#i mean let deputy have their wedding

[mind-empty-just-fictional-people]

Forgotten Anniversaries

masterlist

summary: beau forgets your two-year anniversary but you don’t realize the next day is another one

paring: beau arlen x female fiance!reader

rating: R for language

word count: 2.3k

warnings: language, ends with pre-smut but cuts off before anything happens

timeline: set after s3 but doesn’t really follow canon

author’s note: beau my beloved! such a sweetheart and deserves so much love!! really wish big sky hadn’t been canceled :,,(

Two years ago to the day marked your first date with your now fiancé. You had met Beau Arlen a few months before that date, and he had finally asked you out after several weeks of pining over you. You worked at a bakery in town walking distance from the station, and once you two started dating you often brought over baked goods for your boyfriend and his deputies.

Six months ago Beau had asked you to marry him, and you said yes. The wedding would be in just a couple more months.

Now, you were once again at the Sheriff’s station, Beau was taking you out for your two-years-dating and six-months-engaged anniversaries. Well, actually you were taking him out. He’d been really busy the last couple of weeks so you had planned the date; a picnic in the same spot he’d proposed to you at.

“Sheriff, Y/n is here to see you,” a deputy told him, poking their head into Beau’s office. Poppernak and Hoyt were in the office as well and they were all discussing an ongoing case.

“Let her in!” Beau beamed, covering a few gory pictures he had splayed on his desk.

“Hey,” you said when you walked into his office.

Beau’s face lit up at the sight of you; such a gorgeous woman who had somehow fallen in love with him. He felt like the luckiest man in the world as he eyed you, still smiling. You wore a summery floral dress that brushed your ankles, with a slit going up your leg and ending just below your left hip. A plunging neckline accented your breasts and the necklace Beau had gifted to you last anniversary. Your hair was done up, but not in a way that felt uncomfortable; it looked elegant but still felt laid back. Blood rushed to your cheeks when you noticed his blush.

“Ready to go?” you asked him, motioning to the door a little. His face fell and you slowly matched his expression.

“Shit,” he mumbled.

“You forgot.” You nodded, biting the inside of your cheek with disappointment.

“Could you two give us a minute?” Beau asked the deputies in the room.

“Yeah, do you want us to go without you?” Jenny asked, referring to what they’d been discussing about taking down the current perp.

“No, I’ll be out in a minute,” he told her before she nodded and left the room; Poppernak followed close behind, and shut the door as he walked out.

“You really forgot?” you asked Beau, looking at him with hurt in your eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Y/n I just got caught up in today’s case,” he said. He stood up from his chair and walked over to you, putting a hand under your chin so you’d look at him. “I swear I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay, I understand,” you said quietly, smiling a little.

Beau furrowed his brows. “Why aren’t you mad?” he asked, you just shrugged a little. “Shit, you’re really mad, aren’t you? You wanna yell at me but we’re in a very public place so you’re waiting until tonight to really let me have it-”

“No,” you laughed a little. “Beau, I’m not mad at you. I’m disappointed you forgot but that’s just because I was really looking forward to spending time with you! I had this whole thing planned and everything,” you said, mumbling a little by the end.

“A whole thing, huh?” Beau smiled.

“A picnic in the park where you proposed to me. I baked you a special pie, too.”

“Fuck, I’m so sorry I fucked it up, hun.”

“It’s okay,” you assured him, he still didn’t seem to believe you. “You can make it up to me tonight, how’s that?”

“Oh?”

“Mhm,” you bit your bottom lip as you looked into his bright green eyes, “you can do that one thing I really like, then you’ll be completely forgiven.”

“Oh that thing,” he smirked, “yeah, I will gladly do that.”

He bent down and kissed you, snaking his arms around your hips to bring you closer as your hands went into his hair.

“I love you, Beau.”

“I love you too, Y/n.”

Poppernak knocked on the door and poked his head in, “Sorry to interrupt, but we really have to get going, Arlen.” Beau put his hand up, showing a finger to signal he’d be done in a minute.

“I’ll see you tonight, okay?” he mumbled against your lips. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“Mhm,” you hummed into his mouth as he kissed you again.

“I’ll be home by eight, nine at the latest, ten at the absolute latest, okay?” he assured you, you nodded. “Love you!” He kissed you one last time before he left, putting his cowboy hat on when he opened the door.

“Love you, too.”

**

As the clock struck midnight, you sank deeper into the couch. Your tear filled eyes were glued to the screen as you watched the movie you’d picked; Die Hard. Not the perfect anniversary movie but there was a whole story behind why you’d picked it, having to do with your third date with Beau.

You took another sip of the wine you’d been working on and checked your phone. Still nothing from Beau. The nerve! The absolute audacity this man had! He couldn’t text or call you when he knew he’d be late?

You adjusted yourself on the couch, the babydoll dress you were wearing riding up your bare thighs as a few more tears slipped down your cheeks. You looked away from Bruce Willis and down at the beautiful ring on your finger. Memories of six months ago flooded your mind. How Beau had been so nervous the whole day, as if there was a chance you’d tell him ‘no.’ How he looked at you when he knelt down and opened the velvet box and popped the question. How his smile grew when you answered him.

The front door unlocked, pulling you out of your thoughts, before Beau stepped into your shared house. He walked into the living room and found you there in the dark.

“Hey, Y/n,” he said, walking to the couch and sitting down. You didn’t answer him and instead just took another sip of wine. “I’m really, really sorry, sweetheart.”

“There’s leftovers in the fridge,” you muttered, putting the wine down. “Pie, too.”

“Darlin’ I’m so, so sorry I promise I didn’t mean to stay out so late. The case ran long-”

“And you couldn’t fucking call me?” you exclaimed. “You couldn’t just let me know two hours ago you weren’t gonna make it!? You know how many fucking candles I wasted!?”

“I broke my phone tackling the guy and I came straight here after he was officially in custody,” he told you.

“And do none of your many deputies have a phone you could borrow? Not a single person near you had a fucking cell phone?”

“I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry! Hun, I am so god damn sorry!” He reached out and took your hand in his. You let him bring it to his lips and place a kiss on your knuckles. “Please, I love you so much, can we please just celebrate together for a bit before we go to sleep?”

“Our anniversary is over, Beau.” You took your hand back. “You fucking missed it.”

“Actually, today’s an anniversary too,” he whispered, you turned your head to finally look at him. He knitted his brows apologetically when he noticed your tears. “A year ago today, we were sitting on this couch and we had just finished watching Die Hard. You leaned over to kiss me, and as I was kissing you, you mumbled ‘let’s watch the next one.’ And, in that moment, something just like clicked in my brain, and I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“What?” you mumbled.

“Yep. Exactly one year ago today, I decided to ask you to marry me.” He smiled but it faded when he noticed fresh tears falling. “No, shit! Please don’t cry!”

“That is when you decided to marry me?” you asked, he nodded. “Oh my god!”

“A-Are you happy right now or are you still mad at me, because-” You cut him off with a kiss to his full, pink lips.

“I love you so much, Beau,” you whispered when you pulled away. You kissed him again, putting your hands on his face and smiling against his mouth.

“Love you so much more,” he mumbled, mirroring your smile.

“Wait,” you pulled away, worry in your eyes, “when was the last time you ate?”

“Uh, three-ish, why?”

“Oh my god, you must be starving!” you exclaimed and stood up. You held out your hand for him to take. “C’mon, I’ll reheat the food for you and relight the candles.”

“Seriously?” he asked, smiling and beginning to realize you’d forgiven him for coming home so late.

“Yeah, we’ve got a new anniversary to celebrate,” you replied. He stood up and took your hand, bending down to kiss you again. He followed you to the kitchen.

“Can I say something about what you’re wearing now or…” He bit his lip when you twirled to face him before you nodded. “God damn you’re so beautiful! Your tits look incredible!”

“You’re not too bad yourself, handsome.” You gripped his collar, got on your tippy toes, and kissed him deeply. He wrapped his arms around you so you couldn’t pull away and he could kiss you back. “I love you, Beau.”

“I love you, too.”

“Now, c’mon! Sit down,” you said when you finally pulled away and his grip loosened. He took a seat at the table and you couldn’t stop yourself from playing with his hair. You ran your fingers through it before tilting his head back so you could kiss him again.

As you turned to reheat the food he smacked your ass lightly, making you squeal a little.

“Where’s the lighter?” he asked, wanting to light the candles on the table.

“Under the left candlestick,” you told him, bending down into the fridge to get the tupperware of food.

“Wow, you’re gonna be the death of me, darlin’,” he mumbled. He lifted up the left candle to find the small lighter hidden underneath. He lit the two candles before he put it back.

“You remember what we ate on our first date, right?” you asked him hesitantly.

“Yes, I do,” he replied, earning a suspicious look from you. “I tried cooking spaghetti and meatballs for you, but I completely botched it. So, we ordered in from that Italian place on the other side of town—this delicious chicken parmesan dish with a side of ravioli. While we were waiting for the food, you made us a salad.”

You smiled at him, biting your bottom lip a little.

“Happy two year anniversary, Beau,” you said as you brought two plates over, one filled with the same food as your first date, except you made it yourself. “I can’t promise this is gonna taste nearly as good, but I promise it was made with love.” You took a seat next to him as he took a bite of the chicken.

“Oh my god!” he practically moaned. “This is incredible, sweetheart!”

“Thank you.” You smiled and began eating the salad on your plate. (You’d already eaten dinner but you didn’t want to just watch him eat without eating a little something yourself.) “Oh! I almost forgot the champagne!”

You stood up and got the bottle from the fridge before pouring some into his glass and then your own.

“Happy two year anniversary, Y/n,” he said and lifted his glass to clink it with yours.

“Happy one year of wanting to marry me,” you replied and tapped your glass to his.

“And six months of being engaged,” he reminded you.

**

You two were back on the couch, watching Die Hard even though it was now nearly one. Beau didn’t have work in the morning so he didn’t feel the need to rush to bed.

“Remember our third date?” he asked you quietly, his breath fanning your ear. His arm was wrapped around your shoulders and you were leaning on his chest. He kissed the back of your head as you intertwined his fingers with your own.

“We were watching this movie outside your trailer,” you started. “We were sharing a blanket and I kissed you. It escalated when you moved your hand down…” you took his hand and lowered it toward your torso, “here.”

“Then I kissed you here,” he kissed your neck, “and here,” he kissed down to your collarbone. He turned you around so you could straddle his hips.

“It was cold outside so you didn’t want to get me naked until we were inside and on your bed,” you mumbled against his lips. “So… want to move this into the bedroom?”

“If I remember correctly, you took your bra off under your shirt when we were still outside,” he reminded you.

“I did,” you said, still kissing him, “but I’m not wearing a bra right now.”

“But you are wearing panties.”

He stood up, causing you to do the same. He sat back down and ran his hands up your legs and under your lingerie. He smirked up at you before pulling down your panties which you then stepped out of.

“Alright, now we can move this to the bedroom.” He wrapped his arms around your waist as he stood up, lifting you as you wrapped your arms around his neck.

He carried you upstairs and into the bedroom, kicking the door with his foot.

“Did you put roses on the bed?” he asked, smiling against your mouth when he noticed the petals decorating the mattress and the floor leading up to it.

“You did the same thing last year,” you reminded him, also smiling.

#beau arlen x reader #beau arlen #beau arlen x you #beau arlen fic #big sky #big sky fic #big sky x reader #by mind empty just fictional people #by jean

[sequinsmile-x]

Stained Glass Windows - Chapter Sixty Four

Life was complicated, but they wouldn't have it any other way.

-x-

Hi besties <3

As always, the love for this version of them means the entire world...especially after the anon saying I should stop this fic. You are all the absolute best and I am forever grateful for this little corner of the internet.

Anyway, I got yelled at for the last chapter. I will probably get yelled at for this one and I will deserve it.

Please let me know what you think!

-x-

Words: 3.1k

A full list of warnings for the fic can be found on the Series Master List.

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

She stares at him, her mouth falling open as a disbelieving scoff escapes her, “Pakistan?” 

It feels like his heart is in a vice, the grip on it getting tighter and tighter with each passing second. It was a feeling that had settled in his chest the moment the Deputy Director had walked out of his office, something he knew wouldn’t shift until he had this conversation with his wife. He nods as he reaches for her hand and links it through his, their wedding rings knocking against each other as he squeezes tightly. 

“He said the request for me to head it up came from the director himself,” he says, and Emily presses her lips together as she looks down at their joint hands, turbulent emotions rolling through her stomach. A mix of pride for her husband and the fact he was being recognised by the FBI for everything he’d done, for the things he’d almost died for, and dread at the thought of having to live without him. 

“What did you say to him?” She asks carefully, pleased when her voice remains even, that she’s able to cover the nausea climbing up her throat. 

“I said I had to talk to you about it,” he replies, stroking his thumb back and forth over the heel of her hand, “I’d never agree to anything without doing that.” 

She blows out a shaky breath, and closes her eyes, shaking her head as she laughs humourlessly, “Neither one of them is someone who takes no for an answer,” she says, swallowing thickly, “If you say no you could tank your career.” 

“I’ll quit tomorrow if you want me to say no, Em,” he says seriously, his eyebrows furrowed as he leans in closer, eliminating any space between them. He smiles at her and it wavers, the breath he huffs out skipping across her face, “My wife is pretty well off.”

She chuckles and closes her eyes, “You love your job.” 

“I love you more. I love Lily and Jack more,” he says, cupping the back of her head and drawing her closer, resting his forehead against hers, “Nothing is more important than the three of you.” 

She stamps a kiss against his lips before she pulls back, “Do you want to go?” 

The answer was complicated. It was an amazing opportunity, one he would have jumped at a few years ago. He knew if his life was different, if he had more to run away from than he had to run towards that he’d probably go. Find solace on the other side of the world in an attempt to fix what he’s sure would be missing if he and Emily weren’t together, to somehow stitch himself back together without her handing him the thread. He didn’t want to be far away from her and the kids, didn’t want to potentially miss milestones in Lily’s life that he’d missed in Jack’s. 

“I don’t know how much of a choice I have,” he says honestly, “He said it would be a few months-”

“A few months?” She exclaims, her calm exterior slipping and she frowns at him, “That’s ridiculous. We have an almost 10-month-old-” 

He squeezes her hand, cutting her off with a soft smile, “I already told him that amount of time wouldn’t be acceptable. If I did it…it would be one month. Two months maximum,” he assures her, “I’d be back before her birthday.” 

She nods and blows out a breath. She felt vaguely reassured by that, but she knew how these things worked. That they could delay him coming home, that once he was out there his stay could be extended. “Do we have to make a decision now?” 

He shakes his head, “We can sleep on it, but we have to make a decision soon,” he says and she nods, looking back at their joint hands, falling silent as she tries to figure out how she feels, “I’m sorry sweetheart.” 

She looks up so quickly it briefly hurts her neck and she feels her heart break at the look on his face, the genuine devastation in his eyes, and for a moment she puts aside her feelings about all of this. He was the one who would be leaving if they decided he was going to do this, he was the one who would go weeks, maybe months, without seeing his children, and she could tell he was worried she was angry at him. 

It’s a hangover from his marriage with Haley, her lack of understanding about his job, about how much of it was out of his hands, still deeply ingrained within him. Emily feels a flash of anger towards the other woman that she knows she doesn’t deserve. It was one of the many reasons Haley herself had said Emily and Aaron were better suited, because they understood this part of each other in a way she had never been able to. 

“Oh, honey,” Emily says, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into a hug, his head pressed against her chest. He holds her tightly, his arms banding firmly around her, and she feels his breath stutter against her collarbone. She rests her cheek on the top of his head and runs her hand up and down his back, “You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m so proud of you.” 

He pulls back and looks at her, his eyebrows furrowing, his eyes shining in a way she knows hers are too, “Really?” 

She nods and runs her fingers through his hair, “Really,” she says, smiling softly, an edge of mischievousness to it he sometimes sees in their daughter’s smile, “Although, part of me wishes right now that you weren’t so damn good at your job.” 

He laughs, loud and bright and it eases some of the ache in her gut. He nods and rests his forehead against hers, “Me too.” 

They are cut off by a cry from upstairs, the baby monitor on the table crackling to life half a second later and they both smile. Aaron stamps a kiss against her lips and pulls back. 

“I’ll go,” he says, kissing her once more before he stands up. He stops before he gets very far and he turns to look at her, “I love you, Em.” 

