#<- NOT A MEAN GIGGLE. READ AS AMUSED. I CAN BARELY READ THE FONT USED

[anirregularity]

iam so TIIIRED IM SLEEPING NOW

[forkanna]

[AO3 LINK] [EF LINK]

WARNING: Very mild sexual content.

NOTE: Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this fic, please toss a little appreciation my way. Helps keep me from becoming that "starving artist" thing everyone keeps talking about! By the way, be on the lookout for a PERSONA 4 fanfic coming to this space soon! See you all!

Jessex

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"None of your business!"

Despite her protestation, Makoto couldn't seem to keep the grin off her face as she loitered around outside the haunted house ride. No matter how many times she had been badgered to enter, she had resisted; scary movies and things like that always stuck with her long after the initial "thrill", and she therefore stubbornly refused to be forced inside. The wait time had seemed best spent catching up with a friend.

"Girl, you keep ducking my questions," Eiko's voice tittered on the other end of the call. "You killed my relationship with Tsukasa, so the least you can do is let me feed off gossip!"

Smirking as she nibbled at the Jack Frost-shaped melon bread, she told her, "He was a host. You didn't have a real relationship; he was just using you for your money. Where's my 'thank you' for setting you straight?"

"I did thank you! But like, you also didn't find me a new boyfriend, either!" They both giggled for a few seconds. "So…"

"So?"

"Who are you on a date with? Still that Ren guy?"

"N-no," she said, grinning like a fool as she turned away - as if anyone were listening. They weren't. "And I never said I was on a 'date'. Stop living vicariously through me, it's not healthy."

Eiko's voice got higher and whinier. "You can't make meeee!"

"Maybe not, but there's nothing to live vicariously through. Besides, you're pretty and sweet, and funny. It won't take you that long to find someone. And in the meantime-"

"Yeah, yeah," she cut her off. "I know. I should be figuring out the rest of my life instead of just working in a maid cafe. But it is good money…"

Rolling her eyes, she hissed, "They don't have to be mutually exclusive! Just… figure it out while you work. And don't be afraid to love again."

"God… I mean, my judgment is obviously wack. You sure I shouldn't die an old maid? Pun intended."

"YES." Just then, Makoto spotted a wobbling figure and hurriedly said, "Oh, I gotta go. But I'll call you later, okay?"

"Who are you there with?! MAKO-CHAAAAN!" But she didn't answer her. Just thumbed the 'end call' button and turned back toward the incoming patient.

Sadayo Kawakami looked distinctly ill for having bragged so staunchly that she was going to be "just fine on her own" on the ride. She hung onto the railing near where Makoto had been waiting, taking a few deep breaths. "Oh… oh, I really regret that…"

"Hashtag yolo?" she asked bemusedly.

"Hash-what? Yo-low? You know I don't keep up with you kids and your silly internet lingo."

Makoto grinned wide and offered her bread to her girlfriend. After only a moment's hesitation, she took a big bite. "It's okay, doesn't really matter. Did you not enjoy yourself?"

"Well… it was fun and it wasn't, but there was a part at the end that really got me. So scary how their heads come off like that, floating all over the place!" She shivered and rubbed her arms, and they shared a little laugh. "But um… your choice of vacation spots was…"

"Was what?"

"Destinyland?! I already feel like a creep, taking a girl so much younger than me on a vacation, and you literally had me take you to a children's amusement park."

Holding up her index finger, she corrected, "It's a family theme park. Not just for kids. And I didn't make you do anything; I only suggested it because I had so much fun with my friends. Besides, you were the one who was so excited to finally take me somewhere now that I graduated."

"Yeah, yeah," she handwaved - literally waving her hand around and making Makoto giggle. "Then why didn't you invite the prosecutor if this is supposed to be for family? Hmmmm?"

"W-well, um… I think I've forced my poor sister to have to deal with my sexuality enough for one lifetime. Maybe it would be cruel to persist." Flashbacks of that ill-conceived lapdance haunted her, even now. Though she knew it was fairly harmless and she had only done it to prove a point, it was still distinctly un-familial and poor Sae had seemed a little more awkward around her ever since.

"Sure, sure. Still… I'm surprised you didn't ask your friends along. Didn't one of them get you these tickets?"

"Yes, my friend Haru. As for why they aren't with us… well, I wanted to spend a special day with my special friend. Aren't I allowed?"

Sadayo couldn't keep the huge grin from spreading. "Okay. Don't get me wrong, I'm more than glad to have my little Master all to myself. Just wondered why you chose this spot."

Instantly, Makoto's ears were turning red, and she started hiding her face behind her melon bread. "Stop that! You know it embarrasses me when you call me 'Master' - and besides, you quit that job!"

"I did," she giggled, locking arms with her. "But it's fun watching you get all ruffled about it."

"I'm not 'ruffled', I'm mortified. I do not want to be in charge of my girlfriend!"

The elder woman bit her lip and began to pet up and down Makoto's upper arm as they started strolling through the gathered crowds. Luckily, they had picked a day Destinyland was not incredibly busy, but neither was it a ghost town; too many people would have sucked all the fun out of the trip, but too few would have made their date that much more conspicuous. No matter how much they wanted to be out and proud, just enough of Japanese society still looked down upon lesbian relationships as 'immature' to make them uncomfortable; they simply didn't want a bunch of snide looks and whispering behind their backs. Maybe one day, things would be different.

"Maybe I want you to be in charge of me."

"What?! Stop saying things like that - you sound like you've been to Shinjuku."

"Nothing wrong with Shinjuku, you know; those are our people. I guess." Despite her words, now Sadayo looked a little worried.

"Oh… I know. And I've been there, and you're right; they're just people living different lives than we're used to knowing anything about. But I like figuring it out on our own."

Now Sadayo looked surprised. "You went to Shinjuku? Why?!"

Before she could answer, the conversation was suddenly shattered with an outcry of "HEY! MAKOOOTOOOO!"

At first, she felt a spike of fear that it was was Eiko, tracking her down like a bloodhound. Instead, she saw a pair of fluffy blonde pigtails bouncing over most of the heads in the crowd as they weaved toward their location.

"Ann?!"

"Hey!" the blue-eyed font of youthful excitement exclaimed as she came to a stop in front of them. "Wow, what are you guys doing here?! Are you on a date - is this a legit date?!"

"Shhh!" Miss Kawakami shushed her, cheeks rouging. "So this is the one you spilled the beans to…"

"I didn't! Well… I only told Ann so she could help me setup that nice evening we had together. Remember, your outfit? Plus she's one of my best friends, and she's also-"

"She's one of the former Thieves," she said in a much quieter voice. Makoto could see shock flicker across Ann's features but she didn't say anything right away. "Of course you trust them. I just wish you had filled me in as much as you filled her in."

Now Makoto looked just as embarrassed as she did regretful. "I… forgot?"

"A lot happened," Ann put in with a shrug, scratching the back of her neck. "So no duh you'd forget to mention it. You saw the whole thing, right, Kawakami-sensei? In Shibuya? We were fighting a literal god!"

"No, no, you misunderstand." Their teacher reached out to rest a hand on Ann's shoulder, smiling softly. "I'm not mad! Especially not about you saving us from that madman and the evil spirits pulling his strings." It seemed Kawakami had decided it was easier to think of them as 'evil spirits' being controlled by a megalomaniac than to fully absorb that the god in question had been doing its best to keep the entire population enslaved within their own complacency. Even Makoto herself wasn't sure how to feel about that, and she had a front-row seat to the near disaster. The Phantom Thieves had changed the heart of all of Japan and it barely made a difference, but at least they had hope for the future now.

Sadayo continued, pulling her from her self-reflection. "Anyway, I'll get over it. More like, I wish I knew so we could have been talking about it before now, and I could keep track of who we're 'out' to. That's all, I promise."

That made her flash one of her patented Takamaki megawatt smiles. "Really? I mean, I'm just some dumb girl in your class, you don't have to talk to me about anything."

"Ah, ah!" She held up an admonishing index finger, and both girls ducked their heads instinctively. "You're a very important person in my girlfriend's life. That trumps your grades - which really aren't that bad, all things considered. Not compared to Sakamoto-kun's."

