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dukethomas · 3 years

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Summary: Duke’s parents recover and come home. Written for Duke Week 2021 Day Six: Family Bonding.

I was going to write something angstier for this prompt, but it actually turned into just the comfort part of hurt/comfort. Sometimes I need a good cry about something good happening to characters I love.

Also read it here on AO3!

His parents were back.

His parents were back, and Duke could cry and cry and cry forever. He sobbed into his mom’s shoulder for who knows how long when he saw them. His mom pat his back—he was taller than her now—and murmured to him, “It’s okay, baby bird. We’re here.”

The use of the nickname he hadn’t heard since he was in elementary school made him sob harder.

His mom and his dad were, were okay, their mouths weren’t contorted into unnatural grins and they didn’t carry that gleam of hatred and they said they were so sorry and they loved him so much and wow, hadn’t he grown up so much—he turned out to be the spitting image of his mother, didn’t he think?

Duke didn’t think he’d ever stop crying.

“I missed you,” he blubbered. “I missed you every day, I swear, I tried so hard to find a cure or something—”

His dad smiled at him, softly, tears in the corners of his eyes. “And you did. We’re right here, Duke. You brought us back.”

He had to call Jay to pick them up, because his parents no longer had licenses and Duke didn’t trust his hands to not shake in the full force of his joy.

In the days that followed, Duke didn’t go out as the Signal. How could he? This all felt like a fever dream; he’d been wanting this for so long. If he didn’t spend every waking moment with his parents, he feared they could revert back to what they were, and it would be a dream after all.

Jay took a few days off of work, and Duke called in sick for a few days at school. The Thomas family glowed with genuine grins, because they were whole. They spent the time catching his mom and dad up on what they missed, and having fun playing games or going out the rest of the time. To his dad’s chagrin, Duke had gotten much better at chess, but no one could beat his mom at Monopoly.

Then life came crashing down around them. Jay had to go to work, Duke had to go back to school, and his parents needed to begin a new chapter of their lives. Unbeknownst to Jay and his parents, Duke skipped his first day back at school to chase down a string of thefts he’d read about in the news.

He could never stay away from Signal for long. Gotham needed him, needed all the help it could get.

It wasn’t a difficult case, by any means. Mad Hatter was about as subtle as a barge. Still, Duke embraced the thrill of hunting them down, as the trail of clues led him right towards a newly opened costume store, Wonderland Haberdashery.

Again. Subtle as a barge.

“What are we waiting for?” a man dressed as a giant white rabbit complained.

The dormouse next to him shushed him loudly. She hissed, “The boss’ signal.”

Duke took that as his cue. He launched into action, running forward with a well-timed punch to the rabbit’s face. “You’ve got one right here.” (Those jokes never got old.)

He let himself loose, using all of his training as well as his own metahuman power to demolish his way through the storybook-themed goons. He couldn’t fight the grin on his face; he was having too much fun. His heart reached a thunderous frenzy in his ears and he loved every second of it. These guys couldn’t touch him.

When the time came to knock out Jervis Tetch himself, Duke obliged with glee. He’d just finished tying him to the wall when his phone buzzed with a notification.

It was three, school was over, and he should be heading home. His parents should be home.

His parents were home. It still felt surreal.

He ran into Jay’s apartment and kicked off his shoes faster than he ever had when doing a superheroic change of clothes.

“Hey Mom! Hey Dad! I’m home!” he called. When he heard no response, a chill went down his spine, and he rushed to the living room. There, his parents sat on the couch, fixated on the TV. The news channel was on, talking about an altercation at—oh.

It was talking about him.

“That’s you,” his mom said without turning back to look at him.

A wad of bile as large as a stone formed in his throat. He knew Bruce probably had contingencies for if anyone guessed his identity. Deny it, prove that he was in school, get a shapeshifter to pose as Signal in the same room as him. But he couldn’t stop himself from saying, “Yeah.” He couldn’t, he wouldn’t lie to his parents. “Are you upset?”

He’d imagined this scenario many times. What would his parents say about his vigilantism? He was risking his life every time he was out there, and no parent would want that, but he was helping Gotham. He was helping Gotham’s people, just like they had taught him to do.

“Let me take a look at you,” his mom told him, beckoning him towards the couch. Duke listened, sitting in between his mom and dad. His mom cupped his face with her rough hands, and he leaned into the touch. “It’s dangerous,” she murmured; Duke squeezed his eyes shut.

A firm arm reached around his shoulders, holding him tight. His dad. “But you’re happy,” he said.

Duke nodded, his chin trembling.

They dwelled in a moment’s pause, until he was being hugged from both sides. Duke opened his eyes to see his parents with faint smiles. “We couldn’t be there for you,” said his mom, “but you found yourself.”

“I did,” Duke whispered, crying for the millionth time this week. “I did.”

“We’re so, so unbelievably proud of the person you’ve grown up to be, baby bird. We just wish… we just wish we could have been here to see it happen.”

His parents laid down some ground rules. No more skipping school unless he had all his assignments done and he had straight A’s. He had to be home for dinner, and after sundown he was off his shift. He could join night shift with the other Bats only twice a week in a limited capacity, and he had to go to sleep before midnight on school nights. And he would tell Jay his secret.

That had been the hardest one. Duke could barely get the words out, suddenly filled with shame for not telling Jay earlier.

But as it turned out, Jay already suspected it. “I’m no genius, but you’re disappearing constantly. I can never find you. Wayne takes you out of Gotham all the time. That’s not just an internship, Duke.” His jaw hardened. “But don’t think that I’m going to be the cool cousin now and let you break any of those new rules your parents set. Safety first.”

Duke rolled his eyes and hugged him. “Love you, man.”

“Love you too, rascal.”

He had to let Bruce know. He’d been keeping in touch with Bruce throughout all of this, but sparingly. He got the vibe that Bruce was keeping his distance out of respect for him and his parents.

Well, no more of that. Duke shot off a text to Bruce to let him know he was coming, then pocketed his phone. “Hey, Mom? Dad? You wanna ride with me on my motorcycle to Wayne Manor?”

He wouldn’t have actually done it (it was too big of an identity risk), but it was worth it to see his parents’ briefly stunned looks before his dad started chasing him with a noogie at the ready.

Jay drove them all to Wayne Manor. His mom and dad walked out of the car tentatively, scrutinizing their surroundings. Duke fidgeted with his shirt, wondering what they thought. For all intents and purposes, this was his home, if only for a little over a year.

Duke rang the doorbell, ready to greet Alfred, but it was Bruce who opened the door for once. The way he held himself struck Duke. It wasn’t extravagant and flighty like Brucie, nor grim and tense like Batman. Duke’s family were some of the very few to see Bruce Wayne as he really was, without a persona.

“You took Duke in while we were… unavailable,” his mom said before Bruce could say hello.

“Yes,” replied Bruce calmly, wearing something on his face Duke didn’t often see. Vulnerability. Anxiety .

His dad held out his hand. “Doug Thomas. Thank you. Thank you for taking care of our boy.”

“It was a pleasure.” Bruce shook Duke’s dad’s hand. “Duke was a delight to mentor and guide. I’m glad he has you both back.”

Duke grinned. “He says I’m a delight but he didn’t think so every time I snuck out of the Manor to track down a lead.”

“You were supposed to be on bed rest.”

“And I rested, in a bed, after I solved the case! I do it every night when I sleep—that’s working overtime on bed rest, Bruce.”

“And you won’t be pulling any of that with us, young man,” his mom told him in a stern tone.

Duke quickly made his eyes as wide, pleading, and innocent as possible. He would never, he was about to say, when Bruce told them to come in.

“A better man than I expected him to be,” his dad said once Bruce had moved far enough he wouldn't hear. His mom hummed in agreement. “And Duke, you felt safe with him?”

Duke snorted. “Define safe.”

“Smartass,” Jay muttered, behind the three of them. He’d been through the tour already. He had a begrudging respect for Bruce, but he wasn’t impressed.

“And who taught me to do that, ever since I was a little kid?”

Duke yelped as he dodged a smack from Jay. “I’m fragile, don’t hurt me!”

“You’re not fragile,” said the amused voice coming from down the hall. Cass, here because Duke asked her to be. Because he wanted his family to meet his family.

“Oh! Mom, Dad, Jay, this is Cass.” He dragged them over to meet her. “She’s like… she’s my sister.”

Cass nodded, observing Duke’s family. “Good to meet you.”

At his parents’ confused glance, he told them, “When you were gone, I made new friends, but I also found new family. Cass isn’t your daughter or Jay’s cousin, but she’s my sister.” In his chest, he felt a weight alleviate, one he hadn’t even been aware of. “Wait until you meet Damian. Remember how I always wanted a baby brother when I was a kid, but you guys kept telling me that I was enough of a handful?”

As he kept introducing his parents to the family he made, he felt a warmth grow within him, tickling his ribs, infecting his lungs. It was like he couldn’t do anything but beam from ear to ear, now that he had almost everyone important in his life gathered together. (He would introduce them to Izzy, Riko, and the rest of the Robins soon.)

His family had been shattered, but Duke had picked up the pieces and created something new. And it could never be the way it was, but that was okay. Duke was happy with his family the way it was now.

His parents were home; all his family was home. Duke couldn’t be happier.

#dukeweek2021 #duke thomas #doug thomas #elaine thomas #dc #batfam #crys writes #this doesn't actually have..... a plot. but that's okay <3 #me writing duke and his parents: so how do normal people without my specific parental issues act

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lexwritess · 3 years

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hii! i saw that your requests were open and wondered if you could do like an angsty xavier x reader? with the prompts 38. and 19? thank you <3 !

why’d you only call me when your high? [x.p.]

pairing: xavier plymton x reader

warnings: dr*g ab*use, fighting, angst, smut, swearing, cheating, both y/n and xavier are assholes, it’s a fucking lot okay? it’s good tho promise!

college au!

italics is flashbacks

normal text is present time

xavier fucking plymton.

you had some sort of an idea what you were getting into once you befriended the gorgeous blonde hair idiot but you never imagined this.

“xav, get over here!” montana shouted among the loud music and drunk students.

“meet my friend y/n! she’s super chill, i think i’m gonna make her join the group.” montana smiles.

“make me?” you raise and eyebrow at the blonde.

“oh yeah, montana isn’t to keen on asking people if they want to do things. you’ll end up doing it anyway.” xavier jokes.

“i guess i just got that kind of charm. i’m gonna go fill my drink!” montana walks away.

“xavier.” xavier introduces himself and extends his arm out to you.

“y/n.” you reply and meet his hand to shake it.

“you go to school here?” you asks xavier.

“no, i do go to the improv classes after school hours though.” he replies, leaning in closer to you.

“oh really that’s cool! what’s your interest in that?” you ask.

“i’m going to be a famous actor!” he says cockily.

“oh yeah?” you ask with an amused smirk on your face.

“yeah, i’m already in tons of commercials.” he gives a smile back to you.

you giggle and look around the cramped frat house.

“you wanna get out of here? there’s a really good pizza place down a couple blocks.” you ask xavier, hoping he agrees.

“hell yeah, this place sucks ass.” xavier says happily and grabs his jacket.

“wait wait wait, you’re telling me you did a commercial for some weird ass dildo in japan?” you laugh loudly.

“shhhh!” xavier laughs and pushes his finger against your slightly chapped lips.

“i didn’t know! it was before i had an agent and i was desperate for a gig.” xavier exclaims.

“mmm, japaneseeee dildoooo.” you giggle abruptly.

“oh my god y/n keep it down! are you sure you’re not drunk?” xavier quirks an eyebrow at you.

“i was just at a frat house for three hours with montana fucking duke as my tour guide...i’m drunk.” you giggle again.

“good point there.” xavier laughs at you.

“you can’t act innocent. you’re just as drunk as me!” you cross your arms and look at him.

“well yes, but i never said i wasn’t.” xavier gives you a smug look and takes a drink of his soda.

“yeah yeah whatever.” you playfully roll your eyes and take the drink out of his hand to take a sip.

“do you have a bucket list?” xavier asks.

“no, i don’t think so? i mean there’s things i wanna do but i don’t have them all sorted out.” you reply, shrugging your shoulders.

“well what’s one thing, anything in the world, you want to do and we’ll go do it?” xavier smiles.

“well...i’ve always wanted to hook up with a famous actor.”

“fuck xav!” you moan out as xavier thrusts increase in speed.

“shit y/n.” xaviers eyes roll back as he breathes deeply.

xavier moves your legs so they’re above his shoulders. making him go deeper, causing you both to moan loudly.

“fuck y/n you’re so fucking tight for me. so fucking tight.” xavier grunts, pining your hands above your head.

“shittt, xavier! i’m going to cum!” you moan into his ear.

“i’m almost there.” xavier says in a breathy voice.

“fuck xavier please!” you plead, tightening around him.

“shit shit...go ahead cum for me!” xavier’s thrusts get sloppy as he gets closer to his peak.

your walls clench around him one last time before you both finish.

“fuck that was good.” you giggle and xavier pulls out with a big smirk on his face.

“glad i could cross that off on your bucket list.” he smiles and gets under the covers.

“goodnight x.” you say sleepily and scoot closer.

“night y/n/n.” xavier says softly and wraps his arms around you before falling asleep.

that’s the night you thought you found your perfect person, but nothings ever perfect.

“we’ve just been on a few dates mon, it’s nothing serious!” you explain to montana.

she had found out about you and xaviers “relationship” you don’t think it’s a big deal. you’re just friends.

“what about all the hot dirty sex i’ve heard about?” montana looks at you with her eyebrows raised.

you rolls your eyes at her.

maybe you and xavier aren’t exactly just friends.

“keep your eyes on the road.” you tell her, avoiding the question.

it was her turn to roll her eyes at you.

“okay, you’re still not answering the question.” montana points out.

“okay! maybe we have sex sometimes but it’s normal! a little...” you give her a sheepish smile and she just laughs at your stupidity.

“don’t tell him but i kind of really like him. i like the way his eyes widen when he talks about acting or the way he gives side comments that fly right over chets head, or the way he has to remake his sandwich when we go out to eat because he has this very specific order-.” you rant while montana cuts you off.

“okay, you’re in love with him! why don’t you date him already!” montana shouts.

“he’s just been distant i don’t know...he’s only been calling me over to hook up i think somethings wrong.” you say glumly.

“you should go over and check on him, his apartment isn’t far away from aaron’s. want me to drop you off?” montana offers.

you debate her offer. you don’t just wanna show up uninvited but you did talk about coming over earlier.

“yeah sure if you don’t mind.”

you knock on the door of the apartment complex waiting for your favorite blonde bimbo.

when there was no answer you turn the handle to see if the door was locked.

you open the door and walk into the house a little.

“xavier?” you call out.

no answer.

“xav?” you ask again walking towards his room.

you smile when you see the sight of xavier sleeping soundly in his bed, little snores leaving his mouth once in a while.

you walk around his room admiring the many polaroids of him and his friends.

you grin when you find the one of the night you met.

you take it off the wall to take a closer took at it but you knock something over.

“oops.” you mutter to yourself and bend down to pick it up.

you pick up a small orange bottle with the words oxycodone written on it.

not prescribed to xavier.

you look at the location it fell and found another bottle of pills.

you don’t bother to look at the lable of it and put the other one back.

“what the hell?” you say quietly, tears brimming your eyes.

“y/n?” a groggy voice fills your ears.

you don’t say anything and walk out of his bedroom out to the kitchen.

“wait y/n where are you going?” xavier asks rushes out to stop you from leaving.

“you didn’t tell me you were an addict.” you say just above a whisper.

xaviers face goes white and he runs a hand through his hair.

“you weren’t suppose to find out like this.” he says quietly.

“were you ever going to tell me?” you ask louder this time, making contact with his icy blue eyes.

“of course i was going to tell you.” xavier grabs you wrist pulling you close to him.

“were you high all the times we hung out?”

“no! not all of them...” xavier looks away uneasy.

“the past couple times we fucked?” you ask him with an attitude.

xavier looks at you and a tear runs down his face.

you scoff and continue to put your shoes on.

“y/n, please don’t go! i’ll stop! i’ll drop the pills.” xavier pleads.

“why do you even want me to stay? you won’t commit to me, you don’t wanna hang out with me normally anymore, and you only call me over when you’re high! im fucking tired xavier!” you shout, tears streaming down your face.

“please, i love you. i’ll stop for you.” xavier pleads again.

“you love me?” you ask him with wide eyes.

“yeah.” xavier breathes, his face inches from yours.

“you promise you’ll stop with the pills?” you ask xavier, extending your pinky finger towards him.

“promise.” xavier whispers and intertwines his pinky with yours.

he technically never did break that promise.

“remind me again why we’re getting ice cream ten o’clock at night?” you ask your group of friends with a smile.

“because we’re fucking cool.” montana replies.

“i wish we would of took a car, it’s freezing out.” brooke shivers.

“here! take my jacket.” chet removes his jacket and places it around brookes shoulders.

“you guys are disgusting.” you laugh, taking a bite of your ice cream.

“oh c’mon y/n/n, let them enjoy being in love!” ray jokes, nudging your shoulder.

“yeah, you’re just mad xavier didn’t show.” chet says while shoving a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.

“wait you told me xavier had an audition?” montana asks you confused.

“i know...i’m sorry i lied. i’m just worried and i didn’t want to think about it.” you say quietly.

the group looks at you with remorse and ray wraps a comforting arm around you.

“guys be careful going around this corner, lots of junkies.” chet says distastefully.

everyone picks up the pace a little walking down the alleyway to get back to the main street.

you turn your head to look towards a group of people when you recognize someone familiar.

“holy shit.” you say with tears brimming your eyes.

“guys be quiet and fast now.” you say urgently and you quickly get back to the main road.

“y/n what’s wrong?” brooke asks.

“xav-xavier was back there.” you say with a shaky breath.

“i think i’m going to head out...i’ll see you at home tana. thanks for ice cream.” you say quickly, walking past them to haul down a cab.

you got and the cab and told the driver to go to Arrow street.

which is not where your apartment is, but xaviers.

you had a key to his apartment so you just let yourself in and sat on the couch waiting for him to come home.

that’s until you saw a glimpse of orange in the garbage.

needles.

you didn’t want it to be true you did everything you could to try to convince yourself it was for something medical, but the more you looked around the apartment and saw the scattered needles in his bedroom you couldn’t.

“y/n, shit you scared me!” xavier laughs nervously.

“you disgust me.” you say say standing up, turning around to face him.

“what?” xavier knots his eyes brows in confusion.

“listen, you don’t think i know but i fucking know. i know you xavier. you’re not secretive i know when you’re not yourself, but heroin! seriously?” you ask the boy you love with tears streaming down your cheeks.

“babe-.”

“no! don’t do that shit! you’re in deep shit now. you know that? i do everything for you and you don’t make me feel like it’s worth it...you make me feel worthless! you lie to me, you’re high every time we’re together, and you blow me off to go buy dirty needles off junkies! it fucking hurts!” you scream, finally telling xavier how you feel.

“is it all worth it? is being high all the time worth it? it is worth to lose me?” you ask bitterly.

“no, no it’s not...” xavier says quietly as a tear rolls down his face.

“then why don’t you get help!” you say with anger.

“i will! i will please, one more chance just give me one more chance please!” xavier sobs.

you direct your gaze towards the floor as xavier steps closer to you.

“one more chance.” xavier says again, grabbing the side of your face, tilting your head up to look at him.

“are you high right now?” your voice hoarse from the fighting earlier.

“no, and i’ll flush the rest of them down the toilet right now.”

and you gave him another chance, and another chance, and another fucking chance.

always luring you with the dates, his jokes, the sex, his charm, the i love yous, and you would forgive him every time.

almost every time.

“how could you?” you say with a shaky voice, tears threatening to spill.

xavier told you that he wanted to have a movie night later that night, but when 8 o’clock rolled around and you walked into his room, you wish you never would of went.

seeing a girl on her knees in front of your boyfriend and him enjoying it killed you.

“you need to leave now.” you tell the girl.

she muttered a sorry and left the apartment.

xavier opened his mouth to say something but you didn’t want to hear it.

“don’t fucking lie to me right now, is this the first time?” you ask.

“no, i’ll never do it again please-.”

“xavier!” you say sternly.

xavier inhales sharply. “no this isn’t the first time, i’m sorry.” he sighs.

“you’re always sorry aren’t you? did you guys fuck?” you ask, clearly irritated with xavier.

“yes.” you can barely hear him.

“i fucking hate you xavier plymton...you ruined me!” you shout, letting all your emotions wash over you.

“you know it’s not like you’ve been fucking perfect either!” xavier yells, he’s never yelled at you like this before.

“i didn’t fucking cheat on you!”

“you’ve been distant. when i need you, you’re not here. you’re out drinking, or hanging out with fucking ray! i needed someone so sorry i was fucking that bitch but you weren’t here.” xavier shoots back.

“are you fucking blaming me? the only reason i’m drinking and hanging out with ray is because you choose drugs over everyone! you’re not the same guy i fell in love with. you say you love me xavier but it doesn’t feel like it...” your sentence trails off at the end, you’re not sure you can argue much longer you’re feeling yourself breaking.

“well maybe it’s because i don’t love you! you’re always on my back and you never shut the fuck up!” xavier hisses.

you’re speechless.

xavier doesn’t love you?

you can see the regret in his face after the words leave his mouth.

“don’t talk to me ever again, i swear to god xavier. never again.” you say as calm as possible, leaving the apartment building.

you go outside and let all your emotions out. your back slides against the wall as you bury yourself in your knees and start sobbing.

you pull out your phone and try your best to see through your teary vision for montana’s contact.

“y/n what’s up?” she asks.

“mon, i, i really need you to come pick me up.” you hiccup.

“shit, of course. where are you?” montana asks with concern.

“xaviers...”

you hear her sigh on the other side of the phone.

“be there in 5.”

“that son of a bitch! i’m so sorry y/n, this is my fault.” montana rubs your back for comfort.

“it’s not your fault, he changed.” you say, your voice raspy from all the screaming and crying.

“i just, i don’t think i can see him for a long time.” you say quietly, burying your face into your pillows.

“fuck, y/n my works calling, i’ll be back im going to call off.” montana starts walking out of your room.

“no, i’ll be fine. don’t call off.” you tell her.

“no, y/n it’s fine.”

“mon you call off all the time, they’ll fire you.” you give a little laugh.

“are you sure?” she sighs heavily.

“yes! now go i’ll see you later.” you shoo her away.

you never thought that day could of got worse.

you groan at the noise of someone knocking at your door.

“montana you have a key!” you complain, going to open the door.

you’re taken a back when you open the door to see two police officers.

“can i help you?” you ask nervously.

“you are y/n y/l/n, correct?” the one on the left asks.

“yes, am i in trouble?” you ask confused.

“no of course not, you’re number one in xavier plymtons emergency contacts so we decided to come to you.” the other answers.

you blood runs cold as a million possibilities rack through your brain.

“we regret to inform you that xavier has passed.”

you swear your vision went black for a second.

he’s not gone.

he can’t be gone.

“what, what happened? i-i just saw him two hours.” you stutter.

“he was found outside his apartment, needle in his arm-.” the woman officer cuts her partner off and mumbles something about being to blunt.

“he overdosed, heroin. i’m so sorry baby.” she looks at you with pitty.

“thanks for telling me...” you say so quiet you’re surprised they heard you.

they say goodbye again and you shut the door.

“no,no,no,no!” you scream falling to the ground.

“why the fuck would you do that? why why why why?” you tell again, tugging at your hair.

you let out a loud, heartbreaking sob and fall onto your knees.

“i didn’t mean what i said...i didn’t mean it i wanted you to talk to me i was just angry. you were angry. fuck fuck!” you wail out again.

xavier fucking plymton .

#ahs #american horror story #ahs 1984 #american horror story 1984 #cody fern #cody fern x reader #xavier plymton #xavier plympton x reader #michael langdon #michael langdon x reader #evan peters #evan peters x reader

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moonlitceleste · 3 years

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Maribat Platonic November Day 5 - Social Media

@maribat-platonic-november

Notes: This took me three days straight and an inordinate amount of research to pull off so uhhh hope you enjoy it :)

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lukasguitarpick new designs???

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mdc ✓ ∙ 8-23

Throwback time!

♫ | original sound - mdc

3.7M llikes

17.3K comments

stephbrownie TIM DRAKE IS FOLLOWING YOU

jasonsthunderthighs [id: Caption appears. It says “here are some designs I made back in lycée! The first piece is...

marigoldd guys what if she’s friends with the waynes

kiddiesection TIM DRAKE?????

iceprinceee idk who this girl is but i might stan

nevergunnagiveyouup the co-ceo of wayne ent is following you what 😭

mdc ✓ | 105 Following | 35M Followers | 1.8B Likes

mdc ✓ ∙ 8-29

Design with me - finding inspo for Jagged’s new tour!

