#OC: Linwood

[pigeon-wizard]

i have found the only way to get good at drawing them is just do it A LOT.

idk how the hell i'm going to do VN sprites for these guys at some point (꩜ ᯅ ꩜; ) 

[fishiiwasdrawing]

"..., and then, a new chapter begins."

Half lore half other stuff

[loganwritesprobably]

Day 10 - First Kiss

Mila belongs to @bloglophop, Grave belongs to @imveryyellow, Cornelia belongs to @frillsinadress, Iskra belongs to @skullfacedlady, Teume belongs to @discordantwritings and Marsh is mine

Tags/Warnings: Mila/Law, Mila/Marsh, Mila/Grave, Mila/Cornelia, Mila/Iskra, Mila/ Teume, kissing booth, this is just a little silly, first kisses, french kissing, height difference, teasing, praise, pet names, mild mature content Word Count: 2113

Mila had agreed to this only because her brothers had asked so nicely. They’d heard stories of how well loved MIla was across the Grand Line and through the blues, and had suggested a little game to earn some extra cash.

Pay for a kiss from Mila, just a couple of berri per kiss.

It was genius, if you asked Alfons, and was sure to make them a quick buck. So, advertisements were made and sent out across the globe, two weeks ahead of the event to give people time to travel - and travel they did. He stood in front of the booth, looking around the various people gathered just for his sister. A pang of something he didn’t recognise resonated in his chest, but he pushed that down. This was good for them, and he didn’t care how Mila felt about it. He didn’t.

With a den den in hand, Alfons announced the opening of the booth, with several of his brothers working to keep the line in order, collecting payments and handing out numbered tickets for the order of the kisses.

Mila sat in her little chair, shuffling nervously. She was antsy, interested to see who would come to an event like this - it was just her, after all, there was nothing special about it. Just a few kisses. Then the people started coming, and they seemed to keep coming. So many people that she’d delivered to over the years of her being a mail carrier, all here just for a kiss. She was a little blown away.

An hour in, she saw a face that she recognised far more clearly than the others. Marsh Linwood. He was a dear friend of hers, a safe place for her to go on her travels for some rest, or a clean change of clothes.

“Marsh.” Mila said softly, making her friend smile.

“Hey kit. Had to come check this out when I got the ad from the news coo. Looks like you’re making a pretty penny.” He said, taking a seat in the stool opposite the smaller woman, hands resting loosely in his lap.

“Guess so.” Mila said, still trying to force her brain to catch up with the fact that Marsh wanted to kiss her. Marsh.

“Well.. I believe I paid for a kiss.” Marsh prompted, reaching over the booth between them to take Mila’s hand in his own, rubbing the pad of his thumb gently into her palm to keep her calm and hopefully help her relax. Mila didn’t have any words to respond, rather just nodding her head. Marsh chuckled and shifted his chair to be closer to her rather than on the other side of the cute pink booth, his knee slotting between hers.

“Is this okay?” He asked softly, voice just a whisper, his breath ghosting over Mila’s lips.

“Yes.” She replied, barely audible, yet her words were sure. Marsh closed the limited remaining distance between them and gently pressed his lips to Mila’s.

The first kiss was short and sweet, their lips only softly brushing each others, and there was a brief moment after where both considered the repercussions of moving in again. Then both discarded them. Marsh leaned in first but Mila moved faster, lips moving eagerly against each other, and soon Marsh’s tongue was in her mouth, hands moving over her body not so innocently. They parted again, softly panting, and Marsh smirking.

“I’d say that was worth my berri.” He joked, and a little disbelieving giggle worked it’s way out of Mila’s mouth. “Good.”

Alfons was rushing Marsh away after another moment, and the look Marsh gave the man was a promise of something to come, though none of the three of them knew exactly what.

A few more people passed through before Mila saw another friend. He hardly fit into the tent, comically bent down so that he wouldn’t ruin the decor or manage to rip a hole in the canvas. The chair was far too small for him, so instead he knelt down in front of Mila.

“Grave.” She said with a smile, still made nervous by him after all this time, but it was getting easier slowly. He didn’t say much, just regarded her for a moment.

“Did you agree to this?” He asked, which caught Mila quite off guard. “Oh! Yes. Alfons thought it was a good way to make some money for the family, so I agreed.” She explained, and Grave looked as if he wasn’t sure about her answer, but made no further comment. “They’re not charging as much as they should be.” He said instead, and Mila just shrugged. She didn’t really know what the value of a kiss was, just trusted her brothers to know what people would be willing to spend.

“You want a kiss?” Mila asked, to keep the interaction moving rather than him getting moved along before he gets what he came for.

“Uhm-” Grave coughed to clear his throat, then nodded rather than trying to speak. Mila smiled and giggled, leaning forward so far in her chair that she almost fell out of it, then one of Grave’s large hands reached out to steady her, and their lips gently brushed.

Grave flushed darkly, then pulled away, though Mila could see his embarrassment for what it was. “I’m going to leave now.” He said, awkwardly shuffling to his bent standing position. “Okay. I hope I see you soon, Grave.” The man grunted and didn’t reply, heading for the exit. Mila hoped that he enjoyed their kiss, even if it didn’t last for very long.

After Grave, came another incredibly familiar face. “Vice Admiral Iskra.” Mila greeted, slightly nervous to have her so close by when her brothers were just outside, and definitely vulnerable to someone as strong as her.

“Relax, little one. I’m here for what I paid for, I’ll leave your precious brothers alone this time.” The marine said, stalking across the room to gracefully lower herself into the chair provided, looking intently at Mila. Under her intense gaze, Mila withered slightly, fidgeting in her chair once again. Something about the Vice Admiral’s eyes made her feel unsettled.

“Well, you’re in the right place then.” Mila murmured, feeling stupid for what she’d said the second the words left her lips - of course she was, that was the entire point of the whole booth. 

“I’d certainly hope so.” Iskra licked her lips slowly, edging closer and closer to Mila with a predatory smile. For a moment, Mila was sure the Vice Admiral would just devour her whole. The brush of lips was not gentle as it had largely been before. Iskra dominated the kiss wholly, leaving no room for Mila to move or take control. Long fingers wrapped around Mila’s upper arm and rested on her thigh, taking and taking until Mila was sure she was blue in the face from lack of air.

Iskra separated from Mila with a smirk. She wiped some rogue lipstick from Mila’s lips then gave her a wink. She moved like she was a liquid, all her movements infinitely more fluid than Mila could comprehend, and then the Vice Admiral was gone, leaving Mila to her next paying customer.

