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bad-fucking-omens · 5 months

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The Witch Twin (Alec V. x OC) - Chapter 6 - Conversations

Summary: When I thought about my future, I was sure that I had the rest of my life vaguely planned out.

Then, my older sister moved up from Arizona to stay with us — and turned my entire life upside down.

I had no idea just how bad it had gotten until I was standing in a castle in Italy, convinced that I was about to die.

Length: 4.1K words (Complete fic 71.8K words)

Fic warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, death, explicit smut (M/F), referenced/implied past child abuse, emotional manipulation by sibling

Chapter warnings: Referenced/implied child abuse/neglect, emotional manipulation by sibling

Read on AO3 or read below

6. CONVERSATIONS

I stared down at my cell phone as I held it in my hands. I was sitting in my room on the edge of my bed, chewing on my lip and bouncing my leg nervously as my thumb hovered over the call button.

I had returned to Forks from Volterra two days ago. Charlie had been incredibly pissed off that Bella and I had run off with Alice to ‘Los Angeles’ — which was where the Cullens had said they were moving to when they left. He was especially angry when he saw that all of the Cullens had returned with us. We were now both grounded and he had forbidden Edward from coming into the house ever again, though I knew he still snuck in to visit her whenever Charlie wasn’t around.

Those were also the times when Bella and Edward attempted to convince me to stay in Forks and to not even contact Alec. Edward repeated over and over how dangerous Alec and the rest of the Volturi were, while Bella kept talking about how disgusting and horrifying they were for drinking human blood. Apparently, the Cullens drank the blood of animals, and that’s why their eyes were golden and not red.

I hadn’t messaged or called Alec since we returned from Volterra. Every time I felt the urge to contact him, Edward and Bella’s words reappeared in my mind and held me back.

Finally, I took a deep breath and pressed the call button. My hand was shaking as I lifted the phone up to my ear. Halfway though the first ring, my call was answered and my breath caught in my throat.

When I didn’t say anything, Alec asked, his voice soft and hopeful, “Eve?”

“Alec,” I breathed.

He sighed in relief and I could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke again. “Hello, my love. . . . How are you?”

“I . . . I’m okay,” I said. I moved to lean back against the pillows on my bed. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my free arm around them. After a moment of silence, I admitted, “I don’t know what to say.”

“Would you like me to talk?”

“Um . . . yeah, okay.”

“Do you have a topic in mind?”

I thought for a moment. My eyes drifted down to the ring I was still wearing on my thumb, and I murmured, “The ring you gave me. . . . Will you tell me about it?”

“Of course,” he answered. His beautifully-accented voice was soft and low — it was calming. “I’ve had the ring since I was still a human. I do not remember exactly how I got it, other than knowing that it was a gift from my mother. My twin sister, Jane, has one just like mine. The symbols on our rings spell out our names in Anglo-Saxon runes. It was the language of our time.”

“It must mean a lot for you to have kept it for so long,” I said quietly.

“It is the one thing that remains with me from my human life,” he said.

“If . . . if I. . . .” I trailed off, uncertain of how to word my thoughts in a way that wouldn’t upset him.

“Eve, I want you to keep it, no matter what you decide,” Alec replied gently. “If you truly do not wish to have it, so that you will be able to completely forget me . . . well, in that case, then all I ask of you is that you give the ring to Carlisle. He will make sure that it is returned to me.”

“Okay,” I said. I laid down on my bed, turning over onto my side. I traced my fingers over the light grey comforter. “How old are you? You must have been born a long time ago if you used runes as a language.”

“I was born in England at the very beginning of the ninth century. I was either sixteen or seventeen when . . . when I was turned. Time was not kept nearly as well back then as it is today, especially for those of us who weren’t royal or noble.”

“You’re twelve-hundred years old?” I said, my voice soft with awe.

Alec laughed quietly. My heart fluttered lightly at the beautiful sound as he said, “I am. . . . How old are you, Eve?”

“Seventeen. My birthday was in November.”

“Which day, sweet girl?”

“The thirteenth. . . . Do you know your birthday?”

“Not the exact date. All I know is that Jane and I were born in the winter. We think it might be January.”

His words painted an image in my mind of Alec standing in the falling snow. I smiled, imagining the crisp, cool wind blowing snowflakes around him, getting caught in his wavy, dark hair and landing on his beautiful, pale face.

“You and Jane must be close, being twins.”

“Yes, we are,” he said, amusement in his voice. “We have been inseparable ever since we were very little. . . . Are you very close with your sister?”

I laughed humorlessly. “No, not at all. . . . We didn’t grow up together, and even when we did spend time together, we never really got along that well. . . . I always felt a little out of place with her and my parents. They had separated before my mom found out that she was pregnant with me. She was planning to put me up for adoption, but my dad told her that he would take me and raise me himself instead. She handed me off to him the moment I was born.”

I rolled my bottom lip into my mouth, then released it with a long sigh. It felt good to finally admit everything that I had been holding in for years. I was always too afraid that anyone that I confessed to about what I was feeling would judge me for what I felt, but I knew, somehow, that Alec wouldn’t judge me for anything I said about my family.

“I was a surprise for both of them, clearly, and even though I was the daughter that Charlie raised, it was always clear to me that Bella was his favorite. She was the one they planned to have, the one they wanted, the one my mother took when she left. . . . I was the surprise, the one who wasn’t really wanted by either of them. . . . I was still pretty young when I realized that I was just Charlie’s replacement for Bella.”

“I am so sorry, Eve,” Alec murmured. His soft voice sounded incredibly sad. “No one should ever have to feel like their parents have a favorite child.”

“It’s okay,” I said, shrugging. “I mean, I guess Bella and I both kinda went through the same things. We both had to take care of our parents. We cooked and cleaned and did pretty much everything around the house. . . . Bella kinda had it worse with our mother, because she had to keep track of making sure the bills were paid, too. Our mom never really paid any attention to any of that stuff. At least Charlie was pretty responsible for all that.”

“Neither of you should ever have had to worry about any of that. You were just children.”

“Yes, I guess,” I mumbled. “I don’t know, we never knew anything different. . . . Bella only moved to Forks last year to live with us because our mother wanted to travel with her new husband since he’s a baseball player in the minor league. Bella met Edward and they got really close really fast. I didn’t really like him. There was just something about him that I didn’t . . . trust, I guess? I think now it must have been something to do with him being a vampire. Maybe some instinct inside me was saying that I was in danger around him. . . . But he made Bella happy, so I gave in because I didn’t want her to be mad at me all the time.”

Alec hesitated before he asked, “Is that part of the reason you wanted time to think? Because you don’t want to upset your sister?”

“That’s part of it,” I admitted. “But the biggest reason is that I really know nothing about you or about vampires in general. I can’t make such a big decision with no knowledge of what my life would become.”

“I know that, and I understand, truly. I would never expect you to make a decision without knowing that information,” Alec assured me gently. “But I also want your decision to be just that — your decision. I want you to decide to be with me, or to stay away from me, based on your own true feelings.”

I just nodded, even though I knew he couldn’t see me. “Can we talk about something else?”

“We can talk about anything you want,” Alec said. “You can ask me anything, and I will answer truthfully. . . . We don’t have to talk about me or you or the Volturi or any of it, if you wish. We can talk about anything.”

His words made me smile. It was as if he knew exactly what to say to make me feel comfortable again.

“Tell me about Italy.”

“It’s very beautiful here. Every season is pretty in its own way, but I prefer the wintertime the most,” he told me. “We do not receive much snow, but it is almost always just enough to dust the hills with a thin layer of snow. . . . Florence is the nearest big city to Volterra. There are quite a few museums filled with paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance and other art periods in Florence. I like to walk through them every month or so to see the new collections and exhibits. It’s always very interesting, no matter how many times I have seen the same masterpieces.”

I smiled softly as I listened to him talk. It was clear that he loved Italy, which he said had been his home for his entire vampire life. I could only imagine how much he must have seen over the years — he had watched the world change around him, watching cities being built from the ground up and watching empires fall.

We talked for hours that night until I finally fell asleep, still on the phone with Alec. By the time I woke up in the morning, Alec had hung up, but he had left a text message waiting for me.

‘Thank you for calling me, Eve. It was wonderful to hear your voice again. I hope that we can do this again soon.’

I could feel my cheeks warm as I smiled. I messaged him back, ‘We definitely will. I really liked talking with you.’

Alec’s response came before I could even set my phone back down.

‘I enjoyed talking with you, too, Eve. I hope you have a good day.’

“Is Charlie home?” Bella asked, appearing in my doorway.

I looked up from my book and replied, “No, he’s out fishing with Billy. He said that if it gets too late before he gets back, we can order in pizza.”

She nodded. Edward appeared behind her suddenly and I slowly closed my book, setting it on my nightstand.

Bella asked, “Can we talk?”

An uneasy feeling curled in my stomach, but I said anyway, “Sure.”

Bella and Edward walked into my room. She took a seat on the edge of the bed close to me, while Edward lingered in the doorway.

“Eve, the Volturi are dangerous,” Edward said, his voice low and serious. “Alec is dangerous. He and his sister are the most feared of the Volturi guards. They feel no remorse when they take a life — human or vampire — and they have killed thousands of both.”

I shifted uneasily on my bed, looking down at my hands, at the cold, iron ring that remained on my thumb. Though I didn’t entirely doubt his words, they didn’t align with the Alec that I had met in Volterra, nor the one I had come to know from our late-night conversations.”

Bella said, “Don’t you remember how terrifying it was to just be near the Volturi and their guards? Aren’t you still terrified every time you think about them? Being around them was awful.”

I simply nodded, still silent. It was true that I had been horrified and uneasy when I was around the Volturi guards. . . . But when Alec had held me in his arms, there was no denying that I felt safe with him. Just his touch had easily calmed my fears.

“Eve,” Bella said, drawing me away from my thoughts. She put her hand over mine. “I just want you to stay safe, and to stay my sister. I know you, and I know that this life isn’t what you want.”

Edward continued, “You might think that my family are dangerous, but compared to the Volturi, we are nothing. Aro is incredibly manipulative and will do anything to collect those that interest him, especially if they have an ability. . . . The only reason they are even interested in you is because your mind intrigues Aro. He thinks that you might have an ability if you were to be turned, like me or Alice. . . . He probably told Alec to get close to you so that you would join them, so Aro would have your ability to use as he wishes.”

My stomach twisted into a knot. Could Edward’s words be true? Was Alec only pretending that I was his mate in order to bring me into the Volturi, to Aro? He seemed genuine when we talked on the phone and I would have sworn that there was something between us when we were in Volterra, but I supposed that I could never really know if he was telling the truth for sure.

I sighed deeply and tucked my hair behind my ear. “I . . . I don’t know what to think, okay? I’ve been really confused and overwhelmed by everything that’s happened ever since Alice reappeared. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Not right now, at least. Okay?”

Bella nodded. She stood up and said, “Okay. Let me know if you want dinner later.”

“Yeah,” I mumbled as she left my room. Edward followed after her, closing my door behind them.

I groaned and laid back on my bed, rubbing my hands over my face. Letting out a long breath, I glanced over at my nightstand, where my phone was resting. I bit my lip as I hesitated, then reached over and picked up my phone. I found Alec’s contact in my phone and called him. Like the first time, it only rang once before he answered.

“Hello, Eve,” he greeted warmly.

His soft voice easily soothed the conflicting emotions that had been winding around my brain. I smiled half-heartedly and murmured back, “Hi.”

“Are you okay, my love?” Alec asked.

“I’m fine. Just . . . I don’t even know,” I sighed. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course. You can always ask me anything.”

“If . . . if I decide to stay in Forks, will I be safe? Or will the Volturi come after me because I’m a human who knows your secret?”

“You will be safe,” he assured me. “Aro has promised me that if you do not join me, you will be able to live your life in peace. I would do anything to keep you protected, my sweet girl. . . . If that is the choice you make, Eve, then you will never have to worry or even think about this world ever again. You can live your life and forget that we all exist. No one from the Volturi will ever contact you or ever come after you. I promise.”

“Thank you,” I said softly. “What would happen if I decided to join you?”

“I would bring you to Volterra, where you would become a vampire. You would be bitten to start the transformation. The venom would then start to travel through your body. . . . I will not lie to you, the pain it causes is excruciating. . . . But I can use my gift to take away your senses, so that you won’t feel the pain. . . . When you wake after the transformation, all of your senses will be heightened and you will be sensitive to bright lights and loud sounds. Your thirst for blood will drive nearly every decision you make for the first year or so. But I would be by your side the entire time to help you through your transformation and to guide you through your newborn phase, and forever after.”

I smiled. Whenever I spoke to Alec, it was so easy to imagine living happily ever after with him. But Bella and Edward’s words never failed to bring me crashing back to the real world, and I began to wonder if Alec was really telling me the truth or just what I wanted to hear.

I brushed away the thought and asked Alec, “What would happen to you if I decide to stay here?”

Alec was silent for a moment before he said quietly, “Do not worry about me, sweet girl. I don’t want your decision to be influenced by me in that way.”

“Why are you so patient with me and so careful about not pressuring me to make a decision?” I asked.

“Because I want you to come to my side willingly, without any doubts. I do not want you to feel that you have to be with me. I promised you that I would not force you to be with me, and I never will. I only want you to be with me if that is what you truly want. . . . Even if you come here to join me and you later decide that you made a mistake, you can leave. I will never prevent you from leaving, no matter my own feelings. I just want you to be happy, Eve . . . even if that means I have to let you go.”

Two weeks had passed since I had been in Italy. I talked with Alec every night. I told him all about my life and my dreams and my wishes, and Alec told me about his long life and his hopes and his desires. He also answered any questions I asked him about vampires and the Volturi. He was always patient with me and he explained things as simply as he could, so it was easier for me to understand. The more I learned about him, the more space he claimed in my heart.

But inevitably, Bella and Edward’s words always crept back into my mind and stirred up the few doubts that I did have. They kept trying to convince me that Alec and the Volturi were horrible and that I shouldn’t even be considering joining them. They were relentless and their comments always seemed to touch a nerve. It was beginning to make me question if Alec was truly being honest with me or if he was just telling me what I wanted to hear to get me to join the Volturi — even though that didn’t seem like something he would ever do.

What if Bella and Edward were right, though? What if I was being blinded by Alec’s sweet words and the way my heart pulled me towards him? What if Alec and the rest of the Volturi were truly as awful and cruel as Edward had told me they were? I had been terrified of them when we were in Volterra, but in fairness, I was only a human who knew too much about things I should never have been told. I should never have been able to walk out of that castle unharmed that day. If Alec hadn’t claimed me as his mate, I was sure that I would have died that day.