♫ | original sound - mdc

1.8M likes

12.1K comments

nettiee it’s been a week and she still hasn’t said anything about tim

marisleftpigtail QUEEN

mdc ✓ ty 🥰🥰

marisleftpigtail OMG SHE NOTICED ME ASDKJ

redrobinyum is it just me or is she filming somewhere else?

batttsy no ur right that kinda looks like gotham

marinettedesigned We made some macarons today! They’re coffee flavored. ☕

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chatnuit am i insane or is that the wayne manor kitchen

marigoldd “we”?

redrobinyum kinda sus tbh

stephbrownie holdup didn’t dick say tim’s fav food was coffee

hawkmothsucks OMG YOURE RIGHT

batman stop wearing a cape

@nocapesedna

okay we all know jagged is friends w bruce, and since mari is his personal designer she has to know the waynes, right??

1:38 AM - August 30

32.8K Retweets 121.3K Likes

marinettedesigned A day in the park! Look at this cute dog 🥰

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marisleftpigtail aww that’s so adorable

roselala ✓ I love puppies!!

marigoldd that kinda looks like damian wayne’s dog…

redhoodiee nah y’all are reaching

chloebee ✓ ∙ 9-02

Marinette didn’t want to post this so I’m doing for her. You’re welcome. #riffchallenge

♫ | original sound - chloebee

3.1M likes

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casssserole j-jason??

jasonsthunderthighs [id: Marinette is sitting in the middle of a room on a stool. The music plays, and she sings a riff over it. Once she finishes, someone whistles off-screen and says “Damn, Pixie.” She scrambles for the camera, and the video shakes right before cutting off. End id.]

howmanywaynes candy store from heathers?? an intellectual i see

misterbuggie THATS JASON TODD THERES NO WAY IT ISNT

drac0ma1foy who cares if it’s a wayne can we talk about her sINGING LIKE WHAT

queenbeeswax chloe doing god’s work out here

jaggedsemohair is that a wayne i hear?

bluebirb there’s no way this girl knows the waynes

mdc ✓ ∙ 9-03

Gymnastics challenge! I got bored so I decided to do this for fun—I’m by no means an actual gymnast so please don’t roast my technique askdj

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2.3M likes

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marisleftpigtail how are you not an actual gymnast

nevergunnagiveyouup please my inflexible self could never

coffeeliterally i—dick grayson?? gymnastics??

kiddiesection 😳😳

theflyinggrayson ✓ ∙ 9-03

@mdc thanks for dropping by 😉

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9.3M likes

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nettiee MY WEAVE IS SNATCHED

mariwayneee ASKDHSKAJ I KNEW ITTTT

spidermxnn so we aren’t gunna talk ab how flexible these two are

graysonsass who’s the girl?

duckygrapes okay but this still doesn’t explain why tim followed her?

casssserole how did they do that routine so flawlessly

howmanywaynes JASON NOW DICK WHOS NEXT

stephswaffles ✓ ∙ 9-05

@mdc 😪

♫ | original sound - stephswaffles

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kermitstea the chaotic duo i never knew i needed

tiredcollegestudent @timdrake watch out bro she’s stealing your gf

jasonsthunderthighs [id: Caption appears. It says “going to McDonald’s drive-thrus to see how many are broken. Stephanie and Marinette get into a car. They arrive at the first store and…

ladygoogoo PLEASEEE THE WAY THEY YEETED OUT OF THERE SO QUICK

timstephforever “nope i don’t know her” iM DYING

theflyinggrayson ✓ ∙ 9-08

trying to get @timdrake and @mdc to go to bed

♫ | original sound - theflyinggrayson

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grrrreeat imagine being a businessman and seeing tim in a meeting after watching this

tiredcollegestudent uhh how have they not died from overcaffeination

literallymylife and i thought my starbucks order was wack 😭

c0ffeeluvr jason did not hold back aksjd

bruhbruhbruhh their faces when he took away their coffee eye—

spoileralert duke needs to make a tiktok i’m starving

theflyinggrayson ✓ ∙ 9-10

@mdc betrayal 💔💔

♫ | original sound - theflyinggrayson

9.8M likes

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iceprinceee WHAT OMG

mariharemm PLOT TWIST

hawkmothsucks i never saw this coming

chloebee ✓ You’re lucky I figured it out on my own, Dupain-Cheng.

queenbeeswax SHE PULLED OUT THE LAST NAME OOP

jasonsthunderthighs [id: Dick appears in the frame alongside Duke Thomas and Stephanie Brown. He talks to the camera, saying “Today we’ll be surprising Marinette.” Stephanie pipes in. “We asked her to hang out but she said she was busy designing. She’s probably overworking herself right now.” “She needs a Wayne’s night out,” says Duke. “So we’re going to her apartment to drag her out into the sunlight.” The three get into a car, and Dick records the ride. It looks very vlog-like. They stop the car and get out; only the pavement is recorded as they walk. The video cuts to Dick’s hand turning the doorknob. It then pans to a messy room with fabrics strewn all over the couch. “She’s not in this room,” whispers Dick. “Why don’t you try the studio? She’s probably in there,” Stephanie suggests. They walk further into the apartment, with Stephanie and Dick visible on the sides. They stop in front of a door, and she pushes it open. Once it's open, Marinette’s back can be seen. She is sitting on a chair with someone leaning over her. At closer inspection you can tell they are kissing. Dick gasps. “Is this why you didn’t want to hang out with me today?” The two break apart, showing Marinette’s astonished face and the person she just had her arms wrapped around. It’s Damian Wayne. His expression shifts from annoyance to displeasure as he spots the camera in Dick’s hands. The video shows him growling “Hand over the camera, Grayson!” before it rapidly blurs as the trio run off, laughing. An “oof” can be heard before the video cuts off to black. End id.]

PERMANENT TAGLIST

@avengerthewarrior @enternalempires @freesportspalacesalad @nathleigh

#maribat platonic november #maribat #celestewrites #daminette #timari #jasonette #dickinette #cel's fics

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be-ready-when-i-say-go · 3 years

Note

AHHHHH YOU ALWAYS KILL IT W SONG REQUESTS (as you do w everything else you write bc it’s all gold). may i pls ask for only memories remain by my morning jacket w cal if you could 🥺

Hi, love! Thanks for your patience while I finished up some schoolwork before I got this request!

CW/TW: Mentions of Death.

_______________

Calum grunts as he pushes up off the floor, hands pressed into the mattress to help assist him. It’s less his back and more of his knees that are not pleased with him. But he does this every so often, kneels on the floor on your side of the bed and digs out that shoebox full of pictures, your engagement band. He made sure that you kept the wedding ring itself. He wanted you to take that with you.

He should probably stop calling it your side of the bed--your scent hasn’t grazed that pillow in nearly three years. The nightstand is missing your mug in the mornings and your glasses that you always forgot where you put them down. Even if you did remember to hook them around your neck, the second you pulled the glasses down you’d forget instantly where you put them. And Calum wouldn’t be laughing at that, but sometimes he’s not sure how you got around in the world. You always told him glasses weren’t important; they were replaceable if you somehow managed to lose them for good. The only things you didn’t forget were the important things.

And it’s true. You remembered birthdays, anniversaries, just how the kids liked their plates arranged when they were younger and how a kiss to the back of Calum’s neck would always make his shiver spine. You remembered all the quirks to the dogs and you’d remembered songs from decades ago like they were still new to the radio.

Settling onto the edge of the bed, Calum pulls up the top to box and right on top is the letter you wrote to him while he was on tour, all those years ago. He had saved it, doing his best to preserve it in your handwriting but he had typed up and saved another draft of it, so he’d never forget it.

Dear Calum,

You might think I’m crazy. But I can hear the laughter in the walls--the sound of you laughing at all my purposefully bad dance moves and I can hear the kisses you give to top of Duke’s head. And I know the house is empty except for me and Duke. I know you are miles away. I know you are dazzling thousands every night. But if only they could hear what I hear in the walls. Your bass occasionally thumping the pictures frames and the shrieks when we fail at some new recipe and resign to take out. If only they could hear, the sound of you when you’re murmuring gently in your sleep or the snores that keep me up some nights. If only they could hear the whispers we don’t want to give power too, the anxiety that sometimes build, but knowing that the two of us can confide in each other.

If only I could capture what I hear just below that too, and send that to you as well. If only I had a way to let you hear what I hear. If I could tell you sometimes I hear a baby’s laughter, or the bickering of sibling. If only I could tell you about the years I hear waiting for us in this house, maybe other one--a place bigger for the dogs and kids. I can hear the splash of our pool with kids from the neighborhood.

I don’t know if you hear that too in the house when I’ve gone for a conference or even if you imagine it when I’m just in the next room. I know I do with you. Even if you’re just outside with your trainer, I can hear the house whispering for more. And I could totally be projecting on some poor house, that doesn’t ever have wants or desires, just an existence that which is it content with, but there is something happening, something that I want to let you know about. It hasn’t been easy for ys, but it’s always been worth it. I know our options around children may be a little tough, but I think it’ll be worth it.

I could easily call you, I could easily text you all things. But, no, I must write it down, as some way of working through my own thoughts. I hope I don’t sound crazy.

Though I can hear it now, you tsking at me with a shake of your head and a single raised digit--I am never crazy, just always thinking. Just always working through the thoughts that run faster than me.

I hope you’re well. I hope the tour’s going well and you’re sleeping good at night. Have you tried that lavender like I told you about? Duke’s well, in case you’re wondering. He did well at his checkup today, just sleeping a lot still. Vet says it’s normal for a dog his age. But when he does get a good burst of energy he’s happy to trot around the backyard or around the block. He’s still eating well, so don’t fret about that. Your old man’s still kicking it. He told me to tell you, he’s not going down anytime soon. He’s just taking it easy.

The weather is LA is turning for a bit. We’ve had some clouds for the last few days. But it’s been nice. You’d be displeased, needing that sun. But soon, you’ll be back home--see your mom and dad and be able to get that Australian sun.

Love you, Calum. To the ends of the earth, back again, and beyond.

Yours truly,

Dearly Beloved.

He’s not sure when calling you his dearly beloved became a thing. You’d remember. You’d remember to the exact date, time, and happenings. But Calum can’t seem to remember that kind of stuff. He just remembers watching you run after the kids as they shrieked about bath time and how you like kisses right on the back of your ears.

It’s a strange thing, to remember that, remember all the times he could sneak up behind you to kiss the back of your ear and watch you jump in the shock contrasted to the way you felt cool in his hands as he turned your head one last time to kiss the beloved spot and the way dead weight is actually much heavier, the way it took so much more effort to place your head back upright than it ever took to gently cup your chin and instantly you’d turn to him, with a smile on your face.

Calum places the letter to the side and finds your favorite old t-shirt--it was hardly a t-shirt anymore. The hole in the armpit was spreading just a little but it held the name of your old university and you wore it for everything from weeding the garden to painting the bedrooms, to gutting the kitchen during the remodel.

Calum bought exact matching t-shirts and made small decor pillows for the kids, sprayed your signature scent onto them so they could sleep easier at night. But they still curled up in bed with him, hugging their pillows, faces buried into the pillows on your side of the bed. He’d rather them take the last of your scent--he’s happier that they got those moments.

“Pops, I don’t understand this math question,” Trey states poking his head into the bedroom.

Calum snaps his attention up from the box and nods. “Coming. Algebra, right?”

“Yeah,” he nods, leaning into the molding. It’s crazy to look at him now, how he’s almost surpassed Calum in height. At fifteen, Calum thought he’d surely still have a few inches maybe a foot over him. Calum remembers when Trey found out he had officially been adopted but the two of you. He was six and cried more than Calum or you did--though the margin was probably still pretty close. It couldn’t have been nine years already.

“Do-do you have their glasses?” Trey asks quietly. “Today’s been hard. And I feel silly with a pillow in my lap as I do homework.”

Calum walks over, box in hand. “I kept a lot of their smaller things. Whatever you need--it’s always in this box.”

Trey pulls your glasses from the pile, noticing other letters and pictures scattered about in the box. He spies the college t-shirt but just next to it is a picture of you and Trey. He’s in your lap, giant headphones over his ears. “Is that from the first show I went too of yours?”

Calum only briefly catches a glance at the photo before Trey’s fully plucked it from the box. “I think so.”

Trey immediately places the glasses back into the box but holds onto the picture. “Thanks.”

“Of course.”

“So, do you happen to remember anything from Algebra?”

Calum laughs at the tease and put the box down on the dresser before following behind Trey to the living room. Brandy sits at the coffee table, her stack of color pages and pencils spread out. Calum did his best to keep her doing art. It was hard after you first died. But slowly over the years, she’s gotten back into it. “You all good?”

She nods. “All good in the Hood.” She got the phrase from you and here Calum was, with Brandy at ten, and he was sure she would never let the phrase die.

Calum stops just for a moment to kiss the top of her head and then carries on to the dinning room table. “Okay, so I know I’m not a math whizz like them. But your old man still knows a thing or two about a thing or two,” he returns to Trey’e earlier quip. “Now let’s see what new math magic they have you all working in.”

Trey laughs, slipping the tiny photo of him into the back of his phone case so it shows out to the world. “You calling it magic does not make me feel better.”

#calum hood #calum hood fluff #calum hood angst #calum hood blurb #calum hood 5sos #calum 5sos #calum hood imagine #calum hood fanfic #calum hood fic #5sos #5sos fanfic #5sos fic #5sos imagine #5sos angst #5 seconds of summer #5 seconds of summer angst #5 second of summer imagine #5 seconds of summer fanfic #h writes

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allsassnoclass · 3 years

Text

astronomy in reverse

Pairing: Roy English/Calum Hood Rating: T for language Word Count: 2016 Read on AO3

Summary: Roy and Calum go stargazing

Calum has learned more about the night sky in the past year than he has in his entire life leading up to that point. He attributes nearly all of his new knowledge to increased time with Roy. When the world stopped turning, Calum was suddenly confined to the house rather than a tour bus, for better or for worse. To an extent he’s glad: Roy and Duke are home, which is a pretty big silver lining. While he’s missed making music with the band and hearing venues erupt with fans screaming their lyrics and even the constant feeling of miles and miles of road disappearing under his feet, long walks with Duke and long nights spent wrapped up in his boyfriend have more than made up for it.

His favorite nights involve gazing at the sky while Roy talks about astrology or astronomy or cosmology or philosophy or spirituality or anything he fancies. One thing that Calum loves about Roy is that he’s always coming up with new, interesting ideas about the world. The first night they spent alone together in Bali was an exploration in thought that he could never have anticipated but was enraptured by nonetheless. He doesn’t remember the specifics of what they talked about, but he remembers that he fell in love a little, and even though both of them have different thoughts now, that initial spark has never gone away.

“It’s going to be a clear night,” Roy says while they’re eating leftovers for dinner on the couch, Calum keeping a careful eye on Duke so he doesn’t lunge for his plate.

“Yeah?” he asks. Roy clicks his tongue at Duke and offers him a potato chip, allowing Calum to relax and take a bite of his own food.

“Mars should be visible,” Roy says. Calum watches fondly as he scratches Duke behind the ears. The sun hasn’t set yet, and the natural light highlights his face in a warm glow. Roy is always sunny, even in the dead of winter or in the middle of a rainstorm, like he’s somehow able to trap rays within his skin so he can shine in every context. Looking at him grinning down at Duke now, Calum feels lucky that the universe aligned to bring them all together.

“Do you want to go out for it?” he asks. Their backyard is far enough from the heart of the city that they can see the North Star most nights, but Roy has found a place a reasonable drive away that lets them put together more constellations.

Roy smiles at him in response, giving Duke an opening to lunge for more chips. Dinner dissolves into a battle to corral an unruly dog acting more like a puppy than an old man for once in his life, but Calum doesn’t mind as long as he can hear Roy’s loud laugh and keep seeing him shine.

-/-

They head out once they clean up the mess in the living room. The sun is beginning to set, painting the sky in pastels and lengthening all of the shadows in corners of the city. Their destination is a hill in the middle of a park, a frequently visited little haven, but Calum is happy to see that they’re the only people there tonight. They park the car and Calum grabs a blanket kept in back. It’s a nice evening: cool but not cold, skies clear with an occasional gentle breeze. Crickets and the rare bird call tickle his ears as Roy grabs his hand as they walk, tilting his head up to look at the moon, a bright spot half-full even while the last of the sun’s rays illuminate the sky. He doesn’t let go when they reach the peak of the hill, leaving Calum to try to spread the blanket on the grass one-handed. It doesn’t work, and Roy laughs at him before taking pity and helping.

“It’ll be more helpful if you’d let go,” Calum says as they tug on different corners and try to lay the blanket down in sync.

“It’s important to challenge yourself.”

“Fuck off,” Calum laughs as Roy pulls him down onto the blanket next to him, holding their hands safely in his lap. Calum turns his gaze to the sky, quickly landing on the moon again. He lays down and settles in, pulling Roy down with him by their joined hands so he can talk to him easier while they wait for all of the stars to come out.

“Do you think aliens exist?” Roy asks after they’ve laid in quiet for a few minutes tracing the craters of the moon with their eyes.

“Yes,” Calum says automatically. He glances at Roy, harder to see now that the sun has fully set, but the upward angle of his lips is still visible.

“Why?”

“The universe is fucking huge,” Calum says. “There’s no way that there isn’t other life out there. It might not be recognizable to us, but I don’t think our little world is that unique. We just haven’t expanded our search enough.”

“If it’s not recognizable to us, is it still life, or is it something else?” Roy asks. Calum hums.

“I guess it depends. If we can’t recognize it as life then we probably wouldn’t consider it alive as a society, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t.”

Roy smiles wider, the way he does when Calum has a thought he particularly likes.

“Scientists talk about life-cycles of stars from birth to death despite not considering them living organisms like us, but I think that’s because subconsciously we know that we’re all the same. We’re all connected. Just because stars don’t breathe doesn’t mean they can’t be alive.”

“So the stars are aliens?” Calum asks, finding Polaris above them.

“Maybe none of us are aliens,” Roy says. “‘Alien’ implies ‘other,’ and there is no other. All of our differences are arbitrary, but at the core everything comes from the same place. Scientists said we’re made of the same things as stars. We’re part of the same universe and the same collective unconscious. Why shouldn’t that extend to the other creations we share the universe with?”

Calum hums. He gazes at the stars and tries to imagine them as alive.

“What about our phones and guitars and stuff?” he asks. “There are non-living things in the world. Where do you draw the line?”

Calum can feel Roy shrug next to him.

“Somewhere between stars and guitars,” he says.�� “Maybe stars are part of a bigger life. The Creator’s synapses.”

“And us?”

“His favorite creations. You are, at least. He definitely should be proud of what he did there.”

Calum glances at him.

“Are you trying to use God to flirt with me?”

Roy smiles, still bright in the dark.

“Just telling the truth. Well, as much of the truth as we can be certain of.”

“It’s called the truth because we’re certain of it. Everything else is called a mystery.”

Roy shakes his head. “You can figure out mysteries without having a definite truth. What I thought was a definite truth before could be something different now.”

Calum considers.

“And if I said that grass is green?”

“Fuck off,” Roy laughs. “I’m talking about bigger things. Truths of the universe in philosophy or religion. Things where truth is dependent on belief rather than something provable.”

“Alright, alright,” Calum concedes. “I get what you’re saying.” Roy squeezes his hand. Calum squeezes back, a silent transaction that makes him smile.

“Look,” Roy says after a moment, pointing with their joined hands up at the sky. “Boötes. Did you know that ancient cultures had different names for this constellation, but lots of stories for it call him a herdsman of some sort? More evidence of the collective consciousness and human unity.”

Calum hums, because he has heard that before. Boötes is Roy’s favorite constellation because he likes saying the name. Calum’s favorite is one that they made up when they were out in the desert celebrating Ashton’s album release. It’s hard to see this close to the city, and it’s probably only really visible in the fall anyway, but it making it was one of his favorite memories from the fall, both of them sitting in the same lounge chair and gazing up at a sky more luminous than this one, picking out different shapes and forming outrageous stories behind them.

They do a lot of storytelling in their house. Songwriting is its own form of storytelling, of course, but they also do more traditional sorts, recounting things from their day or sitting together entertaining each other with their imaginations. It’s an exercise in creativity, stretching different muscles that songwriting doesn’t always hit or that Calum doesn’t think to use in everyday life, and he feels like he’s better for it. If nothing else, it’s saved him from boredom in quarantine and has kept him from traveling in circles in his head.

“Hey,” Roy says, “what do you think happens when we die?”

Calum could never be bored with Roy around.

They spend more time discussing various questions and secrets in hushed voices under the cover of the sky, staring at the specks of stars far above them. Roy points out which speck should be Mars once he’s fairly certain he doesn’t have it wrong, raising their joined hands to the sky for Calum to follow, and Calum uses sightlines as an excuse to shift closer.

Roy knows that it’s bullshit, but Calum gets a kiss for his troubles.

They trade a few more words back and forth before fading into silence. Calum stares at the sky and listens to Roy’s gentle breathing next to him and the crickets hidden somewhere in the grass. He takes his own deep breath of the crisp night air, as fresh and clear as it gets near LA, and feels any lingering tension from the day leave his body. Out here, cuddled up to the man he loves and watching glittering pieces of celestial gas that might have burnt out already, it’s hard to feel like any of the things that typically bother him matter. There’s something to be said about contextualizing his problems against the entire universe, and there’s something to be said about doing that while trying to unwrap the universe with Roy.

When they delve into these sorts of talks, Calum always walks away with a worse understanding of the universe and a much better understanding of Roy.

Maybe that’s the point. Maybe humans aren’t meant to reveal the secrets of the universe, but rather to reveal their own secrets to each other. Calum knows the way that Roy thinks now. He knows why he loves the stories he does and how he views himself in relation to the rest of humanity. He understands Roy’s compassion and his love for the world they’re in. He knows who Roy is, and he knows a little more every time Roy asks him about things that Calum can only guess at.

He’s never felt like he knows anyone quite like he knows Roy. It’s more than the fact that they’re roommates and Calum knows what brand of toothpaste he uses and how he takes his coffee. It’s like Roy is a distant star, and Calum keeps twisting his telescope further into focus, and he knows that it goes the same way. Roy knows how he likes his eggs and which bass is his favorite, but he also knows the inner workings of Calum’s thoughts. He knows the way their hands fit perfectly together and when they have to let go to avoid them getting uncomfortably sweaty.

He glances at him, profile barely discernible in the dark.

“Hey,” he says quietly. Roy’s head tips towards him, breaking his staring contest with the sky. “I love you. I’m glad the universe let me know you.”

Roy doesn’t say anything, just brings Calum’s hand to his lips and kisses it, and they go back to watching the sky together, existing in a tiny pocket of space carved just for them and the stars.

#my writing #roylum #5sos fic #don't really have anything to add to this one #shout out to megs for asking if there was a screenshot when i got grumpy about the insta post this is based on being deleted

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june-louise · 3 years

Text

The Telephone Call

Another drabble, Elizabeth/Philip. Set while Philip is away on tour in season 2 of The Crown. Might be continued.

...

Elizabeth sat in the sofa; one leg crossed over the other as she listened to the reports coming from the television a few metres in front of her. Her mother was as per usual having her dinner next to her, joined by Margaret sitting across from them. Elizabeth had already had dinner, for once having shared the meal with the children who were now in bed.

Ever since Philip had left for the Royal tour, she had felt the need to spend more time with the children, surely to compensate for sending their father away for months on end. Philip had always been the more natural parent of the two, the one spending more time and playing with them. To Elizabeth, playing with the children had never been her favourite activity and with all her work she rarely spent much time with them during the weekdays.

Of course, she loved her children more than anything, but she had never felt like a natural mother as other women seemed to. With Philip gone though, she had felt the connection with Charles and Anne to be something of a comfort personally while she very much wanted them both to be happy and content. So, she had made it into a habit to join them in the playing room, listen to their talks and share more meals with them and help put them to bed. She even read books for them and tried to do silly voices as Charles called it. Because Philip usually did, and the children loved it.

“Your Majesty,” a voice said and interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see the court martial approach her. “A telephone call for you, ma’am. The Duke of Edinburgh.”

Elizabeth raised her eyebrow in surprise and felt the eyes of her mother and sister on her, they obviously surprised as well. She felt a smile spread on her face and could not help the excitement building in her stomach. She had felt quite low lately, finding herself missing the company of her husband more than she had thought she would. Ever since Philip’s speech on Christmas and the film from Antarctica, the emptiness she felt had grown worse. Laying eyes on him after so many weeks and reading his handwriting had made her heart ache for him, and it had not stopped since.

Quickly shrugging the surprise off of her, she spoke to the man. “Thank you.” Standing up, Elizabeth turned to the other women and excused herself. She tried best she could to not let the other two see her vulnerability, holding herself together and making an effort to contain her smile. She knew they both loved Philip, but they had never quite understood him like she did. And her feelings for him had therefore also many times made Elizabeth feel misunderstood, and she had found she sometimes had to act down on them in order to keep their comments to a minimum.

