#working title | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

rhoorl · 2 months

Text

Working Title | Chapter 20

Pairing: Dieter Bravo/OFC Series Rating: Mature, 18+ Word Count: 5.4k Series Masterlist | AO3 Chapter 20 Chapter Summary: The girls head to LA for the audition. Chapter Warnings: Brief alcohol mention. Swearing. Alternating POVs. Some angst, Body image issues. People being mean online. Allusions to Dieter's past. A/N: I can’t believe we’ve made it to the penultimate chapter of this series. This has been my first foray into fanfic writing and these two mean so much to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for reading and spending some time in this little world!

“Cheers,” Sam smiled clinking the neck of his beer with Dieter’s glass.

The two made some small talk, mostly about the show and whether or not they thought it was actually going to be picked up or not.

“Do you have anything lined up after this is done?” He studied Dieter, who sat absentmindedly swirling his Old Fashioned in one hand.

“Nah, I haven’t come across anything that interests me. Might take some time off.”

“Must be nice,” Sam scoffed, wincing as he ran his hand through his hair. He hated it when his mouth worked faster than his brain. “Sorry, that probably sounded worse than I meant it. I just…I’m not in a position to take a lot of time off you know?”

Although he had been working for a while, Sam still hadn’t gotten his “big break” so every project felt really important to him.

“No man, it’s all good. I get it, I’ve been there. Hell…five years ago no one wanted to hire me. I’m just now starting to get people to somewhat take me seriously, again,” he chuckled to himself as his mind wandered to a dark place before quickly returning to the present.

“Well, they can’t take your Oscar away huh?” Sam offered a small smile and cleared his throat to change the subject. “You thinking of going out to see the girls sometime in Toronto? I’m trying to plan a trip.”

“Yeah, I was …ah…actually thinking of maybe renting a house out there. You know, since I’ll have the time,” Dieter scratched the back of his head.

“No way! That’s an awesome idea! Belle must be so excited about it…” he scrunched his face and Dieter took a sip of his drink. “She knows right?”

“I haven’t told her yet, I kinda wanted it to be a surprise,” Dieter smiled softly.

“Oh well, I’m sure she’ll feel a whole lot better taking the job knowing you’ll be there,” Sam offered, taking a swig of his beer.

“She say anything to you?”

“Not in so many words. But based on what Indy and I were talking about…you know…with she and I…I can only imagine the same applies to the two of you,” he set his beer down and looked Dieter in the eyes. “She’s fallen really hard, you know that right?”

Dieter chuckled, “Well however hard she’s fallen I’m like 10 times worse.”

Both of their phones buzzed at the same time as they both quickly lunged for their respective devices.

“Ah, well looks like they made it on the plane,” Sam smiled, tapping away.

Belle: Made it on the plane!

Dieter: I hope you have a safe flight. Try and sleep. You’ll be there when you wake up.

Belle: I wish I could sleep on planes. I’m checking what movies they have

Dieter: Do they have any of my stuff? That will make you fall asleep. 😜

Belle: No silly watching it would make me miss you too much.

Dieter: 💗

Belle: gotta go - they’re telling us to turn off the phones. I love you 😘

Dieter: Wait! Since I can’t hear you say goodnight, can I get a picture?

Belle smirked, feeling the warmth in her cheeks as she snapped a quick selfie.

Dieter: Good night beautiful. Tell me when you land. xo

Indy sported the biggest smile as she switched her phone to airplane mode. Glancing over she caught you staring at your lock screen — a selfie of you and Dieter from your hike around Waimea Canyon.

“Thanks for coming with me B,” she nudged your arm with her elbow, pulling you out of your daydream.

“Of course, this is exciting. Are you getting nervous?”

“Nah, I got this,” she winked.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Yeah babe, of course,” she turned her body towards you. “What’s up?”

“Have you and Sam talked about things? Like what’s going to happen next?”

Indy looked down, playing with the hem of her shirt with a small smile. “Yeah…we’ve talked about it. Truthfully it makes me a little scared. I really like him B and I…I don’t know what’s next for us. Sure he can come out and visit, but he needs to work too.”

“For what it’s worth, he really likes you too,” you covered her hand with yours, rubbing circles with your thumb. “And I think he’s a great guy so I’m rooting for you.”

She rested her head on your shoulder, “Thanks B. At first I thought this was going to be just some on-set fling or whatever but I can see this going somewhere,” she smirked as you looked at her with a silent squeal.

“I knew it,” you winked.

“Try and get some sleep, ok? I know how you get,” she smirked as she rummaged through her bag to find the novelty sleeping mask you got her years ago. The “Sleeping Beauty” stitching, a nod to her Disney Princess past, was starting to fade. She put on her noise-canceling headphones and was asleep before the wheels left the tarmac, leaving you to sort out how to entertain yourself for the next five and a half hours.

You aimlessly scrolled through the various television shows and documentaries given as in-flight entertainment options, unable to find something that grabbed your interest. Once the flight attendant delivered your ginger ale and pretzels, you decided to get serious about finding a movie. Doing some quick math, you figured you could probably watch at least two.

When you reached the “C’s” in the menu, your stomach did a little flip seeing the thumbnail for Cliff Beasts 6. You remember when the movie came out and how you had to drag Indy to go see it, tolerating all of the teasing because you just had to see the latest Dieter flick. You’ve endured so many different films and TV shows just to get a chance to watch him; Cliff Beasts 6 was no exception. His over-the-top, cartoonish accent made you laugh despite the absolute trainwreck of a plot.

Seeing Dieter on the little screen mounted in the seatback in front of you gave you butterflies. The last couple of weeks were such a whirlwind. Never in your wildest dreams did you think you’d ever meet him in person let alone everything else that’s transpired. You felt like you were living in an alternate reality.

With a smile now permanently affixed to your face, you watched and focused less on the movie and more on how quickly you’ve grown to love this man. His nervous energy, his smile, his laugh, his hair, of course. The way he knew how to strike that balance of gentle and comforting with a little edge that made you want to give him anything and everything. By this point, you were about halfway through the movie and your eyelids were starting to feel heavy.

