#This thought brought to you by me last night thinking about how both John Thornton and Roger Hamley are physically described in their books | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

eberles · 4 years

Text

Rushed

Topper Thornton

(gif by @rafecameron :)

A/N: this is my way of saying thank you for getting me to a new milestone💖 please keep in mind this is my first time writing about the nasty😳(in case it’s really bad lol), feedback is always welcome!🥰☺️ enjoy!

Warnings: swearing, smutty smut, 18+

Topper knew he would see her, but he didn't expect to see her everywhere. However, it was a small town and completely unavoidable. First it was the beach, then the same restaurant, at the same red light, and now it was a Kook party and she brought him. The new guy. The guy she left Topper for, the one she cheated with.

“Topper, are you gonna stare at her all night?” you waved your hand in Topper’s face attempting to bring him back to earth. He was eyeballing Sarah and her new boyfriend; you didn’t blame him because you knew he was hurting, but you still craved his attention. You’d been best friends for years, even before he became friends with Rafe. You had a crush on him ever since you could remember and he never felt the same, it was obvious since he was always chasing after blondes. Topper met Sarah through you actually, and Sarah was your best girlfriend at the time and she was the only one who knew how you truly felt about Topper, but she didn’t care.

“Sorry, what were you saying?” Topper asked and you shook your head, giving him a look as if to say “you’re a dumbass.” You then smiled, grabbed his hand, and you both made your way to the kitchen, away from Sarah and John B and to where the booze was being held.

“You need a drink.” you laughed, entering the kitchen and pouring both you and Topper a drink into a red solo cup. “Are you okay?” you asked, handing him the drink.

“I just don’t understand why she would bring him here. It’s like she wants to rub it in my face.” Topper chugged his beer and held out his cup, signaling he wanted a refill, which you gave him.

“She’s a bitch, forget about her. Let’s go dance!” you moved away from the keg, grabbing Topper’s hand once again and pulling him towards where the music was the loudest. He laughed at your enthusiasm, letting you drag him to the middle of the floor, sweaty, dancing bodies all around you. You never let go of Topper’s hand as you found your spot, turning around to face him and the two of you danced causally to the music. You didn’t know, but Topper was admiring you as you danced. You’ve always been such a free spirit and never cared what anyone thought. He was envious, but it was always one of his favorite things about you. Topper watched as you spun around, your back facing him and he took the opportunity to grab onto your belt loops and pull you back into him. You gasped, but went along with it, your body heating up at the contact of Topper’s chest against you.

“You look hot tonight.” Topper whispered in your ear, holding onto your waist tightly and pulling you in closer to him. You rolled your head back so it was against his shoulder, feeling his breath fanning your ear as he whispered. You looked around for any sights of Sarah, worried that Topper was using you to make her jealous, but you didn’t see her. You continued grinding into him, your hands finding a spot on top of his to keep him in place. After a while the room started to disperse, however it already felt like it was just you and him, you were in such a daze, completely intoxicated by the power Topper had over you.

“I need a break.” you turned around facing Topper, panting slightly the humid room and the dancing getting the best of you. Topper held your hand leading you out of the living room and back to the kitchen. He handed you water after you jumped up on the counter, needing to give your legs a break. You guys passed the bottle back and forth a few times and you felt like the tension in the room was thick. You were both thinking the same thing and neither were sure where it came from. Topper moved forward making himself comfortable between your legs, his hands moving up and down on your thighs, giving you butterflies, creating a fire sensation over your body. Topper’s lips were on yours in an instant and his hands moved, gripping your hips roughly, yours thrown into his hair pulling on the ends. You pulled away from him suddenly earning a confused look from Topper. “What are we doing? I don’t-”

“You don’t what?” you felt conflicted, you’ve obviously dreamed of this for years now, but the last thing you wanted was to be some one night stand after a terrible break up of his. Topper kept his hands on your thighs, rubbing them slightly eager for you to finish what you were saying.

“I don’t wanna be some Sarah rebound. You’re my best friend and even if i’ve liked you since forever, I don’t want to ruin our friendship.” you rambled on, putting your head down as you spoke hoping to hide some of your embarrassment.

“Did you just say you liked me?” Topper questioned, you rolled your eyes pushing lightly on his chest when you looked up to see him smirking. “You’re not a rebound, you never could be.”

“Topper, just an hour ago you were staring at her and talking shit about her and John B.” you pointed out and he nodded agreeing with you and leaning in to kiss your neck softly, making you sigh.

“I know, and she did hurt me. But I have liked you ever since I can remember and those feelings came rushing back tonight.” Topper pulled away from your neck, grabbing your chin to make eye contact with you as he confessed his feelings.

“We’re not rushing into anything.” you whispered against his lips, leaning in for a kiss, which he deepened immediately. Topper put his hands back on your waist sliding you off the counter slowly so your legs were wrapped around his waist and he was holding you up. You felt Topper maneuvering through the house so you separated from his lips and began kissing his neck, quickly finding his sweet spot. You ended up in an empty bedroom in Kelce’s house, he kicked the door shut behind him and pinned you back against the wall, kissing you harshly, causing you to gasp giving him the perfect opportunity to trace your bottom lip with his tongue and slip it into your mouth. He carried you over to the bed, never once breaking the kiss and laid you down hovering above you. You ran your hands down his back pulling at the hem of his shirt, wanting it off and he got the hint, lifting away from you slightly to pull it off and you used the separation to take your shirt off as well, leaving your upper half completely naked.

“You’re so beautiful.” Topper cupped your breasts in his hands and kissed along your neck, licking and sucking here and there and he traveled down the valley of your breasts, replacing one of his hands with his tongue. You whimpered feeling his tongue on your hot skin, moaning when he swirled his tongue around your nipple, biting down gently, but just enough that a warmth was sent directly to your core.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Topper asked, traveling further down your body, his finger toying with the button on your jeans looking up at you for approval. You nodded eagerly, letting him continue to unbutton your pants and pull them down your legs. You closed your eyes, feeling him lightly pepper kisses on your lower stomach and slowly moved down, teasing you as he sucked and nipped at the skin on your inner thighs, definitely leaving marks. You whined, feeling him press a kiss to your center through your underwear and your hands flew to his hair, once again pulling at the short strands.

“What do you want, baby?” Topper whispered, teasing you by tracing over the hemline on your underwear with his fingertips causing your body to shiver.

“Please, Topper, no teasing.” you begged, wanting him to finally touch you. He chuckled against you and slowly pulled your underwear down your legs, leaving you bare in front of him. Topper pushed your legs further apart and your hips bucked in anticipation. Topper pressed down on your clit lightly before running a finger down your wet slit and slipping a finger inside you pumping it in and out a few times. Topper looked up at you after hearing you struggling to keep your moans in and smirked at the sight of you in front of him. Your eyes were shut, mouth open slightly letting out small pants, and your hand was gripping the sheets. Topper added another finger and you gasped, biting your lip wanting to keep your loud moans in check as he attached his lips to your clit sucking slightly. “Holy fuck, Top” Your back was arching off the bed as you came Topper’s fingers pumping still inside you, feeling your juices coating his fingers and tongue. You were panting louder now and Topper let you finish off your high and licked you clean, before pulling his face away from you core.

