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kayteewritessteve · 4 years

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Perfectly Perfect

Description: After a long few days at work, the love of your life helps you unwind. (A slightly Modern Office AU)

Masterlist HERE.

Word Count: 7,780 ish.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader.

Rating: 18+ (is smut)

Warnings: Horrible smut. Be warned. No minors allow. Keep scrolling if you aren’t 18 years or older. Oh, and ‘unprotected’ sex, though reader has an IUD and mentions it. So you’ve now been warned.

Requested: Nah, this is my first ever attempt at smut. It’s long-winded and cringey as hell. Soooooo read it if you want, but be aware that it’s not very good at all. But I’m trying, and slowly learning, and the fact I finally managed to actually write any smut at all, even horrible smut, is huge for me. Baby steps.

A/N: I sadly don’t own any of these characters. And no beta reader, so I do proudly own all the errors and this story, so there’s that.

Final warning y’all. Turn back now. This isn’t good. It’s basically horribly written, long-winded, comfortable fluff with a slight hard fucking, if you reeeeally squint. So yeah. Ugh. I’m so damn awkward. Aaaanywho! Good luck! May the odd be ever in your favour, and all that jazz!

You released a deep, exhausted breath as your eyes dropped down to read the time on the bottom right hand corner of your monitor's screen. 7:02pm. Only 2 hours passed your ‘normal’ end time, though over the last few months, you’d been putting in a lot of overtime. Far more than was normal, and it seemed lately, like 7 was the new 5.

You sigh as you lean back in your chair, bringing your hands up to rub the heels of them into your eyes. No longer worried about your mascara, as it was probably long gone by now, what with how many times you’d rubbed your tired eyes today, already. You decided it was probably time to head home, your brain was done for the day, and you knew you wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything more tonight. At least not without lots of errors, and then having to just waste more time tomorrow redoing most of that very same work. Work smarter, not harder. That was the motto you lived by.

So with that last thought, you leaned forward and powered down your computer, clicking the soft button on the side of your monitor to put it to rest as well. Then you pulled open the bottom drawer of your desk, retrieving your purse from within and placing it on the top of your desk, as you slipped back into your heels. The ones you’d removed hours ago to give your poor feet a much needed reprieve.

Once they were firmly, and achingly, back in place, you stood up and removed your jacket from the back of your chair. Slipping it on and pulling your hair out from within it, before hitting the forward to voicemail button on your desk phone. If anyone were to phone after you left, it would go straight to voicemail now, saving them the moment or two of just useless ringing.

You then grabbed your purse and phone off your desk, and made your way towards the office door. Opening it once you reached it and flicking off the overhead lights, as you slipped into the hallway. Promptly closing the door behind you once you fully reached the hall. Your eyes instinctively glanced across the corridor, seeing that Steve’s door was slightly ajar, and his lights were still on, so clearly he’d been working late, just as you had been. But that was nothing new.

If you had to pick any words to describe yourself, hard-working would be near the top of that list, if not at the very top. You always took your job seriously, and did everything in your power to be efficient, reliable and focused. But yet, that man, he always seemed to one up you. You thought you were a crazy workaholic. Ha! Perish the thought! That man, he was the very definition of the words. You’d never met anyone more hardworking than yourself, until you walked through these office doors for the first time, and were introduced to the enigmatic Steven Grant Rogers.

Though he didn’t stay a mystery for long, after only a week, you had him pretty much entirely figured out. Or so you thought at the time, at least. Sweet, thoughtful, charming, hard-working to a fault, intensely intelligent with a quick wit and the deep voice of an angel, all things that had made your knees weak and your heart flutter just from being in the same room as him. But then having his full attention on you, and only you, made your whole body heat up, your mind turn to mush, and your palms clam up, instantly. Every time.

It took a few more weeks after that to level yourself out around him, to just acclimatize yourself to the sheer force of being in the presence of this perfect specimen of a man. And you hadn’t even mentioned his exterior yet, you’d only vaguely touched on what he was packing on the inside. His outside was, well shit, it was also sheer perfection in and of itself.

He was all hard lines of pure stone wrapped deliciously in tantalizingly unmarred golden skin. He was a beautiful tall, broad and rippling form to behold. What with his wide shoulders, trim waist, and thighs that could draw most people's eyes and keep them trapped for eternity. You being the owner of one of those mentioned set of eyes.

So yeah, he was utter perfection in a lovely and large package. It was wholly unfair, if anyone asked you, that a man could look, act and just be that flawless, that sublime. You instantly needed to find some fault in him, you begged the God’s above to have given him some sort of flaw, there was just no way anyone could be that unequaled. That utterly perfect. It was not fair to the rest of the human population. Not even a little bit.

No one could, or should, be that glorious. But over the last 5 years of working here, with him, you’d learned early on that he was perfection in the human form. And even when you did finally track down his faults, his ‘flaws’, they weren’t even that bad. They didn’t even nick the lovely shell around him, they couldn’t even scrape or mar his lovely exterior, in any way, shape or form.

The contradiction of that, if you’re honest. His flaws made him even more perfect to you, made him even more sublime than he’d originally appeared at first glance. Because they made him more relatable, more human, just all around more. And knowing he had a few little flaws did nothing to quell your thoughts towards the man. They stood to only heightened them actually.

You shake your head, banishing the warm belly and heart pace inducing thoughts, knowing you couldn’t walk into his office to say your daily goodbyes, with the dang heart eyes your latest thoughts had evoked in you. That man could read anyone like a dang book, and after 5 years of being his personal assistant, you couldn’t hide a single thing from his all-seeing eyes. He just knew you too well now, too fully and completely.

You venture across the hall, towards his slightly ajar door and knock lightly as you push it open. And the heart eyes nearly returned as you are graced with the image of his large form wrapped to perfection in his dark grey suit. The suit appearing as if it was a second skin, tailored to his whole form perfectly. And damn, you sure do use that word, in all its forms, a lot in regards to him. But he is ‘Perfect’, and there just isn’t any better word to use in his case. There is no other words better suited to him, then just pure perfection.

He sits behind his large dark wood desk, reading glasses rested effortlessly upon the straight bridge of his perfect nose. His brows furrowed just so, in perfectly focused thought, as he types rapidly upon his keyboards keys. Most likely finishing up a report, or replying to an urgent email, either or, it doesn’t really matter. Nor does it take away from, or effect, the beauty of the image before you.

The first time you ever saw him with his black framed reading glasses on, you damn near swooned yourself into a puddle on his office floor. Something about a handsome man of his caliber, wearing glasses as he focused his attention on a computer monitor or the papers clasped within his large, tanned and veiny hands, just did things to you. Made you a fluttery and warm mess of a thing.

Ugh, you really need to focus here. You came in here to say your goodbyes, not eye fuck your oblivious boss from the shadows of his doorway.

“Hey,” you softly say, not wanting to startle him as you take a small step further into the room. “I’m heading out now, did you need anything else before I leave for the day?”

His eyes flick up to meet yours, and he gives you that gloriously perfect half smile he’s become so famous for. It isn’t a broad or large smile, by any means, it’s subdued and just a quirk up of the corners of his perfect lips. Did you forget to mention his pump and pillowy lips in your rambling internal exposé on the man before you? Oh, well, that was your bad entirely, as his lips were the second best feature upon his perfect face.

They were only second to those stunning deep blue eyes, the ones that currently held you trapped, and showed more emotion and compassion within them than you ever thought possible. You’d always heard or read about being able to read one's true feelings through their eyes, but you’d never been able to relate to those sentiments before, at least not until you met the Adonis before you. He didn’t hide a thing, and you believed he had not one damn thing to hide, even if he’d wanted to. He left it all out in the open where his eyes were concerned, it made it all the more easier to get to know him. To figure out his true being and personality. To determine what he liked, disliked, and found amusing. His eyes told every tale, used more words then his lips could even fathom. Everything personal you knew of this man, you’d learned from the beautiful blue gateways to his soul.

“Uh,” he hummed thoughtfully as he glanced down at his watch momentarily, and you didn’t miss the slight widening of his perfect blues when he realized the time. His eyes flicked back up to trap you once more as he leaned back on his seat and gave you his full and undivided attention. Just as he always did with everyone. He always made his employees and coworkers feel like the center of his little world, for however long they were gifted the pleasure of being in his presence. “I didn’t even realize how late it was,” he said before he bestowed upon you a small taste of his gloriously deep chuckle. “I’ll be heading out shortly myself, so everything else can wait till tomorrow.”

“Okay,” you nodded, a small chuckle leaving your lips now, “try not to overwork yourself too much. You need to eat and get at least a few hours of sleep tonight, as you have an 8:30 am conference call tomorrow.”

His smile grew just a fraction, as he crossed his large arms over his broad chest. He always got a small kick out of you mothering him. “I know, and don’t worry, I’ll set an alarm for myself and leave the second it goes off.”

“Please ensure that you do,” you smiled sweetly to offset the slight commanding tone that you’d just used on your boss. “You can’t push yourself too hard, or you’ll be dead on your feet tomorrow. And then you’ll be no use to any of us.”

He chuckled again, a little louder this time, and your mind tried desperately to lock the lovely sound away for your enjoyment for all of eternity. Then he unfolded his arms, picked his phone up off the desk and gave it a few moments attention, before you heard the distinct click of it being locked, and then he placed it back down on the desk and glanced up at you once again. “There, the alarm is all set.”

You valiantly fought the giant grin that wanted to show itself to the cheeky but perfect man before you, however you only managed to contain it to the form of a small uptick of the corners of your mouth. “Good. I swear you work too hard sometimes. You make the rest of us look bad.”

He mimicked your small smile, “I don’t think I could ever do that.” His words made your heart flutter, but only just a little, and you’d never admit it aloud. A soft ping sounded around the quiet room and his eyes drifted back to the monitor’s screen for a few seconds before looking back to you. “Okay, get outta here before we both start living in this office,” he said sweetly, with a slightly stern edge. You both knew far too well how easily you could lose track of time and space, and end up here till midnight, or even later, before either of you even realized it. “And thanks for staying so late again, Y/N.” His smile turned slightly knowing, “I’m sure you have better things to do with your time than be here finishing off reports for me.”

You swatted away his concerned words as if they were a pesky fly in the air. “It’s fine. Really. All I have scheduled for tonight is making dinner for the man I love, and then I plan to happily sleep the night away.”

He nodded, a small smile upon his lips once again as he leaned forward and his eyes focused back on his monitor. “Sounds like a lovely night. He’s a lucky guy.”

“That he is,” you hummed in agreement, biting your lip to suppress your chuckle. With one nod of your head, you turned and stepped back towards the door to the hallway, “Goodnight, Boss.”

And just as you reached the door, his voice drifted into your eyes once more. “Goodnight, PA.”

Those were the two nicknames you both joking called each other. The nicknames you’d started using years ago, after he’d insisted on you calling him Steve early on in your job, but calling him by his first name just hadn’t seemed appropriate at the time. You couldn’t get over the unprofessional feel of using his first name as if you were his friend, or something of the like. He was your boss, but he hated being called ‘Mr. Rogers’. He said it made him feel like an older man in a sweater, talking to dolls on a train.

So, you’d jokingly called him Bossman one day years ago, and over time it shortened to just ‘Boss’. But he wasn’t really a fan of that either, so in return, just to joke back with you, he’d referred to you as ‘PA’, and that nickname had just sort of stuck as well. Though he only ever used it in reply to your use of ‘Boss’.

You giggled quietly to yourself as you exited the office, pulling the door back to it’s slightly ajar spot as you did.

You step through the front door into your quiet apartment, the one you share with the only man you’ve ever truly loved. The lights are all off, and there isn’t a sound anywhere within the still space. But you knew he wasn’t home yet, and you preferred it that way. It gave you a moment of quiet time to yourself, to get out of your tight work clothes and start in on dinner before he walked through the very same door you were closing softly with a click of the lock.

After removing your coat and hanging it on the hooks beside the door, you remove your heels to allow your achy feet a much needed break from their confines.

You wiggled your toes, and stretched your feet out before planting them upon the cold hardwood floors and making your way through the quiet apartment. Reveling in the few moments of peace it awarded your mind, before your love got home. As once he did, he’d fill the quiet space with his soft recounts of his day, the goings on in his little world, and his inquisitive questions about your own day.

Moving into the kitchen, you flick on the soft pendant lights above the island and place your purse atop it, before turning to set the stove to begin warming it to the proper temp. Then you move to the fridge and pull out the premade meal from within, the one you’d put together at the beginning of the week for this exact day. Pre-prepped meals at the beginning of every week, usually made on lazy Sunday afternoons, was the only way you’d ever be able to continue to eat properly, and not just succumb to quick junk food on the fly.

Your work hours, just as your boyfriends, were always a little crazy and long, and so spending hours prepping a meal every night was not an option for either of you. Instead, you both picked a few meal ideas on Sunday, and then together you’d get everything prepped and packaged and put away in the fridge, before spending the evening cuddled up on the couch and watching a movie with a glass or two of wine. Needing that relaxing few hours to prepare you both for the craziness of the work week ahead.

After placing the packages for tonight's dinner on the counter, you quickly send off a text to your boyfriend, to inform him of your safe arrival home. Then you made your way to the bedroom to change into something more comfortable and wash off any remaining makeup. Whatever was even still left after the countless rubs and presses of your hands throughout the day.

You pulled out a pair of comfy pj shorts and a fitted tank top from your dresser drawer, placing them on the made up bed before moving into the bathroom. You quickly took a makeup removing wipe to your skin, thoroughly cleansing the surface before lathering on your nightly moisturizer and heading back into the bedroom. You pulled the dress shirt up and out from the waist of your pencil skirt and started in on the buttons, going from top to bottom in an effortless and perfected way. One that could only come from years of doing this exact action, over and over and over again.

Once the shirt was open, you slipped it down your arms and placed it neatly atop the bed, before moving on to the zipper on the back of your dark grey fitted pencil skirt. But just as your nimble fingers grasped the dainty zipper, two large warm hands met yours and you jumped a little at the contact.

But then a soft and soothingly deep voice whispered into your ear, warm breath caressing the cooled skin of your neck as it washed over you. “Here, let me.”

You smiled as you glanced over your shoulder at the beautiful man behind you, the one you loved more than anything or anyone else. And the very one that despite his sheer size, always managed to sneak up on you. You hadn’t even heard the door unlock, nor it being opened and closed to allow him entry into the suite. Nor the sounds of him removing his jacket and shoes, or even hearing the telltale sounds of his keys and wallet meeting the bowl on the entryway table.

He was always a damn ninja, and you really shouldn’t have even jumped at the initial contact. You should be entirely used to him sneaking up on you by now, but yet, you weren’t, and you believed you never would be.

You nod your approval of his offer, as your eyes drink him in, in all his end of the busy work day glory. His deft fingers make short work of the task, and you realize that he is just as familiar and perfected in the action of undressing you, as you are. Maybe he is even a little better at it than you, having found yourself at the mercy of his lustful and enraptured hands many times. All the times he’d expertly and delicately—though sometimes, on special occasions, they were fumbly and forceful as they—removed every article of clothing keeping your full form hidden from his heated gaze.

Once the zipper met the end of it’s line, his fingers hooked into the waistband and slowly pushed the stretchy material down your hips where it then plummeted unchallenged to the floor below. Leaving you just in your matching black lace bustier and panties, only a few small areas of your body still hidden from his view. But as his large, warm hands found your hips and turned you to meet his intense eyes fully, you instantly realized those small areas wouldn’t be hidden for much longer. Not if the hungry twinkle in his eyes was anything to go off of at the moment.

His hands slipped behind you, his arms encompassing your waist as his gaze drifted down and back up, before he pulled you towards him, and gently crushed your small body into his much larger, more robust one. “New?” He asked in a deep and curious tone.

You smirked knowingly up at him, “they are. What do you think?”

He leaned back a little, just enough to check out the newly acquired delicate lace set once more. And as he did, your hands landed on his pecs, loving the warmth of him and using it to take the chill out of your fingers. Once his eyes had finished their thorough re-inspection, they flicked up to meet yours and you nearly shivered at the immense desire pooling within them now. “I think you should never wear anything else, ever again.”

You chuckled, your hands sliding up his chest to delve into his lusciously soft locks. “I don’t think my boss would approve of this as appropriate work attire around the office.”

He smirked down at you, nodding slowly, “mmm, you’re probably right about that. I’m sure he wouldn’t approve at all. Especially with all the people you have to meet with throughout the day.”

“Yes, and he’d probably even force me to remain hidden away in my office, the whole entire day,” you gasp playfully. “How will I live without being able to get a coffee from the break room?!”

He chuckles, “I’m sure he’d willingly bring you a coffee whenever you needed one, if it meant he could witness the masterpiece that is you in this damn set.” His finger hooked into the elastic waist of your panties and pulled it away from your skin slightly before he released it, causing a gentle snapping sound to play out in your ears. As if the noise was to affirm the words he just spoke.

“No, he isn’t like that. He’s a completely respectful and professional man,” you grin up at him. “I’m more willing to bet he’d offer me his suit jacket, just to ensure my modesty stayed at least slightly intact.”

“I dunno, that might make it worse,” he hums, as a small smirk plays on his lips now. “I’m picturing you in just this and a large suit jacket, and the image alone is killing me. He’d probably die on the spot.”

“Should we find out?” You playfully question as your hands slip from his hair and back down his chest, moving under the edges of your boyfriend's suit jacket and slowly slipping the material off his broad shoulders and down his arms. He assists you as you go, helping to fully remove the jacket and then you take it in one hand and step back, his hands reluctantly drifting from your skin as you go. Then you flip the jacket around you, and slide the sleeves onto your arms, before settling the jacket on your shoulders and gripping the lapels to adjust the placement.

Once it’s all set in place, your eyes flick back up to meet his from below your lashes and find they aren’t looking into yours anymore. His eyes are hungrily roving over your entire form, and that fact alone causes your belly to warm up and your heart to pick up its pace. The things just having this man's eyes on you, can do to you, is wholly unfair.

His eyes finally meet yours, and you notice instantly that they have darkened dramatically now. Looking more black than their usual perfect colour at the moment. “Yup, just as I thought,” he nods, and you don’t miss his thick swallow, his Adam's Apple bobbing from the sheer force of it. “This is much, much worse. He’d never be able to keep his hands off of you, and then we’d really have a problem.”

You glance down at the floor between you both, tucking a few errant strands of hair behind your ear coyly, as you whisper, “maybe I don’t want him to keep his hands off me.” Your eyes flick back up to his, giving him the best doe-eyed look you can muster, as your voice comes out a little louder, but yet, just as soft, just as sultry as before, “maybe I want him to touch me, everywhere. Anywhere.”

A soft groan echoes in your boyfriend's solid chest, so soft you almost didn’t catch it. And at that sound, he surges forward, his hands pushing the jacket from your shoulders before they find your hips again, as he effortlessly lifts you off your feet. Your legs quickly go around his waist, to rest on his narrow hips and your arms encircle his neck, just to help him hold you up. Though it’s not like he actually needs the help.

His lips crash into yours, and you couldn’t miss the neediness of the action, even if you tried. You meet his need head on, returning it in full force to show you are feeling the exact same way he is at the moment.

He takes a few stumbly and blind steps to the bed, and before you know it, you're being deposited upon the pillowy surface with a small gasp. He chuckles quietly at your reaction, and then his large hands grip your waist and pull you forcefully towards the edge, before he places a knee between your legs and leans over you just enough to slip one large hand behind your back. As the other presses into the bed beside your head. His deft fingers make short work of your bustiers clasps, thanks to you arching your back to help his hasty endeavour.

His hand slips around to the front of you, his fingers caressing your ribs as they go, before he grabs the front of the only thing covering your upper half, and pulls it away from your chest and down your arms, then discards it somewhere over his shoulder. It’s final resting place being the very last thing your mind cares about in this moment. As now his hands are moving down your sides, his fingers slipping into the waistband of your panties and helping them go the same way as the bustier; slipped from your form and flung carelessly over his shoulder to the floor behind.

Once you are fully bared to his intense gaze, he stands back up and gives your whole body another once over. His eyes only darken more as he goes, and you didn’t even think that was possible. He keeps his eyes slowly moving over you, as his fingers undo the belt around his waist, then the button and zipper of his suit trousers. And once that is accomplished he pulls the white shirt out, and you prop yourself up on your elbows for a better view of what’s about to come.

You only catch a small glimpse of the smirk on his lips, before your hungry eyes are all too focused on the slow movements of his masterful fingers. Oh the glorious things those thick digits can do. You know first hand how truly spectacular they really are, at both unraveling clothes, and you.

Just as he finishes off the last button, you can’t hold yourself back any more. Just watching him, as he undresses before you with his eyes locked on your naked body is driving you insane. He is just taking too damn long, he is thoroughly teasing you right now, and the smirk still on his lips tells you he knows exactly what he’s doing to you.

You push up off the bed and move to the edge, grabbing the waist of his pants and yanking him forcefully towards you, mumbling, “get over here already,” as you do.

He chuckles and obliges to your hasty demand, but you only know that because if he didn’t want to move, there is nothing you could do or say to change that. He is like a damn brick wall when he wants to be. Your fingers take no time at all to slip into the waistband of his pants and boxers, grasping them both and pulling them down to free him from their confines. He barely manages to get his dress shirt off his upper half, before you’ve completely exposed his entire lower half.

Your eyes drink in his newly naked form, starting from his face, moving down his broad shoulders, his defined chest, his chiseled abs, the glorious V lines leading directly to his—you gasp quietly the second your eyes land on his perfect cock, all hard, upright and entirely ready for you. Yes, you’ve seen it hundreds of times before, but yet you always manage to forget just how large and intimidating it truly is. Even after many, many times of having it deep within your walls, you still have a slight moment of hesitation at the sight of it. Fear that maybe this time, it won’t actually fit.

But you know it will, you tell yourself it will at least, and that it will feel heavenly as it does. You swear, up and down, that he was made to fit you perfectly. In every single way.

You quickly stand, grabbing his hips and spinning him before you push him down to sit on the edge of the bed. Exactly where you just were, and once he is settled down, you drop down to your knees and rest your hands upon his. Your eyes finally, reluctantly, leave the impressive appendage between his thick thighs, as they flick them up to lock with his. You hold the direct contact as you slowly, so damn slowly, move your hands up his powerful thighs, to his hips, then inwards and slowly up his rock solid stomach, over the groves of his abs, to his defined pecs and then to around his neck.

You slip your fingers into his hair again and pull him down to you, molding your lips to his, perfectly. His tongue traces the seam of your lips and you are all too willing to grant him access to any part of you that he so wishes. You part your lips and his tongue delves into your mouth, causing a soft moan to echo in your throat. And the sound only stands to spur him onwards.

His arms wrap around you, and you had planned to taste him, to get him entirely ready for you using just your mouth alone, but his patience seems to be gone now. He doesn’t want to wait any longer as he pulls you up to straddle his waist. One of his large hands grabs the back of your neck, to keep your lips glued to his, while the other splays out on your lower back, pressing your aching and needy core down onto the solid and hot product of his arousal. The very reason you’re core is even needy to begin with.

You grin into the kiss as you get a wicked idea, and begin to move yourself against him. Which causes him to inhale sharply, before groaning out at the delicious feel of you rubbing yourself thoroughly along his entire length.

“Fuck,” he breaths out, gripping your hair a little tighter, and helping your movements with strategic presses on your lower back. “You have no idea how badly I wanted to do this all day, today.”

“Oh?” You question innocently, as you pull back enough to look down at him. “Thought about this a few times today, did you?”

He gives you a pointed, but still completely heated look. One that reads of his need to have you, his need to claim you entirely for himself. His craving to make you his once again, just as he has many, many times before. The same craving needs you are all too aware are probably playing upon your features, as well. Mirroring his deep desires right back at him.

“You know I did,” he says in such a throaty tone, it sends a shiver down your spin, as he shakes his head. “You wore that damn pencil skirt today to tease me, didn’t you?”

You fight the smirk begging to form and shrug your shoulders instead, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” But you do, you totally do. Because you totally did wear it to tease him.

He narrows his eyes knowingly at you, and before you can even comprehend what is going on, your entire world flips and you find yourself pinned to the bed. The larger than life form of your boyfriend hovering over you now.

“I’m sure you don’t,” he hums lowly as he grinds himself roughly against you, ripping a loud moan from deep within you; about as deep as you’re hoping he’ll be soon enough, if he would just hurry the hell up already.

“Steve,” you whine breathlessly.

And that is met with that damn smirk again, the ass. “Yes, my love?”

“Hurry it up already, I still have to put dinner,” your words abruptly end there when he grinds the length of him against you once more.

He chuckles, but then one large hand cradles the back of your head, gripping your hair tightly, as the fingers of the other dig deliciously into your hip. But only for a moment, before his fingertips slide delicately down your thigh, to grip the back of your knee, and pull your leg up to hook onto his hip. And then in one smooth, but hasty movement, he thrusts himself deep within you.

And you gasp at the sudden intrusion, the overwhelming feeling of being entirely too full and filled. A glorious shiver rips up your spin, as he stays perfectly still for a moment, giving you a chance to settle around him, around his sheer size. Your mind reminds you that your earlier fears were, once again, entirely wrong. Of course he’d fit within you perfectly, he always did. You were made to fit him, just as he was made to fill you.

“Fuck. You feel so fucking good,” he praises, his voice hoarse and thick with his desire.

Your arms wrap around him, as your hands grip tightly to his shoulder blades. And when you can’t take the lack of movement any longer, you begin to rock your hips against him in any effort to increase the pleasure you’re currently feeling. He gets the hint quickly, and pulls back, almost leaving you entirely, before he snaps his hips forward and buries himself deep within you once again.

You clench your eyes shut and moan at the delicious sensations starting to take over your entire body from his knowing and thoroughly practised and perfected movements, and before long he is picking up his pace. Driving into you at an alarming rate, but it’s exactly the way you like it. And with every tantalizing drag of his hard cock along your inner walls, every delicious push and pull of his long and girthy length, the coil deep within your lower half begins to tighten. His hand grips your thigh, searching for any purchase he can find, and alternating between forcefully firm squeezes and gentle caresses of his fingertips along your flushed and heated skin.

“Open your eyes, Doll. Look at me,” he commands.

And he doesn’t have to tell you twice, your eyes snap open and lock with his, as you scrap your nails down his back, before your hands settle on his perfectly round ass. Gripping the plump globes firmly on every inward thrust, helping to push him deeper within you with each one. You want more—no, you need more.

“Faster, baby,” you plead, smacking his ass just enough to create one sharp cracking sound to echo around the room, and to help spur him on further. He loves when you do that, almost as much as you do.

His lips crash into yours, now claiming every part of you that he can with his hand, his lips and his cock. Turns out the smack worked exactly as you’d hoped it would, as he picks up his pace even further. Slamming into you relentlessly now, and causing your muscles to begin to tighten up as you near your first peak, and the free fall to follow it.

He groans, as his lips leave yours and begin to travel down to your jaw, then to your neck, leaving a hot trail of marks in their wake. And you are so close now, so fucking close.

“Oh God, almost there,” you mutter breathlessly, the words barely above a whisper. Even in your hazy mind, you know there is no point in telling him that. He knows your body well enough by now to know how truly close you actually are.

With a few more powerful thrusts, you are sent tumbling over the edge as your entire body locks up and you let out a loud moan followed by just muttering his name, over and over and over again. As if he’s fucked you so good, so thoroughly, that it’s the only word you know now, the only one you will ever say again.

“Fuck,” he groans, as he continues to pound into you mercilessly throughout your release, shaking slightly as he battles to fight himself from joining you over the cliff’s edge. And you know as your walls flutter and squeeze around him, fully and entirely, that he has to put a solid effort into fighting the urge to finish with you. But his continued movements only stand to drag this all out for you even longer, only stands to make this all that much better just for you. And as you finally start to come down for the high of the feelings he just instilled within you, you instantly feel empty, and cold.

You almost whine until he presses one more deep kiss on your lips and then you feel him forcefully flip your dazed form onto your stomach. Gripping your hips and pulling them up into the air, as he positions himself behind you. He rubs himself against your folds a few times, teasing you just a little before he slides fully back in, in another quick thrust.

And before you know it, he’s picked up the pace once more. You thought he was relentless before, but oh boy, how wrong you were, that was nothing compared to his forceful movements now. Your hands grip the bedding as you bounce yourself back into him, matching him thrust for thrust.

“Oh shit, Steve,” you gasp. “Right there. Right fucking there.”

His fingers dig into your hips, as he leans forward over you, and kisses between your shoulder blades. The action not hindering his pace in any way, shape or form. “God,” he groans again. “The things you fucking do to me.”

“The feelings fucking mutual,” you quickly say between shaky breaths, and you meant every damn word. The things this man does to you, the feelings he evokes within you, it’s all too much and yet, not enough. You feel that delicious coil deep within you start to tighten up once more, and you can’t wait for it to snap all over again.

His thrusts start to get a little sloppier, as his fingers dig further into the skin of your hip, and you’re positive there will be marks there for at least the next few days. But you don’t care. You can’t bring yourself to give a single fuck at the moment. You just want to feel his release, to experience your second one of the night.

One of his hands leaves your hip, and slips between your legs, his experienced fingers locating your little bundle of nerves, and making quick work of finding the perfect pace that gets you every damn time. Then with a few more powerful and deep drags of his full length along your walls, partnered with the delightful circles on your clit, you are shoved off the cliff's edge once again.

A loud cry rips from your lips as you feel him release along with you, filling you up so damn perfectly, and sending a shutter through you at the feeling of his hot spurts deep within you. Thank God for your IUD, as this is one of your favourite feelings in the world and you can’t do the condom thing with him anymore. You just can’t. Nothing beats the feel of his bare skin within yours, or of his warm release filling you so fully and completely. Just as his cock always does.

He groans deeply in your ear before he slumps to his side, bringing you along with him as he stays buried deep inside your core. His arms wrapping around you and cuddling you up against the heated and tacky skin of his chest. You both take a moment to come back down, allowing your heart rate and breathing to slow.

After a few moments his hand moves the disheveled hair from your shoulder, and his plump lips meet the soft skin below your ear. “You aren’t allowed to wear that damn skirt to work ever again,” he whispers against your skin.

“Oh, and why not, Boss?” You ask innocently, knowing full well exactly why, but wanting to hear him say the words.

He nips your skin lightly at the use of that silly nickname, “because I can’t handle the way it fits you like a second skin. Every time you enter my office, all I want to do is rip the damn thing off you, and take you on my desk, but I know I can’t.”

“You can’t?” You inquire playfully, turning to glance over your shoulder at him. But you know full well that you both agreed to keep your relationship entirely out of the office. From an outside and unknowing eye, no one would be able to tell you both had been together for years. You agreed in the very beginning to keep your relationship to non-work hours only, and being the workaholics you both are, it’s worked perfectly for you ever since. Most of your coworkers don’t even know you are a couple, or that you live together, and let alone that you own this apartment together for the last year and a half.

“You know exactly why I can’t,” he says knowingly behind you. Then he slips out from within you, leaving you with that depressingly empty and cold feeling once again, but you ignore it as you shift to turn around and face him. Pressing a soft kiss against his lips once you do.

You hum, nodding, “that I do, but don’t expect me to never wear that skirt again.” You pull back and grin up at him cheekily, “It’s one of my favourites, and the way you look at me when I’m wearing it is just far too enjoyable to stop.”

He groans, playfully, shaking his head, “tease.”

“I may be a tease,” you agree, shrugging as nonchalantly as you can, but the growing grin on your lips gives away your cheeky next words, “but I always make up for it after hours.”

“You do have a point there,” he agrees and gives you a beautiful smile, before leaning in to kiss you once again.

But just as his lips meet yours, a loud buzzer goes off and you jerk away from him. “What the hell was that?”

He chuckles as he pecks your lips once more and reluctantly pulls himself out of the bed. “Dinner. I put it in when I first got home and set the timer.”

You chuckle at the knowledge that you’d missed a bunch more noises upon his arrival home. How the hell hadn’t you heard any of that? Damn, might be time to get your ears checked out soon. You glance up at him, “you’re utter perfection, you know that?”

“I know,” he smirks smugly, before he laughs at himself, shaking his head at his antics as he picks up his discarded boxers and heads towards the bathroom to clean himself up.

“And oh so very humble too,” you playfully reply with an eye roll, before you watch his glorious ass move into the small room, not missing the light red outline of four little fingers on his right cheek. You giggle softly to yourself before you release a deep contented sigh as you just continue to lay there, in perfect after sex bliss.

When he reemerges, only wearing low sitting boxers, you almost drool all over yourself. He walks over to the dresser, grabbing a fresh pair of panties for you, and then collects your discarded pjs off the floor near the end of the bed, before he heads to your side and places them down next to you. He leans over you, kissing you sweetly and then whispers, “though if either of us is utter perfection here, it’s definitely you.”

You giggle again, gently pushing him away by his shoulders, “flatterer.”

“I only speak the truth,” he hums and quickly pecks your lips once more, then he takes your hands and gently helps you out of bed. “I’ll go deal with dinner while you get cleaned up.”

“Sounds perfect,” you smile, stealing one more kiss before you collect your clothes and head for the bathroom, desperately needing an after sex pee. Because, ya know, nobody wants a UTI. You laugh to yourself softly at that last thought as you slip into the bathroom, your eyes glancing over your shoulder to catch one more glimpse of the perfect man you love. And your breath hitches at just the mere sight of him half naked, just like it has many, many times before. And probably will many, many more times in the future.

Because regardless of what he says or believes, he is the true perfection within this relationship. Even with his flaws, faults and blemishes, you wouldn’t change a damn thing about him.

Because he is just so Perfectly Perfect.