Walking toward her study, she felt the tightness and nervousness grow in her chest. She knew it was a slight anguish she felt, a fear of him not being there on the other line. The last time Philip called the reception had been bad and the line was broken before she had a chance to speak to him. She tried to prepare herself for the disappointment that it would happen again.

“Hello,” she said into the phone, clearing her throat and taking a deep breath to calm herself. She saw the doble doors close behind her and as she finally heard the voice of her husband on the other side of the line, she beamed.

“Hello, darling,” Philip said and she could almost hear his smirk and tried to picture him there on the other side of the world.

“Oh, it’s working,” she let out in surprise.

“Yes,” he said in his sleek voice and she imagined he was leaning against some kind of furniture where he was, making himself more comfortable. She did the same and rested against the wooden desk. “These bloody telephones actually do work from time to time.” He laughed and she chuckled, feeling herself relax.

“It’s so good to hear your voice,” she said and got somehow more serious, feeling her eyes water slightly. This small gesture, a phone call, had her feeling as if there was a huge weight lifted from her shoulders, warming her heart.

“Are you admitting to actually missing me,” Philip said in a lighter voice, always the one to lift the mood. Elizabeth did love that about him, how he could make her smile and how life was far from boring when Philip was with. Many times, people around them showed their annoyance at his sarcastic comments, and she sometimes felt that way also, but deep down she knew she could never live without any of it. And she had missed hearing his voice immensely lately, finding herself imagining in her head what his replies would be and smiling to herself while everybody around her was oblivious.

“What if I am,” she replied and soared as she felt their familiar banter come alive. “And what about you, having the time of your life in all corners of the world?” She asked the question in a somewhat playful voice, but also felt nervous about the actual answer.

Ever since Philip had left, she had not heard much from him at all. A failed telephone call, a few telegrams mostly including updates on their whereabouts and well-wishes for the children, but not more than that. Except from the footage from Antarctica, where he had been surprisingly heartfelt.

Philip sighed. “Well, even though parts of the tour is surprisingly interesting and the places we’ve been has been quite incredible, I, too, must admit to missing my wife.” He paused, and she desperately wished she could see the look on his face. “Lately, a bit more than I imagined, actually,” he admitted truthfully.

“You have,” Elizabeth asked, her voice quite emotional revealing more vulnerability than she was comfortable with.

“Yes,” Philip started in a determined voice, “are you that surprised?”

“I don’t know. Maybe, but mostly happy to hear that I am not the only one feeling that way. Five months is incredibly long when all you want if for them to pass by, really. Did you get my letter,” she continued in an attempt to change the subject.

“Oh, yes.” She could hear him smile into the phone. “Made me think that I should grow a beard more often,” he chuckled.

Elizbeth blushed and cleared her throat, finding herself feel a bit embarrassed. “Really? I wonder what the reactions would be it you came home like that,” she said with a smile as she imagined the scenario. Her mother would be beside herself; Margaret would find it incredibly funny and Michael would uncomfortably try to work out how best to convince Philip to shave. “They were all quite surprised to see it, whereas I thought you looked like an explorer.” She smiled and added, “a very handsome explorer.”

“Five months really is a long time,” Philip sighed, and she felt her fingers go to the pearls around her neck. His words made the conversation shift, and she felt her chest tighten, her pulse quicken. “Trust me, it’s not only the sharing of bed I miss, but I’d really do anything to be with you right now.”

“Philip,” she said in a surprised voice, while blushing more, suddenly very aware of her most private parts. She shifted on the desk, leaning one leg over the other.

“What,” he said innocently. “Can’t a husband share his desires for his wife? I am alone here, aren’t you?”

“Yes, yes,” she quickly said, voice shaky. “I’m alone.”

“That’s it then, good, no worries. Wouldn’t want anyone overhearing this conversation, now would we,” he smirked.

“Philip,” she whispered and felt the need to sit down. Her breathing quickened and she pressed her legs together as she sat on the chair by the desk.

“You sound tense, darling. If I was there, I’d give you a big smooch, but since I’m not, what can I do?”

Elizabeth swallowed, “Philip, we can’t.”

“Why not?”

Her eyes searched the room, even though she knew no one was there. “You know why not. And besides, I can’t.”

“You can,” he reassured her, like he so often had done when she needed help to escape her up tightness. “Now, if it’ll make it easier,” Philip said, and she could not help but roll her eyes at his determination. “Tell me where you are” he started. “And what you are wearing,” he added before, she imagined, leaning back into his seat and with amusement waiting for her reply.

Her face felt hot and she was sure there was a visible blush on her neck. Though she gave in. “I’m in my office,” she started and looked around at the familiar surroundings. She spent much of her time in here, and often had different people come to her with various notifications. She sincerely hoped that no one would get the idea to enter anytime soon, hoping the call from the Duke would keep them out until she gave them a sign that she was finished. She continued to play with the pearls around her neck, a nervous habit she had. “And I’m wearing my usual clothes, in blue.” As she spoke the words, she felt quite dull. Not much surprise there.

“Oh, blue, one of my favourite colours on you,” Philip said, seemingly not finding her dull at all, and she relaxed a bit. Philip always made her feel more comfortable, somewhat making her feel sexy through her shyness and sometimes up tight behaviour. “Like those gorgeous eyes I adore.”

Elizabeth shifted in her seat and felt a bit braver. “And you? Where is that handsome husband of mine?” She raised her eyebrow and wettened her lips, eager to hear his reply.

“Well, I’ve abandoned the suit onboard Britannia where the bloody phone does not work. Now in the Falkland Islands, we have loaned a quite nice house with a big garden. I’m in my room, supposed to rest after a whole day of shaking people’s hands and cutting ribbons.”

Elizabeth chuckled and then questioned, intrigued. “And what are you wearing?”

Philip laughed and spoke with playfulness in his voice. “I am wearing my robe, sitting in bed.” She imagined he knew he was teasing her, knowing how she was one of the people who knew he secretly preferred to sleep naked, even though he rarely did it at home in Buckingham palace anymore.

“And you just decided to give me a call before going to bed?”

“I did have a dream about you, actually. And have been thinking about it the whole day.”

“Yeah, what about?” Elizabeth felt warm inside, happy to hear that she had been in his thoughts.

“Traveling together. Yesterday we were greeted into this house and I was reminded of the house we stayed at in Kenya, before your father’s passing. Where we visited Treetops.”

Elizabeth smiled, remembering the wonderful time they had had there. Before their whole world changed. “That was a wonderful trip, before, you know. I was so happy and so in love with you.”

“Me, too. It was just us there, our own special place of the world.”

“It was.” Elizabeth suddenly laughed. “Remember when you saved me from that elephant?”

Philip joined her laugher. “I did do that. It was quite terrifying.”

“It was,” Elizabeth concluded, and gave a sigh. “I miss that time.”

“Yes,” Philip agreed, and a quiet understanding consumed them both. It had been a time before life as they knew it now, with duty and obligations – a time where they could be more of a normal couple. As normal as they could be anyway, given their circumstances. Elizabeth still remembered the incredible loss she had felt, and guilt, for taking away her and Philip’s wonderful life even though she knew it had not been her fault. She seldom let herself think about the what if’s, or imagine what their life could have been. It was not constructive. And there was no going back. They had both signed up for this life together, and in many ways, it was also an incredible life. Only different.

“Philip,” Elizabeth said after a while, interrupting their walk down memory lane, and when he made a sound to let her know he was listening, she continued. “I know I don’t say it much, but I do still love you very much, adore you even. But you must know that, right?”

She thought she could hear his smile over the phone. “Yes, I know,” Philip said, his voice soft and reassuring. Elizabet had never doubted her love and adoration for her husband, she did not remember a time not loving him. The love had never been the problem, even though it might seem like it for anyone else. Maybe she should say it more often, she thought. Yet they were both not very emotional people, and they rarely exchanged words of affection. So, Elizabeth was glad he knew how she felt about him.

Philip continued, maybe also finding that the distance of the telephone made the words come easier. “I feel the same way. Even though I sometimes act like an idiot, I have always loved you, Lilibet. And I believe that it is my destiny that I always will.”

#the crown #queen elizabeth ii #duke of edinburgh #prince philip #philip and elizabeth #claire foy + matt smith #claire foy #matt smith #fanfic

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cordonian-literature · 4 years

Text

The Aftermath - Ch. 22

Surprise Appearances

Summary: At the Masquerade Ball, Liam tries to spend time with Riley, and Eleanor gets herself in an odd place.

Word Count: ~5.5k

Warnings: none

*All characters belong to Pixelberry, except those that are unique to my story (I’ve also used some characters and fictional instances from Donna Tartt’s book “The Goldfinch”)*

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- Eleanor -

Walking into the palace felt like I had walked into a movie scene. I couldn’t believe that this would be where I would stay for the next few weeks, or as Bartie told me, possibly for the rest of my life.

Aunt Rowan, Mama, and me drove over in a limo with Duchess Olivia and Countess Hana, while the Beaumont family went in their own car. We showed up around noon, and Liam was on the steps to lead us in. He had a wide smile on his face, and he walked up to our car to help Mama get out.

Gabe rushes towards Mama, slightly pushing in between her and Liam to hug her, and I go to hug Liam. Mama laughs as they lead us to her room, saying that it was very freeing for her to walk without a cast.

Mama’s room is connected to my room, but Gabriel’s is a little far and closer to Liam’s room. I felt a little weird about that, since our rooms had always been right next to each other, but I calm myself down and hope that it’s not permanent.

Liam disappears for most of the day, and Mama spends time with Aunt Rowan, Duchess Olivia, and Countess Hana. Gabe gives me a small tour around the palace, with Bartie trailing behind us.

There were also guards following us, and Gabe told me that it was weird for him, too, but Liam had said that it was necessary.

Everything in the palace was just a collection of extremely fancy things, and things that I knew someone would yell at me for if I touched them. There were chandeliers everywhere, and the light from the windows reflected off of them. We didn’t get to go in all of the rooms since there were a lot of people coming in throughout the day, but everything I saw made me more and more excited to live here.

Before we could have dinner, Mama called us into a little dress shop inside the palace. Her and her friends spent forever picking out what to wear, but finally Countess Hana walked out in a pink dress, Duchess Olivia walked out in a sparkly red one, Aunt Rowan wore a black one, and Mama walked out from behind the curtain in a silver dress.

“Work it, blossom!” Lord Maxwell says, suddenly appearing. He stops suddenly, looking Aunt Rowan up and down. “R- Rowan... you look... great.” His suit has silver and black squids on it. Aunt Rowan blushes. He shakes his head and with a silly smile walks towards a drawer and takes out a black mask that covers the top half of his face. He picks up another one and hands it to Mama.

It’s covered with glitter and diamonds, and covers all of her face. If I looked away and then back at her, I couldn’t even tell that she was my mother.

She poses in front of us, asking how she looked. We tell her that she’s like a beautiful disco ball, and she turns to find outfits for Gabe and me.

Gabe gets a white tux with a blue vest. Lord Maxwell says that we don’t have to wear a mask, but helps Gabe find one anyway. Mama, Aunt Rowan, Duchess Olivia, and Countess Hana shuffle through dresses, finding something that would fit me.

I stand there and wait, watching Lord Maxwell fussing over my brother. I wonder if Liam would show up, but Drake walks through the door wearing his everyday outfit.

“You’re not dressed up?” Lord Maxwell asks him.

“No,” Drake answers. He says nothing else.

Lord Maxwell stares at Drake, while Gabe and I look between them. “Is Jessica coming?”

“No,” states Drake again. He looks around at Mama and her friends sorting through dresses. He walks closer to Mama, who holds up a gray dress. “Liam’s wearing something like that tonight.”

Mama glances between me and the dress. “Come here,” she tells me. Holding the dress against my chest, she determines that it’s too big.

“Oh, what about this one?” Aunt Rowan says, holding out a blue one. “Gabe and Ella could match!” Again they hold the dress against me. Mama walks into a changing room with me, but it doesn’t go over my head.

“Too small,” Mama calls out.

“Try this!” I hear Lord Maxwell say as a white dress flies over the door. “You could both match!”

Mama helps me into that dress, but it feels itchy with all the glitter.

Finally, Countess Hana calls out, “This should fit her perfectly!”

For the last time, Mama helps me into a poofy purple dress. I come out of the changing room, and everyone compliments me.

“Here.” My brother hands me a purple and black mask. It only covers my eyes, but I feel mysterious.

Gabriel and I pretend that we don’t recognize each other. Mama joins in and laughs with us, but then starts telling us to walk towards the ballroom. We hadn’t even noticed that other people had came in to start getting ready.

The closer we got to the ballroom, the more people I saw wearing bright, fancy outfits. All of the hallways were lined with unscented candles. As we walked closer to the ballroom doors, people’s heads turned in our direction. Bastien shows up out of nowhere, and reminds Mama that Gabe needs to be at Liam’s side.

I can’t see Mama’s expression under her mask, and over all the people talking, I can’t hear her either. Gabe and I look at each other, then around the room, silently searching for Liam.

The more I look around, the more I see that there are many people staring at my brother and I. All of a sudden, I didn’t want to do this.

I wonder if it’s too late to go back home, but then I ask myself where home even is.

I feel like I’m about to cry, and I do my best to stop myself. I bite my tongue and blink as fast as I can. Gabe notices and grabs my hand.

“Can Ella and I go in together?” Gabe asks Mama and Bastien. They turn towards us, and then Bastien whispers something to Mama again.

We follow him to the front of the crowd, where there is an open door. There are already a lot of people in the ballroom, and everyone is talking. I see Liam near a piano, wearing a gray suit with a gray mask, in a conversation with two other men. I wave at him, but he doesn’t see me.

Gabe and I are still holding hands. He begins to walk forward, and I follow him.

When we walk through the doors, someone yells: “His Highness, Prince Gabriel, and Lady Eleanor Blaise!”

Liam had already told us that our names would be pronounced like that in public, but the man’s loud voice interrupts the steady pace of people talking. I hear whispers and see everyone’s heads turn. Gabe walks slower. I turn towards Liam, wanting to run up to him and ask him to put the party for another day. Thankfully, he sees us and motions for us to come near him.

“Good evening children,” a tall man says. The person next to him nods, and all those lessons Lord Maxwell gave us about people’s names become useless; Because of the masks, I didn’t know who anyone was!

But Gabriel flows easily into the conversation. “Good evening, gentlemen.” He turns to Liam and continues, “Good evening, Li- Father.”

I force myself to contain a giggle. Liam smiles at us. The second man asks, “How are you both enjoying Cordonia so far?”

“We haven’t seen much yet,” Gabriel states. “But it’s gorgeous. I’m proud to call it my home.”

I hear the smile in his voice. Something edges at me, wondering if those words were Gabe’s real feelings or not. But I mean... it’s not like Cordonia isn’t a pretty country. It’s not like I wouldn’t be proud to call it my home.

The men turn their attention to someone behind us. “Lord Maxwell,” the two men greet in union.

“Your Majesty,” Maxwell says to Liam. I want to give our little inside joke and say that Liam wasn’t really the king, but the way that these men talk make me feel like making a joke would be stupid. That’s the last thing I wanted these people to think of me. “Duke Hakim. Duke Rashad.”

We turn to see Aunt Rowan at Lord Maxwell’s arm. She bows towards Liam.

“C’mon, baby blossoms,” Lord Maxwell says as Duke Hakim and Lord Rashad take Liam’s attention. “Let’s go get some snacks.”

While we walk over, I start giggling again.

“What’s so funny?” Gabe asks me.

“You said ‘Le Father’.”

“That was a close save. Imagine if I had called him by his name in front of those people?”

I roll my eyes at his lack of amusement.

On a table at the side of the room are small plates with snacks on them. The ones closest to us are cut up vegetables with toppings. I grab a tiny plate of pieces of celery with a dressing that smelled sweet. Gabriel follows me, and we both take bites of our foot.

“I thought zayats like carrots?” someone says with a heavy accent.

Gabe and I turn around to see Uncle Boris in all black, without a mask. His dark curly hair is pulled back with gel. He smiles down at us, and I jump into his embrace.

“Uncle Boris!” Gabe says. He jumps into the hug. “When did you get here?”

“Oh, few hours ago. Had to make pit stop in Cordonia, figured I should visit my zayats.”

Lord Maxwell holds out his hand, and Uncle Boris shakes it. Him and Aunt Rowan share a quick hug, and she asks him if he was on the guest list.

“No,” he answers. “I tell them I am Godfather of heir and they let me in.”

“I’m sure Liam would love to meet you,” Lord Maxwell says. “C’mere, I’ll introduce you—”

“Thank you, no.” Uncle Boris wipes off Lord Maxwell’s hand from his shoulder. “I need to leave early. In few minutes I have meeting. Where is your mama?”

“I’m right here, Boris,” Mama says from behind him. They hug each other, and Uncle Boris looks Mama up and down.

“Dressing up for Prince Charming?”

I see Mama roll her eyes under her mask. She turns to Countess Hana and introduces her to Uncle Boris.

He kisses her hand, and greets Duchess Olivia. I can see that she’s frowning.

“Are you here for the Social Season?” Mama asks.

“No, but have been convinced to participate a little bit,” he answers. He glances at his watch, then turns back to us and continues, “Sorry, zayats, time for me to go.” Everyone wishes him goodbye, and he disappears into the crowd.

The orchestra starts playing music, and people begin walking off in pairs. I see Liam from across the room. He’s with a woman in a silky pink gown, but his eyes are on Mama.

We had to stay with the party until dinner, so while we wait, Gabe and I walk around for what feels like hours. We bump into Liam again. He’s talking to a man who stands with a woman and two children. When Liam sees us, his eyes go wide. The man he was talking to turns.

“Hey there, you two!” I don’t know who he is, but I return the smile he sends us. “Want you to meet your cousins, Hunter and Heather.”

I glance at Gabe, wondering if he knew who the man was. My brother smiles at the two children in front of me.

They’re both slightly taller than us. They wear white masks, and their outfit matches with their mother’s.

“Hi!” Heather says. Hunter just nods.

“Why don’t you guys go walk around while your dad has a talk with Uncle Leo?” the man says. I still don’t know who Uncle Leo is, but I nod and the four of us walk away.

Eventually we end up near the snack table again. We stand there, and I don’t know what to say to Hunter or Heather.

“So...” Gabe tries.

“So.” Heater says.

“Um... are you guys enjoying the party?”

They nod. We don’t move or talk, but watch some people on the dance floor.

I notice Aunt Rowan and Lord Maxwell dancing together. Duchess Olivia dances with someone I can’t see, and Countess Hana dances with Duke Rashad, whose outfit I remembered from earlier.

“This is the most boring party ever,” someone says. There’s another boy and girl walking around the snack table. I think they’re the same age as Hunter and Heather, but I can’t tell. “Even the snacks taste like burning garbage.”

“You should try some of the shrimp over there,” my brother suggests, nodding his head towards the other side of the table.

The boy and girl look at our little group. The girl wears a purple dress, a little lighter than the color I was wearing. The boy wears a deep shade of orange, and they both wear elaborate masks with different colored feathers.

“Didn’t you hear me?” she says, an annoying tone in her voice. “It. Tastes. Like. Garbage.”

I notice Hunter frown at her.

“I think dinner is about to happen soon,” I say to her, trying to lift her mood. The way she talked unnerved me, and I wanted her to go away.

She takes a moment to look me up and down. Suddenly, her tone lifts as she says, “Your dress is so pretty!”

I look down at my clothes, feeling special. “Thank you!”

“Prettier than mine,” she continues, the sour tone back. “And that’s not how it works. The Princess of Auvernal should be the one with the prettiest dresses.”

“That literally doesn’t mean anything,” Heather refutes, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“And... who are you again?” The Princess of Auvernal asks. She scoffs.

Hunter nudges his sister and begins to walk away. Heather looks back at us, and I want to follow her and move away from these two people. But the Princess of Auvernal speaks up again.

“I want to go play a game outside.” I notice her turn towards Gabe. “You’re going to play with us.”

“Um...” My brother glances at me. I wished that there was a silent way to tell him that I didn’t want either of us to go with them. But I know that we can’t be rude to them. “Sure.”

She begins walking out the front doors, and we follow her. I notice security everywhere. Some lights from inside illuminate the dark night. I look up and see stars sparkling at me.

Some people are outside, talking in groups or pairs. A servant comes out of the front doors and announces that dinner is being served. People walk back inside, but the Princess of Auvernal and her brother walk away from the entrance, and my brother follows.

“Perfect,” the Princess says. “No one will bother us.”

“Shouldn’t we go in for dinner?” I ask.

She turns to me. “You can go in. You’re not supposed to be playing with us.”

Gabe and I look at each other, trying to figure out what she meant.

“Didn’t you hear me?” she questions, walking up to me. I want to run away. I don’t like her. “You don’t have the proper lineage to be able to play with us. Go. Away.”

Gabe comes in between the princess and I. “She can play if she wants.”

The boy gives a laugh, and I try to figure out what’s so funny.

“Fine,” the Princess of Auvernal says. “You know what? She can be our little guinea pig for this game.”

She grabs my wrist and leads me farther away from the entrance.

Two guards speak up from behind us. One I recognize from the entrance.

“Your Highness,” one says to the Princess. “Your parents would not like you to stray this far from the main party.”

“Oh, shut it!” she screams. “Leave us be, or I’ll have you exiled!”

Gabe looks back at both guards, but then follows me and the Princess of Auvernal.

We end up in a garden. I smell and hear nature all around me, but it’s so dark over here that I can barely see what’s in front of me.

“Here,” the princess states, finally stopping. “You will go into the maze and try to find the middle. And then you, Gabriel.” She lets go of my wrist and walks to my brother. “Will go to the entrance, close your eyes and try to get back to the ballroom!”

“What?” Gabe asks. “But... that’s not really a game. Why don’t we play hide and seek or something?”

The princess scoffs. “Fine!” she screams. “Go back towards the entrance, Gabriel. Count to thirty, and then try and look for the three of us.”

My brother begins walking away, but I notice him look back at me again and again.

Once he’s out of view, the princess turns back to me. “Now, Isaac and I are are going to go hide over there, and you’re going to go hide in the hedge maze, understood? If you reach the middle, I have candy for you.”

I wanted to tell her that I didn’t want candy, I just wanted her to go away from me.

So to get her to stop talking to me with that mean voice, I agree. She pushes me towards the maze and I stumble in. When I turn around, her and her brother aren’t there anymore. I start walking forward, but everything was so dark. I thought that there should be lights somewhere, but there’s nothing. Maybe someone forgot to turn it on, or maybe I just wasn’t supposed to be here? I turn around to try and go back, but I don’t know which way is forwards or backwards. I put my hands in front of me and feel leaves. I start shuffling to my right, trying to guide myself. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I want to cry. I try to calm myself though, saying that if I got to the middle, everything would be okay. Maybe Mama was in the middle, or Liam was. If I got to the middle, maybe this lonely feeling would go away.

- Liam -

The children do not show up to the dinner table, but neither do Lord Maxwell or Lady Rowan. Liam hopes that the children are with them, and continues chatting with guests throughout the meal.

Leo takes a seat near him, and Liam’s heart clenches. A few seats away sat Riley, chatting with Lady Penelope and Countess Hana. Liam planned on telling one of his guards to keep a close eye on his brother, and make sure that Leo didn’t get anywhere near Riley.

There were more people at the ball than Liam had expected. Dukes, Duchesses, Earls, Countesses, Lords, and Ladies from countries all around the world. Liam had even overheard that there were more people expected to show up after the next few events. He wondered what caused the sudden increase in attendance, and hopes that it has nothing to do with Gabriel. He wants to keep the boy and his sister away from the political goals of foreigners for as long as he can.

After dinner, people went back onto the dance floor. There were so many women asking Liam to dance with him that he wasn’t even able to walk towards Riley and ask her if she wanted to dance. Thankfully though, the ballroom was beginning to clear out a little as people retired for the night.

Liam manages his way across the ballroom towards Riley. Lady Kiara stands with her.

“Your Majesty.” Kiara bows. She then glances between Riley and Liam, then excuses herself.

“I hope you’ve had a pleasant evening,” Liam says to Riley.

“Yes, actually. People were much nicer than I thought they would be. And Penelope and Kiara said that they were glad to see me again.”

“You were quite a fixation at court. Whoever forgot about you is a scoundrel.”

“And I’m assuming you are not one of those scoundrels?” she asks, humor in her tone.

“You have blessed my existence ever since I first laid eyes on you. My heart would not allow me to forget you.”

He can’t see most of her face from under the mask, but notices in the smile in her eyes.

“Would you like to dance?” he asks her, holding out a hand.

She takes it. “It would be my pleasure.” The words send a jolt of heat through Liam’s chest. He turns and leads her to the dance floor, which was less full compared to hours before, but there were still many people continuing the party.

When the music starts, both of them flow into the dance. Liam felt self-conscious holding her so close to him, but is distracted by the way she looks at him. He’s surprised at the energy in her step, finding her movements more enthusiastic than his. He matches her tempo, and she laughs.

“Didn’t know you still had those moves,” Riley says to him.