As they shared a laugh at Ryuji's expense, another figure pushed through the crowd to their sides. "There you are! I finally got our tapioca drinks and I turned around, and you were gone! Where… did you… oh."

We were all still staring openly at the dark-haired girl as Ann smiled and took her drink, seemingly not noticing that the girl fell silent when she noticed they weren't alone. "Thanks. And I'm sorry I ran off - I didn't go that far! Just to say 'hi' to these guys."

"Suzui-san," Sadayo breathed in mild surprise. "It's… been a while. How are you?"

That higher-than-usual level of concern made sense. The last time Kawakami had seen Shiho Suzui, she had just jumped off the roof and was being escorted to the hospital in an ambulance. Now she almost looked back to her usual self, even if she seemed as sickly as she had before Coach Kamoshida's unwanted advances drove her to the suicide attempt.

"F-fine, Sensei," she answered haltingly, bowing politely. "I'm… sorry to interrupt."

"You're fine," Makoto told her warmly, keeping her smile small and polite. Trying to set her at ease.

"Yes, of course!" Sadayo joined in. "So you're here with Takamaki-san? That's good; I'm glad to see you're out and about. Really, I mean that; after that bastard… well, nevermind. Forget him."

Even while Shiho stared at the ground, starting to sink into her private pool of anxiety, Ann grabbed her by the arm and shook her just enough to jostle her out of it. "Yep! We're all about moving forward, remembering the good times and aiming for the future! Ain't that right?"

"Ann!" she whispered shyly, but at least she was starting to smile again. She had always been a bit mousy and meek around anyone who wasn't Ann; at least, Makoto had thought so.

"What? You ashamed of hanging around with the weird gaijin?"

"Don't say that, you know I'm not. I… always want to hang out with you." Then she bit her lip, looking away shyly.

And it clicked. Makoto prided herself on being able to analyse a situation, and this one was telling her something extremely specific.

"Oh." Glancing up at Ann's face, then back to Shiho's, then back to Ann's, Makoto asked, "You two are here for the same reason we are. Aren't you?" Ann bit her lip even harder and nodded - but in her case, the lip-biting was to prevent her grin from being huge enough to be visible from the International Space Station. "Wow…"

"What?" Sadayo blinked at Makoto a few times, then glanced between the other two girls. "Oh, really? Wait - that can't be true. That would be crazy!"

As Shiho started to edge behind Ann, as if she could legitimately hide there, Ann turned to whisper to her, "Wait, Shiho, you don't have to do that. These two are cool."

"Wh-what do you mean? 'Cool'? I… how do they… do they know we're…?"

"It's okay," Makoto hurried to explain, picking up Sadayo's hand and raising it as they laced their fingers together. "You don't have to hide who you are around us."

Then it finally clicked for the former volleyball star. "Oh. You two… you're lesbians?"

"I'm bisexual, I'm pretty sure," Sadayo chuckled nervously. Though the nervousness didn't make her drop Makoto's hand. "Since I used to date men and I didn't hate it that much. But those jerks had their chance; my Mako-chan takes way better care of me."

"Stop!" she hissed back at her girlfriend, and both she and Ann giggled. "But you're right, I try to."

"And you succeed." Then she turned back to Shiho. "So how long have you and Ann been… seeing each other?"

Completely red-faced, Shiho whispered, "N-not long. A few weeks."

"Ren and I took her to the roof of the school again," Ann explained as she managed to get Shiho to stand next to her again, then slid an arm around her waist. "Before he moved back home. So she could, y'know, make peace with what happened. And while we were up there, like… all the feelings came out. Things we wanted to say to each other before but couldn't, and then I wanted to while she was going through physical therapy but thought it would be too weird to do it then, and… I dunno. The time was right."

"Yeah," Shiho whispered, finally looking somewhat at peace as she wrapped both arms around Ann and leaned into her side. Makoto felt her heart skipping a beat; they were so adorable together! "Maybe I wasn't very um, perceptive, but… all those weeks of her visiting me, cheering me on even when I felt like I'd never walk again… how could I not love her? Just took me a while to see it."

"I can relate," Makoto hummed. Sadayo turned and kissed her cheek.

"Same here, Master."

Shiho's eyebrows furrowed, and while Makoto was trying to recover she said, "But is it alright? Her being your student - won't you get in trouble with the faculty?"

"Well… not anymore," Ann giggled. "She was a third year, remember?"

"Oh? Ohhhh, that's right; she's off to university now. So Kawakami-sensei is no longer her teacher." Reserved as it was, her smile started to grow. "You're really dating? It's not just us?"

"Not just you," Sadayo reassured her gently. "But you have to give the Queen the credit for being the initial pioneer."

"Huh?"

"She's the one who flipped me, dressing all butch and putting on that mustache. The rest of us were hopeless after that."

Makoto's face was almost as red as Shiho's now. "Hey! Cut that out, I am not a pioneer!"

"You totally are!" Ann cackled as Shiho was polite enough to do her giggling behind her hand. "I mean, if not for you crushing on Kawakami, I'd never have even thought about dating a girl. So y'know, my feelings for the best girl in the world would have been stuck behind that wall of, of… straight-ness. That makes you a lesbian leader! Hero to us all!"

"You're so cool with this," Makoto half-accused. "Why? I thought you were still looking to date boys - how did you change your mind so easily?"

That got the blonde shrugging. "What can I say? Shiho's amazing - and when I thought about my life without her in it, that sucked so much that I slowly realised I never wanted to be away from her again. That's about it; love won."

"Very true," Shiho whispered with bunched cheeks of joy. "She's my Ann. Forever."

"So simple," Sadayo giggled as she approached to hug them. Shiho did jump in surprise, but still allowed herself to be squeezed by the older woman. "I'm happy for you two, though. After all the both of you have been through… you deserve this."

It only took Makoto a few seconds to join in the group hug. "Agreed. I'm so happy and proud to call you my friends!"

Ann's laughter could have filled a stadium. "Right back atcha, Queen!"

                                                              ~ o ~

The four of them found a ride to go on together, and had a lot of laughs before parting ways. Ann and Shiho only had day passes, and they wanted to feel out their new romantic connection - which was best done one-on-one. But Makoto and her former teacher had booked a room in the hotel.

"You're sure you want it to be here? Even though it's a 'children's park'?"

Sadayo smiled over her shoulder as she tossed her blouse onto the dresser carelessly. "The hotel isn't a children's hotel. I mean, I didn't see any 'no sex' signs in the lobby, so we should be alright."

Getting up from the bed, where she had been lounging, Makoto slid her hands up Sadayo's back to begin toying with her bra clasp. There was a brief instant where the woman froze, unsure of how to react… and then it passed. But it was enough to merit a response.

"Are you sure you're ready?"

"No," she groaned, head dropping back so she could gaze up at the ceiling as if praying for a deity to ease her suffering. "I mean, yes, I'm ready to do this. But I'm not. God, I sound like a little kid."

"I'm the kid, remember?" When that only prompted a louder groan, Makoto laughed and hugged her around the middle from behind, nestling her face against her former teacher's neck. "It's alright. I'm nervous, too. We can wait if you need more time."

"I don't need to wait. Well… I mean, we'll see," she amended with a soft laugh, and Makoto smiled even wider against her skin. "Either way, it's nice to- oh!"

The gasp was accompanying her bra coming off. Makoto's hands slid up the plane of her stomach to begin tripping very lightly over the sides of her breasts, avoiding her peaks for the time being. Clearly, Sadayo appreciated that, because she breathed a sigh of relief.

"You sure you don't want to slow down a little?"

"No. I want to see… how we work together. In bed. Since I've only been with men, and you haven't been with anyone. If…" She swallowed hard, voice growing soft and apologetic. "If I can't handle doing the deed with a girl, I'd like to find out before you end up trapped in a relationship with some woman who isn't, um… sexually compatible? If that's a real thing?"

Makoto's brow creased as she pet down Sadayo's sides to rest her hands on her hips. "Oh. Um… I hadn't considered that. I guess I just… like you so much and am getting so comfortable with you that I kind of… assumed it would be fine? But now, that seems pretty stupid."

