#Ruby's arms had to be added on by a friend in this au since her puppet doesn't normally have arms!

[dustballdrawsartwork]

I thought it'd be super cute to draw Beyond, Ruby, and Amalgamation as if they were in @snailfen 's Ruffian and Ruffles universe! I hope you all enjoy this!

Also I freakin love hunters design so much I am looking at them with wide eyes and I am-

[bridgyrose]

Part 2 of the Semblance Mishap AU (question mark here because Tumblr considers it a forbidden symbol for some reason)

Maybe this time, Ruby accidentally fuses herself with (at least) one of her friends...

(I've been meaning to do this one)

Ruby panted as she dropped out of her semblance for the fourth time, dropping the toaster she was holding in her hands. She had spent hours using her semblance to disassemble and reassemble anything she could get her hands on in order to figure out how to fix what she did to Blake and May. Breaking things apart and putting them together was easy, since that’s what her semblance did to her, but even after test after test, machine after machine, she still had no idea what caused Blake and May to fuse like they did. 

“Maybe its time to rest,” Weiss suggested as she got up from her bunk. 

Yang nodded. “You’ve been at this for hours, maybe something changed after we got back from the Ever After. You technically ascended and who knows what magic was lingering on Blake-” 

“I have… to fix this…” Ruby said between pants, exhausted and dropping onto Blake’s bed. Her arms shook as she looked up at the ceiling of the dorm room she and her team were staying in, everything spinning from her exhaustion. “I told them both everything would be okay. Blake trusted me, backed me up, and now she and May are fused together and the only way for us to fix this is for me to figure out how I screwed up or try to find an aura transfer machine and pray we can split them without causing any further issues.” 

“We’re not telling you to give up, we’re telling you to slow down.” Yang sighed and sat down next to Ruby. “I want to get Blake back and normal again too, but all you’re doing is wearing yourself out by trying to run these tests over and over again. Rest, let your aura recharge, and then we can come back to this with Pietro.” 

Ruby perked up a bit, a smile crossing her lips. “That’s it! All I need is an aura boost from Jaune!” 

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yang’s right, you need rest and to clear your mind-” 

“If I can get Jaune to boost my aura, then I’ll have to be able to fix it!” Ruby practically jumped up and looked at Weiss and Yang with a wide grin. “I just have to test it with someone first!” 

“Wait Ruby-” 

Before Yang could get anything more out, Ruby rushed out of the room with her semblance, running through the halls looking for Jaune and his team. She was certain that if she could get a boost from him, then she could fix everything. She finally pulled out of her semblance once she saw him, rose petals fluttering everywhere around her. “I need you and your semblance!” 

Jaune brushed a few petals out of his hair and sighed. “Sure, are we going on a mission then?” 

“No, I need you to give me a power boost while I use my semblance with someone and see if I can get them to merge with me and then to bring them back to normal.” 

“You’re… going to have to explain what you mean.” 

“Blake, May, and I went out to one of the abandoned buildings that Headmaster Theodore wanted us to check out, potentially an aura transfer machine that we could use to get Penny back. But when I used my semblance to move us quicker, Blake and May ended up fused and now I need to get them unfused but nothing I’ve done worked so I need you to give me an aura boost so we can figure this out!” 

Jaune slowly nodded as she tried to follow what Ruby was telling him. “And how do you plan to see if this works?” 

“I see if I can recreate this with someone else. Maybe with Nora or Ren-” 

“I’m not going to let any of my teammates get hurt with this.” 

“It wont hurt them… I think…” Ruby pulled Jaune into an empty classroom and sat down. “I think it has something to do with the Ever After. I was able to use my semblance with Blake without issue when it was just her and me, but when May was added into the mix, that’s when things went… wrong. Yang is going to kill me if I cant get Blake back for her and I have tried for hours trying to figure out how I messed things up this bad.” 

“And you’re sure that using my semblance will help?” Jaune asked as he leaned against a table. “What exactly is your plan?” 

“To see if maybe I can get something to fuse with someone else temporarily. I know its a long shot, but if this works, then that’s it. This test and then undoing what I did to Blake and May.” 

“And if you cant? I’m not going to put anyone else in a position where I’ll lose them.” 

“It’ll work. I promise.” 

Jaune sighed and sat down on the table. “Fine, just one try. We’ll see if Ren or Nora want to help and go from there. Who are you going to try to fuse them with?” 

“With a toaster or something.” 

“What?” 

“I dont want to lose anyone else either, so instead of trying to recreate what I did with May and Blake with two people, I want to do it with something smaller. A person and a toaster or maybe even a scroll. I wasnt able to get two toasters to fuse together while doing this and everything came out as normal.” 

“This… sounds like a bad idea.” 

“It’ll be fine.” 

“Nora and Ren should be at the mess hall.” Jaune stood up and adjusted the sword on his hip. “Though, they’re probably finished eating so they might be going out into town to help out-” 

Ruby didnt let Jaune finish, grabbing his hand and rushing out with her semblance in a flurry of red, green, and yellow petals. She could feel an energy rushing through her as she sped through the halls and to the mess hall of the academy, her heart racing as she dropped her semblance, watching the petals flutter in front of her. “Nora, Ren, we need your help with something.” 

“We?” Ren asked. “Its just you.” 

“And I like what you did with your hair,” Nora chimed in. 

Ruby froze for a moment as she caught her reflection in a glass of water, taking a step back as she pulled out her scroll and looked at herself in the camera. Her once black and red tipped hair was now yellow, her eyes were blue with a small ring of silver around the pupil. A breastplate sat uncomfortably where her corset had been, her cloak streaked with white and red, and the skirt she wore seemed more like shorts than a skirt anymore. “I-I can fix this…” she said shakily, her voice sounding more like Jaune’s than her own. She used her semblance again and again as she came in and out of each cloud of petals, nothing changing. Then, on her last attempt to fix herself, her exhaustion caught up to her as her aura crackled and broke in a shimmer of red and yellow and she fell to the ground as her legs gave out. 

[grimmswan]

Drunken Snuggles

Captain Swan AU / Killian Jones/Emma Swan AU

A very drunk Emma texts best friend, and secret crush, Killian, wanting to be held and snuggled. Since he is also drunk, it leads to some comical behavior.

Based on a Discord prompt by @everything-person

Emma was on her fifth shot when a brilliant idea came to mind.

“I want to cuddle with somebody. Somebody with a warm strong body.” The image of her best friend and secret crush came to mind. She got out her phone.

“Who are you texting?” Mary Margaret asked, trying to lean over and look at Emma’s phone.

“Killian. He always says he will be there for me if there is anything I need. Well, I want snuggles.”

“I think he’s playing cards with the guys.” Ruby said. “He might not hear his phone.”

Emma pouted with disappointment as she watched the message she had just sent out signal it was delivered.

A few seconds later, she heard Killian’s sexy voice say loudly, “Mates, I need to find Emma.”

Her head whipped to the direction it came from, and saw the three guys at the billiard tables.

“Killian!” Emma shouted with glee.

“Swan!” Having gotten his attention, he was moving just as fast toward her.

“What are you three doing here? I thought you were having a girl’s night?” David asked his girlfriend.

“We were.” Mary Margaret rolled her eyes. “I told you Ruby, Emma, and I were coming here. I thought you guys were going to play poker at Killians.”

“I forgot which bar you said. Two of the guys called and said they had something else come up and couldn’t make it. It wouldn’t have been much of a game with three people, so we decided to come here and play pool.”

“Oh this is going to be good.” Ruby grinned wolfishly, holding up her phone, recording the exchange between Emma and Killian.

“I didn’t know you were a cuddle bug, love. I would be more than happy to fulfill your request.”

Emma giggled. “How are you always able to use pretty words, even when drunk.”

“Maybe because I’m always looking at you, and becoming drunk on your beauty.”

“How many has he had?” Mary Margaret asked.

David thought for a moment. “He was finishing a beer when I arrived at his apartment. He had two while we were waiting for August and Robin. And since we’ve been here, he’s had two shots and a rum and coke, doubling on the rum.”

“He’s going to be sick as a dog tomorrow.” Graham observed.

“Most likely, so will Emma.” Ruby pointed out, adjusting the light on her camera phone. She didn’t want to miss a single second of Emma and Killian being ridiculous in the bar.

At the moment, Killian was helping Emma climb on him. He held her up by holding onto her butt while her arms and legs were wrapped tightly around them.

For the next three hours, the two of them stayed like that. The only change was that Killian was sitting, but he still insisted on holding Emma firmly to him, mostly by holding her butt.

When it was time to leave, the rideshare driver had a very confused look on his face when the koala couple entered his car.

CAPTAIN SWAN

Emma woke with a groan, head throbbing.

Panic suddenly gripped her and added to her misery when she shifted and realized her head was laying on a naked chest. A naked chest that happened to be covered in thick curly hair.

There was only one person she knew with a chest like that.

No. How could she have been so stupid? Killian was her best friend. Sure she was in love with him. But she had been through enough relationships to know she always messed things up. And if she messed things up with Killian, she would destroy the best thing in her life.

Killian’s head was pounding, and the contents of his stomach were threatening to make a reappearance. He didn’t want to open his eyes, for fear that he wouldn’t be able to make it to the bathroom, for fear of becoming sick all over the bed.

But laying there, fighting back the contents of his stomach, he slowly became aware of the fact he wasn’t alone.

Gradually, he opened his eyes, and instantly recognized the blonde hair laying on his chest.

Guilt, dread, and regret joined his misery. Killian had been in love with Emma Swan since he first set eyes on her. He had hoped to gain her trust and win her over.

When they finally made love, he wanted them both to be completely sober. He needed her to want him, choose him. For every detail to forever be ingrained in their minds. He didn’t want their first encounter to be some drunken fling.

Slowly, carefully, they parted from one another.

“Morning, Swan.”

“Morning.”

Neither looked at the other. Each feared the other would only have disgust and shame in their eyes.

They stumbled their way through getting cleaned up, dressed, and to the kitchen, hoping to get very large cups of coffee.

“You know nothing happened.” Mary Margaret assured them, sensing the new awkwardness between them was due to some misunderstanding. “Trust me, you were both too drunk to do anything.”

“We weren’t wearing clothes when we got up this morning.” Emma’s irritation with herself made her blurt out the statement.

“Probably because you got hot.” David suggested. “You each had at least six shots of whisky, I know that always makes me feel overheated.

“The two of you passed out nearly right after you stumbled into Emma’s room.” Ruby told them. “I know. I was listening for any fun noises, and all I heard was snoring.”

“I don’t snore.” Emma defended herself.

“You do when you’re really drunk, honey.” Mary Margeret confessed to her with a look of pity. “After Ruby’s birthday party, when you had drunk about eight margaritas, you and Killian had passed out on the couch, and you were both snoring.”

“I’ve heard freight trains quieter than you two.” Graham added his own input.

“Here.” Ruby held up her phone. “I recorded you guys at the bar, and in the rideshare. You can see for yourselves.”

Killian sighed with relief. He hadn’t messed things up between himself and Swan.

And seeing the video, he had proof that Emma shared his feelings.

Mood greatly improved, Killian moved closer to Emma and said cheekily, “I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to snuggle again, Swan. Though I would prefer it if we were sober. I want to actually remember it.”

For the first time that morning, Emma smiled.

The group made a big breakfast, with plenty of fried bacon and eggs, and chose to spend a lazy day in their apartment.

It escaped no one’s notice that Emma and Killian sat pressed against one another, and continued to snuggle together for the rest of the day.

 And every day after.

[miss-writes-a-lot]

Ozqrow Week 2023 Day 3: Nothing Bad Ever Happened AU

(Day 3! Give it up for day 3 of @ozqrowweek 2023! This one turned out to be a bit longer than I expected it to be intially. I'm not even sure that this half will even fit onto this post because I forgot the limit for tumblr, but I will most likely have the complete version up on my ao3 which is MissWritesALot55, so if you currently interested in seeing that or anything else, please do check it out. Without further ado, here's to Day 3!)

