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lulu2992 · 8 months

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From the Inquisitor to the Baptist: The Evolution of John Seed

From the early stages of the development of a video game to the day it gets released, its gameplay, story, and characters usually go through many modifications. Far Cry 5 is no exception to this rule, and thanks to promotional images, trailers, interviews, official side material, and even deleted content still available in the game’s files, we can get a glimpse of what Hope County and its residents used to be like. John Seed, in particular, seems to have undergone quite a few alterations, both physical and moral.

In these posts, I will be listing and discussing all the changes I noticed in John and explaining why the man who used to be known as “The Inquisitor” isn’t identical to “The Baptist” we met in Far Cry 5.

All the sources and references indicated by the superscript numbers will be given in the last post.

Part 1: Physical appearance, clothes, and tattoos (concept art, promotional content, and side material)

What seems to be the earliest portrait of the Seed family is a piece of concept art that Lead Graphic Production Artist Nick Arnett shared on Instagram¹:

As you can see, many things look different from what we are used to, from the Eden’s Gate cross (behind Joseph’s head) and logo (on the pulpit, with an eagle) to the Seed siblings’ outfits. The man on the right seems to be John, and he’s sporting a two-tone blue shirt that resembles the one he will end up wearing in the game, but he doesn’t have a vest. Instead of a belt, he has suspenders, and his pants and shoes look darker and more formal than his usual jeans and boots. He already has a beard and, while his hair is slicked back, as it is in the game, it’s a little longer. He doesn’t have any visible tattoos, but if you look closely, you’ll notice that he does have something on his hand: blood, running from his knuckles.

In May 2017, nine months before Far Cry 5 came out, the game was officially announced and a few promotional pictures were released, notably these two²:

But before that, we can see what John looked like at an even earlier stage of the game’s development, during the making of those two aforementioned pictures, thanks to early sketches and visuals shared by AmCo Studio³ and Fire Without Smoke⁴:

John’s iconic vest and sunglasses have appeared, and while his shirt became white, it’s now partially unbuttoned and the sleeves are rolled up, which is how he wears it in the game. As for his hair, it’s shorter than it was in the first family portrait and looks more similar to his final design. We still don’t see any tattoos on his arms, but he has a watch.

In the final version of what I would call the “Last-Supper-like” images, John looks even more like himself, but there are still a few differences:

Although they are not strictly identical to the ones he has in the game, he’s wearing sunglasses with blue lenses on his head. His shirt became blue again, his vest is striped, and he now has his “EG” (Eden’s Gate) earring and belt buckle, grey jeans, and bunker key around his neck. He’s also wearing a coat, but while, at first glance, it looks like the one we all know, the pattern isn’t the same; instead of planes, there are “EG” symbols on it. The buttons, however, are already golden and decorated with scales.

In the pictures, especially the first one, the siblings are associated with symbols: a crown for Joseph (on his jacket and napkin), a sword for Jacob (on his music box), a pair of scales for John (on his coat’s buttons and in the bread/cake), and intoxicating Bliss flowers for Faith, a reference to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Conquest, War, Famine, and Death, respectively, who. In John’s case, the scales could also be a nod to the fact he’s a lawyer. Indeed, scales are commonly used to symbolize justice.

This time, he finally has tattoos, and while some of them are the ones he will have in Far Cry 5, others are different. He already has small symbols on his fingers: an eye, a tongue, a hand with a drop of blood on it, a heart, a foot, a keyhole, and waves. The meaning of these symbols used to be a mystery to me, but it turns out they were inspired by Bible verses, specifically Proverbs 6:16-19⁵:

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

The flames on his right wrist will be in the game as well, but here, they are smaller. This tattoo seems to have been taken directly from this illustration:

It’s from a French (Breton, to be precise) collection of “Taolennoù Ar Mission” (literally “mission paintings” in Breton) by François-Marie Balanant, who was a priest, and it depicts a human soul being afflicted by the seven deadly sins⁶. “Taolennoù” were created in Brittany in the sixteenth century by the Catholic clergy in an effort to make religion more accessible to the faithful, some of whom were illiterate, with the help of drawings.

This particular image can be found on the Wikipedia page dedicated to the seven deadly sins⁷, which seems to have been the primary source of information and inspiration for several of John’s tattoos.

Clearly, the angelic figure with the dove, on his right hand, also directly comes from the drawing (upper left corner). This tattoo will later be redesigned and decorate the inner face of his left forearm.

As explained on Wikipedia, there used to be eight mortal sins, and their Latin names were:

Gula (Gluttony)

Luxuria (Lust)

Avaritia (Greed)

Tristitia (Sorrow)

Ira (Wrath)

Acedia (Sloth)

Vanagloria (Vainglory)

Superbia (Pride)

Tristitia and Acedia would later be combined, as well as Vanagloria and Superbia.

In the two promotional pictures, John has seven of these sins (except Acedia) tattooed on his left hand, as he does in Far Cry 5.

John also has letters on his fingers, but while, in the game, they spell “E-D-E-N” and “G-A-T-E”, here, we see G, G, S, E, W, P, and L, most likely the first letter of each deadly sin in English.

On his chest, instead of a scar and the mutilated word “SLOTH”, he has a tattoo. We see two crossed rifles, the number seven in tally marks (probably yet another reference to the deadly sins), what seems to be the words “Bros & Sis” above the design, and what probably is “Til Death” under it. It looks like an infantry tattoo, very similar to the example included below (center) by tattoo artist Garrett Tankersley, known as tat2garrett on Instagram⁸:

Finally, in one of the images, John is holding a tattoo machine. In the other, he’s holding a revolver. In the game, however, this weapon is nowhere to be seen.

Even though he will never use it in Far Cry 5, John was represented by this gun again on one of the game’s old official websites⁹:

At the time, as you can see, his title was also “The Inquisitor” instead of “The Baptist”.

On the PlayAsia blog, on a page dedicated to Far Cry 5, short information sheets about a few of the game’s characters were posted¹⁰. They look official, but since I have only ever seen them on this website, which was not created by Ubisoft, their origin and therefore the accuracy of the information they give are uncertain.

While most of what the picture says is either true (blue eyes, brown hair) or plausible (his height), John mathematically can’t be only 32 years old because he was already working as a lawyer about ten years before the events of the game, which is set in 2018. According to my research, it takes 7 years after graduating high school to become a licensed lawyer in the United States. In 2008, John couldn’t be younger than 18+7=25 years old, so it’s impossible for him to have been born after 1983. He could have skipped grades, but since this is never mentioned anywhere, I assume he didn’t and that he’s in fact older than 32 in Far Cry 5.

