#just went ahead and tagged peeps who seemed interested

[apomaro-mellow]

okay yall convinced me to continue this

Eddie looked around and all he saw was black. Was this what death was like? He expected more people. But maybe death was just solitude. Then all of a sudden he wasn't alone.

He jumped back when he came face to face with, himself.

"What the fuck?"

His mirror image looked back and smirked. Then looked down at his hands.

"Finally."

"What the hell is going on here? Where am I? W-we?"

"Vecna is putting us back together. We can see everyone again soon."

"You mean...I'm not dead?"

"Oh we're very much alive. In fact, I'd say we're better than before."

As his mirror said that, Eddie felt a new energy thrumming in his veins.

"Why? Why would Vecna do this, I was tryina kill that bastard!"

"He wants something in return. To use us against them."

"Like hell that's gonna happen. I-"

"Didn't let myself get chomped on just so I could be used by an actual murderer."

"How did you-"

"Is it not obvious? I'm still you. But I'm the parts he wants to use. The part that's afraid of Vecna. Afraid of the world for seeing us for what we are. And angry at our lot in life. And ashamed for how we feel."

Eddie didn't respond. It was all a lot to take in. When his other self mentioned shame for feeling something, a certain face popped into his head.

"We're going to see him again. And this time, I'm going to take what I want."

"You put a hand on him and-" Eddie stopped himself. Not only did he feel pretty powerless here, he was never that good at restraining his own actions. "You touch him and he'll kick your ass."

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

After his little stunt, Eddie/Kas found themselves tied up again, this time in Steve's garage. And this time with chains (duct tape boys? really?). Nancy also made sure his legs were chained to the chair and had a shotgun trained on him the whole time they talked.

"We're all sure he's real?", she asked, nudging his cheek with her barrel. She was the only one here to actually experience Vecna's illusions besides Max. She knew how convincing they could be.

"He's real", Jonathan said, a lighter ready just in case. "Steve and the others said so."

Nancy rifled through all the information she got when she received the code red. Something that looked like Eddie had returned. But it was very obviously NOT Eddie. Stronger, faster, more durable. And apparently was receiving orders directly from Vecna. He also apparently had a craving for flesh, having busted into the meat locker of a deli before being found.

"What's your game this time? Use our friend's face to trick us?", she questioned.

"Heh, it really warms our heart that you call us 'friend'. Guess quality time over quantity, huh?" He was smiling, like none of this was a threat to him. Knowing creatures of the Upside Down, it would take more than one bullet, but Nancy had plenty.

"I believe I laid down my terms with the others pretty clearly. I'll follow your rules, so long as Steve is the one to watch me."

"Why Steve?", Jonathan asked.

Kas grinned at him. "Steve's my favorite."

"Oh my god, shut up, shut up, shut up", Eddie lamented from their shared mental space.

While Nancy and Jonathan were handling that situation in the garage, Steve was trying to get a grip on what was happening in his house. They were practically running up the walls.

"Steve you don't understand!", Dustin exclaimed. "This is huge!"

"I don't see how a monster posing as Eddie is huge?"

"But they're not just posing. It IS Eddie", Mike said.

"We don't know that. Not until Nancy confirms it."

Will rolled his eyes. "Oh like she'd know. She talked to Eddie for what? A day?"

"Cut the sass. And if you can talk, you can move your hands." Steve handed Will the knife and pushed some peppers his way.

"The point is WE, you know the people who actually hung out with Eddie would know him better. We should be the ones interrogating him", Lucas said, actually doing his duty of buttering a casserole dish.

"The other point is we don't NEED to question him because we already know that it's actually Eddie", Dustin said. "Vecna wouldn't know who Kas is. Eddie's in there. And he's telling us that he's on our side."

"You remember what Max told us, right? Vecna gets in your head. He sees what you see, knows what you know." Steve took the dish from Lucas and poured some rice into it. "If he got to Eddie, then he knows what Eddie knows." When Will finished dicing, Steve took the knife and was about to wash it under running water when he heard someone approach.

"Is Mama Steve making dinner?"

Steve reacted first and thought second and the knife flew threw the air. Kas caught it easily and twirled the knife in his hand.

"Nice aim. Lemme guess, little league?"

Nancy and Jonathan were right behind him. Steve wanted to respond. Maybe ask 'what the hell? why isn't he tied up? Nancy where's your gun?' But the kids got to it first.

"Tell us everything!" Mike demanded.

Dustin started rallying off questions. "Are you actually Eddie? Just enhanced? Or like a split personality? Is it one that came naturally or one Vecna implanted? Is Eddie like inside of you? Can he come out?"

"All in due time", Kas said, walking by them all to get to Steve, who once again looked like a deer with a car coming straight on.

"We struck a deal, princess. Looks like we're roomies."

There was still at least a foot separating them yet Steve felt boxed in. It was the same sensation he got whenever Eddie talked to him and only him, but intensified.

"Umm, hope you like chicken and rice?"

Internally, Eddie was falling to his knees. Steve's cooking, Steve in the process of cooking, with his little chickadees orbiting him. It was a domestic scene too much for his pining heart and he was actually glad right now that he wasn't holding the reins. Falling to his knees for chicken and rice wasn't the best look for a metalhead.

"Eddie would love some", Kas said cooly.

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

Dinner was an odd affair. All of them trying to figure out Kas in their own way. Dustin and Mike with their blatant questions, Lucas telling them to cool it, Nancy with her more subtle line of questioning, Will trying to see if he could feel anything, and Jonathan trying to see if Will was effected.

Steve was the only one pointedly trying to ignore the man which was very difficult given that he was doing everything in his power to get his attention. His favorite move seemed to be nudging Steve's foot with his own, causing Steve to bump his knee against the table at least three times.

Eddie wanted to roll into a hole and die. He especially wanted to do so when Kas started eyeing Steve's leg, because he knew what was coming.

"No, absolutely not. He let you get away with this much. But he will rip of your hand for this", Eddie said.

"I think he'd let us get away with much more." So Kas went ahead and put his hand on Steve's thigh, making him jolt up from his chair.

So yeah, quite the interesting dinner.

After eating, they figured out a rotation schedule for watching him. Technically Steve was only on the schedule for six hours a day. But considering Kas would be at his house the entire time, they'd be spending a lot more time together.

The rest of them were getting ready to leave so that they could check in with the others, but Nancy hung back to talk to Steve semi-privately.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Steve glanced at the mysterious figure that was masquerading as Eddie, who was openly leering at him while ignoring the children.

"I'll be..uh, I can hang in there Nance, don't worry."

Then everyone else left, leaving the two of them alone. Steve felt a little like caged prey. But he also felt like this version of Eddie wouldn't hurt him. Not physically at least. But that left other things to do to him and Steve was afraid to go down that rabbit hole of possibilities.

"It's just you and me, Steve."

Part 3A More plotty, fluffy, bit of angst

Part 3B Less plotty, more smutty

Tag team:

@jestyzesty

@mightbeasleep

@findafight

@spooky-mulders

#apo writes #stranger things #fanfiction #steddie #kas!eddie #the party #yall are a pretty convincing crowd #just went ahead and tagged peeps who seemed interested #hope that was okay

[bookwyrminspiration]

Hello there! I think I’m one of those peeps who appears to have just randomly ended up here bc my blog is many things, but it is not primarily a kotlc blog, and I show up and like your posts once in a blue moon - I’ve been lurking in the fandom tags for months (and whenever I’m in a lurking phase I’m always hesitant to like or rb things because anxiety is mean) after not really interacting with keeper fandoms for years (I think your analyses were some of the first posts I came across when I was rereading the series) and seeing other people post about my gay elf blorbos is so wonderful :)

Also, getting to the point here - I stayed up past 2 AM reading your fic because it was just. Anskdkfjdklsjf. Incredible. The stars-space-dark-light and finding each other motifs were so poignant and TIERTICE PROPOSAL (especially Prentice being the one to initiate affection and reminiscing and everything because Tiergan is so scared of getting so close just to lose him again and just. Oh my god the tenderness) and Tam rescuing Wylie from the light and them becoming brothers (brothers!!!!) and Linh and Rayni making amends and FAMILY and love and I absolutely love your writing style and this is just sleep deprived gushing but tldr: your blog and writing are wonderful and I hope this doesn’t come off as too weird! -🐳 (not sure if you already have a whale anon?)

Hello! I do not have a whale anon yet! Lurkers and not quite involved people are wonderful, it's so cool to see people who enjoy the same things I do even if you haven't made it practically your entire personality online. I'd put you in the "kinda unexpected but understandable" category, where I wouldn't peg the blog as a kotlc blog but they're involved in enough middle grade/ya fandoms that I can assume they partake in keeper casually.

There's just also this other category of "unexpected and I don't fully understand why you're here." This happens with like poetry and art aesthetic blogs run by adults, where they don't seem like someone who'd read keeper? And that's why most people follow me? But who am I to know their interests? So it perplexes me sometimes. I assume it's gotta do with my popular sibling post or something

But! back to your point! I am so sorry you stayed up late but also so flattered by that at the same time? wdym my silly little fic was worth losing sleep over? that does mean you got to read the fic at the same time the fic was set at though! I think that's fun.

Thank you for all the compliments!! i love the consistency the different motifs bring to each story, it feels like they're all intertwined in a deeper way. Like they're all on similar wavelengths in ways they can't even recognize but we can from the outside. It's so satisfying to write.

And the tiertice proposal! now they can be true antenna husbands <33. Was nervous to write their dynamic because I will be honest, I did absolutely all of it from memory and that memory was not very strong. Did not really pay attention to them at all when reading. And then when I realized "hey I didn't pay attention to them at all maybe I should double check what their dynamic is" I was too far into it and decided no we're winging it. If I just make this really good people will be too busy screaming to notice if they're out of character. I'm very glad I went ahead with my idea to add it (a proposal was NOWHERE in the original plan) because everyone seems to enjoy it if not find it absolutely adorable.

Yes!! Tam rescuing Wylie from the light! I hadn't even realized at first the meaning that could be found in that, I wrote it and only later realized that Wylie had been trying to get away from the light about found comfort in Tam, a shade. But I think it's an interesting comment on the importance of family to the two of them and the bond they've fostered, how something that can be seen as so threatening (all the things in the dark) can be utterly meaningless when it comes to someone you love. They're brothers and fiercely love each other, and it transcends expectations and social norms and they do it so casually. They fell into that life together, and I am. Endlessly fascinated by them.

Then there's Linh and Rayni!! Full disclosure I wasn't a huge Rayni fan going into this fic (she was fine, but I had more appreciation for her when she was Glimmer), but she grew on me. I admire how unapologetic she is, how thoroughly she's cast off her care for what other people think. I'm working towards being like that, but am not nearly as casual about it as she is. That whole section was an experiment with them

and don't worry, none of this comes off as weird at all! I think a lot of people fear they're weirder than they are, and if they are weird they should embrace it more :). I'm absolutely flattered you like my writing style though, so lucky for you I have no intention of stopping writing. Telling stories is so fulfilling I have zero desire to stop! so thank you for the encouragement, which I will use as writing fuel whenever I start up my next project (which is the dialogue prompts, but breaks about to be over and I just wrote that other fic so I'm chilling atm)

#quil's queries #quil's queridos #🐳 nonsie #you know I don't know much about whales #i'm more familiar with giraffes but it's also been a while and a lot of the knowledge is fuzzy #maybe I should indulge 7 year old me who fuckin adored giraffes #i don't actually know why she did but she sure did! #(i refer to past me as she) #do you know much about whales? #maybe I should watch a documentary

[ayellowcurtain]

Could you write something about Sander meeting Robbe at the beach house in S3 but instead of being there as Britts boyfriend he is single and there as Sennes friend who also went along to the trip

-

Robbe walks fast right back to his bedroom, the soft morning sunlight still not able to help his freezing hands from shaking. The wind while trying to casually walk fast from the kitchen to the bedroom was too cold and Robbe can barely feel his hands, his cheeks too but he knows he’s red all over. He closes the bedroom door carefully and leans against it, breathing slowly to try and calm his heartbeats.

It felt like a movie scene. One of those that he likes, where life is happening normally and you can’t see the big, life changing moment coming until it’s gone already or when you’re in it. Robbe feels like he had a moment of those in the kitchen.

-

Sander tries to contain his excitement for what can happen during this weekend, looking down at his own boots, very aware that Senne is still there, staring at him. The second he looks up through his lashes, Senne raises his eyebrows, looking from him to the door, still half open because the mystery boy that’s not so mysterious anymore left open, in a rush to leave a minute ago.

“What now?” Sander snorts, trying to shake off the feeling still making him dizzy with curiosity and want.

“This was interesting…” Senne says, his mouth still full with the croque Sander had to improvise for them before they were interrupted by Robbe.

-

Just don’t go too fast. Robbe is like a puppy and he’ll run if you push him too far.

Sander can’t forget Senne’s words this morning, repeating them as a mantra so he doesn’t ruin this for himself.

“Where are we going?”

Sander only realized how extremely dark it is when they move away from the crowd quietly, hearing the screams dissipate as they go further and further. Sander can’t do scary things not even if his life depends on it or if to impress someone he’s very attracted to.

While they were close to the others, waiting to go inside the haunted house, it wasn’t as dark, just enough for Sander to gently tap Robbe’s arm without it being noticed by anyone else. They were standing right next to each other for the sixth time just today, like magnets but Sander had a feeling this time was planned. Their hands were almost touching while they were hearing the horror story at the front of the group, the only source of light coming from one of Robbe’s friend’s phone. He pointed with his head back, hoping Robbe would get that he was about to ditch the prank and was hoping Robbe would tag along.

He left the group quietly, waiting to be distant enough to turn the flashlight of his phone on, happy to hear steps behind him, some complain when Robbe ran into some weeds, stumbling to catch up.

At times the darkness around them made Sander a little scared so he would check, looking over his shoulder, smiling when his eyes found Robbe’s, not as scared as he was, happy with the adventure ahead, and it made him relax a little bit, happy to entertain this boy for as long as he would like.

Sander heard the boys planning tonight earlier so he knew where everyone would go after the haunted house. He was hoping to get at least five minutes alone with Robbe.

“Here…” He whispered like anyone else is there with them, able to hear them and ruin their time apart from their friends, finally finding the small room in the middle of nowhere, unfinished and abandoned but not as scary as the big house they left. They walk around it to find the stairs that can take them to the roof. Sander goes up first, keeping his light on the stairs so Robbe wouldn’t trip on the steps.

“Wow...how did you know about this?”

Robbe walks around, noticing the bottles and bottles of all types of alcoholic drinks safely in the middle, waiting for someone to do the honors and in the middle of all the glass bottles, there’s a bag that Robbe opens just enough to see inside. Sander peeps too, finding shot glasses and a few fat joints.

“They won’t mind if we steal one to share…” Sander puts his hand inside the bag carefully, grabbing one joint and pulling it out, showing it to Robbe. He assumes Robbe doesn’t have a lighter with him so Sander does the honors, taking a long, delicious hit first, offering the joint to Robbe afterwards, trying not to overthink that his lips were where Robbe’s lips are now, smoking slowly to enjoy the burn, the smoke filling them whole.

“So you don’t like being scared…” Robbe starts after a few minutes in silence, both of them walking around, exploring, looking down to see how high they are, laughing when they would look at each other at the same time.

“No way. What’s the fun in that?”

Robbe laughs softly, nodding his head, sitting close to the edge but not close enough where it’s dangerous. He almost falls back and Sander puts his hand behind his shoulder to help him regain his balance.

“Yeah, I guess it’s not funny exactly. But maybe it gives you a rush for a moment.”

“I don’t get it. We can get a rush in so many other forms.”

“What gives you a rush?”

Sander thinks about it for a second, leaving the joint with Robbe, already feeling his brain a little slow and light after so many months of not smoking a single cigar. He looks at Robbe, feeling a bit cold, regretting leaving his creme sweater back at the rented house. Sander adjusts his position, hugging his knees with both arms, resting his chin on his biceps, looking at Robbe sitting next to him.

“It doesn’t happen as often as I may make it seem but I guess falling in love gives you a good rush.”

He can tell by the way that Robbe looks at him that it wasn't the answer he was expecting and Sander wishes he could explain how he felt this morning, watching a sleepy Robbe get inside the kitchen, confused with the stranger there, making croques early in the morning. But he can’t tell him that as an example.

He can’t tell he saw Robbe days ago, painting a garbage truck with Noor, his college friend. And he can’t tell Robbe he asked Noor about him, connecting every evidence until he found out Robbe and Senne, his best friend, were basically flatmates. What a tiny, tiny world. If he tells him all of that, he’ll have to say he only came to this trip to meet Robbe, that after that night spray painting, Sander started thinking about falling in love at first sight, about faith and universe, all the mystical bullshit he never cared to understand before.

“Not the answer you were expecting?” He asks, pressing his lips against his arm so Robbe won’t see him smiling dumbly. The boy shakes his head slowly like he’s still in shock.

“Sorry.”

“No...No, it’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting that, really. But I guess you are right. When you like someone it’s like when the power goes out, and suddenly you can’t function properly, everything is going off and on at the same time and so you don’t know what to do, how to act, what to say.”

Sander snorts and nods his head. He never thought about it like that but it makes sense. He repeats Robbe’s words in his head again to check if they really make sense or they just make sense to him because Robbe is saying them. And Sander is noticing everything Robbe says to him sounds like the best thing he’s ever heard. They have a very different way of seeing things and Sander wishes he could be like Robbe, see the world through his beautiful, gentle, rounded eyes.

“Do you believe in those things? Like love at first sight, faith, those types of...unexplainable things?”

Robbe looks forward, the screams in the distance stopped some time ago and Sander can see some flashlights breaking the dark every few seconds, getting closer to where they are.

"Definitely. I have high hopes for those things or else life sounds pretty rough to me.”

Sander frowns, noticing how serious Robbe gets suddenly, keeping his eyes on his group of friends, waving to them already. Sander wants to ask what makes life so rough for him but there’s no time with the line of people already forming downstairs for them to go up to the rooftop too.

“You wanna go on a walk tomorrow morning? The beach is pretty nice…” Robbe asks, already up, trying to brush the dirt out of the back of his pants, finally looking at Sander again.

He nods his head, getting up too, accepting the joint back, not so accidentally letting their fingers touch in the exchange.

#wtfock #robbe ijzermans #sander driesen #sobbe #robbe x sander

[mermaidsneedwater]

christmas with you | chapter five

series page

tag list: @yup-indecisive-girl-cece

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of The Year

Stirring in your sleep, you rubbed your eyes as you felt a pair of arms around your waist. Thinking nothing of it, you shifted to your other side and turned around in the long arms, nuzzling into the man’s neck.

“I had the strangest dream,” You said groggily.

“Oh yeah? About what?” the voice responded.

With your eyes still closed you smiled. “It was so weird. You slept with my sister, and then I went to my neighbor, Mark’s house for Christmas.”

Hearing small laughter, you felt the man’s chest rumble slowly before you both began to realize…

Opening your eyes, you were shocked to see that it was Mark’s arms that you were wrapped in.

“AHHH!” You yelled, jumping out of bed.

“AH!” Mark yelled, shocked at your reaction. “Wha? What? Why are you yelling?”

Holding the pillow to separate the two of you again, you scooted as far away as you could from Mark until you were almost falling off the bed.

“We- you… I. I’m… We were…” You squeaked out.

Sitting up in bed, Mark looked around to see that you two had managed to get rid of the barrier between you two.

“Oh… do I smell that bad?” He asked, raising his arm to do a smell test.

“No- it’s not that.” You said slowly. “I just- I’ll sleep on the floor tonight.”

Mark frowned. “Absolutely not. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“Mark really I-“

“Mark! Y/N! Breakfast is ready!” You heard Dorine call from downstairs.

Thankful for the interruption, you hopped out of bed and pulled on a sweatshirt. Mark followed your lead and the two of you headed down to find an elaborate display of food.

“Mom, how much food did you make?” Mark asked, stretching his arms out. “You know that there are two other meals in the day that I need to save room for right?”

“I don’t want to hear a peep out of you Mark,” His mother said sternly, “You’ve lost too much weight, frankly you should be having at least 5 meals a day.”

Defeated, Mark held his hands up and took a seat at the dining table.

“Y/N dear, please eat as much as you’d like.” She beamed at you.

“Can I help you with anything? You look like you’ve already done all the hard work.” You offered, hoping to distance yourself from Mark.

“Not at all, just sit and eat!” She insisted.

Nodding and then thanking her, you took a seat next to Mark. With the morning newspaper in hand, Raymond came and joined you at the table.

“Did you guys sleep well?” He asked, looking up from his paper.

You turned to glance at Mark, remembering how the two of you had woken up this morning. “Yes, a little too well actually.”

Thinking nothing of your answer, Raymond sipped his coffee and nodded, he then returned to enjoying reading his paper. Dorine paced between the dining table and the kitchen before finally sitting down to eat.

