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#I only have four group therapy sessions left and I don’t want them to end because I love the counselor that runs it
A Collection of My Trials of Apollo Fics
This is the link to series I made of them here.
These are the fics linked individually with their summaries:
Rules Are Made To Be Broken
An Artemis Fowl Crossover. 
Three months after his return to godhood, while Apollo is taking the sun chariot through a merry ride over Ireland, he is attacked by a mysterious group of creatures. When seeking out more information on the species his questions are blocked at every turn. He starts digging for more information on the species that his father forbade him from seeking out, but realises too late that he should have stopped digging, when a prophecy is foretold that whatever those things were, they were going to spell the end of Zeus' rule on Olympus and that he was going to help them. 
Meg’s In A Musical 
Apollo thought his trials were over. He finds out he was wrong when Meg asks him for dance lessons in preparation for her school musical.
Meg and Apollo Strategically Don’t Die
Apollo, Meg, and Meg's younger stepbrother Cassius decide that they need some bonding time and head off on road trip through some of the states Apollo wished he got to explore more during his trials. When their car starts breaking down the group is forced to spend a few days at a dingy Inn in a small town. Things get weird when a murder gets reported around the Inn they are staying in.
Or a Meg and Apollo murder mystery road trip fic.
Door Three-Thirty-Six
Apollo finds his way into a therapy session. And despite telling himself not to, keeps showing up.
Quite A Picture 
"Will was missing. It shouldn’t have been possible, but I couldn’t find him."
Meg Just Wanted Cake
Vanilla Cake Recipe:
Two sticks butter Three cups flour One tablespoon baking powder One half teaspoon salt One and one-fourth cup sugar Four large eggs One teaspoon vanilla extract And one and one-fourth cups milk (Can be substituted with Apollo.)
I’ll Miss You
Meg and Apollo get held up at a bus stop and admire the view.
In Between Memory and a Dream 
Warning: graphic depictions of violence. 
I woke up in between memory and a dream.
I couldn’t remember anything except that I had a promise I needed to keep. I had a vague idea that death was supposed to be peaceful, an end. There was no end to whatever was happening now.
Mortality Ends In Too Many Ways To Count
Apollo puts on a brave face, but he fears death.
You’re My Missing Puzzle Piece 
She used to think Apollo was a failure. When Meg was trapped on that shard her stepfather called Apollo the worst kind of failure, a failure that could’ve been great, but gave up trying. But Apollo never gave up, she realized that night at the myrmekes’ nest.
He kept trying, and trying, and trying, and trying, until he physically couldn’t. About the things he cared about, Apollo never gave up. It just happened somewhere along the line himself stopped being one of those things.
A Single Moment
They were literally in the eye of the storm, and there was no question what would come after. What they were doing wasn’t a foray into the unknown; every single one of them had thousands of years to explore all possible outcomes, and every single one of them had come to the realization that there were only two; success or death.
Who I Am Is Not Who You See
Apollo and Zeus have a conversation. Every moment Apollo wishes they didn't.
Family Game Night
It's family game night at Aeithales.
Not In The Script
The Arrow of Dodona confesses his feelings to Apollo. (Polldona)
The Adventures of Lester Papadopoulos and the Scrap Master
Lester's life has been a on a steady decline ever since he left his abusive family to go be on his own. The days at his new job at his local coffee shop are monotonous and unrewarding until one day he gets robbed by a human traffic light that insists things around here start changing. Lester just wished the "here" she was gentrifying wasn't his life.
Fine to Not be Fine
Meg is sick. She doesn't like to be sick. She doesn't like the headaches. She doesn't like the aches. She doesn't like the snot. Most of all she doesn't like how people act around her when she's sick.
A Canvas is Still a Canvas Under the Paint
What would your first thought be if I died?
Believe in the Heart of the... Sun God? 
A Yu-Gi-Oh Crossover
Yugi and friends find themselves transported into the middle of The Dark Prophecy. Meanwhile Apollo and Meg find themselves in another universe, if Apollo's remaining gody senses mean anything, in the midst of a deadly... card game tournament?
Co-written with @txny-dragon @littleredniacurutu and @phoneheadedemployee 
Not the Hunter Not the Weapon
Apollo/AoD
The stars were gone and the sun rose to the next day.
An ode to
This entire fic is Apollo's scribblings on a piece of paper trying to write a song in Meg's honor. This is all he can manage after hours spread out across days.
This post is going to continue to be updated as I post more fics. 
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tiredsadpeach · 3 years
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Man that text made me feel weird
#my friend and I hadn’t talked much today and I didn’t hear from him for like two hours#and he suddenly texts asking how I am and idk I felt a weird energy in it and was like I think I’m okay#and I always ask how he is too and he told me he wasn’t feeling good#and then sent this text after telling me what happened#‘i texted u because i kinda want comfort honestly but i wanted to make sure u aren't in a headspace where that would hurt u’#he was really really mad at me a few days ago and the only thing that made him really talk to me during that was wanting comfort too#and idk I like being his safe space and comfort but I don’t like feeling like that’s all I’m for I guess#I’m not gonna tell him it’s not okay to vent to me and I was alrightish with it but that message feels so hhhh#he’s a good friend and I know he’d comfort me if I needed it and he was able but that text just really idk put the past weekend back into#my head which made me spiral on Sunday and relapse so that’s not great#seeing him say that 16 years of pent up anger were trying to come out and realizing on Sunday it was because of me just hhhhh#it was terrifying and I felt guilty and I felt evil and bad and just like an awful friend#I’m already sick and have been for two days now with some mystery stomach virus and just got over my cat being sick (she’s okay now!!)#I only have four group therapy sessions left and I don’t want them to end because I love the counselor that runs it#talked to my new psychiatrist and during the thing she said ‘whoops I had you labeled as a man’#I put in my application I didn’t wanna specify gender and then put in the extra notes ‘I use they/them please respect this’#I’d rather be mistaken for a man than a woman#idk it’s just so much and feeling like I’m just the therapist friend again kinda hurts#it’s probably just bad timing tbh but it still hurts
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shiftynightshade · 3 years
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@totallycorrectjediorderquotes Thanks for letting me borrow the quotes! Love your content!
It seemed like clickbait at first, just another Holotuber desperate for their 15 minutes of fame. However, one particularly curious Rodian had clicked on the link while waiting for her lunch at Dex's and the opening lines of the holovid had immediately caught the attention of everyone in her vicinity.
“Hi everyone! I’m Jedi Master Kit Fisto and, with permission of course, I’m posting this to share some behind-the-scenes clips of the Jedi Council. Most of these are going to have no context, but that makes them funnier. So without any further ado, let me introduce our very own Master of the Order, Mace Windu without any context! Buckle up gentle beings, prepare to have your whole galaxy shaken.”
“Is this real?” A twi’lek whispered from beside her, his eyes impossibly wide. She shrugged. The Jedi were not exactly the most popular beings in the galaxy after all.
The first few seconds were nothing but a black screen before it began shaking and moved to show a round room filled with multiple chairs and large windows, which led to Coruscants skyline, indigo’s had begun to bleed to black. The camera panned to the right in which you could see a hologram of Shaak Ti and Kit Fisto curled up in his chair next to her. Briefly, Adi Gallia and Eeth Koth were in the shot.
Kit looked across the room with a shit-eating grin. “Dead Sifo-Dyas? More like kawaii desu baka Sifo-Dyas”
The camera quickly oved to the left to where Plo Koon had reared back in surprise. Master Yoda was letting out evil cackles while Mace Windu stared with a hard expression. “Blocked” He threw his hands in the air.
Chuckles and Kit’s pleads filled the room as the camera flipped to show the filmer to be Saesee Tiin. He grinned. “Council Session number 21: Kit Fisto gets fucking Removed from the Jedi Order.”
The clip stopped and went to a rainbow screen.
The Twi’lek giggled beside her, his green skin flushing a bit. “Wonder what else is in there?” hey shared a look.
The rainbow screen cut to a pair of fuzzy socks padding their way through a hall to a dimly lit kitchen. The sound of kitchen utensils echoed as the filmer peeked around the corner. A chrono displayed the time as 4:12 AM, the year set as 48 BBY. A younger Mace milled around the kitchen in a simple amethyst purple sweater and earbuds. His head bopped softly as me mixed whatever he was making in the bowl.
A young voice came from behind the camera. “Master… what are you doing?”
Mac looked up and removed an earbud. “Making chocolate pudding.”
The filmer now known as Depa Billaba made small noise. “It is four o clock in the morning, why on earth are you making chocolate pudding?”
Mace shrugged with a smirk. “Because I’ve lost control of my life.”
Depa snorted and the camera flipped to show a 16 year old Depa wearing a matching smirk.
A young Mon Calamari cooed and pointed to a drawing on the wall signed DB. “Aren’t they the cutest? He looks like such a proud dad.”
Another clip began playing, this time it was set during the afternoon, the sun shone through the council chambers windows. The camera panned to show the worried faces of each council member present. Only one seat was empty. A few council members were whispering to each other in concern, eyes constantly going to the doors or the seat. The doors creaked open to reveal Mace rubbing his eyes.
Adi rose a brow and chuckled a bit. “How long have you been asleep?”
Mace yawned and slumped in his seat. “I was awake for two hours on Tungsday”
Adi frowned. A couple muffled “Oh Shit’s” came from the other Jedi. “That doesn't answer my question... You know its Primeday, right?”
Mace’s reply was cut off.
“That’s…. very concerning.”
The Mon Calamari nodded. “Sounds like a mini coma to me.”
That didn’t exactly bode well for the Jedi if they only got rest from sleeping in coma’s.
The camera shook as the filmer seemed to adjust its setting before flipping up to show a med bay where injured clones were resting. Mace was pacing while Obi-Wan Kenobi sat cross-legged on a bed. “Look at me, okay? I can’t eat, I can’t sleep. I’m a wreck!”
Obi-Wan smirked a bit but rose an eyebrow.
Mace sighed. “I mean, sure I still look good, but that’s just genetics.”
The camera panned to where a clone in armour with purple paint sighed and shook his head like a friend watching their friend get back with their ex for the 50th time. “General please.”
Another Rodian snickered at the clone’s plight.
The camera cut to where Mace and Saesee were laying on their backs, Mace had his legs propped against the wall of the council chambers while Saesee had starfished beside him. “What did we learn, Master Tiin?”
Saesee grunted and shrugged. “I have no idea”
Mac sighed. “I don't fucking know either. I guess we learned notto do it again.”
Saesee nodded serenely. “Yep.”
Mace dragged his hands down his face. “I'm fucked if I know what we did.”
“Yes, it's hard to say.”
Mace blew out a breath. “Jesus Fucking Christ.”
The Rodian laughed as the clip cut itself off. “OH goodness, I thought Jedi weren’t allowed to feel emotion?”
The camera cut to a small group of Masters sitting in a room full of waterfalls and plants: children could be hear giggling in the distance. A small title in the upper corner of the screen read. The Room of A Thousand Fountains.
Eeth was sitting with his arms planted in the grass behind him. “Let’s play truth or dare.” Mace was laying in the grass beside him. He shrugged. “I’ll play.” Eeth grinned. “Truth or Dare?” Mace hummed. “Truth.” “When was the last time you slept?” Mace blinked. “Dare…” “I dare you to go to bed.” “I hate this game.” Suddenly a large cloak was thrown over Mace and one Plo Koon was there the next, a vehement “SLEEP” hissing out of his mask.
The clip stopped.
The Twi’lek blinked. “I-is that a regular occurrence in the temple?”
A dark room filed with a large holoscreen and multiple Jedi appeared after the previous one. Mace was staring at Anakin Skywalker. He pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. “I'd like to offer you some friendly advice.”
Anakin frowned at him and shook his head. “I don't need your help.”
“Consider it unfriendly advice then, dipshit.”
The clip cut off.
The next video was of Mace walking out of the council chambers. “Do not come over to my house. If the house is on fire you may knock once, if I don’t answer assume I set the fire and I want to burn to death.”
“MACE NO-”
The clip stopped.
The Rodian stammered. “D-do they get therapy? Do they have time for therapy!?”
Hysterical laughter could be heard as the camera shook. “Mace when did you become such a comedian?” The camera moved to show Mace.
“I'm naturally funny because my life is a joke”
It suddenly cut to show Depa sneaking up behind Mace with a grin. She held up a finger to her lips before jumping to cover Mace’s eyes with her hands.
“Guess who!?”
Mace startled and reared back slightly. “It’s either my former Padawan or the cold, clammy hands of death.” The filmer snorted.
“It’s Depa!”
“Dammit.”
“He sounded genuinely disappointed then.”
The video was shorter with Mace sitting in The Halls Of Healing. “Master Windu you need better self-care habits.” A Twi’lek was admonishing.
“Self-care is drinking 20 cups of Caf and Lightsaber Dueling a Sith Lord.”
The Twi’leks sigh was longsuffering.
The Rodian blinked as the video ended, the next one already loading.
The Mon Calamari whistled. “The Jedi are…. Different to what I expected.”
The Rodian nodded.
“Yeah…”
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takerfoxx · 3 years
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So I was thinking about Wonder Egg Priority the other day while delivering pizzas when I had something of an epiphany.
WEP is, in many way, sort of the anti-Madoka Magica.
Now, by that I don’t mean it’s intended as an answer, attack, response, or counter to PMMM. It’s obviously a show doing its own thing, and being compared to PMMM probably wasn’t on the creator’s mind. Also, I don’t mean it’s a reconstruction intended to rebuild the genre that PMMM broke apart, much like Gurren Laagan did to the Giant Mecha genre after Evangelion happened. Rather, it feels like, whether intentional or not, to be Madoka Magica in reverse.
Let me explain.
I’ve already gone into detail how PMMM became the hand grenade to the Magical Girl Warrior genre that it was, how carefully it was crafted to utterly deconstruct the genre and did it so well that it was completely changed. Just look at all those dark magical girl shows, comics, and whatnot that sprung up in its wake, all trying to recapture that same magic, and practically all failing. And while it wasn’t the death of cute and optimistic magical girl shows, the genre as a whole was definitely altered by PMMM, taking themes and ideas originally brought up by Utena and Bokurano and building upon them to create a surgical knife that dissected the whole genre and changed it forever.
And one of the methods it used was to show that each and every one of the main character was left in a much worse state than she was in thanks to the contracts.
Think about it. Each of the five girls was basically ruined by becoming a magical girl. Sayaka fell into despair and was destroyed. Madoka straight up died in the original timeline and ended up erasing herself. Mami spiraled into loneliness and depression until she was killed. Kyoko lost her whole family because of her contract, became a heartless nihilist, and when she tried to redeem herself, she realized the futility of it and decided to go down in a blaze of glory. Homura was cursed to relive the same trauma over and over again and eventually lost the person she was fighting for. Even the ones already in a bad place ended up worse off because of it. Hell, Mami only managed to delay her own death by a couple years, and in the end, her end was even more gruesome. 
And that was the point. The wish/contract system is intended to chew these girls up as fodder and just move onto the next one. Just by making a wish you’ve doomed yourself, and there is no escaping your fate. At best you can delay it, and so few can. The best Madoka could do with her universe altering wish was make the girls’ ends a little less cruel. And the movie broke them down even more.
But WEP seems to take the opposite route. Here, when each of our mains are introduced, they’re already at their worse, all four of them traumatized by losing someone close to them while dealing with a multitude of other issues. Ai was bullied heavily due to her appearance, found one friend that could understand, let that friend down, and was deeply wounded when that friend killed herself, leading to Ai becoming a hikikomori. Rika grew up with an absent father and a neglectful mother, got pushed into the toxic idol world way too young, drove off the one person that cared about her and eventually caused her death, leading to her to develop her weirdly cheerful/abrasive personality and self harm as a means of coping with the guilt. Momoe was devastated when her rejection of her friend’s advances led to her friend’s suicide (as far as she knows, anyway), leading to her having a major complex about her appearance and gender identity as a result. And Neiru...well, her situation is really weird and kinda sci-fi, but being a genius test tube baby who was nearly murdered by her sister and left with horrific scars can’t be fun. 
Point is, each of these girls is already broken inside when they’re introduced, and the whole wonder egg thing means they spend their nights fighting violent battles against horrific monsters and suffering a lot of pain and even more trauma, and unlike PMMM, this isn’t shown as being fun or cool at all. There is no false sense of security. You’re shown what a brutal affair it is up front, and the show seems to go out of its way to throw a whole bunch of serious and uncomfortable topics right into the spotlight, from bullying to suicide to sexual abuse to self harm to eating disorders to parental neglect, and the list goes on. It’s a very hard show to watch sometimes because of it.
And yet, unlike the PMMM girls, who only grew worse the longer they were in the system, the WEP girls only seem to be getting more emotionally and mentally healthy from the battles they fight. Protecting the Wonder Eggs, as violent as it might get, seems to be acting as a form of therapy for them, a way for them to confront their pent-up emotions and let them out. And the friendship they’ve built together, while sometimes messy and contentious, is shown to be incredibly healthy for them. They’re basically each other’s support group, and their get-togethers often become group therapy sessions as they confide their true feelings about their lives with each other and discuss their issues out in the open. And as a result, we see the bond that they’ve formed help them heal. Ai becomes more confident, more outgoing, and more brave, to the point that she’s not afraid to go to school anymore. Rika comes to terms with her own guilt and feelings of neglect and realizes that she doesn’t have to risk her life if she doesn’t want to, and even starts to forgive her mother. Momoe starts to come to terms with her feelings of discomfort around her femininity. Even Neiru has started to learn to open up to others and act like a kid for once. All four of them are better off for having met the others, and for fighting to restore their lost ones. 
Now granted, the show’s not over yet, and I’m sure there’s a twist on the way, especially with what we’re learning about the Accas and Neiru’s secretary. But even so, the inverse mirror images the two shows seem to make of each other was very interesting to me.
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volkshore · 3 years
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sinnoh league headcanons
these hc’s are very centric to my favourite characters so i apologize if most of them only revolve around a few characters (volkner, flint, cynthia, maylene, candice, dawn, lucas).
byron and volkner smoke and the rest of the league hate it. cynthia, maylene, and gardenia, being the biggest advocates for health and the environment in the league, constantly admonish them for it and pull the craziest things to try to get them to stop.
flint and volkner once stayed in the hotel grand lake together (the hotel near valor lakefront, renown as a honeymoon location for couples) and the tabloids caught wind of it, sparking an extreme amount of dating rumours. they still haven’t heard the end of it from the rest of the league.
the elite four all get along surprisingly well for the wide range of ages. flint and aaron occasionally butt heads due to their forward and loud personalities clashing, but bertha talks them down and lucian keeps them sane. the four of them together make quite the unconventional, tight-knit group.
candice and volkner act like brother and sister. they bond over their seclusion (geographically) from the other leaders and their love for complex puzzles, as well as their intense best friends (maylene and flint). their personalities mesh really well and they always protect each other from media rumours and general hate.
the last three gym leaders (byron, candice and volkner) tend to spend more time with the elite four than they do the other gym leaders (though they’re still very close with the others).
the gym leaders, elite four and champion are the closest sinnoh have to any real celebrities, and therefore they attract the most media attention. articles such as “volkner being the problematic gym leader for 5 minutes straight” and “10 times maylene turned a public meeting into a motivational speech” definitely exist.
maylene has a popular tiktok account and she always forces the other leaders to make videos with her.
dawn and lucas are like the adopted children of the league. they always make time to visit the leader of the cities they travel to and make occasional appearances at the battleground when the league decides to meet up there.
flint and volkner have especially taken to dawn and lucas and are the ones they visit most often. they jokingly refer to them as their dads — flint and volkner don’t mind.
even after dawn/lucas beat the league, cynthia stays on as the figurehead champion who takes care of the league’s affairs. dawn and lucas are still young and have so much more of the world to learn and explore before they deal with anything that stressful, though they do take the battles of the occasional challengers.
the sinnoh gym challenge isn’t taken on my many people which leaves the league with a lot of down time, and this is why they’re all so close. only they can empathize with each other regarding the leader experience and the league are the only family that some of them have.
though their most popular hangout spot is the battleground, a lot of the time, they also meet up at someone’s gym/the league building. having so many eyes on you can get exhausting, and they use these hangouts at more protected areas to just be themselves with the people they trust.
during the time of team galactic’s terror, the league often held meetings that turned into group therapy sessions. for the first few hours, they would intensively analyze team galactics actions, movements, and possible motives, but once their energy tanked and the sun went down, most of them would end up lying on the table or floor and they would lay out all of their insecurities to each other. they would often talk about how worried they were that cyrus’ plan would succeed if they weren’t strong enough, or if the region could tell how little control they had over the situation.
i don’t have hc ages for all of them, but here are some:
— cynthia: mid/late 20’s (27?)
— volkner & flint: 24
— candice: 21
— maylene: 20
— aaron: 19
— dawn & lucas: 16
(i know that pokemon has the consistent theme of their mc’s being 10-12, but i just never saw that as viable with the level of maturity needed to go through the situations that they do. read: this is my hc list and i do what i want)
most of the leaders are quite young and i figure that’s why i hc that they all get along so well. bertha, byron, and fantina are the only ones left from the previous lineup of leaders.
this is kind of a big one, but i hc that cyrus was the previous champion of sinnoh. he was very power-hungry and put way too much pressure on the gym leaders / elite four to perform at their highest capacity. it was a huge breath of relief for the whole region when cynthia beat him.
the previous generation of gym leaders / elite four all stepped down from their positions around the same time (within a few years of each other). much like the current lineup, they were all very close, and just couldn’t keep up when the new leaders stared to take on their positions. all of the current leaders are very forward-thinking and fast on their feet while the previous generation still carried the burdens of the league under cyrus’ rule, and decided it was time to let them take the lead.
bertha, byron and fantina all have their own reasons for staying.
bertha: she’s nearing retirement anyway and wanted to see the league be something good before she stepped down. all she knew was cyrus’ rule, and she wanted to end her career on a good note with some years under cynthia.
byron: he decided to stay because of roark getting the leadership position in oreburgh. roark always tells his dad that he shouldn’t stay just for him, but byron does still very much enjoy being a leader, so he stayed for that, too.
fantina: she’s still young and has a huge passion for battling. as close as she was with the past leaders, she still has so many years of her career ahead of her and found it easy to fit in with the new leaders. she also figured that someone with past experience that the younger leaders could relate to should stick around in case any of them needed guidance (being in the middle of sinnoh also helps for visitations sake)
even though dawn and lucas are still very young, they’re wise beyond their years. they’re both extremely empathetic and very good at picking up on other peoples emotions, so when the leaders are feeling off or down, they’re always the first ones to be able to notice what’s wrong and give good advice.
all the leaders feel extremely indebted to lucas and dawn, but all they ever ask for is friends in the leaders and a place to stay when they visit every once in a while.
the league always have a yearly vacation together with each other. it’s chaotic, competitive, and always ends up drawing media attention and making headlines for something crazy that happens during the trip, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.
i’ll stop this list here for now, and i’ll compile all the ones i think of from here on out into a part 2! this headcanon list also gave me the idea to make fake social media profiles for the league, so stay tuned for that coming in the future.
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cosmermaid · 3 years
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Okay @youngmasterwisdomperson​​. I hear you but I think it might be rude to do this on somebody else’s post since it’s so long.
Uh, lessee... You got me going so this is gonna be a lot, especially for Kelsier and Kaladin.
Are people from Shinovar subject to the light/dark eyed vorin caste system? ‘Cause like, unless Kelsier was ACTUALLY a spren (Jesus christ can you imagine him as an honorspren?) it’s up in the air if he’d be considered lighteyed or darkeyed. He’s canonically hazel so I don’t know if his eyes are too light to get into Kaladin’s good graces. That said Kaladin would probably just mistake him for being shin so it may not apply. I certainly can’t see Syl as a human mistborn or actively leading a rebellion. She’s too free-spirited and distracted to not immediately get caught by the steel ministry so she’d still be a spren. Just one defying the rules of the cosmere lol. So like, she probably lifts Vin’s spirits while she’s in the street crews, then leads her to Yeden and Marsh’s rebellion by complete accident or by a gut feeling. Vin figures out her mistborn abilities with the encouragement of a little misty friend that she’s grown to trust, and probably gets rid of her earring a lot earlier because Syl has a bad feeling about it or figures out it’s a hemilurgic spike. I think Syl would be disturbed by hemalurgy in general and call it out to Vin whenever she notices it. Vin is incredibly clever and was able to become a powerful mistborn without Kelsier, so other than the church of the survivor I don’t see the plot to mistborn itself changing too much. Vin herself probably is a bit more attentive of how many lives she takes to protect herself and her friends and makes an effort to be kinder for Syl’s sake. They’d probably end up being as close as Syl was with Kaladin. Whether or not Vin would take oaths and become a radiant as well as a mistborn is up in the air, I don’t think she’d need to do it or that it would make much difference plotwise if she did.
Also I imagine using emotional allomancy on Syl causes her to change her appearance. Breeze is the second person to try it (Vin DEFINITELY tried seeing what it would do, Syl asked her not to do it again) when he finds out about her but immediately stops when he sees that it causes his soothing to have a visible effect and his whole thing is being undetected when he uses it.
Kelsier would absolutely wreck Kaladin’s storyline and change it entirely. Elhokar would have died sooner if bridge four ever had the chance to get close to him at all. Kaladin probably would have never become friends with Shallan and Adolin. Bridge Four would have probably left the warcamp and formed a robin-hood esque criminal crew. Kaladin and Moash become more active fighters against the caste system that enslaved them.
The only thing I’m thinking is if Kelsier was a worldhopping mistborn instead of a Spren, is that most of Bridge Four wouldn’t become windrunners like they did, although Kelsier probably would have figured out about the Nahel bond and helped them become radiants in another way or with other spren.
Kaladin would likely look up to him at first (like he did Amaram) but instead of the whole betrayal thing happening, he’d probably end up at odds with Kelsier due to the fact that they’re both natural leaders but have different ideas. Not too unlike how Vin began to see Kelsier’s flaws. Kaladin would be more likely to argue with him and question his decisions though, or go behind Kelsier’s back and do what he thinks is best for bridge four. I don’t think that this would end up with them actually fighting or as enemies or anything, more like it would frustrate them both. There’d probably be character development in it for the both of them. Rock makes everyone stew. Teft likely tells Kaladin in secret that he trusts him more than Kelsier.
Kaladin still gets his therapy sessions from Hoid whenever he shows up to do so, but Hoid makes a point to do so when Kelsier isn’t around. They may not have had the meeting in the well of ascension but their personalities still led to conflict somewhere around the line and they don’t like eachother. Hoid thinks showing up to tell Kaladin stories is killing two birds with one stone: helping Kaladin and annoying Kelsier.
If Dalinar is still alive and survived Sadeas’s betrayal, it’s probably because Adolin killed Sadeas sooner or from Eshonai’s intervention. Dalinar probably sends an emmisary out to meet with the radiant group Bridge Four to join him in saving Roshar from the everstorm. Kaladin would definitely see this as necessary but still distrust the lighteyes. I’m not sure how Kelsier would respond to this.
Also at one point there’s a scene where somebody with the surge of gravitation tries lashing coins in the hopes they have the same effect as Kelsier’s steel-pushing and iron-pulling, but they can’t get the coins to move with the same weight and force as Kelsier can. Kelsier doesn’t know why they want to be a coinshot so badly when they can summon a shardweapon.
From here there’s a lot of different ways that I can picture them going through the Stormlight plotline, especially since Kaladin and Kelsier wouldn’t be near eachother 24/7 the way Kaladin and Syl typically were. They’d split up often to pursue different goals or accomplish different tasks similarly to Kelsier and Vin.
Kelsier would probably not know how to handle Kaladin’s depression too effectively, and go between wondering why this kid constantly beats himself down or trying to distract Kaladin with different tasks. That said I think his messages about the importance of surviving would probably get through to Kaladin eventually.
