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jesslockwood · 3 years

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rakes | chapter one

pairing: regency!Harrison Osterfield x regency!reader

words: 2.3k ish

warnings: bridgerton s1 spoilers, swearing I think? little bit of smut

a/n: im so excited for this series. Like I'm obsessed with Bridgerton and have been reading the books so this is my take at a story like this :)

series masterlist

Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers

We have finally bestowed ourselves upon a new season's rush, which has every eligible lady hoping to have a suitor or a few lined up by the first night, at least enough to keep the vicious mama’s off their backs, and the many of suitors looking for a wife to bear their next of kin. Now that the diamond of the last season is formally wed, I ask dear reader, who else shall we look to for this season’s most eligible? Perhaps we should be looking to someone new in town, who has arrived as the formal company to the Duke, and now may I say Duchess of Hastings. It is said to have seen the late Earl of Beaumont’s daughter’s arrival. It is said she is an old family friend of the young duke’s late mother. She has apparently come all the way from France, and may I say reader, after her first tragic entrance into society we can only hope things go well, or you'll hear about it from myself. She carries on the last lineage to the family, as her estranged aunt had bore no children. It is said, however, the new Earl of Beaumont is no other than the bastard child of Lady Y/n’s uncle. Let us all hope the venom that was brought onto that family has not reached the young and upcoming Lady Y/n, nor the Earl of Beaumont.

However, dear reader, the recent Viscount Featherington has mysteriously passed, leaving his wife, Lady Feathrington, and three daughters, to fend the ton. Perhaps once they are presented this year, they shall have better luck at becoming the season’s most eligible as they will need that luck for our most eligible suitor.

As of note, reader, our most eligible suitor since the duke is now officially out of the game, I turn your eyes upon the new Viscount Holland. Since the passing of the Lord’s father, he is now the most worthy of the title of most eligible. With not only his charming looks, but he is also said to be. He now has the duty of finding a wife to carry on the Holland name. All I can say for sure is he is the one to look for at a soiree and without acting quick, perhaps Lady Y/n will catch the eye of the most eligible suitor now.

It is heard also dear reader the most infamous rake of the ton, Son of the late Viscount Osterfield, Lord Osterfield is to be back in town. Maybe he will be looking to catch the eye of some ladies of the ton, but beware dear reader, Lady’s and Mama’s as his reputation upholds itself, and may not change anytime soon.

“Thomas! Have you read this yet?!”

Patrick Holland, the youngest of the four Holland Brothers comes yelling, almost rushing into the Viscount’s study like a paperboy.

The Eldest of the four looks at the boy’s hand, to only read one gossip paper title.

“Paddy, I do not read rubbish such as Lady Whistledown.” Thomas sighs trying to get his late father’s affairs in order.

Dominic had only left the name of his successor as Tom, and no instructions of how to do anything other than making sure everything was in order. Although he was in such luck to not have sisters such as his friend, Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, and having to deal with finding worthy matches for them, he still had to keep his brothers in line, such as not mucking up a lady’s virtue, or getting caught in any sort of scandal for Lady Whistledown to sniff out like a bloodhound.

“But Tom! She writes about you!” Paddy mentions in haste.

“What is all this yelling about!?” Harold Holland, the eldest of the twin brothers slips into the study along with said twin brother, Samuel Holland

“Harry, Sam, Tell Tom to read the recent Lady Whistledown! She mentions the Earl of Beaumont’s daughter and Tom-“

“Really? Give it here!” Harry snatches the paper out of his hands, before reading it with Sam over his shoulder.

After reading it the room fell silent for a minute. The three youngest deep in thought.

“Isn’t Lady Y/n the only one to be debuted and be out of a season before its end?” Sam asks “It’s never been heard of but apparently she never got any proposals-“

“Do you think Osterfield will try and sweep her off her feet? He did write two days ago of his late arrival into the season.” Harry mentions.

“Yeah but not before he tries to get under her skirt Harry-“ Sam gently shoves his twin.

“What If she’s ugly? Sam? Harry? What will he do then?” Paddy quips back.

“You of the lot could try and get with her then!” Harry says and shoves Sam back. Soon enough the whole room is filled with lighthearted arguing from the brothers.

“ENOUGH!” Thomas yells over them rubbing his temples. “That is enough.”

They all mumble apologies.

Tom sighs, “I’m sorry myself. Father just left a lot for me, and you three need not get into trouble. Especially with the Lady with her popularity, and even more, not Lady Whistledown… Now let me see what the pompous lady wrote about me.”

“I cannot bear to leave you two, all to find a man to keep my family line going. How frivolous -”

“Oh come on Y/n! You do wish to lie to me when I know finding company of a husband is all you dreamed of since you were a girl.”

“Yes well Simon, if I only could make a wife as lovely as yours, then I would be worthwhile to have a husband and some children of my own such as your family.” You smile down in Daphne’s arms, where their son lies, “Yet you know how much I do despise not traveling the world, as far away from my aunt’s claws as possible.”

“Ah yes, your Aunt Beast-rice- I mean Beatrice.”

“Simon! Not funny! If she heard you from here she’d kill you with just one look at her beastly form!” you joke back.

After the laughter calms down you bid your goodbyes.

“I mustn’t keep the queen waiting, nor your gracious family Hosting me Daphne. I thank you dearly again for letting me stay after, well,-”

“It is no problem at all. Now make Haste, as I know my siblings and Mama have many questions for you already. Especially Eloise! She is excited to know about your travels!”

“And I shall answer them all! Goodbye, your Graces!”

“And to you, Lady Y/n!” Daphne replies.

Stepping up into your carriage you nod towards your old friend and wave to his wife, before settling into your seat for the journey ahead.

You had never in a million years thought Simon of all people would get married, nor that you, well, necessarily wouldn’t want to. After all that had happened in the past three years, your parents passing, and all the scandal and sabotage your family went through, well it seemed impossible for yourself to ever be back in London.

It had to be your duty now more than ever to find a husband so that the witch of your aunt couldn’t grasp her vicious claws and try to ruin you as well. After what your uncle did, it would be sacrilegious to do so, so the only fate for you was finding a worthy match to keep you in the comfort of knowing your family was safe.

Love was not on the table anymore, at least it is what you thought. Your parents had a rare love, and in one season, you knew you couldn’t find it that easily, as your fate was more like a business transaction rather than a place for finding the one for you.

At least you had faith in the new Earl to help you find a match. The two of you had been friends as children, of the ripe age of you at four and him at seven, the two of you had been inseparable, almost like you were siblings. As you got older, you were convinced that no matter his bloodline, you were his sister. Your father had instilled that family bond in the two of you. Even the staff would say “Y/n and William are an inseparable pair of siblings”.

That is until the actual wicked man, Willam’s father tried to get him to claim his rightful place as the next real Earl since he was your uncle's bastard child, and there were no other “strong options”. The man even tried to find a way to get himself to be the Earl of Beaumont years before. He had brought this upon William’s seventeenth birthday, interrupting the whole party after not seeing any of the family for six years. Uncle Hugh had never come after marrying his new wife, Aunt Beatrice.

You had never met the new woman your uncle married at that point, you could only remember your Aunt Anne Mysteriously passing suddenly before your uncle Hugh had married the beast. At the age of eight, you were convinced she had some sort of spell on your uncle, as you found weird herbs in her chambers when they got married. Your Mother brushed it off when you tattled and told you it was probably just to make some rouge or something with it. You were still convinced she was bewitching everyone.

When William refused to take ownership of the title, uncle Hugh was livid. Then he decided to take matters into his own hands.

You brush off the chills in your spine even thinking about your debut into society. It was the most wretched night of your life.

“We are here Lady Y/n.”

You shake off the memories, coming back into reality, stepping out into the inn Simon suggested you stay in, instead of riding in the night.

It was quaint and small, it was nice for a place like this, though you had stayed in worse places in your travels.

You stepped out of your carriage and headed into the inn.

You couldn’t sleep. It was two days before your debut back into society and you kept waking up sweating with nightmares, or hearing the pounding and a woman and a man yelling- or something of the sorts- through the walls. You had the urge almost to go knock on their door to tell them that they were being too loud, yet you didn’t.

How on earth were you supposed to get up at an unholy hour to ride half of the day only to be swept up into the chaos of being introduced back into society the moment you were to arrive. You had to get many dresses, shoes, rouge, and hair accessories, and plenty more to just begin your day. All with pushing past everything of what you even began to feel about it all.

Your parents were not going to be there. Never to see any of the firsts of you getting betrothed, or wedding to your betrothed, having children, or even possibly, by chance, the love you would share in your life. Your world had come crashing down when they died, so how could you possibly build it again without them there?

Harrison Osterfield was taking a promenade in this lady’s well- I think you’ll get the picture. As she laid on the bed moaning as he thrust into her, the bed in the inn halfway toward his home was shaking and banging on the paper-thin walls with his powerful movements. He was a known regular at the inn and in England, he was known as one of the most infamous rakes in town. Being so of his reputation, he kept it to a high standard. She was a performer of some sort- that he could not remember- traveling back with him on his journey for pleasure purposes. He had just finished round three, of intercourse, after a few rounds of, well other such naughty yet delightful actions that took place.

“AH!” she moaned orgasming, Katie? Was it? Or was it Kitty?. Harrison couldn’t remember or even care to.

He kept thrusting a few times more until he pulled out and came into a handkerchief.

After being all intercourse-d out she sleepily rolled over her naked form, grabbing her things. She knew this is where her stop was ending with him and was going back to her room, to travel with her relative who was also in the business the next day.

“Thanks for the ride m’lord.” she mocked slightly after getting dressed in her nightgown heading to her room, “until next time”

Harrison just smirked back.

Laying back onto the covers after the smell of sex, he thought how his stepfather James, had warned him of his current status of rakishness hindering him from finding a bride.

He’d prove he could woo any woman, and make her fall so deeply in love with him that she would want to marry him. And that was his plan this season. Last season’s diamond of the first water was married in a whirlwind, so he assumed he could do it quicker and get a new reputation among the ton, by marrying her.

Then at least his sister Charlotte wouldn’t be doomed when she was introduced to society in the next few years, that she could marry whomever her heart desired. And at least, he could help her from changing his reputation, by marrying. His rakish days of course would be over, but at least he could change their minds on the Osterfield Family.

@spideyspeaches @greenorangevioletgrass @take-me-to-ny

#harrison osterfield #harrison osterfield fanfic #harrison osterfield smut #harrison osterfield x reader #bridgerton #bridgerton fanfic #tom holland #tom holland smut #tom holland fanfic #tom holland fanfiction #anthony bridgerton #harry holland #sam holland #zendaya coleman #zendaya #jacob batalon

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hongism · 4 years

Note

Do you have any good ateez X reader fanfics Recs? I’m in need of a good long fanfic If not long Then a really really good one lol I just have a hard time finding some lol

BOY HOWDY IM FINALLY HERE okay but fr tho i’m sorry this took me Lightyears to do im so bad at remembering what fics i read and how i tag them so i lost my mind while trying to find them all and i’m sure i missed a lot of favs so i Apologize in advance asiodjfosijdf some are kinda popular so you might have seen them before but some do not get the credit they deserve and i could sit here and sing the praises of these fics and their authors for years but i won’t put y’all through that ._.

You can’t even reach my neck - @kpopscenario - seonghwa

summary: They’re best friends and have feelings for each other but they both don’t know about the others crush, Seonghwa comforts her after another bad date. (Basically friends to lovers college!au)

yes i am a Sucker for a damn f2l college au on occasion and this is one of those Incredible and Well Written occasions i love this fic and the length is perfect and long in the best way 10/10 would recommend and it’s great

such a good girl for me - @starrychannies - mingi

summary: no summary but the warnings should tell you Everything you need to know wink wonk skljdlkdfj

warnings: harddom!mingi, sub!reader, size kink (its mingi duh), choking, sir kink, pet names, mix of praise and degradation, oral (receiving), unprotected sex, slight overstim, slight humiliation (?), a lot of fluffy aftercare.

i find it Uber hard to write smut that is well written in all honesty like i can’t read my own smut bc i can’t Stand It i just think it’s awful but there are so so many authors out there who can write smut and write it well and i admire starrychannies so much for such incredible writing talent with smut yesyes

Alone - @actuallythatwaspromise - san

summary: again n/a but good lord royalty au prince san, princess reader, smack me over the head because i really adore this 2.2k fic and good lord this fic gets me emo and i dont even know why??? the angst is soft and barely there but i’m still over here sobbing for no reason oisdfoaijdiof

detention - @/starrychannies - wooyoung

warnings: badboy!wooyoung, goodgirl!reader, smut, voice kink, corruption kink, fingering, dirty talk, public sex, exhibitionism kink, wooyoung has piercings and reader is a Big Fan, mention of gags, light degradation.

this, this shit right here, this is so good WHEW i dont really have the words but hot damn, i just love this fic and i love love love the way the author wrote the the fic and it’s Hot:tm:

violet roses - @/starrychannies - yunho

warnings: F L U F F, college!au, s2l, first meeting, yunho is a soft babie, yunhos pov!!, love at first sight, pining, bit of slow burn, yunho is Whipped, suggestive teasing, hyunjin is mentioned briefly in the beginning, protective yunho, mingi makes an appearance, mentioned that mingi’s gay, san is mentioned, smut, softdom!yunho, sub!reader, praise, car sex, SIZE KINK!!!!, vaginal penetration, fingering, finger riding, penetrative sex, daddy kink, yunho lowkey has a corruption kink, multiple orgasms.

did i die? yes but only a lot. ahhhh i LOVE me some damn s2l slow burn and pining that shit hits the spot and this fic has it wrapped up in a nice and lovely package pls read pls pls pls read

lover boys - @/starrychannies - seonghwa + hyunjin

warnings: smut, wet dreams, poly relationship, boy x boy, non idol verse, ateez x skz crossover (yay!), harddom!seonghwa, softdom!hyunjin, sub!reader, threesome, reader is Needy, hyunjin is Sleepy, seonghwa is Amused, pwp, light somniphilia, dirty talk, petnames, some degradation, early morning sex, oral (giving), throat fucking, reader has no gag reflex and hyunjin is In Love with it, fingering (receiving), spanking (like twice), unprotected sex, light cum play, cum swallowing, little bit of praise, cuddles!

i really just need a minute whenever i think about this fic bc i highkey die every time i think about it??? two of my ults??? i can’t??? i really can’t handle this honestly like woW osdijfoijdfoi the way i melted we love to see it 🤩

entanglement - @sanduction - wooyoung

summary: when the boy who had explicitly spelled out his implausible hatred towards you on every possible occasion tells you that he’s a dog, who would’ve guessed that you possessed the other half of his soul? not you, at least. life sure had a shit-load of guts to pull a twilight on you like that.

okay so deadass if you know me you know that i really am not the type to read werewolf/hybrid fics. i just typically don’t go for them or read them but this fic. this fic. oh my god. the way it’s so seamless and works so perfectly, i’ll never recover like W O W i love this fic that is all honestly i have mad respect for all writers who do werewolf/hybrid fics bc i can’t write them at all, so sanduction huge major props to you i love your work!!!

who catches the alpha? - @teeztheflag - hongjoong

summary: „You don’t want to break the rules, am I right?“

aka another phenomenal werewolf fic with alpha hongjoong that made me fall over in a totally great way. the angst the fluff the little suggestive bits it all flowed and fit together perfectly and i am still in love with this fic no matter how much time passes

bite me - @atinyidea - yunho

summary: vampire!au, vampire!yunho, vampire!reader, female!reader established!relationship / warnings! angry s*x?, biting, blood, sir k*nk, consensual s*x, teasing, begging, rough play, overstimulation

this fic is ~spicy~ and whew it is good wow just the idea of yunho and reader being immortal together was like awww then it got spicy and i went to o_o real quick but it is such a good fic and wow i love it i dont even have words bc im Dumb but wow

You Got It Like That? - @kimnamshiks - wooyoung

summary: You just needed to get through this week at the resort at the hands of 20 coworkers and Wooyoung; the Sales Department Supervisor who got some raunchy photos of you the day prior.

honestly wow sodifjoisdjf i love this fic so much i just wow honestly the reader is a whole mood when wooyoung texts about the pictures and i was reading like ‘ahahaa me.’ oisjdfoij god the back and forth between wooyoung and the reader just had me rolling legit i got flustered like pls wooyoung just HAAHHAHA WOOYOUNG IN THIS FIC GETS ME FLUSTERED AS FUCK it is all because tay is a Stellar Writer and makes those emotions come to life in amazing ways and i’ll never ever get over it just whew banter in fics is legit one of my favorite things ever and tay does it with such beautiful ease that i am Enamored but i am also Rambling just pls read this fic oh my god it’s so good

be my neighbor - @jeonginks - seonghwa

summary: seonghwa moved into the apartment next to yours, and he stumbled into a situation he didn’t expect to face.

wow i l o v e this fic it’s just a perfect blend of angst and fluff and it sends me to space every time i read it soidfjoidjf don’t ask why space but it just does i kinda ascend okay? anyway wow this fic is such a gem and it is sO underrated in my opinion. the dialogue is written so beautifully and with an ease that i think is often times hard to capture?? wow just amazing

Cheat Codes - @serendipityunho - seonghwa

summary: “This party’s boring, wanna get out of here?”, may have perhaps led you to make the biggest mistake of your life by sleeping with your best friend’s other best friend, your best friend who happens to be in love with you.

me: wow i never read college aus hahhaa

also me: reads a shit ton of college aus sodifjodijf

honestly this fic is 100% fantastic from start to finish, it’s 5.3k of pure greatness and i just really love this fic altho my heart broke at the end it still fit perfectly and was amazingly written ;-;

that is all i have for today slkdfljdlk however i will be shameless and say that if you would like some Long Bois for ateez i have a few but i’ll link the fics i loved writing the most and am v proud of :3

storge - mingi

liquorice and ivories - hongjoong

#fic recs #ateez #ateez x reader #ateez smut #ateez fluff #ateez angst #seonghwa x reader #hongjoong x reader #yunho x reader #mingi x reader #san x reader #wooyoung x reader #great reads #wow #i made this too long oml #anon #ask #queue queue queue queue baby baby baby

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aethelflaedladyofmercia · 4 years

Text

The Whole Truth - 6

(This chapter is another long one, so use this AO3 link to read more comfortably, or catch up on any you missed! Aziraphale and Crowley find a solution to the curse problem...)

