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eleni-cherie · 1 year

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among thieves ✨ || bts • pjm

- chapter 1.5

"what even am I to you? your rival, your lover, an obstacle or am I supposed to be your coffin?"

about two thieves who can't live with nor without each other. and a joint past that comes back to threaten them.

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masterlist: here

— genre: thief au, gangster comedy, adventure, romcom, humour, angst, fluff, very flirty jimin, friends/rivals/exes to lovers (it's complicated, ok?!) f2l e2l ex2l all members play a role in this story!

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE. CHARACTERS NOT NECESSARILY LIKE THE REAL PERSONS. ALSO VERY UNREALISTIC PLOT LOL - JUST PRETEND READING A MANGA/COMIC OR WATCHING A FILM, REALLY.

SUGGESTIVE THEMES. MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE & BLOOD (BUT NOTHING TOO GRAPHIC, IT'S STILL A COMEDY!)

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xxxx

"Are you sure it was a good idea to test this new substance on that thief?"

Kir glanced at her assistant for a brief second before folding her hands in front of her. Narrowing her eyes into the distance. "He possesses the ability to steal anything in the world. With him on our side, what do we have to fear?" "As far as we know, he hasn't eliminated Valentine yet though." "Do we know his location at this moment?" "Unfortunately, no. He was last seen on Rhodes with Valentine. After that we lost scent." She hummed, having expected him to go into hiding sooner or later if gaining conscious again. Because of his profession, he obviously knew how to keep a low profile. "It's alright," she said then. The hint of a smirk tucking on her lips. "We can reactivate our suggestive treatment either way. No matter where in the world he's hiding at."

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It was a hot afternoon in Monaco.

Arabella was faning herself with a new pretty fan she got herself from a street vandor. Frantically moving her hand in hopes to get some kind of cooling effect when all she got was just warm air against her face. Not even her ridiculously big sunhat that reminded of something old Hollywood divas used to wear, was enough to shield her from the sun. Her eyes skimmed over the neatly planted palms along the pool and the hotel then to distract her mind.

"I love summer but this is getting unbearable," she whined and took a sip from her mojito. The ice cubes in it having almost melted. "When are we flying out by the way?" She pushed her eyeglasses up, arching a brow at Jimin who was sitting next to her on the table by the pool. Browsing through a magazine while resting his feet on another chair. "Soon, love," he said absent-mindedly. His gaze observing a young woman coming out of the pool. His eyes growing wider under his sunglasses when seeing her white bikini. Causing Arabella to huff loudly, snagging the magazine out of his grasp. He jumped in his seat by her sudden move, looking at her with an innocent smile. He lowered his sunglasses even more, wiggling his brows at her. "I only got eyes for you." She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Her freshly dyed hair swaying along. She went with light brown now. "Just tell me when we'll leave. We know where the treasure is, after all." "It's just an assumption," he corrected her, "And as I said, soon. The next two to three days. Remember we gotta move carefully."

Before she could counter anything, Yoongi appeared in front of them. Dropping down on a free chair next to hair. Annoyance and tiredness written all over his face. "I hate it here, it's way too warm." "Don't be such a moody grandpa," Jimin joked, taking his feet from the seat. "Everything's pretty and fancy here after all." "And expensive. And warm. Look-" he pointed at his forehead. "Sweat." "Maybe you wouldn't sweat so much if you'd wear a t-shirt instead of that longarmed sweater," Arabella mumbled, stirring her drink. Yoongi turned to Jimin, purposely dismissing her comment. "When are we leaving?"

The younger guy groaned, getting frustrared. There were literally at one of the prettiest and fanciest places of the world with the blue crystal clear water of the mediterranean sea smiling at them from across the hotel fence and they were still complaining. "God, you two are so impatient. Soon, okay? And it's not like Columbia is any less warm than Monaco." "Yo, check this out!" Taehyung appeared out of nowhere, holding a mini portable tv. "Isn't this cute? I got it for only fifty euros." Arabella perked up, reaching out for it to push some bottoms like a child. Making Taehyung instantly pull it away. "You'll break it!" "I won't!" "You will!" The two exchanged an intense glare, like arguing kids, before Arabella huffed and crossed her arms. Leaning back in her seat with a sulky expression. "It was a dumb buy anyway. Nowadays you don't need portable tv's after all. You got everything on your smartphone." "The old school way is sometimes charmier though," he smirked and switched it on. Adjusting the antenna, "And besides, we can't use our phones right now. Remember?" Right. Last thing they wanted right now was getting tracked down in a tiny city-state like this.

One of the local french tv channels appeared on the screen when Taehyung finally managed getting a signal. Commercials playing. "Hm, maybe I'll find a music channel," he mumbled and zapped through the program. Another commercial break appearing. "Oh, I know this one," Yoongi chuckled then when a familiar melody of a candy ad started playing along with the children singing 'jimmy jimmy coco puff'. "It's getting played everywhere I go." "Ah, I've heard it this morning in the radio," Arabella noted, remembering passing by a stand when looking for a big sunhat. "But anyway, we should really consider leaving earlier in my opinion. Not just 'cause it's warm but it's saver to keep moving an-" Her gaze fell on Jimin and she frowned, cutting herself off. His expression was completely blank, eyes dull. "Are you listening?" However, he didn't seem to pay any attention to her as he suddenly stood up, pushing his chair back which made a screechy noise on the surface. "What's wrong?" He didn't reply to Taehyung's question either. Instead he began muttering incohensive words and walked towards the hotel. Taking them aback. "Jimin, yo!" Taehyung jogged up to him, grabbing his shoulders and stopping him from walking further away. "What got into you?"

"What is he blabbing anyway?" Yoongi, who had got up as well and was waving his hand in front of Jimin's face, asked with furrowed brows. "I don't know, he mumbles. Can't understand anything" Arabella thought for a moment, trying making sense of his strange behaviour before getting up as well. "Hey, Jimin. Look at me," she demanded quietly, grabbing his face between her hands. Even if he was facing her now, he still remained expressionless. Whispering the same words over and over again,

"Casablanca port, 3 on the 30th. Casablanca port, 3 on the 30th. Casablanca port, 3 on the 30th. Casablanca port, 3 on the 30th.."

"Casablanca port 3 on the 30th?" she repeated confused. She eyed the tv then. "Yoongi, switch the thing off." Yoongi quickly did as he was told. Jimin remaining in that state though. "You know what's going on?" he asked. "Not sure," she whispered, narrowing her eyes at Jimin who was totally out of it. His mind in a completely different place. "This commercial music might've triggered something. They might've hypnotised him to react to a certain sound or word. We gotta make him snap out of it." "Fck, that actual works?" She nodded, her grip firmer. She glanced at Taehyung then, who was still holding him back by the shoulders. "Let's push him into the pool." Taehyung blinked confused to her unexpected suggestion. "W-what?" "Do it. We got to resolve this before it gets worse. And the easiest way is by shock."

The two guys exchanged a look before nodding, agreeing with her logic. All three starting pushing his body in the direction of the pool. Luckily the only other guests around were seated further away. Probably just seeing it as a prank among friends. "A bit more," Yoongi said through gritted teeth before finally reaching the edge and throwing Jimin inside the cold water. Watching him sink deeper by the second, seemingly still in trance and not making any move to swim up and Arabella's heart skipped a bit. Panic spreading inside her, fearing the method didn't work after all as she watched him sinking further to the ground. Without thinking twice, she threw her hat away and jumped after him. Diving in and almost reaching him when much to her surprise she saw Jimin grinning widely at her. And he swam towards her, grabbingher hand and pulling both of them on the surface. Water splashed as their heads emerged, both grasping for air.

He started laughing hysterically then when Arabella, who was still struggling for air, tried slapping him. "You-" However, he managed dodging her hand every time, pushing himself away from her. "My savior!" he squealed happily, putting a hand on his chest. "Jumping into the water to save me!" "You wished!" she yelled, splashing water on him with her hands, "I just didn't want to be responsible for your ass drawning like an idiot!" "Don't pretend," he smirked, before puckering his lips at her. "You did it cause you love me." "Iew." "So-" Yoongi interrupted them, getting tired of their constant nagging, "You're back on earth?"

Jimin pushed back his wet hair before swimming to the pool's edge. "Guess so. Was I out of it?" "You were like a robot, not gonna lie," Taehyung said, holding his hand out for him to grab, "You were blabbing something and tried walking away." Grabbing his hand with a 'thank you' Jimin pulled himself out of the pool. Clothes drenched, water dropping down and creating little puddles around him. "What was I blabbing?" "Something about Casablanca," Yoongi replied, going back to his previous seat. "Casablanca port, 3 on the 30th, to be precise," Arabella retorted from the pool. Avoiding looking at him as she was still upset about Jimin messing with her for the thousandth time. "I assume 'they' want to meet you at Casablanca's port at the 30th. Which is in two days." "We'll figure out what the '3' stands for, I guess," Taehyung sighed. "Do we have to go though?" Yoongi groaned, propping his cheek on his fist, "It's not like we got more important plans to do.. and this smells like a trap." "True, but they might not know that I'm no longer under their influence yet," Jimin thought out loud with a concerned look, "Not appearing would alarm them and they'd surely hunt us down then." Yoongi hummed, still not pleased but understanding. "You guys don't have to tag along though, I can handle those guys alone." "You mean like last time?" Jimin snorted, not able to deny Yoongi's remark with the sarcastic undertone. "Last time was a surprise attack. Now I'd be prepared." "Stop trying to play the hero," Taehyung said annoyed, flicking a finger on his forehead to which Jimin flinched. Rubbing the spot with his hand. "We're a team. We ain't letting you go alone to meet them." He was about to protest, when realising it'd be useless. So he eventually nodded. Thankful for his friends' support. "And besides," Taehyung grinned then, "I've always wanted to visit the city one of my fave films plays in."

"It's settled then," Yoongi nodded and got up, "I'll head to the restaurant now. You guys can join. Or not." And with that he waved at them and left in the direction of the restaurant on the other side of the building. Taehyung rubbed his belly before yelling for him to wait and ran after him.

Jimin was about to follow them when he remembered something more important. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Arabella absent-mindedly swimming laps in the almost empty pool. Pausing at the small green island in the middle of it then. Her arms folding over the tiles as she rested her head on them. Her waves swaying in the water. The sun was slowly setting behind the mountains. The pool lights getting switched on. Making her look like a lonely mermaid in the middle of a glowing bay with her babyblue swimsuit.

He dragged a breath, knowing that calling for her would be pointless. She was ignoring him.

He walked along the curved pool, the closest he could to the island. He looked around then. Seeing the last guests were also about to leav, so he waited for them to go inside. Getting back into the water then he slowly swam towards her. Arabella's eyes shot open when sensing him in the water and she quickly turned her head to the other side when seeing him approaching her. Not being in the mood for any more teasing. "Aw, Bella-baby, please don't be mad at me. You know I can't take it if you ignore me like this." She remained silent though, holding herself back from pouting like a child. The touch of his hand on her arm, however, made her grow stiff. She pushed herself off the island and started swimming away. Not coming far though as his arms looped around her waist, pulling her back into his embrace. "I'm sorry for teasing you again," he mumbled against her shoulder. Planting a kiss on it. "I fear I went too far this time." "You think.." she plainly said. Trying her best not to show how much the close proximity was affecting her. "Mhm, I know," he said then, planting another kiss on her nape. Knowing exactly it was her weak spot. No, she had to stay persistent, she told herself. Although she could feel her body relaxing more and more in his arms. "I'll stop teasing you. I promise." "Why should I take a thief's word for it?" "Because, love, you're a thief yourself," he smirked against her skin, "But you're right. I enjoy teasing you too much. I'll stop, however, taking it too far like today. That I can promise you for sure." Arabella knew when he was lying or not. She was good in reading micro-expressions or sensing insencerity in someone's words. And Jimin's sounded genuine. Like usually when he talked to her. So she took a deep breath and turned around.

Her gaze still avoiding his, resting at the non-existent space between their bodies instead and on the tattoo on his rips that was peeking through the now see-through white shirt. Wondering how many people in the world knew about its meaning beside her. "I guess.." She hesitated a little, sighing then. "I guess compared to what I've pulled in the past that was still quite lightly.."

"Hm, yeah.. but I've never minded your stunts," he smiled. Seeing her eyes wandering up to him. She let out a dry laugh then. "You're that badly wrapped around my finger, huh?" She expected him to laugh or roll his eyes at her witty remark. She didn't expect him to continue remain silent, however. Smiling softly at her while staring deeply into her eyes. "Thought it was obvious." He brushed a strand from her face and she felt her cheeks flushing. "But perhaps I never cared cause I never took it personal. I knew it was part of the job. And part of how you were.. trained. 'Never trust anyone. Always look for your benefit.'"

A lump formed in Arabella's throat when getting reminded of those past sayings and she swallowed hard. Blinking away the tears that suddenly welled up in her eyes. He did it again. He saw right through her and hit a nerve. And it was more than just his usual skills of analysing people. He didn't analyse her. He understood her. There was a difference. And this difference was what had made her see him as someone she could trust despite her upbringings.

"I do trust you, though. I hope you know that."

Her hands left the warm water, gliding over his arms and the small tattoo on the left one, to his shoulders and neck. Drawing his face closer as her fingers disappeared in his wet hair. His arms tightened around her, pulling her even closer. He didn't say a word. Didn't reply to her words. Didn't say if he trusted her or not. He simply pressed his lips on hers. Feeling them mold into each other as they moved slowly. Hoping it would be enough to convey his answer as he got lost in the taste of her. Almost losing his breath when he abruptly pulled back. Catching his breath, he stared down at her swollen pink lips. And the sense of her chest pressed against his returned. "Bella-baby, we should leave," he whispered with a small grin while resting his forehead against hers. "Or I fear I won't be able keeping myself from taking you right here and now. In the middle of a public pool."

Arabella, feeling a little dizzy and light-headed herself, blinked her eyes open. Trying processing his words before looking around, remembering where exactly they were. She instantly pushed him away then, freeing herself from his grip. His laugh becoming louder seeing her blush in embarrassment. "Shut up!" she whined and began swimming away as fast as she could. Reaching the edge and pulling herself out while he was following behind, still laughing amused. "I swear, if you tell anyone -"

"Oh no, never." He got out of the water and grabbed her chin lightly, bringing their faces close again as puddles formed around them. "This will be added to my happy little memories whenever I feel lonely." She groaned annoyed, but an anew peck on her lips cut her off. And he giggled before leaving her standing there dumbfounded. And she shook her head, coming back to her senses.

She loved him. She hated him. She thought he was stupid. She thought he was an idiot. She thought he was charming. She thought he was wonderful. She wanted to be with him. She didn't want to be with him. She'd never date him, again. She got annoyed by him. She loved him..

Thinking about it now she realised this madness had most likely started the moment they had met back in the ruins of an old cathedral somewhere in France. And she was sure she'd never get cured of it.

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next chapter: 1.6 here

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karahalloway · 1 year

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Harper & Drake’s Scrapbook - Relationship Q&A

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these, so I got really excited when @peonierose sent me an ask to complete this mini-questionnaire for my OTP!

As always, this turned into a bit more of an in-depth thing than planned, but Harper and Drake are quite opinionated so... sorry, not sorry!

Harper: *slaps paper down*

Drake: *looks up with a raised brow* The hell is this?

Harper: A fun thing for us to try!

Drake: *glances sceptically at the page* It’s another one of those intimate questionnaires, isn’t it...?

Harper: Yes. But with a twist.

Drake: *brow arches higher* Twist?

Harper: Yes - we need to complete the questionnaire seperately and then compare our answers. So we’ll see how closely we match up!

Drake: I don’t have a choice in this, do I?

Harper: Nope!

Drake: *sighs* The things I do for you, girl...

Drake: It’s... not an easy thing to quantify.

Harper: Since the end of the social season!

Drake: Officially, yes. But, unofficially we can count from the beach party, or even from Lythikos.

Harper: Beach party, I can kind of understand. But Lythikos?

Drake: Technically was our first date. Us going snowboarding together.

Harper: Awww! That’s so sweet! I never knew you counted from then!