I think Kaladin would also quickly recognize that Kelsier’s smiles and jovial attitude are often just a front, but respect why he does it. I think he’d probably have the same attitude about it as he did for Shallan, he’d admire it and find himself unable to do the same. That’s about all I’ve got for now. If anyone else wants to weigh in I’d love to read it.
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pear-pies · 3 years
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Placebo in Rock & Folk magazine - April 2003
Words by Jerome Soligny, photos by Carole Epinette
Wonky translation under the cut:
These three did it all. Shot with the QOTSAs and posed with Indo. They survived "Velvet Goldmine" and the Top Bab. They come back after the ordeal of the fourth album. Danger interview: “Jerome, what if you came out?” They ask our charming reporter.
"We do not regret anything"
Everything begins again with "Bulletproof Cupid", a punky instrument that pulls everything off. Then "English Summer Rein", mechanico-depressive spinning punctuated by twisted keyboards, and "Sleeping With Ghosts", the lament which advances while blistering during cooking, confirm the tone. Against all expectations, because you never know how will age the groups that the previous album installed at the Top, Placebo took over. And stuffed it in an iron glove. Further on, "The Bitter End" tumbles through yapping guitars which would stick to the hatches the thickest of the sailors. Be careful, Placebo is on the way out of being one. At the end of the record, Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Hewitt do not even run out of steam. The cows. They drop a "Centerfolds" which frolic like a cynical top under a shower of saving doubts. What augur still other perspectives.
The fourth album: a horror for all who have faced it. Often a stupid trap. Returning from the Gothic directly inherited from the glam of pageantry and from these hasty and harmful certainties which congest the face and the veins, Placebo publishes its first real great disc. Oh, not the marvel of wonders, not the album from the third millennium, but something very strong, compact, tenacious in listening, which proves that the future is indeed there, in front, where the light is most blinding. Calfeucée in their Parisian hotel (the Costes, of course), our three lads do not make the blow of the revelation, of the luminous questioning. Simply, they now think with their heads, a good plan most often Likewise, reality no longer frightens them, and it is probably she who is hiding behind this "Sleeping With Ghosts" which relates the sorrows only for the better. melt into hopes At the moment when rock brings us back to life and when we just want to ask them everything, the Placebo have decided to say everything. Not even in a hurry, they settle down on the couch, ready to talk like never before. Despite new batteries embedded in the carcass, the Panasonic barely a Brian Molko: Hey Jerome, you came to talk to us this time when you had not come to the previous album ...
Rock & Folk: Uh yes but I was there for the first two, that says a lot, right?
Brian Molko: Certainly, I also believe that over time, we finally appreciate the true nature of the problem: we were mainly criticized for the sound of the previous album, which I can understand but, paradoxically, it is the one that brought us to the Top.
R&F: Legitimately, we have the right to expect a lot from the people we love: while "Black Market Music" sounded a bit like a sequel, this new record is all about a renaissance.
Brian Molko: Actually, we were finally able to live a little. After having existed in a small bubble for a very long time, we forced ourselves to take an eight-month break. The album-tour rhythm put us on the sidelines: we no longer had normal contact with anything. We were losing ourselves. We have fully lived the old cliché which claims that we spend the first years of our life writing a first record and six months on the second. It turned out to be very true. We had to get back to the situation of the first album, see friends, go shopping, look at the buildings in our city.
R&F: So the freshness would come from there ...
Brian Molko: Yes, and it was essential spiritually, emotionally and physically.
Steve Hewitt: We had to be in tune with reality again.
Brian Molko: In fact, we find ourselves in a bit of the same state of mind as when we released "Without You I'm Nothing", although "Sleeping With Ghosts" is a lot less gloomy. The heroin has since stopped leaking. In fact, I feel like I've pulled myself out of what I consider my second teenage years, between twenty and thirty. I conquered the self-destruction, exorcised some demons, understood what had happened to me. I held on to what I had learned. As a human being, I am now able to continue living, to try to answer the big questions posed by existence.
R&F: Maybe that's why the melodies are needed this time. It took me four records to get a favorite Placebo track.
The whole group in chorus: Which one?
R&F: "Protect Me From What I Want", of course ...
Brian Molko: The most paradoxical is that this song dates from the end of the "Black Market Music" sessions. I was not married at the time, but I was trying to get out of a particularly vicious divorce.just started. Then we wait for the lyrics, which don't arrive, it's rather intriguing. We especially wanted to avoid the big Rican producer side, we needed someone who shakes us up a bit. Jim could do that because he comes from dance and his pedigree is impressive. We have all his records at home, Bjôrk, Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps and especially DJ Shadow. It is believed that guitar rock can only evolve by incorporating new genres, this is the only way to remain a modern rock band. At home, we practically only listen to hip hop.
R&F: Still, he didn't betray you.
Brian Molko: No because he actually brought out our rock side, which I'm particularly proud of. In fact, because we always wanted to control everything, it was not easy to be forced, to do certain things backwards, to walk on the head. But in truth, that's what we wanted: yes, there was some tension in the studio but we all took advantage of it. The challenge is necessary and it is also valid for the public. We opened up and rediscovered ourselves.
Stefan Olsdal (emerging from his chair): We found ourselves in front of the mirror, at the foot of the wall: someone had to kick our ass.
Brian Molko: Jim was like, "Why are you doing this?" We would answer him: "Because we always do it like that!" He would say: "All the more reason not to do it."
Stefan Olsdal: On the first day, he messed up all the demos, changed the tones, the tempos ...
R&F: Like Brian Eno ...
Steve Hewitt: Yeah, but with a lot more compassion. Eno is a bit (silence) ... We don't really like being told our actions, but at the same time, we are still young, still absorbing. Jim knew how to preserve us while making a modern sound.
R&F: Modern and rock'n'roll at the same time, a characteristic which does not necessarily apply to all the young groups in The which recycle the past gently but are convinced to have found the virus of the AIDS.
Steve Hewitt: Placebo doesn't belong to any current, has nothing to do with fashion.
R&F: You always pose as outsiders.
Brian Molko: It's the only way to survive.
Steve Hewitt: These bands, like The Strokes, play the nostalgia card.
Stefan Olsdal: And what happens next? I would not like to be in their place.
Brian Molko: If you want good New York pop, you better listen to Blondie.
R&F: In 2003, 11 seems that you have abandoned all the androgynous paraphernalia, sexual ambiguity, glam references ...
Brian Molko: I think today everyone knows what there is to know. Our sexual inclinations haven't changed, and we still wear makeup. It is just more expensive and better applied. We are ourselves, in our music and in private. I went through my travelo period (in French in the interview - Editor's note), and I understood that being androgynous was not wearing skirts. It is a way of being on the spiritual plane. It is not an image but a state of mind.
Steve Hewitt: It's like being punk, it's an attitude.
Brian Molko: At the same time, I don't regret any of my eccentricities. I grew up in the spotlight and it all kind of makes me smile.
Stefan Olsdal: People still talk to us about certain outfits or positions, as if it still shocks them.
R&F: Yes, and particularly in France, a particularly homophobic country which bumps heartily on gay artists.
Brian Molko: And you, coincidentally, you still hang out with.
Stefan Olsdal: Jérôme, it's coming out time (laughs) ...
Brian Molko: All that has to change, that all of France becomes gay (laughs)!
R&F: "Protect Me From What I Want" precisely, here is a title heavy with meaning. What was the idea behind this song?
Brian Molko: For me, it's a study of the pathological need people have to copulate, the search for meaning in copulation. As if bachelors or monogamists were aliens. As if we were only one when we were two. The song is about the fact that one relationship has destroyed me but I can't help but look for another ... why do I keep coming back to this?
R&F: Wow, we're bathing in philosophy here!
Brian Molko: Yes and it's the same elsewhere in the record: in "Plasticine", I insist on the fact that you have to be yourself above all while asking myself all these questions. Why do we have to do a lot of forbidden things, bad or harmful?
R&F: It's therapy in public.
Brian Molko: At least I find some balance in it. These are not songs about compassion or self-pity. They came out like this because it was vital for me. I am in this privileged situation where I can express myself and the world hears me. Otherwise, I would be really frustrated and I would have suffered a lot more in the last fifteen years.
R&F: Music saved your life.
Brian Molko: Sure.
Steve Hewitt: Everyone: I think we can say that. Without Placebo, we would not be not even alive.
Brian Molko: Spitting it all out is not necessarily the right solution. There are things with which to live. In fact, I've always been afraid to go see a psychiatrist ...
R&F: Yet, listening to you speak earlier, you could have the feeling that Jim Abiss acted a bit like a shrink with you.
Brian Molko: That's right. You could say that.
R&F: At a time when Bush and Blair want to play World War III, what attitude do you adopt? What do you think of these Englishmen who left for Iraq to constitute a human shield?
Brian Molko: Let's say we stand together. We participated in the March for Peace on February 14th with Damon Albarn and 3D from Massive Attack. We were also surprised that so few groups mobilized, which increased our desire to participate tenfold.
R&F: Do you consider that it is the role of the artist to give voice in such circumstances?
Steve Hewitt: Yes, in the sense that we can help with general motivation.
Brian Molko: I'm very interested in seeing if Blair is going to let Bush bomb Iraq with the British present on the soil of the country. If he ever allows that, the consequences will be dire.
R&F: It will only be one more religious war, in the name of oil and money ...
Brian Molko: It seems absurd that we can still fight for that. And curiously, nobody speaks more, or almost, of Bin Laden. Wouldn't it all come from him, by chance, as a huge consequence of September 11? On the other hand, we have such a feeling that Bush wants to finish the job that daddy started. Its image is so bad that it needs at least one war to restore its image.
Steve Hewitt: And reinvigorate its dying economy.
R&F: The method is lamentable, deceitful. Like those employed by the recording industry which claims to be doing well by selling pop in damaged boxes to ignoramuses.
Brian Molko: The ability of this job to ingest people, bribe them and then spit them out is impressive. This is what happened here at Canal +.R&F: Business is the beast.
Brian Molko: All these pre-made artists are young and naff ...
Steve Hewitt: They'll all end up in a labor camp for ex-pop stars.
R&F: Warhol was talking about fifteen minute glory, we're brutally passed to fifteen seconds.
Brian Molko: We should have called them Karaoke idols from the start.
Steve Hewitt: And it only works because of the TV ...
R&F: Who washes the poor, helpless brains.
Steve Hewitt: You can tell how much people want to think less
R&F: And spend less. For many, music should be free: one in five thirteen-year-olds doesn't know that a disc doesn't have to be a computer-burnt puck. Some are flabbergasted when they see a cover for the first time.
Stefan Olsdal: And those who don't buy records put pressure on those who have them to pass them on at all costs, just long enough to copy them.
R&F: Exactly.
Brian Molko: That's why we blame Robbie Williams so much. Scooping 80 million pounds off EMI and then declaring that pirating music is a fantastic thing just makes him want to stick a chunk in his face.
R&F .: And then piracy is not a matter of environment. It's not a suburban thing. There are rich kids who find it normal to burn 80 CDs during their weekend and sometimes sell them to their friends ...
Brian Molko: What do these people believe? That we are there, the face in the stream with a syringe stuck in the arm singing "La Vie En Rose"? And who will pay for our children's school? Not them, anyway. Our mentality is quite different: we always want to buy records from people we love, from our friends. Personally, we are partly out of the woods, but it will be particularly difficult for new groups to make a living from music in five or ten years.
R&F: Come on, we're not going to leave each other on this, a little humor won't hurt anyone. If you were to be banned from any of these three things, which would you choose: making music, making money or making love?
Steve Hewitt (almost tit for tat): I would stop making money, without hesitation. It's because I love music and sex too much. And then, well, you have to choose.
Brian Molko (completely overwhelmed): Oh damn, that's not true. What a dilemma!
R&F: No Brian, that doesn't count, make an effort (laughs).
Brian Molko: Ah, I don't know. And then if. I would stop making money and get on well with someone super rich.
R&F: Or you would be pimp ...
Brian Molko: Yes, that's it. Good plan.
Stefan Olsdal: Stop making love does not mean to stop loving ...
Brian Molko (preparing his shot): And we can always masturbate (general laughter).
Stefan Olsdal: OK then, I would stop making love.
R&F: Okay, it will be written in black and white for all eternity.
Brian Molko: Will we live long enough to regret it? This is the real question.
*COLLECTED BY JEROME SOLIGNY
[Inset, Trash Palace]
Already present on the first album by Trash Palace which he had adorned with his presence one unhealthy recovery of "I Love You, Me No More "in duet with Asia Argento, Brian Molko is coming to re-stack. This time he cosigns directly "The Metric System " with Dimitri Trash Palace Tikovoi, an electro saw boosted to bleeps fundamentals available in two remix and its clip on an enhanced single recently published at Discograph. The result is particularly (d) amazing and sounds good logical, like of Placebo cyber.Placebo in  Rock & Folk magazine - April 2003
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elysiashelby · 3 years
Text
In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 25
Paring: (Eventual) Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)
Fandom: Peaky Blinders
Word Count: 18,006
WARNINGS: Angst, Cursing, Fluff, Continuous First Person to Third Person POV Shifts, ONE! Tom Third Person POV, Self-harm, Alcohol, SMUT! (NSFW): oral sex (female receiving), fingering, penetrative sex, unprotected sex
Summary: It’s March of 1922, Ali’s nearing the end of her stay with the Shelby’s. After years of waiting, she’s finally ready to move on, but will fate let her. 
MASTERLIST  CHAPTER 24.2  CHAPTER 26
A/N: This chapter contains some POV switches as will the next chapter! Y’all know the deal. Black line breaks are there as a warning for the self harm scene. Only 1 ‘n it’s small! 
Smut is finally here! I haven’t written a SMUT scene in forever, so I fear I’m a little out of touch. 
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It’s March of 1922 and things are going great! Well, not really, I had a mental breakdown so... I mean, not as bad as my last one, which was like a year ago. But, I was coming to terms with the fact that I killed someone! Someone who I did not have a paid hit on, but I murdered out of pure hatred. 
So, I had to do some inner reflection on that, and it would have gone a lot smoother if I had chosen to stop doin’ my side job. But I didn’t. I kept on with my “assassinating.” 
So was I really healed? Probably not, but hey! I don’t think about it anymore. I did it, I got away with— let’s move on. The guy was a douche anyway. Probably did society a favor. 
Yeah…
Right now I was cleaning up at Cassie’s flat. The gang was coming over soon, and I had to get the blood of a client off of me. The job was easier than most. I infiltrated another big party, seduced the target, and shot them in the chest and in the head. It’s a rule of thumb I have that I took from Zombieland. I got some blowback on me, so that’s why I’m taking a shower.
I’m not in the best of spirits tonight. Why, you may ask? Well, it’s because Michael and Arthur were to be arrested tonight. The only reason I knew was because Moss tipped me off. He caught me while I was visiting his wife. He took me aside and told me that Campbell had reason to arrest Michael, and he told me when it was going to take place.
The only reason why he was letting me know was because Campbell had his own plans for me. He didn’t know if Campbell wanted me arrested, but if I was on the scene— I was to be taken in. 
Let me tell you, I was so fucking proud of myself for befriending Moss’s wife! The single best thing I ever did. I mean, I knew I would be “bailed out” in no time thanks to all my rich mates, but Michael would still be in the clink. I think. I could ask around for some connections, if I needed to or was asked.
But, yeah. Michael and Arthur were being arrested tonight while I was at Cassie’s. Of course I felt guilty that I couldn’t prevent it, but it’s not like I could in the first place. That would mess with the timeline too much. 
Eventually, I got out of the shower, dried off, and put on my underwear. I’ve been trying to get more comfortable with my breasts, so I haven’t been wearing my bra to bed. In nothing but my towels and underwear, I walked out into the room.
“So,” I began while walking over to the bed, where I had my clothes laid out. “What’s on tonight’s agenda? Some heavy flirting? A therapy session? Or some good old fashion gambling?”
Cassie giggled, a pillow in her grasp as she threw open her arms. “All of it, babes!”
I chuckled. “That’s what I like to hear.” I dropped my towel and put on my dress. It was a velvet robe-like dress. Very flowy and comfortable, though it had a deep v-neck. Again, trying to get comfortable with my tits. Luckily, this process has been going on for a while and Dougie and Horace are now used to seeing a bit of my cleavage.
The pair do not regard me as anything more than a mate. Dougie is like my male twin flame while Cassie’s my female twin flame. They just match my vibe so fucking well! While Horace...well, he only has eyes for Angie. We bond pretty well academically, though. He answers a lot of questions I have pertaining some of the hypotheticals I conjure while writing.
After I put on my dress, I lotioned up my legs and arms before moving on to caring for my hair. I was brushing it out when the gang came in.
Dougie came up to me and kissed my temple before heading toward the table with the rest of the group. I hurriedly scrunched up my hair as I desperately wanted to join the conversation in fear of being left out. 
I threw my hair towel aside and quickly shuffled to the table. Cassie saw me coming and got up from her seat.
While beckoning me to her, she said. “Ali, c’mere.” 
I sat in her chair and once I was settled down, she sat on my lap. I sighed before asking, “So, what are we playing first?”
Cassie was sitting on my lap sidesaddle. She reached over on the table to the carton of ciggies that someone had thrown, tapped it on the bottom before pulling two out. 
With a ciggie hanging from her mouth, Angie replied while shuffling the cards. “We decided on Go Fish. Your favorite.” She winked at me and I returned it.
I giggled before accepting the ciggie Cassie held for me. She rested hers on her lip and just as she went to lit it— Dougie leaned over to us.
“Here, just use mine.” He said while pressing the end his ciggie to hers. 
Muffled, Cassie replied. “Thanks.” She looked back to me, took my face in her hands, and connected the ends of our ciggies. Basically, repeating what she’d just done with Dougie.
I swear to God, this group is so sus. And I think I’m partially at fault for how close and open the group is. I’m sorry, okay, I’m a physical person and I cut through the bullshit with the people I hold dear!
Angie dealt the cards, and I slid them closer to my face. I was exhaling when Cassie decided to start the conversation flow again.
She asked. “So Tina, how’s your married man? What was his name again?”
Tina tsked, a scowl on her face. “Darren, his name’s Darren. And, he’s fine...”
I raised an eyebrow. “Just fine? Who the hell’s starting?”
Angie cleared her throat. “I dealt so Douglas goes. Cassie’s sitting in your lap, so either you or her is next and vise versa. Then, Tina goes and finally Horace before me.”
I nodded as a quiet “oh” escaped my mouth. I looked back over at Tina.
Tina replied. “Yes, just fine.”
“So, has he filed for a divorce from his wife? Any sevens?” Dougie asked.
Horace and Angie gave him their cards.
Tina pouted, her arms crossing defensively. “He—! He’s been avoiding the question.”
All of us shared a glance and some of us hummed.
Dougie asked. “Any fives?”
“You know, statistically and due to England’s current standpoint on divorce— Darren is less likely to actually ask his wife for a divorce. There is an even lesser probability that the divorce would even be granted in a court of law—” 
The four of us girls shouted. “Go fish!”
“--because we’re obsessed with this “Christian purity.” And, his wife would have to be the adulterer. And as it stands right now only he has—!” Horace was spewing before he was cut off. His face contorting in pain before hunching over. 
Collectively, we all glanced at Tina, who was not holding up well. 
This was not going good, and the urge to tell her that I told her so, was not helping. She should just dump him, but eh, who was I to judge? 
I cleared my throat before holding my ciggie away from my lips, and asking through an exhale, “Anyone got any Queens?”
Cassie didn’t hesitate to give me two. I took the two I had in my hands and laid the four cards on the table. 
“Anyone got any nines?”
Angie threw one of her cards to me. Cassie passed it to me before looking over to Tina.
She said. “Well, Tina. Whatever you decide to do, we’ll support you. If ya want to stay with him, or leave him. We’ll be right here for ya.” 
All of us tried comforting her ‘n all we managed to get was a small smile in return. It didn’t reach her eyes, I knew that. However, I really wanted to have a good time so I was looking to change the subject. 
‘Just—! Anyone please talk about anything else!’
As I inhaled, I asked. “Any threes?”
“Go fish!”
I tsked.
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I was laying down on the floor with Horace. Our arms were extended up in the air and we laid opposite to each other, if that made sense. Like basically, our heads were right next to each other. 
Our arms were in the air because I was playing with Horace’s fingers. Angie, Tina, Cassie, and Dougie were either sitting on the sofas/couches, or somewhere else in the room. He was a little drunk and wanted to calm down, so I offered to stay with him.
“So, how are things going with Angie, buddy?” I asked while still playing with his fingers.
He sighed and then chuckled. “Better. I think she… I think she’s beginning to like me back.”
I hummed and chuckled under my breath. “Well, don’t get too cocky there. She’ll knock back down a peg or two if she finds out that you’re feeling like that.”
Horace scoffed. “Don’t I know it. Hey! The only way she’d find out is if you tell her!”
My eyes widened and I spluttered rolling over to my sides. When I calmed down, I repositioned myself and grabbed hold of his fingers again. I sighed. “Well, that’s true but I promise I’ve never told her a thing.”
That’s a blag, I’m almost certain. It probably slipped from my tongue from time to time. 
I was running my fingertips over his short-cut fingernails while blowing raspberries. I took a deep breath before asking, “Well, you guys went on that date like last week, right? Angie’s told us some things, but how’d it go from your perspective?”
He blew raspberries before replying, “I think it went rather well. I mean she actually paid attention to me this time.”
I couldn’t help but snicker. “Oh my god, Horace!”
“It’s true! This time I felt like she was actually like looking at me. I don’t know. She’s hard to read sometimes, but it’s endearing, really.”
“So, you’re saying that you like the mysterious side to her?”
“Yeah. Yeah, in a way, I am.”
“So, if you discover all there is to her, do you think you will lose interest in her?”
Horace and I grew quiet. His arms flopped down to his side which I repeated. I rolled over to my side, an arm supporting my head as my other hand scratched away at the rug.
Horace mimicked how I was laying, so that we were facing each other, and he sighed through his nose. “I don’t think I’ll ever know everything about her. People typically evolve over time as do their curiosities and interests. So, I don’t think you nor I nor Angie will ever fully know one another. However, to answer your question, no, I don’t think I would lose interest in her even if I knew everything about her. I—! I’ve been in love with her since I was a child, so it would be pretty odd if I were to just lose interest once we were together. I mean, then why the hell did I waste all these years pinning after her. You know?”
I hummed and nodded. “I feel that.” I continued picking at the rug. “Hey, Horace?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, um. Basically, you know what, nevermind, it’s dumb.”
“No, come on. Ask me.”
“No—”
“Just ask me.”
I sighed and looked down. “Well, I wanted to ask you since you’re a guy ‘n all. Um, why doesn’t Tommy like me?”
Horace’s tongue swiped over his bottom lip as he jerked his body around a little. Basically, shaking on his side like a mermaid out of water would, but not as violent. “Now, Aliena. Do you want an honest answer, or do you just want one that will solidify the ideas you already have in your head?”
I chuckled, a small smile spreading across my face before I shouted. “Both!”
Horace rolled over to his back and I inched closer to him. I hovered above him as he spoke. “Okay, then. The honest answer is, well, why does anyone not reciprocate a person’s love? It could simply be because you’re not the person’s type, or there could be any other extenuating circumstance. Why—? Why does Angie not acknowledge my love when I’m obviously ready to give her my all? She just has her reasons. Now, I’m not her nor am I your Tommy, so I can’t speak for him. I don’t know why he won’t look your way. Only he could truly tell you.”
I blinked, my mood souring. I took a deep breath and reached up to fiddle with the collar of his white dress shirt. “And the answer that would solidify my thoughts?” I whispered.
We stared into each other’s eyes as he replied. “You met him too early in life. You met him too early in life, and now all he can see is that 16 year old girl. Not to mention the 12 year age gap! I mean it would probably be nothing, if the both of you had met now, as you are 20 and he’s 32, but you met when you were 16 and 28. I—! Don’t get me wrong a lot of men would have gotten with you being 28 and you being 16. So, regretfully, I have to applaud the man.”
I rolled my eyes.
“It’s the truth, Ali. Men are—! Men aren’t the best. I’ve learned more than enough of the struggle women go through because of men from Angie, believe me!”
“Oh, I believe you!”
We chuckled before falling to a silence. 
Horace continued. “There’s also your personality!”
My jaw dropped and my face contorted. I smacked his chest as I gasped. “What’s wrong with my personality!”
He raised his arms and tried defending himself from my attacks. A big ol’ smile on his face. “Ali, you’re very affectionate! Do you know that? God, I’d have believed that Cassie would have fought with you if she didn’t know about Tommy. It’s honestly rather settling to know that you actually have your heart set on someone ‘cause you’d have fooled the rest of us!”
I pouted. Still fiddling with his collar, I asked in a childish voice. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, you flirt with everyone in the group. You know that, right? You sit on Douglas’s lap. You sit on my lap! You sit on Angie’s! You kiss us on the cheek. Dougie kisses your cheek or temple. Then, there’s your unique fashion sense. I’m not judging your choice to display what God gave you. Angie would kill me if I did! But, you can even ask Douglas, we—! Well, I! Don’t regard you all that innocent, anymore. If you get what I mean, I—!”
I waved my hands as a way to stop him from tripping himself over his words even more. “I, I know what you’re trying to say. I get it all the time. Your point is?”
Horace took a deep breath before rubbing his forehead and letting his hand rest there. “Well, don’t you think that a person will just either get used to the affection or eventually grow annoyed by it?”
I’m regretting talking to him entirely.
“I don’t act like that with him, Horace. He’s still my boss, you know. I—! I could never!”
His eyes widened. “O-Oh! Then, disregard that last statement. Uh...”
I mean, but I have thought about that. I debated whether or not my compassion and love for the man was being taken for granted. Well, that he was manipulating me into like placating his feelings. I’m more used to that treatment coming from girls. You know, they act like they’re sad just so that I can comfort them— that sort of thing! I don’t deny that it’s crossed my mind.
Horace cleared his throat. “Well, then, perhaps he’s the sort of man that can’t handle you. You’re very independent and upbeat. I mean you can be serious when the moment calls for it, but you’re quick to giggle. Maybe he just wants a damsel in distress. Maybe he wants a more serious, proud woman. Proud being opposite to your “down to earthness.” Is what I’m trying to say.”
I snickered. “Uh… Right, okay? That was a whole lot in a small package. Um, right, okay then! Well, thank you for giving me your most honest answers, sir.”
He nodded. “You’re welcome, madam.”
I snickered away while cringing and then stuck my tongue out at him. Eventually, we got up from the floor and rejoined the group. We chatted away while sipping our bevvies, and nursed our cigarettes before finding ourselves seated on the couches. 
Tina and Cassie were sitting on the couch opposite to Dougie and I. I was sitting rather close to him with my legs draped over his thighs. His right hand rested on my thigh while I ran my fingers through the back of his hair. 
Ah! I see what Horace was talking about. Yeah, all those Tik toks ‘n shit are coming back to me. Maybe I should ask Cassie how she feels about my touchiness? Oh, I definitely should. Great! Fucking dammit! Why did my love language have to be physical touch? 
He was telling me about his week when Angie’s voice was growing increasingly more loud by the second. She was pacing back ‘n forth in front of Horace, who was sitting on the arm of the couch.
Angie groaned exaggeratedly before snapping her fingers and shouting, “Ali, Ali! What about your opinion, eh? How do you feel living in these times while looking the way you do? Acting the way you do?”
I furrowed my eyebrows and glanced at both Cassie and Dougie. They both gave me shrugs. I sighed before pushing some of my hair away from my face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
With a drink in her right hand and waving about her left, she said. “Well, I mean you don’t conform to beauty standards. Right? Your hair is still very long, you typically wear what you want to wear. You enhance your curves and you know, embrace the waves in your hair. I mean that’s almost the total opposite of the way women dress today.”
I get that I was out of tune with the modern style, but she was making it sound like I was trying to be some sort of trendsetter.
