#Kind of a :/ and a :( moment for me at the same time but again it was my fault so whatever.

[caffeinewitchcraft]

Secrets of the Bly

The canopy sailed over the horizon line.

The mother looked out the window, snapping the sheets as she folded them. Her clear gray eyes were the same color as the morning sky and just as gloomy.

“Closer,” she muttered. She seemed surprised she had spoken, and her hands slowed, fingers lingering on the fraying edge of her own bed sheet. She wet her lips. Said again, “Closer.”

“What’s closer?” the daughter asked.

The mother didn’t jump, but the air changed as if she did. Her shoulders stiffened. Her hands went back to work. “Nothing,” she said. Then, not being able to help herself, “The forest is growing quickly.”

“Teacher says that trees don’t grow fast. Only an inch or two a year.”

“You couldn’t see the Bly when you were a baby,” the mother said. Her heart stung. She knew her daughter wasn’t calling her foolish. Lately, when the little girl spoke of her teacher, something she never had, it makes something sour in her want to lash out. “Now look how tall it stands!”

The daughter came to the window. Her clothes were ill-fitting. She looked as if she tumbled in and then out of fresh laundry only to come up wearing a whole bedspread. The dress she wore used to be the mother’s from when she was young. Her eyes traced the horizon. “That’s faster than teacher said.”

“Not even a teacher knows everything,” the mother said. Her own mother’s voice rang through hers. That made her jump. She thrust the laundry away from her and finally looked at her daughter. “Some truths are only learned while living—”

The daughter stared at her bare feet. Shoulders rounded. Lip jutting out so far the mother could see it through her hanging, flaxen hair. The mother’s heart stung different.

“The Bly is…different,” the mother said. It’s her own voice this time. Softer and more yielding. She kneeled so that the daughter could see her right away when she chose to look up. “It’s a secret I’d like you to keep.”

The daughter’s eyes darted up, meeting the mother’s. Her lip contracted a centimeter. “A secret?”

“Just between us two,” the mother agreed. Was the little girl old enough? She would give anything to bring her daughter’s chin up again. “Your teacher is right that trees grow slow. The Bly is different here. Only here.”

“Only here?”

“On our land. You see, the Bly is home to another kind of creature. Like us, but not. They are mischievous and kind and cruel. More importantly, they’re magic.”

“Fairies,” the daughter said confidently.

“The Good Folk,” the mother said in her own mother’s voice. Then to soften it, “And that’s not the secret.”

The daughter reached out to put her hands on her mother’s shoulders. She jumped in excitement, using her mother to steady herself. “Tell me! Please, tell me.”

The mother smiled and placed her hands over her daughters. She tilted her head forward and was rewarded when her daughter stopped leaping about and pressed her own forehead against hers. She whispered, “The secret is that once, a long time ago, I stole something from them. That’s why the forest grows so quickly over the horizon. They’re looking for what I took.”

“What?!” The daughter was amazed. “You said never to steal.”

“I did. I needed it very badly, mustn’t I have?”

“Yes,” the daughter said. Her quick mind tumbled through her mother’s confession. “So you’ve been in the Bly? What was it like? Teacher says there are wolves in there. What did you steal?”

For a moment, the mother was not there. She raced through dense old growth with her feet cut to ribbons and her skirts sticking wetly to her legs. Her breath came in cold clouds in front of her and she ran through them just as quickly as they formed. She could use only one hand to shield her face from vines and branches. Her other arm was curled around the bundle in her arms.

“One day,” the mother said. She stood but wrapped her hands around her daughter’s so that she knew it was only a necessary retreat and not a complete one. “One day, when you’re older, I’ll tell you all the stories I have.”

The girl’s lower lip was out again. “How old?”

“When the Bly hits the edge of our land,” the mother said. She held out her pinky. “Promise.”

The girl was suspicious. “It grows fast?”

The mother’s heart stung differently again. “Very fast.”

“Deal!”

---

(Patreon)

[nottswitch]

— if you’ve been naughty, you get…

──────────── 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞.─

summary: they say that the way you spend the new year’s night is the way you’re going to spend the whole year. you never took this expression to heart until now.

pairing: theo nott x reader

cw: 18+ smut, enemies to lovers, fingering, rough p in v, unprotected sex, creampie, semi-public sex, degrading/praise, cursing, italian pet names

wc: 2.1k

a/n: getting back to kinkmas at last !! enjoy some etl theodore filth babes <3

» navigation ; masterlist ; theo m.list ; kinkmas 2024

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You had absolutely no idea how you ended up at the same party as the guy whose entire goal in life was to make yours as difficult as possible. To be entirely honest, you weren’t any better – your taunting seemed to mirror his in its viciousness, for no apparent reason on both sides. Somewhere, at one point, everything went to shit with you two. At first, it used to cause tensions in the friend group, because you just couldn’t stop constantly bickering and throwing all kinds of insults at each other, but over time, your inexplicable apprehension towards each other became a constant – a very annoying one, but a constant nonetheless.

Pansy promised. She promised that the New Year’s Eve party would stay Theodore Nott-free, he had some prior commitment, blah-blah-blah – irrelevant. Because right now, you were looking straight at his infuriating face as he was pressing you against the wall, his deep ocean eyes you couldn’t admit to finding captivating staring into yours. The sounds of the party were muffled, the beat of the music dully thumping through the narrow corridor, sending faint vibrations through the floor.

“You just couldn’t leave me alone, could you?” you hissed, crossing your arms on your chest in a manner that you hoped would come off as defiant, even though you knew it was a defense – same thing, different flavor.

Theo smirked – the smirk that always made your blood boil, a sign that he was enjoying himself way more than he should have.

“How could I ever leave you alone, tesoro?” he drawled, his voice mocking yet carrying a hint of intensity that you had never heard there before. Then again, with him, you could’ve easily just imagined it. “But if I had to guess, I’d say you can’t stay away from me either. And I wouldn’t be that far off, no?”

You huffed, rolling your eyes at his cockiness – it was in no way a surprise, yet it still made your irritation rise to the very top, bubbling up and threatening to escape in the form of another quip.

“Get your head out of your ass, Nott,” you muttered, raising an eyebrow in a silent challenge.

“Nott?” Theo taunted in response, leaning in just a bit closer – and that tiny little bit made your heart skip a beat, which you found to be a completely uncalled-for reaction. “Last time I checked, I was ‘Theo, please, faster!’.”

“Oh, fuck you.”

You hated the way your cheeks instantly flushed at his reminder – you did not need to remember that night when your entire composure crumbled to pieces, and you ended up in his bed, screaming his name so loud the walls were nearly shaking.

And you felt like you were on the brink of doing it again.

“If you insist,” Theo murmured, his lips now at your ear, nearly brushing against your skin – the bastard knew exactly how to get to you, unfortunately. You gritted your teeth, trying to resist for a fleeting moment, but when his hand slipped onto your waist, you gave up – and in.

“I hate you,” you whispered, roughly grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him into a heated kiss. Theo didn’t even gasp, which made a nasty thought spark up in your mind – he’d been waiting for this all along, and it probably wouldn’t be too far-fetched to guess that it was the only reason he came to the party in the first place. The kiss was all tongue and teeth, a stark mirror to the contradictory feelings you both shared – biting, rough around the edges, yet at the core of it there was passion that neither of you could bother to deny.

In a matter of seconds, both of Theo’s hands were on your hips, effortlessly lifting you up and wrapping your legs around his waist. Your hands flew up to his shoulders, breaking the self-imposed physical barrier of your arms across your chest and also symbolizing the last bits of your composure withering away. Theo knew – he had to have known – that this would happen, because his palm was at the ready, closing around your breast as soon as it was free to touch. He kneaded the softness of your flesh, his teeth sinking into your bottom lip as his hips started slowly but firmly rocking against you. You felt his hard, already throbbing cock pressing into your clothed pussy, and once again, you were somewhat amused by his ability to get hard in seconds.

“Been like this all night, bambina,” Theo murmured into your mouth, as if hearing your thoughts out loud. So, not in seconds. “The moment I saw you in this dress… Fuck.”

His other hand gripped the hem of your sparkly red dress, lifting it up just enough for it to bunch up at your waist. His eyes flicked down for a moment, a needy growl escaping his mouth as he took in the sight of your fishnets doing a very poor job at covering up the red lace of your panties.

“Wore these for me?” he asked teasingly, although his hoarse voice completely betrayed the fact that he was insanely aroused. His fingers traced the edge of the lace with an almost reverent touch before hooking through the hole of your fishnets and suddenly tearing them apart.

Your eyes widened, not quite expecting the roughness, but you knew you should have – Theo wasn’t known to be a patient man when it came to getting what he carnally desired, and at the moment, the object of that desire was you.

“What the–” you started, but he quickly shut you up with a kiss, his tongue delving into your mouth and swirling around, effectively making you moan. The sound only got louder as you felt his fingers sliding over your panties, savoring the wetness that started to seep through the fabric; he wasn’t the only one with a one track mind since the start of the party – the sight of him in his dark green dress shirt, three buttons at the top undone, caught your eye as soon as he stepped into the room.

“Such a wet little pussy for me, huh?” he whispered breathlessly into your mouth, rubbing a circle over your clothed core before easily slipping underneath – the feeling of your soft, drenched skin made him groan, perfectly matching your own sounds. “Wish I could keep you like this all the time… So fucking pliant…”

And shit, you wouldn’t be able to deny his words even if you tried – you were pliant under his touch, you did turn into melted butter as soon as his index and middle finger slipped inside you, you did clench your thighs around his waist as he started pumping in and out. He was just as pliant, though – you could tell by the way his cock was poking into your inner thigh, straining against the fabric of his trousers. If you had half a mind to look down, you would see a wet spot forming at the front, clear evidence of the fact that he wanted you with the same ever-consuming intensity.

You grew a bit bolder, the pleasure making your brain turn off and forget all about your surroundings or the consequences of your encounter. Your hand traveled down, grabbing Theo’s cock and giving it a firm squeeze, as if to remind him that he was as crazy about you as you were about him. A groan fanned against your ear at the small yet impactful action – a satisfying sound of Theo’s need. His fingers curled inside you before sliding out with a wet pop. The next moment, your juices were being spread all over your lips, mixing with your gloss and creating a strange, sticky texture of sweetness mixed with the tartness of your natural slick. You parted your mouth, letting Theo’s fingers in, your lips wrapping around them and starting to suck, lightly, teasingly, as your hand continued palming his cock.

“Playing with the damn fire, tesoro,” Theo warned in a hiss, taking your hand off of him impatiently. “Naughty, naughty girl.”

In response, you only started sucking more, your head moving back and forth on his fingers. Theo’s eyes were fixed intently on your lips, no doubt imagining them wrapped around something else. He hastily unzipped his trousers with his free hand, pulling them down to the middle of his thighs along with his boxers. His erection sprung free, slapping against his shirt-covered stomach. You glanced down, feeling even more turned on as you drank in the sight of his swollen, throbbing cock, knowing that it would be splitting you open very very soon.

And it did. Oh, gods, it did. With a single thrust, Theo entered, his tip immediately reaching your cervix. You moaned around his fingers, your eyes rolling back at the mixture of pain and pleasure – the feelings he could easily elicit in you, both physically and emotionally.

He wasn’t holding back, not in the slightest – his pace was rough and unrelenting, fucking all his frustrations of the last year into you. Your back was moving up and down against the wall, the heated surface scratching your skin, your high heels digging into the small of his back each time he pounded. He didn’t mind the sting, though, just like you didn’t mind the dull ache of his hand digging into your hip, without a doubt leaving marks. Finally, his fingers left your mouth and grabbed the back of your neck, pulling you into yet another sloppy mess that could be called a kiss.

The combined sounds of your moans almost drowned out the chatter of the party, but still, you could faintly hear the crowd starting to chant the countdown to the New Year. You pulled away, ignoring Theo’s disappointed whine for a second, trying to hold back on your own noises as you listened.

“The count– The countdown,” you shakily breathed out, meeting Theo’s glossed-over eyes with your misty gaze. He groaned and shook his head, a clear indication that he wasn’t going to stop, not until you were both panting and sweating.

“Who gives a fuck?” he asked in the same breathless voice as yours, his cock somehow reaching even deeper spots, as if trying to coax any stray thoughts out of your head. “What, scared you’re not getting a New Year’s kiss?”

His ability to tease you even as he was balls deep inside of you made you want to slap him, hard. You almost did it, if only you had the strength to move your limbs.

“Yeah, wanted to make a wish,” you tried to retort, your words sounding less convincing than you’d like them to be. “To never see your stupid face again.”

“Oh really? And here I was, about to wish for your charming self every day.”

You would have rolled your eyes at his usual mocking, but they ended up rolling for a completely different reason as Theo pounded into you with an especially rough thrust at the ‘three’ sounding from the main party room.

At the ‘two’, one of his hands was on your cheek, his thumb pressing into the tender flesh. His eyes were fixed on yours again, the intensity from before making you question if there was any truth behind his words.

At the ‘one’, your lips were crashing together once again as the orgasm washed over the both of you, accompanied by the fireworks blowing up outside. Red bursts of light coming from the window on the other side of the corridor cast your flickering shadows onto the wall, the beautiful sight in the sky barely registering in your fucked out mind. The only thing you could feel at the moment was the warmth of Theo’s cum slowly starting to trickle down your thighs, staining Theo’s pants in the process.

“You know,” he murmured, hoarse and panting, his dampened forehead resting against yours, “you make really nice sounds when I’m fucking you brainless, tesoro. I’ll make sure they’re the only ones you’re making with me all year long.”

You breathed out a small chuckle, closing your eyes as you started to come down from the high you were both still stuck on.

“Is that a threat or a promise, Theo?”

“Both, baby. Both.”

[mikuluvu]

A/n: i dont think there's any new Mouthwash x reader fanfictions... Like every time i would visit the tag its just the same fic- so here!!! PLS FEED ME MORE MOUTHWASH FIC I CANT BREATHE PROPERLY WITHOUT IT.

A/n: So, what if fem!reader just hugs the crew behind 'em?

Warnings: nuh uh

Captain Curly

Captain Curly is in the cockspit, hunched over the controls, he doesn't know what to do. His jaw is tight, and the tension in his shoulders speaks volumes.

Quietly, you step closer and wrap your arms around him from behind.

He freezes, his entire body stiff as a board. “What... are you doing?” His tone is gruff, but there’s a hint of uncertainty beneath it.

“It looked like you needed this,” you reply softly, resting your cheek against his back.

He lets out a long sigh, the kind that carries weeks of stress. “You’re a strange one, you know that?” Despite his words, he doesn’t push you away. Instead, he allows himself to relax, just a little... Everything can wait.

For a moment, he says nothing, his gaze fixed on the console in front of him. The hum of the ship fills the silence, and you wonder if you’ve overstepped?

“You know, Captain…” you murmur, your cheek pressed lightly against his back. “You’re really doing a great job looking for the crew... but you barely take care of yourself.”

He exhales sharply, the sound caught somewhere between a sigh and a scoff. “I don’t have the luxury of thinking about myself,” he replies, his voice low and gruff. “Not when everyone is depending on me.”

Your arms tighten slightly around his waist, a small gesture of reassurance. “That’s exactly why you need to. If you fall apart, who’s going to keep things running? The crew needs you, Captain. But they need you healthy and strong.”

He goes quiet again, his head bowing forward. You can feel the tension in his body, the weight he’s been carrying for who knows how long. “Easier said than done,” he mutters finally.

“That’s why I’m here,” you say softly, your warmth against his back. “You don’t have to do it all alone, Curly. Let someone else carry the weight with you.”

For a moment, you think he might pull away, but instead, he relaxes ever so slightly in your hold. “You’re persistent,” he murmurs, his tone carrying a trace of something softer—gratitude, maybe.

“And you’re stubborn,” you tease gently, leaning your head against him. “So I guess we’re even.”

He huffs a quiet laugh, “Alright, fine. I’ll try to take better care of myself... for the crew.”

“And for you,” you add firmly.

He doesn’t respond immediately, but you feel his hand lightly brush yours where they rest around his waist. “Thanks,” he mutters, his voice softer now.

Jimmy

Jimmy is pacing in the cockpit, muttering to himself about the dwindling food supplies and how they’re going to ration out the next few days. He looks like he hasn’t slept in weeks.

You wait for him to pause before stepping up and slipping your arms around his waist.

“What the—!” He jumps, turning his head in surprise. When he realizes it’s you, his wide eyes soften into something resembling relief.

“You’re lucky I didn’t punch you,” he says with a breathless laugh, "Wow, punching a woman?" you snort, resting his hands over yours. He leans back into you, chuckling.

He chuckles, placing his hands lightly over yours. “Alright, you got me there.” He leans back slightly, letting himself relax in your hold.

(a/n: i did want to make him like... Mean, perv and all, but maybe you guys wouldnt like that- feel free to comment if you want a version of it)

Anya

Anya is standing infront of curly, checking up on him while humming under her breath. You come up behind her, gently draping your arms around her shoulders.

She tilts her head back, glancing at you with a curious smile. “Well, this is unexpected.”

When you don’t let go, she chuckles softly. “You’re braver than most. I don’t usually let people this close.” She leans into the hug slightly, her warmth and steady presence grounding you as much as you’re grounding her. She really likes it, it makes her shoulders relax... “Don’t let it go to your head, though.”

Swansea

Swansea is at the utility room, tools scattered everywhere as he mutters curses about faulty circuits. You approach silently and wrap your arms around his midsection.

“Bloody hell!” he yells, jerking up so fast he almost hits his head on a panel. He twists around, glaring at you. “What’s the big idea, sneakin’ up on me like that?”

When he sees your face, his irritation softens, though he tries to cover it up with a grumble. You and Swansea are like father daughter, he sighed “You scared me half to death, you know.”

You tighten the hug just slightly, and after a beat, he sighs in defeat. “Fine, fine. Just don’t make a habit of it, yeah?” But the faint smile tugging at his lips says otherwise.

"Sorry... Dad" you giggle, and he just get stunned... Out of all nickname you could pick for him... Dad? (He secretly likes it)

Daisuke

Daisuke is nervously sorting through tools in the corner, clearly trying to look busy. His hands tremble slightly, betraying his unease.

Without thinking, you walk up and hug him from behind.

He freezes entirely, his hands hovering mid-air. “Uh… wh-what are you doing?” His voice is high-pitched, flustered beyond belief.

“Giving you a hug,” you say simply.

His face turns red, and he stammers, “I—I mean, thanks, I guess? This is… new.” He doesn’t move, too overwhelmed to react, but he doesn’t pull away either.

"Am I making you uncomfrotable?" You asked, you were just about to let him go, "Huh- N-No! It's just... I didn't expect you to do this... Randomly.." he laughs nervously... "Just dont let go..."

A/n; Thx for reading! Reposting and liking is appreciated! Support me through my ko-fi

[leona-hawthorne]

FICMAS #11— IS IT NEW YEARS YET? / theodore nott

december 31st

theodore nott x reader

summary: after the shittiest year of his life, theodore turns to you to make his new years one of a kind... based on the song 'is it new years yet?' by sabrina carpenter!

warnings: fluff, drinking, kissing, swearing

words: 4k

a/n: last fic of the year!!! so insane, i love you all sm 🥹🤍

navigation ficmas masterlist

Theodore had always been good at pretending. For years, he’d kept himself locked behind a cool, unshakable exterior—the kind of calm that made people either envy him or wonder if he cared about anything at all. But tonight, even that mask felt brittle, cracked at the edges, much like the rest of him.

