#RY WAS IT EVER CASUAL

[tb3ih]

liam mairi, my beloved.

[foldingfittedsheets]

One of my earlier jobs in life was at a little pizza place. I worked there when it was first starting up. It’s the only job I’ve ever been fired from.

Anyway! For this story to make sense I’ve first got to set the stage. This pizza place started out as the Wild West of management but one of the original investors was super committed to work programs through the prison. We hired a ton of ex convicts and they were all, to a one, super hyped on Christianity. Like born again for the sole purpose of lauding Christ with their every breath.

I was raised without any religion which I liked very well. Throughout my life people have tried to inform me about their religion and I end up deeply resenting it. I’m good. I’m vibing. I’m staying in my lane. I’ve also had more than enough microaggressions for being queer that I get skittish around people who are especially devout.

I hadn’t been working there long but I’d definitely noticed the Jesus bug had gone around, I tried to steer clear of the topic for my own safety as much as possible.

The day our story takes place, I was folding boxes. Anyone whose ever worked pizza can attest, there’s so much box folding. It’s something that happens at every lull, the pizza machine demands box folding on a grand and epic scale.

On my right folding his stack of boxes was a guy wider than he was tall, made of pure muscle, Corey. He was newer on staff, and due to a stutter he didn’t talk much. All I knew about him was that he got hired through the rehabilitation program and had done time.

On my left folding was a tall middle-aged woman who loved to yell at me, Cindy. She and I rubbed each other the wrong way and had nothing in common, leading to a tense working relationship.

We folded boxes in silence. This was really my best case scenario as a quiet Cindy was a Cindy not riding my ass, and Corey intimidated me.

But the weight of the silence grew too much for Cindy, who finally said, “I really want to go to bible school.”

I folded a box. I had less than no idea what bible school even was and I didn’t want to get sucked into a religious topic.

On my right Corey said, “W-why, Cindy?”

“Well, cause I believe what’s in the Bible, but I just don’t know it all.”

He nodded sagely to this.

Cindy continued, “And every time I sit down to read the Bible I get real sleepy. And I know it’s the devil.”

It’s so hard to convey her tone in written format. It was delivered with the emphasis and exasperation of an inevitable inconvenience. Like, I just know it’s the squirrels eating the bird seed.

I froze in place at this pronouncement. My only exposure to Lucifer was Neil Gaiman’s Sandman comics and I was trying to mentally twist into a frame of mind where The Morningstar cared enough about this one middle aged lady expanding her knowledge of the Bible that he followed her around cursing her with sleepiness when she picked it up.

I think I expected Corey to say, “Well that’s silly,” or something to acknowledge what a bizarre thing Cindy had just said.

Instead he said, “Yeah!” In a tone of complete agreement.

I didn’t look up. I tried to keep my face neutral at this development.

But something must have shown. Corey said, “You don’t believe in God?”

I shrugged casually and said, “If I did I wouldn’t talk about it at work.”

“C-cause it’s t-true. If y-you t-ry to r-read the B-bible on unsanctif-fied gr-round the d-devil m-makes you s-sleepy!”

I made a noncommittal sound and fled into the back room.

Over the next week it drove me crazy though. The logic of it wouldn’t leave me alone so finally one day when it was just Corey and I in front, and the restaurant was empty, I said, “Hey man, I have a question.”

He shrugged and listened.

“I really don’t mean this with any disrespect, I just genuinely want to know about the logistics-“

“J-ust ask.”

“Okay, so if Cindy gets tired when she reads any book, is it only the devil making her tired when it’s the Bible?”

His face went purple with fury and he yelled, “F-fuck you!” at my retreating back as I fled once more into the back room.

It will forever remain a mystery.

[devotion-disorder]

UR ART IS SO PRETTY 😍😍🙏🙏 lT MAKES ME WANNA GOBBLE IT UP

Have any tips? I've been tryna get into drawing but i'm rlly strugglimg 😭

First off THANMKYOU FOR YOUR NICE WORDS....🥺🫶🫶

i'm gonna assume you're asking about advice for people that are just getting started with drawing! Now im not a ~seasoned~ artist or anything, i've only been drawing on-and-off for about 7 ish years? so this is all coming from someone who only approaches art as more of a casual hobby... also if you're asking about more technical/ practical advice then feel free to send another ask because I don't really go into that here lol :p

Honestly, i recall that being a beginner artist was tough, because the gap in my skill level and my expectations seemed so daunting. The hardest part was probably having to motivate myself to keep going even when it's hard to see actual progress and, again, the disappointment in "what I draw does not match what I envision in my head". It's hard and sometimes I question what am I even doing all this for. As of right now I can say that this feeling doesn't ever really go away, just that now I've managed to build a bit more confidence in my stuff.

So how I see it is that it's important to find a way to keep yourself motivated no matter what, so that you have it in you to keep practicing, improving, or at least, to just keep drawing. This is something that is gonna look different for everyone so I think it'd be a good idea to explore yourself what can keep you motivated. I was very lucky in that the people around me were also into drawing and were always really nice and supportive, so they played a huge role in building up my confidence - such that I wasn't afraid to experiment and take risks, which is necessary for learning and getting better.

Another major thing for me is to remember to have fun with art, and understand that as long as I managed to enjoy some parts of the process then I've "succeeded" so to speak, even if I don't like the end results. This still applies now...it's frustrating when something I spent time on doesn't turn out the way I wanted, but at least rendering it was fun and relaxing, so it was still a good use of my time. Its about striking a balance i guess; its important to practice and do fundamentals etc etc but imo its equally important to draw things that will make you want to keep drawing. for some this could be doing fanart, for others it could be original art. Social media and fandom-ry is a whole 'nother can of worms, but I will say that they were helpful to me in keeping me motivated and inspired. so basically its this *taps sign*

anyhow i hope that was helpful,,,,, i hope I didn't come off as preachy because im the last person with any authority to be telling other people about art so it was mostly just my own experience with art...but i think its really just about finding your own rhythm and if you keep at it you will get better...either way GOOD LUCK I BELIVBE IN YOU AND I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN🫶🫶🫶🫶

[1-800-crscnt]

-small corrie hcs, more under cut-

-developed a tendency to use a lot of filler words when talking casually, way more than any other group of clones. Lots of "like/so/okay/umm/yknow/uhh" that they don't notice they're saying. also uses more slang that isn't related to the military that gets spread throughout the GAR sometimes.

-most tattoos they get are in less visible spots, but are actually colorful/detailed. some exceptions to this, but depends on rank/skills/duties (i.e., Stone: highly skilled + command class + usually off-world anyway = can risk the tattoo). like to show them off to non-Guard clones a lot, and are more likely to get names tattooed on them.

-work out more often due to less active lifestyles, but some work out way more than needed because they like it (e.g., Fox & Thorn), while some find they enjoy not working out any more than the bare minimum required (e.g., Thire & Rys) and taking it kinda easy.

-though rare and against the rules, will hitch a ride with another battalion if off-world for whatever reason and said battalion is heading back to Coruscant on the way. Stone and his squads have done this four times ever, and in an AU where Thorn doesn't die, he contacts a passing ship after a few weeks and manages to get them to drop him off back on Coruscant. Will be teased and called "stray animals" by other corries for several days afterwards.

-parkour masters to a ridiculous degree, even though some don't actually enjoy it. there are even a few videos on the holonet of Guardsmen running around doing incredible stunts out of boredom, but that's only because the Guardsmen didn't manage to take the videos down (yet). Ties into a smaller hc I have where Hound (force-sensitive ARF Scout) and Ahsoka (padawan with a ton of energy) like to race each other and jump off of buildings they shouldn't survive a fall from.

-find themselves trying to be "perfect" to make clones as a whole look good and to better their treatment on and off-world, but methods differ. some believe being "authentic" and allowing themselves to have fun is the way to go, and some believe being "obedient" is the right way to ensure good treatment from every side, some believe there's no point, some are mixed, you get the idea.

[acute-crashout-jeyuso]

Ry’s Requests!

Prompt: I feel like this is definitely a strange combination but can I request Roman x Damian? Idk something about those two together intrigue me😭

Requested by: @tommykinardismyautisticbbg

Roman/Damian - Lion’s Kiss

Roman Reigns had been pushed before—tested by challengers, rivals, even family. But nobody got under his skin the way Damian Priest did. There was something about Damian’s cocky smirk, the confident way he strode through Roman’s territory like he owned it, that made Roman’s blood boil.

They were never just rivals. They were enemies.

Roman glared from across the locker room, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Damian noticed immediately, tilting his head with a smug smile.

"Something bothering you my Tribal Chief?" Damian drawled, his voice dripping with mockery.

Roman’s jaw clenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek as he stepped closer, unwilling to show weakness. "Just wondering when you're gonna quit running your mouth and step up, Priest."

Damian chuckled darkly, closing the distance between them with casual arrogance. "Careful, Roman. Keep provoking me, and you might regret it."

"Try me," Roman challenged, stepping into Damian’s space, their chests nearly touching. His breath was warm against Damian’s face. "I dare you."

Something shifted in the atmosphere. Something neither of these men ever stepped in before. It was like visiting those cursed islands, the ones where you visit and don’t come back. Damian’s smirk faded into a fierce glare, his breathing rougher. "You really wanna do this, Reigns?"

Roman leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Been wanting this for a long time, Priest."

Before Damian could respond, Roman fucking did it, he stepped into that territory by capturing Damian’s lips in a demanding, searing kiss. Damian stiffened, startled at first—but within seconds he was responding, fiercely gripping Roman’s shirt, pulling him closer.

The kiss was harsh, combative, full of months of pent-up frustration and hidden desire. Damian growled, biting Roman’s lower lip gently, and Roman responded by gripping the back of Damian’s neck, controlling the pace.

When they finally broke apart, both were breathing heavily, eyes darkened with lust.

"Thought you hated me," Damian panted, a challenge lingering in his eyes.

"Maybe I do," Roman growled softly, brushing his thumb along Damian’s jaw. "But you piss me off in a way that makes me want you even more."

Damian’s eyes flashed mischievously. "Well, you sure took your time."

Roman smirked, pulling Damian close once more, lips hovering mere inches apart. "Had to make sure you were worth it."

Damian laughed, pressing their foreheads together. "And?"

Roman's dropped an octave. "Definitely worth it."

With that, Roman kissed him again, slower this time, deeper, softer, asserting dominance while giving Damian the chance to challenge him.

Damian didn’t challenge him, not this time. Instead, he surrendered willingly, matching Roman’s passion until their rivalry dissolved entirely, leaving only heat, desire, and something new neither expected but both craved desperately.

[tessa-liam]

Smoke & Mirrors Series

Smoke & Mirrors -13

'A Queen’s Trial'

Book: The Royal Romance Finale, AU

Series Premise: Hidden in the shadows, poised to challenge the status quo are enemies of the state. The loyalties and honesty of family and friends will be tested. ‘Keep your friends close, your enemies closer’.