I giggled and waved a hand and dismissed her comment. “I don’t know what to say. I wear what I want to wear. I—!”
“Exactly! Exactly. You wear what you want to wear. And, and you scrap with men. You fight your own battles. I mean—!”
I scoffed, shaking my head. “Angie, Angie, wait a minute. I—! Look, we live one life. I intend on living it how I want. That’s all.”
She nodded. “I know! Exactly and that’s what I love about you. You don’t give a damn about what anyone else thinks. You live your life the way you want, and I don’t know... Well, like tell us—! No, tell me how you do all this without worrying about snagging a man.”
Ah! And the other shoe drops. 
I sighed and rubbed my left eye. “Ah, okay. There we go, something I can answer. First and foremost, I dress and act however I want regardless of how a man sees me. How he chooses to warp me in his head, in anyone one’s head, is their problem. I will talk, dress, act, laugh anyway I want because at the end of the day— I have to live with myself and love myself. That’s how I go about my business.”
She began clapping and nodding, her lips pursed. 
Oh god, she was tipsy.
Angie snapped her fingers. “Exactly. And! And the beauty standards men put on us and other women expect each other to uphold is ridiculous. Like how the hell is one figure more attractive than another. Women are—! Women, men, everybody should be appreciated. Why, Why do we have to favor one type more over the other? I-I mean, I understand preferences but to subject people to a set criteria when some of us aren’t even capable of accomplishing that standard. It’s—! It’s preposterous.”
Angie raised her free hand to her forehead and she scratched it. “Take Aliena and Cassie for example, they can’t become more flat-chested. They can’t make them smaller. Nor, nor can they help their curvy figures! Why should society tell them to, you know, bind their breasts or something. Or to hide their figures in loose fitted clothing! They’re beautiful! Beautiful!”
All of us shared a glance at one another before bursting with laughter. We laughed so much that I’m sure all of our stomachs ached in pain. 
Through her laughter, Cassied rasped. “Angie, Angie sit the fuck down ‘n take a breather, hon’! For the love of...”
I chimed in. “Yes, please sit down before you blow a casket ‘n like faint or some shit.”
Angie pouted through a smile and plopped down on the couch. “I’m just saying. I mean Aliena, you exercise, right? Like, you work out in a way that a man does. Not just take strolls or ride bikes.”
I wiped under my eyes before nodding ‘n sniffling. “Yeah, I do. I exercise for myself. I don’t do it to please society or any man. I do it for me.” I shrugged my shoulders and turned my attention back to Dougie’s hair.
Angie snapped her fingers and pointed at me. “Thank you. I love you. Thank you. And that’s why I want to tear down Hollywood.”
“Ah—!” I snickered and shook my head before blowing her a kiss.
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After that fiasco, things called down a bit ‘n I went back to talking to Dougie. He was tapping my thigh when he quickly picked up his head and said, “You know I finished developing the photos.”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “The photos…? Oh, shit! The photos! How’d they come out?”
Some weeks ago, Dougie bought this camera and wanted to practice his photography skills. He loved the art, but it could never be his main job, for obvious reasons. His father was passing on the company to him, so we all know how that goes. Anyway, I made the suggestion that the gang could be like his practice models ‘n eventually I got everyone to agree.
It was fun, obviously! I helped position everyone and of course, I had to sneak in some 21st century gestures. I just hated that I wouldn’t be alive to see my grandbabies’ faces. I’ll break the timeline, just for this reason. To fuck with my descendents. 
During the day, we went to an empty grassland area and had like a cottagecore photoshoot. It was fucking fantastic! One thing from my bucket list I was lucky to complete. But at night, it was a more risque photoshoot. And yes, even Horace participated in it. I made him as did Angie.
Dougie smiled and nodded. “I think they came out to be pretty good. I’ll bring them next time. It just slipped my mind today.”
I psh-ed him and shoved his head away from me before throwing my head back in a cackle. We talked a bit more before I beckoned somewhere else. I eventually made it back to Cassie, and I was sitting on the couch while she was on the floor. I was messing around with her hair. Right now, I was making a bunch of braids. 
Cassie was eating some fruit while she was talking to Angie. “Okay, but like who was your first kiss?”
Angie hummed through hooded eyes with an arm hanging in the air. “Oh, it was Tina.”
I spluttered and began spazzing out. I scurried off the couch and started running around the room while shouting over and over again. “No way! No way! No fucking way!”
Cassie joined my freak out session by rolling around on the floor and slapping the couch behind her, where I was previously sitting. When I felt calm enough, I ran back to my spot.
I shouted. “No fucking way!”
Angie chortled. “What? Why is it such a big deal?”
“Uh...” Cassie and I just looked at each other. In an American accent, I said. “Well, I mean. I don’t wanna be a bitch, but like when I felt met y’all… You guys were kinda sus. Like Tina, full truth, I thought you had a humongous crush on Angie ‘n yeah so, um, yeah. Did y’all date or…?”
Angie’s eyes widened and she rose from Tina’s lap, who was stunned, by the way. Angie snatched a pillow from the couch and chucked it at me. 
“She’s. Just. Shy. And we were kids when we just did it! It was innocent.” Angie yelled. 
I cried out when the pillow hit me. Through my laughter, I replied. “I’m sorry!”
Angie huffed as she laid back down on Tina’s lap. “Yeah, yeah. You’re not the only one to think it. People just get the wrong idea. She’s just shy.” Angie reached up and caressed Tina’s face. “Oh, we’ve both kissed Horace, too.”
My jaw dropped and a hand flew over my mouth. I looked at Cassie and Dougie, who were just as shocked as me. I screamed into my hand and began running around the room again, only this time I wasn’t alone. Dougie was running in the opposite direction of me. 
He zipped over to Horace while I tackled Cassie on the couch. Well, I more like got her in a headlock ‘n swung her around a bit as I settled onto the couch. 
Tina groaned, averting her gaze from us before running a hand through her hair. She asked. “Well, who were your guys’s first kiss?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Ugh, I guess my first kiss was with my childhood best friend too. Name was Brooklyn.”
“Mine was with Mary, she was a classmate.” Cassie replied.
Angie tsked. “See a girl, right? Why are you harping on us for?”
Cassie and I just shrugged. It was like we had this silent agreement that we weren’t gonna bring up the fact that we kissed each other on the lips as a greeting and a farewell.
“Hey, do you guys think I would look hotter with blonde hair?” I asked.
They all began telling me what they thought. 
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Later in the night, we just went wild ‘n I was happy for it. Michael and Arthur didn’t cross my mind once. We blasted our records, danced the night away while chatting, drinking, and smoking away.
I was overwhelmed with emotions at the end of the night because—… Because I never thought I would have a friend group like this, and now that I did— it was surreal. I genuinely felt that I wouldn’t be in the mental state I was in, if they weren’t in my life.
They made everything that much better. I was always happy with Tommy, but that feeling was contorting into something else now. You know? It was becoming increasingly more platonic, and as much as that should feel liberating— it frightened me. 
I have a million reasons why I held out for him for this long and why it frightens me so, and I’m not going to dwell on them. To be honest, I think the moment he did reciprocate my feelings and he told me, I probably would numb myself immediately. I would just be in such a state of shock that I’d deny his feelings ‘n just move the fuck on. 
‘I mean that’s what is expected of me, right?’ 
Since I am the way that I am. I can’t just blame it on social media’s influence. I mean when I imagined the scenario I end up cringing a ton, and I send myself into like a “tic fit.” It’s the best I can describe it. 
Anyhow, back to how the night went! We got super drunk, super high, and probably pissed off Cassie’s neighbors but we settled down at like three or four in the morning. The people living downstairs were most likely the most grateful since we were jumping around like crazy people. 
We, collectively, all crawled onto Cassie’s bed ‘n knocked out. I was probably the first to sleep. I’m not going to tell ya a blag. It was completely plausible. But, what I loved most about tonight— it was that I was surrounded by people who loved me. It was warm and I felt safe. Something I wasn’t even able to feel in my own home at times when I was back in my own universe. 
Cassie was the big spoon while I was the little, and Dougie was her big spoon. I made sure to avoid being in the middle anymore. I talked to Cassie and she was fine with my touching. She said I showed her the same amount of attention, and she knew I didn’t fancy him— so we were good.
However, I didn’t want to interfere with a perfectly good moment. So, I chose to be on the outside while Cassie was in the middle. Yeah, that didn’t stop her from cuddling me instead. I was too intoxicated and tired to tell her to cuddle Dougie instead.
When I woke up, I found it to be fairly early in the morning because the sky was grey. There’s a difference to the 6 am sky and the 8 am sky, okay! I didn’t get up right away. I wanted to savor the tranquility that surrounded me for a little while longer. But like all sweet things, they must come to an end.
My guess is that I was probably stirring around too much by accident ‘n woke up Cassie, who inadvertently awoke Dougie. I tried coaxing her back to sleep, but it was too late for the both of them. Begrudgingly, I inched my way off the bed and strolled over to the table.  
Dougie was right behind me. I could hear his loud yawn from behind me, and then his hands gently fell on top of my head. My head bobbled as he kissed the top of my head. 
“Mornin’, Ali.”
I smiled and while my head did a little dance, I replied. “Morning, Dougie.”
He pulled out a chair for me before going to sit on his own. While gripping the arms of the chair, I scooted closer to the table. I craned my head back to see Cassie on the phone, no doubt ordering food. 
We really didn’t begin talking till the food came. I think we were just still sleepy, but food and orange juice helped. Horace was the first to get up ‘n he attacked the bacon. Then, it was Tina and finally, Angie. Who was very grumpy, by the way. So not happy about being awake.
I don’t know how it happened, but eventually we broke out into a food fight. It was awesome.
“Oi! Fucking watch it!” I exclaimed as I narrowly dodged a ketchup covered egg. I knew it was covered in ketchup ‘cause I saw Tina drown them in it. I grabbed a syrup-soaked waffle and chucked it at Dougie.
It got him right on the side of his face. He exclaimed and his face contorted in disgust. My mouth immediately contorted into deep frown ‘n my eyebrows raised, and when his crazed eyes found mine— I gasped. My gasp was so deep like a man’s that I hurt my throat doing it. 
I held my hands up as I croaked. “Wait.” He inched closer to me. “Wait! Wait!” I turned my back and started running. Something you should know about me, I never liked being chased. It gave me another type of anxiety and happiness— it was so weird. 
Eventually, Dougie caught me and we started wrestling with each other. Through our grunts, I heard the phone ring and Cassie hopped across the room to get to it. She landed on the bed and crawled to the phone. While sitting on her knees, she answered the phone.
I turned my attention back to Dougie and tried crawling away from him as he attacked my sides. It wasn’t my tickle spot, but I laughed at the pain of his fingers digging into my sides, nonetheless. 
“I’m sorry!” I yelled. “I’m sorry! I give, now cut it out.” 
Dougie loosened his hold and sat up on his knees, flipping his bangs to one side as he did so. I didn’t hesitate to get up on my feet. 
“Never!” He shouted. “You got syrup on my face.”
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. I playfully yelled as I charged at him ‘n I barely managed to get him into a headlock when Cassie shouted for me. She motioned the phone toward me, and my smile dropped as did my hold on Dougie.
I walked over to the phone and brought it to my ear. While taking some of the hair that fell into my mouth, I said. “Hello?”
“Aliena, love.” Polly sniffled before continuing, “Thank god you’re alright. Um, I need you to come home, darling.”
“Polly, you’re crying. What’s happened?” I’m only half-ashamed to admit that I was exaggerating my concern. Hard to actually experience when I already knew what was up.
“It’s Michael. He’s been arrested. You need to come home to the house in Small Heath. We’re gonna have a family meeting.”
“Is Tom there yet?”
Polly sniffled again before replying, “No, not yet. You still have time before it begins, so come quickly. Love you.”
“Love you too. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I hung up the phone and looked back at my mates. They were all looking at me concernedly. I waved my finger around before finding the words. “I, uh… I need to go. Cassie, can you tell Simmons—!”
She nodded. “Of course.” Cass instantly grabbed the phone and began calling him. 
I glanced at my mates one more time before walking over to the closet. I put on this off-white frock with some black heels. I didn’t fix my hair up or put on any makeup. I just packed up my things, threw on my coat, and hurried out the door. I bade everyone farewell before leaving.
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I ran out of the car and into the house. I threw my backpack on the couch before shouting, “Polly, I’m here!”
Faintly, I could hear Polly gasp and then we met each other halfway in the kitchen. She pulled me into a hug and squeezed the breath right out of me. 
“Thank god!” She said. “Thank god you’re okay.” Polly parted from our hug ‘n began stroking my hair and face. 
Footsteps coming from my right caught my attention, and I hugged Finn, John, and Esme as they came up to me. All us exchanging words about how we were all glad that one another was okay. John caught me up to date as Polly was fawning over me. 
She couldn’t stop stroking my hair and kissing my temple. I didn’t mind it, but everything she did was exemplified since I wasn’t used to this sort of treatment from her. Well, I was ‘n it always happened in some sad event in our lives, and that’s probably what’s upsetting me the most. 
I managed to get her to sit down, and smoked a ciggie with her. Tom sure took his time coming home. It took him, perhaps, twenty to thirty minutes later before he strided through the kitchen and into the shop. 
I stubbed my ciggie out, just as Tom said. “John?”
“Coppers have lifted 10 of our men in Camden town, the rest of them on the run.” He replied.
Finn added. “Tom, they've taken Michael.” 
Polly rose from her seat and walked closer to the family and I followed suit, taking the opposite door to lean on. 
Tom waved Finn off saying, “Business first.”
“They took Michael— ”
“I said business first.”
“They picked him up—!”
“Polly, business first!”
‘Great! Went from having an awesome time last night to an anxiety ridden morning. I love my life. Wow, way to make it about myself. I’m amazing!’
Tom gave Pol one last look before asking John to continue. Polly looked vulnerable. She looked, sorry to say, pitiful. She was desperate to help Michael, but— obviously, Tom had an agenda he was intending to follow.
John continued. “They took all our whisky. So no doubt they'll be supping that for Christmas. They've impounded all our vans, put their own locks on the warehouse. The Eden Club and all our pubs have been raided by the coppers and handed back to Sabini and Solomons. The Black Country boys think it was Arthur who killed Billy because that's what the coppers told them. So there'll be no more free passes for our whisky boats.”
“I don't give a fuck about whisky. I don't give a fuck about Billy Kitchen.” Polly said as she walked over to the table and began to lightly slam her hand down on it as she spoke, “I want my son out of prison now.”
Esme decided to speak up, at the wrong time. “Thomas, I spoke to Johnny Dogs.”
“This meeting should just be family.” Polly insisted.
‘Ah—! Ma’am, the fuck does that make me? Oh, wait, family! You, idiot, you.’
“I can help.”
“-It's family only, she's not blood.”
“Let her speak.” Tom interjected, but Polly kept on going.
“Tommy! Or is this a business… How you forgotten family—!”
“ENOUGH!”
My hand flew to my mouth and I swear to God, my heart sank to my arse. ‘Holy fuck is the wrong, but holy hell is it erotic!’
I was given the side eye by multiple people in the room, and I quickly numbed my feelings. Faster than I ever had to before. I stood up straight and cleared my throat.
Tom looked back at Polly as he said. “Enough, Polly. Esme.”
“I spoke to Johnny Dogs. The Lees are kin.”
“The bloody Lees!” Polly exclaimed
“They can give us men.”
“We don't need more fucking men! It's men that have done the damage! It's… It is men fighting like cockerels that have put us here in the first place.”
Tommy said. “Esme, I'll take up their offer. We need men.”
There was this pregnant silence that stilled between all of us, and it made me bounce on my heels. 
Polly pointedly stared at Tommy, inching closer to him as she said. “If Michael ever gets out of prison, I am taking him away from this family, for good.” She took a step back from Tom and waved her hands around her. “This life is bad.”
Polly walked over to Finn ‘n grabbed him by the arm. “This life is all bad.” She began dragging him away and made a beeline for me. Pol gripped my arm ‘n began pulling me away too.
“Ah!” I exclaimed as my feet skidded across the floor.
“Aunt Pol, what’re you doin’?” Finn cried out as we were both being tugged away.
“Shut up and walk.”
I managed to crane my head back for one last look at Tom before Pol had tugged Finn and I out of the house. Tommy didn’t meet my gaze. 
Polly ushered us in her car and drove us to the house in Sutton. She ordered us to stay in the house, but I knew where she was going. I saw her make a call, which went on for sometime, before she darted for the door. 
I think she was calling Ada.
I grabbed her arm as she turned to leave. “Polly, wait! Where are you going?”
She sighed before taking my face into her hands. “I’m going to go see if I can get my son out by myself. Thomas isn’t going to help, so I’m doing this on my own.” Polly stroked the side of my face as she looked into my eyes.
“Don’t go...” I whispered.
Pol sucked on her teeth before shaking her head. I gripped her wrists as they were still close to my face and said. “I can—! I can call someone. My mates can help. They’re Michael’s mates too, so I’m sure they won’t mind.”
She shook her head and gently tugged her hands away from my face. I let her wrists go without hesitation. With one hand on my shoulder, and the other waving around as she talked, she said. “No. No, I can’t have your friends knowing about this side of the family. They’re different from us ‘n they need to have the best image of you they can. I will deal with this on my own. I will deal with this on my own as I’ve always done.” 
Polly quickly kissed my forehead and left just as I was about to continue to beg her not to. I ran after her, but my reaction time was a little too late since she was already in the car. I shouted after her, but she took off.
I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t—! I couldn’t interfere when she didn’t want me to, so I just walked back into the house ‘n focused on taking care of Finn. We spent our time talking and playing card games. I finished making our lunch when Ada showed up. I knew she’d show up. ‘Cause of the episode, of course. 
She brought Karl, which made everything better ‘n brighter for a while.
I  spent time playing with the baby and catching up with Ada. Eventually, I left Ada alone with Finn since I’m sure she’d wanted to talk to him alone. I had the maid make dinner ‘n eventually sent Finn’s lanky butt up to a room. Had the maid prepare it for him beforehand.  Ada and I talked into the night till Karl grew tired. 
She took another room and retired for the night. On the other hand, I only went up stairs to change into something more comfortable, then I went back down to wait for Polly to come back home. I basically wore a nightgown and put my hair into a ponytail. 
I knew Polly was going to want to take a bath ‘n I wanted to be the one to help her. It was only right since she’d helped me when I needed it. 
I hated myself. I hated myself. I could’ve tried harder. I could’ve used better words to persuade her. I could’ve—!
Polly stumbled in at around eleven o’clock at night. I sprang up from the couch ‘n she didn’t even make a fuss about the fact I was up. Pol stumbled into my arms with the stench of alcohol on her breath. 
“Ali my love!” She slurred as she leaned all her body weight on me.
I muffled a groan as I held her up. 
Polly picked herself up a bit and slapped her hands on my face. I flinched at the force she put behind it. 
“Beautiful...” She whispered. “Absolutely beautiful...” Her thumbs roughly wiped the space under my eyes. Bringing them up and down and stretched back. 
“Polly,” I whispered. “What’s happened?”
Her head jerked back and she stumbled away from me. Averting my gaze, she replied. “Is done. Michael with—! Michael will be out within, at, in the morning.”
I smiled and clapped my hands in front of my mouth. “That’s great news, Polly!”
She smiled and nodded, drunkenly. Like she was nodding like a bobble head, someone who wasn’t in control of their motor functions. Polly’s gaze drifted to the side and she pointed to the tub. “Were you gonna take a bath?”
I shook my head. “Oh, no. I thought about it, but then I was waiting for you to come home. I had the fire lit. Why? Did you want to take a bath?”
Polly stumbled forward and gripped my arms, steadying herself before she nodded. “Yes. Yeah. Ali, darling, can you be so kind… And help me?”
I nodded, my eyebrows furrowing in concern. I ran to the kitchen and filled up the bucket for hot water. This house actually had a water heater ‘n that meant hot water from the tap. I had to make a few trips back ‘n forth but it was quicker than it would’ve been at the other house. 
“Alright, all done.” I turned back to Polly, who was sitting on the couch as she gazed into the fire. Her head shot up when I spoke. I turned around as a way to give her the privacy she needed to undress. 
I could sense her walking toward the tub and I turned my body more to the left while closing my eyes. Slowly, I got down to my knees ‘n sat on them. I wanted to give her the respect she deserved. The water sloshed as she dipped her body in the tub.
“Can you pass me the soap and sponge, love?” Polly asked me.
My eyes fluttered open instantly and I crawled to where I had placed the body soap and sponge earlier. I reached up for them and then crawled back over to her before giving them to her.
I sort of just sat there as she bathed herself. Her movements were sluggish and looked to be done with great difficulty. I knew it was wrong, but I wanted to pry. I wanted her to open up to me and just cry about it. I didn’t want her to keep it in. However, I knew that was wrong, so I just picked at the carpet below me. 
Eventually, I couldn’t stand doing nothing and I asked her if I could shampoo her hair. She gave me a sloth-like smile and gave me permission. I reached up for the shampoo, took off my sheer robe, and shuffled on my knees around the tub. 
Polly leaned forward to give me some room. I scooped up some of the water from the tub using the pitcher and poured it along her hairline, slowly making my way to the back of her scalp. 
Shampooing someone else’s hair was always something comforting to me. I did Cassie’s hair all the time as she did mine. It was a type of intimacy that was more innocent than others types. 
I began humming something from Billie Holiday. I didn’t know the song by heart, but I knew some of the words ‘n rhythm enough. I was rinsing her hair when Polly’s shoulders began to shake. Muffled sobs escaped her nose as she shakily took deep breaths. 
I didn’t know what to do or say. I didn’t know if it was appropriate to touch her and hug her, so I asked. I asked if it was alright if I hugged her. Like a child, she nodded through her sobs. 
I hugged Polly from behind. She was wet, I knew that. I was painfully aware of the new sensation of my dress sticking to my body and her cold hair against my cheek. Everything in my being was screaming and begging me to launch myself backward, away from her— but my heart was pleading for me to do the opposite. 
My heart wanted to absorb her pain, and it was my heart that won. I choked back my tears. I didn’t have the right to shed them. I could’ve saved her from this pain. I could’ve prevented this. But, ultimately when I blinked, they slipped down my cheeks. 
I didn’t pry, I stayed true to my word. We composed ourselves simultaneously and silently. 
“Love?” 
I wiped my nose on my arm before answering, “Yes?”
“Can you get me a cigarette? They’re in my purse.”
I nodded as I muttered. “Of course.” I rose to my feet and walked over to her purse, which was on the sofa. I put one in my mouth and lit it. With it still hanging off my lips, I took a quick puff as I grabbed the ashtray. I placed it on the stool that had the soaps on top, and then passed Polly her ciggie.
I walked back around to the chair that was behind her ‘n admired the fire crackling. Ada came in not too long after. I left… 
Truthfully, I didn’t know why I left. 
I trudged up the stairs all the way to my room. I closed the door behind me and slid down it.
I felt like a complete piece of shit and hollow and empty. My face scrunched up in a sob, but no tears came out. There was this increasingly more painful headache forcing me to acknowledge it, and with it came anger and annoyance. I wanted to punch the walls. I wanted to throw stuff around. I wanted to kill Campbell for what he’s done to this family.
I wanted his blood. I wanted to slit his throat. I wanted to bite a chunk of his neck out. I wanted…
I heaved a deep breath and found it still difficult to breathe. I crawled forward on all fours with one hand supporting my weight while the other clutched my throat. I took deep breaths till finally I couldn’t take it anymore. 
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I had to release these emotions inside of me. The need to punish myself became overwhelming, and my eyes flickered to the suitcase that laid under my bed. 
I shook my head. ‘I couldn’t afford any marks’ I thought. 
With my other job, my body is a tool ‘n any harm to it hinders my ability to get it done. 
So, I yanked the straps of my gown down and let it fall under my waist. Ferociously, I began to claw away at my neck, arms, and stomach. The burn. The burn was what I needed. 
And when I stopped, the pain took over but as much as it meant everything— it was also nothing. 
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Slowly, I brought the straps of my gown back up to my shoulders, rose to my feet, and sauntered over to my bed. I climbed in it and just laid there while staring at the lamp that was always on at my desk. I fell asleep, eventually…
The next morning, Polly came into my room ‘n asked if I wanted to come with her to go ‘n get Michael. I felt like she wanted me to go with her, so I said I’d go. While dressing up, I was glad to see that none of the scratches I’d made scarred up. 
I made sure to dress warmly since we would be going out so early in the morning and then we headed off to pick him up. We didn’t make any conversation during the drive or as we waited for him to come out. 
But nothing— and I mean nothing, could tear my eyes away from the scarf around her neck. 
I chose to lean against the wall as we waited while Polly was pacing back ‘n forth on the pavement. When Michael walked out, the first thing I noticed was the ugly bruise on his right cheek. Then, I noticed the little cuts all around his face. The need to comfort him was strong, but he walked straight toward his mother while smoking a ciggie.
“You need cream on them cuts or they'll go bad.” Polly said to ‘em.
Michael didn’t reply. He took a drag before saying, “The screws told me why I've been freed. They told me what you did.”
Polly looked away from Michael. Her gaze found mine, and she hurriedly looked away from me too. Polly stared straight on, instead. 
“They thought it was funny.” He continued. Michael took another puff before he said. “Maybe it is.”
The urge to degrade and make someone cry had never been activated so fast in me before now. I glared at Michael as he walked away. My blood boiled with each step he took.
With my foot, I launched myself away from the wall and walked to Polly’s side. I put a hand on her shoulder and whispered. “C’mon. Let’s go. He probably needs time is all.”
Polly said nothing, but allowed me to lead her over to the car.
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Michael eventually had to come home, and he had the audacity to knock at my door. Of course, I let him in but only to give him a piece of my mind. 
“Do you even know what she did?” He shouted.
“She got you out, didn’t she? Why should you care how?” I shouted back.
“She fucked Campbell to get me out. She prostituted herself!”
I pretended to process it and be shocked before I continued. “And? So fucking what? Who are you to say that it was funny, huh? Fucking bastard! Fucking ungrateful prick!” 
I wanted to put my hands on him so badly, but I resorted to punching my palms repeatedly instead. As well as folding in on myself.
I whipped my hair back and ran a hand through my hair. 
“You’re tellin’ me you don’t see anything wrong with that? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Of course there’s something wrong with that! Campbell abused his position and abused his powers. He raped your mother!”
His face fell.
I scoffed. “Did you actually think I would side with you? Oh, fuck you, Michael. I would’ve done the same for me own son and so much more. She did that out of desperation ‘n fear ‘n pure maternal love! And—! And, you threw it back ‘n her face! I mean look at you, Michael. How much more of that could you have withstood?”
“All of it! I would have taken every beating… Every fucking—!” Michael choked up and rose his fists over his eyes. 
I averted my gaze. My tongue prodded the inside of my cheek as I violently shook my right leg. I tsked before rushing toward Michael and pulled him into a hug. Weakly, he hugged me back. 
Muffled, I said. “I’m not the one who has to forgive you for the things you said, but me and you are not alright right now. And I need you to respect the fact I need some time to process and get over what you said to her. It was very insensitive and I don’t play when it comes to situations like that. I don’t care about the excuse. You should have comforted her or each other when you were given the chance.” I parted from the hug and turned around. 
I didn’t turn back around till I heard my door shut from behind me.
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About a week and a half has passed since Michael’s release and we’re still not on good terms. He hasn’t apologized to Polly for what he said, so obviously I wasn’t going to just sweep that shit under the rug. Little shit would have no idea how much restraint it took to not slap him across the face!
Of course I encourage him to “get it over with” and “clear the air.” But the stubborn twat was like his mum, and he refused to do so. It was like that conversation we had went in one ear and out the other. So, I’ve just steered clear of ‘em. Pissed me off just looking at him.
Anyway, John and I went to visit Arthur in jail. He was pretty rough, but when was Arthur not? We just visited him to see him. Tommy didn’t have a plan drawn up yet. Other than that, I’ve been busy with work. Legit and side hustle alike. 