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

Tagging my errythang list, not sure if all of you will be interested in this. So just ignore this is you aren’t down for horrible smut 🤣🤦🏻‍♀️

@caps-lockdown @itsstillnotwhatyouthink @tfandtws @boxofteenageideas @wangdeasang @giggleberts @strawberry-gothchild @theonelittleone @agentbadbitch @ratwrites @starrystellars @bandsandanimefreak @rockyroadthepastryarchy @lovvliies @cuffski @icesoccerer @alwaysright4 @lilsthethrills @steeeeverogers @zombiepotterfour @mu-mu-rs @ledandan1244 @straightforwardly @denzmallows @xremember-me-notx @gwynethjodie @lollipopdomination @capstopavenger @jemimah-b99 @rcvenqers @justkending @alagalaska @silent-loucidity @sabertooth-potato @pies-wands-and-more @gabriella69816 @phantom-soilder @wordlesscaptain @captain-hammer-of-asgard @starstucknature @viarogers @pixieferry @kaithezaftig @the-kinkiest-goblin @hysterically-original @badassbeckettswan @heyiamthatbitch @zlixlle @capsicledoll @givemehopenfandoms @pretendingandpreposterous @frozen-phoenix17 @emotionallysalty @saturngirlz @atomicsludgedonutbiscuit @ivannagotthebeat @bohemian-barbie @marvelous-capsicle @steverogersxreader @cjhorseback @jasminecalia @secondstar2disney @jessiedaeum @betsynodak @capricornprince118 @just-ladyme @pinkleopardss @drayshadow @sister-of-stars @wiserebelpartypie @dark-night-sky-99 @patzammit @cs-please @troublermalik @bratstopmom @anika-ann @wxstedhexrt @rynabarnesrogers @ab-baybay @scentedsongrebel @captainchrisstan @kelbabyblue @fckdeusername @murdermornings @dreamlesswonder86 @intricate-melody @fiannaofficial @jeremyrennermakesmesmile @nomadics-stuff @hufflepuffvs

#steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x y/n #steve rogers x you #au fanfiction #fanfiction #marvel au #marvel fanfiction #steve rogers #long post #long read #modern au #modern!steve rogers #modern!steve rogers x reader #modern!steve #slightly canon is you squint though #perfectly perfect #fluff

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tellywoodtrash · 3 years

Text

immj2 08 + 09.11.20 lbs

08.11.20

lmaoooooooo i really love the ice cold way siya operates in. truly a raisinghania sib!

“siya chal sakti hai!!!” behen, iss ghar mein tumhare dimaag ki alaava sab kuch chalta hai.

dadi trying to cheer raja band baja hua beta up with his favt. chole bhature. he doesn't seem like the kind who'd eat that kinda food, but ok.

CHOLE BHATURE ARE NOT CHEERING HIM UP. MATLAB MAAMLA SERIOUS HAIIIIII.

lmao he's literally twisting and turning in place like kids do when they have a tantrum. i mean, i like it. it shows a more human side to the character, ki just how much anguish and helplessness he's feeling.

dadi like babe, you can't control everything in life, stop being such a bloody control freak ki things not going your way turn you like this.

blah blah anguished rant on how he lost something so important to him.

dadi giving cliche ~~~if it's meant to be yours, it'll come back to you~~~ advice. which is kinda working on him. huh. all kindsa out of sorts behaviour.

“jab tuney kisi ke saath galat nahi kiya hai, toh tere saath galat kyun hoga?” uh okkkkkkkkkkk, that's not how life works. bad shit happens to good ppl all the time. also, he's done lotsa galat shit ok. what did riddhima do for this fucker to paralyse her huh?????? YEH SAB USSI KA NATEEJA HAI. BHUGAT AB.

carbs therapy. BEST HAI. ALWAYS WORKS. IT'S SCIENCE, BITCHES.

dadi saying why don't you talk to riddhima about your issues, and lol he's whining about she dgaf about him coz she left him alone last night when he asked her not to.

dadi left praying ki hey bhagwaan these two fucks’ relationship is in your hands now, this is beyond human interference.

kabir being informed of new developments and accusation of kidnapping ragini is being heaped on siya. BASED ON WHAT EVIDENCE YOU STUPID TWIT??????? THAT SHE CAN WALK??????? SO CAN EVERYONE ELSE YOU KNOW!!!!!!!!!!

“mujhe usse vansh ke aage expose karna hoga.” LMAO BITCH EXPOSE YOURSELF FIRSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

“tum kya mujhe expose karogi? expose toh main tumhe karungi!” YES SIYAAAAAAAAA FUCK HER UPPPPPPPPPP

NOICE. WE LOVE A FIERCEASS SISTER WHO’S READY TO KILL FOR HER SIBLINGS. ESP. WHEN IT’S THE SCARY BIG BROTHER WHO’S EVERYONE’S PROTECTOR.

siya saying she just miraculously got cured a few days ago, and was waiting to surprise everyone. sounds sus, but whatever.

but also what kinda terrribleasssssss physiotherapist is riddhima that she didn’t even identify her patient’s progress?????

LMAO SIYA POL KHOLING OF VANSH BHAIYYA SAYING HE MADE HER DO ALL THE SHADY MASK SHIT. “TO KEEP RIDDHIMA SAFE”. haaaan behen, khooooob safe rakha tumne, baar baar behosh karke. pehle se hi iska dimaag nahi chalta, now you’ve managed to give her some kinda degenerative brain disease.

i love how vansh didn’t bother to ask siya how she stopped riddhima’s plans and knocked her out multiple times if she’s in a wheelchair. there’s literally only one person in a wheelchair in this house?!?!?!!!!!! wouldn’t riddhima KNOW who the person in the mask is???? god vansh. you’re such a dumbass.

lellllllllllllllllllllllllll i am livingggggggggg for siya reading riddhima to filth with a knife in her hand THIS IS THE BEST SCENE OF THIS SHOW YET. esp in her small, child-like voice, it’s fucking amazing.

riddhima admitted to being a spy, AND SIYA RECORDED IT ALSO. OMFG SHE’S MY NEW FAVE CHARACTER I LOVE HER THE MOST.

i wish vansh was the person he is to siya, instead of the fucker he actually is. she literally thinks the worldddddddddddd of him. ugh, i am so soft for this relationshippppppp.

but i also wanna know what the ishani/siya relationship is like? we hardlyyyyyy see them interact. like, we even see aryan push her wheelchair around sometimes, but ishani neverrrrrrr interacts with siya. why????

ugh riddhima managed to convince her that she really cares for vansh and is trying to do the right thing. she’s literally asking her to kill her rn if she doesn’t trust her. baby sis you’re farrrrrrrrr too trusting.

“mera dimaag tumpe trust karne se rok raha hai, riddhima, par jiss dil ne tumhe bhaabi bola haina, woh tumhe ek mauka dena chahta hai. ek aakhri mauka. iss baar mera bharosa mat todna. 24 ghante hai tumhare paas. apni taqdeer badal sako toh badal lo warna yeh audio main vansh bhaiyya ko suna doongi.” SERIOUSLY, WHERE WERE THEY HIDING THIS MOST SAYAANI CHARACTER OF THE SHOW TILLLLLL NOW????????!

riddhima has a condition for siya too. i think i know what it is.

omg vansh IS COLLAR PAKADKE YELLING AT ANGRE IN THE WORST WAYYYYYYY POSSIBLE. god vansh, you’re honestly the fucking worstttttttttttttttttttt. angre you need to take up work with someone else, istg, you don’t deserve this shit. kabir treats his sidekick so much better. yet another point in the kitty for kabir >>>>>> vansh.

seriously, why would you wanna blindfold this dude when he’s in THIS mood????? save it for the bedroom, sis.

empty wheelchair dekh ke he’s yelling at everrrrrrrryone ki how could they leave siya alone somewhere. god. i can’t imagine having to live with such a toxic personality.

everyone in the house is soooooo happy for siya. like, aryan’s not beaming as much as the others, but he does look kinda pleased. BECAUSE SIYA IS BEST CHARACTERRRRRRR OF THIS SHOW EVERYONE LOVESSSS HERRRRR.

oh my heart, i am so softttttttt for sibling shit like this. he’s hugging her with suchhhhhhhhhhhh fierceeee affection, i’m crying happy tearsssssss.

heart eyes for riddhima who supposedly cured her. pls. she did nothing. jo bhi karna tha, siya ne khud kiya hai. iss ridhimma manhoos ko jasoosi se kab fursat mili to do PT with siya and cure her???

siya being gracious and giving credit though. ugh, honestly, this show and this family don’t deserve siya.

lmao she’s saying vansh brought riddhima in though, so actually allll the credit goes to bhaiyya for intimidating this poor woman into treating his sister against her will.

THE AFFECTION. THE SHEER MAGNITUDE OF HIS LOVE FOR HERRRR. I CRIEEE. THIS IS THE ONLY RELATIONSHIP THAT MATTERS TO ME IN THIS GODFORSAKEN SHOW.

anupriya giving some fakeass congrats. i hope siya tells vansh that she was the one who pushed her down the stairs a while back. aur kuch nahi toh just for that vansh is gonna kill her dead.

riddhima and vansh still all tense and sad about the ragini thing. OUFF JUST LIVE IN THE MOMENT YOU FUCKS.

I LOVE HER. I FUCKING LOVE HER. BEST RAISINGHANIA HAI YEH.

———————————————————————

09.11.20

riddhima back at kabir’s to try and find ragini. ughhhhhhhhh i’m just so done with this nonsense. we already KNOW that kabir and anupriya still have her based on the precap from like 2, 3 days ago.

lol kabir is so pissed at riddhima and her dimaag chalaana. a mood we ALL share.

kabir trying to turn riddhima against siya and riddhima’s like NOOOO SHE COULD NEVER, “USKI AANKHEIN USKI AWAAAZ SAAF SAAF KEH RAHI THI KI WOH SACH BOL RAHI HAI!” uh huh, yeah, like kabir’s are rn????? and vansh’s were before he paralysed you? just a suggestion i’m throwing out there: is it possible that perhaps, just maybe, you’re just very fucking stupid, riddhima, and tend to trust people too easily????

OUFF I’M SO BORED WITH THIS SCENE. we already know from the precap that ragini will knock down a vase but riddhima will never find out what caused it and kabir will make some lame excuse she’ll believe. FWDING TO NEXT.

JESUS CHRISTTTTTTTT, SIYA IS JUST WALKING AROUND THE HOUSE RANDOMLY LISTENING TO THAT AUDIO CLIP OF RIDDHIMA’S CONFESSION. AND SHE WALKS RIGHT INTO VANSH, WHO’S LIKE HUH, WHAT’S THAT RIDDHIMA IS SAYING?????

siya brushes it off saying its exercise stuff for her PT. sure. uh huh.

OH MY HEART HE GOT HER HEEEEEEELS, WHICH SHE’S ALWAYSSSSSSS WANTED. THIS BHAIYYA-BABY RELATIONSHIP IS GONNA TAKE ME DOWN GODDAMNITTTT. ITNE DIN BAAAAAAAAAAAD ITNI ACHCHI SIBLING FEELS MILI HAI ITV SEEEEEEE.

bhaiyya knows baby enough ki she’s hiding something from himmm. oh noeeeeeeeeeee.

damn, siya a real one. didn’t give out riddhima’s secret coz she wants to give her a fair chance. again, this show does not deserve this character. she’s too good for it.

she says she just believes in him and knows he’ll find whoever murdered mom.

SOFT. SO SOFT. MY HEART IS SO FULL WHENEVER THESE TWO SHOW LOVE TO EACH OTHERRRRR.

idhar ragini ki marammat shuru. y’all are just exhausting me with this bs. isse maarna hai toh maaro already. ainvayi mein time waste.

oh dangggggggg, ragini batting for riddhima. saying i know she’ll fuck y’all up. dang, we love the sisterhood feels of this episode!

“aap ke liye SPECIAL INTEZAAM kiya hai maine.” said with the most polite customer service obsequiousness. I LOVE THIS PSYCHOPATH THE MOSTTTTTTTTTT.

ragini warning them that once vansh finds out everything, they’re as good as dead. wow, spunky!!!! dude i like her as a female lead better than stupid fucking riddhima.

“hmmmmmm, you’re right. lekin usse batayega kaun???” honestly, why do i love his deranged ass so much????

anyway mishra has been delegated the task of stashing her somewhere else i guess. so it’s settled that mishra knows he’s not working for the CBI or whatever and is just a hired goon.

dadi is organizing YET ANOTHER POOJA. lordddddd.

this riddhima and her dumbass mandir jaana excuse that she uses constantly.

“bhagwaan tum jaisi bahu sab ko de!” OMFG DADI PLS, GOD FORBID. ISSE ACHCHA AAPKE BETE KUNWAARE MARR JAAYE!

ugh dadi your bloody pota needs a fucking therapist, it isn’t in riddhima’s hands to fix his 1001 mental issues.

great, mangalsutra almost broke. foreshadowing.

ughhhhh mummy managed to steal the memory card from aryan. FUCKING IDIOT I THOUGHT YOU HAD PUT IT IN THE BLOODY BANK ALREADY, BUT NO. HE WAS STILL HOLDING ON TO IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT LOUDDDDDDDDLY ON THE PHONE. jesusssss, why he so fuckinggggg stupid????

oh now vansh is exclaiming GREATTTTTTT JOB ANGREEEE as if he didn’t tell him to GTFO, THE VERY SIGHT OF YOU DISGUSTS ME yesterday. fuck, i really hate vansh as anything but a brother to siya.

aaaaaaand riddhima was standing behind him and he turned around and in a veryyyyyyy contrived move got his watch caught in her mangalsutra and broke it.

sis freaking about THE APSHAGUN!!!!!!!!!!!

he’s like arre nahi achcha shagun hai, angre got the cctv footage now i’ll know who kidnapped ragini! and sis is like OH GOD NO THE BAD LUCK IS STARTING ALREADY I’M SO DEADDDDDDD

“toh main tumhe kho dungi.”

lmao his face. literally the white guy blinking meme.

god she’s having a freakout about how their shaadi and rishta is in khatra. BITCH THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MS AND INSTEAD THE MOUNTAIN OF LIES YOU ARE SITTING ON AND YOUR EK DARJAN KE INCOMPATIBILITY ISSUES AS INDIVIDUALS.

”tum jaanti ho riddhima, tumahra ek ek aansoon mere liye kitna keemti hain? aisa lagta hai jaise mere dil ke ek tukde ko tod ke alag kar diya ho.”

OH YEAH????? DIDN’T FEEL ANYTHINGGGGG WHEN YOU PARALYSED HER HUH????????? IT’S GONNA BE A LONGASSSSS TIME BEFORE I GET OVER THAT, BITCH BOY.

yeah yeah ok this is a nice moment and all. WHY COULDN’T YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THIS DUDE, HUH?????? WHY’D YOU HAVE TO RUIN ALLLLLLLLLL THE GOOD WILL YOU BUILT UP BY KARWA CHAUTH IN ONEEEEEEE MOMENTTTTTTT?????? fuck, i hate you tellywood men and the shit they put my stupid heart through.

only bappa ki aarti shall fix things now. based on the promo and BTS i’ve seen, things about to get reallllllly realllllllly bad but............ lol let’s wait and watch.

ragini managed to sneak mishra’s phone outta his pocket. SEE????? SO ENTERPRISING!!!!!! I LIKE HER SO MUCH MORE THAN RIDDHIMA. GOD VANSH, THIS IS THE GIRL YOU SHOULD HAVE MARRIED. SHE’S REALLY THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY.

she’s callllllllllling vanshhhh. BUT AARTI KI WAJAAH SE HE CAN’T HEAR THE PHONEEEEEE. AAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

here, have some dhaarmik #couple goals to take the edge off the anxiety till the next episode.

———————————————————————

precap: omfg ragini got through to riddhima and she almost told her that kabir is behind kidnapping her, but kabir got to her and attacked her from the back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DOUBLE OMFG SIYA OVERHEARD MUMMY ON THE PHONE BRAGGING ABOUT KILLING THEIR MOM AND CALLS VANSH TO TELL HIM ABOUT IT!!!!! LIKE SHE TOLD HIM THE NAME ALL CLEARLY AND THAT SHE HEARD IT FIRSTHAND!!!!!!!! VANSH SEEMS TO BE GIVING NO REACTION THO????????????

TELL ME THAT BOTH THESE PHONE CALLS WERE NOT MADE ON SOME FUCKING GHATIYA NETWORK LIKE IDEA AND THE REQUIRED PPL HEAR EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO!!!!!!!! (high hopes, i know. 😔😔😔)

#ishq mein marjawan 2 #immj2 #immj2 lbs #episode liveblogs

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violetsmoak · 4 years

Text

Pieces of April [18/?]

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21099044/chapters/50202530

Summary: On the anniversary of his death, Jason’s second life takes an abrupt new turn and he’s faced with a challenge that neither Batman nor the All-Caste prepared him for.

Rating: PG-13 (rating may change later)

Author’s Note: Sorry for the wait on the latest chapter, I spent the weekend plotting some original work and it sort of took over my brain for a while. Also, this chapter has been fighting me. Mostly because I’ve been working on the big Batfam discovery moment and I can’t wait to get there, and having to slow down and write everything in between is soooooo frustrating! But hopefully we’ll get there soon lol. In the meantime, enjoy!

First Chapter

________________________________________________________________

The next morning finds Jason once again in Tim’s kitchen, this time doing a fry-up of bacon and eggs. He’d been surprised to find either of those things in Tim’s fridge, having appeared as if by magic.

(Jason suspects Tim gets his groceries delivered instead of shopping like a normal person; he’s not going to complain, though, since food is food.)

From her carrier’s usual perch on the kitchen island, Luisa is frowning at him—or at least frowning at his general direction—in disapproval like a miniature, squishy Winston Churchill.

“What?” he asks her, feeling oddly judged. “You don’t like my fryin' technique?” She sticks her tongue out, and yawns, easing back in her carrier. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

He’d probably shit his pants if she actually spoke back, but he’s seen stranger things in his life.

Suddenly, there’s a sharp, explosive bang from outside as a car backfires, and Luisa jolts, eyes going wide in shock before she starts shrieking.

“Crap,” Jason grunts, dropping the spatula and hurrying over to pick up the startled baby. Lifting her up, he starts rocking her back and forth, trying to shush her and wincing as the crying just gets louder.

How does such a little thing make such a big noise?

Still trying to calm her, he goes to pick the spatula up off the floor to toss in the sink and glances around for another. Luisa keeps crying, little fists beating ineffectually at him, and no matter what position he holds her in she refuses to let up.

“I know you’ve never heard something that loud before, but don’t you think this is an overreaction?” he mutters, glancing desperately around for the cape Tim was using as a carrier the other day. It’s nowhere within range, and so he turns off the stove and shoves aside the pan to ensure the bacon doesn’t burn while he deals with the baby complication.

As he searches, rocking and shushing Luisa as he goes, he’s getting generally more frustrated at not being able to get her to stop wailing. He’s on the verge of giving up and going to wake Tim—which is embarrassing on so many levels—when he remembers what the kid told him yesterday about heartbeat and skin-to-skin contact.

Making a quick decision, he places the squalling infant on the couch for an instant while he shrugs out of his shirt. Then, ignoring the sense of awkwardness he picks her up to hold against his bare chest, cradling her head in support as he continues to rock subtly, bouncing somewhat on the balls of his feet.

Luisa’s still wailing, mushing her face into his chest almost in protest, and his ears are beginning to ring. But slowly, as the minutes creep by, the sound morphs into weak fussing. Her little ear settles against a spot near his breastbone, right over his heart, and that sound wanes as well.

There’s a sniffle, a wet almost-hiccup in her breathing, and then she goes silent and calm again.

Hey, look at that.

Jason actually managed to calm her down himself, instead of calling for help or putting her down to yell until she tired herself out. He’s not sure why he feels a stab of pride in that, but he decides it doesn’t matter in the face of the now silent baby.

He keeps hold of her until her breathing evens out and she passes out and then returns to the kitchen and the carrier.

Once she’s settled again, he notices that he’s being watched, and glances up to see Tim, ruffled and still blinking sleep out of his eyes even as he studies the scene in front of him.

Eyes raking up Jason’s form, he opens his mouth to say something, frowns to himself and shakes his head.

“I need coffee,” he mumbles at last and slouches into the kitchen to turn on the Keurig. While waiting for it to brew, he turns back to Jason, leaning against the counter and tilts his head to one side. “I didn’t know you had tattoos.”

Jason looks down his front at the All-Caste markings no longer hidden by the baby’s form.

They’re not tattoos. At least, not exactly.

But the real story’s too complicated and not something he wants to get back to the Bats, so he just shrugs and says, “I don’t exactly put out announcements in the Family newsletter.”

Tim nods, ceding the point.

“So, what do they mean?” he asks as his coffee finishes brewing.

“None of your damn business. Don’t you have work?”

The younger man raises an eyebrow. “It’s Saturday?”

Right. Weekends are a thing.

“I do have some online classes to log on for later, though,” Tim goes on. “But I don’t really have to dress up in a suit for that.” He smirks. “I’m not Damian.”

“I dunno—you’re both pint-sized pains in my ass,” Jason retorts, trying to hide his surprise that Tim is still in school. He thought he’d dropped out when Bruce went missing in the timestream; he didn’t realize the guy was still doing that.

God, he’s doing school on top of everything else? How is this kid still alive?

“I’m still taller than he is,” Tim hedges, with a trace of sulk in his voice.

Heh. Think we’ve hit a sore point there.

But he chooses not to pursue it; better for him if Tim’s in a good mood.

“I’m goin' out again today,” he informs him, trying not to grit his teeth at the effort it takes not to make it sound like a question. He doesn’t need permission, damn it! “Have a little conversation with Isabel’s ex, for all the good it’ll do.”

“I figured as much,” Tim replies, unbothered. He sips at his coffee. “Isa and I will be fine. Besides, when I’m done my classwork, I’ve got a lead I want to pursue. I might have tracked down some of Isabel’s blood relatives.”

Jason pauses, ears perking up. “Seriously?”

“I think so. Try not to get your hopes up, though.” He frowns then, tilting his head to one side. “You might want to do something about that before you go meeting with anyone.”

He makes a circular motion around his own forehead.

Nonplussed, Jason wanders toward the mantlepiece and the mirror above it, making a noise of understanding when he realizes what Tim was pointing out.

“Noted,” he agrees, flicking at his hair.

The problem with dying his hair black is the need to touch it up every six weeks; the roots of his natural red coloring start to peek through around then, along with the thick white streak that sprouts from just above the scar in his hairline. The latter doesn’t hold the color for very long, fading to a washed-out gray-white within a few washes.

The upkeep is a pain in the ass, but black hair is a lot less memorable in his line of work, a lesson he learned quickly as both Robin and during his League training.

Once Tim’s settled into his temporary workstation at the kitchen table, with Luisa snoozing within easy reach, Jason takes off.

Like the day before, he commandeers one of Tim’s bikes and heads out to pharmacy near one of his safehouses in Midtown. He figures it’s best to keep any kind of chemical smell far away from the baby, and besides he kind of wants to avoid Tim walking in on the dyeing process. He needs to do his eyebrows, and if the younger man were to make a comment, Jason would have to punch him—which seems a poor reward for someone helping him out right now.

Once he’s applied the dye and is waiting for it to set, he uses the laptop in his bolt hole to remotely access the Cave systems again and brings up the phone records between Isabel and her group of friends, including Jonathan Sutter.

It feels morbid and invasive, but he needs a better sense of who these people are and how to approach them. The texts between her and her friends are the usual thing you’d expect from a group of twenty-somethings making plans or bitching about work. As for the exchanges between her and Sutter, there aren’t that many; it seems their relationship was mostly in person or by phone.

Jason’s relieved about that because he’s not sure he could stomach reading his dead ex-girlfriend’s sexting her boyfriend.

Because I don’t feel creepy enough about this as it is…

He finds reference to a few events they attended together—restaurant dinner, a trip to the opera, a Broadway play—

“Wow, this guy was predictable,” Jason mutters to himself before he finds something interesting.

Sutter’s accounting firm did work on a huge contract with WE the year before, resulting in invitations to one of their charity events. Sutter evidently invited Isabel to go with him, which could provide a good backstory for Jason.

He’s been to those things before, both under protest and undercover, and they all go down the same way. It’s an easy cover for what he needs.

Closing the laptop, he goes to wash the last of the dye off and then showers for good measure. He actually takes more than ten minutes for once, since he’s alone and doesn’t need to keep his ear out for a crying baby. Even when he knows Tim is watching her, he can’t help waiting for something bad to happen.

It’s a bit irritating, actually; he inherited all the worries a new parent might feel about screwing up their kid, and yet none of the connection. It’s not just because he’s holding himself back from it either; he wonders if he had known about the baby—if he and Isabel had been involved during her pregnancy—if he would feel more of a bond to Luisa.

“No point wonderin',” he mutters to himself as he gets out of the shower and towels off. He learned a long time ago that speculating over the ‘what-if’s’ of the past would just lead him down a dark pit of self-pity.

On a whim, he grabs the make-up and prosthetic’s kit from beneath the sink and sets about making himself a disguise. He doesn’t usually bother with disguises anymore—those undercover gigs with Bruce seem far too long ago—but since he’s just testing the waters, he doesn’t want to be too recognizable.

The end result is a passable imitation of the infamous Matches Malone look Bruce cultivated, though Jason makes an effort to look a lot more kempt, before setting out once more.

The cameras he left watching Sutter’s place, as well as the tracker on his car, put him at a strip-mall not far from his home. Upon investigation, Jason finds himself standing in front of a high-priced vegan grocery.

“Seriously?” Jason mutters to himself, wrinkling his nose in disgust. The store isn’t even one of the legit wholesale places filled with locally sourced products, but one of the trendy boutiques, stocked with items that are three times more expensive just to cover the import costs and the brand name.

He loiters around the shelves, pretending to be examining the dozens of different types of Norwegian water while keeping an eye out for his target.

Sutter appears at the head of the aisle moments later, pushing a cart and followed by a young brunette. Younger than him, at least; Sutter’s about thirty, which puts the woman he’s with at about ten years younger.

She says something to him, clearly cheerful and excited, and Sutter replies in kind, accepting whatever package she puts in the cart. She leans up to peck him on the cheek, and then practically bounces away. The minute she’s gone, Sutter’s expression becomes long-suffering. He checks his phone with an air of impatience.

So he’s not actually into his stuff, but faking it for her.

It’s possible that’s just him attempting to be a supportive boyfriend, Jason supposes. But it also suggests the decision-maker in the relationship is the girlfriend, which could be a problem.

Only one way to find out.

He makes a production of turning just as Sutter passes him, and then affects a double-take at seeing him for the first time.

“Hey, I know you!” he declares, earning a look of surprise, followed by the guy looking around with a ‘who me?’ kind of expression. Jason pretends not to see it. “Johnny—John? Sutter, right?”

The man stares at him, apprehensive. “Yes? Do I know you?”

“You don’t remember?” Jason says, affecting an amused chuckle. “Heh. Guess you wouldn’t, I look a lot spiffier in a tux.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t—"

“Peter Malone, Locke Insurance? We met at the WE charity ball last March.” Sutter continues to look wary. “You were there with that knockout—whatshername…Izzy? Annabelle?”

“Isabel?” Sutter supplies, expression slowly morphing from wary to uncomfortable. The expression of someone worried he’s about to be caught out for not remembering a name.

“Right! Yes, her—damn, she was a looker.”

“Yeah…sorry, but I don’t really remember you,” Sutter says, expression clearing, and adopting an apologetic grimace. “But there were a lot of hands to shake that night, so...”

“Don’t I know it,” Jason agrees. “I left with about six new clients that night. Pretty good for a charity event, eh?” He doesn’t give Sutter a chance to reply. “So, you still with her?”

“What?”

“Isabel—hot blond? Legs up to here?”

Sutter’s tone becomes clipped again. “No.”

Jason gives an exaggerated whistle. “Damn shame…damn shame. You two looked like you were having fun.”

“Yeah, well…” Sutter gives a tight smile, eyes flicking away like he’s looking for an exit. “Things don’t always work out.”

“You know if she’s still single now?” Jason prompts, laying on the smarm. “Think you could set us up?”

“I think you’re the last person she wants anything to do with right now,” Sutter replies coolly. “Now, if you excuse me—”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Don’t think she’d be into me? Everyone wants a piece of this.”

“Hope you like kids then,” the man mutters as he edges away.

Jason affects a wide-eyed gaze. “She’s got kids? Damn, she doesn’t look the type.”

He makes it sound like some kind of disease, earning a snort of agreement from Sutter, who says, “I thought so too.”

There’s a trace of bitterness there, one Jason recognizes intimately. He had foster parents that looked and sounded the same. Still, he presses on, pretending to be clueless at the cues the other man is trying to give him to end the conversation.

“Not a fan of the rugrats?”

“Not especially,” Sutter replies tightly. “And raising someone else’s kid? When you work the hours I do? I’ve got a career, my company’s got me flying from the East Coast to the West Coast every couple of weeks, my family’s already complicated—it’d be hard enough raising my own kid, let alone someone else’s.” He looks up as the blond from earlier appears, with some overpriced wafer crackers. “Anyway, nice catching up with you. See you around, I guess.”

He practically takes off at a run.

“Yeah, take it easy,” Jason replies dully. In three sentences, he’s learned everything he needed to know about the guy’s fitness as a parent.

This guy’s a hard ‘no’ then.

Jason leaves the store, mood dark. He takes a few hours to wander around Crime Alley and soak up the comings and goings without anyone recognizing him, before turning to Tim’s apartment via the underground entrance.

“Looks like it didn’t go too well,” Tim says when he sees him. He’s in the process of changing Luisa, who is making noises of disapproval. She doesn’t like to be wet, but she also doesn’t like being cold, so getting changed appears to be her least favorite part of the day.

“He doesn’t want to be involved,” Jason says, not wanting to go into detail. “Which is what we figured would be the case.”

“Well, now you know for sure.”

“All I’m sure about is people suck.”

“So what’s the next step?”

“I’ve got a list of Isabel’s friends to contact. If they seem legit, I’ll see about figurin' out if they want to step up in honor of Isabel’s memory.”

He makes a face at that, knowing how it sounds, but being unable to think up any other alternative.

“I could come along,” Tim offers.

“No,” Jason says immediately. “People see you and they see dollar signs. Either for sellin' the story to the press or pretendin' their decent because they’ll think the kid means you bankrollin' them for the next eighteen years.”

“Point,” Tim says, and there’s a clench of his jaw that makes Jason think that scenario resonated with him personally for some reason. “I still don’t think you should go alone. You need someone along to soften your image, so you don’t come off as a creep.”

“I can be soft if I want to be,” Jason protests, offended.

“I have…no idea how to respond to that that won’t sound like Dick,” Tim tells him. “So I won’t.”

“Magnanimous of you."

“Here’s an idea—call Safiya. Ask if she’ll come with. She might even have met some of these people before.”

“Good point.” Jason makes a mental note to call her later, and wanders into the kitchen.

Noticing that other than the various plastic bottles and hastily closed formula containers there's no sign of plates or take-out, Jason determines Tim probably hasn’t made anything for dinner or even just for himself.

Assuming he even knows how to cook.

He opens the door to the fridge, and just stands there for a long moment, before shaking his head and closing it again when nothing immediately appeals to him.

Jason’s not entirely sure what he wants right now, his stomach growling in complaint for food having to compete with a pervading nausea at the idea of a heavy meal. He ends up cutting up a plate of fruit to tide him over until he can make a decision and wanders over to the space in the living room where Tim is working. Safiya is now nowhere in sight, but the baby monitor is on, the green lights lighting up and fading in tandem with distant sound of breathing.

“She actually let me put her down,” Tim explains when he notices where Jason’s looking.

“You’re the favorite,” Jason retorts, not sure why the idea doesn’t sit well with him. He supposes it’s left over from years of seeing Tim as the replacement everyone preferred to him. Rather than get trapped in that dark line of thinking, he offers the younger man his plate. “Any luck tracking down Luisa’s family?”

Tim absently accepts a few wedges of apple. “Yes and no.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Jason asks, throwing himself onto the couch. There’s a groan under his weight, which earns a pissy look from Tim, but the latter doesn’t address it.

“Isabel never told you much about her extended family, right?”

“Beyond the fact that they exist somewhere, not really. We didn’t really talk families, for obvious reasons.”

“Right.”

“She said she and her parents left Bogota before she was two, and if she met anyone before then she can’t remember.”

“Well, it turns out there’s a reason for that,” Tim says and slides his tablet over to Jason. When he picks it up, it takes a minute for his eyes to register the information Tim’s hunted up. “Her parents were fleeing Columbia to get away from them. It seems the Ardila family is in deep with the Medellin cartel there.”

“No shit,” Jason says, eyes wide.

This may actually explain Isabel’s lack of panicking in the face of aliens and mobsters…

“Isabel’s parents sought asylum in the US and eventually qualified for citizenship.”

“How’d they manage that if they were from a crime family?”

“My guess? Being good at bending the truth and having excellent forged documents.”

“Either way, that’s another option off the table,” Jason sighs, letting his head fall back on the couch in exasperation.

Tim hums in agreement and for a few moments, they simply sit in silence against the sense of defeat.

It’s not until the baby monitor suddenly gives a sudden series of noise—bursts of what at first sounds like static, but they then realize are tiny sneezes—that either of them moves again.

“I should check her,” Tim says, but Jason holds up a hand to stop him.

They listen a few moments longer, hear a bit of grumbling across the monitor, and then there’s only the sound of breathing.

