#I love her so much silly old lady kitty | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

e-munson666 · 2 years

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I kind of imagine billy as a very very dom guy (especially dark billy) with sadistic kinks, here's some head cannons of mine before I start the request lol.

VERY BIG SADIST LIKE WTF 💀💀 I imagine that he'd purposely pinch you at times just to see you flinch and hiss. He is also a bit of a masochist himself, enjoying paint mixed with pleasure (though he doesn't like it when you hurt him with no sexual intent)

He uses nicknames like 'bunny' and 'kitten' or sometimes even 'baby bunny'

Okay now that that's out of the way- here is the actual request- Dark billy x female reader smut (duh) where pretty much he dubcons his childhood friend after finding out she had moved to Hawkins.

As soon as they introduce themselves to eachother again he begins to act, odd? The reader doesn't think much of it though, letting him lead her to his house were he does smutty things lol

Some lines you could use

"Awe.. baby bunny, don't you enjoy it when I pinch you?"

"Kitten.. I know you like it"

Ik it's vauge but I like to give you room to add what you think would fit :) ily, have fun!

This is my first attempt at Billy.

He's out of my realm, but I love this reader so I'm gonna do my best! ❤

18+ dubcon, dark themes, mean!dom!Billy. Let's just say reader is named Kat in lou of y/n

🖤Lady Hellfire🖤

Last week, Billy Hargrove got the surprise of his life. His childhood friend, his first real crush, had moved to Hawkins. Billy knew it was fate, especially when he laid his eyes on you in the hall, seeing what a beautiful young woman you were growing into.

You were being ogled by a bunch of other guys already, something Billy took notice of, and immediately disapproved of. Especially when one of those guys was Steve fucking Harrington, there's no way he was going to lose out to the former king of Hawkins high.

Billy started following you around school, always showing up when Steve would start talking to you, putting an arm around you and leading you away. "Hey kitty Kat" he would say winking down at you as he walked you in the opposite direction.

"Bbbbiiillllyyyy" you would whine, hating that he brought back his old nickname for you. It made you blush now, it gave you a feeling you weren't used to having for your old friend.

"Awe kitten don't be shy" Billy teased, pinching your cheek and watching you wince. He got a weird kick out seeing you squirm, loving it when he would get a reaction from his pinches or slaps.

They were almost constant, any time you interacted with Billy he was pinching you until you cried, or he'd harshly slap your ass or thigh, chuckling as you whined before him.

The rumors started pretty quickly, that Billy Hargrove swooped in and snagged the new girl already, (he may have started that in the locker room) but you didn't know that, not until you chased Steve down after school, wanting to hangout.

"Steve" you called, seeing him stop and turn towards you, a weary smile on his face.

"Hey Kitty" Steve joked, also one to enjoy giving you silly nicknames.

"Steve, do you want to hangout for a bit?" You boldy ask, noticing the confused look that spread across his face.

"Won't Billy be upset?"

"What? Why does it matter what Billy thinks?" You raise your eyebrow at Steve as you spoke.

"Oh uh, he was telling some guys in the locker room that he had locked you down" Steve responded searching your face.

You let out an audible laugh, looking up at Steve, "that is so not whats happening, we've just known each other since we were kids, nothing is going on there I promise" you say, looping your arm into his, smiling up at him.

"Oh, well in that case Kitty, I would love to hangout. Let's go get some food yeah?" Steve asked, giddy with excitement. He placed a kiss to your forehead as he led you to his car.. He was so happy to hear that you were still on the market, because Steve had it bad for you.

Billy had watched your little interaction with Steve, and watched as that fucker Harrington kissed your head. Billy knew it was time to step it up a notch, time to put you in your place. Under him, submitting to him, crying for him.......and ONLY him.

Billy decided to wait at your house, your Father not hesitating to let Billy in, excited for the opportunity to catch up with the young man. He told your father he wanted to surprise you, so your dad led him to your bedroom, wishing him luck as he left the house to go to the pub.

You had a wonderful time with Steve, getting food from Benny's, sharing a milkshake, and holding hands. He dropped you off at your house, walking you to the front door before saying goodnight. He leaned in for a cheek kiss when you quickly turned your face to crash your lips onto his.

"I'll see you tomorrow at school Stevie, okay?" You coo, twirling a piece of his hair. "Of course Kitty, I'll wait for you by your locker before the first bell" he responds, kissing you once more before retreating to his car. You shut the front door behind you, giddy and smiling from your time with Steve.

You called out for your dad, figuring he was out when you didn't get a response. You made your way to your bedroom, not bothering to check your surroundings as you started to undress. You were down to your bra and skirt, when you felt a presence, felt eyes on you. You quickly glanced up into the large mirror on your closet door.

In the reflection you saw him, Billy, with an angry look on his face, perched on the corner of your bed.

"Hey kitty Kat" Billy chuckles as you spin around, loving the scared look on your face, "surprised to see me?"

He quickly stood from the bed and made his way over to you, still frozen in your place. He wrapped one arm around your waist and harshly pulled you into him, using his other hand to trace up and down the strap of your bra.

"I saw you leave school with Harrington Kitten" "tisk.....now we can't have that" he states, pinching your side so hard you squeal.

"Billy....what.....why are you here?" You manage to get out, trying to shove him away, only to be met with a harsh slap to the face.

You looked up at him with watery eyes, cheek burning and red from his heavy hand. "Oh whats the matter little kitty? You didn't like that?" He teases, snaking his hands to the backs of your thighs, squeezing them tight before lifting you up into his arms, laughing as you struggle to get away.

"Calm down Kitten, stop wiggling around so much, I said STOP" Billy tosses you down on the bed, grabbing your tiny wrists with one large hand and flinging them up over your head.

He kicked your legs apart with his knee, sliding into the space between your thighs. You looked up at him, tears welling in your eyes, a large red outline from where Billy slapped you.

"So pretty like this kitten" he says, taking his free hand and cupping your chin. He leaned down to place a harsh kiss to your lips, feeling you once again struggle under him.

"You can squirm all you want little kitty, I can feel how wet you are on my leg"

"Billy, please" you beg, not knowing for what, but you bucking your hips into Billy's leg gave him all the signal he needed.

He went to work un buttoning his pants, sliding them down along with his boxers, before taking the tiny fabric of your panties in his hand and ripping them clean off your body.

You squirmed more when you felt the weight of Billy's tip at your entrance, knowing this was going to hurt.

"Stay still kitten, or this will hurt a lot worse" he laughs, slamming himself inside of you. You let out a loud, pained cry, music to Billy's ears.

"Too big.....too much.....please no Billy" you whine, feeling your body being split in half. You had been with one other guy before, but it was disappointing and you could barely feel him in there. This was different, this was painful, throbbing, you were sure your insides were tearing around him.

Billy just chuckled at you, starting to thrust into your rough and deep. You moaned and whined under him, repeating it was too much as he continued to slam into you.

"Its too much? Hmm baby? Daddys cock too big for his little baby?" He whispered in your ear, grinning at the moans that left your mouth as he fucked you into the mattress.

"Thats right kitten, you like this don't you, like daddy's cock splitting your tiny little body in half?" You moan again, arching your back at his words.

Billy slapped your already red cheek, looking at your teary face. "Words kitten, I want to hear you SAY it" he demands, grabbing your throat as he kept up his pace.

"Yes Billy, I like it" you cry out, feeling your orgasm coming close.

Slap. "No no my little slut, that's not what you call me now" slap "say it" he slams into you, deeper than he has gone before.

You let out a pained cry, body starting to shake as your climax came to a peak, "fuck, yes, yes daddy, I love your cock" you whimper, clenching around him as he fucks your through your orgasm.

Sensitive, and sore, you whine as he continues his pace, trying to squirm away as he chased his own release.

"No, little slut, you aren't going anywhere until I'm done with you" Billy says, finally unpinning your wrists with his one hand and taking the other from your throat to grab your hips and keep you still.

By the time Billy filled you up you were a writhing, crying mess below him, crying his name out in both pain and pleasure, and he was eating it up. When he finally pulled out, he looked over at you as he dressed himself, knowing he did enough to abuse your body to the point of exhaustion.

He left the room long enough to grab a towel to clean you up with, placing little kisses all over you as he helped get some pj's on, before getting into bed with you and pulling you into his chest.

You hummed as Billy stroked your hair, eyes drooping, waiting for sleep. "I meant it you know" he said as you dosed off, "you're all mine now babygirl" he laughed as he watched you attempt to lift your head up at him, before sleep completely took over.

Now Billy just has to deal with that fucking Harrington kid, and he'll have you all to himself.

#fanfic #stranger things #billy hargrove #dark billy hargrove #billy hargove x reader #billy hargove imagine #billy harringrove #steve the hair harrington #king steve #send me asks #asks and replies #character asks

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irlcats-bracket · 7 months

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Bracket 6 Round 1 Poll 4

Chubbles vs Pandy

check their descriptions and chubbles propaganda under the cut!

CHUBBLES

Chubbles is very round and very loving! She loves to follow her humans around, likes meeting new people, and enjoys being picked up and held. She is also very motherly towards younger cats in her household that her family has adopted. Aside from that, she is a senior cat that spends a lot of time napping. :)

PANDY

A sweetheart who likes to keep her distance and observe from afar, but if she decides she likes you, you may be blessed by a pandy on your lap. She is 13 (grandma kitty) but very small and has been mistaken for a kitten. she recently had a tooth removed and now likes to stick her tongue out.

CATPAGANDA

CHUBBLES

She literally climbs on top of me and gives me cat kisses (She is silly)

Here she is being Very Face

she is rotund also

She sits with her plush pals sometimes <3

General image of her being cute

She rolls around a lot for belly rubs (She loves them like a lot) and also literally just sleeps on her back like this

Pets be upon her

She sits funny too<3

She is an absolute little darling who loves coming into my room when I sleep (she knows when I get ready for bed now) and cuddling up Right Next to my face because she loves me :) She's also very motherly to the two kittens we adopted even while they're not her own. She follows people around a lot too just because she loves them so much like I've seriously never seen a cat so sweet?? And she makes little chirps instead of meows and it is so silly of her. Chubbles my beloved a vote for Chubbles is a vote for a lovely old lady

#cat #cats #polls #catfight six #catfight six round one #haha grandmas fight

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eminsunnytoons123 · 26 days

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Since i have now made Camilla, afghan hound And baskerville hound's redesigns, I Said that i'll now post my headcanons for the muppets! =^///^=

And for the sake of enjoyment And creativity, i'll risk it for all my besties/Brothers And Sisters/pen pals And for some more muppet fans =^_^=

And also im still thinking about more headcanons for them, just give me time to think ^///^; And i'll post the part two either tommorow or later! =^v^=

Lets start!

Kermit the frog:

• he is 22 years old in my AU, but he acts very mature for his age

• he is pansexual And polyamourous, he is dating miss piggy And fozzie

• he likes little jingle Bells, so thats why he has some on his Boots

• Uses prounouns he/him, but some muppets call Kermit an "it", mostly Constantine

• his parents AND over 3000 siblings have been seen in some episodes, but some of his siblings dont have lines

• he plays his banjo on the top of the boarding home And sings the rainbow connection song

• he still has his iconic And polite personalities, but he sometimes gets annoyed when some insults him, but not always

• he sometimes accidentaly calls Clifford a "she", but Clifford actually doesnt mind nor does he care about any prounouns that the muppets call him

Fozzie bear:

• he is 24 years old in my AU, but he still acts goofy And silly like always

• he is queer, pansexual And polyamourous, And he is dating Kermit And miss piggy

• he doesnt only use Rubber chickens, he even uses any circus-related stuff

• he uses his water flower to spray others as a prank, oh! And he LOVES april fools Day

• he secretly likes hello Kitty and any silly cartoons, And he has an hello Kitty pin on his hat

• his jokes can SOMETIMES be funny, but theyre most of the time horrible And bad, And others always groan, roll their eyes And get annoyed by fozzie

• he likes anything thats colorful And that has rainbow colors in it

Miss Piggy:

• she is 23 years old, but he acts just the same And mature like on the muppets

• she is bisexual And polyamourous, And she is dating Kermit And fozzie

• she LOVES the 70s, 80s And even 90s women Fashion, especially if they have Pink shaded colors in it

• she has her pet Foo-Foo the dog, but she even has Gloria estefan as her pet

• she likes any bracelets And necklaces that have pearls on them, but even any kind of Crystals on them

• she is french-british in the Group, but she mostly says "moi" like always And speaks some french words in her sentences

• she practices karate, And she always tests it on one of the muppets in the boarding home, except for the children/kids

Gonzo the great:

• he is 22 years old in my AU

• he is pansexual And non-binary, And they is dating Camilla the chicken

• gonzo uses any prounouns, but most of the muppets call him by "he/him/his" but gaffer the pirate Cat calls him an "it" And by "they/them"

• they likes doing their nails, he has his nails colored in a non binary colors flag

• he even does acrobatic tricks, not only anything thats dangerous, even sometimes Circus tricks

• gonzo has an tail, with an blue fluff on the end of it, just like how Clifford now has an tail

• he isnt only interested in girl chickens, but sometimes roosters (not in an zoophilic way.)