“I want you so bad, baby.” Topper stood up finally removing his pants and hovering over you, kissing you roughly and you could taste yourself on his tongue. You could feel his hardness poking at your lower stomach through his underwear, reaching your hand down you palmed him through his boxers. Topper's breath hitched in his throat and you pressed your hands to his chest pushing him on his back. You hovered over him still kissing all over his chest and pulling his boxers down slowly, watching his hard member spring free. You kissed your way down his body, grabbing him in your hands and licking his tip ever so slightly, swirling your tongue around his head.

“I’m not gonna last if you continue.” Topper grabbed your neck, pulling you up and pushing on your back again, wanting to be inside you already. He kept his hand on your throat, squeezing the sides lightly, when he teased your entrance with his dick, making you let out a whimper. He ran his tip along your slit multiple times before slipping inside you, both of you groaning out in pleasure as he pushed his way deep inside you. “Fuck, you’re tight.”

“Topper, oh fuck.” Topper knew what he was doing and he wasn’t afraid to show it, hitting that spot deep inside of you with every thrust, your head tipped back and your legs trembled. He bottomed out inside you and quickened his pace, causing your vision to go blurry in pleasure. You were moaning and whimpering left and right, not able to contain it, your legs shaking about to have your second orgasm. Topper’s hand stayed around your neck and his eyes were locked on yours the whole time. His thrusts started to get sloppier indicating he was close and he removed his hand from your neck, rubbing circles into your clit. You felt the heat pool up in your stomach as you were reaching your high. “I’m gonna cum-fuck.”

Topper came just after you and he pulled out slowly and you gasped feeling the emptiness right away. He laid down on the bed next to you, both of you feeling dazed and blissed out, cheeks red and lips swollen. “So much for not rushing it.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#outer banks #topper thornton #topper thornton imagine #topper thornton x reader #topper thornton smut #austin north #outer banks imagine #topper thorton x reader #topper thorton imagine #topper thorton smut

554 notes · View notes

12yeahiminluvwu · 4 years

Text

Do You Think JJ Would Still Wanna Go Out With Me?

pairing - Rafe Cameron x Cameron!Reader, Male OC x Cameron!Reader

summary- Requested by anon! “omg i loved the thornton reader one aa😔 can i get one like that except it’s cameron reader and she breaks up w her bf (u can name him anything) and sarah and rafe comfort her”

word count- 970

warning(s)- swearing, breaking up, brother/sister love (in the most platonic way- we don’t do incest in this house lmaoooo)

So, I left Sarah out of this because I thought it would be more fun if it was just Rafe, but I hope you still like it! I’m sorry it took so long!!!

---------------------------

“I’m so fucking done with your bullshit!” You yelled at Tucker, your soon-to-be ex-boyfriend. Your hand, reached for your hair, as if tugging on it would relieve some of the stress you were feeling right now.

“Then fucking leave! Sarah’s always been the better twin anyway! I feel so bad for her for getting you as a sister!” He yelled back and your blood began to boil.

“Oh, oh yeah. You know, you always go back to the same damn thing. “Sarah’s the better twin!” If she’s so much better then why did you even bother asking me out?” You began to pace around the room, waiting for him to respond to you. It was true. In every fight you’d ever had, he always brought up something about your twin sister being better than you.

It was no secret that Sarah was the popular twin, but you had almost the exact same personality. Anyone that knew both of you, knew that. But for some reason, it always got to you when he brought it up. It made you feel inferior, like he was only with you to get closer to her.

“Maybe I just felt bad for little old y/n. Wanted to give you a shot at the big leagues. Lord knows, no one else would have asked you out…” He said. Your heart dropped, your movement seized, all you could do was stand there and look at him.

“Is that really what you think?” You whispered, suddenly feeling small. He nodded and you felt the tears well up in your eyes. The air around you felt thick and hard to breathe. It seemed as if your whole world had just been burned down. Yeah, you knew your boyfriend was an ass hole, and you were going to break up with him, but the worlds he was spitting at you were like daggers, piercing into your skin syllable by syllable.

Lord knows, no one else would have asked you out… raced through your mind, playing over and over again, almost until they lost all meaning, seeming to just be sounds, echoing in the distance.

“Well, if that’s how you feel, then don’t bother bearing the burden of giving little old y/n a shot at the big leagues. Consider yourself off the fucking hook.” You said quietly. Tucker stood in front of you, not moving. Something inside of you broke at the sight of him standing motionless, causing you to move quickly towards him. You pushed him backward, out the door he was standing in front of and closer to his car.

“Just fucking go!” You yelled, and he flinched away from you, running to the Jeep and getting in quickly.

Your face burned hot with tears as you rushed up to your room, slamming the door behind you. You buried your face in a pillow, hoping to muffle the sobs that escaped through your lips.

A few moments passed before a cold burst of air wafted through your room, signaling that someone had just opened your door.

“Hey kiddo… you good?” You heard from behind you. It was Rafe, your brother.

“Do I look good?” You shot back, not lifting your face from the pillow. He sighed, walked closer to you. You and your brother had always had a strange relationship. You never liked the way he treated the pogues, or how he did drugs, but he always stuck up for you when you needed him. Over the years, you’d bonded over not being the favorite child, that still didn’t excuse his behavior.

The bed sunk down beside you, and a hand lightly found its way on to your shoulder. You shifted so that you could lay on him, like you always did when one of you was sad. It was a coping mechanism you’d both fallen into as a way to make up for the affection you never got from your father. His breathing grounded you, keeping you from drifting off into an endless spiral of thoughts and emotions.

“Everything he said was wrong… you know that right?” He finally said after a beat of silence.

“Is he though? Is he wrong?”You choked out. Your throat ached from the crying and heavy breathing. Rafe held onto you a little tighter, he could feel your broken heart in the world you spoke.

“You know, I never thought I would be the one to tell you this, but any guy would be lucky to have you… Do you remember last year when I got into that huge fight with JJ Maybank?” He asked you. You recalled the confrontation. It had been at a kegger they’d thrown at the boneyard. Everything was going fine and well, you’d been hanging with JJ most of the night as Sarah shamelessly flirted with John B despite still being with Topper, and you’d stepped away for less than five minutes before it happened. All hell broke loose. Your brother, high as a hot air balloon, was knocking JJ around and when all was said and done, the blond surfer boy was nowhere to be seen. He’d been avoiding you ever since the incident, and you never knew why.

“It was because he was going to ask you out, but I knew that Tucker was going to make a move and I didn’t want you hanging out with that dirty pogue… I was wrong to interfere, and I’m sorry…” He confessed and you raised your eyebrows.

“Next time I hear a girl say she wants to go out with you, maybe I’ll beat her ass just to get back at you…” He laughed at your words and ruffled your hair, knowing the mood was a little lighter.

You laid with your brother, letting the silence engulf you. After a few moments, you spoke up, breaking the quiet streak.

“Do you think JJ would still wanna go out with me?”

182 notes · View notes

outerbanksjjforever · 3 years

Text

Romeo and Juliet

Pairing: JJ Maybank x Tessa Thornton.

Warnings: None.

A/N: 1.4k words.

Requests: Open.

Summary: JJ takes Tessa on a date a week after they met, but during their date, they run into someone they definitely didn’t want to.

Masterlist Part 1

“Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” -William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.

It had been a week since JJ last saw her. It was driving him insane. He thought about going to the house, but the only thing stopping him was Topper. Topper would surely call the cops on him if he noticed JJ sneaking around the house. Not to mention him stealing his sister that he has kept a secret for so long.

