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adorethedistance · 3 years

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READING MY BOYFRIEND’S FANFICTION?? - Owen Joyner x Influencer!Reader

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Requested: OMGGG!! Could you do a an Owen fic based around his girlfriend being an armature youtuber/social media influencer (shes also an actress and they met on set and have been dating for a while) and it’s “reading/reacting to my boyfriend’s fanfiction” ? You can do whatever you want with the fanfic part it’s just a concept that has been running around in my head for a while. LOVE ALL YOUR WORK!!

Warnings: swearing, allusions to sex, very mild

Words: 1460

A/N: A fic?? From Ace?? Hi. I’m off spring break officially and so my stress has dissipated immensely. School was becoming so much these last two weeks and I thought I’d be stressed or worried, but I’m actually fine? It’s weird lol so I decided I could be productive with my stress-free moment and post a little fic for y’all. I love this prompt, and before any of you writers panic, I’m using my own fics for the fanfictions because I wouldn’t want to put y’all on the spot like that. Also this is my 3000 post! thought that was cool lol

“Do you wanna do the intro?”

“I think I have to do the intro.”

“Okay, go for it.”

“Alright,” Owen sighs out a heavy breath in exaggerated preparation for my (some would say lengthy) intro. “Hello, hi. Yes, okay, this is Y/n Y/l/n vlogs, welcome or welcome back to my channel!” Once Owen finishes his statement I’m so stunned I can’t generate any sort of response other than a slacked jaw semi smile.

“That was not even close. Do you know my intro?”

“I got the first part right!”

“You’ve lost intro privileges,” I turn back to the mess of lights and tripods in front of me and ignore the disaster of an intro Owen offered. “Oh, hello, hi! I am Y/n and this is: Reading My Boyfriend’s Fanfiction!”

“That’s basically what I did.”

“No, it is not! It’s ‘oh, hello, hi. I am ‘name’ and this is: ‘title of video’.”

“You don’t ‘welcome to my channel’?” Owen’s voice has dropped to a hushed volume as he genuinely inquires about the segments of my usual introduction.

“I do not.”

“Don’t use any of this,” he pleads when making direct eye contact with the camera. “Mister Sid. Editing Sid, please don’t embarrass me.” His pleas fall on deaf ears, knowing that I’ll be using the footage in full.

“Anyways. Butchered intro aside, I am Y/n and today I am here with my lovely “So Many Stars” costar and scene partner, Owen Joyner!”

“I’m also your boyfriend.”

“That too,” I give Owen’s pointed comment a soft place to land, “So, yesterday--it was actually like, two weeks ago, I don’t know why I said yesterday--a little while back, I came across a tweet telling me someone had written a fanfic about us-”

“Did you read it?”

“On Wattpad. Of course, I read it. There are only three chapters up right now and they’re all in the 2-3k range so it was a quick read.”

“2-3k?”

“Words,” I reply nonchalantly as I unlock my phone. I bookmarked a few one-shots beforehand for us to read, and I’m slightly cocky about my selections. Owen then responds with an outburst of shock.

“2-3 thousand words is a short read?” I merely give him a blank stare.

“Judging by that reaction, Owen hasn’t read any fanfics in his life.”

“Is that not long to you- That’s what she said.” Owen cuts me off with his own stupid joke and I briefly sigh before answering.

“No, that isn’t long. Baby, I’m here for that 130k slow burn enemies to lovers on AO3 with the ‘only one bed’ and ‘locked in a closet’ tropes.”

“The what?”

“Oh, we have so much to catch you up on.”

__________________________

“So I saved three fics, an angst, a fluff, and a smut. Which do you want to read?”

“Wait, what does that mean?”

“Oh my- okay. Angst is the sad shit, it’s what you read when you need your heartbroken and a good cry. Smut is pretty much in the name, it’s explicit content that will undoubtedly get this video demonetized, but that’s okay because we do have a sponsor. And fluff is the cute moments, domestic and sometimes mundane romance that makes you smile like an idiot and put the device down to screech into a pillow.” Throughout my whole explanation, I can tell Owen was becoming more and more lost, so I opt to give him a few moments to collect his thoughts.

“Let’s start with the fluff just to ease into things.”

“Smart choice. This fic I have saved is called ‘Baby Fever’ and the summary says ‘you and Owen spend a day at the zoo babysitting Baby Shada, and her presence sparks conversation about adding a new presence of your very own’.”

“That sounds so ominous.”

“Here, I’ll read the narration and reader’s POV, and then you’ll read your own dialogue.” Owen nods and leans over my right shoulder to read off of my computer screen.

“You actually start the fic.”

“‘You ready, little one?’” The instantaneous actor mode Owen slips into has me howling with laughter at which he looks at me confused. My gasping for air makes Owen laugh empathetically despite still being unsure as to what’s killing me at the moment.

“Why are you laughing?!” He yells, dramatically shaking my shoulder.

“Just the way you jumped into that, I wasn’t prepared for you to turn on the acting charm. Okay, uhhhh, ‘I bite back a laugh when I hear Owen’s voice coo from the back seat’.”

The two of us go back and forth between reading the narrative, bouts of laughter, commentary on the accuracy of Owen’s character, and we finally manage to finish the 2.5k fic in about forty minutes.

“‘When he looks up from CJ’s tiny body and recognizes the familiar ‘baby fever’ look in my eyes, he smiles and utters a simple-’.”

“‘I told you so.’”

“That was cute! I like the tie-in of having us watching over Baby Shada- or, sorry, you and ‘y/n’ watching over Baby Shada.”

“They wrote me kinda funny, I don’t think I’d ever fabricate a life to make conversation with a stranger due to baby fever.” My jaw drops slightly and before Owen can respond to my reaction, I cry,

“That is such a lie!”

“What?”

“You absolutely would do something like that, are you kidding me?!”

“No, I would not!” Owen punctuates every word with the utmost offense. He has the same look in his eye as when he was proving himself to be the cleanest phantom of the three on the Sunset Drive podcast.

“You literally told the guy at Home Depot yesterday that we were buying plants for our child’s nursery!”

“Okay, that’s different-”

“How is that different? That’s the exact same thing as fanfic you!” Owen’s furrowed brow and dropped jaw are a sight to be seen as he leans away from me, bending at the waist to stare at me with defiance. I raise my eyebrows pointedly as I await a response. Instead of actually producing a response, Owen lunges forward, grabbing my waist in his hands and squeezing gently. The feeling makes me screech and gasp of laughter from surprise and also being ticklish.

“Owen! Owe-STOP, I’m gonna drop my laptop!” I manage to say through my laughter and with one final grab, he releases me from his hold. It takes a minute for my laughter to settle but once I do, the two of us are simply breathing heavy and staring at one another with giddy smiles on our faces. In a moment’s clarity, I turn to look into the camera lens to talk directly to my editor,

“Sid, don’t use any of this. And please don’t cut to this after we finish reading to make it look like- things were happening.”

“Actually, I think you should, Sid. Just cut to right there and make the world think we-”

“OKAY, thanks for watching, bye!” I quickly stop the recording before Owen says something we’re unable to recover from. I hear him laugh gently behind me as I set my laptop down on the coffee table behind the tripod. Coming back to the couch, I move to plop down but before landing successfully on the cushion next to my phone, Owen grabs my body and moves me to sit on top of him.

“You are crazy, you know that?”

“Hmm. Crazy for you, maybe.” His cheesy line makes me scoff but smile nonetheless. I reach my right hand up to caress the side of his face as we sit cheek to cheek.

“Remind me to never film with you again.” The gesture is sweet and the sentiment is not which makes Owen laugh and he presses a soft kiss to my cheek. I lean back into him so my back is pressed flush with his chest as he lazily wraps both arms around me.