She smiles at him, a sad edge to it that makes him wish he’d never said anything, that he’d given them the evening to just be together and happy. 

“I love you too.”

___

Emily smiles as she watches Jack patiently holds his hands out so Lily can use them to hold herself up, briefly standing on shaky legs before she falls onto her bottom, giggling when Jack joins in too. 

“That was so good, Lil,” Emily says, reaching out and smoothing her fingers through her daughter’s unruly hair, “Is Jack helping you learn to walk?” 

“When will she be walking properly, Emily?” Jack asks, tilting his head at her curiously, forever impatient when it came to his sister being able to play with him. 

“Probably soon, Jack,” she says, smiling softly at him, “Remember we said it would be around the time of her birthday?” 

The thought of it made her ache. She loved seeing her daughter grow, loved seeing her personality develop and watching her hit milestones, but she also missed when she was tiny. When Lily was a dot of a thing who would sleep against her chest for hours. She felt the same way about Jack too, how he’d changed so much right in front of her eyes over the last few years.

“I can’t wait,” he says enthusiastically, holding out one of Lily’s toys for her, his focus entirely back on his little sister. 

Emily’s smile falters, the reality of the fact Lily’s birthday was going to be on the other side of Aaron’s time away from them all weighing heavily on her. They’d made the decision together that he would go, on the grounds that it was only to help the task force get set up and that he’d only be there a couple of months at most. It was something the deputy director had agreed to and Aaron had signed all the paperwork just the day before. They hadn’t told anyone on the team yet and she was dreading their reactions, but they had told Haley, both of them aware they couldn’t make that decision officially without telling her. 

It hadn’t been an easy conversation. As predicted Haley hadn’t understood, her initial reaction the same that it would have been if she and Aaron were still married. They’d talked about it in detail. Told her how Aaron would be away for a couple of months at most, that Emily would still be at home and that nothing with their arrangement with Jack had to change. Emily was nothing short of grateful when Haley eventually agreed. Part of her had been worried that she’d be hesitant to have Jack come over when Aaron was away for such an extended period of time. She loved Jack just as much as she loved Lily, and she wanted to have as much of Aaron around her as possible while he was gone. 

She hears the doorbell ring and she blows out a breath as she hears Aaron’s footsteps as he goes to answer it. They’d agreed with Haley that they’d all tell Jack together, so they hadn’t hinted at anything whilst he’d been with them the last few days. She gives herself a moment before she stands up and lifts Lily into her arms, as she smiles at Jack.

“That will be your mommy, honey,” she says, sitting on the couch and resting Lily on her lap before she pats the cushion next to her, “Come sit here.” 

He frowns as he stands up and walks over to join her on the couch, “Am I in trouble?” 

She shakes her head and presses a kiss to his forehead, “No sweetie, you’re not in trouble. Mommy, Daddy and I just need to talk to you about something, okay?” 

He nods, his eyebrows still furrowed together, and snuggles into her side as Haley and Aaron walk into the living room, “Hi Mommy.” 

Haley smiles as she settles onto the couch opposite them, warmth that feels a little like jealousy spreading through her as Aaron settles on Jack’s other side, the sight of the four of them all together something she still needed a second to get used to. 

“Hi honey,” she replies, “Did you have fun with Daddy, Emily and Lily?” 

He nods enthusiastically, “Emily says Lily will be walking soon and then she can play with me more.” 

“That’s so exciting,” she says, looking at the baby sitting on Emily’s lap, her fist in her mouth as she looks up at her mother. Haley smiles softly before she looks over at Aaron and they lock eyes, a silent conversation they’d had countless times since they were young and dumb and convinced their love would last forever. He nods and clears his throat, turning his attention to Jack, his hand running through his hair. 

“Jack, buddy, we need to talk to you about something,” he says, and Jack nods earnestly. Aaron feels his breath catch in his chest, briefly unsure what to say even though he’d practised it a dozen times in his head. He looks up at his wife as she places her hand on his knee, reaching over Jack and squeezing the joint for a second, her smile reassuring as their eyes meet before he looks down back at his son, “You know my job is to fight bad guys, right?” 

“Emily does too!” 

He chuckles and he nods, “Yeah, she does. Well, sometimes I go away for a few days at a time to fight the bad guys. And you stay here with Emily and Lily if I’m away when you’re supposed to be here,” he says, clearing his throat before he carries on, “Well, I have to go away for a little longer than I usually do.” 

Jack frowns, his brows furrowing together in a way that makes him look so much older, “How long?” 

Aaron sighs and feels Emily squeeze his leg again, “Until just before Lily’s birthday, buddy.” 

The room falls into silence for a moment before Jack looks back and forth between all three of his parents, “Thats so long.” 

“I know it is,” he says, tugging Jack into his lap, holding him close as he drops a kiss to the top of his head, “But I love you so much, and so do Mommy and Emily. And whilst I’m gone I need you to help look after Lily.” 

Emily smiles and reaches over, running her fingers through the little boy's hair, “And nothing will change here, okay? You’ll still be here half the week just like normal.” 

Jack nods slightly absentmindedly and looks over at Haley, “Really?” 

Haley nods, wanting nothing more than to pull her son into her arms, but knowing this had to be a moment for Aaron and their little boy, “Really. We’ve already talked about it. I know you enjoy your time here.” 

Jack’s lower lip starts to tremble and he presses his face into his father’s chest, “I’ll miss you, Daddy.” 

Aaron closes his eyes and pulls him close, pressing a fierce kiss to the top of his son’s head, “I’ll miss you too. So much.” 

He’s proud of himself for holding it together, for not falling apart, until Haley and Jack leave, an agreement that they’d get together for dinner before he left echoing around them as the door closes. It's only when Emily turns to look at him, Lily on her hip, matching expressions on their faces, that he breaks. 

As Emily comforts him, Lily pressed between them, babbling to herself and blissfully unaware of everything going on around her, all he can do is hope he’s made the right decision.

___

Emily holds her daughter close, making sure her little jacket was covering her properly. It was easier to focus on protecting her from the cool spring evening air than it was to think about what was about to happen, about the fact she was about to say goodbye to her husband for a few weeks. Lily presses her face into Emily’s neck, rubbing her forehead against her skin, and she kisses the top of her head. 

“I know, sweet girl, you’re tired,” she says, kissing her head again, “We’ll be heading home soon.” 

She clears her throat to get rid of the shake in her voice, desperate to hold it together, to not show Aaron just how much she was struggling with this now the moment was here. She looks up as he walks towards them and she fixes a smile on her face. 

“We’re all ready to go,” he says, and her eyes drift past him to the plane that would take him away from her, full of other agents and military personnel who were also in the middle of saying goodbye to their families. “Em-”

“You know that promise you made when I stopped going on cases with the BAU?” She asks, her eyes drifting back to his, “I was pregnant, this one was Nugget,” she says, bouncing Lily slightly, both of them taking a moment to smile at the fond memory of their daughter’s first nickname, “And we were in that kitschy hotel in Alaska.” 

He nods and looks at Lily, reaching out for her hand, smiling when she grabs his finger, “You’d just had that fall and were told to rest for the rest of the day. We sat in bed and you asked me to promise to not take any unnecessary risks.”  

She smiles, feeling how it trembles, the force of her emotions climbing up her throat. It felt like a lifetime ago not just a year. They hadn’t met Lily, they didn’t even know they were having a daughter, and they weren’t married yet. So much had changed, but the foundation of their relationship was still the same - they loved each other fiercely. And that was why she understood that he had to do this.

“I’m asking you to make that promise again,” she says, cupping his cheek, “I need you to not do anything stupid so you come back to us, okay?” She asks, her chin shaking as a tear finally breaks free from her lashline, “You need to come back so you can watch Lily and Jack grow up. And so we can make half a dozen other adorable babies.” 

He chuckles, the sound wet as it catches in his chest, and he nods, capturing her lips in a kiss. It tastes of their tears, a tang of sadness stuck to their lips as they pull away. “I promise.” 

She nods, her forehead pressed against his, “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” he replies, kissing her nose and then her cheek, “So much,” he turns his attention to Lily. He kisses her forehead and then her cheek, taking a moment to breathe her in, “Love you Lily-Pad, I’ll be home soon okay?” 

Lily babbles, grabbing his face with her tiny fists, her sharp nails digging into his skin, the imprints of her touch that would last until after he walked away. 

They hear his name being called, the final call for boarding ringing around them, and they both sigh. Emily brushes his hair off his forehead and then cups his cheek again. He turns his head and kisses her palm. 

“I’ll let you know when I land.” 

She nods, dragging him into one last kiss, “Don’t do anything stupid,” she says, reiterating her earlier point, “You’re already a hero to me.” 

He smiles and kisses her before he steps back, “Right back at you, Mrs Hotchner. I love you.” 

“We love you,” she says, sniffing, wiping tears from her cheeks as she waves at him as he starts to walk away, “Wave goodbye to Daddy, Lily.”

Lily waves too, mostly encouraged by Emily who smiles sadly when her little girl mirrors her movements. Emily watches as Aaron boards the plane and he turns back to wave, his smile reassuring even with the distance between them. She stays until the plane leaves, until it’s nothing more than a spec in the sky, something easily confused with the constellations she’d once mapped with her grandfather. 

Lily grumbles in her arms and Emily adjusts her hold on her, kissing her daughter’s forehead as she turns to leave, “Come on baby. Let’s go home.” 

-x-

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[jackoshadows]

The thing with Stannis Baratheon is that he is actually an experienced general and leader, who is unable to strategize more efficiently because he does not understand or know the North. As Jon Snow tells him, ‘The map is not the land’.

He does however asks questions of Jon and listens (Which is more than can be said for Jon’s deputies, the likes of Marsh and Yarwyck). He asks Jon about the Freefolk because Jon rode with them. He asks Jon about the Northern houses, their alliances, which way they would move in terms of support. 

Stannis is smarter than the likes of Jon Arryn for example, having perceived enough about Janos Slynt to know the guy’s an incompetent snake unfit for office. Stannis’ plans for the Freefolk and the North actually make sense. The Wall is run down, short of men and food. They need help from the 7 Kingdoms.

“And the more we bleed each other, the weaker we shall all be when the real enemy falls upon us.” Jon had come to that same realization.

Your brothers will not like it, no more than your father’s lords, but I mean to allow the wildlings through the Wall . . . those who will swear me their fealty, pledge to keep the king’s peace and the king’s laws, and take the Lord of Light as their god. Even the giants, if those great knees of theirs can bend. I will settle them on the Gift, once I have wrested it away from your new Lord Commander. When the cold winds rise, we shall live or die together. It is time we made alliance against our common foe.” He looked at Jon. “Would you agree?”

[--] “I agree.”

“Good,” King Stannis said, “for the surest way to seal a new alliance is with a marriage. I mean to wed my Lord of Winterfell to this wildling princess.” - Jon, ASoS

Basically Jon agrees with the gist of what Stannis says: Instead of fighting each other, they need to be united against the real enemy. The Wildlings should be let this side of the Wall and integrated into the North and that one way to make alliances between different groups is through marriage.

So both Jon and Stannis have the same goals at this point. The reason Jon succeeds where Stannis is unable to push forward on his goals is that Jon knows the North and the Freefolk, while Stannis does not.

It could very well be that Jon Snow would have accepted Stannis’ offer, married Val and be Lord of Winterfell. However, his demand that Jon burn down the Godswood and convert to the Lord of Light was never going to happen.

When Jon closed his eyes he saw the heart tree, with its pale limbs, red leaves, and solemn face. The weirwood was the heart of Winterfell, Lord Eddard always said . . . but to save the castle Jon would have to tear that heart up by its ancient roots, and feed it to the red woman’s hungry fire god. I have no right, he thought. Winterfell belongs to the old gods.- Jon, ASoS

So right there Stannis has lost his first trump card - a son of Eddard Stark as Lord of Winterfell. Stannis’ religious fanaticism and inflexible adherence to Melisandre and her Lord of Light means he has lost what could have won this war for him easily. Additionally, considering he intended to marry Jon to Val, that alliance is not happening as well.

Perhaps Jon had ridden with the free folk too long; he could not help but laugh. “Your Grace,” he said, “captive or no, if you think you can just give Val to me, I fear you have a deal to learn about wildling women. - Jon, ADwD

He then wants to marry Val off to one of his men - a marriage between the Freefolk and his choice of Lord of Winterfell. Again, Jon explains that his man would have to steal Val in order to wed her - this is what leads to the whole Ser Patrek fiasco. Stannis wants the Freefolk to bend the knee, convert to the Lord of light and fight in his vanguard. The Freefolk can take orders, however, bending the knee is a tough proposition. And if they were forced, how keen would they be to fight for Stannis (As opposed to the overwhelming support Jon got at the end of ADwD).

Stannis’ men are overconfident about beating the Northerners, the terrain and attacking the Dreadfort. Jon Snow explains concisely why attacking the Dreadfort would be the wrong move and instructs Stannis on how to get more men in exchange for the Freefolk. 

So in effect Jon Snow manages to do everything Stannis wanted, but in a more practical way. He prevents the Freefolk from dying in Stannis’ Vanguard  in exchange for information about the Mountain Clans. He then uses Stannis to justify to his men the deal with Tormund to bring more Freefolk this side of the Wall. He brokers an alliance between the North and the Freefolk by marriage between Alys and the Magnar of the Thenns. Unlike Jon Snow, Sigorn has no issues converting to the Lord of Light and there is no necessity to burn down the Winterfell Godswood for this wedding to take place.

In between all this Jon also manages to get a loan from a banker on his way to visit Stannis. And also poached Stannis’ ships for Jon’s personal mission to Hardhome. One almost starts to feel a little sorry for Stannis!

Which is why Jon Snow is going to succeed where Stannis will most probably fail - in defeating the Boltons and winning Winterfell and the North. I still believe that we will get a Battle of Bastards in The Winds of Winter. The set up is there - The Pink Letter, Jon being shanked by his own men, death and resurrection, the last thing Jon wanted to do being to go attack the Boltons and save Arya.

We will have Jon Snow, Rickon Stark, Theon Greyjoy, Davos, the Northern allies like houses Manderly, Glover, Mormont etc. and the Direwolves Ghost and Shaggydog going up against the Boltons and their allies.

Speaking of which: Martin leaves a little note for the producers when writing about Ramsay’s flesh-eating hounds, whom we see hunting down a girl for sport.

[N.B. A note for future reference. A season or two down the line Ramsay’s pack of wolfhounds are going to be sent against the Stark direwolves, so we should build up the dogs as much as possible in this and subsequent episodes] -  GRRM notes while writing season 4 of GOT, Vanity fair article

I suspect the issue of who then becomes Lord of Winterfell/King in the North - Jon Snow or Rickon Stark - will then be decided at very end of TWoW or the start of the last book, A Dream of Spring.

#Jon Snow #Stannis Baratheon #asoiaf

[anthrofreshtodeath]

18. Hello/goodbye hugs that linger. Good hugs are just 🤗 Maaaybe combined with 25. Finding comfort in their scent?

I chose 18 - here we go!

___

Maura flashes her Chief Medical Examiner’s badge to the sheriff’s deputy sitting at the front desk in this small station just outside of Holyoke. It’s late. One or two in the morning late. And the only reason that the lanky young man even looks in her direction is because her jurisdiction covers the entire commonwealth, even all the way out here in Hampden County, and she’s wearing more designer than he’s probably ever seen in his life. 

Her hair’s done up, her eyes boast the smokiest shadow they’ve had since the last wedding she attended, and her dress’s neckline doesn’t even pretend to be modest. That’s where his eyes land when he nods to her and opens the side door that will lead them to the back of the building, where the drunk tank resides.

She approaches, heels authoritative on the linoleum, and nods to him when she gets to the door. “Thank you, Deputy… Healy,” she tells him, and she means it. He tips his hat to her with one hand on his kit belt, then tosses his head in the direction they’ll be going.

“No problem, Doc,” he says, those Western Mass vowels coming through. They have to walk through mahogany desk bullpens and past interrogation rooms that look like they haven’t been updated since the seventies. “Long night?” he asks simply to avoid passing the time in silence.

He must be half a foot taller than Maura, at least, and she stares at his back as they walk. She folds her jacket over her clasped hands, the ones in front of her hips, and shrugs even though he can’t see her. “A wedding,” she answers. “For a colleague in the drug control unit. As you saw, things got a little… out of hand,” she makes sure to name-drop BPD to help their case in any way possible.

