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najenvhs · 3 months

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who's most likely to get jealous and why?

nct dream getting jealous

sorry decided to make this for everyone because it is too good- but the top 3 would be Jisung, Haechan, and Jeno…. Anyway 🤍 sorry some are longer than others, everything is what came to my mind first.

mdi 🤍

♡ Jisung— you guys were out for a coffee date and while the two of you guys were sitting a friend from school came up. you were shocked so you stood up and gave him a hug.

Jisung watched as his hands were all over you going up and down your back and when he detached, he was still close talking and looking straight into your eyes, as he was holding your hands.

he knows you guys are just friends but this was time for the two of you and the two of you only. he just sat there getting annoyed as the conversation went on for 5 minutes till you finally sat down.

“what's wrong?” you ask confused but still riding off the high of running into an old friend.

“What, nothing… nothing at all” he responded taking a sip from his drink and looking away from you.

“Oh, I see” you replied crossing your arms and leaning back in your seat, “your jealousy huh?”

he starts chocking on his drink, coughing “What are you- no of course not”

“Sure, I guess you're not getting your surprise tonight,” you said leaning forward and looking at your nails

“y/n I said I'm sorry,” he said pleading with you.

♡ chenle— “I'm going out tonight,” you say to chenle as you guys are eating dinner at the table inside his apartment.

“oh with the girls?” he asks taking another bite of his food.

“well.. yes” you replied, you didn’t even know why you needed to tell him but you were scared if you didn’t say anything he would find out another way.

“What does well mean?” he asked raising a brow as he took a sip of his wine.

you just roll your eyes in response as you get up and go to start washing your dishes. “listen we are just paired for a project, and he was assigned to our group so we didn’t have a choice”

as you were cleaning and you heard him leave the table then felt some arms come around your stomach hugging you from behind.

“Just keep me updated,” he said in your ear as he started kissing your neck, you dropped the dishes into the sink that you were cleaning, it felt good, leaning your head over so that Chenle had even more access to your neck.

he starts rubbing one of his hands over your stomach as his other starts crawling up your chest, just then you realize what was happening, waking yourself up you made him stop by pushing him off you in a soft manner.

“what? What's wrong?” he asks wiping his lips off with the back of his hand.

“Are you jealous?” you ask pointing at him leaning against the sink

the only response he has is having his eyes wide open feeling caught making you giggle.

“no” he finally says.

“Whatever you say” you laugh as you walk past him patting his shoulder.

♡ Jaemin— “Awe y/n” you look so beautiful tonight,” Mark says going in for a hug.

“Mark, thank you” you responded prettily, holding hands with him, thanking him. you guys talked a little bit more before you finally turned around to Jaemin standing right behind you.

“you look so pretty my princess, you are the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen on this earth” he gushed as he looked at you up and down.

you guys were at a reunion event and Jaemin’s close friends were there. you knew them well so Mark giving you compliments like that was nothing that you hadn’t heard before, and of course in a platonic way, and of course same as Jaemin in a romantic way. but it felt off and you could feel it.

“Thanks, babe,” you said smiling up at him.

it was until Renjun came up to you hugging you and kissing you on your check— again the norm for when interacting with him. “y/n i'm so happy to see you happy, you are just glowing”

he was always so sweet, “Junnie, thank you”

he walked away— you turn back around to Jaemin as he quickly shifted from looking like bloody Mary just walked across the room to the normal smiling nana he normally looks like.

“what,” you said crossing your arms

“yo-you look so sexy tonight,” he says changing the subject, swiftly moving to pull you closer to him.

“please stop talking to the boys,” he said with a smile on his face close to your own.

you knew what was going on, and you were shocked, Jaemin never gets jealous, and of all days he decides to get jealous of his friends. it was kinda silly to you that he would ever believe you would leave him.

“you know Nana,” you say reaching up and wrapping your arms around his neck as his grip around your waist becomes tighter. “they are just friends,” you say in his ear

“I know” he replied removing his hands from your waist to start rubbing your back.

“well if you know so much, then you should know I don’t have a bra or underwear on tonight,” you said in his ear again.

you felt his hands stop, you could tell you shocked him so before you let go to continue saying hi to everyone else you left him with one last thing.

“if you don't stop acting jealous then I'm not coming home with you tonight”

♡ haechan— you and Haechan are lying in bed, the night before was long. you guys went to a party the boys threw for what reason? none, it was fun and ended with you and Haechan together in bed. In the morning you guys just hung out in bed till one of you got hungry.

you were on your phone looking at the photos you took last night and saw a photo of you and Jaemin where his face and yours were touching one another.

"Haechan, look at this photo I took with Jaemin isn't it cute," you said showing him the photo.

"oh, cute" he flashes a smile at you, then drops it instantly. you didn't think twice but maybe he was tired, so you went back on your phone.

you found a video and it was of you and Chenle taking shots, it was funny to you so you decided to show Haechan again.

"look watch this video of me and Chenle," you say scooting close to him in bed.

"funny" he smiles then shifts to move closer to the end of the bed.

"Okay, what's wrong," you ask dropping the phone and looking at him who is on his own.

"Nothing, I swear," he says looking at you.

"Haechan I've been dating you for years, tell me," you say crossing his arms.

"you taking pictures with another guy," he says quilty, under his breath.

"I'm sorry what?" you said looking over at him with your right ear facing him more so you could hear him clearly.

"you taking photos with Chenle and Jaemin," he says looking at you right in the eye

"so you jealous?" you ask but don't even give him the chance to say anything more before you start giggling. "Haechan, honey, I'm sitting here in bed with you, in your shirt and my panties only, yet you are jealous about me taking a photo with Jaemin and taking shots with Chenle?”

you guys just sat there in silence looking into each other's soul and before you could say anymore he broke the silence

"you know what no," he said dipping his head to kiss your cheek

"That's what I thought" you giggle again as you hold his head close to you.

♡ Jeno— it was after a three-hour lecture where you and your classmate were talking right outside the door, you knew him since high school so it was nice seeing a familiar face around campus.

you were leaning against the wall as your friend stood in front of you, you didn't think twice about it till you saw Jeno walking up but stopped midway for some reason. but you not knowing what's going on, had an even brighter smile on your face seeing him.

"Jeno-ah!" you called him over to where you and your friend were talking leaning ur body to where your whole side was leaning against the wall.

pushing yourself off of it, you walk over to Jeno dragging him over to meet your high school friend Jisung, "Jeno, this is Jisung, we went to high school together and were actually seated next to each other"

"Oh, hi, nice to meet you," Jeno said to Jisung sticking out his hand to shake.

Jeno made sure to squeeze Jisung's hand a little tighter to make sure he understood their ground making Jisung squill a little but laugh it off since he was in front of you.

you were off to the side looking at both of them, but even more at Jeno. he had a different demeanor and you could just tell something was up. the three of you continued taking a bit and when Jisung wasn't looking you would look at Jeno and mouth 'What's wrong with you' Getting back 'Nothing' in the same format right before Jisung turned his head back to the both of you.

"well, y/n, I'll see you on Wednesday for the next class, let's sit together again?" Jisung asked as he rested a hand on your shoulder.

"for sure!" you responded touching his hand while responding.

after that, he walked away and was faced with Jeno.

"what?" you asked raising an eyebrow.

"What was that?" Jeno responded.

"Well, like he said a friend from high school," you said, looking at him up and down. "what about you? what was that"

"I, you know what? I don't know," he says scratching his head.

"Lee Jeno, that was jealousy" You look up at him, and you drag him again by his arm. you lean against the wall again and pull him to where one of his arms resting on the wall beside you.

"y/n? at school?" he asks you as you undo one of the buttons of his shirt.

"there's no one around, and I mean we are just gonna kiss" You look up at him smiling.

"I'm confused? are you mad at me or?" he asks you.

"no I'm not mad at you, but you being jealous is really hot" you answered wrapping your arms around him going incating the kiss.

♡ renjun— "What," Renjun asks spitting out the water that was in his mouth.

"ah hahaha, someone tried to ask me out," you say blocking your face from the water even though you were nowhere near him.

he walked over to you, softly moving your hands away from your face, "Hopefully that wasn't to you and was for your friend you were with" he said smiling.

"No, I'm telling you he came up to me while I was away from my friend looking at clothing and asked if I was single," you respond.

renjun just looked at you blinking, "and what did you say"

"um no? Of course?" responded in shock you crossed your arms.

"anyways I thought it was kinda funny no need to be worried," you say as you try to walk away from the kitchen.

"y/n it's not funny, I mean like does this normally happen?" he asks you making you stop before leaving the kitchen.

"When you are around me never, and when you are not... sometimes," you say, "I never say yes, there's nothing to be jealous about"

"jealous?" Renjun askes.

"yes jun, jealousy!" you respond with a smirk on your face.

you walk close to him wrapping your arms around his neck and leaving a peck on his lips. "just know I love you so much, and there is no other guy I would choose over you"

he just smiled and hugged you back holding each other close and tight for a while.

♡ mark— "a concert?" marks asks you. you were invited by Haechan to go to a concert with him, and you said yes not thinking twice about how it may affect Mark.

"babe, it's Haechan, you've like known him forever, what's the problem?" you say shoving more chips in your mouth as you are sitting in the bed on the phone.

"Baby, that's the problem it's him," he says, as he's walking back and forth in front of the bed.

you didn't understand why it was such a big deal, you were fixing to put another chip in your mouth till you looked at Mark Lee going crazy which made you stop.

"oh" you abruptly say, "you're jealous"

Mark stops and turns to you who sit on the bed. you shove the chip back in the bag and leave your phone behind as you walk over on your knees to the end of the bed pulling him over by his arm.

"Markie, I love you so much you fool" you giggle, "I'll never love another man but you, but you don't need to worry about this and never think this again okay?"

"I'm sorry y/n," Mark says as he brushes some hair behind your ear and pulls you into a hug.

you end up pulling him on top of you, falling on your back, "now show me how much you love me, Mark Lee"

[hehe, I hope you guys enjoyed this sorry it took so long, I have just been a little busy and also have been cooking on this one FOR A MINUTE. I don't remember when this was asked but I'm sorry AND please enjoy. leave SOMETHING in my ask 🙈 ]

#najenvhs—ask♡#nct dream #nct imagines #nct smut #nct headcanons #nct scenarios #nct fanfic #nct haechan #nct jeno #nct mark #nct u #nct renjun #nct jaemin #nct chenle #nct jisung

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wynnyfryd · 1 month

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oh god oh fuck i’m having new fic ideas that i WILL NOT INDULGE because i have one single molecule of discipline that i am clinging to for dear life but:

Steve actually loves his parents. His dad especially. And everybody’s all:

“What the fuck?”

“But he’s never around.”

“I thought you were pissed at him for something?”

“You called him an asshole all the time,” Nancy adds.

And Steve laughs, “Well, yeah. I mean, he’s totally an asshole, but what does that have to do with anything? You think I’m supposed to talk about sports with all of you?”

“Hey-!”

“Not you, Lucas. Whatever, my dad’s awesome, I love that guy.”

—

anyway i just need steve to be on good terms with his family and actually have a bunch of family members because they’re catholics. like, steve has a sister in college and a brother who’s working already, and their branch of the family is considered small by the rest. like, eddie attends a reunion once and spends the whole time in a low-grade panic because why are there so many cousins? jesus christ

okay cool and then we know steve can get super high-strung and ridiculous when he gets stressed sooooo: future fic + bridezilla steve. he’d be such a nightmare. like, he was too frugal to hire a wedding coordinator so now he’s running around trying to team captain everybody at the rehearsal dinner and he’s got forty relatives crammed into the back room of a steak house, and everyone’s talking over each other and he can’t even think straight anymore

steve finally snapping in a super loud and bitchy tone, “okay, aunt mary, maybe lets trying speaking one at a TIME” and the whole room goes quiet lmfaooo

#steve harrington #steddie #idk what this is #having feelings having thots #having ‘expose only child eddie munson and lifelong loner wayne munson to a harrington party of 38’#steddie hcs #steve harrington hc

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mochinek0 · 10 months

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Reunion

No one from Françoise Dupont High School expected Marinette Dupain-Cheng to walk into the ten year reunion. As far as they knew, she hadn't been invited. Marinette strode in, with her head held high, and walked right up to Lila Rossi.

"I want to thank you for being such a bitch to me, Lila." Mari smiled, "You changed my life for the better."

"E-Excuse me?" Lila questioned.

'There' no way that forcing her out of school and isolating her gave her an amazing life!'

"That whole shit about telling people what they wanted to hear." Marinette began to explain, "I got really tired of defending myself and being told that I had to 'love you' to make you a better person by the staff. I got tired of being stacked with doing shit for free: all that babysitting I never said I would do, the banners, uniforms, clothes, fundraisers! It was exhausting for a fifteen year old."

