#I'm so confused as to what her beef with him is over her wedding??

[the-halfling-prince]

The prank war in bmw season 7 was low-key so funny to me because like... there was only three pranks.

1. They put her car in her dorm room, how do you even manage that, that's impressive as hell. Did they take it apart and put it together piece by piece in her room?

2. Rachel was going for the kill at this point. She really went "exit pursued by getting mauled to death by bear" What.

3. They put a pinup photo of her up for everyone to see. Not okay, definitely. But also you know they didn't try to kill her. But still definitely yikessss.

[allthedamnlove]

What’s something you’re looking forward to with Szn 5?

Ooooh good question

5) kie going batshit crazy for revenge...madison got stuck with the whacky ass partner ever (rudy my beef is not over with you) so I want kie to shine thru WITH NO MEN. NO MEN. IM SICK AND TIRED OF THOSE PSYCHO ASS SHIPPERS. NO. NO. NO.

4) popes future.....my man's has shot someone, has a arrest belt on him, left his parole and probably will go to the marines even if everything gets sorted out....I know cleo and pope are going to be strong as ever. But I'm invested in their individual lives

3) how grief is going to hit the pogues all at once. Jj was an integral part of the group and were going to see John b go through intense grief as he prepares himself to be a dad. Feels like the first half of obx5 is going to be serious as hell with all the death and heartbreak. Its going to be interesting how they navigate grief? Will they actually take revenge? Cuz if they do....then they all going to jail cuz they promised shoupe Groff alive....

2) Sarah's pregnancy and rafe and Sarah's reconciliation. I feel like since jjs gone, in obx5 the pates will try to include more scenes of them trying to rebuild their very broken relationship. Also since she's pregnant...rafe may (again may...cuz rafes such a wild card) be more protective of his one living blood family (I'm saying blood cuz sofias kinda his entire world).

Also there's this big storyline that the pates have touched and went in obx4 ep6...the merchant gold that rose has and wheezie....everything started because of the gold so I feel like rafe and Sarah may try getting atleast wheezie back. I don't even know how that storylines going to go

And obviously jarah my cuties they about to be parents.

1)Nowww the most most important thing that I'm desperately craving for in s5 is of course....rafe and Sofia. Atp they're kinda my main reason I'm even invested atp

There are so many routes where their story could go now since they deliberately shot the breakup scene so abrupt. Jonas said he's not done with them meaning we don't even know how is it going to go....I have a feeling that Sofia might be kidnapped by the mercenaries cuz I'm so confused on how Sofias dad, a pogue knew hollis a big shot realtor....I know I'm going on tangents but these are genuine questions that need to be answered

Also we have seen rafe angry crazy even sad but never heartbroken to the core. We are also going to see Sofia lose her love her fiancs, her job in a minute....the angst with the endgame is going to hit like crack to me

There's so much to unpack yet so little time...Will rafe show his past crimes and will Sofia not care about them. Will rafe try to overcome his insecurities of not being to announce that he doesn't care about kooks and pogues division and beg her to take him back....I'm that crazy that I'm thinking maybe Sofia can be pregnant when rafe comes back (again I'm so delulu so). I want them to get that angst with endgame soooo sooooo fucking bad you don't even know. I want him to beg, cry on his knees praying to her to take him back. I know I'm asking for too much but I want that wedding sooo bad. But I'm si scared that they're going to screw them over. If that happens jpates will see HELL NOT EVEN FUCKING JOKING

Alsooo drewfiona bts and the wrap parties, (praying to god SOO BAD THAT THEY DO PRESS TOGETHER) and premiere. If I see any pic of them together these coming months I may become a different person.

Hope that answers your question

[musingsofabookworm1]

My Last 10 Reads

Here are my last 10!

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison - 3 stars - This one was... a lot. It wasn't what I expected, and things really went off the rails, in my opinion, as the plot progressed. Vesper Wright, protagonist, left home at 18 and has tried to remove herself from her mother (famous actress) and everything else from her formative years. Then a wedding invitation from her cousin arrives causing Vesper to head home. The secrets she unburies make for quite a wild ride. Well written: good mix of prose and dialog.

Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward - 4 stars - I'd been waiting for this one! Protagonist Annis is a slave in the Civil-War-era South who has been sold. She endures a march, with other female slaves, to her new owner. This march leads her on a journey within herself thanks to the earth and water and spirits. Descended from an African warrior, Annis has been bred to survive the toughest of conditions. And this march is the toughest condition of them all. Beautifully written.

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy - 5 stars - You could've asked me prior to reading this to pick McCurdy out of a lineup or tell you why she was famous, and I'd be unable to on both accounts. But this came from the hands of a trusted co-worker and fellow reader, so I had to give it a shot. And wow! I was immediately engaged. Short chapters showing bits and pieces of a relationship with her toxic mother kept me engaged throughout. I’m not sure who exactly I’d recommend this to, but I recommend it highly!

Lights Out by Elise Hart Kipness - 2 stars - This is a pretty generic murder mystery that had nothing that brought it above average for me. Former-Olympian-turned-sports-reporter finds herself in the middle of a career “scandal” when her best friend’s NBA-star husband is found dead. Said best friend is the main suspect. A simple read at best, and if you want a good mystery, you can find something better than this. 

The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan - 4 stars - I got this YA horror confused with another YA horror I read last month: You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight. Similar covers, plots, and character similarities. Sloan and her girlfriend, Cherry, are the sole survivors of a ritual killing at a summer camp. Sloan trying to uncover said ritual makes this one a solid effort. Solid YA!

The Witch of Maracoor by Gergory Maguire - 4 stars - This marks the third and last installment of the Another Day series. The title character is Rainary Ko - the granddaughter of the infamous Elphaba Thropp of Maguire’s Wicked series. As this is book three, no details. I wasn’t satisfied enough to give it five stars, but I was rapidly turning pages to get to the end. And consequently sad to get to the end as it was over. It’s always hard to say goodbye to a good series. But I thought that Out of Oz (Wicked #4) was then end, and then this trilogy arrived. Maybe Maguire will miss Oz enough to bring it back once again!