Since the coppers fucked with the inventory, Tommy needed my help with the numbers and had me running around more often. At the same time, Dom gave me hit orders every other day. 
Some of the hit orders were during the day as well! I had to run off to get that job done, then hurry back to Small Heath. I’m just lucky nobody gets on my arse. Tommy could, no doubt there, but he was busy himself and I got the job done anyway. 
I knew he had some Peaky men or juniors watching me, for my “protection.” I knew they told him what I was doing, where I was going, but they never found out what I did. I had to let Dom know what was going on at home, and he helped me get away from them. 
Was it suspicious? Short answer, yes. 
Not like I could stop the side, though. The second season was coming to an end soon and what happens on Derby Day determines if I’m staying in this family or not. I, myself, don’t even know what to expect. 
I mean, it’s obvious he’s going to sleep with Grace and knock her up. What the fuck did I even want to happen? Did I want him to just confess to me and we get together instead? Well, of course, I want that to happen! But it’s not. And I can’t even see Tommy doing something as cringy as that. Yes, cringy.
The idea of him just springing on a confession on me still made me cringe up. My feelings have never been recuperated, so if they were to finally be mutual— there’s a good chance I wouldn’t have the romantic reaction I would be hoping for. Sad truth, but what could I do? Not like I had control over what my crushes felt. 
So, basically, if Grace is pregnant— I’ll quietly go away. I haven’t brought it up to Cassie yet, but I’m planning on slumming it with her. Just for a while, I know I have enough money to buy a house of my own. I would probably get Dom to do it for me, though, since I had no idea how to do it. 
If Tom tried to find me, then I’d just hide at Dom’s place. I’m sure he’d let me. On the topic of Tom, though— I missed him. Like talking to him, bugging him, and especially seeing his face. I was being deprived of my daily dose of serotonin. It was a crime!
Despite all that, today was a night of relaxation. I’d planned to go out with my mates, but since it’d be too dangerous to go South— they had to come to me. Ridiculous, I know but Tom insisted on the idea the last time I saw him. Even though I’d been going all around the fucking country for a week and a half.
We were in the snug at the Garrison. Smoking a few cigs while sipping on our bevvies. It was a girls’ night despite the fact that Finn was here. Let him have two pints, and that was it. He was still working on his first like a good lad. 
Angie spat. “I mean who the fuck does that bitch think she is? Just because her mum is a famous pianist doesn’t mean she is too! Dumb dora doesn’t know about key or pitch to save her life.”
I raised my eyebrows and slurped my bevvy. I smacked my mouth before asking. “Hey, Ange. How are you and Horace?”
Her movements faltered and a smile crept up on her face. I gasped and my hand shot over my mouth.
“Oh my god! Oh my god, are you two finally dating? Are youse dating?” My hand flew back to Cassie’s arm and I gripped it while shaking her. She was just as excited as I was.
Angie couldn’t meet my gaze to save her life. “I-! We… Yeah, we’re dating. I, I said yes.”
All of us girls squealed and congratulated her. Internally, I was congratulating my boy, Horace. My mans was pinning after Angie since childhood and he finally got the girl. 
Even material to make a story out of, oop! Mayhaps.
She told us how it happened. They had been in a fight since her father secretly set her up on a blind date and he’d caught them as she was out. Horace didn’t blow up on them at the spot, but Angie felt compelled to follow him out the restaurant they were dining in. On the street, he aggressively professed his love and told her he couldn’t bear to beat around the bush anymore. He gave her an ultimatum, and she was thrown off by how assertive he was being. It made her heart flutter, and she confessed she felt the same. 
Another round of squeals at the table, please! Poor Finn, he had to suffer through us. His own fault for volunteering to, like, chaperone me.
The topic changed to the ball Cassie had for her 21st birthday. This happened like a couple of Fridays ago since her birthday was on the tenth of February. It was really extravagant and the theme was like a royal ball. So, we got to dress up in these really amazing ball gowns. I wore this beautiful green ball gown that was most likely akin to 16th century fashion, as one man told me. 
I wouldn’t know the exact period my dress resembled since that wasn’t my area of expertise. Glad the man knew, though!
Cassie tapped me on my arm, her face contorted in confusion. “Ali… What did we do for your birthday?”
I blinked before smiling. “Oh, we didn’t do anything.”
Her face immediately contorted in horror and she looked at Angie and Tina, which of course made me do the same. They had the same expression on their faces.
Tina raised a finger and began wagging it as she said. “Wait a minute… Did we even do something for your birthday last year?”
“Uh...no.” My eyes kept flickering between the three of them and I watched as the horror deepened in their faces.
They began showering me in apologies, and while it did comfort me— it annoyed me at the same time. ‘Like it was too late for apologies since the days already passed. So, like why sweat it now?’
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The girls surrounded Ali and showered her in apologies. Finn watched from the sidelines. He saw the flicker of discomfort on Ali’s face before she began to smile. 
He knew that his family had forgotten about her past two birthdays as well, and he wanted to get something for her. But the last time he did that— he got in trouble for it. So, the best he did was wish her happy birthday. 
“Okay! Okay! We obviously just have to throw the biggest party ever to make up for them both.” Cassie said, her lips pursing as she talked. Tina and Angie nodded, but Ali sighed. 
She shook her head while clutching her forehead. “No. No, it’s alright really. My birthday passed. I don’t need anything.”
The girls dismissed her wishes, which annoyed the crap out of Ali and Finn. 
Ali rubbed her eyes roughly before waving her hands up. “Okay, okay, fine! We can have a little something. It has to be little. I’m not allowed South, so—!”
Cassie cut her off. “That’s completely alright. We can do it here like last time. You know?” She looked around the room. Tina and Angie nodded in agreement. 
Ali thought about it and just succumbed to her mates’ wishes. Ali took a breath and thought about it in a different perspective. Instead of holding onto the fact her birthdays were overlooked, she was just appreciative that they, at least, wanted to celebrate it now.
They girls talked it out and they decided they would reconvene next Friday at the Garrison. Finn was welcomed to join, and the lad was not going to miss it for anything in the world because of what they were planning.
These girls were planning to get “fucked up.” More specifically, Aliena “fucked up.” He had some idea of what that meant, and he knew he wasn’t going to like it. 
Eventually, Finn ended up asking Aliena what that meant, and she told him that her mates basically wanted to get her really drunk. He knew he wouldn’t like it. 
That week Finn, Aliena, and the girls were all just really preparing for the “doomsday.” Aliena was pumped up to have fun with her girls in her honor, and couldn’t decide what she to wear. The girls were trying to find gifts for her birthdays, you know, since they missed two of ‘em. 
While Finn, he was going through it. He was debating so hard whether or not to tell Tom. He didn’t know if he should. He usually would have, but with things being so tense lately— he really didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news or add fuel to the fire. So, he decided against it and was just glad to be invited. He also looked for a gift.
The day of the party both Finn and Aliena visited Tommy’s office. Aliena went to give him his dinner at around 5:30. She had yet to get dressed for the night, but her hair was beautifully done in waves from the braids she made the night before. She had half of it up since if it was all down— her hair would be too poofy.
Aliena knocked on Tom’s door before entering. Tom was finishing up some last minute paperwork. He didn’t tell Aliena, but he was going to Ada’s house to meet up with Grace. She’d called some weeks ago, and Tom was finally available enough to meet her. 
She rested the basket on his desk and moved a piece of her hair away from her face. “Here you go, Tommy. Have a nice night.” 
Tom picked up his head and his eyebrows wanted to furrow as he took in her appearance. Her hair was done nicely and she was wearing a nice outfit. 
Ali had on a white tank top with a sheer white long-sleeved blouse over it and wore a ribbed off-white skirt that hugged her curves. She didn’t think anything of it, but Tom sure did. 
He wondered if she got dressed up for another boy of hers, but then he realized he had no business admiring her or getting jealous. After all, he’d be meeting up with Grace in almost a half hour. 
Tom looked into Aliena’s eyes ‘n noticed she was wearing a bit of makeup and holding a vanilla folder in her hand as well. “Night, Ali.” He replied.
Ali smiled at him, gave him a nod, and knocked on his desk before spinning around on her heels. Ali was almost out the door when her hand knocked into one of the chairs and the contents of the vanilla folder went flying. Ali cursed under her breath and bent down to collect the papers from the ground.
Tom’s eyes never left her arse. Tom recognized that Aliena was blessed with well-endowed features— ample breasts and a large behind as well as thighs. He admired the way her breasts hung from her body as she had to reposition herself to get a paper that had flown under the chair. He admired the arch of her back. 
Tom realized he was acting like a pervert and resituatied himself. He silently cleared his throat and sat up straight while tugging on his pants. Aliena tapped the folder on the ground to straighten its contents before rising from her knees. 
She smiled at him, sheepishly, as she tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “Sorry ‘bout that, Tommy. Good night.”
Tom repeated the phrase under his breath and Aliena made it out the door without a mishap. 
Finn came in not five minutes later, passing Aliena on the way to the office. He walked straight into Tom’s office. 
Tom’s head shot up and he didn’t hesitate to begin speaking, “Finn, I want you to look after Aliena tonight. I’m going over to Ada’s and I don’t know when I’ll be back.” Tom had risen from his seat as he spoke. Putting on his coat and cap. 
Tom walked over to Finn and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Alright?”
Finn nodded. “Yeah, got it.”
Tom nodded and began walking ahead of his little brother, but then turned around all of a sudden. Tom pointed toward his desk ‘n said. “Oh and eat that for me, yeah? Aliena made it so… It should be good.”
Finn chuckled and took his brother up on the offer. He’d been starving.
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Aliena rushed home and practically inhaled her meal. She didn’t want to eat, but since was planning to drink till her liver bursted— she didn’t want to knock out on the third drink. After eating, she hauled the tub to her room and took a bath.
Aliena decided tonight was the night. 
She wasn’t going to wait for Tommy anymore. 
She’s been building up to it and she didn’t care anymore. Virginity was just some societal construct anyhow. Plus, she wouldn’t tell anyone but she owned a dildo in her other universe ‘n yeah… 
Aliena just assumed this body, that was very fucking different, had it’s hymen, so…
She freshened up and shaved her vagina. Not for the poor guy she was going to use, but for herself. Aliena was big on, “you like me for me or you can fuck off.”
Don’t worry Ali had her hair all tied up away from the water and when she was done— all she had to do was dry her body off.
Ali kept her towel on as she did her makeup. She kept it light and noir like she did for the Garrison’s reopening. After makeup, she slid on her dress. The best Ali could describe it was a loose body con dress that had ruffles that reminded her of a curtain. It was sky blue ‘n fit with the times. 
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Ali took down her hair once she was done putting on her dress. She tried her best to keep her waves, but they had ultimately lost most of their volume throughout the day. Aliena tried to not let it bother her. She put on her heels, grabbed a matching clutch, and her white fur coat. 
Aliena walked over to Finn’s room ‘n knocked on his door, asking if he was ready. He didn’t answer from his room, but from downstairs. Aliena hurried down the flight of stairs, joined their arms once she was down, and then they were on their way to the Garrison. 
Isaiah met them on the way, which was a pleasant surprise. Finn had invited him along ‘n of course Aliena wouldn’t mind. She hadn’t seen him in a long time, and she figured it was due to the business. 
Aliena was escorted with two men around her arms to the Garrison and she chatted with them the whole way. She was all smiles and it warmed both the men’s hearts. More so Finn than Isaiah. 
When they got to the pub, they instantly walked to the snug. They quickly seated themselves down ‘n got comfy. Isaiah ordered their bevvies from the window and they were served not too long after. 
The gang couldn’t have gotten there not twenty minutes later. Their hands were occupied with gifts ‘n the boys were carrying the cake. Aliena couldn’t feel more loved ‘n appreciated. She greeted her mates with kisses and hugs ‘n thanked them for the party. 
Aliena ended up thanking Douglas and Horace for showing up and for their gifts separately since she wasn’t expecting them. First manner of business was the birthday cake. Horace revealed this magnificent simple cake that had twenty candles around it.  
Ali couldn’t stop covering her face as she smiled. She tried reeling in her emotions, but she never could act “right” when people sang her happy birthday. For her birthday wish, she wished that she’d continue on working on her happiness. 
Before having a piece of cake, Aliena opened her presents. Cassie gave her another set of expensive jewelry that was to die for! Ali loved it! Douglas gave Aliena a new pair of shoes, a clutch, and a purse. While it wasn’t to die for, Aliena appreciated it since after all he didn’t even ask her what she wanted. It was ballsy to get a gift for Ali without talking to her first since her face usually gave her true thoughts away.
She’s worked on that since she was young, but sometimes it will show. Hasn’t happened yet, but doesn’t mean it won’t.
Angie gave Aliena more designer clothing while Horace bought her a typewriter. She absolutely gushed over their gifts, especially the typewriter. Tina’s present was Pride and Prejudice, Anna Karenina, Little Women, Romeo and Juliet, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Aliena loved the fact that Tina gave her books. Truth be told, she hasn’t really read a book unless they were someone else’s. 
Isaiah didn’t have a gift, so we can skip over him. Finn, on the hand, did. Ali was a little apprehensive about it since last time he got her a gift, he would’ve caught a charge if he was anyone else. It was a big box, too. Aliena shook the lid off the box to find a box of items packed inside. There were about five different shades of lipstick, two bottles of perfume, and a whole lot of makeup. 
Ali couldn’t help but be in awe at the gift. She hugged Finn and thanked him for something so wonderful ‘n thoughtful. Finn was able to let go of the breath he was holding and felt extremely happy that she loved her gift. Swear, the boy had a smile for a majority of the night.
The minute Aliena was done opening her gifts, the real party began. Finn watched as Aliena and her mates took shot after shot after shot. He participated a bit himself, but out of conditioning from Aliena— he took his time. Isaiah was faring no better. He’d received the same order as Finn. His sole duty tonight was to protect Aliena ‘n the way she was drinking— he had a bad feeling something was gonna happen.
Eventually they made their way out of the snug ‘n began dancing more freely. Isaiah expertly manipulated Ali into only dancing with their mates. The minute she tried catching the eye of literally anyone else, he’d step in. 
Out in the city, he had no problem with who she danced with or who she made out with. In Small Heath, his and every other person’s eyes were at stake. But more importantly, his eyes were at stake!
Truthfully, Aliena wasn’t actually drunk— she was buzzed! But, she wasn’t drunk. She was mimicking Cassie’s behavior, who was on a completely different level drunkenness than her. She did it in a sense of solidarity and recklessness. She felt that since they were celebrating her birthday, since it was her night— she should be able to act freely. Especially when she was trapped in Birmingham per Tommy’s orders. 
Aliena was getting bored with just dancing and began to sing. She sang ‘Ain't No Other Man’ by Christina Aguliera. At first, it was just the mates who were aware that she was singing, but then other patrons heard her voice. Aliena was lifted in the air by a particularly strong ‘n tall patron and he set her down on the bar top. 
Aliena “under the influence” began to sing as clearly as she could and belt as loud as she could, as much in tune as she could manage. 
Not like they would know if she butchered the song or not.
Finn, who watched all of this go down, had enough. In his opinion, Aliena had gotten out of control ‘n it was out of his hands. So, he decided to get the big guns involved.
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His senses were filled with her. Her perfume, the texture of her dress, the taste of her lips and the feeling of pressing them against his own. 
So, what had changed for him?
Tom wondered why her kiss didn’t set him aflame like it did months ago. 
“Tommy. Tommy, do you have someone?” She asked him. 
Tom kissed Grace again. 
“It's too late, Tommy.”
“It's 11:00, Grace.”
“I mean, it's too late. If you'd come with me to New York...”
“I had things to do.” He kissed her again, searching for that feeling. That feeling of completion and—! And wholeness.
“You mean the coin landed the wrong way?”
“It couldn’t have worked. That was the question.” Their lips met once more ‘n fiercer this time ‘round.
Grace parted from the kiss and breathily asked. “Tommy… Tommy, do you have someone?”
‘Yes?’ He thought as the memory of Aliena looking back at him at the park flashed in his mind. Tom took a deep breath. “I have a racehorse. She’s gonna win the Derby.” He said. Tom joined their lips again and this time— they didn’t part after a few seconds.
Tom was desperately seeking that feeling of passion, but he figured he was gettin’ into his own head by rushing it. So, he took it slow. Grace slipped down the sleeves of her dress, and it hardly did anything for him.
It aroused him, of course, but—! It wasn’t the same. It was akin to the times he’s laid with a prostitute. 
‘You’re getting in your head, Tom. The feeling will come back. Take your time.’ He told himself. He led her backward toward the couch, his lips never parting from hers. 
The more time he spent kissing her, the more that pit in his stomach grew. 
That feeling wasn’t coming back. 
Tom trailed down to her neck, and he paid attention to Grace there before going back to her lips.
‘Nothing. Nothing. Nothing! Give it some fuckin’ time, man!’
Then by the grace of God, the phone started going off. Tom parted from the kiss ‘n Grace’s hands flew to his face.
“Let it ring.” She rasped while trying to pull his face back to hers.
Tom never averted his gaze from the phone ‘n it didn’t stop ringing either. Annoyed, he got up from the couch and walked over to the telephone.
Tom had barely gotten the address out when Finn’s voice cut through the phone. “Tom, Tommy, are you there?”
“Finn, what’s happened? What’s wrong?” Panic overwhelmed his being and Tom began buttoning up his shirt.
The pub could be heard through the phone and Tom swore he could hear Aliena, but he thought he was just imagining it. 
Finn cleared his throat. “Uh, Tom, it’s Ali. She’s kinda going outta control right now.”
“You are there when I'm a mess
Talk me down from every ledge
Give me strength, boy, you're the best!
You're the only one who's ever passed every test!” 
Aliena’s belting could be heard from over the phone ‘n Tom sighed, exhaustedly. 
Finn continued. “She’s dancing and singing on top of the bar at the Garrison. I just—! I don’t know. I thought you should know. I don’t know what to do! Do I just let ‘er or—?”
Tom exhaled deeply as he rubbed his forehead. “Finn, all right, calm down. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Get her off the fucking bar top ‘n make sure she doesn’t do anything else.” He hung up the phone, turned around, and faced Grace.
She looked confused with her eyebrows drawn together and Tom was half surprised to see that her dress was still down. 
“Tommy,” She began. “What’s happened?”
Tom blinked before replying, “I, uh, I have to head back to Birmingham.”
“What?” She asked softly as she rose to her feet and slipped her sleeves back over her shoulders. 
Tom began putting his coat on as he said. “I can drive you, if you’d like, or you can call a Taxi.”
Grace scoffed while shaking her head. “You're serious, Tom?”
Tom looked at her like she stated the obvious and gave her a curt nod. “Yeah.”
Grace’s jaw dropped a little as did her head. She picked up her head, steeled her gaze, and stood up straighter. “I can find my own way back.”
He nodded again before motioning her to follow him out the door. 
The night didn’t go as he’d planned. But he had more important things to worry about. 
‘Fucking Aliena!’
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Aliena was just glad she was able to finish her song before Finn and Isaiah pried her off the bar top. She had her little moment ‘n that’s all that mattered to her. ‘Cause she managed to get the attention of most of the lads in the pub.
Some were just staring at her from afar while others actually walked up to her. But they only managed to get a few words in before they were run off by Isaiah. At first it was cute. Yes, Aliena thought it was cute that Isaiah was scaring off the blokes that approached her— but then it got annoying. 
Why? Because he was ruining her fucking plan to lose her viriginity tonight!
“I’ma tell ya right now, mate. You either piss off or you’re losing your eyes, which one are you gonna pick?” Isaiah threatened the man in front of him.
The man scoffed and was about to say something when Isaiah reached up for his peaky cap.
“One...” Isaiah said ‘n that was all it took for the bloke to run off. 
  Aliena scoffed as she tried to look over Isaiah’s shoulder only to catch a glimpse of the guy running off. Aliena groaned and roughly shoved Isaiah in the chest. “The fuck are you doing, Saiah!” She shouted.
Isaiah raised his hands in surrender. “Look I’m sorry, Ali. All right, I’m sorry.”                              
Aliena’s face contorted in confusion and her head shook. “No, what the fuck is going on! You’ve never done this before, so what the ‘ell is up?”
Isaiah sighed and looked all around the room. He debated tellin’ her the truth or not, and he decided it would be easier if she just knew what was up. “Look, Ali… I can’t let any bloke in here have a go at you, all right?”
Her face didn’t change. “The fuck is that supposed to mean? The fuck you mean ‘you can’t let me’? Who’s...” Her voice trailed off as did her gaze.
‘No way!’ She thought. ‘There’s just no fucking way!’
Aliena huffed. “Di-Did Tommy—! Does Thomas have something to do with this?”
Isaiah nodded. He hesitantly said. “Tom… He ‘n the family ordered a long time ago that no one in Birmingham is allowed to have a go at ya. They’re not even allowed to accept a confession from you. And any Peaky Blinder who tries to disobey or not try ‘n help ya if you’re in danger, or knew about it ‘n let it happen— gets their eyes and tongues cut.”
Aliena was taken back by the rule. Some part of her was in awe that Tommy cared that much for her while the other was annoyed that he was. 
Why the fuck did he have to go ‘n do that? Why the fuck was he preventing her from going out with guys when he had no intention of going out with her himself? It was fucking ridiculous!
Her nose wrinkled in her anger before she closed her eyes and tipped her head back. Aliena took a deep breath before clapping her hands in front of her. “Okay, Saiah! You have two options. One, you either keep on carrying out this ridiculous order Tom have you ‘n you’ll have to face my wrath. Or two, you call it a night and get out of my fucking way. So, what is it gonna be one or two?”
Isaiah didn’t hesitate. “Two.”
Ali raised her hand for a high-five, which Saiah reciprocated. “Good man.” Aliena said before walking off, on the prowl. 
It took sometime before the men in the pub realized Isaiah was no longer lurking around Aliena and began approaching her again. Aliena was picky when choosing the man she wanted to lose her virginity to. After all, what’s the point of doing it if she wasn’t going to enjoy it? She wanted a man she could look at and be aroused from. 
She was lucky enough to find one sitting at the bar when she walked over to get another drink. His name was Robert, last name unknown since she didn’t care for it. They made small talk, but Aliena wasn’t looking to get to know him. She just wanted to make sure she could get wet. 
And she found that she could, as she began imagining all the positions he could put her in. 
Tommy kept intruding on her imagination— hijacking her scenarios, but she’d just close her eyes ‘n take a moment. The next time she opened her eyes, he was gone.
Aliena brought her bevvy up to her mouth and took a sip before shoving Robert’s shoulder for something  he said. 
Unbeknownst to her, Tom had walked into the pub deadset on finding her. And that didn’t take very long. Tom witnessed Aliena’s little interaction firsthand. She was sitting on top of the bar top while flirting with some random fucking bloke. He didn’t know what infuriated him more.  
The fact that someone dared to go against his orders, or that she was flirting with someone in front of his face. 
Tom’s jaw dropped a little and his tongue prodded the inside of his cheek. He closed his mouth and nodded before he made a beeline for Aliena. As he grew closer, she’d finally noticed him. A smile on her face was quickly wiped off as Tom walked right up to her, tugged her off the top ‘n threw her over his shoulder.
Ali gasped and exclaimed. “What—!”
Tom hiked her further up his shoulder before spinning around and making his way toward the door. “Shut up, Ali.”
“--the fuck are you doing!”
Tom had no intention of letting her down. He feared she’d just talk her way out of it, or try to fucking run away. Tom was gonna give her the lecture of a lifetime whether she liked it or not. He wasn’t going to let her get the chance to go back to her mates and cause more embarrassment for herself. 
Aliena was shouting at Tom to let her down. She was pounding on his shoulder as an extra measure, but it wasn’t like she was doin’ it hard either. The pounding resembled more like knocking or somethin’.
Eventually, Aliena huffed and just let herself be carried to wherever he was taking her. From the streets he was walking, Ali soon realized they were going to his flat. She tsked and tried to support her head up. 
When they reached his front door, Tom hiked her up on his shoulder again before reaching for his keys. 
Aliena rolled her eyes as she muttered. “I can walk on my own two feet, you know.”
Tom ignored her as he struggled to get his door unlocked and open. It was difficult with a body over his shoulders, but he did it. The minute he walked through the door— he let Ali down. 
As she regained her footing, Tom locked the door behind him. Ali stabilized herself rather quickly and threw her head back with an overexaggerated groan as she stomped away from Tom ‘n toward the stairs.
Tom turned back ‘round and shouted. “Oi! Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”
Ali rolled her eyes and faced him. A hip dropped as she said. “To bed.”
He shook his head. “No.” Tom walked right up to her face and repeated. “No. We’re going to talk about the little show you put on at the pub. Huh?”
Ali averted her gaze from him and began shaking her leg.
Tom grabbed her chin and made her face him. “Huh? What the fuck was that t’night?”
Aliena couldn’t tell ya a blag. What he did went straight to her cunt and the fact she was looking to fuck tonight— did not help her case at all.
Tom released her chin and waited for Aliena to answer.
She sighed and waved her left arm out before letting it drop to her side. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talkin’ about, Tom.”
He scoffed.
“I DON’T... know what you’re talking about ‘cause all I was doing was having some fun with my mates. That’s all.” 
Tom shook his head. “No, that’s not all. You got on that bar top and sang and danced. You got drunk ‘n started making a fool of yourself.”
Aliena tsked, rolling her eyes, and throwing her head back. “I wasn’t fucking drunk.”
“Yeah fucking right!”
Aliena looked at him in disbelief. “You know what! You weren’t even fucking there, so I don’t even know how the fuck you knew about what I was doing, by the way! Don’t tell me you had another Peaky Blinder looking after me. ‘Cause that’d mean you sicked three people on me tonight, and I’d want to know the fucking reason for that too. ”
“Finn phoned me, worried about ya. And I did not sick three people on you tonight. I only told Finn to look after you.”
Aliena sighed deeply at the news, her eyes rolling again. A hand came up to her forehead and she rubbed it. “Finn...” She whispered. “Of fucking course, that goddamn kid.” Aliena didn’t even look at Tom again. Instead, she waved him off as she turned around while walking toward the staircase. 
“And where do you think you’re going, Ali? We’re not done here!” He shouted as he watched her climb the stairs. His gaze naturally falling on her arse. 
She craned her head back a little as she replied. “Yes, we fucking are. Both of our emotions are high right now. There’ll be no moving forward in this conversation. So good night, Tom.” 
Tom shook his head, his pointer finger running over his bottom lip. Angrily, he ripped off his coat, and threw both it and his cap on his sofa. He marched up the stairs as he shouted for Aliena.
Dumbly, Ali was deciding which room she wanted to bunk in for the night, and it allowed Tom just enough time to catch up with her. He grabbed her by the crook of her arm and pulled her into his room. He threw her into it, to which she cried out. 
“Jesus Christ, Tommy!” She yelled. 
None of this was helping, by the way. This roughness he was handling her with. Yeah, she liked this! So, he wasn’t winning in the slightest.
His eyes were blown wide, and his hands were on his hips. With the wave of his finger, he asked. “Yeah ‘n who the fuck was that who you were talkin’ too? Eh!”
Aliena squeezed her hands into fists before letting them relax as she stifled her groan. “God, Tommy! Why the fuck does it matter?”
“Who was he, Aliena! I want a fucking name!”
“I DON’T KNOW! Okay? He’s name was Robert and that’s all I know.” She yelled louder than Tom, which was making his blood boil more. Aliena clapped her hands and with finger guns, she began. “You know fucking what? Answer my fucking question, Tom. Why the fuck do you care? Huh?”
Aliena inched closer to him, and making Tom stand up straighter, slightly.
“Why the fuck did you have your men scare away other men away from me? Explain it to me.”
Tom chuckled, humorlessly. “For your own protection, sweetheart.”