Rowlf the dog:

• he is 29 years old in my AU

• he is bisexual, And he is dating selena the brunette haired whatnot, who is a straight Lady but she supports rowlf being bisexual

• he sometimes gives Texas vibes to other muppets

• baskerville And Afghan hounds are his most close friends in the boarding home, but he gets annoyed by baskerville And his singing

• he is pretty much interested in any classical music that have piano music in it, like Mozart

• rowlf can sometimes be pretty sarcastic in the Group, like for example when someone tells him something exciting, he says: "okay, And?" And he Chuckles, but doesnt mean it in a rude way

Pepe the King prawn:

• he is 21 years old in my AU

• he is pansexual, genderfluid and polyamourous, And he is dating Rizzo And yolanda

• he has an childhood toy named topo sticky, even tho topo sticky COULD sometimes talk in the muppets, on TMS:LITBH he doesnt talk nor move. And Pepe sometimes gets embarassed when some of the muppets see him with his childhood toy topo sticky

• his actual name is Pepino Rodrigo Serrano Gonzales, because he had two mamas And one Papa (IN MY AU.), but some of the muppets found it hard to remember his real name, so Pepe just told them to call him "Pepe". But some of the muppets call him by his real name, like Mildred huxetetter And some other pretty much older And mature muppets in the boarding home

• he likes doing ballet, but not wearing male clothes for the ballet, only female clothes for the ballets like what ballerinas wear

• he sometimes does his acts with Seymour, but not only that, he even hangs out with him

• Pepe has an short wavy red hair unlike an spiky hair

Rizzo the rat:

• he is 21 years old in my AU

• he is bisexual And polyamourous, he is dating Pepe And yolanda

• he has an colorful hair with neon rainbow colors, but his actual hair color is either Dark Brown or blonde

• they has an patch on his tail because he Got Hurt when he was Younger, he was probably bitten by a cat And he even Got stitches because that Cat nearly ate off his tail, but only the top of it

• he is even a demiboy, And he uses he/they prounouns

• he infact does have hair in here, And before in the muppets his hair was NEVER shown

• he sometimes Chuckles And laughs at pepe's ballet, but he still loves him

Yolanda the rat:

• she is 21 years old in my AU

• she is bisexual And polyamourous, And she is dating Rizzo And pepe

• she has an puffy And more longer blonde-yellow hair unlike in her original version

• she is an perfectionist for makeup And Fashion, just like miss piggy

• she had an EX-boyfriend named William the rat, but then he wasnt Hanging out with her And he secretly had another girlfriend And he was clearly cheating on yolanda. It is pretty Unknown what happend to him, but here is an picture of William on yolanda's door of her room And it has an knife on it. And in the first episode of TMS:LITBH, she told Pepe And Rizzo this (read the scenario):

Pepe: "I dont know if deadly's asleep, okay?"

Rizzo: "how do you not know if deadly's asleep!?"

Pepe: "I dunno."

Yolanda: "you two are stupider than my EX boyfriend."

Rizzo: "wait! You have an EX?"

Yolanda: "well... I had him, I had that idiot named William. Now he is in his grave."

• so yolanda probably either joked about that William's in his grave, or she either really killed him, And its based on this comic I made on second of november 2023

• she loves colorful bracelets, And she has three of them on her tail, And one on her wrist

• she likes baking muffins, cookies And small cakes

• she likes doing hairstyles, makeup, putting dresses on and any iconic And fashionable clothes, And she likes reading magazines And being with Rizzo And pepe

• she is british-american

Dr bunsen honeydew:

• he is 27 years old in my AU

• he is pansexual, And he is dating beaker

• he likes any weird And strange science And Experiments, just like the ones he makes

• bunsen actually does have eyes, And he sometimes Opens them but as if he is squinting his eyes

• he always wears safety glasses whenever he is doing one of his Experiments

• bunsen sometimes tests his new Experiments on beaker, but beaker doesnt get hurt or anything

Beaker:

• he is 28 years old in my AU

• he is bisexual And he is dating dr bunsen honeydew

• he sometimes gets nervous And scared when bunsen wants to try his Experiments on beaker, but he doesnt get Hurt nor does anything bad happen to him

• he sometimes even says: "beep!" Or "boop!" And sometimes even "hello!" And "bye-bye!"

• he likes gently petting small Animals, like kittens, bunnies, parrots... Etc

• he doesnt now wear an Scientist suit on TMS:LITBH

Thats now all my headcanons for the first two parts! I'll make the other parts tommorow =^_^=

#my arts #traditional art #the muppets #the muppets show: life in the boarding home #kermit the frog #miss piggy #fozzie bear #gonzo the great #rowlf the dog #pepe the king prawn #rizzo the rat #yolanda the rat #dr bunsen honeydew #beaker muppets #TMS:LITBH headcanons and stuff

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pinkydoggy83 · 9 months

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❤️🖤 Gosh dang it here I go again. This movie I swear.

Spoilers ahead:

I really just want to fan over the Ladynoir parts because that whole sequence just won me over. My goodness!

LIKE THIS BANTER OH MY HEART. And how they playfully fight each other YES

Them being young silly kids in love <33 Saving the city side by side together.

This scene OF COURSE HOW CAN YOU NOT

LIKE I SAID CUTE SILLY KIDS IN LOVE. This one just hits close to home for me. <3

I just been screenshotting every scene like crazy. It's feeding my hopeless-romantic heart. I just love the way they're just flying around the city and dancing on rooftops. <33 Being together with her kitty and his lady.

This line just melts my heart. My sibling was watching next to me and the way their mouth dropped. Same bro same.

❤️🖤 Closing thoughts:

There's a few problems with the movie (biggest one would be the transitions to each scene being too quick/jarring) BUT I wanna focus on Ladynoir.

It just sends me back those feelings I had when I first saw fan works of these two. Like the good old days. It's so sweet and you can really feel how they work together as a duo. The whole sneaking out in hero form to end up spend the night together. That whole thing.

This all just feels like fanfiction in the best way. And after everything the show has been doing, I just needed this good Ladynoir fluff. It really reminded me why I originally loved the show and these two. <3

TL;DR There's Ladynoir and I'm eating it up. Getting feelings of nostalgia. Man I miss Ladynoir so much.

#talk #miraculous spoilers #miraculous movie spoilers #miraculous ladybug #miraculous #ladynoir #ladybug and chat noir #ml spoiler movie #ml ladybug #ml cat noir #ladybug #cat noir #miraculous thoughts #ml spoilers #miraculous ladynoir #miraculous movie #long post #txt post

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firawren · 2 years

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Muppets Pride and Prejudice

You've seen the tweet about Muppets P&P with Adam Driver. He is a horrible idea for Darcy (way too old, unattractive, and American), but Muppets P&P is the best idea. I have put a lot of thought into casting it. I'll start with my most unexpected (but excellent, IMO) choices.

Sweetums as Jane

It is much more funny for everyone to constantly talk about how lovely Jane is if she is not played by a cute, feminine, little Muppet. But she shouldn't be played by an evil Muppet either. This makes Sweetums perfect. Imagine Darcy telling Bingley "You have been dancing with the only beautiful woman here" and we cut over to giant, hairy Sweetums in a Regency gown. So good.

Animal as Mr. Collins

Mr. C is the most slavishly devoted P&P character (to Lady C); Animal is the most slavishly devoted Muppet (to drums). Plus, imagine Animal in vicar's garb full-on running at Darcy from across the room screaming "MR. COLLINS!" to introduce himself.

Gonzo as Lydia

He's kind of the group weirdo with no filter, so he can embarrass his family by shooting himself out of a cannon in the middle of the Netherfield ball, and similar wacky stunts.

Statler and Waldorf as the Bingley sisters

They're the best at talking shit about everyone else.

Sam Eagle as Lady Catherine

Severe, imposing, cranky, judgy. Tries to control everyone but fails.

Fozzie as Bingley

Cute, fun, silly, cheerful.

Rizzo or Pepe as Wickham

Either one would be good in the role. Rizzo would be good at being slick and insincere. Pepe would be good at being a ladies’ man.

Kermit and Piggy as Mr. and Mrs. Bennet

One is weak, one is melodramatic; plus Kermit doesn't seem to even like Piggy but is with her anyway.

Bunsen as Charlotte

Smart, self-assured, pretty calm even when things seem pretty shitty.

Beaker as Kitty

Perpetually stressed out, and no one really listens to her.

Rowlf as Mary

Plays the piano and is mostly pretty boring.

Scooter as Mr. Gardiner and ?? as Mrs. Gardiner

Scooter is hard-working, sensible, calm. No idea who should play Mrs. Gardiner, so just make a new Muppet for her, or use Skeeter, though she’s nothing like Mrs. G.

Camilla as Georgiana

Just simple, pretty, nice. Doesn't talk much.

And finally, young humans for Darcy and Elizabeth

No Muppets for the main couple. I don't know young English actors well enough to give you names, but the point is that they should be in their 20s and hot, especially Darcy.

#pride and prejudice #muppets #jane austen #jane austen characters

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virtualtyrant69 · 1 year

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Currently watching Superman 1978 and here are my reactions:

Wow, the Superman theme? Amazing, inspiring, sensational!

Why is Jor-El so old? This is the father of a baby???

Lmao get phantom zoned fuckers, Man of Steel could never with these graphics

Omg the reflective suits lol, it's like they're biking at night

Also love how the curl is apparently genetic and not a style choice on Kal's part

Omg his wife is so young compared to him??!?

1970s graphics are to die for/pos I love them so much

Again, man of steel could never

This is what happens when climate change goes too far smh 😔

Lmao get rekt krypton

Ooh 70s generic man scream! I love that one!

Wait, kryptonians know about Einstein?!

And the Chinese?

I love that that baby is just spinning

Omg Ma and Pa!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Martha's middle name is Clark??

Awww teen Clark ❤️

Oh he has such a silly goofy run

He had a stroke?!?! He's dead?!?!? He gave the worst pep talk ever and then died. Rip to you king

I also love the 1940s setting so far

Clark is such a plain guy he eats regular Cheerios (derogatory)

Love the iconic red flannel

Don't worry Martha, he's gonna visit as often as he can

Wait since this is the 40s, do we think my mans gets drafted?? Or like, since he technically doesn't exist in the USA he gets a pass?

If Jor-El has been dead for thousands of years how did he know about Einstein or the Chinese?

Wait, so 12 years have passed in this weird montage that isn't a montage?? He's 30 now?? He didn't visit his mom for 12 years? She could be dead!

Ok so he just skipped the war in his knowledge montage

Jimmy is so cute I just wanna squish his cheeks

Oh Clark is so Guy rn, he's so Average

Oh I love how he's pretending he can't open a bottle, this is so funny

Lmao Jimmy calling Perry "sugar"

Awww he sends checks to his mom ❤️ but does he still visit her >:|

I love his just some guy vibes

Omg I love him, Henry Cavill could never!! I mean, can you honestly imagine that man saying "swell" unironically?

He's such a big dork I love him

Oh ok he came to earth in '38, started his time skip in '56 and it's now 1968? Or is the time weird and it's in '78?

First day on the job and he gets robbed at gunpoint smh

He caught and bullet and then "fainted" and then he accidentally used his x-ray vision?? Man can't catch a break

Shout out to the seeing eye dog who barks when ppl try to steal/ripoff the blind newspaper seller

Omg lex just killed a guy by train

Wait, lex isn't bald? Also that woman he's with? Love her costume design, it's so slay

So is lex not a celebrity/business owner in this movie? Ok

And I've given it more thought, if Clark landed in 1940 then this movie would take place in 1970 which somewhat matches the costuming choices

Oh Clark sweety I love you so much you are such an idiot/pos he almost walked into the ladies room and he got his coat stuck in the door lol

He really is just some guy!!! waiting for the elevator

Huh, I didn't know they used to have waiting rooms for flights at newspaper offices, wack

Omg he just changed into his Superman suit and a pimp said his outfit was bad, I love this this is so camp

Metropolis just got their blorbo ❤️

*saves Lois lane and then infodumps on her* what a man, love that for him

Aww the little wave as he said bye, so cute

He just left a boat in the middle of the road lmao

Aww he saved a kitty in a tree, ajdhslsj girl just got hit for telling a lie about how a man saved her cat

Superman doing what Homelander could never

Ah the 70s, when you could smoke indoors on the job

Love Lois and her nic addiction. Also girl got dressed up for a man who saved her life once and then took off. You know what? Me too girl

"how big are you? I mean, how tall are you?" Okayyyy get it I guess, Miss Lane coming out with the real questions

Girl just asked him to look at her underwear, the flirting between them is amazing

They flew from south Jersey to New York in a romantic Aladdin-esque way

Lmao he dropped her

Love the poetry Lois is dropping out of nowhere

Man just upstaged himself on a date wow love him

Oh ok so he took off in 1948, landed in 1951, went on his trip in 1966, and it is now 1978, ok that makes way more sense

Luthor's secretary is so slay

Shout out to my fellow Native who sold bad land for an amazing price to some guy he didn't even know. Get that bag however you need to get that bag. Also, "At the stupid high price he offered for this worthless piece of desert, I hope it's Custer." Iconic!!! W for the Natives

He can telepathically change his suit??