JJ met up with Sarah, she agreed to helping him find a way to sneak into the house. “Topper usually keeps a close eye on her, he is really protective over her, so the only way for her to get out is she either sneaks away or you sneak in.” Sarah said. “How am I gonna get in there if Topper’s there?” JJ asked. “Maybe I can find a way to get Topper out, long enough for you to grab her and sneak out.” Sarah said. “How are you going to do that? John B will be pissed if he finds out you were hanging with Topper.” JJ said. “Ill bring my brother!” Sarah said. “So, you want me to sneak into Topper’s house, steal his sister, with not only Topper in the house, but Rafe too!?” JJ whisper shouted. “Ok, yeah I see the issue there. Maybe ill get Rafe to ask Topper to go golfing. Topper wont ever pass up on going golfing. I’ll go over to the house and pretend like I’m hanging out with Tessa, so then he won’t be worried and if we are both gone when he gets back, I can just say she is with me.” Sarah said. “Will Rafe agree to this?” JJ asked. “I’ll make him. Trust me. He owes me one anyway.” She said.

***

Rafe had texted Topper and asked him if he wanted to go play golf. Of course, Rafe did it, Sarah said if he didn’t, she was going to tell their dad about all the drugs he does. Sarah and Rafe got to Toppers house. “Oh, you brought Sarah” Topper said, as he opened the door seeing Rafe and Sarah both standing there. “Yeah. I’m going to hang out with you sister while you two golf.” Sarah said, as she pushed past him and walked into the house. “Oh, ok.” Topper said, as him and Rafe went to go golfing.

Sarah walked upstairs and practically barged into Tessa’s room. Tessa jumped when she saw Sarah. “What are you doing?” Tessa asked. “Shut up. You have to get ready. I kicked your brother out of the house saying you were hanging with me, but JJ’s coming to see you.” Sarah said. Tessa stopped breathing when she heard JJ’s name. She would ask Sarah about him, within the past week. She found out that he is a Pogue, and the John B Sarah is dating is best friends with JJ. Tessa shot up out of her bed. “What are me and JJ going to do?” Tessa asked. “I don’t know. He said it was a surprise” Sarah said. “A surprise?” Tessa whispered to herself, wondering what it could be. Sarah was throwing clothes everywhere trying to find something perfect for Tessa to wear. Tessa wasn’t paying attention, just daydreaming about what her and JJ were going to do. “A ha!” Sarah shouted. She was holding a white, long sleeve, off the shoulder crop top. “You look stunning in this; he won’t be able to take his eyes off of you!” Sarah said. She threw the shirt at Tessa and told her to put it on, while she found the perfect bottoms for her to wear. She originally wanted Tessa to wear jean shorts, but she ended up finding a skirt that looked really well with the top. It was a high waisted light pink pastel skirt. It always looked perfect with the top. Sarah threw Tessa the skirt and she put it on. Once Tessa came out and showed Sarah, she smiled at her. “Aw. You look so pretty!” Sarah said, walking over to Tessa and giving her a hug. “JJ won’t be able to resist you in this outfit.” She said. She grabbed Tessa’s hand pulling her over to her makeup table. She didn’t put much makeup on Tessa, just some mascara and light pink lipstick. Tessa got her hair done, leaving it straight. Sarah pulled out her phone and texted JJ that Rafe and Topper had left and for him to come. Within a few minutes JJ would be here.

Tessa was super excited, but also really nervous. Sarah tried calming her down by telling her that JJ was the type of person to always keep the conversation going. So they would never be in awkward silence. Within 10 minutes. She heard JJ pull up. Tessa ran down the stairs, with Sarah right on her heels. The doorbell rang the same time Tessa opened the door. “Oh” JJ said, then he looked at her and a huge smile appeared on his face. “Hi” he said. “Hi” Tessa said. Tessa looked past JJ and saw a motorcycle in her driveway. JJ was looking at Tessa. He couldn’t form words, she swept him off his feet with her beauty. “Wait, is that what we are riding on?” Tessa asked. Tessa had never ridden a motorcycle. Sure, Rafe tried to get her to go on his, but of course she would never trust him. The idea of getting on one with JJ was thrilling. “JJ, I swear to god if you kill her on that motorcycle, I’ll kill you” Sarah threatened him. “Relax. I’ll go slow.” JJ said, looking over at Tessa and smiling. “Ok, well have fun you two. I’ll leave and if Topper messages me, I’ll tell him you’re with me and don’t have your phone.” Sarah said to Tessa. “Thank you” Tessa said, giving Sarah a hug before the her and JJ left.

JJ got on the motorcycle starting it up. “Wearing a skirt probably wasn’t the best idea.” Tessa thought. “Thank god it was a longer one.” she thought. Tessa got on the back of it, freaking out a bit. “You better hold on tight spider monkey.” JJ said before he took off.

JJ had taken her to the beach. He parked the motorcycle. Helping her get off first. “Um, I didn’t bring a bathing suit.” Tessa said, looking out at the ocean. It was also dark out; she didn’t expect to be going swimming at night. “That’s ok. I have another plan. Come on.” He said, grabbing her hand, leading her to wherever it was that he wanted to go.

After walking for a little while JJ and Tessa got to a cave. Tessa stopped; JJ turned looking at her confused. “You’re taking me here to kill me?” Tessa said, while laughing. He started laughing. “I didn’t realize how creepy this looked till now. No, I’m not, I have something set up inside.” He said. They both continued into the cave. Tessa gasped when she entered. JJ had set up fairy lights all over the cave walls, he had a bunch of blankets and pillows on the ground, with snacks all around and a movie projector. “Well, whatcha think?” He asked. “Oh my god, JJ, It’s perfect!” Tessa shouted. He smiled, sitting down on the blankets. He reached out his hand for her to take it. She gladly joined him. “I remember my English teacher one time was talking about how they made Romeo and Juliet into a movie, so I figure I’d put it on for us to watch. Have you ever watched the movie?” He asked. “Oh! Yeah, I have! It’s great!” she said from excitement. This was the most perfect thing Tessa had ever seen in her life. JJ was perfect. They cuddled while watching the movie. “It felt nice being in his arms.” Tessa thought. JJ loved having Tessa in his arms as well. He never wanted to let go. You guys had gotten through the movie. Half asleep when you heard laughter. They both ignored it, not wanting to move, and neither of you cared. They both kept hearing it get closer and closer. “Probably just some drunk teenagers, they won’t find us in here.” Tessa thought.

“Tessa!?” Both of you heard a familiar voice call out. JJ jumped up; eyes widened. That’s when Tessa realized the voice came from her brother, Topper.

45 notes · View notes

writingwithciara · 4 years

Text

Silent Auction (1) ~Topper Thornton~

summary: Kildare County High School decides to have an auction to save the arts programs. all the students are up for grabs and y/n is purchased by the least likely person. her worst nightmare. her nemesis. someone who doesn’t even attend the school.

word count: 1.4k

pairings: topper x reader, pope x kiara

warnings: fluff, enemies to friends (kinda)

a/n: i was watching zoey 101 and this idea popped into my head.

← previous next →

masterlist

“What’s with the assembly?” Kiara asked as she sat with the pogues sat at the back of the auditorium.

“I heard that someone went missing.” JJ laughed as he leaned over. y/n slapped his chest and pushed him back.

“Shut up, JJ.” she laughed.

“I heard there was a meeting last night and that one of the programs was being cut.” John B informed the group. “I heard it was the drama department.”

