#I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT WILLIAM TURNER leave me alone

[cdt12345]

We've been friends many years but I've never thought to ask; Top 10 gay OTPs?

1.) Ian & Mickey (Gallavich) - Shameless us

What can I say about these two that we haven’t already said about them?! They are my absolute all-time favorite couple ever! Gay or straight. They perfectly complement each other, they love each other on a level I feel like I’ve never seen before (and I have watched a lot of tv/movies), they’re like a comedy duo, they support each other, understand each other better than anyone else ever will, they fell in love as kids, they bring out the best in each other, and they’re each other's best friend. I’m a sucker for opposites attract, who are also best friends. Gallavich really fits that bill. I wish they didn’t have to struggle so much to get their happiness, but I’m happy they finally got it. When they got married, it felt like the biggest victory ever! We went through those years of struggle with them, rooted for them, mourned for them when John Wells let Noel go after season 5. So much has tried to keep these two apart, even real-life circumstances tried to keep them apart. The chemistry between these two characters and between Cameron and Noel was so powerful, they were brought back to the show. That kind of thing doesn’t happen very often. When an actor leaves a show, they don’t usually come back as a series regular, let alone two actors who have already left the show. It felt like a miracle! I will never forget getting the news that Noel was coming back from you @luckyshazmrsmonaghansblog I was crying with happiness bc we wanted this for so long and I never believed we would get to see both Cameron and Noel back on the show. Or that they would get their happy ending outside of a jail cell. Especially after Cameron left the show in season 9. With their return we got a wedding, an entire season of them as a married couple, we got to see them dance with each other twice, we got them singing together, we got to see them start a lucrative business together, we got to see them free and happier than we’ve ever seen them before, and we got to see Terry get what he deserved after putting them through hell. We are only halfway through season 11, but I already feel so fulfilled with this extra time with gallavich that we were never supposed to have. JW tried to take that away from us. I will never understand why, but he failed. I am not surprised this is the one I wrote the most about. I can go on and on about gallavich!

2.) David and Patrick - Schitt’s Creek

This was everything I ever wanted to see onscreen, where there was zero homophobia. The pansexual character didn’t need to have a big coming out or tell everyone in the town of his sexual orientation, except his best friend. The gay character had a coming out with parents who loved and accepted him for who he is and was only upset that he felt he couldn’t tell them sooner. I dreamt of a day where I could see this kind of representation onscreen. The casual treatment of their sexuality was so refreshing and something I’ve been waiting for. There is no darkness or huge struggle they had to overcome to be together or a sad ending for them. They were allowed to be together without the major conflicts most LGBTQ characters have to go through. Once David made the first move Patrick was comfortable allowing himself to fall for David and start a relationship with him. He was so sure of his feelings for David after that first kiss, he never looked back and I loved that. They had such an adorable love story. Truly one I have been waiting to see for so long between two LGBTQ characters. They made me smile every time they were on screen. They are another of my OTPs that are exact opposites who complement each other perfectly. Patrick was welcomed into David’s family and blended in with them so well, even when he and David had very different upbringings. Patrick serenading David with Tina Turner and then Mariah Carey at their wedding is one of the most romantic things I have ever seen!

3.) Holt and Kevin - Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Captain Holt and Kevin are strange men on their own but together they are the perfect pair. They get each other in a way no one else does. The best part is their adorable fur baby, Cheddar! They seriously make the cutest family! I was so nervous when they went through a rough patch for a while because I didn’t want them to split up. Thankfully, they made it through and are still going strong!

4.) Will and Vince - Will & Grace

On the show's first run, Will and Vince were in a serious relationship and Vince was Will’s longest relationship on the show. They broke up a few times but were together by the series finale. The two reunite during the funeral of Will's father. There was a time jump on the series finale. Though I didn’t love everything about the last episode, I did love the fact that Will and Vince had been together for 20 years and raised a son together, who was conceived through in vitro fertilization with a surrogate. After the time jump, nearly twenty years later, their son goes to college and meets Grace's daughter, whom he would eventually marry. Though I wasn’t happy with the fact that Will and Grace didn’t stay close over the years, it did allow for their kids to one day meet, fall in love, and get married. I did like that outcome out of the finale. My family and I used to watch the original show, but we refused to accept or watch the 2017 revival because they completely changed everything from the original series finale. The second I found out they were changing everything; I knew I couldn’t watch it. They even wiped the existence of their kids from the first series finale. The revival was an attempt to cash in on the reboot craze and I wasn’t happy about that already, but even more so when they were going to break up one of my OTPs for easy money. Bobby Cannavale, who played Vince, has become even more famous since starring in Will & Grace. So, I already figured he wouldn’t be back for the show as a regular, but I know he did guest star. I won’t accept the revival and to me, Will and Vince stayed together, and their son married Grace’s daughter. THE END!

5.) Albert and Armand - The Birdcage

Miss Albert and Armand were the earliest gay couple I remember ever watching onscreen when I was eight years old. I have watched this movie more than I can count over the years. It is a family favorite that we quote often. Their son is planning to marry a girl whose father is in politics and is very conservative. They have to hide the fact that he has two gay fathers for one night, but everything goes awry, and comedy ensues. Nathan Lane and Robin Williams give a wonderful performance without resorting to using the stereotypes that are often used on gay characters, especially back then. It’s a classic!

6.) Stefon and Seth - Saturday Night Live

Okay, hear me out on this one! They’re not the most conventional OTPs on my list, but I really do love them so much! Stefon started doing a correspondent segment on Weekend Update on SNL. The first time Stefon came on, he flirted with Seth Meyers. The second he did I was like ooh they would make a cute couple! Stefon the wild party guy and Seth the serious news anchor. It was a match made in heaven for me. Before Seth Meyers left SNL to do Late Night with Seth Meyers, Bill Hader came back to play Stefon for Seth’s last episode. I didn’t expect what happened next to happen at all! They gave Seth and Stefon the ending that I haven’t even gotten from some actual scripted shows. I never expected Stefon and Seth to have this big ending, but I could not be happier that they did. I’m posting the link to the six-minute skit/ending and I hope it works. It’s worth watching. Though the video says it’s Stefon’s farewell it was really Seth’s farewell episode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj-wYWMdWNk

7.) Mr. Simmons and Peter - Hey Arnold!

Anyone who grew up watching this show already knew that Mr. Simmons, Arnold’s teacher, was probably gay. It was hinted at in the Thanksgiving episode. Arnold and Helga visit Mr. Simmons on Thanksgiving at his house and his family and “friend” Peter are there. Mr. Simmons mother says she didn’t know Peter was coming to dinner and Peter responds with the infamous line “There’s a lot of things you don’t know.” When Mr. Simmons mom tries to get him to take a woman friend to the ballet, he says he loves the ballet and Peter gives him a disapproving look and Mr. Simmons immediately declines. Those were enough hints for us fans to decide Peter was his boyfriend. Years later, the show's creator Craig Bartlett finally confirmed Mr. Simmons is gay and had them together in the 2017 Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie. It was so exciting to finally get the confirmation years later, even though I was already certain of it for many years. I was happy that the cartoon no longer had to settle with vague hints about it.

8.) Callie and Arizona - Grey’s Anatomy

I was very happy to see a lesbian couple on prime time tv and I really liked both characters. I was excited to root for them but sadly as most couples on this show, their relationship took a turn, and I wasn’t thrilled about it. I was disappointed that it came to an end. By then I was already getting tired of watching the show. It was starting to feel like a chore to watch it every week. I tried to stick it out because I don’t like to give up on shows in the middle of it, but I just couldn’t do it anymore. I’m glad I did though because the shocking events with Derek Shepard, is something I’m glad I wasn’t around for. Anyway, I heard things between Callie and Arizona got even worse, so I was even happier I left when I did.

9.) Sherwin and Jonathan - In a Heartbeat

This was one of the cutest things I have ever seen! I wish this got the full-length movie treatment instead of a short film. But it was still a step in the right direction for the LGBTQ community. Gay characters in cartoons always bring me such joy and that was the focus of this short. A boy with a crush on another boy with a cute ending. What is not to love?!

10.) Mitch and Cam - Modern Family

Another show I had to give up on in the middle of the series. The show began to be less funny and more annoying to me. Another reason, that really has nothing to do with the show itself, that used to annoy me was that this show repeatedly beat out Parks and Recreation during award season. Parks and Recreation is a superior show when compared to Modern Family. This show won almost every year for years and it got really annoying especially when the quality of the show started slipping and they kept winning. After a few years, they finally stopped winning all the time. But before all that, I was a fan of Cam and Mitch. They were a great couple who I loved watching on the show. They were the best part of the show most of the time. But sadly, my annoyance of the show no longer being as funny as it used to be, was enough for me to stop watching.

#cameron monaghan #ian gallagher #noel fisher #mickey milkovich #gallavich #ian x mickey #gallavich husbands #shameless us #schitts creek #brooklyn nine nine #will & grace #the birdcage #snl #saturday night live #stefon #bill hader #seth meyers #hey arnold #in a heartbeat #modern family #grey's anatomy

[spideyanakin]

Across The Stars - Part 4

Will Turner x Sparrow!Reader

Synopsis; You seem to always found yourself across the stars from the one you love

Series Masterlist 🍒

Normal Masterlist 🧚🏻

"Well Y/n... Im glad your safe!" Your father clasped his hands together and you released your grip on Will to give him a hug.

"Dad! You won't believe me when I say I was taken by Barbossa!" You sighed loudly in his arms as he tightened the hug on you, your words slowly getting to him as the weight of you being hurt lifted off his shoulders.

"I know..." He let his words linger as he tried to not be emotional in front of you. "We were here to grab a crew and save you. I was really... Worried." He sighed into your arms, tightening the hug as he realized you were here and safe.

"Well im safe now." You chuckled as you pulled away from him smiling towards Gibbs.

"Long time no see Y/n" He nodded making you smile even more.

"Yeah." You took a step backwards so you could intertwine your hand in his.

"So... He's the boy you couldn't shut up about." Your father squinted his eyes and pointed towards your intertwined hands.

"Yes." You blushed. "I see you've already met him." you pointed out and made eye contact with Will who's cheeks became red as your eyes were on him.

"Yeah! Who knew you would end up with Bootstraps kid." He placed a hand on his hip. "Always knew you would end up with a pirate tho... Good choice Y/n. And I mean it." He nodded with a smile, content with his statement, and your choice in men. "Now Where were we?" He clapped his hands before turning to Gibbs. "Aye yes! A CREW!"

"Wait a minute Bootstraps kid?" You turned to Will who had learned during the trip with your father that he was indeed the certain William Turner you had lost of those years and that it was his father who had saved your life all those years ago.

"I didn't know either..." He pointed out as he saw the frown painted on your face, placing his hands on your shoulders to calm you down.

"Wait so you mean- You're-" You felt the air getting sucked out of your lungs as the tears were about to strike from your eyes.

"Apparently." He nodded feeling emotional. "I had almost no memory of that night." He let out a saddened chuckled. "I remembered a girl, a girl that I got along with, but then it all became a blur, and I remember the ship exploding and my next memory was on Elizabeth's ship." He blurted out and kept a grip on your shoulders as your breathing became faster.

"You're Will!" You cried out and pressed your forehead on his torso as you continued crying. "You're a pirate!" You sniffed feeling a smile form on your lips as you continued crying, feeling too overwhelmed to do anything but stay in his arms. "You're my pirate." You sniffed as you felt your love for him grow even stronger.