He can drill into the ground by spinning?!??

Lex's yellow flower suit is so slay

Clark is so wet and pathetic rn, love that look on him

Wow unsolicited kiss, Miss Teschmacher how could you? You were so slay! Clark looked so sad and hurt afterwards D':

Is he pushing the plates of the earth back together?!?!? What?!?!?!!!!!

My man, Clark kent, is pushing two tectonic plates back together with his bare hands from the center of the Earth, what the fuck

Oh my God he also used himself as a rail for a train

Love the obvious miniature town and flood but also, Clark honey blocking it with rocks wouldn't work, ice breath would be the best option imo

Oh this is the movie where he flys so fast he turns back time, I want someone to explain to me mathematically how this works

Lois is such a girlboss the first thing she does when she sees Superman is rant and tell him off for not helping her. Girl. You just died to him. But still, werk

Oh he is bald! He was wearing wigs? Ok slay ig

10/10 loved this movie, it was camp, it was iconic!!!

#he really is just some Average Guys huh?#superman #clark kent #dc #superman 1978

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mood2you · 6 months

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The Magician's Assistant, by Ann Patchett

Book Review Reviews: answering 1-star reviews questions or formatting them into questions to answer. This has spoilers... go read it and come back!

Is this really Ann Patchett? This is only her third novel.

Why was the story only mildly intriguing? Why 350 pages when the book can be summed in one paragraph? It's basically one long joke, but you need all that time to get the characters to trust each other, so it can't be a short story.

Why was Sabine satisfied with living a half-life? This is a really good question, and several reviewers give evidence: only the assistant, married to a gay man, makes architectural models, not buildings. I didn't notice. I have 3 guesses: she's repressed, perhaps she's waiting for something. She went out of her way to buy men's pants for herself, that's a different thing from wearing Phan's cloths in his memory (or in the memory of Parsifal who bought them for him on a trip etc.) Admittedly a good trans guy would start some of the discord one reviewer complained was blissfully absent from their marriage. Or she's their daughter: Phan is always kissing her forehead, now he's looking after her and reassuring her, and he's the one who wanted kids when Parsifal hates them. Parsifal was basically presenting him a mixed family, when they met. One thing about this book is it barely has any dialogues between Sabine and Parsifal, maybe Paraifal is just that great. forgot my third guess, she's aromantic. A book has 2 gay characters and you stop looking, why shouldn't the whole book be gay? Maybe reviewers are missing... something. She can't date Kitty, that's stupid, but they should stay entangled. Oh I remembered my fourth guess: much like Dot and Kitty, she made a silly choice as a 20 year old and wouldn't let go. Granted, Albert and Howard are abusive.

Why was the literary symbolism so clumsy and obvious? So that I could understand it! The reviewer points to their last name being fetter (like handcuffs, I think, as in, you will never leave our little town... unless? Unless you're Harry Houdini or the wife of Harry Houdini) but that's actually German for feather (like flying, like freedom.) Yet Parsifal doesn't do dove tricks... (I might be taking that personally, I had an OC named Jordan Fetter because I thought it was smarter than Jordan Sylvan or whatever, certainly smarter than Jordan Feather.) I was thinking about something else I noticed but forgot. I think Sabine is what makes the magic work.

How could she make the midwest into a stereotype? This may be worthy criticism. Even I was like, well this family drama is... eh. For a while this year I was of the belief that all contemporary fiction is true. So far, two of Ann Patchett's leading ladies have been from LA and one went to Tennesee and one went to Nebraska (theheretofor mentioned mid-west) when Patchett is also from LA and moved to Tennesee. Maybe I'm right and she will send characters back to the south in Taft. I think in Bel Canto (her 2nd) they go to South America, so...

Was this written by a man, how are all the girls so domestic? Even Sabine, who's always wearing men's cloths, and always living with men. Hm… Very sus to come up with this on your own

What type of woman devotes her entire life to loving a man who is gay and will never love her back the way she wants? What type indeed. And how DID she want? Compared to Phan's fatherliness, Parsifal barely had any lines and wasn't in Nebraska in his afterlife so we don't get any of his and Sabine's real relationship and maybe THAT's a glaring error. Anyways, I make jokes about Phan being jealous and that's why he took Parsifal back, but, um, it is hard to help someone die, maybe it is true that him suddenly dying is better it's like if your dad hid your mail from you, trying not to let it disappoint you, when it's up to you what you make of it.

#the magician's assistant #books #book review review #mfw when im 40 and still not a man. living a half life: grrr (steals your wife)#now this is an essay! this is what I wanted from this series :)

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idiotsofoz · 9 months

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I'M SO SORRY I ONLY JUST SAW YOUR REQUEST FOR NICE THINGS- Agh I hope I'm not too late <3

ANYWAY,

This is Sheldon :3 He's a lil squishy crab dude my friend gave me and I adore him ^^ ❤️

This is my silly kitty cat Lefty, you've seen her before, she's an old old lady and kind of a brat but we love her <3

This is a picture of Dallon I was sent recently, I think his smile is very cute hehehe 😊🩷

Anyway, sorry things have been rough for you :( You're one of my closest friends on here, I'm so glad I know you and it makes me so happy to talk to you 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 I'm always here if you need me for anything, I think you're so awesome and I care about you so so much 🫶

thank you sm <3 it feels nice to know you enjoy talking to me and care about me like i know you've said it before but right now its like. extra nice

#<33333

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starstruckwillows · 1 year

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HERE BAE!!! i am saying as much as i can remember ab myself (this is messy)

i'm a little awkward guy LMFAO, i'm usually in the background a lot 💔💔 i get nervous when all the attention is on me irl (online i love it icl) and i'm really oblivious (i thought all my trauma was normal).. i've got mommy AND daddy issues but i've got an okay relationship with both of them?? i listen to a plethora of genres LMAO, atm my favourites are metal an classical music (i heart kpop though, esp skz). i've watched all of those silly sigma male movies like american psycho and fight club, i loved both of them!! i like shows like the walking dead, the last of us , game of thrones, and house of the dragon as well. i've got about 108 books, and my american psycho era went so bad i even bought the book LMAO. i'm currently getting into classic books as well!! currently reading crime and punishment by fyodor dostoevsky. ALSO, one of my favourite things i wear daily are my glasses cos they've got square rims!! i watch anime, my favourites atm is attack on titan and devilman crybaby. i think i'm a faily monotone person? i don't think i can express excitement very well even if i wanted to 😭😭 i have horrible memory, i lose my phone easily but i find it pretty easily. i'm desentizised to a lot of things on the internet, say a lot of out of pocket stuff, and i've considered therapy a lot these past few weeks. i leave people on delivered (i respond to close friends dw), the longest so far is a year. at the moment my favourite movies are lord of the rings + the hobbit (all movies), american psycho, fight club, MIDSOMMAR!!!, batman 2022 and joker 2019. i bawl my eyes out when im angry, i'm a picky eater, i've got 0 game and the humour of a 13 year old boy, i am obsessed with hannibal (i havent even watched the show), ozzy osbourne, mads mikkelsen, pedro pascal, and tlou. This might seem really bitchy but favourite moments when im hanging out w friends is when we talk absolute shit LMFAO it's always so entertaining. I feel musicin my body and it's so good!! my favourite bands/artists are kittie, deftones, slipknot, black sabbath, metallica, the smiths, LADY GAGA, arctic monkeys, tyler the creator, lana del rey, RAMMSTEIN, korn, mortician, cannibal corpse, the smashing pumpkins, queen, DAVID BOWIE, mötley crüe, and megadeth!! i dont care what my family has to say about me LMAO, i aim to be more successful than them!!! (i probs will be tbh) my least favourite moments with my mum is when we argue and she just doesnt stop!! idc what shes saying its just the fact that she still has stuff to say but what shes doing is repeating the same stuff LMFAO, it's always a bit funny but its annoying cos she just doesnt stop. I'm a lesbian AND PROUD!!! been a lesbian for ages, but i'm so down bad for a lot of famous men and fictional characters. i've read fanfiction ab vecna, pennywise and barney. I used to play the violin, i played the piano a bit at school but i wanna play an electric guitar or drums!! also i'm like 5'1 LMFAO, in my defence i'm half filipino. the other half is australian (british). I lose motivation for things easily, my favourite videogame atm is minecraft, i lack empathy and its really awks when i have to comfort somebody LMAO MOST OF THE TIME I KIND OF STAND THERE AND GIVE THEM SPACE ☹️ my personality type is intp and i'm in slytherin if that means anything SORRY THIS IS SO LONG LMAO

- 🐍

it's okay!!<3

🦢

i ship you with... nancy wheeler!!

you'd meet during season four events, and she'd approach you, ever more confident. at first, it's to calm you down, having just been exposed to nightmare fuel, but you end up talking to her about music. teaching her different instruments, learning them together. she'll try play video games with you but isn't very good. talking shit about people together in her room, trying not to wake up her parents. friends to lovers trope. she'll try warm up to your family but if you don't get on with them, she'd never push it. similar ambitions in life.

#jessie's 🍰&🌷#swan boat 🦢#🐍<3

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storieswritteninvioletink · 2 years

Text

Burning Snowflakes CH 3: The Dance of Falling Snow

The small, ginger-haired kitten looked up at him expectantly. Theo looked into his eyes, wondering what was behind them. What could possibly be going on inside his head? Did he want to play? Was he tired, or hungry? Had the wolf-boy not been aware that he was supposed to do something for him? He had a hard time paying attention, even when the room he was in seemed still - his mind loved to wander off to who knows where.

"Yes, Fawn?" he asked cautiously, as if he'd done something wrong.

But Fawn's piercing gaze turned to one of joy as he gasped and hugged one of Theo's legs. Oh, the simple joys of being a kitten, where nothing hit quite the same as being recognized. Theo thought back to his own childhood for a moment, before he felt his heart begin to sink and quickly changed the topic. "So, when are your cousins coming over?"

"Soon! Soon! Mommy says we're gonna have a party! But - we can't tell anyone. It's a secret." He, truthfully, hadn't explored much since the last time he had been here, and he hadn't quite learned of his lover's family gatherings.

He had thought that nekojin didn't celebrate birthdays, as they aged far too quickly for one every year to seem meaningful. Perhaps it was a new concept for Eytan's family, or perhaps it was for a human member of the family. A hybrid? No, there weren't many of those that he knew of that lived nearby.

"Theo," came the birdsong voice of Willow, Eytan's sister. "I'm glad you could make it, you silly wolf."

"I'm not silly, Cat - you're the one always stumbling and falling down."

"And yet I always land on my feet, unlike a dog, who falls flat on his face."

"I've seen you break a leg," Theo chuckled slightly. "So that proves cats are just as clumsy as canines."

Willow laughed, picking up her son and giving him a pat between the ears. "That's better, there's that smile I like to see."

She was always trying to make everyone around her happy.

But even those who tried to please all often didn't please themselves. He appreciated her effort, and he'd have to make a mental note to ask someone for a thank-you note, or go buy one after school sometime soon. He didn't know her well, but everyone deserved recognition.

Like his dad, who he really, really needed to buy a thank-you card for, and for a birthday coming up soon. He liked celebrating birthdays.

Fawn's little ear flicked in the direction of the doorbell's knock. "They're here!"

"Okay, remember, my little kitty - you're not supposed to tell Happy and Hope there's a party planned for them. It's a surprise." her words had received an excited nod and a promise to not tell anyone about the party room being all set up for one.

Theo doubted he'd last that long. When Willow glanced at him, he shrugged. "I didn't know about it until a minute ago, so he must be pretty good at keeping secrets."

Willow flashed him a smile and went to wait for Tod to bring in their guests. They returned swiftly, bringing not one, but two human children, and a young nekojin roughly the same age as Fawn. There were several adults and an older cat who had greying features.

"My lady, your guests have arrived," Tod smiled, bowed, and returned to his work assisting the humans who owned the house and the nekojin who lived there. He didn't stay for Willow's thank-you, and Theo could hear the small sigh that escaped from her.

"Theo!" came the voice of the children, who had instantly taken to him from a previous encounter. "Theo hi! Can I hide in your fur? Can you do the thing where you turn into a wolf?"

"Not right now, okay? I'm sure there'll be time for the wolf later."

"Aww, but I wanna play with the wolf! Daddy bought us a ball and everything!" Happy looked at the greying neko, who gave the boy a look that said he was too old to play with them properly anymore. Theo had no idea why the old cat wanted to make him entertain his kitten and the kitten's human. Nevertheless, it appeared that the wolf would need to come out and play, at least until the little ones grew bored of him. Theo sighed - what child grew bored of a dog?

He got on his hands and knees and shook, his body quickly shifting to that of a large, white wolf. The collar he wore around his neck made little sense to humans not into nekojin, however it did not fit his wolf-form as neatly as it fit his smooth person neck. It wrapped around the area too tightly and restricted his breathing. Theo pawed at the band, trying to unfasten the buckle for someone to adjust. He couldn't be seen without it.