“Remind me again why we’re here?” you asked, leaning against the frosted window of the Astronomy Tower. The glow of enchanted lanterns cast a soft light over the room, catching in your eyes, and for a moment, Theo thought it might be enough to distract him from the ache in his chest. Almost.

“Because you insisted,” he replied, though his voice lacked its usual sharpness. 

You arched a brow, your breath fogging the glass as you tilted your head to glance at him. “I insisted you spend New Year’s Eve somewhere other than brooding in your dormitory. I didn’t insist you drag me up here to freeze.”

His lips tugged into a faint smirk, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Thought you liked the view.”

“I’d like it better if my fingers weren’t turning blue,” you retorted, pulling your coat tighter around you.

It wasn’t the first time you’d seen Theo like this—quiet, withdrawn, carrying a heaviness that made it hard to meet his gaze for too long. The past year had gutted him in ways he wouldn’t talk about, and you’d learned not to push. Still, it hurt to watch him disappear into himself, piece by piece, especially when you knew he wouldn’t let anyone else pull him back.

Theo leaned against the opposite wall, hands shoved deep into his coat pockets, his posture casual, but the tension in his jaw betrayed him. His gaze flicked briefly to the courtyard below, where the rest of the school gathered for the New Year’s celebration. The laughter and cheers floated up, muffled by the tower’s height, and Theo’s scowl deepened.

“I just didn’t want to be down there,” he muttered finally.

You didn’t press for more. You didn’t need to. The holidays had a way of making the lonely feel lonelier, and while Theo would never admit it aloud, you could see he was tired of pretending he wasn’t one of them.

“It’s a stupid holiday,” he added, his voice low and rough from too many sleepless nights. “All this talk about new beginnings, fresh starts... it’s bullshit.”

You exhaled sharply, half amused, half exasperated. “You’re starting to sound like an old man.”

“Maybe I feel like one.” His smirk this time was wry, almost self-deprecating. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those ‘new year, new me’ people.”

You shrugged, leaning back against the window and fiddling with a loose thread on your sleeve. “Not exactly. But I think people need something to hold on to, even if it’s just an excuse to drink champagne and pretend next year won’t be just as bad.”

He let out a laugh, shaking his head. “Optimistic as ever, I see.”

You smiled faintly, the corners of your lips quirking up in a way that softened the air between you. “Well, someone has to balance you out.”

That earned a genuine smile, fleeting but real, and for a moment, the heaviness in the room seemed to lift. It was like this with Theo—comfortable in a way you couldn’t quite explain. He’d been in your life long enough to know when to push and when to let you sit in silence, and you’d learned to do the same for him.

But tonight, there was something restless about him, something in the way his fingers tapped against the railing or how he kept glancing at the watch on his wrist. Midnight was creeping closer, and with it, the end of the year he clearly wanted to forget.

His gaze lingered on you for a beat too long, and though the heaviness in his expression didn’t vanish, something in it shifted—faint, fleeting, but enough to make your chest ache. 

“What would you do,” he said suddenly, leaning his forearms on the railing, “if you could start over? Like, really start over. No past, no expectations—just… blank.”

You blinked at him, caught off guard. “You mean, if I could erase everything?”

“Not erase,” he corrected, his gaze fixed on the shimmering stars above. “Just… leave it behind.”

You hesitated, your stomach twisting at the thought. “I don’t know if I could. Even the bad stuff… it’s still part of me, you know?”

Theo’s lips pressed into a thin line, and he nodded slowly, as if he’d expected that answer but didn’t know what to do with it.

“You’re overthinking again,” you said softly, looking down at the wooden floor. “It’s New Year’s, Theo. You don’t have to have it all figured out tonight.”

“I don’t have anything figured out,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You’ve got me. That’s something.”

He looked at you then, really looked at you, and for a moment, the world outside seemed to fall away, a heavy silence settling over the two of you.

“So, what’s the plan?” you asked, breaking the silence. “Brood until midnight and call it a success?”

“Sounds efficient.” He lifted a bottle to his lips, taking a slow sip before adding dryly, “What were you expecting? Streamers? Confetti?”

“Maybe a little less gloom.” You crossed your arms, raising an eyebrow. “It’s New Year’s, Theo. You’re supposed to be… I don’t know, hopeful or something.”

“Hopeful,” he repeated, like it was a word in a foreign language. “Yeah, maybe next year.”

You rolled your eyes, but the frustration in your voice was half-hearted at best. Theo had been like this for weeks—withdrawn, sharp around the edges, like he was daring someone to try and cut through. And if anyone was stubborn enough to try, it was you.

Pushing away from the window, you stepped closer until you were standing in front of him. “You know, if you wanted to wallow in misery, you could’ve done that without dragging me into it.”

Theo tilted his head, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. “And miss the opportunity to ruin your night? Never.”

You scoffed, though your lips twitched upward despite yourself. “So, again I ask, what’s the plan? Sit here, sulk, and drink yourself into oblivion?”

“Pretty much,” he said with a shrug, though there was a flicker of something unreadable in his gaze. “Unless you’ve got a better idea.”

You crossed your arms, meeting his eyes evenly. “I do, actually. But it involves you putting on something other than that sorry excuse for a jumper.”

He glanced down at himself—oversized knit, fraying at the cuffs, like he’d fished it out of a charity bin. “What’s wrong with it?”

“Everything,” you said flatly. “Get up. We’re going out.”

Theo groaned, dragging a hand through his hair. “You’re relentless.”

“And you’re boring.” You shot him a pointed look. “Come on, Theo. Don’t make me start this year regretting that I wasted my night on you.”

For a moment, he just stared at you, his dark eyes searching yours. Then, slowly, he pushed himself to his feet. “Fine,” he said with mock exasperation. “But if I hate every second of it, I’m blaming you.”

“Deal.” You grinned, and this time, it reached your eyes, warm and teasing in a way you knew would get under his skin. “Now hurry up. Midnight’s not going to wait for you.”

Theo groaned for the fifth time in as many minutes, his breath fogging up in the freezing night air. "Tell me again why we couldn’t just stay in the tower?"

You shot him a glare, tightening your scarf around your neck. "Because, Nott, there’s only so much of your self-pity I can take before I start considering throwing myself off the Astronomy Tower."

“A bit dramatic, don’t you think?” Theo’s smirk was sharp, but there was no real malice behind it. It was the kind of banter that had always come easy between the two of you—even if, lately, it felt like you were the only one trying to keep it alive.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetheart,” you shot back, falling into step beside him as the two of you trudged down the snowy path toward Hogsmeade. 

Most of the village was still alive with revelers spilling out of The Three Broomsticks or clustered around the twinkling fairy lights strung up in the square. You glanced over at Theo, who was walking beside you with his hands shoved deep into his coat pockets. His expression was unreadable, his jaw tight, but at least he’d come without too much of a fight.

“Seriously, though,” you said after a moment, nudging his arm with your elbow. “Why do you hate New Year’s so much? It’s not like anyone’s expecting you to make a big speech or kiss anyone at midnight.”

“Thanks for the reminder,” he deadpanned, shoving his hands deeper into his coat pockets. “And for the record, it’s not just New Year’s. I hate most holidays. They’re all the same—just another excuse for people to pretend their lives aren’t completely miserable.”

You rolled your eyes, though there was a part of you that couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. Theo had always had a way of looking at the world like it was already halfway broken, and this year, with everything he’d been through—especially being home with just his sorry excuse for a father—it was hard to blame him.

“Not everyone’s as cynical as you, you know,” you said, your tone softer this time. “Some of us actually enjoy the whole ‘fresh start’ thing.”

“Yeah?” He glanced over at you, one eyebrow raised. “And what’s your big resolution for the year, then? Start reading your Potions textbook before the night before exams?”

You snorted. “Not quite. But thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Theo didn’t reply, but there was a flicker of amusement in his expression that made you feel like maybe—just maybe—you were starting to chip away at that armor he’d wrapped himself in.

“This feels like a mistake,” he muttered as the two of you stopped in front of a pub that was noticeably rowdier than the others.

“That’s because you think everything fun is a mistake,” you shot back, grinning as you pulled the door open. The warmth hit you immediately, along with the unmistakable scent of spiced cider and butterbeer. Laughter and music spilled out into the street, and you gave Theo a look. “Come on, live a little.”

“Live a little,” he echoed dryly, but he followed you inside anyway. The pub was cramped and noisy, filled with students and villagers alike, their laughter and chatter blending together in a kind of chaotic harmony. Someone in the corner was strumming a guitar, and a group near the bar was singing along with a warbling charm. Theo scanned the room, his expression bordering on skeptical. “This is your grand idea?”

You rolled your eyes, dragging him toward the bar. “Yes, and you’re welcome.”

It took some effort, but you managed to snag two seats at the end of the counter. The bartender—a cheerful woman with rosy cheeks and an apron dusted with flour—came over almost immediately. “What’ll it be, lovebirds?”

Theo’s brow arched slightly, and he opened his mouth to protest, but you beat him to it. “Two Firewhiskeys, and keep them coming.”

He gave you a sideways look as the bartender bustled off. “Bold choice. Didn’t know you could handle your liquor.”

“I can’t,” you admitted with a shrug, the corner of your lips twitching upward. “But if I’m spending New Year’s with you, I might as well make it interesting.”

That earned a quiet laugh, soft and unexpected, and for a moment, Theo almost looked like himself again. But then the drinks arrived, and the reality of the night crept back in.

The first round went down easy. The second was harder. By the third, Theo had stopped pretending he wasn’t enjoying himself, though he still had that guarded look in his eyes, like he was bracing for something to go wrong.

“Okay, your turn,” you said, pointing at him with your mug. “If you had to make a resolution—”

“Which I don’t,” he interrupted.

“—but if you did,” you continued, ignoring him, “what would it be?”

“Not to make resolutions,” he replied without missing a beat.

“Cop-out,” you said, narrowing your eyes at him. “Come on, there’s got to be something.”

He hesitated, the edge of his glass resting against his lips. For a moment, you thought he might brush it off entirely, but then he set the drink down and exhaled slowly. “I guess… I’d like to stop feeling like this.”

“Like what?” you asked gently.

Theo’s gaze dropped to the counter, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass. “Like I’m carrying around a graveyard.”

The weight of his words settled between you, heavy and unspoken. You wanted to say something—anything—but nothing felt right, so instead, you reached out and placed your hand over his. It was a small gesture, but it was enough to make him look up.

He sighed, running his other hand through his hair. “And maybe… Maybe try not to fuck up as much this year.”

The words were casual, but there was something raw in the way he said them. “Theo…”

“Don’t,” he said quickly, holding up a hand. “It’s fine. Just drink your butterbeer before it gets cold.”

You frowned but didn’t push, instead lifting your mug and taking a long sip. If Theo wasn’t ready to talk, you weren’t going to force him. But that didn’t mean you were going to let him wallow in silence, either.

“You’re not alone, Theo,” you said softly, your voice barely audible over the noise of the pub. “I know it feels like it sometimes, but you’re not.”

His lips parted, but whatever he was about to say was lost in the din of laughter and clinking glasses around you. He stared at you for a long moment, his blue eyes searching yours, and you could see the crack in his armor, the rawness he tried so hard to hide.

Before he could respond, the bartender came back with another round, breaking the moment. Theo pulled his hand away, and you let him, though you couldn’t help but notice the faint pink that had crept into his cheeks—not from the alcohol, but from something deeper, something unspoken.

As the minutes ticked closer to midnight, the pub’s energy seemed to swell. The noise was deafening—laughter and shouting from every direction, the clinking of glass, the music blasting from somewhere, and the din of excited chatter about the year ahead. You felt like you were drowning in it, and, for a brief moment, you regretted pulling Theo into this madness. He was still fidgeting, his eyes darting around the room like he was searching for an escape. 

“So,” you began, nudging him again, this time a little harder than before, “you ready for this?”

Theo shot you a sideways glance, his lip curling slightly in amusement. “For what, exactly?”

“Midnight,” you said, as though it should be obvious. “You know, the whole New Year’s thing?”

“Right,” he muttered, not looking at you, instead staring down at his drink. “Still not feeling it.”

“Yeah, well,” you said, leaning in, voice dropping into something softer, “you’re not getting away that easily. You promised me fun tonight, remember?”

Theo’s eyes flickered up to yours, and for a split second, you thought you saw a hint of hesitation in them before it was quickly replaced by something more guarded.

“Come on,” you said, nudging his shoulder. “We’re leaving.”

Theo didn’t even look at you, just let out a half-exasperated, half-amused scoff. “Leaving? What are we—”

Before he could finish, you grabbed his arm and tugged him toward the door. “Come on. I know you’re not having fun in here.”

He barely put up a fight. You both stepped outside, the cold air biting your skin immediately. You ignored the shiver down your spine as you led him toward the back of the pub. There was a small alleyway that led to a ladder up to the roof—a place you had discovered on a whim during a previous trip to Hogsmeade. 

He froze at the sight. “What the hell are we doing?”

You didn’t even hesitate. “I want to see the fireworks. Alone. On the roof.”

Theo looked at you for a moment, tilting his head as if he couldn’t believe you were real. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Dead serious,” you said, reaching up to grab the ladder and stepping on. “Come on!”

“I’m going to regret this,” Theo muttered as you started up the ladder, his voice a little strained as he climbed after you.

“No, you’re not,” you replied, trying to sound more convincing than you felt. “It’s just us, no crowds, no noise. I need a break from all of this... chaos.” You glanced over your shoulder, catching his eyes briefly. “I know you do too.”

There was a long pause before he muttered a soft, “Fair enough.”

The climb wasn’t long, but by the time you reached the rooftop, the chilly wind was already biting, and you couldn’t help but huddle in your coat as you looked out at the glittering view of the village below. The cold didn’t bother you so much now, though. The sound of the laughter and chatter from the pub faded into the distance, and for a moment, there was just the two of you, standing under the vast, starlit sky. 

Theo joined you on the rooftop with a sigh, hands shoved deep into his pockets. He didn’t speak at first, just stood beside you, looking out at the distant lights of the village. You let the silence stretch between you, the air sharp with unspoken thoughts. 

“How’s this?” you said, attempting to break the tension. “Better?”

“Much,” Theo said with a half-smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Still don’t know why you were so keen on climbing a roof, though.”

“I like the view,” you said, scanning the horizon. “And the fireworks are supposed to start soon. Thought it might be nice to see them from up here.”

Theo didn’t respond right away. Instead, he stood next to you, his body tense as he stared at the lights of the distant village, his face softening in the cool wind.

“You ready?” you asked, turning to look at him.

He snorted quietly. “Ready for what? My so-called ‘fresh start’? Sure.”

You chuckled. “Whatever. So what’s it going to be? Resolution time?”

“I already told you,” he muttered, his voice low. “Not a fan of resolutions.”

“Right, right,” you teased, nudging him again. “Sticking with the ones from before?”

“I don’t know,” Theo said, turning slightly to face you. “I guess, it’d be to stop wasting my time on things that don’t matter.”

Your heart skipped a beat, though you couldn’t quite tell if it was the alcohol or the weight of his words that made the air feel so heavy. He was looking at you now, his gaze intense, but you didn’t look away.

“Wasting time, huh?” You smiled softly, the words feeling like they were meant for more than just a joke. “Guess that means you think I’m a waste of time, then.”

His lips parted slightly, but he didn’t answer right away. Instead, his eyes flickered to the dark sky, the distant rumble of the fireworks growing louder. 

“No, I just…” he said quietly, almost as if he wasn’t really talking to you. “Maybe that’s what I’ve been doing, though. Wasting time... pretending I don’t care about things that I do.”

You swallowed hard. “Theo…”

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair, the words seeming to get tangled up in his throat. “I don’t know, okay? It’s just... this year was shit. I’m not even sure how to look at next year, let alone what I’m supposed to care about.”

You took a step closer to him, feeling the distance between you shrink just a little. “Well, you care about me, don’t you?”

Theo looked at you sharply, his gaze unreadable for a second. But then, his lips curled into that familiar, crooked smirk—the one you couldn’t decide if you loved or hated.

“I care about a lot of things,” he said, voice teasing now, though there was a rawness to it that hadn’t been there before. 

“And what about me?” you asked, your voice quieter, almost challenging. 

He was still smirking, but there was something softer in the way he looked at you, the vulnerability he usually kept hidden just barely breaking through. 

“I don’t know, maybe I’ll figure it out next year,” Theo said with a shrug, but his eyes were on you in a way that made your breath catch in your throat. 

You glanced at him, your voice quieter now. “So, what’s your plan for when the countdown hits?”

His lips twisted in a half-smile, though it seemed more wistful than anything else. “I don’t know. Same as always. Just another minute, another year gone by.”

You studied his face, wondering if there was more to that statement than he was letting on. “You don’t have to keep pretending everything’s fine, you know.”

Theo was silent for a moment, his gaze still fixed on the lights below. But when he spoke, his voice was lower, less guarded than usual. “I don’t know how to not pretend anymore. It’s easier that way.”

Before you could respond, the countdown began to echo from the village below, the cheers growing louder with each passing second. You reached out, tugging gently at the sleeve of his coat, a playful grin pulling at your lips.

“Ten seconds,” you said. “You’re not really going to start the year off alone, are you?”

Theo gave you a look, but there was something softer in his eyes now. “Not many options around us.”

You stepped closer, your heart thudding in your chest as you locked eyes with him. “Well, I guess you’ll just have to settle for me then, won’t you?”

There was a brief pause, a beat of hesitation, before Theo’s lips twitched upwards into something a little less bitter, a little more real.

“Yeah,” he muttered. “Guess I will.”

The countdown rang out through the night air, and for a moment, everything seemed to stop. You hardly noticed anything else, your focus locked entirely on Theo as you took a step closer, the space between you shrinking until you were almost nose-to-nose.

And then—right at the stroke of midnight, just as the world below erupted in cheers and the sound of fireworks filled the air—you didn’t think. You just acted. 

You grabbed the front of his jacket, pulling him towards you, the moment electric between you both as you tilted your head up to meet his lips. 

He responded immediately, one hand sliding to the back of your neck, pulling you in, while the other held your lower back, his touch burning through the thickness of your coat. It was slow at first, almost tentative, like he wasn’t entirely sure this was real, but as the kiss deepened, it became undeniable—the tension, the unspoken emotions finally spilling over, the relief of everything that had been building between you.

The fireworks exploded above, but you didn’t see them. All that mattered was the way Theo’s lips felt against yours, the warmth of his body pressing into yours as the sounds of celebration and life faded away. It was just you and him now, the rest of the world vanishing in the noise of your first kiss. 

The only thing you could hear was the beat of your own heart, the sound of his breath mingling with yours as he pulled away just enough to look at you. 

“Happy New Year,” he said, breathless.

You smiled, a quiet laugh escaping you. “Happy New Year, Theo.”

For once, you didn’t feel the need to say anything else. You just stood there, in the silence that followed, watching the fireworks light up the sky—together. 

And maybe, just maybe, this year would be different after all.