"Well... A little bit." He shrugged finally accepting that he was a pirate. If you were one then he wouldn't mind following his father's footsteps.

Jack and Gibbs watched the scene, Jack wanting to approach you but not knowing how. He stayed with his hand in the air his fingers waving up and down as he wondered what his next move could be. Gibbs smiled as he remembered saving Will 8 years ago, smiling even more as all the events finally made sense.

"Wait so that's Bootstraps son?" Gibbs questioned, wondering if he had heard right.

"Yes." Jack eyed Gibbs who instantly realized what it meant.

"You do know that if you deliver him to Barbossa, Y/n won't like that." Gibbs pointed out making Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Aye, we're just going to have to save him before they kill him!" He forced a smile as a silence built up between them, turning his gaze towards you and Will.

"HEY! HEY! HEY!" Your father screamed as you were about to bring Will into a kiss. "I accept your relationship but that doesn't mean I have to see that." He gawked in disgust and Will couldn't help the blush that crept on his cheeks while you rolled your eyes at your father's comment.

"How about we go find a crew, and get our ship back?" You grabbed Will's hand and made your way into the tavern, a large smile on your face.

~

Before you knew it you held on to rocks, watching Barbossa's every move as he made his speech, cutting Elizabeth's hand making her blood drip onto the cursed Aztec gold.

"What is this?" Jack raised his eyebrows and pointed to the ring sitting on your left hand.

"A ring." You finished your sentence by lifting your finger towards your father's face.

"You didn't have this one before?" He raised his eyebrows again and turned to Will. "What did you do?" He pointed to him and Will's face turned red at his comment.

"He asked if I wanted to marry him, dad." You replied for him as you stared at the scene enrolling in front of you, missing your father's wide eyes.

"He didn't ask me if he could marry you" He pointed to him still confused and trying to process the events.

"Pirates am I right." You smirked adding a wink as you turned your face towards your dad, eyeing Will before you stared back at the scene.

You watched as Elizabeth was thrown down the hill of gold by Barbossa his madness rising as he realized he had been deceived.

Your father stayed mouth wide open as his stare played tennis with his eyes between the two of you. You eyed Will and noded ready to execute your plan.

You and Will left your father and slowly went into the water that separated your patch of rocks from the pile. You both came back up to breathe exactly where unconscious Elizabeth was laying. You both woke her up slowly bringing her into the water in a way to make her leave.

And before you knew it you arrived onto the decks of the stolen ship, the whole crew greeting you.

"Gibbs?" Elizabeth questioned as she stared at the crew.

After an awkward few minutes of staring and empty silence, you decided to break the ice that had formed.

"Come with me. I'll patch you up." You tapped Elizabeth's shoulder, pecking Will's lips before you slipped out into the ship making Elizabeth follow you.

She sat in a cabin, as you walked around the room letting out a large sigh as you searched the drawers for some cloth to patch her hand up.

"You were foolish." You scrunched your eyes. "You should have said a different name." You talked up as you closed the drawer with your butt before walking in front of Elizabeth grabbing a chair that you placed backward, mounting the chair like a horse, resting your arms on the back of the chair. "You should have let me say my name first a least."

"It's not your name." She said almost in the same tone as a scream. "And it's the first name that popped up, I thought I'd be safe with it, but apparently not." She finished her sentence, her tone making you even angrier and making your tolerance bar for her descent to almost zero.

"Well, it's soon to be." You let out a smile as you riped the cloth with your teeth folding it around Elizabeth's hand.

"So it wasn't a lie." She looked up to you, your eyes focused on her wound. "You're Y/n." She realized.

"In the flesh." You gave her a tight-lipped smile.

"Will talks a lot about you..." She lingered her words. "He really loves you, you know?" You nodded as a way to reply.

"And so did you." You nodded your head as you tried to find a way to fold the cloth so it would hold with the wind and water.

"I did." A sad chuckle fell out her lips as her stare went back to her hand. "But not anymore... He's always loved you and nothing can change that." She looked up to you and you did too, the eye contact being almost impossible to bear. "I won't step in the way of true love, just because I had a crush on someone who never loved me" She gave you a soft understanding smile and you looked back down tightening to bandage as you finished.

"All done." You ended, happy to change the subject. You stood up keeping your eyes focused on the golden compass and handheld telescope laying on the table. You lifted an eyebrow, looking down at your almost broken compass and dirty used telescope.

You removed your used tools, loudly dropping them on the table, and grabbed the golden ones, securing them to your belt.

"That's better." You smiled content with your action. Elizabeth looking at you with a questioning glare.

~

Like images flashing before your eyes, you had chased the Black Pearl around the Caribbean and fought Barbossa's crew.

You searched around for Will as you watched your stolen ship slowly sinking.

"Have you seen Will?" You asked Jack who was on his way to fight Barbossa. He nodded no and you snapped your head around panic rising even more as you couldn't find the familiar face.

Panic rose in you as you held onto the ropes of the pearl, jumping onto the border of the ship as watching the boat turn to flames. You let out a scream as the boat finally exploded, your fear of Will exploding with it rising even more. You cried as grief hit you like a cannonball, taking a step back, falling onto the wooden floor of the ship. You slid down in cried burying your face in your knees at the thought of a life without Will.

You cried into your knees pushing the floor.

Suddenly Barbossa picked you up, your voice almost shattering his ears as you screamed for the loss of your fiancé.

"You have no right to touch me. Leave me alone!" You tried to fight it out as he pushed you in his crew, your father tried to slightly fight out the people who were holding him watching you with a lump in his stomach, feeling your pain.

You sobbed as the crew held you tighter Barbossa screaming something you couldn't even hear. Elizabeth's face fell as she could feel your pain.

As you continued your screams of pain, feeling as though a part of you had been ripped away, Barbossa pulled a gun towards you mumbling words you couldn't even hear, his men trying to pull you up as you melted to your knees.

Jack slowly watched the burning ship as he recalled the events in his mind. Will had been inside the ship, the crash taking him away for sure. He watched you with even more pain in his eyes as he saw his daughter cry in pain, a gun pointed towards her ribs. He slowly moved one of his arms that had been held by a pirate and held his hat to his heart, eying Gibbs from the corner of his eye.

You opened your eyes just to meet with Barbossa's piercing stare.

"You will find me this Turner or I won't hesitate." He pointed the gun to you and to your father, then back to you.

"Kill me now." You sobbed as the men holding you tried bringing you up to your feet, but all the power in your legs failed you. "He's dead." your weight was starting to bother the men holding you and let you drop to your knees, their grip on your shoulders still present.

"What?" Barbossa's stare went from treacherous to confused in a matter of seconds. "You will not lie to me girl!" He pointed towards the edge of the boat signing his man to dangle you overboard so he could interrogate you, knowing a gun wasn't enough of a threat to you.

The man dragged you on the deck before a familiar voice broke the moment.

"Barbossa." Will's voice came from the other side of the ship, making you think Barbossa had shot you to shut you up and you had joined Will in heaven, your sobs calming down.

All the heads turned towards him and your father placed his hat back on his head with a slightly confused look on his face.

Will stepped down the edge of the boat and grabbed a gun that was on a wooden box.

"She goes free." He pointed the gun towards the captain and you didn't dare open your eyes at the thought of being dead.

"What's in your head boy?" Barbossa approached Will and you gently opened your eyes towards the voice "Will!" His name escaped your lips as tears of joy uncontrollably fell as you saw Will"s soft traits. You tried to push yourself towards him, all the force that was lost striking back up to your bones, fighting to get free of their grip.

"She goes free." He pointed towards Barbossa who was now inches in front of Will.

"You've only got one shot, and we can't die," Barbossa explained as Will pointed at him with his gun, Will never breaking the eye contact.

"As my future son in law please don't do anything stupid." Jack broke the tension between Will and the captain bringing his hands together as though he was praying. Will eyed your father before turning his glare back to Barbossa.

Running towards the edge of the ship, Will used the chords to pull himself up. "You can't. But I can." He replied bringing the gun to his throat. You grunted as you tried to lose the grip that the crew had on you battling to reach your fiance.

"Like that." Your father placed his hands up to his mouth in despair and looked down, trying to find a way to save everyone from this situation.

"Who are you?" Barbossa asked as he stared at confident Will.

"No one! He's no one!" Your father stepped up, walking away from the crew's grip and towards Barbossa. "He's my daughter's fiance, just a random swordsmith she met in port royal. Lovely singing voice by the way" He pointed towards Will as he went on trying to fix the situation.

"My name is Will Turner," Will spoke up your father sighing as he did. "My father was Bootstraps Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins."

"He's the spitten imagine of ol'Bootstraps Bill, coming back to hunt us." a one-eyed man pointed out and you tried once again to get free from the crew's grip.

"Do as I say, or I'll be lost to Davy Jones Locker," Will said stealing a loving glance towards you as he did, his stare sending a spark down your spine.

"Name your turns Mr.Turner."

"Y/n goes free." He replied.

"Yes, we know that one... Anything else?" Barbossa asked and Jack pointed towards himself, catching Will's attention.

"And the crew! The crew is not to be harmed- And Elizabeth too! She's to go back to port Royal." He finished his sentence, straightening his back as he did.

"Agreed."

- Tag List - 

@averyfosterthoughts @slytherinambitious​ @ourfavoritesergeantbarnes​ @carolxnaaa​ 

#will turner #will turner x you #will turner x reader #will turner x y/n #will turner imagine #Orlando Bloom x reader #orlando bloom #Orlando Bloom x y/n #Orlando Bloom x you #jack sparrow #jack sparrow imagine #pirate of the caribbean #pirates of the caribbean #potc #fan fiction #x reader #sparrow reader

[writeyouin]

Hey there! Your fanfics are incredible! Could you please write a Will Turner X Reader one where the reader goes back in time after watching Pirates of the Caribbean and then the reader and Will fall in love? Thanks a lot in advance! :)

Will Turner X Fem-Reader - Life Inside a Movie

A/N – All better from being ill, so here is a fic.

Warnings – None.

Rating – T

You leaned over one of Port Royal’s railings, humming a tune that only you knew in this time period. From afar Will Turner watched you, listening to the occasional lyric that you whispered under your breath; the song was just as unusual and out of place as you were.

“Dancing in the moonlight, everything is weird and out of sight,” You sang, staring up at the night sky. 

It was something you did every night. Once, shortly after Will had found you and given you a place to stay, he had asked you why you were so obsessed with the sky. You had told him that where you came from you could never see any of the stars because of something called light pollution. He hadn’t understood what that was, even when you tried to explain it, nor did he understand how one place could have less stars than anywhere else, but he did like that the sky brought you peace. He just wished you didn’t insist on going out every night to view them because there were some nights he couldn’t be out to protect you, and even a peaceful place like Port Royal had its fair share of criminals.

“You can join me if you want,” You said, fully aware that Will had been watching you from afar.

When the two of you first met, Will would have found your forward manner and your knowledge that he was there unnerving; now it was starting to rub off on him as one of your many qualities.

“It would me my honour, Miss (L/N).”

“I’ve told you before, where I’m from we always use first names.”

“And I have told you, it is my pleasure to use your beautiful last name and give you the respect you deserve.”

You smiled to yourself, thinking about how different life had been before you had come to this time. How sad it was to think that chivalry eventually died out, and yet how nice it was to be one of the few from your timeline to receive it.