Friday

“Good morning, dear,” Aziraphale said, soft and gentle, when Crowley finally started to stir. He kissed the demon’s forehead, then his nose. “You’re so lovely when you sleep. So warm. So—”

“Knock it off,” Crowley mumbled with a sleep-heavy smile. “Ruin my reputation.”

“You’re a very heavy sleeper, you know,” Aziraphale continued, feeling perfectly content. Some time ago, he’d sat up against the headboard and Crowley had immediately shifted, curling up to lay in his lap. It made for a stunning contrast, the black clothes and red hair against the white duvet.

Aziraphale leaned down and pressed his lips against Crowley again, the temple, then the cheek, the jaw. “I’m going to kiss you today, my love,” he said calmly, though Crowley’s eyes opened in alarm. “I won’t be able to stop myself.”

“Do you…still want me to stop you?” The back of his fingers brushed Aziraphale’s cheek.

“No. I don’t want that at all. But I still think it’s the best idea. Also, I needed a distraction, so your hair is ruined. I’m not sorry, though, and I’m sure you told me bed hair is popular. This probably isn’t what it means, but you could start a new trend.”

Crowley pressed a finger to Aziraphale’s lips, but he was smiling, and his eyes were gentle. “I have things to tell you. But we should get up first.” Crowley sat up, causing his hair to shift. It flared out in every direction, in spikes and waves that defied gravity. Aziraphale’s fingers had been very busy for nearly an hour. Crowley patted at the hopeless mess. “I need to fix this. Then we talk.”

Crowley entered the kitchen just as Aziraphale was setting his omelet on the table. “Sorry, dearest, I know I didn’t ask to use your stove, but as I said…distractions.” He glanced up and, oh dear, Crowley had changed his hair into loose waves and curls again. Aziraphale’s fingers ached to reach for it, to see how much softer it was without all that product in it to keep it in place…

He quickly sat down and started eating.

“How are you feeling? You know, aside from…”

“Aside from the need to constantly assure you of the depth of my love? It is truly fathomless. Do you remember, back in Rome—”

“Yes, besides that.” Crowley still hovered back by the counter, looking nervous.

“I feel…anxious. Defenseless. I’m very much afraid every time I begin to speak, not knowing quite what I’ll say or do. And when I remember this isn’t some random chance, that it was a deliberate attack by a demon, even if directed at another angel, I feel…” he tapped his fork against the plate. “I feel violated.” A weak smile. “And yet, so very glad you’re here, my dear.”

“Angel, I don’t…” Crowley sank into a chair facing Aziraphale, clearing his throat nervously. “You’re not going to like what I say next.”

“Well, I’m already disappointed in this conversation.” He said breezily, watching with horror as his mind hopped to another subject. “I was hoping you would sit in my lap. Next time I’ll have to hide the other chairs.” Oh, not again. He resumed eating with frantic speed.

Long fingers moved across the table and grasped his free hand. “Aziraphale…there isn’t a demonic curse on that book.”

“I beg your pardon?” Aziraphale put his fork down, very nearly pulled his hand away. But then Crowley squeezed his fingers and he decided he would never let go for the rest of eternity. “Yesterday, I cornered someone outside a coffee shop and told them in exquisite detail about the time you and I met Christopher Marlowe. I told a customer on Tuesday that he couldn’t purchase a book because I didn’t like the way he smelled. And just now I have the overwhelming urge to tell you I once spent a century trying to teach myself to draw just so I could have an image of you, but I could never quite get the nose right; but now the lighting in this room is absolutely perfect and I want to try again with you in front of me and – Crowley, how can you say this isn’t a curse?”

The demon calmly waited for the words to subside, then inched his chair closer, closer, until their knees brushed under the table, until he could reach around the plate and take Aziraphale’s other hand as well.

“I said it’s not a demonic curse. And it’s…a human curse wouldn’t affect you. Which leaves…”

“Angels? No, we don’t – angels don’t make cursed objects.” He tried to pick up his fork, to indicate that the matter was closed, but his mouth refused to play along. “I suppose we could. I mean, what’s really the difference between a cursed item and a blessed one?” The horrifying thoughts rose in his mind, one after the next. “I’ve – I’ve certainly done my share of curses, covering for you. They aren’t structurally all that different. And I’ve seen angels create objects that heal, or deliver inspiration…ones that can be used to locate and identify wicked or deceitful beings…oh, Lord.”

His hands convulsed, and Crowley held them, tighter. “I know, Angel, I know…”

“It forces you to tell the truth. To confront secrets you hide from yourself.” His stomach twisted. “That’s not demonic at all. How did I…I’m so stupid. How could I miss something like that?”

“No, come here—” With a tug, he guided Aziraphale over to him, pulled the angel into his lap, wrapped arms around him. “You were looking at the book, not the magic. Like you said last night – it was the perfect trap. For you. A mystery you couldn’t quite solve. How were you supposed to resist? And the longer you touched it, the stronger the compulsion.”

“I’m…the target?” His mind whirled, even worse than before he’d slept. “But who…why…no, the raid…”

“There was never any raid, Angel. Everything’s been quiet on our end for months. It was all a lie.”

“A…another angel…did this to me? On purpose?”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Don’t cry, Aziraphale, please.”

“I’m…” Aziraphale sniffed, and realized his cheeks were drenched with tears. When had that started? He wasn’t upset, or angry. He felt strangely calm inside.

No, not calm. Numb.

Crowley held him closer, rocked him, pushed Aziraphale’s head down to rest on his shoulder.

“Have to tell Gabriel. He’ll help me. Always so…so kind. Gives me…so many chances…when I fail, or…or…” He shut his eyes. “He’ll help me…”

“Angel. He gave you the book.”

“No, he…he can’t know. He’s an Archangel, they…they watch over us…care for us…”

Crowley’s lips against his forehead. “I’m sorry. The – the blessing…it’s too strong. One of the Archangels created it.”

“He said if – if I tried to remove the curse, I’d be incinerated. Never even checked for myself.” Stupid, stupid angel. “If it were true…I’d…I’d have felt it immediately, wouldn’t I? Like you did?”

“Yes, but – you’re not – you’re not experienced with these things. You didn’t know you were supposed to feel anything.”

“Gabriel called me an expert. Asked me for a favor. I was so proud. I want…wanted to prove myself…”

“I know. I know.”

Crowley held him, and Aziraphale cried, quietly, his heart breaking into pieces.

“So, what do we do?” Aziraphale and Crowley sat on the sofa, an hour later. Aziraphale tried very hard to watch Crowley’s eyes, but his own gaze kept drifting down, just a few inches.

It wasn’t that unusual. He often watched Crowley’s lips when he spoke; with his eyes usually hidden, the best way to catch what the demon was thinking was by those tiny quirks of the lip, the little smirks and frowns at the edges of his usual scowl.

And if Aziraphale wanted to press his lips to the corner of that mouth now…

“Well,” Crowley was saying, and Aziraphale pulled his gaze back up, trying to focus. “I can’t take the blessing off the book. Gabriel might have exaggerated, but it’s still more than either of us can handle.”

“What if we worked together? Combined our powers somehow?”

“Probably make it worse.” Crowley’s lips twitched just a bit, a hint of a smile. “These things are delicate, and combining angel and demon powers…”

“I suppose you’re right.” The tip of Crowley’s tongue appeared, just for a fraction of a second, wetting his lips, and Aziraphale’s own tongue moved in sympathy. Just a little quick kiss, right there at the side of the mouth, what would it hurt? He loved Crowley so much he was about to burst—

“Oh, come here,” Aziraphale snapped, pulling Crowley down to lay across his lap, gliding his fingers through that hair. It was even softer than he’d imagined, strands separating and flowing like water. “Sorry. I hope you don’t mind, but I can’t focus on anything right now, apart from making sure you know how very much I love you. And on how, ironically, that thought is going to get us both killed.”

“I don’t mind,” Crowley sighed, settling against his thighs. “Do your worst, that’s what it’s there for.”

Aziraphale sank both hands into those thick red tresses, running through them from root to tip. “Oh, God, I love you.” He closed his eyes, absorbed in the luxuriant feel. “So, if we can’t take the curse – blessing, I mean – off the book, can we take it off me?”

“That’s easier, generally,” Crowley agreed. “Not even that complicated, it’s like…untying a knot. But this one’s stronger than anything I’ve seen. It’d take years. Decades, maybe.”

“Well, we have six hours. Possibly a bit more, Gabriel always runs late when I’m expecting him.” He tilted his head back to look at the corner, where brilliant white wall met brilliant white ceiling, and ran his fingers through Crowley’s hair again. “Which I’m now realizing is probably not just an unfortunate coincidence, is it? It makes me feel like I’m some – some irritation, like I have to state my business as quickly as possible so he can go back to more important things, apologize for taking up his time, and of course that’s what he wants. Why did I never realize? Why am I so naïve?”

“You’re an angel. You trust the people you’re supposed to trust.” His fingers reached up to brush Aziraphale’s chin, and the angel immediately turned to kiss them, reveling in their slightly salty taste. “Sorry.” Crowley pulled away. “Any idea why he would do this now?”

“Well…I have been avoiding work rather thoroughly lately.” He smiled down at Crowley. “Ever since we reconnected, almost thirty years ago, I’ve been finding every excuse to spend time with you.”

“I thought as much.” Crowley’s fingers traced across his waistcoat, and even through all the layers, it made him shiver. “I mean oh, Crowley, I’m not going to be at the bookshop tonight, I have a reservation at my favorite sushi restaurant. So if you’re planning to bother me, don’t come here. Not exactly subtle.”

“It worked, though, and you showed up in that lovely dress, which I wasn’t expecting at all, black with the embroidered red flowers, your hair all up in a knot. You were beautiful, darling, don’t even try to deny it, I could hardly take my eyes off you all evening and…” Aziraphale bit off the rest of his words. “Yes, well. I have avoided at least…eight assignments that would have taken me outside of London for considerable lengths of time. I couldn’t bear to be apart from you. I suppose my excuses have been rather transparent of late – I told Gabriel I couldn’t go to America because the London sewers were…er…on fire.”

Crowley tipped his head back and laughed, sliding across Aziraphale’s thighs. “He might have started to catch on at that point. But it’s still just a few missed jobs.”

“It’s disobedience.” One finger scratched near Crowley’s ear, and the demon purred. “He doesn’t really need more than that, does he?”

“Nnnnh. Is there more?”

“Oh, Crowley.” Aziraphale’s fingers brushed through his hair again. “Centuries of it. Long before the Arrangement. I’ve had doubts. I’ve avoided assignments. I…never questioned, but I’ve come close, skirted the line, pushed the boundaries.” Anxious hands twitched. “Has it finally become too much? Has he been trying to catch me out for centuries, and I’ve just been too stupid to notice?”

“Stop saying that, Angel. We both know how clever you are. If he’s trying this on you now, it must mean that in six thousand years, he’s never had anything to go on. That’s good.”

“Whatever he’s looking for, Gabriel’s going to uncover a great deal more tonight than he ever expected.” The panic began climbing its way up his throat again. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m going to betray you, Crowley. I can feel it. I’m going to tell him everything.”

“Look, even if you can’t lie, you can twist it around. Make it sound like all those restaurants and bars and wine tastings and movies and walks in the park were just by yourself?” His thumb caught one of the buttons and rolled across it. “I don’t know how much trouble you’ll be in, but…if they don’t know about me, it won’t be as bad.”

“Impossible.” Aziraphale took Crowley’s hand and raised it to his lips again, kissing each knuckle. “Two days ago, I could resist, perhaps, but not anymore. And what if it keeps getting worse? Imagine what I’ll be like in a week…I’ll happily confess to everything.” He thought Crowley’s fingers were trembling, but no – it was his own hand, holding them. “Do you…do you think I’ll Fall? No, that would just send me to you, and I’m starting to believe Gabriel isn’t even that kind. He’ll…he’ll destroy me. No, he’ll destroy you, in front of me, so I can—”

“Angel, shhh, it’s not going to come to that.”

“I won’t let him, Crowley. I told you, I’ll never let them hurt you, I meant it.”

“Shhh.” Crowley tugged his hand, pulling Aziraphale’s towards him, pressing it open to lay kisses on his palm. “There is…one other option. But you’re going to hate it.”

A choked laugh. “Crowley, I’ve hated every one of your ideas for the past six thousand years, and yet I’ve always gone along with them.”

“Because I’m usually right?”

“No, because I’m in love with an idiot.” He bent over with a smile, kissing Crowley’s forehead, then kept going, a line of kisses – the brow, that perfect nose, and…

Crowley put a hand on Aziraphale’s chest, stopping him, holding him back as their breath caressed each other’s lips. “You said you shouldn’t,” Crowley reminded him.

“I know. I shouldn’t. But I want to, my darling, dearest Crowley. I want to kiss you right now, and kiss you until you can’t breathe, and – and – and – I haven’t actually considered what comes next, but we have six hours until we die, we can figure it out. Let’s go back to bed, stay there to the end. Let me groom your wings, let me touch you, I need to tell you, to show you—”

A thumb gently brushed across his lips, though Crowley’s face had gone quite red. Aziraphale was sure his own matched. “Angel,” and his voice sounded a little strained now. “We aren’t going to die.”

“No, you won’t. I’ll find a way to keep you safe. If you return to Hell, you should be…no, the rumors will reach them soon enough. You must leave. What’s that star system you always talk about? Alpha Centauri? Start there, and—”

“A-zir-a-phale,” Crowley drew the name out. “I’m not going anywhere. You said you’d let me be there for you.” The angel nodded weakly. “Neither of us is going to die, because I know how to stop this. I have a plan. But you’ll have to trust me. And stop squeezing me like that.”

Aziraphale realized his arms were clutching at Crowley protectively. He let go, and the demon sat up, resettling on the sofa next to him. Crowley picked up the angel’s hand, pressing it between both of his. “Alright. The blessing has infected your mind. I can’t untangle it fast enough. But I can isolate it, I can pull it out. You’ll go back to the way you’ve always been.”

“Just…like that? It seems too easy.”

“Well, there are a few problems. I’ll need to put it somewhere…so I’ll take it on myself.”

“What? No!” Aziraphale jerked back, but Crowley still held his hand. “That’s – that’s absurd, Crowley, it’s far too dangerous and furthermore, it won’t work at all, as you’d just – just go around babbling to everyone, and your superiors will find out anyway. No, I forbid it.”

Crowley shook his head. “This blessing was designed for you, fed by the time you spent bent over that book, handling it, breathing it in. I barely touched the thing, it’ll be weaker for me. I won’t be able to lie to you, but that should be the only effect.” He smiled. “Won’t even notice the difference. I’ve never lied to you.”

Aziraphale felt his smile return. “Not ever? Even when you said – no, no it’s not important. I’ll concede, it might work, but we obviously can’t stay that way.” He leaned forward eagerly, squeezing Crowley’s hand. “I’ll find a way to undo it. You said years, decades, but I have hundreds of reference tomes in the shop. Surely I can find a way to—”

Crowley lifted Aziraphale’s hand and kissed it. “It’s, um, more an art than a science. You leave that to me. Especially because…because when I take the curse, I’m going to remove all the memories connected to it.”

“No.” This time Aziraphale pulled away, sliding back across the sofa, trying to escape Crowley’s words. “Take my memories? All this last week?” What was his heart doing? His breath? Lord, he was dying right now, every muscle in his body tense and straining. “All those things you said – everything we – you told me you love me. I won’t…you can’t take this from me, Crowley. I won’t allow it.”

“It’s the only way.” Crowley inched towards him, and Aziraphale felt his panic rising. He shrank back, hiding behind his hands, pushing the truth away. “You said – Angel, you said you’d die to keep me safe. But this way no one has to die, or get hurt, or…”

“Dying would be easier! Crowley, I can’t go back to – to not knowing!”

“Look, I can – I can say it again, Angel. Tell you properly this time, take you out for dinner—”

“No, no, I won’t want to hear it, I’ll just – I’ll reject you,” he realized with horror. “Oh, Crowley, I’m sorry, I swear, I’ll think I’m doing it to protect you. You must understand that I – I won’t mean it, but I will...”

