#14 years of ts

[triangle-strategy-notes]

Quahaug Concept Art

Quahaug's concept/reference art! Translation notes and image id under the cut.

Translation notes:

"OP sort of powerset" was literally translated as something like "cheat-like." I feel like OP is the more common English term for that sort of thing, so that's what I used, but some of the meaning was probably lost there.

"Older-tween-ish" was specifically a reference to a particular middle school year for children who are about 12-13 years old. Since grades and names of grades vary a lot from country to country, I just went with "older tween."

ID:

[Image id: Several images displaying different parts of 2 pages of the Triangle Strategy artbook, with both the original Japanese as well as versions with English translations. There are several disclaimers noting that the translator doesn't speak Japanese, and that there are likely many mistakes.

On one page, there is a large colored version of Quahaug's canon portrait, along with a smaller, uncolored version. There is an illustrator's note at the bottom that translates to read, "'Manipulating time' is an OP sort of powerset, so though he looks like a child, I aimed to create a look for him that conveyed a sense of unknowable power. (Tatsuaki Urushibara)".

On the second page, there are many drawings of Quahaug, including a closer bust-up portrait in which he's compared to Lyla, with an arrow and label reading, "Mother." There's also several notes that explain the construction of his costume. The costume is labeled as a Greek "phelonion" (a priest's outfit with no real sleeves, just draping fabric). There is a small drawing of this version, with an arrow leading to another drawing that does have sleeves, with the note, "If you can't display this in pixels, use this one." There are several notes that explain how this draping cloth should be considered his everyday clothes, while the ceremonial decoration that goes around his neck is placed over it. There is a close up of the ceremonial dressing's fastenings underneath the metal decoration. Some more notes highlight details on his staff, emphasizing the hourglass on top and the small wheel to the side that can be turned to flip the hourglass. A larger piece of text underneath one fullbody drawing reads, "Character Who Manipulates Time."

On the second half of the second page, there are drawings of some beta designs for Quahaug. He looks much more punk-ish. On one bust-up portrait, there are the captions, "The burden of the time demon caused some of his hair to go gray…." and "All-natural highlighted tips." On the same portrait, he is snapping his fingers, and there's a note that reads, "Manipulating time is as easy as snapping your fingers. You just have to want it or whatever." A speech bubble near his head reads, "I don't think of Anna as a mother." A caption pointing to some green markings on his arm reads, "Demonic time seal on body." In a fullbody drawing of his beta design (which is made up mostly of chains that barely cover him as well as a long roughed-up cloak, there is the note, "Almost naked cloak."

At the bottom of the second page, there is another note that reads, "Initially when we hadn't quite figured out the setting, we had an idea for a more older-tween-ish character as displayed here, but after discussing it with the producers and Mr. Ikushima, we went with his current form. As a boy who manipulates time, I placed an hourglass at the tip of his staff, and his face resembles that of his mother, Lyla. (Tatsuaki Irushibara)". /end id]

#triangle strategy #quahaug #lyla viscraft #triangle strategy artbook #ts artbook character ref sheets #at long last. emo quahuag #despite the WTF factor I really love the page. HE'S SO LITTLE. SO SO LITTLE. like in his canon portrait he could arguably be like 14-15 #but in those drawings on the second page he is indisputably a baby. look at that little face. HE'S SO CUTE #and that note about Anna really cracks me up. can't believe we missed out on having Anna try to wrestle with an angsty 12-year-old #also! trying out a slightly different format from last time! I will at some point probably throw up another poll about it #as always feel free to leave a comment/tag/anything else with feedback if you have any #at some point in the distant future I will probably go through and try to make all of the translation posts more consistent #but I probably won't go back and do that sort of thing until I get all of them done #oh and also also! as a note I actually messed up my order a bit; I meant to do lyla's first before this one #but she and the other saints will be up next #edit: one of the images had an old version of a translation (used 'something' instead of 'whatever' in the note about snapping fingers) #just reuploaded it

[rebekaharkness]

guys the eras tour ticket sale for lisbon is tomorrow and i've never participated in something like this so does anyone know if i should only log onto the sale link at the time it starts or can i log in earlier?? help i want to do everything right 😭

#help me i'm so nervous #i'm trying not to get my hopes up but i've been waiting for 14 years to see her #tag where i say things #eras tour #ts

[ladyloveandjustice]

watched the first ep of mew mew and the main question I come away having never seen anything of the original except for that single episode where Zakuro doesn’t let the villain leave and punches him instead (which was very cute!)- Was Ichigo really 12 in the first series???? And she had this many boys throwing themselves at her? when she should be on the monkeybars?

Definitely a good idea to age her up for the reboot I think.

#i know there's ccs but listen this was much more uh kiss oriented than ccs #for all ccs flaw syaoran and sakura did have a very grade school feeling courtship or whatever the fuck #but i cannot imagine all the things that happened in this ep happening to a 12 year old and not feeling friggin bizarre #there is a huuuge gulf between 12 and 14 #tokyo mew mew for ts

[schives]

and even when nini comes back, he should take all the time off he want to, tf? idc how many hiatuses he been on, if he fucking tired of being a idol then so be that??

#— zaza ‘ s rants #— thinkin’ : exo #he dont owe us any idol content in these next years cus he literally been doin ts since he was 14 #and no thats not gon stop me from commenting on his ig bitch i said im big eri.

[ofheroesandcrooks]

.

#isn't it amazing that two different doctors told me that I must not be sleeping well bc of stress #one said I have dry eye syndrome bc I don't close my eyes completely while sleeping #the other said that the pain I feel in my teeth must be from biting on them in my sleep #and while I was listening I wanted to cry bc I know exactly why I'm not sleeping well and why I'm stressed all the time #I fkn know it's bc of my reaction to my ex dumping me and the anxiety of the months leading to that #i didn't have any trouble sleeping prior to that #and then my ex started showing me less affection and giving me less attention and suddenly i turned into an anxious mess #they broke up with me over 14 months ago and i thought I'd get over it with time but man #I'm still waking up from nightmares in which they simply love me and my brain still comes back to them as a default #and now it even has an impact on my physical condition #I'm so sick of it #it feels unfair because here I am still fkn devastated with both mental and physical effects of them dumping me #over A YEAR after a breakup #and they're just fine #i kind of stopped believing it's ever gonna get better #and that's why i suspect myself of having BPD #god i wish i could afford therapy #or that at least i could erase them from my memory so they wouldn't haunt me anymore #i rlly needed to rant #agnes for ts

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

Update for November from the upcoming Good Omens Graphic Novel! :) ❤

Apparently I’m a demon and I lied: we won’t be doing more frequent updates, split between information and reveals. We had heard feedback that the updates were too long; then last month, we heard even more feedback that people liked the comprehensive updates after our last one, so instead of promising a particular amount, we will mostly stick to monthly, but play it by ear if anything special comes along…

We did say we’d be back with some exciting things: we’ve already shared with you Rachael Stott’s beautiful alt cover featuring Crowley and Aziraphale, but here is Bookshop Blaze, the print included in Loot Box #1 (Serpent Tier+). Isn’t she a beauty?

What we’re also hearing, every time Aziraphale is illustrated alongside ducks is, “More ducks”, so meet the duckling enamel pin (Demon Tier+). Any angelic duck names welcomed.

As for the mystery packs, we promised more pins and more pins you shall have. These mystery packs are add ons, and these five are just a sampling of what is to come. To keep track of the enamel pins, you can visit goodomenshq.com.

We’ve had sample pins showing up and while most that we have in person we’re yet to reveal, here is the fearsome hellhound Dog in all his glory:

Some eagle-eyed fans spotted another pin cameo: Sir Terry Pratchett pins appeared at Neil Gaiman and Rob Wilkins’ event at the British Library, which celebrated the Worlds of Terry Pratchett, just in time for the 40th anniversary of Discworld. You can watch that event here. 

PledgeManager

Onto more logistical updates, while PledgeManager is closer to being ready, we will now be launching this in March. We’re working on some additional versions of items based on your suggestions, ensuring everything is locked in for shipping everywhere, dotting the is, crossing the ts. This is a busy time of year for everyone, and so it seems best for all, rather than to rush the process, we instead give everyone a decent bit of notice with a much firmer date, and hit 2024 with some gusto.

On that note, as a reminder, PledgeManager is where we will process shipping addresses and payment, so don’t worry about not supplying addresses yet, or indeed moving in between now and the graphic novel's release. There’s still plenty of time before this is needed.

Cameos

We are working through cameo admin at the moment. Note that Archangel Tier backers have their survey with a deadline of 30 November, the higher level cameos should expect to hear more in December. If you have purchased a cameo and have any questions, please drop us a message.

Staying up to date

As always, you can hear more about Good Omens more widely at Good Omens HQ and sign up to our mailing list for news and more.

p.s. We’ve had some Crowley artwork, let’s end with some Aziraphale.

#good omens #good omens graphic novel #colleen doran #graphic novel #neil gaiman #terry pratchett #graphic novel kickstarter #graphic novel is coming! :)

[idlerin]

NONSENSE

an oikawa tooru social media au

pairing. celebrity!oikawa tooru x f!reader

synopsis. you were oikawa tooru’s #1 fan, until you became his #1 hater. you hated him so much you went viral on twitter (accidentally) and literally became known as “the oikawa tooru hater”, doesn’t help that he keeps fueling the fire by subtweeting you. everyone is all in for this new drama. what isn’t known to the public, is that this particular drama’s been on hold for three years (him being your ex and all).

tags. social media au, celebrity smau, college au, exes to lovers, second chance romance, idiots in love, crack, humor (hopefully), fluff, and perhaps a little angst? ehe (groveling !!)

warnings. time stamps dont really matter unless i say so, cursing, some drinking alcohol n stuff and sometimes suggestive but nothing graphic

status. completed (01/15/23 - 02/11/24)

— playlist.

teasers

teaser 1 — teaser 1.5 — teaser 2

profiles

[name]’s pe(s)ts | in need of medical attention

episodes !

(⚘) — has narrative parts

ACT I

01. rid me of my despair

02. murder is ethically wrong

03. he’s literally everywhere

04. i’m NOT petty (⚘)

05. i think i’ve seen this film before

06. he’s back !

07. baby girl of all baby girls

08. the famous friend

09. forget me not

10. why are you running!? (⚘)

ACT II

11. blast from the past

12. i despise you (⚘)

13. villains are hot (⚘)

14. adulting and other important stuff (⚘)

15. what we look forward to

16. a nightmare dressed like a daydream

17. antithetical girlie

18. this is the tactic (⚘)

19. honey it hurts (⚘)

20. exes and ohs

21. takoyaki cravings

22. kill me with kindness

23. tell me, tell me (⚘)

24. do you think about me?

25. wish u were sober (⚘)

ACT III

26. you look like shit (⚘)

27. a taste of fame

28. reminds me of

29. helpless, breathless (⚘)

30. oh how you woo me

31. all over again

32. disconnected

33. this love is so illogical

34. don’t care if you ruin me (⚘)

35. hate clingy men

36. need you like oxygen (⚘)

37. media craze

38. hard to love (⚘)

39. coming home

40. only your love

EPILOGUE

41. new friends

42. love languages

43. utterly nonsensical

end

✦

bonus content

post break-up [name]

don’t you know that i’m intoxicated !

you said you liked the way i spoke

unsent letter #1

one of the boys

kuroo being a menace for 12 panels straight

taglist is CLOSED !

to be REMOVED from the taglist you can just send an ask or comment :)

notes. hey so i’m starting my first smau series?!!? *squeals and kicks feet in excitement* i hope i get to finish it lmao i plan to not make it that long prolly around only like 30 chaps! hope u’ll enjoy reading it as much as i’ll enjoy making it! also thank you everyone for 200 followers! i rlly appreciate it <3

icons used as pfps are not mine but the content of this smau is. please do not repost this on any other platform. © idlerin 2023

#haikyuu smau series #— nonsense. #— mlist. #— smaus. #haikyuu #hq #haikyuu x reader #hq x reader #haikyuu smau #hq smau #haikyuu oikawa tooru #oikawa tooru #oikawa tooru x reader #oikawa tooru smau #smau #oikawa tooru x you #celebrity au #college au #exes to lovers #second chance romance #haikyuu fluff #social media au #haikyuu x you #smau series

[heartsoji]

BABY

synopsis: nagi wants your attention, but you're working on some pain-in-the-ass school project.

warning(s): light swearing but nothing really

notes: i tried to do like the lazy nagi speaking i always see ('s instead of 'its,' jus' instead of just) but i think i kind of failed

used prompts from here! (12, 14, 20)

nagi was fed up.

you had been working on some sort of school assignment for how long? days? weeks? months? maybe years.. all nagi knows is that you've been doing it for way too long.