“If you’re going to go running every time she sneezes or coughs, you’re going to give her a complex,” Jason informs him.

Tim raises an eyebrow. “Says the guy who was worried she had yellow fever.”

“I wasn’t worried, I was…concerned.”

“Now you sound like Bruce.”

“Take that back, Replacement.”

They glare at each other, but there’s little heat in it. At last, Tim rolls his eyes and looks away.

“On a somewhat related note—” Tim reaches for a file folder and takes out a piece of paper with a table on it, which Jason immediately recognizes as a schedule. Various duties have been written into the cells—feeding, changing, future bath times.

“You actually made one,” Jason says, somewhat disbelieving.

“Of course I made one. This last week, we’ve just been reacting to everything. We can’t keep going like that, and I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of the petty arguments about who does what.”

“Petty,” Jason repeats tonelessly.

“Petty,” Tim agrees. “As you can see here, these are the times when we might consider calling for outside help. I checked with Safiya about what days she’s conditionally available, and even Tam—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa—Tam agreed?”

“Well, she agreed for emergencies,” Tim allows. “Like, if it’s raining Joker toxin from the sky kind of emergencies.”

Jason scowls. “Don’t tempt fate with that shit.”

“You know what I mean. If there’s something big going on, she said she’ll cover for us. Since it’s all temporary, and all.”

“Right…” Jason agrees faintly, staring at the blinking lights of the baby monitor. “Temporary…”

The rest of what Tim's saying fades to background noise, as his thoughts are overwhelmed with a sudden worry:

What if we don't find anyone worth taking her?

⁂⁂⁂

Your feedback matters! I want to know what you think of my story, so feel free to leave kudos, a comment or as many of these emojis as you want and let me know how you feel!

❤️️ = I love this story! 😳 = this was hot! 💐 = thank you for sharing this 🍵 = tea spilled 🍬 = so sweet and fluffy! 🚔 = you’re under arrest! the writing’s too good! 😲 = I NEED THE NEXT CHAPTER 😢 = you got me right in the feels 🤯mind blown 🤬god damn cliffhanger 😫 whyyyyyyy?!?!?

#jaytim #timjay #tim drake #jason todd #babyfic #fanfiction #bringing up baby #accidental baby acquisition #baby isa #fluff #adulting #slice of life

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yikesola · 4 years

Text

Hospital Update—

howdy! did i emo post about feeling sick and going home from work and then didn’t post for a few days except to complain and say “i’m okay! i’m in hospital but i’m okay” 😦

oops, i guess i did

so if i worried you with that i’m truly sorry, and i want to emphasize the i’m okay bits of this story and the fact that i am still definitely okay but still definitely shook up and exhausted and processing that this week even really happened. so i’m gonna try to go over what went down and y’all aren’t allowed to make fun of me if it’s not as funny as my usual writing, deal? deal!🥰 i just have had a verrry shitty time with the fact that so much that happened is a blur and i kinda depend a lot on my interpretation of events, and i want to write it down so i have some kind of record before i lose even more details— and that can mean that while writing this out it’s gonna actually be a litttle tmi, and more medical mumbo jumbo than you care about, but hey what level of social media isn’t dripping in performativity? what else am i gonna do, besides type this out? watch more family feud? wait for my next potassium horsepill?

so i legit just thought i had a flu last week, thought i’d need to just sleep off the nausea and fever and body aches and tummy troubles, have some soup, have some sprite and gatorade, have some saltines, have some tylenol. i had been complaining for a few days about not feeling well and thought that’d be the worst of it as i never really get sick and when i do i never do much about it other than being a pioneer woman and suffering through it. and this post would be soooooo boring if that were the case— don’t worry, it was not the flu.

so something cracked in my blood after i went to sleep to try to feel better, and my body did that autoimmune thing that bodies do where it said “hey..... something’s trying to kill us. what if we died first?? that’ll show em!” and my blood platelets started eating themselves. not ,, good.....

meanwhile it was the next morning and i was supposed to get ready for work but i still felt like shit (because my body was torpedoing itself) so my dear memere coming to check up on me saw me wild and vomit-strewen, except i wasn’t actually wild at all i was just shutting down blood-utilizing organ by one and imagining that i was this wild Romantic mrs rochester in my burning nightgown while my aunt and memere quibbled over whether they could get me into the car to try urgent care. in my haze i heard that and my dumb ass was like “is it that necessary??” and luckily my dumb mouth wasn’t functioning at the time bc she didn’t say nothing and instead my relatives called an ambulance. our little mountain town has its own hospital, that’s a nice part of the story! it’s a nice little hospital!

the paramedic was lovely and tried to get me sweatpants because it’s november. i didn’t listen to her because my fever was insane and i was more concerned with making sure my cats weren’t in the way of the gurney 🤪#yikesolabranding

i had the same paramedic in the ambulance with me when they sent me to the hospital in the big city and i spent the whole 90 minute drive talking about how much i love those fucking cats

that’s beside the point, but i want to be clear about who i am at my core apparently, always talking about the gals 😻

so i get to the hospital and this is the first black out. i guess technically second because of when it all started, but let’s pick up with me waking up in the hospital. i have nine plasma. i have a fever of 105. i’m being given a blood transfusion, thanks high schoolers who wanted to get out of running the mile in PE that day!

they throw their dartboard tests and decide i have TTP—

basically, they just need to trick my blood into calling off the attack. how are they gonna do that? they’re gonna confuse the blood, overwhelm it, overcrowd it. they’re gonna get me to the fancy city hospital and treat my veins like frosting piping bags.

it’s snowing— no helicopter for me. i have a catheter at this point btw, and this is one of the parts that i know is tmi but ....... ladies and friends, y’all ever had a catheter?? 😩🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪 i’m dying and legit think i’d rather piss myself to death, it hurts that bad. we take an ambulance down to the valley, i complain enough about the catheter that they finally take it out for which i apologize incessantly (something that’s probably more annoying than the original complaining but i could die in my own piss comfortable and happy so whatever let’s not worry about it.) i pass out again.

i wake up in ICU. i’m assured i am neither pregnant nor have AIDS. good news✌️ especially considering some family history i won’t dive into here. they’re saying the catheter word again and that scares me bc ow, but don’t worry! this one is going in my neck :) it’s how we’re gonna save my life—

we pump thirteen (13) bags of plasma into my neck via dialysis. it works so well they decide they’re gonna do it for a week! i am weeping through the entire 90 minute procedure btw, and apologizing for it. i’m a Fun Patient!

i pass out again.

i wake up to another assurance that i am still unpregnant and don’t have AIDS. hmmm glad those ones stick!

my aunt is begging me to rub my two brain cells together so i can unlock my phone. i do, which is interesting considering when asked the year i repeatedly answer 1992 and 1994. but my 4digit phone passcode? try and wipe that from me, bitch ass stroke

my aunt calls my dad. he is less of a jerk than he could be :) he thinks my uninsured ass should move to the hospital he works at in california. fucking comedian

i text some friends waiting in my hospital bed. it’s a messy text. if you’re a friend who got one of those texts, bless your reading comprehension abilities and please know that my intention was to say something like “i don’t want to worry you, I’ve checked into the hospital but am okay” but it was like in pooh’s grand adventure when pooh bear spilt honey all over christopher robin’s note that literally said “DONT worry about me, i’m NOT going far away” and read it as “worry about me, i’m going far away” and basically i should’ve taken the opportunity to pass out again instead of trying to text lol

i did call one friend instead of text and she was at dinner with her husband, so sent a little “call you back later!” before listening to the voicemail and the poor dear felt very bad for blowing me off, though i promise i did not feel blown off, i shouldn’t have called at dinner time like a damn telemarketer!

so i wake up again and it’s been two days 😞😞 whoopsie! they’ve done more plasma, i’m stable, and my brain is coming back. I’m BORED. i’m trapped in my body and can’t move and in incredible pain! i’m covered in bruises. i’ve vomited on myself. it’s time to pump me with more plasma. while they’re doing the 40min prep work for that, i am drenched in confusion, like that camouflage spell in hp5. i start screaming apologies (even when my brain is broke i can apologize, social feminization is a hell of a drug) to my doctors who ask me who the president is and i become the “don’t make me say it” meme. that made us all feel a little better.

they pump their plasma. my episode passes. i have a violet allergic reaction all over my body. they pump some benadryl. it goes away.

i can eat solid food! by “solid food” i mean strawberry jello. they tell me to order food of more substance. i order a meatloaf, and pass out before it arrives. i feel bad, eat it cold. i have Never had a better meatloaf, although if i’m being perfectly honest she was closer to a salisbury steak. genuilnely, *chefs kiss*

it’s day five, it’s time for me to leave the ICU. this fancy new room has a toilet :) and a shower! i finally get that vomit out of my hair. my aunt brings me my glasses; they’ve been on my bedside table this whole time

day six is a petulant day ..... idk why but my neck catheter was killing worse than usual and the plasma treatments had been slowly getting more bearable but then this day ,, wasn’t. and suddenly this all felt like a lot of hoops to jump through. and i had some “this isn’t fair🥺” moping as though not being dead isn’t wicked cool enough on its own. whatever, i’m feeling a lot better today, and y’all were really nice about my grumbling so thank you for that, without an ouce of facetiousness🥰

day seven, thanksgiving! i’m finally awake early enough for breakfast. i have fruit loops and laugh at mr amazing’s pain. i have hospital turkey for thanksgiving. it’s as bad as hospital turkey has to be, i can’t blame it for that. my memere sends two blank text messages. she’s 84, so i interpret them as “happy turkey day” and “love you”

i have what is supposed to be my last plasma treatment. before they pull my neck catheter out, they decide it willl not be. i’ll have at least one more in the morning. they’re still not comfortable, but i don’t cry through all 90minutes now. only like ,, 70 minutes of it🤙 maybe i’ll break under an hour tomorrow.

that’s all for now— at this time discharge is looking like monday or tuesday. my TTP recovery is likely, just a matter of time. i’m having a really hard time looking at my phone screeen (typing this has taken on and off 4hrs of dizzy and break) but so look forward to getting back into things that make me happy like japhan content and all the fests and kiss prompts i was working on before this. thanks for listening to this poor approximation of what i remember of my hospital experience! ✨✨🥰 sorry idk how to add a damn read more

#me talking #my face

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stony-eyed-and-marvel-minded · 4 years

Text

Let Me Try That Again

Read on AO3 here

Summary: Sam tries pushing Bucky a little farther with their growing tension, but his first attempt might have been too subtle.

Rating: M, WC: 1410, CH: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 2 of Quarantine Quick Writes

Notes: Today's prompt was: "Who hurt you?"

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

The dust clears on the field outside the Avengers newly remodeled camp and Sam is left with the image of Bucky’s tousled hair and clearly perturbed face.

“Are you sure that move is allowed during training? Last time I checked, Nat said that unless we’re actually in the field, she’s the only one who can use it. And I think that’s fair.” Bucky attempts to shake out the dirt from his hair and it takes everything within Sam to not fall to the ground laughing. Sam had just used a newly mastered skill on Bucky that slams and drags one's face through the dirt as he cartwheels over them.

“Well if you didn’t want me using it on you, you shouldn’t have taught it to me and then proceeded to try and grab my wing! That is premium level Vibranium there bud, and it deserves respect! Besides, Nat told me that I would get a pass if I was using the move on you considering you are one of the two people who should be able to handle it.”

Bucky looks up with his hands still embedded in his hair and a look of horror plastered on his face. “Are you making fun of my defense skills right now?”

Sam holds up his hands in mock defense, “All I’m saying, is that as a trained assassin, blocking that move should have been a no-brainer.”

Sam has been training with Bucky on the field outside the Avengers base for most of the morning now, and it was going pretty flawlessly. Bucky was able to finally get Sam to understand the different techniques he uses with knives and how to turn your attackers' advances against them.

Now, Nat hadn’t actually given Sam permission to use any advanced techniques on Bucky — that was a complete bluff — but Sam needed a reason to get Bucky riled up, because he really liked it when Bucky got riled up. The tension between the two for the past year has gotten to nearly unbearable heights. Even Wanda commented on it. But all it’s done is made Sam more encouraged to push just a little bit more.

Bucky marches over to Sam — whose eyebrows raise with every step Bucky gets closer — and slams his palms into Sam’s chest making him bounce back a few steps. “You better watch yourself Wilson, you know for damn sure you can’t take me in a hand-to-hand fight where I’m not holding back.”

Sam just steps closer, and subtly looks Bucky up and down while he bites his lip before saying, “Who says I ever wanted you to hold back?” For a brief moment Bucky looks shocked and confused. Sam definitely caught him off guard, and he just hopes that Bucky takes it the way that he’s intending.

“Sam I—”

“Oh, I’m sorry, was my come on too subtle?” Sam interrupts, “Let me try that again. I really want to hear your moans filling my room as I fill your tight ass.” He pauses and Bucky blinks. “Is that better?”

Dumbfounded. That’s the emotion that Bucky is now wearing. Sam just hopes he didn’t break the poor little assassin. Bucky blinks a few times and a grin slowly spreads across his face.

“Does that line really work for you?” Bucky’s laughing now, which leaves Sam with only one other choice. He steps even closer until they’re chest to chest, their noses nearly bumping. This close up, Sam can see Bucky’s eyes dilate ever so slightly.

Sam brushes his lips across Bucky’s ear to distract from his hand wandering into Bucky’s hair. “You tell me,” Sam whispers as his hand closes into a fist and gently tugs. The motion sends Bucky’s head back ever so slightly. His mouth opens in a quiet gasp and Sam chuckles.

Bucky groans in frustration? Pleasure? Sam doesn’t get much time to think about it before Bucky is crushing his mouth to Sam’s. It takes a moment for Sam to regain his composure, but once he does, he kisses Bucky back with equal fervor, hand still entangled with his gorgeous hair. He’s not sure how this is possible, but kissing Bucky is better than Sam could have ever imagined. It sounds cliche yes, but his lips are so soft, but the pressure firm and demanding.

They finally pull apart when air becomes necessary. Bucky mumbles against Sam’s eagerly awaiting lips, “Are you going to make good on that promise, or do I need to court you like the gorgeous dame you are?”

Bucky is cackling when Sam pulls away further, eyebrows scrunching up.

“You are the strangest, you know that?” Is all Sam says, smiling as Bucky makes his way around Sam and toward the compound.

He smacks Sam’s ass and playfully responds, “Oh but you love that about me! Now, I will be waiting in your room, and hopefully you will join me to — what was it you said you were going to do? Ah yes! Make my moans fill said room as you fill my tight ass,” Bucky makes his way closer to the compound and winks over his shoulder.

“Don’t keep me waiting doll!” He shouts before he slips inside.

Sam just shakes his head and chuckles. He can’t wipe the stupid grin from his face as he jogs to catch up.

Sam definitely makes Bucky’s moans fill the room as he fills his tight ass.

THE NEXT MORNING***

Sam fidgets in his seat. The team meeting started fifteen minutes ago and Bucky still isn’t here. He thought his note about the meeting was clearly placed for Bucky to see when he got out of his shower. Apparently it wasn’t clear enough. Sam’s just about to text him when the conference room door clicks open and a sheepish face pokes through.

Bucky tries and fails to be covert in his attempts to join the meeting sixteen minutes late. Everyone’s eyes are on him as he makes his way over to an open chair. It’s slightly awkward, but Bucky nods to Fury to continue. As Bucky sits and Fury starts back up, Sam notices the most horrifying thing. Bucky winces as he sits down. Now normally Sam would poke fun at him for it, but this time Sam knows exactly what is causing Bucky to wince. So instead, he blushes and quickly looks away.

“You okay Barnes?” Natasha asks and Sam tries not to wince — of course she would notice. This was not how he wanted the team to find out about them, but now everyone’s attention is back on Bucky.

“What is going on Barnes? You’re late to my meeting and now you’re continuing to disrupt it.” Fury is clearly annoyed, but there’s also slight amusement. Sam thinks he catches Fury glancing at him, but that can’t be. Sam grabs his water and takes a long drink in attempts to hide his nerves.

“Oh, I’m sorry Fury, I was just tending to some bruising this morning. I got pretty banged up last night.” Buck replies. Sam nearly chokes on his water and turns wide eyes over to him. Bucky looks just as nervous as Sam feels, and he knows there’s no way of hiding their hookup now.

“Who hurt you? I don’t remember you going on any missions last night,” Peter asks with genuine concern.

“I have a feeling the hurt was very consensual” Natasha smoothly says. Sam darts a look at her, just to see she’s already looking right at him and grinning. “Isn’t that right Sam?”

Now the whole room is looking between them and Sam just wishes he could melt to the floor.

“Fine we fucked! What more do you want from me!?” Bucky bursts out. The conference room is silent for a moment before it explodes with laughter. Sam even catches a few people exchanging money.

“Well it’s about time!” Fury exclaims. “Now, can we get back to the meeting, or do you two have more you want to share?”

“No Fury, you can continue,” Sam nods in somber acceptance. Glancing over at Bucky one more time, Sam finds him blushing as Nat fondly punches his shoulder. Bucky — most likely feeling Sam’s gaze — looks up and smiles. Sam winks back before returning to the meeting. They’ll be all right. His phone buzzes and he looks down to see a text from Bucky.

Frosty ❄️: thanks for last night. Looking forward to more ;)

Bird Brain 🦅: You better believe it ;)

Yeah, they’ll be alright.

End Notes:

Soooooo what did you guys think? I would have made this explicit instead of simply implying if I had more time to pull that off. Genna and I did today's challenge in a little over an hour. Even without the much wanted smut, I hope y'all enjoyed it! Again, hmu on AO3 :). You should also....check out my other writing challenge..

#oops i did it again #winter falcon fic #my fic #a lil comedy #implied smut #writing challenge 2 #hope yall enjoy

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zukadiary · 5 years

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On The Twentieth Century ~ Snow Troupe 2019

Oh boy. Oh dear. If you'd like some background, here is a fairly comprehensive Wikipedia summary, but since all signs point to this show disappearing forever (a tragedy), I will do my best to go through it roughly scene by scene in hopes of extending the memory.

“Perfect” is a word I’m still reserving for A-cast West Side Story ‘18, but boy is this close. It’s exactly what I’ve been waiting for, what in my wildest dreams I wanted Daimongumi to be, and feared it might never be. It’s hands down the best time I’ve had with my beloved Yukigumi since Chigi retired, and god I hope they continue on something even VAGUELY resembling this trajectory (tragic nihonmono, not optimistic, but,,,). I hope I can convey even a fraction of the joy that is this show.

Firstly, although it is the site of the first time I ever saw Komu live and thus a house of very treasured memories, I do NOT objectively like Theatre Orb. The third floor is too high for musical theater, the back of the second floor should not be A-seki, and the sound is abysmal. Unless you’re close to the front on the first floor, the instrumentals overpower the vocals, and everywhere I sat, including a pretty good S, there was an unpleasant echo. Like, if you can tamp down the power of DAIMON’S voice, something is wrong with your acoustics. The only time I had an improved experience I was on the extreme side of the 4th row and basically hugging a speaker, but if that’s the range for decent audio it’s a problem. And for some of the impressive songs in this show (and also just for Japanese comprehension of the speedy dialogue), it was a shame.

Everything else was outstanding. I can’t describe how WONDERFUL it was to hear Yukigumi, the tragedy troupe no one asked for, get not just giggles but consistent roaring laughter again. The overall casting—both in taking a chance on giving this troupe this show, and assigning roles to some maybe unexpected people—was brilliant. I’ll get more into the individual performances as I go through the story, but in quick summary:

Maaya was absolutely the star, in both the weight of her role and the extremely satisfying application of her many talents. Lily is, in my opinion, unquestionably the crown jewel of her Takarazuka career so far, and if something ever tops it we’ll be luckier than anyone has any right to be. I’d kill for more of this treatment going forward; she’s talented enough to carry a show, and I think the dynamic of the entire troupe improves when she’s in this strong of a position.

Daimon, whom I love to death, was SO above and beyond what even I thought she’d be able to do with a comedy; I always suspected she could pull it off IF she had the perfect formula of support (which I wasn’t confident the current Yukigumi lineup could give her), but she was SO good and SO in charge and SUCH a tone-setter for the entire comedic situation, I was truly blown away.

Owen and Oliver are in my opinion the juiciest roles after Lily and Oscar, but maneuvering around rank to cast Aasa and Manaharu was brilliant. Aasa has been average for me after leaving a huge impression in Robespierre, but her performance as Owen was back to MVP status, and Oliver is an absolute jackpot role for Manaharu, who rarely gets to do much of anything.

I wouldn’t have wanted to see Saki in any role but Bruce; he’s the big dumb just-a-pretty-face movie star, the butt of many jokes and the most slapstick of all the roles, and her exaggerated physicality was I think better suited to that style of comedy than the quick banter in the Oscar/Owen/Oliver group (also, for the sake of their dynamic, I wouldn’t have wanted Bruce to be someone physically smaller than Oscar).

That put Shou, who conceivably could have been cast higher, in the leftover train conductor role. It’s not as exciting a part, but it was perfect if only to clear the way for the other casting choices. She got to be the center of several musical numbers, and she got to tap dance!

After a little introductory tap number by the four main train boys (Tachibana, Suwa, Manomiya, and Seika), the show opens with famous Broadway producer Oscar Jaffe’s right hand men, Owen (Asami Jun) and Oliver (Mana Haruto), running from an angry mob of unpaid theater crew from Oscar's most recent abysmally failed production (again!). They all but crash into Daimon cameoing Al Capone (because Chicago in the 20s!) as he’s escorted away by a policeman. Owen is more laid back and pretty much always drunk; Oliver is high strung and also prone to drinking. As far as my off-the-cuff brain will take me, Aasa and Manaharu have not had much experience playing off each other, but they worked SO well together. They were so funny, so in sync, perfect foils for each other’s characters, even physically similar enough that they just really looked like a matching set of long-suffering assistants. Since Owen and Oliver don’t have any money, they give the angry mob the slip, and read a note from Oscar instructing them to meet him on the 20th Century Limited, a 16-hour luxury train ride from Chicago to New York, and secure Drawing Room A. Then we go into the prologue number (pics are from the little bit of digest video and like one online article they gave us).

Although in retrospect I think it kind of subconsciously stressed me out the first viewing, I LOVED the music and choreography in this. Almost all the numbers mimic the rhythm of a train chugging along, and much of the choreography—when it isn’t just tap literally designed to sound like a train—has a feeling of commuter busyness to it. It wasn’t just on theme, it also enhanced the chaotic screwball atmosphere.

Owen and Oliver board the train to find Drawing Room A occupied. When their best middle-aged-white-lady-insisting-to-speak-to-a-manager voices claiming (falsely) that they booked the room weeks ago failed to work on the train staff, they deduce from some nearby luggage that Drawing Room A’s occupant is Congressman Lockwood (Touma Kazuki in a hilariously disgusting fat suit and combover with her shirt sticking out of her pants at all angles) reserved under a fake name. Suspicious, Owen and Oliver burst into the room under the pretense of delivering said luggage and catch the congressman fondling his much younger secretary (Sara Anna). They win the room by threatening to leak what they saw if he doesn’t leave—Riisha scrambling around in such a disheveled huff while Aasa loudly counts down from ten. Score! But just then the train starts moving and Oscar is still nowhere to be found.

Whoops. He loses his hat, Owen and Oliver pull him through the window, and despite his abject failures in both life and train boarding, he lands dramatically front and center, all pomp and ego, waxing lyrical about the glory awaiting them in New York. Poor Oliver, despite being generally more sober and organized, is also more abused.

Daimon, always so delicately pretty and deeply sad, nailed Oscar so hard I don’t have nearly enough words for it. Her eye makeup was stern and crazy (and pretty monochromatic, nice touch for the 20s vibe), her mustache was GROSS, her neurotic mannerisms were so on point and so funny. She AD LIBBED!! WELL!! I was CRYING of laughter on senshuuraku, and she wasn’t just reacting; she was DOING THE AD LIBBING. The way she fidgeted and flailed and whimpered and yelled and modulated her voice WAY high and back down again to drag us though Oscar’s manic journey was just soooooo perfect. Not that I had any doubt she’d kill the songs, but they were hard, so it was all the more impressive. As perfect as Aasa and Manaharu were together, the three of them played flawlessly off of each other too.

Interrupting Owen and Oliver’s failing attempts to convince Oscar that they are in fact heading for insolvency rather than glory, the conductor informs the passengers that they are approaching Englewood and Oscar flips out. He reveals actress Lily Garland, his former protégé and lover, is boarding there and will be staying in Drawing Room B. He gleaned this information from a bellboy who told a maid and stalked Lily onto the train without her knowledge, but insists that in the 16 hours to NY he’ll be able to convince her to star in his next show, solving his financial problems. Owen and Oliver are Stressed.

This leads into my absolute favorite progression of scenes: a flashback introducing how Lily and Oscar came to meet. Oscar is auditioning Imelda Thornton (the goddess Satsuki Aina) for the role of Veronique, a Parisian street singer who refuses to sleep with Otto Von Bismarck so he attacks Paris and starts the Franco-Prussian war as revenge (men!). If only the photos from this scene showed the parts I want; Daimon was SO funny. Imagine like, the face you make when you try to give yourself 8 chins and take the ugliest low-angle selfie you can. Daimon was that + a thousand-yard stare of skepticism, fidgeting neurotically and tapping the arms of the director’s chair, with Oliver and Owen standing behind, simultaneously goofing off and keeping things running smoothly. Also in the picture at this point: Max Jacobs (Agata Sen), a successful Hollywood producer trying to sign Lily in the present, but in the flashback, Oscar’s (later fired) useless assistant who can’t even take Imelda’s coat correctly. Imelda, an all-ego-no-talent diva, is freaking out because her regular pianist was sick so she had to hire a substitute last minute and she’s late. Enter now Midred/soon to be Lily (Maaya) through the audience, in oversized glasses, tacky pink house dress, and matching hair cap, dropping her sheet music all over the place. Imelda is furious, Oscar is disgruntled, Max is Stressed. Mildred sits down at the piano, Imelda declares she’s going to sing “The Indian Maiden’s Lament,” and tries to begin but Mildred is still dramatically warming up her hands and shoulders. Finally she gives the ok and starts playing something completely different (Imelda, furious; Oscar, melting into a pile of gooey discontent).

Take 2, Mildred begins playing the correct song beautifully, while Imelda sings horrendously and Oscar tries violently and wordlessly to convey to Owen and Oliver in moments of Imelda’s averted gaze that they need to stop this somehow. Imelda hits a sour note that’s just the last straw for Mildred, and she stops playing and corrects her (gorgeously, flawlessly, Maaya’s voice is a treasure). Imelda, flustered, thanks her and tries again, but isn’t any better. Mildred keeps stopping and correcting her, eventually just singing the end of the song herself, while Oscar, moving his chair closer with hilarious little Flintstone car footsteps, stares at her agape and then gives her a standing ovation. Imelda loses her cool and fires Mildred on the spot for ruining her audition; Mildred hulks out and demands her pay for the day plus train fare (Oscar, fully Team Mildred at this point, is mimicking all her movements behind her). Imelda pays and storms off, telling her assistant to call her an ambulance. Just as Mildred starts packing her things to go, Oscar declares he wants her for Veronique and asks her name.

I wish I could share with you all the sound that both of them made saying “Mildred Plotka,” pronounced “Mildred BLEGCH” with copious spit. I’m embarrassed to admit I just spent a good 30 minutes? trying to chase down a vivid childhood memory—I was 11, and watching Spaceballs on TV with my bff, and in the combing the desert scene they censored “we ain’t found shit” not with a bleep but with some absurd SCHMUSCHSG noise, and my bff and I laughed for approximately 8 days, because we were 11 and probably eating Gushers—and in my memory this and Mildred BLEGCH were the exact same sound, and I wanted you to experience it so much I watched every combing the desert clip on youtube fruitlessly, hoping one would be this exact censorship (sorry... I’m just... Daimon was funny??? and I’m very emotional about it????). Anyway, since no one can say Mildred BLEGCH, Oscar decides her new name will be Lily Garland. After some hemming and hawing about not being an actress, Lily decides to give it a shot. The house dress tears away and we have the snazzy number “Veronique.”

Maaya was absolutely brilliant throughout the entire show, but this number hit me extra hard. Not only was she exceptional vocally through a very challenging song (dancing all the while), but her aura of a freshly hatched starlet, packed with youth and hope and freshness and naiveté and raw unpolished talent, contrasted so vividly with the successful Hollywood actress still fueled by Mildred Plotka spitfire that we see in the rest of the show; I found it VERY striking. It was subtle but so effective and truly masterful acting. Veronique ends, Daimon re-enters from the audience and tosses a bouquet (the first time I saw it she missed the stage, and Maaya, fully in character and without missing a beat, just parkour’d off the stage and grabbed it and hopped back on), and we’re ushered back into the present.

The conductor enters Oscar’s room to inform everyone that a religious nut is vandalizing the train with REPENT FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND stickers, but not to worry because they’re doing everything they can to catch the culprit; and to drop off a play that he’s written about a day in the life of a conductor (to Oscar’s annoyance). Then the train arrives at Englewood station, and Lily boards with a flurry of paparazzi, her assistant Agnes (Chikaze Karen), and her attention-whoring movie actor boyfriend Bruce (Ayakaze Sakina). Maaya (in a GORGEOUS dress) is instantly the Hollywood diva instead of the wide-eyed starlet; Saki is the comic relief in what’s already a screwball comedy. Oscar is a terrible person, so if you can imagine how big and dumb and sappy and suffocating and clumsy Bruce has to be to make you root for Oscar, Saki was all that.

The two lovebirds put on quite a show of excessive PDA for the photographers while Agnes rolls her eyes, until it’s time for Bruce to leave the train.

Lily falls to the floor dramatically, wailing oh WHAT will I do without him, when Bruce bursts back into the room, declaring he can’t possibly let the love of his life go to NY all by herself (Lily, all sorrow a minute before, is not 2 seconds later annoyed to see him). So he’s now along for the ride to witness Oscar’s whole scheme.

Owen and Oliver, trying to take matters into their own hands, show up in Lily’s room to beg her sincerely to do a play with Oscar, hoping she’ll pity him and his dire financial situation enough to do him a favor.

Lily sings a whole song about how that’s never ever ever going to happen, and Bruce freaks out to learn that Oscar is on the train. Lily insists they have no romantic history, and then immediately lights up when she hears Oscar’s voice in her head. They sing a lovey duet representing that they’re still clearly both on each other’s minds. Despite the comedic and not at all tender nature of this show, and the love-hate relationship between these two characters, Daimon and Maaya’s chemistry, in my opinion, has never been better. I wouldn’t have thought it would take playing two self-centered assholes who both despise and desperately want each other to send the sparks flying, but BOY did it do the trick.

Meanwhile, the REPENT sticker situation is getting worse, and the audience at this point realizes that the culprit is the unassuming little old Letitia Primrose—played brilliantly by Kyou Misa.

She sings about how she’s taken it as her mission to encourage young people to repent for their sins.

Oscar hears from Owen and Oliver that Lily is with Bruce and is despondent; he declares that he still loves her will definitely steal her back from both him and Hollywood. Oliver is fed up with his nonsense and tells Oscar he’s off his rocker (bless Manaharu and her ability to simultaneously look like a squirrelly little dude in her suit and bowtie and also not only stand up to Daimon but rile her up and get even more out of her). They get into a big fight and as Oliver storms out of the room, Oscar notices a giant REPENT sticker on Oliver’s back and chases after him to remove it. When he removes and reads it, he’s struck with divine inspiration for a new play about Mary Magdalene, a part so good Lily can’t possibly resist it.

Oscar is so sure this will work he instructs Owen to go buy him a bible so he can start writing the script immediately. Owen reminds Oscar that the train is in fact moving and they can’t really do anything at all, when they see Ms. Primrose’s bible on a chair (and all fall dramatically to the ground). Oscar takes that as a second miracle, insisting this means there will be a third, and Owen and Oliver agree to play along with his demands.

Oscar, now filled with renewed confidence, and Bruce, just as big and dumb as ever, sing a duet about how Lily is theirs (not at each other, separately in their own rooms). Both of them are just awful men.

While the two of them are non-confrontationally fighting over the same woman, Owen is in the bar trying to write a press release about the triumphant return of golden duo Oscar Jaffee and Lily Garland. Ms. Primrose picks up a crumpled draft from the floor and muses that she’d love nothing more than to sponsor some big artistic project. That gets Owen’s attention, and she reveals to him that she runs a patent medicine company and doesn’t know what to do with all her money. Owen calls to Oliver that they’ve found their third miracle!

Back in her room, Lily emerges in lime green negligee, to Bruce’s delight. Things are just getting uh sexy I guess when Oscar interrupts them and actually confronts Lily for the first time.

Bruce is furious that Lily lied about her history with Oscar, who is sitting on the couch in back of the room drinking their champagne and eating all the olives out of their martini glass as they argue. Bruce eventually storms off, slapping his headshot onto the wall as he leaves the room (Oscar immediately stands and tears it up). Lily sits down on the couch, now arguing with Oscar and angrily joining him in eating olives. Their hands touch going for the glass at the same time; Lily sternly tells him to let her go but then turns around and caresses her hand happily. Oscar takes this moment to spring his play idea on her; Lily reveals that she heard the whole story of his bankruptcy from Owen and Oliver and tells him she’s on her way to NY to sign with a reliable producer (the formerly useless Max Jacobs who Oscar himself fired). Realizing he’s out of game, Oscar starts hurling insults and they sing another spark-flying duet—Lily insisting she has everything, and Oscar insisting movies are beneath her talents and she’ll rot in Hollywood and fall into obscurity.

