#I'd thought of this in January but hadn't been sure I could make it sound interesting enough.

[braveclementine]

January 7, 2015; 10:48 A.M.

Warnings: None, Readers under 18 can read this book.

Copyright: My OCs are Coach Yonce, Emma, Ila, Tempus, and Itty Bitty. I own these characters. I do not condone any copying of this.

I burst into Downey's changing room at the Marvel studios. To my credit, Downey did jump, half naked with his shirt off.

"Jeez Stan." He muttered, turning back around to fix his shirt. "If you wanted to see me naked, you could've just asked."

"Have you seen the newspaper?" I panted, catching my breath before tossing the paper on top of his vanity.

Downey read the article as he fixed the suit he was supposed to be wearing. Bucky Barnes wasn't even in this movie. I think they were holding off until they were one hundred percent certain that I wasn't coming back.

They had made a lot of promises to me like they would never have me shoot somewhere where I wasn't going home after every shoot, or at least a hotel with the other actors. There were other promises, but the going home one was the one that best situated with me.

I still wasn't sure though. I had been waiting until April to make a decision. That's when Y/N was supposed to get out of the program and be- not fine- but better. That's when I would see what she needed of me and then I'd make a decision on the job.

"Well shit." Downey cursed. "They're not even safe in the psychiatric ward. Are they killing them?"

"Great." I breathed out a sigh of relief. "God even Y/N's parents really think this Ila girl committed suicide. Even with Y/N's words in there!"

"Unfortunately," Downey muttered, tucking the newspaper under his arm and fixing his tie, "The reason the doctors gave for Y/N's 'freak out' sounds legit to anyone who doesn't have a psychology degree. But I'm really starting not to trust these Government assholes and that psychiatric ward is Government owned."

"What are we going to do?" I asked. "I already asked if I could see Y/N and they said they were putting her in solitary like a prisoner Robert!"

"Let me call up the Don." Downey said. "I don't know if his Lawyers can do anything on this, but I can sure well damn try."

Tom Hiddleston looked pretty upset when we got onto set.

"You alright?" I asked.

"I'm sure you heard about Ila?" Tom asked. "I just, you know she was a great girl. I feel terrible she thought the only way out was suicide, but maybe the horrors she saw were just to much."

Robert stepped on my foot- a hint I hadn't needed thank you very much- and I just said, "Yes, it really is sad."

Robert was already speaking rapid fire into his phone. Strange he'd already gotten in contact with Mr. Trump. Or perhaps he was speaking to the secretary. Maybe Mr. Trump hadn't been fooled either and had been waiting for Downey to call.

"Hey Sebastian, good to see you here." Chris, probably the one I was- or had been- closest to on the set came over. He was wearing his Captain America outfit, though he'd left his shield by a chair with a water bottle. "How are you feeling? And you don't need to lie, alright, I read the article."

"Downey and Trump are trying to help me get a visit with Y/N." I admitted. "I'm panicked that Ila didn't kill herself, that they killed her. I'm afraid they got paid off. I'm afraid that they'll kill her next."

Chris put a hand on my shoulder. "Well it does seem when those two work together they get shit done. They'll get your visit with her Y/N. What do her parents say?"

"They just think the facility is giving her PTSD and that Ila was killed by Tempus or one of those goons, not the psychiatrists. I think her mother's exact words were 'Why would a facility trying to help them, kill them?'"

Chris just shook his head. "I don't think anyone wants to think about so much deception and corruption in the Government."

"Well it's going to hurt the other three that are left in there. I mean, maybe Emma is safe cause she's all the way in England. But Itty and Y/N?" I asked uncertainly. I hadn't meant to call the small girl Itty. But that's what Y/N had constantly called her and it had stuck in my head.

"Good news." Downey said, walking over to us. "Trump's already in Kentucky- that's where the facility is. Got there last night, he was supposed to be visiting some winery for his Las Vegas hotel. Anyways, he's already been there and they let him walk past Y/N's cell- she's alive- but they wouldn't let him talk to her."

"Cell?" I asked indignantly.

"Room, my bad." Downey said, rolling his eyes. "But from the way he described it, it's a pretty bare, desolate room. So I called it a cell."

"How is that supposed to cheer anyone up?" Chris asked.

Downey shrugged, "Most psychologists are actually idiots."

"You sent me to one!" I protested.

"I sent you to a therapist, they're actually a bit different. Only half of therapists are idiots." Downey said. "I sent you to a good one."

I sighed, "Anyways?"

"Y/N got pretty excited when she saw him, but when she realized they weren't going to let him in, she apparently started doing sign language and that was when they ushered him out. He doesn't know sign language though, so he can't tell us if she was saying anything. She seemed a little panicked though, were his words."

"We need to go." I said. "What's the address? I'll fly out there right now!"

"Calm down Stan." Downey said. "We're leaving after I finish my scenes today. Go and get yourself packed up, be back here by four."

I was a bit pissed about the several hour delay, but knew leaving now would probably result in actually leaving later, depending on the planes.

"Oh and Stan?" Downey called after me, "Pack something for winter weather. We're not going to be in California anymore." 

⬅️➡️

[fics-n-stuff-n-stuff]

Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia Gray Fullbuster/Juvia Lockser Levy McGarden/Gajeel Redfox

all fairy tail characters basically -

Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic

Fluff and Angst / Romance / Friendship / developing feelings/ Lucy has new spirits I checked constellations and gave her ones I thought were cool

Summary

Lucy is thrown into a world she didn’t know existed. Join her as she unravels this new world full of magic that brings adventure, romance and destruction along with it.

———

Just a modern re-telling of Fairy tail following its arcs with a few twists and turns along the way💞

You can also read it here -

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Chapter 15

In the days following the New Year's party, when everyone in Fairy Tail was settled, mostly sober and back in their own homes, Lucy was surprised to get a call from Wendy so early in the morning, asking her to meet at the guild.

It was an early January morning, the snow had finally stopped falling after almost two days, and Lucy was cursing the gods for having to trek through it.

If only she hadn't left the comfort of her apartment.

Where everything was warm.

But Wendy had sounded a bit forlorn over the phone, and Lucy was worried about the young healer. She liked to think that they had a good friendship, but it seemed as though the bluenette was avoiding her.

Maybe it was all in her head, and Lucy was sure that meeting with her and talking it out would definitely help.

That's why she was treading through the damn snow instead of being in her warm apartment, with a mug of tea and a good book, surrounded by the freeloaders that have settled in her home.

Natsu and Happy had opted to spend the night with her after the guild's festivities, as they have done most nights since she got the apartment, so she left them sleeping in the living room.

But not before making sure she had enough food for them when they woke up.

Honestly, those two should start paying rent, or at least buy some groceries! They spend more time in her apartment than in their own house.

'I'm always at your place because you're there, ya weirdo! If you hung out here, that's where I'd be.' Natsu's words from when they had a sleepover at his cabin weeks ago echoed through Lucy's head, making a blush appear on her cheeks from more than just the cold.

That idiot will be the death of her.

Going around spouting nonsense, not thinking before he speaks, his complete lack of respect for personal space. It's like he doesn't even understand the implications of his actions or words.

Oh, who was she kidding, of course, he doesn't! Natsu views her as his friend and partner.

Though taking into consideration her and Levy's conversation from the other day and the state of his apartment before she cleaned it, she really didn't know what to think.

Lucy doesn't see what Levy does, but his house did look like no one has spent time there in a while.

She just can't picture Natsu not being around all the time, going from job to job, and keeping everyone at arm's length.

Does he pester her to go on jobs every other day? Yes. But at the same time, they spend so much time together.

Lucy had never been this close to another person that she wasn't related to, and while she could confidently say that she was friends with a lot of the members, even best friends with some, it was a little scary how easily they managed to entwine their lives together.

She can't even imagine a day without seeing or talking to the fire drakon, or his silly cat. Did his settling really have something do to with her coming to the guild?

Or was it something else?

Seeing the guild from a distance Lucy shook herself from her thoughts, they'd only send her spiraling if she continued down that road.

Picking up her pace Lucy made her way into the warmth of Fairy Tails guild hall.

As she walked in she noted that it was mostly empty, which was not surprising.

It was barely 8 am.

Mira was tending to the bar as usual and waved at Lucy when she noticed her walking in. "Good morning! You're here early today." She greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning Mira, I'm actually here to meet Wendy. She said she wanted to talk to me." Lucy greeted back, turning to look around.

She spotted Nab searching through the job board as usual and could see Wakaba and Macao drinking their coffee, surrounded by a cloud of smoke.

There were a few more people scattered around the tables, everyone was enjoying the peace, and a quiet that you can only experience early in the morning at Fairy Tail.

Wendy was sitting alone at one of the tables in the back, she had a drink in front of her and was staring at it as if transfixed by the liquid.

Lucy looked back at Mira. "Can you get me some tea please?" The white-haired mage nodded at her and the blonde made her way to Wendy.

"Hey." She said as she sat across from the girl, startling her out of her thoughts.

Wendy looked up at Lucy and smiled at her. It was a small smile, but genuine. "Good morning." The bluenette greeted her with a slight quiver in her voice.

"Wendy, is everything okay?" Lucy started after a few moments of silence.

"I just have a feeling that you've been avoiding me these past few weeks. If I've done anything at all to upset you, please tell me." She continued, hoping she hadn't done anything that caused the young healer distress.

Wendy sat up straight at her words, her eyes bulged out comically and the girl started waving her hands in front of her.

"No, no. You didn't do anything. I promise!" She cried out suddenly. "It's, it's me. I'm the one who did something." Wendy's gaze dropped to the table, avoiding Lucy's eyes.

Thoroughly confused at the young girl's words, Lucy went to speak, wanting to ask her what she meant, but a thud on the table made her shift her gaze and when she looked down Lucy saw Wendy's hand placed palm down on the wood.

As the bluenette lifted her hand, she revealed a golden gate key.

"What? How?" Lucy's brain had stopped working the moment she saw the key.

"This is Capricorn." She marveled as she went to pick it up.

There was a spark of magic when she touched the key and it made her smile. "Hello, old friend." She whispered to the key.

Lucy looked back up at Wendy, wanting to thank the girl and ask her where she managed to find the key when she saw the younger girl's head was dropped into her arms, and her shoulders were shaking.

As if she were crying.

"Hey, hey, Wendy." Lucy dropped the key on the table and went over to sit beside the sky drakon.

She put her hands on the girl's shoulders, rubbing them in comfort. "What's wrong?" Lucy asked, slightly panicked at the turn of events.

What could've made her cry so suddenly?

"I'm, I'm so sorry Lucy." Wendy managed to say through sobs as she continued to cry. "Hey, don't apologize, there is nothing to be sorry about. Just let it all out." Lucy continued rubbing her shoulders and brought her into her arms.

Mira approached the table at that moment,  a steaming mug in hand, and the older mage looked at Lucy with concern in her eyes at the sight of the crying sky drakon.

Lucy waved her off, mouthing that they'll talk later and Mira nodded, eyeing the key as she placed the mug on the table before turning to leave the two girls.

Wendy's crying slowed down, and the girl withdrew from Lucy's arms, sniffling as she did, and wiped the tears from her eyes.

She looked at the key on the table, and then back to Lucy. "I found it in my hoard a week ago. I'm so sorry for not giving it to you sooner." Her eyes welled up with tears again as she spoke. "It was a part of Grandeeney's hoard."

That came out whispered, and Lucy barely managed to hear the girl. "I always found it weird that she had a golden key in her hoard. She and I prefer diamonds." The healer explained, and Lucy felt her stomach drop at her words.

So two dragons were in possession of her mother's keys?

"A few weeks before she disappeared, we were in her cave and she insisted on me taking a few things and finally starting my own collection." Wendy continued, her voice less shaky, her tears finally ceasing.

"I never understood why she made me take the key." She looked directly into Lucy's eyes with determination. "I do now. That's why I'm apologizing, I should have given it to you sooner. You obviously know the spirit, and it belonged to your mother."

The girl proclaimed in one breath and then looked back down at the table in shame. Lucy was taken aback, she looked at Wendy and then back at Capricorn's key.

"So my mother knew two dragons?" Was the first thing that came out of her mouth, it was the only thing circling through her head.

Wendy's eyes snapped back to her. "I was still wrapping my head around the fact that Natsu had one. It didn't even cross my mind that you might as well." She said, looking at the younger girl and smiling at her.

Lucy moved to squeeze one of Wendy's hands. "You have nothing to apologize for." She told the girl in a gentle tone. "I understand. I mean I don't collect any sparkly treasure, but I understand that it was hard for you to part with it because of your mother."

Wendy took a sharp intake of breath at Lucy's words, her eyes welling up with tears once more.