Healy laughs. “Yeah well, let’s just say I don’t think the guy they popped is gonna be pressing charges,” he says to her. “Just around this corner.”

Sure enough, when they turn, the one cell in the middle of the floor, with two wooden benches and bars all around, comes into plain view. In it is Jane, in a black suit and her best silk white shirt, all dotted with blood. Could be her own, could be someone else’s.

Could belong to the man next to her: Rafael Martinez, the groom of the evening. He certainly looks happy now, a huge grin on his face despite the fact that he’s currently spending his wedding night in jail. “Hey, Doc! You made it. Thank god,” he exclaims. He stands up and claps once, rubbing his palms together in victory. 

Maura shakes her head when Healy fiddles with the keys until he finds the right one. “Maria is not happy. She’s outside, by the way. They only let her in the waiting area because I happen to be the Chief Medical Examiner of the entire Commonwealth. The Commonwealth,” she admonishes him. 

As soon as the bars swing open, Rafael is out. He grabs Maura and kisses the side of her face roughly. He is annoying, but endearing. “Ah, she’ll understand. I don’t know why she decided to invite her sleazeball ex anyway. But that’ll teach him to try and sabotage the next wedding he goes to, eh?” Rafael looks back at Jane, who hasn’t gotten up and hangs her head. When she looks at him because he’s paused, he takes his bruised fist and swings it through the air in slow motion. “Pow. You still got it, Rizzoli. Now excuse me. I gotta go find my wife.”

“Deputy Healy?” Maura asks once Rafael has turned the corner, “would you give Detective Rizzoli and I a moment?” Again, maybe emphasizing the fact that everyone in the drunk tank is law enforcement lessens their consequences. She tries.

Healy seems to be convinced, however, that there won’t be any. “Sure thing, Doc. I’ll be out front so we can process paperwork when you’re ready.”

“Of course,” she says. She waits until he leaves, until his utility boots squeak further and further down the hall, to step into the cell. 

“Never been so happy to see you,” Jane sighs, finally standing. She hurts, that Maura can see: bruised ribs, a barking shoulder, and a scraped knee, all in addition to the angry red circle on the side of her mouth, a small but deep cut in her lip. 

“Except for when you nearly drowned in the Atlantic Ocean?” snarks Maura. “I leave for five minutes…” Her consternation is mixed with a little bit of happiness and pride.

“Excuse me, more like fifteen minutes at least,” Jane retorts. She comes as close as their bodies will allow without touching. “And Maria’s not my favorite person but she’s good for Rafa. I wasn’t gonna let some bozo mess it up.”

“So you punched him?” Maura raises a suspicious brow.

“Rafa punched him! After he threw a drink in my face,” Jane shouts, then quiets. “I didn’t start it. You know I never start things.”

“Yes well, you always finish them. Even when sometimes they should be left unfinished. When I came to see what all the commotion was about, the three of you were tussling in the bushes! I know the family that owns that property, Jane. Personally,” Maura says. She doesn’t pull away, though. And she smirks when she smells that spilled whisky all over Jane’s front, combined with dirt and Jane’s perfume. 

Jane senses the game, she must, because then she smiles, too. “You haven’t hugged me yet,” she tells Maura, with a theatrically jutted lower lip, “aren’t you happy I’m ok?”

“I’d be happier if you weren’t possibly facing charges,” Maura says in resistance. 

Jane plays up her position by placing a tired hand on Maura’s shoulder. Maura shivers when skin touches skin, even if it’s just a sliver or so. “He won’t, if he knows what’s good for him,” Jane growls.

“It’s his right,” Maura counters. 

“Maura.”

“Yes, Jane?”

“Just hug me.”

So Maura does. Jane is taller and broader and in pain, but somehow Maura folds the detective into her embrace just right. They aren’t together, not yet - though this feels like they will be, very soon, because Jane’s head rests on her shoulder and Jane’s hands spread wide one above the other on her back. One of those hands creeps up to the nape of Maura’s neck, possessing her, lingering closer, longer than a hug hello between friends. 

Jane breathes, then Maura does. Jane sinks, and Maura holds her up. “Let’s go home?”

Jane doesn’t say to Maura that they have separate homes, because she doesn’t have to. She just says, “Ok. First we got a date with Healy, though, yeah?”

“A date I’ll accept. With Healy, however? Not so much,” Maura scrunches her nose, but holds out her arm for Jane to take.

Jane does and they amble toward the bullpen and then the exit. “If not with Healy then with who?”

“Whom,” Maura corrects, and she leaves it at that. She makes sure to wink when Jane looks her way, however.

#rizzoli and isles #otp prompts june 2023 #lauren writes rizzoli and isles fanfiction #jane would fight at a wedding #how Italian of her

[ckret2]

How is bill alive right now? And i dont mean how he came back after stanley killed him, i mean how have town mobs not already torn his limbs off

The only thing keeping him alive is the fact that the town doesn't know he exists.

As soon as the Pines learn Bill's still alive (and have stopped him from, like, trying to murder them), Ford goes into Maximum Paranoia Mode. They HAVE to keep Bill contained, and they have to do it THEMSELVES. The rest of the family falls in with his logic pretty quickly.

If they let anyone else know about him? Worst case scenario, a mob DOES slaughter him, and they all discover that Bill's flesh prison was the only thing preventing him from unleashing Weirdmageddon again. Best case scenario, the town handles this like civilized people, and Bill's transported to the county jail—where he can't be monitored by the Pines, Local Bill Cipher Experts, and where he's surrounded by people who know that he's powerful but don't know just what a slick manipulator he can be. So he's staying IN the Shack, he is NOT allowed in the basement, and nobody tells anyone anything.

Bill—who also doesn't know what will happen if he's killed (and fears he'll Die For Real) and who frankly thinks he has better odds of escaping a family of children and old men whose weaknesses he's intimately familiar with—decides to go along with this plan rather than force their hand by revealing his identity to outsiders. On the condition that he's allowed to walk around the shack—if they lock him up, he's shrieking like a dying hitchhiker in a serial killer's car until someone comes investigating, and then they'll get to risk the consequences together, won't they?

So as far as the town is concerned, "Goldie" is the Mystery Shack's new reclusive part-time summer employee. Most guests are tourists and suspect nothing. If any locals start to think something's unsettlingly familiar about "Goldie," the Shack staff is quick to suggest they might be thinking of their last "employee" named Goldie—hey, did you wanna see him again? Stan's still got the ol' mechanical prospector in a closet somewhere, they'll just have to take his wedding dress off— And that shuts down most inquiries pretty fast.

While Bill's willing to play along, he's still happy to use the locals' ignorance to his advantage to try to get a little more freedom. (He's invited to an LGBT social club, because the locals immediately peg him as gnc af (they do not call him "gnc af." They call him "Woooee, bet you anything that one's queerer'n a three-dollar bill!" - Deputy Durland), and once Bill loudly says, "Why, sure, I'd LOVE to come!" there's no way the Pines can go "NO YOU DON'T" without revealing, to the police, that they're keeping him prisoner, and having to explain why. And that's how the Pines family ends up having a very serious discussion about which one of them is going to pretend to be queer and/or come out to the town so that Bill won't be unsupervised.)

The upside to making social plans so the Pines are forced to let him have day trips on the outside is that it gives Bill more opportunities to find allies and a safe escape route; the downside is that he can't prance around in a top hat and a hoodie shaped like himself, for fear the first person to glimpse his silhouette out of the corner of their eye will instantly realize who he is. Sometimes it's easier to pass up opportunities to go outside just so he can stay home safely wrapped in his own skin.

So, thus far, nobody outside the Shack knows anything.

(It won't last forever. Stanford's itching to tell Fiddleford, Dipper's dying to warn Wendy—and above all else, Soos knows.)

#bill cipher #human bill cipher #gravity falls #anonymous #ask #bill goldilocks cipher

[civil-corps-wife]

1.0 spoilery stream of consciousness

Because I made a blog specifically for my random thoughts and opinions about My Time At games.

Why is the download speed 1MB/s? Why are you like this, internet old buddy old pal? It's also patching which is a bit faster but still additional time

There's taking a walk just like in Portia, I already love it. Even your spouse kinda leaving you in the middle of nowhere is accurate!

People come to your house to hang out! The first one ever was Owen. Sorry pal, gotta run and uncover new romantic possibilities

I kinda regret not going past the last update's mission spam on most of my saves, now I have to see the same cutscenes five times. I also keep walking into the Ninja Sword conversation trigger

Five people showed at my door. My Portia strat was to always hang out with Albert and without him, I don't quite know who to choose

Okay, I went through other guys looking for new content, now let's get down to business and let me adopt Andy

Logan and Andy are conniving. Is it gonna be The Brightest Star all over again?

OH NO, WILSON--

I love Burgess. He just when from total meltdown to absolute happiness in like ten seconds. I mean, look at him, how can you not love him?

I kinda wished for more poses, especially romance ones like in Portia. What do you mean my husband can't hold me?

I really love Burgess.

They've added a kiss on the cheek, it is so sweet

Ooh, the Rogue Knight topic arises!

"Have you ever been so mad you threw a school?"

They're referencing our fandom again, this time how mad some people got at Deputy Captain!

Well, I don't think Captain is the best deputy anymore

Unsuur's name didn't change to "Deputy Unsuur" and this is outrageous.

I saw a bunny at the Bend!

Jasmine and Andy helping Logan propose to the builder is my new favorite thing about the game

You can adopt Andy now. He counts as a literal, official child that will call you his parent. It's too much. I love this game.

You can make NPCs wear recolored outfits!?

My builder and Logan got married on Andy's birthday and I think it's perfect

My perfect wedding with Logan got spoiled by Unsuur saying that he loves me. I mean I love you too man, but this is exactly why I have six saves!

I just learned that DLCs dropped. Here goes my money!

I GOT A LETTER FROM MY DEAR, SWEET, FAVORITE HIGGINS! He wants to be my friend. My Sandrock life is complete now. There isn't another character I love quite as much as I love Higgins.

I love how I'm supposed to be a fair judge for the school project and yet it's obvious I'll vote for my son Andy. He doesn't need to try, he's the best anyways

You can go on play dates as a family! And I am still amazed that Andy works like your builder's own child so you can take him too! What am I saying, he IS the builder's own child now! I don't think there's a feature I love more.

Speaking of DLC, since I named the Meerkat after my favorite character, Higgins, I thought I'd name the Gecko after my another favorite, Albert. They also, uh, have similar eyes. For better or worse.

Also, for some reason the Gecko has Dan-bi and Rian in its relationships marked as family? Is it their child?

New Pablo's lines sound so good. Remember when he used to have a very attidute-y voice but people complained and they changed it to a harsher one? Well, he sounds softer again and I love it!

Pablo's designs are literally DLC clothes so him asking if I would pay for such clothes... uh-oh...

Alice from Portia got mentioned!

Rian sending a letter that his daughter was born warms my heart

And on top of this amazingness, Fang will treat Ginger!

Ginger and Gust are about to arrive and I might just faint. It's like falling for Gust all over again

Ooh, they made Ginger so pretty! Not that she wasn't before but she's even more now!

Gust doesn't look as salty as he used to which is a pity

Oh, also apparently Gust has the same VA as in Portia. This might be the end of my builders' faithfulness to their husbands

Fang and Gust interacting feels so surreal. They're so similar and yet so different

Gust is so darn mean. I'm into this.

I don't really like how he's treating Fang but I'm still biased. Gonna look the other way I suppose

Ooh, they made Justice interact with Gust! Two of my absolute favorite husbands talking is just the best thing that happened

What's the deal with my Portia husbands narrowly escaping death in Sandrock?

There are so many name drops! Dr Xu, Russo, Mars and Carol, Alice. I can technically play Portia and see them any time but it still hits hard

I got a Papa Bear shirt!

The fact that Ginger being healthy again is canon takes the cake today

#my time at sandrock #mtas

[vampireninjabunnies-blog]

WIP Wednesday (I'm not late. You guys were just early lol)

Tagged by @socially-awkward-skeleton,@direwombat and@inafieldofdaisies

Bearer of Bad News

Joey Hudson

This was the worst part of the job. And she shouldn't be the one doing it. Damn it Whitehorse should be here walking up the steps to John's front door. The autumn breeze sent a chill down her spine. It was eerie for the ranch to be this quiet. The Peggies standing nearby eyed her suspiciously. Normally the ones in Holland Valley were quite a bit friendlier than the rest elsewhere. It made her nervous.

"Relax Joey." Danny squeezed her shoulder lightly and gave her a small smile. "You being tense won't make this any better. Let's get it over with."

She knocked sharply on the door when they finally reached it, waiting patiently as the sound of footsteps grew louder. When the door opened it was Joseph who greeted them.

"Deputy Hudson, Deputy Trevor. How can we help you?"

They had very few interactions with Joseph in the past. Only occasionally seeing him with Jerome or his brothers. Whitehorse usually handled Joseph. In many ways he intimidated Joey the most, though she couldn't quite figure out why.

"May we come in? We need to speak to John." Danny thankfully didn't sound nearly as hesitant as she felt.

Joseph motioned for them to come in, watching them closely. His gaze unsettling and hard to read behind the yellow tint of his glasses.

"Who is it? Has someone heard something?!"

The sound of their voices must have carried because John came rushing in from the other room. Joey had never seen him like this. Normally so well put together, John's hair was disheveled and clothes were in disarray. He was visibly sleep deprived and from what she could tell had likely been drinking.

"Hudson,Trevor? Why are you here? Did you find her?" His voice was strained, pleading. It broke her heart.

Danny looked at her, both of them trying to find the words.

She pulled a small chain from her pocket, a dainty gold wedding band hanging from it. The glimmer of hope that had been shining in his eyes died when she handed it to him.

"I'm sorry John. This is all we found. And it's already been several weeks and-"

His eyes widened staring at her. "No no...you have to keep looking. You have to..."

Danny put a tentative hand on his shoulder "She couldn't swim John, the odds that we'll find anything now. Look we're sorry but"

John fell to his knees begging them to keep looking. His words muddled behind incoherent sobbing. Joey took note of the vague look of disdain behind the veil of sympathy on Joseph's face as he stared at his baby brother. Danny led her out when he motioned for them to leave. Muttering another apology as they left.

Joseph held John whispering in his ear. "I'm sorry John. I'm sorry they gave up."

John looked up at him, his eyes red. For just a moment Joseph saw nothing of the grown man he'd found in Atlanta. Instead the little toddler wailing in the corner after their father had beat him. He ignored the twisting gnawing feeling of remorse in his gut. An opportunity had presented itself and intended to take it. Touching his forehead to John's.

"You put too much faith in these sinners John. They don't care. Of course they would give up on one of ours. Have faith brother. Atonement will come."

Danny paused, drumming his fingers on the open car door looking back at the ranch.

Joey leaned on the roof "What's the matter?"

"You see the look on Joseph's face? Not so sure that wreck was an accident."

They climbed into the car. She looked at him with doubt. " I don't know Danny. You might be reaching there. I mean his own brother?"

He started the engine and pulled out of the drive toward Fall's End.

"Maybe but something don't feel right here. Somehow we're gonna get the blame for this. Whole lot trouble coming our way Joey."

She sighed staring out the window at the glaring Peggie faces as they drove by, wishing again that Whitehorse had come instead of them. Maybe Danny was right. Damn it this really was the worst part of the job. Being the bearer of bad news.

#wip wednesday #joey hudson #john seed #joseph seed #far cry 5

[lifeofkaze]

A Search for Balance

CHAPTER 17 - KEEPSAKES

Find the masterlist with all chapters of this story here, the previous chapter here, and the next one here.

Tagging: @flareshogwarts

October had come and gone, and the season was progressing nicely for the Wigtown Wanderers. And yet, Matthew wasn't happy. 

Despite his best efforts, none of the Wanderers’ executives had been willing to meet his demands and Lizzie’s contract negotiations had come to a halt. What had at first been a compelling challenge was slowly turning into a frustrating business, and Matthew’s interest in the matter was increasingly dwindling. 

Things with Lizzie had turned complicated as well. She was impatient with the situation but other than badgering him about the state of things, she had begun to keep her distance from him. Matthew had tried to engage her in multiple conversations about any topic he could think of, but she had an excuse ready to refuse him more often than not. 