I groaned and ran my hands over my face. This whole situation was still so confusing, and it was only getting more complicated as more time passed.

I looked up when someone knocked on my door. Bella stood in the doorway, leaning against it with Edward hovering behind her.

“Can I come in? I wanted to talk to you.”

“Sure.”

Bella walked into my room, but Edward waited in the doorway like always. She sat down beside me on the bed, then reached over and took my hand in hers.

“Eve,” she began, “have you even thought about what would happen to Charlie if he lost both of us?”

My eyes widened and guilt settled deep in my stomach, making it twist uncomfortably. Truthfully, I hadn’t thought about what would happen to Charlie. I had been far too focused on what my own life would become.

“He’s already going to lose me,” Bella reminded me. “I don’t have a choice in this anymore. The Volturi made it clear that I have to be turned or they’ll kill me, but you are safe from them. . . . We can’t let him or Mom lose both of us. He’s going to need you after I leave. He has no one else, Eve, you know that. You have to take care of him.”

I looked down at my hands, tears stinging my eyes. I blinked them back and said in a wavering voice, “Y-You’re right. . . . I need to stay here. Charlie needs someone to take care of him. . . . He needs me.”

Bella hugged me tightly. “Thank you, Eve. I knew you’d make the right decision in the end.”

I just sat on my bed, staring down at the carpet blankly as Bella pulled away and left my room. Edward followed her. I remained frozen, sitting on my bed and watching the carpet blur from my tears.

In some ways, I felt almost relieved that I had finally made a decision. I no longer had to agonize over whether I was going to stay in Forks as a human or go to Volterra to become a vampire. And yet, in many other ways, I could feel my heart shatter in my chest as dread curled in the pit of my stomach.

I liked Alec — and I knew that could have grown into love with time. The thought that I would never see him or feel his calming touch ever again made my throat tighten and a tear finally spilled down my cheek.

But no matter what I felt, I couldn’t just ignore how losing both of his daughters would destroy Charlie. Even our mother would be devastated if Bella and I both ‘died.’ The Volturi were willing to let me live a human life in peace, but they would come after Bella if she wasn’t turned soon. I had to do this to protect my family.

I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of having to call Alec to tell him that I made a decision. I knew that it would break his heart. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and bit my lip to hold in my sob as I thought about just how much it would hurt him. But I knew that it would be even more cruel to not call him ever again and let him realize on his own that I wasn’t going to go to Volterra to be with him.

I wiped away my tears and sucked in a deep breath. I let it out slowly, trying to control my breathing. I slowly reached over to pick up my phone. My hands shook as I scrolled through my contacts to find Alec’s number. Brushing away another set of tears, I pressed the call button.

“Hello, sweet girl,” Alec said.

I held back another sob at how bright and happy he sounded. Tears poured down my cheeks. But I couldn’t stop the sob that slipped out of my mouth or keep the pain out of my voice as I said, “Alec. . . .”

“What’s wrong, my love?” he asked quickly, clearly concerned.

“I’m so sorry. . . .”

There was a moment of silence before Alec said, “You made your choice. You’re staying in Forks.”

“I’m so sorry, Alec,” I cried.

“Don’t apologize,” he said quickly, his voice gently and comforting. “If this is what you want, then I will respect your decision. You will never have to even think about me again. It will be as if you never came to Volterra. . . . But will you promise me one thing before I let you go?”

“Anything,” I whispered.

“Please promise me that if you ever change your mind, that you will contact me again. I don’t care how much time has passed. Days, weeks, months, years, decades. . . . I will always be here for you, sweet girl. . . . And I know that it is not fair for me to say, but . . . I love you, Eve.”

I tried to stifle my gasp behind my hand, but I was sure that he had to have heard it anyway. I whispered quickly, “I love you, too,” before I hung up.

#alec volturi x reader #alec volturi imagine #alec volturi fanfiction #alec volturi #volturi fanfiction #volturi #twilight imagine #twilight fanfiction #twilight #fanfic

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teecupangel · 11 months

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What if there was an assassin who's good with their hands as they like to make inventions such as weapons and traps?

Well, that depends on which timeline we’re talking about I guess?

They probably won’t be appreciated during Al Mualim’s tenure since Al Mualim prefers the ‘honorable’ way and forbids poisons and such but if they can keep at it until Altaïr gets his bearings as the mentor, they’d definitely get Altaïr’s attention. They might even become inventor-buddies, trading ideas and getting into debates on how they can make their ideas a reality XD

In Renaissance Italy, I can see them being something like Leonardo’s student but they’re mostly interested in science. Sometimes they help out with whatever Leonardo is working on and Leonardo would nurture and guide them, making their ideas into possibilities. This does mean that maybe they became an Assassin during Brotherhood and weren’t with Leonardo when he was taken by Cesare. :(

Ratonhnhaké:ton would definitely appreciate them and he’s always game to test out their new prototype with the same curiosity and glee he had in that one mission where they tried to recreate Leonardo’s flying machine. Leonardo Da Vinci’s works would be their base but they’d have their own ideas too and their relationship with Ratonhnhaké:ton would be the reason why their ideas could start to lean more heavily on the trap side. The people of the homestead also sometimes like to ask their help in fixing things XD

Unfortunately, if they were already an Assassin during the time Shay defected, there’s a high possibility that Shay would hunt them down. He’d know just how important their inventions are to the Brotherhood and how dangerous of an Assassin they were so Shay would probably not spare them :(. I can see their boss fight to be similar to the chase sequence Shay and Hope had but with more additional traps and the poisons Hope uses could have been their inventions. A happy-ish ending would be that they faked their own death maybe?

They’d probably be an older Assassin by the time Arno gets initiated and the person who upgrades Arno’s gears, kinda like the Parisian Brotherhood’s own personal Q. Also, they can be one of Arno’s mates for the four-man missions and they focus more on gadgets. In this scenario… yeah… I guess they’d be the one to develop the Guillotine Gun XD

Okay, so in Victorian England, I can see them as someone a bit down in their luck. A brilliant mind but not a nickel to their name, leaving them no choice but to join a gang. They figured the Rooks would be a better fit since they seem to operate on some code (even if what that code is can be a bit “???” especially during the more chaotic times). And they like it. The boss is cool and nice, always down to get dirty with everyone and there’s a sense of loyalty. Then they start seeing the boss’ sister (who is also their boss but only when she needs them or so a lot of the Rooks say) start ‘asking’ for them to be part of any plans she may have. She starts asking about the little trinkets they were able to make with what little they can get and even starts giving them stuff that could they just offhandedly say would make these trinkets work better and… before they know it, she’s introducing them to a man named Greenie and… well… the boss wasn’t happy when he came into the train and called his sister a thief for, apparently, stealing them???

In modern day, they’d definitely be buddy-buddy with Rebecca and they might even be the one who invented the shock blade that Shaun and Rebecca uses in Syndicate. Also, depending on when they got recruited, they might even be friends with Clay and, if they were, they probably spent a lot of time talking about robotics and what they could build or upgrade using whatever resources the Assassins could scurry.

#assassin’s creed #ask and answer #teecup writes/has a plot #altaïr ibn la'ahad #ratonhnhaké:ton #connor kenway #leonardo da vinci #shay cormac #arno dorian #evie frye #jacob frye

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coralcatsea · 7 months

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HetaOni Fanmade Ending Thoughts

I have both compliments and criticisms and just want to give my honest thoughts after playing.

I enjoyed the scenes with the nations themselves, such as Italy being trapped in his mind in a perfect simulation and Holy Rome, Prussia, Romano, and the two ancients working together to get him out. I liked the basic idea that Russia's seemingly disturbing phone calls were actually him trying to help, but not saying anything because he could never find the right time. I think the way England got his sight back made enough sense, although I think it'd be even better if he was shown having to deal with the consequences of the sacrifice a bit more, plus maybe America having more moments to react, get upset, and help him out.

What I didn't get into, however, was the explanation for why the events of the game happened. In short, everything with the 2ps. For me, their existence in the game felt very random and not at all organic. I think the plot with them could work in another game, but not HetaOni, because the original game had no build up that would ever make me expect a universe domination scheme with 2ps, plus the themes and styles don't match. It'd be like if you took Coraline and threw in an evil organisation that employed witches to rid the world of children, haha.

I think a backstory/myth just surrounding the lore of that one cursed house would've worked better, something focused more on Ryuuzu and the creatures as mysterious supernatural entities on their own rather than elements of a super ambitious plot. Maybe they can't even be fully explained. I do have ideas, but I feel it'd be better to make a separate post for that.

Moving on to the ending itself, I have mixed feelings. While the nations worked very hard together, I feel like the 2ps just deciding on their own to hand over an escape portal felt a bit...anticlimactic? It sort of removed their agency. I think it would've been better if they acquired an escape route on their own. Either by finding it, defeating a final boss and taking it, or even having to convince the one keeping them trapped to let them go.

Then, when they do leave the mansion, I'm okay with them expecting to lose their memories since that brought about a very sweet scene I felt fit all their growth so far, but then there should be a scene that triggers the memories to come back. That sort of happened with the candy, but it felt unsatisfying how little they remembered, because then it's hard to tell how much their arcs meant in the end. If their memories have to stay gone then I feel like they should at least have a moment expressing how strangely, they all feel a great deal closer to each other and less alone than ever before, maybe in an epilogue scene at the sleepover thing they decide to have.

These are just my opinions. Maybe they'll be taken into consideration for the remake, maybe they won't, but either way, it was interesting to see a continuation of the game. The art was great and made it a lot easier to take serious moments, well, seriously. Also, I don't know if/how much the original dialogue got tweaked, but it felt better than I remember. I'm sure it took a lot of hard work to recreate the game, so congratulations to Cookie for starting the project and seeing it through.

#HetaOni #Cookie's HetaOni #heta games #hws italy #hws romano #hws russia #hws England #hws america #hws prussia #hws rome #hws holy roman empire #hws germania #HetaOni ryuuzu

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anime-dub-transcripts · 2 years

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Hetalia: Axis Powers Episode #48 Transcript

This episode has Britain almost dying and Chibitalia's voice changing.

Chibitalia: Hey, hey, Papà, could I have some wine?

(Papà: Dad → Italian)

Austria: Auh!

Hungary: Huh?

Chibitalia: Hey, hey, Mamma! Hey, hey, Mamma!

(Mamma: Mom → Italian)

Chibitalia: It doesn’t matter what I do; I’ll never forget!

Austria: Auh!

Hungary: Auh!

Chibitalia: The taste of Bolognese won’t get out of my head! 🎵Draw a circle, that’s the Earth! Draw a circle, that’s the Earth!🎵

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

Italy: Hey, hey, Germany! What are you doing? Can we go play football, can we?

Germany: Nein, I’m reading.

(Nein: No → German)

Italy: But it’s so pretty outside! Let’s go play football!

Germany: Augh…

Italy: Hey, Germany, play football, Germany, heyyy football, Germanyyy, Germany, football…

Germany: Are you wanting me to gas you?!

Italy: Auah…

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

Germany: Hetalia!

{Caption: Hetalia}

Britain: Nn…nghh…nhh…nh…nhhhh…

America: No! Poor Britain!

Death: Hahahahaha!

America: Rumor has it that you were mortally wounded; is that true?! I blame Germany!

Britain: No…you must not. I was in the process of making our new weapon called the panjandrum when…well, you know how drunk the Scots like to get.

{Caption: [Panjandrum] A self-propelled weapon England designed during WW2 to breach Germany’s protective barriers, which was an obstacle for the Normandy operations. The idea itself was revolutionary. For example, its 100km speed made it impossible to intercept. But things like its inability to go straight when covered in sand made its impracticality equally revolutionary}

America: Dude! No way! Come on, man! Hang in there, please! You can’t just die! You still owe me a whole crap-ton of money!

Britain: America…

America: Augh…

Britain: Listen to me…we’ve spent too much of our time fighting, but I want you to know…I don’t hate you. I know it must have seemed that way…the truth is, um…

America: Britain? You okay? Eh! Eh! Eh! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Eh! Ah! Ah! Aw, dude! Britain is totally dead! Let’s go get a drink to celebrate!

Britain: Uhuhhhhhhh!

America: See? I told you he’d wake up if we did that!

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

Italy: Hetalia!

{Caption: Hetalia}

Germany: You really are clumsy! Watching you gives me the high blood pressure! I want you to wear this helmet. It will keep you safe, and me from stressing!

Italy: Oh…I can’t do that.

{Text on Italy’s shirt: Squadsman 1}

Germany: Aah hn…

Italy: Ahhhh…

Germany: It doesn’t go on the ground! PUT IT ON YOUR HEAD!

(Italy: AAAAAAHHHHH!)

Germany: There!

Italy: AAHHH! I’m very sorry, but I do not want to wear this hat thing! It’s just that…heah, wearing this…heah, helmet…makes…heah, me feel like…heah, I’m…getting…shorter…

{Caption above Germany: 180cm}

{Caption above Italy: 172cm}

Germany: You won’t, though.

(Italy: Heaheaheaha!)

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

Austria: Hetalia!

{Caption: Hetalia}

Austria: Auh!

Hungary: Oh?

Chibitalia: 🎵Draw a circle, that’s the Earth! Draw a circle, that’s the Earth! Draw a circle, that’s the Earth! I am Hetalia! Ah, the world around us can be seen through the stroke of a single brush! And now we give a…🎵

Italy: 🎵…toast with our boots!🎵

Austria: Auh!

Hungary: Oha!

Italy: Ohh…huh? 🎵Hetalia!🎵

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

Italy: Cool! My voice is changing; I’m starting to sound like a boy!

Austria: Augh!

Hungary: Good for you! Wonderful!

Austria: Uhah!

{Caption: What?}

Hungary: Ahahahaha!

Italy: Ahahahaha! I kinda sound like an uomo, don’t I?

(Uomo: Man → Italian)

Hungary: Haha…I know; I’m so proud of you! Hahahaha!

(Italy: Hahahaha…haha…uomo!)

(Uomo!: Man! → Italian)

{Caption: Thought Italy was a girl}

Austria: Mhh…

Hungary: Um…Mr. Austria, are…you okay?

Austria: Ja, I’m fine.

(Ja: Yes → German)

Austria: Now I get why Holy Rome liked him so much.

{Caption: Later on, he went to buy suitable clothes}

{Caption: Next time…}

#anime #anime transcripts #anime dub transcripts #hetalia #hetalia dub transcripts

0 notes

marmixedwithabitofintellect · 2 years

Text

The Story of You

Well here it is! The very much awaited Part 5! This chapter gives us an insight on what happened between H and Y/N...