It’s possible, however, that he really was supposed to be 32 years old when the picture was made but that his backstory (and consequently his age) was then modified.

In the novel Far Cry Absolution, a few details are given about John’s appearance. For example, on page 6:

He was ten years older than [Mary May] and near six foot with brown hair and a beard that covered the lower half of his face.

Mary May is 29 (almost 30) in the novel, which makes John approximately 39 or 40 years old in the book. This age is more plausible, I think.

Then, on page 31:

John Seed, the younger brother of The Father, slighter in build, but cut from the same cloth. Both bearded and tattooed, and both with those all-seeing eyes that seemed to search through the dark with a kind of nocturnal prowess.

This isn’t the only time in the novel that John’s gaze is described as intense. The word “predatory” is even used on page 145.

Interestingly, and despite the fact it’s absent from Far Cry 5, the gun seen in his hand in one of the promotional pictures is mentioned in Absolution as well. It’s described as “a large revolver” on page 31 and as a “big magnum revolver” on page 57. He also uses a rifle “with a wood stock and bolt-action lever” (page 48) at one point, but this weapon isn’t in the game either.

Overall, aside from this detail, his physical description in the book is rather consistent with what we see in the game. And in this official picture posted in January 2018 to promote the book¹¹, he apparently looks the same as he does in Far Cry 5.

In the live-action short film Inside Eden’s Gate¹², Joseph is the only member of the Seed family who is played by the actor who also plays him in Far Cry 5, Greg Bryk. In the game, while John is played by Seamus Dever, in the movie, it’s another actor named Rob Evors who was cast in the role. His voice and face obviously don’t sound and look exactly like John’s, so these differences are not significant.

His outfit, however, has gone through several changes. I don’t know if the design was deliberately altered or if the clothes Rob Evors has in the film simply are the closest real-life equivalent to the ones John is wearing in the promotional pictures that the movie’s costume designers could get their hands on. Like in the development sketches for the “Last-Supper-like” images, his shirt is light-colored (but still blue, apparently) and he’s wearing his sunglasses normally, not on his head. They don’t seem to have blue lenses, but again, maybe the team could only find “regular” sunglasses. He has his Eden’s Gage belt buckle and earring, but instead of being grey, his coat, vest, pants, and shoes are brown/beige. The coat is decorated with “EG” logos, exactly like the one John is wearing in the promotional pictures, but lighter in color.

As for his tattoos, they are identical to the “old” ones we’ve seen so far, but two more are visible: the pair of scales on the side of his thumb and the snake (from the Taolennoù Ar Mission again, but uncoiled), which represents Envy, around his left wrist. These two new tattoos will be part of John’s final design in the game.

There’s another one between the snake and his watch, but it’s simply one of Rob Evors’¹³.

In the film, John’s tattoos were actually hand-painted¹⁴. Here’s a better look a them, from Makeup Artist Casey Lynn Stuckey’s Instagram account:

His sleeves are never rolled up in Inside Eden’s Gate, but it’s most likely because that would have meant covering up the actor’s actual tattoos and possibly painting more, so I suppose they thought it was more convenient to just hide them.

The last notable change regarding John’s appearance in the short film is that, for the first and seemingly only time, he’s wearing a shoulder holster, but his gun is not the revolver we’ve seen for far. Instead, it looks like a semi-automatic pistol, maybe a 1911. Since, in Inside Eden’s Gate, Joseph also has this type of gun and not the revolver he carries in Far Cry 5 (albeit rarely, and he never uses it), it’s possible that, once again, the team couldn’t find the right weapons for the movie and used the available props.

In the live-action TV spot “Anything Can Happen, Everything Will”¹⁵, John is this time played by model and actor Jon Oswald, who jokingly described the character as “the asshole in the Gucci trench coat” when he shared the video on his Instagram account¹⁶.

John’s outfit looks identical to Rob Evors’ in Inside Eden’s Gate (except the shoes and the holster, it seems), so it’s likely that they just reused the same clothes. Like in the film, John’s sunglasses (which are not blue) aren’t on his head; he’s wearing them. His hair is a bit different, but it’s probably simply because Jon Oswald’s hairstyle looked close enough to John’s and they thought it didn’t need to be modified, so I don’t think this “change” is significant.

Thanks to the pictures that Mackenzie Lawrén Johnson (better known as Kenz Lawrén), who plays Faith Seed in the short film and the TV spot, posted on Instagram¹⁷, we can have a better look at him and his tattoos.

They haven’t changed much compared to the previous ones, but we can now see a goat (a symbol for Lust, also directly from the Taolennoù Ar Mission) next to the snake on his left arm. In the game, the goat will disappear from his hand, be redesigned, and end up on his right forearm. We see two other tattoos in the picture, but they simply are Jon Oswald’s¹⁸.

In the image below, drawn by Anthony Winn, who made storyboards for the TV spot¹⁹, the character on the far right (who is not Joseph), wearing a vest and sunglasses, and standing next to a woman who is probably Faith, appears to be an early version of John. This time, he’s holding a rifle, different from the one described in Absolution, and not a handgun. For once, his sister is armed as well.

In The Book of Joseph²⁰, John, as a child, is described as “the best looking, the least odd” of the Seed brothers, which is why the narrator, Joseph himself, believes he was adopted first after they were sent to an orphanage. When they meet again as adults, Joseph says his younger brother is “strikingly handsome, elegant”, wears “tailored suits” and very expensive shoes, has gleaming hair, shiny teeth, and manicured hands. He also writes that, as John Duncan (the name of his adoptive parents), “physically, he was society’s very model of success”. Psychologically, however, it was another story… but this will be discussed later. Although the John Seed we meet in the game isn’t exactly the same person as John Duncan was anymore, he’s still “elegant” and seems to take care of his appearance. Joseph doesn’t mention tattoos, but it’s likely that John got them later, after the Project was created.

An official guide for Far Cry 5, by Prima Games, was released alongside it. In the book, which was written in 2017, we get to see what John looked like when the game was still in development.

This design is very close to the final one, but for some reason, his sunglasses, bunker key, earring, and tattoos are all (temporarily) gone. However, the “SLOTH” scar has now appeared on his chest instead of the tattoo he previously had, even though it’s a bit closer to his collarbone than it will be in the game. His outfit and facial features look slightly different, but this is also true for many other characters in the guide.

On IGN’s YouTube channel, a video titled “Far Cry 5: Why John Seed Is Your Charmingly Deadly Enemy” was uploaded in February 2018²¹. In it, we get a glimpse of an early version of the “You have been Marked” TV broadcast²², and although the setting looks different, John’s appearance is very close to his final one.