“You say that now but you’ll regret it when you wanna do a ‘boyfriend does my makeup’ challenge video.”

“Nah. I’ll just call Charlie to-” Without allowing me to finish my sentence, Owen is digging his fingertips back into the tissue of my sides and I squeal with laughter once more. This time the torment is short-lived and Owen releases me after a sweet, reconciling kiss. “Do you have baby fever now?”

“It was cute and all, but not really, no.”

“That’s too bad,” I stand up from my spot on his lap to grab my computer and hold it to my chest, “I was gonna say we could practice some baby-making.”

And with that, I turned on the balls of my feet, heading for my bedroom when I heard Owen stand up eagerly, quick to follow.

***

Taglist: @caitsymichelle13 @kaitlyn2907 @itz-jas @crybabyddl @kcd15 @kinda-really-lost @calamitykaty @morganayennefertyrell@n0wornever @dream-a-little-bigger-x @mrstodorooki@vicesvsvirturesfanfic @curlybrownhairedboys @amazinggracy @kaitieskidmore1 @asdfghjkl-fanfics @ghostlygreenbean @juliefromaustralia @merceret @jemimah-b99 @ifilwtmfc @thesweetestsinner @imsydneywalker @lovesanimals @thebloodthirstyvampress @bumbleberry-pie @losers-club6 @tefilovesreading @dmcfarland1@joynerxmercer @kexrtiz @talk-on-the-street @phantompogues @konciousdreamer @sunsetcurvej @warmnesss0ul

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quentinbecks · 3 years

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Summary: Charlie left Hope County years ago hoping never to come back. But when she learns of her parents involvement with the local doomsday cult, she finds herself heading back to a life she thought she left behind. (Begins two years before the reaping/events of the game)

Words: 5.1 k

Warnings: a little bit of love bombing happens, canon lack of physical boundaries from a Seed, pain pill usage, and a very, very brief mention of suicidal ideation.

A/N: Thank you so, so much to @adelaidedrubman for being my beta on this chapter. And to @johnnycranes for being a second pair of eyes when I felt stuck. Both of you gave me such great suggestions and ideas 💕 The first bit of the chapter is filler, the other half is heavy on the dialogue and we get to see Charlie through John’s POV finally.

Chapter 6: Sit Down and We Talk

Charlie’s nightmares don’t stop now that she’s at the ranch. The first night at her new residence is spent screaming and writhing so hard she almost throws herself off the bed; screams so loud she wakes up John, forcing him to come calm her down. Though, the sight of his baby blues being the first thing she sees as she comes to only ends up worsening the situation.

Not yet fully awake, but fully terrified, Charlie collides her balled fist with the man’s face. Except for a slight curl of his lips, John barely responds to the strike.

“Stop,” he says quietly as he takes hold of her wrists in his hand.

The attempt to keep her still is lost on Charlie as she begins to thrash in his grasp; the sudden movement causing a searing pain in her already sore ankle. Falling onto her side with a cry, the sudden realization of what she’s done begins to hit her.

“I’m sorry,” the young woman mumbles, face half-pressed into the sheets. “In my-you killed me in my dream.”

It’s not a lie. Charlie had been having the same exact version of the nightmare she’s been experiencing since the day she met the Seeds. Baby blues boring a hole into her as she lays helpless and dying in the dirt.

John doesn’t remove his hand as she curls into herself. Instead, he leans over her; fingers tentatively go to push a stray hair away from her face. Hot breath caresses her skin as he whispers in her ear.

“It was just a dream, Charlene. It wasn’t real.”

Blinking away a lone tear, Charlie begins to feel uncomfortable as she registers the position the two of them are in. John’s bare chest pressed against her as she lay in the fetal position, her silk nightgown bunched around her waist.

“No shit,” she grumbles as she looks up at him. Charlie feels her breath catch in her throat as their eyes connect. Maybe she prematurely assumed that it was the bliss that made her find the man so alluring. Or maybe it was just him. The thought alone makes her cringe inwardly, but she has to wonder if maybe she’s just drawn to dangerous men given that her own ex-husband is now playing a major role in the cult.

“Can you-Can you let go of me?”

Looking down at her, John’s eyes roam from her face down to where their hands rest in between her breasts. He doesn’t immediately respond, the look in his eyes makes him appear like a man possessed, but after a brief moment he snaps out of it.

“Oh,” John mutters, his voice almost inaudible. “Sorry,” he apologizes, yet it takes a few seconds for him to release her from his hold.

Sitting up so that they’re eye-level, Charlie decides to take advantage of, what she hopes, his remorseful attitude. “Is it possible for you to get me something for the pain? Something that’s not bliss? That might-,” she swallows nervously, “that might stop me from screaming all night.”

The only thing Charlie has been given for her ankle since its fracture has been Tylenol, so she knows it’s wishful thinking, but she’s desperate for some relief; relief from the pain and the nightmares.

John just nods at her. “I’ll see what I can do,” the man says as he stands, heading towards the door. His fingers are just about to grasp the handle when he suddenly turns back to the young woman.

“Just try to get some fucking sleep, Charlie. Some of us actually have to work in the morning.”

Watching the door close, Charlie sits in a state of shock. Shock that John even came running when she started screaming. Confusion over the fact that not one, but both of them apologized to the other. She’s not sure she wants an explanation for the way he looked at her or the way it made her feel. Maybe she’s just lonely. Or maybe Joseph’s vision was onto something.

Yeah fucking right.

Chuckling to herself, Charlie lays down on her back to stare at the ceiling. It wouldn’t hurt her to at least try to be cordial to John’s face given that he holds her life in his hands in more than one way. That and he’s going to be one of her human connections for the next six weeks and she can’t bear anymore isolation.

The excitement of her late night wake-up call helps her fall fast asleep. Charlie is pleasantly surprised to find an orange pill bottle and a note resting on the nightstand next to her bed. Reaching over, she plucks the piece of paper up.

“Dear, Sister

Brother John had one of the project’s doctors write you a prescription. I was told to remind you to take these responsibly! Feel better, friend!

Love, Deanna”

The young woman can’t help the small smile that creeps up her lips as she takes note of the tiny hearts the chosen has sporadically placed throughout the note. For a woman who could easily kill her, Deanna is so jovial; a stark comparison to Charlie herself. Still, as much as she hates to admit it, she appreciates the care the woman already has for her, even if it is an act.

Charlie also can’t help the surprise she feels at learning about the project having doctors. She would have thought someone with a PhD would be too smart to fall for the bullshit that Joseph spews. Apparently she was wrong. It does make her feel a bit better about her own lack of an education. If a girl who dropped out two years into college could be smart enough to see through the Seeds’ lies and a doctor couldn’t? Well, that’s a definite boost to her self-esteem.

The young woman debates with herself over getting up and wandering around the floor she’s on to get a feel for the ranch. Much to her chagrin, she can tell John placed her on the second floor; most certainly to keep her from trying to escape. Not that she could. Or would, if she’s being honest with herself.

The other option, and the one that sounds more pleasant to Charlie at the current moment, is pop a pill and try to catch up on the sleep she’s been missing out on for weeks now. If you had told her a week ago that she would be getting cozy in a cult leader’s guest bedroom she would have laughed at the absurdity, especially given what she had done to the Seeds. But, alas, here she is: exhausted beyond belief and trying to cope with excruciating pain.

Choosing the latter option, Charlie grabs a pill and lies back in the bed. If John or one of his little helpers want her they can come to her.

There’s a soreness in her jaw as she swallows down the pill. Bringing her fingers up to touch the tender skin, she’s reminded of the way the Baptist’s hands held her face in such a bruising grip. The painful reminder makes her feel less guilty about the late night punch she gave to the man.