You thought about the film Pirates of the Caribbean which you had watched the night that the mysterious portal opened in your apartment, leading you into the film itself.

When you first arrived, you had fallen right into the forge, spraining your ankle in the process. Fortunately, the Forge’s owner and Will’s master was asleep, so he didn’t notice the portal that had brought you to Port Royal; you had a feeling that if he had seen it, you would have been in the gallows for sorcery.

Shortly thereafter, Will had returned from a delivery and found you. At first when he saw your strange clothes and unusual hairstyle, he had considered reporting you to the royal guard, suspecting you to be a pirate. It was only when you begged him for help that he paused. It soon became clear that you knew nothing about the finer arts of piracy; you couldn’t even hold a sword properly and that would have made for a very poor pirate indeed. All the same, Will still didn’t trust you so he demanded to know your story, otherwise he would have no trouble seeing you imprisoned, for they very rarely hung women unless the offence was as bad as murder.

Knowing Will was an honourable character from the many times you had watched his film, you came up with a story for yourself that sounded fairly reasonable. You told him you were a simple bookkeeper from a foreign land, who had been stolen by pirates along with a great many others. In the tale, you alone escaped on a lifeboat and had made your way to the nearest island. All in all, you didn’t think it was a bad explanation. The bookkeeper was a reasonable job that would explain why you could read and write so well, and if Will asked, you could say you sprained your ankle upon escaping.

With a few more questions, Will soon believed you and he offered to take you to the boarding house where he lived, even paying your rent until you could get a job. You insisted you would pay him back, but Will thought little of it; after all, he was far too concerned trying to figure you out.

To be frank, you scared Will at first. In Port Royal women and even most men didn’t know how to read. Then there was the fact that you were educated in even more fields than the governor himself. You knew maths, geography, world culture, and more science than anybody he had ever met. While you were only of average intellect in your time, you were a fountain of knowledge in this time. Will asked you where you had learned such wondrous things and you had replied that you had learned all you knew in school and college, but what schools even let women in? He thought you must have been fabulously wealthy in your old land to receive such a fine education.

Although you gave Will much cause for concern, your friendly attitude and the fact that you didn’t scorn his lack of schooling made him begin to trust you. Instead of fearing your knowledge, he began to ask questions of you. He started to think of you less as his responsibility and more as a friend. Given time, he even found a job for you as a secretary for the governor himself, though it took a fair amount of convincing that a woman could do the job.

You offered to pay Will back for the money he had lent you thus far but he rejected the offer, claiming it was the place of any gentleman to help a lady in distress. At that, you started paying your own rent, and to repay Will’s kindness you had taken to cooking him meals after his long days at the forge. Although you weren’t the world’s greatest cook at home, it seemed your knowledge of ingredients and flavours made you an excellent cook in Port Royal; Will often said you ought to open a restaurant after you had introduced him to pizza.

You hummed thoughtfully, leaving your reverie far behind to simply enjoy Will’s company on the Port Royal balcony.

“What great aspects of the world are on your mind tonight?” Will asked, loving your ever-intelligent answers.

“What in the world, you ask. That’s cute. One should never have just the world on their mind, Will.”

“Oh? So what do you think of instead, if not the world?”

“I think of the universe and my new place within it.”

You had explained the concept of the universe to Will before but he wasn’t sure whether to believe it. People were still discovering new islands of the sea from one week to the next. How could anyone possibly know if there were other planets if the human race hadn’t even discovered everything on Earth yet?

Despite his personal opinions of the universe, Will liked the sentiment of your words. “And where do you think your place is?” He asked.

You yourself pondered the question. It was a hard one to answer. In Port Royal, with your education, the sky was the limit, but you were a woman. At home, you had the freedom to do what you wanted when you wanted, but everyday life was lonely and filled with a world of people that didn’t care for anyone but themselves. Truthfully, it didn’t matter where you would have liked to be. It all depended on whether fate would ever reopen another portal and throw you back where you came from or whether you would be left in Port Royal forever; perhaps it would be a continuous loop of being thrown back and forth, though you highly doubted that.

You realised that Will was waiting you an answer, so you smiled, tucking your hair back behind your ear, “I don’t know.”

“Perhaps then, Miss (L/N), if I may be so forward as to say so, you might find that your place is here.”

“In Port Royal?”

“By my side,” Will corrected, swallowing nervously when you turned to face him.

At home, people who said such things to you were always just playing a cruel joke, but you knew Will was being sincere; he always was. For one guilty moment, your thoughts lingered on Elizabeth Swann; if you accepted Will’s proposal, then she would never experience his love, nor he hers.

“I-” Playing things safe for a moment, you dared to ask, “William Turner, are you saying what I think you are?”

“Miss (L/N)- (Y/N),” Will grabbed your hands earnestly. “I was a simple man before I met you, but you have opened my eyes to a whole new world. I may not have much to offer in respects of wealth or position and I have no doubt that you deserve somebody of better station than myself, but I love you and that is something I can offer you now and forever. You have my heart, if you will take it, and even if you do not, it shall still be yours, for I shall never offer it to another.”

“I don’t- I mean- What about Miss Swann? I thought you loved her.”

Will grimaced. He himself had also believed he was in love with Elisabeth Swann, but now after feeling real love towards you, he realised that what he had felt for Miss Swann was merely infatuation after she saved him during their shared childhoods.

“No (Y/N), I can say without a doubt that I love you most ardently. I understand if you do not wish to be with me or if you need some time to think-”

“No,” You interrupted curtly. You shook your head, searching for an explanation at Will’s curious expression, “I- I don’t need time to think. I just- Wow, um- Sorry, I know I’m messing things up here.”

Will managed to chuckle at your ever-strange manner of speaking, putting you somewhat at ease.

“At home, I could never have expected such a wonderful proposal, from anyone. I would say that except for a small few, romance is dead and most marriages are… well, complicated for lack of a better word. It seems that where I’m from, we write a lot of love songs and books just dreaming about the life we want. Nobody would ever even talk to me with the respect that you do; only royalty get spoken to like that.” You realised you were saying a lot of things Will would never understand, but what else could you do when you were sorting through your feelings for a film character. “Will- I- I love you.”

Will released his breath, feeling his heart pound ecstatically. He wanted to draw you into his embrace, but he still kept to his own gentleman’s code.

“(Y/N), with your permission, I would very much like to kiss you now.”

“I- Yes.”

Will raised a hand slowly to your cheek, stroking it gently. His eyes searched your face, memorising every detail of what would be his first kiss. He wondered if this was yours too, considering how different both your homes were. Trailing his hand down to your chin, he tilted your head up.

“You’re shaking,” He said, worried that you had suddenly changed your mind about him.

“I’ve never had anybody look at me the way you do,” You whispered anxiously. “It’s terrifying, in a good way.”

Will gave you a small smile, leaning in slowly to press his lips against yours. He did nothing to deepen the kiss, keeping it simple; it would be improper to do more when the two of you had only started courting that very night. However, as his lips parted from yours, he knew he would take every future opportunity to kiss you, his new love.

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#Will Turner X Reader #William Turner X Reader #Will Turner #William Turner #disney #potc #pirates of the caribbean #fanfiction #fanfic #reader #reader insert #theaspiringscreenwritersblog

[nerianasims]

Billboard #1s 1984

Under the cut.

Yes -- "Owner of a Lonely Heart" -- January 21, 1984

The full version of this song is way too long. Not surprising from a former prog rock band. The music is good and interesting, but it loses me before the end even in the shorter single version. There's too much stuff. As for the lyrics, maybe that prog rock gloss made people think they were profound, but they look like self-help. Some incredibly 80s Reagan-era individualism, better to be alone than to be hurt, you're the only one you can count on, blah blah blah. Not for me. 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Culture Club -- "Karma Chameleon" -- February 4, 1984

The video to this song has nothing to do with it, unless there's supposed to be a connection between the con artist on the fantasy world 19th century steamboat and the guy who keeps coming and going whom Boy George is singing to. And I didn't fully realize the "you come and go" double entendre until just now. I like the video, anyway. And I like the song quite a bit. It's a very cheerful-sounding song about being strung along by some asshole.

Van Halen -- "Jump" -- February 25, 1984

Van Halen was something boys were into. It's weird how we delineate these things. At least back in 1984, if it got coded as a boy thing, then if you were a girl and also found it interesting, you'd damn well better hide it or certain other more socially powerful kids would tear you to shreds. That was my experience, anyway. (And if other girls were into it and you were not, you were also in serious trouble.) So though when I heard Van Halen songs I thought, "hm, I'm intrigued," I did not dare pursue that interest. Except for this song. This one was allowed. It's fun.

Kenny Loggins -- "Footloose" -- March 31, 1984

Footloose is a pretty good movie. At least I remember it being so when I eventually saw it in college in the 90s. Anything that stands against censorship, and for art and people having fun, already has an in with me. Also Kevin Bacon's great. The song isn't about the movie particularly; it's just about how dancing is wonderful. Though there is a hint at the movie: "You're playing so cool/ Obeying every rule/ Deep way down in your heart/ You're burning yearning for some/ Somebody to tell you/ That life ain't passing you by/ I'm trying to tell you/ It will if you don't even try." Yeah. Agatha Christie at one point lamented that young people in the 1950s were far too serious and self-righteous, and really needed to go dance in fountains. I feel the same now as she did then. Though wait until after the covid vaccine's been widely taken. Anyway, this is a good dance song.

Phil Collins -- "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)" -- April 21, 1984

It's a lament about being dumped. Apparently, Collins wrote it about his wife leaving him out of the blue, taking the kids and the dog with her. Ouch. There's a great drum part, which keeps the song from being too boring, but I still don't like it. Phil Collins' serious love/heartbreak songs don't do it for me. I find this one depressing without being cathartic.

Lionel Richie -- "Hello" -- May 12, 1984

I remember this video from when it was on the air. Mostly because of the Lionel Richie clay head. But also because I was like... is she his student? Isn't that a bad thing? Even though she's an adult in college, I still thought you weren't supposed to do that? I've had a major squick against teacher/student relationships, even in fiction, since I was a kid. Possibly this is because I come from a family of professors. (I didn't get a PhD and am therefore the black sheep.) Without reference to the video, the song is terrible. The lyrics are just repetitive cheese, whatever, but the song is so slow and blah and I don't like Lionel Richie's singing.

Deniece Williams -- "Let's Hear It For the Boy" -- May 26, 1984

I keep being surprised that there are people who think someone is worthless if they don't have a lot of money and don't dress fashionably. In this song, the titular boy also can't dance, but is that a thing that people get dinged for in reality? I don't know, maybe. This song was in Footloose, and it's the same sentiment as "My Guy"; her boy isn't some smooth-talking rich brat, but "he's my lovin' one-man show." He's like Edward Ferrars, not Willoughby. It's a fun song.

Cyndi Lauper -- "Time After Time" -- June 9, 1984

This is one of the greatest songs ever. Not just pop songs. Any song, of any type.

Duran Duran -- "The Reflex" -- June 23, 1984

These lyrics make no sense. That doesn't matter for this song much, which is all about the music. Which is not the best of Duran Duran's music. For all the many, many, MANY different musical ideas in it, it's actually kinda boring. They'd have done better to simplify. I imagine this sounds something like cocaine feels, though drinking way too many Mountain Dews to pull an all-nighter's my only comparison. Duran Duran were never my favorite, but I do enjoy many of their songs. This one, meh.

