#I'M GONNA BE UP LATE TONIGHT LADS

[blujayonthewing]

one stupid thing about my brain latching onto felix like a terrier in kill mode is that I live with my favorite and one of my best DMs and he is constantly cooking me the most hearty and scrumptious meals but I'm still, against my own will, sitting on the floor white-knuckle gripping the lad while we both starve to fucking death

[queers-gambit]

Simple, Easy, Effortless

prompt: ( requested ) from across the dance floor, Felix locks eyes with you and is instantly smitten. is it love at first sight? lust? he's determined to know.

pairing: Felix Catton x female!reader

fandom masterlist: Saltburn

word count: 5.1k+

note: this man is a SLUT but i'm sluttier in theory

warnings: the ducklips in the gif, obviously cursing, sexual tension, "love at first sight", author def uses her own university roommate experiences for inspiration, Lord's name in vain, mention of illicit drug use. REMEMBER: don't run from cops unless with Felix - or absolutely necessary - or you KNOW you can get away.

song featured in the movie and request: Murder on the Dance Floor

Humid. Sweaty. Pulsing. Overpopulated.

All good adjectives to describe your first university party with your roommate, Polly Schwartz. She had already been to loads of parties already, probably more than her actual classes, but being as you were a "scholarship kid", you took your education much more seriously than she did. Perhaps being why you spent your weekends studying, and she spent hers getting drunk, sleeping with randoms constantly, and partying nearly every weekend. You didn't think there was anything wrong with her habts, in fact, you encouraged her to go out most of the time; but after midterms, you were burnt the fuck out and Polly recommended you have a night out with her.

When she needed it, you helped Polly study, and now, it was time for her to return the favor in her own area of expertise. Tonight's party was hosted in an off-campus flat, making you worry about the authorities being phoned, but Polly assured you that nearly the entire complex was composed of Oxford students and there was barely a threat of this party being busted.

The moment you stepped into the humid, sweaty, pulsing, overpopulated flat, a drink was shoved into your hand by a barely-standing boy with a nose ring. He was decently attractive, but the belch he let out made you grimace and follow after Polly. He might've yelled something after your retreating form, but who could tell with the noise level?

"You need to loosen up, bitch! Jesus Christ, you're as stiff as a board, and trust me! No guy is gonna wanna approach you!" She laughed, missing your protest that you didn't care for male attention. "Wait," she gasped, "where'd you get that?"

"Uh, that lad over there," you pointed, blinking in mild shock when she snatched the drink from your hand and poured it out in a dying houseplant.

"I thought you were the brains of us," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Never accept a drink you didn't see being made! That's how you get drugged!"

"I'm not sure how this is supposed to work, Polly, for fuck's sake," you whined, hugging your arms as you gazed around nervously. "Maybe I should just go back to the dorms, this isn't really my scene - "

"Nope, you're staying," she shook her head, leading you by the hand to the kitchen. "Here - hang on, I'll get us something. Farleigh, my love!"

The handsome lad with a head full of fluffed coils turned with a small glare, but softened when he noted Polly's appearance. "There you are! I was wondering when you'd get here, darling!"

She giggled obnoxiously and you understood, this must've been the lad she was seeing on-and-off for the whole semester. "Well, I finally got this one out of the library, so we're a little late for a reason," she laughed, pointing her thumb back at you and making the boy eye you with judgement.

You gave a small wave, and he instantly offered his hand, introducing himself as, "Farleigh." After giving him your name, Polly was insisting you both needed a drink and Farleigh was nodding in agreement. "Here, drinks are this way - but it's self serve."

"Nobody made juice?" Polly pouted, the three of you approaching a decent-sized table that was full of bottles of liquor and mixers.

"Not this time," Farleigh laughed, and you let Polly make your drink because you were busy trying not to get run over by the other party goers.

"Christ Almighty, surely the floors will cave in with this many people?" You frowned when another drunk bumped into you and sloppily apologized.

"Only if we're lucky," Farleigh laughed. He directed at Polly, "Oh, remember Stephen's party? Donovan put a hole through the wall!"

Polly laughed as she handed you a fresh drink and all but ignored you in favor of this boy that was tapping a bit of suspicious powder onto his hand. Your eyes rolled and you turned away from them, slowly stalking around the room and taking in the scene - hating the way your ears felt as if they were bleeding from the terrible music selection.

But after you skulled your drink, you ran into a few classmates from your anthropology class. "Here, you can have this," Chelsea took the drink from Cara, "she's had way too much already."

You figured this exchange was safe enough after seeing Cara taking several gulps; not even noticing her hands were empty because she was dancing to the floor-shaking music in a daze.

"Who're you here with?" Pablo asked, bobbing his head to the beat. "We all came as a group, don't tell me you're alone!?"

"No, no, love, I came with Polly," you shrugged, feeling looser than when you first got there.

"Ew," Pablo rolled his eyes, the other girl snickering.

"Wait, what? What am I missing?" You asked with a small whine.

"Polly Harrington?" He asked, watching you nod. "Yeah, no, your li'l friend's the one who sucked off Professor Lorde."

"What?" You gaped.

"Why do you think she's here?" He gossiped. "Surely, not for her grades."

You just shook your head, "Maybe we shouldn't throw stones, it's rude to speak about others behind their backs."

"Doll face, it's not like it's a secret," Pablo laughed, nodding at your drink. "C'mon, bottoms up, buttercup, we've gotta get you dancing. You look way too cute to be a wallflower all night, c'mon, let's go! Chug! Chug!"

You gingerly took a gulp, but Pablo and Chelsea were encouraging you to just finish it off. When you did, they cheered with pride, laughing when you began giggling, "That's the worst taste! God!"

"Oh, sweetie, we don't drink for the taste, we drink to make us better dancers!" Chelsea beamed. "Want mine?"

"No, no - "

"Down it!"

You shrugged, inhibitions already significantly lowered, and with ease, finished your third drink. "I should get us more!" Pablo laughed.

"You do that, we're gonna dance!" Your friend waved him off, snatching your hand, and leading you to the dance floor. It was hard to distinguish where it was since there was wall-to-wall college kids stuffing the place, but you weaseled your way between people and let the alcohol take control. "Hey! By the way!" Chelsea spoke in your ear, "You look really hot! I adore this skirt!"

"Me? Babe, look at you! Can I borrow this dress?"

"Only if I can borrow those shoes!" She squealed.

You giggled and took her hand, spinning her around before joining together again. When Pablo rejoined, he handed you both a drink before jumping in front of you, throwing his reasonably fat arse back into your crotch - which forced you back onto your girlfriend in a dancing train. You three cheered through your laughter, smacking the lad's bottom playfully as he put his heart and soul into his dance; hands on his knees and hips bouncing.

However, Pablo only pulled away when Farleigh reappeared and stole him away to a darkening corner; only briefly making you wonder where he had left your roommate. You looked at Chelsea, who giggled in your ear, "They've been fucking recently. Pablo's whipped."

"I don't blame him," you mused. Cara had stumbled closer to you two, throwing her skinny arms around your neck and starting on a drunken ramble about how much she loved you - despite only sharing the one class together and knowing each other from a distance. Still, you appreciated the sentiment and let yourself feel loved; taking a sip from the plastic solo cup in hand and swinging your hips to the pulsing beat. In that moment, you just happened to look up, gasping, "There's a stripper pole!?"

"Go get on it!" Cara laughed. "Oh, wait, Felix is on it - oh, shit, Felix!"

"Who?" You asked.

"Felix, you know!? Felix Catton? Felix fucking Catton!" Cara blinked, then offered you an incredulous look and turned to Chelsea. "She doesn't know Felix?"

She waved Cara off, instead explaining to you, "He's that tall lad, in the white button up."

When you looked, Felix happened to glance over and your eyes connected. You were absolutely done for.

"Oh, yeah, she knows Felix now!" Cara giggled loudly. "Go! Go talk to him!" She encouraged, making your eyes bug widely.

"What?" You looked at the two girls, shaking your head, "No, no, I don't even know him!"

"Babes, 75% of the people you see paired up right now didn't know each other before this party!" Cara rolled her pretty eyes. "But hey, if you don't, India definitely will. Girl basically lives on his cock, it's decently pathetic - but just look at him! God took his time with Felix!"

"Oh, are they dating?" You asked innocently, looking back over to the tall boy in a white, linen button up. He grinned at you from the short distance.

"No," Chelsea laughed, seeing the way you two just stared and smiled softly. "Here, finish your drink and let the liquid courage do its job!"

"It's literally my first party," you laughed, "I'm not interested - "

"Oh, fuck off! Everyone's interested in Felix," Cara interrupted. "And I do mean, literally everyone."

"I can understand why," you mused, taking a long pull from your cup. "Cara, that lad, there, has been staring at you," you distracted, her swinging around instantly and thanking you before dancing over to the boy leaning on the wall.

He smirked when she reached him.

"She's a social butterfly," her roommate, Chelsea, giggled. "Do you need a refill?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I'm okay!"

"Okay, don't go too far - I'll be right back!" She grinned, knowing something you didn't, and disappearing into the thick crowd.

You swallowed another drink before you felt a hand on your waist, making you jump in surprise and turn. Before you towered the object of seemingly everyone's desires: Felix Catton.

"Haven't seen you around before," he spoke in your ear over the music.

"Oh, first timer," you nodded back.

"Doin' all right? Yeah? Havin' fun?"

You agreed, "Yeah, 'course. This your party?"

"No, no, uh," he glanced around the heads of students, "honestly, I'm not really sure who's flat this is."

"Oh, well, I guess as long as it's not damaged, it doesn't matter much, right?"

"Exactly," he smirked, offering his cup to yours. You clinked them together, both taking the obligatory sip, and swaying unconsciously to the music. "Who're you here with?"

"Polly - "

"Oh, Christ, yeah! Yeah, you're, uh, you're her roommate?"

You nodded, "You know her?"

"Who doesn't?"

"Oh," you frowned in discomfort, brows pinched.

"No, no, I just meant, she's popular, innit she? Not that - that she's sucked me off or anything like that!"

You laughed, "Wasn't thinking that, but good to know."

His cheeks flared a bright red, "That was a bit brash of me, wasn't it? Sorry, love, I should know better than to use such vocabulary with a pretty lady."

Your eyes rolled, "This 'pretty lady' has both heard and used much worse vernacular."

Felix slowly grinned, "You want a smoke?"

"Dying for one actually, yeah."

"This way, c'mon," he offered his free hand, and without thinking, you accepted and let the tall, slender lad lead you through the crowd. All of a sudden, you felt as if every eye was on you - watching, stalking, clocking you like predator does prey. You were directed to a balcony, a few lingering smokers standing around.

The moment the glass door slid shut, the music was semi-silenced and you breathed in slight relief. "Christ, 's always this loud?" You asked, leaning on the railing beside your companion while rubbing an ear to relieve the ringing sensation.

"Usually, yeah," he smirked, handing you a cigarette before placing one between his lips.

"You looked real natural on that pole," you teased, leaning in when he flicked a lighter to life.

"Oh, God," he laughed, watching you inhale. "Saw that, did you?"

You hummed, holding the smoke in your lungs, "Kinda hard t'miss. You were really into it."

He shrugged, lighting the end of his own nicotine filled stick. Upon exhale, he eased, "Was a really good song, wasn't it? Easy t'dance to, you know?"

"Hm," you nodded, "actually, I wouldn't know - I don't know half these songs."

"You livin' under a rock, love?"

"No, just with my nose in a book."

"Smart girl, are yah?"

"I would hope so, considering my scholarship."

"Even more impressive," he grinned. "You know Oliver, then? Oliver Quick? He's on scholarship, too."

"No, not quite, us scholarship kids don't all know one another," you shot back with a smirk.

"Fair enough," he agreed, eyeing you up and down. "So, why tonight?"

"Hmm?"

"Why come tonight?"

"Polly thought I could use a little stress relief," you answered, taking a long puff. "Not exactly the way I saw my night going, though."

"How's that?"

"Look at you!" You laughed. "Of all the ladies here, you danced your way over to me? Now you're having a conversation instead of working that pole?"

"I like to think that I just had to introduce myself to the prettiest lass in the whole joint," he flirted.

"And yet," you inhaled, "you've haven't made introductions."

"No? I haven't?" He smirked, watching your head shake. "Apologies, love. I'm Felix, uh, Felix Catton," he offered his hand, and when you shook it, you told him your own full name. "Now that that's outta the way," he took his own inhale, "how's about we go dance?"

"Oh, I might need to finish this drink before all that," you lifted your cup to your lips.

"Nah, I saw you earlier," he chuckled, stomping his cigarette out under his boot. "C'mon, love, not letting you get outta here without at least one dance."

"Surely, India would be a better option?"

He scoffed, "Oh? And how would you know that?"

"Chelsea and Cara might've made mention earlier. I wouldn't want to steal someone's man - girl code, and that shit."

For whatever reason, this made Felix snicker, "No, no, you've got it wrong, India and I are just friends."

"That's what guys say when they're sleeping with their 'friend'."

"Either way, she's not my girl," he smirked. "C'mon, love, one dance. If you're not convinced after that, I'll let yah go - no fuss."

"Oh, well, that doesn't sound remotely creepy," you laughed, dropping your own cigarette and stomping it out. "All right, yeah, one dance."

"Just one."

"A single dance."

"No more, but no less," he smirked, lacing your fingers together when you laid your hand in his. "Deal?"

You nodded, feeling absolutely giddy by his attention. When you reentered the party, it was almost as if it had grown in population, and suddenly, you wanted to be back on the balcony just to breathe. But Felix had a secure hold on you, and after downing the last of your drink, you set the cup on a random end table you passed before taking position on the "dance floor".

What you absolutely did not anticipate was that Felix wasn't the best dancer, but holy shit, did he not care; letting go and having fun. You let the alcohol in your system propel you, and soon, one dance turned into two, and two turned to three. It was like nobody else was there, it was just you and Felix; dancing like fools, letting your hair down, and you actually found yourself enjoying the music that vibrated the entire flat.

The song that played wasn't one you recognized, but the lyrics felt strangely appropriate for your current situation. Though there was no groove to be killed, no moves to steal, and no murdering on this dance floor, there was a whole lotta tension that fueled your movements together.

"Oh, oh, here we go, c'mon!" He laughed, tugging your hand after him to approach the stripper pole the flat's owner had installed. "Go on, love, show me how it's done!"

"Oh, fuck no!" You barked in laughter. "You're the master, let me take notes."

"I'll warn you, once you see my moves up close," he planted a hand on the pole and swung around it once, "you won't be able to resist!"

You waved him on, eyes widening when he danced around the pole as if nobody was watching, but in reality, he had an entire audience. Not that you noticed, you were solely focused on the boy putting on a show for you; both wearing goofy grins. When he got REALLY into it, you had to admit your stomach knotted in attraction when his lips pushed into a slutty pout. Never had you wanted to kiss someone so bad in your life before, but it increased ten fold when he swung around and grabbed onto your waist; effortlessly pushing you onto the pole as he released it.

"C'mon, then!" He beamed, watching you stand for a single awkward moment before figuring, why the hell not?

So, you swung yourself around before shocking Felix to his bloody core by holding the pole and grinding down it - giving a teasing peek at your panties when your legs spread slightly to accommodate your dance moves. His jaw slackened, eyes raked up and down your form, lips pulling in a smirk the longer he watched you go. Your hair flung around, hips gyrated in movements that made his pants tighten, and when he couldn't stand it any longer, he caught you in another swing.

Hips against yours, arms around one another, he danced you back onto the crowded floor; a hand raising to caress the side of your face as if he was mesmerized by all you were, all you are.

It was so simple to lose yourself in his dancing, in his scent, in his aurora. It was so easy to move against him. It was so simple to exist with Felix fucking Catton.

He was intoxicating, making you feel more drunk on him than the alcohol you had ingested. And while the moment felt serious, once you were surrounded by peers again, you melted into a sense of silliness. Any care you had, any worry - it all melted away, it evaporated, got swept under the rug because Felix commandeered your entire attention.

From the side of the room, Cara and Chelsea squealed in excitement for you, high-fiving when they noted India's jealous glare. Farleigh and Pablo even snickered, wondering how long it would take for Felix's charm to get you into bed; a bet being placed between the two lads before taking another bump of cocaine that distracted them for the rest of the time.

On the dance floor, your laughter was genuine and a little loud when he swung you around before dying in your throat when he pulled you in close. Again, the party melted away and it was just you and Felix; his hands on your hips, head bowed to corral you close, his warm brown eyes intense as they flitted between your eyes and lips.

You knew what he wanted, but didn't want to give into temptation yet. Keeping an air of mystery, you smiled coyly and pushed back slightly - but he was yanking you right back in.

When a friend of his came around with a tray full of shots, his arm coiled around your waist tightly to keep you anchored as he accepted the Jell-O concoction. You still buzzed from your earlier drinks and nicotine, bobbing and humming to the song playing, Felix instantly moving with you.

And just like you worried earlier, from deep in the party, someone shouted, "IT'S THE FUZZ! GO! SCATTER!"

"Oh, shit! Oh, my God!" You gasped in worry, the music cutting and students rushing for the exit.

"C'mere, c'mere, 's all right," Felix rushed, pulling you back into a wall to let the stampede rush around you as he planted you in front of him. Your hands held his waist, watching those around you run away, and when you looked up, Felix was already staring at you.

The moment your eyes met, you both snickered in amusement before bursting into full-on laughter. "Oh, Jesus Christ!" You mused, leaning your forehead to his pectoral. "I knew it - of course my first party is busted, hey?"

"Just makes it all the more memorable, yeah?"

"You were doing a pretty good job on your own with that," you met his gaze again - feeling coy and playful.

"Yeah?" He grinned. "Well, I try."

"I think you succeed."

He opened his mouth to respond, caressing your cheek, but someone else shouted, "GO, GO, GO! Felix, c'mon, mate! The fuck you doin'! We gotta go! I can't get another citation!"

"Let's go," he told you instead, lacing your hands together again and joining the last of the stream filtering out of the flat.

"Where're we - "

"This way, trust me," he dodged down a separate hallway, a few others following his lead. Down a flight of stairs, turning down another hall, and you two were bursting into the chilly night air.

The lights of the copper's cars flashed from around the building and you realized you were at the back. Others were rushing from the door, scattering into the night, but Felix just leaned on the brownstone and waited, checking your surroundings.

"What now?" You worried, panting lightly from the rush of adrenaline.

"We go that way," he nodded, "walk slow and calm, we don't know shit about a party. We're just walking back to campus, yeah?"

"Oh, like that'll work," you snickered, but again, laced your hands together. "On your lead, my lord," you joked.

"That make you my lady?"

"Hm, nah," you refused with a smirk, "I don't do well with sharing and you seem to be well liked, aren't yah?"

He hummed, letting go of your hand to toss his arm around your neck, still subtly checking around you for any police officers. Your arm latched around his waist, reaching up to hold the hand dangling from your shoulders. "I might be well liked, but for you, I'd drop everyone," he flirted easily - as if second nature, as if he didn't even have to think about the words that oozed out of that slick mouth.

"Oh, how flattering."

"I would hope so," he breathed, leading you out of the back garden. "Swear, love, never been so caught-up before. Just saw you and had t'come talk - had t'know who you are. I mean, just look at'cha, sweetheart, can you really blame me?"

"That line usually works, does it?"

"More often than not," he laughed, you joining in as you slipped from the back gate.