Mari smiled, "Once you turned everyone against me, I realized how much free time I had! I signed up for homeschooling and worked extremely hard to graduate early. I even skipped a couple grades. It turned out that my husband's family were huge fans of my designs, so they offered to pay for my schooling if I moved."

"Husband?" Lila asked, concerned, "I didn't realize you had gotten married."

"Yeah." Marinette stated, "We met when I was seventeen and got married when I was nineteen; we have two kids."

Lila looked up and down at her arch-rival. Aside from a growth spurt and a larger chest, Marinette didn't look like she had changed at all. She looked like she was in her early twenties!

"So, thank you for bullying me." Marinette continued with a smile, "It was the best thing that could have happened to me."

Lila stayed silent. She didn't know what to say to that. None of her other victims had ever thanked her. She could feel eyes on them. She knew people were listneing in on their conversation. If she started to make a scene, it wouldn't end well.

"We'll, I'm married too!" Announced Lila.

"Oh, congrats." Marinette smiled, "Where is the lucky person?"

Lila spotted a tall, dark, and handsome man walk into the venue.

"There he is." Lila smiled.

Lila watched as her prey came towards them.

'Just a few more feet and I'll be able grab him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind playing along for a few minutes.'

Lila reached out a hand to grab him, when he put his arm around Marinette's waist and kissed her.

"Hello, Habibiti." he spoke.

"Everything okay without us at the company?" Mari asked.

He sighed, "Yes. It was just Grayson being himself."

Marinette giggled, "I'm sorry, Lila. This is my husband, Damian Wayne. Where were you saying your spouse is?"

Lila plastered a smile on her face, "They just stepped out. They had their cellphone out. It must be an important client. We're both models."

'There's no way she is married to this guy! The sooner she leaves, the sooner I can tell everyone I recognize him as an actor.'

Lila couldn't believe her luck. Adrien had just walked though the doors.

'Marinette was obsessed with him for years! Her fake marriage will be exposed and I can get the guy to stay with me. It doesn’t matter how much she paid him. I'm sure I could pay him more.'

"Marinette!" Adrien shouted.

He was quick to run over and hug her, pulling her away from her husband.

"Agreste, put my wife down." Damian growled.

Adrien turned his attention to Damian and froze.

"Hey, Wayne." He smiled, before looking around, "Where are the kids? Where's my neice and nephew?"

'Kids? They're really married and have kids?'

"They're with my parents, Adrien." Mari answered, "I'm sure they're being fed sugar and will pass out soon."

"So, is that an invite?" the model asked.

"To my parent's place for sweets?" Mrs. Wayne questioned, "You live here! They call me like once a week saying you were at the bakery!"

Adrien chuckled, "No. What about my time with the kids?"

Marinette looked to Damian, who shrugged. She turned to Adrien and shot him a look.

"Tell you what, you can see them in two days." she replied, "A whole day with Uncle Adrien."

'Uncle Adrien?'

"Really?" Adrien cried out, happily.

"But, you got to plan it." she answered.

"Disneyland Paris?" the Agreste heir suggested.

"Fine." Marinette growled, "But if you lose one of my kids, again, I will hurt you."

Adrien glanced towards Damian.

"Adrien, if you think my husband is scarier, just because you have seen his sword collection, you're wrong." Marinette Wayne declared, "You lose one of my children, I will hurt you worse than my husband could ever imagine."

"Got it." Adrien smiled, "Plan awesome VIP experience for the kids!"

"Great!" Mari smiled back.

"Man, you moving really toughened you up." the model winced.

"I punched my brother-in-law the first day there because I thought he grabbed my ass." Mrs. Wayne spoke.

"That is still one of my best days ever. No one has underestimated you since." Damian stated, before kissing her head.

"So, what are you doing here?" Adrien questioned, "Didn't you graduate like two years before us?"

"Oh, I just wanted to thank Lila for bullying me and getting me homeschooled." Marinette smiled, "It sucked that she bullied me, at the time, but if she hadn't done that, I wouldn't be with Damian and we wouldn't have our kids."

Adrien quickly turned to Lila, "Thank you for being a bitch to my best friend. I love my niece and nephew. Marinette, do you think we should get her like a fruit basket or something?"

Mari laughed, "We have dinner plans so we're gonna head out. Enjoy the reunion, Adrien."

Adrien took a step back and eyed Marinette's dress. It was a short black bodycon dress with puffy transparent sleeves. He eyed the black heels, warily.

"Dressed like that?" he questioned.

"Eyes on my wife's face, Agreste." Damian growled.

Adrien rolled his eyes, "She's all yours. I don't think I've ever seen you dressed like this, is all. You think you'll be able to take care of the kids dressed like that?"

Marinette answered, "They are staying with my parents tonight." before walking away.

Adrien watched as Damian placed his hand at Marinette's waist, likely making sure she didn't fall in those heels.

Adrien smiled, evilly, "Hey, Marinette!"

The designer turned to look back at her friend.

"I want another neice or nephew!" he shouted.

Marinette's face morphed from shock to embarassment, before she quickly glared at her best friend. She squeaked as she was quickly lifted into her husband's arms.

"Damian, you put me down!" she snapped at him.

"No." her husband responded.

"Why not?" she growled.

"Adrien won't get his wish if you're in jail for harming him." Damian smirked.

Marinette buried her face in her husband's chest and remained silent.

Adrien laughed as Marinette was carried out of the reunion. Nino walked up to him, confused.

"You….You kept in touch with Mari?" he questioned.

"Of course!" Adrien smiled, brightly, "I helped her with her math sometimes and she talks with Father about designing. She's my best friend."

"Designs?" Rose asked.

"Marinette is a fashion designer in the states." he answered, "Her husband's family runs an international company. She occasionally designs for their clothing line, but they do other stuff, too. Marinette has an office in their building, but she mostly does custom work. I think last year someone asked for a wedding dress. It was around $25,000."

"Seriously?" Alya asked, full of surprise.

"Oh yeah!" Adrien smiled, "She's an amazing deisgner. A lot of her dresses and suits have been coming out on runways and red carpet events."

"You're forgetting that she bullied Lila!" cried Sabrina, "She was mean to her! How can you be friends with her?"

"Actually, it was the other way around." Adrien stated, "Lila once claimed that Mari pushed her, after school, so hard that she injured her knee and was forced to walk home with a limp. I tried to tell you that Marinette couldn't have done it; Marinette had been with me the day before. You told me I was just confused. You never let me speak. You just decided Lila was right."

The class just stared at him.

'Had they really done that? Had they ignored Adrien when he tried to defend Marinette?'

"You never listened to me or Marinette when we told you about Lila being a lying bitch." he shrugged.

"But you're married!" Kim shouted, "How can you choose Marinette over a model?"

"I didn't. I'm bi and dating a male model from my father's company." Adrien announced, "Lila was fired when she was sixteen. Wasn't Lila held back a grade? Why is she even here? You didn't graduate with us or even from this school."

"It was a computer error!" Max spoke up, "Lila said that-

Adrien rolled his eyes, "Her mother called Natalie and declared she was owed a meeting with my father. She said we ruined Lila's future by forcing her to model. She threatened to sue the Gabriel brand until we showed her the 'signatures' on the forms. Turns out, Lila forged those so her mother's hands were tied. Her mother started shouting how she should send her to boot camp, back in Italy, as the left the house."

One by one they turned to look at Lila.

"i-I wanted to see everyone." she whispered, weakly, "I missed my friends."

"Thank for stopping by." Adrien stated, "You can leave now."

"Adrikins!" Chloe shouted.

"Chloe!" Adrien called back, "I missed you. We loved that spa treatment. You're the best!"

Chloe smiled and pulled Adrien away from the rest of the group to socialize with the other students.

"You still talk to that trash?" they heard Chloe ask.

"Rossi?" Adrien questioned, "Nah. You missed Marinette by a couple minutes. She came here and thanked Lila for being a raging bitch. The rest of them were still trying to kiss ass."

"The queen, herself, and I missed it." the Bourgeois heiress teased.

"Date night." Adrien quipped, "She brought Damian and the demon brigade."

"I missed the little ones?" she screeched.

Adrien laughed, "They're with her parents. Better book your time with them before they leave again. Oh, and Mari is already threatening bodily harm if anything happens to them."

"You lost one last time!" Chloe cried.

"I said I was sorry!" Adrien rebutted.

Chloe scoffed, "You're lucky you didn't die that day."

"I know." Adrien sighed, "Would it be weird if I put them on one of those kid leashes? I feel like they would fuck with me and purposely try to get lost to see me sweat, again. Honestly, I don't know if it's a mini Damian or mini Marinette. Don't get me wrong, Damian is frightening and he could probably work in the CIA torture room, but seeing Marinette pissed off, scares the living crap out of me. She's creative and could probably make something specifically to hurt me."

Chloe looked up from her phone, "I bought you the leashes. They'll be here tomorrow. You're welcome."

"Chloe." Adrien replied, "You didn't answer me."

"I was frenemies with her for years, Adrikins." Chloe answered, "Mari will find some way to hurt you and she wouldn't need her godly husband to do it. You have every right to fear for your life for pissing her off. Look at what happened to the idiot brigade: they believed a liar and bullied her. None of their dreams came true. The Waynes own half the companies those idiots wanted to work for. I wouldn't put it past Damian to rat those losers out to his family and have them blacklisted. You have seen how overprotective he is of their kids; he's the same way with her."

"True." Adrine sighed, "He still yells at me when I hug her."

"Idiot." Chloe declared, rolling her eyes.

The class looked at each other before pulling out their phones. They looked up Marinette and the Wayne family. The class shifted nervously as they realized what Chloe had said was true. The Waynes and Marinette owned their jobs. They were all comfortable with their jobs, but they weren't anything to brag about. They had all wanted bigger and better things at thirteen.

None of them were the doctors, rock stars, DJs, journalists, environmentalists, or the Olympians they thought they would be. They worked desk jobs or became something close to what they wanted. Lila knew she would never model again when Gabriel told her that he was going to blacklist her. The Waynes owned everything from food to biolabs to steel to shipbuilding and aerospace. Lila silently left the reunion as everyone came to terms that their dreams ended long ago.

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winchester-reload · 1 year

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I have a few thoughts about the Winchesters finale, and though I wasn’t gonna weigh in on this, it turns out I needed to write this down to get it out of my head, so here we go.

I understand that Misha was approached to be included on the show and that there was a “scheduling conflict” that included multiple conversations with Jensen. Here’s my interpretation of that:

I believe Cas was supposed to make a cameo in episode 13 to tee up the confession resolution—this was always the episode where they were going to crack open the “surprise twist” even before learning they would only get 13 episodes total. In the original scenario, episode 13 would have been the hellatus episode rather than a finale, leaving room for everything to come to a head with episode 22 instead. It’s then they would have given us the actual Dean and Cas reunion. This would have wrapped both stories nicely with each group going off into their own respective sunsets—their own happy endings, while still leaving all the room for the new crew to explore more seasons; all along, we see, The Winchesters was about Dean and Cas as much as it was about Mary and John.

When they didn’t get the back half of the season picked up, I assume they feared it would be more dangerous to show a Cas cameo without getting to address the confession, so Misha likely opted to be left out instead. With the only hint to Cas being Dean’s line that he was looking for his family when he found the Akrida, then directly drawing the parallel that Jack and Bobby were “family.” The core crew for Dean has always been Bobby, Sam, Jack, AND Cas. And he wasn’t looking for Sam because he was still on earth. So who’s left? You might be compelled to believe he was window shopping AU versions of his parents, but he confirms he ran into the Akrida in this world and then sought to interfere with the order by approaching John in an effort to prevent it from spreading to Sam's world. (Why Cas would be AU hopping, idk. The boy is really afraid of being shot down, I guess.)

It goes far to explain the vast narrative parallels we saw reflected in the Monster Club crew if it was intended as a setup for the confession payoff. It honestly doesn’t make a lot of sense otherwise. There’s no reason these people should be living Dean's experiences and regrets every episode unless the writers wanted the viewer to be thinking about the lessons and resolutions in how they relate to Dean too.

Additionally, as this has been a largely uncontested take, this is Jensen's well-funded fanfic come to life. Complete with the embracing of many of our favorite fanfic tropes and emphasized by Dean’s own words throughout the season. Because this is an obvious embrace of that “write your own story” fan side, I believe the reason Dean couldn’t even say Cas’ name in the episode is because they were going to change the spelling from “Cass” as it was in the show proper to the fan-adopted (and more accurate) spelling of “Cas,” which would have appeared in the subtitles and later the script pages. And even that little thing right there would have been a huge giveaway to the whole game. And a very dangerous thing to do if there wasn’t going to be enough time for follow-through.