The guys decided to call it a night after a couple of drinks due to Sam’s early call time (and the fact that he hadn’t read through his scenes yet). Dieter’s call time got pushed back, but he was desperate to return to his room to wallow and track Belle’s flight.

Once in his suite, he made a beeline for the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water along with a box of cookies, and went to his room. Instead of sitting on his side, he settled into Belle’s side of the bed, traces of her perfume and shampoo still on the pillow. He searched for her flight on his phone and studied the route while eating a cookie, the crumbs falling on his shirt and onto the bed.

The girls had a few couple hours until they were to land in Los Angeles and his mind was abuzz, flipping through various thoughts like a Rolodex. He hoped it was a smooth flight and wondered what Belle was doing, wishing she was able to get some sleep. He was curious about how the audition would go for Indy. He knew she was a lock for the role so he needed to stop thinking of “ifs” and start thinking of “whens.”

Sleep was a lost cause so he grabbed the remote. He wasn’t going to be able to sleep until he knew she was safe on the ground. Flipping through the channels, he came across Alien and decided to stop and keep it on as background noise as he continued to do some research on his tablet. He found a couple of places in Toronto and fired off emails to Liz so she could investigate further.

Time crawled by. Something else was on TV but Dieter didn’t pay it any mind. He was scrolling through photos on his phone, landing on a candid he took of Belle one morning. She looked so peaceful, a hint of a smile on her face as she lay on her side facing him, the sheet just barely covering her.

He closed his eyes wishing she was next to him. He ran his hand over his face, his breath hitched just a bit smelling the smallest trace of her musk still on his fingers. It sent an electric pulse down his body, remembering how just a few hours ago her mouth was where his hand had drifted to. His slow strokes picked up as he replayed some of their more intimate moments in his head. It didn’t take long before he found his release, left panting as he reached for his phone.

One more hour.

He cleaned himself up and stepped outside smiling as he looked across at the adjacent balcony, remembering that morning. He stared out into the darkness, hearing the rhythmic sounds of the waves crashing onto the beach below. It was lulling him to sleep, but before he closed his eyes he set an alarm on his phone.

You were woken up when the flight attendants made one last pass through the cabin before taking their seats for the approach to LAX. “Psst,” you gently shook Indy.

She groaned, pulling off her sleeping mask with a pout. “I need the largest, most obnoxious coffee concoction when we land.”

“You got it,” you giggled.

You reached for your phone, itching to be able to turn it off airplane mode so you could text Dieter. The moment the tires made contact with the tarmac, both you and Indy were furiously tapping away at your phones. You felt butterflies when a message came through before you could send one.

Dieter: My bed felt empty 😞 Hope you were able to get some sleep. I miss you.

You grinned like an absolute idiot at your phone at the selfie he sent complete with his signature arched eyebrow and pursed lips. He was in bed underneath the covers. His broad shoulders took up the whole frame and his hair was as unruly as ever, but what stood out to you most was his sweet smile and gentle, but tired, eyes.

Belle: Just landed 🙂 You’re still up?!

Dieter: I took a little power nap 😉

Dieter: I wanted to make sure you got there ok.

Beside you, Indy whispered into her phone to Sam using a baby voice. Normally this would have made you cringe, but seeing her this happy was actually really sweet.

Belle: All good. Safe and sound 🙂 You should get some rest.

Dieter: For later tonight? 😏

Belle: lol whatever gets you to sleep a little

Dieter: Yes ma’am

Dieter: Keep me updated. Even if I fall back asleep it will be nice to wake up to your name on my phone.

Belle: 😘

Belle: I’ll try not to bother you too much

Dieter: You’re never a bother sweetheart

Dieter breathed a sigh of relief knowing the girls made it safely. The anxiety of the last several hours coupled with the lack of sleep finally caught up to him and before he knew it, his eyes fluttered closed as his phone slipped from his hand and onto the carpet.

Getting off the plane through the airport and to the car service was a bit of a blur thanks to the small gaggle of paparazzi armed with cameras, cellphones, and ring lights. Seeing the paps at a place like LAX was pretty standard given all of the celebrities, but what was uncommon was for you and Indy to be the targets of their attention. Once they spotted you, they descended, shouting both of your names as Rhys tried his best to shield you while ushering you to the waiting car. They yelled all at once and you could only make out a phrase or two from each.

“Are you dating Dieter Bravo?”

“Did you and Dieter break up?”

“Belle, can you give us a smile?”

“What the fuck?” Indy huffed as she scooted into the back of the SUV behind you.

“How’d they know my name?” Your face scrunched up as you looked out the back window.

“Someone must have tipped them off, I swear I didn’t set that up!” Rhys looked back from the front seat before turning around to furiously type on his phone.

You and Indy exchanged a confused look. “I can see them knowing you Ind, but me?”

“Well, you are dating Dieter fucking Bravo…” she smirked, before switching to a more serious tone. “I’m sorry B, it sucks. It’s one thing if he were here with you; I know how unnerving this whole thing can be. But you rocked it! Your first paparazzi swarm!” She gave an encouraging smile, trying to make you laugh to get your mind off the path it would inevitably go down.

You sat a bit dumbfounded, trying to process. You are dating Dieter fucking Bravo. You are in love with him and he’s in love with you. But all of this kind of attention wasn't something you wanted. Your mind started to spiral thinking about what life would be like with Dieter outside of your little bubble. Whether going out on a date or taking a trip to the grocery store, he was recognizable and your life would always be on display for others to judge and scrutinize.

Deep in thought, you didn’t even register the SUV pulling up to Indy’s apartment. She quickly unlocked the door and ushered you all in, knowing there was limited time for her to take a quick shower and freshen up. Rhys stepped out to make a couple of phone calls while you laid out your kit on the vanity in her bedroom. Once you were all set up, you plopped on the bed and pulled out your phone. Even though you figured (and hoped) he was asleep, you decided to fire off a message to Dieter.