"HEY! YOU TWO! STOP RIGHT THERE! STOP!"

"Oh, shit," Felix gasped, snatching your hand in an instant as two officers started to clumsily rush towards you two.

"What do we - "

"Run!" He laughed, yanking you after him.

"Felix!"

"HEY! STOP! STOP! COME BACK HERE!"

You couldn't stop laughing as you both sprinted down the street and around an alley, taking three more turns before coming to a panting halt; pausing to listen.

"Hear 'em?" He whispered, keeping you on the inside so he could peer down the alley you had escaped down.

"No...?"

"I don't either," he nodded, glancing down at you and chuckling. "You're fast, you on the track team?"

"Oh, please, you should be fast when running from the law, shouldn't you?"

"Knew I liked you," he barked in humor. "C'mon, love, 's a nice night, innit it?"

"Nice night for what? Breaking laws?"

"Well, yeah, but I meant for a walk," he mused, walking backwards, snagging both your hands in his to pull you off the wall you were hiding behind. "It's a bit of a hike back to campus, might as well make the most of it," he smiled, turning to keep pace beside you with his arm around your waist. "Not every night I get t'walk in the moonlight with a beautiful lass."

You pulled his arm up to your shoulders again, holding his waist comfortably, and being as you weren't familiar with the area, trusting him to lead you back. After a beat, you admitted in a sigh, "You know, tonight wasn't what I expected and yet, it's exactly what I thought."

"Was it better or worse than you could've planned?"

You laughed, "Well, running from the cops wasn't on my bingo card."

"How's it feel? 'T be such a bad girl?"

"You tell me."

Felix laughed, "Ah, love, not my first time, but it's just as exhilarating."

"Jesus," you rolled your eyes in humor. "Not exactly what I wanted to hear, you having other run-ins with officers."

"Oh, you like it!"

"I might," you agreed, stepping onto the sidewalk of a main street. "Oh, shit, oh, my God!" You halted, looking nervous and frantic. "I left Polly! Fuck!"

"Nah, nah, nah, don't worry, love, I saw her leave earlier while we were dancing."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, she left with Johnny."

"Who the fuck is Johnny?"

He grinned, "Yeah, that's it, you're hanging with me from now on. We'll get you aquatinted with your classmates, yeah?"

"Maybe I have no want nor need to know people," you spoke softly. "I'm here for an education, not t’socialize."

"Doesn't hurt though, does it?"

"After tonight? I don't know if you can make that case."

"You seriously telling me you didn't have fun? Oh, sweetheart, that hurts. I'm hurt, honestly," he pouted dramatically, free hand to his heart; glittering gold ring winking at you under the street lamps.

"What's that?" You asked, alcohol making you easily distracted. He glanced at his hand and held it out for you, showing his ring. "What's the design? It's real pretty - didn't think I'd see it on a guy."

He chuckled, "Ah, it's a signet - my family's signet, actually."

"Jesus, I knew it," you groaned. "No way you were just a regular somebody! A bloody signet? What? Related t'the Queen, are yah?"

"No, not exactly," he snorted. "But my father is knighted..."

"Holy shit," you blinked. "What's that like?"

He looked down at you, brows slowly furrowing, "You really wanna know? Most people just, I don't know, kinda assume I'm rich and that's all there is to my life."

You felt a single pang of empathy, smiling up at him, "I really wanna know, Felix. C'mon, what's your family do? Both parents still alive? They still married? Where's home?"

For the entire walk back to campus, you and Felix talked as if old friends. Sure, you were getting to know each other, but it felt as if you'd known one another for ages by how easy it was to talk to him. And he seemed enthralled by your questions; wondering about his life, not just the pretty face he bore. Not just the money to his name. You seemed genuinely curious as to who "Felix Catton" was... Something he hadn't known his entire time at Oxford.

When you got back to your dorm, you felt sad by the idea of parting ways, something that genuinely shocked you. Yet the obscene sounds from behind the thin, wooden door alerted you to Polly and her guest, making you pause and sigh. "Well, that's awkward," you mused, leaning on the opposite wall. "Uh, thanks for walking me back, but I'm just gonna crash in the common room."

"Oh, bollocks to that, love," he shook his head, offering his hand again. "C'mon, you can crash with me."

"Hm, sounds sketchy."

"Oh? How's that?" He laughed.

"We just met!"

"C'mon, sweetheart, it's just a bed t'sleep in. Promise, nothing's gonna happen - even if you beg."

"Oh, what a gentleman," you laughed, much to his amusement. "All right, yeah... If I can borrow something to sleep in? Not entirely comfortable sleepin' in this..."

"I've gotcha," he nodded, leading you from your dorm and to his. Which, to your surprise, was the housing beside your own.

"Oh, Felix, NO!" You gaped when you entered his room. "Oh, darling, no, no, no, what's this?"

"It's not that bad - "

"No, I'm talking that!" You laughed, not phased by the mess, pointing to the Manchester football flag. "Don't tell me - "

"Nah, hey, don't do that, 's my father's team," he chuckled. "It reminds me to watch, gives us something t'talk about..."

You cooed, "Well, that's actually sweet of you. I guess I can let it slide."

"Oh, you're a saint."

He tossed you clean boxers and a tee shirt, letting you change in the adjoining restroom as he quickly changed in the bedroom. When you joined him again, you both got comfortable on the bed, but sleep evaded you... Leading into a long night of chatter, jokes, and establishing friendship that would eventually turn romantic.

But for that night, it was simple. It was easy. It was effortless.

You both crashed around 4 am, and when you woke the following afternoon, your head was on his chest, his arm tight around your waist, and there wasn't a single concern in your heart or head.

"Jesus, fuck," Felix groaned when he woke, tightening his arm to constrict you against his warm body on the teeny, tiny dorm bed. "Ah, Christ, remind me not t'drink again, yeah, love?"

"You and me, both," you grumbled, nestling closer.

He sighed, "Yah hungry?"

"A bit."

"Wanna go t'yours, change, get something t'eat?" He offered, rubbing your waist. "C'mon, my treat."

You lifted your head to check his bedside clock, grunting as you laid back down, "It's past noon."

"So? Stomachs don't open or close."

You let your chin prop on his chest, smiling, "Food sounds nice."

He nodded, eyes once more dancing between yours. "Know, you look real good in my clothes. Might have t'let you keep it."

"Much appreciated, pretty boy. C'mon, food helps with the hangover, doesn't it?"

"Very much," he nodded, reaching for his cigarettes. "Hmm?" He offered.

"Mhm," you accepted, both settling on your backs, but he pulled you in close to light your stick. "You always like this?" You whispered, smoking swirling in the air above you.

"What's that?"

"Charismatic?"

"Ah, if I could turn it off... Well, bein' honest, I wouldn't."

"Oh, shove off," you both laughed lightly at your words, looking up at him. He seemed ethereal in the morning light, and then - it happened. He set his cigarette to an ashtray to free his hand, caressing your cheek and making you go still.

"Would you think less of me if I kiss you?"

"I'd think less if you didn't, I think..."

He smirked and curled over, lips finding yours in a searing, breathtaking kiss that tasted like the previous night's alcohol. Yet he still tasted so pleasantly spicy and unique, making you inhale sharply and hold onto the back of his neck to keep him close. He hummed lightly, tongues swirling like the smoke that still hung in the air, and when he pulled back, again, you both just laughed lightly before he was swooping in for another kiss.

It was like I said... Simple, easy, effortless.

requesting rules and masterlist

Saltburn masterlist

[watermelonsugacry]

Could you do a blurb showing how Harry and 1dbandmate!yn reacted over the years when asked in interviews if they were a couple?? please 🙏

Always Asked

A/N: been in a writing funk lately but i'm happy i got this one done since i miss writing and posting to you all!! 💚

SUMMARY: Snippets of interviews over the years from when YN and Harry were asked if they were dating. (3.4k)

GENRE: 1dbandmate!yn, famous!yn

SINCE 2010 masterlist

2011:

Never in a million years did YN ever think her dream career would start so soon. It’s only been a year since she auditioned for the XFactor and now she’s sitting at a table next to her bandmates as hundreds of fans go down the line to get a copy of their freshly signed album. 

With copious amounts of screaming comes along an abundance of questions thrown at the teenagers. Most of the time, it’s YN giving the screaming fans a beautiful smile, asking them how they are, and thanking them for their kind words before passing the signed CD case to Harry. With all the excitement in the air, she feels like she’s truly living the pop star lifestyle she’d seen many others live out.

“Hiya, love,” YN smiles at the preteen girl who’s practically vibrating with excitement at seeing the famous band. She also gives a polite greeting to the supportive dad of the young girl who has his hands on his daughter’s shoulders. “How are you? I love your shirt.”

She compliments, smiling at seeing the young girl wearing a shirt with YN’s face on it. 

“My dad got it for me for my birthday!” The little fan beams.

“Did he?” YN animatedly gasps with a smile. “Well, it was nice of him to take you over here, yeah?”

She signs the CD case with a heart over her name before sliding it over to Harry. His fingers brush over hers and the two of them catch each other’s gaze. A smile tugs on their lips before looking away just as quickly. 

“Are you two dating?” The young girl practically screams out, her eyes bouncing back and forth excitedly between YN and Harry. 

The two teenagers tense up, thrown off by the question in such a crowded place. Their management team is still media-training them and while they’ve learned so much already, they’re still getting used to taking what they’ve learned out into the field.

YN and Harry give each other a look, already knowing the answer but searching in one another’s eyes for maybe a smidge of something more.

“Lilly!” The dad scolds before letting out a chuckle. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be,” YN shakes her head with a smile, hoping it's convincing enough to not cause any suspicion. “Sorry Lilly, but Harry and I aren’t dating because quite frankly—” She beckons the little fan closer, cupping her mouth but still being loud so her bandmate can hear, “—he has cooties.”

Harry’s immediately furrowing his brows together and lets out a long and playful, “Hey!”

“Ew!” Lilly laughs, seeming satisfied with that answer before waving goodbye and walking towards the rest of the band.

Before they can dwell on what just happened, thankfully the next fan shuffles over for their own interaction and signed copy.

2012:

The band is at their first Brits Awards show and needless to say, they all got a little tipsy after their win. Their team didn’t even have time to give them a snack or water bottle to help sober them up a little bit before their backstage press interviews.

“Harry, how will you guys be celebrating tonight?” A journalist asks from the crowd.

“Erm,” Harry giggles to himself and it makes YN tipsily follow from her spot next to him. The hand that isn't gripping onto their award goes to cover her smile. “I think we’re just gonna hang out and stuff.”

“YN? Is there any lucky man whom you will be celebrating with?” Another voice in the sea of reporters asks.

“Nope,” YN raises her eyes with a tipsy smile and a slow shake of her head. She shakes her thumb towards her boys with a click of her tongue. “Just these lads.”

“Any lucky lad in particular? Perhaps a curly-headed one standing next to you?”

Almost as if it was planned, the two teenagers comically look beside each other, cranking their necks in playful search of who the intrusive lady was referring to.

“Me?” Harry dramatically questions, pointing to his chest with a bright, open-mouthed, dimpled smile gracing his face.

“Well, I mean he is part of the band, is he not?” YN sassily purses her lips together, her media-training to retain her “good girl” image slipping out of her alcohol induced brain. 

Thankfully, before anything could be escalated further by the tipsy girl, the intrusive press, or the snickering boys, a member from their management team instructs the audience to move onto another person.

2013:

“You guys have known each other for what seems like forever now and your bond with the rest of the guys is so strong...” 

YN reaches forward for a sip from her glass of water on the panel table in her seat in between Harry and Niall. It’s been a long week for the band as they do press for their new movie, This Is Us. They’ve been thrown left and right with interviews that YN can’t help but already be done with the repetitiveness of some of the questions.  

“So then we’re all clearly curious to know if you and Harry are dating?”

“Nope,” YN pops the ‘P’ and shakes her head as if her actions were automatically programmed to respond in that way. She casually waves her finger between the two boys beside her, “But him and Niall are though.” 

The crowd of press people laugh and chuckle as they see Naill gasp and Harry raise his eyebrows in playful shock.

“I mean, you kinda pointed it out,” YN puts on her media-trained smile good enough to win an Oscar. “These lads are like my brothers and our bond is so strong because we see each other more like family than anything else. I see them more as annoying than someone I'd rather date, to be honest,” she forces out a light laugh. 

“Plus, as YN so kindly pointed out,” Harry leans on his elbows on the table as he looks to his crush next to him. YN can see his dimple dig into his cheek as he fights off a smirk. “M’happily in a committed relationship with Niall.”

Harry doesn’t take his eyes off of his bandmate as he leans back into his seat. He watches as she tucks her chin into her chest, her fingers rubbing over her lips to cover her giggle as the rest of the room breaks out in commotion.

2014:

“Can we assume that the rock on your finger is from a certain curly-headed lad?” The woman who’s interviewing them for the band’s new book Who We Are excitedly asks. 

The band are all sat on an L-shaped couch as they discuss the contents of the hard cover book. Sat in between Zayn and Niall, YN purposely avoids her gaze from Harry as she answers.

“No,” YN lets out a forced chuckle as she looks down to fidget with the diamond ring on her finger. Anyone who has looked at more than three pictures of YN can tell that her favorite pieces of jewelry are her assortment of rings along her fingers. But only true fans know that part of her liking to the small jewelry is to help her fidget with them when she has anxiety. It’s an odd feeling however that the newly gifted one has been the cause of her increase in nerves. “It’s um, from me boyfriend—well, fiancé now—Matthew. Harry is like a brother to me so that would be quite weird.” 

“Of course! I was only teasing, love.” The woman laughs with an over-exaggerated smile, clearly disappointed in the answer she was given. “Congratulations to you both.”

“Thank you,” YN forces a smile, still twisting at the shiny ring that sticks out like a sore thumb.

2015:

“YN.”

“James.” She says with the same amount of playful seriousness, the audience in front of them laughs along. As the date of the band’s long-awaited hiatus comes closer and closer, their good friend James Corden interviews them in the same location where they filmed the music video for Story of My Life. 

“Harold,” the host directs his attention to the band member sitting next to her.

The fans in the crowd only giggle in giddiness even further as Harry playfully throws a hand up in confusion with what the fans call his ‘frog’ smile. 

“Now, we are all truly devastated when we heard the news that you and your long-time partner had called it quits a couple of weeks ago.” The audience laughs when James comically shakes his head no. YN even lets out a laugh when she sees the fans in the audience cheer at the news of her new relationship status. Despite the support she feels from the fans, it doesn’t necessarily calm the nerves at why the host brought the topic up in the first place. “Now we’re also all wondering if this may have possibly opened up, I don’t know, an opportunity for you to seek something with another lad?”

“Um,” YN lazily holds her microphone to her lips as she gives James the news that will hopefully shut down the conversation. “I think m’gonna just focus on myself for a bit. Yeh know, take a break from dating and all that.”

The room breaks out into chuckles when the host makes noises like he doesn’t believe her. He wags his interview cards in the air as he says, "I mean, both of your writing credits on some love songs tell me otherwise..."

Truthfully, the two friends can't deny that logic. They've either individually or co-wrote a plethora of love songs...that may or may not have been about each other. But will they ever admit that to a room full of their fans who have been shipping them since their XFactor days? Hello no.

“Well, the beauty that YN and I see in music is that songs are always up for interpretation," Harry interjects. "They can mean anything you want them to be, in any sort of scenario.”

“Yeah, like, lyrics don’t always necessarily have to come from a place of experience,” YN adds on, professionally keeping her voice from wavering in nervousness. “It certainly helps but that’s not always the case. Especially now.”

She can’t help but laugh along with the rest of the crowd as James holds an expression like he doesn’t believe a word they said.

“Okay, fine. Deny it all you want,” James puts his hands up defensively. “I just...I don’t know, I just think that this could really be Something Great.”

The room of fans (and die hard ynrry shippers) squeal and scream out in a mixture of excitement and disbelief from his use of the One Direction songs that are heavily speculated to be about YN and Harry. 

“Whatever, it’s your guy’s decision at the End of the Day,” James continues nonchalantly, trying to hide the smile that shows that he knows exactly what he’s doing. 

Fans’ eyes bounce back and forth between the two band members in question. They see as YN has her hands clasped together on her crossed legs, biting the inside of her cheek to keep her witty comments to herself. Harry, on the other hand, leans his elbow on his knee with his index finger over his smirk. He tries to cover up his chuckle with a cough to his fist before pushing back his long curls. 

“All we want is for you guys to live Happily ever after, is all.”

2017:

“Now, both of you little sneaky sneaks went to Jamaica together to make his album. Come on, tell me I’m wrong,” Nick Grimshaw teases, wiggling his fingers in a beckoning motion.

The two were currently on BBC Radio with their good friend that they’ve known since their days in the band. Dropping their first solo albums in the same week caused their fan bases to go into a frantic frenzy. The two have a full day ahead of them as their record labels and management teams paired the two up for a day jam-packed with press and interviews together.

“You are not wrong,” Harry laughs, adjusting the chunky headphones over his ears. He’s already rolled up his white button-up sleeves and discarded his picnic table-looking blazer to lay on the back of his chair.

“Sneaky sneaks?” YN chuckles next to him, leaning her elbows on the counter and moving her hips to rotate her swiveling seat from side to side.

“Well, I only say that because you guys are obviously dating now, right?”

“Do girl and guy best friends always have to be dating?” YN easily swerves the question back to the radio host.

“Well,” Grimmy tilts his head from side to side. “Not necessarily, but wouldn’t that be a good story? For your future kiddos perhaps?”

YN and Harry bark out a laugh.

“Sorry, m’getting ahead of myself. Maybe you lads would want to save that for your wedding day instead.”

“Can I swear on the radio?” YN playfully yet genuinely asks the host which makes Harry giggle.

“But I mean, what are your fans—and quite frankly, the rest of the world—supposed to think when a good majority of the songs on his album are about you, Miss Two Ghosts?” Nick teases with a wiggle of his eyebrow.

YN’s jaw humorously drops, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as a nervous laugh threatens to escape. The two knew that they would get poked and pried with questions and accusations like this since their trip to Jamaica. There’s no use in trying to deny their close relationship with one another, spending more time with one another than any of their fellow band members since the start of the hiatus. 

Unable to quickly come up with an explanation, being so caught off guard, she turns to the only other person she can trust. 

“Jenny?” YN playfully calls for her manager who’s behind the glass window of the radio studio, leaning forward to look at her despite Harry in the way. 

“Help me, Jeffery,” Harry playfully pleads to his manager as well.

“No, no Jeffery. Jenny, get back in your chair, young lady.” Nick points out for the listeners who can’t see what’s currently happening. “Alright, I’ll stop, I’ll stop,” The host waves his hands, seeing the two visually calm down at the news. “Now, I’ll just play the one Harry wrote about YN. This is Two Ghosts!”

Harry playfully yells out an “Oh, no!” as he pushes himself away from the desk. YN lets out a humored scream at the same time, taking off her chunky radio headphones and tossing them onto the desk. 

2020:

“Okay, a big question that I’ve been getting on Twitter since it was announced that the two of you would be on here today,” Roman Kemp waves a hand in front of him at the Capital FM Breakfast Radio headquarters as he looks onto the two pop stars in front of him on the Zoom call. The couple can be seen in two separate rooms: Harry in a naturally lit room while YN sits against one of the brick walls in her bedroom.

Harry has his purple robe on that his girlfriend gifted him a couple of years ago, looking as comfy as ever since he doesn’t have to get dressed up to go outside for anything lately due to being on lockdown. 