She shook her head. “No. I would’ve believed you if you only ordered them to maim anyone who tried assaulting me. That would make it believable. But to put a city wide order that I was not to be fucking approached in the slightest! That even if I went up to them, they better run the other fucking direction unless they wanted to lose their eyes! No… Fucking no. So, tell me, Thomas. What the fuck is up?” 
Aliena was standing directly under Tom. She could hear his heavy breathing with clarity. He didn’t respond. She scoffed and walked away from him further into the room. 
By the grace of “intoxication,” Aliena felt like she was finally bold enough. She was going to blame it on the alcohol. If what she was about to do, backfired on her— she’d deny, deny, deny.
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Tom watched as Ali walked away from him before facing him. The air about her was different. She didn’t look angry and annoyed anymore; she looked like she was on a mission. It was attractive. Seductive. Arousing.
Aliena’s fingertips trailed up her arm, an eyebrow raised as she said. “You wanna know why I was even talking to Robert, Thomas.” Her fingertips grazed up her left shoulder and across her collarbone. “It’s because I intended on fucking him.” Her voice trailed off at the end.
Tom’s head snapped up and he looked at her straight in the eyes, flabbergasted. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. 
‘She—! She was gonna what?’
Aliena giggled, humorlessly, as she took in Tommy’s expression. Her fingertips stopped her dance as she did so. Ali composed herself rather quickly ‘n she continued. “I was going to fuck him...” She shrugged her shoulders and pursed her lips as she said. “To finally get over you.”
Aliena cocked her head to the side and waited for his reaction. Tom shuffled his stance and tucked his hands into his pockets. He could feel his eyes glaze over and lust creep on him as Aliena teasingly had a single fingernail under the strap of her dress.
Aliena looked away before looking back at him. “So, there it is, Tommy. I said it. Now, you have two options. You either walk out that door, or...” Aliena attempted to look sexual as she slipped both of the straps of her dress down her shoulders ‘n let it fall to the ground. 
Tom gulped at the sight of her. Her bare breasts. The sight of her in nothing but her panties.
“You fuck me.” She finished, fixing her posture. 
Truthfully, she was trembling in anxiety. She hoped to God she wasn’t making a fool of herself.
Tom had to internally fight his demons and he needed to do it quickly, out of respect for her. It was a whole lot of, “should he” or “should he not.” But then, Aliena just had to trail her fingertip down her neck again with this far-off gaze and he knew his choice.
Tom rushed toward Aliena and captured her lips, hungrily. Aliena couldn’t help but gasp happily. Her mouth opening wide. Tom didn’t waste the opportunity to shove his tongue inside. He made her walk backward toward the wall. The pace caused Ali to be shoved into the wall. The pain that erupted in her back made her moan into his mouth. 
Tom’s hands trailed up from her waist all the way to her breasts and he squeezed them eagerly. Almost wantonly, Ali gasped with a smile again as she arched her back into Tom’s hands.
This… This is what Tom was talking about. This passion, this feeling of completion! This was it!
Tom parted from her lips which made her pant for air. He pressed kisses on the side of her mouth, her cheek, before peppering her neck with them. Aliena’s fingers found Tommy’s hair and she found herself pressing him closer against her neck. 
‘So, she feels it here...’ He thought.
Tom increased his antics. Nipping, sucking, and kissing her neck all over. While Aliena wasn’t moaning, she was panting ‘n gasping as if she couldn’t breath. Hitching as if she were in pain. 
Tom left her neck and lowered himself down to her breasts. He rolled her left nipple in his mouth while still kneading her right breast. When he decided to tug on her nipple with his teeth, he tugged on her right nipple with his fingers. Aliena gasped and yanked Tom’s hair as she arched her back into him further.
“Tommy...” She rasped. “I—! Please.” 
Mentally, it hurt her to plead like this. It sent her cheeks aflame, and she would’ve hid her face in embarrassment if she wasn’t feeling so much pleasure from running her fingers through his hair.
As Tom moved to her right tit, he shushed her and whispered against her skin. “Patience, love.”
Aliena’s breath hitched once more as Tom nibbled on her nipple, her thighs rubbed together. It did nothing, but allow her to get some pent up energy out of her. 
Tom let go of her right nipple with one last tug before he rose up a little to begin marking up the space above her breasts. Aliena giggled at him.
“So, are you a tits man, then, Tommy?” She asked breathily, a giggle at the end of her sentence.
Tom stopped sucking on a particular spot on her chest as he began to smile. He picked his head up and pecked her lips repeatedly. “Yours. I’ve. Been. Wanting to. Do this. To yours.”
Aliena’s hands had slid down to his face and she stroked his cheek lovingly. She parted from their pecks and whispered. “Who am I to deny you, then?”
Tom stared into her eyes before hooking his hands in the crooks of her knees and carrying her. Ali yelped and wrapped her arms around his neck before going into a giggling fit. Tom walked over to his bed and plopped her down on it. 
Aliena bounced as a result. Tom hurriedly back to yank his clothes off and cursed himself for wearing so many accessories. While Tom was working on taking off his shirt sleeve garters, Ali had scooted herself down the bed and worked on getting his belt off.
The whole situation was laughable, so Tom began to laugh— which made Aliena laugh. Once Tom got the bloody things off, Aliena had already thrown aside his belt and unzipped his pants. Tom bent down and tried to kiss Aliena. 
She realized what he was trying to do ‘n met him halfway by standing on her knees. Grateful that she allowed him to bend less, he continued working on unfastening the buttons on his vest ‘n shirt while slipping off his shoes. He took off his shoes, stepped out of his pants, and kicked them both away while throwing his vest and button up off his shoulders. 
The pair broke their kiss to let Tommy yank off his under shirt. Tom found her lips once more as he slowly climbed on top of her and hovered above her on his bed. After a minute or two more of kissing, he parted and asked against her lips. “Are you sure you want this, Aliena? We can stop right now.”
Ali stared into Tommy’s eyes. His beautiful blue eyes. She nodded her head. “I want you, Tommy. It’s always been you.”
They stared into each other’s eyes a bit longer before Tom’s head ducked down and began trailing deep kisses all the way down to her groin where the hem of her panties lied. He placed kisses along the hem as he hooked his fingers into the side of the band, and slowly slid them down. 
Aliena’s eyes were closed shut and she was fisting the blankets of his bed. She flinched at every kiss he placed closer and closer to her cunt. 
Tom licked a long stripe upward toward Ali’s clit as he slid her panties down her legs entirely. Ali whimpered as her hips bucked. Tom couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his mouth. Aliena was biting her bottom lip so harshly that she was afraid it would split. 
Tom spread her pussy and started off slow before working his way toward violently flicking her clit with his tongue and sucking on it. Aliena still didn’t allow her moans to escape her, instead, only letting out whimpers, gasps, and pants. 
Aliena’s thighs clamped around Tom’s ears, but that didn’t stop him. Hell, it couldn’t even stop him from hearing her little mewls. 
Ali felt that familiar build up growing in the pit of her stomach, and her hand flew to Tom’s hair. “Tommy, I’m close!” She said. “Stop, please. I don’t wanna... without ya...”
Tom didn’t stop, in fact, he worked her faster. “Go on.” He rasped. “Come.”
Aliena’s hands flew to her face as her face contorted in pure pleasure. Tom didn’t like that. She was blocking the view. Ali threw her head back and finally let out an audible moan. Her hips wildly bucked against Tom’s mouth and chin, and he let her ride out her climax. 
He let go of her with a pop and a hiss. Tom took a deep breath, trying to catch it before sliding a finger along her opening. Aliena’s hands had fallen to the sides of her head. An uncontrollable smile on her face. She outstretched her arms and whispered, lovingly. “Tommy...”
Tom felt his heart swell and without stopping his teasing— he leaned toward her and kissed her as she wanted.
Aliena didn’t mind the taste of herself on his lips, she was used to it. Having been a chronic masturbator. Ali tugged on Tom’s bottom lip and when she finally let go, she coquettishly whispered. “Fuck me, Tommy, please. I’m ready.”
Tom’s eyes looked over her face and he chuckled. He pecked her lips before replying, “No, it’s your first time, Ali. I won’t be rough with you. This time.”
Ali’s mouth stretched upward into a smile and she bit her lip. “Promise?”
As Tom finally slipped a finger inside her— making her gasp, he rubbed his nose against hers, replying, “I promise.”
Tom slowly pumped his finger in and out of Ali, and truthfully, the girl felt nothing. She’s teased her hole with her fingers loads of times. So, it was just a foreign feeling. But for the sake of seemingly “innocent,” she began panting a little.
Tom added a second finger and then a third— and that’s when she felt something. Her pants turned real and she wondered if he had to add the third finger so that she could accommodate to his size. She still hadn’t seen him. 
Meanwhile, Tom was handling his delayed satisfaction just fine. He wasn’t a teenager anymore, so he was lucky enough to just be able to focus on making this the best experience for Aliena as possible. When he felt that her pussy was sucking his fingers in, instead of trying to push them out— he removed them. 
Aliena moaned and looked up at Tom. Tom misinterpreted her gaze as her being scared and was quick to reassure her that everything would be alright. In reality, Aliena was just startled that her pleasure had been taken away from her.
She never thought she’d get off on fingers. She thought it was impossible for her. 
‘You really do need someone else’s fingers.’ She thought.
Tom pulled down his boxers and kicked them away. He was about to gather her wetness when Ali took his hand and pulled it toward her mouth. She gathered the saliva in her mouth and let it fall down onto his hand. His cock throbbed in his hand at the action. 
He couldn’t believe that she’d be this tempting. 
Tom lathered his cock in Ali’s spit and pumped his cock a few times, hissing at the pleasure he gave himself before lining up to Aliena’s entrance. Tommy hovered above her and took his free hand, and interlocked it with hers. 
“You ready?” He asked once more.
Aliena nodded. “Yes, yes, please...”
Tom kissed Ali as he slowly entered her. Ailena moaned from the sensation. Tommy began littering the side of her mouth and cheek with kisses. They both groaned when he was fully sheathed inside her. Her walls fluttered around his cock, squeezing him tightly. 
Made him grunt from the sensation. 
Aliena wasn’t in pain, but it has certainly been awhile since a cock has been inside her. Not to mention, she was still pretty sure this body was a virgin. There was no pain, but there was a lot of pressure. She couldn’t tell if he was big or not.
Aliena just felt very “full” and “satisfied.”
“Move, Tommy.” She rasped.
Tom breathily chuckled. “I can’t. You haven’t gotten used to it, yet.”
Aliena gripped his chin and made him face her. “Tommy, move slowly. I want to feel you.”
How the fuck could he deny that?
Slowly, Tom began moving his hips. He’d pull out just enough so his tip won’t fall out and then slide all the way back in. Ali whimpered at the feeling, but after enough times— she found herself wanted more. So, she vocalized it.
“Faster, Tommy.” 
Tom complied to her wishes and began thrusting faster. He found himself admiring this whole situation. Intoxicated on the feeling he’d been missing from… Yeah.  It was Ali. He’d fallen in love with Ali. 
Tom was taking in every reaction she had. With her legs wrapped around his waist, her breasts bouncing softly with each thrust, and her face contorted in pleasure. She couldn’t hide since their fingers were interlocked. 
Tom’s breath began to waiver as pants and grunts escaped his lips. He picked up the pace to which Ali couldn’t hold back her moans anymore. This only encouraged Tom to go even faster. 
“Fuck, Tommy! Yes!”
Ali was unsure of what she was feeling. She couldn’t tell if she was climbing toward her big O, or if she was getting off on pleasing him. She actually never orgasmed when using her dildo, but this was different. Sex with Tommy was different, of course it was, and that’s what threw her off. 
It wasn’t till Ali began bucking her hips upward did she realize she was really feeling it. Ali admired Tom’s blissed out face. She was doing this to him, and it absolutely gave her an ego boost. 
They were meeting each other’s thrust so roughly that all you could hear was skin slapping against skin along with the sloppy wet sound coming from Aliena’s pussy. It fueled them both with more lust for one another. 
Aliena felt that pit in her stomach again and she cried out as did Tom since her pussy tightened around his cock. He was so close and her tightening didn’t help at all. 
“Tommy, I’m clo—!”
Tom slammed his lips on hers before reaching down with one hand and began rubbing her clit. Aliena’s hips stuttered, her legs trembled, and her grip on Tommy’s hand turned iron. Tom pounded into her cunt, overwhelmed with pleasure. Aliena’s squeal as she came was muffled by Tom’s kiss. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her back arched into his chest. 
Tom wasn’t too far behind. He parted from the kiss and looked up at the ceiling as he came. Strained pants escaped him as he rode out their highs. Tom hiked Aliena’s legs up and got incredibly deeper which made Aliena giggle and sigh.  
Ali was surprised at how fucking nice it felt to be came inside of, but she loved every minute of it. Ali was the one to capture Tom’s lips this time and when she parted, she asked.
“You down for a round two?”
Tommy chuckled as he rested his forehead against her own. “Why the fuck not!”
Aliena gasped as he flipped them over with her now on top. Aliena laughed breathily and steadied herself by placing both of her hands on Tom’s chest. Tom was taken back at how sexy she was above him.
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kpopgirl1234bl · 3 years
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Keigo dating an Ex Villain whom stopped because they didn't want to hurt innocent people anymore. Society still doesn't except them though, people on the street shout at Hawk's S/O and say nasty words. His S/O doesn't think much of it, until it gets so bad they break down crying making Hawks angry at the people who did it. He takes them home and comforting ensues.
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I'm sorry it took so long to write this, but I Hope you like this.
Pairing: Takami Keigo(Hawks) x reader
Words: 2.8K
Requested: yes
------------------------
Ever since the heroes caught and interrogated you, they realized something was deeply wrong with you.
Despite being part of a small group of villains, it soon became clear how they recruited you. They had beaten and manipulated you into hurting people, even when you didn't want to.
Every time you tried to rebel against the people who kidnapped you, the more they would beat you and starve you.
Police questioned you about you going missing without anyone noticing or caring. They dug deeper and found out one of the members was your older brother.
They figured out he was the one who kidnapped you and played it off to sound like you were living with him instead.
After a week of harsh interrogation, you finally broke down and told them everything. Both the police and heroes involved realized you weren't the real villain. You were indeed a victim.
Police agreed to place you in a hospital under observation. You had nearly destroyed your room several times, so much that the doctors and nurses had to sedate you at times.
After many months of treatment and general basic training, you slowly began to calm down and started talking minimally. You only trusted a few of the doctors and nurses assigned to you, and you despised the new ones.
Since your brother kidnapped you and forced you to use your quirk, you didn't have great control over it, which led to so many people getting hurt by you.
All the doctors and nurses began teaching you how to act normally. Even that seemed foreign to you. Once you felt comfortable with day-to-day things, they asked you if you would like to work on your quirk.
You had a violent breakdown after they asked you. The doctors and nurses didn't ask you again before the next month. In which you had one again, but less violent this time.
They continued to ask you once a month. It was a long and painful process, but you finally agreed.
The doctors and nurses introduced you to some scientists that were going to study you along the way.
First, they needed to figure out what your quirk was, which wasn't hard since they watched old news stories about your brother's villain group.
They didn't show you the clips, afraid of how you would react to them.
At the start, they just asked you to activate your quirk, which took some time since you never really learned how to control it. You would trigger it, and it created small and sometimes big bursts.
You quickly grew tired, and the doctors and nurses ended the session, and they praised you.
Over many months of basic training and quirk training. An MR scan of your brain. They also used exposure therapy on you t ó make you feel more comfortable with certain things. You began to trust the doctors and nurses around you.
On days no studies were done on you. They would usually let you run around the halls or let you drive around on a small scooter. Yeah, it was childish, but it gave you a feeling of normalcy in your life despite your whole situation.
You turned out to be intelligent and clever. In your quirk training, you got to meet other heroes. At first, you were hesitant but grew to appreciate them around you.
You first met Hawks during this. He was one of the heroes who kept visiting you. He was there when you started testing VR simulation and how it would be like to be in public.
At first, it was weird for you. You hadn't been outside the hospital grounds in over a year. You accidentally walked into walls before, but you just laughed it off.
Hawks visited you one day when they decided to show you an aquarium in the VR simulation. Hawks watched as you put on the VR headset and watched your mouth open in utter surprise and amazement.
Hawks could see what you saw through the screens in the room.
"y/n dear, if you look at the small info panels, you can read about the fish and sea creatures you see in front of you." One of the doctors told you. They saw you look down at the info panels and read all about the fish and sea creatures.
You spent an hour and a half just reading until the doctors said it was time to stop. They removed the VR headset, and you walked smiling over to Hawks. Despite seeing and watching the whole ordeal, Hawks just listened to you as you told him about everything you saw.
Your interactions with Hawks continued over the years. He was there when you were out in the actual public for the first time. He was always there when times got rough.
It has been four years since the doctors deemed it was time to release you into the public. They moved you into an apartment building where you could always get help.
Of course, you still had to go to therapy every once in a while.
In the start, it was all overwhelming, but once again, Hawks was there to guide you through it all.
Once you met all your neighbors, they were all pretty skeptical of you, but once they realized you meant no harm, they welcomed you with open arms.
That was four years ago, and you were living a relatively ordinary life with your boyfriend Hawks.
Hawks asked you out two years after you after the doctors released you from the hospital. You were skeptical at first, not understanding what a relationship was or why he would want one with you.
After much debating, you agreed to go out with Hawks. Hawks made sure to keep you out of the public eye as much as he could, but since he was pretty popular, paparazzi were almost always around him.
At first, he played it out to you two just being friends. That worked at first, but they kept following him around and found out the truth about you two. And you.
The public exploded once they found out who you were. You had to be taken into protection before things got out of hand.
It got so bad, Hawks and several other heroes, doctors, and nurses had to step forward to calm the public down. With your permission, they showed videos of your progress during those four years and told them why you were like that at the time.
That was a year and a half ago, and you became less and less bothered with people like that.
Today, you and Hawks decided to go on a date, not something you two did very often due to both of you. But you both enjoy every moment of the date.
You almost always wore a face mask in public, many people accepted you and all that, but people still threw slurs at you, sometimes sending you into a panic attack.
But most of the time, it didn't even bother you anymore.
"You ready y/n?" You heard Hawks ask you.
"Yep!" You said and put on your face mask.
"Beautiful as always." Hawks smiled and kissed your forehead.
You both left the apartment and went downtown. Once downtown, you two discussed where you two wanted to eat. You two were so engrossed with the conversation you didn't notice a group following you two.
Suddenly, you felt something hard and sharp hit you in the back of your head.
"Ow!" You said.
"Hey, villain slut! Go back to your brother, go back to the person you belong with, bet he could take care of you!" A person shouted. You turned around to look at the person.
"Better yet! He could kill them. Then we don't have to see that freak's face again!" Another person stood beside the other person. You just turned around to leave. They weren't worth your time.
"Ay bitch! Don't fucking ignore us!" The first person shouted at you. They picked a much bigger stone and threw it at you. Unfortunately, it hit you in the back of your head again, this time drawing blood.
"Ah!" You screamed and stumbled, but lucky, Hawks caught you.
"You better fucking scream you fucking bitch as hero slut! Scream like the people you killed!" The person screamed at you and continued throwing rocks at you. The other people from the group joined in.
Something clicked in your head after the person said that. You could hear the screams from the innocent people you had to kill due to your brother. You screamed and threw yourself to the ground and began crying hysterically.
"Look at them! They're so pathetic! Go cry to your parents, oh wait, you probably killed them too!" The group laughed at you.
"STOP!!!" You cried.
"Hey, you fucking asshole!" You heard Hawks shout.
"Hah? What do you want, boy toy!" The second person taunted him.
"Who the fuck do you think you're calling a villain when you're the fucking villain here!" He shouted at them while holding you tightly.
"They fucking killed people. They're the fucking murderer and villain. They should kill themselves. We don't need someone like them in our society!" The group continued throwing stones, rocks, and other things at you two.
Hawks covered you with his body to the best of his ability while you screamed and cried.
Your cries must have alerted some heroes, or someone alerted them because they came running and overthrew the people attacking you.
The other hero spotted Hawks and ran over.
"Hawks!" The hero shouted. The hero spotted blood running down Hawks' hand and then spotted you in his arms.
"Are they bleeding?" The hero asked.
"Yes, the group threw stones at them, and it hit them in the back of the head." Hawks explained. Soon an ambulance arrived, and the medical team escorted you away from the scene.
At the hospital, doctors and nurses treated your injuries. In the end, you needed stitches. When they finished, they carefully bandaged your head, and they left for you to collect yourself.
The police later came to get a statement from you and Hawks. The police offered to drive you two home, which you gladly took.
On the way out, you encountered a horde of paparazzi standing outside the entrance. The police and Hawks did their best to cover you. You two got into the car and drove off rather quickly.
The whole drive home. Hawks did his best to comfort you and held your hand tightly. The police followed you to the door and bid you two goodbye.
You kicked off your shoes and threw yourself on the couch, and hugged the nearest pillow.
"It'll be here in ten? That's great. Cya then." You heard Hawks say and him walking towards you.
"Hey gorgeous, I have ordered your favorite it'll be here soon, Okay." You felt Hawks stroking your head. You looked up at Hawks, and he saw big wet tears falling down your cheeks.
"Oh, Darling, come here." Hawks said, and you threw yourself at him, and he hugged you tightly. You cried, bawling your eyes out on Hawks' shoulder.
"Just let everything out." Hawks told you. You clutched his shirt tightly.
"Why am I like this! No matter what I do, people still hate me. I can't anymore, Keigo. I don't want to live like this." You told him while still crying into his shoulder.
"I killed all those people. I don't deserve to live like this. I wish I could die." You felt Hawks pull away from you.
"Don't you ever say that!" Hawks almost shouted, and it caught you off guard.
"Those people don't know what they are talking about and don't know what you have been through." Hawks started.
"They don't know what you've gone through to have come this far." He continued.
"They don't know you as I know you." You felt Hawks tighten his grip on you.
"And They can never love you as much as I love you." At this point, Hawks was crying.
"You have made me like the most loved person in this entire world, and if I can't feel the same, then frankly, I don't know what I am doing." Hawks told you, holding your shoulders tightly, looking directly into your tear-filled eyes.
"You're the greatest thing in this entire world, and you're worth everything in this world, and you can't tell me otherwise. Because every time you tell me otherwise, I will prove you wrong." Hawks leaned his forehead against yours as he told you this.
You just sat there staring down at the ground, eyes stained red from all your crying.
"I love you damn it, don't ever forget that." Hawks whispered and pulled you into another tight hug, not intending to let you go.
Hawks crawled onto the couch while still holding you. You two laid there holding each other. Tears fell from your eyes, both from fear and happiness. You cried while clutching Hawks.
Hawks responded by whispering sweet nothing in your ear while stroking your back and head. In between sweet nothings, Hawks would kiss a part of you and tell you what he loved about that part of you.
Minutes passed, and you two heard knocking on the door, and Hawks felt you tense up.
"Shh, it's okay. That must be the food. I'll be right back. I promise." Hawks said and slowly got up and walked to the door. You heard him talking to someone before you heard him close the door again.
Hawks walked over to the couch again, and you sat up and dried your tears. Hawks smiled at you and put down the food on the coffee table. He grabbed the nearest blanket and wrapped it around you.
"You get nice and comfy. I'll get everything ready." Hawks kissed your forehead. You sat there while Hawks got everything. You felt kind of awful, but you knew if you got up to help, he would guide you back to the couch.
"Tada! I got your favorite food and drinks, and I'll get your favorite show so we can watch it while we eat." Hawks gave you a plate filled with your favorite food.
Hawks started your favorite show and sat down beside you and cuddled you up to him. You finally felt a little peace in your mind and cuddled closer to Hawks.
You ate some of the food, but you were physically and mentally exhausted, so it didn't take long for you to fall asleep. Hawks felt you relax in his arms, so he looked at you and finally saw a relaxed expression on your face. Hawks smiled and carefully kissed your temple as not to wake you up.
Hawks picked you up and walked to the bedroom, and laid you down on the bed. Hawks went back to the living room and cleaned up a bit before returning to you. Hawks took some of your clothes off so you would be uncomfortable while sleeping. Hawks got ready for bed and laid down beside you and wrapped his arms around you, and pulled you closer to him.
Hawks looked at your peaceful face and smiled to himself.
"I'll always be here to protect you, no matter what. Remember that." He whispered before kissing you on the head before going to sleep with you in his arms.
BONUS
Hawks woke up the next day, still holding you in his arms. He looked at you with a smile on his face. He laid there for a little while before getting up, deciding to let you sleep a little longer.
Hawks got his cup of coffee and turned on the tv. It didn't take long for the tv to get his attention.
"Reporting live here where yesterday, shows the ex villain y/n l/n attacked by a group of criminals. The group is shown on CCTV to be throwing rocks, stones, and other things at them." The newsperson started.
"The police have arrested the group and all members but have yet to stand in front of a judge. Many people have seen the footage of what happened and are now advocating to bring these criminals to justice." The person continued.
"People have also been outraged to see how y/n l/n is treated both in public and online. The hashtag ProtectY/N has been trending on several social media apps since the incident." Hawks checked his social media and saw it was true. #ProtectY/N was everywhere.
People were pointing out how you had made a genuine effort to change yourself, and it made Hawks smile because he had witnessed some of the progress.
Hawks then heard soft footsteps coming towards him. Sure, you had bed hair and only had a shirt on, but Hawks still thought you were stunning as always.
"Good morning Kei." You greeted him.
"Good morning Darling, I think you should see this." Hawks told you and showed you his phone. He saw you read what he had just read and saw you tearing up.
"You see, you are worth it." Hawks said and hugged you. You wrapped your arms around his torso and cried.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" You cried. Not because you were sad, but because you were happy.
Oh, so very happy.
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longitudinalwaveme · 3 years
Text
Arkham Files: Golden Glider
Hugo Strange: From the patient files of Dr. Hugo Strange, director of Arkham Asylum. Patient: Lisa Snart, also known as the Golden Glider. The patient displays a number of antisocial tendencies, but no formal diagnosis has ever been given to her, and since she arrived at Arkham only a few days ago, I have not had the time to give her a complete psychological examination. Session One. Good morning, Miss Snart. 
Golden Glider: (Angry) Another psych evaluation? Really? No one ever gives these to Captain Cold or the Mirror Master! Why am I any crazier than them? Women can commit crimes for reasons other than being “hysterical females”, can’t they? 
Hugo Strange: Miss Snart, all of you “Rogues”  were given psychological and intellectual evaluations upon your arrival to Arkham Asylum. It is a standard operating procedure for all patients, male or female. I assure you, your gender has nothing to do with your being here. (Pause) And this is not a psychological evaluation, Miss Snart. It is a therapy session. 
Golden Glider: (Suddenly calm) Oh. (Pause) So tell me, Dr. Strange. What can I do for you? Or, I guess I should ask, what can you do for me? 
Hugo Strange: Miss Snart, your file indicates that you once had a career as a professional figure skater. There was even talk of you going to the Olympics. Why, then, did you choose to throw it all away to take up a life of costumed crime?
Golden Glider: Have you ever lost the love of your life, Dr. Strange? 
Hugo Strange: No. I haven’t. 
Golden Glider: (Intensely) Well, I have! Five years ago, the Flash-Barry Allen-murdered my beloved Roscoe; took away the best part of my life! With Roscoe gone, I had nothing left to live for, so I set my sights on revenge; on making the Flash suffer the way that I had suffered! I would get even with him: An eye for an eye! A death for a death! A lover for a lover! As I had lost Roscoe, so I would make him lose his wife! 
Hugo Strange: Roscoe? As in Roscoe Dillon? The Top? 
Golden Glider: Of course! 
Hugo Strange: He doesn’t seem very dead to me. In fact, I finished my first therapy session with him only yesterday. 
Golden Glider: I didn’t say that he stayed dead. I just said that he died. 
Hugo Strange: Miss Snart, dead men do not spontaneously come back to life. That is simply not possible. 