By the way, if you look at the noticeboard behind the TV, you’ll see that the Testicle Festival was supposed to take place in 2017 instead of 2018. When this early in-game footage was recorded, Far Cry 5 was probably still scheduled to come out in September 2017 (which is what the first rumors said and could also explain why all the calendars in the game suggest we are in September).

In the thumbnail of the YouTube video, John looks exactly like himself:

He does too in the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” artwork²³, this promotional screenshot²⁴, and this poster²⁵:

And in a trailer posted by Ubisoft three weeks before the release of Far Cry 5, a “character spotlight”²⁶, John has his final design as well. The only difference is that, although the game was about to come out, they still called him “The Inquisitor” instead of “The Baptist”.

Then, on March 27, 2018, Far Cry 5 was released.

To be continued…

#far cry 5 #john seed #joseph seed #jacob seed #faith seed #far cry absolution #mary may fairgrave #the book of joseph #inside eden’s gate #rob evors #jon oswald

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olsenmyolsen · 11 months

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Arnett

Part 27 of On The Inside With Elizabeth Olsen

Word Count: ~8.5K

masterlist

Y/N & Liz POV

It's her! She's here in front of me!! Don't fuck this up.

Y/N POV

I could feel the sickness leave my body as my eyes focused on the person in front of me.

"Y/N?!"

The woman with the brunette hair and blue Dodgers cap asks me. I let the grip I have on the guitar case slip as the woman keeps a tight hold of the handle. We both don't move, and suddenly the airport seems to become smaller and quieter until it feels like it's just the two of us. The woman softly lets go of the case, resting it on the floor. Through her sunglasses, I know she has her eyes on me.

"Elizabeth?" I say just above a whisper, afraid that if I'm any louder, I'll wake up. This won't be real. She can't be here. And she'll be gone.. again...

"Y/N?"

She moves closer to me as I take a step back. Stopping her. My own action surprises me, but I advert my eyes and bite my bottom lip as it quivers. All the emotions I've been feeling and wanting to yell for the past three weeks are beginning to bubble up, and I can't stop it. But yet here I am—mouth open. Nothing is coming out. I want to collapse in her arms. I want to kiss her. I want nothing more than to yell at her for how she made me feel, but I can't even look at her.

The woman across from me takes another step closer. Gently approaching. "Y/N? Look at me." I can't. I don't want to. She can't be here. Can she?

In a moment, I feel two soft hands cup my cheeks. Two thumbs begin wiping at tears I didn't feel slipping. Her touch sends a wave of electricity down my body. It's something I haven't felt in weeks.

It's my Liz.

"Look at me, Y/N."

I feel a pull on my face as I turn my head downwards, making me look into her eyes. I see them. Her sunglasses long removed, letting her beautiful luscious green eyes capture me once again.

"Y/N?"

I scan over the rest of her face as the breathing in my throat begins to get cut off. My chest rises and falls as I feel each careful stroke of her thumb on my skin. Her lips form a kind smile to me as she bites her bottom lip before she opens her mouth to speak. My eyes slowly move over Liz's lips as her muffled voice speaks to me.

"Y/N, please breathe with me. Come on."

I'm done scanning as I get back into the reality of what's happening.

"Okay. You're doing well. In... Out... In... Out."

A couple more tires of that and some dirty looks from a few Californians; I'm back to breathing normally. "Elizabeth?" I say louder than last time, knowing that she's here. I look down at her, and she nods her head.

"It's me."

Liz POV

It's her.

She sees me, and she has a panic attack without realizing it. What the fuck did I do to her?

I can feel my hands begin to shake as the guilt and emotions inside of me want an escape. I don't know what to do besides watch Y/N as she scans over my face. Even through her glossy eyes, I can see that she hasn't forgiven me. And that's what hurts. How long will it have to be? And what comes after this moment-

"Elizabeth?" Y/N asks me as if I'm not really here. As if I'll be gone. I nod my head and bring myself closer to her.

"It's me." I swallow the lump in my throat. "I'm here." I continue wiping the tears that fall from her shocked face. "I'm here, Y/N.." I bite my lip. I'm carefully thinking of my following words. If this is my one chance, I must lay it all out there. I close my eyes while taking a deep breath in. I only open them when I feel Y/N's palms land on my hands, still cupping her face.

I look into the intense stare I'm receiving. It's not intimidating or full of hatred; instead, it's filled with hope and sorrow. The tiny glint in her eyes tells me to continue. I hope I'm not wrong.

"Y/N, my intention was to never push you like this. I-"

"Liz, please-"

She called me Liz again. Not Elizabeth but Liz.

"No, Y/N, just let me talk." I feel her soft palms on the back of my hands begin to slip. But I cup her face more and make her look at me. "Liz, I-"

"Y/N. Please." It feels like hours go by before Y/N nods her head.

"I've waited a-and thought over the words I want to say. I will continue to wait if you truly want to leave me right now, but I couldn't see you without trying to-" My phone comes to life in my pocket and starts ringing, cutting off the long-awaited apology. I look into Y/N's eyes as they are still trained on me. Unfazed by the ringing from my phone. I can't move my hands away, so I let it ring as Y/N draws circles on my hands with her thumbs.

This action is louder than anything I've said so far.

There is hope.

"I thought that- I thought that I would be protecting you- I-" I take a quick breath. "Hurting y-you is one of my deepest regrets Y/N I wan-" My phone goes off again. I groan in frustration due to this and because of what Y/N does next.

My stupid ass phone falls into the background.

She grabs my hands and slowly lifts them off her face. Her eyes have dried while mine are still filled. She surprisingly kisses my left palm before dropping my hands. The warm touch on my skin turned cold in an instant. I look over her face with worry as she swallows whatever she was planning on saying. I see her struggling. She takes a step back and wipes her eyes. "Umm.. listen, Liz, I- I don't know what you think you're doing, but this isn't go-going to change what happened."

"No. Y/N. I'm not trying to change what happened. I- I never meant it."

Y/N POV

"Why did you mean? Aside from 'protecting me,' what did you mean?"

I look into her eyes as she puts her hands together. She begins fiddling with her fingers. I take the time to have a quick look around as she gathers her thoughts. I'm surprised that no one has spotted Elizabeth. Or at least I don't think so.

"I wanted you to be safe.." I could just about scoff at those words

"Why didn't you talk to me?" I breathe in and out. "I know you thought you would be protecting me, but how would you know that without speaking to me?" I shake my head. I want nothing more than to jump into Liz's arms and reunite with her but right now, my mind is in the back seat of the SUV, about to get broken up with. The image won't go away.