Smoke and Mirrors Masterlist

Main Pairing: Liam Rys x F!MC Riley Brooks-Rys, OTP ‘LiRi’

2nd Pairings: Leo Rys x Amalas, Drake Walker x F! OC Delaney Leigh, Olivia Nevrakis x M! OC Alex Cossoy

*Most characters belong to Pixelberry Studios

*Not Beta’d, please excuse all errors

*Rating: M🔞*Series Warnings: NSFW material, sexual innuendo, adult language/swearing/drinking/gun violence. Not recommended for anyone under 18 years of age.

*Category: Alternate Universe/on-going series/angst/fluff

Words: ~1500

Chapter summary: It’s the night of the Harvest Ball at the Applewood estate. Cordonian nobility, along with the elite from neighboring kingdoms, attend to celebrate the season's bounty. Hidden in plain sight, are enemies of the state. In attendance are members of the Via Imperii - a secret society of powerful people based in Europe.

A/N: My submission for the Choices April Challenge 2025, prompt, “I’m not who I used to be.” @choicesapril2025 @liaromancewriter

🍎The lavish grandeur of the Applewood Estate ballroom shimmered beneath a cascade of glittering chandeliers, their crystal facets scattering golden light like stardust across the polished marble floor. Noblemen and women, adorned in opulent gowns and distinguished tailoring, glided through the ballroom with effortless grace. Laughter mingled with the soft strains of the orchestra as the Harvest Ball began—a cherished annual tradition meant to honor the year’s abundance and reaffirm delicate political alliances.

King Liam Rys of Cordonia positioned casually on a velvet-cushioned barstool, flanked by his older brother, Prince Leo, and his ever-loyal confidant, Sir Drake Walker. The three men shared a casual moment of levity along with their personal lubation of choice amidst the stately atmosphere. Around them, the room swelled with nobles in glittering attire, each one more dazzling than the next while other guests began to relax at the bar.

Riley stood near the edge of the crowd, her heart fluttering with unease. The sparkle of the celebration couldn't mask the anxious knot twisting in her stomach. She didn’t understand why, but she felt an urgent pull toward Liam—her anchor in a whirlwind of royal obligations and public scrutiny. His mere presence had always calmed the storm inside her.

Across the ballroom, the towering double doors sprang open, drawing every eye toward the entrance. Gabriella Midsommar, King Eirik's younger sister and Princess of Moldova, made her entrance like a beauty queen on the arm of her brother. She was radiant—tall, curvaceous, with cascading waves of mohagony brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Her midnight-blue gown clung to her hourglass frame, the thigh-high slit revealing long, toned legs with every stride. The fabric shimmered like liquid sapphire under the ballroom lights.

With a feline elegance, Gabriella approached the bar, her gaze locked on Liam. She leaned in, her sultry laugh carrying just far enough to draw Riley’s attention. Normally, Riley was level-headed—pragmatic about Liam’s responsibilities as king. But something about Gabriella’s forwardness, her eyes lingering too long on Liam’s lips, ignited a flare of jealousy Riley couldn not suppress.

What she didn’t yet know was that the tension burning in her chest wasn’t just from envy—it was the first sign of a secret growing within her. A new life, fragile and unexpected, had already begun to stir inside her.

Liam, ever the diplomat, offered Gabriella a courteous smile. Still, when his gaze found Riley across the room, his expression softened instantly. Their eyes met, and the invisible tether between them pulled taut. He murmured a quick excuse to the nobles around him and strode toward her.

Leaning in close, his voice brushed her ear like silk. “Hey, you,” he whispered, his breath warm on her skin. Riley’s cheeks flushed with heat as a small, involuntary smile spread across her lips.

Liam marveled at his wife's hourglass figure unabashedly, taking her hand gently. He looked into her eyes, “Dance with me?”

She nodded, and together they stepped onto the dance floor. As the orchestra swelled, Liam drew her close, his hand splayed firmly against the small of her back. They moved in perfect sync, their bodies pressed together, spinning in rhythm beneath the chandeliers.

“You are breathtaking,” he murmured again, his lips brushing her temple.

“Thank you,” she replied, her voice barely audible, as she stretched up to place a lingering kiss on his lips.

As the music faded, he kissed her cheek and pulled away with a bittersweet smile. “Duty calls. I’ll come find you soon.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Riley said softly, watching him melt back into the crowd.

She turned, trying to shake the heaviness building in her chest, only to spot Olivia standing alone by the champagne tower, her expression unreadable.

“Olivia,” Riley greeted, approaching with cautious warmth.

“Riley,” Olivia replied coolly, her tone clipped.

“You okay? You seem… tense.”

“Oh, just living the dream,” Olivia replied dryly, her gaze fixed across the ballroom.

Riley followed it—and there she was again. Gabriella, laughing delicately, surrounded by fawning nobles, her hand fluttering to Liam’s shoulder with deliberate intimacy.

“Who is she?” Riley asked.

“Gabriella. Eirik's little sister,” Olivia replied, her tone brittle. “She’s been batting her lashes at Alex since the moment we arrived.”

Riley turned just in time to see Gabriella offering Liam an exaggerated curtsy, her bodice dipping dangerously low. Liam bowed politely, but his eyes flicked up to Riley with a fleeting, apologetic grin.

It wasn’t enough.

A surge of hot jealousy tore through Riley’s chest, irrational yet unstoppable. She knew she was being unfair—knew Liam’s heart belonged to her—but still, the image of Gabriella’s hand on his arm branded itself into her mind.

“You okay?” Olivia asked gently.

“I’m fine,” Riley replied, her voice too tight, her smile too practiced.

“You don’t look fine.”

“I just… feel a little off. Maybe I’ll lie down.”

Riley excused herself and made her way up the grand staircase, her heels clicking softly on the marble steps. In the east wing’s royal chambers, she collapsed onto the edge of her bed, trying to still her racing thoughts. The moon cast a silvery glow over the palace gardens below, painting a tranquil scene that stood in stark contrast to the chaos inside her.

Then—a voice outside her chamber doors. Strange. Ellie, William, and Stefan were with their grandmother for the weekend, and Mara rarely spoke aloud while standing guard. These thoughts ran through her mind as she realized that the royal guards were not at their posts.

“Your Majesty, may I have a moment of your time?”

The door creaked open.

That wasn’t Mara’s voice.

Riley turned slowly, her pulse quickening.

“Riley, I need you to come with me.”

Lena.

Time seemed to slow.

Riley stumbled backward, her heart hammering in her chest. “Lena… how are you here?”

Lena, who was supposed to be imprisoned in a high-security facility in France, stood in the doorway—unharmed, unbothered, and holding a gun.

Riley glanced quickly at the door, praying that Liam would be there.

"It's for your own good," she sneered.

A sinister smirk curled across Lena’s lips. “That’s not important. I am not who I used to be.”

“What do you want?”

“Revenge,” she hissed, stepping closer. “For the life you stole from me.”

“I never stole anything,” Riley whispered, tears threatening to spill. “I love him.”

“SHUT UP!” Lena screamed, her fury unhinged. “You should never have been queen. That crown was mine!”

She raised the gun and fired.

The bullet shattered into the wall behind Riley. Dust and splinters rained down. Her ears rang. She couldn’t breathe.

A second shot exploded, this time striking the wall just inches above her head.

“Please,” Riley begged, trembling. “Let me go.”

“No,” Lena spat. “We’re going on a trip, you and I.”

She seized Riley’s arm, her grip iron-tight, dragging her down the staircase with terrifying force.

The gala music drifted from the ballroom—delicate piano chords, the clink of glasses, oblivious laughter.

No one knew.

No one saw.

Riley struggled, kicking against the marble steps, but Lena only tightened her grip. “Move!”

In the foyer, Riley’s breath hitched as they neared the main doors.

“Where are we going?” she asked, voice cracking.

“Far away. Where no one will ever find you. And when we get there, you’ll regret ever being born.”

... And for a miracle.

As the ornate doors opened into the moonlit night, Riley turned her eyes skyward and whispered a prayer. For Liam.

For her children.

For her unborn child.

◇◇◇ ♦️◇◇◇ ♦️◇◇◇ ♦️◇◇◇ ♦️◇◇◇

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicesmonthlychallenge

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Perma tags: @beau1811 @bascmve01 @twinkleallnight @dutifullynuttywitch @lovingchoices14 @alj4890 @busywoman @bardic-tales @kingliam2019 @malblk21 @selina012 @differenttyphoonwerewolf

Liam & Riley: @ladylamrian @snoopdogcone @jared2612 @queenwalton @rafasgirl23415 @walkerdrakewalker @loreofyore @fadingreveries

[chevvy-ryder]

[NC_RES]-31102049-EUR-GER scharfenberg_g_portraits_042_1_CC_DT.file ///core:_ryder_von_scharfenberg.file\\\

—

⚠️ READ: Please do not repost/reupload any of my art here or to any other platform, or I will be forced to do anything to get it annihilated.

—

Ry got a new car.

I always visioned a jetblack 1980s Lamborghini Countach for him ever since I've created him.

What can I say? One day a Countach mod appeared of a NFS Urban K.S. Edition kit version of the 1974 Countach that looks even more fitting into Cyberpunk so I took this one and it's now Ry's car.

I'm having another set in the making – not finished yet but wanted to post the more casual set already.

If someone thinks why Ryder as an ex-Corpo, now streetkid, drives such a high priced car only Corpos would do: Ryder was born a royal corpo, he lived a luxury life since he was a smol boi but never was the teen that says dad I want xy and dad gives you xy either. Yet he came a lot into contact with expensive things in his past and it's not easy for him to give up some of those materialistic things of this life. E.g. Ryder would never live in a megabuilding. He had to live for a while in a trailer park but as soon as he had enough money he bought himself a good looking apartment that goes into corpo style.

He enjoys clean quality design over low quality and this counts for cars as well. All his money he gained through his hard work in guarding shipments and later merc work were saved so he could buy this car for himself a bunch of years later.

So, Ry is not the kind of dude who goes into the shop and threws money at the seller. He worked his ass off for it first so he can have what he wants.

[nikethestatue]

Hi Nike! I was wondering if you’ve kept up with the news that the third Fourth Wing book, Onyx Storm, became the fastest selling adult book in 20 years with over 2m sold the first week. That number is so much higher than anything we’ve ever seen from romantasy (the previous book sold less than 60k the first week and that was record breaking, and HOFAS sold less than 45k.) It made me think about whether SJM’s impact is being lost. I am sure SJM and RY will continue both to set records but 2m is an insane number that I don’t think anyone can replicate. To me it feels like SJM was popular in the book community, and blew up from the fandom, but then failed to capitalize on the popularity and as the fandom dies, so does the hype for her. Whereas RY entered the romantasy scene when it was popular and had a strong fandom from the jump, but then managed to capitalize off the trend and grab a shit ton (millions, apparently) of casual readers and is more popular than SJM at the moment. SJM has the advantage because she has been around longer so people are more familiar, but her popularity will die down before RY’s does. What do you think?

That's exactly what we've been talking about with my friends.

SJM literally was the creator of the Shadow Daddy phenomenon and Azriel's book still hasn't been published. The grandaddy of all shadow daddies was lost in the tunnels, I guess.

2 million in one week does sound kind of crazy. I feel like it's Happy Potter territory.