“I could say the same thing about you, but I’m not surprised at the way you amaze me.”

“Really? Tell me, Your Majesty, when have I amazed you?”

“Like I said, from the day I first laid eyes on you.”

“I amazed you by serving you and your friends during your bachelor party?” Riley gives a light laugh, and Liam’s heart flutters again.

“You amazed me by caring about something I thought was foolish. It’s because of you that I trust myself to follow my heart.”

She doesn’t answer him, and they continue spinning around the room.

Liam sees a set of French doors from the corner of his eye.

“Do you remember this?” he asks her.

“Remember what?”

“Follow my lead.”

Liam begins to guide Riley across the ballroom floor, taking a little longer than he usually would have. When they reach the set of French doors, he leads her through and onto the empty balcony.

“Ah, yes,” Riley laughs. “Our little private get-away. You do still have those moves.”

“Of course,” Liam responds. “Though they were a little rusty. I’ve gone too long without practice.”

“Whatever will we do about that?”

They share a laugh. Liam watches Riley as she walks towards the railing and looks out.

“Does this bring back memories?” Liam asks her.

She’s silent for a few moments. “These memories never left me. I replayed the Social Season countless times in my head over the years.” Riley turns back to him. He loves the look of excitement in her eyes.

“I hope you remembered us fondly,” he says to her, though he wishes to ask how she remembered him specifically.

“Of course.” She turns back around. “I haven’t asked you how you felt about Regina’s passing. How are you holding up?”

Liam laughs to himself, thinking about the information that he had gathered these last few weeks. “I couldn’t care less, and that is because I do not care at all.”

Riley turns back to him suddenly. “But... she was still like a mother to you. At least for a time.”

“She was no mother to me, Riley. She kept my family away from me.”

“Don’t blame her for that,” Riley begins. “That was my fault. If I had come earlier, or tried to be more discreet... or even figured out a way to come back later...”

He walks to her and holds her shoulders. “Riley, none of that was your fault. Regina has been working to keep us apart ever since she pushed me to marry Madeleine at my Coronation.”

“Liam, please don’t lie to me.”

He falls back, wondering what she meant. “What? I haven’t—”

“You didn’t propose to Madeleine because Regina told you to, you proposed to keep us both safe.”

“But wouldn’t you have been safer if you were besides the king?”

His words resonate something in both of them, and they fall into silence.

He stares down into her eyes, and she stares back up at him. He wants to ask her to take off the mask so he could see the full extent of her beauty, but again she turns away from him.

“I can’t see any lights in the garden?” Riley tells him.

Liam walks to her side, looking out at the dark expanse in front of them. “There are some renovations happening. A few were trampled during the night of the theft. They turned off the lights so people wouldn’t wander there.”

“That’s too bad,” Riley comments. “I thought we could go play maze tag for old time’s sake.”

“Perhaps we can, before tomorrow’s Derby.”

“Sure,” she answers in a soft voice.

Again they fall into silence as they stare out into the blank night in front of them. Liam occasionally glances at her, and even though she’s right next to him, he wants to be closer to her. He holds out a hand. She turns and places her fingers gently on his palm. Bringing her hand to his lips, he kisses her knuckles.

When the music from inside starts up again, he pulls her closer to him. They sway lightly to the music, eyes glued on each other. He feels the warm of her skin, and curses the fabric that keeps them apart.

“The night is almost over,” Riley says. “And we were only able to have one dance together.” There’s a smile in her voice

Liam’s face falls. “If I could, I would have spent the entirety of tonight by your side, but—”

“Duty calls,” she finishes for him. “I know.”

His obligations as King were keeping him away from spending time with Riley, and he feels a sudden anger pool in him for not remembering his new priorities.

“I heard people make some comments about Gabriel and I,” Riley tells him. The anger in Liam intensifies.

“Who? Tell me—”

“Liam,” she says forcefully, her tone still gentle. “Don’t. We both know the people probably have a lot of questions. Instead of pushing them to the side, we should answer them.”

“Of course.” He tries to pull her closer to him. He leans down towards her ear and whispers. “My responsible queen.”

“We should probably be more discreet about this, too,” she mentions.

“Yes.” He leans back a little. “The last thing we want is another scandal. But let’s enjoy this time while it’s our’s.”

“I would like that.”

Their noses were inches away from each other. “The moments in between belong to us,” he tells her.

“So nothing’s changed?”

Liam looks away for a moment, thinking. He turns back to her. “In a way, it hasn’t. My time will always belong to you.”

“And your heart?”

“Your’s. Forever.”

Her calm voice sounds like gentle wind when she says, “As is mine.”

They continue to move with the music, their bodies flush against each other. Neither could stop looking into each other’s eyes. Liam asks himself what was stopping them from giving themselves to each other, but he knows that time hadn’t been on their side. A small panic runs through him when he realizes that he must make up for the ten years they lost, or at least show her what could have been during that time.

But he focuses again on her eyes, and feels calm. She was here now, in his arms. All he had to do was not let go, at least for a few weeks, and she would understand. Their lives would be the way it should have been.

The door to the balcony opens, but Liam and Riley do not part from each other’s embrace. Bastien holds the door open, and Gabriel walks out.

The light from inside illuminates the boy’s face. His eyes are swollen and his face is wet. The skin around his lips is red. Riley rushes towards her son, and holds his head in her hands. Liam walks towards them, looking up at Bastien.

“What happened?” Liam asks his guard.

“Ella and I,” Gabriel begins, managing to speak between hiccups. “Were in the garden... with two other kids, and then... I think she went into the maze... and I yelled at her to come back... but I don’t think... she heard me, and I don’t... know where she is.” The boy falls into a crying and coughing fit. Riley pulls her son close to her with one arm, taking her mask off with her other hand. She looks up at Liam with a panic.

Liam tries to control his heart rate, but he’s breathing too quickly. He had seen Gabe and Ella walk off with Hunter and Heather. Liam wonders if it was Leo’s children who had forced Ella into the maze, but he remembers seeing them during dinner.

With his usual stoic expression, he walks back into the ballroom and makes a beeline for the front doors. People are on their way up to their rooms or to continue the party elsewhere, and servants have begun cleaning up. Liam nods at everyone who looks in his direction. After he steps out again into the cool night air, he takes off his mask. There are already multiple guards in front of the garden, waving around flashlights.

Liam grabs one from the guard and goes straight towards the maze. He doesn’t even need the light to know where he’s going, but how was he supposed to find Ella? Did she make it to the center or did she stop? Which direction had she taken? There was nothing that could provide them with a clue, so Liam begins calling out her name.

They were at a slight distance from the palace, so he wasn’t afraid of anyone hearing him. Liam notices other guards enter the maze and began calling out for Ella as well.

As time goes on and Liam passes by the middle at least twice, his head pounds with anger, and fear for Ella. What if someone had been lurking in the dark and had taken her? Where the Hell was Leo? Had he done something to her? The poor child was possibly overwhelmed because of the party, and now there was this foolish incident that must be instilling fear in her.

Liam begins running around the maze. Suddenly, he hears heavy breathing, interrupted by the shaking of tears. His mind brings him back to the night he found Riley crying at the Beaumont’s house... but this was the sound of a child.

Ella.

He walks backwards, and the crying gets louder. Liam flashes the light around him, looking into corners and behind bushes. Leaning closer to the wall, he realizes that Ella is on the other side.

Liam expertly finds his way around the wall. He moves the light in front of him, and sees Ella huddled in a corner, her knees pulled close to her chest and wrinkling her dress. She looks up at him, her chin quivering violently.

Without even realizing it, he collects the child in his arms. She buries her face in his shoulder and continues to whimper, her small hands grabbing his clothes tightly in her hands. Liam runs a hand along her back and kisses her cheek, attempting to soothe her.

He nods at the guards he passes, and they begin to follow him out of the maze. Near the entrance, they find Riley and Gabriel waiting. Riley walks by Liam’s side, guiding him to Eleanor’s room. The guards disband. Liam hears music playing from the ballroom, and is glad that they wouldn’t bump into anyone.

Inside Ella’s room, Riley rushes forward to pull away the covers. Liam puts her on the bed, but she doesn’t let go of his suit. He leans down close to her, and whispers in her ear: “It’s alright, Ella. You’re back in your room. I’m here, aren’t I? You’re safe.”

He kisses her cheek again, and she lets go. She pushes her face into the pillow, and before Liam fully pulls away, he catches her say, “Thank you, Daddyo.”

“Good night, Eleanor,” he says to her, his heart fluttering in his chest. Riley has climbed into the bed next to her daughter. She gives Liam a thankful smile, and he leads Gabriel out of the room.

After helping Gabriel to bed, Liam retires for the night. Besides the anxiety that arrived with Eleanor’s little incident, and not having been able to spend as much time with Riley as he wanted, he was still content with the way things were.

For the first time in what felt like a century, Liam told himself things would be okay, and he actually believed himself.

#the royal romance #choices trr #choices fandom #riley x liam #king liam x riley #king liam x mc #liam x mc #choices stories you play #trh fanfic #trr fanfic #trr fandom #the royal romance fanfic

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sweetest-honeybee · 4 years

Text

Tears of a Banshee

Summary: Logan is a banshee and he has to live through the day that Virgil will be meeting his end soon.

TW: Character Death, Heavy Angst, Crying, Mentions of Burning Sensations and Magma, Scratching at the Throat, Vivid Descriptions of Screaming, Creature!Logan, Dragons, Fire, etc.

THIS IS ANGST WITH NO HAPPY ENDING. DO NOT SAY “Someone pls give it a happy ending” BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE INTENTION. ITS SAD AND MEANT TO BE SAD.

Characters: All the Sides and mentions of Thomas

Word Count: 2472

Enjoy!

————————

Logan had intended to wake up peacefully like he did many months before- years, in fact. He hadn’t usually woken up with that single thought in his mind: Someone was going to die. How he’d known for sure, he didn’t know. But the tingling sensation in his throat and his growing inner grief had already started building up.

He sat up, waving aimlessly at his nightstand to put on his glasses. He scratched his throat and swallowed thickly.

Ah, this is what happens when you’re a banshee.

Repeating his daily morning routine still hadn’t been any harder than before. Soreness and a lump in his throat came to be otherwise. However, he was sure he’d be fine to join for breakfast. Though, he’d been wondering who it was. Who was going to die? Traits could certainly “die”, he knew. Their physical forms were merely vessels with memories that could be killed off and the trait inside them would live on to find another vessel roaming in the Imagination.

But again, no vessel means the loss of memories and personality. He was close to almost all of the sides now, he couldn’t help but to worry.

Taking a last look into his bathroom mirror, he straightened his tie and sunk out. Appearing again in the dining hall, he was greeted by a happy Patton plating him some waffles. The twins had their journals and glitter pens sprawled on at least half of the long cherrywood table. A map set right in the middle.

A nod from Virgil, a mindless hello from each of the busy twins, and a polite greeting from Janus later, the group was seated and discussing day plans.

“Thomas has two meetings today to discuss the next Thomas Sanders and Friends video. Since it is the end of the month, he has the monthly Vine compilation due in three days.” Logan made margin notes and small diagrams as he went. “I need a list of more Sanders Shorts ideas from the twins by the end of the day today.”

An exaggerated double groan confirmed his statement but the twins announced their progress.

Logan looked around the table. The others were still eating their breakfast. Nothing had seemed off so far. Virgil scrolled through his social media with a single earbud in. The twins continued discussing their ideas, Roman occasionally grimacing at The Duke’s input. Janus stayed quiet, answering some of Patton’s occasional questions and indulging in smaller conversation starters.

Who was it?

A few minutes went by and he finished his breakfast. The tingling sensation returned and suddenly flared into a stinging for a few seconds. Unable to hide his discomfort, he coughed. And coughed quite loudly. Playing it off as a small choking fit from his food, he drank the orange juice next to him.

“You okay?” asked Patton.

“Yes, I just choked a bit-“ he coughed again.

“...Are you sure?” The moral side continued. “Do you need more orange juice?”

As if that we’re the figurative magic words, the coughing ceased. “I’m fine, thank you.”

Then a thought had hit him. “What were you guys planning to do today? In your spare time, I mean.”

“Remus and I were planning to take you all on a tour of the new and improved imagination!” Logan’s chest tightened and he briefly became upset. The emotion flickered only for a second but enough to signal his near to happen deafening screech.

“Oh that sounds like a fun idea!” Patton cheered.

“No! I- I mean no, we can’t,” Logan sputtered. The twins stared at him as if he just killed a man. “I love the idea, I do. It sounds nice, but uh, we just can’t. I’m sure there’s other activities we can do.”

Janus merely squinted at the logical facet. “The twins have been working on this for months now, why do you want to cancel it?”

“I can’t explain right now, I’m just taking precautions.” The others stared at him. “I’m sorry.”

“Well we didn’t say you had to go if that’s the problem,” added Virgil. Logan’s throat flared once more and he coughed awkwardly.

“That isn’t it, maybe you should both spend a few more days working on it. Fix up the final details and make sure it’s safe.”

“Alright….?” The twins responded in unison.

“Good, I’ll be heading off to my study to work. If you need me, just call.” He gathered his notebooks and other belongings and sunk out.

“I- Okay then,” said Patton.

“He’s acting weird,” Remus said plainly with a pout on his face.

“Yes, I suppose so. I certainly haven’t been here long but this isn’t his usual behavior, correct?” Janus glanced at Patton who was still staring at Logan’s empty seat. The father figure looked away and began to gather the used dishes.

“Well,” he began. “If Logan believes it’s not safe, it may not be. It’s good to take precautions.”

“Pfft, he’s such a prude. A small dog would probably seem threatening to him,” Roman commented. “What if we take Virgil there or something?”

“Excuse me?” The anxious side glared at them. “I’m with Logan, dude. I’m literally anxiety. If even he thinks something may be dangerous, I’ve already got a list of stuff that could probably kill us.”

“Come on! I promise it’s safe! I bet you a whole week of peace and quiet that it is.”

Janus couldn’t help but to snort at the offer and he made a face as if he was considering it. “I don’t know, Virgil. He’s betting his sanity to show you that it’s not harmful.”

Roman rolled his eyes but glanced at Virgil. Virgil eyed him with a playful squint. Dramatically turning off his phone and removing his earbuds he made his decision. “Fine,” he said. “But one wrong move and we’re out of there ASAP.”

“Prince’s promise.”

With that, Roman snapped his fingers and he, Remus, and Virgil disappeared from the room.

“Janus, do you mind giving me a gloved hand for all of these dishes?”

Four extra arms appeared on Janus’s sides. “Of course.”

—

Scratching, scratching, and more continuous scratching. An undone tie and hardly finished budget plans. Logan felt miserable. Generally and mentally. He simply felt awful.

He’d only been working for about two hours. Something was going to happen. But bit down on the straw of his water bottle to suffocate an upcoming scream.

His throat was burning. As weird as it sounded, he simply felt as if he was going to cry. He was already mourning a dead trait before the event had even happened yet.

Logan decided to pull up some images of the others’ current activities. Patton was baking and keeping an eye on Thomas once in a while. Logan warmed a bit at Janus walking into the scene to steal a kiss from the moral facet. He pulled up the twins and his eyes widened.

Look, nothing stopped the idea that Janus or Patton could be harmed in the kitchen but the Imagination had creatures roaming that could kill in two seconds as well. Surprisingly, Virgil was there as well. Virgil would’ve stayed behind due to his anxiety and Logan’s throat tightened at Virgil’s image. He became deeply saddened simply by looking at the anxious side.

Scream, just scream. It’s him. It’s Virgil.

Logan made the image disappear and took a deep breath. He shuddered at the thought of Virgil ever dying and coughed the edge of his desk until his knuckles were white. His posture wilted at the images of the monsters that he’d come in contact with. He swallowed and he felt as if he drank a cup of magma.

“No, no, no, no, no-“ he stood from his desk. “I have to save him-“ he sunk out and reappeared in the Imagination.

“Virgil!” He called. He tried to keep his voice low but loud enough for someone at least fifty feet away to hear him. “Virgil!” His voice cracked. He sunk out again. This time reappearing a few feet away from the trio. He sighed a breath of relief.

“Oh heeeyy, Logan. Didn’t think you’d come in here,” Roman said sheepishly.

“I need to borrow Virgil.”

“Well we’re kind of using him right now. Can it wait?”

“No, no, it really can’t. I need him right- nOW-“ another voice crack and a minor screech.

“Jesus, what’s going on with you?” asked Virgil. “You sound like literal shit and you’ve been acting weird since breakfast.”

“I’m- I’m fine, I need you out of here now.”

“Why what’s wrong? It’s been fine so far-“

A deep thundering roar sounded from the distance, not even a mile away and they all flinched. The group turned their heads to a large dragon towering over a thicket of trees. Before they could react, a ball of fire was thrown into their direction.

“Scatter!”

They spread into opposite directions away from the landing flames. Roman wasn’t fast enough and it caught him by the legs, pulling him harshly away from his initial direction. The other three stared at the now half scorched prince in fear.

“Okay okay I’ll get us ou-!” Remus couldn’t finish his sentence. Another dragon swooped in and flew him away from the others.

“Logan, did you know about this?!”

“No! I just knew that- that uh-“ he stuttered, chest tightening for the hundredth time.

“That what, Logan?!” Virgil dodged one of the fire balls.

“That you’re going to die, Virgil! It’s inevitable!”

“How do you know?!”

Logan then got tackled by Virgil in an attempt to dodge another attack. He swallowed thickly. “I’m a banshee.”

“Wha- AHH-!” The dragon who took Remus swooped down again to rip Virgil away from Logan.

“LOGAN HELP!”

“No- no, no, no- wha- where are Janus and Patton?!” The now sad excuse for a logical side tugged at his hair and watched the dragon ascend up into the clouds. “I- What do I do- I don’t have control here-“ his voice cracked pathetically.

“Roman- Roman day you-“ he looked over to Roman who laid unconscious in the ground, a small stream of blood dripping from his forehead.

“They’re gone- they’re dead- I can’t save them-“ He whimpered and the grief kept building and building. Roman was hurt and not only Virgil, but Remus would be ripped apart by the clutches of the dragon.

So he began screaming.

A spine curdling wretched screech ripped its way out of his chest. He shrieked and a dense sadness surrounded him. He howled and hollered, not even taking a breath between the full minute of continuous screaming.

He cried, he cried out in volumes that shook the ground until it cracked under his feet. Animals ran away and so did the dragons. The first dragon flew away in terror of the sound escaping Logan’s throat. Rocks broke and he felt sorry for the prince laying not hardly ten feet away from him.

That he had to listen to the sound of a creature's pent up grief. His sadness, his desperation, his mourning, all let out to the sky in a way that would never let him be seen as human again.

Higher and higher in pitch it ascended until he stopped. The cries faded into sorrowful sobs and he was broken between coughing and heaving and simply just falling to the ground. Like him, the dragon in the clouds holding Remus and Virgil fell to the earth, limp. The screams of the boys could be heard from miles in the sky and they dissipated with the rumbling crash of the dragon.

Logan didn’t know what to do. He needed help.

“P-Pat-“ he croaked. He grimaced at the searing pain in his throat. “Patton, I- I need help- I need Janus-“

The words barely left his tongue before he heard a pair of gasps above him.

“Oh my….Logan, honey what happened….” the father figure was immediately led to tears before he could process the scene around him. While doing so, Janus stepped back away from the pair. He studied the cracks in the ground circling Logan, the logical facet being their obvious cause.

“Logan, what happened here? Where’s Virgil and the twins?”

Logan weakly pointed towards Roman on the ground to his left. “R-Roman.” He posted behind Janus at the unconscious dragon. “They- they’re-“ he muttered hoarsely.

“It’s alright, I’m going to go help them. I’ll be back.” Janus summoned his cane and sunk out, reappearing by the dragon. “Virgil? Remus? Are you both alright?”

He made his way around to the front of the dragon where the boys laid limp in the talons of the dragon. Remus seemed mostly fine other than unconsciousness, a few lacerations here and there. Virgil on the other hand…..Virgil brought him to his knees.

“Virgil….Virgil no….” he moved forward to the anxious side quickly, bloody and a talon sticking into his stomach pooling with the red liquid. Janus cupped his face. “Virgil please wake up.” He traced his fingers over Virgil's neck, not finding any signs of life. His eyes watered and a few tears slipped down his cheeks. He ducked his head into Virgil’s chest. “You're an idiot, you know that?” He chuckled meekly. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to help you.”

As if on cue, a small glowing purple orb pulled itself out of the side’s chest. “It’s okay, I’ll find you another one. Sleep well, darling.” He shakily pressed a kiss to the top of Virgil’s forehead, pulling away slowly.

Remus stirred a bit, groaning. Janus turned his attention to him. “At least I still have you.” He pulled Remus from the talons and slung him over his shoulder.

“Wh...wht’s….where’s Virgil…..” muttered the Duke.

“In a better place.”

“Oh…” and again, he was out, pressing all of his weight into Janus. They sunk out and came back to Patton, Logan, and Roman.

Roman and Patton stared in shock when Virgil wasn’t with Janus or Remus.

“He….he’s…” Janus nodded and Patton welled up with more tears.

“What happened, Logan.” Logan flinched at the stern tone coming from Janus.

“I-“ he sighed. At this point he may as well tell them. “I’m a banshee.”

Janus’s eyes widened. “You knew Virgil was going to...How long have you been like this?”

“Ever since I was created.”

“That’s why the ground looks like this, isn’t it. Because you were screaming.”

Logan ducked his head and nodded.

“Well, we need to find him another vessel, I can’t put it any other way than that. There’s not much to help with Logan being a banshee and we can’t postpone the inevitable.” Proving his point he pulled a hard with the purple orb floating around in it.

“Yeah...yeah let’s do that,” Logan agreed.

It takes a while for any of them to explain what happened to Thomas. He’ll have to reintroduce himself to Virgil and accept him once more. Re-establish a new relationship again.

And start over.

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knightofthecourt · 4 years

Text

Love Bites - Chapter 1

Belatrice Gray was a TA at Belgrave University, working hard to stay on top of her marking and trying not to flunk her own studies, when a night out with her bff Randall and his roommates, changed everything.

Hamish Duke x OC fiction with fluff, romance and angst. OC description purposefully left out to allow for reader personalisation.

“I call this one a Wolf Bite.” Hamish set the tall glasses down in front of Randall and Bela, smiling as they both took a sip, and then another immediately.

“Haim, this is amazing.” Bela said as Randall nodded in agreement. Her lips quirked up in delight, causing a rush of warmth to radiate throughout Hamish’s chest.

He seated himself across from her, trying to ignore the sudden fluttering in his stomach.

Belatrice Gray - Bela, to her friends - had transferred to Belgrave’s Linguistics department from a college on the West Coast at the start of the year. After Randall was assigned as her tour guide during orientation they’d become fast friends and now the RA spent almost as much time with her as he did with Hamish, Lilith and Jack.

Though Hamish was usually reluctant to let the others bring friends back to the Den, when Randall finally introduced them to Bela he’d instantly made an exception for her. Not only was she sweet, funny and smarter than anyone else he’d met at Belgrave, she was also fair with the students under her guidance as a TA, and a loyal and caring friend to Randall - qualities that Hamish admired greatly.

As Bela became a semi-regular fixture at their nights out, nights in and revision sessions, Hamish had found himself making an effort to be around whenever Bela was present.

They’d spent many afternoons this semester studying in the Den’s comfy living room and as finals drew closer, Randall regularly recruited Bela for last minute cramming sessions. This afternoon it was Advanced Anatomy, with a side of Diagnostic Reasoning.

The dark haired man sighed and flopped down next to Bela on the shabby-but-comfortable sofa. She shifted as he jostled the cushions, almost knocking her book out of her hands.

From his armchair Hamish could see Bela reach over and run her hand up and down Randall’s arm in a soothing gesture. “You’ll get there.” She said, still focused on her work. “You know this stuff already, you’re just tired.”

Randall scoffed. “That’s easy for you to say. I can’t believe you dropped out of Pre Med - your grasp of the human body is truly astounding.”

“Yeah, my mother can’t either,” Bela joked.

“Another thing you and the Ham-ster have in common.”

Hamish winced at the nickname, but let it go. Randall was tired, after all.

Bela frowned, “A good grasp of the human body?”

Randall, who had taken this moment to have a sip of his drink, choked on his mouthful.

Hamish reached over to pat his friend on the back. “Disappointing our parents.” he bowed his head slightly, “I was Pre Law.”

“Really? “ Bela said, raising an eyebrow. “When I imagine you in a courtroom, I put you in handcuffs.”

“Is that something you imagine regularly?” Hamish flashed her a smile. She laughed.

“Jesus,” Randall muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Hamish’s enhanced hearing to pick up. “If I don’t choke to death on my drink, the sexual tension in this room is going to smother me.”

He leapt up from his chair, narrowly avoiding the pillow that sailed past his head. “Anyone want a snack? I need popcorn.”

