy breath passed her lips as she ran her fingertips over the etchings. "It's my mum and dad."

"Aye."

"They were here." She stood up and looked around her, this time, trying to see the surroundings through their eyes. "It makes sense dad brought mum to this place. It's so romantic, and from stories I've been told, he was just ...that. And I can imagine my mum sitting here on this very spot, capturing the moment with her artwork." An intense wave of gratitude suddenly rose, almost making the moisture in her eyes spill. Jamie had done this for her because he knew, just like him, she was trying to put the pieces of her past together. "God, this is bloody insane. I wouldn't have seen this if we hadn't met."

"Ye want to hear the best part?"

She gave him a wobbly smile. "Go on then."

"Yer da proposed to your ma on this very bench."

She let out a soft expulsion of breath. Something expansive and extraordinary stirred within. It was as if, in this very moment, Jamie's revelation had taken back to her parents' past and was there to witness it. "I don't know what to say." 

"The carvings on the bench was yer da's tribute to the day he proposed to yer ma."

"And you know this, how?" she asked quietly.

"Yer uncle and I put two and two together," Jamie explained, with a one-shoulder shrug. "I told ye ....some memories of my childhood have started to come back. Weel, this was one of them. When I mentioned to Quentin about how yer father showed me his handiwork on this bench when I was a wee lad, he'd figured this was the place Harry proposed. Yer father must have spoken of this place to yer uncle. I didnae understand any of it back then. I was too young. I wouldnae have realised the significance of it if I hadn't told Quentin about it. After some thoughts, I knew I had to come back and see it for myself just to prove I hadn't imagined any of it."

"But did you have to put me on a charter plane?" she softly admonished. "With Tom Christie? Are you mates with him now?"

"Tom is often hired to fly some goods to Stornoway for some restaurant. When I heard he'd be flying today, I thought it fitted perfectly with my plan. I must admit it pained me to ask him to take ye girls, but he was happy enough to sneak ye in."

"We could have flown here together."

"Aye, we could have." He took her hand in his and played with her fingers. "But I wasnae sure how I'd fare in the plane with my PTSD. Besides, I had a few personal businesses to attend to. 

"Such as?"

He shook his head in amusement and kissed her lips, lingering there before drawing away. "Ye're distracting me, Sassenach and I still have something to show ye."

She heard Annalise's laughter coming from the cottage. "I presume Willie is here with you too."

"Your presumption is correct. Now stop asking questions and take a look at this." He pulled her towards the other end of the bench.

She sighed. "Alright, let's see it then."

Jamie let go of her hand and tapped a finger on the spot. "Take a look."

Claire leaned forward and read the inscription.

 Jamie/Claire - the promise of greater things to come.

 She frowned as confusion settled upon her. "What's this?" She traced the grooved marks of the words with a fingertip. "This has the same indentation as the other engraving. And it looks old. This couldn't have been recent."

"Yer da wrote it."

She straightened up. "Wot? But what does it mean?"

Jamie blew out a breath. "He wrote the names he would name his firstborn. He chose my name for a boy, and I got to pick yers."

Her eyes widened. "You picked my name?"

"Apparently," he grinned.

A laugh bubbled out of her. "God, so much to take in. Whatever next?"

"This." Jamie picked up a paper bag she hadn't noticed before by the bench and pulled out a padded envelope. "It's from yer workplace." He read the sender. "Dreamcatcher."

She sighed, still reeling from what Jamie just told her. "It's probably from John," she murmured more to herself as she took the envelope. She tore it open and was surprised when she pulled out its content and realised it was a children's book. "It's from Louise." When Jamie gave her a bland look, she sat down on the bench and stared at it. "She's a good friend of Annalise and a children's book author as well as an illustrator. I convince her to publish with Dreamcatcher when she showed me her work. I admitted to her a while back I wanted to be a writer. Every time our paths would cross, she'd asked me if I'd done anything about it. And every time I told her I was still working as an editor, she would give me a disappointed look." She smiled and shook her head. "I wonder why she sent this to me." Admiring the colourful print, she ran her hand over the cover. "What a talented woman."

"So ...what is the book about?"

Claire examined the book. "It's about The Unicorn and the Lioness," she answered, reading the title and leafing through the pages. As she suspected, each page was beautifully and colourfully illustrated. "Well, shall we see what we have here?" She opened it to the beginning and began to read aloud.

 There once was a unicorn

That fell for a lioness. 

She surprised him with her charm,

And her comeliness.

 She grinned as she flipped the page. "Unusual pairing," she observed, making a face at Jamie. "...but hey ...the unusual ones tend to be the best." 

She licked her lips and continued reading.

 The two, you see, 

Were from different worlds 

So it made him wonder, 

How'd it all unfurled?

 "Ah ... makes me wonder too," she added softly. "This is getting interesting."

Jamie laughed, angling his body so he could also see the pictures.

 In spite of their differences, 

It was love at first sight. 

Their feelings grew quickly, 

Their hearts took to flight.

 She smiled and turned to the next page.

 The unicorn, his life, 

Once troubled and scattered 

Now calmed and on the mend

In all ways, that matter.

 She glanced up at him and grinned. "Well, love heals, so they say," she remarked with a wink. "And love is all there is."

"Love is all there is," Jamie echoed with amusement.

She took a deep breath and resumed where she left off.

 There were simply no words 

For how lucky he'd become. 

Without her by his side 

Life would be hopelessly glum.

 She paused for a beat as a peculiar inkling tugged in her guts. Swallowing the odd knot in her throat, she forced herself to say something. Anything! "We wouldn't want the unicorn feeling glum now, would we?" she managed, suddenly unable to draw breath. 

"No," he replied. "A glum unicorn would be a tragedy."

Oh, lordy, lordy! Is this what I think what's happening? She took a fortifying breath and lifted the next page with a shaky hand. 

 It's hard to believe 

Just how happy they were. 

He could not conceive 

Even one day without her.

 "Happy is good," she squeaked, working her throat to be heard. 

"Happiness is always a good choice ...grab it while ye can," he returned quietly.