When he learned that she had cancelled another fitting for her wedding dress without so much as telling him, it was finally enough. He wouldn’t let Lizzie make a fool of him any longer. It was time to take some action. 

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" asked Rita Skeeter as she slipped into the seat across from Matthew in a Muggle café in central London. He responded with a thin-lipped smile. 

"It's good to see you, too, Rita. How's work at the Daily Prophet?"

She arched her pencilled eyebrows. "I'm a busy witch, Mr McRae. Get to the point and don’t waste my time with chit-chat. Time is money, as you well know."

Matthew pushed his cup of tea to the side. "As far as I remember, you and I agreed on a deal on which you have yet to deliver. I’m surprised I’m having to remind you - you never struck me as a witch to let a story slip from her fingers." 

"Half a story is made by research, Mr McRae," Rita said, the smile on her red lips widening, "and trust me when I say that I'm the very best at researching."

"You have something for me then?"

"Depends. Do you have something in return?" 

Matthew reached into the pocket of his vest and produced a thick envelope sealed with the crest of his family. "This is our guest list. On it, you'll find everyone who will attend the wedding - and who they're going to bring." 

Rita snatched the envelope from his hands and had already put her finger underneath the flap when Matthew cleared his throat. "So, what's the deal?"

"The deal," Rita said without looking up from the guest list, "is that your darling girl isn't as perfect as you would like her to be." She stopped reading and pursed her lips. "The Deputy Minister of Magic? Really?" 

Matthew ignored her. "What do you mean she's not as perfect as I'd like her to be?"

Judging by the way Rita was watching him over the rim of her glasses, she was enjoying herself immensely. 

"What has she told you about Orion Amari?"

"That they know each other from school. They played on their house team together." 

"Oh, play they did, but not only Quidditch. Your fiancée hasn't been honest with you, Mr McRae." Rita pressed a hand to her heart. "Oh, the woes and wonders of young love! The first one is always the most exciting, don't you think? She and Mr Amari used to go out for just over two years, but it all ended most dramatically when he left the country in the dead of night." A smug grin formed on her face. "I bet your Lizzie could tell me all about it." 

Matthew’s mouth had gone dry. "This must be a mistake."

"It was easy enough to find out. Makes me wonder why someone with your wits didn't figure it out sooner."

"Who told you all this?"

"Protection of sources," Rita tutted. "I would have expected less questioning and a little more gratitude, I have to say. Maybe I should go and publish this story after all. Who knows if there'll even be a wedding to report on, now that your beloved is reunited with her teenage sweetheart. Who knows what they might be doing right as we speak? My readers would die to know the truth."

Matthew's thoughts were racing. Rita’s allegations sounded absurd, but they did fit with Lizzie's changed behaviour. The idea of her lying to him stung his heart almost as much as it did his pride, but he couldn't let Rita expose her like this, as much for Lizzie’s sake as his own.

"You will do no such thing. Publishing stories about my fiancée - and my family, by extension - with nothing but statements from unnamed sources… That’s not a risk you want to take."

Rita leaned forward, her eyes flashing. "Go and find me some proof then that she lied to you for no reason. If there isn't any, this story is off the table. But if there is, wouldn't it be the sweetest kind of revenge for being done so dirty?" 

She studied Matthew’s face, looking satisfied with what she was seeing. 

"If your Lizzie is the angel you're making her out to be, there's nothing for you to be afraid of. But believe me, everyone has their dirty little secrets. Some are just better at hiding them." 

***

Rita's words were still on Matthew's mind when he returned to Wigtown, so instead of going home, he made his way to Lizzie’s place. She and Skye were usually at the training grounds around this time, so Matthew didn’t bother with knocking and proceeded to walk inside their house. It was time to find out what else Lizzie had been keeping from him. 

Upon entering her room, Matthew startled when the cat lying on the bed, raised her head to hiss at him. Without much ado, he grabbed the wiggling animal by the scruff of her neck and dumped her into the hallway. The last thing he needed right now was that ragged fleabag hanging about. 

Shutting the door behind him, Matthew took a look around, before making his way towards Lizzie’s wardrobe. He reached onto the highest shelf, pushing sweaters and scarves aside until his fingers brushed against something solid. It was an old wooden box with a silver lock, full to the brim with Lizzie's sentimental trinkets. She thought that the box’s existence was a secret, but her secrets weren’t safe from him now. Not anymore. 

Feeling a sense of grim determination, Matthew took the box and sat it on the bed. The lock wouldn’t budge when he tried opening it with his wand, so he got up again and looked through Lizzie’s chest of drawers. There, on the bottom of the drawer holding an assortment of Quidditch shirts, he found what he had been looking for - a tiny silver key with a heart-shaped end.

Matthew shook his head as he picked it up. Lizzie’s romantic streak had once been something he had found endearing, but now, all he could think of was how foolish she was. It was so easy to see her through… and yet, she had somehow managed to deceive him. His flare of bad conscience extinguished by this humiliating thought, Matthew stuck the key into the lock and turned it. 

The first thing he saw once the box had sprung open were pictures of Lizzie's family and friends. Matthew thumbed through them before dumping them on the bed beside him. He did the same with the other things that held no meaning to him - a blooming twig of jasmine, a ticket to a match of the Muggle football club Lizzie liked, a smooth white stone with golden veins running through it, and a gold charm bracelet, all of which he set aside. 

As he brushed a few more trinkets aside, he came across a layer of smooth black fabric. His mouth went dry as he pulled out the Quidditch jersey with the black-and-white bird embroidered on the chest. Lizzie had never cared much for the Montrose Magpies, but Matthew knew one player who had played for them, even if only for a season. His heart pounding in his ears, he slowly turned the shirt around, staring at the white letters forming the name 'Amari' on the back.

In a sudden flare of anger, Matthew balled up the shirt and threw it against the wall with a cry of frustration. Taking deep breaths to regain his composure, his eyes fell onto the almost empty box once more. Several letters were covering the bottom, some of them stacked and tied together, others - the ones looking the most worn - lying loosely between them. 

He pulled one of them out and read it. Then he picked up another, and another, taking in the words another man had written his fiancée. There were even pictures stuck between some of the pages, and Matthew gritted his teeth at the image of Lizzie hugging and kissing someone else with a smile the like of which Matthew hadn't seen in weeks.

When he was done, he read the letters a second time, and with every word, he felt himself grow colder. Rita had been right. Lizzie had played him like a fiddle, and he hadn't suspected a thing. Fury mixing with his disappointment, he thought about everything he had invested into her and her career. And had she given him in return? Nothing but lies.

He was broken from his thoughts by a clicking sound coming from the window. An owl had flown on the windowsill and was now patiently waiting to be let inside. Matthew did so, taking the letter tied to its leg and sending it off again. He sat down at the desk and turned the heavy envelope around in his hands, his eyes resting on the image of a magpie pressed into the black wax of the seal.

The season was well underway, and the Wanderers had failed to announce any news about Lizzie's contract. It had only been a matter of time until other clubs would begin reaching out to her, and Montrose being among them was no surprise, either. Lizzie was in great shape and the Wanderers hot on the Magpies' heels; poaching a rival's players was a standard practice in the business. 

Matthew broke the seal and read through the offer as he made his way into the living room. It was a good offer, and only the starting point for negotiations, too. Lizzie could count herself lucky, he thought as drew his wand and knelt in front of the fireplace. Most players would sell their souls for a contract like this.

He tucked the pages back into the envelope and waited for the flames to catch on the logs. When they were burning high, he tossed the contract into the fire and sat on the sofa, watching the parchment crumble and burn to ashes.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #harry potter hogwarts mystery #quidditch #orion amari #orion amari x mc #lizzie jameson #skye parkin #balance series #search for balance #sfb

[lovesomehate]

One of your anons said the classic Vegas wedding right. But what if instead of it being Travis’ wedding. It’s Laura’s.

Bachelorette party. They hired male strippers. Travis shows up on a noise complaint. Emma opens the door, “Oh, he’s a little older than his picture. You sure this is the guy Kaitlyn?” Her friend holds up a picture, a guy in a police costume with dark eyes. “I mean, yeah.”

Travis’ complaints are falling on deaf ears, he gets pulled into the house by the girls. It’s a small party and he’s trying to figure out how such tiny women can make such loud noises. “Ma’am’s? I’m not your entertainment… I’m a police officer-” Emma scoffed, she pulled his tie loose. “Yeah, less talking more gyrating.”

Travis was trying to focus on batting hands away, he jerked when he felt hands on his utility belt. He held his hands up immediately when the familiar weight of his handgun was gone. He looked over his shoulder at the blonde with beautiful blue eyes. She smiled as she pointed his loaded gun at him.

“Hey! No more struggling and strip…” She leaned in, “Sheriff Hackett.” He couldn’t make any noise or muster up a sentence. All the blood rushed from his brain into his dick.

During some of his past relationships, he’s been told he was a show-er and a grow-er. Kaitlyn whistled, “Abi! Take some pictures!”

Emma smiled, she leaned in to finish undoing Travis’ buttons on his shirt. “See look, we wouldn’t have had to hold you at gun point if you listened. Now it’s not a surprise and the bridesmaid has to watch you get ready.”

Travis heard nothing she said, the blood was still traveling south in his body. He wondered if he was going to pass out. His dark gaze never left those blue depths across from him. She’s going to be married. Gotta be one lucky son of a bitch.

“Alright we’re getting somewhere.” She smiled and twirled the gun on her finger. Travis knew she wouldn’t be doing that if she knew that it was loaded. He was sure she’d drop it and it would go off and hurt someone.

“Aren’t your clothes supposed to rip off? Jesus!” He glared at the woman still handling his person, “Hey, don’t frown at Emma. She’s gone through all this trouble because you didn’t show up properly. How was he supposed to be dressed Kaitlyn?”

The dark haired woman peered down at her phone screen, “I said something easily removable. Arms are supposed to be shown. He’s not even oiled up! Don’t tell me you’re not in a Speedo either?”

Travis’ eyes widened comically, Emma pulled his top off, he felt his radio hanging by his ankle. The damage done to his equipment is already going to be expensive. “The undershirt is nicely strained. At least he works out like they said. Come feel Laura.” Travis braved himself and it made his pecs harden up as he flexed.

Laura ran her hand across his chest and must’ve had her approval because- his thoughts were interrupted by the breeze assaulting him. He looked down, his shirt was torn off. Just like that. “Pants. Off. I’ll hit you with this.” She waved his gun at him.

Travis wondered why no one was on the radio, where was dispatch? Where was his fucking deputies? What the hell was going on? He took a shaky breath as he undid his belt buckle, he looked around at the four sets of eyes watching him like a hawk. “Honestly, I’m not lying to you. I am a real cop.”

Kaitlyn nudged Abi in the side, “This guy is such a complainer. I thought dudes peacock at a chance to show off their dicks?” Abi’s face flamed up, she shrugged and looked away, “Maybe he’s shy?”

Emma laughed at that, she looked to Laura, “This is your gift babe. Make him strip.” She started a chant that Kaitlyn joined in. Travis tried pleading now, “Ma’am, I’m sure you’re a nice young lady. But this goes against like several laws… I’ll forget about it and leave if I don’t have to continue.”

He watched her press the end of the barrel to her chin, she tapped it as she made an exaggerated hum noise. “Yeah no. But it is my gift. So, I’ll let you give me a private dance.” Travis knew he could overpower the woman, and the other women could call the police and realize that he was telling the truth but she seemed excited to see him. Me. She wants to see me naked.

He followed her into the bedroom. Kaitlyn, Emma, and Abi turned up the music while they busied themselves with making drinks. Kaitlyn answered the door and her eyes widened. “Hey, I’m Johnny Law and one of you ladies have been a bad girl.”

Emma’s eyes widened as she looked down the hall to the bedroom. Abi covered her mouth as Kaitlyn stared at the young guy in front of them. “Uh, yes… we’ll be out here. You can entertain us.” The man smiled as he walked in spinning plastic handcuffs around his finger.

Meanwhile, Travis was in his boxer briefs with his hands clasped over his bulge. Laura made a show to yawn, “I’m going to write a long message to your boss. I don’t feel sexy right now, Sheriff Hackett.” Travis looked at her with a scowl, “Would you please stop waving the gun around? And I will I don’t know… talk to you?”

She laughed, she stopped and looked at him before laughing again. “Talk to me? No. You’re supposed to be stripping and dancing. I don’t know. Touching me. Making me feel sexy. Making me feel like maybe I shouldn’t be getting married. You’re doing none of those things.” She pointed the gun at his hands, “Use those big hands and your imagination.”

WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?! He wanted to yell at her. He took a deep breath before slowly raising his hands to put them on her shoulders. She wasn’t even looking at his face, she was staring directly at her crotch. “How much extra would it be if I want you completely naked?” He immediately stilled, he wanted to wrestle her for the gun now. “Uh… I don’t do that?”

Laura hummed again then smiled, “But I’m the one with the gun. Off.” She lowered the gun and raised it. He tucked his thumbs into the waistband of his briefs, he slowly inched them down and bent down as he pushed the fabric to his ankles. He stepped out of them before standing up straight.

Her eyes didn’t give off any emotion or tell in the beginning. But he watched her pupils eat all the color from her irises. She looked at him like he was a full course meal spread out in front her. It’s as if she hasn’t eaten in several years. He watched her pink tongue swirl around her lips. She reached out to touch him and his hand caught her wrist.

She pouted as her dark eyes met his. “If this is happening. You’re getting naked too. I… I’m not going to be the only one undressed. And-” He caught her other wrist, he brought both arms to one hand easily. “The gun is on the dresser… and I know you have the handcuffs. Give me them.”

Laura wiggled her arms and scowled at the tight, unforgiving grip. “This is not fair. It’s my party. Why don’t we negotiate? I will give you all of that but you have to do me a favor… deal?” Travis looked down at the woman sitting on the edge of the bed, “What is the favor?” Laura grinned up at him, “You get to fuck me. My… Max wanted us to be apart until the wedding night… and a girl has needs. And you look like you can fill every need I have.”

Travis thought about it briefly, his eyes traced over her form. She was in a short red dress, her feet were bare. He felt her toes run up the inside of his ankle, that would ruin a marriage potentially. I can’t ruin a marriage can I? Fuck it.

He nodded with a gruff voice, “Deal.”

-

Chris paced in front of the door as Deputy Jon Kilmer knocked. A young woman opened the door, “Hello?” Chris looked down at her, “Where is Sheriff Hackett?” He barked at her. She held her hand up to his face then pinched her fingers closed. “You don’t have a badge or a uniform. Don’t talk to me.”

Chris stood in shock and bewilderment. The dark haired woman walked off and left her red headed mate. Jon shifted, he looked at the redhead, “Erm, my Sheriff’s car is outside. And he was dispatched here nearly four hours ago. Have you seen him?” The redhead didn’t meet their eyes, “Uh! Emma! Where’s the other guy?”

Some classically pretty girl stepped in front of them, she had to be Emma. “Oh, the other guy. He had a mean face, dark eyes, pale like a vampire? But tall?” Chris slowly nodded, “Yes.” Jon reaffirmed it. “Oh, he’s in the back room. Just take this left and it’s the last door.”

Jon and Chris eased down the hall, Jon’s hand gripped the knob and slowly opened it. Both he and Chris’ eyes widened as the stared at the scene in front of them.

Travis was on his knees, his right hand tangled in blonde hair. His left hand gripping the chain that connected the handcuffs. The woman’s arms were behind her back. Her knees were spread wide on the bed. The only thing that seemed to keep her from falling on her face into the mattress was his grip on her hair and her body on his dick.

The woman had tear lines of mascara running down her cheeks and a dopamine smile stretched across her face. Her eyes looked like they were rolled to the back of her head. She looked like a well used fuck doll.

Both of them were covered in sweat, she seemed to realize he stopped moving. Her eyes were heavily lidded as she tried to force them open, “Why’d… you stop?” Travis stared at his brother and his deputy, “Uh, ma’am… this is my brother and my employee-”

Emma rushed to the back and she snapped a quick picture on her phone. Just of Travis and Laura’s face. It could be made out what they were doing, or it couldn’t. Depended on the person, “By the way Laura he’s a real cop! But you look like you had fun!” Travis looked down at the back of the girls head that he had a decent grip on. She shifted back against him and moaned softly, “Oh, I’m going to be in some trouble… this is going to be a lot of paperwork.”

