#I can’t wait to romance her in my next pt

[somewillwin]

That besties angst was…. Chef kiss.

[5sospenguinqueen]

Bedtime Stories Pt 2 | Daniel Ricciardo x Author! Reader

Summary: Daniel made a silly little comment that lost him everything. Over a year later, he tries his hardest to fix his mistakes.

Warnings: Swearing. A tiny smidge of angst but mainly fluff. Redemption for Daniel.

Female reader with various faceclaims (pics found on pinterest). Takes place in 2023. For the purpose of this, Daniel has been with AlphaTauri the whole time.

Main Masterlist

prev.

━━━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━━━

28•05•2023

danielricciardo just posted

liked by redbullracing, YourUserName and others

danielricciardo monaco, always a delight. P11. so close to the points but racing through your streets feels like being on a podium

4,337 comments

landonorris and whose attention are we trying to grab with that sexy last pic 👀

→ danielricciardo only yours, mate 

→ User1 don’t act like you’re not dying inside because y/n liked this 

→ User2 relax, they never unfollowed each other 🙄

maxverstappen1 you’ll get them next time, mate

→ danielricciardo fancy giving me a tow?

→ maxverstappen1 never

→ User3 i love their friendship so much

User4 um, did anyone see that y/n liked and then unliked this post 

→ User5 omg yes! sis was caught stalking and we love her for it 

→ User6 i too would thirst over my ex if he looked like that 

kellypiquet we were watching the whole time

liked by danielricciardo

→ User7 what a weird comment to make?

→ User8 who’s we, kelly? 

→ User9 what does this mean? 

 

━━━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━━━

04•06•2023

Tweet 1

User10 @ kikiki babe did you hit your head? is that why you were in the ER? they broke up

User11 @ kikiki maybe ask them to do a head scan whilst you're there 'cause ain't no way you saw here there

→ User12 literally. like why would she even be in spain right now?

Tweet 2

User11 i think we might have to apologise to @ kikiki

→ User10 can we really trust the wag page though? They did report that Lando was having a secret love child the other week..?

Tweet 3

User13 asking the real questions because she's not even hinted that she’s been writing so it’s not like she’s on a book tour or anything?

→ User14 some people are saying she could be on vacation but please, why would mother choose a holiday destination during a time that she knows is a GP?

User15 guys, guys, I think our sacrifice circle worked 

→ User16 please, please, 🕯️🕯️

User 17 how poetic would it be though if they got back together  during the spanish GP when they broke up at the spanish GP a year ago 

User18 shouldn’t you know these answers, and that she was in spain, if you're her so-called updates page

━━━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━━━

22•08•2023

YourUserName just posted

liked by maxverstappen1, charles_leclerc and others

YourUserName some big news approaching 

6,349 comments

kellypiquet i can’t wait, my beautiful girl 

→ YourUserName thank you for being my #1 support

→ kellypiquet thank you for letting me help plan

→ User1 what does this mean? 

→ User2 miss piquet stop being so cryptic on socials 

maxverstappen1 i’m very excited 

→ YourUserName did kelly force you to write that because i could feel the excitement oozing through the screen

→ maxverstappen1 i wanted to say something worse 

→ YourUserName i hope she leaves you

→ kellypiquet behave, you two! 

→ User3 i live for max and y/n terrorising each other, even without danny ric being around to encourage it

bloomsburypublishing we look forward to the end result

User4 i’m sorry but is this a soft launch?

User5 who is that in the last slide, miss y/n?

→ User6 the inspiration behind a new romance we hope

User7 don’t be shy. tag him 

User8 soft launches have recently become my least favourite thing

charles_leclerc are you perhaps writing my next plane read

→ YourUserName depends how long the flight is 

→ User9 confirmation of a new book ya’ll!! everyone say thank you charles

User10 i like to be edged by her books, not by her hiding her man

User11 don't try and distract us with news of a new book, we wanna know who the feet belong to!

━━━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━━━

01•09•2023

danielricciardo just posted

liked by maxverstapen1, yukitsunoda0511 and others

danielricciardo ciao a tutti. lovely sightseeing in beautiful Italy

6,445 comments

User12 you’re telling me that i’m currently in the same country as THE daniel ricciardo?

kellypiquet i’m still trying to recover from that hike

→ User13 kelly and max went on a double date with daniel and the new girl?!

→ User14 omg please be y/n. i can’t imagine kelly agreeing to it otherwise

User15 i know he's trying to distract us with his beauty but we see the last slide, daniel. we see it

pierregasly so you’re telling me that you were in milan and didn’t bother to come and see me? that’s it. i'm ending our friendship

→ danielricciardo i’m sorry, mate. i was doing more important things

→ pierregasly clearly ;)

User16 someone check on y/n, please

→ User17 babe is clearly having the time of her life in italy (yes, i'm delusional)

User18 does nobody find it odd that he’s posting a soft launch not long after y/n posted a soft launch

→ User19 i know! it’s only been three weeks since hers and he’s posting one

→ User20 i can’t decide whether they’re soft launching each other or he’s trying to make her jealous by flaunting a new relationship as well

→ User21 it HAS to be each other or i will die

━━━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━━━

15•10•2023

lando.jpg just posted

liked by YourUserName, danielricciardo and others

lando.jpg so i attended this event… and no, it’s not mine before you all freak out

8,223 comments

charles_leclerc it was a beautiful day ❤️

alexandrasaintmleux i’m so thankful to have been a part of such wonderful memories

kellypiquet the most beautiful bride i have ever seen

maxverstappen1 this was a nicer caption than i expected from you

→ danielricciardo agreed

→ landonorris i take offence to that

User1 guys do we think kelly and max got married? they’ve both comments on this?

→ User2 yes but so did charles and alex so…

→ User3 plus, i know kelly is stunning but do we really think she would call herself the most beautiful bride in 3rd person?

georgerussell63 i’m surprised you remember much after the state you were in

→ landonorris excuse you but most of that was just pure happiness

hulkhulkenberg an amazing day

estebanocon so happy to have been a part of this

alex_albon how’s the hangover, mate

→ landonorris i didn’t drink that much!

→ georgerussell63 tell that to the bouquet that you puked on

→ landonorris i caught it so it was mine anyway

carlossainz55 beautiful photos. she’ll love those

→ User4 who’s she?!

lewishamilton🤍🩵

fernandoalo_official congratulations to the happy couple

User5 the entire grid are commenting on this post, clearly having been in attendance. who IS IT?

pierregasly c’était une belle mariée

liked by YourUserName

User6 guys, y/n’s name on socials just changed from y/l/n to ricciardo

liked by danielricciardo

━━━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━━━

03•04•2024

YourUserName just posted with danielricciardo

liked by kellypiquet, maxverstappen1 and others

YourUserName my husband helped with this project. baby ric coming aug 2024

9,550 comments

kellypiquet you will be the most beautiful mother. i’m so honoured to be part of this with you 💕

→ YourUserName stop you’re going to make me cry. you’ll be the most perfect godmother

→ kellypiquet i still think you should've married me instead

maxverstappen1 i call godfather

→ landonorris no you don’t get to call godfather! you already got to be a groomsman

→ maxverstappen1 yeah because who helped get them back together

→ YourUserName kelly

→ danielricciardo me

→ YourUserName no, babe

danielricciardo and before you all ask, no I haven’t stopped crying since she told me

→ kellypiquet me too, dan, me too

maxverstappen1 on a serious note, i am very happy for the two of you. y/n will be a wonderful mother, and daniel, he’ll be there also

charles_leclerc i am so excited. alex keeps telling me to stop buying baby things for you guys but i just don’t listen

→ YourUserName well at least you can safely say that uncle charl bought little mcqueen’s love

→ User7 uncle charl!!!!

lewishamilton congratulations, you two. y/n looks amazing

fernandoalo_official how lovely 💚

User8 omg it WAS their wedding lando attended!!!!!

hulkhulkenberg baby ricciardo!!

pierregasly congratulations. i can’t wait to be uncle GASSLYYYYYY

alex_albon welcome baby ricciardo

→ lilymhe it’s not an alien, alex. you don’t have to greet it so formally

redbullracing we’re all so excited for the upcoming grid baby. working on a racer stroller right this minute

→ mclaren you stole our gift idea!

→ redbullracing you stole our driver!

carlossainz55 congratulations y/n and daniel 😄

mercedesamgf1 what wonderful news 🍼

landonorris i’m just so glad i can go back to calling you mum and dad without daniel wanting to drive his car into the barrier

━━━━━━ ༻𖥸༺ ━━━━━━

Please don’t hate me for this! I did say from the beginning that Part 2s would be redemption.

I’ve had this planned and written since before Part 1 was published so when half of you then asked for her to get with another driver/move on, I was like noooooo I’ve already planned their baby 😂

As always. Requests welcome. If you have requested, I promise I’m not ignoring it, it’s been added to my queue

Baby Fever Angst Part 1s

Max’s Version | Lando's Version | Lance’s Version

Charles’ Version | Oscar’s Version

Tag list

@bibissparkles @barcelonaloverf1life @rlalliehayes @dullypully @softtina @callsignwidow @lav3nder-haze @minkyungseokie @luvrrish @fall-bambi @evans-dejong @sadsierra2 @justdreamersdream @spookystitchery @dark-night-sky-99 @majusialikesfastcars @luckyladycreator2 @bborra @mrosales16 @reguluscrystals @tvdtw4ever @alwaysclassyeagle @gigicisneros @spanishcorndogs @thecubanator2 @goldenharrysworld @awritingtree @jxnellat @sbrn0905 @hc-dutch @buckybarnessweetheart @ironmaiden1313 @dreamercrowd @yourbane @reguluscrystals @peachiicherries @g-l-o-b-e-w-h-o-r-e @weekendlusting @leclercsluvs @hannannannannannah @lifeless-firefly @sinofwriting @exotic-iris13 @imperfect-paragon @dan3avocado @barcelonaloverf1life @avillagesperson @hard4ndsoft @justzluv @laneyspaulding19 @danielshoe @chocolatefanunknown @redcrescentmoons

Sorry if I missed anyone!

[sakur4ii]

Rooted Connections Pt.2

Charles Xavier x Reader x Erik Lensherr

the gender of the reader is not specified

Note: I will not make a third part, I hope you like it. Also reminder that English is not my first language, let me know if there are any mistakes I didn't notice (especially with pronouns).

Summary: feelings come out, plants love romance and you are still as blind as in the first part.

Finally, peace.

After supposedly saving the future from great chaos, Charles decided to reopen the doors of his school, offering you to stay with him. You accepted because you didn't want to leave him alone, feeling his sadness through the earth. Although in reality, he wasn’t alone; he now had his students, but the connection the three of you had created was so strong that you feared that if you also left, he would break again.

Years have passed, and now the school is full, and you are a teacher.

You walk through the halls, searching for something, maybe someone, though you’re not sure. The mansion’s plants have warned you but haven’t specified anything, so you proceed cautiously, trying to find some intruder.

"Professor Y/N,” you hear, a voice you know well.

“What is it, Jean?” You turn around; you can’t see her clearly, but you can feel her nerves and hear her heart beating faster than usual.

“Someone is approaching from the backyard.”

Before she finishes speaking, you are already running to the backyard. The plants don’t want to reveal anything, and for some reason, you don’t feel any unusual presence, leading you to assume that the earth doesn’t want you to know who the intruder is on purpose.

Once your bare feet touch the green, damp grass, you stop feeling the presence of everyone at the school except for the person sitting on the grass a few feet away from you, and Charles, who is coming up behind you.

You take slow steps toward the seated person, hearing a gasp behind you. You sit down next to him and wait for Charles to come closer until he is on the other side of the man.

“What are you doing here, Erik?” Charles asks. You can feel his conflicting emotions through his voice. On one hand, he is happy to see him again and that it isn’t to stop him from killing all of humanity and condemning mutants. On the other hand, he’d love to punch him again for prioritizing revenge and abandoning him.

But you focus more on the absolute pain you feel from Erik through the earth. You can feel him mourning, yet also very angry, seeking comfort to avoid vengeance.

When Charles doesn’t receive any response, and you can assume he also starts to feel the man’s emotions, you wrap your arm around Erik’s shoulders, pulling him into a side hug, enough for him to start crying.

“I tried,” he sobs into your neck, while Charles sits on the ground, leaving the chair aside and firmly holding Erik’s hand between his own. “I tried to live like them, to blend in, and they… they killed my wife and daughter.”

You don’t know what to say; you don’t know how to comfort him with words, so you just rub his back. You know Charles is afraid of saying something wrong, something that will only make the situation worse, so both of you remain silent, comforting your old friend (and the third missing piece of the puzzle) through gentle touches.

“I didn’t know where else to go… you’re all I have left.”

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

You weren’t born blind; you had the privilege of seeing the color of the sky and vegetation. You had the privilege of having a favorite color, but an accident occurred, and it was no longer worth thinking about things like a favorite book or a favorite flower because you couldn’t see anything anymore.

Plants are very talkative; they always have been. They love to gossip, and they love drama. The day before the accident, they were very hysterical, sensing something bad was coming, but they couldn’t say what.

Then the accident happened, and you were hospitalized. The plants felt guilty, apologizing over and over, even the plants you didn’t know but who knew you, apologizing and feeling ashamed that they hadn’t been useful, that they couldn’t prevent the tragedy.

It was when you lost your sight that your powers began to manifest: control of the earth, the ability to feel through it. Your mentors were the plants, the trees, and the earth itself. You learned that you could see through the roots of trees, and that was an easy way to find something or someone.

When you met Charles, even before the man arrived at your house, the plants were more talkative than usual. They told you everything they knew, like how Logan was from the future and needed help, your help. But they mostly talked about Professor X and a puzzle. You couldn’t understand them, but their excitement amused you.

When they freed Erik from that cell, the plants began talking non-stop again, once more about a supposed puzzle and Erik’s entire life, about how angry they were with some of his actions but how much they appreciated him.

The first time they fell completely silent was when Erik shot Raven; the second was when Erik fled to avoid being captured.

The third time you didn’t understand the silence; you were listening to Charles reading to his younger students, and out of nowhere, the plants fell silent, a mourning silence.

And the fourth time was the day after the third when Erik appeared unannounced at the school. Although it was more for drama—did I mention they are dramatic?

Erik stayed at the school, purposely obtaining the room that was between yours and Charles’.

If before the plants always talked about Charles, Erik, and his family and the children at school, now, whenever you entered your room, they only talked about Charles and Erik. You only heard about the children if you went outside.

A couple of years have passed. Erik is visibly better, happier, and that makes you happy because it’s real, he’s not pretending, and you’re the first to know that.

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

Your room is a madhouse; you feel like you’re losing your sanity. They won’t stop talking about how handsome, intelligent, and kind Charles is, or how hot, serious, and cunning Erik is. They have the audacity to tease you for not being able to see them, those bitches. When did they go from remorse to mockery?

“What time is it?” you ask, tired, sitting on the edge of your bed while putting on your sunglasses. They all ignore you, except for some jasmine flowers Charles gave you for your birthday along with some heart-shaped sunglasses.

You leave the room, grateful for the silence the hallway plants give you. You don’t know what to do; maybe you’ll go to the kitchen and eat some ice cream, you’re not sure.

When you arrive at the kitchen and take out a tub of ice cream and a spoon, you’re surprised that no plant has told you not to eat something so cold in the middle of the night, raising your suspicions.

You focus on the earth, sensing how all the children and adults are sleeping, everyone except Xavier and Lensherr, which makes you sigh tiredly.

Lately, the plants not only wouldn’t stop talking about them, but they also did everything possible to ensure you spent most of your time in the same room with them, and you only complied because deep down, you wanted that too.

You finish the ice cream and walk through the halls to Charles’ office, without any obstacles in the way (the children make sure not to leave anything lying around that might hinder you, even though they know you could easily avoid it; they fear you might get distracted and have an accident).

—“Come in”— you hear in your head, making you jump in place, and some nearby flowers laugh.

You open the door, and for some reason, they’re both sitting on a three-seater couch. Charles’ wheelchair is set aside to not get in the way, and the plants laugh conspiratorially.

«Speak of the devil…» a flower murmurs, sparking your curiosity.

“Can’t sleep?” Xavier asks. You shake your head. The other man is silent; you know he’s watching you, his intense gaze on you. Sometimes you think he has the power to read souls and keeps it a secret.

Charles laughs at your thought, but you don’t notice him elbowing Erik to stop being so obvious.

“Come sit with us, darling.”

The flowers and plants in the room react as if the pet name was directed at them, as if expressing what you don’t dare express even in your own head for fear the telepath might discover your feelings.

Smiling, you approach the couch. Erik, the closest to you, takes your hand and guides you to sit between them.

“What were you talking about?” you ask.

“Nothing important; we were just planning to take the older kids on a field trip, maybe,” Charles responds, and you know he’s not lying, but from the booing of the plants, you can tell that wasn’t what they were discussing before you arrived.

Erik remains silent; you can’t figure out why. Lately, you can’t sense his feelings, only his emotions, and you can guess that the earth is hiding them on purpose—or maybe the metal?

What you do sense is his knee brushing against yours and his gaze trying not to linger on you for too long.

You tilt your head to one side, sharpening your hearing, trying to pick up something more; you don’t know what, but you want to hear all their movements and, above all, the beating of their hearts.

Just when you perfectly hear their rapid heartbeats, the plants start making a ruckus, making you frown.

“What’s wrong?” Erik finally speaks.

“Why don’t the plants want me to hear your heartbeats?”

Unbeknownst to you, Erik and Charles share a wide-eyed look of complicity.

—“We should tell her”— Erik.

—“Now?”— Charles.

The silence between the two men creates a lump in your throat. Since that day on the plane, you felt like you were missing something in the dynamic, all because you couldn’t see. You felt out of place in moments like these, where they might be communicating with just a glance—or worse, telepathically. You hated the thought that they were having secret conversations, thinking that they were using the fact that you couldn't see to communicate in secret. And you hated knowing they were communicating because you could feel the change in emotions through the ground, but what you hated even more was that now you couldn't even feel the emotions of the two men because nature decided to turn its back on you this time.

Tired, you get up from the couch.

"Sorry for interrupting your time alone, I'm going to bed."

You avoid the obstacles you can't feel now but know are there.

"Y/N, no, wait! It's not what you think, let me explain," Charles says, while Erik gets up and runs towards you, grabbing you so you won't escape (and without you knowing, preventing you from bumping into the closed door).

"Listen to them, listen to them, listen to them," the plants chant in unison as you squirm in his grip. The earth allows you to see through your feet again, finally letting you feel the emotions of the two men, which makes you stop struggling and fall into shock at what you're sensing.

"You two are in love," you whisper.

Erik leads you back to the couch and sits you down so that you're facing the telepath, while he hugs you from behind and hides his face in the crook of your neck. He's embarrassed.

Charles gently removes your sunglasses, and you can feel his emotions not just through the ground but also inside your head. He takes your hand in his.

"We’ve been debating whether or not to tell you; we didn't know how you'd react, darling."

"So much secrecy just to tell me you two are dating? I'm not homophobic if that's what you were worried about," you say with an amused smile.

You're sure both men are rolling their eyes.

«Don't be an idiot» a flower says.

"Shush."

Charles laughs while Erik raises an eyebrow in a questioning manner towards him, knowing he's missing something.

"We're not just dating, Y/N. We love you as much as we love each other, and we want you to be a part of what we have because you're the missing piece of the puzzle," says Charles.

"And we want you to be officially ours," adds Erik.

Their words take you by surprise, making your heart race a thousand miles an hour. You're sure you're blushing, and loose words echo in your head.

The missing piece of the puzzle... ha... that sounds familiar.

At some point during the evening, you moved to Erik's room (the one furthest from the other rooms, with only one flower that you gave him a long time ago), where you shared kisses, hugs, words, and feelings. Where you expressed the great love you share, making grand plans for the future. And where you realized that you never were out of place; rather, you had always been missing, so they could feel complete.

The End.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

@djlnkaled @kindlover @only-nope @larissa1379 👋❤️

[requiemforthepoets]

this time, i’ll love you much better 𖦹 FA14 (pt.2)

click here for the part 1

PAIRINGS: fernando alonso x ex-wife!reader

SUMMARY: as the great peabo bryson once said, and i quote, “the best of romances deserves second chances.” and oh how fernando would love to prove that. he let you go before, but now that you’re back, he’ll take his chances.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: finallyyy here’s the part 2 guys. i decided to make this a 3 part series. idk, writing for more than 6k of words will send me into a coma lol so i just decided to make it a 3 part series. this was supposed to be posted the other day, but i wasn’t finished yet and i’ve been busy playing supermarket simulator lol this is not proofread, so i’m sorry for the typos but i hope you’ll enjoy this one! :)

***i’m accepting for taglist as well for this fic hehe just message me or comment if you want to be tagged.

REMINDER: this is purely fiction, the way how the character is portrayed in my story does not reflect to the person that is portraying my character in real life. always separate fiction from reality, and do not repost or copy my work in any way.

WORD COUNT: 6.3k

WARNINGS: typos

The moment Jullianna received Sofia’s message that they’ll be flying off to Spain, she immediately put a plan into action. Well, there’s no plan at all, it was decided that she’ll just wing it, and hopefully, Fernando will go with it. But knowing Fernando, he’ll surely do it without any complaints. It’s his daughter that is asking, and what his daughter wants, his daughter gets.

Jullianna made her way to Fernando’s home office and knocking on the door softly, “papá?” She waited for a reply before entering the office, “yes, mi vida? You can come in.”

“Papá, I had finally thought about what I want to do for my 13th birthday,” Fernando stopped what he was doing and put all his attention to his daughter, “really? What is it that you wanna do mija?” Jullianna doesn’t really have a clue on what she’s doing.

“I want to go to Mallorca for my birthday.” She blurted out, “Mallorca? Really?” He questioned.

She nodded, “yes. I decided that I want to celebrate my birthday there,” thinking a little bit, “maybe birthday dinner?”

“Okay,” Fernando shrugged and smiled at his daughter, “Mallorca it is.”

“Thanks, papá!” She quickly rushed to Fernando, hugging him tightly. “Okay, mi vida. As long as you’re happy on your special day.” He replied as he kissed Jullianna’s forehead softly.

“Is it okay if we celebrate my birthday tomorrow?” She looked up at Fernando, as he stare at her confusedly, “tomorrow? Your birthday is not until next month, are you sure you want to celebrate your birthday tomorrow?”

“Yes!” She said too quickly, “I mean yes, papá. I would very much like to celebrate my birthday tomorrow.”

Fernando was still a little bit confused, he somehow can’t figure out what’s going on inside his daughter’s head as to why she want’s to celebrate her birthday a month earlier.