“sad…i have a blanket with all this extra room and no one to share it with.” he droned, hoping you would drop whatever useless school thing you were working on and just come cuddle with him instead, but alas, that was not the case.

"i'll be done soon enough, sei."

'sei.' the nickname would make any outsider think that you loved and cared for him, which you clearly didnt, seeing as you decided that that so-called 'important project for school' was more important than your wonderful boyfriend.

"how much longer?"

"maybe an hour or so,"

an hour? mhm, mhm, no. nagi didnt know if you just suddenly hated his guts, but personally, he wasn't putting up with whatever elaborate scheme to annoy him and deprive him of love and affection you had going on. although it was a pain to get out of his bed, (your bed, actually) he slid out from under the covers and sauntered over to your seated back.

he groaned as he leaned over ("'ts such a pain to bed over to your height," he says) to wrap his arms around your neck, inhaling your scent happily. you giggled and hugged him back, affectionately nuzzling his arm.

"someones feeling clingy." you quipped, smiling.

"ah, that's mean." he pouted, still tightening his hold on you further.

he sighed. "come back to bed. please?"

you looked into his beautiful, grey eyes. those pleading orbs were reaching into your heart and tugging on the strings. he gave you his best puppy eyes and the cutest pout that made your heart so happy.

"no."

dun dun DUUUUUN. nagi's jaw dropped in shock at your coldness. (actually, it was more of a slight part of the lips but thats as much as you're gonna get) where did this newfound heartlessness come from? did you suddenly hate him? why were you being so cruel?

"..please?"

"no."

"pleeease?"

"no."

"..."

"...?"

"pleeeaaaaaase?"

"sei, it wont be long until im done! i have to finish this, though."

maybe he should just let you be. you were working so diligently to work on your studies and he was just being a burden to your academic success. it wouldnt be much longer, so he should just go back to..

"SEI! PUT ME DOWN!"

"no way. your precious boyfriend who you love very much 's right here and he's not waiting any longer."

nagi gently placed you on the mattress (lowkey threw you) and immediately crawled underneath the covers beside you, immediately pressing his cheek to your chest.

"seeeeeei... i need to finish my project,"

"mm-mm. you've been working on it for way too long.. 'ts such a hassle being by myself.."

you sighed, wrapping your arms around him. "alright, but only for half an hour."

he didnt say anything, but he'd knew he'd have you staying longer than that.

he smiled warmly into your chest. "your hugs are nice..."

you giggled and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "you're so sweet,"

"mm.. 'ts no need to say. i know." he smiled lazily before adding a quick, "'ts ok though. i dont mind jus' hearing you say it.."

you rolled your eyes but still held him lovingly. soon enough, however, his half an hour was up.

"sorry, sei, but i need to get back to work now." you said, pulling yourself out of bed.

he groaned. "why can't we stay here forever?"

you chuckled. "because i have work to do."

"but 'm right here.. y're really gonna leave me all by myself?" nagi pouted, trying to coax you into coming back.

"yeah." you grinned, chuckling at his pout growing wider. "im gonna get back to work now, ok?"

"no."

his long arms circled around your waist quickly before he pulled you back into bed, smushing your head into his beautifully wonderfully toned chest, enveloping you in his ginormous frame. (overgrown mf) "gotta have you with me.. work on it later.."

"nagi! i gotta get back to-"

chomp.

"WHAT THE HELL?! DID YOU JUST BITE ME?!" you screamed, rubbing the cheek he nibbled on.

he held you tighter, smushing his cheek against the top of your head. "dont call me by my last name.. 's rude."

you sighed. "you big baby."

"yeah. your baby."

you rolled your eyes but snuggled up to him regardless.

"yeah. i guess so."

𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 💗

#i wrote this in 20 minutes bc i was in my nagi feels <3 #the typing had a mind of its own and i was just sitting there #anyways nagi biting seems so real #i dont know how ppl make the like lazy talk thing seem real #i feel like i did it dirty and weird #wtv #nagi x reader #nagi x y/n #nagi x you #nagi imagines #nagi fluff #nagi drabble #nagi bllk #nagi seishiro

[thoughtroomba02]

TS Film Thoughts Masterpost

As promised.

Let's start things off -

Breaking News - Headlines about the film

Dec 9 2022 - her film contract makes headlines

From what I can find, this is the first that anyone knows she is producing a film. There are no details released other than it's a script she wrote and she will be directing the film.

The next we hear is Dec 7, 2023 from the Tennessean --

It's been crickets, essentially. There are no public details I can find about the film anywhere including cast list, release date, content, ETC.

Interestingly, two days ago -- though uncertain of validity of source -

I don't have access to puck so cannot confirm what the article says; but this was recent! So; in theory, she finishes her Eras tour and moves directly in to film.

More on how Disney+ ties in our next section...

Who is Searchlight Pictures?

Created April 29, 1994 - formerly known as Fox Searchlight/under 20th/21st Century Fox

Biggest success: Slumdog Millionaire 187 Academy Ward Nominations with 46 wins; 5 Best Picture since 2009 117 Golden Globe Nominations; 51 wins 66 Screen Actors Guild Award Nominations; 55 wins 137 Independent Spirit Awards, 54 Wins

Other Notable Films: 12 Years A Slave; Black Swan; Napoleon Dynamite;

20th century fox, prior to the creation of Searchlight, was prominent in the specialty and independent films market in the 1990s; it carried this interest into Searchlight, at least initially.

In 2012, it was incorporated into Murdoch's 21st Century Fox. Barf.

On Dec 14, 2017 Disney put their first bid out on 21st Century Fox/Fox Searchlight. On March 19, 2019 the companies merged and Disney acquired Fox Searchlight; Fox News notoriously split independently. Disney dropped the name Fox; so now we have just Searchlight Pictures. There is also a Searchlight Pictures TV and shorts production, which for the sake of time I will not get into.

For Funsies, here is a short film (Jun 18 2019, after Disney acquired) produced by them called....LAVENDER. About a gay man who has a relationship with a married gay couple. Can't make it up.

Anyway, since merging with Disney especially, the company seems to be LGBTQ friendly.

And yes, Joe Alwyn has worked with Searchlight, with tweets I found dating back to 2018 with Searchlight UK. Make of that what you would like, I have no real objective commentary on the matter.

Taylor as a Director

She also directed the Long Pond Studio Sessions and Miss Americana.

Most of her directorial work has been since the Lover debut. Most of which is very queer coded/sapphic.. and again, make of that what you will.

Appearances/Pap Walks, ETC

Since her split from JA, we have seen her with multiple friends in the film industry. Among these: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Selena Gomez, Keleigh Teller, Miles Teller, Sophie Turner, Emma Stone...

And dare I say.... Travis Kelce, who seems to want to break his way into the entertainment industry?

(aside from this headline; his failed dating show, his podcast, his multiple PR deals like with ZenWater... etc. I rest my case).

We also know there has been some B roll footage taken at the Chiefs Games.

Additionally, the media coverage of this relationship has been an absolute f*cking circus; with constant headlines of the two and their "engagement" / relationship dynamics. On Taylor's end, we have had constant references to Bejeweled (where she Ghosts); including Keleigh Teller giving her the opal ring.

The Speculation

Yall, this is my opinion - you can agree, disagree, etc; but I have no insider information. Just thoughts.

She makes her film directorial debut with Searchlight - recently acquired by Disney, who is pro-LGBTQ; and is clearly in deep with business deals with them, as seen on Taylor Nation and her Eras Tour Film.

We have rumors of her beginning her film production at the end of the ERAS tour, along with knowledge of her currently with B roll footage from chiefs games. We have multiple highly papp'ed appearances with her + TK; but also with multiple film stars, including Blake Lively (still not over that photo), Sophie Turner (I do think there's altruism here tbh on TS's end), and Keleigh. If you believe Keleigh is her stand in invisible bride.... Holy shit. Between the opal ring shutdown of the media circus as well as her and TS literally taking a page out of TSHOEH and dressing in character...

My ultimate suspicion is that she's using actual experiences of her current life-highly papp'ed - to tell her story. And that Keleigh is her stand in muse in this film.

I also think the @spade-riddles we've been getting about a final act ending, etc, pertain to her film. I don't have evidence aside from speculation.

I rest my case. Enjoy this post and make of it what you will.

#gaylor #kaylor #lgbetty

[gh0stsp1d3r]

Okay I apologize for the Dad!Tangerine mood I’m in rn now LOL, but can I please request a Dad!Tangerine x daughter!reader where the lil girl and Tan’s dynamic is much like Sully and Boo from Monsters Inc? The lil girl’s personality is like Boo. Tangerine and Lemon are on a job (taking out super bad people), and just as they’re about to leave (them two being the only living people left standing), they hear a little cry, and they follow it (being really concerned) and find a 2 year old girl all by herself, said little girl immediately stopping crying when Tangerine starts talking to her, even when Tangerine is all grumpy, it just makes her giggle, and Y/n starting to call Tan “Daddy”. (At first The Twins definitely weren’t planning on keeping her with them, but she quickly melts their hearts hehe) After being with them a bit, she starts pointing at Tangerine and going, “Daddy!!” And he’s like, “No no no, I am not your Dad kid”, but she just keeps going, “Daddy!!” And giggling (much like when Boo called Sulley “Kitty”). Tangerine gradually accepting the title, Lemon being fully on board the moment she calls him “Uncle Lemon!!” Also you know Lemon would be getting her ALL of the Thomas the Engine merch LOL… Tan accepting the Dad role as Y/n has him (and Lem) wrapped around her little finger

AHH I LOVE. Sorry this took me so long Cece, I wanted this to be good 😭

The girlfriend of Tan is one of my oc’s 😭 , no warnings really

Tangerine took the knife out the man’s chest, and he fell to the floor.

“How many was that?” He asked.

“14.”

“What? I thought that it was 15.” He said.

“Well, either way the file said 16 people were here.” Lemon argued, looking around the warehouse.

They circled it, and they didn’t realize the other room. They heard a loud wail, as well as whining. Tangerine and Lemon looked at each other, and held their guns out. They both hid behind the doorway, and looked around and were about to shoot when they noticed you. A child. No older than 3 years.

They looked at each other.

“What the hell?” Tangerine mumbled, and they both put their guns down. You crawled away from them and were now backed up to a wall.

“Shh, sh, sh.. it’s alright.” Lemon said, as they both approached you. Your cries got louder.

“‘Ts alright, Its alright. We’re not gonna hurt ya.” Tangerine said quietly and softly, he crouched down to your level. Your cries stopped and you looked at them.

Lemon slowly picked you up, and carefully held you in his arms. You looked at the both of them with a curiosity in your eyes.

“Guessin’ we killed her parents.” Tangerine sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“Probably.”

“Wait.. is she the 16th person?” Tangerine thought.