Prince -- "When Doves Cry" -- July 7, 1984

Prince only two songs after Cyndi Lauper? Is it my birthday? The song's lyrics start out being about the amazing chemistry between the narrator and "you." That establishes why they're together. Then Prince moves on to how they "scream at each other," and it's what it sounds like "when doves cry." He's accusatory -- "How could you just leave me standing/ Alone in a world so cold?" But then he goes right into thinking maybe it's his fault: "Maybe I'm just too demanding" etc. It's a sexy, thoughtful, and anguished song about a relationship in trouble. I like to think they'll overcome their problems and stop screaming at each other. Trust me, it's very possible. Also the music is great.

Ray Parker Jr. -- "Ghostbusters" -- August 11, 1984

Um. I have no idea how to evaluate this one. I heard it first in the theatre when I saw the movie, but I heard it years after every week when I watched the cartoon. It just... is.

Tina Turner -- "What's Love Got To Do With It" -- September 1, 1984

I have an overwhelming memory of hearing this song when I was alone in the grocery store as a teenager. I have no idea why the memory's so strong. Maybe it was the first time I went to the grocery store by myself? Maybe I ran into a guy I had a huge crush on, though I don't remember that? (If I was 16, that could have been one of any three guys... Romance is my secondary aspiration, after all.) In any case, it's a good song. The attempt to pretend love is a bunch of chemicals and doesn't truly matter is a pretty common one for the broken-hearted. And Tina Turner's great as always.

John Waite -- "Missing You" -- September 22, 1984

Two songs in a row about being in denial over matters of love. Interesting. This isn't the most fascinating song ever, but it's a good solid song about heartbreak that isn't gloopy at all. In the main vocals, Waite keeps insisting "I ain't missing you," but in the background is a soft voice that sings "missing you" over and over. That's a smart artistic move.

Prince and the Revolution -- "Let's Go Crazy" -- September 29, 1984

I liked a lot of pop music when I was 7, but I didn't get Prince. His songs sort of slid out of my brain as a "thing for grownups," and who could understand grownups? He was short and wore fancy outfits, and that's about all that registered. When I hit puberty, though... yeah. This song is more adult than that, though, and I don't mean sexually, though there is plenty of sex in this song. "You better live now/ Before the grim reaper come knocking on your door." The song is about sex, partying, and death. Also Prince was an astonishing guitarist, along with everything else. It's not one of my favorite Prince songs, because the lyrics are pretty depressing and it's super loud, but it's still great.

Stevie Wonder -- "I Just Called To Say I Love You" -- October 13, 1984

I never really listened to the background beep-de-boops in this song before. I've wondered before why this song, with its simple lyrics and melody, didn't bore me. It's the beep-de-boops. They, along with Stevie Wonder's perfect delivery, make this song musically complex. And the simple lyrics, with the more complex musical counterpoints, absolutely work. It helps that this is the kind of thing people really do.

Billy Ocean -- "Caribbean Queen" -- November 3, 1984

That heavy breathing after the line "I get so excited just from her perfume" is unfortunate. Otherwise, it's a song about how he met this "Caribbean Queen" on vacation and she "tamed" him so he's no longer looking for "love on the run." Sure, why not. I'd like a little more story to it, but that's me. It's got a good beat though, and is enjoyable enough as-is.

Wham! -- "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" -- November 17, 1984

I just realized I don't like this song. The beat and hook are sort of irresistible, and as a dance song the music absolutely works. But there's too much nostalgia about stuff that George Michael actually wasn't old enough to be nostalgic about. He was only 21 at the time, born in 1963, and yet he was singing about Doris Day. You can homage anything at any age, but... meh. And speaking of age, it's kind of a childish song and George Michael's voice was always more on the mature end, even if he was young at the time. For me, it hits a jarring note.

Daryl Hall & John Oates -- "Out of Touch" -- December 8, 1984

The beginning makes it sound like this is gonna be a relatively hard rock song, but that ends after a pretty short time. It's still really loud, with huge drums, and Hall pretty much shouts the song. Hall & Oates were great when they stripped stuff down. All this noise doesn't work for them. There are neat parts when all the noise suddenly stops and there's total silence, but then it goes right back to the rather uninteresting loudness. Not for me.

Madonna -- "Like A Virgin" -- December 22, 1984

And so it begins. Backstory: Madonna went to the same high school as my mother. She was friends (maybe more? he won't talk) with one of my uncles. When my grandmother saw the Like A Virgin album on the rack at the store, she said, "I'm so glad [he] didn't marry that girl." When my mother told me that, my reaction was "Are you kidding? We'd be rich!" But my family cares about PhDs and not money. My uncle ran wild in high school, but eventually became a successful career diplomat (and stopped being a jackass) after the woman he was in love with told him he'd better shape up or else. Also he looks a lot like Guy Ritchie, so that was weird for a while. I'd be in the grocery store and for a second think, "Why's my uncle on The Enquirer with Madonna?"

So anyway, the song. The way Madonna sang it in later iterations, I like it. I can't stand the version that became a #1 hit. The Betty Boop voice is just ugh. I love a lot of Madonna's music, and she would be something of an inspiration to me in later days, with her unapologetic persona as a woman who liked and wanted sex -- and enjoyed shocking the censorious -- but I was 8 at the time. I didn't get any of it, I just knew she sounded squeaky in this song and it bugged me.

BEST OF 1984: "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper. WORST OF 1984: "Hello" by Lionel Richie

#billboard number ones

[chickensarentcheap]

Sanctuary - Chapter 28

Warnings: none really

Tagging: @alievans007, @innerpaperexpertcloud, @valkyrie-of-the-light, @thorsbathroomchicken, @c-a-v-a-l-r-y

The phone call comes in shortly before one pm; the SAT system easily tracing the number back to the Slainte pub.  At first she just blankly stares at the digits and the name on the screen, not having the energy or the patience to deal with whatever bullshit would greet her the moment she answers.  She's in a 'mood'. Rapidly switching from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs;  either dissolving into tears at the drop of a hat or frantically cleaning the room and organizing paper work and files on the lap top. Torn between wanting to curl up in bed and stay there for the entire day, and desperately wanting something...anything...to keep her mind occupied. She's nauseous. Dizzy. A pounding headache that sits at the base of her skull and above her eyes.

Stress. Always the same old, same old when her nerves are shot.  The same symptoms she suffers with for days when Tyler walks out of the house for a job.  Incessant worry accompanied by crippling fear and the deepest and darkest recesses of depression.  But at home she is able to beat it; focusing on the kids, concentrating on their needs, their laughter and their smiles and all of their hugs and their kisses making it all a bit easier to handle.

The SAT phone beeps. Indicating a text message.  Groaning loudly in protest, she throws off the comforter as she lays on her stomach in the middle of the bed, propping herself up on one elbow as she reaches out for the offending object.

You missed a call.  Nik's message reads. Everything okay?

Part of her wants to tell Nik to fuck off and leave her alone.  That it's partly her fault for getting her mixed up into this god awful shitty mess to begin with. Nik could have had her side in the whole thing; adamantly refusing to bring her into the fold, not allowing Yaz and Tyler to call the shots when it came to the Intel and now the tactical sides of things. But Nik had just thrown her under the bus; offering her up like some kind of sacrificial lamb. Acting as if there weren't other people that couldn't do the job. Other mercenaries looking for work. Who were much more experienced. Seasoned. Hardened. Instead of putting all her faith and trust into someone who had become nothing more than a housewife and stay at home mother.

The other part reminds Esme that Nik is her friend. Regardless of her history with Tyler. Nik was the one who'd initially brought her into the fold five and a half years ago; who'd brought her along when she'd gone to the little shack in the Australian outback to recruit Tyler for the Dhaka job.  In a way, it was all Nik's doing; had she not brought Esme aboard and had her tag along that day, this part of her life wouldn't even exist. There would be no Tyler.  No hobby farm in Colorado. No children. She would more than likely still be living the old existence; living out of suitcases as she travelled place to place. Lying. Conning. Getting people to trust her so she in turn could help destroy them.

Fell asleep, she types back.  If it's important, they'll call back.

She waits for the response. And in true Nik fashioned, it makes her want to hurl the phone across the room.

Get your head on straight, E. We don't have time for this.

Sighing heavily, she rolls over onto her back and stares up at the ceiling. One hand on her queasy, cramping stomach, the other holding the SAT down at her side. He's been gone for an hour; McCann had insisted on meeting forty five minutes from Belfast. Worried that there were too many eyes and ears within the city itself and that word would travel fast and the end result would be hell on earth.  He had a lot of enemies within the IRA. He knew too much. Deep and dark secrets that could bring down a lot of very powerful people. And his involvement with someone like Tyler would set off a lot of alarms.

She worries that it's more. Something far more devious. Dangerous.  He hasn't given them any reason to trust him. Right off the hop he'd fed them complete and utter bullshit regarding his New Zealand extraction; convincing them that his wife just nothing but a lowly, random shopkeeper when she'd actually been the reason he'd been hired in the first place. He hadn't gone after on a rescue mission; he'd been hired by the devil to take her straight back to hell.  A man in this thirties wooing and winning a seventeen year old girl that was essentially at his mercy. That alone is extremely troubling. And taking into account his ties to the IRA and possible lingering connections to them, it was easy to assume that his plan to get Tyler nearly an hour away from the safety net of Belfast is also some of ruse. To get him alone and vulnerable.  

Or to hit him where it really hurts and get her alone and vulnerable.

The nausea increases.  Eyes closing as she rubs her stomach in slow, smooth circles, struggling to keep a grip on the runaway emotions.  They normally weren't this bad. Usually she could easily talk herself out of the stress and the panic before they hit head on. But now it feels as if it's going way too quick. Too fast, too soon.  So much worry and anxiety that it makes her head spin and her chest ache.

Her SAT rings once more. The pub. Again.  Only this time she's able to get a grip, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and moving towards her laptop as it sits open on the table by the window.  Once she's within a foot it causes the system to come alive; the recording of the call beginning even before she presses talk.

****

“Hello?”

“Is this Meghan?”

She recognizes his voice.  Billy. The barkeep from the pub.

 “William,” she warmly greets, with the same flirtatious tone she'd used the night before when she'd dropped his full name for the first time. She'd noticed then how it seemed to get under his skin; in a good way.  That little smile that tugged at his lips,  the slight blush in her cheeks and the tips of her eyes, the way his eyes seemed to soften and sparkle.

It had been one the easiest marks of her career.  Most took a while to warm up to her.  Taking weeks to even months to soften up their hardened and weathered exteriors. But he'd been eager; ready to let someone in. And what better someone than an established, attractive, and seemingly available woman? One that would do anything...or perhaps even anyone...to get ahead in the world.

“I hope I didn't catch you in a bad spot. I was wondering if you had a little time to spare.”

“For you?” she leans back in her chair, a barefoot planted against the cool glass of the sliding door. A far cry from the evening before when she'd played the part in her business slacks and curve hugging blouse. Clad now in one of her her husband's tattered and frayed t-shirts and pair of baggy grey track pants with the Emery surfboard company name and logo down one leg; small blotches of bleach dotting the fabric in several places. No make up and her hair messy.  “For you I can make the time, William.”

A silent pause. And she smirks as she leans further back in the chair and places her second foot against the window, twirling a piece of hair around her index finger.