Drake: *looks away with a flush* Not officially, but...

Harper: But you 100% do.

Drake: Yeah... I guess I do.

Harper: The rest of our answers are quite similar, though!

Drake: Not much to disagree on with these questions...

Harper: ...though we do need to start watching a show together.

Drake: Agreed. Can’t believe you haven’t watched Yellowstone - considering it’s set in Montana.

Harper: It started airing after I left home - had to pick and choose what I spent my hard-earned cash on, and expensive cable wasn’t one of them.

Drake: You can stream it - it’s how I’ve been watching it.

Harper: Guess we have our show then!

Drake: Guess we do.

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Picture credits

Kiss - Harper - Drake - Together

#harper gale #drake walker #the royal romance #relationship Q&A #harpers scrapbook

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pewpewpugh · 1 year

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My Roommate's Sister: Part 3

"What are you going to wear for your date?" Arabella asked me, strolling into my room without even knocking on the door. I was staring at my wardrobe, trying to decide on an outfit but not settling on anything. I had dresses, jeans and shirts thrown around the room, my draws were wide open. I threw myself on the bed dramatically, and groaned.

"I can't find an outfit"

Bella laughed as she walked around my room picking up my disregarded clothes and hanging them back on hangers. I had my eyes closed, but I could sense her cogs turning, she was in thinking mode.

"Soph" she said cheerfully, "I've found your outfit"

I sat up and looked at her curiously. She'd hung the rest of my clothes back in the wardrobe, but left out a cream top and a black skater skirt. She'd even gone as far as putting the shoes for the outfit below the skirt, which were my thick heeled black boots. It was actually perfect.

"If I know the both of you like I think I do, you're going to look HOT and Florence won't be able to take her eyes off of you... and if you let me do your make up she won't be able to keep her ha-"

"Woah! Okay! Don't finish that sentence about your sister!" I interrupted Arabella, laughing at her expression when she realised what she was about to say.

"Sorry" she smirked, "I'm so used to talking to you about the other girls you've dated that I actually forgot for a second that you're going on a date with my sister" she grabbed my make up bag and started emptying the contents. I put my hair in to a bun on the top of my head and turned to face her properly so that she could concentrate on my make up.

"Are you nervous?" She asked as she finished the last touch of powder.

"A little" I admitted, turning to face the mirror and releasing my hair from its bobble, letting it flow beneath my shoulders.

"I don't think you need to be." Arabella span my chair back around so that I was now looking at her again "I saw how she looked at you yesterday, and the day before that, and every other day this week. Don't be fooled, she's been here every day and it hasn't been to see me."

"I know... I just... I have a history of screwing up, especially when I really like someone. And I like, really like her"

Arabella smiled at me as we heard a knock on the front door. She must have seen the panic on my face, as in a second I was off the chair and in her arms.

"Good luck" she whispered in my ear before she pulled away, "I'll still be awake when... if you come home, so I'm excited to hear all about it"

I guess it was show time.

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Florence took me to the new Italian restaurant that had opened in the city. It was posh, and expensive, and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to afford anything on the menu. I was also worried I wouldn't know what to talk about, or that I'd do something dumb and embarrass myself.

"What's the worst pick-up line anyone's ever used on you?" I asked grinning as I turned my fork and collected the pasta from my bowl. I'd had a glass of wine and was feeling a little braver about being in Florences company for the first time without Arabella being there too.

Florence took a sip from her straw and made a face that showed she was deep in thought. Then she giggled, which had quickly become my favourite sound in the world. In the short amount of time that I've known this girl, she was seriously making me question whether it was oxygen I needed to breathe, or if I could survive solely on her existence.

"Um, I did have one guy at school ask me to the Halloween dance by saying..." she paused and cringed at the thought, "He said, hey Florence... I don't have a halloween costume, y'know for the dance, but can I go as your boyfriend instead?" she imitated the guy, shuddering at the still-mortifying-to-this-day, moment from years ago.

"Wait, a guy?" I snorted at the thought, quickly turning a crimson as I realised what I'd done. I looked away from Florence in embarrassment, but when I eventually looked back at her after noticing the silence between us, she was staring at me with a look. I don't even know how to explain it, but it was something similar to how a child looks at ice cream, or how I look at any dog I see. In awe. I blushed even more, and looked away again.

The waitress came to the table and cleared our plates. I heard Florence ask for the bill, and looked up just in time to see her move herself around the booth so that she was sat right beside me.

"Hey" I heard softly from my right. I looked at her and smiled. She was so close.

"Hey"

"Don't go shy on me now, pretty girl"

The waitress came back and put the bill down. Before I could even blink, Florence had it in her hand and was paying for our meals. I even noticed as she dipped into her purse and left a tip, I did the same. I watched as she leant back and shrugged into her jacket.

"You ready to go?"

"Mhm." I hummed, following Florence closely out of the diner. We walked in silence for a few minutes before we came to the entrance of the park. Instead of walking past the gates towards the car, Flo hooked her arm through mine and lead me along the path leading to the lake. I broke the silence first as we sat on the bench opposite the water. Her hands were now in her pockets, her face hiding behind the scarf around her neck.

"You didn't have to do that, you know"

She furrowed her brows at my words. She looked worried, which she had no reason to be. She hadn't done a thing wrong, she had been perfect all night.

"To pay... I mean"

The blonde bit her bottom lip and stared at the ground. "I wanted to" she lifted her face from behind the scarf but was staring at the lake, "I asked you out on the date, I chose the restaurant. I just wanted you to have a good time... I, I had a really good time tonight"

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Before I knew it, we were stood outside of my apartment door. I couldn't believe how quickly the date had gone, or how well it had gone, or how much this girl was making me feel.

"Thank you for agreeing to go on a date with me" Florence whispered, being mindful of the neighbours and a probably earwigging Arabella at the other side of the door. The light from the living room was shining underneath the door, so I knew she'd at least attempted to stay up and wait for me to get home.

"Thank you for asking me"

The grin on Florences face quickly turned into a beautiful full smile. She held my gaze which sent my brain and feelings into overdrive.

"Can I kiss you goodnight?" She asked so quietly I almost didn't catch what she'd said. I couldn't speak, but I nodded in response and she closed the gap between us. One hand cupped my face, the other grasping my arm softly. The kiss was soft. It was slow. It felt like it lasted forever and only a second at the same time. It was perfect. Florence pulled away first, her forehead leaning against mine. Her eyes were closed, and when they fluttered open I saw it. Feelings.

"I'm going to be a gentleman and not come into the apartment tonight... but I'll see you soon?"

"Are you asking me on a second date?"

"Yeah... I'd like that. If... but only if you want to?"

I kissed her one last time slowly, before pulling away, my hand already on the door handle ready to go inside.

"I'd love to"

Florence stood and watched me head into the apartment, her fingertip lightly touching her lips where I'd just been. She was still there watching me as I closed the door completely.

The tv was playing quietly in the living room when I walked in. Arabella was curled into a ball on the sofa, the remote still in her hands. There was a bowl of half eaten popcorn on the table, a glass of wine now empty beside it. Looks like she'd had a fun night.

"hey, B" I nudged her slightly, "Bella, I'm back"

One eye opened to glare at me. Sitting up slowly, she stretched out, cracking bones as she did and moved across the sofa giving me room to sit down.

"How was your date?" she mumbled half asleep.

"Perfect. I didn't want it to end"

#florence pugh x reader #florence x reader #florence pugh x you #florence pugh x y/n #florence pugh imagine

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moononastring · 2 years

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Well, considering you insisted I continue with more eris/iris questions, could you possibly give us a domestic moment, like specifically them getting ready for bed or something? Or like Eris is in bed (w/ glasses of course) and going over some papers, and iris is washing up, and then she comes to bed eris kisses her hand and then he puts his stuff away and they go to bed. Ya know? There’s something so intimate about a couple getting ready for bed. Idk I think it’s just me tho. All love ❤️

Okay but you're definitely not the only one! I love stuff like this because it's so simple and sweet and fluffy.

Enjoy :)

"Did you hear about Lord Braham's engagement? He's going to wed Lady Arabella. I met her once. She seems nice."

Iris's voice floated over to him from where she sat at their shared vanity and he lowered the reports in his hands to gaze over at her. He watched her silently for a moment, his lips twitching as she slathered the lotion all down her arms and up again, sliding to her shoulders. He continued to watch as rubbed gently beneath the straps of her lilac-colored gown, the strap slipping down for a moment until she adjusted them again.

Eris really did like that color on her. It looked so lovely against her skin. He’d tear it off later.

His gaze focused back on his reports.

"I did hear. Braham came to me first to indicate his intentions and invite us to the party." he said absently. "Lady Arabella will be good for him."

"But is he good for her?" Iris asked and Eris glanced up again as she started to shuffle over, Lyra wagging her tail at her feet before settling at the foot of the bed. He watched his lovely wife climb their bed and crawl over to him until she was seated on her knees in front of him with a scowl.

"What did we say about this?" she asked, pointing to the papers in his hands and Eris glanced down then back at her with a sigh.

"It's just a short report."

"Yes, but what did we agree on?"

"I'm almost done reading it through."

"That's not what I asked." she said and flicked the sheets in his hand. "What did we agree on?"

He pursed his lips then let out a rather dramatic, long-suffering sigh. "No work in our chambers."

"No work in our chambers." she repeated and gestured for him to the papers. With a wave of his hands, the report disappeared to his office desk and instead, he focused on his wife.

"You're so pushy."

“I wouldn’t have to ask twice if you had listened the first time.”

Eris snorted. “Don’t blame me for having an excellent work ethic.”

“I will if it comes at the expense of everything else.” she said with a firm look. “Specifically when every other aspect of you is in abysmal condition.”

Eris made a disapproving noise. “I am offended, wife.”

“Kiss my ass, husband.” she only said and shifted so her back was to him. "Now be quiet and help me with my hair."

Eris couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him and sat up, giving Iris room to shuffle back until she sat between his legs and handed Eris her brush.

"You didn't answer my question about Braham." she asked and closed her eyes as his fingers began a gentle massage through her hair. "Will he be good for Arabella? I heard he's a rake."

"Rakes make the best husbands." he said quietly, focusing on the strands of her silky hair between his fingers.

"Not when they're cheating on their wives."

"Ah, you are correct." he said and leaned in to place a delicate kiss on the tip of her ear and grinned when she shivered. “I should say reformed rakes make the best husband. Look what you’ve done to me.”

“Because you knew better and I know how to use a knife.” Iris said and shot him a smile over her shoulder that had him chuckling.

“Oh absolutely,” he said and brushed her hair gently. “But yes, Braham will be good for her. He’s only been in love with her his whole life.”

“I heard he waited this long because she was promised to another.” Iris asked in a hushed whisper.

Eris tsked as he placed the brush down and split her hair into three sections to start braiding it. “I didn’t know my wife subscribed to the gossip of this court.”

“You told me to learn about my people.” she said and gave him a smirk over her shoulder before facing forward again. “Besides, this is how Mother knows everything about everyone. We listen for it.”

Eris shook his head with a snort and finished off her braid with a tug. “Trust my mother. She never says a word about anyone but knows everything there is to know.”

“The key to knowing all the gossip is to be a great listener.” Iris confirmed and turned to face him. “We listen and then only share with each other. You wouldn’t believe the things you’d hear if you just remained quiet.”

“Well, I find everything out because people are scared not to tell me.” he said with a smirk that had Iris rolling her eyes. “You wouldn’t believe how afraid they are that I hear about something from anyone other than the direct source.”

Iris snorted. “You love gossip as much as anyone else.”

“It’s not gossip when I have to know things to protect my people.”

“And knowing about the reformed rake's love stories is vital to safety, how?”

“It is when the jilted fiance Arabella left for Braham is threatening to murder them both at their engagement.” Eris said and laughed at Iris’s dramatic gasp.

“No!”

“Oh yes.” Eris said. “But we settled it before it got out of hand. She never wanted him anyway so it’s about time he moved on.”

Iris’s face lit up in curiosity and she quickly slid Eris’s glasses off his face and reached across him to place them on the nightstand. Pushing him down rather roughly, she tangled her legs with his, and settled with her chin on his chest. “What else did you hear? I want to know everything.”

Eris let out a low laugh and wrapped an arm around him, squeezing. “Nosy, are we?”

“As their future High Lady, I need to be informed about these things.” she said matter-of-factly. “Tell me so I can tell you what I found out about Lord Piers in my lessons today.”

Eris shook his head, his lips twitching as he brushed back her loosely braided hair. “You’re turning out to be just as sneaky as my informants.”

“Maybe.” Iris said with a grin. “But I don’t think they get to kiss the Prince while giving him reports.”

“Oh no.” he said and leaned in to brush his lips against her in a wicked promise. “These lips are reserved for one lady and one only.”

#eris vanserra #eris vanserra x oc #eiris #smtb asks #eiris headcanons #They are gossip machines with each other.#They literally know everything about everyone #smtb #myfics #asks #'nonnie #eris x iris #eiris snippets

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catb-fics · 1 year

Note

what do you think each of your versions of Van would be like when it comes to buying Christmas presents? what would Ice Cold Van get Lyla? What would Red Van get y/n? Forbidden Van etc. etc.

This is such a fun ask and you really have me thinking now…

❄️ Ice Cold Van wouldn’t be into celebrating Christmas, he’s never had a proper Christmas before with his awful upbringing and then being embroiled in a life of crime. I don’t think gifts would be involved but I think maybe him and Lyla would spend a low-key day together trying to forget about all the nasty stuff, making love and then cuddling wrapped up in blankets by a cosy fire (if I actually get the rest of this story written you’ll see more of his softer side!)

❤️‍🔥 Red Van would be surprisingly romantic I feel, but he couldn’t give Y/N a conventional gift (although he’d love to get her a piece of jewellery it would be too risky) so he’d take her away for the night and wine and dine her. He’s probably written her a song to play to her when they get back to the hotel room.

🔥 As for Forbidden this all depends whether Prof Van thinks you’re on the ‘nice’ list or the ‘naughty’ list - remember only good girls get to come so as long as you’re prepared to get down on your knees and work hard for it you’ll get your Christmas present!

💗 Dad Van is a proper big softy and you’re going to get spoiled rotten! He wants to show his appreciation of you for being the best mum and wife so you’re getting a luxurious spa weekend away with your friends whilst he looks after the kids.

🎤 I’m With the Band Van is going to go all out for Arabella, he knows she has expensive tastes and Sam and Bondy have already given her gifts and with his competitive nature he is determined to outdo them! Probably a bottle of fancy champagne and some ridiculously expensive perfume. He’d make sure to drop hints about the fact that he’s spent a lot too!

😈 Devil Next Door Van would probably think HE would be the ultimate Christmas gift! Tom has probably planned something really sweet and thoughtful for Y/N and Van is going to try his hardest to sabotage it!

Sorry I got a bit carried away with these ha ha - I feel like I should write a Christmas update for one of stories… but they all need updates too! 🙈

#vanfic #catb asks #character headcanons

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kunkutarpulla · 2 years

Photo

You all know the shooting of Andrew Tekle Sundberg? Yeah, he got lots of attention and guess what's disturbing part about this case? There are people seriously ignoring his potential victim, Arabella Foss-Yarbrough.

Before we continue, DO NOT GO HARASS THE FAMILY OF TEKLE'S NOR ARABELLA HERSELF. The case is already difficult enough. Well, what's the case shortly?

In July 13, in Minneapolis (Minnesota) a young man was seen standing outside his flat looking inside the window of his neighbor's, like he's focused and following someone in there. And that someone was Arabella herself. Two police officers, Aaron Pearson and Zachary Seraphine, were patroling and trying to talk him down. But everything took a turn when he started to shoot the mom and her kids through the window. And even started to attack the police officers which gave no other choice but shoot. At Saturday, after the shooting, there was a rally outside the apartment complex where it happened. Then Arabella showed up and started to tell what actually happened there at that night. She was very frustated but it's understandable. Who wouldn't be after that experience? And as a result, SHE AND HER TODDLER-AGED KIDS GOT VICTIM BLAMED BY BLACK LIVES MATTER ACTIVISTS! Yes, that's a real thing.