“So, I can…I can explain. Tell you about the book and Gabriel and—”

“And I won’t believe you. Oh, Lord, Crowley, I’m going to trust him again. After everything he did…” Aziraphale hunched over himself, arms pressed to his chest, heart palpitating. “I can’t…can’t go back to that…” He could picture himself, following Gabriel around like a puppy, not even aware of how many times he’d been kicked. Had the Archangel ever liked him?

“There’s got to be something we can do. Write yourself a letter, make a video, tell me something only you would know…”

“And then what? Once I’m convinced, I’ll – can you return the memories? That’s what I’ll ask.”

“Yes. I'm not - they won't be destroyed, I'll just be holding them for a while.” Aziraphale felt himself begin to relax. Put that way, it sounded...not good, but at least not terrifying. “But until I’ve removed the blessing you’ll just…wind up like this again. Back where we started.”

“And how long will that take? You said decades…”

“Twenty years,” Crowley shrugged. “Maybe thirty. As I said, untying a knot – if you rush it, it gets worse.”

“That isn’t…so bad,” Aziraphale admitted, rubbing a hand across his face. “But that means…oh, Lord, we’re going to do this, aren’t we?” He moved back across the sofa, set his head on Crowley’s shoulder. “It means you can’t tell me. Not until the memories are ready, because I’ll just insist you return them immediately. And round and round we’ll go. So, you can’t tell me about the curse, or about Gabriel, or…or even…”

“That I love you,” Crowley half-swallowed the word, as if it hurt. He slid his arm around Aziraphale’s waist and pressed his lips to the angel’s temple. “And I’ll have to stand by while you try to please that – that – that—”

“That arrogant sod? That self-righteous pus stain? That condescending, pusillanimous, egotistical, cold-hearted—”

“I was going to say ‘bastard.’ Or maybe ‘wank-wings.’ Where did you even learn that sort of language?”

“I read, darling.” Aziraphale sighed, leaning into his embrace. “We’ve waited six thousand years. What’s twenty more?” He picked up Crowley’s hand and studied it. “Can you restore them as soon as they’re ready?”

“Technically, yes. But even with the blessing removed, you’ll probably be unable to lie for a day or two. Residue. I’ll have to wait until we’re somewhere we won’t be disturbed. And you can be very stubborn about going off the grid.”

“Then try not make it sound like some – some illicit activity and maybe I’ll come along.” He kissed Crowley’s cheek. “And do be sure there’s at least a double bed. Oh, don’t blush so. I don’t plan to let go of you for two days, it’ll need to be big enough for me to hold you while you sleep.” He remembered the way Crowley had looked, in the dawn light, nestled in his arms, and he would happily have lived in that moment for eternity.

They sat together for a few minutes, not talking, just feeling the love flow between them. It was the most honest Aziraphale had ever been.

“So,” he finally broke the silence. “How long will this take?”

“Extracting the blessing and memories – maybe an hour? And you’ll need to rest at least an hour more while your mind recovers.”

“That leaves us…four hours.” He rested his hand on Crowley’s knee. “Closer to three and a half. And I think I’d rather make the most of that time.”

Crowley swallowed, fingers twitching nervously. “Anything you want, Angel.”

“Anything?” He tilted his head up to meet those golden eyes and grinned wickedly. “Anything at all?”

Eliza looked at the earrings in the glass counter of the pawn shop. “I mean, they look nice,” she grumbled, “but I still think mom would rather have a watch for her birthday.”

“Would she?” her sister smirked. “Or are you just saying that because the earrings cost more, and you want to go see that band? You know, with that cute drummer from your Uni? What’s their name…?”

“Not everything is about romance, Rebecca,” she said, blushing. “They’re just – it’s a good band, ok? And, yeah, tickets are fifty quid, and the bakery doesn’t pay that well, so—”

The door of the pawn shop flew open and two men walked in – the pale figure Eliza recognized from the bakery, and a tall, lanky bloke with red hair.

“Attention everyone!” The bookseller called cheerfully. “I am Aziraphale, owner and proprietor of A.Z. Fell’s in Soho, which is a perfectly wonderful pseudonym, despite all complaints I have received. This exquisite creature is Anthony J. Crowley, my best friend, the love of my life, and the most darling being in the entire world. We are here to celebrate a love that is entwined into the whole of human history, and anyone who wishes to join us is invited to meet at the duck pond in St James’s Park in half an hour. Anyone who does not approve is invited to go sit on an egg!” He beamed proudly at the man beside him, whose face was almost as red as his hair.

“Yeah, I still don’t think you have that last part right, Angel.”

“Nonsense, what could be more unpleasant than sitting on an egg? You, good sir!” He pointed to the owner of the shop. “We are here to look at jewelry!”

Eliza sighed and turned back to the argument with her sister, but froze at the familiar gleam in Rebecca’s eyes. “No. No we are not going to the park! There’s probably nothing going on! Yesterday that man told me he controls the weather!”

“But they’re in love!” Rebecca squealed. “And whatever’s going on it’ll probably be a riot.” She gasped, grabbing Eliza’s arm. “We should bring cake!”

“No, we’re not – you can’t use my bakery discount for…whatever this is!”

“Oi. Humans.” They looked up to see the man with the dark suit and red hair. His eyes were brilliant gold with slit pupils, like a cat, focused on the case behind them. “You’re standing in front of the rings.” His tone was harsh, but his face was still flushed pink.

“Congratulations,” Rebecca giggled, even as Eliza pushed her out of the way. “There’s a really nice gold one in the back!”

“That’s it,” Eliza groaned. “We can – just – buy mom that dress we saw. Let’s go.”

“Aw, you’re no fun. Look, I’ll pay for your half of the gift, and buy you those concert tickets. Please can we go?”

Eliza rubbed her eye. “What kind of cake?”

Half an hour later, Aziraphale stood beside the duck pond, hand tapping excitedly against the fence. The weather was perfect, almost a dozen people had gathered, and most importantly…Crowley was there, pinning a red rosebud to Aziraphale’s lapel.

“You have to stop looking at me like that,” Crowley complained. “It’s embarrassing.”

“Well, anything else would be a lie.” Aziraphale reached up and straightened the white daisy in Crowley’s buttonhole.

“Are you sure you want to do this here? Where we…had our fight?” His eyes tightened just at the mention of it.

“Where better? If we hadn’t fought, I wouldn’t have tried to stop that spy ring, and you wouldn’t have had to save me – and I wouldn’t have realized I love you more than all the wine in France.” He gazed out over the water, and noticed the black swan was there again. "Besides. It was always one of my favorite spots. And when we...weren't speaking...I would come here to remember you."

“Nnh.” Crowley leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together for just a second. “Fine. But…” he turned his head, stealing a glance toward the spectators. “I didn’t think so many would come.”

“You can put your glasses back on, you know. I only mind a little, but your comfort is far more important to me than having this moment be completed by the sight of your gorgeous eyes.”

“No.” He straightened up, and the smile that hovered at the corner of his lips was more brilliant than the light of Heaven. “I told you, while you don’t have your defenses, I don’t have mine.” His eyes darted to their audience again. “Just…why? I thought you didn’t want anyone to see you like this.”

“Because, my dearest love, if I’m not going to remember this moment, at least all of them will.”

“Ngk. If you want. Just.” Another anxious look. “Don’t make me talk to anyone.”

“Just me, I promise.”

Aziraphale pulled out a silver chain from his pocket, and draped it around Crowley’s neck. None of the rings had looked right but this…somehow…was perfect.

“Anthony J. Crowley,” he began, loud enough for his voice to carry. “My darling. My love. I trust you with everything that I am, as I always have, as I always will, forever and ever. You have cared for me, when no one else did, kept me close when I pushed you away, came to my aid when I thought all was lost, with never a moment’s hesitation. You are my best friend, have been for centuries, and I want nothing more than to be by your side for centuries to come. For eternity, if we can have it.” He smiled and ran his fingers across Crowley's new chain. Yes. Perfect.

Crowley glared at his feet, biting his lip. “For Satan’s sake, Angel…” his eyes drifted up, filled with tears. “How am I supposed to follow that?”

Aziraphale took his hand. “However you wish, my Crowley. My love for you isn’t going to change because of a few words.”

“I hope not.” With one last glare towards the crowd – which was perhaps meant to be intimidating, but utterly ruined by the way he blushed – Crowley leaned forward and whispered in Aziraphale’s ear.

“Yes, dear. That…that will do nicely.”

Aziraphale held out his hand and Crowley produced a golden signet ring. He slid it onto Aziraphale’s pinky, where no one would suspect it meant a thing, least of all Aziraphale and twined their fingers together. Both their hands trembled.

“Well,” Aziraphale said, blinking his eyes clear. “I – thank you all for coming. I suppose that’s…”

“Kiss!” A young woman’s voice called from the crowd. “It’s not official until you kiss!”

“Rebecca, shut up,” another voice cut in.

Aziraphale took both of Crowley’s hands in his. “Well. You heard the excitable young lady.”

“I don’t think there’s anything official about any of this,” Crowley said dryly, but he leaned closer, hesitating. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m sure.”

The first brush of Crowley’s lips stole his breath away.

The second destroyed him, tore him apart, left him hollow and raw.

The third breathed new life, filled him with a love and hope beyond anything he’d ever experienced.

After that, his tongue brushed Crowley’s bottom lip, and he rather lost track of things.

“Wow,” Rebecca said, eyebrows vanishing into her hair. “I did not know old men kissed like that.”

“Why are you so weird?” Eliza sighed. “Are you happy now? We saw their…semi-wedding. Can we go?”

“Eliza, you can’t leave the wedding before the cake.” She held the box up. “Oi! Anyone want cake?”

Aziraphale broke off the kiss, turning so suddenly Crowley lost his balance and would have fallen in the pond had the fence not stopped him. The demon gasped for breath, trying to think through the brilliant, golden sparks that filled his mind, trying to feel anything beyond that wonderful, eternal glow of—

“Darling, did you hear that? Someone brought cake!”

They sat together, one last time, on the shop sofa, watching the seconds tick away.

“It’s…it’s only twenty years, Crowley,” Aziraphale said, head resting on his shoulder, twisting the new ring on his pinky. It had little wings. Utterly perfect. “It’ll be over before you know it.”

“Nh,” his husband grunted, running a thumb along the silver chain. “Long as something doesn’t go wrong.”

“What would go wrong? The blessing? You’re sure you can unravel it? It might be different from a curse—”

“No,” Crowley interrupted, resting a hand on Aziraphale’s temple. “I can see it clearly now. Twenty…maybe twenty-one years. But what if Gabriel tries something else? You won’t even know to look out for it.”

“Yes, I’m afraid I’ll have to trust you to keep an eye on…well, me.” He carefully unpinned the rosebud from his jacket, spinning it between his fingers. “Don’t let me take any foolish risks, either. I…I’m going to think protecting us both is my job. I’m used to taking care of these things. Be patient with me, and know that I love you.”

Crowley kissed the top of his head. “How will I know when you’re thinking about me?”

“Oh, my dear. I always am.” He sat up to meet those golden eyes. “If I’m talking, I’m trying not to say I love you. If I’m silent, I’m trying to hold it in. If I smile, I’m remembering how much I love you. If I get annoyed, it’s because I can’t believe I love such an idiot. There is no moment that my heart isn’t full of you.” He looked at the clock. Two minutes to go.

Crowley��s fingers landed on his chin, turning him back.

“I – I – I suppose I’ll see you in twenty years?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Crowley smiled. “Movie night.”

“Oh, yes. Something with a wedding at the end, I think, regardless of what I say.” His eyes darted to the clock. “Crowley. Kiss me again.”

It was just as soft – as tender – as passionate – as glorious as the first.

Crowley’s fingers pressed to his temples.

“I love you,” Aziraphale whispered, one last time.

An hour later, Crowley stood up, arranging his husband – his best friend – his angel on the sofa.

One last kiss on the forehead. It would have to hold him over for a few decades, and he had a feeling the 2000s were going to be rough.

“Goodnight, Angel,” he said, softly, pulling his glasses out of his pocket, sliding them on his nose. His defense against the world back in place.

Crowley walked out of the bookshop, and began to pick at the edges of the blessing in his mind.

The Archangel Gabriel appeared in the dusty collection of records Aziraphale was so fond of. He arrived two hours later than scheduled, knowing it would make the Principality anxious and eager to please.

He had waited thousands of years for this moment.

Ever since Eden, really – since the Guardian of the Eastern Gate had questioned the decision to throw the humans out. It had been a small question – are you sure? – but these things always started small.

He’d been watching for signs of rebellion, signs of doubt. He had his suspicions. Some angels flaunted their disobedience, others carefully hid it, walking the line, pretending to believe while harboring wicked, deceitful thoughts. Well. They all slipped up eventually.

All except Aziraphale.

There he was now, wandering out from a dark corner, eyes stuck on another of those – those books. He glanced up, then jumped, startled. “Oh! Oh, Gabriel. Oh, my. What brings you here?”

“I’ve come for your update.” He folded his hands and waited.

It was the perfect trap. Aziraphale would have spent the last five days touching the blessing, breathing it in, rolling it through his mind and weaving it in his thoughts as he tried to decipher the infinitely-changing text. It should have a complete hold on him now, compelling him to express his deepest secrets. Finally, finally, Gabriel would have the confession he needed to prove Aziraphale was a corrupt, worthless angel.

The Principality blinked his over-bright, nervous eyes.

“Update? On…? I’m sorry, I’ve been terribly busy this week.”

“The book,” Gabriel prompted. Aziraphale shook his head. “The cursed book?”

“Oh, the book! Oh, oh, no, I forgot entirely!” Aziraphale spun, searching the room, hesitating for just a second on a vase full of flowers. “I’m sure I have it around here somewhere. I put it on my desk, thinking this should be quite interesting. Yes! There.” He crossed the floor and picked it up, holding it out to Gabriel with a bland, sheepish grin.

Gabriel waited again, but still no compulsion seemed to loosen Aziraphale’s tongue. “Well? What did you find out?”

“Nothing. I’m sorry, as I said, I’ve been quite busy. Only had a chance to glance at it two, maybe three times.” He tipped up the book to look sadly at the cover. “Fascinating stuff. Pity it has to be destroyed.”

“Yes,” Gabriel said, jaw tight, pulling the tome from his hands. “Pity.” It had taken seven years to create that book, and another three to perfect the blessing. How, how could it have failed? “What have you been up to this week?”

“Oh, this and that. Various concerns of London. Minor healing here, bit of good luck there. Nothing to concern you with, but sadly it kept me out of my shop for days on end.”

That was all. The same blathering, unconfirmable nothing as ever, hidden behind that simpering, smirking face. The lying, treacherous bastard was about to get away with it again. Whatever it was. Gabriel had to fight not to lose his temper, throw the book, smite the disrespectful Principality where he stood.

“Well.” He dropped the book onto a chair. “Sorry to hear that. Perhaps we can get an extension—”

“Oh, no,” Aziraphale frowned. “No, this all sounds quite dangerous. I’m afraid the best thing is to get rid of it as soon as possible. I’ve had a bit of time to think, and mystery aside, there’s not likely anything to be learned from it. After all, the demons associated with it were all killed, correct?”

“Yes,” Gabriel grunted. “I did – I told you I was counting on you for this, didn’t I?”

Aziraphale’s face crumpled into guilt. At least that still worked. “Yes…you did say something to that effect. I’m – I am sorry to disappoint, but—”

“Disappoint? I ordered you to get answers. You know what this means?”

“I – I – I—”

It was almost enough to make Gabriel smile. But that panic wouldn’t do him much good – this job hadn’t been sanctioned by anyone in Heaven, so the worst Gabriel could do was berate the Principality in private, and make a show of forgiving him. That might buy a few years of quiet obedience, but it didn’t solve the core problem, that defective knot that he knew lived in Aziraphale’s soul.

“I – I don’t believe you did.”

“Excuse me?”

“No, I’m sorry, Gabriel, but when you came here on Monday, you said you wanted to consult with me on a cursed book. I…that is, you said this was a favor, not an – an actual order as such. So, while I am sorry to disappoint you, truly I am…”

The Archangel clapped his hands, squeezing them, imagining the core of Aziraphale’s true form was being crushed between them. “No! You’re right. This – this was a favor and…well…” He floundered.

And that absolute bastard smiled at him. “Jolly good. Glad that’s sorted. But, please, Gabriel. Anything you need in future. I would very much like another chance to assist you.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll find something.” He picked up the book and prepared to depart, then hesitated. There was a suspicion that had lurked in his mind for nearly a thousand years. “By the way, was that demon…what’s his name…Crowley? Was he involved in any of this…this business of yours?”

That stupid, nervous smile flashed across Aziraphale’s face, but he was almost entirely calm when he replied: “No, I haven’t seen Crowley all week.”

“Well. See you soon.”

The next instant, Gabriel was back in Heaven, in his private office. He tossed the book aside. So much wasted effort.

Still. There was one big project on the horizon. Something Aziraphale couldn’t help but fail at.

He pressed a button on his desk phone. “Get me an update on the Armageddon plans.”

Gabriel left, and Aziraphale felt the knot of worry untie in his stomach. The whole situation with that cursed book had entirely slipped his mind while he…

While he…

What had he been up to this week?