Willow got the hint, breaking away from her mom friends and readjusting the forest-green leather circle. He gently licked her hand as a thank you, which she didn't like and he lived to do it as often as possible. She winked at him every time, though. Silly cat.

The children were much happier with this form, and now the tennis ball in Happy's hand looked a lot more appealing. Theo's nose pointed at it curiously. "If we're going to play fetch, let's do it in the yard, so the ball doesn't break anything."

"You'll have to catch me first!" said Fawn and the others, who ran off through the house. Theo gave them a generous head start. Not only could he hear them giggling, he was much faster than them in either form. It wasn't fair, and he'd get a stern meowing from the kittens and their mothers if he didn't wait and keep pace. After about twenty seconds, he started to trot in the general direction, making sure to purposely take the wrong hallway and let them giggle their little hearts out at how good they were at hiding.

All four of them were not very good at it, but liked to think they were the Hide and Seek champions because even a wolf couldn't track them down. Did he or did he not let them win, or give them the important lesson that a wolf could track them down in mere moments?

Ah, they were kittens protected by people - and he in the stead of a humble dog. Let them have their fun, he thought with a chuckle. They're probably never going to be without a human, anyway.

He trotted around the right corridor, lowering himself into a crouch. "Here comes the big bad wolf-" he announced. "Imma gonna get cha."

They giggled madly, every one of them telling another to pipe down.

"I'm gonna huff... and puff... and blow you right outta that hiding spot!" he tried not to laugh to himself. Happy - the little white-furred one, peeked from the closet they were all hiding in, gasping and then quickly sticking his head back. Theo could hear the door being shut.

Too easy.

He soon got within pouncing range, and he sat. "Oh no," he said loudly. "Those little ones - I was so sure they were here! I was gonna get 'em so good, they couldn't stand it." he sighed. "But they're just so good at hiding!" he trotted to the other side of the closet and up the hallway a small distance. "Maybe it wasn't this hallway after all, and it was actually a different one."

The children weren’t having that at all. “Hey!” Hope exclaimed. “Come back!”

“Oh? So you want the big, bad wolf to come back and blow you all away?! I’ve never seen prey so desperate!” Theo laughed and turned around. “That can be arranged!”

“Run!” Fawn shrieked, and the four of them chased each other out of the closet and down the hall, right into Willow’s waiting arms.

“I assume you’re having fun? Well, lookie here! I think I’ve found a note. Let’s see what it says.”

Theo recognized the setup as a scavenger hunt, and took the time they were occupied to dart away from the action and go up to Eytan’s room again. Children were fun, but they drained him far too quickly. The wolf didn’t help, and he shook himself back to normal to prevent more fur than usual being all over his beloved neko’s bed.

Not that they’d mind.

He longed to go outside again, to feel the wind in his hair and smell the crisp, clean wind and all that the forest had to offer. Yet it was often too cold in the wintertime for him to remain outside for long, and when he did, he often grew ill.

A sigh escaped the boy, and he sat down at the foot of their bed to think, taking his notebook and a pen with him. He needed to think on how to set up room for his rabbits, for Tod and the other waitstaff to prepare. The English lops couldn’t stay in their cozy little barn if he wasn’t there to care for them, and he certainly wasn’t going back if it wasn’t safe for him.

He’d need to section a rather large room into five, with room enough for the storage of their things. He couldn’t trust nekojin, especially Fawn, to have controlled their prey drive enough to keep them safe, so it would be ideal if the door was locked and in a wing of the manor where mostly business happened, instead of playtime with children. Where it was nice and quiet, perfect for keeping fluffy little bunnies happy. Their papers needed to be nearby. The wolf recorded everything that he did with his rabbits, and noted any changes in behavior or eating habits.

There was one big problem in taking his herd of rabbits into a manor, and that was eighty-percent of their diet - hay. Hay would quickly go everywhere, despite his best efforts, if it ever escaped the room.

His pen scribbled down a rough sketch of the room’s layout, which rabbits would go where, and roughly where he wanted things to be. No one else in the manor dealt with them, so it all fell on him to make sure they were happy and enriched. He was more than happy to give them the vision and what they needed to do to ensure the bunnies would be at their best.

Several papers were torn out of his notebook and tossed aside, and frustrated he grew. Measurements needed to be taken before any of their new space could be planned, even including their schedule. True, it would be much the same, but even then, there would be differences. Who knew how they would even cope with the move?

“Nothing’s ever easy, is it?!” he growled, angrily stuffing his things back in his bag. He supposed he needed to get his stuff back, the things that made his house a home he wanted to go back to. The walls were mocking him, calling him a homebody and a lazy inside dog. He should accept his place and go beg at someone’s feet for attention or food. Curl up on the bed and nap.

That last one, however, seemed appealing, but he wasn’t tired.

“Love? Is it okay if I scratch behind your ears?” came Eytan’s wonderful voice. The only one who ever asked for permission to pet him, and thus the only one who was ever allowed.

He nodded. “Yeah.”

The petting began, and it was a bit less than the fix he wanted, as that would’ve been giving measurements, but he’d learned it never helped to be upset and doing something. Eytan’s touch was soft, and he almost felt like a puppy himself, being stroked as a storm unleashed its wrath upon the ground. His trembling body stilled, and he found himself purring ever-so-faintly.

“There’s that purr,” Eytan’s forehead touched his. “See, isn’t that better? Now, what are you upset about, and what can we do to fix it?”

#Burning Snowflakes #chapter three #inumimi #wolf #nekojin #neko #writing #writeblr #writing blog #original characters #original fiction #SFW fiction #lgbt representation

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nuclearnerves · 3 years

Note

wait whats this about paper mario 👀

Check out this tag if you like! sometime last fall/winter I watched a playthru of Paper Mario Origami King and I really fell in love with the office supplies villains. idk what came over me but I got all these ideas on how they can get gijinka’d. i started caring so much that i even came up with a little story of “they were once a family of hard working siblings before the origami king made them into his lackeys which kind of tore the family apart”.

picture unrelated, it’s just my most recent doodle of alia. I should have a design for the other monsters i missed soon. I think I have two left...?

#furry #fursona #alia #fae dragon #asks #it might just be rubber band and hole punch i’m missing #i have sillhouettes in my mind but i dont wanna think too hard unless theres details i dont wanna miss #augh i have to go to work but menwei is sitting on me...#ma’am i love you but please dont have me as a place for u to lick urself #cmon i gotta go make rent so i can keep living with u #AUGH she’s FARTING on me!!!!#I love her so much silly old lady kitty

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spaghettificationandpretzels · 3 years

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Plots line and episode themes that would have improved Sons of Anarchy.

Against my better judgement, I'm re-watching Sons of Anarchy. I've come up with some things that I think would have been good to see; most of them are silly, childish, and unrealistic, but that show was in dire need of some lightness. These are in no particular order, and you are more than welcome to use these ideas for fanfiction (not that they're any good). I must stress that this is for fun, I know how ridiculous all of this sounds.

1. A "day in the life episode" where we follow everyone around for a day or two to see what life was really like.

2. A Halloween episode, trick or treat, decorating the clubhouse, and there's an urban legend that if you ride on Halloween night, you might see the grim reaper on the road. Everyone knows it, half the club is scared shitless, and the other half couldn't care less.

3. A Christmas episode, they have a gift exchange at church, Juice gets everyone a gift certificate to Clear Passages. Happy is secretly the best gift-giver, Gemma insists on spoiling her grandchildren, and Clay is a dick about it.

4. The kitty plotline, Happy, Tig or Kozik (they seem to be the animal lovers), find a neonatal (0-8 weeks) orphaned kitten and spend their day bottle feeding it; everyone takes turns looking after the kitten. They vote for their name, and they are allowed to up on to the church table (not without protest for Clay). One day the kitten falls asleep on the gavel, and no one has the heart to do anything

5. An episode that follows Able and Thomas. We get to see Jax be a father and actually do shit instead of leaving it to Tara and Gemma.

6. An episode that follows the Old Ladies.

7. A "there's a huge storm approaching" episode, where everyone bunkers down to prepare for the oncoming storm. There's at least one scene with thunder and lighting, Piney lets the kitten hide in his Kutt.

8. An episode where a bunch of pick-up artists got to the club thinking they could pick up women and are kicked out for being assholes.

9. A "save the bees" episode where Gemme guilts all the guys into helping out the community garden.

10. The prison plotline. Season 3 should have been a few episodes longer where we get to see the guys in prison and how the club is doing without them. We get more on Tara and Gemma, and there's an episode where Thomas is born.

11. Jax, Tara and the kids go to a shelter to adopt a cat (Charlie Hunnan is a cat person). Happy told Jax if he didn't go to a shelter, he would never forgive him.

12. We actually see the planning of the wedding in season 4. Gemma insists everything be a certain way.

13. An episode that shows the Croweaters (I hate that term) as people and not props.

14. A club party episode (similar to patch over) where we see everything from the planning to the cleanup.

15. A church episode, where most of the episode is set in the temple.

16. An episode where we get to see the guys doing their day jobs as mechanics, workplace inspectors come along, and Gemma death glares then into giving a good report.

17. A musical episode, lots of shows have done one, and the cast is full of excellent singers. Alternatively, someone buys a karaoke machine, and everyone tries it out.

18. In an ideal world, seasons 6-7 didn't happen, and there wasn't so much tragedy but saying that the last scene should have been Jax seeing Tara's spirit and them crossing into the afterlife together. I dislike her character, but Jax did love her, and I still refuse to watch the last half of season 7 because of the shit end, I just wanted a happy ending.

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nashibirne · 3 years

Text

Gimme Shelter - 2

Ready for chapter 2? Here it is. This whole fic, but especially this part, was inspired by this article/interview. Men's Journal Article In particular by Henry's statements about his time at boarding school.

In this chapter we learn about Henry's and Kat's past. I hope you enjoy it. If so, please leave me a comment, like or replog. 💜

Previous part -> Nashi's Masterlist

Pairing: Henry Cavill x OFC (Kat Spencer)

Words: ~3.4k

Summary: Henry has to deal with a personal crisis and he finds shelter with his old rugby mate Sam and his sister Kat. She used to be Henry’s best friend a very long time ago. Will they be able to become friends again or maybe even more? Chapter 2: Kat remembers the day Henry hurt her very much and they have the unavoidable conversation about it.

Warnings: RPF, mention of bullying, angst, humiliation

No beta! All mistakes are mine. English is not my mother tongue so expect bad grammar and wrong spelling.

Disclaimer: I don’t know the real Henry Cavill, this is pure fiction and nothing more

Credits: Pics for the moodboard from Pinterest. Faceclaims: Kat = Jennifer Connelly

Taglist (please let me know if you want to be added or removed)

@lunedelorient @inlovewithhisblueeyes @willkatfanfromasia @hell1129-blog @mis-lil-red @agniavateira @kebabgirl67 @omgkatinka @legendarywizarddetective @summersong69 @taebfada @xxxkatxo @madbaddic7ed @artandotherdelights @sweetlybigdragonn @notabronte @littlefreya @luclittlepond @eldarwen333 @meowpurrbooks @marantha @rn7rocks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"And I say I'll never hurt her

But she knows it isn't true

'Cause although I never told her

I think she knows 'bout me and you."

From "When Susannah Cries", written by Amund Bjorklund/Espen Lind

****

Kat found herself confronted with Henry all alone after a week of avoiding him. Of course they had met when they had dinner together in the evenings but she had stayed out of Sam's and Henry's conversations most of the time and during the day she stayed in her office, busy with work. Sometimes she secretly watched him, peeking out of her window, when he played with Kal in the garden or when he was doing workouts or stretching when he came back from one of his runs, but she avoided meeting him.

She knew it was idiotic but she just couldn't forget their past. She felt childish and silly and of course it was unavoidable to talk about it at some point but she wasn't ready yet. On this Friday morning she was sitting in the kitchen having breakfast when he came back from his morning run unusually late.

"Morning, Kat." He flashed her a bright smile before he started to make a protein shake and an egg sandwich. He looked fantastic even when he was sweaty and worn out.

"Good morning." She avoided his gaze and concentrated on her porridge.

"Mind if I join you?" Henry pointed at the chair opposite of her.

"No. Please, sit." Kat gave him an awkward smile. It still felt so strange to have him around, it made her uncomfortable and tense.

"I already said this to Sam, the house is beautiful. I mean it always was, I remember it very well but what you made of it is great. Modern and traditional at the same time, perfect mixture."

"Thank you." She didn't know what else to say but Henry didn't seem to mind her taciturn reply, he kept on smiling and talking.

"I was pretty surprised when I heard that you moved here. I mean, you were always a big city girl, you hated Stowe, and then...St. Ives...not only for holidays but for good…"

"Yeah. At some point I was getting sick of the big city lights, of all the hectic and the noise and all the crowded places." Kat explained shrugging. "And when our parents thought about selling the house after their divorce, Sam and I decided to buy and renovate it. He was looking for a place to open a practise anyway and the old vet in town was giving up his, so it was the perfect opportunity for him and I can work from anywhere so we moved here."

"Right, Sam mentioned you're an editor."

"Yes. I have a little editing office and work as a freelancer for different publishing houses."