She dug into the pancakes before turning to Mark. “You should show Y/N around town! You know, show her your high school and all that. Our Christmas festivities don’t start until tomorrow. Don’t you think that’s a good idea Raymond?”

Without missing a beat, Raymond responded, not looking up from the article he was engrossed in “Uh-huh, sounds great.”

Mark looked at you, and then at his mom “I don’t know mom, I doubt she’s interested, right Y/N?”

“Actually I’d love to go.” You said, taking a bite of your toast. “I barely know anything about your past.”

Raising an eyebrow, Mark gave you a funny look before agreeing. “Okay, I guess we can go after breakfast.”

You smiled at him before returning to your breakfast. The more time you were out of the house, the less time you’d have to lie and keep up this charade with Mark’s family.

+++

“We don’t actually have to go to see my high school.” Mark told you as he drove the car out of the driveway. “We can just drive around.”

“No,” You shook your head, “I want to see it. Besides, it would be nice to feel like I’m a truthful person again.”

“Okay.” He nodded his head. Mark then turned on the radio, as the two of you drove out of his neighborhood and through the local streets.

When he finally pulled up to the parking lot of the school, you were again amazed at the plainness of the building. Prior to becoming a trainee, Mark truly was like any other kid.

The two of you stepped out of the car and began to walk around the football field of the school.

“So what were you like in high school?” You asked, desperate to fill the silence between you.

“Me? I was kind of a loner.” He said, smiling at the memory.

“Ah, I can see you haven’t changed then.” You teased.

“Hilarious.” Mark narrowed his eyes at you. “But seriously, I wasn’t very athletic, so I never really joined any team sports. I liked gaming, but it was more of a solitary pastime. I liked music, but it just seemed unrealistic career-wise. I thought I’d just become a real estate agent or something.”

“So then when you were scouted, it must have been a dream come true.”

“Well, yes and no. Yes because I got the chance to pursue something I loved professionally, but no because it wasn’t necessarily the route I thought.” He explained. “I actually didn’t even want to do it, but my family and friends pushed me to go.”

“Imagine if you hadn’t taken the opportunity.” You mused aloud. “Your life would be infinitely different.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He said, smiling. “What about you? Did you always know you wanted to do PR?”

Your smile quickly faded as you recalled you original dream. “I wanted to be a ballerina.”

“Really? I didn’t expect that.” Mark shook his head. “So what happened?”

“I don’t really talk about it but, when I was sixteen, I tore my anterior cruciate ligament in my knee during a performance of The Nutcracker. Once you suffer through a knee injury like that… it’s impossible to continue. In an instant my dance career was over.” You reflected sadly. “I never danced again after that.”

“I’m sorry,” Mark said quietly.

“I’ve made my peace with it.” You shrugged. “Besides, working for the PR department of the Ballet Theatre is close enough.”

“So you really never danced again? Ever?” Mark asked.

“After my recovery, I was just too scared. When I realized I could never be a professional, I didn’t see the point in torturing myself.”

Nodding silently, You and Mark walked side by side on the track.

“I loved it though. The thrill of being on stage and feeling the music. It took a long time for me to get over it, dancing was my first love.”

Mark watched you face as you spoke, he’d noticed how excited you became when you began to reminisce. Attempting to lighten the mood he spoke, “Well, if you had become a ballerina then we never would’ve met.”

“That’s true,” You smiled softly. “Hey, I may not be a dancer but at least now I can say I’ve been someone's fake girlfriend.”

Laughing, Mark nudged you with his shoulder and teased “You’re a natural. My family loves you. I think they’re really going to be sad when I tell them I dumped you.”

“Excuse me? You’re not going to dump me, I’m going to dump you.” You turned to him.

“Well I’m going to be the one telling my family so obviously I’ll break up with you, I don’t want to sound like a loser.” He pointed out. “Actually, on second thought, I’ll tell them you dumped me. That way there’ll be more sympathy for me and they won’t ask me about getting another girlfriend because I’ll be too heartbroken over you.”

“Wow, you sure think ahead.” You laughed. “Don’t move on too quickly from me. You can have another girlfriend after a year.”

“A whole year?!” He said, shocked. “That’s a bit too long don’t you think?”

“Hey, you need to respect our relationship.”

“Whatever you say Y/N.” Mark shook his head, chuckling.

+++

“Mark I’m tired.” you complained.

“It’s only a little bit further up.” He turned back to tell you, “trust me. It’s worth it.”

You rolled your eyes, huffing and puffing as you trekked up the hill.

After showing you around a bit, Mark had saved his favorite spot for last. Pulling up into the parking lot of the hiking trail, you raised an eyebrow when he’d unbuckled his seatbelt and began to walk up the steep hill.

Turning around, Mark quickly ran behind you. “We’re here. But I’m going to close your eyes.”

He placed two hands over your eyes. Guiding you to the top of the peak.

“I better not fall to my death.” You joked.

“Keep talking and you just might.” Mark said sarcastically. “Okay I’m going to take my hands off and you can open your eyes.”

“Alright.” You said quietly.

Hearing Mark slowly count behind you, your eyes widened at the sight before you.

He’d brought you to the top of Sturtevant Falls. As you peered below, you could see the waterfall streaming below into a small body of water. The sun had turned the sky into a vibrant mix of blues and oranges as it began to set.

“This is amazing.” You breathed out, turning to look at Mark.

“Isn’t it?” He grinned. “I used to love coming here.”

“It’s beautiful. How did you find this place?” You asked.

“Tammy loves hiking so she’d make me and Grace go with her, halfway through the hike I’d ditch her and come up here until it was time to go home. I’ve spent hours at a time up here, just thinking.”

“You do that a lot.” You commented.

“What? Thinking?”

“Yeah. I think people don’t realize that, you may not say much but you’re always thinking.” You nodded.

Taken aback that you’d noticed such a small detail like that, he blinked a few times unsure of what to say. He’d never felt so seen.

“That’s true. By the way, you’re the second girl I’ve brought up here.”

“The second?! Who was the first? A girlfriend?” You pouted playfully.

“My sister.”

“Well you should bring more girls up here, this is a great make out spot.” You commented.

“Should we test that theory?” Mark winked.

“Ha! You wish.” You shoved him lightly, rolling your eyes.

“Anyway, are you ready to head back home, my dear girlfriend?”

“Oh of course, my wonderful boyfriend.” You stuck your tongue out at him.

+++

After your outing, the remainder of the night was mundane. You sat in the living room with Mark and his parents after dinner simply enjoying each other’s company.

“So Mom,“ Mark started “What’s the plan for Christmas Eve and Christmas?”

“Well, everyone’s coming over tomorrow at twelve o’clock. We’ll do all the usual Tuan traditions, we’ll cook and bake tomorrow’s meal.” She laid out the plan “Everyone will stay the night for Christmas and then we’ll do presents and dinner together at night before sending everyone off home.”

“Sounds great.” You smiled. “I can’t wait.”

“It’s going to be a long day tomorrow, so rest up!” Raymond told you and Mark.

chapter four | chapter six

#mark tuan #got7 #mark got7 #got7 mark #got7 mark tuan #mark tuan got7 #mnw works #got7 fics #got7 Christmas #got7 imagines #got7 drabble #got7 scenario #got7 reactions

[sunflwrvolume6]

someone lost, something gained [36]

This is a huge step, a leap forward that she won’t ever be able to take back. And if this all ends disastrously, she will not only lose the only man who’s held her interest in three years but the man who has made her happy through such a horrible time. She meant what she told Antonio. She didn’t think she would ever smile again after Granddad passed, and that thought alone terrifies her.

[ao3 ☆ wattpad part one | part two]

[previous ☆ masterlist]

[get tagged here]

note: not going to lie, this is 4k of pure tooth-rotting fluff. i almost split it into 2 chapters/posts, but here it is in all its glory.

Veda frowns at her reflection, smoothing down the front of her dress. It’s too much, she knows it is, but Hattie had been adamant about this particular outfit. She’d said that if Niall didn’t want to take Veda to bed immediately after seeing her in this dress, then he’s either stupid or just not that into her. Veda crosses her fingers and hopes her cousin is right.

But she still walks out of the bathroom and into Hattie’s room with doubts swirling in her mind. “Are you sure I’m not, like, showing too much?”

“Veeeeee,” groans Hattie as she tosses her book aside. “Look. Yes, your back is exposed, and yes, maybe it’s a deeper neckline than you’re used to. But you don’t look like a two-dollar prostitute, so it’s a win.”

“Well, thank god for small mercies.” Sighing, Veda makes her way back to the mirror, calling over her shoulder, “What should I-?”

“Oh, step aside. Your favourite cousin is here to save the day. Sit,” Hattie orders with a vague gesture toward the tub.

Veda rolls her eyes but obeys while Hattie rummages through the bag Veda brought downstairs with her. Hattie comes up with an eyeliner pencil and bottle of foundation. She warns Veda to stay completely still -”Or I will stab you in the eye and not feel bad at all” - then gets to work. Veda follows every command, tilts her head up and down and side to side. She even manages to somehow control the twitching of her eyelids as her cousin applies mascara.

Finally, Hattie steps away and beams. “Hey, you actually look somewhat presentable.”

“Hey, you’re actually kinda being an ass.”

Hattie yelps when Veda goes to stand. “What do you think we’re doing? We aren’t done!”

“I’m supposed to be meeting him soon,” Veda protests, and Hattie shoves at her shoulders until Veda sits again. “If I’m late, I’m blaming you.”

“Worth it.”

Forty minutes later, Veda is slipping her feet into a pair of nude peep-toe heels, courtesy of her cousin who heard about the date finally happening and went shopping. She sighs and checks her reflection again. Dark red lips, perfect winged liner, curled lashes, and a touch of peach on her cheeks make her look entirely different than her every-day face. The mass of curls pinned on top of her head is definitely a change from her usual bun, and Veda will never waste the time again.

But even she has to admit Hattie’s magic has made her look incredible.

“Be home by Cinderella, or the carriage turns back into a pumpkin.” Hattie drops to sit on the couch and cocks her head. “Better yet, don’t come home at all.”

“Wow, you really think I’d put out on the first date?”

“For Niall? Yes.”

Veda pauses before collapsing into giggles. “Okay, yeah. You’re right. Don’t burn down the house.”

“I’ve been cooking since I was six. I think the house will be standing when you come home in the morning.”

Veda slides her phone into her purse and steps out onto the stoop, pulling the door shut behind her. Someone whistles sharply across the street, and she checks that Nonna isn’t watching before she raises her middle finger at Antonio. He laughs, shaking his head, and tells her to have fun. He really doesn’t need to add the lascivious wink - she hears the innuendo in his voice - but he does anyway.

“I’ll tell Nonna you’re pestering me, Ant.”

“She gets one look at’chu, she’s gonna wonder where you’re goin’ all dolled up. You really want questions right now?”

“I’ll tell her tomorrow,” she giggles as she makes her way down the block to the subway.

The sun edges closer to the horizon, but the heat of the day is nowhere near dissipating. Veda’s heels click against the pavement, joining the cacophony of fellow pedestrians moving to and fro. The restaurant is just ahead.

Her heart beats faster in her chest the closer she gets.

Hattie made sure Veda was out of the house in time, but Veda didn’t make sure she was actually ready for this.

This is a huge step, a leap forward that she won’t ever be able to take back. And if this all ends disastrously, she will not only lose the only man who’s held her interest in three years but the man who has made her happy through such a horrible time. She meant what she told Antonio. She didn’t think she would ever smile again after Granddad passed, and that thought alone terrifies her.

Niall is quite possibly the most wonderful she could ever love like this, and losing him would be just as devastating as losing Granddad.

Love. Far too early for that, Mitchell.

Light streams through the enormous windows, catches on Niall’s dark hair like a halo around his head. He’s staring down at the phone in his hand; his thumb taps at the screen, he pauses, then his thumb taps again. The process repeats five times before Veda’s phone vibrates against her side. She steps out of the foot-traffic, digging through her purse until she comes up with the device.

From: Niall > I’m excited to see you

It is such a simple message, but it brings a smile to Veda’s face until her cheeks hurt. She locks her phone and looks at him. He’s gorgeous. His face falls when he sees she’s read the message but isn’t responding. She swallows down the sudden surge of nerves and eases her way through the evening crowd.

“How many times did you write that message only to delete it again?”

His head snaps up, and his smile falters as his gaze skims over her body. “Fuck, Veda, you look - wow. You’re gorgeous.”

“Oh. Um, thank you. Hattie did all the work. I just played the role of live-action Barbie.” Her face heats up at the way his eyes are still on her. She steps forward to kiss his cheek. “You look amazing, too.”

And he really, really does. The gunmetal grey of his V-neck brings out the blue in his eyes, and his dark jeans only accentuate the muscles they hide. Veda’s mouth grows dry as she stares, fragments of a dream worming its way to the forefront of her mind. She wants to feel beneath her fingertips the stubble along his jaw, the soft strands of his hair between her fingers.

She wants to make him look as turned inside-out as he makes her feel.

Ever a gentleman, he holds the door open and waves her through. She laughs softly.

“This is just so you can stare at my ass, isn’t it?”

“I’m only a man, Ve-Veda,” he chuckles as his hand settles on her lower back, a steady point of warmth that rapidly overtakes her entire body.

Veda will remember nothing of the decor, none of the faces they pass as they follow the host to their table, or the aromas of meals that mingle in the air. All she can focus on is how his hand hasn’t moved. The way his fingers brush against the hem of her dress above the curve of her ass. The rush of her heart as it desperately tries to push oxygen through her veins instead of the desire to lead him to the bathroom.

As much as she loathes the loss of contact, Veda is thankful when they sit. His touch was far too distracting, and it is nearly impossible to be on your best behaviour when all you want to do is feel more of that touch in places unsuitable for public audience. He grins at her from across the table; his eyes hold a knowing gleam, and she wonders if he’s thinking the same thing.

She barely spares a second to check the menu, ultimately deciding on a salad. He frowns slightly, opens his mouth, but she shakes her head. The confusion on his face disappears when she explains she only eats like a pig at home. Being out in the real world means she has to use the manners Granddad worked so hard to teach her. Niall laughs and tells her she’s doing a great job.

“So, I have to admit something. I’ve been wanting to ask you out for, well, too long.”

Veda cocks her head. “Why didn’t you?”

“I didn’t want to make you feel like I was pushing myself onto you.”

She can’t help it - she starts giggling. “Sorry, sorry. It’s not funny. I mean, it kinda is? It’s why I don’t text you every day asking you to come over.”

“You should have. DB and I would’ve loved to spend more time with you.”

Ellie’s words echo in her mind, and Veda drops her gaze to stare at the glass of water. She doesn’t want to voice the doubts, but she knows she needs to. She has to know.

“Can I ask why? You wanted to ask me out, I mean. Aren’t you worried that this is just me, like, latching onto the first person who shows me a teeny tiny iota of stability during a life-altering event?”

“Well, I wasn’t before!” He taps his finger against his glass and laughs quietly. When he looks at her again, there’s an earnestness on his face that astounds her. “No, I’m not. Veda, I figured out a long time ago that sometimes, you make a choice and it turns out to be the worst fucking decision of your life. But it’s a lesson learnt, and you move on and try to remember that lesson.”

“But what if it turns out this is just my brain craving affection and comfort after I lost my best friend?”

He smiles softly, reaches for her hand, and she lets him link their fingers together. “Then I can’t be too upset, can I, that I’m the one who got to offer it to you.”

“Nope, nope, nope,” Veda mutters as she blinks rapidly, but the burning remains in her eyes. “I can’t do this. You are too damn perfect. What the Hell.”

The stricken expression on his face is replaced with amused exasperation, and he lifts her hand to press a kiss to the back of it. She bites her lower lip to stop her giggles, even as the server arrives with their meals, and Niall sticks his tongue out at Veda.

The date seems almost…effortless. As if it’s merely one of their hang-outs in a restaurant instead of her house. Even the knowledge that this is changing their relationship isn’t enough to make Veda panic for long. He keeps her laughing with stories of his childhood, and she tells him more about her life with Granddad, even the tale of her throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the street while he taught Hattie how to ride a bike.

She never wants it to end.

“Where to next?” she asks as he leads her toward the door.

“Well, I figured you weren’t the type of girl who would be content with sitting in the dark for two hours while watching a film that may or may not be awful.”

“You guessed right.” Veda frowns when he hails a taxi, his hand tight around hers. “You’re not gonna tell me, are you?”

“Absolutely not.”

“You’re lucky I trust you.”

“I’ll do my best not to fuck that up then.”

Veda stares at him for a moment then shakes away the feeling that he is far better than she deserves. Everything he’s told her has been pleasant, wonderful. Even the strained relationship with his brother pales in comparison to her own familial ties. She doesn’t tell him that, though. It isn’t a competition, and she would hate to ruin the atmosphere of the evening. She would take the win in a landslide, anyway.

Niall helps her from the backseat, his hand solid and strong and not releasing her even after she’s on her feet. His lips brush against her cheek, and Veda ducks her head to hide her smile as they step away from the cab so it can drive off. She squeezes his hand then turns toward their destination. She pauses, blinks at the dark blue building and bright yellow letters.

“IKEA?”

Niall shrugs and shifts his weight. The lot lights wash his eyes an icy blue, but there’s so much warmth there. “Has a date ever done this with you?”

“No, I can say with absolute certainty that this is incredibly unique.” She bites her bottom lip at how uncomfortable he looks, as if he’s afraid he has messed this up. She sighs, touching his cheek with her free hand. “You were right. A movie would have been cliche, and I am so not dressed for anything requiring more than walking. Niall, this is perfect.”

His gaze drops to her lips, but he doesn’t kiss her like she desperately hopes he will. Wants him to. Instead, he smiles and loops his arm with hers. She waits to pout until he’s not looking at her. Why won’t he just kiss her already? He has had ample opportunity, and she’s practically begging for it by this point. After all, it was only a month ago that she kissed him. It’s his turn now.

He suggests a game as they walk through the aisles, pointedly following the arrows on the floor unlike the other people. The rules are simple, he says: Find the most ridiculous items on the shelves to decorate a home with, and whoever has the weirdest collection wins.

“What’s the prize?” she asks even as she adds a tray printed with ugly Santas to her list.

“If I win, I… hm. I get another date with you.”

“And if I win?”

“Another date with me.”

Veda giggles, presses her face into the side of his arm. “So either way, we both win?”

“Exactly.”

She tugs on his arm after a moment, and he follows obediently to the mini-home setup. His face scrunches up once inside, his eyes darting around the small space. Veda understands his distaste for the tiny home - the idea of leaving less of an imprint on the environment is nice, but she needs more room to move.

This, though, seems more like -

“Are you claustrophobic?”

“I am,” he admits with a self-deprecating chuckle. Nervous. Anxious.

“Shit. I’m sorry.”

He shakes his head. “Don’t be. How could you have known?”

She immediately steps out of the display, pulling him with her, and Niall draws in a deep breath once they’re back in the aisle. He squeezes her hand gently. Forgiveness. With an apologetic smile, she gestures for him to lead the way.

The kids’ section instantly catches her attention. Not the bedding or furniture, but the toys. She never really had playthings as a child, since Olivia wasn’t much of a mother, so Veda, without shame, checks out the stock of every store she steps foot into. Granddad started her plush animal collection, and Veda adds to it every chance she gets.

Niall doesn’t judge her for her excitement over the stuffed dogs and teddy bears and penguins. In fact, he even moves away to look in other bins, holding up various creatures for her scrutiny. She falls a little more for him because of it. For once, she feels like she doesn’t have to hide a part of her.

That she can show everything she is, and he won’t think less of her.

“Veda! Oh, my god, come here.”

Veda turns away from the pandas and makes her way through the cramped aisle to his side. Her eyes widen, and she gasps at what he’s found. “Holy hell, they’re amazing! They’re bigger than DB!”

“It’s ridiculous.” He pauses, resting his hand on her back, and she meets his eye. “Want one?”

“No, it’s okay. I don’t need it.”

He frowns as his fingers catch her chin, hold her head still so she can’t look away. “Ve-Veda, I didn’t ask if you needed it. I asked if you wanted it. Yes or no, no thinking allowed.”

And what else can she say except “Yes”?

His smile lights up his entire face, and he lets her go to dig through the bin. She raises a brow when he comes back victorious with a plushie in his hands. He lifts a shoulder jerkily, explains that the ones on the bottom haven’t been touched by gross hands nearly as often as the ones on top.

Veda accepts the reasoning - it’s logical, after all - and reaches for the shark. He takes her purse so she can clutch the stuffed animal to her chest. She knows her grin is too wide, too childlike, but the heat beneath her ribs overwhelms any potential embarrassment.

No guy has ever offered to buy her a stuffed animal, let alone a three-foot shark.

Once he’s paid for the blåhaj, as the tag proclaims, and a new leash for David Barkie, Veda follows Niall back out to the car park. He wraps his arm around her shoulder, kissing her temple, and they walk in silence toward the nearest subway stop. A heady thrumming kicks up in her veins, singing praises of how wonderful the night has been.