“Okay no problem. I’ll be booking now the hotel, we can stay at Cap Rocat,” she nodded, “we’ll be leaving too tonight, so we can get there early.”

Right after the conversation with Fernando, Jullianna rushed towards the bedroom and began packing her stuff. She quickly sent a message to Sofia telling her that they will be in Mallorca and will be staying at the Cap Rocat hotel.

While she was in the middle of packing her things, a knock had interrupted Jullianna, “mi vida, I had invited Bianca and her parents to join us.” She let out an internal groan, which Fernando had failed to notice. Taking a deep breath and calming himself, “okay, papá.” He smiled proudly at his daughter, knowing that she’s trying to make an effort in getting to know her future mother…or so he thinks.

“It’s time for you as well to properly meet your abuelo and abuela, yeah?” Jullianna just nodded, “the wedding is in a few weeks, it doesn’t hurt to get to know your abuela and abuelo.” She just put up a thumbs up at his father, and leaving the room. Letting Jullianna continue packing her things in peace.

“Future mother my ass,” she groaned to herself, “sorry papá, but I’ll never see that witch as my mother.” At this point, she’s just throwing everything in her luggage without folding her clothes, “over my dead body. This better be all worth it, can’t believe I’m sacrificing my birthday celebration. But if it means that mamá and papá will be together again, so be it.”

This is gonna be a one hell of a week, and hoping that after all of the fiasco, her sanity is still intact.

CHANGI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

As you made your way to your private jet that was waiting for the three of you in the tarmac, you can’t help but feel your palms get sweaty due to the nervousness. After twelve whole years, you’re going back again to the place where everything had started and abruptly ended. Your mind is in haywire right now, thinking of what you would say to Fernando when you meet him again.

But it doesn’t have to be this hard, right? You’ll just swap the twins, and talk about visitation schedules. Now that the twins had met, it is not right if you would still keep them apart, besides you and Fernando shouldn’t be involved with each other anymore, you’re just simply doing this for the twins. After this has all been settled, you’ll be on your merry way again. Back to Singapore.

“Did you already speak to your papá?” You asked Sofia as you enter the jet, “uh yes! I talked go him before leaving the house. Papá said that he’s really anxious to see you.” This caused Jamie to chuckled silently, and Sofia locking eyes with her.

“He did?” You sat down at one of the seat, while both Jamie and Sofia sat in front of you, “anxious-nervous, like he’s dreading it or anxious excited like he’s looking forward to it?” A flight stewardess bad offered you a whiskey, but respectfully declined it. “No thank you.” You certainly don’t want to consume any alcohol right now.

“Anxious-excited, definitely!” Sofia and Jamie made eye contact again, and squinted at her, knowing that she’s definitely lying. “Papá said that he’ll meet us in Mallorca.”

You furrowed your eyebrows, “Mallorca? Where in Mallorca? It’s a big place.” There was a slight pause before Sofia managed to answer you, “he said he’ll meet us at the Cap Rocat hotel.”

“Alright.” You nodded and stood up from your seat to inform the captain that you’ll be redirecting the flight from Madrid to Mallorca, “I’ll just inform our captain that we’ll land in Mallorca instead.”

Once you were out of earshot, Jamie whispered to Sofia, “liar, liar, pants on fire.” She just raises a finger to her lips, motioning to Jamie that she needs to keep quiet. “Aunt Jamie, please don’t tell mamá.” Jamie just nodded and Sofia made her swear by doing a pinky promise.

“Okay, we are all set.” You sat back down on your seat.

As the jet began to exit the tarmac, you let out a deep breath. This is it, there’s no backing out. After twelve whole years, you’ll see and meet Fernando Alonso again—the man that you’ll always love and will drive you crazy.

MALLORCA, SPAIN

As soon as Jullianna and Fernando entered the entrance of the hotel, a painful screech had greeted them. Jullianna definitely know who the screech belongs to, and it belongs to the witch. She immediately rolled her eyes, and she’s not afraid for Bianca to see it, Jullianna had made it well known that she’s not fond of the woman, but always tried to hide it whenever Fernando is present.

Bianca rushed towards Fernando, as her parents was trailing right after her. Now, Jullianna may hate Bianca to the core, but she was not raised to be disrespectful, and greeted Bianca’s parents as a sign of respect for the older couple.

“Hi, darling!” Bianca greeted Fernando, kissing him on the lips. Jullianna was disgusted at the action, “mommy, daddy, this is my fiancée and the love of my life, Fernando Alonso.” Bianca said as she introduced Fernando to her folks, “and this is his adorable daughter, Sofia, who we can all thank for bringing us together this week! This entire get together was all her idea.” Bianca pinched Jullianna’s cheek a little too hard, and swatted it away hardly, causing Bianca to flinch and immediately removed her hands from Jullianna’s cheeks.

Her father bent down to Jullianna’s level and spoke, “¿cómo estás, hija? He oído nada más que cosas maravillosas sobre ti.” Fernando just beamed at you when he heard what Bianca’s father had said. You just smiled at her father and thanked him, not really in the mood to have a conversation.

“Now that pleasantries had been exchanged, why don’t we all go up to our respective rooms, freshen up, then meet for lunch?” Bianca spoke, “sounds good, I had made a reservation for us at Quadrat.” Fernando replied, making Biance smile.

“Sounds perfect!” She cheered, “while we’re at it, want to checkout the honeymoon suit? I bet it’s to die for!” He just smiled at her, “why don’t we check it later, yes? We’ll head up to our hotel room first.” Bianca just nodded and kissed Fernando on the cheeks, winked at him and walked away.

Jullianna was so caught up that he didn’t hear Fernando calling out for her, “Sofia.” She was busy peeking outside of the hotel, looking for any indication of your arrival, “mi vida, what are you looking out there for?”

She snapped her attention back to her father and just shrugged, “nothing.”

Jullianna followed Fernando to their hotel room, and hoped that you and Sofia would arrive in time.

The hotel was gorgeous, you were struck with it’s beauty. You’re happy the Mallorca was still the same last time you had visited, there were a few new establishments, but nonetheless it’s still the same. You walked up to the receptionist and confirmed your reservation, she handed you the key and thanking her.

You turned back your attention to Sofia, she was busy looking around, “sweetheart, let’s go to our room and freshen up,” she didn’t seem to hear you the first time. “Sofia, come on darling.” Jamie had tapped Sofia gently, giving her a nod in thanks.

“Oh, I’m sorry mamá!” She quickly followed you, with Jamie trailing behind her. “Is your papá already here? Since you were busy looking around.”

“Oh uh, I’m not sure.” You sighed, “okay, please update me as soon as your papá is already here, okay? The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can go back to our respective lives, with a new visitation agreements and everything.”

The moment you entered your hotel room, you threw yourself on the bed, putting an arm over your face, sighing. Jetlag is already starting to hit you. “Lunch is almost approaching, why don’t you guys freshen up?” You sat up, “where do you want to eat lunch?”

Jamie had chimed in, since she had been to Mallorca plenty of times. While you, you only went here one time, and that was years ago…with Fernando. “How about we eat at Quadrat? I’ve been there before, and the food was amazing!” She smiled, “okay, Quadrat is it! Go freshen up, darling.” You turned to Sofia.

While Jamie was in the bathroom freshening up, Sofia gently went to you and sat down on the bed while you were unpacking some new fresh set of clothes to change on, “mamá,” you stopped what you were doing and looked at Sofia softly, “yes, sweetheart.” Smiling. Sofia thought that she should come out clean, and tell you everything.

“Papá…” you urged her, “papá’s getting married.”

Your smile faltered at what Sofia just said. “Oh. I see…getting married…” you chuckled, continuing on unpacking your things. Sofia whined, “she’s awful mamá! We can’t let him go through it!” Sighing, you sat down beside her.

“Baby, there’s nothing we can do.” You gently tucked some of Sofia’s hair behind her ears and smiled, “your papá is a grown man. Capable of deciding whom he wants to marry…besides, how can you assume something about someone who you haven’t even met yet.” You gently poke her sides, causing Sofia to squirm.

“Mamá, you don’t understand. Even if I haven’t met the woman, she’s all wrong for papá!” Sofia sighed exasperatedly, “and the only way that Jullianna and I came up for him not to marry that hideous woman…is if he sees you again.” She lied down on the bed, covering her face.

“You two are trying to fix me up with your papá.” You gently removed Sofia’s hand on her face, “why not? You two are perfect for each other. You two had always been perfect for each other, a match made in heaven.” It somehow made you happy that your twin would still think about it. But twelve years had already gone by, if you and Fernando would’ve been a match made in heaven, none of all these things would have happened. The divorce wouldn’t have happened.

“Nonesense, Sofia.” You shrugged off what Sofia had said and stood from the bed, “up you go. You need to freshen up, we have a reservation in the restaurant. Let’s not keep them waiting.” Completely dismissing everything, you returned back to what you were doing. You are not in the mood to talk about the past, it was called past for a reason.

When everyone was done freshening up, you turned your attention to both Jamie and Sofia. “Okay, before we leave this hotel room, let me say this loud and clear,” you sighed, “Fernando Alonso and I no longer have anything in common. I don’t care that he’s marrying someone soon.” What you had said made Jamie looked at Sofia, and Sofia looking back at her, “I want you and Jullianna to explain to your papá that I am here for one purpose only. That is to switch you and Jullianna back and talk about new visitation agreements. Now that it’s settled, let’s do what we have to do and be done with it. Understood?” Sofia nodded in agreement. Even if you had said everything in your normal tone, it is hard to hide the fact that you were a little bit angry at the turn of events.

Arriving at the the lobby you left the hotel room key at the receptionist. “It’s not very far from the hotel, just a walking distance.” Jamie said, “that’s good! I don’t think I can handle anymore riding cars. I need some fresh air! Everything had felt stuffy.” You replied.

You grabbed Sofia’s hand gently as the three of you walked the streets of Mallorca, getting a good dose of vitamin d and a fantastic view of the ocean. When you arrived at the restaurant, the waiter directly sat you at your table, and gave you the menus to choose from. The service in the restaurant was quick since it’s not peak hours, and after fifteen minutes of waiting, your food was already served, and you three began enjoying the delicious meal.

You were enjoying your meal in silence, not really in the mood to chat from the discussion you and Sofia had back in the hotel room and how tired you were from the long flight from Singapore. “Mamá,” Sofia began, “are you nervous?” You looked at her confusedly.

“Why would I be nervous?” You replied, and continued eating. Jamie just motioned Sofia not to continue, it’s best not to trigger again your pent up anger and nervousness when you had already calmed down. “Nothing mamá, it’s nothing.” You nodded.

Sofia had already finished her meal, when she turned her attention to the entrance of the restaurant. In came Jullianna and Fernando. Her eyes immediately widened when her and Jullianna’s eyes met. You were seated where your back was facing the entrance, so you didn’t saw Jullianna and Fernando entering the restaurant since your were engrossed in a conversation with Jamie.

However, your attention was grabbed by the people that had entered the restaurant since there was a bit of commotion, you turned around discreetly, and saw the face that you never thought you would see again in your life. Quickly grabbing your purse, you pulled out your credit card, “I’ll just go to the restroom to freshen up. Darling, why don’t you get the bill?” You handed Sofia your credit card and gently stood up.

You had never walked so fast in your life. It is not how you envisioned with your mind in seeing Fernando again after twelve years—Fernando Alonso all wrapped up in another woman’s arms. Yeah, not exactly the scenario you had in mind at all. Despite of being divorced already, you can’t help but felt a little hurt with what you had seen. Trying to convince yourself that everything is okay, that you’re both single and free to date whomever you want…but the truth of it all, is that you never really got over Fernando. No siree. No matter how much Jamie introduce you to other guys, you’d somehow always find a way to ruin it and compared them to Fernando.

A little bit of tears had already been threatening to escape from your eyes, but you held it in. “Damn it, Fernando. Twelve years and you still have me falling for you like an idiot in love.” You said to yourself quietly.

Fernando glanced around to check the restaurant, that is until he spotted you, getting up from your table and quickly walking towards the restroom. A waiter passes in front of you, blocking you from his view. He didn’t want to lose sight of you, so he went after you, not hearing Jullianna’s voice calling out for him to look out. “Papá watch out!” Jullianna covered her eyes to avoid witnessing what was about to happen.

Fernando tripped on the floor’s carpet, and crashing onto a waiter that was carrying a big tray that contained food and drinks. The commotion had you turning around and stopping your tracks, only to see a man getting up from the floor, and recognizing that the man turned out to be…Fernando.

You let out a gasped and put a hand over your mouth. Fernando pulled himself up from the floor, his suit was soaking wet from the drinks that had been spilled all over him, the gash on his cheek bleeding from how the tray had hit him. He certainly wasn’t happy about what had just happened, but he helped the waiter, and apologized, promising to pay for the damages that he had caused.

He slowly walked up to you. “Fernando, hello…long time no see,” you breathed, “please try not to go crazy.”

“A little late for that advice, don’t you think?” Fernando chuckled, “what is going on? I haven’t seen or heard from you in twelve years and suddenly you’re popping up everywhere I look.” Before you could answer Fernando, Jullianna, the real Julliana had appeared beside you.

“Papá, I can explain why she’s here.” She began, “Sofia, you know who she is?” He looked at Jullianna confused, and she just nodded. “Yes, papá I know her, and actually, I’m not Sofia.” She trailed.

“I am.” Sofia, the real Sofia. Fernando looks from Jullianna to Sofia, then back to Jullianna again, until he finally looked at you. He’s beyond speechless. “Both of them? Jullianna…Sofia…”

“I guess you and mom still had that connection after all these years.” Sofia nodded in agreement, “You two had ended sending the both of us to the same camp. Sofia and I both met and the whole thing kind of just spilled out.” Jullianna had removed the part where they got in trouble during the camp, last thing they want to do is the both of you getting angry at them.

It seems like Fernando was still processing everything, “they decided to switch places on us, Fernando.” You softly said, “wait a minute. You mean I’ve had Jullianna all this time?” He was speechless.

Jullianna nodded, “I wanted to know what you were like and Sofia wanted to get to know mom.” She explained, “are you angry?” It took a while before everything sink in, then Fernando takes Jullianna into his arms, hugging her tightly.

“Mi vida, of course not.” He broke the hug, kneeling down to Jullianna’s level, “it’s just…I can’t believe that it’s you. The last time I saw you, you had diaper rash…and now, look at you.” Fernando caressed Jullianna’s cheeks softly.

“I’m quite grown up now, and without a father.” Jullianna had emphazised the word ‘father’, making Fernando chuckle lightly, “and I’m on my way to being a crazy mixed-up teenage years. I’ll be the only girl I know without a mother to fight with.” Sofia chimed in.

Fernando was still trying to put everything together, having a bit of hard time grasping everything that has been happening, “Sofia, you have been in Singapore all this time?” She nodded, “come here mi chiquitín.” He pulled Sofia softly towards him, hugging her tightly as well.

“Mamá’s amazing, papá.” Sofia broke the hug, “I don’t understand why you ever let her go.” She added, causing Fernando to smile lightly.

“Girls, why don’t you let your papá and I talk for a couple of minutes, okay?” Both of them took off, and you guided Fernando back to your table. “I hope you still remember my best friend, Jamie.” He nodded, acknowledging Jamie’s presence.

“I’ll excuse myself for a while, so you two can have your privacy. I’ll be watching over the twins for the meantime.” Jamie said smiling, as she stood up from the table and went looking for the twins.

A waiter had passed by in front of your table, you had managed to get the waiter’s attention and asked for a towel and first aid kit. “I can’t believe this. Seeing them together…I, how are you, mi amor?” The nickname had you in stupor, “I’m so sorry,” Fernando apologized the way how he called you. “No, no. It’s fine…I’ve been terrific, how about you?” He just chuckled, “well, I’ve had better day.” Fernando touches his cheeks, and winced at the small wound that he earned from the disaster minutes ago.

Just in time, the waiter had arrived with the first aid and towel in hand. Thanking him, you put down the first aid kit on the table and gave Fernando the towel, “let me help you with that.” You brought your chair near him so that you can tend to his wound, “how is your dad? Still sneaking those stogies?” He said as he looked up to you. “Every single day.” You exchanged smiles.

Fernando was just staring at you while you tend to to his wound, “I can’t believe you still haven’t changed at all…” he trailed off, “you thought that maybe I’d be fat and grey?” You chuckled, “well, not grey…ouch!” He winced.

“There you are!” A voice had caught both of you and Fernando’s attention, “I just talked to the manager and one second you’re already gone…” Bianca stopped midway as she saw you and Fernando so close enough to be kissing, and was taken aback. There was also a sudden realization in her face the moment she saw who you were. “Oh my god, you are Y/N Young…” she was looking back and forth at you and Fernando, “I don’t understand, how did you two meet…and why are you drenched?” She turned to Fernando.

There was a silence, no one had answered Bianca. “This is one small world…” Fernando trailed off, “how small?” Theres was a bit of anger in her eyes, but Bianca had kept her composure.

Sofia had witnessed the scene from a distance, and decided to intervene. She couldn’t stay still, so she walked away before Jamie can stop her, with Jullianna following suit.

“Hola, Bianca.” Sofia had greeted Bianca, “hello,” she held back. “Hello.” Jullianna chimed in, waving a hand at Bianca, causing to scream seeing the two of them.

“Did I ever mentioned to you that Sofia was a twin?” Bianca was at loss for words, “no, as a matter of fact, you didn’t. Two of them?! How fabulous.” She can handle one child alone, but now that she found at that there are two of them, she has to rethink of a new plan how to get rid of them both.

“Oh don’t feel bad, Bianca!” Sofia said, “papá never mentioned it to me either. Imagine my suprise,” she made a fake surprised expression. “By the way, I’m the real Sofia, and this is my twin, Jullianna. She was just pretending to be me while I was in Singapore pretending to be her. This is our mamá, Y/N Young.” She added as Sofia introduced you to Bianca, “by the way papá, I want to legally change my name to Sofia Young-Alonso.” Sofia smiled cheekily.

Bianca looked at you incredulously, as if you had just offended her. “This-this is your mother?” The twins just nodded, “you were married to Fernando Alonso?” She turned to you. “Guilty,” you raised both of your hands in surrender, “well this is a small world. What a coincidence that we are all here on the exact same weekend.” Her smile tightened.

“Well it’s not really a coincidence.” You softly smiled, “the children arranged it so their papá and I could work out the custody situation.” Bianca looked at the twins and they were just smiling at her, further pissing her off.

Later that night, the twins had organized a family dinner, it will be just you, Fernando, and them. The four of you are already together, so why not make the most of it.

As Fernando was fixing his suit and tie in front of the mirror, Bianca was sitting at the bed, clearly looking unhappy when Fernando had said that he’ll be going to dinner tonight with you and the twins.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t see why you need to go on a dinner with your ex-wife.” Bianca said, “why couldn’t you just meet her in the lobby, discuss the custody situation, shake hands and say good bye? I’ll exactly tell you why, it’s because your daughters do not want me to marry you!”

Fernando just sighed. “You know that’s not true.” But she just rolled her eyes at him, “it’s true! They see me like I’m some kind of evil stepmother. Trust me, Fernando, I’m not being paranoid. I swear, those girls have something up on their sleeves.” For sure Fernando didn’t have to deal with anything like this with you.

“Bianca, calm down. The girls have never had a meal with both of their parents their entire lives, how could I say no?” She stood up, “I told you to let me represent you on all your negotiations, didn’t I?” By now, Fernando is being fed up with this conversation.

“I need to get to dinner.” Bianca had managed to grab Fernando by his wrist, “but Fernando, what am I supposed to do while you are gone?” She whined. “I don’t know, what the television and order some food? I’ll be back before you know it.” Fernando was able to pry off Bianca and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Fernando and Sofia, both dressed to the nines, are already waiting by the entrance of the hotel for you and Jullianna. “Sofia, mi vida, I already had enough surprises for the day. Why don’t you just tell me where we are going, yes?” Sofia just shake her head no, refusing to tell him. “It will be ruined if I tell you anything, papá. But trust me, you’re going to love it!” She said excitedly.

Just then, you and Jullianna came out of the hotel, thanking the staff for opening the door for the both of you. You are wearing a gorgeous black dress that was recommended by Jamie. Fernando was trying not to admire you too openly.

“Hey,” he softly greeted you. “Hi…so do you know where they will be taking us?” You smiled, “I tried, but Sofia won’t crack.” This just caused you both to laugh.

“Okay, now you both need to put these on. You can take them off once we arrive at the destination.” Sofia handed both of you a blindfold, “we’re going in that limo?” Fernando’s face contorted into a confusion, wondering where and how did the twins managed to pull off a limo. “You want me to drive?” Sofia sassed, and he just surrendered.

You’re not very keen on your sight be taken away, you had unconsciously grabbed Fernando’s hand. Smiling to himself, he just squeezed your hand gently. It was a twenty minute drive when you had arrived at the destination, the twins got out first and guided the two of you out of the limo.

“You can now take them off.” Jullianna said in excitement.

As you take off your blindfolds, you gasped and your eyes widened as you look ahead and saw an exquisite 150 foot yacht, all lit up and bobbing gently at the waves of the sparkling bay.

“Surprise!” Both of the twins said, “she’s ours for the night.” Jullianna said. “And how exactly are we paying for her?” Fernando directed his gaze at Jullianna, “well…we had a little bit of help from grandpa…” she trailed off.

You and Fernando just exchanged a quizzical look and followed the girl towards the entrance of the yacht, where a uniformed Captain welcomes all of you aboard. Sofia had led you all to the deck, where there is a candle-lit table that is set for two in the middle of the dining room. You can see the entire view of the vast Mediterranean sea, lit by the yacht’s twinling lights.

“Why is the table only set for two?” Fernando questioned, “that’s the other part lf the surprise! Jullianna and I won’t be joining you tonight.” They both smiled cheekily, “you’re not?” You asked, while the twins just just shook their heads.

The twins disappeared at the deck and a man dressed in ship’s steward, in tropical white had entered. “Good evening, sir and madam. I’ll be your server for tonight.” Fernando had pulled your chair out for you to seat down, thanking him. “May I both offer you a champagne?” Fernando nodded, as the ship’s steward pour each of your glass a champagne.

There was a comforting silence, “you know, it’s incredibly sweet for them to do this.” You said, chuckling. “It is very sweet, indeed.” Fernando just smiled at you.

As the yacht sailed, a soft wind blowed in your hair, and this had made Fernando stare at you lovingly. But before he further get lost in your beauty, he lift his glass for a toast. “Well then, here’s to…” you lifted your own glass as you finished his sentence, “our daughters.” It was not exactly what Fernando had in mind, but okay. “To our daughters.”