The case is now shortly recapped. Am I saying Tekle was 100 % evil or his family shouldn't cry for him? ABSOLUTELY NOT. And neither was she. He had his issues and I don't know what he was like in weekdays, but at least he wasn't like Albert Fish or any other serial killer from history. And the family has a right to feel grief for their loss.

Was the rally necessary? NO. There would've been other ways to show solidarity for them, like paying the funeral expenses. Or at least majority of them. Funerals take lots of money. That would've been more effective and subtle. And also it would've given a positive publicity to Black Lives Matter movement. That makes me ask: Where was it when Tekle still was among the living? Why it didn't give him and his family any help back then?

As downhearted as the case is, there was NO signs of police brutality in it. George Floyd situation was police brutality, because

1) He was unarmed;

2) He was either drunk or high. At least it's assumed he was; and

3) Derek Chauvin and the three others, abused their position as police officers and used their tactics wrongfully.

Tekle, on the other hand, had a gun. He knew exactly what he was doing. (I don't know what his motive was and I don't care.) Police officers in question, obeyed their protocol and tried to solve this peacefully first. They tried to talk to him, they let his father talk to him, they even gave him SIX HOURS time to surrender. It didn't work. I wish it would've gone differently and also did Pearson and Seraphine, but it was very critical and serious circumstance.

It's so disgusting how a hysterical young woman, who tells protesters how the events really went and how they should go home, is treated: Not only they filmed the event, posted it on Twitter and portraited Arabella like she's in the wrong but they also told her to shut up like she's some racist white Karen being triggered over black kids selling lemonade across the street she lives. She's not like that. She was a victim of an attemped murder. They were literally victim blaming her! The cops' bodycams captured the situation which they used as proves in front of Tekle's family and the court:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJxNEDdkIUk&t=488s (Well, this video is seeing one of my journals, though.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6Pksj4TASs (There you can see her and her kids flee. Older being only 4 years old, younger being 2 years old.)

My journals related to the topic:

https://www.deviantart.com/tultsi93/journal/That-man-is-a-real-white-alley-923100302

https://www.deviantart.com/tultsi93/journal/Arabella-gets-victim-blamed-more-924310618

This is the video I was refering to:

https://twitter.com/RebsBrannon/status/1548498745704124418

I'm happy about how his parents and siblings were sorry for Arabella and her children for what they're going through. They didn't practice victim blaming despite the fact the whole situation was and still is burdensome for them. I sincerely wish them all the best and that their pain will ease. It's dissapointing I'm not physically there, I would give all of them a hug. Hopefully I manage in this grey-area thinking now. This is the most strenuous cases in our history.

#arabella foss-yarbrough #andrew tekle sundberg #all hope is not lost

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ace-angel-judas · 11 days

Note

Jungbella step siblings au? 👀

“Your father has adopted a son,”

Arabella kept her eyes on the floor, picking at her nails as her aunt spoke. Once she had been close with her father, until she turned twelve and now they seemed like distant relatives than father and daughter.

“Arabella,” Grace spoke with concern, “He’s not replacing you,”

She glanced up at her aunt, gritting her teeth slightly. It all seemed like a replacement, after all, boys were sort after in children. Boys carried on family lines.

“I’m not worried about that,” Arabella lied.

“Don’t lie to someone who can detect them,”

Fourteen year old Arabella’s back went straight, she always forgot that Grace had the gift of detecting lies. Their family was one of the founders of the Institution, that kept track off all anomalies born.

There whole family had abilities. Grace could detect lies, she worked as an investigator and lawyer for the institution, one of the best in her field.

“Should I just go back to my mother-“

The door to the house opened, signifying the arrival of her father. But there were two pairs of footsteps, making Arabella’s shoulders drop.

Her father appeared first, still in his uniform. He wore a black military suit, hair in a loose ponytail and black eyes glaring at nothing in particular.

“Belle,” Ayden spoke, “I need to talk with you,”

“Grace already told me,” Arabella walked towards the door.

“Belle-“

“I’m going to bed!”

She pushed past her father, who almost took up the entire doorway. As Arabella slipped past him, she made eye contact with a boy.

A look around sixteen years old, his eyes golden and brown hair neatly cut and styled. His clothes looked new, expensive yet simple and simply all black like her father.

“Hey-“

As soon as he spoke, Ayden snapped.

“Don’t talk to her!”

Arabella froze, looking at her father. He looked at her before speaking.

“This is Jungkook-“

“Do you really hate me that much?” Arabella whispered as tears filled her eyes, “Enjoy your son!”

Turning, Arabella dashed up the stairs as she sobbed.

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daxwritesstories · 1 month

Text

College AU Part 4: Old Scars / Future Hearts

Scene 1: Enjoy The Silence

(Scene title by Depeche Mode)

INT. Arabella & Celeste's dorm - Noon

Celeste is doing her makeup in front of a mirror on her desk. She wears all white foundation, black eye makeup, and black lipstick.

The door opens and Arabella walks in. Celeste doesn't even look up.

ARABELLA: Did you just get up?

CELESTE: I only have night classes. This is early for me.

ARABELLA: Okay...

Arabella starts looking through the mini-fridge.

CELESTE: You're not usually here at this time.

ARABELLA: I forgot to bring a snack with me this morning.

CELESTE: Just get something at the cafeteria.

ARABELLA: That's expensive.

Arabella grabs a pre-wrapped sandwich from the fridge and shoves it into her bag.

ARABELLA: What? You don't want me here?

CELESTE: I like to have peace and quiet when I do my makeup.

Arabella smirks and walks over to Celeste's desk. She slams her hand down on it, almost making Celeste mess up her makeup.

ARABELLA: I find it hard to believe that you don't want a strong, dominant woman around.

Celeste dramatically stares into space.

CELESTE: My heart is permanently broken. I will never love again.

Arabella rolls her eyes and makes her way back to the door.

ARABELLA: Suit yourself, pretty.

Celeste continues to stare until Arabella shuts the door. She then glances at the door thoughtfully before going back to doing her makeup.

Scene 2: When I "Kissed" The Teacher

(Scene title by ABBA)

INT. Roman's Office - Afternoon

Roman is doing paperwork at his desk. Cyra appears in the doorway and knocks on the open door. Roman answers without looking up.

ROMAN: Come in.

Cyra walks up to Roman's desk with determination and then slams both her hands down on it.

CYRA: You slept with Ace, right?

Roman flinches in shock and gives Cyra a confused look.

ROMAN: Huh?

CYRA: You heard me.

Roman hesitates for a moment and then nods towards the door.

ROMAN: Shut the door.

Cyra quickly skips back to the door and closes it. She then looks back at Roman, waiting for an answer.

ROMAN: Who told you that?

CYRA: Ace did. Well, he didn't really but it was implied. That's why your clothes were in his dorm, right?

Roman sighs.

ROMAN: Okay... what's it to you.

CYRA: I wanna sleep with Ace.

Roman doesn't respond, looking even more confused. Cyra walks back up to his desk. She leans forward and rests her elbows on the surface.

CYRA: I wanna know how you got him to sleep with you. I'm trying to come up with a plan here. Does he like girls?

ROMAN: That's what he says...

CYRA: So I have a chance?

ROMAN: I'm not sure if you're his type.

CYRA: What's his type then? I can change.

Roman snorts out a laugh.

CYRA: What?

ROMAN: You sound determined.

CYRA: I am. I've literally never seen someone so beautiful in my life before.

ROMAN: Hm. That's a pretty high compliment. Well unfortunately I don't know what kind of girl he likes. I always pick the girls we fool around with.

CYRA: I see...

Cyra glances around the room thoughtfully.

CYRA: What's his dorm number?

ROMAN: I can't tell you that. School policy.

CYRA: Then what about his phone number? I'm sure you could give me that.

ROMAN: Hmm... I guess I could...

CYRA: You could.

ROMAN: But...

CYRA: "But"?

ROMAN: But I don't want to.

Cyra groans dramatically.

CYRA: Why not?

ROMAN: I don't think Ace would appreciate me giving out his number to people he doesn't know.

CYRA: He knows me.

ROMAN: Oh yeah? How many times have you talked to him?

Cyra sighs.

CYRA: Once...

ROMAN (sarcastically): Wow.

CYRA: Look, can't you just do me a favor this one time?

ROMAN: I don't do favors.

CYRA: Pleeeeease! I'll do anything.

Roman raises an eyebrow.

ROMAN: Anything?

Cyra pauses and thinks for a moment, looking at Roman skeptically. She seems to have realized something. She then smiles.

CYRA: Anything.

Roman smiles back at Cyra.

Scene 3: Old Scars / Future Hearts

(Scene title by All Time Low)

INT. Hallway - Afternoon

Bella and Laura walk out of one of their classes together. The pair are chatting and giggling.

LAURA: Isn't Professor Tony the coolest?

BELLA: He's so awesome! I'm glad we got him for a teacher.

LAURA: Same! My dance teacher in high school was such a dick. It's so refreshing to learn from someone like Tony.

Bella laughs.

Jayce turns the corner as the girls continue walking down the hallway. He stops in his tracks when he sees Bella. Before she notices him there, Jayce takes a deep breath and walks towards her.

JAYCE: Hey, Bella!

Bella stops and her smile disappears.

BELLA: Oh. Hey.

LAURA: Hey! Are you Bella's friend?

JAYCE: Uh...

Jayce nervously glances at Bella.

BELLA: He's my ex.

LAURA: Oh! Uh, sorry.

BELLA: It's alright.

JAYCE: My name's Jayce.

Laura waves politely.

LAURA: I'm Laura.

JAYCE: Nice to meet you. Um, Bella... I actually wanted to talk to you...

BELLA: If it's about Prince being my roommate, you don't need to worry about that.

JAYCE: Oh. But I–

BELLA: Everything's fine between me and Prince, okay?

Jayce hesitates.

JAYCE: Are you sure? I feel like I made things awkward for you two.

BELLA: Well, you didn't. Everything's fine now. I'm over it.

Jayce and Laura exchange awkward looks.

JAYCE: Uh... Okay. That's good to hear then.

There is a long, awkward silence.

JAYCE: I'm, uh, I'm gonna go. See you around.

BELLA: See you.

Jayce walks past the girls. Laura calls out as he leaves.

LAURA: Nice meeting you!

Scene 4: Be My Friend

(Scene title by One Eyed Doll)

INT. Cyra & Celia's dorm - Night

Cyra is lying in her bed, texting. Celia is there too, sleeping in her own bed.

We see a close up of Cyra's phone. She is texting Ace. There are already a couple of messages from Cyra in the chat.

CYRA (text): Hi Ace! It's Cyra.

CYRA (text): Do you remember me? We met outside of Roman's classroom the other day.

A typing bubble appears on the screen and Cyra watches with an excited look of anticipation. A new message from Ace quickly appears.

ACE (text): I remember. How did you get my number?

Cyra glances around, contemplating how to answer. She types another message.

CYRA (text): I had to practically beg Roman for it. Wasn't easy.

Ace responds immediately.

ACE (text): Stalker.

Cyra giggles and types her response.

CYRA (text): Lol

CYRA (text): I had my reasons. I want to take you on a date. I know a nice café just outside of campus. There's a mall around there too. I'll buy you anything you want.

CYRA (text): What do you think?

A typing bubble appears on screen again. This one lasts a bit longer than the others.

ACE (text): Hm... Should I let a weird teenager who I've only spoken to once take me on a date? That doesn't sound very appealing. I'll pass.

Cyra squints at her phone, thinking hard. Then she starts typing again.

CYRA (text): I promise I'm not that weird. You sure you don't want to be treated to a shopping spree? I wasn't kidding when I said I'd buy anything.

CYRA (text): I'll show you a good time.

ACE (text): I'm not that easily impressed, kid.

CYRA (text): What do I have to do to get your attention? I just want to know more about you...

CYRA (text): You're the prettiest person I've ever seen.

ACE (text): That's sweet. But I already knew that.

CYRA (text): Please? You won't be disappointed.

Cyra stares at her phone with a worried look. Soon the typing bubble appears again.

ACE (text): Will you stop bothering me if I go on this date with you?

CYRA (text): Yes.

ACE (text): Okay, fine.

ACE (text): This café better be nice.

Cyra smiles with glee at her phone.

#cyra’s world #script #take a shot every time Ace tells Cyra to fuck off in this story #college au #cyra college au

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before-the-black-pearl · 3 years

Text

I made those modern Jack and Fitzy headcanons over a year and a half ago. I started writing a modern!AU fic since then so I developed the headcanons more and I wanted to share some of them. Keep in mind this may be a little different than what I present in the actual fic. I’m making some shit up on the spot.

So picture this: The young Jack Sparrow books taking place today and all the characters are in high school in Tampa, Florida, and the school is called...

Barnacle High School

Jack the “I was at the door when the bell rang” Sparrow:

He’s one of The Boyz🥶🥵😎 But like the stupid kind who thinks they’re better than everyone else.

He’s a troublemaker and creates a lot of mischief around campus.

Mischief includes but not limited to: pulling the fire alarm multiple times, drilling holes between the boys and girls gym locker rooms, defaced a bunch of textbooks with The Boyz drawing dicks on every single page, one time he snuck into the office and played pr0n on the schoolwide intercom speaker, a time he gave everyone “shits and giggles” (laxative and weed) brownies at a school dance and caused everyone to shit and puke all over the gym floor and it made the news,..... How tf isn’t he expelled?

Unsurprisingly he gets in fights. The fights are half of the time started by other students, but gets in trouble anyway.

Constantly interrupts the teachers to the point where they write him up or kick him out.

Sometimes fucks with the quiet kids like “Hey, mate, do you know what we’re doing?” “Can you like teach it to me?” “You can do it for me, right?” “Why don’t you ever talk, mate?”

He’s actually pretty smart but the teachers don’t like him and home sucks so he gave up.

Probably has ADHD.

Wears layers, like leather, denim, flannels, t-shirts, hoodies, jeans of various “tightness”, studded belts, many pairs of combat boots or knockoff timbs. Half his shit is from Goodwill.

Undercuts for dayyyzzzz. Think Coming Storm cut but the bottom is shaved off.

Still wears his nasty ass bandana even though the teachers always tells him he can’t wear it in class.

His makeup literally always slaps.

He likes to collect random things and sometimes puts them on his clothes or his backpack or in his locker.

Obsessed with dead things (furs, pelts, bones, stuffed animals, etc)

Has a fascination with the sea and likes the nautical aesthetic.

Bonus: Yeah he totally vapes.

Arabella the “Shut up and let me work” Smith:

She’s the “good kid” and sometimes the “quiet kid.” Jack definitely fucks with her in class sometimes until she pops off and they both get written up.

She’s an honors student and exceeds well in her classes.

She’d rather blend in with the crowd and not many students really notice her. She keeps herself contained in a small group of friends.

If she’s not with her friends, she’s probably in the library.

She’s really into Art and History.

Kind of a conspiracy nut and likes reading into urban legends and stuff.

Infodumps about her interests to Jack and he gets hella annoyed.

Jack sometimes follows her around and she gets hella annoyed but she gets sad when he’s not around.

Mediates between Jack and Fitz.

Jack and Fitzy fight over her. Jean has shown a little interest in her too.

She ate the “giggles” from Jack’s brownies. She got so fucked up she had a panic attack and left the dance really early before all the chaos began in the gym.

Kinda looks like she hasn’t really left 2015...like basic white girl with knit sweaters and cardigans, t-shirts and tanks, leggings, boots or sandals, etc. Sometimes also wears hoodies and jeans.

Headbands and beanies and cottagecore-like bandanas.

Yeah her makeup slaps too.

She works for her father after school at the Tortuga Tavern, formerly named Faithful Bride before it was forced to change to something more “PC.”

Fitzwilliam the “My uncle is the principal” Dalton (the third):

Basic snobby rich kid.

President of every “snobby kid club”; the Chess Club, the Key Club, the Student Council, and Yearbook.

Also an athlete and is in the school’s track team and soccer team.

Is in a clique with his equally snobby friends.