As he headed to the kitchen Hamish turned his attention to Bela. She was chewing on the end of a pen, lost in the pages of her textbook. His breath hitched as the afternoon light filtering in through the windows caught the edges of her hair, lighting a halo around her.

“Bels?”

“Mmhm?”

“Randall mentioned you’re swamped with work at the moment?”

“Oh?” Bela made a face. “Yeah, Professor Liebernacht dumped all of his marking on me again - big surprise. I have to grade ninety Syntactic Theory papers by the end of the week.”

“How about we mark papers together tonight?” Hamish tried to keep his voice light and even to disguise the hammering in his chest. “I have practise tests to get through, it’s going to take hours. Maybe we could get a take-out, keep each other company?”

“Oh.” She looked up from her book. “Yeah, that would be great actually. As long as you make me one of your signature cocktails too?”

A smile lit up his face. “I can make you as many cocktails as you like, I think we probably both need a drink this far into finals season.”

“Great idea Ham-and-cheese!” Randall said, returning with a large bowl clutched to his chest. “Hey Lil,” He yelled up the stairs, “Big night out tonight with Hamish and Bela, let’s blow off some steam.”

“What? No, that’s not what I-” Hamish began in protest.

“I’m in.” Lilith appeared in the hallway. “But I get to choose the bar this time, the last one Bela chose was lame.”

“Hey,” Bela objected.

“Cool, I’ll tell Jack and Alyssa.” Randall sat down, setting the popcorn on the coffee table in front of him, and pulled out his phone. “Meet here at 8pm?”

Bela looked from Randall to Hamish, who was glaring daggers at his friend. She shrugged.

“Great!” Randall’s phone buzzed. “They’re in. Thanks, Haim. We could all do with a break tonight - your papers can wait until tomorrow, can’t they?”

Hamish bit back his disappointment. “I guess they’ll have to.”

- - - - -

“Dude, you have to stop.”

Randall placed a hand firmly over Hamish’s, stilling the older man’s fingers. He’d been drumming his nails on their table for the past ten minutes and even with the music in the club drowning out the sound, it was extremely irritating.

“What’s up with you tonight?”

“Nothing.” Hamish lied, freeing his hand from Randall’s grasp.

Randall’s suspicion grew as he followed Hamish’s gaze to the bar where Jack, Bela and Alyssa were ordering a round of shots.

“Fine.” Hamish groaned, when he noticed Randall surveying Bela. “It’s just weird. I asked Bela on a date and now we’re all hanging out together.”

Randall’s eyes almost popped out of his head. “What?! You finally asked her out? When the hell did that happen?”

“This afternoon. I asked her to hang out tonight.”

“But did you really?” Lillith smirked over the top of her glass. “I’m not sure she realised you were actually asking her out.”

“When did this happen?” Randall frowned “And how come you know about it when I don’t Lil?”

“Duh. I’m a werewolf.” She shrugged. “I can hear everything in that house.”

“You were there, Randall.” said Hamish, glancing over at Bela who, thankfully was still out of earshot.

“Oh.” Randall’s eyes widened. “That was a date? Hamish, I totally blocked you!”

“He blocked himself.” Lillith shook her head. “In what world is asking someone to mark papers with you a date?”

“I know.” Hamish rubbed his neck. “I thought it might be a good jumping off point? Actually spending some time alone together.”

A smile worked its way across Randall’s face. “Well if it’s alone time you want, you only had to ask!”

“Randall, don’t” Hamish hissed.

“Don’t what?” Jack asked, placing a tray of shots down in front of his friends. Bela slipped into the booth next to Hamish, brushing his thigh with hers as she slid across to make space for Alyssa and Jack.

Randall grabbed a shot and threw it back. “Jack, Alyssa - Lillith was just telling me how much she wanted to dance.” He said, barely pausing to take breath.

“No I - Ow.” Lillith bared her teeth at Randall. She jerked her leg out of his reach, massaging the sore spot on her left shin. “Yeah,” she agreed, “I totally want to dance. On the dance floor. With people. Hamish you stay here and look after our shit.”

She grabbed Jack’s arm and yanked him from the booth before he could pick up his drink. Randall followed her, gesturing for Alyssa to join them.

Bela and Hamish sat in stilted silence for a moment before Hamish cleared his throat. “You can go and dance if you want to, I don’t mind looking after everything.”

“Actually, I’m good here.” Bela said.

Hamish’s cheeks glowed as he returned her easy smile.

Bela was enjoying spending time with Randall and his friends but she couldn’t deny that she’d rather be grading papers with Hamish tonight. At first Randall has requested that they hang out at the Den as it was quieter than the dorms and closer to the campus than her apartment, but recently it had been at Bela’s insistence that they’d studied there. Bela hadn’t been sure if Randall realised it was because she wanted an excuse to spend time with Hamish, but his not so subtle attempt at leaving them alone to go ‘dancing’, had pretty much just confirmed that he knew about her crush.

Bela cringed. Hopefully Hamish didn’t realise that their friend was playing matchmaker, that would just be too embarrassing.

“Bels?” Hamish was staring at her in confusion. Bela realised he’d been talking to her this whole time.

“Sorry,” she stuttered, “what were you saying?”

As he leaned forward in his chair the club’s strobe lights cast his face in shadow, picking out the contours of his high cheekbones and strong jaw. Bela’s gaze followed the line up from his neck, to his full lips and then up to his eyes, which were trained on her.

“I was asking if you wanted to hang out tomorrow instead. I know I said grading papers but we could do something else if you want? There’s a new sci-fi film on at the student lounge or we could go out to eat.” He tipped his head towards the dance floor. “Lillith informed me that grading papers isn’t really a date activity.”

Bela felt a well of happiness bubble up. So Hamish was actually asking her out? She hadn’t been sure before.

“She’s wrong,” Bela shook her head. “Anything can be a date if you’re with the right person.” As a smile flooded Hamish’s face her lips turned up to mirror his.

“You know you haven’t said yes, yet.”

Bela paused, as if considering his proposal. “Actually, I’m hungry now. Do you want to get some-”

“Yes,” Hamish interrupted before she finished. He beamed at her. “Let’s go, I’ll tell the others we’re leaving.”

“Great,” said Bela, “I’m just going to grab my coat. I’ll meet you outside.”

As they made their way across the club neither of them noticed the figure watching them from the other side of the room.

- - - - -

If you ignored the distant bass leaking from the building’s windows it could almost be considered peaceful out here, Bela thought. She inhaled the fresh, cool air, enjoying how it chased away the faint buzz in her temples, and leaned against a wall, scrolling through her phone as she waited for Hamish.

“Hey,” a voice broke through the night. “You’re Bela, right?”

Bela turned to find a young man next to her. He was wearing a Belgrave t-shirt under a fitted plaid shirt, and his dirty blonde hair was cropped in a trendy cut. Despite looking like every other rich, entitled frat boy on Bela’s course, as he grinned up at her his face was pleasant.

“Uh, yeah,” Bela frowned in confusion. He looked vaguely familiar. “Do I know you?”

“Tanner Jeffries - I’m new to the Linguistics department.” He held out a hand, shaking hers firmly when she placed her palm in his.

He chuckled lightly, making his cheeks dimple. “I know what you’re thinking - why oh, why would anyone join Linguistics? Well, I’m a glutton for punishment. I just couldn’t resist meeting the notorious Professor Liebernacht.”

“He’s the worst,” Bela confirmed, with a small laugh “I’ll be surprised if we have any students left after this year.”

“Yeah, you should see his reviews on Rate My Prof.”

“I know,” Bela couldn’t help but return his smile. “Half of those are from his TAs.”

Tanner chuckled again. He reached up to rub the side of his neck and shot her an apologetic look. “Hey, I know this is a bit weird but my car’s not starting. I was going to ask for a flashlight in the club so I can check out the engine but… could I borrow the light on your phone. It’ll just take a minute.”

“Uh-” Bela hesitated. She threw a brief glance over her shoulder at the club’s entrance. “Yep, sure. No problem.”

The parking lot beside the club was eerily vacant, considering how many people were packed into the heaving room. As they walked towards the only car there, a blue four wheel drive in the corner of the lot, Tanner dropped behind her, digging around his pockets for his keys.

Bela turned to the car, “Ok, where’s the latch-”

As Tanner’s hand clamped over her face she let out a startled shriek.

Bela’s thoughts filled with panic. She acted on instinct, struggling against his hold as Tanner’s other arm twisted around her waist, almost lifting her off the floor. Her fingers scrambled to find purchase, finally catching around his shirt, which she pulled sharply, trying to throw him off balance.

He grunted with effort, blocking her mouth to stifle her screams. “You don’t need to make this - urgh - any harder. Dormitum Dimittatur.”

Bela slumped in his arms.

- - - - -

As Hamish predicted, Randall was incredibly happy that he was taking Bela out to eat. He’d thrown his arms around Hamish’s neck and tipsily mumbled about how his best friends were falling in love for almost ten minutes, until Lillith had taken pity on the older man and peeled Randall off him, promising they’d all meet back at the Den in a few hours.

Hamish hurried out of the club, keen to find Bela and start their date, but she was nowhere to be found.

He frowned. It wasn’t like Bela to just up and leave without telling them. Even if she’d changed her mind about going out with him she would have just said - wouldn’t she?

After pacing in front of the club for a few moments he managed to pick up the faint scent of her perfume on the cold night breeze - sometimes being a werewolf was really useful. He followed the trail around the side of the building, frowning again when he reached the parking lot.

This doesn’t make sense, he thought, an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach. They’d walked to the club and none of them were in a state to drive anywhere tonight. Maybe the alcohol was throwing off his game. He pulled out his phone and dialed Bela’s number, silently thanking Tundra as his enhanced hearing picked up the sound of vibration.

As Hamish followed it to the edge of the lot, his breathing quickened and the unease grew into dread.

“Oh no,” he whispered, kneeling beside the glowing object.

It was Bela’s phone, lying face up in the gravel.

#the order #hamish duke #hamish duke x reader #hamish duke x oc #randall carpio #lillith bathory #the knights of saint christopher #werewolves #love bites

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temperancejones · 3 years

Text

Some Kind of Curse- Chapter Six

Kris barely slept that night. Something was plaguing her mind, but she wasn't sure what it was. At 0530, she gave up trying to sleep, and decided to go on a run while Steve caught his last few hours of sleep. Throughout her five mile long run along the beach, Kris' mind couldn't help but to imagine what her new life would be like back home in Hawaii. When she was fifteen, she imagined herself in a completely different life. Dreams of being on the US Olympic volleyball team and touring the world playing the sport she loved while making lots of money seemed like a lifetime ago to her now at 33. Being forced to grow up at sixteen when her mother died and her father, consumed by grief and anger, sent her and Steve away to boarding school on the mainland while Mary got to stay with their aunt in Los Angeles. Kris was thankful for her life now though, she held no real resentment towards her father for everything that he did to her and her siblings- her and Steve got an amazing education at the Navy academy, and Mary got to truly live a free life in Los Angeles, just like she always dreamed of. Even at a young age, Mary told everyone that she was going to be a famous Actress in Los Angeles, where she could have everything she had ever wanted. The dream lasted a little while for Mary, until she nearly died from an overdose at age 25, which then lead to a bit of a downward spiral for her. Aunt Deb always took good care of Mary though, and helped her get back on her feet. Unfortunately, Steve and Kris could not be there to support her during this time, as their location for nearly ten years was on a strictly need-to know basis, thanks to them being in Naval intelligence and the SEALs. A lot of their adult lives were confidential, which lead to a big rift between them and Mary and Deb in LA. Mary blew them off in return, which Kris now understood that it was completely their fault, but Deb always made sure to check in on them whenever she could, and whenever they were able to.

Deb McGarrett had a heart of gold, and always saw the best in everyone. She never gave up on believing in Steve and Kris, and she knew that they were just as devoted to their jobs as her brother, their father once was. Deb secretly hoped that they would have a different and better life than John, but deep down, she knew that they would most likely have the exact same life as he once did, which was working until he died. Even when John was retired, he still worked every single day, up until his death. Deb hoped to god that Steve and Kris wouldn't end up like him, but she figured it was inevitable at this point. Thanks to John sending them away to boarding school, he practically sealed their fates. Deb hadn't talked to them in a few years now and was fearful for their futures. She hoped that they didn't become obsessed with his death as he did with their mother's death seventeen years ago.

--------- When Kris returns from her run, Steve is awake and fully dressed, after having gone on a (shorter) run of his own. He was ready for the day, and apparently had a full itinerary planned for the both of them. Kris quickly showered and got dressed, then listened to what Steve had planned out for the both of them. While Kris was out running, Steve asked the governor if they could borrow a car for the next few days until they could get the taskforce going, to which she agreed- there was a government Issue black SUV waiting outside for them as they spoke. Steve was going to go and recruit Detective Williams and get them to work with them on the case. Steve was impressed with his background, and after a quick little rundown on him, Kris was too. The next person that they had decided to ask to join their team was Chin-Ho Kelly. Even though Chin had been fired from HPD, Steve and Kris knew that he was still a good man and a cop. Chin was essentially an older brother to them when they were teenagers- he was always around their house, learning everything he could with their father, who was his training officer. Their father had trusted Chin with his life, and if John McGarrett could do that, then Steve and Kris could as well.

A coffee was quickly downed by each of the twins, then they head out for their day of recruiting. Steve had gotten Detective Williams' address from Duke, so that was their first stop. Steve pulled into the parking lot outside of the detective's shabby looking apartment complex, and hopped out, wishing his sister good luck.

Kris quickly hopped over to the driver's seat once Steve left, and drove over to Pearl Harbour, in hopes to find Chin-Ho working there. When she parks the car, she quickly goes over what she is going to say to him, then hops out of the car. Thankfully, it has stopped raining now, and it is a sunny and beautiful September day on the harbour. Kris tucks her phone in her pocket and makes sure that she has her wallet on her, then walks over to the gift shop, which is opening for the day. Thankfully, Chin-Ho is there, and he smiles when he sees her approaching.

"Hey, back so soon?" Chin asks, smiling as he begins to make his way over to Kris, who is now smiling back at him. They shake hands when they get close enough, then Kris asks if there is somewhere a little more private that they can talk. Chin quickly directs them inside the gift shop, which is still empty for the time being. Chin and Kris make a little bit of small talk, mostly about how happy Kris must be to be back home on the island after all these years. To be honest with herself and Chin, Kris is very glad to be back home and feel a little bit of normalcy in her life for the first time in a while. Deep down, she really hopes that the taskforce will work out well for them, and that they can hopefully settle down back home.

Once Kris and Chin are seated, Kris gets right to the point. "I'm just going to jump right in. Yesterday, the Governor gave Steve and I command of the new state taskforce to take down Hesse and his accomplices. By the looks of it, we will be special forces in a way, and Steve and I want you. We need someone we know we can trust, and I know that our old man trusted you. We also need someone who knows this island like the back of their hand. We need your help." Kris offers to Chin calmly. Chin sighs and looks down at the table. "I'm the last person that HPD wants to see with a badge again. We did not end on good terms." He replies, looking a little upset. He looks up at Kris, defeated. Kris nods, understanding his perspective. "I understand that. But this is not HPD. We will be working under the governor's command. No backing, no red tape. Just us, doing our own thing. Sure, we will butt heads with HPD occasionally, but you are going to have to face them one day. We are willing and ready to help you when you do so." She explains to him. Chin furrows his brows and looks a little skeptic towards the offer. Something like this must be too good to be true. "HPD thinks that I stole money from their evidence locker, what is going to stop you guys from thinking the same?" Chin challenges, hoping to call out Kris' bluff. He assumes that she must be bluffing at this point, because nobody gave second chances like this. Never. "My father trusted you with his life back in the day. You were a part of our family for a while Chin. If he can trust you, then so can we." Kris explains, now looking Chin in the eye, making sure that she can get a good read on him for the next thing she is going to ask. "I will only ask you this once, then it will never be brought up again by me or Steve. Did you take the money?" Kris asks sternly. Chin takes a deep breath and looks her in the eye before saying a firm "No.". Kris can't help but smile. "Good. Well, the offer still stands. This is your ticket back in the game, Chin." Kris tells him, and then stands up and pushes her chair in, waiting for his response. "You're sure you want me?" Chin asks once more. Kris nods. "alright. I'm in." He grins and stands up himself. He and Kris shake hands once more and smile at each other. "Welcome to the taskforce, Chin-Ho Kelly. Now please, raise your right hand." Kris says to him, and then swears him. Chin chuckles in disbelief once he is sworn in, then quickly heads to the staff area to grab his things. Kris heads outside to wait for him.

While waiting on the pier, she pulls out her phone and calls Steve, who fills her in on his little outing with Detective Williams, who was investigating the possible involvement of Fred Doran, a local arms dealer who may have set Hesse and his crew up with their weapons. Doran himself was a dead end, but his house revealed a big break- Doran was involved in human trafficking. Kris wasn't surprised to hear those words, as Victor and Anton Hesse were highly involved in many human trafficking rings around the world, so it was easy to assume that Hesse contacted a trafficker to get onto Hawaii. Kris quickly fills Steve in on her meeting with Chin, telling him that he agreed to join, and has been sworn in by Kris on a temporary basis until he can get sworn in by the governor. Steve tells her that the Detective is in as well, but Kris already knew that he was going to be, as Steve wasn't going to give him an option- he wanted him on the team no matter what. And if Kris was being completely honest with herself, she wanted him on the team too. His track record was great, and he was nice to look at too.

Chin meets up with Kris a few moments later, and she congratulates him again, then offers to give him a ride back to the palace, where they will be meeting up with Steve and Detective Williams. Chin declines, saying that he brought his bike to work today, so he would meet her there. Kris nods, and they go their separate ways.

Twenty minutes later, Kris parks the car at the Palace and waits for Chin to pull in beside her. They quickly make their way into the building and up the stairs to the new office. Kris gives Chin a little tour and lets him have first dibs on the three remaining offices. Chin chooses one and puts his bag down in there, and then heads out to meet Kris in the main room, where she fills him in on the case so far while they wait for Steve and the Detective to arrive. Within a few minutes, Steve and the Detective arrive, looking awfully grumpy and generally unhappy to be around each other- Danny wont even look Steve in the eye right now, due to his anger towards him and how bad the raid at Doran's house went. Danny had managed not to get shot in his six months on the island. But within one day of knowing the McGarretts, he managed to get shot. He was thoroughly unimpressed. He really hoped that this wasn't going to be a normal occurrence for him but based on the fact that Kris was already nursing an injured arm, he had a feeling it would be. Introductions are made, and the Detective insists on being called Danny, which Kris and Chin note. Danny seems to be favouring his left arm a little bit when Kris looks at him and quickly analyzes him. When Chin asks him about it, Danny grumbles something about a woman biting him, which confuses Kris a little bit, but she doesn't question it any further. The moral of the story is his arm is injured. Kris makes a mental note to ask Steve about it later.

The new team then gathers around the table and discusses Steve and Danny's new findings. Thankfully, Chin pipes up and says that he may know someone who can help with the trafficking lead, which is a relief to Steve, Danny and Kris, who had no idea how to pursue that lead. Steve and Kris had hoped that having a local as well known and liked as Chin would help them out. And they were right. "My guy may have the information, but he probably won't give it to you. He's not the biggest fan of haoles." Chin explains to the three outlanders who definitely would not pass as locals. "but he'll talk to you, right?" Steve asks. "if the price is right, yeah. His name is Kamekona Tupuola. He used to be a big-time gambler and arms dealer, 'till he got handed a five-year sentence in Halawa. He got out a few years back and since then, he has been running a legit shrimp and shaved ice truck. He still has connections to the black market though, so he may be able to help us out." Chin explains to everyone, who is listening intently. "and he can be trusted?" Danny asks the question that was in everyone else's mind. Chin nods. "He is a well-known CI with most of HPD. You may not have heard of him in homicide, but he was well known in organized crime and robbery. He's good. He helped me a lot in HPD." Chin replies, reassuring Danny, Steve and Kris all at once. Kris slaps the table. "alright, let's get a move on then." She says to her team, grinning. She digs her SUV keys out of her pocket and tosses them to Steve so he can drive. She technically isn't supposed to be driving with her arm in a sling, so it's better if Steve does the driving until her arm is feeling a little bit better.

They all then file out of the office and back downstairs and to their cars. Kris ends up hopping in Danny's car, while Steve and chin take the SUV. Kris really wants to get a proper first impression on the detective, and she wants to make sure that he is a good fit for the team. Steve seems to think so based off of their meeting in the garage of their house, but Kris, being the control freak and leader she is, wants to be sure. She learned quickly in the Navy that she needs to be able to trust her co-workers and team members in order for their ops to go well, so she needs to make sure that Danny will fit in well. She already knows Chin will.

The first few minutes of the drive are silent while Danny and Kris try to feel each other out and figure out what is going on in each other's heads. Danny is still angry about Steve's impulsive actions back at Doran's house, which could have easily gotten them both killed, but that was not what was bothering him. What was truly bothering him was Steve's complete lack of empathy and common sense. Steve did not have a way with words, and so far, had come off pretty rude and offensive towards Danny, which just made him feel miserable. Danny was already dealing with enough misery in his life- he hated Hawaii with all of his being- but now, he had no choice to deal with a complete and utter moron who had no people skills and would most likely end up getting him killed before he can see his sweet Grace graduate elementary school. Danny secretly hoped that Kris had the brains between the twins and was a lot better with her people skills than her neanderthal of a brother, but he definitely wasn't getting his hopes up. Kris on the other hand, was trying to figure out what made Detective Williams- Danny- tick. She didn't get to go in his apartment with Steve to get a real feel for him, and she only looked over his work file quickly, which really does not give her the full picture. He drives a Silver Camaro that is in impeccable shape, meaning that he is not a slob and that he is a good driver. So far, he hasn't done anything too reckless yet, meaning that he is quite careful too. Kris glances over to his visor and sees a picture of a little girl and a post card of New Jersey. She quickly thinks back to his file and recalls that he has a daughter, and that he transferred from Newark PD six months ago. Kris hasn't noticed a wedding band or anything on his person, meaning that he must be separated or divorced; he probably transferred out to Hawaii to be closer to his daughter by the looks of it. Kris makes a mental note to ask either Danny or Steve about it when it is appropriate. And finally, Kris takes a closer look at how Detective Williams presents himself. His blonde hair is always perfectly styled back, and he always makes sure to wear a tie with his dress shirts, meaning that he definitely cares about his appearance, and still is clinging onto the mainland, where detectives wear suits and ties. Here on Hawaii, the dress code is a lot more informal; it's hot year-round, and the only time suits are worn are weddings and funerals. Most detectives wear polos or Hawaiian shirts, which would be completely inappropriate on the mainland. Based on Danny's resentment towards Steve so far, He probably isn't impressed with Steve's lack of communication or people skills, so Kris makes sure to not tease him about anything for the time being. Good first impressions matter, especially when you are supposed to be working together and having each other's backs in dangerous situations. Based on all of this, Kris has a good idea about how to approach him now.

"So," She begins, "Steve wooed you with his great communication skills, right?" Kris chuckles, now looking over at Danny when they stop at a light. Danny scoffs. "What gave you that idea?" Kris smiles cheekily. "I've spent thirty years with the man. I think I know how dreadful he can be when talking human beings." She tells him. Danny raises his eyebrows and exhales loudly through his nose, half laughing. "so, what-" He says, and now looks over at Kris. "he's the brawn and you're the brains?" he asks, then looks back at the road and continues to drive, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. Kris shrugs. "more or less. It's more like... we're both the brawns and brains, but him more so the brawns and me more so the brains. People skills are not his strong suit." "yeah, I learned that real quick." Danny mutters, now thinking about his throbbing arm. "He'll grow on you. He always does. He's kind of like a parasite in that way." Kris jokes, hoping to break the tension building between her and Danny now. Danny just nods, obviously not too impressed. "I just don't wanna end up six feet in the ground, okay? I got a kid, I wanna see her grow up- and with him being all impulsive and shit, I'm gonna get killed! I'm not a Navy SEAL like you two. I do things by the book, and I do things to stay alive- I do not have a death wish like you two." Danny says with a little bit of urgency- to kris, he sounds quite angry and upset about this. Kris nods, now understanding his perspective. "okay. Okay. I can work with that. So can Steve, but we just need a little bit of time to adjust, you do need to understand that we have been in the navy since we were eighteen. Old habits do die hard, unfortunately." Kris explains to him, which causes him to loosen up a little bit. He sighs. "I- I didn't think about that. You're right. Sorry- Steve really got me goin'." Danny chuckles. Kris can't help but to smile at the detective. "I know. He's good at that. I just tune him out if he gets like that with me." She confesses, making Danny laugh again. When Danny stops at the next light, he turns and looks at Kris again. They half smile at each other. "And Danny," Kris begins in a softer voice, "We will do everything in our power to get you home safely to your daughter, okay? You have my word. And Steve's. He may not act like it, but he means it." she smiles sadly at him, feeling her heart pang in her chest. Kris tries not to think about the day that her mother didn't come home from work, but at times like these, she can't stop it. She still remembers seeing her father collapse in shock and devastation at the door- the gut-wrenching sobs that escaped her father's lips that day have been permanently trapped in her mind for nearly two decades now.