Lily eventually kicks Oscar out, EARNESTLY throwing and smashing a champagne bottle against the door behind him. Oscar, without even taking a breath between Lily’s room and his, screams at his two traitors for ruining his plan and strangles poor Oliver (on senshuuraku Daimon held on for a comically long time, and Manaharu, refusing to concede that ad lib, then played dead on the floor for a good minute). Oliver and Owen save their own asses by telling Oscar about the sponsor they managed to find on board, and THAT’S ACT ONE (right before curtain, we see a tiny little plane labeled “Max Jacobs” flying above the train).

During the big ensemble number (”Life is Like a Train”) that opens act 2 we discover that the train is now absolutely covered in REPENT stickers, then Owen and Oliver take Oscar to meet Ms. Primrose.

I can’t stress enough how delightful Kyou Misa was, the perfect little ostensibly earnest but just subtly batty old lady; the way she stiffly hobbled around was adorable too. Ms. Primrose is thrilled to work with the great Oscar Jaffee, and even more thrilled to share the story of Mary Magdalene with the world, and asks him how much money he needs. Oscar nervously asks for $20,000, at which Ms. Primrose balks that that CAN’T possibly be enough and writes a check for $200,000. Oscar, Owen, and Oliver giddily sing “Five Zeros” in a manner not unlike Scrooge McDuck swimming in his gold coins, and over the course of the song Ms. Primrose bumps it up to $20,000,000 (in the 1920s!). Now they’re sure they’ll be able to lure Lily back.

Oscar is about to go grab Lily and introduce her to Ms. Primrose when the train doctor Dr. Johnson (Kujou Asu) busts into his room with yet another manuscript (A day in the life of a doctor!). I mention this mostly because a) I LOVE ASU DEEPLY, she is so underused, and b) the three musketeers leverage this manuscript situation later on in my other favorite scene. They get rid of Johnson and Oscar finds that Lily wants to see him also. She sits him down and asks Bruce to give them some time alone (on his way out, he goes to replace his torn head shot with a new one that comically unfolds into five headshots before Oscar violently chases him the rest of the way out the door). Oscar is fuming, and Lily tenderly asks him to sit, which he does with a grumpy face and a flamboyant kick as he reluctantly crosses his legs on the sofa. Lily explains that she’s embarrassed by her behavior so far, is so grateful to Oscar for her career, and wants to help him after all... so she reaches into her bra and pulls out a check for $35 so at least he’s not dead broke. Oscar, amused, stands up and, acting as if he’s a magician, folds up the $35 check and dramatically asks Lily to blow on his hand. Out comes the $20,000,000 check.

Oscar ushers Lily into his room to prove to her that Ms. Primrose is in fact a real person who wants to sponsor his new play, if she’ll star in it. Lily, despite still generally feeling like she’d rather die than work with Oscar again, is now enticed both by the role of Mary Magdalene, which is much juicier than what she’s been allowed to do on screen, and the prospect of raking in this much money without being beholden to the jerks who run Hollywood. Faithful Oliver has already prepared a contract, and we get “Sign It Lily,” probably both the most difficult/impressive song and biggest earworm of the show. Not the best version but here, have a listen.

Oscar, Owen, Oliver, and Ms. Primrose are all bombarding Lily trying to get her to put her name on the thing (I truly don’t know when Daimon breathes), while simultaneously trying to keep Bruce and his contrary agenda out of the room (Saki gets repeatedly slammed into doors and walls, closed into closets, suffocated with pillows, etc). Lily gets overwhelmed and runs back to her room, pursued by a cocky triumphant Bruce, who yells behind him that they’ll never get her back away from movies.

Oscar gets a lightbulb moment at the word movie, and the team files one by one back into Lily’s room, smashing Bruce in the head with the door each time. Oscar tells Lily that if she agrees to do the play, he’ll shop the movie rights to whatever studio she wants (to which Ms. Primrose responds WHY BOTHER, she’ll fund the movie too). That pushes her over to yes, and she takes the contract to read carefully. The conductor enters the room notifies everyone that they are approaching Cleveland, and that Ms. Primrose’s nephew and his wife sent a telegram ahead that they’d be boarding the train there to meet her. She turns cold and hurries off alone.

Owen, out for a celebratory entire bottle of wine, coincidentally runs into Ms. Primrose’s nephew (Machi Yuuka), who is frantically searching for his aunt. He says she hasn’t been all there since she stepped down from her position as company president, and just escaped from her mental institution. Owen asks about her money, the nephew says there is none, and Owen realizes they’re fucked.

In the frantic search for the missing Ms. Primrose, Bruce overhears Owen breaking the news to Oscar and Oliver, and tells Lily that Oscar deceived her again. She’s furious, and Oscar probably only escapes with his life because just at that exact moment, the formerly useless and fired but currently hot and successful Max Jacobs bursts through the door (Oscar yells MAX JACOBS like he’s going to burst every single blood vessel in his head and neck).

Max hopped a private plane to Cleveland to meet the train, because he has a brand new play written just for Lily (called “Babette”), and he’s so excited he can’t wait for her to get all the way to New York. Babette is a glamorous high society type role about a woman in love with two men. Lily starts reading the script, but finds herself wondering out loud if it can be changed to be more like Oscar’s. Max is incredulous and starts trash talking Oscar, and Lily slaps him REAL HARD in the face. She then catches herself yet again and and asks to be left alone to read the Babette script more carefully.

We’re taken to Lily’s wistful daydream of a classy party taking place in the Babette universe as she tries to wrap her head around the show and imagine herself in the title role. But she finds it dull, and every few pages, she has an intrusive thought about the more inspiring Mary Magdalene—one minute she’s milling through the impeccably dressed party guests, and the next she’s face to face with Owen or Oliver or Ms. Primrose dressed like an Apostle, until finally Oscar dressed as Calaf Jesus crashes the whole thing from behind.

(Yup that’s a screenshot of the bromide sample page).

But Lily brings herself to her senses yet again, drives away all thoughts of Oscar, and agrees to sign with Max.

Oscar has lost and he’s despondent. He walks into the train bar to find Oliver sulking behind Owen who is passed out drunk in a chair. He takes out a gun (Oliver tries frantically to wake Owen), and begins a melodramatic monologue about how it’s better just to end his life now because no one wants to see him become a beggar in times square.

Daimon hilariously mimes Oscar begging, then people throwing garbage at him, then dodging the thrown bits (on senshuuraku Aasa and Manaharu joined in with pretending to throw things). Eventually he leaves the room in despair, and Oliver asks Owen if he thinks boss would really kill himself. Owen is in the middle of saying absolutely no way when they hear a gunshot and run into the next room.

Oscar, now in a comical panic rather than a depression, is clutching his side and gasping that he’s been shot, and the heretofore still missing Ms. Primrose is in the corner of the room holding the gun by her fingertips, crying that she was just trying to put it away when it went off.

Oliver runs to get Dr. Johnson while Owen tends to Oscar who is (again, comically) writhing in a chair and complaining that being shot by a crazy granny is not how he wanted to go, and this is my second favorite progression of scenes.

Owen offers to call the pastor for Oscar (who, by the way, cannot identify WHERE he has been shot), and Oscar gets mad. Owen then offers him ice cream. Oliver sticks his head back in the door to ask of Oscar is dead yet. Owen says not yet and brings in Dr. Johnson (Asu, my love) who at first giggles and assumes that because it’s Mr. Jaffee he’s just acting. Owen and Oliver assure him this is real, and begin moaning and wailing as Dr. Johnson examines Oscar in earnest.

He stands up, and Owen and Oliver take this to mean it’s a hopeless case, and it’s time for them to say goodbye. On senshuuraku, Daimon verrrrrrrrry slowly slid all the way down the chair, so that Aasa had to hold her up by the arms to keep her from wiping out, AND had to kick her foot to a lower step of the stage so she could stand up again. The raku digest thankfully shows a bit of this, along with the Matrix move Daimon had to pull to jump to her feet when Dr. Johnson declares that Oscar hasn’t been shot at all.

(It does not, however, convey how drawn out and hilarious this was, nor does it show the chair then toppling onto poor Aasa, and it taking her at least 3 tries to get it off her again).

Oscar then gets another harebrained idea, and tells Dr. Johnson that he read his manuscript from before and that it’s SO GOOD he wants to give him an acting lesson right then and there. Dr. Johnson is stoked. Oscar tells him to just sit in the chair, stare at him solemnly, and shake his head back and forth if anyone looks at him (Asu, over the next few minutes, gives what my admittedly biased heart firmly believes is the award winning performance of the show). Oliver and Owen are to pretend Oscar is dying. The cherry on top of senshuuraku was in the moment before this all commenced, Daimon, immediately after the chair debacle, took an extra long pause before delivering (completely straight-faced) her usual line of “I don’t want to see any hammy acting,” after which the others took a comically long pause before replying, “Yep.”

Dr. Johnson takes his place in the formerly toppled chair, Oscar grabs a pillow and lays down on the floor, Oliver and Owen go fetch Lily and start wailing again. Agnes and Bruce also follow Lily into the room and start crying themselves at the sight of Oscar “dying” on the floor. Dr. Johnson looks around from person to person in a panic and starts hyperventilating. Owen and Oliver mime at him to look sadder, Asu licks her finger and dabs tears on her cheeks and then makes the dumbest crying face I’ve ever seen, shaking her head increasingly aggressively each time someone in the room looks at her. Daimon and Maaya are weepily singing “Lilyyyyyyyy, Oscaaaaarrrr” back and forth for deadass three entire minutes. I can’t believe how much vocal control Daimon has even lying on her back on the damn floor.

Lily eventually signs the contract as Oscar’s dying wish. When Max enters the room, Oscar immediately jumps up to rub it in his face, and Lily once again is furious at being deceived. Oscar claims that with no money to offer, the only way he could rescue her from a rotted career was through trickery. **I FORGOT BECAUSE I FINISHED THIS AT 6AM AFTER BEING UP ALL NIGHT that Lily gets the last word because she hasn’t actually signed her name at all but written PETER RABBIT. They throw things and hurl vicious insults at each other and then finally realize they’re just too hot for each other after all and throw open their arms and get married.

The finale opened with Agata in a top hat and tails dancing with a stick and a bunch of musumeyaku, then there was a huge golden group tap number and a lovely waltz for the duet dance.

I’ve been pretty upset that I had to miss BeruBara 45 and that I booked the trip I’m currently on before finding out Komu and Wataru would be returning to Bow Hall this summer, but being able to see this, especially since we’ll never see it again, was so so worth it. It was certainly a much needed boost for me personally, and it seems like it was a boost for the troupe and for Daimon and Maaya as a combi as well. I’m always torn about Broadway shows like this, because they’re SO good, and I WANT them to take on these kinds of challenges, especially when the result is so spectacular, but it’s such a bummer when they disappear forever. Many points to Harada for fitting this weird musical to Yukigumi like a perfect cozy little glove.

#takarazuka #reviews #on the 20th century #actual longest review ever #I didn't proofread it #I don't even want to read it #am i 東宝組 now 19

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ravenhilarious · 5 years

Text

Rowan & Jae – My Dear Study Partner

(Faceclaims: Pooja Hegde and Park Ji Bin)

Fandom: Harry Potter – Hogwarts Mystery Genre: Mostly romance, with a dash of friendship Pairings: Rowan Khanna/Jae Kim (and a few other ones, but that’s a spoiler ;-D ) Summary: It takes place during their fifth year – before, during, and after the Celestial Ball. Rowan starts helping Jae with his homework, causing the two main characters to slowly fall in love. I’ve warped canon a little, but it mostly follows the canon storyline. Words: 13 879 Warnings: Mild aphobia/allonormativity; gender dysphoria/mild internalized transphobia; mild bullying; ask me to add if necessary

enjoy my little drawing here. The story is under the cut.

It was quiet in the library. All the students were deeply concentrating on their homeworks. But everyone looked up when a small, dark-haired boy in a yellow sweatshirt casually walked in and started looking at the bookshelves. Jae Kim was well known for being a rule breaker and despising academics. So what was he doing here? “Hey, Rowan?” he suddenly blurted out. The lanky, brown-skinned girl with glasses peeped at Jae through piles of books and parchment. “Yes?” she said. “Don’t you ever get bored here?” “No, why would I? It’s full of books. What more could you wish for?” “It doesn’t get… lonely?” he asked worriedly. Rowan shrugged. “Not really,” she replied. “There are plenty of bookworms I can talk to if I want.” “I bet you like the Ravenclaw common room, then,” Jae said. “It’s probably filled with nerds like you.” “Not all nerds are academically interested,” Rowan sighed. “Lots of them are more more into music or theatre, and those people will never shut up! Not to mention, we got Tulip Karasu…” “Oh yeah,” Jae grinned. “She’s quite the distraction, isn’t she?” “Yup.” Tulip Karasu was an extremely eccentric prankster, whose talent was only surpassed by the Hufflepuff student Tonks and the school poltergeist, Peeves. “Bet you’d hate the Gryffindor common room then. We got plenty of Karasus.” “I get uncomfortable just thinking about it,” Rowan chuckled. “By the way, what are you doing here in the library? I thought you wouldn’t touch a book unless imperiused?” “You thought right,” Jae replied. “The only book that can catch my attention is a comic book.” “I’m afraid they don’t have comic books here,” Rowan said. Jae shrugged and continued his search through the bookshelves. After watching him for a while, Rowan asked: “What are you doing here?” Jae felt like himself shrinking a little before explaining: “The thing is, I have to write an essay in transfiguration class. I’m alright at the transfiguration part. But essays… I have never been very good at that.” “Why not?” Rowan asked. “It’s just… every time I sit down and look at the parchment, my mind starts going all over the place,” he explained. “I start thinking about Quidditch, food, comics, trading… pretty much everything but that essay. And when I finally force myself to focus, some loud noise distracts me.” “Perhaps you need some help,” Rowan said thoughtfully. “Have you ever tried studying with anyone?” There was a long pause before Jae truthfully shook his head. “Then why don’t you come and sit down? I know just the book that might help you!” Jae walked towards the table and sat down beside Rowan, who placed a giant book in front of him. “What are you writing your essay on?” she asked. “Uh, transfiguration of Muggle gadgets.” Rowan pointed her wand at the book, causing it to turn to another page. “There,” she said. “Here’s some information about the dangers of trying to add transfiguration to electronic objects. Read this page, then we can talk about it.” Jae started reading, but his eyes kept flying away. “Jae, focus!” Rowan said sternly. He tried again, but no improvement. Eventually, Rowan cast Engorgio on the page, so the letters became much bigger. That helped. After finishing reading the page, Jae looked up at Rowan. “You’re done? Then let’s start making a good intro.” She explained how she usually wrote her intros. Jae tried very hard to ignore all the distractions in the room and in his brain. Eventually, he had written a small paragraph which, granted, wasn’t very neatly looking, but he was quite proud of the result, and so was Rowan. Before they knew it, more than an hour had passed, and they only noticed when Madam Pince threw them out and demanded them to go to bed. “Well,” Jae said. “Goodnight, Rowan. And thank you for helping me.” “It was a pleasure,” she replied. “I hope you sleep well tonight.” With those words, they went to each of their towers and into their respective dormitories.

The next day in the early afternoon, Jae came to the library again. Rowan was sitting at the very same table as yesterday, today with short hair and male trousers instead of the long hair and knee-length skirt. As soon as he saw Jae, Rowan moved some of his books to make room for him. “Do you want me to help you with your essay again?” he asked. Jae nodded and found his quill and parchment from his pocket. “How much have you written?” Rowan asked. “A roll and a half,” Jae said. “But my letters are pretty big, so it’s probably closer to like, barely a roll.” “I don’t think Professor McGonagall cares a lot about that,” Rowan assured him. “Come, let me look at that essay.” Jae handed Rowan the parchment. “You’ve written a lot since yesterday,” Rowan exclaimed. “What do you think of it?” Jae asked nervously. “Hm,” Rowan said. “Not bad. There are a few grammar and spelling issues, but what you’ve written is very good. Let’s see… perhaps we should look at the history of transfiguration of Muggle gadgets. We can use the same book as yesterday.” He found the book and turned it to another page, then asked Jae: “Do you easily get distracted by things? Like, other students talking, flies buzzing around, ticking clocks?” “A little,” he replied. Rowan pointed his wand at Jae’s head, causing the room to get blurrier, both visually and in sound. “Wow,” Jae whispered. “It’s the focusing charm,” Rowan explained. “It was invented by a witch whose Muggle husband had a mental disability called ADHD, which meant he couldn’t focus very well and easily got distracted. This spell helped him a lot.” “I probably have ADHD, then,” Jae muttered. “That would explain why you have trouble sitting still on a chair, and why your mind is always so full.” Jae’s face lit up. “You know what, it does!” he smiled. “You must teach me that spell someday!” “I will,” Rowan said. “But now, you have to write your essay.” “Yes, of course.” After an hour of hard work, Jae felt that his essay was finished. Rowan was also satisfied with the result. “I hope Old McGonny will like it,” Jae said. “I’m sure she will,” Rowan replied and lifted the focusing charm again, so the random noises and movements around the library became clear again. “I don’t know how to thank you enough, Rowan,” Jae smiled. “And I’ll have to go to detention now. See ya later!” Then he stormed out faster than a Comet 260. Rowan couldn’t help smiling before going back to his own textbook.

The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws had Charms class together the next day. Rowan, who today identified as a girl again and as such wore long hair and a skirt, was practicing Scourgify on a dirty cauldron while chatting with her best friend, Beam Bugge, who was sitting right next to her. “Can you guess who Billingsley tried to ask out?” Rowan asked. “No?” Beam replied excitingly. “Merula Snyde.” Merula was a Slytherin girl from their year who didn’t like Rowan and most of the friend group, to say the least. Beam burst out laughing: “How do you know?” “During flying class, when you and Andre were practicing loops, and I was polishing my broom with and Merula, he came over and asked her. Let’s just say, Merula was not happy.” They both laughed, but got interrupted by Professor Flitwick, who came to their table and said: “I’m glad you’re having so much fun casting Scourgify, but I’m afraid I’ll have to stop your little party.” They both shut up immediately, and Flitwick continued: “Beam Bugge, a young Gryffindor student has trouble with Wingardium Leviosa. Would you like to help him?” Beam sighed, but walked over to the struggling blond boy whose name they couldn’t remember. Jae, who had previously sitten behind the two Ravenclaws, jumped to Beam’s empty seat while Flitwick wasn’t looking. “Poor Billingsley,” he smirked at her. Rowan giggled. “Can’t really understand why anyone’d date that Snyde girl, though. I mean, she’s pretty and all, but really?” “True,” Rowan replied. “Thanks for helping me out, by the way,” Jae said. “With that essay, I mean.” “It was a pleasure to study with you,” Rowan said. “Yeah, I was actually able to concentrate, for once. And not just because of that charm of yours,” Jae added. “Perhaps you learn better when you have someone to help you?” Rowan suggested. “Have you ever studied with another student before?” “Not really,” he admitted. “When I started at Hogwarts back in ‘84, I didn’t have my parents to help me with anything anymore. And that was kinda… strange. And I felt so embarrassed when asking teachers and fellow students for help to… pretty much anything. So I started going in the opposite direction, by doing everything by myself. And then some older student sold me an auto-answer-quill, and then I just continued to use those when I had trouble with any schoolwork. So studying with other students just never really occurred to me, to be honest.” There was a long pause, which Rowan interrupted: “If studying with me will make you stop doing illegal stuff, then I’ll gladly do it again.” “Well, I don’t think my trading partners would appreciate me cutting them off…” he began, but upon seeing Rowan’s disappointed face, he added: “But I’d love to study with you again.”

“Soooooo…” said a curious voice into Rowan’s ear. She looked up from her book into Tulip’s grinning face. “So what?” Rowan asked irritatedly. She was lying on her bed, with closed curtains, hoping to get some alone time before going to bed. But she had forgotten to lock the curtains, so now everyone could open them. Tulip continued approaching Rowan with that voice: “I couldn’t help noticing what happened in charms class…” “What happened?” Rowan asked flatly; she was almost sure what Tulip was referring to. And she was right: “You and Jae.” “Oh, that,” Rowan mumbled, trying to sound surprised. Beam’s pale face appeared above Tulip’s copper red hair: “What was that all about?” Rowan sighed and told them: “I helped him study yesterday, and the day before that. And he came over to thank me. That’s all.” “Is that all he did?” Tulip asked. “Yes?” Rowan replied slowly. Tulip’s black eyes glittered, and Beam smiled crookedly. “And he also wanted me to help him study again in the future,” she admitted. Beam’s dark blue eyes widened under the pink glasses: “And what did you say?” “Yes, of course.” Upon realising how this may have sounded to the others, Rowan added: “I mean, I love studying, and if I can help other students, that must mean that I’m a good Professor. Right?” “Right,” she heard three other voices saying. Apparently, Badeea Ali, the last dormmate, had been listening to their conversation. “What are you all ‘right’ing me for?” she asked, more irritatedly and less confusedly that she had hoped. “Nothing, nothing…” she heard Tulip say, before all the others left Rowan’s bed in order to go to sleep themselves. Perhaps Tulip and the others were right. Perhaps Jae had wanted something more from Rowan than “just” studying with her. And Rowan was not sure how to feel about that.

“Great news, Rowan!” Jae jumped onto the chair next to Rowan before she even noticed him coming into the library. “I just got my transfiguration essay back!” Rowan’s face lit up: “Oh, tell me about it!” “Old McGonny… she liked it. She told me that… that it was the best essay that I had ever written, and that she could tell I hadn’t cheated.” “Jae, that’s amazing!” “Yeah. I don’t even know how to react.” Jae wanted to scream, but was able to stop himself. Madam Pince wouldn’t be too happy about it, after all. But getting Professor McGonagall’s approval, then Rowan’s… that was a great feeling. “Normally, I don’t really care about my grades,” he thought out loud. “And it sucks a little that she knows when I cheat… but the feeling of getting told that something I made, something I worked hard on, was actually good… I’ve never heard that before. I felt… proud. And I have a feeling that she’s kinda proud of me, too?” Rowan smiled at him: “Oh, I’m so happy for you, Jae! I’m really happy that I could make you feel better. If you ever need my help again…” “I do, actually,” Jae said. “I have to write an essay in potions class as well.” “I have a feeling that Professor Snape doesn’t like you very much,” Rowan said. “Yeah, but I don’t take it personally,” Jae shrugged. “You should see how much he hates Tonks, and Charlie Weasley. But yeah, he does consider me a troublemaker.” “I bet you consider that a compliment,” Rowan smirked. Jae laughed: “Yep. But I do want to pass potions class, so perhaps you could help me…” “Why don’t you ask Penny Haywood instead?” she asked. “You have class together, and she’s a natural at potions.” “I think you’re a better teacher, though.” After the words had left his mouth, Jae immediately regretted saying them. But there was nothing to do, and Rowan had heard him. Her facial expression and her voice changed a little: “You… you think?” “Yes,” Jae said bluntly. Her little smile made him continue: “Penny might be good at potions, alright, but not at explaining what she does. She just does it. You on the other hand… you tutor me like I’m a first year student. You help me focus, whereas Penny talks about everything else. She is very sweet and brilliant, but your way of teaching is just what I need.” They both blushed a little, but it was more obvious on Jae’s pale face. Rowan was the first to break the awkward silence: “Er… thank you, Jae. That’s very… a very nice thing to say. I’m so glad that someone thinks I’m good at what I enjoy doing and hope to do in the future.” “I enjoy spending time with you in general.” Why did Jae always have to say out loud what was on his mind? Could it be the ADHD thing? “Merry christmas, Jae,” Rowan said. Jae gave her a confused look, to which Rowan replied: “Sorry, I’m just not used to receiving compliments like that.” Then she admitted: “I enjoy spending time with you, too. Too bad you’re always in detention, eh?” “Too bad you’re always in the library, eh?” They both laughed. Jae grabbed Rowan’s hand. Rowan was surprised, but didn’t pull back. They both sat there for a few seconds, before they awkwardly let go and started packing their things. “Your hands are a lot bigger than I thought,” Jae mumbled, trying to break the awkward silence, but regretted it quickly. Wasn’t that a pretty rude thing to say to a girl? “Your hands are a lot smaller than I thought,” Rowan said. Jae started laughing, then Rowan joined in. “See you tomorrow,” Jae said and stormed out, before his face became as red as his worn trainers. Rowan waved at him and had to force herself to look away.

“And then I was like, I can just dance with a dragon!” The other Gryffindor boys laughed at Charlie Weasley’s joke, while Jae came into the dorm. “Hi, there, Jae,” Ben Copper said. “Have you been trading illegal stuff again?” Charlie grinned. “Not this time,” Jae replied. “Then what?” Ben asked. “I’ve been studying.” Ben and Charlie glared at him. “In the library. With Rowan Khanna.” “You’re kidding, right?” Charlie exclaimed. “Perhaps not,” said Ben slowly. “I saw you two chatting in charms class last week.” “Exactly!” Jae said. Charlie looked at Jae in confusion: “It’s not like you to care about studying, Jae.” “Nope.” “What’s happened to you?” “I kinda want to pass my OWLs.” Charlie lifted an eyebrow. His brown eyes kept staring sceptically into Jae’s black. “That, and… I like studying with Rowan. She’s a really good tutor.” Everyone was quiet for awhile, until an unexpected voice asked: “Do you fancy her?” “No!” Jae shouted in surprise. It was the blond Leviosa boy, who rarely spoke to them, so his question was quite unexpected. After thinking about it for awhile, Jae admitted: “Or yes. Perhaps. I dunno.” “Perhaps you need to find out soon,” Charlie said. “The Celestial Ball is coming up pretty soon, and as far as I know, Rowan doesn’t have a partner yet.” “I thought she’d go with you, Ben?” Ben was Rowan’s best male friend, so Jae had assumed that they’d go together, at least as friends. “I’ve considered asking her,” Ben began, “but we’ve talked about it, and… we decided we’re too good friends for that. It would be weird. So… feel free to ask her, bro.” Jae felt his heart rising. “Do you think she could… you know… be interested in me?” The question was mostly directed at Ben, who was also the one to reply: “I can ask her for you if you want?” Jae’s heart was now sitting in his throat. “You’d do that? Thank you thank you thank you, Ben. Thank you, so much.”

Meanwhile, Rowan had told her own dormmates about the episode in the library. “I never imagined he’d be so nice,” she said excitedly. Tulip raised her dark eyebrows: “Is he – ‘nice nice’?” “Yeah,” Rowan answered. “Nice nice.” “You’re blushing, Rowan,” Badeea pointed out. “I know,” Rowan sighed. “But… he could never be interested in a quiet nerd like me. And how does he feel about me being gender fluid? And my terrible puberty voice! I’m also like, a head taller than him. And really ugly…” “Aw, don’t say that, Rowan,” Beam said comfortingly. “Real beauty is on the inside,” Badeea said. “Yeah, nerds are sexy,” Tulip grinned. “Seduce him with your intelligence. And also, tall girls? Me likey! Besides, long legs are trending right now. Be your smart, intimidating self. Then he’ll swoon at your feet. Perhaps literally.” “That’s…” said Rowan hesitantly. She wasn't sure how to respond. But perhaps Tulip might be onto something: “Oddly good advise. Thank you, Tulip.” “Any time,” Tulip smiled. “Hey, Rowan?” Beam suddenly said. “I have detention with Jae tomorrow. If we can keep the nosy house elves out of the way, then perhaps I could…” “Ask him what he thinks of me?” Rowan asked hopefully, her heart skipping several beats. Perhaps there was a chance that Jae had feelings for her. A little chance, perhaps.

It was Saturday. There were no classes, but Jae still had detention with the house elves after breakfast. He took a last gulp of orange juice and said quietly to Ben, who was sitting to his right: “I’m off to detention now. Could you go to the library and talk to Rowan?” “Sure,” Ben replied. “Thanks, Ben,” Jae said. “I’m gonna owe you one.”

Meanwhile, at the Ravenclaw table, Rowan and Beam had just finished eating their breakfast, and the plates, glasses and cutlery disappeared from the table. “Okay,” Beam said. “I’m heading to the kitchen.” “Thank you, Beam,” Rowan said. “I think I’ll go to the library.” “Hi, Rowan,” said a voice behind them. It was Ben. “Are you going to the library?” “What do you think?” Rowan smirked at him. “Awesome!” he said. “I got something to ask you about.” “I’ll be glad to help you,” Rowan replied. Beam went to the Gryffindor table, where Jae had just gotten up from his chair. “Hey there, BB,” he greeted them. “You ready for detention?” Beam grinned: “I’m so excited to scrub mustard and smelly cheese off the plates.” Jae laughed: “So am I.”

Rowan and Jae had just arrived at the library, and Rowan started unpacking her bag. Ben placed himself opposite her. “So,” Rowan said. “What subject do you want to ask me about?” “Jae Kim,” Ben replied. Rowan had not expected that answer and asked: “What do you mean?” Ben hesitated a little, but then started explaining: “I’ve noticed that you two, umm… have been spending a lot of time together lately.” “It’s not what you think,” Rowan blurted out a little too fastly. “Really?” “Yeah. I’ve just helped him study. That’s all.” She could feel her head getting warmer and hoped that Ben didn’t notice her blushing. “It seems like it’s helping,” Ben said. “He’s become much more dedicated to school work now.” Rowan tried to act surprised: “That’s amazing!” Ben continued: “All because of you.” “Yeah…” she said slowly. “He’s told me how amazing of a tutor you are,” Ben said. “How he learns so much better with you.” “Well,” Rowan said, trying to hide her enthusiasm, “I’m glad I can help him…” “Don’t you feel… proud?” Ben asked. “Yeah,” Rowan responded, “a little.” “You like studying with him?” “I umm…” She wasn’t sure what to say. “I enjoy tutoring other students, so I can practise becoming a professor.” “What do you think of him?” The question had slapped Rowan in the face, even though she had half expected it. “Are you interrogating me?” she asked suspiciously. “I might be,” he smiled. “Why?” she asked, a bit irritatedly now. “You of all people should know how creepy this is.” Rowan knew that Ben was diagnosed with anxiety and omniphobia by Muggle doctors (he was Muggle-born). His smile broadened: “I do.” Ben’s uncharacteristic calmness frustrated Rowan to no end. “Then why do you do it?” “Because I think you might have feelings for him.” How on earth did Ben know about that? And why was he so interested? “No,” Rowan said firmly. “No, I don’t.” That wasn’t true, of course, but Ben did not need to know that. “Are you sure?” he asked. “No!” she repeated. Upon realizing what she said, she corrected herself: “I mean, yes. Yes, I am sure. I have no romantic feelings for Jae.” Her head felt like an oven now. Her cheeks had the same colour as Ben’s Gryffindor tie. Eventually, her head exploded: “Okay, fine. I guess he’s cute. Are you happy now?” Ben’s smile was brighter than unicorn blood. “Yep,” he said. Rowan immediately regretted admitting her feelings. But she couldn’t take it back now. “Please, don’t tell anyone,” she begged with a small voice. “Okay?” “Don’t worry,” Ben promised. “I won’t.” But Rowan was not entirely convinced.

Meanwhile, the kitchen was busy. All the house elves were working on each of their individual tasks, while Jae was scrubbing plates and pans, and Beam was drying them with a dishtowel. Beam made sure that no one could hear them, before quietly saying: “Hey, Jae?” “Hmm?” Jae said. “Can I ask you something?” they asked. “You just did,” he replied. “But you may ask me one more question if you want.” “I’ve noticed that you have been studying with Rowan a lot lately.” “Yeah,” he said and handed Beam a clean, wet plate, which they began drying. “I decided that I did want to pass my OWLs, after all.” “Great decision,” Beam said and put the newly dried plate on the shelf where it belonged. “Yeah,” he mumbled, relieved that they didn’t go in that direction. “How does it feel to study with her?” Beam continued. “Is she a good tutor?” “She’s amazing,” Jae replied, hoping he didn’t blush as much as he felt he did. “I learn so much better with her than I do alone, or in class.” “She’s very nice, isn’t she?” Beam said. Jae nodded and tried to focus on the dirty frying pan. “And smart?” “She’s a genius!” Jae blurted out, hoping he didn’t sound too obsessed. “What do you, umm, think of her?” Beam asked carefully. “I do like her,” he answered, now realizing that Beam might be going in that direction, after all. “Like, or like-like?” “Why are you so interested in that?” he asked. Then he realized what this could be about, and what he had to do: “Is it because you fancy her? Cause if you do, I’ll back off, I promise. She’s your best friend, after all.” “No, no, no, no, I don’t!” Beam said quickly. “We’re just friends. Besides, I’m pretty sure she’s only into guys.” Jae’s heart jumped out of the box it was about to get trapped in and did a little dance. “But do you fancy her?” Beam asked. “If we say I do, hypothetically,” he said and gave Beam the (finally!) cleaned frying pan, “would you then tell her?” “Would you want me to?” Beam asked and started drying the pan. “No!” Jae exclaimed. “Then I won’t tell her, if you fancy her, hypothetically.” Jae sighed: “Then I guess that I do.” His cheeks were the same shade of pink as the raspberry pudding he was currently scrubbing off a bowl. “Are you planning to tell her?” Beam asked and put the now dry frying pan into the pan drawer. Jae shrugged. “Dunno,” he mumbled. “Do you think there’s a chance she’ll like me back?” “You could ask her for the Celestial Ball as a date,” Beam suggested, “and if it gets awkward, you could say you meant it as a friend?” “That’s…” Jae weighed the plan in his head. It couldn’t go terribly wrong, could it? “That’s an amazing idea. Thanks, Beam!” He was now done cleaning the last fork and hoped Pitts would let them go now. He was urging to come outside, ask Ben whether he had found out anything about Rowan. And he especially wanted to find Rowan…

“So,” Rowan said excitedly and dumped herself onto the seat next to Beam, who was eating a tofu and squash sandwich. Rowan grabbed a chicken and chili sandwich, cast a Muffliato charm non-verbally and continued: “Have you found out anything?” “Yes,” Beam replied. “He likes you.” “Like-like?” Rowan asked, her entire body shaking, inside and out. “Yep,” Beam smiled. Rowan wanted to scream, but remembered that even a Muffliato charm couldn’t hide such a loud noise. Instead, she grabbed Beam and hugged them, tightly: “I can’t believe it,” she whispered with a shaking voice. “Oh, my gosh. This is impossible. I can’t even…” The rest of her words turned into unintelligible gibberish. Could it really be true that Jae – cool, funny Jae – like liked Rowan, a plain and nerdy girl?

Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table, Ben, too, had cast a Muffliato charm around him and Jae. Jae had a piece of pizza on his plate, but didn’t eat anything. Instead he turned to Ben, who was enjoying a ham and mayo sandwich, and asked: “Did you talk to her?” “Mmmm,” Ben said, with his mouth full of sandwich. “Did you ask her about me?” “Mmmm,” Ben repeated. “What did she say?” Jae asked excitedly. Ben swallowed and said: “Do you want me to tell you the truth?” “Yes!” Jae replied. “Alright,” Ben said and prepared himself for whatever Jae’s reaction would be. “She told me that she thinks you’re… cute.” “Cute?” Jae asked confusedly. “Does she mean cute as in a puppy crup, or cute as in… boyfriend material?” “I’m not sure,” Ben said jokingly. “Do you usually blush around puppy crups?” “She was blushing?” Jae exclaimed, a little louder that he had intended. The Muffliato charm was strong, though, so it didn’t seem like anyone had heard him. “Yeah,” Ben smiled. “I think she has a big crush on you.” Jae tried to comprehend what Ben had just said. Rowan found him cute. She had blushed while talking about him. Could it really be? “Do you think,” he began, “that I should try to ask her to the Celestial Ball?” “That’s up to you,” Ben said. “I wouldn’t do it, but then again, I’m a big coward. I think you should go for it.” “Yeah, Beam said so too,” he said slowly. “You’ve told Beam that you like Rowan?” Ben asked. “Yeah?” Jae replied. “I mean, they asked me, and I said yes, so… “ “They’re Rowan’s best friend!” Ben warned him. “They’re gonna tell her immediately.” “They promised they wouldn’t.” “Just like I promised Rowan I wouldn’t tell you about her feelings.” Ben shook his head. “Oh, Jae, I’m sorry. I should never have gotten involved in all this…” “It’s not your fault, Ben!” Jae said sternly. “I’m glad you did this for me. I’m really, really grateful. But I better ask her pretty soon…”

Jae tiptoed and looked toward the Ravenclaw table after a tall, skinny figure with long black hair. But he only found a sixth-year boy who once bought a fanged frisbee from him. No Rowan. Not even Beam’s blue-and-purple-striped locks. But he did see Badeea’s blue, star-patterned hijab, and ran toward her. “Hey, Badeea,” he said. “Have you seen Rowan Khanna?” “I think she and Beam went to the common room,” she responded. “I’m heading there as well. Do you want to come with me?” “Yes, please.” The two of them went up the many staircases and arrived at a large wooden door with a bronze-coloured knocker taking the shape of an eagle on it. “What’s the password?” Jae asked. “It’s not a password,” Badeea explained. “It’s a riddle.” “What happens if you can’t answer the riddle?” “I don’t know,” Badeea said thoughtfully. “I’ve never been unable to do so myself. But now let’s find out what our riddle will be.” She grabbed the knocker and knocked on the door. The bronze eagle opened its beak: “Greetings, young students. I suppose you want to enter?” “Yeah,” Badeea replied. “Hm, alright,” the eagle said. “What disappears when you say its name out loud?” “I do,” Jae grinned. “Cause then I know I’m in trouble.” Badeea tried to hold back a laugh. The eagle hesitated for a while, then said: “You’re not wrong, young man. While not the answer I was looking for, it was still a correct one. You may come in.” Jae and Badeea looked surprisedly at each other. “I was gonna say ‘silence’,” Badeea said. “But I like your answer better.” “Wow,” Jae whispered when the door opened. “Your common room is really beautiful.” “I know, right?” Badeea said excitedly. “Now, you wanted to find Rowan… I can’t really see her. Perhaps she’s in the dormitory. Want me to check for you?” “Yeah, please,” Jae said. Badeea disappeared through the door next to white statue, which Jae assumed was supposed to be Rowena Ravenclaw.

Rowan was deeply rooted in her book, when a light voice suddenly called: “Hi, Rowan.” Rowan looked up and into Badeea’s dark eyes. Badeea smiled: “I think there’s someone who wants to talk to you.” “Who?” Rowan asked. She didn’t want to leave her book, unless it was a Professor, or a family member, or Bill Weasley, or… “Jae Kim.” Rowan’s heart made a flick-flack upon hearing the name. She put a bookmark into the book, ran a hand through her hair, put a finger on the metal between her glasses and jumped up from her bed and down the staircase.

Jae was sitting on a blue couch and watching Tulip and some third years experiencing with several potions and banned objects in a corner (none of the prefects seemed to care), while Rowan came crashing through the door. He immediately got up from the couch, and their eyes met. They both smiled at each other. “Hi, Jae,” Rowan said awkwardly. “You wanted to see me?” “Yeah,” Jae said. “Uh, I actually wanted to ask you something. Come and sit down.” They both dumped themselves into the couch that Jae had just gotten up from. “Okay,” Jae breathed. “I know it might seem a little weird of me to come into the Ravenclaw common room like that. But I had to ask you before it’s too late.” “Jae,” Rowan said worriedly. “I’ve never seen you that serious. Is everything fine?” “Everything’s fine, yeah,” Jae replied. “I just wanted to know, uh…” He tried to force the question out, but it was stuck in his throat. “I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go with me to the Celestial Ball.” This time, Rowan couldn’t stop herself: “YEEEEEEEEESSSSSS!” she screamed. She felt tears coming to her eyes, wetting her glasses, and her cheeks burning like an active volcano, and her heart having its own life somewhere in her chest. But she didn’t care. Jae Kim, the amazing, hilarious, adorable Jae Kim, had just asked her out. She didn’t know what to do with her arms and eventually flung them around Jae and hugged him tightly, not caring that most of the other students in the common room stared at them. Jae hugged her back, overjoyed and still in disbelief about her answer. It was like being in a romance novel, where the main characters finally got each other after 20 boring chapters of mutual pining, drama, misunderstandings, arguing… except they had skipped over all those chapters. Eventually, they let go of each other, and Jae asked quietly: “So um, this is a date? Not just a ‘we’re going as friends’ date, but an actual date?” “If you want it to be,” Rowan squeaked. “I do,” Jae smiled. “More than anything.” There was an awkward pause, where they both started realizing how many people stared at them. “Well, um,” Jae stuttered. “I guess that… that I have to… to go back to the Gryffindor common room. Er, see you later, Rowan!” “Yeah,” Rowan said. “See you later, Jae.”

Rowan walked dazedly up the stairs again. She barely noticed Badeea smiling proudly at her. She dumped herself onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Was it really true? Had Jae just asked her to the Celestial Ball, as a real date? Meanwhile, Jae went toward the Gryffindor common room, still in awe that Rowan had said yes. Who would’ve guessed that asking out your crush could be scarier than refusing to trade with a group of ex-Death Eaters twice your size in Knockturn Alley? And who would’ve guessed that getting a “yes” felt like a bigger success than Gryffindor winning the House Cup?

After a while, Beam came into the dorm and noticed Rowan lying on her bed, completely still. “Rowan?” they said quietly. Rowan sat up and sent Beam a broad smile: “Hi there, Beam.” “Are you okay?” Beam asked. “Yeah,” Rowan responded. “I’m okay… more than okay…” “I’ve just talked to Andre. We’ve talked about meeting up in the transfiguration classroom tomorrow after lunch. Are you okay with that?” Andre Egwu was a Ravenclaw boy in their year. He had promised to find Rowan, Beam and Ben some outfits for the Celestial Ball. Tomorrow, after lunch? “That’s fine,” Rowan said. And then she couldn’t keep it in any longer: “I’m going with Jae for the Ball.” Beam gasped, then jumped onto Rowan’s bed and hugged her. They both screamed. “Congratulations!” Beam exclaimed when they were done screaming. “Did you ask him, or did he ask you?” “He did. He came into the common room. And then… then he asked me…” “Oh, Rowan!” Beam laughed. “I’m so happy for you.” “Me too. I hope Andre can make me look pretty…”

“Password?” Jae had just arrived at the door to the Gryffindor common room, where the portrait of The Fat Lady was guarding. “Starfire,” he said. The portrait door swang open, and he went in. A large group of students were sitting in a corner and chatting loudly, not all of them being Gryffindors. Jae joined them, throwing himself onto the laps of Bill Weasley and another seventh-year Gryffindor boy he didn’t remember the name of. “Guess who’s got a date for the Ball now?” he shouted proudly. “Have you asked her?” it came from Charlie, who was sitting on the coffee table, eating biscuits. “Asked who?” asked five or six voices at the same time. “Rowan Khanna,” Jae smiled. “Can you believe it? She said yes!” There were several “woohoo!”s and “yes!”s around Jae, and Bill patted him on the head (causing Jae to blush a little, hoping no one noticed). Charlie threw Jae a biscuit. “Rowan Khanna?” sounded a mocking voice behind them. It was Emily Tyler, a seventh year Gryffindor girl. She was smart, rich, popular and probably very pretty beneath the thick layers of makeup, but she could be really arrogant. “Yeah,” Jae sneered at Emily. “Got a problem with that?” “Not really,” she said. “I just never thought any of you would be able to get a date. But it makes sense that you’d take each other, I guess… you’re both kinda ugly. You deserve each other.” With those words, Emily turned around, flicked her brown ponytail and went into the girl’s dormitory. “Rowan is not ugly!” Jae yelled after her. “Just ignore her,” the seventh-year whose lap Jae was resting his head on said. “She’s just mad that she lost the decorating competition to Penny Haywood.” “Yeah,” Bill agreed. “She’s been harassing me and Charlie about our, um, lack of wealth, both at breakfast and lunch today.” That made Jae feel a little better. Besides, he would never let Emily Tyler ruin his and Rowan’s date. Which was only a week from now!

“Are you ready, Rowan?” Ben asked with a nervous smile. “Yeah,” Rowan replied. The two of them opened the door to the transfiguration classroom, where Andre and Beam were waiting for them. “Ah, there you are!” Andre said with a bright smile. “Wait till you see what I’ve got for you two.” Excitedly, Rowan and Ben ran toward the other two. “I’m also pretty curious to see it,” Beam admitted. Andre sighed: “Yeah, Beam, I’m sorry I haven’t finished your clothes yet.�� “That’s alright,” Beam replied. “Now let’s see what you’ve got for Ben and Rowan.” “Yes,” Andre smiled. He opened his bag and pulled out a mannequin – he must have used an Extension Charm on the bag – wearing a black fedora hat and a black dress robe with red trousers, a yellow shirt, a black vest and red-and-gold-plaid socks underneath, complete with shining black boots and a red bowtie. Rowan assumed they were for Ben, given the Gryffindor colour scheme. “For you, Ben,” Andre confirmed. “That’s nice!” Ben exclaimed. “Classic Muggle fashion with a Wizarding twist. I love it!” Andre’s brown eyes lit up: “I’ve been looking through vintage Muggle fashion magazines, and I tried to find something that could bring out your sleek, golden hair and your rosy cheeks, without making your skin appear too pink. Want to try it on?” “I’d rather wait until I’ve seen what you’ve got for Rowan,” Ben said. “Right.” Andre pulled up two other mannequins, one of them wearing a long, blue dress with purple and silver floral print, the other wearing a long, black robe over a blue suit in a similar fabric, with a thin white shirt underneath. “Wow,” she whispered. “I made them blue, cause I know you like blue,” Andre explained. “And I’ve been inspired by traditional Indian dress robes, both for men and women. And since you’re genderfluid, I made a masculine and a feminine outfit, so you can wear something that matches your gender identity that day. You can also mix and match, if that’s what you want. Do you like it?” “Yes!” Rowan answered happily. “It’s… so beautiful!” She wanted to try on both the outfits. The only problem was… “Perhaps we could go somewhere, um, private to change?” Ben asked. “Of course,” Andre said and conjured two changing boxes. Rowan and Ben went into each their box with their respective mannequins. Rowan decided to start with the suit and, as such, put a hair-shrinking charm on herself. Then she took off her school robes and put on the white shirt, then the suit, and lastly the shoes and the dress robe. It was very comfortable. She looked in the mirror. If Rowan would happen to be a boy to the Ball, he would be a very handsome, stylish boy. After admiring the masculine Rowan Khanna, she stepped out of the box, where she saw Ben wearing his outfit. It suited him. He looked much older, and much more wizard-like. “Wow, Rowan,” Ben said. “You look good.” “Thanks,” Rowan smiled. “You too.” “Blue really is your colour,” Andre said. “I’d love to be your partner, if you weren’t taken. And if I didn’t plan to ask… um, why don’t you try on the feminine outfit now?” “Sure,” Rowan said and went back into the box, wondering why Andre wouldn’t say who he planned to ask. She put the suit back on the mannequin and put on the long, blue dress. Then she cast a growth-charm on her hair and looked into the mirror. And in the mirror, there was an extremely beautiful girl, almost unrecognisable to Rowan. The dress was floor-length, so that Rowan’s large, clumsy feet were hidden, The sleeves were wide and flowing, giving Rowan an almost angel-like appearance. One could barely tell that Rowan was born “male”. She had read about gender euphoria in medicine and psychology books, but never felt it as strongly as this dress made her feel. She stepped out of the box, and met the eyes of Beam, whose jaw dropped. “You’re beautiful!” they gasped. “Not that you’re not pretty otherwise, but wow.” “Yeah,” Andre said. “You really are gorgeous. That dress really brings out your smile. I’d suggest some jewelry, though, and maybe another hairstyle. Perhaps a side plait, how about that?” “How does it feel to look better as any gender than I do?” Beam grinned. Rowan felt like crying; she wasn’t used to all those compliments, especially not on her looks. And to top it off, Ben said: “Jae is a very lucky bloke.”

Jae was sitting in his dorm, chatting with Charlie, as well as Bill and the seventh-year boy from yesterday (Jae had found out that his name was David), who were hanging out in the fifth year dormitory. Charlie had just received a parcel from his owl, Errol, who was sitting on Bill’s finger, sleeping. There was also a letter, which Charlie was reading out loud: “Dear Charlie We managed to find a fairly nice robe for a low price. I’ve been trying to rinse it and mend the holes, and now it looks as good as new. Perhaps it’s a bit outdated, but we hope you like it anyway. It’s green, since we know that’s your favourite colour. Have a nice Ball, and we hope you, Bill and Percy have a good time at Hogwarts. We miss you. Love, Mum, Dad, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny.” “Open it,” Bill said excitedly. Charlie ripped open the parcel. And it did, indeed, contain a bright green robe, as well as a pair of polished, brown leather boots and a small piece of green silk. “It’s… very green,” David said. “Try it on!” Bill demanded. Charlie pulled off his dark red jumper and put on the green robe. Then he looked in the large mirror beside his bed. Granted, it was very outdated, and it looked sort of like a dress, but Charlie did look very handsome in it. “I like it,” he smiled. “I would prefer a darker shade of green, but it’s more than I could’ve hoped for. I’m gonna write a thank you letter to mum and dad!” “Perhaps we can find a spell to darken it?” Jae suggested. “Nah, it’s okay,” Charlie said and changed back into his Weasley jumper. “What are you gonna wear, Jae?” “My daddy’s old dress robes,” Jae replied. “Wanna see it?” “Yes!” the three other guys said at the same time. Jae pulled out a box from his school trunk and opened it. He pulled out a bright red silk cloak with large gold buttons and with golden threads sewn into the fabric. “It’s called a hanbok,” he explained. “It’s been in my family for generations. At least, that’s what my daddy told me. Although my uncle told me that he bought it in a North Korean vintage shop back in ‘69. And my grandpa said that he won it in a duel with a portrait of an ancient Korean king. I’m not sure who to believe. But I think I’m gonna rock it, whatcha say?” “Definitely!” David said. “For sure,” Charlie said. “I bet Rowan’s gonna love it,” Bill said.

Rowan and Jae both struggled to concentrate on school work the next few days. Well, Jae always found it hard, but it was unusual for Rowan. The fact that the two of them were going together quickly spread around to the rest of the friend group… and to Merula Snyde. “So,” Merula whispered to Rowan (who today was a boy) and Beam during Potions class Tuesday morning. “I heard you’re going with that Smuggler-Kim to the Ball, Khanna?” “Yes,” Rowan said bluntly. “And who are you going with?” “Someone who’s way above you and Kim… and Bugge. Who doesn’t have a partner yet, as far as I’m aware?” “Oh, I’m sorry, Beam,” Rowan exclaimed. “Ben and I promised to find you someone… I’ve been so busy thinking about me and Jae that I completely forgot about…” “You may gossip about romance… after school,” said a cold voice behind them. The three of them turned around and met Professor Snape’s dark eyes. “Oh, I’m sorry, Professor,” Rowan piped. Snape glared at them and went to the next table, where Tulip definitely wasn’t following the instructions, judging by the exploding bubbles coming out of her cauldron and the rainbow coloured smoke and sparkles coming out of the bubbles. “Ten points from Ravenclaw, Karasu,” Rowan heard Snape say, before going back to his own potion. He had a bad feeling in his stomach: he had completely forgotten about Beam, who had been so nice to help Rowan with Jae and with the outfits. But he didn’t dare say anything. Snape was already mad at Rowan, and Tulip had already lost Ravenclaw ten points that day.

Jae was sitting in Muggle Studies class, chatting with Charlie and a Hufflepuff girl named Chiara Lebosca. “Charlie and I decided to go together, as friends,” Chiara explained and put a finger through the hole of a rectangular, black object, which apparently was called a video. “None of us really have a crush on anyone, but we both love to dance.” “You really don’t have a crush on anyone?” Jae asked. “I’m planning to marry a dragon,” Charlie said. Jae assumed he was joking, but then again, Charlie could be really strange sometimes… “I just don’t ‘get’ romance,” Chiara said. “I guess you have to experience it to understand it, but… I’ve never experienced it. Oh, Charlie, look! Here’s that movie about a green-skinned woman turning into a dragon!” “Sleeping Beauty?” Charlie exclaimed. “Yeah, I don’t understand romance either. Like, I understand ‘love’. I love my family. And I understand friendship, and obsessions – like I’m obsessed with creatures. But romance? Crushes? That just doesn’t make sense to me. I feel like that emotion is somehow… missing.” “Same!” Chiara said. “I thought it had to do with my lack of melanin, but then there was this Head Boy… I think his name was Adrian Shacklebolt? Who told me he felt the same way, and that Amortentia smelled like nothing to him, and he had lots of melanin. So… And Jae, you were going with Rowan Khanna, I’ve let Penny tell me?” “Yup,” Jae smiled. “And I partly have Ben Copper to thank for that. But to be honest? I’m mostly excited about the food. I’ve heard they’ll make a cake larger than Flitwick! Isn’t that impressive?” “No one can make better cakes than my mum, though,” Charlie said stubbornly. “The house elves are pretty good, too,” Chiara said. “I hope I don’t have to clean up after the Ball,” Jae thought out loud. “I want that night to just be me, and Rowan, and lots of cake.”

The second lesson for Rowan was Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. Professor Sprout usually didn’t mind when the students talked during the lessons, so Rowan and Beam were chatting while taking care of their plants. “Beam, I’m so sorry about not finding you a partner,” Rowan said earnestly. “I’m just not sure what your taste is.” “It’s okay, Rowan,” Beam reassured him. “After all, it is my decision who I want to take. Although I have no idea either…” “I’ll help you,” shouted a bright voice behind them. They turned around, and Hufflepuff student Nymphadora Tonks smiled at them. “You?” Rowan and Beam asked at the same time. “Yep,” Tonks said. “I’ve decided that I don’t want to take anyone to the Ball, so I can give everyone completely unbiased dating advice. Whatcha say?” Rowan noticed Beam’s shoulders sinking and their smile stiffening, but Beam replied, though in a very small voice: “I suppose a little extra advice couldn’t hurt…” Tonks put a lanky arm around Beam’s shoulder, and the two of them walked towards another table. Rowan looked around. Tulip was having a dirt fight with two Hufflepuff boys, Badeea was having a deep conversation with a Ravenclaw boy, and Penny Haywood was chatting happily with another Ravenclaw boy. Eventually, Rowan decided to join the table with Andre and a Hufflepuff boy named Diego Caplan. “Well, if that isn’t Jae Kim’s señorita,” Diego grinned at Rowan. “I’m actually a boy today,” Rowan corrected him. “Ah, my apologies,” Diego said. “Jae Kim’s señor, then. He told me everything about you in Potions class yesterday.” Rowan’s stomach rolled a little: “He did?” “Yeah,” Diego responded. “He really likes you, that Jae.” Rowan felt himself blushing and decided to shift the conversation away from himself: “Do you guys have partners? And Andre, thanks for the outfits, by the way. They’re really nice.” “You’re welcome,” Andre said. “I haven’t asked her yet. I probably should, before she decides to go with someone else… how about you, Diego?” “I’m going alone,” Diego said. “I want to be a free man. Having an official partner is so… restricting. You understand? I’d much rather dance with a lot of people.” Tonks seemed to have the same mentality, Rowan thought. But he didn’t understand why someone wanted to “dance with a lot of people”, rather than simply one person. Especially when that one person was Jae Kim.

Jae was meanwhile having History of Magic class with the Slytherins. As usual, Professor Binns didn’t notice that half the class was asleep, while the other half was admiring Slytherin girl Liz Tuttle’s baby niffler, which was trying to steal Slytherin boy Barnaby Lee’s finger rings. Even Merula Snyde seemed to find it cute. “You’d think that Lizard would bring the niffler to the Celestial Ball,” she said to everyone who listened. “I can’t imagine anyone would want to dance with her.” “She’s going with Barnaby Lee,” said a Slytherin boy whose name Jae didn’t remember. “He told me that last week.” “Oh, that makes sense,” Merula said. “All the losers are going together. Lizard and Barnaby, Lebosca and Weasley, Khanna and Kim…” “Don’t call Rowan a loser!” Jae snapped. “And who are you going with anyway? The snoring Billingsley over there? Or perhaps the drooling cyclope Ismelda Murk?” “Wouldn’t you like to know,” Merula muttered. “I can tell you so much that I’m not going with a loser. So that rules out… most of the school.” Their conversation got interrupted by a loud roar. Liz’s niffler had managed to get one of Barnaby’s rings and was now jumping away, heading towards a sleeping Gryffindor girl wearing some very large golden hoop earrings…

It was Thursday now. Nearly everyone who wanted to had found a partner for the Celestial Ball. In the Great Hall, Rowan was excitedly chatting with Ben and Penny at the Gryffindor table, while admiring the star-themed decorations that Penny had created. Andre, Tulip and Barnaby were sitting at the Ravenclaw table, presumably discussing outfits, judging by the various magazines Andre had brought. At the Slytherin table, Merula and Ismelda were talking very quietly about something that Rowan couldn’t hear. And at the Hufflepuff table, Rowan could see Beam, Bill and Tonks having a serious conversation; Beam still hadn’t found a date. “I really feel bad about it,” Ben said. “Beam convinced us to go to the ball, made Professor Flitwick cast Maximus Confidencia on me, helped you with Jae, and what have we done for them? Nothing! We’re the worst friends you…” “Ben, please stop,” Penny said quietly. “I’m sure Beam is more than happy that you two are coming to the Ball. You guys are excellent friends, trust me.” Rowan smiled. Penny could always lighten your mood when you were down. “Besides,” Penny continued, “it seems like Beam doesn’t need your help.” Rowan and Ben turned around and saw Beam point toward the Ravenclaw table. Bill patted Beam on the back and smiled. “Although I hope it isn’t Barnaby they’re planning to ask. He’s going with Liz.” “And Andre mentioned planning to ask a girl,” Rowan remembered. “And Andre knows that Beam is nonbinary and uses ‘they’-pronouns.” “Do you think that Beam wants to ask… Tulip?” Ben asked. Rowan saw Tonks giving Beam a little push, causing Beam to slowly walk toward the Ravenclaw table. They patted Tulip on the shoulder, and the two Ravenclaws left the Great Hall together.

Jae was playing Exploding Snap in the Gryffindor common room with Chiara, Diego, Charlie and the blond dormmate he didn’t remember the name of (Jae had nicknamed him Leviosa Boy). On another couch, Badeea was showing Liz her new kitten. Charlie had just gotten yet another match, and Chiara looked like she wanted to punch him. The portrait door swang open, and Tonks, Bill and Penny came in, along with a second year Gryffindor boy whom Jae recognized from the Quidditch team. “Whotcher, Gryffindor!” Tonks shouted. “Guess who the best matchmaker in our school is?” “Hmmm, I wonder… Tonks, perhaps?” Diego said sarcastically, as David came out from the boys’ dorm with a game of Wizarding chess, which he and Bill started playing. “Yup, twenty points to Hufflepuff!” Tonks grinned. “The curse breaker and the rule breaker. Well, how’s it going in here? Who’s winning?” “That goddamn Weasley,” Chiara gritted. Charlie laughed. “Aw, look at that kitten!” Penny squealed and jumped onto the couch with Badeea and Liz. “I heard you were going solo, Tonks?” Diego said. “I actually imagined that you’d go with Tulip,” Jae said. “Well, Beam’s lucky that Tonks is a strong independent morph.” Everyone laughed. “But a very clumsy morph who can’t dance.” “I can teach you,” Diego suggested. “Haha, no,” Tonks replied. “When I say I can’t dance, I really can’t dance.” “It’s true,” Penny shouted from the couch. “You don’t want to see zir dance. Zie dances like a mountain troll.” Tonks ran over to tickle Penny. Liz joined in, claiming that “that was an insult to mountain trolls”, causing Tonks to slap her, and soon all the four people in the couch had a tickle fight. “I’m not a very good dancer either,” Jae said. “But that shouldn’t matter. It’s more about having fun, right?”

It was Saturday afternoon. All the fifth year students were in their respective dorms, preparing for the evening. In the Ravenclaw girls’ dorm, Rowan was experimenting with her hair. She had decided to make it a little longer and tried to make a side plait, like Andre had suggested. “Let me help you,” Badeea sighed. She had just applied makeup on her left eye, but not on the right, so she looked quite funny. “I didn’t know you could braid?” Rowan said. “Oh, yes, I braid my mother’s hair all the time,” Badeea said. “Her hair is really long, so you have to be creative to make it all fit into her undercap. I think I’ll make a French braid, is that okay?” “Yeah,” Rowan answered. “Thank you. I like your eye shadow, by the way.” It was dusty blue and sparkly, looking like a late evening sky. “Would you like to borrow some?” Badeea asked. “I’m not sure how visible it is on dark skin and through glasses, but it’s worth a try, right?” Both Beam and Tulip were wearing it too, and they both looked very pretty. All of them were wearing blue dresses, so it would be fun to also wear blue eye shadow… “Let me try,” Rowan said. “You and Andre both really have a passion for beauty, huh?” “There’s a reason I like him so much,” Badeea smiled. “I still can’t believe he asked me out.” She was now done braiding Rowan’s hair and finished it by tying a hairband with a flower on it in the end of the plait. “Do you like it?” “Yes!” Rowan said upon looking in the mirror in front of her. “Thank you so much, Badeea. Now, about that eye shadow…” “That eye shadow,” Badeea repeated. “Yes. I got it right here.” She opened a little box, so Rowan could see the eye shadow sparkling at her. “Take off your glasses. Close your eyes,” she said. Rowan obeyed her, and she felt something cold and pointy, yet soft, touch her eyelids, followed by something larger and bushier, and lastly she felt something gently stroking her eyelashes. Then she felt her glasses being put on again, and heard Badeea say: “Open your eyes.” Rowan did so and looked at herself with a galaxy around her eyes. It was even more sparkly on dark skin, and the glasses only framed it so that you noticed it more. Her eyelashes looked much longer, causing her to look like some kind of goddess. Badeea really had a talent there. “I don’t know how to thank you enough, Badeea,” Rowan said truthfully. “That’s alright,” Badeea responded brightly. “A true artist can make every girl feel like the princess she truly is. And that includes the princesses who were princes just yesterday, and who tomorrow will be neither.” Rowan tried her hardest not to cry in order to not ruin the eye makeup, while slowly putting on her flower earrings and the silvery tree-shaped necklace from her grandmother. Badeea continued applying makeup on her right eye, while Beam and Tulip unsuccessfully practiced slow-dancing with each other. Rowan couldn’t stop smiling. She had never felt more beautiful before.

In the Gryffindor boys’ dorm, Jae was combing Charlie’s red hair, while Ben and the blond Leviosa boy were discussing the worst things that could happen at the Ball. “Perhaps we should try a higher ponytail,” Jae suggested. “Then you’ll look really handsome.” “Why not,” Charlie said. “And I love your hat, by the way.” “Thanks,” Jae replied. “It’s actually called a ‘gat’.” It was tall, thin, and black with bamboo pieces and golden beads hanging down the sides. “There. Now, what do you think?” Charlie looked in the mirror for a few seconds, before saying: “I like it. Great job, Jae. Now, for this robe… do you think it’s too… girly?” “It is a little girly,” Jae agreed. “But there’s nothing wrong with that! No one should have to conform to old fashioned gender roles anyway.” Charlie didn’t respond, only turned around a little in the mirror. Did Jae say anything wrong? “Look,” Jae began. “Charlie, I know you sometimes feel bad about your height, or your chest, or your voice, whatever. But you know what? No one feels truly great about their bodies. I’m even smaller than you, and I ain’t even trans. Ben feels insecure about literally anything, and I’m sure that even Bill has something he’s struggling with.” “Now that you mention it,” Charlie said slowly, “he did mention that he felt too pale or too gangly sometimes. Thanks for the pep talk, Jae. You look fabulous tonight.” “You too,” Jae said truthfully. Charlie did look good in his bright green robe, with his hair tightly pushed back, and with the little green silk piece tied around it. “Although,” Charlie continued, “you don’t want to put on some other… shoes?” “Nope,” Jae replied. “I feel comfy in my good old trainers. All they needed was a Scourgify, and Ben mastered that spell to a T.” “Alright, then,” Charlie grinned. “Are you guys ready?” Ben took a last look in the mirror, where he fixed his bowtie and tipped his hat. “Let’s go,” he said. “You look dashing,” Jae said to Ben. And he really did. “Thanks,” he responded, clearly appreciating Jae’s compliment. “And so do you.” Jae had to admit that he did feel very good-looking this night. He couldn’t wait to see everyone else, especially Rowan.

Rowan walked into the fully decorated Great Hall, which was covered in all kinds of star-themed decorations. Penny had really done a great job. The four house tables had been removed and were replaced by some smaller, round tables, some of them already filled with students, chatting. “Wow, Rowan! You’re stunning!” shouted a voice on Rowan’s right. She turned around and saw Barnaby and Liz sitting at a table, eating crisps, both smiling at her. Barnaby was looking very handsome in his plum coloured dress robes, and Liz also looked pretty, having loosened her dark hair from the usual cornrows and wearing a lime green, long sleeved, flowery dress. Rowan dumped herself down a chair to Barnaby’s left and said: “You both look amazing, too. Are you having fun, so far?” “Yes,” Barnaby said. “And the food is awesome. You should try it.” “I’ve talked to the elves,” Liz said, “and they promised me there’d be plenty of vegan options. Although I hope they don’t feel too stressed out. Perhaps we should go help them… whatcha say, Barn?” “Dunno. You got a point.” “There you are, Rowan!” said a voice behind them. “I’ve been looking all over for you.” It was Ben. “Hi, Ben,” Rowan smiled. “Looking good, huh?” “You too. So you went for the dress, I see?” Rowan stood up, and the two of them started walking around the Great Hall together. “Nice hat, Copper,” said a boy to the left that Rowan didn’t know. “And you’re beautiful, Khanna.” “Aw, thanks,” Rowan smiled. “I love your tie.”

Meanwhile, Jae and Leviosa Boy were stuffing themselves with licorice wands and chocolate owls, while Charlie was trying out all kinds of fancy drinks. “Perhaps I should try mixing them up,” he said. “I mean, they’re alcohol free. Nothing bad can happen, right?” He tried pouring a glittery, green-tinted drink into his glass filled with some bright purple liquid, causing the drink to turn sky blue and to start spraying itself onto Charlie’s face and robe. The other two boys laughed, as Charlie tried to make the drink stay still. “You Gryffindors are so stupid,” said Chiara, who had just arrived. She had curled her white hair a little and was wearing a pastel coloured tulle dress, making her look like some kind of elf. “You Hufflepuffs aren’t much better,” said Charlie and pointed toward Tonks, who had somehow managed to get zir foot stuck in a chair. Chiara and Charlie rushed to help zir, leaving Jae alone with Leviosa Boy, who soon left to talk to a group of Gryffindor girls. Jae decided to walk around, trying to find some other people to talk to. He caught a glimpse of Penny Haywood, who was looking especially cute tonight, sitting at a table with a lanky Ravenclaw boy whose name kept slipping from Jae’s mind. However, he knew that the boy usually wasn’t comfortable around too many people, but didn’t seem to mind when Penny was there. Jae decided to let them have their moment and went on. Eventually, he found a table with a group of Hufflepuff boys, whom he joined. “Rawr,” said one of them, grinning at Jae. “You look… flaming, huh?” Jae chuckled; his robe had golden fire print embroidered into it, and golden lion print in the sleeves. “Enjoying yourself so far?” Diego asked, with a pile of tortilla crisps and a bowl of salsa in front of him. “Yeah,” Jae said. “And you?” There were a bunch of “yeah”’s from the others. “You don’t mind me sitting here, do you?” “Not at all,” another boy said.