YN on the other hand, didn’t want to miss the opportunity to get dolled up. Well, at least from the waist up. She wears one of her silk button-up blouses with her last name embroidered on the left chest, her hair neatly done up in a slick ponytail and her make-up nicely done. When she got complimented on her look, she clumsily lifted her leg up to show off her heart-decorated, fluffy pajama pants.

“And I feel like both of your fan bases combined would come out of quarantine to quite literally murder me if I don’t ask you guys this...” YN and Harry keep a mutual face on as they wait to hear what the host has to say. “We all know that you guys are an official couple now, but are you guys physically staying together at the moment? Like, are you guys living together or at the same house or...?”

The couple takes a second to process the intimate question. As Harry parts his lips to answer, he’s interrupted by his girlfriend speaking first. 

“Y’know, we’re kind of tired of getting questions like this. I don’t think it’s really appropriate for other people to know about that kind of stuff,” The crease between YN’s eyebrows becomes more apparent and her shoulders move sharply after letting out a deep sigh.

“Oh, I-I’m so sorry if I offended you guys—” The radio host quickly begins to retract.

“M’sorry but I think m’actually gonna log off now. Erm, thank you for having us.” YN curtly nods before the host and Harry’s faces fill the screen, both with wide eyes at the unexpected reaction from the go-happy pop star.

“Wait, did that really just happen?” Roman and the other two interviewers are deers in headlights, his eyes bouncing around the screen to make sure what just took place. 

“I think so,” Harry sighs. “It’s just a sensitive topic for us, y’know. I can’t really blame her for what she did,” He professionally hides his smile as he hears the quick pad of footsteps coming down her spiral staircase.

“I really meant no harm, it’s just—”

“It’s just really hard to keep our private life private, you know?” Harry drags on with a deep sigh. “And it's just really hard for us to have to answer things like this. Like, we don’t really know what you guys expect us to do when...” Harry’s dimples dig into his cheeks, a boyish giggle comes tumbling past his lips when YN peaks her head sideways in front of his laptop camera.

“YN!” Romans scolds with a bright smile, infinitely relieved he didn’t just make enemies with the world’s favorite female pop star. He dramatically throws a hand over his heart.

“Sorry, I’m sorry! It was just too good and Ro, I think you’re the only one that would be able to handle a joke like that.” YN laughs as she slides in close to her comfy-looking boyfriend.

“So I’m assuming this confirms my previous question?” The host asks excitedly.

“Yeah,” Harry smiles fondly at his love, discreetly wrapping an arm around her waist that’s low enough to not be shown on camera. “We’ve been living at YN’s place in LA for a couple of weeks now. And yeah, it’s been fun.”

2022:

In a full black suit, Harry is escorted to the next interviewer on the red carpet for the premiere of My Policeman. After a couple of initial questions, the eager woman asks, “Last thing before you get whisked away, on behalf of the fandom and everyone else on this planet, we just want to send a massive amount of love to you and YN.”

“Thank you very much,” He nods, putting a hand over his heart and trying his hardest to keep the growing smile on his face at bay. 

“And we are all just dying to know,” She takes a quick, excited glance back to the camera. “If you’re going to drop the big question soon?”

Harry can’t help but huff out a laugh, the kind where his dimples dig into his cheeks and the crows feet appear next to his eyes. If they only knew that YN kept the ring he gave her—the ring that signifies their promise to become husband and wife on their anniversary—at home for the sake of privacy and for this very reason. 

“Um,” He looks up in fake contemplation before giving her a cheeky shrug. “I dunno. Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?”

“Well, best of luck to you both.”

After being escorted away, the camera doesn’t stop filming Harry as he goes over to stand next to his fiancée on the red carpet. Although the camera can’t pick up what YN says to Emma Corin that makes the actress laugh, her beaming smile turns to Harry when she feels his hand on her back. He can’t hold back from planting a loving peck on her cheek before the two are escorted to their next section on the red carpet. 

2023:

On a show in Cardiff, Harry adjusts a flag on his shoulder as he walks around the catwalk on stage. As he begins to sing Satellite, he makes a stop to sing to a group by the barricade. 

It’s nothing new to YN and Harry’s respective shows when fans bring signs with something on it to get the artists’ attention. Honestly, it’s become one of the parts of the show they look forward to the most.

So when Harry’s eyes move over to a newly raised sign that says ‘shag?’ on it, he breaks out into a smirk. Part of the fun of when fans bring signs is that there’s always a handful that asks these sorts of questions: Are you single? Can I have your number? Are you dating? 

It’s not so much the content written on the signs that makes the interaction so enjoyable; it’s the response that he gives. 

Because all Harry does is break out into that dimpled, love sick smile that YN can’t get enough of and happily points to his wedding band.

.

.

Taglist:

@ashtongivesmebutterflies @cacapeepee

(let me know if you want to be added to the taglist 💚)

[arcadia-of-pluto]

Twist of Fate; Twenty-Two

Pairings; LADS OT4 x reader

Word count; 2,055

Themes; isekai, slowburn (eventual smut), canon divergence

Rating; swearing and mature themes

Notes; Hey guys! A little late on the update, but I finally got around to finishing 22! I'd say half of 23 is gonna be Foreseer Zayne and then we're onto Lightseeker Xavier (I know the Zayne chapters have went on for a long while, but I haven't written much for Zayne so...This is for the Zayne Biased <3). I'm sorry I can't rush and have them back to the current timeline just yet, but I'll try to keep it short and sweet.

I'm also working on a few things for Divisa! So I'll probably be up late tonight, unfortunately for me.

prev || next

☆ Masterlist ☆

The moon masks the sun, and only a golden ring remains. A beam of light strikes the Creatio protocore. Light reflects off of it, forming chaos and patterns of disorder, which is brought into the hands of the Foreseer.

Ancient symbols gradually appear as he pieces together a puzzle. Astra’s will has presented itself, and the Foreseer’s indifferent facade reveals a hint of indignation as he too is imprisoned by the prophecy. Astra has spoken.

Those who defy fate are sinners and shall be punished by Him.

When you finally open your eyes, you find yourself lying on the floor of your room. Moonlight cascades onto the empty bed. You only recall being overwhelmed by a strange feeling at dawn…Were you unconscious for the whole day?

You look in the mirror and realize…the marks have already reached your neck. Your clothes will no longer be able to hide them now.

If you take the Creatio protocore…will the Foreseer still be Zayne? And if he isn’t the Foreseer, he’s doomed to be trapped in the Tower forever. Doesn’t that make him a prisoner? You don’t want to hurt Zayne, but…You can’t die like this.

What if you told Zayne the true extent of your illness..?

You enter the library and ice appears in front of you, forming an arc. “Good morning, Jas…Is the Foreseer here?”

The phantasm sways from left to right.

“So he isn’t… You and the Foreseer dislike lies. Would he ever forgive someone who has lied to him?”

Jas sways in an agitated manner.

“Of course..” You say with a sigh, “He won’t forgive me then.”

Jas hears sorrow in your voice, and a platform of ice appears under your feet, lifting you up. More ice appears, shimmering and glittering.

It’s trying to comfort you.

You can’t help the sad smile that ghosts across your lips nor the tears that mist your eyes. “Thank you, Jas.”

You sit on the ice, traveling between the endless rows of shelves. Has Zayne read all of the books here?

“I wonder what the Foreseer does when he’s upset. Then again, he might just scowl regardless of his mood.”

As you mumble to yourself, it suddenly begins to snow. You’re in awe, watching snow descend like flower petals dancing in the wind. A few snowflakes fall onto your hand. They sparkle like crystals and do not melt.

“What are they?” You murmur, running your thumb across the snow in your palm.

“Were you not the one asking about what I do when I’m upset?” You hear a calm voice from below. You sit on the floating platform as Zayne stands at the door, looking up at you. 

“So it is possible. Was the prophecy not to your liking?”

“It matters not. Only a true envoy of the king can deliver it.” You stay silent at that, pursing your lips.

It seems he still hasn’t let that go…

”You are mocking me again. You aren’t upset then.” Zayne lifts a finger and the ice carries you down to him. He looks you in the eye.

“And you? What do you do?”

“I…” You think of the flowers you planted in the past as they sway in the breeze. “I dance.”

“I thought humans only dance when they are happy.” 

“Not all of them. The more upset I am, the more I try to move around.” 

You hear Zayne audibly sigh before he glances at you, then holds out his hand. “May I?”

 “...Are you requesting a dance? Here?” A small laugh of disbelief slips from your lips, a smile tugging at the corners of your mouth.

“We will both feel better if we dance under the snow.”

You hesitantly look at Zayne. His expression is reminiscent of a merciless blizzard as per usual.

“Would you prefer we do something else?” 

“We can dance.” The warmth of Zayne’s hand spreads from your fingers to the rest of your body. In the Tower’s library, you waltz. Snowflakes gently flutter about, and you step on the jasmine-shaped ice. 

Everything has led to this precious moment. You gaze into each other’s eyes, your hands touching, your steps synchronized.

“You’ve lived here by yourself since the beginning so…who taught you how to dance? This can’t be your first time.” You question and Zayne looks away for a moment, “Perhaps my body still remembers the motions from the past.”

“...Are you referring to your other lives?” Your tone was softer than usual, almost matching the slight change in tone that the Foreseer also carried.

 “The Foreseer cannot truly die, so your description isn’t right.” Zayne looks at you, but it feels like he’s gazing into a time long gone.

“What is it like to remember things from another era?” This was a question you could get behind.

Especially since you were currently remembering things from a time forgotten. 

“It is no different than being in a never-ending snowstorm.” You watch Zayne, the lonesome air surrounding him. Though you are in the same room, moving to the same rhythm, he is a dreamer whose dream may soon come to an end.

However, you felt the same way. This dream of yours was bound to end soon and you’d find yourself in yet another one soon after.

You squeeze his hand. “If the snowfall is eternal, find someone to dance with you. At the very least, the two of you will be happy.” Zayne’s gaze sweeps across you like a feather brushing across your cheek.

“You don’t seem to be upset anymore.” His voice was barely above a whisper and you cheekily reply, “Our dance would be better with some music.”

Following the rhythm of your steps, you start to hum. Your voice echoes within the library.

“You…always hum this melody when watering the jasmine.” He notes, avoiding your gaze. “So you’ve noticed…”

“Will you sing for me?”

“To the afterglow cries cosmic demise. Our world in deceptive amber paradise.

In these sands of time. My frozen bouquet awaits.

With your gaze so full of wonder, I hold four jasmines asunder. His secrets revealed.

Hark the bard, ‘O legends unfold. This distant tale they sing to you. Unspoken desires, sincere and true.

A jasmine in time’s embrace. A fragrant aria, a moment’s grace.”

○o。.

.。o○

Zayne…couldn’t recall the first time the jasmine appeared. Ever since he took upon the mantle of Foreseer, the Tower of Thorns had always been home to the jasmine that never bloomed.

It is like a riddle waiting to be solved, or maybe it’s a metaphor for his fragmented memories. The jasmine’s existence is an unremovable thorn— a reminder of his past, or his failure to remember who he is.

Zayne dreams the same dream. It is one he has dreamt of many, many times. He kisses the jasmine bud, and then his entire being sinks into darkness.

“Zayne. Zayne.”

Yet he hears her, her voice cutting through the shadows.

Why does her voice sound as if it’s from the jasmine itself and from the distant past?

Zayne waits for the darkness to swallow him once more, yet when he opens his eyes, the jasmine he kissed in his dreams has turned into the face of a girl. 

A girl he knows all too well.

○o。.

.。o○

“Zayne…Zayne?”

You frantically knock on Zayne’s door, time passing by ever so slowly before he finally opens it. He appears to have just woken up, his eyes hazy with sleep.

“I thought you were normally awake at this hour?” You question, one hand on your hip.

Though, Zayne doesn’t respond. Instead, he only looks at you…as if you were a stranger.

“Ah…Nevermind. Follow me!” Brimming with excitement, you grab his sleeve and you’re surprised he lets himself be dragged out of his bedchamber.

You’re trying to keep your pace slow since Zayne had just woken up, but you were too excited. You bring him to the top of the Tower.

In the joyous glow of the sun, the jasmine’s trembling petals unfurl one after another.

“Zayne, look! The jasmine has bloomed!” You quickly turn to face him, wanting to see his expression﹘curious about his reaction. His eyes hold a burning spark as he looks at you.

“I…What?” You let out a nervous laugh as you rub the back of your neck. “Haven’t you been looking forward to this?”

However, Zayne is still silent. He lowers his gaze, suppressing the light in his eyes. It seems he’s looking at the jasmine and…you.

“...At last.”

“So? Am I not a skilled gardener?” 

“You were late.”

“Huh?” You shake your head with a small smile on your lips. “When not a single blade of grass grows here but a strange jasmine, you don’t need a gardener.”

“Hence why it only bloomed in your presence.” 

Zayne was…being strangely nice today. He also appeared to be much happier than before. You wonder what he dreamt about that would make him feel less cold than before.

“...Don’t shower me with praise. Now you’re making it sound like this was bound to happen.” You clear your throat and step closer to the jasmine, fingertips brushing against the soft, fragile petals.

Deep in thought, Zayne continued to stare at you. “Have…I offended you again?” You tilt your head to the side. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

His gaze shifts to your hand still holding his sleeve.

Huh…You must’ve forgotten to let go.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was too excited.” As you let go, Zayne grabs your hand.

“This is not a mere coincidence.”

“...What?” You’re not exactly sure what to make of Zayne’s words. You gaze drifting down to your hand encased in Zayne’s much larger one.

“You are not the first to step foot in the Tower of Thorns. No one has been able to make the jasmine bloom. Only you have succeeded.”

Something…about his voice makes your heart beat more quickly. An unfamiliar emotion spreads through your chest.

“What is it? You’re not acting like your usual self…” He’s acting slightly like Doctor Zayne– your Zayne.

“You’re right.” Zayne hesitates to continue, an indescribable emotion flooding his eyes.

“Allow me to take you to another place.”

“To where? You said I could leave once the jasmine blooms, did you not?”

Ouch, it feels a bit rude to bring up leaving right as an unemotional man starts acting emotional but…Sure, let’s go with that.

“Do you want to leave now?”

No.

“I…”

Do you?

Do you want to steal the Creatio Protocore, make Zayne lose his power, and leave him imprisoned in the Tower forevermore?

No…You don’t want him to be “perpetually frozen” anymore. But…you’ll die, won’t you? Without the Creatio Protocore…

☆ミ

You never expected Zayne to take you to the field of jasmines in Philos: Floral Inquiry. Under the warm sunlight, you walk amongst the seemingly never-ending sea of flowers.

“Zayne?” You question as you walk side by side and he turns to face you. The expression on his face is familiar yet unfamiliar. It’s unfamiliar because of how different the Foreseer and you are— the distance between you a chasm.

But…The current him reminds you of that wraith and of your Zayne.

You don’t understand…Is the person in front of you real or an illusion?

“Why did you bring me here, Zayne?” You were at a loss. You weren’t sure how this dream was going to end, feeling like it’s been going on for forever at this point.

You really thought it would be wrapped up by now…but surely all of the angst and sadness is done, right?

Zayne’s eyes shimmer like a lake on a midsummer’s day. “I wish to confirm something.”

His words give you little to interpret so, instead, you repeat to him, “...What is there to confirm?”

He suddenly cups your cheek, seemingly losing himself in your eyes. His gaze shines bright. Your heart begins racing, violently thundering in your chest.

What…is he doing?

“That…I won’t lose you again.”

…Huh?

…Again?

Then, a suffocating indigo is all you see. The blinding light consumes your vision while your heart feels like it’s being crushed. Your hand clutches at your chest and you catch a glimpse of Zayne’s panicked expression before you faint.

The Cryoriais.

That damned icy disease. 

I barely did any proofreading so if there's any misspellings or skipped words, I apologize 😭 i just wanted to get this chapter out bc i felt bad for missing Friday. Anyways! I'm leaving to go type up a few more chapters. <3

Taglist; @orphicmeliora , @yoongi-tunes , @mitzkooni , @hiqhkey, @tanspostsblog , @shypotatoes013-blog

[fandomnsfw]

Cherry - James Potter x Barmaid!Reader

Pairing: James Potter x Barmaid!Reader

Prompt: the songs Cherry by Harry Styles and the song Best Friends by Rex Orange County

Warnings: smut basically. (Also first song type fic so go easy on me!)

No Beta today lovelies let me know about spelling errors. ENJOY!!!

***********

You clutched your jacket to your body, running as fast as you could, your heart pounding against your chest as your lungs fought to take in more air. Your hair was whipping in the wind as you sped around the corner straight towards The Three Broomsticks. The second you burst into the pub everyone stared at you in mild shock before going about their evening. 

“Y/N your late!” Rosmerta huffed making you pout. 

“I know I was up late helping my sister with her homework.” You sighed as you slid the denim jacket off your shoulders before wrapping the plain black apron around your waist, putting your notepad and pen in the left pocket then your small tea towel hanging out the right pocket. 

“Be warned The Marauders are playing tonight so it's gonna be packed.” Rosmerta explained as she began ringing someone up. 

“O-Oh. Awesome.” You stuttered as you tried to control your emotions. 

“Don’t tell me you still fancy Ja--

“I am well aware he has Lily you don’t need to remind me.” You glared at her making her eyes widen. 

“Actually, they split up about 6 months ago.” Rosmerta whispered with a smirk. 

“R-Really?” You whispered trying to conceal the small flicker of hope. 

“There was a rumour that she found out one of his songs was about another girl.” You heard Frank whisper behind you making you jump a little. 

“I hate it when you do that. That’s the most stupid rumour I’ve ever heard.” You snorted with an eye roll. 

“It’s Cherry.” Her stated and suddenly you couldn’t breathe.

“I don’t think I’ve heard it.” You muttered with a frown. 

You had gone to school with both the Marauders and The Valkyries. You had been friends with them for the most part but they weren’t people you overly saw outside of school. So, when school finished you never really spoke to them again. When you got a job here, you’d occasionally see them after they performed. However, when they got more popular, they started doing bigger gigs. You had even dated James in year 9 when you were both 13 but you were kids, so it didn’t last. You both thought you were so mature, calling each other baby and kissing cutely behind the side of the science block.

You grinned at the adorable memory before shaking it off just in time to see The Marauders walk through the side door. You looked up to see those same hazel eyes, even to this day you would recognise in a crowd, even after all this time they still made you heart clench. You hadn’t seen him in over a year, it felt surreal. 

“Holy shit! Is that little Y/N Y/L/N?” You heard Sirius shouted excitedly making you tear your eyes away from James who was staring at you liked he’d seen a ghost. 

“We were in the same year, ya’ fuckin’ numpty.” You snorted making Sirius grin. 

“Hey show some respect! I'm a rockstar now!” Sirius laughed causing you to roll your eyes.

“Ha! I don’t give a shit if you're selling out 100,000 tickets love. This is my domain.” You snickered before passing him a beer.

“How’s Evan? You guys have been together since...year 10 right?” Sirius asked excitedly as he sipped his beer. 

“We broke up, about 2 years ago actually.” You muttered awkwardly as you tried to busy yourself drying the rim of a glass with your tea towel. 

“Oh! That sucks.” Remus sighed sadly as his eyes flickered towards James. 

“Right, I'm letting in the crazies so get yourself set up lads!” Rosmerta shouted as she pointed to the small stage in the corner of the pub. 