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due - 4 stars - My only beef with this one was that it was too long at nearly 600 pages. This book was getting a lot of hype in the literary podcasts and social media pages I follow, so I was excited to read it. It is a historical horror. Robert Stephens, 12, is sent to Gracetown School for Boys (the more formal name of the title place) in 1950 Jim Crow Florida after kicking a white man to defend his older sister. While his sister does everything in her power to get him out, Robbie quickly starts enduring the trials of life at Gracetown. The upper level staff there soon learn Robbie can see haints, or ghosts, and want to use this to their advantage. Based on a real reformatory in the South where a relative of the author spent time, this is a difficult read knowing that the real horrors of Gracetown were not the ghosts but the things that the residents endured in real life.

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger - 3 stars - I don’t quite know what to write about this one. I couldn’t get into it. I maybe should have saved it for another time. But here’s what the plot summary on the flap said: Imagine an America very similar to our own. It's got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.There are some differences. This America has been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day. Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.

Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry - 4 stars - I’m not sure when I pre-ordered this as Henry is an auto-buy for me. For some reason, our library doesn’t carry her books. I like that her books are so different from one another. You never know what you’ll get, but you can assure it’ll be good. This one has four parts. The first is about Celia who wakes up one day and does not remember at all the life she is living. She doesn’t recognize her daughter or husband despite seeing family pictures on the wall. She gathers what her job is and heads there to live a day in the life of whomever she seems to be. Next, Allie’s birthday trip turns into a disaster when her best friend’s boyfriend bring their group to a secluded cabin and finds the utmost trouble. Finally, Maggie finds herself in a most dangerous situation trying to get home to her daughter. Part four brings the four women together in a most unpredictable way!

The Princess by Wendy Holden - 4 stars - I’m not a know-it-all when it comes to the British royals. I didn’t know much about Diana before her life as the Princess of Wales. This fictionalization of Diana is told through different third-person perspectives of Diana and those she came in frequent contact with from when she went to college up until she married Charles. Though fiction, it is based on fact, and I learned some sad details about her pre-royal existence.

[cinamun]

Hey Cin, now that I've got myself all the way together, I'm the anon that confused Indya with Mercy. I blame it on the 3 shots of Tequlia I added to my orange juice this morning. Obviously, I wasn't able to see clearly. My bad. I'm so happy for Hope and Jayce. I am wondering why Mercy wasn't there WITH the problematic boyfriend. Now that Hope and Jayce are engaged, she is officially family. Bishop needs to know who she is connected with. By chance if Bishop and Jerri still communicate, he also needs to know who her people are. Anyhoo, 'bout to have my evening shots of Tequila. In case you're wondering, Adictivo Tequila Plata 100% Agave.

My friend said CHILE IT WAS THESE STRONG ASS MIMOSAS I HAD!! lmfaoooooooooooo We call them HOOD mimosas over here lmfao not a drop of champagne in sight! Okay okay...

A few things:

She isn't "officially" family until the whole "you may now kiss the bride" thing happens (and that BETTER happen... this game I swear) and the marriage license is signed (also? I am dreading putting together another extraordinarily large wedding so we're going to let wedding stories do the work this time lol)

Do we really want Bishop anywhere with Mercy? I mean, I get it though! Mercy once said "You've never even tried to get to know him!" Well... he doesn't really gaf about him to get to know him, but if Jayce is a way to control Mercy, maybe he's of benefit and so... no further comment, your honor.

I can confirm that Jerri and Bishop do not still communicate, however sims like those two just don't stop knowing of each other. There is a lifelong respect for each other's ferocious audacity (which is why Jerri never had beef with Darren after he, very cleverly, implicated her in his shooting).

SO! Enjoy your evening tequila my friend and please stay tuned. Some of what you want answers to may be coming sooner than you thought they would and that's on the little engine that could.

[nightshade-minho]

-Embers- (2)

warnings: heavy-ish suggestiveness, future smut, themes of heartbreak and pain, mentioned parent death, jealousy, angry fathers.

wc: 5.7k

Heartbreak.

It's something you've thought about, in theory. You've wondered how it feels to be heartbroken, especially when you were younger, when almost everything was of interest to your curious brain. Could a heart break? What exactly did that mean? 

Mr Yang's novels were your first introduction to characters who'd gone through that pain. His books had described it as a perpetual feeling of hurt, one which a person would never get over. You wondered if it was even possible to experience pain like that. Pain so bad you felt your heart shattering.

You still remembered that day you thought about it properly for the first time.

***

You shut your book and looked over at Minho, who had been cloudgazing as he waited for you to finish it. Days like this were common. Minho would get you a new book every week, and the two of you would go to the lake and laze around in the sun. You often worried that Minho would find it boring to sit next to you while you read, having nothing to do. On the contrary, he was quite content with the way things were. He liked how warm the grass felt against his skin, and how calming the sounds of rippling water were as he rested his head against Aeracus’s side.

"Wow. That definitely didn't end on a good note." You shook your head, letting out a sigh and laying back.

Minho glanced up at you, sitting up slightly. "You finished it? So soon?"

"Mhm. I got a little too invested in the story."

"Ah. If I'd known you would read it this fast, I would have borrowed more than one from him."

"It's okay, I can wait a few days.' You say, your tone reassuring as you placed Mr Yang's precious book next to you on the grass, carefully. The man put great care into binding and writing his books, all by hand with no one to assist him. You didn’t want to be the one to soil his hard work.

"Good, cause I'm not going back there so soon. There's three girls who have basically set up camp outside Mr Yang's to catch a glimpse of me."

You rolled your eyes, playfully shoving him. "You act like you're a celebrity or something. We get it, you have a lot of fangirls."

"And fanboys. Some of them are quite cute actually. Just last week a dude proposed to me."

"No way. He proposed?"

"Yeah." He let out a low chuckle. "I think I recognized him from the docks. Seen him once or twice, but I've never said a word to him. I felt bad though, he was actually pretty."

"You should have said yes." You pouted, holding back a giggle. "I've always wanted to be maid of honor at a wedding."

Minho shook his head, sitting up and scooting over. Grabbing your waist, he pulled you into him, so that the both of you were curled up against his sleeping dragon.

"Maid of honor?"

"Yeah! I mean, what's the point of having a best friend if you don't get to play that crucial role in their wedding?"

Minho sighed, looking over at you with a fond smile as he bit his cheek. "Oh Y/n, what am I going to do with you? Maid of honor." He chuckled again at the exaggerated pout you flashed him, poking his side. “What’s so funny?”

There was silence for a few minutes as he looked up at the sky, eyes running over a cloud that looked a little like a five-pointed star. Humming, he leaned in a little.