“What? No. That’s entirely unfair.” y/n gasped. “If anything, it should be the History program.” she teased, knowing how much John B loved History class.

“Relax guys. I’m sure it’s neither of those.” Kiara smiled and looked through her phone.

The principal got up on the stage and propped the microphone at her level.

“Good morning staff and students. The purpose of today’s assembly is to discuss the problem we’ve been having with the funding.” she looked down at her notes and continued talking. “It has been brought to my attention that we’ve gone overboard on the budget for this years activities and that we need to cancel a program. At last nights school meeting, your teachers and I put our heads together and figured out what program wasn’t getting as much participants as the others, and therefore, has to be cut out of the budget.”

“It’s totally the arts program.” John B smiled and whispered in y/n’s ear. She slapped his arm as he laughed.

“Shut up, John B.”

“Unfortunately, we will be cutting funding for the arts department.” the principal spoke in a sad tone. Tons of people murmured to the people around them. “I know, I know. It’s a very sad decision but not a lot of students here are really all that interested in the department. I was shocked and thought it would’ve been the History department.” she sighed. “I love the arts program and it pains me to have to see it get taken away, but it’s what needs to be done.” she looked out at the sea of students and teachers. “That will be all. You may now return to your classrooms.” she ended the assembly and walked off-stage.

Y/n and Pope returned to their soon-to-be-cut Art class and sat at their stations.

“Man, this blows. Just when I get good at art, they cut the program.” Pope sighed and picked up a brush. Their teacher, Mr Marzello, entered the room and sat down at his desk.

“I was not expecting that to happen.” he moped. “With the cuts, this means that this will be our final week together. I will miss you all.” he looked at all 11 of his students. Pope was undoubtedly the favorite, as he was the most improved, with y/n coming in a close 2nd. “Now, for your assignment, I would like you to do a painting that represents you. You can make it as creative, or plain as you wish. This will be your final assignment and will be due at the end of the week.”

“This really sucks.” Pope set his brush down and looked at the canvas in front of him. It was blank, aside from a blue dot sitting in the middle.

Y/n admired his creativity and looked over at her own canvas. It was a pure white canvas. She couldn’t bring herself to even think about the class, knowing it was going to end. She tapped the brush on the edge as she thought of an idea to save the program. When she got one, she sat up straighter and smiled.

“I know that look.” Pope smiled at his best friend. “You’ve got an idea on how to save the program, don’t you?” As she nodded, both their smiled grew bigger and she told him her idea.

At the end of class, they were the last two to leave, as usual. They approached Mr Marzello’s desk with mischievous looks on their faces. He looked up and was startled.

“Hey, guys. What’s up?”

“We thought of a way we could raise money and save the program.” Pope began.

“And we’re gonna need your help.” y/n finished. She proceeded to tell their teacher everything he needed to hear.

As the final bell for the day rang, Pope and y/n met up with Mr Marzello and they headed into the principal’s office.

“Ms. Nickols, these two lovely students came up with a pretty neat fundraiser idea that may just save the arts programs.”

“What’s the idea?”

“We have a silent auction.”

“What would we be auctioning?” the principal was in the edge of her seat as the three of them explained it all to her.

“We’d be auctioning off a bunch of people. All we gotta do is find anyone who’s willing to be bought.”

“Okay. How would the silent auction work, exactly?”

“Easy.” Pope smiled. “We find the participants, and instead of having their pictures on the forms, we assign them all numbers. People can then bid on whatever number they think they’ll want and when the time is up, we sell the participants. They don’t have to be for dates or anything, either. The winners can use them for whatever.”

“That sounds brilliant. But we’ll need at least two supervisors, myself and someone else, for this event and it’s gonna take some planning.”

“I’m willing to be a supervisor and I know these two are already planning it. Look at them. They’re planning it as we speak.” the two adults looked at the teenagers who were whispering to each other.

“Okay. You got yourselves a deal.” the principal smiled and watched the trio exit her office in the happiest of moods.

---------------

4 days later, Pope and y/n had set everything up and they smiled at each other as they watched the auditorium fill up with people.

“I almost forgot.” y/n smiled and handed Pope a piece of paper. “I signed you up for this.”

“What a coincidence, because,” he smiled and gave her a number. “I signed you up too.”

“I bet I’ll get more than you.” she stuck her tongue out and continued signing people in.

“In your dreams, darling.” he chuckled.

After the 3 hours was up, Mr Marzello retrieved all the clipboards and handed them to Ms Nickols.

“Welcome to the first ever Kildare County High Silent Auction.” she greeted the crowd and it was met with tons of cheers. “First up, we have Jasmine Vingras.”

The night went on and it felt like it took forever for them to get through all 42 participants. Pope and y/n looked at each other and smiled.

“This was quite a turn out, tonight. I’m so happy that we’ve raised enough money to save the arts program and have enough let over to put away for next year.” Pope smiled.

“Yeah. And we’re the last two participants so we’re gonna get a lot more.” y/n replied with a smile.

“And now, the first of our masterminds behind this auction, #43. Mr Pope Heyward.”

“Good luck, Pope.” y/n smiled as he climbed onto the stage.

“This lovely boy was auctioned for,” Mr Marzello looked down at Pope’s clipboard. “Wow. He was auctioned for $1500 to Ms Carrera.”

Kiara stood up and smiled as he looked at her in shock. he climbed off the stage and walked over to the girl.

“Why’d you spend so much and how’d you know it was me?” he chuckled.

“Because I like you, dummy. And I figured it was you when I heard you and y/n talking to each other at the beginning of the event.” she blushed.

“I’m glad you bought me.” he smiled and they walked to the side of the stage.

“Now, time for the final participant of the evening. Ms y/l/n.” Ms Nickols smiled and the crowd clapped as y/n walked up on stage.

JJ looked at his friends and smirked. “I put a pretty big bid down her sheet. I’m hoping it was enough to get her.

“Ms y/ln was auctioned off for a whopping...” Ms Nickols looked at the clipboard and her eyes widened. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is the highest bid ever. The lovely young lady standing on stage with me, earned the school over 10 grand alone. She was auctioned off at a grand total of $15,000 to a Mr....” she squinted and looked at the paper. “Mr Thornton.”

The pogues all looked around the room and when they saw Topper standing and scratching the back of his neck, they were shocked.

Topper Thornton. Enemy to Pogues and Nemesis to y/n herself. This was unbelievable.

tags:

@spilledtee @im-a-stranger-thing @ameeraaa21 @jellyfishbeansontoast @obxmxybxnk @http-cherries @ijustreallylovethem @maggiesrandomness @softstarkey @poguesgold @jjouterbanks

#topper thorton x reader #topper obx #topper thornton #topper x reader

128 notes · View notes

fivelakesinwriting · 3 years

Text

Preview Party

In an attempt to get myself excited about my own works below is a collection of a few blurbs of some of the things I'm working on, and will hopefully be released in the next little bit!

Please let me know what you think, it would mean a lot to me xoxo

Warnings: Previews include cheating, swearing, angst, drinking and sexual innuendos.

*My work is not to be transferred, copied, translated or reposted to any other sites without my permission. Please see my masterlist for all other works and warnings. Thank you! xoxo

Previews:

The Other Woman Part 2 {Ward Cameron}

Out of Character Part 13 {Rafe Cameron}

Enough Part 2 {Rafe Cameron}

Private Party Part 2 {Rafe Cameron}

Let's go...