You watched the set as the boys played happily, they hadn’t changed in the slightest, even now with such a serious fanbase. They were still fun and down to earth. You watched the first few songs with interest as you served the gaggles of girls that were cheering too loudly but you couldn’t blame them. They’re in their element up on stage, like they’d always been. You chuckled as Remus and Peter told the other two they needed a break. 

“We’re gonna play Cherry whilst our Drummer and Bassist take a break.” James muttered breathlessly into the mic.

Sirius began playing a beautiful tune on his acoustic guitar that you instantly felt a connection with. It almost sounded like the first random tune James created when he first learnt to play guitar. You decided to take you break and stand a little closer to the stage. This is the song Frank had said was about someone else. When James started singing you listened to the lyrics intently. 

‘Don't you call him baby. We're not talking lately, Don't you call him what you used to call me.’ He looked at the floor as he sang making you frown in confusion, he usually sang with a lot more confidence, until he finally looked up to meet your eyes.

‘I, I confess I can tell that you are at your best, I'm selfish so I'm hating it.’ His eyes bore into yours and you couldn’t understand why, but you figured maybe the spotlight was obstructing his view.

‘I noticed that there's a piece of you in how I dress, Take it as a compliment. Don't you call him baby We're not talking lately Don't you call him what you used to call me’ You frowned as you realised he was wearing a red plaid shirt over a white T-shirt similar to one you had back in school. Don’t be stupid Y/N it’s not about you, you thought to yourself.

‘I, I just miss I just miss your accent and your friends. Did you know I still talk to them? Does he take you walking round his parents' gallery?’ You instantly felt your heart stop as your eyes widened. This song was about you, Evan’s parents owned an art gallery in the next town over. You looked for an escape spotting the door to the outdoor smoking area and immediately sped out the pub telling Frank you’d be back soon as you shoved past the hordes of girls. 

“You okay Y/N?” You heard someone shout as you got outside. 

“Is that song about me?” You asked blatantly making Remus smile sadly. 

“Its one of them.” Remus answered calmly taking a pull of his fag. 

“THERES MORE?” You shouted, your jaw dropping in shock.

“Yeah, there's also Best Friend that’s an old one though.” Remus laughed calmly, you grabbed the half-smoked fag from his fingertips and took a long drag of it. 

“You were always...the one that got away, I guess. You dated as children, but I think James always wished you guys had waited until later in life.” Remus added making your eyes soften. 

“This isn’t why Lily and James broke up is it?” You asked, guilt swimming in your gut but the question had laughing again. 

“Nah, Lily came out the closet.” Remus chuckled making your eyes widen.

“O-Oh okay.” You chuckled shyly before passing the lit smoke back to Remus which he motion for you to smoke. 

Remus left you to your thoughts as you took drag after drag trying to calm yourself down. Your hands were shaking causing the ash to drop off the cherry-Cherry…why was it called that? You thought curiously your nerves fading into curiosity. Just then you looked up to find those hazel eyes staring at you from the exit of the smoking area.

“Hey.” He muttered like he couldn’t quite believe you were here.

“Why Cherry?” You asked abruptly making his mouth open as if to say something but he paused for a moment before finally speaking.

“You had this red tinted lip gloss…when we dated, it was the girliest thing you owned, and it tasted like Cherry. You wore it everyday for a whole year even after we broke up, then in year 10 you started dating Evan and stopped wearing it.” He answered softly making your heart clench.

“I can’t believe you remember that. That was 12 years ago.” You chuckled in disbelief.

“I remember everything about you…about us. Like how you never used to style your hair because you’d always run your hand through it and ruin it. Or how you didn’t wear much makeup in summer because you have hayfever and are always rubbing your eyes. You used to hate the colour yellow but you think your baby sister looks amazing in it. I remember how you used to love when I’d play with your hair. I also remember the last time we really spoke, it was just after we had finished 6th form and we all went to the pub. You were out having a smoke and Evan had already passed out at the booth. I said to you that I was glad I’d met you and you replied—

—Don’t be such a sap. Just buy me somet nice when yer’ a rockstar.” You finished for him with a laugh which was quickly silenced when you looked at James hand that was holding a box in his hand.

Your eyes widened as you stared at the box like it was about to bite you. He seemed to find this amusing but he swallowed his laugh and opened to box showing you the contents. There sat a white gold chain with a white gold and rose gold cherry pendant hanging off it. He took it out the box, sliding the empty velvet box into his pocket before approaching you. You could feel tears building in your eyes as he came behind you.

“I was jokin’ ya’ fuckin’ sap.” You sniffled so quietly you were sure he heard you.

“I wanna say I forgot how much I love your accent but that would be a lie.” He chuckled happily as he lower the chain around your neck.

His fingers brushed against the skin at the back of your neck causing your body to come alive, goosebumps all over your body, you held your breath, praying this moment would never end. He did the clasp so slowly, you knew it was intentional, but you didn’t care you welcomed it. 

“Can I take you out next week?” He whispered in your ear his hands brushing all the way down your spine over your clothes.

 “Y-Yes.” You stuttered almost breathlessly.

**********

You were just sliding your white strappy heels when the knock on the door came. You brushed off your white satin shirt that was tucked into a grey tight mini skirt that hugged your hips perfectly. You opened the door and instantly saw a bunch of what looked like a bouquet of flowers but when you took a longer glance you realised it was multi coloured chocolate covered fruit made to look like flowers.

“I suggest this be put in your fridge and not a vase.” James joked making you grin.

“Probably for the best. These are awesome, way better than normal flowers.” You giggled as you pulled out two gold dusted white chocolate cover strawberries before placing the ‘bouquet’ into the fridge.

“You’re wearing the lipgloss.” He muttered in shock as you passed him one of the strawberries.

“Well I’m wearing a cherry lipgloss. I don’t think they even sell the brand I had 12 years ago.” You giggled before biting into your own strawberry.

“You look gorgeous.” He muttered happily as he finished his strawberry, popping the stick in the bin before holding out his hand for you.

“I would return the sentiment but you have enough fan girls doing it for me. Where are we going?” You snickered as you slid your hand into his, lacing your fingers together.

“Thought I’d take you to that little Italian place they just opened then maybe dancing?” He muttered nervously making you soften.

“You could’ve said McDonald’s and I’d of been happy cos I’d still be with you.” You replied sweetly making him grin from ear to ear. 

“Careful, you almost sound like a sap.” He teased you playfully.

“I’m not 18 and emotionally stunted. I’m  allowed to be a sap.” You argued with a cute pout on your lips.

“Stop pouting or the only place I’ll be taking you will be the old science block.” He whispered in your ear as you both exited your flat block.

“Mr Potter the scandal!” You exclaimed in a Scottish accent, a clear imitation of the time Ms McGonagall when she’s found you both behind a wall kissing. Though you had joked back your cheek we’re still painted red with James previous ‘threat’.  

“Oh I miss Minnie. I wonder how she’s doing?” James sighed softly with a small smile on his face.

“I see her at Tesco a lot. She seems well. She recently retired lives just at the edge of Hogsmeade in a small cottage.” You answered with a grin.

“I miss living here. Don’t get me wrong I love being able to play music and live with my surrogate brothers but I miss the quiet here. I still come back to see mum and dad but it’s not the same.” James sighed as he looked around at everything around him as you both started walking towards the restaurant hand in hand.

“Could you not live here but still do your gigs?” You asked with a soft frown on your face.

“I never thought so but recently Remus has been talking about being closer to his parents. They moved up here a few years ago when Remus mortgaged them a little cottage with 2 bedrooms. I think he wants to settled down, have some roots. Sirius is a wild card though. He’d rather be in a new city every night. Peter only has his mum so I think he’d be happy to move back here too. So really it’s just Sirius stopping us.” James rambled making you smile at the utter familiarity of it.

“He’s dating that Pop singer right?” You laughed making James roll his eyes.

“I think she really understood him and it freaked him out so he ended it not long before we got here. That’s my guess anyway…he won’t talk to me about it.” James huffed with an eye roll. 

“Idiot.” You snorted as you both saw the restaurant ahead.

James opened the door as you both approached it, his face lighting up when you leaned up to kiss his cheek before walking past him into the restaurant. James stood in front of the host with a polite smile. However when the young woman looked up her face instantly lit up.

“You’re Jame Potter right? The lead singer of the Marauders?” She asked as if trying to keep the excitement out her voice.

“Yeah we have a table booked for 7.” He replied with a smile.

“I love your new song Cherry.” She gushed as she showed him the way your table clearly not even bothering with your presence.

“Thank you! Can we get two glasses of red please? And some menus?” James asked as he pulled out your seat and suddenly the girls eyes were on you. 

She scanned you with a look of mild disgust until she caught sight of something on you that seemed to have her flushing, with anger or embarrassment, you weren’t sure but you looked down and instantly realised you had the Cherry necklace James had given you on.

“Two glasses of red. Got it, here’s your menus.” She stated in a professional tone that made your eyes widen. When she walked away you turned to James with a deadpan look.

“She totally knows.” You whispered nervously.

“Knows what?” He asked with a frown.

“That I’m Cherry.” You hissed as she began coming back towards the table with two glasses of wine.

“Thank you.” You said sweetly making her eyes narrow before turning back to James.

“Can I get a quick picture and an autograph?” She asked in a sickeningly sweet tone that made you laugh behind your wine glass.

“Do you mind?” James asked you sweetly making you smile with rose tinted cheeks.

“Of course not love.” You whispered softly making him grin happily. 

He jumped up, posing for a picture with the girl before grabbing a napkin and signing it for her. She gave him a bright grin before scampering off probably to text her friends. You watched as James sat down with a happily look on his face.

“You’re really in your element aren’t you?” You chuckled softly as he looked up into your eyes, sipping his wine.

“Without our ‘fans’ I really would be no where. Did you know the first record company that approached us was because a young woman who worked there, retweeted a video clip of our gig in a run down underground bar in London. She gushed about it so much a few of the higher ups saw it. Sirius got his first photoshoot because a photographer saw her teenaged daughter liking a bunch of the bands Instagram pictures. Without fans we would probably be washed up nobody’s.” He explained and you felt your heart melt. 

“I’m so glad you stayed the same baby.” You whispered with a cheeky grin.

“I never called Evan baby by the way. Just wanted to clear that up.” You giggled making him flush.

“Good. I-I never called Lily it either.” James replied making you smile a sincere smile.

“Good.” You sassed playfully making him chuckle.

You both finally ordered food, flirting over the dinner table with an alarming amount of ease. It felt natural, like this was a normal everyday date night; and not the first proper date you two had ever been on. You laughed, you both got tearful and nostalgic. Everything was going swimmingly until your ex boyfriend walked in with a blonde girl you knew was his secretary.

When you both locked eyes he seemed to go through a slew of emotions ranging from sadness to love, until he caught sight of James and it all turned to anger. 

“I want to say I’m surprised but I really shouldn’t be should I?” Evan scoffed quietly as he approach your table.

“Evan, how are you mate?” James tried casually making Evan visibly sneer at him. 

“I’m well, thank you Potter. When did you two start dating?” He spat making James’ eyes narrow.

“This is our first date.” He stated as calmly as he could, clearly surprised by his hostility.

“I’m surprised, considering you’re the reason my girlfriend of 7 years said no to my marriage proposal.” Evan spat out and suddenly everything grew silent.

“If I remember her words correctly. She said ‘I’m sorry Evan I can’t marry you. I can’t picture my life in the future with you. I thought I’d give us a chance but I can’t take the next step when I don’t feel it.’ I obviously asked what she meant by it and she said ‘The pull.’ I had no idea what she even meant. I mean I was her first PROPER boyfriend she’d never been with anyone but me. Then I found her secret little—

“Shut up Evan.” You snapped in utter humiliation.

“I found a box full of things from when you two had you 3 month long relationship in year 9. Letters, notes with music notes on them, cute little gifts you gave her. There was even a cutely pressed flower sealed in resin. I mean I’d think that was cute if she had things like that from OUR relationship but nope. Nothing.” Evan finished making tears prick your eyes.

James was never gonna wanna see me again. He’s gonna think I’m some creepy stalker that has been obsessed with him for 12 years. You went to stand up but James reached out and wrapped his hand around your wrist.

“What did you honestly think was going to happen by telling me that she’d been longing for me just like I have for her? I also have a box filled with things from her including the red plaid top she left at mine after a party in year 11.” James snorted out proudly making your jaw drop. 

You wiped the unshed tears away carefully before you glanced at Evan who looked beyond angry. He didn’t say anything else just walked to his own table silently. You turned to James who let out a small sigh making your heart clench in fear. 

“I never understood why you dated that dick.” He huffed with an eye roll.

“Because you started dating Lily.” You whispered brokenly and he looked up at you with a frown.

“I didn’t start dating Lily till you started dating Evan.” He corrected making you frown.

“No I remember seeing you and Lily at Madam P’s on a date. You bought her my favourite cream puffs.” You huffed with an eye roll.

“I bought them for you! Then when I went to give them to you you were making out with Evan!” He argued and suddenly tears pricked your eyes.

“N-No cos then that would mean I wasted 7 years with the wrong person…” You whispered sadly with tears brimming your waterline.

“Oh baby…” He muttered sympathetically before standing up to kneel at the side of your seat.

“We were kids. We didn’t know better. As adults we know it’s easier to talk about things instead of assuming.” He stated gently, his hand caressing your thigh in a soothing manner.

“Come on, I’ll pay for dinner then we can go for a walk instead of dancing?” He offered sweetly making your heart pound heavily in your chest.

You gave a nod and collected your purse as he signalled for the waiter. The waiter came over with the bill which you quickly offered to pay half of, but James looked psychically wounded, so you dropped it. 

He offered you his arm which you took as you both began strolling towards the park. He was quiet until we got to the floral covered entrance of the park. He clutched your hands that were resting around his bicep as he looked down at you.

“I missed you.” He suddenly said making you flush under his gaze.

“I missed you too.” You replied sweetly making him grin happily.

************

You walked into your flat, locking the door behind you and putting the latch on before throwing your keys into the bowl near the front door. You kicking off your shoes before shuffling straight towards your bedroom. When you opened the bedroom door and turned on the light,  you instantly caught sight of your boyfriend making you frown a little before you let out a squeal of happiness.

“Shit…I fell asleep.” James grumbled huskily as he sat up rubbing his eyes. He grinned at you sleepily holding his arms out.

“I thought you weren’t back till next week?” You giggled as you launched yourself into his arms.

“The show in Sheffield got cancelled cos of the rain. So we came back early.” He explained as he nuzzled into your neck.

You and James had been dating for about a month, you’d only given him a key because he was always away so you told him if he ever got back early he was welcome to chill at yours. You guys had yet to take it to the next step, you weren’t sure why he was hesitant, but for the past three days since you’d accidentally given a full view of James naked torso over FaceTime, you’d been insatiable.

“I missed you baby.” You whispered in a rather seductive tone as you settles on his lap and leaned down to kiss him softly.

“Mmm missed you too.” He mumbled as he pulled away from the kiss. 

“Nope m’not done yet.” You grumbled as you brought him in for a more heated kiss.

He gasped against you lips but his hands gripped at the back of your work shirt. You moaned against his lips, your tongue sliding along his bottom lip teasingly before pulling away with a grin.

“I need a shower. You are welcome to join me.” You offered with a wink as you climbed off his lap to strip down to your undies.

“I’ll wait until your out. I’m not making love to you for the first time in the shower.” He chuckled as he stripped off his T-shirt and laid back on your bed with a smirk.

You couldn’t help the way your eyes raked over his now naked torso. It was like he was sculpted by the gods. The only thing you could think of in that moment was, I wanna lick him. He reached down and cupped his package, something that would usually make you roll your eyes but instead you found yourself wanting to drop to your knees and beg him to use you. 

“Ugh it should be illegal how fuckin’ hot you are.” You huffed before stomping off to your bathroom with a pout.

When you got into the shower you sighed happily, you realised you’d thankfully shaved the day before as well as washed your hair so it saved time. You quickly put on a shower cap before stepping into the water to start washing. You used your expensive lush Snow fairy shower gel, smiling at the sweet smell. Once done you got out and dried yourself off before using the matching Snow fairy body mist. 

You took the show cap off and wrapped the towel around you before wandering into your bedroom. When you walked in James looked up and immediately sat up straight. He must’ve been expecting you to come out in clothes because his face flushed softly.

“Why pray tell, are ya’ still dressed?” You smirked making him grin.

“Apologies my lady.” He exclaimed as he very dramatically dropped his pants making you openly laugh.

“Idiot.” You laughed as he threw his jeans and socks across the room leaving him in a pair of tight Calvin Kleins. 

“You look like a fuckin’ Calvin Klein advert.” You groaned deciding to wind him up as much as you felt wound up.

The second the towel dropped so did James’ jaw. You smirked as you sauntered over to the bed, your hips swaying as you went. James seemed in a slight daze as he shuffled after you. You laid down, leaning up on your elbows to raise an amused brow at him.

“Fuck you’re gorgeous baby.” He groaned as he crawled onto the bed admiring you body openly.

“Been wanting this for days.” You whispered as he hovered above you, his arms trapping you against the bed. 

“Oh really?” He teased his index finger trailing up your body slowly, until it reached your chin.

“Mhmm Sirius accidentally pointed the phone at you when you went to change a few days ago…haven’t been able to satisfy myself since.” You pouted playfully making him smile.

“Poor baby.” He whispered huskily in your ear before leaning down to kiss just below your ear making you gasp.

“Please James…” You whispered breathless arching again him as his hand slid downwards until he arrived at your hip.

He said nothing, instead he gave you what you wanted. His hand slid down a little further, his fingers brushing through your already wet folds. He groaned audibly as his finger pulled the wetness to your clit and began massaging in slowly tentative circles. You arched against him your moan long and full of desperation. 

“Feel good love?” He asked sweetly as he began pressing kisses over your chest before taking your left nipple into his mouth, suckling on it gently.

“Mhmm…oh f-fuck…just like that baby.” You moaned as he dipped two fingers into you tight wet heat before dragging them back out putting pressure on your clit before diving back in.

“Need to taste you.” James growled as he backed down the bed until his face was level with your dripping pussy.

You suddenly felt a little panic. Evan had only done this once of twice in the years you’d been together and it was never any good for you. As if James sensed your worry he sat up a little and stared at you with worried eyes.

“I-I’ve never…I’ve only done this twice a-and I-I didn’t really enjoy it..” You whispered shyly your ears and cheeks flushing bright pink.

“I’m sorry… I thought I just heard you just say you’d only had this done twice?” He whispered in disbelief making you shrink a little.

“Fuck that come ‘ere baby. Let me change your mind.” James whispered in a slight daze as he bent your legs back exposing you but before you could feel embarrassed his tongue was on you.

You moaned at the feeling as he began leaving sloppy kisses all over your exposed heat. You keened against him try to change the feeling but you loving accidentally caused his tongue to slip a little further than your pussy. You let out an embarrassing squeak covering your face with your hands as James peered up at you with the dirtiest smirk on his face, if you’d of been feeling more coherent you’d of slapped it off.

“Interesting.” He whispered smugly as he kept eye contact and over down to lick your puckered hole making you gasp loudly which was followed by a long drawn out moan as he did it again.

“Gonna file that but of information away for another day.” James chuckled huskily before moving back to your pussy which he quickly began devouring as he slid two fingers inside your sopping wet heat.