"I can relate to that, losing my mom was hard, and I want to keep as many things that remind me of her as possible." Lucy smiled at the young girl, wanting her to know that it was okay.

"Though, at least there's hope for you and Natsu to reunite with them." She added.

She didn't want to give the girl any false hope, but she knew that her partner believed his father was alive. And Lucy couldn't help but have faith in him, and his instincts.

They've saved her countless times so far.

Wendy threw herself into Lucy's arms, surprising the blonde and making them sway slightly on the bench. "Thank you." The young girl mumbled into her neck, and Lucy only smiled and moved her hand to stroke the girl's hair.

"I should be thanking you. I know how hard it was for you, and Natsu to give me a piece of them. I will forever be grateful for your kindness." Lucy told her, wanting Wendy to know that she appreciated their gesture and the magnitude behind it.

Wendy moved out of her hold and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry for crying so much." She chuckled and Lucy giggled as she waved her off. "Please, I cry more than anyone."

Wendy laughed harder at her response and Lucy smiled at the sight. It was nice to hear her laugh.

"You know, I see now why Natsu likes you so much." The young girl stated suddenly and Lucy furrowed her brows and looked at her in question.

"I mean, I always thought you were nice." The younger girl suddenly backtracked, realizing how that sounded.

"But Natsu has always been so reserved with everyone but Happy, and me sometimes. He's been chasing after Igneel since I met him, never relenting or giving up on finding him. It was inspiring when I first met him." Wendy elaborated.

"Knowing I wasn't alone, that there was someone out there who knew how I felt, knowing that if he managed to find Igneel, maybe there was a chance for me to find Grandeeney. It made me feel better." The blunette sighed, racking her hands through her bangs.

"After a few years, we were all so worried about him. He would come here to eat and drink sometimes or pick a fight when he was in a mood.

But it was always about the next job, and going out there to find his father.

The longest I remember him staying consistently was when Happy and Charla hatched." There was a faraway look in the girl's eyes, and Lucy could tell she was reminiscing.

"Even then it was only for maybe a month or two."

Lucy started at the bluenette, not knowing how to feel, she had a similar conversation with Levy about this just the other day, and she was thinking about it before coming here.

And now here was Wendy, telling her a similar story.

The young bluenette continued talking before Lucy had the chance to say anything, not that she knew what to say.

"When he brought you in that night I didn't think anything of it. He's never brought anyone back to the guild, sure, but you were in bad shape so I could understand." Wendy shrugged, pausing to take a breath.

"But then the next morning he brought you over to meet Levy and me, he got you breakfast, and took you back to Hargeon so you could summon Aquarius and get your things." She trailed off as she turned to look at Lucy with a small smile.

"I've never seen him act like that. The next thing I know, you guys are a team, and he's spending all this time in the guild." Wendy finished with a smile, and Lucy was still taken aback.

There was a beat of silence as Lucy tried to wrap her head around the fact that she, might in fact, be the reason for Natsu's change of pace.

'Does everyone in Fairy Tail feel this way?' Lucy thought as she searched for what she could possibly say to that when her ringtone startled her from her thoughts.

"Shit, sorry, just a sec." Lucy told Wendy as she went to fish the device out of her pocket.

"You're up early." She said into the speaker as she answered, knowing without having to look who was on the other line. "I woke up and you were gone." Was his only response and Lucy giggled at his almost whiny tone.

"I decided to head to the guild early this morning, not my fault you like to sleep in." Lucy chided him, before continuing with a sweeter tone. "There's food for you in the fridge and some fish in the freezer for Happy." She told him, hoping that would save her apartment from being burned down by their cooking attempts.

"Nah, I wanted us to have breakfast. I'll just come to the guild and we can eat together. Happy already ate the fish though." Lucy's brows raised at his denial of food and she heard a muffled 'Aye!' in the background from Happy, and rolled her eyes playfully at the cats' antics.

"Okay, I'll wait for you then. Make sure to bundle up Happy! It's freezing outside. And wear the boots I bought you!" She told him as she went to end the call.

"But Lushii, they're constricting, I like my sandals." He definitely whined this time, and Lucy laughed at his pathetic tone.

"Don't be a baby and just do it, it's the middle of winter and you will not be going around in sandals, I do not care that you're a creature of fire!" Lucy told him sternly, going to take a sip of her tea to calm herself.

"Aye, I'll wear the boots, just don't get all scary." He relented with a sigh, and Lucy smiled in triumph. "Good, and hurry up I'm hungry." She told him before ending the call.

Lucy looked down at her phone and smiled at her new lock screen photo.

The home screen stayed the same painting from Reedus, but her lock screen was now a picture of her, Natsu, and Happy at the New Year's party.

Mirajane managed to snap a photo of the three of them dancing, and Lucy loved it so much.

They just looked so happy and carefree.

"I don't think he's ever refused a meal just so he could eat with someone." Wendy marveled and Lucy jumped at the sound of her voice, she'd forgotten the girl was there.

A blush heated her cheeks as she turned to look at the younger girl. "Yeah, that threw me off too. But you know Natsu, you can never anticipate his next move." She said making the bluenette giggle in response.

"You got him there." She chuckled. "I'm glad he met you, though." Wendy stated, changing the topic suddenly.

"It's nice seeing him spend so much time here. We've actually gotten closer in these three months more than we have in the past years, so thank you for that." The girl told her, turning serious all of a sudden, making Lucy blanch at her words.

"I really don't think I had much to do with that, though I am also glad that I met him."Lucy said with an almost bashful smile.

"I mean he brought me here. I got to meet all of you and join Fairy Tail. My life will never be the same and it's all because of him." Lucy continued talking despite her best efforts.

She hadn't been aware of how much she needed to get this off her chest, and it seemed that Wendy was the unwilling participant to Lucy's inner monologue coming out.

"He challenges me and pushes me in ways that I never thought I needed. But most importantly, he believes in me, and I've never really had that." Lucy trailed off, forgetting what her point was for a moment.

"So no need to thank me. I'm the one who is eternally thankful to him, I'd be dead 10 times over if it weren't for Natsu."

There was a moment of silence, a moment in which Lucy realized what she'd said out loud.

Looking around she made sure the guild was still mostly scarce, she really hoped no one overheard that.

Mira especially.

Lucy turned to smile at Wendy, it was a slightly awkward smile, and she knew her cheeks were cherry red by this point.

Wendy, bless her heart, seeing how uncomfortable she was, saved Lucy from herself and changed the subject smoothly.

"So, what kind of spirit is Capricorn?" The girl asked her with genuine enthusiasm and Lucy smiled gratefully at her before re-telling the memories she had of the Goat Spirit to the bluenette.

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

"I'm boreed." Natsu exclaimed as he sat down next to Lucy. "Happy ditched us to go on a job with Charla and Wendy!" He almost whined. "Luce, why don't you go and pick a job for us, please? It's your turn." He put his head on her shoulder as he pouted up at her.

Lucy turned from her book to look at him and chuckled at his expression. "Erza went out with them too, and Gray actually agreed to go on a job with Juvia." She told him as she looked around the guild.

Most of the teams were gone on jobs.

She could see Cana drinking with Laxus at the bar, the rest of the Thunder Legion spread out through the guild, mingling with the rest of the mages.

"So what? We can still go, the two of us. You were my partner first." He grumbled the last part under his breath, making Lucy chuckle at him. "Please, I'm so bored and we haven't taken a job since before Christmas!" He pleaded with her.

"You could try out your new spirits in battle?" He told her and Lucy caved at the puppy eyes.

"Fine, I'll go see if there's anything interesting on the board." She told him as she went to stand.

There was a 'Whoop' from the fire mage that made her roll her eyes as she made her way towards the raised platform where Nab was perpetually looking for a job.

"Anything interesting?" She asked the man as she joined him.  Nab looked at her for a second before turning back to the board with a sigh.

"Nothing for me really, but you might like that one." He pointed to a flyer pinned to the wood. "Though if you're planning on going with Natsu, good luck making him take it."

Lucy looked over the flyer and instantly took it off the board. "Oh, ye of little faith. Watch me." She smiled at the man before making her way to her and Natsu's table.

"I found the perfect one!" She beamed at the pinkette as she put the paper between them. Natsu perked up at that and moved to look over the job.

His excitement was short-lived, as he groaned the moment he read through it. "This sounds even more boring than sitting around here." Natsu complained.

"Hey, we did what you wanted last time! I'm still trying to get my boots clean after that Vulcan incident." She argued back, shivering at the thought of the monster's guts covering her boots and pants.

She threw the pants away.

Natsu had the forethought to look sheepish as she reminded him of their last escapade, moving to scratch the back of his head. "I said I was sorry. I didn't think he'd explode like that." He shrugged as he tried to save himself. "I'll buy you new ones!"

"Well, it doesn't matter now. You said to pick a job and I did. Now I'm going to go and get it approved by Mira and we're leaving tomorrow morning. Got it?" Lucy told him as she took the paper from his hands.

"Aye, sir!" Natsu mumbled in defeat and buried his chin in his scarf.

Lucy smiled at him and made her way to the bar. "Hey, Mira." She greeted the girl.

"Hi, Lucy, can I get you some more tea?" The bartender asked her as she made her way to where she was standing.

The blond waved her off and put the paper in between them on the counter. "No, I need you to catalog this, Natsu and I are going to take it." She told the white-haired mage, who smiled in return and took the flyer to look over.

"Hmm, I don't remember this one coming in, they've never asked for help before. But everything looks good, so I'll catalog it for you. Make sure to keep him in line, yeah?" Mira asked Lucy, who chuckled and smiled at the girl.

"I'll try my best, but no promises!" Lucy bantered back, knowing that if Natsu set his mind to something, there wasn't really much that could stop him.

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

Sakuramori Village was more like a city than a village. Not as large as Magnolia or Crocus. But big in its own right.

Lucy looked around as they walked down the main street. She loved visiting new places.

Her limited traveling opportunities as a child and young adult left her with a thirst for adventure and discovering new things.

Thankfully, her partner was an expert on both. It was never a dull day with Natsu Dragneel.

They were on their way to the local museum, the job description said there was a magical item accidentally on display that got stolen. There weren't many details, but the pay was good, and it sounded like a low-risk job.

One day, Lucy will learn that there were no 'Low Risk' jobs or situations when Fairy Tail was involved.

"You know they have some really good smoked meats here." Natsu said suddenly as he sniffed the air.

Her partner was also an expert when it came to food.

"We can check out all of that later. Let's go find our client and see what was stolen."

Lucy told him and pulled his hand so he wouldn't wander into a restaurant.

"I think they might have a magic shop here. We could check to see if they have any keys?" Natsu asked her, and Lucy turned to look at him with a curious expression.

"You said you wanted me to take you to every magic shop I know of." He told her with a small shrug, and Lucy was taken aback by the fact he paid attention.

"I didn't think you'd remember that." Lucy admitted to him shyly, turning her head to hide her blush. She should be used to his behavior by now, but he somehow manages to catch her off guard every time.

"'Course I remembered, it's you! Now let's go and beat up some thieves and then we can eat!" He told her, before suddenly taking her hand in his and sprinting towards the Museum.

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

"You are an idiot." Lucy panted out as they stopped in front of the large wooden doors.

"Let's go see what all the fuss is about." Natsu replied, ignoring her insult, and pushed the doors open.

Lucy walked behind him, admiring her surroundings.

She had always loved museums. Her mother took her to a couple before her death, and being here has brought back wonderful memories of happier times.

"Wow, this place is fancy. I hope I don't accidentally break something." Natsu mumbled to her as they walked through the building, hands in his pockets as he looked around the various artifacts surrounding them.

"Just keep close to me and don't make any sudden movements. You'll be fine." Lucy reassured him as she looked for any of the staff.

Spotting a smartly dressed woman with a name tag, Lucy beelined for her, Natsu on her heel.

"Good afternoon, we are here from Fairy Tail. May I please speak to whoever is in charge?"Lucy smiled at the woman, who in turn looked at them with a smile of her own.

"That would be me. Helena Carter, head curator."

"Nice to meet you, Helena, My name is Lucy, this is Natsu, we're here on behalf of the posting you put out. Something regarding a stolen artifact?"

The woman looked utterly confused at Lucy's words. "I am sorry. You must be mistaken, we haven't had anything stolen from our museum." Helena replied, looking slightly bewildered and Lucy furrowed her brows at her confusion.

She was sure they were in the right place.

"Oh, we must have mixed up the towns, I apologize for the disturbance!"

She tried to sound casual and hoped the woman wouldn't get suspicious.

"It's not a problem, enjoy your visit here." The brunette dismissed them with a polite smile before leaving.

Lucy turned to Natsu with a frown. "That was weird." She told him.