Chris and Jon shut the door, Chris turned to Jon, he looked at him. “We haven’t seen him. He checked on the noise complaint and went patrolling.” Jon nodded, “We haven’t seen him. He checked on the noise complaint and went patrolling.” Chris blinked trying to remove the image from his head, Jon cleared his throat, “She should be in pain… that looked like a lot.” Chris cringed, “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

-

Travis sat at his desk, he rustled through various mails, letters, articles, and faxes the station was sent. He found a pink envelope with feminine writing. He raised his brow as he unfolded the paper that was stored inside.

His eyes followed the letter:

Hey Sheriff Hackett,

Uh, this is weird probably. But I mean I can’t call 911 to have a conversation with you. But… I’m rambling. Anyway, I think it was for the best that we did what we did for 5 delicious hours.

My… Max is my husband… he was going to be my husband. I’m uh, single now. Again. And I just feel like, telling you. I want to get to know you and maybe… maybe we do what we did again.

Anyway, here’s my number 929-xxx-xxxx

Laura

Travis had a slight smile curl up on his face as he saved the number in his phone.

IM FINE

PLEASE TELL ME HE CALLS HER AND THEY END UP GETTING TOGETHER IN THE END GJSNGJAGNSNGJ

#I can just imagine T’s pure panic and confusion at being held on gun point and told to undress 😂😂😂😂 #gods I wanna print this fic and lay on it 😂😂😂😂😂 #so good #fics #travisxlaura #hackearney #ask #anon #the talent in this fandom 😭😭😭😭

[simshousewindsor]

THE ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT: MEET THE PRESS

[Buckingsim Palace, Windenburg]

Princess Lara: Are you ready, Mister Jones?

Anthony Mercier-Jones: I’m ready! There are a lot more photographers down there than I expected though. I’m still getting used to being in front of the camera.

Princess Lara: The camera loves you and so do I!

Anthony: I love you, too! So, after we take photos we’re going right to the sit-down interview?

Princess Lara: Yes.

Queen Rowena: What a lovely surprise, Kate! We weren't expecting you to be here for Lara’s engagement announcement.

King George: Indeed! You and Rainier have only been back from the tour for a few days.

Princess Kate: “We” needed a break for a few hours. Rainier and I have seen quite a lot of each other the last few weeks.

Queen Rowena: Well, we are excited you’re coming with us to Sumpterson next week! We’re leaving 3-hours later though.

Princess Kate: Why so late?

King George: I have to host the Garter Day farewell breakfast from 6-9 am.

Princess Kate: Oh yes. I should probably attend that also.

[Palace Staff]: Your Royal Highness, it is time.

Princess Lara: Once we walk down these stairs, our engagement will be officially announced to the press!

Anthony: We’ve got this, babe.

Princess Lara: We do! Let’s go! *kiss*

Queen Rowena: Anthony’s mother and brother should be here shortly. They are so lovely! I’m glad! It would be dreadful if they were a bore.

Princess Kate: Mother, you can be so rude.

Queen Rowena: I’m just being honest. They were both so nice. You’ll like them.

Princess Kate: They’re not paying for the wedding. Of course they’re happy and nice!

King George: That’s not fair, Kate.

King George: The Prime Minister’s office called to say the proposed wedding budget was approved.

Princess Kate: That explains why Lara is so gitty!

Queen Rowena: Churchill will be out as PM next week and your father thinks this is his last good deed.

Princess Kate: Out? What do you mean, he’ll be out?

King George: He has been quite absent from parliament while you were on tour. We believe he is sick and hiding it. Trust in him has lowered and it doesn't appear he will win the no-confidence vote in the House. He will resign and the Deputy Prime Minister will succeed him until the general election.

Princess Kate: I’ve always liked Prime Minister Churchill.

King George: Lara is happy to get her dream wedding but Churchill is leaving Parliament in disarray and the Minister of Treasury is threatening to quit. Lara and Anthony’s engagement is helping to distract the press from the chaos of Parliament and Anna’s latest scandal.

[Palace Staff]: Introducing Her Royal Highness The Princess Lara and Mister Anthony Mercier-Jones.

Photographers: “Your Royal Highness! Anthony! This way!”  “SHOW US THE RING!”  “When is the wedding?”

Previous | Beginning | Next - continue Finding Love for the Princess (story)

Previous | Beginning | Next - continue Cambridge Chaos (story)

#Princess Lara is engaged #TS4 #ts4 royalty #ts4 story #sims 4 story #sims 4 monarchy #sims 4 royal family #the sims 4 #ts4 simblr #ts4 legacy #ts4 royal simblr #sims 4 royalty #thesims4 #ts4 tumblr #sims 4 tumblr

[brick1458]

Chapter 24 why not sure I'll marry you part 10

Hitch and Pipp wandered around town, trying to decide what to get for lunch. Each restaurant looked more attractive to Pipp than the last. Half the time, she was distracted by ponies expressing joy to see her in person. When Pipp found Maretime Bay had a trolly, she begged Hitch to ride it together. Her pleas made her look like a spoiled little filly, but Hitch was glad she enjoyed seeing his town.

Eventually, as they rode the trolley, they found a grilled cheese sandwich stand and decided to grab food there. When the owner of the stand, an earth pony, saw them coming, he let out a high-pitched squeal and began rambling about how many times he had listened to Pipp's music since his friend, a pegasus, introduced him to it. Pipp laughed and said yes when the owner asked for a picture. He offered to have their lunch be on the house, but Pipp politely refused, not wanting to keep her fan from earning money for his business.

After Hitch paid, they took their sandwiches and chips bags and headed to the station. The seagulls and the crab were sleeping on the sign, having gotten drowsy from waiting for Hitch to come back. Pipp "awww"ed at the sight of the critters and took a picture on her phone right before the critters woke up. The seagulls chirped, and the crab clapped its claws at the sight of Pipp. The seagulls flew down with one of them carrying the crab and landed in front of Hitch and Pipp. Pipp knelt before the critters, still taking pictures as she smiled at them.

"Hello, little ones. Aren't you just the cutest?" Pipp greeted. "What are their names?"

Hitch's eyes widened and he looked away with a sheepish grin as he said, "You know, now that you mention it, I haven't given them any names."

"What? How could you have these little cuties around when you are at work and don't have names for them?" Pipp asked.

"It just never crossed my mind,'' Hitch said. "Truth be told, they're not my pets or anything like that. There's just something about little creatures that just drives them to want to be around me. I'm practically a magnet."

Pipp tilted her head and rubbed her chin, puzzled.

"Well, I guess that makes sense. I mean, Cloudpuff was immediately taken with you at the wedding, and that doesn't normally happen," Pipp said.

"Cloudpuff? Hitch asked.

"Our family dog. The one who was the ring bearer," Pipp explained. "He's always been such a friendly puppy, but the way he was excited when you got on stage - that's not like him when meeting new ponies. In fact, he seemed rather ecstatic when I talked Mom into making our marriage legal."

"Really?" Hitch asked, earning a nod from Pipp. "Well, then, I guess Cloudpuff makes an excellent example."

"I guess so," Pipp giggled. "Anyway, let's get inside before our sandwiches get cold."

Hitch nodded, and they headed to the station entrance with the critters following. When they went inside, Hitch found Sprout leaning against his chair, snoring with his head facing the ceiling and an empty pizza box on his desk. Hitch huffed and shook his head before he put his food on his desk and looked for a folded chair.

"Is that Sprout?" Pipp asked.

"Yup," Hitch answered with disappointment and his voice.

"Oh. Zipp mentioned something about Zoom needing to keep an eye on a deputy whenever you visit me. I'm guessing this is an example of why?" Pipp asked.

"Yep. If you don't count the critters, it's just Sprout and me upholding the law," Hitch answered. "Sprout, however, tends not to take his job particularly seriously even if you take away his prejudice."

"What do you mean?" Pipp asked.

"He tends to loaf around more than anything," Hitch explained as he set a chair at the side of his desk. "He'll do some paperwork or do assignments when I tell him to, but he'll be very reluctant."

"Why is he still your deputy even though he doesn't really do his job?" Pipp asked.

"Because we've been friends since we were colts, and there aren't any other ponies interested in being a deputy. Not like Sprout anyway," Hitch said before he bit his lip. "Also, I feel compelled to keep an eye on him because of his prejudice."

"Oh," Pipp said, slightly taken aback, before turning to Sprout. "I guess that makes sense. It's my understanding that Maretime Bay has the most ponies who are still opposed to the unity between all three pony kinds. No offense."

"None taken," Hitch said as he cleared the papers on his desk. "Anyway, shall we dig in?"

Pipp's cheerful demeanor returned, and she nodded before sitting on the folded chair. Hitch opened his bag of chips while Pipp undid the wrapping around her sandwich. As soon as she took a bite of her sandwich and let out a pleased "mmm" as soon as the warm cheese and toasted bread touched her tongue. She slowly chewed with her eyes closed before she swallowed and immediately took another bite.

"Oh, my, glitter, this is so good," she said with her mouth full. "Either I just haven't eaten grilled cheese in forever, or this is the best grilled cheese ever made."

"Heh. I don't know about the best ever made, but I do know that Cheddar Biscuit knows how to make some pretty good cheese sandwiches," Hitch said.

"Do you go to that stand on your lunch break?" Pipp asked.

"Occasionally. It depends on what food I'm feeling or if I don't bring my lunch," Hitch said. "It's Sprout who's always consistent. He always orders at the same place and eats it all without breaking a sweat."

"Seriously?" Pipp asked as she turned to the empty pizza box. "He ate that entire pie while you were gone?"

"Pretty much," Hitch said.

Pipp shook her head in disbelief as she stared at the sleeping Sprout.

"Unbelievable. He doesn't look like someone who eats so much pizza," she said. "I am a little jealous of his metabolism."

"Yeah, that's probably one thing you can count on Sprout doing while on duty," Hitch said.

Pipp hummed in acknowledgment before taking another bite of her sandwich. For a couple of minutes, Hitch and Pipp ate in silence, with Hitch finishing his chips and getting started on his sandwich. Pipp had a few bites of her sandwich left before she stopped and glanced at Sprout again with unease.

"So, why is Sprout still prejudiced against unicorns and pegasi?" She asked.

Hitch furrowed his brow and put down his sandwich.

"I think it has to do with this upbringing," he said. "You see, he was raised by his mom, Philis Cloverleaf."

"The mare who was making all those contraptions to combat unicorns and pegasi?" Pipp asked.

"The very same," Hitch answered. "Mrs. Cloverleaf was very passionate about protecting earth ponies and ensuring they were prepared in case of an attack from other ponies. I guess you could say following her example was Sprout's motivation to be an enforcement of the law despite the fact that he puts so little effort into it. I think it's fair to say that, even if Mrs. Cloverleaf has accepted there's nothing to be afraid of, Sprout has been raised with so much claim of danger against him and his fellow earth ponies that it will probably take a miracle for him to open up."

Pipp frowned and gave the snoring Sprout a look of pity. She understood not letting one's guard down after years of believing earth ponies were unintelligent creatures and unicorns were all-powerful menaces. Even so, the idea of ponies still hating ponies who weren't their race despite the joy of all three pony kinds united made Pipp's heart ache. It reminded her that no matter what she did as a public figure, she couldn't make all ponies and Equestria happy, no matter who they were.

Suddenly, Sprout let out a loud snort and yelped as he jumped as though somepony put several volts through his body. He leaned against his desk and groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He lifted his head to see Hitch glaring and saluted, sitting straight.

"I didn't sleep, Hitch!" Sprout exclaimed. "I've been working on my paperwork just like you said! No one drop of pizza grease is on a sheet of -"

As Sprout made his excuse, he noticed Pipp from the corner of his eye. He froze up, and the blood drained from his face, turning it into a pale shade of red. Before Pipp opened her mouth to greet Sprout, Sprout let out a high-pitched scream and hid under his desk. He rushed to get under so fast that he rammed his head against the desk's back support. As Sprout rubbed the top of his head, he looked behind to find Pipp crouching with a worried face.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

Sprout yelped again and tried to move further away from Pipp, but he could barely fit underneath the desk. Pipp crouched down further and stretched her hoof to Sprout, but the gesture scared him even more.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," Pipp said as though she were talking to a frightened little critter.

"Y-yeah. S-s-sure. Right. You're just waiting for me to let my guard down before snatching me up and taking me away. I know you're part of the Royal Family and that you can fly," Sprout whimpered.

Pipp frowned and rolled her eyes, half tempted to reveal that she, Zipp, and Haven couldn't fly.

"Now, why would I do a thing like that?" she asked. "For that matter, what's so scary about a pegasus grabbing a pony and carrying them up in the air? Are you afraid I will send you to the moon or something?"

"M-m-maybe," Sprout stuttered.

"Sprout, come out of there. You're not in any danger. Quit acting like a baby," Hitch rebuked as he got off his seat and walked over to stand next to Pipp.

"But she suggested taking me up to the moon!" Sprouts protested. "She obviously wouldn't have said that if she had if she hadn't done that to anypony before!"

Hitch and Pipp looked at each other with unamused looks like annoyed parents struggling to teach their foal a lesson. Pipp turned back to Sprout and sat down on her front completely as she gave him a comforting smile.

"Sprout, has there ever been a point in the history of Equestria where a pegasus snatches some pony and takes them to the moon?" She asked.

Sprout stopped shaking and paused momentarily before stuttering, "N-no."

"Has a pegasus ever been known to fly to the moon?" Pipp asked.

"Well, no, but maybe you can take somepony to the moon, and you just don't know it because you never tried," Sprout said.

Pipp tilted her head with a befuddled face and spread her wings as she said, "Are you messing with me? Look at my wings. They're so light and poofy. Do they look like they can carry other ponies into the air besides me? The sky is so high up that no pegasus can even come close to reaching the moon. They tire out before they even make it to the atmosphere back when there was magic."

"You don't know that," Sprouts said.

"Don't I? I'm one of the few pegasi that can fly. Remember?" Pipp countered. "Our wings are part of our bodies and they can tire from flapping just as easily as somepony can get tired from running. My mom, sister and I don't even like to fly except for my concerts and things like that. If those are the only times you have ever heard about the three of us flying, then you're obviously in no danger at all."

Sprout's shaking died down until his body became completely still. Hitch tilted his head, unsure of whether or not to be hopeful, then his eyes widened and his mouth hung open as he saw Sprout rubbing his chin in thought. In all the years Hitch had known Sprout, he had never seen his friend take a moment to consider anything. He always wanted Sprout to change for the better, especially when all three ponykinds made peace, but deep down, Hitch thought there were better chances of lightning striking the same spot twice or the air turning into gold. And yet, with this one moment of kindness and patience, Pipp was helping Sprout realize he was in the wrong.

"I…I've never thought of that," Sprout admitted. "You really can tire from flapping your wings?"

"Of course, I can. Heck, if you ask literally any pegasus whether they can fly or not, I bet my tiara that they would say the same thing." Pipp said. "Now, come on. Get out of there. You look silly huddled under your desk like that."

For a moment, Sprout remained still. Then, he slowly moved away from his desk with his eyes still on Pipp like a wild animal unsure to accept whether a stranger was friendly or dangerous. Finally, Sprout stood up, facing Pipp, who looked at him with another friendly smile.

"There, that's better," she said as she extended her hoof. "My name is Pipp. Nice to meet you, Sprout."

Sprout hesitated again before he held out his hoof with an uncomfortable grin. Pipp's smile grew as they shook hooves. When they parted, Pipp turned to Hitch, who was still staring with his mouth hanging a gape. She couldn't help but snicker as Hitch snapped out of it and turned to Sprout.

"Right," he began, clearing his throat. "Now that we have that out of the way get back to your paperwork, Sprout."

"Yes, Hitch," Sprout said half-heartedly.

Sprout threw the pizza box in the trash bin and went back to writing his report while Hitch and Pipp returned to Hitch's desk and continued their lunch. As Hitch ate his sandwich, he saw Sprout glancing at Pipp. The deputy looked at her in amazement as though she had given him philosophical knowledge that blew his mind. Sprout noticed Hitch looking at him from the corner of his eye and cleared his throat as he went back to his paperwork. Hitch looked between Sprout and Pipp, more amazed by Pipp's incredible deed. He scooted his chair to Pipp and leaned his head toward her as she ate her chips.

"Your Highness, you are a miracle worker," Hitch whispered. "I can't believe Sprout even listened to you, much less accepted your logic."