The Other Woman Part 2- Ward Cameron

As Rose went to open her mouth in response, Ward walked up to the women in his life who had somehow gravitated towards one another. He undid one of the buttons of his suit jacket as he stood in front of Stella, a hand placed gently on Rose's back. "Stella, you made it." Ward grinned at her, his eyebrows raised quickly as he took note of the plunging neckline of her dress. He knew Rose hated the very sight of it on her. "Hello, Ward." Stella replied softly, clearing her throat. Why did he have to look so good in a suit? "Ward, I'm going to check on the food. The wait staff is not circling enough with the hors d'oeuvres." Rose sighed as she placed her glass of champagne down on the bar then walked away quickly towards the back of the venue. "Oh, no. Not the hors d'oeuvres, Ward." Stella mumbled as she brought her glass of gin up to her lips. Ward breathed out a laugh through his nostrils as he took the few small steps towards the bar to stand beside Stella. He tossed a hand up to the bartender, and watched as the man behind the bar scurried to produce another Scotch, neat, in front of the most powerful man in the Outer Banks.

***

Out of Character Part 13 - Rafe Cameron

"She's not a hookup, man. She's my -" JJ stopped, his bottom lip tucked too tight between his teeth as he thought about all the things Gemma could be to him. "She's what, JJ?" John B questioned firmly, his voice getting too loud for JJ's liking in the silent bushes. "Last time I checked she was Rafe Cameron's girlfriend. Not yours. So I don't know what you're doing here with a crowbar, dressed up like a bank-robber." John B continued as he pulled at the top of JJ's hood. "Stop, alright. I didn't ask you to come here with me. So if you're gonna do this now, then leave." JJ snarled as he grabbed at John B's forearm to stop how he grabbed at his clothes. "I don't want to watch you get tossed away in juvie or watch Anthony Mercer put you in the ground because of some girl, JJ." John B replied as he grabbed at JJ's shoulders, giving him a firm shake. "Shut up. The light's off." JJ whispered, his hand covering John B's mouth while the other pointed at the room on the first floor of the Mercer house. "What light?" John B grumbled into JJ's hand as he looked back towards the house. "Anthony's office. He's going to bed, or at least he's not downstairs anymore. It's quiet on the Western front. I'm going in. Keep watch out here. Sometimes he goes out for a cigar at the end of the night." JJ muttered as he grabbed the crowbar at his feet and made his way towards the the side of the house, where the lattice he so frequently used waited for him. "JJ, the house faces the East! And what am I supposed to do if I see him? JJ, answer me!" John B called out with a harsh whisper through the bushes.

Enough Part 2 {Rafe Cameron}

The Thornton house was filled to bring with attractive kids, but Rafe had yet to see the girl he had been missing. He twisted his ring around his index finger as he slowly made his way from the back of the house and out to the back lawn. Across the yard, by the pool, he saw her sitting with her feet dipped in the water sitting next to Sarah's friend Scarlett. She had a small smile on her face as she listened to whatever story Scarlett told her, but he could see she was just as sad as they day in his bedroom when he told her their relationship as it was, would have to be enough. Rafe took a deep breath, then made his way across the lawn, kicking a couple of discarded cups along the way. He kept his eyes on his prize the whole time, watching as Scarlett whispered something in Her ear before standing up and walking away. Rafe made his move and walked quickly over to where she sat, sitting beside her before she was able to register that the body heat beside her had gone up several degrees. "Can we talk?" Rafe asked under his breath as he crouched beside someone he used to call 'his', if only to his friends. "Depends. Is your answer different?" She questioned before she brought her cup to her lips. Rafe hated that she wouldn't look at him. Her eyes were either straight ahead, or on her feet as her toes touched the water of the pool, but never on him. "That's why I want to talk to you." Rafe replied, still twisting his ring around his finger. "You get two minutes, Cameron." She sighed as she pulled her feet out of the pool to stand up straight again. She gestured forward to let him lead the way, bringing her cup to her lips again for a generous sip to calm her nerves.

Private Party Part 2 {Rafe Cameron}

"I can't believe you don't want even a little party." She stated as she laid her body flat on his, her breasts pressed to his chest.

"I think you're under the impression that we won't be doing anything for my birthday tomorrow. And that's not the case. Because I already have something in mind." Rafe grinned as his fingers pulled at the soft satin of her bed-shorts to keep her impossibly close.

"Can I know what it is?" She asked as she tried to sit upright, but Rafe refused her movement. He placed a hand on her lower back and forced her to stay flat on top of him.

"Nope." Rafe replied as he closed his eyes and held his girlfriend's backside in the palms of his hands, his fingertips creeping beneath the hem of her shorts.

"Rafe, you can't hold me hostage on top of you like this all night. This isn't comfy." She whined as she wriggled on top of him, her hands reaching for his wrists to pull his palms from her backside.

"Comfy? Hmm. You're gonna have a rough time tomorrow if you find this uncomfortable, pretty girl." Rafe grinned with a firm squeeze of her backside with both hands, his eyes still closed.

"Rafe.." She trailed off with a warning tone, her hands to pressed to his chest as she used all her strength to battle his biceps and sit upright. She looked down at his cocky smile as he kept his eyes closed, his hands still firmly planted on her ass.

"Go to sleep. It's my birthday tomorrow." Rafe replied softly as he removed a hand from her backside to press it against her lower back, slowly lowering her back down against him. He wrapped his biceps around her body and gave a squeeze, he could feel her heart racing against his chest. Please let me know what you think of these if you have a moment. I'm hoping I get a burst of inspiration to cap these off sooner rather than later...

THANK YOU! XOXO

#obx fics #obx imagines #obx rafe #preview party

3 notes · View notes

jade4813 · 4 years

Text

Like Moths to a Flame, Chapter 1

Fandom: North and South

Title: Like Moths to a Flame

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: John/Margaret

Synopsis: “I hope you realize that any foolish passion for you on my part is entirely over." Margaret decides to confront John about his unjust judgment of her character, but the two have always been drawn to each other, and things quickly get out of hand. In the aftermath, she agrees to marry him to satisfy propriety, but she cannot forget how ready he was to believe the worst of her. Can love survive without trust, or will the two find a way to work through the misunderstandings that have plagued their relationship from the start?

Author’s Notes: I am new to the North and South fandom and am regrettably neither a historian, nor an expert on the etiquette or language of the time. I hope you will forgive any inaccuracies in these areas, as this is my first fanfic set outside of the modern era.

“I hope you realize that any foolish passion for you on my part is entirely over. I’m looking to the future.”

John Thornton truly was the most infuriating man. Margaret had stood there in mortification, in mute, ineffectual apology during his condemnation of her character, and she had felt something inside her wither and die at the coldness in his eyes. Unable to offer him explanation, she had withstood his rebuke and had keenly felt his absence and rejection after he’d walked away.

She had borne much since her life had been uprooted from her bright, happy home in Helstone to the dark, dirty, smoky world of Milton. She could bear this too, she told herself as his footsteps thundered down the stairs and out the door, not even an hour after his harsh censure.

But then, as darkness blanketed the world outside and the sounds of the mills that supported the town stilled for the night, Margaret found herself unable to stop thinking of his eyes, how they had burned bright with passion even through the wintry chill of his words.

How dare he speak to her that way? How dare he lay his accusations at her feet and then storm away with all the hauteur and wounded dignity of a hundred “proper” gentlemen? Without offering a chance to acquit herself or…well, perhaps he had given her such a chance, but she had explained why she was not at liberty to take it. He had proven himself faithless, abandoning her the instant her character was called into question. He, who had once professed that he loved her.