He remembered bits and pieces. Wandering the streets, talking to people, the usual. He’d picked up this lovely golden ring somewhere, and had already grown quite fond of it. But the week had flown by in a rather extraordinary way, and he couldn’t quite account for it.

Well, be that as it may. He was quite glad to spend the rest of the evening in his favorite chair, perhaps reread Hamlet or one of Georgette Heyer’s novels. Yes, he was very much in the mood for a happy ending tonight, though he wasn’t sure why.

On his way to the shelves, he noticed the vase full of daisies again. He couldn’t recall where they came from, but they did brighten up the room wonderfully.

(Thank you! Notes for this chapter can be found on AO3, but especial thanks to @under-a-linden-tree for help writing Aziraphale’s wedding vows, because it was just a bit sappier than I usually go! The final two chapters are quick epilogues, which I will have up as soon as possible.)

@black-velvet-roses-tea @witchingwhovian

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thestuckylibrary · 4 years

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Anon 1 said:

i’ve combed through every single tag i can think of but still can’t find this fic. steve is a glory hole sex worker and bucky is a veteran and is trying to get better at positive touch but is super quiet at first when he first starts going. steve is determined to get him to make noise and their relationship progresses from there. PLEASE help me out and thank you so much!!!!

Anon sent in Say it louder for the people in the back by redhook (complete | 14,864 | E)

Anon 2 said:

hi! I’m looking for a fic that I just read but can’t seem to find. Revolves around Steve and Bucky living together, Bucky often cooks or bakes for Steve and doesn’t get out of the house much and they watch TV together every night and when Steve has to leave he always sends Bucky coded text messages to update him? I remember so much from it, like Steve invited Nat and Sam over for lunch, Bucky slept in Steve’s bed for two weeks while he was out. Please help me :(

dolphinqueen10 sent in Stop and Say You Love Me by eyesofshinigami (complete | 20,082 | E)

herkharvey sent in all your tenderness by belovedmuerto (oneshot | 22,580 | T)

Anon sent in before we can breathe easy by belovedmuerto (oneshot | 22,052 | T)

Anon 3 said:

Hiiiii, so sorry to bother you but like, I was reading this oneshot fic where Bucky has PTSD and he accidentally triggers it and Steve helps him through it? It was something like that, maybe they were sleeping, or it was night. I had literally just started reading it and then my phone crashed and my internet closed down. I've been looking everywhere and I think the author wasn't very popular, so I can't find it. But if you could please help me? Thank you!

Anon 4 said:

I'm looking for this fic where Steve cross dresses pre-war, and when he comes back after the ice, he tries to dress up again but because he's big now, he doesn't feel pretty anymore and Bucky comes home and says something like "I never thought I'd see my best gal again"

Anon sent in If Only For One Night by OhCaptainMyCaptain (oneshot | 11,749 | E)

Anon sent in bodily whole (but my head's in a mess) by wilderswans (oneshot | 4,434 | M)

Anon 5 said:

Hello, I looked all over the soulmate tag and couldn’t find this fic where Steve is at Bucky’s house and then he realized bucky is his soulmate. His soul tries to reach to bucky but he didn’t reach it back. I can’t remember any other details besides this one

dolphinqueen10 sent in True North by leveragehunters (Monkeygreen) (oneshot | 6,693 | T)

crescendohno said:

Wondering if you can help me find a fic. After the serum, steve loses his memory of everything that came before it. He doesn’t remember Bucky or Brooklyn or any of it. I think it’s mostly a re-telling of TFA. I’ve already looked through the amnesiac Steve tag. Anyone remember this one?

Anon sent in The Gift of a Clean Slate (it's a Trojan horse) by StuckySituation (oneshot | 6,603 | M)

Anon 6 said:

I've been looking for a short smut fic for a while and i can't seem to find it again - it was post winter soldier and bucky had steve pretend to be one of his handlers (as in, d/s scene) and bucky had to take a bunch of buttplugs that increased in size. thanks for any help!

Anon sent in Forward, Always Forward by BrighteyedJill, helahler (oneshot | 3,736 | E)

Anon 7 said:

Hi! I’m looking for a fic where bucky tells steve he loves him and Steve has a panic attack and CANNOT believe him bc in the 40s steve told bucky he loved him the night he left for the draft, and bucky called him all kinds of awful slurs trying to “save” him from being queer. Post WS bucky doesn’t remember, but after steve panics he finds out. I remember there being a line like “it was still hard for steve to say it and know it was a good thing” but that’s it. Any help would b gr8, thx!

dolphinqueen10 sent in Remember Me by prisma134 (oneshot | 18,040 | M)

Anon 8 said:

The only thing I remember about this fic I'm looking for is that Bucky was slightly feral, and he made up a nest under the armchair in the living room and Steve accidentally scared him and apologized for encroaching on Bucky's space?

lindsey-of-north and time-lord-no-more sent in Here We Mark the Price of Freedom by Diamond_Raven (restricted, complete | 175,595 | E)

stevietomybuck said:

hi! so i remember this fanfic that i read maybe 2015-17. it’s shrinkyclinks/modern au. steve moves into bucky’s apartment building and he has severe ptsd. steve is like a cartoon colorer/cartoonist. it’s like ten chapters long. i would love to reread it thank you!! (if you can’t find it it’s fine sksbsjdnsn)

ajkal2 sent in To Be Vulnerable Is Needed Most Of All by perfect_plan (complete | 118,363 | M)

Anon 9 said:

Hello! I'm so thankful for all the effort you're doing here. I just wanted to ask if you happen to know of this fic where steve and bucky with the howling comandos are given time off, in a house in the london suburbs. Everyone goes off to the bar except steve and bucky, and they end up doing nsfw things in the kitchen? and they're almost discovered? I've tried searching for it but I'm not sure if it was complete or if it was tagged switching or etc. I'll continue my search but help?

ajkal2 sent in The Size of Perfection by Phoenike (complete | 31,193 | E)

Anon 10 said:

Hi, im looking for a fic ive read before but forgot the title. Basically, Steve never got the serum and I'm pretty sure Bucky was Cap. Bucky crashes the plane and wakes up in the future where Steve is an old man.

stevesbi sent in though you're many years away by eyres (complete | 12,588 | T)

Anon 11 said:

I’m looking for this fic where I think steve is small and he’s a comic book artist with sam(?) and he goes to this coffee shop owned by nat and he has a crush on bucky but bucky is really awkward and for some reason can only speak Russian around steve and the agents of shield are in it and buckys Lives with Natasha and Clint??

pendragonstar and Anon sent in to live with thee by aw marvel no (getoffmysheets) (complete | 69,834 | E)

Anon 12 said:

Okay so I'm looking for a fic. Basically Steve starts dating again and The Winter Soldier gets jealous and either severely injures or kills Steve's dates. Steve wants to see Bucky so he starts getting reckless with the dates and that's all I remember. THank you so much

Anon sent in Warning Shot by togina (oneshot | 5,577 | T) - steve/others

polyglot-night-owl said:

Hii!! So, I'm looking for this fic I read on Ao3 where Bucky couldn't speak or didn't remember how to. Steve tried to make him write stuff but even that, he could barely do. I just remember that Bucky knew like 10 signs (like sign language) and Steve was interrogating him at some point. If that helps, one of the sign meant like 'stop' or 'please no'. Sorry if that's too vague 😅

ajkal2 sent in despite the threatening sky and shuddering earth (they remained) by praximeter (Zimario) (complete | 71,532 | E)

#group asks

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stluciasstudentjail · 6 years

Note

For Renee: 15, 16, 25, 38, 21, A, G, E. For Alister: 1, 13, 22, 18, 21, 16, 31, E, . For Cas: 3, 15, 18, 21, 22, 31, 38, 43, 7, E. For Cameron: 1, 3, 7, 8, 10, 13, 17, 18, 21, 30, 32, A, E, B. For Rory: 2, 11, 14, 16, 25, 35, 40, A, B, E, G

ok u asked for it. I literally had to wait and do this on the computer bc like… I aint about to do all these on my phone

Renee:

15: It depends, sometimes she says stupid shit on the spot (especially when she’s mad) but she stops and tries to articulate her words when she’s trying to comfort or encourage someone

16: LUCAS. But really, seeing Avery never stops making her feel sick in fear AND disgust. (not just bc he ugly)

25: Something she never liked to think about for herself because it’s completely impossible for her to live a normal life and not endanger her spouse. BUT when it comes to other people getting married she’s a romantic and loves seeing happy couples. (that’s why she likes a good romance movie)

38: pfft she relives her mistakes constantly, but most likely the first person she killed. It’s the most often recurring thought, anyway.

21: She just wants to be able to live a normal life, honestly. She tries to be optimistic about it. Oh, and she wants to murder Avery so he can never hurt her or anyone else ever again :)

A) I like that she’s actually trying to improve herself and it’s nice to see her actually TRY to learn to her mistakes and be a better person even tho it aint work.

G) She’s so damn petty and destructive in her relationships, it takes a lot of effort for her to step back and unlearn the behaviors she was taught growing up.

E) Yeah if the bitch wouldn’t go off on me

Alister:

1. Maybe a half hour? He’s not good at relaxing lmao I wonder why.

13: He throws on mostly dark or neutral colors, which looks good BUT he actually looks best in red imo. He probably wouldn’t choose to wear it himself but wouldn’t be opposed to it either.

22: It’s actually pretty easy to make him jealous, but he’d probably just distance himself and act like he could NOT care less. big surprise and not super obvious at all. He’d just never admit to it.

18: The vague implication that he cares about his friends, family, romantic interest.. etc.

21: pretty well only because he has people he cares about he wants to look out for. Oh, and he’s stubborn af and not to mention already too used to carrying on.

16: Lucas, Avery, both of his parents… etc.

31: That’s hard bc they all dumb af. but uhhh he appreciates Renee a lot for all her optimisim despite everything they went through. They made things a little easier for eachother outside of the whole dumb mutual crush they had going on. They’re genuinely good friends tho.

E: I’d just think he was a prick probably and even if I knew he was actually a decent person I don’t VIBE with that type of pal irl.

Cas:

3: readingggggg. He finds it fun and distracting.

15: absolutely rehersed to sound as dumb as possible lmao. He goes over a lot of his dumb speeches in his head.

18: not being able to control himself tbch. Obviously he’s embarrassed a lot.

21: He wants to try and get back to his normal self. haha can u imagine. But tbh he wants to figure out who he used to be.

22: it manifests in passive aggressive comments about the person he’s jealous of. He’d probably come out and say something if it were really bothering him, but he’d try not to overreact.

31: his PALS. Renee reached out to him first, so probably her. She’s popular w/ the squad apparently. (also I’m answering every 31 question outside of the rp otherwise they’d b different lol)

38: His memories are mostly ingrained with Kate. He mostly comes back to a moment where he was isolated and calling out for her. He finds it VERY shameful.

43: He’d say he thinks girls are pretty. But sometimes, he also thinks BOYS are pretty. And then someone would say “bud ur bi” and he’d be like “haha ya!” with a vapid smile on his face.

7. Being at his HOUSE, of course. It makes him kinda sad and empty though. It’s more of a bittersweet feeling.

E: Maybe in small doses. He could get annoying.

Cameron:

1. 0 seconds. He’d have to go entertain himself or bother someone.

3. Daydreaming, for sure.

7. fuckin uhhhhh sometimes just being around his brother can give him some actual good nostalgic feelings, but it’s a mixed bag because their childhood was… u kno, bad.

8. By his mom? stop talking so much/so fast. By his brother? stop talking to random strangers u swamp creature.

10: He mostly lied to his mom about where he was going, what he was doing, and just to avoid getting in trouble. He doesn’t really feel bad about it.

13: He thinks he looks best in blue. It suits him pretty well, actually.

17: He has very little shame, so no.

18: He’s a little embarrassed when he’s complimented by a friend or praised by an adult, but he just covers it up with bravado so u can’t even tell.

21: Since he’s a very social person he really just wants to get up and hang w/ his PALS. and have a good time.

30: Steeeeeeeveeeee

32: He’ll just say something off the wall or sarcastic.

A) Honestly? He’s just fun bc he has absolutely zero self control.

E) Yeah he’d be fun to hang out with, just maybe not constantly because he’s kinda Much.

B) he was literally just supposed to add some more background for Alister, but now I have to deal with him 4ever. :(

Rory:

2. She’ll laugh openly if someone trips or does something embarrassing. Usually she’ll just crack a smile at a joke, unless it’s HYSTERICAL

11. Depends on the circumstances, but most often she’ll just nod and try to seem mature while having no idea what the fuck is going on.

14. She loves animals. Just not snakes.

16. Being grabbed or touched without warning makes her feel sick. It really depends on how she’s feeling that day, though.

25: Something she’d love but can’t see herself being able to manage.

35: She tries her hardest to be like “ok… neat.” even if she thinks it’s dumb. Sometimes she’ll make insensitive comments or be really obvious about her lack of interest but she TRIES.

40: She knows her own flaws very well, she just doesn’t go out and admit it openly. Her self esteem is crap but sometimes she gets caught in the moment and doesn’t realize she’s being shitty until after the fact.

A) the way she’s slooowly working to the point where she’ll be able to kick Lucas off a bridgeB) my thought process: im need… more girl. E) nooooo and no. actually MAYBE sometimes. G) Her being kind of a fukin jerk most of the time is like lord don’t u get tired go take a nap

#ocs #bakugosucks #oc tag

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thexsisters · 7 years

Photo

2017

A lot has happened in 2017 for me. I started the year out getting incredibly sick and I had my first ever foot injury without being in any kind of sports. Haha. The month of January was awful. Let me tell you. But some of you know. Because you were there for me.

A few months speeding up to March and something really scary happened to my grandpa. Something that I wasn’t sure he could come back from. You guys helped me. Some of you more than others but what matters was that some of you reached out. Even if it was just once and only for a few minutes. Lord knows you all have your own lives too.

My grandpa is now nearly back to the way he was. It’s our miracle of 2017 for sure. I then went to the beach for the first time ever in May and it was a blast! I can’t wait to go to a different beach next year. As long as I don’t see any sharks because for real I may live in Ohio but sharks are my greatest fear, okay???

August started out as one of the most thrilling months of 2017 but within a week it became the worst month of 2017. I had been waiting to move out for so long and when I finally got my chance, I was played and lied to. Like usual. I think on some level I’m cursed. For reals. But anyway, August sucked. But you guys were there. You were. You got me through it.

2017 was also the year I finally learned what all the hype was about this group called BTS. I knew they were popular but I was just so hooked on VIXX that I wasn’t really ready to listen to anything else. And then I came back from my beach vacation in May and the Billboard awards was on. I was like “Oh cool! Kpop is making us proud with that BTS group!” And that was all it took for me to become a baby Army~

In the process of getting sucked into the fandom, I have met so many wonderful people! Army is a fandom that, like many, have good apples and bad apples. But I’m one of the lucky ones that have met nothing but good apples~ I’m very fortunate for that. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. You guys put up with my Jungkook spams and BTS trash posts in general. Haha!

Thank you

@grxnadxs

Chrissy. My adorable turtle with the cute shell~ Sometimes I imagine us just chilling in your shell while you tell me about things like your book cause I’m a huge fangirl, okay? But not just your book, I often imagine us talking about life and how I wish I could do more for you as a friend. If I could tattoo any quote to your body, it would be the famous quote by Christopher Robin. “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” You fight so many battles in your life. And even when you don’t always win those battles, you never give up the war. That takes real bravery, strength, and smarts. Gosh Chrissy. You’re one of the smartest girls I know. But I also know how anxiety has it’s way of clouding those smarts. Turning us into mumbling stumbling sheep who’ve lost our way. But this year you’ve kicked some major butt, okay? You got a job! You stared your enemies in the eye and you said “F*** you.” You went to that job fair, you got that interview, and you got that job. THE Chrissy that I know can do anything she sets her mind to got a job! I’m so proud of you, girl. This is our second Christmas as friends and you’re forever one of my best friends. There are still many battles to be fought, but let’s fight them together, okay?

@fluorvte

Laura. My skanky skank. The Sushi Mama. Sadly I did not get to spend as much of 2017 with you as I would have liked. Being what I believe is 6 hours apart makes things difficult, I know. But of course we always make it work. Bless you and Chrissy for throwing me that birthday party. You guys know how much I loved our AIM chats. Sadly AIM is a thing of the past now. But at least we have the memories in our head and our hearts. That birthday party meant so much to me. You made time out of your busy life for me. That means so much. I miss you. It’s probably selfish of me to say but it’s true. I try to be okay with it. I know you’re busy. But you’ll always be my owl that watches over me. You’re still sitting on my desk with Chrissy. I have those stuffed turtle and snow owl on my desk at work. So that I have you guys with me always~ No matter how often we don’t talk, I know you’re always with me. Thanks for being such an amazing friend and an amazing writer. You never fail to blow me away with your writing.