How amazing Niall is, even before he’s given her one of the best dates she’ll ever remember.

Her mind suddenly stutters to a halt as they stand together on the subway, scarcely an inch between them though there’s no need. They’re the only ones on within a two-seat radius. She groans as her head drops back. He stares at her with a question in his eyes. Veda sighs and wonders how to explain what she’s thinking. What comes out is:

“This date wasn’t terrible.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” he asks, the words slow and purposeful. Like he doesn’t want to offend her or be offended himself.

“Yes and no.” She exhales sharply and decides to go all-in. “Okay, so you remember how we met because of my friend Ellie’s wedding? Well, I was the maid of honour, and I gave a speech about Chris and Ellie’s first date.”

“I’m guessing it was terrible?”

“The worst. She called me after, and I swear, I almost fell asleep as she told me because it was just… so boring. There was no chemistry! But she went out with him again, and now they’re all gross and in love and married. So I said I wanted a date like that. Something terrible that lead to an amazing love like that.”

Niall nods slowly, and Veda leans into him when the car sways, coming to a stop. “Well, I suppose this could be our second date, because me coming over after your granddad passed was a terrible time for you.”

“Nah, it’s okay,” Veda laughs, the sound watery but bright. “I think I’ll take the perfect first date considering how long it took to finally get to it.”

Niall steps out onto the platform first, reaching back for her hand. His brows are drawn together, a slight downturn to his lips, and Veda wonders what he could be thinking about. What could have made him so serious so quickly? When he strokes his chin, she realises he’s putting her on.

“The perfect first date?”

She rolls her eyes but plays along. “Yep. Almost guaranteed you’ll get a kiss at the end of the night.”

“Anything I can do to make it happen?” he asks, pulling her closer when a group of men walk past. Not even nine-thirty and they’re already drunk. One of them whistles under his breath, his gaze heavy on Veda’s exposed skin, and Niall hurries her along.

“Keep being you, I suppose.”

Nonna stands in her doorway, watches as Niall and Veda approach, but she doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t even wave. Veda appreciates that, though she would like a bit more privacy as she comes to a stop at the top of her stoop.

Setting the shark down at her feet, Veda stares up at Niall through the glow of the porch light, at the soft curve to his lips and the way his eyes shine. She steps further into his space and thanks the inventor of heels as she kisses Niall’s smile away. His hands settle gently on her hips, warm even through the fabric of her dress, and she wraps her arms around his neck to bring him closer. His heartbeat is rapid against her, or maybe it’s hers that is fluttering so quickly beneath her ribs.

Nearly every single neighbour is peering through their windows when Veda finally pulls back, and she huffs out a quiet laugh. “And here I thought living in a small town would be the only way to get this kinda nosiness.”

“They worry about you,” he whispers, shrugging, and Veda kisses him again. God, she is falling too hard for him, and she doesn’t want to stop.

“Thank you for tonight. I really enjoyed it.”

Niall is the one who kisses her this time. One hand cups her cheek, and she chases the taste of wine and chocolate on his tongue. Heat flares up in her belly as his fingers press firmly into her skin. She wants more than this slice of perfection.

She wants him, any way she can have him.

The invitation is on the tip of her tongue, the plea for him to stay the night, for the night to never end. But then he’s pulling away, putting a sliver of distance between them, and her body goes cold without him. He whispers a goodnight, his lips brushing hers once more, then makes his way down the stairs.

Veda watches him walk away and wishes she’d asked him to stay. Her mind catalogues all the things she’s going to tell Granddad about tonight, about how amazing and unique and unexpected it was, before -

Right.

She can’t tell him anything. Tears burn in her eyes at the reminder. Granddad would have loved Niall, and Niall would have loved Granddad. Granddad will never meet Niall. So Veda does the next best thing: She grabs the stuffed shark off the stoop, carries it inside, and sets off to find Hattie.

#someone lost something gained #nurse!niall #niall horan fanfiction #niall horan #nhff #1dff #one direction fanfiction #slowburn #mourning/grief #slsg #unnknown writes dumb stuff

[searchingwardrobes]

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a book review on my blog. That’s because I have been spending a lot of time posting them to my professional website. You can find that here along with my TBR list, Currently Reading list, and lists of my favorite books in different genres. ( @xhookswenchx​  I think you’ll like something on my TBR list 😉) Today’s review isn’t so much a review as a trip down my reading memory lane. A trip that circles back around to discovering a new favorite writer.

Tagging: @snowbellewells​​​ @reynoldsreads​​​ @whimsicallyenchantedrose​​​ @ekr032-blog-blog​​​ @superchocovian​​​ @lfh1226-linda​​​ @nikkiemms​​​ @thislassishooked​​​ @branlovestowrite​​​ @tiganasummertree​​​ @xhookswenchx​

When I was a teenager and a baby Christian, I first discovered Christian Romance when I read the classic Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke. I went on to devour that entire series along with everything else Oke wrote. Not only did it satisfy my book-obsessed tendencies in a healthy way, it also became a way for my mom and I to bond. We read the The Love Comes Softly series together over the course of a summer, discussing them as we went. She and I went to the local Christian bookstore together to purchase more books by Oke and others. The common thread? All of them were westerns.

I’m not sure if it’s just that my mom and I loved the western setting or if that was the genre most Christian romances were at that time. The two of us did like to watch western shows together - Little House on the Prairie, Young Riders, Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman - but it also seemed like most of the books on the shelves were westerns. We read books about girls who went west on the orphan train, young women who were mail order brides, and women who fell in love with mounties in the Canadian west (yep, those).

To be honest, by the time college rolled around, I was burned out on Christian westerns and stopped reading them. I also went through my “intellectual phase.” I was an English major, thank you very much, and my tastes were meaningful. I roll my eyes at myself now, realizing that I had lost the point of reading - the love of it. My mom gave me Redeeming Love for Christmas my junior year of college, and it sat on my bookshelf for three years or so before I cracked it open. (Silly me!) Like most people, I was blown away by Francine River’s masterpiece, but the fact that it was set in the west didn’t change my mind about western books in general.

Fast forward many years and three kids later. I was on vacation with my extended family, and as usual my Mom, my sister, and I had all brought books with us. My sister’s was Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer. You know that saying “don’t judge a book by its cover?” Well, I did, okay. It reminded me of those westerns I read as a teenager, and I kind of rolled my eyes at my sister.

“I know it looks cheesy,” she explained hurriedly, “but it’s really good! I’ve read a lot of books by that author, and she’s great.”

A week later, I was shopping at this deep discount store here in my hometown. It’s one of those places where you never know what you’ll find - a Dyson vacuum for a hundred bucks, Christmas Peeps in July for fifty cents, or rain boots for five dollars. One thing they always have is books - especially Christian books. Every time a local Christian bookstore closes, I swear this store gets their inventory. As you can probably imagine, this store’s book section is my weakness.

What do you think I saw sitting right there on the shelf for only $2.99? A Karen Witemeyer book - The Short Straw Bride to be exact. I picked it up and remembered what my sister had said. For only $2.99, it was worth a try, even though the cover still wasn’t my taste.

I devoured it! Couldn’t put it down! I was totally sucked into the lives of the Archer brothers and their ranch. I loved it so much I took a picture of the book and raved about it on Facebook. I swallowed my pride and borrowed Full Steam Ahead from my sister. I was thrilled to discover that there was either a book or novella on every single one of the Archer brothers. The library had most of Witemeyer’s books, and soon I had read everything she had written. At this point, I am a bonafide fan. There isn’t anything she’s put out that I haven’t read, and currently my Kindle wish list includes her next book that hasn’t come out yet : At Love’s Command.

It’s interesting how things have come full circle. As a baby Christian, Oke’s books were like water in the desert. Now Witemeyer similarly quenches the storytelling thirst of this SAHM mom/amateur writer.

And I guess I’m always a sucker for a western!

#melanie reads #book review #westerns #christian westerns #karen witemeyer #favorite authors

[sleepymouses]

tagged by @littlepetbee, thank uuuu <3 i spent way too long thinking about htis lol,

Rules: pick 5 shows, then answer the following questions, tag a bunch o ppls to do it too (if y’all want to, supes no pressure or anything!)

Natsume yuujinchou  (a teenage orphan who sees spirits/monsters sets out to free the spirits who were bound in magical contract by his grandmother after he inherits a powerful book, aided primarily by a spirit who appears as an exasperated fat cat (who is just as fun as he sounds). Titular character is like my Fave boy in the whole world, he’s so kind and soft despite all the hardships he’s faced, the series has very gentle pacing/character development, and each episode is a carefully crafted lil story that have often moved me to tears, chuckles, or outright chinhands of fondness as u watch natsume slowly find a home in the world and amongst the humans &spirits around him. big focus on friendships, there’s like no romance with any of the main characters, lots of cool different creatures (most of whom arent all that scary once u get to know them), its just literally everything i could ever dream for in a show and it exists! <3)

Leverage (team of modern day robin hoods ruin rich peoples’ lives via  delightfully crafted spy cons to give back to the regular folks the rich people hurt. Extremely good, strong found family vibes, and v cathartic)

Brooklyn 99 (follows diverse cast of character who make up a NY precinct. Hilarious, immensely wholesome & groundbreaking, & probs the most lighthearted crime show besides like psych tbh)

Blackspot/Zone Blanche (spoopy french/belgium crime series set in a small village way out in the mountains surrounded by misty, mysterious and murdery woods. eerie and atmospheric, but also like one of my fave characters (everyone calls him teddy bear) keeps a pet guinea pig at work, so it’s not entirely grim and bleak)

Longmire (a modern western crime drama centering around the titular sheriff and others in their small town wyoming county, well written and lot of chracter development revealed alongside some really good case mysteries bc i love trying to figure out whodunits apparently based on a book series well adored by dads btw)

who is your favorite character in 2? (leverage) ahhh,,, this is hard... Eliot maybe? like Hardison is baby ofc, but i relate to elliot a ton (i think if i was on a team i would want to be the hitter tbh?) and love the subversion of so many action hero tropes that he is, also endlessly amused by how very put upon he is despite all his rad/random skills

who is your least favorite character in 1? (natsume yuujinchou) oh seiji matoba for sure, he can go eat a mouldy tree stump. absolutely evil nasty dude

what is your favorite episode of 4? (blackspot) the end of the road. great opening, didnt end up too devastating unlike a lot of the cases, Hermann was gr8, cool twist i hadnt super expected in the plot which was neat.

what is your favorite season of 5? (longmire) probs 1, walter reeally started to piss me off being Such A Man in later seasons, also me being extremely anxious about Henry and his life choices later, that creepy stalker storyline starting up with Someone and when Someone else in the main cast got died really suddenly and upsettingly later on as well, also when a weird relationship started between some of the characters that i really aint feeling so. before all that happened was nice (also sorry if this is super vague, im trying to avoid spoilers)

who is your favorite couple in 3? (B99) Besides Jake/Amy and Holt/Kevin (bc oviously theyre gr8) uh.. i know it was a long time ago and didnt last very long, but i thought rosa and marcus were really sweet? it brought another layer out to her character, even when they broke up that helped rosa starting to show emotional vulnerability and all, even tho it ended it was still just, idk, i liked them.

who is your favorite couple in 2? (leverage) Does trio count, cos Parker/Eliot/Harding 4 life yo

what is your favorite episode of 1? (natsume yujinchou) i have sooo many faves ahhh!!! i dont think i could pick just one on pain of death, every episode is acrefully cosntructed gem all on its own and i have too many that i love and adore to pick jsut one :((

what is your favorite episode of 5? (longmire) Dog soldier!! ive rewatched that one a ton, so so many good bits, really satisfying resolution of the case despite the shitty system that was revealed, and i rmr getting chills by the end the first time i saw it.

what is your favorite season of 2? (leverage) i guess season 1? just, idk, everything being set up and watching all these grumpies/less grumpies who have no plans to stay together start working together as a baby team, and just the joy of seeing their first heist together with the first plot twist, just.. such a delight, but all seasons that ive seen so far were all excellent, it’s a stellar show

how long have you watched 1? (natsume yujinchou) oh idk exactly, like years and years man... defs the longest out of all on this list

how did you become interested in 3? (b99) i think it was just on netflix way back in season 1 and i started watching it, loved it and never stopped? i think that might have even been before it got rlly popular lol

who is your favorite actor in 4? (blackspot) i dont rlly know any of these french peeps? but teddybear’s one of my fave characters, so hopefully the person who plays him is also cool, in which case hubert delattre (if not, Suliane Brahim does a v good job as the lead)

which do you prefer, 1, 2, or 5? (natsume yujinchou, leverage or longmire) um... real torn between natsume and leverage here, they’re both such lovely gems that do found family so, so well.. leverage is a team of modern robin hood-esque spies with brilliant writing and exciting heists and multiple delightful plot twists every episode and great character building and so much catharticism in ruining evil rich peoples lives.

but natsume’s title character is one of my very favorite characters ever, hes been through so much but he becomes the most kindest and thoughtful boy ever, and its so, so soft and gentle in its development of characters and their slow build of getting to know each other and becoming friends, and the interactions with the paranormal world are very rarely entirely malicious/scary, and there’s pretty well no romance, at least like no romance for plot/with the main characters anyways, and there’s lots of female characters who have important roles but arent sexualized/killed off for man feels/exist for romo (which sadly cannot be said about a lot of media, especially manga/anime tbh, even leverage does not win entirely on that front).. its defintiely my favorite anime ever (i dont watch loads, but literally no other one can ever come close to topping its perfection),

i guess tho, leverage is over, and natsume is still technically ongoing, so i guess for that then i have to go with natsume?

which show have you seen more episodes of, 1 or 3? (natsume yuujinchou or b99) Natsume for sure, they’re so short its easy to power thru like half a season in an afternoon

if you could be anyone from 4, who would you be? (blackspot) i would probably want to be someone who didnt live in villefranche actually haha uh, it’s a pretty spoopity place.. even some of the characters i do like make some Bad decisions that are v bothersome. Dr. Leila barami seems to have a good head on her shoulders tho, so if i Must be a character here then let’s go with her

would a crossover between 3 and 4 work? (b99 or blackspot) oh god... the cheery upbeat department at the 99 meet up with a grim, misty tiny mountain forest village with bleak day to day life, solving crimes amidst small town paranoia and weird maybe cult-related conspiracies and honestbhly something/s paranormal and menacing going on in the woods?? i just... cant see any of the characters even interacting lol, im just picturing jake’s confused befuddled face when he hears something weird but like x 10000

pair two characters in 1 who would make an unlikely but strangely okay couple? (natsume yujinchou) hm... i mean, one of the things i love about Natsume is that there arent really any romo relationships tbh? at least not with any of the main characters in the main storyline (so far), just like the odd one-off of minor characters (and takashi’s adopted parents ofc, but that’s different). so, yeah, i cant really think of one (although i think the big fandom fave ship of takashi and his worst enemy is rlly.. nope, and i dont know what’s going on there? takashi and tanama however, that would make sense, tho it is not unlikely so i cant answer this question with them)

overall, which show has the better storyline, 3 or 5? (b99 or longmire) b99! cos ya know my annoyances with some of the stuff happening later on in longmire lol, b99 just got better n better as it went along, and it’s still going :’)

which has the better theme music, 2 or 4? (leverage or blackspot) blackspot has a real good eerie atmospheric theme which is gr8 and i love it <3 (leverage’s tune is like, elevator music/cheesy jazzy spy tune, which does suit it tho lol)

and idk, anyone bored and stuck at home who wants to do this? no pressure if ur like nah but if u wanna go ahead.... @creepy-friend-of-darkness @anna-wa @rhinky-thingz @rexbasileus @aeolian-harp @warrenkoles @softbrobarnes @damnitttana @cluelesswolf @moondoggiestyle @blloodorangeisthenewblack @my-nail-beds-suck @frankiecolours @savvylikeyeahhh @lake-effectkidx @justhugharry @casualmisandry @j4ya @galaxygalpals @thesecondwarm @dealwright @knipperdollin @curlycombover @kaspbrakeddie (and if i didnt tag u and u still wanna do this, consider yeself tagged)

#littlepetbee #long post #littlepetlouis #thank u for tagging me in these <333 sorry im rarely here to do them but i appreciate em and try to keep track when im on #heather watches things #also this was a fun thing to think about bc urgh i am so tired of same old shit day in and out these days oof #natsume #k now im real emosh about natsume ahh #leverage #also come scream at me if u watch any of these ahh #longmire #askables #black spot #b99

[ludosgd]

Designing Solitude — GMTK Jam 2019

Hiya! LudosGD here!

Recently, I participated in the 2019 Game Maker’s Toolkit Game Jam. For this jam, I made a game in just 48 hours. This game is called Solitude and you can play it here!

Since I love talking about my projects, I feel like this is a good occasion to talk about my experience in this jam! So grab a cup of tea (I prefer hot chocolate but you do you, I guess) and follow me in this 48-hours-long journey.

BEFORE THE JAM

Ok, maybe we’ll start a bit earlier than the jam’s beginning. When the GMTK Youtube channel announced the jam, I was so hyped. I was already getting started with the Godot Engine and was only looking for an excuse to make a game. This jam was the perfect opportunity.

During the months between the announcement and the jam, I participated in another jam: My First Game Jam! ( @myfirstgamejam )

It was a really cool experience: it made me much more confident about my abilities, the community was wholesome, kind and engaging and I had a blast participating in it. It’s worth noting that My First Game Jam was my actual first game jam. My first ever published game is my submission for it: it’s called First Few Blocks and you can play it here!

Now, back to the GMTK Jam. Compared to the chill and welcoming atmosphere of My First Game Jam, the GMTK Jam was intimidating. Like, a lot.

Sometimes I asked myself if participating was a good idea. To give perspective: I made a single platformer level in two whole weeks for My First Game Jam. How could I do something in just 48 hours? In the end, I convinced myself that I had nothing to lose and it would be a waste of a fantastic opportunity.

It went well.

Like, very well.

C’MON AND SLAM, AND WELCOME TO THE JAM!

The theme of the jam gets revealed and I’m already banging my head on the desk to get an idea that fits the “only one” theme. You see, I didn’t want to make a normal game who deals with the theme only partially: I wanted it to be central to my design.

After a good talk with my sister, the idea struck me like a lightning: I asked a really stupid question. “What if it’s a game where there’s only one thing on the screen?” It sounded stupid enough to work. I decided to go to sleep and work on it the next morning.

The next morning, I made the point of the situation.

I needed good sleep, pauses and hydration. If I wanted to make it alive through this, I knew I needed to treat myself well. Nearly everyone is more productive (and happier) if well-rested and healthy.

I didn’t have much time to work with. I knew from the start I would have had simple graphic and a simple design. I wanted a cool little game rather than a big, unfinished and clunky one.

“Only one”.

Ok, so, how do you do a game where there’s only one thing? Rather than having only one thing, I thought it would be cool having only one visible thing. I coded a prototype of a simple top-down game, and then added the main mechanic of the game: the player can scan the level with WASD to reveal things around them. To maintain the theme, I made it so that every time the player scans their surroundings, their sprite becomes invisible (so that only one thing is invisible). 

This made the gameplay a lot more interesting: you have to plan each of your movements and be very careful. You can’t really plan ahead in this game, but each and every movement must be thought out. You can’t just “go ahead” without thinking. This slowed down the pacing of the game but didn’t make it less enjoyable: it is instead more intense than your average top-down game, and its gameplay kept the player on their toes.

To reinforce this “I don’t know what’s next” feeling evoked by the gameplay, I used sound effects, music and, to a certain extent, graphics to give the game an unsettling atmosphere.

The main mechanic of the game (you can only see one thing at a time) makes the game much more difficult than a normal one; so the levels were adjusted accordingly.

The first level introduces the player to the world, to the mechanic and teaches them what an enemy looks like. I made it very easy to not scare the player (it’s easy for them to just change game). I want to hook the player and let them beat at least one level.

The second level is more challenging and feels like it's the first "real" level.

The third level introduces you to a new mechanic: the key. 

The level structure is different too: instead of being a fixed path, here there are four "rooms", so the player has to explore the area once they find out the door is locked.

The fourth level is where the difficulty raises a lot (too much if you ask me). This should have been the fifth level; once I realized I wouldn’t have been able to make five levels, I decided to take a risk and sacrifice the “real” fourth level, because I wanted something spicy for the hardcore players!

As for the graphics, I chose a minimalistic artstyle for many reasons:

I’m just beginning with pixel art;

I needed to make the sprites in a timely manner, since I had only 2 days to do the whole thing!

Since the game isn’t really about the looks (is it about “non-looks?”), I thought that a minimalistic approach was enough.

After tinkering with the music and sound effects (I used Audacity to adjust the audio), the game was finished! I uploaded it on itch.io, added the key-holding sprites of the player (this way the player always knows when do they have the key) and re-uploaded the game, just in time to be involved in the whole “itch crashed because the jam is too big” thing. Both the itch team and the GMTK team handled this well but man I was scared. All went well in the end though!