But the truth is, this isn’t a game for many people, and the harm that can be caused by good intentions is just as real. It also begs the question: why should this be so difficult? The answer is it’s not. Edging forever isn’t fun. It’s torture. I understand there’s an art to storytelling, but your audience is weary, and trust has been violated too many times. Even still, the flip side of that coin is honest to god respect for DeanCas endgame means taking the story and the reveal seriously. It’s a tightrope walk. And one that Robbie somehow managed to keep balanced after the finale, without it falling either way. Also we also need to consider the possibility that Jensen did pitch a full-on destiel love story spin-off but got shot down, opting to couch it in a more CW-branded world instead. He’s mentioned over half a dozen pitches were rejected. It's up to you whether you want to give him the benefit of the doubt on that.

But, I’m gonna be honest here, I don’t know that we will ever get that resolution we crave. Even Robbie confirmed The Winchesters were always meant to “go it alone” after the first season. It’s hard to imagine Dean popping in there to fuck around again after that handoff. But the dude is clearly a very restless sea-faring*, swoopy-haired mofo right now, so I’ll leave that one up to the SPN multiverse and the new Mr. Superwholock’s magical universe-traveling impala. (This show used to be about what again? *looks at notes*.) And FWIW, if they do get green-lit for a whole second season or are allowed to move networks, I believe a good-faith effort will be made to tie the narrative parallels we saw in season one to some real Dean and Cas resolution. If there gets to be a world where John *might* not turn into an abusive dick, then this possibility has to be true too.

For the record, I enjoyed The Winchesters, all the new characters, and the doors the finale opened for the possibility of more. I would have been fine half-watching it with no promises, empty head no thoughts, but I got my clown** suit on again, and though I mostly kept quiet, unlike last time, I did regrettably manage to drag a few friends down with me yet again. Though the spec sessions were epic, and we did get some art out of it—it still rocks the boat when the base level expectations were only 1. Dean alive, and 2. seeing Cas again.

But for anyone, like me, upset by the (likely unintentional) Cas-baiting or anyone still reeling about why this stuff can hit so hard, here’s an interesting article about the way our brains respond to fictional characters. Tl;dr: There’s nothing wrong with you. This is science. And while you’re at it, take a look at this article about the very real power of disenfranchised grief over character loss.

Ramble on, fam. And take care of yourselves.

<3 Jackie

*Um hi he appears as a sailor? Literally, on a show with a story Dean is writing whose audience is looking for a resolution to a conversation between two people who’re famously the “most shipped” characters of all time? That’s not an accident. That’s intentional. And it’s another reason why there might be a bitter taste in your mouth. These nods came without resolution, so it still feels dirty, despite the brilliant Easter egg.

**I hesitate to say “clown” here because the lesson on episode 12 was that the clowns were the ones who chose a self-induced limbo rather than face some personal hard revelations. That sounds more like a certain closeted character than it does the people cheering him on, and that felt like an intentional nod too.

***obviously, this is my own rambling spec as I try to reorder my thoughts in the wake of the finale.

#the winchesters #destiel #spnwin #jackie's talking #meta #finale thoughts #my art

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selfaware-bungou-stray-dogs · 10 months

Note

Hii!! Thank you for writing my shy teen writer request! I wanted to ask for a sequel for that fic, where there was an accident which managed to send the characters back in their world. The reader thought that the bsd cast were back to normal (non self aware) but they were wrong. After that happened the bsd cast tried to open the portal again but it took a few years for the portal to open again. When they were able to go back to the real world the reader was already 17 years old (14 when they 1st met) and they had published more books throughout the years. Some of them became a best seller and reader was finally known as a professional writer at the young age of 17. Now their parents want them back for the money and tries to guilt trip them. Reader leaves some habits of the bsd casts in their books like an Easter egg. They also were able to become more open with people and make friends. I'm just wondering how the bsd characters would be proud of the reader lmao

Srry if it's too long and ty for writing my request, I love your fics! ❤️❤️

Hello! I am so glad, that you liked, how I do your request.

Here you go, second part. I hope, you like it. Hope, you are having a great day!

Reunion

Self-Aware! Platonic! BSD Characters x Teen! Reader

Description: Because of an accident, BSD gang is back to their world. You are sure, that they have lost their self-awareness. You have to move on.

Three years later, your family is finally back to you.

Hurt/Comfort. Reader, miss BSD gang. Reader, become a writer.

Sequel to Your dream matters

Warning: Elements of angst. Gold diggers for Biological Parents. OOC. English is my second language.

___________

You don't know, what happened. One moment you were having fun with your new family. Celebrating the six-month anniversary of their arrival and your adoption. Celebrating your achievements.

The next moment, the bright light fills the room.

When it fades, your family were gone.

You were searching for them. You called, you cried.

But no one came.

When you check the BSD Mayoi app, you saw, that they were back in the app.

But why they aren't coming back?

Did they lose the self-awareness?

That night, you cried as never before.

You begged them to come back. You begged them not to leave you.

For the next few days, you feel terrible. Thankfully, Alcott and Fitzgerald made sure, that your biological family will never get custody over you again. Besides, thanks to Fitzgerald, you won't have money problems. And that your parents will never touch that money.

You knew, that you can't spend the rest of your life crying about your friends. You need to move forward.

After one week of crying, you open your laptop and start writing.

To honor them. To honor their love. To honor their belief in you, you will be a writer.

___________

In the BSD world, your family were panicking. The portal glitches and send them back there. And now it can't be turned on. Worse of all, they lost their access to your phone and app. They can't even leave a message for you.

But they can hear you...

Your tears, your pleas.

"G-guys? A-are still there? P-please, answer."

"Work! Start working, you damn portal!" Poe hits portal with his first. Nothing.

"D-did you lost it? H-have you lost self-awarness?"

"No! [Y/N] WE ARE STILL THERE!" Oda was screaming, hoping, that you will hear them.

"Please... Just one message... Guys..."

Fyodor was nervous. He tried to hack the app again. So they can leave a message for you.

Nothing.

They were separated from you.

The work on trying to find the way to you start all over again.

_________________

Three years later

________________

"So, when will the new book came out?" asked Mary, looking at you with anticipation. "And what the book will be about?"

You chuckled and answer.

"Can't tell. You know pretty well, that I don't like giving spoilers for my books. Even to a friend. Sorry."

Mary pouts. Her brother, Arnold, rolled his eyes and playfully solve her.

"Told you, that [Y/N] won't answer. They value their work and won't spoil it to others."

Mary glared at her brother, but quickly look back at you.

"Fine, keep your secrets. But, I hope, that the detective who liked adding jam to grape pie will be in the book. Or writer, who loves raccoons. Right, Arnold?"

Arnold nodded.

"Yea. But I also would like to see a thief, who liked to hum old songs, and a postman, who cared about orphans. Anyway, want to hang out today?"

Your smile faded for one second, but you quickly compose yourself.

"Sorry, guys, but not today. Today I will be busy."

Siblings nodded in understanding. You are a professional writer, you must be busy with writing a new book.

You say goodbye to your friends and start walking home.

They didn't know, that you won't be busy with writing.

____________

You have changed for the last few years.

You became seventeen.

You were no longer shy, you had friends. You start going out with them. Not only that, but you could stand for yourself.

And you have become a writer.

Some of your books became bestsellers. And all of your books had good reviews and people liked them.

You became a known writer in seventeen.

Life was quite good.

But today you won't do any writing or fan meeting.

Today you had a special day.

That day, three years ago, your family got back to their world and loose self-awareness.

You moved forward. But you still missed them.

After they got back, you stopped watching and reading BSD. You don't want to see your family been hurt. You didn't read any spoilers. They weren't characters for you anymore. For you, they will always be your family.

You didn't delete BSD Mayoi. It serves as a reminder of your family.

Your books were a way to honor them. You add BSD Cast's habits to your characters.

For Ranpo it was a detective who liked adding jam to grape pie.

For Poe, it was writer, who loves raccoons.

For Fyodor, it was thief, who liked to hum old songs.

For Oda, it was a postman, who cared about orphans.

And so much more.

You miss them. Today you will have a small dinner to honor your lost family. You were preparing for that dinner for the last week.

_______________

Meanwhile, in BSD world

________________

Three years.

It takes them three years to open the portal again.

Tonight, they will be back to you.

BSD cast were ecstatic. They can't wait to return to you. Their Precious Guiding Light. Their child, siblings, grandchild.

The Cast gather in a Meeting Room. Fyodor Dostoevsky, finally hacks the app and get access to your phone.

They want to see how much has happened while they were away.

They found an interview with you. About been a young writer.

They were so proud of you.

Poe, who was mentoring you three years ago, had tears in his eyes. You achieved your dream.

Oda also has tears in his eyes. He was so glad, that you manage to prove others wrong.

Fyodor, while he wasn't crying, were extremely proud of you.

All of them were proud of you.

They can't wait to tell you about that in person.

____________

You finally get home. And you didn't like, who you saw on the doorstep.

You glare through the window at two people who were standing at your doorstep. Your biological parents. You can hear them talk. Once again, they were talking about getting a custody over you again.

They wanted to have an access to money, that Fitzgerald has left. And to the money you get from your books.

"[Y/N], dear, we have missed you! Please, let us inside. Let's talk!"

"[Y/N], stop running! We want to have our baby back!"

"[Y/N], you are our flesh and blood, we deserve your gratitude!"

"[Y/N], we are your parents! These people, who took you away from us, don't care about you! Where are they now? Where were they for the last three years?!"

You walked away from the window. You called the police. They took your parents away for been on your private property without permission.

You were left alone with your thoughts. Their words hurt. You tried to hold back tears. You need to prepare dinner for tonight.

____________

In the evening, you set up a table in the dining room.

Your family favorite food. You were careful with it, it still was packed. There was nothing, that will spoil soon. Tomorrow you will treat your friends. But right now, it is dinner to honor your lost family.

You place your phone on the table and open BSD Mayoi app. You start talking.

"It's been three years, right? O wish you were there. I miss you all so much... What?"

And, once again, the bright light fills the room. The same light, that shined three and the half years ago, when BSD cast appeared in your room.

________

They were looking at you. You were looking at them.

All of you were silent. You can't believe it.

And, once again, like three and the half years ago, Ranpo walked forward and smiled.

"Hello, Guiding Light, nice to see you face to face-e-e"

You crashed him in a hug. You were crying. Because of happiness.

"You... I missed you all do much... Family, my family... You are here again. You won't disappear again, right?"

Ranpo, with tears in his eyes, whispered.

"No, [Y/N], we won't. This time, we are here to stay."

__________

The next hour was full of tears and hugs. They didn't let you be alone for one second. After you finished with one hug, you were quickly pulled into another. After all of you were 'calm', at some extent, Oda place his hand on your shoulders.

"[Y/N], there are something important we must tell you. We are so proud of you, our little writer."

"Odasaku is right, We are so proud of you!" grinned Dazai.

"You manage to capture my intelligence in this character. I am so proud to be an inspiration for him" smile Ranpo, petting your head.

"I am glad, that my lessons come in handy. I am proud of been your teacher" Poe's voice was soft.

"Little Bird, you rocks. I am proud, that you make your dream come true" Nikolai's eyes shined with pride

"I am proud of your success, [Y/N]" Fyodor squeezed your hand.

One by one, your family told you, how proud they were.

You feel, like you were in heaven.

The life was good before. Now it was perfect.

You were a writer. Your dream come true.

You became confident.

You had friends.

And, most importantly, you had your family back.

_________

Bonus.

"Dad Fitzgerald, Brother Ranpo, Uncle Ango, how came that my bio parents, has lost everything and now charged with stealing and fraud?"

"Um... We don't know, right, Fitzgerald?"

"Yes, Ango, we don't know... Ranpo?"

"No, we don't. Hey, [Y/N], want to play Cluedo?"

"... You know, what, fine. I won't question that. Get the game, Ranpo"

#self-awareau #self-awarebsd #bungou stray dogs au #bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd x gender neutral reader #gender neutral reader #bsd anime #platonic

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sirenjose · 3 months

Text

Thoughts about Mattias' Design Notes

"Ventriloquism" explains the "consonants" in Matthias' deducs 3 and 9.

The manor game designers being inspired by their "device design", but came to include Matthias himself after seeing him pursue "perfection" by playing the role expected of him...

Movable devices that have some way to talk (even if by pretending via ventriloquism) makes me think of Bonbon. Though he was made before the manor games...

There is also how the manor is seemingly responsible for making Louis and sending him back to Matthias...

Maybe a bit of a strange thought, but the Muse sculptures came to my mind too. They were also said to be "mechanisms" designed by Burke. From what we've seen so far, they don't move much or talk, but maybe they'll do more later in the main story...?

But besides that I wonder why else the manor games would need "movable devices"

As for the "perfection" bit, that makes me think of Hollow and his desire to "rebuild paradise", as "paradise" is essentially meant to be a "perfect" place.

With the role Hollow and Orpheus are trying make themselves out to be, they'd also be interested in "perfection". And with Hollow/Orpheus' desire for "vengeance", I'd imagine the idea of "getting stronger" was his first idea to achieve that perfection.