“I like that,” he says.  “The way you call me that.”

“Well that is you're name, isn't it?” she crosses one her legs over the thigh of the other, bouncing her heel up and down against the glass. “You are William, are you not?  That is what Billy is short for, I assume.”

“It is,” he confirms with a chuckle. “It's just that no one has called me that in a long time. Since my wife.”

“You're married?” she reaches over to snag the pen and spiral bound notebook off the table. It's full of random notes and doodles in various different colours of ink; her and Tyler both using it to hurriedly jot down names and numbers and any other bits and pieces of information, vital or not.  It's old school and shouldn't be necessary with the computer recording everything off the SAT, but technology isn't always fool proof.

“I was. We're divorced. Bad break up. She was shagging a mate of mine.”

“Well that's unfortunate,” she hurriedly flips to a fresh page of paper and places the book on her thigh. “Hard to believe anyone would cheat on someone like you. If you forgive me for being so bold, but you aren't exactly lacking in the looks department.  You're quite the head turner. In my humble opinion.”

“Well thank you,” he chuckles, and she can practically see the blush creeping into his cheeks and the tips of his ears. It's not entirely a lie; he is quite easy on the eyes.  And a much younger and single Esme would have considered..albeit briefly...crossing that line between business and personal.  “You're easy to look at yourself. Very easy to look at actually.”

“I take it this isn't a business call,” she muses.  

“Not entirely. It's a little bit of both. Business and pleasure.”

She smirks.  “And what kind of pleasure are we talking about? Because I don't usually get into that sort of thing with someone I barely know.”

“I was thinking dinner. And drinks. If you're free.”

“Well that depends.”

“On what?”

“If you tell me a little more about yourself.  I can't jump into anything with a stranger.  A young woman, alone in a foreign country, far from home. That wouldn't be smart would it? If I just blindly trusted you and took you up on the offer?”

“Well what is you want to know?”

“Well I think dinner and drinks calls for first and last names,” she says.  “You know mine. So...”

“It's Flynn. My last name,”

“William Flynn,” she repeats, as she jots it down. “That has a very nice ring to it. How old are you William Flynn?”

'How old are you?” he counters.

“I asked first. And isn't it always ladies first?”

“I suppose,” he chuckles.  “Twenty eight. And you.”

“Thirty,” she lies.

“I honestly thought much younger,” he admits, and she can't help but let it inflate her ego. And encourage her to continue with the little game. “You look good. For thirty. Very good, actually.  Do you have children?”

“No,” that lie actually hurts to tell it, and she tries to push the intense feeling of guilt to the back of her mind.  “I'm too focused on my career right now. You?”

“A son. He's three. Collin. Lives with his mom. In Dublin.”

She continues to scribble things down.  “That's sad,” she hopes it sounds sincere. “I hope you get to spend time with him. That's quite the trek down to Dublin.”

“Every second weekend. I'd like it to be more often but...” he sighs.  “...it is what it is.  So you're not married? But you still wear a ring?”

“I've had a hard time severing that last string. It's a bitter pill to swallow. When the man of your dreams pick his job over you. When your happily ever after doesn't exactly turn out that way.  He wasn't happy. As a husband. We were much happier before. Before things got too serious.”

“Well pardon me for saying this, but he's a goddamn fool. He has to be to choose work over the likes of you. So have you thought about it? My offer? Dinner and drinks?”

“I'm intrigued,” she admits.  “What's in this for me? Other than the handsome and charming company?”

“I have some information. About what you asked about last night. Michael McMann. About his wife and kids and whose involved and trying to stir up trouble. And I've got some names. Of other people you can contact. That are willing to talk.  People that are higher up than I am. With real connections.”

“Higher up in...”

“The IRA.”

She grins victoriously and in big letters at the top of the page, right under the name William Flynn, prints those three initials.  “You're involved with them? The IRA?”

“It's the family business. What I can tell you is that we're not involved in this. With the wife and kids. We hate the guy. He screwed us over. But we'd never do that. Especially to kids. Even we draw the line somewhere.  But whoever is doing this has pissed off a lot of people. Tempers are running high. We want to find out who it is and do something about it.”

“Like a turf war?”  she writes that down, accenting it with a big question mark.

“There's a lot of trouble brewing, that's for sure. We want nothing to do with this. The wife and the kids. And they're using us to draw attention away from themselves.”

“Any idea who it is?”

“No real proof. Just lots of rumours. I shouldn't be talking about all of this right now,” he gives a small chuckle. “What will we talk about dinner?”

“Oh I'm sure we can find things to talk about,” she assures him.

“Or things to do.”

“Now don't go putting all your eggs into one basket. I'm not that type girl.”

“I'm sorry, Meghan. I never meant anything by it. Forgive me for being too forward. I...”

“What time for dinner? Tonight is unfortunately not going to work for me. I have prior arrangements that can't be cancelled. But if you're free tomorrow, I can certainly clear my schedule.”

“Tomorrow would be wonderful. I know this is terribly bold of me, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. You've been on my mind constantly. Since you walked into the bar. You're very...intriguing. I can't quite get a read on you. There's something so different about you. Way different than any of the women from around here.  A mystery, almost. There's so much I'd like to find out.”

“Well if you play your cards right, maybe I'll let you find those things out,” she responds.  

“Tomorrow? Six thirty?”

“How about seven? It gives me longer to get ready.”

“Done,” he agrees. “Where do I pick you up?”

Shit, she hadn't even considered that this question would come up.   It has been smooth sailing; much easier and seamless than so many initial encounters.

“Meghan?”

“You know,  I'm not entirely comfortable with a stranger knowing where I'm staying. I'm a little paranoid about that sort of thing. You can never be too careful in this day and age. How about we meet somewhere? In public. I hate to be such a bother and a worry wart, but...”

“How about we meet her at the bar? We could go in the back room. It's private there. We can have dinner. A few drinks. See where the night takes us.”

She groans internally.   “Sounds like a plan,” she chirps. “I'm very much looking forward to seeing you again. To chatting more.  I'm flattered. That you thought of me.”

“I've been obsessed with you,” he admits.

“Well hopefully you hold onto some of that enthusiasm.  I have to go. I have an online meeting with my editor in a few, so...”

“I'm very much looking forward to tomorrow,” he says.  “And I'm flattered as well. That you'd agree to have dinner with me.”

“I'll see you tomorrow,” she promises.  “Seven.”

“Seven,” he confirms, and then offers a soft, quiet goodbye before hanging up the phone.

****

“Well this isn't how I expected things to go,” Mark says, smirking from the passenger's seat of the rented SUV. “You asking me for help.”

“It's the last thing I want to be doing, believe me.  You're the last person I want to be dealing with.  Ever.”

“So why am I here? What's got the legendary Tyler Rake swallowing his pride and actually asking someone for help? You're usually a one man show from what I've heard. Must be some serious shit if you're willing to suck it up and give someone a call. Especially me.”

Tyler sighs, eyes briefly closing as he pinches the bridge of his nose between the thumb and forefinger. “You're already making me regret this.  Could you maybe shut the fuck up for five seconds? I don't have the time or the tolerance to listen to your bullshit. I don't want to hear any comments about my marriage, no opinions on how I handle things with my wife, no stupid shit about my personal life or my kids or none of that. This is strictly business. So let's keep it that way, yeah?

“Fair enough,” Mark agrees. “So what's up? What's going on?”

“This McMann guy,” Tyler begins. “There's no way of knowing what he's really up to. If he's innocent in all of this or he's actually part of it. If he's the victim in all of this or if  this is some really crazy act of revenge and he's just wanting to get me alone.”

“I thought you didn't have history with this guy? With the IRA? Or with the wife?”

“I don't know. Well, not that I can remember anyway,” he confesses. “There's things...a lot of things ...that I don't remember. Dhaka...everything that happened on the bridge...it's fucked with my head. I'm not sure if it's because of blood loss or lack of oxygen or all the meds I've been on. But there's things I don't remember. No matter how hard I try to.  So maybe I did have history with them. Maybe I did have a job they were involved in and I pissed them off and I just don't remember it.”

“And when you didn't recognize McMann when he showed up in Telluride, he decided to play it for all it's worth,” Mark concludes.

“Maybe. I don't know. He seemed like he was on the up and up. About what's going on with his wife and his kids. But there's a couple times where he's said some things that didn't quite sit right. I brought up how if...when...things go to shit...he might not be able to get his kids out. Not both of them, anyway. He threw it back in my face. Asking me how I'd decide which of the twins to save.”

Mark scowls. “That's a bitch move.”

Tyler nods. “I told him there'd be no decision. That I'd give up my life for theirs. No hesitation. If it meant saving them and getting them back to their mother, that it was something I was willing to do. It would be easier on Esme. If she lost me instead of one of the kids. She'd get over me. But she'd never get over losing one of them. She's an amazing mum. And I'm lucky. To have her. That she's the mother of my kids.”

“It's what she always wanted. Kids. I just wasn't the man to give her that.”

“McMann wasn't on the same page as I was.  The idea seemed ridiculous to him. Having to make that kind of decision.  He wasn't...he isn't willing to sacrifice himself for them. I found it weird. That there'd be any hesitation whatsoever. How do you not want to save your kids? Your blood?  They're your legacy. Why would you not want to let them go on and live long and happy lives? It didn't sit well with me. I haven't been able to get it out of my head.”

“There's guys without kids that would make the same decision as you. I saw it overseas. In Iraq. You probably did too. Soldiers ready and willing to sacrifice themselves to save random kids...and women...from the Taliban.”

Tyler nods. “I've seen it a few times, actually. I've even known mercenaries that have given themselves up to save someone.”

“You almost did,” Mark points out.  “Even after things went to hell and there was no money, you still busted your ass to kid that get out. And Esme.”

“I wasn't going to leave them behind. No matter who wanted me to. And if it meant I died for them...” he shrugs.  “...it was what I was willing to do.”

Mark nods slowly, considering his words. The sincerity in his voice. In his eyes.

“Esme doesn't trust him,” Tyler says. “McMann. And she has great instincts. Better than mine sometimes. She didn't want me going into this alone. She's worried sick. That this could all be a trap and McMann's got an army of guys just waiting to ambush me. I need to give her peace of mind. And I promised her I'd come back safe.  That I'd come back to her.  She trusts you. I don't know why. Considering everything you did to her...” he holds up his hand; a plea for silence when the other man opens his mouth to speak. “....but she trusts you. You're the only one I could call. Yaz was made the same time I was. I can't be seen in public with Esme or she'd be made and that will fuck up her end of things. So I called you.”

“How do you know you can trust me?”

“Because you know I'd fuck you up if you crossed me.  You know I won't hesitate killing you.  And I don't think you want that, do you. You can act all big and bad, walk around wagging your mouth, try to get under my skin.  But you know the stories. All the bloody and gory details. You know what I'm capable of. And you know I won't mind adding you to the body count.”

A smirk tugs at the corners of Mark's mouth. Not nearly as confident as the ones he's given before.

“So this is me, asking you for help. Now are you in or you're out, mate? Because I don't have all day.”

Mark hesitates. Then offers a hand. An agreement. “I'm in.”

****

“William Robert Flynn,”  Yaz reads the information aloud from where he sits at the table in Esme and Tyler's room, his own laptop and ipad spread across the table.  “Born March 15th, 1997, right here in Belfast. Parents are Robert and Elizabeth Flynn. Nee McDonald.  Dad is deceased. 2011. Mother is still alive. Lives in England now. Remarried.”