Pipp giggled before she swallowed and leaned her head closer to Hitch.

"To be honest, I'm surprised too," she said. "Zipp's the voice of reason between the two of us sisters. I guess his fears were so ridiculous that I couldn't help but describe in detail how completely outrageous they are."

"Evidently," Hitch said. "Regardless, you have given me a shred of hope with Sprout getting rid of his prejudice, and for that, I am in your debt as Sprout's employer and friend."

"In your debt? That's a little over the top," Pipp chortled.

"Maybe, you still made massive progress. I may grow more comfortable with leaving Maritime Bay to visit you. Or, at the very least, Sprout might not be too much trouble for your guards."

"Hmmm. Is that so? Pip asked, rubbing her chin with a smirk. "Well, when you put it like that, then I guess you are totally in my debt. And I have a few ideas on how you can fulfill that debt."

"Oh, dear. What do you have in mind?" Hitch asked.

Pipp let out a mischievous giggle and said, "Don't worry. I'm not planning anything cruel or sinister. And I don't plan on making you do anything right now. You're just going to have to wait and see. In the meantime, let's finish our lunch already, and then you can show me what you do here at the station when you're on duty."

"Are you sure you want to see that?" Hitch asked. "I'm just going to be filing paperwork. It's nothing exciting."

"Maybe, but I'd like to watch," Pipp said. "After all, the main purpose of this visit is to get to know you. Worst case scenario, I can just be on my phone, and we can do something else when you're done."

"All right, suit yourself," Hitch said.

In a few minutes, Hitch and Pipp finished their lunch and rested against their chairs, satisfied. Pipp threw the bags in the trash bin while Hitch took out his pen from the drawer and his phone and headphones from his satchel. Pipp's eyes lit up as she saw Hitch take out his headphones and plugged them into his phone.

"You listen to music while you work?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah," Hitch said with his cheeks turning pink. "I, uh, might have developed a…habit of listening to your music while I'm filing paperwork."

"Awww. Really?" Pipp asked with her hoof on her heart.

"Yeah, I meant it when I told Presto I became a fan at the wedding," Hitch said, scratching his head.

"Hitch, that's so sweet," Pipp said. "Do you mind if I listen with you while you work?"

"How can we do that? There's only one set of headphones," Hitch asked.

"Leave it to me. I always come prepared for something like this," Pipp said with pride.

She reached into her wing and took out a little device with the tip of it split into two directions. Hitch gave the device a puzzled look as it looked like somepony had cut the end of a set of headphones off the cord, removed the jack (or the plug,) and split it down the middle. Pipp covered her mouth to hide another giggle as she watched Hitch. It was cute how her husband saw more of the world of technological advancement he had never known.

"It's a splitter. You plug it into the phone, then plug two headphones on the two ends, so two ponies can listen to the music simultaneously," Pipp explained.

"Really? It can do that?" Hitch asked.

"Of course, it can. This is something that the pegasi have had for many moons," Pipp said.

Hitch looked at the branch and then at Pipp before he smiled and said, "Then what are we waiting for?"

"Yay!" Pipp exclaimed.

She disconnected Hitch's headphones and plugged the splitter into them. She then took out her headphones from underneath her wing, and then she and Hitch plugged their respective headphones into the splitter. The two of them looked at each other, smiling before Hitch opened Amplify and randomly selected one of Pipp's songs.

As the song played, Pipp's smile grew and she began humming to her song while Hitch began writing. A few minutes into the song, Hitch glanced at Pipp, and the edge of his mouth curled up before returning to his paperwork. Even though he couldn't hear her humming because of his headphones, he was glad that Pipp was enjoying herself while she looked over his shoulder to watch him work. Hitch looked up at Sprout, who didn't look disturbed by Pipp's singing as he wrote his report, and his smile grew as he grew more hopeful that Sprout may change his ways.

[josephslittledeputy]

John: Am I a joke to you?

#jerome and deputy together in unison: yes #john seed #junior deputy #jerome jeffries #far cry 5 #far cry 5 spoilers #pls just let the deps and john get married in peace #i mean let deputy have their wedding #i mean wedding #wedding

[stiltonbasket]

Hi I'm here to officially ask for part 2 of the WangXian  arranged marriage au where WWX never punched JZX and thus he never got kicked out of cloud recesses during the lectures!

Pretty please?🥺

"I trust you know why you are here," Lan Qiren says, when Wangji slips into the meishi after luncheon and sits down in the receiving room. "Xichen did tell you, didn't he?"

"Mn," Wangji nods, his ears flaming red, "I am to receive my instructions regarding marriage, and how to comport myself correctly as a husband and head of a family."

Lan Qiren strokes his beard. “Very well. You have already memorized your side of the marriage rites and visited the medics, so I won’t trouble you any further regarding those matters. You are here to learn how to manage your household, and how to behave once you are wed.”

His nephew’s ears flush a shade darker. “En.”

“After your wedding, your monthly household expenditures will double,” Lan Qiren informs him. “As the marrying-in spouse, Wei Wuxian must learn to balance the accounts. He will receive his own allowance, as you do, but unless he has no desire to manage the household expenses, the right to do so belongs to him.”

“Wei Ying assisted Jiang-guniang with Lotus Pier’s accounts before we were engaged,” Wangji says earnestly. “He will be glad to do the same for our home after we are wed.”

“Very good. You will see that his financial needs are met, of course.”

Wangji nods again. “I will.”

“Then, regarding the duties of a husband--first and foremost, your betrothed must never feel alone in your marriage,” Lan Qiren replies. “You must be his helpmate and ally in all things, and furthermore...”

The discussion goes on for some two hours, during which Wangji listens so attentively that Lan Qiren gives him a brush and a bamboo scroll to take notes on, and ends when a messenger talisman arrives to let them know that Xichen is expecting Wangji to visit him in the Hanshi.

“Shufu,” Wangji frowns, as Lan Qiren folds up the talisman and drops it into the wastebasket he reserves for scrap paper, “I do not mean to intrude into Xiongzhang’s affairs, but have you spoken of marriage matters with him before?”

“Such discussions are usually kept for the months immediately preceding a wedding,” Lan Qiren says carefully, choosing not to mention that the timing of marital guidance was always left to the discretion of the prospective bridegroom’s guardians. “But in truth, I never anticipated your brother would need such a talk, so I have never given him one.”

His nephew furrows his brows at him. “Why?”

“Because your brother will never bring a mingding zhiren home to the Cloud Recesses.”

The hurt in Wangji’s eyes is a palpable thing at that moment, as if he thought Lan Qiren had decided Xichen’s fate for him with those words, and chosen not to bless him with the kind of love and companionship Wangji has with Wei Wuxian. “But Shufu--!”

“In the coming years, you should familiarize yourself with his duties,” he coughs. “I said that he would never bring a beloved back, not that he would never be a bridegroom. And if he does wed, you must be prepared to stand in as a deputy zongzhu from time to time, or to succeed him if he chooses to move to Qinghe rather than working out some kind of split arrangement with Chifeng-zun.”

“....What?”

“Never mind. It is irrelevant. Now go and report to Xichen, and say nothing of what I mentioned just now.”

“But uncle--”

“Shoo! Go away, I have things to do.”

Wangji bows and takes his leave, evidently willing to hold his tongue on the subject of Xichen’s marriage for now, and Lan Qiren watches him go with soft eyes. Young though he is, Wangji’s silhouette is a match for his father’s of twenty years ago, and he reminds Lan Qiren more of his own xiongzhang with every passing day, just as Lan Xichen reminds him of his late sister-in-law.

Your sons are growing up, xiongzhang, saozi, he thinks, looking at the hidden drawer in the wall that holds their paired portrait-miniatures. They are strong, and wise, and already beloved; and now that I think on it, they are just like the both of you.

Lan Qiren smiles, and returns to his work.

He has a wedding to prepare for.

#mo dao zu shi #wangxian #the untamed #lan qiren #my fic #prompt fill #wangxian arranged marriage au 2

[tharros-auris-black-asimi]

Lay All Your Love on Me (Chapter 14)

Pairing: Soft Dark Alpha Lee Bodecker x Omega Female Reader

Summary: After moving to Knockemstiff, Ohio with your troubled parents, you find solace in the local Seven-Eleven. There, you bump into the Alpha sheriff, Lee Bodecker.

And then you keep bumping into him. There’s just something about that chubby Alpha that keeps drawing you in. Now there’s something going on with the new preacher of the church that you attend. Everything’s a mess.

But you’re an unbonded Omega. Life can turn to shit anyway.

Chapter Warnings: A/B/O dynamics, as usual. Dysfunctional families, a little bit of projection and deflection? Idk, I mean it when the Reader's family is dysfunctional, lmafo. A verbal argument in this chapter between the Reader and her father. Erm... Possessive!Lee? A chase kink, too. I'm gonna add a -Mildly Dubious Consent- mention here during their chase in the woods, due to the Reader being in heat.

Additional Notes: Saddle up kiddos, Alpha Daddy has entered the building. I repeat, Alpha Daddy has entered the building.

Word Count: 3,863

Continued…

At the sheriff’s office, with Lee…

He could feel it deep in his bones.

Like something was wrong.

Lee couldn’t explain it. It was a deep gut feeling.

When he sat there in his chair, he didn’t think much of it at first.

He had just been looking over his papers when he heard a knock on his door.

“Come in.”

“Sheriff Bodecker. I… I…” The Alpha Deputy stammered. Lee looked up from his papers.

The young Alpha male was looking at him. Panting, too. Lee could feel and sense the distress rolling off of the deputy in waves.

“Yes? Spit it out, Deputy.” Lee immediately cut to the chase.

“Your wife, sir. Your Omega. She’s making her way to the cells. I saw her walking by.” The deputy stammered. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Lee got out of his chair at his desk in a haste.

“Who let her in there?” Lee asked in a worried voice.

“I-”

“Who let her in there, goddamnit? And why didn’t you tell her that she isn’t allowed in there?” Lee barked at him. His Alpha was bouncing off of the walls. His Alpha was worried.

Why would his Omega be in the cells?

Why?

All of a sudden, it clicked.

Like as if Lee had taken a long sip of warm soup.

It seeped into his bones.

Your father.

Why else would you go into the cells, if not to talk to him?

Shit.

With you, in the cells…

“Finally decided to see your old man, huh?”

Your Omega said nothing as she watched the man who had been absent for most of her life, her caretaker, and half of her DNA stand up from his “bed” and walk right up to the metal bars that he was behind.

“You look like shit,” was all she said.

Your father just looked at you and only offered a chuckle in response. He eyed the wedding band on your left hand, and your Mark on your Gland.

“Ah… so you did get hitched. Was it a big wedding? Small? Are you carryin’ that fat bastard’s pup now too? Become his little housewife?” He sneered.

The curves of your Omega’s lips curled up. Just slightly.

“There was no wedding. Just us. Mom. A few friends, at the courthouse. I wore a dress. Lee wore his uniform.”

“How pretty. You never were really one for big weddings. Remember when your mother asked you if you were going to have a big wedding when you were a child?”

She remembered.

Your Omega remembered. You had been a young pup then, and you had been at the ripe age of eight, at the park. When your mother had asked you when you had told her about the married couple you at seen being all lovey-dovey at the park.

Your mother had asked you when you grew up and found yourself a nice Alpha to settle down with if you were going to have a big wedding. You had turned to her and stared at her directly in the face.

“No, momma,” you had said. “I don’t wanna have a big wedding. Too many people. Want a small wedding. Just with you and daddy and my friends.”

Your mother had laughed at you gently, agreeing with you before she had resumed tying up your hair. Once she released you, you had run back to the swings to play with your friends.

A soft little noise came from your Omega in remembrance.

For a moment, she allowed you to peek through. Your Omega settled, sinking back into the back of your mind, where you just were. Screaming.

When you materialized through, a feeling of fear and terror ran through you for a split second. Before you managed to look at your father straight into the eyes.

With a swallowing of the lump in your throat, you spoke.

“I loved you, you know. You used to be my world. What changed?”

You continued to watch as your father looked at you.

He was looking at you.

Looking at the woman that you had become. He remembered you being small, wadding around the house as a young pup. Hearing your giggles and your laughter, seeing your smiles as you drove your bicycle around the street with your friends that had lived around the block.

He saw that gold band that you wore on your left hand, on your left ring finger proudly. Or the way you wore the Sheriff’s Mark on your Scent Gland on your neck with pride, too.

“I fell out of love with your mother. I met a nice Omega while I had been in Medical School, and we hit it off. But I knew I couldn’t be with her because I was married. And we had you. And I never got over that.”

His words made you freeze.

“Then why the hell couldn’t you have gotten a divorce?!” you exclaimed loudly, slamming your hands on the metal bars so hard that it made your father flinch. Your eyes flashed angrily.

“BECAUSE YOUR MOTHER DECIDED THAT YOU WERE MORE IMPORTANT!”

Your Omega thrashed from where she was, still in the depths of your mind. She screeched and yowled like an angry cat awoken from its peaceful slumber. Or like Ari, that one time he had been having a nightmare and you had woken him up, only for him to snarl at you. When he had noticed you had snarled at him though, he had whined for forgiveness for snapping at his mommy like that.

But, unlike Ari, she didn’t beg for forgiveness. You kept her back, even as she thrashed and snarled in anger in the confines of your mind.

“You could have walked away,” your voice was low and cold. Cut-throat. It reminded your father of Lee whenever he heard the Alpha Sheriff speak whenever he would be in the cells sometimes.

“—You could have walked away, you could have gotten a divorce and rode off into the motherfucking sunset with the goddamn Omega you met!” You continued on, clearly on a roll as your scent intensified. If it weren’t for the scent blockers that your Omega had smeared on your gland, the smell of burnt chocolate chip cookies would have perfumed the entire room.

And your pre-heat.

Oh, your pre-heat would have smothered the entire room.

Sometimes, your Omega was good for you.

“… You’re nothing but a goddamn fuckin’ coward. Don’t try and use me as a fucking scapegoat. It’s your fault. You could have been happy by now. But you decided to fucking go off the deep end.” Your words were being spat out like you were spewing acid.

“You were ready to risk it all for some damn Omega you had met. You could’ve been happy. Why should mom and I had stopped you to reach your own personal happiness?”

And there it was.

That little nugget of truth that made your father pause.

Jackpot.

Your Omega curled up in her little cage from where she was observing everything in your mind. Wearing the smudgiest look on her face as she did so.

The damn bitch.

“Your marriage was already falling apart. You were drinkin’. Gamblin’. You coulda just walked away from us. I would have gotten a job. I woulda been fine. We woulda been fine. But no. You had to stay and make our lives hell cause you denied yourself of ya own happiness. You got nobody but to blame but ya self. That ain’t my problem. And now look where we are.”

As you looked at him, in that exact moment, you now had that epiphany.

You didn’t recognize this man who was your father, your own fucking sperm donor, the person whom you shared half DNA with, anymore.

This man who stood in front of you, who was looking at you as if you had just skinned a cat alive, you didn’t recognize.

This was going to be the last you would be looking at him in the eyes. Your Omega loomed in your mind, glaring at him. She sank back deep into the confines of her cage, satisfied.

It was around that time that you heard familiar footsteps making their way inside the cells.

You smelled a familiar scent.

Chocolate and bourbon.

Lee. Your Alpha. Your Daddy.

Your Omega crooned when she smelled the familiar scent of her Alpha. You, however, wanted to get out as soon as possible.

But, the only exit was where Lee was currently coming from.

You wanted to scream.

Once Lee managed to find you, he took in your appearance.

You looked like you had just been in a freaking sauna. Sweat clung to your forehead. You were clenching your hands into fists. Your eyes looked almost dilated when you managed to make eye contact with him.

The troubling thing was that you didn’t smell like anything.

Nothing.

No scent that would have tipped him off that you had gone into pre-heat.

Lee knew what a pre-heat looked like. He did have a younger sister who was an Omega, after all. His mother had told her pups once they had presented that they would be going into their Ruts and Heats once a month. And those months were painful, to say the least.

So it surprised him that you had lugged your ass out of bed and out of the house to come here.

You said nothing as your Alpha held you in his arms, allowing him to scent you with his pheromones.

Nothing.

You still smelled like nothing. Lee’s Alpha howled at the audacity, realizing what you had done.

His girl, his babydoll had slicked herself up with fucking Scent Blockers.