Natsu shrugged and put his hands behind his head with a sigh. "I can't believe I rode a train here for hours for nothing." He pouted slightly and turned to look at her.

"Can we go eat now?" He pleaded with her and Lucy sighed.

"I need to call Mira and see if maybe I did get the town mixed up, and I kind of want to check out the Museum a little too." Lucy replied with a pout of her own, making the fire drakon sigh in defeat.

"Okay, but hurry and call the she-demon."

Lucy beamed at him before pulling out her phone to call Mira, hoping she really did get the town mixed up.

The white-haired mage picked up after two rings. "How's the job going? Did you make it to Sakuramori Village?" She greeted Lucy.

"So I didn't get anything mixed up, hey Mira, I was actually calling to confirm that we were supposed to come here. The head of the Museum didn't seem to know anything about you know the big M. And there hasn't been anything stolen either."

Lucy rambled to the girl, minding to keep her voice quiet, they were in a Museum.

"Oh, well that's strange. I'll go check with the Master and call you back." Mira told her before hanging up.

Lucy put her phone back in her pocket and turned to Natsu. "Okay, let's go explore."

She smiled at him and gleefully made her way through the different exhibits, the pinkette following behind her with a small smile of his own as he watched her.

"Ooh, this is from one of the Dongxia dynasties. They were supposedly mighty warriors of the sea."

Lucy went around the Museum, explaining the exhibits she knew to Natsu, and reading out loud the ones she didn't.

He didn't ask for a history lesson, but then again she didn't really care. And he wasn't complaining.

"So they were like pirates?" Natsu asked, sounding excited about the idea.

"Well, there are stories of pirates from everywhere, not just Dongxia. But they were known for being unbeatable on the sea. They had advanced boats for that time" Lucy told him, and his face paled at the thought of a boat.

"On second thought, I don't think I could be a pirate." He said suddenly and Lucy laughed at his ridiculousness. "Come on, this one looks cool." She said as she dragged him to the next room.

They walked around for a few minutes before Lucy saw something that stopped her in her tracks. "You good Luce?" Natsu asked her as he noticed her stillness. 

"Natsu, am I going crazy, or does that look like?" Lucy trailed off as she carefully approached the glass in which a shining golden object was encased.

"That kinda looks like one of your keys or part of it." Natsu said from over her shoulder.

There in a glass display, in the middle of a Museum in Sakuramori Village was half of a gate key.

"Leo." Lucy said as she looked at the constellation embellished onto the gold.

[asjjohnson]

What if Danny's more powerful than he realizes? And what if the Fentons don't pay an electric bill?

The Fenton parents knew their ghost portal and other experiments would take a lot of energy.

The ecto-converter wasn't the first of its kind.

Of course not. It was just their latest model—a more portable, more universal model.

They had always had an energy converter and overflow storage container built into their ghost portal. Their electricity bills would have been through the roof otherwise.

They had temporarily plugged in several cords to provide enough electricity to power the portal on, but, once it was open, they had always planned on sapping the ambient ghostly energy to keep it running.

It had worked perfectly. In fact, they hadn't received an electric bill since.

Within a month, someone from the electric company had investigated, scratched their head in confusion, replaced their meter. And, when the new meter never changed from the row of zeros, the company shut off their service.

Not that the Fentons noticed. They weren't using it anyhow.

---

Danny had struggled to control his new ghost powers. He worked hard to learn them, and slowly built up his stamina and strength.

He'd always barely won his fights, only just managing to be good enough.

He viewed himself as being of average strength. He was on the same level as the other ghosts he's met.

The only reason he'd defeated Pariah Dark was that suit's 100x power boost (or had it said 100%? he wasn't too great at math), and he'd been completely drained afterward. Everyone knew Pariah Dark was above and beyond any other ghost. Undefeatable. Danny definitely wouldn't have expected to win in a fair fight, and hadn't been sure he even could with the suit.

He'd defeated his alternate future self, but that was mostly due to his parents' gadgets (plus his resolve to never turn into him). The guy hadn't even been that powerful—he was just a slightly older version of Danny, after all. There was no reason to think being away from home for a day would make Danny stronger, or that his alternate self being under the Fenton Works' roof for a day would make him weaker.

Besides, he's been away from home other times and nothing had changed then. Like when he and his mom were stranded in Colorado. ...Yeah, he'd been wearing a specter deflector most of the time—but still. And his dad and sister hadn't mentioned the power going off back home, and if Danny were powering their house, then of course the lights would've gone out. It's not like a bunch of ghosts would've randomly shown up at the house, just to recharge their battery or something.

And there was also that time his whole family had taken a vacation out west and left the house alone for days. Even with his parents putting Fenton Works in low power mode, everything would've shut off before they'd gotten back. It's not like, say, Vlad had come over to bug their house, and then spent hours upon hours with a bunch of his ghost stooges digging through his parents' blueprints and research ...right?

He could think of at least three ways, right off the top of his head, Vlad could've found out they were going on a trip, and he does not want to think about that.

Aaanyhow... the point is—there is absolutely no reason that him going to college in Florida would lead to, after just his second day of classes, his family being completely without electricity. Or for his eyes to start glowing bright green even in his human form, or his hair to start floating on its own, or for ghosts to start showing up from ghost portals that keep appearing around Danny for no reason and those ghosts bowing to him, or any of the other crazy things going on right now!?!!?1!

Seriously—what is going on?!??!!!!

[liebgotts-lovergirl]

Fire On Fire: Wonderstruck Pt. 1

Gallery II Tag List Application II Symbol Guide

Summary: Maybe Alix and Joe were star-crossed from the start... A/N: Flashback chapter, my beloved. 🤌🏽Also, if you're looking for something to listen to while reading, I highly recommend this & this. WARNINGS: Alcohol consumption, like 2 drunk Antisemitic remarks, Trust issues Taglist: @latibvles @softguarnere @mccall-muffin @brassknucklespeirs @wwhatev3r @holdingforgeneralhugs @emmythespacecowgirl @auroralightsthesky

8 Months Earlier: January 8th, 1944. Aldbourne, England. 

Alix had been training with Easy Company in Aldbourne for less than a week, learning the ins and outs of her cover as their combat nurse, and already, she had made enemies.

Firstly, her case officer, Lieutenant Nixon, seemed to be doing everything possible to trip her up so she’d get pulled from the field.

According to the Office of Strategic Services, her handler was supposed to be her mentor, someone who would be in her corner when no one else was, but instead, working with her seemed to only renew his determination to make her so miserable that she’d quit the venture altogether and go home to Pennsylvania.

And as if that wasn’t enough, Alix ended up being hauled in front of Colonel Sink to be scolded like an unruly child. 

She knew they wouldn’t kick her out of the Sparrow Program for something as minor as giving a mouthy trooper a concussion so she hadn’t been overly worried. 

The OSS needed all the good agents they could get since the Germans kept killing them. The military couldn't afford to fire intelligence operatives, even if they wanted to. 

But being lectured on anger management for half an hour by an exasperated Colonel was still not exactly an enjoyable experience.

 It was just simply not her week so when Bull Randleman pulled her aside after target practice, she was immediately tense, expecting to be chewed out for something she probably had no idea was even out-of-bounds. 

"Hey Pyro," he called, lumbering over to her, chomping on his usual cigar. His tone was friendly but you could never be sure with a superior officer. "Mind if I borrow ya for a sec?" 

"Sure thing, Bull!" 

"Heard Sink really laid into ya for the Cobb thing," he began as they left the designated range area.

"But if ya ask me, Cobb was askin' to get tore up, talkin' to a lady how he was. It woulda riled anybody up." 

He shook his head disapprovingly.

"That boy ain't got the sense God gave a goose." 

"Is what it is, I suppose," Alix shrugged. "They're not kicking me out or anything, I just got read the riot act for about half an hour. They're not making me apologize, thank God, or I'd quit on the spot." 

"Figures," Bull replied with a chuckle. "Most of the boys are real proud of ya though. I reckon Guarnere's even fixin' to ask ya for an autograph!" 

The agent cocked her head, brow furrowed slightly. 

She hadn't had the time to meet hardly anyone yet.

"Who?" 

"Bill Guarnere," he repeated kindly. "NCO, about yea-high, dark hair, Philly accent, loud as all get out? Ya can't miss him. He was the one hootin' and hollerin' when you was scrappin' with Cobb." 

Alix thought about it for a second but no dice.

She had been seeing red during the fight and the only thing she could distinctly remember was Bull pulling her off of the crumpled trooper before she could do anymore damage. 

"Sorry Bull, I don't recall." 

"Ain't no problem," he drawled with a paternal smile. "I reckon you was a bit busy tryna keep from killin' ol' Roy at the time anyway." 

He snapped his fingers as a thought popped back into his head.

"But that does remind me, I was fixin' to ask if you got any plans for tonight 'cause me an' the rest of the troopers from Easy are gonna be goin' out to the White Rose Inn at around 7 or 8, if you're interested. I figure it'd give ya a chance to get acquainted with the rest of the fellas seein' as you ain't really been properly introduced to most of 'em yet."

"Sounds like fun!" Alix answered brightly. "What's the occasion?"

"No occasion," Bull responded with an easy shrug. "It's just been one hell of a week and I reckon we could all use a break. Be good for morale." 

"Sounds swell," Alix chirped as she swiped the sweat off her brow. "I could sure use a good party. Thanks for the invite!" 

"Sure thing," the older paratrooper commented. "I remember being new. It ain't easy. Gotta be even harder on you, bein' the runt and all."

Alix ducked just out of his reach to avoid him missing up her hair paternally, as he was wont to do.

"Watch it, Randleman," she said in a tone of mock annoyance as they arrived at the makeshift trenches dug on the opposite side of the field. "D'you know how long it takes to get it all pinned up like this?!" 

 The Southerner chuckled. 

"I reckon you'll live." 

∆∆━━━━∆∆━━━∆∆━━━∆∆

For an inn situated in a relatively small village, the White Rose had a rather large ballroom and when Alix made her way in that evening, it was already teeming with life.

 The worn wooden bar stools were quickly filling up with drinking customers and the dance floor was a blur of colorful motion. Shouts and giggles all wafting over the energetic swing music playing in the background completed the scene and Alix took a deep breath, feeling invigorated. 

This is why she loved dance halls, parties, whatever she could get. The energy, the ambience, it was all so different from the prim and proper dinner parties of home. Even in a normally sleepy village like Aldbourne, you could always count on the visiting paratroopers to liven things up a bit. 

Taking in the sights, her brown eyes roamed the scene for someone she knew when she thought she heard her name being called. Turning to her right, she saw Bull winding his way through the crowd with his date in tow. 

“Hey there, Pyro,” the older trooper exclaimed as Alix shuffled past some locals to get over to him. “I thought that was you! Glad ya could make it!” 

He introduced his date but the blaring of the trumpet section swallowed the name, so Alix simply exchanged polite “How do you do”s and prayed that Randleman might mention the girl’s name in conversation again at some point throughout the rest of the evening. 

“The guys are back this way,” Bull called over his shoulder as they continued to weave through the crowd. 

“Is it always this packed?” Alix asked Bull’s date with a delighted grin but the other girl shook her head.

“Not until you Yanks came along."

Alix had been about to respond when a bellow from a cluster of tables nestled toward the back cut her off and she looked up to see a man with sergeant stripes and a wide grin jogging up to them.

“There he is!”  he exclaimed, reaching over to slap Randleman on the back.

“Where’ve you been, Bull, we thought you got lost!”

“Heya Johnny,” Bull greeted him warmly before introducing him to Alix and his date as Sergeant Johnny Martin on the way to the rest of the group. “Sorry I ran off but-” 

He jerked a thumb behind him.

  “Had to go find Pyro.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Alix responded as she extended a hand. “I’m-” 

“Martinelli, the OSS agent,” Johnny finished for her, his grin widening. “Yeah, we know who you are.”

“You’re the dame that beat up Cobb, ain’t you?” a voice piped up as they arrived at their corner of the room, which was suddenly alight with a frenzy of discussion, of which Alix knew she was the main subject.

“They call her Pyro,” she heard somebody adding, “Ya know, like a firecracker?” 

“I heard she gave him a concussion,” someone remarked conspiratorially and she could feel the stares. "Nearly split his skull!"

“Her? But she looks like a fucking debutante?" 

"I thought so too but-"

Alix shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, feeling a bit like a sideshow attraction. She hadn’t wanted the whole Cobb thing to become a spectacle. Quite the opposite, actually: she was more than ready to forget it ever happened. 

Flying into a near-homicidal rage on her first day was not exactly her finest moment of decorum and she was still struggling to understand how people seemed to be proud of her for it.