It doesn’t take long for the pill’s effects to take hold. Warmth spreads throughout her body and she can feel the pain in her ankle slowly go from agonizing to a dull ache. Fluttering her eyes shut, Charlie wonders if she could get used to this; both the feeling and the comfort.

She hopes not.

Charlie spends the next two days slipping in and out of consciousness. It’s not until Deanna comes in one morning, pulling the curtains wide open and the sheets off the bed. After being threatened with having to go back to Tylenol if she doesn’t at least shower, she relents and decides to finally take her own private tour of the ranch.

The second floor houses her room, John’s bedroom and office, and a spare guest bedroom that’s been turned into a hobby room that houses a collection of model airplanes. That’s where John finds her this morning, lounging on the floor with her head buried deep in a copy of the Book of Joseph.

Charlie doesn’t notice his presence until she hears John clearing his throat obnoxiously. “Jesus Christ,” she starts, clutching her hand to her chest dramatically. “You could have knocked instead of just…” she pauses, gesticulating at him, “standing there ominously.”

John just glares down at her in response. “Did you forget you’re in my house? I can stand however I want and wherever I want in it.”

Rolling unceremoniously onto her side, Charlie gives him an equally heated glower. “I take it, it's time for me to confess all my deep, dark secrets.”

“I want your sins, not your secrets, Charlene. We would already be past this if you hadn’t wasted away for two days.”

There’s a strange tone to John’s voice. It’s not quite animosity, but it’s certainly not concern either. Irritation maybe and she can understand why. Charlie read how Joseph talked about his past; the cocaine and alcohol abuse. She’s a bit surprised about all of his vices and addictions, but it lends a bit of an explanation as to why he’s so self-righteous. She’s just surprised he let her have the pills at all now.

“Well, if you didn’t make me drink that nasty, trippy tea I wouldn’t have needed to pop pills,” Charlie says with a shake of her head. Just thinking about the taste and experience of the bliss fills her with nausea.

John goes to make a retort when she interrupts him; curiosity suddenly overtaking her. “How long does this process usually take?,” she swallows nervously; uncertain if she actually wants the answer to her next question. “And what exactly happens that makes it so unpleasant for others.”

Charlie isn’t going to press about her alleged “special treatment” during her atonement in case the Baptist suddenly changes his mind and decides to make this more miserable than it already is. She watches as he crouches in front of her, his right eye spotting a black bruise from where she punched him the other night.

“It depends on the person. Some sinners need to be,” he rubs his beard in contemplation, as if he’s worried about whether his phrasing will cause her to lash out, “coaxed into confessing. Others, like yourself, are much more willing.” John gives her a smile; one that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Trust me when I say it’ll go easier this way.”

Charlie doesn’t trust him, but she does want to just get it over with; rip the band-aid off, so to speak. “Okay…,” she all but whispers, unsure of what the proper response is. She wonders how anyone responds to a statement like that.

“Come with me.” John stands, pulling her up with him.

With her injured foot, Charlie finds it difficult to balance without having to hold onto the man in front of her. Trying desperately to block out the memory from the other day; her in a similar position, but drugged and more handsy, she chooses to point out his blackened eye.

“That my handiwork?,” the brunette asks, bringing a finger up to the bruised skin.

For a brief moment, John appears to grit his teeth. Righting himself, he brings his own fingers to her jawline, tracing the fading yellow bruises from where he gripped her almost a week ago. “Is this mine?”

Charlie shudders before immediately jerking her head away. “Don’t”, she hisses.

John puts his palm back on her face, guiding it back to look at him. “Most people in your position wouldn’t have walked away after hitting a Herald.”

“Lucky fucking me,” she whispers under her breath. “I know you’re going easy on me because we’re walking through a gate together. Cool. I don’t need the reminder. My problem is that you touch too much.”

“Are you asking me to stop?,” the Baptist asks; his thumb rubbing her chin.

“Yes.” Her words come out uncertain and she knows John can tell from the way the corners of his lips quirk up. Narrowing her olive eyes at him, Charlie begins an attempt to limp past him. “Can we just get this shit over with?”

John leads her out of the room, making a point to keep her away from the model airplanes hanging on the walls. Like days prior when she noticed the freckles that adorned his neck, the hobby lends a strange sense of humanity to the man. It almost even makes him seem less frightening.

Almost.

Once in John’s office, Charlie is plopped down rather roughly in a leather chair seated across from his desk.

“Contrary to what you may believe, Charlene, I don’t want to force you to tell me your sins. I truly believe we’re at the beginning of what could be a beautiful camaraderie between us. That’s why I decided to do this here rather than take you up to my bunker.”

The Baptist adjusts his vest before taking a seat across from her. “By telling me your fears and your failures, you’re allowing me the opportunity to unburden your soul.”

John leans back in his seat, hands folded neatly in his lap as he watches her face intently. Charlie shifts uncomfortably under his steely gaze; uncertain of how to react.

“You didn’t mention anything about fears,” she hums, picking at the frayed bit on the shorts Deanna had lent her.

“Fear can cause us to sin. Say you become so afraid of something that that fear turns into anger and then that anger morphes into something larger than yourself. Like wrath. Of course,” he gestures to her, “I’m sure you’re familiar with the feeling.”

Charlie looks up, cocking her head. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Have you already forgotten our little tête-à-tête from the other night? The one where you gave me this lovely gift.” John taps the blackened and swollen skin underneath his eye that sends a swell of pride through her.

“I was having a nightmare.”

“About me killing you.”

Charlie sighs, leaning back exasperated. “I would say it has more to do with killing one of Jacob’s men rather than being afraid of you or your family,” she says with a slight chuckle.

But that isn’t entirely true and she knows it. She’s been desperately afraid since the moment she left the mountains; afraid of being captured or killed.

“Do you hate us, though? My family and the project, that is.”

The brunette pauses. She shouldn’t have to think about her answer to his question, but somehow she does. Yes, she hates them for giving her the world’s worst ultimatum. Yes, she hates them for turning her into a murderer. She specifically despises Jacob for kidnapping some of her fellow militiamen and John for carving into her best friend’s chest. Yet, the latter has fed and sheltered her; even got her medical attention, something her own family was apparently hesitant about doing. But still, a golden cage is still a cage.

So, maybe hate is too strong of a word for him specifically. Strongly dislike? Still hoping for his death, but wouldn’t want to do it herself? It’s too complicated for Charlie to think about, especially now of all times.

Shaking her head, she looks back up at John. “No. But I suppose you could say I’m,” she stills, contemplating the right word to say,” simmering in anger.”

“Still sounds wrathful to me, no matter how much you try to soften the blow.” John leans forward then, curiosity gleaming in his icy blue stare. “Would you say your family evokes that same feeling in you? I watched that little exchange between you and your mother the other day.”

“If I hated my family I wouldn’t be here right now would I?”

John watches as green eyes glare back at him, but he’s been eager to learn more about the dynamic between Charlie and Christine ever since the former took up residence at the ranch. He could feel the tension in the air as he watched the two of them interact; a similar tension that existed between him and his adopted parents.

“Then what would you call it?”

“I would call it none of your fuck-,” she stops suddenly, eyes closing before she lets out a deep breath. “It’s not hatred. It’s pain.” Charlie looks up at him then, eyes glistening and her freckled cheeks flushed with embarrassment. If he didn’t know this was for her own benefit, he would actually feel a bit bad for her. One day she’ll be grateful to him for this.

The young woman pushes herself up suddenly, the chair underneath her scraping obnoxiously against the wooden floors. “Where are you-,” John starts to rise out of his own chair, ready to stop her if she tries an escape. But she just nods towards the window seat before limping pathetically to place herself on it’s blue cushions.