THE FEEDBACK

I got a lot of positive feedback! The game did really well and received a lot of comments saying how much they liked the game. Many offered constructive criticism too! I’m still stoked by how many people liked my lil’ project. Thank you!

And then, on August 12, the impossible happened…

Solitude got ranked 74th! I couldn’t believe it. For starters, being in the top 100 means that Mark Brown, host of Game Maker’s Toolkit, gets to see and play your game! (Do you feel the “senpai noticed” vibes?)

I’m really grateful for all the positive feedback I’m receiving.

Thank you all.

I don’t feel intimidated anymore.

THE STATS

So, to conclude this absurdly long post, I’m gonna list some of the things I learned from this experience, both from the hits and the misses.

Because of this jam, I used Godot, Audacity and Photoshop. I used programs for screenshots and gifs too. Not to talk about using itch.io. I used a lot of things in just two days. Honed my skills on a lot of programs!

I learnt how to use raycasts in Godot! I think coding-wise this was the biggest challenge for me.

I met a lot of awesome peeps ( @doujindev I’m looking at you ) and got a bit more in touch with the gamedev community!

I missed many little details, like showing the enemy for a brief moment when it touches the player; this way the player knows what killed them. This was suggested to me by Game Endeavor (check out his Godot tutorials)! I think it’s a fairly important detail because the player shouldn’t feel “cheated”, and this little feature can prevent this feels-bad moment.

The last level is simply too much, it requires the player to pass a three vertical-moving-enemies column, two times! It would’ve been a fair level if it was the 10th level, not the 4th...

Spamming WASD seems to be a strategy many use, but it generates eye-hurting flashes. It’s another little detail that I consider pretty important.

I had a good workflow, even if I passed the majority of my time in front of the screen; probably I need more pauses. You can understand me though: it was just TWO days!

I think that sooner or later I’ll add all these details and correct the mistakes in a future update of the game.

VERDICT:

This was an awesome experience and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I’m happy with how I tackled the various challenges too!

What can we learn from this? Don’t be scared of opportunities. It would have been an awful mistake not to participate in this. 

Thanks for reading! Do you have any questions regarding Solitude or my experience in the GMTKJam? Ask me here on Tumblr or simply tag me on Twitter (I’m @LudosGD)!

Have a magical day!

- LudosGD

#indiedev #gamedev #GodotEngine #GMTKJam #GameMaker #GMTK #indiegame #indiegames

[hmspogue]

Anne With An E season 2 trailer shot by shot rundown

these are screenshot’s from Netflix’s trailer for Anne With An E season 2...i own nothing.

MY CHILD IS BACK AND GREEN GABLES IS AS BEAUTIFUL AS EVER.

for some reason, Anne’s blanket confuses me? i’m not sure why she has it or needs it, like maybe she stepped into the water? but she looks so cute i just wanna hug her.

i completely agree with Ophelia ( @lydias--stiles ), i also think that the sea is going to be important this season or hold a lot of symbolism.

“I love looking out at the horizon and imagining all the possibilities...”

i’m going to try and handle this next part as calmly as possible but-

1) THIS PARALLEL? THE LIGHTING EVEN MATCHES OKAY AND 

2) THE FACT THAT THEY CUT TO GILBERT AS SOON AS ANNE SAYS THAT LAST LINE AND THEN DO NOT CONTINUE SHOWING HIM AFTER THE CUT 100% TELLS ME THAT SHES ALLUDING TO THINKING OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHERE GILBERT IS OKAY NEXT-

ah yes i missed both you so much (it’s also so nice to see Matthew healthy and walking around without a cane even. what a man).

the bags on the back and the fact that she’s with Diana make me think that they may be going to that poetry concert they travel to with Miss. Barry in the books. i am all for this we love a girls trip.

thank you.

building the Diana x Rubyx Anne friendship? yes please, carry on. they’re so happy, i’m not crying, you are.

aw the hideout i love this whole set up with the story club.

okay, this scene actually concerned me a little...why does Anne look so frazzled i’m not going to suggest shirbert reunions for every one of these scenes i will not do it i hope she’s okay.

as concerning as Anne’s entrance was, Ruby and Diana’s faces make me even more !!! Diana’s especially. Ruby looks almost afraid and Diana looks extremely worried. it looks to me like they’ve been waiting for Anne in regards to some sort of news? because as seen in the last frame, it looks like they were there before she was.

my prediction is that this is one of the first scenes of episode 1. i recall a post Amybeth had on instagram of her on a beach that looks EXTREMELY similar to this with the caption “Cuthbert on a stroll”. this was towards the very very beginning of filming and from what i could see it looks like they filmed in chronological order. this goes along with the theory that everything is going to start and end with the sea. 

i’m also just going to continue pretending that i didn’t start sobbing at the Cuthberts having a beach picnic. 

Matthew and Anne’s relationship is so important and I’m so excited for this scene (which seems to be the same one from the very beginning of the trailer as you’ll notice).

so obviously the two girls in the front are Anne and Diana being so cute i really cannot breathe, and the one in the back in the pink hat is Ruby...so i would say the other girl is Jane perhaps? just going off of her hair?

“We’re going to get in so much trouble”

1. i love this dynamic so much and i really will never stop stressing that...

2. i think that this is where they were headed off to in the shot above? my theory is that it’s linked to the scene of them watching Mr. Philips in the play which comes later in the trailer (maybe they were not supposed to know about it). it would also make sense that Jane is tagging along since she is Prissy’s sister and heard about it from her.

“Don’t be late for school” 

oh we love a good mother.

“Understood” 

translation: Anne is most definitely going to be late to school at some point-

“And don’t burn down the house” 

translation: a huge disaster is guaranteed to take place-

and Matthew is fully aware of this fact.

“I want Green Gables still standing when i come back tomorrow”

why is she leaving? ANNE SHIRLEY-CUTHBERT YOU ARE THE SUN AND YOU DESERVE EVERYTHING.

i’m obviously curious as to what they’re laughing so hard at, but also as to why they are sitting on what appears to be the floor of the school house (also it’s important to note that i would die for both of them).

JERRY MY BOY I’M SO GLAD YOU LOOK HAPPY AND WELL AND YOU LOOK SO GROWN UP!!!

aaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I LIVE FOR THIS SIBLING RELATIONSHIP OH MY GOD. though, Anne looks either like she is comforting Jerry or seeking comfort which is never a...reassuring thing...especially when the voice over quote is:

“I believe there’s always a bit of good in any situation”

ah yes, the man we have all been waiting for, here is Cole. i have heard a lot of people (including myself before Amybeth’s live a few months ago) very concerned about the role he will be playing in the grand scheme of things this season (such as the possibility of him being a love interest for Anne), and i think production knew that because they put in scenes like this to try and make people worried. 

however, my prediction is that this is certainly going to be a nice brotp and (as ophelia and i have mentioned numerous times) i don’t think Cole is straight (as Amybeth said he brings in a lot of discussions that Amybeth is “an advocate for”). this trailer further solidified my beliefs as you’ll see in a moment-

oh....you’re....still here....

this scene is one of the ways i see them hinting that Cole might possibly be gay. Diana’s face looks like Philips just said something characteristically horrible so i’ll just go ahead and prepare my hands for this disgusting teacher to cATCH THEM.

oh yOURE STILL HERE??????? (seemingly laughing at Cole being able to braid hair get out).

“I think it builds character”

it looks like she’s talking to someone at the kitchen table. also i love her.

LOOK AT MY GROWN AND MATURE SON OUT HAVING ADVENTURES IN SOME TROPICAL PLACE please come home soon

for those of you who don’t know, the man walking with him is named Sebastian and it’s been heavily speculated that he will fill a sort of father role for Gilbert in this coming season.

AGAIN WITH THE AFRAID AND CONCERNED LOOKS PLEASE STOP THAT.

i’m betting this has something to do with he thieves that came at the end of last season, which you’ll notice have not been mentioned at all this trailer. it’s also important to note that the voice over to this clip is Matthew saying:

“Whatever we’re facing...we’ll face it as a family”.

Ophelia pointed this out to me, but it looks like Marilla has a gash over her eye so i stg if one of the thieves hurt her you can catch me on a war path (-:

“The three of us”

...................ow.

she’s looking over to the boys side of the classroom (you can tell they’re at school because of Diana’s positioning next to her). and she is looking in the general vicinity of Gilbert’s seat so my guess is she is either smiling at Gilbert !!!!!!!!!or Cole who now sits in Gilbert’s empty seat.

THERE IS A BALL THIS IS NOT A MF DRILL THERE IS A BALL WITH BEAUTIFUL DRESSES AND LIGHTING AND DECORATION AND FLOWER CROWNS AND IF GILBERT BLYTHE IS NOT BACK IN TIME FOR IT I PROMISE, I PROMISE, NETFLIX AND MOIRA WILL BE HEARING FROM MY LAWYER.

not to read too much into things, but Cole dancing with Miss. Barry (who is gay in canon) is certianly interesting. i’m thinking a sort of conversation goes down where Miss. Barry helps him start to sort everything out that he has been confused about.

“There’s nothing wrong with being different”.

again with the supporting evidence that they’re dropping hints about Cole.

“You’re unique”.

The world does not deserve Anne Shirley. i’m assuming this is him confiding in her a little bit immediately after whatever went down in the classroom with the hair braiding and Mr. Philips and Billy.

“Unique means weird”.

MORE HINTS.

the whole class applauding Cole for something while Anne and Cole laugh. even Billy and his little friend seem amused and they’re present for whatever this event is. Josie looks pressed and bitter but what else is new.

shes so happy for him!!! 

this seems to be a little bow of gratitude i’m ready for this brotp.

Sebastian and a love interest that i am fully ready to ship. 

i also think that Sebastian being involved in a romantic relationship opens up the opportunity for him and Gilbert to talk about romance and feelings and a certain person back home that Gilbert has feelings for. they’ll get a chance to talk about things Gilbert never really got to learn about from his father go ahead and just leave me here to die.

this shot was quite jarring in the context of the whole mood of the trailer which is interesting.

Matthew appears to be kneeling over somebody on the ground? i’m assuming he was part of the group going out on horses. so perhaps they were searching for this person to begin with?

“There are more important things than beauty...” 

i can’t wait to see what this conversation relates to.

can we all just take a moment and acknowledge how they’re already transitioning Amybeth’s hair to more of an auburn color? 

“-we must try and remember what’s real and good”.

Anne continuing to learn about the real and good things that love and family brings as she become more and more a part of the Cuthbert family, rt if you cried.

my son looking so grown and mature and having fun. 

(im just going choose and ignore the fact that they immediately cut to Gilbert after that last quote and the fact that coincidentally two of the biggest reasons he’s so drawn to Anne is because she’s so real and so good.)

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF MY SON WHILE HE IS AWAY THANK YOU GOOD SIR.

could the scenery directors be more brilliant? like this is so beautiful.

i’m-

yeS CINEMATOGRAPHY YES. 

these last few shots of Anne with the ocean are feeding into the theory that the sea is going to be a big symbol this season. i think that this whole sequence is going to be the very last scene of the finale (i remember Amybeth posting a thing about the final adr she was doing where Anne breathes out and laughs but i could be reaching).

i think that the Cuthberts on the beach will be the first scene in episode 1 and this will be the last.....the ocean tying everything together, including Gilbert’s story line.

this...

...it is what he deserves.

peep my earlier theory of the girls sneaking into the show to watch Mr. Philips make a fool of himself. Diana doesn’t look too amused however. 

this whole expert Anne is reading (which ophelia has confirmed for me is from Jane Eyre) is not only beautiful-

- but i think it’s meant to be Anne subconsciously relating it to Gilbert and what he is doing (who is apparently on a boat!!!!)

“Now I remembered that the real world is wide, and that a varied field of hopes and fears, of sensations and excitements, awaited those who had the courage to go forth into its expanse, to seek real knowledge of life amidst its perils”

this is literally exactly what Gilbert’s whole arc is this season. he went out into the world amidst the peril of losing his last family member to seek out all these things, including himself. this, paired with the fact that it’s the voice over they are using for shots of Gilbert traveling, tells me its connected to the reason Anne is reading the excerpt to begin with.

if this cinematography don’t stOP.

i already stan this scene and i’ve seen .0000384792 seconds of it. 

also there is a dark haired boy present as well that could either be Jerry or Gilbert and i’m good with either because i would chop off my right arm for either to have further relational development with Diana.

i wrOTE A SLEEPOVER INTO MY LAST FIC DEAR GOD LET THE REST OF THE SCENE PLAY OUT LIKE I WROTE. i think this has to be the girls unloading after the poetry reading or whatever they were going on that trip for.

yes just be happy it is literally all i will ever ask of you.

yeah  so i stan Sebastian already, oops.

the way i read Anne’s face in this is almost like she WAS crying but then Diana made her laugh. OR she looks like she’s just been embarrassed by something. either way...?????

i would die for this friendship.

i’m not going to make outrageous assumptions about what Gilbert could be staring at with such awe and wonder. i will not do it.

this is the same scene as the opening one. and i’m guessing Anne is running towards Diana all smiley and adorable.

well at least knowing the exact date of my death is somewhat comforting.

guys this season looks so amazing and happy. i cannot wait to see what they do with it. 

#anne with an e #anne with an e season 2 #anne the series #anne with an e theory #anne shirley #Amybeth McNulty #gilbert blythe #lucas zumann #shirbert #anne x gilbert #Marilla Cuthbert #matthew cuthbert #ruby gillis #diana barry

[sandersidess]

The World Was Wide Enough

Ship: Romantic Logicality, (Former) Platonic Logince, Brotherly Moxiety Characters: Logan, Roman, Patton, and Virgil(small scene) Warnings: Major Character Death, Shooting, Small Blood mention, let me know if I missed any! Tag: @pllandcompany, @itsvirgil Words: 1,256 A/N: Holy crap, I am almost done. I have been having fun with these, and also doing research on these songs and how historically accurate it is. There are some random names I made up, so heads up. Anyways, this was interesting to write as I tried my best to make it enjoyable with some accuracy. One more song left, and I will try my absolute best on that one. Be aware of warnings, as while I may not be very descriptive, it is still there. Let me know what you think and good day, my peeps.

One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine There are ten things you need to know

Number one! 

Roman had arrived early to Weehawken, looking around along with his friend and his second, Steven Vallance (Number two!). He looked over his shoulder when Steven announced that Logan was arriving with his crew, his friend Nate Hickman and a doctor that he knew (Number three!). They soon stopped the boat once they reached the shore, getting off and walking onto the terrain.

Roman noticed how Logan examined the area as if there was something hidden here that he didn’t know much about. He clenched his jaw, wishing that he knew what was going on in Logan’s head. Roman hated how Logan poisoned his political pursuits, if he hadn’t, none of them would be here. (Number four!)

Logan took the first position on the matter, looking around once more as if the world was watching. From how tense everything was, they had yet to exchange words with Roman. They barely shot a long glance at each other. Roman, while not expressing it, was scared of Logan. He accurate in artillery, the best one during the time they served in the army against Britain. They all watched as the doctor turned away from them to have deniability. (Five!)

No one else knew this at the time with the exception of the doctor and Logan, but this was the same place that his son had died in his duel, just two years ago. Logan teared up the thought, giving a small smile as he fiddled with his gun. (Six!) Logan looked at Nate and handed him a letter, enclosed in an envelope and told him what to do with it if he so happens to die. (Seven!)

Roman bit his lip, looking down at his own gun and hated how he had to confess to himself that he had a pretty terrible shot. He was good, but he wasn’t the best between Logan and him. He sighed and handed over his letter also, nodding at Steven. (Eight!)

Logan and Roman both sent their seconds to try and negotiate a peace, but they both knew that no peace would be brought. They stood there, backs still faced to each other as they waited. Once they got confirmation of no peace, they got ready. They turned around and walked towards each other, staring at each other. Roman was angry, while Logan looked at peace with himself and the situation. Before they could start counting, Logan cleaned his glasses once more, putting them back on and Roman found that suspicious.

‘Why would he do that?!’ Roman thought to himself, gripping his gun as he thought about it, ‘He wants it clean for better aim! Why else?! It’s either him or me, the world will never be the same!’ Roman clenched his jaw, one more thought flooding his mind, ‘I will not let him make an orphan of my daughter!’ (Number nine!)

They both looked at each other in the eye, gathering any courage left, counting their paces as they walked away, then turning.

One two three four five six seven eight nine Number ten paces! Fire!—

Logan stared at Roman as he pulled the trigger, time seems to slow down for a moment. His thoughts running wild at what was happening.

‘I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory. Is this where it gets me, on my feet, several feet ahead of me?’ Logan thought to himself, looking at his gun and then up, ‘What do I do? Do I run, shoot at him, or just let it be?’ He looks at Roman, a tiny smirk on his face, ‘Roman, my friend and first enemy, who I would bicker with and have fun. Maybe the last face I ever see. If I throw away this shot, is this how you’ll remember me? Will this be my legacy? Legacy? What is a legacy?’ Logan asked, looking around him, ‘It’s planting seeds in a garden you’ll never get to see. Letting the new children stand under it and enjoy the shade.’

Logan took a deep breath, sighing softly, his mind not quieting down, but smiled, ‘America, you great unfinished symphony, you sent for me. You let me make a difference. A place where even orphan immigrants, can leave their fingerprints and rise up!’ Logan started to panic, as he realized he didn’t have much time left, staring up at the heavens as he caught a glimpse of his future, ‘Brian is on the other side, so is my Dani. He’s with my mother on the other side, getting to know each other. Thomas is on the other side, finally relaxing under that fig tree. Teach me how to say goodbye, Rise Up, Rise Up...’ He gasped, one final image in his head.

Patton. Patton standing in front of him smiling, that ever bright smile he fell in love with.

‘Patton,’ Logan smiled, tears welling up and falling, ‘Take your time, my love. I’ll see you on the other side. Raise a glass to freedom…’

“Wait!” Roman shouted, watching how Logan lifted his gun to aim at the sky, but it was too late. The bullet hit Logan right between his ribs, making him fall down.

Roman watched in horror at how Logan coughed up blood, his shirt now stained with it. He started to walk over when he was stopped by Steven and Logan.

“Go, my friend,” Logan said weakly, giving a weak smile, “Don’t look back.”

Roman walked away from the scene by force, looking back once more and saw how Nate carried him to the boat, the doctor in it already and soon rowing off the shore. Roman was still in shock at what he had just done, now realizing that his emotions overtook him. He went to get a drink at the pub.

Hours passed, slow painful hours, and the news spread of how critically injured Logan was, and how it was of Roman’s doing. As Roman left the pub, not having drunk a single drop, a man approached him and advised him he should go to hiding. He swallowed thickly and ran off.

-

Patton stayed strong, crying silent tears, as he held Logan’s hand during his last hours. Virgil was the one who was inconsolable at the moment, having to leave the room at times.

“I love you,” Logan whispered, looking at Patton.

“I love you too,” Patton whimpered out, kissing his head, “Don’t you worry about me.”

Patton watched how Logan gave one more smile, accepting his fate and closed his eyes, taking his final breath. Patton couldn’t hold it in anymore and screamed as he sobbed, clutching onto Logan.

-

Roman stood at the far back from the funeral, keeping himself hidden away from the crowd. Once everybody left and Logan was buried, he walked over and stood in front of his grave. He let his tears fall, and he didn’t know if it was from guilt or sadness. He knew that from now on, thanks to his mistakes, that is how history will paint him as. Someone who makes mistakes. Though he knows that Logan was the first one to die, Roman paid the consequences. He may have survived, but he is paying the consequences. He will be known as the villain in Logan Sanders’ history.

“I should have known...” Roman whispered, staring at his tombstone, “I should have known that the world was wide enough, for both you and me.”

Roman walked away, hiding his face with his hood as he left, not looking back this time.

#tw death #tw major character death #tw blood #tw shooting #tw gun #logan sanders #patton sanders #ts patton #ts logan #logicality #ts logicality #romantic logicality #roman sanders #ts roman #virgil sanders #ts virgil #brotherly moxiety #not a quote #my writing #sanders sides #sanders sides fic #fanders #thomas sanders #sides hamilton

[dontalk2melulu]

Continuation...

First destination: Chopta, Uttarakhand

I took my train from Delhi to the railway station to Chopta. Chopta is a small region of meadows and evergreen forest which is a part of kedarnath wildlife sanctuary located in Uttarakhand State, India. This is undoubtedly the prettiest place I’ve been to my entire existence. I enjoyed the spell-binding beauty of the Himalayas. This sleepy town enchants me with its mystical meadows, towering trees, snowy backdrop, and warm people.

***

I’ve been here for about three days and four nights already. I am outside the transient house typing on my phone while feeling the cold dandelion-like breeze crawl deep into my skin. What is this tingling sensation? Under the pale moonlight, I want to howl or dance, or go animal hunting at the middle of the night. I’m bored. I would love to stroll at some areas here, just maybe I’d find something or luckily find someone to accompany me with my insomnia. It’s not complete dark since there are lamp post along the way. I’ll just keep on walking on this pathway that seems endless. Ah, solitude…

***

Guess what I've found? Hold on, I'll take a photo of it.