Rowan and Ben had now arrived at a table where they recognized Tonks, Chiara and Charlie. “Ey, we got two hotties right here,” Tonks yelled. “Come sit down.” Tonks was looking really cool with zir hair spiked up and with a magenta tint to it as opposed to the usual bright pink. “You guys look great, too,” Ben said. “Love your makeup, Chiara. Really brings out your eyes.” “Have you tried the jalapeño crisps?” Tonks asked. “I can still taste them,” Chiara said. “My throat is burning.” Rowan grabbed a handful and stuffed them in her mouth. They tasted deliciously. Ben was a bit more careful and started tasting one, and his face quickly turned pink. “White people are so weak,” Tonks mumbled and stuffed zir mouth with another handful of jalapeño crisps. “But Tonks, you’re white, too,” Rowan pointed out. Tonks closed zir eyes tightly, causing zir skin to become much darker. “Not anymore,” zie said. “Let’s go find some water,” Ben piped, with tears in his eyes. Rowan grabbed another handful of crisps, and the two of them went further around the Hall. They found some water for Ben, causing him to feel much better. They also saw Merula and Ismelda sitting at a table together, both wearing shiny, black dresses and dark lipstick. Merula actually looked quite beautiful, Rowan thought, with her brown pixie-cut hair straightened and pushed back, so you could see her face more clearly. They also came across Andre and Badeea, the former looking very stylish in his purple dress robes, and the latter sparkling from top to toe. “Nice outfits,” Andre said. They all laughed. “I see there’s been an artist in your face, Rowan?” “Yeah,” Rowan said. “It’s all thanks to you two that I feel like a princess tonight.” “Yeah, thank you, Andre,” Ben said. “So, are you two, you know… together?” “Yeah,” Badeea said. “We’re partners for tonight. And you, Ben…” “Haven’t managed to find anyone,” Ben said, sounding a little disappointed. “I’m sure there are lots of people who want you tonight,” Andre said and winked. Ben took a large gulp of water. “Let’s move on,” Rowan said.

Jae and the Hufflepuffs were now having a competition about who could eat the most salsa without burning. Diego had of course picked the hottest kind, and unlike Muggle salsa, there would be actual flames coming out of your mouth if you found it too hot. So far, Jae was doing pretty well. There were only three people left; Jae, Diego and a boy he had found out was called Tyler. The three boys each took a large spoonful of salsa, and Tyler’s mouth shot a little flame. “Tyler’s out,” Diego said, still pretty unaffected. “It’s only a matter of time before you give up, Jae.” He was probably right; Jae could feel the flames trying to escape his throat, and tears coming to his eyes. Still, he tried to play it cool: “I can barely feel anything,” he said with a rasping voice. The other boys laughed.

“Hi, there,” said a bright voice behind Rowan and Ben. It was Beam. They were looking very beautiful, with a blue, sparkly dress similar to Badeea’s, their hair lengthened and tied into a bun, and with their glasses off, so you could see their eyes and eyeshadow. They were smiling. “You look so beautiful!” Rowan squealed. “Can you see properly without glasses?” “Thanks, you too,” Beam replied. “It’s a bit blurry, but I don’t have any blue glasses, so I decided to sacrifice my comfort for a little beauty. So, aren’t you glad you both decided to come to the Ball?” Both Rowan and Ben had considered staying in their dorms, given that none of them liked parties very much. But luckily, Beam had convinced them both. “Yes!” Rowan said. “And I’ve gotten so many compliments.” “Doubly yes,” Ben said. “Everyone wants my hat.” The three of them laughed. “So, where’s Jae?” Beam asked. “Good question,” Rowan answered. “Let’s go find him.”

Jae had to give in now and let the fire escape his mouth. He heard some of the others gasp, and one of them mentioned him looking like a dragon. After he was done burning, he stuffed his mouth with chocolate owls. “Don’t you feel anything?” it came from a blond boy to Jae’s left. “A little,” Diego smirked. “Okay, yes, I do, it’s actually pretty hot. Excuse me.” He closed his eyes, opened his mouth and let a flame out. “That was fun! But you know what they say; never compete with a Mexican. Our taste buds are practically immune.” “I bet Rowan could beat you,” Jae said. “I should go find them, by the way.” He got up from his chair and started walking around again.

“Oh, look,” Ben said and pointed. “There’s Penny.” looking quite beautiful herself with her blonde hair waving around her shoulders and her yellow dress flowing like a giant flower. She had her arm put around the Ravenclaw boy from Herbology, who had an uncharacteristic smile on his face, like he was the luckiest person on Earth. And behind them was... “Bill?” Beam exclaimed. “You stopped by, after all?” He turned around and sent them a bright smile, causing Rowan to smile as well. “I promised Rowan I would,” he said. That’s right, Rowan thought. Bill had promised Rowan to come briefly and say hi to her. “You look fantastic, by the way.” “Thank you so much!” Beam said. “And did things work out for you with bringing a date, Beam?” “I did ask Tulip, and she said yes.” “Hello, everyone,” said a voice behind them. It was Emily Tyler, who was looking coldly at Penny. The Ravenclaw boy’s smile disappeared, and he slowly sneaked away. “I came to see if your decoration theme turned out better than mine would have. It didn’t. But mostly, I was looking for Bill and saw him walk in here.” “Looking for me?” Bill asked confusedly. “Why?” He had earlier had a crush on Emily, but she had rejected him for “being a Weasley”. Rowan and Ben decided to walk away, since Emily had a tendency to create drama wherever she went. “To rescue you from these kids so we can spend some time together,” they heard her say. They saw Bill slowly open his mouth: “You want to spend time with me, Emily?” “Yes,” she said. “I made a mistake rejecting you. And I don’t make mistakes often. So let’s get away from this Celestial Ball nonsense you’ve gotten involved in. We can go to The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer. What do you say?” “I say…” Bill began and hesitated, before saying: “Not if you were the last witch on the planet, Emily. You’ve been too rude to my friends, and to me. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll see Rowan.” With those words, he walked toward Rowan and Ben and put on his big smile again. “So, how are you?” he asked. “You'd rather spend time with us than Emily?” Ben asked, sounding just as surprised and honoured as Rowan felt. Bill nodded. “If you guys knew what she’s been saying about you… especially you, Rowan. I think she’s afraid that I might actually fancy you.” Rowan’s heart skipped a beat. “But that’s ridiculous,” he said and shook his head. “Besides, you’re with Jae. Speaking of which, shouldn’t we go find him?” “Yes!” Rowan said.

The music had started, Jae was dancing around by himself, when he suddenly recognized Ben – who was quite good at dancing, he noticed. “Hi, Ben,” he shouted. “Have you seen…” and then, behind Ben, he saw… well, it was Rowan, obviously, but she was so pretty, with her long black hair in a side plaid, and silver sparkles from her necklace, earrings and dress. She also noticed Jae now, looking like a king with his red-and-gold silk robe, and with his shining black hat that made him appear a little taller. Their eyes met, and they both blushed, but none of them cared. Ben smiled and gave Rowan a little push. “You look beautiful,” Jae said. “Not that you’re not always beautiful, or handsome, or however you want to look, but wow… look at you.” “You look very dashing, too,” Rowan said, smiling so hard that it almost hurt, but she didn’t care. “Wanna dance?” Jae asked. “Okay,” Rowan said. “I’m not very good, though…” “Neither am I,” Jae reassured her. “So let’s just be noobs together, huh?” He put his right hand around Rowan’s waist, and she placed her left hand on his shoulder, and then their other hands grabbed each other, and they started dancing. They both tripped a lot and sometimes stepped on their own feet, but it was still a great feeling, dancing with the one they loved. Around them, mostly everyone else were dancing as well. Liz and Barnaby, Andre and Badeea, Beam and Tulip, Merula and Ismelda, Charlie and Chiara, Penny and the Ravenclaw boy, Tonks dancing in a big chain with zir fellow “solo” students, and Ben had – to their surprise – found himself a dancing partner: Diego Caplan. Bill was standing by himself, smiling at everyone. “I gotta go now,” he said. “Where?” Rowan asked. Bill winked at them. “I have to go study with David.” He then turned around and confidently walked out of the Great Hall. Rowan knew by now how “studying together” could end, and she had a feeling that Bill knew that as well. She smiled at Jae, and he smiled back. They had both fancied Bill for years, and they both knew that. But they were both happy for him and David. And they were both happy to be here with each other. It felt so unreal. The next song was much more upbeat, and that was very nice, so they didn’t have to talk that much. Or think, for that matter. Just focus on the dancing, and on each other’s eyes. And smiles. And their deep red faces, not sure whether it was the heat in the Great Hall, the exhaustion from dancing, or their feelings bubbling up, that caused it. It was probably all at once. The music slowly died out, and it was now time for eating. Everyone with official partners had assigned seats, and everyone else could choose themselves. Rowan and Jae were joined by Ben and Diego, who seemed to have had the time of their lives. “Who knew dancing could be so fun?” Ben smiled. “You’re not half bad,” Diego said. “Now, I wonder what’s for dinner?” His question was answered immediately: Goose with sweet potatoes and several vegetables and sauces to choose from, everything showing up on previously empty dishes on the middle of the table. Their glasses were automatically filled with whatever they were in the mood for drinking. Everyone started filling their plates. Ben explained how Professor Flitwick had cast a spell on him, so that he would be good at dancing, and that it would never wear off. Rowan had read almost every book in the library, and yet she’s never heard of such a spell. Neither had Diego, who knew practically everything about dancing. “There is Tarantallegra,” Diego said, “but that makes you automatically dance right now. I should probably ask him about it…” “I wish he would cast it on me,” Jae said. “Are you sure you’re not just… naturally good at dancing, Ben?” Rowan asked. “And that the spell only gave you confidence? ‘Maximus Confidencia’... doesn’t sound like a dancing spell to me.” “Whatever,” Diego said. “We had fun, and that’s what matters. Right?”

They had now finished their dinner, and now it was time for dessert. Jae was right in his prediction that there would be cake, although it wasn’t larger than Flitwick. They had each gotten their own cake, Rowan’s being shaped like a flower and covered with blue frosting, and Jae’s being orange with some sparkly, golden frosting that moved like fire. “That’s impressive!” he exclaimed. “I wonder how it tastes. Perhaps like orange? Or carrot? Who knows.” “I almost feel bad about eating it,” Rowan said. “It’s so beautiful.” “I’m sure there’s a spell to reconstruct it,” Ben reassured her. His cake was shaped and coloured like a rainbow. “Let’s just eat, shall we?” Diego said and started consuming his golden, heart-shaped cake. The other three did the same, and the cakes did indeed taste very nicely. Rowan’s cake tasted like vanilla and blueberry, whereas Jae’s tasted like orange, as he had rightfully guessed.

When they had finished their cakes, Professor Dumbledore stood up at the staff table to say a few words: “I hope everyone has enjoyed the Celestial Ball so far. Once again, thank you to Miss Penny Haywood for creating those wonderful, wonderful decorations. Now, you may leave the Ball if you want. However, I expect most of you to be staying. We will have a little more music. Now enjoy the rest of the night. Thank you.” He then sat down again. Music started playing again, and most of the students – and some of the teachers, too – went to the floor and started dancing with each other. Rowan and Jae decided to have one more dance, and then Rowan would go back to her dorm to get some alone time. The music became slower and slower, and the lights faded out until only a few decorations were lit. Jae’s hanbok really started shining in the dark, and so did Rowan’s jewelry, glasses, eye shadow and the silver print on her dress. They automatically took a step closer to each other once in a while, until their chests were glued together. They looked each other deeply in the eyes. Their faces also started approaching each other, until their noses touched each other, and eventually, their lips as well. Rowan had more butterflies in her stomach than she had ever seen on her tree farm at home, and Jae’s heart got surrounded by fireworks in all colours. Eventually, they let go of each other. If this had happened an hour ago, they’d both feel very awkward, but now all the awkwardness was gone.

“You guys kissed!” Beam was sitting on Rowan’s bed, clinging to their pet cat in excitement. “Yes, we did,” Rowan said, still in disbelief. “And you and Tulip? You were one of the last couples to leave, I noticed.” “We had so much fun, right, Beam?” Tulip said and dumped herself down on Beam’s left. “Yeah,” Beam smiled. “I’m glad that Bill and Tonks convinced me to ask you. I’d never be able to do it myself.” “Me neither,” Tulip admitted. “But now to the kiss. How was it, Rowan?” “Amazing!” Badeea had (finally) finished removing her makeup and sat down on Rowan’s right: “Sort of an odd match, isn’t it? You, a… well, a nerd – and that’s a compliment – and then Jae, this rebellious, very outgoing guy… although they do say that opposites attract. That also happened to you two,” she said and gestured toward Beam and Tulip. “Did you have a good time, Badeea, by the way?” Rowan asked. “Oh, yeah,” Badeea replied. “Andre is really amazing. He was so sweet. And you all really need my help removing your makeup. You’re pathetic.” The four of them all laughed.

“That lipstick really doesn’t suit you. It’s way too dark.” Jae’s and Charlie’s eyes met, and they both burst out laughing. Jae looked into the mirror on the wall, and his lips had gotten a dark red lipstick on them. “Oh, I look awful,” he said. “That’s why I’ve never kissed a girl,” Ben grinned from his bed. “You’ve never kissed anyone,” said Leviosa Boy. Ben glared at him. “Or… have you?” Charlie said and lifted an eyebrow. “You and Diego…” “No, we only danced,” Ben said quickly, his face going very pink. “Let’s talk about Jae and Rowan instead. How was it?” “To dance, or… to kiss?” Jae asked. “In both cases, awesome. Did you guys see how pretty she was? With her big, brown eyes… that flowing, flowery dress… her long, silky hair… and that bright, bright smile of hers… I feel so lucky that we ended up going together. I just wish that we could have another Ball, like, tomorrow or something. Now, Ben. Let’s talk about you and Diego. “ “Let’s NOT talk about me and Diego,” Ben said irritatedly. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight.” He pulled his blanket on and closed his eyes. “Are you planning to… you know…” Charlie began. “What?” Jae asked, but he almost knew what Charlie was gonna say: “Are you planning on taking a step further with Rowan?” “Maybe,” Jae replied. “Yeah, I think so.”

Sunday afternoon, Rowan was sitting by herself in the library, reading. This time, no one was surprised when the dark-haired boy in the yellow hoodie came in and dumped himself down on a chair beside her. “I want to talk to you about something,” Jae said quietly. “School, or… something else?” Rowan asked. “Something else,” Jae replied. “I want to talk about us.” “Okay,” Rowan said. She had half expected it. “I think I do, too.” “We went to the ball together, and we agreed it was a date, right?” Jae asked. “Yeah,” Rowan answered. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” “I don’t know what you’re thinking,” Jae said. “I’m no seer. But… now we’ve had our first date, our first dance, and our first kiss… how would you feel about going a step further?” Rowan’s butterflies were back now, and so were Jae’s fireworks. He hesitated and continued: “Would you like me to be your boyfriend?” Rowan’s heart paused. Jae’s heart was also completely still, waiting for Rowan’s answer. “You don’t mind me being… you know…” Rowan stammered. “Sometimes I’m a boy, and I was also born a boy… are you okay with that?” “Why wouldn’t I be?” Jae said. “You look incredibly handsome as a boy, and stunningly beautiful as a girl, and if you sometimes rather want to be neither? Still smashingly good looking. It’s like dating three amazing people at once, but they’re still the same. That’s a pansexual boy’s dream! I support you being genderfluid with all my heart.” Rowan smiled; she couldn’t believe what she just heard. “Oh, yeah,” Jae added, “Ben told me the name of you gender identity. You still haven’t answered my question, by the way.” “Oh, sorry,” Rowan said. “I say yes, of course. I’d love you becoming my boyfriend.” She turned around and gave Jae a little peck on the cheek. They both blushed. “But I do need help with some homework,” Jae said. “Would you like to help me?” “Yes, of course,” Rowan answered, relieved to have the topic changed. “What subject do you struggle with, my dear study partner?”

#hogwarts mystery #hogwarts mystery fanfiction #rowan khanna #jae kim #rowan x jae #jae x rowan #my writing #my fanart #my fanfiction #ravenhilarious #my dear study partner

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dramallamadingdang · 6 years

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Replies!

Some overdue, as usual. :)

For @blackswan-sims. @wiksims, @celebkiriedhel, @deedledops, @declarations-of-drama, @dunne-ias, @deedee-sims, @hemfbg, @strangetomato, @youregonewhenyourestillinmyheart, and @patjustpatposts.

blackswan-sims replied to your post “Would you mind uploading you rotated garage tutorial shell house? :) I...”

I'm not the requester, but I wouldn't mind having it packaged as shown in the title pic. :)

Well, now that I think about it, I could pretty easily do it both ways, so maybe I’ll just do that. :) Especially if I don’t hear back from the anon before I get around to doing it.

wiksims replied to your photo “Pixelhate’s mesh: No white lines, doesn’t fade…but boy howdy does it...”

I kind of like it stretched. It fits dormen right in my opinion

It does look all right for that dormer, yeah, which is 12 clicks tall. But there’ll be a problem for ones meant for shorter walls, especially for foundations and foundation-height walls. So, I’ll need to experiment to figure out how to compensate for the stretching for those shorter walls and then I can decide whether to allow the stretching or not. I’m thinking maybe the trick to compensate for the wall stretching that the game does might work, since the texture image for the overlay is the same size as the standard image size for walls, but I’ll need to experiment.

celebkiriedhel replied to your post “hugelunatic replied to your post “Halp?” ...”

The other overlay you may want to consider is the EA Butterfly Decal Mesh. It's a Half-Wall, and doesn't fade.

That’s a possibility, although for 12-click-high walls I need taller than half-wall height. Although if that thing shifts, since it’s a painting....

deedledops replied to your post “Halp?”

I could swear the object fade was a simpe thing. I know there's an option in game that affects it as well, but I have found that some stuff I recolor, like paintings doors etc would do this depending on how I imported new textures. I think it was to do with the dxt format I used (dds utilities). The most used ones are dxt1, 3, 5 IIRC. I could be more helpful if I had recolored anything recently smh, I'll look into it

It is a SimPE thing, in that it’s a BHAV thing and that BHAVs can be altered in SimPE. I don’t really know how to alter them, though. It’d be easier to clone an object that doesn’t fade and then replace the mesh with the wall writing one. Then you don’t have the fading behavior. But I don’t really know how to do that, myself. I know how to clone stuff, but I don’t know how to do the mesh-replacing thing. Soooooo, it’s probably easier for me to just use a different mesh that doesn’t fade. :)

But, it doesn’t have anything to do with the texture (I pretty much always use DXT3 when I make recolors; even if there’s no transparency, the image quality is better), and some things (stairs, ceiling plants) still fade even when you have fading turned off in the game settings (which I do). I understand why, for playing purposes, since stairs especially can block a lot of your view, but it’s annoying when you want to take pics and stuff. :\ Especially previews for recolors.

declarations-of-drama replied to your photo “This is an idea I have. I’ll often build decorative-only dormers on...”

Gene Wilder would say "Cleeevvvveeeerrrr!!" (Willy Wonka saying 'clever' to Mike Teevee)

Heh. I prefer to think of it in the Jurassic Park “Clever girl” sense. ;) OK, not really. I don’t tear apart and eat people. So we’ll stick with the Willy Wonka sense, I guess. :)

dunne-ias replied to your post “My Sims-Related New Year’s Resolutions”

both me and holley have shared posebox images with each other, so just give us a shout when you're going to get started, in case we have some DeeDee doesn't have. I have 2-300 poseboxes though, and I don't have pictures for all of them. I strongly suggest collection folders for poseboxes, because they clog up your misc categories something awful. Also, any posing advice needed at all, don't hesitate to ask, I love talking about that stuff!

deedee-sims replied to your post “My Sims-Related New Year’s Resolutions”

Oh, I have a separate folder called posebox swatches, because I have way too many, and never know which is which, so I think that's perfectly normal XD (also, fortunately most of the poseboxes come with such picture that I can add to the folder)

We need, like, a database for this stuff. Not that *I* want to put one together, mind you, but it’d be helpful. I have this very old thing, a Word document IIRC, that I found on the web somewhere many years ago that has links to poseboxes (which no longer work, of course) and descriptions and some reference pics, but....Yeah, it’s like 8 years old, at least. But I like its format because it has notes about stretchskeleton settings needed and stuff like that, so that’s kind of what I want to put together for my own uses.

But thank you, Dunne-ias for the offer and the advice. And I’m sure that when I end up screaming in frustration and wanting to kill things with my brain, I’ll end up screaming for you and/or Holley. :)

hemfbg replied to your photoset “OMG, I went into my building neighborhood to start on a...”

This is glorious. I wanna rebuild it but I don't think my game could handle a lot that big.

It is fabulous in its sheer awfulness, isn’t it?? :D But I totally would never play something this big, as I’m sure that once furnished, landscaped, and populated with Sims, it would choke my poor Simming computer to death. :) I mean, it’s on the largest possible lot, outside of Lot Adjusting it to 6x6, and it takes up most of it. Even if it didn’t choke my computer, it’d take Sims a Sim-hour, at least, to walk from one end of it to the other. Then they’d be missing carpools and school buses and it’d piss me right the hell off. I mean, that’s mainly why I’ll never play a lot larger than 4x3, preferably not larger than 3x3.

Nah, I built that thing mostly as a furnishing/decorating challenge, which will require approximately 1000 retextures/recolor of some very old and (now) nasty-looking “fancy” objects. I would never actually play the thing.

strangetomato replied to your post “loonyjelly replied to your post “So, um…I need an image host so that...”

I wouldn't recommend Tumblr for this. I've done it in the past and then my images disappeared later. They were still on Tumblr, but not the post that links to them.

That’s kinda what I feared, that it’d work for a while until Tumblr noticed the off-site hotlinking and changed the path to the images or something. I mean, that’s what I’d do, if I ran Tumblr, set up bots to look for that sort of thing. So, in the end, I went with Imgur. Even opened an account. Even if I only ever use it for storing pics for Secret Santa gifts...Well, at least it’s there. :)

youregonewhenyourestillinmyheart replied to your photoset “I needed these for my cabin/”hotel”-building project. Thought I’d...”

I need it for ts4

patjustpatposts replied to your photoset “I needed these for my cabin/”hotel”-building project. Thought I’d...”

These are amazing ! Wish they were for Sims 4 :(

Well, I’m not sure what Inge’s policy on converting for other games is. Heck, I’m not even sure if she’s in the Simming community anymore at all. But if she’s amenable and someone wants to convert those beds for TS4, people are totally free to swipe the textures I made for such conversions. I don’t even own TS4, myself, because I have no interest in it, so I’m afraid that’s not something I’ll ever do.

#blackswan-sims #wiksims #celebkiriedhel #deedledops #declarations-of-drama #dunne-ias #deedee-sims #hemfbg #strangetomato #youregonewhenyourestillinmyheart #patjustpatposts

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summylise · 7 years

Text

The Beginning of the End

A/N: OML THIS IS SOOOOOO LATE I CAN’T EVEN. I MEANT TO POST THIS TWO DAYS AGO BUuutt i was kind of on the road and couldn’t post it from my phone ahaha. So here is the third chapter of Nightmares, Scars, and the END.

title: Nightmares, Scars, and the END

prompt: END, duh

chapter 1, chapter 2 , chapter 3

rating: T

pairings: nalu

words: 5417

summary: He had given in, and she was too late. There was nothing she could do besides beg and plead for him to come back to her. She knew it was in vain, that the words would never reach him. But there was still a sliver of her that hoped he was still in there. In the end, her kindness gave her scars that would never let her forget when her happiness had slipped through her fingers.

Eight months earlier

Lucy’s alarm screeched in her ear, ripping her eyes open and had her sitting upright in her bed faster than you could say “Aye.” All the blood rushed to her head, sending stars in every direction. God how she hated having that damn alarm clock. She’d only bought it because Erza kept insisting that “to be the most productive, you must start the day off with a bang,” or something. Now she was seriously considering throwing it from her second story window. But for now, she just settled on slamming the off button and smothering it with a blanket.

Lucy rubbed the sleep from her eyes and glanced out the window. At least it had woken her when the sun was actually up, rather than yesterday when it was still the middle of the night. She groaned and padded to the bathroom.

Half an hour later, surprisingly fast for Lucy, she was showered, dressed, and marching down the street towards Fairy Tail. Magnolia was alive and bustling, even this early in the morning. The baker across the street placed all sorts of treats and confectionaries out for display in his windows and waved to her as she passed. The local fruit vendor was just arriving and setting up his stall, ready to take on a day of sales and hopefully leave without any rotting or bruised produce. Her favorite yogurt shop was just opening for the day, the elderly owner flipping over the closed sign and waving at Lucy as she passed. She smiled and took in a deep breath of fresh, spring air.

Her hands pressed against the rough wood of the guild hall doors. The scent of beer and fried food wafted in through the open doors, instantly easing the tension from her shoulders. The only thing unusual about the guild hall was the sheer lack of anyone, really. Mira still held her place by the bar, gently wiping down the glasses that were surely used the night before, Cana in front of her drinking from a wine glass, instead of her usual barrel of alcohol. Max swept through the rows of tables and chairs, too preoccupied with cleaning to notice her walk in.

Lucy padded to the bar and took the seat next to Cana, slamming her head on the table the instant she sat down. Despite being up and out of the house in record time, her brain was still in sleep mode. She automatically nodded when Mira asked her something, not giving much thought to what the bar maid’s muffled voice had said. Mira slid a small plate of eggs and bacon towards her a few minutes later, a mug of coffee following soon after. Lucy blindly reached for the mug and brought it to her lips.

“I don’t know how you can stand that,” said Cana, gesturing to her mug.

Lucy rolled her eyes and lifted her head to face Cana.

“Says the girl who only ever drinks one thing,” Lucy countered.

Cana’s mouth opened then closed again, as she thought of what to say next. She ended up smirking and tilting her glass in Lucy’s direction.

“Touché.”

Lucy picked the fork from its thrown position beside her and poked at the eggs haphazardly. Her eyes felt heavy, and she couldn’t help the yawn that slipped out.

“Dang seems like they partied hard last night, huh?” she said to no one in particular. She continued to stare at the breakfast and after a second started eating.

“Well you know how they are,” Mira started, her ever-present smile visible. “Most of them collapsed in the guild hall, but I kicked them out pretty early this morning.”

“And you’re still here this early?” Lucy said, almost wrenching her gaze from her plate. Mira looked unfazed by the lack of sleep, her face bright and clear as usual.

“Whatever would we do without our responsible barkeep and mother hen, Mirajane?” Cana said with a wink.

Lucy rolled her eyes. “I was going to comment on your being here early too, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Cana smiled and wrapped her arm around Lucy’s shoulders, nearly causing the fork to stuff its way down Lucy’s throat.

She was gagging when Cana said, “Hey, the earlier I am, the more booze I get. Haven’t you heard the saying ‘early bird gets the beer’?”

“I don’t think that’s how that’s how it goes,” Mira mused.

Cana rolled her eyes and lifted the arm from Lucy. Lucy’s eyes watered, still recovering from the almost suffocation by fork. Her hands sought after her mug and greedily gulped it down. She tried to ignore the course, burning as she chugged the coffee, instead relishing in the relief it gave her when she could finally breathe.

Being without taste buds for a while was a hell of a lot better than dying, she thought.

It wasn’t until about ten that morning that people started filing in, most making a lethargic beeline for the bar begging for Mira’s hangover-cure-all. It got to a point where, after seeing Mira overflowing with the numerous requests, Lucy had decided to help the poor bar hand. By the end of it all, Lucy was sat slumped over the bar and wishing she could just go back to bed and the bar looked a lot emptier, and a lot dirtier, than it had when she arrived.

Lucy twisted in her chair to watch as the life slowly returned to her insane guild. Elfman and the Thunder Legion were the worst victims, still slung over a table in the darkest corner of the room, groaning about headaches or how men never got drunk. Alzack and Bisca along with Team Shadow Gear, well just Levy really, had abstained from the party, instead focusing on their daughter or pouring over books. Gray and Erza had been the quickest to recover, Erza already starting on her morning dose of confectionaries whereas Gray was helping Juvia through a particularly uncomfortable hangover. Well, it was more like she was sobbing while holding onto him for dear life while he just stroked her hair and let it all pass. Wendy was the only one moving any faster than a snail’s pace; she raced from table to table, administering varying degrees of her affectionately named “Hangover Magic” as Mira’s cure-all slowly kicked in.

It took her a second to realize that something was off, not quite right. It was as if the guild hall was warm and welcoming but that there was just one piece, one portion missing from the intricate pattern. Her smile began to fall as she glanced at all the faces around the hall. Erza, too, had lifted her head from the basket of breakfast sweets to sweep the hall. It was just too…quiet. Too calm for this to be right, even for the morning.

The answer hit her like a freight train, and she didn’t know why it took so long to figure it out.

There was no arm slammed over her shoulder, no one yelling at her to pick a job, no fighting, nothing. Just an eerie calm that began to press on her like a thick, woolen blanket. No blue cat sat on the bar top, happily munching at today’s fresh catch of the day. No dragon slayer stood beside her, bragging about his latest fight with Gray.

“Natsu,” she murmured.

Her mouth parted as she turned to Mira, ready to ask her about the dragon slayer.

The great, wooden doors of the hall slammed open as a something came whizzing in her direction, slamming into her chest. The wind rushed out of her, and her body crashed to the ground with a bang.

“Lucy!” screamed the creature sobbing in her chest.

Happy, she realized as she glanced down at the blue cat. His claws dug into her shirt as if his life depended on it. His tiny body trembled violently as each sob racked his body. The entire guild froze, their eyes glued to Happy. No one dare say a word. No one even breathed. Lucy’s heart picked up, and her eyes widened. She tentatively placed her fingers on his fur, lightly stroking it in the hopes that he would calm down if only a fraction. He tensed for a moment when her skin touched his fur.

“Happy,” she almost whispered, her voice straining. “What happened? What’s going on?”

Happy shook his head and pressed himself further into her chest.

“He…it. It was so scary and then…and then-Natsu-“

Lucy jerked her head up and tried searching for her friend at the mention of his name.

“Happy, where’s Natsu?”

“Natsu! He-he got Natsu! He just-“

“Woah, woah, woah, slow down, Happy,” mused Mirajane. She tried to appear calm, but Lucy could see the way her eyes strained and how her smile was thin. Lucy’s stomach twisted. Her arms began to tremble, blood running cold.

Lucy slowly peeled Happy away from her chest and looked him in the eye. The poor cat was a mess: his eyes, swollen and red, were wide with terror, tears streamed down his cheeks, making the blue of his fur turn a dark shade of navy. She placed her palms on his cheeks and wiped at his tears with her thumbs. Happy sniffed, and his sobs began to dissolve. His little paws grasped onto her wrists and gripped with all their might.

“Natsu…he…he was kind of attacked? It all happened so fast I…I didn’t know what happened. But it seemed to be taking him over or something. Next thing I knew, he was yelling at me to go to the guild, and it was Natsu but…wasn’t him…like it was his voice, but it sounded very scary. Very not-Natsu,” Happy started.

Lucy’s mouth slowly parted, her eyes widening a fraction. Her stomach twisted painfully again. Something attacked Natsu? And he couldn’t beat it?

His sobbing picked up again. “A-and there was nothing I could do! I just floated there for a second and couldn’t move. I couldn’t do anything!”

Mira walked around the bar and crouched to make herself eye level with Happy. The smile was gone from her face, her jaw clenched. Her hands were fists at her side, but even Lucy could see how much they shook.

“What attacked him, Happy,” Mira said slowly.

Just as Happy was about to speak again, Jet raced through the doors.

“Guys! Something’s attacking the town! South-side! It’s tearing everything apart!”

Southside. That’s near Happy and Natsu’s place.

The blood drained from her face, and she slowly turned back to Happy. The cat’s eyes were wide, terrified. He stared up at Lucy with those huge, tear-filled eyes, and she knew. Something had been scratching at her all morning, but the look he gave her confirmed her suspicions.