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[whatdoeseverybodywant]

"It's Always Been You"

This is #1 out of 10 of my Phrase Series, hope you all enjoy! ❤️

Thank you @queeny23 for the phrase!

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site, even if you give me credit. DO NOT REPOST MY FICS

❤ Reblogs, comments, likes, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated ❤ 

All OC Characters belong to me

Word Count: 3.1k

“Can I get you anything else?’ Melanie Greg broke out of her daydream at the bartender's voice. She gently shook her head, pulled her wallet out of her bag, and handed the bartender her debit card. 

She looked around the restaurant with a small frown on her face.  She hated the holidays. Here she was, a 39-year-old, freshly divorced woman, spending the holidays without her kids for the first time since they were born. 

She sighed as her eyes fell on a family of four sitting in the corner booth. They were all matching and had genuine smiles on their faces, it reminded her of what her life used to be before it all went to shit. 

Melanie barely noticed the man sitting down next to her at first. Her attention was still fixed on the family across the room, their matching sweaters and easy smiles a reminder of everything she no longer had. She sighed again and tried to tear her gaze away from the family. 

“Nah Uce, fuck that” His voice was loud, full of frustration, cutting through the hum of holiday chatter around them. “I’m not coming back until she fucking leaves.”  

Melanie watched out the corner of her eyes as someone flopped down on the chair next to her at the bar. 

“We talked and she fuckin’ promised not to do that fuck shit tonight. It’s Christmas Eve for crying out loud!”  

Melanie froze as she was about to sip the rest of her drink. It can’t be she thought, eyes wide as she turned her head to the left of her. Her eyes were wide as she took him in, no longer the scrawny teenager with the pencil mustache that took him months to grow. Joshua Fatu had grown up and the years had been VERY kind to him. 

His broad shoulders filled the space at the bar, his athletic frame undeniably more solid than she remembered. The same dark eyes, the same familiar face—but with sharper edges, a defined jawline, and a confidence that hadn’t been there when they were kids. He was a man now, not the awkward teenager who’d been the subject of teasing for his failed attempts at facial hair.

The tattoos that peeked from under the sleeves of his black Nike hoodie only added to the transformation. 

Her pulse quickened, and before she could stop herself, she blurted, “Joshua?”

His head snapped toward her, and his expression shifted from frustration to surprise. He blinked, his eyes scanning her for a moment as if he, too, wasn’t sure if he was seeing things clearly. Then, a slow grin spread across his face, and he leaned back in his chair.

“Oh shit.” He laughed, standing up from his chair and opening his arms for a hug, his phone conversation forgotten. She laughed as she stood from her seat and walked into his awaiting arms. “Damn Mel. It’s been a minute.” He mumbled into her hair, rocking them from side to side. 

She melted into his arms and it was like the past 14 years didn’t happen. The hug was over way too quick for her liking. 

“Man, whatchu doin’ back in Pensacola?”  Jey asked, leaning back with a grin. 

Melanie’s smile faltered, “Oh, uhh. I’m here visiting my parents for the holidays.” 

Jey nodded and brought his hand up to his chin to scratch his beard. He let his eyes travel down her body his eyes locked on her now bare ring finger and he couldn’t help the look of surprise that came over his features.  His eyes flickered up to hers. Before he could open his mouth to say anything, his phone started ringing. “Fuck.” He muttered as he remembered he was on the phone. 

“Give me one second.” He said answering the phone while looking at her. “Don’t go nowhere.” Melanie let a giggle and nodded, her amusement evident in her expression

“Wassup Uce.” He said as he brought the phone up to his face indicating that it was a Facetime call. 

“Whatchu mean wassup?!” The unmistakable voice of Josh’s twin Jon came through the phone. “You just hung up on me.” 

She let out a giggle as Josh sucked his teeth. “Cause you was pissing me off, but hold up, hold up, look who I ran into!” He turned the phone around, tilting it just enough for Jon to see Melanie standing next to him. “Mel, say hi to Uce.”

Jon’s eyes were wide as he looked at Melanie. “Ain’t no fuckin’ way! Melanie?!?!” 

“Hey Jon.” She replied with a tiny wave. It was like no time had passed between the trio. 

“Girl, whatchu’ doin' all the way over here?! Thought you were living it up in Cali with that big-time movie producer.” 

Melanie winced slightly and cleared her throat. “ I just decided to come see my folks for the holidays.” She absentmindedly started rubbing her bare ring finger, Josh noticed but didn’t say anything. 

“Well, shoot. If you not doing anything later on, My mom would love to see you. You know she still is going on and on about how you were the one that -”  Jon was cut off by Josh hurriedly hanging the phone up and stuffing it into the pocket of his hoodie. When she looked up at Josh his cheeks were starting to turn a pinkish shade and he was scratching the back of his neck. 

“Ahem,” He cleared his throat. “Don’t listen to him... I mean not about the coming over part, you can come over just uh about the other part..” He trailed off and Melanie couldn’t help the smirk that came over her features. 

“It’s cool.” she laughed. “I would love to see your mom again. Is that where you’re going now?” 

Josh nodded. “Yeah. Same house from when we were kids.” 

“Okay. I’ll Uber over there.” 

Josh sucked his teeth, “Girl, stop playin’. You know you can come with me.” 

Melanie bit her lip and shrugged. “I don’t know..” she trailed off. “ I don’t want to get you into any trouble with your wife.” 

Josh snorted and held up his left hand which was bare of any jewelry.  “I ain't worried bout that.”  

Melanie’s eyes widened a bit. “Oh shit, my bad Josh. I didn’t-” 

“Nah Mel, you cool I promise. Now let's go before Jon’s big ass eat all the food.” She let out a laugh and grabbed her card that the bartender had put down on the bar top and placed it in her bag. She put her bag on her shoulder and let Josh lead her out of the bar, holding her hand. 

Melanie didn’t know why she was so nervous. The butterflies in her stomach kept intensifying the closer they got to Josh's mom's house. She was about to tell him that she needed to get back to her parents when the front door opened and Talisua greeted them with a big smile. 

“Oh, Mel hunny, It’s so good to see you!” She said, pulling Melanie into a tight hug. “Now, you on the other hand,” Talisua said as she glared at Josh over Mel’s shoulder. “Don’t you ever slam my door like that again, you hear me?” 

“Yes Ma’am” Josh replied rolling his eyes as Melanie started to snicker. 

She let Talisua lead her into the house. Mel let out an oof as a body collided with her and she was picked off the ground and spun into a circle. 

“Damn lil Mel, look at you all grown and shit.”  

Melanie rolled her eyes.  She broke away from Jon and went to hug their younger brother Joseph who introduced her to his wife Alima and their two boys Jaden and Joseph Jr. She looked around the living room to see if she recognized any more familiar faces but froze when she noticed someone glaring at her. She took a step back and bumped into Jon who was in the middle of talking with Joseph and Alima. 

“Don’t worry about her. Same ole mean girl from high school. Ashley just pissed because Josh divorced her ass.” Jon finished rolling his eyes at Josh’s ex-wife. “You hungry?” He added at the end and Mel nodded. “C’mon, you can meet my wife Trinity.” 

Melanie felt so out of place sitting at the dinner table between Josh and Jon. Ashley was sitting directly across from her, just glaring. 

“So Mel,” Talisua started. “How have you been sweetie? Last I heard you were in California.” 

“Yeah. I just came down here to visit my parents.” Melanie replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. 

“Oh, that’s nice,” Talisua said, clearly pleased. “I’m sure your parents are thrilled to have you home.”

Ashley scoffed and everyone turned their attention to her. 

“Don’t start your mess, Ashley. Not in front of my kids.”   His gaze flicked to his two boys who were sitting at the kids' table with their cousins. 

“Our Kids,” Ashley said as she kept her attention on Melanie. She had noticed the absence of her wedding ring and she was going to bring it up. “Speaking of kids…” She trailed off, placing her elbow on the table and resting her chin on her fist. “Don’t you have some? Why are you not with them and what happened to your wedding ring?” 

Melanie shifted in her seat as she felt some of Josh’s family look her way. 

“I mean, y'all were all over The Shaderoom last month for your husband's movie premiere, looking like the perfect little family.” 

Melanie felt Josh stiffen beside her and heard Jon whisper “Aw hell”. She cleared her throat and sat up a little straighter in her chair. 

“Some things never change huh?” Melanie chuckled under her breath shaking her head. “Good to see you been keeping up with my life though,” Melaine said as she winked at Ashley. 

Ashley narrowed her eyes at Melanie and straightened up in her chair. Not one to back down from a fight, Ashley smiled before saying. “I mean, y’all looked like the perfect family in that photo.” 

“Looks can be deceiving.” Melanie shrugged. 

“Really?” Ashley scoffed. “You still pretending everything’s fine? I saw the way your ‘perfect family’ crumbled. Pretty fast, too. Must’ve been rough.” She dragged out the last word, trying to stick the knife in. 

“Man, will you chill?” Josh said. Shaking his head at Ashley. “You doin’ too much” 

Ashley scoffed. “I’m so over this. Do you know how many times I caught him scrolling through her Instagram page while we were married?!” She said glaring at Josh before turning her attention back to Melanie. “When you broke his heart and left, I picked up the pieces. I helped bring him out that funk he was in!” 

Melanie snuck a glance at Josh. He was staring a hole through Ashley, his jaw was tight and his fists clenched at his sides. “Leave.” Josh snarled out, lip curling as he tried to hold back from yelling at Ashley in front of their kids. 

Ashley rolled her eyes and finished her wine before standing up from the table and leaving the room. Melanie felt Jon wince as the front door slammed, signaling Ashley’s departure.  Talisua took a deep breath before picking up the rolls in the basket on the table. “Rolls anyone?” 

After Ashley had left, the rest of the dinner went smoothly, and Melanie was grateful nobody brought up her or Josh’s disaster of a marriage again. She was sitting on the couch in the living room with Trinity as the two got to know each other. She felt someone looking at her. She looked over and immediately locked eyes with Josh, who was standing on the other side of the room talking with his brothers. 

Once they locked eyes, Josh hurriedly immediately looked away. Melanie let out a soft chuckle and her stomach flipped as the butterflies started fluttering as she turned her attention back to Trinity. 

“What you gonna do about that?” Josh blinked, he looked up from his beer bottle and noticed that all three of his brothers were staring at him. 

“What?” He asked, lip curling as he glared at the three of them. 

“Aint nobody scared of you Uce. What you gon do about Melanie?” Jon said as he cut his eyes over to Melanie who was now talking with Trinity and Alima. “You know what moms always said” Jon paused as he tried to remember the quote his momma used to say to them. “Some shit about destiny.”  Josh rolled his rolled his eyes but remained silent. “Uce, do you remember how tore up you was when she left? How it took months to get you out the house? This is your chance. Both of y’all are single... There’s nothing in the way. Y’all being at the same bar tonight was destiny.” 

Josh bit his lip as he let Jon’s words sink in. He finished off the rest of his beer and handed the empty bottle to Jon before slowly walking over to Melanie and his sisters-in-law. He felt his heart start to pound in his chest as the three of them stopped talking when they noticed him walking closer. Alima and Trinity were trying to hide the smiles on their faces. 

“Y’all mind if I steal Mel for a minute?”  

Alima and Trinity exchanged quick glances before shaking their heads in unison. "Go ahead," Alima said, a teasing glint in her eye. "She’s all yours."

Josh held his hand out for Melanie to take and once she did he helped her to her feet before leading her outside, towards the backyard where the bonfire was lit. The butterflies had returned to her stomach tenfold. They both were silent as they made their way to the bonfire. Josh had no idea what he was going to say to Melanie. He kicked his Nike slides off before sitting down on one of the blankets. He watched as Melanie took off her shoes and sat down right next to him. 

“I missed being in Pensacola,” Melanie said after a while. Josh hadn’t taken his eyes off her since they sat down. She was looking up at the stars in the sky with a soft smile on her face. “Missed being around my family.” 

“Yeah,” Josh asked, still looking at her. “You could’ve came back.” 

“I was…” She trailed off. “Y’know after you called.” Josh’s breath hitched in his throat. He remembered the day he called vividly. It was a moment of weakness about fourteen years ago. He had overhead that his younger sister Stasi had gotten back in contact with Melanie and Josh had begged Stasi for Mel’s number and once he finally got it, he had dialed the number but couldn’t find it in him to actually press the call button. It took him hours to work up the courage to call and when he did he was a bit drunk. An angry and drunk Josh was not a good combination. After he had aired his frustrations out about her leaving, he begged her to come home, to come back to Pensacola so they could pick up where they left off. 

“Do you remember what you said?” She asked and he nodded immediately. “You said that If I really loved you, that if you ever meant anything to me, I should come home and you would forgive me for leaving you.” 

“I was drunk,” Josh whispered. 

“I know,” Melanie smiled. “I had my bags packed and I was waiting for Ryan to come home and by sheer coincidence, my doctor called.”  She quickly reached up to wipe the tears that had just escaped her eyes. “I had found out I was pregnant with McKenzie that day, and when I had called you back, Ashley had answered.” Melanie kept her gaze focused on the fire. “She told me that y’all were getting married in a couple of weeks and I needed to move on with my life and then she hung up.” 

“Mel…” Josh trailed off, not knowing what to say. That phone call was a moment of weakness. He was weeks away from getting married to Ashley but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was making a big mistake, once he heard that Stasi was in contact with Melanie he felt like he had a chance to fix it and when he never heard from Melanie again he had tried to move on with his life. 

“I never stopped loving you,” Melanie whispered and Josh closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. “You were my first everything I was willing to give up my life with Ryan to be with you.” 

“I never stopped loving you either. I tried… I tried so hard to move on but.” Josh stopped talking and stood to his feet. He grabbed Melanie’s hand and pulled her up. He pulled her close so he was looking into her eyes. “It’s always been you.” 

The air between them grew thick with everything unsaid, all the years of separation, pain, and yearning. Melanie’s breath caught in her throat. She wanted to speak, to say everything that was flooding her mind, but her words got caught in her throat. He moved a little closer, closing the gap between them, his forehead just barely grazing hers. “I missed you Mel, and I’m not going to pass up another moment with you.”  

Melanie let her gaze fall from his eyes to his lips and she nodded. “I don’t wanna pass up another moment with you neither Josh.” He smiled and leaned close to her, their lips were almost touching when she whispered. “I just put a down payment on my house. I’m moving back to Pensacola.” Josh's eyes widened with surprise and joy. Without another word, he closed the final distance between them, capturing Melanie's lips in a passionate kiss. Years of pent-up desire flooded through them as their mouths moved together urgently.

Melanie's fingers tangled in Josh's hair, pulling him closer as his hands roamed down her back. They broke away from each other and jumped slightly when someone banging on the sliding glass backdoor that looked out into the backyard startled them. 

“THAT'S WHAT THE FUCK I’M TALKING ABOUT!” Jon was looking out at them with a big ass smile on his face. He gave his brother a thumbs-up before he was pulled away by Trinity. 

Melanie rolled her eyes at Jon’s antics before pressing her body back against Josh’s and leaning in for another kiss, this one was slower, deeper, filled with the promise of all the moments they'd missed and all the ones yet to come.

Author's Note: Whew... finally part one of the Phrase Series is out!

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@southerngirl41 @reci1996 @alyyaanna @li-da-savage @kill-the-artiste

@trashbin-nie @adoreesun @shayaaaaaaa @bebesobrielo @rianasixx

@kat3457 @queeny23 @cyberdejos2 @justazzi @jstarr86

@sabrina-carpenter-stan-account @vampygomez @msbigredmachine @ashykneee @callmekayd

@yana3sworld @romansthrone @alichesmi @amandairene88 @scarlettnoir01

@bonni-98 @sassginamillls @rebelrel0987 @aikosilo @vibessonvibes

@tbmotw @nayys-world @partypoison00 @bookuce

[nonbinoclard]

>>> TUNES TO LOSE YOUR MIND TO <<<

KEEP IN MIND: This is a living playlist! Songs may be added and removed at times to further curate the vibe I'm going for. I'll try to keep this post updated, but you can just check out the link for an up-to-date track list.

(EDIT: Song discussions are not finished! I have a lot more to say. I'll reblog when I've updated.)

This is set in a sort of nebulous time between Harry's life right before Martinaise and the night before he lost his memory. I wanted this playlist to feel erratic-- full of manic energy one second, then slow and bleak the next, dreamy, unreal, then right back to ridiculous.

(In no particular order. Shuffle for full emotional whiplash effect.)

I Don't Like My Mind - Mitski

I don't like my mind, I don't like being left alone in a room [...] And then I get sick and throw up and there's another memory that gets stuck / Inside the walls of my skull waiting for its turn to talk / And it may be a few years, but you can bet it's there, waiting still

The days before cleaning out the rooms... also, eating an entire cake and throwing it all up again feels very harry-esque... Overindulgence

A whole cake, so please don't take / Take this job from me

End Of The World - Hether

I mean, I could just post the entire set of lyrics as evidence, tbh. Struggling to find meaning and purpose in his life in the wake of heartbreak (5 year old heartbreak, but who's counting anyway)

I wake up in the morning and I wonder / Why everything's the same as it was I can't understand / No I can't understand / How life goes on the way it does

Cane Shuga - Glass Animals

Baby, don't go / I'll stop breathing coke / No more bloody nose / No more John Does Burn through my love / Just like your drugs / I've had quite enough / Or lack thereof

This is about the last moments of Harry and Dora's relationship to me. The chorus (a kind of circular, endless, self-aggrandizing internal monologue likely fueled by stimulants, implied in the song) continuing after the second verse kind of reflects the solution for Lonesome Long Way Home.

"11 Voyager Road. You no longer live there. Those times are gone, and so are those people. Why did you come here? Why are you still here? And where’s the dealer? You have to get back to work. That’s all you have now."

Hot Venom - Miniature Tigers

Hot venom is mixing with my blood / I can feel it on my fingers and taste it on her tongue / It feels so good to fall in love with you

I've heard a lot of people say this song is about heroin addiction, which is thematically appropriate for this playlist, but also. Harry's unhealthy obsession with Dora/Dolores Dei. Adoration (and hatred) so strong it's killing him.

Her venom makes me strong / Stronger than I am on my own / Before too long, I'll wake up to it gone / Wondering how I ever was happy [...] You can't go back now; that's not how this works / And as long as she's gone, I can never be happy

Who Is She ? - I Monster

This is just straight up about Harry's recurring dream to me. Just. Gestures at the lyrics.

Oh, who is she? / A misty memory / A haunting face / Is she a lost embrace? Am I in love with just a theme? / Or is Ayesha just a dream?

I feel like it falls in line really well with the idea that Harry's mind has been affected by the Pale-- a lack of memory, or maybe mixed memories, in a misty haze beyond the boundaries of reality. (and maybe Dolores Dei has started haunting him via Pale? Like some theories I've read.)

Somewhere across the sea of time / A love immortal such as mine Will come to me / Eternally

I Don't Miss You at All - FINNEAS

Dummy - Portugal. The Man

F the World - The Northern Boys

You Stupid Bitch - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (TV Show)

These shards are a metaphor for my soul Won't stop the self-pity 'cause I'm on a roll

This song perfectly captures the inherent melodrama of a mental downward spiral imo. Catastrophic and all-encompassing. This is what I think it sounds like in there (Harry's head).