She had known it was duty and honor – and not sentiment – that had once compelled him to ask for her hand.

Filled with impotent frustration and mute ire, Margaret sought out the privacy of her bedroom and leaned against the door, sucking in a few long breaths. Were she a man, she could have expressed her riotous feelings more appropriately – or, in the eyes of society, more inappropriately, as the case might be. Were she Mr Thornton, she could have pounded her fists against some inanimate object (even in her rage, Margaret could not imagine physically striking a person , although the subject of her current thoughts certainly tested that resolve) until her energy was spent and her wounded feelings sated. But she was not a man of any sort – definitely not of his sort – and so she was forced to accept life’s challenges with grace, outwardly maintaining a placid equanimity that was in direct opposition to the war waging in her heart.

But no more. Mr Thornton – John – would answer for his faithlessness, for his unjust recriminations of her character. Fueled by indignation and driven forth by rage, Margaret did not stop to think about the wisdom of her actions as she crept out of her bedroom and slunk along the landing. At the top of the stairs, she paused and strained her hearing, listening for signs of her parents and of Dixon. All would be lost if she were caught on this desperate, foolish errand – her reputation not least of all.

A wiser, calmer woman might have been deterred by the thought, but Margaret’s wisdom and poise had been swept away by the tide of her ire. Mr Thornton would not come to her, he had made that perfectly clear. So she would go to him. And theirs was not a conversation that should be had in the harsh light of day, with listening ears all around, searching for any spark that might be coaxed into a salacious scandal.

Ignoring that last whisper of better judgment in the back of her mind, warning against her current course of action, Margaret crept down the stairs, retrieved her coat and a scarf to disguise her appearance, and slunk through the front door, softly closing it behind her. A quick glance around the city streets revealed no witnesses to her reckless flight. Even a city like Milton slept sometimes.

She tiptoed down the front steps to the street and then continued her careful progression forward until she was certain her nocturnal perambulation would not be overheard by the occupants of her home. Then, with steady, determined steps, she turned toward the mill.

The Master of Marlborough Mills would discover that he was not the only one with a temper this night. She swore he would pay for the injury he had inflicted upon her character, her pride…and, though she was not yet ready to acknowledge as much, even to herself, to her heart.

It never even occurred to her that he might not be at the mill. John Thornton was – according to all the Milton gossips, at least, of which there were many – always at the mill. Still, her heart lurched and she inwardly when she crept through the front gate and saw the light flickering through his office window. How much better it would have been if she had found his window darked, the mill deserted! She could have slunk back to the safety of hearth and home, tail tucked between her legs, to once more firmly replace the shroud of respectability around her shoulders.

With her quarry located, she had no excuse, and so she straightened her spine (not that she had ever truly slumped – both breeding and corset prevented such an uncouth action), set her chin at a belligerent angle, and made her way toward the office in question.

How different the mill was at night! How quiet! The occasional tuft of cotton fluff, soft as a feather and white as snow, drifted through the air, swept aloft by random breeze and her own passing movement. But the machines lay silent and dormant, crouching monstrosities in the darkness that waited for the light of day to spring to life once more.

If she hesitated for so much as a moment, she knew she would lose her nerve, and so she did not allow herself that luxury as she charged towards his office. She did not even pause to knock on the door, let alone to wonder if he might not be inside. Instead, she flung open the door with all the anger and much more confidence than she felt and stepped into the room, placing her hands defiantly upon her hips as she faced off against he who had sent many a full-grown man quavering in their boots.

“Mr Thornton! You truly are the most aggravating man!” she declared.

A fraction of her tattered confidence fled when he looked up at her with those blue eyes that alternated in her memory and imagination between freezing colder than the Northern winter and burning hotter than any flame. At the sight of her, he stilled, then rose to his feet to tower over her with every inch of his impressive height.

Had he somehow grown in the intervening hours since their last meeting? She didn’t remember him being quite so tall. Or imposing. Or…oh, my, but she could see why he sent so many men fleeing before his wrath. There truly was something quite daunting about him.

Fury was etched into every line of his face, but she could hear his struggle to keep his voice low and controlled when he demanded, “Miss Hale. What are you doing here? It is improper for you to be out at this hour.”

“What does that matter?” she shot back with a little toss of her head. “We both know what you have decided about my character. What more could I stand to lose?”

“A great deal,” he growled through gritted teeth. “Now return home before you are seen and it—”

“Not until I tell you that you are the most infuriating man!”

For just a moment, the edges of his mouth quirked up, and she could swear he was fighting a smile. Then his features smoothed and he looked at her with that mixture of anger and condemnation once more. “Which you have now done. Is there anything else, or will you finally attend to the damage to your reputation that—”

“I’m not done!” she snapped, cutting him off, though she wasn’t entirely sure what else she wanted to say. As she struggled to find the words, he moved around his desk to stand before her. Tall, dark, imposing, and utterly tempting man that he was. Swallowing heavily, she strove to hide her body’s reaction to his proximity as she continued, “You have judged me – dismissed me – for one single incident, without even attempting to understand!” At this, she faltered as her innate honesty compelled her to admit, “True, I cannot explain the circumstances to you without betraying another’s secrets. But it is not what you think, and you are determined to think the worst of me!”

When he opened his mouth to answer this accusation, she wished she could step away from the verbal injury she was sure he was about to inflict, but she forced herself to stand firm. “Your behavior this evening has certainly proven my assumption wrong,” he replied in a wry voice that hurt worse than his earlier anger.

The ire that had propelled her across town was ebbing away in the face of abject defeat of her purpose, and Margaret heard the resignation in her voice as she replied, “I would not be here if you – your faith in me fled at the first test of its sincerity. You, who once claimed to love me.”

If possible, he only straightened more in the face of this charge. Somehow grew even larger and more imposing. With all the biting anger of his earlier proclamation, which had brought her to his door, he snarled, “My feelings for you were real. I would think, as offensive as you once found my attentions, you would find our current change of circumstances to be a relief.”

His words brought back a fraction of her earlier fire, and she tilted her head back in an attempt to look down her nose at him (which was very far back, indeed, and she feared would have led to her falling over if she hadn’t reconciled herself to looking down her nose at the top button of his shirt instead – which is how she came to process that he was not wearing a cravat, which sent her into an emotional tailspin from which she might never recover). In as haughty of a voice as she could muster, she declared, “I…I dislike you!” At that rather less-than-impressive announcement, she saw the corners of his lips soften and twitch again, and this time there was no denying it. He definitely smiled. Not that she could blame him. She wanted to come at him like a Fury, but her lifelong lessons on good breeding, deportment, and civility constrained her tongue to speak in such tepid terms. Girding her metaphorical loins, she attempted to straighten her already ramrod-straight spine and tried again. “Immensely.”

He was still amused, damn him , and all of her earlier resolutions about not striking another person went out the window. Over the course of their conversation, he had shifted closer to her, until he was only an arm’s length away. Breaching the remaining distance, she lifted her fists in the air and struck him with the long plane of her forearm and the fleshy part of her hand.

She might as well have struck him with a tuft of cotton, for all that her blow moved him. She tried again. “I-I hate you!” she growled, striving for more vehemence but failing miserably in the face of her lie.

She didn’t hate him. Or perhaps she did. Her heart yearned for him and fled from him in equal measure, until she didn’t know what she wanted anymore. Other than for him to look at her the way he once had, before Frederick’s visit and their awful misunderstanding.