Belle: Sorry it’s been a bit chaotic but we’re at Indy’s now. Audition is at 9 so I’ll be kinda MIA - Rhys says I have some meetings today too. Hope you're getting some sleep 💕

A notification for Instagram popped up which you ignored, opting instead to clear out some emails. But then another notification came through, followed by another and another, and soon your phone started buzzing with texts and other alerts. As you opened Instagram Rhys sprinted into the room.

“Have you seen them?” He asked in a huff, rushing over to you.

“What? What happened? Is everything ok?”

“Y-yeah, it’s just….the photos of you and Indy are starting to circulate.” He looked a bit worried and you weren’t quite sure why.

“Circulate?” You scoffed, trying to put on a calm exterior despite the anxiety brewing in your chest. You fidgeted with the sleeve of Dieter's sweatshirt you were still wearing.

“Just the typical accounts but some…others picked it up too,” his mouth twitched as he averted his eyes.

You furrowed your brows and Rhys opened his mouth to say more as the en suite bathroom door opened.

“I’m ready!” A bathrobe-clad Indy announced before her face dropped seeing Rhys stressed and you confused. “Wait. What happened? Is everything ok?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, walking over to put his hands on Indy’s arms. “It’s just that the photos from the airport are starting to make their rounds.”

You can’t see the look on Rhys’ face but something in his voice tells you he’s trying to tell Indy something without tipping you off.

“Have you seen anything?” Indy looked past Rhys, her eyes boring into you.

You shook your head, “No, what the fuck guys?! I literally just sat down. Is there something I should know?”

Rhys and Indy exchanged a look before she walked past him, coming to sit next to you on the bed. “Here let me take a look.” She unlocked her phone and started going through her tagged posts.

Indy had the best poker face but you knew her tells. To the untrained eye, they wouldn’t know the difference but decades of friendship made you all too aware of her microexpressions. The slight purse of her lips, an eyebrow twitch, or a shift in her posture – she was uneasy about something.

“You’re making me nervous, Ind.” Your mind started to race through all of the possibilities but had a sneaking suspicion that the reason both she and Rhys were acting weird was because your appearance was being scrutinized. And if that was the case it was honestly so unfair. You had just come off a red-eye and weren’t expecting to have a bunch of cameras shoved in your face. You tugged awkwardly at the hem of Dieter's sweatshirt as Indy kept scrolling.

Indy let out a frustrated sigh as she put down the phone. “I seriously don’t know what gets into people. They act like they know us, know our lives, and they don’t…” She rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes.

“What’re they saying Ind?” You say with a bit more bite than you intended. You appreciated her trying to shield and protect you from the online fodder but it was completely unrealistic to think you wouldn’t read stuff.

“Look for yourself,” she turned her body toward you, her eyes watching as you unlocked your phone and started scrolling. There was one thread of comments and replies that grabbed your attention.

>>Omg they look like a hot mess

>>They look pissed off

>>It’s early in the morning they’re probably not awake. Jeez give them a break.

>>How do you look in the morning?

>>They look kinda sad

>>Oh that’s the girl Dieter is dating huh?

>>Do you think Dieter broke up with her? Is that why they’re back in LA?

>>They haven’t posted anything together ever at least Indy and Sam kinda soft launched

>>It’s probably not serious then. Remember his last chick? Dude wouldn’t shut up about her

>>He’s definitely still shooting. I saw a photo of him at a bar in Hawaii last night

>>The guy was probably hammered huh?

>>Oh no that was probably bad news

>>Wait is THAT who Dieter is dating now? Woof

>>Guy must be desperate

>>How do you go from a Victoria’s Secret model to that?

You skimmed through the rest of it as you felt your blood pressure spiking. People were throwing out wild, unfounded speculation and there was a small contingent doing a deep dive about you and your family and friends. Your mind goes into a tailspin as you read through more. You couldn’t make out the words, but you heard Indy next to you on the phone trying to get in touch with Sam, frustrated when she got his PA instead.

Meanwhile, you felt that all-too-familiar pang in your gut. You experienced a taste of this when you and Dieter were first spotted in public, knowing that it wasn’t going to be the first or last time people would make comments about you. But something about this felt so unsettling and so invasive. You were a normal person trying to support her friend on what was essentially a job interview. It also made you uncomfortable that the focus was on you and not Indy – she’s the star of the show here not you. Why aren’t people coming up with theories about why she’s in LA when she should be on set in Hawaii too?

The conversations around Dieter were also surprising and a bit confusing. You were on what you thought was a Dieter fan account yet people were speculating about everything from the two of you breaking up to him cheating on you to you both getting secretly married. It hurt to see so many quick to paint him in a bad light – assuming that he had done something wrong.

Indy hung up the phone and you could feel her eyeballs on you but you just kept scrolling.

“What are you thinking B?”

You shook your head, “This is all so confusing. How does us at the airport turn into all of this,” you waved your phone around.

“It, unfortunately, comes with the territor-”

“Can it Rhys!” Indy snapped. “That’s not helpful right now. Look, apparently Sam and Dee went to the hotel bar after we left, had a couple of drinks, and then went back to their rooms.”

“Wait, you don’t think he actually….”

“No, no not at all,” she squeezed your leg. “No. And it’s ridiculous the way these people spiral off the smallest thing…have you tried calling him?”

You shook your head, “I’m pretty sure he’s asleep. He had a later call time than Sam and sounded like he was up most of the night.” Your mind drifted to a negative place briefly before shutting down that train of thought.

“Well, just try, I’m sure Liz is lighting up his phone too.”

“She is. We’ve been texting,” Rhys chimed in.

You called Dieter a couple of times and it went to voicemail. After the third failed attempt to reach him, you took a deep breath, took off the sweatshirt, and looked at Indy, resolved to not let this derail an important day for her. “We need to get you ready.”

“O-ok, yeah, c’mon let’s go.”

Since it was part audition/part screen test, you were thankful to just have to do minimal makeup and a simple blowout, allowing you to go on autopilot and think. You suddenly felt like you were back in your apartment after you found out Ryan left. The thoughts of unworthiness were quick to make themselves known after they’d been dormant for weeks – the weeks you’ve known Dieter. You were happier, and stronger with him, and being apart only made you see how weak and fragile you were.