You ruined everything / You stupid bitch / You ruined everything / You stupid, stupid bitch / You're just a lying little bitch who ruins things / And wants the world to burn / Bitch / You're a stupid bitch / And lose some weight

Oleander - Mother Mother

Intermission - Scissor Sisters

Skit #2 - Kanye West

Self explanatory. He's got no money. He's got no clothes. He has no car and he has no hoes.

We broke, broke broke phi broke We ain't got it Broke, broke, broke phi broke We ain't got it Don't spend no money, ain't got no clothes Ain't got no cars, ain't got no hoes

Nobody - Mitski

My God, I'm so lonely, so I open the window To hear sounds of people, to hear sounds of people

This one is more about the feeling of the song itself rather than the lyrics specifically; I love the upbeat tempo that continues through the song (trying to remain steady, continue working), how the beat is simple at first then builds into a kaleidoscope of sound by the end of the track (overwhelmed by the world), then ending in a distorted loop (trapped in a cycle). This song has always felt really authentic to my own experience with mental spirals. The themes of loneliness tie it all into a nice bow.

I'm A Broken Heart - the bird and the bee

Not Allowed - TV Girl

Party Time - The Northern Boys

Comfortably Numb - Scissor Sisters

(Do The) Act Like You Never Met Me - TV Girl

Novocaine For The Soul - Eels

Basket Case - Green Day

Do you have the time / to listen to me whine About nothing and everything all at once? I am one of those melodramatic fools / Neurotic to the bone, no doubt about it

I just think this one fits him well during Martinaise... just shaken up and unloading trauma onto unsuspecting strangers like a can of soda (bad analogy lol), depending on the dialogue you choose.

I went to a shrink to analyze my dreams She says it's lack of sex that's bringing me down I went to a whore, she said my life's a bore So quit my whining 'cause it's bringing her down

Sometimes, I give myself the creeps / Sometimes, my mind plays tricks on me It all keeps adding up / I think I'm cracking up Am I just paranoid, or am I stoned?

Also it's just a little pathetic, which just... it fits. Sorry Harry.

Labyrinth - Miracle Musical

[holylulusworld]

How to cure a grump (5)

Summary: You’re losing your job on Christmas.

Pairing: CEO/Boss!Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader

Warnings: grumpy Bucky, mistaken identity, kinda fake dating trope, snowed-in trope

How to cure a grump (4)

How to cure a grump masterlist

On Christmas Eve, the room is crowded with family, friends, neighbors, and, well, your former boss. He still sticks out with his expensive suit, polished shoes, and his whole aura.

Oddly, people like to chat with him. Bucky is a natural when it comes to wrapping people around his finger.

You can’t do much about it tonight. If you yell at him, drag him out of the room, or, what you love to imagine, choke the life out of him for being a jerk, people could get suspicious.

Smiling at the thought, you hide in a corner, watching Bucky joke with the people who do not know what an asshole he truly is.

You grit your teeth and huff. It was foolish of them to judge the book by its cover this time. Yes, he’s got a pretty façade, but deep down inside, Bucky Barnes is rotten. You’re sure about it.

“Why the face?” Your mother nudges your side. “People love him, Munchkin. No need to worry. We all hated John from the beginning, and he turned out a jerk. Trust our instinct.”

Bucky looks your way, watching you when you’re not looking. He can still feel your lips and wonder what came over him. Not two days ago, you were nothing but an employee to him, and then he kissed you.

“Man, you dismantled Walker like a pro,” your cousin laughs and shakes Bucky’s hand. “About damn time someone put him in his place. I’d done the same, but Y/N didn’t want me to say a thing. She told me to let it slip and moved across the country instead.”

“So, I heard,” Bucky hums. “Y/M/N told me they had a business together. A company?”

“Uh—they wanted to open a business together. John not only cheated on her but also stole her idea. She’s so smart and wastes her time at the office. I heard her boss is a jerk too, letting her work overtime and do her colleague’s work.”

“He must be an asshole,” Bucky replies with a smirk. He loves hearing all the insults your cousin calls your boss. “Did she tell you all about him?”

“No. Y/N never complains. She only said she’d take the next flight because she had to stay later this week too. Y/N was always too good for this world. Helped everyone around, you know,” your cousin brags. “I just know she offers her help to co-workers, and they tried to take advantage of her kindness.”

“I think Y/N is capable of putting people in their place too,” Bucky replies. He appreciates that your cousin tries to defend you but knows you better. “No one takes advantage of her.”

Your cousin grins before patting Bucky’s shoulder. “I already like you.” He chortles. “Oh, I gotta take care of my girl now.”

Bucky nods, as his eyes drift toward you again. Ever so often his mind drifts back to the moment he kissed you.

“You’re staring,” your aunt chuckles, catching Bucky staring at you. “I know you’re head over heels for my niece, but don’t undress her with your eyes while being around her family.”

“What?” Bucky dips his head to glance at your aunt.

She chuckles again and pats his arm. “Aw, don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. I know Y/N is lovely.”

Bucky furrows his brows. All he did was look your way. Why your aunt thinks he had something dirty in mind is beyond him.

“Phew...that was…nice,” Bucky says as you watch your mom say goodbye to the last guest, your aunt. “Do you always host a Christmas party for the neighbors and half of town?”

“Most of our neighbors would be alone on Christmas Eve, just like my mom. They are long divorced, widowed, and their kids don’t come around before or after Christmas,” you explain while Bucky watches you. “And family is family, you know. They all have their own family and will spend the rest of Christmas and New Year’s Eve with them.”

He nods thoughtfully and says, “I guess you’re better at opening your home for people. My parents only ever hosted Christmas parties for business partners.”

“Figures,” you bite your tongue and curse yourself for your response. “I meant it’s smart to invite business partners for Christmas. They feel valued that way.”

Bucky quirks a brow but says nothing. He’ll let it slip, knowing you’re not wrong.

“Anyway,” he fakes a yawn. “It was a long day, and I need to call Steve in the morning. He needs to take care of a few things while I’m stuck here.”

“And whose fault is that?” You huff. Bucky still tries to blame you for his friend’s mistake. “I didn’t ask you to come here.”

“Yours,” he grins. “You made me come out here.”

“It was your friend not telling you about our conversation.”

“Relax,” he laughs. “I know it was Steve messing shit up, okay. You’re not to blame.” Bucky got up from the couch, just in time to bid your mom goodnight.

She furrows her brows as your former boss makes his way upstairs.

“Munchkin, don’t you want to join him?” She snickers when you roll your eyes. “I know you did more than cuddle. You’re a grown woman and have needs. I understand, Y/N. With a man like James around, a woman can get all tingly.”

“Mom!” You groan. “It’s not like that.”

“I know love is tough. How about we call it a day, and you can go back to denying you don’t like the handsome man sleeping under my roof? She flashes you a warm smile before pulling you into a hug. “Maybe he’s a little snobby on the outside, but I think James has a good heart. He’s just not used to showing it…”

Once again, you toss and turn. Your mother’s words still echo in your mind, and your lips still tingle from Bucky’s kiss.

“Christ, get over it. It was one fucking kiss,” you groan and slam your fist into the mattress. “It wasn’t even that good. Even if he tasted good and his lips perfectly fit with yours. Stupid... just stupid. He’s an asshole who fired you two days before Christmas.”

You turn on your side and decide to sleep it off. Soon Bucky will be out of town and out of your life. When he’s gone, you can try to explain to your mother who he is…

“Hmmm…” you murmur in your sleep. Somehow, you’re warm, very warm. It feels like a heating blanket wrapped itself around your body to keep you warm—or rather hot. “Fuck…warm.”

Wiggling in your sleep, you try to fend the heat off. You groan and shift again as it’s too heavy. “Warm…” Your eyes slowly open as you try to turn in your bed. It’s impossible. Something, or rather someone, wrapped himself around your body. “What the fuck!”

“What? Where?” Bucky jolts up on your bed. He looks at you lying next to him. “What are you doing in my bed?”

“What am I doing in your bed?” You sit up and huff. “This is my room and my bed. Get out! This is not some case of only one bed!”

“I—” he looks around the room, frowning deeply. Bucky ruffles his disheveled hair, trying to remember how he ended up in your bed. “Did we—?” He looks you up and down, licking his lips.

“What? NO!” You slap his chest, realizing too late he’s not wearing a shirt. “We didn’t have sex! Did you drink yourself to sleep?”

“Maybe I got a little drunk,” he murmurs and falls back onto your bed. Just now you smell the alcohol on him. “I was so lonely, and Steve ignored my calls. He fucked my vacation up, and now I’m stuck here and can’t even—”

You watch him turn on his side. “Hey, go back to your room.” You poke his back, but Bucky won’t budge. “What did I do to deserve this?”

You sigh and fall back on your pillow. There’s no way you can move Bucky. Turning your back on Bucky, you huff. “If your hands wander, you’ll lose them…”

Tags in reblog.

[lvzrii4]

꩜ .ᐟ LITTLE THINGS 이희승

— ✮⋆˙ heeseung x reader ✮⋆˙ fluff, established relationship, non-idol au ✮⋆˙ 0.7k wc ✮⋆˙ grammar errors

WHEREIN heeseung finds himself falling more in love with you every time you do the smallest things.

every little thing you did made heeseung’s heart race in ways he never thought possible. he always told himself he wasn’t the type to get caught up in the small details—but then you came along

it was the way you’d smile at him, that quiet kind of smile, like you knew all his secrets and still loved him anyway. the way your eyes crinkled at the corners when you laughed, the way they softened when you looked at him.

heeseung could get lost in your eyes—he had, so many times. 

heeseung was on his way home after you’d sent him out to buy a few things. as he walked past a small flower shop, the colorful display caught his eye. it instantly reminded him of you and the way you always lit up whenever you two visited one. 

“did you know daisies symbolize purity and innocence?” you’d say, rambling random flower facts while pointing to your favorites.  

he smiled to himself. it was one of the many reasons he fell for you—your curious mind and the way you turned even the simplest outings into something memorable.  

on the bus ride home, he overheard a group of friends saying their goodbyes. it reminded him of how you always waved at your friends with the sweetest smile before rushing over to him.  

heeseung couldn’t help but chuckle softly, looking down at his phone. your messages popped up on the screen.  

lovelove ❤️  

food’s almost cold!  

stay safe, i love you!  

oh yeah, i think i miss you already:(  

he laughed at the cute sticker you’d sent along with it. snapping a quick picture of himself on the bus, he texted back:  

my fav person ! 💞

on my way. don’t eat without me! :)  

when heeseung finally arrived home, you greeted him at the door, practically throwing your arms around him. “woah, easy there,” he chuckled, wrapping an arm around your waist.

your face was glowing, your eyes sparkling with sincerity, warmth, and love—the kind of look that made him fall in love with you all over again.  

“welcome home! oh, let me get these—thank you for buying them,” you said, pulling away to grab the bags from his hands. he watched you with a fond smile as you disappeared into the kitchen.  

“oh, and dinner’s ready!” you called out. “i also bought your favorite drink yesterday.”  

heeseung sat down at the dining table, resting his chin on his hand as he watched you move around the kitchen, chattering about your day. you pulled his drink from the fridge, placing it on the table with a proud smile.  

“oh, and yeah—” you paused when you noticed his silence. “everything okay?”  

heeseung blinked, his thoughts catching up. “yeah,” he said, smiling softly.  

you squinted at him as you sat down across from him, serving portions of food onto both plates. “you’re giving me that look again, hee.”

“what look?”  

“like you’re trying to manipulate me or something,” you joked, though your cheeks warmed under his gaze.  

he laughed at your playful tone, leaning forward to brush a strand of hair away from your face. “you’re funny. but you know what? you do the same thing to me all the time. your eyes, your smile… even the little things about you make me forget everything else.”  

your heart raced at his words, your cheeks now burning. “you’re being so dramatic,” you mumbled, suddenly shy.  

“i’m not,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “everything i said is true.”  

heeseung picked up his chopsticks and started eating like he hadn’t just turned your heart racing so fast it felt like it might burst.  

as the night deepened, the two of you stayed like that—sharing food, laughter, and quiet moments where words weren’t necessary.  

later, you both found yourselves curled up on the couch, a soft blanket draped over you as you rested your head on his chest. the sound of his heartbeat matched the rhythm of your own, steady and comforting.  

later, as you lay curled up on the couch together, heeseung rested his chin on top of your head. “you know,” he murmured, “you’re everything i never knew i needed.”

you tilted your head to meet his gaze, his eyes full of love that left you breathless. “and you,” you whispered back, “are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

heeseung smiled, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

and as you closed your eyes, you thought of the way he looked at you—like you were the only person in the world.

© lvzrii4 — do not copy, translate, and repost my work.

[rafeskai]

Starstruck | Drew Starkey

Chapter Three

Summary: In the bustling crowd of a premiere event for Outer Banks, you find yourself caught up in a chaotic moment, lost in the sea of fans. Desperate for a way out, you stumble into an alley where fate leads you to an unexpected—and painful—encounter with Drew Starkey. What starts as a simple misstep soon spirals into something far more complicated, and your life takes an unexpected turn.

Pairings: Drew Starkey x Reader

Warnings: N/A

Author's Note: SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPDATE OMG. HERE'S A LONG CHAPTER FOR Y'ALL.

Masterlist Here

The faint buzz of your phone woke you before the sun had fully risen. Groggily, you reached for it, expecting some random notification or perhaps an email that could wait. But as you squinted at the screen, Ava’s name popped up, her message in all caps: “CHECK TMZ NOW.”

You rubbed your eyes and mumbled, “What?” It was too early for any kind of drama, but Ava rarely texted in all caps unless it was something urgent—or, more likely, celebrity gossip. Your curiosity finally nudged you to open your browser and type in the site’s name.

The headline on TMZ’s homepage made your stomach drop:

“DREW STARKEY SPOTTED WITH MYSTERIOUS WOMAN”

Your breath hitched as you clicked on the article. There it was: a grainy photo of Drew and you, blurry but unmistakably you. Your heart pounded in your chest. The mask you’d been wearing at the bar covered most of your face, and the dim lighting made it difficult to make out any details. But the white tank top, courtesy of Ava’s insistent styling, was unmistakable.

The article buzzed with speculation.

“Who’s the masked woman spotted with Drew Starkey last night? The Outer Banks star was seen leaving an intimate LA hotspot with an unidentified companion. Sources say the two appeared comfortable and spent several hours together inside the bar. Could this be Drew’s latest flame? Or just a casual night out? Our team are on the case!”

Your stomach churned. You scrolled through the comments section.

“Another mysterious nobody who’ll ghost him in two weeks, I bet.”

“Imagine being her. I’d die to just breathe the same air as Drew Starkey.”

“The way she’s covering her face... suspicious much?”

“She’s definitely hiding something. Maybe she’s married?”

A few deep breaths later, you set your phone down, but the sense of dread didn’t leave. Before you could even collect your thoughts, Ava burst into your room, her messy hair looking like a halo of chaos.

“Y/N!” she squeaked, waving her phone around frantically. “You’re famous.”

You groaned, falling back onto the futon. “No, I’m not. No one even knows it’s me.”

“They will,” Ava said with way too much enthusiasm. “TMZ doesn’t just let this go. They’ll start connecting the dots—who was at the premiere, who’s wearing that outfit in public, and eventually, they’ll figure it out. It’s only a matter of time.”

You ran your hands through your hair. “I’m never wearing that outfit again.”

Ava ignored you, pacing back and forth. “Look, we have two options. One: deny everything, keep your head down, and hope the internet finds someone else to obsess over. Or two: lean into it. You’re the enigmatic mystery woman. Milk it for all it’s worth.”

You shot her a flat look. “Option two isn’t happening.”

“Fine, fine,” Ava said with a dramatic sigh, flopping onto the futon next to you. “But come on! You have to admit, it’s kind of cool. You’re the first non-celebrity girl to pop up in Drew Starkey’s dating rumors without getting immediately torn apart. That means something.”

“Yeah,” you muttered, rubbing your temples, “it means I have to be extra careful. I don’t want my life blasted all over the internet.”

“Don’t worry,” Ava reassured you, her hand resting gently on your shoulder. “We’ll figure it out. And honestly? If Drew’s as decent as he seemed, he won’t let this get weird.”

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Later that afternoon, as you sat in the corner of your room, your phone buzzed again. This time, the name on the screen made your heart skip: Drew.

Drew: “Hey, you good? Saw the TMZ thing. Sorry if this is overwhelming. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

You stared at his message for a moment, a mix of relief and panic flooding you. You could feel the weight of the situation pressing down. Part of you wanted to brush it off, pretend it wasn’t a big deal. But another part of you—the one that was still a little overwhelmed by the chaos—was grateful for his words of concern.

You: “I’m fine. Just... not used to this. Do you deal with this kind of thing a lot?”

Drew: “More than I’d like, yeah. But it usually blows over fast. People move on to the next headline. If you need me to talk to PR or anything, I can.”

You winced at the thought of involving PR—public statements, press releases—it all felt too formal, too... invasive.

You: “I don’t think it’s necessary. As long as they don’t figure out it’s me, I’ll survive.”

There was a pause before Drew’s response came through.

Drew: “If it helps, you’re handling this way better than I did the first time TMZ came for me. If you need to vent or just want a distraction, hit me up.”

His offer to just talk made you smile. You weren’t entirely sure what to say back, so you typed a quick reply, thanking him for the message, and then set your phone down.

As the day wore on, things quieted down. TMZ didn’t update the story, and the internet’s attention began to shift. Without a clear shot of your face or any definitive details about your identity, people started to lose interest. But that didn’t mean it was over for you. 

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The day crawled forward, each passing hour a mix of relief and unease. It seemed TMZ's interest in Drew’s “mystery woman” had dwindled without a fresh lead to stoke the flames. By early evening, the frenzy online was noticeably quieter.

Still, the tension in the air lingered, like a storm that had passed but left the skies unsettled.

Ava had mercifully stopped treating the situation like a red-carpet event. She sat cross-legged on the living room floor, scrolling aimlessly through her phone while munching on a bag of popcorn. You paced nearby, trying to shake off the knot of nerves in your stomach.

Then your phone buzzed. It was Drew again.

Drew: “Can I come over for a bit? Just got done with a photoshoot and paparazzi are everywhere outside my place, and I need to lay low for a while.”

Your heart leapt at the thought of him showing up at your apartment—your quiet, nondescript little corner of the city suddenly becoming a refuge for Drew Starkey. You glanced at Ava, who raised an eyebrow as she noticed your sudden stillness.

You: “Yeah, sure. How are you going to get here without being seen?”

Drew: “I’ll figure it out. I know a back way in. Just text me your address.”

You hesitated for a moment, then sent the details. It wasn’t long before he replied.

Drew: “Be there in 15. Thanks, by the way.”

The next 15 minutes passed in a blur. You hurriedly cleared the living room of any clutter, your nerves bubbling into a chaotic energy. Ava, meanwhile, perched on the couch with a dazed grin, clearly trying to play it cool but failing miserably.

When the soft knock finally came at the door, your pulse quickened. Ava bolted upright, her excitement palpable. “This is it,” she whispered, clutching the couch cushion like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.

You opened the door, and there he was—Drew, in a plain hoodie and baseball cap, looking like any regular guy. He offered a small smile, his eyes scanning the hallway before stepping inside.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Thanks for this.”