“How did the father die?” Nik inquires, her image on the laptop screen. “Suspicious circumstances?”

“Coroner's report lists self inflicted gun shot wound to the head.”

“There's a police report,” Esme speaks up from across the table, her own computer in her lap, a plate of barely touched room service food in front of her. She'd been hungry and had taken it as a sign that the nausea was finally at bay. Until the first bite and attempted swallow had her running for the bathroom.  Her head pounds. Frantically. And she reaches for a bottle of water and the container of Advil in the middle of the table. “Says that William Flynn was the one who discovered his father. In the back garden. Face down in a pool of blood. Gun was lying next to him. A nine millimeter. Glock.  Spent shell casing near by.”

“He would have only been fourteen,” Yaz says. “Same age Ovi was in Dhaka. Hell of an age to walk into something like that. Your old man missing half his head.”

“Any evidence that says it may have not been a suicide?” Nik asks.

“The police reports are shit,” Esme replies, as she pops three of the tablets into her mouth and swallows them with a mouthful of water. “I've seen some pretty amateur ones, but this has to be one of the worst. Obviously the cops and the coroner didn't think this case mattered. He was an IRA member. Probably caused a world of trouble when he was around. They were just glad he was gone. Why waste the resources, they probably figured.”

“There was no gunshot residue on his hands,” Yaz says. “Or at least that's what the report says. And he's not wearing gloves in any of the photos, so...”

“It was a hit,” his sister concludes. “Before any of this, was there any connections between the IRA or the Buckmans? Anything that stands out? Anything that could tie Robert Flynn to the Buckmans?”

“Not that we've recovered so far,” Esme says. “But we're still digging.  Robert Flynn was pretty high up in the IRA. One of their best and longest serving members. A real enforcer. He didn't mind getting his hands dirty.  His son is an active member.  They have ties to the IRA going back to the grandfather and great grandfather. Not to mention several cousins and uncles still in the movement. It's the family business, apparently.”

“So William Flynn obviously knows Michael McMann,” Nik concludes. “And vice versa. Anything that shows a feud between them?”

“Nothing on paper,” Esme responds. “But he told me that everyone in the IRA is pissed as hell with McMann. For betraying them. And taking a lot of secrets and dirty shit with him when he left. And now they're even more pissed because McMann's out there saying that it's the IRA that scooped his wife and his kids. And they'd admit to that. The IRA would definitely claim responsibility. They've never denied ties to even some of their broader scale bullshit. So they'd admit to this.”

“We were wondering if maybe this is all a big ploy to make things blow up within the IRA,” Yaz speaks up. “To stir the pot enough that an outsider comes in and starts it all off. That maybe that's what Tyler is being used for. To kick it all off.  What better way for McMann to draw attention away from himself? Let Tyler cause the shit and then leave him hung out to dry.”

Esme sighs, briefly closing her eyes and laying a hand over her queasy stomach.

“Are you okay?” Nik inquires. “You look a little...off.”

“Just stress. This is all just so insane. It's so twisted and so fucked up and now Tyler's out there...alone...meeting with this guy. What if he has people with him? What if he's got a whole damn army behind him and Tyler's just walking into a huge trap? He's good. But he's not that good. He wouldn't stand a chance and you both know it.”

Yaz attempts a reassuring smile. “He'll be okay. He's smart. He knows what he's doing. Your man isn't stupid, that's for sure. Look what he handled in Dhaka. When he went into that apartment to extract Ovi.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Yaz. I do. But there's a huge difference between street thugs in Dhaka and the IRA.  These people are extremely dangerous. Extremely dangerous. And they show no mercy.”

“And neither does Tyler,” he points out.  “If anyone can handle this, it's him.”

“He should never have went there alone,” Esme huffs. “It was dangerous. Foolish. Sending him in by himself.”

“We don't have anyone there to help,” Nik attempts to reason. “Resources are extremely thin. It's the three of you and that's it. And the rest of the team is out on other assignments or they're here helping keep an eye on things. He'll be fine,  Esme. He always is.”

“Oh really? Always? Because I seem to vividly remember him bleeding to death on the Sultana Kamal Bridge. Or are we just forgetting that that happened? Oh wait, it's because you two took off to get Ovi to safety and you left Tyler there to die. And you left me there to watch him die.”

“That isn't how it happened and you know it,” Nik seems hurt by the explanation. “We came back for you. For both of you.”

“Half a goddamn hour later! Thirty minutes I spent with my hand pressed to his neck, trying to keep him alive. While he bled out all over the fucking place. You weren't there. You weren't the one holding him there on the bridge. You weren't the one with blood on your hands. His blood. So I'm sorry if I'm not as appreciative for your help as you'd like me to be, Nik.”

“Okay....okay...” Yaz pleads for calm.  “....let's not rehash this. It's over five years ago.”

“Five years ago, five weeks ago, five days ago,” Esme snarls. “It still happened. And pretending it never did is bullshit. It's bullshit and it's completely disrespectful. To Tyler. To just push it aside like you've both been doing all these years. Acting like it was no big deal. You got him into that mess, Nik. You brought him into that bullshit and then you left him there.  You left both of us there. What would have happened had you not come back? He would have died there. And who the hell knows what would have happened to me once Asif realized he didn't totally finish the job. And let's not forget that you wanted Tyler and I to leave Ovi in the goddamn street. You wanted us to just throw the kid to the wolves.”

“I wanted the two of you out of there,” Nik argues. “I wanted you both safe. The kid held you back. Had you gotten rid of him, both you and Tyler would have made it out of there before everything blew up in our faces.”

“He was a kid! He was a kid and you wanted us to just leave him there! Jesus, Nik. Do you realize how that makes you sound? Like a bloody sociopath.”

Yaz sighs. “This solves nothing. You two going at each other like this. I know it's been a long time coming but...”

“You probably wanted him to leave me there too,” Esme says. “I'm actually surprised you didn't suggest it.  You knew what was going on. Between Tyler and I. And you hated it even then. You hated the idea of me in his life. Because it took him away from you.”

“That's not true. I was pissed off that the two of you were so goddamn reckless and foolish and you actually thought it was good idea to start fucking each other while on the job. You couldn't wait until it was all over? The two of you were that desperate and horny that you had to fuck each other on my time?”

“Enough,” Yaz snaps. “Both of you. This is bullshit. We're all in this together. It doesn't matter what happened back then. It was five and a half years ago. So they fucked each other. No one else gave a shit. No one else cared. Only one it bothered was you Nik.”

“Because she wasn't the one fucking him,” Esme pipes up. “Not anymore, anyway. All the more reason she probably wanted him to leave me in the street. Get me out of the way so she could climb back into his bed again.”

“It doesn't matter,” Yaz insists. “It wasn't going to happen. Once Tyler met you, that was it. It was over. And you...” he glares at his sister through the laptop screen.  “...they're together. It happened. They're married. They've got kids. Let it go already. Let him go.”

“I've had enough of this,” Nik fumes. “We'll pick this up again later. When certain people can actually stay focused on the job at hand. That seems to be a thing for you, Esme. You couldn't stay focused in Dhaka either.”

“Fuck you, Nik. Seriously. Fuck you. I don't need to be here. I'm not one of your employees. I'm helping you, remember?”

No response. Just a black screen signalling the other woman has already logged off.

Yaz sighs, shaking his head in disbelief.  “I know that that's been coming for five and a half years, but shit. Could you not have waited until after we discussed all of this? Was it really that important that you just had to get to it?”

“Don't you start, Yaz. You know everything I said is true. She left us there. On that bridge. While he was dying. While I was trying to keep him alive.”

“What were we supposed to do? We had to get Ovi out of there.”

“Oh I don't know. Maybe it would have been nice to help me get Tyler the fuck out of there. How about that?”

“There was no time. There were going to be more cops. Military even. We had to get Ovi out of there.”

“So to hell with the two people that busted their asses to get Ovi there in one piece right? To hell with the fact that your friend is lying there with a gunshot wound to his throat, bleeding out all over the place. Tyler wasn't useful anymore.  He did what you all needed him to do and it no longer matter what happened to him. And if I just so happened to get killed too, oh well. No big loss, right?”

“We came back. I told Nik we had to go back for you guys and...”

“Wait...wait...” she stares at him incredulously. “...you had to tell her to go back and get us?”

“She thought it was too dangerous. That the situation was still too hot.  She didn't want to ask anymore  lives. But I told her that I couldn't just leave you guys there. That if Asif found out that things weren't finished and he sent more people down there, neither of you would stand a chance. I told her I was going back in to get you guys. Whether she helped me or not.”

“So she was more than willing to leave us there. To leave Tyler there. After what he'd done to make sure he got Ovi there? To get both of us there? She was okay with just leaving him to die?”

“To be honest, we thought he'd be dead when we got back. We didn't expect him to be alive still. We all saw what happened. What were the chances that he'd actually survive that? That you would have actually been able to keep him alive?”

“I wasn't leaving him there. I wasn't letting him die. Do you know what that was like? To go through that? To try and convince someone not to just give up? When dying is much easier than the fight not to? I had my fingers in his goddamn throat, Yaz. I had to stick my fingers in his neck to try and block the artery. I can still feel it. How hot the blood was. I can still feel his pulse against my fingers. And I can still smell it. Like it was yesterday.  Do you have any idea what that was like?”

“No,” he shakes his head sadly. “And I'm sorry you have to remember all of that. That you had to go through it.”

“I didn't let him die on that bridge and I'm sure as hell not going to sit back and let him die here either. Maybe your sister was willing to let that happen, but I'm not.  His life means more than that. A hell of a lot more. He's not the same Tyler he was back then.  The one that had a death wish. He's my husband, Yaz. The father of my children.  And there is no way I'm letting anyone send him out there to die.”

“You're doing what you can. The intel. The tactical.  There's only so much you can do, Esme. Killing yourself isn't going to save him. Getting yourself killed trying to keep him alive solves nothing. Because if something happens to you, he'll put a gun in his mouth. Or he'll drink himself to death. He would not survive that. You know it, I know it.”

She sighs, a frown on her face as she runs a hand over her unsettled stomach.

“You look like shit,” Yaz observes.

“Well thanks. I'm so glad you pointed that out.”

“You're not...you know...”

She laughs. “You have something against saying the actual word? No. I'm not pregnant. We've been trying. But it hasn't happened yet. This is definitely stress. I know the difference. I've been through three pregnancies. I felt the same way with each of them. I knew right away that it wasn't stress and that I wasn't just sick.  This? This is not the like any of those three times. It's definitely stress. Worry. And I miss home. I miss my kids. I just want to go home and see them.”

“Soon,” he promises. “This will all be over soon.”

She gives a shaky, skeptical smile.  

She hopes he's right.

#tyler rake #tyler rake fan fiction #tyler rake fan fic #extraction #sanctuary #chris hemsworth character

[imaginepirates]

Flirt

For @mrswilliamturner, who wanted a drabble about Will trying to flirt with you. He goes to Jack for advice... and we can all imagine how that turns out.