Who would've thought that there's a hidden cabin at this area. I'm not sure if I'm in a secluded area but it doesn't give me a strange feelig though. Reminder: Always trust your gut feeling. I'll inform you later when I get to see what's inside this cabin in front of me.

***

I woke up in the comfort of my bed with this eerie feeling. I forgot to tell what happened in that old cabin last night. I am not insane, trust me.

The cabin’s door was open ajar so I peeped through the small opening. There was light and saw shelves of books everywhere. The wooden floor was dusty and smelled like a decade, I don’t know. There was no one inside but I was sure someone just came before me because the light was still on. I was hesitating whether to enter or not but since I’m a person who wants to attain emotions and this one’s giving me adrenaline rush, I entered, finally.

Probably the owner of the cabin is very fond of collecting literature books. I reached one book from the shelf and scanned it. It was about Hindu Literature. Since I am an English teacher, the book had caught my interest. I reached for more books, seated on the floor and began reading. Here are some pieces of information I still remember.

Evidently, all the literature of India is religion-based. Let’s start with the Vedic Literature. Vedic Lit. was the first period of Indian Literature from 1200 to 500 B.C. it was during this time that the Vedas, collections of hymns and other sacred lore, were composed. Rig Veda, the oldest, contains more than 1,000 hymns. They were not written down but were passed on by words of mouth. Because every text is sacred, they had to be memorized accurately.

Sanskrit Literature. Earliest examples of written Sanskrit are inscriptions that were carved on stone pillars. People had to make new copies of literature they wanted to save because most of the texts were written on strips of palm leaves or barks, which soon decayed.

I checked my phone for time. It was then 3:12 am and I tried to rub the sleep off my eyes but to no avail. I gradually leaned back my head against the wall and fell into a long and eerie dream. In my dreams, I’ve met this faceless man who introduced himself as the great Valmiki, who wrote the Ramayana that is one of the greatest Hindu epics. I was deeply astounded because I couldn’t believe that I’d be meeting such a poet himself. We talked about his masterpiece. It is about Rama, a virtuous king who tried to save his wife, Sita, from the king of the demons named Ravana.

Mr. Valmiki had such a nice deep voice that still echoes in my ears. He discussed to me other forms Sanskrit Literature which are Puranas, Kavya and Fables and Stories. Puranas are huge collections of knowledge of myths and legends about Hindu gods and descriptions of the ways to worship them. While Kavya describes a type of writen literature as well as a style of writing, either prose or verse. Then another man appeared, introduced himself to me as Kalidasa. It started to make sense to me when he said he was a famous kavya poet, who wrote the play Sakuntala. It tells the story of the marriage of a young girl, Sakuntala, to a king. Both Mr. Valmiki and Mr. Kalidasa also mentioned fables and stories, that some Sanskrit prose were focused on storytelling, both to educate and to entertain. Pancatantra and Kathasaritsagara are examples of it which I don’t vividly remember about their stories. Signs of aging, probably. It wasn’t only them who I’ve met that dawn but also Rabindranath Tagore, another of the famous Indian poets who wrote the Gitanjali or Song offerings. All that I did that in that dream was to listen like a kid to the three great Hindu poets as they educate me.

***

Until a sound of creaks on the floor awaken me. Another human image appeared in front of me that I thought was part of my dream but I soon realized it was a real human, an old woman, who I’ve soon known as the owner of the cabin amidst the woods. It was embarassing to be caught on trespassing. I was just grateful that the old woman was kind and invited me over again to her place. I told her about reading her books and insisted to lend me some. Therefor, I am much excited to go back to her place for the reason that the place is enchanting.

My real plan was to go to my next destination, however I found myself going back to the old cabin. And look what I’ve brought with me that the old woman, have lent me? A dog-eared copy of the poem titled The Tamed Bird and the Free Bird and another copy of the fable, The Duel Between the Sparrow and the Elephant.

***

This would be my last day here at Uttarakhand. I will tag along with the group of tourists I made friends with while I am here. They will be be going to Jawai, Rajasthan that will take 2-3 hours from here if we ride a plane.

***

Second Destination: Jawai: The Leopard Hills in Pali

The Jawai hills, located in the Pali district of Rajasthan, is one of the locations which offer rare sights of leopards roaming freely out in the open. Jawai Camp is the newest and coolest addition to leopard spotting destinations in India. Luxurious tents, rustic lamps, and authentic Rajasthrani cuisine ensure that the experience is exotic and adventurous.

Apart from leopard safari, the place is also known for bird watching as the Jawai dam is home to several migratory birds. Speaking of birds, I still haven’t given back the copies of the poem and the fable. Let me share to you my analyzations about these two Hindu literary masterpieces.

The poem, The Tamed Bird and the Free Bird talks about two birds that both have an intense love but can never fly together. The free bird symbolizes people who enjoys freedom and fears for opportunities, adventures, and pleasure to close. The tamed bird symbolizes people who are locking themselves in who fear to face what is outside his doors. The poem for me is just not merely about two lovers who are defaced by challenges in a relationship where they have to go out and sacrifice their comfort zones in the hope that they could savor the shared love with each other. It also talks about how we’re too dependent on what we have at the moment that it frightens us to let go of it, so it leaves us no choice but to settle for less. The things we keep on doing and choosing on a daily basis that seem comforting can lead us to decisions that leave us feeling empty. If we keep on making the same decision, doing the same thing all over again, then we’ll keep on getting the same result, making us an ignorant of the unknown, of the vast world we have no chance to meet. The poem simply teaches us that perhaps comfort is lying to us in our dreams and robbing us of joy.

Meanwhile, the fable, The Duel Between the Sparrow and the Elephant has the same story with David and Goliath. Based on what I only understood, the fable teaches us that having a just world only exists in the confines of our imagination, but that puts everything a balance. Both the sparrow and the elephant had suffered. The sparrow lost her chicks and the elephant had heatstroke and died afterwards. The sparrow thought she’s the only one who was suffering, unknowingly the elephant was also, though not in the same level. But this doesn’t mean the sparrow’s suffering is heavier and reasonable. Due to this mindset, she had sought for vengeance with her friends and this seems unjust.

Now, how does the situation contain balance? The hen-sparrow lost her chicks, the elephant died, the gnath, the woodpecker, and the frog will soon die, too, with their disturbed conscience. This is tragic. This also happens in real life. We think we lost everything after a death of a loved one, and that is inevitable. The only problem is, some of us point fingers to others and let them carry the burden we cannot handle. Again, this is unjust. But then again, it is also just because our wrong deeds will boomerang to us at the end. It’s best not to take revenge and just accept things, and keep moving ahead, slowly moving ahead.

What have been said are purely opinion-based. My phone’s running out of battery and dang I’m too lazy to get my powerbank in the other tent. Lunch is almost ready and my acquaintances are calling for me. See you later.

***

To feed my curiosity, I’ve researched about the Hindu people I’ve met in my dream when I was in Chopta because it’s still giving me shivers and leaving up spaces for questions. And I kid you not but they actually existed. What? It’s a mind-boggling coincidence and goosebumps everywhere. I went over Hindu’s Literature and read some more works. Common genres of Hindu Literature have similarities to ours except that their epics that have long and continuous verses. Besides the genres being philosophical and sacred, erotic and devotional lyrics of theirs are exceptional. Here’s an excerpt from Love And The Turning Season: India’s Poetry of Spiritual & Erotic Longing.

Her companion reports –

“She’ll look into me –

tell love tales –

Chafing with pleasure she’ll draw me

Into her body – draksyativaksyatiramsyate” –

He’s fearful, he glances about.

He shivers for you,

bristles, calls wildly, sweats, goes forward,

reels back.

The dark thicket closes about him.

Eyes dark with kohl

Ears bright with creamy tamala petals

A black lotus headdress and breasts

traced with musk-leaf –

In every thicket, friend,

Night’s percious cloak wraps a girl’s limbs.

Eager, fearful, ecstatic –

Darting her eyes across Govinda she

enters the thicket.

Ankles wringing with silver.

Her friends have slipped off

Her lowe lip’s moist,

wwistful, chaste, swollen, trembling, deep.

Her sees her raw heart

sees her eyes rest on the couch of

Fresh flowering twigs

and speaks.

India has proved a fertile ground for the world’s most captivating erotic love poetry, and the genius of its devotional writing harnesses great energy and mystical insight. No wonder that India is known as the Mystic Land. It is in fact difficult to tell whether the poets are offering poems of spiritual longing using the fabrics of love poetry or writing erotic pieces in the guise of devotion. Eroticism and mysticism seem inseparable in their devotional traditions.

It has always been fun and interesting to discover literary pieces and various cultures because it’s like ascending into a whole new world and that is a different kind of satisfaction. But, India does offer us mystical culture and literature a little too much (in a good kind) that play our imagination all too well.

**

Third Destination: Phugtal Gompa, Jammu & Kashmir

Phugtal Monastery or Phugtal Gompa is a Buddhist monastery located in the remote Lugnak Valley in south-eastern Zanskrar, in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, in Northern India. The monastery is a unique construction of mud and timber built at the entrance of a natural cave on the cliff face of a lateral gorge of a major tributary of the Lungnak River. From a distance, the monastery looks like a giant honeycomb.

Going here took us 32 hours and every hour I was losing all my potential energy. We took a cab from Padum where the road ends and the trekking starts from there. I think I just turned out like a jelly. Can you imagine? We needed to trek for two days to reach this unseen place. My head’s still aching and the signal is unstable. I have a bad feeling about this. I am aware I've chosen this path but I didn’t know I am about to lose my sanity. Do you remember the group of tourists I tagged along with in my previous destination? I was still with them 3 hours earlier and, good Lord, I seperated from them because I needed to let go of this, you know... And when I tried looking for them in the same spot where I left them, the’yre not there any longer. The sky is getting darker and my heart’s starting to pound hard. All I could see now is an endless piece of land.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

I took the one less traveled by,

And that made all the difference because I got lost. Send help.

[we-work-hard]

Manipulation: Part Two

Pairing: AJ Styles x Bobby Roode (and AJ Styles x Shane McMahon)

Summary: Bobby Roode has just joined the SmackDown roster and he wants AJ Styles back in his bed… (part one is here)

Warnings: More of Bobby being manipulative, AJ being a ~sensuous and delicious man~, Shane being upset, and Tyler Breeze being thirsty

Tagging: The lovely peeps who were okay with the last piece of nastiness (as always though, sorry if I tag you and it’s not your thing – please do skip it if you want, I will understand and still love you xxx) the inspiration @llowkeys (you might recognise some of this...) @scriptor @gurimujox @unabashedwwesmut @castielscamander  @idle-vanity @wrestlingbabe @toosweetme @alexahood21 @cruxcantare @the-geekgoddes @athoughtfulmindwrites @violas87 @wweassets @kingslayers-angel @womderland-fandom @pikapuff316 @immalittledinosaur01 @sarahmatthews7 @loveambrylayn @wrestlingbabe @namesarehardtofind @artemisapalla316 @banditsrose @blondekel77 @championnatalya @fourtris-is-4ever @welshwitch5 @sonadowlover-blog @missmcmahon @deanammbrose @lonewolfgirl17 @ethandolcn (and sorry if I forgot anyone who doesn’t hate me/this/both me and this)

Note: I’ve nipped back in and edited this a bit/split this into two chapters since, because the original was such a monster

Manipulation: Part Two

Bobby’s enjoying hanging out with his new co-workers at SmackDown Live so far, and the scenery in catering today is pretty good, too. If he can’t have AJ by his side yet then this Tyler Breeze (Matt? He thinks it’s Matt...) kid is a very decent substitute; very decent. Certainly eager to impress Bobby, too...

“What kind of fun are you talking about?” Tyler asks him with a quirked brow, licking cream off of his spoon. He’s been coming on very strong over the last week, and it’s been all Bobby could do to not drag him up to his hotel room every night after the show and just give him what he’s panting for. Bobby has other plans for this one, and he’s determined to get what he wants.

“Well, Tyler... you like causing trouble?”

“Hmmph – always.”

“Then let’s see how much we can dream up for you, shall we?” Bobby pauses to swing his eyes around the not-yet-busy room, leaning back in his chair and pretending to be thinking about the kind of ‘trouble’ he’s going to assign to the younger man looking to get into it. Almost any other time in his life, in any other promotion, he wouldn’t have hesitated to lead Tyler off and show him the kind of trouble he wants from Bobby – multiple times. But where’s the joy in that, where’s the chase? There’s bigger game in town, namely what his eyes eventually find: AJ Styles sitting with Kevin and Sami, inhaling a huge sandwich and looking grumpy.

Bobby could have blonde and eager-to-please Tyler in his bed, easy... or he could break down the stubborn redneck wearing the Georgia Bulldogs sports gear and cap over there, and delight in the bounty afterwards. It won’t take much to break him, it never has in the past, but what fun it’ll be to drag him back down to Bobby’s level... How could there ever be a comparison?

“I’ve got it. Shane and AJ.” He says to Tyler with an easy smile.

“Shane... and AJ?” Tyler looks nonplussed at the answer being anything other than ‘Come to the bathroom right now and suck me off, Tyler’.  “What do you mean?”

“There’s where the fun is, isn’t it? You notice how they always leave together?”

“Uh, duh – they’re together.”

“Right. So... what if they weren’t together anymore. Think you could manage that?”  

“I don’t... I’m not going to mess with a McMahon-”

“No, no, no – it wouldn’t be a big deal. Not messing with anyone, per se. Just a bit of fun on the road, that’s all – he’s a good looking guy, don’t you think?”

“...Yeah.”

“And you’re a good looking guy...”

“...Right.”

“So... why should AJ have all the fun?”

Tyler still looks confused about where this is going, him being quite firmly interested in getting to know Bobby more right now, clearly, not Shane. This is going to be difficult for Bobby to finagle, but he’s managed far worse in the past.

“Think about it, Tyler – this is how I see it... I only just got here, forgive me, but... AJ’s being given everything as far as I can tell. And he’s – what? Early 40s now. Not much road left.”

Tyler’s listening intently, and Bobby leans forward to drive his points in, speaking lower.

“He’s had his career. And yet there he is at the top of the card at nearly every house show, near the top at every pay-per-view, getting all the plaudits, getting the merch deals, getting the big money. Who do they send to do all the Make a Wish photo ops, and the big meet-and-greets – is it the younger guys coming up? Is it you, Tyler? No, they threw you in a tag-team-”

“I’m happy with-”

“Of course you’re happy – the crowd loves you; you’re doing great with what they give you guys. It’s not much, and you work with it so well, don’t you? But... don’t you want more?” Here it comes – here’s his gambit; hopefully he’s judged Tyler’s ambition and level of selfishness correctly. He leans back in his chair again.

“Tyler... what did you dream about, when you were starting out in this business? Which strap did you want?”

Tyler lets out a breath and sucks at his bottom lip, getting where Bobby is going.

“I wanted the World Heavyweight strap. I wanted to be a singles guy.”

Bobby nods back and points at him. “Of course you did, of course. We all want that. But who won that strap in his first year of being here? Wasn’t you. And who’s ahead of you to get that strap again? Think about it. And think about whose hotel suite he goes back to after each show.”

“You think it’s because of who he’s sleeping with?”

“Nope – not saying that at all. Look – over there, that’s a guy who’s gifted, has worked hard in his career, and people like him. But he’s getting old. And they aren’t making way for the younger talent. Talent like... you.”

“So... you’re not going for the belt...”

“I don’t need a belt. I’ve had plenty. But, don’t misunderstand me; I’m not completely altruistic, okay,” Tyler sniggers at the pretend modesty, and Bobby flashes a grin back at him. “For me, all this – this is strictly for money now,” Bobby lies. “The more money I can make, the earlier I can get out of the business. Though, I’ll certainly miss some of the perks... getting to meet interesting young men like yourself on the way, of course.”

Tyler smiles slowly, the flattery working with everything else Bobby is carefully feeding him. “Of course.”

“I just think – and this is just my opinion as someone who’s known AJ a long time – I think that maybe... maybe Shane would benefit from noticing... some of the other talent he’s got around him. Keep his eyes off the wrestlers that’ll be retiring in a few years; all used up. You see?”

“I think I do,” Tyler says, smirking back at Bobby. He really is ambitious. And nasty, too. Which is always useful to have around. “So... this is just a bit of fun, right, Bobby? Nothing serious...”

“Oh no, no, no; nothing serious,” Bobby says, smiling back arrogantly at Tyler. “Just an experiment to see if we can get Shane looking... in other areas for a while. Maybe make AJ work a little harder before he retires. No one should get it so easy, should they? Because how would that be fair?”

“Uh huh. You know, I’m really glad I met you, Bobby.”

“Well, what are us veterans here for, unless it’s to teach the younger guys how to get over in new territories, huh?” And now time for some final finessing... “And then, maybe, there’ll be a time when you can help me out with something, pay me back somehow... Can you think of anything you might like to help me with?”

Tyler raises an eyebrow again, happy with where Bobby’s leading him. Little does he know... “Oh, I’m sure I can think of a few things...”

Bobby lifts his drink to Tyler, and they clink glasses. Deal done.

AJ has seemed to have made a point of not looking in Bobby’s direction the whole time they’ve been in the same room, Bobby keeping him in his peripheral vision while working on Tyler. AJ’s been studiously avoiding him since he nearly got through to him in the elevator, in fact. Bobby can’t help but tut to himself. AJ should pay more attention to what’s going on around him. Then he might have an idea of what’s coming. But then again, maybe AJ’s secretly looking forward to giving in just as much as Bobby is going to enjoy making him. 

**

“Bobby, where’s Shane?”

“Hello there, AJ; nice to see you. I’m doing great – are those new gloves?”

“Cut it out, Bobby – someone told me they saw Shane here a minute ago. Did you see where he went; I’ve been trying to find him all afternoon.” So AJ will consent to talk to him when he’s trying to track down his boyfriend... and who his boyfriend is with, no doubt, Bobby muses. 

“He was looking for Tyler.” He wasn’t.

“...Tyler.”

“Yeah. Seemed desperate to track him down – must have been talking through ideas for Tyler’s ring entrance again-”

“What’s that got to do with Shane?”

“I don’t know – that’s what I heard them talking about the other day. You know, this is none of my business but... you never used to be so jealous.”

AJ purses his lips together and shifts his weight, frowning. Serious AJ. ‘Serious AJ’ was always one of the cutest in Bobby’s opinion. “What do you mean by that? Jealous?”

Thank you for asking, AJ. “It’s a good thing that Shane wants to help the younger guys out, spend some time with them. He can’t be with you all the time, you know – you’ll suffocate the poor guy. I get that Tyler’s ... good looking, and younger...”

“Okay, shut the fuck up Bobby, I don’t care about that shit...”

“You’ve probably heard all the locker room talk about the extra attention Shane’s been giving him, haven’t you?”

“I’m not listenin’ to this-”

“But just because Tyler has a crush on him, doesn’t mean Shane-”

“Wait – Tyler has a crush?” That hit the jackpot.

“Well, sure. Why else do you think he keeps asking Shane for advice? You think it’s because of the great McMahon business brain?” Bobby laughs.

“You...” AJ stops and huffs, putting his hands back on his hips (Bobby loves that little habit) and grinding his teeth. He’s wearing Bobby’s favourite weekday ring gear – the black and red with Japanese characters down the side of this thigh. The matte lycra makes his legs look extra meaty, really masculine and strong, but with the give to them that AJ’s body has always had. Yeah... Bobby hopes he still likes being bitten and squeezed where he’s really fleshy...

“Bobby...You, uh, know Tyler pretty well now, don’t you – get on with ‘im?”

“I do indeed. Good kid.”

“Hmm-mmm, well... you tell him to stay the hell away from Shane.”

He stalks away, which means Bobby gets to watch him walk away – no underwear detected again tonight. Must have given up on the compression gear and jockstraps completely, Bobby deduces, watching that beautiful butt move away. Fantastic.

God bless you, Mikaze, Bobby thinks. And God bless bitchy twinks who want to win the World Heavyweight Championship someday.

**

Shane doesn’t have any qualms about going through the HR files at the Stanford offices to get phone numbers, turns out. Or qualms about calling Bobby at 2.30 in the morning during his off-day.  

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Bobby? I know it’s you putting this shit into AJ’s head, getting him all wound up – who else could it be?”

Bobby was irritated to be woken up by the phone ringing, of course. But this conversation is quickly becoming worth being awake for.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Shane – I barely talk to AJ. I’m guessing someone told him to stay away from me; it’s just the darndest thing. Oh hey, while I have you – I’m really, really sorry about what you saw in the hotel. Really sorry. But, you know, Shane – AJ and I knew each other for a long, long while. These things are bound to happen. Maybe they’ll happen again some time, huh?” Bobby laughs into the silence from the other end, hoping he’s causing some hurt. “Old feelings don’t just go away overnight.”