A short inhale before he whispered into your ear, lips brushing against the shell of it and making your hairs stand on end.

"I hate to break it to you Y/n, but you'll never be maid of honor at my wedding." He mumbled softly, tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear.

"Cause you'll be the bride."

For a minute, a stunned look passed over your face as you comprehended his words. It took a whole 60 seconds for you to process, but soon you swatted at his hand, descending into a fit of hopeless giggles at his cheesy line. "Shut up!"

"Hey! I was being serious." he had an offended look on his face as he held your chin, making you face him again.

You looked at his expression and stopped, your cheeks flushing as you realized he meant it. Your heart was racing, your eyes blinking rapidly as your mushy mess of a brain tried to figure out what an appropriate, mature response would be.

Quickly you pushed him off you, stumbling to your feet and beginning to run. So much for being mature.

"Race you home!"

Minho watched you run, shaking his head and sighing to himself as he slowly picked himself up. If only you knew how sincere he was.

If only he knew your heart hadn't stopped pounding for the rest of the night.

Mr Yang's books had been the main contribution to your adolescent fantasies, to be honest. As the local librarian, he supplied you with a regular supply of books, but none were as satisfying as the ones he wrote himself. His writing was descriptive on another level, and pulled you in like no other author could. He was your greatest inspiration, which was why his description of heartbreak had been the one to stick with you the most, all the way to adulthood.

It was described as a lingering emotion in the back of your head, staying with you your whole life to remind you of what could have been. It was nauseating, painful and everlasting. He'd written about the emotion so intensively, that at the time you almost felt like you did truly know how it felt.

You were wrong.

Heartbreak, real heartbreak, was a lot less pain and a lot more emptiness. Yes, it did feel like all those things mentioned before- but there was more to it than that. Your heart, which had been brimming with excitement and happiness not too long ago, felt void. Dark, lifeless. It had been so sudden, so out of the blue that your emotions were a confused jumble.

Of course, there was pain too- agony, more like. Ripping through your entire being as you watched him kiss her cheek yet again. It was so all consuming, so terrifyingly excruciating.

You were across the dinner table by your father's side, the spoon in your hand held in a tight grip as you tried your best to avert your eyes from the sight. After all, you were currently sat at the table with three other chiefs and their families, as well as a few advisors and high ranking guards. You had to look refined and elegant, a person befitting the title of Ember’s heir- not a gawking, bitter girl staring at your once lover canoodling with his fiancée.

Finally managing to tear your eyes away, you let your eyes run over the guests that would be staying with you for the next few weeks. You reminded yourself that you were in no position to be a dejected, woeful and pathetic individual in front of all these important people. Appearances had to be kept up, or you would face dire consequences. Your father’s pride was hurt enough as it is, what with his daughter being the only one who couldn’t participate in the championships. You didn’t want to give him any more reasons to hate you.

Next to your father was the Aqua chief, his wife and their daughter- Minho’s fiancée. They were dressed in blue silks, dripping with sapphires and lapides lazuli. The royal blue draped around them was deep, the fabric clearly expensive and not too unlike the dress you were wearing currently. 

The Aqua heiress was the spitting image of her mother, both their faces round and their features pretty. She was dressed similarly to her parents, with a tiny diadem upon her brown locks, her gown objectively fancier than yours. She continued talking to Minho, the plate of food in front of her untouched.

Minho.

You hated how beautiful he looked, dressed in white and grey. His uniform was simple, all clean lines and crisp edges. It suited him perfectly, like it was made for him. Which it probably was. 

The two of them seemed to be in their own little world as Minho whispered something into her ear, making her giggle yet again. Your throat felt clogged. Blinking, you quickly looked away from them, your eyes landing on Minho’s father. He looked the same as he always did, except now slightly frailer. He was wearing the same uniform as his son, although he didn’t quite fill it out the same way. You chewed on your lip, glancing at him one last time before turning to the Terra family. 

The Terra chief was a rotund, pot-bellied man who had his attention completely focused on his plate, not contributing much to the conversation the three other chiefs were having. You couldn’t blame him, really- the maids had cooked up a delightful feast. You were sure you’d have devoured your entire plate by now if circumstances had been different. The empty feeling in your stomach was making it hard to savour the roast beef, which you reluctantly ate. 

He and his wife were both dressed in earthly, neutral tones combined with deep greens- and positively covered in every kind of jewel found under the Earth. The rubies on your dress looked like chili flakes in comparison to the twinkling emeralds and gems on the Terra family.

Their son, the Terra heir, looked just as miffed as you, to be honest. He wasn’t as bejewelled as his parents, wearing a shade of green that provided you comfort as you looked at him. It reminded you of the grass near the lake you and Minho once frequented.

He caught your gaze suddenly. Smiling, his heart-shaped lips curving upwards. He shot a glance towards Minho and his girl, and then back at you, raising an eyebrow.

You tried your best to smile back, or give him a knowing wink, or something. But all you could do was stare blankly, your emotions having been sucked out of you. You still failed to comprehend what had happened, your brain seemingly giving up on you and leaving you alone with nothing but your broken heart for company.

Soon enough, the smile melted away from the man's face, and he looked back down at his plate, a little dejected. You felt a flash of regret, fleeting however as you suddenly felt a sharp voice whispering in your ear.

You looked up in confusion at your father, who had previously been immersed in a conversation with Minho’s father and the Aqua chief. Now his face was right by your ear.

"Number one, stop staring. You’re lucky I’m the only one who noticed. Number two, stop by my office before you go to sleep tonight, okay? It’s important." He said, voice stern.

Gulping and nodding, you watched as he turned away, diving right back into the conversation he was having. What did he possibly want to talk about? You rarely talked to your father these days, unless arguments could be counted.

You spent the rest of the meal in contemplation, staring down at your plate. Your hand moved methodically, shoving food into your mouth without actually tasting anything; All you could taste was regret.

It hurt. It hurt so fucking bad. Despite not looking up, her giggle still pierced your ears from time to time, stabbing you deep in the heart. You'd seen it...the way Minho had been looking at her. He'd once reserved such looks for you and you only. Turns out, every meaningful word he'd said back then were lies. Every promise of forever had been empty.

A small part of you reminded yourself that it wasn't his fault he was kicked out from your village. He’d thought you didn’t oppose your father, and simply watched as he and his father was humiliated. Were you being irrational in expecting him to have stayed single until he came back to you? Hell, was it stupid to think he could even bear to glance at you after what your father had did?