Golden Glider: That’s what I thought at first, too...but Roscoe is special. He’s a psychic-telikentic and telepathic and all that-and it turns out that his powers also make it possible for him to survive a a ghost on the astral plane rather than moving on to the afterlife. (Pause) Have you heard of Deadman? 
Hugo Strange: The so-called ghost of Boston Brand? I have, but I am skeptical of the claims made about him. 
Golden Glider: Well, my Roscoe is like that, except that he can only possess corpses. But once he does, he can animate them and alter them so that they match his original, handsome form. I think he’s on his fifth body at the moment. 
Hugo Strange: What happened to bodies two through four?
Golden Glider: Well, the second body was the Flash’s father, Dr. Henry Allen, and unlike the other bodies, he never experienced brain death. Because of that, the Flash was able to drive Roscoe out of his body, and Dr. Allen’s soul took his body back. He abandoned the third body during a depressive episode, and the fourth body, of Senator Thomas O’Neil, was frozen and shattered by my brother, Lenny. 
Hugo Strange: Your brother…. killed your boyfriend? 
Golden Glider: In Lenny’s defense, he knew about Roscoe’s habit of coming back to life. But I was pretty ticked-off when I first found out about it. 
Hugo Strange: Why did he kill him? And where were you during all this? 
Golden Glider: Well, in between Roscoe’s third and fourth body, I didn’t hear anything from him for awhile, and so I assumed that he was gone for good. With that in mind, I started dating again-and picked the wrong guy. I’d outfitted him with some of Lenny’s old gear and called him Chillblaine, and he pretended that he wanted to work with me, but he was just setting me up for a double-cross. Eventually, he turned on me; froze me solid and put me in a coma. For over a year, the doctors thought  I was going to be in a vegetative state permanently. A couple months after I went into the coma, Roscoe came back, and when he found out what had happened to me, he went into a manic episode and tried to take control of the Rogues from Lenny. They had a fight, both of them tried to kill each other, and Lenny won. Six months after that, Roscoe came back in his fifth body, and shortly after that, Wally West-the redheaded Flash who used to be Kid Flash-somehow managed to bring me out of my coma. I like him. He’s nothing like Barry Allen. He’s as brave and honest as my Roscoe. 
Hugo Strange: And why did he do this? 
Golden Glider: He said that both Lenny and Roscoe were easier to deal with when I was conscious than when I was in a coma. (Pause) He’s a darling. 
Hugo Strange: I see. (Pause) So, Miss Snart, why the costume? 
Golden Glider: I was a famous figure skater, Dr. Strange. If I was going to take revenge, I needed to do it in disguise. 
Hugo Strange: And after your attempts at revenge failed and Roscoe came back to you, why did you persist in your criminal career? 
Golden Glider: Well, I could hardly go back to being a figure skater once I became a known criminal. Besides, I get to spend a lot more time with Roscoe and Lenny as a Rogue than I could when I was a figure skater. 
Hugo Strange: In speaking of the Rogues...you are the only female member of the group. Why is that? 
Golden Glider: Well, in the history of the Twin Cities, there have only been six female supervillains: Rose and Thorn, who’s so old she fought the Jay Garrick Flash, Blacksmith, who runs the Network, Christina Alexandrova, the lady speedster, Magenta, the magnetic witch, Peek-a-Boo, who barely even qualifies as a criminal, and delectable little me. Not every supervillain is a member of the Rogues, and, with so few ladies to choose from, it’s not that surprising that I was the only one to make the cut. (Pause) That, and my boyfriend and older brother are both members of the group, so that gave me an almost automatic in. 
Hugo Strange: Is it difficult to be the only woman in a group made up almost exclusively of men, Miss Snart? 
Golden Glider: Not even a little. Lenny’s the leader of the group, remember? No one wants to get him angry by upsetting his precious baby sister, so I get treated like a queen. 
Hugo Strange: You and your brother seem to be very close. 
Golden Glider: We are. Lenny practically raised me. He’s more a father to me than Larry ever was. 
Hugo Strange: You don’t resent him for leaving you alone with your father? 
Golden Glider: I used to, but I’ve mostly gotten over it, now. Larry would’ve killed him if he hadn’t left. Towards the end, they were fighting all the time. (Suddenly very angry) If I have resentment towards anyone-besides that self-righteous prig Barry Allen-it’s towards my rat of a father. 
Hugo Strange: Given what you suffered at your father’s hands, Miss Snart, your anger towards him is understandable. But are you sure that you aren’t projecting some of your feelings towards him into the Flash? I find it rather difficult to believe that the Flash, insane though his vigilante crusade may be, would deliberately kill anyone. 
Golden Glider: I’m not projecting anything, Doctor. Barry Allen did his level best to destroy my life and the life of my beloved Roscoe. I’m going to pay that favor back if it’s the last thing I ever do….and if I ever find my ‘father’-well, it’ll make what I’m going to do to Barry Allen seem kind. I’m going to get even-and once I do, no one will dare to even think about hurting me again! (Pause; then cheerfully) Thanks for listening, Dr. Strange. It’s good to get my feelings off my chest every once in awhile. 
Hugo Strange: (Puzzled) Ah...happy to be of assistance, Miss Snart. 
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Text
Hello, I am having a ✨mental breakdown✨ at 4:27 am for the third time again this week, so have some random headcannons, mainly for class A:
Izuku, Koda, and Hitoshi have befriended all of the cats within a three mile radius of campus. They’ll often try to sneak them into the dorms. One time, they were caught by Aizawa and bribed him with cat photos. He now has a monthly rent of 200 cat pictures in exchange for cat food, toys, and litter
When the Kiricrew hosts game night, you can imagine how intense it gets, but surprisingly Tsu ends up being one of the most competitive ones
Several UA students (specifically the kiricrew) have caught wind of Todoroki’s constant conspiracy theories, and purposefully try to evoke more theories
Class A (minus bakugou and mineta, (because I refuse to acknowledge them right now, so just assume that they aren’t included I guess,) and plus shinsou, some kids from class B, and Mei) get matching tattoos
Denki has tried to make a class show-type-thing filmed like the office. Izuku helps him edit it.
They all cuddle
They teach themselves how to read and write in ancient runes, and leave notes for each other
They have so many group chats. One for the insomniacs, one for the emos, one for talking about nightmares (you cannot tell me that they don’t all have nightmares about villain attacks and such), one for homework help and tutoring, etc.
Mei, Iida, izuku, and shinsou all test new gear babies together. Izuku and Mei often make/work on the support gear together
They gather every student they can together and watch horror movies, promptly followed by cartoons
Uraraka holds interviews with those who wish to join the izuku protection squad. Aizawa is bewildered by how intense said interviews are, and is very proud of her
Aoyama initiates staring contests very often
Jirou makes playlists for people when they are sad
Mina has started making a list of all the weird things her classmates say or do while sleep deprived. One time, shinsou poured a can of Monster, a cup of tea, and a five hour energy into a pot of coffee, chugged it, and told her that life was a lie (don’t mix the things above, it doesn’t taste good. It will however, help you finish the four chapters of homework that your teacher assigns three days before he wants it due.)
Mei, tsu, izuku, tokoyami, Toru, todoroki, and sero are all vent gremlins. Mei likes to watch people from inside the vents and pop down in the teachers lounge to ask for dangerous materials
One time, kaminari went to the common room to get a glass of water in the middle of the night, only to find Midoriya sitting on top of the fridge and muttering about world domination. They discussed the logistic of one of izuku’s many plans. Kaminari was impressed and worried
Tetsutetsu and kirishima tried to switch places for a day and hoped no one would notice. It did not work, but was amusing none the less
Kendo and Momo meet up once a week to talk about their dumb*ss kids classmates
Uraraka and ojirou hold hand to hand combat training sessions twice a week
Juzo, sero, tetsutetsu, and kirishima train together fairly often. They often race together
Shinsou and izuku once had a competition of who goes the longest without sleep. Except izuku kept trying to help shinsou fall asleep because “sleep is important” but “frick you, you hypocritical b*tch!” in the end, sero and Iida convinced Midnight to knock them out
Someone once left a note on Sato’s desk that just read, “glucose father”
Shoji once hid Aoyama in his arms so that Aoyama could make a dramatic entrance. He threw glitter everywhere. Aizawa still finds glitter in his sleeping bag
Izuku, Mina, and sero start a dance club and teach each other different styles
Mina suggests that they all do group therapy, to which everyone agrees
Monoma, tokoyami, and Aoyama host poetry nights
The LOV has game nights. Shigaraki always just wants to play video games, but toga has made them play board games as well. They played monopoly one time, and it ended with toga holding a knife to dabi’s throat while he screamed profanities at tomura, who was in a fist fight with spinner and Mr. compress. Meanwhile, twice commentated and kurogiri poured himself a drink
Momo made everyone matching pajamas
One time, a group from class A ran into the LOV at a coffee shop. They stared at each other for a solid minute and then left. It was a weekend. They deserved a break.
The teachers all make bets about the students. Who will call a teacher dad/mom first? Who’s going to date who? Who is going to get in trouble next (everyone bet on Midoriya. They all won). When Mei is going to blow something up again? Etc.
Kendo suggests that they play hide and seek all around campus, it’s very chaotic. Nezu loves watching it each time
Monoma likes messing with provoking class A anyway, but after learning what Bakugou did to Midoriya, he takes special joy in tormenting him. Kendo originally stopped this, but has recently decided that at times she is suddenly blind
Monoma and Mina started an anti-bullying campaign on campus
Mei, izuku, and shinsou are chaotic gremlins who terrorize those around campus. Izuku doesn’t mean to, shinsou does, Mei doesn’t try to but does enjoy it. They are often joined by Monoma, who also tries to terrorize those around campus and enjoys it as well.
Izuku painted a very realistic picture of him and Todoroki throat punching endeavor, and gave it to Todoroki for his birthday. Todoroki cried
Ibara, kinoko, and tsu garden together
Tokoyami and jirou share clothes sometimes. Emos stick together
Class A fears disappointed Momo more than they fear disappointing Aizawa
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chaoticallysapphic · 3 years
Text
the great trial part two
summary: This was meant to be the easy part. The part filled with brightness and love. The war was over and you had the love of your life all to yourself. No more Baatar, no more secrecy and no more lies. But with the calm comes the realization as all the adrenaline finally leaves you. Now you know, this is the hard part.
a/n: thank you to @medeliadracon​ for beta reading this and @ladyxffandoms​ for looking it over <3 
word count: 3k
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Kuvira already hates this. She hates how the both of you are seated on the couch yet are on opposite ends while some middle-aged woman with a notepad on her lap is seated across from the both of you. She hates the question at hand, despite it being the first one. “How did it start?” 
The only problem is she has to go along with this because she just heard you say her name for the first time in weeks when introducing the both of you to Dr. Hanika. Because you spoke to her directly just a few days ago when telling her about this visit after your mother left. So she has to suck it up, for you. 
It. This wasn’t an It, this is a relationship. It was delicate and warm and the fact that this stranger expects both of you to just pour yourself into this, sharing every little thing, pisses her off. 
“Oh…” Your eyes flit across the contents on the coffee table as you try to make sense of your memories. 
“This relationship started almost four years ago” Kuvira replies. “We met at Suyin’s dance studio, she asked me for help.” Dr. Hanika clicks her pen and begins to write something across her notepad. Kuvira leans over a little to try and peek, but she’s too far away to see what’s being written. 
Your shoulders slump, wetting your lips. You don’t want to talk about this, you want to talk about how to get over the cheating. “When are we going to talk about… everything else?” 
“Y/n what can you tell me about the start of your relationship with Kuvira?” 
Kuvira looks away, frowning. She knows what you're referring to. Dr. Hanika sets her pen down and sighs “We will get to the root of your problems soon, but I think the best way I can help the both of you is if I know how it started.” 
And so you tell her, despite not wanting to, about meeting Kuvira and practicing after class with her for weeks before she finally kissed you. You keep out how she kissed you in other places, deciding to keep that between the two of you. And then you tell her about the recital, about wanting to introduce her to your parents but didn’t because Baatar was there with his arm wrapped around her. 
Hearing your point of view on things leaves a sour taste in Kuvira’s mouth. She didn’t know you wanted her to meet your parents that night. After she watched you race out of the room she had quietly scolded Baatar for not waiting like they originally planned.
“And you never told her about the relationship you had with Baatar?” You scoff at his name, turning your gaze out the window, not wanting to see her reaction to the question. 
“No… I didn’t want to hurt he-” 
“That’s rich coming from you,” you spit out, Kuvira turns to face you, her brows pinching together as she tries to keep her temper in check. “It’s the truth!” 
“If you didn’t want to hurt me you would have ended it with him!” You twist around, finally meeting her eyes for the first time in what feels like forever. Whatever words were on the tip of Kuvira’s tongue died the minute you do. “But you didn’t, instead you made me keep us a secret for three years!” 
“Alright, let’s calm down” Dr. Hanika looks between the both of you. But you ignore her, tired of keeping your mouth shut to keep her happy. 
“You cheated on me as some sick form of punishment over the smallest of things, fuck, I’m pretty sure you liked crawling into his bed those nights with how many times you chose to do it!” You grip the couch so tight your knuckles begin to turn white. 
The look in your eyes is like nothing she’s seen before and her heart begins to pound. She doesn’t know this version of you and it scares her. “How about you do us both a favor and go crawling back to him instead of staying here!”  
Tick, the clock mounted on the wall is all that’s heard as silence descends upon the room. 
Scratch, Dr. Hanika begins to write on her notepad, and the sound of pen meeting paper mixes with the ticking. 
Chirp, a bird in the tree by your living room window is giving its babies lunch and the excited chirping from the babies blends with the other two sounds.
The fourth sound to join the makeshift symphony is the whimper that leaves Kuvira’s lips before she storms away to your bedroom where she slams the door so hard the bookshelf next to it shakes, a book falls off. 
“Maybe we should start with individual sessions and then work our way up into group sessions,” she says calmly. You nod, thickly swallowing as you slowly let go of the back of the couch, your knuckles cramp a bit from how hard you held the cushion. 
And so you tell her the rest, all of it including every lonely night and every fight. She aggressively writes away on her notepad as you stare at the vase of light pink flowers. At some point, you grab a pillow from beside you and clutch it close to your chest as you get to the engagement. Tears are freely falling from your eyes now and you don’t move to wipe them away. 
“I think this will take a long time and there’s no guarantee on what will come of this, but we can only hope it’s something positive. For now, I think both of you should try to find interests separate from one another since it seems like there are some codependency issues we’ll need to work on.” 
You nod, trying to think up what you can do in this small apartment as you wipe the last of your tears away. “Okay, I can do that.” 
“What you're feeling right now is valid, Y/n, and I want you to know it’s good that you are seeking therapy to help resolve these issues,” she sets her pen down on the pad and sighs. “I think I’d like to speak to Kuvira alone, then I’ll take my leave for the day.” 
Biting your lip you set the pillow down beside you and look at the bedroom door. “I’ll go get her, maybe you should stay in the bedroom once she comes out.” Dr. Hanika stands up and gently knocks on the door. Kuvira, who feels like a knife has been driven through her heart, is sitting on the edge of your bed with her head in her hands. 
She hates herself and hates this. All of the arrogance she carried just a few weeks ago has vanished as she’s left with this warped version of you. Kuvira knows she deserves this but fuck does it hurt to hear. 
The knock has her head tilting up, hoping it’s you and that this tense tightrope you're making her walk has finally come to an end. But it’s Dr. Hanika saying something Kuvira only half hears. It feels like her head is underwater, like her words are distorted.
You hear her talking to Kuvira through the door, but she’s being too quiet to understand what's transpiring. Slowly the lock clicks and the door opens up, revealing a red-eyed Kuvira who won’t look at you.
She walks over to the other side of the room so you can lock yourself in the bedroom, suddenly she wishes she had put up a fight about doing this. Kuvira wishes she could take it back, so she never had to hear you talk like that. 
When she sits down on the couch she doesn’t know what to do, so she ends up sitting with her elbows propped up on her knees with her chin resting in the palm of her hands as she tries to keep calm. Her whole body feels like it’s buzzing and her world feels off-center. Maybe she should deal with your silence, seeming to prefer it over your malicious words. 
“Kuvira?” The young woman snaps out of her thoughts and looks up at Dr. Hanika with a quirked brow. “I’ve been trying to talk to you for a few minutes now.” 
“Oh.”
“How did Y/n’s words make you feel?”
“Awful,” Kuvira doesn't want to talk to her but what's the alternative? “Like she doesn't love me anymore.” Like no one loves me, not even her. 
“Do you think she would go through with this if she didn’t love you?” Dr. Hanika tilts her head in question, her hands delicately placed over each other as they rest on her pen and notepad. “Do you think she would put in all this effort if she didn’t want to be with you?” 
Kuvira frowns, she never looked at it like that. “Don’t you think she would have requested to be sent to her parents?” 
“I guess so…” Kuvira trails off as she leans back and looks down at her hands. Why would someone still live with someone they didn’t love? It was obvious you no longer tiptoed around her feelings so it can’t be just to appease her. “But if she still loves me, how do I fix this?” 
“This is something you both will need to work on, not just you. It will take a lot of time, and we will have to talk about your feelings but also your past to help you, do you think you can do that for me?” 
It took her months to give you a nugget of her childhood and even longer to finally talk about her feelings with you, it’s something she still isn’t good at. Both are something she has difficulty with, but for you? Well, she’d traverse the whole world for you, give it all to you if asked. 
“Okay,” Kuvira breathes, “Okay I can do that.”
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And so you take up gardening, your father brings you supplies along with a shelf to place in front of one of the windows to place different pots so you have more to work with. He teaches you the basics and smiles when he sees you get lost in thought while gently patting the dirt around the newly placed Mint Plant. 
It’s not as easy for Kuvira, her hobbies consist of sparring, dancing, and at times she liked to silently geek out over Varrick and Baatar’s inventions. The apartment is too small to practice fighting stances or to dance, and there isn’t an invention insight to focus on. So one day when your dad is about to leave, Kuvira asks him to help her find something she might like. 
He offers a smile and nods. A few days later he comes over with a basket full of things for her to try, when he places the ball of yarn along with a handbook on the basics of knitting, Kuvira scrunches her nose up at the idea. 
Then he places a cookbook down and a beginners' origami kit down before placing a medium-sized package that has ‘Embroidery’ scrawled across it in chicken scratch writing. Lastly, he carefully sets down a blank sketchbook with three different types of ways to fill it in. 
“If you don’t like any of these I can bring more,” he says with a smile. Kuvira feels so grateful for your father, the few times your mom has stopped by since that fateful day she’s never acknowledged her existence. But your father always asks about her day and tries to spend some time with her before leaving. It’s surprising, but not unwelcome. 
“Thank you, hopefully, one of these works out,” she smiles back and goes to pick up the cookbook to flick through the pages. He walks away to go check on you as he always does and as always you’re in the garden lovingly tending to your plants. You seem to put more care and affection into your work than you do with Kuvira. How can she be jealous of plants?
The cookbook has some decent looking recipes inside, to be honest, the only cooking Kuvira has ever really done was that night with the dumplings. She grew up on the Beifong estate where they had a chef and when she moved into the barracks after becoming a guard they had a team of men and women who cooked meals for them. She even hired someone to cook for them on the train. 
It would probably be best for her to learn, especially once your year on house arrest is up, so she carefully sets it back down to use later before shifting through the other items with a curious eye. 
The next few weeks she tries them all out, knitting lasts two days before she throws the damn yarn and needles into the trash with disdain and Kuvira accidentally breaks the embroidery hoop fifteen minutes into trying it out. She’s okay at origami but it’s boring, she finishes all the different designs quickly and stares at the collection of stars and swans with a dull expression. 
She kind of likes cooking, with the book in hand she ends up making breakfast, lunch, and dinner, much to your surprise. The eggs are a bit overdone, so she’ll have to work on that and lunch has a bit of a char to one side of it which she sees you try to scrape off. But dinner is decent and to her, that’s a win. It could use more salt and the soup probably would be better if she let it cook for longer, but she’ll take this small victory and wear it like a badge of honor. 
Lastly is the sketchbook, she stares at the blank page in frustration as nothing comes to mind, what is she meant to do with this? Your father brought a beginner's water coloring kit, a set of charcoal pencils, and colored pencils. She bits her lip as her eyes flit between the three and she grabs the charcoal, that seems good to begin with. 
She spends the whole day trying to draw a panda lily that never turns out quite right which drives her mad. The first attempt just looks like a blob, the second a slightly nicer looking blob and the third finally has a hint of the shape she's going for if you stare at it hard enough. So she works with that and tries to remind herself that when she picked up sparring she could barely throw a punch, everything takes time and practice. 
When you enter to fill up your watering can you sneakily peek over her shoulder, surprised to see her drawing, before walking back out of the house. It’s good she’s picking up a new hobby, part of you is proud of her, not that you’ll tell her though. 
The sessions with Dr. Hanika continue and with each one, Kuvira forces herself to open up a bit more with the motivation that maybe you’ll finally start to talk to her like Dr. Hanika says you will. 
When she tells Dr. Hanika about her pursuit of drawing, she tries to play it off by saying “I’m only doing it because I don’t like being bad at things.” They both know that's a lie, drawing has pleasantly consumed her time as she strives to draw beautiful things to one day give to you. 
Nights are spent the same, you go to bed and when Kuvira enters an hour later you’re passed out with two pillows placed at the center of the bed to block her from touching you. Her heart breaks as she takes a chance to look at you, the first time that day. There’s a small smile on your lips, you have the blanket tucked up to your neck with one hand resting under your head. You're having a good dream and she silently hopes that she’s part of it. 
She knows she can’t sleep in the living room like that first night, even if neither of you touches one another the heat of her body still comforts you, the slight dip that lets you know you aren’t alone. So she changes into her pajamas and slides onto her side of the bed with a sigh. One day those pillows will be gone, she tells herself. 
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Your routine is broken in the third week of the second month on house arrest. Kuvira is getting lunch ready when there’s a knock at the door, breaking the peaceful silence that lulls through the air. 
You place your dirty gardening gloves on the table which has Kuvira letting out a sigh, knowing one of you will have to clean that up before eating, as you walk towards the front door. Your father just barges in at this point with a cheerful hello to announce his presence whilst your mom knocks three times every single time. This is one knock, which means it's someone new. 
You don’t know who you expect on the other side of the door, but the avatar was far down on your list of prospects. “Oh, hello,” you say, your voice laced with confusion. 
“Is Kuvira here?” She asks and then seems to realize her mistake. “Oh yeah, can I speak to her?” By now Kuvira is done making lunch and heads over to the front door upon hearing her name. She tries not to show her shock at seeing Korra here, but she must be doing a bad job because the younger woman continues. “I need to talk to you about Commander Guan.” 
You both let the avatar in, neither of you thinking this conversation should take place in the hallway of your apartment complex. The times you’ve spotted your neighbors they send a hateful glare your way. Talking about an old Empire commander will not help ease the anger they hold towards you. 
She slowly walks into your home, looking around with furrowed brows as she takes in the walls, the furniture, and the over-abundance of plants. Whatever Kuvira just made smells delicious and the scent wafts through the living space, confusing her further. 
She knows it’s stupid, but Korra expected Kuvira’s apartment to be a lot less homey and a lot more cold and lifeless. She sits down in the cream armchair, whilst the two of you sit down on opposite ends of the couch. That action confuses her more than the apartment does, last time she saw the two of you, you seemed attached at the hip. 
This placement reminds Kuvira too much of the first therapy session, she has to bite her tongue and will herself to stay put instead of walking away to brood in the bedroom. “What do you need to know about Commander Guan?” you ask. You sound so calm that it drives Kuvira mad, doesn’t this make you uncomfortable, doesn’t it remind you of that day as well? 
“Were you aware his troops never surrendered?” You let out a gasp of surprise as Kuvira balks. Was this another one of her secrets? Another grand plan up her sleeve, just wait and stay quiet with you, playing some form of pretend until he came to get her? 
“I swear, Kuvir-” 
“No I was not aware,” she says in that all too familiar tone she uses when trying to hide her anger. She side-eyes you, looking hurt at your accusation. Do you really think so little of her now?
None of this goes unnoticed by Korra as she looks between the two of you for any kind of clue that she may be lying. Kuvira forces herself to speak, “Guan is a cunning strategist with a keen mind. I put him in charge of the southern forces because I knew he could keep that region in line.” 
“If Guan hasn’t surrendered by now then that means he’s plotting something. I’d treat him like a barrel of blasting jelly with a very short fuse.” You’ve only met Guan a handful of times, each time as unpleasant as the last. He was an asshole who treated everyone that wasn’t Kuvira or Baatar like shit, including yourself. At one point Kuvira had to calmly put him in his place when he tried to demand you go fetch him a glass of whiskey. 
“If you were in my position, how would you deal with him?” 
“I’d take someone with me who Guan respects. Someone who can reason with him and bring him into line.” Your eyes widen, fully turning to look at Kuvira now. You know what she’s hinting at and you hate the idea with every fiber of your being. 
“No,” is all you manage to say. 
“You want me to bring you?” Korra leans back in surprise, an incredulous look taking over her features as she stares Kuvira down. 
“Guan’s not going to roll over just because the avatar asks him to. But if I meet with him face to face I guarantee I could convince him to concede defeat.” You might not be able to stomach the sight of Kuvira for too long without thinking of her betrayal or manage to talk to her but the idea of her leaving frightens you. What if she escapes and never comes back? 
Korra stands with her fists clenched as she walks over to the door, “Thanks for the info but I think I can handle Guan without you.” The door slams behind her and the instant she’s out you’re storming over to the table to grab your gloves. You want to scream at her but you know it won’t do any good. 
Kuvira turns to you, she has this desperate kind of look on her face as she tries to scoot closer to you. “I can be of help to them, Y/n.” You ignore her as you walk away, back to your little sanctuary. 
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justreadingfics · 4 years
Text
Looking For a Heartbeat - (26- Final Chapter)
Pairing: Bucky Barnes X Reader
Series Summary: You and Bucky used to be in a relationship. Feelings were hurt, you left. It’s been two years and you’re back. You both will handle the reunion well, won’t you?
Word Count: ~4.5k
Warnings for this chapter: sugary sweet fluff all the way, happy endings clichés because author loves them and couldn’t help it.  
A/N:  I need to thank @lesqui, @nedthegay and @suz-123 who on different times of the process of writing this long ass fic helped me by reading it and beta-ing for me. This is it, the final one. It almost feels like an epilogue, tbh. It’s been a long journey and as much as I’m happy with the end, it’s also pretty much bittersweet for me. I can’t express how important it was to read every comment reblog, messages and asks, to see the likes and reblogs, the yelling, the love, the laughs and loving words. There’s been so much love I can’t really deal with that, lol. Seriously, thank you. I hope the ending is satisfying, but I know there’ve been different expectations for this story. This is how I always imagined the ending, I hope you like fluff. More A/N at the end.
Masterlist link on my description.  
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  The repeating sound of the pen hitting against the notebook is something you’ve grown used to and, as unexpected as it can be, it turns out to be kind of relaxing for you.
But not to the man beside you.
You glance to your left on the couch and see his leg bouncing. The drop of sweat running down his forehead is also evident as his arms are kept crossed in front of him. Bucky is obviously nervous and Heloise being so quiet while staring at him from under her glasses with an unreadable expression for so long certainly isn’t helping.
It was your idea to start couple's therapy with her and now it’s your first session together. Heloise has been helping you so much throughout this time and, as sure as you and Bucky are of how you both feel for each other and what you want from the relationship, it felt right to seek some professional support to help you find the right pace.  Even with her peculiar ways – which you’ve particularly fond of by now- you know she’s the right one to help you.
Heloise clears her throat. The exaggerated loud sound cuts through the silence and makes Bucky flinch beside you. Her eyes finally advert from him to you while she points her pen at him, “Now I can tell why that other doctor went bananas for this one,” she deadpans.