Her blood flushed from her body. Erza was the first to speak up and yelled something that jumbled in her ears. Her mind was laser focused. She could only think of one thing as she was hauled out of the hall and started to the explosions in the distance:

“Natsu.”

~~~

The scene they arrived to was straight out of one of her novels: fire everywhere, in the buildings, in the bushes, on…people. Smoke clawed out of buildings like caged animals, ignoring those caught inside. The smell was just as bad as the sight, if not worse. Smoke, sweat, blood, so much blood. It all invaded and enveloped her senses so fast; she barely had time to clamp a hand over her mouth before it tore its way into her throat. Lucy couldn’t help but gag at the smell and taste of it all.

People everywhere were screaming, pleading for help. Civilians raced paced her, and she barely managed to keep herself standing. Mothers held their children precariously out of windows of the burning buildings to those waiting below. Lucy couldn’t stand the sight of it and had a hard time holding in her breakfast.

If it wasn’t the people themselves, it was the creature, far enough in the distance for her to not be able to see its features but close enough to smell the death and decay and hear its vicious roars. The roars that were purely demonic, dark and scratchy, like gravel thrown into a paper shredder. It was animalistic, rough and deep, but with a hint of something else. Something raw. Something…human.

Erza stepped forward, breaking her from her thoughts.

“Alright, everyone! Spread out! Shadow Gear and Thunder Legion! You handle rescues. Make sure everyone is safe and stays that way. Wendy! Help the rescue teams. Make sure everyone makes it out of here alive! Gray, Happy, Lucy. You’re with me! Everyone else, try and back up the rescuers and keep the damage to a minimum! And make sure that thing doesn’t get any farther than this square!”

The instant she finished, everyone kicked into gear. Lucy raced to Erza’s side, closely followed by Gray and Happy.

“Please tell me you have some kind of plan,” Gray asked.

Erza slowly shook her head, her eyes glued to the creature slowly lumbering towards them.

“We just have to take it down as fast as possible. No matter the cost. We can’t let that creature harm any more people,” she stated through gritted teeth, her face almost impassive. She took a quick breath and broke off into a sprint after the creature.

Lucy locked eyes with Gray and nodded, turning to face the demon as well. Lucy took a steadying breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She shook out her hands. Her lip snuck between her teeth. Then she too was racing after the creature.

“Open!” she called, slashing her key downwards. “Gate of the archer! Sagittarius!”

She pointed the key ahead of her to the roof of a building above the demon. Seconds later, a bright light flashed into existence. A man in a horse costume carrying a fairly large bow appeared, his hand already saluting her even from a distance away. Lucy pointed towards the demon as she pulled out her second key. As she neared, she saw Sagittarius nod and lift his bow to aim. She gripped the second key between her fingers and swiped it downwards as well.

“Open! Gate of the Lion! Leo!”

A light, even brighter than Sagittarius’, flashed into existence beside her. Loke, wild orange mane and all, appeared beside her matching her pace.

“What are we up against this time?” he questioned, his tone serious.

Lucy panted, feeling the slight pull on her magic from summoning two spirits. She grit her teeth. There was no time for her to be getting the least bit tired; the citizens of Magnolia were in danger.

“I don’t know. But whatever it is, it was strong enough to beat Natsu pretty easily so watch out.”

Loke nodded, his eyes never leaving those of the demon.

As they neared, the true monstrosity of it came into view, and she had to bit her lip to suppress the gasp. It was coated in dark, inky liquid that dripped onto the cobblestone path, coating it with its oily substance. It was tall, the top of its head almost reaching the second floors of the surrounding buildings, with great horns that curved back to form a sort of helm of dark ivory. Its dark wings shot out from behind him, almost touching the buildings on either side of him. Its large, sharp claws nearly the size of her shoe slashed at the few people that tried to escape around him, instantly setting him ablaze. He tossed a ball of fire with his other hand into the apartment building just behind Lucy, sending embers in every direction. His muscular, shadowy arms tensed as it caught sight of the small group before him. His golden eyes widened a fraction before narrowing on each of them. It paused and scanned each of them individually before stopping on her and Happy. Lucy clenched her fists and glared into its deep eyes, challenging it despite her fear almost overwhelming her.

Then the creature dipped its head and smirked, revealing its large sharp canines. It was almost as if it was taunting them, bragging. The shadows and inky liquid coating it slowly dripped down and off its skin. The creature itself began to shrink, its features becoming more defined. The wings seemed to flex and pulse as if trying to shake off the oily substance. The horns remained but the liquid melted from its body revealing…no.

It couldn’t be.

The last of the ink slid down his cheek and dripped into the pool that formed beneath him revealing tanned skin. Lucy’s eyes widened, her hands flying to her lips. He continued grinning at them, that same grin that used to make her heart skip, now infected by darkness and contorting into a mocking, baring of teeth. His eyes still golden, held a sort of insane mirth, something she had never seen in him in all of their years together. The dark horns, his horns, protruded from his blazing pink hair like a dark inkblot on a crisp, clean page. It was foreign. It was out of place. It was…wrong.

“Natsu,” she murmured between her fingers.

She saw from the corner of her eye, Sagittarius’ bow lower and Loke tense. She could hardly register the shock of her friends around her, their astonishment that their fire-breathing maniac of a friend had deliberately set fire to Magnolia and killed its residents. It was as though tunnel vision had taken her over and all she could see was Natsu. Crazed, destroying, and horn-toting Natsu but also…not-Natsu.

The creature-no Natsu- laughed, the noise something straight out of a horror novel. That wasn’t Natsu’s laugh. It was dark and gravelly and thick. It was as though someone had taken Natsu and infected him with dark magic.

“Nah, that guy’s long gone. Made sure of that the moment I took over,” he growled in his dark, evil voice.

“Liar.” Lucy ground out the words. “That’s not true, and you know it. Natsu’s still in there.”

“Lucy,” Loke warned under his breath.

Natsu narrowed his eyes. A challenge.

“Oh really?” he taunted. “Why don’t you come over and find out.”

Lucy grit her teeth.

“I’m not going to do that. I can’t fight you. I can’t fight Natsu,” she said.

Natsu’s large, black claws flexed and a tick in his jaw clicked. The muscles in his shoulders tensed and Lucy saw, with a deep shot to the gut that his guild mark was nowhere to be seen, instead covered by a large, black stain. He snarled and reeled back on his haunches.

Natsu leaped in the air, launching himself directly at her before she could even register he had left the ground. Lucy couldn’t think of what to do other than squeeze her eyes shut.

But no attack came.

She slowly peeled her eyes open to see a pair of glasses and a bright orange mane staring down at her with wide eyes. Natsu slammed into the cobblestone where she had just stood, smashing the rock and sending debris in all directions. Adrenaline shot like lightning throughout her body, and her eyes shot wide. That could have been her. Terror flashed through her, sending a chill down her spine. She slowly lifted her eyes to Natsu’s, expecting pure hatred and rage.

Instead, she saw a flash of onyx, gone so fast she thought she was imagining things. He didn’t immediately charge at her. He could have easily released a fire attack and killed them instantly, but he chose not to. Because Natsu was still in there and Natsu couldn’t kill them. And if Natsu was fighting, so would she.

Lucy gulped and took a calming breath.

“Loke,” she said, her voice steady.

Sensing her intentions, he placed her on the ground.

“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“So do I. Wish me luck?” Lucy said, lifting her eyes to him with a smirk.

He chuckled, a bit more strained than she would have hoped but he mimicked her smirk. He shifted his glasses and placed his hands on his hip.

“You don’t need it. You’re Lucky, Lucy Heartfilia, remember,” he retorted.

Lucy grabbed his arm as he turned to return to the Celestial World. Loke paused. His eyes glanced to the fingers that gripped his black, suit sleeve then followed them up his wizard’s arm to her determined face. Her eyes stared at the ground, her mind somewhere else.

“I want you to promise me something, Loke.”

Loke slowly turned to face her, the corners of his lips quirked. “Anything for you, Princess.”

Lucy rolled her eyes. She paused and took a breath, choosing her words carefully. She couldn’t risk him coming back.

“Promise me you won’t come back. No matter what. I don’t want Natsu hurt in any way-”

“Lucy-”

“Promise me,” she repeated. Lucy lifted her eyes to his. “No matter what. You have to trust me.”

The spirit stared at her for a moment, eyes searching for something, anything that indicated doubt. Instead, he found a fire, an unwavering determination to Natsu. He could feel her emotions through the keys, how much she cared, how much she really cared, about the dragon slayer and how much she absolutely needed to save him.

He sighed and inevitably nodded.

“Just try not to blow up the town, ok? Magnolia’s kind of grown on me over the years,” he said, dissolving into gold stars with Sagittarius soon behind.

Lucy rolled her eyes as she snatched at her whip and raced to Natsu, still crouched and stared at her with those deep golden eyes. Erza requipped a few feet away from her and Gray pressed his fist to his palm, mist already forming at its center.

“Natsu’s still in there, I know it! We just have to draw it out!” she called out to them. “But try not to hurt him! We don’t want to hit Natsu!”

Gray paused a moment before nodding. Natsu roared and charged toward the group. Erza let out a battle cry, racing to meet him halfway. She jerked up her Flame Empress sword, countering his fiery slash.

“Now, Lucy!” she cried, grunting against his force.

“Natsu!” Lucy called, leaping back behind Gray. “I know you’re in there! If you can hear me, please say something!”

Natsu growled when Erza held her ground against his attack. His claw closed around her sword. Erza’s eyes widened. Natsu pivoted his body abruptly, extending his wings and slamming into Erza’s side. With a resounding oof! Erza was sent skidding backward. She barely managed to keep herself upright.

Natsu slashed down with his dark claws, narrowly missing Erza’s head and threw a large, deep orange fireball directly at Gray. He barely managed to throw up a shield before the ball barreled into him, sending him careening sideways.

“You’re stronger than this, and you know it!” she cried, staying on the edge of the battle, searching for an opening. Lucy tightened her grip on her whip handle, attempting to stop her trembling hands.

Natsu turned his focus back on Erza, ignoring Lucy’s voice again, his attacks doubling in speed and ferocity. He growled when she deflected almost all of his blows. His sharp claws clanged against the metal of her blades, not hitting her a single time.

Gray let out a war cry and slammed his hands onto the cobblestone streets. A stream of ice shot from his fingertips, racing along the floor towards Natsu’s clawed feet. The ice quickly encased around his talons, rooting him to the floor. Natsu snarled, his eyes lifting to zero in on Gray.

“Come on, Flame Brain,” Gray yelled. “Snap out of it!”

Natsu kicked against the barriers at his feet. His body began to heat at an alarming rate, sending excruciating waves of heat in all directions. Lucy threw her hands to her face, shielding herself from the blast. The clamps at his feet melted almost instantly, and Natsu’s black wings flexed. He lifted off the ground and charged at Gray.

“We’re not leaving here without you, Natsu!” Erza tried, requiping into her Black Wing Armor. She raised the sword above her head, ready to jump to Gray’s defense.

Lucy slashed her arm down, sending the whip to wrap around his foot. She slammed the whip to the ground with a grunt. Natsu crashed, hard, to the ground, splintering the brick road. Lucy winced. The sound of skull hitting concrete was unmistakable.

The snarl that left his maw, the sound deep and gravely. Definitely not Natsu. He snatched at the whip wrapped around his feet, ripping it above his head taking Lucy with it. Lucy screamed. She heard Gray and Erza call her name as she slammed back to the heard. Her head smashed into the cobblestone with a sickening crack, the air forced from her lungs.

Stars exploded across her vision, shattering and shooting in every direction. The world twisted and tumbled, churning like waves in the middle of a storm. She felt pressure then a sharp snap in her arm, a cry flying past her lips before she could catch it. She clenched her jaw, trying to block out the pain.

Someone shrieked, the sharp noise piercing through the loud ringing in her ears. Lucy lifted her head, dropping it a moment later.

Lucy lolled her head to the side, toward the scream. A large black blur lifted a red figure and tossed it haphazardly to the side, shooting into the air a moment later. Lucy blinked and blinked, but the dots would not fade. A deep voice bellowed and stared up at where the blur had shot. Lucy clenched her eyes shut, hoping that her vision would finally focus.

She opened her eyes just in time to see Natsu dive into Gray. Gray let out a deep, gravelly bellow as he used his Ice Make abilities to keep himself upright. He coated his fist with ice and aimed it at the demon. Natsu dodged with inhuman speed. He threw a hand out and snatched Gray’s other fist before it made contact. His golden eyes glinted. Gray faltered. Before he could blink, Natsu threw a flaming punch into his gut, sending Gray flying into a building fifty feet away.

“Please, Natsu! This isn’t like you!” she called weakly.

Natsu snarled and turned his dark gaze onto her. Then there was only her.

Lucy’s stomach twisted sharply, and adrenaline shot through her like a bullet. She was the last line of defense against Natsu’s reign of terror. She had to throw everything she had at him. She turned on her stomach, the world finally starting to even out. Her arms trembled as she pushed herself onto her elbow. She wouldn’t let her fear show. She had to be strong, if not for herself but for him.

She stared back at him, firmly holding her gaze with his flashing golden one. He smirked again, egging her on. He lifted a shadowy claw to his mouth and licked something, blood, from its tip.

“And then there was one. If an Ice Make wizard and the great Titania couldn’t take me down, a Celestial Spirit mage who can hardly move should be a piece of cake,” Natsu taunted, strutting his way towards her.

“I know you’re still in there. I know you can hear me,” Lucy grunted, making sure that he heard every word she said despite her frail voice.

“I’m getting very tired of your playing the hero thing you’re doing right now. Really starting to piss me off,” Natsu said, the smirk dropping from his face. He crouched beside her head, cocking his head. Analyzing her.

Lucy gulped. She steeled herself for her next attack. She knew she was likely not going to make it out of here, but if she could disturb him, somehow make Natsu fight back against this thing, it would be worth it. She took a breath.

“What would Igneel think?” Natsu tensed. “He would be ashamed to see you beaten without much of a fight!”

His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. His wings jerked open. He roared, a gruesome, oily noise and hardly gave Lucy time to think before he pounced on her and flipped her over. His claws closed over her throat.

“How dare you call me a coward?” the beast bellowed, squeezing.

She glared up at him, ignoring the pounding in her ears. She felt the blood rush to her face. She gulped at air desperately, wishing his knees weren’t pinning her hands down. The gold in his eyes faltered, flickering to onyx for all but a moment. Natsu shook his head violently. The hand loosened and Lucy gasped.

She turned her eyes to meet his as he raised a large blackened claw above his head. Lucy’s eyes slammed shut. Natsu snarled as he brought it down.

Warm liquid dripped down the side of her face, tracing a line down the side of her neck. She waited in anticipation for the pain of an attack that didn’t seem to come. More warm droplets trailed down the side of her cheek, her neck, and even down her shoulder. For a moment, she wondered if it was raining, if suddenly he had moved and it had begun to rain.

But then she tasted more blood, more iron in her mouth and tried to open her eyes. She knew that he had, in fact, cut her, carved a deep wound from the top of her brow to the tip of her shoulder and that one of her eyes would not open. The warm substance wasn’t rain. It was blood. Her blood.

It registered then. The pain, the excruciating pain that rippled through her like a wave beating against an ocean. It felt as though someone had placed a hot dagger at her brown and carved a sharp line down the length of her form. Her eyes flashed white, and she screamed.

She screamed so loud that her ears rang. She let out a scream that tore and ripped and clawed its way up her throat and out her mouth. She screamed so loud that even Natsu recoiled. She thrashed beneath his clawed feet pressing her arms into the stone street, the pain just not subsiding even a fraction. It just kept crashing into her, wave after wave of white hot, spasming pain.

Tears streamed from her eyes, the salty liquid stinging more as it leaked from her unopened eye and touched the fresh wounds. Her screams turned shrill, like nails on a chalkboard, making the hair on her arms stand on end. More tears spilled over her cheeks, creating a seemingly infinite cycle of agony.

Natsu roared somewhere above her. Thick hands pressed back down on her neck, instantly cutting her off. Lucy choked and gasped, desperately scrambling for air. Her body thrashed again, more violent, more desperate than before. This time it did it out of a need to live rather than pain. Lucy could do nothing but desperately gasp and try and gulp down air she desperately needed in her lungs. Blood raced past her ears, trying to get as much oxygen to her brain as possible.

Natsu said something above her, but the ringing in her ears overwhelmed her senses. She could only focus on one thing. Air. Air. She needed air.

“Natsu,” she choked out. One final attempt. One last try. “Please.”

Her limbs grew cold and limp, her thrashings slowing to a stop. Lucy struggled to keep her eyes open. Her chokes turned into pitiful whimpers. Blackness encroached on the edges of her vision. Her lungs screamed for air, for something, for anything.

She looks up at Natsu one last time and swears she see his onyx eyes flash into focus again.

Someone called her name from somewhere behind her.

Then, as suddenly as he was on her, the weight loosened. Lucy gasped and gulped and clawed at any air she could get her hands on. Color returned to her vision, but her limbs still refused to function.

She felt her body go weightless, felt her body being pulled from the ground, her feet leaving it. And then the hand around her neck was gone too. But she was still weightless. Still flying. Air whooshed passed her violently, too quick for her to be falling.

She slammed into a hard surface and crumpled into a heap.

And then there was nothing.

#ft fanfiction #nalu #nalu angst week #nalu-angst-week #angst #summer writes

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punkscowardschampions · 5 years

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Ali & Ro

Ali: Soooooo Ali: How'd your date go? Ro: I'm not sure who you meant to send this too, but perhaps try again? Ro: You can't mean me Ali: Coy, that's how you're playing it, I see Ali: Solid choice 😉 Ali: You and Drew musta been agonising over coffee options then Ro: What are you talking about, Ali? Ro: It was just a coffee stop for everyone, rehearsal fuel Ro: You know full well I've never been on a date Ali: I know full well that was just a ploy for some alone time with you Ali: and not yet but it is so clearly on the cards! Ali: I'd start dropping hints now, otherwise who knows where you'll end up Ro: Don't be ridiculous? Drew isn't remotely interested in me like that Ro: Why would he be? He has his pick of girls at school, and beyond the gates, too I'm sure Ali: Because you're you and he should be so lucky Ali: A bombshell with brains to boot Ali: Yeah, he's got a rep but he's being uncharacteristically sweet with you so, taking him at face value Ali: Anyway Ali: What do YOU think of him? More importantly Ro: Oh no no, this isn't a transformation story whereby I take off my glasses or get my braces taken off finally and am suddenly considered good enough for the protagonist Ro: Besides, I'm not even smart, just a hard worker Ro: Most importantly, he's always sweet with Meena so it's hardly uncharacteristic Ro: Other than knowing him as her kind older brother and Caleb's friend I really don't, know him that is Ali: Oh hush ignoring the fact that art is always a poor imitation of life and not the other way 'round Ali: He's love interest #1 at best, potential to be more if he sticks to his lines Ali: You're the loveable protagonist, silly Ali: Hmpf, fine. Would you like to know him better then? Ro: Of course, like I said, he's kind and sweet and Caleb's proven himself to be a good judge of character Ro: I just fail to see why he'd be interested in getting to know me, beyond being civil to me for the aforementioned reasons of mutual connections with important people Ro: He's Drew Goldsmith and I'm me Ro: We're incompatible given even the little we are both aware of concerning each other Ali: Well, I dunno about that, I think he's a fool and my evil plan is working 😏😂 Ali: Because he fancies you Ali: Potentially Ali: This stuff can defy usual logic, for better or worse, opposites CAN attract or repel in the case of humans Ali: But he wants to find out, I know this practically for a fact (of course, I haven't asked, don't worry) so its up to you to decide if you do too Ro: I have no idea what you believe you possess in terms of knowledge about his attractions or intentions but I highly doubt you're right in so far as him fancying me Ro: Sorry to say Ro: He may look like Connla of the Golden Hair but I am by no means a fairy maiden Ro: If only I could be noble born, never grow old or indeed never die Ali: Have you forgotten what happened to the last person to question my omniscience, sister? 🤔🍄💀😉 Ali: And have you also forgotten who and what you are, 'just because they told us too Ali: Cannot believe what I'm hearing here, I refuse to! Ro: of course I haven't Ro: but perhaps I should try and grow up, or at least be more realistic, when it comes to this Ali: Never! We do live in those green and pleasant hills after-all Ali: Won't stroke his ego as hard as to say UNLIMITED pleasures await but Ali: Everyone is positively like a silly child when it comes to love Ro: It isn't love though and therein lies the issue Ro: Simply a silly crush on my part and polite interest on his Ali: It rarely is at first sight Ali: and there's nothing polite about how keen he is Ali: See where it takes you, that's all Ali: he's clearly going to be hanging 'round jam seshs' and the like as long as you're about so whatever it will be, its inevitable Ro: I thought it would be, the whole charade of fireworks when our eyes collide and butterflies in my stomach. Everything clear and definite Ro: I'm afraid of whatever this is Ali: That's just horniness Ali: You just have better restraint than romance novel writers, is all Ali: Its aright to be afraid, its new and unknown Ali: Here be monsters Ro: Well that is comforting, especially if it ensures I won't fall as hard and fast as those heroines do Ro: particularly if I'm destined to do so alone Ro: Okay...but what if the monster is revealed to be me, in his eyes anyway, what if he gets to know me and doesn't like what he discovers Ali: Sure it was the corsets, poor girls could barely breathe, makes swooning all the more likely, those dastardly dandies! Ali: Then he's as bad, and ignorant (and MORE scared of the unknown than you feel right now), as every explorer who wrote natives off as savages Ali: You are far from a monster in every sensible definition Ali: Misunderstanding maketh monsters Ali: So that'd be on him, can't control other's perceptions but he isn't going to think you are, there's just no reason to Ro: I know you're right but Ro: I just suppose I wish I could control something Ali: I know Ali: Well, one thing you can control is your yay or nay to whatever he's offering up Ali: Not suggesting you have to make the first move, or put it all out on the line, 'cos he definitely will Ali: #gentleman Ro: That much is definite Ro: We should call another rehearsal, allow you to guide my vision to where yours currently reside so I'm not blindsided Ro: because I'm just not seeing what he wants with me Ali: Absolutely Ali: I'm really feeling the whole band thing too Ali: Are you enjoying it? Ro: Unexpectedly so, yes Ali: Right? I think everyone is Ali: Its something Ro: I've never played in front of that many people outside of a recital setting, I thought I'd mess up but it wasn't like that at all Ro: And everyone there seemed really into it Ro: Who knew there was so much respective talent surrounding us? Ali: Mess ups are more than welcome but you're flawless Ali: Me me me! 😊 Ali: Toying around with the idea of doing some local performances Ro: Flawless was you and Caleb Ro: I've never heard your voice so complimentary in a duet before, don't tell Marlene Ro: Oh? I think the others would be into that Ali: 💕 Ali: Might get her so raging she'd have to join us to prove you wrong Ali: I know it probably sounds a bit soon but like you said, performances are so different to practice and whatnot Ali: People would vibe Ali: There's all the places I've done solo, they'd be chill, and you know Suggs? Left School this year gone Ali: He's having a big Bday party for his gf and he's asked if I could do something Ro: Terrifying as it'd be to make a possible enemy of her, she's a very good bassist Ro: Very true, and too much practice can make it sound too rehearsed which clearly isn't what you're going for with this Ro: I heard Caleb talking to Drew about potentially performing at the restaurant so he'd be excited for sure Ro: Hm...I'm not certain I know who you mean but a gig's a gig Ro: Would he be alright with you bowing out as a soloist? Ali: She is Ali: She's gonna come around on her own tho, I know her Ali: She's just pouting Ali: Understandably, I'm not being as glib as I sound, just, we weren't right Ali: Exactly! That would be chill, you've gotta come thru with me just to get food, it's delicious and its beautiful Ali: Yeah, of course, one person can only rock out so hard solo Ali: Even if that one person is me Ali: Like, Bowie had a band, ya feel? Ro: I trust you and your intuition Ro: When's the party? Ro: I need to mentally prepare Ali: ✌ Ali: we've got 2 weeks to prep, assuming he doesn't get his arse dumped Ali: awkies, want us to play you out honey? 😂 Ro: Funeral march for his ego Ro: If the stars are good to me I'll make 2 weeks of wishes Ro: Should suffice Ali: Brilliant Ali: I'll check our charts Ali: Pull out some eyelashes if necessary Ali: The stars will fall and align for us Ro: I have faith Ro: Have you told the others yet? Ali: I haven't actually, I'll drop it in the group chat later Ali: Seeing Caleb tonight so I'll discuss the finer points with him then Ro: Good idea Ro: Oh yes, I'd forgotten it's your date night! Ali: As long as he hasn't we'll be fine 😋 Ro: Have you done his chart? If not he has perfect eyelashes to steal Ali: Not yet Ali: Been getting quizzed myself by his Ma Ali: Fair 'nuff but no time to sneak in so hey Ms Cavante, where was Caleb born and at what time exactly? #witchgirlproblems Ro: How very unfair Ro: Tonight could be the night Ro: I've already got the cards out here, questioning myself Ro: The spread's favorable for the party to go well for us as performers Ro: [Sends her a picture of the tarot] Ali: Knew we'd ace it but with the fates on our side we CANNOT fail Ali: are you asking about the Drew sitch? Ro: Perhaps Ali: I got you Ali: Keep it between you and the universe 💖 Ro: OH what are we going to wear for our first performance? Ali: THE BEST BIT Ali: We need to plan! Ali: Maybe shop! Ali: I think the party is a masquerade ball (how sweet for a hapless stoner, right?) Ali: We could run with that Ro: Well now I'm enthused Ro: Pencil me into your diary please Ali: Absolutely Ali: I think we could make better masks than we could ever find Ali: or makeup looks Ali: we will workshop this Ro: Agreed, you could create something amazing overnight Ali: We could go out and forage fresh flowers for it Ali: that would look beautiful Ro: Yes! Oh my god, we have to Ali: Perfection Ali: I'll see what the others want too Ali: Maybe we could go a galaxy glitter/paint moment on the guys but I feel like Meena would fosho want in on this floral faerie moment Ro: If you need me to start pressing any of the flowers let me know Ro: I'll make time Ali: You're an 👼 Ali: We can do it over lunch Ali: in between practicing Ali: Such busy 🐝s Ro: I don't mind I like to stay busy Ro: Do you think Drew will come to the party? Ali: Same tbh Ali: I bet he will Ali: And not to show off his musical prowess, bless him Ro: Do we need a name to perform under if we don't just want to be called 'Ali's band' by the host? Ali: Fantastic point, I don't want to be THAT lead singer Ali: So much to think on, oosh! We'll have to put the feelers out in the group chat Ali: should be something we all vibe Ro: I bet the boys will have some interesting ideas Ro: You should speak to Tommy as well, he's learn so much stage stuff at school Ro: If we're going to do this might as well make it look professional I think Ali: Agreed Ali: As long as he doesn't want to choreograph a whole girl group dance routine for us Ro: Imagine! Ro: I'd have to hide behind the piano Ali: Shy yet sultry keyboard girl prerogative Ali: I'll crowd surf my way outta there Ro: How long of a set are we going to play? Ro: There's so many potential covers not to mention the originals you and Caleb both have written Ali: Oh man Ali: we could do 20 like an opener but we are the main act, as it were, but its not that hardcore Ali: I think we could put together a 60 Ro: I hope we can all agree between us Ali: we will Ali: oh, could you cover for me with Ma tonight? Ali: she's not my bestie rn Ro: Of course Ro: I have a rare night free of any babysitting duties so it'll be simple Ali: Good, you deserve a break from the little demons Ali: I hope a book and a bubble bath are on the cards after you calm down the dragon Ro: They are indeed Ro: Perhaps I can suggest the same for her Ali: Perhaps I'm just giving myself away as twisted but that is a hilarious mental image Ali: Her grumpy face peeking out of a bubble beard Ro: Ali don't that's going to stay with me when I do get in the tub Ro: Oh no Ali: 🙊🙈 Ali: I can only apologize Ro: Cleansing that from my thoughts immediately Ro: Are you coming home at all or just straight out to see Caleb? Ali: If I do, catch me creeping up the stairs Ali: She's not been this pissy since Lachlan Ali: She's so SURE Caleb is like that and its just Ali: hilarious Ali: imagine Ro: Once she gets to know him better she'll change her mind Ro: She has to Ali: She SHOULD but will she? Ali: Stubborn old goat 😂 Ali: He's not going anywhere any time soon so if she wants to pine for Marlene that's on her but Ali: 🤷 Ro: I'll start counting cars to wish on just for her (and you), hold my breath, dig out my baby teeth, everything Ro: She just doesn't want to be a grandmother yet is all, it's no slight on Caleb personally I don't believe Ali: My vagina my choice, Mama Ali: Bless her Ali: It'd be fine if she threw out the same level of concern at...oh, idk Ali: Bea and Fraze Ali: 🙄 Ro: If she could secure us all same sex relationships she would, undoubtedly Ro: Likewise, if there was any feasible way to show Bea concern that she'd allow it'd be done Ali: When your kids don't have the good grace to be gay #gutted Ali: Yeah Ali: I need lessons on how to be a bad bitch, clearly Ro: Please don't take any lessons from Bea Ali: Its okay, I don't think she'd be willing to teach me Ro: Very true Ali: Best kept secrets and all that Ro: Speaking of, I've just received a text and must go Ali: Say no more Ali: run baby run 💚 Ro: Have fun tonight Ro: Bluebeard and I will try not to miss you too much Ali: Aww, I'll be home for snuggles lads Ali: wouldn't wanna get pregnant Ali: Laterz Ro: See you soon xx

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renaroo · 7 years

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Wednesday Roundup

We have an interesting week! Not the least of which because of Saga’s newest volume release which I have been highly anticipating for months. There’s a lot of storylines beginning, ending, and everything in between this week, and we’ve got a spread between DC, Marvel and Indie. So let’s see how it plays out!

Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, DC’s Detective Comics, Image’s Saga, DC’s Titans, DC’s Wonder Woman

Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man: Renew You Vows (2016- ) #6 Gerry Conway, Ryan Stegman, Jesus Aburtov

We’ve officially gone into territories that I honestly hadn’t expected for this series to take, that being the confirmation as of this issue that this is a parallel universe where the Superhero Registration Act and Civil War never happened. But... oddly enough it seems to also be a world where Conway is happily ignoring Slott’s miniseries that started Renew Your Vows because the X-Men, including ones we very much saw were dead in the mini, are well and alive and running the Xavier institute just fine.

And just to add to weirdness, everyone’s in their 90s uniforms but Jean is married to Logan and they have an adorable daughter. How’s that supposed to work with my perception of reality? I have absolutely no idea, but Annie gets a possible future friend in little baby mutant so I think I can consider myself happy.

It’s interesting to see Gerry Conway, who in many ways as I revisit the various comics of the past (as you may have noticed through my liveblogging here) really is fundamental for me personally in how I perceive Peter, MJ, and their relationship, is writing the first book I’ve been able to read in a long time that feels like them. And it’s not perfect marital bliss -- there’s conflict, opposition, and a sense of flaws that both of them bring to the table.

Basically all the things that Slott and co. whined and bemoaned were gone simply because Peter and MJ tied the knot. y’know. Thirty years ago.

Still enjoying the book, but I’m extra curious/worried where our cliffhanger leaves us. Also wow, poor Beast.

DC’s Detective Comics (2016- ) #954 James Tynion IV, Marcio Takara, Marcelo Maiolo

*long heralding sigh and a wistful look into the distance*

We’re smack in the middle of this storyline and I’m sure there’s a lot of things that will be better once it’s fully played out, but I’m running out of ways to defend Tynion’s run on ‘Tec. Mostly because for all the frustration that I have with people being way too critical of this run -- which there more than has been -- I’m getting less and less out of Tynion’s work that fills me with the joy and exuberance that helps me want to defend his comics to begin with.

Probably because I have always said his pacing is awful, his reveals have almost no setup, he repeatedly robs us of emotional catharsis, his views of morality are about as black-and-white as someone can get out of a high school creative writing class, and just structurally I’ve never enjoyed his arcs.

What I do like from Tynion and have defended again and again is his understanding of the main team’s characters. The Belfry team, as written by him, have so many amazing character moments that they far outshine his stories and villains time and time again. He understands why people love these characters and he wants to share why he loves them, and that enthusiasm has repeatedly been a saving grace on issues that had everything else working against them during his run.

Soooooo This issue is completely devoid of those good things. Because our only goodguy left standing is Bruce. I continue to be... less than apathetic toward the Colony and the assassination of Jacob Kane’s character, or Ulysseus’ gamer-brat return. Bruce continues to be an IDIOT about this League of Shadows thing to the point that my brain breaks trying to figure out why in Detective Comics it seems like the World’s Greatest Detective can’t get a clue. And it all just blehhhhssss toward the middle.

Now for the controversy. Because god forbid we not have controversy every week ‘Tec comes out. Cass’ reentry in the last two pages is awesome for the first page and stupid on the giant splash page. yes, she’s going to be the one to take down the League of Shadows, and she’ll probably FINALLY get to say one of her famous lines herself for once (IMAGINE). but Tynion or Takara one dropped the ball on that last page by having Cass holding bloody katanas and make it look like she had actually killed Shiva’s ninjas. If this was a mistake, DC is... itself again and we’ll have to ignore it. If it’s meant to make us doubt Cass and that she’s taken Shiva’s words to heart it’s a cheap cliffhanger and we know better. If if if, doesn’t matter, it’s not what it seems and it annoys me.