I do think that BB and SJM totally missed the train, so it will be interesting to see how they move forward. I guess now they have the playbook of RY to see how she generated this level of interest and what she did in terms of engagement.

I hope they are not foolish enough to believe that SJM can just remain nonexistent and sell 2 million copies of a book.

I DO think that ACOTAR6 has the potential to be a huge blockbuster, if it's written well, if the romance is nicely delivered, and if there is a good mix of adventure and angst and spice.

Let's just say that if ACOSF was the book she was releasing following Onyx Storm, it would've been embarrassing. Walking up and down the stairs, doing stretches and fucking and sucking for 690 pages, with actual plot taking less than 200 pages would be unacceptable.

So all of this gives me hope for the next book--the it will be BEEFY with loads of stuff.

[sirthisisa-wendys]

Can I request a racer Ran x Fem reader!!!

BTW you are awesome

Thanks so much! I can do this for ya!

Flip 'Em: Ran Haitani x Fem!Reader

wc: 935

tw: none

masterlist

The smell of burning rubber and the roar of motorcycles in the distance are familiar to you - like background noise.

"Do you ever get annoyed by the sound of those things?" You stop peering through your binoculars to spare a glance at the bimbo beside you. She'd been hustled into coming to this by one of her on-again-off-again flings; that's all you knew about her from the brief conversation you caught on the way in.

"You'll get used to it." If you're around for more than a month. You turn around to look at the other women in the crowded suite just to see if any of them were looking your way. But they all seem to be too busy chatting based on the casual way they're standing, champagne glasses filled to the brim and mouth filled with gossip.

"Do you come here often?" What really miffs you about this lingering gnat is that she doesn't stop talking. Especially to you. You want to wave your hand at the other wives in the room and urge them to come scoop their lost puppy up but part of you feels guilty that she has no friends.

Doesn't mean I have to be her friend.

"Listen," you mutter, placing your binoculars back up to your eyes. "You should go find someone else to talk to."

"W-why?" You hear the whimper in her voice, but that only serves to irritate you more. Before you can reply, you hear a voice behind you call out your name.

"Mrs. Haitani," the host announces, walking toward you with a small flip phone. You hold it up to your ear and look down at the track. You can barely see Ran from here, but you can hear his labored breathing on the other end.

"You okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine; I was just checking in on you. Are the girls behaving?"

You spare a glance at the bimbo still standing beside you; her eyes are wide now that she knows who you are. "For the most part."

"Let me know if I need to set anyone straight," Ran murmurs and you chuckle, imagining him tossing his helmet to the pit crew and storming up to the suites with his signature blank face. "Can't wait to take a fat nap after this."

"I'll make sure the driver gets here right on time."

"No press, no pictures, nothing. I want to sleep as soon as I get off this track." Ran vanity would never let him avoid the press and cameras and opportunities to flaunt his status. But you nod as if he can see you and reply,

"I hear you, handsome."

"I love you."

"Love you most."

"Impossible." And the line hangs up. You hand the phone back to the suited man and watch the race begin, your eyes straining to see the black and blonde hair in the mass of racers. Lane 6, you mentally note, then lower your binoculars. The other women have crowded around the television, keen on only catching the first parts of the race so they can say they "watched" it. In reality, they would watch the first ten minutes of the race and then disperse two-by-two, finding spots where they can sit and talk trash about rival drivers.

You, however, stay standing at the glass window, watching the crowd erupt in excitement as the race begins. The other ladies have culled the bimbo to them, holdin her nearby as to initiate her into the "ways of racer wife-ry" despite her behind an obvious flavor of the month and not the newest addition to the bunch. She would guest star for about three shows and then disappear with the others. You'd seen them all come and go; this was no different.

"She's one of the original five," you catch someone whispering loudly. "I wouldn't mess around with her." The Original five. They meant Mikey's long time fiancée, Izana's girlfriend, Shinichiro's wife, Draken's wife - Emma - and you. Of the four of you, only Mikey's wife and you were left in the rat race. Racing was tiresome, drained your energy and the time you spent as a family... No one wonder it would eat the other three alive and drive them to make their significant others drop the whole charade and come home.

Ran races by on his second lap, his braids blowing in the wind. You don't clap and cheer eagerly like other, less knowledgeable girls do. You just stay stoic. The race isn't even close to being over. Why would you celebrate?

But as the competition goes from one clear winner to neck and neck, your interest peaks. Ran's been stuck in second place, but a tight loop around the track places him a few feet ahead of the former first-place winner.

You smirk with pride, holding your binoculars in a vice-like grip as the race comes to it's tight end. Shouts of outrage and jubilation erupt around you as Ran crosses the finish line first, followed impossibly close by his contender. You don't partake in the celebrations, though. You just make your way out of the suite and down the stairs to meet him at the finish line.

Ran's already waiting for you with his arms out, planting a long kiss on your lips and holding you close. "Did the girls cry about it?" he jokes in your ear.

"If they did, I wasn't watching." Ran laughs and gives you another big kiss, then raises his middle finger in the direction of the women still watching in the suite.

"Let 'em get a mouthful of that."

[angelasscribbles]

In Your Room Chapter 12: Happily Ever After

Series: In Your Room

Fandom: TRR                    

Pairings: Leo x Drake

Rating: G

Warnings for this chapter: None, this is fluff

Song Inspiration for the series: In Your Room by The Bangles

Word Count: 1,331

A/N: Well, here we are at the end. I'm going to miss these two, but they deserve the happily ever after. Tagging @choicespride for marriage and found family. Tagging @choicesjunechallenge for weddings. Tagging @choicesficwriterscreations Pride Bingo for family.

My other stuff: Master List.

Drake and Leo, with Helena in tow, made their way back outside to where their friends and family were waiting for them.

“I made some adjustments, your mom is sitting with me,” Bianca told her future son-in-law.

“Thanks,” Leo pulled her into a hug as he whispered, “I still want to call you mom too.”

Bianca nodded as she hugged him back, “I’d love that, son.”

Leo felt a sense of wonder in his chest. This morning he’d had no moms, now he had two.

When he released Bianca, he turned to his best man, “Thank you for coming all the way from Cordonia, Your Majesty.”

Liam shook his head with a grin as he embraced his brother, “Shut up, man. Riley and I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. Besides, I had to return the favor, didn’t I?”

“Wow, I’m impressed. This is more my style than yours, little bro.” Leo let out a low whistle as he took in the moonlit clearing, bonfire roaring on the beach, and lanterns swaying lazily from carefully placed posts. Riley wore a simple floor-length white dress with spaghetti straps while Liam was dressed in slacks and a button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, no suit jacket, no tie. Leo himself had on cargo shorts and a polo shirt, perfect for a casual, and secret, beach wedding.

“Yes, well, after what Dad did to you, I just don’t want to give him the chance to torpedo us the same way.”

“You always were smarter than me. Well, the best man is here, let’s do this thing!”

“I still can’t believe you got married without me!” Drake said with mock indignation.

Liam pulled his best friend into a hug next, “You know I wanted you there, but we had to get married before Leo abdicated and Constantine turned his attention to my love life! It was the only way to ensure he couldn’t interfere in any way. Besides, this guy,” he released Drake and jerked his thumb toward Leo, “was in a hot fucking hurry to get to you, so we were in a time crunch.”

Drake flushed as a sappy grin spread across his face, “Yeah, I know. You’re forgiven.”

Drake Walker was happier than he ever thought he could be. Leo Rys loved him and was about to fucking marry him! The idea that he was about to be someone’s husband was almost surreal, but after everything the two of them had been through together, everything Leo’s father had put them through, it was the happy ending they both deserved. He slapped Liam on the shoulder, “At least you made it to mine, even if your brother did steal you right out from under me to be his best man!”

“Good thing you had a backup best friend I suppose,” Liam teased him good-naturedly.

“Yeah,” Drake laughed, “Where the hell is Beaumont, anyway?”

“I’m here, I’m here!” Max jogged up to the group, a little out of breath.

“What’s got you all out of- oh, no, no, man, you better not have just been making out with my sister!”

Max lifted an eyebrow and threw his hands up in the air, “Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies!”

“Come on, man! That’s just-“

“She is my fiancée you know.” Max reminded him.

“Yeah,” Liam took Max’s side, “and I put up with you making out with my brother all the damn time!”

“Holy crap, we’re all brothers now!” Max blurted out.

“Heh,” Drake laughed, “Who saw that coming?”

“No one!” Leo scoffed.

“But it’s pretty awesome!” Max grinned from ear to ear. When he married Savannah, Drake would be his brother for real and as soon as Drake and Leo said I do, Drake and Liam would be brothers…which made Max and Liam brother-in-laws once removed or something.

“The girls are all here, so we can get this show on the road now!” Savannah called out as she approached the group of men. Olivia, Hana, and Riley trailed behind her.

Olivia made a beeline for Leo, “Is it true? Your mom is here?”

“Yeah, it’s true, Liv, she’s really here!”

Olivia cocked her head to one side as she regarded him, “You seem pretty okay with it.”

“I am!” He affirmed, “She never wanted to abandon me, my father kept her away!”

“I’d like to say I’m surprised, but that’s right in character for him. I’m sorry, Leo.”

“It’s fine. She’s here now and I’m about to marry the love of my life. I’m good!”

“There’s that dimpled smile we all love!” Olivia patted him on the cheek.

“If the wedding party is ready…” the officiant interrupted, “it’s time.”

“Time to get hitched!” Leo yelled.

“Hitched?” Olivia stared at him with wide eyes as everyone else laughed. Turning to Drake she shook her head, “I’m blaming you for this.”

Drake laughed, his chest filled with happiness, “I will take all the blame! Now let’s go get hitched!”

Liam stood beside Leo as his best man with Olivia and Hana as the maids of honor, because why not have both? Maxwell stood beside Drake flanked by Riley and Savannah.

Their mothers were in the audience, and their best friends and siblings were standing by their side but as they stood in front of friends and family, the rest of the world faded away and there was just Leo and Drake.

Leo and Drake running through the palace gardens as children, Leo and Drake channeling their burgeoning feelings into competition and aggression on the soccer field, the polo field, and the fencing piste. Leo and Drake each struggling to make their own place in the world, all the while holding the other in the back of their minds, and the back of their hearts. Leo and Drake standing in the game room at the palace, both eager to give in to Liv’s dare and both denying that eagerness. Leo and Drake slowly giving in to their feelings as the physical attraction between them exploded and grew. Leo and Drake pushing each other away in a futile attempt to protect their hearts. Leo and Drake falling completely in love over the course of one magical year. Leo and Drake fighting to be together, Leo and Drake finally finding peace, love, and acceptance in the heart of the Walker family on a cattle ranch in the middle of west Texas.

And finally, Leo and Drake standing at the altar, ready to entwine their lives with each other permanently, completely, and irrevocably.

By the time they said “I do,” both men were in tears.

In almost no time at all, the ceremony was over, and the officiant was announcing, “Allow me to introduce, for the first time, Mr. and Mr. Drake and Leo Walker!”