@intoyxurheart

Where do I even start with you? Aigoo. So much has happened that it feels like we’ve known each other for years. In fact it feels so long ago that I barely remember how we first started talking. Isn’t that awful? Haha. But I do indeed remember me approaching you first. I had been checking the people who were following me but had yet to actually approach me. So I thought I’d hit you up with an instant message here on tumblr. And that’s all it took. Here we are now. Several months later and we have so many ships and it makes me feel fuzzy. You, Chrissy, and one other person are the only ones who put up with all my crazy ideas and I’ll never be able to thank you enough for putting up with that because I know my imagination can get pretty wild and out there. You are most certainly my blessing from 2017. Being strong for me so that I can be strong for my friends and family. I can’t tell you enough how precious you are. Don’t let anyone tell you any different because my opinion is the only one that matters. Haha! Let’s have many more Christmases together, okay?

@hyohyorp

Oh sweet pea I’m so sorry. 2017 wasn’t good to us and I’m so very sorry for that. Things happened and I was still trying to find my way with how I wanted to rp male muses and you were my guinea pig most of the time. But you really stuck by me. And I just want you to know how appreciative I am of you and all your endless patience with me. Our time zones make rping live really difficult but you put up with it anyway. I’m so proud of you for making your multimuse blog. I bet you’re having a blast, right? heehee It’s so good to see you having a blast and enjoying yourself. I knew you’d love it. And hopefully 2018 will be full of fun moments for Taekwoon and Hyosung~

@gcholdtrops

I’m squealing and flailing cause like I don’t even know where to start, okay??? You’ve grown to be one of my idols. I’ll never forget how our story first started. The first chapter was honestly me watching you pop up on my list of recommendations provided by tumblr. I’d click your blog and instantly start sweating because like um hello. You’re totally above me and like I just didn’t think I’d ever be able to be worthy of your writing. Like I totally believed I wasn’t worth being in your ring of writers. Everything about you is amazing and I just couldn’t. Too chicken. Couldn’t do it. But one day I got the fuzzy dice to finally approach you. And I’m glad I did. Because here I am. And I’m still such a fangirl, okay? You’re always going to be my idol. I’ll never forget that first meme reply. I remember reading it over and over again on my lunch hours at work. Smiling like an idiot and being floored every time I read it. Our cuties are so naughty and cute and gosh I ship it hard core. Seulgi isn’t naughty in her other ships but dang she channels her inner BoA when she’s with her handsome composer.~ Let’s always be rp partners, Army, and most importantly friends.

@butlersrus

Waaah~ I know we don’t talk much out of character but from what I’ve seen, you’re absolutely precious! In fact I know so little that I don’t even know if you’re male or female so I do apologize. But this is about the people who’ve touched my life and been there for me this year and you’re one of them. Whether I know anything about you or not. And you deserve to be recognized. Much like with the cutie mentioned above you, I kept watching your blog pop up in my list of recommendations. Sooo many times I’d click your blog and nibble my nails nervously because like dang what if you thought I was weird or something. Like what if our muses weren’t compatible. But wow was I wrong. Like I die a fangirl’s death every time I see Seulgi with Shownu because I keep trying to blow on the sails of the ship. Willing it to sail all around the Caribbean. Haha! I love shipping and I’m terrible at slow burning ships because I just want it to happen now. I want them to kiss now! Haha! Thank you for making my days brighter with our rping. I always have a pleasant morning because there’s a cute reply from Shownu waiting for me in my IM on tumblr. It’s a wonderful start to my morning routine. Let me tell you~ Thank you. For everything. Let’s continue to be rp partners and even friends. I’m glad I got the guts to approach you. Hopefully you are just as happy~

@abxavterno

Cutie! Thank you so much for expressing concern over my icky eczema condition. Honestly if I were to bandage all my other patches of eczema, I would literally look like a mummy. There’s one big reason I dislike winter weather and this would be it. Dry skin. But don’t worry, I just gotta make it to at least like March or April and I think it’ll settle down and clear up. Till next time. OTL Anyway! Thank you so much for sticking around. I know there for awhile we’d have mun conversations and you’d share your worries with me. I still really value that and appreciate that. You’re so sweet and I feel like I can approach you any time. You’re a good person. I hope you know that. And gaaaah. Our muses are so cute! I don’t know if it’ll ever be an official ship but I definitely ship shy Seulgi with sexy Eros. I like the rp relationship we have. We’ve had a few threads and even though a lot of them haven’t worked out, that’s not stopped us from trying new pairings and plots. I like that~ I can appreciate and admire that. Thank you. You’ve made 2017 very enjoyable. Let’s keep at it!

@terniox

Sobs sobs sobs. I miss youuuuu. You were one of the first few people to pick me up when life around me was ending as I knew it. You were one of the first few people to help me dip my toes into the idea of being multiverse. I still only really had Tiffany at the time but I wanted her to have other verses. And you dived right in with me. Our ship is the longest lasting ship on this blog and it’s always going to be special to me. I hope you’re well. I really do because I know I don’t see or hear from you as often. But you’re still important to me. So you deserve your spot here with all these other wonderful people. Because you will forever be wonderful to me in my book. Let’s continue to be amazing friends no matter how far apart life tries to keep us, okay? Heehee~

@viiifates

Hellooooo~ Another one of those cuties who I don’t really talk to out of character but you’re still so wonderful to rp with! I like our plot. I honestly don’t know much about mafia plots no matter how many BTS mafia fanfics I read but haha! I promise I’m still having a blast no matter what. I have always wanted to dip my toes in the type of plot we have going on so it’s a joy and an honor to be able to rp that with you. I like how rping is casual and enjoyable while still being thrilling all at the same time. Thanks for putting up with my tumblr IM rping style that I’ve seemed to take quite a liking to lately. It’s so convenient and it’s still just as fun! You’re a wonderful rp partner and I hope we can also be good friends too!

@darksideofseoul

Ah sweetie pie! Thank you so much for being such a wonderful, understanding sweetheart. I was kinda sorta losing it and going out of my mind with panic the last time we spoke and I do apologize. I probably seemed so irrational. Apparently that’s what happens when eczema, stress, and coming down with a killer migraine falls upon you within two weeks’ time. I really do enjoy all our little threads we have going on. I’m glad we didn’t give up. BoA and Donghae are sooooo OTP material. heehee~ She’ll die if he ever proposes. haha! Thank you so much for being a wonderful rp partner. But not just for what you do within the rp community, but also what you do outside of it. You risk your life every day and I will always admire that. Stay strong and be safe out there, okay?

@dashdasxorphans

My fellow Ohioan! Congratulations on your wedding! I bet it was absolutely beautiful and hopefully you had lots of fun on your honeymoon~ Thank you so much for rping with me. I know it’s not something that happens often but I still enjoy every second of it. I never take it for granted. Your Leo was one of this blog’s first verses when it was still just Tiffany. Our muses have been through a lot and came a long way. I’ll always treasure the memories between our muses on this blog. You helped me learn what it was like to be multiverse so that I could one day become more confident in what I was doing as a writer and a mun behind the muse. Thank you. You’re wonderful and I hope you’re doing well!

@luminxscent

Sweet pea! I miss you bunches and I hope you’re doing well. I’ll never forget all that you’ve done for me. You were there when I was in so much pain. You managed to stay neutral while helping me piece myself and BoA back together. You know how much that means to me? When I was so sick that I could have physically puked. You were there. You were there. And I know we’ve had our ups and downs. But I think that’s what makes some of the greatest friendships. The strongest friendships. We always manage to gravitate back to each other. Through thick and thin. Thank you. I keep my pink haired Hongbin photo card at my desk and every time I look at it, I think of you. You gave me so many gifts and I wish I could give it back to you doubled! Please take care and never forget that you can always come to me to talk about anything~

@paperhecrts

New cutie friend person! Heehee~ You’re already turning into a partner who’s gonna fly with any idea I throw at you. I can tell. Thank you for embracing those crazy ideas and shipping with me from day one. Literally. Like I can tell we’ve got great chemistry as writers and I sure do hope I don’t annoy you with my out of character messages in tumblr IM. I get awfully paranoid when I realize that tumblr might not be sending my messages through. Seulgi and Baekhyun are just such OTP material and I’m excited for Tiffany and Jaebum. I love the rocky, unstable aspects of our two ships so far. It’s fresh and new and doesn’t scare me because I know in the end it’ll be okay for them~ I’m excited to see where they go in 2018!

@hvllelujah

Sweetheart! I sure hope you’re taking care of yourself. Color in a Hello Kitty coloring book for me, okay? Heehee~ I miss you and I really truly do hope you’re doing well. I know the last time we talked, you were getting life figured out which honestly is a full time job in itself. Remember, any time you wanna talk or need someone to just listen, I’m here. Our rping hasn’t exactly been a thing and once upon a time it really upset me but I’ve tried to grow up and be a big girl about things like that. Especially now that I’m gaining perspective and know how hard it is to keep up when all you wanna do is focus on other things. I’m sorry I ever made things difficult for you. I hope you can forgive me. I just really loved your writing and I wanted to be a part of it. But having matured over time, I really do hope you’re taking care of yourself and doing what’s best for you~ You be good, okay? Heehee.

@xvrwxrld

Whines I hope you’re taking care of yourself, sweet pea. You know how much I worry about you. Overworking yourself or living in conditions less than healthy. Stay warm this winter. I wish I could mail you a bunch of blankets. My grandmother made me a ton that I could give you. We’ve had our fun moments though, haven’t we? Time and schedules always seem to get in our way of rping. But I’ll never forget what you told me not too long ago. How you enjoyed my muses and thought they were wonderful. That’ll always mean a lot to me and I still blush like an idiot over it. I often worry that my girls are too....out there and weird. Haha. So thank you for taking the time to admire each one of them. I’ll always treasure that. One day we’ll get to plot and rp. I don’t know when, but it’s gonna happen. Count on it!

@avtvmnwings

I miss you, dear. I hope you’re okay and enjoying life~ Hopefully life is treating you well. It’s been awhile since we last spoke but I still think about you and I still try to watch over you from afar. We’ve had a lot of fun and exciting rps though, ne? You’re a great writer and I don’t ever want you forgetting that. Our out of character conversations were always enjoyable and heartfelt. I treasure those moments because you were able to open up to me and I appreciate that. More than you’ll know. You take care of yourself, okay? Be good and stay strong. You’re doing a wonderful job. Heehee~

#christmas 2017 #keepsake #(( *sweats* i don't think i'm missing anyone ))#(( yes this is early because it's been so long and i miss everyone ; ; ))

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postcards-to-home · 6 years

Text

Finding Happiness & Beating the Odds.

Being away from home is all fun and games until a wave of sudden discomfort and solidarity wash over you and you can’t quite figure out how to sort yourself out. Seeking happiness and banning the “weird feelings” should be easy right? No mess or fuss from home to linger about all wonky. Minds do this thing where they get triggered. One minute you're laughing under the cherry blossom tree thinking about how beautiful it is to walk home from the grocery store alone in the sunshine and then all of a sudden- Bam. You're tearing up at the hues of pink gathering darkest in the middle wondering how much your nan or in this case my gram would have loved to gather them all together and make a nice vase of them. But then you remember that was four years ago and a million and one things came streaming on after those sad winter days.

And then I get thinking about how maybe Emily, and Grace and I would have taken the most epic picture at the Manly Northhead point at sunset and I wonder how many pages deep Grace is into studying for the Mcat or how many times Emilys re-done the same lines on photoshop that night. Oh right they are probably asleep right now- well actually I bet one of them is up. Nevermind they didn’t answer my FaceTime call. The next day I get an amazing text from Grace saying God has blessed her in her time of need and all I want to do is drive fast on Western ave hitting green lights listening to Lorde’s new album hoping I reach her place at exactly the time I told her. Its a game we have seeing if I can show up exactly on time since we know she’s never able to do the same.

Or I get thinking” damn I hope this summer Emily stays home for two weeks so I can see her at least twice since I know I’ll be working at shit hole Stewart’s again.Maybe we can go thrifting if we have the money and we can do a cool photoshoot for old times sake,” and my thoughts trail off one by one about all the people I love and the silly small things we do together that make us smile with happiness.

I am happy. It is something I no longer have to tell myself these things. I wake up and know each day is new and fresher than the day before. I do not struggle to let my bare feet hit the floor, or in this case my desk from the top bunk. I do not cough and heave and wonder aloud why my chest hurts so much or my stomach feels so empty because I skipped the dining hall again because it was far too cold and im slightly socially anxious to go with out someone like Jay. Oh how horrible right boo-hoo me and my woes.Drake could probably write a number one hit off my basic ass bitching. in other words being far from home teaches immense lessons. Growing up is easy- the hard part is dealing with all those stupid thoughts we have and can’t control.

It’s so easy to feel triggered yet no one wants to talk about it? WHY? Emotions are so scary but so liberating.The moments we feel so sad are the times when we are so happy we truly notice them.It’s like benchmarking in business. If you didnt have something to compare it to you wouldn't have known it was possible to exist just like our feelings.That’s how my mind has been working. Comparing everything to a business schematic. Like when I wake up at 3 in the morning with my heart racing with ideas on how to fix Stewart’s Facebook marketing plan because it kinda sucks. I think I may have a problem and an answer to theirs. But the complete rush of ideas is a beautiful thing. To be able to feel so much again when i was feeling so little. It is both terrifying and exciting to be bombarded with ideas on how to just better the people and places around me. Yet excitement is a fleeting feeing like fireworks we coo over and immediately forget about 30 seconds later.

It sounds so crazy to ramble about all these stupid little things. Maybe that’s something we as people don’t indulge in enough. Our small thoughts and how we can project them into bigger and more expansive thoughts.Isn’t that how we find our own inner happiness? Looking at the little things that make up the bigger and brighter parts of who we are and who we wish to become. That’s what’s keeping me so entertained and so awakened towards accepting happiness. Allowing myself to breath relief and knowing it will be all okay.

Oddly enough I had a dream before I came all this way here. I’ve told lots of people this story but i’d like to tell it again. I do this thing where I like to sit in the car and talk to myself. Sometimes I pray for people, or sing but on that particular day I wanted to ask my grandma a very specific question. The question doesn’t really matter at this point.But I was driving the subaru around the reservoir just humming along hoping maybe I’d hear the right song and it would be a sign. Instead I just went home and went to sleep.

I had been at home frantic about said native “Schaghticokians” taking over our back field. This is very irrelevant to the story but quite frankly I was stressed and no one gave a single damn about it. As usual. So I just sort of laid down on our goodliving room floor waiting for the destruction of our home to continue as disgustingly bearded men played beer ping and splashed their dip cups all over our hard wood floor. Their were an obnoxious amount of old people loitering in our house. The christmas tree was up despite it being late january and i knew my mom would of tore that down the minute christmas was over. The people sort of Divided as one specific blonde haired individual in her usual red coat appeared. It’s bizarre but eveytime Gram decided to show up I get really frantic like I know she's going to disappear real quick. So I ran up to her but waited until she loosened her scarf and we hugged and she gave me her usual “ I love and miss you always,” spiel.She told me point blank “ I see you talking in the car to yourself asking me things. You need to stop doing that so often and just relax and follow gods plan.” I literally was actually pissed when she started to walk away and yelled at her for not answering my question exactly. She just smiled and said I really needed to relax more about life because its all going to work out.

I’d like to say that that was the last dead person to contact me after that about relaxing but it wasn’t. I had a few other random strangers of the dead tell me to “ Chill out” and I found myself telling my hairdresser of all people that maybe I was really stressed out. My dreams only continued to get weirder until I came here and they stopped entirely. I didnt have much to stress about except about not being happy and the possibility of never finding it. Would I find happiness out there. Would my room mate suck? Would I be able to eat.. and the list went on.

But you know what? Every stupid little thing worked out.

Which brings me back to the other day.

Down in Corso I picked up a FaceTime from my parents.It was grocery day Alexis and I had stopped to watch a friend of a friend perform a a few songs on the side of the street. She was all googley eyed as he was singing his very popular cover of a famous Ed sheeran song while i was just giggling like a fool the whole time. Smiling I answered with the sounds fading from behind as I walked to the sea to find silence.

“ Are you drunk right now or buzzed? I’m positive you’ve been drinking”

... What an interesting first liner dare I say Yvonne? (She’d have my ass on a plate if I didn’t address her as anything but mom or mommy)

“ Actually this is just me being genuinely happy for once”

..And it was as easy as that..