"That's great, Kat. You've always been good with words."

She smiled and this time it was more relaxed. "And you've always been a good entertainer."

Henry chuckled. "Most of the time you found my little performances annoying. I remember that very well."

Kat laughed. "You're right. When you tried your stand up comedy on me. That was a pain in the ass. But you were great on stage. You were a natural."

"We were a great team, all of our drama group."

"That's true but you were outstanding in Grease. Everyone said that. I remember our parents were gushing over your performance all night after the premiere." She laughed again and rolled her eyes.

"That must have sucked. Didn't your mother want to make you join the drama group too?" "Yes. And she hated that I preferred to write for the school newspaper. She thought I was wasting my creative potential."

"She was wrong. Your articles always were the most progressive, interesting and polarizing ones."

"Yeah, maybe. But she was right when she said you were extraordinarily talented. You're a great actor."

"Thanks, Kitty."

Her smile froze. Kitty. He was the only one who'd ever called her that. And he stopped doing it 22 years ago.

"I'm sorry, Kat. I don't know where that came from." He said with a remorseful frown.

"Just don't call me that ever again."

"Of course not. Unless you ask me to." He gave her a sheepish smile.

She shook her head, visibly annoyed. "Not gonna happen."

"Kat. Please, I'm really sorry and I know I lost every right to call you that a very long time ago but maybe we can start over again. Talk about what happened. I never got the chance to explain…"

"Don't even start, okay? I don't wanna hear it." She interrupted him mid-sentence and started to stir her coffee so angrily that she spilled half of it on the table.

Henry began to chew on his bottom lip. "It's just that my therapist told me to follow through my past, to take a close look at the mistakes I've made...to learn from them."

"My, my...too bad my therapist told me the exact opposite. Let the past die. Kill it if you have to. That's what he said."

Kat shrugged apologetically.

"That's not something a therapist would say, Kat. This is from Star Wars The Last Jedi. Ben Solo said this to Rey."

He knew the quote. Still a nerd, Kat thought. Still that damn cute dork.

"Never underestimate the wisdom of a Star Wars character."

"Ok, I get it. You don't wanna talk about it." Henry raised his hands in surrender.

"You catch on quick, don't you?" Kat said sarcastically.

Henry shook his head, rolling his eyes with an annoyed snort.

"Alright, let's keep it under the cloak of silence."

"Yup."

"Fine."

Kat crossed her arms and stared out of the window. Henry was fuming with anger. Why wouldn't she let him explain? Make a fresh start? They were 16 back then, stupid teenagers, why wasn't it possible to talk about this damn night now, 22 bloody years later? He bolted down his sandwich and his shake and left the room without another word.

****

Kat went upstairs after this unpleasant encounter and plopped down on her bed with a desperate sigh. She remembered that damn night so fucking well. Still. After all these years. It was burnt into her memory as the biggest humiliation of her life. The day her heart broke in a way, no man had ever been able to repair it. Superficially maybe but not to the core. That stupid summer dance. Kat closed her eyes and suddenly she was sixteen again.

I really don't know why I'm already wearing that silly dress three hours before I have to go, I didn't want to have it at all. At least not before Henry suggested going to the dance with me. As friends of course but nevertheless. It will be the two of us together. You and me, Kitty. Two lonely hearts. That's what Henry said to me. That was four weeks ago and ever since that day it's all I can think about. I look at my reflection in the mirror and I like what I see. The dress is cute, it's light blue and quite romantic with all the frills and the puffed sleeves and I feel like an Edwardian lady from one of the novels Henry and I love so much. I feel pretty and I want to be pretty for him. I want to look like a girl tonight, not like a tomboy. I even bought a headband with little flowers. I'd really love to hear Amy's opinion on my dress. She's my roommate and friend but she's at the hospital because she had an appendix operation.

The ringing of the phone in our room startles me. I take the call. It's Henry and he sounds awful. He says he has a very bad migraine and that he cannot go to the dance with me. He apologizes several times but of course it's not his fault. I know he has these attacks from time to time and I know he can't leave his bed when he does. He needs to sleep in complete silence and darkness and tomorrow he will be fine again. He tells me he wants me to go alone, to have fun tonight but of course I'm not going anywhere without him and he knows it. It's a shame, that's true but where's the point in going to a dance alone without my only friends, without Amy, without Henry.

I take off my dress and put on jeans and a hoodie. I look out of the window, the weather is wonderful and I decide to take a walk to distract myself from the disappointment.

Of course I run right into my big brother Samuel. He asks me what I'm doing in the park. Why I'm not getting ready for the big party and for my date. He just can't stop making fun of me. He knows it's not a date, that Henry and I are just friends but he loves to tease me. He says I'm in love with Henry and of course he's right, I am in love with him, deeply, I'm in love for the first time in my life but I keep on denying it. Sam must never know that he's right because he would use it against me, that's for sure. When I tell him about Henry and the migraine he says I can't skip the dance, that I really need some fun and that I'm going to like it. He convinces me to go with him. His date has dumped him because he cheated on her. He's a notorious heartbreaker but deep inside he is a nice guy and -all in all- a pretty good big brother. I hesitate but then I think of the beautiful dress that's waiting for me in my room and so I finally agree.

I go to Henry's room to tell him I'm going with Sam and to explain why. I don't want him to be upset that I go without him. I knock but there's no answer. I guess he sleeps and I don't want to wake him up and so I leave.

Sam picks me up at nine. The dance starts at eight but he wants a big entrance. It's all about attention and drama, Kat, he says and I guess he's right.

When we arrive at the party Sam soon disappears with Molly Smith, one of his many exes and I stand alone beside the cold buffet. That's when I see him. At first I don't believe my eyes but it's really him. It's Henry. He's standing there with all the popular kids, chatting and laughing and holding hands with Poppy Edwards, the most beautiful girl of our school. No sign of a bad migraine. I feel like I'm going to pass out. I can't look away, I want to but I just can't turn my eyes away from him. When he notices me his face falls. He stares at me and so does everyone who's standing there with him. My first impulse is to turn around and run away but I don't. My pride is stronger than the stinging pain in my heart. He obviously doesn't want me to be here. To see him with his new friends and his date or girlfriend or whatever this is. I jut my chin defiantly and stand my ground. I watch in horror how Poppy takes Henry by the hand and drags him in my direction. Their friends follow them.

She greets me with a smile that's sweet as sugar but the words that come out of her mouth are like poison. "Katherine, what a pretty dress. Where did you get it?" Before I'm able to stammer an answer she keeps going. "Did you find it in the prop room of the drama group? You look like Eliza Doolittle." She gives me a fake smile and her stupid friends start to giggle. I know my face is flaming red with anger, embarrassment and humiliation but Poppy's not done with me yet. She turns to Henry. "I bet she wants you to be her Professor Higgins. Everybody knows she has a crush on you. Maybe she wants to kiss you. Do you want to kiss this dressed up tomboy, Henry? Or do you want to kiss me?" Now every single one of them bursts out laughing and it feels like a punch in the guts. I'm on the brink of tears. I look at Henry, searching for help, but there's no reaction. He doesn't speak up against them, does nothing to defend and protect me, he doesn't even look at me. He doesn't do anything, he just stands there staring holes in the ground, avoiding my gaze. I can't stand this anymore. Him. Her. All of them. I turn around and leave fully aware of the fact that this moment marks the end of our friendship.

When Kat woke up from that ghastly memory she felt just as terrible as 22 years ago. Humiliated and ashamed and angry. Very angry. She got up with a jolt, ran up the stairs to the second floor and headed right to Henry's rooms. She didn't knock, just stormed in, finding him standing there in only a pair of briefs. His curls were wet and he smelled heavenly. She stopped in her tracks and Henry stared at her. "Kat. What the fuck. Ever heard of privacy? Ever heard of knocking?"

She didn't answer, she just stood there unsure what to do or say. Henry put on a shirt and sweatpants and turned to her again. "Can I help you?"

"Explain." Kat said. "Explain to me what happened at the dance."

"Now?"

"Yes. Now. Is that a problem?"

He shook his head slowly. "Not at all. Wanna sit?"

"No. I'm fine."

"Come on, Kat. This may take a while."

With a sigh she sat down on the sofa while Henry plopped down in the arm chair beside the window.

"So?" Kat looked at him expectantly.

"Well, first of all I wanna say I was a stupid wank back then. I lied to you and I let you down. I know this now, I knew it then, but when Poppy asked me to go to the dance with her…"

"When?"

"What?"

"When did she ask you?"

"A week before the ball."

Kat nodded. "Okay. Go on."

"Right. When Poppy asked me I just couldn't say no. I mean she was the most popular girl in our school and she wanted to go with a nobody like me. With fat Cavill, the lemon. Her attention just felt so good. The thought that she might be interested in me...it was too tempting to not give it a try. I just couldn't refuse her. I faked that migraine because I thought it was the easiest way to keep you away from the dance. I was sure you'd never go without me but I was wrong. I considered telling you the truth, I really did because I hated lying to you, Kat, but I finally decided to keep it a secret because I was sure you would try to talk me out of it. I knew you hated Poppy..."

"Yes, I did. She was a bitch. A manipulative, arrogant bitch and a bully."

"Like Aaron Taylor you mean?" Henry snapped at her with an angry glance. After all these years he was still jealous of the guy. "Aaron was arrogant, yes, but he was never manipulating anyone. He was more honest and true to himself than every single one of you and your friends. And for sure he was no bully. I wouldn't have been with him if he'd bullied anyone. He was a good guy."

"Poppy wasn't that bad either. The real Poppy I mean. Not the queen bee she pretended to be."

Kat turned her eyes towards the ceiling and shook her head in disbelief. "Yeah, sure. She was an angel…You know, that was the hardest part. To process that you of all people were with a girl like her. She and her friends made fun of us and our love for literature so many times." Her voice got tense and she took a deep breath to calm down. Henry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before he continued to speak.

"Anyway. I never wanted to hurt you, Kat. I hope you know that. I didn't expect you to show up and I know the way I treated you was awful. I didn't defend you, I hurt your feelings, I betrayed you and behaved like an asshole. I know this is almost inexcusable but I want you to know that I'm really sorry. I was back then but I didn't dare to tell you. And I still am. I'm sorry and ashamed of my behaviour. I can only apologize and hope for forgiveness." He avoided her gaze, staring at his hands.

A long silent pause followed his statement but after a while Kat inhaled deeply and after clearing her throat she started to talk. "Thank you, Henry. This really means a lot to me. I mean, hearing you admit all that. And the betrayal, that's what hurt the most. I want you to know that it was never about the fact that you didn't return my feelings for you. I mean, of course I was jealous of Poppy, but…"

Now Henry was the one to cut in.

"Wait. Your feelings for me?" He sounded genuinely surprised.

"Come on, don't act stupid. You must have known how I felt about you. I was pretty obvious and Poppy told everyone at the dance that I had a crush on you." Kat knew she was blushing but it was embarrassing to say that out loud.

"Kat, I swear I had no idea. I thought Poppy was just joking. I never considered you'd see me this way." He looked her right in the eyes before he continued. "You told me that you don't see me as a boy. That I was -and that's a quote I will never be able to forget- 'just like a girl that has a teeny wiener' to you."

"Oh god, Henry. I was 13 when I said that and I was a brat with a loose tongue. I did see you as a boy when we got older. Of course I did…" Kat gave him an awkward smile.

"So you really had a crush on me? Why didn't you say anything?"

"To be honest it was a little more than a crush. I was in love with you. And when you said you'd go to the dance with me I thought that maybe there we would dance and get close and maybe share a special moment and a kiss or...I don't know. I just had these silly romantic fantasies…" Kat swallowed hard and shrugged.

"You hoped that we'd become a couple that night."

She nodded.

"I never knew this, Kat." Henry felt awful. If he'd only known, he would never have said yes to Poppy if he'd had the slightest notion that Kat was in love with him.

"Well, it doesn't matter anymore, does it. That was 22 years ago. I'm not that girl anymore and you most definitely aren't that boy."

Kat got up and clapped her hands.

"I guess it's a good thing we've talked this through. Your therapist is going to like it." She gave him a sarcastic smile and Henry got up too. He came closer but Kat took a step back and so he didn't move any further.

"Do you think you can forgive me?"

"I already have, Henry. I know you didn't do it on purpose or to hurt me. We were so young and now as an adult I somehow unterstand why you acted that way...but that's not the point. The problem is to forget and to trust you again."

He nodded slowly. "I understand that, Kat. Just give me a second chance, okay?"

She took a deep breath. "I'll try to. But I need time. Time to get used to you, to the whole situation."

"Sure." And then he pulled her into a hug that felt right and wrong at the same time and left her dizzy and with a racing heart. "I won't let you down again, Kat." Oh how she wished she could believe his whispered words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

tbc

#rpf #henry cavill rpf #henry cavill fanfic #henry cavill #cavillry #henry cavill fandom #henry cavill x ofc #friends to lovers #slow burn #henry cavill slow burn #henry cavill friends to lovers #friends to lovers fic #slow burn fic

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lu-undy · 3 years

Text

Happy birthday, Solitude But Two!