A dozen more people passed by, all getting soft kisses from their favourite mail hare, and her brothers were celebrating the large bag of berri they’d manage to collect from the losers. One of two brothers hesitated, glancing at the flap that led to her, and wondered whether this was wrong. But they were pirates, weren’t they? Surely wrong is what they do. Yet, the weird feeling persisted.

Mila’s next familiar visitor was a certain fishman, who could only grin as he entered the tent, one hand tucked into the pocket of his trousers while the other rested loosely by his side. Just his being there made Mila flush, his cheeky smile sending a rush through her. He had always been just so damn charming, and she couldn’t help being just a little taken with him. Though, like with most people that had passed through, her desire to keep relationships professional had denied her until now.

“Well little bunny, looks like you’ve gotten yourself into quite the situation.” Teume commented, quickly closing the space between himself and Mila. He dropped himself into the chair set for him, but turned it so he could lean against the back of it rather than sitting as he should in it. It made Mila giggle softly, she just couldn’t help it. “Something like that.” She replied with a nod and a small shrug, it was so easy to lose her words in front of him. “I hate to think something so terrible, but really I just couldn’t help taking advantage of it. I couldn’t just ignore the little flyer we got, I just had to know what my favourite bunny tastes like.” He said, voice softer, smirk almost predatory, and Mila would be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy it.

The day was slowly coming to a close and the amount of noise heard from outside Mila’s little tent was gradually decreasing, signalling the reduction of people waiting to feel the press of her lips. But, still there was noise outside, and so there was more to come.

A woman entered the tent next, and once she turned to face Mila she recognised Dragon’s personal assistant Cornelia. They’d become good friends over their limited interactions, and the thought that Cornelia would want to kiss Mila, not just Sabo? It made her little rabbit tail flick excitedly. Cornelia was just so pretty!

“Hey Mila - who got you doing this?” Cornelia asked casually, settling herself in the chair given for visitors. “My brothers, mostly Alfons and Felix.” She admitted freely, giving a small shy smile. There was no doubt that Mila hadn’t needed much convincing.

“Well, I’m glad. Sabo wanted to come too, but couldn’t manage,” she replied, and Mila nodded along to show that she was listening intently, “so I guess I’ll have to get my kiss, and his too, and I’ll give it to him next time I see him.” Mila’s eyes widened a fraction but she nodded eagerly. Who could say no to two kisses from Cornelia?

In the next moment, their lips were pressed together in a soft kiss. Nervous, hesitant, every marker for a first kiss between two people. It was sweet and gentle, everything you might want. They didn’t kiss for long, parting quite quickly, both flushing a light pink colour. “That was from me.” She said softly, the confidence she’d seemed to have on entering having dissolved away. Then, however, their lips met again in a more eager kiss, hands remaining placed respectfully on each other’s bodies, on arms and hips rather than breasts or upper thighs. Their lips danced together for a long moment, before they pulled apart for air. “That was from Sabo. I know from experience that he’s quite the gentleman when he wants to be. Not that you’d know that from the outside.” She added. They lingered for a moment longer, smiling and blushing, before Cornelia gave a quick and awkward wave and dashed away.

Finally, the voices had almost died out completely. One of the voices she could hear was clearly her brother’s, and he briefly stuck his head between the tent flaps to speak to Mila. “Last one. You’ve gotten through a damn good number of people today - just another day of it to go.” She nodded, hoping that tomorrow would be just as good as today had been. Everyone has been surprisingly respectful, and she’d been pleasantly surprised.

The final person to enter the tent was none other than Trafalgar Law.

“Hey Cottontail.” He said, his smile feeling something like home. Law and Mila were so far from strangers, legions from it, so much shared history between them and a deep set understanding. If soulmates were real, Mila was sure that Law was hers. “Hello Doctor.” Mila replied with a little giggle, gesturing to the seat in front of her. Law slinked over and lowered himself into it, sitting there with a comfort that said he’d been here a hundred times before, though it was his first time.

“I heard people were coming here for their first kisses.” He said, and Mila raised an eyebrow, unsure where Law was taking this.

“Sure have been. But this is far from our first kiss.” She said, smiling despite her confusion.

“It’s our first today.” He replied as he closed the distance between them, and then for the final time today Mila’s lips touched another’s, and this one just felt so right.

[luckyloops]

My friend @loganwritesprobably ‘s oc Marsh for an art trade! I love this gentleman.

[bloglophop]

“Could’ve, should’ve.”

@loganwritesprobably and I were discussing angst.

So I wrote angst.

Content between my OC Mila and Logan’s OC Marsh.

ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🪴🐇་༘࿐

Content: Protectiveness, drinking, angst, kidnapping, implied violence

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅

The knife of panic that had speared right through Marsh’s gut only continued to twist deeper as the evening wore on.

He was sick, he was raging, both at himself and at the world.

How did this happen?

How did he let this happen?

The events of the day replayed through a dizzying and blurry lens in his mind.

Marsh had known the place was a bit…dodgy. An underground market he had wanted to investigate for any leads on unknown devil fruit powers that he could add to his growing research.

He hadn’t expected- could have never even begun to anticipate this.

Marsh sat at his desk with his head buried in his hands. The crew had tried to be there with him, but he had demanded complete isolation with his dead eyed and determined look, so they simply waited around the ship until they could be of use, desperate to ease their crew mate’s suffering.

A glass of something strong- a potent, foul smelling scotch was lifted in a trembling hand to Marsh’s lips as he thought and thought and kicked himself at every made up, idealised opportunity to have done something differently.

He had just wanted to do something nice with Mila. Something not work related. Or rather, an opportunity to show her something to do with his work for once, beyond the occasional times he would interview and grill her for details about her devil fruit for hours on end.

Marsh wasn’t exactly sure when he had first realised something was wrong, but since then things had just gotten progressively worse.

He never should have taken Mila to a place he didn’t know very well.

He never should have let her let go of his hand.

He never should have let her look around unaccompanied.

Could’ve, should’ve, would’ve.

Because Marsh forgets, sometimes- he forgets who Mila is to the world. She’s too involved in politics to go unnoticed anymore, even delivering for admirals on occasion, but to Marsh?

He wants his kit to feel unburdened. Wants Mila to not have to think about all that when he spends time with her.

Today Marsh slipped up and wasn’t thinking of it, either.

She’s his girl to protect- even more so since she met Law.

Law.

What the hell was Marsh supposed to tell him? Everything he thought of sounded thick and inadequate. The words of a failure.

The desperate excuses of a scared little boy.

That knifepoint terror wormed in just a little deeper to his gut.

Back at the market, Marsh had heard Mila crying out.

He’d know her distress anywhere, but the crowd had been too thick, and he’d come hurtling into the secluded alleyway just in time to be too late.