Unable to get a grip of her runaway thoughts, a dull pounding began in her chest, gradually accelerating and drowning out the noise in their surrounding, portraying the moment with a dreamlike quality. She peered up at Jamie. Underneath his handsome exterior, she could see he was anxious, the lines around his mouth more noticeable than usual. The bruise on his eye, as much as she didn't believe it resulted from an accident, added a mixture of masculinity and vulnerability. God, I love this man! She wanted to stand up and hug him and let him know she knew where he was going with this. But now was not the time to ease his anxiety. She needed to pull herself together to see through what Jamie had probably painstakingly arranged for this moment.

"Weel, are ye gonnae finish reading it?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Batting a speck of non-existent dirt from the book, she filled her lungs, nodded and read the next lines.

 So he got on one knee

To hand her a gift 

A tiny velvet box

Holding a silver piece

 A silver piece? A record-scratching moment descended upon her like a heavy lead. What's a silver piece? Had she misinterpreted Jamie's intention? But when she glanced up from the book, there he was kneeling in front of her. Holding an expensive-looking velvet ring box, looking determined and brimming with adoration. It's not a ring, Beauchamp! It's a silver piece ...whatever the heck that is. Get a grip. She mentally shook herself. Of course, it couldn't be a ring. It's too soon for him to be asking her hand in marriage. The tiny box had to contain a key to his cottage, ....but he'd already given her one. Perhaps he bought a new house?

"Are ye gonnae to open it?" he asked, breaking her thoughts.

At a loss for words, she took the velvet box with trembling fingers. She reminded herself to calm down. She wouldn't want to embarrass them both into thinking Jamie was proposing.

"It's no' gonnae open itself, Sassenach. Or do ye want to keep holding it until ye're ready?" His lips twitched at its corner, and a spark of amusement lit his eyes.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. She took a deep breath and opened the tiny box. When she glimpsed its content, she could only manage a weak "Oh!" Nestled in the case was a shiny one-pound coin where the ring should have been. Too confused for words, she gave him a questioning look.

On his knees, Jamie edged himself forward and took her hand. Keeping his eyes on her, he kissed the inside of her wrist. "Sassenach ...ye ken how I've always talked about how fate in some strange, mysterious way brought us together?" Claire slowly nodded in response, unsure where he was going with this. "Weel, to this day, I still dinnae ken how it all works. This may sound mad. But with everything that's led to here and now, I firmly believe some force, unknown or known, has had a hand in bringing us together. And every day, I thank whoever is listening up there for bringing ye into my life." 

Her heart swelled with love. "Jamie, you don't have to do this," she said, laying a hand on his cheeks. "I know what's in your heart."

"No." He took the coin from the box and pulled something from the back of his jeans. "I want to do this." Whatever he reached out for inside his pocket, he kept it hidden in his hand. He cleared his throat and gave her a small smile. "Loving ye is the best part of my life, Sassenach. You brought light and colour in, and for that, I'll always be grateful. Ye brought me back to life when I didnae even realise I'd stopped breathing. From the moment I first laid eyes on ye, I wanted ye for keeps. I want to be yers and for ye to be mine, and I promise I will always try my utmost best to keep ye happy."

"I've always been yours. And always will be. My move to the Highlands should have made that clear enough for you."

"Aye, I had no doubt about that. But I ken that stubborn, practical side of ye will try to argue what I'm about to ask ye is too soon." When he opened his hand, she gasped. On the middle of his palm was a three-diamond stone engagement ring with two smaller ones flanking a bigger brilliant round centre. Emotions tangled in her throat as he raised the one pound coin with his other hand. "If ye, like me, believe destiny ...the universe ...yer da or whatever ye wish to call it ...conspired to bring us together, I'm gonnae dare ye to leave it up to fate with this one-pound coin I have here."

"Wot?" Now she was utterly confused.

"I'm proposing a coin toss. The rules are simple, and it only takes five flips. If it comes up heads each time ... ye'll wear my ring. We dinnae have to marry right away. We can wait a day or ten years. Either way, I want ye to know I plan on loving ye straight through eternity. If the coin comes up tails, weel ..." he trailed off, shrugging. "I guess I have no choice but to wait until ye're ready."

She looked down at Jamie's opened palms, a coin in one hand and a ring in the other. He was doing this so she wouldn't feel pressured to marry but feel secure enough in the knowledge he'd always be waiting for her no matter how long. She squeezed her eyes shut and crammed her fingers to her lips to keep a cry from escaping. She was not interested in tossing a coin to prove they're meant for each other. What they felt for one another wasn't based on fate or luck. They'd met, fallen in love, and now they're taking their relationship to the next level. It's something that happened all the time. They may not love each other the easy way, but their hearts were in the right place every single time. They're rock solid, and she didn't need a flipping coin to tell her that. 

When she opened her eyes, a sound broke free in her chest. "Bloody hell, Jamie! Just stop with all this silliness, and put the damn ring on my finger," she hiccuped, giving him her hand. 

Jamie's shoulders drained of tension as his breath released in a rush. "Did ye just agree to marry me?"

Hot tears rolled down Claire's cheeks as she let out a watery laugh and fell back on the bench, right where her father had proposed to her mother all those years ago. Though it felt right, a slight uneasiness tried to sneak in when she remembered what Annalise had told her about Jamie's doubt about having children of his own. She searched his face, and all she could see was his love and promise to make her happy. Isn't everything supposed to fix itself when two people are in love? She made a decision not to bring it up ...for now. "Yes, Jamie. I did. I want to marry you too," she breathed as she watched him take her hand to slip the ring on her finger. When she gazed at it, she could only make out the twinkle of diamonds through her tears.

"Christ, I cannae believe ye ditched the coin toss. and agreed to marry me ...just like that."

"I don't need the coin toss to know we're meant for each other," she pointed out. "And you shouldn't either."

He gave her a boyish lopsided grin, one that he was very aware always had an effect on her. Damn! He rose to his full height, tugging her along with him. "Ye have no idea how happy you made me, Sassenach," he breathed, pulling her roughly against him and grazing her earlobe with his teeth. "Now, for the love of God, give yer man his engagement kiss."

Committing this moment to her memory, she slipped her hands under his top to feel the warmth of his skin. Standing on her tiptoes, she tipped her head back and laid a soft kiss on his lips. She smiled when his chest and stomach muscles strained and swelled underneath her touch. "Is that better?" she whispered.

Jamie muttered a curse under his breath, rolling his forehead side to side against hers. "Sassenach, I said kiss. Ye cannae touch me like that when there are people that could be watching us from the house."