“Wha- oh, shit. You’re right. It’s not like we can jus’ kill ‘er, mate. That’s way against my morals.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t really plannin’ on it.” Tangerine said, angrily now. “But what the hell do we do with her now?”

“Dunno… maybe we jus’.. put her up for adoption? Leave her at a fire station?”

“The first ones not bad, but the second ones dangerous. They could miss her. Heard they ran over some baby cause they didn’t see her.”

“Yeah. Well, guess we could jus’ put her up for adoption. But how would we explain how we have her?”

“Never thought of that.” Tangerine sighed, and groaned. You made grabby hands to tangerine, and he quirked an eyebrow as Lemon laughed.

“Think she wants you, mate.”

“No way. Nope.” Tangerine looked the other way. Lemon went up to him, practically forcing you into his hands. Tangerine sighed and held you, you smiled and giggled, babbling at the mustached man.

“Dada!” You said, it didn’t exactly sound like that, but they knew that’s what you were trying to say.

“Nope. Nope.” Tangerine groaned and put you back down onto the cold floor, you stared up at him still while he stared down at you. You walked around the room for a little, and motioned for Lemon to pick you up again which made him smile and laugh quietly.

“Aren’t you just adorable.” He booped your nose, and you giggled at the man, grabbing at his finger, his large hands looked like a giants to you.

“Don’t say it.” Tangerine mumbled when Lemon stared at him.

“We should keep her-“

“No.”

“Look at ‘er! She called you dad.” He hit tangerines shoulder.

Tangerine groaned again and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“No. I’m not having this conversation-“

“I can be uncle lemon. I’ve always wanted to be an uncle!” He said, practically begging at this point.

“Uncle.. lewmon?” The pronunciation sounded w weird coming from you but it made lemon smile widely.

“Oh my gosh. See that? She jus’ called me uncle. We have to keep her.”

“I don’t exactly know how to care for a bloody baby!”

“All we gotta do is clean her diapers, which I’ve done, feed her, clean after her, and keep her safe. C’mon man. I’m sure your girlfriend would love her.” Lemon teased him.

Tangerine narrowed his eyes, picking up his phone and texted his girlfriend “how do you feel about a child? Specifically 2 years old or something?”

“Uh… why? Aaron, if this is another joke..”

“It’s not.” He texted back.

“I mean I like kids, yeah. Do you mean like.. as ours?”

“Yeah. Kinda. Found one on a mission, we can put it up for adoption but she seems to like me and Lemon too much.”

“I mean… I’d love too, yeah, but wouldn’t it be a lot? The adoption process and all.”

“Don’t worry bout that, love.” He said, and put his phone down with a sigh.

“Well.. looks like she’s ours now.” He told lemon with a shrug.

Lemon smiled “All cause of your girlfriend?” He teased.

“Yes. Shut up.”

———————————————————-

“Alright, alright, let’s give uncle lemon a break.” He picked you up, taking you away from his brother who desperately needed a break from watching you for hours.

“Thanks man.” Tangerine said to him, patting his shoulder.

“Yeah. It’s nothin’. Anything for my only and favorite niece.” He smiled at you and Tan again, while Tangerines girlfriend came running down the stairs.

“Alright, let’s go. Thank you lemon!” She had said, and quickly left him alone in the house.

He sighed “Man, can’t believe I went from an assassin to a full time babysitter.”

#tangerine fic #tangerine x reader #platonic tangerine x reader #tangerine bullet train #bullet train #bullet train x reader

[tstwitterupdates]

Ts tweet april 14, 2023 :

Ten years ago, I made my first vine. Been a wild ride ever since. 💜

#i was waiting for him to post this on tumblr #but he never did so here you go #tstwitter #thomas sanders #video #thomas’s life #april 2023

[baby-girl-aaron-dessner]

Are you excited for TTPD or are you burnt out on Taylor and her constant media coverage and her pushing this relationship in our face at every moment? I’m not very excited for this album right now :/

Oh anon, unfortunately, I feel this 100% and it’s so sad. I’ve been trying to gaslight myself into being really excited for this album which I’ve never had to do for a TS release (and I’ve been a fan for 14 years).

Everything I’ve learned about that vivalasvegas man has been against my will and it’s so disappointing to watch her participate in another PR centric relationship.

I’ve been a fan of her music since I was a child but now that I’m an adult and have developed my critical thinking skills, I can’t help but notice all of the problematic things that she does (including her obvious partnership with the NFL) and so my relationship with her as a fan has drastically changed.

Also side note: I’ll never not cringe at her speaking about him in her TIME magazine interview. I wanted to bang my head against a wall. That was a career defining interview and she chose to speak about a man she’s only known for a few months??? How is she in her mid-thirties acting like this???

#I never want to hear anything about that man #I couldn’t care less #I don’t want him to occupy any part of my mind #anon ask #the tortured poets department #ttpd #taylor swift

[themultifandomgal]

Tommy Shelby- Been Lied To

This was a request. Hope you enjoy!

Not many people knew about Tommy Shelby’s first love Greta. Before the war, he believed she was the one, the one he would marry. Tommy promised to come home to her, and she promised she would be there waiting for him when his train gets in. However that promise was broken when Tommy returned home and he’s love wasn’t there to great him. His aunt Polly later told him that she had been ill for some time and Greta’s sister had been looking after her, but she eventually passed away. Little did any of them know the truth.

A 14 year old YN paces the length of her bedroom having thrown a book she shouldn’t of had on to her bed. The book was a diary, here mums diary, the woman she believed to be her aunt was actually her mother and she had been lied to her whole life!

Hearing the door downstairs open then close, YN sees red. Why did she have to be lied to? Why couldn’t she have been told the truth? Running downstairs she sees her ‘mum’

“Hi love I got some of those biscuits you like”

“Thanks mum, or should I say Auntie Kitty”

“YN love, what are you talking about?”

“I’m taking about your diary”

“What? Where did you find that?” mum shouts with wide eyes

“That doesn’t matter!” I yell back “you lied to me my whole life? Why?”

“YN…” mum sighs “I didn’t think I’d ever have the chance to have a child, then when your auntie Greta passed away after having you I thought….”

“You could have just told me. I would have still loved you like you were my mum. Who’s my dad?”

“That I will never tell you. You don’t want to get mixed up with them. Promise me you won’t go looking for him”

“How can I if you won’t tell me who he is!” YN shouts as she storms off upstairs slamming her bedroom door. Looking back at the diary she picks it up again and takes another look at the diary. Rereading YN notices some initials

15th February 1918

Dear Diary,

I’m afraid TS may find out the truth, but I can’t let him. He will ruin the girl with the Peaky Blinders. He questioned me today, said she looked like him and his family. Of course I told he he was stupid and that she is my daughter not his!

TS? Who was TS? He was a Peaky Blinder…. Then it hit YN. TS must stand for Tommy Shelby. Tommy Shelby is her father? Well there’s only one way to find out. Knowing that he was getting married to the old barmaid Grace, YN quickly leaves her room taking the diary with her. She runs downstairs and to the coat rack

“Where are you going?” Kitty asks

“Out!” YN shouts before slamming the bedroom door. Hoping she can get to the church before the wedding starts, YN runs as fast as she can until she seeing a group of men stood outside smoking

“YN?” Turning around she sees Finn Shelby, the youngest brother who she’s knows from school, well when he decided to attend “what are you doing here?”

“Erm” now she’s here she feels nervous, yes she’s angry at her mum, well auntie, but now she’s worried because she’s turned up on her possible dads wedding day. What if he wants nothing to do with her?

“Finn come on Toms waiting” Arthur says stomping out his cigarette

“I’ll be a minute” Finn shouts back “YN what’s wrong?”

“I don’t even know why I though coming here was going to be a good idea” YN says before biting her lip

“Finn!”

“I’m coming! YN what’s going on?”

“I think Tommy is my dad. Look” YN hands the diary over to Finn who takes a look at the diary entry that YN just read. Gingerly Finn reads the diary, his eyes widen at the end

“Shit. Ok you gotta speak to Tommy”

“But…”

“For fuck sake Finn what the fuck are you doing?” John now asks walking over to us

“This is YN, Tommys long lost daughter”

“What?” Finn then hands the diary to John to read

“Holy shit. Greta was your mum not kitty?” John says shocked “I know Tommy had his suspicions, but fuck why would she keep this from him? He had a right to know”

“Right are you guys coming or what because Tommy is getting impatient” Polly walks over with Ada

“Poll we think YN is Tommys daughter” the diary is then passed over to their aunt

“Today of all days, why?” Polly mutters “ok we will deal with this later, but right now we have a wedding. YN head home then….”

“I can’t, or more like I don’t want to. Mum, auntie kitty, fuck I don’t know what to call her now, knows I found the diary. She’s mad and won’t talk to me about this. She’ll just pretend that that diary doesn’t exist”

“Ok ok. Stand at the back of the church, don’t make a fuss. After the wedding we’ll head to Arrow House. We can talk then”

“Ok” YN gives in knowing this probably her best option.

Later on after the wedding Polly takes Yn to Tommys house. They all head into Tommys office, the whole family including Grace

“What are we in here for Poll” tommy sighs lighting up a cigarette

“Kitty lied. Greta was pregnant while you were away at war. YN is Gretas daughter, your daughter Thomas” Polly says throwing the diary onto the table. Tommy runs his hands over his face sitting down

“How do you know she is definitely his?” Grace asks

“Before I went to war Greta said she thought she was pregnant. When I came home Kitty said Greta wasn’t pregnant, but got sick and died”

“Come to think of it after you went away Greta disappeared. Said she was ill, I tried going over to check on her but Kitty wouldn’t let me in” Ada says

“Then all of a sudden Kitty has a daughter” Arthur says

“Did any of you notice a bump?”

“No, but pregnant or not she would have tried to hide it” Polly reply’s to John

“But she was still called names when she first came out with YN”

“So YN really is your daughter?” Grace asks looking at her husband

“I guess so” Tommy looks up at his family “everyone out, except YN. I think we need to talk”

That evening, YN and Tommy talk. Tommy tells YN about he mother, about what she was like and how he loved her. YN has to go home, but over the weeks and months, YN soon finds herself living with Tommy and Grace and their son. At first Grace is weary, but soon warms up the the young girl. For a while YN wanted nothing to do with Kitty, but after speaking to Polly and finding out that Kitty only wanted a child of her own and loved YN with all her heart, YN decided to make an effort with her aunt. But for YN her whole life changed that night all because she found a diary while looking for Irish Whiskey.

#peaky blinders #peaky blinders reader #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders imagine #tommy shelby x daughter!reader #tommy shelby x you

[thecapricunt1616]

The Bear & His Honey - Chapter 14

♡ Chapter Inspo: The Archer - Lover (TS) ; And I cut off my nose, just to spite my face. Then I hate my reflection, for years and years.

♡ Summary: Winnie has a bit of a meltdown after therapy, this time Carmy is the one to help her calm down.

♡ W/C: 5,444

♡ Posted Date: 03/24/24

♡ A/N: Heyyy all! I am so happy you're enjoying this story! Thank you so much for the love and likes and reblogs!!! This is a 2 part chapter, C14&C15 are kinda twins, it was gonna be one chapter but I think you guys like the shorter ones so each is gonna be 5/6k instead of one thick 12k chapter! I should be posting C15 soon, still polishing it up :) Enjoy!

♡ Warnings for BTC: Anxiety, Panic attacks, Angst, Hurt to comfort kinda thing, Mentions of Domestic Abuse (physical, verbal,etc)

➵ 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 ♡

➵ 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 ♡

𝒞𝒶𝓇𝓂'𝓈 𝒫.𝒪.𝒱.🧸

I woke up, warm and comfortable. There was a weight between my legs, my right thigh actually felt numb under it. I yawned big, stretching comfortably, my knuckles brushing the plush of Winnie’s headboard. 