Her hat with an ink blotted note was all that remained. Someone had seen her with him. Someone had planted this for Marsh to find.

A violence not senseless, but sensible. As sensible as invoking Marsh Linwood’s rage could be, anyway.

Marsh now turned that note over and over in his hands. It had given a time and a number. Cheap, nasty ransom tactics, making you call. Making you submit yourself to them.

He already knew the number by heart.

He was just waiting for the time.

~

Four, five, six- on the seventh ring, the transponder snail finally went through.

Marsh was silent, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, folding his hands together and resting his chin on them. He steadied his nerves as he steadied his voice.

“This is Linwood.” Marsh stated flatly.

“You the one with Cottontail earlier?”

A woman’s voice, with a stuffy nasal accent that Marsh couldn’t quite place.

“Correct.” Marsh could hear his pulse in his ears. It was a fight to not start raising his voice, to start screaming down the line, demanding Mila’s whereabouts and insisting on her kidnappers slow and gruesome deaths.

“Cool. Want her back?”

The flippancy with which the woman was talking was fucking infuriating.

“Obviously.” Marsh spoke through a clenched jaw.

“Great. Works for us. What else, what else…” the voice trailed off, murmuring. “Oh yeah, assurance.”

There was a scuffling sound, some rustling and some noises that Marsh couldn’t quite place, until there was one noise that he would know anywhere, and it made his blood turn to ice in his veins.

It was Mila’s crying.

“Go on. Say something.”

Marsh heard the woman’s quiet urging in the background.

“Go on, he needs an incentive to come get you. Go on.”

Marsh was just about to interject, Mila finally, mercifully said something.

“Marsh…?” She croaked, voice strained with tension and exhaustion.

Every hair on Marsh’s body stood upright.

“Kit? It’s me-“ His fists clenched in his lap.

“Marsh-!” Came the small wail from Mila’s end of the transponder snail.

“Don’t be scared.” Marsh knew he didn’t have much time, he wanted to reassure her, wanted to be there, wanted to stain his hands with the blood of absolutely everyone involved in this. “I’m coming to get you, alright, I-“

“Marsh,” Came Mila’s voice again, plaintive and thick with tears, delivering the next sentence that would send Marsh’s adrenaline pounding through the roof.

“They’re hurting me.”

[furashuban]

Coast

Somfthearted 'father figure getting along with his sort-of-daughter' story for the soul <3

Words: 1.6k

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60730333

Summary: During a warm, sunny day out in the coast, Frankie goes fishing with Zachariah by her side.

The coast was one of Frances Schwinn’s favorite places to be in. It did not matter if you were on that side of the county or the other side—you were still at the same coast for as long as there was water and a shore to relax on. It was quiet, with only the rustling of tall trees and shrubs to break the silence; such a sound made her feel free, like running around and twirling in the air so much that her hair became frizzy, which she certainly did with a smile on her face the moment she arrived at the coast. The sun was bright and warm with little clouds in the way of it, and the water was bluer than any other blue the girl had ever seen. Even the shore was perfect; not made of pebbles or sand like most other shores in the county, but it was grassy and fenced by habitual patches of Purple needlegrass further inland.

She did not come to the coast alone, for it was Zachariah’s idea to spend the day out. He did not have to work at his step-father Jeb’s ranch on Saturdays nor did any kids have to go to school. His partner, Svetlana, and her two sons had plans beforehand to see relatives from abroad who were visiting a few counties away from theirs. That left the former cavalryman to have a go at looking after his…daughter-but-not-really? Practically everyone in the whole county including himself took turns taking care of her, however long they could until the next person offered, and Zachariah did not always know how to perceive her as or who she saw him as. He just knew the girl did not have a father to call her own, and he promised Carole Paxson that he would do everything to make her feel comfortable enough to see him as one.

“Frankie?! Where ya at, kiddo?!” Zachariah called aloud, having lost sight of her moments ago.

“I’m right here!” the little girl answered immediately. Zachariah followed her voice towards the shore, trekking through the needlegrass grazing his boots and denim jacket. He found Frankie sitting by the sea wearing a straw sunhat and sitting with her legs crossed as she held a branch over the water.

“Wat’cha doin’ there now?” Zachariah asked, taking a seat beside her. He noticed that Frankie had taken off the laces from her shoes, having tied them to the end of the branch she was holding and dangled it into the water.

“Fishing,” Frankie told sprightly, tugging on her makeshift rod and causing the water to ripple. “I haven’t caught anything yet though.”

“Well, you can’t catch nothin’ without any bait tied to your rod,” Zachariah explained.

“Oh,” Frankie pulled the fishing rod string back to her hand, showing that she indeed never tied any bait at the end of it.

“Tell ya what, we gotta go find you some.” Zachariah proposed, “I can dig up some dirt and pick a fistful of worms for you to use.”

“Eww, no thanks!” Frankie squirmed and recoiled, she and Zachariah sharing a quick laugh. “I wanna use not-alive bait, I know those are a thing.” She looked around to see if there was anything she could forage to make good fish bait out of. “Hmmm…Oh yeah!” the 10-year-old shoved her hands inside the pockets of her jeans before pulling out a pinecone. “I picked it up a while ago, this is perfect bait,” she remarked as she began tying it to her string. Then, she heaved her rod back and flung her arms forward, the pinecone causing a splash on the water.

“There ya go,” Zachariah applauded, “now you’ll have fish in no time,” he glanced to see the girl beaming enthusiastically.

“Where’s Maddie and aunt Sophie by the way?” Frankie asked, “I don’t want them to miss when I catch my fish.” Zachariah knew just how close she was to the Hewitt family, who took her in more than any other family in the county with the exception of Carole, and because Sophie and Zachariah himself go way back and that the latter was Maddie’s godfather, it only seemed fair that they too would be invited to spend a day at the coast with Frankie.

“Oh yeah, Sopes gave me a call before ya ran off,” Zachariah said, “they’re just buying some snacks but they’ll be here pretty soon,” the bearded man looked around for a spare branch, which to his luck had found one lying at the edge of the water and caught it before it could be swept away by the little waves. “In the meantime,” he freed the laces of his boots to tie around the tip of his newfound branch. “I’ll fish with ya, kiddo.”

Soon, Frankie let out a little gasp, as if an imaginary lightbulb suddenly flicked on above her head. “Let’s have a fish-off,” she smirked at the bearded man.

“Hm?”

“I mean, whoever catches a fish first wins, and whoever loses needs to do a cannonball from up that tree,” she pointed towards a tall oak nearby, overlooking the sea.

Zachariah chuckled, “Alright, it’s on, Frances Schwinn,” he accepted the challenge—he knew neither one would catch fish with the kinds of rods they had anyway. To see the girl happy and indulging in play, however, gave the cheeriest feeling in his heart that he could never find the strength to express openly other than through his grin.