But for Matthias, "Louis" is the imagined "perfect" version of Matthias. Matthias just acts the way people expect him to. Orpheus also pretends in a way, considering what we know about him vs. how we see him act in the final game and in general.

I wonder if you could say Orpheus got the idea of the hallucinations from Matthias?

Matthias pretends to be Louis. Maybe this can be sort of like Frederick acting as Mary? Or Norton who we see holding a pickaxe pretending to be Fool's Gold and pretend to chase Alice?

Puppets are normally controlled via strings, though the Czernin's created "movable devices", so like the design notes say about the chess pieces in Matthias' essence, the Czernin's performance (+ ventriloquism) makes Louis seem alive and like it has a will of its own.

Orpheus in this case is like the puppetmaster, with the game participants being the puppets (especially with how in game they're shown with doll eyes). The participants are alive and thus capable of moving and talking and acting on their own, but Orpheus is the 1 manipulating and moving them into the places and roles he desires them to be in. He can also make them act differently from how they normally are (with the help of the drugs), or basically make them more extreme than they normally are.

But back to Orpheus himself being like Matthias in the way of acting out a different role than what he actually is. Orpheus in a way does act a different role based on people's perceptions. Specifically how he's viewed by the public due to him being a novelist.

In contrast, we know Orpheus' inner feelings are closer to what we see and hear from Hollow as well as how he acts as the manor owner/Nightmare.

In the final game he acts as if he's the son of the DeRoss couple. He acts as if the forest ranger wasn't his real father, as if Orpheus didn't have any part in the tragedy despite how we know from Bonbon's deductions he had been involved to a degree (at least by apparently stealing things from the manor for his real parents). He acts like he doesn't know Alice.

We don't know if he's truly forgotten or if he's only pretending, but this is still likely what he wants to believe in. Even in the present, after Time of Reunion, Orpheus believes in memories we know aren't the complete truth.

As we see in Matthias' Design Notes, the final line is appropriate. It's a "meticulously crafted illusion performance" that "became a lifelong, irrevocable delusion". Except now Alice wants to stop Orpheus, fix everything, and make everyone, including Orpheus, confront the truth.

#idv #identity v #matthias czernin #puppeteer #idv matthias #idv puppeteer #identity v matthias #identity v puppeteer #orpheus #novelist #idv orpheus #idv novelist #identity v orpheus #identity v novelist

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gretavanlace · 1 year

Text

Poppins (part 1)

Josh and Jake x reader

18+ only! Minors do not interact!

Warnings: language, kissing, adult themes, pretty tame…for now.

A tiny hand tugs at the hem of your dress before an even smaller voice floats up “He’s late.”

“Uncle Jake is always late, Lil.” You run your fingers over a dish towel before ruffling her curls soothingly. “He’ll be here.”

“What if he forgot?” Her voice wavers with threatening tears, and you abandon the tray of finger sandwiches you’ve been fussing over in order to focus solely on her welling eyes.

“Your fourth birthday?” You lend an incredulous gasp to your tone. “Uncle Jake? Forget his best girl? Never!”

Karen appears in the kitchen with Josh hot on her heels. “I said the cake should say ‘Happy Birthday Lily-bit.” He complains, shaking his head with great frustration while nervously tugging at the pearlescent beads around his neck…a habit reserved for when he is tromping along the edge of panic.

Lily-bit has been her nickname ever since she bestowed it upon herself unknowingly. Unable to pronounce Elizabeth correctly, it had stumbled out ‘Lily-bit’…and stuck, it had.

“Well, you should’ve picked it up yourself then, Joshua.” Karen snarks right back, sliding the cardboard box housing a sheet cake onto the counter. “It says Elizabeth. That’s still her name. And stop fidgeting. If you’re that concerned, drive it back to the store and cause an enormous scene like an idiot. We’ll wait.”

She bends down and nuzzles her only granddaughter’s nose. “Won’t we, baby? We’ll wait right here while Daddy goes and acts like a dumb shit at the grocery store.”

“Daddy’s a dumb shit!”

You suppress a laugh at her squeaky-mouse voice cursing as Josh grows visibly perturbed, yet calmer, all at once.

“Jesus, ma!” He searches over her shoulder and raises his voice. “Veronica, come and get your mother!”

Ronnie’s voice floats in from the family room, relaxed and unconcerned. “I’m not in this!”

Lily begins to giggle only to stop dead in her tracks when a familiar voice booms through the house. “Where’s my birthday girl?”

She’s gone in a flash. Racing from the room with an ecstatic gasp, as fast as her tiny legs can carry her. Everything else forgotten, in an effort to get to her Uncle Jake.

The three of you are drawn like magnets into the hall, unwilling to miss the spectacle of a jake-lily reunion.

“Look at this.” Josh frowns, with a smile tugging at his lips as he watches his twin scoop his niece up with a flourish. “Even my own daughter loves him best.”

“Stop.” Your elbow nudges into his side lovingly. “He’s the fun uncle, is all.”

His eyes slide in your direction as his voice drops to a whisper “All the girls I adore love him best.”

Reaching out for a lock of your hair, he gives it a gentle yank and moves in to greet his brother just as Lily relays the important news.

“Uncle Jakey,” she conspires, running her chubby hands through the hair hanging in his face. “Daddy’s a dumb shit. Gramma said.”

Jake throws his head back with a hearty belly laugh, hugging her close. “He is, girly…you’re absolutely right.”

She laughs along with him, pink-cheeked and enamored, hiding her face in his hair.

“I know it is, Lily bit.” He nods. She must’ve whispered to remind him of her big day. “That’s why I brought you this.”

She slides down, holding fast to his barely buttoned shirt as he deposits her on her Mary Jane clad feet. Her tiny palms clap with unbridled excitement as he pulls a glittering tiara out of his back pocket.

“There.” He places it carefully, tucking it into her wispy baby hair until it sits just right. “Birthday princess.”

Her eyes are flashing with devotion, as she makes grabby hands at the gift bag stuffed messily with tissue paper in his grip. “What else?”

“Later, girly.” He sneaks it behind his back with a kiss on her flushed forehead.

“He’s not that great.” Ronnie quips, feigning boredom from the other room. “Come see auntie…I’ll tell you about the time he crashed a car and broke uncle Sammy’s head.”

Lily’s eyes grow wide with concern. “You broke his head?”

“Ah, hell,” Jake waves her off with a smile. “His head’s empty anyway.”

“Jacob,” Karen scolds as if she can’t fathom the audacity. “Watch your mouth around the baby.”

You collectively watch the birthday girl scamper off to soak in the tale her aunt has to tell.

“Dumb shit?” Jake tilts his head. “Is that not what you taught the baby, on this, the day of her birth?”

She swats at him, then softens the loving blow with a peck on his lips, before wandering off with a clipped “Shut it.”

“Hey, prick.” You watch on, feeling slightly out of place as Jake pulls Josh in for an aggressive, brotherly hug. Both twins smack at each other’s backs in pats that seem as though they should sting.

They begin chatting in that strange, half-spoken, unfinished sentence, twin language of theirs, and you, feeling even more intrusive than before, move to slink off.

Jake stops you with a hand coiled loosely around your wrist, eyes still honed in on his brother while they catch up. He doesn’t dare slip his hand down to link fingers with yours, though he wants to…you can feel it.

At last, Karen’s voice sounds out, and rescues you from this awkward limbo. “Can someone go collect your father and his son from the house?” ‘Your’ father and ‘his’ son, is all the explanation needed. She refuses to stake claim over any of them when they’re stretching the limbs of their Kiszka lineage.

“Took an Uber in from the airport!” Jake shirks responsibility with a lie - you can see his car swiveled crookedly in the gravel out front clearly through the bay window.

“I’ll go.” Josh sighs, turning to you. “Keep them civil, warden?”

“Of course.” You grin, smoothing a curl down atop his head with your freehand so that he looks less maniacal. It does little to help.

You’ve been alone in the entryway for less than thirty seconds before Jake is pulling you into the quiet of the hall. “How’s my Mary Poppins?” He taunts quietly. “I’ve missed you. Look at this smart little dress. You’re killin’ me.”

In reality, you’ve opted for a modestly festive dress whose skirt skims over your knees. It’s Lily's birthday, after all, not a night out.

“Jake,” you can feel the warmth of your blush, and duck your face to conceal it. “Go be with your family, you shameless flirt.”

“Do you think you’re not family?” He bends at the knees to catch your eye and counter your shy methods of hiding away. “Can’t you see the way we all love you? Me most of all.”

“Not one of your groupies,” you giggle like a schoolgirl, to your dismay, pushing a little more distance between the two of you. “Get outta here.”

He steps in even closer, and you can smell him. The warm, inexplicably comforting scent that follows him around like a delectable cloud. He’s like the woods after a campfire has smoldered itself out, mixed in with something vaguely christmas-like. “I have no groupies. I play dive bars filled with sad old men who stare into their drinks and dream about pretty girls like you.”

His fingers drift against your cheek and then curl a turf of hair behind your ear with a hushed, “I’ll find you later, poppins, yeah?”

Poppins. Yes, you’re the nanny. Yes, it’s a terrible idea. Yes, Josh has also been known to wear his heart on his sleeve for you. And yes, all those things seem to matter…that is until Jake steps into your space and fixes that warm, chocolate truffle gaze upon you. Until he lowers his voice so that only you can hear. Until his touch skates over your skin, confident and sure.

You’ve never gone too far with Jake, no matter how badly you’d like to.

There was a night, Lily conked out on her toddler bed, you off for the remainder of the night, but lingering on in the kitchen sipping Dos Equis with your charge’s favorite uncle. Gazes had locked a little too long, lips had met, until the warm, wet, grace of his tongue against your own had caused you to pull away.

“Yeah.” You nod. Leaning back against the wall when he slips away. He makes you want to run for the hills and into his arms all at once.

The party commences as Josh returns with a slightly inebriated Kelly and Samuel in tow, and everyone falls in love with Lily-bit all over again as she opens presents and charms her way through the hearts of her most beloved.

Before the candles have even been lit, she has crawled into her uncle Jake’s lap. Falling asleep like a worn out kitten, tiara askew on her head, glitter lipgloss Ronnie applied to her rosebud mouth smeared and smudged against Jake’s torn up jeans.

“Her cake.” Josh sounds both defeated and relieved…exhausted from trying to make sure her day was perfect.

“Goddamn thing said Elizabeth, anyway.” Jake huffs lazily before throwing a wink at his twin that seems to relax Josh’s shoulders in a way no one else has been able to manage all day.

“Mom’s fault.” Josh smirks.

“Isn’t it always?” Jake smiles back, as if the answer is obvious.

“Oh, to hell with both of you.” Karen sighs, with absolute love in her insult. “You have miss girl FaceTime gramma first thing in the morning.” She points at Josh to get her point across and then nudges at Kelly, who has trotted off to dreamland along with his granddaughter. “You and Sam in the car within five or you both can walk.”

You’re tidying up the kitchen by the warm, shadowy light of an accent lamp when Josh’s voice comes softly in the silence.

“Thought you and ma already cleaned up?”

“Just little details,” you shrug. “You know.”

“You staying tonight? It’s late.”

You have a cozy little place across town. No more than a studio, but you’ve furnished it beautifully, and eclectically, via thrift stores and yard sales. It’s you, and it’s home. Sort of. Really, the guest room here that has evolved into your room, is more home than home.

“Probably.” You swipe the sponge over a perfectly clean spot of butcher’s block “She still sleeping?”

“Out like a light.” The love dances in his eyes like it always does when he speaks of his baby girl. “Put her in jammies and all, she slept right through.”

“Well…” you offer softly, at a loss for words as you so often are when you find yourself sinking into these domestic moments with him.

“Yes, well…” he nods, tilting his head down to look at you through his lashes with the smallest of grins.

“Oh!” Your face lights up as you turn toward the fridge to pull two bottles of water out for him. His nightly routine. “Here. You almost forgot.”

He catches them one after another as you toss the bottles his way and then points with one, cap wiggling in your direction. “I wish you’d let me take care of you the way you take care of me, sweetheart.”

He doesn’t mean it in any way other than gentle…he’d like to coddle you. That’s all. Somehow, that makes your heart hurt worse.

“Don’t get too comfy with my brother tonight.” He adds, padding off down the hall before you can grow defensive.

You slump against the counter, embarrassed and sad. You wish you could chase down that spark of something that plays about in your heart for Josh now and again, but Jake always moves in…all soft smiles and whispered words. Nicknames and airy brushes of calloused hands that make you shiver and keep you awake at night…

…the memory of his tongue slipping, slick and hungry, against yours, that blurs your mind when your hand finds itself between your legs in the dark.

Shaking off the thoughts before they have a chance to drag you down too deeply, you finish up in the kitchen, double check the locks, and start down the hall to the room that serves as your own.

You’re moving quietly, and you know why…but you also feel a little silly for it. Aren’t you just little miss hot shit to assume Jake would be listening for you?