Leo had decided to take Drake’s last name. Partly out of practicality. The Rys name was too recognizable. It was also too reminiscent of the years spent in a repressive environment. But mostly because, with the exception of Liam, he already felt more a part of Drake’s family, more loved, more accepted, than he had ever felt at home. Home. Cordonia was no longer that for him. Texas was home. The ranch was home. Drake was home.

Drake had promised not to smear cake on Leo’s face, but he did it anyway amidst cheers from the guests, the camera snaps from the photographer, and Leo’s laughter ringing out across the clearing. Leo returned the favor as Drake tried to dodge him, his own laughter shaking his whole body. He was happy. Happier than he had ever believed he could be.

Both men had overcome their own insecurities to be together. Both men had made sacrifices for love. Both men had allowed their walls to crumble. Both men had reached for happiness and found it, with each other. Nothing would ever come between them again. They had each other, and that was all that mattered. Happily ever after was theirs.

[get-ghosted-ghoulies]

“I’m not gonna sleep tonight. I’m not. Fuck. Why am I even doing this? Why put myself through this?”

Casually as ever, Shane slips into his own sleeping bag, lying on his back and looking up at the ceiling. He folds his hands over his lower stomach. “It makes you feel alive,” he says.

“Care to elaborate, big guy? Because I don’t feel alive right now, I feel like I’m dying.”

Shane waves a hand through the air like it’s nothing, like he’s saying something mundane and not neatly summarizing Ryan’s entire psyche. “You’re high energy. You know, a go-go-go kind of person. You’re always… moving. You can’t help but look into things. Figure them out. Know them.” Shane sets his hand back on his stomach and closes his eyes. “It’s admirable.” 

Ryan stares at him through the dark, forgetting for a moment that he’s in hell.

Shane yawns. “Even if I think it’s all bullshit.”

“There it is.”

Shane smirks.

Ryan’s about to say something else, but he doesn’t get the chance. A very loud and footstep-sounding creak echoes down the hallway, followed by a scratch. 

It could be an animal, some small rational part of his brain tries in vain to tell him, but Ryan’s beyond the reach of rationality. He goes electric with fear. Everything turns bright and sharp behind his eyes, vision whiting out into a blink of oblivion as his fight-or-flight response short circuits. He thinks his blood pressure might make his head pop off. He thinks he can’t do this. He wants to leave.

“Ry--”

“I’m-” he stammers, “I’m moving closer to you, fuck it, I don’t care.”

Shane laughs, warm and soft in the haunted dark. 

“Alright.”

[betafoxxx]

Isle Of The Lost discord warrior cats rp.

This is my very first time ever making a post on tumblr as I've never used the website before. I am here to ry advertising my brand new warrior cats discord rp! Down below you'll find more information.

Isle Of The Lost

The lore begins with a fierce battle that erupted 200 years before the creation of the factions. Two groups, led by the future founders of the factions, went to war after a bitter falling out due to their differing views. Despite being deeply in love, they realized they were not meant for each other, and thus, the war began. The conflict raged on for years, with neither side willing to back down. However, fate had other plans. The island’s volcano erupted, unleashing its fury and destroying not only half of The Covenant’s founder’s group but also half of the island itself. This cataclysmic event was seen as a warning from a force far greater than either of them could comprehend. It marked the beginning of a newfound peace, as both sides realized the futility of their conflict and the need to coexist in harmony.

We are a 16+ literate server, we offer:

Unique accessories that are not only nature restricted.

Unique ranks

Two factions instead of the casual canon clan or clan themes!

An open and friendly character creation system.

member-driven plot.

A welcoming environment!

Easy to understand lore.

THE COVE

The Patient and the Kind

Sleek-furred cats who live along the beach and worship their ocean deity daily. Native to the waters, they are renowned for their fish and jewelry.

THE COVENANT

The Ruthless and the Cruel

Long-furred cats with little to no patience for the weak. They originate from the wooded areas of the Isle and are infamous for their armor and pelts. Isle Of The Lost targets a 16+ demographic and contains darker themes such as: [VIEWER BE WARNED.] Gore, Blood, Sacrifices, death, violence, and mild horror.

BE WARNED

Our roleplay section has been CLOSED OFF for the time being until we've opened it up for proper roleplay! We expect it to be no longer than October 2nd before we begin with our first arc. IOTL Is a relatively new server opening up for members to help fill our community!

If you'd like to join please DIRECTLY MESSAGE ME ON DISCORD. My username is xel.7600 ! Thank you for reading!

[monocytogenes]

Word search tag game

Tagged by @nirikeehan! She gave me disdain, chop, benefit, finger, and mixture.

I, shockingly, could NOT find disdain. Like, hell, I went back through my Hux stuff and figured it'd be there somewhere on account of his, well, everything, but it wasn't.

Chop occurs in somewhat boring context in a yet-unnamed WIP about agent!Pravin's experiences through the denouement of Chapter 2. The SIS folks are starting to realize stuff is not working during their mission and don't know why yet (iiiiiit's Pravin)

He cracked the door, checking to see if the hallway was clear, then cautiously stepped off. Sighing, Saber leaned back in her seat, watching those rhythmic lights. True to his word, about fifteen minutes later, a faint, garbled bit of speech came back in reply—hampered, as expected, by the thick walls of the complex. “I can’t understand you; can you walk towards my position?” “—ry,” the voice said; after a good thirty seconds or so, his voice came through choppy but recognizable. “I’d have to—further—be a power failure—”

Benefit shows up in Seems Like a Real Gentleman, where Cassandra and Varric have to go to a literal Orlesian orgy to recruit hire inquisition!Pravin on as a contractor to the Inquisition:

“Huh,” Varric remarked in mild surprise. “Seems like a real gentleman.” Cassandra uttered a scoff of disgust. Stepping forward, she called, “Fidencio Frye?” The man raised his head, a loose curl tumbling over his brow. “Qu’est-ce que c’est?” “We need to speak with you on a business matter,” she declared, in Common for Varric’s benefit. “In private.”

I seem to normally use finger in the plural but here's an instance where it appears in the singular in All the Times We've Said Goodbye, in the scene where the old minister and agent!Pravin talk business:

The former minister was dressed more casually than Pravin had ever seen him, in a leather jacket and scarf with a flat cap shading his face. He slid into opposite side of the booth, stripping his gloves finger by finger, and regarded Pravin expectantly. “Hello, Nine.”

Mixture shows up while inquisition!Pravin and Gaubert are talking politics in As With Any Shitshow:

“Have you heard about this Inquisition?” Pravin glanced up from his cup of tea, regarding the older man, who was reading the week’s copy of Le Royan through a pair of pince-nez. “What?” “Inquisition,” Gaubert repeated expectantly, sliding the paper across the table to him. “You heard about this?” Pravin squinted at the text through bleary eyes, lamenting again that the herbal mixture wasn’t coffee; the fighting might have slowed to a lull over the past few weeks, but merchant ships were still getting seized east of Val Chevin. Damn Gaspard and his stupid war. “So the Chantry’s finally doing something?”

[ryanclaremont]

Ryan watches them walk away, making sure they don't come back to the table and she doesn't think they will at all. Her attention returns to the table and the comment from Luci surprises her, a small laugh bubbling up about how cool it is. Yeah, sometimes it is cool... and it puts into the perspective the whole off limits thing for her again. It works, she sees that and understands it because... it's not just a guys' rule, she's come to realize. Sloane used it as a threat.

"Had a jacket," Ryan corrects casually, taking another gulp of water.

"Ooh," Sloane makes a pouty face, "Didn't realize you guys were still fighting. This is probably the longest fight ever, I'm impressed."

Ryan shakes her head, "I thought we weren't talking about them tonight."

Sloane shrugs, looking at Daisy for a moment and Luci, "I think you just don't want to talk about it or them. Come on, Ry, you're August's ol' lady."

"I am not his ol' lady."

Luci watches it all play out like some sort of movie, right before her eyes. The guys get all super confident, ready to lay on whatever they think is 'charm' quick, and then, like a flip of a switch, they're instantly nervous.

All because Sloane mentioned Vandals.

Her eyebrows raise and she kinda laughs because, "That is so cool," She admits and then realizes she said it outloud because Daisy grins.

"It definitely has it's perks sometimes. Ryan even has a cool jacket with the Vandals patch on it! Like the guys do."

Luci takes a slow sip of her water, but she already wants another drink. Another round. Maybe after this before they go dancing again. "It's like a movie or something."

[colormepurplex2]

Work Hard, Play Harder | Rewards

↳  Yoongi x f.Reader ⤜ Strangers/Lovers ⤜ Rating: MA 🔞 ⤜ WC: 5,449 ⚠️ Light sub/dom tones, spitting/spit kink in a mildly degrading way but also spicy, spanking, public sex, rough sex, cum eating, exhibitionism, throat fucking, hair pulling

⇽Previous Chapter ◅ Back to chapter list

"You have a game today, right?" Jules asks over slices of toast. Your morning routine helps ground you. Over the last two weeks, Yoongi has turned your world upside down. You now dread Fridays and have an endless supply of ibuprofen in your bag.

You wave a piece of buttered toast in the air toward her. "Yep. It'll be my first game on the bench."

"And he will be there?" She sneers a little when she says he. Jules quickly became president of the anti-Yoongi club after you filled her in on your sessions with him. She pouted for an entire day when you told her the TA was hot but definitely wasn't someone you could just give woo-woo eyes to. No, he's got a stick up his ass even farther than a professor. Though, you wouldn't believe it considering the way he moves. He's all elegance and grace when he's with you. Moves in a way that makes you envious, like his body was made to play basketball.

"Unfortunately," you grumble.

Jules huffs a sigh. "Well, maybe he won't be so bad if it's a game day. No training and all that, so no reason to be an asshole."

You scoff softly. "Not likely. He's still in charge of me on game days. Get's to tell me to jump and I have to ask how high." Again, if eye-rolling were a sport...

"I'll make brownies tonight," Jules offers with a smile, waggling her eyebrows.

"Fuck, Jules," you whine pathetically, "okay. But, please make some that aren't special. You and Ry can have all the fun and I'll just watch...enviously."

Jules bounces on her toes, oozing excitement. "Maybe Ry will get stoned enough to want to kiss it and make it better for you." She gives you a devilish smirk and bites her bottom lip.

It wouldn't be the first time your other best friend, Ryan, has offered to be a soothing balm for life's little shit parties. It's always been casual, with a mutual understanding and agreement. No feelings, just fucks. It's been a while, but maybe you do need to blow off some steam.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" You ask Jules with a laugh, grabbing your bag and slinging it over your shoulder. "I'll catch you later. I expect piping hot brownies. Oh! And ice cream!" You add before tugging the door closed behind you.

You're feeling a little lighter, definitely in a bit of a better mood now. Pulling out your phone you open your text thread with Ryan and send him a winky face and cake emoji along with a time. He'll come over regardless of the emoji'd offers, simply because that's just how Ry is. Ryan's reply of the eyebrow raised emoji makes you laugh but before you can type back a reply of your own, your phone disappears.

Your head comes up, lips and tongue poised to give a lashing to whoever has decided to rain on your morning parade...but, it's Yoongi standing right in front of you, your phone in his hand. "You communicate through emojis? How juvenile."