“I read your stupid book so I know you understand this, but yeah, it hurts that my parents neglected me in every way that counts. Yet, still I came back with some silly notion that I could protect them.” The brunette looks up then a small smile creeping up her lips. John thinks it’s the first time he’s seen her smile since he met her. Despite how out of place and sad it looks,still, he finds it oddly becoming.

“You’re angry that they wouldn’t do the same for you.”

Charlie whips her head around to glare at him so fast that for a brief moment he worries that he can add whiplash to her list of injuries accumulated under his care. He’s not certain Joseph would allow him to continue on with her atonement, if so.

“I was just trying to say that I can understand why you feel that way. As you know, my own family was cruel growing up. The only way they knew how to show love to a child was through pain,” John gets up then, making his way over to her slowly; trying to make his appearance more friendly than that of a predator approaching its prey. “My parents believed that the only way to perfection, to godliness, was through suffering.”

He sits across from her in the nook, watching as she brings her legs in closer to her body; eyes darting across his face suspiciously. “I hated them so much, that for years I did anything and everything to fill that emptiness they left in me.” John finds himself lowering his voice then, uncertain of whether it’s for her comfort or to steady himself. “You’re the same way aren’t you? You think if you’re given the love you crave it’ll take away your anger; finally give you purpose. But it won’t.”

Charlie sniffles slightly before turning her head towards the window. The midday sunlight streaming in casts a glow around her that makes him want to bask in it. But he can’t. Not until she realizes he isn’t the enemy; that he only has her best interests at heart.

“I guess,” she begins, her voice barely above a whisper; the tone so hushed it forces John to lean in to hear her. “I married my ex-husband, Nolan, because he showed me the tiniest bit of kindness and that blew up in my face spectacularly. Every relationship and friendship afterwards was pretty much the same, just chasing love from anyone who will give it.”

The brunette’s gaze is focused on whatever happenings are going on outside the ranch rather than face him. But he’s not blind. John can see the way teardrops shine from her eyelashes; one in particular threatening to fall down her cheek.

He was right, though. His usual tactics won’t work on her. If he wants to break through to her, to truly unburden her soul, he needs to go about this delicately; give her the compassion she’s been denied for so long.

“When I was in Atlanta, before I found my brothers again, I would use every vice under the sun to fill the holes I had opened up inside of myself,” John places a hand on her knee, forcing her to look at him finally. “Sex, drugs, anytime one closed I found another one to open and fill.”

Charlie watches him now, eyes fully fixated on him as he speaks. He swears he can see a hint of tenderness in her olive orbs, but he also knows he could be projecting his own desire for her to see him as a friend rather than a foe. She chews on her lip before finally asking him a question.

“How-How did you stop?”

“Joseph. He showed me how selfish I was truly being. Always taking. Always receiving.”

John pauses, excitement beginning to course through him. “The best gift isn’t the one you get, Charlene, it’s the one you give and giving takes courage; the courage to own your sin. To etch it onto your flesh and carry its burden and when you have endured-when you truly begin to atone-to cut it out like a cancer and display it for all to see,” he stops, taking a deep breath. “My God, that’s courage.”

For a brief moment, Charlie felt some comfort at being able to freely talk about the hurt that has followed her since the day she was born, even if the person she was sharing it with was John Seed. But as she watches him now, breathing ragged and heavy as he talks about sin, she’s reminded of just how unhinged he is. What a fucking wake up call.

“I already own my sins, John. It seems like you want me to feel bad about them for the rest of my life instead of, I don’t know, moving the fuck on.”

“That’s not what I-,” the Baptist goes to say, but Charlie isn’t having it.

“I won’t do that, I’m sorry. We can keep talking about our similar shitty childhoods because why not? But, I won’t let you make me feel bad because I made mistakes.” She takes a deep breath, similar to the one John had taken just moments after giving her his speech. She wonders if she looks as unhinged to him as he does to her.

Probably.

His hands move up to cup her face, forcing her out of whatever indignant trance she was in. “I think maybe we should finish this tomorrow. It’s an emotional experience, I know, but just remember, Charlene, I’m giving you a gift by helping you unburden your soul. You’ll realize that soon enough.”

She doesn’t feel like she's being given a gift, if anything she feels the opposite; like she’s being given a punishment, but for what she doesn’t know.

“Will I have to do this again tomorrow?”

“We’ll be doing this until you feel unburdened; cleansed. Then, we can choose the sin you’ll carry.”

Charlie looks back out the window, at the mass of unkempt project members loitering around the property; scars and shoddily-made tattoos in abundance on their bodies. She still has five weeks in her “medically recommended” stay, enough time for John to turn her into his own human art project.

“Well, I hate to disappoint,” she says, removing the hands still clutching her cheeks before turning her attention back to John, “but there might not be many stains on my soul for you to pry out of me.”

He's so close now; close enough that Charlie swears he can hear how fast her heart is beating. “You would be surprised at what I could pry out of you.”

It’s two days later and Charlie is still thinking about John’s words during their first session. She never really doubted that he could unearth the most minuscule of secrets and fears out of her, but she didn’t realize just how good he was at it. How he could worm his way inside of her, how he could make her feel vulnerable; that vulnerability she so freely shows him. In a way it almost feels like it’s against her will.

John had spent the last few hours chiding her for her alleged greed. Apparently her wanting better for herself than living in a studio apartment above a Thai takeout was the epitome of sinful behavior. But here she is, two days later beginning to feel twinges of guilt take root inside of her.

She’s clearly losing her mind. There’s no other explanation for it.

Charlie’s soaking in the bathtub, a luxury she’s rarely afforded, stewing on the aforementioned man and his ways of getting one to confess when someone comes bursting through the bathroom door.

“What the hell?!,” she squeaks, sliding herself under the bubbly water. Unfortunately for her, there’s no privacy in this house. Despite her obvious injury, John still remains concerned she’ll run back to the Wolf’s Den.

“Sorry!,” the perky voice of Deanna flows into her ears.

Charlie slinks down even further, hands coming up to cover her bare breasts at the appearance of the dusky-skinned woman.

“Can I help you with something? Or did John send you here to watch me bathe?”

The chosen guffaws at the suggestion. “Of course not. I just wanted to see if you would like to come out to the bonfire with me? Brother John has a couple of guests coming over and I figured you might like some company.”

Charlie chews on her lip. The suggestion is tempting. She hasn’t been outside of these four walls in a week now, it wouldn’t hurt to get some fresh air. The only downside is her companion. Deanna may be sweet and full of life, but she’s convinced it’s all a cover for a more dangerous side underneath. Still, she can’t resist the idea of being free from the ranch, even if it is only to the backyard.

“Yeah, that sounds nice,” she says with a nod.

The other woman allows her time to get ready before helping her limp out to the hallway. Once at the top of the staircase, Charlie glances down at the obscene amount of steps that lead down to the main floor. For a brief moment she thinks about throwing herself down them, releasing herself from this hell for good.

But she doesn’t. “Jesus, the Seeds really keep you guys fit, huh?,” she asks, watching in awe as the chosen gets her down the stairs as if she weighs nothing at all.

“You have no idea the regimen Jacob puts us through. Maybe you’ll find out? With your past you would fit right in.”

Charlie frowns at hearing her time in the militia being referred to as her past. It was just two weeks ago when she left the Whitetails on her failed rescue mission. But at the same time, she feels a hint of relief. All she wanted was to get her family out of a cult; not actually fight and kill members of said cult.

But, she was a failure at both being a militiaman and a savior. Now, thanks to her rash actions and lack of proper planning, she’s trapped with a herald of Eden’s Gate.

The young woman is shaken out of her thoughts by the sound of quiet laughter. Turning her head towards the door she sees two figures. A tall, scrawny man with sandy hair and face tattoos; one of them being John’s name. The other is a smaller strawberry blonde. The woman looks to be a few years older than her, but Charlie is still struck by her beauty.