Bucky chokes on absolutely nothing and you can’t help but smirk, “You should see him shirtless.” You wink at her, ignoring when Bucky gasps even harder than the first time and snaps incredulous big eyes at you.
Heloise’s shoulders move as she chuckles and writes something down on her notebook. Bucky cocks an outraged eyebrow at you. With a smile on your lips, you shake your head dismissively and give him a reassuring squeeze on the knee. He still seems unconvinced, though, eyes narrowing suspiciously at you. He’ll get used to her eventually.
Heloise claps her hands, grasping your attention, “Alright, let’s make this relationship last. Spill all the juice.”  
~~~
5 YEARS LATER
The giggles are loud enough for you to hear from outside the front door of your apartment. Her giggles, to be specific. The smile comes out easily on your lips just to the sweet sound of it.
You take in a deep breath before twisting the knob. As soon as you walk into your apartment, the voices become clearer.
“Don’t lie to me, daddy.”
“That’s all true, I’m telling you, if Uncle Steve see a little tiny spider he’ll be quaking in his boots, my Sun.” Bucky’s voice is soft an amused coming from the kitchen.
Summer’s sweet laughter comes shortly after as they continue the conversation.
Wanting nothing but to hold them tightly before you get to tell them the big news, you drop your bag to the floor by the door and whistle the four tunes the three of you have come up with and that belong to you only. A way to recognize each other without needing any words.  
They’re quiet right before you hear a chair scratching against the floor and tiny bare feet running to you.
“Mommy, mommy, mommy.” The little ball of energy rushes into the living room and lashes herself to your legs.  
You’ve been on a mission for days now and you were only supposed to comeback on Sunday, but it’s one day before and your presence here is a surprise for her. A pleasant one, you can see.
“Hello, my little sun,” You laugh, reaching down to pick her up. She’s much heavier now at the age of 6 than she was as a baby, but you still love to take her in your arms just as much as you used to, especially after so many days away from her, depending solely on video calls whenever you had a little time to see her, “I missed you so much,” You lean back and take a good look at her, seeing how much she’s grown to look just like you – except from the eyes, which is all Bucky - and attack her little face with kisses as she squirms and giggles, wrapping her arms around your neck.
“Me too.” She pops a long kiss on your cheek back as you step to the couch and sit down, keeping her on your lap, “Daddy’s making cupcakes, I know it’s almost lunchtime and he said he wasn’t gonna but then I told him I really, really, really wanted to eat his cupcakes because they are so good and better than the ones at the bakery, and then he decided it was ok, and then he made a lot of chocolate, vanilla with chocolate chips, blueberry, strawberry-”
As she continues her childish rambling, your eyes travel to behind her shoulder and meet the sight which will never cease to take your breath away. You take in a shuddering sigh as Bucky leans his side to the doorframe, arms crossed in front of him, watching you and Summer with that look in his eyes. That look that comes with a small smile and makes you very much aware of your thundering heartbeats and tells you how big his love for you and your daughter is.
Over grey shirt and sweatpants, he’s wearing his black apron, the one which Summer gave to him at Father’s day, after using her fingers to write “Super Dad” with white paint and he never takes it off when he’s in the kitchen.
You smile as he leans away from the doorframe and walks towards you. Without breaking his gaze from your, not even once, he sits beside you and pulls your chin for a kiss. You sigh through the soft and longed touch of his lips.
“Ugh, daddy, I was talking to mommy,” Summer puts her little hands on both your cheeks and pulls your faces apart from each other, making you both chuckle a the imposed separation.
“Sorry, honey.” He fumbles with her hair, “But daddy missed mommy very much.”
“It’s ok,” She forgives with her signature sweet smile, “I missed her, too.” She leans forward and lets her head rest on your chest, hugging you with a strength she should possess.
“Aw, I missed my two little suns so much,” You hug her back just as tightly and props a kiss on Bucky’s cheek.  
Bucky hums and keeps running his hand through Summer hair as talks again, “Not that I’m not happy with the surprise, but weren’t you supposed to be back tomorrow? How was the mission? Is everything ok?”
“Yes… I think it is,” You gulp, swallowing down the words that are desperate to come out but you still have no idea how to say them.
He frowns at you, not pleased with the answer, but visibly doesn’t want to start an inquiry in front of Summer.
“Did you fight a lot of bad guys, mommy?” She asks, not moving away from the spot where she’s nuzzled into you.
“I did, my sun.” You run your hand back and forth over her back, “Me, Auntie Wanda and Uncle Sam.” You tell her after placing a kiss on top of her head. She always loves to hear about your missions.
Her powers have been slowing showing signs, being mostly expressed on an uncommon intelligence that allowed her to learn how to read at 3 and build her first artificial intelligence (a little pug she named Maggie) at 4 with the help of her Uncle Tony, who’s always more than happy to allow her wander around his labs. Her physical strength is still shy inside her, but you know it will soon flourish. You know she’ll be a great fighter someday. Hell, she already is.
“I can’t wait to grow up and be a badass,” You and Bucky exchange looks due her choice of words but she goes on, unfazed by it, “Just like you and Auntie Wanda, and Auntie Nat, Auntie Carol, Auntie Pepper, Auntie Shuri and-”
“Hey, daddy’s pretty badass, too.” Bucky puts on an exaggerated pout, placing a hand on his waist.  
“Of course you are, daddy.” She leans away from you and turn to him to pat his beard, “Your cupcakes are super badass.” She says, before continuing her chanting of the names of her super aunties.
You look at him and laugh at the smug satisfaction on his face by her answer before not being able to resist in placing a kiss on his cheek one more time.
The mission to rescue Summer five years ago was also Bucky’s last mission. It was no secret, that life was never what he really wanted and after discussing it in therapy and a lot of talking with you and Steve he decided it was time for him to dedicate himself to the mission of his life: taking care of his daughter, you and, most importantly, himself.
Whenever people ask, he says with a notable amount of pride in his words, that he’s a stay at home dad. By the way, he’s become very popular among other parents (mostly moms) that were regulars at the parks he usually takes Summer to. He doesn’t know, but there’s a group chat of moms where he and his qualities as a dad – physical included- are the main subject. How do you know that? After Summer’s kidnapping, you’ve become very keen to find out exactly who interacts with her, and being an Avenger is very useful to provide you the right tools for it. Yeah, you tell yourself that’s the only reason why you spy on those moms… but they’re harmless. You’re very fond of a particular thread where they mentioned how much he gushes about you.
“Mommy,” Summer gasps, “It’s Saturday, you’re going to uncle Harry and Auntie Nat’s house with us, too.”
“Yes, of course, baby. I can’t wait.”
Nat and Harry’s famous Saturdays Movie and Dinner nights. They’re your neighbors now. After the wedding, the five of them - Harry, Nat, the two kids and Harry’s mom- moved to a new apartment on the Tower for safety reasons. Tony has made the place impenetrable after what happened to Summer and nothing like that ever happened again.
You’re thrilled to have all your friends – your family - so close to you. Summer worships Jon and Luna, who’ve been growing up so fast, turning 11 real soon with a Harry Potter themed party, which you’ve been helping Nat to plan for her kids. Yeah, her kids. She’s not just Auntie Nat for Luna and Jon, anymore. It happened at Summer’s 3rd birthday party by one of the Tower’s pool, a year before Harry’s marriage proposal. Luna was running after a tiny stray kitty when she tripped on her toes and fell right to the ground. Her crying was loud as she held her injured knee close to her chest. Harry and Nat were at your table and they both promptly got up.
You could see how strongly Nat had to hold herself back to let Harry run to the little girl’s rescue, who already had her twin brother by her side, trying to console her but to no avail. She had already confided in you how much he loved those kids, but didn’t really know how far she could go with them without imposing. But what made the jaws from everyone around drop was when Harry kneeled beside the kid only to make her cry even harder and scream pointing at Nat, “No, I want my mommy.”
“Come here, mommy, please,” little Jon pleaded holding his twin hand and looking at Nat’s direction.  
All eyes snapped at Nat and it was just a split second that she looked taken aback before rushing to attend the little girl, succeeding to calm down her daughter almost instantly with the help of her son.
While Harry kept a goofy smile on his face the whole day, Nat spent an hour crying in your bathroom. They ended up adopting the kitty which caused Luna’s trip and naming him Rocket.  
“I’m so happy you’re here, mommy,” Summer throws herself into your embrace again.
“Me too, babe,” Bucky nuzzles into the crook of your neck, managing to embrace you and Summer with his metal arm.
Your eyelids flutter shut and you sigh, relishing in the pile of pure affection you’re under, breathing in the love they have for you.  
The sweet quietness doesn’t last long as the child in your arms straightens up briskly, making Bucky’s arm drop from her back as she stares at him with widened blue eyes matching his, “Daddy what about our surprise?” 
Bucky stiffens beside you as you turn to him, “Ooo, really?” You inflate the astonishment in your tone, licking your lips in anticipation. Surprise with Bucky and Summer when you come back from missions always means some delicious food he prepares to welcome you back.    
You frown at how Bucky aims a flustered glare at Summer. Oh, this is new... Your narrowed gaze turns to your child to see her little hands flying to cover her mouth. You have to hold yourself back to not laugh at her theatre. You know her so damn well, you’re certain she didn’t let the said surprise slip out by accident and it intrigues you more.
“What are you two up to?” You tilt your head at Bucky.
Still looking at Summer, his expression softens and his smile is indulgent at her, before shifting his gaze back to you, “Well, I guess there’s no better time than now,” He turns back to her, whispering “I have an idea, come with me.”
Without further notice they both get up briskly, Bucky takes Summer’s hand and ran to the kitchen, leaving you open mouthed behind as you hear soft laughs and whispers between them.
Well, that’s just fitting. No matter what they might’ve planned for you, it’s rather unlikely it will beat the surprise you also have for them. You have absolutely no idea of how you’re going to tell them that, only that you must tell them soon or you will burst into anxious little pieces right there.
It’s only a few more minutes when, at the living room entrance, their sight catches your attention. You smirk while side by side they walk to you. Summer with a huge grin on her face, while a nervous little smile curls Bucky’s lips. You only notice Summer has one arm behind her back when they both kneel on the carpet in front of you.
You’re up till now amused face by their antics falls and your frantically beating heart rushes up your throat. Your suspicions are confirmed when Summer brings her arm in front of you and reveals the blue velvet box you thought was securely guarded in your bedroom’s safe. You hadn’t another sight of it ever since you moved apartments. She opens the box and there it is. The diamond Bucky bought you years ago.  
“Mommy,” Summer’s sweet voice makes you lift your astonished gaze to her, “Will you marry us?”  
A sob slips out of your mouth and you turn to Bucky to see the tears already shining on his expectant eyes, gleaming with warmth but also with a little bit of uneasiness, you can tell.
He pours all his love into his gaze to quietly mouth for only you to see, “Will you marry me, my love?”
“Yes.” You don’t need a second to think as you sob out your answer, “Yes, of course, I will marry you,” You repeat more steadily despite the tears and you drop to your knees in front of them to grab both of your loves into your arms. While Summer squeals her joy, you feel Bucky breathing deeply, holding you back as strong as ever.
“Thank God,” he whispers, “I love you, I love you,” he repeats in your ear, before trailing a path of kisses to your mouth.
You two turn into a couple of 6 year olds just like your daughter, giggling and laughing as he pushes away only to gently take the ring Summer was guarding in her hand and finally, finally put it in your finger, where it always belonged. You’re the one to grab his face by the neck and kiss him again, hoping he can feel all your love. You know he does as he kisses you back just as fiercely.
The shy giggles makes you break the kiss with a laugh of your own as you turn to your daughter and sit down on the floor, holding her on your lap as Bucky takes his place beside you, resting his back on the couch.
“I was so nervous you would say no, mommy.” She lets out an exaggerated sigh.
Your head falls back as you and Bucky laugh, “How could I, honey when I love you two so much, of course I would say yes… as a matter of fact-” You breathe in some intake of courage, looking from Summer to Bucky, before taking their both hands and placing them on your belly, “Not only I, but we will marry you.”  
They both catch your meaning instantly as their eyebrows shoot high on their foreheads, the resemblance between them, expressed on their eyes and many mannerisms turning especially evident then.
“What?” Bucky whispers, still pretty much astonished and without taking his hand from your belly.
“I’m going to be a big sister?” Summer brings both her hands to her mouth, keeping her eyes widened at you.
“Yes, my love. I hope it makes you happy.” You try to smile to hide how nervous you are by telling the news to them. You’ve talked about the possibility of a new kid before and Summer even asked for a little brother or sister, but it was all speculation and  this definitely unexpected. Something wrong might’ve happened to your birth-control pills and-
“Happy?” She squeaks the word in a high-pitched sound, “I’m super mega ultra happy.” She gets up from her spot and starts jumping on the carpet with her little arms up, properly celebrating the news, like only a carefree child would.
You laugh and feel a little bit of relief calming down your chest at her reaction, but the fact Bucky’s still silent and just staring at you with a dropped jaw doesn’t allow your heart to be fully rested.
Summer stops jumping to look at you with a vibrant sparkle on her face, “Oh, I have so many toys I wanna share with them.” She says before turning around and rushing to the direction of her room.
You can't help but laugh at her good-hearted energy, “Hey, sweetie, no, we can see that later-”
“I’m coming right back, mom.” She yells, already in her room.
You chuckle a bit more before you chew on your lower lip, looking back at Bucky, “Hey, big news, huh?” You tentatively say, “At least she took it ok-”
His lips are on yours before you can finish whatever you were going to say. With every caress, every brush of his tongue against yours, you feel each little muscle of your body relax and you sigh through the kiss when his hand fondles with your belly and his other one goes to the back of your neck, pulling you even closer.
“Is that true?” He whispers, letting his forehead rest against yours when he breaks the kiss.
“Yes,” You nod, wrapping your arms around him, “I got really sick several days on the mission and then I decided to buy a pharmacy test and voilà, here we are.”
You see his chest moving up and down as he takes in a breath, “I made such a shitshow back when you tried to tell me about Summer-”
“Bucky-” You try, not really wanting to remember those times right at that moment…
“I was such an asshole and I stole us the chance of living the news together,” he continues, stroking your belly and keeping his head linked to yours, “Now I have this second chance,” He lets out a breathy smile and your heart softens, “You make me so damn happy, I love you so much.”
“You make me happy, too,” You assure him, “You and our little family.” You pull him to one more kiss.
“Another kid?” He smiles, as the kiss is over, looking down at where his hand rests on your belly, “Will you want to find out the sex before birth?” He wonders.
“As a matter of fact,” you cringe, “I already know.”
“What?” He frowns “How?”
“Yeah, I mean… you know Wanda was there at the mission, too, right?” He nods and you continue, “And you know how much her powers have been enhancing? Well, she has a strong feeling and-”
“No.” He shakes his head, and his hand leaves your belly so he can put a finger on your lips, which you place a small kiss on, “I think I don’t wanna know this time.” He admits, shrugging.
You smirk, nodding to accept his position. But to be honest, you can’t wait to see his reaction when he finds out that soon he’ll have one more girl to call his.
“Hey,” You say, raising your finger with the diamond on, “What about this?” You raise an eyebrow.
“Oh,” It slips out of his lips as a blush creeps up his cheeks and he brushes the back of his neck, “I know I should’ve asked that sooner, but the life we have so far all always felt so good, I didn’t even think-”
“No, silly,” you chuckle, putting a small kiss on his lips for reassurance, “I know that, we already have been happy enough, it’s just- this ring, I had in a safe locked with a code, did you…” You tilt your head.
“Oh, no,” His head falls back as he puts his hand on his stomach to let out a laugh, before nodding towards Summer’s room.
Your jaw goes slack, “Really?” You frown.
“I found the missy playing with it the other day.” He says more proudly than he should.
“Are you telling me the 6-year-old kid not only found the safe, but also broke in the code to open it?” You scoff when he nods, still overly smug about it, but after the shock passes you can’t help but feel a little bit of pride, too. Right then you know that, if that’s what she’ll really want, she will be an exceptional Avenger someday.
“When I saw the ring after so long, I knew it was time. She agreed.” He brings a hand to cup your cheek, moving his finger to caress your face as his loving eyes meet yours, “We were planning a special dinner for tomorrow, but I think she just couldn’t help herself.” The crinkles beside his eyes are adorable as he lets out a soft laugh, “It’s always been yours, anyway.”
Unable to part your gaze from his, you sigh as your heart thunders against your chest. You’re about to kiss him again when the sweet voice you love so much holds you back.
“Mommy, mommy,” Summer pants and runs back into the living room, holding as many toys and stuffed animals as she barely can, even letting some fall on her way, “I think the baby will like these,” she points out, dropping the toys in front of you.
“Of course they will, baby. Especially if you play with them together,” You agree, fuzzing with her hair.
She raises her chin and gives a toothy grin before addressing to Bucky, “Daddy, I think we should celebrate with your cupcakes, what do you think?” It’s nothing but adorable when her little eyebrows wiggle with the suggestions at her dad.
“Hmmm, I think you’re absolutely right, my little Sun.”
“Yaaay,” She exclaims, raising her arms and bouncing on her little legs, “Which one do you want, mommy? I’ll go get it for us, we have all kinds: vanilla, chocolate, vanilla with chocolate chips, strawberry.” She counts the flavors with her fingers.
“Alright, I love daddy’s cupcakes, I’ll have one of the strawberry ones, please.” You wink at her.
“Ok, one strawberry coming your way right now.” She says before turning on her heels and bolting to the kitchen.
“Hey, what about me?” Bucky yells, but receives no answer.
You laugh loudly at the pout that forms on his lips before leaning in to place a kiss on his cheek, “It’s just because I’ve been away, honey. You know you’re still the love of her life.” Your heart melts when his lips curl into a smile, still looking ahead to the kitchen, “And you’re mine, too.” You whisper, running your fingers through his hair.
He tilts his face to you, fully smiling, before his eyes darkens and he leans in to run his lips up your neck, “Later.” His tongue teases the delicate skin of your neck, making you shrug your shoulders and giggle, “When we’re alone in our bedroom,” He drags his lips over your jaw and the giggle catches in our throat, “I can’t wait to show you how much you’re the love of my life, too. One time,” he kisses your jawline, “Two times?” the other side, “Maybe three…” his lips lock onto yours - breathless at the promise.   
His tongue darts to curl around yours and the kiss deepens as you pull him to you.
“Ugh, are you two being gross again?”
You pull apart, laughing as Bucky whispers something like “so much like her uncle Steve”, under his breath.
“Says the girl with chocolate all over her face.” He scowls lightheartedly, when she’s closer to you and the remains of chocolate on her jaw is the evidence she had one sneaky cupcake in the kitchen, “Oh, I see someone remembered her poor old daddy exists,” he adds, spotting the third cupcake – chocolate chip, his favorite – on the little trail in her hands.
She giggles, placing the trail next to you and Bucky and squeaking in surprise as Bucky catches her in his arms and screams “Tickles attack,” making the little kid toss and squirm, before she manages to escape from him and latch herself into your lap for shelter, only for you to attack her with kisses this time, being followed shortly by Bucky.
Is not always that easy.
Is not always that perfect.
You two still struggle, you two still fight, sometimes over the stupidest things and other times over not so stupid ones. But it’s love…and, like you and Bucky have said before, love isn’t perfect.
You’re just not afraid of it anymore.
~~~
The End. 
A/N 2: I’m having a hard time to detach myself from this story and I’ve seen a lot of people who writes drabbles/one-shots per requests or not for their story after the ending. I’m considering doing it next year if that’s something you guys would be interested, too.
Also, if you really liked this story, please, don’t hold back on sending me a message!
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keanureevesisbae · 4 years
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Caught in a Blizzard - Part 2
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Summary: Luna wakes up in Chris Evans’ hotel room and can’t leave, because of a blizzard. What starts as a therapy session, talking about the disbandment of Brave Elegance, ends in something a little more spicier. 
Pairing: Chris Evans x Luna Hwang (Asian OFC)
Warnings: There is sex in this. Like lots of it: oral, body fluids and all. 
Wordcount: 6k
A/N: if you want to be on the taglist, just let me know! Also, I love to read your guys’ thoughts and feedback xx
Masterlist // Part 1 // Part 3 
Fuck, this must be the worst hangover I’ve experienced in years and I didn’t even had that much to drink. My head is pounding like crazy and when I open my eyes, I’m practically blinded by the brightness of the sun that is coming through the thin white curtains. When my eyes are finally used to the lights, I try to figure out where the fuck I am, because this sure does not look anything like my bedroom back in New York.
Oh shit, wait, I’m not in New York, I’m in London. I push myself up and stare around the room. This can’t be my hotel room, because my bedroom had pink walls.
Hold up… Those are male clothes in the corner and spilling out of the open suitcase.
I had sex last night? Oh my God, I really don’t remember anything at all. I remember talking to a bartender, after I went on Graham Norton. Oh fuck, Chris Evans was on the show as well. I bet he thinks less of me…
Though, he was ready to become a Fairy he told Graham and after my performance, he was the first to stand. I think I have gained a fan.
But who did I have sex with? It has been more than a year ago since I did something even remotely sexual with another person present, so I’d like to remember the occasion. I look around and see my over knee boots in the corner of the bedroom, neatly put away.
Oh, the guy was a gentleman too.
Wait a second, I’m still wearing my dress. That is weird, because usually after sex, I’m just naked and if I’m wearing anything at all, it’s the guys’ shirt.
Hm, this is strange.
I should investigate this. I manage to push myself out of bed, but the second I’m standing on my feet, I stumble against the wall. Geez, I’m a fucking klutz, especially when I’m hungover. I open the door and try to get myself to the kitchen for a glass of water, but I’m out of breath by the time I reached a cupboard two feet away from me. I place my hand on the surface and pinch myself in my side.
Maybe I’m getting too old to get wasted like this. I’m just twenty three years old, so I’m not even close to thirty. But I don’t think I can handle alcohol that well, especially not this type of vodka.
‘You’re up,’ I hear someone say. His voice does sound pretty familiar though, but I can’t really figure out where I know it from.
‘Barely,’ I answer groggily, looking around me, not seeing anyone. ‘Where are you?’
‘In the kitchen.’
Desperate to see the man I spend the night with, I force myself to walk to the kitchen. He doesn’t sound British though, so maybe he is a tourist? I stare at someones back and from the looks of it, he has broad shoulders and shorter darkish blonde, brown hair. His butt is beautifully shaped.
Not too shabby, Luna.
‘Tea?’
The man turns around and I gasp, my eyes widening in the process. I’m with Chris Evans? Holy shit. What did I do last night? ‘Goodness motherfucking gracious,’ I mutter. ‘What am I doing here?’ I don’t even wait for his answer, because I add in absolute terror: ‘Oh shit, did we have sex last night?’
He starts to laugh, pouring some hot water in a mug. He places it in front of me on the bar, together with four teabags for me to choose from. That’s so considerate, I think to myself.  He is even cuter in real life. ‘No, we didn’t have sex.’
‘Thank the stars. Because if I’ve had sex with Captain America, I’d like to remember it.’ What the fuck are you talking about? ‘Wait, no, forget that I said that.’ My entire face is on fire and I wish I could just disappear right now. ‘I’m so sorry, Chris.’
‘Well, if we had sex, I’d like to make it a little bit more memorable, if I’m being honest with you.’ He chuckles and gestures I should take a seat on the stool. Oh my God, I think I’m gonna die because of that comment, but I pull myself together like the mature woman I am and take place on the high stool.
He looks more approachable with this nice knitted sweater in a dark green color. I bet I look like a Julia Roberts Pretty Woman lookalike, but I failed miserably. ‘How are you feeling?’ he asks me.
‘Like shit. I really don’t remember anything of last night. Did I embarrass myself?’
‘Well,’ Chris says with a smile and that can’t be anything good, ‘you kept me pretty entertained.’
‘Oh fuck, I’m so sorry.’ I place my elbows on the hard surface of the bar, hiding my face in my hands. ‘I probably ruined your entire night.’
‘You really didn’t.’
That causes me to look back at him again. ‘I didn’t? I was drunk.’
He shakes his head. ‘No, honestly, you didn’t. I actually really liked your company. You are truly the funniest woman I’ve ever met.’
‘Do I want to know what I did?’
Chris shrugs. ‘It’s nothing too bad. You complimented me about my face, my thighs and my hands.’
I open a teabag and let it sink into the hot water. ‘Oh no, I didn’t just compliment you. Spill, what did I say?’
‘You said I had a pretty face,’ Chris starts and I thank the universe that I was in that type of drunken state. ‘But that it was that pretty that you could just lick it and not regret it.’
Fuck, this is terrible.
‘You said something about chicks loving to ride my thighs and how I have lovely hands. You wanted to know if I had spanked someone with them, causing you to confess that you’d never been spanked.’ How can he say that with a straight face?
I want to die. I clear my throat, hoping I can figure out what to say to him now. Normally with people, I honestly don’t care what I said to them in a drunk state, but this… To this gorgeous human being… ‘Right,’ I say. ‘You know, I should probably go.’
‘You can’t.’
‘Oh, you’re holding me hostage now, mister Evans?’ I ask him, cocking an eyebrow. I wouldn’t complain, but I don’t want to take up more of his time. Also, I don’t want to continue embarrassing myself.
He chuckles. ‘No, there is a blizzard and we are ordered not to leave the hotel or our room for that matter.’
I stare at the window, only to see that the entirety of what I can see of London is covered with a thick layer of snow. ‘No, no, no,’ I whine. ‘I’m so sorry, I look like an actual escort and you probably want to spend time by yourself and not me.’
Chris shrugs. ‘I actually like some company. Don’t really like being alone,’ he admits. ‘You know, how about you take a shower and I’ll see if I have some clothes for you here.’
‘You’ve got lady clothes laying around?’ I ask him, cocking an eyebrow. ‘Didn’t peck you for that, Chris Evans, but you know, to each their own.’
‘Some clothes of mine that you might fit.’
‘Oh no,’ I chuckle, ‘you are actually blind. Have you seen you and me? I’m probably at least thirty centimeters smaller than you and a whole load of kilos lighter than you. You think I could fit in your clothes?’
He smiles, before he winks at me. ‘Let’s find out.’
✘ ✘ ✘
After a long shower, I see that Chris has placed some neatly folded clothes in front of the bathroom door. I have scrubbed off all of my left over make-up from my face and I stare at my brighter skin for a second. I look better now than I did with make-up smeared all over my face and neck. I see Chris has some moisturizer laying around on the bathroom sink. I open the jar and take a sniff.
I remember this exact smell from yesterday. Apparently I was pretty close to him.
I take a bit out of the jar, before I smear it on my face. After I patted the moisturizer into my skin, I walk out of the bathroom in a sweatpants that is way to big for me, some thick socks and a sweater of his. It feels so domestic, something I never experienced. Before I auditioned on the X-Factor, I never fell in love and ever since that, I never had time to date.
Rosie had her brief relationship with Justin Bieber (but we all know how that ended) and Daliah is still dating Michal B. Jordan. He was around a lot when we were still a group and he is nice, always bringing flowers for Daliah, but also for the rest of us, so we didn’t feel left out.
From the five of us, I was the one that never wanted a relationship. I just wanted a life that completely existed of music. But this feeling, wearing someones clothes that smell like said person, it makes me feel oddly loved and taken care of.
Chris is sitting in front of the television, leaned back against the cushions. I see he placed some snacks in front of him on the coffee table and even two mugs filled coffee. This man has been so insanely thoughtful ever since I woke up and I feel like he was thoughtful the night before.
‘There you are,’ he says with a wide smile once he notices me.
I highly doubt anyone has ever looked at me like that before and was this happy to see me.
‘Well, you look even better in my clothes than I thought you would. Come on, take a seat,’ he tells me, patting the spot right next to him on the couch.
My cheeks are a bit flushed, as I plop down next to him and grab the mug filled with coffee. ‘How come I’m actually in your hotel room?’ I ask.