Ozqrow Week Day 3: Nothing Bad Ever Happened AU

Friday night dinners at the Xiao-Long Rose’s house were always something. From marriage announcements to Branwen twin brawls to full-out food fights that spanned across the property, Ozpin and their kitchen table had seen it all and this night was no exception to that. 

 Since dating Qrow in combat school through their time in Beacon all the way into adulthood, he was no stranger to the bombastic personalities of the members of Team STRQ and their daughters. Most of the time, he coasted through the craziness of it all until he had to participate in it actively. 

But on this night, he and Qrow would be inciting a bit of chaos of their own because they would finally announce their engagement. Among other things.

Qrow and Ozpin had been together for half of their lives to where they were basically married, they just didn’t have the papers to say so. Everyone in their lives - friends and family alike - had long-standing bets on when these two would finally tie the knot - so far, James and Tai are in the lead.

And now, that time had finally come and they were ready to tell the family. 

Ozpin was a bit nervous - anyone would be when making such a big announcement - but as he and Qrow walked up the dirt path with his giant pot that he for some reason that Summer always asked him to bring, he reminded himself that this was his family and while they might be a little pissed at the added announcement toward the end, they’ll be happy for them nonetheless. 

“You doing alright there, Ozzy?” Qrow asked, snaking an arm around his waist. 

Ozpin nodded, “I’m fine. Just excited for tonight.”

Qrow smirked, pecking a kiss to his temple, “Me too. Can’t wait to see the look on Tai’s face when he finds out he lost to Ol’ Jimmy Ironwood. And who knows, maybe he’ll let us keep some of his winnings.”

“And here I thought you were going to say something romantic like how you can’t wait to be my husband.”

“Well, yeah. That too – but think of all the money we’ll save Oz!”

Ozpin chuckled, playfully pushing Qrow as they got up to the door, “Alright, alright. I see your point. Just try not to let your excitement get the best of you,” he reached for the doorbell, “I doubt Tai has much money in this silly bet anyhow–”

The door opened, and a flood of yellow light poured into the darkness outside. The men turned to greet whichever of the Xiao Long-Roses were waiting on the opposite side – only to be met by the heiress of the Schnee dust company standing in the doorway, mouth gaped open in shock.

“Pro – Professor Ozpin?” she exclaimed, barely able to hide her surprise.

Ozpin flashed a nervous smile at the girl, “A-Ah! Good evening, Ms. Schnee. I…I didn’t expect to see you here…at all.”

“I – I didn’t expect to see you here either, Sir. N-Not that I’m not happy to see you here! Though, I have to ask, why are you here? And who is this?” Weiss asked, gesturing to Qrow.

Ozpin opened his mouth to explain when a pair of speedy and pounding footsteps came and cut him off before he could even so much as get out a breath. A flurry of red crashed into view and crashed into Qrow as well, knocking him into the grass.

“UNCLE QROW!” The faux redhead exclaimed, kicking her feet happily as she hugged her arms around his neck tightly.

Qrow gasped for a breath, “Jeez, kid! You’re really gettin’ the hang of your sneak attacks, aren’t cha?”

Ruby giggled, “It’s so good to see you again! Uncle Oz wouldn’t tell me where you went and–”

“I’m sorry — Uncle. Oz?” Weiss exclaimed.

Ruby sat up and tilted her head, blinking in owlish confusion, “Yeah? What about him?”

“Ruby Rose – Are you telling me this entire time our headmaster has been your — your–!” 

“Oh, would you look at that? Your mother seems to be calling me! Coming!”

Ozpin quickly shuffled past Weiss, catching a quick glimpse of Blake Belladonna on the couch before ducking into the kitchen where Ruby’s mother, Summer Rose, was already hard at work with several different pots and pans already taking up most of the space on her stove.

She hummed as she slid a freshly formed fruit pie into the oven, not noticing Ozpin’s presence until she turned around and jumped a little in surprise.

“Oh! Oz, I didn’t see you there! Did you and Qrow just come in now?” 

“Ah, yes. We did,” he set the pot down on one of the free counters and took a seat at the table, “He’s a little tied up with Ruby and Ms. Schnee.”

“Ms. Schnee – oh! You’re talking about that Weiss girl? White hair? Long ponytail? Overly formal?”

“That’s the one.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry I didn’t warn you in time. Ruby brought them over while I was in the zone and it completely slipped my mind that you were both coming over today!”

Ozpin shook his head, “No, no. No need to apologize. It’s fine. Honestly, I’m a little glad that they all came here together. I don’t know if she or Yang told you, but they were off to a bit of a rocky start when their team first formed.”

“Oh, trust me,” Summer said, fists on her hips, “I’ve heard plenty about all the escapades and arguments that Team RWBY have been through. Can’t say it doesn’t remind me of us back in our Beacon Days, though. I think of it as a bit of a tradition.”

Ozpin chuckled, “I suppose you have a point. There hasn’t been a year without a team who have nearly driven each other mad in the first few weeks of school.”

“Still, I’d say they’re getting along pretty well! Yang has been talking non-stop about that girl Blake. I think she might like her.”

“You should see them at school. Their ‘flirting’, if you can even call it that, is atrocious. They’ve been reprimanded so many times, I’ve lost count of all the professors who has come to complain to me about them.”

Summer hid her laugh behind her hand, “That’s Yang for you. You might have Qrow give her some lessons on how to talk to girls better!”

Just then, said avian man fell through the kitchen door, rubbing around his collarbone. “Man, that kid’s got one helluva grip these days.”

“Qrow! Oz and I were just talking about you. We were hoping you could give Yang some advice on girls. We think she might have a thing for her new teammate.”

Qrow quirked a curious brow, “That so? Man, our sunny little dragon’s growing up so damn fast. Already throwing her hat in the romance ring. Next thing you know, Ruby’s gonna start wearing high heels, of all things.”

Ozpin scoffed, “I highly doubt she would go that far.”

Summer laughed, “If I know one thing about my daughter, she would never be caught dead in those – what did she call them? ‘Stupid lady stilts?’’

Ozpin couldn’t help but laugh aloud, quickly clamping a hand over his mouth as soon as it came out.

“I’m going to go check on the girls. See if they need any more refreshments. Could you guys watch the things on the stove? Maybe give them a good stir once in a while so they don’t burn?”

Qrow saluted her, “Will do, Boss.”

“Thank you!” she chirped.

She untied her apron, tossed it on the back of a chair, and went out to the living room with a pitcher full of fruit tea. Ozpin breathed a sigh of relief, burying his head in his hands.

“Brothers, this is not how I imagined the night going,” he said.

“I know, but there’s not a lot we can do about it,” Qrow said, already taking over chef duty.

“Maybe…maybe we postpone the announcement for next time?” 

“You sure?”

Ozpin nodded, “I wouldn’t want to make Weiss and Blake uncomfortable. This is their first time here, and I’m sure they already feel awkward with me being here. I don’t want to push any more boundaries tonight.”

Qrow nodded, “Alright. We’ll keep it chill. Though I think you’re being a little hard on yourself.”

“I’m their headmaster, Qrow. What if their progress goes down the gutter because I didn’t disclose our relationship–”

“You don’t have to ‘disclose’ anything to anybody,” Qrow said, turning his head back to him, “You weren’t there when Ruby and Yang’s files were being sent through, right? You weren’t there when their admissions letters were being looked over, and even if you did, I know you’d have only picked them because they trained hard and did their best. Not cause they’re your nieces. If you wanna tell them all that, that’s fine. But if I’m being honest, it doesn’t look like they care all that much. Hell, I’d say they’re still doing just fine.”

Ozpin perked up, ”Really?”

“Mhm. The Schnee girl’s still in shock, but she seems to be getting over it a little. I swear, she’s like a cartoon character with how dramatic she is.”

Ozpin chuckled, “Don’t let her hear you say that. She’d blow a top if she found you talking like this.”

Qrow smiled softly, “See? You’re feeling better already.”

Ozpin hummed, “Well, I wouldn’t say that. But, you did help alleviate some of my anxiety, so thank you for that.”

“It’s what I’m here for.”

Ozpin got up from his seat, walked over to Qrow, and wrapped him up in a hug from behind. Qrow chuckled, turning his head and placing a kiss on Ozpin’s cheek.

“I love you so much,” Ozpin said, burying his head into the nape of Qrow’s neck.

“I love you too, Oz,” Qrow replied with a laugh.

“I really do.”

“I know.”

“I’m really glad that we’re finally doing this.”

“Me too.”

“I love you.”

“You already said that, Oz.”

“Would you two stop being so disgustingly sweet in front of the food? You’re going to ruin my appetite?”

The couple whipped their heads in the direction of the new voice that entered from the back door. Qrow’s twin sister, Raven, looked them up and down with a bit of faux and real disgust.

Ozpin flushed red, “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long. Enough,” she replied, turning her attention to her brother, “Interesting to see you play househusband for once, Brother.”

Qrow shrugged, “What can I say? I’m a man of many talents.”

Raven rolled her eyes, “How long till dinner so I don’t end up losing my lunch?”

“Don’t know. I was just told to stop and stir until the Boss Lady comes back.”

Raven nodded. Something in her face changed. She quirked a curious brow and looked over Ozpin.

“Something wrong, Rae?”

“What were you two talking about before I came in here?”

Ozpin loosened his grip on Qrow, “Nothing important. Just the same old sappy romance stuff, as you and Qrow call it.”

Raven continued to stare at them with unconvinced eyes, slowly nodding, “Suuure.”

Without saying anything else, she walked past them and out into the living room to join the others. The couple exchanged foreboding glances.

“She knows,” Ozpin said grimly.

“We don’t know that,” Qrow argued, though something in his eyes told them both that that was likely untrue.

“You saw the way she was looking at us!” Ozpin whisper-shouted, “She knows.”

“She knows something. And it’s probably not about us. Maybe she’s just in a weird mood!”

Ozpin frowned, “You don’t honestly believe that, do you?”

“Look, even if she does know something - which she probably doesn’t - I don’t think she’d say anything in front of the others, especially with new people around.”

“I suppose you’re right…”

“It’s gonna be fine. We’ll get through this dinner and then next Friday or something, we’ll tell them for real. I’ll even sit next to Rae to make sure she doesn’t try anything.”

Ozpin sighed, “Okay, okay. This is fine. This. Is. Fine. Everything is going to be fine and I am not going to quit my job as Headmaster after tonight.”

“Right. Good job staying positive!”

Ozpin groaned, though he couldn’t be too upset. 

Friday night dinners at the Xiao-Long Roses are usually full of surprises and the unexpected, and he was no exception to that.

No matter how hard he tried.

[comatosebunny09]

How Many Drinks? [ Pt. 2 ]

Summary: It’s no secret that you’ve had a thing for your bestie for quite some time. With a few shots loosening your tongue, will you finally have the courage to confess?

Genre: Romance, Humor, Drama, Modern AU

Warnings: Language, Mild Sexual Content, Alcohol, MDNI!

This didn’t come out nearly as good as it sounded in my head. 😭 Thank you so much for reading!

He’s never too far off.  

And for that, you are thankful.

Kyojuro stands in your peripheral, a watchful big brother swirling the contents of his glass, looking like a five-course meal. He exchanges laughter and stories with a couple of his co-workers who came out to partake in the dollar shots, too. He’s close enough to intervene in case someone gets too handsy with you, but he gives you enough space to do your own thing. The notion brings a sloppy cant to your lips. It’s nice to be doted on. Nice to pretend like he’s an overprotective boyfriend instead of just a hyper-vigilant homie.

You flag down the bartender for the fourth time tonight, feeling like you’re wading through molasses. Your words are slurred as you ask for “another long island, please,” casually drumming your nails against the empty, highball glass.