"It's not," she breathed as she turned to face her. The girl's cheeks were clearly rosy at getting the full view of her, and Sadayo smiled softly. "I'm actually jealous it's that easy for you. Maybe I'm overthinking this whole thing, huh?"

"You think this is easy?! No way! I'm still scared! Just…" She shrugged and kissed the corner of her former teacher's mouth. "It's you."

That kiss led to a dozen more. Which led to further clothes being shed, hands wandering. Makoto was surprised at how much she liked the feeling of nails raking down her back, teeth nipping at her earlobe. How wet it made her, how much more she craved. It was as if she had been aching for this for years, not a few scant months.

"How does this even work?" Sadayo whispered once they were very nude beneath a very thin bedsheet. "You don't have anything I'm used to working with! Well… I mean, on myself, but even then I use a vibrating egg most of the time, so it's not the same…"

The former student's smile was as playful as it was bashful. "Don't worry, I'll show you."

"You'll show me? Wait - how will you show me?!"

"So… I may have looked up a few things…" When Sadayo looked alarmed, she dipped her head in chagrin. "Shhh, I know, it's shameful. But I was curious, because everything I learned in sex education barely even covered how this works for um… penetrative sex with male and female organs. It certainly never covered this."

Her girlfriend cringed, looking squeamish. "Don't say it all clinical like that, it makes me feel creepy."

"Sorry," she whispered.

"No, no, it's okay. I just… you're almost more grown up about this than I am. Doesn't that seem… backwards? At all?"

"It seems fair, actually. You get to be the adult about some things, and I get to about others. That's how relationships work, right?"

Rolling her eyes, she muttered, "Yes, Master," before kissing her again.

"Good, Becky. And as your master, I order you to stop calling me that and just… be here with me." She bit her lip for a second before whispering, "Sadayo."

"Ughhh, you know it gets me weak when you say my name like that!"

Not that it caused her to slow down at all. Makoto was more than happy to begin using every trick she had gleaned from the reluctantly-clicked links for the sole purpose of making her girlfriend sound as beautiful and unfettered as she had ever heard her. The fingers worked better than her mouth - which earned a startled outcry and a lot of shoving away, both of them laughing afterward. She had never had so much fun in all her life.

Afterward, they lay in bed staring at the ceiling and humming when they weren't panting for breath. Too afraid of what they might say to manage saying it. Then Sadayo finally broke the silence.

"I can't believe we just did that."

"I can't believe it took us that long. Well… I can, but only for specific reasons."

Rolling slightly to face Makoto, a lock of hair falling into her eyes, she whispered, "Still doesn't seem real, y'know? You and me… even if I did know I was a lesbian before, even if I was going to date a student - which I wasn't, ever!"

"I was the last one on your list?" she guessed with a smirk.

"Yeah. Just… I didn't think you could ever… you were the student council president. Right?"

"No, no, I know what you mean; I'm not offended. Trust me. But…" Sliding a little closer, she pet up and down the soft skin over her ribs, watching Miss Kawakami suck in a breath of gentle surprise when one finger moved down to dip into the well of her navel. "I'm happy."

"Mmm… couldn't be happier you took my heart. Even if this is crazy, I'm glad we didn't screw it up somehow."

Giggling, she leaned in to peck her chin. "Came pretty close, pretty often. But at least we're here now. Together. And… we can be together in Okinawa, too."

"Really? You still wanna go, even after Destinyland?"

"Of course. We don't have anywhere to be; not for a million years."

"We sure don't, my Queen."

They lost themselves in passions again, lips and hips colliding and arms tightening around sweating backs. And Makoto Niijima vowed anew that she would never let Sadayo Kawakami out of her sight again.

                                                              THE END

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Twenty-Three: Rosemary ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ] [ AO3 Link ]

“I think I’m going to put in a vegetable garden this year.”

Glancing up from a report he’s reading, Sasuke perks a brow. “...okay.”

“I guess I’m just not sure where to put it…” Tucked into a corner of the couch and knitting, Hinata pauses in her venture and lays her project on her lap. Pale eyes look out the window, lips pursed in thought. “...any preference?”

“I guess not. Maybe the backyard…?”

“That’s what I was thinking. I’d like to keep the front as mostly flowers. And the grass has grown in so nicely, I’d hate to tear any of it up.”

That earns an amused snort. “You’ll have to do it either way.”

“I know, but the front is more for show. The back it is!”

“Well the ground’s still frozen now. You’ll have to wait at least a few more months,” Sasuke notes, giving her a small smile.

“Oh, I know...but it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead.” The subtle clicking of knitting needles starts up again, pace a bit faster as Hinata gets lost in her thoughts and excited. “I think maybe I’ll start some plants indoors...that way they can be protected until they’re bigger! And maybe some herbs, too...I can keep them in the kitchen window…!”

Seeing she’s clearly consumed, Sasuke just huffs a soft snort of amusement before turning back to his paperwork. Whatever makes her happy, he’s not about to stop. It’s good to be a bit self sufficient. She clearly loves plants, and it will give her something to do in her off time.

...and maybe she’ll plant a tomato or two for him.

Winter, as always, passes slowly. But as Spring edges nearer, Hinata puts her plans into action. A patch of the grass behind the house is stripped away to reveal loamy soil. She even invests in a little picket fence around the edges. And as the temperatures still dip in the season’s typically unpredictable fashion, she instead begins growing a few things in the house. Several rows of little pots take up a section of the kitchen counter under a special light she bought.

At first, there’s nothing to show for it. Sasuke gives the little cups of dirt and fertilizer a glance every morning before work, a brow perking as they remain empty. But then, little by little...things begin to sprout. Tiny little specks of green poke up through the soil, and Hinata can barely contain her excitement.

“I’ve never actually grown herbs or vegetables before! Just flowers. I hope they aren’t any more fragile…”

“No idea - I’ve never grown anything.” Sasuke peers over her little collection. “So, uh...what all do you have?”

“Oh, just a few things to start. I didn’t want to go overboard my first year. Most of these are herbs I’ll keep in the house, but I’ve got radishes, cabbage, cucumbers, turnips, onions, carrots...and there was something else…” She puts a thoughtful finger to her chin, lips pursed. “It was something I knew I’d have to grow...something very important…”

Seeing quite clearly through her teasing, Sasuke just offers, “If you have a tomato plant, I’ll know I married the right woman.”

“Ah, that’s what it was!”

He chuckles, bowing his brow to the crown of her head for a moment. “You’re such a tease.”

“I can’t wait for the herbs to get bigger...I even got them each labeled pots!” She holds up one from a stack that says ‘rosemary’. “See?”

“Very organized.”

“Aren’t they cute? Look, there’s little painted bees on the rims, and the font is so charming!”

Sasuke just watches her, a soft smile on his face as she twitters on and on about her little projects.

Soon enough, she’s ready for the big move. After several repottings to account for growth, she decides it’s time to take them outside. “I hope the insects don’t nibble them...and there better not be any rabbits around.”

“Well, we could get a cat. That might help keep them away.”

“That’s true.”

“There used to be quite a few that would roam the compound. We’ll have to see about adopting one or two. I’m sure aniki would agree they’d help keep the pests down. As for bugs...maybe we can put some bird feeders out? Attract some?”

“Good idea! Maybe Shino-kun can help bring in some bugs that eat the bad ones. Like aphids! Ooh, I hate aphids…and some caterpillars are just the worst!”

“I’m sure he’d be happy to lend a hand.”

Thankfully, most of the plants take to outdoor life rather quickly. A few lag behind, and one or two don’t make it through a particularly chilly night. Hinata mourns them quite openly. “I guess I just took them out too early…”

“Well, you’ll know better for next year, right?”

“I suppose…”

Inside, the herbs are...taking over the kitchen. Pots are scattered all over: a few in the window, some on the counters, and even atop the table. Hinata can barely keep up, cooking up a storm with as many as she can manage, taking plenty over for her sister-in-law, and even Sakura and Ino when things get crazy.

“I didn’t know they’d grow so fast!”

“Or so big,” Sasuke points out, nodding to a few threatening to outgrow their clay homes. “Maybe some should go outside…?”

“...you might be right.”

Eventually several are rehomed into the garden, including the rosemary plant. “It loves the sun, apparently - I think the window just got it a little too far ahead. But it’s a perennial!”