“No problem,” you replied, closing the door behind him. “Figured you could use some peace.”

Ava, standing awkwardly by the couch, let out a shaky laugh. “Hi. Um. Wow. Hi.”

Drew chuckled, clearly used to this reaction but handling it with grace. “Hey. You must be Ava.”

She nodded rapidly, then promptly sat back down, her face bright red. Drew turned to you, his smile warm but tired. “I hope I’m not imposing.”

“Not at all,” you said, motioning for him to sit. “Make yourself at home.”

As he settled onto the couch, Ava finally seemed to snap out of her starstruck trance—at least a little. “Do you need anything? Water? Snacks? I have... popcorn?” she offered, holding up the bag as if it were a peace offering.

Drew smiled. “Popcorn sounds great, actually.”

Ava handed over the bag, then promptly excused herself to the kitchen under the guise of making tea, though you suspected she just needed a moment to compose herself. That left you and Drew alone in the living room.

“So,” he said, leaning back slightly. “How’s your day been? Any more chaos?”

You laughed softly. “Thankfully, no. The internet seems to be moving on. I think we’re in the clear.”

“That’s good,” he said, popping a kernel of popcorn into his mouth. “I feel bad for dragging you into this.”

“It’s not your fault,” you said, sitting down on the armchair across from him. “It’s not like you invited TMZ to follow you.”

He gave a wry smile. “Still, I appreciate you being so cool about it. Most people would be freaking out.”

“I think Ava freaked out enough for both of us,” you joked, glancing toward the kitchen. Drew laughed, the sound light and genuine, and you couldn’t help but feel the tension in the room ease.

Over the next hour, the conversation flowed surprisingly easily. Drew talked about his hectic schedule, his favorite low-key spots in LA, and a few funny on-set stories that had you laughing until your sides hurt. Ava eventually returned, having calmed down enough to join in without squealing every time Drew spoke.

As the evening wore on, the initial awkwardness faded entirely. Drew’s presence felt natural—like he belonged there, sitting on your couch, sharing popcorn and swapping stories. It was almost too easy to forget who he was, how absurd this situation really was.

At one point, Ava let out a dramatic yawn and stretched. “I’m gonna call it a night,” she said, giving you a not-so-subtle wink before retreating to her room.

That left you and Drew alone again, the apartment quiet except for the faint hum of the city outside. He leaned back against the couch, his gaze soft as he looked at you.

“Thanks again for letting me crash here,” he said. “I really needed a break from... all of it.”

You smiled. “Anytime. Seriously. It’s nice having company.”

He held your gaze for a moment, and you felt a flutter of something unspoken pass between you. Then he grinned, breaking the moment. “Well, if TMZ ever finds out about this, at least I’ll have a great story to tell.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The evening stretched on, a slow dance of easy conversation and laughter. It felt surreal—Drew Starkey, the star of Outer Banks and Queer, sitting in your living room, eating popcorn and talking about his favorite movies like any regular person. But the longer he stayed, the more normal everything felt. He wasn’t a celebrity in this space. He was just Drew, the guy sitting across from you, making you laugh and sharing little bits of his world.

Ava had retreated to her room after her not-so-subtle hint about bedtime, leaving you and Drew alone in the living room. You didn’t mind—it gave you the space to talk without interruptions, to get to know each other a little more.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Drew said after a pause, setting the popcorn down on the coffee table and shifting slightly on the couch. “What do you do when you’re not dealing with... all of this?”

You couldn’t help but laugh a little at the way he gestured vaguely around the room “Nothing nearly as exciting as your life, that’s for sure.”

He smiled, his eyes softening. “I’m sure that’s not true, although it’s definitely a different world, being in the spotlight like this.” He paused for a moment, his tone thoughtful. “I think people forget that celebrities are just people, you know?”

“I think people forget that about anyone, really,” you said with a shrug. “Everyone’s got their own thing going on. Whether you’re famous or not, it’s all the same. We all have our struggles, our ups and downs.”

“Yeah,” he agreed quietly, nodding. “I think that’s what I miss most sometimes. Just... being able to go out without feeling like everyone’s watching, analyzing your every move.”

You looked at him, the weight of his words sinking in. You hadn’t really considered how strange it must be to live under that kind of constant scrutiny. You found yourself wanting to offer him something more than just sympathy. “You don’t have to be ‘Drew Starkey’ tonight,” you said gently. “You’re just... Drew. And I’m just me. No TMZ, no cameras, no headlines.”

His smile returned, a little softer this time. “I like that. I really like that.”

The conversation drifted effortlessly from one topic to another. You talked about favorite childhood memories, your go-to comfort foods, and the last book you’d both read. He listened with an openness that made you feel like you could share just about anything, and the more you spoke, the more at ease you became.

Drew revealed little snippets about his life that were both surprising and comforting. Like how he had a weird obsession with vintage comic books or how, despite being a well-known actor, he still had the same group of friends he’d had since high school. You learned he was surprisingly humble, almost self-deprecating at times, and he had this way of laughing at himself that made him even more relatable.

“You ever go to concerts?” you asked after a moment, trying to steer the conversation toward something lighter.

He grinned, his eyes lighting up. “Oh, I love concerts. I try to hit up a few whenever I can. Nothing like live music, right?”

“Right,” you agreed, smiling back. “There’s just something about the energy in the air. It’s like everyone’s in the same vibe.”

“I’m a sucker for the energy,” Drew said with a nod. “What’s your favorite genre? Or are you more of a ‘whatever’s on’ type?”

“Definitely more of a whatever’s on type,” you said, laughing. “I like a little bit of everything. But I do have a soft spot for indie rock. You?”

“Indie rock, too,” he said without hesitation. “I swear, I could spend hours listening to bands you’ve never heard of and not even care.”

“That’s the best part, though. The discovery,” you said. “I love finding those hidden gems. The stuff that feels like it’s just yours.”

“I totally get that,” Drew agreed, and there was something about the way he said it—like he really meant it—that made you smile. It was nice, sharing something like that with someone, especially someone you’d barely known just a few hours ago.

As the night wore on, the conversation became less about anything significant and more about just... being. The silence that fell between you wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that happens when you’re with someone you trust, someone you don’t feel the need to fill every moment with words.

You glanced over at the clock on the wall and realized it was past midnight. You yawned, your body starting to feel the effects of the long, unexpected day.

“I think I’m about ready for bed,” you said, stretching a little.

Drew chuckled. “Yeah, me too. It’s been a long day.”

“Thanks for hanging out,” you added, not sure if it sounded too casual, but it felt right. “It’s been nice—just, you know, talking and not worrying about anything.”

Drew smiled, his expression sincere. “Yeah, it’s been nice. Really nice. I’m glad I could... hide out here for a while.”

You grinned. “Anytime.”

He stood up from the couch, stretching his legs. “Well, I guess I should let you get some rest. You’ve probably had enough of me by now.”

“Not at all,” you said, standing as well. “But I think I’m gonna crash before I regret it.”

“Fair enough,” Drew said, his voice warm. “Sleep well, Y/N.”

“You too, Drew. And thanks, again,” you said quietly.

With a final smile, Drew grabbed his hoodie and headed toward the door, turning back for one last glance.

“Goodnight,” he said, before stepping out into the night, leaving you standing there, a feeling of warmth spreading through you.

As you made your way back to your room, you realized just how much you’d enjoyed the unexpected company, the quiet conversation, the sense of connection with someone who, for a few hours, was just like you. No drama, no paparazzi—just two people talking about life.

You crawled into bed, your thoughts swirling with everything that had happened, the night’s laughter still echoing softly in your mind. And for the first time that day, you felt... peaceful.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The next morning, you woke up to a quiet, almost peaceful stillness. The events of the previous day felt like a dream—Drew in your living room, hanging out like any other person, sharing stories and laughter. The time spent with him had left you feeling light, surprisingly at ease considering everything that had happened. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d spent an entire night without feeling the weight of your worries, the world of social media, or the endless noise in your head.

You sat up, stretching, and reached for your phone. The screen lit up with a message from Drew.

Drew: "Hey, hope you slept well. I know we just met, but I was wondering if you’d be up for an adventure today. I’ve got a couple days left in LA before work picks back up, and I could use a break from the usual."

Your heart skipped a beat. An adventure? Just the two of you? The idea was tempting, and, honestly, you hadn’t expected him to reach out so soon after everything that had happened. But there was something about his message that felt... genuine. Like he just wanted to spend time with you, not because of the headlines or the drama, but because you’d connected.

You chewed on your lip for a moment, debating the logistics. It was sudden, but at the same time, it felt like a chance to break away from the chaos, to have a normal, carefree day. Maybe that’s exactly what you needed.

You typed back quickly, the excitement creeping in.

You: "I’m in. What do you have in mind?"

A few minutes later, his reply came through, and you couldn’t help but grin.

Drew: "Perfect. How about we start with a hike? I’ve heard this great spot in the hills with a killer view of the city. We can grab breakfast after and see where the day takes us. No paparazzi, no drama—just a chance to be outside for a bit."

You could almost hear his grin through the text, and you found yourself feeling a little giddy. It had been forever since you’d just wandered, no plans, no expectations.

You: "That sounds perfect. What time do you want to meet?"

Drew: "How about 9? Gives us a little time to get our bearings, but still plenty of daylight. I’ll pick you up at your place."

You: "Deal. I’ll be ready."

The exchange left you buzzing with excitement. There was something about this—a spontaneous day with Drew, exploring LA without the pressure of anything. Just... living in the moment.

You quickly jumped out of bed, got dressed, and packed a small bag with the essentials: water, sunscreen, a hat—anything that would make the day more enjoyable. As you glanced in the mirror, you couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious. It was one thing to hang out with Drew at your place, but hiking? A day out in the open? You weren’t sure what to expect, but you figured you’d roll with it.

A few hours later, the knock on your door jolted you from your thoughts. You opened it to find Drew standing there, dressed casually in a t-shirt, athletic shorts, and sneakers, his hair slightly windblown as if he’d already been out for a little while. He was holding a water bottle in one hand, a wide, genuine smile on his face.

“You ready for this?” he asked, his eyes glinting with the same excitement you felt bubbling inside.

You grinned back, nodding. “I think so. Lead the way.”

He chuckled and gestured for you to follow him down to the car, where the day’s adventure would begin.

The drive was surprisingly calm, with Drew playing some laid-back tunes and chatting about random things—his love of LA's hidden gems, how he’d gotten into hiking recently, and how crazy it was that he was actually getting a few days to relax between filming schedules. You felt yourself easing into the rhythm of the day, his presence comfortable, easy.

As you reached the trailhead, you couldn’t help but stare at the sprawling view of the city below, the sprawling landscape unfolding in front of you like something out of a postcard. The hills were quiet, a peaceful escape from the noise of LA.

Drew turned to you with a playful grin. “Ready to get your steps in?”

You raised an eyebrow, matching his grin. “I’m ready. Let’s do this.”

And so, the two of you set off, the trail winding upward through trees and rocky paths, the air crisp with morning freshness. The conversation flowed easily between you both, sometimes serious, sometimes silly. You talked about your favorite movies, shared memories of childhood adventures, and joked about the ridiculousness of modern-day life, social media, and the constant pressure to perform.

The higher you climbed, the more the city seemed to disappear, swallowed by the dense trees and distant mountains. You took breaks along the way, sitting on rocks and chatting, letting the quiet calm of nature seep into your bones. There was something so refreshing about being away from it all, away from the spotlight and the noise, and just sharing these small, human moments.

After a few hours, you finally reached the summit. The view was nothing short of breathtaking. You could see the entire city sprawled out below you, the glittering skyline on one side, the ocean stretching off into the horizon on the other. Drew sat down on a large rock, motioning for you to join him.

You settled next to him, the moment stretching out peacefully between you. Drew glanced over at you, his gaze soft and contemplative.

“You’re quiet all of a sudden,” he teased lightly.

You shrugged, letting the view speak for itself. “It’s just... a nice change of pace. Everything feels so loud sometimes, especially in LA, you know? But up here, it’s just... quiet.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” Drew said, his voice quieter now, a touch more serious. “It’s nice to get away from everything, even if it’s just for a few hours. No expectations, no noise. Just... living.”

You smiled, your heart feeling lighter than it had in days. It felt like this was exactly what you needed—a simple day of adventure, of discovering new places and enjoying the company of someone who wasn’t focused on all the distractions of the world.

After a long while, you both stood up and started the trek back down the trail, still laughing and joking, your connection growing deeper with every passing moment.

When you reached the car, Drew turned to you, a mischievous glint in his eye. “So, breakfast time?”

You nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve never earned a meal so much in my life.”

“Great,” Drew said with a wink. “Let’s go get some pancakes.”

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The drive to the diner was easy, the calm of the road soothing your nerves. Drew didn’t put on any music this time, letting the hum of the tires on the pavement fill the air as you both enjoyed the simple comfort of the drive. It felt grounding to be out of the whirlwind, just the two of you cruising through LA, away from everything else. No flashing lights, no rumors. Just a quiet moment.

When you arrived at the diner, it was an unassuming little place on a corner, a slice of nostalgia with its neon sign flickering invitingly. The retro décor inside felt like stepping into another time, and you immediately felt at ease in the warm, cozy atmosphere. Drew led the way, holding the door open for you with a smile that made everything feel effortless.

“Welcome to the best pancake spot in LA,” he said with a grin. “Trust me, they know what they’re doing here.”

You smiled, following him inside, and the waitress greeted you both with a friendly nod before leading you to a booth by the window. It wasn’t crowded, and the faint murmur of conversations filled the background as you both settled into your seats. It was the kind of place where you could be left alone to enjoy your meal, and the thought of it made you feel even more relaxed.

The waitress handed you both menus, and Drew glanced at his for a moment before looking up at you. “So, you’ve been in LA for what, a couple of days now?” he asked, his eyes bright with curiosity. “How’s it been? Adjusting from your small town?”

You hesitated for just a moment, taking in his question. It felt strange to admit just how big the change had been. In your small hometown, everything was familiar, comfortable, but LA was… overwhelming, in a good way, mostly. You had come here for something new, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t a challenge.

“It’s been… different,” you said, shrugging slightly. “I mean, I grew up in a town where everyone knew everyone. You can’t walk into a store without running into half the people you know. LA’s kind of the opposite—huge, anonymous. It’s been nice, but also a little isolating. That’s why I’ve been trying to make sure I don’t get stuck in my own head too much. I’ve been trying to actually explore, you know? Get out and see the city.”

Drew nodded, his gaze steady, like he was really listening. “Yeah, I get that. LA can swallow you up if you let it. But it’s all about finding your rhythm. I think that’s why I love getting out of the city sometimes, doing stuff that reminds me what life’s like beyond the buzz.”

You smiled, feeling like you could connect with that more than you expected. “Exactly. It’s easy to forget there’s more to life than all this. I’m still figuring out how to balance it all.”

“That’s the thing with LA,” Drew said with a half-smile. “Everyone thinks you’re supposed to be constantly on the go, constantly working. But sometimes the best days are the ones where you’re just… present.”

His words made you pause, and you felt like the weight of the conversation wasn’t just passing by—it was something real. For someone who had so much of the world watching him, Drew seemed to get it, more than you expected. He was speaking to something you’d been trying to figure out since you’d gotten here: what life could look like outside the noise.

Before you could respond, the waitress returned, and you both ordered your meals, Drew sticking with his usual blueberry pancakes and you opting for a classic stack of buttermilks with a side of crispy bacon. The conversation drifted for a moment into lighter territory—favorite foods, places to visit in LA—but you felt the undercurrent of a real connection building between you.

As the waitress set down your pancakes, the sun had already climbed higher in the sky. You dug in, savoring the warmth and comfort of the food. It wasn’t just the pancakes you were enjoying—it was the feeling of normalcy, the feeling of being with someone who made you forget all the distractions.

“So,” Drew said between bites, “I remember you telling me that you came out here for a change. What was it like before? Your small town, I mean.”

You glanced at him, taken a little off guard by the question. You hadn’t really talked about your past in detail, and you weren’t sure how much to share. But Drew seemed genuinely curious, and something about the way he asked made it easier to open up.

“It was a lot quieter,” you said, your voice soft as you thought about your hometown. “A lot of people stick to the same routine, year after year. It wasn’t bad, but I knew it wasn’t the life I wanted. I needed something… bigger, I guess. Something where I could challenge myself. I didn’t want to wake up in ten years and feel like I hadn’t tried.”

Drew’s eyes softened with understanding. “Yeah. I get that. LA’s definitely a place that pushes you out of your comfort zone. I think that’s what I like about it, too—if you’re brave enough, it’ll make you grow.”

You nodded, feeling the truth of his words sink in. “I guess I’m just figuring out what that looks like.”

“I think that’s the beauty of it,” Drew said. “You don’t have to have it all figured out. The point is just… living it, you know?”

His words hit home in a way you hadn’t expected. Maybe it was the sincerity in his voice or the ease with which he spoke, but you felt like you were hearing something important. Maybe it wasn’t about having everything lined up or planned out. Maybe it was more about being open to the journey.

You smiled, realizing that being here, right now, with Drew, was a part of that journey.

After finishing your pancakes, Drew leaned back in his booth, looking satisfied. “So, what’s next? I know you’ve probably seen all the tourist stuff by now, but I’m thinking we hit some places that aren’t on the usual list. You up for an adventure?”

Your heart skipped a beat at the thought. You had only just started getting to know LA, and the idea of seeing it through someone else’s eyes—someone who had lived here long enough to know the best hidden gems—sounded perfect.

“Adventure sounds great,” you said with a grin. “What do you have in mind?”

Drew grinned back, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “You’ll see. Let’s go.”

And just like that, you were back on the road, ready for whatever Drew had planned. You didn’t know what the day would hold, but you were more than ready to find out. The city, with all its chaos and beauty, didn’t feel so overwhelming anymore. Not when you had someone by your side who understood what it meant to be in search of something more.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

As you and Drew cruised through the winding streets toward the beach, the excitement you felt earlier in the day had started to shift. There was a sense of unease building in the pit of your stomach, and you couldn’t put your finger on why. You’d spent the morning laughing, talking about your favorite places in the city, and getting to know each other more. But as the car neared the coast, something began to feel off.

Drew was in high spirits, excited about showing you something he loved. But just as you started to relax again, you noticed something—you hadn’t seen a single paparazzi yet. For a moment, you told yourself it was just coincidence. LA wasn’t that small, right?

Then, the first click of a camera caught your ear.

You froze, eyes darting toward the rearview mirror. Drew, blissfully unaware, was focused on the road, humming lightly to the music. But you could see them now—two cars trailing a little too closely. Paparazzi.

Your stomach dropped, and before you could say anything, Drew swore under his breath, his expression darkening.

“Shit,” he muttered, hands tightening on the wheel. “Of course, they found us.”

You started to speak, but Drew was already acting. He began weaving through traffic, trying to shake them off, but the paparazzi followed relentlessly. You felt yourself growing more anxious with each passing second, the buzz of the chase creeping into your nerves.

“This is ridiculous,” you said, glancing over at him, trying to make light of the situation. “We were just going to the beach.”

Drew’s eyes flickered toward you, but it wasn’t the same relaxed, playful Drew from earlier. He looked frustrated, panicked almost. “Yeah, well, this is what happens when you’re seen with someone like me.”