So I did come back here this morning.  

I reach out to my left, in search of Winnie, feeling a light crinkle under my grasp. I opened my eyes, pinching the flimsy paper between my fingers and unfolding it to read.  

‘Went to therapy. Be back by 4:30, please lock the door if you leave…(didn’t wanna wake you, you’re so sweet + handsome when you’re sleeping ♡ ) xoxo - Honey :)’ 

I smiled lightly, my gaze drifting down. I nudged the cat lightly whom had made a comfy bed on my thigh causing it to fall asleep. “Good afternoon- lazybones” I muttered, sitting up lightly and she mews, stretching out comfortably over my legs, begging for attention.  

I snort a laugh. “Y’know? Y’re a lot like y’mother- needy for pets ‘n love” I teased, rubbing her fluffy chest gently. She purred wildly, sitting up and sniffing my fingers before standing up, stretching out, showing off her daggers and flicking her feather duster of a tail and sassily making a show of walking up onto my hip, since I was sat on my side, carefully balancing herself on my ribs. 

She made her way up silently, and started licking the inside of my ear. “Aughh!! Bad! Shoo! Bad fuckin’ kitty! No fuckin’ way, cat!!! ew! Absolutely not nasty!” I swat next to my ear and felt her claws digging in to my side to balance herself, groaning- I shove her off my ribs and she makes a sharp “mrooww!!!” in protest. “Well, fuck off, cat!” I nudge her off the bed. If there was one thing I would not tolerate, Is something licking the inside of my fucking ear. 

I huffed, grabbing my phone and seeing the time was- 4:00?! I raised my eyebrows in surprise,

Great. Now my sleeping schedules all fucked up. Just wonderful. 

I clicked on a notification from Sugar, huffing a laugh at the drastic changes in tone from one text to another

Hey. Meant what I said, she’s good for youuu!!! Kiss and make up!

Check this lady out she’s right 20s are the worst ever bear it’s normal to feel how u do with all the bs 

Don’t have kids. Just had to go down to the school to bring bug home, she threw up. Twice. 

I chuckle, sending her a reply 

Wasn’t planning on it. Twice?? Don’t bring whatever shit she got to the restaurant. Hope she’s ok 

I got up, clicking the link wondering what she was on about, listening to the podcast of some woman go on about how ‘being in your 20’s was the worst period in your life’ I snort, nodding a bit to myself at the sentiment. 

As far as I’d seen, the last 7 years of my life had been the absolute worst- a shit show, a fuckin’ dumpster fire. So, the lady was onto something as far as that went. 

‘Now- I get it, listen- everyone in your life, has been telling you ‘relax, the world is at your fingertips! You just wanna take those fingertips, curl them into a fist- and punch them into a fuckin face!! Cause how- don’t people realize how scary that is?!’ 

I chuckled, starting the shower and grabbing a towel from the linen closet, leaving it on the counter for when I got out. Wasn’t that the truth. I am sick and tired of people telling me ‘just relax Carmen! You’re only 27, look how much you’ve already accomplished?! You’re gonna be fine, everything will be fine, you’re doing fine!’ 

But I didn’t feel fine. Not in the slightest. I felt fuckin’ lost. Ahead of the curve, but severely behind. Worlds ahead of people my age- but yet, completely socially inept. It was fuckin’ exhausting. 

She continued as I slipped off my sweatpants and boxers, pulling back the sparkly white shower curtain stepping under the water. ‘And let me tell you- people who say ‘oh, your 20s are the best time in your life, blah blah fuckin’ blah, no! That is complete, and utter bullshit! It might actually be the hardest decade in your life. There! I said it. So if you just let out a sigh of relief- i just want to say good. Good! It is normal and I just want to read this, this is a submission from a 28 year old listener her name is Candace” 

She went on about how some girl, had graduated from college- and realized that after she graduated, much like after I’d left culinary school, everything just went to utter shit. She lost all her friends, hated her new job, realized she may not like being in the field she was in, realized she had no romantic prospects after breaking up with her long term boyfriend - was constantly fighting with family, essentially everything she’d thought could never go wrong, went wrong, and she’d felt utterly lost. Something I could very much relate to. 

She continued on, ‘Now- Candace let me just say. Yes! And all the people listening and nodding along? I want you to understand, this is the average experience for someone in their 20’s. And let me just pause and say this this is why this decade is so fucking hard’ she goes on as I grabbed Winnie’s shampoo and started washing my hair, listening intently. 

‘Listen, it is the first time in your life- your whole life! That someone isn’t telling you what to do. Just stop and think, there is no playbook! Nothing! All you’ve known, from 0-20- is someone else’s playbook. Whether it be mom, dad, sibling, grandparents- doesn’t matter! For the first 20 years, every single detail had been planned for you. And it was planned for all your peers and friends too. That’s a huge piece- remember, from 0-20 you were all running at the same pace! You had vacations at the same time for Christ sake! ‘ she explained and I hum a bit in agreement to myself. 

I’d never really thought about it that way, it was true. I’d spent my entire life comparing myself. And now it has just gotten even worse since I’d left culinary school. It was my one crutch- but now? I felt like a fuckin loser.

 Everyone my age was married, or having kids, or graduating college. I had multiple offers to go to Technical College after I’d graduated culinary school, but I hadn’t because I was obsessed with chasing awards.It didn’t matter to me that I graduated top of my class-  I had to prove to my mom, to Mikey- that I was serious, that I had really been made in the industry. And the way to do that, was being awarded- not getting a stupid degree.  

 I grabbed the pink wash cloth I’d taken in with me, looking over one of her many different shelves of various soaps and being slightly overwhelmed at all the options, I just settled on the one at my eye level. Most of them were full, which told me she either didn’t like them, or it was too much of a hassle for her to try and reach them so high up.  My choices in scent were Butterfly, whatever the fuck that smells like, Beautiful Day, sounds flowery- so not f’me. And simply relax. I picked up the bottle, Reading the back ‘smells like a dreamy bedside bouquet of lavender and vanilla’ well, I guess that’s what I was gonna smell like today.

By the time I’d gotten out of the shower I heard the front door close and Persephone loudly meowing. “Is that my wittle baby girl? Is Carmy still here? Mmm? Keepin’ y’company miss baby?” Winnie coos. I smiled a bit to myself, slipping on a clean pair of boxers I’d grabbed from my backpack. 

I paused what I’d been listening to, opening the bathroom door. The steam floods into the bedroom - fuck. I didn’t realize the water had been so hot. I grabbed the towel, messily rubbing it over my hair to get rid of the annoying dripping down my back. 

 “Babe?” I called out to let her know I was still here. 

The bedroom door nudged open quickly and Persephone rushed in, circling my legs and mewing loudly. 

“Oh! You didn’t leave? Hey!” The bedroom door nudges open further, and when my eyes met hers my heart cracked slightly. Her hazel eyes were bloodshot, glazed over like she’d been crying. Her nose has been rubbed raw assumingly by tissues. 

“Are- is everything…are y’alright baby?” I asked gently. She nodded quickly, a small, sad smile curling on her lips. 

“Sorry- I must look like shit…” she started and I shook my head, stepping forward to her and pulling her into a hug. She melted into me, resting her head on my chest and took a shuddering breath.

“Never angel, how was your appointment?” I ask quietly, rubbing soothing strokes over her back. 

“Good- I guess..I mean…I guess it’s good when it hurts? I dunno. But yeah we talked um…about you? Well..about me. And about everything.” She sniffled. 

I rest my chin on her head, biting my cheek nervously since my lip was so sore after I’d bitten the hell out of it last night. “Yea? D’you wanna…talk about it? Er?…we don’t have to- but I’m here baby if y’want to” I questioned nervously, gently rubbing my fingers up the seams of her overalls. 

“Yea-if..if you’re ok with it-well I just..” her voice cracked and she clears her throat. “I’m sorry if I- I-if I cry everything is just really raw and It’s not to make you feel bad” she said and I kissed the top of her head gently. 

“You never have to apologize for crying baby. I know you aren’t trying to make me feel bad, I mean…I kinda wish I could let stuff out sometimes- but I can’t unless…” I trailed off sighing a bit, rubbing up her back and pulling her more into me. 

 ”I-I’m- I’m just so..so sorry, Carmy..” she whispered and I brushed her hair back from her shoulder, gently smoothing it out over her back. 

“F’what? F’what..baby?” I gently play with the ends of her hair, weaving the silky strands between my fingers. 

“I-if I ever made you feel like…difficult? y’re not hard to be with..I’m- I’m so fucking sorry…I’m so sorry f’r being so selfish Carmy, I want you I-“ she huffed a silent, shaking sob into my shoulder.

“Baby what? No…no angel it’s ok” I wrap my arms around her, rocking her gently. “No. No you aren’t selfish baby.” I said “i know you want me, i know. Y’didnt do that…I did that, I make myself feel like that” I whisper into her hair, I usually wouldn’t be so honest with my feelings, but my heart was aching. I had to say anything I could to get her to stop feeling so sad.  

I kissed the top of her head gently, she was suddenly feeling much too warm. “C’mon- let’s get outta this, y’re burning up, baby. Wha’s wrong, mm? Y’re not selfish, Win, why do you feel that way?” I led her to the bed, gently urging her to sit.

She looked up at me, her large green eyes tear-filled and red. “I-I-y’re perfect, Carmen. I-I can’t…I couldn’t…I wouldn’t want to d’anything…like to change you-you” she sniffled and I cupped her cheeks, sitting next to her. “I-I-I don’t” she shakes her head “don’t change f’me, because of me” she hugs me tightly. 

I felt tears welling up behind my eyes. All Claire wanted was for me to change. I took a deep, shaky breath at the realization, holding her tighter. “Thank you” I whispered when I managed to swallow the lump forming in my throat. 

She took a shuddering breath and pulled away, quickly unclipping the buttons on her overalls, “too hot” she mumbled, pushing them down to her hips and shimmying them off quickly before clawing off her long-sleeved shirt, throwing it to the floor.

Fuck..She's having a panic attack.

I quickly got up and grabbed her black NASCAR t-shirt she’d thrown in the hamper that she’d worn to bed so many times before, “Here, ye’? This is comfortable right baby?” I asked and she shook her head fervently, walking to the bathroom quickly and shoving open the door without mind, the wood slamming into the wall.

“Baby- let me” she cuts me off

“Where is it, where did you put your shirt?” she asked, rushing over to the hamper when she didn’t find it in the bathroom and mindlessly rifling through it.

“Wha- which one baby- y’re makin’ a mess…” I walked over, running my hand through my hair as she chucked shirts and underwear and jeans every which way.

“The white one carmy? Which other shirt do you wear?” she choked out.

“Oh! Oh- here, c’mere” i told her, walking over to my side of the bed and pulling back the covers, digging out my white t-shirt from the mess of sheets. “This? Right? Ye’ baby?” she nods and takes it from me, sliding it over her head and sinking into her side of the bed, grabbing her blanket and wrapping it over her head and neck, rubbing the silk tag against her lips as she tries to relax her rapid breathing. 

Seph comes up as if on queue, sitting in her lap and laying down, purring loudly as she kneads the blanket over Winnie’s legs. She strokes her tail and closes her eyes, leaning her head against the headboard.

“Sorry…i’m-i-i’m sorry” she breathes out after a few minutes of stroking her tail and trying to calm herself down. I carefully sat down next to her and tuck the blanket back a bit so I could better see her face.

“Why?” I asked gently, looking over at her. She continued stroking Persephones tail, sighing to herself. 

“F’r…For like- I’m sorry for bombarding you like this” she releases a shaky sigh, wiping her eyes and shaking her head. “It’s a lot every time” she said and I nod, taking her free hand and gently pressing it to my lips. 