“Who are they?,” she whispers as Deanna leads her towards the back door.

The other woman looks over her shoulder before turning back to her with a soft smile. “Oh, that’s sister Holly. She owns a farm out in the Henbane that helps out with bliss production,” she says before pointing to her male companion. “And that’s Lonny. You’ll probably see a lot of him while you’re here. Both of them are close with John.”

Charlie would rather not have to interact with that man given how his presence, even at a distance, makes her feel uncomfortable. “So, I take it they’re the company that I’m not allowed to know about?”

“Something like that.”

The two head outside to a fire pit not too far off the property. Charlie can’t help but want to cry at her first inhale of fresh air. It’s pathetic really. It’s not like there aren’t windows in the ranch, but between her room being on the second floor and her unease with asking for help; she would have stayed up there for six weeks without Deanna’s intervention.

“Thank you,” she smiles sheepishly up at the chosen as she sits down. “Didn’t realize how much I needed this until now.”

“I imagine this has all been overwhelming for you, figured it might be nice for you to take a breather. And besides,” she says, her voice suddenly hushed, “we usually have to stay outside when brother John has guests.”

Oh.

Charlie furrows her brow at the sudden realization; both anger and a hint of envy washing over her. Day in and day out she’s been reprimanded for the smallest of offenses, lust soon to be one of them. But, there is a part of her that is slightly jealous. Not so much of Holly, per se, but because she’s so lonely and would kill for even a quickie right now.

Or maybe it is partly because of Holly, as embarrassing as that is for her to admit. Charlie had spent the last couple of weeks with the Baptist constantly giving her too much attention; telling her how similar they are and all about Joseph’s vision. She didn’t enjoy it, but it had made her feel like she was special in his eyes and she liked the idea that she may be able to bring him to his knees one day.

Or maybe she was just fond of the attention.

Pathetic.

She’s completely and utterly pathetic. Two weeks, one of them spent in isolation with John and she’s already jealous of John’s fuck buddy. The Whitetails would be so embarrassed if they knew.

Smacking her head back against the wooden seat, Charlie turns her eyes towards the sky; her somewhat cheerful mood begins to turn sour.

“You don’t suppose there’s any booze here, do ya?”

Deanna gives her a slight giggle as she shakes her head. “No, Charlie. The Father says that’s a sin.”

Charlie can’t help the obnoxious, deep exhale she lets out. Of course, it’s a sin.

Of fucking course.

#fic: stillness in woe #john seed x oc #oc: charlie berger #john seed #far cry 5 fic #finally got this one out #not me making Charlie a total hypocrite about touching and being touched

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nothoughtsjust-vibes · 4 years

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I started Twilight for the thousandth time because I hate myself and this time I recorded most of my thoughts and, since I have no one irl, I have To shout them into the Void

1. Why is all the dialogue so cringey?

2. Why would she remember her favorite dessert at a rando diner when she hasn’t been there in several years?

3. The coloring is just so blue

4. Why does she look SO PALE?! Is it because K Stew was actually supes pale or because the director wanted her to look vampiric?

5. Why does Bella sound like she’s gonna cry when she implies that the guys at school are sexually harassing her? Could it be BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING THAT?!

6. “Things were getting a little strange”? Just because he wasn’t in school? Bitch, you met him once and he was an ass, any sane person would just forget it.

7. “You’re not in Phoenix anymore, Bells”. They don’t have animals in Phoenix?

8. Why is every guy so invested in Bella?

9. Their first convo in class is SO AWKWARD!!! Is that bad directing and writing or is it genius?

10. “Any cold wet thing, I don’t really...” fast forward two years she’s getting dicked down by vampire cock

11. Her telling Edward about her mom and Phil is so awkward. Like, he needs to ask her to explain things that she should know need explaining. “Why’d you move here?” “My mom remarried...” “So, you don’t like the guy?” “No, Phil’s fine....”

12. When there’s a vamp as attractive as Carlisle, why would she ever go for the son?

13. The big question is why would anyone go for Edward when Carlisle is RIGHT THERE!?

14. What I wouldn’t give for a book of Cullen origin stories: Jasper in the Civil War? Alice in the Salem Witch Trials? Rosalie getting epic revenge on her rapists? Carlisle’s everything!? YES PLEASE!!!!!

15. How Edward doesn’t realize breaking into someones room and watching someone when they’re sleeping is fucking creepy, I’ll never know

16. Rosalie shoulda knocked sense into Edward to not be a creeper

17. Bella is supes rude to Mike by just not paying attention when he’s taking to her

18. Jesus, Mike’s eyes are GORGEOUS. Don’t know how I didn’t see that before

19. I would want this guy as my science teacher

20. Has Edward ever talked to a girl outside his family? Like....ever?!

21. You don’t hit a bus door to get the driver to open it. Because of this movie, I did that one time and now I hate teenage me for that

22. WHY IS EVERYONE IN THESE MOVIES SO GODDAMN SKINNY!?!

23. Love that vampires don’t need to eat, but Emmett is eating in a cafeteria scene

24. “If you were smart, you’d stay away from me.” HOW BOUT YOU STAY AWAY FROM HERE DUDE!?! MAYBE STOP GOING INTO HER ROOM AND WATCHING HER SLEEP

25. KrimsonRogue said if you can use anything besides rape, don’t use rape. Maybe SMeyer should’ve heard similar advice and taken it

26. So Jacobs just not gonna introduce his friends?

27. “You caught that, huh?” They were a foot away from her and no one else was talking

28. I remember that in this beach scene, Bella was trying to seduce Jacob into talking. And she was like, 17 and he 15 which, even if not bad with age gap, still creepy. And she’s not good at it. And doesn’t need to do it.

29. Why she shrieking? It’s a goddamn rope he’s chasing her with

30. Why are the villain vamps so goddamn dramatic?

31. Why is Bella’s google searching so instantly effective?

32. Why does she go all the way to Portland to buy one book, flip to one page, take one word from one caption of one illustration, and then never touch the book again?

33. Bella is super not a good travel companion. Why didn’t she just drove her own self to Portland to go to the bookstore?

34. How she get so lost?

35. How did she not answer her cell while her friends were freaking out about where she was?

36. Why are her friends just leaving her with this very strange dude who never interacts with anyone?

37. That first line the waitress delivers to Edward feels like very bad acting.

38. It’s hilarious that corpse feet made her immediately think of Edward

39. How could she just barely graze Edwards fingers with hers and immediately have a shock reaction of “Your hands are so cold”

40. Okay, even with all this “evidence”, no normal person would be like, “Yup yup, he’s a vampire” and then have some dramatic confrontation in the forest during school

41. She just ditches her backpack in the forest. I assume she needs it

42. “Sometime you speak as if you’re from a different time” Bitch, when?