The words hit you harder than you expected, the weight of them sinking deep into your chest. You blinked, processing. “What do you mean, someone like you?”

Drew shook his head, his jaw tight. “I mean, me—a celebrity. People want to know every little thing about me. And now I have to deal with it because I invited you along. People are going to start thinking you're just another hanger-on, someone who wants to use me for the attention.”

His voice wasn’t cruel, but the implication stung all the same. It felt like he’d just dismissed everything about you—everything you were. As if your presence wasn’t your own choice but something tied to his fame, and he didn’t even see how that could hurt. You could feel the heat rise in your chest, the hurt twisting in your gut.

You opened your mouth to respond but stopped yourself. What could you say? You weren’t sure if you were hurt more by the words themselves or by the way they seemed to come so naturally to him. It felt like you were an accessory to his life, just something he had to keep in line to avoid drama. And yet, you hadn’t asked for any of this.

Before you could process it any further, Drew pulled into an alley near a side street, his car screeching to a halt as he scrambled to hide. He turned to you quickly, his eyes frantic. “Put this on.” He reached into the back seat and threw a dark hoodie at you.

“What’s this?” you asked, holding it up.

“A disguise,” he said, voice clipped. “Just do it, okay? I need you to look like someone else right now.”

You stared at the hoodie in your hands, a sinking feeling growing inside you. He was treating this like a game, like you were just a prop to be hidden away. You didn’t have time to argue, though—he was already turning the car around, trying to make his escape.

Your fingers fumbled with the hoodie as you quickly pulled it over your head, the oversized fabric swallowing you. Your mind was spinning, and you couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling gnawing at you. The way he’d talked to you, the way he was treating you—it felt like he was just seeing you as a part of his world, not you. And that hurt more than anything else.

“We can switch cars with Ava.” You offered. Within minutes, you were back at Ava’s apartment, and Drew was practically dragging you inside, his eyes scanning the street as if expecting a mob to pop up at any moment. He rushed you into the apartment, clearly panicked, and you could tell his nerves were getting the better of him.

“We need to go. We can’t stay here,” he said urgently, tossing a bag into the back of Ava’s almost-broken-down car. He had barely taken a second to notice the difference in the car’s condition before he threw the keys into your hands.

You didn’t protest—this was his world, after all. You just followed him, your stomach twisting, feeling more like an afterthought in his plans. The more you saw of this side of Drew, the more you realized that it wasn’t just the paparazzi that were a problem—it was the way he expected you to just fit into it, without a word.

The car started, and Drew floored it as he raced toward the mountains, hoping to escape the frenzy for a while. The roads became more winding, the city skyline fading behind you. But the paparazzi didn’t give up so easily, and just when you thought you were free, you saw the familiar outline of the cars in the rearview mirror.

You sighed. “They’re still following us.”

Drew’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath. “They can’t leave us alone for five minutes.”

In an effort to lose them, Drew took a sharp turn onto a stray road, one that seemed to go deeper into the mountains. The road grew narrower, the trees thicker, but the paparazzi stayed right behind. You felt your patience wearing thin, and as the car started to slow, Drew cursed again.

“We’re lost, aren’t we?” you said dryly, looking out the window at the dense trees that surrounded you.

“I’m just trying to shake them,” Drew replied, trying to hide the frustration in his voice, but you could hear it clearly.

A moment later, the car sputtered and came to a stop.

Drew swore again, banging his hands on the steering wheel. “Shit! We’re stuck.”

You groaned, leaning back in your seat, the weight of everything crashing down on you. “Are you kidding me? We’re stuck in the middle of nowhere, and we’re lost?”

“I didn’t plan this,” Drew snapped. “You think I wanted this?”

“Obviously you didn’t think this through,” you retorted, your voice rising in frustration. “We’re out here because you couldn’t accept that people are following you. You forced me into a disguise, dragged me out of the city, and now we’re stuck in the mud!”

Drew turned to you, his face hard. “You think I wanted any of this? I didn’t ask for this either, you know. I didn’t ask to be followed around by paparazzi all the time. I didn’t ask for people like you to get involved in my life.”

The words stung, and for a moment, you felt something inside snap. “You don’t get it,” you said, voice trembling with emotion. “I didn’t ask for any of this either. I came to LA for a fresh start, to get away from all of that. But now I’m just here, stuck with you in the middle of nowhere, pretending to be someone I’m not, and for what?”

Drew’s face softened, but the damage was already done. You couldn’t look at him anymore. The silence between you both was deafening as you sat in the car, the weight of the moment pressing down on you.

You weren’t sure what you were more upset about—the situation itself, or the way Drew had made you feel so small.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The car sat idling in the middle of nowhere, its engine sputtering one last time before dying with a sad cough. You stared at the dense forest surrounding you, the humid air creeping into the small confines of Ava’s beat-up car. Drew banged his fists lightly on the steering wheel and groaned, muttering something under his breath.

“I can’t believe this,” you muttered, unbuckling your seatbelt. “We’re literally stuck in the middle of nowhere because you—”

“Because me?” Drew interrupted, incredulous, turning toward you with wide eyes. “Let’s not forget, the only reason we’re here is because I’m trying to protect you.”

“Protect me?” you shot back, your voice rising. “You mean forcing me into a disguise, dragging me into some wild goose chase to avoid a couple of cameras, and now stranding me in the wilderness counts as protection?”

“You think I enjoy this?” Drew countered, gesturing wildly at the forest. “You think I wanted to get stuck in mud, in a car that sounds like it might explode at any moment?”

“Don’t you dare blame Ava’s car!” you snapped, your voice almost a growl. “It’s a miracle this thing even runs, and honestly, I’d trust it over you right now!”

Drew opened his mouth, then shut it, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered. “We should be working together, not blaming each other.”

“Oh, now you want teamwork?” you scoffed, crossing your arms. “You mean after you implied I’m some leech who can’t handle your celebrity life?”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Drew said quickly, his tone defensive. “I was frustrated, okay? You don’t know what it’s like having your every move watched.”

“I didn’t ask for this!” you yelled, finally stepping out of the car. The humid air hit you, but you didn’t care. You needed to move. “You dragged me into this! I just wanted a nice day out, and instead, I’m in the middle of nowhere, wearing your hoodie, and wondering if I’m about to be eaten by a bear.”

Drew stepped out of the car too, holding his hands up in surrender. “Okay, first of all, there are no bears here—probably. Second, I was just trying to make the day fun.”

“Oh, yeah, super fun,” you shot back sarcastically, pacing in front of him. “Getting chased by paparazzi, being forced into a hoodie that smells like Axe body spray—real thrilling.”

Drew blinked. “Axe body spray? That’s Tom Ford.”

“Whatever,” you said, throwing your hands up. “It all smells the same when you’re stressed out and stuck in the mud!”

Drew sighed, leaning against the car, his head tilted back. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t think it would get this bad.”

“You didn’t think at all!” you snapped, poking a finger at his chest. “And now we’re stranded, because apparently, your grand plan to escape paparazzi is to drive until the Earth swallows us whole.”

“Hey!” Drew said, his tone turning defensive again. “I was improvising. I didn’t see you coming up with any ideas!”

“Because I didn’t sign up to be part of your personal action movie!” you shot back.

There was a beat of silence before Drew’s lips quirked upward, the tiniest hint of a smirk forming.

“What?” you demanded, narrowing your eyes at him.

“You’re cute when you’re mad,” he said, a lazy grin spreading across his face.

You blinked, caught completely off guard. “Excuse me?”

“I mean,” Drew continued, leaning slightly closer, “the way you’re all fiery and passionate right now—it’s kind of hot.”

You gaped at him, utterly speechless. “Are you—are you seriously trying to flirt your way out of this argument?”

“Depends,” he said, his smirk growing. “Is it working?”

You let out a sharp laugh, more out of disbelief than humor. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Unbelievably charming?” he quipped, raising an eyebrow.

“Unbelievably infuriating,” you corrected, throwing your hands up. “I’m out of here.”

You turned on your heel and started walking toward the road, your footsteps crunching against the gravel. Drew scrambled after you.

“Wait! You can’t just storm off into the wilderness!” he called.

“Watch me,” you shot back, not breaking stride.

“Y/N,” Drew said, his voice dropping into a softer, coaxing tone. “Come on. You don’t want to leave me here all alone, do you?”

“Oh, don’t worry,” you said, turning around to glare at him. “I’m sure you can charm the forest animals into helping you out.”

Drew stopped in his tracks, his mouth opening and closing like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. Finally, he sighed and threw his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. You win. I screwed up.”

You raised an eyebrow, crossing your arms. “Go on.”

“I’ll admit,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, “I didn’t think this through. I was trying to be... I don’t know, spontaneous? Adventurous?”

“Well, congratulations,” you said dryly. “You’ve succeeded in creating the most chaotic adventure of all time.”

Drew chuckled softly, his eyes meeting yours with a hint of guilt. “I’ll fix it. I promise. Just... don’t walk away, okay?”

You sighed, the fight draining out of you as his expression softened. “Fine,” you said reluctantly. “But if we get eaten by a bear, I’m haunting you.”

“Deal,” Drew said, grinning. And despite everything, you found yourself smiling back—just a little.

© 2025 rafeskai | All rights reserved. This fanfiction is a work of fiction inspired by characters from Outer Banks, and no part of it may be reproduced or distributed without permission.

[luguangssandwich]

I'm rlly tired rn so idk if any of this will make sense but I've done some sleuthing and rewatched the episode, now with the highly likely chance that Cheng Xiaoshi has dived back too. Hear me out:

Xiaoshi definitely did dive, and I think it started from the moment we saw his face in black and white at 4:59 PM:

And I think he stays until the Vivian arc fades out after they ran away (that was at 3:45 AM according to the clock in the room) I think he left as soon as they were safe and before the 12 hour limit passed. After that, he is back to the same, more naive and youthful person (who doesn't know about Lu Guang's powers) we have seen before the above. Everything he does in between those 12 hours is completely in line with his late S1 and S2 behaviour, I found it extremely uncanny and interesting to watch with this in mind!

Other bits that I found particularly interesting was the conversation after he pulled Lu Guang back to the studio. Qiao Ling asks what they should have for dinner and Cheng Xiaoshi suggests hot pot. We know this is his signature food, but I found Qiao Ling's response odd, because in the original Chinese subtitles she asks him if he's sick, because nobody eats hot pot during such a hot day. It felt odd because she made it seem out of character for him?

There's also CXS bossing Lu Guang around - at this point in time they know each other for a very brief amount of time, but the way he asks all these things of him feels like a future timeline in which they've already gotten extremely used and comfortable as partners and living together.

With this in mind, calling him "Guangguang" doesn't feel like it came out of nowhere anymore.

A few other pieces of dialogue I found extremely sus:

Even Lu Guang is surprised by his out of character behaviour at this point (but also vice versa!).

Now, the way he behaves during the date - I wouldn't say it's completely out of character for a future CXS to act out of his own wits. I don't think this guy's been on a single date in his life lol of course he would freak the hell out in such a situation, during previous dives he at least had the safety of possessing someone else. His empathy never fails so he tries to be kind and guide Vivian home, something a future Cheng Xiaoshi would do as well.

But what REALLY tipped me off is that there is no way a non-possessed CXS would've known that LG would know where he is at this moment in time, because he wasn't told until after this scene that he took a photo. I don't think the Vivian arc happened before (and it's possible it was triggered directly by the changed node when CXS dragged LG back to the studio). Cheng Xiaoshi had no idea Lu Guang would ACTUALLY SHOW UP IN PERSON tho (my guy at this point are u actually even surprised?) and probably just thought he'd call the cops, seeing how surprised he was at Lu Guang's appearance.

I'm gonna post the screenshot of Cheng Xiaoshi with golden eyes again because it really baffles my mind.

I don't know if any of this makes sense and I'd love to hear your thoughts!!

[your-hockey-mom]

Happy New Year!! Could you possibly do an imagine about kissing Q at midnight? Ty!!

10:43pm. 

Was it really New Year's Eve already? It was incredible how quickly the year had flow. So much had happened between Quinn and yourself; some for the better and worse. Right now, things were bad again. Not between the two of you, but with the team and with his ability to stay healthy. After healing fully from the high-sticking, you thought Quinn was going to get back to his old self, sniping wristers from the blue line and stacking up points for a back-to-back Norris run. Sadly, he was looking at another two to three weeks of off-ice rest, not counting the time off during Christmas. 

Quinn hadn't traveled to Calgary with the rest of the Canucks and you could feel the effects of Quinn not being with his boys while you sat beside him in his living room. He hadn't said a whole lot today, nor had you pressed him for conversation. If he wanted to talk, he knew you were available. Other than that, you had left him alone. However, it was nearing an hour from the new year and you were itching for something to do. 

"Wanna get dressed up and take a walk downtown?" You turned toward him on the sofa, crossing your legs up under you. You weren't sure how your proposition was going to over, but you would remain hopeful nonetheless. 

Quinn sighed deeply, "Not really. I'm not in a 'going out' mood. I'm sorry, sweetheart." He would look up from his phone and give you a sympathetic glance. It was all over his face that he had no interest in leaving his apartment that evening. Normally, you'd share that same sentiment, but New Year's was once a year, and it wasn't often that Quinn was home for the holiday. You just thought that maybe he would want something to get his mind off the raincloud over his head.

You both had watched the game together. He was tense the entire time, like he was on the bench and completely powerless to command this team. Everything was a struggle, but when they had finally tied it up there was some hope that they could still turn it around. Unfortunately, the score would end with a 3-1 Canucks loss and Quinn shaking his head. This was two games without their captain they would lose, and another two points they wouldn't be going home with. 

Leaving him alone with his thoughts and whatever business he was doing on his phone, you tried to keep yourself awake and the collective mood in the apartment from completely going to shit. Watching any kind of movie was out, because you knew his mind would be elsewhere, but what could you do where it wouldn't be back in the arena, replaying plays and fixing errors? You'd pout as you bounced from idea to idea before you felt your stomach grumble. 

"Wanna bake some cookies?"

This would cause him to put his phone down, like it had been the magic words he didn't know he needed to hear. "I'd actually love that."

You'd give him a warm, beaming smile before hopping to your feet and excitedly hurrying to the kitchen. Now, you nervously hoped that you actually had everything needed for cookies! 

"What do you need me to do?" Quinn would ask, looking at you on your tip-toes, going through the cabinet before finally getting up to help you. 

"Can you grab the eggs and butter? We should have enough eggs.... I hope so anyway!" You remarked nervously. 

"Sure," he replied flatly, taking a moment to scan the interior of the fridge. "Anything else?"

"Nope! That's it for the cold stuff, thank you."

"Mhm."

Quinn would shuffle around to the island, taking a seat while you messed about, adding more and more ingredients to the space in front of him. You knew he was trying his hardest to come off as happy, but you knew he was having a hard time. You wouldn't press him to cheer up, and if he had wanted to go back to the living room, leaving you to finish them, it wouldn't have bothered you.

"Sorry I'm not much help," he mumbled, like he had read your mind. 

"What? Oh, you're okay, baby! I'm glad you're here, that's enough!" Your smile had brought a little glimmer to his eyes while he continued to sit and watch. Quinn had been the only boyfriend you had had where just being in the same space with him brought you joy even if you were both doing different things. You could feel him watching you, making you smile more when you had your back to him. The slight squeak of him moving back his chair had been the only indication that he was on the move. 

"What can I do to help?" He would say, snuggling in tightly to your body, making it near impossible to move anywhere. 

You'd take a minute to think of what you could have him do, but you also didn't want to take him out of his comfort zone. 

"Can you just keep doing what you're doing?"

"Just...holding you?"

"Mhm!" You giggled, reaching for the sack of flour and measuring cups, struggling to reach due to Quinn's grasp. "I'm not asking for too much, am I?"

"Not at all. I just feel guilty watching you do everything." His voice was low, and sprinkled with the sound of depression and anguish. You knew that's how he had felt watching the games he couldn't participate in: hopeless and useless. 

"Well, I can't hold myself," you laughed, overlapping your hands on his at your waist. "You're doing a great job."

Quinn would playfully scoff at you giving him a verbal gold star, but deep down, he was so thankful that you didn't ridicule him when he got in these moods. He knew he could be so hard to deal with and the fact that you took every one of them at stride meant so much. Tonight was no different. 

The minutes would tick by quickly as you measured numerous ingredients into varying bowls before finally combining them into one, homogeneous mixture resembling chocolate chip cookie dough. From time-to-time, Quinn would dip a single finger into the dough, and each time you would softly tap him on the hand.

"Baby!"

"Quality control test," Quinn teased.

"You've said that three times now! Don't make yourself sick!"

He would let his arms fall from around your body, when you hinted that you needed to move away from where you had been standing. He seemed to be in a slightly lighter mood, having peppered you with delicate kisses the whole time you worked. How you loved having him home with you, just doing silly little domestic things like a normal couple did. However, having a partner like Quinn, and his profession, you never took the little things for granted. 

"Okay, fifteen to seventeen minutes," you said, putting the filled pans into the already hot and ready oven. You'd set the timer and walk back to him as he leaned against the counter. Quinn smiled at you, taking your hands in his at his sides. 

"Now we wait?" He asked, blinking slow, like he was fighting sleep despite being awake at this time rather often. 

"Mhm, come on, baby. You look exhausted," you confessed, trying to drag him back towards the direction of the living room. 

"I'm okay. I'm afraid if I sit down I'm going to fall asleep."

You acknowledged the truth in his words before another brilliant idea came to your mind. "Oh! I know! Wait right here, 'kay?"

Regrettably, you'd let go of his hands so you could cross the room and dim the kitchen lights to a low, golden glow. 

"Alexa, play Moonlight Serenade," you'd ask, returning to Quinn's arms. 

"Playing Moonlight Serenade, by Glenn Miller on Amazon Music."

Quickly, the apartment was filled with the crackling of a vintage record recording and the 1940s orchestra that was responsible. It was an easy enough waltz to sway to in the comfort of each other's company, there in the kitchen while the cookies bubbled and baked in the oven. Quinn would smile over your shoulder the whole time, having finally been able to shake off the feelings of failure. 

"Everybody loves somebody sometime~," Dean Martin would croon through the apartment's speakers. "And although my dream was overdue, your love made it well worth waiting for someone like you~

You couldn't help but giggle. It was like the song was saying what you were feeling and Quinn held the same sentiment. Silently, you two would continue to dance together to the love songs of old until the beeping of the timer pulled you apart. You'd both turn to see that the clock also read 12:00. 

"Happy New Year's, baby," Quinn would say first, tipping your chip up towards his awaiting lips. 

"Happy New Year's!" You replied, your lips just hovering next to his. The kiss was long, and sweet and everything you wanted to welcome in the new year with. Neither of you would let the other go for several minutes after, sharing multiple more affections until Quinn reminded you of the cookies.

"I'd really hate for your hard work to go to waste. We can always finish this later," he chuckled, pulling you in for one more heartfelt kiss. 

"Well, we'll have another fifteen to seventeen minutes," you winked, taking the pans out of the oven. "Does that work for you?"

"Oh, absolutely."