"Give that back!" You lunge toward your phone but Yoongi just raises it up, far enough out of your reach that you would need to jump in order to try and grab it. He's not gargantuan, but he's taller than you and he's using that to his advantage now. "What the fuck is your problem?" You shove his shoulder and he stumbles back a few steps.

"Who said I have a problem?" He muses.

"Give it back," you demand again, holding out your hand palm up.

He brings his hand down and you think he's going to give the phone back to you but he slips it into the front pocket of his joggers instead. "How about," he pauses, closing the distance between you, forcing you to drop your hand or have it mashed against his chest, "you earn it back?"

You give him an incredulous look. "Earn it? It's my fucking phone you jackass, give it back!" He just smirks. The self-righteous prick! He better be glad he's good looking or you might introduce your fist to his face. You grit your teeth and a thought crosses your mind. "Fine, you want to be like that, fine."

He goes to turn, preparing to walk away with your phone still in his pocket when you make your move. You sling your left arm around his waist and cage him against you. Just as you hoped, he's caught off guard and you use that surprise to your advantage. With your right hand, you snake it between your bodies and shove it into his pocket. You hadn't accounted for your bodies being pressed together so tightly, so extracting your hand with the phone gripped in it isn't as easy as you thought it might be.

"If you wanted to touch me all you had to do was ask," his voice comes out in a low growl, eyes boring into yours. You're just about to abandon your phone when his arms come around you and pin you to him, too. You struggle against his hold, hand still deep inside his pocket. He grunts and you both freeze. Adrenaline is pumping and you can feel your own pulse in your temple. Your mind races, trying to explain away what exactly just happened, what you felt...surely there is something else...another explanation. Though, by the heat flaring through his eyes you know, there isn't. In all your wiggling against him, hand flailing around in his pocket, you 100% grazed along the side of his now evident erection.

"Fuck, I'm sorry," you gasp, finally wrenching yourself from his arms, hand springing free from his pocket. Forget the phone, forget it. He can have it.

You can see his throat bob as he swallows. It takes tremendous willpower to not glance down as he adjusts the bottom of his hoodie to settle further down his hips. His eyes narrow and the corner of his mouth tugs up in a small smile. "I don't think you are sorry," he purrs. Yoongi pats his pocket, where your phone is located. "Be a good girl and show up to class a little early, I'll let you earn a few extra points towards getting this back."

He turns and leaves you there, standing in the middle of the sidewalk. Your senses come whooshing back in, making you suddenly aware of your surroundings. You dart a look around, thankful not to see anyone else nearby. Your cheeks are flaming crimson and you can't seem to catch your breath, but you forge ahead and manage to make it to your first class of the day without any further incidents. 🏀🏀🏀

The day drags on and the closer you get to your research class the angrier you become. Without your phone, you haven't been able to reach out to Ryan or Jules to let them know about the run-in with Yoongi this morning. You can barely concentrate in your morning classes, but thankfully you have an extended break before your last class begins. You usually spend this time studying or grabbing lunch.

Today, however, you venture to the other side of campus in search of Jules. She doesn't have quite as long a break as you do, but you know you should be able to catch her coming out of her class soon. You're rounding the corner of the theatre building when you stop short, spotting a familiar figure up ahead coming right toward you, you curse and quickly back peddle. Why the hell is Yoongi on this side of campus?! Thankful to be wearing a watch, you check the time and know if you don't take this route to Jules class you'll miss her, all the other paths take too long.

"Fuck," you mutter under your breath, resigning to heading back toward the sports complex instead. Maybe if you show up early enough you can pummel Yoongi into a pulp before class begins. You push yourself to move faster, cursing Yoongi the whole way to the gym.

There is another class still going on inside the gym itself so you sit outside in the lobby and wait. Every little noise has you whipping your head around, hoping Yoongi doesn't come strolling in through one of the doors while you're sitting here. The last thing you want is to be faced with him again without a court under your feet. All your boasting thoughts earlier about beating the shit out of him have dwindled to just wanting to get your phone back and get through class so you can wallow on the couch with Jules and Ry later and maybe get a little stress relief without the laced brownies.

As soon as the class lets out of the gym you slip inside and settle on the bleachers near the door. It's still about thirty minutes or so before your class is scheduled to be in here. Professor Sumner and Dr. Rei will hopefully be arriving just before class, so they can get the research students from Rei's lab to help set up the monitors and other equipment they'll use for data collection.

You hear footsteps coming from the hallway, but it doesn't sound like enough steps to be a full class or even the research students from Dr. Rei's lab. Dropping your bag by your feet you lean out, trying to see if you can see whoever it is through the glass panes in the doors before they enter. The face that appears in the pane before the door begins to push open has your heart leaping into your throat.

The guy steps in and holds the door open, admitting another guy with Yoongi following. "Why are they here?"

Yoongi shrugs. "Moral support?"

"Give me my phone back," you deadpan.

"You'll get it back after the game." Yoongi nods towards the court. "We have about twenty minutes before Sumner and Rei show up, how about a warmup?"

"I don't need to warm up, I'm benched today, in case you've forgotten."

"Hmm, no, perhaps not." He gives you a once-over as his two friends take seats at the bottom of the bleachers. You've seen them before, hanging out with him...running shirtless with him. "But, you do need to change into your uniform at least."

Your brows pinch together and you glance down at your grey t-shirt and jeans. In all the fuss and anxiety over Yoongi, you completely forgot to change before coming to the gym. "Fuck you," you mumble, snatching up your bag and heading towards the door into the lady's locker room.

As you step past him, Yoongi grabs your wrist and pulls you up short, your chest bouncing against his. "Is that what you want?" He asks in a low tone. "To fuck me?"

The husk in his voice sends tingles down your spine. Yes, you do. You have for a very long time. For three years, in fact. But, you can't admit that, not so brazenly. Not to mention the complete brute he's been as your mock trainer. Though, you might like that a little more than you've let on. "Let go of me," the words come out soft and hooked on the end of a shudder.

He smiles, but it's not a sweet smile. No, it's a smile full of promises. Promises to deliver, to play ball...pun intended. "Go change." He releases your wrist and you stumble away, making a beeline for the locker room.

By the time you've conquered your rapid heart rate and put your uniform on, you can hear the distinct noise of the other students in the gym. All of the athlete students are warming up, doing stretches, practicing passes, and shooting. The research half of the class is mingling with Dr. Rei's group from his lab, working together to make sure the data equipment is all working as it should. You spot Yoongi talking with Professor Sumner and Dr. Rei. He extends a hand, gesturing to you as you exit the locker room and your eyes meet Sumner's. He nods, saying something to Yoongi that you're too far away to hear. Though, the delight that spreads across Yoongi's face has your lip curling in a sneer.

"You'll be benched, but you'll also be running data with Yoongi," Sumner explains as you approach them.

Dr. Rei claps you on the shoulder. "The probation element of this is going to be most helpful, I almost want to thank you for failing that test. This research is crucial for the future of this sports department." He nods to Sumner and moves off to speak with the people from his lab.

Sumner gives you a half-hearted smile. "Listen to your trainer, he'll be providing a full report tomorrow that will go towards your test grade." You swallow the tart reply forming on your tongue about how it's not fair that Yoongi's feedback gets to dictate your grade. But, you seem to be at his mercy unless you want to take the hit for the class or push back graduation by a semester. He turns away from you and addresses the whole gym. "Okay, everyone, let's get this game started. Jackson," he begins to walk away and gestures to the team captain, "you're on."

"Don't look so put out," Yoongi sidles up next to you and fingers the hem of the side of your jersey. "I promise to give Sumner nothing but a good report if you play nice."

You whirl on him, eyes blazing with irritation. "What are you getting at here, huh?" You take a step closer, coming toe to toe with him.

"As long as you work hard," he flicks the tip of your nose in a playful manner that has you seeing red. "We can play even harder." The low chuckle that spills from between his lips instantly flips a switch and you're seeing red with a whole different feeling.

"I don't want to play your games, asshole." You're lying through your teeth and he knows it. His chest grazes yours as he sucks in a breath to laugh.

"Careful, people are watching," he snarks softly, after his laugh tapers off, eyes darting over your shoulder.

You clear your throat, hastily step away, and give him your back. Sure enough, there are a lot of people trying to discreetly watch your and Yoongi's interaction. "Just tell me what to do, Yoongi, and stop dicking around."

Another soft chuckle comes from behind you. "You can start by sitting your mouthy little ass on the bench until the game begins." Of course, he speaks so low no one else can hear his lewd words. "Until everyone else is so distracted that they won't see me fucking you under the bleachers."

You gape at him, forcing your mind to actually wrap around what he just said. It's hard, real hard. You think you might just short circuit. Surely, he's joking. He's just trying to get a rise out of you...and it's working. "You're delusional."

He stops a few feet past you, casting you a glance over his shoulder. "I'm not the one that's been drooling over someone for the last three years." His eyes flick from your toes back up to your face. "Just the last two weeks."

Your cheeks burn. You're so warm you think you might pass out if you don't sit down. So, you park your dazed ass down on the bench along the side of the court and zone out as the game begins. On game days, the class runs a little longer to accommodate for the game itself and the data collection at the end of it. You're not sure how you're supposed to survive for an hour and a half being tormented and sexually frustrated by Yoongi. Because that's exactly what he's doing. The minute you sat down, you became intimately aware of the pooling arousal in your shorts. So much for not wanting to fuck him.

It's not until the whistle blows to signal the start of the first half that you realize what Yoongi had just admitted to you. He'd called you out on your pining for him, but had also offered a kernel of his own in that he's been the one drooling over you for the last two weeks. Sweat pricks along the nape of your neck. One of Rei's research collectors steps into your view and gives you a quizzical look.

"Are you okay?" They ask. "You look a little pale."

"I'm fine," you wheeze. "Uh, umm, is there anything I can do for you guys?" You're desperate for something to keep your mind off of Yoongi.

"Not just yet. After the game, though, for sure. We'll need some help making sure we collect all the vitals from the athletes, you can help with that," they offer with a smile. They nod toward Yoongi, who is standing at the other end of the court, "you should ask your trainer, I'm sure he has something you can be doing."

Your attention follows their nod, eyes landing on Yoongi. He's got his arms crossed over his chest, talking with Dr. Rei. Rei waves a dismissive hand and Yoongi smirks as the older man's attention goes to his research assistant on the other side of him. "Right. My trainer," you mumble to yourself, the research student already having moved further down the court.

Yoongi meets your eyes and he jerks his chin to the side, beckoning you over. You're tempted to stay right where you are, ignore him completely. But, your eyes flicker to Sumner and you know you have to play nice with Yoongi in order to receive a good report tomorrow. Fuck. You keep your attention swiveling between the game and Yoongi until you come up to him.

"Nervous?" He asks.

"What do I have to be nervous about?" You hiss under your breath.

He steps around you, putting his back to the court and essentially blocking you from everyone else except his friends who are still sitting on the bleachers behind you. "I meant what I said." His eyes flick over your shoulder, towards the bleachers, before coming back to yours. He's serious, he's fucking serious.