You were annoyed at yourself that comments from people you didn’t know could affect you so much. But words hurt. And it doesn’t help that so many of them keyed in on parts of your body you were self-conscious about. But then there was another voice trying to push through to remind you that all of those things they called out were the things Dieter loved. He celebrated your body, eager to show you his appreciation as you became more comfortable with him.

Thoughts then traveled to Dieter, wondering what his state of mind would be like when he finally woke up and Liz brought him up to speed. You smiled a bit to yourself knowing that his first thoughts would probably be about you and wanting to check if you were ok. But you knew his next instinct would be to turn inward. He hadn’t shared everything, but there were demons from his past he still had to contend with every day. And you couldn’t help but think that seeing people attack you because of your relationship with him was going to send him down a self-loathing spiral.

For a brief moment, your mind wandered to a territory that scared you – whether all of this was worth it. You continued to work in silence, catching Indy’s eyes in the mirror every so often. She acted like she was rereading her lines but you knew she was trying to gauge your feelings and meet you where you were.

“Ok, ready.” You set down the can of finishing spray and fluffed up her hair in the mirror.

“Wanna talk about it?” She grabbed your hand, stopping you from quickly packing everything up.

“There’s nothing to talk about. C’mon, we’re going to be late.”

“Of course there’s stuff to talk about.”

“I’m. Fine.” You snapped, instantly regretting losing your temper. “Sorry Indy, I…it’s just the same old shit when it comes to,” you motioned up and down your body. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s not a productive conversation.”

She didn’t push it and just hugged you, figuring an embrace would tell you more than she could with words. Rhys interrupted your quiet moment urging you both to get a move on so you weren't late. Indy did one last sweep of her apartment, hoping it would be a long while before she saw it again.

Dieter tossed and turned all morning, his hands seeking Belle only to find an empty, cold space next to him in the bed. He was about to close his eyes again and will himself to sleep when the hotel phone came to life with a shrill ring. Covering his face with a pillow he reached for the phone and brought the receiver to his ear.

“Yeah?”

“Well thank fuck you’re alive. Goddamit I’ve been calling you and texting you all morning. I was about to go get them to open the door if you didn’t pick up. Where have you been? Are you ok?”

This wasn’t the first time Liz had woken Dieter up and berated him, but something about her tone this time caught his attention.

“Lizzie,” he cleared his throat, starting to sit up. “What’s wrong?”

“Were you asleep? You know you’re due on set in like half an hour, right?”

“I forgot to set an alarm…didn’t get much sleep last night. I wanted to make sure the girls got there ok. Are they ok? Did something happen?”

“Where’s your phone?” A slight hesitation in her voice.

“Uh, I thought it was right here…” Dieter felt around the bed before peeking over and seeing the phone face down on the floor. “Ah there it is, must have fallen….holy shit, what the hell happened?”

Dieter turned over his phone and was pretty sure he had a notification from every app. He saw a bunch of missed phone calls from Liz and Belle, hell even Sam and Meredith had rung him. His list of missed texts was from the same bunch with the addition of Danny, Indy, and even Rhys.

“Goddamit Liz. Gimme the rundown. Are they ok?” Dieter swung his legs around, feeling dizzy as the adrenaline coursed through his veins.

“She’s fine Dee, they’re ok. The damn paps swarmed the girls as soon as they left the airport. Couple of the blogs caught it and it’s what you expect – people talking about her, how she looks, and trying to find out more about her and Indy. Luckily she’s a smart girl and has a lot of her shit locked down so there’s not a ton for people to find. But it’s only a matter of time before someone comes out of the woodwork wanting their 15 minutes.”

Dieter scoffed, knowing that all too well. When he was at rock bottom it felt like every person he’d ever met was willing to go to a gossip rag to talk about him. It was the usual suspects - jilted lovers, disgruntled past co-stars or assistants, all the way to his old dog’s vet. Anyone and everyone who wanted to give their two cents about Dieter found a way to get their story out.

His annoyance turned into a feeling of helplessness. He knew how these comments would hurt Belle and with her so far away he couldn’t be there to comfort her. Hell, she wasn’t even gone for 12 hours. It was unfair that he couldn’t protect her from a life he’d unfortunately grown accustomed to. He worked a lot on himself to build back a fraction of the confidence he used to have. It still stung to see things written about him, so he could only imagine the negative headspace she was in because of this all.

“I need to call her.”

“That’s not it Dee,” Liz cut him off before taking a deep inhale. “They’re also talking about you. People have no idea that she’s there for Indy’s audition. They’re assuming both girls left set early due to an incident.”

“What incident?”

“Well, no theory has stuck yet, but it’s the greatest hits.”

Liz didn’t have to spell it out for Dieter to know that once again his past was coming around. He ran his free hand through his hair and then down his face as he tried to quell the frustration. It felt like no matter how much progress he made, people only thought of him as that womanizing, drug-fueled party animal from years ago.

“I need to call Belle.”

“They’re in meetings right now. I’ve kept in close contact with Rhys. He was there when they saw the photos and started reading through the comments.”

“How’d she take it?”

“As best as you can imagine. Rhys said she kind of shut down on the drive over but turned it on once they got there and started meeting with everyone.”

Dieter’s heart sank, imagining the spiral she must be on as she tried to keep it together for Indy. All the studio execs probably had Google Alerts set for both of the girls as a precaution and as a means to suss out any potential liabilities and issues, so they no doubt knew about Belle and Dieter’s rumored, but very real, relationship. It pained him that he couldn’t be there to comfort her; maybe if he was with her the focus could have been on him instead.

The smallest hint of a smile came across his face. He felt a combination of pride and awe in her strength – that she could compartmentalize all of these feelings and seemingly put on a brave face for Indy’s audition. She was stronger than she gave herself credit for.

“I need to talk to her….do you know how much longer they’ll be?” Dieter tried to sound even keel but he knew Liz could see right through it.

“I mean, they should probably be done soon. They have to get back to the airport, their flight leaves in a couple of hours.”