Her voice fell to a whisper as she tried again. “I hate you.” But this time, her arms didn’t lift to pound feather-light punches against his chest – already an unspeakable breach of proper etiquette. Instead, her hands softened, unclenching, palms turning toward his body to slide up, along the fabric of his coat, fingers finally finding purchase along the strong line of his shoulders, where they dug in and refused to let go. “I do,” she offered finally in a shaky, uncertain whisper.

His eyes hadn’t left her from the moment that she entered the room. They didn’t leave her now. He watched her like a hawk assessing its prey, silently cataloguing the slightest movement, searching for a sign of weakness. His chin ducked a fraction lower, and her head fell back until her lips were inches from his own.

“I believe you,” he finally murmured in that heavy burr that haunted her dreams. He leaned in. Hesitated. Leaned in again. And then his mouth was on hers, swallowing her gasp of surprise as his arm slid around to her waist, pulling her flush against him.

Whatever he assumed of her following the interlude at the train station - and he had made his opinion on that subject quite clear - Margaret had truly never kissed a man before, and she trembled at the warmth of his lips against hers. For a man as hard as Thornton was both rumored and appeared to be, his kiss was surprisingly tender. The first brush of his lips was so soft, she almost might have thought she imagined it if not for the caress of his breath against her skin.

He hesitated after that first, mutual breach of both propriety and reason. As though he were waiting, though for what, she couldn’t be sure. His eyes asked her questions she couldn’t interpret, let alone answer, as he lifted one hand to rest against the side of her neck, stretching one thumb to brush along the curve of her cheek.

Margaret did not know what he silently asked of her and barely understood the yearnings within her own heart, but she knew she did not want to be released from his embrace. She could not bear it if he drew away from her now, abandoning her to the chill of his rejection, colder than any Milton winter. Though she tried to be brave, she felt the slight tremble in her fingertips as she lifted her hand to rest upon his, closing her eyes as she leaned in to his touch. With her eyes still closed, she turned her head to press a soft kiss against his palm.

She did not see his response, but she heard his sharp intake of breath, and then his mouth was on hers again. Her senses reeled as he kissed first her top lip, then her lower one, as though he wished to memorize the curve of her mouth. When she felt his lips part, she instinctively mirrored the action and startled when she felt the brush of his tongue along the fullness of her lower lip.

Her slight movement seemed to bring him back to himself, and he broke off this kiss, though he pressed his forehead against hers as though either incapable or unwilling to fully sever their physical contact. For her part, Margaret didn’t know what to do next. None of her lessons in deportment had addressed the proper etiquette for addressing a man after being kissed senseless. In a shaky voice, she asked, “If you believe me, why do you kiss me like this?”

“If you hate me, why do you kiss me back?” he returned, and she didn’t have an answer for him.

“I don’t know,” she admitted honestly. She felt a flush heat her cheeks, though her embarrassment stemmed less from regret over her improper behavior than from the acknowledgment that she had just bestowed her first kiss upon John Thornton , of all people, and, well...she wanted to kiss him again.

A lifetime of teachings had instilled in her the belief that such a desire made her the worst sort of lightskirt, but wrapped in his arms, with the world around them quiet and still, it seemed as though the entire interlude was but a dream. None of it was real; when the morning sun spilled over the horizon, this would all fade away. And perhaps it was as foolish as it was reckless, but she did not want this moment to end so soon.

Clutching onto her courage, she tilted her chin forward until her mouth brushed against his once more, her efforts feeling infinitely less skillful than his had been. There was much about John - about Mr Thornton , she corrected herself severely - that she did not like, but she did quite like his kiss.

In her virginal innocence, she was shy and even ignorant when it came to the physical act of making love, but she had enough presence of mind to know that her efforts were awkward and fumbling in comparison to his, and she blushed at the thought that he might not be as moved by this act of physical intimacy as she. Her fears were put somewhat to rest, however, when the eyes that had haunted her dreams from their first meeting fluttered closed, and she heard him moan her name as his mouth traveled along the curve of her jaw.

It was a curious thing, that she could feel his moan through the fabric of their clothes and the heavy armor of her corset. She had never stood so close to a man before - or anyone else, for that matter. Her body was pressed against his, and she found she rather liked the sound of her name on his lips and the way it rumbled through his chest. Curious to know if his name would feel so good spilling from her own mouth, she rested her cheek against his and indulged herself in this further intimacy. “John.”

Though her voice had been barely a whisper, she had no doubt that he had heard her, as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet. Margaret let out a tiny squeak of surprise, but she did not struggle as he spun her around, maneuvering her backwards towards his desk. When she felt the hard plane of wood press against the back of her thighs, she perched on its edge, relying on its strength to support her when her knees were tempted to weaken under the renewed ministrations of his lips.

Her skirts bunched between them as he stepped between her legs, and she shuddered when his hand fell to her thigh. Curling her fingers into his coat, she tried to pull him ever closer, her mouth falling to that soft patch of his neck that had been exposed by his lack of cravat. Even through the heavy fabric of her voluminous skirts, she swore she could feel the heat of his touch as his palm slid down her thigh to her knee, and then lower still.

His fingers wrapped around her ankle and then slid back up again, past the line of her stockings to rest upon the bare skin of her outer thigh. She broke off the kiss at the shock of his touch, pulling away just far enough to meet his eyes. In the dim candlelight, they blazed with their own fire, though this time it was not rage that sparked in their depths but something else.

“Margaret, you should not be here,” he growled, attempting one last time to save them both from their heedless impropriety. Though even as he did, he did not pull his hand away. Still, his voice was grave and slightly pleading when he asked, “Tell me to stop. Tell me to return you safely home.”

She could not pretend to misunderstand; nor could she feign ignorance of the dangers of their current situation. Though it would undoubtedly be wiser to do as he bid, in her heart, she knew where such capitulation would lead. He would not only return her to her home, but to the harshness of his judgment and the chill of his absence.

Of course, to do otherwise might only confirm his worst suspicions about her, but in that moment, with the memory of his kiss against her lips and the warmth of his hand upon her thigh, Margaret could not summon the will to worry about such an eventuality. So, rather than comply with his request (or, perhaps more accurately, his order , since John Thornton could rarely be accused of requesting anything), she lifted her chin and made her own demand.

“Ask me to stay, John.”

#north and south #john thornton #margaret hale #fanfiction #my fanfiction #like moths to a flame #john x margaret

34 notes · View notes

letterboxd · 4 years

Photo

Wigging Out.

Australian director Shannon Murphy on her artful debut, the screaming intensity of Australia’s bird-life, and the genius of Jim Henson.

Like a rush of blood to the head, Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth is a coming-of-age film that takes hold of your heart and refuses to let go. The Australian filmmaker makes her directorial debut here, from a script by Rita Kalnejais (based on her own play of the same name). It’s at once familiar and unbelievably fresh: loveable, immediately recognizable characters in situations so conflicting, painful and euphoric that it’s very hard for your heart to not break when theirs do.

We follow Milla (Eliza Scanlen, Little Women), a fifteen-year-old who is navigating her first love. The object of her affection is Moses (Toby Wallace), a low-level drug dealer and sofa-surfing addict, who is a few years older. Milla has cancer, which makes her adoration of Moses seem all the more threatening to her parents, the type of passionate-yet-complicated couple that Australian films excel at depicting. The parents are played by Essie Davis (The Babadook, The True History of the Kelly Gang, Miss Fisher) and Ben Mendelsohn (Captain Marvel, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the lovely Aussie comedy Cosi). There’s also a pregnant neighbor (Emily Barclay) with a wayward dog, a lot of pill-popping, many wigs, and the intertwining of love, fear and stress that comes with a family illness.