“O-Oh shit…” You moaned loudly as he pressed his fingers into your g-spot.

“Could do this all day.” James groaned, his hips grinding into the bed like a horny teenager which shouldn’t of been as attractive as it was.

“M’Close love.” You cried out as his finger sped up but his tongue stayed gentle and precise. The combination had you clenching around his fingers but you needed something but you couldn’t quite figure it out so you took the initiative.

“Stick your tongue out baby.” You moaned and he looked up at you with a hint of surprise before he looked at you lustfully and did what you asked.

You hands slid into his hair as you began grinding against his tongue. He groaned at the sight of you using him for pleasure but you couldn’t focus. You threw your head back in pure ecstasy as you thrust against his tongue.

“Fuck yes. That’s it baby…gonna cum all over your pretty face.” You moaned as your hand gripped his hair even tighter. Finally you felt yourself tumbling over the edge your thrusts erratic and untimed but you clenched around his fingers coming undone on his tongue.

“Ahhh James.” You cried out as your legs shook with the force of your orgasm. When your body turned to jelly you released his hair letting him sit up as he licked his lips happily.

“That was so fucking hot.” James growled as he leaned down to kiss you heatedly.

“Need you…Need to be inside you baby…please.” James whispered breathlessly as he shimmied out of his boxers.

“How could I say no when you look so pretty begging.” You chuckled seductively as you reached down to guide his rather large cock into your pussy.

He pushed in slowly making your head fling back in pleasure. You’d never felt this full, it was like you could feel him everywhere. You let out a long drawn out moan, your heat clenching around him as he bottomed out. He let out a husky groan, burying his head in the crook of your neck.

“Fuck your so tight.” He growled against your neck making you chuckle.

“That because the only person I slept with was barely 5 inches.” You snorted and James let out a surprised laugh.

“That is the only time talking about an ex is acceptable in our love nest.” He laughed as he leaned up to kiss you passionately making you instantly forget what you’d even been talking about.

When he began thrusting inside you wet heat you let out an embarrassingly high-pitched moan that had you flushing as you attempted to bite your lip to contain anymore.

“Ah ah. Don’t you dare cover your moans. Wanna hear you.” James growled as he gently freed your lower lip from your teeth.

“James.” You moaned as he sped up his pace.

You flung your arms around him, your nails digging into his back as you lost yourself in the feeling of him inside you. You pulled him into a messy heated kiss, your hands sliding into his hair to grip it tightly.

“Fuck…harder p-please.”  You so yes as you pushed your hips up to meet his thrusts.

“We’re supposed to be making love baby.” He teased as he refused to speed up.

“James if you don’t fuck me like a whore I’m gonna get myself off while you get to sit there with blue balls.” You growled threateningly making his eyes widen.

“You my love have got a dirty little mouth on you.— he gave a deep thrust to punctuate his words.— Such— thrust—An—thrust—impatient—thrust—little—thrust—slut.” He growled before he began pounding into you.

“Fuck yes! M’ yer’ little slut though.” You moaned loudly making him groan, his cock twitching inside you as he began thrusting at an animalistic pace.

“S-Shit so tight and wet for me.” He moaned huskily against your neck, his hand squeezing your arse cheeks roughly.

You clung to his muscular body unable to do more than lay there and let him fuck into you like his own personal fuck toy. You could feel yourself building up again so you reached down to circle your clit but James slapped your hand away before leaning up to spit on your pussy, the whole scene was something you’d thought would disgust you but it only had you moaning as he brought his fingers to your clit. 

He began circling the swollen bud as he contained fucking into you roughly. You felt yourself teeter towards the edge until he began drilling straight into your g-spot knocking your orgasm out of you like a punch. You came around his cock which triggered his own orgasm, growling through gritted teeth as he came inside you. 

“F-Fuck Y/N!” He groaned deeply as his came, his thrust begin to slow down until they came to a stop. Your legs were shaking and you felt limp everywhere but you’d never felt so satisfied.

“Wow.” Was all you managed to say as James moved your left leg to lay over your right one before laying down behind you making sure he didn’t slip out.

You flushed a little at the intimacy of the whole thing but as he left soft kisses on your spine and shoulders, you closed you eyes and basked in the feeling. Usually you’d jump straight up, pee and get dressed but this felt right. 

“I—

The sound of James phone ringing broke the moment and he rolled his eyes before sliding out of your pussy causing you to let out a breathless gasp. He smirked down at you as he grabbed his phone and answered the call.

“What do you mean your outside ay/N flat?” James sighed as you passed him his boxers. He slid them on after hanging up on his best friend and walking towards the front door of your flat. 

“Sorry to interrupt you screw sesh but this is important!” Sirius exclaimed as he pulled out the bands shared tablet and slapped it into James hand.

“Your ex girlfriend posted a new single?” James questioned with a frown as you finally came into the room dress in James t-shirt.  

The second the song finished you burst out laughing. You knew you shouldn’t of but the fact was, it WAS fucking hilarious in your eyes. 

“You finally pissed off the wrong girl.” You snorted through your laughter.

“What the fuck do I do now! Everyone knows this is about me!” Sirius growled as he began pacing.

“It’s a good song?” James tried as he tried to hold back his own laughter.

“Are you serious?” Sirius screamed making you fall into another round of laughter.

“Karma. Am I right?” You smirked before plugging the tablet into you speaker with the aux cable before blasting out the song.

“I don’t speak boy shit!” You cheered as you did a little dance making James burst out laughing. 

[banquetwriter]

Hi! Are you doing requests? If so, could you please do a softdom!Ron x sub!reader? And if at all possible, could he call the reader puppy, or pup? 🥺

୨୧ Puppy days ୨୧

pairing: Ron Weasley♡︎Fem!Reader

warnings: ୭̥⋆*｡, 

summary: ʚ After late-night quidditch practice, Ron gives his little puppy some love ɞ

words: 880

AN: No I'm not gonna talk about how this request is from APRIL OF 2022. Ahem, deepest apologies anonny <3

⤾·˚ ༘ ◡̈ ⤾·˚ ༘ ◡̈

Ron was sore and agitated. He stepped out of the boy's locker rooms. “See you later guys!” Dean called back to Harry and Ron. A few more goodbyes were shared, as the captain and seeker of the team left for their common room. “You gonna stay with y/n tonight?” Harry asked, walking up to the fat lady. “Oi, what are you lads doing out this late?” she asked, appalled. ���Quidditch," Ron shot back. He was tired and just wanted to go lay down. 

“Oh good lord,’ she mumbled. “Password?” she asked, yawning afterwards. “Mimbulus mimbletonia," Ron sighed. The common room door swung open. “I think so mate. Haven’t been with her much this week with the positions test and all. She’s been studying,” Ron said, plopping down on the couch. Harry nodded. “What about you? I expect you have some very nice words to say to my sister right about now," Ron said, wiggling his eyebrows. “Shut up," Harry jabbed, sitting on the arm of the couch. “She is at a sleepover and besides, I’ve been studying for that test, Ron. I just wanna sleep s-so, fuck off mate,” Harry said, shaking his head, sitting up off the couch, and walking off to his room. 

“It was a fucking joke,” Ron mumbled. He let out a deep sigh, watching the fire crinkle and crack. It was early January and school had just started back up again. Ron would give almost anything to go back to Christmas vacation. Sitting alone in the common room. y/n snuggled on his chest. The fire going. It was a blissful silence. 

But it was time for him to go up to his room. Well, it was technically y/n’s room. She was the prefect that got her room to herself. He sighed. He needed a shower, but he was so exhausted… ‘No, a shower is what I need tonight,’ Ron thought. He entered the room to see his sleeping girlfriend cuddled up in his clothes. She was fast asleep, snoring. He let a small smile spread on his lips. He set his gear down in the corner of the room.

He quietly trailed to the shower. Scrubbing his body and hair thoroughly. He hated to admit it, but y/n’s hair products always made his hair feel amazing. But he always felt bad when she had to buy more of it because it kept running out so often. He got done with the shower, stepping out, drying his hair, and wrapping the towel around his body.

He heard light and slow pitter-pats leading up to the bathroom. He opened the door to see y/n holding one of her stuffies. “Sweetheart, it’s well past your bedtime pup, watcha’ doin’ up?” he asked, walking up to her. Her eyes hovered over his bare chest, water beads dripping down his stomach. She took a deep breath, managing to look at his eyes. “Just heard something, wanna make sure s’ you,” she said, rubbing her eyes. 

“Tsk tsk, puppy,” he murmured, turning her around, his hands clamped down on her shoulders. “Let's get your cute butt back in bed ok?” he joked, pinching her butt. She let out a whimper and swatted his hand away. He let out a small laugh, helping her climb into bed. He finished drying off his body.

He looked over at y/n, who was staring intently at his dick. “Puppy?” he asked, waving his hand slightly, trying to get her attention. She looked up at him with a small smile. “Sorry, Ronnie, got a little distracted,” she mumbled, slowly bucking her hips forward. 

Ron let a shit-eating grin paint his face. “Yeah, puppy? Distracted huh?” he asked, and dropped the towel, climbing on top of the bed. “Well baby, that's a shame, you were being soo good for me too. Now look at you, staying up past bedtime, 'n staring at my dick. Not how proper girls act at all, huh?” he asked. He made his way up to the bed where he had both of his arms over her. 

But she didn’t answer. She just sat there. Her breaths were bigger and deeper. “Oh puppy, let's not be even more of a brat. Just answer me, ok?” he whispered, getting closer to her face. But still, she couldn't answer. “Y/n, answer me,” he said in a low voice. He had positioned himself close to her face, his red hair tickling the side of her face. y/n let out a small giggle as his hair moved along her cheek. “Oh, now you're giggling, huh?” He let his face hover over hers.

“I’m sorry, Ronnie! Just so tired, and I missed you lots this week,” she mumbled, turning over. “That's alright baby. I will let it go tonight, ok?” he mumbled, standing back up, reaching for his boxers. “That sounds alright to me," he heard her mumble, already falling asleep again.

Ron pulled his boxers on, moving the blanket so he could slip under it, lifting the other side for his beloved, who immediately darted to his chest. “I love you too,” he mumbled under his breath, giving her a small kiss on the top of her head. “Good night Ronnie," she let out through a whine. “Goodnight pup.”

[toriluvsnickwayne]

Getting Hooked

Chapter 1

Hook x Reader

Getting Hooked Masterlist

Tyler’s POV :

I stared at my phone, the message from my dad, Taz, flashing on the screen: "Meet me at the warehouse on 5th and Main. We've got business to handle on the other side of town." I sighed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Another day, another job. I'd been groomed to take over the family business, and that meant putting in the work. I dressed quickly, grabbing my gun and holster out of habit. The drive to the warehouse was uneventful, but my mind was already on high alert. What kind of business could we have in a rundown part of town? I pulled up to the warehouse, spotting my dad's car and a few of our associates lingering outside. As I stepped out of my car, the rest of the Lads - Dante, Action, Anthony, and Darius - fell in step beside me, their faces a mask of seriousness.

"Hook," my dad nodded in greeting, as we entered the warehouse. "Glad you're here. We've got a situation to discuss."

The Lads took up positions around the room, their eyes scanning the shadows. I knew that look, something was off. My hand instinctively went to my gun, a familiar weight in my holster. Whatever this business was, it wasn't going to be pretty.

———

Y/N’s POV :

I stared at my reflection, adjusting my makeup and hair for what felt like the hundredth time. Skye, my best friend and coworker, chuckled as she applied her false lashes.

"You're gonna be late, Y/N," she teased, winking at me.

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. "I'm just making sure I look perfect for the customers."

Skye snorted. "You know they're only looking at one thing, honey."

I blushed, playfully pushing her shoulder. "Hey, we're more than just objects, okay?"

Skye grinned. "I know, girl. But we gotta play the game to get ahead."

We finished getting ready, donning our skimpy outfits and high heels. The club's dressing room was bustling with the other girls, all chatting and laughing as they prepared for the night's shift. Skye and I exchanged a look, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing, tonight was gonna be a long night.

Authors note: Hey! Let me know on yall opinions or suggestions this is my first story I’ve written! And I’ll also start to take requests! Who I write for

[yellowkitkieran]

Situationship (Andy Robertson)

Masterlist

Word Count: 3.6k

Summary: You no longer want a friends with benefits relationship with Andy, but he fumbles and has to try winning you back.

Situationships are… complicated. Messy. They almost always end in disaster. Which is why you tend to avoid them. Working in the media department at Liverpool means the lads are constantly grafting and fighting for who gets what spot behind the lens you're holding, and you never thought much of it.

That is, you didn't think anything of it until Andrew Robertson seemed to take a liking to you. A few months ago, Andy seemed to take a shine to you. He volunteered for media duties, went out of his way to bring you coffee in the mornings, and even stayed late to keep you company one night. 

Still, you didn’t let yourself hope. Not until he approached you with a reserved smile and a hint of red coloring his cheeks. One question in that delicious Scottish accent of his had you folding: "Can I take you out some time, love?"

Really, when a man possesses such enrapturing eyes that just so happen to be the color of caramel poured over crunchy fallen leaves, it's not fair that he also have gallons of charm hidden in his smile. You were powerless to resist him that first day, and you're still powerless now- even after you've both promised there's no strings attached.

No feelings, that was the one stipulation you both set out with from the start. One date was all you agreed to before you realized you couldn’t jeopardize either of your jobs. And while you hadn’t enjoyed yourself that much before or since that night, both of you knew no relationship could be allowed to bloom. The threat of termination was too high- you both decided that a physical relationship was all that was allowed. 

And for the first month or so, that was fine. You didn't think about Andy while going about your business. He didn't consume your thoughts at night- unless it was a night that you needed a release, then his moans would swirl in your head and bring you that sweet relief you hunted for. 

But Andy has a way of wiggling his way into hearts, and yours is no different. You've felt the feelings growing for weeks now, though you're terrified to acknowledge them. Tonight is the last night you'll have with him before he leaves for a stint on international duty, and you already know you'll ache for him- and not just between your legs. Your heart will hurt too, yearning for the brief moments of intimacy he affords you after you've fucked like rabbits. 

Nights like tonight only make it harder for you to separate yourself. Your fingers trace shapes over his bare abdomen, the thin trail of hair leading under the sheet slung low over his hips only tempting you for another round. But you promised you wouldn't tire him out before he left, and his low, even breathing suggests he is already half asleep as it is.

"I'm gonna miss you," you mumble, the words slipping out before you can think to stop them. Your head rests on Andy's chest so you can feel the hitch in his breath as he processes what you've just admitted. You try not to focus on it and move to tracing shapes on his chest instead, the soft hair there tickling your fingertips. 

"I'll be back in a few weeks and then I've got a full day off- we can catch up on all the sex we've missed." Andy speaks so nonchalantly, so off the cuff, like he truly feels nothing for you even after all this time. It's more of a stab in the heart than you'd like to admit. How? Do you truly mean so little to him? You can’t wrap your head around the callousness of his voice. ‘Catch up on the sex’, like you’re no more than a body. Like he doesn't feel the same genuine connection that you do.

You shove off his chest, pulling the sheet with you as you sit up. You cover yourself as best you can, feigning modesty considering how many times Andy has seen you physically bare. Mentally though? You feel raw, jagged and broken like a vase smashed on the tile. 

Andy sits up too, picking up on the way your entire mood has taken a nosedive. "What- what? If you don't want to see me when I'm back that's fine-" 

"God, you really don’t get it do you?” Andy has the good sense to appear wounded, like you’ve struck him. Good. Let him feel the same hurt that has settled in your soul. “I'm sick of this," you spit, "I'm sick of pretending I don't care. That I don’t want anything more from you. Is this really just sex to you?"

Andy's wide, searching eyes roam your face. He tries to puzzle out the hidden meaning behind your words. Except nothing is hidden- you're too hurt to bother masking it. It’s all written on your face plain as day. Andy would be able to read you even if you were trying to hide it. Whether he admits it or not, he knows you better than you know yourself most days.

"I dinnae understand," Andy says with that gentle voice you recognize he uses with younger fans, like you’re a fragile thing inches from breaking. "That was our agreement? I don't… no strings love, that's what we said."

"Don't call me that." 

“Then don’t be cruel- what's going on?” Andy reaches for your wrist but you yank yourself away. The fingers that brush your skin feel like a brand, marking you as his property without any sort of reciprocal claim. 

“I can’t do this anymore.”

“Love-”

“I said stop calling me that!”

Your desperate shout rings through the room, stunning whatever response Andy was about to brew right off his tongue. He watches, shell shocked as you hastily pull on your shorts and search for your purse. You snatch your shoes and are halfway to the door before Andy’s tongue frees itself, “I dinnae understand. Are you saying this is over?”

You pause, looking over your shoulder. You memorize the confusion in his eyes, the way his eyebrows twitch together as he tries to understand. But if he hasn’t already figured it out, then he never will. You have to protect your heart, and if hurting Andy means keeping yourself safe, then it is what has to be done. 

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Andrew. Please don’t contact me outside work anymore. I’m professional enough that I won’t let this affect anything, but I’ll probably call on you less. It’ll be easier that way.”

“Easier for who?” You almost believe the crack in his voice is genuine. Almost, but not quite.

“For everyone,” you murmur as your heart breaks. “Me especially. Goodbye Andy- good luck at the qualifiers.”

**********

Goodbye Andy- good luck at the qualifiers. 

Your pain fills Andy's throat with broken glass. Days have gone by and he's not heard a word from you. He hasn't missed a message, or even a post on instagram- his phone has been glued to his palm since that morning after you walked out. He woke up to a cold bed and an empty heart, and the ache that has since settled in has taken the shape of you, but carries none of the same fervor. 

Some way, some how, Andy needs to put his loss aside. It's his fault anyway. You walked out because he was too scared to admit what he felt for you, and now he must live with the consequences of his own actions. Andy winces as the common phrase brings to mind all the tiktoks you sent him that used that sound with those words- would everything remind him of you?

“Andy, mate- what’s going on with you? You’re not yourself.”

Andy startles, forcing a plastic smile that he has become all too familiar with over the past week. “Sorry lad, had a rough couple of days before I flew out. I’ll be ready to lead us out on Sunday, don’t worry. I’m fit to play- just going through something.”

“You want tae talk about it?” Without waiting for an answer, Kieran sits at the bench adjacent to the one Andy currently occupies with his elbows resting on his knees. He pretends to adjust his imaginary glasses up his nose, poising his invisible pen over his palm. “Ready to analyze your thoughts and give my unasked for opinion on your troubles, skip.”

For the first time since you broke things off, Andy laughs. It's genuine and he hears the shutter of a camera from somewhere over his shoulder, but for a second he feels a sliver of himself shine through. “Nah mate it’s nothing big, just some troubles with a lass-”

“Oh, romance! My area of expertise… Who’s rejected you Robbo? I thought no woman was immune to your Scottish charm?”

“Well sure normally but this girl… She was different mate. Special.” Andy cannot bring himself to look at his friend as he says it. Andy hasn't heard from you since you walked out, which wouldn't worry him if he hadn't sent you a half a dozen messages asking to talk. 

Kieran straightens, all humor dissolved by Andy’s tone. “Oh you’re serious- why haven’t you told us about her then? You know what, it doesn’t matter,” Kieran immediately back tracks and waves a hand. “What’s gone on? Maybe talking it through will help.”

So Andy does, relaying all the small details he can remember. Which is a lot- he recalls the tear on your left cheek when you looked at him, the hitch in your voice when you said you would miss him. He should have just admitted it then, that he would miss you like an addict misses their dealer.