Come talk to me about the story! Let me know also if you have any ideas you would want me to incorporate or to be added to the tag list!

Disclaimer: In no way do I wish to spread hate or negative opinions about any of the characters here depicted, this is just fiction and with the purpose of entertaining you guys

Click on the visuals to enhance your reading experience! Also, flashbacks are in itallic!

Part 5: Changes

June 17, 2021: Week Fifteen

New York City, New York. 12:00 Pm

I had just walked out from my appointment, Betty said everything was going well and I got to hear little one’s heartbeat which was a wonder on its own. I was hungry so I made my way to the nearest café.

As I was waiting in line to order I decided to text Harry and let him know how everything went, after sending the text I was looking at the menu when I heard someone call my name, I turned around and saw that Jason, Olivia’s ex was standing behind me.

“Hi, how are you?”, “Jason hi! I’m well, how about you?”, we hugged each other and moved along with the line “I am good, how about you?”, “Everything is going well, by the way, Season 2? True masterpiece”, he laughed.

We arrived at the cashier and even before I could order he asked me “Hey, how about we order and stay to eat? My treat”, “Uhm how about if we order and I invite you home?”, he nodded and gave me a look, he understood where we both are.

After about 15 minutes we got home and we sat on the table to eat, “So, I saw your picture… I guess congratulations are in order?”, I smiled a little “Thank you, I am so excited, still feels so surreal tho”, “I know the feeling, didn’t feel real when we had Otis and Daisy until I saw the bump and I met them”

“I am hoping to have a bump soon, I just look bloated every time”, “When you least expect it, believe me”, we finished eating and we moved to the couch with some coffee, “So, how have you been?”, “It’s been hard, I am not going to lie, but I am trying to focus on the kids and that they are ok”.

I reached out and squeezed his arm, it was my way of saying I understood what he felt. I still remember the day I met Jason, I had been visiting Harry on set and he was there too with both kids, we bonded over the best bagel spots on New York and how we could have some double dates to try them. Well, joke’s on us because there are dates, just not how we expected.

“I talked to her, the other day”, “You know you didn’t have to, right?”, “I know, but she deserved it, because although I am glad it happened, I know it shouldn’t have”, “And that’s why everyone always says that you have the purest soul”.

We talked for about an hour, he decided to leave, “Hey, before I leave, I wanted to ask you something”, “Sure, shoot away”, “I wanted to know if it is okay with you if I tell Olivia that we met? I really don’t want any misunderstanding”, “Oh, uhm, yes, sure”, he gave me another hug and he left.

June 19, 2021: Week Fifteen

Harry. London, England. 9:00 Pm

I closed the door and sighed. It was a long day of filming and the only thought in my head was getting in the shower and eating some takeout. As I was unpacking my bag for the day, I heard my phone ring with a new text.

From Olivia Wilde (9:17 PM): Hi, are you free? Missed you today, how about a dinner/lunch date?

To Olivia Wilde (9:20 PM): Hey, yeah, it’s okay, give me twenty.

After a quick shower and unpacking the food I ordered, I set my laptop on the living room and called her. After a few rings she answered, she was sitting in her room, she had a salad from my favorite place back in Los Angeles.

“Hey, you, I’ve missed you, long day? Thank you for the flowers”, she was smiling, “Hey love, how are you? It was a long day, excited to wrap filming before moving it to Italy, I am glad you liked them”, “Oh how lovely, I miss Italy”, we talked a little about everything, but I could see there was something bothering her.

“Hey, are you ok?”, “Y/N and I spoke the other day, I was surprised she reached out”, “Oh, really? I didn’t know”, “Have you spoken to her lately?”, “Just through text, had an appointment and said everything was fine, why?”, “Well, Jason met her the other day, they had lunch together”

I don’t know why but it made me feel jealous, “Huh, did anything interesting happen?”, “He said they talked about the baby and the kids, but nothing else”, “Good to know”, “Why are you being weird about it?”, “I’m not, why would you say that”, “Harry, look at your body language, they had lunch, nothing else”, “Well that’s fine by me”, “Is it?”

“It is, they became friends during filming, they met and had lunch, so what is there to not be fine?”, “The fact that you look like they announced their relationship and that he will be the baby daddy Harry”, “That’s not true and you know it”

“Do I? Harry, they had lunch and that’s it, you seem so jealous”, “I am not, why would you say that?”, “Because that it what I am seeing Harry!” we both sighed, “Listen, I am sorry if I made it seem that way, but I swear everything is fine”

“And yet I feel like you’re lying to me Harry”, just before I could talk, she hung up, I shut my laptop and pulled a hand down my face. She was right I was jealous, and I didn’t know why. I picked up everything and decided to head to bed. I laid in bed, but sleep wasn’t coming.

I was turning on my bed and when I looked at the clock and saw it was already 15 past 2, I went and made myself a tea and returned to bed. I missed Olivia and I missed Y/N and I hated feeling like this. After finishing my tea.

Harry. Los Angeles, California. 11:45 Pm

November 27, 2020.

I closed the door and dropped my keys on the dish by the door. After I removed my jacket and boots, I realized that the house was too quiet for my liking. I entered the kitchen I grabbed a glass of water and I noticed that the island had some bags of snacks there, I frowned.

I then realized that there was an herbal and savory smell in the air, and I followed it to the oven, where I found nothing but when I opened the fridge and saw a Tupperware with lasagna and a bottle of white wine.

As I was walking down the hall to the stairs something caught my eye in the living room. There was a table set with candles and two plates, along with some fairy lights which were now turned off, I didn’t understand anything, and I frowned.

I was walking up the stairs and I could hear her sweet voice behind the close door, but there was something off of it. “Honey, please don’t cry”, “I won’t, I promise, I’m just a little bit sad Dee”, “You should tell him, it’s the third time this has happened in the last month”, third time? What was Dee talking about?

“Dee he’s been busy, they’re filming the scenes they had to stop due to the Covid case”, “So? He isn’t filming all day, is he?”, “I know Dee, I know”, I could hear her voice and sniffles, as I was about to go in, I heard Dee speak again.

“Honey, just please, talk to him and let him know how you feel okay? Your feelings are valid”, “I know, I love you, talk to you soon”, I heard the FaceTime call drop and her laptop close, I gave it a few seconds before I opened the door.

“Hi sweetheart, how are you, my love?”, she was cleaning her under eyes, and she gave me a big smile, it made my heart feel small, “Hi babylove, I’ve missed you, how was your day?”, “It was okay, long but very productive”, “I am glad, have you eaten? I could make you a sandwich?”

I could hear her voice coming into the bathroom where I was changing and doing my facial routine, “Thank you lovie, we got some dinner after we finished recording”, “Oh, that’s nice”, “Lovie? Are you okay?”, “Yeah, I’m okay, I’ll meet you in bed”

We played a movie and I drifted to sleep, I opened my eyes when I heard her sniffles, the clock said it was a quarter past 1, “Lovie, what’s wrong?”, “Sorry I woke you, I’m okay, go back to sleep”, I felt her kiss my head and hug my back. We slowly drifted to sleep.

I woke up sweating and with my heart racing, I still remember that night, and until this day I feel guilty that I didn’t address the situation.

June 21, 2021: Week Fifteen

New York City, New York. 12:40 Pm

I had just finished preparing my lunch when my phone rang, I grabbed it and saw it was Sarah, “Hey momma, how are you?”, “Hi lovely! We are okay, how about you? How is the belly?”, “Still missing, but we hope it will make its appearance soon, speaking of, I wanna see the bubby”, Sarah laughed before telling me we should switch to FaceTime.

I answered and as Sarah appeared on the screen, I could see she was sitting on her hammock, “Oh Sarah you’re glowing!”, “You are the sweetest, I know I look like a zombie”, “Man if this is looking ‘like a zombie’, I don’t wanna know what the worst is”, we laughed and started to catch up.

After a few minutes Mitch appeared on the screen holding the baby, “Miss Y/L/N what a joy to see you”, “Mister Papa Rowland the pleasure is all mine”, “I just wanted to say hello and had to drop a little someone who’s due to a feed”, “I am happy to see you, take care Mitch”

Sarah stood up a little and set baby boy to feed, and then sat down, “Y/N, is everything okay?”, I could feel my eyes water, “My parents have decided that they can’t deal with my pregnancy and to never contact them again”, everything went quiet for a few moments, the only thing that could be heard was baby boy’s sounds while he ate.

“Oh honey, I don’t know what to say”, “It’s okay, I mean the situation is not okay, but I will be”, “You know that we love you right? And we will always be your family”, “I know, but it still hurts, and it just adds to the anxiety I already have”, “You know I will always listen right? Talk to me”

“How do you know you’re making all the right choices? I have been researching and reading everything and I feel so overwhelmed, I am shit scared of making the wrong choice, and the whole Harry situation is killing me”

“Oh honey, I felt and still feel the same way as you describe, it means you care, and let me tell you something: you will never have all the answers, and when you feel like you have the answer you will most likely need to look for a new one, but that is normal”

“As for Harry, you two need to sit down and talk, you still have time but if it is giving you su much anxiety you should talk soon, because your peace of mind is the most important thing here”, baby boy had finished eating and Sarah turned to burp him.

“Oh hi baby boy, you are growing up too fast”, “Say hi auntie Y/N, we can`t wait to see you and my cousin”, we talked for a while and then we said goodbye before hanging the phone.

June 26, 2021: Week Sixteen

New York City, New York. 7:00 Am

I’m hot. Sweating like a pig and wanting to cry hot. Damn hormones, damn me deciding to live in New York, damn you Harry Styles for getting me pregnant during the summer months. I tried to roll around and find a cold spot on my bed but couldn’t find one, so I decided to get out of bed.

I changed myself and just as I was leaving the bathroom, I notice something on my peripheral vision, my belly had popped! Today I actually looked pregnant and not like I had eaten a very big meal, I placed my hands on my belly and the tears started falling (darn hormones).

I went into my room to get my polaroid camera and took a photo of the belly, after it developed, I wrote down June 26, 2021: the day my belly popped. I took two pictures with my phone and decided to text one to Harry.

After that, I decided to go shopping for some baby stuff, it started to feel real and I was more motivated than ever to get some things, and maybe some frozen lemonade, to make sure that this heat did not kill me.

June 26, 2021: Week Sixteen

Harry. Cheshire, England. 7:00 Pm

I had been thinking of a way to better up my relationship with Olivia, and I came up with a grand idea, so here I am waiting for her to answer my call. When she did, she didn’t look as happy as I thought she would to see me.

“Hey love, how are you?”, “Hi Harry, I am doing well, how’s your mom and sister?”, “They are well, we are enjoying these few days before I leave”, “That’s good, how long will you be there?”, “Well, it will be like three weeks filming and I was thinking, you could maybe come for a few weeks?”

Her eyes lit up and she smiled, “Oh H I would love that! But are you sure? What about Y/N?”, “What about her?”, “I mean, I suppose you would want to be near her and the baby?”, she was right, I wanted to be near her but I know that Olivia and I needed this, “Everything will be okay, we are always in contact, but Liv, you and I deserve this and our relationship is also important to me and you know it”

“Okay H let’s do this, I will get things with the kids ready with Jason”, “I’ll send you the details honey, I love you, we’ll talk tomorrow”, “I love you too, can’t wait to see you”, we hung up and I saw that I had a text message from Y/N, it had a picture attached.

From Y/N <3 (18:45 PM): Someone decided to say hello…

I felt my heart start beating faster, I couldn’t believe it, there it was, the proof that I was about to become a father. Mitch was right, this is so surreal.

To Y/N <3 (20:45 PM): Oh my God, hello baby; this feels so surreal I can’t believe it. I can’t wait to meet him or her.

From Y/N <3 (20:50 PM): They cannot wait either Harry.

To Y/N <3 (21:00 PM): I’ll be back next week for the appointments, will have to do a little bit of quarantine and I’ll test before I see you.

From Y/N <3 (20:50 PM): Thank you, Harry, we’ll see you next week.

Tag list @tinydestinybear @harry-is-my-sunflower @onlyamylee @adorejaell @dirtytissuebox @msolbesg

#harry styles x reader #harry styles #harry styles imagine #harry imagine #dad!harry #the story of you #harry styles x y/n

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maseshine · 3 years

Text

Reconnecting, Mason Mount

Request: Termination Part Three, @degeathesaviour @obsesseds-world @demiadele

Warning: Some tears, comfort

Words: 992

Notes: It's about to become a series, but I'm honestly glad they're enjoying it, because I certainly am. Want the last part?

Author's Note: I know a lot of people write with the use of quotes, but I'm used to using the dash, so I hope it's not a problem.

Part One, Part Two

Sometimes you felt really sorry for not being able to say no to people. Whatever they asked you, you would accept. Disappointing people was something that made you feel bad. Incredibly bad.

So when Debbie Mount showed up at your flat and invited you - it reads almost demanding - to watch the Euro final with the whole Mount family, you had no choice but to accept.

You were still following Mason's matches, you were a loyal Chelsea fan and a patriot to the tune, so you couldn't help but watch the games. You watched the Champions Final and almost exploded with pride in the club. They deserved this victory. He deserved it.

But, you weren't expecting the message you received, you weren't expecting anything else from him. But, he did it anyway. There was never an answer back, you didn't want to get hurt or go back to creating things that didn't exist, not when you were starting to get your life back on track.

But, it seemed that fate's plans weren't those. You've always been close to the whole Mount family, so it was no surprise they all had you as a daughter, they watched you grow up. You could never deny anything to either of them, not face to face, Debbie knew that very well and used it to her advantage.

Looking out at the green lawn you wondered if it really was such a good idea to be there, you and Mason had been nothing for months, and you could even see some cell phones pointed at you when people thought you were entertained on your cell phone.

You didn't like to consider yourself a "famous", but you had a very modest base of followers on Instagram, you were a photographic model and after the breakup with Mason you started to become a digital influencer which brought in a few new followers daily. Some people recognized you for your work as well as your old relationship.

Many Mason fan pages cheered for the return of dating. You were enchanted by the affection they had for you. It was comforting not to be seen as a goldsmith. Dating Mason since the age of sixteen must have helped the trial. After all, you were with him even before he became famous.

You were pulled out of your thoughts when you heard Lewis' voice.

━ I can see the gears turning in his pretty head, Y / N / N.

━ It's because they are! I don't know if I came here, Lewis. I haven't seen your brother in months, we broke up. ━ The older one sent me a warm smile as he wrapped one of his arms around me.

━ A totally dumb decision for Mason, I might add. But, there's nothing wrong with you being here, you're family. Even if, I'm not my idiot brother's girlfriend any more.