I was annoyed by this issue and outside of Takara’s continued excellent work in the art department this is going to be lost in the overall storyline of this arc like every single other middle issue Tynion has written for this run. Nothing was gained for this experience.

Well, it gave me the energy to rant. And I know that’s what some of you come to this blog for, so it gave you that much.

Image’s Saga (2012- ) Volume 7 Brian K. Vaughn, Fiona Staples

Few comics hit the milestones and accolades which Saga have without stumbling across bumps in the path, and that goes nearly triple when it comes to pushing the envelope with themes of interracial relationships, multiethnic found families, clashing cultures, war, sexual politics, and discussions of sexuality and gender all at once.

But somehow, amazingly, Saga not only continues to maintain this path and always manages to find new and impressive ways to surprise me -- someone who I’d consider to be a pretty hardened veteran of nearly all forms of storytelling in comics at this point -- but it manages to make each punch still feel like a direct hit to my gut.

There is so much anguish in the trials of our space opera family for this adventure, so much loss that it’s hard to pin down what hit me harder -- the loss of a long time friend, the sanity of a former dignitary, the home of a beloved survivor, the respect of a former mentor, or -- as Hazel herself so eloquently put it in the last pages of this volume -- the loss of things that never were, the missing energy of what could have been.

There’s a lot throughout this, and as always Saga delivers. We continue to have one of the most badass trans women I’ve seen in comics to date, the fall from grace of Marko’s professed pacifism, and the fear of Sophie’s inevitable manipulations at the hand of The Will, something that will break my heart a thousand times more.

Fiona Staples’ art is next level comic storytelling, but I also need to emphasize just what a fantastic writer Brian K. Vaughn truly is. As someone very aware and concerned about portrayal and voices of women in comics, I have to say that Vaughn is up there with Rucka as some of the few male writers that write female characters in a way that truly speak to me on a fundamental level.

DC’s Titans (2016- ) #10 Dan Abnett, Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Andrew Dalhouse

Our fight with the Fearsom Five comes to quite the stunning end, really utilizing all of our characters and their strengths as well as their weaknesses. But what really captured my attention here was just how well the comic did when it came to showing off how truly formidable the Five were, with maybe only Gizmo not getting a real moment to shine out of the entire lot.

The Titans were believably taken down, but not without showing off their prowess first and foremost, an that’s really all I ask for in a story where our heroes ultimately don’t win -- that their strengths are still on display and it’s believable how the battles’ outcome got to where it was.

Perhaps our Seventh Ranger’s late entry with Bumblebee really showing off her powers and surprising us all does seem like a cheap way to end a battle the Titans mostly lost, but I think that was softened by showing that, in return, Karen has lost something that we have spent many issues building up as being highly important to her: her family and the memories and love she holds for them.

That plus the reintroduction of H.I.V.E. and Deathstroke has me very curious about just how the “Lazarus Contract” is going to play out here, especially with its title’s obvious signifiers.

Very good issue through and through, really enjoyable.

DC’s Wonder Woman (2016- ) #20 Greg Rucka, Bilquis Evely, Romulo Fajardo Jr.

I have been incredibly curious to see what is Veronica Cale’s motivations in all of this and why she wants to get to Themyscira so badly, and it seems as though our past and present storylines have finally come to a head, proving my suspicions correct that the two Doberman that Cale has with her are the twins -- though I thought they were common disguise and not binding of them thanks to a revamp of Circe.

Now, of course, if you follow me long enough to know my Wondy opinions, you know that Circe is by far my favorite villain in Diana’s rogues gallery, and so I have been very excited about her turn to come into Rucka’s reimagining. And it didn’t disappoint, I rather like her modern redux.

And in all honesty, Rucka’s second time around with Veronica Cale has been delightful to see take form -- moving her motivations to something more powerful and more relatable than “women be jealous of other successful women” is just so much more engaging. There’s definitely been a lot learned since his last run of Wonder Woman and I appreciate it.

The art continues to be just beautiful for the past storylines, I mean beyond gorgeous and so colorful. Which just makes me dread the upcoming more dour, dark, and all around depressing take on the present.

And if that isn’t a culmination of my feelings about comic trends in general I don’t know what is.

If I didn’t think it’d be entirely unfair, I’d easily give this week to Saga which just continues to impress and amaze me every volume, but as I read it by volume rather than by monthlies, that seems completely unfair.

Usually my weeks are difficult because there’s more than a few standouts but this week I didn’t really have anything that really stuck out to me. But, ultimately I’m going to give my pick of the week to Wonder Woman. Rucka’s past storylines are just a joy over and over again.

#Rena Roundups #SPOILERS #Wednesday Spoilers #Saga #Detective Comics (2016 )#Amazing Spiderman: Renew Your Vows (2016 )#Titans (2016 )#Wonder Woman (2016 )

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tellywoodtrash · 7 years

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ishqbaaz 02.08.17 lb

fiesty wife isn’t scared of billu and his tactics anymore. 🙄🙄🙄

ohhhhhhhhhhh boy. shivaay was so inspired by rudy’s little handcuffs waala mishap that he got these installed at his headboard too. 😳😳😳

god, please don’t ever get them removed. this could make for some verrrrrrrrrrrry kinky sex. 😏😏😏

literally me right now:

did he drop the key on purpose???? either way, this man has fucking lost his marbles. 😟😟😟

oh boyyyyyyyyy. angry, grabby!kara. 😬😬😬

ok good. glad you cleared that up, om. now she can leave in peace. 😑😑😑

the editing and transition in scenes is hella abrupt and giving me whiplash bruh. 😖😖😖

honestly rudra, what will it take for you to leave the girl alone???? 😒😒😒

lol om’s like “good, i was just pretending to care about your problems anyway. like i always do.”

whut, om doesn’t like sugar? great. there goes my dream of a being happily married to him. i can’t marry a fucking freak who doesn’t like sugar. 😟😟😟

rudra: log shaadi kyun karte hai? om: yeh toh tujhe pata hona chahiye. tune toh do do kiye hai. ek nashe mein ASLI, aur ab ek majboori mein nakli.

OMFG THEY REFERENCED THE SUMO WAALA SHAADI. 😧😧😧😧😧😧 AND CALLED IT THE ASLI ONE. DUDE LIKE DON’T EVEN FUCK WITH MY FEELINGS LIKE THIS....

WHAT IS THIS, A BIG FUCKING JOKE TO YOU FUCKING WRITERS?!?!?! 😡😡😡

bs misogyny waala bonding. fuck you idiots. 😑😑😑

this fucking idiot and his fucking aloo puri plan. honestly. 🙄🙄🙄

IF YOU KNOW THAT THEY KNOW, THEN WHY DON’T YOU JUST BEAT IT OUTTA YOUR FUCKING BROTHERS, INSTEAD OF HANDCUFFING YOUR WIFE. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, MAN?????? 😧😧😧

snort. good that shivaay knows that when it comes to picking between the two, devar squad always picks bhaabi. apni aukaat yaad rakh, billu. 😆😆😆

OH HO RUDRA. IS LADKE KE PET MEIN KUCH BHI NAHI REHTA. 😣😣😣

billu’s sooooooooo matter of fact now that he knows how things stand. this is his businessman of the year side. 😐😐😐

oh yes, my girl is free! FLY ANIKA, FLYYYYYYYYY. 🕊🕊🕊

.... so do they just keeeep weed around the house in case they need to interrogate stubborn wives or........ 🤔🤔🤔

who am i kidding, he obviously took some from omki’s stash. you CANNOT convince me that om doesn’t 420 blaze it. 🚬 🚬 🚬

YES, MY GIRL KNOWS. YES. THANK GOD. THIS WAS GETTING VERY DATE-RAPEY. 😕😕😕

lmao she’s gonna fuckkkkkkkkk. himm. upppppppp. 😈😈😈

WHY AREN’T HIS FUCKING BROTHERS STOPPING HIMMMM FROM BEING SUCH A CREEEEEEEEEEP? 😫😫😫

"i also don’t want to hurt you, anika.”

yeah i’d believe that, if you weren’t SUCH A FUCKING PSYCHOPATH WHO HANDCUFFED HER AND IS TRYING TO DRUG HER WITHOUT HER KNOWLEDGE. 😒😒😒

pretending aside, i’d have given him extra hell for losing the fucking key. like seriously. fuck him. 😤😤😤

NO DON’T PLAY ROMANTIC MUSIC FOR THIS. 😡😡😡

side eyeing him majorly for blaming her “zidd” for “making him do this”. fucking creep. 😠😠😠

ok feeling the feelz for him fussing over her bruises. ugh i hate himmmmmmm for making me love him. FUCK MY STUPID HEART FOR OVERRIDING MY SMART BRAIN. 😫😫😫

aaaaaaaaand, i have officially started crying. the flashbacks did me in. god, what an awful day that was. 😪😪😪

“kyun hua yeh sab?” 😥😥😥

oh god my heart. my poor broken heart. the way he asked that. 😭😭😭

“TUMHE mujhpe bharosa nahi tha. kuch baat thi, toh baat karni thi mujhse. koshish toh karti.”

siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh. 😢😢��

don’t think i didn’t notice anika being distracted and just staring at his mouth, not paying attn to a single angsty thing he was saying. 😏😏😏

sudden switch to comedy. oufffffff. 😣😣😣

LMAOOOOOOOOOOO HER FACE AS SHE FUCKS HIM OVER. I LOVE HER SOOOOOO MUCH. 😂😂😂

oh idiot billu. stupidly smug fucking idiot. 😗😗😗

..... aaaaaaaaaaaaaand....

yup. high as a fucking kite. fucking idiot. 🙄🙄🙄

looks like a good couple bonding experience though. 😆😆😆

lmao, this is surbhi laughing for real at nakuul being a dork. so fucking cute. 😂😂😂

oh god. naach gaana. fwding.

.... is this real or the hallucinations of billu’s drugged out mind? 🤔🤔🤔

ok real. i think. god, don’t make me go back and watch the fucking song and dance. 😒😒😒

i’m just assuming it’s real for now.

aw man. my heart. they missed each other sooooooo much. 😭😭😭😭😭😭

siiiiiiiiigh, look at his open and earnest expression when he’s asking her.

“sab kuch sahi tha. hum kitne khush the... main tumse shaadi karne waala tha... uske baad hum live happily ever after hone waale the. tumhaari hindi picturon mein dikhate hai na?”

oh my heart. i caaaaaaaaan’t. 😭😭😭😭😭

i hate that nakuul makes his “drunk/high” voice so high pitched. like... his shivaay voice is deeper than his actual voice, and this is just tooooo high pitched. he’s currently squealing “kyunnnnnn” at a frequency only bats can hear. 😣😣😣

ohhhhhhhhhh boy. part 1 of the truth is out. 😬😬😬

PLEASE TELL ME SHIVAAY HAS CAMERAS IN THIS ROOM OR SOME SHIT AND IS RECORDING THIS COZ 1000% HIS HIGH ASS ISN’T GOING TO REMEMBER THIS. 😣😣😣

oh ho, KASAM waala nonsense. since when does SHIVAAY believe in KASAMs? 🤔🤔🤔

billllu, tum NAHIIII sambhaaal paoge. ouff. just... man why can’t you just be like a normal stoner and get the munchies. no, you have to be the PARANOID type of stoner. 😒😒😒

i regret this. i regret this so much. take me back to 3 seconds ago, when i didn’t know the sach. 😐😐😐

OK STOP WITH THE EKTA TYPE EDITING. MY HEAD. 😖😖😖

yup. she broke him. like those cats when you put something on their foreheads and they just...

oh noooooooooo. ho gaya shuru nakuul ki ghatiya acting. i fully knew he’d be doing this in this scene and ruining it for me. goddddddd, why??? and how can he be good at CRYING (the toughest part of acting) and so bad at the voice modulation and dialogue. ouffffffff. 😑😑😑

“aapki khushi ke liye main aapki kya, puri duniya ki nafrat seh sakti hoon.” “MERI KHUSHI TUMHARE SAATH HAI, ANIKA! MERI KHUSHI TUMHARE SAATH HAI! TUM JAANTI HO NA YEH???”

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

... why is she telling him all this now though? in confidence that he’ll forget coz he’s high? but he’s the kind who remembers. he remembered after the #shiTia party. he didn’t really forget anything after the berries in the jungle either. soooooo...... 😕😕😕

oh boy. he’s fixating on the khoon now. 😶😶😶

bruh, why can’t you think of a positive? YOU GET ONE MORE OF YOUR FAVOURITE THING IN THE WHOLE WORLD: A BROTHER!!!!!! 😊😊😊

“sab ko pata tha. sivaiii mere. sab ko pata tha.”

yuuuuuuuuup. 😐😐😐

oh wow, he’s now remembering the daimaa convo and things are clicking. see anika? still remembers things when high. your reveal strategy is so... weird and random. 😕😕😕

... aaaand his guilt has kicked in. this is a LOT of feelings for a man to handle SOBER, let alone high. 😬😬😬

aw. he’s apologizing. siiiigh. this is the one time that SHE should be the one apologizing though. he wasn’t reaaaallly at fault. other than of being a hot headed asshole. but she knew that about him and used it and instigated him to the max. 😒😒😒

... he fell asleep, didn’t he? 😒😒😒

..... yup. that some dank weed, bro.

how did she carry him from the pool to the bed? please show us that!!!!!!!!!!! 😧😧😧

is anika wonder woman in disguise? 🤔🤔🤔

at least cuddle with himmmm, girl. come onnnnnn. 😙😙😙

meanwhile idhar bulbul is in a crisis of her own. 😔😔😔

is bhavya even fucking listening???? all signs point to no. 😒😒😒

... you never really talked about anything though? i mean, not to defend him, but how would his misunderstandings magically disappearing without any clarification? 😕😕😕

i’m not really digging this bhavya’s new style of denim jackets over kurtas. i like the concept, but the jackets chosen are all so wrong and ill-fitting! 😫😫😫

... ALL THE WOMEN IN THIS SHOW DESERVE BETTER THAN THE STUPIDASS MEN THEY’RE SADDLED WITH. ALL. OF. THEM. 😠😠😠

except tia. she got a good one. tia + dobin 4eva! 💘💘💘

lmao wait whut... has jhanvi locked herself inside a cupboard???? 😐😐😐

lololol svetlana’s exasperation on having to put up with jhanvi’s crazy. 😂😂😂 imagine. svetlana is like 98% cray cray herself. even she can’t take this.

has jhanvi just... moved to svetlana’s????

really om????? after what you said, you expect her to still be around here? you’re such a daft prick, is2g. 🙄🙄🙄

really? they can’t eat without their girls??????? 🤔🤔🤔

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAS. THE GIRLS RAN AWAY (TOGETHER???) YAS YAS YAS. THIS IS THE BEST THING EVERRRRRRRR. 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

lmaooooooo svetlana and jhanvi are getting massages together. MAN I LOVE SVETLANA SHE SEEMS LIKE THE COOLEST FUCKING GIRLFRIEND TO HAVE. 😍😍😍

um... WAIT WHAT? 😧😧😧

oh pfffffffffffffft. 😑😑😑

today’s surety that this is a tejLana plan to drive J mad: 92%

BUT LOOK AT MY MURDER GIRLFRIENDS! 😍😍😍

time for bs alpha male posturing and pretending that all iz well. 🙄🙄🙄

YUP. THEY LEFT YOUR UNWORTHY ASSES. ABOUT FUCKING TIME. 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

great. he doesn’t remember. wants to do the whole drama again. ouff billllllllllllu. tangggggg aa gayi hoon main tumse. daffffaaaa ho. 😣😣😣

#ishqbaaz #ishqbaaaz #ib episode liveblogs #episode liveblogs

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Seduce Wife | How He Triggers Sexual Arousal In Women

https://www.reviewape.com/?p=19428 Seduce Wife | How He Triggers Sexual Arousal In Women - Product Name: Seduce Wife | How He Triggers Sexual Arousal In Women Click here to get Seduce Wife | How He Triggers Sexual Arousal In Women at discounted price while it’s still available… All orders are protected by SSL encryption – the highest industry standard for online security from trusted vendors. Seduce Wife | How He Triggers Sexual Arousal In Women is backed with a 60 Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee. If within the first 60 days of receipt you are not satisfied with Wake Up Lean™, you can request a refund by sending an email to the address given inside the product and we will immediately refund your entire purchase price, with no questions asked. (function ($) { var $self = $('.adace-loader-5c370a953a9c0'); var $wrapper = $self.closest('.adace-slot-wrapper'); "use strict"; var adace_load_5c370a953a9c0 = function(){ var viewport = $(window).width(); var tabletStart = 601; var landscapeStart = 801; var tabletEnd = 961; var content = ''; var unpack = true; if(viewport=tabletStart && viewport=landscapeStart && viewport=tabletStart && viewport=tabletEnd){ if ($wrapper.hasClass('.adace-hide-on-desktop')){ $wrapper.remove(); } } if(unpack) { $self.replaceWith(decodeURIComponent(content)); } } if($wrapper.css('visibility') === 'visible' ) { adace_load_5c370a953a9c0(); } else { //fire when visible. var refreshIntervalId = setInterval(function(){ if($wrapper.css('visibility') === 'visible' ) { adace_load_5c370a953a9c0(); clearInterval(refreshIntervalId); } }, 999); } })(jQuery); Description: “Another Way To Get More Sex” CR James | April 21, 2018 | Copyright 2018 I’m not a marriage counselor. I’m actually a former electrical engineer with a fascination with how the brain works. First of all, I don’t believe that nonsense that you have to be a jerk to get women in the mood. And at the same time, I don’t think being a “romantic nice guy” works, too. As a matter of fact, my wife used to tell me, “I’m sorry Baby…I’m not in the mood…. maybe if you were more romantic, I would want it more…. blah blah blah”. Long story short, I put it to the test and it didn’t work. On some level, it made her feel loved, so I’m not complaining. However, making a woman feel loved is not the same as getting her to want sex. You see, if you didn’t know how to drive a car, showing the car love is not the same as learning how to make it go from Point A to Point B. It wouldn’t matter if you kissed the car every morning and washed it with a big smile on your face. Those “acts of love” are not reasonable ways for learning how to drive the car. If you want to go from Point A to Point B, you need to understand how the car operates. And the same rules apply to women. I will tell you the “one thing” that you need to do to get more sex. Why should you listen to me? Reason 1 – I have taught my method (for getting wives to crave sex) to thousands of men all over the world. Reason 2 – Everything I teach is based on what I’ve done. If you were trying to become rich, wouldn’t you rather learn from someone who was once poor and then became rich – compared to – someone who was born rich. In my case, my wife actually had a super low libido. I actually know what it feels like to get constantly getting rejected. In fact, I used to think: “Does she have a bad sexual past?” “Does she even care about my needs?” “Is she too conservative?” “Was her ex better in bed?” “Is she secretly a lesbian?” My mind was all over the place. Here’s the true story of how I discovered this “simple trick” for getting more sex. Things were miserable. I enjoy sex. You only live once. But I don’t believe in cheating. Even though the sex life was horrible, there was a particular night when she wanted it like crazy. She was all over me! She even had that naughty look in her eye. She didn’t take a libido pill that day. I didn’t clean the house that day. I didn’t buy her flowers. We made love and it was incredible! Then it dawned on me!! This simple idea hit me like a load of bricks! She got very aroused because of a few things I said that day – that lead to her thinking a “Certain Way”. Isn’t it crazy how you can say certain words and then suddenly your lady ends up having a certain emotional response. After I realized that “our conversation” got her extremely horny, I did something I never did before. And that is – after we were done having sex, I took notes. In other words, I was basically like a “bad stand-up comedian” who told a “very rare” funny joke – where the audience is laughing their butts off… Except this time, I made the “obvious connection” and started to “figure out” why THAT JOKE was soooooo funny… Make sense? Do you know what I learned? I learned that “sexual desire” DOES NOT happen randomly. That’s why my plan for helping guys get more sex is as simple as 3 steps. It’s a 3-step blueprint that will always benefit you. I knew I was on to something but then I took it up a notch by creating… Let me put it very clearly… When a woman isn’t turned on, she WILL say stuff like: “Sex isn’t a big deal to me.” “I don’t need sex that much.” “Sex isn’t that important.” Does that sound familiar? Ask me how I know. BUT… When she’s turned on, she’s living by different rules! It’s like she’s a different person. BTW…. when I created this “Secret Diary” (back in 2002-ish), I was basically writing down notes EVERY SINGLE TIME my wife ended getting “extra horny”… And pretty soon I saw “patterns”. These were “patterns” that I never heard any expert talk about. These were “patterns” that I assumed worked only on my wife. You might be wondering: “Was it worth all of the hard work and endless writing?” It Was The Greatest Decision I Ever Made! In other words, some sex experts will brag about how many books they sold or how they’ve been a professional counselor for 20 years blah blah blah…. But they rarely talk about people they’ve actually helped. I tell people (up front) what my system is all about – and they never have to buy anything from me! It goes like this: Step 1: Create a “secret horny diary” (i.e. a journal of notes based on when your wife ends up getting very aroused.) Step 2: After you have several entries, look for patterns. (Note: You WILL see patterns.) In other words, you may notice that EVERY TIME you say a certain thing to her, she always blushes and then hints at wanted to get naked. (That’s a pattern.) Step 3: Create a checklist. It’s simple. Once you have figured out “several patterns” (i.e. the “things” that get her turned on), you can use them to create a checklist. Here’s the best part – Over time (let’s say 6 months from now) your checklist will be EVEN more powerful. As a matter of fact, the course that I offer on this page is based on discoveries (“patterns”) I’ve made over the past 15 years! I never expected them to work on other women. I discovered that years later. That’s why there simply isn’t another course like this on the planet. No other man has analyzed his wife’s sexual arousal patterns for over 15 years. You see – when I first started doing this, I never thought I would tell anyone about: My Secret Sexual Experiments In fact – I assumed that this “checklist” and “patterns” were things that would only work on my wife. After all, I was only studying her. However, I ended up being completely wrong about that. In fact, guys all over the world are using my “unusual discoveries” to get their wives in the mood more often. Guys from London, Japan, Mexico, Germany, China, Singapore, India, Kenya, Ireland, Brazil – just to name a few. Here’s the deal – I enjoy sharing my tips because I worked so hard to learn them. The course is 15 years in the making because I’m sharing 15+ years of experiences, observations and secrets. Oh yeah – I’ve even tried to make this course a fun read with a few jokes (but beware – most of the jokes are corny. Lol) With that I said, I love to read emails from happy customers telling me that my course is “not like anything they’ve ever read.” I enjoy it more when a guy emails me and says something like: “I applied Tip #12 and it brought out my wife’s inner nympho.” OR. “I applied Tip #34 and my wife wanted to do it 2 times in one day.” With that said, let’s read some REAL feedback from former students of my course. Read These Emails From A Few of My Students… (They are 100% real. In fact, it’s against the law to create fake testimonials.) From: [SJ] To: crjames100 @ gmail.com Thanks for getting back with me. I understand that you must get hundreds of emails from men and women just like me who are turning their relationships around. There are a few things I’ve been wanting to write about. I am a high school teacher so I know that if you are able to change lives (even 1 life) for the positive that the gratification you receive from knowing what you’ve done is immeasurable . So, I feel obligated to write you. After 2 days of pulling my hair out and trying to figure out why she was an emotional wreck, she admitted to me that she realized our sexual problems we had been facing were because she loved me but wasn’t physically attracted to me. I’ve never been hit with anything so hard in my life! That brought me to you. Failure in our marriage was no option . Your website was the first that appeared and was like an oasis. I have read through your book several times and I can tell you that it became my “bible” if you will on correcting my marriage. I have realized that everything you talked about is/was brilliant. … Things are better sexually than ever before and neither of us continue to be frustrated with this matter. I feel like a big percent of husbands go through this problem. Do you think this is a safe assumption? Looking back, I know that we were on the road to catastrophe if this wouldn’t have happened. It now seems that it is that best thing that could happen to us. I will also tell you that I am a religious man who believes that this all happened for a reason. … I want to THANK YOU with the utmost sincerity and tell you that I don’t want to think about where I (and my marriage) would be without your knowledge and taking the time to write it down. Sincerely, SJ ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Note: All testimonials are 100% real and unsolicited. Note: Getting results is the only thing that matters. “I think it is one of the best books on seduction I’ve yet come across…” “Dear Mr. James. My name is [J Carty], I am one of your customers who bought your [ebook] yesterday. I think it is one of the best books on seduction I’ve yet come across, because it takes it to an advanced level!” J Carty Great Britain ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Note: All testimonials are 100% real and unsolicited. Note: Getting results is the only thing that matters. “…she is wetter than any time I can remember, she is sooo Hot that I can’t believe it…” Hey CR, Just wanted to say that I bought your e-book and couldn’t wait to get through it, I am not sure that I have read everything but, that is ok I have the time to go over all of the downloads. I am in the second reading of [the SSP course], I was looking for references to “that little arcade sound she will make” I believe that you mentioned it three times, I haven’t completed the reread. By the third day I can feel her tension, [a step by step process], she does initiate the action and when its time for me to roll her over and give her some relief, I hear “this little arcade sound” and she has this enormous orgasm just as I am “about to” enter, she is wetter than any time I can remember, she is sooo Hot that I can’t believe it, I deliver the “goods” and she is Cumming again and again, and I had figured that (erroneously) that she wasn’t multi orgasmic, (30 years too late). CR, what is the “little arcade sound”? I am trying to recreate our most recent round of action with something even hotter, I am working on the different levels of communication, who knows what I will find, thanks. Max – Ohio, USA ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Note: All testimonials are 100% real and unsolicited. Note: Getting results is the only thing that matters. “We had hours of mind blowing sex for the first time in years” “I realized after purchasing and reading your work that I was literally creating an atmosphere that was driving my mate away from me. I figured that since we’ve been together for 18 years, I don’t have to do anything special, she’ll always be mine. I realize now, after reading your works, that I have to create the atmosphere for better relations and sex. And boy do your techniques work! It’s beginning to feel like the first few months and years we were together. In only (1) Week. It’s very hard as a man to admit that your thinking is flawed, that your doing everything wrong. Your work is really better than therapy or many of the books out there that I’ve read. This past week, I created enough sexual tension that ultimately lead to a sexual explosion ! We had hours of mind blowing sex for the first time in years this past weekend , and it’s all because of your approach and techniques I used. Your philosophy behind your work is much deeper than just sex. It’s a way of life. You really have to work to have a great relationship. Even if the other mate isn’t aware what your doing or isn’t actively participating, the changes you incorporate naturally rub off, and without them actually knowing it, the relationship begins to improve almost immediately !!! Awesome !!!!!!!!! Thank you much. CS ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Note: All testimonials are 100% real and unsolicited. Note: Getting results is the only thing that matters. You’re Going To Wish You Learned This Stuff Years Ago! “I’ve Tried Just A Bit Here And There In The Last Few Days And The Results Are Incredible!” From: [email protected] To: cr @ xxxxxxx YOU SIR…ARE A GENIUS. YOUR ABILITY TO PICK IT ALL APART THEN PUT IT BACK TOGETHER SO IT CAN WORK FOR A MAN IS UNMATCHED. I’VE GAINED SO MUCH INSIGHT INTO THE FEMALE MIND SINCE DOWNLOADING YOUR MATERIAL, I’M ALMOST OVERWHELMED. I’VE TRIED JUST A BIT HERE AND THERE IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND THE RESULTS ARE INCREDIBLE! I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR INFORMATION LIKE THIS ALL MY LIFE , WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS A TRUE TREASURE OF KNOWLEDGE, IT’S WHAT EVERY YOUNG MAN WISHES HE HAD BEEN TOLD BY HIS DAD AND MORE. THIS IS TRULY CHANGING MY LIFE EVEN AS I WRITE THIS , I COULD NEVER THANK YOU ENOUGH. AS YOU CAN SEE, I’M ONE HAPPY CUSTOMER. GOD, I WISH I KNEW THIS STUFF YEARS AGO. THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOUR THE REAL DEAL, A REAL, TRUE GENIUS SINCERELY, RON ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Note: All testimonials are 100% real and unsolicited. Note: Getting results is the only thing that matters. You’re Going To Wish You Learned This Stuff Years Ago! Here’s a “single” guy who used my “get wife aroused” tactics in the dating environment From: JULIAN ****** To: crjames100 @ gmail.com Subject: RE: ****** – I made a terrible mistake Hi CR James, I have to admit the transformation in me was almost instant after reading some of your e-books, especially [SSP]. It was like a revelation. I wish I got all this info 20 years ago. It’s funny, I went on a date with very attractive girl before I read your book and when I called her back next day she said to me that I am a very nice guy but we can be only friends. Next day, I bought your e-books and read some of them thoroughly in two days. After that I invited her on a date again and applied all this stuff I learned from your book. She became drawn to me, dropped her boyfriend and now I am her new boyfriend. It was magic. By the way, I live in US but I am originally from russia and for years had this stupid idea to attract american girls which has never worked. I was intentionally ignoring russian girls that live in US. I wasted so much time on this stupid idea that I finally became total sissy after hundreds of rejections. Your book completely snaped me out of “tranced” condition and I am back to the younger confident myself. Now I have a policy though: no more american girls and I will be dating only russian girls. Thank you man! Julian ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Note: All testimonials are 100% real and unsolicited. Note: Getting results is the only thing that matters. Make average decisions = average results. Make better decisions = better results. And on top of that… When you’re getting “lots of great sex” on a regular basis… Here’s what you’re about to learn… You’ll learn the 19 attraction triggers Page 14 You’ll learn the 15 silent “creepy traits” that turn women off. Most guys are creeping women out without realizing it. Page 15 You’ll learn the S-Combo Strategy which makes you 3x more attractive to women instantly. No one else is teaching this. If You Want More “Passionate Sex”You Have Two Options Option #1: Try to figure it out on your own. Option #2: Find someone who has figured it out. I will say…if you “try out my system today”, then understand that I’m a real guy who cares about your success. Order online without a worry in the world Your order (check or credit) will be processed using Clickbank as a third party processor. This means I, nor any of my affiliates, will ever see your credit card information. Unlike some internet companies, Clickbank does not store the credit card info on its servers. You can order with confidence and security. Note: Your credit card bill will show a charge by CLICKBANK/KEYNETICS. No reference to Super Sex Power will be on your bill. Super Sex Power: The 18 Laws of Triggering Sexual Arousal In Your Wife The Super Sex Power (ebook). One Time Payment | Lifetime Membership * Limited time Memorial Day Sale (2018) Warmly, Instructor CR James, Author: Super Sex Power [email protected] P.S. You have nothing to lose. If you don’t like the course for any reason, you can get an instant refund. In fact, we use Clickbank to process all orders. So you can just click a button inside of your email receipt to trigger an instant refund and I couldn’t stop the refund if I wanted to. How’s that for confidence that this is a “unique system” that actually works. P.P.S. Here’s a recap of some of what you’ll learn: You’ll learn the 19 attraction triggers Page 14 You’ll learn the 15 silent “creepy traits” that turn women off. Most guys are creeping women out without realizing it. Page 15 You’ll learn the S-Combo Strategy which makes you 3x more attractive to women instantly. No one else is teaching this. One Time Payment | Lifetime Membership Here Are Some **MORE** Emails From Happy Customers… His Three Day Seduction Diary Here’s my story for those who don’t believe this works. I never wrote a testimonial till now! I’m single and was looking at seduction methods hoping to improve my chances of meeting more women as well as getting more sex. When you are 39 it doesn’t happen often. I decided to try your methods on my next date. I only read the course once and was really HALF ASS applying your methods. Date 1: I laid some easy ground work. Date 2: She’s more than interested she wants some but I decided to build more points just a little more to see what happens, well by…. Date 3: I was EMBARRASSED as we were in public. She was all over me! …so much so that we had to leave 20 minutes into the date back to my place of course… once in the door she’s on the couch NAKED! …and well you can guess the rest. If I had video of this hot blonde basically trying to have sex in a public place …you would swear it was staged… That’s how crazy she was for me. I just wanted to say thank you CR James as it’s been a long time since any woman has wanted me that bad… and getting her so hot that she initiated everything was great for the both of us. I’m gonna reread the course and study it more this time. It’s almost scary but in a good way. BEST MONEY I EVER SPENT !!!! Thank you, Jay thanks for the kind words [Keith]! i have to give you a testimonial “you are the man!” and I say that seriously because not every guy takes action like you did… “She is actually starting to get aggressive with me sexually in bed at night!” Thank you very much CR James! Who would have ever figured out all the things I was doing wrong in my relationship with my wife! I had become the ultimate “man of desperation”! I had actually lost a part of my own identity trying to constantly please my wife! The first time I finally [did something simple and powerful] she sat up and looked at me as if I was crazy for having said it! Now she is starting to take notice of me… Now she is constantly holding onto my arm or holding hands with me when walking out in public! You have to understand, we were destined for divorce within another six months until I started practicing your techniques. What a turn around my wife has done! She is actually starting to get aggressive with me sexually in bed at night! She will strip down and then demand I come to bed naked too! Then she starts to rub her naked body all over me, kissing me and telling me how much she loves me! I know I have a lot to learn still and I have to make sure I don’t fall into any pitfalls, but if this is any indication of where we are going… …then I had better hang on tight! Thank you once again CR James without your techniques I doubt I would ever have enjoyed what my wife is giving me now! The proof is in the pudding! The attachment is just a little taste of my wife’s dessert! R.D. Note: All testimonials are 100% real and unsolicited. Note: Getting results is the only thing that matters.Interesting Fact: This student actually sent me a 5.7 MB VIDEO attachment of his ‘very aroused’ wife performing [a certain sexual act] on him. Let’s just say that caught me off guard. A note to “class of 2018” students: If you get your lady in a VERY affectionate mood…and she’s being WILD and FUN in the secret bedroom… I do NOT need to see the “video proof”….a simple ‘thanks’ is all that’s needed. 🙂 Hey man seriously you are an outstanding individual… I’m not an ass kisser or anything but you are the coolest buisness man I’ve ever dealt with. You answer quickly and really know what your talking about I’m actually trying to pursure a career in the internet field and I truly look up to you and how you conduct your buisness. I’ve never met any so called guru of anything that has responded so quickly to a customer, it’s unbelivevable.. You are a good guy and I hope to do buisness with you in the near future and I will get every product you come out with as long as I have money! I thank you for all your help I honestly didn’t expect nothing from you and you showed how much you are dedicated to helping others and that’s more than I can say about any other guru. Thanks!!! Well Sincerely GB Purchase The Book | FREE CR James Newsletter | The Simple Formula Copyright © 2018 All Rights Reserved Instructor CR James Any Questions? Email: [email protected] Click here to get Seduce Wife | How He Triggers Sexual Arousal In Women at discounted price while it’s still available… All orders are protected by SSL encryption – the highest industry standard for online security from trusted vendors. Seduce Wife | How He Triggers Sexual Arousal In Women is backed with a 60 Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee. 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