“Wait—” Frankie raised her hand up, “you don’t have any bait yet,” she reached for her pocket and pulled out yet another pinecone. “Here you go,” she extended it to the bearded man, who along with his enduring grin was looking at her curiously.

“Just how many pinecones are ya keeping in those pockets, kiddo?” Zachariah asked.

“Only those two,” Frankie shrugged. “I really like collecting pinecones when I’m out. I don’t know what they’re for exactly, but they look really pretty, and I have a collection in every house I live in. The one I have in Carole’s house is the biggest one I have.”

And so, the bearded man and the little girl sat side-by-side in mutual calmness as they let the wind be their only sound. When it seemed like they were waiting too long for a fish to catch their bait, Frankie started humming the tune of a random Fats Waller song to liven the mood.

“You know, this is the kind of thing I’ve seen dads do with their kids, I think.” Frankie expressed out of nowhere. She then turned to Zachariah, who looked subtly taken aback though Frankie did not seem to notice, choosing to carry on with what else was on her mind. “Zachariah, I kind of wanna start calling you ‘paps’ from now on,”

“Paps…?”

“Yeah, you know, like what you call Jeb,” Frankie continued, “I don’t think I will call you paps all the time though, maybe not yet. Just when I’m doing dad-stuff with you, because it feels right to call you my paps sometimes.” She lowered her rod, suddenly and slowly feeling awkward. “You’d be okay with that, right, Zachariah?”

There was a soft sting in the former cavalryman’s heart. For a moment, he turned ahead to face the water, not wanting to let a little girl see a grown man cry if he ever failed to hold a single tear back. She could not have known how Zachariah would take being called anything close to the word “father”, to be acknowledged as one. It had been so long; she could not have known that either. That warm and sunny day at the coast had now felt like the warmest, sunniest day in the history of planet Earth for Zachariah. Frankie was a whole village’s girl, that was how he usually saw things, but she was his girl, too.

“That’s quite alright, kiddo,” Zachariah nodded, letting himself sniffle before bringing back the wide grin under his beard. “In fact, you’re very lucky, ‘cause you have the best paps this county’s ever seen,” he tussled Frankie’s sunhat which frizzled her hair within, and the 10-year-old could not help but affectionately burst in laughter.

Before long, another child’s voice was heard shouting in the distance. “Yoo-hoo! Frankie!? Zachariah!?” Frankie recognized that voice from anywhere, and as she and Zachariah stood up to answer the call over the yonder, they saw a girl Frankie’s age with long blonde hair carrying a box of donuts while a woman in a sundress, also blonde with shorter and wavier hair, trekked behind her as she carried a woven picnic basket on one hand and tried to pull a cooler with the other.

“I see them, Maddie, over there!” the woman told aloud.

The Hewitts had finally arrived, and Frankie waved her hands in the air as she walked towards her best friend and gave her an embrace around her shoulders. She told Maddie about the fish-off she was having with Zachariah, and the blonde became so enthralled at the idea that Zachariah happily gave up his rod to his goddaughter so both girls could fish together this time. The bearded man helped Sophie set up a picnic at the fishing spot by the coast, and from there, Frankie was enjoying the day more than she already had, with Maddie by her side equally anticipating a fish to catch and Sophie helping brush and braid her frizzled hair, and then there was her paps, making her a sandwich with the food the Hewitts had brought.

“Heya Frankie,” he raised up a sandwich he put together, “I think this would make better bait, don’t you think, kiddo?”

[thegonse]

the starcasters 💫

[flippingatable]

ANOTHER OC THESE ARE SO FUN ok her name is Linwood she's mistaken as a guy a lot for it 💀 she's a footman and intelligence officer and has a secret, crass personality 😭 I made her so stinky and yes those are ammo 💀💀

[awepossum]

here, I made these just for you! 💕

[visitor-to-the-villains-world]

Milo Linwood

Grade: Sophomore / Class c (No.7)

Birthday: 10.8

Height: 6'6, 198 cm

Age: 18

Dominant Hand: Right

Homeland: Land of Pyroxene

Club: Spelldrive

Best Subject: Flying

Hobbies: Napping

Pet Peeves: Being woken up

Favorite Food: Chicken

Least Favorite Food: Anything cold

Talent: Spelldrive

Family: Unnamed parents, unnamed older brother, unnamed younger sister

Voiced by: Christian Bale

Milo is one of Leona's best spelldrive players and is actively looking to go pro in the sport. Milo enjoys naps in the sun laying on his favorite people after lunch.

[teabeexo]

Some Recent Sketches

info below the cut!

1ST IMAGE: a beach sketch of my babygirl Sonia!! She’s so doll… augh Sonia Linwood.. (a non-MC OL:NF character)

2ND IMAGE: a sketch of all the Linwood siblings! Left to right, we have Jude, Quincy, Sonia, Raoul, and Beau. It says the order of ages in the image! Finally got a chance to draw out all of their designs together! <3 (all non-MC OL:NF characters)

3ND IMAGE: revisited an old OC of mine named Cwong! Planning to write some more lore for him soon! As of right now, he’s a little bit bare-bones but I’m a big fan of his design ehe… (no current affiliation; just an oc!)

4TH IMAGE: a perspective test with my girlie Tally! I’m thinking that I’ll hopefully make a side character post about her eventually, but nothing is in concrete yet. (yet another non-MC OL:NF character)

5TH IMAGE: Amy and Pheonix cuddling! Pheonix belongs to me, Amy belongs to @humanlypotsand ! They’re pookies gahhh!! (both are non-MC OL:NF characters)

I’m really sorry for the lack of full drawings recently! School and my mental health has been taking priority. I’ll try to get back in the swing of things soon! <3

[pigeon-wizard]

I wanted to try and imagine/make my OC's Linwood and Vamp as humans using this picrew and i love how they turned out they just look so different (that might sound dumb but i mean it, seeing it made me realize it)

[fishiiwasdrawing]

Holy shit IM SORRY I HAVENT POST ANY OF THIS UHHHHHGGGGGGGHHH

Also Im back in my tf2 phase, sort of

[loganwritesprobably]

Marsh: What do you need? Buggy: Just a very small favour, I promise Marsh: The last time you said that, I had to yell at red haired Shanks Buggy, sweating, thinking about Mihawk and Crocodile: This favour is scarier than Shanks..

[treacheryinblue]

Chapter 1/?

× Elysium (noun) : a place or condition of ideal happiness. type of: fictitious place, imaginary place, mythical place.

Word Count: 4.1k

An introduction of sorts.