@tesserphantom @bonjour-frens @ilikebritsandbands

~2650 words

~~~~~~~

           The week had been a rough one, and you were looking forward to the weekend. It would give you a well-deserved break from things. To start it out, you decided to eat a little, relax, and watch a favorite movie of yours. You didn't bother actually making anything for dinner, you just popped something in the microwave. 

           You settled down on the couch, pulling a blanket over yourself to keep warm. Cozy, you turned on your television, having already put the movie in. You let yourself eat and mindlessly watch the movie. You pretty much knew it by heart. 

           You must have been tired; you fell asleep in the middle of watching it. When you woke up, you were disoriented. There were muffled sounds around you, but you couldn't quite tell where you were. It occurred to you that while you should be on your couch, you were not. 

           You panicked. Your body protested, but you pushed yourself up into a sitting position. You most definitely weren't at home. You looked about, and noticed that you were laying on someone's bed. There was a tiny window that let a sliver of light into the barren room. You couldn't make out much but the cramped, unpainted walls. 

           It also crossed your mind that you were not in the same clothes you'd been wearing earlier. You were in some sort of brown dress with what looked to be an apron in the front. 

           There was the sound of metal hitting metal nearby. Dust floated through the room, and you stared blankly at it while listening to the loud noise. What to think of it, you didn't know. You concentrated on keeping calm. 

           There was no mirror, and only one doorway. You wanted to see for yourself how you looked; what had changed about you? Were just your clothes different?

           It felt like some sort of dream, except that dreams weren't so vivid. You could feel the heat of the sun through the window, smell sawdust, and see everything in perfect clarity. Not to mention, the muffled noise reminded you that you should be checking things out. 

           A voice inside your head told you it was dangerous to step outside the room. What if you'd been kidnapped? It was unlikely, but possible. The other people, wherever they were, might not be nice or willing to help you. 

           Cautiously, you got up and opened the door. Outside was a narrow hall ending in some stairs. Everything was quite cramped, and your head nearly touched the ceiling. 

           The stairs creaked when you stepped on them. Whoever was downstairs couldn't hear you; the noise they were making was too loud. You didn't know what to expect, and it scared you. 

           You reached the bottom few steps. Peaking out, you watched a man hitting a hammer against what you assumed to be an anvil. He had his back to you and showed no signs of turning around. You didn't suppose you could sneak out of the establishment without his noticing, so you stayed where you were, watching. 

           You observed in silence until he turned, wiping sweat from his brow. He saw you then, but didn't immediately approach you. First, he took off his gear. He pushed back the hair falling into his eyes with a hand. 

           You recognized him at one. How could you not? It's Will Turner!

           "Where am I?" You asked timidly. You weren't sure you wanted to know the answer. 

           "The Blacksmith Shop on King Street. I found you earlier last night. You were knocked out cold, so I brought you here. Sorry, I didn't know where else to take you." He scratched at the back of his neck. 

           "Thank you." You looked around, taking in all of the shop that you could. It really did look like something out of a history book. Golden rays filtered through gaps in the wood. 

           "Is there somewhere I could take you?" He asked. "A home?"

           You hesitated before answering. You couldn't just tell him you were from an entirely different world. "I… can't seem to remember. I think I must've hit my head," you lied. "Can I stay here until I can remember where I'm supposed to be?"

           "Of- of course," he stuttered. "I'll make room for you."

           "I don't want to be of any trouble."

           "You aren't, I promise."

           "Thank you."

           The door opened, and an old, fat man entered. You remembered him as the owner of the establishment, not that he did any work. He collapsed in a chair just feet from the entrance, reeking of alcohol. 

           Will gave him a disgusted look. "I never told you my name. It's William, but please, just call me Will."

           You nodded. "Y/N."

~~~

           Will had been instantly smitten. From the moment he laid your sleeping form on his bed, you were the object of his fascination. There was something about how the warm light haloed your face, and how you'd stared at him with wide eyes. 

           He wanted you to like him. Badly. He wasn't the best at starting conversations, nor did he possess skill in the way of charisma, but he knew a man who did. 

           Against his better judgment, Will decided to ask Jack for advice. He'd done this in the many hours you'd spent asleep. The pirate was currently hiding out in a seemingly abandoned little shack that had once belonged to a friend of his. He claimed she was a witch. Upon reflection, he claimed a lot of things. 

           Will knew better than to ask the pirate for advice. Unfortunately, it was the only place he could get it. 

           "William! What a surprise." Jack was sitting on a stool, restlessly tapping his toe when Will arrived. "What can I do for you?"

           "Jack! Are you drunk or sober? I can't tell. I need some advice." Asking for advice was easy enough; asking for the specific piece of advice he needed would be the tricky part. 

           "It doesn't matter, mate. I'll always advise you the same."

           "Right." Will didn't believe it for two seconds. "You know about women," he said sheepishly. 

           Jack twirled his mustache. "Women, eh?" He sauntered towards Will, who was beginning to regret his decision. "Just what is it you want to know about women?"

           "Well- I- um…" Will spluttered. "How to get them to like me?"

           "So you have found a girl in want of wooing."

           "I'm not sure she is. That's why I came here."

           Jack held up both hands, poking Will's chest with a couple of fingers. "You're in the right place."

           Am I? Will waited. No doubt Jack would have a dramatic performance to give on how he should flirt. The word alone made him feel lost. He hadn't flirted with anyone before. Needless to say, he wished he had some practice. 

           "First lesson: they need a reason to think about you. To keep coming back. Tease them with something impressive, and make sure they know there's more. Much more. Remember to have a few go-to lines. Always helps. 

           "Second: never reveal everything right away. Leave some things up to their imagination. What they come up with will be better than what actually happened, trust me.

           "Third: body language. You're bad at it." Jack circled him, poking at his arms and chest. "Don't stand like you're nervous. Women can smell fear. Stay loose.

           "On the topic of appearances, don't worry too much about yours. A little roughness, a hint of disheveledness; girls love that.

           "Make it about them, not you, because it's not." Jack quit his pacing, standing in front of Will once more. "Voila, you've got yourself a girl, mate." 

           That's a lot of rules, Will thought. "Thank you, Jack."

           "Of course. Advice on women is what good old Jackie's for."

           Will was half way out the door when he turned back around. "Jack?"

           "Mmm?"

           "Have you ever actually successfully flirted with a woman?"

           Jack's face twitched. "Of course."

~~~

           William Turner. The character you'd had a crush on since the second grade. What were you supposed to do? He shouldn't even exist. 

           You were exploring Port Royal. Will still had smithing to do, and you figured you should get acquainted with the area. Everything was different from home, but just how you imagined it would be. Carriages ambled past, ships sat in the harbor, and people wore outfits that could only be described as frivolous. 

           You stood at a bakery, peeking through the window. You didn't have any money with which to pay them, of course, so you couldn't buy anything. Besides, hadn't you just eaten dinner?

           The day passed while you had your adventure. It was nice to be away from home, but you were beginning to worry. What if you couldn't get back?

           You shook the thought from your head. What you were experiencing couldn't be real. You were in a dream of some sort, albeit a very realistic one. And a very good one. 

           You wandered toward a bar in search of food. Really, you should just go back to the smithy, but you didn't want to ask Will for money. Perhaps a barmaid would take pity. 

           You wandered into what you hoped would be a suitable place. Slipping through the door, you weren't sure you were ready for what you saw. Drinks sloshed over the sides of cups. The noise was impressive; there was singing, drunken chair dancing, and loud conversation. There was a general air of drunken happiness, and the place reeked of alcohol. Not good alcohol, at that. 

           You wandered up to the bar, trying to avoid flying food. There were few open places to sit, and where there were, they were spaces crammed between two hulking men. 

           Before you could order, there was a tap on your shoulder. Will leaned against the bar beside you. 

           "How did you find me?" You asked. And why?

           "I asked around." Will's body language looked different than before. "You aren't expecting anyone, are you?"

           "I've hardly had time to meet anyone. I've only been here a day."

           "You're free, then?"

           You almost told him it was obvious; you didn't exactly have anywhere to be. Then you asked, "Are you… trying to flirt with me?"

           Will blushed a deep crimson. "No?"

           Well, this is unexpected. And cute, you decided, looking at his flushed face. "Is there somewhere else we should be?"

           "There's a nicer pub around the corner. Would you like to go?"

           You glanced around the room you were in. "That sounds lovely."

           He led you out of the bar and into another building. It was considerably cleaner, and it didn't smell. Not to mention, it looked to serve edible food. 

           You stole a table in a corner. Seating was a bit tight, but you didn't mind. 

           "Tell me about yourself," he said. 

           You didn't know what to say. Everything interesting about you took place in a world he'd never experienced. You settled on mentioning a few hobbies that he could relate to, like reading.

           He followed along. "That sounds lovely."

           "Thank you, but it's nothing interesting." Really, you thought it isn't.

           "That's not true."

           "Oh? Well, tell me something about yourself."

~~~

           Tell me something about yourself. The dreaded sentence. Will's mind worked frantically to come up with something. What had Jack said? Something impressive. 

           "Well, I'm a blacksmith." Always good to start out slow, don't want to come off too strong. "I've worked here most of my life. I was rescued from a shipwreck when I was young."

           There was a smile behind your eyes that made him nervous. 

           "I've dueled with a pirate." He said it like it was no big deal, even though he knew it was. Or he hoped. Everyone was afraid of pirates, right?

           You raised your eyebrows. 

           "He broke into the shop one day. I didn't even know he was there." Oh god, how do I make this interesting? "He must've been a foot taller than me!" It's okay to exaggerate details. Jack does it all the time. 

           A smile played on your face. That's good, right? Smiling is good.

           "When I found him, I refused to let him leave. Who knows what he might have done. Instead, I picked up a sword. Just as a precaution, you understand. I didn't think I'd really be fighting him."

           Will continued. He didn't know exactly what he was doing, and hoped this hadn't been a bad idea. 

           "We ended up balancing in the rafters. It's true, I swear!"

           "Did you win?"