I mean, sure, he likes to flirt, and you kissed once for like, twenty seconds, but why would you really believe that —

“Hey, poppins.” His voice comes, smooth as warm silk, a split second after his fingers close tight around your waist. “Come here often?”

“Hello, Jacob.” You smile into the dark, covering his hands with your own.

“Oooh,” he moans softly against the nape of your neck. “Jacob? Put me in time out, nanny. Do your worst.”

“Stop it!” You laugh quietly, wrenching around in his grip to face him.

“Hi.” He grins once you’re nose to nose. “Are you staying tonight?”

His question, mirroring his twin’s, comes hushed as he walks you back against the wall.

Your reply is an inelegant swallow, paired with a nod.

“That’s good.” He trails the back of his knuckle along the curve of your jaw. “It’s so dark out there. And chilly. Best you stay here where you’re safe.”

The sincerity stuns you. He means it. He worries for you.

But are you safe?

This isn’t good. Isn’t it easier if one wants to love you and one wants to fuck you?

There you go again, running ahead of whatever this is. He doesn’t want to love you, he’s simply glad to see you snug and warm for the night.

“You know,” his fingers card slowly through your hair, lips impossibly near, breathing softly in your ear. “It would make it so much easier to kiss you if you didn’t look like a deer caught in headlights.”

A sound, foreign and high-pitched, escapes you before you have a chance to quiet yourself, and his body tenses against yours in response. “So pretty, poppins. You’re a song, aren’t you? Sweet and soft. If I played you, it’d be acoustic.”

You’re a song…if I played you…fuck…

“Jake, I…” you’re scrabbling for excuses on why this shouldn’t happen when you hear it. The faint whimper of Lily. She’s still asleep, you can tell that much, but not for long.

A bad dream, perhaps, brought on by too much excitement and sugar.

“Let me check on her.” You whisper, pushing him away gently.

“What?” He’s confused. He isn’t a parent, or her caregiver, and he’s missed the early quiet muffled rumblings before the wailing storm.

But Josh hasn’t…

And when he steps into the hall to rescue his little girl, he is greeted with the sight of Jake pressing you up against the wall, hands in places they shouldn’t be.

“M’sorry.” He murmurs, hurrying by as you break away from Jake, rushing to explain.

Your words of justification land against deaf ears and Lily’s bedroom door as Josh quietly shuts you out.

Taglist: @gretasintrees @greta-van-chaos @celestialfauna @s0livagant @groggyvanfleet @kiszkathecook @brokenbellz @llightmyllovee @doodle417 @seventieswhore @jake-kiszkas-smirk @weightofdreams-gvf @imdepressedaf1996 @greta-flanveet-admin-deactivate @alisonwonderland29 @joshkiszkas @gretavanfleas @gretavangroove @sparrowofthedawn @xserenax-13 @tbagggvf @obetrolncocktails @tripthelightjaketastic @jakeslovehandles @poofyloofy @70sgroupielovr @heatmyfleet @age-of-nyahh @sammiboo162 @spicedandicedtea @jakekiszkasleftnutsack @saoirsemaeve @mywickeddivinity @dvrkblooms @paintmyhouse @tripthelightfandomtastic @tripthelight-fanfic @mckenna4 @sarakay-gvf @theweightofjake @joshsmama @rhythm-of-space @highladyofasgard @jordierama @calumspretty

#greta van fleet #greta van fleet fic #fanfic #greta van fleet fan fiction #greta van fleet smut #greta van smut #gvf fic #greta van fic #josh kiszka #jake kiszka fanfic #jake kiszka #jake gvf #jake kiszka smut #gvf jake #smut #gvf x reader #gvf smut

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msrhaxoz · 7 months

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The theory about Lies of P endings and why Pinocchio becomes alive only in Rise of P ending

SPOILERS WARNING Hello everyone! This post is my first experience with writing a post, because I usually post drawings. But since I have no one to share the happiness of the game with (and I reeeally liked this game) I decided to publish my thoughts about the endings of the game, specifically Rise of P and Real boy. So, let's get started!

In the middle of the game, the player finds a statue of a saint that can reset the player's level. And this statue is an obvious reference to Pieta mourning the death of Christ. The Madonna della Pietà - is a marble sculpture of Jesus and Mary at Mount Golgotha representing the "Sixth Sorrow" of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Michelangelo Buonarroti. I want to talk a little bit about the appearance of the pieta in the game. The very first thing we can notice is that the statue of the saint is holding a puppet. The original interpretation of the statue is that the Virgin Mary grieves over the death of her son, looking at his ribs and withered hands. The interpretation in the game is very similar to the idea of the statue of Pieta, but it is interesting that instead of a human corpse, she holds a puppet.. which, perhaps, can also be interpreted as a corpse.

And at the end, when Sophia becomes a puppet, discarding the human body, there is again a parallel with the statue of Mary, except for its complete opposite - the unalive maiden holds a living person in her hands, and holds it with her left hand. Why alive? Let's return to the interpretation of Michelangelo's statue - the Virgin Mary mourns the death of her son. The statue has a contrasting image between a living and non-living body, including many folds of fabric on Mary's body, creating a contrast with the cold dead body. With the right hand, nursing mothers usually hold babies when feeding, in Michelangelo's statue, this is the contrast between an infant and an adult son. Maria's left hand is free, symbolizing the senselessness of killing her son. But the statue in the game has a saint holding a mechanical heart.

Sophia is holding a boy with the same hand, whose heart is filled with a human soul, which means that he is alive. It's hard for me to say that Carlo is becoming alive. After all, despite the fact that the player can fulfill all the conditions for obtaining the Rise of P ending, Geppetto can still be given the heart of the main character. Moreover, if you follow the path of truth and do not give Sophia peace, giving your heart to Geppetto will be the only possible ending. Geppetto only made another puppet, but more insensitive and cruel (The nameless puppet was the first puppet made by the old man that was mounted with a P-Organ. Its Ergo efficiency was not just unremarkable, it was destructive; thus the nameless puppet was not chosen for the boy's body and sealed away.)

And I want to add that Carlo was probably resentful by his father. It is unlikely that he would be happy with such a family reunion. That's all! I am open to criticizing the theory, as well as to complementing your thoughts.

#lies of p #lop #lies of p pinocchio #liesofp #lies of p carlo #lies of p spoilers #sophia monad #Madonna della Pietà

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angelthefirst1 · 2 months

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You're a dinosaur 🦕 baby in the museum of my broken hearted 💔 past.

I haven't done much in the way of deciphering Emily's social media posts lately, but this one's GIANT, so hold onto your hats (Puns intended)

Just as the show has been leaving us hints about Beth's return, so has Emily in her projects, music, and social media posts.

I've written about many of them over the years, this one is no different, and it's no coincidence...

Most of you will know about Emily's new merch beanie with the broken-hearted dinosaur 🦕

It's inspired by her song Avett Brothers. Here is a snippet of the relevant lyrics from the song.

The broken-hearted dinosaur 🦕 and the museum are without question links to Beth's return, so let's look at how...

In season 5, Daryl and Carol jump into a car to go find Beth.

That car eventually helps Daryl find her.

That car is also connected to the episode Consumed, in which Daryl and Carol (after being recently reunited in 501) find a clue to Beth's whereabouts and go searching for her.

And It's by that car they get the initial clue that helps them to find Beth (Daryl sees the car with the white cross)

I'm sure you all remember that Carol plays a pivotal role in getting that car to work by charging the battery.

That car from back in season 5 has a very specific symbol on the keyring 🦕

Without that dinosaur keyring and Carol charging the battery, Daryl would never have found Beth.

The upcoming Book of Carol seemingly has many repeating themes from around the era of Consumed.

We will see a Daryl/Carol reunion, like we saw in 501.

The two will again be separated from the rest of their family like they were in Consumed (thanks in large part to the dinosaur 🦕 and the clue they receive)

The character Isabelle (Beth proxy) will be returning in season 2.

And, we know the storyline will bring them to a museum - The Louvre.

The broken-hearted dinosaur 🦕 is symbolic of a lost ancient giant love that is long in the past, thought to be extinct.

What's kept in museums? The past... they hold pieces of history.

In this case, as Emily puts it, a dinosour, aka ancient love ❤️

Emily knows. She's always known...

The show has more recently given us links to Beth and museums as well.

We saw it hinted at in Daryl Dixon season 1, especially in the credits with the self-portrait of Marie Gabrielle-Carpet, who lived in a museum...the Louvre, with her love.

Isabelle was a very obvious Beth proxy in DD1, and this self-portrait of Marie in the opening credits is shown along with the name of the actess who plays Isabelle. Linking the Museum to Isabelle and by proxy to Beth.

Genet in DD1 also mentions working in a museum to Codron when she realises Codron has switched sides and betrayed her by not killing Isabelle (Beth) and Laurent and stopping them from getting to the Nest (a representation of the pyramid/Louvre)

Thorne in TOWL episode one, a repeat of Dawn and Genet in many ways, also mentions a museum to Rick.

She tell Rick that the girl they saved, lived in a museum. The dead overran the museum, but the girl was saved by hiding in a giant grasshopper. That girl lost her family and had no one.

The giant grasshopper symbolism is linked here to a museum - linking it to Beth (also grasshoppers are Greene).

In this story, the girl that lost her family survived inside the museum, inside the (green) grasshopper.

Just like the key ring dinosaur in season 5. The dinosaur 🦕 museum in The Book of Carol could very well lead to a clue about Beth and a long lost love ❤️.

Now, If you read my last post, i mention the many links to the biblical story of Moses that were seen in TOWL episode 2. Well the "Giant" and "Grasshopper" symbolism is another link to the story of Moses, when he is leading his people into the promised land.

The verse they are pulling from in the story Thorne tells is in Numbers 13.33

There we saw the giants and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

When Moses leads his people to the outskirts of the promised land, they send scouts ahead, to go into the land before entering it. The above verse is what the scouts report back.

They saw Giants in the land and they seemed liked grasshoppers because they were so small in comparison.

I've written before how the Nest (pyramid shaped) in Daryl Dixon season 1 and the Louvre are both representations of the promised land in the story of Moses.

I also wrote about a promotion for The book of Carol x that gave her the symbolism of Balaam's donkey. (another link to the promised land)

And now we have this "Giant", "Grasshopper" and Museum symbolism linked to a museum to add to it all.

Overall, these symbols represent repeating history, and history is a dinosaur museum...Emily gave us a "key" to unlock the symbolism.

The Wolf comes home through repeating the past and a clue to her return is linked to a dinosaur 🦕 and museums and love, so the book of Carol is going to be very interesting, especially as we know that wolf 🐺 = Louvre.

Could the dinosaurs 🦕 broken heart 💔 be mended ❤️ by going back in time...to a museum of the broken-hearted past?

With (the book of) Carol holding the key? 🔑 🦕

The beginning is the end

🦕💔🦕💔♾️ 💔🦕💔🦕

#team delusional #team defiance #team beth lives #bethyl #beth greene #beth is alive #beth is coming #beth greene lives #td #beth x daryl #emily kinney

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stedesparasol · 7 months

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i've seen people talk about how 1.03/2.03 parallel each other (first meeting/reunion) and 1.05/2.05 parallel each other (you wear fine things well) but let's talk about the episodes 4 shall we?

discomfort in a married state indeed! both episodes show us an unhealthy marriage, which is easily contrasted with ed and stede's dynamic in that particular episode.

in 1.04 we see stede and mary meet. they are incompatible from the start in a million different ways and struggle to understand each other. meanwhile, ed and stede also (properly) meet in this episode, and connect with each other immediately: they are similar in so many ways, and the ways they are dissimilar actually compliment each other rather than drive them apart.

in 2.04, we meet a couple at odds with each other in a different way to stede and mary - not only do their disagreements manifest violently, but unlike stede and mary, anne and mary actually chose each other, and yet resentment still grew over time. this is closer to ed and stede's state in that moment, in the sense that they also chose each other and were initially happy together, but are now in conflict with each other. given mary's speech about how a relationship essentially becomes waiting for your partner to die (interesting how stede and mary's flashbacks also draw attention to death with them being presented with graves at their wedding) you'd think this was going to apply to ed and stede too, but obviously we know the show isn't going in that direction.

both of these uncomfortable marriages may parallel ed and stede in their respective episodes, but only to show the contrast. we see stede and mary's cold meeting and inability to appreciate each other, alongside ed and stede's warm meeting and immediate connection. we see anne and mary (literally) attacking their problems with physical violence, while ed and stede end up talking things out and coming to an understanding. at the end of the day, mary's speech about how they'll get bored of each other is honestly proof that that will never happen. we've already learned from 1.04 that ed and stede are comfortable in a married state.

#ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd spoilers

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dean-winchesters-clit · 8 months

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Welcome to Emory Attempts to Create a Series of Events Based Solely on the Trailers and Promo Pictures!!!