“Coming right up, gorgeous,” he shouts over the conglomerate of conversation and music, gracing you with a boyish beam. Your lips quirk. He’s cute. Dimples, brunet, nice teeth. You make out the strength of his body as he mixes drinks behind the counter. Someone you’d typically flirt with. You would’ve asked for his number a couple hours ago if not for a certain blond living rent-free in your muddled mind.

Speaking of him…

You watch Kyojuro chat up a pretty redhead. She’s short and curvaceous, breasts spilling from her blouse as she leans forward and purposely squishes them together. Touches his arm with her slimy paw; a fake, girlish giggle added for affect. You scoff, brow twitching with irritation. “Girl, he don’t want you. You’re trying too damn hard,” muttered under your breath.

You’ve only ever seen him in two serious relationships since you’ve been friends. His last girl was a prima donna, too focused on his pockets. You wanted to choke slam her after Kyojuro showed up to your apartment with red-rimmed eyes and a broken heart.

He’s a sweet, romantic baby not into one-night stands. Deserves someone who will appreciate all the cliché shit he loves. Flowers, midnight strolls on the beach, kissing under the stars. He deserves a slow, all-consuming love. Not some grabby-ass heifer who’s only interested in fucking.

The bartender returns, placing your drink down on the sticky counter. You raise the tumbler in a silent thank you. He responds with a sensual wink before moving to another patron.

“Come here often?” floats a saccharine voice from over your shoulder. You tremble, nearly spilling your drink. L’Homme and warmth consume you when Kyojuro reaches around to set his glass down. Presses a deft hand to the small of your back. Your eyes lock briefly, your breath corked in your throat. “Apologies,” he says, flashing you a disarming smile, gradually backing off. “I did not mean to startle you.”

You swivel in the barstool to face him fully, alcohol sloshing around in your gut. “Don’t be sneakin’ up on me like that. You know I’ll beat your ass.”

Kyojuro chuckles deeply in response, the sound singeing your innards. “Calm down, tigress.”

It should be criminal to be so damn fine.

You drink in the subtle tilt of his cerise lips through hooded lids. Amber irises descend into a dark ruby, glittering under the strobe lights as he gives your drunken form a once over. Emboldened and moving on autopilot, you sweep a wayward lock of crimson-tinged hair behind his ear. Fingertips graze the cool, gold metal of his cartilage piercing. The act feels too intimate. Freezes you both in time, the thunderous music briefly fading into distorted hums around you.

Friendly. That’s all it was. At least, that’s what you tell yourself when his eyes fasten to your quivering lips.

“Want another drink?” you ask, dispelling the tense air. You don a boozy grin despite the subtle fluttering of your heart.

“No thank you,” Kyojuro replies, slipping his hands into his pockets, gaze averted. He wears an easy smile of his own whilst he moves to stand beside you. “I think I have reached my quota for the evening.”

You huff, turning back to the bar. “You had like, one drink, bro. You’re no fun.” At that, you down what’s left of your watery long island.

“Do you want to make it home tonight?” Kyojuro playfully chides, poking your rib.

Depends on whose home we’re ending up at…

You fix your mouth to retort, but the song blaring from the speakers melds into one you’re well acquainted with.

“Aw, shit!” you holler, ready to shake your ass now that the liquor’s loosened your limbs and inhibitions. “This is my shit! Kyo!” You grab for him with childlike mirth paddling across your features. “Kyo, dance with me!”  

He casts you a humored look before offering a hand. Carefully plucks you from the stool, twining five thick fingers with yours. You ignore how tender they feel; how normal it is to have his digits scorching your skin. He cups your hand like a lover, guiding you through the sea of writhing, sweaty bodies toward an empty space near the DJ booth.

Once safely nestled between other clubgoers, you let the rhythm possess you. Throw your hands up in the air, jumping in time with the beat. Kyojuro bops in front of you, grooving from a safe distance. He’s told you multiple times before that he’s not much of a dancer. But he’s a far cry from the wallflower he was when you met way back when. You’re grateful that he never leaves you hanging, even if he’s out of his element.

You mouth the lyrics, swaying your body. Wind your generous hips, not missing the subtle darkening of Kyojuro’s eyes as he watches your sinful gyrations. Thinks you haven’t noticed, but you’re on to him. You slowly sashay towards him, a hawk closing in on its prey. Reach for his hands again until—

You exhale sharply, back colliding with a taut wall of muscle. You toss a look over your shoulder, vision doubled and distorted around the edges. You hardly make out the contours of his face through the fluttering lights, but you have an inkling of an idea who’s behind you. And dammit, he feels good.

Fuck it, you think, letting the bartender draw your hips into a sinuous sway against his groin. The liquor’s got you feeling weightless and numb, and you love this song. Maybe you’ll put on a show for Kyo. Get him hot and bothered and craving your touch, much like you pine for his.

You look up after brushing up on your new dance partner. Can’t help the slight grimace that descends onto your mouth.

The ginger from before has Kyojuro in her clutches, pushing up on him as if casting a spell. Grazes his exposed chest with idle fingers, dragging him into a slow wind. Kyojuro spares you a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure that you’re alright. She molds his hands to her waist, snatching his attention back to her.

For the umpteenth time tonight, you sigh.

“Yep, I’m done,” you admonish, dismissing yourself from the dancefloor. Heat floods your body as you simmer with a silent rage.  

“Aw, what’s wrong, baby?” the bartender whines, scrambling for your fingers. You swat his hands away, a childish pout worrying your lips. You stride across the tiled floor, dodging awkward limbs and other men trying to draw you in for a dance. You set course for the ladies’ room under the pretense of needing to freshen up.

Your name is called from behind. Distress lurks beneath the depths of that familiar tenure as it closes in.

“Gotta pee!” you shout, dipping into the bathroom.

Once enclosed in the safety of a stall, you melt against the toilet seat after dressing it with a generous amount of toilet paper.

“Get your shit together,” you chastise, feeling like you’re sinking into quicksand. Cradle your swimming head in your hands, trying to remember how to breathe.

What the fuck was that about? You’re upset because of what? Because Kyojuro is doing what a single man should? He’s not yours; never will be. You don’t deserve someone of his caliber, anyway.

A defeated groan wrenching itself from your chest, you swallow your resolve. Give yourself a couple beats to collect your thoughts before flushing the toilet and exiting the stall. The woman who looks back at you in the mirror is hardly recognizable. Hair slightly mussed, eyes dark and hollow.

Yeah. It’s time to go.

You pat your hands dry and fix your dress. Exhale loudly before dumping yourself back into the hallway in search of your DD. You want to apologize for leaving him to fend for himself on the dancefloor—

“There you are,” Kyojuro calls, catching up to you in three long strides. You watch his silhouette dance beneath the dim light of the hallway. Not sure if the alcohol’s got you hallucinating. But damn, he looks scrumptious like this.

Hair spilling from the half-ponytail he’d tied it in earlier, cheeks speckled with color. Lips pillowy, panning in close enough to kiss. He places his large, torrid hands on your naked shoulders, bending down to your level. Concern swirls beneath the molten pools of his eyes. He knows you too well; can tell that you’re out of sorts because the alcohol’s turned you into a brat, and he’s one of the few people you catch an attitude with.

Kyojuro asks if you’re “ready to go,” in a subdued, cautious tone. You nod lamely, still entranced by his beauty; still feeling the long islands warming your innards.  

“Yeah,” you say with a slight cant to your lips, curling your hand around his proffered arm. “Let’s get the hell up out of here, Kyo.”

Wordlessly, Kyojuro guides you through the crowd back into the inky, glacial night.

—

The analog clock of the stereo reads 2:00 AM.

In the stillness of his convertible, your stomach growls audibly.

“Hungry?” Kyojuro queries, reaching over the center console to squeeze your thigh. If not for your inebriated state, your tummy would be a jumbled mess of knots from the contact. Instead, you nod slowly, dragging your eyes across the side of his head.

“What would you like?”

You shift around on the heated leather of the passenger seat, his jacket sitting homely about your shoulders. “I’m not really picky.”

“Waffle House?”

Scowl. “I’d rather eat dumpster sludge.”

“Taco Bell it is, then,” he relents with the humblest of grins.

You perk up, pawing at Kyojuro’s arm like an overzealous kitten. “Oh my God, Kyo! I want all the tacos! Order me all the tacos!”

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[sunflowervolvimp3]

42 Hours

Content: an enemies to lovers au in which Harry and Y/N are forced into a cross country road trip to make it to their best friends’ wedding on time

Warnings: language, mentions of nsfw content

Pairing: Harry Styles x reader

Word Count: 20k 

A/N: I actually cannot believe that this is finally being posted over almost a month of working on it!! originally, I was going to make this one long stand alone fic, but once I hit 35k with no end in sight, I decided to split it into two parts so that it would be easier to read for you guys.  I’m hoping to have part 2 posted within a week, so keep an eye out for it!! this fic was partially inspired by this post by @avhrodite​ (thank you miss bailey!!) and can I just say that I had so much fun writing it!! I love road trips!! it makes me so sad that I had to split this fic because there are so many fun music scenes in the next part but those will all come in due time!! I would also like to give a big thank you to miss andrea @adashofniallandasprinkleoflunacy​ and miss alex @darthstyles​ for putting up with me bouncing ideas off of them and for proof reading for me!! and miss andrea again for editing this stunning header pic!! also everyone I tagged is a wonderful writer and if you’re looking for more to read after reading this then I HIGHLY suggest taking a look through their masterlists. and as always, if you like this fic, please like and reblog it!! and shoot me a message!! feedback is always appreciated, not just by me, but by all content creators <3

{masterlist}

also!! if you want to set the mood for a road trip with Harry, here is a link to the playlist that is mentioned and referenced in this fic!!

When she was a little girl, Y/N’s grandmother had told her about Murphy’s Law.  Grandma Sarah’s favourite activity was staring at her granddaughter over the kitchen counter, a knife in one hand and half an onion that she’d been cutting in the other, spouting various wisdoms at the young girl, who would often be sitting and peeling vegetables for her.  The old lady had hoped that, after being lectured enough times on life’s difficulties, Y/N might be able to avoid making the same mistakes that she had made in her own time.  She always had a list of advice that she’d cycle through, as if she were a record on a loop.

“Always look both ways before crossing the street.  Your great uncle Albert didn’t, and he never regained full function of his left hand.”

“Beauty fades, but there’s no shelf life on your mind.”

“The grass is always greener on the other side, so stop staring at it, and focus on taking care of your own lawn.”

All of the advice was, by any accounts, useful for anyone to know, especially a young girl.  Of course, sometimes the advice would get a little scrambled after Grandma Sarah had had a few glasses of wine, but even her tipsy thoughts were useful to Y/N in her later years.  To this day, Y/N still sets a glass of water on her nightstand before going out to a bar, and her hungover self is always grateful the next morning.  And Y/N had yet to find anything that smelled as sweet as a vanilla dabbed behind her ears and on her wrists when she runs out of perfume.  However, perhaps the most important piece of advice Grandma Sarah ever gave her came one afternoon when Y/N was eleven years old, and her older cousin Grace was due to get married the next week.

Grandma Sarah had cracked egg after egg into her mixing bowl, always without getting any unwanted pieces of shell in the egg whites, and gave her granddaughter a long look across the kitchen counter.

“When you get married, Y/N,” She had said, voice firm. “Remember Murphy’s Law.  Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, and at the worst possible moment.  When Murphy’s Law comes into play, there’s nothing you can do except roll with the punches.”

Eleven year old Y/N had nodded her head seriously, as she always did when her grandmother told her seemingly important things.  The advice, despite its usefulness, however, didn’t stick around in her head, and Murphy’s Law didn’t cross Y/N’s mind for fourteen years.

It takes fourteen years for Y/N, who is standing in front of a flight check-in at LAX, two large suitcases next to her, one of which contains two gold wedding bands, passport in hand, and a distressed look on her face, to remember the law her grandmother had once told her about.