“Yeah, that’s her,” Bull declared with a congratulatory slap on her back. “But she can be a deb and a brawler, ain't that right, Pyro?”

"Sure can," Alix replied, a nervous smile gracing her face as Bull and his date headed off to the dancefloor together, leaving her alone with the rest of the group.

Noting her presence, one of the paratroopers seated in front of her stood up and gestured to his chair with a practiced air of boyish charm.

"Here, take my seat, beautiful," he insisted with a cheeky smirk and Alix raised her eyebrows at the line. For a split second, no one moved, the whole table seemingly waiting with bated breath for her reaction. 

Marone, she wanted to mutter. I’m not a fucking time bomb, guys.

 But outwardly, she sent an appreciative smile in the direction of the trooper, who speedily pulled a chair up for himself to her right.

"Careful Tab," a shorter man a few seats down joked. "Get fresh with that one and–" he made a popping noise, dragging a thumb across his throat. "--she'll take your head right off!"

"I got it handled, thanks Luz," the polished trooper– Tab– remarked with a playful roll of his eyes.

As the table began to bubble with sporadic laughter and the hum of conversation once more, Alix only caught fragments among the voices. 

“—seen Skinny?”

“—so I says to the guy–”

“— Lieb’s late —”

“— and I get a fuckin’ letter —”

“ — my folks are pretty jazzed —”

“— Muck and Malarkey—”

“— didn't even know the broad —”

“— shooting craps, last I seen—”

"So where ya from, Pyro?" asked the man sitting opposite her, his slightly-grating voice easily carrying over the din.

Sergeant stripes, black hair…short…loud…thick Philly accent… 

This had to be the guy Bull had mentioned earlier, Guarnere.

"Philly," Alix replied absently as she tugged out a Chesterfield and began patting down her coat pockets. “Say, any of you boys got a light?"

      All conversation came to a screeching halt as half a dozen eager hands thrust out towards her, tripping over themselves to offer her their lighters. She chose the closest one, a black lighter volunteered by a trooper to her left with silver-blue eyes who introduced himself quietly as David Webster. 

 "Bullshit," Guarnere scoffed from his seat across the table before taking a big swill of his beer. "Ya don't sound it. I’d know if you was from Philly.”

Alix cocked a manicured eyebrow and took a long drag. 

"Clearly not," she remarked coolly, "because I am from Philly, born and raised." 

"Yeah?" Guarnere challenged. "What neighborhood then?" 

Alix sighed in defeat.

           She knew the reaction that would come, the one that always came.  

"Chestnut Hill." 

 Bill choked on his beer before letting out a low whistle of admiration. 

"Jesus Christ, no wonder ya don't sound it." 

Here we go, Alix thought. 

        "Fellas, we're in the presence of royalty," Bill announced jokingly with an exaggerated bow in the agent’s direction. "Ain't that right, Your Majesty?" 

        Alix took a long drag on her cigarette and ignored him, trying to focus on the smoke or the table or anything else. 

She knew he was just kidding but it was still embarrassing. Growing up in the affluent neighborhood of Chestnut Hill in Northwest Philly was not what people envisioned when she told them she was from Philadelphia. 

She’d heard from Penny that South Philly neighborhoods were close-knit and working-class, where everybody was in the same boat and you had to scrap together to survive. It was tough but it brought people together as a community. Your neighbors were like family.

 

Chestnut Hill wasn’t like that at all. Come to think of it, Alix didn’t even think she knew the names of the neighbors in the estate to their right and she’d certainly never had to struggle for survival. Her father’s business connections ensured a life of ease for her, so long as she did everything she was told… or at least, made it look that way. 

Alix snickered inwardly as she peeled off her coat and draped it on the back of her chair, imagining her parents reaction to her outfit that evening.

Her mother would've been appalled but the paratroopers around her– some of whom were gaping like fish– certainly didn’t seem to mind it. 

It had been another of her many pilfered gowns from a modeling gig. She couldn't remember which false name she'd given the photographer for the print– something nondescript – but she'd kept the dress tucked at the back of her closet ever since the gig, knowing full well that if her mother discovered it, it would be in the garbage by sundown and Alix would most likely be grounded for life.

She hadn't tried it on in a year or so but the scarlet silk still clung to her in all the right places and the skirt flared out beautifully like a fairytale gown. The only issue was the top, which was perhaps just a tad too small for her now as her ample chest was threatening to spill over with each breath she took. 

Nonetheless, she had to admit, she looked pretty good, even if she was a bit overdressed compared to the other girls in their Woolworth’s tea dresses. 

Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Alix tried to distract herself with some idle conversation, engaging with Webster on the merits and drawbacks of the Shakespeare authorship question when she happened to glance over toward the door and the agent felt her breath hitch as time seemed to slow.

The handsome technician she’d caught staring at her on her first day…the wiry one with the laidback swagger and the warm brown eyes...the one she’d been dying to speak to but didn’t have the chance… 

He was there, just steps away, looking as ruggedly handsome as ever as he made his way over to their section of the room. But then Alix’s view was partially obstructed by Tab, who’d stood up to greet his approaching friends, casting the shorter agent in his long shadow.

"Sorry, we're late, fellas," the technician addressed the rest of the group dryly, without a clue that the slight rasp of his tenor voice was making the practically-invisible Alix's heart skip a beat. 

"Skinny here—" she heard a small grunt and Alix guessed the companion had been elbowed or otherwise nudged, "had to get bitched out by Peacock for bein’ a drunken idiot last Monday, and guess who had to wait up for him." 

"I said I was sorry," Skinny grumbled, seemingly more to himself than anybody else. "What more does he want from me, Joe?" 

"Probably all the light bulbs ya stole from his lamps when you were plastered, ya fuckin' menace."

From the reflection in her water glass, Alix could see Skinny sulking, pulling a face that strongly resembled an exasperated river otter, and she bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud.

Joe seemed just as amused and as Tab shifted, allowing Alix to just barely be glimpsed, Joe caught her eye and shot her a wink that made her cheeks get warm.

“Well if Sober Wayne knew where Drunk Wayne hid the lightbulbs, then Sober Wayne would give ‘em all right back," Skinny retorted testily.

Retreating, he dragged a chair over to the far side of the table which resulted in nearly everyone having to scoot over one and him practically sharing a seat with a now-equally-sulky Bill Guarnere.

"How’d you even get in Peacock's room in the first place?" the handsome technician – Joe – remarked with a wry shake of his head, as he carted a chair for himself over to the table's end, next to Skinny and diagonal to Tab and Alix. "And what the hell did ya want light bulbs for, anyway?"

"You're asking the wrong guy, Joe," his exasperated friend answered, sounding defeated. "I'm telling you, Drunk Me is a whole nother person. Take it up with him." 

“Well, drunk or sober, we’re just glad you two could make it!” Tab assured them breezily before shouting something over his shoulder about grabbing more beers and disappearing into the crowd.

Glancing over to where the technician– Joe– was seated, just diagonal to her from across the table, Alix found herself admiring how remarkably at-ease he was. 

She felt like a fish out of water, surrounded by people she barely knew while the occasional stranger ogled her like a piece of meat. 

But Joe…Joe was animated and engaging, trading smart remarks with Bill Guarnere across Skinny like casual blows during training.

 

It definitely helped that his intensity and charm reminded her of the male lead in one of those romance pictures they were always showing at the movie theaters.

He looked the part of the dashing soldier too in his uniform, with his thick brown hair now dark with styling product, finely-drawn features and the way those warm brown eyes crinkled slightly when he smiled…

He was smiling at her. 

Oh no.

Suddenly realizing she’d been caught, Alix could feel heat creeping up her cheeks again and she was positive that she was as bright red as her dress by now.

She returned the smile but found she just couldn’t tear her eyes from his, and he seemed to be facing the same silent struggle.

The idle chatter around them seemed far away now and for a second, it was just the two of them gazing into each other's eyes from across the table, each searching for the right thing to say to the other. 

He spoke first, leaning forward so she could hear him better over the noise.

“Doll, I’m gonna need you to quit that,” he said, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

Alix cocked her head inquisitively.  

“Quit what?”

Joe scratched the back of his neck with a sheepish laugh.

“Smilin’ at me like that. I can’t think straight when you do and I need to get my shit together before I make a damn fool outta myself.” 

Alix giggled and was it her imagination or did his face seem to brighten at the sound?

“Name’s Joe, by the way,” he added, sitting up a little straighter. “Joe L-”

“Liebgott!” Tab’s voice interrupted as he returned to the table, reaching over Alix’s head to hand Joe his beer.

“Only took me half the year but I finally got you one! The bar’s held up like you wouldn’t believe!”

“Yeah, I bet,” Joe replied carelessly, clearly waiting for Talbert to notice his disinterest and leave, but the spell had already been broken. 

Suddenly feeling a white-hot pain between her fingers, Alix hissed and tossed the remains of her cigarette away with a muttered curse. 

She’d been so out of it, she’d let her damn cigarette burn down to nothing and singe her fingers. 

“You okay, doll?” Joe asked, his brows knitted with concern and Alix felt bad that he'd cut a seemingly miffed Tab off mid-sentence just to check on her.

She opened her mouth to make an excuse but of course, it was then that the band struck up a particularly lively tune she recognized and her head perked up.

It was “In the Mood” by Glenn Miller, one of her favorites!

"Hey princess," Guarnere interjected from across the table, already getting to his feet. "D'you dance?" 

"If I'm asked," Alix hinted with a pointed look over at Joe.

So c'mon Joe, she urged in her mind. Ask.

The technician had just opened his mouth to say something when Bill interrupted with a winning grin.

“Well consider this a personal invitation then!”

And before Alix could blink, she found herself being whisked off to the dancefloor. 

∆∆━━━━∆∆━━━∆∆━━━∆∆

Even drunk off his ass, Bill Guarnere could still Lindy like nobody’s business. The quick footwork and energetic, almost jerky movements suited his personality perfectly and even a practiced dancer like Alix was struggling to match his sheer dynamism.

But the vivacious Alix was never one to turn down a dance, even if she wasn't particularly jazzed about the asker.

Joe, meanwhile, was leaning casually against the table and making small talk with a tall, dark-haired trooper whose name she didn’t know. 

But every couple minutes, the technician would look up from his beer over to where Alix and Bill were, his expression darkening like a brewing storm as though he were at war with himself.

About halfway through the next song and another beer later, it seemed like he'd made up his mind because when she next glanced up, there was Joe striding towards them with a sense of renewed purpose and a look of determination on his face.

Bill, meanwhile, had been rendered blissfully oblivious by the unheard-of amount of beers he’d knocked back.

When Alix had met him, he was finishing his fifth and she found it to be a miracle he was still standing, let alone dancing as well as he was. 

He had just extended his arm and half-spun, half-jerked Alix out across the floor when she reeled and accidentally collided full-force with someone who was just walking up to them from behind.

"Shit, I'm sorry!" she exclaimed as she stumbled into the stranger but he caught her easily in his arms, pulling her slightly to his chest for support so she wouldn't fall.

Seeing that it was Joe, Alix's heartbeat pound so loudly that she was positive he must feel it through his shirt.

"Don't be," he reassured her with a goofy grin. "Best thing that's happened all night." 

Alix was suddenly hyper-aware of how close their faces were, the warmth of his breath ghosting across her skin, their noses nearly touching, and the way his eyes drank in her features like he was trying to commit every inch of her to memory made her train of thought evaporate. 

Her lipsticked-reddened lips parted instinctively and she caught her breath at the way his gaze flickered down to them before coming back to her eyes and then darting down again. 

Alix could feel her every muscle quivering like a bowstring about to snap, and she knew she'd never wanted anything more than she wanted to kiss Joe Liebgott in that moment but somehow, she barely managed to keep herself in check. 

"Can I-" he started hoarsely, his lips nearly grazing hers as he fought to keep his self-control.

But Alix didn't want him controlled. 

"Please" she murmured breathily and that was all the urging he needed. Eyes fluttering shut, his lips had been just about to brush hers when–

"Y'know the whole point of a spin like that is that ya come back, right?" Bill interrupted sardonically as he approached, a surprisingly bitter edge to his voice. "Not go suckin' face with somebody else." 

Alix jumped out of Joe's embrace instantly, her face turning a bright crimson. 

She'd forgotten Bill was even there. 

But Joe paid him no mind, taking a step closer to Alix instead and allowing his focus to remain entirely on her.

"I ain't exactly Fred Astaire, y'know, but I'm still a pretty good dancer…" Joe said as he drew nearer, his warm brown eyes sparkling like smoky quartz under the lights.

"So whaddya say, dollface, mind if I cut in?" 

"Not at all!" Alix answered eagerly, taking his extended hand at the exact same moment Bill stated loudly, "Yeah, I do fuckin' mind, actually." 