“...meaning?”

“It will go dormant, and come back next year! At least, so long as nothing happens to it. But most of the plants here aren’t - they’re annuals, so they’ll only last one year. I’ll have to plant more next Spring.”

“Really? Seems a bit strange.”

“That’s just how it is.”

And then come the fruits of Hinata’s labor. Seemingly all at once, the plants start producing...and don’t show any signs of stopping. Once again she has to scramble to give away the excess, their own dinner plates filled to the brim with vegetables practically every night.

But Sasuke has his tomatoes, so all is right with the world.

In the meantime, Hinata takes to canning and preserving as much as she can. “Maybe we should make a root cellar - this is getting ridiculous!”

“I thought you said you didn’t grow that many plants!”

“I-I didn’t! Or...so I thought. I didn’t think they’d make this much!” Hinata heaves a tired sigh. “...I think I’ll downsize a bit next year.”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

Come Fall, things finally start to slow down...and once the frost begins to hit, the plants either wither or go dormant. Hinata sadly pulls up the remnants of those only lasting a year, composting the remains to be used the coming Spring. “Well...I think all in all, that went well!”

Thinking on all the canned tomatoes in the house, Sasuke gives a nod. “It got a little hectic, but...yeah. I agree. Just uh...tone it down a bit next time.”

“Y-yeah…”

“...except the tomatoes.”

Hinata can’t help a giggle. “Except the tomatoes.”

     Phew, another late one! But also another fluffy one! Not...exactly FOCUSED on the prompt, but at least it was in there? Haha!      Sasuke's just happy Hinata's happy. And growing him tomatoes. My brother grows a garden every year, so...I know a little bit about it. But sadly I can't grow a plant to save my life OTL      Anywho, that's all for tonight! Thanks for stopping by n_n

[wannasoftimagine]

lee daehwi as your soulmate

imagine having daehwi as ur soulmate where u have the date u meet written on ur wrist

(as requested!)

ur soulmate clue isnt really visible for awhile just bc ure like. a tiny kid for the first majority of ur life lol

for awhile u just have a smudge of ink on ur wrist so,,, u dont rlly have a choice but to let it be

ANYWAYS

once u start to get older, the markings on ur wrist start to become more and more clear

ure not super sure if theyre letters or numbers or smthn else, bc it doesnt show up on ur skin quite right yet

eventually, ure able to decipher it as a set of numbers and ure like. okay cool BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN

u talk it over w some of ur family and friends, and everyone seems to have their own idea abt what it means

but the more ppl u talk to, the more they start to agree tht it seems like a date - for several years in the future

at tht point u realize that its probably the day tht ull finally meet ur soulmate, so theres not rlly much u can do abt it until then

ure a little tempted to try and search for someone with a similar clue, but there are just SO MANY to sort thru tht u decide its not rlly worth it

u try and focus on urself - struggling thru school, spending time w family/friends, typical stuff that most ppl ignore bc theyre too busy searching for their soulmate

honestly its kinda nice knowing when ull meet ur soulmate, since u can relax until then

time passes bc u kno. tht tends to happen in life

SO

it starts to get closer and closer to the date when u meet and NOW the nerves are coming

bc ure like ?? what are they like? what if i dont like them? what if they dont like //me//? where are we gonna meet? what time? do they have the same clue? what if i dont recognize them????

honestly ure a mess of worries by the time the day comes

trying to sleep the night before is almost impossible since ure such a bundle of doubts as u toss and turn in ur bed

come morning, u do ur best to dress as nice as u can

but honestly ure starting to doubt ur sense of fashion and style at this point

eventually u have to calm urself down bc theres no point in stressing out too much, or else ure just going to freak out and have an awful day, soulmate or not

then ure like waaaait a second,,

n u realize tht u dont know when exactly or where ure going to meet ur soulmate

which makes things much harder tbh

u settle on staying on a park bench, watching ppl pass and letting ur wrist casually rest beside u so its out in the open

ure hoping tht someones just going to walk by and be like oH HELLO SOULMATE

as time goes on u realize tht ure not that lucky

actually ure prob rlly unlucky bc bugs seem like theyre attacking u and u take tht as ur cue to leave

ure wandering around a little bit when u stumble across this cute little hole-in-the-wall cafe, so u decide to go in and rest ur feet there

(also maybe meet ur soulmate bc tht would be super Aesthetic u feel)

anyways

u wait around with a cup of coffee and a bagel, hoping that ull see someone walk in with a mark similar to urs

u realize pretty quickly tht it wont happen bc 1) so many ppl keep coming in and out, and 2) no one walks around showing off their wrist tbh

tht leaves u growing more frustrated and worried in ur spot

part of u wants to just approach random strangers and ask “listen im meeting my soulmate today CAN I SEE UR WRIST”

but the realistic part of u is like “what the heck no dont do tht”

u settle on agreeing with the latter

at some point, as ure boring holes into the dozens of strangers frequenting the cafe, u start to nod off

u dont even notice until one of the workers is shaking u awake with a polite smile and telling u tht the store is closing, so ure going to have to please leave

thts when ure like “wow,,, i was rlly tired bc it is LATE outside” but also “WAIT WHAT IF MY SOULMATE CAME HERE WHEN I WAS ASLEEP”

even as u frantically look around, u dont see any cutely written messages from ur presumed soulmate or anything like tht

all u can think is tht maybe ur soulmate clue doesnt mean what u thought it did

after all, its around evening already, and u still havent seen a sign of them

u end up wandering around outside again, too worried abt the possibility of never meeting ur soulmate to be freaked out over the whole “tiny kid walks around alone in the dark!!!!” thing

anywho

u keep checking ur phone (and feeling rlly grateful tht u havent run out of battery yet) and time just keeps to slip thru ur fingers

u end up going to a small restaurant for dinner, but its a place tht uve visited before and u dont see anyone new that could be ur soulmate

afterwards u decide to head on home with a heavy heart

u keep thinking “mb its not the date when we meet??”

but honestly ure not sure what else it could be

like is it the date ur soulmate is born?? but thtd be a kinda creepy age difference,,

and,,,, okay yeah u cant rlly think of anything else

u may or may not get lost a couple of times bc ure so absorbed in ur own thoughts

it doesnt help tht ure not exactly the best with directions

by the time u think ure nearing ur home, ur phone flashes at u with the time 11.51pm and ure like “???!!!!!!!!!!!”

u dont even know what to think at tht point

but then u get hit with the realization tht ure not meeting ur soulmate today and u might never meet them at all, and ure crushed with this aching sense of nothingness

ure just about ready to curl into a ball and just lie on the street for the rest of ur life when u hear someone yell “URE WALKING IN CIRCLES”

and u snap ur head up to try and see who said tht, and u see someone sticking his head out of his window and gesturing wildly

“wHAT” u manage to yell back, bc itd be embarrassing if this guy was trying to help u navigate around and u ended up sobbing back in response

“URE GOING IN CIRCLES UVE PASSED MY WINDOW LIKE 10 TIMES”

and thats.. just as embarrassing tbh

“ARE U LOST??? WHERE DO U LIVE”

all good intentions aside, u frown at his figure to tell him “IM NOT TELLING U WHERE I LIVE”, a pause, and then u add on “U CREEP” bc ure a strong independent individual who doesnt need any freaky dude in ur life

“AT LEAST USE UR PHONE OR SMTHN!!!! URE NEVER GOING TO GET HOME AT THIS POINT”

u feel a little dumb at that bc,,, honestly uve been so wrapped up in ur head tht u kinda forgot u could just use ur phone for directions back home

still just as u pull it out, it flashes a “dead battery” symbol and just. dies on u

“ITS DEAD” u tell the guy, altho ure not rlly sure why ure telling him this bc what if he really is a creep and now he knows u cant call for help ??????????