"Don't be ridiculous, we can't...I mean, it's not- why?" You fumble through your thoughts, searching his eyes for any glimmer of humor. There is none, all you see is pure unadulterated desire.

"Why?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. "Why not? It'll be fun, c'mon, come play with me." Yoongi toys with a lock of your hair, twirling it around his finger. "I promise you'll have fun."

Your tongue darts out to wet your lips. His eyes hone in on the action and you can see his eyes darker, pupils expanding. "Aren't you- won't we, umm, aren't you worried about getting caught?" You whisper, trying to take in calming breaths.

"Mmm, how cute, you're worried about someone seeing us? Don't worry, kitten, that's what my friends are for," he purrs, grabbing you by the elbow and pulling you along behind him.

You shoot a glance back towards the court over your shoulder. No one is so much as paying even the slightest bit of attention to you or Yoongi walking away. As you bring your attention back forward your eye catches Yoongi's two friends as they stand up from their seats at the bottom of the bleachers. You can feel their presence behind you as Yoongi continues pulling you along the side of the bleachers. Just as you think he's about to usher you through the double doors, he cuts a sharp right and tugs you into the darkness under the bleachers.

"Yoongi, seriously, we're going to get caught!" You whisper yell as you're dragged along. It's not completely dark back here, a little bit of light filters through the gaps between the rows of bleachers, but it's not nearly enough that you don't trust yourself to not trip over something. There is a myriad of crossed metal support poles and great steel beams, Yoongi moves through them with ease.

He stops, turning and pulling you up against him. "We'll only get caught if you let us." Yoongi is still gripping your arm with one hand, he brings the other up and cups the side of your face. His expression becomes serious for a moment. "Do you want this? If you don't you can leave and I'll still give Sumner a good report for you tomorrow, I promise. This is your choice." His offering and change in demeanor take you by surprise. All his taunting and pushing have been part of his act, but now he's being genuinely sincere. If you don't want this, he'll respect that. The corner of your mouth tugs up in a small smile realizing he's seeking your consent before doing anything you may not want.

"If we get caught, we'll both probably get in a lot of trouble...maybe even expelled. You'd risk that?" You ask softly, not meeting his eyes.

He chuckles. "That won't happen. But, yes."

"Okay, Yoongi, let's play."

A finger under your chin tilts your head back until you look up at him. "Good. Now, be a good little girl and say 'ahh'." You give him a quizzical look, confused. His hand splays out gripping your face, fingers digging into one cheek and thumb into the other until your lips are puckered open. He wrenches his hand, squeezing harder until your jaw opens under the pressure. "When I say to do something, you do it," he growls and his eyes flash. In one quick motion, he leans forward and spits into your mouth. You flinch as stray dots of his saliva pepper your lips, the bulk of the warm liquid hitting your tongue. His hand releases your cheeks, sliding back over your chin to press your mouth closed. "Swallow."

Your chest is heaving. It takes a few times but you finally gather enough moisture in your mouth, his included, to do as you're told. It's hard to tell whether you're turned on or feeling humiliated by his actions. You've never had someone actually spit in your mouth before. Before you can form words, his lips are slanting over yours. You feel his tongue slide across the seam of your lips, seeking entrance. As soon as you part your lips, he's invading your mouth. It's a bruising and all-consuming kiss that leaves you breathless when he finally pulls away.

"Fuck," you exhale in a rush.

"On your knees," he commands. You cast a glance behind you, barely able to make out the other students through the small gaps in the bleachers. With one last thought about getting caught, you drop to your knees in front of Yoongi, bringing your attention back to him. You come at eye level with the very prominent bulge in his joggers. Yoongi can see your hesitation, the way you awkwardly twiddle your fingers in front of you. "You can touch me, it's okay," he encourages in a soft tone.

He combs his fingers through your hair as you reach up and curl your fingers over the waistband of his pants. A subtle ache settles between your thighs, anticipation mounting. The gray material slides down easily, revealing tight black boxer briefs that are straining in the front. One more flick of your wrist and his thick cock is springing free. "Oh, shit," you whisper, eyes going wide as you take in just how big he is. There is a glistening bead of precum already forming at the tip. He's velvety smooth and warm under your hand as you glide your fingers along his length.

"Have a taste, kitten," Yoongi groans, gathering a handful of your hair. He doesn't push or tug on it, just uses it as a tether for now. A throaty groan escapes him as you lave your tongue across the broad crown, swirling in a quick succession of blistering strokes. You slip your free hand over the band of his pants, still hugging his legs mid-thigh, and gently cup his balls. Yoongi sucks in a breath at the touch, his stomach muscles contracting beneath his bulky hoodie. You let him slip past your lips, going as far as you can before your gag reflex is shoving you back. He adjusts his grip on your hair, gathering a second fistful. "Relax," he soothes, his voice turning your tense muscles into jelly.

Your jaw goes slack and you take a steadying breath through your nose as he begins to work his hips, slowly fucking into your mouth. His balls contract in your hand as you massage them, bringing out another throaty groan from him. It's hard to not let the mix of your saliva and his precum gather at the corners of your mouth. You can feel it start to dribble down your chin. After a few more languid thrusts, letting you get used to the motions, he picks up his rhythm. Your free hand fists into the fabric of his joggers as he pistons between your lips. It takes all of your concentration not to gag as tears prick the corners of your eyes and he enters into the back of your throat.

Just as you're starting to pant in semi-panicked breaths, Yoongi relents and pulls completely out of your mouth. With his cock comes a gushing mess of saliva and precum. He releases your hair and you surge up onto your feet, capturing his lips with yours, letting him taste himself on your tongue. Yoongi moans into your mouth, hands grappling with the band of your burgundy basketball shorts. "Fuck me," you pant, finally breaking away from the kiss. His lips are wet and puffy, kiss-swollen and perfect.

Yoongi spins you around, bringing your back hard against his front. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" His top lip curls into a sexy sneer. He grips the front of your jersey and hauls it up over your head.

"Yes," you plead, pushing your ass back against his still-out cock. There is a crossing metal 'x' of support beams in front of you that you latch on to for support. It gives you the perfect leverage to arch your back and jut your ass out.

His breath is hot on your neck as his lips brush the shell of your ear. "I'm going to fuck you so hard you won't be able to walk out of here." The whispered words ring with promises.

The bratty response on your tongue withers away as Yoongi shoves down your shorts and panties. He knees apart your legs, grips your hip with one hand, and uses the other to guide himself to your aching core. He swears colorfully as he presses between your thighs, letting the tip of his cock slide through your gathered arousal.

"Yoongi," you moan his name as he begins to sink into you, one agonizing inch after another. It's almost too much, the fire that lances through your body as it flounders to accommodate his considerable size. Your chest heaves with short breaths. Tears, once again, burn at the corners of your eyes. You're about to cry out in protest but slinky fabric being shoved into your mouth cuts off the sound. Yoongi secures the ends of your crumpled jersey behind your head.

He halts his forward push for a moment. "Sorry, kitten, gotta keep the noise down. Pinch my thigh if it's too much, okay?" You take the momentary pause to assess your body. He's bigger than anything or anyone you've ever had before, but you can feel your body adjusting. The pain soothing into a heated pleasure with each passing second. You nod, tightening your grip on the metal bars. "Good girl," Yoongi praises in your ear. Yoongi slips a hand into your hair again, using the tension to turn your head slightly to the right. "Let's show my friends how good of a trainer I am." He chuckles as he feels your walls contract around him in response. The grip in your hair vanishes as he drops the hand to your other hip and grips tightly, sure to leave bruises.

Your eyes are wide as they take in his two friends standing just within the darkness under the bleachers. The dragon-eyed botany major and the slim-bodied performing arts major are faces you associate with Yoongi's bubble. Having them watch him fuck you, claim you, has a whole new wave of fire coursing through your veins. They take turns watching, switching from the court to you and Yoongi. Before you realize it, you're adding your own flare, putting on your own show. Loosening your grip with one hand, you bring it up and pull down the neck of your sports bra, exposing your breasts. Using deft fingers, you tweak your nipples, rolling and tugging them. You begin to meet Yoongi's thrusts, rocking back into them.

The world outside vanishes, as if there isn't a mock basketball game happening just twenty yards away. The crack of skin on skin brings you back to reality and has you squealing around the shirt gag in your mouth. The reaction is swiftly followed by panic as your eyes dart to the gaps between the bleachers because you can almost guarantee someone heard Yoongi's palm connecting with your bare asscheek. You throw a look over your shoulder at Yoongi as he continues to pound into you. Sweat-slicked hair clings to his forehead, his bottom lip is caught harshly between his teeth as his eyes are zeroed in on where your bodies connect. He seems completely oblivious to just how loud the sound is as he quickly lands another stinging spank on your other asscheek. Thankfully, this one is covered by the sound of a whistle blowing. That seems to drag Yoongi out of his single-mindedness.

His eyes flicker ahead of you, probably assessing the game's progress. Yoongi slows the momentum of his hips, rolling them against you in a way that grinds him deep. The jersey comes loose with one tug from Yoongi. You pull the fabric free, sucking in breaths of clean air. "Fuck, Yoongi." You hang your head, letting your chin drop to your chest for a moment as he leans against your back.

"Now, I'm going to make you cum." He says it more like a command than anything. One of his hands slips around your hip, dipping between your thighs in the front until his slender fingers find your clit. He begins smooth circles, rubbing the swollen bundle of nerves until your toes curl in your sneakers. With his other hand, he grips your hair and pulls your head back, exposing the side of your neck to him. Using his tongue and teeth, he leaves nipping marks that he soothes with his tongue.

He's so meticulous with his attention, adding just the right amount of pressure. The mix of pleasure and pain has you squeezing your eyes closed and your walls gripping him. "Oh, fuck, I'm about to-" The hand that was in your hair muffles your words as he clamps it over your gaping mouth.

Your own name leaves Yoongi's lips, carried on a soft moan. Pleasure rips through you, your orgasm hitting so hard the vision behind your eyelids flickers. You can feel each spurt of warmth as Yoongi empties himself deep within your body. Suspended there, somewhere between coherent and not, Yoongi slowly withdraws from you. With gentle hands, he removes your stony grip from the metal bar and turns you to face him. He's equally as gentle as he fixes your bra and tugs the rumpled jersey back over your head. Your eyes meet his and you see a mischievous glint light within them. "Say 'ahh'," he repeats his command from earlier. Without hesitation this time, you open your mouth wide. You jump a little as you feel his hand between your thighs, dipping into you. Yoongi brings up cum covered fingers that glisten slightly in the dim lighting. He places them on your tongue and you automatically seal them in your mouth with your lips. There is a wicked fascination playing in his eyes, now, as you swirl your tongue around his fingers until he's slipping them back out of your mouth. He grips the sides of your shorts, gently pulling them back over your hips and settling them back in place. As he brings his hands to his own pants, you halt him, placing your hands over his. You brush them aside, righting his pants for him. You're gentle in tucking his cock back in his pants, doing your best to not get any of the drying cum still coating it, onto the outside of his pants.

"Good game," you offer in a soft but playful tone.