The twins had decided to sneak a peak at you and Fernando, and they are happy that to see that you two are toasting.

“You know,” Fernando began. “I always see you in Sofia, something about her eyes reminds me of you.” He chuckled. “That’s funny, because I had always seen you in Jullianna, the way she smiles completely resembles you when you smile.”

There was an awkward moment as you both sip your champagne. Glancing by the deck’s entrance, the twins had drop out of sight when you both had caught them taking a peak, and this had just caused you to giggle.

“They turned out pretty good, huh?” Fernando smiled. “We’ve been lucky.” You smiled back at him.

“Sometime, if we’re ever really alone, maybe we could talk about…what happened between us.” Fernando stared directly at you, and you are holding yourself from melting. Those eyes, it always does something to you, it makes you weak on the knees. But what can you do? Fernando always had a beautiful eyes. “It all feels a bit hazy to me now, it ended so fast.”

“It started so fast.” You softly said, “now that part I remember perfectly.” He chuckled.

“So…you’ve done incredibly well. I didn’t know that you’re back in F1.” Fernando smirked at you, “I see that you’re still updated about me, eh?” You nearly spit your champagne, “I am not! You know very well that my father is still one of the major sponsors in one of the teams, and he would tell me all this stuff every once in a while. So don’t you go assuming things.” You said defensively and he just laughed at you.

“I’m just kidding, no need to be all defensive on me.” He smiled, “yeah, I’m back in F1. But enough about me, how about you? I hear that you’re big name in fashion, exactly what you wanted to do…that is pretty impressive. Always thought that you’ll be running the family business.” You just smiled at him, “yeah. Well, the thing about running the family business is still open. Maybe in a couple of years, I’ll take charge. Dad is still handling the business like it has always been. It’s pretty amazing that we both ended up where we wanted to be…” you trailed off. “We did.”

The ship’s steward enters, carrying two bowls of soup and placed it in front of you, and left right after. “So what do we do about the girls?” You pondered, “I guess now that they’ve met, you can’t expect them to be apart of each other…I could keep them half the year and you could-“ before you can finish what you’re saying, Fernando had cut you off. “They can’t go to two schools every year, y/n.” You nodded, “okay, I can keep them for a whole year, and then you could-“ he cut you off again. It’s like every time you suggest something, he cuts you off.

“Listen, y/n. This is why we both came up with the solution we have right now.” You looked at him intently, “really? I thought it was because we decided to never see each other again.” Fernando just frowned at you, “not we, y/n.”

“You know, that part has become a bit hazy for me as well over the years.” You said as you start your soup, “you don’t remember the day you packed?”

“Oh no, I remember that day very perfectly. Did I hurt you when I threw that hair dryer? I’ve often wondered.” Fernando rubbed his shoulder in an impulse, “yes, it did hurt. So how come you never got married again? I’ve always figured by now that you’d be remarried with a new family.” You nearly choked on your soup and grabbed a tissue.

“Me? Getting remarried? No…no, no…no.” He chuckled at your reaction, “that’s a lot of no’s.” You sighed, “that’s because I realized that marriage is not for me. Jamie did help me set up a few dates, but I always ended up ruining it.”

There was a beat of silence again. “You know, this may be the only time that I’ll get to be alone with you, so I’m throwing everything out in the open.” He sighed, “about the day you packed, why did you do it?”

“Fernando…” you looked at him softly, “we were getting along so badly, we both had tempers, and ended up saying things that hurts us. So I packed my things and left, catch the first flight home, and you didn’t even come after me.” That night when you and Fernando had a big argument, you had enough and just packed up, grabbed Jullianna, leaving him.

“I didn’t know I was supposed to.” He responded quietly. “Well, any of it doesn’t matter now. Let’s just put on a good front for the kids, and get this show on the road, shall we?” Fernando couldn’t do anything but just nod, “yeah, you’re right.”

Both of you ate the food in silence, no one bothered speaking right after that conversation. Fernando would make small talks with you, but you’ll just end up answering all straight to the point, no chance of him prolonging the conversation.

Last night’s dinner was full of silence, you and Fernando weren’t able to talk about the custody, and today is the day that you and Jullianna were flying back to Singapore. It has been silently agreed upon that both of your respective lawyers will just handle everything. You had been missing meetings left and right if you prolong this situation, you needed to fly back to Singapore.

You gave the twins some time to say theid goodbyes in the hotel room while you’re at the fromt desk, signing the bill. After signing the bill, you give your thanks to the bellman and left him a hefty tip.

“Alright, we are all set! Where’s Jullianna?” You turned to Jamie, “she just texted me, she and Sofia are on the way down.” Just then, Fernando arrived in the lobby, without Bianca. But you couldn’t care less.

“Okay, so I’ll uh, send Sofia to you over christmas.” You nodded, “and I’ll see that Jullianna spends easter with you.”

The twins came out of the elevator, dressed identical to each other, making it hard to tell who’s who. This made you and Fernando looked at each other, “this one’s Sofia, I’m sure of it.” He said as he grabs Jullianna, and Sofia just grinned. “I hope you’re right, papá. You don’t wanna send the wrong kid all the way back to Singapore.” Fernando looked at you, silently asking for help.

“Okay, here’s our proposition. We go back to papá’s house, pack our stuff and the four of us go on a camping trip.” The twins smiled, “camping? The four of us? Girls, don’t do this to me right now. I had enough headache as it is.” You sighed as you put a hand on your forehead, “or you do as I say and I take one of you back with to Singapore, whether you like it or not.”

It was two against one, and in the end, everything was pushed back, since your powers did not work against the twins. All of your appointments were rescheduled, and Jamie had to return to Singapore since her company needed her. It appears that just you and Jullianna will be returning to Singapore following the twins' desired camping excursion. You decided to accept everything since there was no point in resisting, and before long, you were headed back to Fernando's house. All you can do is hope that everything goes as planned.

< taglist >

@pear-1206 , @hc-dutch , @llando4norris , @issi-loves-dannyric , @gaypoetsblog , @timmychalametsstuff

[paisleypens]

too cool pt. 2 | spencer agnew x f!reader

the hair i’m crying.