━ Mason will love to see you here after the match, Y/N. You've always supported him, it's not fair for you not to be part of this moment, whether he wins or loses. ━ Jaz smiled.

━ I just don't want to cause problems. ━ You spoke softly.

━ You would never be a problem for us, dear.

You relaxed further when you realized that your relationship was still the same with the Mounts. They were like his second family. You didn't want to lose them.

•••

You felt your eyes sting. England had lost, Italy was the Euro champion. His eyes didn't stop following Mason for a moment, in his own eyes there were tears he wouldn't shed until he was alone. Your heart broke even more when you saw Declan state, they didn't deserve this hard blow. But, that's how football worked.

When placements were over and release of players to the family was allowed you and the Mounts patiently waited for Mason. Your nervousness starting to show, what would his reaction be when he saw you? What did that message he sent mean?

He didn't seem to notice his presence once he arrived, but when Lewis whispered something in his ear during their embrace, his head snapped up in his direction. His eyes becoming brighter when they met his. You sent him a small smile and in a matter of seconds his arms were around you.

You didn't call the cell phones pointed at you, your concentration was all on him, the tears he held back finally sliding down your face and wetting your neck where your face rested. After months, you were together again and nothing felt more right than that.

His embrace was strong, his hands began to gently stroke his hair, he was still crying, but he seemed to be calmer.

━ I'm sorry. I never wanted to let you down. Excuse. ━ His whisper was muffled, but it had many meanings.

━ I'm proud of you, Mase. You and the other kids made history. You filled us all with pride! ━ I changed the subject, this was not the time to discuss our relationship, we would have time for that. ━ Look at me.

I pulled his face slightly away from my neck, gently wiping the trail of tears from his face, never breaking our eye contact. His red eyes stared at me expectantly.

━ I'm really proud of you!�� ━ I stated as certainty. ━ Your gesture with that little girl was beautiful, this defeat does not define who you are, you were amazing. They only brought us pride. You gave your best and that's enough!

The grip was strong on you again.

━ I miss you. Very much. I was an idiot, I am. But, I still love you. Loving you so much. And I know we need to talk, but for now, just hold me, please. ━ Your order was so genuine.

━ Okay. I won't let you go.

You didn't know what would happen after that moment. But I was sure of one thing. The love she felt for Mason was never gone or gone, it was there, just waiting for a reconnection.

#football #chelsea fc #football imagine #footballer #london #mason mount #mason x reader #masonmountimagine #premier league #euro 2020 #england #love #masterlist #declan rice

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stephspurs · 3 years

Text

A Family Affair | Euro 2020 Football Fanfiction

here is the second last part besties wahhh I'm so sad its coming to an end!! I'm also so sorry about this part, it'll break a few hearts :'( Love always, Steph xx

Part 11 | parte undicesima

warnings; heartbreak, swearing & angst - i'm sorry in advance. word count; 2185 writing tools; third person until dashed line, first person thereafter. final update; Wednesday 18/08 5pm AEST. tags (as requested by users); @footballffbarbiex @obsesseds-world @abysshaven link to fic masterlist here

A few days had passed since the Villa match and Amelia had heard from Jack when he returned to Birmingham. He sent her a simple text to let her know he made it home. That’s it. The two went from previously not going more than 24 hours between FaceTimes or calls or memes to a simple made it home a few hours ago, thanks for a good time x.

No “speak soon”, no promise of a FaceTime , no double kiss at the end of the text that would have typically been there otherwise. If anything, she was more mad that he made her feel like a side piece; like one of his instagram girls that she knew he entertained throughout the week. Amelia knew that she, for lack of better terms, fucked up. She fucked up their friendship, and was praying to all of the Gods that would listen to help her not fuck things up with Ben, too. However, the fact that she didn’t go to church as often as she should have is probably the reason that Ben refused to make eye contact with the girl. It was either that or…he already knew.

“Benj, hey, wait up.” She called as he walked out to his car after a particularly long day at Cobham.

“Don’t call me Benj,” he coldly stated without turning around, continuing his stride.

“Okay fine, Chilly. Wait up will you!”

“Don’t call me Chilly either, that's reserved for friends.”

“Okay, if I can’t call you Benj, or Chilly, what can I call you?”

“The best mate of the guy you fucked multiple times on Saturday night” He spat out at her, as he finally turned around, ready to see the shocked look cast over Amelia’s face as she stood a couple feet away from him. He wasn’t expecting to see Mason at his car, just across the way or Jorgi at his, a few cars down. But they were there and it didn’t matter; they were going to find out sooner or later, anyway.

“He told you.”

“He told the group chat, Amelia. The fucking group chat! How does that make you feel? He’s already bragging about it. Your bed isn't even cold yet! It probably doesn’t bother you that much though - you’re just like him.”

“He fucked you when he knew exactly how I felt about you, having gone to him for advice as to how to apologise to you. I called him on Friday after I left your house and gushed to him like a bloody little girl because I was so happy you forgave me, and that we had kissed. And then, just like that, you let him weasel his way between your legs.”

“I know I should be taking this out on him, and I will don’t worry, but you knew what you were doing also. You knew exactly how I felt about you. I was ready to commit to you that night and you said you wanted to be friends, that you needed time to heal or whatever. So I hope you’re happy and are healing, because I take it all back.” With that, Ben turned around and got in his car, driving away from the girl who felt remorse worse than she ever has in her life.

Witnessing the whole exchange, Jorgi gave Mason a nod to say “go check on Ben, I’ll look after Amelia” and walked up to the girl from behind. Without scaring her, he firmly grabbed her around the shoulders and pulled her to his chest where she let go of all of the emotions she had been keeping inside. With every stab of the knife that was Ben’s words, she felt herself becoming more vulnerable and exposed than ever before. She refused to let him see her cry. That wasn’t something she was willing to let anyone see; she didn’t realise all she had been holding together until she no longer had to, until she had the physical support of Jorgi holding her up in the middle of the training ground car park.

Ushering her to his car - she could collect her own another day - Jorgi put her inside before any other first team members - or worse, staff members - could see the distraught girl and drove them both back to her place where he spent the rest of the evening comforting the girl and letting her know she wasn’t alone. He had even made a desperate call to Fede, asking for advice on how to cheer the girl up. Of course, her Italian ex-lover had been worried the moment his national teammate had told him that the girl was inconsolable and was just about ready to board a flight to her, but Jorgi had calmed him down too. Fede’s advice of coffee, warm pyjamas and clean sheets had done the trick of putting the girl to sleep for the night.

The next few days had come and gone, and the two heartbroken almost-lovers were back to the beginning - Ben ignoring Amelia and Amelia trying to get Ben in a room. But it wasn’t to be. Towards the end of the week, Amelia had received a phone call from Mr Mancini, formally inviting her back to the Italian National Team staff for the upcoming friendly matches and preparation for the 2022 World Cup. Without any hesitation, she accepted her role and began to prepare the necessary procedures that would need to be implemented or maintained during her time away with the Italian side.

Sharing the news with her fellow Italians, Jorgi and Emerson, she decided that she wanted to be the one to tell Ben. She wanted him to know, whether he cared or not, that she wasn’t running away from him and that she would see him soon.

“Chilwell, please stay behind after the session.” She decided it was best if she requested it in the company of the rest of the first team and also the staff members. She was being selfish but she didn’t want him to run away from her again.

He remained sat in his seat as the rest of the team and professional staff left for the evening. Arms crossed, slouched down, looking at everything else in the room but the girl who was nervously wringing her hands together.

“I’m leaving for international duties tomorrow morning.” With that sentence, he stopped tapping his left leg and looking at the cornice details. Instead, his attention was focused on her.

“But we don’t break up for internationals for another week.”

“I know, but Mancini has requested I come earlier to settle back into things over there.”

“It’s only an hour flight away, how difficult could it be?”

“I thought you’d be happy to see me go.”

Silence. Ben didn’t have an answer for her. Of course he didn’t want to see her around Cobham on the day-to-day basis they currently had to endure, but that doesn’t mean he wants her to go back to Italy. Even if it was only for a couple of weeks. Especially if it meant she was around Fede again.

“Well, much to your dismay I'll be back here in 3 weeks. And, Italy are playing England in the last friendly match of the break.”

With a slight nod of his head, Amelia presumed that their conversation was done with. She turned to gather her paperwork and heard the chairs behind her move, followed by the sound of the door opening and closing. She sighed into her hands. How did she let this happen? She preached to Ben how much she didn’t want to be selfish with his heart, and that's exactly what she did. But hey, it takes two to tango. Deciding there was no time like the present, she dialed the contact that once made her smirk but instead only made her furious to look at.

“Amelia, hey, how are you? Sorry it’s been a hectic couple of weeks.”

“Cut the crap Jack, you never intended to keep this friendship after you got what you were after.”

“Excuse me? You wanted it just as bad as I did.”

“You’re right about that, I thought I wanted it. Now, though, all I feel is regret. You know Jack, I knew from the moment we met that you were just my type, the kind that only calls me late at night. I knew a guy like you, and he treated me more or less the same. I gave myself to him, over and over for the better part of 3 years, and it was only when I left that he decided I might have been worth it... worth him.”

“But not you, you couldn’t help but run to your group chat and brag about your latest conquest, about how you made me feel wanted, only to rip it all out from under me the next morning and every day since. Honestly Jack, I think it's time you grew up a little. For Ben to confide in you how he was feeling and for you to just have blatant disregard for your so-called best mate. I can’t believe you would stoop so low. I know I'm in the wrong here too, but you are his best mate for crying out loud! How could you do this to him?”

“I don’t even want to hear what you have to say, I just needed to get that off my chest. Lose my number Jack, find some other hopeless girl that you can lure in with your foolish words and sweet nothings because I’m done. I’m done with whatever this was to you.”

______________________________________________________________

“You’re probably not going to believe me, but you have no idea how happy I am to see you here,” I heard from behind me, spinning around on my heels to see the ever-charming, boyish grin I used to love with my whole heart. This time, it's a different kind of love - it's an unconditional love shared between two people that are glad to exist together in the same crazy world.

“Federico, amore mio.” (Federico, my love) I stood up from my place on the bench at the Technical Headquarters and Training Ground of the Italian Football Federation, bringing the taller, heavily tattooed man into my arms. A gentle rock from him, side to side, to let me know that he can feel the weight of my moral compass.

“Vieni, cammina con me” (come, walk with me) He looped our arms together, and we strolled around the perimeter of the pitch that I was using to visualise my plays for the upcoming games. By the time we made it to the first set of goals, Fede had had enough of letting me mull over my own thoughts.

“Tesoro, Jorgi called one night a couple weeks ago. As smart as he is, it turns out he is hopeless at calming down an emotional female. While I'm not proud of knowing exactly how to calm you down, being that it was more often than not my fault you were inconsolable in the first place, I had to get some information out of him as to who upset my favourite girl in all of England.”

So I launched into the story, telling him everything from Mykonos to that fateful night a few weeks ago. Fede being Fede, he wanted to know everything, but I stopped just short of letting him know how many times Jack took me to paradise (much to his dismay). By the time I had wrapped up, we must have walked the pitch at least 3 times in its entirety, before retiring to the centre circle where we sat on opposite sides of the half way line staring at each other.

“I’m sorry that I ruined you for any other man,” Fede spoke solemnly.

“Fede, no - it was my stupid mistake to sleep with Jack.”

“No, let me finish amore. I’m sorry that I made you love me so deeply, and convinced you that the way I treated you was the right way, that the way I was with you was what you expect in every man to come after me. This Jack, he sounds just like me about 5 years ago - before I met you. But Ben, he sounds like the man I am trying to better myself to be, to be the man that deserves the kind of love you have to give.”

“I want you to listen to me. You need to fight for Ben. From what I have heard from both yourself and Jorgi-”

“That boy cannot keep his mouth shut to save himself,” I muttered under my breath.

“Amelia, you have a heart that deserves to be loved. Open yourself up to Ben. Tell him how you feel. From experience, you are very hard to ignore when you’re so vulnerable. Be honest with him, apologise, make him feel wanted, not like a second choice. Let him know how much you care for him, and equally how much you want him to care for you. He will see your sincerity and realise just how truly irresistible you are.”

Part 12. | la parte finale

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hetalia-has-a-secretary · 3 years

Note

The axis and allies react to a nervous s / o by announcing that she is pregnant. An unwanted pregnancy. But before hearing what they have to say, she says frantically that he doesn't worry that she will take responsibility for the baby by herself, if he doesn't want to.

QwQ awwww- poor S/O. We need some love and comfort up in here! (And some nervous daddies!). Also excuse the fact these next few asks are going to be kind of short- I'm running out of time to catch up for when I open my inbox again ʕ º J ºʔ (ahhh that's supposed to be a cute bear but with Russia's nose but... It looks disturbing...)

Allies and Axis with a nervous Pregnant!S/O

Allies:

America:

Yeah, cute that his S/O thinks he wouldn't want to take care of a mini Alfred (Alley?). Doesn't matter he's helping. He's a country, he's got the money, so "don't even worry Babe" America's got this! He'll also constantly refer to his S/O as a heroine, and the soon to be born baby as either (wheeze) Hero Jr or Mini Heroine. Doesn't really care if it's a boy or girl, just wants to be a dad to be honest. Yes this means even if it's not exactly his, so long it didn't happen during the relationship. Even then there's room for forgiveness.

England:

He's in shock, even after they stop being frantic. "I'm sorry, how?" At that point his S/O has to remind him that they have, well... Done it. That's how babies are made. He will have an 'oh yeah' moment before immediately kneeling and talking to the baby, no matter how far along his S/O is. So yeah, assume he's taking responsibility. But not just for the kid, for his S/O as well. It's best to be wise and not do anything to excessive in front of him, or else he turns into mother hen. As for if it isn't his and it's from a previous relationship, he's perfectly fine helping with the kid. It's their beloved child, therefore his as well. Hopefully this ends better than it did with American...

France:

His S/O isn't getting past the 'Im pregnant' part, and won't have time to express concern because he's already ecstatic. But obviously has a case of the nervous jitters. Has no idea what they need for the baby, so his S/O might need to prepare themselves for his endless questions he squeezes in within 15 seconds. As for if it isn't his child, he'll be a tiny be sad, but that's really Because he wanted your first kid to be his. But things happen, he just wants to be the best dad in France. Prepare the trips to fancier restaurants and bickering over what color(s) to paint the child's room regardless of gender! (Blue and pink make some shade of purple, right?).