A Noah Sebastian x OC Series

Masterlist

× Summary: Noah and his new found (sort of) friend, Persephone, battle the trivial ins and outs of being teenagers in a world that doesn't accept you. They survive together all the way into adulthood - with bouts of loneliness included - where the world is still a fickle bitch.

× Warnings!: language, violence, slowburn, friends to lovers to enemies back to friends, rinse and repeat (not even in that order), eventual smut, sexual themes, etc. Each chapter will have its own set of separate warnings.

× Author Notes: ( 1 ) Any time within the story before 2016, Persephone is still a minor, therefor sexual mentions will be kept brief and to a minimum. Nothing crude will be mentioned in a descriptive manner until she is 18+ in the story. ( 2 ) Piggybacking off of that, Noah is only two years older than her. ( 3 ) Since most personal facts about the guys are not widely known, I will be adding my own background info to them, as well as switching up/deleting real life facts we may already be aware of.

× Chapter Warnings!: language, brief sexual themes

SUMMER OF 2014

SUNDAY JUNE 22nd

PERSEPHONE

Summers in Virginia could be brutal, but this one in particular felt especially heinous. The sun was a vile orb that beat down on her skin, leaving it hot to the touch and also faintly shining with perspiration. Typically she loved the sun and the way it would make her feel, but today? Well, not so much. Despite this, she tried her best to ignore her own minuscule issues and instead focus on the words being spoken to not only her, but also the friends she surrounded herself with. They all sat around one of the outside tables at Ruffilo’s, a casual diner-like restaurant they enjoyed frequenting in the afternoons. The food was decent, and it was also one of the only establishments that wouldn't kick out teenagers who lingered too long. 

“Seph? Earth to, Seph! Come in, Seph!”

“Huh?” She was quick to snap out of her little daze, her head turning towards the voice echoing her name. Maisie Linwood, her best friend since first grade, stared back at her with an arched brow and an annoyed expression. One thing to know about Maisie, she could out bitch anyone with just a cut of her eyes. Persephone figured that's probably who she picked up the same habit from years ago. 

“Sorry, it's just really hot out here.” A hand was then shoved into her now empty glass to retrieve a piece of ice, that of which she began to drag along the back of her neck. 

Ahhh, yes, that was nice. 

“Okay, well, I need you to, like, be here with us. We're trying to figure out the details of Mason’s birthday.” 

Mason being Maisie’s twin brother, and this was quite obvious when you were to look at them. Same eyes, same nose, same little beauty mark right off to the side of their cheek. Same godforsaken ‘better than thou’ attitude. And yes, they were fully aware of how horrible being named Maise and Mason was. 

“Oh, right, I won't be able to go. I told you that. My parents are making me go with them to the lake that weekend.” 

The ice continued to drag along her overheated skin, now shifting to the front of her neck and down her chest. Could she at least get a breeze or something? Fuck.

“Or…you can tell them you don't want to and then we can have the party at your place.” Maisie challenged with a smug smirk, as if daring anyone to tell her otherwise. “Your house does have the best pool.” 

There it was. Maisie’s way of getting the things she wanted by catering to people’s egos. She wanted to say that it never worked on her, but then she would be lying. 

“What the fuck are you staring at, freak? Are you seriously checkin’ out my girl?” 

Thankfully, the topic was abruptly changed by Mason’s sudden outburst of anger. By the way, she was dating Mason. Kind of. It wasn't technically official…but whatever. Honestly, she didn't care one way or the other. 

“I…uh…no! I was just-”

Seph squinted from the bright glare of the sun off the side of the restaurant when she turned to see what all the fuss was about. She could make out the tall figure of the guy who had been serving them, a dumbfounded look currently overtaking his narrow features. It seemed as if she wasn't the only one surprised by Mason’s show of aggression. 

“Wait, what's happening?” She sat forward a bit, a hand lifting to shield over her eyes to get a better look at the commotion. Mason was now standing a couple of feet from the guy, obviously ready to go if the moment called for it. Seph could only heavily sigh, eyes rolling at his embarrassing and rather annoying reaction to…whatever had happened. That was something she still hadn't caught. 

“Scrawny little freak here was just staring at you, Seph. Watching you with that fucking ice!”

Ah, so that's what the problem was? Seriously? 

“I was just coming out to get the glass for a refill…” he tried to defend, but there was no knocking any sense into Mason when he got started. Just another trait him and Maisie shared, and one that she truly disliked. 

“Leave him alone, Mason. Can you just let him do his job?” 

Her intrusion of the conversation had given the guy a spare moment to scurry away, jaw clenched and head shaking as he did. She felt bad for him because she knew how aggravating it could be to be on the receiving end of Mason’s teenage rage, even more so when it came to his possessive nature over something that wasn't his. 

“You're really going to defend him, Seph?” 

Mason was now looking at her, hands thrown out to his sides in a stance of disbelief. She merely shrugged, giving him a ‘who cares?’ look before settling back in her seat. It didn't seem as if he was as capable of dropping the topic as she was, so he continued to stand there…just staring in anger. She could almost see the fumes radiating off his head like he was a furious little cartoon character. 

Hilarious. 

With a heavy sigh, Seph snatched her glass from the table and stood up, free hand simultaneously adjusting the hem of her shorts. “I'm going to get my refill and no, I don't need your help.” She spat at Mason, earning a scoff from Maisie and another girl within their friend group. It didn't bother her in the slightest. 

Inside Ruffilo’s was at least twenty degrees cooler, and it felt so nice that she actually sighed in relief. The lack of sun now beating down on her had given her the opportunity to clear the haze from her mind and really take note of the situation. She realized that she recognized the guy as she approached the counter…but from where? With his back to her, Seph began to silently rack her brain. He was talking in hushed tones to another guy that appeared to be about the same age, but shorter and with darker hair. Something was telling her that it was his family who owned the restaurant, though she wasn’t entirely sure as to how she knew that. 

The shorter guy looked at her from over the other guy’s shoulder, quickly nodding in her direction to signal her presence to him. As he turned, she adjusted her attention and their eyes locked with ease. 

“Hey…” she softly spoke, a slight smile pulling at her lips. “I'm sorry about Mason…he can be a real dick sometimes.” 

“Yeah…I kind of gathered that.”

Seph slowly nodded, unsure of what to say now. She tore her gaze from his, allowing it to fall down to the glass she still held. Did she even want a refill? Or had this been some ploy against herself to give the guy an apology? 

The clearing of his throat garnered her attention again, and she looked up just in time to see him motioning towards the glass. “Did you want a refill?” 

Once more nodding, she pulled the straw from the glass before extending it out to him. Her arms crossed over her chest now, the end of the straw being held to her lips for her to absentmindedly chew on as she waited. Seph could feel eyes on her, the weight of them rather obvious. Glancing up, she noticed the other guy eying her, as if trying to size her up. 