"Everyone got exposed to another side of you while people got exposed to me. All of me! Suddenly I'm no longer the mysterious girl that's been hanging out with the Olsens." I thought I was done crying, but I can feel myself getting choked up as I'm reliving that day. "Now I'm the gold digger—the Wannabe C lister. I'm Elizabeth Olsen's phase. I'm the girlfriend. They all know my name. They post it everywhere, but no one uses it correctly. And on top of that, my privacy. My job. My calls with you are being sent back as if I weren't there. People have photos of me! My life got completely ripped out of my lap and strung out for everyone to see. Including you. Yo-You saw and heard the news before I did and- and.." I wipe my face before I storm up to the crying Olsen. I swipe the tears slipping from the green orbs before fixing her hat on her head and throwing her sunglasses back onto her. She lets this happens as I continue talking with Elizabeth's hands in my own. I rub my hands over her knuckles as she watches my fingers intently. "And instead of being there for me, you decided to cut me loose, and I-I- I know. I know. I know. This act was a protection plan. It was what you thought was best for my Liz. But it killed me. You destroyed me."

I pull the crying woman in the LA Dodgers cap into my body as her cries become louder. I don't care what the people walking past us are thinking. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Y/N. Please don't. I'm sorry." These muffled phrases go on and on as the crying becomes quieter. My shirt is dripping wet on my chest, but I don't care.

My arms are starting to become heavy as we hold each other for longer and longer. But I refuse to let go, knowing Liz won't let go. She has me again in her arms; I'm not leaving as far as I'm concerned. Even though her phone has gone off, again and again, she keeps a tight grip on me. It's only when I see the amount of paparazzi outside the airport doors I see why her phone has been blowing up. If I had to guess, it's Rhonda or Marla or both asking Liz where she is and why isn't she home. I'm not even sure how much time has passed by.

Liz POV

What do I do or say now?

Y/N just spoke to me, like she actually spoke to me and told me how I ripped her heart out and the things I should have done differently. B-But she's still here. She didn't leave the second she saw me. She didn't yank herself away from me and walk out those LAX doors.

I'm the first one to move from the hug. I don't want to, but between my phone blowing up and my thoughts running wild, I need to do something.

When we finally become untwined, I instantly feel shut off and cold. I clear my throat feeling it sore from my crying, before speaking. "Y/N?" My heart has never hurt this much. Not with Robbie. Not with Boyd. Not with anyone else. With Y/N, everything is different.

"Yes?"

"I never wanted you to leave."

"I know Eli-Liz. I know."

I lift my right hand to her cheek as comfort, and so she can look at me as I ask. "Can you stay?"

Y/N calmly grabs my hand and holds it down. Y/N's eyes look away from my own. I follow where she looks, but she is consistently moving them around.

Y/N POV

As much as I would love to be back to what we were all those weeks ago. I can't. It's gone. I still need time. But one thing is for sure.

I want to be with her again. Not right now, but I will.

"Liz."

"Y/N?" Liz takes a step closer to me, and that's when I do something I greatly missed.

I push my body into her. I place my hands on her cheeks and pull her head up into me. Our lips gently colliding with one another. Those soft lips of hers make me explode on the inside. This intimate touch between us is everything. I feel Liz's lips part asking for more, but I don't give in. As much as I want to moan into Liz, I can't. Because once we come up for air, I'm leaving.

Liz POV

I knew I missed Y/N's lips, but I didn't think I'd crave and melt like this once I felt them again. But here I am, begging for this to become something more. I want her lips to stay on mine. I want to take her home. I want to show her off to the world. She is mine. This kiss proves to me that we can work. Right? This intimate touch between us is everything.

However, within a matter of seconds, I'm second-guessing everything as Y/N's lips leave my own I'm worried that I'm going to open my eyes to see her back walking away.

But to my surprise, when I open them, she's looking down at me with a smile. I feel myself smile back. Her smile flattens as she opens her mouth.

"I-I'm going to be honest with you, Liz." I nod, giving Y/N all the time in the world. "I want nothing more than for the two of us to go back to what we were."

I let out a quiet sigh and squeeze Y/N's hand even harder.

"But we can't." I bite my lip and nod once more. I want a chance to speak, but I want all of the thoughts from the woman across from me to come out first. "The night we..." Y/N takes a deep breath. "The night you ended it. I stared into the midnight sky, wondering if you were doing the same. Memories of you and I rushed into my brain, and it made everything I did after that so much harder, but it needed to be done so that moments like the one we're having right now can mean more. You mean so much to me. Elizabeth Chase Olsen. Because even though I lost you, I should've known that I didn't." Y/N takes a pause giving my hand a squeeze. "I feel you no matter what." Y/N drops my hand and pulls my face up into hers again.

This time the kiss between us is filled with so much more emotion than the last. If I thought fireworks went off the last time, this go around puts it to shame. This kiss is filled with all the love that I thought was gone between us. When her lips move away from mine, I quickly wrap myself around Y/N, burying my head into her shoulder.

"I feel you, Liz."

"I feel you, Y/N."

Y/N pulls herself away again.

"I need more time. I have a few things to take care of first, but trust me when I say you'll know when I'm ready. Okay?"

I stand still, processing what's she asking me.

"Do you think you could wait?"

Without another thought, I reply to My Coffee Girl.

"Of course, Y/N, I'll wait for you."

"Thank you, Liz." Is she joking? "No, Y/N." I pull her closer to me. "Thank you! I don't deserve the second chance you'll give me but thank you so much." We stare into the eyes of each other, and I see the honesty in hers that she sees in mine. Slowly my eyes start drifting down her face. Her nose. Her cheeks. Her lips. Once I see a smile plastered on Y/N's face, I lift my eyes back up.

"Can I?"

Y/N nods her head. I carefully lean up and lay a soft kiss on her lips. It doesn't last long, just the right about of time. I lean my head into her as I put air back into my lungs.

"I love you."

"I know."

I almost chuckle at her response, but for the moment, it's the right thing to say. "Will you be safe?" I ask because I'm scared to have her leave me.

"Yes."

I look at her, and I see that she's not lying. "Y/N?" "Liz?" She keeps her gaze on me.

Y/N POV

I know what Liz is going to ask. I also know that she is looking for anything false in my eyes, but she won't find anything. It's not that I'm a good liar; it's different.

"Why are you in California?"

"I'm here to see some friends," I reply in the same manner the question was asked. Liz's smile drifts a bit as my words reach her. "You have friends here?" I nod. "Maxs brother James lives here. I'm going to see him and Max's family for a little bit."