Yeah but he’s like hella proper.

He’s well educated and knows several different languages.

Hella ignorant about certain shit tho.

Big fuckin FLEXER with his expensive name-brand clothing and tech.

Lies about being friends with celebrities and online influencers and shit.

Ate one of the “shits” brownies....Just leaving that to the imagination until I make a one-shot.

Drippin’ Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, Coach, etc... Literally like full fucking tracksuits, knit sweater over button-up combo, fancy coats, name-brand t-shirts, jeans over hundreds to thousands of $$$, shoes costing almost as much as rent.

The pocketwatch from the books is a fancy golden $30,000 Rolex wristwatch.

Jack keeps taking his watch.

Wears his hair up in a manbun like it’s still 2015 and Jack keeps teasing him about it.

Yeah got like a brand new iPhone and and iPad and a really expensive laptop and an iWatch even though I already got a regular watch on my other wrist.

Jean the “I swear to god she’s like my sister” Magliore:

Y’all know it, he’s in the Anime Club.

Jean and Tumen are best friends, and in my story, foster brothers.

Likes video games and always has his Nintendo Switch with him.

Internet memelord and low key has “band kid” energy.

Always be sending Tumen or the “Barnacle Crew” group chat memes.

Being from New Orleans is a personality trait and is very enthused with his Creole roots and loves creole dishes.

He runs a foodie Instagram account with a large following. Self proclaimed foodfluencer.

Sometimes sells candy and chips at school. Gets in trouble for it.

Yeah he ate multiple brownies at the dance....

Jean has a cat Constance, named after his deceased sister, he brings to school hidden in his backpack.

Constance will literally eat just about everything, mimics human noises, and her expressions are very human-like according to Jean. Her traits are so much like his sister, Jean believes she is his sister born as a cat in a new life.

He made Constance her own Instagram account.

Jack HATES Constance. Constance LOVES Jack.

Hoodies, jeans, headphones, beanies.

His hair is the same but a bit shorter.

“Suspiciously quiet kid” Tumen:

The quiet kid sitting in the back of the class and drawing while listening to music.

He is also in the Anime Club with Jean.

Since Jean is into video games, Tumen is a weeb.

Jean is the only person he really hangs out with at school.

Tumen doesn’t have a phone in my fanfic but for the purpose of this headcanon and the group chat, he does have one.

He’s more of a “lurker” in the GC.

Jean’s #1 meme reactor.

He watches anime crack videos.

Tumen is the most “immature” than the others since he’s the youngest.

The only one who didn’t eat the brownies. Got interviewed on the news.

He takes pride in his Mayan heritage.

Has a random interest in geography and wants a career as a cartographer.

Anime t-shirts and hoodies galore.

Always has his hood up in class.

Teachers always telling him to put his hood down.

Tim “the newbie” Hawk:

He eventually transfers to Barnacle High.

I don’t have a full headcanon written for him yet.

Principal Lawrence Norrington:

Principal of Barnacle High.

Fitzwilliam’s uncle.

HATES Jack Sparrow.... Again how tf is Jack not expelled?

Brings his kid James to work sometimes even though the kid should be at school himself.

Jack sitting in the principal’s office in trouble again and James keeps bugging him. “Do you play Fortnite?” “No. Beat it, kid.”

Tia Dalma:

The school nurse.

Jack is buddies with her and he goes to her and pretends to be sick when he wants to ditch class.

Has crab parts in jars in the cabinets. No one questions it.

Joshamee Gibbs:

The janitor.

He’s in the Navy but he’s on off-duty employment.

Jack is buddies with him too.

He writes Jack fake doctors notes or signs permission slips or covers for Jack when he’s ditching, in exchange for booze Jack has at home.

He had to clean up the gym after the brownies incident ☹️

I don’t know how to write Davy Jones into this.

For the sake of this headcanon, it would be funny if Torrents was like a science teacher or something. Or if Madame Minuet was like an economics or math teacher. Or if Silverback is an English teacher. Or if Left-Foot Louis is a PE teacher and he’s all running in circles because he’s got two left feet lol.

Btw all these teachers HATE Jack 😂

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sweeethinny · 3 years

Text

The Duke - Chapter 10

A.N: OK, let's go Thank you very much to the comments, really, I know it takes time, but I'm glad you're here always waiting for a new chapter for your understanding: everything in *ITALIC* is flashback, it's a chapter basically made up of that, it explains some things it was the chapter i waited the longest to arrive, i liked it in the end, i hope you did too <3 AO3 | FF.NET | SIYE

It was a cold night, it had rained that afternoon and the sky was cloudy, it looked like it would rain later in the morning, but Arabella was happy about that, as the damp, muggy weather made her sneeze every minute and her asthma was actually getting worse. She should visit a doctor soon. She continued to walk down the empty street, the hem of her dress was getting more and more muddy, no matter how much she pulled her skirt up a little, every time she stepped into a puddle the mud splashed and it was no use effort in trying to get that dress clean. She should have picked an older one to go out with, since she knew the streets would be dreadful after all that rain, not the brand new one she'd bought after working so hard. Was it just a piece of sewn fabric, why was it so expensive? There weren't even enough details or buttons to justify it. But if Isabel was telling the truth, the fabric had come from India, and that in itself had already increased the price twice as much, and Arabella knew that the woman would not lie to her… She hoped at least. As she walked the streets of Godric's Hollow, she thought about how another lonely night would be, and that maybe tomorrow she would send a letter to her great-aunt asking if she could stay a few days at her farm, just to have the company of other people besides the two her cats; Silk and Melindra. “Help!” The scream echoed behind her, and Arabella turned, startled, to see if anyone was hurt or what might have triggered that scream. It was a female scream, and it made her think that maybe a woman could be chased by some maniac, and even though she wasn't very strong, two women fought better than just one, so she ran towards the scream, not caring more about the mud splashing on her dress. Near Ms. Bright’s shop, there was a woman lying down and bleeding, her clothes torn and a baby in her lap. She looked scared, dumped near a ditch that had been made a few days ago to start building a fashion studio around the corner, the scant dress that still covered her was smeared with what looked like blood and mud, and Arabella thought she saw blood running down her legs. Whether it was an injury or something more disturbing, she couldn't tell. The woman held the baby tightly to her chest, wrapped in an old blanket as dirty as she was, and the poor child spared no effort in crying, looking more than scared. “I'm here, what happened?” Arabella ran to her, helping the poor girl to her seat, noticing that the poor baby was also smeared with blood, but she couldn't tell whose blood it was. ‘Come, come to my house, I can help you-’ "No," she cried, brown eyes startled and wide, as if they'd seen death a few feet away. “Someone is following me, I – I'm going to be killed, I know I will, my husband is after me and – you need to get the boy.” She lifted the baby towards Arabella. 'He's trying to kill us, he thinks the child isn't his, he thinks I cheated on him, and he's coming, I-' The woman stopped, as if she'd heard something, but then thunder made the Earth shudder. ‘Please save the boy, I beg you, he already tried to kill the boy but I was always on time, but now I feel like I won't be able to save him.’ “You must come with me.” Arabella pleaded once more, kneeling in front of the woman, trying to get her to rise. When she reached for her forearm, however, her hand was wet with blood, and the tear in the side of her dress let her see a hideous cut in her ribs, the blood running like water in a waterfall, dripping onto the floor and other parts of her dress. "I told you," she muttered, sobbing. 'I'm going to die, I'm not going to make it, I can't stand walking any longer, I managed to run away from him but I can't stand it much longer… Take the boy.' The woman lifted the boy again, who now seemed to cry even more, waking a few neighborhood dogs, as the sky glowed brighter, the earth trembling a few seconds later. "Take him away, don't let him die." 'How-how am I going to leave you here, I can't-' Another thunder shook the earth, and this time, the storm began to fall stronger

than the afternoon, the winds suddenly getting strong, which seemed to scare the boy even more. ‘He will get sick! Get him, take care of him!” As if on instinct, Arabella scooped him up in her arms, wrapping him in her scarf so he was a little warmer. Footsteps were heard nearby, and the woman seemed to despair even more. 'Go! Get Harry and go!’ “What's his name?” Arabella yelled over the noise of the rain, trying to understand what she had said. ‘Henry! His name is Henry!’ ---------------------- “Poor Duchess,” someone says, but all Arabella can see is the white flag atop the castle, an immense sadness shattering her chest into a million pieces. "Who could do something that horrible?" Another says, all paying attention to the newspaper that reports how Harry Potter, the Duke's eldest son, was found dead near a creek not far away. Probably killed by Death Eaters. “They're all nasty human beings!” A man said, looking horrified by the media descriptions, then looking up at the castle again. It's not that far away, it faces the mountains that end Godric's Hollow, separating them from another village, and it's positioned in a way that's seen from anywhere, no matter where you are, you'll see the castle and the huge towers, next to the flags that stand proudly on the masts. One with the English flag, the other with the Potter family crest. But today, both give way to white flags. The boy is dead. Arabella wipes the tears from her eyes and watches little Henry sleep in her arms, oblivious to the commotion. She sympathizes with the Duchess's pain as she looks at that little baby who nearly died along with her mother - Arabella knew that the woman's body was found lifeless the next morning - and remembers the time she too felt the pain of losing a child, of losing the one she loved most to Death Eaters. She kisses the boy's forehead, the pale scar of lightning makes him unique, and Arabella lets herself cry, thinking of the Duchess herself, and how they took away her right to fondle her own son. ---------------------- Arabella did not remember seeing the Duke in public since the incident two years ago. He smiles and nods, but she notices - because she's been there once too - that he's sick, that the gold-and-red scarf around his neck seems to have a lot of fabric left over, as well as his pants. She notices the dark circles under his eyes, and the sunken cheeks, but the man still smiles and waves at people. Henry was on her lap, yesterday he turned two, and Arabella doesn't know very well when he was born, but her neighbor, who is a doctor, said he wasn't much older than four or five months, so she decided that his birthday would be the day before they met, because she thought it was too tragic to celebrate the day she found him in his mother's lap half dead, but she didn't want to stray too far from the date. The Duke smiles and nods to a little girl on his father's shoulders, he is walking through the village as he usually does, something that brings him closer to the people who live there and keeps him in power. He's a good man, after his father, the best they've ever had for sure. He stops when he gets close to Arabella, and she smiles because she used to paint the portraits of the royal family until she had a problem with her fist and was forced to quit her profession, but the man never seems to forget the time she drew him on his 17th birthday. "I'm still waiting for you to draw me and my wife." He says, as he always has since she informed him that she had unfortunately been forced to stop. The man isn't charging her though, he smiles, and watches Henry in her lap, almost sleeping on her shoulder. “It's a beautiful boy.” She thought she saw a shadow in his eyes, but it was so fast she thought it was just her imagination. 'How old is he?' "Two years," she says, and now she's sure the man looks sick, because for a second he stops and stares at Henry, as if wondering what his two-year-old son would be like. Arabella knows because she used to do this. "My condolences, my Lord." "It's okay, I’m fine," the

man says, and he winks at Henry, who hides in his mother's neck, before going off to talk to another woman. ---------------------- “Why are we different?” Henry asks, sitting on the table as Arabella tends to his scraped knee. 'We don't have the same eye color, and my hair doesn't match yours.' She knows he doesn't mean to be mean, he's just a curious and very intelligent child, that he's noticed the dissimilarities between them. She smiles, applying ointment to the wound. ‘Because you are my son at heart, and children at heart are sometimes not like their mothers at heart.’ 'What is a child at heart?' He agrees to be picked up by her, and Arabella leads them into their small living room, sitting on the sofa with Henry on her lap, looking at her with big green eyes gleaming with curiosity, black strands falling over his eyelashes. She needs to cut his hair soon. “It means that you were born from another belly, not mine.” She places a hand over her stomach. “But that's just what separates us, because my love for you surpasses any barrier.” Arabella smiles, kissing his cheek, and Henry seems satisfied with the explanation. 'I love you so much too, this size here!' He opens his arms as much as he can, and the demonstration warms her heart as always, making her smile and hug her son as tightly as she assures him that she loves him even more. | J. P | James was concentrating on the duels when Remus arrived. He was marveling at how well Mr. Figg dueled, neither shivering nor losing time when Mr. Rosier hit back one of his spells, and the man didn't even look tired. He had always found dueling an incredibly boring and dull part of parties when he was younger, accompanied by his father and seeing the men fall in a few minutes, James preferred the parties and the after, when the house was silent and dark and he could go out to meet some woman. It was at one of these parties that he met Lily, during a nighttime getaway he saw her jumping out the window. First he followed her thinking that she was also going to meet someone, and James being a curious young man that he was, he wondered what kind of man that woman liked to sneak with. Maybe he had a chance. But later, when he saw her come out of the house and run towards the lake nearby, James didn't understand. She didn't like him following her, of course, it had been a dumb idea and nowadays he was ashamed of his younger self's actions, but that's what got them talking for the first time. She smiled in embarrassment as he praised her ability to climb a vine. "James!" Remus called after him, cheeks flushed and blue eyes pained toward him. The first thing that came to his mind was that Lily was hurt, and that made him lose all interest in watching the Duel and made him turn to his friend in alarm. “What happened?” He tried to be as discreet as possible, trying to keep other men from noticing his splurge. Sirius did a good job of distracting two young men. "Lily needs you…and she asked me to take Mr. Figg too." Remus muttered the last part, making James frown and look at the boy on his left, who had finally won the duel. Rosier looked tired. 'Is it urgent.' "Is she hurt?" It was a valid concern, James feared his wife would get sicker now that she was surrounded by people, and maybe someone had said something to her and Lily had one of her fits again. ‘And why does she want the boy? Should I tell Arthur? ‘No, don't say anything to anyone, just come… We're in the dungeons.’ ---------------------- Henry did not know how to control his magic, and that distressed Arabella. If he was a Muggle it would be so much easier, she knew that, because when Henry made that poor boy float, and then made a flower vase explode, she knew she would have to explain a lot to him: Why couldn't he go to a proper college and why she didn't do magic like he did. Arabella no longer felt ashamed of being a Squib, she had accepted the condition and lived normally, or at least as she managed to, avoiding whenever anyone asked about it just to avoid people's prejudice. Some thought she was a