“I get it, baby. Trust me. That’s like- nothin’ I get so worked up. Y’re really tame” I said and she smiled a bit, lacing our fingers together. 

“Oh no I had a full meltdown at the grocery store too on the way home, this is just the aftermath…they were out of cherry juice and I- I’ve been thinkin about it all week.” She shook her head, looking at her lap and covering her face with her blanket. “And I- I used the money on cranberry instead, and I tried it…and it’s not the same” she said her voice cracking again and she sniffled. 

“Oh sweet baby” I wrapped my arms around her, kissing her blanket covered head. “I’ll make you cherry juice, d’worry” I said soothingly, rubbing her side gently. 

“It’s stupid Carmy. No. Don’t it’s all stupid. Plus I made you upset. I don't deserve my juice anyway” she said sadly, slightly nudging my arms away. 

I pouted a bit at her words “hey, no- don’t say that, Win. You deserve all the cherry juice. That’s all you want, mm? Some cherry juice?” I held her tighter, pulling her into my chest. 

She rested her cheek against my skin for a moment, before nuzzling her cold, cry-slicked nose into my neck and inhaling deeply, causing me to laugh a bit.

 “Mmhmm. I do. But- You took a shower and used my soap, smells good.” She said and I squeezed her waist gently. 

“I did. Can you tell which of your 50 million soaps I chose?” I mused and she giggled a bit, my heart lightening immediately at the sound. 

“Mmm” she hums, taking another big sniff this time in the middle of my throat, but not without nibbling my collarbone gently before pulling away. “Floral. But herby. The lavender one?” She questions. 

“Wow- you have quite the nose. Even when it’s all boogery cause you’re sad about cherry juice” I teased and she looks up at me, pecking my lips. 

“Mmhmm. I have the best nose. So don’t go smooching any girls cause I know your scent mister.” She mused and I hum, a smirk dancing on my lips. 

“You do now? Go on then. What do I smell like?” I asked, curious as to what she’d say. 

“Well, cigarettes- duh. Hmm..like- musky I dunno like in a really good way though. And then a tiny bit of Y’re laundry detergent annddd” she nuzzled her nose right below my jaw and sniffed, humming in a satisfied way that made me chuckle.

“Mmm like…vanilla. But boy vanilla? Does that make sense?” She bites the sensitive skin gently and I bit back a moan. 

“Mmhmm didn’t ask about taste baby” my hand travels around to her stomach rubbing up gently. 

“What do I smell like? You’re the one with the advanced palate chef” she kissed the same spot she’d just assaulted to soothe the sting before running her tongue over it gently. 

“What part?” I let my eyes flutter shut and she giggled into my skin. 

“Ohhh naughty, dirty chef” she nudged Persephone away to which she meows in objection as Winnie took her spot straddling my lap. “Tell me both.” She said softly in my ear, playing with my hair gently. 

“Hmm…bready but in the best way. But it tastes kinda sweet. Like…” I huff a laugh through my nose at the comparison. “Have you ever had…Japanese tea bread?” I questioned and she giggled into my hair. 

“No. What is it?” I gently squeeze her ass with my palms as I explained. 

“It’s- well bread. But it’s kinda salty sweet, the first time I went down on you it’s what I thought of. It’s really good” I said looking up at her. She shakes her head and rests her forehead on mine. 

“Y’know. I think you’re the cutest ever” she said softly, kissing the bridge of my nose before resting her forehead on mine again. 

“Why, cause I think your pussy smells kinda like shokupan?” I snort a laugh and she giggled, her eyes scrunching adorably. 

“No. Well- yes in a way, I think it’s fuckin adorable that instead of being like- all turned on and thinking about what we were doing, you were sitting there being like ‘i know I’ve had this somewhere’ “ she said and I laughed a bit, my hands travelling up to rest on her hips. 

“No. In the moment I was like- I actually was trying not to bust in your face, like- as soon as you went down on me, because Y’re so hot. But- later. I think it was as we were falling asleep. I was thinkin’bout it. And it dawned on me” I said rubbing the backs of her thighs and gently squeezing. 

“My therapist says we’re good for eachother” she said suddenly and it felt like my heart leapt into my throat and I nearly choked on it. 

“Oh?” I ask and clear my throat. “Like- well…yea..right? D-did you think we were bad for eachother?” I questioned, my cheeks suddenly feeling hot. 

“No! No the opposite. I was hoping she was gonna agree we’re good f’r eachother and she…she did. She said that I just- I need to…like…be more open and stuff with how I feel so…yeah that’s why I allowed myself to tell you everything and..yeah..” she said softly, resting her head on my shoulder and wrapping her arms around my neck. 

I felt myself instantly relax at the admission. The affirmation doing wonders for my anxiety. 

“Thank you f’r tellin me, honey” I said softly, kissing her cheek. “I think we’re good together, too” I rubbed her back gently. “Cmon, let me go get the cherrys baby, y’want your juice” I told her. 

“Y’don’t have to make it for me, Carm. It’s..it’s probably gonna be alotta work and..it’s not worth it for stupid juice.” She muttered and I kiss her cheek. 

“Will it make you happy baby?” I asked, rubbing her side gently. 

“ ‘fcourse I love anything you make Carmy but I’m not gonna make you work on your day off” she said and I gently pull her chin up so she looks at me. 

“It’s not work when I’m cooking for you honey, it’s fun. I love cooking. It’s why it’s my job, even though it’s shit. It’s fun when I can do it in a more…peaceful environment I guess” I smiled a bit and she took my hand, kissing it. 

“I’m making you dinner then and you get a massage after” she said, gently kissing over each letter on my knuckles. 

“That sounds like a wonderful deal baby.” I watched her, my cheeks heating at the sweetness of the gesture. 

“Have you ever had- well. That’s a stupid question. You’ve probably tasted everything” she said, gently playing with my fingers. “I was gonna say have you ever had tomate farcies but now I feel..kinda silly cause- why wouldn’t you have had, it you went to culinary school in Paris” she smiled a bit. 

“You speak French?” I questioned and her brows furrowed a bit. 

“I didn’t- I didn’t tell you? Our grandma was from Quebec…yeah I grew up on French. You- you don’t? How did you live over there?” She questioned and I shrug a bit. 

“Uhh…didn’t. Really- I mean…I was either goin’ T’school or working. I went out like 2 times total. I know all the cooking terms those are all I needed…then I moved to Denmark and uh…yeah they speak a lot more English so it didn't make a difference” I shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to learn though, so you can teach me baby” I kissed the corner of her mouth gently. 

“Of course! Well..I’m not the best teacher, I only speak it with my gram on the phone when I call her now- but she raised us a lot of the time, we stayed with her over the summers cause my mom worked so much. I’ll show you what I know, We’ll start when you get back from the store” she pecks my lips before rolling off my lap and I got up, stretching my back that felt worlds better after a good 10 hours rest in her comfortable bed. 

“Sounds perfect. What kinda cherries do you like babe?” I asked grabbing my grey hoodie from end of the bed and slipping it on. 

“Kind of Cherries? I dunno…there’s different kinds?” She giggled and I shook my head with a grin. 

“Yes, there are, honey. How about I surprise you, yeah?” I wrap my arms around her waist, kissing her forehead. 

“Mmhmm” she said and kissed my nose. “Be safe please, there were alotta cops out when I was on the way back” she said and I gently tuck her hair behind her ear.  “Then lock the door behind me please” I told her and squeezed her hips gently.

I got to the grocery store fairly quickly, walking fast due to the rain that was only getting heavier as I walked. By the time I’d gotten to the store, my hoodie was already half soaked. 

I tugged on my hood, pulling it higher as I made my way to the produce aisle, grabbing 3 bags of sweetheart cherries before making my way to the baking isle for some sugar. 

While rounding the corner, since my head was down momentarily I bumped into someone, causing them to drop the boxes of cake mix they were holding “oh! Shit my bad!” I looked up at them, my heart sinking. 

I suddenly felt hot, my sweater felt itchy, my cheeks were flushed. It felt like I couldn’t breathe. I looked her up and down, my mouth dropping in to a gaping ‘o’. I felt bile rising in my throat, my stomach churning with anxiety. 

No. No. Not her. Not now. 

“Bear?” The name coming off of her tongue nearly made me gag. I shook my head quickly, squeezing my eyes shut and pulling my hood up further. 

“P-please. No. I-I’m. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Claire- I” I looked at her, then the boxes of cake mix, then her again. 

“I-uh- have T-T-t’go. Um-I-please don’t um-“ I took a shuttering breath. 

Unless I slice deep, she will keep trying with me. 

“Don’t- I- we can never be together. I-I-im sorry, Claire. I’m sorry” I turned around quickly heading to the registers. 

“Prick” she muttered as I briskly walked away. The word stung, but I surely deserved it. 

I shook my head, trying to brush off the brief unforeseen confrontation, as I rushed I clumsily almost knocked over a display of bouquets with roses and sunflowers, grabbing one before it fell off the shelf quickly, and instead of putting it back, I paused for a moment, looking at it as I thought, before I took them for Winnie and continued my walk to the registers. 

I dropped the cherries and the flowers onto the belt and digging my debit card out of my pocket. 

I need to get back to Honey. Wait, Honey. She’s gonna have honey, her tea- she’s always drinking tea. I didn’t even need fuckin’ sugar anyway.

“Do you have a rewards card?” The teen at the register asks glumly. 

“No, thanks.” I mumbled, putting my card in the reader as soon as he scanned the bags and flowers. 

“Do you want a bag?” He asked, and I looked at him annoyed. 

“Do I-? yes. Yes I want it bagged” 

Like, cmon, kid. lets keep this conversation goin, hm? why doesn’t Claire just get in line behind me right fuckin now? 

I thought bitterly to myself as he bagged the 3 bags of cherries and the flowers handed them to me. 

“Want your receipt?” He asked, but I was already headed up to the flower counter with the bag and the flowers. 

‘If you get a girl flowers, y’always get em wrapped, bear. Er’ y’re just givin’ em work. Simple, but impressive’

Was what Mikey had told me once upon a time. I’d never gotten a girl flowers before now, but they seemed to literally jump at me, and it couldn’t hurt after the day Winnie’s had.

I set the flowers on the counter, “can I have these uh- wrapped?” I asked the older woman tending the flower section. 

She nodded, smiling warmly. “Of course. Beautiful choice, if you’d like- we have cards you can write a message on” she motioned to the little table next to the flower stand. 

I looked over them, reading the different choices. I love you, happy birthday, I’m sorry, Just Because I love you - no. Too much.

I shook my head “no. Just uh- just wrapped, thanks.” I mumble, shoving my hand that wasn’t holding the bag in my pocket. 

“Who are these for, if you don’t mind?” She asked as she removed the cellophane, snipping the ends of the flowers at an angle and arranging them. 

“My- uh. This- she’s...we’re…seeing eachother.” I said awkwardly, biting the inside of my cheek. 

“Ahhh ok. So it’s new love then” she said, placing the flowers atop brown paper. 

My cheeks heat and I swallow thickly. She wasn’t wrong but it wasn’t right to call it love..yet. 

“I-I guess…maybe.” I said and she tied them up with twine around the paper, covering them in a clear plastic bag before sliding them in a brown paper one. 

“Stay dry out there” she told me and I nodded, heading towards the doors. 

“Thanks” I said simply, feeling too anxious to say anything else. 

If it hadn’t been pouring, I’d have taken my cigarettes out as soon as I got outside, but unfortunately for me- my hoodie was beginning to get soaked through, and I was starting to shiver because of the wind that was quickly picking up. 

The last fuckin’ thing I need right now is to be sick.

𝒲𝒾𝓃𝓃𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝒫.𝒪.𝒱. 🍯

I turned back to the tv, paying attention to a random Criminal Minds episode i’d put on in the living room while I cooked, watching as I cored the 8 tomatoes whilst waiting for the rice to finish boiling. 