Life was unpredictable, nothing was written in stone. How could he even have known he'd ever be in the same room as you again?

No. Y/n, don't do this. Don't force yourself to make up excuses for him. The man had barely cast a glance at you since he arrived. His eyes had been cold and stony the only time you'd made eye contact. 

Besides, if he really knew you, he would have known you wouldn’t betray him like that. And if he really loved you, he would have waited. He wouldn’t have moved on so easily. 

It was still fresh in your mind, despite having happened a few hours ago, now. The way you’d felt your hopes and dreams shattering to the ground in a million pieces, all in a span of a few seconds. Your heart, vibrating so fast it was almost going to implode.

As you continued drowning in your emotions, reliving the pain you'd felt, you suddenly felt a pair of eyes burning into you, sharply. Confused, you looked up, expecting the Terra heir to be the one looking back at you.

It wasn't him.

Minho quickly looked away before you could react, going back to talking to the heiress. It had only been for a second, but you’d caught him.

He’d been staring. At you. For a second, the tiniest flash of hope lit up your heart. But it was gone quickly, as the Aqua chief started laughing boisterously at a question the Terra chief's wife had asked.

"Yes, Jisu and Minho are deeply in love, Calandra. Honestly. Why would they be getting married otherwise?" He smiled, looking over at the two who had stopped talking to listen.

"This one-" He ruffled his daughter's head, chuckling. "She was so smitten. Kept sneaking out past the border to meet him. Of course when I found out, I was more than happy to let them join hands. I couldn’t imagine a son better than Minho to marry my little girl."

"That's sweet." You glanced up at your father as he said the words. He seemed to be gritting his teeth in slight vexation, the annoyance on his face clear. At least, to you it was.

"The wedding will take place a month after the championships." Minho's father said suddenly, smiling proudly as he grabbed a glass of wine. "You're all invited, of course. It will take place at my village. Now, raise a glass for the happy couple!"

A few claps sounded as everyone at the table raised their glasses. You carefully avoided Jisu's shy smile and Minho's confident smirk, his arm wrapped around her shoulder firmly. As if she would break into a million pieces if he let go.

You hated that you knew exactly how he behaved when he was in love. And now you weren’t on the receiving end of his adoration. 

You weren’t used to this. 

Yes, you’d lived your life as normally as you could without him for the past few years...but this was different. He was right there, and yet he wasn’t yours. So close, but you couldn’t touch him. Couldn’t feel him. Couldn’t kiss his lips and tell him how much he meant to you.

Your eyes darted about as they tried to find an appropriate thing to focus your gaze on. You raised your glass like everyone else, downed the amber liquid a little faster than the rest. You refused to let yourself look at the two.

Your eyes landed on the Terra heir after a few seconds. You weren't completely sure what his name was, but you have a vague recollection of your father telling you everyone’s names. Of course, at the time you’d been too overcome with excitement to digest the information.

Felix? Yes, that was it.

He seemed sweet. Friendly, even. His smile was a little sympathetic as he looked back at you, and that threw you off. You decided to put a smile on your face immediately, trying to conceal the pain that you’d hoped wasn’t evident.

Your mind flitted back and forth as everyone’s plates gradually cleared up. What were you going to do after this? 

Originally, you'd been planning to go to Minho's room tonight. Fuck, you’d dreamed of how tonight would go for months now, ever since your father had told you the news. But how could you now? 

Everything was fucking disintegrating.

***

You walked down the hallway to your father's office, your heels clicking against the stone slabs. Your dress was starting to feel itchy, and you couldn’t wait to take it off. You resentfully recalled how excited you’d felt when your maids had helped you into it. How all you could think about was Minho seeing you in it. You’d never expected him to barely acknowledge you.

Sighing, you passed through the hallway, stopping when you heard a high-pitched giggle come out of nowhere.

Furrowing your eyebrows, you glanced around you in confusion. 

Another laugh, this one deeper, followed by what seemed like a...moan?

The pain came back full force, hurtling through you and overtaking you completely. As you walked, the sounds started to feel closer. You wished you could cover your ears to block them out, but at the same time you were consumed with curiosity. Was it what you think it was?

Suddenly, you heard another sound. Now, it was clear where they were coming from.

The sounds were from beyond the door that led to your father's old bedroom, the one he used to share with your mother before she died. You frowned, puzzled as you walked closer to the door.

Had he really given away that room to Minho and his fiancée? It hadn't been used in years, and had always been covered up and inaccessible. Even the maids weren’t allowed to clean in there. It was the biggest bedroom in the house, and the thought of it occupied by them was causing fresh tears to prick at your eyes. 

You felt the lump in your throat make itself more prominent, blinking rapidly as your heart pounded. Suddenly, your legs started moving of their own accord.

Before you knew it, you were stood in front of the large door, your hand raised and knocking firmly on the gilded wood as you swallowed.

There was complete silence for a second or two, but then there were scrambling noises, along with the sound of rustling bedsheets. You tried to calm the beating of your heart, as you waited for the door to open.

When it finally did, you felt like your heart was almost about to burst out of your chest.

She was the one who opened it. She was clearly half naked, having pulled on a blue robe hastily. Running a hand through her hair, she greeted you, her voice a little shaky.

"Oh- um, hello…” She pressed her lips together, glancing behind her for a second. You followed her gaze, to Minho on the bed.

He was shirtless, his hair messed up and his eyes carefully trained on the wall beside him, away from you. You swallowed again, tears threatening to spill past your eyes as you quickly tried to turn your attention back to the woman in front of you.

Too late. She'd noticed. She frowned at you, subtly moving to the side a little to cover Minho from your view.

"I know we haven't formally met yet. I'm Choi Jisu, the Aqua heiress. I’m sure you know." She smiled, albeit a little forced. "And I did want to thank you for letting us stay-"

There was an impatient grunt from behind her, and she looked behind back briefly before turning to you once more.

"Um, I don’t know if you noticed, but I was kind of in the middle of something. Sorry." She tried her best to hide her smile, her voice heavily insincere. “Let’s talk later, Y/n. And maybe next time you won’t be interrupting anything.” She smiled, beginning to close the door.

"Later." 

You just stood there dumbfounded, not knowing how to reply. Your face was passive but your brain was overrun with thoughts. The tears would spill any minute now. 

She frowned at your reaction, tilting her head before gently shutting the door in your face.