“When you get married, Y/N…anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, and at the worst possible moment.”

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Y/N pushes the echoing words of her grandmother out of her head. “I’m sorry, just—” She gives a pained smile to the lady working the check in. “Can you explain that to me again, please?”

The lady also takes a deep breath, the smile on her ruby tinted lips just as pained as Y/N’s. “There’s a storm system moving through Utah and Colorado.  These systems have the potential to become tornadoes, and because of that, the conditions for flying are too dangerous right now, so all flights through that area are grounded until further notice.”

“So my flight is cancelled?” Y/N holds up the ticket in her hand that’s stamped with LAX – JFK. “This flight, this flight to New York, which is nowhere near Utah—that’s cancelled?”

The check-in lady, whose name tag reads Brynn, gives another tight smile. “Yes, ma’am.  It’s cancelled.”

“Okay, no, I’m sorry, Brynn, but that doesn’t work for me.” Y/N shakes her head fiercely as the manic rush of emotions through her begins to set in.  The denial, she finds, keeps the oncoming panic at bay, and so she decides to focus on that to ground herself. “My best friend is getting married in the Catskills in one week.” Y/N holds up one finger, as if her words are hard for Brynn to understand. “That’s one week from today.  I’m the maid of honour.  I have to be there to help organize, keep her calm, and make sure she actually makes it down the aisle, because—between you and me—she’s got some commitment issues—” The more Y/N speaks, the more her panic begins to spill out in her words, like a dam with a leak that’s about to burst. “And she forgot the goddamn wedding rings, so I have those too, and I just—I really need to get to New York, like, now. Right now.”

Y/N finally pauses to take a sharp breath, and Brynn, who had been waiting for her to finish, speaks again, her voice flatter than before.

“I’m very sorry to hear that, ma’am, but as I said, all flights are grounded right now.”

Pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers, Y/N takes another deep breath.  Roll with the punches, her grandmother had told her.  What else is there to do? “Okay.” Y/N is careful to keep her voice in check when she speaks again. “Alright.  Do you know when they’ll be ungrounded?”

“As I’ve said,” Brynn’s smile is more of a grimace now, and Y/N knows that she’s treading on thin ice. “All flights are grounded until further notice.  We’re not sure when we’ll be able to open them again.  It could be a day, or it could be five.  If you’d like, I can put you down on a list to be called when flights are available again, but I’m afraid that’s the best I can do.”

“Let’s do that, then.” Y/N relents in a tired voice, already making plans to pick up a coffee on her way back to her apartment.  In the back of her mind, she begins to wonder if she has any Baileys Irish cream liqueur left in her kitchen cabinet—and if 8:30 A.M. is too early to be drinking Baileys with her coffee.

…

It takes Y/N two cups of coffee with Baileys (it had been 10 A.M. by the time she arrived home, thanks to L.A. traffic, and she had decided that 10 A.M. was a fine time to drink when one’s flight gets cancelled indefinitely) to work up the courage to call Jo and tell her that she isn’t sure if she’ll be able to make it to the wedding.

Josephine Waters, or Jo to anyone who doesn’t want to get punched in the arm, has been Y/N’s best friend since the girls were five years old.  They became fast friends on the first day of kindergarten, as Jo liked how Y/N could already colour inside the lines, and Y/N liked how Jo tackled a boy who tugged on Y/N’s pigtails.  From the very beginning, the two were a perfect match for each other; where Y/N was reserved, Jo was wild.  Where Jo was disorganized, Y/N was focused.  Each girl balanced the other in the most natural way, and it’s this fact that Y/N and Jo credit for the two of them staying friends for twenty years. As they grew up together, they grew together, taking the very best traits from the other and using it to help themselves develop.  Y/N had been the first person that Jo came out to, confessing to her best friend during an eighth grade sleepover in a quiet and nervous voice.  To Jo’s pleasure, Y/N had been completely supportive, and returned the favour from the first day of kindergarten by punching a boy in the nose for calling Jo a homophobic slur.  Jo helped Y/N through her parent’s divorce.  Y/N helped Jo manage her ADHD.  Jo talked Y/N through discovering her bisexuality in university. Y/N answered every 3 A.M. phone call to comfort Jo after a panic attack.  In every sense of the word, the two girls had been there for each other.

And now Y/N is going to miss Jo’s wedding.

The harsh realization digs a pit in her stomach as she opens her phone and clicks on Jo’s name.  It’s noon in L.A., which means it’s 3 P.M. in New York time, and Y/N knows Jo will answer.  She always does.

Sure enough, after three short rings, Jo’s voice chirps through the phone. “Hey, Y/N!  Has your flight landed already?”

“No, there’s—there’s been an issue.” Y/N downs another gulp of her coffee, wishing she had added more Baileys when she had the chance, and clears her throat before continuing. “There’s, um, a storm in Utah, and apparently it’s bad, and so all flights from L.A. to New York are grounded until further notice.”

Jo makes a scoffing noise, and Y/N can practically picture the indignant look on her face that she’s seen so many times before. “That’s ridiculous.  Did you tell them that New York is nowhere near Utah?”

“Uh huh.”

“What about that my wedding is in one week?”

“I told them that, too. Brynn didn’t seem to care.”

“Bitch.” Jo mutters under her breath. “Okay, just wait a second, Laure just walked through the door, so I’m putting you on speakerphone—”

Y/N hears rustling on the speaker, as well as muttering in the background as Jo speaks to her fiancée, and then Jo’s voice is back, sounding slightly more distant.

“Okay, so I told Laure what happened—”

“That’s awful, Y/N.” Laure’s voice is laced with stress, and Y/N can only imagine how much anxiety this information is adding to her already full plate. “They won’t tell you when flights will be leaving again?”

“Nope.” Y/N pulls her knees to her chest and wraps her free arm around them, leaning her head against the back of her couch.

“Okay, well, planes aren’t the only way to get here.” Laure says, always the more rational out of the two. “Maybe a car—?”

“Y/N doesn’t have one.” Jo chimes in, a hint of teasing in her voice, despite the serious problem that’s in discussion. “She’s scared of driving—”

Y/N sits up, an indignant look on her face. “I’m not scared of driving!” She says hotly, setting her empty coffee mug on the table with a thud. “I just hate L.A. traffic, and honestly, there’s no point!  I can walk to work, and Uber anywhere else I need to go!  A car would be completely useless to me!”

“Except now, when you’re about to miss your best friend’s wedding.” Jo points out. “What about renting one?”

Y/N sighs, her moment of indignation already fizzled out. “I tried that already.  There’s nothing available for a cross country trip.”

“And the drive is so long.” Laure murmurs, and Y/N knows it’s more for Jo’s benefit than hers. “It’s over forty hours.  She can’t do that by herself; it’s not safe.”

“But—”

“Look, Jo, don’t worry about this, alright?” Y/N cuts across her best friend’s anxious voice, assuming her usual role of protector. “I’ll figure this out.  I promise you; I will make it to your wedding on time, looking pretty in my dress, and with your wedding bands.  I promise.”

“We’ll keep thinking about it and see what we can come up with.” Laure promises through the phone, her voice sounding further and further away. “This is just—it’s a bump in the road, but it’s fine.  We can work around this.  We’ll find a way.”

…

The way that Laure finds for Y/N pounds on her door at 7:30 A.M. the next morning.

Y/N, like any exhausted and stressed out adult who has already begun her ten days of vacation time that she booked off for the wedding, is fast asleep in her bed when she hears the knocking.  The loud noise pulls her out from her dreams abruptly, and she cracks one eye open, squinting through the sunlight that’s lighting up her room.  When the knock echoes through her apartment again, she pulls herself from her sheets with a groan, grabbing her robe from the back of her door and tying it around herself as she makes her way to the front hallway to yell at whoever has the audacity to wake her up.

When she opens the door, Harry Styles is peering down at her with an irritated look on his face.

“Took you long enough, Y/N.” He rolls his eyes as he speaks, finally stepping back from the door that he had been pounding on a moment ago. “Are you ready to go?”

Y/N rubs her eyes, suppressing a yawn as she does so. “Styles, I have no idea what you’re talking about.  What are you doing here?” She demands.  She doesn’t have the energy to deal with him right now, she thinks, let alone the mental capacity to listen to anything he has to say.

Harry crosses his arms across his chest, and it’s then that Y/N notices the duffel bag strewn over his shoulder. “It’s a forty-two hour drive from L.A. to the Catskills.” Harry’s eyes scan over Y/N’s appearance, the very corner of his strawberry pink lips twitching, and Y/N tightens her robe around herself with a glare.

“A drive?” Y/N asks, uncertainty growing in her voice as she crosses her arm over her chest. “What are you talking about?”

“Your flight was cancelled, right?” Harry’s voice grows more impatient as Y/N’s half asleep brain struggles to piece together what’s happening. “So was mine, so I decided to drive to the wedding, and then Laure called me last night, begging me to take you with me.” He shrugs a bit, fixing his sunglasses on top of his head as his jade eyes scan over her appearance one more time. “Not my first choice of road trip partner, but I don’t think the best man can say no to bringing the maid of honour.  And splitting the cost of gas will be nice.”

“Okay, wait, I…” Y/N’s finally coming out of her fog of exhaustion, and the newfound clarity of her mind is causing a newfound pit to develop in her stomach. “Laure and Jo didn’t tell me any of this.”

“Well, I expect they’re a bit busy, given that they’re getting married in a week.” Harry adjusts the strap of his duffel bag on his shoulder with a sharp sigh. “Look, are you ready to go or not?  It’s over a five day drive, so we need to leave as soon as possible.”

“I—yeah—” Y/N nods before taking a hesitant step back from the doorway, positioning herself to the side so that Harry can get by her. “I just have to get dressed and grab a couple last minute things, so…come in, I guess.”

Harry flashes an insincere smile to Y/N as he steps into her apartment, his eyes darting around at the furniture and home decor.  Y/N watches as his gaze lingers on her library of books, her yellow bicycle leaning against the wall, and every other little touch of herself that she likes her home to have, and she can see the judgement that’s clearly apparent in his eyes.

“You can sit, if you want.” She mutters, turning on her heel to go back to her bedroom. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”

The first thing Y/N does when she shuts her bedroom door behind herself is assess the situation in the analytical way that usually calms her.  Alright.  So a road trip across the country isn’t exactly ideal, and a road trip across the country with Harry Styles is even less ideal.  But, at the present moment, being stuck in a car with Harry seems to be the only sure way that she’ll be able to make it to Jo’s wedding on time. And for Jo, Y/N would put up with anything.  Even Harry.

As she rummages through her drawers for some leggings and a tank top, Y/N wonders what she could have possibly done to bring this much bad karma into her life.  While she gets dressed, her mind flickers back to Murphy’s Law, how everything that can go wrong will go wrong, in the worst possible way, and then she thinks about being in a confined space with Harry for five days, and—yeah.  That seems to be the worst possible thing she can think of.

Y/N remembers the first moment she’d met Harry seven years ago, and the unfortunate circumstances under which that meeting had happened.  Jo and Laure had just barely met back then, and Jo had begged Y/N to come out on a double date with her and “this really hot girl from my women studies class who I’m, like, 83% sure swings my way.”

Y/N had groaned at that comment, flopping back on her bed in the tiny dorm that she and Jo shared. “No! I have an essay due in three days that I haven’t even started!”

Jo rolled her eyes as she flopped down on Y/N’s bed as well, ignoring her own half-made bunk that was across the small room, favouring her best friend’s bed like she always did. “We both know you’re not starting that essay until the day before it’s due, and that it’s just an excuse because you don’t want to go!”

“I don’t want to go.” Y/N had agreed with a sharp and fervent nod.  She shut her laptop and pushed it to the side of her bed, knowing from experience that she wasn’t going to be able to focus and argue at the same time. “Why would I want to hang out with a complete stranger while you make googly eyes at a girl from your class?”