This would be the only recipe I could bring to the table in our relationship, other than a few very simple dishes from my childhood my Gram had taught me how to cook plus my easy breakfasts, I was fairly lost in the kitchen. 

But I’d felt proud that at least one night he could let someone make something for him. I scooped the cores into the trash, saving the little lids. 

I was feeling much better now that I’d gotten paid and Sephys (as well as my own) food supplies weren’t dwindling. The cost of therapy ate up most of my checks, then rent, then utilities. So at the end of every month I was left pretty dry. I did whatever I could to not call Gram and ask her to spare me some money, it had happened a few times though, each time I did I was near an eviction notice or my lights getting shut off.

Even though she was insistent whenever I called that if I was struggling she’d be more then happy to send money and help out, I knew she kept tabs with mom, and whatever I said could make its way back to her. And the last thing I needed was her thinking I was failing out here, especially her. I’d never hear the end of it. 

I carefully chopped the onion the way my Gram taught me, chopping vegetables was much easier then meat, to me anyway. So my attempt came out much better then the chicken I’d murdered at lunch with Carmy the other day. 

Sephy jumps up on the counter and I gasp “seph! No! Naughty! Carm would have a heart attack” I quickly pick her up, going and putting her down on her cat tree. “You sleep here. You know that missy” 

I sighed softly to myself, padding over to the sink and washing my hands, drying them off quickly on Carmys shirt before going back to the onions. 

By the time I’d gotten the tomatoes stuffed and in the oven, as well as done a little cleaning of the kitchen, 

I’d laid down on the couch, remembering to set a timer for the food in the oven. I found myself getting drowsy, ending up falling asleep for what felt like 15 minutes until there was a soft knock at the door. I woke up, rubbing my eyes and humming happily to myself, going over and looking in the peephole to see darkness. 

I rolled my eyes playfully, “Carmy- c’mon. I know it’s you” I unlocked the door and as soon as I did it was forcefully thrown open, so hard that it left a mark on the wall. I jumped back in surprise and I swore my vision went fuzzy when I saw who it was. 

“I’ve been told you need me again, darling” he shut the door behind him, locking it swiftly.  

I’m trapped. 

“Joe- Joe..Joe…leave. Please leave” I said, backing up quickly, nearly tripping over my shoes in the entry hall. 

“No. No. I told you I tooold you” he approaches me slowly, like a snake hunting a mouse. 

“I don’t belong to you, anymore Joe” I tried to sound confident and menacing, but my voice came out much weaker then I intended. 

“Winnie, my sweet, sweet little Winnie the Pooh” he backs me into the corner of the living room, gently brushing his cold boney fingers over my cheek. 

I hadn’t even realized I’d been crying, until he swipes his forefinger up my skin and brings it to his lips, humming in satisfaction. 

Sick fuck. 

“It’s okay baby, I won’t hurt you unless you try to scream, you remember the rules, don’t you, be a good girl, and I give you what you need” he grabs my jaw roughly, knocking my head back into the wall for good measure. 

“What are the fucking rules, Winnow, say it” he growls. 

I’m never going to escape him. 

“I guess I have to remind you what happens when you don’t listen to me” he seethed in my ear and I felt my body go entirely numb with fear. 

➵ 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 ♡♡♡ ⋙

#carmen berzatto x oc #carmy berzatto x oc #carmen berzatto fanfiction #carmy berzatto fanfiction #carmen berzatto fluff #carmen berzatto #the bear fx #the bear fic #carmy berzatto #the bear hulu #the bear fanfiction #the bear #carmen x oc

[mariaofdoranelle]

Mastermind

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, @rowanaelinn!!

I’m posting this oneshot at midnight in your time zone if my math is right. I was between childhood friends to lovers and exes to lovers, but ended up going for this secret, cuter third thing. However you wanna call it, it’s a TS-inspired fluff fest.

Love you, Ezzy. I hope you have the best day today ❤️

Warnings: language

Words: 6k

14 YEARS BEFORE

“They’re idiots,” her boyfriend said with all the sureness a second-grader could have.

Aelin groaned. “I told my mom these glasses are stupid, but she won’t listen.”

“I know you can’t see it because the doctor said you’re blind now, but you still look very pretty, Fireheart.”

“I’m not blind!” Aelin whined.

Rowan squinted his eyes at her, not convinced of that yet.

When the school bus stopped and they stepped out, her body finally relaxed. She took a deep breath. That smelly bus full of mean kids had nothing on her neighborhood’s main street, especially when the first thing that hit her senses was coming from Emrys’, her favorite bakery.

Getting home was Aelin’s favorite part of school, but only because she did it with Rowan. She couldn’t stop thinking about today, the embarrassment she felt after the other kids wouldn’t let her play with them because she wouldn’t see the ball. The worst part is, Aelin knew her new glasses were just one of many excuses they had to not let her play.

She sighed, and Rowan squeezed her hand like he knew what she was thinking. After that, he bought her a Kit Kat bar with the pocket money his dad gives him, because he thought he knew how Aelin felt. He didn’t. Rowan said he didn’t want to play with kids who didn’t want to play with Aelin as well, but he only had a few friends because he wanted to.

Their parents were always telling them to use bikes on this stretch, but Aelin and Rowan actually walked on a turtle’s pace so they could spend more time together. Besides, she loved her neighborhood. She liked stopping to pet the neighbors’ dogs through the fences and jumping over the cracks of the sidewalk with Rowan.

Her dad had been telling her all about Doranelle City and how she’d love it there, but Aelin didn’t want to hear it. She loved Mistward, even if it was small and the kids at school didn’t like her. She had Rowan, and she had Emrys’ chocolate cake. It was more than enough.

“Wait here,” he said when they passed by his house.

”Aren’t you going to drop Aelin off, sweetie?” His mother called while she worked on her garden, and turned to Aelin. “I like your glasses. You look great in purple.”

Aelin hoped she wasn’t blushing. Even if Rowan’s mom didn’t approve of their relationship, she was always nice to Aelin.

It was their thing. Aelin walked Rowan home because his house was close to the bus stop, then he walked her home because he wanted to drop her off safely. Only after that he’d walk back to his house, alone this time.

“I’m just going to drop my backpack inside,” he explained.

Mrs. Whitethorn had the most beautiful garden in this block, it was her baby. It had roses and a few other flowers Aelin didn’t know the name of, but the kingsflower was her favorite.

“ROWAN!” Rory called, making Aelin’s eyes go wide and look for her boyfriend.

Before she knew it, he pulled her and they both ran off. Aelin’s heartbeat was as fast as her breathing, but Rowan didn’t let go of her hand as they ran away from his home. He made a stop a little after they turned around the corner, both of them panting and staring at each other with widened eyes.

“What did you do?”

With a sheepish smile, Rowan showed a big, blooming kingsflower he picked from his mom’s garden.

Aelin’s eyes were big with surprise, but then she smiled at him bigger than when she got chocolate cake. “For me?” She beamed, laughing.

Rowan handed over the flower, wearing the boyfriend smile he used just with her.

“I wish I was an octopus, that way I could give you seven flowers.”

“You mean eight.”

Rowan shook his head. “I‘d still need one to hold your hand while we run.”

Aelin’s cheeks were hurting from smiling so much, but she wouldn’t stop even after she got home.

“Do you think your mom will be convinced after that?”

Rowan shook his head. “She still asks me to call you my best friend.”

“Did you tell her we hold hands and share our lunch?”

”I did. She told me dating takes a lot of responsibility and other things kids can’t do.”

Aelin wrinkled her nose. “I think she means kissing.”

“Ew.” Rowan grimaced. “We don’t need that.” He had that little frown that gave away he was thinking hard on something, then sighed. “The couples always kiss on their wedding day, though. I guess I can kiss you if it means we’ll be married when we’re eighteen.”

“Come on, Buzzard.” She tugged on his hand, resuming their walk. “We’ll figure out the grown-up stuff when we grow up.”

Rowan didn’t press on the subject after that, but she knew he was still thinking about it. It was okay, she thought while twirling the kingsflower between her fingers.

Aelin planned the video game they’d play this weekend, Rowan planned the bouncy castle they’d live in instead of a brick house, ten years from now. It was how they worked.

If every day was a day with Rowan, she’d be alright.

CURRENT TIME

PERMISSION DENIED, said the stamp in very red, bold and capitalized letters over Aelin’s request to do part of her research in a rural school near Doranelle City.

Aelin’s furious footsteps clanked against the Depart of Psychology’s tiles as loud as if she were wearing high heels. She knew better than to wear that, though, especially with how many stairs she had to climb to get to the lecture hall.

What was the point of being the psychology department’s nepo baby if she couldn’t even do her research? And was denied by Murtaugh Allsbrook, out of all her dad’s friends.

It was so simple. Aelin just needed permission to do her research at the school Murtaugh worked at, and she didn’t even know that man was capable of saying the word no.

Apparently, he is.

Aelin knocked on her dad’s office, but didn’t wait for his reply to enter. He looked exactly the same as every other day, leaning on that huge, messy wooden desk.

“Fireheart,” Rhoe acknowledged her without taking his eyes off the paper he was grading.

“You didn’t give Murtaugh a heads up about me filing the request?”

“I thought you didn’t want special treatment.” Her dad replied in a quiet tone.

”But you do that to every one of your students!”

Rhoe finally glued his eyes off the paper, looking deep into her eyes with raised eyebrows. “I thought you didn’t want to be advised by me.”

Aelin groaned, placing that damned paper into his desk. “Why are you being so difficult?”

“Sorry, Fireheart.” Her father rubbed his face with both hands. “I guess I’m a little on edge today. I’ll see if any of my students can spot if there’s anything wrong with your papers, then I’ll call Murtaugh.”

Aelin sat in front of him, finally relaxing. “Thanks, Dad.”

Rhoe got up, squeezed her shoulder and headed for his lab down the hall.

She took in his office while waiting. Either as a daughter or as a student, Aelin was very familiar with those wooden floors and lavender essential oil her dad diffused here to help soothing anxious grad students. Now that Aelin was one, she realized it didn’t do much.

“Hi, Dr. Galathynius asked me—“

Her dad’s advisee stopped mid-sentence, and Aelin knew why the second she saw him.

This version of him didn’t resemble the one in her childhood memories at all, but Aelin could recognize those deep pine-green eyes anywhere.

It was like something in her chest loosened to give room for her heart to go wild. No thoughts, the realization that Rowan Whitethorn was standing in front of her after more than a decade, and the funny feeling in the pit of her stomach that came with it.

“Aelin,” he said under his breath, as if her childhood nickname had slipped out of his conscience. His body was completely frozen, eyes wide.

At that point, it wasn’t a matter of if Aelin cared or not. It was a reflex. She got up from her chair and ran Rowan’s way as fast as she could, embracing him in a clumsy, but tight hug. It took a beat for his brain to process all that information and make him hug her back, but he did. So tight he squeezed her ribs a little, but it was alright. Aelin smiled with her head resting on his collarbone, feeling his frenzied pulse against her cheek.

“What are you doing here in Doranelle?” She asked in a quiet, wondrous tone.

He put some distance between them, still holding both of her shoulders and taking her in. “I did tell you I’d move here too.”

Aelin grinned, feeling the leap her heart did at that memory. Rowan’s words when she told him her father got a job on the other side of the country, and she’d be doing 3rd grade there. “Don’t worry, Fireheart. I’ll go with you.”

Swallowing those feelings down, Aelin playfully slapped on his arm. “How long have you been working with my dad? Why didn’t you reach out to me?”