Here is a bonus Chapter!

"You guys will be alright, yeah?"

"Of course, Micky, it's not the first time you leave the kitties with us."

"But it's gonna be more than an evenin' this time. Also, before I forget, I put one of Lu's shirts in the bag, they need it to sleep, don't forget it or they'll harass you until you give it to them."

Perle was gladly following Caroline around while Soot lay on Mike's lap, purring as the old man gently massaged the black cat.

"Bah, we raised you and we used to have cats as well as dogs."

"Your Mum's right." Mike answered from the sofa. "We'll be fine. You go and have fun with Lucien. Did you tell him by the way?"

"Nah, not yet. I'm keepin' it a surprise for him. Speaking of, I really gotta go or we’ll be late. He’s waitin’ to have lunch with me before I take him."

"You arranged everythin'?" Caroline asked.

"Yeah, almost. Right, you guys take care, alright?"

"We will, Micky, you go and have your fun with your Lu'." Caroline answered as Mundy opened the front door.

"Meow!" Perle came trotting to her father and Soot jumped out of Mike's lap to join her.

"Oh, sure, baby, c'mere you guys…" Mundy squatted down and dealt headbutts and scratches left and right to both the felines. "You behave with Grandma and Grandpa, yeah?"

"Meow."

"Good babies." He left a kiss on their heads and pushed himself back to stand up. "See ya!"

"See you in a few weeks, Micky!"

A few moments later, the Aussie was on his motorcycle, racing through the streets and in his own mind. He had been preparing this for a while now.

It had been one year.

One year since he had put a ring on Lucien's finger and vice versa. Well, it would be one year exactly in a few days and this was what it was all about, celebrating the first anniversary of Lucien and him being… well… husbands?

Of course, their legal status remained single but in their hearts and their heads, they were very much taken and faithful to each other. Mundy never did attract a lot of attention from ladies and gents, but Lucien…

Every time the couple was having dinner outside, or enjoying a party with the few friends they had made, one person would walk to Lucien and hit on him. The first time it happened, it was a woman but Mundy nonetheless felt the itch to show her the rings, Lucien's and his. As he came close to his lover, he heard Lucien chuckle at the poor woman's attempt to pull her into her bed. He remembered it with a smile now…

“Oh, here you are, Mundy.”

“Hey, Lu.”

The woman had raised her eyes to the Aussie.

“This your friend?” She asked.

“More than that…” Lucien put a hand on Mundy’s chest and leaned on him. “Please meet my everything, Mundy. Mundy, this is the charming Amanda.”

“Hey there.” Mundy had stuck to being cold but polite, a defensive hand went to grab his Lucien and pull him to himself, almost defensively.

“What d’you mean, ‘your everything’?” She chuckled with a raised eyebrow, confused and slightly mocking.

“I mean this.” Lucien answered and pulled Mudy’s neck down for the Aussie to be at his lips height. He pushed a loving kiss on his lips and released him. Mund opened his eyes again, his mind still on the kiss even though Lucien’s lips had parted from his.

Amanda’s jaw hung low and wide.

“He is my husband, look!” Lucien went on, uphased. “This is the ring. It has only been a few months, mind you, time flies, but we love each other as if we were half our ages… Oh? Amanda?”

The woman had spun on her heels and left, leaving Lucien to chuckle and turn back to Mundy.

“So, mon loup, are you enjoying your evening?”

[My wolf]

“Uh… Y-yeah… Wasn’t she hittin’ on you?” Mundy nodded in the direction of the woman.

“She was, very much.” Lucien answered. “But for some reason she left now. I cannot think why… Women shall remain a mystery!”

“Maybe that’s cause you snogged me like there’s no tomorrow in front of her?” Mundy answered.

“Oh, that? Maybe.” Lucien answered and leaned against Mundy’s shoulder again. He stared at the woman refilling her glass with whatever strong alcohol she could find before he raised his light blue eyes to his lover.

They exchanged a smile.

“You’re a devil, you know that?” Mundy said.

“Maybe, but I am having great fun.”

“Why did you do that to her? You could have just said that you were already with someone.”

“And miss this laughter we shared? For nothing in the world. This ring that she chose to ignore,” Lucien raised his hand to Mundy. “It means that I vowed to make you happy. You did laugh, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I did. “

“Then I am upholding my vows. Très bien.”

[Very well]

“You’re mean, Lu’. Look at her now…”

“I am not mean. If anything, she was.”

“What?!” Mundys eyebrows jumped in surprise.

“I am wearing my engagement ring and she still chooses to approach me. She knew she was taking a risk and she liked the thrill of it. Well, let this be a lesson for her: not all the risks are worth taking, Madame Amanda.”

“Well, if you put it that way…” Mundy agreed.

And Mundy reached his destination, which pulled him out of his daydream. He parked the motorcycle safely and entered his house.

“Mon loup, c’est toi?”

[My wolf, is that you?]

“Oui, mon amour.”

[Yes, my love.]

Lucien rose from his armchair and met his love at the front door.

"Your accent when you speak French is delicious…" He said before pushing himself to the tip of his toes and kissing Mundy.

"I'm makin' progress, aren't I?" Mundy laced his arms around Lucien's waist.

"Oui, but please, never lose your accent."

"If it goes like it does with you, I'll still have my accent in a hundred years."

"Are you saying I am old?" Lucien frowned in an exaggeratedly sad way.

"I'm not the one spendin' my time sayin' 'You'll see when you get to my age', eh!"

"Pfff…"

They chuckled together.

"You ready?" Mundy asked.

"Where are you taking me for lunch?"

"Where d'you think?"

"Hm…" The couple exited the house and Mundy locked the door as Lucien thought out loud. "Maybe the new Lebanese place that opened in town? I am told it is exquisite and very reasonable in price."

"Since when d'you care about the price of things?" Mundy smiled. "Oh, no, no, Lu', we're not goin' with the bike. I called a taxi."

"Oh? This means that you intend to get drunk, so maybe the Irish pub? But isn't it early to get drunk?"

"Never too early to be with you, baby." Mundy raised his arm for the taxi to stop while Lucien's blush took a moment to fade.

They both embarked in the taxi.

"Where to, Sir?" The driver asked.

"Where I told you on the phone, please." Mundy answered.

"Alright." The driver let his foot press on the gas pedal and off they all went.

"Tu me caches des secrets?"

[You are holding secrets from me?]

"Oui." Mundy answered.

"Dis-moi où tu m'emmènes." Lucien asked.

[Tell me where you are taking me.]

Mundy shook his head and took a glance in the inside rear view mirror. The driver was busy. Good. The Aussie slid his hand to take his lover’s.

“C’est une surprise, doll.” He answered with his accent.

[It’s a surprise.]

“D’accord.” Lucien smiled and nodded.

[Very well.]

And the ride took them away from where the usual restaurants the couple frequented used to go. Lucien straightened his back and looked through the window. He started frowning when he saw the control tower of the airport, the same one he had landed in, a few years ago now. And it got him thinking. What if he could go back and see the Lucien that disembarked on the plane that day. Would the slightly younger Lucien believe him if he had told him what he would become? What would he even tell him?

Tu rencontreras l’homme de ta vie et ta vie basculera. Tu ne demanderas plus comment ni pourquoi. Tu vivras l’instant, tout simplement, comme quand tu avais vingt ans. Tu vivras et aimeras, comme quand tu avais vingt ans. Tu seras heureux comme jamais tu ne l’as été.

[You will meet the man of your life and your life will flip upside down. You will not wonder how or why anymore. You will live the instant, simply, as you did when you were twenty. You will live and you will love, as you did when you were twenty. You will be happy as you never were before.]

Would the younger Lucien believe him or would he laugh at him, scornful and disdainful, before he would realise that perhaps, the older him was senile, old, and out of his mind?

Pff, in the end, Lucien did not even care. He smiled at that version of himself. The bitter, cynical and lonely old man. He was now even older, but so much happier…!

"Lu'?"

Mundy's voice broke the Frenchman's train of thought.

"Oui?"

"Je t'aime."

[I love you.]

Mundy said those words with such honesty in his eyes that Lucien's cheeks turned pink on their own.

"Moi aussi."

[Me too.]

He smiled back at him and clenched his fingers a bit harder between Mundy's.

"Alright, we're gettin' there, Sir. Which door should I drop you at?" The driver asked.

"Departures, please." Mundy answered, his eyes sealed on Lucien's and the Frenchman's eyebrows jumped.

"Departures?" He repeated.

"Yeah."

"Are we… travelling?"

"Yeah."

"But Mundy, we haven't taken any luggage with us?"

"Don't be silly." Mundy gently chuckled as the driver parked.

Both men exited the car and Mundy winked at Lucien.

"C'mon, Lu', keep up! We don't wanna miss the flight…!"

"W-wait!" Lucien caught up with his lover.

The airport was as busy as an anthill. People coming, going, running, pushing carts, holding their hats on their heads as they ran.

"Mundy, were you serious?"

"Course I am! We're goin', c'mon!" Mundy glanced up at a screen and quickly spun on his heels to change direction. Lucien followed, sometimes even trotting after his lover.

"But where are we going?"

"Told you, and in French at that, it's a surprise."

"You cannot keep the surprise going forever, I will soon know." Lucien answered.

"Yeah, but meanwhile, I'm likin' this whole 'Lu' doesn't know what's happenin'' business." Mundy smirked and looked down at Lucien, which he knew the Frenchman had a weakness for.

"I shall find out myself!"

"Alright, good luck, Sherlock." Mundy winked and Lucien smiled.

They walked through halls and corridors.

"Uh, uh, uh! Gimme what you took from my pocket back!" Mundy stopped walking and turned to Lucien

"How could you possibly know?!" Lucien stopped. "I made every effort for you not to feel it!"

"You stole somethin' from my back pocket." Mundy said and opened his palm flat. "Give it back…"

"How did you know?" Lucien frowned.

Mundy sighed with a smile. He took the step that separated him from his lover and bent slightly such that his lips were next to the Frenchman's ear.

"I felt you touched my butt, and I liked it."

"Ah…" Lucien lowered his head and raised the plane tickets that he had taken from Mundy's back pocket.

"Thank you, now stop bein' a spook and follow me."

They went on following sign after sign and looking at all the screens they met.

"Here, that's the search thingy. I hope you don't have your blade with you." Mundy said as they queued.

"What do you take me for?"

Both men started undoing their belts. Mundy removed his glasses and his hat. When the Aussie finished, he walked through the metal detector and soon after, his lover followed him.

BEEP!

"Ah, oui, I must explain myself." Lucien calmly said and Mundy observed the scene. "This is my passport. If you run a check on me, you will understand."

The security employee took the passport and disappeared for a while. He came back and his colleague stopped him.

"Hey, don't let him go, he had a knife in his belongings!"

"No, we have to let him go." The man handed Lucien his passport back. "With the knife and all. Have a good day, Sir, and sorry for the inconvenience."

"No problem, you are but doing your job, Monsieur." Lucien took his belongings back and left the area. "Mundy? Are you coming? I do not know which gate we should head to."

Mundy had been standing there, his belt half put on, half still dangling down. His jaw had dropped as he watched.

"Uh, y-yeah."

"Mundy." Lucien stopped him.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you should finish putting your belt first?" Lucien tilted his head on the side and Mundy looked down at his waist.

"Ah, uh, yeah…"

A few moments later, both of them were standing in front of a screen.

"Well, this is the moment where you'll see where I'm takin' you, doll."

"Oui, it is. So? Which gate shall we go to?"

"Forty-five."

Lucien's eyes scanned the screen.

"Oh… Mundy, but… Why Paris?"

"Because I love you, and I wanna see what it's like over there."

"I…"

"C'mon, let's go."

When they sat on the metallic, back-breaking bench at the gate, they chose a corner where they could be alone and in peace.

"Mundy, why go to Paris, honestly?" Lucien looked up at his lover.

"Told you. I wanna see what your life was like when you were there. I mean… I know you told me you're not from there. But still… Besides, you've been livin' with me in Oz for a while, you've seen me and my life, I wanna see yours."

"I have indeed seen the Bushman in his natural habitat." Both exchanged a chuckle.

"Look, if you don't want it, we can go back home. I don't wanna force you, baby." Mundy cast his eye around and dropped his hat on his thigh. He then slid his hand and pulled Lucien's underneath it. The Frenchman felt Mundy's thumb brush against the back of his hand.

"So, what d'you say?" Mundy asked.

"I say we go and I will show you the city where I grew up." Lucien answered.

"You sure?"

"We are about to board, Mundy, it is rather late to turn and go back home, non?"

"No, not at all. If you feel awkward or anythin', we can go back home. I wanted to make it a surprise for you but the point's not for you to feel weird about it."

"Non, Mundy, you are right. I should show you." Lucien clenched his grip on Mundy's hand.

"You sure? I mean, are you happy to do it?"

"Delighted."

And Mundy took a second to stare in his lover’s eyes. Was he lying just to please him? To not make him feel awkward? The Aussie slightly squinted. He looked through the crystal clear irises to see the soul beyond them. Were Lucien’s lips deceiving the Aussie? Bah, it wouldn’t be the first time but… When was the last time that Lucien had lied?