43. These are not normal conversations that happen in these movies

44. Bella is not normal. Dude she’s known for two days says he’s probs gonna kill her and she’s just like “Yeah, cool”

45. Why does he think his sparkle skin is a turn-off? I’d be like, “Hell, yeah, you never need to buy body glitter”

46. How she trust him after, like, two weeks and a couple conversations? I don’t trust people with my FEELINGS after two years, this bitch trusting an admitted murderer with her LIFE after two weeks

47. “I’m not afraid of you. Only afraid of losing you.” EXCUSE ME BITCH WHAT!?!? YOUVE KNOWN HIM TWO WEEKS

48. YOU CANT FALL IN LOVE THAT FAST!!!!!

49. Okay, but why’d Angela say “Oh my god” before Bella even got out of the car? All that she saw was the car drive up and Edward get out

50. Why were people staring? That’s not how high school works. People don’t REALLY give a shit who’s dating who unless they’re queer

51. I get the convo montage is to indicate they’re spending a lot of time together, but they’d have to remember the exact place they left off in the conversation or just have the same conversation over and over

52. Only living on tofu would not keep you strong

53. Okay, that cut of him jumping from the rock and cut to him jumping into the truck bed is very good

54. “Here comes the human”..... WHO SAID THIS LINE!?!? It sounded very happy, BUT THE ONLY TWO WOMEN IN THE ROOM WERE ESME AND ROSALIE AND ROSALIE WAS NOT HAPPY AT ALL AND ESME WASNT SPEAKING

55. If I were in Bella’s position, among other things I woulda done different, I woulda eaten the shit out of that Italian meal the Cullens prepares for me

56. The scene in Edwards bedroom is so goddamn awkward, but I feel like that works since she’s super awkward and he’s a 108 year old virgin who’s never spoken to a girl before her

57. Why she just turn his stereo on without permission?

58. I heard Claire de Lune is like, the most basic piece ever. Writers couldnta been more creative?

59. How is taking her on a tree climbing adventure making her dance?

60. “So, you and Cullen, huh? I don’t like it.” YOU KNOW WHAT MIKE!?! FUCK OFF!!! YOU HAVE NO GODDAMN SAY IN IT

61. What the hell was that twerking to the daughter of the chief while the chief was there?

62. So he’s been watching her sleep for the past couple months. She got there middle of the semester. So around March. A couple months would make it June. HOW LONG IS THIS SCHOOL YEAR!?!

63. Why Edward couldn’t have bounced with Bella before the villain group got there is beyond me.

64. THIS SCENE WHERE BELLA TALKS SHIT TO CHARLIE AND LEAVES THE HOUSE!!!! THIS IS THE PART I HATE THE MOST BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY GODDAMN WAYS SHE COULDVE LEFT HOME FOR A COUPLE DAYS!!!! “I’m gonna go stay at Jessica’s house for the weekend” “I’m gonna go to Angela’s house for the weekend” “I wanna take a weekend trip with Jessica” “I wanna go visit Mom for a couple days” LITERALLY ANYTHING EXCEPT THAT WOULDA WORKED THERE WAS NO GOOD REASON FOR HER TO HURT HIS FEELINGS LIKE THAT

65. If Rosalie could smell Bella across the field when there was no breeze, why can’t James smell her standing five feet from her?

66. Laurent really didn’t give them any helpful information. James is super dangerous? Yeah, Edward already got that. Victoria is dangerous? Yeah, that’s kinda common sense. Thanks for nothing, you French bastard

67. Man, why the tits did Bella not just tell Alice and Jasper about James supposedly having her mom hostage? Seems like she should trust the group of seven vamps to beat two

68. How did Alice see James going to the ballet studio but not James calling Bella?

69. “I don’t regret the fact that I’m gonna die because at least I got to meet Edward” is what she’s basically saying. As the great Ronald Weasley said, “She needs to sort out her priorities.”

70. The level of dependency Bella exhibits when Edward tells her she has to go to Jacksonville is truly terrifying.

#twilight renaissance #twilight #i hate myself

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badchoicesposts · 5 years

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Don’t Dream It’s Over Chapter 6

Series Summary: Liam and Ali thought that their relationship was perfect, but their whole world came crashing down when Constantine called him back to Cordonia. Four years later they meet again at Liam’s bachelor party, determined to make things between them work even if it isn’t always easy.

In this AU, Liam and MC (Ali Moonessar) dated for a year in New York while Leo was still crown prince. They broke up when Constantine asked Liam to come back to Cordonia, but they meet again at Liam’s bachelor party before the social season. The story will contain flashbacks, which will be italicized, of their relationship and follow them as they try to navigate the season with Ali as a suitor. I’ve messed around with the timeline a bit so that it fits the story better. I’ve also added in a few OCs of my own.

Pairing: Liam x MC (Ali Moonessar)

Word Count: 3,665

Song Inspiration: Old Money- Lana Del Rey

DISCLAIMER: Some of Bertrand’s dialogue is taken from TRR Book 1 Chapter 4. I’ve also changed up the timeline of the social season a bit to fit my story better. I based it off of some research I did on the British Social Season.

Taglist:@flowerpowell, @kingliam2019, @ao719, @emceesynonymroll, @hopefulmoonobject, @dcbbw, @qammh-blog, @liamxs-world, @drakesensworld, @i-only-signed-up-for-fanfiction, @timmagickfrog, @lauradowning29

A/N: This is my first time ever posting a fic. Please let me know if you enjoyed it and would like to read more. I thrive on validation, lol. Thanks for reading!

Catch Up: Masterlist

Ali and Liam were two very different people. There was no doubt about it. They were crazy about each other regardless, but at first glance anyone would believe that they had absolutely nothing in common.

Liam rivaled Luca for the title of the most well-rounded person she had ever met. He was tall, well dressed, and well respected by everyone he met. His blond hair was always annoyingly perfect, even when it had been slept on for the full seven hours of sleep he got every night, and he was good at everything he tried to do. He worked out five days a week and had a natural charm that drew people towards him wherever he went. Liam slept on silk sheets, drank expensive liquor and, worst of all, was a morning person. He was always up early, eager to start his day and be productive. He was typically easy going, but he could take action and control a situation effortlessly when he needed to.

Ali, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. She barely reached five feet tall in the right pair of heels and spent most of her time in sweatpants or leggings because of the insecurities she had about her body. Her workout routine consisted mainly of walking everywhere she needed to go, and she had terrible social anxiety. She had no constant sleep schedule, and at this point, she was practically nocturnal, only being able to get in small amounts of sleep during the day due to her insomnia. She had found her current bed sheets from the discount bin of a department store, and the most she ever spent on alcohol was twenty dollars for a bottle of tequila. She had perfect grades, but she was still constantly stressed about them.

Liam was put together, and on most days she was a hot mess. When she says the words “trust me, I know what I’m doing” there’s about a seventy-five percent chance that she has no idea what she’s doing. However, when he said the same words, she never once doubted him. That is until he decided he could repair the clogged drain in his kitchen sink on his own. Her suspicions were confirmed as she watched the Prince of Cordonia, his nice dress shirt soaked in water, fiddle with a pipe, determined to be “normal”.

“Love, maybe you should just call someone,” she said, raising her voice slightly so he could hear her from where the upper half of his body was lying under the sink.

“I can do this,” he called back, irritation evident in his voice.

“Sure you can,” she mumbled under her breath, taking a seat on a stool in the kitchen. “Have ever even looked at a pipe like that before?”

The banging noises she heard from under the sink was her only response, and she rolled her eyes as she texted Drake to tell him to contact the building’s superintendent. A few minutes passed by in silence before there was a sudden popping sound and Liam’s angry voice filled the room. Ali looked up to see him emerging from under the sink soaking wet, while more water pooled onto the kitchen floor. She wanted to be mad that he had made the situation worse and not given up when he realized that he didn’t know what he was doing, but the sight of him before her made her burst out laughing.

“It’s not funny,” he said, sending a glare in her direction.

“Yes, it is,” she replied when she had finally managed to calm herself down.

He narrowed his bright blue eyes at her, trying his best to stay mad, but he knew that it was a losing battle. He knew that he looked ridiculous.

“I guess we can cross chef and plumber off of your list of potential jobs,” she said, starting to giggle again as she remembered their first date where he tried to cook for her.

“Now stop the water and clean up that mess. The super will be here in the morning.”