“Okay, first, I don’t make googly eyes.” Jo made a face at that comment, nudging Y/N’s calf with her own foot. “And second, he’s her best friend from high school, and he’s coming to visit all the way from London!”

“So?  He’s still a stranger!” Y/N pointed out, her eyes drifting to the sticky note covered novel beside her.  She picks it up and begins to flip through the marked pages as she speaks. “Knowing where he’s from doesn’t change that!”

“It should, because he’s only going to be here for a week, and Laure almost cancelled the date because she doesn’t want to miss spending time with him—” Jo grabbed one of Y/N’s pillows and tossed it at her arm, knocking the book from her hands. “Focus! So I said that he could come, but she said that she didn’t want him to be left out, so I said that I happen to have an incredibly beautiful and witty best friend who would be able to entertain Harry while we all hang out together.”

Y/N inhaled deeply as she gave Jo a withering look. “Did you already tell her I’m going?”

Jo, in return, gave Y/N her most dazzling smile. “Yes.  We’re meeting them for dinner at 7.”

Y/N shakes herself from her memories as she runs to her bathroom to toss her toiletries back into the bag she’d taken them out of the day before, working as quickly as she can. It does her no good to think of Harry in the past, she thinks, because the present Harry is currently sitting in her living room, probably snooping through her stuff, and the longer she takes to get ready to go, the more he’ll go through.  Not that there’s anything incriminating in her apartment, really—or at least, nothing incriminating in her living room.  When Y/N makes it back to her bedroom, however, to quickly zip up her suitcase, she does make sure she grabs her favourite vibrator from the box under her bed, tucking it between her half-folded underwear.  If she’s going to be gone for a week, she’ll need something to help her relax.

Within a few more minutes, Y/N is repacked and ready to go.  Her hunter green bridesmaid dress is carefully arranged on the very top of her clothes in her suitcase, all of her makeup and toiletries are packed inside, and Jo and Laure’s wedding rings are secured in little velvet boxes stashed between her socks.  As far as physical preparedness goes, Y/N is ready to go on a coast to coast road trip. As far as mental preparedness goes, however…that’s the thing that Y/N’s not quite sure about.

…

“What are you doing?”

Y/N glances at Harry from the corner of her eye, her hand still half stretched out to the radio dials in his car.  Although Harry’s green eyes are hidden behind his sunglasses, and his face is turned towards the long road in front of them, he still somehow manages to catch her motions, and it irritates her to no end.

“I’m changing the radio station?” Y/N answers after a moment, giving him a puzzled look. “I don’t know why you listen to this weird oldies station, but—”

“First of all—” Harry’s hands turn the steering wheel slightly to guide his car over the curve of the road, his jaw twitching as a smirk works its way onto his pink lips. “This isn’t a radio station, it’s my Spotify playlist.  I put a Bluetooth connection in Stevie a year ago. Secondly—”

“Stevie?” Y/N repeats incredulously, twisting her whole body as best she can to look at Harry straight on. “You named your car?  You’re one of those guys?”

Harry finally gives Y/N a flicker of a glance, the glare obvious in his eyes even behind his dark sunglasses.  He turns his attention back to the road before replying. “Secondly—” He continues from before, ignoring her comment as his right hand readjusts the gear shift. “Driver picks the music.”

Y/N makes a face, the corners of her lips pulling down into a grimace as she settles back into the passenger seat with her arms crossed. “So we’re just going to listen to ‘Tiny Dancer’ for the entire drive, are we?”

“Not the entire drive, no.” Harry flicks on his turn signal with a ringed hand before shoulder checking to change lanes.  Y/N glances at him, her eyes training on the strained muscles in his neck as Harry continues. “We’ll listen to ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,’ too.”

“Great.” Y/N exhales slowly and presses her head back into the seat’s headrest, closing her eyes as Elton John’s voice continues to float through the speakers. “Really looking forward to it.”

“You know, maybe you should try to sleep.” Harry says, his voice prickled with irritation as Elton John bleeds into The Zombies. “I think you’ll be in a better mood after you take a nap.”

Y/N readjusts her crossed arms as she mutters a short reply. “Don’t tell me what to do.” Still, she shuts her eyes again, twisting her body towards the window in an attempt to get comfortable enough to sleep.  Being in the car with Harry is already giving her a throbbing migraine, and they’ve only been on the road for less than two hours.  Sleeping through most of the trip will probably be the only way she’ll be able to survive it.

Despite that realization, however, her phone vibrates in her lap three minutes later, pulling her away from her thoughts.  Y/N glances down at the now lit screen, catching her bottom lip between her teeth when she registers the name on the message.  Opening her phone quickly, she reads over the reply as a guilty feeling begins to build in her stomach.

BRANT: Hey, what are you doing tonight?  Want to grab some dinner?

“What’s wrong?”

“Hm?” Y/N’s head snaps back up, her eyes jerking in Harry’s direction.  Like before, he’s watching her from the corner of his eye, catching every one of her movements, and the constant surveillance is annoying to no end.

Harry, it seems, is either oblivious to her annoyance, or is choosing to ignore it. “I asked what’s wrong. You have a weird look on your face.” Harry’s blunt words are accompanied by the sound of him tapping his ring covered fingers against the gear shift. “Everything alright?  Is it Laure and Jo?”

“No, it’s just—” Y/N glances down at her phone again, fingers poised over her keyboard as she crafts a reply in her head. “It’s no one.”

Harry snorts once, a short and harsh sound that grates against Y/N’s nerves like nails on a chalkboard. “I don’t buy that for a second.”

“It’s no one to you.” Y/N updates her retort, turning her full attention back to her phone. “My personal life is none of your business.”

Y/N: I’m sorry, I can’t!! Caught a last minute ride to New York with somebody.  Maybe once I’m back?

“Personal life, huh?” Harry clicks his tongue once, and the childish noise is even more irritating than his snort. “What, you can’t talk to me about whoever you’re shagging?”

The blunt remark hits Y/N like a shot to the chest, and she sputters for a moment as she struggles to form a response. “I—we’re not—” Taking a moment to gather herself and clear her throat quickly, Y/N avoids Harry’s gaze as her cheeks begin to burn. “We’re not like that. We’ve just…had a few dates, that’s all. There’s nothing…official.”

“You don’t need to be official to have a shag, now, do you?” Harry lifts his hand from the gear shift to fix his sunglasses, settling it back down on his jean covered thigh once he’s done. “If you don’t want to date the bloke—”

“I didn’t say that.” Y/N cuts over him, pulling herself from her embarrassment enough to give him a cold glare. “He’s very nice—”

“Boring, you mean—”

“And I—this is none of your business!” Feeling the flush of embarrassment rise back to her cheeks, Y/N once again turns her attention to her passenger seat window, avoiding Harry’s pressing gaze. “I’m done talking about this.”

Harry gives an indifferent shrug. “Whatever.” He says casually, tapping his finger against his thigh as his shoulders once again lift slightly beneath his fitted black t-shirt. “I just feel bad for the guy, that’s all.”

The comment is bait. And the thing is, Y/N knows it’s bait.  She knows that the only reason Harry is saying it is to get under her skin and keep her talking about Brant, further embarrassing herself in the process. She’s been around Harry enough to know how he works, and she knows that the only reason he would say that is to bait her.  She knows she shouldn’t take it.  And yet—

“There’s no reason to feel bad for him.” Y/N scoffs as she fidgets with the position of her seatbelt, trying to stop the strap from cutting into her chest. “We’ve been talking for a month, and there’s nothing official happening.  Just because you can’t go that long without trying to stick your dick in someone—”

“You have no idea what I can do, Y/N.  Don’t pretend that you do.” Harry’s tone of voice is just as scoffing as hers, his eyes still set on the road in front of them intently as he gives his sharp response. Y/N watches as he shifts the gears of the car and speeds up, just enough to make the engine roar, but not enough to lose control of the car.  Part of Y/N wistfully wishes that he would just slip up and crash the car, just so she wouldn’t have to continue this conversation.

“All I meant,” Harry continues, unaware of the dark daydreams running through Y/N’s head. “Is that I feel bad that you’re clearly not interested in him, which is proven by the fact that you haven’t wanted him in your bed.”

Irritation flares through Y/N’s body again, stronger than the embarrassment of discussing her sex life (or lack thereof) with Harry, and she half considers just grabbing the steering wheel and yanking it into a passing cliff so she can finish them off herself. “For Christ’s sake, Harry, sex isn’t the only way to—”

“I don’t mean actually having it, that’s not a given.” Harry rolls his eyes from behind his sunglasses as he slows down for a curve in the road, his practiced hands once again changing gears with ease. “You don’t have to fuck him.  But you should want to, especially if you’ve had a month of dates, and you clearly don’t want to.”

Y/N doesn’t hide the incredulous stare of disbelief on her face as she turns to look at him. Harry’s face, though turned towards the road still, has a look of amusement mixed with contemplation on it, and it takes all of Y/N’s self control not to smack the expression off of him. Although there’s the ghost of a smirk on his strawberry coloured lips, his brow is furrowed behind his sunglasses, as if he’s thinking hard about the conversation between them.  Normally, Y/N would be amazed that Harry is thinking hard about anything.  However, given that their conversation is apparently turning into whether or not she wants to have sex with someone, Y/N’s not too thrilled about his sudden investment and serious contemplation of the topic.

Shaking her head decidedly, Y/N finally spits out a finishing phrase. “You don’t know what I want.” She says decidedly, reaching into the backseat to grab the sweater she stashed back there.  She clumsily pulls it over her body without taking off her seatbelt.  Harry keeps the AC cranked as high as he can, and she knows that he’ll kill her if she tries to change it. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know more than you think.” Harry counters, the tip of his tongue running along his bottom lip. “And I’m pretty good at reading body language.  You don’t really want him.  He—what’s his name?”

Despite her better judgement, Y/N answers in a flat voice. “Brant.”

The corners of Harry’s cherry lip twitches. “Brant.  Yeah. It’s clear you don’t really want him, and you’re wasting your time.  You’re wasting his time, too.  Poor Brant.”

“Poor—you’re such an ass, you know that?” Y/N’s irritation bubbles over as she gives Harry a nasty look, her hand squeezing her thigh hard in an attempt to ground herself in their conversation. “You can try to pretend otherwise, but you don’t know anything about me, or him, so—”

“You think I’ve been friends with Laure and Jo this long and haven’t learned anything about you?” Harry cocks an eyebrow, risking a glance at her as he presses a heavier foot onto the gas. “I told you, I know more than you think, and that includes your type.”

An incredulous scoff leaves Y/N’s mouth, and she shakes her head in obvious disbelief before responding. “My type.  Right. What is my type, then?  What’s Brant like, exactly, since you seem to know everything?”

Harry goes quiet then, his brow furrowing again as he returns his full attention to the road.  With his incessant chatter gone, the only sounds in the car being “Maps” playing quietly in the background and Harry’s ringed index and forefinger tap on the steering wheel.  Y/N breathes out a long sigh of satisfaction as she relaxes back in her seat, her attention turned back to the blurred landscapes speeding by her window.  Finally, she’s managed to get Harry to stop with his ridiculous assumptions—

“You like someone that’s stable and secure, so he probably works in some corporation, or an office job. Majored in business, I’d think, but has a minor in something like mathematics.” The side profile of Harry’s nose wrinkles in disgust at the thought. “He wants to work his way up in the company, but never wants to actually start anything on his own.  He likes the stability of a blueprint. You’re obsessed with punctuality, so he’s probably always on time to pick you up for dates—and he has to pick you up, because you don’t drive—and your dates are never really dates. Dinners, or movies, or something like that, but they never really have that spark.” Harry’s shoulder lift slightly as he continues to make his conclusions. “Which, honestly, is probably a big reason in why you don’t want to fuck him, because as much as you like stability and safety, you also like the idea of a grand gesture, or something like that.  And you probably split the bill a lot at dinner, right?  Because it just seems fair, but really it’s because you know it’s not a real date.  But it passes the time, and he’s nice, so it’s fine.  But it’s only fine.” Harry licks his lips once more as he collects his next thoughts, his teeth catching his bottom lip just barely as his tongue retreats back into his mouth. “And he’s probably already talking about you coming to meet his family for some holiday.  Not in a romantic way, but just because he likes to plan everything in advance to every minute detail.  Just like you.”