Muggle who had married a wizard, and that's why she knew so much about it. Others thought that she just hadn't had a chance to go to school, and that's why she didn't know how to properly control magic. "They made fun of me!" Henry said, annoyed, his eyes red from crying. “They said things—horrible things to me!” He sobbed, which made Arabella even sadder and more worried. His green eyes glistened with tears, staring at her for answers. "They told me I-I'll never be good at-at anything." He sobbed louder and louder, the scraped knee now forgotten, as if the internal pain was much bigger. She was about to cry with him. “Henry, honey, listen to me.” She took a deep breath, thinking that conversation had come earlier than she'd planned. ‘What they said is a lie. They don't know how to control their magic either, they probably won't for a good few years, and you're already good at a lot of things, of course you are, Henry. You're much better at putting together puzzles, and you're much faster too, I mean, you always win at the races.' Arabella smiled sweetly, smoothing his messy hair, thinking how unfair it was that such a sweet little boy already got to know this side of life. She wished she could just show the good side of life, and leave the thorns and stones for when he understood things better. Arabella wondered how her mother managed to do this so masterfully, because right now, she wanted to be able to hex the parents of those boys and force them to teach their children more respect for others. She wished it had been her who had been pushed and thrown out of the game, not her child. Her heart broke even more, feeling helpless. ‘Don't listen to what they say, ok? You're amazing, a very smart kid, and your future will be bright.” She promised, because it was true. Arabella would do anything for her son. ---------------------- Henry ran as fast as he could, passing through the trees and not even bothering with the branches that scratched his skin, he just needed to get out of there. He knew he shouldn't have pissed off those boys, but they were scaring another younger boy, and just because they'd now gone to that stupid school of stupid people, they thought they were even better than the rest of the people there. Henry wished he could go to Hogwarts, but his mother had told him that you needed to receive a letter, and that they were only sent for a few families - maybe if you're lucky you get the letter, she said smiling, even though the smile didn't reach her eyes. Arabella had never said this, but Henry knew he would probably never get the letter; he wasn't rich and he didn't have a father, and for some reason, that seemed to be enough to keep him away from others. He ran even faster when he heard loud laughter, he wasn't afraid of those kids anymore, Henry had grown up while they were in school, more than they were, but they had one advantage: magic. Arabella couldn't buy a wand, so he didn't have one, and even if he did, he wouldn't know how to use it. “You're a wimpy coward if your only way to fight is with magic…don't you know how to punch?” Henry had said to Jilian, the biggest idiot of them all. Henry wasn't very good at punching, but he was very fast, while when Greg tried to cast a spell on him, he ran off into the forest, barely noticing when his own magic created a dome around him, preventing any spells from hitting him. . ---------------------- “Why are we so different?” Henry asked, taking a seat beside Arabella as she kneaded the bread on the table. She looked at him, noticing that the boy was all sweaty and looking a little smudged with dirt. “How many times have I told you not to go into the woods?” She returned her gaze to the dough, continuing to knead. "It's quieter there." He shrugged, pulling his sweaty hair off his forehead, letting his scar show for a few seconds before hiding it again. “And more dangerous too, and you know it.” Arabella raised her eyebrows, scolding him. She'd heard horrible stories of people meeting a werewolf deep in the woods, and as much as she didn't

know whether or not it was true, she didn't want Henry to take any chances like that. He was only 13 years old, he should have been playing with the other kids on the street and not running into the trees. "Okay, I won't do it anymore." He sighed, but she knew he would break that promise the next time he had the opportunity. ‘But then? Why aren't we alike?’ "Henry, because you were born from another belly. I already said that" She placed the buns in the oven, washing her hands afterwards and looking up at him with a gentle smile on her face. "I met you when you were very young, you know this story." "But why can I make things float and you can't?" His green eyes stared at her with an expression much harder and more serious than she was used to, as if he would know if she lied. ‘Because not all of us are born doing magic. Some of us are good at something other than magic… It's something you need to be born knowing how to do, you can't develop it, just improve it.” Arabella swallowed, trying not to show so much the scars that had left on her. People weren't kind when they found out you were a Squib. He was quiet for a few minutes, looking at his hands as if he wanted to find the right words. The sun streaming through the kitchen windows illuminated his black hair, a few strands reflecting an almost red copper color that Arabella thought was beautiful. 'Can you never do magic?' He looked at her, and all the worry she'd ever felt, scared that maybe Henry would feel sorry for her or ashamed of her, drained and slipped out as his green eyes stared at her, full of affection and sadness. Not the same sadness that always came with grief, but as if he felt bad that he did magic and she didn't, as if he understood now why some people offended her and treated her differently. "No." She gave a half smile. "But I'm not sad about it anymore, I like who I am." And it was true. Henry nodded, still being silent for a while, seeming to absorb the information, then he got up from the wooden bench, walking over to her and hugging her. He was no longer her little boy—as much as he always would be her baby—Henry now almost reached her chest, and it wouldn't be long before he was taller than her. She hugged him back, enjoying this show of affection, imagining that a few years from now he wouldn't like hugs so much. "I love you," he said. ‘I love you very much too. Forever and ever.” Arabella kissed the top of his head, tightening her hold even more, as if she was afraid someone would suddenly take him away from her. ---------------------- It had been a long time since James had been in the dungeons, he didn't like going there, it was cold, wet, lonely, and it made him think too much. It made him think his son's things were there, in boxes organized as if they were just another mess and not everything he and Lily had ever dreamed of. It made him think of the pain that resided in his chest, the emptiness that nothing in the world had ever been able to fill. James hated the dungeons. Lily, unlike him, loved being there, she said it was the best place for her to think, and the calmest of all - 'It's where I feel that no one will look at me with pity, where I can think of my son in peace, you know what I'm talking about," she said when James questioned her about the surroundings. He knew, he understood her, James had changed into Prongs many more times than necessary, he did it every time the pain got too much to take. He walked down the stairs, trying to ignore the shiver that ran down his spine, couldn't anyone make this place something less scary? After Remus left, James warned Sirius, who tried to pretend as best he could and further entertain the men who now looked curious to death, while he went to talk to Mr. Figg. "I need you to accompany me, but I need you to do this cautiously and discreetly," James asked, looking into those green eyes closely, trying to remember where he knew that expression. "I'll go ahead, meet me in five minutes at the entrance to the stone path, do you know where it is?" The man nodded, tucking

his wand into the waistband of his pants and straightening his robes. 'I'll let Arthur know I'll take you, just so he won't be worried, but I think you understand that you shouldn't say anything to anyone, right?' "Yes, my Lord." The man made a brief, discreet bow, and James grimaced, not understanding why that made him uncomfortable. Now James heard footsteps behind him as he walked through the dungeon, neither of them saying anything. Why had Lily asked Mr. Figg to come along? Had she found out something about the boy? Something bad? James glanced quickly over his shoulder, noticing that the man looked warmed too, his hands behind him and his back straight. Has something happened to Miss Weasley? Well, if so, Arthur would be called too, right? James broke off as soon as he reached the last room, the one he avoided the most, and the only one with lighted candles. The first thing he saw when he entered were the boxes, stacked against a wall, then he realized there were some of Harry's things on the floor, smeared with dirt and sticks, and James' heart missed a beat when he saw the Snitch Pajamas The gold one he'd bought when he found out Lily was pregnant was now all filthy and torn. Had they been attacked? Was that why Lily sent for him? Then he saw Remus, opening Lily's herb cabinet and looking for something inside, he looked worried. In the back, near the only window there, was Peter, all smeared with mud too, sitting on the floor with his hands behind his back, his red cheeks making him look like a child caught doing something wrong, and his rumpled clothes hinting that he had fought someone. Finally, sitting on the bench was Lily. Her dress was dirty too, but that wasn't what James first noticed, it was her red face, her pink cheeks like when she drank wine, her hands shaking as she poured something into the cauldron, looking more nervous than ever. "What's going on?" James glanced at the three of them, feeling even more anxious. "Lily, what the fuck is going on?" "Did you bring Henry?" James frowned at her calling the man by his first name, but nodded anyway, Peter sighed in the corner, looking almost terrified, not making eye contact with James for a moment. ‘Great, send him in.’ ---------------------- Henry knew he shouldn't be there, his mother had forbidden him, but he had nowhere else to go. Jilian had come back from his stupid school and he seemed more than happy to train some spells on Henry, and even though he had honed his punching technique, he couldn't compete with magic. So he ran into the forest. It was cold there, it had rained last night and the earth had turned to mud, and because of the tall trees the sun's rays didn't penetrate as much, and the whole environment ended up getting wetter than usual. Henry shivered as the wind made him wonder why he hadn't grabbed a jacket. He was sitting on the usual rock, it was close to the river that separated them from the Muggles, and it gave him a good view across the village. There were houses like the ones on this side, but they always looked a lot less colorful than the ones he was used to, and there weren't as many flowers and trees either, as if the Muggles were willing to clear every bit of land they found, leaving everything gray and monotonous. Henry had asked his mother if they could go to that side of the village, but Arabella had been stern to say he was forbidden to even think about going to the Muggles. He chuckled softly, thinking that if it hadn't been for the river that separated them, he probably would have managed to at least get there, curious as always. A noise startled him, making him jump and hide behind the rock, praying it wasn't one of Jilian's friends, as he would be at such a disadvantage. There wasn't much to run now, Henry had almost reached the end of the forest, and unless he took a chance and ran towards the darkest and scariest part, the other option was to jump into the river. And he wasn't doing any of those things. But when he didn't hear voices or anything to indicate they were people, he stood up,

watching a deer walking around, distracted by everything, as if nothing else mattered. Henry had never seen one this close, and he was a little fascinated by the animal, he understood why there are two deer on the Potter family crest. It really was a beautiful animal, and if he could choose, he would also want them emblazoned on his chest. Henry stepped out from behind the rock, careful not to startle the animal, trying to get as close as he could. “Hey,” he called, even though it didn't make much sense. The animal turned, eyes huge now in his direction. It had been a bad idea, he cursed himself mentally, imagining that that animal was too big and would probably kill him without a second thought… Did deer eat human flesh? Henry didn't know, but they probably hurt anyone who scared them and made them feel in danger. The animal approached, slowly, and each step made the boy's stomach turn and his heart race. Deer were fast, much faster than Henry was. He was dead. But when the animal's black eyes got much closer than Henry had ever thought he saw, the animal bowed, as if saying hello to him. Without thinking twice, he did the same, maintaining eye contact with the deer. Heavens, couldn't he be less weird? Bending over to deer, blowing things up without meaning to... Henry stood up after a while, being careful to do this as slowly as possible, still afraid the deer would decide to kill him then and there. But the animal seemed to have other plans, because he lay down in front of the boy, as if he were an adorable little dog. Henry sat beside him too, having no choice; he didn't have many friends, and he had nothing else to do, so why not? His ass got a little wet from the dirt, but nothing too uncomfortable. The deer shifted and brought its head closer to Henry's crossed leg, as if asking for affection, and the boy didn't wait for another move to do so, leaning his back against the stone and reaching out to stroke the slightly coarse fur of the animal For some strange reason, Henry felt comfortable doing it, as if he had done it before, it was something familiar that burned in his chest. But he didn't think about it much, just fell silent and watched the forest in front of him. ---------------------- "Lily, what's going on?" James asked, feeling uneasy as he watched the tension surround the room, Remus looked nervous and Peter avoided looking up, as if he was suddenly afraid to face one of them. Lily turned to James, her green eyes seemed to glow with hatred, her nostrils swollen, an expression he'd seen a few times over the years, but one that always scared him. "What... What happened?" Her shaky voice made him look at Remus again, the worry growing by the second. "Oh James." She shook her head, as if suddenly too much pain hit her, and he ran to her protection, opening his arms to hold her and protect her from anything that had happened while he was gone. "Guys, anyone…?" He glanced at his friends, but again, Peter didn't look at him. "Tell him, Peter!" Lily yelled, breaking out of James' embrace and turning to the man sitting on the floor, pointing her wand in his direction. ‘Lily, what the hell!?’ "No, James," She held up a hand, silencing him. "Tell Peter, tell him what you did to our son." His world stopped, his eyes threatening to pop out of their sockets as James stared at his friend, begging for all that was most sacred that he hadn't quite understood. Peter was his brother, his best friend, they met when they went to Hogwarts together, he was there when James needed it most, when they decided to become Animagus… Peter wouldn't do that, he couldn't! James doubted that one day the pain of losing a child would be replaced by another, that hellish emptiness that tore at him more and more inside, that made him not sleep well on rainy nights, that still made him walk into the boy's immaculate room and sit on the floor wondering what he should have done differently. He would do anything to get his son back, his boy. But the pain that hit him when Peter shook his head and lowered his head, making him

realize his hands were tied behind his body, came very close. His best friend… betrayed him? "Peter?" James pleaded, begged, for it to be a lie, for Lily to be mad. It was a lie! It had to be. "I had to, James... I... he made me." ---------------------- The weather was not so good, Peter realized when he Apparated, the sky was dark and windy like never before. He should have worn another cloak, this one was too thin and made him cold. And other gloves too, because now these were bloody and torn. Who knew a woman could be so strong? Peter dragged the woman's passed out body with him, feeling a little sickened by that when he realized her wound was getting worse with each passing minute, he needed to be quick. Leaving the body where no one could find it, he pulled a strand of her hair into the potion and then took it, the horrible taste of iron made him want to spit it out on the floor, but now there was no turning back, he would have to swallow and continue with the plan. Lord Voldemort had promised him a great reward in exchange for the boy's life, and for the first time in a long time, Peter felt important and wanted. It wasn't that Black boy who was chosen, or even Snape, no no, he was the one Voldemort thought capable of completing the mission, he thought he was strong enough. How long has it been since? He only stayed inside the Order because James kept him there, no one really wanted him there, not even Dumbledore, Peter didn't need him to say it to know, it was visible to everyone. For the old man, any other man could do the job better than he… Probably if Lily were there too, she would be chosen before Peter. Potter this, Black that, Peter was tired. Why didn't anyone realize he was also strong and smart? Well, now that was over, Voldemort had seen his potential and chosen him to do this mission, and Peter wasn't going to fail now. When he was fully transformed into that whore, he apparated into the castle, glad the potion didn't stop him from doing so. Stupid James should have put in better security than a simple spell. Peter had seen James that afternoon, he said that today was Harry's first night trying to sleep alone and that he and Lily were excited to see how he would react to the change, so the plan would be even easier to execute. As excited as Peter was at the idea of being useful to someone, he knew he couldn't kill James, he had to really want to do it with all his heart. When he reached the boy's room, Peter looked around, noting the choice of bright, cheerful colors, the many teddy bears scattered around, the photos on the walls and in the frames above the dresser. Little Harry slept peacefully in his bed, wrapped in the pale blue blanket, looking peaceful, cuddled up with his deer teddy bear. He was a lot like James, Peter thought, watching the boy move his short legs like he was kicking something in the dream. He hadn't really thought about that part of the plan, he figured he'd have the guts to just take the boy and end his life right there, or in some alley farther along, but when Peter picked him up, being careful not to waking him up, that lavender scent invaded his nostrils and he watched the baby more closely. The boy looked helpless in his arms, like he wasn't even real, and if he wasn't watching the boy's belly rise and fall, Peter would think he was a doll. Voldemort would never know if he had killed the boy or not, and pausing to analyze the situation now, Peter also didn't know if he could kill the boy. He wanted to show that he was strong and useful, but a baby? Harry looked so…small. When he stirred, startling Peter, and seemed to be looking for something - maybe his mother's scent - he realized it was time to act, there was no turning back, it had to be now. And when lightning flashed in the sky, he cast a spell to prevent Harry from listening when he broke the glass to fake an escape, Peter waited for thunder to do so and then Apparated out of the castle, knowing that this was the best thing to do. There were two paths now, and he needed to think quickly

which was better, kill Harry and throw him in some hole, or give the boy to someone else. Of course he would risk this person recognizing the baby, but he would have to bet his luck on finding another baby like this for Lily and James to bury, or maybe even run to the Muggle village and find some woman there. It had to be fast, Harry would wake up any second and Peter didn't have much time after that. As soon as he spotted a woman a few blocks away and Harry opened his eyes in his arms, Peter acted without thinking, taking the knife from his pants pocket and opening a wound in his ribs, before starting to scream for help. ---------------------- James clapped his hand over his mouth, denying it over and over, not believing what he was hearing. No no no no. This had to be a lie, this had to be a lie. Peter would never do that, Peter was his brother, he would never… No, this could only be a joke. He could barely handle the pain right now, thinking he'd rather die than have to deal with it. It hurt so much that James thought he might start bleeding at any moment, his chest lacerated after hearing about it. He couldn't even feel angry. His boy, his little boy, whom he'd loved so much ever since Lily told him she was pregnant, that it made him want to scream from the top of the roof in so much joy… “I could kill you right now,” he said, after what seemed like an eternity, barely able to face the traitor. "But…" James shook his head, closing his eyes to try to make it hurt a little less, his father's voice resonating through his mind; "You must be careful with Peter," he said before he died. "Men like him are easily attracted to the side that shines the most." James had thought his father was delusional when he said that, thought it was the fever, but no, the bastard really was a weakling and a coward. Letting himself be attracted to those he once hated. If he really hated it. "I can't even look at you." James turned to Lily, who looked distraught to death at having to hear that story. He wanted to kill Peter even more for making her suffer like that. The traitor had been there the next day, helping with the searches, he had hugged Lily when she cried, told her everything would be fine. "James, give me your hand," asked Lily, her own trembling, reaching out towards him. 'Why?' "Lils…he could be lying—" She shook her head, telling Remus to shut up. "Give me your hand James." Now her voice was stronger, more determined, and her green eyes sparkled even more. He did so, letting her grab his palm and run the tip of the knife, causing the blood to drip and smear her workbench and floor, before finally dripping into the cauldron. “Lily, what are you doing?” But she didn't answer him, cutting her own palm and spilling her blood along with his, then looking over her husband's shoulder. She looked more nervous than ever, and her severed hand shook even more as she held it out to the man behind James. "Give me your hand, Henry." Her green eyes sparkled with tears, and James didn't know if the man did as she asked just because she was a Duchess, or because she was crying. "Yes, ma'am." He walked over and let her do the same thing with his palm, passing the tip of the knife and then letting the blood spill into the cauldron. The potion began to bubble fiercely, as did James' chest when he realized what Lily was up to. He had seen her make this potion a few times, and if his thinking was correct, then maybe he could vomit right there, his stomach churning and making him feel weak. James didn't want to get his hopes up, it only served to hurt when unrequited, but he was unable to hold back the urge and looked at the man behind him, and then at Peter, who now looked even more guilty, if that was possible. If this was another one of his jobs with Voldemort, James knew he would kill him right there, with his bare hands. Forget magic and wands, he would tear that mouse apart like a hungry lion. James turned to the cauldron again when Lily sobbed and he smelled the lavender scent all over the room, and the once gray