thank you for the love on the last one!! here’s part 1

i was so busy recently but i love this story so let me know what you think! new part soon trust

~~~

In the days that followed their impromptu trip to the park, Spencer panicked over his feelings for Y/N. He hadn’t felt this close to anyone in a non platonic way in a while. After endless hours of thinking about her and their excursion, Spencer realized something haunting. No way was he cool enough for someone like her. Yes they could nerd out together, but why would she want to be with someone like that? He concluded that Y/N would never choose him as the ideal guy for her.

The next few days passed in a blur of meetings, rehearsals, and editing sessions. Spencer and Y/N maintained their easy rapport, but the unspoken tension simmered beneath the surface, growing more palpable with each passing interaction.

It was during a casual lunch break that the topic of relationships surfaced. They sat at a small table, sandwiches forgotten as they engaged in a lighthearted debate about romantic comedies.

"I've never been a fan of those over-the-top love stories," Spencer commented, taking a sip of his Kickstart.

Y/N raised an eyebrow playfully. "Oh, really? You’re too cool for a good slow-burn romance?"

Spencer chuckled, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. "Well, I suppose there's something nice about the anticipation, the build-up between two people. But maybe I'm just not cool enough to get it."

Their eyes met briefly, a shared misunderstanding of their words passing between them before they both looked away, the moment lingering in the air like an unspoken confession.

As the days passed, their dance of denial continued. They buried their feelings beneath layers of professional camaraderie, exchanging playful banter and supportive gestures while tiptoeing around the undeniable chemistry that crackled between them.

It was a delicate balance, a silent agreement to keep their emotions in check for the sake of their work and friendship. But with each passing day, the longing glances and fleeting touches spoke volumes, unspoken desires waiting to be acknowledged.

As the days turned into weeks and the unspoken tension between Spencer and Y/N continued to simmer, Spencer found himself grappling with a realization he couldn't ignore—he was falling for her.

It was an unusually quiet Tuesday afternoon in the office, the usual hustle and bustle replaced by a serene calm. Spencer sat at his desk, fingers tapping absently on the keyboard as he tried to focus. But his mind kept drifting, thoughts consumed by Y/N and the unspoken emotions that had taken root in his heart.

He replayed moments in his mind—the shared laughter, the stolen glances, the way her eyes lit up when they discussed their favorite games. Each memory was like a whispered confession, a testament to the depth of his feelings. Spencer leaned back in his chair, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. He knew he couldn't continue denying his feelings, couldn't keep pretending that his heart didn't ache every time Y/N walked away.

“Hey, you good man? You’re looking pretty… gone right now.” Spencer's friend and closest working relationship, Shayne Topp, asked him.

“Yeah… yeah uh what’s up?” Spencer coughed out.

“Well I was going to ask what your dinner plans are but… do you want to talk?” Shayne asked, his eyebrows sewing together in worry.

“No it’s dumb I don’t- I don’t even know what i’d say.” Spencer answered, slumping down in his chair farther.

“Shoot.”

“Well… I really like someone. I- I can’t get her out of my head. I can’t work, I can barely sleep when I could just stay up thinking about her.” Spencer admitted.

“Damn, to be honest I never thought I would see this day. What’s stopping you from getting her?” Shayne questioned, laughing at his school yard confession.

“I don’t man have you seen me?”

“Uh yeah you’re the ideal man.”

“Very funny. But no I'm serious she’s- let’s just say she is way too cool for me. Very far out of my league.”

“Dude have you seen my relationship? If you like her that much it’s dumb to torture yourself like this.”

“Yeah but, we're friends. What if I screw it up?”

“But what if you don’t?”

[corriganatheart]

When will you publish the next part of if he was mine can’t wait so excited

if he was MINE Pt. II/ João Félix x reader

Synopsis: You’re secretly in love with your best friend, who is in a toxic relationship.

Pairings: João Félix x fem!reader x Mbappé

Genre: One sided romance, and love triangle.

1 month after the World Cup

“Bro, come here. I need to spill something,” Achraf Hakimi says as soon as his best friend, Kylian Mbappé, enters the locker room. His other teammates, who pay no attention to the duo, were too busy talking and preparing for practice to care. It has also become customary for Hakimi to tell Mbappé the latest gossip, and most of the time, it is useless, so no one really cares about his “teas.” “If this is about babysitting your kids so you can have some quiet time with your wife, I reject,” Mbappé says immediately, knowing his best friend's motives. “No, you asshole, this one is even juicier,” Hakimi says and pulls his friend's arm before anyone can hear. Glaring at Neymar, who was curiously staring at the duo, Hakimi leaned into Mbappé’s ear, “Y/N has requested I give you her number,” he said while wiggling his eyebrows. Mbappé surprisedly yelped back, but he was grinning. “Seriously? Then what are you waiting for?” Mbappé excitedly says and shoves his phone to his friend. The others saw a shift in Mbappé’s mood and looked at each other, wondering what the gossip was about this time. “Do you know why they're not friends anymore?” Mbappé asked. Hakimi looks around the locker room and leans in, “they got into an argument about Magui again, and he’s back with her.” Mbappé stares at his friend in disbelief, it has been a almost a month since the drama started, and there were rumors that João has finally moved on, but now he’s potentially back with her. That can’t be good.

“What the heck are you guys talking about this time?” Neymar asked while approaching the duos, Messi following behind. “Oh, you know, the usual,” Hakimi sassily said, causing Neymar to roll his eyes. “You need us to babysit your kids again so you can get laid?” Hakimi angrily throws a water bottle at Neymar, causing everyone to laugh. “You guys are the worst kind of teammates!” Shrugging, Neymar waits for Mbappé to answer his previous question, but the man just shrugs. “You’ll know it later. It’s a surprise.”

1 week later

Breaking news: João Félix's best friend Y/N, who was once caught up in cheating allegations with him, has moved on. She was caught dining with PSG star Kylian Mbappé and was seen leaving the restaurant together, holding hands. Mbappé, best friend of teammate Hakimi, was seen cheering when Morocco beat Portugal in the quarter-final. Could Mbappé hang out with Y/N to add more fuel, or could this actually be a true romance?

2 minutes later

The Golden Boy: I can’t believe you would do something like that to spite me. I have been trying to talk to you for a month, and you pull this shit. Now my name is brought into the drama because you’re known as João Félix's best friend; leave me out of this drama. Good luck fucking that womanizer.

Incoming call from Kylian

“Hey,” you said, leaning up against your bed.

“Tired yet, bèbè?” He asked, and you could hear video games being played behind him and a couple of his friends snickering and teasing him in French.

“No. I saw the articles; I didn’t expect them to come out so soon,” you shrugged. Mbappé laughs, “that’s how fast the paparazzi are. Sometimes they know shit that even I didn’t know about myself.”

You smile and hear the background noise finally getting quieter, meaning he’s now in a secluded area. “I had fun tonight,” he says, causing you to smile. “Same; thanks for dinner.” Mbappé hums, and you hear him sigh a relief. “Look, I mean what I said about being interested in you, but I get it your feelings aren’t going to go right away. And I would be up for this relationship,” he says. You stay quiet and think about the potential of harming Kylian and João’s feelings. During the dinner, you talked about what happened because Hakimi had spilled the tea. And Mbappé understood that you’re doing this to get over João and make him jealous. At first, he was disappointed, but he likes you, so he volunteered to fake date you. “That’s going to be a lot of drama, you know. I don’t want you to be harassed for it.” Kylian didn’t say anything for a quick minute, but then he cleared his throat. “As embarrassing as it is to admit this, dating you would also clear up rumors about my sexuality. People have been saying weird shit that I’m into men, but let me tell you, I’m really into sleeping with Women.” You laughed because you’ve seen TikTok’s being made about that, and you wouldn’t even care if he was or wasn’t. But you had an idea that he’s pretty straight because so many women have complimented his style in the bedroom.

“You can always back up whenever you want,” you said. “I don’t want you going into something that will potentially harm your reputation.” Mbappé shrugs, obviously finding no harm in faking a relationship with you. “Same goes for you. If you feel like you’re falling for my charms, feel free to back out,” he teases. You laughed and thought of all the possible consequences that could happen. Mbappé is said to be a womanizer, but he has not made a move on you like you thought he would, but he is a flirt. If anything, people would assume you guys are just casual and wouldn’t be surprised it didn’t last. On the other hand, your friendship with João might never be the same. He was already upset that you were photographed with Mbappé, so imagine if you confirmed your relationship with him, you might never be best friends again. “Hey, ima let you get some sleep,” Mbappé says softly. You smile because his voice is just so charming, and if your heart didn’t belong to someone else, you would’ve folded immediately. “Thanks, Kylian, goodnight.”

Breaking News: João Félix and Magui Corceiro confirms to be back together. The duo took a short break after a cheating scandal but seemed happier than ever from the Instagram pictures that Magui posted.

Kylian: Fly out to watch us Saturday? 🥺

You: N meet your nosy ass friends? Lol

Kylian: you are bound to meet my circle anyways😏 we are dating remember?

You: “dating” I suppose I should be supporting my “bf”🤔

Kylian: awe you hurt my feelings with those quotation marks 😓 I got a t shirt for you btw🥰

You: 😲 is it Neymar’s?

Kylian: fuck no! you’re wearing my name

You: jk😝 ig I’ll see you Saturday then!

Kylian: okay bébé🙌🏼 I’ll book you a plane ticket, and you’re staying at my place. 😌

You: why the heck would I do that? 🫥

Kylian: because I am ur man. And besides it’s safer for you to stay with me. 😇

You: fine. but no funny business👀

Kylian: what funny business?🤔

You: don’t act all innocent Kylian.

Kylian: ahhh😱 Y/N! I am a child of god🙏🏻🛐. Why would you think I’ll do such a thing?😤

You: 😑…….🙄

Kylian: hahahahha promise no funny business. Unless you of course ask. I am a gentlemen, I would never say no to a lady😶

Kylian: hello???

Kylian: bébé come back!!

Kylian: alright fine ig u do have a life. See you Saturday love❤️

“Can you believe it?” Magui asked while zooming into the news article of Mbappé following you on Instagram. “They might actually be dating.”

João stares at what his girlfriend is referring to and immediately looks away when the photo of you and Mbappé holding hands appears again. Ever since you guys basically ended your friendship, he hasn’t been the same. Every day and night, he would think about what you said and the possibility of you being together. All these years, you’ve hidden those feelings, and looking back, it was pretty fucking obvious that you are in love with him.

João groans and lies back on the couch as his notification goes off. Ever since Magui posted the photo without his permission, he has been getting text and hate comments. Everyone thinks he’s a sore loser for getting back with his ex, but even he didn’t know they were back together until he woke up in bed with her. Last week when he finally decided to give up on speaking to you, he went out and drank with his friends without knowing that it was a setup and Magui was there. Everyone ended up taking shots, and the next thing he knew, he was in bed with Magui doing everything he could to get you out of his mind.

You were his best friend, everything he ever wanted in a friend. But the idea of dating you never crossed his mind because he did not want to lose you. João knew he was always attracted to you, but he shoved the thought deep inside his heart because he didn’t want to ruin the friendship. If he had known that you liked him for a while, maybe things would’ve been different; perhaps he would’ve considered it. But then he met Magui, and she became his world. She was everything he wanted in a girlfriend, but he still needed you. There were so many arguments in his relationship about you, but he couldn’t choose just one because you’re his best friend and she was his dream girl. But since you left him, his feelings have been very complicated, and he wasn’t sure. He has missed you more than ever, and even the idea of being with his dream girl wasn’t enough. He needed you, but he didn’t know how to tell you without hurting everyone else.

“Babe, I’m talking to you,” Magui whines, frustrated that her boyfriend has been drifting off lately. “Sorry, what did you say?” João asked. Magui frowns and rolls her eyes, “I asked if you knew she’s been sleeping with Kylian?” João just stared at her, wondering where she got the idea of you sleeping with Mbappé. He knew you were friends with Hakimi, but you’ve never mentioned it to him about Mbappé, and you tell him everything. “She’s not like that, so it has to be serious,” João says bluntly, the thought leaving a bad taste in his mouth. “Oh please, do you think Kylian Mbappé would want a girl like her?” Magui asked with disgust. João narrows his eyes, not liking how she is talking about you. “A girl like her?” João asked for clarification. “Yeah, you know, hoeing around footballers to be relevant,” Magui shrugs. João sits up and glares at his girlfriend, “like what you did when you were with me?” This causes Magui and himself to be shocked because he has never mentioned their past. When João forgives, he let go of the pain, because he doesn’t want confrontation, but he has had enough of her treating him like trash. “Honestly, I don’t fucking know why you cheated on me so many times. The idea never occurred to me once, and the fact that you did it so many times only shows how little you care about me and this relationship.” João aggressively stands up and grabs his jacket and car key. He then starts heading to the door, but Magui wraps her arms around his waist, hugging him. “You know how much I struggled because you keep having her around. Things will change because she’s not here anymore. You only need me. It’s me, you need and want. I love you so much, João; no one else but you.”

These were the words he had always wanted to hear from her. She was everything he wanted, but being treated like shit can only reach a specific limit, and he has reached it. But before he let her go forever, he needed to confirm something. João turns around, and without warning, he presses his lips on Magui’s. She accepted it with a moan, mouth savoring the way he lusted for her. She holds on to his t-shirt and starts backing up to the couch, wanting to dominate him. João let her, and the next thing she knew, he was on top of her, looking down at her, anger and confusion written all over his eyes. “You taste like shit. You don’t taste like the girl I fell in love with. I deserve better than you. Go find someone else to be your puppet because I am done,” he says disgustingly. She whimpers, but he doesn’t care; he gets off her and starts walking away, never looking back.

Saturday: PSG vs. Borussia Dortmund

Hakimi: Fuck you for not telling me that you were coming.

Y/N: Hello to you too. And it was a last min decision lol.

Hakimi: whatever. Anything happened last night at Kylian’s house? 😉

Y/N: no you sinful child. we slept like a baby.

Hakimi: whatever😒 anyways party at my place after the game.

Y/N: bruh u confident asf

Hakimi: bitch if I lose I’m not going to eat ice cream and cry. I’ll just party and drink in misery 🥳

Y/N: damn are you always this pleasant before your games?

Hakimi: my bad😬 I haven’t been laid for two weeks, so I’m in a pissing mood.

Y/N: I can tell. Since I’m in town, I’ll just babysit so you can have ur date night.

Hakimi: Fr? Awe you’re the best! I’ll make sure to dedicate a goal to u😉

Y/N: yeah whatever. Goodluck!

You join Hiba and her two sons in the VIP section. They’re sporting Hakimi’s number as you wear Mbappé’s t-shirt. Hiba had told you that Hakimi had told everyone you’re here to cheer for Mbappé, and the whole team has been teasing him. You’re sure they probably asked about João too and wondered if you guys are still friends. If anything, this was entertaining to them because Mbappé has never publicly brought a “girlfriend” around them.

“Look, it’s Jude Bellingham’s wife and their two twins!” Hiba said excitedly as she pointed at a really attractive lady with two adorable children. “Wow, they’re so cute,” you said in awe as you watched the little girl jump up and down, wearing her father’s shirt. The boy stood there like an adult with his head high, and he looked just like Bellingham. “They’re young, but they seem to be happy and have the perfect family,” Hiba says with a huge smile. “It doesn’t matter when you find the right person.” You mumbled. You then look at Jude Bellingham, who is staring at his wife and kids in awe. He looked so in love, and you hope one day, you’ll find someone that looks at you like you’re the most perfect thing in the world. (Reference to Jude Bellingham x reader “If I Should Stay”).

As you admire how Jude Bellingham looks at his wife and kids, you think of the chances you could have if you let go of this ridiculous feeling for João. Maybe you’ll find someone who loves and looks at you similarly. Maybe your Mr. Right is waiting for you while you chase after a guy that doesn’t want you. You smile sadly, and then your eyes drift to the PSG side to see Mbappé staring up at you. His eyes smile at you, and his mouth curves upward when you make eye contact. Your stomach twists, and your face heats up from his stare. You awkwardly wave, and he places four fingers on his lips and sends them your way. The crowd starts going wild, and you’re left stunned as Mbappé smirks and walks away.

Your phone was going off wildly as the news made it around that you’re attending PSG’s game and are supporting Mbappé. Everyone has concluded that you two made it official because, on his first goal, he dedicated it to you by sending a heart your way after he scored. The crowd obviously went wild, and people were telling one another the news, and you’re now labeled as Kylian Mbappé’s girlfriend. Even though this is fake, you couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. He was flirtatious and knew what he was doing. It almost felt real, and for a moment, you forgot the purpose of faking a relationship with him.

“You know he’s down bad for you, right?” Hiba asked while staring at you. You awkwardly chuckle and shake your head, “it’s nothing that serious,” you mumble. Hiba smiles and looks back at the field. “I have known Kylian for years, and he has never brought a woman around us. If he is showing you off for the world to see, it’s obvious he wants you and wants to tell everybody to back off.” You stare at Mbappé, dumbfounded about what Hiba just said. You’ve known the man briefly, but you realize he has known you for years because of Hakimi. Everything Hakimi knows about you has been passed on to Mbappé, who later took an interest in you. For someone whose always hyper and happy, he is one of the most mysterious people you’ve ever met. From pursuing you secretly to fake dating you, he has a side of him you don’t know but want to know.

“You enjoyed the game, bébé?” He asked as soon as you entered the PSG waiting room. “Yeah, it was good. Congratulations,” you said and hugged him. He gladly accepted it, causing his friends to snicker and whistle in the back. “Kylian, you going to introduce?” Neymar asked with a smirk. Mbappé glares at him, “this is my girl, Y/N.” Your face once again heats up from the sound of that. “Cute name for a pretty girl,” Neymar says and shakes your hand. “Mbappé’s a lucky guy.” You giggle, causing Mbappé to glare at you and Neymar; it was pretty cute seeing him jealous. “That’s enough,” Mbappé warns, causing Neymar to shrug and back off. “Oh, come on, be mature,” Neymar says while rolling his eyes. Ignoring Neymar’s comment, Mbappé quickly grabs his stuff, along with his car key. “Let’s go. I got some plans for us.”

“You assholes, don’t forget about the after-party!” Hakimi calls after you and Mbappé as you guys rush out of the room. “Use protection!” You heard someone else shout, causing Mbappé to laugh and you to blush. Like expected, a couple of paparazzi were already waiting outside to catch a glimpse of you and Mbappé. Mbappé and a couple of his security guided you to his car; many people were already snapping photos and screaming their questions.

Y/N how do you feel about João Félix and Magui getting back together?

When did you and Mbappé meet?

Are you guys official?

How do you feel about João Félix unfollowing Magui?

You entered the passenger seat, staring at the person who shouted that question. It has been a while since you’ve been on social media, so you haven’t heard the news of João unfollowing Magui. If it were true, you would be shocked because that is a step to moving on, and he has never taken that step. But then what would be of your relationship with him? Would you guys be friends again? And what would happen to your fake relationship with Kylian? Would you guys have to end it faster than expected?

“You good?” Mbappé asked while staring at you. You smile and him and shake off the weird feelings. “Yeah, just a bit overwhelmed,” you smiled. Mbappé tucks a strand of hair behind your ears, “you looked great, by the way. How was your first time experiencing being a WAG?” He grins while pulling out of the parking lot. You chuckle; being a girlfriend of a high-profile sportsman was better than you expected. Besides sitting in a VIP seat, the experience of watching someone you are with play the sport they love was unique. Of course, this experience wasn’t new; you’ve been to a lot of João’s game and has supported him, but you were never the person to whom he dedicated his goals. “Hey, don’t let them get to you. I know exactly what to cheer you up!”

“Kylian. Omg, when did you do this?” You asked while looking at the setup in front of you. It was beautiful. He has a huge comfortable couch on his balcony with pillows and blankets laid out. A coffee table was placed on the foot of the sofa, with all your favorite snacks and drinks. Five feet from the couch stands a movie theater screen. Candles were light and lined up on the edge of his balcony, and the Eiffel Tower could be seen from his balcony. It was incredibly beautiful.

“Achraf parties always end up with everyone passing out, so I wanted us to spend time together,” Mbappé says while guiding you to the couch. You still admired how beautiful everything looked; you almost wanted to cry because of his effort. “Come on, I don’t want you getting cold,” he says, and you lay on the couch as he lays next to you and covers the both of you with a warm blanket. The movie starts, but you guys don’t focus; both of you want to get to know one another on a deeper level. “Tell me about you, Y/N,” he says while grabbing the bucket of popcorn. “Tell me things people don’t know.”

“Are you asking for my favorite color?” You laughed, causing him to smile softly. “I will take whatever you give me,” he says, and you didn’t miss your heart jumping. No wonder people call him a womanizer; he knows exactly what to say. “Well, people don’t know that I’m secretly in love with my best friend…former best friend,” you said. Mbappé nods, waiting for you to continue. “Ahum, people don’t know that I’m insecure about being labeled as João Félix's best friend or now Kylian Mbappé’s girlfriend.” Mbappé stares at you, not looking the slightest offended by what you just said. “And people don’t know that I have a very important position at my job. I’m not just a pretty face.”

The movie plays in the background as you continue to tell Mbappé about yourself, even things that João might now even know, and not once do you think about the drama that is occurring in your life. “And yeah, that’s how Magui ended up hating me.” Mbappé watches you fidget with your fingers and bite your lips, his heart pounding from your effect on him. “Why do you like him so much? Why do you….love him,” he asked seriously. You glance at the screen and then back to Mbappé, “because he was the only person I ever had.”

Mbappé stares at your uncomfortable form, and he softly rubs his thumb across your cheeks. “I wish I have met you earlier,” he says softly. “Maybe then, I would be an option.” You gulp, realizing he’s referring to being with you without a reason. You’ve known he’s interested in you, but you thought it was just an interest that would disappear after spending some time with you. “If you were this sweet to a fake girlfriend, I can’t imagine how you would be with a real one,” you muttered. Mbappé smiles and gently places a kiss on your forehead. “Why don’t you find out?”

You stare at him; he carefully examines your face, waiting for you to say something. Mbappé asks you to be his real girlfriend, but what about João? Your history with him hasn’t been resolved yet, and after hearing that he has unfollowed and dumped his girlfriend, things might change. Would he apologize and ask to be friends again? Your feelings for him are still there, and it wouldn’t be fair for Mbappé. You needed to resolve things with João first before thinking of another man. But the way Mbappé was looking at you only makes you want to forget about João and leave everything behind. Clenching your pants, you slowly lean forward while staring at his lips. Mbappé does the same, and just when you guys are inches apart, your phone rings.

You awkwardly back up and reach for your phone. Looking at the user, your heart starts beating fast. Mbappé glares at the username, knowing who “The Golden Boy” is. Without meeting his eyes, you answer the phone. “Hello?” You asked. “Y/N, I need you,” João says; your heart beats fast because he sounds broken like he just finished crying. “Fuck I miss you so much; I need you right now, please,” he begs. Because you were used to responding quickly to his pleas, you immediately jumped up from the couch and started walking away when Mbappé grabbed your wrist. “Stay,” he says, and there’s pleading in his eyes. Your voice was stuck in your throat, and you listened to João’s pleas for you to be there for him and Mbappé’s eyes begging for you to stay. “I’m sorry,” you mumbled and pulled your hands away before exiting the balcony, leaving Mbappé behind.

Getting into the taxi, you glare up at Mbappé’s home, the balcony now dark. He didn’t come down when you hurriedly packed your belongings and booked the earliest flight home. You feel guilty, of course, but you’ve known this man for a short time, and you’ve known João your whole life. Although your friendship wasn’t perfect, he was there for you when you needed him, and you weren’t ready to let that go. With a heavy heart, you look away from Kylian Mbappé’s place and look forward to your journey home.

2 weeks later

Breaking news: Kylian Mbappé and Y/N officially call it quits after only a few weeks of dating. Many fans were suspicious of their relationship and suspected they were only short-term. Mbappé is now only focusing on his career and has no interest in starting a new relationship, whereas Y/N has reconciled her friendship with João Félix, and many fans think that might be the reason for the breakup.

Part III is coming! Are we team João Félix or team Kylian Mbappé?

Part III

@poopyloofy @simpingmyassoff @smiley-roos @untitled23430 @ts1mp0ne @forevernightmare @sad1esgf @kakuchosbff

[strawb3rryshake]

hi, i love cameron so much, i would save your hcs abt cameron if u ever make one, pls do bbg😞❤️‍🩹

(@wordssricochet this is for you. and me. I hope you enjoy <3)

my richard cameron romance headcanons (pt. 1?)

- “I want a church girlll that go to church, aNd ReAd HeR bIbLe-”

- i’m joking… kind of.

- i bet he’d try to uphold the “no sex till marriage” rule tbh

- ANYWAY

Pre-relationship:

- alright look i feel like cameron is so dense😭

- like he wouldn’t realize you like him like that unless you’re really bold and asked him out early on

- but that’s no fun, SO. we’ll start from the beginning.

- cameron’s not a “love at first sight” kind of guy, he has to really get to know someone first

- so when you started gravitating towards him in the group, asking him for help with schoolwork, and sitting near him during supper, he had ample opportunity to talk to you

- the poets probably didn’t realize anything suspicious until you started snapping at charlie to leave cam alone and generally being on his side of things (or, at least not groaning and scoffing when he got too annoying)

- charlie was probably the first to notice, and the moment you were a little too quick to defend cam or perk up at him being mentioned, he kind of went “oh no. you can’t be serious.”

- naturally, whether you confirmed his suspicions or not, he told the rest of the poets

- and THAT was when things changed.

- cameron likely wasn’t fully aware of his feelings until the other poets started teasing him about it like they knew something he didn’t. for example, why was he taking more time than usual to get ready in the morning? why was he always fixing his hair or his uniform more when you were around? why did he always smile at the things you said? why did he always make weird faces when the other poets did anything physical with you? why was he slightly (and only slightly) more lenient about bending the rules if it was you who suggested it?

- suddenly he was hyper aware of every time you two made eye contact while laughing at something. suddenly he was hyper aware of every time you two accidentally brushed shoulders while walking. suddenly he was hyper aware of the smirks on the other poets’ faces whenever he leaned over to help you with your math homework.

- he started panicking, basically. he wanted to always be perfect around you and he overthought every interaction and this poor boy was a mess on the inside

- of course, cameron wasn’t going to admit a thing to the other poets. if they knew, then they’d surely tell you, and that would be an absolute mess. no, they’d just have to never find out.

- they found out and totally exposed him when you weren’t around.

- after vehement denial and arguing, he finally admitted to them that okay, maybe he did like you.

- it definitely still took a while for this cute (and admittedly terribly annoying) mutual pining thing you two had going on to get anywhere

- even when you both started getting a little more physical (lingering hand brushes, letting your shoes/legs touch while sitting down, nudging each other before making a comment or joke), a little more obvious (spending more time together without the others, unconsciously copying each other, him being notably chivalrous for you), and a little more curious (“wait, did they do that because we’re friends or because they like me?”), there was a sort of standstill

- cameron’s very prideful and very protective of himself, he wasn’t going to risk rejection and the awkwardness that comes with it. he wasn’t going to complicate things and risk ruining a friendship he’d grown to really appreciate.

- until the others teased him about it until he had enough. fine. he’d ask you out if they’d stop bugging him about it.

- he was beyond anxious that entire next day. he put it off as long as he could, not being able to focus in class, being unusually quiet in the hallways, that sort of thing. but when everyone was sent to bed for the night, and you and him were the only two left, he finally blurted it out.

- “hey, so uh… would you wanna go hang out this weekend? without everyone else?”

- “…like a date?”

- “yeah. if you want it to be.”

- and you smiled. and you told him you’d love for it to be a date. and finally, it felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Dating:

- cameron’s definitely a good boy, the kind you’d take home to your parents and when he leaves they’d go “what a nice boy” bc he’d be polite and respectful the whole time

- if you’re also a bit of a goody two shoes (like me) you guys end up becoming the tired parents of the friend group

- in the beginning of the relationship most planned dates are more on the formal side (he’s very traditional and wants to impress you) but over time he loosens up a bit and dates get more casual

- i don’t really see him using pet names, the only nicknames he’d use would be versions of your name (unless someone was flirting with you, but we’ll get to that in a moment)

- if you’re the type to use pet names, he’s fine with it as long as they’re not… embarrassing. please don’t call him your little carrot cake (or do, please do, just to see the way his entire face turns red)

- (btw he’s typically good at keeping his cool but you’d learn how to make him blush bc us gingers are so pale and blush WAY TOO EASILY and you’d think it’s adorable when he gets nervous)

- he gets jealous pretty easily and would start getting protective the moment it seemed like someone was flirting with you. if it was a stranger hitting on you, that would be one of the only times he’d call you by a pet name, just so they’d get the hint and leave you alone. if it was someone he knew, who was aware you two were together, he’d either wrap an arm around you or straight up tell them to back off

- speaking of physical contact, affection!

- generally, he’s not huge on pda. especially not in class because he’s trying to focus. in hallways he might be okay with brief kisses or little hand squeezes but that’s about it

- when he holds your hand he does the little thumb rub

- sometimes you two sneak into his room when charlie’s not around just to cuddle and enjoy each other’s company for a bit

- He props himself up on his elbow and talks to you as you lay next to him, his hand absentmindedly sliding through your hair or fingers tracing up and down your arm

- I have this hc with every freckled character but sometimes during these moments you lean over him and count his freckles or trace shapes between them. he acts like you’re weird for doing it, but when you see his eyes eventually flutter shut and a soft smile form on his lips, you know he doesn’t mind.

- kisses with him are very slow and sweet. it actually took a little while for kissing to be anything but 100% innocent because he’s a little scared of taking things too far

- he really loves holding you close and breathing you in and letting his brain relax for a few moments

- he likes doing favors for you and helping you out when he can

- the first time you stole clothes from him he didn’t notice until you were sitting with the other poets to study one evening

- “is that… my sweater? where did you even get that?”

- he acts annoyed but deep down he finds it absolutely adorable

- if you ever left a sweater or something in his room he’d hold it close to him all night and pretend you were there

- he loves when you compliment him. even the smallest compliment is enough to boost his ego. the poets start begging you (jokingly, kind of) to stop telling him things because he always talks about it and it’s insufferable

- the two of you brag about each other a lot to the others. some of them find it amusing, but the others want to cover their ears and groan until you stop.

- there’s quite a bit of banter between you two. he loves debating things with you because he wants to hear your opinions (and he wants to win). i feel like you guys would jokingly insult each other too, in the kind of way where it’s okay if you say it but if the other poets say it you tell them off

- actual arguments send him into a bit of a panic, though. he knows he has flaws and that he’s defensive and prideful and struggles to admit when he’s wrong, but the last thing he’d ever want is to hurt you

- issues in the relationship might come up and linger for a while, but at some point he pulls you aside to talk about it (and apologise if need be)

- it takes a while for him to use the L-word. he thinks it a lot, but thinking something and saying it are two completely different things, and he takes it pretty seriously.

- the first time he’d ever say it would likely be during a more tender moment between you. he’d mumble the words against your lips or against your skin, then quickly pull away and say that you don’t have to say it back or anything but—

- “i love you, too.”

- “…oh.”

- he’d get a little embarrassed and try (and fail) to fight back a big smile

- he’s already terribly soft for you but hearing you say these words becomes his new weakness

- altogether i just think he’d be the sweetest boyfriend and you’d both learn and grow a lot from each other

- things might not always be the easiest between you two but you’ve got yourself a keeper, please don’t break this boy’s heart

i hope you guys enjoyed these, i wasn’t planning on the lists being so long but i got a little self-indulgent along the way (i hope they’re still realistic and i don’t sound crazy). i tried to cover all (sfw) bases but knowing myself i’ve forgotten a few things and i’ll just have to make more cam content in the future

[multifandomslxt]

BLACK ROSES Pt.4

Pairing: Mafia!Lee Jeno x Florist!Reader

Trope: Grumpy x sunshine

Genre: Dark Mafia Romance

Word count: 1.7k

Synopsis:

Lee Jeno is a dangerous man. From going on k!lling sprees for fun to torturing and k!lling his own father. He does it all. In short Lee Jeno is the devil.

Y/N is a florist. She's as pure as they come. Nothing exciting ever happens in her life and she’s okay with that. In short Y/N is an angel.

He was bad and she was good. They were complete opposites.

…Or so they thought

Get your tissues for this one. It's gonna be one hell of a ride

Warnings for this chapter: mentions of blood, torture, bodily harm, scars etc. Jeno is obsessed.

*((((A/N: words in bold are her conscience and words spoken in Korean are in italics ))))*

FLOWER OF THE DAY: The Tiger lily represents confidence and not arrogance or vanity, and this is why the flower was often associated with nobility in times past. In Buddhism, tiger lilies are symbolic of the virtues of mercy and compassion.

“Miss, it now time for dinner. Master Jeno will not be joining us again this evening” Jieun said as she peeked her head through my bedroom door.

I waved my hand at her in dismissal before looking over at the digital clock on the nightstand.

‘6:00 PM’ it said.

Of course. I had been eating dinner at 6pm for the past three weeks. Without Jeno.

This is his house, but he’s never here. The last time I saw him was when we had our argument in his office.

And he licked your tears.

Which led to me awkwardly running out the door with tears still streaming down my face.

I got lost not even five minutes after that and had to get another maid to help me back to my room.

Ever since then ‘Master Jeno’ was nowhere to be seen.

Sighing I got up off the bed, not bothering to change out of the oversized t-shirt I was given (with no shorts) and made my way downstairs for dinner.

The minute I stepped into the dining room, the smell of Beef practically assaulted my nose causing my mouth to salivate and my stomach rumble.

I made my way to the same chair I’ve been sitting on for these three weeks waiting on Jongup to bring the food.

Jeno not being here allowed me to get to know the staff a little better so we were on good terms. Ironically the only worker here who didn’t warm up to me was Jieun. Although, I kind of got the vibe that she didn’t like me from the get-go.

The dining room was probably the most beautiful place - next to the kitchen of course – in this hell hole.

With marble floors and an oval table surrounded by velvet chairs, I fell in love with it immediately.

The chandelier hanging directly over the table only added to the beauty of the room.

“Y/n, I made wagyu is that okay?” the sweet voice of Jongup spoke behind me.

Turning around, I smiled when I met his wide eyes. The poor guy was traumatized from Jeno’s temper. He was a few years younger than me and recently just graduated high school. He worked here because his family Has been working for Jeno’s for a while.

“That’s fine Jongup. Bring it here and come eat with me.” I spoke. Although it took some serious convincing, he had been eating with me for the past two weeks.

I watched as he walked to wards the table setting the platter of meet down before turning to me with apologetic eyes.

“What’s wrong sweetheart?” I asked concerned.

“I’m afraid I can’t eat with you tonight. Master Jeno will be coming soon, and it would get me in trouble.” He said solemnly.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion “I thought Jeno wasn’t joining us today”.

“I changed my mind.” An all too familiar voice spoke.

Judging from the way Jongup stiffed and practically ran away, I knew Jeno was back.

From God knows where.

The sound of his shoes meeting the tiles echoed throughout the room.

Great, now because of him my second favourite room in this house has now been placed on the bottom of the list.

He came to a halt directly behind my chair and leaned down inhaling my scent.

” It’s good manners to greet other when you see them Y/n”. His hot breath touched my ear.

He smelt like cigarettes and aftershave. Ew.

Yum.

“You saw me in here first, so you are the one who should greet me” I spat out.

He stood up straight and chuckled.

It happened all too quickly.

 One second I was facing the able and the next, I was facing him.

He fucking spun the chair around.

This fucking bitch.

He used his hands to cage me. One arm on each side of the chair.

He peered down at me with a dark look in his eyes “I’ve missed you and your fucking mouth.”

His eyes started to tail down my body before stopping at my legs.

His body jolted as if something shocked him. “Flower, is this how you’ve been coming downstairs foe the past weeks?”

I stared at him in a daze. I finally got a good look at him after these three weeks and he looked the same. Except for the very obvious blood stains on his white button up and black slacks.

Suddenly he grabbed my arms and pulled me up and into him. “Answer the question baby I hate repeating myself I’m only doing this because it’s you. Is this how you’ve been dressing since I left?”

 “Yes” the only word I could get out before I was being dragged up the stairs.

I tried to pull my hands out of his grip but to no avail.

“Jeno let me go”.

“Shut up. How fucking dare, you let anybody else see what I’ve only dreamt about. You’re going to change into proper clothes. Now.” He grumbled out.

When we made it to the top of the stairs, he dropped my hands and continued walking.

Stupidly, I followed him.

Eventually he stopped at a door I didn’t recognize.

“This is my room. Until I have time to take you shopping you will wear my clothes. This is how I’ll mark you. With my clothes my scent and soon my very being.”  He said with his back turned to me.

Not long after he opened the door and we stepped into his room.

It was bare of any pictures and colour.

Just a King-sized bed in the middle. A dresser in the far left pf the room a tv on the wall and two doors one of which must be his bathroom and the other his closet.

“How fitting” I mumbled

He turned to me and raised his eyebrows as if to ask me what I mean.

“You’re a soulless prick. So, it makes sense your room looks like none lives here.” I explained.

He let out a breathy chuckle and then smirked “That mouth of yours is going to get you in serious trouble Flower. Be careful.”

Shaking his head, he walked over to one of the doors I had seen earlier.

He opened it to reveal his closet.

“Go ch-“ before he could finish his sentence his phone started ringing,

He clenched his jaw in annoyance and mumbled “I told these fuckers not to call me”.

Taking his phone out his pocket he accepted the call and brought it to his ear.

“Speak.” He said into the phone.

He pointed at me then the closet and stepped out leaving no room for argument.

Signing I stepped into the huge closet (that I’m pretty sure could be used as a bedroom) and started to strip. Not before looking to see if Jeno was watching.

You would want him to.

Shaking my head at my silly thoughts I picked out a random shirt and sweatpants.

All was well until I caught the sight of my bare back in the mirror.

The marks bringing back painful memories I prayed to forget.

I hated looking at them.

They made me feel weak.

Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but stare at them.

They were cigarette burns.

‘You can’t ever leave me Dove; I’ll always find you.’

I sucked in a sharp breath trying to pry my mind away from such memories. I turned away from the mirror trying  to finish the task at hand.

I was about to unclasp my bra when I heard his voice.

“What is that?” Jeno barked out.

My body jolted in shock as he spoke.

Nervously I looked around the room avoiding his eye contact “W-what?”

He grunted and quickly stalked towards me.

He gripped my waist and pulled me into him, he was searching my face for something

“Someone hurt you flower, tell me who.”

I felt his hands running down the middle of my back

I tensed in response to his touch.

Suddenly, he turned me around so I was now facing the mirror and my back was turned to him.

I feel exposed.

I hate it.

I feel vulnerable.

I really, really hate it.

"Who did this to you?" He asked quietly, his eyes scanning my back.

"None of your goddamn business" I fumed. I was embarrassed. He shouldn't have seen that.

"Flower, I'm sure you've gathered by now that I have very little patience." He said sharply.

"Who did this to you?" he continued. His eyes were still scanning my back, now with a dangerous glint.

I shut my eyes tightly contemplating whether or not I should tell him something so painful.

Tell him. He'll protect you...he has to.

I swallowed thickly, still unsure if I was going to do this or not.

"It was..."

I breathed out. I felt nauseous.

“It was my brother”.

Words I never thought would fall out of my mouth eventually did.

His hands had moved from my back and were now gripping my shoulders tightly.

Through the reflection I the mirror I could see that his jaw was clenched, and his eyes were dripping with murderous intent.

“Why?” he asked, with a a slight rasp to his voice.

“I’m not ready to share that” I said shakily.

I felt too open now. It was uncomfortable.

He inhaled deeply and started to caress my shoulder with his thumbs.

“I can kill him for you flower. I don’t know what he has done but he put you in danger and for that ill carve his skin off his body and watch his raw flesh rot. Anything you want I’ll do it for you”.

I sucked in a breath at how dark Jeno sounded. Something n me told me he wasn’t bluffing.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. That would make me just as bad as him”

Abruptly, he turned me around to face him “Nothing could taint you, baby. I would kill him myself and If I got caught I would take the fall a thousand times over and over. I would kill for you. You deserve that.”

[lagncx]

doctor levi x reader. breaking pt 1

(he's out of character till next chapter i was trying to get a feel of this modern doctor levi au so like yah no romance yet)

You walked into the room with Levi giggling at his bashfulness “Dr. Levi you know i love visiting you We're like best friends'' You smiled before handing Levi his peach tea “Thank you” Levi smiled up at you “Do you think it'll taste good?” Levi asked, sitting on the counter in the check up room (whatever they have for you to sit in a room and talk to them). Levi had you get him a drink since he's been working more to support him and his wife while she took a break from her job…’yea…break my ass’ you thought your expression changed only for a second. Levi and you have been friends for a while and you were at his wedding even though your body shook seeing the paths with you both breaking apart to just one. Friends. His wife…a whole different story Levi was a sweetheart and was..is absolutely head over heels she was social and kind with you and the others but she started changing getting colder when it came to Levi but it wasn't your business. He actually confided in you a few times about their sex life. Levi’s always been a virgin he was raised to save it for his wife in the future and every party you two went to when girls tried to rub themselves upon him he pushed them off and used you as a crutch saying how you two were a “couple” which is a lie. Fully a lie you've never laid a finger on Levi…well in places you shouldn’t have. So you were ready to hear all about his first time with his wife when he came home from his honeymoon and…nope nothing happened he said

“She said she just wanted to enjoy the sights first.” So they did and Levi waited for her to initiate it…she did not. You remember rolling your eyes and teasing him and he was seriously upset. Not in a bad toxic man way but just hurt like he was scared she didn’t really love him. ‘But fuck it it’s been a year so they’re probably fine and going at it everyday’ you thought to yourself before replying back to Levi “maybe it will. But you did get the recipe off of Pinterest so you might ducking-die or something” you laughed as you stood over him watching him taste it his eyes shined and he licked his top lip “it’s actually good” he said. “So…ready to go home?” You asked, putting your hand in your pockets. For about three days you’ve been driving Levi, his wife was busy and his car was getting repaired and smogged. He grabbed some papers and nodded as he walked into the eerie empty halls of the hospital to the front desk of the floor giving them the papers. You smiled at him as he was gentle with everyone of his peers so gentle he continued their conversations knowing he was deadbeat tired…shit…so were you. You’ll be the bad guy tonight.

“Yes and dr. I told her she needs to take responsibility for her actions or else she’ll get into something she can’t back out fro-“ you pushed Levi gently with a sense of urgency “sorry ma’am it’s late and I hate to pull him away but I am also in a hurry” you smiled so wide your eyes looked shut the lady nodded and understood completely. Levi glared at you which made you suck in a breath his eyes were striking like always as he turned back to the woman. “Even though she’s absolutely out of line and RUDE. Yes we are both tired and without her I have no ride. I will continue with you tomorrow evening ma’am.” Levi smiled and walked on through the door to the elevator. Your job was in the hospital, you weren’t a nurse or something special like a medic or emergency services. You did the cleaning, bedsheets, bathrooms,morgue area. And you used to try and take Levi with you but he’d always freak out and call you a freak cause you didn’t mind standing around in there. Of course not it’s your job and the dude is cool too, Eren was his name and Levi thought he was cool when he first met him till he learned where his position was. Levi thinks you have to be crazy to wanna be around the dead. But almost near the entrance you felt around your pockets and cursed yourself “Levi…shit. I forgot my fucking keys.” Levi turned and looked at you “oh that’s okay let’s go get them. Where are they?” Your eyes looked to the side eyeing the doors and in the windows you could see the black doors behind them down the hall Levi followed your gaze. “Ohhh no. No no no no nononono.” You huffed “Levi it’s just a bunch of bags you don’t even see them out of the bags it’s super quick bet you Eren has seen to them already.” Levi shivered he didn't already like walking the halls of the hospital alone cause it was cold nothing wrong with it just…lonely. He sighed and walked next to you keeping close as you headed closer to what he felt like was his doom.

“Yooohooo! Eren! It’s me y/n I think I left my Keys here. Yea I know how stupid of me” you smiled and Levi’s arm clung to you but you didn’t mind you know how much of a clean freak he was “y/n? Are you wearing your mask?” Eren said walking towards you his jaw slightly hairy and his hair tied back messily his eyes were tired and dim. “Jesus they don’t let you sleep man?” You teased “a lot of work.” He said plainly leaving you just staring at him dumbfounded. You just chuckled “forever a smooth talker. So I kinda left something here fr-“.

Jingle

Eren dangled your keys from his index finger and looked at you before dropping it in your hand “I’ve told you to stop leaving things here” you shrugged “this is the first time!” Levi looked at you both wondering what the fuck you both were talking about “No last time you left your broom. First time it was your phone. Then it progressed to your wallet now your keys. How about I send all your belongings with the corpses?” He glared at you. “So cruel!” You and eren chit chatted before you felt a pull on your sleeve “y/n…let’s go.” Eren looked down at Levi and waved “Dr. Levi! Hi. Never see you around much…how’s life up there with the living?” Eren joked before Levi replied with a quiet “good.” Eren frowned “you don’t like it here?” He asked “…me neither.” Levi looked at eren who was staring at him coldly. You sighed before it could progress pulling Levi with you out the door “Bye Yeager bomb!” You waved and headed outside Roy the cold night wind and the smell of the overcast from the beach since the hospital was so near the beach it was the only upside. Levi sighed “why’d he look at me so…coldly?” You put your hands on your hips and looked down “He doesn’t wanna be there..work there. Years he went to university to be a pro in surgery. But fuck it we all don’t get what we want!” You shrugged pressing the button on your car keys opening the door for Levi “Really? Why hasn’t he brought it up To Erwin?” Levi looked at you as he sat in the car seat. You leaned on the door and looked at him your head on your arms “Guess he sees no point…Eren…he avoids confrontation so I guess the gentle giant intimidated him” you huff looking off into the city streets and cars thinking of Erwin and that time he brought cookies for everyone. “Yea…intimidating.” You closed Levi’s door gently and got in yourself pressing the engine button “heat or ac? It’s cold outside but I mean-“ Levi rolled down his window already answering you as he laid his head against the window frame. You smiled admiring him before you turned back to the windshield. “Alright… groceries than home.” You smiled hearing Levi hummed in agreement

Levi fumbled with the key in his front door “what the fuck? These keys always jam.” You looked at the door then at Levi “Guess I’ll have to call someone to-“ your body pushed Levi against the door “w-what are you-“ you pulled the door towards you both closing it completely then using the key and it opened. “Cant push the door that’s why” you opened the door and from the loss of support on one side Levi stumbled in catching himself and glared at you as you walked in taking off your shoes “Can I use your restroom Levi?” You asked looking around the home the place was dark until Levi turned on the light dimming them. “Go on.” He said as he opened the fridge “you know where it is. Try not to wake up my wife. I think she may be asleep. "You scoffed “Yes sire! I shall keep silent so as to not wake up her majesty!!” He shushed you, scolding you with his brow. You sighed and stood in front of the door of the bathroom ready to leave till you heard voices whispering..too feminine to be Levi and-…too light? To be Levi. His wife and…not him. You left the bathroom and straight to the guest room in front of you seeing the two together as the woman struggled to put her clothes on they both looked at you Silence and the first thing you could think to say

“HOLY SHIT”

[fadingreveries]

The Royal Romance, Bk1 Ch1: Once Upon a Time (Pt. 5)

Click here for the TRR retelling series masterlist for more chapters! 🏰

Story Summary: In this novel-style retelling of TRR, beloved scenes with original commentary from the Choices stories including your favourite group of royals and friends will be expanded upon. Contains extended commentary and scenes from the original story, in-depth descriptions of bonus scenes, and premium choices and outfits.

Chapter Synopsis: Love awaits in the royal court of Cordonia as Riley competes for the Crown Prince! Will she accept his proposal, or will someone else win her heart?

Word Count: 1.8k

Disclaimer: All rights to original commentary, scenes, and characters from The Royal Romance series reserved to Choices and Pixelberry Studios. No copyright infringement intended.

~ ~ ~

Liam and Drake caught up to the rest of the group where they stood under a lamppost on the sidewalk. Liam couldn’t help but look up at the skyscrapers. He had never seen buildings taller than the palace in Cordonia before. At the corner of the street, Riley fiddled with her phone. 

“So how far is the walk?” Liam questioned, wanting to know where else their adventure was leading them. 

“We’re not walking there actually. It’s pretty far away. I called a car on my way out of work, so it should be here in a second,” Riley explained, before glancing back down at her phone again. 

“Wait, you can afford to have a car on retainer?” Maxwell asked, before he caught himself. He cleared his throat with a little frown. “I mean, obviously. I also have one too. Because Beaumonts always travel in style.”

Luckily, Riley didn’t notice his odd answer and instead giggled. “Um, okay. It’s a rideshare, so not really mine.”

“A what?” Maxwell blinked in confusion. 

“A ‘rideshare’? You know, like a cab? Do they not have those where you’re from?” Riley explained. Maybe these guys had never even heard of shared transportation before or maybe they had never ridden a taxi before. 

Nodding, Maxwell replied, “Oh, of course they do… but it’s not like any of us would have any reason to use them.”

“Why’s that?” Riley questioned, curious.

Maxwell’s eyes widened. Bertrand was right. He really needed to watch what he was saying sometimes. He started stammering, “Oh! Uh… because we’re… um…”

Before Drake could tackle Maxwell to shut him up, Liam cut in with an excuse, “Because… we normally use our own cars like normal folk do.”

“Yeah! I drive it!” Maxwell added, feeling grateful for Liam’s quick thinking. Then he made the decision to add on, “No wait! We all have separate cars that each of us use.”

“And know how to drive,” Liam stated, trying to keep himself from blowing their cover. 

“Smooth,” Drake mumbled, giving them both another deadpan look of his. 

Thankfully, a large, black SUV pulled up to the curb next to the group. Since Riley was distracted flagging it down and opening the door, Liam and Maxwell collectively breathed out their own sighs of relief.

“Our carriage awaits,” Riley remarked, gesturing to the car. 

“Woohoo! A car!” Maxwell excitedly cried out, the only words that came out for how much he looked forward to a rideshare in America. 

Tariq, on the other hand, was pleased to see something that felt more like home. “Luxury leather!”

Liam looked over the SUV with a nod of approval, smiling. “It does look rather spacious.”

“Wait, wait, wait! We can’t do this!” Drake interjected, as everyone in the group turned to take in his frazzled expression. “We don’t know the driver! Liam can’t take a ride from a stranger!”

“Oh, why not?” Riley froze in her spot, worried that something was wrong. 

Drake flashed her a smile that was probably meant to be reassuring but came across as mildly unhinged. He grabbed Liam’s arm, hauling him back and whispering urgently, “Bastien will murder me if you get into an unsecure vehicle with an unknown driver!”

Riley hesitantly got out of the car, concerned. “Um. Well if you guys don’t want to take a rideshare, then that leaves the bus.”

__________

After a few moments at the bus stop, a bus stopped in front of the group. The bus driver opened the bus doors and waved the party inside. “Bus 2015. Going downtown!”

“Ooh, there’s a conductor! Do we need tickets?” Maxwell asked, enthralled by the idea of taking a bus like the common folk did. 

Drake shook his head, correcting him, “You’re thinking of a train.”

“Well, you still need to pay…” Riley stated matter-of-factly with a grin. 

This made Maxwell frown, as he halfheartedly said, “Ooh, ‘paying’...”

The bus driver informed them, “You can just tap your credit card on the reader to buy a SingleRider ticket!”

“My which on the what now?” Maxwell instantly replied, suddenly looking alarmed as he went through his pockets. 

“Allow me, Maxwell,” Liam answered, flashing a friendly smile to the driver. “Five passengers please. Do you have change for a hundred?”

The driver paused in her seat, looking confused. “Dollars? No.”

“Oh,” Liam simply said. Then he gave the one-hundred dollar bill to her with his smile back on his face. “Then keep the extra!”

Riley, Liam, and his friends walked past the bus driver who looked very happy to let them board. They sat down on the blue cloth seats of the bus before the bus started up again and drove down the busy streets. 

“I’m sorry, we don’t get out much,” Drake apologized to Riley, trying to excuse his friends’ peculiar behaviour. 

“I’m starting to gather that…” Riley responded, thinking to herself before giving them all a friendly grin. “But it’s certainly been an adventure so far.”

__________

At the destination, the bus dropped them off at the nearby beach ten minutes away from the bustle and rustle of the city. Everyone piled out of the limo at the beach, and the guys headed off towards the ocean. 

“We should build a bonfire,” Drake suggested, glad to be somewhere more refreshing and less stuffy compared to the crowds they had been surrounded by all day. 

At this comment, Tariq eyed Drake scavenging for dry wood and frowned. “I’m not doing manual labour.”

“Sorry, I forgot who I was talking to. What I meant was, I’ll go build a bonfire,” Drake corrected himself, resuming his search. 

Maxwell, on the other hand, was ecstatic with the new location of the bachelor party. He hollered out, “This place is awesome! Skinny dipping!”

“Keep your pants on, Maxwell,” Tariq pleaded, not wanting to see anything resembling undergarments or worse, underneath them. 

The sky had turned a deep indigo colour with streaks of pink and purple from the sun finishing its descent across the horizon. There were white clouds painted across the sky, shining in the reflection of the ocean’s dark blue and turquoise waters which lapped onto the shores of golden sand. 

“Thank you for bringing us here. I can tell the guys are enjoying themselves already,” Liam thanked Riley, as he admired his friends exploring the undiscovered gem of a beach. 

Riley thoughtfully observed Liam beside her, before commenting, “I bet you’re used to putting everyone else first.”

“And why would you say that?” Liam questioned, turning to look at her with an air of curiosity. Other than his most trusted friends, no one had ever paid attention to him outside of how he brought pride to Cordonia. 

“I can tell. I’m good at reading people…” Riley simply said. She focused her attention on Liam, wondering how he felt at the moment with the new change of scenery. “Now forget about your friends. What about you? Do you like it here?”

Smiling to himself, Liam quietly murmured, “I love it.” It was nothing but the truth. Here, he felt as if he could hear himself think more clearly. He relished the light breeze in the air and the sound of the waves lapping gently onto the shores. 

“It’s my secret spot, so I’m really trusting you,” Riley mentioned, bumping her shoulder against Liam’s. It was a spot she frequented when she wanted a moment to herself to breathe and temporarily put down the weight on her shoulders on the ground. It seemed like Liam needed that as well. 

This fact touched Liam’s heart, as he smiled at her with a sense of gratefulness. “I’ll do my best to be worthy of that trust. Though there’s just one problem… How am I supposed to buy you that drink?”

Jokingly, Riley tapped her finger on her chin as if deep in thought. Then she told Liam, “You’ll think of something. Or maybe you’ll just keep owing me.”

“Fair enough,” Liam agreed. Riley was witty and charming, he had to give her that. “So what should we do?”

“We should… climb up the cliff!” Riley excitedly suggested, pointing to the small hill near the shore. 

Liam’s mouth hung open, as he asked in surprise, “Way up there?”

“Try to keep up!” Riley teased, as she made for a running start with Liam trailing close behind her and laughing in amusement. 

Finding handholds and places for her feet, Riley quickly scaled the cliff face. Once she reached the top, Riley panted, trying to catch her breath as she grinned. “Did it.”

She turned around, extending a hand down and helping Liam up to join her. Gratefully, Liam took her hand and soon found himself facing Riley. Time seemed to stand still as the two gazed into each other’s eyes, which shined brighter directly underneath the soft light from the moon and in the other's presence. 

“Thanks,” Liam responded, a little flustered as he dusted his hands off on his pants. 

Up here with only the two of them, Liam allowed himself to truly observe Riley. He saw her eyes twinkle with excitement as she took in the simple beauty of nature around them. He noticed her wavy black hair bend in the wind, as she brushed a few strands away from her face. 

But when Riley turned her head to face him, Liam knew this wasn’t a silly little crush anymore. Her look gave him butterflies in his stomach but a warm sense of comfort coursing throughout his entire body. He didn’t even know it was possible. 

And maybe, he realized, she was the one he was missing all his life. 

Riley smiled, looking out at the breathtaking view of the shores, the ocean, and the sky around them. “What do you think?”

“Huh?” Liam said in confusion, snapping himself out of his daydream. 

“The view. Worth the climb, right?” Riley asked once more, before craning her neck back up at the stars above them. 

“Oh, definitely,” Liam agreed, the warm smile never faltering on his face. 

For a moment, they both looked out, watching the moonlight play on the waves below as the wind moved through the clouds. From where they were, they felt closer to the stars which shone brilliantly in the sky. Then Riley shivered, which Liam immediately took note of. 

“Cold?” Liam frowned, taking note of the hair on her arms stood up in goosebumps. 

“Maybe just a little…” Riley admitted, giving him a shy look as she wrapped her arms around herself.

“I see that the guys got the bonfire going. Let’s head back down and warm up…” Liam suggested, as he made his way down the hill and helped Riley down.

~ ~ ~

Click here for the TRR retelling series masterlist for more chapters! 🏰

Tag list: @kingliam2019 @princess-geek @karahalloway @twinkleallnight @tinkie1973 @tessa-liam

[shuxiii]

Everyday pt. 10

Hanni Pham x reader pt1, pt2, pt3, pt4, pt5, pt6, pt7, pt8, pt9, pt10, pt11, pt12, pt13

A/n meow meow credits to "every day" by david levithan, I am in the stages of insanity at this moment its 7 am and I haven't slept at all, not a single blink of sleep lord save me. P.s: this made me kinda sad this chapter <\3 if u want i recommend listening to "something between us" george romance 101

Day 6008

I go to the computer as soon as I wake up the next morning. But there’s no email from Hanni. I send her another apology. I send her more thanks for the day. Sometimes when you hit send, you can imagine the message going straight into the person’s heart. But other times, like this time, it feels like the words are merely falling into a well.

I head to the social-networking sites, searching for something more. I see that Austin and Hugo still list their relationship status as being together—a good sign. Jiwon’s page is locked to non-friends. So there’s proof of one thing I managed to save, and another where saving is possible.

I have to remind myself it’s not all bad.

Then there’s Haruto. The coverage of him continues. Reverend Poole is getting more testimony by the day, and the news sites are eating it up. Even the Onion is getting into the act, with the headline: WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS TO REVEREND POOLE: ‘THE DEVIL MADE ME EAT THE PLUM.’ If smart people are parodying it, that’s a sure sign that some less smart people are believing it.

But what can I do? Haruto wants his proof, but I’m not sure I have any to give. All I have is my word, and what kind of proof is that?

Today I’m a boy named Jeongwoo. He has diabetes, so I have a whole other layer of concerns on top of my usual ones. I’ve been diabetic a couple of times, and the first time was harrowing. Not because diabetes isn’t controllable, but because I had to rely on the body’s memories to tell me what to look out for, and how to manage it. I ended up pretending I wasn’t feeling well, just so my mother would stay at home and monitor my health with me. Now I feel I can handle it, but I am very attentive to what the body is telling me, much more so than I usually am.

Jeongwoo is full of idiosyncrasies that probably don’t seem all that idiosyncratic to him anymore. He’s a sports fanatic—he plays soccer on the JV squad, but his real love is baseball. His head is full of statistics, facts and figures extrapolated into thousands of different combinations and comparisons. In the meantime, his room is a shrine to the Beatles, and it appears that George is by far his favorite. It isn’t hard to figure out what he’s going to wear, because his entire wardrobe is blue jeans and different variations of the same button-down shirt. There are also more baseball caps than I can imagine anyone needing, but I figure he’s not allowed to wear those to school.

It’s a relief, in many ways, to be a guy who doesn’t mind riding the bus, who has friends waiting for him when he gets on, who doesn’t have to deal with anything more troubling than the fact that he ate breakfast and is still hungry.

It’s an ordinary day, and I try to lose myself in that.

But between third and fourth periods, I’m dragged right back. Because there, right in the hall, is Haruto watanabe.

At first I think I might be mistaken. There are plenty of kids who could look like Haruto. But then I see the way the other kids in the hall are reacting to him, as if he’s this walking joke. He’s trying to make it seem like he doesn’t notice the laughter, the snickers, the snarky comments. But he can’t hide how uncomfortable he is.

I think: He deserves this. He didn’t have to say a word. He could’ve just let it slide.

And I think: It’s my fault. I’m the one who did this to him.

I access Jeongwoo and find out that he and Haruto were good friends in elementary school, and are still friendly now. So it makes sense that when he passes by me, I say hello. And that he says hello back.

I sit with my friends at lunch. Some of the guys ask me about the game last night, and I answer vaguely, accessing the whole time.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Haruto sit down at his own table, eating alone. I don’t remember him being friendless, just dull. But it looks as if he’s friendless now.

“I’m going to go talk to Haruto,” I tell my friends.

One of them groans. “Really? I’m so sick of him.”

“I hear he’s doing talk shows now,” another chimes in.

“You would think the devil would have more important things to do than take a Subaru for a joyride on a Saturday night.”

“Seriously.”

I pick up my tray before the conversation can go any further, and tell them I’ll see them later.

Haruto sees me coming over, but still seems surprised when I sit down with him.

“Do you mind?” I ask.

“No,” he says. “Not at all.”

I don’t know what I’m doing. I think of his last email—PROVE IT—and half expect those words to flash from his eyes, for there to be some challenge that I will have to meet. I am the proof. I am right in front of him. But he doesn’t know that.

“So how are you doing?” I ask, picking up a fry, trying to act like this is a normal lunchtime conversation between friends.

“Okay, I guess.” I get a sense that for all the attention people have been giving him, not many people have been asking him how he’s doing.

“So what’s new?”

He glances over my shoulder. “Your friends are looking at us.”

I turn around, and everyone from my old table suddenly looks anywhere but here.

“Whatever,” I say. “Don’t pay attention to them. To any of them.”

“I’m not. They don’t understand.”

“I understand. I mean, I understand that they don’t understand.”

“I know.”

“It must be pretty overwhelming, though, having everyone so interested. And all the blogs and stuff. And this reverend.”

I wonder if I’ve pushed too far. But Haruto seems happy to talk. Jeongwoo is a good guy.

“Yeah, he really gets it. He knew people would give me grief. But he told me I had to be stronger. I mean, having people laugh is nothing compared to surviving a possession.”

Surviving a possession. I have never thought about what I do in those terms. I never thought my presence was something that anyone would have to survive.

Haruto sees me thinking. “What?” he asks.

“I’m just curious—what do you remember from that day?”

Now a wariness creeps into his expression.

“Why are you asking?”

“Curiosity, I guess. I’m not doubting you. Not at all. I just feel like, in all the things I’ve read and all the things people have said, I never really got to hear your side. It’s all been secondhand and thirdhand and probably seventh- or eighth-hand, so I figured I’d just come and ask you firsthand.”

I know I’m on dangerous ground here. I can’t make Jeongwoo too much of a confidant, because tomorrow will come and he might not remember anything that’s been said, and that might make Haruto suspicious. But at the same time, I want to know what he remembers.

Haruto wants to talk. I can see it. He knows he’s stepped off his own map. And while he won’t pull back, he also regrets it a little. I don’t think he ever meant for it to take over his life.

“It was a pretty normal day,” he tells me. “Nothing unusual. I was home with my parents. I did chores, that kind of thing. And then—I don’t know. Something must have happened. Because I made up this story about a school musical and borrowed their car for the night. I don’t remember the musical part—they told me that later. But there I was, driving around. And I had these … urges. Like I was being drawn somewhere.”

He pauses.

“Where?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. This is the weird part. There are a few hours there that are completely blank. I have this sense of not being in control of my body, but that’s it. I have flashes of a party, but I have no idea where, or who else was there. Then suddenly I’m being woken up by a policeman. And I haven’t drunk a sip. I haven’t done any drugs. They tested for that, you know.”

“What if you had a seizure?”

“Why would I borrow my parents’ car to have a seizure? No, there was something else in control. The reverend says I must have wrestled with the devil. Like Jacob. I must have known my body was being used for something evil, and I fought it. And then, when I won, the devil left me by the side of the road.”

He believes this. He genuinely believes this.

And I can’t tell him it’s not true. I can’t tell him what really happened. Because if I do, Jeongwoo will be in danger. I will be in danger.

“It didn’t have to be the devil,” I say.

Haruto becomes defensive. “I just know, okay? And I’m not the only one. There are lots of people out there who’ve experienced the same thing. I’ve chatted with a few of them. It’s scary how many things we have in common.”

“Are you afraid it will happen again?”

“No. I’m prepared this time. If the devil is anywhere near me, I’ll know what to do.”

I sit right there across from him and listen.

He doesn’t recognize me.

I am not the devil.

This thought is what echoes through my mind the rest of the day.

I am not the devil, but I could be.

Looking at it from afar, looking at it from a perspective like Haruto’s, I can see how scary it could be. Because what’s to stop me from doing harm? What punishment would there be if I took the pencil in my hand and gouged out the eye of the girl sitting next to me in chem class? Or worse. I could easily get away with the perfect crime. The body that committed the murder would inevitably get caught, but the murderer would go free. Why haven’t I thought of this before?

I have the potential to be the devil.

But then I think, Stop. I think, No. Because, really, does that make me any different from everyone else? Yes, I could get away with it, but certainly we all have the potential to commit the crime. We choose not to. Every single day, we choose not to. I am no different.

I am not the devil.

There is still no word from Hanni. Whether her silence is coming from her confusion or from a desire to be rid of me, I have no way of knowing.

I write to her and say, simply:

I have to see you again.

Yn

Day 6009

There’s still no word from her the next morning.

I get in the car and drive.

The car belongs to Kang taehyun. He should be in school. But I call the office pretending to be his father and say he has a doctor’s appointment.

It may last the entire day.

It’s a two-hour drive. I know I should spend it getting to know Kang taehyun, but he seems incidental to me right now. I used to inhabit lives like this all the time—testing the bare minimum I needed to know in order to get through the day. I got so good at it that I made it through a few days without accessing once. I’m sure these were very blank days for the bodies I was in, because they were extraordinarily blank days for me.

Most of the drive, I think about Hanni. How to get her back. How to keep in her good graces. How to make this work.

It’s the last part that’s the hardest.

When I get to her school, I park where Ahn yujin parked. The school day is already in full swing, so when I open the doors, I jump right into the fray. It’s between periods, and I have all of two minutes to find her.

I don’t know where she is. I don’t even know what period’s starting. I just push through the halls, looking for her. People brush by, tell me to watch where I’m going. I don’t care. There is everyone else, and there is her. I am only focused on her.

I let the universe tell me where to go. I rely purely on instinct, knowing that this kind of instinct comes from somewhere other than me, somewhere other than this body.

She is turning in to a classroom. But she stops. Looks up. Sees me.

I don’t know how to explain it. I am an island in the hall as people push around me. She is another island. I see her, and she knows exactly who I am. There is no way for her to know this. But she knows.

She walks away from the classroom, walks toward me. Another bell rings and the rest of the people drain out of the hall, leaving us alone together.

“Hey,” she says.

“Hey,” I say.

“I thought you might come.”

“Are you mad?”

“No, I’m not mad.” She glances back at the classroom. “Although Lord knows you’re not good for my attendance record.”

“I’m not good for anybody’s attendance record.”

“What’s your name today?”

“Yn,” I tell her. “For you, it’s always Yn.”

She has a test next period that she can’t skip, so we stay on the school grounds. When we start to encounter other kids—kids without classes this period, kids also cutting—she grows a little more cautious.

“Is Minji in class?” I ask, to give her fear a name.

“Yeah. If she decided to go.”

We find an empty classroom and go inside. From all the Shakespearean paraphernalia hanging on the walls, I’m guessing we’re in an English classroom. Or drama.

We sit in the back row, out of sight of the window in the door.

“How did you know it was me?” I have to ask.

“The way you looked at me,” she says. “It couldn’t have been anyone else.”

This is what love does: It makes you want to rewrite the world. It makes you want to choose the characters, build the scenery, guide the plot. The person you love sits across from you, and you want to do everything in your power to make it possible, endlessly possible. And when it’s just the two of you, alone in a room, you can pretend that this is how it is, this is how it will be.

I take her hand and she doesn’t pull away. Is this because something between us has changed, or is it only because my body has changed? Is it easier for her to hold Kang taehyun’s hand?

The electricity in the air is muted. This is not going to lead to anything more than an honest conversation.

“I’m sorry about the other night,” I say again.

“I deserve part of the blame. I never should have called her.”

“What did she say? Afterward?”

“She kept calling you ‘that bitch.’ ”

“Charming.”

“I think she sensed it was a trap. I don’t know. She just knew something was off.”

“Which is probably why she passed the test.”

Hanni pulls away. “That’s not fair.”

“I’m sorry.”

I wonder why it is that she’s strong enough to say no to me, but not strong enough to say no to her.

“What do you want to do?” I ask her.

She matches my glance perfectly. “What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to do whatever you feel is best for you.”

“That’s the wrong answer,” she tells me.

“Why is it the wrong answer?”

“Because it’s a lie.”

You are so close, I think. You are so close, and I can’t reach you.

“Let’s go back to my original question,” I say. “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t want to throw everything away for something uncertain.”

“What about me is uncertain?”

She laughs. “Really? Do I have to explain it to you?”

“Besides that. You know you are the most important person I’ve ever had in my life. That’s certain.”

“In just two weeks. That’s uncertain.”

“You know more about me than anyone else does.”

“But I can’t say the same for you. Not yet.”

“You can’t deny that there’s something between us.”

“No. There is. When I saw you today—I didn’t know I’d been waiting for you until you were there. And then all of that waiting rushed through me in a second. That’s something … but I don’t know if it’s certainty.”

I know what I’m asking of you, I want to say. But I stop myself. Because I realize that would be another lie. And she’d call me on it.

She looks at the clock. “I have to get ready for my test. And you have another life to get back to.”

I can’t help myself. I ask, “Don’t you want to see me?”

She holds there for a moment. “I do. And I don’t. You would think it would make things easier, but it actually makes them harder.”

“So I shouldn’t just show up here?”

“Let’s stick to email for now. Okay?”

And just like that, the universe goes wrong. Just like that, all the enormity seems to shrink into a ball and float away from my reach.

I feel it, and she doesn’t.

Or I feel it, and she won’t.

[daitranscripts]

Guilty Pleasures Pt. 2

Cassandra Wants a Book

Cassandra Masterpost Previous: Swords & Shields

The PC approaches Varric.

PC: Cassandra is waiting for the next issue of Swords & Shields.

Varric: I must have heard that wrong. It sounded like you just said that Cassandra read my books.

Dialogue options:

General: You sound surprised. [1]

General: She’s a big fan. [2] +Varric slightly approves

General: I did say that. [3]

1 - General: You sound surprised. PC: What’s so surprising about that? Varric: You have met Cassandra, haven’t you? [4]

2 - General: She’s a big fan. PC: She’s a pretty big fan, in fact. Varric: Are we talking about the same Cassandra? Tall, grumpy Seeker? Likes stabbing things? [4]

3 - General: I did say that. PC: That’s exactly what I just said. Varric: Maybe I’m just going crazy. [4]

4 - Scene continues.

Varric: Wait, did you say the romance serial? She’ll be waiting a while, then. I haven’t finished it and wasn’t planning to. That book is easily the worst I’ve ever written. The last issue barely sold enough to pay for the ink.

Dialogue options:

General: It can’t be that bad. [5] +Varric slightly approves

General: Cassandra seems to like it. [6] +Varric approves

General: I need it as a gift. [7]

General: No wonder she was embarrassed. [8] -Varric slightly disapproves

5 - General: It can’t be that bad. PC: I’m sure it’s not a s terrible as you think. Varric: There are a number of critics who’d be happy to argue with you. [9]

6 - General: Cassandra seems to like it. PC: Well, Cassandra seems to be hooked on it. Varric: And I honestly thought a hole in the sky was the weirdest thing that could happen. [9]

7 - General: I need it as a gift. PC: I was hoping to give it to Cassandra as a gift. Varric: Oh come on, that’s just cruel. Even the Seeker doesn’t deserve that. [9]

8 - General: No wonder she was embarrassed. PC: If it’s terrible smut, I guess that explains why Cassandra tried to hide it from me. Varric: “Smut?” (Laughs.) Is that what she called it? It’s fluff at best. I can’t compete in the smut market. That’s cutthroat. [9]

9 - Scene continues.

Varric: So… you want me to finish writing the latest issue of my worst serial. For Cassandra. That’s such a terrible idea, I have to do it. On one condition: I get to be there when you give her the book.

Dialogue options:

General: Fine. [10]

General: I don’t think so. [11]

10 - General: Fine. PC: You’ve got a deal. Varric: I’ll get to work, then. You know, the fact the book is terrible just makes it worthwhile, somehow. Scene ends.

11 - General: I don’t think so. PC: I don’t think that’s a good idea. Varric: Then you’d better find something else to give the Seeker. Scene ends.

If the PC asks again after rejecting Varric’s offer: Varric: I’ll only finish the book for you if I get to be there when you deliver it.

Next: Don't Tell Me

[galaxies-can-collide]

You are the new girl

Pt. 2

Summary: Y/N is new in town and comes across two beautiful boys that both spark and interest in her. Which boy will she choose....

Warnings: Just some cute stuff, romance, 18+ still to come

Word Count: 3.8k words (tbf this whole story is over 10k words)

Author Note: I am new to this whole thing, and this is my first post, so be gentle. But also let me know your thoughts and if you want more? I have written so much of this but am always willing to make changes. Part 3 is going to be juicyyyyyy

The night went on with you having dinner with Sarah, Rose, Wheezie, Ward and Rafe, much to your surprise Rafe sat right next to you. Every so often his knee would graze yours but it would linger just long enough to know he was doing it on purpose. But you could not do that as he was in a relationship and you were not that type of girl so you moved your knee further from him. The conversation flowed between you and the Cameron family, them asking about your life and you telling them everything they asked, it was a night of laughter and good chats. After dinner Sarah had asked you to stay the night to which you agreed. As dinner ended and everyone was clearing the table Rafe pulled you to the side, away from prying eyes, “Hey, Y/N, since you are staying over I wanted to know if you wanted to watch a movie later?”, you agreed but you knew you could not trust yourself to be alone in the dark with him so you insisted on Sarah joining, much to Rafe’s annoyance. 

Sarah sat on the bean bag and you sat on the loveseat to which Rafe happily sat next to you but you scooted as far away as possible and it seemed to have hurt Rafe a little as his head hung low. Sarah fell asleep half way through the movie which left basically you and Rafe alone, which is what you did not want. Much to your surprise you and Rafe spoke throughout the whole rest of the movie about your lives, ambitions, goals and what you want to do after school. You actually had a lot in common and the conversation flowed like you had known each other for years, he was so easy to talk to and his laugh was something out of an angel choir, the way his head flew back when you said something funny and he giggled like a 2 year old with a new toy, he was perfect but he was not mine, he belonged to someone else. 

 Little did you know Rafe felt exactly the same and he had butterflies that he has never felt before, there was something about you and he was infatuated. The way your blonde hair fell perfectly passed your shoulders and down to your lower back, the way your eyes twinkled when you spoke about the things you loved and your laugh only drew him in, the little dimples that appeared every time you smiled. Rafe was hooked on you and he could not shake it, but there was one problem, he was with someone, although he did not love her anymore, he was still spoken for and he could and he could not do anything until he had sorted it out. You and Rafe had been talking for what felt like hours and you never wanted it to end, neither did he. 

 When Sarah eventually stirred in her sleep and woke up she insisted you two go up to bed, as she left the room, you said “I will be right there, give me a minute” she nodded groggily and left the room to go upstairs, you turned to Rafe. “Thanks for this, it has been really nice talking to someone who has similar life interests, but I better get up to bed I have a long day tomorrow” with that you stood up. But Rafe did not want you to go, he did not want this to end, and with that he grabbed your hand and yanked you onto his lap so that you were straddling him, faces inches apart. You tried to push away saying this is not right and that we can’t do this but his firm grip held you tightly in place. “I know, but I can’t pretend that I feel nothing for you, and I don’t think you can either” he said, and you just looked at him. With that being said he kissed you, so eager and so lustful like he had been waiting for this moment for so long and with ease you reciprocated the kiss. It got really heated with you pulling on his hair and his one hand snaking around your throat while the other gripped your ass, he then picked you up and flipped you around to lie on the couch as he hovered over you, he hand then snaked it way under your shirt till it was firmly cupping your breast, you didn’t want this to end but it was not right and with that realisation you quickly pushed him off of you and stood up leaving both of you panting, Rafe looked at you with sad eyes but he too knew you couldn’t be doing this not when he was in a relationship.

 “Rafe, that should never have happened, I am not this person” you said with tears threating to spill. He stood up and cupped your face “I know, but there is something about you and I can’t seem to shake it” he said. You pulled away “That cannot happen again, you are in a relationship.” You stated and started walking away, “I don’t love her you know, haven’t for a while. And you have just confirmed that” he said as you were walking away. He continued, “I want you, in more ways than one, and I know we only just met but I feel like we just connect and I feel like I have known you forever and its magic Y/N. Tell me you feel it too?” you stopped in your tracks and turned to him “Rafe, I do feel it but as long as you are with someone else we cannot do anything about us.” He looked as if he was contemplating something, “I’ll leave her if that means I get a chance with you.” He said, “When that happens we can talk, but don’t leave her on my account Rafe. Do it because you feel it’s right not because you feel you have to.” You said, he walked towards you and cupped your face with both hands, “This, this is what I want. You, to get to know you and spend time with you but I have to sort some things out first” and with that he planted one small kiss on your lips and left, leaving you there on your own thinking about what just happened. 

 The next morning was your first day of school, as you got ready you kept replaying last night, how could you let that happen, you made your way to the kitchen, now back home and saw your dad in the kitchen just about to leave, he said his goodbyes and with that he was off to work. You ate breakfast and then got ready to leave, as there was no uniform you put on a short floral white skirt along with a tight white crop top hugging you in all the right places, you paired it with some white converse and you were off. You knew you would not bump into Rafe today as he went to another school which was a relief, you got to school and thankfully all the pogues were there, and there he was the blue eyed, blonde haired boy who yesterday asked you to go for a ride after school but after what happened with Rafe you don’t know if you could, seeing as you already felt so strongly about someone in a relationship. 

 No, you know what I am going to go as Rafe is in a relationship and that does not mean I can’t go out too. He smiled at you as you walked towards them giving you a small wink, “Hey guys” you said and they all said hey back, you all spoke for a bit until the bell rang, and you walked to class, JJ being the first to offer his assistance in showing you around which you were thankful for. School went on as normal and then came break you all met outside in the seating area and you and JJ got to talking, you spoke about your plan for after school and where to meet, you spoke for a while until a girl with long brunette hair and piercing greens eyes walked up to us and sat right next to JJ. She was beautiful, in every way, but I got this weird feeling from her by the way she sat so close to JJ and placed her hand on his leg. 

 JJ spoke up after removing her hand from his leg and placing his on yours, it was quite cute actually, much to her hatred. She piped up “Hi, I am Jennifer, but you can call me Jen. You have either heard of me or my boyfriend Rafe, the hottest guy in OBX”, now you had to introduce yourself to the girlfriend of the boy you heavily made out with last night. “Hi, I’m Y/N. I am new here” she did not look to impressed, looking you up and down as if she was judging you silently, which she probably was. She ignored you and faced JJ, “So, JJ what are you doing later” she said fluttering her eyes, which was weird to me because she Is with Rafe. “I am taking Y/N out on a date” he said and looked at me and smiled. She was not happy and that only made me smile more, I took JJ’s hand in mine and I stood up and we walked away, not letting go of his hand which he did not seem to mind. The rest of the school day went by as expected, you trying to locate your classes and getting up to speed with everything, as you entered the school year halfway through it. After school I met JJ outside where he had said by the bike parking spaces. 

 I walked up to him sat on his bike, but god he was so hot, I honestly felt so lucky that this man wanted to take me out but my head kept going back to Rafe, but I had to shake that. I got on the back on his bike and put my helmet on, what I did not notice was Rafe sitting in his jeep across the lot watching us, he was there to pick up Jennifer but he was seething, he hated seeing you touch another boy, let alone that worthless pogue, but he knew you were free to do what you wanted as he was in a relationship which he planned to end today. But seeing you with someone other than him killed him, and the thought of another boy touching or kissing you made his blood boil. He was so distracted by watching you two ride off that he did not notice Jen enter the call calling his name.

 “Rafe, hello? ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?” she yelled snapping him out of his haze. “No, sorry what did you say” he said looking at her, she was mad because she could see him staring at you and that pissed her off. She did not love Rafe, she wanted JJ but she could not let the new girl have both Rafe and JJ. So she put a plan in motion to tear both boys away from you. Starting with JJ. She had to push you closer to Rafe, so that she could have JJ and then when that happened she would inevitably get Rafe back, leaving you with nothing. 

“Rafe, we both know this relationship has been over for a while now, so with that being said I think we should end it and go our separate ways. And don’t think I haven’t noticed you staring at Y/N. It was fun while it lasted Rafe” after she said that she got out his car. Rafe had not said anything as she has basically just done what he was going to do although he could not think of that right now all he could think about was you and where you were.

You and JJ finally arrived at the spot he had been talking about and it was incredible, the view of the whole of OBX with the sun setting at just the perfect spot, he had set up such a beautiful picnic for the two of you and you were so grateful. You two sat down and drank champagne and spoke till the sun was down and the moon and the stars where out, you spoke about everything and anything just enjoying each other’s company. It was the best time, and for the time being you forgot about Rafe and were just in the moment with JJ, everything about him was perfect, his laugh, his smile and the way he spoke about everything he loved and wanted to do. He was so soft and gentle and you could tell he had a good heart, you were just staring at him with awe as he spoke and in that moment all you really wanted to do was kiss him, so you did, you took his face and pulled it towards you and planted a kiss on his lips and he was shocked, you pulled away and quickly apologised, “I am sorry, I don’t know what came over me” you said covering your face with your hands, he pulled your hands into his and looked at you, “never apologise for that, I would do it again 10 times over” after saying that he leaned in again and kissed you, it was much different to the way Rafe kissed you, JJ kissed you with passion and love and Rafe kissed you with lust and wanting. Both incredible but so different and your head was scrambled. You and JJ spent a few more hours there just enjoying each other’s company until you had to head home. 

 JJ dropped you off at the ned of the road of Tannyhill and gave you a sweet kiss goodbye, “thank you for tonight Y/N, it was incredible and I hope we can do it again soon. I’ll call you later okay?” he said and I nodded and he left.

 You did have the greatest time with JJ but as you were walking up the road to your house your mind kept going back to Rafe, what was it about him that you could not shake, but you knew you would kick yourself if you didn’t see it out. Little to you knowledge Rafe had watched the entire thing unfold with you and JJ in the driveway and he refused to lose you to a fucking pogue. He knew he had to do something, so that is exactly what he did, and it was something. Rafe ran out of his house and caught up to you before you could get into your house. He ran up to you out of breath and you could not help but admire how beautiful he was, even when he was out of breath.

“Rafe, what are you doing, did you just run here?” you questioned him, wanting to know why he was here and if he saw you kiss JJ. You felt guilty about it, even though you had no reason to, you are single. “Y/N, I need to tell you something, well a lot actually” he trailed off, he almost looked nervous and you had no idea why, or what he wanted to talk to you about. “Uhm, Jen and I broke up today. I just couldn’t be with someone I did not love anymore, especially when I felt such strong feelings about someone else, that someone else being you. Look what I am trying to say is that, I like you Y/N, a lot and I cannot get you out of my head, and I know I just got out of a relationship like literally 4 hours ago, but God do I want to be with you, so bad. I want to spoil you and praise you and treat you like gold, I want to love you and cherish you and do everything in life with you by my side. Please let me do that, and I saw what happened with you and JJ and that’s okay, it proved to me that I could not let you go”, Rafe was rambling at this stage and you just looked at him in complete admiration at how he is so easily confessing his feelings to you, “Rafe, shhhhh”, “No Y/N you need to hear this” and as he was about to continue rambling you kissed him, with so much passion and so much heat it was like you were running out of oxygen and he was your air, he was shocked at first but very quickly reciprocated, he snaked his arms around your waist and prompted you to jump. 

You obliged and jumped into his arms while he carried you into the house. He made his way to your bedroom, surprised he knew which one but I guess he did use to live here so he was very familiar with the property. He laid you on your bed and continued kissing you he hands found their way under your shirt and cupped your boob and he started playing with them, you wanted this, you wanted him but not so soon. You pushed him off gently, he looked very confused “Rafe, I want this, but not right now, it’s too soon, I want to get to know you more, can we take this slow? I also want to talk to JJ, he deserves to know” you said quietly not wanting to upset him, a part of you also wanted to make sure he actually wanted to be with you and not just sleep with you. “He cupped you face when you two sat up, “Baby, I will do anything you want, if you want to take it slow, we can take it slow, whatever makes you happy” he said in the softest voice, and you couldn’t help but feel that you were going to fall and crash hard in love with this boy. You two spent the rest of the night talking about yourselves and your families and your backgrounds. You spoke about your insecurities and what kept you up at night, you spoke about the things you both loved in life and your dreams. You spoke until the sun rose and what was hours felt like minutes, being with him was natural. Rafe was in his element, he loved every second and every moment with you and he never wanted to leave. This very moment reminded Rafe of a song and he grabbed his phone as you were falling asleep laying on his chest, he thought you were sleep but you were in and out just listening to his heart beat and him stroking your hair, then he started playing the song and your heart skipped a beat,

Oh, I'm obsessed With the way your head is layin' on my chest How you love the things I hate about myself That no one knows, but with you, I see hope again Oh, I'm a mess When I overthink the little things in my head You seem to always help me catch my breath But then I lose it again When I look at you, that's the end

And why do I get so nervous when I look into your eyes? Butterflies can't stop me fallin' for you

And darlin', this is more than anything I felt before You're everything that I want, but I didn't think I'd find Someone who is worth the wait of all the years of my heartbreak But I know now I found the one I love

And I love the way You can never find the right things to say And you can't sit still an hour in the day I'm so in love, let's run away because us is enough

 -- I GUESS I'M IN LOVESong by Clinton Kane

When the song eventually ended you felt tears well up in your eyes, you never knew you could feel for someone so deeply so quickly.

The two of you eventually trailed off to sleep for what felt like 5 minutes because then your alarm went off and you knew you had to go to school and tell JJ what you felt for Rafe.

You stirred awake and noticed that Rafe was not there, you were confused why would he leave you? But as you turned you saw a note on your pillow and you smiled, it read “My beautiful girl, sorry I had to leave you, I would of woken you but you looked so peaceful sleeping. I had to run some errands for my dad but I will see you later xoxo Rafe”

You held the note close to your heart so tightly, you got up and got dressed for school, slightly dreading it because you had to see JJ and tell him. He had phoned you last night like he said but given the situation you were in you didn’t answer. You got to school and saw JJ sitting out in front and he gave the biggest smile when he saw you and your heart dropped, you were now going to have to break his heart and that did not sit right with you but you can’t deny what you feel for Rafe.

 “Hello gorgeous” he said beaming and he tried to kiss you but you swerved and he was confused, “Hey J, we need to talk” you said and he looked worried but agreed. You went and sat next to him and took a few minutes before saying something and he waited patiently. “I had an amazing time last night, just so you know, but a few things happened when you left and it is the right thing to tell you” you continued “Rafe came and visited me and we spoke for a really long time and JJ I cannot deny what I feel for him, and I can’t live with myself if I did not see it out. I do like you JJ, I really do but I feel gravitated towards Rafe, I am so sorry. I would still love to be in your life and be friends but that is purely up to you and I will respect your decision” you said shyly. He dropped his head and was silent for what felt like hours but he then said something and you half expected him to absolutely demolish you, but that is the opposite of what he did and you kind of wished he hated you to make it easier. 

“Look Y/N, obviously that is not great to hear, because I saw potential in us, but I will never stop you from following your heart, I will stand by your side, because you are an amazing person. I would love to still be in your life, that won’t change just because of who you are with. This sucks it really does, but all I want is for you to be happy and if that is with someone else so be it” he said sadly but you could see he was telling the truth. You looked at him with sweet eyes and then pulled him into a hug and the rest is history.

[zalrb]

Memories [SE Xmas Fic Pt. 2]

*Requires some engagement at the end

Part 1: https://zalrb.tumblr.com/post/703687556774215680/be-neighbourly-se-xmas-fic-pt-1

Stefan hadn't visited Elena's apartment since that night but somehow ended up spending a lot of time with her over the next week. She wrote in the coffee shop by their building and he would see her at a window side table with her laptop. What had become a quick in-and-out morning routine had turned into an extra thirty minutes to drink coffee before work. They ran to each other in supermarkets or the park after work, each conversation longer than the last,

and then on a Saturday, Stefan got a knock on his door. When he opened it, Elena looked sheepish and slightly surprised like she didn't actually expect anyone to answer.

"Hi." He could barely get the word out.

Elena said nothing right away; he'd answered the door in pyjama pants but no shirt and found that words were difficult for her to form. Stop staring, stop staring, stop staring ---

"Hey," she said.

He waited a beat. "Would you like to come in?" 

Yes.

"Uh, subway's actually outside, this way," said Elena, pointing behind her.

Stefan cocked his head, confused. "Subway?"

"Right. So here's the thing," said Elena. "I haven't actually taken the subway yet because it's scary--"

Stefan chuckled and Elena playfully punched him on the shoulder.

"Don't laugh at me! Those platforms are way too narrow. But I really want to go to the holiday market at Union Square, sooooooo," she cleared her throat, "do you want to be my escort? Save my life in case I trip into the tracks."

Stefan grinned. "I'm... surprised you'd ask me."

"Well, I don't know anyone else in the city," said Elena. "So...."

Stefan nodded. "Ah, so I'm your choice by default."

"Of course." She giggled. "No, Stefan, I..." she bit her lip, getting serious. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about what you told me, you know, about your brother, about the last Christmas you celebrated?"

Stefan shook his head, lowering it. "Elena..."

"I just think you deserve better memories of this time. Not that I think that I can magically erase everything," she said quickly. Now that she thought of it, her idea didn't really make much sense. He had lived in this city much longer than she had, he wasn't a tourist, he'd probably passed the holiday market dozens of times. "I just -- I just mean that I could maybe -- well because we seem to get along, I -- I just wanted to try." She took a deep breath and gathered everything she wanted to say.

"You won't be sad on Christmas forever," she said simply. "You can't be. I don't think I could stand that."

He looked at her then. 

"Look, I'll even make it interesting," she said.

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "I'm listening."

"If I give you one amazing Christmas memory then you have to come over to my place on the day, hang out with my friends, my brother, drink eggnog, watch the classics, you know, Christmas stuff."

"Mm," said Stefan. "And if you don't?"

"Then I'll buy your coffee for the week."

Stefan smiled, nodding. "Deal," he said softly. "Let me just get ready."

He stepped into his apartment, keeping his door open so Elena could follow him inside.

"Shouldn't take long," he said, disappearing down the hallway.

Elena glanced around at the living room. She couldn't believe she was there but at the same time, it was inevitable. She wasn’t getting anything done. Sure, she had been writing but what had begun as a literary novel had turned into a romance, more accurately a piece of fanfiction of her own life. She found herself writing down scenarios between two neighbours, meet cutes and passionate love scenes, just a series of wish fulfillments that made her yearn and cost her sleep. Perhaps it would one day be a classic romcom or a cheesy holiday classic, but at the moment, she knew it wouldn't stop until she did something about it. 

She walked around the apartment, taking in the kitchen, the books on his shelves, the furniture -- she wanted to know everything about him. When he finally returned to the living room, he looked clean-cut and dapper in a wool topcoat. Elena got suddenly shy.

“Ready?”

“Mmhmm.”

            Neither one of them could have predicted how far the day would take them. It had already begun with a casual intimacy. When they took the subway at 72nd and Elena felt a wave of anxiety looking at how close the tracks seemed to be, Stefan had taken her hand, helping her along the platform and Elena felt a jolt that made her heart thud at the feel of his skin against hers. When he’d let go on the train, she resisted the urge to take his hand again even though her palm tingled with a kind of absence.

They walked the maze of garland-strewn shops at the market, talking to the vendors, sipping coffee, sharing a soft pretzel. She'd talked him into taking selfies at shops with colourful lanterns and they tried on different hats and scarves, looked at different drawings and paintings, took in the different ornaments for sale, some of which Elena bought to add to her tree. There'd been a necklace that caught Elena's eye, she stared at it --- a silver heart-shaped locket that she stroked gently before deciding it was too expensive to get,  and when she'd stood in line for some pierogi, Stefan had bought it, handing it over to her with a bit of a bashful smile.

"You didn't have to---"

He shrugged. "It looks good on you, I wanted you to have it."

Elena smiled up at him. "You haven't even seen me wear it..."

"Everything looks good on you, I can tell."

Elena surprised herself and gave him a quick peck on the cheek as a thank you and Stefan felt like everything around him stilled and greyed and he and Elena were the only things in living colour. She turned around so he could put the necklace on her and his finger brushed the nape of her neck, causing her to shiver.

"You been to The Strand?" he asked when they'd visited every corner of the market.

Elena shook her head.

"You can't be a writer in this city and not visit at least once."

"Well, now you have to show me."

They walked over to the bookstore where there was a Christmas tree of books in the display window. They could've spent the rest of the day in the stacks, perusing books, learning about each other’s tastes,

 but after an hour they decided to keep walking, ambling along fifth avenue, looking at the different holiday window displays, snow gently falling as they shared a bag of roasted nuts. Elena could feel her phone in her pocket buzzing with incessant texts, which had started when she'd posted the selfies to Instagram.

By the time they'd made it to the Rockefeller Christmas tree, the sun had set and after craning their necks to take in the lights, Elena turned to Stefan.

"So," she said. "This has been a fun day."

"Yes," he said. "I'd say so."

"But has it been perfect?" Elena raised her eyebrows. "Or has there been a perfect moment?"

Stefan looked at her.

"What?"

He shook his head. "It wasn't a fair bet."

"What do you mean?"

"You were always going to win, Elena." He shrugged. "You won before you even made the bet." 

He gazed at her, a combination of nervousness and intensity, which made Elena both lightheaded and bold. She pressed her palms to his chest and kissed him softly but not chastely and she had barely pulled away when he went in for a second kiss, the tree dazzling with lights behind them.

They'd held hands for the rest of the evening, even when they'd stopped for dinner at a nearby restaurant, they kept their fingers entwined on the table.

“You know, Kendra’s probably watching through the peephole, right?” said Elena when they made it back to their building and stopped outside of her apartment. “And so is anyone who can without opening

Stefan grinned. “Really?”

“Well, I did bag the mysterious bachelor in 3205.”

His grinned widened. “Did you?”

They kissed again, a bit more urgency in the way Elena gripped his coat, in the way Stefan circled his arm around her waist, she stood on tiptoe, moaning deeply, which invoked a moan from Stefan as well and he pulled away before he lost himself.

"Well," said Stefan hoarsely. "Goodnight."

He started to head over to his unit but Elena hadn't let go of his hand when she took her keys out to unlock her door,

and she guided him into her apartment, laughing at the audible gasps from up and down the hallway.

 When he stepped inside, they kissed again, deep and giddy.

Stefan used his foot to close the door so he could keep his hands on the sides of her face. She started unbuttoning his coat and when he shrugged it off, she quickly unravelled her scarf and took off her jacket, letting them both fall to the floor, before clutching his head, bringing him closer to her, fervently embracing.

Stefan lifted her onto him and she squealed in delight, grinning at the feel of his strong arms around her body.

He walked over to her sofa and they both collapsed onto it. Her hands explored his back, clawing at his shirt, as he kissed her neck, her throat, her chest, she nipped his earlobe, panting into his ear.

Stefan looked up briefly and then disentangled from Elena, scrambling backwards.

"Oh, thank God," said a voice, "because this was getting a little uncomfortable to watch."

Elena's eyes widened and she sat up, looking behind her, seeing a petite woman with long, curly blonde hair and blue wide-set eyes sitting on the armchair.

"Katherine," said Stefan through gritted teeth.

"Katherine, what are you---"

"Katherine? As in Katherine?"

She looked incredulously at the woman who sat, cross-legged, in her chair like Elena was the one who had walked into her home. Katherine looked at her nails and then flicked her eyes up to Elena, tilting her head to the side.

"Looks like vanilla is the flavour of the month.”

Elena jerked like she was about to walk over to her, but Stefan held her by the wrist, shaking his head slightly.

Katherine put her head in her hand and smiled. “It’s good to see you, Stefan.”

"See you're up to your old tricks," he said. "How are you in here?”

“I have my ways,” said Katherine vaguely.

“I mean,” he said forcefully. “Why aren't you in my place? Why are you in Elena’s?"

"Saw the pictures on Instagram. Very… cute," said Katherine. "Clearly she was going to invite you to her place for a stimulating night of missionary---”

Elena tried to move again but Stefan kept her in place.

           “Katherine,” said Stefan. “I’m not doing this here.”

           “Then by all means let’s go to your place.”

           Stefan sighed and turned to Elena. She saw that he intended to leave and she held onto him.

“Stefan, no.”

           “I don’t want her here with you,” he said, looking at her.

           “And I don’t want her there with you. Alone.”

           “That’s smart,” said Katherine.

           “Shut up,” said Stefan without looking “I’ll be fine. It’ll be fine, OK?” He mouthed, “It’s better to just see what she wants.”

           Elena didn’t like it but she gave a slight jerk of her head as an agreement and he kissed her on her forehead and then looked at her. “I’ll be right back.”

           Katherine smirked as she passed Elena and followed Stefan out of her apartment but huffed when Stefan didn’t hold the door to his unit open for her, letting it slam in her face.

           “Rude.” She opened the door and walked over to the kitchen. “You have any Perignon? You know I how love champagne and you can afford that now.”

           “Don’t go through my kitchen,” said Stefan, leaning against his door, glaring at her with a mixture of exhaustion and hatred.

He kept the distance.

There could be a dizzying affect to Katherine, to the revulsion she inspired in him, a vortex that twisted him into doing things he didn’t want to.

           “You know how I feel about rules, Stefan,” said Katherine, taking a bottle out of the cooler.

           “Mm.” He sighed. "So, how's Damon doing?"

Katherine raised her eyebrows. "How would I know?"

"Isn't that where you've been all this time."

"I haven't seen him for as long as you have," she said, pouring herself a glass. "I told you back then that it was over between us, it was you who decided not to believe me."

"Why should I have when you lied about everything else?" said Stefan, his voice getting louder.

"I never lied about loving you."

"No, just that you were also fucking my brother."

"I got greedy." Katherine shrugged, taking a sip. "We all have flaws."

Stefan laughed humorlessly.  "OK well, whatever game this is, keep Elena out of it."

Katherine put her glass down and walked back into the living room. "So protective over a girl you just met?"

"She means a lot to me," said Stefan firmly. “I mean it. Don’t go near her again.”

Katherine exhaled and shook her head. "I don't like feeling jealous, Stefan."

"I could give a damn about how you feel, Katherine. And you don't get to feel anything about me. Why are you even here anyway? After all this time..."

"‘All this time’?" Katherine repeated. She laughed. "Don't be so naive. I've always been here. Keeping an eye on you.”

Stefan blinked.

“You look so surprised! Of course, I’ve been checking in on you over the years, but you asked for space and I gave it to you, I was being considerate, respecting your boundaries.”

Stefan rubbed his head. “I can’t deal with your level of crazy right now. You don’t get to just show up and fuck up my life.”  

           Katherine grinned and sidled up to him, tapping her fingers on his chest, making his jaw clench.

He hated her. He did. But he hated her even more for the heat that tinged his loathing, for the way his body reacted to her presence.

“If I remember correctly, Stefan, you love a little bit of crazy.”

           He moved her hand. “Stop.”

           She looked at him knowingly. “Hmm.” She laughed. "So, the princess---”

           “Elena,” said Stefan sharply.

“Does she know about us?"

"She knows," said Stefan.

"No, she knows how it ended. Does she know the beginning?" She whispered in his ear, "Does she know the middle?"

Stefan closed his eyes as the memories surfaced, panting and sighing

and writhing bodies…

“I know you feel it,” she continued.

… pleasure that melded with a hatred, screaming and yelling and broken bottles, shattered ornaments.

He shook his head. “Leave. Get the fuck out.”  He started to move away from her but she pulled him back to her, turning his face to hers.

 Elena was pacing in her apartment, her phone propped up on the coffee table.

"Wait a minute, she was in your apartment. Like inside your apartment?" said Bonnie. 

"Yeah! Like some fucking stalker! Stefan said that she used to follow him wherever he went, I didn't realize the extent."

"You need to call the cops," said Bonnie.

"No, no, that can wait," said Caroline.

Bonnie shot Caroline a look. "Caroline!"

"Um, hello? Crazy hot ex-girlfriend in the apartment of the guy she's vibing on?" said Caroline, pointing toward her phone. She turned to face the camera. "That takes precedence. You need to mark your territory."

"I'm not a dog, Caroline."

"But you need to out-bitch her."

Bonnie rolled her eyes.

Elena stopped pacing, rubbing her forehead. "I do kind of want to go over there, Bon."  

"Elena," said Bonnie. "Be sensible!"

"I just don't like it, Bonnie. Them shacked up together?"

Elena paused and in that brief moment the image of them together flashed before her eyes and she clenched her hands. 

"We don't know how she's going to react! Didn't you say she played him and his brother off of each other and it destroyed their relationship? She broke into her house!”      

"Yeah! She's doing all this just to get him back and I don’t know … I just … I can’t let it go.”

           Elena hung up the phone, storming out of her apartment and wrenching the door open to Stefan’s only to find him and Katherine pressed up against the wall and --- 

 Elena bolted upright and hit her head square on the bunk above her.

“Shit!”

She pressed her hand to her forehead as she oriented herself in reality. What was her reality? Right. The on-call room.

Her breathing was haggard and she had to calm herself down, let the jealousy and anger from her dream melt away only for the torturous reality to set in --- Stefan couldn’t kiss Katherine, couldn’t sleep with her, couldn’t do anything because he was gone, he’d been gone for a while. Elena felt herself begin to cry and then took a breath – she was at work, she had to keep it together, she could be paged any second.

But…

She couldn’t let it go. The dream felt real, too real for it to simply be dream, it had the same tactile realism that the visions had. It felt supernatural. Quickly, she took her phone out of her pocket and made a call.  

"Bonnie, it's me," said Elena, holding her head. "I guess you’re still on the plane back home but … I had a weird dream. A vivid dream about ... Stefan. It seemed, like, I don't know, a warning ... a, I don't know, it just feels like something's going on. Call me back when you can, OK?" Elena hung up, pensive.

Bonnie picked up her suitcase from the luggage carousel and made her way out of the airport. She had to remember to ask Caroline if she had a charger she could use for her phone, it’d died midway through the flight. For the first time, coming home felt nerve-wracking. She came bearing news, bearing gifts, well the potential of both, and she didn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up if it turned out to simply stay at being potential.

When she walked outside to the dropoff, she spotted Caroline immediately, leaning against her SUV, her hands pulling her cardigan over her shirt.

“Hey!” said Bonnie jogging up to her.

“An eighteen hour flight and you still look this good? Ugh, you disgust me.”

Bonnie grinned as she and Caroline hugged. “Let me put your luggage in the car.” “Thanks.” Bonnie rolled over a small suitcase and handed it over to Caroline who didn’t move. “Oh, is that it?” said Caroline. “Yeah.” Caroline nodded. “OK.” She popped the trunk and put the suitcase inside. “Say it,” said Bonnie. “Nothing.” Caroline opened the car door and got into the driver’s seat while Bonnie got into the passenger’s side. Caroline started to drive, pressing her lips together and Bonnie laughed. “Say it,” she said again.

“Nothing!” She shot her a look. “Caroline.” “Really, nothing, you just, you know, you packed light,” she said. “I always pack light.”

“It’s Christmas,” said Caroline. “Did you get any shopping done?"

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Afraid I didn’t get you a gift?”

“No,” said Caroline, playfully hitting Bonnie on the arm. “It’s just if you still need to do your holiday shopping you’re cutting it close.” “Oh, let me guess, you finished your Christmas shopping two weeks ago.” Caroline snorted. “Try a month.” Bonnie laughed. “Overachiever.” “It’s in my nature,” said Caroline. “I’m just saying it’s going to be hard to find good presents for everyone."

Bonnie shrugged and sighed breezily. "I’m not worried, I have the perfect Christmas gift.” Caroline smiled. “Are you going to make it snow again?” “Better.” “What, you’re going to conjure our very own Saint Nick?” said Bonnie looked at her, grinning, until Caroline looked back. “Better,” she said.

Caroline furrowed her eyebrows and bit the inside of her lip. She kept glancing at Bonnie who giggled.   “The suspense is killing you, isn’t it?”

“Literally killing me!” Caroline exclaimed. “No one talks about how cruel you are Bonnie Bennett. I am actually dying.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want that,” said Bonnie. “So,” she cleared her throat. “I won’t wait until Christmas, I’ll give the present today.” “What, right now?” “No, not right now,” said Bonnie a little more seriously. “It’ll have to be at night.” “Mysterious,” said Caroline.

“Not for long.”

Four Options:

1. I can continue the Katherine/Elena/Stefan AU but that would mean the ending would change because Katherine and Stefan only kiss so Elena can wake up

2. I can continue the ff as it is now

3. I can write a toxic Stefan/Katherine relationship that would be like season 5 and then have Elena lose her mind over it.

4. I can do the same thing but instead of Stefan/Katherine, it's Stefan/Rebekah.

[everythingsinred]

Let's Talk About NatsuMikan: Mikan (pt. 33)

Finally!

Mikan has hid behind "we" and "people" for long enough! She has relied on telepathy for too long! It is time to use her words.

Today we'll talk about the Rapunzel Arc, three nice little chapters where miracles occur and dreams come true. This is the fairytale part of our story, but despite common misconceptions, not all fairytales have happy endings.

<- Prev Next ->

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Three

Mikan and her staunch, persisting belief in happy endings.

The fairytale themes of the next couple chapters. 

The inevitable destruction of that fairytale, the cold fact that she can’t have her happy ending. 

It's all set-up here, through her hopeless romanticism here, the happy miracles soon occurring, and the sad fact that love and sacrifice sometimes leads to unhappy endings.

Anyway, Mikan is at the Christmas Party… in a manner of speaking. She’s watching the festivities on TV while she eats cake with Bear by herself. Poor Mikan goes through all the motions of forcing a happy face, even though she’s only lying to herself and Bear. She pretends she’s not bothered or jealous that she can’t go to the party and spend time with her friends. 

She's so cute.

But her resolve wavers and she becomes gloomy, crying about how she wanted to go to the party. For quite a few chapters now, Mikan hasn’t been able to get what she wants, and it was all under the guise of the greater good. There was no way around it. She understands that, even now, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t upset her. She can get why she can’t go to the party and also resent the circumstances that prevented it simultaneously. 

She’s cheered up by Bear’s thoughtful present: some acorns he gathered for her. She’s touched and embraces him, because she gets to experience a little bit of Christmas, even if it’s just through Bear’s considerate actions. 

The moment gets even better when she receives all her other gifts, storybooks gifted to her by her friends and classmates. All sorts of books drop from midair, surrounding her.

Mikan, the diehard optimist, is gifted with a swarm of fairytales, stories where good triumphs over evil, where princesses are rescued and true love breaks the spell. Stories with happy endings. This is the class’s message to Mikan: Don’t give up hope; your happy ending will come.

The books all come with personalized messages from her friends, little cards telling her not to give up, to be strong. There’s one from Natsume too, and his stands out the most because it’s the most bold. Though the other notes are vague, with general comforting phrases and well-wishes, Natsume’s is a promise to save her. And his gift is a romance book. Lots of fairytales have romance or marriages, but Rapunzel in particular is a love story from top to bottom, a story about persevering love, about waiting and not giving up, even through forced separation. 

Rapunzel and her prince! They are The Fairytale Couple...

(I grew up on Barbie’s Rapunzel and have seen Tangled a thousand times, but the Grimm’s version of Rapunzel was one of my favorite fairytales as a kid, even if it didn’t look too similar to the animated movies. Here, if you’re unfamiliar with the story: A couple is desperate to have a child. When the wife finally becomes pregnant, she has strong cravings for the rapunzel vegetable that grows in their neighbor’s yard. The husband fetches it, but is caught by the neighbor, a sorceress who agrees to let him have the vegetable in exchange for their child. Though they try to escape her, eventually, she takes the baby and raises her in the tower, growing out her hair, as we all know, until she has become a maiden with incredibly long hair. A prince hears the girl singing every day and decides to climb up the tower to see Rapunzel. They fall in love and he comes by very often, only in secret. They hatch a plan to have her escape, but eventually Rapunzel becomes pregnant, which complicates things. The sorceress thus discovers the prince has been visiting and cuts Rapunzel’s hair, banishing the pregnant girl to the woods to live by herself. When the prince visits again, he climbs up the hair, only to be pushed from the window when he runs into the sorceress, falling into a thornbush and being blinded by the thorns. He wanders the woods alone and blind, until he hears familiar singing and finds Rapunzel, raising their twin children by herself. They are finally reunited and love has triumphed, despite all odds! Also, sidenote that this story was controversial for years for painting premarital sex as a positive thing, LMAO, and was thusly not considered an appropriate children’s story. The movies, especially Tangled, take a lot of these elements as inspiration, but they do something new with them. The Rapunzel story frequently alluded to here on out is the Grimm story, though. Hence the imagery of Natsume with bandages over his eyes, or Mikan staring out the window with cut hair. Just something to consider…)

This is a reminder to her that Natsume loves her, and a message that he still loves her, and that he won't give up trying to find and rescue her.

Mikan remembers the last Christmas, when she and Natsume danced, when they kissed. These are wonderful memories to her. It’s Christmas again, and he sent her a present. They’ve always been calling out to each other, but she wants to see him now more than ever. Christmas is their night.

Hopeless romantic Mikan and her constant return to that balcony just in case she might catch a glimpse of him...

She rushes to the balcony, like she often does, and looks out over the campus, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, even though she hasn’t in all these months. Maybe, though, that fairytale magic can create another miracle?

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Four

It seems miracles are real!

Just when she most wanted to see him, he appears under her balcony, calling for her in the falling snow. He promised he’d come and save her, didn’t he? Is this his attempt to rescue her? Mikan isn’t supposed to escape. If she gets into any kind of trouble, a whole mess of things will follow, but Mikan isn’t thinking about that right now, swept away in the magic of seeing the boy she loves after all this time. All she sees now is the fairytale, the miracle, the happy ending that almost seems too good to be true.

He calls out to her and she calls out to him. 

He climbs up the building until he reaches the balcony. They hold hands and Mikan tears up, ecstatic that this isn’t a dream after all. It’s real, he’s really there. Her immediate suspicion that it’s a dream makes me wonder if she had fantasized about a similar event before, of him finding her and climbing up to see her. Hopeless romantic Mikan has perhaps spent these past few months fantasizing about seeing her beloved Natsume again, rescuing her and getting her out of this wretched labyrinth.

There’s an immediate drawback when they reach out to each other, presumably to hug, only to discover there’s a barrier, giving them only a little bit of space to touch. He can’t climb further onto the balcony and she can’t leave with him. Natsume can’t save her right now after all.

While Natsume is distracted by the barrier, Mikan asks him many questions, curious about how he found her and how he got here, since it all seems too good to be true, for something she’d wanted for months to actually happen so easily and out of the blue. He doesn’t answer so she keeps badgering until he presses his hand against her mouth and tells her to shut up.

What a Natsume thing to do.

How wonderful to see Mikan initiating affection again!

While he looks away to see if someone is coming, Mikan takes his hand covering her mouth with both of hers, crying in happiness to really have him there in front of her. We can see just from this just how much she missed him, how dearly she wanted to see him, how hard she took his absence. It doesn’t matter that they don’t have a lot of space, that he can’t take her away from here, that they might get caught. She can see him and touch him, and so even though Mikan has rarely been bold with him, always scared to be vulnerable, she holds his hand, soft and romantic, just eager to really have him with her after all this time. 

She says his name and continues to cry, keeping his hand by her mouth, possibly even kissing his hand, which is incredibly soft!

This is not the way she was acting before. She did occasionally cling to him, and they held hands a lot in Mikan’s Really Bad Day Arc, but their touches were usually initiated by him. Her touching him now, like she’d been dreaming of this moment, makes me think that she did! That she, upon finally allowing herself to admit that she loves Natsume, has had lots of romantic, fluffy fantasies about kissing his hand and going on dates. She’s blushing, but she wants to do this, a small little touch that she is bold enough to try because she doesn’t know how long this moment will last for.

“I missed you.” I assume that’s her saying it, but it might have been him too. It doesn’t matter. They both feel it, called out for each other every night in the hopes that they would find each other under the stars.

But she asks again how he managed to find her and he answers simply that it’s because she was calling out to him. She denies it. After all, the calling was purely telepathic. She wasn’t verbally calling out to him. He maintains that she did, though, and that she had missed him so much that cosmic forces decided to give her a break. 

Mikan blushes out of embarrassment to be put on the spot so she accuses him of making up stories. He seems disappointed that it wasn’t true, since he found her on the basis that she wanted to see him. It’s only then that Mikan concedes his theory might be onto something. 

Some things change but others stay the same.

Even though they’re in love (with their current relationship status being a question mark), their interactions haven’t changed much. Natsume still loves to tease and act cool, though he’s a lot bolder after confessing and finding out his feelings are reciprocated. Likewise, Mikan still gets annoyed with him and his posturing. He hums, all satisfied, and Mikan muses that he was calling for her too, because she hears his voice all the time. They’d been yearning for each other then, desperate to see each other, just as much. It's all reciprocal, and that changes some aspects of the dynamic.

Prior to that bad night, Mikan was always unsure of Natsume's feelings, always confused by him, and that led to her withdrawing from her own feelings for him. But now they both now the truth... so what happens now?

Natsume seems agitated that he can’t save her after all, but Mikan reassures him that she’s content with his presence here. Just being with him for now is enough, and even though he annoys her, seeing him has made her so happy she’s had all her Christmas presents for a lifetime. That’s quite a statement, that he makes her so happy, even when he’s bugging her. But this talk about presents reminds her that he had given her a present and she didn’t have anything prepared for him. So she asks him what he would like from her, eager to give him something too. 

So interesting to see Natsume when he's no longer holding back. Even though Mikan has made her feelings known, and has become a little more open as a result, she's definitely still restraining herself. Not him... He's as bold as can be.

When he requests a kiss, Mikan is flabbergasted. The audacity of this boy! And he says it again, just in case she didn’t hear. Kiss. Mikan freaks out, again embarrassed. It’s one thing that they did it before. There was no conversation about it and it wasn’t on her to start it. For all of Mikan fantasizing about kissing his hand and whatever else, she’s still not entirely secure. After all, she still struggles with saying the words, “I love you” out loud to him and all this romantic affection is done with a degree of hesitation because it’s still vulnerable and not something she’s used to. 

He doesn’t seem to consider it a big deal. He’s unashamed for asking, his face devoid of embarrassment. That probably just makes her more embarrassed, so she tries to get him to ask for something else, until he trips a little on the balcony and she grabs him to keep him with her. He keeps downplaying it, even after almost “falling,” calling it “just a kiss,” and giving her a ridiculous time limit because he’ll fall in thirty seconds if she doesn’t.

It’s nonsense. She knows it’s nonsense.

But the thing is that she wants to. She wants to kiss him. Just like she struggles with openly verbalizing her feelings for him, she also struggles with physically showing him. She’s embarrassed, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to. It’s just uncomfortable and nerve-wracking. He gives her plenty of excuses to do it--she calls him a pervert for wanting a kiss after all, so maybe she’s a pervert for wanting to kiss him too--so she can say she kissed him because he would have fallen if she didn’t, or because he asked her to, or as gratitude that he came all this way to see her. 

And she doesn’t have to be so embarrassed either, because it’s just the two of them, and he’s the one who asked for the kiss so he won’t be making fun of her for it. She gives in, blushing the whole time, and slowly leans in to kiss him. 

Last year, Natsume just kinda grabbed her and smooched her.

When Mikan is the one initiating, she’s much slower. This is partially because she’s embarrassed, but I think it’s also because she’s apparently had very romantic little dreams about being with him, and a slow, sweet kiss is what she has in mind. 

These chapters contain some of the most magical panels in the whole manga, really amping up that fairytale vibe. It's all for you, Mikan!

Five panels of kissing, this time, if you were curious.

Which means it's another long kiss.

He holds her wrists and she clings to his shirt collar (the Kermit the Frog shirt collar…). When they pull away, she’s blushing and tearing up, overcome with emotion, but she closes her eyes again, almost like she wants to lean in again, or have him lean in. Until he asks her for another kiss and then she gets overwhelmed again. She refuses to do it again for her own health, and though he thinks that’s silly, that a kiss never killed anybody, he lets it go. But he has another request.

He wants her to tell him she loves him, properly, from her own mouth. None of that telepathic nonsense anymore. 

But Mikan could barely handle kissing him, let alone saying those words. After all, he already got his present! And he should say it too! But he easily agrees to say it after she does.

I think Mikan agrees here because it’s only fair. She knows that too. Natsume has said it out loud, and even though he hasn’t said it properly to her yet, he still said it. She was too afraid to, even with the threat of never seeing him again. She understands why he’d want to hear it and he deserves to hear it. 

There’s no room for lumping herself with others anymore. She can’t hide behind “everyone” or “people.” This isn't about how everyone feels; it's about her and her specific feelings of romantic love for only him. She has to speak for herself, to be honest and tell him how she feels even though she rarely has. She has to confront the fears she has about vulnerability with Natsume and just tell him already. Even though she’s incredibly embarrassed, her whole face red, her eyes shut, she finally says it.

“I love you.”

We finally get words said out loud! 144 chapters in!

The thing is that if Natsume didn’t ask for a kiss or a confession, Mikan probably wouldn’t give either. Not because she doesn’t want to or because she doesn’t love him, but because she’s too scared. I’d said before that Natsume plays an interesting role in her life because he forces her out of her comfort zone while also being her comfort zone. He refuses to coddle her or let her hide in her insecurities, something she’d keep up with no matter how much she wanted otherwise, and encourages her to do scary things. But even when he’s getting her out of her comfort zone, he doesn’t become mean. 

She insults him, just to soften the confession for her own sake, to make it easier on herself. He doesn’t insult her back, just disregards her barbs and tells her he loves her too. If she kisses him, he’ll kiss back. If she says she loves him, he’ll say it back. He wants her to do these things because he needs to know she feels the same way. She wants to do these things because she loves him too, but she needs a little help in gathering the courage and will to do it. 

She obviously doesn't mind kissing back, but initiating is still a bit scary for her.

He’s very gentle, saying it back, taking her hands, and kissing her again. He’ll go easy on her and initiate again this time. Very nice.

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Five

They kiss. 

They kiss more.

He kisses her and she kisses back and they hug and hold hands and hold onto each other. When they pull away, they keep holding onto each other.

For all of her embarrassment, she doesn’t seem to mind kissing when she’s not initiating, probably because there’s less pressure involved when you’re just kissing back. 

He says he loves her more than anyone, and that he will forever.

She doesn’t say it out loud--because she’s always holding back a little--but she feels the same way. She doesn’t have a gift for him (and how interesting that the kiss didn’t really feel like an adequate gift to her after all), but he has her feelings for him: unstoppable and only for him. 

Which means that she only has romantic feelings for Natsume. 

She doesn’t want to part, but to stay like this forever. His alice is always looming over them, sure, but there’s also the inevitable end of this rendezvous, the knowledge that this miracle will pass and he will be gone again. She won’t have him to kiss or touch or argue with anymore, and that prospect scares her, so she wishes this moment could last forever.

He tells her he will rescue her and asks her to wait for him. She remembers his wish from months ago, that he could be an adult and save her. He always wants to protect her and he always does. He’s reliable and if anyone could save her, it would be Natsume, her prince in this fairytale. He’ll save her and they’ll have their happy ending.

She wants her fairytale. She will wait for him.

So she happily agrees to wait for him, no matter how long it takes. Even so long after the Sports Festival, she never lost her resolve to believe in him. Patient love, what she's been holding onto all this time. But she wants her happy ending, so she tells him not to push himself too much. She doesn’t want to be free at the cost of his life. She wants him to save her so they can be together, and if she can’t have that, then he shouldn’t save her “no matter what it takes.” If he's not there, she can't have her happy ending.

She holds onto him, to cling to him and maybe to remind herself that he’s here--living and breathing--because she doesn’t want to imagine otherwise. She wants to get through to him, but he doesn’t agree to her request, and changes the subject when he spots her flickering alice stone. 

This is the stone she made, thinking of all her precious loved ones, including him. All of her wishes of protection and love are in the stone, so she considers it like her heart. Her love for many people went into it, but she wants him to have it. She’s trusting him to take care of it, to take care of her heart. 

The fragment she gave him before wasn’t enough. This whole time, ever since she realized that red stone really was his all along, Mikan has wanted to give him a worthier stone, and this is her chance, even if it isn’t Valentine’s Day. 

She’s giving him her heart and honestly conveying her feelings. I think Natsume’s pushes to kiss and confess made her feel way more comfortable with saying how she feels, even in one night, to the point where she can now offer him her alice stone (her whole heart) without freaking out about it. And she’s initiating without his prompting!

She takes it a step further when she happily exclaims that the alice stone exchange romantic tradition is now complete! Now they’ll be together forever.

I'll always love girls proposing to boys in love stories like this.

He points out that she just proposed to him and her confidence wavers quite a bit, her face flushing. That is what she meant, so she can’t back out, but his blunt remark took her by surprise. Is she going too far? Was she reading too much into the moment?

Nope. He asserts it was him who first proposed anyway, who first made the alice stone exchange romantic. (I’m not entirely sure that’s true because Mikan made her little pebble thinking of protecting him, thinking of making him happy, and he’s the only one she wanted to give her stone to, whether she admitted her feelings for him were romantic at that point or not. Though he made his stone way before she did, she gave him that stone with secretly romantic wishes. But, on the contrary, he was never in denial about his feelings and gave her his stone fully cognizant of his intentions too… so… hard to say.) Anyway, he doesn’t have to say yes because he basically asked first. 

��With this, for eternity, you are mine.” He promises he’ll never give the stone back, even if she comes to hate him. He’s accepting the stone whole-heartedly, and she knows it’s in safe hands now with him, with somebody who treasures it so openly, to the point that he’s holding it to his mouth. They are so lovey-dovey this arc!

Another favorite page of mine. So cute.

Mikan goes back to freaking out, because if he originally attached the meaning, doesn’t that mean that this is a proposal? She struggles with getting the words out, but he waits for her to get the words out until she finally asks if he meant to propose.

Yes.

The moon is their witness. 

They kiss again.

Honestly, from Mikan’s point of view, Natsume’s suddenly romantic behavior would be pretty out of left field. It makes sense she’d be so nervous being vulnerable with him. He's been cold and mean in the past, so it will take some getting used to the bold and honest Natsume he feels safe to be now. But even though Natsume does tease her here (he has to; he’s Natsume still), he’s not cruel or mean about it. He’s just silly and pretty gentle all things considered, so she can go from being nervous and freaking out about kisses and “I love you”s until she feels comfortable with giving him her whole heart and getting engaged.

Sadly, their rendezvous ends, as it always had to eventually. The barrier snaps entirely back in place and Natsume doesn’t just fall down, he disappears from view entirely, like he was never there at all. Mikan looks up at the falling snow, watching the moon fade behind the clouds.

The moon, their witness.

Unfortunately this can't be the end. There's evil to be defeated, spells to be broken, tragedies to be faced.

I discussed this during the Natsume edition of this chapter, but the entire balcony scene is purposefully surreal. From Mikan’s point of view it always seemed dreamlike, with Natsume saying such lovely, romantic words that he hadn’t said before, kissing and holding each other the way they never had. He’s wearing an unusual outfit, they’re on a balcony like in a fairytale, like in Romeo and Juliet, her hair is down, it’s snowing… None of it feels real. Then Natsume completely disappears and the moon starts to fade away, and there’s no more proof that anything really happened at all. She doesn’t have Natsume’s warm hands to give her reassurance that he’s real. 

She’s alone, cold, on a balcony all by herself, and all of a sudden. There was no time for a good-bye, no time for assurances. Did this happen? Or was it a dream?

Conclusion

Mikan wasn't a romantic person earlier in the manga. She was optimistic, sure, but romance evaded her understanding and made her uncomfortable. But now, despite all the traumatic events she's experienced over the last year, Mikan's romantic love for Natsume has taken her optimism to new heights. Miracles happen, love can be confessed under a snowy moon, marriage can be proposed. Her head is full of the hope of her happy ending, but her fairytale perspective only means her heart will break that much more when everything is ripped away from her.

This is the last part of the essay that I fully enjoyed writing, sadly. I don't really care much for the next parts, since I dislike the narrative and writing choices. I'll post those parts, but if I come off as angry or uninspired, that's because I was for sure.

I love you, GA, but damn do you disappoint me...

<- Prev Next ->

[maybeimamuppet]

2, 5, 9, 11, 16 for the fic asks?

hello darling friend tysm for the ask!!

2, will you participate in any fandom exchanges or fic challenges, etc?

if i’m asked to absolutely!! i think they seem so fun but being in smaller fandoms i think they’re a lot harder to figure out. i’ve actually considered forming a few of my own for like halloween or the holidays and stuff but i’m kind of the only cadnis writer still somewhat consistently active and everyone else who writes for mean girls is into very different things (which is great we love to see it but it makes group stuff hard lol) and matilda i haven’t checked up on in so long i have no idea what’s going on in that little corner anymore whoops

5, which wip is first on your list to complete this year? will you post a snippet?

we are continuing my beloved series of ‘someone has to write all the cliche fics for this ship and by golly it might as well be me”! from the looks of things the first one to be finished will be a college au (professor/student) that i’m honestly really proud of. i’ve been hammering away at it for a while lol. but we also have a few more like that and obviously plenty more that aren’t that i’m not gonna spoil just yet but i’m very excited for them :)))

“As long as I’m your professor, this can’t happen, no matter how badly I want it to,” Cady says with a sniffle. She gently presses a kiss to the corner of Janis’ lips before she pulls away and takes a couple steps back. “I’m so sorry, Janis.”

Janis watches her go for a minute, barely feeling the frigid rain slamming against her face. Cady hunches in on herself and clicks off. “What about when you’re not my professor anymore?!”

Cady freezes and turns to look at her. “What?”

“Once I graduate,” Janis begs. “Can we be together then?”

“…Technically, yes, we could,” Cady says. “But-”

“Wait for me,” Janis says. “Please.”

Cady bites her lip, but she nods after a second. “Okay.”

“You will?” Janis asks, finally feeling hopeful enough to smile for the first time in what feels like years.

“I’ll wait,” Cady agrees. “If you’re willing to do the same. Come to me once you graduate, and… we’ll see what happens. Okay?”

“Okay,” Janis says, smiling around a sob. Cady does the same before she continues walking away.

unproofread snippet brought to you by maybeimamuppet :)

9, short term goals… what do you hope to complete this week or in january?

i’m really hoping to have that and the next chapter of pt done by the end of the month!! my third writing birthday is at the beginning of march and i’m really hoping to have a batch of fics ready to crank out by then :)) matilda is kind of wonky for the time being bc i have very few wips and i need time to sort through which requests i can actually do/want to do so they might be a while but focusing on my meanies for a while will be a nice change i think!

11, would you like to try any new fanfic genres or tropes this year?

i don’t think i do!! at least not in fics lol i’m good with my romance and family fluff sorta genres i’m in but i am trying to write a few publishable like real actual books that are a little different so we’ll see how that goes!

16, do you have one fanfic that you wrote a ton for, ages ago, but never posted? will this be the year come hell or high water that it WILL get finished and posted?

UHHHH honestly most of my wips are kinda like that lol. i hyper focus on one and then get bored with it and move on to a new one and herein lies the cycle of Big Issues. so i have a lot of like half-done oneshots (including requests i literally got in 2021 and am sobbing trying to get done i feel so bad). i do have an entire folder of ‘unpublishable fics’ that will never see the light of day. they’re mostly just writing exercises but some of them are just really embarrassing so most of them stay there lol. and i have a multi-chapter The Good Place au i started years ago and couldn’t figure out other than the title but i only wrote a couple scenes for it but that probably also won’t ever see the light of day. ce la vie ¯\_(ツ)_/¯