"Why?"

"Jesus!" Jamie's exhale came out hot against her forehead. "Why? How am I going to walk back in there in this condition? Ye look at me so innocently when ye ken well I feel a little crazy right now. It wouldnae take much to get me going. Look at what ye do to me."

They both dropped their attention to the bulge straining against his jeans. "I see," she whispered with a shrug, drawing away. "Too bad. I guess we just have to have that celebratory kiss later ...when we're alone."

Looking pained, his hand dug into her hair, pulling her back in, in his hold. "Not too fast." His lips swept over hers before his tongue dipped inside to give her his own brand of teasing. Seconds ticked by while he tantalised with a deep kiss, causing a moan to pass her throat. She felt the shudder that passed through him, the ecstasy of this second, his love, the pressure of his lust pressing between their bodies, the awe and gratitude. It was their own private celebration, drowning everything else out and ...

A throat cleared gruffly. Jamie stiffened and dragged his lips from her mouth, pink blooming on the tips of his ears. Just beyond his shoulder, she saw uncle Lamb averting his eyes and rocking on his heels. 

"Uncle Lamb?" Claire croaked. "Don't tell me you're on this as well?"

"Trust me, sweetheart, you're not the only one who's been bushwhacked."

"Bushwhacked?"

"I guess this is the part where we say, congratulations." Willie's voice cut through her surprise at seeing her uncle, causing her head to drop forward on Jamie's chest. As the reality of their surroundings slowly began to encroach, Claire somehow found the willpower to unwind her arms from Jamie's neck and turn around. Three pair of eyes were trained on them with a mixture of amusement and joy for their happiness and mild annoyance from her uncle.

"Aye, we're officially engaged," Jamie announced, his arm going around her waist to pull her back against his chest. He pressed his lap to her backside to let her know the situation in his pants. 

Claire stifled a giggle and put on her best smile, fully aware of Jamie's mild discomfort. "We are, indeed," she grinned, leaning back to kiss the underside of Jamie's jaw. "I must admit, I never saw this coming." She lifted her hand to show them the ring.

Annalise whooped and clapped her hands. "Well, this call for a celebration then," she beamed, skipping towards them. "Let me see it." 

Squeezing her hip, Jamie let her go. She smothered the urge to laugh when she supposed that probably nothing loses a man's erection faster than a sight of her uncle Lamb's tetchy demeanour. Dismissing her silly thoughts, Claire splayed her hand out for her friend. "It's gorgeous, isn't it?"

"Stunning. I'm so happy for you." She looked Claire in the eye and spoke for her ears only. "Did you tell him what we talked about earlier?"

"Which one?"

"Babies. Hello?"

Claire sighed. She didn't want to lie to her friend, nor did she want to taint the occasion by bringing the subject of future babies up. There was a time and place for that and now wasn't appropriate. She hugged Annalise briefly and spoke into her ears. "Everything is going to be fine."

Annalise brows furrowed, but when she saw how happy Claire was, she immediately dropped the subject. "If you say so."

"I know so," Claire smiled, pulling away from her friend at the sight of Willie approaching. "Now, scoot and celebrate with us."

Annalise did an eye-roll and let Willie through.

"Congratulations!" Willie broke in, raising the bottle of Moët in his hand and giving Jamie a high-five with the other. He dropped a kiss on Claire's cheek and grinned. "Welcome to the family, Claire. My not so wee bràthair doesnae mess about, does he?"

"Thank you," she smiled. "And, no, he certainly doesn't."

Jamie received a back slap and a hug from his brother while Claire watched her uncle slowly approached them, shoulders strained, and hands shoved in his pocket. Something was amiss. Quentin was avoiding her eyes, and she noticed his face was devoid of emotions. She strode to his side. "Seriously, uncle?" she hissed, disbelief colouring her tone.

Quentin ignored her. "You sneaky piece of shit!" he barked at Jamie. 

"Oh, dear God, here we go again," Willie muttered, rubbing his hand over his face.

"Again?" Claire gasped as she noticed Annalise and Willie's eyes ricocheting between Jamie and Quentin. She was about to scold her uncle when his face broke into a grin. She held her breath and stilled in anticipation.

"Congratulations, son! I couldn't think of a better man for my niece!"

"About time ye realised it, ol' man," Jamie grinned.

"Who are you calling an old man?" Quentin ground out in mock displeasure.

Annalise, Willie and Claire gaped at Quentin.

"What?" Quentin chuckled. "If I'd come right out and told Jamie right at the start, I couldn't think of a better man for my niece, he would never have fought for her the way he did."

"What kind of logic is that?" Claire fumed.

Jamie crossed his arms. "Oh, this is gonnae be gold."

"It's a men thing, sweetheart and complicated," Quentin muttered, giving Jamie a dirty look.

"I'll try and keep up. Explain."

Quentin released an impatient sigh. "Men in your generation have none to too little backbone. Jamie had to realise he was good enough and strong enough for you. And you had to make him realise it. That's the top and bottom of it."

Her uncle was right, Claire thought. A few weeks ago, Jamie wouldn't have thought himself capable of coming this far with his condition. She might have been instrumental in pulling him out of the darkness where he'd lived for so long, but all the hard work had come from Jamie.

When Quentin took her hand and pulled her into an awkward embrace, she relaxed. "I'm not going to be around forever, darling," he said gruffly before pulling away to look her in the eyes. "I wanted to make sure you were in good hands if anything happened to me." He glanced at Jamie. "I had an inkling when Claire first told me about you, and we talked for the first time on that video chat, that your relationship was serious. The second I found out Henry's connection to you, I had to delve more into your history. When you started talking about fate and all that tripe, I didn't believe in it ...but these last few days, after spending time together, you made me believe in you. I saw something in you." 

Quentin gestured toward the double-headed one-pound coin Jamie had left on the bench. "So when you tried to extract a blessing for this proposal after dragging me here under the pretence of a boys' weekend, I thought I'd have a little laugh and grant it by giving that coin Henry gave me and challenging you to leave it to fate ...without telling you it was double-headed. As you know, I was still a bit miff with you for not letting me into this big secret thing. But you surprised me when you agreed to take the challenge and told me you'd leave it to Claire to toss it. You really believe in all that destiny nonsense, don't you?" He shook his head in disbelief. 