“Just a few weeks, and—“ Rowan rubbed the sting off from his bicep. His insanely large bicep. Aelin trained her eyes back to his face. “It took me a while to decide on an advisor, but your father took me under his wing the second he saw me. And about reaching out…” he did that thing where he just stared at her again, as if he couldn’t believe she was there. “We stayed out of touch for so long, I didn’t want to presume.”

“Presume?” Aelin asked in an outraged, high-pitched tone. “Rowan Whitethorn, you’re my favorite ex.”

“Yeah?” He asked and blinked a few times, looking flabbergasted.

She shook her head slowly, clicking her tongue. “You should’ve seen the dipshits I dated in high school.”

“I-“ He looked at his watch and frowned. “I wish I could invite you for something longer than coffee, but I have Dr. Lochan’s class in an hour.”

“So do I,” she lied. That class couldn’t be further from Aelin’s dissertation, but she needed more time with him.

Rowan was here. She could barely believe it.

“Really?” He scratched his strong, stubbly, mouth-watering jaw. “I haven’t seen you there.”

“Did you even pay attention to your classmates?”

He looked down, a small smile on his lips. “Busted.” He looked back at her. “Do you want to go now and we’ll grab coffee there? Do you need a ride?”

”Sure. I’m trying to take the bus more. Carbon monoxide and all.” Well, that wasn’t exactly a lie. Aelin did care about carbon monoxide. Just not enough to get a crowded, smelly bus first thing in the morning.

Rowan jerked his head towards the door. “Come on, then. I parked close today.”

Dr. Lochan taught at the philosophy building, which was a bit far from theirs. His classes were attended by grad students of the whole humanities field, and rumor has it the cafeteria there is a lot better than the one in the psychology building. Aelin wouldn’t know, but she was supposed to.

As soon as they got in the car, she took her lipstick and carefully tinted her cupid’s bow and bottom lip with pink, drawing Rowan’s attention to her lips. She couldn’t look back at him because it’d be too obvious to spot what she was doing, but Aelin still felt his gaze burning into her skin.

“You ready?” He asked with firm eye contact the second she took her eyes off the mirror.

She nodded, giving him a bashful smile, and Rowan turned on the engine.

Aelin twirled her lipstick between her fingers, considering her next move.

Her favorite person from childhood, the one she had the fondest memories with, was right there. And he looked hot like hell.

Yes, Aelin knew she was being impulsive, but just as much as she wanted to rekindle something right now.

When Rowan was focused on that uni street, she sneaked her tube of lipstick underneath her leg, so it’d look as if she lost it there.

Was leaving something in a guy’s car the oldest trick in the book? Absolutely, but it was as old as it was effective.

Checkmate, she couldn’t lose.

˜˜

Her class—that wasn’t her class at all—had ended hours ago, but Aelin had so much to do she didn’t even notice how time flew by.

Rowan insisted on giving her a ride home after the lecture ended, which meant she had to uber back to the psychology department to get her car. Now that Aelin had her comfy pajamas on and pizza, she was writing Dr. Lochan a formal email, asking to audit his class this semester.

She knew she should’ve been working on her denied application now, but Aelin couldn’t stop thinking about her long lost love from when she was a kid.

Every time she thought of Rowan—which became less frequent each year, but she still did—she remembered him fondly, especially how sweet he was with her.

Never, during all these years, she considered how hulky and insanely hot he’d become.

Like he was being summoned by her thoughts, her phone pinged.

Unknown: Hi. It’s Rowan

Unknown: Rowan Whitethorn. Your favorite ex.

Unknown: Did you forget lipstick in my car?

Aelin put her laptop aside, snuggling in her bed to give her phone full attention now. Smiling, she saved his contact the same way she would’ve done 14 years ago.

Seeing him reach out so fast after they exchanged numbers brought back that funny feeling in her insides, but she still had to calculate her next steps. Aelin squinted at her phone with an alert gaze.

Leaving the lipstick in his car had three goals: make him text her, find out if he’s single by how sure he is about the lipstick being hers, and get invited to a date so he could return it. A question vague like this one did nothing to the second step of this mission.

Aelin: hey!

Aelin: did i?

Aelin: i haven’t noticed

She would rather ignore her fast and erratic heartbeat as she waited for him to finish typing.

Buzzard: It belongs either to you or my bro Lorcan.

Aelin used the little breath she still had to let out a loud, maniacal laugh. No girlfriend, then. She could already listen to the sound of the dominoes cascading in a line.

It was a bold move to leave one of her favorite lipsticks in his car, but Rowan needed to catch up on her tastes. Their wedding was four years too late, she needed to act.

Aelin: there *is* a missing pink lipstick from my purse.

Rowan: Don’t worry, I’ll return it next class

Her shoulders slumped. No date invitation. She could work with that, though.

Before she could look for his social media, Aelin put a reminder on her phone to text him at the same time tomorrow. Time to start some classical conditioning.

˜˜

If it wasn’t for the silver-haired man by her side, Aelin would’ve spent this whole class reading fanfiction online. The class she wasn’t even supposed to attend, for starters.

Dr. Lochan sounded like a sleeping pill to her ears, and it didn’t help that Rowan was playing with the ends of her hair. The electric shock of his fingers against her strands made her shiver, but then the tingling sensation in the back of her neck was so relaxing it almost made her purr.

Her screen lighting up took her out of the sleep-inducing class and hair-caressing haze.

Dad: Did you fix your permission yet?

Aelin: rowan said he just diagnosed it

Aelin: we’ll sit to discuss what can be done later today

Dad: Do you think you can finish before Friday?

Dad: I'll pay Murtaugh a visit. I can hand him the file.

She considered this request, biting her lip. It was Tuesday today. If it took a whole week for Rowan to inspect it, it'd take longer to rewrite it. But then she thought of the very long drive she did to file these at the school Murtaugh worked for. Eh. Taking the risk was worth it.

Aelin: i’ll have it ready by thursday night

Dad: [thumbs up emoji]

When she put her phone down and inched closer to Rowan, he leaned his hand on the backrest of her chair. Aelin suppressed a smile.

“Do you think I can finish rewriting by Thursday?”

He nodded. “I didn’t see anything wrong with your application, actually. Coffee after class?”

“Sure.” Aelin was trying so hard to hide her smug smile.

So far, Operation Rowan was a success. By texting him every day at the same time, it didn’t take long for his brain to learn that as a conditioned response. On the fourth day, he was the one texting her at the time she was supposed to text him.

Aelin couldn’t be happier about her Psychology degree.

She didn’t find Rowan’s social media—she found out later he doesn’t have any, which is a huge green flag—but she did find his Spotify account. When she discovered which artists they liked in common, conversation flew.

After the class, they sat in that same cafeteria to discuss her application.

“I don’t understand why Mr. Allsbrook denied it.” Rowan looked absolutely delicious with those muscles stretching his white cotton shirt while he praised her work. “There isn’t a lot to change, but maybe you should detail more what you’ll be doing with the students for the research, since your work is so innovative.”

She smiled. “You mean experimental.”

“I mean groundbreaking.” Rowan leaned closer, studying her face as the corners of his lips slightly tugged up. ”Any questions?”

“Yes.”

Rowan raised an eyebrow, prompting her further. He was so fucking close, sitting on her side like that.

“Why are you staring at my lips?”

He wasn’t, but he was going to now.

Rowan’s eyes slowly slid from her eyes to her mouth. Back to her eyes. On her lips again. Her knees got weaker each motion, and it didn’t help that they were between his, under the table.

It was like the electricity between them burrowed under Aelin’s skin, waking up her heart that was now beating like a drum.

Rowan gently caressed her jaw. A question. A warning.

Her veins felt like wildfire, heating the air between them. Aelin leaned closer slowly, tilting her head up so they wouldn’t break eye contact until—

“ROWIE!”

Rowan jerked away from her, erasing the moment faster than it started. Aelin’s body felt hot as she looked around, wondering what had just happened.

A blonde man with a I would like to make a joke about philosophy, but I Kant t-shirt approached them, a huge smirk on his face.

“Fenrys.” Rowan’s greeting was almost a protest. “What are you doing here?”

He sat across from them. “Nothing as interesting as you.”

Rowan’s already flushed cheeks just turned a shade darker.

“Hello, gorgeous. Fenrys gave her a troublesome grin. “Since when do you hang out with that grump?”

“First grade.” Rowan narrowed his eyes at his friend, sliding a possessive hand across Aelin’s shoulders. She tried not to visibly swoon. “She taught me the L trick to tell left from right.”

“Oh, really?” Fenrys’ smile grew, and he didn’t seem to miss how Rowan was staking his claim with that arm around her. “Now I need to hear all his stories as a kid.”

“No, you don’t.” Rowan’s voice was so clipped Aelin held back a snort.

Fenrys eyes were gleaming as he smirked like the devil. “All of them.”

˜˜

She didn’t know for how long Aelin and Rowan were there just holding their breaths, waiting for other shoe to drop.

Murtaugh Allsbrook seemed very relaxed, though. Just slowly reading through all the applications and marking them with a PERMISSION GRANTED stamp with very blue, bold and capitalized letters, his signature by its side.

She could barely believe how easy this was.

When Rowan texted her this morning telling Rhoe had asked him to hand the documents at Murtaugh’s school, she was almost sure she’d be rejected again.

The person visiting would be a student, not the professor he’d known for years. He’d read her application again and say he couldn’t let her do research with his students. Aelin already knew she would have to fight for her dissertation, so she asked to come with Rowan.

Her heart almost leapt out of her chest when Murtaugh held her own application. He seemed to be reading faster than the other ones, though.

“I detailed the activities a little further this time.”

The man nodded. If he said something, she couldn’t hear it because of the increasingly loud rain outside.

“I guessed that was the reason why my application got rejected at first.”

“That’s right, dear.” The pitch of Murtaugh’s voice was slightly higher this time, and he closed the file before he could get halfway through it. He had barely read it. When Aelin opened her mouth to speak again, ready to defend her work, the sound of Murtaugh’s stamp stopped her.

PERMISSION GRANTED

Both Aelin and Rowan exchanged small, satisfied grins when the man wasn’t looking. She sat a little taller in her seat, feeling warmth spread through her chest. And not because of the lack of AC in this freaking school.

She could barely believe how easy it was this time. Her dad called in a favor, it was the only reason she got rejected and then accepted without Murtaugh even reading what she rewrote. Aelin would question her father later, now she just wanted to enjoy this moment.

After the man started some small talk with Aelin and Rowan—mostly about Rhoe and the projects some of his students would be working on in this school—and went through all the files, it was finally time to go home.

“You did great there.”

Aelin groaned. “He didn’t even read my adjustments.”

“Maybe he regretted rejecting you?”

She snorted, but it sounded bitter even to her ears. “Maybe he got a phone call from my dad.”

“I don’t doubt it, I’ve seen him doing that for other students.” Rowan squeezed her hand. “It’s not a bad thing, though.”

Chuckling, he slid that one hand around Aelin’s waist, tugging her closer.

Ever since meeting Rowan again, she realized her skin tingles everywhere he touches her. It was starting to become an issue, especially because it had been a few days since their almost kiss, and she couldn’t stop replaying it in her head.

Outside, Aelin realized the rain was a lot heavier than she predicted. She could hear it from Murtaugh’s office, but didn’t realize how aggressive it was outside.

“Come on.” Rowan tugged her hand. “My weather app says it can rain the whole day.“

Aelin sprinted in the rain towards his car, feeling her clothes progressively clinging onto her skin as the rain soaked her wet. Even then, Rowan followed her to open the passage door, running to the driver’s side only after she was inside and safe from Doranelle’s weather.

She tugged on Rowan’s hair and squeezed it to dry a little. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she mentioned his completely unnecessary act of chivalry. She could open her own door, especially in this pouring rain. Despite her own words, Aelin tried and failed to hide a silly smile.

Rowan just grinned and shook his head like a dog, sprinkling droplets of water across the car.