"Good thing I wasn't talkin' to you then, Bill," Joe shot back, matching the NCO's tone of irritation. "The lady's made her choice and it ain't you so get outta here, will ya?" 

Guarnere had already been fuming when he saw Joe embracing the girl he’d been dancing with and the snickers from nearby dancers served only to inflame him further. 

Alix wasn't sure whether it was all the beers he'd had or the mortification that did it, but Bill lost it.

"Y'know he's a fuckin' Jew, right?" 

The vehemence in his voice made Alix's eyes narrow instantly and she could feel Joe tensing beside her. 

Rage simmered in the pit of her stomach like it had with Cobb and her nails bit into her palm as she struggled to keep it from boiling over.

She couldn't lose control again. Not in front of people who were already afraid of her. 

"You've got three seconds to walk away,” Alix warned, her voice dangerously low. 

She didn't trust herself to speak any louder without making a scene. 

“Before you end up on a casualty list without ever touching enemy ground.”

But Bill was nonplussed.

"I'm just sayin',” he shrugged, slurring his words a little bit. “You got a real nice-lookin' rosary around your neck there, so you're Catholic. I'm Catholic. You're a Philly Italian, I'm a Philly Italian. We got a lot in common, you and me. But you wanna waste your time dancing with a fuckin' Yid? For what?" 

"Call me that again," Joe growled, already taking off his jacket and throwing it to the ground. "And see what the fuck happens."

“Yeah?” Bill taunted with a barking laugh. “What’s your scrawny ass gonna do about it?” 

“I’m gonna snap your fuckin’ neck is what.” 

Bill snorted derisively at the comment and, feeling Joe start to move from beside her, Alix put her hand over the clenched fist at his side to keep him from swinging. 

The technician jerked his head sharply to look at her, eyes blazing, but the agent pressed her lips together in a tense line.

If anyone’s going to get in trouble for fighting, her eyes said clearly. I’d rather it be me.

Joe grimaced but the murderous look in his eyes softened and when he turned back to face Bill, she could tell he understood.

The tension in his hand slowly released and on a whim, she lightly tangled her fingers with his in a show of solidarity, sparks seeming to fly from the brush of their fingertips.

Thankfully, the song had just ended and the sporadic clapping from the dancers around them cut through the tension like a knife.

“Y’know what,” Bill muttered acerbically, recognizing his own defeat even through his drunken haze.

“You wanna get your heart broke? Be my fucking guest. But don’t come cryin’ to me ‘bout it later.”

With one final scowl in their direction, he stalked off, shoving his way past a few onlookers on his way back to the tables to drown his sorrows just as the band began to play a much gentler, slower melody. 

Distracted, Alix’s face instantly lit up with recognition.

“Oh, this is the song from that one picture!” she gasped, eyes wide. “ The one with Bing Crosby!”

Joe grinned at her excitement and gently pulled her closer to him, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“You’re gonna have to narrow that down for me a little, Ziskeit,” he chuckled affectionately, causing a rush of butterflies in the agent’s stomach at the sound of the word.

“‘Cause there’s at least fifty of ‘em.”

“It came out a few years back,” Alix trailed off with a bemused smile, taking his other hand in her own. “It was a musical comedy…?”

“Oh sure, yeah, that really narrows it down.” Joe teased, brown eyes glittering with amusement. 

Alix rolled her eyes playfully and responded,“If it comes to me, I’ll let you know.” 

“You’d better,” Joe quipped. “I’m on the edge of my seat here.”

∆∆━━━━∆∆━━━∆∆━━━∆∆

“Do I want to be with you 

as the years come and go?

Only forever, if you care to know.”

Joe was a shockingly good dancer, fluid but firm. He had an almost supernatural way of anticipating her movements before she made them, keeping them always perfectly in-sync instead of dragging her through the steps like Bill had. 

Unlike Bill– who had been far too drunk to pay much actual attention— Joe’s soft brown eyes were always gazing intently into hers, as though he were searching for something deep within her, seeing straight into her heart with every glance. 

“Do I know you from somewhere?” he pondered aloud, head tilted slightly as he gazed down at her. “‘Cause I feel like I’ve seen that gorgeous smile somewhere before.” 

"Depends," Alix replied, lightly following his steps with her own. "D'you smoke Chesterfields? Or read pin-up mags?" 

Now it was Joe's turn to be embarrassed. 

"Uh…maybe both," he admitted sheepishly and Alix giggled.

"Then you've definitely seen me. I was in the Esquire calendar too. I model under different names, of course. My family would kill me if I used my real one."

"Wait…so I’m dancin’ with a real-life pin-up girl?" She nodded and a devilish smirk spread across Joe's face. 

“Makes sense. I knew I’d seen you someplace besides my dreams.”

“Jesus Christ, what a line,” Alix scoffed but she couldn’t help the way her stomach somersaulted at his tone. 

Not that he had to know that.

“Hey, I thought that one was pretty fuckin' good," the technician remarked. "But I can do better, dollface, just say the word." 

The warmth between them was growing more powerful by the second, her heartbeat racing along with it, but Alix averted her eyes and pursed her lips as Bill's parting words came back to her. 

"You wanna get your heart broke? Be my fuckin' guest."

Was this a mistake, she worried, a tempest brewing in her silence.

In her experience, good-looking, charming men like Joe, the ones with the roguish smiles and the silver tongues, they only wanted one thing and when they got it, they'd be gone, onto the next. 

So why was she even bothering?

Because…

Because a part of her knew she was playing with fire but she couldn't help herself. She knew it would hurt but she still craved the burn. 

“Would I grant all your wishes 

and be proud of the task?

Only forever, if someone should ask.”

“I ‘preciate what you did back there, by the way,'' Joe murmured, the slight gravel of his voice bringing her back to the present as they swayed to the soft, flowing current of the music.

“Stoppin' me, I mean. I probably coulda got kicked out for fighting an NCO.”

“You definitely would’ve,” Alix agreed. “If anybody’s gonna be fighting an NCO, it’ll be me because the military can’t touch me.” 

“Must be nice,” Joe replied wistfully. “How come the OSS gets to have all the fun?” 

“Just lucky I guess,” Alix quipped easily.

Joe eyed her curiously as they swayed in time.

“What do you guys actually do anyway?” he asked. “They don’t tell us anything except that it’s ‘intelligence work’, whatever that means.”

Alix smirked secretively.

“Wouldn’t you like to know, flyboy,” she teased. “But if I told you, then I’d have to kill you.”

Joe raised his eyebrows. 

“Yeah?” He gave her a small twirl, letting the scarlet skirt of her dress fan out around her like a fairytale princess before deftly tugging her back close to him again, returning the smirk.

“I think I’ll take my chances.”

“How long would it take me

to be near if you beckoned?

Off-hand I’d figure, less than a second.”

“Y’know,” Joe marveled as he led their steps with ease. “After all that, I just realized I never even got your actual name.” 

“You never asked,” Alix chided playfully. “And I wasn’t going to throw it at you, in case it was unwanted.” 

“Don’t you worry ‘bout that, doll,” Joe’s expression was too easy to read and Alix found herself blushing at his forwardness.

“‘Cause there ain’t a fuckin’ thing you could do that’d be unwanted.” 

“Do you think I'll remember 

how you look when you smile?

Only forever, that's puttin' it mild.”

“It’s Alix,” she murmured as he guided her through the steps seamlessly, like they were walking on air. ”My name’s Alix, with an i.”

“Alix,” Joe repeated, lifting his arm to lightly spin her again. “With an i. I like that. Reminds me of –”

“Princess Alix,” she finished for him and he nodded. “Of Hesse, I know. That’s where my parents got the idea.”

She made a face and added, “They wanted a royal name for the future heiress.” 

Joe’s eyebrows shot up to the ceiling in disbelief

“Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute. You’re a fuckin’ heiress and you’re still boutta go undercover in a fuckin’ war zone?” 

Alix shrugged. 

“Yeah, so what?” 

He shook his head in amazement. 

“So what? You could be anywhere in the world right now, livin’ the high life, but instead you chpose to be here of all fuckin' places. You’re really somethin’, y’know that, Ziskeit?”

There was that word again that made her heart skip a beat everytime it rolled off his tongue. Zee-skite. 

She repeated it again in her head before saying aloud, “What does that mean?” 

Joe’s eyes went round and he swallowed hard. 

“What does what mean?”

“Zee-skite?”

He cleared his throat awkwardly, his posture suddenly stiffening slightly. 

“Don’t worry ‘bout it.”

“Do you think I'll remember 

how you look when you smile?

Only forever, that's puttin' it mild.”

As the last verse wound down, Alix felt the slow creep of melancholy filling her chest, a squeezing tightness she couldn't ignore even through the clatter of applause. 

You wanna get your heart broke? Bill’s words hung over her head like booming thunder from a storm cloud. Be my fucking guest.

Joe’s not like that, she tried to reassure herself silently. Bill’s just drunk and pissed off. 

But when she looked up at Joe, she felt the tightness in her chest squeeze even tighter, like her lungs were being filled with water. 

Like she was drowning.

With his warm gold-flecked brown eyes, quick wit, ferocity and rough-edged charm, it was easy to see why the women around them all snuck glances over at him, even over the shoulder of their unsuspecting dates.

What made her think she was special? 

He doesn’t want you, something in her whispered. How could anybody want you? You’re just the girl of the hour.

Someone as handsome and charming as him probably already had a sweetheart back home, maybe several, all sending him flowery love letters and photographs for him to keep with him and sending wishes for his safe return.

A bitter taste now in her mouth, Alix knew all about unfaithful servicemen and their escapades and she wanted no part of that. 

Her stomach twisted with guilt. 

Had she unknowingly been flirting with someone else’s beau?

Did his heart belong to someone else? Was there someone– maybe even multiple someones– waiting for him at home?

Did he gaze wistfully at someone else’s photograph at night before he went to sleep, wishing to be back home in her embrace again?

Instinctively sensing her sudden discomfort, Joe glanced down at her, his forehead puckering with concern. 

“You okay, Zees?” he asked, worry softening his tone. “Did I do somethin’ wrong?”

He was unbearably gentle with her, holding her as though she might shatter into a million pieces at any second, and she wasn’t sure how to process it. 

He was funny, he was sweet, he was open-minded, fiery like her and far, far kinder than she deserved…He didn’t seem anything like a cad. 

But then again, they never did at first, did they?

“Uh yeah,” Alix stammered hesitantly. “I-I’m fine. I just…” 

She backed hurriedly out of his embrace, mumbling excuses.

“I…I think I need to go…Have a smoke maybe, I don’t know…”

Before he had time to react, Alix had already bunched the scarlet material of her skirt in her fingers and made a hasty retreat out of the ballroom, leaving Joe standing alone on the dancefloor, crestfallen as he stared after her in a state of complete and utter bewilderment.

[xreaderstories]

Sherlock Holmes || Does heaven exist?

Trigger warning - Death & s*icide

Tuesday 17th January 2012

Maybe I knew something like this would happen, with our line of work. I thought I'd have a chance to say goodbye. I wasn't even sure it would work out between us, but I never thought it would end like this. The one thing I am sure about is that I couldn't live without him. 

I love you, Sherlock, I'll see you soon. 

- Y/n xx

"Anderson, where did you find this?" Lestrade asks as he fights back tears.

"In her bedroom," he responds.

"There's no way it's what you're thinking Boss. Who would do something like this for that freak?" Donovan says as she sits down. 

"Get out Donovan, you're not working this case. She was in love with him, people do all kinds of things for love."

3-DAYS-EARLIER

Y/n was cleaning up in 221b Baker Street, waiting for Sherlock to come back, hoping to relieve some of the pressure from Moriarty, until the sound of the phone disturbs you. You dart up, hoping it was Sherlock, you hadn't had much time with each other lately, with Sherlock being distracted with Moriarty and y/n being overworked by Lestrade, in an effort to keep you distracted. But you couldn't wait for everything to go back to normal, the press to leave Sherlock alone, and to stop calling him a fake, and to go back to working cases together in your free time. You wanted to ask Sherlock to marry you. 

"Y/n?" Lestrade's voice came through the phone. 

"Greg? Do you need me to come in?" You question.

"Y/n... I'm sorry... Sherlock... he's-"

"No, don't tell me he's been arrested. He's not a fake Greg you know he isn't. He's brilliant," you say as you think of all the cases that have been solved because of him.

"Y/n... He's dead. Sherlock's dead," Greg says quietly.

"No, he can't be. Where is he Lestrade? How much has he paid you to tell me this? Where the hell is he?" You question as you think about some of the fucked up things he's done to prove a point.

"Y/n... He's dead. He killed himself, I'm sorry. We couldn't save him, he was dead when he hit the ground," Greg explains.