“That was years ago-”

“Not for AJ it wasn’t, apparently...”

“You know nothing about AJ anymore, and I doubt you really care,” Shane all but growls into the phone, before pausing to calm himself down again. “I know your type, okay. Let’s be honest with each other, man to man. You’re selfish, and you’ll do whatever it takes to get what you want when it’s difficult to get it – I know that. But what happens if you get it? When you drop him after? You think he can take that? Have you thought about it?”

Bobby pauses, listening. Hmmph. 

“I’m good for AJ, Bobby – you can see that; I know you can. And now he’s asking me about other men, younger men, snapping at me all the time, and I’m snapping back – as if I’d want anyone else. Where’s he getting all this anger from, if not from you?”

Bobby can hear Shane breathing, struggling with what he’s going to say next. Bobby’s interested to hear it, even though it won’t do any good.

“Please, leave him alone. Don’t confuse him anymore, or make him hurt anymore than you have already. I’m not threatening you, because that’s not the kind of man I am. I’m asking you for this.”

Bobby runs his tongue over his teeth and settles back onto his bed.

“Shane... do you think I got into this business because I like to lose?”

Shane’s sigh blows over the receiver and his voice comes through colder. “No.”

“Good. Because you’d be wrong. I’m a winner; always have been. And AJ knows that – he likes that about me. He knows I’m going to win this, too. Shane – you need to understand... AJ’s going to come to me soon... and I’m not going to deliver him back to your hotel suite afterwards. Next time, he’s not coming back.”

Bobby hears Shane put the phone down. He smiles and lays back down to sleep. With no troubled thoughts.

#sorry if this is horrific #I think I've got one more part #slash #fanfic #smut #imagine #bobby roode #aj styles #shane mcmahon #slutty bottom AJ #sorry shane #this won't last forever

[sassasquashedgrapes]

Kardashian Dreaming

Had the coolest/most bizarre dream ever. 

I was seated at this meeting with Mama Kris Jenner, Rob was there and prolly the other family members, I can’t remember. And she was gonna hire me or wanted to hire me, and it was an interview or something am not so sure.  But basically my role was to hang around the whole Kardashian-Jenner clan, be on the prowl on the stuff they do, find research backing up evidence that what they do is effective by science (but way better than David Avocado Wolfe levels, more classier and actually backed up by a medical doctor (hello, me!), and yes, blog about it.

Or ghost write articles whatever floats my boat. Basically tag along with them, maybe occasionally take their pics for Instagram/Snapchat as to back up the article I wrote or blogged, but not in a PA kind of way.  I’m more like just like a third party observer, I am to be treated cordially and kindly, not like staff, whom I don’t like as some are bossy, snobby divas (must be competition syndrome who knows?).

I don’t get to be on the show either (Thank God, I wasn’t the type who wanted that sort of attention to begin with), but as a fan of the series, it’s a treat that I get a full-depth view of what goes on in the family for real and ahead from what’s aired on E!, way before everyone else gets to see it (of course I have a disclosure clause tho I can write anything, as long as Mama Jenner approves of the topic of course, like I report directly to her anyway and she does keep direct tabs with me on the stuff that I write).

Well, anyway, going back  to the story: Then Kris goes for the jugular and looks  me in the eye and says “we pay higher than 500 per hour”, kinda making me know she’s done her homework about me and that whatever I’m currently being paid for at my current job,  she’s willing to pay me higher (lol. 600 maybe?) and before y’all start thinking, I knew deep down Mama Kris meant she was gonna pay me at least 600 US Dollars per hour just to “keep up with them”,  and I had a fixed schedule of reporting 3-4x a week at least four hours to a maximum of 8 hours a day, as for specifics on time well, if there are evening events and if I’m free, I can go and would be paid double for night differential. All of which was pretty ok by me.

I learned in my 90 minute snooze that the Kardashian clan are actually pretty generous employers. Like you got free range around the house (of course you can’t enter the private rooms unless you’re invited by the owner to go in and there are CCTVs so they do know when PAs steal their stuff), you can eat whatever food is in the pantry (except stuff that’s labeled with the names of the girls if they’re saving it for later, like Kim writes her name on it labeled as “Kim” or “Kiki”, Kourtney uses a green tape label so you know it’s hers, shit this dream is so detailed, it was beyond!!!

Anyway, so I get the job yo’. I’m hanging out with Kanye West. He’s not even scary. He’s actually very nice and polite, not like the angry dude you always see on the telly.

So he’s going about talking being drawn to different kinds of wall graffitis (I swear I had no idea there were even types to begin with!  Shit there it is on google, people I am just typing this website and googling it down now because I thought that dream was just crack but fuuuucccck nnnhhooo!!!) and showed me this wall written with words like yeezy (yes written in bold with no caps on the first “y”) and a quote, I can’t remember but I know it was a cool quote about believing in yourself and pretty profound one at that. It took me a while to realize while talking to this man that he was in the process of making his own font!! People, Kanye West was designing his own fucking Times New Roman y’all!!! Prolly use the letterings to put it on his shirts, on his album, have it sold on Microsoft Office or whatnot, this shit is superb I simply cannot!!!.  It wasn’t a useless font,  it’s like a relatable font that could be used for making a slogan, a poster, or heck even as a document paper if you don’t mind wasting some ink on the printer.

It was super genius, I tell you. I remember giving him feedback about it (because he asked me, that’s how cool the ‘Ye is, he gets feedback from the masses coz he wants to understand the common people!) that I liked the design on the wall except if I stood at a certain distance, I couldn’t read the first word written on top (I can’t believe I had the nerve to talk up to the ‘Ye) but he was super cool about it and admitted he hadn’t thought about that but was “going with the creative flow” when he was in the moment and having an artistic flair myself, I understood where he was coming from.

Next I’m in the gym. Now I’m pretty certain this is recent, I cannot confirm if Khloe is pregnant but she sure wasn’t working out either.

Out of the Kardashian sisters, she’s the one I genuinely get along with the best. She even calls me by my first name Kristina, opting not to address me by my middle name which Kris and Kim do as I didn’t want to confuse myself into sharing a nickname similar to my new boss (aka Mama KJ). I dunno but I clicked best with Khloe and could honestly imagine that IRL we could be really good pals. She does have one interesting habit: she always has to turn off the lights when not in use.

It’s weird because you think one: these people are ridiculously rich but are stingy with electricity? Two, shouldn’t the Kardashian/Jenner fam invest in motion sensor lights? And Three: according to Khloe, she started getting back into this habit to reduce energy in lieu of Climate Change (of course), and it used to be the one reminder her dad, the late Robert Kardashian Sr  always made her do because, like me, she had a habit of leaving the lights on too.

So basically included on my job description was yep, turn off the lights each time I went out of a room or check if there are unused lights.

So one time I’m in the family gym, and Kim was there. Now out of all the Kardashian/Jenners (don’t tell Khloe ok, ORZ) Kim is my favourite. IRL she’s not tall, prolly around my height, but has a doll-face and is really curvy but small in the areas that matter. TBH Kim leaves me star-struck, very Kween- like: regal, formal, never losing her shit (unlike me the whole freaking dream sequence) but still approachable and likeable.

Out of all the Kardashian/Jenners, Kim is the most like Kris. Like literally Mama’s carbon copy, even in some mannerisms, except Kim is more reserved, polite, but still approachable without being intimidating, which that part is mostly like her Mom.  Though Kim can be intimidating in a different way.  Let’s just say both women have that Alpha air about them.

Kris Jenner is all business and is the the Queen Mom, kinda like my boss so it’s ironic I leave a job only to be hired by someone who resembles a lot of qualities similar to the former boss. But who can deny BIGGER and BETTER PAY?

As for Kim, I really can’t compare her to anyone I’ve ever met, but she’s definitely got an aura of being something extraordinary. Like Celebrity vibes.  That feeling one gets when you’re in the presence of someone who is gonna either change the world or bring it to its knees and end the rest of humanity, XD. 

 Anyway, I’m in the gym and I dunno why but there are icicles on the machines (the elliptical, the treadmill, the bikes)  I don’t feel cold or anything but it I chose to ignore it prolly coz I was astonished that there were icicles on the machines and yet no one bothers to turn off the AC and plus hello, I’m watching Kimye work out a sweat or rather, breathing cold air like some friggin’ Elsa with her long platinum hair which makes me miss own on bleached Khaleesi mane too.  Kim’s working on the treadmill, she gives me a polite smile and nod, and says hello, addressing me by my middle name (it’s shocking because I’ve barely been in this house or at this job for long, and already Kim knows me by name and face.  It’s like an amazing talent she and Kris have, they remember faces and names of people they’ve just met, whether you’re a Royalty or a servant, they’ll remember.  They’re like natural politicians!).  

Khloe asks me if I could turn off the lights, which was the gym, I dim it a bit, with Kim’s permission, of course.  She doesn’t mind, she’s in her own zone.  Breathing out cold air probably from those iced exercise machines I dunno (I believe I found new material for my writing blogs that I was hired for too).  

I move on to another side of the gym, which is a lounge area.  I see in the corner of my eye Kourtney having a informal business meeting with a blonde long-haired Japanese business dude who gives me Steve Aoki vibes, a translator (who is my friend Aira), and a bunch of other peeps lounging on sofas.  I yell over to Khloe and tell her that someone’s in the lounge room and she goes over to me and says “Oh yeah, leave the lights on.” Laughs off and walks away.

I’m not close with Kourt tho.  I don’t think we have bad vibes or anything, actually we’re the same age, it’s just Kourt and I never had a chance to bond because her top priority are her kids and we just never had time to chitchat, but I think she’s just as nice as the rest of the family, probably even more casual than Kim, but less chummy as Khloe.  She did mention once that I’m a natural with kids even though I never baby sat any of the Kardashian kids, but they’re really sweet and they seem to like me well enough.  

I’ve interacted with Mason, Reign, and Penny; they’re the sweetest kids, Reign and Penny always greet me with hugs, they’re super friendly.  Mason’s already a big boy, so hugs are not in order and he’s usually somewhere off doing his own thing or hanging out with Scott aka The Lord (who doesn’t seem like the douchebag he’s normally portrayed as in the show).  I’ve met North and Saint briefly as Kim was in a hurry, North’s a bit shy, she’s got the cutest smile tho. I just don’t think North warms up to people as easily as compared to Kourtney’s kids do tho.  Saint is adorable, as expected, but it’s too early to tell how he’s gonna be when he’s older, but he’s so darn cute. Saint reminds me of this kid of a friend of mine who was just about the cutest darnest little kid whom I preferred to babysit over his naughty older brother, Andrei, hahaha!

And as for the Kardashian-Jenner girls.  Well, all I can say is Kendall is by far the tallest and prettiest sister and has got the most amazing legs, but she’s moody as f tho.  Like let’s say she’d walk in a room I was in, she’d ignore me (unless I’d be the first one to greet her, then she’d respond with a bored hi or mumble something close to it) then Ken would do her own thing like sit on a corner of a table or lounge on a couch and interact with her sisters but mostly looks bored as if she’d rather be somewhere else more interesting than at home, which is kinda disappointing since I’m a huge fan of hers, but I get her deal.  She grew up into the whole limelight and unlike her older sisters, she never wanted any of it and if you asked her, she’d probably wish she was living a rather normal life. Plus the bad bitterness she has as a model and having to prove to everyone she’s a supermodel because people hate on her for the nepotism even though she really does work hard.  Basically Kendall is the Kuudere of the Kardashian/Jenner girls.  So I get her deal. But compared to Kun-Kuun Kenny, Kylie is more like the typical teen/Generation Z/late Millenial: Always on her phone, not really in tune with anything going on about in the house.  I like Jordyn Woods tho, she’s really friendly and warm that you don’t get an air vibe out of her, like she’s genuinely a nice girl that you’re glad she’s there for Kylie.  Maybe that’s the reason why Kylie’s got a lot more mellow than her older sister Kendall, since Kendall doesn’t have that sort of friendship from what I’ve seen based on that whole dynamic I’ve gathered in that 90 minute dream.

Oh, and as for Kylie being pregnant? Let’s just say, I can’t say :P

Lol.  If I had to make Dere-s out of them

Tsundere Type A: Kourtney

Himedere: Kim

Formerly Kamidere/ but now mostly Dandere: Kanye

Yandere: Khloe

Deredere but really Mayadere: Rob

Kuudere: Kendall

Undere/Ultimate Shota: Kylie

Sadodere: Kris Jenner (for sure!! Lol)

That dream was so awesome!!  Too bad I had to get up after dozing off when the alarm reminded me that I had to leave the house early because I had an exam. I woke up feeling shitty because I didn’t get enough rest and as I took a cold shower, it suddenly hit me that I had dreamed about this during that 90 minute accidental snooze and I found myself having to write it down, and added more of my personal in-depth thoughts because tho it was such a vivid dream that happened so fast, I’m amazed by how much insight I actually got based from those details that I decided to write it all down and post it on tumblr/twitter with hopes that I do wonder if any of this shit was accurate. 

 Hit me up to tell me what your thoughts are.  

I’m out!

#keeping up with the kardashians #Keeping up with the Kardashians fan fiction #kim kardashain west #kim kardashian #khole kardashian #kourtney kardashian #Dash girls #kendall & kylie #kris jenner #KUWTK fan #kendall jenner #kylie jenner #yeezy by kanye west #yeezy

[maxmiz]

I want to hear more about your Harry Potter/ beyblade headcannons tell me all 😘😍😍😍😍 (if you want to of course!!)

GLAD YOU ASKED *-*[Warning: Long Post Ahead. Ignore errors if any. I typed it out in a rush]

Of course, I would love to talk more about Harry Potter/Beyblade headcanons. Also, anon, since you do seem so interested in them, I suggest you check out @lucy-mac​‘s art and AU on her set of HP/Beyblade headcanons which you can find here. She really put some thought into it, so please do give it a read page. Anyway, coming to my own headcanons (I’ll use dub names)….

Beyblade/HP AU Headcanon #1

I want to first elaborate a little on the Blitzkrieg Boys. First of all, I want to talk about the Abbey. I have a headcanon that the Blitzkrieg Boys, in this alternate Potterverse, are all from pure blood families, with the exception of Kai. Kai’s father was a Muggle that his mother ensnared with a love potion (much like Merope Gaunt did to Tom Riddle Sr.). The other boys were offered by their parents to serve the Dark Lord, i.e. Voltaire, and Kai being his grandson, had no option but to serve him and do his bidding, especially since Kai’s father had abandoned him and Kai’s mother was killed off by a killing curse by Voltaire for being ‘weak’ (like Merope, her magical abilities were questionable) and for mingling with a Muggle.

So these children of Death Eaters (i.e., our boys and Kai) each were sent to this institution, where their memories were obliviated by the Death Eaters and they were conditioned to learn only one thing - they were trained to purge the world of Muggles and Muggle Born witches and wizards and the Dark Mark was seared into their skins. This institution, much like the abbey, was to raise an army for the Dark Lord. And it was led by the most loyal Death Eater, Boris Balkov. Notice the similarities between how the people in the abbey dress and the Death Eaters:

(Source: Pottermore)

Coming back to our Blitz boys,

So I headcanon that Tala’s mother was a Muggle born witch who was also a ballerina. She often danced ballet (while her husband was away) in front of Tala, as she loved to remember her Muggle roots. However, after she discovered that her husband had joined the Death Eaters and after suffering abuse from him, she left Tala. Tala, of course, after escaping from the institution, only remembered his mother - that memory of her dancing was the only thing that helped him maintain his sanity in that institution and it manifested itself in the form of his wolf-woman patronus, Wolborg. This is similar to my Tala/Wolborg headcanon over here.

The other boys find it difficult to produce a Patronus because of their unfortunate memories, but being together when they subsequently fled to Durmstrang, helped them finally find some happiness. When Kai escaped, though, he went to Hogwarts.

Beyblade/HP AU Headcanon #2

This one is my invention. Let me introduce you to the concept of a Reverse Patronus. Now, as you know, a patronus is cast based on a powerful, happy memory. Kai’s only happy memory from his childhood would be that of his loving mother before she was killed off. So his patronus would ideally be a Phoenix, ie, Dranzer. However, the abbey strips Kai of all his pleasant memories.

Kai is trained in the abbey very strictly in the Dark Arts. He is taught many things, including and especially the art of casting a Reverse Patronus. Casting a reverse patronus is strictly forbidden by the Ministry of Magic, mainly because it feeds on the darkness and negativity inside a person. Naturally, once Kai starts casting it, his Reverse Patronus takes the form of a Black Phoenix, ie, Black Dranzer.

Casting a reverse patronus can drive anyone crazy, since it feeds off the darkness inside people. I headcanon that during a particularly difficult Triwizard Tournament task, Kai faces multiple dementors which try to suck the soul out of him. Kai, however, doesn’t want his teammates to help him, because he is full of himself. He tells them to back off. He knows that he is more powerful with a Reverse Patronus than a regular patronus (since he has no happy memories) and casts it. However, it actually affects him more because he has tried to run away from it since childhood. It is then that his friends step in. While Kai feels himself drowning into darkness, his friends step up and draw their wands, determined to bring him back from the brink even if they get overwhelmed. Kai is moved and his dark patronus turns into a regular patronus. He finds that his teammates are there for him and the red phoenix, Dranzer, becomes his patronus :)

Beyblade/HP AU Headcanon #3

The Mirror of Erised headcanon. I think, despite his perpetual state of self-denial, Kai sees himself with his teammates Tyson, Max, Ray, Daichi, Kenny and Hilary in the Mirror of Erised. Judy sees herself reunited with her son. Tala sees himself with his mother. Brooklyn sees himself on a swing with friends around him, as a child.

Beyblade/HP AU Headcanon #4

Max is also the heir of Slytherin. Yes, you heard that right. I headcanon that he is Kai’s cousin, but neither of them is aware of the same since Judy did not raise Max (but merely visited him sometimes while he lived with his Muggle Born dad).

As I mentioned before, Max’s bit beast Draciel, in the Japanese version is Genbu. And Genbu is represented by a tortoise/serpent.

I headcanon that Max has always known that because of the necklace that his mother gave him as a symbol of his heritage - Slytherin’s locket which bears the mark of Draciel. (Matching this with canon a little).

However, with Max wanting to distance himself as much as he can from his lineage, he prayed to the Sorting Hat to place him in Ravenclaw where he could be with the smart ones in his class, rather than in Slytherin where people might discover who he is.

However, during the Triwizard Tournament he comes face to face once again with his mother, Judy, the Minister for Magic who conveniently keeps ignoring him until he emerges as a victor and proves to her that he is as good a wizard in Ravenclaw as he could have been in Slytherin.

Beyblade/HP AU Headcanon #5

Brooklyn is our fandom’s Credence as his loneliness and genius is taken advantage of and he is pushed over the edge, until he finally is calmed down. As I stated earlier, Mr. Dickenson is the fandom’s Dumbledore and Dr. Zaggart is Grindelwald in a way.

Hilary is Hermione for sure.

Jazzman is a bit of a Rita Skeeter.

Also, Wyatt is like Colin Creevey with his super fanboy-ism for Kai, the best seeker that Slytherin house has ever seen!

Beyblade/HP AU Headcanon #6

I should just write a fic called the Gift of the Animagi xD Bad literature pun? Never mind. So I headcanon that Ray and his tribe, ie, Mariah, Lee, Kevin and Gary are all animagi. Ray being the strongest sorcerer of the lot was allowed to turn into the prestigious white tiger - the symbol of their tribe. However, he chose not to train with them in their traditional, but instead went to Hogwarts to learn magic. As a result, they felt betrayed.

Beyblade/HP AU Headcanon #7

This headcanon pertains to the tasks for that each Bladebreaker faces in the Triwizard Tournament.

Keep in mind that Judy designed these tasks, so they are ruthless af. Also, Hiro is like Ludo Bagman, here. He sucks up to Judy (Percy-style) and tests his brother and his friends.

Tyson does the ‘catching the egg from the dragon’ task, because dragons are his thing and because he is a brilliant seeker (because he commands the wind in canon, catch my drift?)

Max saves his friend underwater in the lake fighting merpeople, because he’s our water baby. He faces off against Mystel and Mariam in this task.

Hilary is given a time turner and is asked to go back in time and save Tyson’s life in a specific situation faster than the other competitors.

Ray is challenged to enter into the forbidden forest and fight off the magical creatures inside and emerge out the other end. BUT WITHOUT A WAND. So Ray exploits the loophole and transforms into an animagus. He faces off against Mariah here.

Kai’s task is given above.

Daichi faces a lot of insecurity and a bit of an inferiority complex in canon as we know. So in his task, he faces an army of boggarts that turn into his dad, his teammates, his house-mates and, HIM, and tell him that he is a failure and will never be as good. According to the rules, he can use any spell except for ‘Riddikulus’. Daichi eventually conquers his fear, believes in himself and wins.

Kenny doesn’t compete. But he provides them with a lot of help

In the final task they collectively enter the maze.