Dieter took a deep breath, trying to quell his anxiety. “Well, I’ll have my phone on me. Maybe if I can get downstairs Mere can get me ready and I can - ”

“Dee,” Liz cut him off. “Listen, I know your first instinct is to try and fix this, but she’s a big girl. Being with you isn’t going to be a cakewalk, you can’t shield her from this kind of stuff forever.” He stayed quiet for a moment, rubbing his temples. “What’s bothering you champ?”

“I…I just don’t want all of this to scare her off…like it’s going to be too much. That I'm too much. She didn’t ask for any of this, you know? What if she ends up deciding she’d rather not deal with it?”

“Dieter,” Liz paused, knowing she needed to be a bit more delicate than her normal tough love. “You love her right? And she loves you? Shit is going to be hard. I know it’s scary, but you have to just trust in each other. What do you want from her?”

“I don’t want anything from her. I…I just want everything with her.”

“Well, she’ll be back in…” Liz checked her watch, “eight hours. You can profess your ever-dying love then.”

He rolled his eyes and laughed. “Thanks. Hey, did you see those emails I sent you?”

“Yup, we’re checking them out – I’ll make sure we check out potential security issues to see if anything is an immediate no.”

“Thanks, Lizzie. I should probably get downstairs. Hey, I’ll have my phone on me. Anything else happens…anything…you call me. I don’t give a shit if we’re filming, you call me.”

“You got it champ….it’s all going to be ok, Dee.”

Previous chapter / Final chapter

A/N: So I know I haven’t always been the best with updating, but the last chapter is written and it will come out on Feb. 26!

Tag list: @musings-of-a-rose / @legendary-pink-dot / @bitchwitch1981 / @mysterious-moonstruck-musings / @gracie7209 / @amneris21 / @pastelnap / @maryfanson / @sunnywithachanceofjavi / @sin-djarin / @winchestergypsy90 / @for-a-longlongtime /@harriedandharassed / @titlee78 / @midnightraain / @poodlebae / @partyofone3413 / @guelyury / @weho2kcmo / @missladym1981 / @soapjay / @darkheartgatita

#dieter bravo fanfic #dieter bravo #dieter bravo x ofc #dieter bravo fanfiction #dieter bravo fic #working title

83 notes · View notes

gracebriarwoodwrites · 6 months

Text

I decided I was going to attempt NaNoWriMo this year and didn't pick the WIP I actually wanted to work on until TODAY

and it's the darkest thing I've ever tried to write. It's the one that wants to be written, though, so I'm going for it. I'll drop a bit more information about it later, but I just wanted to make my intentions known!

#nanowrimo #nanowrimo 2023 #venetta's mirror #working title #it was gonna be a different title and then i started typing it in and a tag for an already existing book popped up so i changed it

57 notes · View notes

dangerpronebuddie · 2 months

Text

Several Sentences Sunday!!

Tagged by @steadfastsaturnsrings thank you!! 🩵

I've been on a little break since the monstrosity that is Distress Call is done, and I'm sick and miserable, so writing hasn't been very productive. But! I do have some of sub Eddie that takes place near the beginning. (I have no idea what I'm doing with this, they go zero to 100 real quick):

Normally, Eddie doesn't notice just how big Buck is. Eddie thinks he should feel boxed in. But he doesn't. He trusts Buck implicitly. All he can feel is excitement, if a little nervousness. It's not like they've been in this position before. "The only decision you have to make," Buck practically purrs, "is whether or not you want it."

Absolutely no pressure tagging: @13shadesofanni @lover-of-mine @monsterrae1 @tizniz @disasterbuckdiaz @fortheloveofbuddie @daniwib @actuallyitsellie @ronordmann @thekristen999 @exhuastedpigeon and anyone else who wants to share!! 🥰🩷

#911 #buddie #evan buckley #eddie diaz #fanfic #my writing #seven sentence sunday #take the reins #working title

26 notes · View notes

moonstonediamond · 1 year

Text

Okay so I know I said I was working on my D&D story, wich I am, but I had finally finished this OSD idea that @thegreatpapyrus759-blog had from the Nightmare tournament. They commented on @calcium-cat post about how they would like to see someone make a fic about OSD Nightmare taking care of Dream and passive Nightmare. So I wrote my Idea of how I think it would work out.

Disclaimer/Background info: In my interpretation this passive Nightmare is the "manifestation" of Midnight's lie to Dream. Basically this Nightmare/Nighty had to deal with the villagers chopping down the tree and being taken away from Dream, but it also didn't play out exactly how Midnight described it. I already planned out a few chapters but I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to turn it into a full series. Also the, I guess I would call it a preview of Chapter 1 happens after Chapter 8 and before Chapter 10 my reason for before chapter 10 and not 12 all goes back to how I already planned a few chapters and there's a certain character from chapter 10 that would really help me flesh out Nighty's personality and relationship with the other Characters and would help explain his reaction to later advents example being the advent in Chapter 12.

Now with that out of the way I now Present to you (Still working on the title) OSN a OSD AU.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Waiting for Midnight and the gang to return is dull, and Dream’s ability to keep himself busy is mediocre. He had colored enough to fill an art museum; playing by himself had already gotten boring, and he hadn’t dared to touch the board game he and the guys were playing.

*Portal opening*

“Midnight!” Dream excitedly exclaims as he promptly sits up to the familiar sound.

Dream rushes over excitedly to see the guys, but his excitement is short-lived as there is just an unfamiliar-looking portal in the middle of the room.

“Midnight?” Dream called

No response

“Crossy?”

No response

He called for Dusty, Kiki, and Rory but still no response.

Dream waited for a bit, but no one walked out. Dream started to get anxious; who or what was on the other side? Why are they taking so long to exit the portal? Is the person good or bad? Are Midnight and the guys on the other side, and if they are, were they in trouble… was he going to lose them too?

These questions kept spinning around in his head until he couldn’t take the uncertainty; he walked up to the portal fully prepared to walk through… except he wasn’t fully prepared, it was more half prepared. He stopped just a few inches from the portal when new questions formed in his head.