Jamie just shrugged and smiled.

"Uncle Lamb! How could you?" Claire huffed indignantly, crossing her arms across her chest. "For your information, we didn't toss the coin even if Jamie suggested it."

Quentin's eyes widened. "You didn't?"

"I don't need a damn coin to make my decisions, for God's sake."

Jamie slipped his arm across her shoulder and squeezed her. "It doesnae matter, Sassenach. All that matters is he gave us his blessings and that we love each other."

"I know," Claire whispered before glaring at her uncle. "As for you, no more tricks up your sleeves, are we clear?"

"Jamie caught me off guard with this marriage thing. Can you blame me for what I did?"

"Uncle Lamb! That's not the issue here." She pegged him down with a look. "You've been giving Jamie a hard time from day one. No more tricks and no more taunting Jamie. I love you both, and I want you to get along. Promise me."

Quentin raised his hands in the air before placing them on his chest. "Promise. Jamie's read me the riot act earlier today, and you're speaking to the converted. And I meant what I said when I told him I couldn't think of a better man for you. Honestly, I'm happy for both of you." He opened his arms to her. "Forgive me, sweetheart?"

With a roll of her eye, she stepped away from Jamie's hold and threw herself in her uncle's arms. "You know I'll always forgive you," she mumbled against his neck, hugging him close. "Despite you being such a grouch, I want you to know I am happy that you're here."

"Me too, sweetheart, me too," he said gruffly. "Now, shall we start the celebration? I'm parched and starving." 

"About time," Annalise chirped with a little dance and fist pump.

Laughing, Willie popped the cork on a bottle of Moët while Jamie handed out the crystal flutes. 

Claire watched as their drinks were being poured and smiled. She said a silent prayer for her parents and thanked them. There were so many things to be grateful for. Life was good, and her heart was full. She was moving to the Highlands, start her career as a writer and marry the man she loved. This was what she wanted, and she was prepared for this whatever may come their way. Her only wish was, her parents could be here today, so her father could see what a fine lad Jamie had grown up to be.

Her attention was brought back to the present when Annalise nudged her with her foot. With champagne finally in everyone's hand, they all raised their glasses to their new beginning.

"To Jamie and Claire," Willie began.

"To your happiness," Annalise added.

"To family and friends," Jamie beamed.

"To what's next," Claire breathed.

"To my next meal," Quentin snorted. "Now drink up, and let's go. I'm bloody starving."

..........

"Did you really mean what you said earlier?" Jamie asked Quentin once they were alone, and the rest of the party walked ahead of them on their way back to the cottage from the pub. "About believing in me and being happy for us?"

Quentin glanced at him. "I always say what I mean, son. Best get used to it," he grumbled.

"Right ..." They walked in silence, watching Claire, Annalise and Willie as they began singing the chorus of Living on a Prayer for the umpteenth time. "About that double-headed one pound coin ..." Jamie began.

"That was a clever touch, huh?" Quentin grinned. "Would have come handy for you if Claire had decided to use it. You still got it?"

"Aye." Jamie handed him the coin. "By the way, I have a confession to make."

"What's that?" Quentin asked, taking the coin and shoving it in his pocket.

"The reason why I readily agreed to that coin toss you suggested earlier is that ...Harry gave me one too." Jamie dug his own coin from his pocket and showed it to Quentin. "I knew the coin ye were giving me was double-headed."

Quentin stopped to look at him. "You suggested the coin toss to Claire even though you knew it was double-headed?"

"Aye."

"If Claire had agreed, would you have used the double-headed or the normal coin?"

"The double-headed, of course," Jamie admitted.

"What about all your bloody talk of fate and destiny and all that?"

Jamie shrugged. "Oh, I still believe in fate, but I couldnae take the chance. I love yer niece too much. I think ye would be inclined to agree that the universe has an odd sense of humour, and I needed to cover my arse just in case it decided to turn against me." 

Quentin scowled. "Is it too late to change my mind about you?" 

"Aye." 

They watched as Annalise and Willie, doubled with laughter, latched on to Claire's arms after she stumbled onto the curb.

"Well, then," Quentin grunted. "What the hell are you doing here still babbling to me? Go join the fun."

Jamie shook his head. "Oh no, ye don't, spoilsport. Ye're here to have some fun too. Ye're joining in."

"I'm too old for all that. Now go and leave me in peace."

Jamie narrowed his gaze at him. "Is that really what ye want? To be left in peace?"

Quentin blew out an exasperated breath, but Jamie caught the sheen in his eyes and the smile he was battling. "No. I want you to get used to me showing up," he growled.

Jamie pretended to sound annoyed so as not to embarrass the older man. "Fine, as long as it doesn't involve ye decking me."

"Deal."

..........

Jamie looked up from the mock children's book, smiling when he heard Claire doing her nightly routine in the bathroom. The book disguising his marriage proposal had been Annalise idea. As soon as she'd heard of his intention from Willie, she'd made the suggestion, desperately wanting to play a part in surprising Claire. She even had him adding a few of his own words to the poem. How Annalise's friend managed to illustrate and have the book printed on such short notice, he had no idea. But he must admit, The Unicorn and the Lioness book had been a nice touch.

Claire walked into the bedroom, looking fresh in his t-shirt, her face still flushed from the champagne earlier. He watched her shiver a little, rubbing her arms to generate heat. The sight of her bare legs kicked his heart rate up a notch. He smiled and drew the bedcover back in an invitation to get in.

As she snuggled under the crook of his arm, she smiled when she saw the book on his lap. "I never got to read the ending," she said with a yawn, her arm sliding across his waist.

He kissed the crown of her head and pulled her in closer. "Shall I read it for ye?"

"Yes, please."

"I'll start from where you left off."

"Alright."

Jamie got comfortable and cleared his throat. "Here goes ..."

 So he got on one knee

To hand her a gift 

A tiny velvet box

Holding a silver piece

 Claire giggled. "You got me right there."

"I know," Jamie chuckled, turning the page. "Now wheesht and let me finish."

 Confused and bewildered

That it's not a ring

It became apparent

She wanted the real thing

  So still on his one knee 

He uttered the plea: 

"My dearest lioness, 

Will you marry me?"

  He felt his heart beating 

Right out of his chest. 