You just stood there for a moment. You could hear Minho's voice, muffled as he said something to her.

A part of you wanted to press your ear to the door and listen, but you already looked pathetic enough to the guards standing in the hallway, one of them already having flashed you a sympathetic look. You were really having enough of all this fucking sympathy.

Sighing, you dragged your feet away, trying to push everything down, but to no avail. There were too many enotions, and they were too heavy to even let you think. 

You thought back to her behaviour. You'd definitely picked up on her attitude, which had soured after she’d caught you looking at her fiancé. Jisu wasn’t a fan of you, that much was clear. And neither was the person who’d once declared himself your biggest fan. Ironic, really.

***

“Who was at the door?” Minho asked carefully, although he’d already seen you. Standing there, looking at him. 

You’d looked smaller, vulnerable. So, so different. Almost alarmingly so.

He tried to best to keep his tone even, eyes trained on Jisu as she slunk back to the bed, having shut the door.

“The Ember heiress.” She said, a slight sting to her tone. “Why do you think she came?” She asked, raising an eyebrow as she sat on the edge of the bed.

“I...don’t know.” Minho muttered, staring at the bedsheets. His heart was clenching, hands starting to shake a little. 

No. Not in front of Jisu.

“Weren’t you two ‘best friends’ once?” She asked carefully, having picked up on his icy behavior. Jisu knew, of course. Despite Minho and you trying to keep it a secret, at one point the entire village came to know the two of you were in love. The information had even spread across the village, to others. 

Of course, the chiefs were the only ones who’d been clueless, only finding out after they’d been separated.

Minho scoffed, shaking his head. He gestured to her, hooking his fingers under his boxers to pull them down. “Forget that. Come back here, baby.”

Jisu raised an eyebrow, looking like she wanted to say more. However, Minho’s almost naked body was difficult to resist.

Shrugging, she slid her robe off, letting the silk fall to the floor as she straddled him. His hands ran up her hips, watching her, feeling her. 

His brain, however, felt like it was a million miles away.

***

The tears ran down your face. You were no longer able to hold them back. Realizing you were probably about to break down in the middle of the hallway, you walked faster towards the office- 

Until you bumped into someone on the way, almost knocking them over.

“Woah, woah, slow down.” Felix chuckled, holding onto your arms to keep you on your feet.

You looked up at him, blinking as you registered what you’d just done. “Fuck- I’m so sorry-”

“No, it’s okay.” He smiled, realizing his hands were still on you. He quickly took them away, tucking them into his pockets. His cheeks were dusted a light pink as he cleared his throat, looking at you in concern.

You quickly wiped away your tears, but Felix had unfortunately already noticed.

“Hey, are you okay? I noticed... I noticed you didn’t seem so happy at the dinner.” He said softly, looking down at you. 

You remained silent, staring at the floor as you wondered how to reply. You didn’t want to seem any more pitiable than you already were.

“Uh, it’s okay if you don’t want to say anything. I’m sorry if I overstepped.” He shook his head, stepping back slightly. His voice was almost more nervous than yours. “Um, I’ll leave you be now. Sorry-”

You looked up, sighing. “Wait…” 

Felix looked back, an expectant, almost hopeful look on his face. You didn’t want to let him down, you really didn’t...but it was difficult to pretend like you were okay. You were shivering, biting on your lip. You already felt humiliated enough.

“Sorry. I...I need to go, I’m sorry.” You mumbled, quickly walking away from a bewildered Felix. As soon as you turned the corner, you breathed a sigh of relief, leaning against the wall as your body shuddered. 

You’d never cried like this, not even when Caeli had died. Not even when Minho had left, because back then you’d still possessed some kind of hope. Hope that just wasn’t there anymore.

Rubbing your cheeks, you managed to get rid of the tear stains. You hoped your eyes weren’t too red- you weren’t ready for any comments from your father today. Breathing in, you continued walking, still massaging your eyes in a desperate bid to get them dry.

You groaned as you noticed you’d reached your father’s office quicker than you thought you would. Inhaling deeply, you tried to pull yourself together. You really didn’t like showing weakness in front of him, but lately that was all you did.

You knocked on the door carefully, waiting for him to open the door.

“Door’s open, come in.”

You pushed open the heavy oak door, stepping in.

"Y/n. Finally. Where have you been?"

"Nowhere important." You said quickly, clearing your throat. "Um... you said you wanted to see me, dad?"

He cleared his throat. "Yes." He rearranged the files on his desk quickly, standing and coming over to lean on the front of his desk. He sighed, screwing his face up in thought as he wondered where to start.

"I can’t believe Lee really scored a marriage for his son. Do you know what this means? A heir marrying an heiress? They'll possess power we can’t even begin to imagine." He paced back and forth, clenching his fists in barely concealed anger. You rolled your eyes slightly. Of course your father thought it was a ploy to gain power. He’d never believed in love, and most probably never will.

“So?” 

"So? So?!” He shook his head. “See, this is exactly why the villagers think you’re too incompetent.” He glared, making you cower. Your heart pounded quicker, your lips pressing together. No more tears, you had to control them.

“Look, Y/n...I’ll put it plain and simple. Ember has been the most powerful for centuries. We’ve always had the strongest dragons, and the sturdiest men. Our village is the largest in the country, and all eyes are on us.”

He pinched his forehead. “Do you know how embarrassing it is that Ember’s heiress, the one who should be the most powerful of all, is nothing but a lovesick, pathetic little girl who doesn’t even have a fucking dragon to compete with?!”

You blinked, sniffing as you stared at the floor. You could always count on your father to reinforce negative emotions. His eyes burning into you, chest heaving in anger. 

He sighed, watching as your shoulders shook slightly. Softening a little, he inhaled. It always went that way. He’d blow up at you, and subsequently regret it. He couldn’t take back anything he said, though.

“Sorry, child.” You remained silent, looking up a little. His face seemed sincere enough.

“Hm. I have an idea..." He mumbled, placing a finger on his chin. You could almost see the cogs and gears turning in his brain.

"What did you think of Felix? Nice boy, isn't he?"

You frowned at your father's words, his expression seeming innocent...but his intentions clearly weren't.

"The Terra heir?" You asked, sighing. "He seems nice. Why are you asking?"

"No reason." He shrugged, fiddling with the Ember figurine on his desk.

You groaned, rubbing your forehead. "Dad...don't tell me you want to marry me off to him."