"Oh." She says like it's a realization that, yes, I have friends, and yes, I'm not here for her. "How long?"

"How long will I be here?" I ask for clarification.

She nods into my chest. "I'm not sure." Honestly, I don't know.

Liz exits our small embrace and runs her hands down my arms until they land on my forearms. "Y/N. Please don't leave without letting me know." I go to open my mouth but get stopped. "I know this is a selfish ask, and I'm going to give you time until you're ready, but I don't think I could handle you leaving without knowing." I nod along to her words.

"I understand, Liz. I'll keep you updated." She looks up at me with a wide grin. Almost surprised. "Really?" I smile back. "Yes. And who knows..." I grab Liz's hands and put them in my own. "Maybe before I'm fully ready, I could see you?" I ask with uncertainty in my voice.

"Only if you would want that." The girl in the blue hat shyly says. I think about it a little more. "I would want that." Liz smiles and almost hops around before quickly realizing where we are. "It's a date." Suddenly that word causes the both of us to stop. "Uhh- I mean- not a date- like"

In order to stop the malfunctioning Olsen, I place a quick kiss on her forehead and pull her into a quick hug. "Like a date," I whisper into the top of her head.

At this moment, everything feels more than okay, and I don't think Liz meant for me to hear it, but a quiet "thank you" was spoken into my shoulder.

Max was right Elizabeth could get anyone to like her. Including her own ex. But I don't just like her.

I never stopped loving her.

Liz POV

Our hug didn't last much longer, and between my phone going off many times more and people starting to recognize me, it was time to go.

Y/N and I walked together to the doors until she had to stop and let me go on my own. Her being in the press with me would only add fire to a story that took weeks to be put out.

She made sure that I had security waiting for me and that my ride was out front. Once Y/N confirmed that, she gave me one more final kiss away from the windows and told me we'd be in contact soon.

Soon can't come quick enough, and I still can't believe that she is back in my life.

With my head held high and Y/N's guitar back in my hands, I walk out of the airport with security around me.

And before you ask. I tried making Y/N take her guitar back with her, but she told me that I should keep it and do what I was going to do with it before. She didn't even blink when I mentioned that I was going to go to Robbie with it.

"Elizabeth! What are you doing back in LA?!"

"Do you expect an Emmy nomination later this month?!"

"Are the rumors true?! Are you and Robbie Arnett back together?!"

"Whatever happened with Y/N Y/L/N?!"

"Come on, give us a smile, darling!"

Reporters won't stop shouting at me as these big guys around me keep ensuring I don't get harassed much longer. With a couple more steps and an exhausted look, I'm planted into the black SUV, waiting with all luggage in the boot.

"About time, don't you think?" Rhonda and Marla both look less than thrilled to see me finally. In their defense, I was supposed to be in this car over an hour ago.

Y/N POV

Watching Liz get shouted at and bombarded by flashes made my blood boil. Especially the asshole that asked for a smile. I watched him a little longer than the others, and let me tell you, whatever you think he looks like, he looks like that.

Her SUV took a little bit to get out of its spot and start driving away, but once it did, I started feeling better about finally stepping foot outside.

The paparazzi have all moved away and down a terminal. Apparently, they got word that a pop star was flying in and needed to get a good photo. Whatever.

I feel my phone buzz, half expecting a text from Liz, but when I see it's from James, that makes more sense. "Finally! Keep walking to the left. Black Honda." I look up from my phone and begin my search.

It doesn't take much longer, and it becomes easier when a tall man begins running at me. On any other day, this would be terrifying, but today I welcome it. "James!" I shout as we make contact, and he pulls me into a brotherly hug. "It's about time! You're lucky I was late!"

"You have no idea."

"So flight was okay?" He asks before taking my bags from me and placing them into the backseat. "Yeah, it was alright. I'm feeling much better than I was earlier."

"Did you tell Max you're here?" I nod. "Yeah, I had some time earlier."

"Awesome." James and I buckle, and it takes a bit of time before some cars let us go, but we're finally able to get on the road. "Traffic is going to be a bitch, but you made it," James says as he bumps my shoulder.

Liz POV

It wasn't long until I was ushered into a chair for a quick hair and makeup touch-up. According to my agent, I was scheduled to have an interview with People Magazine over 45 minutes ago, but my team was able to spin it in my favor, and now the interview is happening in 10 minutes.

Hence why I'm thrown into a collapsible chair with people touching my face and hair left and right. This is what I get for lighting a fire under Marla and Rhonda. Oh, and where is this interview taking place? Conference room of my agent's office. Yeah, nothing fancy or special this time. But that's not what I'm here for. I'm here today so people can know the real me.

Like a bat out of hell, Marla comes bursting into the office looking stressed. "Okay. I gave the interviewer a rundown of some questions we'd like to be asked about, but I couldn't get them to budge on some, so if it gets too much or too personal, pull the plug. Okay?"

"Okay? What questions won't they budge on?" I'm inquisitive because, most of the time, the people I do interviews with are easygoing. That's what made the promo tour for Ingrid Goes West so fun.

"Some stuff about Robbie and Y/N." I lean back into my chair as my face finishes up. "Hmm. Okay. I'll pull the plug if I need to." "Good. And Lizzie." I turn my attention back to Marla. "I'm sorry for what happened with the two of you."

I give a sympathetic smile and shrug. What's done is done. "3 minutes." A PA announces before quickly exiting. "How do I look?" I turn, asking everyone in the room.

I stand up to shake the hand of a happy-go-lucky-looking woman. She appears to be about Y/N's age, but from the ring on her left hand, I'd guess older. She is sporting a pride flag pin on her sport coat. I look around the room, and Rhonda seems a little more nervous than People Magazine sent this lady. I believe it's clear they sent this woman for a reason. Rhonda informed me that Variety almost got the spot but had to drop out at the last minute. Understandable.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss. Olsen. My wife and I love you and your work." She says, a little shy, and offers a kind smile that I return. Okay, so far, so good.

"Well, thank you very much, and it's nice to meet you, Ms...?"

"Ms. Harper Anderson-Raeside." I smile at the name. "That's a beautiful name. Thank you so much for doing this at the last minute." Harper nods her head and takes a seat across from me. She pulls out her phone and opens her recording app. I chose not to do a filmed interview because that wouldn't be ready for a couple of days, and doing it this way makes sure the article gets posted tomorrow.

"Now, I'm not going to lie, Miss. Olsen, because of the nature of this interview and the questions your publicist provided, there may be some questions from People Magazines will be tough to answer. I'm only letting you know because of the amount of respect I have for you." Harper then leans in a bit. "I made sure to include some softball questions as well," Harper says with a chuckle before leaning back into her chair.