Halfway through Harry’s speech, a flush had begun to creep up Y/N’s neck, continuing to warm her jaw and ears before settling on the apples of her cheeks.  She keeps her eyes trained on her window and her mouth pressed into a tight line, refusing to look at Harry and give him any hint of just how shocked she is that he’s guessed so much.

Harry, however, doesn’t plan on letting her get away from his inquisition. “Well?” He impatiently prompts after a moment, and even though she’s not looking at him, she can feel him looking at her, his emerald irises burning into the back of her head. “Am I right?”

“I—” Y/N clears her throat quickly, but her voice is still strained and tight when she replies. “No.”

Harry hums low in his throat, and his voice is laced with curiosity with he replies. “Really?” The irritating tap of his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the music continues. “What did I get wrong?”

“He—” Y/N hates the way her skin is burning from his interrogation, how her voice shrinks smaller and smaller the more she speaks.  If Harry knows her so well, then he knows how much she loves being in control, and in this situation, with Harry managing to pull every one of her most secret inner thoughts and feelings out of her without trouble, she feels anything but in control. “He has a minor in accounting, not mathematics.”

The laugh that leaves Harry’s mouth is loud and bombastic, and his whole body curves over the steering wheel as the sound rolls out of him, his eyes just barely managing to stay on the road while his sunglasses slide down his nose. “Right.” Harry says between belly laughs, his voice stretched out in amusement. “But everything else was spot on?”

Y/N keeps her stiff body turned towards the window, refusing to engage in the conversation any further. That doesn’t stop Harry, however, who fixes his sunglasses as chuckles continue to roll out of him.

“I take it back. Maybe he’s the one wasting your time.” His hand runs through his hair lazily, fixing the curled strands that had fallen into his eyes as he laughed. “I don’t blame you for not wanting to sleep with your bore of a boyfriend—”

“He’s stable!” Y/N breaks her silence to protest Harry’s words, her voice heated. “And he’s not my boyfriend.  We’ve been seeing each other, but we’re not—it’s not exclusive, or—nothing serious—”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.  It’s fine.” Harry waves off her arguments with a flick of his tattooed hand. “Besides, like you said, it’s none of my business, right?”

Y/N can practically picture what Harry looks like in this moment.  His chestnut curls are probably a mess from fidgeting with them, and his cheeks are most likely rosy beneath his stubble from the peels of laughter that left his equally red lips a moment ago.  Most infuriatingly of all, his dimples are probably present, making little indentations in his cheeks to show how entertaining he’s found embarrassing her. Bastard, she thinks, clenching her fists so hard that her nails dig into her palms, pressing them into her sides beneath her makeshift blanket.

She refuses to let herself confirm if her suspicions about Harry’s appearance are correct, and instead keeps her gaze on the blurred trees whipping by outside her window. “Right.” She mutters, leaning her head against the headrest as she closes her eyes. “It’s none of your business.”

…

As soon as the paint-peeled door to the motel room swings open, Y/N knows that she’s not going to be sleeping soundly tonight.

She’s not sure what her first hint should have been.  Perhaps it was the half-flickering blue and red light of the Motel 6 sign that should have tipped her off, or the front-desk attendant who looked as though he was hiding a few secrets himself.  When Y/N and Harry had first approached the front desk of the tiny, vaguely mildew-smelling lobby, their clothes rumpled from the drive and their attitudes just as bothered, the employee in the Motel 6 uniform had barely raised an eye at them, not bothering to look up from his computer until Y/N and Harry were directly in front of him.

“Hi.” Harry had said, his voice taking on a cautious but polite tone that, Y/N remembers thinking, she would have appreciated hearing throughout their eight hour drive that day. “We’d like two rooms, please—”

“Here.” The attendant’s gum snapped in his mouth as he reached behind himself and grabbed an old key with a flimsy blue plastic tag from a wall of empty pegs. “Queen sized bed, the first door on the left.  It’ll do you two nicely.”

“Um, no.” Harry cleared his throat loudly as he gave a slight shake of his head. “We need two rooms.”

Finally, the attendant looked towards them, his eyes scanning Harry before Y/N.  The latter had self consciously pulled her sweater around her, as there was something in the attendant’s eyes that had bothered her. “Don’t have two rooms.  I got one room left.  Everything else is booked.”

Harry had glanced at Y/N then, and she knew that his thoughts mirrored hers: there was no way that they’d share a queen bed together.  No way in hell.  They’d barely survived eight hours in the same cramped car without one of them driving them off a cliff.  If Y/N had to share a bed with Harry, even for just one night, she’d probably end up smothering him in his sleep before the first snore left his obnoxious mouth.

“That’s really not an option.” Y/N had stepped forward then, crossing her arms around herself as the attendant’s eyes canvassed her again. “Isn’t there something—”

“Look, lady, I’m telling you what’s available.” The attendant’s eyes continued to flicker between her face and her chest, making Y/N’s skin crawl more and more with every word that fell from his gum-filled mouth. “The room might have a pull out chair—some do, but I couldn’t tell you which.  Now do you want to share the room with him or not?  If you don’t want to share, then I could try to find something else for just you—”

Before Y/N had the opportunity to respond to the lewd suggestion, Harry was already stepping forward, his body angling protectively in front of her own.  She watched from behind as his broad shoulders squared beneath his black t-shirt, his shoulder blades flexing as he straightened up to his full height.  When Harry answered, his voice was just as firm as it was dark, lacking its previous polite tone.

“We’ll take the room.” He had said coldly, reaching into his back pocket to pull out his wallet before tossing a few bills on the front desk. “Thanks for the help.”

Yes, Y/N thinks, all of that should have been a sign for the state of the motel room that they now find themselves standing inside.

The same mildew smell from the lobby surrounds them, permeating through every inch of air that Y/N breathes in. Dust seems to coat every surface as well, with thick layers of it covering the decades old TV and stand, the small coffee table, and the ledge of the window to her right.  To her relief, there is a small arm chair in the corner, which must be the pull out that the attendant had mentioned.  However, her relief is short lived when she sees the ratty beige comforter on the bed, and wonders if maybe sleeping in Harry’s car, which she had sworn to him that she didn’t want to do, might have been the better choice.

Harry shuts the door behind them with a firm thud, turning the deadbolt lock before attaching the chain from the door to the door frame. “Let’s keep that locked, yeah?” He mutters, walking to the window and making sure the beige curtains—everything in the room is a sea of beige, like some sort of khaki coloured nightmare—are pulled closed tightly. “I don’t trust that front-desk prick not to sneak in here.”

Y/N nods, fixing the strap of her duffel bag with her overnight clothes on her shoulder.  She’s not quite sure where to set it down, as everything around them seems to have been sitting stagnant and uncleaned for a while. “Yeah. Thanks, by the way.  For that.”

Harry acknowledges her thanks with a small grunt, barely lifting his head to look at her. “You don’t need to thank me.”

Despite her gratitude for his actions, Y/N can’t stop herself from rolling her eyes at his gruff response. “Jesus, can you not just say you’re welcome?”

Harry chooses to ignore her comment, and instead sets his bag down on the arm chair, unzipping it roughly. “You can take the bed.” He says simply, tossing his sunglasses into his bag before pulling out a small bag filled with what Y/N assumes are toiletries. “I’ll take the pullout.”

“Fine.” Y/N reluctantly sets her own bag down on the creaking bed, pulling back the covers to check for anything unsightly.  To her relief, the interior of the bed looks cleaner than the exterior, and she returns the covers to their previous position before grabbing her phone charger from her duffel.

Harry glances at her as she gingerly sits on the bed and plugs her phone into the wall. “I’m going to shower.” He says slowly, as if gauging her reaction to the simple phrase. “Do you, um, need in there, or—?”

“Nope.” Y/N shakes her head, her cheeks flushing slightly as she checks her messages. “You’re good.” She keeps her eyes glued to her phone until she hears the click of the bathroom door behind Harry, signalling that she’s alone.

Taking advantage of what she knows will be a rare moment of solitude over the next week, Y/N changes from her tank top and leggings into her pajamas, wishing that her past self had realized how likely it would be that she’d be sharing a room with Harry. She’d brought exactly two pairs of pajamas with her on the trip, and neither pairs were something she wanted Harry to see her in.  The first pair, a baby pink silk set she’d bought on a whim from her favourite lingerie shop, is eliminated before Y/N even considers them, leaving her with just her usual casual pajamas.  Unfortunately, Y/N’s usual casual pajamas consist of an old sports bra that she’d had since moving to L.A., and a pair of men’s boxers that she stole from an ex in college.  Still, despite her hesitancy, she knows that plaid boxers and a faded grey sports bra are better than pink silk and lace, and she changes into them quickly before sitting cross-legged on the bed and dialing Jo’s number.

Jo, like she usually does, answers on the third ring, her voice extra chipper to compensate for the verbal lecture that she knows is coming. “Hey, Y/N!  How was driving today?”

“It would have been better if I’d known Harry was driving.” Y/N sighs, rubbing her palm over the cold skin of her exposed thigh. “Shouldn’t I have been informed of that decision?”

“It completely slipped my mind, actually.” Jo says casually, and Y/N can just picture her leaning her chin into her palm. “How was the first day?  Are you calling to ask me to help bury his body in the desert?  Because, like, you know I would in a heart beat, but I think it may put a damper on mine and Laure’s nuptials if my best friend murders her best friend.”

“No one’s been murdered. Yet.” Y/N glances at the bathroom door, the sound of the shower echoing through the vents and into the bedroom. “Although a ‘help me hide the body’ phone call may be coming soon.”

“Uh oh.” Y/N hears something crackling against the speaker, and pictures Jo shifting the phone from one ear to the other. “Is it that bad?”

Y/N pinches the bridge of her nose as she contemplates the easiest way to answer Jo’s question. “He’s such an irritating ass.  He really is.” She lowers her voice, but only slightly.  If Harry’s eavesdropping, she thinks, then let him hear.  It would serve him right. “He wanted to pick a fight over every little thing, and he’s so particular about his car—did you know he named it?  He named it, Jo.  He talks about it like it’s a person!”

A loud sigh echoes through the speaker. “That’s really not that weird, you know.” Jo replies in her best peace keeping voice. “And, by the way, did you know that you’re really the only person who finds Harry irritating?  Laure adores him, and I really like him, and everyone who meets him thinks he’s very thoughtful!”

“Then they haven’t been trapped in a car with him and his playlists for eight hours.” Y/N begins to tap her fingers against her knee in a quick staccato pattern. “He practically interrogated me about Brant today, as if he has any clue about the people I date.”

“Did he?” There’s a trace of curiosity in Jo’s voice now, and Y/N can imagine her leaning forward in interest. “What did he say?”

“He said he thinks he’s boring.” Twisting a lock of her hair behind her ear as she speaks, Y/N leaves her hand resting against her cheek. “He was rude about it, too.  I didn’t ask for his opinion.”

“Well, honestly, Y/N…” Jo’s curiosity twists into hesitation. “Brant isn’t exactly the most thrilling person.  You know that.”

Y/N tugs her bottom lip between her teeth, her cheeks flushing for what seems to be the millionth time that day. “I’m aware of that.  But he didn’t need to be so smug about it!”