You sank to the floor, "o-okay," you utter as tears begin to flow down your cheeks. You are going to live without Sherlock, you will never see him again, you will never have to tell him that he was being rude, you would never see him smile again, you will never be able to hear him explain the reasons that you're too clever to work for the police. You could never listen to him playing the violin or humming to the radio that he swore he hated. 

PRESENT-DAY

"I believe that she is dead, let's not waste any more time looking for her. Her boyfriend was proven to be a fake and a criminal, she was probably helping him. He threw himself off the roof to make a scene, without him she will have done something quieter. We'll find her body eventually. Without him what did she have?" The Chief Superintendent says. 

"No, she wasn't like that."

"You're an idiot Lestrade, you didn't see it with Sherlock Holmes and you didn't see it with y/f/n y/l/n," he says before telling Lestrade, Anderson, and Donovan to leave. 

"We all missed it with Y/n Boss. Don't be too hard on yourself," Donovan says to Lestrade when they get out of the Chief's office. 

"No Donovan. she wasn't like that and neither was Sherlock."

2-DAYS-EARLIER

"Y/n, I can come round if you like. We can cry and I'll bring you something to eat," Mrs. Hudson says through the phone, worried about you, worried about your emotional state. 

"No Mrs. Hudson, I'm fine. I'd rather not have visitors at the moment, I can cope," y/n said, pretending like she was dealing with the situation well.

"Promise to call me if you need me?" Mts. Hudson says as she ends the call. 

You collapse on the sofa and turn on the news, "Sherlock Holmes, the fake detective has been confirmed dead!" The headline blared out, as much as you didn't want to hear it, you couldn't bring yourself to turn it off. You were confused, shouldn't you feel more grief? Shouldn't you cry? Shouldn't you want to be comforted? But instead, you sat staring emotionless at the TV. You couldn't help thinking that you failed, you hadn't seen the signs. You should have fought harder when Moriarty was planting doubts in people's minds. You were fighting for an explanation, but you wouldn't let anyone in to explain. 

1-DAY-EARLIER

Y/n sat on the couch staring emotionless at the newspaper on your lap. 'I can't do this, I can't live without him' you think to yourself, but someone knocking on the door interrupts your thoughts. You stand up, look in the mirror and wipe the smudged mascara off your face. You walk to your apartment door and open it revealing Mycroft. 

"Y/n how are you?" He questions. 

"Mycroft? What are you doing here?" You question as you lean on the door frame, blocking the view into your apartment. 

"Y/n can I come in? We need to talk," Mycroft says.

"Now's not really a good time," you say praying that he will take the hint and leave. 

"Are you alone?"

"Yes."

"Y/n I'm not leaving until you have listened to what I have to say. I know what you plan to do, and I will not let you until you have heard this. You know my brother would never have let you and neither will I," Mycroft says as I move out of the way to let him in. 

"Well Sherlock isn't here anymore, he killed himself. He doesn't get a say in how I live, or die," you say as you sit down.

"So what? You shoot yourself? Y/n I ca,e here to tell you something you will be interested in. Sherlo-"

"No Mycroft. I'm not talking about Sherlock, I can't. I won't," you say as you fight back tears.

"Y/n Sherlock isn't dead. It was fake, he had to do it. Otherwise, other people would have been killed," Mycroft says as he looks at you. 

"What? How long have you known? How did he?" You question.

"He knew Moriarty would have wanted him dead, so we planned accordingly," Mycroft says calmly. 

"You knew? Why has it taken this long for me to be told? He let me think he was dead. Why would he do that?" You question, looking around for your jacket.

"He wanted to tell you, but I wouldn't let him. The only reason you are finding out now is he said he was coming back. So I came, people cannot know he is still alive, not yet. So you can't see him, I'm sorry," Mycroft pauses, "unless."

"Unless? What do I have to do? I need to see him Mycroft, I will do anything," you say urgently. 

"You will have to fake your own death also, nobody can know. If you do this you won't be able to see anyone, Detective Inspector Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson, John Watson, or Molly Hooper. No one can know you're alive," Mycroft says. 

"I'll do it, when do I need to do it by?"

"Soon, I presume you will be doing it so it appears as suicide?" Mycroft questions.

"Yes, it doesn't take much time and if I do it right, they won't need to be a body," you say and grab your laptop. You search up the quickest directions to the coast. "If I make it seem like I've thrown myself off a cliff or something then there's a possibility my body will have been swept out to sea. I'll just need to go there and leave my car and my jacket at the top," you say to Mycroft. 

"Leave a note and make it believable y/n."

You grab your diary, a pen and begin scrawling. 

Tuesday 17th January 2012

Maybe I knew something like this would happen, with our line of work. I thought I'd have a chance to say goodbye. I wasn't even sure it would work out between us, but I never thought it would end like this. The one thing I am sure about is that I couldn't live without him.

I love you, Sherlock, I'll see you soon.

- Y/n xx

You leave the note and pen on your desk, next to your laptop, and grab your coat, indicating to Mycroft that you were done. You both walk to your door and you take one last look at your apartment and smile. 

PRESENT-DAY

"We believe it was too much for her to cope with. We found a note in her apartment, along with a google search to the coast. We sent an officer up there where they found her car and her jacket at the top. We believe she jumped and the sea has washed away her body, I'm sorry but I don't think we will ever find her body," Lestrade tells John and Mrs. Hudson. 

"Where?" John questions. 

"I don't know exactly where they wouldn't tell me," Greg says as he looks around, trying to remain strong for the people in front of him. 

*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*

"Mycroft, it's done," you say as you climb into the car. 

"They think you're dead? Are you sure, I am not putting anyone in danger unless they assume you are dead," Mycroft says. 

"I'm sure."

After 30 minutes of silence, Mycroft finally spoke, "we're here. My brother is inside, he will bring you up to speed about what's going to happen next."

You walk down a path, leading up towards an old house, open the door, and step inside. "Hello?" You shout, loud enough for anyone in the house to hear. 

"Y/n? You came?" You hear someone say behind you. 

You spin around and see Sherlock, you run to him and wrap your arms around his waist, breathing in his scent. 

"Of course I came, I know you know what I was planning on doing," you say as you pull back and look at him. 

"Yes," he says sadly, "but the important thing is that you're okay now."

"I'm just happy you're alive."

*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*

Lestrade walks out of the station and walks to his car. He unlocks the door and climbs in. He turns on the radio and finally lets the tears flow, finally letting his guard down.

It hurt how people could get so desperate.

But does heaven exist?

Is there really any point?

There's no place like heaven, 

no place at all.

[wastelandcth]

Lover - cth

part of love songs for calum, a love series. 

summary: a dazzling haze, a mysterious place about you dear.

author’s notes: i hope you enjoy this one. as always you can find the playlist to this series here (and you can add your own favorite love songs here!)

warnings: mentions of smut. 

masterlist || request

January brought cold weather and dark mornings. The Christmas lights were still twinkling in the morning fog and Calum watched them, wrapped up in a blanket and beanie as he waited for Duke to finish up his morning potty break. He'd been awake for most of the morning, his brain too busy to even try and get some rest. 

He'd been up long after you had gone to bed, your back pressed against his chest as you let soft huffs out during your dreams. 

Normally, Calum had no problems sleeping when you were at his side. He'd fall asleep before you and he'd snore the whole night long. But this time, he was caught in a haze where nothing made sense and the goosebumps from the cold air felt like they'd been there all night. He'd been running over the words you'd whispered into his ear last night before your eyes closed and you left him alone in the darkness. 

"I think I would marry you if you asked me. I'd say yes." 

At that moment, Calum felt like his entire world was in the palm of your hands. If you had told him to run out and jump into the icy water of the pool in the backyard, he would've done so. But as the night went on and the gloomy clouds let in a soft light into the bedroom you'd both been sharing for years now, Calum's heartbeat raced at the thought of being with you for the rest of his life. What if you got bored, what if he wasn't what you thought he was and he was suddenly left with a broken heart and broken vows?

And that's how Calum found himself on the foggy and rainy morning, watching his old dog sniff around the plants you'd insisted on planting for him while he had a crisis on whether or not the ring in his drawer would be enough for you. He knew the ring was good, it was his mother's ring, and she'd basically thrown it at Calum to give to you when he'd mentioned settling down with you a few months back when he went to Sydney. He'd hid it in that drawer the second he'd flown home and had pushed it to the back of his mind because he'd never even talked about marriage with you and the thought made his hands sweat. 

He'd been in love with you for three years now. He'd known you for longer but he was always busy touring, writing, or recording and it wasn't until life with the band had slowed down a bit that he'd had the chance to really sit down and think about his feelings for you. It wasn't until his own life was stable enough that he could see you more in a week than he had in the past few months that he realized how deeply in love he was with you. At first, he hadn't even noticed that it was love, he was just pissed off and it wasn't until you turned back to smile at him that he felt the warmth in him spread all over. 

Calum had the day he realized he loved you ingrained in his mind. You had both been at the grocery store, running errands with one another and catching up from the times Calum had been traveling around the world. Calum had been browsing the snack aisle, a giant pack of double stuffed Oreos calling his name when he heard your laugh. Usually hearing your laugh would bring butterflies to his stomach, but that day he looked over and saw you covering your mouth with your hand as you laughed at something a stranger said to you, he wanted to punch the man. He wasn't even that good looking, in Calum's mind, I mean who even wears khakis out to the grocery store on a Tuesday afternoon? It didn't make sense and the guy was definitely not your type at all. Calum scoffed and rolled his eyes as he had walked back over to you, eyeing the guy up before he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"You ready to go, hun?" Calum mumbled, his fist clenching by his side as he watched you and the man in the khakis both look over at him. 

Whenever Calum's mind became overwhelmed with thoughts of you, he'd turn to music. He'd always turned to music when life became too much and his brain felt flooded. He'd spend hours locked in the music room where scattered notebooks held unspoken words and where bass lines floated throughout the air. That night had been no different, you'd been off in a hotel with your bridesmaids, in a city full of temptation and lights, and Calum was at home reeling over what he'd say about you and the love he had for you in a few short weeks. 

The wedding vows had been on his mind the second he'd gotten down on one knee in front of you almost a year ago. He'd tried writing them time and time again, the piles of crumpled paper mixing with unheard lyrics and thoughts Calum wasn't sure who to tell. He'd tried writing them while you were sat next to him, while you watched tv and talked to him about whatever had happened this week at work. He tried writing them when you were asleep next to him when your soft breaths hit his shoulder with every rise and fall of your chest. He even tried writing them once in his head while your hands were pressed to his chest and the sound of your hips meeting was covered by the moans you were both letting out, but that was a bust; one of many that night. Every time Calum tried to write his vows, all he realized was that words he ever wrote for you would ever be good enough. 

How could Calum tell you in front of everyone you both loved and cherished how you were a magnetic force of a woman and he was in awe of the way you'd gone from a broken shell of a human, sobbing on the floor of Luke's living room to the person he knew now. To the one who wouldn't hesitate to tell Calum when he'd fucked up and that you loved him all in the same sentence. Calum's heart had been bruised before, he'd be in the same boat where he didn't think his heart would ever heal. Calum swore he'd never hurt you like you'd been hurt before even when both of you clashed and the dramatics were a bit too much. He swore that he was going to be there whenever you needed him, cheering you up with another joke he'd kept in his pockets for days when your mood was down and nothing could put a smile on your face. How would Calum ever put into words that he'd always save you a seat at whatever table you were sat at, no matter the occasion? No amount of words could ever amount to the love Calum had for you.

"Take me home?" you whispered in his ear that night, your hands sliding under the white button upon shirt he was wearing that night. The suit jacket he'd been wearing for most of the day had disappeared, lost in between the dancing and the few too many drinks you'd shared with family members. 

"Mmm, yeah?" Calum chuckled, his lips against your earlobe sent shivers down your spine, "And where shall I take my charming bride, to our home so we can make sure the neighborhood know who you married tonight, sweet girl?" 

"You are a man of many words, Hood." you whispered, "Let's see if those hold up just like those beautiful vows you gave today," you smirked, your warm hands traveling over the expanse of his chest. 

Calum, who was always a man of his word, made sure that your wedding night was one to remember. The candles and rose petals leading up to your room trailed behind the dress you'd been wearing for way too many hours. Calum's hand was in yours and as you both laid in bed, chests heaving as you both took a break from the wedding festivities. The sweat covering you both proof of the words he'd promised you earlier that night. 

"I panicked that night when you told me you would marry me if I asked. I must've stayed out with Duke for at least an hour, running over the thought that you wanted to marry me." Calum whispered, his fingers threading through your hair as he closed his eyes. 