What if it’s dangerous? What if the portal closes behind him? Would he be trapped on the other side? Will Midnight get mad at him for leaving the castle again?

Dream paused for a second before coming up with a brilliant idea. He doesn’t have to fully walk through; he could just poke his head through, so he is technically not leaving the castle.

So that is what Dream did.

__________________________________________________

In an instant, a gust of cold air hits Dream’s face; he looks around, barely able to make anything out past the portal’s light. The only thing illuminated was the cracked, mossy stone brick floor.

Dream opened his mouth to call out, but someone spoke up.

“I already said I don’t know.”

The voice sounded desolate, somber, and timid. Like whoever said, it had lost hope, but most of all, it sounded… familiar.

Dream took a step out of the portal.

“N-nighty?” Dream felt a bit hesitant.

After a moment of silence, Dream heard a creaking noise, like someone was standing up from a creaky bed. A figure, around the same height as Dream, stepped forward from the shadows.

“D-Dream?” Nighty sounded shocked

“Nighty!” Dream exclaimed as he ran over to “his” brother to pull him into a hug, but Nighty stopped him, backing further into the dark.

“How did you get here?”

Dream paused for a second; why did Nighty back away?

“Through there” Dream pointed to the portal before looking back at Nighty, trying to look closer at his facial expression.

The shadows cover up most of his face, but based on how dim and wavy his eye lights are…

"Y-you have to go." Nighty's anxious-sounding voice snapped Dream back into the conversation.

"What?"

"You have to go, Dream." Nighty sounded a bit more stern, "It's not safe."

"Well, I'm not leaving you here." Dream grabs Nighty's hand, causing him to flinch as he gets pulled toward the portal.

__________________________________________________

Nighty shields his eyes from the sudden change in lighting; he shifts his feet against the hard floor. We’re not outside.

"Nighty!" Dream's voice shouted, sounding concerned

Nighty flinches quickly, opening his eyes, ignoring the stinging pain as he looks around; I knew they wouldn’t have made it this easy; of course, they would...

"Nighty, you're hurt!"

I’m… What? Nighty looked at Dream, holding his scarred arms; Oh right… Nighty was relieved that it wasn't the villagers.

"Yeah, I’m-"

"I'll be right back." Dream interrupts as he lets go of Nighty's arms, leaving him alone.

Nighty moved his arm to try to stop Dream, but he was too fast. He looked around the room he stood in the middle of. There was a couch and some other stuff unfamiliar to him.

He looked behind him where the portal would be, but it wasn't there.

"I'm back." Dream announced as he walked over to Nighty with a small box in his hands. "I found the band-aids."

Nighty watches as Dream takes a small handful of dino band-aids from the box and starts to open them, placing each one over every scratch, scrape, and scar.

"Thank you," Nighty mumbled once Dream was done.

"You're welcome." Dream grind, he looked at Nighty’s expression, pain. Dream wanted to hug Nighty, but…

"Where are we?" Nighty mumbled, quickly looking away from Dream.

"We're in Midnight's castle," Dream answered, pretending he didn't notice Nighty avoiding eye contact.

"Midnight?" Nighty's tone shifts sounding apprehensive, eye lights glace toward Dream

Dream nods as he starts to talk about Midnight and the guys and how nice they are.

Nighty waits until Dream is finished. "Where are they?" His tone doesn't change

"They went out, but they'll be back."

Nighty doesn't say anything; he is still scared.

"Do you want to play?" Dream asks, feeling more anxious to help Nighty

After a few seconds, Nighty nods.

Dream smiles and takes Nighy's hand showing him to his room.

I hope this works.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So this is basically what I have so far, if I do end up making this a series I'll probably edit it if I think it needs to be, also I don't really think I need to explain this but I'm going to just incase, the words in italics are when a character is thinking, I don't use italics for every thought I just use it on the ones that the Narrator/I don't mention is a thought.

I'm still working on my D&D story I'm just currently working on the notes and revamping/changing the character sheets, notes, and world building. I'm hoping it would make my job a lot easier when writing the story.

Also I drew a quick little drawing of Nighty to go along with the story and there are some lore in the drawing as well as hidden details that connects to the lore.

(Teal Words: Chiped Tooth, Arm Scars and Palette)

#dreamtale au #undertale #undertale au #dreamtale #dream sans #nightmare sans #one small dream #working title #wip intro #d&d #status update

90 notes · View notes

alicenttully · 9 months

Text

The Washerwoman's Daughter

“For your trouble.”

The Queen placed a heavy purse gently into Dyana’s trembling hand. She was used to carrying heavy things. Dyana would help fetch the hot water needed for Princess Helaena’s bath and deliver her gowns to Pia for washing. She’d carry breakfast trays laden with oat bread and burnt bacon to the Princess and her three children. Sometimes, Dyana would one twin while their mother took the other, and together, they bid Queen Alicent goodnight. But since Prince Maelor was born Prince Jaehaerys decided it was beneath him to be picked up like the baby, so he and his shyer twin now often walked to their grandmother’s chambers, holding hands as they might have done so in the womb.

But never had Dyana held so heavy a purse that was meant for her keeping. In the right circumstances, she’d be grinning like a little fool. How could she not? True, she never had to trouble herself for rent and food as they did in Pigrun Alley thanks to her place in the Red Keep, but because of that her wages only went so far. Still, it was enough coin for visits to Eel Alley with Joy and Liane on a day off. It was enough coin to save a little, every month. Joy and Liane lacked such a habit, and this baffled Dyana. She herself was terrified of one day being forced to quit her position, and of leaving the Red Keep without anything simply because she was careless with her coin.

It was then that an ugly thought seized Dyana. She had to convince the Queen otherwise, she had to.

“Please, Your Grace. Please don’t make me leave.”

Queen Alicent furrowed her brow. “You wish to stay?”

“Please, Your Grace. Please, don’t.” Dyana chokes, as a memory stabs her. Please, don’t-

Dyana cannot bear the thought of ever being in the same room as Prince Aegon, but what choice does she have? She could leave the Red Keep, yes.