“I should have said something. Told her the truth but I- I was bloody terrified KT, I wasn’t sure how she would take it. And now she won’t respond to any of my messages, won’t answer my calls. I right fucked it, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Kieran sighs and smooths a hand over his hair. Andy prides himself on knowing his teammates, and he recognizes the gesture as one Kieran does when he’s strategizing. Normally it’s seen when standing over a free kick or holding a ball for a throw-in, and it’s… comforting to see his friend treating his problems with the same precision and care he normally saves for the pitch. 

“You know what I would do mate?” Andy shrugs, indicating for Kieran to continue. “Send her a plane ticket with her name on it, tell her to come up here for the match. No I’m serious- not like your pocket will feel the hit and you’ll know for sure where you stand. If she shows up, you can have a second chance, and if she doesn’t… then you have your closure.”

"Blindside her? Mate be serious," Andy says, shoulders shaking with a short laugh. That would never work. The way you looked at him when you were at the door was like you were cataloging each of his features. The sort of way someone does when they know they'll never see a person again. Thinking about it now shoots an arrow through Andy's chest. He rubs his sternum as if that will erase the actions that led to his heartache in the first place. 

"I cannae just send her a plane ticket. I'm pretty sure she's got me blocked anyway." Andy pulls out his phone to show Kieran the evidence. Two messages in your chat, both with 'sent' underneath them and not 'delivered'. 

Kieran tips his head side to side while he rolls words over his tongue. "It could be that her phone is off-"

"For three days?"

"Let me finish. It could be that her phone is off, or she's blocked you so she's not tempted to message you. Doesn't mean she hates you, just means she needs space. So buy the ticket, send it to her and ask her to come. If Monday rolls around and she's not opened it, I'll message her instead, she won't have blocked me."

Andy does just that, using the passport details he has saved in his frequent flier account to buy you the best ticket he can find for Tuesday. He sends you a screenshot and doesn't torture himself by checking whether or not it is delivered. 

**********

"This is the most absurd thing I've ever done. I should go home- am I really gonna get on this plane? I'm gonna go. I'm… gonna go?"

You stare yourself down in the mirror. You miss Andy more than you care to admit. You thought you'd be fine, able to slough off the hurt in a few days, but it's been over a week and your chest remains emptied out and hollow. You know what's missing, and things are finally lining up. If you go, you'll have your answer. Does Andy truly care, or is this some sort of elaborate scheme to win you back to his side?

"I'm gonna go," you say firmer than the first time. Worst case scenario, you win a free holiday in Spain. Best case… Andy admits you're more than just friends who occasionally sleep together. There isn't much more to it other than living with the eternal embarrassment of being rejected by a footballer. Then again, plenty of women live with that anyway.

You throw clothes into a suitcase- swimsuits, short skirts, cropped tops- hastily, having no time to fold them and prevent wrinkles. You debate taking the navy scotland kit Andy had given you to wear one night, mumbling something about having his name on your back being the ultimate turn on. You grab it anyway, shoving it to the bottom and forgetting about it almost instantly. 

"Right then, before I change my mind." 

It feels like something out of a fever dream when you walk through the airport. Boarding the plane is hazy, as is the shirt ride. You barely register the business class seat or the upgraded service that accompanies it; you're too busy using the complimentary wifi to catch up on all the scotland national team posts you've avoided since the break began. There's one shot in particular that you become stuck on: Andy's head tipped back, his mouth open, eyes squeezed shut as he cackles. You swear you can hear his laugh from here. 

When you touch down, you aren't exactly sure where to go. That is, until you check your messages from Kieran and find an address waiting for you. Upon arrival you're delighted to notice how normal the hotel seems compared to what you expected. Business people and families file in and out of the lobby, utterly nonplussed by their high profile guests. You guess that makes sense, considering that the Scottish boys are guests here. 

You give Andy's name at the front desk, and the petite blonde woman smiles softly at you. "He was nervous you wouldn't show. Sweet man," she says, her accent thick on the vowels. "Keep him around for sure." 

"Um… thanks? I'll just take the key."

"Shall I let him know-"

"No," you say quickly. The woman's eyebrows shoot up and she pauses, as surprised as you are by your quick refusal. "Um… I want it to be a surprise. I'm gonna show up at his match and see if he notices."

"Amor, trust me. He'll notice."

Two hours later you find yourself in the backseat of another Uber. The driver speaks no English so it's quiet, though you couldn't miss the man's pointed glance at the oversized navy jersey you currently wear. You weren't sure if it was too much but ultimately, did it matter? If Andy breaks your heart you can buy a Spain shirt and toss his in the trash.

When you stand outside the stadium, you're glad for the throng of fans that push in at every side. You're quite sure people heckle you for wearing enemy colors, but at least you can't understand a word they say. Someone bumps your shoulder but you don't move. The soles of your feet are glued to the cobblestones. They're sticky with tar when you move your limbs, climbing the steps as your ears ring.

There are a thousand and one ways this could go wrong. There's only one way this can go right. The odds are astronomically stacked against you. You've never been one to play the lottery but… you feel good about this gamble. 

Anonymously settled into the third row of the away fans, you absently wonder how much this single ticket costed. Though likely a drop in the bucket for Andy, it's likely more than you would ever dream of paying for something like this. You munch on snacks while you wait for kickoff, both excited and nervous to see Andy's face on the screen. 

And when the Scottish anthem plays, and the camera pans over Andy? Tears spring unbidden to your eyes. Pride wells in your chest, completely unfounded but also perfectly right. 

That's my Andy, you think to yourself.

You're mesmerized by the way he moves on the pitch. He commands his side with grace and elegance as they hunt for a goal that will put them on the scoresheet. Spain is not a throwaway opponent; the home side fights tooth and nail to keep a clean sheet, though Kepa simply cannot keep out the strike that comes from Dykes, crossed into the box by Andy. 

You erupt along with the entire away section. A beer splashes your arm but you're too caught up in Andy's brilliant smile as he celebrates with Lyndon. They stop in front of the Scottish fans, your voice lost in the roar of the crowd. 

See me, see me, see me- 

Andy's eyes skim over you. You are simply one face in a sea of thousands right now as the captain does his duty to celebrate with his countrymen and women. And for now, it is enough to see Andy happy.

The rest of the match is more of the same: Scotland dominates a sloppy, unkempt Spanish side that seems more adept to second tier football than European qualifiers. Andy keeps his side in line, captaining them to a second goal in the final minutes of regular time that Spain simply cannot find an answer to. When the final whistle blows, you worry you may lose your voice from how loudly you cheer. 

Slowly, fans in navy begin to file out as the Scotland lads make their rounds. They all wear various sizes and shapes of smiles, each as enthusiastic as the last. You climb over seat backs to make your way to the front, determined to be recognized now. You've come all this way and you'll be damned if Andy doesn't even get to see you in the stands. 

For a moment, you're worried he'll miss you. He laughs with Kieran, both lads over their moon with their dominance. It's Kieran who notices you first, his smile growing as he nudges his friend. You can read Andy's lips from here, hold on I'm not done, but Kieran grips Andy's chin and forces his head towards you.

When Andy's eyes meet yours, you're floating. Your feet move of their own accord, leaping over the barrier and ducking the arm of the security guard whilst Andy shouts for him to let you through. You meet in the middle, slamming into Andy's sweaty chest. He lifts you off your feet, shoulders nearly crushed in his embrace. 

Your laughs mingle. Your head spins when Andy sets you down again. He shakes his head, hands under your jaw to tip your face towards him, thumbs running under your eyes like he cannot believe you're here. 

"Guess I owe Kieran ten quid." 

"Not yet you don't mate," Kieran chimes in. "Bet was she flies over and that she kisses you." 

You shrug then, laying your hands on Andy's chest. You trace random shapes, looking up through your lashes to meet his eyes, "ball is in his court there. I can't kiss him, not yet at least. He's gotta make some changes first."

Andy grins, his hands settling on your hips. He can't seem to get enough of you, not that you can blame him. You're the same, wanting to kiss him so badly your entire body aches. 

"She cannae kiss me cause I haven't asked her to be my girlfriend yet. But now that I'm asking, maybe she will-"

You surge up to kiss him before he's finished, letting your mouth answer him without speaking a word. Andy's arms wind around your middle to pull you flush, deepening the kiss by sliding his tongue over your lips. Despite the fans and the staff and players watching you let him, desperate as you are to show him what he means to you. 

Andy breaks away to fight for breath. You both laugh, comfortable and happy despite a very spontaneous, very hard launch in a very public way. 

"I love you," Andy murmurs. Something in your heart springs free. "I'm never going to make the mistake of walking away again."

"At least I didn't fly out here for nothing then. I love you too."  

[crazyf0rswayze]

Johnny Cade: Love Poem

JOHNNYS POV

"Ponyboy?" I asked 

"Yes Johnnycakes?" Pony replied walking over

"So y-you know how I like y/n...yea well I wanted to asked her out...but i-i wanted to write a poem to ask her out...a-and tell her how I feel. But I don't know how to write a poem...." I explained

"Ok! I'll help you then." Ponyboy said, taking a seat next to me

"Ok...so I would start off with some things you like about her. So make a list, and then we'll word it so it rhymes" Ponyboy explained to me. He wrote poems for school alot, so that's why I came to him first

"W-well she look really pretty when she wears plaid...l-like flannels and stuff" I said

"Ok! Yes great. That's a nice start" Ponyboy said to me enthusiastically

"Sh-shes really beautiful...and she makes me go mad. Hey! Hey ...plaid and mad kinda rhyme" I said excited that I was getting a good start

"Yea... yea it does Johnny" Pony said...a little shocked that I was catching on quick

"And...I see her...i-im....GLAD! Glad rhymes" I said, as I started writing everything down

"Mmmmm....and...when she cries...I get ......SAD! Sad rhymes "

"Wow...you're a natural! Ooh, so I learned what an Olympiad is, and it's those four years between olympic games! You could say something like....'for you i would wait thousands of Olympiads'" Pony suggested

"Yea...thanks. I didn't know that" I said

"Hey, you learn something new everyday "

"PONYBOY, GET READY FOR BED" Darry yelled out from his room

"OK DAR....GIVE ME A MINUTE IM HELPING JOHNNY WITH SOMETHING " Ponyboy shouted back 

"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT....NOT TOO LATE OK?" 

"OK DARRY! THANKS" Ponyboy yelled out

"Ok...where were we-" Ponyboy said looking down at my paper with shock. In the few seconds that he was looking away, I had started to form the poem. Ponyboy leaned over my shoulder so he could see what I was writing.

"Johnny, that's really good! I like how you mentioned Robert Frost's poem 'Nothing Gold Can Stay'!" 

"T-thanks. Do you think y/n's gonna like it?" I asked worriedly

"Yea! I think she's gonna love it! I gotta get ready for bed ok? But I'll help you in the morning if you need me to" 

"Ok!" I replied focusing on my love poem

Ponyboy patted my back as he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. 

'youre a beautiful lad

And you look wonderful in plaid

Your looks made me go mad

And you not being next to me makes me sad

For you, I would wait thousands of Olympiads 

And they say 'nothing gold can stay'

Yet you're standing right here'

I yawned as I read over what I had. Gosh...I should go to bed. Just in case Y/n came and stayed at the Curtis house tonight, I gave the notebook I was writing in to Ponyboy to keep in his dresser drawer

"Mmmmhhmm whats that" I heard Sodapop ask

"Nothin'" Ponyboy responded. I think Sodapop was too tired to question it because all he did was groan tiredly. 'Close call Johnny' I thought to myself. 

Just then I heard the door open. It was y/n. 

"Oh..hey Johnnycakes." Y/n said  

"You ok?" I asked the girl. She looked a little spooked

"Yea Johnnycakes! Just tired. " The pretty girl replied to my question

"O-oh. Yea I get it. You can take the couch. I don't mind Darry's recliner" I offered Y/n

"Are you sure? I don't mind the recliner either" Y/n asked

"Yes. I'm sure" I reassured the girl

"Alrighty then" she said with a yawn

She went to lie down on the couch. She looked really cute when she was tired. And cuter when she was all cuddled up in the blankets. I found myself standing there looking at Y/n with heart eyes. I then went to lie down in Darry's recliner. 

"Good night Johnnycakes" y/n said in the darkness

"Good night Y/n" I replied to her. It was surprising how easily I found sleep that night.

                              IN THE MORNING

"Hey Y/n" Ponyboy said as he walked into the living room with my notebook and pen. He sat the notebook and pen down on the recliner's arm rest.

"Thanks Pony" I said with a yawn

"Mmhhmm. Hey Pony" Y/n said sleepily

I opened up the note book to continue writing my poem. 

'when I see you I'm glad

But when I see you cry I get sad

And I get mad only a tad when socs pick on a perfect lad like you

I could do better than any guy named Brad, Chad, or Vlad

You're like a beautiful dainty lily pad

My feelings for you are like a wild fire

They won't stop getting bigger

And no Valentine's card card could explain it

You're a perfect shining piece of gold 

That I know will stay'

I wrote as Ponyboy started cooking. 

"Whatcha doin' Johnnycakes" Y/n asked happily

"Nothin'" I replied 

Gosh she was so so beautiful

"Mmmm...ok" she said narrowing her eyes suspiciously

"Y/n, can you go wake up my brothers please?" Ponyboy asked Y/n kindly 

"Sure!" She said springing up 

Ponyboy walked over to me.

"When are you gonna give it to her?"

"I-i dunno." I replied

"Can I read it?" Ponyboy asked

I hesitantly handed the notebook to him. I waited for him to finish reading it for what felt like forever. I was rocking back and forth, from the balls to the heels of my feet.

"Is it good? Does it seem...wrong? Is she gonna like it? What if she doesn't?!" I asked worriedly

Ponyboy chuckled as he put his hands on my shoulders after setting down the notebook. 

"It's great, it seems perfectly right, she gonna love it, and she'd be crazy if she didn't." Ponyboy reassured me. 

I was really worried but whatever. 

"I'm gonna give it to her later today" I said confidently

"Good" Ponyboy responded

A few seconds later, Y/n walked in with Sodapop and Darry following behind. Ponyboy served everyone their food, and we all sat at the table 

"So...how'd everyone sleep" Soda said finally breaking the awkward silence

"I slept alright. Hurt my back at work yesterday, so it was a little hard to sleep" Darry responded before taking a bite of his food

"Mmm...I slept pretty good for once!" Y/n exclaimed with a smile. It made me happy that she was happy

"I slept pretty good" Ponyboy said

"Same here" I replied to Soda's question

"Howd you sleep Soda" Y/n asked, returning his question. 

"I slept good Y/n...thank you" Soda replied

I loved how social Y/n could be. It amazed me how one person could so many amazing words. I snapped out of my trance and looked down at my food, and took a few bites. I felt eyes staring at me. And I felt heat rising up my neck. I looked up at Y/n to find her gazing at me. As soon as I looked up she looked away. I finished up my food, and brought mine and Y/n's plate to the sink. What a gentleman I am! I was really glad these feeling flowed both ways. So now, it wouldn't be as bad giving her the poem. 

"Y-y/n...i-i have something for you" I said after she and I sat back down in the living room. Ponyboy, Darry and Soda were playing cards.

"Really?!" She said excited

"Y-yea here" 

I handed her the folded price of paper. She opened it and started reading. I read it with her, since she was right beside me, so close out legs and shoulders were touching.

"Mmhmm" she hummed out as she read.

She giggled a little, hopefully happy little giggles, not laughing at how odd it might sound.

"Aaawww Johnny!" She said happily 

"D-d-do you like it? Was it bad?!" I questioned her

"Gosh Johnny! I-its perfect? I like how you complimented me, talked about you feelings, and added in mentions of your favorite poem all in one piece of writing!" 

"Th-thanks Y/n" I replied

"It's so beautiful...just like you!" Y/n said, slyly complimenting me.

"Y-you think I'm beautiful?" I asked

"Yes I do!"

"Th-thanks!" I said.

She leaned her body into me, and cuddled up against my body. I don't really know what to do, but Sodapop told me that Sandy liked it when he ran his fingers through her hair, so that's what I did to Y/n. 

"Mmmhhmmm" she hummed out happily. I guess she liked when I ran my fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes, I noticed, and soon enough her breathing slowed. She fell asleep....I really didn't know what to do. 

"Sodapop! Sodapop! Ssooddaaa!" I whisper yelled. 

He walked in the room...

"What do you wa-" he said 

"Oh..." He said seeing Y/n asleep on me

"I don't know what to do...Soda what do I do. Just sit here or carry her to bed?" 

"Your best bet is to sit as still as possible...that's what I do when that happens" 

"O-ok" I said

"You'll get used to it the more it happens" Soda said as the other boys walked in to get him to continue their game

"SOD-"

"Shut up! She's sleeping" Soda said, cutting Ponyboy off. 

"Sorry" Ponyboy said in a whisper

"Uuuhhhhgggg" Y/n groaned out

"Shut. Up. Guys" I warned them all.

"Ok, ok. We're gonna continue our game. Call if you need anything." Darry said

"Real quick can one of you grab me a glass of water...please?" I asked quietly

"Yea" Darry said walking to get me a glass of water.

"Th-thanks Dar" I said

"No problem kid." He replied 

This was the best morning I've had so far. Y/n being happy, and feeling good, her loving the little poem, her falling asleep on me, even if it was a little uncomfortable. I continued running my fingers lightly through my girl's hair. 

"Mmmhhhmmm, I love you so much Johnny" Y/n said. I immediately went red. 

"I-i love you too Y/n" I said. I really, really meant it.

She quickly fell back into a deep sleep. After she did, I lightly kissed her head. 

Really...best. Morning. EVER!

[epitomees]

The year is slowly ending, feel free to use this ask to tag ( and write a positive message if you wish ) the people you are happy to have met this year and as always thank you for being part of the RPC, you are very much adored and appreciated. 🐱

((Well thank you so much for the ask!! I gotta say it's really nice to see positivity blogs like this around more now. I never really seen blogs like these back when I first started, but it's a really nice touch to have this in the RPC.

That being said, I gotta say it's been so SO nice getting to know more peeps in the Persona RP community/general RPC interested in Persona muses this year. Apologies beforehand, because at the moment I am quite tipsy from having some drinks but I wanted to get this out before midnight hits tonight! SO LET'S GET STARTED!!

@tvstarkuma - Finding a Teddie coming into the Persona RPC is SUPER SUPER AWESOME!! Because I barely have seen many Teddie RPers, and I absolutely adore your rendition. He's a funky little lad, a creature so interested in human culture and such, and the mun behind the blog is also very very sweet. We've just started talking on Discord, and I'm more than happy to get to know you more outside of writing with the upcoming year.

@detectivcprince - Julia, I'm like....so so glad we hit it off well. Aside from your Akechi being so unique and different from takes I've seen, you as a person are just an absolute delight. I know you've had some hard times happen this year, but I want nothing more than the next year to be good to you. And I hope we can write more too because I absolutely adore getting to write with you.

@maskuerade/@starswrote - MADY!!! Lovely, lovely Mady! You're a hoot! You've also had some hard times happen this year, and I wish you a much better new year coming up with nothing but good things to happen to you. I'm glad you're gonna be graduating soon too! I know your writing motivation is a bit hit or miss lately, but I hope in 2023 we can write more as well. And talk more too! You're such a delight to talk with whether it's about creating angst between our characters or just talking in general!