“IM COMING DOWN”

okay, thats definitely not helping ur i-think-hes-a-serial-killer idea

when he finally closes the window and makes his way down and outside to u, uve prepared urself with a rock

just,, in case,,,,,

(its not even a really good rock but u gotta do what u gotta do)

“i didnt want to keep yelling” the guy says, and he looks much sweeter in person (and when hes not screaming directions at u)

he sticks out his hand and ure like ?? but u take it anyways

“im lee daehwi!! do u want to borrow my phone?” he holds it out to u and even tho ure really tempted to take it, ure still a little skeptical

“if i put my address in there, then ull know where i live and u can track me afterwards”

he seems to find tht both very amusing and very insulting, since his face contorts into a half-laugh half-grimace

its a funny sight in of itself, so u cant help but smile at his expression

u end up bickering a little bit, and by the time he shoves his phone into ur face, u glance at the time and its past midnight and oh

today isnt the day u meet ur soulmate, then

ur face falls and he immediately yanks his hand back, obviously concerned

“are u okay?? whats wrong????”

and even tho hes still basically a stranger u cant help but show ur wrist to him and manage to explain tht u thought u were going to meet ur soulmate today, but its too late bc u still havent met them

but daehwi is giggling and ure like “dONT BE A JERK” but hes already pushing his own wrist into ur face

instead of the date, his reads “11.51 PM” in the same small dark font, and its like oh. OHHHHH

he pushes at ur shoulder, teasing u tht ur clue was more obvious bc “i had to wait around every day to see if i met someone new!!! i just want to sleep but i had no idea when id meet u”

and even as hes pouting u can barely process how relieved u are so u. accidentally zone out juuuust a little bit

he notices of course, and manages to get ur attention by saying “im glad its u tho bc ure super cute”

u stare at him, suddenly super focused on him, and he laughs

“i was just trying to get ur attention, but i do think ure rlly cute”

ure both still a bit in shock, but u manage to carry on conversations well enough bc now tht u know ure each others soulmates, ure desperate to talk to each other forever

he ends up insisting on cutting ur convo short and walking u home bc its so late, but he gives u his number and a quick, embarrassed peck on the cheek with a promise to talk to u soon

its even harder to fall asleep that night, ur head filled the memory of daehwi grinning at u like ure the best thing hed ever seen

others: jisung | sungwoon | daniel | woojin | more coming soon!

[artandteaandstuff-blog]

Kings and Queens - Part 22

Summary: Emma Swan is struggling as an actress. All seems lost until she manages to swing a spot on Kings and Queens, the most popular Medieval TV Show of all time. But here’s the catch: Emma hates being in love, and acting it is proving more tricky than she first thought. Her whole world is about to change, especially working alongside her new and mysterious co-star Killian Jones. It’s been so long since Emma has opened her heart to anyone. Could she start now?

Rating: T. But there is a chapter later in the fan fiction which blurs the lines a little. Apart from that, no other warnings

Can also be found here, on FF.net.

PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE | PART FOUR | PART FIVE | PART SIX | PART SEVEN | PART EIGHT I PART NINE | PART TEN | PART ELEVEN | PART TWELVE | PART THIRTEEN | PART FOURTEEN | PART FIFTEEN | PART SIXTEEN | PART SEVENTEEN | PART EIGHTEEN | PART NINETEEN | PART TWENTY | PART TWENTY-ONE

Author’s notes:

STILL THANK YOU  @electrictoes and @holdmecloseandfast.

Check out the amazing art @lucythemarauder created for this, right HERE. It is brilliant, go check it out!

@katie-dub made this gorgeous edit for my story, which you can see HERE. It’s so brilliant, check it out!

Emma has barely woken up when Henry is shoving the phone at her, mouthing ‘David’. Emma groans. She needs another three coffees and a shower before she can speak to anyone and form coherent sentences. At the very least, she needs some time to wake up. The late nights are really messing up her sleeping patterns again.

“What do you want?”

“You’re very hostile today,” David muses, amusement in his voice. He sounds too chirpy for so early in the morning.

“What do you want?” she repeats.

She pads into the kitchen. There’s a coffee waiting for her on the kitchen table, steaming and inviting. She smiles when she sees it. Thanks Henry, she thinks.

“You have an interview tonight.”

“Tonight? Bit short notice, David.” She picks up the mug and takes a sip. It’s perfect, exactly how she likes it.

“I know, I forgot. I’m sorry.” He’s grinning, she can tell. “But a car will be here to pick you up at seven. Be ready on time.”

“Yeah, I won’t forget.” She rolls her eyes. “What show is it?”

“The Teddy Norman show.”

“Teddy Norman?”

He owns one of the biggest shows in America. He’s Irish and a huge hit with all sorts of celebrities from actors to writers to musicians. She can’t think of a celebrity who hasn’t been on there. That’s how she knows she’s made it.

“Teddy Norman,” confirms David. “He asked for you. You and Killian, that is.”

“So it’s just… me and Killian?” She bites her lip.

“Yup. Anyway, I’ve got to go. Mary Margaret wants me to make breakfast since she can no longer bend down to get the plates from the cupboards.”

“Sure, I’ll talk to you later.”

“See ya, Emma. You’ll be amazing tonight.”

The line disconnects and Emma’s left holding the phone in a daze.

“The Teddy Norman show,” she says to herself as she places the phone on the hook. “Right. Okay then.”

Later on she stands backstage with Killian, bouncing in her heels, a little nervously. She’s not as scared as she would have been a few months ago, not after FWC, but this is still a big thing. The Teddy Norman show. Who’d have thought, huh? If the kids at the foster home could see her now.

“You’re beautiful,” comments Killian as he watches her. He’s wearing a suit and tie.

“Why do you always say that?”

“I say it because it’s true.” And then: “Nervous?”

“A little bit.”

“You’ll be fine.”

She looks up at him. “I know.”

They can hear Teddy warming the crowd up on stage, who seem excitable anyway, cheering and oooing and ahhing. “As you should know, this is a Kings and Queens special.”

“Ooooo,” say the crowd.

“Ooooo,” he repeats. “I know, right. I haven’t had Killian Jones on the show since the first series.”

Teddy Norman is a small man with a round face and a cheeky smile. He started off as a standup comedian and as his career went on, he did some acting. Now he has this show, the best chat show around. Over fifty, he has a beard and silver hair, but he still has that same charm that made everyone fall in love with him all those years ago.

Someone backstage with a headset tells them they’re on in five seconds.

Sure enough, Teddy calls, “You know him as Alexander, it's the suave, the cool Killian Jones everybody!”

Killian gives Emma a wink, an arm rub and disappears, running onto stage.

“Now it's the very beautiful, very talented Emma Swan!”

Emma follows Killian, in front of the crowd of cheering people. The crowd doesn't even faze her now. She's used to it. She gives them a wave as she makes her way over to Teddy (who kisses her on both cheeks) and sits down next to Killian. Two drinks are waiting on the table in front of them.

Teddy sinks into his chair. “Hello, hello.” He says as he slaps his knees. “Killian Jones, Emma Swan welcome. It's good to have you here.”

“It's good to be here,” says Killian, as smooth as ever. He immediately goes for his rum and takes a sip. Emma leaves her wine sat there for the time being. She doesn’t want to get too drunk too quickly.

Teddy begins by gushing about their show. He tells them how he watches it every week without fail and goes to every premiere. He loves all the characters, and he was so excited when Emma was introduced. Rose is an amazing character, he says.

They tease what’s going to happen next. They mention about next week where there’s going to be a ball. If people have seen the promo, they’ve seen Emma’s big red dress. Teddy shows them another trailer.

“It was the worst thing ever,” Emma tells him when he asks about the dress. “I hated it. It was too heavy.”

“But it is gorgeous,” says Teddy.

“Aye,” Killian agrees.

They talk about other cast members, and about what they’re like on set. By the time half Emma’s drink is gone, she’s starting to relax a little. Though she still feels starstruck because it’s Teddy Norman.

“Okay, so I might have done something…” he says, making a “whoops” face. “And that something might include fans.”

“Fans huh,” says Emma. She raises her eyebrows. Her and Killian exchange glances. Even though Teddy mentioned “fans”, Emma feels completely at ease.

“So I put a tweet out earlier in the week that I was having you two on the show, and I asked if they could send in questions for us. And I, uh…” He paused. “I may have said they could ask whatever they wanted, no limits. I may have said that.”

“Bloody hell,” says Killian, shaking his head, but there’s a smile on his face.

“But I think you’re going to like what I picked. I picked some good ones.”