Well, this is all for now xD I have a lot of headcanons overall, but I hope that this’ll suffice. Because I’ll never stop writing.

P.S. Don’t use my headcanons in your fanfiction as they’d coincide with a fanfiction I wrote. Thanks!

[Tagging my peeps who usually read my headcanons, in case you guys want to read it and chime in @lucy-mac (you already know these), @zadien, @falbcrg, @midnightstarr8, @beybladedigimonanime, @indigojupiterstuff, @vattallini, @bey-hunter, @wr3h, @obsessivefictiontrash, @littleshechan, @martyoshka @fyrua]

#beyblade #headcanons #beyblade x harry potter #beyblade/hp #hp #takao kinomiya #tyson granger #kai hiwatari #rei kon #ray kon #max tate #max mizuhara #draciel #dranzer #genbu #suzaku #daichi sumeragi #kenny #hilary tachibana #hiromi tachibana #tala valkov #yuriy ivanov #bliztkrieg boys #the bladebreakers #bba #bakuten shoot beyblade #beyblade headcanons #anon

[searchingwardrobes]

CS Valentine's One-shots: Day Five

Prompt: Valentine’s proposal, or in this case, a proposal followed by a Valentine’s wedding

  I was having trouble with my muse for the last few prompts. Then I remembered that in my MC God Bless the Broken Road, I mentioned in the epilogue that Emma and Killian were married by the following Valentine’s Day. I don’t know if this breaks the “rules” or not, but I couldn’t help doing a one shot of those deleted scenes. It ended up longer and a whole lot angstier than I intended, and I’m also not sure I succeeded in making it stand alone. *Warning: Shameless self-promotion ahead* Therefore, here are links to the other stuff in this verse if you are interested:

MC God Bless the Broken Road: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8072611/chapters/18497593

Series Musings of Pastor’s Kid Killian Jones: https://archiveofourown.org/series/629957

Popcorn with Milk Duds (one-shot): https://archiveofourown.org/works/11792322

Held (one-shot): https://archiveofourown.org/works/12654315

I was also inspired by the story I have heard my entire life of how my dad proposed to my mom J

Rated T for themes. Trigger warnings: brief mentions of drug abuse, brief mentions of teen pregnancy, religious themes

Always and Forever

Emma stood in front of her mirror, noting the blush rising to her cheeks as she fastened the clasp of the necklace Killian had given her for Valentine’s Day years ago. Her fingers trembled slightly, and she kept gnawing at her lower lip. It was completely and utterly ridiculous for her to be this nervous. Sure, they were calling this their “first” date, but it was far from a normal one.

              “Mommy, stop staring at yourself! You look perfect already!” Her six year old cried out behind her. His voice was equal parts whiny, breathless, and excited. She laughed at his reflection in the mirror. He was jumping on her bed, alternately flinging his entire body down on the mattress then bouncing to his feet again. Luke was a mass of constant motion with a perpetual sheen of sweat and constantly mussed hair.

              And Luke was the reason it was ridiculous to call this a first date. Since he inherited that dark, thick mass of messy hair as well as his bright blue eyes from his father.

              “Do you think Daddy will bring you flowers? Will he take you to a ball?”

              Emma narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips. “A ball? Where do you think we live, the Enchanted Forest or something?” Then she reached down and tickled her son – their son – until he was squealing with laughter. Henry then came bursting in, yelling, “Me too, me too!” as he tugged on Emma’s skirt. She complied by tossing the three year old on the bed, tickling both boys anew until they were both breathlessly begging her to stop.

              Just as Emma let them go, she heard the doorbell ring. Both boys yelled, “Grandma!” and raced down the hall. Emma glanced through the peep hole to check that it was indeed Elizabeth Jones, then let Luke pull the door open. Both boys showered her with hugs and kisses. It warmed Emma’s heart to see how the entire Jones family treated Henry with the same love and affection as they did Luke.

              Elizabeth rose from greeting the boys and gave Emma a hug of her own. “Oh, Emma,” she enthused, still grasping her by both arms. You look stunning.”

              “Thank you,” Emma told her as she shook out the skirt. The top of the dress was simple; black, sleeveless, and form-fitting with a scooped neckline. But the A-line skirt had an overlay with gold embroidery. It was simple, yet elegant, and accentuated Emma’s figure without being overtly sexy. Elsa, who had gone shopping with her, had gasped that it fit her personality perfectly, and Emma had to agree. It was even comfortable, believe it or not. “Killian said he was taking me somewhere that had to do with Christmas, and gold and black works, right?”

              “Absolutely,” Elizabeth agreed with a smile, “red is so overdone at the holidays. Of course, I think Killian would love you even in a paper sack.”

              Emma brushed off the compliment, that infernal blush rising to her cheeks again, and hurried into the kitchen to show Elizabeth the leftovers for dinner. She found herself rambling on about bed time, then trailed off when she realized that Elizabeth had been taking care of Luke since he was born. But the woman just nodded and smiled. Then the doorbell rang again.

              “Daddy!” Luke screamed at the top of his lungs as he darted for the door.

              Elizabeth caught him in a bear hug from behind. “No, no, little man. Let your Mommy and Daddy say hello to each other.”

              “Why? They say hello all the time.”

              Emma shook her head and laughed at her son’s answer, then took a deep breath and pulled the door open. She blinked as she took Killian in with a heated and appreciative gaze. Would his handsome looks ever cease to take her breath away?

              “Swan,” he breathed out with an equally appreciative look on his face, “you are absolutely exquisite.”

              Emma ducked her head and blushed. Then she ran her gaze up and down his frame before giving him a crooked smile, “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

              The smile that lit his face dimpled his cheeks and crinkled his eyes. His tailored suit with a shirt of deep blue and a black tie made her relieved that she had picked a fancier dress. They just stood there for a moment staring at each other as if the clock had rewound about seven years until Luke came barreling past Emma to collide with his father’s waist.

              Killian had to greet both boys and attempt to explain for the hundredth time to Henry why all four of them couldn’t go before he and Emma managed to get out the door.

              “Maybe I should have picked you up,” Emma quipped as Killian helped her into the passenger’s side of his truck.

              “Nonsense,” Killian argued back, “no gentleman would agree to that arrangement.”

              Emma rolled her eyes at that. “So, where are you taking me?”

              “Well,” Killian told her, shifting slightly in his seat as he pulled out of Emma’s apartment complex, “we’re driving into Portland to see a production of The Nutcracker.” He scratched behind his ear as he glanced at her nervously. “Is – is that okay?”

              “Okay?” Emma replied hoarsely, tears filling her eyes. “It’s way more than okay. I haven’t been since Ingrid passed.”

              He let out a deep sigh of relief. “That’s what I thought.” He then lifted her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss there. It was so incredibly thoughtful, and so like him to remember. Emma had always dreamed of going to see the ballet when she was a little girl, so when Ingrid had adopted her, she had made a point to take her every Christmas. Even Killian had tagged along that year they were dating.

              Killian didn’t release her hand. At first. But the longer he clasped her hand, the more jittery he became. She was used to him rubbing his thumb across her knuckles, but tonight his hand seemed to be going into spasms. And either Emma was imagining it, or his hand was getting clammy. Emma finally slipped her hand free and set it in her lap. She eyed Killian curiously. Had he gotten sick but didn’t want to cancel their date?

              “Are you okay?”

              Killian gave a nervous chuckle, “Sure, I’m fine.”

              Emma narrowed her eyes at him, not completely buying it, but she said nothing further. She put on a bright smile and started telling him about Luke and Henry’s antics at the park today, but when it dragged on into a one-sided conversation, she petered out. She gnawed on her lower lip as she gazed out the window at the fresh blanket of snow on the ground. They normally had no problem talking for hours over nothing at all, but tonight, on their first official date now that they were a couple again, he was strangely silent.

              But then they arrived at the theater, and he flashed her that gorgeous smile of his. He gallantly insisted on opening her door, then took her arm like he truly was escorting her to a ball. She thought of Luke’s childish questions and couldn’t help smiling. Once inside, they were preoccupied with finding their seats, and Emma was in awe as she always was of the theater itself. The silence between them now was a comfortable thing, and as the lights dimmed, Emma slipped her arm through Killian’s and squeezed it. He smiled adoringly at her, and she rested her head on his shoulder as the lights came up on Clara, Drosselmeyer, and the enormous Christmas tree.

              As the show went on, however, Emma became concerned again. Killian pulled away from her to lean forward, resting his chin on his fist. Then his legs were bouncing. But the thing that concerned Emma most was when she pulled her eyes away from Grandmother Ginger to see him kneading his left knee. She swallowed down her concern and concentrated on the remainder of the ballet.

              Afterwards, Killian took her to a fancy Italian restaurant down the street from the theater. It was a gorgeous place, intimate, with fancy tablecloths and flickering candlelight. But Killian still didn’t seem like himself. Their conversation kept stalling, and he just couldn’t seem to stop fidgeting. Emma could only nibble at her chicken parmesan and sip at her wine because of the dry lump in her throat.

              On the drive back to Storybrooke, Killian asked her about work, and Emma gladly talked on and on about every little thing from Aurora’s new pregnancy to the new Doc McStuffins stickers that all the kids seemed to love. She actually went on a five minute tangent about how the children’s show was doing wonders to help her calm kids down when they were getting an exam. Anything to keep them from lapsing into silence again.

              “They should have made a kids show about a doctor for toys ages ago,” Emma’s chuckle sounded strained, even to her own ears. She sighed with relief when the town sign came into view.

              For the first time since Portland, Killian turned to her with a tender smile. “Want to go for a walk along the beach?”

              “Are you serious?”

              Killian’s face fell, and a look of confusion darted across his eyes. Emma hadn’t meant her words to come out so clipped and harsh, but what did he expect? It had been one of the most awkward dates in her entire life. With someone she thought she knew better than anyone in the world.

              “Why wouldn’t I be serious?”

              Emma barked out a sarcastic laugh. “You can’t be that dense, Killian. You’ve acted the entire night like you’d rather be somewhere else, and now you want to take a romantic stroll along the beach?”

              Killian blinked rapidly. “Emma, you don’t understand . . . I never meant . . . that is to say . . . “

              He had turned the deepest shade of red Emma had ever seen, and he was rubbing at that knee of his again. The way he’d been acting tonight, you would think . . . Emma gasped. When she spoke, she tempered her words carefully, “You’re not taking the pills again, are you?”

              “What!” Killian yelled. “How could you think that?”

              “Then answer the question!”

              “Of course I’m not! You have that little faith in me?” He had gotten so upset, he had pulled the car over. He shifted in his seat to face her, rubbing the back of his neck agitatedly.

              “What am I supposed to think? You’re jittery, your palms are clammy,” Emma counted off the symptoms on her fingers, “you’re unable to focus, I mean, what else could it be?”

              The color had drained from Killian’s face as she spoke, and suddenly another possibility washed over her like ice cold water.

              “Or . . . “ she swallowed, her eyes filling up with tears. She shook her head briefly, and cut the tears off. “Take me home, Killian,” she whispered.

              “Emma, no, please,” Killian protested, reaching for her. Emma shook off his hand.

              “So can you explain why you’re acting so uncomfortable tonight?” Emma sat there with her arms crossed, watching him as he stared out the windshield, his hands squeezing the steering wheel, and his jaw clenching.

              “No,” he finally whispered, defeated, “I guess I can’t.”

              Wordlessly, he put the truck back in drive and headed back to her apartment complex. The silence between them now was a painful, tangible thing. When he parked right outside her unit, Emma shifted in her seat, clutching the pendant of her necklace in her fist to give her courage.

              “Killian, remember how you told me that you wouldn’t push me for more than I was ready for in this relationship?” At his curious nod, she continued, “Well, that’s true the other way around. I don’t want you forcing this because . . . I don’t know, because you think I need you or because Luke wants it so badly. If the spark just isn’t there anymore, then –“

              “Emma,” he said, cutting her off, “check the glove compartment.”

              He said it with almost resignation, but when she glanced at him, he had a tiny, wry smile on his face. He gestured with his hand. “Go on, just humor me. Open it.”

              Emma took a deep breath as she reached for the glove compartment. She couldn’t help flashing back to Thanksgiving seven years ago when she opened Killian’s glove compartment and an almost empty bottle of pain pills fell into her palm. But this time, she saw a small velvet jewelry box. Her mouth fell open as she cut her gaze back to Killian. His grin had widened and he gave a rueful shrug. With trembling fingers, Emma pulled out the box and opened it. Inside glittered an engagement ring. A simple, round diamond with two other tiny round diamonds set on either side of it. Emma blinked, her mind reeling.

              “This,” she whispered, “is why you were so nervous tonight?”

              “Aye.” There was a long pause before he continued. “I know it sounds crazy, since this is only our first date since we got back together. But, Emma, that ring is honestly seven years overdue. When I bought you that necklace, I looked at rings first. I almost bought one. Maybe I should have.”

              Emma placed a hand gently on his arm. “No, Killian. We weren’t ready then.”

              He pulled in a deep, shuddering breath and nodded. “But I’m ready now, Emma. I’ve wanted this for years, if I’m being completely honest. And like I said, I know it might seem fast, but think about it. We’ve actually been dating for eight months anyway and were just in denial about it.”

              Emma was able to chuckle at that. “You sound like Mary Margaret.”

              Killian managed a nervous laugh himself and then shrugged. “Well, she was right.” He ran his tongue nervously along his bottom lip as he shifted closer to her and clasped both her hands in his. She could tell he was completely earnest and sincere right now, but all she wanted to do was grab him and kiss him.

              “So, Emma, will you marry me?”

              That was it. She couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. They poured down her cheeks, and he grasped her face tenderly, wiping them away as they fell. She managed to nod, and then finally to speak. “Yes, yes, of course I will.”

              He kissed her then, and her tears turned to deliriously happy smiles. He managed to slip the ring on her finger, despite the way she kept peppering his face with kisses. Then their lips met again, with passion this time, and it was all Emma could do to pull herself away. She laughed at Killian’s whimper of protest, but grasped his face and rubbed his nose with hers.

              “Sorry, but we’ve got a kid inside who is going to flip out over this news.”

              Killian wholeheartedly agreed. They hurried inside to find both Luke and Henry asleep on either side of Killian’s mother. She looked up at them sheepishly, knowing she had been caught spoiling them, but Emma cut off her apologies by holding out her hand to show off the ring. Killian’s mother leapt from the couch, pulling Emma immediately into a tight hug. When she pulled away, tears shown in her eyes, and she held both hands up to her mouth. When she finally spoke, her words shocked Emma.

              “It’s about bloody time.”

              Killian laughed and leaned down to brush a kiss to his mother’s cheek. Emma decided to refrain from reminding her how she felt about the two of them getting married seven years ago.

              “Mom, we want to go ahead and tell Luke,” Killian whispered.

              Elizabeth nodded her head in understanding, quickly gathered her things, and hurried out. Emma and Killian then knelt beside the couch and began gently shaking their son. Finally, his eyes blinked open and he frowned at the sight of the two of them.

              “Waz – goin on,” he muttered as he rubbed at his eyes.

              “Look what Daddy got Mommy,” Emma told him, showing him the ring on her finger. Luke furrowed his brow and rubbed at his hair as he stared at it.

              “That’s nice,” he finally muttered, collapsing back down on the couch, his eyes falling shut.

              Killian laughed as he shook the boy again. When Luke finally opened his eyes again, Killian explained, “We’re getting married, little lad. Mommy and Daddy are getting married.”

              Luke sat bolt upright at those words, his eyes growing as wide as saucers. “Seriously?” he asked. Emma and Killian nodded. “Yes!” Luke cheered as he leapt from the couch. “This. Is. Awesome! Are we all moving into Daddy’s apartment? Or will we get a house? Do I need to pack right now? Will Henry call you Daddy now too? Awesome, awesome, awesome!”

              Emma and Killian laughed as they watched Luke run circles around the room. Getting him back to bed proved to be impossible, so Emma and Killian both changed out of their fancy clothes and cuddled up with both boys on the couch to watch Star Wars: A New Hope. Amazingly, Henry only woke up long enough to mutter unintelligibly and then curl into a ball on Killian’s lap.

              They woke up like that the next morning, Emma in the crook of Killian’s arm with Luke’s head in her lap, and Henry splayed across Killian’s chest.

              Her engagement ring sparkled in the light of dawn.

                            **********************************************************

              Eight weeks later, Emma is standing in front of the sanctuary doors of Storybrooke Fellowship, dressed in a strapless, white lace gown. Her hair is in a low bun, a simple veil tucked into it. Luke is clutching her right arm, bounding on his heels, and her left hand clutches her simple bouquet of forget-me-nots. In some ways, it’s hard to believe they pulled this off in only eight weeks.

              In other ways, it had been the longest eight weeks of her life.

              Of course, when your fiancée, his brother, and your two cousins run a catering and event business, pulling off a last minute wedding is nothing. And Killian’s dad being a pastor meant they had no trouble reserving the church – for free. On Valentine’s Day.

              Yes, it is Valentine’s Day. If someone had told Emma even a year ago that she would be marrying Killian today, she would have laughed. She laughs now, thinking about her phone call to Killian a year ago exactly and how she mistakenly thought he was dating Ariel.

              “What’s so funny, Mommy?” Luke asks.

              Emma shakes her head, “Nothing kid, I’m just happy, that’s all.”

              Luke grins broadly, revealing the two front baby teeth he recently lost. “Me too, Mommy.”

              The first notes of the song “God Bless the Broken Road” by Rascall Flatts begins to play from inside the sanctuary. It’s their cue. With a deep breath, Emma pulls the doors open and steps inside. As she walks down the aisle, every word of the song rings true for the journey that brought them here. She is torn between locking her eyes with Killian’s at the end of the aisle to looking down at their son, who looks happier than she’s ever seen him. As for Killian, his grin threatens to split his face, and his eyes are filled with so much tender awe, that it almost makes her start crying already.

              The song ends as they reach the front, and she can’t tear her eyes from Killian’s. David, who is officiating, opens by asking, “Who gives this woman to be wed to this man?”

              “I do!” Luke shouts enthusiastically, shoving his hand up in the air. Everyone chuckles at his exuberance. Luke then turns to point to Henry. The three year old was the ring-bearer and he’s currently attempting to share Elizabeth Jones’s lap with the flower girl, Liam and Elsa’s little girl Haley. “And my brother, too. We’re both excited for Mommy and Daddy to get married.”

              The congregation laughs again, especially when Luke fist pumps his father before going to join the rest of the family on the front row. Once it has died down, David glances at the couple mischievously before beginning the homily.

              “Well, I think all of us here at Storybrooke Fellowship would agree on one thing: It’s about time!” David’s opening is greeted not only with laughter, but even a few amens. Behind Killian, Liam shoves him teasingly in the shoulder. Emma glances back to see Mary Margaret giving her a smug look.

              “I also think,” David continues, “that we all got a little tired of watching these two date while swearing they weren’t.”

              Killian rolls his eyes at David, but his smile shows that the ribbing doesn’t really bother him. As for Emma, she can’t seem to wipe the stupid smile off her face. David wraps up his short message, then tells Killian to share his vows. Emma turns and gives her bouquet to Mary Margaret and almost loses it when she sees Elsa and Anna wiping at their tears. She takes a deep breath as she turns to Killian and takes his hands in hers. She anchors herself in his bright blue eyes.

              “First, Emma,” he begins, “I have to say that I don’t deserve you –“

              “Stop,” Emma breaks him off with a hand to his lips. She blushes as she glances at David. “Sorry, I just can’t let him say that.” She looks back at her groom. “Killian Jones, you are a good man, and I am honored to become your wife.”

              Killian smiles as her fingers slip from his lips, and he quirks a brow at her. “I thought I was the one saying my vows right now.”

              Emma ducks her head, blushing slightly as the congregation laughs once more. Kilian releases one of her hands and grasps her chin gently. He tilts her face to look at him, and he says his vows while his thumb ghosts along her jaw.

              “Emma, I think we have an advantage over some newlyweds. We already know that neither of us is perfect. And we understand that we don’t have to be. We choose to see the best in each other, and I vow to keep doing that every day for the rest of my life. It always amazes me how you can’t see how big your heart is. The way you forgive. The way you never give up on people. And I vow today to make it my job to protect your heart. With my words and my deeds. Always and forever.”

              Emma can hear several people sniffling in the audience when Killian finishes, but for some reason a calm has settled over her. Killian’s gaze is like a peaceful place in the storm. She grasps the hand that still cups her cheek and kisses it before clutching both his hands firmly in hers.

              “Killian, if I’m being honest, I’ve longed for this day since I was 19 years old. Then I thought I had to put that dream aside. But look what God has done. Using our son to bring us back together.” Her voice falters for a moment, her tears threatening to spill over. Killian gives her a tiny nod of encouragement. “And so I choose today to look forward, not behind. When we were young, we were lovers. Now we’re best friends. And today my vow is to take it one step further: to be your soul mate. Your partner in all things. Always and forever.”