"And then you still asked me?" you teased, pressing a kiss over his heart, "Finally realized you couldn't live without me?"

"Realized I wanted to love you every summer and winter and spring and fall." Calum chuckled, and smiled, "That you were the one I wanted to dramatic with and that the haze I felt with you was love. Want you and only you, lover." 

"I wouldn't want anyone else but you, lover." 

taglist:  @hoodhoran @finelliine @moonlightcriess @dinosaursandsocks @mxgyver @calpops @karajaynetoday @notlukehemmo @calumrose @devilatmydoor @lyss-xo @lowkeyflop​ @hemmo1996-5sosvevo​ @stollls @myloverboyash

[smileyoongle]

Come Back Home (A Kim Taehyung Mafia AU) // Part 6

Summary: You were dead. Or at least that's what Kim Taehyung thought. But love never dies. A myth, yes. And maybe that's why when he finds out that you are alive, he may have already lost you.

Pairing: Mafia!Taehyung×Reader

24th January, 2019

10:46PM

This is my first entry ever. My name is Y/N Y/L/N and my life has been a little too happening for the past 24 days. I came to live with my best friend in Korea, only to be kidnapped by a dangerous man who called himself Kim Taehyung. And these 24 days, I have been living with him. That's right. Living.

I have to admit, I was scared shitless at first. I thought I was pretty much dead and there is no way Yoona can save me. But can you imagine my surprise when Kim Taehyung turned out to be a sweet gentleman? And it's not just him. All the people who work with him are just as nice to me. Especially, Jungkook. He makes me feel like I have known him for a long time. It's not really bad living here. Taehyung's house is like four times bigger than Yoona's house and I sometimes get lost. It gets boring when no one's home but I manage. I think my little complaint made Taehyung buy me this diary. It's really pretty and it has my name sewn onto the hard cover. He says it's an apology present but I know he's probably annoyed with me. He just wants me to keep to myself. It isn't my fault, is it? Kim Taehyung is just a very…. intriguing man. I find myself being pulled to him all the time. But this is a secret. Between you and me.

Yours Lovingly,

Y/N

A knock on the door made you close the diary and hide it under your pillow. You cleared your throat and pulled the covers up to your neck before mumbling a 'come in'. Minho's head peeked in through the door, a small smile gracing his lips as he took in your form. He slowly got inside and closed the door.

The sun was shining through the windows, the chirping of the birds outside giving you hope that today's gonna be a good day.

"Hey." He mumbled, glancing at his feet and leaning against the door. You gulped, the awkwardness in the room becoming very obvious. You hadn't spoken to Yoona or Minho the day before. Jungkook's words had left you anxious and suspicious, if it wasn't for the diary then you would have surely lost your mind. Since you were too tired the previous night, you hadn't touched your diary at all. But your curiosity had you waking up early and flipping open the pages.

Strangely, Minho hadn't bothered you since you fainted and you wondered how your relationship with him used to be.

"Hi." You replied, mustering a small smile and sitting up straighter. 

"Did I wake you?" He asked, wincing a little at the thought. You immediately shook your head, your hands itching to grab your book and read more of your thoughts.

You could feel the headache coming, clearly, the information of you having been kidnapped was too much. 

So Taehyung became your best friend after he kidnapped you?

That's the only possible explanation. And also, he doesn't seem to be lying either since your entry made sure to tell you how much you liked being in his presence.

Wow ...what an interesting story.

"Y/N, are you listening to me?" You snapped out of your thoughts, mentally slapping yourself for completely forgetting about Minho. 

"I-uh yeah... I'm sorry I'm just... there's too many thoughts." You apologized, biting your lip and shaking your head slightly. Minho smiled apologetically at you, his hand enveloping yours. You blushed, gaping at the sudden gesture.

"It's okay, I understand. I just came to tell you that Yoona has gone out for some work. So I was wondering that maybe we should go out and you know, not let you get too cooped up?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at you.

You blinked at him, thinking of ways to say no but you couldn't do that to him. As much as you lost yourself, everyone else did too. What they need is for you to tell them that you aren't gone completely. You'll be back. You are on your way.

Reluctantly, you nodded, eyes narrowing at Minho's hand on top of yours. 

"I'd like that." You said, giving him a comforting smile. His hand was warm against yours, the kind of warmness that Jungkook had brought to you. It was so...brotherly.

He's your boyfriend.

You cleared your throat, pulling your hand away from him. Minho noticed your uncomfortableness and stood up, giving you a nod.

"Okay then. Uh.. I'll wait for you downstairs. Take your time." He said, waving at you before leaving you alone. 

You sighed, leaning against the backrest. In all honesty, you did feel a little grimy. You had barely gotten out of bed since yesterday.

You pulled out your diary, running your fingers across the hard cover. There was a certain amount of hesitation in your heart. You didn't really know the story that was hidden between the pages. It was like you were getting to know yourself from your own perspective. You couldn't tell if you were ready or not.

💔🖤💔🖤💔🖤

"Fucking hell!" 

Taehyung's voice echoed through the house, making everyone turn their heads towards the study. Namjoon frowned, nodding at everyone to let them know that he was gonna check up on what exactly Taehyung was doing.

He dragged himself up the open staircase and leaned against the doorway of Taehyung's study, frowning on seeing the mess. The room reeked of alcohol, an empty bottle of whisky sitting on the table which used to be a lot more cleaner in your presence.

Namjoon's heart ached at the thought. Such a shame that life is so quick to take away important people. The only thing Namjoon was grateful for, was your existence. At least, you were alive. 

Taehyung rummaged through the cardboard boxes in the room, throwing out everything that he wasn't looking for. Namjoon sighed, concluding that Taehyung was, indeed, drunk.

"What are you doing?" Namjoon voiced, watching the younger male with a cold expression. It was absolutely demotivating to see Taehyung slowly spiralling back into the darkness that he was saved from. As much as Namjoon wanted to do something about it, he felt helpless.

Taehyung closed his eyes, sitting down on the carpeted floor and rubbing his eyes. He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep last night, his mind too busy replaying his encounter with you.

"I can't fucking find her diary. I swear I had packed it up in one of these boxes.." Taehyung replied, his words sounding very unstable. 

Jungkook stood outside the study, peeping in from behind Namjoon and wincing on seeing Taehyung's state. There was absolutely no way he could tell Taehyung what he had done. Taehyung would probably get mad that Jungkook had done this without telling anyone. But what could he do? 

He seemed to be the only one worried about your sanity because you were staying with Yoona. Something had to be done to save you. To make you feel like you still had control over your life.

"You're too drunk to be looking for anything. Go and get cleaned up first." Namjoon ordered, kneeling down beside his brother-like friend and patting his back. Taehyung shook his head, his red rimmed eyes begging Namjoon to help him.

Jungkook decided that he should probably step in. So he did.

"You really should go and clean up. We'll look for it." Jungkook stated, walking in with his hands in his pocket. Taehyung sighed, reluctantly nodding. He stood up, stumbling on his own feet but Jungkook caught him.

Taehyung nodded at Jungkook in acknowledgement and Jungkook cracked a small smile.

"Just, please find it. That diary makes me feel like I still have her even though I don't." Taehyung requested, glancing at both the men before making his way out. 

Jungkook frowned, looking down at his shoes. Should he have not done that?

💔🖤💔🖤💔🖤

Yoona shivered, her body still hot and bothered from what she had done moments ago. The silk sheets beneath her body felt cool, her fingers tangling themselves in the red satin. Her eyes followed the man across the room, smiling at him with all the affection she had. But he seemed to be unaffected, too focused on putting on his clothes and lighting up his cigarette.

"You're leaving so soon?" Yoona voiced, disdain evident in the way her shoulders slumped. She knew that Eunho had a life apart from her but she couldn't deny the liveliness she felt when he was with her. She felt special. She felt like she was doing something right, even if the world didn't believe that.

Eunho shook his head, running his fingers through his brown hair. 

"I'm not going anywhere, you are. This is my house and I have things to do so get out."

Yoona's jaw dropped at the harshness delivered to her. She could hear the shattering of her heart, her chest tightening as she sat up straighter. 

"Why are you saying that? I...I don't understand." She frowned, pulling the sheets up to cover her body. Eunho sighed before chuckling bitterly to himself. He turned towards Yoona, taking a long drag from his cigarette and sitting beside her on the bed. He tilted his head, mocking her with his pitiful eyes.

"You stupid stupid girl. Did you think I'd keep you with me forever? I must admit, the sex was amazing at first but now, it's just boring. So, give me back the money you took from me and get lost." He stated bluntly, crossing his legs and staring at Yoona in amusement. 

Yoona's breath hitched, her eyes warming up as tears began to pool in them. All these months, she had thought that Eunho was the one for her. Even though he was a gang leader, he was nice. He was better than all the others she had met. She had trusted him with all her problems and he had also given her money when she had to pay Taehyung back. 

This was not something she expected. She leaned forward and held Eunho's hand, tears freely falling down her cheeks.

"No, Eunho, I'll do whatever you want. Don't end this here. I don't even have the money. If I had it, I wouldn't have borrowed it from you!" Yoona begged, her voice cracking in the middle. 

Eunho was her pillar and maybe she had been naïve enough to let him manipulate her but she was in too deep now. She was in love and she knew that. She just couldn't believe that Eunho could say such things to her. He only wanted her for her body? Bullshit.

Eunho yanked his arm away and stood up, throwing icy glares at Yoona as he crouched down to her eye level. 

"You don't have the money? Hmm...then we have just two choices." Yoona's eyes lit up with hope. This was good. There has to be some way in which she could repay him and convince him to stay.

At her lack of response, Eunho smirked and leaned closer, placing his fingers under her chin. Yoona could feel his breath on her lips, the smell of his cologne mixing with that of the cigarette.

"Either you get me the money somehow…." Yoona's breath hitched when his hand trailed down to her neck, his fingers wrapping around the skin. 

"...or you get me the girl who was in the middle of all this."

Yoona's eyes widened and she immediately pushed Eunho away. Her breathing became heavier and her jaw clenched. 

So he wanted Y/N?

Eunho could sense the anger he had planted in his dumb lover, a wave of satisfaction crashing over him. He loved seeing Yoona getting so riled up over nothing. Because how much was her best friend really worth? 

Nothing.

Eunho just wanted a taste of the girl who had captured Kim Taehyung's heart. It was just mere curiosity and he was sure that he'd let her go after one night. But if she was really special, then maybe he'd have to keep the little birdie with him. 

What was her name again?

Y/N Y/L/N

"You're sick! I'll fucking give you your money, one way or another but you'll never ever get your hands on Y/N!" Yoona seethed, rushing to put on her clothes. All of her trust and affection was thrown out the window in a span of seconds. 

"Oh? Okay then, I guess you wouldn't mind if I informed Taehyung that this whole kidnapping thing was your doing."

Yoona froze, her jacket clutched tightly in her hands as a shudder ran down her spine. She gulped, slowly turning around to look at the pathetic man who was threatening her after using her to his heart's content. 

"You wouldn't." She mumbled, her tone cautious and doubtful. As much as she wanted to call it a bluff, Eunho's eyes told her otherwise. He had always been a competitive man, his ego too high to please and too easy to hurt. 

Eunho raised an eyebrow, taking a step closer to Yoona.

"You think, baby? Fine, don't come to me when Taehyung sends his people after you."

Yoona shook her head furiously, her jacket falling to the floor as she swallowed thickly. Her stomach churned and she wanted to throw up. The smell of Eunho's cologne was now becoming intoxicating. She couldn't stand it.

"You can't pin this on me. I asked you to hurt Taehyung!" She yelled, pointing at Eunho while he simply smirked. 

"That's the point, baby. You asked me. You let your friend rot in Castillo's basement. You decided that she needs to be given electric shocks to forget Taehyung. So tell me. Who's the bigger culprit?"

The tears that had dried up made a comeback, endlessly streaming down Yoona's cheeks. This was low, even for Eunho. But it was her fault for believing him in the first place. You used to be a cautious girl when it came to men and Yoona used to think you were being too stuck up. Now she understood why. She had made a big mistake with no way to undo it.

Eunho tutted, wrapping his arms around Yoona and letting her cry. He patted her head and rocked back and forth.

"You have two weeks. Get me Y/N and we'll all be happy." He mumbled, his soothing tone contradicting the warning of his words. 