He never realized how much he missed your scent until now.

You, however, said nothing as you only looked up at him, gazing into those blue eyes.

Against all better judgment, you shrugged yourself out of the embrace, feeling your Omega slowly allowing those Scent Blockers she had slathered on your Scent Gland begin to slowly inflame itself, making the scent blockers begin to liquefy and drip down your neck.

Hurriedly, you made your way past your Alpha Mate and dashed down the hall, ignoring Lee’s shouts of your name.

You needed to get out. You needed to get someplace safe. You needed to go somewhere. You needed air.

Panic arose in your throat as you ran towards the doors, still ignoring Lee’s shouts of your name as he chased behind you.

You had made it to the doors and you had felt a hand grab your arm.

Your Omega screeched.

It was Lee.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

“Let me go,” your voice was surprisingly controlled. Even though on the inside, you were fucking losing it. Your Omega was making your head pound, and you could feel the scent blockers begin to liquefy and drip down your neck even further. Lee could catch hints of your scent.

And the slick.

Oh, he could smell your slick. Even now, in the early stages of your pre-heat, you smelled delicious to him. His nostrils flared up as he smelled you become even slicker at the intense pheromones he was giving off.

“No,” Lee snarled right through his teeth, “You’re in a pre-heat. Pretty soon, you’re gonna be stinkin’ up this whole damn place.”

A deep noise came from you in response.

You knew pretty soon, your Heat would come, and here was not where you’d like to conceive your pup with Lee.

Hell to the no.

Nu-uh.

Still, you struggled and tried to pry yourself away from your Alpha. Lee’s Alpha bristled his nose at your disobedience. His Alpha was telling him that he should just sink his teeth into your gland and bite you right then and there. To show you who you belonged to.

“I want you to go home. Wait for me.”

Home?

You couldn’t go home. If you went home, poor Ari would have to be subject to all of the noise. You weren’t about to subject your son to such horrors.

You broke free. A look of surprise was on Lee’s face.

“Omega,” Lee growled, but you shook your head wildly. Lee’s growl became a snarl. You managed to yank the door open, speeding outta there as if your life depended on it.

Lee was left looking at the spot where you had just been. Clenching his fist, most people watched as he marched into his office and slammed the door shut. Breathing heavily through his nose, he dragged a hand down his face.

He needed to sign off for Rut Leave. He needed to make sure you weren’t going off and doing nothing suspicious. Nothing to garner yourself into trouble. Taking a pen out of his drawer, he began to sign his papers.

With you, a couple of hours later, somewhere deep in the woods…

The sun was beginning to fall.

Your pre-heat was kicking in.

The Scent Blockers that your Omega had smeared on had completely melted off, leaving you smelling like a freshly baked batch of cookies. It was beginning to overwhelm you as you trekked your way deeper into the forest, hoping to cool off.

Your Omega, however, was a totally different story.

Her raging had become worse. Forget a pounding in your head, now, she was raging to come out.

And you were finding that containing her was going to be a much bigger problem than you had ever thought.

Your pounding headache was killing you.

Your Omega was annoying the shit out of you.

Your Heat cramps were fucking killing you.

Your legs were slippery and wet with so much fucking slick because your slick had decided to jump ship, and you were pretty sure you were going to topple over.

Your Omega, however, oh, she was throwing the biggest fit of the twentieth century.

We should have stayed home. We should have listened to Alpha.

Oh yeah, your Omega was not having it. She was not your biggest fan as of this current moment in time.

You were seething right through your teeth as your feet carried you to a tree. Feeling tired, you slid down, your back making contact with the bark as you heaved and panted for breath.

A deep whimper left you as another cramp hit you. It made white spots nearly dance in your vision as you gasped hard, trying to keep your designation under control.

Your heart pounded as you heard a twig snap.

Someone called out your name.

That… that voice…

… you knew that voice…

Someone called out your name again, more urgently this time.

Through your pre-heat haze, you recognized the voice.

Lee.

Alpha.

Daddy.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit—

Maybe it was your pre-heat craze, or maybe it was your basic designation, but you made managed to get back onto your feet, and you broke out into a run.

Lee heard you running.

A deep snarl vibrated in his chest as his blue eyes turned black. Luckily for him, he had left his Sheriff hat in the cruiser. He ran after you, picking up on your ripe scent.

Never had you ever smelled so good to him as you did right now. As soon as he caught you, he was going to breed you. He didn’t care if he was going to breed you right here in the woods. He would do it right here in the woods.

His Alpha, however, was furious at the notion that you had disobeyed him.

His!

His Omega!

His Omega had disobeyed his orders to go and wait at home, where he could have bred her properly!

The audacity!

You had run deeper into the woods. Trees flew past you as you panted, trying to outrun your Alpha.

Keyword, trying.

You had reached another tree before you stopped to gather your wits. Heaving and panting deeply, you placed a hand on the tree bark in order to contain yourself.

All the while your scent ripened and was like a glowing sign over your head, proclaiming to your Alpha where you were.

You had just mustered a breath, and then you heard a branch snap.

You squeaked.

You found yourself looking at dark eyes.

Lee had found you.

And he did not look happy.

Like at all.

He looked like he was quite ready to devour you.

Your scent spiked up again in fear. Your pussy throbbed at the sight of seeing him with black eyes.

A deep snarl came from Lee.

You had done this to him. You had rendered him to nothing but his basic designation. That need to control, to dominate you was swinging in full force. Lee wanted nothing but to feel his cock sink into your warm, inviting pussy. He wanted to breed you. He wanted you to take his knot. Just the thought of him, just him siring your pup was enough to make him feel his cock become hard. Not even half-hard. Just purely hard. So hard he could feel it in his pants.

In a deep voice, he rumbled.

“I thought I told you to go home. I thought I told you to go home and wait for me.”

All he received in response was a weak little whimper.

Your Omega had done this to you. She had pushed you into an early Heat. She had brought you down to your basic Omega designation: a bitch in heat.

When Lee took another step towards you, you weakly whimpered again. You shook your head no. Such a response did not deter your Alpha.

No.

Lee was determined.

He was going to put a pup in you in this heat. He was going to put a pup in you. He was going to see your breasts swell and round, see your breasts become bigger and rounder due to milk production. He was going to have his pup one way or another.

A squeal of surprise left you when Lee smacked your back against the tree. His breath tickled down your neck, making you shudder.

You were beyond sweaty now. You felt so clammy, so horny that if Lee didn’t put his goddamn penis in you, you were going to burst.

There would be no more fighting now.

Not when you were like this.

You raised your neck to him, as a show of submission. As a symbol of surrender.

Your cry rung in your ears when Lee’s teeth broke, nay, pierced through your Scent Gland, pain flowing through you as Lee put his Mark on your neck again. Showing everyone who would see after your combined cycles who your Alpha was.

Clothes came off soon after. Colors blurred in your vision as Lee yanked and pulled your clothes off of each other in a frenzy.

Claim. Breed. Omega.

Those three words rang, played on a loop in Lee’s ears. His hand, gripping his achingly hard cock, he positioned himself at your slippery pussy lips, coating the head of his cock in your slick.

“Goddamn it Lee, just do it!” You shrieked.

Maybe, on second thought, maybe that had been your Omega speaking through you. Whoever it was, it didn’t quite matter at this moment.

You screamed when he slammed into it, pushing himself all the way up to the hilt, your vaginal walls clenching down on his dick so tightly that Lee was sure he never wanted to leave.

Your pussy was already so fucking wet that he didn’t even need to eat you out like he usually did.

With that in mind, Lee mercilessly pounded you against the tree.

Smacking and squishing noises came from your pussy as your slick and his ejaculate ran down and smeared on your thighs. Lee continued to push and shove more and more of his ejaculate deeper inside of you, not even stopping to ask if it was too much.

Because fucking Christ, he needed it. He needed to be buried inside of you as much as possible. If he wasn’t, he felt like he would be in a desert with no water.

Your orgasm came quicker to you than you would have liked. You came screaming, walls clenching down on Lee’s freaking dick so hard that Lee might have come right then and there with you.

But no, he persisted. He continued to pound up into you, fucking your back raw as your back scratched up the bark. His hands came to grip your thighs, pushing you up. He threw your legs over his shoulders. In this new position, he could go in deeper. Every feeling of your pussy fluttering around him was paradise. He never wanted to leave this nirvana.

“Next time,” Lee snarled after a particular thrust in made you cry out, “—You fucking listen to me. When I say you go straight home, I mean it, Omega. I better not see you tryna pull this shit ever again. Ever again, do you understand me? Ever. Again. Tell me you understand.”

You nearly bit back a scream when the tip of his cock hit your cervix.

Pulling out almost all the way, only leaving the had of his cock in between your slippery lips, you whimpered at the subtle empty feeling.

“Alpha,” you whimpered in need.

“No, Omega,” Lee snarled through his canines, “Tell me you’ll listen.”

He continued to pull out slowly. Inch by inch.

He was teasing you. Holding his knot over you.

It made your designation sob.

When you whimpered again, Lee’s hand smacked right onto your pussy.

You suddenly cried out.

“Omega,” growled Lee in a warning.

“Yes! Yes, yes! I’ll listen to you next time!” You sobbed out, tears threatening to leak out of your eyes in need. “Fuck Alpha, just put it in me!”

Lee needed no more encouragement. Slamming right back into you, filling you all the way, you sobbed out in pleasure. Your head lolled back as Lee’s teeth sank right into his gland, marking you once more.

You lost it.

You fucking lost it.

You came, again. Clenching down and screaming. Lee grunted into your Gland as his knot caught and swelled, locking the two of you in place.

Deep pants came from Lee once he found the courage to lift his head back up. Soft little noises were coming from you as you slowly came back to.

Your sweaty bodies clung against each other as you found yourself sinking back down to earth.

“Don’t you ever pull that shit again, Mega. Fuckin’ scared me half to death.” He breathed out against you.

“Promise me, Omega. Promise me you won’t pull that shit again.”

You breathed out a soft sigh.

Finally, you looked at him in the eyes. Lee’s eyes weren’t black anymore. They were slowly going back to their normal baby blue.

Your eyes were slowly coming back to their color too.

“I promise.”

Lee pressed a sloppy kiss on your lips. You could taste the twinge of copper from Lee.

He rested his forehead against yours. Pudgy stomach all nicely pressed up against you.

“I love you, Omega.”

A smile was gracing your lips.

“I love you too, Alpha.”

Taglist: @greeneyedblondie44, @bxnnywriting, @hawsx3

Fic Taglist: @queenslvy, @hawsx3

#lee bodecker #lee bodecker x reader #alpha lee bodecker x omega reader #lee bodecker smut #the devil all the time

[jonsa101]

Episode 3x14: A Reflection of How Max Stepped Into Love After A Season of Suffering

Gif credit @supagirl

Hey guys! I can’t believe the season finale has come and gone! I think my mind is just taking time to comprehend everything that has happened! Sharpwin is officially canon! As I’m typing this out, it feels strange writing a meta on the other side of things. Since season one, I’ve been writing metas about how these two belong together and making predictions about the trajectory of their relationship. Now, to be on the other side of things where I know longer have to do that because these two are finally together is kinda crazy. I feel so elated!

Now y’all, I’m not going to lie to you, I had a totally different meta planned out and that meta is still in my drafts. I will probably release it because it was a general review of the episode but I thought it was more important that I put this meta out first. When I was watching the finale live, I didn’t love it. I just didn’t. I loved that Max and Helen finally got together at the end of the episode but I had a major issue with how it unfolded. The issue my friends was this scene right here: 

Baby!!! When I tell you this scene TRIGGERED me, it did! Now mind you, I wasn’t upset with Max’s storyline of searching and struggling to take off his wedding ring. It is human nature for Max to still have an emotional attachment to his ring. He’s not still grieving but essentially that ring is the only thing he has left of Georgia and represents a life he once had. Him taking it off was always going to be a monumental moment for Sharpwin and for himself. The issue that I had was Max casually telling Helen that he freaked out about losing his ring!!! To me, after the voicemail he left her, after Helen flew standby and was in a six hour flight to see him, it was an incredibly CALLOUS thing for Max to say. I know Max wasn’t thinking in this moment. I know his intentions were clearly not to hurt her but words matter and him being careless with his was a complete disregard of Helen’s feelings. She was deeply hurt and upset when he said this and rightfully so! I mean just look at her expression here:

Helen’s entire being read like

“I can’t believe you”

And girl same, because neither could I!! He knew he fucked up and he obviously made up for it in the end but y’all when I was watching it live, everything that came after that elevator scene was was tainted for me. I had a hard time believing that Helen would let what he said slide so easily and in the moment, I couldn’t appreciate the beauty of them finally coming together! 😩 In my personal opinion, there were so many other ways that scene could have played out without Max having to literally tell Helen to her face that he was worried about his wedding ring! I know they were trying to build up to the “big moment” where he finally takes his ring off and runs back to Helen’s apartment but man, that moment did not sit right with me in my spirit! It still doesn’t and I don’t think my opinion will ever change on this.

With that said, I’ve now done several rewatches of the finale where I specifically watched the scenes after that awful moment by the elevator. As I’ve had time to reflect, my perspective has changed. I no longer view the moments after the elevator scene as tainted but as something deeply profound and beautiful. Hell, even as I reflect on that scene by the elevator, I still don’t like it, but in a way I understand it in how it relates to Max’s overall journey when it comes to Helen. To me, Max Goodwin is a man who fell deeply in love with Helen in the midst of the most complex situations and a season of him suffering. It’s been deep rooted, complicated and messy from the start and over the past three years we’ve seen Max navigate through the complexities of his feelings for Helen and the circumstances he’s found himself in on our screens. I think when you look at season three finale and specifically the journey of Max finally making a choice to be with Helen, you have to put into context Max’s history and how it influenced what that looked like. So y’all that is exactly what I want to do in this meta so let’s dive in.

One thing I think we need to acknowledge is that, even though as an audience we have loved seeing Max and Helen’s journey unfold, the road has been so TOUGH for them. As Helen said in 3x13, it’s been a fight! Especially for Max. The suffering he has endured over the past three years has been unfathomable and much of his relationship with Helen and his feelings for her have been developed under these traumatic and tragic circumstances. 

At the very beginning of the series, when Max and Helen first meet they clash but it doesn’t last for long. It’s his first day at New Amsterdam and as the new Medical Director, he wants her to stay at the hospital and treat patients instead of doing press tours. Helen on the other hand wants to continue doing press and for the most part ignores his demands for her to return to the hospital. When she finally does return, she does so because she learns that Max has cancer. This bonds them at the onset as Helen is the only person in his life that knows about his diagnosis. As an audience, when we first see them interact, we instantly saw the sparks fly between them. Their chemistry and natural witty banter made us immediately take a look at their relationship and what potential they could have in the future. Though we were shocked by his cancer diagnosis, I think the fun and lightheartedness of Sharpwin’s first interactions really masked how traumatic this must have been for Max. On the first day of his dream job, that he sacrificed his marriage for, he learns that he has cancer while having a baby on the way. Those are the awful circumstances that first bring Max and Helen together. 

As Helen becomes Max’s doctor and he swears her to secrecy about his diagnosis, their friendship and bond grows deeper. His passion and drive to help his patients, reignites Sharpe’s love for medicine again and inspires her to put her patients first. They become vulnerable with each other more than anyone else in their lives. He confides in her about his broken marriage and she tells him that she wants a baby. When he almost dies, she becomes his deputy medical director so that he can focus on his care. All of these moments are significant to them because somewhere along the way they develop feelings for each other. They didn’t plan for it and it’s something neither of them are consciously aware of but unknowingly, they both start to fill a place in each other’s lives that was clearly more than a doctor and patient relationship or a friendship. This “place” wasn’t called out until episode 1x16 were the clairvoyant called out their feelings for each other. When episode 1x17 comes around, after a night of revelations and a scramble to get the power back on in the hospital, Helen decides to step back as his doctor. If she wasn’t aware of her feelings before, in this moment, she’s fully aware of them now. This is an effort to safeguard her heart and set boundaries because the lines of who they are to each other were already so blurred. When she “triages” their relationship Max’s reacts badly and honestly they’re both devastated and are on the verge of tears:

As viewers, we loved this moment but when you peel back the layers of what’s actually going on in this scene, it’s gut-wrenching. The subtext is so clear here yet their situation is so complex and layered. We know for a fact that Max wasn’t trying to lose her in ANY CAPACITY. We also know that in the way he TRULY wanted her he couldn’t have her and Helen knew that too. Not when he was married, had a baby on the way, and fighting cancer at the same time. Y’all that’s hard and profoundly painful when you think about it and it makes this scene all the more tragic. 