China:

Thinks they were kidding until they become frantic. He doesn't quite understand why they would think he wouldn't take responsibility. Even if it was from a past relationship it's technically his now too right? He is kind of slightly hoping for a girl, just because he had to raise Japan and well... He's scared of repeating whatever mistakes he made before... And if it's a girl he's going to have more fun making the clothes. Much frills, much fun, cute little panda onsies~

Russia:

He laughs way to cheerily about it. It takes him a whole 5 seconds to realize what was said, but as soon as he sees the pained look in his S/O face... He fricken joins in on their frantic behavior. Is not at all ready, and accidentally dodges his lovers question about taking responsibility. It doesn't become apperant he will until he starts asking what they have to do. What he needs to do. But wait, if it's his, maybe his S/O can kind of see what he looked like as a baby. And if it wasn't his by some chance, he's hoping it looks more like his S/O depending on how well the actual father is welcomed into his S/O's life, if at all. He very quickly goes from Big Russian Bear, to Big Russian Papa Bear. ... Okay he also slightly hopes this keeps Belarus at bay as well (surprise from the future she's the best auntie that baby will have, and will 1000% help his S/O Because it's obvious how important this is to Russia, and regardless of her feelings he's still family)

Axis:

Germany:

Oh tell me he's not a crier when they tell him. Especially if it's his, those tears are going to fall. If it's from a past relationship he's just more concern on if the father tries anything stupid, if he's around. Germany refuses to put his S/O under any stress like that, and he holds them so tightly when he agrees to take responsibility. He will be that child's father, no matter what anyone says or thinks. His grown family is the only thing that matters. Gender wise, please be a girl. Or at least be a Mama's boy, cause he has this thought they'll need her more than him.

Japan:

Welp. This is new and Terrifyingly exciting. He may or may not pass out on his S/O, so they need to tell him when he's seated. Oh if it's his, he might as well be ringing England and France right then and their. Takes responsibility for the Child, regardless if it's his or not. It's his S/O, and that's their child, so yeah he's going to help out! Very VERY responsible. Like, his S/O can make their girlfriends jealous with how responsible he's being. He wants a boy, cause swords. But then his S/O asks, what if it's a gir- SWORDS. Don't ask, but he thinks it's cute for a small being running around like... An anime character. Ah. Makes sense to them now.

Italy:

The word baby left his S/O's mouth and it's all he wants to talk about. Very obvious he wants to help out and take responsibility. It'll be fun to have a tiny italy! Even if it's not his for whatever reason, he's still going to call it a tiny baby boot, fully taking advantage of the fact his country is shaped like a boot. It's kind of weird for those passing by, but it's also really fricken cute. This child is his baby bootie, and that will never change. Well until they know what gender but have fun getting him to break the habit.

Babies, babies~ cute tiny babies ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ I think with the countries being countries they already have this instinct to protect their own people, so having a tiny child who's part of their family is no different except for the fact they gonna get those dad perks. So yeah, not a single one of them would reject a child. I feel like that kind of stuff is a foreign concept to them (rejecting children in any form). Like they were literally tossed into this world, and whatever other country came along immediately took them in. Look at how hard France and England fought over America! (Ignoring the occasional reason to do it for the ownership of land, but I have my theories).

#hetalia world stars #hetalia #hws #aph #hetalia american #hetalia england #hetalia france #hetalia china #hetalia russia #hetalia germany #hetalia italy #hetalia japan #BABIESSSSSSS #Sorry! I think the little squishy blobs of flesh are cute #i dont ever want my own but id make a better aunt than mother i think #or adoption because i have more than enough love to give to any aged child!

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vintagedaydreams · 3 years

Text

TLNRS-Part Six (Marcus)

Without further ado- part six!!

Warnings: some cursing, brief illusion to panic attacks, low self esteem

Enjoy!!

@kettnerjanea @jelly-fishy-babie @the-graceful-ace @amwolowicz @batsdothings @waxingmoonstone @littlebabybatthings @mauvette268 @katsav17 @batsuperflashmartianwonderman @imyourapocalypse @chubbybbt @bepo-is-sorry @raindancer2004 @artaxerxesthegreat @bethanymccauley @bloodsweatandsnapple @kawaiipoplover268 @legithraclya

The next morning found you down in the kitchen for breakfast, a silly grin on your face and a happy song on your lips.

Last night’s date had been...amazing. You didn’t know anyone could be that attentive and sweet and Marcus had blown even the Queen’s expectations out of the water.

You gave a happy twirl and goosebumps erupted over your skin as you remembered the hooded look in his eyes and the gentle way he had wooed you over the course of the evening.

It was way too soon for Love and you were still a bit wary and skittish of anything remotely romantic, especially with Vampires, this soon after the whole Carlisle debacle, but oh, did you wish and want whatever this was to come to fruition.

It was so nice to be appreciated and feel as if you were sought after.

“Sounds like someone had a good night,” Edward’s sudden voice came from behind you and you jumped with a yelp.

“Eddie!” you scolded, holding a hand over your heart, willing it to stay within your rib cage, “Don’t do that!”

To your surprise, Edward lifted his hands in the air, a serious look on his face.

“No harm meant, Y/N.”

Your brow furrowed- what the heck was his problem? It wasn’t like you thought he meant to scare you into an early grave.

Edward’s head tilted a little behind him and you looked over his shoulder to lock eyes with Jane.

“Oh, hello,” you said with a small, uncertain smile. The Volturi has all been incredibly welcoming and helpful, but the Witch Twins had been more standoffish than the rest.

Which you could understand. After all, you were a human, and an Unwanted Mate at that.

Edward’s eyes narrowed in your direction and you gave a small sigh.

Honestly, you loved Eddie like a brother but the mind reading thing was a bit tiresome at times.

And it wasn’t like you were wrong!

You were human and you were an Unwanted Bond Mate.

Simple as that. No amount of positive thinking or good self esteem was going to change that.

You turned your attention back to Jane as she shifted and stepped further into the kitchen.

“You are okay?” the blonde vampire asked emotionless, ruby eyes darting from you to Edward and back again.

You tried valiantly to tramp down the warmth that blossomed in your chest at her question.

It was nice to know that she cared, even if she was just asking out of what was probably duty to one of her Kings.

You were suddenly grateful that Jasper didn’t like you enough to hang around like Edward.

One invasive-talented vampire was enough.

A gentle throat clearing reminded you that you had yet to answer, so with a very red face, you assured her that you were fine.

Jane stared you down for a few moments, long enough for you to start fidgeting, before giving a single nod and disappearing.

You turned wide eyes to Edward who just shook his head with a chuckle.

“I have no idea,” he smirked and you rolled your eyes.

Uh huh. Sure.

“Where’s Bella this morning?” you asked curiously as you continued to make your breakfast.

“Packing for our return trip,” Edward said quietly after a moment and you froze, all happy thoughts of Marcus disappearing as it dawned on you.

They were returning to Forks.

You probably should too.

Your mind started to race. What was it going to be like, back in Forks with the Cullens? Could you even stand to see them every day? Would their sudden apologetic and sad demeanors make you give in when you should stay strong or would their attitudes change back to how they were once you were out of Italy? Did you even want to stay in Forks? What if you didn’t have your job when you got back? What if you never recovered from being an Unwanted? What if—

A cold hand was suddenly on your shoulder and you were drawn back into a gentle, brotherly embrace.

“Breathe, Y/N,” Edward murmured into your hair. “Just breathe for a few moments, okay?”

You nodded as best you could with your head tucked into his chest, but dutifully took a few deep breaths.

Why were you like this?

You were pretty sure that normal people wouldn’t be freaking out over a sentence as simple as, “She’s packing”.

Then again, what exactly was normal anymore? Since apparently vampires existed and had their own version of the Mafia.

Edward snorted and you gave a somewhat shaky smile.

Well, at least you were entertaining to someone.

“You are not going to be forced to go back with us, Y/N,” Edward said softly after a few quiet moments. “I am sure that Aro would welcome you here.”

You raised your head to frown at the vampire. “I am not going to be a charity case.”

To your surprise, Edward actually rolled his eyes.

“Aro thinks many things about you, Y/N, but charity case is not one of them.”

You blushed at the slight reprimand and burrowed your face back into Edward’s chest.

A gentle hand ran through your hair and Edward added quietly, “There are a lot of people who care for you, Y/N. Never forget that. And those same people would do everything in their power to make sure you were taken care of and provided for. You have a way of endearing yourself to people quickly and we vampires are no different. Those that want to take care of you do so because of you and who you are, not because of any sort of pity.”

That warmth was back, unfurling in your chest like a flower blooming on a warm spring day.

You squeezed the vampire in front of you in a tight hug, mentally sending your thanks.

You needed to hear that.

“Anytime,” came Edward’s murmur and then you found yourself suddenly seated at the table in a rush of wind.

Your forgotten breakfast was placed in front of you with the order to eat.

“You’ll feel even better when you have something on your stomach. And then you can decide if you want to stay or come back to Forks.”

You weren’t exactly sure what epiphany Edward thought your food would give you, but by the time you had finished eating, you still were no closer to figuring out what to do.

Should you stay or should you go?

What really was waiting for you back in Forks?

But then, what was really waiting for you here?

You gave a soft growl, a pathetic sounding one compared to the ones the vampires could produce, but it made you feel marginally better.

Maybe you could just go...live in England on your own. No vampires, no Mates, no supernatural.

Just the English countryside, horseback riding and rain.

You smiled big, this was a great solution!, and turned back to Edward who was looking at you in a mixture of both amusement and disbelief.

“Y/N,” he started after a moment, “what on Earth makes you think that’s going to be an option for you?”

Your jaw dropped.

“An option for me?” you parroted. “I’m a grown ass woman! Why wouldn’t it be an option?!”

Edward snorted in pure amusement now and took a seat across from you at the table.

“Y/N, there are too many vampires interested in your well being to let you go off on your own somewhere. And,” he continued, holding up a hand when you opened your mouth to interrupt him, “English is very wet, very rainy and very cloudy. Not the ideal place to try and get away from creatures that thrive in the shadows.”

You snapped your mouth shut.

The man had a point there.

Which kinda sucked. What a good excuse to move to the UK.

“Why don’t you come back with us, Y/N?” Edward suggested when your thoughts didn’t leave England.

Your eyes locked onto tawny gold.

“At least for a little while. That will give you a chance to get everything in order if you don’t decide to stay.”

You studied his face while you thought it over.

It would be good for you to go back. Get back to the familiar and comforting.

And maybe even get on with your life.

Although…

“I know it sounds kinda crazy, Edward, it being so soon and all, but I’m going to really miss everyone here.”

The mind reader picked up on exactly who you would miss the most and he gave a gentle smile.

“I can assure you the sentiment would be returned, if he wasn’t going along.”

You blinked once. Twice. Three times.

And then, “Wait, what?”

Edward leaned back in his chair, an air of smugness radiating from him.

“Marcus. King Marcus. The one with the beautiful eyes and the amazingly kind heart you haven’t stopped thinking about?”

You blushed red at that.

“He decided to come along with us to Forks,” Edward continued, “if you had decided to join us.”

“But why?” you asked in genuine confusion. Why would he want to go to Forks of all places?

Edward leveled you with a look that said, ‘Really?’

You leveled a look right back at him.

“He’s known me for a few days, Eddie. And we’ve had one date- if you can technically even call it that. Seems a little premature for him to go galavanting across half the globe for someone he just met.”

Edward leaned in, elbows on the table and face serious and close to yours.

“Y/N. Listen and listen good. You are worth it. Whatever my sire has said and done, however my coven has treated you, forget about it. I told you- you endear yourself to people quickly. The Volturi are no different. What they feel for you is true and all because of you. Bonded or no, Unwanted or no, they care for you. As do I. Don’t be so hard on yourself or surprised that Marcus would travel with you to Forks. There are more that would come if they could.”

“Young Edward is right,” a low, gravelly voice said from the doorway and you snapped your head over to see Marcus standing there, Volturi robes blending in with the shadowed doorway.

“You sell yourself much too short, Cara Mia. I am going with you to Forks because I wish to. Because I do not want you to have to face Carlisle and his coven alone. And because I very much want to see where this attraction between us may lead.”

Marcus stepped into the room and slowly made his way to your side before lowering himself elegantly to his knees.

“However,” he continued quietly, “should you wish me not to go, I will remain here in Volterra.”

You blinked dumbly at him.

“You mean, I have a say in this?” you asked in surprise.

Edward made an odd sound and Marcus looked stricken.

“Y/N,” he said earnestly, “you will always have a choice.”

You looked between the two of them and then your eyes went wide.

“No, that’s not what I meant! I mean it was, but not necessarily like that! Just...it is surprising to me that I would have a say in whether you went to Forks or not, because...well, of the obvious.”

“Why would you think you wouldn’t have an input into whether I accompanied you to Forks or not?” Marcus asked quietly.

You rose a brow. “You mean other than the fact that you’re a King? A Vampire one at that? You can go wherever you want- why would my opinion matter? I’m just me- human and decidedly not a royal.”

“But perhaps I am just Marcus- a man trying to woo a woman he’s beginning to care very deeply for. A man who wouldn’t want to press his luck and go anywhere he wasn’t welcome.”

Silence reigned in the kitchen. Marcus was looking intently at you, you were gaping probably quite unattractively back at him, and Edward was pretending to be engrossed in the ceiling to give you two the illusion of privacy.

“Y/N,” Marcus whisperer, cold hand lifting to gently cup your cheek. “May I accompany you to Forks? And act as your Protector?”

Edward’s attention was now focused intensely on the two of you, but you paid him no mind, your own attention captivated by the King kneeling at your feet.

“Yes,” you finally managed to murmur. “Please.”

A soft smile curled the edges of the Vampire King’s mouth and he smoothly stood.

“Then I have preparations to finish. I shall see you when we depart tonight, Y/N. Until then.”

With a kiss to the back of your hand, he was gone in a swirl of robes and a gust of wind.

Dazedly, you wondered if Aro’s flamboyance was contagious.

After a few minutes, you snapped out of it and looked over to see Edward looking at you with an unreadable expression.

“...What?” you asked cautiously.

“King Marcus,” Edward started, before stopping, his expression warring somewhere between joy and caution.

“King Marcus what?” you finally demanded when it seemed he wouldn’t say anything else.

“He asked to be your Protector.”

“Yeah? And?”

“And you agreed.”

“Yeah? And?!”

Edward’s honey gaze met your own.

“And he has formally claimed you. He is your Protector and you are his Charge. Your battles are his battles, your enemies are his enemies. He wants nothing more than your safety and happiness.”

You gaped as Edward leaned forward to add lowly, “He would now die for you.”