Liam watched as his girlfriend ran out of the room before he could get another word in.

~~~

Ali frantically walked back and forth between her bed and her closet, Lana Del Rey’s Old Money playing softly in the background. It was 12:57 AM and Liam’s plane would be leaving in less than ten hours. She had been packing and unpacking her suitcase for the past two hours. Every time she made up her mind to go, something told her to stay, and every time she made up her mind to stay, something told her to go. She looked down at the text on her phone from Maxwell giving her the flight information and started piling things into her suitcase again. She was just about to close it and try to get a few hours of sleep before the flight when she looked over at her nightstand and saw the framed picture of her and all of the Larson siblings that she always kept there. They all had their arms wrapped around each other and were smiling happily into the camera.

“Nope, not going,” she mumbled to herself, hastily pulling things out of the bag and dropping them on the floor.

The sound of a throat clearing behind her caused her to stop what she was doing and turn around.

“Oh, hey, Luc. I didn’t know that you were still up,” she said.

“Yeah, I was just about to turn in for the night when I saw your light on. I assume by this mess that you haven’t made a decision yet.”

“I’m not going,” she tried to say firmly.

Luca sighed and made his way further into her room.

“You should go,” he said softly.

“I should?” Ali asked, sitting down on the bed.

“If a part of you didn’t want to then you wouldn’t be having such a hard time making the decision. If it all works out you could have everything you’ve ever wanted. You owe it to yourself to go.”

Ali groaned and dropped to her back, her legs still dangling off the side of the bed.

“What if we’re too different? It’s been forever since we were together. What if it doesn’t work out? What about everything here?” she asked, staring up at the ceiling.

Luca walked over to her and grabbed both of her hands in his before pulling her back up into a sitting position.

“You worked so well together because you were different. You balanced each other out. You made each other happy. Besides, if things still don’t work out, you’ll always have a place to come home to,” he said softly.

He kissed her forehead lovingly before leaving the room, the door closing behind him quietly.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ali was clutching the handle of her bag tightly in her hand as she ran as fast as she could through the airport, cursing herself for being so out of shape. After speaking with Luca she still hadn’t been able to properly make up her mind until the last possible second and now there was only five minutes until the plane left. She caught sight of Charlie’s red hair and sighed in relief when he turned around and saw her.

“I knew you would come,” he said, a bright smile breaking out across his face. He was standing next to Bastien, both dressed in grey suits.

“Yeah,” she huffed out, trying desperately to catch her breath, “Back on duty, I see.” She motioned to his uniform with one hand, the other clutching her side as she gasped for air.

“Yes, but we can talk about that later. There’s someone waiting for you on that plane,” he said, motioning for her to board the plane.

“Right,” she said, taking a deep breath and beginning to walk slowly.

Bastien and Charlie were following closely behind her, and the reality that she couldn’t turn back was now hitting her. Upon entering the private plane she saw Drake, Ben, Maxwell, and Leo all lounging casually on large leather seats. Liam had been anxiously pacing up and down the aisle but had immediately stopped at the sound of their footsteps. A large smile broke out over his face at the sight of her.

“You came,” he said.

“Yeah, I did,” she said, fighting her own smile as she launched herself into his arms.

He held her tightly and for a moment all of the doubts she had about leaving New York disappeared. Leo and Maxwell shared a pleased look as the two took their seats next to each other. The plane began to take off, and Ali felt surprisingly calm as she looked out the small window.

“Are you excited?” Maxwell asked her happily, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“Um, yeah… that’s one word for it,” she said awkwardly.

“You’ll be amazing,” Liam said, bringing her hand up to his lips and gently kissing her knuckles.

“You two are disgusting,” Ben joked, prompting a laugh from the group.

They were well on their way to Cordonia now and Maxwell took the opportunity to begin explaining to her what would be happening when they arrived.

“For the next few weeks you’ll stay at the Beaumont estate in Ramsford with my brother Bertrand and I,” Maxwell said.

“Is your brother anything like you?” Ali asked him.

Drake scoffed slightly, causing Ali to raise her brows in question.

“What Drake means is that Bertrand can be kind of… strict. He’s not exactly happy that I’m bringing in a suitor that doesn’t know anything about court or nobility,” Maxwell said with a cringe, “But that just means that we’ll have to spend the next few weeks turning you into a proper lady of the court.”

“Sounds like fun.” Ali tried to force a smile on her face, but it came out as more of a grimace.

“That’s the spirit!’ Leo laughed, ending his sentence with a good-natured clap to her shoulder.

“Once the social season starts, we’ll be spending most of our time at the palace. Most of the nobility live there during the season, including the ladies vying for Liam’s hand,” Maxwell continued.

“Yeah, living under one roof makes it easier to attend the rose ceremony later,” Drake mumbled under his breath.

Ali snorted before stopping to pull herself together.

“Sorry, that probably wasn’t very ladylike,” she said sarcastically.

“You’re no lady of the court,” Drake said.

“I’m going to take that as a compliment,” she said.

“Trust me, it is.”

The two locked eyes for a moment, having a silent conversation. Drake had played a part in convincing her to come, but she also knew how he felt about court and the people there. He always said that Liam was the only one of them that was worth a damn. She knew that Drake wanted to protect her, but there was also a certain edge to his voice as he said those words that she couldn’t quite place.

“Drake,” Liam said, a warning tone in his voice. Ali looked between the two for a moment before Maxwell broke through the tense silence.

“As I was saying, the social season typically lasts for about five months. There are usually a few large events like balls that the entire court attends and there are some smaller events like dinner parties that are invitation only.”

“Not gonna lie, that sounds like… a lot,” Ali said.

“Trust me it is,” Drake said, running his fingers through his hair.

Everyone began to break off into their own conversations and Ali turned to Liam to find him already looking down at her.

“Liam, I’m kind of scared,” she said, chuckling half-heartedly.

She looked down at her hands and began anxiously picking at the skin on the side of her nail.

Liam tilted her head so that she was looking up into his eyes before moving his hand to cup the side of her face, his thumb gently stroking her cheek.

“I know, but I meant it when I said that you’ll be amazing. This is a big adjustment, and I’m afraid I may not be able to be with you as much as I would like to, but you will always have my support. You are the strongest and most capable woman I know, Ali. I don’t doubt for a second that you’ll do great things,” he replied.

Ali smiled and leaned into him as their lips met in a gentle kiss. She rested her head onto his shoulder and felt her eyes closing before falling into a dreamless sleep.

She opened them a while later to the feeling of Liam shaking her awake. Her head was still on his shoulder and their fingers were entwined together. At some point during her nap he had removed her glasses and was now trying to hand them to her.

“We’ll be landing soon. If you look out the window you’ll see Cordonia,” he said with a smile.

She turned her head sleepily and gazed out the window at the land below them. In her still half asleep state, she could just make out twinkling lights against the landscape.

“Wow.”

“Home sweet home,” Drake sighed, looking out the window as well.

Ali groaned as she watched everyone begin to exit the plane one by one. The position she had been seated in had put a strain on her back, and as she tried to stretch it out, the pain only intensified.

“Maxwell, can you give us a minute alone please,” Liam asked politely, pulling her out of her thoughts as she continued to stretch. The other man, who had been waiting for his new friend, nodded and exited.

Even though she knew they were alone, the thought of everyone else just a few steps away gave Ali the feeling that she was being watched. She didn’t have much time to ponder on this fact, however. Liam grabbed her hips and pulled her so that her body was pressed flush against his, all thoughts of the rest of the group automatically leaving her mind. His lips crashed roughly into hers, and she found herself grabbing onto his arms to steady herself. She moaned softly against his mouth as she felt his tongue against her bottom lip.

“Um, guys?” Charlie said hesitantly.