When Helen steps back as his doctor, at first Max seems to be handling it well but as his cancer starts to get worse, he completely breaks. Like I said earlier, over the course of his cancer treatment, Helen filled a place in Max’s life that was so much more than just his doctor or his friend. So when he’s dying and no longer has the person he feels deeply for play an active role in his treatment, he lashes out. He’s dealing with a range of emotions he can’t handle or properly process. Things only get worse from there and at the end of season one Georgia and Luna’s life are on the line and Bloom and Helen scramble to save them. When it seems like everyone was able to come out of that traumatic event unscathed, they get into a devastating ambulance crash that changes everything. 

Season 2 brings another level of pain and suffering for Max when he loses his wife after the crash and is thrust into single fatherhood. Not only is he grieving but he’s also dealing with guilt of falling in love with Helen while he was married. The complexities of his feelings is something he struggles with throughout this season and it affects his relationship with Helen. At some points he pushes her away and at others he desperately needs her. Once again, Helen and Max’s relationship is caught up in the most complex of circumstances that is riddled with agony and trauma. 

By time we head into season 3, Max doesn’t even have time to breathe or think about his relationship with Helen because they’re both thrust to the frontlines of the pandemic. 

I bring all of this up again to emphasize that there has never been a time where Max and Helen’s relationship hasn’t been wrapped up in trauma or some sort of suffering. It has always been one thing or another with them. It’s been A LOT and Max has tried to navigate being in love with Helen through his suffering and under these crazy ass circumstances. So after rewatching the finale, the questions that run through my mind are:

How do you step into love when all you’ve known for the past three years has been suffering?

How do you love openly and freely when for so long you’ve emotionally suppressed your feelings for someone because it was “wrong?” 

How do you let go, heal, and move on with your life?

To me, answering these questions is what the season finale for Max was all about. When you’ve suffered so much and endured so much it’s not easy to step into a new chapter in your life that’s hopeful and filled with love and possibilities. For Max, I don’t think in his wildest dreams that he ever imagined that he and Helen would be in a place where they could actually be together. Considering everything they’ve gone through, quite frankly it’s a fucking miracle! So when he actually makes it to the other side and not only SURVIVES but has a chance for happiness, I don’t think he knows what he’s doing. Pursuing/having feelings for Helen from a place that isn’t wrapped up in trauma and tragedy, where there are seemingly no obstacles in his way, is totally and completely new territory for Max. I think he’s clueless in how to do that in the right way and as he navigates through that, naturally there are hiccups.

That’s evident with what he said by the elevator and also in this moment here: 

Max doesn’t have a clue but he wants to make sure that he doesn’t fuck it up because he DESPERATELY wants this! I also think there’s something to be said about how we as human beings can self-sabotage ourselves when we finally have an opportunity to get what we want. Fear, guilt, worthiness usually comes into play with that and I think for Max there was definitely a fear with moving on with his life, guilt of surviving it all and having a chance to be with the woman he’s loved for so long, and a question of if he’s worthy of actually having happiness.

Their walk in my mind perfectly embodies him self sabotaging while also trying to navigate his feelings of desperately wanting to be with her. At the beginning of their walk, you see that at one point he clearly wants to hold Helen’s hand but he doesn’t (I would use a gif here y’all but I literally only have room for 10 😩). I’m focusing my attention on Max here because essentially this whole moment between them is a part of Max’s “mini story” in the episode. The ball has always been in his court and truly what we are witnessing is his journey to step into love because Helen is ready and has been waiting on him. 

The most compelling moment in their walk scene for me was this one: 

I find it strange for Max to walk so far ahead when he was the one who asked her if he could walk with her. My first thought while watching it live was “what is he doing” and I think Helen’s expression reads the same way. After analyzing this for a bit, I genuinely think that’s the point of this scene. Like I said earlier, Max doesn’t know what he’s doing. To be with Helen like this is, where its romantic, peaceful and drama free is probably blowing his mind and he doesn't know how to navigate this. He doesn’t know how to receive this second chance at happiness. 

The internal war of Max stepping into love or allowing fear, guilt, and unworthiness to hold him back becomes all the more evident when they get to Helen’s door: 

He knows he wants to come in. Helen know he wants to come in too. This man literally says goodnight twice and when Helen responds with “you said that,” it perfects this scene. She wants him to come in as well but she’s not going to ask him to. In this moment, she sees his internal struggle and she knows that he has to make the choice himself on whether or not he wants to move on with his life with her.

When he walks away, for a moment that was Max choosing to hold onto the pain and trauma of his past. That was him choosing to hold onto the guilt that was keeping him from healing and moving on. With the suffering he’s been through, it makes sense. In many ways he’s been conditioned to fight, to suffer and to endure. It’s what he’s used to. But praise the lord, he thinks of the moments he just shared with Helen. 

The joy he has with just being in her presence. 

The opportunity he has to freely be with her and have a life with her after loving her for so long.

He is not condemned to a life of suffering. It was only for a season. He’s in love with Helen and wants to be with her. Like hell is he going to let this opportunity at a second chance of love and happiness slip away from him. So guys, he slips off that ring, runs back to Helen’s apartment and makes a choice to step into love. Step into this new, uncharted, chapter of his life with Helen Sharpe. 

Anyway guys! I hope y’all enjoyed this! I might be releasing one more meta but we will see how it goes.

As always feel free to reach out to me on Tumblr and on Twitter @oyindaodewale. Love you guys!

#new amsterdam #Sharpwin #Max Goodwin #Helen Sharpe #Max x Helen #sharpwin meta #new amsterdam meta

[robininthelabyrinth]

Jgy and jyl couple, where meng yao asked for nmj help for courting her in the middle of sunshot campain, could we see the political shenanigans involving jgs being his scummy self and newborn meng ling

World 2 - continuation of Four Worlds (JGY/JYL) - ao3 link

-

“So, uh,” Nie Mingjue said, uncertain and tripping over his tongue a way he never typically did. “What’s your plan?”

Meng Yao blinked at him.

“For courting Mistress Jiang,” Nie Mingjue clarified. “Unless you’ve already reached an agreement..?”

A bowl of soup every night and some pleasant conversation did not, in fact, make for an agreement to marriage, so Meng Yao shook his head.

“Right. So you have a plan, then.”

Meng Yao did not have a plan. Meng Yao did not have anything, nothing but his father’s blood, the weight of his promise to his mother, and his own clever mind; all he had was the sudden and overwhelming conviction that if he let Jiang Yanli go her own way without him that he would never again find a woman who would truly see him as her equal.

There was that girl, Qin Su, that he’d rescued – but that had been artifice, deliberate. He who had access to all of the reports of all the spies in the Sunshot Campaign, who sent out correspondence advising people on what roads were dangerous and which were safe, how could he not know that she would find danger in the route she had chosen? He had deliberately manufactured to rescue her as a means of winning her affection, his eyes all the while fixed on the prize of her surname, her family, which was one of the strongest subsidiary sects of Lanling Jin. They had influence he would need in winning back his name.

And while he had succeeded in his goal – once he had some status, she would fight her father to marry him, he was certain – he still thought he could detect the slightest hint of pity in her eyes. She was a girl in love, claiming that she didn’t care who he was or anything about his past, but how long would that last in the face of sober reality? In the face of struggle, of bitter adversity, of the opposition and scorn of all?

“…would you like help?” Nie Mingjue said, possibly correctly interpreting the blankness on Meng Yao’s face as absolute panic for the first time in the time they had known each other.

“Can you help?” Meng Yao inquired. It seemed unlikely.

“Well, I can write to my brother,” Nie Mingjue said, which sounded far more likely than the infamously frigid Chifeng-zun abruptly developing an expertise in wooing women. “And I’m on good terms with Mistress Jiang personally, so I might be able to provide some insight –”

“Wait,” Meng Yao said, fixing him with a stare. “What do you mean you’re on good terms with her personally?”

Nie Mingjue blinked at him. “Exactly what I said..? We first became acquainted as children, and while we were never close, we were always friendly.”

“But – you only allowed her to stay at our warcamp if she agreed to work! You said you’d kick her out if she wasn’t useful!”

“Naturally,” Nie Mingjue said. “Otherwise she might suspect I pitied her.”

Presumably, Meng Yao reflected, that statement made some amount of sense in Nie Mingjue’s head.

“What does she like, then?” he asked, deciding to focus on the practical. “Cooking, her brothers –”

Befriending people who are so far below her that they aren’t worthy of touching her shoe.

“She’s never had much talent at swordsmanship,” Nie Mingjue said at once, because of course that would be the first thing he would pay attention to. “Not her fault – she’s like Huaisang, born with a weak body, only worse, since it affected her breathing. Too much exertion and she’d turn blue…she used to chew licorice for it, when she was very young; if I recall correctly, she developed a taste for it.”

“Licorice? She likes licorice candy?”

Nie Mingjue nodded.

“She also always enjoyed reading. Poetry, classic texts or light, she wasn’t particular,” he said, brow furrowed in recollection. “She liked puzzles. Was always doing something with her hands – not embroidery, though, not unless she had to. But other things.”

Meng Yao nodded, his quick mind already flooded with ideas, thoughts…he was going to need to be clever about this.

Worse – he was going to need to be honest.

Jiang Yanli deserved it.

-

Meng Yao went to Langya with Nie Mingjue’s recommendation letter in his pocket and the memory of two hands in his, pressing together tightly, and a “yes” that rang in his ears so loudly that he almost didn’t hear the sneers and disdain of the people around him.

His father refused to see him, his peers mocked him, his supervisor stole his achievements and called his mother a whore –

“Yes,” Jiang Yanli whispered in his ear. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Meng Yao ignored them all.

He figured out soon enough that Lanling Jin was getting him nowhere, and that without some tremendous achievement, he wouldn’t get the name he had promised his mother he’d have, the one he was starting to doubt he even really wanted.

His supervisor told him he’d be better off dead in the battlefield, implied that he’d see it happen sooner rather than later. Meng Yao considered killing him.

“I would be proud to be your wife.”

Meng Yao did not kill him.

Nie Mingjue might’ve, chasing him out of the battlefield the way he did, eyes red with rage at Jin Guangshan’s insulting pretense – if nothing else, he should have given Nie Mingjue face by accepting the letter, especially given how many battles Nie Mingjue had won for him – but Meng Yao did not.

“I have an idea,” he told Nie Mingjue once he’d had a chance to calm the man down. “You’re going to hate it, so I’m not going to tell you what it is.”

“Be safe,” Nie Mingjue said at once. “Don’t do anything stupid and widow Mistress Jiang before you even marry her.”

Meng Yao smiled, and closed his ears to the sound of Jiang Yanli’s voice. He would need it more than ever, where he was going, but more importantly, if he wanted to succeed, he needed he needed to be the sort of person he was without her.

“I won’t.”

-

It was, Jin Guangyao thought with satisfaction, a perfect strategy.

He had brought down Wen Ruohan with his own hands, saved Nie Mingjue’s life – “What part of ‘I won’t do anything stupid’ means ‘I’m going to go spy in the Nightless City’, you imbecile?” “Sect Leader Nie is happy to see me, then?” “Of course I’m happy to see you! Now get over here and let me break your legs!” – and even swore brotherhood with him and with Lan Xichen.

With such a string of achievements to his name, strong connections to the other Great Sects, and even a personal title, there was no way Jin Guangshan would be able to resist the idea of bringing him into the Jin family to steal some of his reflected glory, even if it meant he’d finally have to give his bastard son the recognition and the name he’d so long refused to grant him.

Oh, his father had gotten his dig in there, calling him Jin Guangyao and situating him firmly outside the line of inheritance for the next generation where he properly belonged, but a name was a name. He was Lanling Jin, now and forever; his promise to his mother fulfilled at long last.

“We will have to find something for you to do, I suppose,” Jin Guangshan said when Jin Guangyao rose to his feet bearing a new name, as though he was trying to place a distant relative into some position as a servant, the minor irritations attendant to the life of a sect leader. “You were a deputy once, weren’t you? Doing all sorts of administrative things. You can arrange the hunt that we will hold to celebrate the end of the war, at Phoenix Mountain.”

“It would be my honor to serve you in this matter, father,” Jin Guangyao said demurely, and even managed to avoid rolling his eyes at the way Jin Guangshan pretended he didn’t know exactly whose deputy he had been, even after Nie Mingjue’s rather impassioned and too-public lecture on the subject back in Langya. “I am pleased to be able to contribute something before I leave the family.”

“Before – what?” Jin Guangshan turned a little purple in his rage, embarrassed in front of all the people who had come to view the naming ceremony and who had all started whispering all at once. His wife, who had been glaring death, suddenly looked far more interested in the proceedings. “Leave? What are you talking about?”

“I’m engaged to be married,” Jin Guangyao said apologetically. “I agreed to marry in – you understand, I didn’t have the Jin surname at the time.”

“You have it now. The girl can marry into our family, instead!”

Jin Guangyao’s smile widened. “I’m so pleased to have your blessing upon my marriage, Father,” he said, bowing his head. A father’s blessing was critical to a proper wedding, so he wanted it to be clear to the entire room that Jin Guangshan had agreed. It would make it more difficult for him to recant later. “But her family is small, her parents and much of her sect killed in the war, and she has only one brother – I promised her that I would marry in to ensure that her parents’ legacy lives on, even if only as the collateral branch.”

“It does you credit to respect your future bride in such a manner,” Madame Jin said before Jin Guangshan could speak. Jin Guangyao had counted on her leaping to his aid: she must think that it was in her best interest that the one bastard that Jin Guangshan had finally legitimatized be immediately rendered utterly ineligible for inheriting the Jin sect, and that nothing else mattered. Her open support now would make it more difficult for her to recant later, too, when she discovered that he was foiling her plans for her own son’s marriage. “Quite romantic, even. It warms my heart to see such faithful love.”

Jin Guangshan’s face went even more purple. To be criticized in public like that – only Madame Jin could accomplish such a feat.

Jin Guangyao saluted and bowed deeply to them both once again. “Father and Mother honor me too much. With your approval, I will arrange the Phoenix Mountain hunt as a proud member of the Jin clan and leave the family to marry into my beloved’s family on the first auspicious date thereafter.”

“Fine,” Jin Guangshan said, his lip twisting into a sneer. He couldn’t understand why anyone would want to be part of Lanling Jin and then leave it behind – he probably expected Jin Guangyao to stay and beg for scraps of attention, to run around doing anything he wished, to scheme for an inheritance he would always be denied. He might not have been wrong, in another life where that was Jin Guangyao’s only route to power – he’d always been ambitious, and often a little too optimistic with it. “Fine. You are, after all, my son, and to marry you will be a great honor for whichever family you choose. We’ll pay for your wedding, and even endower you as if you were a bride worthy of the family you marry into – it is the least that we can do, for the great honor that you have brought to Lanling Jin.”

At least his father remembered that he’d made a contribution, Jin Guangyao thought, and bowed again. It was an insult to call it a dowry, as if Jin Guangyao was a woman, instead of simply bestowing it on him outright as a gift, and even that pathetic gesture was only being made because his father knew they were in public, surrounded by the sect leaders of the cultivation world that he wanted to impress. And even then, even then, he had still tried to be clever, to say he would only make Jin Guangyao equal to the family he married into.

No doubt he expected that the only family that would take him when he was Meng Yao was some bunch of nobodies, and that the wedding would therefore be small, cheap, and uninteresting, just as he no doubt thought Jin Guangyao deserved.

He was doomed to disappointment.

“Congratulations, brother,” Jin Zixuan said, and maybe even meant it. “Who is your intended bride?”

Jin Guangyao savored the moment.

“Mistress Jiang, of Yunmeng Jiang,” he said, and watched Jin Guangshan’s face go pale, Madame Jin’s twist in abrupt rage, Jin Zixuan’s eyes go wide in sudden envy.

There were those that said the best revenge was living well, and they had something of a point, only they had left out a bit.

The best revenge was living well – and rubbing your enemies’ faces in it.

#mdzs #jin guangyao #nie mingjue #jiang yanli #jin guangshan #my fic #my fics #sorry you don't get meng ling #but you get politics? #Anonymous