#twilight imagine #reader insert #volturi #cullens #marcus x reader #twilight

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icaruspendragon · 3 years

Text

Hey friends! After months of therapy/new meds, I’ve finally found the motivation and inspiration to not only start reading again, but start writing! I’m pretty excited, so here’s a snippet of my newest project.

Not a lot of her stuff had made it with her from California to New York. But that was okay she kept telling herself. A fresh start and whatnot. No one knows her here. No one knows what happened to her. She can just go to class and go home and focus on graduating and getting a job and maybe moving out of the country. Maybe to Italy or to Greece or England. That was her plan at least. And everyone knew that Annabeth was big on plans. Naturally, this plan seemed to go awry almost instantly while she was trying to move into her brand new one bedroom apartment. She had thought about trying to find a roommate, but the thought of being in close quarters with a stranger made her chest feel tight and her palms sweaty, so she had decided that this would be a solo adventure.

She had told her dad and stepmom over and over again that she could make the move by herself, that she wouldn’t need them to help her move, they didn’t need to spend the money to travel and to take time off of work and who would watch her brothers? Even though she didn’t have that much stuff she was starting to get overwhelmed at the boxes the movers were bringing up in what seemed like an endless stream and setting just inside her front door. The apartment had come pre-furnished, so that was good at least. She didn’t think that she would have been able to bring most of that stuff with her, anyway. She had been sleeping on her couch for months and didn’t think she’d be able to keep that up for much longer. She was trying to make a mental list of everything that she would need to go out and get tonight. New pillows, blankets, sheets, curtains, etc. She would need to find a place to get that stuff, hopefully somewhere that also sold groceries. She didn’t want to have to spend all day running around a new city and trying to unpack and trying to keep herself from having a panic attack.

She was trying to keep her mental list running and keep an eye on the movers and keep inventory of what was in the boxes and what she would need to unpack first and where they were putting the boxes that she would need to unpack first while standing out in her new hallway, trying to stay out of the movers way when she heard laughter. She looked over and saw two girls. One tall with olive skin and dark choppy hair and the other a whole head shorter with wild curls and tawny skin, both chatting animatedly about something. Annabeth was trying to tune them out and hoping that they wouldn’t notice her, and if they did, that they would just keep on walking. She wasn’t in the mood to be social. She hadn’t been in the mood to be social in quite some time. She wasn’t sure she remembered how to be social anymore.

“Hi! Are you moving in?” The shorter one asked. Of course they noticed her and of course they stopped. Annabeth swallowed and turned to face her, trying her hardest to plaster what she hoped was the approximation of a friendly smile on her face.

“Yeah.” She responded, hoping that the conversation would stop there.

“Oh, cool!” The girl responded. “Looks like we’re going to be neighbors. I’m Hazel, this is Piper, my roommate.” Hazel, apparently, gestured towards the girl standing next to her.

“Annabeth.” She introduces, nodding at them, hoping no one wants to shake hands.

“Nice to meet you.” Piper offers, a small smile on her face.

“Likewise.” Annabeth responds even though she doesn’t feel the same. Now that they’re closer she can see just how beautiful the two girls are and sense the ease with which they’re navigating this new situation. Annabeth feels a pang of jealousy. It doesn’t matter, she tells herself. She’s just here to go to class and get out of her. Not to make friends.

“What’s your roommate’s name?” Piper asks, one beautifully sculpted eyebrow raised.

“Oh, it’s uh, it’s just me.” Annabeth tells them, resisting the urge to avert her eyes to the floor. She knows deep down that these girls are just trying to be nice and warm and welcoming and whatever, but she really doesn’t want the reminder of just how alone she is. Not right now. Not right here.

“Where’d you move from?” Hazel asks, eyes following the mover bringing more boxes in.

“San Francisco.” Annabeth tells her, trying her hardest not to be short with this girl who is trying her hardest to be nice to a stranger, it’s not Hazel’s fault that Annabeth’s stomach drops at the mention of it.

“That’s cool. I’m from Malibu. Are you here for school?” This time it’s Piper who speaks.

“Yeah.” Annabeth responds. She knows that she should be giving them more than one word responses, but she wants nothing more than to hide in her new apartment and not come out for the rest of the night. She didn’t think that interacting with other people would have this kind of toll on her.

“I’m from New Orleans, so Piper and I both know what it’s like to be far from home.” Hazel tells her sympathetically. Annabeth offers her a tightlipped smile in return.

“Pipes, are the boys doing anything tonight?” Hazel asks, turning to her roommate.

“Are they ever doing anything?” Piper responds, laughing.

“Be right back.” Hazel tells her and then sets off down the hall.

They both watch her walk down a few doors, stop at one, and then enter without knocking.

Annabeth finds herself looking at the floor, trying not to feel too awkward in the silence and trying not to get overwhelmed. She’s never been that great at small talk and she hadn’t really planned for all of this to happen. She’d been going and going since yesterday, thinking about the next task ahead, not stopping to think about anything else. If she starts to think about literally everything else going on she’ll start to spiral.

Piper speaks up before Annabeth can get too in her head, “What are you studying?”

“Architecture.” She responds and then a moment passes before Annabeth remembers that it’s the polite thing to do to ask Piper the same. “What about you?”

“Communication and environmental studies.” She tells her.

“Interesting combination.” Annabeth responds, because she really thinks that it is but then she’s afraid that it came out snarky and even though she doesn’t want to be in this situation, she doesn’t want to be seen as rude.

“Oh yeah,” Piper tells her, smiling, “I couldn’t make up my mind and I wanted to do something that would end up helping people one way or the other so I decided to do both.”

Annabeth just nods because she can’t think of a way to respond. She’s saved from having to try and come up with something else to talk about or standing in awkward silence when she hears a door open and sees Hazel come out with four boys in tow.

“Ah. Reinforcements” Piper says but Annabeth has no idea what that means and the prospect of meeting even more strangers makes her want to vomit.

“What?” She asks, but before Piper can answer her, Hazel is calling down the hall.

“Annabeth, this is Jason, Leo, and Frank. Boys, this is our new neighbor, Annabeth.” Hazel states, pointing at each boy is turn. Jason is tall and stocky, Leo is wiry and thin, Frank is just big.

She is assaulted by a chorus of hellos and heys and smiles from all directions. Annabeth has no idea why her new neighbor has brought out what seems like half the building, but she really doesn’t want to stay to find out. Thankfully, one of the movers calls her over to inform her that all of her boxes are now in her apartment. She signs a sheet of paper and thanks the man for his work. She turns back around and sees five pairs of eyes on her.

“Did they bring everything up?” Hazel asks her.

“Uh, yeah.” Annabeth responds, wondering why they’re all still standing there. She really just wants to get inside and sit in silence for a few minutes before getting to work on her next plan.

“Where’s Percy?” Piper asks, turning to the boys.

“He’s at his mom’s watching Estelle.” One of the boys, Jason, tells Piper.

“Well then, I guess he’s excused.” Piper says.

Annabeth notices the playful banter between the two, between all of them, really. The ease with which they are all interacting. She’s never had a big group of friends like what they have. It had always been just her and Thalia. And she had always thought that she was okay with that, but now she and Thalia were separated by thousands of miles and one impenetrable secret, as she observes the five strangers in front of her, she feels the snarls of jealousy growing in the pit of her chest again.

“Percy can make it up to us later, we need to get started.” Hazel tells the group.

“Started?” Annabeth asks.

“Yeah. We’re gonna help you unpack. It’ll take you forever by yourself!” Hazel responds, the excitement in her voice palpable.

Panic instantly rushes through her veins. This was not on the list of things that could potentially happen today. Annabeth didn’t have a plan for this. She had one for if her stuff got lost, if the movers were late, if all of her stuff arrived broken, she even had a plan for if something happened at the leasing office and she wasn’t able to pick up her keys for her apartment. She had made zero plans that factored in overly polite neighbors and their squadron of male helpers.

“Oh, you really, I mean, it’s fine. You don’t need to. I can, I can handle this.” Annabeth tells her, floundering. Trying to find a way out of this.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Hazel responds. “I saw how much stuff they were bringing up, and it’s already pretty late in the day, between the six of us, we’ll all be able to get it knocked out in no time.” And dammit, she’s still smiling. Annabeth doesn’t think she’ll be able to get out of this one. Not without being considered a huge bitch. And she knows that she should be grateful, she really does, and she’s trying very hard to be, to be grateful and thankful and a whole host of other nice feelings and words that these five perfect strangers would be so willing to give up their evening to help one imperfect stranger unpack the boxes that have weighed her down all across the country. She is trying very hard.

“It’s really no big deal. I had planned on doing it all by myself, anyway.” Annabeth tells them.

“Well, now you can plan on having some help.” Piper tells her, gentle smile resting on the corner of her mouth. “You can try and fight Hazel all you want, but once she makes her mind up about something, it gets done.”

The big guy, Frank, laughs and Hazel shoots him a look.

“What?” He says, raising his hands in defense, “You and everyone else knows that Piper is right.”

“Whatever.” Hazel responds, rolling her eyes, but there’s no malice in the word or the gesture.

“Welcome to the building, Annabeth.” Leo tells her as he opens her door and just walks into her apartment.

#I’m back on my bullshit #but this time it’s pjo #percy jackson #percabeth #fanfic

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rein-ette · 3 years

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Hi!

I was inspired by your asks, so I wanted to hear from you! What do you think of Canada as a country? I had a bit of a Canadian phase long ago and I tried to consume as much literature and history as I could, but reading about a place and living in it are very different experiences, so is there anything you'd like to share about Canada, about the culture or the people? Do you like living there? What are some of your favorites things? How do you survive the winters?

And also, as a character, what do you think of Matt?

(´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

Aaaaaaaaah okay okay *ahem*

If you’re not here for a Ted talk the exit is to your left, have a great day!

I do love Canada very much! I was born and pretty much grew up here, and as I’ve grown older I’ve become more and more grateful for everything that my country has provided for me! I remember my history teacher in high school said once that by being born into the middle class and as a Canadian, you’ve already won the lottery of life. That was not to disparage other countries, but to remind us of how remarkably privileged we are and how much we take for granted.

One of the first things you hear when you ask people what does it mean to Canadian is the word “multicultural.” I find this word realllyyyyyy cringeyyyy and not really reflective of reality, but I suppose it’s a good starting point for more in depth discussion. People often say Canada is a “cultural melting pot”, but the indigenous poet Marilyn Dumont pointed out in her poems that in some ways it’s more of a mosaic — there are many cultures, but they don’t always meld together. To say it’s a melting pot is ignoring the fact that racism and discrimination certainly have and do still exist here.

But I would argue that in some areas it is a “melting pot”, even if I kinda hate that word. I prefer to think of where I live as cultural delta — a place where many mighty tributaries meet as they thunder into the sea. (It is also literally a delta, funnily enough) Here, I grew up absorbing Canadian ideas, studying British history, reading American literature, learning French — but I also grew up listening to Kpop, watching Ghibli, eating rice. When I meet up with friends, we don’t grab a coffee, we grab milk tea. If you ask people here where they would like to visit or live, they will most likely say New York, London, Hong Kong, or Seoul — which tells you a bit about both how powerful and diverse the cultural influences here are.

Perhaps the thing most indicative of Canada’s “multiculturalism” and what I am most grateful for, however, is that I grew up here without fear. I didn’t even know the words “chink” or other words existed until I could access the internet. Recently, the beatings of Asian immigrants in the UK and US brought this home for me — how lucky I am to have such a privileged childhood. And I know this kind of privilege is hard won; in my research of WW2 I found that one of the amusement parks that I used to frequent as a child was built on land that once housed a Japanese internment camp. How fragile our lives are!

But enough about the serious stuff. I can’t really answer your question about how to survive winters in Canada lol, except to say that where I am in Canada it is absolutely necessary everyone own at least 3-4 umbrellas. That’s because this side of the Rockies in BC, the temperatures are pretty mild year round — the coldest it gets is usually 0, and the hottest around 25. But, by god, it rains. I did go to Ottawa in the winter though, where it was -13 one day, but honestly? Everything below 0 feels pretty much the same. Once it gets that cold, you can’t even tell anymore. I wore a skirt and tights that day, with a good, thick winter coat. And I survived :D

Besides not being heckled on the street for being Asian, my favourite things about Canada are probably the amazing diversity of good food and how tremendously beautiful the wilderness here is. And I say this as someone who loses her mind when a mosquito flies past (ie. I am not a nature person). You can kinda tell from these photos here, but the trees and water and whatnot here, are like, real. Maybe I just find that amazing because I lived in Tianjin, but it just feels like this is a city built among the trees and the sky and water that was always here, and not a city where humans have brought in nature for our amusement.

Okay, gotta move on to your other questions or I’ll go on forever. As a state I think Canada does a fairly good job of providing for its own people, but I wish we had a greater global influence. A lot of youth especially express the view that Canada is kinda...boring if your career doesn’t have to do with, like, sports, nature, or medicine, and I would tend to agree. We have great universities, but as someone who studies international relations I often wish Canada would like? Do more? On the global scale. The only thing we really have under our name is the UN peacekeeping, which PM Pearson started after the Suez Canal Crisis. I mean, I’ve heard that many people abroad identify Canada with peace and like ofc I’m not complaining about that, but I just wish our history was a little spicier, ya know? We did kick Americas ass that one time in 1812 and that was amazing. No regrets.

So that brings me to Matt. A lot of Canada’s existence has just been dominated by trying to carve a way between the US and the British while not being swallowed by either. Britain gave us the protection and strength and diversification of identity to not be annexed by the US, but at the same time it hobbled Canada’s relation with our only neighbour. One of the very first treaties Canada negotiated alone, if I’m recalling correctly, was a trade contract with the US over fishing (?) in BC and Alaska, where London was like no you can’t and Canada was like uh we gotta make money too, bro. So yes, while I do believe Mattie is just a very loyal person in general, he was also loyal to the empire because he needed to survive. A lot of Canadian identity was solidified around our prompt assistance of England and the sacrifices made in the two world wars, especially the campaigns in the Low Countries and Italy. Essentially, Canada has historically differentiated itself from the US through its loyalty.

Uuuuh just realized that has nothing to do with my opinion of Matt. Um. I like him? He’s real best friend/big brother material, and I do hc him as far more cunning and capable than canon portrays him to be. However, sometimes he’s just...too nice. He doesn’t have that edge that England has that makes me wanna slap him tf up and sob and call him my baby at the same time. Also, as oumaheroes mentioned here, that kind of selflessness can get pretty toxic. After all, by consistently not voicing or examining your own needs, you make it incredibly and unnecessarily frustrating for the people who care about you to help you, and that creates a relationship just as one sided as one where the person is extremely selfish. Actually, now that I think about it, my biggest gripe with Mattie as a character and Canada as a country is in that word: selfless. Without self. Perhaps because Canada is still so young, but it feels a little lost, a little like it doesn’t know quite know yet why it exists.