@caramellchris - I gotta say, I always love learning about OCs, how they were created, and the little stuff about them that make them so unique to their world. Aside from writing things, it's been awesome getting to chat with you offline too. I love hearing you word vomit about your OCs or games you really, really like. I hope we can get to know each other a little more in the new year, and write more too!

@trixter-time - Okay so...TECHNICALLY we've known each other more than just a year, but I was SO SO HAPPY to see you return to Tumblr this year. There have been times I would think about how you were and what you were doing, but never got the thought of messaging you. WHICH IS MY BAD!! But I was ecstatic to see your return. I do respect your choice to take a leave off Tumblr though. You do you, and what's best for you, but I hope we can continue to chat with each other more now that I know you're still around. It's always a great pleasure getting to chat with a lovely person like yourself!!

@rebelli0us-mask - SHIT MAN, I WANTED TO SHOUT YOU OUT TOO!! I love your chaotic energy, I love the stupid shenanigans our muses have gotten into, and you’re just a REALLY REALLY fun person to know too!! May you have a happy, healthy, and AWESOME 2023 too!! 

I know there's others I can S/O in this, but I wanted to focus on the peeps I met this year. There's plenty of other friends online here I would GLADLY give my love to for this year, because I know it's been a rough one for sure. I generally hope for all my mutuals that 2023 treats you kindly!!))

[notasapleasure]

After finally listening to all this year's ESC entries my takeaways are:

NORWAY FTW

Yes yes, Finland and its bonkers Franken-genre is as good as everyone said

The broken-hearted Danish lad and Cypriot lad should probably just get together (their songs are both fine actually, I just think it's funny they're are so similar in subject matter)

Wow Ireland deserved to be voted out, as did the Netherlands and Azerbaijan. The first two don't surprise me, the latter was an unexpected dip in taste and made me feel like I was in an alternate late '90s/early '00s universe listening to safe daytime radio sk8 rock.

I'm not watching tonight's semi live either and won't be making predictions, but I can see why people are into Austria - who hasn't felt possessed by the spirit of Edgar Allen Poe at one time or another? Semi final 1 weeded the ballads out nicely, here's to Semi final 2 doing the same - Armenia, Estonia, Iceland and Greece would be the first I'd get rid of. Fyrirgefðu!

The big five are surprisingly strong this year! Italy is forgettable but the others could all win happily - even, I can't believe I'm admitting this, the UK entry. Like Denmark/Cyprus though, I think she needs to team up with Poland, who is also loving the 'I just dumped a useless man' life.

I love Germany, I know it's kinda cynical, but they had me at 'blood and glitter / paint and thinner'.

As always, I award mental bonus points for not singing in English if your country doesn't have English as an official language (if it does, and you don't sing in English [bring on the day the UK remembers it includes Wales and Scotland and NI, and Ireland gives it a go as gaeilge] then you get all my votes). I particularly enjoyed: Croatia (mum....bought a tractor?) and Serbia and Albania. Oh, fine, and Slovenia, Czechia, Moldova and Portugal. All strong in my books.

HE AIN'T GJON SWITZERLAND YOU CAN'T MAKE THAT HAPPEN AGAIN esp not en anglais with a song that is the embodiment of your heart full of neutrality

Georgia easily wins the Caucasus this year but I don't think the voting public of post-Soviet countries is gonna give a shit how good her voice is. Expect GD telling us how this is all part of the narrative to discredit the beliefs and will of the Georgian people.

Australia is *so* Australian in such a different way from Technicolour (she was ROBBED last year) but I kinda dig it.

Sweden is disappointing. I know Loreen will belt it out live and it'll come across better but it's still meh in my books. Israel is also dull but will do well as usual.

So I'm gonna watch ALL the semis on Saturday before the final. I'm probably gonna have voting problems again - UK number, Irish phone signal - and I WILL get angry about schlager, and people who think Sweden and Israel are good.

The only valid ballad is Conchita. Gjon wasn't a ballad. Once more I say: NORWAY FTW.

I always tag #esc 2023 and #i need a eurovision tag and if I come up with an actual Eurovision tag I'll let y'all know.

[thatonefatgumsimp]

alright alright ik, I'm going get it now- (← definitely didn't get distracted sketching for creatuanary-)

(Under the cut so u don't have to scroll too far if u don't wanna see:)

Front of the journal, some marker bled through so I just leaned into it and make it blood spatter (well- after I tried removing it and it started taking off the journal's color too-):

Table of contents (with page numbers in both Common and Elvish):

The actual journal entries:

Translations (with strikethroughs/mistakes documented for your amusement...also the italics are my notes):

KRISTRIS' JOURNAL (do not read…please-)

DAY 0 OF ADVENTURING:

Amya (mummy in Elvish) dearest thinks I shouldn't go and says that adventuring is too dangerous because not everyone comes back alive or in 1 piece. I know she's worried and I get where she's coming from, but I have to do this. I need to know what's out there and I have to find myself. Anyways, it's late, more tomorrow. – 4th day of Gwaeron Kristris ‹3 K.A.F.

DAY 1 OF ADVENTURING:

Amya cried this morning when I left. I'm gonna miss her, but I'll be fine. Now to find somewhere giving out quests. Talk later. – K.A.F

Udat Update: I found a tavern, hopefully they give out quests, more updates to come later. 1 (1 but in Elvish)

On the drawing:

Kristris (in what I assume is Elvish cursive, but idk, I tried my best- (╥﹏╥) someone help-)

5th day of Gwaeron

2 (2 but in Elvish)

Updad Update (I can't spell- ╥﹏╥ ):

I met a very nice tree man whom agreed to do a quest with me, more to come later tonight. ← he – K.A.F.

Update: he seems very intelligiblᵉ (← she/I didn't leave room cuz intelligible is a long word) and we've already made a plan. I wasn't paying attention earlier when we were getting our quest, but apparently the farmer whom we're helping wants us to capture the alpha of a pack of wolves terrorizing his livestock. I've already build built and set up a trap and the tree man is staring starting on other tasks like building a fire for when night falls. I'm also quite glad that he said the berries I found for breakfast are edible, for I always tend to have a hard time with foraging…although, I suppose luck is on my side this time. Will write more in the mu morning, I must try my best to focus my attentions that have been t led astray. – 5th day of Gwaeron K.A.F.

Good morn, journal! I have an update. We captured the alpha last night and scattered the rest. The farmer gave us coin and we h intend to re-home the alpha. 3 (3 but in Elvish)

More lad later. – K.A.F.

Update: I once again ↑ <was not paying attention> earlier and the farmer gave us metal, not coin. Also I named the alpha Yukon and if you cout couldn't tell from my amount of misspells and missed words, I'm very sleep deprived. Anyways, tree man said we're making weapons for me with h the metal, so more later. – K.A.F.

Update: I made a sword, dagger, and a long dagger and also quite hastily accepted a quest from a shady lady. I also showed tree man my ideas for cob candy and oat clusters. I don't have my plans for jerky with me, but I do have the sample, so it's fine. More later. – K.A.F.

SHE TRIED TO KILL US! SHE FRIGGIN' TRIED TO KILL US! bh that at crazy bag!! I had to throw my voice and hide up a tree and blood spattered on my face (that's also where the blood on her journal came from) and we mel met a silent knight who saved us from the ruffians and we almost died. My hands are shaking. – K.A.F.

I saw a firefly. That's all. – K.A.F. 4 (4 but in Elvish)

We made it to the tavern and the young man singing this night has a lovely voice. Amya might have looked at him differently if she were here as he's a tiefling, and a red one at that, but I think he looks cool! Might sketch him later. – K.A.F.

The tiefling boy was very nice and I tipped him 2 gold for his performance. I must go to sleep, but I want to sketch him first. – K.A.F.

On the drawing:

← the singer Kristris but in less messy Elvish "cursive"

6th day of Gwaeron 5 (5 but in Elvish)

DAY poorly written 3 3 OF ADVENTURING:

I forgot to write the 2nd day's adventuring header yesterday, but in my defense, I slept not the day before. I slept well last night thought. – K.A.F.

Update: tree man said he invited the tiefling boy from the tavern last night to go adventuring with us…speaking u of tree man, I asked his name and- pfhuuuu…my magic pen died. Of course. Anyways, he said the closest thing in common was…uhhh- something something strong wind. Anyways I've decided to instead call him "Zard", short for "wizard". He said that we have to go adventuring to find him a staff. I don't know why he doesn't just use another focus or something, but that's fine. Anyways, while we're waiting for the tiefling boy, we're going shopping and foraging for supplies. Fingers crossed the luck of the Gold Lord is with me as it was when I was picking berries the other day. That's all for now. – K.A.F.

Big update: we went scavenging for supplies and went to the store. We first went to the textile shop and bought 4 bolts of fabric I intend to turn into cloaks. I also bought

6 (6 but in Elvish) oats and nuts at the store and Zard got hardtack and salted meat at the store. We also got a doll the Shadow Knight wanted at the textile store. In gathering, Zard collected herbs and roots as well as several flowers to help us…meanwhile, I embarrassed myself by telling Zard that I poisoned a proff professor in foraging class and then proceeded to pick nothing but poisonous mushrooms for me, Zard, and the Shadow Knight so…anyways, I'm going to draw the Shadow Knight and his doll now. – K.A.F.

Translations on the drawing:

Kristris (in the best Elvish cursive I could think of last time, don't @ me)

← Shadow Knight

7th day of Gwaeron

7 (7 but in Elvish)

Update to my previous entry: on the way back to the tavern, I told Zard about the proficiencies I found I had with the Elves. That I'm better at sword fighting than dagger throwing, that I'm proficient in some histories, animal ham handling; especially wild ones, I have decent perception…well- most of the time- but I am good at lots of other things! I can cast comprehend languages fairly well and I know lots of music…though…it is mostly Elvish music and a little Dwarvish taught to me by Eloira. I also know a decent amount aba about investigating from various books I read and stories I was told about great and revered detectives and adventurers when I was younger. I also learned to tinker with what little I have on hand from legends and stories about an old legendary half-wood elf named Beef MacTynkver (← definitely not an Angus MacGyver reference- 👀)…anyways, the tiefling boy…I've been saying "boy" lightly, he's really around my age…anyways, he's not here at the tavern yet so we're waiting for him. In the meanwhile, there's a dwarf here singing sailor song and we've ordered dinner. I just hope to not embarrass, that is, make a fool of myself in front of the waiter. More to come. – K.A.F. 8 (8 in Elvish)

WELCOME BACK TO ANOTHER POLL WOOOOO!!

It's been a while, but I need a definite answer and I'm indecisive.

So context: the past few days (meaning last night and today-) I've been journalling in Elvish as one of my DND OCs and I've done two days of journal entry and a drawing and am working on more journal entries and doodles. So that being said, I've gotta know:

[sweet-star-storybook]

THE WORDS ARE REALLY FLOWING TONIGHT BOYS

[105ttt]

“Hot take”? No, you mean “the truth”.

[limey-writes]

hi, its me again..... could i request some snuggle time with demo/sniper/scout? following up on my polyam match 👉👈

You caught me amidst a soft mood so yes (:< (also dont mind me borrowing this image) Anyway, hope you enjoy my late night rambles!

It was late, and the night had proven to be as cold as it had been for the past few days. Usually around this time you had been settled into bed and enjoying some time to relax before sleeping; except tonight had proven to be a bit too cold than you liked to admit. A knock on your door had brought you out of your shivering slumber, and soon you had gotten face to face with one of your beloved boyfriends, Scout! "Heya doll! As you can probably tell, it's uh, pretty cold out, and me n the otha too thought it would be good to have a lil movie night for us!" The Boston man asked, barely holding back his excitement in hopes you'd say yes. "Honestly, with this cold, as long as it has to do with cuddling, I'm down for it." You finally reply to him, earning an excited "Yes!" from him before he picks you up with ease, excitedly bringing you down the hall to where they had planned to set up their little get together.

Holding onto the speedy man, you soon caught view of Sniper setting up one of his signature piles that he made for you guys, the comfiest of the pillows being fluffed and placed in the best spots. Demo on the other had had already been sprawled out and making it harder for the bushman to get to the blankets that were neatly folded beneath him. Hearing the rapid footsteps getting closer, Demo lifted his head as he looked over at you two before a bright smile spread on his face. "Aye, took ye long enough, glad ye said yes to the invitation lad!" His warm smile was enough to make your heart skip a beat as Sniper turned his head to peer over at you once he finished placing one of the pillows down. "Good to see ya 'roo, I hope ya don't mind but since Scout chose the movie last time, tonight we watchin' a horror film." He says plainly, though excited to get to sit down and enjoy something that wasn't basically a Tom Jones documentary (I'm kidding it was just a kids movie). Scout huffed before carrying you on over, settling you down on one of the comfy piles that Sniper had set up for you in the middle of the group.

You could already tell these had been pulled straight out of the dryer with how warm to the touch they were, and as soon as you had gotten comfortable, Scout being the clingy man he is came up close beside you, pressing a kiss onto your cheek excitedly. "Don't worry babe, I'll keep ya safe from any scary monsters ya see!" He triumphantly states, even dropping in a good flex to show off along with it. Demo chucks a smaller pillow at him, landing its target perfectly. "No need ta lie lad, we all know yer gonna be hidin' under those blankets there when ye see a shadow move." Sniper hums in agreement, enjoying the look of Scout puffing out his cheeks as he flushed with embarrassment. "That ain't true! You guys are gonna be the one cryin' like a buncha babies!" He laughed, though seemingly nervously.

It was barely was 20 minutes into the movie, nothing too scary had happened but with the tense music itself it was enough to have Scout shivering beside you as he clung to your side. Sniper had gotten extremely into it, his attention on the screen though you could feel he had placed a hand on yours, on occasion you could feel him tense from the scenes that had decided to pop in with a scare. Demo on the other hand was completely unfazed, munching away on pretzels on the other side of you and feeding you some every time he placed a few in his mouth. The three seemed intent on staying comfy, and the cold night hadn't seemed as bad as before, even if you hadn't been bundled amongst the 4 blankets that were piled on you, the company would always be welcome. Right as a jumpscare had actually happened, you turn to see Scout audibly yelp and flinch back deeper into the pile he now shared with you. A small laugh escaped Sniper as Scout shot him a glare before turning to you, trying to subtly snuggle closer to you. "Just so ya know, I wasn't scared, I just zoned out 's all..." He mumbles, though quite happy to get to be even closer to you.

With Scout scooting so close to you, it had moved you closer to where Demo was laying, the Scotsman glancing down before offering you a sweet smile as he presses a kiss on your forehead before giving you another pretzel. "Ye doin' alright there lad?" He asks, shifting so you'd be more comfortable pressing against his side. You notice he was donned in a familiar pajama, in fact, all of them had the matching ones they had gotten for the polycule for Christmas, making the moment all the more sweeter. You feel yourself nod, before placing your head against his shoulder. "Yea, never better Tav, thank you guys for doing all of this tonight, who knew you guys could get this soft?" You tease, earning different reactions from the three of them. Demo's face tinted pink, before saying a quick 'yer welcome' as he gave you another smooch, Scout burying himself against your side even more to hide his reddening face, though the smile on it was much harder to keep out of your eyes. Sniper instead had leaned back, somehow getting himself in a comfy enough spot to lay his head against your abdomen, and from there peering up at you with a smile. "Anytime luv, with you being so nice lately, how couldn't we give ya a nice warm night like this?"

What a night. you thought, comforted by your three boyfriends, watching a shitty movie that barely scared the half of you while one of you continued to use the excuse of the cold to stay so close. At this point, who would want anything other than this soft warm moment tonight? Soon the film was over, Demo slumped against you with Scout snoozing away at long last. You could feel the drowsiness pull against you as Sniper looked around at the three of you behind him, he smiles one of those rare warm smiles you've grown to love, before giving you his own feather-light kiss on you as you finally shut your eyes for the night. "See ya tomorrow 'roo."

[peakyblindersxx]

whiskey buisness - john shelby x reader (part 5 of ?)

gif by my literal angel @michaelgreys who keeps blessing us like holy fuck

a/n: all i can say is that this is the hottest one yet. as always, my girl @stxdyblr-2k did an amazing job so i hope you all enjoy :) and i'm still working on requests, tysm for all of them!!

love, abi xxx

read part one two three four | my masterlist

tagging: @datewithgianni, @mayaslifeinabox, @deepdonutkid, @springsoulofengland

prompt: john just can't help himself when he sees you with someone else.

warnings: nsfw!!! smut, fluff, angst, light praise kink, john fucking adores you and spends a good amount of time with his head between your legs (yes i know!!!!!)

John had spotted you from across the London nightclub, his table tucked into the balcony area, perfectly positioned to survey the entire club. It'd been over a month since he laid eyes on you last. Sometimes, he wondered if it was possible for you to only get more beautiful every time he saw you. He wasn't surprised, as he'd been warned of your presence by Tommy, but he was unable to stop himself from staring at you, hair neatly styled, scarlet velvet dress clinging to every curve, red lipstick emphasizing your lips, a light haze of pink pressed into your cheekbones, lash-line expertly darkened with kohl. You were dancing with one of Isaiah's friends; the young man was tall and muscular -- a blinder foot soldier, John concluded, draining his glass of whiskey, flagging the waiter down for another.

The young lad was smiling down at you. John took a swig from his drink bitterly, the man obviously head over heels, his eyes bright, excitedly glancing from your lips to your figure. John could feel himself cringe; the younger man had all the subtlety and strategy of a malnourished dog. Then again, who could blame the lad? You were an absolute vision, twirling and giggling, off your face on something Michael had brought. John couldn't help but watch, wishing it was him who had caught your attention tonight, wanting to feel your breath fan across his neck, pulling away while you giggled at his blushing arousal; him whisking you to dark corners to steal a moment of quiet.

He'd tried to get over you but he couldn't. He'd been travelling a lot lately, business in Liverpool, Edinburgh and Belfast; yet in every woman who smiled at him, he found himself searching for you in their eyes, their smiles, their laugh. They were all gorgeous, but his heart simply wasn't in it.

Tonight had started off alright, normal Peaky activity. They'd seized the club only a few hours ago, gaining vital territory in London, bagging their place in the opiate trade and a successful business prospect in one fell swoop. By all accounts, John should’ve been happy, but he'd been too lost in his own mind lately to properly take in the consequences of those sleepless nights with the accounting books, all the hours practicing shooting and boxing, all the endless driving, the meetings, the lingering stench of death which clung to his family. Try as he might, he couldn't enjoy himself. His night got worse the second he spotted you; a yearning for you suddenly flooding his veins. It was easy to get on with life when you were hundreds of miles from him, but when you were a flight of stairs away? He knew the club had countless dark passages to hide away with you, multiple cloak rooms with thick brick walls to take you against: he had to stop his mind running wild. He couldn't. That had to be the last time. You were in his past, you had to stay there. But as he watched you dance with the blinder, he could feel the familiar burn of jealousy swell deep within him. The lad was far too close to you for his comfort, practically grazing his hips to yours. John roughly rubbed his jaw at the sight, silently seething to himself in the shadows.

Thomas studied his brother's body language, taking a slow drag of his cigarette, not understanding the fuss around you. Sure, you were pretty enough; you were bright, apparently funny, but you had never caught his attention really. He observed how John's eyes followed your every move, every sway of your hips closely watched as he held his breath, losing himself to you. He was glad he'd prompted Michael to invite you; this was the most attentive he'd seen John in a month. It was no coincidence that he'd dragged you away from Birmingham, from the watching eyes of the city locals, the wagging tongues in the assembly lines, far from Ada. Michael had admitted to Thomas that it was easy to persuade you, promising you a lift in his new car and a night out as Ada had plans with a gentleman. A night of dancing with your favourite lads and an all expenses paid trip to London? You couldn't resist.