“Go on then.”

“Okay so KillianLuver5eva has asked a good question here. Funniest moment on set?”

“Oh!” Emma snorts, “I have one.”

“Do share.”

“So Robin and Will-”

“- They play Lucas and Edward on the show, don't they?”

“Yeah, they do. And they always play pranks on Killian. Always. And this one time they nicked his pants while he was getting changed and ran out onto set with them.” Emma can't stop the giggles that escape her. “And he had to run out onto set without any pants.”

“For those who don't know, American pants are trousers.” He turns to them. “I have a lot of British viewers.”

“It was funny. Elsa, who plays Elizabeth on the show, took a picture and posted it to her Instagram.”

“We actually have the photo here. Do we? We do!” The photo flashes up on the screen, showing a slightly blurred Killian in his underwear.

“I like the polkadots,” Teddy comments. “Really I do.”

“Likewise,” says Killian. His smile is easy.

“We have another one here. From KingsAndCuties. She says, Can you imagine if Teddy asked them if they know what Captain Swan is. I think I'd die. Pretty sure I'd die.” Teddy looks right down the camera. ”Well, KingsAndCuties, RIP you.” He turns to them. “So do you know what Captain Swan is?”

“No idea,” says Emma, frowning. She’s not sure how she feels about Teddy’s excited expression, or the way Killian is scratching the back of his head and sporting a nervous smile.

“Killian?”

“Aye, I know what it is,” he admits.

“What is it?” asks Emma. She takes a sip of her wine.

“Go on, tell us,” says Teddy. “What is it?”

“It is…” He clears his throat with a low cough. “The Captain part of Captain Killian Jones - I have no idea how they know about that - and the Swan from… Emma Swan. Captain… Swan.” He throws a shrug in Emma’s direction.

“Because the fans want you together, don’t they?”

“It would seem so.”

“What do you mean they want us together?” Emma doesn’t mean to make her voice sound so defensive.

“Oh no, they don’t want you together,” says Teddy. “They believe you are together.”

Killain chokes on his rum. “Excuse me?”

“I take it by that tone you’re not?”

“Definitely not,” says Emma. She flushes.

There’s a smile on Teddy’s face. “Interesting of you to say that… Because we did a little search before the show and we found a website dedicated to proof that you two are actually an item.”

“You’re joking,” says Killian, grinning. He throws a smile over to Emma, who just gives him a look. She has to press her lips together to stop a smile.

She should be angry about this, or frustrated in the very least but she’s not. If anything she’s interested to hear what they’ve come up with. A website dedicated to proof that they’re together. She hasn’t heard anything so ridiculous in her whole life. What ‘proof’ could they possibly have?

“This ought to be good,” she says, sitting back on the sofa, folding her arms.

Teddy waves his hand and the website pops up on the screen. It’s a cream colour, with an exaggerated script font spelling out ‘Captain Swan’ in pink letters. There’s an image taken from the show where they’re gazing into each other’s eyes.

Underneath there’s a subheading:

WHY CAPTAIN SWAN IS REAL.

Killian and Emma exchange glances.

“Bloody hell,” he says under his breath.

“Now obviously I’m not going to read all the reasons,” says Teddy as he scrolls through. “There’s a lot of reasons here. Someone must have a lot of free time.”

“Too much free time,” says Emma between sips of her wine. She has the feeling she’s going to need a lot more alcohol for this.

Killian is leaning forward on the sofa, eyes fixed on the screen as Teddy scrolls.

“Some of these are very same-y same-y and I don’t think they count as actual reasons.“ He pauses to throw a look down the camera. “For example there’s one that says, ‘There’s so much tension on the show, they have to be a couple’. I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but that’s not a reason. That’s just called good acting.”

Emma snorts into her drink. The alcohol is beginning to go into her head now.

“But there are some others-” He’s smiling now, getting to the good parts. “Which I think might be plausible…” His voice raises a notch in pitch as he speaks.

“Go on then, mate. What have you got for us?” says Killian. “Bring it.”

“So according to this, you were spotted holding hands.”

“I don’t think so,” says Emma. “That’s a lie. Made up things aren’t reasons.”

“Ohohoh,” laughs Teddy. “There’s a picture.”

“No…” says Killian in awe. He’s leaning forward even more in his chair.

Teddy scrolls down a little to reveal a zoomed in picture of them actually holding hands. She recognises his rings. There’s another photo under it which shows the actual picture. It was taken when they were getting out the car at the con, and Killian offered her his hand.

“Nonsense!” shouts Killian. He’s grinning. “Slander! I was being a gentleman and helping her out the car.”

“A gentleman, huh?” asks Teddy.

“I’m always a gentleman.”

“Okay, fair enough, but how do you explain this -” He scrolls down again and up comes a picture of them in that dance before FWC.

How did they get that? Emma thinks. They get anything. Can’t she have any amount of privacy in her private life?

“Aren’t we allowed to dance?” asks Emma. She’s deliberately not looking at Killian, though his eyes are on her.

“Slow dance.” Teddy gives her a ‘I don’t believe you’ look. “And then you’ve both been spotted on the way to each other’s houses.”

“What can I say?” says Killian. “We’re good friends.”

“Emma even left your house in the early hours of the morning in the same clothes as before. It does seem a little bit odd…”

Killian raises his eyebrows. “Surely if we were together, she would have brought a change of clothes?”

“Perhaps, perhaps.”

“I have a message for the Captain Swan fans,” Killian says. Emma throws him a warning look. Teddy, however, looks amused. Then Killian looks right down one of the camera, eyes dark, his lips pressed together in a tight line. “I don’t hold Emma’s hand. The only reason she’s been at my house is for rehearsal. I’ll admit, myself and Emma Swan are good friends, we always have been. I can promise you wholeheartedly and honestly that we are not together…” His eyes twinkle in amusement. “Yet.”

Now it’s Emma’s turn to choke on her drink. “Excuse me?”

Killian gives a shrug and sips his drink, trying to stop a smile.

“You heard it here first,” says Teddy into the camera. “Just to clarify, you’re not together?”

“No!” Emma all but shouts.

“Okay well I believe you,” Teddy nods. “So onto other things. I want to talk about the size of your house, Killian.”

He raises his eyebrows. “Most people do.”

“I have some pictures here, actually.”

Teddy waves his hands and a picture of the outside of his house pops up on the screen. Even the screen doesn’t do how big it is justice, which she comments outloud.

Teddy flips through different rooms in his house, starting with the living room and then going onto the kitchen and other rooms. He even has a picture of Killian’s drinks cabinet, stocked with (mostly) rum. He goes through all the hallways, and comments on how clean it is.

“I know, right?” Emma mumbles.

Teddy points to the screen. “So this is the biggest bathroom?”

“No, it’s not the biggest.”

“Of course not. It only has -what- two baths and seven mirrors.”

“You should see the size of his bedroom,” says Emma, projecting her thoughts out loud.

“You’ve seen his bedroom? Kinda looks like you are dating,” laughs Teddy. The pitch of his voice raises a little when he says, “Awkward!”

“Emma fell asleep while rehearsing,” Killian explains, as smooth as ever. “I thought she could use a comfortable bed to sleep in.”

“And you happened to put her in yours, not the other seven?”

“Aye. Well, mine is the best, naturally.”

“And you slept…?”

“In one of the other bedrooms,” Emma is quick to clarify. “Y’know, since he has so many. At least he didn’t have to sleep on the sofa.”

“At least!” Teddy chortles.

Towards the end of the show they listen to live music by some band trying to promote themselves. They sit through a little interview with the band, who also comment that they love the show and they truly believed that Emma and Killian are dating. No-one seems to mention her kisses with Graham and she’s glad about that.

At the end of the show, Teddy thanks them for being there.

“It was a pleasure,” says Killian, shaking his hand.

And then they’re on their way, in a car and off out the studio. The more distance is put between them and that interview, the more Emma can breathe easily.

Later, Killian and Emma find a bar somewhere near the studio. She isn’t quite ready to leave his company yet, and Killian seems the same. He’s the one who suggested going for a drink (even though they’ve drunk plenty already), and he seemed surprised when Emma agreed.