"What?? No!" Your father shook his head vehemently, still playing with the figurine and avoiding your eyes. "I was just thinking. Uh-"

He looked back at you and sighed. "Okay, I'm sorry. But...just consider it, okay? An arranged marriage...an alliance between Ember and Terra could be phenomenal."

You pursed your lips, flashes of Minho and Jisu running through your head as you thought it over. Fuck it, why not? It wasn’t like you had any reason to oppose him. "Fine, dad. I’ll think about it, but I’m not promising anything. Besides, I don’t even know if he’s interested in me."

"I saw the way he was looking at you from across the table, child. He definitely has some curiosity, at the very least.” He hummed. “Anyway, that's actually not why I called you here."

You raised an eyebrow, confused as he went back to his seat, sitting down and pulling up a large, dusty book.

"Look...I'm worried. There's something ominous about this. Their marriage...it poses too many conveniences and benefits for both the chiefs to be a mere coincidence.”

You frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

He looked to be deep in thought. When he heard you speak, he snapped back to attention, shaking his head. "I’m not sure yet. Now, even if I managed to convince Farran to get his child married to you, it still doesn’t provide us power directly. Without a dragon, it’s likely they’ll make you reside in the Terra village once this is all over.” He hummed, looking like he was talking to himself rather than addressing you. “No...we need a reason to make you stay here. You’re an Ember heiress, the future chief of this legendary village. However, you definitely need to look the part. You need to prove to everyone that you’re powerful, Y/n. Shatter their expectations...and mine.” He smiled, gesturing for you to come closer.

 “I was wondering...do you want to participate in the championships?"

Your eyes widened impossibly, your words stuttering as you moved forward. You couldn’t believe your ears, not one bit. It sounded too good to be true.

“Wait- really?”

“Yes.”

“But...but I don’t have a drag-”

“You can participate with Aeracus.”

No. No way. For the first time since the welcoming, you felt true happiness overtake you. Jumping, you squealed in delight, barely able to hide your glee. “Oh my god, thank you, dad! Thank you so so much.”

He chuckled as he watched you, flipping a page. “This has never been done before, so expect some backlash. I’m sure once they see the bond you have with Aeracus though, they’ll change their minds.”

You couldn’t believe it. Your father, the most skeptical dragon purist the world had ever seen, was acknowledging your bond.

“But...what about Minho?”

“Aeracus is no longer his dragon, Y/n. He has a new one.” Of course, you’d noticed. The huge black dragons he and his father had been riding. You felt a sensation of unease drift through you as you thought about the creatures, the likes of which you’d never seen before. 

New lover, new dragon. He’d really left this place behind.

“Something’s off about those dragons.” He voiced the exact same concern you had. “They’re up to something. I just don’t know what.” He turned back to his book, taking his quill back up. “I’ll find out, though. Somehow. Now, go to sleep, kid. You have a big day tomorrow, now that you’re actually participating.”

You nodded, excitement coursing through your veins. “Sure, dad. Have a good night.” You bowed and turned around, your steps a lot lighter as you headed to your room, which was close by.

Reaching your room, you pushed open the door, smiling as you noticed Sylvia fast asleep at your dressing table. Moving slightly closer, you gently nudged her awake.

“Wha- I-” She shot up, mouth open as she bowed to you. “I’m so sorry, ma’am, I was just arranging and-I’ll help you out of your dress, now-”

“Sh, it’s okay. Tonight’s been tiring. You deserve the rest.” You said sadly, patting her shoulder as a yawn left your mouth. “Go to sleep, and don’t come by tomorrow. I’m perfectly capable of dressing myself. I want you to relax, okay? Head to the docks, or buy yourself some bread in the square.” You opened a tiny drawer and handed a few coins to her, enough to get some sweetbread from the bakery.

She nodded thankfully. “You’re the best, ma’am.” She giggled, accepting the coins from you. 

“What have I told you about calling me ma’am? We’re the same age, Sylvia, it makes me uncomfortable. It’s Y/n to you.”

“Fine. Y/n.” She smiles, heading to the door. “Good night, Y/n.”

You grinned widely at that. You loved how easygoing she was, unlike Ann, your head maid. You weren’t royalty, and hated being treated as such. A friend was all you needed, to be honest. And Sylvia managed to fill the best friend sized hole Minho had left behind, somewhat. 

She closed the door behind her, and you sighed, flopping down onto your soft bed and beginning to slip off your heels and the heavy dress, carefully placing it on a rack. The moon shone extra bright today, and you noticed the streets outside were still lit up with lanterns. Soon, they’d be turned off, and the streets would be quiet once more, except for a few drunken stragglers that didn’t want to stop celebrating.

And you would be left alone with your thoughts.

You slid yourself underneath your covers, sighing as you stared at the moon. In the distance, you could see a few dragons and their riders, flying through the air. They were quite far away, possibly near the outskirts. 

Tomorrow, you’d be able to ride Aeracus like that, after so many years. Every time Minho had let you climb atop his dragon, it had just felt like it was meant to be. Deep down, you felt bad, though...for Caeli, for Minho. However, it was just the plain truth.

You smiled as you decided to buy Aeracus a bunch of treats tomorrow. Ostrich eggs, phoenix meat- you were planning to go all out. He deserved it, after all.

In a way, tonight had possibly been the worst night of your life, and simultaneously the best. Your heart felt pulled in two, as you closed your eyes and willed yourself to sleep.

You had a big day tomorrow.

[quenie-azryneth]

Wedding photo contest

Itaru X reader

❤️Eros: Sweet rank. Itaru X reader. 1 and 3/comedy and Melodrama.

(Did I drew the gown for this story? Yes, yes I did.)

(Did I drew the background for Itaru's picture? Yes, yes I did)

(Why didn't I google it instead? Even I don't have the answer. 🤷🏻‍♀️)

(I actually liked how the flower turned out. It looked real. )

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

"Itaru, have you seen my phone?" Itaru removed his eyes from his games for a brief moment to look at you. "I haven't." He replied and resumed gaming. "But can you least call my number, please?" You asked. "In a minute, lemme just beat this - Heck yeah, a hundred years too early to challenge me!" He stood up and took out his phone from his pocket, he then types in your number.