John's jaw had tensed and squared, the man murmuring something against your neck causing you to giggle and grasp his collar. Thomas could tell his brother was practically bristling with jealousy. If looks could kill, the young man clinging to your hips would be long dead from the glare unleashed on him by the tallest Shelby brother.

"You gonna sit there useless or are you gonna fucking do something about it, eh?" Tommy inquired, nudging him with his shoulder.

"I can't."

"No one will know." Thomas pointed out, raising a brow, "The Blinders will say fuck all if they see owt. They keep quiet when it's about us Shelby brothers, yeah?"

John glanced at him, eyes slightly widened, confusion furrowing his brows. "You've changed your fuckin' tune."

"Sometimes, it's good to have secrets. What Ada doesn't know about the events of tonight won't hurt her."

"We don't do secrets. We're meant to trust each other." John objected. "We're a family."

"Nothing will change, John. I'll fix it for you, yeah? You've had a rough few weeks, you should reward yourself."

"She's not a fuckin’ prize, Tom."

"Keep talking that shit and people will get the wrong idea, think you love the woman or sommet." Thomas shrugged, taking a sip of his drink, while John's cheeks flared, his eyes flinching to the floor. He smirks to himself. "You going to go get your lass, then?"

John replied wordlessly, standing and downing the rest of his drink, pulling on his suit jacket, straightening his collar. "I'll catch you later, Tom."

********

The lad was nice, his name had long disappeared into the fog of liquor and Tokyo. He was someone's cousin, but he was polite; charming, almost. Most importantly, he wasn't related to your best friend. Not quite a Casanova type like John, but you two were a good match, everyone thought so. You'd seen him a few times now over the past week. He wasn't much of a talker, but he was a good dancer, and sweet after a few pints.

The band started playing a slower song, Isaiah dancing chest to chest with a beautiful girl across from you. You felt your partner place his fingers on the small of your back, his fingers inching lower, pulling you in closer before the two of you were interrupted by a dark figure looming over you.

"Can I cut in, mate?" A strong Birmingham accent sliced through the air, voice low and polite enough, but with a tone that was laced with venom. "Or are you gonna be a dick about it?"

The lad glanced nervously between you two, moving his hands away from you, embarrassed to be caught by his boss in this state, John staring him down. You slowly pulled away from him, turning to face John.

"Or you could ask me to dance yourself, John?"

John silently glared back at you, his mouth tensed into a thin line. He looked momentarily embarrassed, his attention switching back to your dance partner, the rest of lads silently watching, breaths baited, ready to jump in on the action if the moment required it.

"I'm heading off mate, reckon she's a cocktease." Your partner comments, attempting to diffuse the tension, stepping away, not wanting a fight or to piss off his boss. His path was quickly blocked by another blinder. You shot him an apologetic look and took the large hand John was offering you.

"Or, she's just not interested in you," John quipped, smirking, locking his fingers through yours. "You gonna go get your coat while I finish up with your best mate?"

"Thought we were dancing?"

"You can dance as much as you like in the suite, yeah? Proper gramophone. You coming?"

"You just want me on my own."

"Just tired of the distractions." He told you pointedly, skimming his glare over the group of men, standing with baited breath, preparing for it to kick off.

You rolled your eyes but squeezed his hands, slowly heading to the cloakroom, chatting with the attendant as you watched John confront the lad, keeping your distance. His arms were clutching the lad's lapels, snarling in his face before pushing him back. Michael watched from a few steps away, smoking absentmindedly, spine pressed to a pillar, leaving his cousin to sort out whatever offense he believed the man had caused.

You bundled yourself up in your thin coat, a gift from one of the girls you hung around with as she had recently married a blinder and was being spoiled rotten. The coat's flimsy material was going to be useless against the London night. At least you could count on John to keep you warm on the walk back to the hotel. You headed towards the side door, John's hand quickly finding your lower back protectively as he fell into step beside you. He opened the heavy wooden doors for you, the cold air an instant relief from the heat of the nightclub. You turned back as the door closed, catching a glimpse of the boys closing in on the lad, their eyes gleaming with a violent hunger for action.

"He'll be alright. Daft prick just getting put in his place." John said flatly. He seemed bored but watched you anxiously, begging you with his eyes to drop the subject.

"Is the hotel close by?" You asked casually, as the frigid air swirled around your calves, instantly causing you to shiver.

"I'll get us a cab, love, can't have you in those heels trekking halfway across London town." He stepped fearlessly into the road, unbothered about any potential danger or just forgetful from the whiskey. Quickly, a dark cab pulled up to the cobblestone pavement and John helped you in, taking off his coat and wrapping it around your shoulders before climbing in after you.

As the engine started and the car made its way through London's dimly lit streets to Camden, John's hand found its way to your thigh. You glanced at him, his eyes looking away but his thumb angled against his teeth. He was nervous, having not touched you in a month. You crossed your legs, angling them towards him, his hand shifting higher up your thighs, taking a deep sigh of relief. Your hands found his chin in the gloom of the back of the car, only the occasional bright lights from a nightlife hub or the demure lights of a residential illuminating his face, the angles changing as the cab drove on. It was too much. You'd been needing this for the past month, needing him. Your hands laced around the back of his head and you pressed your lips to his for a brief moment, allowing John to pull you deeper into the kiss. It awoke something familiar inside you, something comforting. Kissing John erased all your homesickness. Christ, you had to stop thinking like this.

"You've not been about for a bit, sweetheart. I know we said never again, but I was hoping you'd come by," John muttered, forehead pressed to yours, breath mingling with yours as he spoke.

"I almost did. The amount of times I nearly visited your office.. I just couldn't do that to you or Ada. Besides, last I heard, you were on tour." You admitted, keeping your voice down to save the cab driver the embarrassment. John caressed your cheekbone with his thumb, tracing the corner of your mouth, prompting a grin from you.

"Last place on earth I'd expected to see you next, it's been hectic my end," He sighed. His eyes were outlined with deep purple smudges of exhaustion, yet he was still devastatingly beautiful even after all the sleepless nights. "It's been too long."

"Not my fault you've been hiding yourself away. You should've called."

"Blame Tommy for that. His solution seems to be sending me on business trips. Trying to make me too tired to handle you." A nervous lick of his lips revealed John’s response to the suggestion that he call you. He wanted to say he would ring next time, but there couldn't be a next time.

"You can barely handle me on a good day, Mr. Shelby."

"Can't blame me. You seen yourself? On the brink as soon as I see you, lass." He teased, earning a gentle shove to the shoulder as you quickly pressed a kiss underneath his chin. You wanted to bring up Thomas' threat, but you bit your tongue, nudging his shin with the toe of your heel in the back of the cab. He rolled his eyes, grabbing your wrists lightly. "Behave yourself in front of the nice cabbie, sweetheart."

You soften at his touch, unable to resist reaching to interlock your fingers, squeezing his hands in yours affectionately. The spirits your table had been bringing you all night definitely boosted your confidence, any hesitancy due to potential rejection drowned out. John pressed his lips to your knuckles in response. He seemed different tonight, far more protective and serious than usual. He was so quiet it was strange, usually yapping your ear off, desperate for you to react, treating him to a giggle, a middle finger or a cutting response. You'd also never witnessed him spark off due to someone's interaction with you. Finn had mentioned a week or so back that John had a shouting match with Thomas and in the moment, your name got thrown up in the conversation, resulting in John taking a swing at his big brother out of frustration. It was confusing. He was willing to start fights over you, punch his brother, yet when you two were alone he was uncomfortably quiet, studying you, lost in his thoughts. His silence only made your body long for him, his fingers tracing patterns in your inner thigh. You let out a small whimper into the crook of his neck, as he instinctively pressed a kiss to your shoulder.

The car pulled up outside the hotel, your pulse racing, the anticipation already threatening to make you give in completely to his wishes tonight. You waited as he turned up his collar against the rain, clambering out of the car to open your door, creatively arranging the coat to hover just above both your heads protecting you from the miserable weather. Although John had referred to the building as a hotel, you could instantly tell the manor was some aristocrat's third or fourth home, obviously being rented out or gifted to business partners for trips. It was an imposing grey stone building, exquisitely carved, although not a country estate, the house was just as large. Was John used to this? It hit you all of a sudden that you'd never set foot inside John's home. You'd heard from Ada that it was overrun with hoards of screaming children. She often joked with the children at the Shelby Institute that if they hung around long enough at John's, he'd assume they were one of his offspring. You'd only ever fucked him in a guest bed. The shame made your stomach churn.

You needed to remind yourself of this when your late night thoughts ran rampant. John could say what he liked, but he'd never actually allow you to get overly personal with him. Whatever confusing mess was winding around your skull regarding him was useless; it was best not to think about it. You went to him every time, yet he would've picked another lass tonight, it was just that you were there. He probably had a string of gorgeous women, older, more accomplished, more experienced, more elegant. He could tell you he missed you, but you could never take for granted that he told you this for any other reason than as a prelude to get you in bed with him. You were his gorgeous mess, but only for the night. It was best to remind yourself to care less than he did. It was the easiest solution in the long term; this way, the downfall would be less brutal.

"You alright, love?" He asked suddenly, breaking your train of thought.

"Sorry, I was thinking about work."

He lived around his brothers for long enough, he could smell bullshit. He decided to let it go. It was best to not push it tonight. Just keep it light hearted, easy, like it was always meant to be.

"If your boss keeps being a prick, you tell Ada. She'll sort him out."

"Don't I know it? He can barely open the door before she starts on about workplace ethics." You joked, earning a small smile instead of his usual bright chuckle. "John, what are we doing here?"

"Well I'm about to take you upstairs and sort you out, yeah? You gonna let me look after you?" He asked, stopping you in your tracks by turning you into him, grabbing your wrist.

"You know that isn't what I meant."

"I know. But can we leave it tonight? Can we just have fun?" He questioned, lips ghosting over yours, fixing you with an intense stare.

"It's fun anymore." Your voice cracked, the liquor in your system making it impossible to control your tone or your facial expressions. "It's fucking with my head, John."

"It's just.. fucking difficult. It's fucking difficult because of who we are." He replied firmly but dropped his makeshift coat shelter around your shoulders, freeing his hands to grab your face pulling it to his, the alcohol making him far needier than he usually appeared. "You, my beautiful Y/N, are a fucking losing game. It's not as easy for me, I can't just dance with a woman and get a leg over-"

"I never said you couldn't."

"I know, I.." He gestured vaguely, lifting one of his hands off your cheeks, and you can feel your head nodding in understanding. "You know, I thought I was going to manage it this time. That I wouldn't be a total fuck up, but then you and that lad-"

"Catch you getting jealous over me."

"Fuck off." He let go of you for a split second but you reeled him back in, resting your palms on the chest of his shirt, the soaked material sticking to his skin. You'd struck a nerve. You decided to push him further.

"I don't know what you're trying to do, Mr. Shelby, disappearing across the country for weeks then coming back and telling me you want me all to yourself?" You played with his collar, tugging his face to yours before pulling back at the last possible second, causing him to let out a frustrated groan, hands itching to feel you underneath them.

"Don't fucking wind me up," He snapped, the intensity between you rekindled momentarily.

"It's worked wonders in the past," You replied, barely able to finish your sentence before his mouth was on yours, his fingers tangling into your hair, kissing you properly. Although you'd kissed so many times prior, this one felt so genuine, as though unleashed from its restraints deep within John. You'd never kissed anyone in the rain before in the middle of the night, and it felt magical. You were shivering but hot all over, burning for John to do something, anything. You could feel his cock through his dress pants, hard against you, prompting you to moan into his mouth.

"Fuck’s sake, Y/N," John grunted into your ear, his hands grabbing at your arse. "You're fuckin’ killing me here. I need you, yeah?"

"Tell me how badly." You responded coyly, linking your arms around his neck, ignoring the late night drizzle.

"I'd rather show you. M’gonna take care of you tonight, make up for the month I've been gone."

"Who's saying I've not been taking care of myself?'

He bit his lip in frustration, trying to stop his mind running wild with the image of you in bed, fingers between your thighs, breasts moving as you arched your back, hips lifting off the mattress, moaning as you called his name -- his jaw clenched. "I know what you're doing. You coming up before you catch a chill?"

You shifted your weight away from him, as if considering your options. He knew your answer; you both knew in a few minutes you'd be upstairs practically tearing his shirt off, needing his skin against yours, begging for him. John pulled away from you, dragging you up the winding path to the front door of the manor, opening the door for you, arm wrapping around your waist. His lips met yours, then your collarbones and neck, prompting a breathy giggle and whine as you wound yourself back around him, craving the contact. The manor was plunged in darkness, staff somewhere in the gloom. Your arrival had definitely been noted, but as with everyone who worked for the Shelbys, they just left you to it. It was easier to not get involved, to keep their heads down and not mention the midnight trysts the brothers got up to.

John knew his path, he'd stayed here before. Even in the dark you could tell the house was decorated to spare no expense, the gaudy paintings and sculptures casting strange shadows. He led you up the grand flight of stairs, then another.

"Worse than Thomas' estate, this place." You murmured quietly, unsure of other guests within earshot.

"I could never live like this. I'd never see my brood again. Getting them ready for bed would be one hell of a nightmare." He whispered back, halting your stride by pulling your hips to his, unable to wait any longer.

"John, what if we get caught?" You asked, pressing your hand against his chest with your palm flat.

"Never bothered you before. Thought you liked the fact that anyone could just walk in and see what a pretty little mess you’ve made for me."

You couldn’t help yourself from pressing an affectionate kiss to his mouth, letting him lay you down and pin you to the stairs, the luxuriously thick carpets scraping into your flesh. He cursed under his breath at the sight of you underneath him, pushing your dress up your thighs, lifting your legs to wrap around his neck, pressing a kiss to your flimsy underwear, glancing up to drink you in. The most beautiful woman in his city, begging for him, figure swamped by his coat, rain soaked and shivering, his mouth between her thighs. He ran his tongue slowly across your clothed core, your pleading moans music to his ears, loving how your thighs tightened around his neck. His tongue traced circles over your clit and labia, the friction generated by the lace of your panties pushing you further, your hands knotting into his hair, spine arching against his mouth.

"No one been looking after you while I was gone. eh?" He asked, pressing kisses to your inner thigh, tugging your panties to the side. "What about your dancing pal?"

"Fuck’s sake, I barely know him, John." You snapped back, teetering on the edge between lust and frustration from his relentless teasing.

"Keep it that way. You don't need ‘im, lass, not while I'm about." He replies before lapping at your slit, interpreting your moans as approval as your head slumped back and you released a low groan. "Y/N, watch me, yeah?"

You pull yourself weakly upwards, propping yourself up in your elbows to be able to look down the staircase at John between your legs in the dark. The view was thrilling, moonlight shining in through the rain on the window, illuminating his face, hair messy and tongue flickering across your clit while he stared up at you, his eyes darkened with lust. You couldn't help but pant, knowing you'd be returning to this moment alone at night, when it was your fingers instead of John's tongue pushing you towards the edge.

"So fuckin' wet and ready for me, aren’t you?" He crooned, sliding his fingers into you, sucking at your clit between flicks of his tongue.

You couldn’t find the words to respond, whimpers leaving your mouth instead, your hips lifting beneath his palms, chest heaving.

"Go on, use your words, clever lass."

"John, fuck.. don't stop," You manage to string together, thoughts too muddled by alcohol and arousal to play hard to get any longer.

"I won't ‘til you cum in my mouth. Need to taste you again, beautiful."

Your head jerked back suddenly as John curled his fingers inside you, pushing up against the spot that made you lose your mind, his name falling from your lips like a prayer, all he could hear except from his blood rushing in his head. Your desperate cries for relief caused his cock to strain against his dress pants, fighting the urge to sort himself out, needing to finish you off. John needed to prove that he could fuck you better than anyone else. He knew he was pushing you to the edge, but he wasn't going to deny you your orgasm. He wanted to make a point with this. His fingers worked faster, his mouth hungry for you, lips moving against your core at a harsh pace.

You groaned loudly, hips bucking involuntarily just to be forced back against the carpet of the staircase. Your breaths grew heavier, warning him how close you were to your peak. John refused to let up, pushing you closer every second, lips latched to your core firmly, lapping up the wetness he'd produced.

"I want to watch you finish." He commanded, you completely at his will now that you'd lost control, lifting your head upwards with the little strength you had left to be able to stare down at his dilated blue eyes. "Good girl. You gonna show me how good I make you feel? You gonna cum for me, doll?"

You couldn't respond, unable to keep your eyes from rolling backwards as you felt yourself suddenly release, John’s name escaping from between your lips, legs shuddering around his neck. He let you ride it out on his tongue, tasting you desperately, watching your expression slowly relax.

Finally, he pulled away from your cunt, unwrapping your legs from his neck. He grabbed your wrist, not letting you retrieve your panties, stuffing them into his trouser pocket. He returned his attention to tracing your slit with the index finger and thumb of his other hand, as he pressed a long kiss to your lips.

"I love how you taste," He murmured against your lips, causing you to flush slightly. John noticed, pressing kisses to your jawbone. "Don't get shy on me now. I've barely started with you. Not even got you to the suite and you've already cum."

He looked so proud of himself, it suddenly clicked for you. He was trying to prove himself to you, for some unknown reason. You know he was protective and quite obviously jealous tonight, but you couldn't believe that John Shelby felt the need to prove that he knew what he was doing, as though you weren't aware. You weren't trekking to his office for mediocre sex. Tonight he let you finish first, no teasing, no denial, no fucking about. Just putting his ability fully on show, so when your mind went drifting it'd go back to him, not some young lad who barely knew what he was doing. His cocky attitude and smug acceptance of his sexual prowess would've been off-putting if it was anyone else, but John, but with his bright smile and constant humour, pulled it off. It was enticing, making your core pool with wetness when he crossed your mind.

"A month is far too long, Mr. Shelby."

"I know, you're practically drooling over me." He teased. He seems a lot more himself than before. He’d been too caught up in his head, too focused on getting you off to enjoy the flirting and teasing. John loved how light-hearted he could be with you. Despite the mess you were both in, it was making you laugh or roll your eyes that soothed his mind. Honestly, if it was just sex he'd have cut you off instantly; he wouldn't have even gone there out of loyalty to Ada. Admittedly, it was your company and presence that had him absolutely on his knees for you, the way he felt understood, less alone in his brother's bullshit, less trapped by his criminal career because you understood. You always had a cutting line, a bright smile just for him, an eye roll at his brothers' daft plans, a choice curse word for Thomas. He didn't even want to consider what would happen after the night ended. He stood, pressing another kiss to your lips as he helped you to your feet, fixing his coat which hung off your shoulders.

"You ready for rounds two through to six?"

"John, you know you won't get through three with me."

"You’re right, you're just too pretty when you’re riding my cock." He teased, the vulgar material of his jibe earning him a joking shove before you curl into his side, letting him escort you up the stairs to the nearest bedroom. He quickly shut the door behind you, scooping you up in his arms, causing you to let out a laugh as he practically tossed you onto the king sized bed, eyes shining with adoration as he looked down at you grinning back up at him.

“You’re something else, John Shelby.”