They jumped away from each other immediately, Ali’s hand going up to cover her mouth as she looked anywhere but at the red-haired man in front of her and Liam loudly clearing his throat. Charlie stood there uncomfortably for a moment before speaking again.

“We need to head out.”

With one more gentle kiss and whispered ‘I love you’, Ali got into the large black car with Maxwell and stared at Liam’s retreating form.

“You’ll see him again,” he said, patting her shoulder in a comforting manner.

“Yeah,” she said, staring out the window at the passing trees, “I know you said your brother isn’t exactly excited that I’m going to be representing House Beaumont, but what exactly am I walking into with him?”

Maxwell seemed to ponder her words for a moment.

“Well, Bertrand’s been a little more stressed than normal lately, so it may take some time, but I’m sure he’ll warm up to you eventually.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t exactly make me feel any better.”

Conversation with Maxwell flowed easily. Even though she had only known his for a few days, Ali found herself completely comfortable with him, and she felt as if she could tell him anything. The car ride passed by in a series of laughs and before she knew it, they were pulling up to the large Beaumont Estate.

“Wow,” Ali found herself saying for the second time in an hour, “Maxwell, this place is gorgeous.”

The grounds of the large house definitely looked like it was fit for nobility, and Ali stepped out of the car trying to imagine what the inside looked like. Maxwell had already made it to the trunk of the SUV and was trying to somehow carry all of his bags and her own at the same time.

“Yup, that’s home,” he replied, his voice strained as he tried to support the weight of their things.

“Max, you know I can carry my own bags, right?” she said with a laugh, making her way over to help him.

“What kind of gentleman would I be if I let a lady carry her own bag?”

Ali playfully rolled her eyes and took her luggage from him.

“I promise I won’t tell anyone,” she said sarcastically.

The large front doors of the house were made of intricately carved wood and pushed open to reveal a large foyer. The ceiling rose high above her head, and an antique chandelier kept the area brightly lit.

“Follow me. I’ll show you to your room, and then we can find Bertrand,” Maxwell said and began leading her up the large staircase.

As he led her through various hallways, Ali had to mentally keep track of every turn that they took so that she wouldn’t get lost later. However, as large and spectacular as the home was, she couldn’t help but notice that there were no people in sight.

“This is my room,” Maxwell said, gesturing to an unopened door as they passed it, “And that’s yours.”

He pointed to a door that was right down the hall from his and allowed her to walk ahead so that she could open it.

“Oh my god,” Ali said, taking the large four poster bed and the bedding that probably cost more than she made in a year at the bar.

“Yes, I’m sure the room is probably quite spectacular for someone of your tastes,” came a voice from behind them.

Ali turned around, not sure whether or not to be offended. The man who had spoken looked like every boring history professor stereotype that she had ever heard combined into one. He was covered in tweed from head to toe and had large, leather elbow patches on his jacket. There was a scowl on his face as he looked her up and down.

“He doesn’t mean anything by that,” Maxwell said quickly, trying to cover for him. “Bertrand, this is the one I was telling you about… Ali!”

“This is the girl you’ve chosen to represent our house?” Bertrand asked.

A skeptical look crossed his features, and Ali suddenly became very aware of the fact that her curls were ruffled from sleeping on the plane and that she was wearing an old hoodie that she had taken from Cole and was probably three sizes too big. She tugged at the hem of it self-consciously and smiled awkwardly at the man in front of her.

“Yep! Nailed it right?” Maxwell said, smiling widely. “Ali, this is my older brother, Bertrand.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Bertrand,” Ali said politely.

“The proper way to address a duke is ‘Your Grace’,” Bertrand responded stiffly.

“Oh, right! I’m so sorry, Your Grace,” Ali said, her cheeks heating up. She hadn’t even been in Cordonia for an hour and she was already making mistakes.

“At least it looks like you can be trained.”

Ali clenched her jaw at his words.

“Trained? I’m not your pet!” she said, anger rising in her voice.

Bertrand met her gaze and the two stared at each other for a moment.

“Maxwell, a word in private,” he said, turning and walking out the door.

Maxwell shot her a strained smile and followed his brother, shutting the door behind them. She could just barely hear their voices through the door, and although their words were muffled, she knew that the conversation was about her. Ali sighed and looked up at the ceiling, wondering what she was getting herself into. The door reopened, and a flustered Maxwell and a red-faced Bertrand reentered.

“It seems that we’re stuck with you,” Bertrand says, once again looking her over.

“If me being here really is that much of an issue I can just go, and your family can choose some other girl to sponsor,” Ali said, crossing her arms.

She didn’t expect things to be easy. She knew that there would be people who didn’t support her in Cordonia, but Bertrand was supposed to be her sponsor, and she was getting tired of his attitude. They had only known each other for five seconds, and he was already saying that she wasn’t good enough.

“No! You can’t go. We’ve already chosen you, so if you leave we’ll have no one. Besides, you could be Liam’s only chance of finding actual happiness. I’ve seen the way you look at each other. You’re the only person that he’s ever loved,” Maxwell said, pleading with her.

Ali uncrossed her arms and sighed, her features softening at his words. These actions didn’t go unnoticed by the duke who was now looking at her curiously.

“Perhaps Maxwell didn’t fully explain this to you, but if our house puts forth the Prince’s choice, we’ll win fame and recognition,” he began.

“Something we could really use right now actually, ‘cause we’re kind of broke,” Maxwell finished.

“Maxwell! You overstep,” Bertrand said angrily.

Ali looked between the two brothers.

“There’s no shame in being broke,” she said softly, “Do you guys get money if I marry Liam?”

“Not… directly, but we can leverage the prestige to great effect. It would be a scandal if word got out of our financial ruin,” Bertrand said.

Ali could tell that they were in a difficult situation, and although Bertrand only seemed to be concerned with her marrying Liam so she could help with their finances, she could tell that Maxwell had pure intentions.

“I love Liam and want to be with him, and I want to help you guys as much as I can. So, if that means not talking back to Bertrand and learning how to be a lady of the court then fine. I’ll do it,” she said.

#the royal romance #trr #the royal heir #trh #liam x mc #the royal romance fic #trr fic #liam x mc fanfic #liam #king liam #my fics #choices fics #choices #playchoices #playchoices fic #king liam fanfic #the royal romance fanfic #liam fic #playchoices fanfic

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6 Famous People Who Hilariously Trolled Their Own Fans

Some celebrities see fame as tremendous burden and distraction from their craft, whereas others treat it as a golden opportunity to screw with thousands of strangers for no logical reason save “shits and giggles.” We’re talking about such famous rascals as …

Chris Pratt Trolls His Fans With Bad Jennifer Lawrence Photos

Hollywood certainly made a weird choice when it needed a hot new action star and decided to pick that zaftig fellow from Parks And Rec. During the press tour for the 2016 science fiction thriller Passengers, which starred Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence, fans got overly enthusiastic about the pairing and started “shipping” them. (For those who aren’t up to speed on the internet lingo, that means they want the two to hook up and mash their bits together and make babies.) Followers of Pratt’s Instagram account started demanding that he take more photos of himself hanging out with Lawrence so that they could satisfy their vicarious need to imagine these two millionaires spending time with each other.

And so Pratt proceeded to do what the fans were demanding:

Chris Pratt/Instagram

Over the next few days, Pratt went on to post a number of Instagram selfies featuring himself and Lawrence together. Technically.

Chris Pratt/Instagram

You can’t argue that he didn’t give the fans exactly what they’d asked for. Still, a bunch of them didn’t seem to appreciate the photos, leaving comments like “Why isn’t she ever full in the pic” or “Why you cut Jennifer out?” Some people are simply impossible to please.

Nirvana Would Fuck Up Their Live Shows In Delightfully Stupid Ways

Nirvana are much better-known for their catchy grunge tunes than for Kurt Cobain’s primal screaming, but it’s not like he was intentionally trying to ruin the songs. Unless he was playing live, that is. Here’s a compilation of clips of Cobain mumbling into the microphone, or putting on a fake stupid accent, or sometimes replacing his lyrics with caveman grunts:

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It’s more or less the Charlie Brown teacher voice.