I'm a little taken aback by the nature of which she speaks so freely. "Thank you, Harper." I kindly retort as I start to fiddle with my hands. Harper seems to notice but doesn't speak about it.

"Let's get started, shall we?" I nod along and give a wide smile.

"For People Magazine, I am Harper Anderson-Raeside, she/her and today I am joined by the fabulous Elizabeth Chase Olsen, best known for her complex character Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as staring in thrillers and dramas such as Silent House and Ingrid Goes West. Elizabeth before we dive straight in. How are you?"

"I'm doing well. I actually came here straight from the airport, and you know how Los Angeles traffic is, so I am once again sorry for the delay."

"That's quite alright-"

"Oh, sorry, before I forget, I'd like to give a special hello to Geneva. Without meeting her earlier today, this interview wouldn't be happening."

"Oh wow! Well, thank you, Geneva."

Harper smiles at me before flipping over her notebook. I'm noticing for the first time. Facing me is a list of questions. I nod to her as she shows me how this is going to go.

"Now I know you recently wrapped on the Doctor Strange sequel. I won't ask for spoilers, so don't worry-" I start laughing because I still don't know half of the things that happen in the movie. "But do you have anything lined up after?"

"Umm, I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say, but yes, I do." Harper smiles at me, seemingly accepting the answer.

"Now, to jump back a bit. Your performance as Wanda Maximoff earlier this year in the MCU's first show WandaVision has been critically acclaimed. With Emmy Nominations arriving later this month, are you anticipating a nod?"

I shake my head at her words because, no, I don't. "Uhh. Not really. I don't think anyone expects to get nominated when they do a Marvel project. But I will say acting against Paul Bettany daily while he was blue or purple was always something. Especially when I have to touch or kiss him for scenes because the paint gets all over me." I say with a fake disgusted look that causes Harper to smile.

Safe to say the interview is off to a better start than I was expecting.

After a load of soft questions and personal ones from Harper herself, she fidgets in her seat and gives a brief look to Rhonda before nodding to me. Okay, here we go.

"Now, to switch gears a little bit, a couple of weeks ago, a story broke about someone very close to you. And I say the word story very lightly. Could you, by chance, comment or give more details about what happened?"

"Yes." I clear my throat and pull myself up. "That person you're talking about was doxed and had private phone calls, pictures, and videos of them at work leaked by a co-worker. Before you ask, legal action has been taken, and the case, as far as I know, is closing soon."

"I'm very sorry that happened to them and you as well."

I offer a tight smile. Harper notices my discomfort and reads whatever is written in her notebook.

"And this close person to you was Y/N Y/L/N is that correct?"

I swallow the lump in my throat and nod. "Yes."

"Who were they to you?"

"They were my- my uh- girlfriend." I stop and turn to Rhonda, who motions her hands, telling me to keep going. I turn back to Harper, who gives me a gentle smile. "Yes. They were my girlfriend. That kinda feels like a relief to say out loud." I didn't expect this weight to be lifted off my chest, but I felt it. "We had been dating for about a month prior, and Harper-" I lean a little bit closer to her. "I'd like to take this time to address certain people." Harper gives me a thumbs-up as I take a deep breath. "I know this may seem like such an impossible task to some out there, but who I choose to surround myself with or who I choose to love is not up for public debate. It is not healthy or kind to criticize them. If you love me, you should love them as well. The day the news broke, Y/N Y/L/N had disgusted, and horrible things said about them. Things I could not protect them from. It hurt me to see someone who gives off such a strong presence crumble under the words and actions of horrific people." I stop talking as the words coming out of my mouth finally stop. I feel like I have more to say, but I can't find the exact way to phrase them. Luckily Harper helps me.

She reached over and picks up her phone. Stopping the recording.

"Thank you, Elizabeth. If you would like to stop, we can."

I shake my head while giving a tiny laugh. "How many more questions do you have?"

"Not many."

"Okay."

Harper nods her head and starts the recording on her phone again.

"Now I agree with what you just said. I love how protective and strong you are. I can feel it in the words surrounding Y/N Y/L/N. Now is it possible you felt that way because, on that day, you were also outed as well?"

I bite the inside of my lip as I hadn't given it much thought. "I think that's a possibility. But that day, my mind immediately went to trying to do what was best for Y/N. I wish I could say I did that, but truth be told, I didn't."

I can see Harper fighting with herself to ask this next question. It must be the ones People Magazine ordered her to ask.

"Now, since then, you hadn't publicly confirmed your relationship. However, Robbie Arnett's team did release a statement not too long after saying that you and him had broken up prior to your relationship with Y/N."

"Yes, and to everyone who cares, Robbie and I are still friends."

"That's good to know... A few weeks before that horrible event happened, the two of you had been photographed together, and yet since there hasn't been one picture of you two together. Are you still with Y/N Y/L/N?"

Yes and no? I'm waiting for her, and she wants to be with me, but there's not really a label for that sort of thing. "N-no, we are no longer together." I shuffle in my chair and clear my throat. This is all an effort to get rid of the emotions building up.

Harper looks stunned to hear my answer.

"Oh-h, I'm genuinely sorry to hear that. You two looked adorable together."

For a moment, Harper let her professionalism slip, and I think that's when Rhonda and her decided to wind down the interview.

"Okay, before we part, is there anything you want to say to any fans of yours that might read this?"

"Yes. I would first like to say thank you to all that have supported me over the years. It means more to me than you will ever know. To any fans that I gain or lose because of my change in who I choose to love, I want to say thank you for letting me be me, and I hope that I can make you happy." I take a deep breath. "My name is Elizabeth Chase Olsen, and today I had the support and strength to come out and join a wonderful community. I want everyone that reads this to know that it's never too late for anyone. Thank you."

"No, thank you, Elizabeth."

Harper reaches over and grabs her phone as I wipe my eyes before looking at Harper's, seeing that her professionalism is out the window as her eyes begin to tear up.

"For real, Elizabeth. Thank you. In today's world, it may feel like we have support everywhere we look, and that people can be with whoever they want, but that's not always the case. I know that someone out there will read this come tomorrow or the next day and feel the support I wish I had gotten when I was younger."

Harper lets more than a few tears fall from her face. "Can I hug you?" This is a first. I nod as the two of us get up from our seats, and even though Harper isn't just being an interviewer right now, she still gives me a professional hug. She tries to leave, but I pull her closer, knowing she needs it.

"My wife is going to be so jealous when I tell her later on." This moment changed as I let out a laugh I needed all day.