Hm.

Oh! Yeah, Mundy remembered it, it was…

At the lake, almost exactly one year before, the wig. Lucien had worn a wig because he thought his lover could only look at him with the eyes of love when he made himself more feminine. It was obviously wrong and Mundy had tossed the long-haired lie away. That was Lucie’s last one.

Mundy blinked and his eyebrow relaxed. Lucien was not lying. He was looking up at the Aussie with eyes that screamed his limitless love for him.

“Alright then, doll. Glad you’re happy to show me around.”

“Of course.” Lucien answered. “I am surprised by this trip but welcome it warmly. I think we should probably have done that before but I suppose we did not stop to think about it.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Got any ideas on what we should see?”

“Apart from the classics like the Tour Eiffel, the Arc de triomphe, and other tourist attractions? Hm, I shall think about it.”

“Can I ask you to show me some stuff in particular?”

“But of course. What do you have in mind?”

“Where you lived, where you worked, places you liked to eat at, that kind of thing.”

"I will."

They exchanged a conniving smile and the call to board the plane interrupted them.

"Ready, baby?"

"Oui."

"Right, let's go and queue."

A few minutes later, both found their seats in the plane and Mundy looked through the window. The sky was blue despite the relative cold of winter. Well, once in Paris, it will be summer… The plane took off and when the couple was higher in the sky than the clouds themselves, Lucien looked up at Mundy on his left.

“I am surprised.”

“You’d better. Been hidin’ evidence of everything.”

“How did you do it?”

“Gave the tickets and everything to my Mum.” Mundy smiled. “I even tried to not think about it. I never know with you; could turn out that you can read my thoughts or somethin’.”

Lucien chuckled.

“I could indeed.” He confirmed with a lingering smirk on his lips. “However, I choose not to.”

“Why?”

“The Lucien of the previous life used to read minds because he needed it.”

“And now it’s just a hobby?” Mundy chuckled.

“Almost.” Lucien answered. “Non, I value my relationship too much with you to not give you the same privacy that you give me. It is a question of respect. However, it is cute to see you try to read me to see if I lie sometimes.”

“Ah, uh, well…” Mundy scratched the back of his head. “Sorry... I don’t want you to think that I don’t trust you…”

“Not at all. It gives me the impression that you really want to know what is going on in my head, which I appreciate.”

“Really?”

“Oui, I like this side of you, the side that wants to read all my fears in my eyes before I am fully aware of them.”

Mundy blushed.

“Yeah, well… Sorry, can’t help it.”

“It is a gift and a blessing, thank you for being so.”

“You’re welcome, baby. But uh, Lu’?”

“Oui?”

“Why did you say you were surprised?”

“Ah…” Lucien chuckled before he even gave the answer. “I did not take you for the business class ticket kind of a man.”

“I was gonna go for the economy thing, but then Mum said that in business we’d get a booth and we wouldn’t be bothered by people givin’ us looks. So I can do this…” Mundy reached for Lucien’s hand and took it. “And no one’ll look weird at us.”

“Cutely thoughtful of you, mon loup.”

“You can thank my Mum for that.”

Both chuckled and Lucien leaned his head on Mundy's shoulder.

“I will, but in the meantime, thank you, mon amour.”

Minutes passed that turned into hours and the sky naturally darkened. After the dinner they were handed in, the couple closed their eyes.

“Mornin’, luv’.”

“Bonjour, mon amour.”

[Good morning, my love.]

Both yawned, woken up by the bright morning sun above the clouds.

“Slept well?”

“I think my neck will hate me for a few hours only. What about you?”

“My legs…”

“How long do we have left until we land?”

“Uh…” Mundy checked his watch. “A few hours…?”

“Mundy.”

“Some number of hours…?”

“Mon loup.”

“Alright, ok, we got three hours left.”

“That isn’t that bad, actually.” Lucien answered, surprised.

“Yup. Oh, Lu’, I just thought about something.”

“Oui?”

“Uhm… Y’know how I told you I wanted to visit your workplace?”

“Oui, I remember.”

“How’re you gonna do it? I mean you're supposed to be dead for the Ministry back there, aren’t you?”

“Indeed, I am. You will have to call me by my second name when we get there so as not to raise suspicions.”

“But you still look like yourself. People will recognise you, won’t they?”

“Non, they will not. I was once a spy: entering places I shouldn't be while being someone I am not was my occupation for decades and not a trade easily forgotten.” Lucien raised his eyes to Mundy. “Do not worry, I will show you the Ministry.” He smiled tenderly.

“Alright, I trust you. But if you think we can’t make it or somethin’, there’s no shame in sayin’ it.”

“Non, absolutely not, you are right. But this will be easy.”

A few hours and a nap later, the pilot announced the imminent landing. Mundy looked at the city below the plane. He could see a river flowing, zigzagging through the capital.

“C’est la Seine.”

[It is the Seine.]

“Oh…”

“Ca, c’est l’île Saint-Louis… Et ça ? tu peux me dire ce que c’est ?”

[This is the Saint-Louis Island… And this? Can you tell me what it is?]

Lucien pointed and Mundy squinted to see better.

“It’s… Oh! C’est la Tour Eiffel, non?”

[It’s the Eiffel Tower, isn’t it?]

Mundy answered in French and Lucien looked at him as he always did, yet each time, the Aussie couldn’t help but fall slightly deeper for his lover.

“Oui, c’est la tour Eiffel.”

[Yes, it is the Eiffel Tower.]

Lucien confirmed.

“It’s the real thing? It’s tiny…”

Lucien’s smile vanished.

“I beg your pardon?”

“It’s tiny! I thought it was supposed to be very tall!”

“Well, you will climb it using the stairs and I swear to God your thighs will make you regret these words!” Lucien answered and Lundy burst into laughter.

“I’m jokin’, you sensitive, patriotic old baby…”

“Hm, joking now, aren’t you…? I will still make you climb to the top of it on the stairs.”

“How many steps is it to the top, d’you know?”

“One thousand six hundred and sixty-five. It takes between half an hour and forty-five minutes to climb it to the second floor which is not even the top.”

“You're pulling that out of your arse, aren’t you?”

“You shall see….!” Lucien leaned back on his seat with a smug smile on his lips.

“Hm… Hold on, we aren’t gettin’ closer to the ground, the Eiffel Tower’s still tiny…”

“It is because it is forbidden to fly over Paris.”

“Are you serious?”

“Oui, I am, it has been so since the Second World War, if I remember correctly.”

“Woah… You guys know no Germans are gonna come and bully you again, don’t you?”

“We know. But we would rather keep our sky blue and free of planes.” Lucien answered.

“Fair enough. Makes it more calm I guess."

When the plane landed and both made it through, Mundy held Lucien back in front of the airport's closed doors.

"Hold on, before we step into actual Paris…"

"Oui?"

"I love you, Lu'."

Lucien smiled.

"I love you too."

"Alright, now, we can go."

They took a step more and the doors slid open. The first rays on the Parisian summer sun hit their skin warmly and the lightest of breezes grazed their cheeks before rolling up to the sky.

“Here we are then, eh? Paris.” Mundy said looking around him.

“We are outside of the city itself but I guess you booked a hotel inside?” Lucien asked.

“Actually, I didn’t.”

“Oh?” Lucien raised surprised eyebrows.

“I was kind of counting on you to know where to go…?” Mundy admitted with a half ashamed smile.

“Oh, of course. I have recommendations.”

“You choose then, Lu’. I looked up the hotels and stuff but there were too many of them and I didn’t know which one to pick.”

“It is fine, let us call a taxi, I know where we should go.” Lucien smiled.

“Thanks, Lu’.”

“My pleasure.”

After half an hour inside a taxi, both stepped out in front of a hotel and Lucien waited for the car to disappear behind him.

“Welcome to the Ritz.” Lucien said and Mundy looked up to take the large three-floor building in. The architecture was nothing like he had seen so far. At the end of a flight of stairs hidden by a red carpet, the doors stood wide and tall between spiral-trimmed slim plants and equally fancy dressed porters. A French flag was flying above the double door that put a slight proud smile on Lucien’s lips. The walls were all made out of light beige stone and on each floor, rectangular windows were neatly and equally spaced. On the first floor were slim balconies adorned with a golden plated logo of the hotel. As Mundy’s eyes followed the column of clean stones, jumping from one window to the one above, he noticed that high up, the roof was covered in dark slate with windows surrounded by smoothly moulded, light beige stone.

“Gosh…”

“Come on, we both need a shower at least.” Lucien smiled at how absorbed Mundy was by the looks of the building.

The couple decided to take a few days of rest and let the jet-lag fade away slowly. They had their clothes bought and delivered to them at the hotel and enjoyed their meals either in their suite or in the restaurant downstairs.

“What did you say the room we’re in was called?”

Lucien chuckled.

“It is not a room, but a suite, mon amour, and it is called the Coco Chanel suite.”

“Funny name…”

“It is the name of a prestigious designer. She designed the room herself.”

“She was French?”

“Oui, she was.”

“Ah, guess it makes sense… How much is it per night?”

“A price that pales next to that of your company.” Lucien poetically answered.

“Thanks, Lu, but I meant in Francs?”

“About a hundred…”

“Oh that’s quite cheap for a suite.”

“... Thousand Francs per night.”

“WHAT?!” Mundy almost spat his coffee out.

Lucien burst out laughing, catching his breath in the short little snorts that Mundy fell in love with.

The next couple of days were spent visiting all the tourist-heavy places: the Eiffel Tower, the cathedral of Notre-Dame, the Palace of Versailles… Mundy saw more paintings and sculptures in those few days than he did in his entire life.

“Stop.”

Lucien’s voice was firm, too firm and cold to be addressing Mundy. The Aussie turned and saw Lucien with his hand on a young man's wrist.

“Hold on, that’s my wallet in your hand…!” Mundy snatched it back from the stranger's hand.

“La prochaine fois que tu pick-pocket quelqu’un, choisis mieux ta cible et ne regarde pas autant que ça à droite et à gauche, on te voit venir à des kilomètres.”

[Next time you pickpocket someone, choose your target more carefully and don’t look so much left and right, you are telegraphing all your moves.]

The young man opened wide eyes and as soon as Lucien released his wrist, he darted off.

“Attends.”

He stopped and turned to Lucien, a few metres away from him.

“Tiens. Et tu n’es pas mauvais, tu devrais en faire quelque chose.”

[Here. And you are not bad, you should do something out of it.]

Lucien handed him a note. The young man took it and left.

“You gave him money?” Mundy asked.

“Oui.” Lucien resumed his walk and Mundy followed him.

“Why?”

“Because stealing is rarely a hobby. If one does it, it is out of necessity. Throwing this young man in a cell will not help him at all. On the other hand, helping him such should.”

Mundy fell silent for a moment.

“Besides,” Lucien started speaking again. “I was once this young man, only I never got caught.”

The next day, the couple woke up normally. Good, the jet-lag had finally passed.

“Mundy?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to visit the ministry today?”

The half woken up Australian opened wide eyes in a flash.

“Sure. Uhm, how are we gonna do this?”

“I have an idea. But I need to call Maurice first. You go and take a shower, I will telephone him and will let you know.”

“Alright.”

A couple of hours later, both men stood in front of an elegant building in the heart of the fifth district of Paris, or as Mundy liked to call it ‘the fancy one”.

“Shall we?” Lucien asked.

“I’d follow you but ho ‘re we gonna go through these soldiers?”

Two military looking people were guarding the entry and checking everyones credentials.

“As easy as just follow me.” Lucien answered with a smile before he took the flight of stairs up and met with the soldiers.

“Bonjour, Messieurs. Nous venons de la part de Maurice de Ronzières, en Australie.”

[Good morning gentlemen. We come on behalf of Maurice de Ronzières, in Australia.]

“Je dois vérifier.”

[I must check.]

“Faites donc.”

[Pray do.]

Both men waited at the door and when the guard came back to them, he let them in.

“Gosh, Lu’ - I mean, Louis… We’re in…”

“Oui, welcome to a place that they redecorated and I barely recognise…” Lucien shook his head disappointedly as he held his hips.

“That means we can’t visit it cause you don’t know where stuff is anymore?”

“Non, non.”

“Then why d’you look uh… not happy with it?”

“Because they redecorated and made it is ugly!” Lucien raised his arms in the air before letting them drop again. “Had I been still alive, I would have given the Minister of Defense a piece of my mind…!”

“Hold on…!” Mundy caught up with his lover and walked through the corridors.

They abruptly stopped walking in front of a small door hidden under the stairs, on which Lucien gave a few knocks.

“Qui est-ce?” A muffled, old man’s voice asked.

[Who is it?]

“C’est moi.” Lucien answered and the door opened.

[It’s me.]

“Grand Dieu, Maurice a dit vrai…!”

[Good Lord, Maurice spoke the truth…!]

A short, skinny, old man emerged from what Mundy understood was the broom closet. He had lost most of his hair on his head and wore round, thick glasses.

“Comment allez vous, Georges?” Lucien opened his arms and the old man took a step forward and hugged him.

[How are you, Georges?]