[starshakez]

Seven years ♡ - ⭐🥤

Today is our seven year anniversary! I still can't believe how far we've come together. I wanted to write something special for it. Happy starshake anniversary! ♡

2 a.m. The house was quiet. Not just quiet, it was eerily still as if the world had come to a pause, and Shake didn’t like it. Silence gave him too much space to think. Normally, he'd fill the void with obnoxious rants or whatever else he could find in that moment, but tonight, he sat still with the silence and his thoughts, trying not to get lost in them.

He slouched on the couch, his straw tilted at a lazy angle, and for once, he looked uncertain as if something was repeating on his mind. The TV flickered dimly, but it wasn’t doing anything to distract his mind racing full of the same unfamiliar thoughts. His gaze kept drifting to the floor, where his girlfriend, Star, was curled up under her usual blanket and pillows, peacefully asleep. At this moment, he felt.. different. Uncertain in a way he couldn’t place, and it scared him more than he’d ever admit.

Shake hesitated, unsure whether to disturb her. Finally, he whispered, just to see if she was awake.

“..Babe?”

She didn’t respond. He wasn’t sure if he should press it, but the words slipped out before he could stop them. So he repeated, a little louder this time.

Star yawned softly, her head lifting slightly. Her hair was messy, her green eyes half-open, but she still gave him that sleepy, loving smile that made his chest feel tight. “What’s up, Shake? It’s late..”

“I know it’s late! You think I don’t know that? I’m the one sitting here, wide awake…” He trailed off, his words faltering as he realized how ridiculous he sounded. “...I was just.. thinking...”

Her smile softened as she sat up to face him, her voice still gentle despite the sleepiness in her tone. “About what?”

Shake hesitated, the words sticking in his throat. He wasn’t good at this kind of thing, he never had been. But he’d promised himself, and silently promised Star from the day they started dating that he’d try. For her.

“...Seven years,” he said quietly, almost in a whisper. His voice felt more vulnerable than ever. “That’s.. a long time, you know?”

Star let out a soft yawn, rubbing her eyes. Despite being half-asleep, she still spoke with the same love and patience that he always relied on. “..Yeah, it is.”

He stayed silent for a moment, as if he was mentally fighting the building thoughts and feelings in his mind. “I mean, look at me. I’m not exactly... easy. And yet, you still stay.” His voice dropped to a whisper, like he was afraid of saying the words out loud. “…Why?”

Star yawned softly, her hand gently pushing her hair from her face as she sat up. She met his gaze, her eyes warm and full of affection. “I love you, Shake,” she said quietly, her voice soft. “... I love you, more than anything.”

He froze, his yellow eyes widening in disbelief as if he was hearing the familiar words for the first time. “Yeah, but like... I’m not exactly some romantic genius, you know? Even though that whole, crazy romantic date I took you on was, like, next level...”

Star’s smile grew even softer as she looked at him. “It was amazing, Shake,” she said, her words filled with quiet sincerity. There was no teasing, no mockery.. just the pure love she always had for him.

He blinked at her, then looked away awkwardly, his straw tilting to one side again. “See? Exactly. But.. I’m not that guy all the time, you know? I’m... kind of a mess. And yet, you don’t seem to care.”

“I don’t need you to be perfect, Shake. I just need you to be you.”

Her words caught him off guard, and he quickly looked away, his straw tilting slightly, his expression showing a rare quiet vulnerability "... I don’t get it," he mumbled, trying to brush it off, but his voice softened. "How do you... love me? I’m a mess." He chuckled, but it was more awkward than confident. "I act like I know what I’m doing, but, uh... I really don’t.."

He sighed, his words slow and deliberate, as if each one were fragile, carefully chosen. A rare, uncharacteristic moment for Shake. It was like he was doing everything to hold onto this moment. Hold onto her.

"When I’m with you... I don’t have to be anything else. You make me feel like... maybe I’m not as messed up as I think. ... I love you. A lot. More than anything."

Star reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against his hand. “I know, Shake. I’ve always known.. you try, and that's all that matters.. I love you too”

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. Instead, he let her hand gently rest on his, the warmth of it softening the feeling in his chest. “Seven years, huh?” he said quietly. “..Guess I must be doing something right.”

Star smiled softly, her expression still carrying the same love for Shake it always did, as she rested back against the pillows. “You’re doing a lot right, babe. And I’d do it all over again... I’d do this forever with you.”

And for once, Shake didn’t feel the need to fill the silence. In that quiet moment, something relaxed in his chest. It wasn’t pure peace, exactly. It was still him, still a little bit of a mess. But for the first time, he wasn’t fighting to be more than he was. He wasn’t trying to prove anything. With Star, he didn’t have to be anyone else.

And maybe, that was enough.

And maybe, he had always been enough for her.

Taglist @loverxiety @shuteyelenz @herrling @sanjiismystinkybaby @dogboyships

@deepwatersiren @wuffverine @vergils-beloved @justfrankie3 @r0tten-hav3n

@jokerislandgirl32 @ryez-loveyz @sari-stars @cruising-thru-the-starz @bizzyboyfriends

@mister-ancunin

[miriamladyvoid]

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Always an Angel, Never a God

"Sometimes, she felt as if her heart were a dying star, flickering weakly in the vast darkness of the sky. Always present, but barely noticeable among so many other, brighter lights, beautiful in its light, but always seeming to be just a heartbeat away from going out".

✧I will no longer write something so ambitious again; it was so complicated to cohere all of this because I didn't want to discard any character from each dorm. So I hope the pace of the reading doesn't feel weird. The tone was supposed to be more hopeful, but I started to feel a little sad at the end.

✧Fem Prefect, the reader is the Ramshackle prefect.

The nights in Twisted Wonderland had always been a refuge; from the window of the Ramshackle Dorm, the prefect watched the firmament with a mixture of longing and melancholy. It was in those moments of stillness, under the immense night sky, that she could allow herself to breathe. The stars always seemed to offer her a companionship her friends could never fully provide. Not because they didn't love her, but because, at the end of the day, she was different. Twisted Wonderland, with all its magic and twisted wonders, was a fascinating place, but it was not her home. Her days passed in silent repetition.

First there was Ace, always quick with a joke, but his words sometimes hurt her more than he knew. "Prefect, what would we do without you?" he said half-jokingly and half-seriously. But those words, they hurt. What would they do without me? But what am I beyond solving their problems? Riddle, with his severe look and devotion to order, came to her when Heartslabyul fell apart under the weight of his own rules. "You're reasonable; I'd rather trust you," he said, like it was a compliment. However, in his eyes, she was only another piece in his perfect order, a resource to use when the rules were not enough to maintain the order.

Trey, always kind and calm, offered her small comforts in the form of candy and kind words. “Don’t worry so much,” he would say as he handed her a freshly baked cookie, as if sugar could sweeten the bitterness she felt. It was as if Trey treated her with the same kindness one gives to a stranger, someone you want to please but not let get too close to. Cater, always smiling and with the phone ready, seemed to see her in a brighter light, at least on the surface. “This is going straight to Magicam, but make sure you give your best smile, okay?” he exclaimed while making sure she was well framed in his selfies. But once the photo is taken, she becomes a memory that faded away among filters and irrelevant comments.

Deuce was different, and maybe that's why it hurt her more. "Prefect, I'll do better next time," he'd say after some disaster, his eyes filled with determination and guilt. In his clumsy way, he always wanted to prove to her that he could be better, that he could be up to it. But in those desperate attempts to prove himself, she couldn't help but feel responsible for the insecurity he carried. It was as if, instead of supporting each other, he was running after a difficult goal, looking for validation in a place where she herself couldn't find it.

The moments with Leona were like shooting stars: brief flashes of connection that illuminated the darkness, only to quickly fade away. He was a dying star, exhausted and unwilling to shine for anyone else. Sometimes, it seemed she managed to truly see him, glimpsing something beyond his usual indifference. His distant gaze made her feel like a powerless spectator, unable to stop his inevitable collapse. "Don't try so hard," he would tell her, yawning with squinted eyes. "You don't belong here anyway." His carefree words always cut deeper than intended. Jack, despite his loyal and protective nature, saw her as someone he always had to take care of. "You're strong, but sometimes you get into too dangerous situations," he would say, his tone full of concern. His protection was comforting, but also a chain that kept her anchored to a dependency she didn't want. By his side, she felt like a star whose shine depended on the protection of others, trapped in an orbit that eclipsed her independence.

Ruggie, on the other hand, viewed her through a more pragmatic lens. "If you ever need anything, you know, just ask," he would tell her with a mischievous grin. But there was always a transaction behind his words, as if she was just one more on his list of favors, something he could cash in when it was convenient. To him, she was like a distant star, useful insofar as she could offer something, but always interchangeable. "Don't take things so personally, Prefect. We're all looking out for ourselves here." That raw truth, stripped of sentimentality, was a brutal reminder that, in this world, no one shone without a price to pay.

Azul saw her as an opportunity. He always had a deal or contract at hand, waiting for her to fall. “You can always count on me for a fair price,” he would say, with that calculating smile that never revealed his true interest. Like the ocean that reflects the stars but never touches them, she never felt like more than a surface he turned to when he needed something. She was not an equal. And though she knew his words were double-edged, there was a strange comfort in being valued, even if it was for her usefulness. Floyd was a fickle tide; he was unpredictable, and his light always seemed to flicker between whim and disdain. “Shrimpy, you’re fun! You don’t bore me as easily as the others!” he would say with a smile that failed to disguise his capricious nature. Sometimes he would smother her with his attention, with brusque hugs and laughter that lashed like a violent tide, but his effervescence had an edge; when he grew bored of her company, he would abandon her without hesitation.

Jade, always his brother’s elegant shadow, would approach with his serpentine calm and eyes that seemed to unravel secrets. “It’s always a pleasure having you around, Prefect,” he would comment with that polite smile that never reached his eyes. His tone was always wrapped in impeccable politeness; she felt like his words were more of an assessment than a compliment. At his side, she felt like a star trapped in a jar, admired only as long as it served to feed his curiosity.

Kalim, with his bright optimism, was perhaps the one who treated her with overflowing kindness, but even warmth could be blinding. "You're a great friend," he would say sincerely, but something in those words made her hesitate. He would seek her out when he wanted to share her joy, but he could never quite grasp her sadness. Sometimes, being by his side was like floating in a sky lit by fireworks, dazzling and joyful but a light that fades when the sun makes its appearance. With Jamil, the connection was more complicated, a precarious balance like that of a star orbiting dangerously close to a black hole. Always trapped in Kalim's shadow, his own struggles overshadowed any support she might need. “It is better that you do not get too involved,” he warned her with his cold tone, his gaze fixed on a point beyond her, as if she weren't even there. Despite that, she sometimes lent him a hand in his duties with Kalim. But she knew that, for him, it was nothing more than a satellite, a secondary star without its own brightness, destined to revolve around something bigger and more important than itself.

Vil was a supernova, bright and blinding, consuming himself in his quest for perfection. “Beauty takes effort, Prefect,” he told her with brutal frankness, his critical eyes seeing each of her imperfections as something that needed to be corrected. His words, wrapped in the confidence of someone who had always been admired, only reminded her how imperfect she felt around him; his words, though well-intentioned, left her feeling more dulled than enlightened. Rook, the hunter whose love for beauty was as great as life itself, saw the prefect as a masterpiece. “You are so fascinating, my dear Trickster,” he exclaimed, his poetry as intoxicating as it was confusing. His words were a hymn to her uniqueness, but behind his admiration was a disturbing curiosity, as if he wanted to decipher her and reduce her to a simple piece of his endless collection of discoveries and beauties.

Epel, determined to prove his strength, kept her at a distance. “I don’t need you to babysit me like a child,” he insisted. She admired his determination, but she couldn’t ignore the pain his words left behind. His distance was a reminder that even among the lost, vulnerability was a burden few were willing to share.

Idia kept to himself, always hidden behind the screen of his tablet. “I like having you around,” he had once told her. They shared the strangeness of not fitting in, but even in that shared solitude, she felt a distance. “We’re like NPCs, you know? The ones on the outside, the ones who don’t count,” he had once joked. Despite his isolation, Idia shone, albeit in a dim, reserved way. He took refuge in his solitude; she desperately sought to be seen, to be understood. Ortho, on the other hand, was always an unwavering warmth. His innocence and curiosity radiated a light reminiscent of a young star: bright, pure, and free of the shadows of a life that never came to be. “You’re my brother’s friend, so you’re my friend too!” he would say enthusiastically, in that tone that made his every word seem like a gift. She knew that, in Ortho’s eyes, she was someone special. Yet she couldn’t help but wonder if her worth depended solely on the connection she shared with Idia. Would he still view her with the same affection if her bond with his brother disappeared? Would she still matter if that thread unraveled?

Lilia was like a dying star, its light still shining brightly, but hiding the imminence of its extinction. "Ah, Prefect, you still have much to learn," he would say with a soft smile, as if he knew something she could not understand. To him, she was a curious flicker in time, something to cherish while it lasted, but without the depth to leave a real mark on his long-lived existence. Like a reminder of what is fleeting, an echo of the lights he had seen go out countless times. Sebek, with his fiery passion, treated her as if she were a star that had strayed from its course, something that needed to be guided back into place. “Though you are a human without magic, you have some worth!” Though his words often carried reproach, beneath was a misplaced devotion that she could not ignore. To Sebek, she was a lesser star, one that existed only to reflect the greatness of her lord. Even his attempts to protect her felt like an extension of his own obsession, leaving her trapped in his shadow. Silver was the stillness of a dawn before the sun rose, a soft glow that always seemed on the verge of fully awakening. “Prefect, your presence always brings peace,” he said in a sleepy tone, as if he saw her more as a whisper in the background of his reality than as a clear voice. Yet his perpetual drowsiness created a barrier between them, as if he were trapped in a dream from which he could not wake. To him, she was a star that illuminated his path, but whose light barely managed to penetrate his own lethargy.

Finally, on one of her darkest nights, when the weight of her isolation was almost unbearable, she found Malleus on the outskirts of Ramshackle. He was there, like a majestic shadow under the starry sky, the king of the firmament, an imposing force that always seemed on the verge of consuming everything.

“Why do you think the stars stay there, so distant, instead of falling and disappearing?” he asked, his gaze fixed on the infinite. His voice was quiet, with an echo of melancholy that resonated in the cold night air.

She hesitated before answering. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because… they have nowhere else to go.”

For an instant, he wanted to say something, anything, to fill the void her words had left. But he didn’t. Because, although Malleus would never say it directly, there was something in his voice that seemed like an invitation. As if, in the midst of that immensity that always separated them, he was telling her that her light was enough, too, even if she didn’t see it yet. But there was always a chasm between them, a constant reminder that her light would never be as eternal as his.

The weight of all those glances, of all those words, was building up in her chest as if an invisible hand was squeezing her heart. It had been a long journey, one filled with unforgettable moments, but also marked by a loneliness that no one seemed to notice. Memories of each interaction passed through her mind like a cruel parade. She forced herself to breathe deeply, her trembling hands touching the window glass as her eyes sought solace in the stars again. Yet her mind, treacherous, found one last wound to open. One sentence, cold and implacable, echoed in her memory like a definitive sentence:

“There is no place in this world where this soul belongs. NONE.”

The words of the Mirror echoed in her mind, an irrevocable sentence that pierced her heart with the precision of a dagger. She had wanted to prove him wrong. She had tried to fit in, tried to find a place among the people she had come to love and admire, even as each interaction reinforced the truth she so feared. The thought cut through her like a knife, and with it came a single certainty: her presence here had never been wanted. She was no heroine, no savior. She was just a nobody who had fallen into this world at the whim of a mirror.

The sentence continued to echo in her head, stealing the air from her lungs. Her chest tightened, her throat closed, and before she could stop herself, tears began to flow from her eyes. The crying began as a silent tremor, a muffled gasp as she buried her face in her hands. She covered her mouth, desperate not to wake Grim, her little companion, who slept peacefully in the bed. Cruel irony that he, her faithful friend, was not there to notice the sadness of his henchman. The same sadness that she had always hidden behind a smile and an ill-timed joke. Her breathing was irregular, ragged by the effort to contain the sobs that threatened to break the silence of the night. The world seemed to have shrunk to that small corner of her bedroom, where only the stars were witnesses to her vulnerability. Sometimes, she felt as if her heart were a dying star, flickering weakly in the vast darkness of the sky. Always present, but barely noticeable among so many other, brighter lights, beautiful in its light, but always seeming to be just a heartbeat away from going out.

The crying continued, each tear falling in a desperate, muffled silence. For once, she couldn't even find solace in the stars. Only curses. She cursed her weakness, her loneliness, but most of all, she cursed the day that damn mirror had made her fall into Twisted Wonderland.

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Language of the flowers of each Banner:

First Banner: Cyclamen: Resignation. Second Banner: Bramble, Rose: Envy. Third Banner: Lobelia: Splendid Misery.

[ssaluss]

Im also kinda shy, im not used to interactions this long but it has been so great to just delve into this. Nice to hear you're enjoying it as much as i ^^

Just cause i thought of some thinks that may add and/or help...

Not going to add at his origin just wanted to point out movie shadow's model has lighten-up gap in his inhibitors that resembles me a lot of silver's ones (not going to spoil just to be safe, but when he does a thing it do light up with energy). Just a funny thing ive found reading through the wiki cause i just do like doing that, aparently shadow has shown telekinesis before but i have to check it for myself before affirming.

I like to think that his cuffs are focusers, in this AU i do want to say that silver don't really fully capable inhibitors cause his chaos energy is weaker than shadow's so his body can handle it better and even use more at a time, he has less but by so he don't become overhelmed by it, its more efficient in other words, so just having a way for it to not blow in his face would be really helpful, and with GUN wanting something easier to control i think it fits.

Also, angst territory, as we don't know how hard it is to truly end shadow for once and for all, id say GUN was happy that if Silver ever went rogue, he would, of course be resistent and strong, but not as hard to end like shadow.

Idk how small silver was so, as im using movie shadow again cause his model is really well made, his rings have a joint were the two halves connect, i wanna say that Silver's do it too and that's why even when he grew up he just adjusted their size (don't fix if its not broken and your world is a litteral hellhole).

Shadow with separation anxiety YEEEEES!!! Anyway, i too see him fighting quite a lot as a caring person, i like him being in terms with Maria's death and not being really reliant in her to just function at all, but her influence makes me thing that some level of naivety and a child-like wonder make him a little compeled at helping, and silver is full of it, even in 06 when he finally sees a world not destroyed by the flames, i think a small bit about silver finally getting proper, home made food for the first time, so much angst potential and we don't even have to enter te alien stuff yet.

To season the angst, they interacting, even tho is akward, fills this feeling of this friendship already being doomed. Bear with me a little, shadow is not one to talk a lot, he's my one liner king, but he does just stay there menancingly, i think he would notice the moments that silver just acts with an almost childish excitement of being part of something, in wich he does not have in any other place, but everytime he looks and silver looks back its just kinda weird, they're not friends after all, both fear to connect with others, sometimes for the same, sometimes for different reasons.

Silver is not the calmest of the bunch, after the reveal he would either freak out like anyone would or he might be consumed by the power within. Anyway, it makes shadow act, be by conforting be by confronting.