#pch18

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glove23 · 7 years

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im gonna be evil and say ALL ODDS

1: what is ur first fanfic and could you stand to reread itPERCY'S AWKWARD CONFESSIONS on ffnet under my old name pjohohglove if u feel the need to read the awful stuff I used to write and I can read like? The first chapter? But after that it gets REAL CRINGEY3: in your opinion what's your best fic?I really like the style of They Crinkle When You Smile but I think quality wise it's probably Meeting Your Maker (Literally) bc I've had the most time to work and improve on it5: is there any fic that makes you super happy to reread and remember you wrote?Any of my soulmate aus I love that shit so much7: what's the fic you most want to continue? (Unfinished or not)MEETING YOUR MAKER (LITERALLY) I love that fic so much it contains my heart and soul9: have you ever written for a fandom without watching/reading/playing the source material?No I generally only write fic for things I know inside and out bc then I don't have to reach for references as much, I just already know11: have you ever written a fic for a concept you know someone else has written before? How did it impact your writing process and feelings after posting?I have. I tried to stay away from tropes I had seen used in a lot of that type of fic unless it's like a truly GREAT trope that I couldn't live without bc I didn't want people to just be reading the same thing over and over and I want people to be interested. I'm pretty sure I've accomplished that so far so it's a Good Feeling13: what's the biggest change between your style when you started in fandom and today?I actually know how to use paragraphs now??? And how to write a chapter longer than 100 words?? And how to make things ACTUALLY interesting good lord I look back on my starting fics and I don't know how ppl said I was good I love u all who said that but HOW15: have you ever purposefully written one fandom/fic idea over another bc you knew it'd be more popular? Not that I can recall at the moment nope17: in your opinion what's your most over rated fic?Oh god do I have overrated fic that's like #Goals right there I want to be SO FANDOM FAMOUS that everyone has this one fav fic and then I'm just Over It but honestly I doubt I will ever be Over ppl loving my work19: if you had to pick one fic/scene/chapter of your work to describe your entire portfolio to a stranger, which would you pick?Prolly Mark Me, Save Me. It's just. Real good. Tugs at every heart string. I love it so much21: if someone starts kudosing and commenting your fics in a spree and had a few works of their own, would you go look through theirs?OF COURSE!! That's a great way to make new friends and find Great Fic23: what's the nicest review you've ever gotten?😭😭 oh man I don't know every review?? Honestly every single one makes me so happy they're all so great I love you all25: what constructive criticism, however well meaning, always makes you feel bad when you see it in a review?Ohhh man I don't know lowkey all constructive criticism makes me feel bad 27: if you could only write crossovers or single fandom fics ever again, which would you pick?Crossovers. I wanna get ALL THE SHIT IN IN EVERY SINGLE FIC I say as I haven't ever written a crossover actually no I take that back I only want to write single fandom fics Taking The East Road29: does the division of your writing across fandoms line up with your reading? What's the biggest discrepancy?I don't even know what this is asking me? Is it is my writing different for different fandoms bc??? Idfk man31: who is the one character you've never managed to get perfectly right?Annabeth Chase. I feel like I never can capture her correctly and it bothers me All The Time33:is there any character whose scenes always end up being longer/more frequent than you expected? Does the quality hold up?Harry Freakin Potter u don't understand he's a LEGAND MAN. Uhhh the quality is kind of all over the place tbh35: have u ever written a ship into a fic without meaning to?All Ships In My Fic Are Intentional I love throwing ppl into shit37: have u ever purposefully bashed a character/ship in a fic?I don't know how to respond to this one bc like? Obviously there are characters I don't like but I'm not abt purposefully bashing ppl if they don't deserve it I guess? Idk man I spent a good 20 minutes thinking of how to answer this39: do you consider yourself to have a readership?I don't even know what that means uhh if I have to guess I'd say yes? Sort of? There's a few of u who have commented more than once at least :)41:if you cross post your fics on certain sites....There was more to the question but I don't cross post I only use ao3 bc I'm l a z y 😂😂😂43: how many views does your least popular fic have? (I'm gonna do the popular one too bc I feel like it) Least: 70 Most:5938Both hp but complete opposite ends of the spectrum 45: if you had to call yourself an author of a single genre (besides fanfic) what label would you give yourself?Oh man uhh I guess kind of scifi/fantasy kinda thing? Bc time travel is scifi but dragons are fantasy so it's a strange mixture of both.47: if someone you know in real life who isn't involved in fandoms asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first?Yeah I think I'd let them? Depending really on who is asking is which fic id let them read first. My parents probably one of the fluffy Percabeth soulmate aus. Literally anyone else, meeting your maker. 49: has anyone in your life ever read your fanfic just bc you wrote it?Uhh not that I'm aware of? I've actually had to ask friends to read it and then they just never did 😂😂 Rie ur evil this took me forever also I'm sorry it took forever God this is long

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ecotone99 · 5 years

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[MF] Misc Fiction

Homeless rider

My phone dinged. A rider. My very first rider. I grabbed the keys and was out the door and on the road in the blink of an eye. The perfect tunes were playing and the air conditioner was blasting. I was prepared. Ready to become the best uber driver this town has ever seen. My attitude changed as I realized what the the pickup location was. The soup kitchen. I threw my car in park and waited for my rider. Praying he or she would be a volunteer. Suddenly the doors to the homeless person haven burst open. Well fed hobos and nicely dressed volunteers flooded the stairs. One large man broke from the crowd and made his way over to my car. The door ripped open and a musty stench filled my nostrils. ¨Hi is this for Ricky?” I nodded at the dirty man entering my car. His graphic t shirt was much too small and his pants many sizes too big. His peppered white hair brushed the roof of the car, sprinkling dirt onto the center console. I pretended not to notice. ¨Where we heading?¨ He smiled a toothless grin. ¨The poker room down the street. I want to beat the heat today you know what I mean¨ I let out a short convincing laugh. ¨I know exactly what you mean sir.¨ Though I did not. A homeless man taking an uber from the soup kitchen to the casino. Was this some sort of joke? Multiple of questions raced through my head but I somehow managed to speak the one of least offense. ¨Is there a poker tournament going on today?¨ He nodded and grumbled scratching his chin. ¨Yes there is. And I am going to win it all. You see I volunteered today and that got me good with the lord. Also I completed my mandated service hours so Im good with the government. And in addition to that. I got a free breakfast which makes me good on the entry fee if you know what I mean.¨ This time I did know what he meant. I nodded. ¨You any good at cards uber driver?¨ I nodded again. In fact I was very good at cards once upon a time. But those days are over. I inhaled a long, slow breath, pushing back the memories. The excitement. ¨I used to be. I don´t exactly gamble anymore¨ I added. ¨Why don´t you gamble anymore¨ Because I don’t want to end up like you. ¨Because you don´t want to end up like me¨? Did he just read my mind? ¨Ha I just read your mind I can see it on your face. Tricky Ricky strikes again!¨ ¨Can you read minds?¨ I asked falsely He shrugged. ¨Its happened before.¨

We pulled up to the poker room and Ricky reached for the door. ¨Hey what do you say you come in there and play a few hands. If my mind reading thing kicks back in, shit we could take it all!¨ I forced a smile, ¨No thank you Ricky. But it was nice getting to chat. Good luck in there.¨ And I pushed the smelly homeless man from my car. I drove home and cleaned my car before returning to the patrol. What a strange first ride. Luckily it is over and chances are, I will never see him again. Thats the life of an uber driver I suppose.

Suddenly my phone dinged. Another ride request.

I took a left and a right then another left until I found myself sitting infront of the old tall hotel in the heart of downtown. Out the revolving glass door walk three gorgeous young women. Each of them supporting their own university with a different sweatshirt. Make up applied and shorts worn high, the three coeds walked up to my car. I rolled down my window and all three poked their heads in at once. ¨Is this for Stacy¨ ¨No I ordered it.¨ ¨Why does it smell like hobo in here¨

I managed to resist letting my eyes roll. As the three girls crawled into my car

¨Where are we headed?¨ I asked.

¨Uhm Im pretty sure the app tells you where to go?¨ Two of the girls giggled as the third shook her head smiling.

¨Don´t be so rude. We are headed to the poker tournament thanks for asking” She added kindly.

More tournament participants. Maybe the tournament is more popular than I expected.

“So what are you ladies studying in school” I asked, trying to make conversation. “Education! Stacy and I are going to be teachers!!” “Most important job in America. Good for you two.” Two of the girls beamed. “What about you” I asked the third girl, our eyes meeting again in my rear view mirror. “Psychology and Philosophy. I like it a lot so far.” “She is the smart one if you can’t tell. She’s going to be a psychiatrist one day.” I chuckled. “Very cool”

Moments later we found ourselves infront of the poker room. The three girls started to get out of my car when the nice one turned back and asked me if I would like to join them. Flattered. I smiled. ¨No thanks¨ and the door closed as the three girls raced into the poker room. My phone dinged. Another rider.

I pulled up to the same hotel as before, and waited for my rider. In front of the revolving door stood a lone man in a blue suit, sporting a leather briefcase in one hand, and a cell phone in the other. his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. He let out a wave, and I returned his signal. ¨The poker room on the east side please¨ Another poker player? ¨Sounds good. We will be there shortly.¨ Without request the businessman to proceeded to inform me of each and every dollar value attributed to the accounts he manages. He was a big financial manager in LA. I was surprised with how many of his clients I was familiar with. As well as how much golf he apparently played. But not one part of me cared about any of the haughty words leaving his mouth. ¨Very cool sir¨ I said carelessly as we pulled up to the stop. ¨Incase you ever make it big¨ I turned to see the man handing me his business card. And he was gone.

So it was back to patrol for me. I cruised the town, desperate for more riders, but My phone did not ding once again. So I returned home. Kicked off my shoes, and began making dinner. I cracked open a can of coconut milk and began stewing a curry as I flipped on the TV. Not a bad first day of uber driving. I thought. I wonder how that poker tournament went for everyone. To my surprise, the answer to my question appeared on the screen infront of me. ¨Well it looks like this is going to be the final hand tonight. The final three players are all in.¨ On the tv sat three characters at a round green table littered with paper anplastic. One was a well dressed business man with a girl under his arm. The other a ragged vagabond with a fem sitting upon his lap. And finally, in the third seat sat a beautiful young woman, draped in a university sweatshirt. I reached for the remote and turned up the volume. ¨This is the first time ever that no professional players made it into the final 3. But tonight one of these amateurs is going to walk away with it all. Stay tuned, right after this commercial break.¨ My keys were in the ignition before they cut to the advertisements and I was in the back of the poker room, standing out of site, just as the coverage returned. ¨And we are back. Thanks for sticking with us folks. Well it looks like all three players have laid down their chips. The only thing left to do is see what lies on the other side of their cards.¨ One by one each player revealed their cards. The business man sat straight, forcing his face to appear relaxed but the only emotion he portrayed was fear. The double major coed chuckled to herself, knowing her defeat was eminent. And Ricky slumped in his chair, inhaling his cigerette, truly calm and at peace, as if he had foreseen the outcome. The room erupted as the results were realized across the room. The ragged, scruffy, stinky man who had been in my uber only hours before had just won more money than he had ever seen. ¨I did it! I won.¨ His head spun around, his eyes looking for someone to share this moment with until they met mine. ¨Uber driver! It’s me Ricky. Come over here man¨ I walked towards the center of the room and reached out my hand for a congratulatory handshake only to have it slapped away as Ricky wrapped his long hairy arms around me and pulled me close. I returned his embrace then pulled away, dusting the newly attained dirt from my clothes. ¨I guess the mind reading trick worked for ya eh¨ I joked. His eyes widened and he looked over his shoulder before lowering his voice. ¨Your shit right it worked. I knew what cards everyone had that entire game. It was like taking candy from a bunch of babies¨ and two of the girls buried their faces into the phone while the third sat quietly, her eyes out the window.

I didn´t know whether to believe him or call him crazy. I decided to do neither. ¨So what are you going to do now.¨ ¨Celebrate!”

What followed can only be explained as insanity. Ricky and I hit every bar, strip club, and casino in town until our lustful desires had been satisfied and we were too drunk to find our way home. I somehow resisted the urge to gamble and didn’t spend a dime, While Ricky threw away hundred dollar bills as if it were chump change. But he continued to win and win until we found ourselves outside the bar, standing in the alley. “What a night. Im gunna be rich ya know. Im gunna be a even more rich than I am right now once I get all this shit invested. Ya before the tournament started some business type guy handed out his card to every player. Told us if we win he can turn our winnings into even more money. Imagine what he’s gunna be able to do with all this!!” Ricky fanned out hundred dollars bills infront of my face. ”Hey are you even listening to me.” I was, or I was at least trying to. My head was resting against the outer brick wall of some bar and my eyes were closed in an attempt to cease the spinning of the world around me. I managed to string a few letters together into a word, but failed to create a full sentence. “Home” Then I slid down to a sitting position, my head in my hands with my back propping me up against the cool brick wall. The street lights were dim, and the sidewalks all but empty. The bars were closing down and the night was coming to an end. Suddenly a voice that broke through my drunken jumbled existence. “Hey its our uber driver from earlier! “Hey Mr. Uber driver its us! Remember us!! I raised my head from my hands to see a blurry vision of two young girls wrapping there arms around Ricky, dollar signs where their pupils should have been. A third girl moved out from behind the greedy two and towards me, a soft smile on her face It was the sweet one, the smart one from before. She knelt down beside me and started to rub my back. “How you feeling mr. uber driver.” Her calm words soothed my stupor. “I’ve been better. But I think I’m ready to walk home. My apartment is just down the street.” She nodded and relayed it to her friends who were now attached to Ricky. He smiled a toothless grin and reached out a hand to pull me up. Before long we were back at my place. Ricky took the girls to my bedroom, and the philosophy major joined me in the bathroom, talking to me about whatever she pleased as I emptied my guts into the toilet. “I love your apartment. You did such a nice job decorating it. The amount of house plants in here probably does wonders for your stress levels.” I nodded. “I just like having something to take care of.” “It’s nice taking care of things.” She chuckled and started rubbing my back again. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by sounds of snores from the next room. She went to check on her friends and found them sleeping, cuddled up next to Ricky. “Well it seems like the other guests are enjoying their stay at the uber driver hotel. How are you feeling though.” I raised my head from toilet bowl and looked at my caretaker for the first time since we left the bars. Her smile was warming and her eyes deep with blue and grey colors swimming around each other. Small infrequent freckles dotted her face, and her rosy cheeks dimpled as she grinned. “What are you staring at. Never seen a girl before?” I opened my mouth to respond but before I could she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. “I’m just joking. Say is there a roof on this building? If your feeling up for it, maybe we could get some fresh air, the smell of vomit isn’t really doing it for me anymore.” I nodded in agreement and she pulled my by the hand until we were standing on the rooftop under the starless sky, looking over the small city surrounding us. She walked over to the wall, preventing us from falling to our untimely death. Without a second of hesitation, she hopped up, and began walking back and forth on the wall as if it were a balance beam in a gymnasium. She sensed my uneasiness. “Don’t worry dad I know what I know what I am doing.” With elegance and grace she walked across the railing encircling the entire roof until she bored, and took a seat on the wall, feet dangling into the abyss below. She motioned for me to join her. “I think Im good on this side. Thank you though.” I made my way over to her and leaned against the barrier. ”Today feels like a dream” I mumbled. “Maybe it was. Maybe I’m not actually here. Wooooo” She wiggled her fingers, at me jokingly. “That homelesss man, I mean Ricky, his life has taken a one 180 today. This morning he was getting breakfast at the soup kitchen and now he has more money than he has ever seen in his life. You know he was claiming that the reason he won was because he could read minds.” “Maybe he can.” “You actually believe that is possible? What are they teaching you in college these days anyways?” “Lots of things.” She smiled changing the subject. “I can’t believe my friends were about to sleep with a homeless man just because of how much money he won.” “It was a lot of money though.” She laughed and nodded in agreement. Then she looked at me and put her hand in mine, “This has been a pretty exciting day. You know I had a feeling I was going to see you again after you dropped us off earlier today. And I was right.” “Im glad your feeling was correct. But im not sure I believe in feelings or premonitions either.” “Ricky would believe me.” This got both of us laughing. “What do you think he’s gunna do with his money.” “Probably gamble it all away.” She slapped me on the arm giggling. “I think he’s gunna pay off whatever debt he had and then give the rest to his family and favorite charities.” She thought for a moment tapping her chin. “Whatever he does with it, his life has been changed forever. And good for him. He seems like a decent guy. He deserves it.” Suddenly the door to the stairs burst open. Two girls appeared in the doorway, their faces white with terror. The philosophy major was to them before I understood what was happening. I began to feel dizzy as the reality of the situation dawned on me. “Did you do CPR?” “No we panicked. We thought you would know what to do.” No time passed and I found myself staring at a shirtless homeless man lying on my floor, a young girl seated near him, pounding on his chest. Her efforts were futile but the later paramedics would thank her for trying. The ambulance took him away, and I stood in front of the apartment, with three young tormented girls. It started to rain. Before long their ride was here, and I stood staring into the grey blue eyes from before, knowing I would never see them again. “Im sorry” she said, and then she disapeared into the back of the car with her friends and they were gone.

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#Blogger #Story

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thebookrat · 6 years

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Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court--but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people. Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms--and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future--and the future of a world cleaved in two. With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

Sixteen-year-old Beckan and her friends are the only fairies brave enough to stay in Ferrum when war breaks out. Now there is tension between the immortal fairies, the subterranean gnomes, and the mysterious tightropers who arrived to liberate the fairies. But when Beckan's clan is forced to venture into the gnome underworld to survive, they find themselves tentatively forming unlikely friendships and making sacrifices they couldn't have imagined. As danger mounts, Beckan finds herself caught between her loyalty to her friends, her desire for peace, and a love she never expected. This stunning, lyrical fantasy is a powerful exploration of what makes a family, what justifies a war, and what it means to truly love.

An epic fantasy filled with adventure, intrigue, and romance from Incarnate series author Jodi Meadows. This duology is perfect for fans of Graceling by Kristin Cashore, The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, and Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. When Princess Wilhelmina was a child, the Indigo Kingdom invaded her homeland. Ten years later, Wil and the other noble children who escaped are ready to fight back and reclaim Wil’s throne. To do so, Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate the Indigo Kingdom palace with hopes of gathering information that will help them succeed. But Wil has a secret—one that could change everything. Although magic has been illegal for a century, she knows her ability could help her save her kingdom. But magic creates wraith, and the deadly stuff is moving closer and destroying the land. And if the vigilante Black Knife catches her using magic, she may disappear like all the others. . . .