TLDR: If you’re under 18 or over 60, Canada is the place to be. If, however, you’re like me and wish you could touch a building that’s over 150 years old and maybe visit a square somebody’s been guillotined in, perhaps try someplace else. Personally Portugal’s golden visa is lookin especially tempting lately

#I’m not on my laptop and I don’t know how to add a cut on my phone #so I’m really sorry if this takes up ur dash #I will fix this as soon as I get home #it’s reining again #thanks for indulging me needcake #ask #also rip i was gonna give book recommendations but tbh does Canada even have literature #I mean we do we DO but #uh have you tried Margaret Atwood? lmfao #i mostly read American and European lit and I feel kinda bad about that #Canadian history is...kinda dry tho idk #maybe it’s cuz I learned it in school

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busterkeatonfanfic · 3 years

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Chapter 26

The sun had set long ago and they were all crowded around a card table in Louise Brooks apartment, the radio playing “Side by Side” by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. Sipping a glass of bourbon, Louise was humming merrily along, but Nelly’s lips were set in concentration. She wasn’t a good bridge player by any measure, but the important thing was that she was getting better. They were in no danger of hitting a grand slam, but Buster thought they might be able to get a small slam out of the game. Keeping his eyes on their cards, he tilted his whiskey glass to his lips, emptying it.

“Top you off?” said Louise.

Buster looked at Nelly, who raised an eyebrow. “Not tonight,” he said, and saw Nelly’s shoulders relax. He kissed her behind the ear and saw her cheeks redden in the lamplight.

George laid down a seven of clubs, Buster threw in a five of clubs, Louise put in a four of diamonds, and Nelly swept the trick for them with a six of diamonds. George had a good poker face. Louise’s was skilled simply by virtue of the fact that she was usually in a good humor whether her hand was bad or good. Nelly needed to work on hers. She straightened her expression as if hearing his thoughts.

He’d been living a double life for years now, but with Nelly in the picture, it had lately become a triple life. Buster One was the gay host always ready for sport, drink, and good company. The quiet man left in the gay fellow’s wake was Buster Two, who never forgot that Lady Luck would decide someday to be done with him, and maybe soon. Buster Three was content to spend afternoons and evenings with his girl in her small apartment where she watched him work out gags for Snap Shots and sat patiently as he gave her bridge lessons. She found him pleasing in bed, and never complained that the only dance floor he led her across was her living-room carpet and their only orchestra the tabletop phonograph he’d bought her. As February gave way to March, his routine of visiting her apartment two or three days a week for a couple hours at a time seldom changed. Twice he’d taken her for a drive into the Valley, although that was always risky in case someone recognized his car as he left town and got to wondering about the girl in the passenger seat. Last weekend they’d had their first bridge game with George and Louise, the first time anyone else had seen them together. Nelly had had the time of her life.

Buster Three couldn’t help wanting more, though. He longed to take her to a picture or have her on his arm during a premiere or benefit, dressed to the nines. He imagined her warming his bed at night, swimming laps in his pool in the morning, and playing bridge games in the billiards room on weekday afternoons. He was finding out that a mistress was a funny thing that way. The more you got of her, the more you wanted.

He stroked her back as she looked over at his hand, deciding which card to play next. They could take at least five more tricks by his count, which would put them at eight. Whether Nelly would spot them was the question. They were playing for a nickel a point. He’d wanted to do quarters, but Nelly had complained about how bad she was and insisted on a lower bet, so he let her have her way.

It was now getting close to ten o’clock. He knew they’d have to wrap the game up in the next half hour if he wanted to be home by midnight. It was the first time he’d stayed out so late with Nelly and not told Natalie where he was going.

“Just Molly and me,” Louise sang in a soft, idle voice, examining her cards. “And baby makes three. We’re happy in my blue heaven.”

Nelly yawned and he rubbed her back. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you home soon, sweetheart,” he said in her ear.

Nelly responded with a smile and he was gratified to watch her discard a three of diamonds in the next moment. He was pretty sure he could take the trick with a Jack of diamonds if neither George nor Louise played the Queen.

They left the apartment at a quarter to eleven, many nickels richer. Louise kissed Nelly goodbye on both cheeks. It made Buster happy to see the girls get along so well.

“How’d I do tonight?” said Nelly, as they walked through the darkness toward his Lincoln town car, holding hands.

“You’ll be able to play pro soon at the rate you’re going.”

She squeezed his hand. “Don’t tease.”

“Well okay, but we can start playing for quarters any day now.”

“Maybe dimes,” she said, laughing. “Maybe.” Another big yawn hit her.

“Don't fall asleep yet, you hear? I have things in mind for you.”

“What kind of things?” she said. From her flirtatious tone, he had a pretty good idea that she already knew.

“Let me take you home and I’ll show you.”

Though she was falling asleep on her feet by the time he parked on Genesee Avenue, she allowed him to walk her inside, persuade her onto the couch, and lift up her skirts. That gave her a second wind and she joined in the excursion with enthusiasm. When they were done and he’d buttoned his trousers back up, he watched her wander around the apartment in nothing but her garter belt and stockings, getting ready for bed. Apart from the nudie show, which he enjoyed tremendously, he found he’d missed watching her take down her hair and return from the washroom wearing it in braids, her cheeks shining from scrubbing her face. Tonight the routine was the same except that she was in the buff. He grinned, looking forward to having something to think about on Monday morning when the tedious conversations about Snap Shots resumed with the M-G-M brass and his surplus writers.

After Nelly had brushed her teeth, he followed her into her bedroom and watched her get into underthings and a pink sleeveless nightgown with ivory lace at the bodice.

“Sticking around to tell me a bedtime story?” she said, giving him an impudent smile.

He swatted her derrière in rebuke as she climbed into bed and drew the covers over her. “Sure. What’ll it be?” He sat on the side of the bed.

“I don’t care. Surprise me.”

“Once upon a time Charles Lindbergh flew over the Atlantic to find the prettiest girl in the world.”

Nelly giggled. “Oh, is that what his flights are about?”

“He gets to England. Nothing worth seeing. Same story in France and Italy and Indonesia.”

“Indonesia’s not in Europe.” Nelly was laughing, but her eyes had also closed.

“Who’s telling this story?” he said, tapping her shoulder. “So he gets back in the airplane, flies all the way across the Atlantic again. Gets to New York. All the dames he sees look like dogs practically. Well, he gets back into the airplane again and he commences to visit every state he can, Pennsylvania, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee. You name it, he visits it. It’s no good. He never saw such ugly girls. Any how, he’s running low on fuel for his airplane and he decides to make a stop in Chicago.”

“Mmm,” said Nelly. Her lids were beginning to twitch.

“While he’s there he goes and sees the sights. He takes an elevator up to the very top of the Tribune Tower. Guess who he meets on the top, top floor?”

Nelly sighed.

“Miss Nelly Foster, that’s who. That’s how he found the prettiest girl in the world.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. She gave a vague smile at the caress, but otherwise was out like a light. “G’night, sweetheart.”

He collected his jacket and locked her front door with the key she’d given him, which was in his pocket more often than not these days. It was half past midnight by the time he made it home. He half-expected Nate to be waiting in the sitting room or at the foot of the stone staircase demanding to know where he’d been, but the house was silent and dimly lit; he stubbed his toe on his way to the kitchen to see what Caruthers had left in the refrigerator.

Standing in the kitchen eating cold roast and cold cooked carrots from a priceless bone china plate a few minutes later, he was back to being Buster Two, bewildered that this could be his life. Buster wasn’t half bad at Shakespeare. The problem was that Nelly could barely recite her lines without laughing over his sober-faced version of Olivia, who spoke in a high, breathy voice. “Stay,” he would say, “I prithee, tell me what thou thinkest of me,” and clutch his hands in front of his heart so earnestly she would be in stitches.

“That you do think you are not what you are,” she’d answer, giggling.

She had a feeling he was trying to cut her up on purpose, but the straight face never faltered. After a half hour of practicing, Nelly called it a day. She would just have to learn the lines on her own. Buster seemed content to set aside the little green Arden Shakespeare edition of Twelfth Night. He drew his legs onto the sofa and put his head in her lap. She ran her hand through his thick dark hair as he closed his eyes. “You’re burning the candle again, Olivia.”

“Hmmph,” he said.

“Auditions are next Monday night. If I get the part, you’ll have plenty of time to help me rehearse my lines, I guess. The play doesn’t open ‘til the second week of June.”

Buster opened his eyes. “About that.” His brows were pinched.

“What?” she said.

“I’m leaving for New York on the seventh,” he said with a grim expression.

“Oh.” She’d known in an abstract way that Snap Shots took place in New York, but somehow she’d failed to imagine that Buster might shoot on location. Knowing now how he had traveled in order to film Our Hospitality, The General, and Steamboat, it was a conclusion she should have come to. “How long will you be gone?”

Buster sighed. “July. If I’m lucky.”

“How long have you known?” she said, wondering why he had waited to bring it up to her.

“Awhile. Before we started going together. Guess I just thought the day’d never get here.”

“I’ll miss you,” she said frankly, as she combed her fingers through his hair.

“I know,” said Buster. “I’ve been thinking about how to get around it. Maybe I’ll send for you at the halfway point or something. You ever been to New York?”

“Not once,” she said. She briefly considered the practicalities of traveling all the way across the country while trying to keep her job at United Artists and, if her tryout with the Los Angeles Players Company was successful, star in a play at the same time. She was also thinking of his wife, who would doubtless accompany him. Buster, always so honest and hopeful when he built castles in the air, plainly had not thought of this.

“Well, I got some good news, anyway. That was the bad news. Wanna hear it?” He looked up at her so earnestly that she couldn’t resist bending her head to kiss his mouth.

“Of course.

“I just rented a place just outside the M-G-M lot. A bungalow. Figured it’d save me some time going home every day. Plus you could stay the night. I got it all worked out.”

“Oh?” It sounded risky, but her stomach fluttered at the idea.

“Sure. I’ll pick you up and take you there after dark. We get up before the sun comes up and no one’s the wiser. I can get you over to United Artists in the morning.”

The scheme was more than a little hairbrained, but to Buster’s credit it worked. For two weeks before he left for New York, Nelly spent Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings at the bungalow. It was actually a double bungalow with separate entrances, the other half belonging to Edward Sedgwick, Buster’s new director, who used it as an office during business hours. Sedgwick’s half was always dark by the time Buster ushered Nelly through the door after nightfall, though. Buster’s side of the bungalow was a combination dressing room and gymnasium. The dressing room occupied the first room and contained a stove, refrigerator, and worktop so Caruthers could whip up meals. Like Sedgwick, he too was always gone by early evening, but left a hot dinner for two ready, never asking (or so Buster said) why he was cooking for two. The second room held weight equipment, a rowing machine, a punching bag, and other exercise equipment. Nelly had learned a few weeks back that Buster’s splendid physique was not the result of pratfalls, but of dedicated training. Off the gymnasium there was a small washroom, and at the back of the house a little bedroom with a double bed, a nightstand, and a chair. It was here that Nelly would fall asleep next to Buster, waking up more often than not in his arms.

The alarm clock would ring at a rude five a.m. and Buster would reach over her to silence it. Sometimes they would make love. Other times, Buster would fall back asleep and Nelly would watch him, letting him seize a few extra minutes before reluctantly shaking him awake again. Although he had every outward appearance of boundless energy when he was around her, she could tell in the droop of his eyes and the redness that occasionally invaded them that he was always tired. It was no wonder. There were bridge games with Louise and George Marshall, often stretching until midnight, and when there weren’t bridge games, he was practicing songs on the ukulele while she studied her lines, having recently gotten the part of Maria in Twelfth Night. In spare minutes, he’d tell her about baseball games, meetings with the M-G-M bigwigs, and lunches with other stars. He didn’t seem to have a second of his day that wasn’t filled.

One subject he didn’t discuss was his wife and children. It was as if that part of his life didn’t exist, though Nelly knew that he must spend time with them. At first, she hadn’t wanted to know about Natalie because it would have curdled her with guilt to think that she was monopolizing another woman’s husband. Now she didn’t want to know because her feelings for Buster had strengthened. She could almost convince herself that if she didn’t acknowledge that other part of his life, the fairytale that was their time together could stay in place forever.

And it was like a fairytale, even the ordinary parts, like Buster stumbling out of bed so he could go into the front room and make coffee. She loved his sleep-mussed hair and bare feet, the bleary way he groped for his pack of cigarettes and lit the first one of the day, how he would shrug on a dressing gown over his underthings—if he was even wearing underthings, which was never a guarantee when they were sharing a bed. While he was thus occupied, she would get dressed for the day and throw on a dab of lipstick and a quick brush of mascara. As the coffee percolated and Buster dressed, she’d make breakfast, either wheat cakes with eggs or steak and eggs. They always kept the curtains drawn, and if any early-morning peddler knocked on the door to attempt to sell Buster vegetables, soap, and any other number of commodities, she would creep to the back door and leave Buster to turn them down.

Despite their precautions, spending the night at the bungalow still felt dangerous. Nelly knew it would take only one pair of unfriendly eyes to spot them and the jig would be up. Buster, she thought, was much too casual on this point and she always made him double-check that none of his neighbors were peeping out of their homes as she hurried into his car between six and six-fifteen-a.m., depending on how long she’d let him sleep or whether carnal matters had preoccupied them for an extra ten minutes. Even so, it was hard to stay nervous with his cheery attitude. He had only to throw her one of his beautiful smiles, upper teeth straight and gleaming, and she would be set at her ease again.

Notes: Is this chapter too sentimental? Be honest.

I should warn you that because life is hectic right now for me, I’ll probably go down to an every-other-week update. I was away this weekend and got to working on Chapter 26 when I returned, only to discover I needed to add just two sentences to it. -_- Sorry for the delay. There are some anachronisms here and there will be in the future. Louise Brooks wasn’t in the States at this time. I think I did get the timing on the bungalow right, though. The opening part of the second part of this chapter takes place around March 24th.