           Oh dear, I'm really bad at this, aren't I?

~~~

           For the most part, his account was accurate, but there were parts where he twisted the truth. It was adorable, how hard he was trying. 

           Really, you wanted to know about Elizabeth. Had she not been a part of things? How had it all played out? Nothing like it should have, you imagined. It made you curious, but you couldn't very well ask. 

           "Sounds exciting," you mused. 

           "Um- yes, very." Food was set between you. "So, is there anything you'd like to do after this? You must have an idea; you've been exploring all day. Surely something interests you. Besides, I'm sure you've done this before."

           "What are you implying?" Does he think I've been on dates?

           "Men where you come from must fancy you."

           "What makes you say that?"

           "You're gorgeous." 

           You didn't know if he was just flirting. You really hoped he wasn't. 

           There was a blush on his face you could hardly see. "You don't look too bad yourself," you replied. It made you cringe; what a cheesy thing to say. Judging by how Will was flirting, however, you figured it didn't matter. 

           There was a lull in conversation as you ate. You found that you were more tired than you had originally thought. You were looking forward to some rest. Traveling between worlds sure took it out of you. 

           You finished dinner and walked back to the forge. You were happy for Will's company; not only was he nice, but his flirting attempts were hilarious. You would've hated to be alone in this new world. 

          The streets were still full of people, even at the late hour. You and Will walked close, your hands and shoulders often brushing. Crossing a street, you felt one of his fingers curl around yours. For a moment, only your pinkies held onto each other. With a bit of nervousness on your part, you grabbed his entire hand. 

           For the rest of the walk, you held hands. His were warm, and they had callouses from hard work at the forge. 

           A fire was still lit in the forge. The warm glow showed through the crack underneath the door. Will pushed it open, holding it for you. The master of the forge was still asleep in his chair. 

           That made you think. Where would you sleep? It wasn't likely that there was an extra bed. 

           "Will, where will I sleep?" You asked. 

           "I hadn't thought about that," he admitted. "You can always take my room. I've slept in a chair before."

           "I don't want you to be uncomfortable." You shifted, embarrassed. "We could always sleep together."

           You watched as shock settled over Will's face. 

           "Look," you said, "I know you've been trying to flirt with me all night. I don't- I don't need you to. I like you. You don't need to impress me."

           "O-oh." His face reddened. "Sorry, I've never wanted to impress a girl before, I was -" 

           You cut him off, placing cool fingers over his lips. Slowly, you leaned into him, looking for any signs of hesitation on his part. Finding none, you took your fingers from his lips, pressing a chaste kiss there instead. 

           "Oh." His eyes were wide, and a goofy grin split his face. "That was nice."

           You could feel yourself smiling as well. "Good. Do you- um- get the message?"

           "I hope so."

           You giggled. "How about those bedding arrangements?"

#pirates of the caribbean #potc #william turner #drabble #x reader #writing #fanfic #request #will turner #requests #will x reader #will turner x reader

[fandoms-equal-life]

Rewriting Their Stars Once Again - The Greatest Showman Fanfiction

Chapter 10: Rewriting the Stars 

Originally Posted on Ao3:  

Summary: Anne’s water has broken. What now? 

Note:

WELCOME PEOPLE TO THE CHAPTER I HAVE HAD PLANNED FOR TWO YEARS!!

Enjoy!!!

Silence.

Until Anne let out a loud groan.

Phillip ran to her aid. He wrapped his arms around her back to steady her. He was in full panic mode.

Thankfully, Charity leaped into action.

“Anne, you are alright, it is just a contraction. I am assuming all the energy it took to arrive here pushed your labor along. Now listen here, both of you, I am going to check if a baby is coming. Lettie! Bring over something to cover Anne and I!”

Lettie runs over and holds the sheet she found in front of the pair. She lifts Anne’s dress to check if she sees any heads.

“Okay, I think we have time to get her home. That is where the doctor has prepared for Anne to give birth correct?” Charity explains.

Phillip nods hurriedly. The doctor knew if Anne successfully gave birth to these babies, there was going to be no way to transfer her from the doctors office to home safely for recovery. Instead, the doctor told them what to do to prepare and he would bring the rest.

When Phillip steals a glance towards Anne, it was a lot for him to take in. She has no color in her face, completely drenched in sweat, and was biting her tongue from another contraction. He never thought she looked more beautiful.

(Anne would shove him when he retold this part of the story).

Thankfully, Charity was not as distracted.

“Someone needs to call a carriage! It needs to have a closed compartment. It will be more comfortable and, in case any Carlyle babies decide to make an entrance, we will not be arrested for public indecency!” Charity demands.

Lettie started to leave to call a carriage, when Frank interrupted, “My carriage is still out front! She can take it!”

Charity smiles at the man hurriedly, “Step one covered. Lettie still go call a carriage to bring the doctor to their house.”

Once again, Lettie went to help, when Tom came out on his horse, “Lettie bring the carriage behind me, I will ride to the office to prepare him.”

Before anyone could utter a word, he was off.

Lettie, not missing a beat, ran off to follow her friend.

Charity turns to Phillip, “We need to get her on this carriage. Let’s go.”

Charity wraps her arm around the other side of Anne, and they help her towards Frank’s carriage.

Frank runs in front of them and calls for his carriage to open and be ready to leave as soon as possible.

Charity, Phillip, and Anne board the carriage. Before the door is shut, Anne shouts “Wait!”

Everyone stops. Was something wrong?

Anne catches her breath, “I want W.D. and P.T. to ride upfront. I need them there too.”

Both men, shocked, board the carriage with the driver. Caroline and Helen wished them good luck and ran off with Daniel to find a carriage to bring over everyone else.

With the doors closed, the horses take off as W.D. and P.T. direct the driver to the apartment.

Anne is laying down on one of the benches. Nothing feels normal. She is in pain, doing all she can not to scream out. Phillip is trying to wipe the sweat off her face. Charity is feeling her belly for movement.

Anne turns to Phillip and grabs his hand, “I needed you. I thought something was wrong with our babies, I felt a pain that I knew was not a kick. I started to panic, and I was alone. The only thing I absolutely knew was that I needed you by my side.”

Phillip grabbed her hand and brought it to his heart. With a reassuring smile, he told her, “I trust you, Anne, wholeheartedly. You made the right choice for you and our babies.”

Anne smiles back until another contraction hit her. She squeezed the hand Phillip had over his heard and screamed loudly.

(W.D. told her later that people stopped in the street to stare at the screaming carriage.)

After some time, Charity felt movement in Anne. She could tell the babies were lining up.

Charity opened the window to talk to the boys. “How much farther?”

W.D. answered, “Two minutes! Keep my nieces and nephews in there a little longer!”

Anne screamed in response.

Phillip was so preoccupied by Anne, he forgot about the deal with Frank. But Anne, always observant, even in childbirth, asked, “Who’s carriage are we in?”

Phillip laughed, “A man named Frank Potter. He is the newest sponsor of the circus. He even wants us to tour in a couple years.”

Anne shot up to a sitting position, “Phillip! I cannot believe it! The circus is going to be okay.”

The biggest smile was plastered on her face. This problem plaguing her family might be over.

Then another contraction hit, and that matter was immediately forgotten.

The group finally arrived at the apartment building. Charity and Phillip helped Anne out of the carriage. Phillip threw W.D. the keys and he ran up to the apartment to let everyone in.

Doctor Turner was waiting in the lobby with Tom, Lettie, Daniel, Caroline, Helen, Annie, Emily, Rosie, and Frank. Tom’s horse was tied out front of the apartment building, being watched by the same doorman who let Anne escape.

“I cannot believe you went against my orders like this Mrs. Carlyle! Do you have any idea how much danger you put yourself in?” Dr. Turner scolded.

Anne turned towards him and yelled back “NONE OF THAT MATTERS NOW GET MY CHILDREN OUT OF ME!”  

Dr. Turner had obviously never been yelled at like that before but decided that she was too scary to argue with. He turned towards the stairs and rushed into the apartment to prepare.

Charity and Phillip helped Anne up the stairs. Close behind was P.T., Daniel, Tom, Lettie, Helen, and Caroline. Rosie, Emily, Annie, and Frank decided to wait in the lobby.

Phillip and Charity placed Anne on the bed. Dr. Turner was barking orders at the other people to prepare hot water and bring him towels. He went to prepare his tools when he saw Phillip perched next to Anne.

“Mr. Carlyle, I must ask you to leave the room during the birth. It is improper for the husband to be present.”

Phillip was not sure what to do. Charity was about to protest when Anne propped herself up on her elbows to speak.

“Dr. Turner, if you have not noticed there is nothing proper about my family. You were notified that I had gone into labor by a man on horse and a woman with a beard. I rode in a stranger’s carriage who is now sitting in the lobby with his entire family. And finally, I am a black woman married to a white man, giving birth to his children. I do not give a DAMN about what is proper!” Anne said, ending it with another scream from a contraction.

Charity turned towards the doctor and said, “I do not think Mr. Carlyle is going anywhere.”

Flabbergasted, Dr. Turner turned towards the open door of the bedroom.

“I require silence from the peanut gallery while I work. I will be closing the door to begin now.

W.D. quickly rushed in to give his sister a kiss and a reassuring hand squeeze. After P.T. gave a couple a quick bow, Charity met her husband outside so he could wish her good luck, as she was to help during the birth. Helen and Caroline waved and bounced around, yelling at Anne how much they loved her and her babies. Lettie and Tom gave big smiles and waves while the door closed.

~

During the three hours that followed, the peanut gallery was on the edge of their seats. Caroline and Helen joined the family in the lobby when Anne’s screaming became too much for them. W.D. and P.T. sat closest to the door, listening to every detail. It was agonizing for the group to hear the screams of pain from Anne, they can only imagine how Phillip felt.

Caroline and Helen had returned after about two hours. Frank and Annie insisted that they were going to remain in the lobby with Emily and Rosie. The pair made it through the door when the first cry broke through. W.D. and Lettie openly wept while the girls hugged their father. Tom and P.T. swear not a tear was shed by them, but Helen says otherwise.

A couple minutes after the first cry, an even louder wail came from behind the door. Excitement rang through the peanut gallery.

Ten minutes later, there was still no third cry. Minutes felt like hours as the doctor kept telling Anne to push.

Then, barely audible, the third Carlyle baby gave the softest cry Dr. Turner said he had ever heard from a newborn.

Another agonizing hour, the group sat outside the door of the bedroom while Anne was taken care of and Charity and Phillip tended to the new babies.

Finally, Doctor Turner opened the door. Everyone stood up in haste. With a small smile, Turner said, “I am happy to announce that today, July 15th, Mrs. Carlyle has successfully given birth to three healthy babies.”

The doctor moved aside to reveal Anne holding two bundles and Phillip holding one. Anne looks exhausted but Phillip beckoned for everyone to come into the bedroom.

The doctor left the room while W.D., P.T., Daniel, Lettie, Tom, Helen, and Caroline entered. It was cramped, but no one seemed to care.

Everyone is smiling, congratulating the couple. Caroline and Helen were trying to be polite, but they could not keep their wish in any longer.

“What are their names?” Helen exclaimed.

Caroline followed with a “Please tell us!”

The couple looked at one another, while the group laughed at their impatience. They had decided the names a while ago but kept it a secret until they saw the babies in person.

Phillip turned his bundle towards the crowd. The lightest skin of the three with brown hair on the top of his head slept soundly in his arms.

Anne said, “His name is Phillip James Carlyle, Jr.”

Phillip interrupted saying “Anne insisted the first boy be a Jr. She always loved the idea.”

Charity picked up one of the bundles in Anne’s arm. As soon as the little one left Anne’s arm, it started to squirm. She managed to show the crowd the second baby with big brown eyes.

Phillip said, “Baby boy number two is named William Daniel Carlyle, W.D. for short, after our supportive brothers.”

Charity placed baby W.D. in uncle W.D.’s arms. Daniel shuffled over to see. He seemed to calm again once he was in his uncle’s arms.

Everyone’s attention was on Anne and the last bundle. She moved the blanket to reveal a baby girl. She was a carbon copy of her mother, but with her father’s blue eyes. The baby girl looked around the room, as if she was observing them.

Anne looked up with tears in her eyes, “This is Penelope Taylor, P.T. Carlyle, after the man who started it all.”

The crowd turned to P.T Barnum himself to see tears streaming down his face. He walked towards Anne, who placed the baby girl in his arms. Hazel eyes stare down at blue. P.T. silently promised to this little girl he would do anything for her.

Anne looked around at these people, her family, cooing at her babies. She turns towards Phillip and motions for him to give her Phillip Jr., who they have already started to call P.J.

Anne looked down at the sleeping face. “I did it, Phillip. I actually did it.”

Phillip stroked her hair and said, “I always knew you could.”

Chapters 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7 ~ 8 ~ 9 ~ 11

#the greatest showman #phillip carlyle #Phillip x anne #anne wheeler #zendaya #zac efron #my fanfics