With a background in theater and television directing in Australia, Murphy’s eye is so strong that she was flown to London to direct episodes of Killing Eve off the back of Babyteeth’s 2019 Venice International Film Festival premiere. (She was one of two women, alongside Haifaa al-Mansour with The Perfect Candidate, to be selected in Competition at Venice—the film went on to London, AFI Fest, Rotterdam and others).

Babyteeth has captured the minds of countless viewers, entranced by the singular world being offered. Writing on Letterboxd, Isaac Feldberg calls the film “deliriously, jaggedly alive, so full of broken and beautiful people struggling not to break each other in the midst of their own existential crumblings”. This sense of all-or-nothing was also felt by Emre Eminoglu, who points to the way “it whispers to your eyes and touches your heart with words that it puts on screen”. And Savina Petkova remembers its first screening and has just one request: “Please let me live in the alternative universe where this won Golden Lion instead of [Joker] please.”

Chatting about devastation, drugs and the punk ambitions of fashion when you’re a teenage girl, Shannon Murphy speaks to our London correspondent Ella Kemp.

How did you first come across Rita’s play? Shannon Murphy: I didn’t actually see the play, which is crazy because my theater career started in the theater that it was on at, but I missed it somehow. When I came on to Babyteeth, the screenplay was already ready to go. I went back and read the play just before we started pre-production, and the thing I really loved in the play—not actually in the production but on the page—was the title chapters, and the through line of these whispers written in, of what the dead said to Milla.

What did you feel when you first read Milla’s story? I was really distraught at the end, but not for the reasons you might think. It was more because I couldn’t handle the idea that I couldn’t spend any more time with these characters. It just devastated me that my time with them was over, like with a really amazing novel, you just don’t want your connection with them to end. I thought that was a really great sign. I’d been looking for a first feature for some time, but I knew it had to truly represent my tone, and the kind of artist I wanted to show the world I was. It’s a really difficult thing to do when you’re not a writer yourself.

I felt so distraught when the film ended, and it does just give you the urge to rewatch immediately—it makes you wish it was longer. That’s so great to hear, I’ve had a few people say that they rewatched it more than once and it’s so exciting to me. That is the aim, that you make something that is worth watching again, because you know you’ll get even more out of it the more you watch it—it’s somehow gotten into your bones.

Shannon Murphy with Ben Mendelsohn on the set of ‘Babyteeth’.

One of your actors, Ben Mendelsohn, said Babyteeth is both “delightfully bent” and “beautifully Australian”. What do these terms mean to you? The offset humor is what I’d say he’s talking about, and also the idea to really push through the pain. Australians are really great at saying, “You’ll be alright, chin up.” There’s quite an optimism in our culture. In many ways I really focused on the sound design being really Australian. We shot in February, which is summer, so it was really hot, the cicadas were going crazy, and the birds—our birds sound like people screaming, they’re really intense. It brought such an Australian essence to it.

Could you recommend any Australian filmmakers or specific titles for Letterboxd members? Shirley Barrett��s Love Serenade is amazing. The Last Days of Chez Nous by Gillian Armstrong. And of course Sweetie by Jane Campion is a brilliant piece. I also love Samson and Delilah by Warwick Thornton. [See Shannon’s other Australian film recommendations.]

Moses is such an untraditional love interest, yet so charming. How did you build that character from Rita’s writing, and work with Toby to bring such a physicality to life? It was so important to me with all the characters that you didn’t judge them, despite the behaviors they’re showing because they’re under stress. With Moses it was really important that it wasn’t just about the drug abuse, that it was really about understanding the behavior behind that and why that’s happening. We worked closely with a friend of mine who is a drug and alcohol specialist, and he was always saying, “Don’t talk about the drugs, it’s not what is actually behind this.” We did detail his poly-substance abuse and what he was taking, so that at least Toby and I knew as we were charting the journey.

Toby, in his audition, was just so generous to all the other Millas in the room. Not once was he really thinking about himself, although the stakes were really high and I knew he really wanted the role. I love that, because to me Moses is a really generous person to Milla. I knew I’d have to transform him physically quite a lot, because he’s a very good-looking guy, and we also wanted to break Moses down a lot. With his skin we did that, with his tattoos, and each of his tattoos has a lot of meaning for Moses. Toby and our make-up artist Angela Conti crafted that together. And he’s a very physical performer, very in his body. Who else can pull off shorts like that, quite frankly? I just loved that about him. He’s fearless.

“Who else can pull off shorts like that?”—Toby Wallace with Eliza Scanlan in a scene from ‘Babyteeth’.

Toby gives such an amazing performance. I hadn’t seen him in anything before but a friend said she’d seen him in a Netflix show recently in which he was so despicable, whereas he’s totally transformed here. He’s really my kind of actor because you can throw anything at him and he’s up for it. He’s got an incredible range. And the same with Eliza, they can shapeshift so easily. They’re two very intelligent people, they’re able to get out of their heads and into their bodies quite easily.

I have to ask more about Eliza. How did you create Milla with her, physically, specifically in terms of her clothes, her style—I have the image of the blue wig in my mind. How did aesthetics feed into Milla’s psychology? You know what’s so funny? Everyone calls it the blue wig, but it’s totally green. I don’t know what happened in the [color] grade there, but everyone calls it the blue wig. Even Eliza in an interview the other day said the blue wig, and it was totally green! Anyway, hilarious. Everyone is calling it the blue wig so we can stick with that.

At that age, you are constantly reinventing yourself. Particularly when you meet someone you’re falling in love with, you’re like, who am I going to be to this person? Because this person is also changing who I am and how I see the world. And also she’s completely being a punk, and she’s pushing against her parents, pushing against the world. With her outfits, we spent a lot of time talking about that with my amazing costume designer Amelia Gebler. She’s so bold. We were like, at that age, you just don’t give a shit. You’re trying out different things. Also, the new generation is experimenting with fashion in a way that I think is really impressive. So we wanted to make sure that it felt timeless, and so we did the big pattern clashes for the night out, and also she’s wearing that great unicorn T-shirt, it’s so childlike, but also a bit punk-y when she’s in her home. But then she transitions from the more feminine, girly colors to lilac, which is Moses’ color for the night out. We loved the idea of them both being in the same color for that night.

And then the different wigs, we called the blonde one the Amy Winehouse wig. We would call it “wig-gate” on set, because you always had to make sure you had the right wig on during the transformations. We talked about how initially she has that cancer wig, which is the long blonde one, which is a real cancer wig from a company that makes them specifically for that. Then we moved to Amy Winehouse for the night out, and then we’d go to the blue wig. It always felt like we were doing it at points when she was really shifting emotionally, and playing different versions of herself in many ways.

What was the first film that made you want to be a filmmaker? Is it okay if it’s not a film? I was quite obsessed with Jim Henson’s television series The Storyteller. It was such a dark fable that I watched at such a young age. I remember John Hurt being the narrator, I would just get so sucked into these stories. Even still today I can remember so many of them so vividly. They were really creative. Jim Henson was someone who was so out of the box, really pushing our imagination in ways that have stayed with so many of us.