This is gonna be a long one. Buckle up bitches! (Excuse the shitty collages, I couldn't figure out a better way to include all the pictures)

So, I don't have a perfect timeline. We just don't have enough info for me to create an exact series of events. I think, however, I can piece together scenes and events that take place around the same time based on the costumes we see the characters wearing, especially Stede.

The really helpful thing about the promo pictures on the Warner Bros. website is that they labelled which episode each picture is from. So, we can tell from them that Stede is wearing a grimy white shirt with a red necktie in the first episode, which means the scene in the rowboat, the scene where Stede is sleeping next to Roach, and the scenes in the marketplace with Susan and Oluwande all happen in the first episode.

We also see the picture of Ed's back tattoo as well as the picture of Izzy with his grimy makeup being listed for episode one, so I think the scenes in the captain's quarters we saw in the teaser will happen in episode one as well. We also see the Stede wedding topper, so I think we'll get our wedding boat raid in the first episode.

In the second episode promo pictures, we see Stede in the Chinese inspired outfit which I think means Oluwande enlisted Susan's help to get them a ship in the picture of him and her together. I believe this also means that the pictures and scenes of the crew in these outfits means that these events happen around the same time, between episodes two and three or four. Which means that - because we see Stede wearing this outfit in the scene where Ed headbutts him - we will be getting our reunion within the first few episodes.

The events from Stede and the crew's POV (I think) is this: The crew enlist Susan's help and get dressed up in the Chinese outfits. This is also when they find Lucius. Stede has a heart to heart with someone on the ship and they eventually catch up with the Revenge. They plan on sneaking aboard in the middle of the night and the plan goes relatively successfully, leading to Stede and Ed reuniting. In the light of day, Stede sees the remnants of an attack on the Revenge (not sure what from).

From Ed's POV in episode two we see that the night following the wedding raid, Ed has his sad time playing dolls. I think this is when we get those shots of Fang and Jim in the auxiliary wardrobe, finding him all sad and very much not over Stede. I think this might be when Ed decides to get his act together. The next day, he corners Frenchie and starts cleaning up the captain's cabin. He's still wearing his full leather get up, but unlike what we see during the wedding raid, his hair is pulled back and his makeup is less severe. Then, something happens and Ed gets hurt. We see him with a split lip and a cut on his cheek. I'm not certain what happens to him, whether it was just a raid gone wrong or maybe the storm, but whatever it may be, the Revenge gets wrecked and Ed gets hurt. Then we get our reunion.

Next, I think, are the scenes where Stede is wearing the white shirt without the red necktie. We see him in this getup after he and Ed have reunited. Notice how Ed is no longer bleeding in the scene where he's talking to Mary and Anne, meaning his wounds are no longer fresh, so this scene takes place after the headbutt scene. I think we'll get the scene where Stede asks Ed to 'show him some respect, please' and then somehow Ed runs off to meet with Mary and Anne and Stede follows him, which is why he's so awkward when Stede shows up. Then we get Ed coughing on the joint and him and Stede having dinner with the pirate queens, during which Stede gets kissed for some reason.

I think after this, Ed and Stede get separated again. If my theory about the red necktie being just an episode one look is correct, it means Stede sends the message in a bottle after they've already been reunited. So something must happen to Ed, which is why Izzy starts training Stede. We see a mostly-empty Revenge when Stede is swinging on the rope, and during this time, I think Stede will try to figure out which pirate captain look is right for him, hence the red outfit in that one scene and the sparkly coat before we finally get to our last look, the blue shirt.

This is where the series of events is the least clear, but I believe all these scenes will occur during the second half of the season. Stede and the crew get tortured for some reason (you can see that this takes place on the Revenge), Stede gets his ear pierced, talks to someone about being a failure, and then we get our scenes on the island. We can tell these island scenes happen all around the same time because it's clearly the same island with the same foliage, and Stede is wearing this late-season blue shirt on the island. So, there will be a battle on a beach, Frenchie and Lucius sneaking around disguised as Naval soldiers (note the blue coats), and maybe even a mid-battle reunion.

I'm not certain where the scenes with Ed and the mysterious figure factor into all this. I have a theory that maybe the Navy capture Ed and banish him to the island, but I don't think that's the case at all. I really like this one theory I read where those scenes could be a dream sequence about Ed facing his inner demons. If anyone finds that post, please let me know who made it so I can give them credit.

That's the best I can do at this point without more info. I'd love to hear all of your guys' thoughts if you have any!

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leclerqueensainz · 1 year

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A Family of Three (C.L 16) - Part.I- Discoveries, Reunions, and Surprises

Paring: Charles Leclerc X OC!Marie Anderson

Synopsis: Charles and Marie ended any chance of a relationship years ago. They just didn't expect to have to share custody of a child after the death of their best friend.

⚠️ Warnings: Mention of death and murder, swearing, Charles being a little aggressive in his reactions, mention of sex and drug use. (This chapter may contain triggers!) (+16)

**In this story, Jules Bianchi died in 2019, not 2015, which changes some facts in the careers of the drivers.

A.N: Hello! How are you doing? After a long time, I finally brought Part 1 translated into English! Remembering that English is not my first language, so there may be some mistakes! I tried my best!

Feedback is always welcome. Let me know if you liked it!

Word Count: 7.882

Read the prologue here!

🇮🇹 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹

January 15th, 2023 - Milan, Italy

"Good morning, Marcella!" I greet my secretary as I enter the office. "Any news for me?" I ask the blonde girl who is sitting with her eyes fixed on the computer in front of her.

"Good morning, Marie! And...HA! I did it!" Marcella suddenly jumps, startling me. "I'm sorry! It's just that I managed to schedule the meeting with Fred Lacroix for next week." She says, trying to compose herself, and I smile."

"That's great! You're amazing," I say, leaning over next to her at the table and taking a peek at her computer. "Do you think he'll be in a good mood? He's not exactly known for being pleasant when it comes to selling and buying his art," I ask and Marcella just shrugs.

"I don't know, and honestly, I don't worry about it," she says, and I can see a smug smile spread across her face. "Either way, we're awesome! We always get what we want," she finishes, and I laugh at her enthusiasm.

I agree with Marcella. We are awesome and always get what we want when it comes to work.

After Jules died, I moved from Monaco to Italy. I felt like I needed to leave it all behind, even if it meant burying a part of who I was with my past. I needed a fresh start, and I closed my eyes to my old life. I had nothing left in Monaco. Nothing held me back or was even worth staying for.

I needed time and a new life, and that's exactly what I found when I came to Italy, where I was able to enroll in arts just in time to continue the school year. And a year and a half later, I graduated and started interning at one of the best galleries in Milan. Shortly after that, I realized I had a lot of potential for curating and dedicated myself to the field, of which today I am still a part, with the highest success rate in recruiting and selling new artists.

Today, I can say that my life is more than comfortable, and I spend so much of my day occupied with work that I hardly have time to think about everything I left behind a few years ago.

"Ah!" Marcella screams and catches me off guard, making me take a few steps back.

"Oh my god, Marcella! You're going to kill me, girl!" I say and put my hand on my chest, feeling my heart skipping like crazy.

"Sorry! I just remembered you got a letter this morning," she says, and I swear my confusion is written all over my face. "I mean, you didn't really get it, it's more like 'they passed the envelope under the door while we were closed, and I stepped on it when I got here'," she says and pulls out a crumpled white envelope with a half footprint on it. "I tried to clean it up, but as you can see, it didn't go very well. Seriously, someone should clean the streets of Milan more," she says and hands me the envelope.

I examine the envelope to find the sender, but I only find "Marie Anderson" written in delicate handwriting.

"There's no sender. That's strange." I say and Marcella nods.

"I thought it was kind of creepy too. I mean, who still sends letters In 2023? Isn't it easier to send a message on Insta? Or like, an email?" I nod my head and shrug.

"Well, let it be," I say and start walking towards my office. "Please let anyone who wants to speak to me know to leave a message. And that includes my mom, okay?" I say and Marcella nods. "Great, thanks," I say, entering my office and closing the door behind me.

I throw my bag on the desk and sit in my chair. I analyze the envelope in my hand again and for a moment, I feel a strange sensation as I stare at it.

"Okay, let's end the suspense, Marie," I say to myself and I grab a staple remover from the pencil holder, passing it over the glued part of the envelope.

Opening the envelope, I take out a sheet of paper with the same handwriting as the envelope, and two photos of a little boy with dark hair and eyes who I swear I've never seen before, but who somehow seems very familiar to me. I turn over the photos to see if there's anything written on the back.

"Vincenzo. 24/12/2021"

Was written in one of the photos. The little boy was sitting next to what looked like a Christmas tree. I took a look at the next photograph, where the same boy, who seemed a bit older, was sitting on a mat surrounded by toys. "Vincenzo. 19/12/2022."

Feeling even more confused and with a strange sensation spreading through my chest, I picked up the letter I had left aside on the table and began to read it.

France, January 2nd, 2023.

Marie,

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've thought about how I would write to you. You don't know me, and to be honest, I don't think anyone in his circle of friends and family has even heard of me.

My name is Cecilia, and that's all you need to know about me right now, aside from what I'm about to write to you next: I was engaged to Jules Bianchi.

I know this is strange and perhaps even unbelievable, but it's true. Jules and I had a brief but passionate love story. I loved Jules, and I can say that he loved me too.

Two days before his death, I found out that I was pregnant. I gave birth to Vincenzo on December 24th, 2019. He was a healthy and strong little boy, very similar to Jules.

I loved him from the moment I found out he was growing inside me. The result of something so pure and beautiful, from my relationship with Jules.

I know it's a lot for you to process right now, but so that you can know that I'm telling you the truth, there are two photos of Vincenzo. I want you to look at them and see Jules, just as I do every time I look at my son.

"I've been wanting to write to you for a long time. Jules saw you as a sister. I'm sorry I hid this from you and his family too, but I was so afraid. Afraid of rejection, of being seen as a liar. I couldn't go through any of that. I only had Jules, and after he left me, there was no one else I could trust, so I've been raising Vincenzo alone until now, but I don't think I can do it anymore. Vincenzo has a family besides me. And I need him to grow up knowing that he is loved.

I promise I to explain everything you need to know. Please meet me at the café where you used to meet every time you came together to Nice. January 18th at 4 pm.

- Cecilia.

My hands tremble as I put the letter back on the table.

What the hell is this? Is this some kind of sick joke?

I take the two photos back in my hands and stare at them, now realizing why I found that boy so familiar. It was Jules. That boy is the spitting image of Jules.

But how is this even possible? Why didn't Jules tell us he had someone? That's not like him. Jules was always an open book to us. He told us everything, just as we did with him. He wouldn't hide this from us...would he?

With my head swimming with questions and my heart heavy as lead, I found myself shouting Marcella's name, and less than a minute later, her short locks appeared through the door.

My hands tremble as I put the letter back on the table.

What the hell is this? Is this some kind of sick joke?

I take the two photos back in my hands and stare at them, now realizing why I found that boy so familiar. It was Jules. That boy is the spitting image of Jules.

With my head swimming with questions and my heart heavy as lead, I found myself shouting Marcella's name, and less than a minute later, her short locks appeared through the door.

"Yes?" She asks before looking at me for a moment and entering my office complete with a worried expression. "Are you okay, Marie?" She says kneeling by my side.

"Book a flight for tomorrow morning. I need to go to France."

🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷

January 18th, 2023. - Nice, France.

I stare again at the clock hanging on the wall above the counter of the small café. 3:45 PM.

15 minutes. Just 15 minutes until I could find out who Cecilia was and why she decided to contact me now, after all this time. And why me? Yes, Jules, Charles, and I were always very close despite the age difference. But why reach out to me? If she intended to introduce the boy to Jules' family, why didn't she contact Christine or Philippe?

I hadn't seen Jules' family in a long time, we didn't even exchange messages. I left them behind when I decided to move on to Italy. They were buried with my past in Monaco.

The bell on the entrance door rings, indicating that someone has entered the premises. My head quickly snaps toward the sound.

And it's like in one minute, everything I struggled so hard to forget and leave behind comes back with force and without control like waves of a tsunami.

Standing just a few meters away from where I'm sitting, my gaze meets Charles'.

Charles. My ex-boyfriend whom I haven't seen in almost four years. The part that hurts the most from my past, besides the death of Jules.

He looks different. So different from the last time I saw him at Jules' funeral. This time he's not dressed in mourning black, no. He's wearing casual clothes, dark jeans, and a moss green sweater with the word "FERRARI" stamped in black. There's a scruffy beard on his face and his eyes...damn. The eyes that last time reflected so much hopelessness were now more alive, but still with certain traces of concern.

Charles walks up to where I'm sitting, his steps quick and wide as if he wanted to corner me before I could escape again. He stops half a meter away, and his gaze curiously roams over me. His expression is stern but also covered in doubt. I bet that, like me, he wants to understand why I'm here.