He could do nothing but wait 

And hope she'd say YES.

 When he ended and a few moments of silence ensued, Claire twisted from her position and looked up at him. "That's it?"

"Aye," Jamie replied, handing her the book. "Louise said you're a writer, so she left a blank page for you to write the ending."

"Is that so?" she said, laughing, reaching for her specs. "Well, let's see what I can do."

Jamie grabbed a pen from the nightstand and handed it to her.

After adjusting the pillow, she sat up and began scribbling, reading the words out loud as she wrote.

 When she finally answered 

He could not stop grinning 

Because he knew, in his heart, 

This was just The Beginning!

 Claire closed the book and took off her specs. "How was that?" she asked, sliding back under the covers.

"It was good, but I'm left hanging. I'm dying to know what happened after?" 

"Hmmm ..." She climbed on top of him and nipped his lips with her teeth. "They celebrated with their loved ones, ate a lot of food and drank too much champagne." She drew circles on his chest. "Although I have a sneaking suspicion, their night is not over yet." 

Jamie flipped her on her back, making her yelp. He scanned her face for a few heartbeats. "Ye're absolutely right. He's gonnae tell her how happy she's made him," he whispered, his words thick with emotions. "And show her in so many ways how much he loves her." 

She blinked away the tears blearing her vision and smiled up. "Well, he's got all night to prove he's not just a bunch of talk."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "A bunch of talk, huh? He's a big man, Sassenach, and he makes love twice as long."

She slipped her hand past the waistband of his boxer brief and gripped him hard, making him catch his breath. "We'll see about that," she challenged. 

He rewarded her by grabbing her hand and slowly pressing his hips into her. "You're on, Sassenach, you're on," he groaned into her mouth before silencing her with his kisses.

Dear Readers,

Firstly, apologies for the delay in the final chapter of this series. As some of you already know, if you read my Tumblr posts, I've had a bad reaction to my vaccination. Though I feel a little better, I don't feel quite right yet hence the delay of this update. I'm easily tired and have been writing sporadically, depending on my energy level. So, after this chapter, I will take a long rest before starting the next series.

Secondly, I'd like to thank everyone for the kudos and comments on AO3 and on my Tumblr and those who left best wishes in my inbox. I appreciate them all from the bottom of my heart. Though I haven't replied individually, please know I enjoy reading them and look forward to what you have to say.

Thirdly, as you may have gathered, this is the final chapter of this series. There will be a third series. When? I have no time frame yet as I will need time to recuperate. If you wish to be updated, you can always subscribe to the WONDERWALL series by clicking here. Or follow me on my Tumblr site here. 

Lastly, I hope you've enjoyed this last chapter. It's the longest chapter I've ever written, with 11560 words. If this update is all over the place, I blame it on my bad days. I personally think it's alright, but I can never be sure. I believe my reaction to the vaccination has dulled me a bit. So, thank you all from the bottom of my heart: for your continued interest, readership, kudos and comments. I look forward to reading your remarks and constructive criticism on this latest update. Kudos to you all, my friends, and be safe. Keep the positive vibe rolling. Much love. X

 PS I will compile a Masterlist for WONDERWALL and post it on my Tumblr site, either tomorrow or in the next few days, depending on how I feel.

#melodyheart #wonderwall #milesbetweenus #claire beauchamp/jamie fraser #claire beauchamp #jamie fraser #outlanderfanfic

[heloisedaphnebrightmore]

Only friends? [Oliver Wood x Reader] - Requested

Title: Only friends? Pairing: Oliver Wood x Female!Hufflepuff!Reader Word count: 1.7k Published: 2 September, 2020 Author: Heloise Daphne Brightmore Notes: It was supposed to be an Oliver blurb for my sleepover, requested by @herstory-study​ but I ran away with the story line and I’m not even sorry! Oliver is my sweetheart and he deserves love so thank you for requesting! <3 Summary: You and Oliver have been friends, but you never dared to say anything to him about your hidden feelings, worrying about losing him. But one day he comes up to you, acting unlike himself, making you worry. Request: [x]

“CONGRATS ON THE 300!!!! Could I have a 🍑 with Oliver Wood please? Fluff with happy ending: I’m an extroverted introvert who can get rather sarcastic and call pple out on their shit. I’m a Hufflepuff. My favorite HP subject would be Transfiguration cause McGonagall is a badass and I love to listen to music, play with my doggies, read, and write! CONGRATS AGAIN 💛💛💛💛💛💛” - @herstory-study

Harry Potter Characters Masterlist | Masterlists

If you enjoy my stories, please consider donating and supporting me on Ko-fi. Of course, it’s completely your choice, I will continue updating for free anyway :) Thank you <3

You were seated at the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall, talking to you friends, when a shadow covered the dim light of the Hall from behind you. You turned around to see a friend of yours, Oliver Wood, standing with crossed arms in front of his chest and a firm pout on his lips. 

You found him adorable, but you never dared to tell him. You knew if you did, he would have your head in seconds. He was a strong man, the captain of the quidditch team, who needed to be firm with others, never letting his weaknesses get to him. But in real life, he was an adorable little puppy and you wanted nothing but to play with him. 

“What seems to be the problem, Oliver?” You smiled at him as you patted the bench beside you and waited for him to take a seat. 

“I saw you yesterday. Don’t think I didn’t.” His voice was warning, but for you it seemed comical. 

“Oh really? We are going to the same school, Oliver. There’s a very high chance that you would see me.” You chuckled, which earned an annoyed eye roll from him. 

“You know what I mean. You cheered for Hufflepuff on the match yesterday.” He huffed as a loud laughter left your lungs, your head tilting backwards from the force. 

“I am a Hufflepuff?” You spoke, but your tone sounded more like a question, as if you were not sure of your own house. 

“Yes, but I am a Gryffindor. You clearly said you would cheer for me.” He scolded you, his arms flailing around desperately. 

“I did, Oliver. But Hufflepuff is my house. I supported both of you. Believe me it is not an easy task.” You scoffed with a grin across your face. 

“You can’t cheer for my enemy. You can’t be on both sides.” He took the subject so seriously, you weren’t sure if you were supposed to laugh or glare at him. 