Y/N POV

"Hey, wake up!"

I lift my head from another nap and instantly groan at the stiffness stuck in my neck. Jesus, is this what getting older is like? Neck pain? I turn to my left and see James with my bags already in his hand. I looked around, and nothing looked like the pictures Max showed me. I thought we were going to their parents' new house.

I make my way out of the car and join James in front of some condo complex.

"Where are we?" I ask to make sure I'm not being kidnapped.

"My place," James answers as if this isn't an issue. I follow him as he continues walking to a door that I presume is his place. "Why? I thought I was going to your parents?"

"Oh, you will. Just later. We're meeting them for dinner anyways. Plus, I kind of thought you'd want to stay here. It's closer to where you're going to be going anyways."

I give a look before it dawns upon me. Of course, Max told him the real reason I came to LA. "Thanks," I say as James finally opens the door. It's a reasonably decent size compared to just about everything in New York. Two bedroom. Living room. Kitchen. It's got it all. "No problem. Plus, it's not like I'm going to be around much."

"What do you mean?" I ask as I follow James to the guest bedroom, where he plops my things. Also, hell yeah! A bed! An actual bed, not an air mattress.

"I'll be giving you privacy, and I'll be at Andreas most of the time." Whos?? "By the look on your face, I can tell Max told you nothing about her." I shake my head. "She's the reason I moved back out here."

"Why is this the first I'm hearing about her?" I ask as I subconsciously begin to unpack. "Like I said, I thought Max told you about her, but then again, Max and her didn't get along for some reason. But they're cool now. Or I should say civil." James says with a shrug.

"How long have the two of you been together?"

"Two months. But off and on for years." Suddenly that makes sense why he showed up in New York. He wanted to talk to Max about Andrea and moving back to California.

"Is she the one?" I ask, putting my empty suitcase on the floor. I watch as James nods his head. "She always has been."

"Then good for you." I walk up to James and pull him into a hug. "Thanks for doing all of this for me." I motion to the bedroom. "It's no problem. Just remember me when you're big time." I roll my eyes. "When are you meeting with Robbie?"

"Tomorrow. What times dinner?" I see a smirk form on James' face as I switch conversations. "We got reservations for 7. Nothing fancy, by the way."

"Great." I certainly didn't pack anything remotely classy. "Will Andrea be there?"

"She will. Please, no embarrassing stories. She already has gotten that from my mom and dad enough." James pleads, but any time to embarrass him, I'll take.

"I promise." No, I don't.

"Thank you." He breathes a sigh of relief. "We got some time to kill before dinner. Want to do anything or just relax?"

"I'm going to make some calls and relax for a bit if that's cool?"

James nods his head. "No problem. I'll be out in the living room." James leaves the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

I throw myself onto the softest bed known to humankind. Well, the most peaceful bed known to me over the last month. I pull my phone out of my pocket and decide to shoot a text to Robbie.

"Made it to James place with a slight change of plans. Still on for tomorrow?"

I internally debate telling Robbie about bumping into Liz. Ultimately I decide against it.

My phone buzzes in my hand with a text back. "Sounds good 👍🏼 Meet here at 1? (Address attached)"

I smile down at the text before my phone buzzes again—this time, I find myself receiving a text from Liz.

"I'm sorry if this is weird to say, but I'm thinking about you and what happened earlier. I can't wait to see you again... I just got done doing an interview. Before you panic, it's about me coming out. They asked questions about you, but I made sure they were respectful. I mentioned how we were no longer together.. I can make sure they omit any part of the interview if you want?"

I can almost laugh at the sight I'm picturing in my mind. I can see Elizabeth nervous as hell typing out that text, almost biting her nails but scolding herself because it's an awful habit. She really is trying to make sure that I'm happy with her and what she's doing. I wish she would've talked to me about it before, but maybe she was going to, and then the airport happened? I don't know.

I read over the text before coming up with what to say. "Thank you for telling me. Keep everything. I can't wait to read it. I can't wait to see you."

Liz POV

After the interview and texts with Y/N, I found myself alone in the SUV on the way to a place I missed—my mom's. I haven't talked to her since she called me to address the rumors about a so-called person named Y/N Y/L/N. So before the interview goes live tomorrow, I want to talk to my mom and air it all out, and judging by the additional cars in the driveway, it looks like she's not the only one home.

As the SUV stops, I thank the driver as he hops out to grab all my luggage. Yes, the guitar is still with me. "I can take it from here," I say as I gather everything up, allowing the man to leave. I'm not trying to be rude. I just don't like anyone seeing my mom and her place longer than they need to.

I begin my careful walk to the front door as I hear the engine of the SUV gets quieter behind me.

"Oh my God, Lizzie!" I look up from the driveway to see my older brother Trent exiting the house and rushing toward me. "What are you doing here?!" He asks before wrapping me up into a hug.

"Me? What about you? Shouldn't you be off somewhere posting about your love life?" Trent pulls back and places a hand on his heart. "And to think I was excited to see my favorite sister." I playfully roll my eyes as Trent helps me with my luggage.

"For real, what are you doing here? And with a guitar? Wait, is this Robbie's? Did you kil-"

"Trent, please. One question at a time." I let a bag drop from my arm once we make it inside the house. Trent closes the big front door behind us. "Okay. Why are you here?"

"I missed mom well and you, but mostly for mom." I beam at him in the most annoying sister way as possible. Trent scoffs. "Well, she's in the kitchen. Knock yourself out." Trent walks away and retreats to the living room. Before I head to the kitchen, I take a quick look to see if anyone else is around, but I don't see anything.

I make sure my footsteps are loud as I round the corner to my mom's kitchen. My mom is in the middle of laying flour out onto her kitchen counter. I quickly scan over the food and ingredients around her. It looks like homemade pasta is on the menu tonight. As I get closer, my mom breaks her concentration and looks up to me.

"Is that my Lizard?!" In an instant, she's making her way over to me, hugging and kissing me like I went off to war. But it's nice. It's been months and months since I last saw her, so at this moment, I don't care if flour gets all over my clothes. The hug from my mom is more important.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would've gotten the house more presentable. I would've changed. I wouldn't have started this damn pasta." My mom continues her rambling despite my numerous interruptions for her to stop. It isn't until I walk over and begin rolling the pasta dough that she becomes quiet.

"Now honey, stop that. You're going to mess it all up."

If you want my mom to stop whatever it is she's doing. Start doing something she thinks she can do better. "I'm just helping," I say, knowing she'd shoo me out of the way.