Yoongi just suppresses a snort, rubbing his jaw with a smile tugging at his lips. "I expect you to perform just as well during our next session." His mouth finally pulls into a full-on grin. His arms band around your waist, hauling you against him. "As long as you still want to play."

So, this is actually a thing...Yoongi wants to continue playing. The thought sends a thrill slithering down your spine.

⇽Previous Chapter ◅ Back to chapter list  

◅ Back to Master List ©️    2022-04-01    ColorMePurplex2  

[be-with-me-so-happily]

Summary: Y/N (stylist!yn) applies to be a styling intern for the One Direction crew during the Where We Are tour. As she gets better at her job and closer to the band and crew (especially Harry Styles), some of her dreams seem to be coming true, but so are some of her fears.

~~~~~

CHAPTER 27 -

WHEN NO ONE ELSE WAS EVER BEHIND ME

A/N: Oooooh oooh oooh! Strap in my friends. This one is just... a bit of a wild ride!

>> Warnings: Some language, jealousy, unsupportive behavior, accusations of cheating, but there's some good stuff too! Angsty!

~~~~~

May 10th, 2015

Your leg is bouncing while you sit on the couch with Natalie and Levi, waiting for Ryan to come over for dinner.

"Y/N/N, take a breath. I'm sure it'll be fine." Natalie states.

You shrug. "He wasn't super excited the last time I mentioned it…"

"Oh, yeah." She gives you an awkward smile, which causes your stomach to knot up.

You take a few deep breaths to try to get your body to calm down.

[You're probably are making this a bigger deal than it actually will be]

There is a quick knock on the door and Ryan enters.

"Hey, hey!"

"Hey, in here!" You reply, trying to hide the shakiness in your voice.

He comes to the living room and leans down to give you a kiss. You grab the back of his head to deepen it.

[Maybe it will butter him up a bit]

He grins and sits down next to you.

"Mmm… what was that for?" He asks.

"Because I wanted to." You respond, clearing your throat. "And because I have something to tell you." You muster a smile.

"Okay…" his eyes widen, with a look of concern appearing on his face.

"It's good! It's a good thing… okay, here it is…" You let out a heavy breath. "I'm gonna go back on tour."

Ryan isn't saying anything, just looking straight at you.

"Why?" He asks, with a stern tone.

"Well… because I love it and I miss it so much." You reply, a little put off by his answer.

"I thought you loved the job here…" he responds, displaying a small frown on his face. "They offered you a full time position."

"Yeah, I did love it. It's just… it's just not what I want to do. I love touring more." You shrug.

"When did you decide this?"

"Yesterday, pretty much. When I was hanging out with the guys at the studio." You replied, a small smile appearing on your face as you remember the fun you had. Then a nervous smile appears, remembering that Ryan didn't know that.

"The studio? What?"

"Oh, yeah, they were in town to record." You reply, shrugging casually once again. "I don't get to see them much anymore. So we hung out."

He clears his throat, still frowning, and looks at the ground.

"Umm… okay… well, I guess that's that then." He shrugs.

You put your hand on his, and he looks up at you. "Hey, it'll be okay. Don't worry."

He nods. "Yeah." He clears his throat again, leans back into the couch, and looks over to Natalie and Levi. "So what are we watching?"

Pizza finally arrives and you all grab a slice for yourselves. The room is quiet while you watch the movie, and there is a mild tension in the room.

You can't seem to pay attention to what's playing, you're very much in your head, about your decision and Ryan's reaction.

[Is it really so wrong that you want to do this?]

~~~~~

Once the pizza is gone and the movie is finished, Ryan turns to you, leaning in.

"Can we chat in your room real quick?" He asks in a whisper.

You nod and lead the way back.

Once inside, you turn around and see his expression is serious.

"Why do you want to go back on tour?"

"I told you, I love it and I miss it." You reply.

He clears his throat, still looking down. "And… that's the real reason?"

"What? Yes." You frown. "Ry… what are you worried about?"

He shakes his head. "I don't know."

"Are y-... Are you worried about Harry?" You ask, walking closer.

He shrugs. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Hey…" you put your hands on his shoulders. "There's nothing to worry about. He has a girlfriend."

He frowns and lifts up his head. "And you…?"

"You! I have you!" You hold his face. "We are good. This is good. Okay? It's so good and easy with us."

"Yeah. It is." He nods.

You pull in for a deep kiss, still feeling unsettled in a way that you know will bother you all night.

Ryan decides to just go home, claiming he has to work early again tomorrow.

Natalie comes into your room and plops herself down right next to you on the bed.

"Did you two work things out?" She winks.

"Maybe? I don't really know." You sigh and shrug.

"Oh." She scoots closer. "What's going on?"

"Am I stupid for going back?" You ask, shaking your head, and questioning all of your decent decisions.

She lifts her head to look at you, and you finally remove your gaze from your fidgety hands.

"Well, would you stay… for Ryan?"

That question causes a knot to form in your stomach again.

"Umm… I… don't think I would." You exhale strongly. "I don't want to stay."

"Okay. And…" she pauses as she turns her body a little more in your direction. "Are you going… for Harry?"

"What?" You question, frowning as your mouth drops open at the suggestion of that possibility. "No! I just want my job back!"

She throws her hands up in defense.

"Okay! Okay! Well, I'm biased, I want you with me." She smirks. "So, like, is it weird you'll be working with your ex? Kind of. Maybe. I mean, in any normal situation it's probably not ideal."

You sigh.

"But…" she adds, "we don't have normal jobs. You love doing it and you were a total badass at it!" She chuckles. "You're far from stupid. And you need to do what makes you happy."

"So what do I do about Ryan?"

"You… need to do what makes you happy." She reiterates.

"You don't think I'm happy?" You ask, with a lump in your throat.

She isn't answering right away, and you feel as if you can almost see her mind searching for the right answer.

"I just want to make sure that you are Y/N/N. Whatever that means. You deserve to be."

~~~~~

May 20th, 2015

You wake up to a text notification.

:ryan: happy birthday punk! :)

:ryan: sorry i'm working so much

:ryan: promise i'll make it up to you

Suddenly the smell of coffee and baked goods ignites your senses, which gets you out of bed instantly.

As you walk into the kitchen, the beautiful smell is overwhelming.

"Happy birthday babe!" Natalie shouts.

You look at the counter and see different pastries, bacon, eggs, and fresh fruit.

"Aww, you're giving me fifteen extra pounds and a heart attack?" You laugh, walking over to her and squeezing her in a hug. "Thanks Nat."

"I'm trying to get an edge on you, beautiful."

"Oh, shut up!" You reply.

"We both have the whole day free, so I have some things planned for you!"

"What? Nat, no, you don't need to do anything." You state.

"I want to. Now shut up, eat up, and then get dressed. We're going out, birthday babe!" She chuckles.

"Yes ma'am!"

~~~~~

After seeing a movie, having lunch, and then going for a run, Natalie has instructed you to take a shower to go out again.

"What are we doing now?"

"There's one more surprise." She admits. "But that's all I'm saying."

You grumble.

"The car will be here in an hour." She states.

"What? What car?"

"We have a private car picking us up." She smirks. "I didn't plan tha-"

"Who did?" You interrupt. "Ryan? He's not actually working late, is he?"

You chuckle and she shakes her head. "It… No, I'm not saying another word."

You raise your eyebrow at her, but she shakes her head.

"Now, there's a new outfit for you in your closet, go and put that on."

"Geez, so bossy on my birthday!" You laugh, as you head back to your room.

You see the cream corset that is laying under a sheer black overlay with puffy sleeves and black polka dots. There is also a pair of solid black jeans and a black belt with a gold Gucci belt. Beside all of that are some black heeled boots and a pair of gold earrings.

"Natalie!" You shout. "It's too much!"

"For fucks sake, just put it on!" She replies, causing you to burst out laughing.

As you dress yourself, you receive a few pings from your phone.

:niall: happy birthday superstar

:niall: i sent you some 'niall-approved' socks

:niall: so you have some besides 'toronto' ones

:you: nialler! thank you. love you

- -

:louis: happy birthday, love!

:louis: lunch on me next time i see ya!

:you: i'd love that tommo :)

- -

:liam: happy birthday, darling! hope it's fantastic!

:you: so far so good, nat is going all out

:liam: as she should!

You finish getting ready, with your hair curled and put back into a low ponytail, leaving some random curls out around your face.

Natalie whistles as you walk to the front door. "Wow! Damn. If you weren't my best friend, I'd hate you." She laughs, and you join in. "And the blindfold will match perfectly!"

"Blindfold? What the fuck, Nat!" You exclaim, seeing pretend to zip up her lips. "If you weren't my best friend, I'd hate you!"

She gives you a dramatic wink. "You're not gonna say that later."

~~~~~

The car pulls up to a private parking lot, and the driver announces that you have arrived. Natalie places the blindfold on you.

"You're up to some sneaky shit." You chuckle.

She guides you through the lot, and when you stop, you can hear a lot of muffled noise. It sounds like music is playing, and a lot of people are talking. Then you hear a door open.

Natalie gives your names to whoever is at the door, and then guides you inside a building. The music and talking get a lot louder and you suddenly feel a large, warm hand gripping yours. With Natalie still by your side, you take the hand and it squeezes yours.

[It's Ryan, those little sneaks]

After walking up some stairs and finally coming to a stop, Ryan's hand still holding yours, Natalie finally goes to remove your blindfold.

It takes a few seconds for your eyes to adjust, but as they come to focus, you can see a small stage down in front of you. You look around it and see a sign that reads 'Rolling Stones'. You quickly snap your head to Natalie and see that she is grinning, but she instantly looks and motions behind you.

You turn around, ready to jokingly scold Ryan for pretending he was working tonight.

"What the hell?" You whisper.

"Surprise!" Harry exclaims. "Happy birthday!"

"What's going on?" You ask, looking around to see the room filled with people. And not just any people, but so many celebrities.

"They are having a secret, surprise gig, and when I found out it was on your birthday I called Natalie." He explains, nodding in her direction.

You turn back to her, mouth open in disbelief.

"He said you had to come. It wasn't really a question, and I wasn't going to argue it! It's the fucking Rolling Stones! So, I negotiated my own invite." She laughs.

"I…" you look back between the two, still shocked that you are there, and still shocked that Harry is too.

"I…"

You try to push out the words but you can't. Tears immediately flood your eyes and you unintentionally let out a whimper.

"You guys…" you shake your head in disbelief.

Harry wraps one arm around your shoulders and leans in. "You deserve it. Enjoy it. Please."

You nod, tears still flowing down your cheeks. He kisses your temple, then quickly pulls back.

"Sorry." He says, clearing his throat. "Happy birthday."

He drops his arm and puts both hands in his pockets.

As you wipe your tears away, doing your best not to ruin your makeup, you catch him looking at you again.

"What?" You giggle.

He shakes his head. "I don't know if it's weird for me to say."

"Just tell me." You demand.

He clears his throat. "Umm… I just… you look… gorgeous." You see a deep red hue flooding his cheeks.

You inhale sharply. "Thank you." You feel a sudden heat invade your own cheeks, and thankfully the lights dim right then as the intro music starts to play.