"Charles..." I'm the first to say, my voice low and uncertain. He nods slowly, his gaze still fixed on me, as if he wants to uncover all the secrets I gained during the years we were apart.

“What are you doing here, Marie?" he asks, direct and determined, without any hesitation. It's a tone I would have never expected to hear from the Charles I left four years ago. Yes, he really has changed.

I wished I could answer him with the same intensity, but honestly, I don't think I could. There's so much going on here and my head is spinning with so many questions and emotions. Why is Charles here? What the hell is going on? Did he set all this up?

"Is this some kind of joke? Because if it is, I swear to God it's not funny," he says, his tone now rough.

I sit there staring at him, completely confused.

Charles runs his hand through his hair, messing up his brown locks even more. He sighs heavily and closes his eyes, his tongue quickly passing over his lower lip. He used to do that all the time when he felt anger or frustration. At least that hasn't changed.

"What are you doing here, Charles?" I ask, and he opens his eyes, once again staring at me.

Charles's hand reaches into his back pocket and pulls out an envelope identical to the one that was left for me in the office in Italy. The difference is that I can see that this one was addressed to Charles, only his name, and also without a sender.

"Please tell me it wasn't you, Marie," he says as his eyes shift from the envelope to my face. I look at him with all the sincerity I can muster and answer, "No, it wasn't me." He nods his head, his expression softening a bit. He moves and sits in the vacant chair in front of me, his hands going up to his face to rub it.

"Jules has a son," he says.

"I know," I reply.

"Charles lowers his hands and stares at me once again, confusion etched on his face. Before he can say anything, I reach into my bag on the table, open it, and take out the white envelope. Charles looks at my hand for a moment before reaching over the table to take the envelope from me."

"You got one too," he says, not looking at me, even though it's not a question, I nod my head in agreement.

"It seems she arranged to meet with both of us. I think it's easier if we hear the story at the same time, that way there's no risk of getting the wrong versions," I say, and his gaze shifts from the envelopes on the table to me.

"Do you think it's a lie? That the boy isn't Jules's son?" he asks seriously, and I just shrug in response.

"I believe it could be Jules's son. I just don't know why she waited all this time and why she chose us. Obviously, we're not the best people to show Vincenzo that he has a family on his father's side," I say, and I see Charles's jaw tighten.

"We were friends with Jules. He trusted us," he says, once again his voice sounding rough.

"It seems he didn't trust us enough to tell us he fell in love," I say, and immediately regret it.

I look at Charles and if we were part of a cartoon, he would have flames in his eyes.

“You don't know what happened. You don't know his reasons, just like me,” he says through gritted teeth. “Don't doubt his motives. Not when he's not here to defend himself.”

In all the years I've spent by Charles' side, I've never seen him so angry. And if I didn't know him, I'd be scared.

But do you still know him? I silently ask myself.

"That's not what I meant," I defensively reply. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out that way. Of course, Jules had reasons and we'll find out when Cecilia arrives." Charles relaxes his jaw and adjusts in his seat.

I look at the clock on the wall again. 4:10 PM. She's late. I look at Charles, a little anxious.

"Do you think she's coming?" he shrugs, but his hand goes into his hoodie pocket and pulls out a cell phone.

"She's late," he states what I already know. "But I think so, she's coming." Charles carelessly tosses the phone onto the table, his anxious fingers fidgeting with his rings.

"Congratulations on the runner-up, by the way," I say, trying to ease both of our anxieties, and he looks back at me.

"Did you follow the races?" he asked, a little surprised.

"Yes," I admit, somewhat embarrassed. "My secretary is a huge Formula 1 fan," I add, which is not a lie.

Like all Italians, Marcella is a devoted Tifosi. And even though I wanted to leave everything I knew behind, I couldn't escape one of the most beloved sports in Europe, especially in Italy, the home of Ferrari.

Charles lets out a low laugh, his look adopting the expression of a mischievous boy. Oh no.

"Your secretary, huh?" he says with a teasing and suggestive tone.

"Ah, shut up, Leclerc!" I say, trying to sound serious but failing when I let out a laugh. "I'm serious! My secretary is a diehard Tifosi. She can't shut up for a minute about Ferrari and makes me watch all the races," I say, shrugging.

"Yeah, yeah... And I bet I'm your 'secretary's' favorite driver, right?" he says, making air quotes with his fingers and having a smug smile on his face.

"Actually, she prefers Sainz," I say, and instantly his smile turns into a serious expression, which makes me laugh.

Soon, Charles' dimples appear on his cheek and my heart skips a beat at the sound of his typically somewhat flawed and exaggerated laugh. Oh, how I enjoyed hearing that horrible but at the same time very cute laugh again.

At that moment, even though I hated to admit it, I realized how much I missed that feeling of familiarity and lightness. And even though just a few minutes ago, I was doubting whether I still knew the person that Charles had become, I could see that regardless of the years and tragedies that life had subjected him to from a young age, that kind and playful boy that I had once fallen in love with was still there. And maybe he would never leave. And I liked that.

Looking at Charles smiling, sitting in front of me, I wonder for just a second if it would have been different if I hadn't left. But as soon as the thought came, I pushed it away. Because even though I was happy to know that Charles still had something familiar to me inside him, we were not meant to be even before Jules' death. And I doubt that we could have maintained a good relationship with all the pain and mourning that surrounded us. I made a good choice. Yes, I did the right thing.

Leaving Monaco was one of the hardest things I had to face. But it made me grow and become a strong woman. I learned to deal with loss, even if it may not be the healthiest way, it still worked for me. I was able to finish college, got the job I wanted, and met new people. I fell in love, and even though I didn't love them like I loved Charles, I still allowed myself to feel and try happiness. Clearly, it didn't work out, but the experience was worth it.

And I can also say that Charles has achieved what he wanted, or almost everything. He is one of the best Formula 1 drivers and drives for Ferrari, which is almost every motorsport athlete's dream. He has a successful career and is known worldwide for it. And even though he didn't get the title he so desperately craved last year, he may get it this year. He is focused, grateful, and kind. The golden boy. Il Predestinato.

Even though Charles is so young, he has given his family and friends everything they ever dreamed of. Pascale must be so proud of him, and if Harvé were still alive, I'm sure he would also be proud of the son he raised. And Jules would also be proud to see Charles' progress.

And then the emptiness appears again. Jules. I try my best not to think about him. The memories are still painful even after all these years.

I think I let my thoughts reflect too much because Charles, who was laughing before, now looks at me with a compassionate expression. He probably thought of Jules too.

"I miss him too," he says and I nod my head. "And I missed you too," his hand meets mine on the table.

There were no ulterior motives. Just a gesture. A gesture to affirm what he was saying. And it hurt. It hurt in my heart and soul.

I quickly withdraw my hand from his and stare at the table. Charles withdraws his hands and keeps them close to his body.

"I know you didn't owe me anything, Marie. No explanations, not loyalty," he starts, his voice a little broken, making my heart tighten. "But Jules died and you left. Why did you leave?" he asks, and I can hear the hurt in his voice.

I wished I had the strength to lift my gaze and tell him while looking him in the eyes that everything I did was out of fear and thinking that there was nothing left for me in Monaco. That I still loved him even after he broke up with me and that losing Jules to death destroyed me, but knowing that I would lose Charles while he was still alive would only ruin me even more. I couldn't see him every day and know that he no longer belonged to me. And that every minute I spent mourning and heartbroken without him reminded me that love was impossible for me. That I didn't deserve to be loved. That there would never be anyone to love me.

"I had to go," I say, still staring at my hands. "I don't expect you to understand or forgive me. Because I'm not asking for any of that, Charles," my voice sounds firm but my eyes burn.

I take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds before releasing it. I raise my gaze to meet his when I'm sure the tears won't fall.

"I had to make a choice and I did. I chose myself," I say simply, perhaps trying to convince myself.

Charles nods his head and goes back to fiddling with the rings on his fingers. This time it was difficult for him to look at me.

"I'm happy to see who you've become, Marie. And I hope you've achieved what you wanted when..." he pauses for a second, unsure of what to say, "when you left Monaco." A tired laugh escapes his lips. "I'm not going to judge you, especially since when you left, we were no longer a couple. But I was an idiot to think that we were still friends." He looks back at me. "I was foolish until I realized that there would be no possibility for us without Jules being here."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to stand up and throw everything in front of me at him. I wanted to curse at him and tell him that he didn't have that right. But to be fair, I could never do that. Not when I left, when it was me who left what was left of the three of us. Jules had died and I had fled. When I left, I didn't think of Charles or his feelings. I only thought of myself and how I could never live with that.

I don't regret it. I did what I thought was necessary and would do it again. Charles might have needed me, but I needed to leave and heal. And that's what I did. Charles still had friends and family to rely on, and I had no one. No present family, no friends, and no boyfriend. Charles and I both mourned, of course, but we mourned in different ways. He had lost a friend, and I had lost everything.

There was no one to come home to and hug. There was no one there to tell me that they were sorry for my loss and that everything would be okay. So I went after what I thought I needed and I got it. I went in search of myself, a new life, new choices, and opportunities, and I found them. I found myself. Of course, I let go of a lot, and the void left by Jules and Charles was never filled, but I learned to cope and use it to my advantage for other things, and that was enough, at least for now.

Before I could respond to him, I'm interrupted once again by the sound of the damn doorbell.

Charles and I turned our attention to the door at the same time. Both of us were staring at a slim blonde woman, wearing a green coat and leggings. But what caught our attention the most was the little boy in her arms. He was about 3 or 4 years old, with dark hair, lying with his face hidden in the woman's neck, and his small hand clutching onto her collar as if he were afraid she would leave if he let go.

Charles and I stood up in rehearsed gestures, all at the same time. He stopped beside me, his hand resting on my shoulder, covered by my own coat this time. The woman looked at us and came slowly towards us. When she got closer and stopped about a meter away from us, I could analyze her.

Her face was thin and perfectly symmetrical, and even though it seemed like she hadn't slept in days, her tired eyes were a beautiful shade of greenish-brown. She is very beautiful. Her lips opened in a small smile, and there I could see that she easily fit Jules' type.

"I assume you are Charles and Marie, right?" She says, her voice sweet and tired.

My gaze moves from her to the little boy in her arms, and then they cross with Charles'. He tells me through his eyes the same things I am thinking. We return our attention to the blonde in front of us and nod.

"Great!" She clears her throat before continuing, "I'm Cecilia, and this little guy here is Vincenzo." She gently shakes the child, who tightens his grip on her coat collar even more. "Jules' son."

Charles' grip on my shoulder becomes stronger, and I swallow hard. I can't take my eyes off the little boy, and now up close, I can see his profile. His chubby childlike cheek and long eyelashes, just like Jules'.

Cecilia shifts uncomfortably, her feet shifting the weight from one to the other, and she adjusts Vincenzo's position in her lap.

"I know you must have thousands of questions, and I promise I will answer them all. But before that, would you mind if I sit down? Vincenzo is a bit heavy, and I walked here with him in my arms," she says, embarrassed.

"Of course not. Please," Charles approaches her and pulls the chair he was sitting in a few minutes ago. Cecilia sits down, careful not to make any sudden movements and wake Vincenzo.

Charles points to the empty chair, and I sit down. He takes a few steps hto the table next to us and takes an unoccupied chair to sit on. Once the three of us are seated around the table, Charles calls the waitress, whom I only now notice has been staring at us this whole time. The redheaded and smiling girl, who probably can't be more than 19 years old, approaches with her gaze fixed on Charles- she probably recognized him.

Charles is the one who orders. A cappuccino for me- which causes a sensation in my stomach that he still remembers- an iced tea for himself, and he asks Cecilia what she would like to drink, to which she responds that coffee would be enough. The redhead writes down the orders and asks for permission to leave. Her eyes still glued to Charles.

I roll my eyes internally, but I know I can't blame her. After all, it's probably not every day that she serves a public figure. When we used to come here with Jules, the employees were different, and the small café is located on a somewhat isolated street in Nice, so it's unlikely that many famous people come here.

I take my gaze off the waitress and turn back to Cecilia, who was already looking at me attentively with a small smile on her lips.

"Well..." Charles begins. "Why are we here, Cecilia? Why only now have you contacted us?" He leans forward a little more, his arms resting on the wooden table.

Cecilia shifts in her chair carefully and her eyes briefly glance at Vincenzo before turning back to us.

"I wanted you to meet Vincenzo. While he was alive, Jules always mentioned you as part of his family. He loved you both very much," she says, and I feel my chest tightening.

"But why only now?" I speak for the first time. "I know you wrote in the letter that you were afraid, but it still sounds strange that you would come looking for us now, without any reason," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

Cecilia falls silent for a few seconds as if she wants to formulate the next words carefully.

"There's a reason," she confirms. "Look, I know it's strange, and I assure you that I'm not looking for any money or anything like that." Her gaze shifts from me to Charles, as if she wants to confirm the latter part specifically for him. "Jules and I met about six months before he died, and it was love at first sight."