"thank you," Danny says softly, as he pulls up to the parking lot of the shrimp truck next to the SUV that Chin and Steve drove in. Danny and Kris hop out of the car and greet Steve and Chin, who are already out of the SUV and waiting. Kris nods at Chin, and he leads the way to the window of the shrimp truck.

#Hawaii Five-O #hawaii five o #Hawaii Five-0 #H50 fic #h50 #steve mcgarrett #kris mcgarrett #Danny Williams #chin ho kelly #Kono Kalakaua

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carmichealroyals · 4 years

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PRINCE WILLIAM AND PRINCESS MARIA THERESA’S ENGAGEMENT INTERVIEW: HEAR DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL, THE TOLL OF WARTIME ROMANCE

Today, TRH Crown Prince William, Duke of Brevell and Princess Maria Theresa of Monte Vista sat down with Monica Tennet, chief royal correspondant for the BCOW to discuss their engagement, including how the couple met, how the Prince proposed, and the struggles of being in a relationship while war rages around you. Read the transcript below!

Monica: ...Thank you, John. Well, everyone, today I am here with the Winden Territories favorite young couple, Prince William and Princess Maria Theresa of Monte Vista. Thank you both for sitting down to chat with me -- I know these must have been a busy few days for you both.

Prince William: Just a little, Ms. Tennet.

Princess Maria Theresa: It has been an absolute whirlwind, it’s nice to just sit down for a few minutes. *chuckles*

M: So, let’s rewind: how did the two of you first meet?

PW: Well, it’s hard not to know of each other when you run in such similar social circles, but if I’m remembering right, the first time we met was at... Mary’s birthday ball?

PMT: Yes, that was it.

PW: So, Grand Duchess Margot’s birthday ball. It was my and Belle’s first foreign event besides the tour in Sedonia, and it was still one of the best nights of my life, between the dancing and the food. And the excellent company, of course.

PMT: Margot introduced us when we all sat for the group portrait. She had already known William from attending the Duke and Duchess of Daven’s wedding with Grand Duke David and thought we would hit it off. I’ll be the first to admit, I had a small crush when we were first introduced.

PW: As did I, but I was so nervous around her that I didn’t register it until after I came home, and by the next time we met, well...

M: You had just broken things off with Fiona Holbrook.

PW: Yes, I had. I want to make it clear that at the time, I didn’t want to end things when it wasn’t on my own terms, but my father wasn’t going to let up. I saw Maria when I entered the ballroom with Belle, and it turns out that crush had never really gone away.

PMT: I knew little of that situation. I simply thought William was being a gentleman by asking me to dance on our own. But then, again, we didn’t reconnect until Margot’s wedding.

PW: And at that point, I was with Lady Rachelle.

M: The timing was never right, was it?

PW: It certainly didn’t feel like it. So you can imagine my surprise when I walked into an introductory History class to find Maria there. Getting to know each other away from the pressure of royal life made me realize just how in love with her I realized, and that was it. I knew that I didn’t want anybody else, even if she turned me down a hundred times.

M: Let’s talk about the proposal. How did it come about?

PW: Well, earlier that day, my father told me that I was going to be going to the front to fight alongside the other Allied Powers in the war. I was devastated, not only because I felt like I was unqualified, but because I wouldn’t be able to continue living in the bubble I had put myself in. We had talked about it before, of course, and we had wanted to wait until we had both finished school at least, but we didn’t get that chance.

PMT: We each made promises to each other. William promised me that he would stop thinking so negatively and that he would come home so we could be together, while I promised I would wait for him. I also made him promise to stop fussing over doing an elaborate proposal -- I didn’t want that. Just the promise to each other of getting to be together when it was all over was enough.

PW: Still, I wanted to do something. Before I left, I managed to get into Maria’s apartment and leave her this ring in a box on the counter, along with some flowers, a note, that sort of thing. I had full intention of doing the getting down on one knee, proclamation of love when I came home, so I said it was for then.

PMT: It’s been so hard keeping it secret all this time. Every time I went out in public without it on, it didn’t sit right with me. I’m just glad we can talk about it now!

M: Prince William, you came home after being medically discharged following a skirmish in Shang Simla. Did that have an impact on your relationship at all?

PW: I don’t want to touch on it too much, but it did. I felt like I wasn’t what someone as amazing as Maria deserved anymore, but she reassured me, told me she didn’t care. She has been a massive support system for me as I’ve recovered and gone through physical therapy. I won’t ever be fully rid of the injury due to its nature, but knowing that Maria has been there through it all and will continue to be is more than I could ever ask for.

M: Let’s switch to the ring, then. It isn’t one we’ve seen before -- can you talk us through the process?

PW: Maria deserved something fully to her taste, not something that had belonged to someone else in my family. She had already been accepted in, she didn’t need something labelling her as ours. I knew she didn’t like pieces that were terribly flashy, so I consulted with a few different designers and collectors of vintage pieces to get the look just right. I especially liked the look it has of a sun of sorts -- she is my light in the darkness, and always has been. I was just too blind to see it.

PMT: As soon as I put it on, I loved it. It’s exactly what I always pictured for myself.

PW: That was the real reason I left it for you to find once I had already gone -- so you couldn’t immediately tell me you hated it.

*Monica, Prince William, and Princess Maria Theresa all laugh*

M: Princess, you’re marrying the future King. Are you nervous at all?

PMT: I would be foolish not to be. I’m aware of the responsibility that I’m going to inherit one day, and of course I want to perform my duty to the best of my ability, but at the end of the day, I know it will be worth it with William there. I think he’s more well-suited to the task than he thinks he is. *she gives him a playful glance*

PW: Your optimism never fails to astound me.

PMT: It isn’t optimistic -- it’s realistic.

M: Finally, let’s talk about the wedding itself. Have dates been set?

PW: Nothing yet. We’re still trying to work that out with the government and the Monte Vistan royal family.... we’re well aware that this wedding will be as big as my parents, if not more. It’s intimidating, but all we can do is take it one step at a time.

PMT: We are both so lucky to have so many friends across the Simtinent that I think it will be a miracle if they all fit into the church. Whenever it is, though, I’m looking forward to it. I told William I wouldn’t care if we had a big splashy wedding or not before he left, and I still don’t. As long as I get to spend my life by his side, that’s what matters to me more than how long and impressive the guest list is.

M: Thank you both again for sitting down with me, and congratulations once again on your engagement. I think it’s safe to say everyone will be eager to hear more details as they become available. Back to you, John.

#carmichealroyals #sims royalty #sims royal family #sims 4 royalty #sims 4 royal family #sims 4 legacy #the sims 4 legacy #the sims 4 #the sims 4 royalty #the sims 4 royal family #ts4 royalty #ts4 royal family #ts4 legacy #TS4 #simblr #gen2

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be-ready-when-i-say-go · 4 years

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Thought about something cute like reader and 5sos singing on the same festival and she’s dating cal 😭 and they switch with her guitarist and drummer boy and at first she didn’t notice but they they start to have so much fun together at the stage dancing together and doing stupid shit them following her around as she tries to prevent herself from giggling too much and actually singing 🥺🥺 and later she walks down when 5sos are performing with crystal Kay and Sierra omg 😳

+ I’m sorry I’m annoying but part two to my last asks!! I just imagine calum being all heart eyes for her minding his own business tho playing his guitar but every time he doesn’t have to use vocals or his bass he caught her hand or keep her close and ahh singing wildflower to her!!’ When at first the girls just wanted to have fun on stage with them but Calum just keeps her close the whole time singing to her and her singing back with him and being all funny and giggly together ooof

Thanks for your suggestion! It took me a minute to get to it. I did combine it with a few other suggestions. One person asked for drama and someone asked for angst. And viola! Here it is.

This is the last part of the Distance series! I’ll do an epilogue if folks want to send in some suggestions for it! HUGE thanks to everyone that sent me ideas! This series wouldn’t be what is it without you guys!

Find the Distance series masterlist here! Here’s my main masterlist! CW: 18+ (Smut). Angst. Lots of Fluff.

Songs I played: Woman and From The Dining Table by Harry Styles!

Here it is at a WHOOPINg 9.6k. Enjoy!

_____________________________________________________________

The release of her album is followed by a tour. At first, she’s excited. Her mind runs wild with possibilities. Her fingers can’t keep up fast enough with every wonder and question she sends to Calum and thankfully, he doesn’t seem to mind the incessant buzzing. He takes each question in stride. It’s nice, in a way, for him to have the wisdom to give her. Like she doesn’t have to go in blind like he did, especially since it’s just her. He hopes he can make her feel a little less alone on the road. It can be a hard road to travel alone.

The glimmer starts to wear off fast. Rehearsals turn her into a zombie. She’s up fairly early stretching, taking her dog for a walk, trying to remind herself that everything’s going to fall into place like it needs to, but the second she walks into the rehearsal space it feels like everything is going to fall apart. That somehow everything she’s ever wanted on tour is just too much, too much out of the budget, too much because she doesn’t have the weight to her name just yet. And maybe it’s a lot of glitz and glamour. Maybe she is asking for too much. Maybe that would be her downfall.

Her phone buzzes. And she pauses, sitting on the floor with her mic in hand, and glances over to it. It’s Calum again. Another message that she won’t actually read until some ungodly hour in the night. He’s got to be up to his throat in worry. She can’t seem to think enough to text him back during the day. Too much is going on. She feels like she’s going to sink, just through the carpeted floor and through the concrete foundation and bury herself into the dirt. Maybe that would be a better fate for her.

She turns her attention back to her notebook, with the crude drawing she made when she was trying to set the stage. “Let’s just,” she sighs. “Let’s start from scratch.”

And it works. Though it’s long and arduous, she’s able to figure out how to set the stage, finalizing the neon design. There’s a rough draft at the video that will be playing behind her for a wardrobe change. By the time she’s able to crawl into her sheets, it’s nearly 1 am. There’s barely enough energy to keep her eyes open to send Calum an apology text. When she wakes, she grins at her dog waiting patiently at the side of her bed. “Ready to go, bubs?”

They give a tiny whine and rest their snout on the covers. She laughs, “Yeah, you’re ready to go.” She manages to brush her teeth and slips into a change of clothes before going out for a run.

Between showering and getting dressed, she checks her messages. Happy to hear that you got things straightened, baby. Reach out whenever you get a breather, reads the text from Calum.

She responds with a good morning text and then switches over to her email. At the top is an email with ‘urgent’ in the subject. She’s praying it’s not more bad news. She doesn’t quite have the heart to withstand more bad news after the progress they made yesterday. It’s details about a festival date in LA. That perfectly lines between her break between the European leg of the tour and the North America dates. She doesn’t even think twice about agreeing to the festival show.

Right as her day winds down, from a shockingly smooth day of rehearsals, Calum calls her. And though she’s drenched in sweat from the light choreography and running it for hours, she stops and answers. “Hey, baby.”

“Oh, she lives!”

“I know, I know. Sorry.”

“Only kidding. I know you’re hard at work. It’s just really good to hear your voice. How are rehearsals?”

“Really good now. Once we got over the hump, it’s like smooth sailing.”

“Good, I’m glad. I was calling. We got word a couple days ago about a festival show right when you’re on break between legs. And I was hoping you had some free time, just to hang out.”

She can’t contain the smile, leaning her head against the window. The evening twilight has already settled outside. “I’m joining that festival too. And we’ll be hanging out in LA for a few days for rehearsals and then shipping out. So absolutely, we can hang out. I miss your face. And Duke. God, I miss Duke.”

He laughs. Of course she emphasizes her longing for his dog over him. But he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I really can’t wait to see you.” It falls from his lips in a whisper, a secret between the two of them that no one else can be in on. But the boys see it. Everytime his phone buzzes he does his best to look at it as soon as he can just in case it’s her. It’s harder to get out of bed, especially when he hasn’t talked to her in a while. “Can’t wait to kiss you again.”

“You’re a sap, you know.”

“But I’m your sap.”

She giggles, softly, watching cars whizz by. “Yeah, you are my sap.”

_________________________________

Her tour starts off well. And even though it’s her first time being out on the road like this, a constant bouncing around, and completely flipping her normal routine, she manages to cope pretty well. And it helps of course when she calls her friends, or talks to her dog. But it’s still definitely draining, pouring every bit of herself out on stage and then having just enough time to recoup before doing it all over again. There’s value in it, when the lights lift, and she can see the crowd that’s gathered just for her. It’s surreal and makes her feel like she could do this all the time. That the only thing she’d ever need is the sound of a crowd singing her songs back to her.

In her dressing room, she swaps the gold earrings for a pair of acrylic ones, these jade green. “You’re too quiet on me,” she says, flicking her gaze down to her tablet.

Calum picks his head up. “It’s hard to say much when perfection’s staring you in the face.”

She grins, hooking the earring back on. “Thank you, but that’s not what I meant.”

“We just got word about two more festivals in the same week you have your break. One’s in LA still, the other one’s a little ways out.” There’s no need to fake the funk anymore, or hide it away. She has another three weeks of shows before her break. And maybe he expects her to fly off the handle. Maybe he expects her to throw a fit, about how they had made plans, and it’s the only time they’ll get for each other for months.

But she doesn’t. She nods, fingers twirling over her rings. “What are they others saying?”

“They’re itching to get back on stage. And from a business standpoint, it’s money in the pocket of course. But I know we made plans and I feel like an ass. But there’s also the band, too.”

“Our jobs aren’t easy,” she sighs. “Take the gigs.” Calum can see her eyes tearing up just a little. “Mind if tag along on the LA show?”

“Of course not. I’m really, really sorry, buttercup. I’m so sorry.”

She waves her hand, trying to keep the tears back. If they fall, they become real. It’s his job. Just like it’s hers. “I get it.” It’s tight as it leaves her throat. And it takes her a second, plus a few sips of water to get control of her emotions, and clear out all the tears that threaten to fall. He wishes he could say more, or do more. But it’s like the words die in his throat. And he’s left, mouth gaping, wishing and wanting, but unable to do anything.

“Does it look bad if I just forgo my heels tonight from the start? They’re killing my feet on stage,” she laughs.

It’s a small grin, upturns a corner of his mouth but doesn’t keep it up for long. “You usually end up kicking them off anyway, halfway through the show.”

“Someone’s been scrolling through my name on Twitter, huh?”

He does. Watching her is mesmerizing and he’s sad that he can’t get the chance to see it in person, so he resorts to the fan videos. But he’s yet to admit to it. “I do not do such a thing.” And there’s giggles. A fit of laughter as she looks over the outfits and plucks her oversize denim jacket and figures even in the shorts, she can make the docs Calum surprised her with work. So she slides into the worn red leather shoes and starts lacing them up.

Calum whistles, heart racing just a little. He didn’t know those shoes had made the cut. “Look at you.”

She strikes a pose but laughs. “Do I look good?”

“You look fucking amazing, buttercup.”

__________________________

The sound of the crowd roaring before her ears turn on will always make her heart race. Calum said he would try to sneak side stage, but considering that he had to play on the mainstage right after her set on the side stage, it might not be for long. She didn’t mind that. But she hadn’t seen him. Not a blond crop in sight, of course if he hasn’t changed his hair since the last time. Her bassist strums the opening cord and it sends the crowd into a tizzy. With her guitar strapped around, she rolls out her neck, lining up.

As they walk out onto the stage, they launch right into the first song. She feels her fingers buzzing as she strums. But it feels good. The LA sun is hot but she kind of welcomes it versus the heat of the stage lights. There’s still a small breeze. It comes in waves for sure and she can tell that her pits are going to be soaked by song three. “How’s everybody doing?” she shouts into the mic.

There’s cheer in response and she laughs, hearing it reverb for just a moment. “That’s what I like to hear. Just want to say thank you for coming to see me play today. Your support truly means a lot to me.”

She continues on for just a few more seconds and right as she goes to introduce the fourth song of her set, everyone in the crowd starts to get rowdy. She thinks nothing of it, as the song starts. But she knows something is happening and she turns to check her drummer and in her spin, there’s Calum, her bassist’s bass slung over his shoulder, fingers sliding over the frets, plucking at the strings. Not that she doesn’t think Calum would go for a mint green bass on his own, but she hasn’t seen one in his collection just yet.

If it weren’t for the verse coming back up, she knows she would just stare. Singing into her mic, she throws a few glances over to him. Waiting as the harmony comes in and Calum slides up to the music, voice smooth in her inner ears, she almost melts right there on the spot. She hadn’t quite thought about the way his voice would sound with hers, but god, he harmonizes like an angel. She finishes the verse, with a small break before the chorus again. The stage is kind of small but while facing the crowd, she can’t quite see to her sides.

She knows though. She can almost sense when Calum approaches her. She giggles just a little into the mic, watching him smile at her. His head bobbing like it always does when he gets into whatever he’s playing or listening too. Calum plays next to her, watching the way the sweat trails down her forehead, but doesn’t streak an ounce of her makeup. He almost gives in, almost bends in to kiss her on the cheek, but he doesn’t. He lets her voice and the song carry him away, into his spin and up to the drummer’s stand. One foot on the riser, Calum bobs along, laughing at his expression, the raised eyebrow that says it all.

She gets a small break to watch the way Calum interacts with her band. Almost as if he’s known them just as long as she has. And in some ways, he probably has. She talks about Calum to them and talks about her band to Calum all the time. Once the song ends, Calum throws one hand in a tiny wave, before smiling over at her. “Didn’t scare you, did I?” he asks, away from the mic.

She shakes her head, sure that her cheeks will hurt after this. Laughing, she thanks Calum as he walks off stage. And she knows, she knows she shouldn’t. But she jogs after him, as her bassist comes back on, sending a smile over her shoulder too. It’s in that moment that it becomes clear, this was planned. Catching Calum right in the wings, she catches his wrist, tugging him in close before kissing him. It’s quick, but Calum’s heart races in his chest. She runs back out. “Sorry about that guys. I did not expect that.”

And as they get back to their set, Calum watches her for one more song, the way she dances around the stage. Their gazes lock just before he leaves and he blows a quick kiss, before his security are running him down the stage steps and across the festival grounds to get back to the mainstage in time. “How’d it go?” Michael asks.

“Well,” Calum grins, throwing his brown and black bass over his shoulder.

“Get any smooches?” Luke teases, smacking his lips together, while his arm is slung over Sierra’s shoulder.

“And if I did?”

“On stage?” Michael screeches.

“No, side stage. I almost kissed her on stage. But I didn’t want that all over the internet.” Considering that they aren’t official publically in any capacity, it would just cause more headache. Their set begins and Calum knows she has to run across the festival, so he’s not worried when by the time they step out and get three songs in, she hasn’t shown up at the side of the stage. And by the time, Calum regains consciousness enough to check again, there she is, standing off to the side, still in what she performed and breathing hard but she waves, gently from the side.

Out of reflex, once the chords are played, he gives a small wave in return. She returns the blown kiss from earlier and the other girls laugh softly at the action. “God, you guys are so fucking smitten with each other, it’s insane,” Sierra jokes.

There’s no denying it she knows. They’re like lovesick puppies and though it would normally annoy her, it’s nice. Without another word, she sips at her bottle of water and watches Calum, with all the laughs and grins he gives, pouring his soul out onto the stage.

And though the video calls, and the calls, work. They’re not quite enough. Her tour comes to an end, but just around the corner is Calum’s tour with the band. She think she might be able to sneak another week away before she starts working on her album, but then she gets asked to perform at some more festivals in her home country. And, who is she to turn that down? The more shows she plays, the more her name is out there, the more streams, and the merchandise is purchased. It becomes an endless wheel. Things just keep going, and going, and going and the whole time, she keeps looking for the breaks. For the thing that can put her life on pause and let her feel normal again.

Everytime she thinks she can get real time with Calum, it ends up short. He has something that comes up. She has something that comes in. It was the festival in LA and now her festival run. It’s his tour and her sophomore album. Why had she met Calum when she did? Was the universe playing a cruel joke on her? Was it taunting her that it could give her everything she wanted and then threatening to have it crumble? Sitting her hotel room, her phone shakes, another call from Calum. She doesn’t answer it, staring at the fridge in her room. She could get a drink. Wouldn’t be hard just take it from the mini fridge.

Her phone stops shaking. And then a minute later, it chimes, letting her know that a voice message has been left behind. The third one and more likely than not it’s from Calum. She wants this. She wants the relationship, but lately, it felt like there was no time. There was no time for anything. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t pause. And that’s all she wanted. That’s all she wants right now. She doesn’t want to open that voicemail to Calum pleading with her to answer. She wants to get back to when things were easier. And obviously, they were easier because they both had nothing to do.

Swiping her room key and her wallet, she heads down to the bar in the hotel. She orders herself a glass of wine. The glass makes a soft click as it settles down in front of her. She takes one sip. And it’s a little bitter, the red drier than she remembers it being. Soon the glass stares back at her and she can see her warped reflection. Would it just be easier for them to take things down a level? Is she afraid of hard work or more afraid of heartache?

With another two glasses of wine in her, she climbs back into the elevator and it takes her up, floor by floor until it digs and the doors slide open. The room is dark when she reenters like she left it the AC blasting. But she can see the blue light of her phone, on the desk, lighting up that corner of the room. Is it fair? If she wants to bolt, if she wants to cut ties so it makes things so much easier for them? Why couldn’t it be easy?

Calum’s sure he’s going to pull all his hair out. One moment, things are going good. They get a little tight for sure with their schedules never quite lining up to allow them more time together. But this is the third day in a row that he’s gone with nothing from her. No texts, not a returned call. Not even a meme in their Twitter thread. Nothing on her finsta. Her regular account post mainly about her upcoming shows. But he is as closed to being blocked without actually being blocked.

“Hey, I-I don’t know if something’s gone wrong. But please, please call me back. Or text me. Or send me a voice message. Something. Anything. Please? If I did anything, please let know what it was? I’m worried. Am I losing you?”

He ends the recording and sends it. Maybe he ought to stop reaching out so much. Should he wait for her to respond before sending more? But he doesn’t want to lose her? He doesn’t want to lose what they have. He hasn’t found it with anyone else in all his searching and even in his not searching. This fell into his lap and he can’t stand to lose it. Not when there had to be something to do to save it.

His phone sits for another day and half before she calls. He hands shake as he goes to answer it. He almost doesn’t want to answer it. His vegetable stir fry even threatens to come back up his throat. It’s not even burnt this time. But somewhere in his mind, somewhere deep, he had figured she wouldn’t ever call him back. He would be cursed to always wonder what went wrong. “Hey,” he breathes as he answers the call.

“Hey.” It’s croaky, like she might’ve been crying. And then it’s silent. Neither one of them are sure how to bring it up. Neither of them know how to ask what’s lingering between the two of them seems almost too much for words.

“Did I do something?”

“No,” she sighs. It would be easier if he had. It would be easier if she had. It would be easier if both of them were just bad for each other. “It’s just hard.”

“Talk to me. Let me in. We can figure it out.”

That’s the whole crux of her issue. She had let Calum in. She had let him so far in that it was starting to seem impossible to stay in her country and work. She had let him so far in that she wasn’t sure it would be possible to go months without seeing him properly. He was in everything, her bookshelves, her closet, her studio, her lyrics, her studio, in her sheets. Everything reminded her of him. And it just hurt in a way that she didn’t think being in love could hurt. In her silence, Calum continues on, “Let me look at something.” He scrolls through the emails, looking at the dates.

“How? How do we figure it out? On your tour, the only break you have in my country I’m in promo. And after that, you only get a day here or there. Everything’s so mismatched now.”

Calum blinks the tears that are stinging at his lower lash line. “Something’s gonna give.” Something has to give. There has to be something. Calum goes back to emails. What would be the magic code for them?

“I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

His throat jumps at her words, heart racing. “No, don’t say that. If you say that, I know what comes next.”

“Maybe it would just be easier, Calum.”

He is sick of it. Sick of things always blowing up in his face. But he can’t make her do something. He can’t make her take the words back, even if he wants her too. “We said there was an us.” It’s not accusorary as it falls from his lips. It just hurts. Things were going so well for so long, until time proved herself the ultimate judge yet again. “So what now?” The walls of his house start to push in closer on him.

“I’m not saying I never wanted more for us. I’m not saying that I want to cut you completely out of my life, Calum. I wanted so much more for us.”

“Me too. I want more for us.”

“Is now a good time though? Is now going to allow us more?”

Calum wants to laugh, it bubbles in his chest and he knows it’s delivery would be dry but he swallows it back down. “If you’re always waiting for the perfect moment, you’ll be waiting for a long time.”

“Maybe there’s a better time for us. Not a perfect one. Just a better one.”

“Maybe,” he whispers.

“You know, you’re in everything right? When you said to let you in, I couldn’t help but think that was my problem. You’re in my goddamn sheets. You’re in everything. When the sun rises, it’s like watching you smile. If you think I’m shutting you out, that I’m trying to save myself, I want you to know that I’m doing the exact opposite. I am drowning. In everything. In you. In whatever the fuck it means to be a musician. I am drowning and I can’t bear taking you down with me.”