Without opening it, Dyana knows she has enough to give her a room at an inn for a few months, but she could just as easily lose it in a single night. The city crawled with thieves. Thieves who were men, men who were bigger and stronger than Dyana, who could decide they weren't just satisfied with stealing from her-

She could not suffer that again. She would rather die.

Even if Dyana didn’t have to fear such things, she had no magic to make it last. And where would that leave her? There was dear Tessa, of course. The older girl was a barmaid at an inn belonging to her family.

Dyana could go to her. She wouldn’t tell her everything because that would be too much. The Queen, with her tender eyes and words, did not count. People like the Queen have always been like the clouds to Dyana, a girl born in a lord’s castle but who was no lord’s daughter. But Tessa wouldn’t need to hear anything, anyway. She’d just sweeten her Pa into letting Dyana stay. Of course, she’d work for her keep. She is used to being on her feet all day in a large castle, an inn was nothing to that. She has never fallen short in her duties. She is not afraid of hard work.

But she was afraid of leaving. The Red Keep was her home. She was a girl of ten when she’d come here with Lord Hayford. Ma was one of his washerwomen. Ma’s hands were never soft, Dyana remembered and rarely was her voice. She used it like a slap. Dyana had been slapped more times than she cared to remember.

Still, she was proud when Lady Hayford’s good word gave Dyana a chance to be something other than a washerwoman’s daughter. By then, the Hayfords had been living at King Viserys’ court for several years. Dyana was now twelve and still missed Hayford. She wondered if any of the friends she left behind still remembered her. She missed them. Maddy with her jokes, Marei with her stories, and gentle Olly who kissed Dyana and said he wanted to marry her one day. Olly, who was two years younger than she and lost a little tooth that week.

It was not just that, however. While she also didn’t really want to become her Ma again when she was grown, Dyana still liked listening to the gossip and the jokes that were traded between the women as they washed and mended. She liked imagining that some of Lady Hayford’s pretty clothes were hers. She liked the familiarity, of knowing what to expect and what was expected of her.

Ma would have none of it. “You ain’t got a say, Dy.”

“But Lady Hayford didn’t say I had to become a maid,” Dyana had protested. "She just said I could be a good one, that’s all.”

Ma frowned. "Sweetling, you'd be insulting her ladyship if you tried saying no and shaming your poor mother too."

She didn't want that. "All right," Dyana sighed.

Ma beamed. "You'll see. It'll be good for you."

Ma was right. It was good. Dyana got new dresses. They weren’t fetching, but they were in red, and Dyana was always fond of red. She got almost-new shoes as well. She never had almost-new shoes before. Of the two girls Dyana shadowed when she began her duties, Joy was friendlier, but Liane had a way of looking at Dyana like she smelled.

“Don’t mind Liane,” Joy assured her. “She’s just vexed at having to instruct, she ain’t got the patience, I swear.”

Liane had been even more vexed when years later, Princess Helaena had chosen Dyana to be her maid. However, she forgot herself and along with Joy, congratulated Dyana on getting such an honorable position. By then, Ma had long disappeared and now must lay in some unmarked grave. But Dyana knew she would have said the same.

It did make Dyana important, waiting on the princess. The Hayfords were good and proud people. But Helaena Targaryen was a princess, and her sons were in line for the throne. Sometimes Dyana forgot that Princess Helaena had a sister, as Princess Rhaenyra had departed for Dragonstone years ago with her boys. She liked seeing the orders she gave on behalf of her mistress followed promptly, for Helaena was a king’s daughter. The only woman above her was Queen Alicent. And it was Queen Alicent who held her fate.

“No, I do not think it wise to let you stay as a maid.” For a moment, Dyana cannot breathe, until she is rescued by the Queen’s next words. “I must relieve you of your duties for my daughter. But I am told you came from Hayford. It is a lovely place. If you wish it, I will see you safely there.”

Hayford. Oh, Hayford! But-

"Thank you kindly, Your Grace. But my Ma, she- she-," Dyana broke into fresh sobs. Queen Alicent was startled until Talya spoke up. "Years ago, Dyana's mother went to the docks. She was not seen again. I suspect Dyana finds it hard to return home without her bones."

"Oh." Even through her tears, Dyana could hear the world of understanding in Her Grace's voice. "Rosey. I remember.” She sighed, then smiled gently. “Well, I am always in need of a good maid.”

II.

It is not that much different, waiting on the Queen. Dyana does miss the children, though. They were sweet things, if spoiled. Dyana remembered the betting games she played with Liane and Joy over their sex when Princess Helaena went into her confinement. Joy liked to bet over anything, while Liane liked to turn everything into a competition. Both times when the Princess had gone into labor, Dyana had chosen wrong.

III.

It is not until her monthly comes that since that day with the Queen, Dyana sheds tears again. She hates herself for it, for being so ungrateful when she should be on her knees thanking the Mother for her mercy. It is because she is weak. And tired. She wants to sleep all the time. She doesn’t remember when she sleeps.

We’ll all be on our knees soon, Meri said grimly, who knew nothing about her shame. Princess Rhaenyra will want her crown, and her son avenged.

Perhaps, the gods will be good and listen, Dyana thought bitterly. When Tessa gushed about how splendid it was to see King Aegon fly on his dragon, even though he was such a ‘fearsome beast’, Dyana had wanted to snap and say that he was the beast.

Perhaps this is why she goes with Talya.

Lady Mysaria is beautiful. She is not truly a lady, of course, but she is truly beautiful, and that is the first thing Dyana notices about her.

“Dyana, welcome.” She pours some wine for her.

“You know my name?” She wants to hit herself. Of course, she does. Talya would have told her.

“Of course, sweetling.” Mysaria purred. “You are important.”

“Important?” Dyana stammered. It felt strange, to hear that describe her.

“Perhaps the most important person in this room. In the city.”

That was treason, but Mysaria showed no fear in saying it. “What do you mean-,”

“She means,” Talya took her by the hand. “That you can help bring justice for our queen.”