He turned the GPS on and started the drive back, but Aelin was wondering how long it’d take.

After leaving the city, Aelin and Rowan started on a road. A lot later, they entered a smaller road. After that, they entered something that was barely a road. The rural school she’d be collecting data on was a little after that. That’s how long their drive was about to be. Especially now, that Rowan was driving slower to be careful.

”Aelin, I—“ Rowan was squinting his eyes at the road before him. “I can’t see anything. Can you find somewhere we can pull over until the weather gets better?”

Which will take a long time to happen were the words he didn’t say.

When Aelin checked the map, she felt her muscles tighten. “There’s a hotel. It’s the closest place.”

Rowan nodded and asked for her to add it to the GPS on his car. If he had any thoughts or feelings about this, he didn’t show. It was late afternoon already, so it made sense to choose a hotel.

Trees blurring together as they passed by. The soft sound of her playlist, partially muffled by the rain. The car’s AC brushing against Aelin’s skin, giving her goosebumps. Because that was the reason this was happening, right? She had been planning to get together with Rowan, but there was no way staying with him at a hotel would make her limbs tingle like this, so fast after they reconnected.

He dropped her at the front door and went to park the car. The hotel looked nice enough, displaying simple, but comfortable-looking furniture and decorated with plastic kingsflower bouquets. They took her back to Rowan’s old garden, and the remainder of one of Aelin’s favorite childhood memories brought a smile to her face.

There were other people in the lobby who probably had the same idea as them, but she only stood in line at the front desk for a few minutes.

“I’d like to do a check-in.”

The woman nodded, but didn’t do so much as look at Aelin. “How many people, dear?”

“Two.”

She typed on her computer, nodding. “How many rooms?”

Aelin opened her mouth, then closed. She glanced at the fake bouquet of kingsflower, feeling her heartbeat in her throat.

“Just one room.”

The woman just chewed her gum harder as she typed more, but Aelin could barely breathe as she lied her way into Rowan’s bed.

Her gaze quickly swept the room until she found him leaning against a pillar while holding a bag. He gave her a small nod, and Aelin hoped the smile she gave him looked natural.

“There was only one bed,” Aelin blurted as soon as she approached him.

He blinked. “What?”

“Room,” she corrected herself and showed the key dangling from her finger. “There was only one room available.”

“Oh.” Rowan looked around, and his frown morphed into an eyebrow raise she couldn’t quite decipher. “Alright.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You sure?”

“Yeah.” Rowan shrugged and guided her towards the room by placing a hand on her waist. Aelin hoped he didn’t notice the way she shivered. He continued, “Besides, there’s nothing we can do, right? There’s only one room, you said yourself.”

Their room was small, but it looked cozy with its white walls and wooden window. The rain was still pouring outside, but now it was more like a soothing background noise than a nuisance.

“Take this.” Rowan handed her some fresh clothes as he searched for something in his bag. “I think this is the only change of clothes I have, but you can take it.”

“Where did you take this from?”

It was a neatly folded green t-shirt and a pair of soft jeans. It smelled so fresh and detergent-like that Aelin sighed against it. Rowan was studying her, a small smile on his face. Shit. Did Aelin just smell his clothes in front of him?

“Sometimes I need to shower at the gym. Keeping a change of clothes in the car comes in handy.”

Nodding, Aelin unfolded Rowan’s gigantic shirt. It was very easy to picture him having to shower at the gym after spending too much time there, and just thinking of him like that made her blood boil.

“This shirt is bigger than some dresses I have. I can take this, and you’ll take the pants.”

Taking the bathroom first, she frowned at herself in the mirror. Aelin was covered until mid-thigh, which was alright, but damp hair and faded makeup weren’t her best look. Cleaning smudges of mascara from under her eyes with toilet paper was the best she could do to look fresh, though.

Rowan was sitting on the side of the bed, head tilted up as he supported himself with the heels of his hands. He was wearing nothing but jeans and the ridges and valleys of his abs.

Did her knees just get weak?

The air between them was taut as Rowan’s gaze kept darting between Aelin’s face and her—mostly—bare legs, almost as if he was fighting his eyes to stay up. She hasn’t been near as discreet about ogling him.

Aelin strolled his way and bumped their knees together, eyes somewhere between shy and mischievous.

Rowan toyed with the hem of the shirt she was wearing and tilted his head up to look her in the eye. “You’re quite the sight in my Levi’s, did you know that?”

“No, I didn’t.” Aelin playfully flipped her hair and sat beside Rowan on the bed. “Please, tell me all about that.”

Rowan chuckled and wrapped a towel around her shoulders so the shirt wouldn’t get damp by her hair, caressing it on his way.

“I didn’t know a lot when I was a kid, Aelin, but I knew you’re the most gorgeous girl I’d ever seen. That didn’t change over time.”

“Really?” Aelin felt like her whole body was melting, and Rowan’s pining gaze was the only thing keeping her upright.

“Fireheart,” he whispered her name like it was his only possible answer and caressed her hair until his thumb reached her cheek.

She let out a short, soft chuckle. “Buzzard.”

Aelin hadn’t called him that in years, and the way his eyes lit up told her he noticed that too.

His shaky thumb brushed her bottom lip in one careful motion. “Is this okay?”

Aelin’s nod was almost imperceptible, but it was enough for him to tug her closer and meet her halfway, closing their distance.

Their kiss wasn’t each other’s first like they had planned, but right now it felt like the only one that mattered. Rowan’s lips felt so soft to the touch as they made their way between hers, and she felt her insides fluttering as he tilted her head to deepen the kiss.

But then it mixed with a tight feeling in the back of her throat as Rowan flicked his tongue against hers, and Aelin couldn’t stop wondering if this kiss would even happen if she hadn’t schemed and manipulated her way into it. Her body got more stiff each time he caressed her.

Aelin broke the kiss and lowered her gaze, not looking him in the eye.

“There was more than one room available. I lied to you.”

“Oh.” He blinked. “Okay.”

Rowan trailed kisses down her neck, but Aelin still felt her chest tight.

She added some distance between them. “You don’t understand. I could’ve booked two rooms, but I didn’t. Just like I forgot my lipstick in your car on purpose.”

“Aelin…” Rowan sat back on the bed to talk. His hand grasped hers, and his eyes had nothing but amusement as he looked deep into hers. “I knew it wasn’t the last room because other people checked in after us. And leaving things in my car is the oldest trick in the book.”

Aelin opened her mouth to retort, but he beat her to it. “I also saw you’re not in the official list of students at Dr. Lochan’s class.” He squeezed her hand, biting his lip as an attempt to not laugh. “And I’m a psychologist, Aelin, of course I’d notice you were conditioning me to text you at the same time every day.”

She stepped back, mouth falling open. “You knew it the entire time?”

Rowan nodded, still clamping his lips together as if this was the funniest thing. For Mala’s sake, Aelin thought she was being so smooth.

She gave him a tentative, awkward grin. “And you’re not mad?”

“No.” His mouth opened into a smirk. “Actually, I thought it was a little endearing.” Tugging her closer, he continued in a soft tone, “You didn’t have to do all that, though.”

When Rowan kissed her again, it felt right. He gripped the back of her hair with one hand and her waist with the other, but her whole body tingled and shivered as he held her. Aelin fully melted into his touch this time, feeling all the butterflies in her stomach as they explored each other in a bruising kiss.

He rested their foreheads together, breathless as she’d never seen him. “But if you want to make up for lying to me, we could get back together.”

“Alright.” She chuckled and pecked him, but he took advantage and bit her bottom lip. “I thought you’d want to start casual.”

“I don’t know, Aelin.” Rowan tilted his head sideways and frowned, pretending to look thoughtful. “I *did* tell my entire family, when I was eight, that you’re my future wife. Agreeing to be casual would be a huge setback.”

“Okay,” Aelin chirped, adjusting herself in his lap. “So you’re telling me my master mind and scheming abilities brought us together?”

He snorted. “I was ready to woo you, but I guess chivalry is really dead.”

Something struck Rowan, making him disentangle himself from her. He paused, analyzing his still wet shirt, but wore it anyway. “Wait here.”

Aelin frowned at the ajar door he had just left open. What the fuck had just happened? Did Rowan really leave right after they got back together?

It was a matter of seconds before he returned, though. Aelin felt the fuzziest feeling as her face morphed into a beam.

He had one single kingsflower in his hand, which had definitely been stolen from the lobby.

“I wish I was an octopus, that way I could give you seven flowers.”

Aelin cracked a surprised laughter, her pulse fast. “You mean eight.”

Rowan shook his head, grinning as well. “I‘d still need one to hold your hand.”

LATER THAT WEEK

“Are you going to tell me why I had to deny your own daughter’s application?”

Holding his glass, Rhoe pointed to the very expensive bottle of whiskey he gave Murtaugh, which they were sipping right now in his living room. “Isn’t that reason enough?”

His friend smirked. “Bullshit.”

Rhoe smiled at his glass. This wasn’t the easiest thing to confess, but he regretted nothing.

“I hate it when people say love works by faith alone. Do you know how hard it was for an average guy like me to pull Evalin?”

Murtaugh’s mouth was ajar as he processed this. “What are you trying to tell me?”

“Sometimes people need a little push. Especially couples.”

His friend’s eyes widened. “Your daughter and that boy. You were playing cupid, weren’t you?”

“Not cupid, no. That’s too manipulative.” Rhoe twirled his glass, smirking and thinking of a poetic way to put it. “I’m the wind in their free-flowing sails.”

He was used to making little things like putting his students to do assignments together on purpose when he thought they were a good match, but this one was personal.

Rhoe still remembered years ago, when his family moved to the big city because of his job, and he had to witness his little girl crying because she had just been separated from her so-called boyfriend.

A decade and a half later, the memory still broke his heart. The moment Rhoe saw Rowan at the psychology building, he knew this was his chance to fix what he broke.

“Why are you telling me all this?”

Rhoe shrugged. “This is the first time I felt the need to confess.”

Murtaugh chuckled and sipped more whiskey. “How long have you been scheming like a criminal?”

“Not like that!” Rhoe protested in mock offense.

“Okay, I already know what you’re going to say.” Murtaugh waved him off and raised an eyebrow, as if daring Rhoe to disagree. “You’re only cryptic and machiavellian because you care.”

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[s1xseasonsandamov1e]

redoing my intro post cause i’m bored

i’m K i’m 14 years old (turning 15 in july) and i live in a small town in Denmark. i like cats, books and music

i’m 5’11 which doesn’t really matter but i like bragging about it snehehe

pretty much all i do every day is watch tv, listen to music and go on tumblr, but i also like to sew and crochet and occasionally knit

oh and i forgot to add this before but i’m very neurodivergent and really fucking annoying and insufferable but i care a lot (maybe a bit too much (oh look at this bitch getting introspective))

some things i like:

music - taylor swift, (TS sideblog: @ivebeendownsincejuly) conan gray, julien baker, hozier, gracie abrams, weezer, lucy dacus, peter sommer, magtens korridorer, olivia rodrigo, maisie peters, phoebe bridgers, renee rapp, girl in red, the national, boygenius, the minds of 99, sabrina carpenter, tobias rahim, natasja and laufey

shows - community🫶, parks and rec, b99, supernatural, house md, bobs burgers, bojack horseman, ofmd, good omens, gilmore girls, rick and morty, the good place and three busy debras

movies - bottoms, pulp fiction, brokeback mountain, scream, bodies bodies bodies, druk and adams æbler

books - solitaire (and every other alice oseman book), perks of being a wallflower, red white and royal blue, the hunger games, the seven husbands of evelyn hugo, percy jackson, i’m glad my mom died, little women, and narnia

maybe some slight nsfw reblogs, sorry

also i have two cats, @babygirlbillithecat and @babygirlkevinthecat

the kitties: