#I���m a sucker I need to know lmao

[sleepyjuice]

him accidentally hurting you during sex 🥺🥺

this is somewhat self serving bc this has happened to me 🫣 idk if this could be triggering to anyone but this does involve pain during sex. anon I’m sorry if I made this way too deep lmao 😭 endometriosis girlies unite!!! this shit ain’t for the weak !!!!

“Fuck, fuck, takin’ me so good, baby.” jj groaned as he pounded into you from behind. His hands had a firm grip on your hips, your ass in the air and face in the pillows, the loud sounds of skin slapping skin filled the small bedroom.

You had been going for awhile, already had two orgasms and jj was currently working on giving you your third, and he was getting pretty close himself.

He quickened his pace as your moans grew louder, your pussy clenching around his cock, the euphoric feeling making your stomach twist and fill with a deep heat as you approached your orgasm.

Sweat was dripping down his forehead as he tightened his grip on your hips, pushing himself even closer to you to get himself slightly deeper into you.

Things were great, you were quite literally about to finish when his dick thrusted into you ever so slightly at an angle, causing you to yelp loudly in pain, your knees giving out beneath you as it quite literally felt like your cervix was sucker punched.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, ow! Stop! jj stop!” You managed to let out, your eyes squeezing shut as you attempted to ride out what felt like a period cramp on steroids, your breathing staggered.

jj immediately halted all movements, pulling himself out of you the second you told him to stop. He had originally thought that your knees gave out due to pleasure, but he now realized it wasn’t that at all.

“Shit—What’s wrong? What happened?!” He asked, now fully panicked, moving himself closer to your face, gently pushing your hair out of your face so he could get a better look at you.

You fought back tears, forcing your eyes open to meet your boyfriend’s panicked ones, his eyes darting all over your face and down your body, expecting you to be bleeding or something with the way you had sounded.

“I don’t— fuck, I don’t know what happened but that last thrust felt like you punched or- or stabbed me in the cervix. Jesus Christ.” You groaned, attempting to take deep and slow breaths, but not move yourself too much because there was still that deep aching pain inside of you.

“Jesus…I-I’m so sorry, baby,” jj cooed, one of his hands hesitantly rubbing ever so slightly at your bare thigh as his other cupped your cheek, “that’s never happened before, I don’t know what I did. Do we need to like, go to the hospital? Fuck, I’m so sorry.” He rambled on, his heart racing in fear that he seriously messed up your insides, but he did his best to stay as calm and collected as he possibly could, not wanting to freak you out more than you already were. He didn’t want to hurt you more than he already had.

“It’s not your fault, you didn’t do anything wrong.” You whispered after a moment. You could read him like a book, he was beating himself up over this. The lightness of his touch showed just how scared he was to hurt you.

“I think it’s just my endometriosis,” you sighed, your breathing slowly becoming more steady as the pain began to subside, “just hit a sensitive spot or somethin’.” You explained, reaching up to hold his hand that was holding your face.

He watched you carefully, eyes closing at your touch before fully laying down beside you and pulling you into his chest. He rubbed a hand down your naked back, his head resting atop yours as he kissed into your hair.

“Scared the shit out of me, baby…” he spoke after a moment, feeling your body begin to relax against his, continuing his soft and gentle touches on your back.

“It’s okay, the pain is starting to go away.” You assured him, his warm chest and his soft touch being the best comfort you could possibly ask for at the moment.

“That’s good, sweet thing. You wanna get up soon and we can take a bath or somethin’? Or you just wanna lay here some more?” He asked softly, peppering more sweet kisses onto your head.

“Mm, just wanna stay here a little bit longer. But I’m down for that bath later, though.” You hummed, curling into your sweet boyfriend.

You would definitely want a do-over later on once you were feeling fully better, but you would bring that up later, as jj was surely scared to ever be inside of you again.

[hysteria-things]

NSFW ALPHABET

read chris’s here

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: okay so long story short i was going to post the next part of promise last night but i got home from work, watched a movie, and passed out LMAO i never sleep well at night so your girl was tired🤣

i finished this today so i’m posting it now and then promise part three later! sorry for the wait :)

A = Aftercare (what they're like after sex)

matt turns into a completely different human during aftercare. you guys would be done after a rough session and he’ll immediately ask if you’re okay at least a billion times and will get you anything you need.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner's)

his hands. will always be moving them on your body, and he knows you love it. if you guys are out in public or hanging out with friends he’ll still have a hand on you at all times.

a sucker for your tits. if you wear a tank top or a dress that shows cleavage he’ll be staring nonstop, especially when they bounce. will also play with them when you guys are alone.

“HONK HONK!”

“seriously?”

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

uses a condom but when he doesn’t, he’ll pull out and cum on your tits. if you’re on your knees, then he’ll cum on your face. he enjoys cumming on your body, to say the least.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self-explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

he’s the dominant one but wishes you’d be more dominant with him. you’ve done it a few times, but deep down he wants to be submissive to you.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they're doing?)

let’s be honest, he was a virgin when he met you. he’d never put himself out there but when you came into the picture something clicked in him and made him more confident in himself. he didn’t know what he was doing at first but learned quickly.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

he’s a cowgirl boy. the way your tits bounce in front of his face drives him up a wall. if not, then he’ll do missionary. more specifically where your legs are propped over his shoulders.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

matt knows you like his humor, so he’s not afraid to tell some jokes. you feel safe and comfortable when he goofs around a little.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

same as chris — not clean shaved but trimmed.

also doesn’t care if you have hair or not, but likes it when you have some just a little more.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

no matter if you’re going rough or not, he’ll always hold you skin-to-skin and whisper sweet nothings into your ear. it drives you crazy when you feel his whispers against you.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

one time you left a pair of your panties at his house, and he keeps them in his underwear drawer. when he needs to relieve himself, he’ll grab them and he’ll jack off to it.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

LOVES when you mark him. finds it so hot when you scratch up his back or leave hickeys on his neck to let everybody know you’re his.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

definitely the bedroom. he’s not the type to do anything in public, so either one of your rooms is the best bet. he’s a pretty private guy.

honorable mention is the minivan!

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

when you send him nudes. he could be filming a vlog or car video when he gets a message from you, and he’ll put the video on hold to speed over to you.

N = No (something they wouldn't do, turn-offs)

this was a little hard, but i think anal. for some reason, he finds it weird and also thinks that he’ll hurt you during it. just not his cup of tea.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

although he is matt the munch, when you suck his dick it sends him to another universe. loses his marbles the moment you put your mouth around him and when you overstimulate him.

his skill is top-tier; can eat you out for as long as he feels like it.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

he will go fast and rough if you tease him too much or if you’re acting like a brat, but other than that he’s in between. going hard to feel himself deep inside you, but will go slow at the same time.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

not too often, but if you guys are hanging out with friends at his/your house he’s not shy to take you to the bedroom (or bathroom) for a few.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

is a little skeptical when you ask to try something new, but will still experiment because he wants to see what makes you happy.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

like one LMAO he’s not the type to keep going after you orgasm for the first time. once you guys cum, you’re both pretty satisfied as it is.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

like chris, he doesn’t own any but you do. if you’re the dominant one at the moment, you’ll tease his tip with a vibrator to make him squirm and moan your name😇

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

he’s not much of a teaser in the relationship but you are. especially when you’re super horny, you’ll tease the crap out of him no matter what you guys are doing. you just want him to fuck the shit out of you.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

BOY IS A WHIMPERER AND MOANER. if he’s not dirty-talking, he’ll bury his head into your neck and whimper about how good you feel wrapped around him. when he’s close, his moans will become more rapid.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

if he’s playing video games, he’ll let you cockwarm him. it’s a fun little game he likes to play with you. his one rule is to not move, but if you do, he’ll bend you over the desk while you play the game for him. you lose every time.

X = X-ray (let's see what's going on under those clothes)

looks lanky but has a decent build. when his body tenses as he’s fucking you, you see his toned muscles more clearly.

not as big as chris, but is more lengthy. i said what i said.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

not as high as yours LOL. you wish you could fuck all the time, but he’ll have sex if the both of you are in the mood.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterward)

no matter how tired he is, he’ll make sure your needs are fulfilled before falling asleep. he doesn’t want to leave you hanging. when he does go to sleep, he’ll wrap his arms around you and cuddle until you guys wake up.

𝐭𝐚𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭!

@bunbunbl0gs @lexisecretaccx @thy-mission @angelic-sturniolos111 @sophssturn @mattsneezing @janiellasblog @blahbel668 @meg-sturniolo @hearts4chris @mattslolita @sturnbaby @imwetforyourmom @tillies33ssss @sturnifyed @mayhem-72 @ripmattitude @p1xieswrld @alorsxsturn @txssvx @sttzee @multiluvr @delilahprentiss @matthewsspecial @idkhowtosleep @sturniolho @suga-daddy-69 @tworosesblackthorn @luckistar-posts @gnxosblog

[brattyfork]

matt nsfw alphabet

*these are about sex! if that makes you uncomfy, don’t read it!*

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

-the whole nine yards, a bath, drink, snacks, cuddles, your fav tv show, literally anything that will make you more comfortable he’ll do + sex debrief! talk abt what you liked, what you didn’t, what went “wrong”, what was funny+naked cuddles ofc.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

-he loves your thighs, loves squeezing them, having them wrapped around his head, leaving hickies on them. also your stomach! he loves squishy.

he likes his hands, likes how big they are compared to yours, loves wearing rings bc he knows it drives you crazy.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

-loves cumming inside you (in a condom to avoid a mess lol) but also loves cumming on your tummy!!

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

-he’ll never admit it but he loves when you lick him, his neck, his stomach, literally anywhere. he also really likes amateur porn, so much so that you guys made your own so he can watch that instead.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

-not super experienced, only has one or two bodies but he’s always asked you how to do stuff or what he can do to make you feel better so he’s much better than he used to be.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

-sucker for missionary, wants to be able to kiss you and watch the faces you make. also loves when you ride him, watching you use his cock to get off.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

-he tries to be serious but sometimes things just aren’t going right and you gotta laugh abt it. make sure he knows you’re not laughing AT him tho, it’ll ruin the mood entirely.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

-usually just trims, doesnt wanna be bare but also doesn’t want it too long and def doesn’t want you getting pubes in your teeth lmao.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

-always telling you how much he loves you during, wants to make it as special as possible so you know you’re not just a quick fuck.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

-wants you to talk him through it over the phone, tell him how good he’s being and give him permission to cum eventually.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

-unpopular opinion! i think this man likes your feet!! not super into foot jobs he just thinks your feet are cute. loves being in control but will never turn down the opportunity to be dominated. +basic shit like praise and degradation, choking to an extent. also loves edging and overstimulating you.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

-prefers to fuck in your bed so you have privacy, also likes the couch or car sometimes and very occasionally, wants to bend you over a table.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

-just being close to you can get him worked up. it drives him crazy when you wear shorts or a skirt that hug your thighs so perfectly.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

-up for mostly anything unless it’s obviously gross, but gets nervous with any kind of impact play because he does not want to hurt you. also doesn’t love the idea of anal, kinda grosses him out.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

-matt the munch! this man loves eating pussy and he’s phenomenal at it. he likes when you suck him off but he won’t ask. he wants you to want to do it if that makes sense.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

-completely depends on how he’s feeling. if he’s super worked up, you won’t be able to walk the next day but sometimes he loves soft slow morning sex. either way the pace is always perfect and exactly what you both need.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

-doesn’t love quickies, he wants to be able to take his time but sometimes if you haven’t fucked in a while and you have the opportunity for a quickie, he’ll take it

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

-up for trying (almost) anything once, he just gets nervous that he’ll hurt you or not do it right and embarrass himself.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

-i think on a good night he could go 2-3 rounds but most of the time only 1, maybe 2. he doesn’t finish super fast unless it’s been awhile but he probably won’t last more than 20 min of straight fucking.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

-doesn’t love toys, doesn’t have any for himself, not a fan of using dildos on you, he’d rather just fuck you. does like vibrators tho, and shit like handcuffs or restraints, perfect for overstimulation.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

-he tries to tease but it never lasts long. he can’t deny you when you make your pretty noises or beg him. also can’t resist you so it’s hard to tease lol.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

-usually grunting and groaning all up in your ear. sometimes a whine or a whimper comes through and he gets all embarrassed, which is super hot.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

-loves when you ask him what bra/panties you should wear (his fav is a sparkly dark blue set)

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

-we’ve all seen his sleeper build. he’s not super muscular but he’s also not a twig, he’s strong and can throw you around. his dick isn’t super long, which doesn’t matter bc he knows how to use it, it’s proportional in length and width. his dick is as pretty as a cock can be. you KNOW this man has a cute butt and i imagine him having little lower back dimples🥺

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

-he’s not a complete horn dog, he can turn it off and just have sweet romantic moments with no thought of sex, but he also finds you irresistible so it’s hard. he doesn’t want you to think he’s a horny man that can’t control himself.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

-he gets pretty sleepy after!! once he gets you all settled and makes sure your comfortable, he’s out like a light.

a/n: hi this was so fun, i’m also working on one for chris and i have a sfw template for both of them as well :) i promise i will post more soon lol, i been busy <3

[kyeomniscient]

seventeen ao3 fic recs (pt. 2)

creating a new post for the mid-length fics bc the original post was getting too long - enjoy!

pt. 1 (completed fics, >50k words)

pt. 3 (completed shorter fics, <10k words)

pt. 4 (incomplete fics)

in order of descending word count, last updated 02/10/2024

The Times We Fell (minwon, 46k, completed)

this one definitely did things to my heart :"") loved the visuals of hockeyplayer!mingyu x figureskater!wonwoo, the development of their enemies(?)-to-friends-to-lovers arc, how their relationship remained strong and steady throughout despite being met with various obstacles and external pressures along the way, how Mingyu rekindled Wonwoo's love for skating not once but twice, just them being a healthy and supportive couple - a beautiful read!

cut to the feeling (soonwoo, 44k, completed)

this was a character study on emotional self-torture and every chapter was an absolute sucker punch to the gut - loved the sadness and pining for the drama but i also felt like plot-wise the events didn't really justify the intensity of it all as much as the author's other piece :"/ writing was still amazing though!!

gold fever (seokgyu, 43k words, completed)

archer!seokmin x weightlifter!mingyu in a college au - really liked the vibes and writing in this fic :) seokgyu fics are rare and i feel like it's bc their dynamics on-camera mostly revolve around teasing/bickering it's hard to picture anything else, but the slow-burn element brought smth fresh and new to their dynamics and it was such an enjoyable read!

In The Eye of the Beholder (verkwan, 34k words, completed)

half-demon!vernon x blind!seungkwan - the supernatural au i never knew i needed

Get busy living, or get busy dying. (cheolhoon, 31k words, completed)

absolutely living for the dialogue and banter between these two during the counseling sessions - such a unique setting, a v good fic!

just let me know (i'll be on the floor) (verkwan, 30k words, completed)

soft and sweet friends-to-lovers fic that made my heart so warm!! really loved how their relationship unfolded over time, how they took care of each other as roommates, with seungkwan's obliviousness and denial and vernon being so patient with him throughout - 'twas a lovely slice-of-life read that brought comfort and joy :)

A (Revised Guide to Lab Safety) (soonwoo, 25k words, completed)

askjfsds this was an amazing mix of soonwoo peer dynamics in a college au + science!! their lab partners-to-friends-to-lovers arc was really too cute so i'd highly recommend this to soonwoo enthusiasts

tu me manques (minwon, 26k words, completed)

this really captured the feeling of watching 90s & early 2000s romcoms (think before sunrise, chasing liberty, serendipity etc) and was written so beautifully i might cry :"") really loved the travelling aspect of it, the scenic descriptions of each city made the fic so immersive, like i was there along w them sigh

also wonwoo has slight manic pixie dream boy vibes and mingyu is just there lolol

here kitty kitty (minwon, 26k words, completed)

the ultimate cosy fall read - this fic felt like a sip of warm tea by the fire on a chilly autumn evening :)

snowflake, i'll catch you tonight (minwon, 25k words, completed)

this was really cute!! just soft and fluffy vibes in general and characterisation was super on point bc wonwoo is literally winter personified lmao

a mix of sun and clouds (soonwoo, 24k words, completed)

lovelovelove aus with interesting professions, and this time they're both working at a weather station! soonyoung being a weather nerd is such a delight to read, and wonwoo's emotional constipation + little acts of service never gets old hehe geguri is amazing

Paradise Lost (minwon, 24k, completed)

sad fics have a chokehold on me and this one definitely takes the cake... was left in tears and i would risk it all to experience it for the first time again

despite this being a post-apocalyptic au, the development of the romance arc was treated softly and gently, that the moments of tenderness between the mcs shone through the violence and ruin that surrounded them. it was a really refreshing take on domesticity, one that took me by surprise, and it's a pity that the author only has 2 works!! i need MORE

Bend (and Break) (seoksoon, 23k words, completed)

fwb-to-friends-to-lovers seoksoon?? another wholesome fic and i loved the build up in this fic, where the mcs are basically doing all but admitting their feelings for each other UGH so cute

175°C for 60 minutes (seokgyu, 23k words, completed)

vv cute baking rivals au!! love how little clues were sprinkled throughout the story and came together at the end to tie things up nicely hehe

Lie Again (gyuhan, 22k words, completed)

the best gyuhan fic (that i've read so far) !! aka the chronicles of one (1) emotionally-unavailable yoon jeonghan where he learns to embrace the notion of Having Feelings ™ ft some of my other fave ships seoksoo and soonwoo

Jack of all trades... (cheolhoon, 21k words, completed)

absolutely went down a cheolhoon rabbit hole after this... their dynamics are one of a kind and i love it so much

stillness and motion (seokhao, 21k words, completed)

give me a fic about emotionally-repressed characters that yearn and do everything but communicate and i'll eat it up!! the tension built up between (former) teammates in sport aus are a different breed and i'm absolutely here for it

For Want of Glory (woncheol, 21k words, completed)

secret agent au! loved woncheol's dynamics here, and it's really endearing to read from coups' pov because i love the way he just PINES

you make me feel good (i like it) (soonwoo, 18k words, completed)

no spoilers but this was an absolute beast of a fic that DESTROYED me the best way possible :"") each chapter was succinct yet packed a punch, loveloveloved how the element of time travel was weaved into the storyline!! op you are a genius for conceiving and writing this

Storm Warning (wonhui, 18k words, completed)

jun as a manic pixie dream type here is everything!! ww's feelings are so valid bc if jun was my neighbour, i too, would fall in love right away HAHA

now i'm covered in you (soonwoo, 16k words, completed)

it's the art of dealing with grief and moving on in a sweet and tender fic - highly recommend!

say you want me (cause I need it, all of the time) (soonwoo, 15k words, completed)

this is wonwoo as everyone's dream high school boyfriend lol

burning the wick at both ends (soonhoon, 14k words, completed)

getting back with an ex is never a good idea... unless it's jeongcheol

full ten (minwon, 14k words, completed)

super adorable strangers-to-roommates-to-lovers fic!! i really loved that they each had their own lives (preferences, habits, jobs and interests) before they met each other, and coming to live together only made their lives better - there's just something about the intimacy of co-existing in the same space with someone, bonding over simple weeknight dinners, developing a shared routine over time :"")

favorite (minwon, 14k, completed)

this was a v lovely friends-to-lovers fic - really loved the timelapse of small moments between them from both perspectives!

helios (minwon, 13k, completed)

a literal masterpiece - great execution of a cool concept, and wonwoo's persona as an artist was really well-crafted!!

runaway (verkwan, 13k, completed)

this fic highlights an inseparable quality about verkwan, that there'll always be invisible string tugging at both of them, keeping them by side by side - amazing!

day ones all i keep around me (minwon, 12k words, completed)

established (secret) relationship where minwon tries to soft-launch their marriage but their fans are too dense to realise LMAO this was really cute, and i loved the dynamics between streamer!wonwoo x soccerplayer!mingyu hehe

Flowers In My Path, My Love (seokwoo, 12k words, completed)

this was the cutest college meet-cute aka hotpoetryclassguy!wonwoo x cutepoetryclassguy!dk - it really captured the moments of fumbling, awkward shyness when interacting with crushes so well and bonus points for describing dk as sunshine bc he really is the brightest boy!!

light the way home (and i'll follow) (minwon, 10k words, completed)

[zvdvdlvr]

hey you should some dating johnny cade hc

Dating Johnny Cade HCs

➳ 𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐢.

-> warnings: foul language, pet names { baby, honey, sweetheart }

-> pairings: johnny cade x reader

{🤍}

sweet boy ong.

PLEASE he loves to cuddle with you !!

"c'mere cuddlebug" <3

M E L T S when you compliment or praise him

is really really really really really really really really shy before you both start dating

100 fucking percent asked dally for advice b4 asking you out

look, if you have a RBF, johnnycake is kimda scared of you (at first)

until dall strolls up to you and offers you a blunt, johnny might think youll jump up and bite his fingers off lmao

ok so but i

johnny loves watching you smoke????

like

watching the smoke seep from your lips?? hes purring.

but when you shOTGUN?!?!?!?!? he's feral.

if johnny ever gets hurt, expect to be one of the first person he looks for to clean him up and give him shelter

if he ends up in jail for participating in one of Dally's stunts, he doesn't want to call

bc you'll be worried and want to spend ur money on bail for him 🤕❤

but its ok in the end bc hes in love w you

PICNIC DATES QUESTION MARK

i feel like johnny would be so down for these

i also think johnny's lowkey (and i mean low key) a cat person

is that just me? ok ill go away now

AN ABSOLUTE SUCKER for sharing cigs with his partner <3

if you had a good home life, johnny would really want to spend time with your family

because he was robbed of an okay parent/child relationship, he yearns for his partner's parents to like him

would be absolutely distraught if they didn't like him, my poor boy ☹

please tell him he's loved

he needs that

would call you sweetheart, baby, honey or a nickname based off your name or an inside joke or smth

johnny boy likes that intimacy :p

wap so hes a sub switch at best

GO TO THE MOVIES WITH HIM!!!!

PLEASE

sharing a coke (the drink smh) and fries :')

making comments the whole time and loving his little laugh that follows

play a prank or two 😍

but you might need to take the fall just a warning

if you tend to get in trouble with the law, johnny would be chill with that shit because he's friends with dallas winston

but will always be a lil nervous for his bae

will take you out when you get out of the slammer

diner dinners, late night walks (with knives for safety), dirty jokes, random puns... this is all johnny.

you make him so happy

would have cash set aside for a lil smth for your birthday dont even TRY to argue

cheek kisses, neck kisses, forhead kisses

theyre so... simple

so simple but they make him so happy

dally also likes how happy you make johnny

is protective over johnny, don't get me wrong, but is calmer when he knows its you

i mean, everyone knows you

you have a reputation, of course

dally lowkey admires you, even if ur younger than him

anywayz

is kind of oblivious when it comes to relationships, tbh...

its sweet (for the most part)

loves holding your hand

please

please hold his hand

please hold his hand all the time

two-bit loves you bc johnnys in love with you and you help him (two-bit) with making fun of certain Socs

you also have a rep for dark/offensive humor so two and soda absolutely lose their shit when you make a joke im not even lying

wait but like soda really likes the dynamic you both have

i.e: you act like siblings and poke fun at pony sometimes

but its all good bc ur dating johnny

i mean, dude, its johnny

darry highkey really likes you

the gamg likes you, johnnh is in love with you, we're all cool

imagine: mother darry's reaction to you get into a fight

"hey y/n," darry greeted the teen. they were grabbing a piece of chocolate cake. the curtis household was notorious for its chocolate cakes.

y/n shut the ice box door and went for a fork, strategically avoiding letting darry see their face. "yo," they replied, turning to leave the room.

darry stuck his hand out before y/n could leave the kitchen. "look at me," he commanded, suspicious.

y/n tilted their face up to look at him. darry's eyes widened. they had teo black eyes, a deep lookinh scratch from their temple to their chin, a dried bloody nose, busted lip, and a toothy grin plastered all over their face. "it wasn't my fault, dare, promise," they say.

darry tuts. "the hell it wasnt. you see johnny yet with those battle scars o'yers?"

"nah. ain't wanna wake 'im up yet."

dear god then two bit lumbers in. "hey, y'all heard? shepherd's plannin' a rumble- damn!" he howls. he swiped his finger in the frosting of y/n's cake and got a good look at their face. "damn kid! you kick their asses?"

y/n smirks. "duh."

two bit laughs and gets his own slice of cake while darry leans against the counter wondering how why y/n was so carefree.

"you're such a mother, jeez," y/n commented to Darry.

two bit laughed again.

"missed you, baby"

AWOOOGA BARK BATK BARK PURR MEOW JEIEKJQODIS

the gang totally gags and pretends to vomit when you guys kiss or they walk in go you making out

pony is ur no. 1 supporter

respect, my g 😪✊

if anyone wants more lmk. ill edit this bad boy later

johnny cade taglist:

@paxdawg

[the-roo-too]

você escreve para o blackpink? se você fizer isso, posso solicitar o alfabeto rosé fluff

candy -> park chaeyoung ver

aka the fluff alphabet

admiration (what does she absolutely adore about you)- how much you trust her <33 she finds it so incredible that you know you can tell her anything and that you share everything with her 🫶

body (what’s her favourite body part of yours)- because rosie dyes her hair so much, she’s got a lot of hair damage. therefore, she adores your hair! buys you all them expensive conditioners 💯 also i feel like matching hairstyles with rosie is a must

cuddling (how she likes to cuddle)- it’s not about the position, it’s about w a r m t h. rosie needs you both to be warm and comfy while cuddling, no exceptions

dates (what’s her ideal date)- somewhere quiet, preferably away from others. honestly, you can take her to the middle of nowhere and go stargazing, she’ll never forget that <33 will bite you if you forget blankets tho

emotions (how does she express her emotions around you)- being honest with each other is a fundamental part of a healthy relationship 👹 rosé lives by that rule, so you usually know what’s on her mind (usually)

family (does she want one)- yessss 🙏 rosie deffo wants a mini me, especially with the love of her life (you)!

holding hands (does she like to hold hands)- yess! especially in public settings, when she’s busy on her phone or something, she makes sure to be holding your hand <33

injuries (what would she do if you got hurt)- rosie would c r y and panic </3 you’d think she’s the one who got injured

jokes (does she like to joke around)- ye 🦧 rosie is a prankster not a single serious bone in that body

kisses (how does she like to kiss you)- softly <33 you’re her baby! she’s a very gentle soul nonetheless, but for you? with you she’s a little cuddlebear

love (what’s her love language)- spending late nights together. rosie as a idol unfortunately often misses some dates, or needs to get out of bed way before you and you don’t see her in the morning :(( because of that, she makes sure to always be with you at night!

memory (what’s her favourite memory together)- when you first came to her practice and she introduced you to her members 🤭🤭 she’s so grateful for the fact that they like you too

nighttime (how does sleeping with her look like)- like i said, rosie always spends nights with you, but for none of you matters what you do together <33 sometimes she just holds you in her arms while you sleep, other nights you wake up when she arrives and you watch a movie together

oddity (what’s a quirky thing about her)- what isn’t quirky about her? but hear me out, she sometimes dedicates covers to you. when she uploads a video of her singing and/or playing, there are your initials hidden at the end frame

pet names (what does she like to call you)- darling, pretty girl, cutie! all them cute things she can think up on the spot basically. your contact name in her phone is little princess because she’s your rosé <33

quality time (how does she like to spend time with you)- rosie is a sucker for those lil couple activities, like going pottery together or something! she also loves when you’re with her in the studio, especially while recording after a long, tiring day

rush (does she rush into things)- kinda? not in the sense that she wants to get married three days after confessing, but she definitely starts planning things like that long in advance

secrets (how open is she with you)- open with emotions, open with other stuff! tho that pancakes she makes on the weekends? you’ll never get the recipe.

time (how long did it take for her to confess)- a long while 😭 poor baby was so scared! her members were so fed up with it they almost confessed for her lmao

upset (what’s her reaction when you’re upset)- immediately tries to find the cause? was it her? was it someone online? will comfort you to the best of her abilities! i feel like she sings to you to calm you down too <33

visibility (is she afraid of the public opinion)- out of all the bp members, rosie is the chillest when it comes to coming out to public. her fan base is especially fruity and she isn’t that afraid of the people’s opinion. and if anything would happen, miss rosé will fight for you! 🫶

warrior (how often do you fight)- depends on the season, really. if you’re busy with your work and rosé has a comeback coming up, it’s normal that you’re both more on edge. but when life is peaceful, you don’t really fight. she hates rising her voice at you :((

x-ray (is she able to read you)- d u h. she does it better than you do. especially when it comes to being sick! it’s like she knows two days in advance before you start coughing and having a fever

yes (how would she propose to you)- definitely would do it in a overly sweet and a bit cringey way, like dropping to her knees in the middle of the restaurant and kinda making it obvious for everyone (don’t worry, the restaurant owner will probably give u a free cake or smth)

zen (what makes her feel calm)- huggies! when you’re both fighting and rosie doesn’t know what to say anymore, she kind of deflates and walks up to you to envelop you in a hug. a couple minutes in silence, you both apologise and talk it out like responsible adults

part of [the fluff series]

[thegamingcatmom]

Ok so it's very clear Tanya and Kate? (More Tanya I think) horndogs from the sleeping on MC ask.

But what about Irina when she comes around? For some reason I can't see horndog Irina cause I keep imagining she'd just want to cuddle, soft!Irina and such

Tanya is a hopeless case, I think we all know that.💀

However, we gotta differentiate between the "types" of horndogging, lol.

Like, Tanya is more the "I want you so bad I might just eat you up and leave no crumbs" type. Sounds scary? Cause it is, lmao. Bish is positively crazy (about MC).

Thus, Tanya has no problem admitting when someone catches her eye. In fact, she´ll take great pride in showing her interest. She´ll be like-

"HEY. HEY YOU. YES YOU. YOU SEE THAT?? *points to the unfortunate soul standing next to her* THAT ONE´S TAKEN BECAUSE IT´S MINE SO KINDLY F OFF OR IMMA SUCK YOU DRY, PLS AND TY."

...At least she said "please".

.

As for Kate the Great:

The middle sister is just as horny for MC, she´s just a smidge better at-

Like, Kate´s the "always horny and up for it but incapable of taking things seriously cause she doesn´t wanna damage her non-existent reputation" type. Which basically means she´s your average teenage boy, lmao.

She´ll show her interest by being as annoying as she possibly can be. That´s her love language. She´s not one for showing actual feelings, even if she DID harbor them. (Which is also due to her past probs, seeing how feelings have no place on the battlefield.) Instead, she´s gonna play it cool and pretend she´s only here to see those panties drop. And to drive Tanya up a wall, ofc. 🙃

So ye, the interest is very much there. But it´s buried beneath layers upon layers of pure muscle. 💪😎

.

As for Irina:

I love your thoughts on this and I absolutely agree with you. She´s no horndog, that´s just not her style. She´s the romantic type and not easily swayed. You really gotta make an impression on her if you ever want a glimpse behind that cold exterior. She needs to feel like you get her, yknow what I´m saying? There´s gotta be a connection because, to her, there´s nothing sexier than understanding each other on a deep emotional level.

Once you make it past that cold exterior, you won´t find anyone more devoted. She won´t leave your side until you send her away (or until she needs to hunt, ofc). Her loyalty and love will be unconditional - whether as a friend or something more. When you´ve made it to that stage with her, she´ll be a huge sucker for PDA because, just like Tanya, she wants ppl to know, yknow? She´ll be fiercely protective of you and won´t hesitate to defend your honor - even if it means standing against her own sisters.

To sum it up:

Tanya might´ve fallen first, but Irina will probs fall the hardest.

.

.

.

Thanks a lot for your ask! 💋

[putanaperdonna]

RE8 Headcanon: AU Resident Evil Village characters at the gym🏋️:

A/N: Okay so recently I’ve started going to the gym and working out properly and today I literally had to hold back from giggling like a colossal MORON because all I can think of is what if the RE8 characters were in this gym rn LMAO. So these are how I think they would be in a gym environment or what exercise they would be into lol enjoy 😭

Alcina Dimitrescu:

Alcina definitely trains in the weight section like how else would she throw that dresser lmao

She has like a set routine of what muscle groups she’s gonna hit on what day

Definitely favours upper body workouts though she is a sucker for chasing that glute pump on leg day

She’s not into cardio though she will go for walks but only indoors on the treadmill lmao

She warms up and cools down properly too… she takes everything very seriously

She loves looking like a baddie at the gym too it’s what motivates her to go! She’s old school though so like flared yoga pants and sleeveless shirts are her go-to

If you’re usually intimidated by the weight sections you feel way more confident if she’s in the area since the GymBros™️ know better than to fuck with her

She also does CrossFit here and there just so she can focus on driving ~power~ through her body

The Dimitrescu sisters

POLE FIT!!

Cassandra kinda just likes to control the music though she does demonstrations of movements for her sisters (bc they're incompetent duh)

Dani is actually trying to create her own routine and lord she is SICK of Cass’s micromanaging

Bela is just climbing the pole and swinging aimlessly… she doesn’t do it to perform or anything she just likes having her Chandelier by Sia™️ moment

They are doing it behind their mum’s back obviously

They install a pole in the foyer though, then they have to explain to Alcina what it’s for

“I know what a stripper is and I thought I raised you girls to be classy!”

They have to explain that a) Ain’t nothing wrong with being a stripper and b) They are not stripping, they’re exercising by using their body strength 🤪

“You girls don’t need exercise. You can turn into flies for gods sake!”

Donna Beneviento

Hot Girl Walks™️ with or without incline

Gf is NOT one for sweating… she already is relatively physically active anyways if she’s carving out larger pieces of wood to make dolls

She likes that she can put on headphones and a playlist and just have Donna time™️

But if she’s feeling particularly pissed off or overly energised, she installed a boxing bag in her basement and she likes to go punchy punchy kicky kicky

Angie likes to coach her on her technique (she knows nothing and frequently suggests Donna should punch the rocks outside because she saw Chris Redfield do it once and thought it would make Donna stronger)

Donna likes to have a workout buddy if she attends a gym though… totally not for checking out their muscles while they demonstrate for her 😇

Donna also likes to dance, not any particular style… she just sort of does it to express herself without really speaking

Salvatore Moreau

Swimming (duh)

He likes aqua aerobics as he’s not very good at maintaining any good technique with any traditional swimming strokes

He sucks up to the instructors frequently though lmao

If he doesn’t do aerobic classes he likes to swim slow laps and tries to focus on improving his lung capacity

He also has a habit of swallowing so much water when he swims and ends up vomiting frequently

He invested in some nice flippers and a snorkel so he can swim at the beach (he is surprisingly quite afraid of strong currents and getting caught in the rip) he wants to give it a good shot one day

Karl Heisenberg

He also does weight training. He likes the feeling of metal in his hands

He frequently gets into Alcina’s space and takes weights from people without asking

He has no regard for gym etiquette whatsoever

He is the type to absolutely throw the weights up with his whole body instead of perfecting technique

He is also a grunter… he has no shame

He does call other dudes out if they’re making female patrons feel uncomfortable

Alcina still has to fight the urge to “accidentally” drop one of her weights on his foot though

Him and Ethan are incapable of using machines properly

Ethan Winters

Endurance running

He literally does marathons for fun. He’s a psychopath.

He likes hiking too and honestly has probably dragged Mia out to different tracks at some point in their relationship

If he does go to a gym… he has NO clue what he’s doing if he’s using the equipment like he just tries to guess what they’re for and ends up using them incorrectly like this:

Chris tried to teach him how to use them but Ethan is convinced you can use them any way you want

Him and Karl provide the gym patrons with entertainment for DAYS

Mia Winters:

Yoga/ Pilates mum

She’s been doing classes and her own practice since forever

She can do some pretty cool poses like her capacity to hold her own bodyweight is actually pretty crazy

She’s very sweet with new yoga participants… she gives them advice on how to improve on basic or advanced poses whenever they ask

It’s the only thing in her life that keeps her calm and collected tbh

Mother Miranda:

Jiu Jitsu

She wants to kick some ass but without all the force of kicking and punching, like getting some good submission holds in there

She likes that JiuJitsu is more of a grappling sport in this sense

She also wants to improve on her speed when she’s in the ring, she wants to make attacks look effortless so she can scare her opponents into thinking that it’s easy for her

She definitely makes her own rules however, she only likes training with anyone who is up for being a rag doll for her

Chris Redfield

Bro just does anything

He likes boxing though

He imagines that goddamn boulder scenario every time… people mock him about it and he dgaf

He has broken through many boxing bags as a result

His sparring partners dread having to fight with him because they know they’re gonna walk away with a dislocated shoulder from the massive shock absorption lmao

Rosemary Winters

She likes volleyball

She just does… all the “normal” girls at school do it so she figures it might help her situation a little bit

She is actually pretty good at it

She hates how long the practices are though, she likes it but not THAT much

She likes doing high intensity cardio classes at the gym when she’s alone

It helps her get all of her pent up teenage stress out of her system

[amitieos]

toa anniversary munday!

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.

Name: Nic

Pronouns: they/them

Birthday (no year): 14th July

Where are you from? What is your time zone? UK, GMT (or BST but don't get me started on daylight savings I'll explode)

How long is your roleplay experience? Does playing A Bug's Life on the playground when I was 5 count? If not, I started with rping HP characters with my friends when I was like 11-12 over MSN after school and whilst there have been breaks it's something I've always found myself coming back to.

How were you introduced to roleplaying as a whole? As above, I made a couple of friends on (unrelated) forums and we all just thought it'd be fun.

How were you introduced to TOA? I thought I missed rp and looked for an FE based rp.

Do you have any pets? Yes, all hail Catcat the Great.

What is your favorite time of year and why? (Season, holiday, general period) Summer. I hate the heat and humiditiy but once there's no daylight the seasonal affective disorder bass boosts my chronic mental health issues and it's just a bad time really.

What is your IRL occupation? I've gone back to uni to study Law :)

Some interests and things you like/enjoy? I love reading, I'm fascinated by linguistics and astrophysics, enjoy DnD and playing video games in my spare time. I'm a particular sucker for the Sims franchise.

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? Recently I've been playing BG3, Stardew Valley, The Sims & Fields of Mistria but I'm a big fan of the Persona series and really, really excited about Dragon Age The Veilguard

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: I don't really play Pokemon much anymore but I'll just say Sylveon I guess

Tell us some funfacts and trivia about yourself! I met the fourth Doctor when I was 11 and he complemented my vocabulary lmao. I once got published in a poetry anthology with a poem about Shadow the Hedgehog and my parents we so proud of me.

How did you get into Fire Emblem? I think I saw a review on TV

What Fire Emblem games have you played? I've attempted to play every game except 1/2/3/5/11, although I've really wanted to play Thracia I just *need* some QoL updates and controls. I haven't finished every single one because of lost/deleted saves and stuff but I've watched playthroughs and read up on scripts on everything I haven't actually played myself.

First & Favorite Fire Emblem games: My first was Fates but Jugdral, Magvel and 3 Houses are my favourite

List your 5 favorite Fire Emblem characters across the series! Elincia, Mercedes, Franz, Myrrh and ughhhh I can't choose between Chole/Yunaka/Sylvain so I'm cheating

Who was the first character ever to make you go “ooh I like this one in particular” and why? Can be any context and reason! I saw Ryoma in all that red armour and it grabbed my attention.

Any Fire Emblem crushes? 😳 Miss Mercedes if you're free Thursday night

If you’ve played (or are familiar with) the following games, who was your first S support? Who would you S support nowadays? - Awakening: Chrom, originally be accident but now on purpose :D - Fates: My first was Takumi and I didn't know what an S support was and was very confused. Nowadays usually Kaze or Laslow if playing F!Corrin and Orochi, Nyx or Charlotte if playing M!Corrin. Niles for either. - Three Houses: Mercedes. She's still my go to ofc but I'm also fond of Dorothea, Dimitri and Sylvain. If I'm playing M!Byleth Yuri or Ingrid - Engage: Yunaka was my first and now it's either Yunaka, Diamant or Chloe. Or Mauvier maybe hahfsdgfsd

Favorite Fire Emblem class? I love Pegasus Knights!!!!!!!

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class and stats? Would you be playable? Probably a reluctant recruit who accidentally gets involved. Weirdly magic based armoured character.

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? (Black Eagles, Blue Lions, Golden Deer, Church of Seiros, Those Who Slither in the Dark, unaffiliated civilian, other - for example Almyran) Either unaffiliated civilian or Blue Lions probably

If you were an Officers Academy student, what would be your boons, banes and potential budding talent? Boons: Lance, Reason, Heavy Armour Banes: Bow, Faith Budding Talent: idk Axes or Flying?

If you were an Engage character, which nation would you originate from? (Firene, the Kingdom of Abundance; Brodia, the Kingdom of Might; Elusia, the Kingdom of Knowledge; Solm, the Queendom of Freedom; Lythos, the holy land of the Divine Dragon; Gradlon, the desolate land of the Fell Dragon) No idea! Probably Elusia or Firene. The Solm heat would literally kill me.

How do you pronounce TOA? 🤔(separate letters, to-ah, other?) TOA ;) (like Noah)

Current TOA muses: Elincia & Mercedes

Past TOA muses? A lot but most memorable to me are Sylvain and Julia, though I'm so excited to see Sylvain in good hands <3

Who was your first TOA muse? If you no longer have them, can you see yourself picking them up again? Elincia and I still have her.

Do you believe you have a type of character you gravitate towards writing? White magic girlies though I'm trying to change things up.

Do you have characters or types of characters you don’t think you can handle writing, but wish you could? Hm, I wish I felt I could write more of the male characters I enjoy effectively. In most other fandoms I've written in most of my muses have been men but it's just not so in FE. I'd also love to write a villain okay I once genuinely considered Hilda FE4 lmao

What kind of scenes, situations etc do you believe you enjoy writing the most? (If you filled this out last year, has this changed in any way?) I like writing dialogue and characters bonding but I'm starting to like more action oriented scenes too.

Do you have any scenario in mind for your muse(s) that gets you thinking “man I hope I get to write this one day”? For Mercedes in particular I get excited to write her steel and strength, especially when it's combined with her gentleness rather than opposed to it.

Favorite TOA-related memories? Every thread I've writen with Elincia and Rua's Byleth <3

Present or past tense? I tend to default to present in TOA but usually past tense. I'm flexible though and will try and match my partner.

Normal size text, small text, no preference? I actually find small text easier to focus in on and read (I can find normal a bit too cluttered and it can send my eyes wandering lmao) but I'm perfectly happy to use normal text, it just takes me a bit longer to comb through.

Got any potential muse delusions to share? 😉 I can't see a shake up happening soon but... Zephia or Chloe are probably forerunners. I've thought about Palla and Astrid too but I'm not sure if I can see the longevity. Also Neimi, Myrrh and Rodrigue have sparked.... ideas. For muses I've written before, Julia is the most likely but I think she's having a nice break right now :)

[songliili]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

thank you @happiness-of-the-pursuit for tagging me

How many works do you have on ao3? only 10 as of now, but i hope it'll be 13 by the end of the year

What's your total ao3 word count? 107,767

What fandoms do you write for? rwrb and supernatural. although it's mostly rwrb as of now

Top five fics by kudos:

we all have a hunger - Henry is a porn star, Alex is a fan.

bro, you're fucking hung! - Alex is fascinated by Henry's huge dick.

Fill My Stocking - Alex wants some attention and Henry has to get creative.

you should floss more - Dean goes to the dentist and is his usual disaster bi self. Lucky for him, his dentist doesn't mind.

footage of (y)our love - Alex and Henry get married, and 2/3 of the Super Six documented their love story.

Do you respond to comments? yes, i do my best at not leaving them unanswered!

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? probably I Had Some Time (With You) because of the mcd tag and the kind of open ending with claire and jody that i left just in case i decide to write claire's story. but i also think that dean and cas had a soft beautiful and loving end, so yeah it's sad but i don't think it's a sad fic? more like haunting in a positive way (this makes me sound so pretentious but i just love that story so much and i'd love for more people to read it it too)

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? i genuinely don't know? all of them have happy endings imo... probably psau1 tho. simply because i'm writing the sequel and i know they're even more happy lmao.

Do you get hate on fics? thankfully i don't!

Do you write smut? yep! and i thought i wasn't able to. (peep at my two most popular fics being rated E and the second being just pwp)

Craziest crossover: i don't think it's crazy but I Had Some Time (With You) kind of is a crossover with the last of us? i mixed up tlou and spn.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? not that i know of, but i don't think anyone would steal my stuff, i'm nobody

Have you ever had a fic translated? ... well............. eight years ago i wrote a fic for a kpop group and before orphaning it someone asked me permission to translate it. i don't know if they ever did it, and i can't check cause i don't remember the title so i can't even look it up

Have you ever co-written a fic before? i've started writing a fic with @zeppelinmixtape a while ago, we should pick it back up.

All time favorite ship? destiel and firstprince, obviously

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will? probably the great dean court off, and it's a shame cause i love it and i want to finish it cause i have the ending clear in my head, but i changed so much as a writer that i think i'd have to rework it all to avoid a stark contrast between then and now/the future.

What are your writing strengths? once @cactusdragon517 told me that my italian brain "lends so much to it. It is so beauful and the way you write it feels like reading something SACRED." (yes, i copy-pasted their message cause i saved it in a note on my phone for when i need a ego boost)

What are your writing weaknesses? i'm verbose but at the same time i skim on things. small things turn into big things and fics that can be under 5k turn into 10k, 'cause small, insignificant details and context in conversations are needed; but not descriptions. for the life of me i can't remember that people aren't in my head and they need to know who's talking and what the place they're in looks like.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language? i'm a sucker for it, but if they're written in a language i know i will be critic of the translation used - and if i know the author i will suggest a translation that in my opinion is better.

First fandom you wrote in? aforementioned kpop fandom. no, i will not disclose what group or pairing.

Favorite fic you've written? I Had Some Time (With You) and we all have a hunger. but also mh fp, ciayaq? and psau2 that live in my wips folder. (and if y'all want to tell me what's your favourite of my silly little fics, let me know!)

i guess i have to tag 20 people now, i don't know who's done this already so forgive me if you did.

(mae, chrissy, consider your previous tags as tagging for the game lmao)

@father-salmon @underwaterninja13 @leojfitz @read-and-write- @littlemisskittentoes @galitzine-nick @inexplicablymine @affectionatelyrs @gayrootvegetable @wordsofhoneydew @emmalostinwonderland @rockyroadkylers @three-drink-amy @theprinceandagcd @imyourhoneybeespn @princehgejfmw @absolute-audacity @firenati0n

[delopsia]

del i fear ur untitled rhett fic might just wreck me. im a sucker for friends to lovers, and a whore for soulmates, and hanahaki disease is SO GOOD i dont read nearly enough fics about it!!! im frothing at the mouth climbing up the walls !!!!

You should have seen me while I was drafting the outline 😭 I was crawling through a list of AUs, writing down my favorites, and spent a full hour in misery, trying to narrow it down to just one. Behold, we have three! I hardly see anything with Hanahaki Disease anymore 😔this is my second time taking a swing at it; I had a draft in February, but it was dead in the water from the moment I finished the moodboard lmao.

The running title is currently "Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)," but don't...don't hold me to that. I've been known to conjure up a new title within minutes of hitting post 😒

Here's another preview for ya 🤍

The last thing you expected was for Rhett to hop out in that unbuttoned flannel, broad chest on full display for all to see. The sleeve falls just far enough from his shoulder that you can see the scar hiding below his left collarbone. 

"Quite the festival outfit you've got," you chirp, dragging your eyes away from his bull tattoo and over to a nearby tree, feigning interest. The back of your throat is starting to tickle, lungs tight as you fend off the urge to cough. Not here, not here, not here.

He laughs, "What, y' don't think I look good like this?"

You do, but he doesn't need to know that. Not in the slightest. 

"Its...certainly a choice," faking a grimace, you turn your attention back to your car, slowly but surely growing cooler the longer it runs. A pleasure that Rhett and his broken air conditioning unit haven't known since last summer. 

You don't mind the idea of it staying broken if he keeps showing up at your house looking like this. Even if that does mean that you become his ride on the hotter days, fearing an onset of heat stroke. 

The passenger door is silent as he opens it. No longer squealing due to whatever he and Royal did to it last weekend. Being friends with a family of DIY ranchers has its perks. 

Thunk_

"Shit." 

You blink. Was that...?

Yeah. 

It was. 

As if last time wasn't enough of a lesson, Rhett's got his knees pinned up against your glovebox, the seat too far forward for him and his big body to fit. Though this time, he isn't hurriedly pawing at the seat levers like he'll die if he doesn't get any more space. Instead, he's resigned to a frown. More annoyed with himself than anything.

"You alright there?" 

Rhett's sigh is so heavy that his shoulders visibly deflate. "Yeah," reaching off to the side, pushing the seat back as far as it can go. "Humbled, but 'm alright."

[vinetae]

Try (M) - Chapter 11:

"I..."

Pairings: Taehyung x reader, Jimin x reader, Jungkook x reader, Taehyung x Jungkook

Genre: Angst, Fluff, SMUT (Yep! We back, baby! and steamer than ever 🥵)

Warnings: Blowjobs, Handjobs, cum play, protected sex (thought not mentioned of a condom, no glove no love guys), Makeouts, Riding, Cowgirl, Breast play, nipple play, ANGST. Jungkookie's sad boy. Tears (no, not necrophilia kind of shit, I don't condone that lmao). Sneaky sex, bathroom sex, FLUFF. OMG they're so cute together 🤧

A/n: WELCOME. I am now sober and full of angst. I WISH I had written this master piece when I was high. guess I'm a sappy stoned. I'm kinda a sucker for the fluff during the do shit ☺

As always, Enjoy!

&lt;;- Previous Chapter

“Fu-fuck!”

Jungkook’s quick to cup his hand over his mouth, screwing his eyes at your plump lips working wonders on his cock. You moan, swirling the tip of your tongue around the base of his hardened cock. His palms dig into your marble sink counter, knuckles turning white from such force.

His head is thrown back, using everything he can to silence his echoing cries. Your knees beg for mercy, but the sounds caused by your own lips had overridden their small pleads. You bob your head front to back, watching from parted lashes at his sad attempts to silence himself.

The pad of your tongue brushes against his tip, sending a shiver down his spine. Holy fucking shit! You’re going to be the death of him for sure. But fuck- he would be lying if he denied that he’d be a happy man to die right now.

Your tongue licks stripes up and down the base of his cock, like a fucking lollipop. Your batted eyelashes do nothing but edge him further onto his climax. His blonde streaks fall heavily in front of his face, sweat creating a slight sheen against his heated skin. 

You remove your lips, followed by a ‘popping’ sound. A string of saliva-blended pre-cum makes a thin, sticky bridge from his tip to your lips. You glance up, wiping away excess juices that had dripped from your mouth and onto your chin.

His eyes meet yours, blown and swirling with arousal. You flash a smile, before leaning your head back down, to focus on a different part of his body. 

“HOLY SHIT!-” He’s quick to cover his mouth as your lips suck gently on the curves of his balls. A hand comes to comb through your hair before gripping onto a piece that’s attached to your apex. You hear the slight commotion coming from the near living room, before wondering how long you two had been in here. You smirk, a smile presses your lips while meeting Jungkook’s glassy eyes. 

“Better hurry up, baby. Don’t want them finding out how well I’m sucking your little cock” He lets out a choked cough at the sudden dirty talk. 

“Please-” He doesn’t even know what he’s asking. He’s just so close. One second away from losing it all. Would you swallow? Spit?

“Please what, baby boy.” You stand up, having your hand sloppily running along his hard on. Pre-cum twines between your fingers, making your hands twice as sticky. 

“Tell mommy what you want, sweetheart.” You coo, leaning up to tuck a piece of his bangs out of his vision, his breath hot along your heated skin with eyes blown wide open. 

“Please- Let me..” He chokes on his words, your actions against his cock blocks any sentence he could form. 

“Let you..? I need words, Kook. You want to be a good boy for me, right? You’re going to be a good boy?” He quickly nods, leaning his head back to enjoy the waves of pleasure that tease him. 

“Then tell me what you want.” You tease, running your free hand along the exposed skin of his inner thighs, making his head lull back even further from the soft touches. After a while, he finally answers. 

“You.”

~~~

Childish sounds echo through the small living room, as Jimin cracks open his eyes to the darkness. How long had he been out? He scans the room, before seeing Taehyung cuddled up by his side, natural black locks fall heavenly in front of his face. Soft snores reverberate back to both of them.

He shrugs mentally, preparing to fall back asleep until a sudden noise has interrupted. He looks down your small hallway, seeing the bathroom door light fade in, then back out as the two of you step back into the room to join the others. Your hair’s fallen onto your shoulders, a tangled mess even more so than before. Half of your shirt hangs off your shoulder, and the drawstrings attached to Jungkook sweats are completely undone. 

Not to mention the cum stain right behind it.

No doubt in his mind.

You fucked.

Jimin chuckled at the thought of you two. Eyes blown and glassy, looking as if you’d just gotten higher than mount everest. You carefully lower yourself onto the length of the sectional, snuggling closer to Jungkook’s exhausted frame. Your eyes start to close, the last 20 minutes plays like a movie in a cinema on the back of your eyelids. 

“F-fuck! Come with me, please!” Jungkook whines, reaching down between your thighs to rub quick circles against your aching clit. Your head gets launched back at his quick fingers, bouncing harder on his hardened cock.

His back pressed against the bathroom cabinets, both hands holding you in place as you fasten your pace. His tattooed hand comes up to reach around your neck, gently applying pressure to the sides. His demeanor changes like a TV commercial. 

“Yeah, ride me like the whore you are, baby.”

 His words fall upon death ears. Usually, you’d respond with some bratty comment telling him who’s really in charge, but honestly you didn’t give a fuck. 

“F-uck! . Look at my little slut, huh? Riding me like a damn carousel” A harsh slap to your ass throws a moan out into the air. 

“My little slut. Being so good for me, baby. Fuck-” His cups his other hand around your mouth, silencing you in a dominating way and -might you add- extremely hot way.

“Fuck- Jimin could walk in any minute. You’d better hurry up and finish baby before your little boyfriend finds you fucking another man like the whore you are. Shit-” You whine, wondering if your whole body could take all of this. He’s quick to realize, and once again; switches like a light switch.

Cue Charlie Puth-

“Are you okay, Y/n? I’ve got you” His pace slows, removing his hands from around your neck, to softly cradle your small figure. (Well, it’s small to him.)

“Was I too rough?” You shake your head, continuing to bounce on his cock, with his head falling backwards, accidentally hitting the bathroom cabinets. You both chuckle at the silly incident, continuing off. 

“Silly” He coos, tucking a piece of your hair behind your ear, flashing a cute bunny smile. You return the small gesture, as his hand drops down to cup the underside of your breast. Teasing and tweaking the erect bud between his index finger and thumb. You moan softly, leaning down to press small kitten-like licks to his neck. 

“Mmm, Y/n.” He shifts his knee, lifting it a bit higher to give you better access. You smile against his neck, trailing the kisses up before taking his lobe in your mouth, tugging slightly with your front teeth. 

“Mmm, Jungkook '' You mock his tone, a laugh erupts from his chest. You both now sit still, your motions had slowed on his cock, still fully hard inside of you. 

“Y/n..” He reaches to take your hand in his while the other brushes its thumb repeatedly over the curve of your breast. A certain look swirls his irises. It wasn’t arousal, sexual tension, and defidently not fear.

It had been something you hadn’t seen in quite some time. Except when you had been lying in bed tangled with Jimin, having late night conversations as the moon is your only light source. His chocolate irises tell some much, without a single word being spoken. Somehow, you felt everything he was feeling. The nervousness, the euphoria, the-

“I love you.”

Next Chapter ->

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©sweethearthigh 2022. Do not copy, translate, or modify my works. Thank You <333

[akela-nakamura]

I, M, and R for the latest fanfic game

I: Do you have a guilty pleasure in fic (reading or writing)?

Oh gods. So many. I'm a sucker for found family, I love a good Everyone Lives/No one Dies fic, which tend to go with the Fix Its I read. Time travel fics can be hard to write, but I love a character getting YEETED back and going "Fuck it, I'm fixing it all, and all of you are along for the ride, DEAL WITH IT."

I enjoy platonic Omegverse, and the family explorations that can happen from it, and the way the dynamics can change things and the world around them.

I deeply enjoy things with world building, and taking bits of things from canon and expanding on them to flesh out the world, and ask: But what if they used this thing they never talked about again?

This is both reading and writing, btw. There's def more, but we'd be here all night lmao. M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

Stares at the WIPs in my drive. Oh boy. I've talked about a lot of them before, and this fandom tends to SPAWN new WIPs when I'm not looking lmao.

I VERY much want to get back to Jason Sees Dead People (and a ghost cat adopts him) WIP, but I really need to get what I've currently got updating done first lmao. Then there's the Dad!Dick fic, the Ellie Possesses Steph one, and more I'm probably forgetting. I've got a LOT on the plate, including Bang fics I can't talk about yet :P

So we've got a lot coming yet!! I'm hoping to finish at least one of my longfics up over the coming winter, so I hope y'all will see some of these fics in the near future!! R: Are there any writers (fanfic or otherwise) you consider an influence?

!! SO. As far as published authors go, I REALLY love Maggie Stiefvater, author of The Raven Cycle. The way she describes things AUGH. A LOT of the lines of those books live rent free in my head. ("What do you want, Adam?" "To feel awake when my eyes are open." And Ronan was all that was left: molten eyes and a smile made for war.

Rags to riches isn't a story anyone wants to hear until it's over.

If you never saw stars, candles were enough.

"Is it safe?" "Safe as life."

"Oh! Your hands are so cold." "I've been dead for seven years, that's as warm as they get."

Depending on where you began the story, it was about Noah Czerny.)

I just love it so much. Definite goals.

For fanfic writers? Blackkat is a BEAST. The amount of fic she's written, and the size of some of those fics?? Holy HELL. I very much think I've been influenced a lot by her style. She's very good, and if I can write half the fics she has, I'll be doing something right.

I also think I've been influenced by Leigh Bardugo and Rick Riordan.

PLUS there's ALL These amazing authors in DPxDC?? Like so many. I know I admire how much work you put into research and worldbuilding, I deeply enjoy TourettesDog's ability to create environments, SummersSixEcho's interplay of characters, Chromatographic's headcanons and what ifs?, not to meant Cielle's dedication to a HUGE casefic--and there's so many more.

SO many good authors, so little time, and I feel I pick up influence from a lot them. Little turns of phrases, headcanons or interpretations of canon I hadn't thought of/see in a new light.

There's also some Fairy Tail writers I took influence from, wayyyyyy back when lol. I'd have to go digging through to remember all their usernames lol. But I do know Lonestorm and I did some collabing.

There's so many people who got me here. Thanks y'all <3

Fic Ask Game

[mermaidsirennikita]

have you read (or already posted about) any Cat Sebastian novels? I am such a sucker for queer hist-roms!!

I haven’t read too many from her just yet but I love her writing so much and I can’t wait to read more. I’ve read her sapphic novella, A Little Light Mischief, as well as The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes (m/f, bi leads for those not in the know) and Unmasked by the Marquess (nb/m, both bi). Unmasked especially I just adored. I have a non-binary sibling, and trying to find content that works for me AND them (I should elaborate lol, we try to consume shit and discuss it to bond) is so challenging; that book was just…. A lot.

Also, just the way that book built a friendship and made the feeling of being betrayed by a friend soooo acute. It got those moments of tension, Robin’s feeling of needing to exist as they were--Alistair loving her but still taking a long time to understand.

And also just the FUN SHIT. The moment when Alistair sees Robin in a suit at the ball and she's pulling her gloves off with her teeth and he almost comes in his pants, lmao.

I'm currently reading Something Fabulous, which is the rare time when I read out of order.... I got an ARC of Something Spectacular, the second book in the series, without realizing that they were connected. I'm loving Something Fabulous, and I loved Alexis's queer historical A Lady for A Duke... But lol dude, if you love queer historicals, you have to read Something Spectacular. I loved it. That one is out in April (4/11, I think?) and has a genderfluid lead, Peggy, who's trying to get over her ex, Arabella, and agrees to help Arabella hook up with Orfeo, a famous castrato. Peggy literally FAINTS when she first hears them sing and Orfeo (who is non-binary/agender) comes to see her and is like "so I see that you fainted, people do orgasm when they hear me sing sometimes, sorry" and she's like "I DID NOT HAVE AN ORGASM" and they're like "whatever you say".

And WE'RE OFF TO THE RACES FROM THERE LMAO. It's got a queer found family, one of the most.... spectacular truly is the word..... sex scenes I've ever read. An amazing third act conflict. So much eroticism. A homoerotic poetry slam. A "panic-gasm". I recommend wholeheartedly.

[rose-tinted-juls]

i literally wrote this in november and left it in my drafts why am i so stupid? anyway. life is busy when you're in your final year of uni that i can tell now but re-reading this chap of ma&thp gave me the long desired feeling of normalcy, so thank you, mackie dear <3

1. THE AIRPORT SCENE I'M SOBBING. the "oh my god is that charles leclerc" was so perfect there even if it's so simple god i love chris. "charles leclerc wants you, could have stopped there" OMG if he said that to me i would literally die on spot. good thing he never will

2. CHRIS BROUGHT CHARLES FLOWERS 😭 AN ACTUAL BOUQUET 😭😭 "just because" 😭 i honestly can't. just simply can't.

3. "anything you want to know, i came tonight with my life story ready." - "her dad'll like that a lot." so simple yet so perfect again. i love charles' interactions with her family.

4. also i just love how close chris and her dad is. like. i 'm just so soft rn

5. when charles didn't say no to the wine bc he doesn't want to offend Cindy and then keeping Chris frim saying anything about him not actually liking wine, i LOVE how real he is. if this ain't me anytime i'm a guest at someone's

6. SHUT UP THE SCENE WHERE BILL ASKS CHARLES ABOUT WHAT HE LIKES MOST ABOUT CHRIS 😭😭😭 his answer is just too much for my little heart. "...how lucky i am to have her in my life." JUST SHUT UP. i literally can't take it (+ "now that i'm properly embarrassed for the rest of my life" lmao love that line)

7. cindy and charles looking through the photo albums, soooo lovely so cute so soft, i want this

8. oh WAIT that paragraph about the childhood photos and the protective parent act that charles wonders about. WAIT. that's such a good paragraph put in such a clever way, i love it. "you can't be mean to someone when you look at them and imagine the tiny version of them playing dress-up in a princess themed bedroom" + "he should get a few baby pictures from his mom, he thinks. to show them to chris, just so that she isn't allowed to hurt him." I'M SCREAMING WHY IS IT SO GOOD

9. "[charles] is hit with a sudden wave of gratitude towards the way he's been wholly and completely welcomed into her life like this. the night of endless nerves aside, the excitement of learning all the chapter of her life that predate him is something he isn't going to take for granted." i mean. just these lines. they melted me. i'm just a puddle. a crying mess. why is he so sweet 😭 why do you have to make him so sweet, mack 😭

10. i love charles and chase's conversation about racing stuff. i just love it. also how charles pays attention to shen chris falls asleep so that he can tell her later on when she'll ask, that is just pure sweetness over there. but the whole conversation about car racing is just perfect. and when charles just goes for it, "taking a shot in the dark", asking what drafting is, i just felt so proud lmao i would never be able to ask that question i'm so bad team social anxiety

11. this following conversation: "promise you won't get lost in the woods and eaten by a bear today. at least wait until i'm there to witness it." - "i can always outrun you, they say you only have tk be faster than the other guy." - "you wouldn't let me get eaten by a bear." - "well, i might." - "wouldn't." - "would." I WANT THIS. I NEED THIS. WHEN IS IT MY TURN. i'm just such a sucker for this type of couple's banter

12. charles getting lost during his run is just so funny, but also when he's thinking about how nice it is to not worry about anyone watching him. "here it's just him, just charles. there's nothing special about it, which is what makes it so fucking special." poor baby i can't even imagine the life he has to live in this aspect. this paragraph was perfect to remind me how deep down he's just a human being like anyone else which i (and so many of us) tend to forget bc he's like a literal god and like idk. this just hit me deep in my chest.

13. "he's not french. monégasque, and very proud." this whole part is just *chefs kiss* omg i love chris.

14. THAT PART WITH CHARLES AND THE "DO YOU WANT ME TO BE JEALOUS?" AND THE "SHAME, I WAS GOING TO PUT ON A SHOW." OMG JEALOUS!CHARLES IS BE SOMETHING I'D DIE TO SEE especially in this universe

15. "her laughter, musical and infectious, is all he hears when the entire place laughs." AND "even the eax dhe plays with the ribnon on the bouquets she hold-something so small and trivial, it all captivates him." AND MOST OF ALL THE "he finds himself swept away by a tide of emotions, some messy kaleidoscope of feelings that defy articulation. there's something magnetic about her, an irresistible urhe to kiss her that seems to linger in the back of his mind, always. it's all lined up for him, a million synchronized harmonies that underscore every interaction. the changing colours of leaves and the smell of rain on a pine patio, the hesrtbeat of a conversation, a light in every roo.. his perception of his own emotions, the way he feels about this fucking woman, jt's so clear it becomes cloudy. every stolen glance and shared smile is this integral part of their connection, this thing that he can't let go of." OKAY POET GO OFF. MACK YOU ACTUAL GODDESS OF WORDS I'M IN SUCH AWE OF YOU. SUCH A GORGEOUS PART. SO SO SO PERFECT. brb gonna go sob for a while

16. "may your love be modern enough to survive the times, but old-fashioned enough to last forever." why is this line so genuinely perfect? like this punch-in-the-chest and make-your-mind-spin kind of perfect.

17. charles worrying about chris' speech 😭😭 (i mean same here but he's just so soft and so smitten and so lovely) but like "you know that you're the kind of person who is easy to love, yes?" i'm actually sobbing now 😭 and the "he's smart enough to know when it's time to just dance with his girlfriend." where are the boys/men like this in real life 😭😭

18. the "she opens her fucking email. he's in love with her, and she's opening her fucking email while telling him it's not possible." hits SO HARD. an actual punch in the gut. so good.

19. and this deserves its own point: "there's nothing more he can add to the conversation, not now. not when he's just ran face-first into a brick wall off i love you." awh charles you're in love with her 😭😭😭 and you finally realised it yourself 😭😭 i genuinely have tears in my eyes. actual tears. i'm.... wow.

oh my lovely lovely mackie, you true inspiration and goddess. this chapter brought me so much joy, more than you can imagine (i mean not like all the previous ones didn't do the same but this was just a whole new level of that). thank you. i wish i could tell you this in person just so you could see how sincerely i mean it, and that i could give you a big hug to express my overwhelming appreciation for you. love you loads

miss americana and the heartbreak prince

—07. Homegrown —word count: 15.8k —warnings: none :) love, mackie... I don't really have much to say lol... just that I love this chapter and it got a little out of hand. I hope you love it like I do!

Chris takes a personal day at work on the Thursday Charles gets into Georgia. She wants to make sure she’s the one picking him up from the airport, doesn’t want to spend a single second longer than she needs to without seeing him, hugging him, kissing him. 

His flight lands at 10:15, but by the time he gets through customs, baggage, and calls Chris three times after getting lost in the Atlanta airport, it’s 11:30. She finally finds him outside the Maynard Terminal, backpack slung over his shoulders, suitcase next to him. He looks so perfectly like a boyfriend, she thinks. “I can see you,” she says. “Do you see my car?”

“No,” he laughs, and it pours from the car speakers like sweet honey. “I don’t.”

“Okay, well, stay put, then. I’m coming to you.” She manages to make her way across two lanes to be right on the curb, and then he spots her, his whole expression taking shape when their eyes lock. She rolls her window down as he approaches, and slots the car into park. “Oh my god,” she giggles. “Is that Charles Leclerc?”

He rolls his eyes. “Open the trunk?”

“Charles Leclerc wants me to open the trunk?” She says, pushing the button on her door-panel to pop the hatch open. 

“Charles Leclerc wants you,” he says, hoisting his suitcase up into the back of the car, tossing his backpack there, too. “Could have stopped there,” he chuckles, meeting her eyes in the rearview mirror. She blushes, a cheek-aching smile still on her face. He slams the trunk shut and makes his way around the car, opening the passenger door. “Hi, pretty girl,” he properly greets her. “What’s this?” He asks.

Sitting there, on the passenger seat, is a bouquet of flowers. Red roses, white roses, and white carnations for passion, new romance, and luck. Filler greens and red estelles for encouragement. Manilla and sheer white tissue paper wrap the flowers, a dark red ribbon tied into a bow around the stems. Next to it, is a matching envelope with his name scribbled in purple pen. Inside the envelope is a white greeting card with “just because” printed in simple, black lettering, a handwritten note from Chris on the inside. 

Chris smiles. “They’re for you.”

“For me?” He asks, the hint of a giggle in his tone. “You didn’t have to do all this.”

Chris shrugs, watches him carefully pick up the flowers and the card and climb into the car where he further examines them. “It’s not a big deal,” she says, tucking her bangs behind her ears. “I had to go with Hannah to the florist this morning.”

“No, it’s so cool. Nobody has ever gotten me flowers before.”

Chris frowns. “Never?”

“I mean,” he shrugs, “my mum once, but that doesn’t count,” and then he starts to open the envelope, but Chris stops him.

“No, please,” she says, her hand covering his. “I can’t watch you read it, I’ll die.”

He laughs, “you’re so cute.”

Her face stays straight and solemn. “I’m serious.”

“I know,” he sets the flowers and the card down securely between his feet. “I’ll wait.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

Chris can feel the heat rushing to her cheeks. God, she feels like such a child. “You’re welcome.”

“I’m going to kiss you, now.”

“Okay,” she giggles. “You’re going to kiss me, now.”

His lips meet hers in a tender, lingering kiss. It’s like they hadn’t been apart at all, the way their mouths perfectly fit together. His hand finds her cheek, thumb moving carefully over her skin, letting her deepen the kiss. They let themselves just be for a few moments, to let everything else fade away and cling onto their perfect moment. “Seriously,” he says when they pull apart, and then he gives her another quick peck. “Thank you,” and then another on her forehead. “I missed you. How are you?”

“I’m good,” she nods. “Hungry. Very hungry. How are you?”

“Hungry, also.”

“How hungry?”

“Very.”

Chris nods, kisses him again, just because she can. Because she couldn’t for so many days. “I know a place, but it’s a surprise.”

It’s a twenty-three minute drive to Pig’n’Chik Barbeque in Northern Atlanta. Charles is visibly apprehensive of the little red building and the parking lot filled with the aroma of southern barbeque, but he keeps his commentary to himself. Chris knows it’s probably a little overkill, the hole-in-the wall joint being even a little too gimmicky for her taste, but that’s the whole point. The place is supposed to be gimmicky, while also being good. Chris used to love this place as a little kid—Bill would always take the kids there whenever they’d gone to the city. It was his favorite place then, and so it will always hold a place in her heart. 

Charles holds open the door, a bell attached to it announcing their entrance, eliciting a greeting from the staff, a “Hey, guys! How’re you doing?”

“Good, thank you,” Chris smiles, moving through the restaurant towards the diner-style bar at the back. She holds her hand out behind her for Charles, turns to tell him: “You might not have been able to get a seat at your sushi bar, but I can get us up at the Pig’n’Chik bar,” she laughs. 

Charles matches her laugh, a playful eye roll and the shake of his head before they’re sitting down on the red leather barstools. 

She’s telling him before they even have the menus in front of them what they need to order; fried pickles to split, lemonade to drink because it’s not pig’n’chik without their lemonade. She’s going to order the shrimp and grits and he absolutely needs to have the catfish.

When he cocks his head at the idea of… eating… catfish… she tells him he’s not allowed to look it up, and that he also has to trust her. “It’s the best thing on the menu,” she says. 

Charles quirks a brow. “Then why aren’t you eating it?”

“Because the hushpuppies will kill me,” she answers matter-of-factly. “Honestly, you probably shouldn’t eat them, either.” The grease that comes along with eating a deep-fried batter ball isn’t good for anyone’s system, especially not someone who isn’t used to this kind of food. The last thing she needs this weekend is a boyfriend who can’t be more than three feet from a bathroom. 

It’s an hour and a half, at least, until they’re pulling into what Chris affectionately calls her “driveway.” Charles thinks that anyone else would more likely call it a dirt road. A trail, even, that turns into a driveway after the trees clear and you can actually see the house. 

“This is all yours?” he asks, swears her yard is the size of his apartment lobby. 

She nods. “I mean, it’s mostly trees, but, yeah.”

He’s taken on a tour of the old-style farmhouse, which, by the way, is so incredibly her you’d think the place was built for her—lots of beadboard, all this delicate woodworking that a FaceTime call has never been able to do justice. Thick glass windows with the frame painted over, no central heating or cooling, a couple window air conditioners and old radiators to boot. The most like her, though, is the back porch. It’s screened in, has a creek to the floor that the dusty, antique rugs can only attempt to muffle. There’s two couches that couldn’t match less, but still somehow go with each other, both cozy with throw pillows and cushions and warmth. The whole place smells like her, sounds like her, feels like her. He’s immediately comfortable. 

Chris and Charles spend most of their afternoon trying to plan out their evening. Starting tomorrow morning, their weekend is on a strict schedule, so they want to make the most of their free time tonight before their dinner with her family. They want to make the most of it so badly that they can’t decide on anything at all, and end up falling asleep on her living room couch. 

When Chris’ alarm goes off—the one she’d set the first time she caught herself dozing off, realizing Charles was already passed out next to her—they grumpily get ready to head over to her parents’ house. It’s then, while Charles navigates around Chris and the countertop of her makeup, that she tells him all about Thanksgiving, about her mom pointing out the hickey, and she offers up a warning. “They’re going to pretend they hate you for like, half an hour,” she tells him. “Pretend you’re intimidated.”

“And…” Charles begins, running gelled fingers through his hair. “What if they actually don’t like me?”

“My mom likes everyone,” she says, gestures away at his words. “And my Dad, well, you’ve already met him. He liked you good enough then.”

“He liked me enough to talk to me for ten minutes,” Charles counters. “That doesn’t mean he liked me enough to date his daughter.”

Chris smiles in the mirror, carefully applying her lipstick. “Lucky for you,” she says, “he doesn’t get a say.”

– – –

His leg bounces for the entirety of the ten-minute drive, so much so that at a stop light he can feel how much he shakes the car. Despite that, he doesn’t realize just how nervous he is until they’re in the driveway—which is just as long and trail-like as Chris’ is. Their house is bigger, though. Much bigger. 

His palms are clammy, and he wipes them off on his jeans—should he have worn something nicer than jeans? Jeans are really all he brought besides clothes for the wedding, for sleeping, for working out in. Jeans are fine. Jeans are good. Their driveway is a dirt road, jeans are good. 

“Relax,” Chris says, trying (and failing) to hold back a little chuckle. “It’s not that serious.” He rolls his eyes because it quite literally is that serious. You only get one chance to make a first impression on your girlfriend’s parents, and when your girlfriend is as close to their family as Chris is, it’s an impression you’d really rather not screw the fuck up. “And the longer we sit here, the longer they’re going to watch from the kitchen window.”

With a deep breath, he climbs out of the car, walks up the rest of the drive and onto the porch a pace behind Chris. She raises her hand to knock twice, turning the doorknob and letting herself in before anyone could even attempt to answer the knock. He steps in behind her, into a wallpapered entryway with a tall table full of keys and pictures and discarded mail on one side, and a wooden bench with tan throw pillows on the other side. “Mom! Dad! We’re here!” She shouts into the house. 

A woman’s voice calls back, “in the kitchen! Dad’s upstairs in the office.”

Chris slips off her shoes and Charles follows suit, slotting them under the wooden bench next to hers. He hadn’t worn a coat, but she ducks into a hall closet to hang hers up. He’d worn a sweatshirt over a t-shirt, and he’s pretty sure he’d already sweat through the t-shirt. 

He thinks he could smell his way to the kitchen, the way the scent of the home cooked dinner fills the entire house. He follows behind Chris like a lost puppy into the kitchen, and as soon as she turns the corner and walks through the archway, she’s being greeted by her mom, wrapped into an oven-mitt clad hug. He gets a perfect view of her mom, gaze slotted over Chris’ shoulder. She’s not so scary, he thinks. He can recognize more than one of Chris’ features on her face—in the way she smiles and the shape of her eyes, too. That’s where her smile comes from, and her eyes, too. 

Over her shoulder, Chris’ mom opens her eyes, waves a bangle-bracelet clad, oven-mitt covered hand in his direction. Charles steps fully into the kitchen, determined to make a good first impression. “And  I take it this,” her mom says, pulling away from the hug, “is the charming gentleman you’ve been telling me nothing about?”

Chris laughs, catching his eyes when she says: “Yes, Mom, this is Charles. Charles, this is my mom, Cindy.”

“Hi,” Charles offers a handshake. His friends had reminded him—briefed him, basically—that Americans are fond of their personal space, and he figures if Chris is right, and they are going to be playing the intimidation game with him, there’s no chance he’s getting anything more than a— 

“Oh, please,” Cindy laughs, swatting his hand out of the way. “We hug in this family,” and he’s already being pulled in. His surprised eyes catch Chris’, who looks back at him with an oh, my God. I’m so sorry, glance, which makes him chuckle. If this is what pretending not to like him looks like, he’d hate to see what actually liking him is all about. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine,” he hums, finally pulling away from the hug. “I have heard so much about you.”

“I can’t say the same,” Cindy laughs pointedly at Chris. “But what I have heard has all been good.”

“Well, anything you want to know, I came tonight with my life story ready.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Cindy nods. “Her dad’ll like that a lot.”

“Mama, where’s Beans?” Chris asks, and before he knows it he’s following her out into the backyard for the introduction that he knows is actually the most important. As they stepped onto the lush, green grass, a gentle breeze rustled through the trees. In the corner of the yard, the aforementioned Beans, a friendly Golden Retriever, lays beneath the growing shade of an old oak tree. The fur around his snout is a distinguished shade of white, and he looks up with wise, kind eyes as Chris approaches, his tail shaking slowly at her presence. 

“Here he is, my Beanie Baby,” Chris says with affectionate enthusiasm, crouching down to stroke the dog’s ears. He follows suit, squatting down beside her. “Beanie, this is Charles.”

Charles approaches cautiously, fully aware of just how important this introduction was. He extends his hand, letting Beans sniff it gently. The elderly Golden accepts the gesture, the pace of his tail wagging picking up speed. “Hey Beans,” Charles said softly, voice warm. “You’re a good boy, aren’t you?”

Beans responds with a content sigh, his old eyes conveying the years of love and happiness he’s had in this very yard. He leans into Charles’ touch, relishing in the attention.

Chris laughs, “I think he likes you. He’s a bit slower these days, but he’s still the sweetest dog you’ll ever meet.”

After much convincing, and the promise (and fulfillment) of several treat bribes, they’re able to convince Beans to come back into the house, where he curls up on his bed with his milkbones. 

Chris’ dad, who joins everyone else downstairs ten minutes later, pops into the dining room while Chris and Charles are setting the table. Chris looks up in the direction of his footsteps with that radiant smile, warm eyes, like always. “Hi, Dad,” she says, her voice drenched in affection. 

“Mums,” the man smiles softly, greeting her with open arms and a gentle hug. 

“You remember Charles,” she says, and he steps forward, leaving the silverware settings on the tablecloth. Charles extends his hand first, is met with Bill’s firm, heavy handshake. 

“Mr. Elliott, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” His voice is stiff, polite, but there’s still a touch of earnestness that betrays his nerves. “Thank you for having me, I’ve heard a lot about you and your family.”

“Now, son, if I’m bein’ completely honest with you. I never thought I was gonna see you again after Texas. I wasn’t feelin’ you out the way I should’a been, if you know what I mean?”

Charles nods, even though he thinks he picked up about seventy-five percent of what was said. “Yes, sir.” He thinks he’d probably answer any question thrown his way, if it meant when he left tonight it was in her parents’ good graces. 

Her parents, Bill especially, do maintain their intimidating presence for just as long as Chris says they will. Sat at the dinner table with all of them, next to Chris and across from Cindy and Bill, he can’t help but feel the weight of the situation as they all eat. 

“So, Charles,” Bill says, wiping his mouth with a napkin and taking a sip of wine. They’re all nursing glasses of wine, even Charles, who despite never having been particularly fond of the drink, was too scared to say no when Cindy offered. He’d glared daggers at Chris to keep her from speaking up. “Monaco, right?”

Charles nods. “That’s right.”

“A racecar driver from the rich and famous’ playground,” Bill continued. His voice is low and inquisitive. “I’m sure you can see why I might be a lil’...” he chuckles, “worried about you.”

Next to him, Chris cocks her head defensively, leans forward in her seat. “What are you trying to imply, Dad?” Charles unconsciously moves his hand to her lower back in an attempt to reassure her silently. He knows why Bill’s asking questions like this, he knows the reputation certain aspects of his life carry with them. It does put a butterfly or two in his stomach that she’s so eager to jump to his defense, though. 

“Nothing, nothing. It’s just quite the party lifestyle you live, isn’t it, Charles?”

“I don’t know if I would say that,” Charles laughs awkwardly. Chris takes a big sip of her wine, leans back in her chair again. He moves his hand from her back to her leg, where she interlocks it with her own under the table. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ll go out with my friends when I’m in town, or we have something to celebrate, but… I’ve honestly become more of a home person these last years.”

Bill raises his brows, takes another bite of his food. “Really?” Charles nods. “That must be difficult, son, all the traveling you do. Alotta’ people in alotta’ cities. How d’ya handle that?”

Charles smiles, fully aware that Bill is just attempting to gauge his character. “It can be lonely at times, but I'm committed to a steady relationship. I like to think I’ve learned to balance my racing career and my personal life.”

“A steady relationship with our daughter.”

Chris squeezes his hand, he squeezes back, smiles softly. “A steady, committed relationship with your daughter, yes.”

Cindy takes a sip of her wine, smiles into the red liquid. She seems satisfied. Bill, not so much. “And what is it that you like most about her?” He asks. 

“Dad,” Chris laughs pointedly at her father, a hint of disbelief in the action. “That’s enough.”

“Sorry, Charles,” Cindy interrupts with an awkward chuckle, an attempt to keep the peace before Chris lunges over the table at her dad. Charles isn’t offended by the question, so he wonders if maybe Cindy is apologizing to Chris more than she is to Charles. “He doesn’t mean to come off so investigative. Chris is just our baby, everyone has always looked out for her.”

“It’s okay, I understand,” he nods, takes a bite of food. “As for the question nobody wants you to ask me,” he looks to Bill, remnants of his food still in his mouth. He speaks with the napkin over his lips. “It’s hard to even find a place to start with that, right? I mean, she…” he glances to Chris, finds that she’s already listening to him intently. He smiles, “you are an incredible person,” and he has to look away, because if he keeps going while staring into her brown eyes, he’s going to be as red as a tomato, completely and utterly smitten. “If you really want me to pick something, I guess I would say her kindness, and I’m sure you’re both familiar enough with her heart that I don’t need to ramble on about how lucky I am to have her in my life.”

Chris sinks in her seat, finishes off what’s left of her wine. “Well, now that I’m properly embarrassed for the rest of my life.”

Cindy laughs. “Oh, Chrissy, I haven’t even gotten the baby pictures out yet.” Chris turns to bury herself in Charles’ arm. He can feel how warm her face is through the fabric of his sweatshirt, and it makes him laugh. 

“Oh, my God,” she mumbles.

Charles’ ears perk up. “There’s baby pictures?”

Chris nods against his arm. “She’s a scrapbooker.”

He’s so boggled by the way that they can just switch up after that, the way that they stop trying to intimidate him and welcome him with open arms. He thinks that his Mum could never, that she knows within the first thirty seconds of meeting someone if she likes them or not. When it comes to Pascale Leclerc, you’re forever categorized by her first impression. He didn’t tell Chris that, because he didn’t want to worry her more than she already was in her sweats and messy-hair in Abu Dhabi. 

After the meal had been cleaned up, the four of them sat comfortably in the living room of Chris’ childhood home. Their home is so nice, so warm and welcoming.  He wonders if it’s always been such a comfortable place. 

Chris is sprawled out on the corner-seat of the sectional couch, Beans taking up the seat next to her, his head in her lap while she pets him mindlessly. Charles sits on the floor, back to the corner cushion, legs outstretched in front of him under the coffee table. Bill is in the recliner in the corner, working his way through a newspaper crossword puzzle, half-dozing off every ten minutes. 

Cindy carries a cardboard box down the stairs, sets it down on the coffee table in the middle of the family room. It’s full to the brim with worn, leather-bound scrapbooks, with Christyn Claire neatly written on the side of the box. She sits down on the floor next to him. Carefully, she pulls one out and gently sets it on the table, brushing the dust off the black leather cover. 

Charles watches as she flips open the pages, each one filled with their own vibrant photos, handwritten notes, and little trinkets that tell a story of young Chris. Charles can’t help the smile on his face when he sees the images of her in every stage of life, from a curious toddler with messy, curly pigtails to a teenager with the same smile he can’t get enough of. 

Cindy’s eyes sparkle with pride, and she has an anecdote for each and every photo. He’s captivated by it, not just the snapshots, but also the obvious love Cindy carries for her daughter. 

“This is Chrissy on the first day of school,” She explained, pointing to a picture of a young girl with a backpack almost as big as herself. “She was so excited to learn, has always been eager to take on new challenges.” Charles nods, hangs onto every word she says. “She’s always been a quick learner, even then.”

Cindy continues to flip through the pages, her and Charles silently sharing in knowing smiles at photos they both know Chris would find particularly embarrassing, making sure she doesn’t catch onto their shared moment from her seat on the couch. Cindy reveals photos from family vacations, birthdays, and school events. Her tales of Chris’ adventures—combined with Chris’ personal renditions added in—make for quite a delightful, and humorous, evening. 

“Ah, this one,” Cindy chuckles as she turns the page, revealing a picture of a grinning Chris covered head to toe in colorful paint. “We had an art day in the backyard, and Chrissy decided she'd rather paint herself than the paper.”

He laughed along, felt like he was growing more and more connected to Chris and her family with every shared memory. Part of him wonders if this is still a part of the protective parent act. If it is, it’s definitely doing its job. You can’t be mean to someone when you look at them and imagine the tiny version of them playing dress-up in a princess themed bedroom, or helping wash Dad’s car, or taking a nap at the beach on a mermaid towel. He should get a few baby pictures from his mom, he thinks. To show them to Chris, just so that she isn’t allowed to hurt him. 

“She’s always had a big heart,” Cindy said, her smile warm. “Her friends were like extended family,” she continues, pointing out a picture of Chris and several other little children. She points to a blonde, “You’ve met Hannah, right?”

“We’re going there, next, Ma,” Chris interjects. 

“Oh, well. This is her when she was five. I think Chris invited her to spend the night for weeks at a time.”

Charles nods, everything he knows about her, the way that she makes friends with anyone she interacts with, it all tracks, can all be seen in these pictures. He thinks that he could sit on the floor all night and go through every single picture in every single scrapbook, and still wouldn’t have enough, wouldn’t know enough about her. 

– – –

They leave the Elliott’s house a little after nine, and the air outside is cooler, now, the day fully transitioned into night. Charles sits in the passenger seat, eyeing Chris’ ability to perfectly maintain a speed two under the limit, and the way that she flipped her brights on everytime another car wasn’t cruising down the road. It seemed like this entire town was half-covered in wooded areas, so he supposes it’s better to keep an eye out for any wild animals. The warmth of the evening experience with her parents still radiates through him, but their conversation is now focused on their next destination; Chase and Hannah’s house. 

Chris, in the driver’s seat, is more animated than ever. She was preparing him carefully for the meeting, the anticipation of how her best friend and brother would perceive him hung in the air. She explained on the drive from the airport earlier that day that she’d “promised Hannah she would meet you before the wedding.”

As they rolled to a stop at a red light, Charles cast a quick glance over to her, feeling the weight of her guidance. “What should I know about them? Any advice on how to impress them?”

“Gosh,” she’d said, “I don’t know. Hannah’s easy. Chase is weird, but, just talk about cars or something. He really likes, um,” she pauses. “He races with you… from Australia, I think.”

Charles mulled over the comment, committing it to memory. There’s only one Australian he can think of racing against. “Daniel?”

“Yeah,” Chris nods. “Daniel Ricciardo. He really likes him.”

Charles absorbs the information, realizing that Daniel would serve as an excellent conversation starter about racing. The light turns green, and she checks the intersection for a comically long amount of time before proceeding. He does everything he can not to laugh, and is hit with a sudden wave of gratitude towards the way he’s been wholly and completely welcomed into her life like this. The night of endless nerves aside, the excitement of learning all the chapters of her life that predate him is something he isn’t going to take for granted. 

– – –

They arrive at Chase and Hannah’s house for a relatively relaxed night in, greeted by the warm glow of a bonfire crackling in the backyard. The air was filled with the smokey scent of burning wood, and the soft lull of a country song pouring from a speaker. 

“Hi!” Hannah calls before the couple is even halfway through the back gate. “Hi, Hi, Hi, oh my gosh!” she squeals, hurrying over to the gate to greet them. “It’s about fucking time,” she adds, pulling Chris into a tight hug. You’d think it was the first time they’d seen each other in weeks, but Charles knew they were together just that morning. “And you,” the blonde continues, “must be Charles. Unlike everyone else around here, I’ve actually heard a lot about you,” she laughs. 

He laughs too, accepts her open-arms for a hug. “I’ve heard a lot about you, too.”

“William Chase,” Hannah calls to the man standing over the fire, a stoker stick in one hand, a glass beer bottle in the other. His head shoots up from the embers when he’s called.  He holds his beer up as a welcoming gesture, but Hannah isn’t satisfied. “Get over here!”

He meets them halfway through the yard, in a part that’s unlit by either the house lights or the glow of the fire. “Hey,” Chase says with a relaxed smile, pulling Chris into a side hug, and then approaching Charles with an outstretched hand. “You must be Charles,” he says, the two exchanging a laid-back handshake before pulling each other into a bro-hug. “It’s good to meet you, man. You want a beer or something?”

“I can get it myself,” Charles assures, “just tell me where they are.”

“Don’t be silly,” Hannah scoffs, “You’re a guest,” she insists, and it is already halfway up the steps of the back porch. “You want one, too, Chris?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Chris smiles, her hand finding his in the space between their bodies, interlocking their fingers and pulling him over to the fire Chase has already returned to. 

Chris and Charles find a cozy spot on the porch swing that sits in front of the firepit, a shared bench that seemed to be the ideal medium between two chairs and sitting on top of each other, perfect for family introductions. They sit side by side, thighs brushing against each other, his arm around her nursing his beer. Charles keeps the swing moving with his feet, but Chris has one leg crossed over the other, the base of her beer bottle leaving a darkened ring of condensation on her jeans everytime she picks it up. 

“You want another one, Chris?” Chase asks, shaking his empty beer bottle by its neck when he heads back inside for another round, and per Hannah’s request, to check on Reid. 

“I’m okay,” Chris smiles. She’s turned fully sideways, now, her back resting against his shoulder, both legs off the ground and onto the other end of the bench. “I’m driving home,” and then she cranes her neck to look at him. “Do you want another?”

“No,” he says, because he’s pretty sure he can already feel her dozing off while they swing, is almost certain it’s going to end up being him driving back to her place tonight. “Thank you, though,” and then he kisses the top of her head, pulls his arm out from under her body weight to wrap around her front lazily. She adjusts to his adjustment, leans into him and finds a comfortable curve in his chest. 

Even among the scent of wood and fresh cut grass and smoke, he’s found himself in the perfect position to smell her hair without even trying. He thinks he’s finally nailed her shampoo, coconut and rose, he’s almost sure of it. 

“Mate, Chris was telling me you’re a Daniel Ricciardo fan?” Charles asks, looking for a way to break the ice into a more active conversation, utilizing the very few tools he has at his disposal. Chase and Hannah seem both way lower-stress than Bill and Cindy did, but he'd still like to leave tonight knowing he made a good impression. Or, at least leave knowing he tried his hardest to make one. 

“Yeah, man. We actually started racing at COTA in 2020, and Renault and Daniel did this thing with our team, gave me a little good-luck message and stuff. It was real cool. I’ve been a fan of him since.”

Surprised, and trying to find common ground, Charles asks: “Do you follow Formula One?”

“You know, I tried after the whole Daniel thing, but,” he shrugs nonchalantly, takes another swig of his beer and leans back in his seat. “Honestly, all respect, but there’s just nothing quite like the roar of a stock car at Daytona for me. It’s like thunder, man.”

Charles nodded, an eager grin on his face. He doesn’t know much about NASCAR, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t study up on it during the flight over. “The sound of those engines at full throttle must be crazy. It’s V8’s, right?”

“Yeah, V8. What are y’all running? Isn’t it hybrids?”

“Yes,” Charles laughs. “They’re crazy with the engineering. Basically, you have a turbo V6 combined with energy recovery systems… it all helps keep us lightweight.”

“That’s another thing that blows my mind, how light your cars are! I know you pull crazy downforce, but I swear it’s a totally different game on an oval, dude. Our cars are like, thirty-three hundo.”

Charles’ eyes go wide. He knew they were heavier, but that’s like… it’s more than double, he thinks, or has to be close to it “Oh, my God!” He laughs, taking another sip of his beer. Chris chuckles, too—he feels it in his chest. He also feels the nonsensical shapes and patterns that she traces over his sweatshirt sleeve while he talks, the way she seems completely lost in toying with the fabric. 

“I know, you guys got fuckin’ feathers compared to us!” Chase gins, joining in on the laughter. 

Charles leans forwards a bit, and when he does it, Chris adjusts her positioning. She’s somehow managed to slide gracefully down until she was curled up on the wooden bench, resting on her side with her head on his tights. She’d found a makeshift pillow in his lap, and he couldn’t mind it less. “Yeah, I don’t know,” he says, checking his watch so that when Chris asks him later tonight ‘when did I fall asleep?’ he can give her a proper answer. “We are all about precision, crazy aero packages. It’s not just about speed and downforce, it has to be managed so perfectly.”

“There ain’t no time for precision when you’re wheel-to-wheel at Talladega. It’s all about survival. We’re out there swapping paint and shit. Bumping and drafting are all a part of the game.”

“How crazy is that?” He questions, even though he doesn’t have more than an educated guess as to what drafting is. “The way the air affects your car when you’re always that close?”

“I mean, I guess I don’t notice it all that much because I’m so used to it, but yeah. We’re always pushing the limits, especially in the high-banked ovals. Drafting is both your best friend and your worst enemy.”

“Drafting, mate,” he peruses, taking a shot in the dark when he says: “that’s like getting the slipstream, no?”

“Exactly, yeah,” Chase nods. “All drag reduction shit.”

“It’s crazy, when we’re wheel-to-wheel, we’ll do about anything not to make contact”

“It’s ‘cause your shit weighs ten pounds,” Chase laughs. “It’ll fly away if there’s any contact.”

They go on like that for some time, comparing technicalities. There are few things Charles appreciates more in life than actually getting to sit down and talk racing with someone—true, technical, perfectionist racing. There’s no investigating what the problem with this year’s car is, or what he hopes happens next season. It’s just… how they work. How different formula racing is from stock cars. He feels like this is something he can actually talk about, a conversation he knows he can contribute knowledge to. 

“Riveting stuff, boys, really,” Hannah finally interjects, sitting down into her camping chair. Charles hadn’t even noticed she’d left, but here she was popping the bottle cap off another beer, taking a big swig. “You put Chris to sleep and I’m on my fucking way.”

Charles stills, his movements suddenly gentler as he tries to crane his neck to see her face. “She’s asleep?” He asks, half-whispered. 

Hannah nods, and Chase chuckles, “Dude, she’s been out cold for like half an hour.”

He smiles down at her, shaking his head, and then checks his watch again. 10:36pm, she didn’t even make it an hour and a half, poor girl. Charles brushes her hair out of her face and carries on with the conversation. His mind is completely absent to the fact that his fingers continue their exploration of her hair, a natural masterpiece of unruly waves. Each strand has its own rhythm, defying any form of order. The curls become even more pronounced as they cascade toward the nape of her neck, dancing freely with the erratic breeze. 

At the root of her bangs, there’s a stubborn cowlick, and one side of her face-framing cut has a mind of its own, constantly threatening to tumble into her eyes. Amidst all that delightful chaos, small, intricate braids intermingle with the curls, held together with tiny brown elastics. His touch is reverent as he selects one, playfully twisting it around his finger while he speaks. 

With painstaking care, he slides the elastic from the braid, and doesn't miss a beat in conversation with Hannah and Chase as he carefully unravels it. Their words dance in the air around him, and by the time he becomes cognizant of his actions, he’s on the last little braid. 

When it’s time to turn in for the evening, when the conversations are more yawns than actual questions, Charles wakes Chris up softly. He runs his hand up and down her upper arm slowly, squeezes her elbow to coax the sleep from her heavy eyes. “Baby,” he hums softly. 

Chris stirs with a groan, sits up and stares back at him with empty eyes, like she has no clue what year it is. He bites back a smile at the state of her, raises his brows and waits for her to say something, to scold him grumpily for waking her up. Chris Elliott is a force to be reckoned with when she’s woken up, and it’s something you only have to witness once to be scared of ever seeing again. She doesn’t scold, though. 

Instead, a soft smile pulls on the corner of her lips. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he smiles back. She’s already leaning against the far armrest of the swing, curling up into the corner like she’s going to go back to sleep. She probably will, it’s been far too easy to wake her up. His hand finds her knee, thumb rubbing circles along the denim fabric. “Are you ready to go home?”

She nods, but her eyes are already closed again. Chase is already dousing the fire with water. Hannah’s already inside cleaning up. Charles opts to leave her there, sweet and peaceful, while he collects her things from inside. 

It’s the first time he’s been in the house, and it's just as ambient as the backyard is. The warm glow of the dimmed lights accentuate the charm of their modern-farmhouse decor; wooden shelves bathed in the soft radiance, full of potted succulents, framed photographs, and small artworks that offer a glimpse into their lives. Large, strategically placed windows allowed for a gentle cascade of moonlight to slow, making the entire place feel calm and serene.

Chris has been wearing a pair of Hannah’s slippers since she went inside for the first time, so the first thing he looks for is her shoes. He finds them in the entryway, just outside the door, and finds her keys on a small table there, too. Her phone is on the kitchen counter, the purple silicone case practically glowing against the black granite countertops and pristine white cabinetry. In the living room, he notices a little figure lying on the couch—Reid, he assumes, lies nestled under a Cars blanket, a scene of pure childhood innocence set against the backdrop of grown-up sophistication. The entire room excludes warmth, thanks to an oversized gray sofa and a plush rug, all enhanced by the dull LCD of the quiet television and subtle nighttime lighting. Behind a throw pillow on the same couch, he finally uncovers her purse, carefully slipping it out so as to not disturb the sleeping child. 

“It’s not worth the fight sometimes,” Hannah explains, but Charles didn’t need one. He remembers the age of begging to have a sleepover on the living room couch, to stay out past his bedtime and watch shows on the big television. It was the highlight of his weekends, sometimes. 

“He’s adorable,” Charles says. “I love the blanket.”

Hannah chuckles softly, crossing her arms over each other to hug her small frame. “It’s his favorite movie,” she shrugs. “Wants to be just like his dad.”

He puts all of her things in the car before he even attempts at getting her into the car. Everything is neatly put into a place, her address typed into his GPS by Hannah and plugged into the aux on the radio, and she still sleeps on the swing. 

His humor buoyed by the absurdity of the situation, Charles decided to start with the slippers. He gently slid them off her feet, one by one, and handed them over to Chase, who watched on with the bemusement of an audience at a comedy show. With a soft, nearly conspiratorial tone, Charles whispers: “Chris, baby,” planting a tender kiss on her forehead. 

In response, she produces a mumbling symphony of incoherent sounds. “That’s not French, mon amour,” he chides playfully, prompting a breathy laugh from her lips. His aim is to keep her here, to prolong that delicate state of semi-sleep where she tattered between slumber and annoyance. “Let’s go home, yes?” he inquired. 

Chris, in her hazy state, offered a subtle nod. Charles grinned, heart painfully warm, and said, “Could you help me out?”

In response, she obligingly wraps her arms around his neck, and he effortlessly hoists her into his arms, carrying her in a bridal-style embrace. He guides her to the waiting car with gentle steps, Chase strolling alongside them to open the car door.  She stirs when he sets her in the seat, fastening her seatbelt. 

Chase shuts the door and the two of them exchange a classic, old-as-time bro-handshake-goodbye, a silent acknowledgement of both their meeting today and their future introductions all weekend long. 

It’s not until they’re at her house, the soft purr of the engine falling silent as he properly parked in the driveway, that she’s really awake. Her sleepy eyes flutter open with the automatic cab lights. 

He moves swiftly, circling the car quickly to open the door for her. As she grumpily emerges from the car, he gives her an encouraging smile. “Go get ‘em, killer.” he playfully whispers, his hands working against her shoulders. She meets him with a death-glare he could never possibly be afraid of. 

Chuckling, he plucks her phone from the passenger seat, locks the car before following her up the driveway.

The journey inside concludes shortly in her room. Chris has an early morning ahead, and a late night, too. Charles marvels at the resilience; doesn’t know how she’ll manage tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day. As she settles in under the comforter, he can’t help but watch her for a moment, all sweet and sleepy and beautiful, like always. 

Soon enough, the exhaustion creeps up on him, too, and he finally succumbs to sleep’s gentle embrace, entwined with the woman he finds himself cherishing more with what feels like each passing breath. 

– – –

He wakes up when the soft chimes of her alarm break through the morning darkness. The dim glow of the clock on the nightstand reads 6:30 am, and it was clear that daylight has yet to pierce the veil of a southern winter outside. 

He can’t help but appreciate her attempts to tiptoe through her morning routine. The effort is commendable, really, but the old, creaky wooden floors and the protesting door dram betray her intentions. He doesn’t mind, though—How could he? Any moment with her, even early morning ones where she bustles around the space, is better than a moment without. 

Lying in the cozy bed—which, by the way, her bed is so fucking comfortable, he allows himself to fully wake up, knows that her morning rituals would be far more entertaining than any dream he could have cocooned in sleep. 

His sleepy gaze watches her as she moves through the bedroom gracefully, her face illuminated by the soft glow of dawn creeping in from the curtains. He smiles at the little sounds and routines that make up her life, the ones he never gets to see, to savor. Watching her move about is a special kind of beauty, one that makes him feel lucky, insanely so, to experience a life with her in it. 

Leaving the comfort of the bed, he ventures out into the kitchen. He knew she had an early start, a long day away from him, and he was determined to steal every extra moment they could share. 

She’s finishing her lunch, packing it into her backpack when he sneaks up behind her, snaking his arms around her middle and hugging her from behind. “Hi,” she laughs, turning around in his arms to face him properly. 

He gives her a kiss and her lips taste like her morning coffee. He marvels at the ease with which she can make someone’s day—make his day. 

She grins, and there is a special kind of mischief in her eyes when she playfully warns him: “Promise you won’t get lost in the woods and eaten by a bear today,” she says, and then, because she can’t help but add it, “At least wait until I’m there to witness it.”

With a chuckle, he teases, “I can always outrun you, they say you only have to be faster than the other guy.”

Her laughter bubbles out, filling the room, and his chest, with warmth. “You wouldn’t let me get eaten by a bear,” she replies. 

He pauses for a minute, then playfully concedes, “Well, I might.”

“Wouldn’t.”

“Would.”

– – –

After she left work, he found himself helpless in the war against sleep. What was the point if she wasn’t around to keep him up? If nothing was around to keep him up? It was almost eight o’clock before he finally got up for the day, feeling refreshed and ready for yet another evening of introductions. 

His breakfast consists of a simple serving of toast, nothing anywhere near extravagant, but enough to stave off his hunger. Not to mention, he’d rather not make a mess in her house with the very first thing he does all day. 

After breakfast, he heads out for a run, decides he’s going to try and navigate his way around without getting lost. He fails, miserably, because it seems like everywhere he looks has the same landmarks—trees, trees, and more trees. The cool air is invigorating, though, and the rhythmic pounding of his feet on the pavement keeps his mind clear, gives him a certain appreciation for the fact that he doesn’t have to keep his eyes and ears open for anyone who might be watching him. No, here it’s just him, just Charles. There’s nothing special about it, which is what makes it so fucking special. 

Returning home—to her home—he enjoys a shower that washes away the cold sweat of the run. Dressed and ready, he ponders his plans for the rest of his day. It’s hours still until Chris is home and the festivities really kick off. 

As if on cue, his phone buzzes, Chase’s name popping up on the Caller ID. Hannah had insisted on him exchanging numbers with both of them the night earlier. Just in case Chris decides to fuck off to another country again without telling us, she’d said. 

He answers, listens to Chase’s offer to join in on a round of 9 holes with him and Bill, considers it for only a moment, and accepts enthusiastically. He’s in the passenger seat of Chase’s truck within the half-hour. 

“Survived the dragon, I see?” Chase greets Charles with a smile, clearly still amused over the previous night’s encounter. 

Charles chuckles. “Just barely.”

– – –

The day was pristine for golf, with a brilliant blue sky overhead and a gentle breeze. Charles has played at some pretty impressive courses around the world, but something about this one felt special. The green really wasn’t all the lush, and the views weren’t outstandingly picturesque, but. But, there was something that felt so special about it. 

Bill, the most experienced of them, begins the round with an expertly executed swing that has Charles chuckling under his breath. His ball soars through the air, landing with pinpoint accuracy in the fairway. Chase follows with a powerful drive that seems to only gain momentum as it sails. It gracefully lands not far from Bill’s.

Charles takes his stance, feels a bit like a circus clown amidst his partners, but steadies himself nonetheless. He draws the club back, manages a swing with a surprising degree of finesse. The ball leaps from the tee and manages an astonishingly straight shot that lands in a… respectable position. He’s not too far off Bill and Chase. 

Charles would never call himself a golfer, but he’s grateful for Chase and Bill’s attitude—the way they are constantly pretending he’s better than he is, blaming any mistakes (he has a beach full of sand in his shoes from all the traps) on the fact he’s rented his clubs from the course. 

As they stroll down the lush, sunlit fairway on one of the holes, Charles decides he’s brave enough to start a conversation, rather than just participate in one. He turns to Chase as he addresses the only topic he can think of. “So, tomorrow’s the big day, huh? You’re feeling good?”

Chase grinned, golf club slung casually over his shoulder. “Dude, more than anything. I’ve been trying to marry Hannah for a long time. I’m lucky, you know.”

Bill nodded, “Y’all are all but by now.”

“Anything specific you’re excited for?” Charles questions, can’t help but be curious about the details. “Or just a big ball of excited?”

Chase chuckles. “I’m really looking forward to the ceremony. The moment I see her walking down the aisle, it’s gonna be somethin’ else.”

Charles smiles. He wasn’t expecting such a romantic answer, not given what he’s experienced from Chase up to this point. His answer feels more like something you tell your closest friends, not your little sister’s boyfriend you’d just met for the first time the night before. “How about the holiday? Any special plans?”

Chase’s eyes lit up into a laugh. “Ah, the honeymoon. Yeah, we’re going somewhere… sometime. I don’t know, it’s not at the top of our list of things to get done.”

“All I know, Son,” Bill, whose been quiet for what feels like some time now, offers up some wisdom, “Tomorrow’s gonna be real overwhelmin’, but remember it’s your day. Savor all of it.”

Chase nods in agreement, “Don’t worry, Pops,” he chuckles, pats Bill on the shoulder, “I’ll savor it all.”

“And if you get nervous,” Charles laughs, “feel free to let it mess you up out here,” he says, gesturing to the fairway. The whole trio shares a laugh, but Charles seriously wouldn’t mind if the other two suddenly forgot how to golf. 

With Chase excusing himself to meet up with Hannah at the rehearsal dinner venue, Charles is left with just Bill, the pair heading up to the country club’s restaurant for a late lunch. The ambiance inside is refined, and they sit next to big floor-to-ceiling windows that offer views of the manicured greens and vast wooded area they’re situated inside. 

As they settle into their table, Charles takes a sip of his water, wiping the condensation from his hand on the side of his pants. He can feel the weight of the conversation that’s likely to follow—there’s no Cindy or Chris around to keep him in check like there was last night. 

Bill, cutting right to the chase, speaks in a casual tone. “So, Charles, how’re you finding our little corner of Georgia? I reckon it’s awful different from Monaco.”

Charles smiled, appreciating the comfortability of his voice. Maybe Chris was right, he was getting himself worked up yesterday over nothing. “It’s different, for sure,” he laughs. “Home is home, but there is something about the calmness here, the open space. It’s refreshing. And meeting everyone, it’s been great.”

Bill, who’s been nothing but stern in his expression for the entire time Charles has known him, seems to soften, even if just slightly. “I gotta admit, I was a lil’bit… cautious when I first learned about you and Chris. Fathers, y’know, we worry.”

“I can imagine,” Charles nods. He understands. Of course he understands. “You have my word, I have pure intents. Chris means a lot to me.”

Bill seems fully contemplative now, his usual sternness fully replaced when he looks back at Charles. “She’s real happy with you from what I can see, and her brother tells me you treat her real well. That’s the kinda stuff that matters to me.”

His chest feels stupidly warm at the remark. If Chris is half as happy as he is, they’ve really got something here. Something real. Scary real. “I care about her deeply, Sir, and I want her to be happy, too.”

Bill chuckles under his breath, shakes his head softly. “You’re not seventeen, son. You can call me Bill.”

“I care a lot about your daughter, Bill.” It’s an easy thing to do, he thinks. There can’t be a person in this world that knows her and doesn’t care for her. Not when everything about her makes him believe in luck, in something otherworldly—Gods or guardian angels or invisible strings. 

“See?” Bill questions, picking around what’s left on his plate with his fork. “We’re already buddies.”

– – –

Bill drops Charles off just before Chris gets home from work. He’s not in the house for ten minutes, is still moving around the kitchen searching for a glass to fill with water when the door swings open. Chris enters the kitchen with Reid, half a dozen things in her arms and a familiar four-year-old in tow. “Hey,” she greets, lifting her bags onto the counter next to him, setting down all of her belongings. 

“Hi,” he greets, hand finding a familiar space on her lower back, pulling her closer to him, to lean down and give her a quick kiss. “How was your day?” 

“Long… and chaotic,” she sighs, forcing a weary smile onto her lips. Charles frowns. Searching her eyes for elaboration, she just shrugs. “Reid, say hi to Charles,” she introduces. “Charles, this is my little tornado, my nephew, Reid.”

Reid looks up at him with bright eyes and a mischievous grin. “Can I call you Chuck?”

Charles laughs. “No, you can call him Charles,” Chris answers on his behalf, before he gets the chance to tell the kid to call him whatever he wants. 

Reid rolls his eyes. “Hi, Charles,” he huffs. “Auntie Chris says you’re gonna help me get ready.”

Charles smiles warmly. “That’s what I hear. It’s quite a mission to accomplish, do you think you are up for it?”

Reid nodded enthusiastically. “Totally. I’m almost five.”

Chris chuckles, and Charles’ eyes shoot over to her when she does. Hearing her laugh isn’t enough, he needs to see it, to share in it. “Good luck with the tie,” she tells him. Charles winks at Chris, grins down at the kid in front of him. “Reid, you like Cars, right?”

Reid’s eyes go wide, his head snapping over to look at Chris, who matches his expression with a smile on her face. He turns back to face Charles, “How did you know that?”

“So, it’s true?”

Reid nods apprehensively. “I love Cars. My Dad is in Cars 3, y’know? He’s got, like, a awesome race car.”

Charles feigned surprise, “No way! That’s like being a superhero.” He leans down conspiratorially, speaks quietly, just to Reid. “Do you know Lightning McQueen?”

Reid’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he launched into a passionate monologue about the Cars movies, the story, and the characters—paying a special interest to Chase’s automotive-self in the animated world. Charles listens with genuine interest while Chris quietly prepares a snack for the boy. 

He gets ready while Reid eats, moves around Chris in the bathroom. “Sorry, sorry,” she says, using her entire arm to move her stuff off one side of the sink vanity. “I’m taking up your side,” she continues, pulling her curling iron out of her hair, carefully cradling the steaming strands. Charles smiles. His side. He kisses her softly, then— mindful of her unfinished makeup and hair. She smiles out of it, gives him another quick peck, “what was that for?”

He shrugs, reaching for his hair gel, “Just because.” 

– – –

They get to Dahlonega right at five o’clock, thanks in massive part to Charles’ ability to comfortably drive above the speed limit, and in small part to Chris’ ability to finish her makeup while Charles does a poor job at avoiding potholes. 

Every event this weekend takes place at the same place—a vineyard about thirty (if you speed) minutes from Chris’ house, but it’s nothing like what he would usually think of as a quote-en-quote vineyard. It’s more of a… barn put in the middle of a field, but. It’s beautiful nonetheless. 

“How do I look?” Chris asks as they walk up the long drive from the parking lot to the barn. She runs her hands over the thighs of her jeans, straightening them out. 

“Do a spin,” Charles says, and she does. “Hot,” he nods, smiles. Chris rolls her eyes. “Always hot.”

Hannah is running around with a woman wearing a nametag—the wedding planner, he assumes—like a chicken with its head cut off when they get there. Reid bolts away from them as soon as Chase is in his eyeline, chatting with his groomsmen around the bar. Charles trails behind Chris, hand interlocked with hers, as she makes her way over to a frazzled Hannah.

She greets them with a smile, swiping her hair off her shoulders and opening her arms for hugs. “You look beautiful,” Charles comments, kisses either of her cheeks. 

“Oh,” She laughs. “This is new.”

Charles laughs, pulling away from the hug, “Sorry.”

“Oh, no. It’s fun,” she says, looking to Chris. “You should’ve dated someone French a long time ago.”

“He’s not French.”

“But y—”

Chris cuts her off. “Monégasque,” she continues. Charles smiles meekly. “And very proud.”

The setting sun cast a warm glow over the venue as the wedding rehearsal began. Charles found himself sitting in the second row, behind both Chase’s family and with the rest of the partners of the bridal party. 

They’re orchestrated by the meticulous woman with a name tag from earlier, carefully moved through the motions of the ceremony tomorrow. Charles watches with quiet amusement as they navigate each and every step with precision. The officiant guided them through the script, the words blending into a hum that surrounded the ceremony space. 

He partakes in the bland small talk with the other partners—how beautiful, how exciting, how sweet—all the stuff that random strangers with no present connections have to talk about. Charles can't help but glance at Chris intermittently, catching her eye and exchanging silent conversations that only they understand. She’s just so pretty up there, her brown curls cascading off her shoulders while she holds two mock-up bouquets of flowers. She bounces in place, practically, obviously half as tired and bored with it all as he is. 

As the run-throughs progress, he can feel her restlessness like it’s his own. Her wide eyes betray her thoughts when, without words she tells him, this is so boring.

He chuckles under his breath, meeting her gaze with the minute raise of his brows, an unspoken agreement passing between them. So boring.

The repetition of the steps continues, though, each run-through blending together into the next. Charles and Chris share more glances, continue to communicate the same sentiment of impatience to a point of amusement. In the stolen moments, he finds solace in the connection, a reminder that even the most orchestrated events can’t stifle their shared sense of humor. 

As the rehearsal finally drew to a close, the sun dipped below the horizon casting a warm, golden hue over the gathering. The group dispersed, heading towards the dinner that awaited them. 

When Charles catches up to Chris, she’s talking with the best man—Ryan, who the wedding planner kept asking to take this a bit more seriously. He seems nice enough, brother-y enough. Charles thinks he probably has a few good stories about Chris, even more about Chase. 

“Everyone always thought we had a thing going,” Chris tells him after the introduction has finished, while the two of them wait at the bar for their drinks. 

His brows raise, leaning back off the bar to scan the room for the guy. “Do you want me to be jealous?” He asks, lets his hand rest on the small of her back, thumb moving smoothly against the fabric of her top. 

“No,” she says, but the smile on her lips tells him she’d be entertained by the sight of a jealous version of him. “I just didn’t want you to hear it from someone else this weekend.”

He nods, picking up the drink that’s set down in front of him/ “Well, did you?” He asks, taking a swig of the dark liquor. 

“Did I what?” Chris asks, moving her drink closer to her, stirring it with a little black straw. 

“Did you guys date?”

“Oh,” she shakes her head. “Never.”

Charles nods. “Shame, I was going to put on a show.”

The welcome party kicks into full swing after the satisfying sit-down meal. Laughter and chatter fill the rustic barn, the air buzzing with the lively energy of the gathering, of the weekend. Charles, having eaten the entirety of his dinner earlier, finds himself following Chris as she seamlessly navigates the crowd. 

The burger truck, stationed at the edge of the venue, offered a tempting array of late-night treats. The scene of grilled meat wafted through the air, enticing those who weren’t around for the earlier, intimate dinner. 

The barn was alive with the murmur of voices, the clinking of glasses, the bursts of laughter. It seems like a million people fill the space, a million strangers—a mix of extended family and friends and coworkers and distant relatives and even distant-er friends. For him, all of these faces are unfamiliar, and he relies on Chris like a lifeline to guide him through most of the interactions. 

She effortlessly leads the way, introducing him with a warmth that mirrors her nature of being. She moves through the place like she owned it, with a grace that seems to come naturally to her, connecting with friends and family alike. Everyone seems thrilled to see her, absolutely beside themselves. He understands them, even if he doesn’t know them, and observes with quiet admiration her ability to make everyone feel at ease. 

She seems to flourish in social settings, her personality shining brightly. She greets old friends with hugs, shares jokes with cousins, compliments grandparents’ outfits, and introduces him to each and every one of them, punctuates every interaction with her infectious laughter. 

He’s always felt like he’s more of a one-on-one guy, that his connections are better made independently rather than in groups. Chris, though, could lead a crowd anywhere with this unwavering confidence. She doesn’t make a single misstep all night, navigating the whole evening perfectly, makes an evening he’d spent the majority of outside his comfort zone anything but unsettling. With her, his words feel valued, important, intelligent. He’s content to be her partner in social settings longer than anyone should be. 

It’s long past midnight when they finally get back to her house, the fatigue of the day well-settled on their skin, casting a convincing sleeping spell that made the prospect of a comfortable bed a welcomed one. 

The house is silent, the hush of the night hugging them as they reach the bedroom, the weariness of their bones palpable. Anything but falling into the comforter seems like quite the ambitious endeavor. 

The comfort of the sheets cradles them as they sink into the mattress, a shared haven offering respite from the busy weekend. “Next time I come here,” Charles yawns, the effort of the evening present in his voice, “we are doing nothing.”

She must be more drained, he thinks, she’d worked almost a whole day before this, but contently, she responds with a gentle hum, snuggled up close to him. “Mmm,” she murmured. “Perfect.” The simplicity of doing nothing seems like the perfect plan, a promise of unhurried moments and the luxury of just being together. He wants more of that. He wants more of her. 

– – –

He wakes up for the first time that morning, if you can really call it waking up, to the shift of the bed as she climbs out of it. He doesn’t check the clock, doesn’t even hear more than the creak of the floor before he’s back asleep. He wakes up for the second time, and you still probably can’t call it that, to her standing over him, fingers running through his hair. She gives him a kiss and comments on something he can’t hear through sleep. 

The third time he wakes up that morning, it’s to the ringing of his phone on the bedside table. Her name is on the screen, a photo of her grinning in front of a statue in Monaco and holding a thumbs-up. 8:34, his phone reads. The sun is shining in through the opening in the curtains. 

She’d forgotten the steamer on the living room coffee table when one of the other bridesmaids picked her up two hours earlier. He says he’ll bring it, asks if the girls want coffee, swears he remembers her order. She texts him the other three girls’ orders. Within the hour, he’s riding with the wedding planner on a golf cart from the parking lot to the bridal suite with four long-winded coffees in one hand and a steamer in the other. 

He doesn’t know what he was expecting when he walked into the bridal suite, but it wasn’t what he found. The chaos hangs in the air like a sweet perfume. He weaves between makeup artists, hair stylists, and bridesmaids to find Chris, talking with Hannah and a makeup artist about what’s about to be painted onto the bride-to-be’s face, fulfilling her maid-of-honor duties. 

Chris looks up quickly to scan the room, eyes landing on him and immediately returning to the conversation at hand before doing a double-take, a heavy sigh leaving her lips when she recognizes him and the objects he carries. 

“Hey,” she greets, takes the steamer from his hand and kisses him. “You’re a lifesaver, thank you,” and she kisses him again. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he laughs, pulls a coffee out of the cardboard cup holder and hands it to her. “Your hot dirty chai with one shot of espresso, oat milk, and salted caramel.”

“A man after my heart,” she says, taking a sip of the drink. He winks—anything more and he’d blush bright red—and continues reading the orders off. 

“Brown sugar oat milk latte with blonde espresso for Hannah,” he says, pulling it out and handing it to the blonde and pulling out the next one. “This is the… Iced matcha latte with soy milk and strawberry cold foam, and the…” he holds up the cupholder, one drink left in it, “Caramel brûlée latte.”

The groom’s house—which is where he’s affectionately sent to after the coffee delivery—is a direct contrast to the bridal suite. College football plays on the television, the cheers and groans of the game providing a lively soundtrack to the prelude of the wedding. The girls were all half-ready, but the guys are still shoveling breakfast foods into their mouths on the leather sofa. 

Noon arrives, and with it the collective decision that it was time to actually start getting ready for the wedding. Chase and his groomsmen needed to be ready for pictures at three, which meant that Charles and the rest of the bridesmaid’s boyfriends needed to be ready to be anywhere but the groom’s house at three. 

Between the laughter and the beers and the arguing over the best way to iron a shirt, there’s a knock on the door. He doesn’t even bother to look who it is, assumes it’s a relative of some sort. When Ryan, the never-had-a-thing, you-don’t-need-to-be-jealous Best Man has a hand on his shoulder, telling him “Chris is outside, she wants to talk to you,” he meets the guy with furrowed brows. 

He finds her just where Ryan said she was, pacing outside on the concrete patio, ready head-to-toe for the wedding procession. He can’t help but be struck by her beauty, the way the delicate fabric of her dress accentuates her figure, the way the color complimented the glow of her skin perfectly. Her hair is pulled back off her face, revealing the curve of her neck, her subtle makeup highlighting her features. 

He feels like he’s seen her a million times by now, in a million different ways, but there was something almost ethereal… angelic about her in this moment. The nerves in her eyes and the tension in her shoulders only add to the charm, make her feel more real, more human. 

He’s never looked at her and thought she wasn’t beautiful, but there are moments where he’s particularly struck by her allure. This is one of them. 

As soon as she lays eyes on him, her words rush out in a torrent. No hello, no pleasantries, just— “I’m freaking out, Charles. This speech… I’m just. I’m terrified I’m going to mess it up.”

“You’re not going to mess it up,” he promises. He’s heard Chris’ maid-of-honor speech probably a dozen times by now, and she’s a different level of nervous every time. This might be the most nervous he’s seen her about it, though. “Can you… can you listen to it, please?”

He nods, his gaze steadying her shaky one. “Of course, let’s hear it.”

She unfolds the tiny, half-crumpled piece of paper out and delves into her speech. He focuses on her words, the genuine affection and admiration for Hannah present in each and every syllable. When she finishes, she meets his eyes, a mix of hope and anxiety in hers. 

“Well?” She asked, her lip caught between her teeth. 

Charles smiles. “It’s amazing. You are going to do great.”

“Are you sure? Because the part where I talk about Colorado—”

Charles shakes his head, puts his hands on her shoulders. “It’s perfect,” he says, gives her a quick kiss. “You’re perfect.”

She sighs, relief visibly washing away the tension. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

He grins, “You would still do great. But I’m here anytime you need it.” She gives him a quick hug,  and he can feel the gratitude seeping through the squeeze, so he makes it last just that moment longer. He just, he gets such a surge of pride that he gets to call her his, that he’s lucky enough to call her his girlfriend. “Go knock ‘em dead,” he laughs. 

When three o’clock finally does roll around, the wedding party separates to head off for pictures, and Charles, along with the other significant others, joins the convoy heading down to the ceremony space. The excitement among the group was palpable, everyone connected in some way to Hannah and Chase’s love story, ready to witness and be a part of their union.

The ceremony starts at four, and hell if he can’t stop catching Chris’ eyes the entire time. He doesn’t think he’s ever enjoyed a wedding quite like he’s enjoying this one. Chase and Hannah are lovely, and the officiant’s words resonate with sincerity, but he’s less attuned to the details of the ceremony itself and more absorbed in the captivating spectacle that is Chris. 

Her laughter, musical and infectious, is all he hears when the entire place laughs, and her discrete attempts to wipe away tears, to pretend they aren’t falling, melt his heart entirely. Even the way she plays with the ribbon on the bouquets she holds—something so small and trivial, it all captivates him.

He finds himself swept away by a tide of emotions, some messy kaleidoscope of feelings that defy articulation. There’s something magnetic about her, an irresistible urge to kiss her that seems to linger in the back of his mind, always. It’s all lined up for him, a million synchronized harmonies that underscore every interaction. 

The changing colors of leaves and the smell of rain on a pine patio, the heartbeat of a conversation, a light in every room. His perception of his own emotions, the way he feels about this fucking woman, it’s so clear it becomes cloudy. Every stolen glance and shared smile is this integral part of their connection, this thing that he can’t let go of. 

There’s something so fucking special about her, and he can’t make sense of any of it.

Cocktail hour is at five, and the whole family—everyone at this entire wedding he knows—are off doing ‘golden hour’ pictures. Charles lingers by the bar, stuck to the outskirts like a wallflower. 

He’s suddenly hit with a wave of insecurity. It’s not often he’s put somewhere completely on his own like this, almost always has someone he can use as a lifeline if he needs to. Everyone here seems to have known eachother forever, and he feels like an intrusion on their camaraderie, worries that if he does manage up the courage to start a conversation with someone, they won’t understand him, or worse—he won’t understand them. 

His social battery is just… it’s drained. It’s been a long couple days of mingling with strangers, of trying to impress everyone. He’s ready to just curl up somewhere with Chris and enjoy the limited time they do get to spend together—alone—this weekend. 

Maybe then, with some more fucking time, he could sort out all his nonsensical thoughts. Make some sense of his own feelings. 

At the reception, he’s seated at the family table with Bill, Cindy, and Reid. Chandler is there, too, but she and her girlfriend Lex seem about as interested in him as they are the dinner menu. They give him a passing greeting, an introduction, if you can call it that, but content to leave it at that. 

They’re only a few feet away from the head table, where Chase, Hannah, and the bridal party are sat. So close, but when you’re as drained as he is, when you’ve been prim and perfectly proper for more hours than you can count, just want to be with the one person around who you don’t need to impress… Chris’ nameplate might as well be a quarter of the way around the world. 

There isn’t some big announcement or introduction for the bridal party, they just filter in after the conclusion of pictures with the rest of the family. Chris is one of the last to filter in, and finds that the rest of the bridesmaids and the groomsmen are all settled in their seats. Chris doesn’t head for her seat. Instead, she makes a bee-line for her family table, for Charles, who is scrolling through his phone and nursing what she thinks is Chase’s signature drink. 

She sneaks up on him, but he isn’t startled by her arms when they wrap over his shoulders. “Hi,” she greets, leaning over to kiss him. It doesn’t take her but a second to feel how tense he is—it’s in his shoulders, in his kiss, in the way he just keeps spinning the liquid around his glass instead of drinking it. Most of all, it’s in the way she doesn’t get even a hello back, just a focus smile and a kiss. Her brows furrow in concern. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he nods. “I’m just tired. It has been a busy couple of days.”

“I know,” she nods in agreement. “I was thinking, we should get super drunk tonight, skip brunch tomorrow, and then do nothing all day. What do you think?”

He laughs, and she feels the vibrations in her hands. “Deal,” he says, holding out his hand to shake on it right as the DJ comes over the microphone. Ladies and Gentleman, Chris’ eyes go wide, practically death-dropping into a squat so quickly she nearly loses her balance in her heels. Charles laughs, but she doesn’t miss his hand reaching out to steady her. If I can direct your attention to the barn door, let’s all give a warm welcome to the reason we’re all here tonight. I’m pleased to introduce for the very first time as husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Elliott! Even from her squatted position, she still claps and cheers for Chase and Hannah. 