“I will always cheer you on Oliver, that will never change. However you can not ask me not to support my own house. What would you say if I asked you not to support Gryffindor anymore?” You raised a questioning brow and the Scot boy finally quieted down. “Right?” You waited for a confirmation. 

“Aye, aye, I know where you are coming from.” He pouted again, making you smile at his childish behaviour. 

*

Oliver was always a big part of your life. You got to know him when you had a joint Transfiguration class with Gryffindor in your second year and poor boy turned his cat into something that didn’t resemble an animal anymore nor an object of some kind. 

You found his pouting face adorable, even as he tried to shake off the laughing students around him. You walked up to him after the class, hoping to talk to him, finding him leaning against a wall with a grimace across his face. You closed in on him, chuckling at his little mishap, before you offered an apology and changed the subject, finally making him smile. 

Since then, he became somewhat of a friend to you. You never intended to fall for him, but his witty comments, the banter that you shared, his thick Scottish accent, his lopsided smile, the way he ran his fingers across his short brown hair, stole your heart and you couldn’t even recall how it happened. 

You were seated under a gigantic tree by the Black lake, your head hidden in the book you were reading, you were completely focused on the material. You didn’t even realise a presence beside you, let alone the way he scooted closer to you as he took a seat next to you. He watched your profile, your eyelashes curling up, the way you bit into your bottom lip as your eyes skimmed through an exciting part in your book, how the wind slightly lifted your hair.

“Khm.” You heard someone clear their throat beside you, making you jump as your eyes shot up, meeting his brown irises. 

“Oliver.” You gently hit his arm. “Would you mind not scaring me to death, please? I would really appreciate it.” You scolded him, but he just smiled sweetly, making it very hard for you to be mad at him. 

“You know, I didn’t mean to.” He shrugged as he took your yellow and black tie into his hands and started fiddling with it.

“How long have you been here?” You asked as he didn’t seem to want to talk, let alone look at you. 

“A while.” His short replies made you feel uneasy. You knew he had something on his mind, you knew how he acted when he was concerned about something. 

“What’s wrong?” You asked, as you reached over to him and lifted his face, trying to establish an eye contact. 

“Nothing.” He shrugged and concentrated back on your tie. 

“Oliver, you are worrying me.” You tried as you moved closer and linked your arm with his. He let go of your tie and this time held onto your hand. As if he was measuring his palm against yours, he played with your hand, not realising the little electrical shocks his touches sent through your body. You were beyond worried and you didn’t want to think about how his proximity affected you, but you couldn’t deny the way your body reacted. “Please talk to me.” You tried again. 

“Have you ever thought about what we will do after Hogwarts?” He asked, his tone weaker than you ever heard. 

“What do you mean?” You frowned at his unusual behaviour. “You are going to play quidditch professionally and well, I didn’t decide yet.” You chuckled at the thought.

“Yeah, but what about you and me?” He asked and you could feel your heart skip a beat under his heavy words. 

“I mean, we will stay in touch. At least, I hope.” You raised your brows, but he couldn’t see that. His focus was still on your hand and you couldn’t miss how good his warm touch felt as he linked your fingers, interlocking each of his digits with yours. You wished to walk around the castle holding his hand or to feel his arms resting firmly around your waist or even his chin laying in the crook of your neck. But you never dared to voice how you felt about him. 

“But will we?” He asked, his voice uncertain. 

“Oliver, what is going on?” You asked firmly, feeling as if you have been left in the dark and you were supposed to know about something that they forget to tell you. 

“How do you know that we will keep in touch?” For the first time his eyes landed on you. 

“Well for one, I am planing to write to you and hopefully arrange to meet up with your busy ass.” You chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “Of course, we can only keep in touch if you reply back to my letters, so I wouldn’t mind if I didn’t have to have a conversation only with myself.” You grinned happily, finally seeing a happy smile spread across his face. 

“Do you think we will be able to stay friends?” He asked as his gaze fixed on your face, making you feel as if you started warming up from the inside, certain about a blush creeping up on your cheeks.

“If we both want to keep our friendship, than it will work without an issue.” You smiled sweetly, trying to encourage him. You didn’t even want to think about losing him, even if you were by his side only as a mere friend. 

“And what if I don’t want to be your friend anymore?” He asked, his head tilting to the side innocently, your face falling at the realisation. 

“What?” You whispered, not being able to talk properly under the feeling of defeat. 

“No, no.” Oliver started in a panicked tone. “I meant what if I didn’t want to be only friends anymore?” He tried to save the situation, but your eyes growing wider made him feel a certain rejection. “It was a stupid idea, wasn’t it?” He spoke more to himself. 

“Oliver?” You got hold of his chin and tilted his head towards you, a small, hopeful smile spreading across your lips. “What you mean is, you would want to date me?” You asked with uncertainty. 

“Well, yeah, that was my question initially.” He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. You tried to force down a growing grin across your face as you opened your mouth to speak again. 

“So why don’t you ask your question?” You raised a brow, your smile never faltering. His eyes grew wide at your request, but the happy smile across your face, made him want to try again. 

“Would you like to go on a date with me?” He asked with a lopsided smile, your grin growing wider from happiness bubbling within you. 

“I certainly would.” You giggled, before he wrapped his arms around your waist and kissed the top of your head. 

“I thought you didn’t like me.” He spoke, his happy gaze studying your face with a new, loving look.

“I thought you didn’t like me either and now here we are.” You chuckled as he hinted a kiss on your nose this time. 

“Do I have to wait to kiss you until the date?” He asked, his eyes wandering down to your lips shamelessly. You locked your arms behind his neck, pulling him closer, your mouth grazing the surface of his. 

“Would you like to?” You wiggled your brows in a comical manner, forcing a wholehearted laughter out of his lungs. 

“No.” He replied as his laughter died down and before you knew it, his mouth was on yours, kissing you desperately, trying to compensate for the time you only remained friends out of fear.

His arm tightened around your waist, the other wrapping around your shoulders as he pulled you even closer, trying to get rid off any space that dared to come between you. You smiled into the kiss happily, parting from him as he laid his forehead against yours with a cheerful grin across his face. He was beyond happy to be able to hold you in his arms, not just as a friend, but someone he has been in love for years and you were more than happy to get lost in his embrace, enjoying the warmness of his body and the loving gaze he was unable to take off you. 