"If you want to help, you better start talking, young lady. Why aren't you in New York? Why didn't you call?" My mom briefly looks up at me before going back to her dough. "I raised you into a strong, smart, independent woman, but I'm your mother. I'm still allowed to worry about my Lizard."

"I know, mom. I'm sorry. I should've called, but it slipped my mind. I've had a lot going on. Especially today." I rub my head as the emotions of the entire day have exhausted me.

"What happened today?" I stop in front of the fridge and close my eyes. Shit. How am I going to do this? How does anyone do this? I mean, my mom knows me well enough. Right? It shouldn't be a surprise. I mean, like, more than half of my fans think I've always been-

"Lizzie?" I open the door and grab a water bottle before turning to face my mom. "I had an interview." My mom smiles at that. "Oh, with who? Was it about your show?"

"People and-"

"People Magazine?" My mom looks at me, confused. "Yes." I quickly reply as I take a swig of water. "Hmm." That is all my mom says before going back to her pasta dough. "Why not Variety or Entertainment Weekly?"

"Because this wasn't for a show or project." The confidence inside of me slowly building. "So this was a personal interview?" My mom says, refusing to look up at me. This isn't a good sign.

"Yes." My one hand is gripping the water bottle I have for dear life while my other hand is resting on the kitchen counter. "Was the interview about you and Robbie?"

"No."

I watch as my mom's hands slowly lift themselves away from the dough. She turns her back to me and walks her way over to the sink. "So this was about Y/N?"

"Yes," I reply before the sound of a running sink fills the silence in the air the whole time she washes her hands. "You shouldn't be wasting water?" I mumble, earning no response from my mother.

"Lizzie?" My mom turns off the sink and turns herself back to me as she dries her hands. "Who is she? Was she just a friend?" She almost sounds annoyed.

"Y/N?" I ask, unclear if my mom is talking about what I think she's talking about. My mother nods her head. "She's..."

This is harder than I thought it would be.

"Oh, my Lizard." I look up to see my mom watching me struggle. She starts making her way past her pasta and to me. "Talk to me." I keep a tight hold on the water bottle as my mother moves closer.

"She was more than a friend."

My mom quietly places her hands on my arms and begins rubbing them up and down. But she doesn't say anything. I look into her eyes, but they seem to be lost in thought.

"Are you mad?"

My mom looks over to me like I'm crazy. "Why would I be mad?" I shrug as I prevent my eyes from doing what I've done all day. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was scared. Plus, everything with her and I happened so quickly. I didn't want to hurt anyone else..." I let the water bottle from my hand slip as I get pulled into a hug.

"Who you choose to be with could never hurt me unless they hurt you." My mom pulls back and makes sure my face looks at hers. "I'm not upset at the person you have grown into being. I'm upset that you felt like you couldn't tell me."

"I'm sorry." My mom raises her hand. "Don't do that. Okay?"

I nod and let my mother pull me into a hug.

"I love you, Lizard."

"I love you, mom."

"I love you both!"

My mom and I look over to see my annoying older brother standing in the entryway to the kitchen. "What are we talking about?" I roll my eyes and glance at my mom, unsure what to say.

"We-"

"Nothing important, dear. Lizzie was just telling me about New York." My mom looks at me with a knowing look. "How about the two of you get out of here and leave me to make dinner."

"Mom, are you-"

She raises her hand up to me.

"Come on, Sis, you heard her!"

Next thing I know, Trent has his arm wrapped around me, pulling me out of the kitchen. It's not until we're in the living room that he catches me by surprise and pulls me into a hug.

"I heard enough to know. I'm proud of you." Trent has his moments. This is one of them.

"Thank you." I feel the squeeze get tighter until he releases me.

"Plus, I kinda knew." I look at him, confused. "What do you mean?" "I've seen the interviews with Aubrey Plaza." I roll my eyes. "You're an asshole." See what I mean—moment ruined even if he wasn't 100% wrong.

"Lizzie?" I look at Trent, who has a puzzled look. "You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" Oh shit, he was still talking? I shake my head. "Does anyone else know?"

"The twins, Scar and her family. Robbie. Y/N's family and friends. Aubrey." I said that name last with a bit of vinegar in my voice.

"Not Dad, Jake, and Courtney?" I shake my head. "I get it. We know how he is." Honestly, telling my Dad hasn't been on my mind a lot, but Trent saying that sure makes some alarms go off in my head. Before, I was just worried about the world, and Y/N was not really focused on the people closest to us. I assumed they would be okay with it no matter what. But if today proved anything, it's that telling the closest people to you can be the most nerve-wracking.

"Thanks," I mumble as we sit and try to pay attention to whatever garbage Trent is watching. Well, I'm trying to focus on this show, but Trent is too busy asking me about Y/N. "Are you still together?" I go to open my mouth, but the doorbell ringing catches me off guard.

"Oh, that's them!" Trent says with a certain excitement in his voice as he races to the door. "Who?!" I tell after him but by the attentional voices entering the house. I know exactly who it is.

"Lizzie?!"

God damn it.

Y/N POV

A knock startles me from my phone, causing it to slip and fall onto my face. I hold in the pain and effort to yell by wrapping my hands around my nose. Fuck.

"Y/N?"

"Yeah?" I call out, a little annoyed at James. "I'm about to hop in the shower and start to get ready for dinner if you want to go first."

Shit, how long have I been in the room? "You go first. You'll be quicker anyways."

"Alright." I hear James footsteps get quieter as I rub my nose. I don't believe it's broken or anything, but man, it still hurts.

Once I'm done touching my face, I stand up and start to go over what to wear tonight. James said it wasn't anywhere fancy, but it's still California, and it's with his family, who I've met only a couple of times, so I should try and make a good impression.

I sit on the bed as I stare into the closet. Liz was always good at picking out what I should wear.

I could call a particular fashion designer-

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

I look over at my phone, and I'm a little surprised to see who it's from. But what's even more surprising is the picture they sent. It's a picture of Liz and me from the airport. But it's not a paparazzi photo. It's from someone inside the airport. In the photo, you can clearly see me, but you wouldn't know that the other person with me is Elizabeth unless you know what she looks like. Does that make sense?

Wait, are they here too?

I decide to call them back, and it only takes one ring until they answer.

"So, are you back together?"

Part 28

#sorry for the million POVs #lizzie olsen #otiweo #fanfic #elizabeth olsen x reader #elizabeth olsen #elizabeth olsen x y/n #fluff #elizabeth chase olsen #so many people #paparazzi #lizzie x y/n #lizzie #dude we're getting the band back together #mary kate #mk x y/n???#soft angst #elizabeth olsen x you #elizabeth olsen imagine

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