Where did she know them from? 

Then, like a light switch being turned on, it finally clicked. 

“Noah,” she pointed the end of her straw to the taller guy, nodding. “We used to go to school together, right?” 

It was all finally starting to come back to her. She knew she had recognized him from somewhere, though putting her finger on it took longer than she would've thought. Seph had left their public high school after freshmen year, her parents instead deciding to enroll her into a new private school that had been built. ‘It’s where all your friends will be going' they tried to explain to her, like she really needed convincing when she knew she didn't have a choice in the matter to begin with. 

“Uh, yeah, I think I was a year ahead of you.”

Noah nodded as he passed her now full glass of water back her way, fresh ice included. He opened his mouth to say something else, but was quickly cut off by the other guy. 

“Two years…we were two years ahead of her.” 

“Dude…” Noah sighed, giving his friend a look that she wasn't quite sure how to explain. 

Persephone softly chuckled, brows raised while looking back and forth between the two guys. As much as she wanted to stand there within the air conditioning, watching the two of them bicker, she knew she couldn't linger for much longer. It was only a matter of time before one of her friends came looking for her and the last thing she wanted was for another scene to break out. 

“Okay, well, I'm going to go and leave you guys to it.” She took a sip from her water, though her smile lingered. “Sorry again about…”

Noah shook his head, waving it off in a nonchalant manner. “Dicks will forever be dicks.” 

“I'll see you around, yeah?” After taking a couple of steps backwards, Seph then turned on her heel to make a beeline for the side door she had previously entered from. 

“I'm Nick, by the way!” 

Another laugh easily flowed from her, a hand lifting to wave back. “Bye, Nick!”

NOAH

“Persephone Hill, Noah? Really?” 

“What?”

“Dude, she's like fucking royalty of Richmond. Her dad is some big real estate guy, owns half the buildings on this street alone.” 

“And?” Noah looked to his best friend after having passed a receipt to another patron of the restaurant and wishing them a good day. “Just because her dad is some big shot, that means I can't talk to her?” 

“No, but it does mean you can't fucking ogle her goodies out in public.” 

He grimaced at Nick’s choice of words but tried his best to laugh it off, head shaking. “I wasn't…doing that!” Noah tossed the balled up unwanted receipt at Nick with enough force that it hit him square in the forehead, but bounced off to roll along the floor. “Who the hell says it like that anyway?”

Okay, maybe he had been doing that. Who could blame him, though? He took in a sharp breath as he tried to think of anything but the way the melted ice had dripped down her neck, getting lost behind her tank top as it slid into her cleavage. Fuck. Noah did a discreet tug of his jeans when the memory caused a stirring within, instead opting to focus on the hot plates of food that were being slid his way for distribution to tables. 

“I'm just saying, okay? My dad had done business with him a couple of years back and said he's a major asshole. Never say I didn't warn you.” 

THURSDAY JUNE 26th

PERSEPHONE 

“You look like you could use a sugar rush.”

A set of long fingers set down a stereotypical milkshake glass in front of her, the contents of it a deep pink color. Her brows furrowed in slight confusion for a split second, before she finally looked up to see Noah standing there. He appeared to be just as tired as she felt, though she decided to not call him out for it. Instead, she offered a slight smile of appreciation. 

“How could you tell?” She joked while ripping the paper from the straw before shoving it into the milkshake. “And how did you know strawberry was my favorite?” 

“Well, you see…” he rubbed at the back of his neck after glancing at where Nick stood behind the counter. “Nick used all the chocolate syrup earlier for some little kids, so I couldn't do chocolate. Vanilla seemed too basic, which left strawberry as the only option. I guess you could say…I just got lucky?” 

Seph gave him a single thumbs up, her mouth now occupied with the sugary treat she was happily sipping. “This might just be the pick-me-up I needed to get through this work, so thanks.” 

“Yeah, I thought it was kind of late for you to be here.” 

“Shit, sorry. Are you guys about to close? I can totally pack things up if so.” She licked over her lips to rid them of any milkshake remnants before she began to reach for her things. Noah held his hands out, motioning for her to stop, chuckling to himself as he did. 

“You're good, you're good. I promise. Still got about an hour.”

That was when Nick came sauntering over, a basket of fries in his hand that he was digging through. He leaned against the side of the booth, bright eyes glancing back and forth between herself and Noah. 

“It typically dies down around eight on weekdays, so there isn't shit to do for a bit.” Nick then nodded towards the math equations she had written out on her notebook, still chomping away at his fries. “Calculus? Wouldn't a library be better for homework?” 

Noah sighed, an elbow angling out just a bit to nudge at his friend. Again the two shared a silent look, almost like they were having a conversation within their minds that she wasn't privy to. 

“You would think, but the private rooms are always booked and most people don't know that you're supposed to be quiet in libraries. Shocking, right?” 

“I bet your house has a grand ol' study area.”

What was Nick getting at? She couldn't really tell if he was genuinely asking or if he was somehow mocking her in his own sly way. Considering Noah's silence, Seph was going to assume it was the latter. 

“Uh…” her hands rubbed along the top of her thighs, eyes glancing along her math work that was all beginning to jumble together. “It's too quiet there…makes it just as hard to focus.”

Also, the change of scenery was nice. She was tired of seeing the same walls everyday in her house, and trying to study at any of her friends’ homes would've been just as impossible.  They would've become too distracted with gossip and mindless chatter. 

“Hey, Nick,” she began as the end of her pencil lightly tapped against her notebook. “Can I get an order of fries too? Thanks.” If he wanted to throw a bit of mockery her way, then she would gladly do the same with her own style of attitude. The bittersweet kind where she was smiling, but her words held a slight hint of venom. Nick paused, his chewing beginning to slow as they merely stared at one another. Without another word, he nodded, and then went off to get her order prepared. 

“He's sensitive, you know,” Noah joked, pointing in the direction his friend had wandered off. 

“Oh, I'm sure he can manage to get what he gives.” 

Persephone adjusted the pencil in her hand, now beginning to continue her work. She didn't know why she was even attempting to because there was no way she’d be able to focus. Her attention span had run out at least an hour ago, and not even a strawberry milkshake could bring it back. As she pretended to work, Noah was doing the same. He began to clean the tables in her surrounding area, his lanky tattooed arms drawing her attention in ways she never thought possible. Seph remained silent, though she found herself watching him. Why? She had no idea. Noah was far from her type, or at least what she assumed her type was, but it wasn't like she was interested to begin with. Maybe he would make a decent friendly acquaintance — someone she could say ‘hi’ to on the street in passing. 