              Her tears are slipping down her cheeks now, but she doesn’t care. Killian reaches out and catches one with his thumb. The rest of the service goes by in a blur, from the exchanging of rings to Elsa and Anna’s duet. Then David is giving them a knowing grin.

              “I am blessed and honored, in front of all these witnesses, to now pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined together, let no one put asunder.”

              There is a long pause, and finally they both glance curiously at David. For Killian, it’s more of a glare.

              “Oh, did I forget something?” David asks, feigning ignorance. Once he’s gotten sufficient laughter from the crowd, he smiles and says, “That’s right. I forgot. You may kiss the bride!”

              Emma surprises Killian by pouncing first, grabbing him by the lapels of his tux and hauling him in. He catches up quickly, though, kissing her back with fervor that elicits hoots from the crowd. He then dips her dramatically. He holds her close as he sets her back on her feet, and whispers for only Emma to hear.

              “What was that you said years ago about not feeling comfortable making out in church?”

              Emma leans back to see the cocky, slightly rebellious smirk of a smart-ass pastor’s kid. She then pulls in close and whispers back, “You’re my husband now, making out with you is considered holy.”

              Killian waggles his eyebrows. “As a PK, I can confirm that your opinion is scripturally and theologically sound.”

              Emma rolls her eyes and kisses him again for good measure, thrilling slightly at the teasing reprimands from the rest of the family. They’ll just have to get used to it. Because always and forever is a very long time.

#cs valentine #proposals #weddings

[embracetheapocalypsewithme]

Negan Smut Week Submission: Nightclubbing

Hey dudes! This is my third and last Negan Smut Week submission. Hope you enjoy! It’s been super fun writing these, and I can’t wait for the next one. :)

Summary: Sarah hates her life of drudgery working for points as a citizen of The Sanctuary. She learns about a semi-secret place in the building where Negan goes to look for his next wife and begins to devise a plan to seduce her leader. Will her scheme work?

Warnings: Negan, language, smut, fucking, finger fucking, alcohol, creepy dudes in bars, oral sex, 

Word Count: 4,210

Tags: @unicorn-blood-splatter, @negans-network, @lucifers-trash-stash, @thedeadwalks, @negansmutweek, @opheliadawnwalker3 @ali-pennell @negans-dirty-girl @grab-my-boner

Nightclubbing

Sarah frowned at her reflection in the mirror on the wall of the communal shower room as she straightened the form-fitting, sparkly dress that she wore, tugging it down from where it had ridden up on her thighs. It had been ages since she had dressed up, and she felt incredibly uncomfortable at the sight of her figure peeping through the sheer fabric that covered her. This was most definitely not her typical attire. As a citizen of the Sanctuary, who had to perform back-breaking labor for points every day, she preferred to wear more practical outfits. However, today was special; today called for a dress.

After the dead had begun to walk the earth, Sarah struggled on the road with a small group of survivors for nearly a year before they had been found by a band of rough looking thugs who called themselves The Saviours. Their leader, a crude and intimidating man named Negan, had convinced the rest of her group that it would be in their own best interest to join him. With the other members of her group willing to give up life in the open for the security of a building, Sarah felt that she had no choice but to go along with them. She could never survive on the road alone; however, months later, she still had reservations about living at the Sanctuary.

She began working for points the very week she arrived in the community, earning her keep through hard labour. Each day dragged into the next, and her mind began to atrophy with the tedium of it all. Life had become a bland routine: wake up, eat, work, and sleep. Some days Sarah wondered if the safety that living in the Sanctuary offered was even worth it. The rest of her life would be an endless slog toward what would likely be a premature end at the hands of a walker, or a maniac, or from a medical emergency that their meager facilities weren’t prepared to deal with.

She could feel that the end of her rope was looming on the day that she first heard about the night club. 

While waiting in line for breakfast in the building’s cafeteria, Sarah had been daydreaming about the novelty of life outside the fence and the feeling of sun on her skin. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop on anyone, but happened to overhear an utterly surreal conversation between two young women speaking in hushed tones. In another life, before the dead rose, she wouldn’t have even registered the exchange between the pair, but given the circumstances into which they had all been thrown, their topic of conversation seemed completely impossible.

“So, do you think you’ll go tonight? I hear Negan will be there. Someone told me it’s where he goes to pick his wives,” whispered a mousy looking brunette with thickly-framed glasses perched on her nose.

Her friend, a gorgeous blond woman with high cheekbones and bright eyes responded, “I still need to get some points together for makeup. I can’t go looking like this,” she said gesturing to her face, which Sarah thought looked perfectly fine sans makeup, “Maybe next week I’ll have enough if I’m careful. So, what else do you know about it?”

“They said it was on the third floor in a big warehouse room. They’ve got booze and music, and someone even found some flashing lights. It’s like a real night club,” replied the brunette.

The blond woman chuckled, “Only someone like Negan would prioritize a night club where he can shop for girls in the middle of the apocalypse.”

“Yeah well, if he picks you, you’re set. Wives don’t have to work for points. They just get to do whatever they want. I hear they still have TVs and DVDs up there in his private quarters. And books! I would kill for a book!”

“I’d kill for a chance to fuck Negan,” the blond giggled, “I’d climb that man like a mountain!”

Her friend slapped a hand over her mouth to keep her laughter quiet, “Oh my god! You’re so bad! Pervert!”

Sarah gathered her food and brought it a nearby table where she ate alone, her mind turning over the information she had gathered from the two women. If what she had overheard was true, there could be a chance for her to get out of this monotonous life of drudgery and into a more luxurious and exciting position. Maybe it wouldn’t be as free as life outside of the Sanctuary, but it was something new and different. She could spend the rest of her life filling her time with books and movies while forgetting that she was essentially a prisoner here.

She had work to do.

The following weeks were occupied with working overtime and saving points until Sarah was able to afford some of the supplies she needed for her plan. She knew that her typical jeans and t-shirt wouldn’t cut it when it came to getting the attention of the so called “king of the Saviours”, so she took it upon herself to purchase a tight, sparkly cocktail dress that had somehow made it into the Sanctuary’s commissary, as well as a nice push-up bra and a pair of fishnet stockings. Word on the street had it that Negan was a fan of fishnets, so she decided that it couldn’t hurt to wear them.

The cost of these items was tremendous and took nearly all of the points she had managed to save up by going without, but she knew that it would be worth it in the end. She would dig herself out of the circumstances she had been thrust into the only way she could: by seducing Negan and convincing him to take her as one of his wives. Tonight would be the night.

After checking her hair for the tenth time, Sarah inspected her face. She only had access to the few pieces of makeup she had with her when fleeing her home at the beginning of the outbreak. Very little of it had survived the journey to the Sanctuary, but she did manage to keep one tube of ruby red lipstick with her. She pulled off the cap and twisted up the tube before coating her plump lips with a coat of crimson. Not bad at all, she thought as she smiled at her reflection. She may not be the most stunning woman who ever graced the earth, but she cleaned up well. Hopefully, that would be enough.

During her research, Sarah had discovered that the night club only ran on Friday nights after work had finished for the day. It was twenty points to enter, and drinks were five points each. Negan sometimes went, and word had it that he indeed had selected some of his current wives from the crowds of citizens who gyrated to the music pumped through speakers from one of the few computers in the building that still worked.

Her shoes scuffed softly against the corridor’s tiled floor as she made her way toward her destination. She could hear the bass thudding inside the room while brightly-colored lights escaped the doorway to paint the adjacent wall with a rainbow of swirling neon. It made Sarah think about going to dances in her high school’s gymnasium as a teenager, only tonight she was here for much a more adult reason than to flirt with boys and maybe sneak some vodka with her friends in the ladies’ room.

She approached the door, which was guarded by a greasy-looking man in a white tank top. He regarded her, looking her up and down before simply saying, “Name?”

“Sarah,” she replied.

“You’re gonna have to be more specific, sweetheart. That’s a pretty common name.”

“Sarah Robertson.”

The man inspected a ledger that she assumed must contain point balances for the Sanctuary’s inhabitants. After a moment he looked up at her, “Its 25 points tonight, Sarah Robertson. The big man’s coming.”

“You mean Negan?” she asked, trying to hide her excitement. Her plan was coming together.

“I mean, he’s really the only big man worth mentioning right?” the bouncer said with an eye roll, “You gonna pay the extra 5 points, Sarah Robertson?”

“Sure, I guess I don’t really have much choice,” she mumbled.

“Then go ahead,” he replied, moving out of the way so she could enter the dimly-lit room.

Allowing her eyes to scan around her surroundings, Sarah noted that the room was already packed with men and women, and wondered why it had taken so long for her to find out about this place. Some danced in the far corner of the room near the speakers while others sat around the perimeter, nursing drinks and people watching. She made her way to the makeshift bar that had been set up at one end, and ordered a vodka tonic, giving her name to the bartender so that he could deduct points from her already plummeting balance.

After taking a seat, she began to sip her drink as she let her eyes wander around the room, looking for the man she intended to seduce. Negan was a striking man with broad shoulders and jet black hair. He would be very hard to miss, but as she scanned the room he was nowhere to be seen. Sarah supposed that he must be running late tonight.

The drink went down a little too easily, and she decided against having another as she wanted to keep her head clear. After several minutes of watching the crowd, Sarah decided that she should join the group of squirming people and dance. She didn’t want to make it too obvious that she was only here to stalk Negan, and he would probably notice her faster if she was in the middle of the dancefloor anyway.

She strolled to the perimeter of the crowd and began to sway to the music, her eyes still skimming the room for her target. The music was not exactly her favourite, but she tried to put on a good act of actually enjoying it. As her gaze drifted to the entryway for the twentieth time, her eyes lit up as she saw the man himself enter the room.

Negan strolled casually past the bouncer without even looking at him before striding casually to the bar to get a beverage. Sarah’s eyes followed him, admiring the man’s power and presence; wherever he went, crowds of people parted, allowing him access to whatever he wanted. Not wanting to be too obvious about her intentions, Sarah resumed dancing and tried her best to look appealing enough to catch his eye.

A couple of songs into this endeavour, she felt a pair of strong hands grip her waist roughly from behind as a man began to grind against her back. Sarah whirled around in surprise, hoping to find herself staring up at Negan, but instead coming face to face with a middle-aged man sporting an unfortunate moustache and a power donut.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he slurred at her, “I’s just dancing with ya. Yer so sexy!”

“No thanks. I don’t want to dance with you,” she said, trying to keep her voice light and to not show too much disdain for the man.

“Awe come on!” he said, grabbing for her again, “Juss a little dancey dance with me! Iss not a big deal!”

“Hey! Get your hands off of me!” Sarah yelled, jerking away.

The man was undeterred, “Come on, you lil’ bitch. What’d ya think was gonna happen coming in here like that.”

He took another step toward her as Sarah prepared herself for a fight. Before she had even balled her hands into fists, Mr. Power-Donut was jerked back by a huge hand on his right shoulder, “The lady said to fuck off, baldy! So kindly FUCK OFF!” the loud, rough voice came from the swirling shadows of the dance floor.

Mr. Power-Donut turned, his face contorting into a mask of horror as he realized who had intervened in his assault. Standing there, his face eddying with neon light, was Negan himself. He did not look impressed with the man’s antics.

“S-s-sorry, sir! I didn’t know she was one of yours!” Power-Donut stuttered, appearing to sober up lightning fast.

“She’s not one of mine,” Negan glared down at him, “But that shouldn’t matter. A lady says to fuck off and you fuck off. Got it?”

“G-got it, sir,” the bald man said, his eyes wide with fear.

“Now get the fuck out of here. If I see you back here, there will be a punishment,” Negan’s eyes burned into the man with rage. Power-Donut turned around, mumbling an apology to Sarah, before practically running for the door.

“You ok?” Negan asked her, his eyes softening a little.

“I think so,” Sarah replied, still in disbelief at her simultaneous luck and misfortune, “Thank you for helping me out.”

“No need to thank me. No one deserves that kind of bullshit,” he extended a gloved hand toward her in the darkness, “I’m Negan.”

Sarah giggled at his perceived need for an introduction and shook his hand, “I know exactly who you are. Everyone here does. I’m Sarah.”

“Sarah. That’s a pretty fucking name. Come here often, Sarah?”

“No, this is my first time,” she said, trying once again to not let her excitement show.

“Ah. A virgin, huh? That’s fucking fun!” he said a little too loudly. People dancing nearby began to side-eye the pair, trying not to let on that they were listening.

“Well, not exactly a virgin, but you get the idea,” she said, a blush coming into her cheeks.

“It’s so fucking cute when ladies blush like that,” Negan said with a predatory smile, “Well, Sarah, virgin or not, you’ve got my attention. Want to get out of here and fool around or something?”

For a moment, Sarah didn’t know what to say. She had envisioned their interaction taking a lot longer to come to this point, but it seemed that Negan had no time to play games with her.

“It’s ok to tell me to fuck off, you know,” he said, seeming to notice her hesitation, “I’m not like that other fucker. My ego can take the hit.”

“Wait! No, I want to get out of here!” Sarah cried, “I just wasn’t expecting you to be so forward.”

“Looks like there are some things about me you don’t know, Sarah. I’m really fucking direct. No time to beat around the proverbial bush” he said with a chuckle, “Well then, let’s get the fuck out of here and see where the night takes us,”

He offered her his arm and she took it, allowing herself to be led away from the crowds of people. The two made their way from the dancefloor and out of the room. Negan steered them through a series of corridors and stairwells before they found themselves in a part of the Sanctuary that Sarah had never been in before. She supposed that this must be his private quarters.

Pushing open a large door, Negan motioned for her to enter a room with him. Once inside, her eyes took in her surroundings: a large bed, fireplace, and plush arm chairs were featured prominently in the immaculate room.

“This isn’t my real bedroom,” Negan explained, “I’m neat, but not this much of a fucking clean freak. This is more of an audition room.”

Sarah’s eyebrows raised in surprise, “Audition?”

“Ok, not like a real audition or anything, don’t worry,” he said with a wink.

“That’s good,” Sarah replied, relieved, “What made you ask me to come back here with you?”

“Well, my dear, you caught my eye,” he replied, “I saw you all dolled up on that dance floor, and I know dresses like that do not come cheap in here. Then that prick started fucking with you, and I knew I had to get him out of there before he scared you off. Then you told me it was your first time in the club, and I put that together with the dress, and decided that you weren’t just there to dance. You were on a mission. Am I right, or am I fucking right?”

She sighed, annoyed that he had seen right through her plan, “You’re right. I was totally there to try to pick you up.”

“I’m not fucking surprised. It happens,” he shrugged, “Not to sound like a douchebag, you know, but word gets around about preference and habits in a small place like this. Then you start to notice an influx of ladies in night clubs wearing fishnets…”

“Shit!” she mumbled, “Here I thought I was being cleaver and original.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” he said, taking a step toward her, “I’m fucking flattered and you look hot as fuck tonight. So I thought, why not give you a little test. See what you’ve got to offer. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, of course.”

He moved a gloved hand to her shoulder, letting his fingers trail down her arm. A shiver run through her at his touch as she took a deep breath and moving toward him, head tilted up to meet his gaze. Their lips crashed together in a kiss and she felt his hands now moving along her back and down to grab at her ass. The kiss deepened, their tongues intertwining and fighting for space in one another’s mouth.

As their faces parted, a flash of lust went through Negan’s eyes and he pushed Sarah toward the bed. She allowed herself to be directed by him, and sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at the large man. Placing a hand on either side of his hips, her fingers lightly drifted down to the front of his pants and began to tug at his belt, loosening it. After a moment she had his pants undone and had pulled his hardening cock out into the open.

She looked up at him again to make sure that he was enjoying himself and was glad to see his pupils dilate as she began to stroke him, first lightly and then gripping him tighter in her hands. Negan’s breathing deepened and he let the faintest growl escape his mouth as he watched her work his cock manually before trailing her tongue around the head for an exploratory lick.

Sarah could feel excitement building in her as she took him into her mouth, letting her saliva cover his rigid length. She looked up at him once more before increasing her pace and sucking him a little harder. Another low moan came from the man and she felt his hands entwine themselves in her hair, guiding her mouth around him just the way he wanted.

“Fucking hell, baby, that feels magnificent,” he said with a slight chuckle, before guiding her mouth off of him, “But, I think it’s time to get you out of your pretty little dress, don’t you think?”

She gave him one last playful flick of her tongue against the tip of his cock before replying coquettishly, “I think that’s a very good idea,” Standing slowly, she maintained eye contact for a moment before turning her back to him, “Will you unzip me, please?”

She felt his huge fingers fiddle with the clasp at the top of the garment before undoing it and sliding the zipper toward her ass. The dress fell from her shoulders and to the floor; she turned around and allowed Negan to inspect her choice of undergarments.

“Mmm. Very fucking nice,” he said, biting his lower lip, and seeming to think for a moment before asking, “Can I rip the fishnets off of you? It would be so fucking hot!”

Sarah paused for a moment. The fishnets had cost her a fortune in points and they were hard to come by, but she knew that giving the man the time of his life was more important if she wanted to make her way into his harem of wives. They probably had boxes of fishnets. She shrugged, “Sure, sounds fun!”

Negan gently pushed her back onto the bed and ran his hands over her body, starting at her shoulders and then bringing them down to her hips and thighs. He hooked his fingers into a hole in the fabric around one of her inner thighs and tugged sharply. The strands of black thread holding the fishnets together began to tear, and the hole widened.

“Fuck yeah, that’s nice. That’s really fucking nice,” he repeated the action on the other side of the tights before making a hole just over her crotch, effectively creating a pair of crotch-less tights. She trembled as his firm touch lingered on the small scrap of fabric barely covering her slit.

“Hm. Feels like someone’s getting wet down here,” he said and hooked a finger under her panties to investigate, “In fact, feels like someone’s really fucking wet down here!”

He pushed a single finger into her folds and let it circle her clit, a smile playing on his face as she moaned at the sensation. After a moment, he added a second finger and plunged them deep into her pussy while tugging the panties aside with his other hand. Sarah gasped at the sudden sensation of fullness inside of her, raising her hips toward him slightly and closing her eyes.

“You like getting finger banged, baby?” he asked, his voice low and husky with desire, as he increased his pace.

“Fuck yes!” she said breathily, “That feels amazing.”

“Mmmm…and that’s just my fingers. Just imagine what my cock can do!” he said, “Do you want me inside of you, Sarah?”

She raised her eyes to meet his before saying, “Yes, I do. I want you to fuck my brains out.”

“That was the magic fucking word!” he said, then paused, “Well, magic fucking phrase, I suppose. You knew what I meant!”

Negan went to work tearing the fishnets the rest of the way off before pulling Sarah’s panties down over her legs and then tossing them on the floor. Sarah flipped herself over, sticking her ass into the air, “I like it doggy style, if that’s ok with you.”

“With an ass like that, I fucking insist on it,” he said, running a hand over her bottom before giving her a spank, “Sorry, I couldn’t fucking resist doing that. Your ass is just too fucking spankable.”

Sarah felt the head of his cock being rubbed against her opening, teasing her, before entering her from behind. The sensation of his thick cock stretching her open made her yelp, and she buried her face into the blankets to muffle her cries as he thrust into her. After a moment she felt Negan grab a handful of her hair at the crown of her head as he jerked her face up from the blankets, forcing an even louder cry from her mouth.

“Don’t get shy on me now, sweetheart. There’s no one here to scandalize, and I want to hear you screaming my name,” he whispered roughly into her ear, still fucking her vigorously.

“Fuck. Fuck, yes! Negan!” she cried, enjoying the mingling of pleasure with the burn of her hair being pulled.

“That’s fucking better,” he growled, increasing his speed and pounding himself deep into her.

“Don’t stop! You feel so good right now!” she whimpered. His cock was hitting the most perfect part of her, and she could feel her orgasm beginning to grow inside of her with every thrust.

He released her hair and dug his fingers into her hips, leaving marks that she knew would show the next day. She could hear his moans becoming more frequent and forceful as a hand pushed down against her back, forcing her bottom even higher into the air. His other hand slapped her ass again, this time a little bit harder.

“Fucking scream for me baby!” he growled at her from behind.

Sarah let out a guttural sound, her fingers winding into the sheets as he fucked her over the precipice of her pleasure. She began to shake, calling his name over and over as she came, before collapsing to the mattress as Negan pulled out and finished himself off all over her ass, moaning her name loudly for her to hear.

Once his orgasm had ceased, he allowed himself to fall to the bed beside her, breathing heavily. Sarah lay on her stomach, watching his chest rise and fall. She let her fingers reach up and glide across it, sliding through his chest hair and to his jaw where she softly turned his face to her so she could kiss him once again.

“Fuck, baby. That was really fucking nice,” he huffed, staring at her through hooded eyes, “I think I want to do that again.”

“Oh really?” Sarah said, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

“Fucking really. I’ve got a question for you,” he said, as he sat up to look for something to clean her up with.

“What’s that?” she asked, raising her hips off of the bed so he could wipe off his leavings with a towel he had found in the room’s closet.

“Ever been married?”

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