“Okay, well, what’s done is done.” Jo says as she takes on her mediator persona once again. “So there’s nothing else to do now except go to sleep, get back in the car tomorrow, and continue driving.”

The sound of the shower stream cuts off, leaving just the pitter patter of rain beginning to hit the roof of the motel as ambiant noise. “I guess.” Y/N mumbles, fidgeting with the waistband of her bra. “I’ll talk to you later.  Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

After the line clicks dead, Y/N flops back on the squeaking mattress and begins to scroll through her phone, opening her work email to check if everything is running okay back home while she’s gone.  On top of all this, the last thing she needs is for her work to completely blow up in her absence.  Within minutes, Y/N becomes so engrossed in her phone that she doesn’t even notice the bathroom door creaking open and Harry walking out with just a towel around his waist.

Until she looks up, and then her mind goes completely blank.

Immediately, Y/N feels overstimulated.  There’s just…so much going on that she doesn’t even know where to look first, let alone have the ability to remind herself that she shouldn’t even be looking at Harry like this in the first place.  

Harry’s curls are soaking wet, curling down around his flushed cheeks in a way that, if it were anyone else, she’d immediately describe as attractive.  Droplets of water are clinging to every inch of his skin, his toned and tanned and tattooed skin, that seems to continue forever as her eyes travel down his bare chest, noticing every curve of his muscle.  His jade cross, which is almost the exact shade of his eyes, sits between his pronounced pectoral muscles, moving ever so slightly with each step he takes.  Y/N notices tattoos she’s never seen before, like the giant butterfly across his toned stomach, and—her mind goes blank for just a moment—two vines that are tattooed over his prominent pelvic muscles, which just barely dip beneath the white towel that’s wrapped loosely around his hips.

As Y/N’s eyes glue themselves to the way Harry’s towel is moving as he walks, arousal begins to pool in her stomach, travelling all the way down to her core and back again.  For a split second, she thinks that maybe Harry is right.  Maybe she doesn’t want to fuck Brant, because she knows for certain that she’s never thought about him the way she’s thinking about Harry in this moment.

But it’s Harry, she reminds herself, as she tries to force herself to snap her gaping mouth closed. Underneath all those muscles and tattoos—and there are a lot of muscles and tattoos—it’s Harry, who annoys her to no end, who is one of the most self-absorbed individuals she’s ever met, and who has had it out for her since the day they met.

“Sorry.” Harry’s low accent snaps Y/N from her thoughts and pulls her wandering eyes back to his face. “Forgot my clothes out here.”

“It’s—” Y/N’s voice cracks in the middle of the word, still hyper-focused on just how it’s possible for one person to be as attractive as they are irritating, and she clears her throat before trying to speak again. “It’s fine.”

If Harry notices the slip in Y/N’s voice, he doesn’t say anything.  Instead, he just walks to his open bag, locking one hand firmly over his towel as the other searches through his clothes.  He pulls out a t-shirt and a pair of shorts, examining them for just a moment before nodding in satisfaction and heading back to the bathroom. Y/N almost swears that she sees him glance at her one last time before he shuts the door, but then she gets lost in the taut muscles of his back, and forgets what she’s thinking entirely.

She’s only just begun to contemplate that maybe she should pull herself together when the door opens again, and Harry exits the bathroom in a way that’s a little more presentable.  His hair is still damp, but his body is dry, proven by the faded Rolling Stones t-shirt that’s now clinging to his arms and the boxers that are hanging low on his hips. His tattooed hips.  His incredibly sexy tattooed hips that could probably—

“What are you wearing?” Harry asks, raising an eyebrow at her as he moves his bag from the chair to the ground.  He begins to unfold the bed from the armchair cushions to reveal a creaking twin bed, carefully stretching it out as he waits for an answer.

“I—pajamas.” Y/N glances down at herself self consciously, fixing the strap of her sports bra as she does so. “I just—I didn’t think we’d be sharing a room, so…”

Harry nods tersely as he finishes setting up the bed, his expression unreadable while he walks to the closet and grabs a set of sheets and a blanket. “Cute boxers.” He says casually. “Are they Brant’s?”

Within a flash, the intense rush of attraction and desire Y/N had been feeling is gone, and is instead replaced by the familiar irritation as she watches a smirk grow in the very corner of Harry’s mouth. “No.” She says flatly, turning her attention back to her phone.

“Interesting.” Harry says slowly, laying the sheets and blanket on the bed in a haphazard manner. “Whose are they, then?”

Y/N gets up from the bed and grabs her toiletry bag from her duffel before answering. “An ex.” She says shortly, tucking the patterned bag under her arm. “And why does it matter to you?”

The sound of the rain against the roof and windows gets louder and louder as they speak, and Harry raises his voice to be heard over the precipitation. “It doesn’t.” He shrugs as he maneuvers his lanky body under the blanket without causing the bed to fold in on itself. “Just curious, that’s all.”

“Well, you don’t need to be curious.” Y/N opens the bathroom door, sparing one last withering glance at Harry over her shoulder.  He’s sitting up on the bed with one leg hanging out from beneath the covers as one hand plays with his hair, the other fiddles with a ring on his finger, and the way he looks at her from the corner of his eye lights a fire in Y/N’s chest.  Except she can’t tell if it’s a fire of anger or arousal.  

When she slams the door behind her, it’s her own confusion over that distinction that frustrates her more than anything else.

…

“Took you long enough.” Harry scoffs while leaning against the side of his car, his white t-shirt a contrast to the dust covered body of the black Chevy Impala.  His dark sunglasses are perched on top of his head, keeping his unruly curls out of his eyes, while his arms are crossed over his chest impatiently as he waits for an answer. “I dropped off the keys ten minutes ago.”

By way of explanation, Y/N holds up the cardboard drink tray in her hands, a brown bag balancing in between the two coffee cups. “I was getting us breakfast, Styles.  Calm down.” She walks to the passenger side of the car, opening the door and climbing in one handed. “I figured you’d be even crabbier hungry.”

“You mean you’d be crabbier without caffeine.” Harry retorts, climbing into the driver’s side in one smooth motion. “Here—” He takes the tray from her so she can buckle her seatbelt, carefully removing the two coffees and setting them in the cup holders between them. “Just be careful not to spill anything.”

Y/N rolls her eyes as she picks up the coffee closest to her (she’d gotten them both black). “Why? Worried about me ruining Stevie?”

Harry reaches into his pocket, pulling out his keys as he gives her an irritated look. “Yes, actually. I’ve put a lot of work into her.” The car roars to life as Harry turns the key in the ignition, buckling his own seat as the motor warms up. “Adding on two thousand miles to her in five days is already worrisome enough, and that’s not even counting the other two thousand she’ll get on the way back.”

Y/N doesn’t respond to the comment, and instead lets the sound of Harry’s playlist fill the silence of the car as Harry peels out of the Motel 6 parking lot.  She’ll be glad to leave that place behind, she thinks, and focus on finding something better—and more private—for tonight, wherever they end up.

Harry, however, doesn’t seem content with letting silence fall between them. “How did you sleep last night?” He asks after a few moments, one hand on the steering wheel as he takes a sip of his coffee.

Glancing at him from the corner of her eye suspiciously, Y/N reaches into the paper bag and grabs her Danish, taking a small bite before answering. “Not great.”

“Was the bed bad?” Harry asks curiously, his brow furrowing while his eyes stay glued to the road, moving only to glance at the occasion sign directing him back to the highway. “The pull out wasn’t great, but I’ve slept on worse.  I would’ve thought the bed would be better than that.”

“No, it—I mean, the bed wasn’t amazing, but it—” Y/N clears her throat and swallows the bite of pastry in her mouth. “I, uh, I don’t sleep well when it’s raining.”

At this new information, Harry’s eyebrow quirks up, and he risks a look in her direction to attempt to read her face.  Y/N’s own eyes are focused on the Danish in her hands, refusing to meet his gaze as she lifts the pastry to her mouth to take another bite.

“You don’t?” Harry asks after a moment, the confusion in his voice almost visible within the space between them. “But it’s like white noise, isn’t it?  Supposed to be relaxing, and all that.”

Y/N gives a half shrug of her shoulders. “It’s—well, it’s not the rain, exactly, just—what it’s usually paired with.” Y/N hopes that her clear hesitancy to answer will be enough of a signal to Harry for him to drop the subject.  Harry, however, doesn’t seem to pick up on the reluctance in Y/N’s voice; or, at least, he doesn’t care enough to acknowledge it.

“What do you mean, what it’s paired with?” Harry takes a small sip of his own coffee, careful of the temperature of the liquid. “Like…wind, or—?”

Y/N debates back and forth with herself internally, but she knows that Harry won’t drop the subject without getting a satisfying answer. “Thunder.” She answers finally, setting her coffee down in her cup holder before turning her gaze towards her window. “I don’t like thunderstorms, ever since I was a little kid, and when it’s raining, it always feels like thunder is around the corner.  Puts me on edge, like I’m waiting for it.  And I can’t sleep.”

“So you never sleep when it rains?” Harry asks slowly, and the tone of incredulous disbelief in Harry’s voice is enough for Y/N to be able to imagine the expression on his face. His forest green eyes wide, strawberry pink lips agape, brow furrowed in confusion, his jaw slack as he contemplates a response to a grown woman admitting that she’s afraid of thunder. The image in her head is enough to make the back of her neck flush.

There’s a tightness in the back of her throat, and Y/N attempts to clear it again before answering. “Never.”

“Huh.” Harry taps his fingers against the gear shift in succession three times. “You’d hate London, then.”

The casual comment catches Y/N by surprise, but she doesn’t allow herself to lower her guard. “That’s why I don’t live in London.” She mumbles the words as her fingers pick at the napkin wrapped around her Danish. “I picked L.A. for a reason.  It has lots of heat, barely any rain, and I’m reasonably close to Disneyland whenever I feel like I need something magical.” The last part slips out without Y/N thinking, and the flush creeps further up her neck as a surprised laugh leaves Harry’s mouth.

“Something magical?” Harry repeats, new crinkles appearing next to his eyes as he laughs, as if the dimples that crease his cheeks aren’t proof of his amusement enough. “Do you frequently feel like you need something magical?”

It’s Y/N’s turn to give an incredulous look now, her body half twisting towards Harry to observe his confusing reactions. “How did I just admit that I’m afraid of thunder, and the thing you’re focusing on is that I like Disney?”

Harry shrugs at her words, flicking on his turn signal to exit towards the highway. “I don’t know.” He says as he peers over his shoulder to check for oncoming cars. “I mean, everyone has fears.  Not liking thunder isn’t exactly uncommon, you know.  However, hearing that Ms. Serious Type A Perfectionist likes magic—” His grin grows bigger by the second. “Now that’s surprising.”

“Oh, shut up.” Y/N mutters, finishing her Danish in a few more bites.  She waits until she’s entirely finished chewing before continuing the conversation over the voice of Billy Joel coming through the speakers. “Since I’ve admitted something I’m afraid of…” She starts, glancing at Harry from the corner of her eye. “I think it’s only fair that you admit something, too.”

Harry snorts in response, his hand freezing its movement with his coffee cup still half lifted to his lips. “Is that so?”

“Mhmm.” Y/N hums as she slips off her shoes in order to pull her legs beneath her to fold into a cross-legged position on the car seat. “Not so much fun when it’s your turn, huh? C’mon, what’s the Brit scared of? Not enough biscuits for afternoon tea?”

A short and harsh breath of air leaves Harry’s nose, half a snort as he sets his coffee down in his cupholder. “No, actually, diminishing biscuit levels are a low level fear for me.”

“Then what’s a higher one?” Y/N prods, watching as Harry’s neck muscles tense as he shoulder checks to change lanes.  There’s something about the movement that catches her eye, but she can’t quite figure out why—or rather, she can, but she’d rather pretend that she’s unaware.