"He never told us about you," Charles responds cutting her off and she nods.

"I know he didn't. I asked him not to," she says and Charles and I exchange confused looks before turning our attention back to her.

"What do you mean? Why would you ask him not to?" I ask, finding it all very odd.

"When I met Jules, I was in a complicated time in my life," she answers and I see her face darken. "I was only 19 and had run away from Italy." Her voice trembles as if it's hard for her to mention those times again.

I wish I could tell her that she didn't need to tell us if she wasn't feeling comfortable, but the truth was that it was really necessary. After all, that's what Charles and I are here for.

Charles nodded for her to continue and I could feel his tension.

"I got involved with the wrong people in Italy," she continues. "There was a boy I had been in love with during my teenage years, Paolo was his name. We were very young and stupid, you know?" Cecília laughs and her eyes fill with tears. "Like every teenager, we thought we were invincible, but we weren't. When I was 17, I spent most of my time at parties and clubs with him. We drank and did drugs, and everything was fun and happy until it wasn't anymore. Over time, the drinking and drugs stopped being just for parties and began to become necessary for anything. From being able to concentrate on studies, to being able to get out of bed. My parents assumed that Paolo was to blame for my addiction and banned me from seeing him. I obviously went against them and they made me choose between a life with them or my ruin with Paolo. I, being young and foolish, chose love and abandoned my parents without looking back. I left the life I had to chase adventures with Paolo and he did the same, running away from home. But the thing is, we were two addicted people without a home and money. There was no more money from our parents, so we started doing whatever we could. Small thefts and even..." She stops for a moment, thick tears streaming down her face.

"Here." Charles extends a napkin and she takes it, wiping her face immediately after.

"Thank you," she says and he offers her a half-smile. "Even prostitution," she continues, and I feel my stomach churn. It wasn't disgust, but rather a pity for imagining someone in that situation. Beside me, I could see that Charles was equally uncomfortable. It was hard for him to put himself in her place.

Charles grew up with great parents who did everything for their children, and even though they weren't millionaires at the time, they still managed to have and offer a comfortable life for them. And I bet that if any of the three, Charles, Lorenzo, or Arthur, had gone the wrong way, Pascale would never have abandoned them.

And me, well, I was lucky. I spent my teenage years with Jules and Charles, who had a structured enough family to share with me because my parents were absent.

Obviously, Charles and I had our rebellious phase with occasional drinking and smoking weed. But Jules, being almost ten years older than us, always kept us in line like a good older brother. And if he knew that we had crossed the line at parties or anywhere else, oh God! He would freak out.

- "Cecilia, I know it's difficult for you to say this, but I think it's important for Charles and me to understand," I say and she nods.

Cecília takes two deep breaths before continuing, and that's when I'm sure the story would only get worse. I try to prepare myself to hear what she had to say.

"I prostituted myself a few times without Paolo's knowledge. Some traffickers gave me drugs in exchange for sex and since many times I had no other choice, I accepted. But one day he found out and that ended us. With us." Tears returned to stream down her face. "Paolo went crazy when he found out and went after the trafficker I had slept with. He got a gun and killed the guy. We were on the run for a few weeks, but it was too hard for two homeless addicts to hide in Italy. Soon they found us and..." She closes her eyes and sobs.

I stretch my hand across the table and take Cecilia's hand. There was a lot of pain there and part of me wanted to curl up and stop listening, but I couldn't. I glance at Charles and he meets my gaze, his eyes reflecting distress at hearing everything that came out of her mouth. It was too surreal for him to hear all of that.

"They killed Paolo and thought they had killed me too. But by some miracle, I managed to survive and ask for help at a church. The priest there was friends with my parents and managed to find a family in Nice who were willing to help me. So I came to France, went through rehabilitation, and started attending meetings for drug addicts." Her eyes become distant again, and I continue holding her hand. "It was on the way back from one of those meetings that I met Jules, and that's where I understood the reason why I survived. We fell in love, but he had a public life and I couldn't expose myself because I was afraid that they would come after me. I told Jules what had happened and unlike what I thought he would do, he embraced me. He promised me that he wouldn't tell anyone, not even you two until I was ready and safe. And he did that. He kept us a secret for months. We saw each other every time he came back to Nice, after the races." She finishes.

Charles and I watched as Cecilia tried to calm her breathing, her grip on the sleeping Vincenzo's body tightening as if afraid he might disappear from her arms at any moment.

It breaks my heart to see all her pain and gives me a completely different perspective from when I walked in here today. She loved Vincenzo, and that was clear, just as she had loved Jules. And that's the part that hurts me the most.

Knowing that the reason Jules never mentioned her to us, his friends and family, was sole to protect her, made my heart heavy and warm at the same time. That was so Jules.

I remember months before he died, he started to spend more time in his hometown and whenever we asked him about it, he said he wanted to spend a little more time with his family. We even found it a little strange, but Jules always had a great relationship with his parents and closest relatives, which made us simply let it go and just enjoy the time we spent together before he and Charles had to go back to racing.

"I'm sorry for all of this, really, Cecilia," Charles is the first to say after she seems calmer. "But we still need to know why you're only coming to us now," he says, and I agree.

Cecilia nods and looks at Vincenzo in her arms. The tension emanating from her makes me shiver, and Charles probably noticed it too as his hand finds my thigh under the table.

"About two days before Jules' death, I found out I was pregnant with Vincenzo," she says and I nod in understanding. "Jules was racing in Shanghai and I was scared and alone here." The tears that had ceased returned in stronger waves.

My mind teleports back to 2019, to Jules' last race. He was so happy to finish seventh that day. But, all of a sudden, he just wanted to go home and rest, not even celebrating with the boys on the grid.

"I sent him a message after the race. I said I needed him to come to Nice as soon as possible because something had happened," Cecilia looks at Charles as she speaks. "Then he sent me a message saying he would take the first available flight back to France."

As Cecilia talks, Charles' grip on my thigh gets stronger. I look at him from the corner of my eye and I can see the moment his Adam's apple goes up and down.

"So that's why he left so quickly that day," Charles' voice sounds low. "He left before I could talk to him..." His eyes fill with tears and his breathing becomes a bit unstable. Cecilia just nods and closes her eyes tightly before continuing.

"When Jules arrived in Nice, it was already early morning and it was raining heavily. He tried to get a taxi or Uber, but couldn't get either," this time I feel my breathing falter a bit as she continues. "He managed to rent a car from a nearby 24-hour agency and sent me a message saying he would arrive soon and that I didn't need to worry because no matter what was happening, everything would be okay and that he loved me."

Charles stood up abruptly. His face adopted a look of disbelief.

"It was you..." his voice was weak and accusatory. "It was because of you that he... My God!" He flinches and his hands pass through his face and his hair.

"Charles..." I try to calm him down, even though I am also anxious. "Charles, please sit down and try to calm down." I try to grab his hand, but he recoils in a sudden movement.

"Calm down? It's her, Marie!" he says, pointing to Cecilia who only shrinks into her chair and holds Vincenzo even tighter, as he moves uncomfortably in her lap. "She killed him! IT'S HER FAULT THAT JULES DIED!" he screams.

My breathing becomes difficult and my heart races. In front of me, Cecilia sobs and holds Vincenzo even closer to her body.

All that commotion made some employees start to appear and approach at a safe distance from the table.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Cecilia pleads. "I swear I never wanted this to happen, I was so scared and..." She stops when she hears Vincenzo's low cry.

Charles' attention goes to the little boy as he realizes he is now awake. He shakes his head in a negative motion and leaves the café in a hurry, slamming the door hard behind him. We are startled by the noise and the little boy cries even louder. I quickly get up to go after Charles, but before I do, I turn to Cecilia.

"Please wait here, okay? I'll try to calm him down. Don't leave," I say, and she nods, her face stained with tears that continued to fall, and her breathing accelerated as she rocked Vincenzo, trying to calm him down.

A dark-haired waitress approaches with a glass of water in her hands and places it in front of Cecilia. I thank her with a gesture and quickly leave through the door to find Charles.

It doesn't take me long to find him, he was in front of a black car. His body leaned against the driver's side. Even from a distance, I can see his body shaking and hear the sound of his erratic breathing. I approach him slowly, so as not to startle him.

When I get close enough, I think about touching him, but the thought leaves my mind when I realize it's not a good idea.

"Charles..." I call him softly to get his attention. "I'm sorry, but we need to go back there. She-"

"No!" he exclaims. "Please, Marie! Don't ask me to go back there. She killed him! It was her fault!" He stares at me with red and swollen eyes.

My heart tightens at the sight of him like this. I find myself being sent back to the year of Jules' death, specifically to the day of his funeral.

I wanted to hug Charles and tell him that everything would be okay, but in reality, I didn't know if it would. Jules had died almost four years ago, and yet it still hurt every time his name was mentioned. And hearing today from a stranger the reasons that resulted in his death was not easy. But there was a reason why Cecilia wanted to contact us after all this time, and we needed to know.

I take a deep breath and decide to approach Charles more. One of us had to try to be rational at this moment, and if it had to be me, okay. I wasn't going to go back to Italy without an answer.

"Charles, I understand that it's difficult to hear all of this suddenly," my hands go to his face. "I know it hurts, Charles. I'm feeling it too." He closes his eyes and I feel tears rolling down my face. "But we can't blame her entirely, Charles. She was scared and just wanted to talk to him.”

“And it resulted in his death." He says, his eyes opening and meeting mine. "Marie, if she hadn't done what she did, he would be here now. He would be alive and he would have met..." His voice trails off. "He would have met his son." He cries and I pull him into a hug.

Jules died without knowing his son. Jules died without knowing that he would have a son. Jules died in the dark without knowing what was happening to Cecilia. Jules died alone and worried, and nothing we can do will bring him back. He died. It's over. But Charles and I are still here.

"Jules died without knowing his son, but we're still here and we can do this for him," I say and he squeezes me tighter.

"We're still here, Charles. And we can do this." He breaks the hug and looks at me with a face full of sorrow. I nod.

"We need to go in there together. Together," he looks down at his feet. "Charles, I need you to go in there with me because I can't do this alone." His eyes come back to me and he understands that I used the same words he did a few years ago. "Please, Charles. I don't want to do this alone. I can't." He nods and I take his hand and slowly lead him back to the cafe.

When we walk through the door, my eyes meet Cecilia's. I nod my head to let her know it's okay, and she nods in understanding. I look at Charles who stares at her expressionlessly. His gaze is icy, totally different from the one I once knew.

Still holding Charles' hand, I walk toward the table where she uncomfortably waits for us. I notice that Vincenzo is no longer in her lap and feel momentary concern that quickly passes when I see him playing with the same red-haired waitress who had served us.

We sit in our chairs and I see that our orders are placed on the table. I feel my stomach churn just looking at the cappuccino in front of me. I take glance around and notice the employees trying to avoid looking at us. I make a mental note to "solve" this problem so it doesn't follow us when we leave.

"Just say what you want," Charles breaks the silence, his eyes still staring at Cecilia who nods and swallows hard.

"I understand your anger, and I know I have no right to ask for what I'm about to ask," she says and my hearing sharpens. "I live with guilt for years. Whether it's for Paolo or Jules, guilt and remorse follow me wherever I go. No matter what I try to do, they're always there." She looks at her hands. "Last year, I relapsed. I used heroin, once, but I used it. After years of resisting and not even going near drugs, I let my messed-up mind fall into the hole and I shot up." She lets out a desperate laugh and her eyes fill with water.

My body freezes and Charles makes a sound of scorn beside me. When he opens his mouth to say something, Cecilia cuts him off.

"Yes, I know I'm a whore, and I deserve the worst shit life has in store for me. But that's the thing. I deserve the bad things, but my son doesn't," she says firmly, looking at us seriously. "I need Vincenzo to have a good and decent life. I need to make sure he grows up loved and that he never lacks anything." She looks away for a moment to the table where Vincenzo was happily playing with the waitress and then back to us.

Cecilia takes a deep breath and leans forward. I could swear she was capable of asking for anything at that moment. Money, a house in a distant place, a period in rehab, anything.

"I can't take care of Vincenzo anymore," she asserts, her tone exuding bitterness. "I promised Jules that I would do everything to make him different from me. And that's why I came to you after all these years."

My head spins. She's asking for...? No, it's not possible.

"What do you mean by that?" Charles asks anxiously.

"Cecilia wipes the tears from her face with her hand, blinks a few times, and adopts a determined look, a look that I knew well. The same look I gave to myself in the mirror when I decided to leave Monaco. Suddenly, I feel afraid because my suspicions are confirmed.

"She wants us to take care of Vincenzo," I say.

#charles leclerc smut #charles leclerc x black!reader #charles leclerc x reader angst #charles lecrelc #pierre gasly #carlos sainz fanfic #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #lewis hamilton #formula 1

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