Taglist: @min-t-posts @annoyinglyunabashedangel @bringitseijoh @kpopgirlbtssvt @jeonjello @shadowstark @bangtanniexxx @wendyiiwl @imlostindarkness @sinnersblogg @jazzytfw @lovestrucked-again @hopetookmysoul @angelwolfexorcist @taes-strawberry @ireallylikefoodandyoutube @annoyingpessimist @hajimaoppaa @atwoodscott @kawaiimusiccollection @byeolizzie @sleepysavya @sensiblebutch @maiden-mars @soundofwonderland @the-fangirl-lorax @btsarmysvtcarat @youthandtears @novelread000 @glitterytreephantom @chocolatemilk1221 @cookiemonstermusic258 @iamcrazyforkdramas @luckyzipperscissorsbat @kpop-is-life100 @entitledtolove @somewhereinthestarss

Look at this family, we really growing, huh? How do we feel about the plot twist? I hate Yoona 😔

Tell me if you wanna be tagged! As much as I think this was a bad chapter, I hope you guys still liked it!

-XX

[spookysanta]

miss you. (g.d.)

part i of ii.

Summary: long distance relationships suck; but especially for (Y/N) and Grayson.

Pairing: Grayson Dolan x Reader

WARNINGS: mentions of sex (not yet), angst??????????????????????????, fluff, bad writing

UNEDITED

YUH look at me on a writing streak :) and let’s all reminisce on fetus baby boy by these precious “date” snaps:

(@trapezoidmouth on IG)

***THIS TAKES PLACE AROUND APRIL/MAY***

i only mention that bc it’s talking about graduation and it’s july so i didn’t want people to make a big deal about it

***

"So," she told him with a big sigh on the phone when she got home from class. "I did my presentation today."

"Oh, really?" he replied, while cooking himself an omelette. It was three o'clock her time and noon in Los Angeles, where he was; so it was brunch time. "How'd it go?"

"It..was awful." She tried to force herself not to cry, because when she cries, Grayson is quick to get up and go wherever she was to comfort her. Which might be good in the moment, but she doesn't want to do that to him (anymore--this would've been the fourth time he'd done that). "Gray, I did everything my teacher told me to! I added the information I needed to, took out some stuff, and I even memorized everything! But when I got up there...I couldn't do it."

"What was your topic again?"

She recited her research question as if it were read out of a book. "How listening to music during pregnancy helps a baby's development in the womb."

"Really? That doesn't sound hard at all."

"It wasn't that my topic was hard, it was that the questions I got asked were too hard for me to answer, and how I answered questions was a big portion of my grade." she was getting a little misty-eyed. She'd been working on this project for months; she thought she'd learned just about everything there is to know about music's effects on child development. "Gray, I really thought I had it until then."

"Listen, baby. Regardless of how you think it went, I'm sure you did better. Because I've heard your presentation and you sounded like you knew exactly what you were talking about. I think it's all in your head, angel." He sighed, flipping his omelette in the pan. He liked omelettes when she made them for him when she visited, because she knew exactly what he wanted, how much of each ingredient to add, and she makes sure they're always cheesy and delicious. But when he makes them, sometimes they're a little...underdone.

"I can't focus." she put him on speakerphone and took off her top, pants, and bra, opting to wear one of his t-shirts for comfort. She has a few of them, but her favorite one to wear is the black crew neck. It's plain and simple, and it fits him like a god. But she managed to take it when she left L.A. the last time; and honestly, she took a little vile of his cologne, too, to spray on the shirt after she washes it. "It's so close to graduation, baby, and I know you're gonna call me a loser for saying this, but I can't do this anymore. I want to drop out." she groaned.

"You're a loser either way, in my opinion." he heard her laugh on the other end of the phone. And that laugh was like air to his lungs, if he's being completely honest with himself. He hadn't heard that angelic laugh in months. The last time they'd been together was when she visited him the last few days of her Winter Break--and that was in January. "But you literally graduate in a month. Shut up."

"Okaaaaaaaaaaaay." she groaned again. What she wouldn't give for his bone-crushing cuddles right about now. That's all she wants. She'd been feeling weepy and anxious and a bit sad all day, but now that she's talking to her man, she's starting to feel the heavy weight of her stress lift. "I miss you." she confessed. "I know we agreed that we wouldn't get all sappy like this but I'm wearing your shirt right now and all I smell is you."

“I miss you, too.”

She heard noise on the other end and nearly vomited at the sound. "Move your mouth away from the receiver, Gray. I can hear you chewing."

He chewed louder, his mouth hovering over the phone's microphone. "Like this?"

She hung up the phone.

***

He called her again later, at around four o'clock his time. He and his brother were outside and he was about to grill some steaks for dinner. "Hello?" he greeted into the receiver. "Baby?"

"Hey." she groggily replied. She'd fallen asleep while talking to her best friend on FaceTime and she woke up about five minutes ago. "What's up, boo?"

"Just checkin' on you. I wanted to make sure you're in better spirits than earlier."

"Yeah, I'm fine." She sat up and stumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen , finding a box of Kraft mac and cheese in the pantry to cook. "I'm just glad everything’s over with."

"I understand. I just don't want you to be all sad and mopey."

"I'm not sad and mopey only because of my presentation, I'm sad and mopey because I miss my boyfriend." she sighed. "I really don't think I can wait until my birthday to see you."

"So what do you want me to do? You want me to come there, or fly you out here?"

"It doesn't matter, honestly. I just want to see you." she stirred some salt in the pot of boiling water, then poured the noodles into the pot, turning down the heat, and shutting the lid. "Doesn't even have to be long. I just want cuddles and kisses."

"I'd be glad to give you that, and you know I would come and see you right now if I could, but I can't right now. We're filming all week this week and both of us need to be here for it."

"I'm dying without my fuckin' cuddles, man." she drained the pasta, hissing to herself when a little bit of water got on her brown hand. She cursed quietly, already assuming that Grayson knew she'd injured herself somehow--as she usually does. She put the pasta back in the pot and added butter, almond milk, and the powdered cheese, stirring it and letting it cool a bit before pouring it in a bowl next to the stove. "I wanna see your pretty face." she spoke, holding the phone to her ear and with her bowl in one hand and a bottle of sparkling water in the other.

"Hold on a second." she heard shuffling on the other end of the phone. He was making a space on his desk for his phone to sit on, but she already knew that that'd been what he was up to, because his desk is constantly cluttered with papers, receipts, pens and pencils, etc. His desk was riddled with stuff. She heard the quiet his of "ah dammit", and then she finally saw it. That gorgeous grin that makes his hazel eyes crinkle in the outer corners. "Hi, honey."

And as happy as she'd typically be to see his face on FaceTime, all she did was sob. "Hey." She grabbed her food and her drink and with cloudy vision, she guided herself to the couch to eat.

His face fell. "What's wrong? Did I catch at a bad time?"

"No." She sniffled. God, she was so emotional today. "I just...I want you."

"Oh, babe. I wish there was something I could do about that but right now my hands are completely tied."

"I just want cuddles and kisses and hugs! And I want to wear that new shirt you just bought because it looks comfy and I bet it smells good."

"Baby I promise—hold out a little bit longer and you can have whatever it is you want." He paused. "Except for that shirt.”

"Why?" She whined.

"Because I bought that shirt last week. It's still new."

"So? I want it."

"You can have every other shirt except that one. At least not for a while."

"Ugh!" She groaned. "You're the worst."

"I've been told."

She looked away from her phone that was propped up on a pillow and turned on the television, turning to a DVR recording of Botched and settling into the couch, fully accepting the fact that she had to cuddle with the pillows next to her instead of her boo. She picked up her fork, sadly poking the orange-dyed macaroni noodles and putting them in her mouth. "I don't want this anymore." She muttered to herself, catching the attention of the boy on the other end of the phone, who'd only just found something to do on his laptop to distract himself from looking at her tear-stained face.

Because if he did, he'd be at her every beck and call and give her exactly what she wanted. And he was a busy guy; he didn't have time to fly across the country to snuggle her like he has the slight habit of doing.

As much as he craved her—her body, her mind, her laugh, her smell (God, the way she smells? Absolutely intoxicating. He finds himself thinking of the inticing scent on the days when he misses her the most, and it's almost as if she infiltrates his nostrils. Ergo, causing him to miss her 1000x more.)—he cannot leave Los Angeles for at least the next week. If he leaves, then that means Ethan would be left with editing their upcoming video's footage, and that's the last thing he needs right now.

"Why not? When we texted earlier, you said you were hungry."

"Yeah. I was. But now...I don't know." She shrugged. She stopped the recording on the TV, picking her bowl back up and setting it in the microwave for if she wanted it later. Then, she trudged her way back upstairs and got in her bed. She sighed, feeling the lump in her throat form again.

[books--andt]

November 9 by Colleen Hoover book review

Hey Bookies! How's your January going so far?

The time finally came for me to read a CoHO book and it did not disappoint!

Synopsis (from the back cover);

"Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day of her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in LA together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist."

First things first, I have to say WOW. Seriously was NOT expecting half of the things that happened in this book. I hadn't heard much about November 9, other than the fact that loads of people loved this book. I have to admit that I sort of went into this book expecting it to be a "guilty pleasure" read filled with insta-love (BLEHH) and unrealistic male characters. And while I have some thoughts on those things, I do have to say that this book is so much more than that.

I liked how our main character, Fallon, was different than your classic pretty main girl in a YA/NA novel who meets the guy and falls in love. She had more dimension inside and out. While Ben was practically perfect on the outside we really got to know the core of him which added a lot to his character.

This book had some mature content in it so if you're not a fan of that sort of suff maybe you should steer clear of this one. I didn't find it nearly as smutty as Outlander though, if that's any indication for you!

Now onto the *SPOILERY goodness!*

***SPOILERS***

Hey spoiler people! Alright. So. This whole insta-love thing- I'm not a fan. But somehow this book was able to transform what was so obviously insta-love into a true love story. Ben and Fallon ended up seeing each other for 6 years or something crazy like that- mind you they only saw each other like 6 times throughout those 6 years. When I was only partially through this book I was confused because Hoover would just jump from one November 9 to the next. I wanted to know the details of what happened with Fallon and Ben's lives when they were part from each other and I wanted to know why certain things happened (Kyle punching Ben) straight away. While we didn't get an answer to my first request, the other ends were tied at the end of this book, wrapping it up nicely.

And THE part. You all know which part I'm talking about. When Fallon sneakily reads Ben's manuscript and discovers that he was involved in her fire accident. My jaw literally dropped. I could feel the fear that Fallon was feeling, knowing that she had fallen in love with someone who had known her for two years longer, and had caused her accident. Honestly, I would be creeped out and I totally understand why she filed a restraining order against him. I would be angry but would also feel so much remorse for what he had gone through. That suicide note from his mother... DAMN COHO. That got me.

I'm not sure how much I enjoyed this ending.... I love a good happy ending but to me, I just don't know if Fallon could overlook what he'd done and still say that she loved him. I mean... He caused that fire! I couldn't help but feel that he was stalking me for two years and was only with me so that he could make himself feel better about what he'd done.

I know this was cleared up in the book, as Ben tells Fallon that everything he told her was true. But like... I just DON'T KNOW!

The idea of meeting up with someone for one day every year when you've only just met them sounds bezerk to me. I'd never do that in a million years. Perhaps that's partially due to not feeling confident that the dude would actually show up... But it's also because I need to actually KNOW the person before I make those kinds of arrangements. It's hard for me to believe that after an entire year with absolutely zero communication between someone that you can still have feelings for them. I know this may resonate with other readers, but it just didn't for me. I also don't know how realistic Ben was... He was hot af, loved Fallon the moment he locked eyes with her, and would do ANYTHING for her. I'm not saying guys like that don't exist... but at 18????? That's a wee bit young dontcha think?

And when Fallon told Ben she didn't want to see him so that he could finish his book... Like guurl, I get you want him to be successful, you don't want to hold him back, but he can still write the book! I mean... technically he held her back from acting, so.... that probably just made him feel more awful. He didn't even write at all that year, and I'm guessing now that Fallon has read his book (at the end) that he isn't going to publish it... Or is he? I imagined he wouldn't because he's basically telling a huuuuuuge secret he's kept for so long, but I guess he could always say it was fiction? I don't know. I like the idea of him not publishing the book.

With all that being said I will say that I really enjoyed this book. I was constantly wondering what would happen next, and when THE part showed up in the book I was shook. It was such a twist that I wasn't at all expecting and it really makes me more intrigued to read more from Colleen Hoover, now that I know her books aren't just smutty NA romances. (No offence if you like that stuff)

4.5/5 stars! It feels good to read something other than my beloved fantasy.. Got any contemporary recs for me?

What are your thoughts on this book? I've read A LOT of mixed reviews... everything from one star to five stars. I get where people come from with the one star reviews, but I don't like being too over the top critical when I read, because it's something I do for fun. So all in all, I liked this book. It had its problems here and there, but I still liked it.

If you care to see some wintry, artsy pics of November 9 and other beloved books, head over to my bookstagram Books_andt !!!!!

Thanks for reading!

- T