"Ça doit faire une éternité! Les cheveux gris vous changent, Louis, mais je vous reconnais bien.”

[It must have been an eternity since last time. Grey hair makes you look so different, Louis, but I still recognise you.]

“Parlez-vous un peu d’anglais?”

[Do you happen to speak a bit of English?]

“Oh, j’ai les rudiments, à force d’entendre tout ce qui se passe…!”

[Oh, I learnt the basics on the fly here, as I’m forced to hear bits here and there…!]

“Then,” Lucien naturally switched to English. “Please meet my husband, Mundy.”

Mundy blushed beyond his ears. It was so uncommon for Lucien to introduce him as his husband straight away.

“And Mundy, please meet Georges, the ultimate spy.”

“Nice to meet you.” Mundy extended his hand and the old man shook it with a smile.

“Does he understand French?” Georges asked, his accent so thick that next to him, Lucien sounded like a native…!

“Bits, oui, I have been teaching him.” Lucien answered.

“Then, mes félicitations, mon garçon!”

[Congratulations, my boy!]

“Oh, uh, thanks… But how are you the ultimate spy?” Mundy asked.

“We can chat as we walk, boys, come on, follow me!” The old man pulled a trolley of rags, dusters and all kinds of cleaning products out of the closet before he started pushing it. Lucien and Mundy followed him.

“Georges here is responsible for the cleanliness of everything you see. He also happens to have the keys to every room in this building apart from a very select few of them. And all of that makes Georges the best guide to this place." Lucien explained as the trio walked through the corridor.

The old man pushed his trolley through the corridors, making sure to take all the stair cases that nobody usually takes.

"And I forgot to say," Lucien added through Georges' explanation of the rooms and corridors. "This man here is invisible to everyone meaning that if we stick to him, we become invisible too."

"And so you don't break your cover… Ah, I get it…" Mundy nodded to himself.

"Georges, could you take us to the portrait room, please?"

"Yes, I can. They didn't move it cause they say history can't be changed." The old man answered, the keys jiggling from his belt loop.

"Ah, perfect."

Georges took a second to unlock the door and push it open.

"You have ten minutes, fifteen tops, before my colleague comes here to dust everything off. I'll try and buy you some time but he's young and finds I talk too much so he usually just leaves me alone to do his job. Counting on you, boys, be careful with the time!"

"We will be. Merci infiniment, Georges."

[Thank you infinitely, Georges.]

"Avec plaisir."

[My pleasure.]

Both men entered and Lucien shut the large, wooden double doors after them.

“Wow, what’s this place? Who’re these people?” Mundy said as he found himself in a room surrounded by painted or printed portraits. The oldest were black and white engravings while the most recent ones were coloured.

“This is the portrait room. It contains the photograph, painting or engraving of every man who made a decisive contribution to the establishment or security of this country.” Lucien explained. “Please, do have a look.”

Mundy started walking in what felt more like an art gallery than a room. He admired the faces, sometimes commenting on the military attire or the old style moustaches and beards. Lucien tried his best to recall the bits of history he knew about those important figures of the country, mentioning a few anecdotes when his memory allowed him to.

“Golden frames for everyone, eh? That’s fancy as all hell…” Mundy said.

“Indeed it is.” Lucien answered. “I am told that nowadays, when young spies finish their training, they are brought here and come out of this room with the hope that one day, their face will be on thiese walls.”

“Yeah, I can get the enthusiasm.” Mundy said. “Oh, Lu’... Hold on… Is that…?” Munddy squinted in front of a photograph and took a step forward. His eyes zigzagged on that of the man with light eyes and coal black hair. “Bloody hell, isn’t that you?!”

Lucien chuckled.

“Guilty as charged.” The Frenchman said.

“How old were you on this? You look half the age of the others!”

“I started my career early and abruptly. Some would say I even started without knowing it myself. But to answer your question, I was in my early twenties in this picture.”

“Bloody hell… You look like an angel back then already.”

Lucien smiled.

“Merci.”

“What did you do to get your face up there?”

“I helped in the Résistance to free France from the Germans. I started as a courier boy, delivering messages until I grew up and understood that my, ahem, ease to approach women could be an asset for the country. Countless Nazi were caught through their wives and their mysterious lover.”

“You…?”

“Mh-hm, me. I broke a lot of German hearts back then, even before France’s liberation.” Lucien chuckled.

“Wow… Id love to take a picture of it.”

“We could take it back, if you want.”

“What?! You wanna steal it?!”

“It is my face and I am dead. I can claim it back.” Lucien shrugged.

“Hm.” Mundy fell deep in thought. “You know what?”

“Mh?”

“Leave it there.”

“You have changed your mind?”

“Yeah, leave it there for folks to look up at you and remember you. You changed my life, yeah, but you also changed an entire country before that. Let them have a souvenir.”

Lucien smiled.

“Very well, mon loup.”

The next day, the couple woke up with the first rays of light, wrapped in the satin sheet of the Coco Chanel suite at the Ritz.

“Lu’?”

“Oui?”

“Uhm, there’s somewhere I wanna take you today.”

“Oh?” Lucien’s surprise was obvious. Mundy wanted to take him somewhere? Where? Why? And above all, how? The Aussie had spent the past week or so following his lover blindly and complaining that he did not know how Lucien could know where he was going. “Sure, when do you want to go?”

“This evenin’, if that’s fine with you too. We can go have dinner somewhere and then we’ll go?”

“Perfect for me, Mundy.”

And for the entire day, Lucien kept on thinking about it. Where would Mundy take him…? Until of course it was time to go. He followed his tall lover through the streets. The Aussie stopped only a few times to check his map and make sure they were heading in the right direction.

“Alright, should be after this street.”

They stopped when they reached beautiful dark blue, wrought-iron gates.

“A park? You wanted to take me to a park?”

“I uh… I don't think it’s any odd park.” Mundy answered and Lucien frowned. They both entered and wandered inside, following the yellow narrow roads.

“Why did you want to bring me here, Mundy?”

“I think you guessed why.” Mundy answered. “You know we’re not in any park.”

“Indeed, I do, so why here?”

“Because it’s part of you and it’s important.” Mundy answered before he stopped walking. “Now, you gotta guide me.”

Lucien took a deep breath and let it all out in a long sigh.

“Très bien.” He started walking and it took a few minutes of silence before they reached their destination, under a tree.

“Is it here?” Mundy asked.

“Oui, it should be.”

“Gimme your blade.”

Lucien took it from his inner pocket and passed it to Mundy who went down to sit on his knees and started digging. The Frenchman waited, his arms wrapped around himself. He felt slightly cold even though the day had been scorching hot and he evening was still warm.

“Here we go...!” Mundy unearthed a small tin box. “Let’s go back to the hotel.” He stood up and dusted his knees off before both him and Lucien headed back.

When they were in their suite and alone, Mundy headed for the bathroom. He cleaned the box of all the soil on it and brought it back to the living-room on a towel. Lucien had been sitting on the sofa, his stare blank.

“You alright?”

“Oui,” He shook his head as if to land back into reality. “I was just lost in thought.”

“C’mon, ask me.” Mundy said and Lucien sighed.

“Why did you do this?”

“Because you told me that everythin’ that was you before was in a box, that you had buried it in a park in Paris as the rain was pouring down in the middle of the night. You told me that it has all sorts of things like pictures of you, maybe even of your family and everythin’.”

Mundy took a deep breath and took Lucien’s hand in his.

“It’s been one year of you and me bein’ a solid thing and it’s been even longer of us just spendin’ all our time together, and even longer of me lovin’ you to bits.” Lucien blushed at the last part and smiled shyly. “And today, it’s been exactly one year of us being a thing. I put a ring on your finger and you put one on mine one year ago exactly. I just… I don’t wanna make you feel bad at all, I love you, I just wanna see your life from before and beyond that, I want you to be at peace with what you were before.”

“Hm.”

“I don’t care what you were, I just want you to accept whatever's in that box as a part of you. It doesn’t need to be buried down in the ground, it shouldn’t be there. It should be with us, with our pictures and memories.”

Lucien had sat silently through his lover’s speech.

“You understand, baby doll?”

Lucien raised his eyes to his lover.

“You are right, Mundy.” He took the box and put it on his lap before gently opening it. “This is the only photo album I have ever bought in my life, before we got ours. The oldest pictures are of my parents, then me as a baby and a young boy. The next picture is when I was officially made a spy, after the end of the Second World War, during which I served in the Résistance.”

He flipped the pages and pointed for Mundy to follow.

“Wow, you were already gorgeous back then.”

“Thank you.”

The Aussie wrapped an arm around his lover to pull him close and Lucien leaned on him.

“Mundy?”

“Yeah?”

“How did you know which hpark it was?” Lucien asked. “I don’t think I mentioned the name of it.”

“I asked Maurice for the park where we could spend some quality time that would mean something for you.”

“Ah, I see.” Lucien turned the page. “This is the few pictures of Marie and Jérémy that I have.”

“She was real pretty.”

“Oui, she was.” Lucien smiled at the pictures.

“And Jeremy kind of looked like you a bit, I mean, his hair’s lighter than yours but…”

“He was born blond like the sun.” Lucien said. “His hair darkened as he grew up and was dirty blond before he passed.”

“Oh, I see.”

“This is us, all together.”

“Look at you bein’ a dad… You look so comfy handlin’ the baby. I’m always scared when I’m handed a kid. Always scared to drop them or hurt them or somethin.”

Lucien smiled with nostalgia.

“You should not. They are indeed very fragile but you are very strong.” He turned his head and pushed his lips on Mundy’s.

“Thanks, luv’.”

“Thank you.” Lucien put the photo album aside.

“There’s more stuff in the box?”

“Oui. Here, this was my first ever blade.”

“Oh, you kept it?”

“Oui, as a souvenir. When I was in the Résistance, I never thought that doing what I was doing would turn me into a spy, get me a job and a life that is reasonably put together. I just did it because I could and I was told I had a gift for it.”

“And you went on to become the best spook ever.” Mundy said, recalling the portrait at the Ministry.

“Something like that.” Lucien smiled. “Here, this is all black and old, but it used to be silver and shining bright.” He handed a thin, yet very old string of metal to Mundy.

“It’s a bracelet?”

“It bears my name on it. It is a common gift that young children are offered here. I kept mine because it reminded me of my mother, whom I loved beyond everything else. Oh and this is a very old and worn out thing now, but I used to wear it to cover my mouth and nose, for people to not recognise me when I worked to liberate France.”

“It’s a black bandana?”

“It used to be Burgundy red.”

“We could give a polish to your bracelet and a good wash to your bandana. I’m not good with clothes but I’m sure there’s ways to bring it back to life.”

“I think so, oui. Ah, there it is… Although it is broken, this used to be the bracelet that I offered to Marie, when we first started to meet each other regularly.”

“It’s a pearl bracelet?”

“Oui, I have always liked pearls on women, I think it might be because my mother used to have a pearl necklace that she treasured more than anything else. It was a gift from my father. I remember as a child, I one day found it as I was prying into whatever I could lay my hands on in the house and she told me off for touching it.”

“Oh, wow…”

“Wow indeed.”

Mundy took a second to look at the way Lucien was looking at his belongings from another life. His eyes were almost dreamy and his gaze, very soft, filled with nostalgia and bittersweetness. And soon, the smile widened and it was not an awkward listing of antics but objects that threw the Frenchman’s mind back when pictures were only black and white, when uniforms were compulsory at school, when with a Franc, you could buy a mountain…

“Oh, I am enjoying this actually, Mundy.” Lucien raised his eyes to his lover. “Thank you so much, mon chéri.”

[My darling.]

“You're welcome. See? It’s better to acknowledge everythin’ and even if it's bad things or mistakes that you can only blame yourself for, so be it. The only way to repent I guess, is to not make those mistakes again.”

“You speak truth and wisdom. May God keep you by my side for as long as we want.”

“Amen, baby.”

“Thank you for… Well… Half-forcing me to do this. I realise that I should have done it long ago.”

“How d’you feel?” Mundy asked.

“Better, lighter in a way.” Lucien wiped a silent tear.

“Hey, you sure you good?”

“Oui, it is not tears of sadness. It is… The intensity of all this. Finding myself in the Ritz again, but this time, not on duty, not for business, just for our enjoyment, the breakfasts, lunches and dinners here now taste so much more flavourful, I never realised that their food was exquisite. I knew it but I never felt it as much as I have in these past few days. And the outings with you, seeing the sights, guiding you through Paris, telling you her story. It is better than a dream come true.”

Mundy smiled compassionately.

“Lu’?”

“Oui.”

“Happy first anniversary.”

“Oh…” The Frenchman dived head first into his lover’s chest and let the tears run down his face.

“It’s ok, Lu’, I’m here.”

“This is why you wanted to take me to Paris?” Lucien pulled himself out of his lover's embrace.

“Yeah, for our anniversary.”

“Je t’aime, Mundy.”

[I love you, Mundy.]

Lucien took his handkerchief out and wiped his face.

“Je t’aime aussi, mon Lucien.”

[I love you too, my Lucien.]

#tf2 sniper #tf2 spy #sniperspy #SBT

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