He couldn’t possibly be in everything, not when she was in everything for him. In his journals, in the strings of his bass. When he sits down at a piano, he can’t help but think of the throaty notes that start the song she wrote about him. He can’t help but hear her voice, Brown irises and black tattoos. Maybe they were both drowning and couldn’t see anything but the water invading their own nostrils and lungs. “You’ll always be there,” Calum says, sniffling. The tears shock him, he hadn’t felt them until they’re running down his neck. He doesn’t even know where there is, but he feels it in the cavity of his chest.

_________________

That video is going to haunt him. And it’ll haunt her too. Whenever they see the videos and pictures of when Calum surprised her on stage it always shows just how fucking happy they were with each other. How things really were working for them. But right around the corner, right as she runs behind the edge of the stage, the world doesn’t see the kiss. They don’t see the tears that followed phone calls. They don’t see how schedules always seems to be running in parallel but never fucking intersectiong. That’s all they needed. Just one point to intersect, to meet again at, and maybe they would still be tagging each other in stupid memes. Maybe they would still be talking until crazy hours of the morning. Maybe they would still be writing small poems about each other and always posting them, but never saying who they were about.

Maybe if they just had the one chance to intersect again, her second album wouldn’t be about him. Maybe she could’ve talked about the way the clouds surf in the sky. Maybe she would have pondered the questions of existence without it being tied up in lost love. Maybe Calum would’ve had more to say in interviews. Maybe then, no one would ask him about his love life and it wouldn’t hurt to goddamn bad every time one of the other boys would jump in to save him. Maybe Calum wouldn’t feel like a rock sinking to the bottom of the river and seeing the sunlight just above him, but never having the willpower to push back up.

He hadn’t removed her number. Hadn’t unfollowed her on her finsta. Hadn’t blocked her on a goddamn platform. Because somehow that felt like a harsher step. Like a permanent close, like he was trying to erase who she was and what she had meant to him. It’s stupid, he knows. It’s insane and it’s not helping him in the slightest, but he can’t bring himself to do it. Maybe part of it was that natural and sometimes detrimental curiosity if that person was suffering just like you. He wanted to know if she bled just like him, if her pain was just as vicious as his.

Calum watches the video loop back again. The way she bites her lower lip but runs after him. The crowd is still screaming. They are still cheering. They are still buzzing. After saving the tweet, he drafts a message to her: I know you’ve moved to New York. I hope you’re enjoying it. City makes you feel anonymous doesn’t it? I have two days off during this tour. Maybe we have our better time now? I’m sure by now you know all the best places in town for pizza. I could be down for some cheesy delights.

Should he send that? His fingers shake. What’s left for them after a year and a half? They’ve still supported each other. He retweets about all her singles and videos. She praises the band’s new music in interviews. They aren’t unknown to each other. But somehow they feel like two ghosts. There’s a glass wall between and they look at each other just in passing. They never touch. They never intersect again. Instead, he exits the messaging app, but doesn’t actually delete the words.

When he goes back to the message thread, about a week from their dates in New York, there’s no shock that the app hasn’t saved it. And he feels partially relieved. He exits the app again and goes back to his mindless scroll through Instagram. An app saved him this time.

There is nothing to save him though, when he walks into the green room and spies her shrugging a coat on. The New York mornings are a little cool to the start. His heart is now in his throat. He’s not sure if he should swallow it back down. “We can go,” Ashton says quietly, taking him back his arm gently.

And somehow, like her ears are tuned in on everything, she hears something like her name, something like a soft wisp of a voice. When she looks up and sees Calum, donned in all black, though his long lined jacket has some white stitching and embroidery, she’s sure she could melt into the floor. He still looks good. Still has the same quiet pout to his face that makes him look slightly less approachable but it changes in a heartbeat when he smiles. She grabs the strap to her bookbag purse.

She knows it was her that ended things. She knows that seeing Calum here in front of her, should make her feel embarrassed. But somehow, all she wants to do, all she’s ever wanted to do since that phone call is embrace him one last time. Tell him that he’s still handsome as ever. Promise him that she meant what she said, that he was and still is in everything. “C’mon. We gotta go,” her security tell her.

But all she can do is stare at Calum. Unzipping her purse, she finds the note, the letter she never had the courage to send him and with a deep breath, she walks over. Ashton looks like he could probably murder her. And she doesn’t blame him. She could never blame that instinct to protect the ones you love especially from the ones that hurt them the most. “I’m sorry,” she says, holding out the white envelope. “For everything. And if we don’t ever get that better time, know I’d only ever wish the best for you.”

Calum’s fingers barely grasp onto the note before she’s sidestepping him. The boys circle around him, like they’re just waiting for his word to pounce. She steps through the heavy glass door. And she’s leaving him again. She’s going to slip through his fingers. Again. Pushing through Luke and Michael, Calum swings open the door. “Wait!” he calls out.

She stops, spinning on her heels to face him again. Calum jogs down the corridor. All the offices have windows. Everyone is probably watching. With both hands cupping her face, letter between his fingers and all, he pulls her in close. “You’re not leaving me again. You’re not going to walk out my life a second time. Not without me putting up a hell of a fight.”

“You shouldn’t fight for me. Not after what I did.”

“Meet me tonight. Let’s actually talk about it. I’ve been holding so much inside and if, god forbid, if it’s not now if we had our shoot and we fucking blew it, at least I’ll know for sure.”

“Does 8 work for you?” She tries so hard not to wrap her hands around his wrist, not to slide it up his forearms and tug herself into his chest. And god, he still smells the same. Old Spice and Gain. It feels so right to press herself into his chest.

“Yeah,” he mumbles into the top of her head. It’s still the same scent as before in almost two years, he can’t even believe it.

She takes a step back, patting at her pockets and pulls out a pen. Pulling the envelope from his fingers, she scribbles down a name and address. “If this place is too far from your hotel, just call me.” He watches her, jotting down more numbers. “It’s my new US number.” While handing the infor back to him, she grins just a little. “Don’t lose it now.”

Calum laughs, remembering the first time she delivered that line to him. “I won’t. Promise.”

Dear Calum,

There’s no real way to say this that doesn’t make my chest feel like it’s been punched in. I shouldn’t have let you go. There was a way to make it all work. There was a way so that you and I could’ve pushed through. I was just too scared of things going too right, going too well. Maybe that sounds dumb. Or maybe that sounds insane. But the truth of the matter, I messed up. I’m sorry. And you don’t have to ever forgive me. You deserve the ability to move on. You deserve everything good that comes to you in the future. I want you to be happy. Even if it’s not with me. Even if our better time has passed.

You deserve to be happy.

Calum reads over the letter again. Still not sure how his lungs are still operating because he was positive all the air had been exhaled. It’s the fourth time he’s read it today. Since he had Michael read it out to him in the green room. He would’ve asked Ashton, but knew that Ashton would’ve told him not to worry, to keep moving forward. Because he had, in a way. He had thrown himself into music. He had tried to chase after her in other people. He had read all the books on poetry, and love, and philosophy. But something down in his gut told him that he would never let her go again if he got a second chance with her.

He looks at the date. She wrote it six months after everything went south. Maybe she forgot to send it. It had his name on it--just never fully addressed out though. She could’ve messaged him. Emailed. Called. Literally anything and he would’ve answered. But hadn’t she? What held her back? And just as he goes to read it over one more time, the door chimes open. He looks at his phone. Just as the time ticks over to 8. And when he glances over his shoulder, there she is. In the same jacket from before.

The little pizza shop isn’t too loud. Most people come in just to get their few slices and then dip right back out. She smiles, waving just a little before sliding onto the stool next to him. She points to the letter, that he hasn’t even moved to put up, “Sorry it’s not my best work. I thought about finding a synonym for happy but nothing fit right.”

With a breathy chuckle, Calum folds the letter up, slipping it into his pocket. “What do you recommend off the menu?”

“God, with this place, anything.”

They settle back down on the stools, paper plates not fully supporting the extra large slices and a stack of napkins between them. The grease runs down his chin and Calum feels it rolling too. But his hands are full trying to keep his slice from falling. She laughs, dabbing at his face with a napkin. “I still see you’re the messiest eater around.”

“Hey, hey, it’s not my fault,” he grins. Their giggles dissipate as the bell chimes again, a signal of another patron entering. “What happened?” The question doesn’t feel full enough, doesn’t feel like it fully encapsulates all the confusion he holds. But yet, those are the only words he has.

“A lot started happening all at once. Your tour, my second album. More shows. It just-I felt like I couldn’t breathe. That I wasn’t a person. And maybe part of it was selfish. Maybe I was trying to save myself all along and I was just telling myself and you that I wasn’t selfish. I really am sorry. Like, if I had known, god if I had known that doing that would’ve caused all the pain it did, trust me, I wouldn’t have. If I could go back and tell myself, that crazy shit happens and you just gotta learn how to keep your cool, I’d do it in a heartbeat. It was a mistake letting you go. But at the same time, reaching out felt wrong too. Like I would’ve been ruining the peace you had created for yourself. And I didn’t want to do that either.”

“You know, I felt like we had something different. Like that was really going to be it for me and I had finally figured out this whole being in love thing. That I wouldn’t have to worry about anything. And maybe that was my mistake. Maybe I saw something happening and didn’t do anything.”

“We were living continents away. With everything happening, you weren’t seeing all of it. No need to blame yourself.” She takes his hand, slipping her fingers between his, twisting at the silver band around his middle finger. “I do want you to be happy, Calum. I want you to be so happy it just can’t be contained.”

“I was with you.” He squeezes her hand, willing her to look at him and not the street in front of them, through the glass.

“I’m still not in L.A.”

“But you are in the same country as me now and I will take that.”

“You’d still take me back after everything?” When she looks at him, brows furrowed together, Calum knows he’s a goner. He always was with her.

“I would.”

“You’d be crazy.”

“I am already crazy. Because I’m tempted to ask you where you’re staying and if I could stay the night.”

He’s leaned in to her, just a hair. And she leans in too, resting mostly shoulder to shoulder. “You are crazy,” she laughs softly, taking in the reflection of the neon lights on the street. “But maybe I’m also crazy too.”

The night is cool again. Both of their boots scuff the concrete. She doesn’t stay far from the small diner, a ten minute walk really. With fingers threaded through each other, they walk huddled close up the sidewalks. The wind whips across their faces. They dodge piles of trash on the edge of the sidewalks and they keep their heads down so as to not attract a crowd. “How do you like New York? Got to be a huge shock?”

“It most definitely is. I like feeling anonymous here. With so many people around.”

“I know you said you don’t do well with people and New York feels like the opposite of the place you want to. Especially not in the city.”

“I mean, I still don’t do great with people. I’m in the city for the time being. But I have my eye on a few places further out. But after everything, I felt less lonely here. I don’t know. No one cared about who I was. No one cared what the fuck I was doing here. And I liked it better that way. Back home, everyone knew. Everyone looked at me like I was a broken vase. Here, no one gave a shit. It’s move or be moved here. Forced me to come to terms with everything. Forced me to accept everything I was trying to hide.”

“Do you need to go to your hotel? Grab or bag or something?” She asks just before they pass the opening for the subway.

“I have my roomkey. It’s all good. All the interviews were today.”

“As long as you’re sure.”

He gives her hand another squeeze. “I’m sure.” They reach the door to the complex and she digs out her keys, opening the front door. Calum follows her through the second set of doors. The elevator is a little janky as it carries them up, and definitely tiny. In the space, they’re pressed chest to chest. There are a few extra lines around her eyes, he notices and runs the pad of his thumb over the skin. It’s just as soft as it’s always been. She feels so familiar under his touch, yet so new.

It’s not a far ascent and she laughs when he pouts as she pulls away. “Just like four more steps.”

It’s true to word, when they step out of the elevator, her door is directly in front of it. Her keys jingle just a little as she works the lock and pushes into the chipping red paint of the door. Her dog leaps from the couch, greeting her and then barking just a little when they spot Calum. He laughs, kneeling to hug them to his chest. “You still remember me, huh?” he laughs, as they attempt to lick his face and jaw. “Oh, too long, I know. Sorry, bubs. Didn’t forget about you.”

She takes his jacket, hanging it by the door. “Want anything to drink?”

Calum shakes his head from her couch, working at his shoes. “No, I’m good, thank you.”

She nods, watching as her dog claims Calum’s attention. But she can’t find an ounce of herself to be mad or annoyed. So she slips out of her shoes and puts them up, before getting herself a bottle of water. When she settles onto the couch, she just laughs at the antics. Calum keeps trying to say something but at every twist, her dog is right there, plopping themselves in his lap. Calum eventually gives up and wraps his arms around their body, scratching lightly at their fur.

“Someone missed you too,” she teases, putting her two fingers really close together. “Just a tiny bit.”

His laughter echoes in her head. “Yeah, clearly just a little.” He lifts his head just a little when he feels the wet tongue at his chin. “So, you’re working on your third album?”

“On and off,” she admits. “Playing more shows than anything for the time being. I don’t have to think. Everytime I think too much I end up fucking something up. So I’m just taking it easy for the time being. Taking some brand deals.”

“You’ve got a collab coming out soon, right?”

She nods at the question, laughing as her dog finally settles down. “Yeah, next month. I’ve always lived kind of a boring life, you know that.”

“There’s a lot I don’t know.” He can finally shift, as her dog wanders over to the water bowl, so that he can sit in front of her. It’s a dangerous game. He’s played it before with her. But he takes her chin into his hands. “We haven’t really talked in a while.”

“Is there something you want to say, Calum?”

“Yeah,” he returns simply. Her breath hitches, eyes searching his brown ones for something, anything that tells her what’s going on. “I wonder if your lips still feel the same. I always thought about the way you’d laugh sometimes into a kiss. And it used to haunt me. But right now, I want to find out if anything else has changed.”

She wastes no time, pushing up and sealing her mouth around his. His hand slides to the back of her neck and she pulls at the collar of his shirt. They fall into each other, then falling into the arm of the couch. She exhales her laughter, still pecking at Calum’s lip. Her fingers tease the skin of his upper chest and neck.

“I was right,” he grins.

She hooks her finger around the gold plate. “I guess you were.” She pulls him back in for another kiss, slipping her hands into his hair.

As his lips trail over her jaw and down to her neck, she thinks about the time at her apartment back home, Calum woke her up with kisses down her jaw. They still feel the same. Maybe even a little bit better. His finger push up the hem of her shirt, squeezing at the flesh of her side. She sighs and Calum groans at the sound. It sets off everything in his body when he hears her quiet noises of pleasure.

“Is this okay?” he asks, pulling away to look at her as his fingers brush over her skin. “I don’t want to push you or take things too fast this time.”

Being with Calum feels like no time has past, if she’s honest. She doesn’t have the butterflies, just the comfort of someone she’s known for a year. And it sort of feels like they’re picking back up from where they left off. “I’m okay with it.”

He grins and she sees it--that rising sun in the gleam. His forehead rests against her. “I kinda feel like we have a lot of lost time to make up for.” His lips brush just over hers as he speaks.

She exhales her laughter again, but agrees. “Just a little bit. I really am sorry.”

“We all make mistakes. You just have to communicate with me, okay? That’s all. Talk to me this time. If you feel like you’re drowning, let me help. Please.”

She pushes up and Calum settles back down into the cushion, taking her hands into his. “I know things won’t be like, perfect now. But I guess, it’s really important that we do get to spend quality time together.”

“It is. And I know my tour schedule is pretty packed right now, but there’s another longer break in about three weeks. They’re LA shows. I don’t know if you have plans, but if you do, we can hang out then.”

She has to laugh because here’s the trouble all over again. “Booked recording sessions then.”

“Okay, well, the week after that is the break between legs. What are you doing then?”

“Nothing.” There’s a break between sessions, and she had just planned to use the time to breathe.

“I’ll fly you out then. Just you and I and my rehearsals. But that’s besides the point.”

Laughing, she rests her head into his bicep. “Just you, I, and your rehearsals. Got it.”

“We’ll have to better plan out things, that’s all. We’ll have to look at both our schedules and make sure that there’s sufficient breaks and time together.” He guides her head up. “I want you. And I mean all of you. I can’t stand to lose you again.”

“I just have to make sure Ashton doesn’t kill me.”

“He’s protective, yes. But not an evil. I’ll talk to him. Don’t you worry.”

“He did write a whole song about how he’d bury a body for you. So I think I have a little bit to worry about.”

Calum laughs, shaking his head. “Maybe just a little bit.” Her grin makes him want to bottle it. He wants to carry it with him in his pocket. Leaning closer, he kisses her again. “But right now, it’s just you and I. There’s nothing else but time for us right now.”

She hums. “I like the sound of that.”

Fingers trail back under shirts. She drinks down his moans as they tease, barely touch. Calum’s shirt is discarded in the living room and her is pulled off in the hallway. Calum holds her face in his hands, memorizing the way her teeth sink into his bottom lip in the gentle nip. He moans. Fuck, she feels so good against him.

Her spine shivers as his fingers trail to her back and unsnap the band of her bra. As the fabric falls from her shoulders and she tosses it somewhere, Calum takes a hand just to cup her. His fingers roll the erect bud and she sighs again, mouth falling slack against his. He laughs. “Hmm, that’s right. Someone does like their nipples played with.”

She grins though, blinking open her eyes. “Don’t think I forgot that you don’t listening to rules and like a little pain.”

Finding her waist with both hands, Calum holds her in close. “You wouldn’t dare.”

She bends her knees, just a little and with hot and open mouth kisses she trails down his chest before taking her teeth into the meat of his peck. Calum jolts, a grunt falling over his lips and throat. “I would dare,” she returns.

They fall into her sheets, the same golden ones from before. They’re just as soft against Calum’s skin. It’s warm, as their skin heats up. Her skirt has landed somewhere to the floor and Calum pushes his hips up as she shrugs the denim down. She kisses over his thighs, moaning just a little. Calum lets his eyes flutter close at her soft kisses.

Everything just feels right. Even as Calum takes a nipple into his mouth, tongue teasing her just a little. Or when she kisses over his length. But right now, she tosses her head back when Calum pries her legs open kissing up her inner thighs. “I’ve dreamed of this,” he whispers, watching as she clenches, more of her arousal leaking from her.

She huffs, pulling a hand through her hair. “You sure do know how to make a girl sweat.”

“It’s a speciality,” he laughs with a wink before kissing her clit. She balls on fist around her sheets, stomach completely clenched. The last thing she wants is to have to wait much longer for anything. The anticipation can be a good thing, though she’s doing everything she can to keep her cool. That is, until Calum finally takes the first lap from her and she unravels, a moan leaving her throat as it mixes with a whine.

He takes his time, pushing her thighs and knees to give him all the access he could ever want. Calum licks another stripe over her, before sucking her clit into his mouth. She taste better than he could’ve ever imagined. Every sound she gives--moans, groans, or a whine--rattles in his brain and spurs him on. One of her hands finds it’s way into his hair and she tries to push up with her hips and his face down into her core. But it’s not like he needs the assistance or the reminder. When he trails down to her opening, his nose brushes over her clit and her body is reeling.

“Oh, fuck,” she whines, feeling the coil in her lower gut tightening.

Calum hums at the sounds, and when she praises him, tells him that he’s the only one to make her feel this fucking food, he rewards, slipping a finger into the mix, pushing up into her. “Is that so?” he asks, watching her head dive deeper into the pillows.

“God, Calum,” she huffs.

Another finger finds it way inside, pushing and curling in all the right places. Her body feels like it’s on fire. She feels like she’s a coil so tightly wound she’s going to break. His tongue flicks across her click, lapping at her. And that’s it, that’s the right combination to send her over the edge. Over she goes, with a yelp, her orgasm rocking her frame and toes curling as she cries out for Calum.

He keeps her going, keeps curling his fingers at her. So lost in the way she sounds. And when the huffs turn into a hiss, he pulls back. She beckons him up, kissing him and tasting her own arousal coating his lips and tongue. He’s careful not to settle fully against her, but it’s quickly changed when her legs come up and lock around his waist. “I’m not gonna break,” she laughs, when he finally let’s go and sinks into her.

She swallows his response with a kiss but it doesn’t matter anyway. Her hips come up and Calum rolls onto his back, letting her settle atop him. Her nails rake down his skin and she sucks at his neck, he’s sure it’ll bruise just a little but it’s okay with him. His nails dig into the flesh of her hips, not sure if he wants the friction right now or if he just needed to revel in the feeling of her against him.

“Shit,” he whines when she rocks over him. “I-fuck.”

She laughs, pulling away to reach into her drawer. “That sounds about right.”

Calum delivers a swift swat to her ass at the joke, but laughs anyway. “That is not funny.”

“Then why are you laughing.” When she turns her attention back to him, condom in hand. She stretches down to kiss him again. “Did I ever tell you you’re not the only one that likes a little pain?”

His eyebrows arches and he smooths over her ass before delivering another spank to her opposite cheek. She sighs, eyes fluttering close just a little. “Oh, buttercup, you should’ve never told me that.”

“We can save it for another time? Because right now the only thing I can think about is riding you until the sun rises.”

Kneading at her breast, Calum grins. “Now, that sounds about right.”

There’s a moment, right as she settles down on him fully, that they both moan at the feeling. Calum because of the warmth and slickness, her because of the stretch. Her head is dizzy again with need. She steadies herself with her hands planted on his chest and rocks. All she can focus on is the girth of him, stretching her completely open. It makes her toes tingle and she falters, falling into his chest, but starts a new cadence, pulling up and settling back down on his length.

“Holy shit,” he huffs. She buries her face into the crook of his neck and Calum coaxes her out, to look at him. “You don’t get to hide from me, not again. Wanna see that pretty face when you cum.”

Her hips are still rocking but she nods, eyes fluttering close just for a moment. Calum kisses her, and it’s his turn to swallow down the moan she feeds him. She pushes back up, pulling her own breast between her fingers. Calum loses the top of his head, he’s sure, watching as she rides him. His fingers trail over her hips, up to her stomach. “Why’d you have to be so handsome?” she teases breathy.

He’s not sure how to respond. Unsure of the heat he feels is a blush or the sweltering of arousal flooding his body. She takes one of his hands, trailing it towards her heat. And Calum takes the hint, thumb circling the bundle of nerves. Her head falls back on her neck as a hum builds in her chest. Calum kneads at her right breast, pulling and pushing at every button he can to have orgasm again for him.

A high pitched squeak falls from her. The bed taps against the wall, but neither one of them really cares. Her orgasm washes over it, like a wave crashing into the shoreline. She shudders, clenching around him and falls again into his chest, but pushes up onto her elbows, remember Calum’s early demand. “Fuck,” she whines when he starts to fuck up into her. He pulls her body up and she’s useless, body still like jello from her orgasm. Her words catch in her throat.

“It’s okay,” he whispers into her ear when she bites down onto his shoulder. “You know I like the pain.”

“Feel so good,” she returns. “Calum, shit, you feel so good.” His hips start to stutter, trying to ride out for longer, but knowing that inevitably he’s at the end of his rope. She kisses over his neck. “Cum for me, yeah? Please.”

Who is he to deny her? Who is he she to defy her? He ruts up once, twice, and she clenches hard, taking most of the wind of his third thrust but he cums hard, arms squeezing her to his chest and he knows he’s loud in her ear as he groans. Though, it’s suspected that’s just the sound she wanted to hear as she seals his mouth with hers.

Calum wraps the towel around his waist. She’s already under the cover, with them flipped down for him. She pats the spot in the mattress. He can see some of the hickies covering her chest that he left behind. Without much thought, Calum dries off a bit more and then slips between the sheets. “Hey,” she whispers. “Come here often?”

“My first time actually. But the first of many, I hope.”

Her nose scrunches as Calum taps it. “Yeah, of many. I brought your phone into the room. Put it on my spare charger. And I know that it’ll go off at 5:55 AM. No, you don’t have to turn it off. I know it’s important to you.”

“You--you still remember that?

“I don’t know if you really remember. But when I said that you were in everything, you were everywhere. I meant it.” She turns to her back, the sheets tucked up to her chin. Both of them are bare beneath them.

Calum’s taken up drawing random patterns on her stomach as he holds himself up on his elbow, facing her. “I remember. Could never forget that.”

“Guess we might’ve meant for something more, something better.” Her voice is soft. The blinds in her window let the lights of the city in. Nothing about it is quiet as sirens pass by. Calum lets his head fall into her pillows. She turns, both of them now facing each other again. Her arm slides over his waist. He throws one of his legs over hers.

She’s content like this, where she can kiss across the tattoos on his chest. Though she can’t really see the one just under his peck, she thinks about the question poised there. Why would she choose anything other than Calum? It remains quiet for a while and she thinks he’s fallen asleep until his chest rumbles.

“We were. It was just a matter of getting there. Finding the right path for us.” He’s positive, as she shuffles in a little closer that this is it for him. And if he has to fight hell, heaven, or high water, he’d do it all for her.