“You were right,” she tells him, a little shyly, when he expresses his shock. “We are friends. Can’t I go for a drink with my friend?”

That made him smile. “Aye, love. I’m all yours.”

Now they sit in a dark booth at the back of the bar, hoping not to be spotted. Emma has taken Regina’s advice and found somewhere expensive and discreet. There aren’t loads of people in, but enough to hide them, and the lighting is dark. The only people who must know who they are are the bar staff, who keep replacing their drinks when they run out.

That must be why they’ve gotten onto such a dark subject, the endless supply of alcohol.

“I have… struggled with things in my past.” He scratches the back of his ear, a little awkwardly, eyes cast downwards. “Even now, I still struggle. Sometimes it's hard to find a balance. My brother, he's always helped keep me on my path.”

“Your brother, huh?” She downs half her drink in one.

“Liam. Why the tone? I know you've met him.”

She shrugs it off. She doesn't really want to talk down about his brother, not when Killian holds him in such high esteem. “Yeah, I have.”

“C'mon, Swan. What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“Emma...”

“I just don't think he likes me very much.” She admits, finishing the other half of her drink. As soon as she places her empty glass on the table, it's replaced with another one.

“Nonsense. How couldn't he?”

“He saw an article about my past. And he… saw the pictures of me and Graham in the papers. And I guess he just…” She shrugs.

He's quiet for a moment. Then, softly: “That has nothing to do with him. Who you spend your time with is none of his business.”

Maybe it's the alcohol, but it takes a while for his words to sink in. When they do, they have a completely different meaning. “Killian, I'm not with Graham.”

“Perhaps not, love but that's none of my business either.” A jaw clench. A sip of his drink.

“He's just a friend.”

“And what am I?”

Emma meets the intensity of his gaze. For a moment, they just stare into each other's faces.

Finally, she says, “I don't know.” It's the truth.

“Graham is a better man than me.” His knuckles are white, wrapped around the glass. “I've made so many mistakes. Hurt so many people.”

“Killian…”

“Graham is worthy of you.”

“Killian, I don't want Graham.”

A crease appears between his eyebrows. “I saw you.”

“What?”

“You kissed him.”

“I thought you knew?”

“I did. The first time. But you kissed him again.”

He must have followed her home. Did he leave the blonde?

Emma takes a long sip of her drink as she thinks how to phrase her words. How does she get across that she is telling the truth? That she doesn’t want Graham. “Do you know why I kissed him?” she asks, keeping her eyes trained on his.

A shrug, a small smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Alas, I do not.”

It takes courage to say the next words. She knows as soon as they’re out, it will be a confession, something she’s kept too close to her heart all this time, something she’s only just beginning to realise. “I kissed him because you went out on another date with… that girl.”

“Tink?”

Tink. So precious. She nods.

“You were jealous,” he says. It’s not a question.

“I wasn’t, I just… I...”

He doesn’t look at her as he says, “I was jealous too.”

“You were?”

“I told you I was. It was maddening.”

She bites her lip, looking down into her drink, sparkling in the light. “Why?”

“Graham’s kissed you, Emma. He’s kissed you.” His hands tighten on the glass again as he brings it up to his lips and drinks deeply.

“You’ve kissed me.”

“That may be but it’s not the same, is it?” His eyes flicker up to hers, quick and embarrassed. “I’ve kissed you in a room full of people, all watching, waiting. I can’t even enjoy it because I’m too busy thinking about which way to tilt my head, or exactly where my hands should be. Do I place them on your neck because it makes you tremble or because it looks good?”

She doesn’t know what to say to that. She’s shocked. It’s almost like a confession. All of this is a confession. Dangerous ground. A minefield. She should tell him she’s going, that she has to get back for Henry even if it is a lie, but before she has chance, Killian is speaking again.

“And then there’s Graham. Bloody perfect Graham who just did it. Who just went for it and now has the pleasure of kissing you without a thousand eyes watching him do so. He can hold you just to hold you.”

“I-”

“I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, he’s a better man than me, Swan.” Killian shakes his head. “A cleverer man than me. If I had any sense at all, I would have done what he did a long time ago.”

She swallows.

“Why didn’t you?”

When he meets her eyes, his hold a twinge of sadness. “I’m long past taking things that clearly aren’t mine.”

“Milah,” she says before she can stop herself. It must be the drink. “No, sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

She can see the emotions pass over his face: fear, pain, loss, and it makes her want to reach out, to touch his hand. She knows what Graham told her, but Killian can’t be the only one to blame. Not with something like this.

“Yes,” he says softly. “Milah.”

“She was Gold’s wife,” she says. It’s not an accusing tone. She’s not blaming him, she’s just stating a fact.

“So you’ve heard the stories then?”

“I’ve heard one side.” She pauses, tension in the air. And then: “What happened?”

“I’m going to need another drink for this,” he says softly, signaling the bar staff. They top them up with fresh drinks. Emma takes a generous gulp.

“What happened?” she repeats.

“I fell in love with her. Plain and simple.” He’s looking away from her, down at his drink like he’s ashamed. She can’t help it, she reaches out and places a hand over his. “I met her in a bar one night. She was drinking alone. A man was giving her unwanted attention, and so I fixed it for her.” A ghost of a smile at the memory. “She told me right then and there she was married, and I respected her wishes. But the next time I met her, I…” He shakes his head.

“You?” she prompts softly. Her hand is still over his.

“It was clear she was unhappy in her marriage. She was a great deal younger than him, but her parents pushed it. He was a friend of theirs. I suppose I just…“ He scratches the back of his head. “The affair lasted months, almost a year, and for a time I almost thought we’d gotten away with it. There were a few close calls but we always knew how to cover our tracks. Until...”

He’s silent for a moment but she doesn’t want to say anything and wreck his train of thought. She’s hanging on his every word, watching every twinge of pain that crosses his face.

“He caught us. He was supposed to be away on work, a part in some British Drama, but his flight was cancelled and-” He swallows. “I was in his kitchen, and she was upstairs. He knew as soon as he walked in. I was fully clothed, I could have made up some bloody elaborate story, but he knew. He could tell by the guilt written all over my face.”

She squeezes his hand gently. There’s nothing but pain and shame in his expression, and she feels a sudden need to comfort him. “I don’t think you’re a bad person, Killian.”

“You haven’t heard the worst of it.” He laughs, but it’s humourless. “She came straight to me before he had a chance to throw her out. For weeks we didn’t see him. We thought we never would.” His face darkens. His jaw clenches. “But he turned up with a gun. It all happened so fast. He was after me but she was the one who died.”

Emma’s free hand flies up to cover her mouth. Of all the things she imagined, she couldn’t have imagined this. She would never have imagined this. Her eyes fill with tears. “Oh, Killian…” She blinks them away.

“It’s okay,” he says, tense. “It was a long time ago. It went to court, but he managed to evade prison. He’s slippery that way.”

“How can you still work with him?”

“Truth be told, I didn’t know he auditioned for the show, let alone he was one of the producers. I badly needed the money. I was already facing eviction from my home. My family had loaned me all the money they could. I-” He takes in a breath. “- had a borderline drug addiction. I needed this role to survive. I’d always prided myself on my survival skills. So we buried the hatchet. We both had blame. The only thing is…”

“What?”

“I didn’t exactly bury the hatchet. I did everything I could to get him off the show. I thought if I took the role, I could destroy him. Exterminate him like the bloody... crocodile he is. So I sorted myself out, spent time in rehab during the filming hiatuses, and got myself back on track. I needed a clear head to get rid of him. I wanted him dead.”

“But he’s still on the show,” she says.

“I know. Every plan I had was foiled.” Another one of those ghost smiles crosses his face. “Though last autumn, I had a plan I knew would work. I was going to frame him. I’m good at things like that. I have connections. I won’t tell you the specifics - I don’t want you to think even worse of me - but it was foolproof. It was all going according to plan until…” He drops his eyes to the table.

She squeezes his hand again, brushing her thumb over his. “Until…?”

His eyes return to hers. “Until I met you.”

“Me?”

“You make me want to be a better man for you.”

Her face is slowly turning white. She doesn’t know how to process this, any of this. She can’t blame Killian, she just can’t, but that doesn’t mean she knows how to feel. She starts to move her hand away, but he holds onto it and flips them over so his hand is on top. He intertwines their fingers.