*ringing*

You followed the sound of your ringtone, and it leads to your hand bag. "*deep inhale* Oh, Itaru I'm sorry." You face palm as hard as you can. "Pfft..." He covered his mouth with his hand to prevent him from laughing. "Hey! You big meanie." You punched him on the shoulder, hard enough to show your displease. "Sorry, sorry. You're just so cute, I can't help it." "Ugh! Let me check if- Eh?" Your eyes twitched at the sight of your notifications. "What's up?" Itaru asked. "Tch... Ten unread messages... From mom." "Uh oh, looks like someone's in trouble." "Itaru, you're not helping!" "Ha ha, sorry. Go talk to her then. And tell her I said 'hi'. " "Alright, thanks for helping me look for it, see you." You gave him a quick kiss then went home.

*On the phone*

"Hello? Mom? Mom, I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner." "You bet you're sorry, I was worried." Your Mom in her usual. "I'll make it up to you." "Hmm... How about a girls night, tomorrow at 8 pm?" Your Mom suggested "Okay. Oh, by the way, Itaru said 'hi'." "Oh, are you with him right now?" She asked. "I was." You replied. "How are you, Sweetie? How is Itaru doing?" The usual dotting mom. "We're doing fine, Mom." "Don't forget to take care of yourself and eat properly." "I know, Mom. I'm not a kid anymore." "I know, I know. Bye, Sweetie. Mommy loves you." "I love you, too Mom. Bye." She hang up.

Just then a sudden realization hits. "What am I gonna do? My paycheck hasn't been released until next week!" You opened your phone contacts, your finger hovered over Itaru's contact number. "What am I gonna say? ~Hey, Itaru. Could you please lend me some money? ~ Now that's just plain weird." *ring* Your phone rang. You answered, not bothering to check who is it. "Hello? Are you free tomorrow?" "Oh, Itaru. Uh... Actually it depends on the time. Mom and I will be having a girls night at 8 pm." You said. "I see, then I'll take you home before 8, is that cool?" "Why, though?" You got curious. "Well, we really haven't had a proper date in weeks and tomorrow's my day off with no event to interrupt, so...." "[Oh, how sweet of him.]" You giggled at his sudden offer. "I'd love to." You agreed. "Great, I love you. Bye." "I love you, too Itaru." Then you hang up.

The next morning, you strolled hand in hand with Itaru. "Ahh, the weather is so nice today. Hm?" You saw people gathering ahead. "Is it a street act?" You pointed at the crowd. "Hm? You wanna check it out?" He asked. "Sure."

The two of you got closer, you noticed a sign. "Wedding Photo Contest?" Your eyes landed on the list of prizes; >2nd prize: beef steak<. "[Beef steak. I wonder if beef steak is alright with Mom]" You continue to stare at the prizes until Itaru pulled you away from your thoughts. "Let's try it, for fun." He suggested. "Huh? But..." "Come on,it's a limited time event." "Pfft..." You didn't hold back a laugh, he's obviously not leaving room for any arguments so you went along with it.

When you entered the dressing room, your eyes went saucer wide the moment you laid eyes on the gown.

"Wow." You didn't even tried to hide your amazement as you stared at it. "Let's get you changed, ma'am." A voice snapped you back to reality. "Huh? Oh, yes."

The gown fits like a glove, then you slowly looked in the mirror, and when you saw your reflection you froze. "[Woah! Is that really me?]" "[So this is what it feels like wearing a wedding gown for the first time.]" You felt butterflies in your stomach and your chest tighten. "[What would it be like if we're married and start a family together?]"

"Oh you're do-" When you got out of the dressing room you met Itaru's gaze, and he is completely frozen in place. "Uh, Itaru?" "Huh? Ah, sorry. You looked so beautiful I can't take my eyes off you." "Stop teasing." You pouted. "I'm not." You saw a tiny hint of blush on Itaru's cheeks and feel yourself blushing as well. "Thank... Thank you Itaru." You replied at his compliment with a coy smile. "You look rather handsome yourself. It suits you" "Ehe, is that so, looks like I received a premium item."

Couples line up, one by one getting their picture taken. While waiting, Itaru's gaze was on you the whole time. His mind wondered off; What would it be like if the two of you are in a actual wedding, exchanging vows of loving each other until death, and having a family of his own. "Itaru? Earth to Itaruuuu? Hey, it's our turn!" You violently waved your hand in front of him. "Hm?" He snapped out of it. "Ehe, what were you thinking of?" You smiled teasingly. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking about the future." "Itaru, I'm glad we're on the same page." You already knew exactly what he was thinking of.

You and Itaru stood in front of the camera. The photographer instructed your every movement. "Okay, perfect. 1, 2, 3, smile." You gave your best smile. "Okay, change position." Itaru then wrapped his arms around you from behind. "Okay, now look at each other and 1, 2, 3, smile."

"They should kiss." A person from the crowd suggested. "Kiss, kiss, kiss - - - -" Then the whole crowd started chanting. You looked up to see Itaru's face and kissed him on his cheek just as you heard the camera shutter. "Ehe he he." You let out a small laugh at Itaru's startled look.

The vote is closed and the crowd has chosen their favourite couple.

"We won?" It's not too surprising that you and Itaru won the contest, but you wanted the 2nd place prize more. Itaru noticed, since you are literally staring at it. Itaru walked towards the 2nd place couple, "Excuse me, but can we trade prizes?" "Uh, uhu, sure." The couple are confused but nodded in agreement anyway. "This is the prize you wanted, right?" He handed the prize to you. "Aw, Itaru! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!" You hugged him tightly, practically jumping. "So does that mean I increased my intimacy points?" "Maaaaaaaybeeee" You couldn't stop smiling.

"It's almost 8, we should get going." He held out his hand to you. "I didn't realize, I was having so much fun with you I lost track of time." Then the two of you slowly walked hand in hand to your house.

"I guess we're here, goodbye Itaru. Thank you, I truly had a blast." "No need to thank me. I had fun, too." He took a step forward then slowly lifted your chin up and gave you a sweet and soft goodbye kiss. You wrapped your arms around his neck to prevent him from pulling away easily.

"I should get going, enjoy your girls night." "Ahaha, I will. I love you."

"I love you, too." You waved at him until he is out of sight.

When you entered the house, your mom was already inside standing by the window with a knowing look on her face.

"What?" You tried to play dumb "So, how was your date, Sweetie?" Your Mom asked "Maybe some other time, but for now it's OUR date." "Fine. But do tell me when you have the time." "Okay."