Tags: @inkhearthes​ @bonziandfonzi​ @hufflefluff-writer​ @fific7​ @haphazardhufflepuff​ @obsessedwithrandomthings​ @kalimagik​ @accio-rogers​ @peachesandpinks​ @harrypotter289​ @nebulablakemurphy​ @firewhisky-kisses​ @iliveiloveiwrite​ @mytreec​ @chaoticgirl04​ @nhcwdw​ 

Notes: If you enjoyed it, don't forget to like and/or reblog the chapter. Thank you :) 

If you enjoy my stories, please consider donating and supporting me on Ko-fi. Of course, it’s completely your choice, I will continue updating for free anyway :) Thank you <3

#Oliver #Wood #Oliver wood #Oliver x reader #oliver x reader fanfiction #oliver x reader one shot #oliver x reader imagine #oliver x reader blurb #oliver x reader drabble #oliver wood x reader #oliver wood x reader fanfiction #Heloise's 300 followers sleepover celebration #oliver wood x reader imagine #oliver wood x reader one shot #oliver wood x reader blurb #oliver wood x reader drabble #oliver wood fanfiction #oliver wood imagine #oliver wood one shot #Gryffindor #hufflepuff #harry potter #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter imagine #harry potter one shot #Oliver wood blurb #oliver wood drabble

[dailylogyn]

Logyn Meta: Loki & Sigyn’s relationship in the Marvel Comics

Photo Source (by Sexy-Salmon): https://lokisergi.tumblr.com/post/70164902295/siege-loki-problems-it-almost-looks-innocent

Other Logyn Meta’s: https://dailylogyn.tumblr.com/tagged/logyn-meta

Did you know Sigyn was in the Marvel Comics long ago? Did you know Loki had a wife? 

Oh...that’s probably because Marvel wanted you to forget their terrible writing mistakes concerning this great Norse Couple. 

Let’s dive into this exploration of history where the Marvel writers realized they fucked up on telling a perfectly good couples story, and in the process, setting off a spark of rebellion that caused some retconning and a group of fans to demand justice for both Loki & Sigyn -- not just as a couple, but as their own individual beings. 

#JusticeforSigyn #JusticeforLoki #JusticeforLogyn

Where it First Began (Meeting & Marriage of Lies):

In September of 1978, Thor #275 came out featuring the first appearance of Sigyn, Loki’s wife from Norse Mythology. She was introduced as a beautiful Asgardian Loki had randomly come across while looking into a crystal ball inside his castle, wanting to find some companionship to fill his loneliness. 

However, when Loki came with riches and jewels to offer her in exchange for her hand in marriage, Sigyn outright rejected him, stating she would never take someone as vile as him, even stating she was already engaged to an Asgardian Warrior part of Odin’s guard -- Theoric. 

Unable to accept this, Loki came up with a plan to have her fiancee killed during a mission, resulting in the Trickster taking on the disguise of Theoric in order to take Sigyn for his own. Despite having slightly suspicions of her lover being more romantic than before, Sigyn didn't notice that her lover wasn’t exactly who she thought he was.

Now comes the day of the wedding as Odin marries the happy couple. This was when Loki finally revealed his true self and what he had done. Odin tried to null the marriage, but it was against Asgardian law for even the High Father to do such a thing. Hence, Sigyn accepted her fate as Loki’s wife. This caused Odin to name her the Goddess of Fidelity. 

Where it’s Heading (Cargo of Incantation-Fetter’s Arms):

Loki being Loki, he did some shit that ended up with him being imprisoned in a tree by Odin, something that infuriated Sigyn, resulting in her trying to take control over Donald Blake to use over the All-Father as a way to free her husband from his punishment. However, it didn’t work out, resulting in a bunch of other crazy shit happening and putting Thor on their trail.

After Balder was killed, Loki was put on trials for his crimes and received yet another punishment that Sigyn had to protect him from -- having burden over the fact she was “the evil’s wife.” Just like the classic Norse tale, she holds a bowl over his head, shielding him from snake venom and leaving to empty it momentarily when it became full, resulting in Loki cursing her. 

Also, Loki and Sigyn had a child -- Narvi, but they died young, being used as the binding to imprison Loki (following the Norse myth too.) 

Some more crazy shit happens and now Odin has shackled Loki to Sigyn so he doesn’t cause anymore trouble. Loki of course is not pleased about this one bit. Having had enough of this, he went to Odin demanding to be released, only resulting in him being banished to an outpost. 

There Just Might be Hope????:

Some more shit happens again, resulting in Loki being stuck in an astral form and bound to a suit of armor so he could reside in Asgard thanks to Sigyn. A fight happens with Thor, Loki and Mephisto, putting Sigyn in danger. This is when for the first time ever, Loki ends up having a tender confession of love over Sigyn, asking Thor to save her since he could not.

It’s unknown if this is just Loki putting on an act or being real, but you know how the Trickster God can be. 

After the battle, while Loki had released Sigyn from her marital vows, his wife swore to always be there for him when he needed her.

And that’s the last we see of Sigyn’s regular appearance in the comics in 1996. She makes a cameo in Avengers: Unleashed #1 in 2019, but it’s nothing more than a flashback to her time of helping Loki. 

A Hypothesis & Notes on their relationship in comics:

The whole entire plotline consisting of Theoric and Loki killing him in order to obtain Sigyn is just something most of the fandom doesn’t like. Not only does it objectify Sigyn, but it makes Theoric a Pointless character to introduce anyway, only used as a tool for means in which Loki can get Sigyn, when honestly, he could have done so in a different way.

I like that they stick with Sigyn being the faithful wife of Loki (that’s who she is), but they honestly don’t give her any agency in this besides that trait alone. The writers don’t even let Sigyn be her own damn person! She is SO MUCH MORE than Loki’s loyal wife. SHE IS A FREAKIN GODDESS! I know there is more we can do with her.

Instead of pulling the ‘woe is me, my husband is evil and I’ll just go along with it’ card, something else could have been done. LIKE LITERALLY, ANYTHING ELSE! We know Loki can be a troublemaker, but Sigyn knows how to deal with his shit. She isn’t some damsel in distress here! It’s another reason Loki likes her.