I know the "green blood thing" and i just don't like the aesthetics of it lol it being black do be harder to see (and yeah, shadow with black blood has SO much potential, and Silver too cause its painfully on sight for him)

Silver being controlled by the hivemind could go so many ways its hard to decide, and i like eclipse too i miss some of my archie boys ( *cof* shard *cof*). To not tie this to anything maybe shard could be to silver what biolizard is to shadow? A first draft without all the needed materials, maybe made with stored remnants of the black comet, a full Black arm that could not be easily controlled and scaped, maybe he does have his archie origins, maybe he was the last of his kind that was spared cause shadow couldn't know that black doom had a backup plan. Idk, too much possibilities.

The other way is someone experimenting with it, maybe this time it could be eggman (i do not like GUN that much cause they're shady but is getting repetitive) he is experinenting and make a prototyoe to try and control shadow after his last fiasco, he knows that a controlled shadow could be usefull and maybe he would be easier to lure if he plays it right... just for it to not work with shadow, its too weak for someone who fought the leader and won, even his little scheme of a big fight to worn him out can't seem to work, nothing! So he discards it somewhere in the battlefield as sonic finds him and starts their weekly banter...

He goes off before he could see Silver just staring blanky in the direction he trew the prototype, wich ends with him not being able to stop the heavy hit coming. Everything goes black for a second before he recovered enough (the enemy is the robot he crumpled, maybe)

As they were fighting robots and i see silver as kinda of hardstrong, he just says the black thing in his head is grease if anyone asked (not shadow to, my boy knows this well enough).

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Reading the fic im just WOW

WOW

W O W

If you need any help writing it and filling things, and if you want ofc, we can talk more about it? Im not good at making coherent things but i can help if you need ^^ and i did love the concept and writing this with you S2

People talking about what if Shadow was Silver’s dad y’know but NOT ONCE have I seen anyone say that if that’s true, then Silver has black arms blood

[certaimromance]

ꫂ ၴႅၴ Chasing Ghosts.

Aaron Hotchner x BAU!reader (platonic)

Summary: Everything in your life is finally under control and almost perfect, but somehow chasing the ghost of Aaron Hotchner is still an obsession.

Words: 1,9k.

Warnings & Tags: angst WITHOUT a happy ending. hotch being an absent father figure. so much angst (yes, again). temporarily located after he leaves the FBI. same reader as in "tall child" but several years after that. so inspired by “like him” by tyler, the creator and all the edits with the song that I see. english isn't my first language (sorry for my mistakes, be kind please).

Note: I've been having trouble getting through the second part of "Tall Child" (if you're wondering if I'll write one, yep, and I hope to upload it soon but I'm so blocked:c). This idea came to me out of the blue because I, too, feel abandoned when I start watching the episodes after Hotch leaves<///3.

The quiet hum of the BAU filled the air, the same familiar rhythm of paperwork being shuffled, pens scratching against files, and the faint sound of voices from down the hall. The office you were in—Emily’s office now—still carried faint echoes of what it used to be. The desk was different, the decor had shifted, but the weight of the space hadn’t changed. It was still steeped in years of hard decisions, late-night strategizing, and memories that lingered even when the man who made them had gone.

Gone. Gone. Gone.

You sighed as you sifted through a stack of reports, scanning them for inconsistencies. It wasn’t even your responsibility—you were just helping out, filling a gap as the team caught up on their endless backlog. You’d been in this office countless times since Aaron had left, but it still felt strange. Like you didn’t quite belong. Like you were stepping on sacred ground that no longer had a place for you.

Being here without him was like being in a different place.

You’d been trying not to think about it, about how long it had been since he left. A year now, maybe more. You weren’t counting. Or so you told yourself for mental health. But in moments like this, standing in what used to be his space, surrounded by the echoes of his presence, it was impossible not to feel the sting of his absence.

You didn’t blame him for leaving—not entirely. Jack deserved his father, a life of peace away from the chaos of the FBI. You’d even admired his courage for walking away from something he’d dedicated his life to…You knew you would never do something like that; he was brave. But nothing of that softened the sharp edge of hurt that had been lodged in your chest ever since the day he said goodbye by a stupid piece of paper.

The truth was, he hadn’t just left the Bureau and all the atrocities that this entailed. He’d left you.

Your eyes flicked toward the desk, now Prentiss’s, and for a moment, your fingers brushed its edge. It was ridiculous how something as simple as the grain of the wood could bring back a flood of memories—of late nights, terse discussions, and the way his voice would take on that steady, commanding tone that somehow made you feel both safe and seen. The way he scolded you when you did things against protocol, the way he almost smiled when he thought you didn't notice, and most of all, the way he left overnight.

A soft knock at the door snapped you back to the present. You looked up, startled, to see Rossi leaning casually against the doorframe. His sharp eyes seemed to take in everything—the reports, your posture, the way your hand still rested on the edge of the desk, as though anchoring you to something unseen.

“Working hard, or hardly working?” he quipped, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

You mustered a weak smile. “Just helping Emily with the backlog. Thought I’d clear some of this off her plate.”

He nodded, his gaze drifting around the room. It lingered on the desk, the walls, and the chair before settling back on you. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—something knowing—that made your stomach twist.

“You’re in here a lot,” David observed, his tone casual but laced with something deeper.

More than a lot for someone who was supposed to stop doing it on the advice of her therapist.

Because you don’t need to keep hiding you in work. Your life was good now, or so you kept telling yourself. You had settled into your role on the team, earned the respect of your colleagues, and built a rhythm that felt steady, even fulfilling. You went home to a warm apartment that didn’t feel so empty anymore, filled with little things that made you smile: books on the coffee table, cozy blankets, a half-dead plant you kept forgetting to water. You even start to have casual dates sometimes to open your heart to the world.

“Just helping,” you repeated, more curtly than you really intended.

“Hmm.” He crossed his arms, leaning against the desk. “You know, you’ve always been a terrible liar.”

“What?” you asked, your tone, again, sharper than you intended. The defenses around you were activating automatically.

He raised his hands in mock surrender, but the smirk on his lips betrayed him. “Nothing. Just…noticing things.”

Your jaw tightened. Working with profilers meant every word, every movement, was analyzed. You hated it so much in these moments.

“What?” You demanded, unable to keep the irritation from your voice.

He tilted his head, studying you with that maddening patience of his. “You make the same expressions he used to.”

No. No. No.

Do not mention him. Don't make even the slightest reference to him. Don't think about him. Don’t.

The air seemed to leave the room. Your heart clenched, and for a moment, you forgot how to breathe. “What are you talking about?” you asked, though you knew. Of course, you knew.

“The furrowed brow when you’re deep in thought,” he said, his voice softer now. “The way you purse your lips when you’re frustrated but trying to hide it. And now, in this desk…you’ve always been like him. Always will be.”

You’re just like him? You look like him?

A bitter laugh escaped your lips before you could stop it. “Great. I’ve picked up his bad habits too.”

“It’s not a bad thing,” Rossi said gently, his voice softer now. “It just means he left a mark.”

You turned away, pretending to focus on the files in front of you, but the words hit harder than you wanted to admit. Of course, Hotch had left a mark. How could he not? He’d been your anchor, your mentor, your constant—even when you were at odds. And then he’d left. He’d walked away from the BAU and from you as if you were disposable.

“Doesn’t matter,” you muttered, more to yourself than to him. “He’s gone.”

Rossi didn’t respond immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was quieter, almost hesitant. “Still angry at him?”

The question hit you like a gut punch, and for a moment, you couldn’t respond. Your hands tightened into fists at your sides, nails digging into your palms as if the physical discomfort could drown out the storm in your chest. “I’m not angry,” you said, the words escaping your lips faster than your brain could catch them.

It was much more complex than that. Your feeling was more akin to disappointment than anger or rage because you knew you could never hate him.

He didn’t press further, instead leaning more comfortably against the desk, as if he had all the time in the world. “You know he wanted a life for Jack,” he countered, his voice measured. “You can’t blame him for that.”

“I’m not blaming him,” you said, though it felt like a lie even as you spoke it. “But I don’t get why he had to leave everything.” you snapped, the sharpness of your voice startling even yourself. You turned away, staring hard at the stack of files, though the words on the pages blurred into meaningless lines. “He could’ve stayed in touch. But he didn’t.”

Zero calls, zero messages, zero signs that at least you mattered to him.

Rossi sighed, his expression softening with something like sympathy. “Aaron’s always been good at one thing: convincing himself that distance is the best way to protect the people he cares about.”

You looked away, the weight of his words settling uncomfortably in your chest. It didn’t make it hurt your heart any less. Nothing could ever dispel the pain, nothing but the embrace of the same person who provoked it.

There was a long pause before he spoke again, his tone lighter, almost teasing. “You know, there’s a way to settle this.”

You frowned, glancing up at him. “What are you talking about?”

Without a word, Rossi reached into his pocket. The sound of his hand brushing against the fabric of his jacket broke the tension like a crack of thunder in the stillness. He pulled out a small card and held it between two fingers, his expression unreadable as he extended it toward you.

“What’s this?” you asked, the words coming out more hesitant than you wanted.

“His number,” he said simply. “It changed.”

Your eyes dropped to the card, to the string of numbers printed neatly on its surface. For a moment, all you could do was stare. It felt like the weight of the entire room had shifted onto that tiny slip of paper. Your fingers twitched at your side, aching to grab it, yet rooted to the spot.

“I’m not calling him,” you said, though your grip on the card betrayed your uncertainty.

David smiled knowingly, as if he’d already won. “I didn’t say you had to. But if you ever want to talk to him, you’ve got the number.”

You shook your head. “No. If he wanted to talk to me, he would’ve called. He hasn’t.”

“Maybe he thinks you don’t want to hear from him,” Rossi countered. “Maybe he’s giving you space.”

“Space?” you repeated, the word bitter on your tongue. “Is that what we’re calling it now? Abandoning people?”

“He didn’t abandon you,” Rossi countered firmly, though there was no edge in his tone, only understanding. “He left because he had to. For Jack. For himself. And maybe—just maybe—he thought you were strong enough to handle it.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut, and you turned away, blinking hard to keep the tears at bay. You hated how much they affected you, how much he still affected you. “Well, he was wrong,” you muttered, the words barely audible.

Rossi didn’t argue, didn’t press. “You don’t have to use it,” he said, his voice softer now, almost a whisper. “But if you do, maybe you’ll figure out that he didn’t leave you. He just…left.”

With that, he stepped back and walked out of the room, his footsteps echoing softly down the hallway until they disappeared altogether, leaving you alone in the thick, suffocating silence.

Your eyes fell back to the card on the desk. It seemed out of place there, too bright and clean against the chaos of papers and reports. You stared at it as if it might leap off the desk and demand an answer. But it just sat there, motionless, yet somehow unbearably loud.

Your grip tightened, the edges of the card biting into your palm. And then, with a sharp, decisive motion, you tore it in half. The sound was quick, final, like the snap of a cord that had been fraying for far too long. You tore it again, and again, the pieces falling to the desk in a jagged, fragmented pile. Each rip felt like releasing a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding, like reclaiming some small measure of control over the chaos he’d left behind.

When the pieces were no more than scraps, you gathered them up and marched to the trash can. You dropped them in, the fragments fluttering down like ashes from a fire long extinguished. You stared at them for a moment, your chest heaving, your emotions still raw but now dulled by the act of destruction.

Turning back to the desk, you sank into the chair, forcing your focus onto the reports in front of you. The room still felt heavy, the ghost of his presence lingering in the corners, but you pushed it aside. There was work to do. There was always work to do.

And after all, you were just like him.

[kaynanarie]

Eyes of Gold (Part 9)

(A WukongxReader story inspired by Beauty and the Beast and Lutung Kasarung.) (First) (Prev)

            “I think it’s just up ahead!”

            The trees lining the trail were starting to thin out, more sunlight streaming in where the forest ended. Excitement tingled your fingers and lightened your feet. An hour of walking had finally led you to the edge of your home.

            You rushed down the path, pulling Shihou by the hand. He let himself be dragged along, easily keeping pace despite the heavy basket he carried for you.

            “Slow down, the village isn’t going anywhere,” he chuckled. As the last of the trees fell away and the sky broke through, you both slowed to a stop.

            Where the Monkey King’s domain ended, so did the forest. The wall of emerald greens came to an abrupt break at the foot of Fruit and Flower Mountain. Beyond it was a sparce field dotted with thorny brambles and spindly trees stripped bare by winter. A single, winding path led from the mountain down to the village nestled in the valley.

            “There it is!” you breathed, tears welling up at the sight. Everything looked so tiny but familiar; you couldn’t wait to see it up close again.

            “This is as far as I go, then.” Shihou set the basket down and unfolded a heavy mantle stored inside. “Put this on. Once you cross over, it’ll be winter weather the rest of the way.”

            You nodded, pulling the cloak over your robes. The fabric was thick and warm, making you sweat in the summery heat. It was only made worse when Shihou hoisted the basket onto to your own back. While the fruits inside were invaluable, their combined weight was nothing to scoff at.

            After the last of the straps were secured, Shihou laid a hand on your shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, unable to hide the concern in his gaze.

            “I’ll be fine,” you assured him, grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Just a quick visit to the elder so she knows I’m safe. Then I’ll drop off the fruit and leave before my sister finds out.”

            Shihou didn’t seem convinced but nodded all the same. “One more thing.” He grasped your hand and held it out before you. Plucking a hair from his head, he quickly tied it around your wrist like a bracelet. It was thin, nearly invisible; only seen when light glinted off its golden-brown sheen.

            You raised a brow at him, biting back a confused smile. “Thank you?”

            “Just a little piece of me to carry with you,” Shihou explained, one hand sliding up to brush your forearm. “It’ll keep you safe when I’m not around.”

            Shihou had fussed and fretted for days following the wolves’ attack. Personally changing your bandages and checking for infection, he insisting you postpone your village visit until your wounds fully healed. Even after the scratches had faded to barely-there marks, you frequently caught Shihou staring; a haunted, regretful look dulling the brilliant gold.

            A moment passed as he continued to hold your hand, fingers caressing soft and sweet over your skin. It was like when he comforted you after the attack, cuddling you close and lulling you to sleep in his embrace. The memory burned through you and flushed your face with embarrassment.

            You kept reminding yourself it was innocent; just kind reassurance for a friend in need. Shihou was a perfect gentleman the whole time and didn’t impose you in the following evenings. Part of you wanted to invited him back, knowing he would accept in a heartbeat. The other part held yourself in check, wanting to sort through your flurry of feelings first.

            Shihou’s voice broke through your yearnful thoughts. “Are you ready?” You met his curious gaze only to quickly look away, blushing bright red when you saw him smirk out of the corner of your eye.

            “Yep!” you squeaked out, hiding your burning face with a nod.

            “What time will you be back?” he asked, giving your cloak a final adjustment. It sounded casual but there was a subtle reminder hidden in his question.

            “I need to return by sundown.” You glanced at the sky, calculating the journey to and from your village against the daylight left. “But it shouldn’t take that long.”

            Shihou smiled, all soft fur and gilded eyes that set your heart aflutter. “Alright. I’ll be waiting right here.” He backed away, fingers reluctant to release their gentle touch. “See you soon.”

            With a final, bashful nod, you turned away and marched over the boundary of the demon mountain.

            The shift from pleasant summer to icy winter left you dizzy and shivering. White puffs poured from your mouth with every breath. Your fingers, toes, and nose started to go numb, nipped by the chilling wind. Tugging your cloak closer, you set a brisk pace towards the village.

            You don’t know how long it took but you were exhausted when you finally arrived. The basket seemed to get heavier with every step, throwing you off balanced as you hurried between the buildings. As much as you wanted to visit home, the threat of your sister was still too real to tempt. Instead, you took the longer route through the village, sticking to secluded paths and empty alleys. Soon, you arrived at the elder’s door, knocking with a weary, shivering hand.

            Elder Gran was one of the most respected members of the village for both her wisdom and compassion. Many times, she had brought issues and grievances to your father on the villagers’ behalf. When your sister took over as the new overseeing noble, the elder had been less than impressed, criticizing her decisions without fear of retaliation. If there was anyone you could still trust in the village, it was Elder Gran.

            She looked quite surprised to find you on her doorstep, dressed in strange clothes and carrying a wicker pack. “You’ve returned! Everyone thought you dead! Quick, come inside out of the cold!”

            You were ushered in and bundled by the fire, your basket removed and set aside. A blanket was thrown over your shoulders and a warm drink pressed into your hands as Elder Gran tutted and chastised your frozen state. Finally, she sat as well and pinned you with a hard stare. “How did you survive the mountain, child?”

            And so, you told her everything. Getting lost immediately after your banishment. Meeting a strange monkey named Shihou. Discovering the source of your rash was poison ivy. Being cured and offered a safe place to stay. Hearing the Monkey King himself had invited you as his guest raised the elder’s brows to her hairline but she said nothing, only nodding along with your story. Finally, you opened the basket and showed Elder Gran the fruits inside.

            “Sun Wukong said I could bring these for the villagers. I trust you to give them to those in need.”

            “It’s been many years since the Monkey King allowed the fruits of the mountain to be shared,” Elder Gran pondered, eyeing the food suspiciously. “What does he expect in return?”

            “He asked for nothing,” you said, latching the lid close. “He also said if the village needed anything else, he would do what he could to help.”

            The elder shook her head in disbelief. “That’s quite generous of him. The village has struggled under your sister’s rule but it’s nothing we can’t handle. If things become dire, I shall keep the Monkey King’s offer in mind.”

            “Thank you.” You stood, handing back the blanket and empty mug with a grateful smile. “Now I must go before my sister discovers me and does something extreme.”

            “You don’t plan to stay in the village?” the elder gasped, clutching your robe as you turned to leave.

            “No, I promised to return to the mountain,” you explained, patting her hand in comfort. “I hope to visit again soon and bring more food to see you through winter. Until then, take care.”

            Giving Elder Gran a final hug, you slip out the door and out of sight. Immediately, you missed the warmth of the hearth as you traced you way back out of the village. The sun was starting to set when you reached the field again, time moving much faster than you had anticipated.

            You raced down the path, wind whipping your face and cold burning your lungs. As the light grew dimmer, the green of the forest grew closer. Soon, you could see the invisible border and Shihou waiting just on the other side. In a final burst of speed, you launched yourself over the boundary just as the last rays of the sun dropped over the horizon.

            Shihou caught you in his arms, holding you close as you recovered your breath. Between his warmth and the balmy breeze of the jungle, the chill of the winter you left behind quickly melted away.

            “Made it!” you panted, giving Shihou a triumphant grin. He only shook his head in bemusement, smiling softly to himself.

            “Welcome back. Was the running leap really necessary?” he teased, setting you back on your feet.

            “I promised I’d be back before sundown,” you said, glancing at the evening sky. “I don’t know why but it seemed important.”

            Shihou tilted his head with a smile. “Maybe because you can’t see in the dark?”

            “Oh.” The obvious and mundane answer made you blush. “I guess that makes sense,” you muttered.

            “Lucky for you, I can see just fine.” Shihou grabbed your hand, gold eyes glowing in the growing darkness. “Just stay by my side.”

            Feeling bold, you laced your fingers with his, the burn of your blush reaching all the way down to your toes. You couldn’t see Shihou’s face but felt him startle at the touch. After a moment he relaxed, pulling you closer by your clasped hands as he led the way through the night.

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I almost made this two small chapters but figured one big one would be better. Enjoy some village lore and more Shihou feelings.

Thank you for reading! Happy New Year!