potion was now a pinkish hue, the three drops of blood seemed to dance in the middle of the liquid, before of finally meeting at the end, getting connected. "Harry." Lily turned to the man, but James remained frozen, watching the cauldron in front of him. They had never reached this result, usually the potion would explode or nothing happened, and the smell was never that sweet aroma that seemed to fill all the hollows in his chest, as if he suddenly felt no more pain. As he turned back, as Lily advanced towards the boy, James thought that maybe nothing would ever compare to this. "Harry," Lily repeated, but this time she touched him, and as if the boy felt it too, he lowered his green eyes to her. James remembered then where he knew that look… It was Lily's eyes. Her trembling hand went to his forehead, lifting the hair lying there, just to let them see the lightning scar marked into his skin. It was too much to handle, James didn't know how he was still standing, but suddenly he started to feel tears rolling down his cheeks and as if this was the last drop of water to overflow the bucket, he sobbed. He inched closer to Lily, wanting to take a closer look at his son, as if he was afraid this was a dream and soon he would no longer have the chance to memorize every detail of it. His boy… "You-" Harry trailed off, as if he was feeling like James and Lily, his chest filling up and all that emptiness seeming to finally heal. "My parents?" He looked at James, and it was as if time had never passed. He still had the same expression as that little baby James used to cuddle up to sleep on. "I knew I knew you from somewhere," James managed to say, his throat seeming to scratch with the effort it took. "I would never be able to forget…" He didn't mind the tears rolling down his face, but he tried to wipe the ones down Harry's face. "I would never be able to forget my son."

#hinny #harry x ginny #jily lives #hinny au #the duke #harry potter #ginny weasley

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eleni-cherie · 1 year

Text

among thieves ✨ || bts • pjm

- chapter 0.6

"what even am I to you? your rival, your lover, an obstacle or am I supposed to be your coffin?"

about two thieves who can't live with nor without each other. and a joint past that comes back to threaten them.

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masterlist: here

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE. CHARACTERS NOT NECESSARILY LIKE THE REAL PERSONS. ALSO VERY UNREALISTIC PLOT LOL - JUST PRETEND READING A MANGA/COMIC OR WATCHING A FILM, REALLY.

SUGGESTIVE THEMES. MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE & BLOOD (BUT NOTHING TOO GRAPHIC, IT'S STILL A COMEDY!)

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west of Havana, Cuba.

The hidden coordinates on the old document led them to a town near the capital of Cuba. Giving them a good view of the mountain the coordinates were actually located at.

The atmosphere was hot and loud, the air stuffy as they strolled through the markets, mingling with locals.

"Oh, hey cutie." Arabella turned around when hearing Jimin's flirty voice. Seeing him ogling at a local behind a stall. The young woman giggled and offered him to try one of her plums, which he gladly accepted with a charming smile and a wink. Causing Arabella to roll her eyes behind her sunglasses, turning away. Of course he couldn't keep himself in bay.

She sighed, walking towards a stall that was selling sunhats. Pushing her sunglasses up her head, she took a better look on them. Her eyes landing on a big straw hat. It reminded her if those which famous actresses used to wear at the pool, back then like seventy years ago. She liked the touch of old hollywood feel to it and decided to try it on. Smiling at herself in the mirror.

"Suits you, love." Her smile dropped. A frown instead setting on her features as she placed it back.

"Oh, you done flirting around with strangers?" she asked unimpressed as she brushed past him. Continuing strolling through the market. Her eyes catching Taehyung and Yoongi standing a bit further away. Taehyung had seemed quite uneasy ever since they had come there. She wondered if he simply didn't like the warmth or if there was more to it. Obviously she wouldn't directly ask him though. They surely weren't close enough for her to ask such personal questions. They didn't even particularly liked each other. They just endured each other for the sake of it. Hence why she also wasn't keen in finding out. He wouldn't tell her anyway.

"Aw, Bella-baby, don't tell me you're jealous?" she heard Jimin snicker behind her while following her through the mass of people. Wiggling his brows at her when she came to an halt to let an old lady with her groceries pass.

"Don't be ridiculous. Why would I?" she huffed.

"You know it's just for fun," he smiled then and lightly grabbed her chin between his fingers. Forcing her to look at him. "No one compares to you after all."

Arabella bit the inside of her lip, preventing that smile she felt creeping up on her lips from showing. "Whatever," she mumbled and shoved his hand away. Ignoring his laugh as she walked up to the other two guys.

He knew exactly he had an effect on her as well, just as much as she had on him. That was why he didn't mind her using her tricks on him. He willingly let her do so after all.

"What are you guys looking at?" she curiously asked when standing next to Yoongi. Cocking her head at the objects in front of them.

"This old gold bracelet," Yoongi said then, holding it up, "Looks pretty cool. I'd say 12th century."

Arabella hummed. She had forgotten this guy was a bit of a nerd when it came to history. She took a look at what Taehyung was holding in his hands then. An old pocketwatch.

"Wouldn't that look cool on me?" he grinned then, showing Jimin the watch. They could steal the most expensive jewelry if they wanted to, but here he was wantinh an old pocketwatch from the late 19th century. "Sure, get it." Jimin smiled at him and patted his shoulder. His eyes then landing on something else on the table. A dagger with a sigil, quite similar to the one on the document.

"Where did you find this?" he casually asked the vendor, who said his grandfather had found it years ago somewhere in the mountains. That only ensuring him they were on the right track. After contemplating for a little he bargained with the local. Eventually buying the dagger much cheaper than its actual worth. Contently patting it when sliding it in the inside pocket of his blazer. Taehyung also getting his pocketwatch.

As they left the stall and made their way downtown, Jimin's eyes wandered to the said mountain in the distance.

"Guys, I think it's time we head to our actual destination."

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"John Rackham, known as Calico Jack, was an English captain operating in this area during the early 18th century," Yoongi explained as Jimin drove offroad through the jungle. The rocky underground making their jeep rock up and down. "He is most remembered for having two female crew members: his lover Anne Bonny and Mary Read."

Arabella nodded, understanding as they explained to her the whole backstory of what treasure they were even after. Gripping tightly on the handle above her.

"Rackham and his crew were brought to Jamaica in November 1720, where they were tried and convicted of piracy and sentenced to be hanged," Taehyung continued, seemingly not minding all the bucking as he was sitting straight. "And eventually he was executed on 18th November."

"But there's this rumour," Jimin said then, slowing down as they drove above a pretty old looking stone bridge. "That after reading the governor's proclamation, declaring him a pirate, and before the pirate hunter got on his tracks, he had hidden all the treasures he was carrying somewhere on a caribbean island."

"You guys surely did your research," she laughed under her breath, "And you think it's here?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. It might, but I don't really think it is to be honest. Think about it. Wouldn't you rather hide a treasure on an uninhabited place?"

"So what are we doing here?"

"The coordinates on the document led us here," Taehyung said, "Maybe there're some hints here to where he hid it."

After half an hour up the mountain, they stopped in front of something that looked like the remains of a stone wall. Jimin took a look through the binoculars, spotting a construction further away in the jungle, hidden under plants. However, there was also another one on the opposite side.

"So which tower is the right one?" Taehyung wondered out loud as they stamped through high grass. Yoongi cutting some of the big leaves and low hanging branches with his sword to make a path for them.

"Not sure. I think we should just split, two take a look on the right tower, the other two on the left one," Jimin suggest before facing Arabella with a sly smirk, "What do you think? You wanna be the Anne Bonny to my Calico Jack?"

She grimaced, scrunching her nose. "Ugh, no thanks."

"You just wanna split to be alone with her," Yoongi pointed out the obvious.

Jimin raised a brow, playfully scoffing. "Alright then, does anyone of you want to go with her?"

Both, Taehyung and Yoongi exchanged a quick look before shaking their heads.

"That kinda hurts my feelings," Arabella pouted, "I'm a very nice person!"

"Only if there's something to gain from it," Taehyung mumbled, making Yoongi stifle a laugh.

"Seriously, Taehyung, screw you!" Sure, he might partially be right, however, she was really trying there to keep things polite between them. Opposite to him who seemed to purposely provoke her at any given chance.

She grabbed Jimin's arm then, linking her own around it. "Let's go!" And with that she started angrily dragging him towards the left tower. Causing him to almost trip over his own feet.

"Bella-baby, ignore him," he said with a soft smile when they reached the front gate of the tower and she let go of him. "You know he got trust issues with you."

She heaved a sigh, looking down. "I know, alright. And I don't blame him. But right now I'm not here for any treasure. I'm here because there might or might not be my past catching up with me. And you. So we should at least try getting along together." She glanced up at him and he could see the glimpse of anxiety in her eyes before she blinked it away. "Or not?"

He nodded, sighing. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he gave them a squeaze. "You're right. Just give him some time, okay? As long as you don't pull something on us-" He nodged her side at this , chuckling, "He'll get over it."

She pursed her lips and nodded. Hoping he was right. She didn't expect her and his friends to become friends as well. That was nearly impossible. But she hoped they could go at least a day without bickering. "Okay."

He let go off her again and took a step forward. The gate's wood looked brittle, the iron rusty, probably from the centuries and humidity there. He put his hands flat on it, starting pushing it. It squeaked, not having been opened in quite some time but eventually indulged. Arabella coming beside him, pushing as well.

Dust got stired up and they coughed, entering the dim-lit space. A few streaks of sunlight coming through cracks between the stony bricks. "There, look," she said then and squatted down, brushing some dirt away from a spot on the wall. Again, the sigil of Calico Jack. They must be right then. Underneath it, however, there were some more carvings on the stone plates. More symbols. "Looks like.."

"Like astronomical symbols?"

He came closer as well, narrowing his eyes on them.

"The planets, from mercury to saturn, but they aren't in the right order." It made sense the outer planets were missing. Those had been discovered centuries after Calicon Jack had roamed the seas. Still, why were they in a wrong order?

His fingers pressed down on the brick with the mercury symbol. It sinking into the wall, a click being heard. They exchanged a surprised glance, Arabella then pressing down the one with the venus symbol, the next planet in order. And it also sank in, clicking.

Earth, mars and jupiter following.

As Jimin pressed the last one, saturn, a mechanism seemed to have been triggered behind the wall and suddenly the wall backed away. Revealing a hidden backdoor. They opened it more, a staircase leading up behind it.

The place was apparently much bigger than it appeared from the plant-covered outside. With their phone flashlights they lit up the dark stairs, until reaching the top. The room there being bright by the sunlight reaking through the open windows at the very top of the small dome.

There were even some paintings on the walls. The colours faiding from most of them but they could still recognise some figures on them. The plaques underneath them reading "Rackham" and "Bonny".

"That's cute," Arabella mumbled to herself before joining him at the big round object placed in the middle. It shimmered golden and its flat surface had carvings that made it look like a big compass. But there weren't any cardinal points on it. Instead three circles that looked like a map of small islands.

Both looked at them intently, trying making sense of them or recognise something. One had horizontal lines and the outlines of a big island. The second one had vertical lines and the outlines of smaller islands. And the third one had the sigil and numbers.

Jimin was ruffling his hair, trying to make any sense of it. He became frustrated.

"Maybe I should call the guys, tell them we're at the right one."

"Are we though?"

"I guess so.. we just have to figure this one out."

He quickly texted Taehyung, letting them know to meet them there. Focusing back on the puzzle in front of him.

Arabella hummed then, an idea popping up in her mind. "Do you have a pencil and piece of paper with you?" she asked, making him perk up.

"Yeah sure, always carry them in my school bag," he snorted sacrastically, making her roll her eyes.

"Idiot, I'm serious. I think all three are part of one map. We have to overlay them somehow," she explained and looked around. Spotting an old torn up book in a corner. Most of the ink having vanished, being unreadable.

With raised brows, he watched her tore off some pages and passing them to him before collecting some dirt with her hands. She put a notepad page on each circle and rubbed dirt on it as a substitute for the pencil. Getting the carved outlines onto the paper.

"You're even hotter when your smart side comes through," he smirked and picked up the pages. Laying them over each other while holding them against the light. And indeed, they shaped a map. Giving them the next clue and potentially the hiding place.

She folded her arms in front of her. Intentionally lifting her chest from underneath the top she was wearing. "Am I not always hot?" she said in a playfully sulky voice. A laugh escaping his lips. "Of course you are. My hot, smart girl." And this time she didn't push him away when he planted a peck on her forehead. Making her blush.

"Jimin? Arabella?"

They heard Yoongi calling out for them. Soon his and Taehyung's heads appearing on the stairs. "You two got something?"

Jimin nodded proudly. Waving with the papers in his hand. "A map. You?"

"This here." Yoongi held out a dagger similar to the one Jimin had bought from the market earlier. "It was in a box locked with some kind of old mechanism. Might be useful along with the other one."

"Oh, so you had to solve a puzzle as well?" Arabella said with widened eyes to which Taehyung shook his head, pointing to Yoongi. "No need. Our swordmaster here just cut it open."

Right, she should've guessed it. The perks of having a sword that cuts nearly everything.

Content with their findings, they left the old construction. Making their way through the dense forest back to the car, when Yoongi suddenly stopped in tracks. Eyes narrowed as he tried listening carefully. There was something, a faint noise.

"Wh-"

He hushed Taehyung and held his hand up. All of them staying still, watching him listening intensely. There it was again. His eyes abruptly widened then. "Take cover!" he said and just in that moment they heard a shot piercing through a leaf and hitting a tree brance next to them. "Sht." They instantly ran behind some trees and bushes and grabbed out their weapons. Aiming at anything that moved.

The sound of bullets flying back and forth through the air being quite deafening.

"Guess we know for sure now these guys are after us," Jimin joked, shooting one down that had peeked behind a bush. One of the men yelled to another about where the four were hiding, the rustling of plants following shortly after.

"This one's mine," Yoongi whispered to them, holding his sword low as he crouched away. He most likely crept onto this guy, Arabella assumed as they soon heard an outcry coming from behind some plants. Yoongi appearing again seconds later. She shuddered. This guy was quiet and quick like a ninja.

"I recognize one of them," Jimin said then, pointing at a woman who was shooting out of her hideout, "She was at the market. She must have followed us."

"Explains how they fcking found us in the middle of the jungle," Taehyung huffed, hitting another one right on the forehead. Arabella followed their eyes. Seeing the woman Jimin had recognised. Her brows raising.

"I think I know her," she said then.

"What?"

"I think I've seen her before. Probably ages ago when I was younger, around the headquaters."

"What a crappy reunion then," Taehyung mumbled, perfectly aiming at yet another one.

"The car is only twenty meters down there," Arabella said then between of shooting. Pressing herself against the tree's truck again. "You think we can make it?"

"We gotta try."

At this moment, something landed next to them. Smoke infiltrating their visions seconds later. A smoke bomb. Not necessarily a bad thing as it also gave them the perfect opportunity to run to the car without getting noticed.

Arabella shortly lost sight of the others, trying her best not to bump into any trees, barely making out anything in the smoke. Suddenly the feeling of an arm wrapping around her neck making her tense up. Someone was attempting to choke her. Her berretta fell on the ground as she struggled freeing herself from the firm grip. She took a deep breath then and with all her might, elbowed the man in the guts, serving him another kick with her knee between his legs and finishing him off with her elbow on the back of his neck when he was kneeling in pain. Sinking onto the ground.