Couples can bicker in times, it’s normal in marriages and relationships, but to have Loki whining about how much of a burden Sigyn is is just....WHY? I mean, you went after the woman and killed another guy for her. This is what you wanted! *shakes head at writers*

I will give them kudos though for some of the stuff near the end when Loki actually starts displaying his true feelings of love towards Sigyn. And sadly we only got a little taste of that...and we aren’t even sure if it was an act or Loki being real.

THE FACT THAT SIGYN ISN’T EVEN IN THE COMICS ANYMORE SINCE 1996. She’s only mentioned, but it’s just as a tale, not as an actual person who USED to be his wife. They literally killed her off. EXCUSE ME! #JusticeforSigyn (We’re still waiting for her in the MCU...)

NORSE MYTHOLOGY TIE-INS:

There were some moments in the comics between them that they writers took from Norse Mythology with them. Thought It’d be important to list.

Loki’s Punishment of snake venom dripping onto him while Sigyn holds a bowl to collect it and shield him.

Narvi being Loki & Sigyn’s son who was killed and his insides used to bind Loki for his punishment.

Sigyn being Loki’s wife. 

DIFFERENT WRITERS, DIFFERENT CHARACTERIZATION:

As is the case with everything out there, if you have different writers working on the same project, there is bound to be a difference of characterization and interpretation, resulting in OOC moments or just something completely different altogether. After researching and pondering on this subject, I FULLY believe this is what has happened with Loki & Sigyn’s relationship in the comics. Let’s take a look at the evidence I’ve found:

For the comics Sigyn’s creators were Roy Thomas, John Buscema and Tom Palmer. 

Loki’s creators for the comics were Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby, Violet Barclay, and honestly, many others.  

My favorite quotes on them from the comics:

Wait? Despite the crappy writing, I actually have quotes I like from the comics? GASP! I call these the only positives from the comics of their relationship. 

“My Sigyn-- the love of my immortal life...” — Loki, Thor Annual Vol 1 #19

“Aye-- For only Sigyn, of all in the realm eternal, feels love for Loki. And among all Asgardians, only for Sigyn does Loki feel...” — Loki, Thor Annual #19

“Sigyn loves me-- just as she is the only thing in the nine worlds that I truly love.”— Loki, Thor #483

Photo Source: https://www.zerochan.net/1262293#full

Fandoms Wish for MCU & Future Appearance Justice:

Fans would like to see Sigyn make an appearance, not only in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), but also the Marvel Comics once again. They would like to see Loki & Sigyn’s characters done justice with proper writing, especially regarding their relationship with each other. 

This is why there is plenty of fans out there writing Fanfiction, making Fanart, Roleplaying and even Cosplaying them, giving their interpretation’s of what their relationship would be like. This is THE VERY REASON this blog and @sigynappreciation​ was created to help spread awareness and unite fans who feel the same way. 

These characters are very near and dear to our hearts. Some of us even worship them in our religions. We would like to see their relationship grow and portrayed in a way that helps fill the pieces of the missing puzzle to how they came to be in Norse Mythology. 

CONCLUSION:

Although their relationship in the comics usually leaves fans grimacing, at least we got to have it explored. Who knows if Marvel will ever touch anything with them ever again, but at least it’s brought together a small community that continues to go strong -- and honestly, that kind of unity is what Loki & Sigyn would want. 

So imagine to your hearts content! Draw that fanart! Write those fanfictions! Dress up in that cosplay! Be those characters! But just remember, you have a family here to love and support you. 

SOURCES:

Sigyn’s info on Marvel Database: https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Sigyn_(Earth-616)

Loki’s info on Marvel Database: https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Loki_Laufeyson_(Earth-616)

Sigyn on Marvel Universe: http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/sigynthor.htm

Logyn on the Shipping Wiki: https://shipping.fandom.com/wiki/Logyn

Loki & Sigyn’s relationship through Media: https://www.alehorn.com/blogs/blog/norse-mythology-loki-and-sigyn

#logyn #loki x sigyn #loki and sigyn #Marvel Comics #Loki Laufeyson #sigyn #logyn meta #Constancy & Chaos (Logyn) #justiceforsigyn #justiceforlogyn #justiceforloki

[xiv-wolfram]

Sins of the Past - Comic Script

Prequel - Pre-Ul'dah

7 yo Wolfram and his Grandmother discuss combat training.

Wolfram Saga Comics (Chronological)

This is the script for a future comic. Posting for those who don’t want to wait to get the story. Numbers indicate frame number.

Wolf is a young child practicing dancing near the river in the Fringes of Gyr Abania. His grandmother, Ada, is watching over him as he trains. Narrator - "33 years before ARR. Wolfram, the future Warrior of Light, is a child struggling to learn his first combat discipline." Note - Wolfram, Age 7.

Wolf loses his balance and falls.

Ada runs over to him as he's sitting on the ground holding his knee - "That was quite the tumble, are you alright dear?" Note - Ada, Grandmother, Age 61

Wolf looks up at her, lip quivering, holding back tears - "Aye Grandma, I'm okay." Thought - 'Don't cry. I need to be tough.'

She sits down next to him, placing her staff next to her, smiling kindly - "You are a very strong boy. Did you know that?"

Wolf pouts - "It doesn't matter if I'm strong. I wish I was graceful like Klaus. Dad just started training him and he's already better than me."

Ada pats him on the head - "Don't worry about Klaus. You both have different talents is all."

Wolf looks away, still pouting - "Well then I don't think dancing is my talent. Can't I do something different?"

Wolf looks at Ada, pleading - "Maybe I could be good at magic? Surely if you asked father he'd let you train me instead!"

Ada looks horrified, taking her hand away - "No-no child. It's not for you." Thought - 'Not him…he's such a sweet boy. I won't let our ancestry claim him too.'

She looks away, worried - "It was not my choice to learn magic. It's something only bad people do. And I want you to be good." Wolf confused. Thought - 'But… Grandma isn't bad…'

She turns to him, smiling - "How about swords? I think you're going to be strong like your Grandpa! I bet he'd love to train you." Wolf beams /wow - "Really?! He's not too busy?!" Ada - 'I'm sure he'll make time once I speak with him.' Thought - 'Thank goodness he dropped it. The sins of our Mhachi line end with me.'

Wolfram Saga Comics (Chronological)

#ffxiv wol #oc wolfram #ffxiv #ffxiv oc #hyur highlander #hyur #wolcomic #WolframSaga