‘Well, I saw you in a bar and you were pretty hammered, so I figured I’d take you to your hotel, but you couldn’t remember where you were staying. I felt like it would be better if I took you to my place. No worries, every advantage you tried to take of me, I politely declined.’
I shake my head because I can’t believe myself. ‘Oh no, oh no. What advantages?’
‘One, you tried to pull me on your lap when we got in the cab. Two, you tried to strip tease when we got here. Three, you wanted to give me a lap dance, but fell on the floor.’
I wonder on what floor we are on, so I can throw myself out of this window. I don’t want to be here ‘I’m sorry,’ I apologize again. ‘This is so fucking embarrassing.’
‘Like I said before,’ Chris laughs, ‘you kept me pretty entertained.’
He continues to watch some television, while I check my phone. It’s weird not to see any messages from my band members. Ever since we broke up a few months ago, we barely spoken. Well, I haven’t spoken to anyone, I have no idea what they are doing, maybe they are talking to one another. I kind of wished that I could open our groups chat again, so I could tell them about where I’m at right now.
I sigh deeply, as the realization hits me that I don’t have anyone anymore. It’s just me. I mean, I like Gia with all my heart, but she has her own life and she is just my manager. Not my friend. Not my soulmate.
‘Are you okay?’ Chris asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
‘Yeah, I’m okay.’
‘You don’t look okay.’
‘I’m hungover, Chris,’ I tell him. ‘I usually look like shit then.’
‘I didn’t mean it like that,’ he says. ‘You look sad. You can talk to me, you know? I think we are going to be stuck here for quite some time.’ He smiles and I feel oddly safe, like I can spill my thoughts here and not be judged.
After much consideration, I ask: ‘What is it like? Having a family?’
He frowns deeply. ‘Why do you ask?’
I should just stop talking right now. ‘I don’t have anyone anymore,’ I instead whisper. ‘I was just wondering what it would be like to have one. To be part of a real family, one that loves you no matter what.’
Chris sighs and says: ‘Being part of a family has been the greatest blessing and privilege of my life.’
Leave it to him to make it all poetic and shit. I want to hate this guy, but I can’t for obvious reasons. I watched so many interviews with him and he seems like such a likable and pleasant guy to be around. I like being with him already.
‘I heard something about your family situation,’ he says. ‘I’m sorry you had to go through that.’
People tell me that a lot. Everyone is always so sorry, but it never felt so sincere as it does when Chris Evans says it. I shrug. ‘Well,’ I mumble, ‘it taught me a lot.’
‘What did it teach you?’
I look to the side, to this beautiful man, who is only a few months away from being forty. It’s weird that I feel so at ease with someone who is almost seventeen years older than me.  It’s actually really strange that I feel at ease with anyone for that matter. It took me weeks before I was comfortable around my members. ‘That I shouldn’t get attached to people,’ I say. ‘That’s not really healthy or anything, so I should stop that, but… I can’t stop it.’
‘It isn’t, you’re right,’ he says in a soft voice. ‘I’m not going to tell you what you can and cannot do, but it’s healthy for people to attach.’
‘I did,’ I whisper. ‘I got attached to my girls, though I barely showed it. For six years we were always together. We shared every hit, we shared every birthday. They were my family, you know. I could tell them anything.’
Chris nods. ‘Then why did you guys break up?’
This hurts. I never said it out loud. Not to Gia, not to someone else in my new record label. ‘Because they were jealous,’ I say. ‘I got attached, but I didn’t tell them how much I cared about them. There were clips online, where people would make a compilation of the things I did for them. It were the things like, opening a water bottle and shoving that in their hands without looking at them or pulling them behind me when people got too close for my liking. But I never told them. Instead, I started to work extra hard, so the record label, our managers, producers and our fans would like me more and I actually hoped they would get jealous. I had this desperate need to prove that I was better than they all were.’
Chris is clearly thinking about what he should say to me. ‘Why?’
‘So other people would finally notice me.’ I look up and let out a shaky breath. ‘I’m sorry, you probably don’t want to hear about my sad sob story.’
‘I do,’ he says, placing a caring hand on my knee. ‘It’s not a sad sob story, it’s your life story. It shaped you to who you are today. Remember, Luna, there will be other people that’ll care about you.’
This is bizarre. I’m meeting up with someone for the first time, after thirsting over them for years and now it turned into a full on therapy session, that I actually don’t mind. For years I’ve sat through the forced therapy sessions I had back when I was in foster care, watching the time go by as I kept quiet.
And now I just spill the details and I don’t necessarily feel any regret.
‘You know,’ I say. ‘I remember the day I found out my parents died in that car accident. I was standing outside of the school, with my teacher at the age of four. Everyone was already at home, but my parents didn’t arrive. I didn't want to miss them, so I sat outside for three hours. After that I was forced into the system.’ I look to the side and whisper: ‘I was in sixteen different families and I moved around so many times. All I wanted was being loved and that was when I was with my band members.’
Chris nods. I don’t know what is so damn special about him that I just spill out all my worries, my fears and feelings. ‘There is still time, Luna,’ he says. ‘It’s not too late.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘What I said, there will be other band members. There will be other people that can care about you. You just have to let them in.’
I think about that for a second, before I stand up. ‘I’m starving,’ I say to him. ‘You want something?’
Chris Evans nods, though he looks a bit taken aback from my sudden change of subject. ‘Sure, let me help you.’
He gets up from the couch, towering over me. His large frame, his handsome face, the way he looks so huggable in that sweater. I bite my lip.
Don’t even think about that, Luna. It’s definitely not going to happen.
✘ ✘ ✘
We prepare some food together and being all domestic with Chris Evans, was something I never thought I could have in life, even if it’s only for a short amount of time. We laugh as he nearly cuts off his finger, he pinches my cheek with his pesto covered fingers and for the first time in many months, I feel accepted and part of something again.
Being with the girls day in day out was tough, but I was never alone. It is nice not to be alone again. All of my foster parents never cared, back in high school I never had a lot of friends, since I moved a lot. Being with four wonderful girls for that long, gave me a certain security.
But I lost that. Now I have nobody, while they are back home with their families, their loved ones, probably still mad at me.
Being stuck with Chris Evans is so nice, though it’s forced since we can’t leave this room. While we eat our food, we talk about his upcoming movies. He is so enthusiastic, to a point where I have to stop him from talking about it more, because he is going to spoil the entire movie, that I so desperately want to see now.
Chris looks at me, like no one has ever looked at me before. I always thought that when I  would meet Chris Evans, I would stare at him with a look solely consisting of lust. I always wondered what he would be like in bed, between my thighs. Of course I still wonder about that, but I actually like him a lot now, as a person.
He makes me feel like I matter and feeling like that, is something so unexpected.
‘This is so unfair,’ I say, throwing the cards on the little coffee table in front of him. ‘You are such a cheater.’
‘I’m a cheater?’ he laughs, his voice a bit higher out of disbelieve. ‘You peeked at my cards, miss Luna and you still managed to lose!’ He pokes my side with his finger, causing me to squeal. ‘You are a disaster.’
‘I’m not a disaster. You are just stupid. I don’t like playing card games with you and I hate you.’
His mouth is formed in a perfect o shape, before he launches forward to tickle my sides.
‘No, Chris, stop it!’ I laugh, as I try to push him off of me, but he is too strong.
Of course he is too strong.
He pushes me deeper in the couch, his hands on my side, as he halts his tickles. He is right in between my legs. This shouldn’t make me horny, this shouldn’t make me horny. ‘I never knew you were such a sore loser.’
‘I’m not a sore loser,’ I manage to choke out, still trying to catch my breath. I can almost cut the tension between us with a knife. His face is so close, his hot breath against my lips. I could just kiss him right now. He smells so lovely and his large hands in my sides…
‘Luna,’ he says, pulling me out of my thoughts, ‘you are an amazing singer, but you suck at card games.’
I slap his chest. ‘Not everyone can be perfect like Chris Evans.’
He took off his sweater about half an hour ago and this shirt is totally accentuating his strong arms and his shoulders, his perfectly shaped upper body. ‘Are you okay?’ he asks me, not moving an inch.
How can I be okay, when I’m in a position like this with you? My cheeks turn red. ‘I’m fine,’ I choke out.
‘Are you sure?’ He places a hand on my forehead. ‘You feel kinda hot.’
‘I am.’ No, no, no! Luna Hwang, why did you say that? Don’t say something like that.
‘How come?’
Wait a minute. Wait a damn minute. I spot his sly smile on his face, his chest slowly more pressed against mine. He is doing this on purpose. I never thought this man would do something like that.
Sneaky bastard. He looks so innocent with those beautiful eyes, those long lashes, but meanwhile he is just as horny as I am probably.
‘Well,’ I say, finally gaining back some confidence, ‘you in this black shirt isn’t helping the situation at all.’
Chris smiles. ‘Figured. Took you long enough to react.’
‘So you did do it on purpose,’ I say, cocking an eyebrow as I chuckle.
‘Well,’ he whispers, his hand cupping my face as his thumb grazes over my bottom lip, ‘don’t you think for a second I didn’t notice every single thing you have been doing. Biting your lips, stretching out so I can see some of your skin. You did that on purpose too.’
I almost think that he can hear my heartbeat and I swallow hard.
‘If you don’t want to do this,’ he whispers, ‘we don’t have to do this. Just tell me.’
He should stop being so considerate. ‘Chris, Chris, Chris,’ I say, placing my hands on his strong chest, ‘you honestly thought we’d get through this blizzard without us having sex.’ I start to smile. ‘I honestly feel like you underestimated me.’
He chuckles and says: ‘Tell me, what did you have in mind?’
Is he giving me the ability to give matters into my own hands? That has never happened before. ‘Well,’ I say, as he buries his face in the nape of my neck, slowly pressing soft kisses on the delicate skin. ‘I’ve thought about you between my thighs.’
‘Can be arranged.’
‘And I didn’t lie yesterday: I bet girls love to ride to ride your thighs.’
‘No one has ever done that,’ he admits, something I find very hard to believe. No one has rode these thighs before? Those lovely thighs? His large hand slip underneath my sweater, as his calloused fingers touch my bare skin. ‘But I’d love for you to be the first. Take off your clothes, Luna,’ he whispers. ‘All of it.’
Shivers run down my spine, as I watch him sitting up straight, positioning himself on the couch with a smile.
‘You wanted to do a striptease yesterday,’ he says with a chuckle. ‘What’s stopping you now, Luna?’
‘No alcohol.’
I shred myself from his sweater, the sweatpants and socks, as I run my fingers through my hair.
‘All of it, baby,’ he tells me.
I take a deep breath. Seeing him fully clothed and me slowly becoming more naked every second passing. I undo my bra and I hook my fingers around the waistband of my underwear. Chris lets his lip go over his bottom lip.
‘You are breathtaking.’ He pulls me on his lap, on one of his thighs, his hands roaming my body, until one of them gets intertwined in my hair as he pulls me in for a kiss. Oh shit, I’m kissing Chris Evans. The Chris Evans.
My wet core is pressed against the fabric of his jeans. I’m so desperate for some friction between my legs. I grind my hips back and forth, causing me to moan against his mouth. ‘Very good,’ he mumbles, placing his hands on my hips, to help me set the pace that he desires.
His kisses are nothing with what I expected them to be. I thought he was sweet and considerate, just like everything he has done for me today, but these kisses are nothing like that. He is dominant and demanding. He takes my bottom lip between his teeth, as he forces me to ride his thick thigh faster, flexing his muscles for different kinds of sensation.
‘Oh fuck,’ I moan out.
‘Look at you,’ he whispers with a satisfied grin on his face. ‘You are so sexy, Luna.’ He pulls me in for yet another long kiss, his tongue dancing around mine. I wrap my arms around his neck and I feel the familiar sensation coiling up deep inside of me, causing me to whimper against his plump lips.
And then he forces my hips to stay put.
‘No,’ I whine.
Chris smiles, as he squeezes my ass. I’m sure he is leaving marks on the soft flesh. ‘You soaked my jeans, baby.’
‘That’s your fault. You could’ve not worn them.’
He gently pushes me off his lap, sitting on his knees in front of the couch and he spreads my legs apart. He presses kisses on my inner thighs. ‘Pretty girl,’ he notes. ‘So wet for me already.’ He looks up and smiles. ‘Can I?’
I nod. ‘Please,’ I beg, as I run my fingers through his beautiful locks. ‘Chris, please.’ I gasp when I feel his warm mouth on my aching center. He is fucking skilled with his tongue. He knows exactly what gets me off and he barely even knows me. I wrap my legs around his face. ‘Ri—Oh fuck, right there.’ I lean with my head against the back of the couch, as his tongue invades my tight hole from time to time.
No guy has ever done it like this before and no guy in the world can bring me towards the edge faster than Chris fucking Evans is doing. ‘I’m close, Chris,’ I cry out. For a second I fear he stops now, but this time he doesn’t.
Thank fuck he doesn’t.
He sucks sharply on my clit and it’s followed by the vibrations of his moans. I let out a strangled moan, as I don’t want to tell the entire hotel I’m having sex with Chris Evans.
Yet.
My body starts to shake on the couch as I ride out my high. I push his face away from my aching cunt, to catch my breath. ‘Shit, Chris,’ I chuckle. ‘You sure know what you are doing.’
Chris smugly grins, his beard covered in my juices, before he pushes himself up, so he can give me a long kiss on my lips. I taste myself, something that I normally hate, but right now, I love every single second of it. His lips slowly descend from mine to my jaw and to my neck. He wraps his lips around my hardened nipple and I arch by back in pleasure. The short hairs against prickling against my delicate skin.
He looks up at me with a smile, his eyes a few shades darker. He sits next to me on the couch and he gives me a kiss on my cheek. ‘Open your mouth, baby.’
No one has ever said that to me, but I oblige without thinking about it for a second. He pushes two fingers in my mouth and I run my tongue over them, nearly gagging on them as he sticks them deeper in my mouth. He pulls them out, drool dripping over my lips and chin. ‘Just tell me if you don’t want to do this or want to stop and I’ll stop right away.’
I nod and he dips two fingers inside. I try to push my legs together, but he hooks his ankle around mine, spreading my legs apart. His fingertips rub against the sensitive spot inside of me. His other hand is tangled in my hair, pulling the locks to give him more access to my neck. He continues to finger me at a pace that make my eyes roll back.
‘Come on, Luna,’ he encourages me, ‘you must let me know how you feel.’
‘Fuck,’ I choke out, but it’s followed by a pained moan.
He chuckle, pressing a tender kiss on my neck, before I feel his lips on my temple. ‘That’s a good girl. You are such a good girl for me.’
His thumb grazes over my clit and almost instantly my walls clench around his fingers, but I feel this unfamiliar feeling wash over me. Juices gush passed his fingers and I let out a pained sob as I close my eyes. I think I’m seeing stars. I hold his wrist, so he stops moving and I try to get my breathing a little normal. ‘Fuck, mister Evans,’ I breath out. ‘You are amazing.’
He slowly pulls his fingers out of me, before he kisses me softly.
‘I’ve never done that before,’ I admit, swallowing hard.
‘There is a first time for everything.’ He smiles at me and whispers: ‘You’re doing good, baby.’ He stands up from the couch and takes off his own clothes. I check out his body as his clothes drop to the floor. His perfect hip to shoulder ratio is perfect. I had an idea what he would look like naked, but rest assured: I’m not at all disappointed. His pubic hair is nicely groomed, his cock is thick and pretty long (changes are that I can feel him deep deep inside me).
Mister Chris Evans is very blessed.
‘On your back, baby,’ he whispers. I place my head on the cushion, as I position myself on the soft couch. He spreads my legs as he sits in between them. ‘Want to use a condom?’
‘I don’t,’ I whisper.
‘You still want to do this?’ he asks just in case.
I try to think back to the few bed partners I had and whether or not they ever asked me if I wanted to continue, if I still want to do this. Come to think of it: no one has ever asked me that. I nod. ‘I really do.’
Chris lines his tip with the bead of pre cum near my entrance, checking with me once more before he sinks into me, his thick length stretching me out. He is not even halfway in, when I hastily place my hand on his chest. ‘Oh shit, no stop,’ I say, panic dripping through every word I say. ‘Please, stop, Chris.’
‘I’m stopping, sweetheart. Talk to me. Are you okay?’ he asks, cupping my face with his strong hand.
‘It’s just that you are so big, Chris,’ I choke out. ‘Just give me a minute.’
I can see Chris wants to buff out his chest with pride, but he keeps it in. The burning stretch isn’t that terrible anymore. I give him a silent sign that he can continue and he slides all the way in.
Oh fuck, I spoke too soon, this burns way too much. I feel tears dripping over my cheeks. ‘I’m so sorry,’ I whisper.
‘Don’t feel sorry. I’m hurting you, aren’t I? And please be honest with me, baby.’
‘You’re hurting me a little,’ I admit.
He leans in and gives me a kiss on my lips. ‘That is absolutely not my intention. Try to relax,’ he says, as he reaches between us, so his thumb can toy with my sensitive clit. ‘Look at me, beautiful.’
I do as he tells me to do and bite my lip. ‘This feels good, Chris,’ I say in a tiny voice, as pleasure finally takes over again.
He smiles. ‘I can tell. You’re doing such a good job.’
‘You can move now,’ I whisper. I wrap my legs around his hips and he pulls out, before slowing sinking right back in. I tighten around his thick length. I mean, I have my fair share of sex toys and a few partners, but nothing had the girth his length has.
Almost a pornographic moan leaves my lips. I hide my face in my hands, but he pries my fingers away. ‘This is exactly what I want to hear, Luna. Use that pretty voice of yours to let the entire hotel know how good I’m making you feel.’
‘Shit, Chris, I’m gonna—’ I can’t even finish my sentence, as the rush of pleasure jolts through my entire body. I let out a painful cry against his shoulder, as he continues to thrust deep inside me, not slowing down. ‘Chris, I can’t do this anymore.’
No one has ever done this with me. Ever used me like this. Made me cum over and over again.
‘I’m almost there, sweetheart,’ he says, his tone soft. ‘Can you hang in there for me, baby? If not, just say so and I’ll stop.’
His hands are holding my face so gently, his lips pressing tender kisses on my lips, it all causes me to simply nod, though it’s so so sensitive down there.
‘You want me to continue?’
‘Yes,’ I whisper. ‘Please.’
‘Such a good girl,’ he says. ‘I’m very close, sweetheart. Where do you want me to cum, baby? Tell me.’
‘Inside,’ I moan out, as tears are dripping over my face. ‘Fuck, I really need it inside.’
His hands push my hips deep in the couch, speeding up his thrusts. I don’t care if anyone can hear us anymore, because I cry out loud. The room is filled with the obscene sounds that consist of how wet I am, skin against skin and his moans and my screams combined. From the way he is groaning, I can tell he is close.
I grab his face, press my lips firmly against his. His hips stutter against mine, as I feel the deep spurts of cum painting me from the inside. Chris rides out his high, placing his head on my chest, lingering inside for a brief moment. ‘Fuck,’ he says.
‘You can say that again,’ I laugh. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I’m fine, I’m fine,’ he chuckles. ‘Haven’t done this in a very long time, that’s all. Are you okay? I’m sorry, I let myself go for a moment.’
‘I think I’m going to feel you for days,’ I admit. ‘With the way you used me.’
‘I didn’t hurt you, did I?’ he quickly asks. It’s sweet that he sounds so sincerely worried, a full one eighty from how he used me a few seconds ago.
I shake my head. ‘No, you didn’t. Just had to get used to you. I do think I could use a shower, though.’
‘Well, let me join you then.’ He carefully pulls out, a whimper leaving my lips. He pulls me up, but because of the existence of gravity, I feel his cum dripping down my thighs. Chris smiles when he notices it too and lifts me up in his arms, before peppering my face with kisses. ‘So, how about a second round in the shower?’
Taglist: @diegos-butt​
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westcoastrry · 3 years
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Tracing The Stars Chapter 1
Harry's POV
Life wasn't supposed to be this much of a shit show.
Senior year was supposed to be full of memories, parties, and a champion state win.
But here I was seven pm, on the soccer field, running drills over and over again.
It has been almost a whole year since my accident. That fatal night where I was driving back from our champion state win, sophomore year with Gabe. A drunk driver slammed into my side of the car, leaving me with damaged nerve endings in my left leg and Gabe with a couple of scratches.
I don't remember much about the crash itself. However, I do remember the ten months of physical therapy, the pain I experienced every night, and the horrible feeling of never being able to do the thing I loved most again.
I was so depressed.
Soccer was my whole life. It was the thing that defined me. It sucked to watch my best friends, my teammates go on and play without me. I showed up to every game, running their waters, bringing them snacks, and coming up with plays alongside Coach Parker, and it hurt so badly, but it gave me the motivation to keep going so I could play again.
"You know my Dad will kill you if he sees you have been on the field for four hours, right?"
Blair's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I quickly turned around to see her standing by the gate of the field.
I knew Blair. She used to be in my friend group. She used to show up a lot to Gabe, and I's smoke sessions and always made it out to party with us. She used to come with her dick ex-boyfriend Justin, who played soccer at our rival school, Crestview. He was a proper asshole, and I think they broke up around the end of junior year. A rumor went around that he cheated on her, but no one really knew what happened because she went MIA after the breakup. Quit the cheer team, stopped showing up to parties, stopped hanging out with her friends, and just kept to herself. Our friend group hadn't seen her all summer. She came around practice quite often last year and sat on the bleachers with headphones in her ears, waiting for coach to end practice since he was her Dad.
To put it simply, Blair became a complete enigma. Not only was she the number one student in our class, but she also was a complete catch. Every guy wanted to get with her, and the old Blair probably would have been down for it, but ever since her breakup with Justin, she just ignored every guy who gave her the slightest bit of attention, and I don't blame them. She is gorgeous.
So I was very much surprised when she decided to talk to me.
She looked quite beautiful today. She has always been beautiful, but she has grown into her looks since I last saw her. She was wearing a long-sleeve brown sweater, plaid pants, and white sneakers. Her brown braids were quite long, reaching down her back, and she was looking at me with her big brown chestnut eyes.
"Well, don't tell anyone I told you, but you're my Dad's favorite, and the team loves you. There is no way you are not making it." She smiles, walking away from the gate a bit closer to me.
"Yeah, well, it seems like I don't have the skills I used to have." I huff out in annoyance.
I was comfortable talking about my accident. Everyone knew about it. I was on my way to becoming the number one division player in the state, and it attracted quite a bit of press. Now that spot belongs to my best friend Gabe, and I was extremely proud of him regardless of my situation.
"Well, maybe you are overthinking it. You are natural. Maybe just stop trying so hard. You have been here for literally four hours." She shrugged.
"Maybe you're right, Miss Parker," I say, making her smile, noticing a slight blush adorning her cheeks.
"I was going to stop by Gabe's party for a bit, you know, his annual kick-off for the first day of school. Did you want to come?" I genuinely ask her.
"Oh, I don't know," She says quietly, playing with the sleeves of her top.
"The group misses you, Blair," I answer back honestly. "You kind of disappeared this summer, Had to hear Gabe complain about how he had no one to roll his blunts."
My joke made her giggle, lighting the mood.
"I just haven't been partying much as I used to," She shrugs.
"Well, the offer is on the table. I'm only passing by for a bit. If at any point you decide you don't want to be there, I'll take you home."
"You know what. I'll go."
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Submission about getting help and a diagnosis
Do you know any good mental health screenings online that are free? I don't have access to therapy right now because of covid but would like to know what's going on with me. I'll list my symptoms:
• I have frequent bouts of not feeling real. Like looking at myself feels off and textures don't look right. I also get tingles on my hands and feet when this happens.
• I suffer from violent intrusive thoughts and have wanted to s/icide bait people frequently, self harm, been worried that I'm a p/do (I'm a minor) or zoophile (i thirst over humans) ect. . This one is more recent I don't know what causes it. I'd quite like to get rid of them though.
• I've been suffering at school, I constantly feel like a failure and struggle to focus.
• I have bouts of anxiety where my chest will tighten up and I'm on edge for days.
• I have a tendency to snap at people very easily.
• I have a huge fear abandonment to the point where I lie to people in order to keep them around.
Here are the reasons I feel like I could be mentally ill:
• almost everyone in my family has some sort of mental illness
• I think my parents were/are abusive???? it's weird because the events aren't frequent per say but they fight regularly and my father has a tendency to be manipulative for example he took 300 dollars from me and hasn't paid me back but constantly says stuff like I'm your father.
The violent stuff that has happened are:
• when my parents fought when I was around 8 it turned violent and my dad told me it was almost a murder scene
• my parents got drunk and fought last year but my mom pulled a knife and the cops came in
• my mom was drunk and fell on her face and I walked in on her sobbing with a broken face with the paramedics in our house
• my dad has grabbed my brother by the neck and threatened to strangle him on multiple occasions
• idk if this could be a contributing factor or not but recently (3 months ago) I was in a car wreck with my mom and I'm still on edge and anxious when I'm riding in cars
the more emotional traumas include:
• when I was hyper obsessed with my now ex and they just suddenly broke up with me one night and started being really passive aggressive. It was due to their ptsd flaring up but at the time when I didn't know what was going on and they were just losing it I was super confused and it contributed to my current abandonment issues.
• after my ex left my entire group of friends left too because they liked my ex more.
• When I was four my parents got into a fight and my dad took me and drove off only for me to (thankfully) end up at my grandparents house. The memory is still foggy but somehow still really scares me?
• I once accidentally broke a mirror and my dad screamed at me all night saying that he was going to take my door down and leave nothing in my room but a bed an clothes
• my dad screams at me when I get anything lower than a B and even when I manage to get top ten in my school's state tests I still get made fun of for not getting first in everything
• This is probably too broad to be considered a trauma but I don't know the right word to assign it but any time I've ever told my dad about an interest of mine he constantly belittles it which is really upsetting especially because I do a thing where I have one thing that I completely love and nothing else
In general I just don't know what's wrong with me and want a clear answer so I can get help.
Hi there,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been struggling so much! It sounds like you have been through quite a lot, so it makes sense that you’re struggling like this. You’re so strong for getting through all this!
There are online mental health assessments, but unfortunately they aren’t very accurate/reliable. While they may be able to give you a general idea of what you may be struggling with in terms of a diagnosis, they can’t go as in-depth in their assessment as an actual mental health professional would go. For example, a therapist would ask things like how long you’ve been experiencing certain symptoms, the severity of your symptoms, etc., which are all important for diagnosis. Because of that, the online assessments aren’t generally recommended for anything beyond giving a very general idea of what you may potentially be dealing with.
In terms of seeing a professional, it’s understandable that this might be tougher than usual because of the pandemic. Fortunately, many therapists and other mental health professionals are offering online services, such as having sessions over the phone or video. Many therapists also offer services at a reduced price depending on your financial situation, which is called a sliding scale, so that may also be worth looking into if money is a concern. Based off what you’ve described in your message, it does sound like you would benefit from talking to a professional, so I definitely recommend looking into these options if you can!
Although we can’t give you a diagnosis here since we aren’t professionals, we can provide you with some ideas for coping mechanisms you could try out if you’re feeling up to it. You mentioned feeling like you’re not real, which sounds like dissociation, so grounding techniques may be helpful for grounding you in the present moment in the here-and-now. We also have coping skills for self-harm, including: alternatives to self-harm, distractions, and reasons not to self-harm. You might also check out our calming anxiety and panic page here for ideas for dealing with the anxiety you feel when you’re in a vehicle.
It’s also important to note that your traumas are very much valid and real. All of the situations you’ve described here are definitely traumatic events and could have something to do with the symptoms you’re experiencing.
Finally, I want to check in on your safety. You described abuse by your parents and several incidents that sound quite dangerous, so i want to make sure that you’re physically safe in your home. If you ever feel unsafe, please do reach out for help. Perhaps you could reach out to a friend, a family member, the cops, or any other trusted adult in your life who can help you get out of a dangerous situation. 
Take care!
-Samantha
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