She huffed and picked up her gun. "I don't even recognise your ugly face," she mumbled to herself before continuing making her way through the white wall. The smoke starting clearing off.

As she made her way down the hill, she spotted Jimin a few meters away. She smiled, about to run up to him when two shots echoed through the mist. Next thing she saw was him falling to the ground. Her eyes grew wide and she looked around. Catching another man in black coming out of the smoke. Sure they had taken down most of them, but there were still some left. And one of them was nearing Jimin now. Probably to ensure he had hit him.

Her jaw clenched as she unlocked her beretta. Not on my damn watch, she thought as she soundlessly snuck on the man from the side. And with one straight shot, hit him on the neck. The man sank into the ground and without wasting a second she immediately ran to Jimin. Finding him wincing in pain, his hands pressing down on his side and shoulder. Blood flowing down between his fingers.

"Sht," Arabella cursed and wrapped an arm around his back, helping him stand up. He winced again. "Bella.."

"Don't-" she whispered in a warning tone and put his arm around her own shoulder. "Don't you dare do something stupid, ok? The car's right there."

He managed to smile for a moment before hunching again. Screwing his eyes shut.

They somehow got to the car shortly after. It had only been a few meters after all.

Arabella didn't know where that strength had come from because although she had been fit for her job, she never considered herself overly strong, physically. And yet, she somehow managed supporting almost all his weight as he was on the verge of losing his consciousness. "I said don't you dare," she said through gritted teeth, "Stay awake!"

Yoongi came out of the woods in that moment as well. His eyes widening when seeing the two. He instantly rushed to them then, helping her slide Jimin inside the backsteat. She took off her top then and tore it apart, wrapping the cloth as tightly as possible around his gunshot wounds.

A few seconds later Taehyung appeared as well, shooting behind him while running, obviously still striking anyone down.

"What happened?" he asked when seeing the blood and Jimin curled up in Arabella's embrace in the backseat. He slid into the driver's seat and started the engine, flooring the pattel.

"One of them got him," Yoongi explained as he looked over his shoulder. Concern washing over his features as he saw his friend in that miserable condition.

The car rumbled again on the uneven ground and the high velocity with which Taehyung raced down the mountain path.

Arabella's grip around Jimin tightened, pressing him more again her chest. She didn't care if her clothes got stained with his blood. All she cared about was to keep pressure on the wounds to prevent him from bleeding out.

She glanced down on him, biting down her lips when seeing the pain in his usually cheerful face. She noticed his expression softening suddenly, relaxing more and more. Her brows raising in panic. He almost looked.. liveless.

"Don't close your eyes!" she pleaded and slapped his cheek. "Jimin, open your damn eyes!"

His lips formed a weak grin then. "Can't a guy catch some rest?"

She gasped, being relieved for a moment before realising he had been messing with her once again. Shooting him an angry glare. "You insensitive jerk, you scared me!"

"Well, him joking around is definitely a good sign," Yoongi chuckled from the passenger seat. Hiding his actual worry. He was just relieved Jimin seemed well enough to still tease her.

Jimin laughed faintly, enjoying himself as much as he could with the numbing pain that shot through his body. It could be worse, he thought, at least he was pressed against her chest. Everything seemed a little bit better with her holding him tight like this.

And he smiled to himself. Not only because of his cheek being pressed right against her bra, a feeling he enjoyed way too much given the situation, but also because of her caring side always coming through when he needed her the most.

His eyes blinked open for a moment, closing again. "Bella-baby, don't cry."

"What?" Her brows furrowed as her free hand travelled to her cheek. She hadn't noticed the single tear rolling down her cheeks out of frustration. And she quickly wiped it away.

That idiot didn't deserve thinking she'd be crying over his sorry ass. Not after making her believe he'd have lost consciousness.

"Hold on, man, we're almost back in town," Taehyung said then. Driving back on asphalt.

"What should we do, though?" the older guy beside him asked worried, "We obviously can't bring him to a hospital or doctor's office. They'd find us."

Taehyung pursed his lips as he took a sharp turn, bewaring of the traffic. He contemplated for a moment. "The savest would be not to go back then and instead go right to the city. It's bigger and it'd make it harder for them to find us there."

"Agreed, but what are we gonna do about him?"

"I know a place," Taehyung sighed then. A hint of sorrow brushing over his face. "And I know someone who can help."

Yoongi frowned at his words. Remembering something in the back of his mind. "Wait.. doesn't -"

He nodded. "Yeah, she does."

»»»

next chapter: 0.7 here

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l000ey · 3 years

Text

mamas 2019, pt. 1 ━ venus

𝑷𝑨𝑰𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮 ━ 𝗆𝗈𝗈𝗇 𝖽𝖺𝖾𝗌𝗈𝗎𝗅 𝗑 𝗂𝗆 𝗃𝖺𝖾𝖻𝗎𝗆 ( 𝖿𝗍. 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝖺𝗆𝗈𝗈, 𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗅𝖺 𝗅𝖾𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗋𝗈𝗌𝖾𝖺𝗇𝗇𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗄 )

𝑺𝑼𝑴𝑴𝑨𝑹𝒀 ━ 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟫 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝖺𝗌 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖺 𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝖼𝗋𝖺𝗓𝗒

𝑾𝑨𝑹𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺 ━ 𝗋𝗈𝗌𝖾́ 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺 𝗉𝗌𝗒𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖺𝗍𝗁 𝖻𝗂𝗍𝖼𝗁, 𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗋𝗒 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗆, 𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝖾𝗑

𝑨/𝑵 ━ 𝗂 𝗌𝖺𝗂𝖽 𝗂 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗀𝗈𝗇𝗇𝖺 𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖽𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝖺𝗀𝗈, 𝗂'𝗆 𝗌𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝖺 𝖿𝖺𝗂𝗅𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝗆𝗀

𝒀𝑬𝑨𝑹 ━ 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟫

• 𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘴’ 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵

A feeling of excitement and euphoria ran through the place, the glitters of the idols' expensive clothes decorated the city of Nagoya, and the screams of the fans, excited to see their favorite artists perform. But Moon Daesoul didn't feel that but a great pressure and anxiety that made her hand tighten more and more against Hwasa's. She didn't want to attend the awards, but because she hadn't told anyone what happened that night she had no choice but to smile and nod like she was a sweet and silly girl.

She rolled her eyes, erasing her tight, fake smile as they escaped the flashes of the paparazzi on the carpet. Hwasa's hand was still trapped in her grip as they walked into the stadium ━rather laughing at the wig that Solar would have to wear for the performance━, she remained quiet until they reached their seats for the night watching the toes of her heels appear and disappear as they walked, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone.

She listened as Wheein thanked the staff girl who guided them as she sat down. She did a quick visual inspection and sighed in relief, at least Exo hadn't come. Her eyes met Storm's, who moved her eyebrows in her direction in a playful way at her making her eyes roll.

"Well, place your bets" Byul spoke attracting the attention of the four, who looked at her curiously although the curiosity faded as their eyes fell on Dae "Will something happen between JB and Vee or will they just look at each other like every damn event?" The tired and annoyed tone that she used to pronounce the last sentence made Wheein laugh, her laugh was accompanied by an exaggerated gesture that expressed the annoyance of the members every time the former couple starred for a moment from afar.

Immediately her body stiffened. They didn't know about Baekhyun, they didn't know that she was almost in a relationship with the Exo singer, but most of all, they didn't know about that night. Guilt returned to fill her body when the words and thoughts made a knot in her stomach and went up her throat wanting to come out of her in the form of vomit. She swallowed hard, diverting her gaze from her sisters, who were looking at her waiting for an answer.

“Maybe something will happen, but with someone else.” The leader's words reached her ears making her frown, but she still didn't look.

Hwasa gave her a light blow on the arm "Explain".

"I heard that a member of that new group, Ateez I think their name is, he is a very fan of our Venus" She raised her eyebrows and the girls laughed sounding like schoolgirls when they saw the boy they liked although to Dae they sounded more like old ladies bored with their husbands and gossiping about the misfortunes of others.

"Most of the members of that group were born in 99, I don't think Vee likes them so young." The other rapper denied skeptically, she was a fan of Jaedae.

Before any of them could answer the lights went out and the screaming increased. Venus smiled, she wouldn't have to hear them anymore until they had to go backstage or win an award.

Which happened eventually. She sighed before giving a staff boy a smile as he helped her down the stairs from the stage that led backstage. She looked at her groupmates before approaching Solar, touched her shoulder to get her attention.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom, see you in the dressing room" The leader nodded, checking her with a worried look.

"Are you okay?" Venus nodded and gave her a small smile before handing the headphones and microphone to the staff, she headed to the bathroom giving some smile and bows to the idols she was meeting on her way to her destiny.

Shit.

She froze when she saw Got7 coming in her way, she looked down at her shoes to avoid making eye contact with any of them. She smiled in relief as she managed to enter the bathroom, her smile growing even wider when she saw that it was empty. She went to a cubicle but before she could open it a hand of her pulled her, alarmed she turned around.

Double shit.

She almost fainted when she saw the boy in front of her, she opened her eyes and pushed him away from her body. Her eyes moved to the door before looking back at him "Are you an idiot?! What are you doing here? If anyone sees us━“.

"We have to talk, it will only be a second" He interrupted her. The girl began to move her leg up and down, nervous about the situation.

"I don't want to talk, Jaebum" She took his arm in her hands to start pushing him towards the door.

"We have to talk about what happened, Vee." He put his feet on the ground making it impossible for her to move him. She snorted moving behind him to push him by the back but still he didn't move, he was so much stronger than her.

"God, someday you're going to kill me" She clenched her jaw and frustrated she moved away from him, she had no choice but to listen to him. She would let him speak, he would leave, and she would empty her bladder.

"I-I have sent you messages and I have even called you" He turned around to see her better, she looked at him with no expression other than annoyance.

"I know".

"You have not answered".

"I know".

JB dropped his head in defeat, this girl really got on his nerves when she got stubborn.

"Is that all you had to say? Well goodbye!" She tried again to push him but, again, she failed.

The long-haired boy placed his hands over hers that were positioned on his chest, the rapper swallowed hard when he looked at her.

"I can't stop thinking about that night" That's it, he said it. An awkward silence entered the bathroom, both former lovers looked into each other's eyes without being able to move their gaze from each other. Without knowing how or when, Moon's back met the wall of one of the cubicles while her tongue fought against the Im, her legs were wrapped around his waist and his hands traveled all over her body in fast and clumsy movements, excited to get around every curve again.

He moaned into her mouth when her hands met his hair and she smiled, forgetting that they were in a public bathroom in a building with millions of cameras and eyes that would benefit quite a bit from the scene. They were so focused on each other that they didn't even realize that two more presences had entered the room.

"How many times do I have to tell you? It was just sex, for God's sake!" A raspy but feminine voice made both of them stop the kiss, still tangled they looked at each other in panic. Venus was grateful that they closed the cubicle door.

"But I love you, Arabella!" The girl widened her eyes when she heard the name of her friend while Jaebum raised an eyebrow, curious.

"Fucking hell, I don't want to have anything with you" The BTS member made a face of disgust when the other girl got too close to her, took a couple of steps back raising a hand to not hit the wall and be cornered but in instead she pushed the door of the same cubicle in which both lovers were hiding, let's say they had not closed the door very well since it was opened revealing the other two idols in a very compromising situation. Arabella frowned when she saw how Rosé's face twitched in shock "What now?."

"Bells" Hearing the new voice, the italian made a little jump in her place before turning and seeing her two friends.

She pressed her full lips together causing them to disappear into a fine line "Shit".

Before anyone could say or do anything a flash and the "click" of a camera echoed throughout the bathroom, panic quickly filled the former couple's body as Lee turned around again to look at Blackpink's singer smirking at her as she moved her phone in her hands.

"Rosé, give me the phone."

"Come back with me and I will not publish the photo" The little girl pointed to the two older people in the room, who had already separated and left the cubicle "You don't want your friends' lives to go to hell do you?"

"This happens to me for having sex with virgins" She murmured to herself before giving the girl a wry smile "Am i that good in bed? because jesus, I don't think you want to date someone like me. "

"One click and it will be all over Naver" She unlocked her phone causing Venus to raise her hands to stop her.

"No, please" She begged, kneeling before her, her tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Jaebum walked over to her to pick her up.

The other rapper tensed her jaw seeing how her friend began to cry in the man's arms, she sighed in defeat.

"Okay, okay, I'll do what you want but delete the fucking photo" The singer smiled widely, this time the smile was a happy one before approaching the tallest one and planting a kiss on her lips.

"I'll erase it when you take me on a date, babe." She giggled sweetly when Arabella tried to grab her arm but she was faster than her and managed to avoid her before leaving the bathroom.

"Fottuta puttana" She cursed in a murmur with her gaze still on the bathroom door.

On the other hand, the couple was still holding each other, Venus cried on JB's chest while he stroked her hair and murmured in her ear trying to calm her down.

The girl looked at them with pity, went over to the sink and washed her lips trying to remove any trace of that manipulative bitch. She made eye contact with the boy through the mirror, gave a quick look at the girl in his arms and sighed wiping hdf hands "Go, I'll call Hwasa and tell her that she feels bad, my manager will take her to my house and keep her company. When this shit is over go there, we will talk about this."

After thinking about it for a few seconds, the black-haired man nodded before making the girl in her arms look at him, he placed his hands on her cheeks and wiped the tears that slid down her cheeks with his thumbs. He gave her a sad smile "I'm so sorry, Vee."

He kissed her forehead before releasing her and leaving the room.

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karen-elaine · 3 years

Text

Hey guys!

So I’m currently on vacation! My family and I are doing a cross country trip! For reference, I live on the east coast and had never ventured away from the east coast. This has now obviously changed and among our many stops was LA. While there my dad and I decided that it was crucial we stopped by the iconic Amoeba Music located on Hollywood Boulevard.

I did my fair share of shopping around, got some cool stuff, and overall had an epic experience. So, I figured I’d talk about it on here!

THE STORE

Here’s the store itself just chilling on the corner living it’s best life. It’s not super grand or anything from the outside, you get most of that wow factor when you walk inside. Still super cool though and they had some super chill employees hanging out right outside the door to welcome people in and chat with the customers.

When you first walk in to the store this is what you’re greeted by! It’s this awesome, colorful, record mural with those nice LED lights in it. I didn’t take anymore pictures once inside, but it was huge! There were rows and rows of records, cassettes, CDs, band tees, and equipment for listening. It was crazy and there was so much stuff to look through! If it wasn’t for the limited time we had due to the parking meter, I could’ve spent forever in there just looking through everything.

ARCTIC MONKEYS - FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE

First of the many records I got today is Favourite Worst Nightmare by the Arctic Monkeys! I got one Arctic Monkeys album a couple of months ago (Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not) and now I’m on a mission to get all of their albums. Needless to say, I was super excited to stumble across this one at Amoeba.

This record has a very epic song list! In total it contains 12 songs including:

Brianstorm

Teddy Picker

D Is For Dangerous

Balaclava

Fluorescent Adolescent

Only Ones Who Know

Do Me A Favour

If You Were There, Beware

The Bad Thing

Old Yellow Bricks

505

I believe this one just to be pressed on a black vinyl, but I won’t be opening it until I’m back home.

ARCTIC MONKEYS - A.M.

Yes I got myself another Arctic Monkeys album because why the heck not? In my defense though I never see these two at my local record shops, so that’s my excuse!

This album is a classic and I find a staple in many people’s collections. It features many of their big hits and is overall just an iconic record to own. With that being said, the song list is pretty awesome. A.M. features 12 tracks:

Do I Wanna Know?

R U Mine?

One for the Road

Arabella

I Want It All

No. 1 Party Anthem

Mad Sounds

Fireside

Why’d You Only Call Me When Your High?

Snap Out of It

Knee Socks

I Wanna Be Yours

Once again I do believe this to be on a plain black vinyl. Either way, my best friend is super excited that I got this one.