For a minute, Dyana is confused. What Queen is she talking about? The Dowager Queen, or Queen Helaena who now bore her crown? Then the truth dawned on her. They are talking of Rhaenyra Targaryen. “The throne belongs to His Grace,” she says stiffly. Whatever he is to Dyana, that is the truth of it.

“The throne belongs to Queen Rhaenyra, and has since the moment their sire breathed his last,” Mysaria replied.

Dyana ripped her hand away from Talya. “And you are of the same mind, I take it?” She shook her head. “But Queen Alicent-,” She does not understand why Talya would do this.

Talya looks uncomfortable. “She was a good queen and a fair mistress. But even queens can choose wrong. Mysaria is right. The throne does not belong to Prince Aegon.”

My maidenhead didn’t belong to him, either.

She locks eyes with Mysaria. “Tell me what you want.”

VI.

She gives the necessary information to help Mysaria cement her plan. A plan is to steal both Prince Jaehaerys and Prince Maelor. They will be valuable hostages, who will stay their father’s hand and perhaps bring an end to the war by forcing him to surrender.

Dyana does not look forward to this end but to the powerlessness he will feel. A king needed heirs, and he would lose both. I will make him feel like I did.

VII.

She hears the words, but she does not understand them.

Helaena Targaryen does. She wails and begs for them to slay her instead.

The men with no name simply laughed. “Aye, but we like to do our work right see,” The shorter of two taunted. “A son for a son.”

“No!” Dyana blurts out. She has been frozen until now. “Please, no- This was not the plan, it cannot be, please-.” She was desperate to try anything, to move them. “Please, they are worth more alive-,”

The bearded one shrugged. “Only worth dead. She must choose.” He clutched Maelor, while his friend clutched Jaehaerys. The seven-year-old was struggling vainly to break free.

Queen Helaena continued to plead. Dyana joined her until the bearded one took a deft hand and slapped her, gagging her as they had done Queen Alicent. They did not need to gag Talya. She lay dead on the floor. Dyana should have known it then, nobody needed to die-

Dyana did not know how much time passed. It felt like a thousand years. Surely someone must come, surely!

She hears the words rape and daughter, and suddenly, she knew no more.

VIII.

Dyana guesses that she’d been here for a while now. She is not alone, though. Her guilt is with her. But guilt was too little a word for her sin. If she were to hold a holy book, would it blacken at her touch? If she saw herself in a looking-glass, would she see a demon and not a woman of nineteen?

They will tell her nothing. Nothing about the children. Nothing about the queens.

Of course, she has been told nothing. Just as Mysaria told her nothing about her true intentions. “My queen is no murderer of children. She will not harm her nephews.” What would Mysaria say, if Dyana could confront her? Would she deny that she lied, or would she try to defend herself by saying that she had spoken truly- After all, it was not Rhaenyra who killed her nephews. Oh gods, not knowing which one of them they slew, Dyana could not bear it-

She wept and wanted. She wept for herself, for her wicked heart that led her into these vile schemes. She wept for the children and their mother. She wept for Queen Alicent, who had been so kind to her. As Mysaria plotted Dyana made herself forget about that kindness. She even wept for Aegon Targaryen.

She wept for Joy and Liane and was terrified that harm would come to them because of her folly. She wept and cried “Mother” as she rocked herself. But whenever she was calling for the Mother above or her dead Ma she was too lost to know. She wept for Hayford.

She wanted so badly to go back. To choose different. To never go with Talya. To accept the offer the Queen had given her that day and return to Hayford. She wanted to know if the old swing was still there, if Maddy and Marei’s Pa the cook still made the finest apple cakes. She wanted to return and be Olly’s wife. A wife and mother with no blood on her hands. She wanted to be just fifteen again, watching a show with Joy and Liane.

She wants, she wants, she wants.

IX.

It is Queen Alicent who sees her, accompanied by Ser Criston Cole. The look he gives Dyana does not frighten her so much as his lady’s.

Dyana sees hell on the Queen’s face. She says nothing, while Dyana pleads. For mercy. For understanding. For forgiveness.

“Please, Your Grace. I never agreed to what they said. I would never, you must believe me. You must.” Ser Criston scoffed.

“But you knew that there was a plan, of some kind.” Her Grace’s voice was hollow.

“I did.�� Dyana’s mouth was dry. “I was told that H-His Grace’s sons were t-to be hostages.” She began to shake.

Ser Criston sneered. “Did you not realize whose hands you would be delivering them into? Damon Targaryen, who once boasted that he remained heir when Prince Baelon died?”

“Dyana would not remember that Ser Criston,” Queen Alicent said softly. “It was a long time ago. Before she was born. In all her time here, Prince Damon has never been at court.”

But she would have known his reputation, her eyes said.

“Prince Maelor Targaryen is now heir to the Iron Throne,” Queen Alicent says quietly. Dyana shoves a fist into her mouth. That means Queen Helaena chose Jaehaerys. But why? It was an impossible choice, but Dyana had thought that as Maelor was so young….

“My daughter did say Maelor,” The Queen says as if she is reading Dyana’s mind. “A child of three just beginning to understand his colors would not understand what- what they were demanding.”

Queen Alicent’s face crumpled. “And instead they killed our Jaehaerys, even though they were the ones to force my daughter to choose!”

Her Grace composes herself. “You know the penalty you must face.” Dyana does, but it does not stop her from feeling cold all over.

Dyana does not want to die, but she does not deserve to live. And she wants this to be over.

As she is marched to her end, she thinks of Joy and Liane. She would not have been allowed to see them, even if she wanted to. What would they think? Would they condemn her? Would they mourn her?

At least Dyana had no mother anymore to mourn her.

As she laid her head on the headsman block, she thought of the thousands other girls like her who would die in this war. Or maybe the gods would be good, and it would not come to that.

She closed her eyes, and began to pray. Please, Gods, have mercy. Please, Gods, have mercy.

Please, please, please-

#house of the dragon #hotd spoilers #hotd season 2 #hotd speculation #alicent hightower #aegon ii targaryen #helaena targaryen #rape tw #murder tw #blood and cheese #how i would write it #my writing #working title

30 notes · View notes