As the clapping dies down, the instrumental of their first dance song transitions in. She shifts on her feet, from one heel to the other, and thinks about how graceful she would have to be to attempt to slip her shoes off in her current position. When she looks to Charles, she’s met with the clearest what-the-heck-are-you-doing look she’s ever been on the receiving end of, and a nod that all but picks her up and puts her in his lap itself. His arms slip around her waist lazily, like it’s where they’re supposed to belong, like a magnet pulling itself to the fridge.

As their first dance song starts, as Chase and Hannah sway around the dance floor as husband and wife, Charles places a soft kiss into her exposed shoulder. The warmth of his lips sends a chill up her spine. “Are you cold?” He whispers, and she shakes her head even though she’s been chilly since she put the dress on that morning—who the heck chooses one-shoulder bridesmaid dresses for their outdoor wedding in December? He runs his hands up and down her arms to warm her up with the friction. “You can have my jacket if you want.”

“I’m okay,” she says. 

“Okay.” Another kiss, and then he rests his chin on her shoulder. “Let me know.”

After the first dance, Hannah and Chase give a short welcome speech, thanking everyone for coming to celebrate with them, for making their day so perfect. And then, it’s time to eat. 

She offers to pull over a chair and eat with him, and then offers again silently after Bill makes a joke about how we won’t bite him. She doesn’t like to see him like this, so tired, so drained. “I’m good,” he says, “I promise.”

“Okay,” she says, but her return to the head table is hesitant, and she keeps an eye on him the entire meal. 

– – –

“For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Chris, and for those of you who do, you probably knew this was coming,” Chris laughs nervously, microphone in sweaty hands. She can’t believe she has to follow Ryan’s speech. He had the whole crowd laughing until they couldn’t breathe. “I’m not one for public speaking, which I know you all find very funny considering my career choice, but when your best friend since the oh-so tender age of seven is getting married, you throw caution to the wind.”

She looks at Charles, but has to look away quickly. Just imagine me in my underwear, he’d told her before she got up here. She can’t do that. She can’t look at Hannah or Chase, either, though, or else she’ll burst into tears. So, she just looks at the piece of paper in her hand. 

“So, let’s talk about Hannah. We’ve been through it all together, from the back of a Sunday school class at Grace Haven where two little girls made their first friend, to hiding from customers in the kitchen of the Pool Room listening to Mr. Gordon tell us about his ‘shine days. We weathered the storms of adolescence, rocked the awkward phase, and somehow managed to make it out on the other side with our sanity intact—well, mostly,” the room chuckles. Hannah laughs, and Chris thinks that maybe she can look at her—she can’t, can already feel the tears welling, the frog in the back of her throat. 

“But,” she cracks, “It’s not about the trials we faced in high school, it’s about the triumph that is happening right now. Chase and Hannah, standing—sitting—here, about to embark on a new chapter of their lives.” Chris turns to the next page of her notes, hand shaky when she does it. “It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows getting here. Life threw us some curveballs, as it tends to do. But Hannah, she’s a force of nature. She faces challenges head-on, and with the strength of a thousand warriors.”

Chris’ eyes catch Reid, sitting on Bill’s lap next to Charles. He’s not paying any attention, but what four-year-old would? Instead, he’s swinging his legs back and forth, tapping Charles’ knee with the toe of his shoes everytime. Charles takes turns grabbing one of the attacking feet, his eyes unbreaking from her, before letting Reid wiggle it away, laughing softly at the interaction each time. “My best friend became a mom at nineteen, and there wasn’t much about it that was easy. But, like I always do, I watched her rise to the occasion, and I’ve never been prouder. I work with five-year-olds every day, and as similar as Reid is to Chase, he’s his mother’s son, and I would pay a million dollars to have twenty of him in my classroom. And Chase, you were there through all of it. When things got tough, you didn’t run; you stood by her. You became not just the guy she loved, but the rock she could lean on, the partner she deserved.”

Chris nods, continuing. “Some might say they don’t have the most conventional love story. But what is love if not a journey? One that involves bumps and twists and unexpected turns? Chase and Hannah, you’ve proven that love isn’t just for fairytales; it’s for the real, messy, complicated, and beautiful moments of life.”

Chris looks past Hannah, to Chase. It's just as hard to maintain eye contact with him. Harder, maybe, because he looks like he’s about to cry, too. Chris can count on one hand the amount of times she’s seen her brother cry. “Chase, my big brother,” she laughs through a tear. 

“Fuck you, dude,” he says back, through an equally tearful laugh. Hannah’s hand runs in circles on his back. 

“You are so lucky to have Hannah. Everyone in this room knows that she has this magical quality about her—this remarkable ability to make even the most unlovable people feel like the center of the universe. I’ve seen her do it time and time again, watched her sprinkle her own special kind of magic everywhere she goes.”

“Hannah,” she says, turning fully to face her best friend, abandoning the piece of paper she has memorized and replacing it with Hannah’s hand. “You are my confidante, my partner in crime, my source of strength, and my beacon of light. You are the kind of friend who not only stands by people in the good times, but also holds you up when life gets a little bit wobbly,” Chris feels a single tear fall down her cheek, and then another. She sniffles softly. “Thank you for helping me through the wobbles,” she squeaks. “You’ve been my sister as long as I’ve known you, Han, I’m just glad it’s finally official.”

Chris turns back to address the crowd, raising a glass of champagne to two of her favorite people. “To Hannah and Chase. May your love be modern enough to survive the times, but old-fashioned enough to last forever. Cheers to the messy, the beautiful, and the happily ever after you both so richly deserve.”

Hannah wastes no time enveloping Chris into a bear hug, rocking back and forth on their feet. The lace and tulle from Hannah’s dress scratch against Chris’ arms, but she doesn’t mind. She’s too busy trying not to cry onto the fabric while the rest of the tables clink their glasses to her speech. Chase is next with the hugs, a stupid one that’s stronger than Hannah’s. 

“Dude,” he laughs, “you didn’t have to make me cry.”

Chris sniffles. “I love you.”

Chase pauses, squeezes her a little bit tighter. “I love you, too.”

Speeches are followed by the father-daughter and mother-son dances. Chris sneaks back over to the family table during the latter, makes her dad move over into Cindy’s seat so she can sit next to Charles. He has a fresh glass of the same drink from earlier, and is nursing it the same way he did the first one. 

“You know,” she says, checking the state of her makeup with her phone’s camera. “You’re going to have to pick up the pace if we’re getting wasted tonight.”

He laughs, the side of his foot bumping against hers under the table. She leans her foot back on the heel of her shoe, toys with the hem of his slacks. “Is that right?” He spins the drink, talks into the bottom of the glass, but she’s not fooled. His ears are red at the simple action. 

“Yeah,” she nods. “Let me show you,” and then takes the glass from his hand, downing what’s left without a scowl. It’s dark liquor. She loves the burn. 

Chris is like… she reminds him of that battery rabbit. A constant source of energy. She’s practically bouncing off the walls, giddily introducing him to anyone they come across that he doesn’t already know. She’s just so personable, and the buzz she’s gotten from the champagne and the stolen sips of his drinks only make her more lively. She knows everyone here, he’s sure of it, but she could befriend a brick wall if it gave her five minutes.

It’s impossible for even the most sullen people not to feed off her energy—everyone is swallowed up by her laugh, every conversation brightened by her presence. She’s so fun to watch that he wonders if he’s dreamt her up, created a figment of his imagination in the shape of someone just so good. God, she’s good. 

They survive the newlywed games and the anniversary dances, even make it all the way to the cake cutting before it becomes an Elliott family party—which, if you didn’t know, is synonymous with a drunken rager. As soon as Hannah swipes a finger full of frosting across Chase’s cheek, it’s game over. 

Drinks flow as freely as laughter echoes, and the dance floor is nothing more than a playground for a bunch of drunken idiots. Chris and Hannah, seasoned dance partners, showcase their moves with infectious enthusiasm, dancing the blurry line between elegance and idiocy. 

When the music slows, though, she’s always finding her way to him, heavy arms around his neck, his around her waist. If they know the song, they take turns butchering the vocals and giggling until the other person kisses them. 

“So, how was my speech?” She asks soberly, swaying along to the tune of some slow song he’s never heard of. 

“You made that speech your bitch, baby,” he slurs, even though he has a million and one questions about her speech. 

He’d heard it. So many fucking times, he’d heard it, and not once had he heard the ending. He thought he heard the ending—he did hear the ending. It was just different. Shorter. Sweeter. Didn’t put a confused knot in his stomach. Thank you for helping me through my wobbles. A remarkable ability to make even the most unlovable people feel like the center of the universe. He doesn’t want to entertain them as connected, to live in a world where they’re connected. 

“You think so?” She beams. He can’t ask when she smiles like that. 

“Yeah,” his tongue feels dry in his mouth—cottony. He’s bothered, and he doesn’t understand why. “It was great, very personal.” He shouldn’t let it bother him. It’s a fucking speech at a wedding for people he barely knows. It shouldn’t bother him, it shouldn’t rot his insides, the concept that two sentences could be in any way related to one another. It shouldn’t bother him, really. It does, though. And he can’t stop himself when he’s half-drunk the way he could if he was sober. “Everything you talked about… it’s all you two, huh?”

“Yeah,” Chris nods. “Hannah’s done a lot for me, y’know. I’m sure we’re like you and Joris, just. I cry more than you.”

“Even the, uh…” he clears his throat. “Even the whole thing about, um…”

“Charles,” she laughs, brows furrowed in a way he thinks only he could perceive. 

He sighs. “You know that you’re the kind of person who is easy to love, yes?”

She doesn’t look at him when she nods, or when she smiles, or when she kisses him. “I know,” she mumbles, and it’s the most unbelievable thing she’s ever said. The easiest lie he’s ever spotted, but it’s even clearer that she doesn’t want him to push on it, so he doesn’t. He’s smart enough to know when it’s time to just dance with his girlfriend. 

– – –

They wake up the next morning disgustingly hungover. Like, stare at the white ceiling for twenty minutes talking about how hungover they are and praying they don’t throw up, hungover. Her ceiling is textured, and the pattern repeats every foot-or-so like it’s been stamped on. That’s how hungover he is.

He showers while she makes them prairie oysters, and despite how absolutely horrifying it looks, sounds, and sells, he manages to find enough trust in her to force it down with a grim scowl. Fuck, it’s disgusting. Horrifically so. 

They take an uber out to the wedding venue to retrieve Chris’ car, and she gives directions back to the Dawsonville Pool Room with her eyes half closed, sunglasses over her eyes. Everytime he looks at her he thinks she’s turning green. 

The owner recognizes her as soon as they’re walking through the door. Charles doesn’t understand a single fucking word the guy says. Chris orders “two Bully Burgers, but I swear to holy Heaven if you put slaw anywhere near my plate you’re gonna see the Devil, Mr. Gordon.”

He responds in something Charles could technically call English, and Chris shakes her head, a smile pulling on her lips. “I’m serious, he’ll back me up,” she says, thumb pointing to him. “He’s not from around here, you’re just another stranger.”

The greasiest, sloppiest, most mediocre burger he’s ever eaten is put in front of him five minutes later, and he feels like a new man after. Still absolutely strung out and exhausted, yes, but like his stomach is content to stay inside his body. 

Later that afternoon, when they’re both half asleep on the couch, some stupid sitcom playing as background nose, he’s still thinking about her fucking speech from the night earlier. It’s still bugging him. “Baby?” he mumbles against the skin of her shoulder. He doesn’t even know if she’s awake to answer. 

“Hmm?” She hums. 

“We do not have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but. You are a very lovable person, I think.” He couldn’t give any specific examples of what makes him so sure of this fact, he honestly couldn’t. But isn’t that proof enough? That just her being is enough to answer the question. 

“Babe,” she stretches against him, speaks through a yawn. 

“Sorry,” he says. “Sorry, I just. I don’t know.”

“No, it’s okay. We can talk about it.” She adjusts, if just slightly, so that it’s easier for her to look at him while they speak. “When everyone has the same complaint, all your old friends and old boyfriends tell you that you’re too much or too little, you realize maybe you’re the crazy one.”

He doesn't like that reasoning. He thinks it’s a load of bullshit, actually. “Why do you think of yourself in this way?”

Chris laughs. “It’s fine, really.”

“It’s not,” he says, because he knows it’s a lie. 

“It is, because I’ve come to terms with it. I accept it.”

He frowns, hates the way she seems so content with this. Like it’s something that is even kind of rational. It’s not, he knows. He pauses, can’t even come up with something to say to her level of absurdity. “I don’t think you should accept that.”

She turns away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears, and laughs softly. “I’m sure you don’t.”

“You are not unlovable.” She’s not. She’s not. He knows she’s not. He knows, he knows, because of rain on a pine patio and leaves that change colors. He knows, because if she was unlovable, he wouldn’t love her. And he does, he does love her. 

Wait.

“Well, we’ll see. Everyone always sees.”

No, hold on. Wait. His stomach is tangled, flip-flopping and fluttering like every butterfly this side of the Atlantic has suddenly taken up residence in his insides. You don’t love her, you idiot, he thinks. But he does. Fucking… His heart races. He hopes to God, pays to something he’s not sure he believes in that she can’t feel it against his chest. That he can get away with it. “See what?”

She shrugs. “If I knew, nobody would see it,” she laughs. He laughs along, too, but it’s so forced that it sounds like some pre-recorded bit. She’s so casual about all of this that he feels like he needs to pinch himself. It doesn’t make sense, he can’t wrap his mind around it. But Chris, she’s comfortable enough with her bull-fucking-shit ‘facts’ that she can pull her phone out and scroll through it while they wrap up the conversation. “And before you ask, ‘What if I don’t see anything?’ like everyone else but Hannah always asks, nothing happens.”

“Nothing happens?”

She opens her fucking email. He’s in love with her, and she’s opening her fucking email while telling him it’s not possible. “You win, I guess.”

“I win you?”

“I mean, I don’t like to consider myself something that can be won,” she says, and he rolls his eyes. His heart is beating so loud he thinks the neighbors can probably hear it. “But for lack of a better word… sure. You win me.”

He nods. There’s nothing more he can add to the conversation, not now. Not when he’s just ran face-first into a brick wall of I love you.  Fuck. Fuck. He’s totally in love with her. What the fuck is he supposed to do now?

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[thegamingcatmom]

A thing that hasn't left my mind for a bit. Hear me out.. MC Is a witch.

Now not Like some scarlet witch type witch, but a person who like sacrifices things 😅

I truly don't know I just have the idea of kate being all smug asking about what MC can do and MC just looks at her like "bring me a *something dead*" Kate believes it's bullshit untill MC does her thing and next thing you know they get a lot of money randomly. (Omg add to MC actually being like Salem witch trials old😭😭)

BUUUT if we wanna go the way of her actually having powers I was thinking of Morgana Pendragon! Katie Mcgrath my love, did an amazing job as Morgana. (Sorry had to show some love)

Excuse my rambling yet again! I honestly just was thinking of MC with the Feral sisters but she's a witch. Perhaps she's actually a lot stronger than the sisters and she thinks it's amusing?

-💙

Hellaw frosty!

Actually-

That has crossed my mind as well. Like, before I started on the first chapter I was contemplating having MC not be human because I was like "What makes her special? Why would the Denalis fall head over heels for her? How does one manage to charm an entire family of vampires?"

It was certainly tempting because I´m absolutely digging that concept of the Denalis being all smug and cocky, believing MC to be yet another mouse they can play with before going in for the final blow. Only for MC to...play along. Play the part of the innocent, because her appearance wouldn´t lead anyone to believe otherwise. To the public eye, she´s just an ordinary woman. A mortal.

The Denalis entertain her, so she´s willing to see where this goes.

...For now.

On the inside, however?

ANYWAY-

I ultimately decided against it because it just didn´t fit with what I had in mind. I´m a sucker for Beauty & The Beast type of stuff. Yknow, being held somewhere against your will by something that could snuff out your existence in the blink of an eye, but it decides not to because, for some strange reason, it seems to have a soft spot for you. Everyone else can f off though, no mercy.

It also helps that the place is actually quite nice to look at. Despite its rather...peculiar inhabitants.

Sooo yeah, I needed MC to be your ordinary human girl, facing off against forces that could wipe out entire armies in a matter of seconds. Because, in my books, there´s nothing sexier than having those forces at your beck and call, absolutely smitten with you, willing to kill for you, while you´re just there like-

(The last one is so MC & Kate yall. Kitty Kat, you hopeless case. 😭)

ANYWAY-

I gotta admit, the money thing has me a bit confused. Is that a thing? Like, making a sacrifice and getting a shit ton of money in return? Does that happen in any tv show or movie? Honestly curious cause I very rarely watch anything anymore. I´ve become more of a gamer and writer over the past couple of years. 😅

I do know Morgana Pendragon, but I haven´t actually seen her in anything cause *points to the aforementioned*. But I know a lot of ppl got the hots for her. I don´t blame them, lmao.

Okay so, I had to google Salem Witch Trials (don´t judge me) and-

LISTEN-

I love love love history so ofc we gotta make a quick lil smt, yes? Yes:

.

Imagine MC (a witch) living in Salem Village, the place where the accusations of witchcraft began. Those accusations were false, obviously, but it made blending in much more difficult for her kind. People have become wary, paranoid, forcing MC to a life in the shadows. She watched from afar as men and women alike - some of them close friends - were brought to trial. Some of them never returned home.

To this day, MC is plagued by feelings of guilt for merely watching as good men and women were executed in the name of "justice". She should have done something, could have done something. She has that power. But her heart had been gripped by a power mightier than her own: fear.

She can´t change the past, but she can ensure a future.

Multiple.

She now works from the shadows to preserve the light. A light that draws in creatures far more dangerous than herself. How she despises them.

Vampires.

.

OKAY LISTEN-

Witch!MC claps eyes on the sisters, dragging some poor fella away. Fella´s already dead, so there isn´t much she can do. However, that doesn´t mean others can´t be saved. So she follows them, cloaking spell firmly in place, in the hopes they´re gonna lead her to their hideout. Because she couldn´t live with herself if she didn´t at least check, yknow?

Well, nobody´s there. Nobody with a heartbeat, that is.

Good.

She turns around, about to leave (because she might despise them but she doesn´t start fights without good reason), when-

"...Who´s there?"

...

Impossible.

.

Cue MC revealing herself. Cue MC acting all naive and innocent. Cue MC pretending to be human so she can infiltrate The Lair and find out what´s so special about that weird ass family that causes her powers to malfunction.

LISTEN-

I dunno, lmao.

I just know it´s gonna be a mess à la The Sisters from there on out. The Denalis obsessed with the fake!human, while said fake!human is just there like-

Not even realizing she´s bewitching (hehe) an entire family of vampires - her sworn enemies - because she´s rather busy being a confused gremlin.

(Do you sense a pattern here?)

Hm.

She might have to annihilate them after all.

We´ll see.

.

.

.

Apparently, I can´t write an MC who´s not completely dense when it comes to just about anything.

I apologize.

(Never.)

Thanks a lot for your ask! 💋