BIKINI KILL - REVOLUTION GIRL STYLE NOW!

Last time I came at all of you with a Bikini Kill record it was Pussy Whipped. This time around though I picked up Revolution Girl Style Now! which is pretty great! The “B” section of my collection is really starting to bulk up and I’m not mad about it!

As always the songs on this album are most excellent. This one has:

Candy

Daddy’s L’il Girl

Feels Blind

Suck My Left One

Carnival

This Is Not a Test

Double Dare Ya

Liar

Ocean Song

Just Once

Playground

Sticking with the common theme here, I’m assuming the vinyl is just a standard black pressing.

BIKINI KILL - YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH

Yes I got another Bikini Kill album! I swear this is the last one of multiple from one artist. It’s just Arctic Monkeys and Bikini Kill this time around.

Any who, this is another classic album of theirs with many great, well known songs from them. This includes:

White Boy

This is Not a Test

Don’t Need You

Jigsaw Youth

Resist Psychic Death

Rebel Girl

Outta Me

George Bush is a Pig

I Busted in Your Chevy Window

Get Out

Why

Fuck Twin Peaks

Girl Soldier

Not Right Now

Once again, I’m assuming that this is just a plain black vinyl. I don’t even think there is any colored pressings of Bikini Kill, but I could be wrong. Who knows?

FALL OUT BOY - TAKE THIS TO YOUR GRAVE

Here we have an artist I’ve been looking to add to my collection for a while now, Fall Out Boy! I can never seem to find their records in person, but today at Amoeba Music they had this one and Save Rock And Roll. That one was super expensive though with a lot of extra stuff. I was not looking to drop $40 on one album today, so I decided on this one instead!

The song list on this one is sweet. It features 12 songs all of which I’m pumped to listen to once I arrive home:

Tell That Mick He Just Made My List of Things to Do Today

Dead On Arrival

Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy

Saturday

Homesick At Space Camp

Sending Postcards From a Plane Crash

Chicago Is So Two Years Ago

The Pros and Cons of Breathing

Grenade Jumper

Calm Before the Storm

Reinventing the Wheel to Run Myself Over

The Patron Saint of Liars and Fakes

Such a great album and it’s also such a great pressing! This copy of Take This To Your Grave is pressed on the limited edition silver vinyl which is super sweet.

MELANIE MARTINEZ - CRY BABY

I wasn’t even planning on this one but when I saw at the store I couldn’t say no! This album was my favorite in 6th grade and I was such a hardcore Melanie fan then. This album and Melanie herself is so iconic and I knew I had to get it.

All of Melanie Martinez’s packaging is always stunning too! I know this one has a whole picture book in it with a page for each song that connects the whole album in to one story. Super cool stuff!

This record contains 13 sweet songs including:

Cry Baby

Dollhouse

Sippy Cup

Carousel

Alphabet Boy

Soap

Training Wheels

Pity Party

Tag, You’re It

Milk and Cookies

Pacify Her

Mrs. Potato Head

Mad Hatter

This is the standard black pressing, but as I said before, the packaging for this is great so it’s all good! I’m super excited to give this guy a listen when I get home! My favorite through middle school was Mad Hatter so that’s going to be so fun to hear on vinyl.

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE- DANGER DAYS: THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS

Final record purchase of the day is by none other than My Chemical Romance! I got their album Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys and I’m super excited about it!

This record marks my second MCR vinyl in my collection, other than this one, I have The Black Parade which is another awesome album.

As always he have a very epic song list consisting of 15 tracks including:

Look Alive, Sunshine

Na Na Na

Bulletproof Heart

SING

Planetary (GO!)

The Only Hope for Me Is You

Jet‐Star and the Kobra Kid/Traffic Report

Party Poison

Save Yourself, I’ll Hold Them Back

S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W

Summertime

DESTROYA

The Kids from Yesterday

Goodnite, Dr. Death

Vampire Money

As shown in the image, this is not a standard black pressing! I got the fancy picture disc which was the only available option and I’m definitely not mad about it. Super cool, and my very first picture disc. Can’t wait to spin this one!

T-SHIRT

While I was there I also had to pick up some Amoeba merch to take back home with me!

They had a really epic graphic tee section. Some of which were for various musical artists while others were for the store itself. They had so many too!

I ended up going for this simple, black, logo tee with this super cute pink logo in the center. I think it’s adorable and I’m so looking forward to styling it back home.

As I was chilling in line I spotted the pins display and took a quick look at that too. I ended up grabbing a little rainbow pin with the Amoeba Music logo in the center. Once I’m home I plan to put this on my denim jacket that I’m currently trying to fill with cool pins and patches. It’s definitely going to be a really cool addition to my jacket. Unfortunately though, no pictures because I reached the max number of pictures. Very sad.

#music #vinyl #vinylcollector #vinylcommunity #vinylrecords #record player #records #arctic monkeys #bikini kill #melanie martinez #fall out boy #my chemical romance #mcr #amoeba music

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bastillewolf · 4 years

Text

Midnight In Sheffield (IV)

Pairing: Alex Turner/Reader

Summary: When a soon-to-be-wedded insomniac author heads back home to visit her parents, she comes across the likes of a mysterious musician whilst on her sleepless escapade in the AM.

Notes: So, since I’m posting this one quite late on a Sunday night, maybe we’ll call the schedule day Midnight In Sheffield Mondays? I hope you enjoy, and feedback is always appreciated!

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the tag list!

@alexbandguy86 @bettyschwallocksyee @fookingsummertime @juicebox-baby@darksydork7 @edgythought @toolateformcrtooearlytoleaveemo

Chapter IV - I Want It All

Isn’t this nice?” Mark asked. “I can’t remember the last time we went out for lunch with just the two of us.”

She nodded, feeling a bit calmer since she’d woken up after getting a decent night’s rest, even if it was a bit shorter. She’d gotten back not a minute late last night, for Mark had arrived when she was about to cover herself under the bedsheets, asking what she was still doing up. It ended with her in tears, mostly because of the pure confusion the day had brought her, but also because she’d felt like she needed it.

It was apparent that Mark was feeling a bit concerned, and was doing his best attempt to cheer her up a bit.

“I had an idea, please hear me out for a bit,” he started.

She pulled up her nose, because whenever he said those words, they were usually followed by some notion she wouldn’t like.

“What if we got married at the church back home?”

She paused. Not what she had expected, but certainly not something she favoured. “I thought we were going to get married in France?”

“I know, but… James and Rachel just told me they wouldn’t be able to make it around the time we’d planned to have it. If we just got married at home, I’m sure that would work out better for a lot of people on the guest list.”

“Mark, we’ve discussed this, and the invitations are already printed. If James and Rachel don’t think our wedding is important enough to make time for it, then I suppose they’re not coming.”

“Sweetheart, you know how much they’d want to come. It’s just…”

“What? Spit it out, will you?”

“I’m afraid my parents might get the wrong idea with us getting married in France.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, they think it’s a bit dramatic, for starters. And they know how much you enjoy it there; their guess is that you might want to stay there forever after all is said and done.”

She gave him a look. “So, your parents are afraid I’m going to chain you to a tree in a French vineyard so they can’t ever see you again? Do they think I’m drugging you into agreeing to everything I do?”

He huffed in amusement. “No, sweetheart. But they… they just want to make sure this marriage is going to work. And the first step in their eyes would be to hold a wedding at home. Think of it as nothing more than insurance that you’ll have a pleasant day with your family-in-law.”

“And I wouldn’t have that in France?”

“You’ll most likely be met with the sour faces of both my mother and my sister. And you haven’t even encountered my aunt’s death glare yet. That one’s a real deal-breaker.”

She sighed, fumbling with her hands in her lap. Her engagement ring was starting to feel incredibly heavy, as if the diamond had multiplied its amount of carats.

She had tea with her mum later that day. Her dad was off to work.

“I… Uh, I don’t think we’ll be holding the wedding in France after all.”

Her mother lifted her chin to meet her eyes, gently setting her teacup back on its saucer. “And why is that?”

“Well, you know. I think it would be a lot easier for people to get to the venue because of work and all that. They wouldn’t have to go through all the traveling business, and it would save me and Mark quite a bit of money.”

Her mother hummed in response, but the look she gave her was critical. “I don’t think I remember ever hearing you talk about other people’s expense when you were little and showed me your wedding plans in your binder. That girl would tell everyone to sod off if they couldn’t make time for her special day, let alone think about saving money.”

She didn’t know how to respond.

“Darling, I love you. I would travel the world and back if it meant seeing you walk down the aisle. Please don’t let anyone ruin the dreams you have. I raised you better than that.”

It was nearing midnight, and Alex had lit himself a cigarette in front of the old church. It was going to be a quiet one, due to the fact that Monday was the only day of the week the pub was closed. That didn’t mean the lads wouldn’t go out, but the singer just didn’t feel like it for some reason.

A few ladies dressed in shimmery dresses with feathers in their hair walked past him and sent a wink his way, but he barely paid them any mind. His mind was elsewhere, and the empty alleyway he walked through next was illuminated only by the stars and the moon, which shone like fireballs in the dark blue abyss.

He wandered back into a main street, but it was quiet there, too.

Until he heard the muffled noises coming from a figure hunched against one of the streetlights.

It was a girl, obviously, and she was crying. But it didn’t turn out to be just any girl.

His Arabella.

“Are you all right, love?” he asked. He’d crouched down next to her, attempting to move the hair soaked by her tears away from her face. He noticed she was shivering, and shrugged his jacket off, draping it over her shoulders. “I’m afraid the pawnshops are all closed by now. You’re going to have to find another way to get your money’s worth out of that engagement ring if you want to rid of it tonight.”

She sniffled a laugh, which he was pleased to receive from her. “I really don’t mean to show up crying every night. This is so embarrassing.”

Alex recalled Miles telling about the night you’d met. “Not embarrassing at all. Do you want to talk about it?”

She shook her head.

“Alright. Then let’s get you somewhere warmer. Also, I’m famished. Are you hungry?”

“Alphonse, how are you this evening?”

The bell had chimed as they’d walked into the small restaurant, and though the lights were dimmed, she could make out the quaint interior quite well. Round tables, probably meant for no more than two, with a small red tablecloth draped over a larger white one on each of them. They were adorned with clean sets of dinnerware, as well as a simple candle as a centrepiece.

There were grapevines hanging across the wooden beams across the ceiling, and the walls had various paintings of landscape upon them.

In the back of the room, sat the head chef, - she supposed, as he wore the biggest hat of them all – playing a game of cards with his employees.

“Not any worse than any other evening, mister Turner. How are you?” The chef called Alphonse replied heartily. She noted a hint of a French accent in his speech.

“Quite alright, as I’m surrounded by good company.”

“I see, and who might your lady friend be?”

She introduced herself politely, to which all of the cooks took their hats off.

“A friend of mister Turner’s is a friend of ours, Cherie.”

“I told you to call me Alex a long time ago,” came his protest. “Say, you wouldn’t have anything left sitting in the kitchen, would you?”

Alphonse chuckled as he stood, tucking his deck of cards in his shirt’s pocket after giving his fellow players a suspicious look. “I’ll see what we have left after your band of misfits came to raid the place.” He disappeared into the kitchen.

“I wouldn’t be complaining, if I were you. They’re your best customers, after all,” Alex called after him.

The chef grumbled something about empty pantries as he returned with a basket in hand. “And I advise you to take the lady out to dinner here at a more appropriate time instead of sneaking of into the night with a basket full of goodies.”

“Now, you know I never come here that early.”

It turns out he’d packed them an entire cheese platter, with bread, butter, and a nice bottle of wine to make the basket complete. The singer had been gallant enough to carry it and pour her a glass of wine as they walked, to a location he would not yet disclose.

“It seems like you’re known around these parts as a night owl,” she deducted.

He looked at her for a moment, and hummed as an invitation for her to continue.

“Is that just the way you go about? Or does it have a deeper meaning behind it all?”

“Doesn’t people’s behaviour always have a deeper meaning behind it?”

“I suppose so. Something you’re not willing to talk about, then?”

“Perhaps when you decide to tell me why I found you crying on the curb,” he replied curiously.

She smirked, “Well, I’m not sure what you were doing parading the streets, but you were walking, and then you found me. Coincidence, I suppose.”

He shot her a look. “You know what I mean.”

She sighed, but as she was figuring out the right words to say, it appeared that they had already reached their ‘secret location’.

It was a small square, tucked into the corner of town, with a big round fountain in the middle. Sculpted fish were spraying water onto the levels below, and the stream was a soothing noise against the silent street. The buildings surrounding it had their shutters closed, and the way they towered over the small space made it seem like they had walked into a private garden.

But the odd thing was, is that she recognized that fountain, very clearly.

“I…”

“Yes?” Alex asked.

“I… I thought they’d tore down that fountain when I was younger. The whole street, in fact.”

The man next to her seemed to tense. “Well, it seems not.”

“…It seems not.” She had kind of wanted to question him further on the matter, but as the pieces were slowly connecting in her head, she decided to wait until the conclusion she was drawing was entirely certain.

Alex set down the basket, and sat on the stone bench facing the sculpture. “So, how’s the wedding planning going?”

Just the thought of it made tears well up in her eyes again, which he quickly took notice of.

“All right, you could’ve just told me to fuck right off when I opened my mouth.”

She snorted, taking a seat next to him and reaching for a piece of bread. “I’m sorry. I just- That’s the exact thing that has gotten me riled up today.”

“How come?”

The genuine interest was refreshing to her, and it made her feel brave enough to continue. “Well, Mark just thought it would be best to change the venue’s location, since a lot of people would be coming and all that. I kind of ended up agreeing with him, taking into consideration that everyone needed to fly out to France for a singular day. But now my mum is disappointed that I’m not going through with my big wedding plans, and I’ve honestly been doubting every decision I’ve been making since the get-go.”

He nodded with his lips pursed in thought. “I think cheese solves a lot of problems.” He handed her a piece of Gouda. “But if I may ask, what do you want?”

She gave him a confused look.

“I’ve only heard you mention what your fiancée wants, and what your mother wants, and that you don’t want to disappoint either of them. But I haven’t heard you talk about your dream wedding yet. It’s like you care about everyone’s opinions except for your own. And it seems like Mark doesn’t care much for it, either.”

She opened her mouth in protest, “Of course Mark cares! He’s only thinking about practicality, and our future.”

Alex took a languid sip of his glass before replying. “Love, if you want to marry someone, practicality shouldn’t matter if it means you get to hold the wedding your sweetheart has always dreamed about.”

“I don’t need your judgement on my love life.”

“No, but you asked for it anyway. I can’t tell you what to do; it’s your life. All I’m going to say is, make it count. You’re not getting a second shot at it. If you want to go through the rigmarole of a big wedding with a guest list that never ends and a dress that blinds people with the amount of diamonds on it, then you should do it. Not because I told you so, but because you want to do it.”

She knew he was right, but was afraid to admit it. “I… I don’t want a big wedding.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I want it to be private. Just family and friends. In a vineyard somewhere in France.”

He threw his hands up. “Then there you have it.”

“It’s not that easy, Alex. This isn’t all about me. Relationships call for compromise, not selfishness.”

He suddenly took her hand, and pulled her along the square until they’d reached the fountain. He took a coin out of his pocket, and held it out to her.

“What?”

He thrust his palm into her direction once more, but seemed quite reluctant to do so. “Take it, make a wish, and throw it into the fountain.”

“Alex-“

“Might as well give it a go. What do you have to lose?”

She sighed. Though reluctantly, she did as told, and closed her eyes. The slight ‘plop’ of the penny falling into the water was barely heard over the stream.

“You can thank me later,” Alex said.

But as he turned his back to her, she was feeling impulsive, and grabbed his shoulders and thrust him backwards.

This time, the splash was heard.

She clasped her hands in front of her mouth to keep herself from laughing at the drenched figure of Alex Turner, sitting awkwardly in a fountain. Oh, and how he looked absolutely pissed. Pissed was an understatement. He looked furious.

“You’re going to regret that.”

“Oh, am I-“

She shrieked, as two cold hands pulled her into the water with him.

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