#Buster Keaton #Fan fiction #RPF #Actor RPF #Silent film #Golden Age Hollywood

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cibeewastaken · 4 years

Note

So like your ficlets destroy me EVERY time they cross my dash. DESTROY. In the best way. They're gorgeous. So here I am, asking for more destruction, apparently?? For the way you said "I love you" game--nr 18, from very far away? ❤️

WOWOWOW Thank you!!! I’m so glad you like them!!! They’re really fun to do and I like trying new things with them, so really bless yall for sending prompts

18. From very far away

Draco had been away from England for three weeks, and Rome for two weeks when he stepped foot on Capri Island. He knew he should contact Pansy first, but he hadn’t found a payphone yet, and the magical office at Rome told Draco that none of the Capri residences were magic; uses of magic should be limited or preferably not at all. Draco privately thanked this little miracle, no owls, Floos, Apparition or Patronus was allowed! That way Pansy couldn’t be able to tell where he was from his magic, and she won’t be able to show up at his doorstep like in Rome. Draco was just relieved that she didn’t go as far as telling his location to Harry, or any of his cronies.

After Pansy showed, Draco had found a new flat the next day, leaving the old one and a note for Pansy, and didn’t leave his room until he was sure Pansy had given up and left Italy. Then Draco spent his days sitting in numerous cafés, ordering coffee after coffee, basking in the sunlight, staring at the crowd and not bothering to see anything.

And his plan at Capri was similar, except sunlight was practically nonexistent this time of year, and it was drizzling when he stepped off the ferry. When Draco looked out to the ocean, he could only just make out the outline of Italy. Faint enough to pretend it wasn’ t there, and that England wasn’t somewhere beyond that, too.

By the time he arrived at the lodging, the sky had turned purple, and his feet ached from traveling without magic. Draco didn’t want to talk to anyone, not even a cabbie. His place was more of a villa than a flat, with ivy-wrapped pillars on the balcony, overlooking the foggy ocean and lights of houses. Draco dropped his satchel, shot a hazy spell at his feet, then fell asleep on the couch.

---

Little shops and narrow alleyway painted pale yellow comprised the region Draco was staying. It seemed lemons were a symbol here. There were lemon trees everywhere. Shops sold lemon themed everything: tea towels with a map of Italy and it’s various kinds of lemons (they all looked the same to Draco), plates, espresso cups, lemon tree seeds, lemon candies. Delizia al Limone and liqueur limoncello was on every menu. Draco wandered into a small shop to smell the place more than anything, but he left with a bag of candies. Instead of sitting down in a café, he found a bench by the port and allowed the fog to permeate him as he chewed on sticky, sour treats. Before going home when the sky went dark and remembered he hadn’t called Pansy. There was a payphone some distance away from the villa, Draco pushed in coins until it beeped, and he called the rarely used number.

It took a while for her to pick up, Draco suspected it was because she didn’t remember where the phone was.

“Hello?” Pansy said through statics.

“Hi,” Draco said, tapping up the glass walls of the phone booth.

Pansy didn’t say anything for a beat, then, “Potter came this morning, again.”

“Did he.”

“He’s been driving me mad, just send him an owl so he’ll get off my arse, will you?”

Draco humphed, not responding to the jab. “I’m just calling to tell you I’m okay.”

“If you were okay, you wouldn’t be Morgana knows where right now!” Pansy said. “You could have just stayed with me! I could have warded my house so hard that Potter’s balls would shrivel into raisins if he even thought about coming near.”

“Your house wasn’t far enough,” Draco murmured.

Pansy sighed. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we all know Potter didn’t mean any harm. He’s truly incapable of it.”

“I know that, Pansy,” Draco said. “But what does it matter if he meant it or not, when he ends up hurting me anyway?”

“He’s fucking dense, that’s why!” Sounds of clacking: Pansy drumming her nails. “He didn’t realize he’d been taking you for granted.”

“I know he didn’t!” Draco snapped, really pushing down the urge to blow up this payphone so Pansy’s eardrums would burst before the line cut off. “I know I’m being stupid, and selfish, but he was back to England for a week and he didn’t tell me! I went home after work, every day, waiting for his owl, not even his person, just his stupid, fucking owl, to let me know he was safe and home, and not bleeding out in St Mungo’s or worse!”

“Draco — ”

“And I wouldn’t even know if Granger hadn’t had the decency to tell me, so — so — ”

And so what? Draco didn’t know, so he slammed the handset back and buried his face in his hand, tears welling up, telling himself it was because Pansy was being annoying, that’s the reason. Draco fell to a crouch, ceremonially refusing to admit he was crying over stupid Potter like eleven-year-old Draco had done.

---

Capri’s weather didn’t let up in the following week. Draco had gotten used to walking out in a drizzle to the port and finding something to sit. Cats around the neighborhood had taken to following him because Draco put on warming charms before leaving the house. He sat by the port and chew on lemon candies until his stomach hurt. He walked back and listened to the portable radio he brought so he wouldn’t be completely lost when he decided to go back. Then he slept on the couch, the huge bed untouched still.

---

Draco was opening a bottle of cheap red he got from the market when the radio’s regularly scheduled program was interrupted by a special interview. Draco rolled his eyes and took a sip, sighing in content. Even cheap reds here was better than most things sold in England. The host prattled on excitedly before a throaty laugh interrupted her, and Draco stopped in his movement.

“Mr. Potter, I cannot say enough how honored we are to have you,” the host said.

Harry laughed again, an uncomfortable one, but it didn’t seem like the host could tell. Draco dropped down to the couch, sinking into the blankets and pillow, red spilling.

“What changed? Why do you suddenly want to take up this offer?”

“I admit it’s for a selfish reason,” Harry’s voice said. Draco’s heart pounded. His limbs felt weak and tortured. There was a steadily spreading stain on his shirt.

“And what’s the ‘selfish’ reason?” the host asked, as though they didn’t believe Harry was capable of that emotion.

“I’m looking for someone, and I know he listens to the radio every day … ” Harry’s voice trailed off and broke near the end. There was a stretch of deep breaths.

“Mr. Potter?”

“Yes, sorry,” Harry said, though his voice was still hoarse.

“Who is this person that made you take such a measure to look for? We all know how much you value your privacy.”

“He’s — was, is? My boyfriend,” Harry said. Draco wished he could see Harry’s face.

“Oh,” the host said, clearly taken off guard yet pleased they got the scoop. “So you’ve been in a relationship.”

“Yes. For a while now.” Harry went quiet. “Look, I don’t want to be rude, but I’m really not here for an interview. I just need him to know — I miss him, so much, and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for being so stupid and scared and just, not realizing how much you thought of me. That’s … I didn’t think someone would care about me so much. I’m sorry — ”

The host sounded scandalized. “Mr. Potter — ”

“ — for not realizing,” Harry sniffed. Draco closed his eyes. He’d never seen Harry cry before. Draco had always been the one to tear up first and Harry would always stop whatever they were doing to hold him. Harry continued, “ — I had been using separation to run away from separation,” Harry said. “For not seeing how much ache I was causing you. For thinking that I didn’t love you so outrageously that nothing should have been big enough to scare me,” Harry sucked in a shuddering breath. “Yes, I love you. Please, I love you. Where are you?”

Draco slumped into the couch. His face dropped backward like his neck had decided to stop working. He squeezed his eyes shut at the ceiling even though there were no one here to see him cry. Across the ocean, in England, Harry was sniffling for the whole world to hear. And that did Draco in. He didn’t want Harry to cry.

Draco stumbled out of the door into the rain. Cats were hiding under his belvedere. Draco paused to cast a warming charm until they all stopped shivering. Then he went on, felt his way around the streets until he saw the tiny light in the distance.

The glass was slippery when Draco pushed it open, and he shivered, fingers gripping the phone as he pushed in coins and coins. The Wizarding Telephone Centre did not appreciate Draco’s shivering speech, but passed him along to the Wizarding Wireless Network. The employee there was even more grouchy.

“Mr. Potter is in an interview right now!” the woman said.

“Please,” Draco said. “Just ask, please? If he refuses, then hang up.”

She grumbled and muttered. Whooshing sounds signaled the memos being sent out, and Draco dropped his forehead to the glass, focusing on the rain hitting it instead of the clattering of office noise. He was in the only bright thing within miles. Capri was asleep in the dark, except for a tiny phone booth with a tiny lightbulb amidst tiny raindrops.

Then, “Uh,” she said. “Mr. Potter is here to take — ” Then sounds of the phone being wrenched away, and Harry’s frantic “sorry, sorry!”

“Harry?” Draco said, quiet.

Then Draco could hear Harry’s shivering breaths. Surely it wasn’t cold and raining at the Wireless office. Surely Harry wasn’t coming down from bearing his heart out to everyone for the slight chance that one person would hear it. Surely Harry wasn’t holding back tears at hearing Draco’s voice, that would just be unthinkable.

“Draco,” Harry said. “Draco, it’s you. It’s you?”

“Yes,” Draco said. Then, disconcerted, “You’re not still on air, are you?”

Harry laughed. A nasally sound. “No. I don’t — I don’t know what they’re doing now.”

“Okay,” Draco said, unsure now what the next thing to say was. He hadn’t spoken a word to anyone in such a long time.

“Draco, Draco.” Harry was saying, as if he was making up for lost times. “Draco, I’m sorry.”

“I know you are, Harry,” Draco said. “I know you are, but — that doesn’t change — ”

“I know,” Harry said. “I’m really awful at this, Draco.” Miserably. “You’ve just always been there, and I really thought you’d always will, but that’s not how this works, is it? I didn’t realize I’d been doing that. I didn’t know you’ve been waiting. I was so scared of you thinking I was a burden, someone you had to make an effort to take care of. I’m terrified one day there’d just be too much you think that comes with me and decides I’m just not worth the effort.”

“There seems to be an abundance of you thinking what I thought and nothing about you actually asking me what I thought,” Draco said.

“Hermione said that too,” Harry said. “She was really angry when she found out I hadn’t told you I was back. She said not wanting you to see me recovering isn’t an excuse.”

“It’s not,” Draco blinked slowly, tiredly.

“I was afraid you’d ask me to give up the Aurors.”

“And you know this how?” Draco said, pressing his aching eyes to the cold, gently vibrating glass. “You asked me, did you? Wrote me a little note, hm? Asked me when I was asleep and wonder if my snores are actually Morse code for ‘Quit your job and be my trophy husband’?”

Harry sounded oddly pleased when he said, “Husba — ” before Draco cut him off,

“It’s so stupid,” Draco said, now really getting into it. He’d not said a word for the last three weeks and Harry always was the best person at getting Draco to break. “It’s one of those things I hated because everyone liked it, and as far as I could tell, this thing made people miserable than happy more often than not and then I hated it until I tried to think, maybe this thing is actually nice and there’s a reason people like this — this stupid, wretched thing. So when I got over being mean and childish about it I had allowed myself to finally fall in love, and after I did I wondered, oh god, god, why weren’t more people doing this?”

“Draco — ” Harry breathed. And Draco cut him off once again,

“No, no. I understand. I’ve never said it to you as well. But can’t you understand that it’s difficult for me, more so because it’s you? Did it make any difference that it was you? Perhaps if I had fallen in love with anyone else, it would have been just love. But to me, when it was you, it scalds me. Of course it made a difference when it’s you. And it never really occurred to me what happens if I had been falling in love alone. And for someone who has been doing most things alone for most of my life, I should have really thought about it before letting myself think it was safe to do so.”

“Draco,” there Harry went again, saying his name like he was using it to cast a Patronus. “You weren’t doing it alone.”

“I know that now,” Draco said petulantly. “Found out on the radio!”

Harry laughed, and Draco knew what he was going to say, but he didn’t think his heart could take it the second time if Harry wasn’t there for Draco to fall into. And he was dangerously close from saying the words himself, like a little monster had crawled from his chest and was trying to pry his lips open. So Draco stared at the glass of the phone booth very hard, enough he’d only see the night outside, and said, wetly, “I would have never asked you to quit.”

“Draco. Draco, are you crying?”

“No,” Draco said, crying. “It’s just raining here.”

“Where’s ‘here’?”

“Not saying. I won’t have you Gryffindoring here like some … some … ”

Harry sounded like he was smiling. “Like some Gryffindor?”

“Yes, that,” Draco said lamely.

Harry started to laugh. “God, I miss you. I keep … I keep wanting to talk to you. The other day Ron wore a bright purple robe with neon pink and orange patterns — ”

“Oh god,” Draco choked, delighted at the image. “Oh my!”

“Yes, yes!” Harry sounded so happy. “I knew you’d like it, and I just wanted to go home and tell you about it, but — ”

Draco’s laughter died down. He chewed on his bottom lip.

When Harry spoke again, his voice was soft. “I wrote it down, in a notebook. Other stuff, too. Things I saw that reminded me of you, or things I wanted to tell you. Things I knew you would get a laugh out of. I just … ”

“Harry,” Draco said.

“I miss you,” Harry said again. “I know I messed up, can I … can we … ”

Harry sniffed. Draco felt very sad, and very cold. He could only fix one, so he cast a warming charm.

“I’ll be at home,” Harry said. His voice was getting statics.

Draco banged his knee against the glass, cursing himself for forgetting he was using a completely muggle phone. “Harry, wait — ” Draco didn’t think it was wise to use magic to fix it. He fumbled for his wallet, but his fingers were stiff from the cold and gripping the phone too hard; coins scattered across the floor. “Wait — ”

“I’ll be,” Harry’s voice came through weakly in pieces. “Draco? I — ”

Draco dropped the phone and crouched to snatch up a coin blindly. Even one penny would be plenty more time. When he pressed his ear back to the phone, he caught onto the last of Harry’s words, “ — home.”

The rhythmic beeps of disconnect tone continued until the payphone finally gave away.

“Harry?” Draco said into the phone, pressing the switchhook and got nothing but silence. “Harry? Harry. Harry — ”

---

Draco put out some food by the door and renewed the warming charm. “I hope you all won’t get attached,” Draco said to the cats; none of them were paying him any attention. “But I shan’t be here any longer to help you. Go find someone else tomorrow. Stay dry, stay fat, and maybe I’ll see you again one day.”

He wired the rest of the rent over to the owner and left the key under the flowerpot, then he made his way back down to the port alone for the last time. Draco bought a ticket for the next ferry and sat down to wait. Then he felt a little odd sitting there with nothing but his luggage. Draco squinted up at the bright sun, and took one last look at the pale yellow walls and narrow roads before jumping up and dashing into one of the little shops.

“Silly me, almost forgot,” Draco said to the shopkeeper as he placed a bag of lemon candies on the counter. “Souvenir.”

The shopkeeper rang up his purchase. “So you do talk.”

“Just in a good mood.” Draco grinned at her. “I’m going home.”

(The way you said “I love you.”

Other “I love you”s)

#drarry #draco malfoy #harry potter #hp #h/d #darry #my fic #prompt: I love you #tepre

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