“Milah was my first love. My only love,” he says to their hands. “I never truly believed I would be able to … care for anyone else, not like that. And yet, here I am.”

“Here you are,” she says, barely audible.

“I’ve never told anyone that. About Milah. Liam knows, but he’s the only one.”

“And you trust me not to tell anyone.”

He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Hopefully you won’t share such things during your intimacies with Graham.”

“Killian, I’ve told you before. I’m not with Graham. I never was. He kissed me and I kissed him back just to see, on a whim. But I…” She shakes her head. “He’s just a friend. A good friend.”

“I’d hoped so. After all, you don’t have a good ship name.” This time when he smiles, it’s more genuine. “Not like Captain Swan.”

Despite everything, she giggles. “I can’t believe they think we’re together.”

He raises his eyebrows. “Really?”

“What a completely stupid, ridiculous-”

He stops her words with a kiss. It comes out of nowhere, a complete surprise. A good surprise. But his lips hardly touch hers, before he’s pulling back, cheeks flushed and embarrassed, “I’m sorry, Emma, I shouldn’t have-”

She’s kissing him again before she can stop herself. Both his hands move up to her face, over her hair, as he slides closer, mouth soft and insistent on hers. It’s hot in the bar and dark in the booth and he’s kissing her and it’s better than all the times she’s imagined it. It’s better than the filming because it’s real, and it’s better than Graham because it’s what she wants.

“Neal,” she says when they break away. Her nose is still bumping against hers.

“Uh… It’s Killian, love.”

A breathless laugh. “No.” She moves back to look up into his face; into his eyes suddenly sparkling with a new light. “That’s my baggage. Neal. If we’re talking about baggage.

“Who’s Neal?” He asks softly, head tilting to the side.

“Henry’s father,” she says.” Killian raises his eyebrows, but doesn’t speak, urging her to continue. “He stole a couple of watches worth ten thousand dollars. We were going to take the watches and move away, start a new life. But he took off with the watches himself, and let me take the fall.”

“Bloody bastard.”

“And then there’s Walsh.” She takes a deep breath. She doesn’t know exactly why she’s being so open with him, but it could have something to do with the drink. It must be the drink. “We were engaged and he, uh, left me. At the last minute. Days before the date.”

Killian gently strokes her hair. “Why?”

“I don’t know.” She bites her lip, brows furrowing. There is still a twinge of pain when she thinks about him, no matter how thick she makes her skin. She finally opened her heart to him, finally agreed to marry him after months of asking, and then he left her. “I guess he didn’t want me anymore.”

“If I were that lucky, I would never let you go.”

She looks up into his face. He’s telling the truth. “I know,” is all she can say.

After one smouldering look which turns her insides to jelly, he’s kissing her again, pulling her as close to him as possible. He touches her gently, like he’s trying to memorise her, and it’s not too long before they’re tangled, wrapped up in each other in that little dark booth and it’s insane, it’s like she can see fireworks and she knows she’s too wrapped up in him. But here, cushioned by the blurring lines of alcohol, that’s okay.

For now.

[njawaidofficial]

'Saturday Night Live' Season 43 Premiere | Critic's Notebook

http://styleveryday.com/2017/10/02/saturday-night-live-season-43-premiere-critics-notebook/

'Saturday Night Live' Season 43 Premiere | Critic's Notebook

Ryan Gosling only occasionally got funny material and Alec Baldwin’s Donald Trump impression may have run out of juice.

We’re only a couple weeks past NBC’s Saturday Night Live piling up an absurd haul of Emmys for the show’s appropriately hyped, over-praised 42nd season, so that means it’s probably time to hop off the SNL bandwagon with a resounding thud and announce, “Man, remember when this show used to be funny? Four months ago?”

The kindest thing I can say about Saturday night’s 43rd season premiere is that host Ryan Gosling seemed consistently amused. He broke in at least four of his live sketch appearances, a tone that was set early when the night’s first post-monologue sketch was the recurring thing with Kate McKinnon as a raunchy alien abductee. It’s one of several recurring McKinnon characters who exist almost entirely to make the host lose it.

Gosling was practically convulsing after McKinnon pantomimed tossing his salad (or pantomiming the aliens tossing her salad on him, if you want to be technical), and it seemed as if McKinnon had achieved her goal in admirable fashion, but that achievement was lessened when we discovered that basically what Gosling was there for was to read cue cards and giggle. Nice work if you can get it!

The first thing that struck me about the SNL premiere is that Alec Baldwin should have been set free at the end of last season. Not fired, mind you. Set free with high honors. He did a send-off song. He stole an Emmy from several of TV’s finest comedic supporting actors. He made his point.

The show probably needed to start from scratch this season and either find a new impression, bring Darrell Hammond back into the fold or perhaps ignore Donald Trump entirely, since he hasn’t even tweeted about the show for a while. At the start of last season the game was, “Let’s antagonize Trump and get him to tweet irrationally about us because that’s fun,” but after the election and nine months of his presidency, we’ve learned that nearly everything antagonizes Trump and he’s willing to tweet about each and every insult and slight, no matter how petty and no matter how much you’d think being the Leader of the Free World would impose some measure of decorum, professionalism, maturity, restraint or dignity.

But just because it takes absolutely nothing to trigger @RealDonaldTrump doesn’t mean that it’s mandatory to do a Trump sketch even if you don’t have anything funny to bring to the table, and the opening sketch was as perspective-free as anything SNL has done on Trump since back in the glory days when Lorne Michaels got killer ratings for letting Trump host and then just one year later collected piles of Emmys for “taking Trump on.” After you’ve had it both ways, where else is there to go?

Basically the joke of the cold open was that Jeff Sessions is small and Baldwin likes doing the Trump “puckered anus mouth.” The show got a wee bit of bad buzz last year for its initial take on Sarah Huckabee Sanders, so in this season’s opener, Aidy Bryant did next to nothing as Huckabee Sanders. At least Mike Huckabee can’t tweet that SNL was being sexist to his daughter. And in that rare and fortuitous moment in which SNL actually had a Latina actress to play the mayor of San Juan, they didn’t give Melissa Villasenor anything to play.

It’d be better to celebrate Baldwin-as-Trump as a one-year phenomenon and figure something else out for tackling the currently administration. Maybe there’s a different high-profile actor with Saturday evenings free and an appetite for an easy Emmy?

And if SNL couldn’t figure out what it wanted to do with Trump in the season premiere, it was even more stymied by Gosling, who has a skill set diverse enough that the show could have given him a variety of things to do. I seem to remember the actor’s first hosting stint fondly. I don’t know which Gosling bit felt most endless: The “I saved jazz” opening monologue, his “Weekend Update” character with Alex Moffat or the sketch with Bryant as a chicken. And I’m sure there will be plenty of viewers who thought the filmed bit featuring Gosling as a man with an unhealthy obsession with filmmaker James Cameron using Papyrus font for Avatar was the most interminable of all, but I laughed at that one, darnit.

I also laughed at/with Michael Che’s increasing anger about Trump’s reaction to Puerto Rican hurricane relief and NFL players kneeling. Probably unleashing Che entirely is the best chance “Weekend Update” has of regaining relevancy. Colin Jost can just be there to awkwardly interview whichever character McKinnon is playing each week.

The premiere also did not make much use of this season’s new castmembers. Heidi Gardner and Chris Redd both featured prominently in the Levi Wokes parody commercial and as straight-men to Cecily Strong in a sketch about two people who were very offended to be fooled into thinking Pizza Hut’s new pasta came from an imaginary high-end Italian restaurant. Or at least they were visible. Probably Moffat and Mikey Day set an unreasonably high standard for new cast involvement through last season, and Gardner and Redd had a more typical debut. Was Luke Null in the episode at all? Would I recognize him if he had been? Also appearing somewhere between “Never” and “Barely” were Leslie Jones, Pete Davidson, Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney.

I’m sure I’ll be checking in on Saturday Night Live repeatedly through the season. One bad episode, even a premiere and even coming after a season as revered as last season, probably doesn’t mean much, but this wasn’t a promising return.

Saturday Night Live

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