In Ink and Bone, bestselling author Rachel Caine introduced a world where knowledge is power, and power corrupts absolutely. Now she continues the story of those who dare to defy the Great Library—and rewrite history... Jess Brightwell has survived his introduction to the sinister, seductive world of the Library, but serving in its army is nothing like he envisioned. His life and the lives of those he cares for have been altered forever. Embarking on a mission to save one of their own, Jess and his band of allies make one wrong move and suddenly find themselves hunted by the Library’s deadly automata and forced to flee Alexandria, all the way to London. But Jess’s home isn’t safe anymore. The Welsh army is coming, London is burning, and soon Jess must choose between his friends, his family, and the Library, which is willing to sacrifice anything and anyone in the search for ultimate control...

Get it. Get this whole damn series. Trust me.

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape . . . and even less of being together. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komisar that she has a magical gift, and the Komisar's interest in Lia is greater than either Kaden or Lia foresaw. Meanwhile, the foundations of Lia's deeply-held beliefs are crumbling beneath her. Nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to her, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom she always believed to be barbarians but whom she now realizes are people who have been terribly brutalized by the kingdoms of Dalbreck and Morrighan. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her very sense of self, Lia will have to make powerful choices that affect her country, her people . . . and her own destiny.

Lia has survived Venda—but so has a great evil bent on the destruction of Morrighan. And only Lia can stop it. With war on the horizon, Lia has no choice but to assume her role as First Daughter, as soldier—as leader. While she struggles to reach Morrighan and warn them, she finds herself at cross-purposes with Rafe and suspicious of Kaden, who has hunted her down. In this heart-stopping conclusion to the Remnant Chronicles trilogy that started with The Kiss of Deception and The Heart of Betrayal, traitors must be rooted out, sacrifices must be made, and impossible odds must be overcome as the future of every kingdom hangs in the balance. New York Times-bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's combination of intrigue, suspense, romance, and action makes this a riveting YA page-turner for teens.

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded. The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit. But their problems are just getting started. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a web of data to find the truth, it’s clear the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again. Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you're the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood. And when two society girls go missing, there's no one more qualified to investigate. Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve murder with only one clue: a strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high. If Stoker and Holmes don't unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they'll become the next victims.

For the free, my darlings. For the FREE.

WINNER of the NATIONAL READERS CHOICE AWARD for best YA of 2015 Alexis Wyndham is the other type of Queen B—the Queen B*tch. After years of being the subject of ridicule, she revels in her ability to make the in-crowd cower via the exposés on her blog, The Eastline Spy. Now that she's carved out her place in the high school hierarchy, she uses her position to help the unpopular kids walking the hallways. Saving a freshman from bullies? Check. Swapping insults with the head cheerleader? Check. Falling for the star quarterback? So not a part of her plan. But when Brett offers to help her solve the mystery of who’s posting X-rated videos from the girls’ locker room, she’ll have to swallow her pride and learn to see past the high school stereotypes she’s never questioned—until now.

Rachel can't believe she has to give up her Saturdays to scrubbing other people's toilets. So. Gross. But she kinda, sorta stole $287.22 from her college fund that she's got to pay back ASAP or her mom will ground her for life. Which is even worse than working for her mother's new cleaning business. Maybe. After all, becoming a maid is definitely not going to help her already loserish reputation. But Rachel picks up more than smelly socks on the job. As maid to some of the most popular kids in school, Rachel suddenly has all the dirt on the 8th grade in-crowd. Her formerly boring diary is now filled with juicy secrets. And when her crush offers to pay her to spy on his girlfriend, Rachel has to decide if she's willing to get her hands dirty...

Did you snag the deal for book 2 a couple weeks back? Now you can grab book 1 for FREE!

In A THRONE FOR SISTERS (Book one), Sophia, 17, and her younger sister Kate, 15, are desperate to leave their horrific orphanage. Orphans, unwanted and unloved, they nonetheless dream of coming of age elsewhere, of finding a better life, even if that means living on the streets of the brutal city of Ashton. Sophia and Kate, also best friends, have each other’s backs—and yet they want different things from life. Sophia, a romantic, more elegant, dreams of entering court and finding a noble to fall in love with. Kate, a fighter, dreams of mastering the sword, of battling dragons, and becoming a warrior. They are both united, though, by their secret, paranormal power to read other’s minds, their only saving grace in a world that seems bent to destroy them. As they each embark on a quest and adventure their own ways, they struggle to survive. Faced with choices neither can imagine, their choices may propel them to the highest power—or plunge them to the lowest depths. A THRONE FOR SISTERS is the first book in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, magic, sorcery, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget.

Also gloriously FREE!

Zachary Degaud was twenty three when he died. The problem was, he didn't stay that way. Present day, he's just another vampire with another unremarkable story. That is, until he manages to provoke a two thousand year old witch named Katrin, who wants to make him pay in the most horrible way imagined. Along with his brother Sam, newly made vampire Liz and their only witch ally, Gabby, his only chance for survival is to summon the ancient and unpredictable vampire known as the Witch Hunter. Zac is just looking for a way out of his psychopathic witch problems, but instead will find himself falling head first into a blood feud that has stretched thousands of years. Aya has been asleep for the past 150 years, until she was awoken by a haunting call. The witch she has been hunting for thousands of years, Katrin, has resurfaced and marked a young, annoyingly arrogant vampire by the name of Zachary Degaud. Unless she does something, he will die a slow and painful death. He has given her an opportunity to end the witch, but does she want to help him or leave him to his fate? Zac will get under her skin like no one else has and she just might find herself making the ultimate sacrifice before he is gone forever. They will both have to choose sides and look deep within themselves before the end. But, what Zac learns about himself, will surprise him most of all.

This synopsis needs to be cut down, my god, but again: IT. FREE.

I was born to die... But to defy fate is to control your own destiny. Little did I know that I was entering a world of ritual and magic and that my blood needed to be spilled so the witches’ legacy could be complete. Vampires. Witches. Werewolves. Supernatural Creatures. Dramatic Revelations. A Ritual Sacrifice. Ancient Artifacts. A Cold-hearted Serial Killer. Spilled Blood. Secrets. A Hidden Heritage. A Love So Deep. Supernatural Bloodlust. A Dangerous Curse. An Uneasy Alliance With A Dangerous Vampire. Legends of vampires and shape-shifters have been around for centuries, so Taylor Sparks isn’t too worried when the rumors start to fly. When Taylor learns secrets that are beyond terrifying, they threaten to destroy her entire world. She is born to die... But to defy fate is to control your own destiny. She warns her crush to leave. But how do you forget someone who is aligned with your soul? They fight against the witches, the vampires, and the werewolves. They know the consequences. They know the risk. But they don't care. Nothing will get in the way of these two star-crossed lovers. Taylor finds out she’s a KEY player in a dangerous game created 1,000 years ago that will give the witches and werewolves the upper hand against the vampires. Blood will be spilled and secrets will be revealed in this action-packed thrill ride and paranormal romance. Will Taylor dive into a paranormal world she knows nothing about to be with the one her heart can’t live without? Or will her life spiral out of control when she learns her blood is needed, just the serum necessary to lift an ancient curse from a group of supernatural beings and give the witches back their magic? Werewolves will serve as her guardians and protect her until the first full moon of the new year, the night of her sacrifice… Will she accept her destiny? Or will she refuse to let evil swallow her up?

For fans of Hex Hall, The Magicians, Practical Magic, and Food Wars! Anise Wise loves three things: baking, potion making, and reading her spellbooks in blissful silence. She might not be the most powerful witch, but enchantment is a rare skill, and her ability to bake with magic is even rarer. Too bad no one wants witchcraft on their campus. Anise’s dream of attending pastry school crumbles with rejection letter after rejection letter. Desperate to escape her dead-end future, Anise contacts the long-lost relative she’s not supposed to know about. Great Aunt Agatha owns the only magic bakery in the US, and she suddenly needs a new apprentice. Anise is so excited she books it to New Mexico without thinking to ask what happened to the last girl. The Spellwork Syndicate rules the local witches in Taos, but as “accidents” turn into full-out attacks on Anise’s life, their promises to keep her safe are less and less reassuring. Her cranky bodyguard is doing his best, but it’s hard to fight back when she has no idea who’s the enemy. Or why she became their target. If Anise can’t find and stop whoever wants her dead, she’ll be more toasted than a crème brûlée. Who knew baking cakes could be so life or death?

This one's kicking around on my shelves! I did a First Impressions of it awhile back and really liked it, and have been meaning to go back ever since.

Thoughtfully imaginative and action-packed, Steeplejack is New York Times bestselling A. J. Hartley's YA debut set in a 19th-century South African fantasy world “A richly realized world, an intensely likable character, and a mystery to die for." — Cory Doctorow, New York Times-bestselling author Seventeen-year-old Anglet Sutonga lives and works as a steeplejack in Bar-Selehm, a sprawling city known for its great towers, spires, and smokestacks – and even greater social disparities across race and class. Ang’s world is turned upside-down when her new apprentice Berrit is murdered the same night that the city’s landmark jewel is stolen. Her search for answers behind his death exposes unrest in the streets and powerful enemies. But she also finds help from unexpected friends: a kindhearted savannah herder, a politician’s haughty sister, and a savvy newspaper girl. As troubles mount in Bar-Selehm, Ang must discover the truth behind both murder and theft soon – or else watch the city descend into chaos. YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book Booklist Top Ten YA in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Also kicking around on my shelves somewhere!

Just about everyone knows a family like the Radleys. Many of us grew up next door to one. They are a modern family, averagely content, averagely dysfunctional, living in a staid and quiet suburban English town. Peter is an overworked doctor whose wife, Helen, has become increasingly remote and uncommunicative. Rowan, their teenage son, is being bullied at school, and their anemic daughter, Clara, has recently become a vegan. They are typical, that is, save for one devastating exception: Peter and Helen are vampires and have—for seventeen years—been abstaining by choice from a life of chasing blood in the hope that their children could live normal lives. One night, Clara finds herself driven to commit a shocking—and disturbingly satisfying—act of violence, and her parents are forced to explain their history of shadows and lies. A police investigation is launched that uncovers a richness of vampire history heretofore unknown to the general public. And when the malevolent and alluring Uncle Will, a practicing vampire, arrives to throw the police off Clara’s trail, he winds up throwing the whole house into temptation and turmoil and unleashing a host of dark secrets that threaten the Radleys’ marriage. The Radleys is a moving, thrilling, and radiant domestic novel that explores with daring the lengths a parent will go to protect a child, what it costs you to deny your identity, the undeniable appeal of sin, and the everlasting, iridescent bonds of family love. Read it and ask what we grow into when we grow up, and what we gain—and lose—when we deny our appetites.

Fairy tales are life.

From wicked queens, beautiful princesses, elves, monsters, and goblins to giants, glass slippers, poisoned apples, magic keys, and mirrors, the characters and images of fairy tales have cast a spell over readers and audiences, both adults and children, for centuries. These fantastic stories have travelled across cultural borders, and been passed on from generation to generation, ever-changing, renewed with each re-telling. Few forms of literature have greater power to enchant us and rekindle our imagination than a fairy tale. But what is a fairy tale? Where do they come from and what do they mean? What do they try and communicate to us about morality, sexuality, and society? The range of fairy tales stretches across great distances and time; their history is entangled with folklore and myth, and their inspiration draws on ideas about nature and the supernatural, imagination and fantasy, psychoanalysis, and feminism. Marina Warner has loved fairy tales over a long writing life, and she explores here a multitude of tales through the ages, their different manifestations on the page, the stage, and the screen. From the phenomenal rise of Victorian and Edwardian literature to contemporary children's stories, Warner unfolds a glittering array of examples, from classics such as Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and The Sleeping Beauty, the Grimm Brothers' Hansel and Gretel, and Hans Andersen's The Little Mermaid, to modern-day realizations including Walt Disney's Snow White and gothic interpretations such as Pan's Labyrinth. In ten succinct chapters, Marina Warner digs into a rich hoard of fairy tales in their brilliant and fantastical variations, in order to define a genre and evaluate a literary form that keeps shifting through time and history. Her book makes a persuasive case for fairy tale as a crucial repository of human understanding and culture.

A classic.

This Newbery Honor-winning, hilarious Floridian adventure involves new kids, bullies, alligators, eco-warriors, pancakes, pint-sized owls, and more. A New York Times bestseller! Everybody loves Mother Paula’s pancakes. Everybody, that is, except the colony of cute but endangered owls that live on the building site of the new restaurant. Can the awkward new kid and his feral friend prank the pancake people out of town? Or is the owls’ fate cemented in pancake batter?

Three months after returning Magician Emery Thane’s heart to his body, Ceony Twill is well on her way to becoming a Folder. Unfortunately, not all of Ceony’s thoughts have been focused on paper magic. Though she was promised romance by a fortuity box, Ceony still hasn’t broken the teacher-student barrier with Emery, despite their growing closeness. When a magician with a penchant for revenge believes that Ceony possesses a secret, he vows to discover it…even if it tears apart the very fabric of their magical world. After a series of attacks target Ceony and catch those she holds most dear in the crossfire, Ceony knows she must find the true limits of her powers…and keep her knowledge from falling into wayward hands. The delightful sequel to Charlie N. Holmberg’s The Paper Magician, The Glass Magician will charm readers young and old alike.

In the explosive third volume of The Hundredth Queen Series, the queen of fire faces off against a demon of ice. Despite the odds, Kalinda has survived it all: Marriage to a tyrant. Tournaments to the death. The forbidden power to rule fire. The icy touch of a demon. That same demon now disguises itself as Rajah Tarek, Kalinda’s late husband and a man who has never stopped haunting her. Upon taking control of the palace and the army, the demon brands Kalinda and her companions as traitors to the empire. They flee across the sea, seeking haven in the Southern Isles. In Lestari, Kalinda’s powers are not condemned, as they are in her land. Now free to use them to protect those she loves, Kalinda soon realizes that the demon has tainted her with a cold poison, rendering her fire uncontrollable. But the lack of control may be just what she needs to send the demon back to the darkest depths of the Void. To take back the empire, Kalinda will ally with those she distrusts—and risk losing those most loyal to her—to defeat the demon and bring peace to a divided nation.

From the bestselling author of Catching Jordan comes a new teen romance sure to appeal to fans of Sarah Dessen. SOME RULES WERE MEANT TO BE BROKEN. Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different... This summer she's a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He's the first guy she ever kissed, and he's gone from geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt...with her. Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn't that easy...

For twelve-year-old Emily, the best thing about moving to San Francisco is that it's the home city of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, book publisher and creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger (a game where books are hidden in cities all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles). Upon her arrival, however, Emily learns that Griswold has been attacked and is now in a coma, and no one knows anything about the epic new game he had been poised to launch. Then Emily and her new friend James discover an odd book, which they come to believe is from Griswold himself, and might contain the only copy of his mysterious new game. Racing against time, Emily and James rush from clue to clue, desperate to figure out the secret at the heart of Griswold's new game—before those who attacked Griswold come after them too.

Sang Sorenson’s father abandoned her and her sister, leaving them to fend for themselves for months. He’s returned, and finds Sang is missing. He demands she return. Right now. Will he call the police if she doesn’t? Her Academy team doesn’t want to risk losing her ghost status and she doesn’t want to put them in danger, so she reluctantly returns home, but is comforted that she will still be monitored by them. But the second she opens the door, she discovers her father has made changes that will affect her entire future. His decisions will make them a normal family. Normal is no longer what Sang wants. It would kill her Academy career before it ever started. Not to mention it would end the special, new, and still-fragile relationships with the guys. Sang struggles with her family, her identity, and where she truly belongs. Now that the entire team knows about their romantic relationships with her, tensions are mounting, tearing the team apart from the inside. Only, Dr. Green isn't going to lie down and roll over by playing by the rules. Not anymore. Not while Sang is at risk. His heart can’t take leaving her in that house one more minute. He needs her. They all do.

Twins Crystal and Amber have the same goal: to be the first in their family to graduate high school and make something of their lives. When one gets pregnant during their junior year, they promise to raise the baby together. It’s not easy, but between their after-school jobs, they’re scraping by. Crystal’s grades catch the attention of the new guidance counselor, who tells her about a college that offers a degree in automotive restoration, perfect for the car buff she is. When she secretly applies—and gets in—new opportunities threaten their once-certain plans, and Crystal must make a choice: follow her dreams or stay behind and honor the promise she made to her sister.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia comes a fast-paced teen series where one girl learns that in a world of intrigue, betrayal, and deeply buried secrets, it is vital to trust your instincts. It all starts with a text: Please, Wylie, I need your help. Wylie hasn’t heard from Cassie in over a week, not since their last fight. But that doesn’t matter. Cassie’s in trouble, so Wylie decides to do what she has done so many times before: save her best friend from herself. This time it’s different, though. Instead of telling Wylie where she is, Cassie sends cryptic clues. And instead of having Wylie come by herself, Jasper shows up saying Cassie sent him to help. Trusting the guy who sent Cassie off the rails doesn’t feel right, but Wylie has no choice but to ignore her gut instinct and go with him. But figuring out where Cassie is goes from difficult to dangerous, fast. As Wylie and Jasper head farther and farther north into the dense woods of Maine, Wylie struggles to control her growing sense that something is really wrong. What isn’t Cassie telling them? And could finding her be only the beginning? In this breakneck tale, New York Times bestselling author Kimberly McCreight brilliantly chronicles a fateful journey that begins with a single decision—and ends up changing everything.