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sarcastically-defensive17 · 4 years

Text

High Pt 1 - C. Hood

Original story by sarcastically-defensive17

Requested by my lovely friend cdizzleswizzle25 on wattpad! (Her Cal one shots are amazing. Do recommend!)

If only he barely thought of you. If only he was able to recover after nearly six months. If only he could just swallow some liquid courage and find somebody else to occupy his time like she did.

But he can't.

I hope you think of me high, I hope you think of me highly, when you're with someone else.

It was the moment Calum knew that he lost her.

"I cant do this anymore," she sighed.

There were no tears, no anger. Just an unsettling calm. It was long coming.

He neglected her, he knew it. He left her alone day after day, night after night. Came home drunk, slept all day, spent hours at the studio, only to come home to her curled up in their bed.

Often times dried tears decorated her soft cheeks.

He used to say he tried. In every argument, every fight, he would tell her how much he was trying. How much he loved her.

It lasted for a while but there was only so much he could do.

They grew further apart during the last tour. He promised to call her every time the time zones crossed but then the guys would want to get drinks. He spent most of his time getting way more drunk than he should have rather than calling his favourite girl, and reminding her how important she is.

He didn't. Her friends knew he didn't deserve her.

They made it clear.

I know your friends all lie. I know your friends don't like me. They want you for themselves.

He drew the final straw when, in a drunken state, he took a swing at her best friend, Anthony.

He remembers being so sure that Anthony was flirting with Y/N.

Then the next morning, he woke up with a killer hangover, and his favourite hoodie - the same one he gave to his favourite girl - being thrown onto his face.

The closet was open, only his clothes left.

Her bags were packed and sitting in the hallway.

"Babe? What's going on?" He choked, the answer already in the back of his mind.

"I cant do this anymore."

"What- what do you mean? You're leaving?" He'd be lying if he denied the tears that pooled in his eyes.

"I've had enough Calum. I'm sorry," she walked closer, placing her hands on his face, "I love you, I just cant do this."

"Is it because of last night? I was drunk, I didn't mean it-"

"When aren't you drunk?" She stepped back, eyes hardening, "I knew what it would be like to date somebody in a band, but I figured I would still be a priority. I'm not, and that's clear."

"Y/N... baby I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He was begging. His body was stiff, shoulders squared but sunken in at the same time. He couldn't help but feel hopeless, "Please don't leave me."

He barely noticed that he had wrapped his larger hand around her smaller one until she pulled away.

"I'm sorry, Calum."

The door closed behind her. He could barely move. Barely wipe the falling tears from his cheeks.

He called her a month later; he had news.

For the first two weeks he went out every couple of nights, got too drunk to stand and woke up in a different house, a different bed, with a woman who wasn't her.

He disgusted himself.

He knew he needed her, he wanted her.

He made the decision to be the man he wanted to be. He had an ideal self and he knew to get her back.

He hadn't gone out since.

In the time she had been away, he bleached his hair. Michael convinced him that a change could help brighten his mood, but it didn't help much.

Today, I called to tell you that I'm changing But I don't think you have enough respect to see me try.

She picked up the call after a few rings, but he could tell she had deleted his number. She used the voice she always has when she answers private numbers.

Too polite.

"Hey, Y/N. How are you doing?"

"What do you want, Calum?"

"I need to talk to you. Need to talk about us," he tries, voice hopeful but also full of tension.

If she could see him, she would be able to see the thick tears covering his chocolate eyes.

"There is no us." Was the only reply.

"Baby please, I've changed. I promise, I can treat you how you deserve!"

"It's been a month, Calum. How could you have changed when you were going home with a new girl every other night?" She seethed through the phone and he could feel the colour drain from his face.

"I-"

"I heard it from Crystal. She wanted me to know before I found out on my own and got hurt. So, no. You haven't changed. Goodbye, Calum." The dial tone sounded before he had the chance to plead again.

His phone was sent flying across the room and his hands tangled in his hair.

He let her down. He hurt her so badly that she left him. He pushed her to the limit.

He let himself down.

I need to stop letting me down, down, down, down, down. I need to stop letting me down, down, down, down, down.

Two months. Two months of no alcohol, no women. Only the guys, his family and writing.

They had a new album set to drop soon and they needed to get their asses into gear with writing and rehearsing.

Every song he wrote came back to her. Every thought he had surrounded her and her beautiful eyes. How she made him feel. How he loved her. How he still loved her.

Does she think of him? Has she moved on?

I hope you think of me high. I hope you think of me highly, when you're with someone else.

She had high expectations, and rightfully so.

She was everything he needed. She was kind, funny, intelligent in her own right, beautiful in every way to him. She could bring light to a room just by stepping foot inside.

He fucked it up because he was too absorbed in the party scene and the life of a celebrity.

He knew she deserved better but he wanted to be better for her. He wanted to be what she deserved.

Hell, he could imagine that the current view she had of him was better than the one he had of himself.

He was disgusted at the man he became. How could he let something like this get in the way of the best relationship he had?

He hated love. He rejected it at every turn, but she made him feel alive. She was his biggest fan and his closest confidant. She was his everything, until she wasn't.

I know I'll never meet your expectations, but the picture that you paint of me looks better in your mind.

Five months and he still thought of nothing but her. His heart aches every time he looked at the bed they shared, or the closet where her clothes would hang.

Even where her toothbrush would sit in their bathroom. He longed to see her hair pins spread across the place and to find her many pairs of earphones hidden in the lounge cushions or in Duke's bed from when he had stolen them.

He holds the memories close. It hurts to think of mornings when they would lay together, legs intertwined and her head resting on his chest.

She loved to listen to his heart beat as she traced the tattoos on his collarbones.

Now every step I take with hesitation, and I'll always miss the memories of the mornings we were high.

He tried to reach out to her a couple more times. He saw she got a new tattoo. A small dove tattooed on her ribs. One they discussed when she was his.

How his fingers longed to be wrapped around hers. His lips ached for the touch of her own. His heart ached to hear the three words fall from her lips that he adored.

He had let himself and others down, but he was doing a lot better. He found ways to occupy his time better, and dedicated his life to being his ideal version. The version that could win her back.

I hope you think of me highly when you're with someone else.

He almost assumed she had somebody else. He used the band account to stalk her Instagram (as she had blocked his personal) and there were various poetic professions of love posted. Many Rupi Kaur poems captioned with a heart.

What she would post when he was her person.

When you're with someone else.

He found one that was simply captioned "I regret losing you."

His heart grew hopeful for a minute until it came crashing down as his self-doubt crept in.

A few days later, a single message sent his heart racing.

I hope you think of me highly.

"I miss you, Calum. I'm so sorry. Can we talk about us?"

He couldn't stop the small smile from worming it's way onto his face as he sent off his reply.

"Whenever you want to, darling."

#calum hood x reader #calum hood #high #CALM #5sos #luke hemmings #michael clifford #ashton irwin

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ranger-jedi-knight · 4 years

Text

A New Hero Chap 16

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20887313/chapters/61274620 Taglist: @bluesimani TAGLIST IS OPEN STILL

So here’s the next chap!! Man this was quicker than my newest usual update speed lol. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this newest chap. Also, so some of you might be annoyed the Steph, Cass, and Duke havent shown up. I get that, but its only cause i dont really know em. So theyre more background characters. I’ll try having them appear, but dont get mad if theyre ooc cause like i said, i dont know em the best. And as I said in the last chap, here’s the post showing what the Grayson siblings look like!

https://ranger-gothamite.tumblr.com/post/622996250510409728/the-grayson-siblings

Alya was buckled over laughing. One arm was wrapped around her as the other whacked away Xavier’s hands as he continued to try tickling her. She moved about trying to get away from his tickling fingers while he followed with a grin and laugh himself. “I give! Stop! Uncle!” she yelled from her rocky spot on the edge of the break rooms couch.

A small smile decorated Dick’s lips as he watched Xavier pulled away laughing. Alya leaned against the armrest, getting her laughs and breathing under control. “How do you feel now?” Xavier asked and Alya grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Better. Tho, I think tickling is cheating,” she said, a teasing smirk on her lips as Xavier shrugged.

“Well, you never said how to make you feel better. Besides, I know you already talked to Dick about it, so I figured, a distraction would work,” he explained and Alya had to nod.

“Ok, that’s correct......how did you know I talked to Dick?” Alya asked giving him a look and Xavier smiled cheekily at that.

“Lana. she heard you and decided to tell me. She knew we were close,” he said and a resigned type of look crossed Alya’s face.

“Of course she heard,” Alya said shaking her head fondly.

“Well, looks like you two had fun,” Dick said walking into the break room, a smile on his lips as he looked at the two.

“Beware Xavier. He’s a tickle fiend,” Alya said pushing herself upright to glare at Xavier who just smiled unabashedly. Dick smiled as he made his way over as the coffee machine started another batch.

His smile turned to a smirk and Alya gave Dick a look. “He’s not the only one!” Dick called going to and tickling Alya as well. Alya shrieked out a laugh as she started going into Xavier’s personal space to escape only for Xavier to join in. she twisted to and fro trying to escape their tickling but they surrounded her with smirks.

“I-I take-back you’re-both-fiends!” Alya shouted between laughs. The two continued tickling her for a bit longer before relenting. When they finally stopped she leaned against Xavier, panting for breath as Dick stood in front of her smiling softly. “You two.......are the worst,” she panted out, tho she had a smile on her face even tho her cheeks and sides hurt from laughing so hard.

“Nah, we’re the best,” Dick said and Alya nodded slowly at that. But then she looked closer at him, its been a few days since that frantic call and the disagreement.

“How are you and Babs? I haven’t heard you talk about her in a little while,” she asked and Dick gave a rueful smile at that. Never get anything past her, he thought with a small shake of his head.

“We’re talking some things thru,” he admitted with a shrug. Seeing Alya pat beside her, having moved a bit so there’s space between her and Xavier, he sat down and the two leaned against him. Xavier rested an arm on Dick’s shoulder while Alya had a hand on his leg, while her other let him squeeze her arm.

“I have a feeling that’s not all of it,” she whispered and Dick nodded.

“That would be correct,” Dick replied with a sigh, his smile from tickling Alya savagely with Xavier gone. “We got into a disagreement. We....maybe.....breaking up,” he said and a sorrowful look crossed Alya’s face.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, squeezing his leg reassuringly as Dick squeezed her hand. Xavier gave his shoulder a squeeze.

“It’s ok. We’ve been drifting apart for a bit now. We were just denying it,” Dick replied with a shrug.

“That may be, mate. But it still gotta hurt. You were with her for, what? A decade or more?” Xavier asked and Dick nodded.

“On and off,” he offered.

“Well, even so, it’s got to hurt still. And no one is going to judge you for hurting,” Xavier continued and Dick nodded, a small smile painting his lips as he looked between the two.

“Ya, maybe.......maybe that’s why I never felt the want to propose to her. It’s probably because I knew it wasn’t the right thing for me,” he whispered feeling their hands giving him reassuring squeezes.

“I guess there is that bright side. If you ever need someone to talk to, you have us,” Alya whispered as Xavier nodded agreement.

“I know, thank you,” Dick said looking between the two. Alya gave his hand one last squeeze before getting up. She went over to the machine and made Dick his coffee, exactly how he liked it. She sat back down next to him and hand him the mug. He hummed softly with a smile as he sipped the drink. “How did you know my drink?”

Alya scoffed with her head tilted as if she was insulted. “I’ve worked with you for how long, Dick? It’d be a surprise if I didn’t know how you take your coffee,” she said and Dick laughed softly as he nodded.

“Of course. I should have known that after all this time you’d know my at-home comfort coffee,” Dick said and Alya nodded firmly with a smirk.

“Obviously,” she agreed, leaning against him as he sipped his coffee.

“Mind telling me it?” Xavier asked and Alya laughed.

“Sure, I’ll show ya next time,” Alya said and Xavier smiled and nodded. Dick just shook his head between the two of them.

“Ganging up on me now, huh?” he asked.

“But is it ganging up if it’s giving you coffee? Cause, I feel like this is just being nice. Now, what you did just minutes ago with the tickling, now THAT was ganging up,” Alya said and Dick smiled unabashedly at that.

“You enjoyed that tickle session and you know it,” Dick said and Alya rolled her eyes since, yes she did enjoy it since it helped distract her and she had fun with it. But she didn’t have to tell him that.

“I don’t have to answer that,” Alya retorted and Dick smirked as he leaned in to mock whisper to Xavier.

“That means she did,” he said and Xavier laughed with a nod at the look that crossed Alya’s face then.

“It does,” Xavier agreed moving out of the way when Alya tried slapping his arm. But she did manage to slap Dick’s arm hard enough for him to laugh as he leaned against Xavier, trying to escape her wrath, more without dropping or spilling his coffee.

“You’re ridiculous,” Alya said standing up then and heading out. “Feel free to tell Jason that I’m telling Lana who actually got her that necklace!” she yelled out as she left the break room and went to her desk. That had Dick laughing harder just imagining how Jason would react.

“Necklace?” Xavier asked as Dick straightened finally. Dick turned to him and nodded, an easy smile on his lips.

“Ya, a while back Alya’s sister Lana got out of a.....abusive relationship,” he said after a pause, the smile dipping off his face a bit. “She had a rough go and Jason had this necklace he bought for a family friend, Marinette you were there when they visited with Xan, but instead gave it to Lana with Alya promising not to tell who gave it to her. See, Marinette believes in crystals having mystical powers and it seems Lana does too. The reason Alya didn’t say that Jason gave it was because her ex did something when she first met Jason making her be afraid. She’s now way better and knows that she’s safe from him,” Dick explained and Xavier nodded slowly as he processed all that.

“Ah, ok. I got it. I’m glad she’s doing better now,” Xavier said smiling softly to him before humming softly. “Say, does Lana go to GU?” he asked and Dick nodded.

“Yeah, why?” he asked with a tilt of his head as he finished his coffee.

“I’m pretty sure that’s the same Lana my sister is friends with,” Xavier said and Dick started laughing.

“What a small world,” Dick commented and Xavier nodded.

“Small world indeed,” he agreed as the two went out to work on their shared case.

~~~~~~~~~~~~(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We’re really going to tour Gotham University?” Lila asked excitedly and Mari nodded with a smile.

“Ya! We get to see Lana again and meet a few of her friends there!” Mari said excitedly.

“But why? I didn’t think GU was part of Wayne Enterprises?” Adrien asked confused as Nino laughed wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

“It isn’t. But Bruce does donate money to it since his sons have gone there. Dick went there for a bit to get his Criminal Science Degree, Tim did his Business Degree here, when Jason got back, he got his English Degree. As for Damian, I don’t know what he’s planning, I think I heard talk about business or law. Duke is almost done there for his Literature and Film degrees. And then Cass is going somewhere else for her medical while Steph is doing community college as she figures out what she wants. But she will transfer to GU if they have the degree she wants. But I am thinking of going here for a double major of Business and Fashion,” Mari replied and had her friends nodding understanding.

“Jon said he was going to go here to get a Journalism Degree like his parents!” Chloe said excitedly and Mari beamed at that. “Hey, maybe you guys should apply here too! We could all be here in Gotham!” Mari suggested and they nodded agreement.

“Do they got a great sports program?” Kim asked and Mari nodded.

“A really good one. A few Olympians and champions are Alumni from GU,” she explained, and that had Kim shaking with barely contained excitement.

“Do they-?”

“Yes, they visit and help the couches,” Mari said and Kim did a victory dance in his seat on the bus.

“I was thinking of checking the place out,” Lila commented and Mari smiled at that.

“Hey, even if you don’t go to GU, maybe you guys will find a college that’s close enough that we can still hang out! And Chloe, Adrien, you could ask Lana about the Journalism Program they have since she’s apart of it!” Mari said and the couple sitting to the side nodded agreement while Lila giggled from her place next to her.

“Ya! We will. I’m sure Jon will like knowing more about the program!” Adrien said and Nino grunted. Adrien moved his arm out and almost knocked Nino off the seat.

“If you wanted the seat to yourself, you could have just said, bro,” Nino joked as he slid into the seat across from Kim and Max next to Sabrina.

“I didn’t-!” Adrien started as everyone laughed and a blush dusted his cheeks as Nino reached over and patted his shoulder.

“Totally, bro,” Nino said smirking and enjoying seeing Adrien flush and cover his face.

“Didn’t Xan say he was going to GU to talk with the Dean?” Lila asked and Mari nodded.

“Yeah! Since he couldn’t apply with the others, he’s applying to come in during next year’s Spring Semester,” Mari explained happily and Lila nodded with a smile.

“If we’re lucky we’ll see him and get to wish him luck!” Lila said excitedly and the group nodded agreement.

“Oh! Did you guys hear the news? Luna uploaded a new music video!” Kim said excitedly and the group nodded.

“Ya! I listened to their new song five times!” Mari said happily.

“I can’t wait! Apparently the group is coming here to perform!” Adrien said and that had them getting more excited.

“Really?” Mari asked.

“Ya!” Adrien shouted back and Mari and Lila squealed excitedly.

“I wish I can go! I love their music!” Mari whined out and Adrien shared a smirked with Chloe.

Queenie: you got the Luna tickets right????

Demon: Of course. I bought them months ago. Including Backstage passes to personally meet the members.

Little Wing: i’m insulted you’d think that.

NERD: don’t worry. even if we hadnt, the group would still love to meet Mari cause of her business mdc

Queenie: just had to make sure ttyl

Demon: You are at GU right?

NERD: of course they are. thats part of the program for their we internship. but why? id imagine youd rather surprise them somewhere else

Demon: I don’t need to explain myself to you

Chloe just shook her head while Adrien snickered softly while the others were too busy discussing Luna. Well, Max wasn’t. Max was typing away on his phone. While he enjoyed their music, he wasn’t crazy about it like his boyfriend or the others.

“Did you see Eunjoo’s outfit? It was soo cute!” Mari said and Lila nodded agreement.

“It was! Honestly, all of the Lolita outfits she wears are adorbs!” Lila added.

“They’re cute, but look at that rockin’ outfit she wears in the newest music video!” Kim said showing a blown-up pic of Eunjoo wearing black cargo pants with a deep red-purple sports bra-like top with a black button-up tied under it, heeled combat boots were on her feet that matched her crop top. She still had her hair-wig really- up in pigtails with the princess cut bangs. It was interesting to see pastel purple hair with a dark hat on top with dark clothes.

“You may make Max jealous with how you’re talking about Eunjoo,” Mari said with a teasing smirk.

“Oh, he agrees with me,” Kim said and Mari snorted at that.

“Kim is correct. I agree with his analysis. Her outfit in the newest music video is cool. It has a Lara Croft vibe,” Max replied and everyone shook their heads as they laughed. “But also, did you hear the news? Luna is going on tour with Clara and Jagged,” he said and that had Mari and Lila looking in awe.

“Really?” Mari whispered out and Max nodded as he pushed his glasses up.

“Really. After their concert here, they’ll be heading out on tour with them, meeting up at Washington D.C.,” he explained.

“Wow,” Mari breathed. “Oh! Maybe I can get Uncle Jagged to introduce us!” Mari squealed as she pulled her phone out to rapidly text Jagged as Lila and the others maneuvered her out of the bus and onto campus.

“Marinette?” a familiar voice called out. The group turned to see Lana looking at them confused with a few people with her.

“Lana!” Mari beamed over at the redhead and went over to her giving her a tight hug. Lana tensed in Mari’s grip, squeezing her friend’s hand as she forced herself to relax. “Sorry,” she mumbled seeing Lana tense.

“It’s fine. Just....gotta push thru,” Lana replied.

“Still. I swear, if I see his stupid face again,” Mari began and Lana patted her shoulder.

“Thank you, but I doubt I’ll ever be seeing him again,” Lana assured and Mari nodded slowly.

“See who’s stupid face?” Adrien asked curiously and watched as Lana gripped her dagger necklace.

“No one,” Lana replied and Mari gestured she’d explain later which he nodded at. “What are you guys doing here by the way? And who are some of these people?” Lana asked and Mari beamed as she pointed to each person.

“That’s Kim, Adrien, Lila, Sabrina, and Max. Remember Chloe and Nino?” she asked remembering that only those two joined her when she dropped off cookies all that time ago.

“Hi,” Lana greeted giving a wave to the group.

“We match! Nice!” Kim said laughing and that had Lana cracking a small smile when she noticed they indeed matched. Just not in the normal way. Her hair was practically the same shade as Kim’s sweatshirt, just faded a bit.

“Mind introducing us to your friends?” Mari asked and Lana jerked and nodded.

“Sorry, ya, I can do that,” Lana said giving a small smile as the group laughed softly. “That’s Belle, Bee for short,” she pointed to the short young woman she squeezed her hand with who had black hair and brown eyes. She then pointed to a woman on Bee’s other side with brown hair and black glasses over her blue eyes, “This is Cahaya, but Bee and I call her Haya,” she then pointed to the Italian in the wheelchair. She had purple-dyed hair and blue glasses over her teal-green eyes. A scar ran along her cheek. “And that’s Lila,” Lila waved with a laugh.

“Oh my god! I watch your channel!” Lila said from beside Mari, causing the girl next to Lana to laugh.

“Is it because we share a name?” she asked with a giggle that Lila returned. “So there’s no confusion, you guys can just call me L or even MC for my channel name,” she offered, smiling happily at that.

“MC?” Kim asked confused and looked over Max’s shoulder as he typed rapidly on his phone before showing Kim.

“Mythical Crafter. You know, that resin and clay crafter. The girls talk about her a lot,” Max explained and Kim nodded with an ‘oh’ look.

“Oh, yea! I just never heard the name,” he said sheepishly scratching the back of his neck as the group laughed.

“Anyways, why are you guys here?” Lana asked, tilting her head curiously.

“As much as I’d like to know, I need to get to class,” Bee said softly and Lana nodded understandingly as Bee then started off toward a different building with Haya close behind. “It was nice meeting you,” she called out over her shoulder.

“We’re here for a tour of GU!” Mari said beaming and Lana smiled softly.

“That’s cool. I hope you enjoy your tour,” Lana said and Mari nodded agreement. “Speaking of wish, it looks like your teacher wants to get a move on,” she continued looking behind Mari. Mari glanced back and pouted.

“Ya, will you still be on campus at lunch?”

“Ya, I’ll be in the cafeteria,” she answered and Mari beamed.

“We can talk more then!” Mari said as she and the others rushed over to their class.

“Later!” Lana called before walking with L rolling right beside her to their next class. Ms. Bustier looked at Mari and her friends a bit annoyed.

“Marinette, you shouldn’t run off like that,” she scolded and Mari scowled at that shocking the teacher.

“I didn’t run off. I walked a few steps away from the group with my friends to talk with an old friend of mine that goes here,” she said bitterly.

“Why don’t you introduce us to her then. Maybe she’d be able to give us some pointers,” Bustier said smiling sweetly.

“No.”

“What?” Bustier had the gall to look confused.

“She said no, Madame Bustier. She doesn’t have to do anything for you,” Adrien said with a scowl as well.

“Why! That is no way to speak to me, Adrien!” Bustier said looking at the two annoyed.

“Actually, they can. Because you’re being unfair. You’re trying to get Mari to do something she doesn’t want to do, nor do we know if the person you want us to meet wants to meet more people. You actually need to get the person’s consent first if you want them to talk with our class about school-related things,” Chloe said as she inspected her nails. “Even if you didn’t, you can’t force Mari to do anything.”

Bustier fumed at that and instead started leading them to the meeting point.

Ok, so here it is!! This was actually pretty long lol! I hope you enjoyed this newest chap! Yes, I’m still a bit bitter at how stupid Bustier is. She’d be better as a kindergarten teacher really. So ya, we get some Bustier salt. Espeically next chap! Just wait! So, until next time!! -Love Willa<3<3<3

#fanfic #fanfic update #update #my writing #ANH #A New Hero #chap 16 #daminette #maribat #ml x dc #Lana Grayson #Alya Grayson #OCs

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june-louise · 3 years

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Our Kind of Love

A short story of Elizabeth and Philip's struggle throughout Philip's royal tour in season two of The Crown. What if the adultery scandal never happened then? Rated M.

Since I have been inspired lately and created a few drabbles about Elizabeth and Philip set after 2x03 when Philip’s away on the royal tour, I have decided to combine them into a short story.

Some of you may have already read the first chapters. They are now edited though to fit the story better. Feel free to re-read, and stay tuned for next chapter which will be the reunion in Lisbon.

Chapter 1 - The First Telephone Call

Elizabeth sat on the sofa; one leg crossed over the other as she listened to the reports coming from the television a few metres in front of her. Her mother was as per usual having her dinner next to her, joined by Margaret sitting across from them. Elizabeth had already had dinner, for once having shared the meal with the children who were now in bed.

“Your Majesty,” a voice said and interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see the court martial approach her. “A telephone call for you, ma’am. The Duke of Edinburgh.”

“Hello, darling,” Philip said, and she could almost hear his smirk and tried to picture him there on the other side of the world.