Natalie grabs your arm and squeals as you see the band enter on to the stage.

"This is fucking insane." You mutter, as an overwhelming feeling rises up inside.

Then 'Wild Horses' starts to play. Tears form in your eyes with the very first chords of the song. It is one of your favorites and you can't believe you are lucky enough to be seeing it played live.

Trying to keep yourself from fainting, you unintentionally grab Harry's hand. He glances over to you at the moment, but your gaze stays forward, just enjoying what you are watching. You notice your hand lingering there a few extra seconds and end up turning towards him with a huge smile. He pulls his lips inward and raises his eyebrows, giving you a wink as his dimples appear on display.

You can't help but giggle.

He mouths 'happy birthday', squeezing your hand once more before letting it go, and you find yourself feeling a little disappointed.

[Don't]

But you start to feel yourself blushing a little as you mouth 'thank you' back to him, and turn away.

[Even with everything that happened, he's still so thoughtful and sweet… fuck]

You glance at him again, and this time he isn't looking at you. He's watching the show and you can't help but admire him- his kindness, his thoughtfulness, his attractiveness…

[For fucks sake… stop!]

~~~~~

Every single second of the concert was amazing, and as it comes to an end, your entire soul is sad that it is over.

"Oh. My. Fucking. God." Natalie exclaims. "That was the best moment of my life so far!"

"Mine too!" You agree.

"Same here!" Harry chimes in, causing you to turn to him and see his big dimpled grin. "Like, once in a lifetime!"

You both nod.

"Let's hang back til the crowd dies down." Natalie suggests.

You turn to Harry and shake your head. "This… was incredible!"

"Right? So fucking awesome!" He replies.

"No, I-..." You pause. You stretch your arms out for a hug, and wrap them around his neck as he leans in.

"Thank you. Seriously." You whisper in his ear. "This is the best birthday gift I've ever received."

You can feel his smirk spreading on his face, as his head rests on your shoulder during the embrace.

"Oh really?" He smirks.

You pull away and roll your eyes.

"I'm glad you had a good time." He winks, starting to look around the venue. "Looks like it's clearing out, should we get going?"

"Good idea, Styles." Natalie chimes in.

"Umm… there's probably paps outside… I'll walk out with you ladies so you aren't bombarded with people." He nods, looking at you and then at Natalie and smiling.

Instantly, every moment of your breakup fight comes flooding back and you feel a lump in your throat. "A-... Are you sure?"

He shrugs. "Yeah, why not?"

Your chest feels a bit tight, and you can't seem to get it to relax.

"I just… don't want it to be stress-"

"It's all good." He interrupts, giving you a big smile. "And besides, you deserve red carpet treatment today!"

He bumps his shoulder against yours. "M'kay, let's go."

He motions at his security guard that he's ready to leave.

With the security guard walking partially beside and behind Harry, you walk outside and through the crowd of yelling people and flashing cameras. You can understand how it can be overwhelming, and yet you still feel safe.

[You did always feel safe around Harry]

You put your head down as much as you can, without blocking your view of where you're going, and you see Harry quickly look back to check on you and Natalie.

The flashes go off until you've all reached the private parking lot, and you find your car.

As Natalie walks around to the other side, you turn around to Harry, who gives you a big smile.

"Good birthday?" He asks.

"Great birthday! Thank you! So much." You smile back, reaching for the car door.

"So!... Me and some friends are going to a bar… you two wanna come?" He asks, eyebrows raised and a hopeful expression in his eyes.

You look into the car and then back at him. You scrunch up your nose and exhale. "Umm… I… don't think we will."

He nods and drops his gaze. "Right, Ryan probably wouldn't like it anyway."

"Candice probably wouldn't either…" you reply.

He shrugs. "She doesn't know our… past… she thinks we're just friends. And we are, we're friends now, yeah?"

"Yeah. We are." You show the simplest smile when he looks back up at you, causing him to smile back.

You clear your throat. "I should get going." You reach out for a hug and he steps closer to embrace you.

As his arms bring your body in, his wonderful and familiar scent surrounds you and you find yourself inhaling deeply.

You have the feeling he is doing the same, as his face nuzzles against your hair.

"Thank you for this, Harry. I loved it." You whisper in his ear, and he hugs you just a little tighter.

"Always." He whispers back, sending goosebumps all over your body, and you try to stifle some tears that your body wants to release.

You both pull away slowly, your foreheads almost touching, and you can feel his breath on your face. You only let it last a second as your stomach starts to twist, and you pull away completely. Without thought, you quickly glance at his lips, but catch yourself and clear your throat.

[What the hell is wrong with you? You're with Ryan and you're just friends with Harry!]

"Have a good night." You state, hearing him sigh just a little as you start to get in the car.

"G'night." He smiles. "G'night partner-in-crime!" He bends down slightly and waves to Natalie.

She laughs. "I'm officially retiring."

[It's kind of weirding you out that they're being so nice to each other]

"Okay, Bonnie and Clyde…" you roll your eyes, as you shut the car door. You see Harry walk towards his own car, with his security guard, and you shake your head.

As the car starts to drive away, you immediately turn to Natalie.

"Did Ryan know about this?"

"Umm…" she pauses. "I told him we were going to a small concert…"

"Did you tell him it was Harry's idea?"

"Fuck no!" She exclaims. "He's been kind of a dick about tour stuff, and I didn't want any drama on your birthday."

"Thank you. For everything today." You smile. "You're the best."

"I am, aren't I?" She smirks. "But Harry planned everything so I can't take much credit."

"Wait… everything?"

"Shit." She smacks her hand against her forehead.

"Natalie!"

"Well, it was just the concert… and the car… and the Gucci belt… that's it. I swear."

"That's it? Nat, that's basically everything!" You run your hands against your thighs. "For fucks sake."

Your heart starts to pound and your breathing gets rapid. You feel a little uneasy that he did all of this for you, but there's also a part of you that feels special, and maybe a little giddy.

[Shit. Stop.]

"Woah, Y/N/N, what's up?"

You shake your head. "I don't know… he shouldn't have done all this." You sigh. "Why did he do this?"

"It's your birthday! You deserve to be spoiled!" She pauses, sighs, and shrugs her shoulders. "And who else could do it like Harry?"

You look directly at her, letting in a mild gasp at the shock of her statement.

"I mean… like… actually this. Like, the Rolling Stones concert, ya know?" She states, her words quickly coming out, almost sounding panicked. She clears her throat. "Please, just embrace the awesome birthday you've had, and know that you deserve every bit of it." She grabs your hand and gives it a kiss.

You smile and nod.

"Plus, I know that breakfast was your favorite part of the day anyway." She winks, and you both giggle.

"Yes it was, thank you Nat." You grab her hand and give it a kiss back. "You're the best."

You pull out your phone.

:you: thank you, for everything tonight

:harry: my pleasure

:harry: happy happy happy birthday

You unintentionally bite your lip and close your phone.

[He's too good at thoughtful surprises, why does he have to be so good at that stuff?]

~~~~~

May 23rd, 2015

Ryan has planned to come over this morning and have a late celebration for your birthday. His text this morning is the first time you've heard from him since your birthday, so you have no idea what he has planned.

After hearing his knock, you open the door with a smile, but see you are met with a serious look.

"Hey… Ry, what's up?" You move to let him in and hear him sigh.

He walks to the kitchen to put some coffees down, drops his head a bit, and turns around to face you.

"Are you fucking around with Harry?"

Your body reacts with a shocked expression. "What are you talking about?"

"Please answer the question." He states, almost with a scolding tone.

"No! I wouldn't-... Why would you even think that?"

He unlocks his phone and pulls up some photos, then he turns it around to show you. There is Harry, walking out of the venue of the Rolling Stones gig, but in the background you can see yourself and Natalie walking behind him.

"I saw these this morning." He states.

"Oh." You chuckle, trying to act casual, but feeling a knot start to twist in your stomach. "Yeah… umm… Natalie took me to this secret Rolling Stones gig for my birthd-"

"Why was Harry there?"

"Well, first off, he loves them. He would be there no matter what. But it was a secret event and when he found out that it was on my birthday, he called Natalie to surprise me with an invite."

You are a little off put, but mainly because it was a birthday gift for you and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

He frowns. "So he just went ahead and invited his ex-girlfriend to a concert for her birthday?"

You try to keep your fists from balling up. "Yeah. Well… no. We're trying to be friends."

"Friends? Since when?" His brow furrows even more and you can tell that he is clenching his teeth.

The frustration in you is building now, and you feel angry brewing. You remember why you had to meet with Harry in the first place.

"Since he tried to give me back a coat and you told him to fuck off!" You cross your arms over your chest. "Which you had no right to do."

"What the-?"

"I wanted it back, if it was mine, so we met up and talked about being friends."

"And you just… what… weren't gonna tell me?" He starts to raise his voice and cross his own arms over his own chest.

You sigh. "I know I probably should have. But I just didn't want to make it a big deal. We didn't know if we could even be friends."

"Clearly you can if you are running to go to concerts with him."

You scoff. "I had no idea that was happening. He and Natalie planned it all."

"He's a fucking snake!" He growls. "And that was kind of a bitch move from Natalie."

"Don't be a dick. It was a birthday surprise! He was just being nice, and a good friend!"

"Sure." He rolls his eyes.

"Ryan, this is ridiculous. You know I'm going to be around him a lot during tour, right? You're going to have to be okay with this."

He scowls again. "Yeah, I hate that. I don't see why you have to go."

It's your turn to scowl. "Because I want to!"

"But why? To be around Harry?"

"For fucks sake, no! I love that job! I love what I get to do there. And I love being with the friends I've made there!" You rub the bridge of your nose with your finger and thumb.

"You don't have to go! You can have a job here! It's stupid that you want to go!"

Your mouth drops open and your brow furrows. You can feel your jaw and your hands clench up.

"It's stupid to do my dream job?" You growl. Your breathing is becoming more rapid and your body is tightening up.

"In this case… yeah!" He answers, crossing his arms even tighter.

Your anger is at its peak and you are not about to hold it back.

"That's so unfair, Ryan!" You shout. "It makes me happy! Why can't you be happy for me? Why can't you support me being happy?"

"I can't be happy and support you doing this job. Leaving me. Being around him." His jaw is clenched right and his hand is running the back of his neck.

"I can't be happy with someone who won't support me following my dreams!" You exhale out of anger. Yet you also feel a small amount of relief for finally saying that to him.

"This is bullshit Y/N/N! I don't want you to go!"

You scoff. "It's not really up to you!"

"Fucking find something else to do!" He exclaims.

"No!"

"Because you still fucking love him, don't you? I knew it. You were sleeping with him too, right?"

"Oh you've got to be kidding me. Are you seriously accusing me of cheating? Me? You know, for a fact, I'd never do that. You asshole! I can't believe you! I can't do this!" You yell, tears in your eyes and heat coursing through your entire body.

"So, are you choosing a damn job… over me?"

You take a quick breath and don't even hesitate to answer. "Yeah. I am. We're done."

~~~~~

Series Masterlist || Chapter 26 || Chapter 28

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