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apsbicepstraining · 7 years

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TLC:’ I will never forget the day we were millionaires for five minutes’

On the comeback trail, the 90 s megastars reflect on bankruptcy, diverting down Britney and what Lisa Left Eye Lopes would be like on Twitter

TLC are in the back of an Uber XL in the middle of Londons Oxford Circus, sunshine streaming through the windows, with a hottie standing in full view at the crossing. Jesus! Did you look at this guy? Lord have mercy. Why didnt you get his ass on camera? He is byoo-tee-full . Traffic and exchange is gridlocked; Chilli craves her bandmate T-Boz, their cameraman, makeup artist, press officer, the operator and me to acknowledge the drop-dead sumptuous specimen, beefy in muscle and hyper-groomed of look, outside the window.

Look, hey, I desire somewhat guys, but come near now, you are able to grant it up. Tell the truth.

I shrug, ambivalent, and “re just telling me” hes not my category. T-Boz, who has spent the last few minutes scratching her knuckles reminiscing about the fights she used to get into, constricts her attentions. What ?! she says. What is your character? Why dont you tell us what your category is? Even if hes not your kind, you have to say hes cute. Hes not my category, either, but I can see hes good examining. The whole parcel was working for him: the “hairs-breadth”, the muscles What is your category?

The brightness change and the two laughter, a conspiratorial chuckle that follows often of their converse over the next 24 hours. TLC making a respectable comeback in 2017 is, its fair to say, sudden. Despite insisting that theyve been working solidly behind the scenes the whole time touring internationally, writing movie dialogues, setting up a fitness blog the group vanished from public consciousness sometime in the early 00 s.

Watch the video for Way Back.

Collectively though, the three twentysomething dames from Atlanta, Georgia Tionne T-Boz Watkins, Rozonda Chilli Thomas and Lisa Left Eye Lopes owned the 90 s: their brand of sultry R& B, silky enough to woo the masses but glitchy enough to keep them interesting, has constructed them the most successful US girl group of all time. Their two biggest books, CrazySexyCool( 1994) and Fanmail( 1999 ), sold more than 20 m mimics between them, with other singles and albums helping to rack up a total sales pull of around 65 m worldwide.

Thats a behemothic rank of success that was felled first by the bands bankruptcy in 1995, then by the tragic deaths among Lopes, at 30, in 2002.

I slept a lot, says Thomas of that time. When youre depressed and you sleep a lot I did that and stayed in my area. I didnt watch Tv and I certainly didnt listen to radio or used to go because everywhere wed disappear, someone would have something to say.

And theyd be smiling, more, microchips in Watkins, and then be like, Oh, Im so sorry, and then immediately, Can I have your autograph?

The two seemed hounded by the press, the public and their description. People are ghouls, says Watkins. I went words at my home 2 day after Lisa croaked, like, What are you going to do? and, Heres my demo, take a listen. But Lopes, who perished in road accidents on holiday in Honduras that April, was irreplaceable. TLC was ever a vehicle for a producer or a managers brand-new sound opening a revolving door for a new third member like, say, Destinys Child or the Sugababes was not an option.

They are much clearer than anybody else on what is and isnt TLC, their description boss, LA Reid, told Rolling Stone in 1995. They make it clearly articulated to the writers and creators on their projects what they will and will not sing. And because of that, theyll ever be a little onward. The radical turned away major songs, including Hit Me Baby One More Time( Its a great hymn but not every hit is for you. I couldnt hear us on that enter, says Thomas, diplomatically ).

We already did baby babe newborn, says Watkins, caressing her teeth.

Sister ordinance … ( left to right) Tionne T-Boz Watkins, Lisa Left-Eye Lopes and Rozonda Chilli Thomas in the Netherlands in 1992. Photo: Michel Linssen/ Redferns

TLCs distinct din stands written about and referenced by music blogs. And it still influences modern dad( accompany 2017 s biggest-selling single in the UK, Ed Sheerans Shape of You ). The radical characterized themselves by their three distinct identities: crazy, sex, refrigerate. Seven months after Lopes died, their fourth and least successful book, 3D, was secreted. We were upset, that was the label, says Watkins, of the book coming out. I guess their mourning stagecoach for us was a week, we werent recalling straight-from-the-shoulder or in a right frame of mind to be making decisions.

That first couple of years you think you were all right or at least better, and then you have a dreaming or something and youre messed up all over again, lends Thomas. It just really took is high time to heal.

Fifteen times on and in their late 40 s, the pair didnt think that they would be playing their first ever London gig. Mays lonely time at Koko in Camden Town sold out in a daytime, to an horde of followers singing and sweating on its sticky floorboards. We havent had bad concerts where weve been booed, but that was hard to believe, says Watkins, when we gratifies the next night in a salmon pink hotel suite. To come here and have beings singing TLC. It manufactures the adrenaline flow. Were always nervous before we go on stage, says Thomas, but I was exceptionally apprehensive this time. It didnt settle till I started doing it.

That the evidence was a triumph only follows TLCs made-for-TV-movie trajectory. Backing dancers in amber lame outfits, a truth choir, and thumped after reached opening with Diggin On Youand purposing with No Scrubs heightened it beyond the hurry of pop nostalgia. That said, new single Way Back, which boasts a Snoop Dogg verse where Lopes might have been, is pure 90 s street feeling throwback, but the pair affirm that theyre not attaches great importance to continuing trend, because, says Watkins, our music will always be relevant.

Hit girlfriends … TLC in Hollywood, 1999. Photo: Ron Davis/ Getty Images

What do you signify by throwback? questions Thomas.

Its inarguable that the two have worked hard to retain the essence of what reached them so massive in the first place: from the live creation down to Thomass still terrifyingly well-maintained washboard belly, they appear and sound as if theyve escaped a season capsule.

Some beings may say, Oh. you have the same haircut, says Watkins her angled blond bob gash as aggressively as she is. But first of all, second of all, and third of all: when you get the various kinds of iconic haircut that beings emulate, “youre calling” me. Its signature. Its true-blue: alongside The Rachel, Watkinss was the more popular haircut for gobby schoolgirls in the 90s. A slew of faux-bickering and tutting between the two follows as they debate the flaws of contemporary creators who, according to TLC, have no appreciation of performance, showmanship or style.

Celebrity changed, but what stays out to me is the altered in media, says Thomas. If Twitter was around when we were were out, Lisa would have “the worlds largest” adherents for sure. And maybe been in the most disturb, more? Oh my God, she would have been closed down multiple times.

Same with Instagram, says Watkins. If Instagram was taken away tomorrow there would be a lot of parties jobless right now cos theres a lot of public figure now made up of Instagram frameworks. She is unimpressed by influencers monetising their lifestyles online, but tries to hold back. Im not gonna knock your hubbub. Hustle on, girlfriend. “Its time” that hos are triumphing. An affirmative block-caps YEAH! comes from Thomas. But if you gonna be a ho, at the least sounds like a good ho and have to pay, Watkins continues. Ho-ism is working for people. Worst situation is to be a ho, spread your trash far and near and get nothing from it.

No scrubbing please, were TLC … Chilli ( left) and T-Boz. Image: Linda Nylind/ The Guide

Watkins wont be drawn on who she might be alluding to, but its still a surprise to hear her or Thomas claim a moral high ground over other women. TLC endorse female sexuality in their hymns and styling, and were early advocates of safe-sex campaigns( Lopes would even wear a condom on the left see of her glass ). Hitherto, says Watkins, she was offered $50,000 to stay a male fan and his wife at home So they could just stare at me amply clothed for five minutes , nothing else and she refused.

Chilli is scandalized. Fifty thousand! To bring kindnes and gaiety into that relationship, whats wrong with that ?! My husband at that time didnt crave me travelling, declares Watkins. He didnt have to know! squeal Thomas.

Both are single right now. Thomas has a son with TLCs ex-producer Dallas Austin, and Watkins is divorced with a son and teenage daughter. I wouldnt want to meet anyone right now, says Watkins. I do not want a mortal. If God slaps me in the are dealing with a good one, fine, but right now, I dont want to listen to your daytime, I dont want to care about your problems. I wouldnt be a good girlfriend right now; I dont want to have sex with nobody.

Oh, you poverty-stricken girlfriend! You good good girlfriend, says Thomas, cooing at Watkinss vagina.

Shell be all right, says Watkins, side-eyeing Thomas with a cat-like grin.

The pair live in different metropolitans now; Watkins is in Los Angeles, having precisely moved out of the neighbourhood the Kardashians live in, and Thomas has stayed in Atlanta, but they still finish each others sentences and slip into shorthand. You start off with so many friends, shows Watkins, but as you get older, you only need one or two. Im not open to just letting people into my life, I involve an asset not a liability.

Class behave … TLC announce a $25,000 Aids education scholarship in recall of Lisa Lopes at the 2002 MTV Awards. Picture: Kevin Kane/ WireImage

To their ascribe, the two ought to have categorically burned by the industry. To go bankrupt at the top of their honour and success still stings. I will never forget the day we were millionaires for literally five minutes, says Watkins. Because the cheque was written to us and we had to sign it over, back to[ Pebbles, their former administrator ]. But we wont get into that since were still in a lawsuit.

If I could go back, I are certainly change a couple of things business-wise, says Thomas. I have learned the hard way: signal your own cheques, make sure your taxes are in shape and whatever your firm is, its always good to get wise examined. If you dont have anything to hide, its not a worry.

Its not personal, contributes Watkins, hard as nails, its business. Everyone in this industry has only one plan. Auditors, lawyers, beings you think you know will keep running up the greenback. You have to watch your back on every corner.

Worse than the money was, of course, the loss of Lopes , that are actually dissolved that first, fantastical operate. The three had weathered everything together the backstabbing, the bankruptcy, the tabloid awarenes of Lopes igniting down the mansion of her then-football star boyfriend. Lisa was a starter. I dont start substance, I dont believes in disagreeing with people I dont know, says Watkins. I have a hard exterior, Im scary.

She was more intrepid, says Thomas. Im a friendly party but if I find out youre not cool, I get real cold.And, chortles Watkins, with Lisa, it depended on the working day. She was a Gemini, so she was about seven different beings. Neither Watkins or Thomas booze( Weve done this industry sober; were real clear about exactly what we doing ), though Lopes did and the three, tight because they are, were known to scrap often publicly. Gazing back, would they have done anything differently? Coulda, woulda, shoulda, says Watkins, her expression at its most slow and sleepy-eyed. It became us who we are, so at the end of the day, I just recollect Lisa as person or persons, a human being. I miss everything.

TLC by TLC is out on 30 June

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littlehopefulme · 7 years

Text

06/10/17

Well holy freaking shit, long time no talk. I dont always make journal entries but when I do (😉😉) .. I have a lot to talk about!

Ive been really sitting down and talking to myself about my life and figuring things out and I even MET SOMEONE and just holy crap. My brain is exploding with so much positivity and good energy.

I finally met a guy who is to a T everything I could have ever ever ever wanted in a human being and you know what, I feel bad ranting to all my friends about him so Im hear and Im ready to rant it out! He just.. ugh. From Day 1, the first day that I could literally feel my heart reaching arms out for him from my chest, I just knew there was something special there. Its been a few weeks now and we've started dating. I was never pressured into anything, I never have had any of my own doubts, I never felt rushed or like I was settling. From the very start I wanted him with my whole self and now he's actually mine, like really actually mine and its so damn hard to even text about it without filling up with a stampede of emotions, aasghklldsj.

We hang out nearly every day, normally parked somewhere pretty, jamming to music in his car. Hes so mature but hes also alittle childish to balance and its the best, its always so fun with him around. He can kiss like you couldnt even imagine. The first kiss we had, we were at a party and when we started the room was full but as we stopped kissing and looked up, the room was completely empty and I had literally forgot about the rest of the world so much that I had no idea at all that everyone left the room, it was pretty funny. Just yesterday we were sitting together and he goes "gimmie your hand" and as i lock my fingers in his, he takes a snapchat and sends it to all his friends list which MIND YOU is like 100 people. Hes pretty damn popular. He says "thats my way of showing you off" lile aaghklaajah oh my lord, he's so sweet. He's not all romance though, either. Hes super good looking, has a soft spot for his mama, super polite, a big party animal, all the best things. Hes really positive and kind and has the best sense of humour, ah! I just cant. We'll be hanging out and all of a sudden a good song will come on and we'll start dancing in our seats together, its just perfect. He always wants to go out and do stuff together. We've been to the bluffs to kiss under the moonlight, we've went to the very top of a playground in the middle of a park and just talked and hugged and kissed and enjoyed eachother. Falling asleep with him in his bed was the single most peaceful night Ive ever had and waking up to forehead kisses and him calling me his angel, I cant even be sure that Im not living a make believe world because jesus christ I didnt know this much happiness existed in the world.

And I know every day wont be perfect and beautiful and full of sunshine. Ill be there for him when hes pissed at the world and when things arent going his way and Ill always do my very freaking best to never hurt him. Theres just no point. Life doesnt last long enough to spend it fucking around with people. Life doesnt last long enough to spend it with anyone else but him and always him, god I adore this boy, Im crazy about him.

I cant wait to take a van and travel across Canada with him; plans we've already made. I cant wait to make all kinds of memories with him. Yesterday he does "well since our anniversary is on the 6th.. so is my birthday so its a double whammy!" and I just think small things like that, talking about our anniversaries and the birthdays we'll share together its just crazy, its so crazy. Hes so amazing.

I need to get ready for work but I hope we talk again soon; surely Ill have more dream like stories to share.

Hope

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apsbicepstraining · 7 years

Text

TLC:’ I will never forget the day we were millionaires for five minutes’

On the comeback trail, the 90 s megastars reflect on bankruptcy, diverting down Britney and what Lisa Left Eye Lopes would be like on Twitter

Look, hey, I desire somewhat guys, but come near now, you are able to grant it up. Tell the truth.

Watch the video for Way Back.

Thats a behemothic rank of success that was felled first by the bands bankruptcy in 1995, then by the tragic deaths among Lopes, at 30, in 2002.

And theyd be smiling, more, microchips in Watkins, and then be like, Oh, Im so sorry, and then immediately, Can I have your autograph?

We already did baby babe newborn, says Watkins, caressing her teeth.

Sister ordinance … ( left to right) Tionne T-Boz Watkins, Lisa Left-Eye Lopes and Rozonda Chilli Thomas in the Netherlands in 1992. Photo: Michel Linssen/ Redferns

Hit girlfriends … TLC in Hollywood, 1999. Photo: Ron Davis/ Getty Images

What do you signify by throwback? questions Thomas.

No scrubbing please, were TLC … Chilli ( left) and T-Boz. Image: Linda Nylind/ The Guide

Oh, you poverty-stricken girlfriend! You good good girlfriend, says Thomas, cooing at Watkinss vagina.

Shell be all right, says Watkins, side-eyeing Thomas with a cat-like grin.

Class behave … TLC announce a $25,000 Aids education scholarship in recall of Lisa Lopes at the 2002 MTV Awards. Picture: Kevin Kane/ WireImage

TLC by TLC is out on 30 June

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apsbicepstraining · 7 years

Text

TLC:’ I will never forget the day we were millionaires for five minutes’

On the comeback trail, the 90 s megastars reflect on bankruptcy, diverting down Britney and what Lisa Left Eye Lopes would be like on Twitter

Look, hey, I desire somewhat guys, but come near now, you are able to grant it up. Tell the truth.

Watch the video for Way Back.

Thats a behemothic rank of success that was felled first by the bands bankruptcy in 1995, then by the tragic deaths among Lopes, at 30, in 2002.

And theyd be smiling, more, microchips in Watkins, and then be like, Oh, Im so sorry, and then immediately, Can I have your autograph?

We already did baby babe newborn, says Watkins, caressing her teeth.

Sister ordinance … ( left to right) Tionne T-Boz Watkins, Lisa Left-Eye Lopes and Rozonda Chilli Thomas in the Netherlands in 1992. Photo: Michel Linssen/ Redferns

Hit girlfriends … TLC in Hollywood, 1999. Photo: Ron Davis/ Getty Images

What do you signify by throwback? questions Thomas.

No scrubbing please, were TLC … Chilli ( left) and T-Boz. Image: Linda Nylind/ The Guide

Oh, you poverty-stricken girlfriend! You good good girlfriend, says Thomas, cooing at Watkinss vagina.

Shell be all right, says Watkins, side-eyeing Thomas with a cat-like grin.

Class behave … TLC announce a $25,000 Aids education scholarship in recall of Lisa Lopes at the 2002 MTV Awards. Picture: Kevin Kane/ WireImage

TLC by TLC is out on 30 June

The post TLC:’ I will never forget the day we were millionaires for five minutes’ appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

from WordPress http://ift.tt/2zAgmpS via IFTTT

#IFTTT #WordPress

0 notes