“Did those hurt?” Seph motioned with her pencil to his arm, his tattoos being the topic of her curiosity. 

Noah glanced to the limb, his shoulders shrugging nonchalantly. “Nah, not too bad. Nothing I wouldn't be able to handle again.” 

She slowly nodded, the end of her pencil now tucked between her teeth. She continued to allow her gaze to travel along the designs before taking in a deep breath and lowering her attention back down to her dreaded calculus. Ugh, this was almost like she was torturing herself. 

“Do you have any?”

“Hm?” Seph glanced up through her lashes at him. 

“Tattoos. Do you have any?” 

This inquiry caused her to snort out a laugh, now fully looking across at Noah in disbelief. He must not know anything about her family, and she was actually thankful for this. It was so annoying to have to talk to people who thought they already knew everything about you, when really, they knew nothing. 

“No,” she finally replied, shaking her head. “My parents are very old school. They said that my body is a temple and if I desecrate it in any way then I'm not allowed my trust fund or inheritance.” 

“Well…shit. That's brutal.” 

Persephone shrugged, the notebook before her now being closed since she figured she wasn't going to be getting any more work done. Not that she was complaining. “Yeah, it's a little fucked. I mean, my mom won't even let me have more than two holes in my ears.” 

“Sounds like some high standards to live up to.”

Noah's words caught her a little off guard. Her lips pursed as she carefully slipped her belongings into her bag, situating everything just right so they'd sit correctly. She didn't say anything in regards to the statement, mostly because she wasn't sure how to respond, but also because Nick had dropped the basket of fries in front of her. Persephone flashed him a wide grin, her fingers picking up one of the crispy fries to bite the end off. 

“You're a peach, truly.” 

FRIDAY JULY 4th

NOAH

This was not how he saw the night going. It had been change up after change up, until his plans had been ruined and he was forced to work another shift at Ruffilo’s. He didn't complain, though, at least not to anyone but himself. The last thing he wanted was to seem ungrateful for what Nick’s family had done for him, and what they continued to do everyday. He knew you'd never find another family as giving as Nick’s, so he did all he could to help them out, even if it meant canceling his plans. Nick offered to work with him, but Noah refused. It wasn't going to be busy since they didn't serve alcohol, so with it being Independence Day, the majority of Richmond would be out at the fireworks and then partying with a beer. Just as their forefathers would've wanted. 

And just as he had predicted, it was dead by seven that night. Fireworks started around eight, waiting just long enough for the sky to get mostly dark. Noah could see the flashes of light from over the buildings, which he stood and stared at for much longer than anticipated. There was a pressure building within his chest, though. He could feel his hands becoming clammy and the rapid beating of his heart picking up more and more. He had to force himself to look away from the fireworks and start doing something else — anything to occupy his mind. Ever since the accident, bright lights and loud noises had been a trigger for him. He was working through it with his therapist weekly, but the progression was slow. Much slower than he would've liked. 

Phone in hand, Noah stood in the kitchen of the restaurant, now mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. It helped calm his mind to see senseless things that people posted on their socials, and the things he was interested in, did well as a distraction. There was one distraction in particular he hadn't seen coming, though. Only a day or so previous, Persephone had insisted they follow each other. She had thousands of followers, while he only had a couple hundred, so he figured it was no big deal. Maybe she liked having a huge audience studying and judging her social life. But because of their mutual following, he was now graced with her presence on his Instagram timeline. 

Noah swallowed as he came across the picture. She appeared happy, wearing a wide smile that took up most of her face, clad in the typical red, white, and blue colors for this particular holiday. In her hands, she held sparklers, both of which were situated up towards the sky with the pose she took in front of a pool. Others were seen behind her, one of which he recognized as Mason, the asshole from before. This was when Noah closed out of the app, his phone then being tucked away in his back pocket. 

The next couple of hours went by rather slowly. He had maybe three patrons come in, but none that lingered for longer than necessary. Still, he took his time cleaning up and closing, even opting to tell the cook he could leave and he’d finish up. Nick had called him a couple of times, the voices of their friends obvious in the background, and he of course promised to drop by once he was off. Despite this, he didn't rush. After his near panic attack earlier, Noah just wanted to go home and lay in bed. 

Unfortunately, he would have to wait a bit longer before being able to. 

It was nearly eleven when he heard knocking on the front door of the restaurant. All the lights were off except those over the kitchen, so he had no idea why someone would think they were open. Did that stop him from poking his head out to see who it was? No. And this is why people die in horror movies. He was a walking cliché. 

There was another knock, this one slightly louder than the last. Heavily sighing, Noah took a couple of slow steps towards the kitchen opening that led out into the main area, his upper body leaning over just enough for him to see straight forward. Standing outside was a rather familiar shape, the white dress being the first thing that caught his eye. He remembered it from his Instagram scroll hours prior. 

Seph? 

Noah rushed towards the front and wasted no time in unlocking the door for her, which he then held open. In walked the young blonde, her arms hugging herself. She no longer wore the smile from the picture earlier, but instead her cheeks were stained with glittery tears due to the festive makeup she had applied. 

“Shit, Noah, I'm sorry. I- I didn't know where else to go or who I could talk to and I just- I saw your car and-”

Shaking his head, he placed his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to soothe and calm her ramblings. She tried a deep breath, but the hiccups from her tears prevented her from fully doing so. 

“Hey, no, it's okay. What's wrong? What happened?” 

The fact that Persephone had come to him was shocking, to say the least. Were they friends? He wasn't sure if he would label them as such, but maybe it was different for her. They did have long conversations every time she came to the diner, which just so happened to be picking up in frequency ever since the ice incident. 

“Mason and I…we got into a fight…” she sniffed, further fighting back her tears just so she could properly breathe. 

What was it about this asshole type that girls seemed to flock to? He would never understand it. 

“He, um…he was just really mean, yeah? He blew up at me…caused this huge scene in front of everyone. It was so fucking embarrassing.” 

Noah could tell she was holding something back, but he wasn't going to pry. If Seph didn't want to tell him the full story, then she didn't have to. Either way, he would be there for her as much as she would allow. 

Nodding, his thumbs rubbed slowly along the bare skin of her shoulders that he still grasped. He eventually led her to a booth and brought her a glass of water, giving her as much time as she needed to gather herself. Although he wanted to know what actually happened, he knew this wasn't the time for it. 

“Are you okay?” Noah finally asked after a few minutes. Her tears had ceased, but he noticed how she was still absentmindedly scratching at the side of her thigh. He knew an anxiety tick when he saw one. After all, he had plenty of his own. 

Without answering, Seph finally looked at him. “Would you be able to take me home? Please?”