Your mind still drifts back to that beautiful moment. And someday, you would stand by his side in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, until your last breath as his wife 

The End

- J

[retroreaderr]

i really loved your musician!reader x sherlock!! i always appreciate those because i'm a studying musician myself! i hope this won't be a hassle, but i would like to request another musician!reader x sherlock where the reader is a pianist at john's wedding and a friend to mary, and she meets sherlock there and i suppose complimenting him about the piece he composed at the reception. so they talk and i guess dance instead of sherlock leaving the party early? thank you! love lots! xx

of course !! wow this ended up a lot longer than expected heh anyways, i hope you enjoy!! i went back and watched sign of three for this pfft ~ 🕷️💋

There was nothing worse than a long day. You were tired since you’d gotten up, however you knew it was a very special occasion, and so you’d dragged yourself out of bed and into the shower. Today was the day.

When you’d arrived at the reception hall, Mary had showered you in compliments, saying how wonderful you looked, saying how grateful she was that you could come to play. You hugged John then, saying a short hello, and congratulated them both. Then Mary introduced you to the man awkwardly standing next to the couple.

“____, this is Sherlock. You two have met, I’m assuming?”“No, actually,” you shook his hand. He gave you an odd look.“Pleasure to meet you.”“____, Sherlock is a musician as well -”“It’s not my day job,” he interjected, giving Mary a painfully forced smile.“Well, what do you do, then?” you ask, curiosity taking over your expression.“Consulting detective, recently wedding planner. Now move along, then, there are plenty more guests waiting to meet the newlyweds,” he nodded to you then turned away. You gave a slight huff at his rudeness and walked on.

The rest of the day he had shown to be just as odd, his speech being painstakingly awkward for the first few minutes, then suddenly turning a tear-jerking sentimental recollection of John’s successes and good nature. You sat near the front of the room and watched as he then had a small fit, he seemed so out of it. Then there was his impromptu intermission. The whole ordeal was quite a mess, however judging from his clear nervousness and odd recounts of his cases and odd behaviors, you assumed he wasn’t a very socially active person, and you supposed he was simply trying his best. It was, in a way, very touching.

Nothing compared to his composition, however. The way he played his piece as John and his new wife danced - it pulled at your heartstrings more than any other thing that had happened that day.

You sat at your bench, in the corner of the room, the grand piano almost obscuring your figure completely. You had been the one providing the music until now, where Sherlock played his own for the couple’s first dance. You, however, were less focused on them, and more focused on the man playing. You watched, the way he held his violin, so gentle, so contrasting to his hardened and secluded personality he’d shown earlier. It simply fascinated​ you.

You waited until he had finished playing and, after applauding him, you got up from your seat and made your way through the crowd to find him. You saw him speaking to Mary and John, they all looked seemingly confused and slightly worried. He then turned and started to make his way towards the door, and you followed him all the way until he was outside, pulling his coat on and making his way through the garden.

“Mister Holmes, wait!” you called, your heels sounding loudly against the pavement.He stopped, turning to face you.“Sherlock, was it?”“Yes. You’re the pianist?”“Yes, an old friend of Mary’s.”There was a short pause.“I wanted to compliment you on your waltz, it was beautiful.”He looked confused.“You think so?”“Of course! It was amazing,” you smiled. He blinked a few times then cleared his throat.“Thank you. You are…Talented as well.”

You felt a blush run along your cheeks, and Sherlock noticed the slight change in color. He hadn’t the faintest idea of why you were embarrassed.

You finally noticed his coat, “Are you leaving so soon?”“I…”“Stay for a while longer! I’m sure John would be very upset if he found out his best man had left early.”“I can’t stand the people here.”“Well, then let’s stay outside, there’s a bench over there,” you gestured.‘Let’s?’ Sherlock couldn’t fathom why you’d be asking him to stay, or offering to stay with him.

But he didn’t protest.

You sat for a while, chatting. Well, it was mostly him talking about his past cases with John, and how stupid he thought the whole idea of a wedding was, and how he doesn’t understand the mundane lives people lead and how a few hours in a church and hall could be exciting. You didn’t mind, in fact you quite enjoyed listening to him. When he spoke of the different murders he’d worked through, you seemed genuinely fascinated, and eager to listen.

“The only thing I’ve been able to stand today was the music. Though it’s like the rest of the idiots didn’t even care about it, they all cared more about,” his voice raised to a mocking tone, “Oh man did you try the beef?”

You giggled, “I know. It’s like the only interesting people are the ones who get glanced over the most.” You looked up at him, only to see he was already looking at you, a puzzled expression crossing his face.

He thought of earlier, when he’d pushed you aside despite your obvious interest in him.

“Yes, they do…”

There was another small period of silence, and even from outside you could hear the music playing, it was a slower song, some sort of love song from the eighties, most likely.

Sherlock stood, and you assumed he got up to leave, however, he instead extended a hand to you.

“May I have this dance, Miss ____?”

You were surprised, surprised that he’d remembered your name, and surprised that he, Sherlock Holmes, famous consulting detective and emotionally disconnected man, had just offered you a dance. You eagerly took his hand, and he pulled you close, simply swaying to the music, rather than the perfectly coordinated waltzes he was used to. He didn’t mind, however. Perhaps it was because he was tired after such a long day. Perhaps it was because he felt comfortable with you (and he couldn’t understand why). He didn’t bother to think about it, instead he focused on you, how perfectly your form fit against his, how calm and pleasant you were as a person, and how much he would absolutely enjoy being around you in the future - he assumed you felt the same and, judging by your speeding pulse as soon as he’d taken your hand, he figured you’d most definitely accept a future date.

“John? Where’s ____? I want to thank her again for playing.”“Not sure, but have you seen Sherlock? I can’t find him anywhere.”

Both John and Mary searched frantically for their friends before heading home. Finally, they gave up, figuring they’d call them in the morning, and moved away from the crowd towards a table set up near the edge of the room.

Mary glanced out of the window, intending to take a look at the flowers outside.

“John?”“Hm?”“Is that…?”John then turned his gaze towards outside as well.“My god, I think it is.”“I didn’t think Sherlock would dance…Is he wearing a coat?”“He’s a strange man, Mary, you shouldn’t be surprised.”“I suppose you’re right…They’re going to kill us if they find out we’ve stepped on the grass.”“Let them. I’ve never seen him that relaxed before, let the man have some happiness.”“I knew inviting ____ was a good decision.”“It was my idea.”“Was not!”