CHAPTER TWO JUMP

[pastiscatchinguptojeremy]

Young And Beautiful (JerJor Jay Gatsby! x female OC!) 18+

Summary - Jay could never get over Daisy, he tried and tried after the war but to no avail, until he met her, the beautiful, Audrey Linwood. She was a guest at one of his luxurious parties, and they just so happened to run into each other at one of the few parties Gatsby ever attended.

Warnings - nicknames/ pet names, no more that I can think of.

pt.1

——————💚 ——————

1918 (Jay)

The war was finally over, all the fighting and treachery was over at last and everyone could go home to their families and loved ones. But not Jay Gatsby, he had no one to go home to, no family at home for him, but his hopes were that his summer lover, Daisy Fay, was waiting for him at home in Louisville.

As his train reached Louisville, he was smiling to himself, watching as the crowds of people waiting for their brave soldiers to arrived home, stood at the platform, with signs and open arms.

“She’ll be there.. I know she will.” He said to himself in the carriage full of other soldiers. He stood up and took his bag, making his way out of the carriage.

He walked out of the train and looked around the platform, his eyes scanning the crowd, looking for the face of his lover, the light of his life, the apple of his eye, Daisy.

“Ye see yer fam’ly, Captain Gatsby?” One of the other soldiers asked.

“No, not yet, but she’ll be here. I know she will.”

“Well, good luck findin’ ‘er, I’ll see ye around, Captain.”

“I’ll see you around.” Gatsby nodded as the soldier walked away.

The crowd soon got smaller and smaller before it was just Jay standing there. He walked off the platform and into the station, looking at the news-stand and picking up a paper, flicking through the pages and then seeing the wedding notices.

‘Congratulations to the newly wed couple Tom Buchanan and Daisy (formerly Fay) Buchanan.’ Stood out in big, bold letters.

“No, no, this can’t be.” Jay’s heart shattered as he stood there, his dirty uniform clinging to his skin.

3 years later (Audrey)

“Don’t you think it’s a bit, extravagant?” Audrey asked, looking on the mirror at the dress that Jordan had thrown at her from over the dressing screen.

“Not at all, it’s a Gatsby party. In fact, I don’t think it’s extravagant enough…” Jordan smirked and took a drag from her cigarette.

Audrey walked from behind the screen in a beautiful dark green dress. “I never wear gowns like this.”

“You should, it suits you.” Jordan smiled.

“And you’re sure my hair looks alright?”

“Yes, now stop fussing, we have a party to attend.”

*

They eventually got to West Egg and didn’t need directions to Gatsby’s luxurious mansion. Their car arrived outside and bustling crowds of drunken men and women spilled out of the doors, onto the garden and even on the driveway.

“Some people just don’t know how to handle their booze.” Jordan scoffed and took Audrey’s hand, quickly pulling her through the crowds and into the garden. And just like magic, she had a glass of champagne in each hand. “Drink up.” She gave a glass to Audrey.

Audrey took a sip and grimaced at the taste, Jordan just laughed and was soon whisked away into a conversation, leaving her alone. She set her glass on a nearby table and walked through the garden, seeing how neat and well kept it was. Then she reached the rose bushes, they were beautiful roses.

She stood admiring them before being spooked by someone tapping her shoulder. She turned and saw it was a man, a very handsome man, light green eyes, neatly trimmed hair, a smile that could melt butter and a very well tailored suit.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” He apologised, sincerity dripping from his words.

“It’s quite alright, I was in my own world.” She smiled, accepting it.

“That’s the best and worst place to be.”

“I couldn’t have said it better.”

He smiled, a glimmer in his eyes as he looked at her. “I’m Jay, Jay Gatsby.” He said.

“I’m Audrey Linwood.” She smiled and he took her gloved hand and kissed it. “I must say, you throw a very good party.”

“Oh thank you, I don’t often attend my own parties. But now, I’m glad I chose to attend tonight.”

“I am too…” She looked into his eyes, searching for a story. As she looked at him, the orchestra started playing a beautiful slow song.

“May I have this dance?” He extended his hand.

“I would love to.” She took his hand and he walked with her to the dance floor, and they danced in the moonlight. Gatsby span her gently and the bottom of her skirt flared, the jewelled detailing shining as she span.

Once she returned to her original spot, her hand still in Gatsby’s, his hand on her back as they looked into each other’s eyes. Audrey then looked at his lips, he followed suit. She felt herself lean in, her eyes closing slightly as Gatsby leaned in too.

Once their lips touched, fireworks burst in an array of colours behind them, it felt like they were the only two people on the world.

Gatsby pulled back and looked at her, amazed and mesmerised by her. Audrey admired him, holding his hand and looking back into his eyes. “Fireworks, nice touch…” She smiled.

“I like to try.”

She laughed and he smiled, looking at her as if she were the most beautiful thing in the world. The way her hair sat as she threw her head back, the way her eyes glinted and shone from the fireworks. Utter perfection.

Her gloved hand sat in his as he walked her to the garden. He delicately plucked a rose and handed it to her. “For you, beautiful.” He said softly. She held the rose, the stark white colour standing out against her dark green glove.

“Oh, thank you Mr Gatsby.”

“Please, call me Jay.”

“Thank you, Jay.”

The way she said his name made him smile, but then he thought of Daisy again, how she said his name, how she looked at him, how she laughed… she was always in his mind. Audrey couldn’t replace Daisy. No one could, and he was kicking himself, thinking Audrey would never love him if he was still in love with Daisy.

They stood beside each other and suddenly Jordan rushed over to them. “Audrey!” She shouted. “Oh, there you are… I’ve searched high and low for you, we have to go, I have a golf tournament tomorrow and I can’t stay out too late. I’ll be in the car.” Jordan said and Audrey nodded.

“I’m sorry, when Jordan says it’s time to go, it’s time to go.”

“I completely understand, don’t worry.”

“Thank you for a lovely party.”

“Thank you for attending, and making it lovely.”

She smiled and then heard a car horn peep. She looked apologetically at Jay and rushed away.

She sat in the car, staring out the window as it pulled out of Gatsby’s driveway, the rose still in her hand and Jordan sat at the opposite window, smoking out of it. “So, what were you and Gatsby talking about?”

“Not much, but we kissed… oh Jordan, it was extraordinary. Jay is just, amazing.”

Jordan finished her cigarette, throwing it onto the road and then turned to Audrey. “You kissed? You kissed the Jay Gatsby?! Your first party and you’re already wooing the host… there’s hope for you yet Audrey.” Jordan laughed and then Audrey smiled softly, looking at the rose.

“I suppose there is, isn’t there?” She looked at Jordan and then out the window, reliving the whole party.