“Uh…” Harry’s fingers nimbly switch on his turn signal before he transitions to the left lane, his right hand moving the gear shift to its desired place. “Crowds.  I’m not a fan of big crowds, really.  Like when everyone’s pressed together, so tight that you can’t breathe, and you can’t hear yourself think because it’s so loud…yeah. I don’t like that.”

The simple answer surprises Y/N as much as she imagines her answer surprised Harry. “Crowds?” She repeats back to him, a forgotten memory of long gone conversations coming to the forefront of her mind. “But what about, like, concerts and stuff?  Laure always told me when she’d go to shows with you…”

“That’s different.” Harry shrugs as one of his ringed hands comes to his lips, rubbing over them slowly as he contemplates his next words. “I…When I’m at concerts, I always go with someone, and if we’re in the general seating area, where there’s a lot of people, I always stick with them.  Like, sometimes, if it’s getting crowded, or people are pushing, Laure will hold my hand, so…” Redness begins to creep up Harry’s pale neck, staining the tops of his ears a deep berry colour as he trails off.

Not for the first time since their conversation began, Y/N is surprised at how candid they’re being with each other.  As she watches Harry’s blush grow, she feels her own diminish, a physical representation of her trading her embarrassment for something more empathetic.

“I get it.” Y/N says after a moment, once it’s clear that Harry isn’t going to continue. “When there’s thunderstorms, um, I feel better when I’m with someone, or talking to someone. It makes me feel less…”

“Alone?” Harry finishes for her, his eyes flickering from the road to her profile.  His green irises capture hers for longer than they should, his focus completely gone from the stretch of highway for at least five seconds before Harry’s attention turns back to driving. “Yeah.” He says slowly, pulling his sunglasses down from his hair to hide his eyes. “Yeah, less alone. It helps.”

Y/N nods slowly, unable to look away from Harry’s side profile.  It’s apparent that he’s on edge after their conversation, and she knows her body language is the same.  Tight in the shoulders, hands clenched, back rigidly straight.  And yet, seeing her own body language reflected in front of her bothers her.  Part of her wants to reach out and take Harry’s hand, soothe him like Laure does in the crowd of a concert, but she knows that’s ridiculous.  It’s ridiculous, and it’s Harry, and Harry, of all people, does not need her comfort.  Not in the slightest.

She watches as Harry clenches his fist on top of his thigh.

…

“Is this really necessary?” Y/N asks, slamming her car door shut as Harry does the same on the other side of the vehicle.  She leans over the roof of the car, crossing her arms on the cool metal as she tilts her head to the side in an inquisitive manner.  The clouds in the sky are getting darker by the minute, signalling the beginning of the storm that canceled her flight, and the angry black colour above their heads is making Y/N anxious.

Harry, however, seems unbothered by the gathering storm, and nods tersely as he pushes his sunglasses up onto his head before opening the door to the backseat and grabbing his army green jacket. “Of course it’s necessary.” He says, slipping the jacket over his broad shoulders before slamming the door shut and locking the car. “I’ve never been to Utah before.  I want a souvenir.”

“Okay, but—” Y/N follows Harry as he walks towards the dilapidated building in front of them. “Here? Really?  Does this seem like the best place?”

Harry glances at her over his shoulder at her, pausing his long strides to look up at the building he spotted from the highway.  If the chipped grey paint that was once pastel blue and dust-coated windows are any sign, the structure is probably older than Harry and Y/N combined, with a splintered front porch wrapping around its small perimeter.  The building has one faded sign above the door that reads “SOUVENIRS/SNACKS” in hand-painted capital letters, and seems to be hanging onto the outside façade by three small bolts and sheer willpower.  Y/N’s almost certain that she’s seen this exact building in a horror movie before someone gets murdered, and while getting back into the car with Harry isn’t at the top of her list of wants, it’s certainly preferable to getting stabbed to death by a serial killer.

“It’s fine, Y/N.” Harry waves off her concern without a second thought about the appearance of the shop. “If you’re really bothered, you can wait in the car.”

Y/N considers it for a moment, but decides against it.  She needs to stretch her legs, and honestly, Harry seems too trusting.  He probably wouldn’t be able to tell if someone was sketchy until their knife was in his back.  And, seeing as how he has the keys to the only getaway car available, Y/N kind of needs him around without a stab wound carved into his flesh.

“Let’s just get this over with.” She sighs, pulling her own jacket around her tighter as she steps over the worn wooden steps to the door. “We’re on a schedule.”

When Harry pushes open the door, the smell of stale air hits Y/N before anything else.  Despite one open window and a fan in the corner of the shop that’s being used in a weak attempt to circulate the air, it feels like nothing fresh has been in the shop for a while.  Y/N shoots a glance at Harry, caution and warning written all over her face.

While Harry sees her glance, he waves off her concern, turning his attention to the few shelves and wire racks around the small shop that are lined with inventory.  Within a few moments, he’s entertaining himself in the post card section, comparing different photos of the Utah landscape to each other with great care and concern.  Y/N observes him for a few moments before wandering off on her own towards the snack section of the shop.  Although there are a few items that she thinks about picking up, the thick layer of dust over the packaging puts her off from purchasing them.  She grimaces as she continues walking, stopping in front of a tower of silver key chains in the back corner of the shop.  Most of them, she finds, are crosses and bible verses, and all of them give her an ominous feeling in her stomach.  Y/N runs her finger over a miniature silver version of the Ten Commandments, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she does so.

“I think we should go, Harry.” She calls to him without turning around, setting the key chain back down on the rack carefully. “Just pick your post card and—Harry?”

When Y/N turns around, Harry’s broad figure is nowhere to be seen.  She walks back over to the post card section slowly, her brow furrowed with confusion as a knot tightens in her stomach.  Where could he be? She wonders, running her hand along the dusty wire rack in front of her.  It’s not like there’s anywhere for him to go in the small shop, and she would have heard if he left, or if he drove away.

“Harry?” She calls again, her steps slower now as worry fills her voice. “Where did you—fuck—!” Y/N screams as something grabs her from behind, its fingers digging into her sides harshly.  She whips around to find Harry standing over her, loud outbursts of laughter spilling from his strawberry pink mouth at the look on her face.

An indignant flush rushes over Y/N’s face. “You’re such an ass!” She hisses, gripping his shoulders and shoving his laughing frame away from her. “I swear, you’re like a five year old—”

“Did I worry you?” Harry snickers between his words, a wicked look of mischief alight in his dark green eyes. “Were you afraid something happened to me?”

Y/N’s cheeks burn with anger as she turns away from him, crossing her arms defiantly. “No.  I wish something had happened to you.  Then I wouldn’t have to deal with your immature antics.”

Harry’s lips stay quirked up in a smirk as he follows her, his voice falling into a singsong tone. “You were worried.” He insists, chuckles still rolling out of him every few moments. “I could tell.”

“Oh, fuck off.” Y/N snaps at him in an irritated voice. “Just pay for your stupid post card and let’s go.”

“I already did. There’s a sign on the desk saying the clerk is out for lunch, so I left some money.” Harry nods to the small desk in the corner with a few dollars left tucked under the dusty service bell. “I think that’ll cover it, yeah?”

“Whatever.” Y/N can’t resist shoving Harry one last time before walking towards the shop door. “That’s enough.  Let’s go. I want to make it to the motel before the storm hits.”

…

The nice thing about Grand Junction, Colorado, Y/N realizes, is that their motels have multiple single rooms available on short notice.  While she didn’t realize the importance of this fact before this trip started, having an evening of solitude and her own stable space away from Harry for the first time in two days is nothing short of a blessing.

When she gets inside her private motel room, which, while still shabby, is leagues above their previous motel, Y/N locks the door before breathing a sigh of relief.  Just the silence in the room is wonderful, and even though she knows Harry is right next door, having a wall between them is a luxury that she doesn’t take for granted.  When she showers, she doesn’t have to worry about being quick, or toweling off as fast as she can so she can get dressed inside the bathroom without Harry seeing. There’s no need to worry about anyone hearing Y/N sing quietly to herself under the (albeit weak) stream of the shower, nor is there an uncomfortable stick of her sports bra to her back caused by water droplets that she couldn’t reach in her hurry to dry off. And after her shower, with some of the knots from her back finally worked out, Y/N is able to stretch out on the double bed in the center of the room, her phone in her hand as she reaches for the takeout menus stacked on the bedside table.  She peruses the menus available before settling on Chinese takeout, and within five minutes, her order of a two entrée plate and fried rice is on its way.

Y/N sighs gently as she leans back on the pillows, wishing that she and Harry had stopped at a liquor store before coming to the motel.  She knows she could probably walk to one, but now that she’s showered and comfortable, the last thing she wants to do is wander around Grand Junction until she finds a bottle of Moscato.  Instead, Y/N flicks on the TV with a click of the ancient remote, and begins scrolling through the channels until she finds a rerun of Dirty Dancing that’s just starting.

An amused yet wry smile appears on Y/N’s lips.  It’s this movie’s fault that she and Harry are on an impromptu road trip, really. Jo and Laure both loved it, and were insistent that they had to get married at a resort in the Catskills similar to one from the film.  As her two friends cross her mind, Y/N settles into the sheets as Baby begins her narration, contemplating whether or not she should call Jo to check in.  Just as the thought pops into her head, however, the phone rings.

Y/N answers within a moment, not bothering to check the caller ID.  She and Jo had a strange habit of calling each other the moment the other thought of it, and when she raises her phone to her ear, she expects to hear her best friend’s familiar voice reply. “Hello?”

What voice she actually hears, however, surprises her. “Hey, Y/N.  I’m glad I got through.” Brant says easily, his voice crackling slightly through the speaker. “How are you?”

“Brant!” Y/N jerks up in bed in surprise, the remote falling from its perch on her stomach onto the sheets. “I—I’m fine.  How are you?”

“Oh, alright.  Just busy with work, but that’s the usual.” Y/N can practically picture the neutral expression on his face, and how he’d shrug his shoulders as he speaks. “How’s the road trip?  I can’t imagine driving for as long as you have to drive.”

“It’s…it’s alright, yeah.” Y/N speaks slowly as she puts her phone on speaker, balancing it on her knee while her hands begin to fidget with her rings. “Long, but not too bad.”

“Well, that’s good.” Brant clears his throat thickly, as if what he’s about to say makes him uncomfortable. “I miss you, though.  And our weekly dinners.”

A feeling of guilt washes over Y/N.  Truthfully, besides Harry’s inquisition on the first day of driving, Brant has barely crossed her mind.  Granted, he isn’t usually at the forefront of her mind while she’s in L.A., either, but for the last few days, her thoughts have been constantly consumed by the stress of making it to the wedding and her annoyance and frustration with Harry.  

“Y/N?” Brant’s voice crackles through her speaker again. “Are you there?

“I—yeah.” She says quickly, pulling herself from her thoughts. “Sorry, just—long day.  I’m tired.”

“I can imagine.” Brant says sympathetically, but there’s something in his tone that almost sounds patronizing. “Who are you driving with?  Have you been taking turns?”

Y/N pauses the fidgeting of her rings before snatching her phone from its balanced place on her knee. She quickly opens her messages and scrolls to her thread with Brant, searching through the text bubbles for a reminder of what she’d said to him.  Had she not told him that she was traveling with Harry?

Within a moment, Y/N confirms that she hadn’t.  All she had said was that she was getting a ride with someone.  Why had she done that, she wonders?  She’s sure she’s mentioned Harry in passing to Brant at least once.  When she talked about the wedding, probably.  As she thinks about it more, however…what had she told Brant about the wedding?  About Jo? How much does he actually know about her personal life?  Most of their dinner conversations revolve around work, or some book both of them have read.  Had the topic ever come up in detail?

“I’m, um, I’m driving with one of Laure’s friends.” Y/N brings the phone closer to her mouth as her other hand works its way to her mouth.  She begins to chew on a hangnail absentmindedly between her words, something she always does when her nerves begin to get to her.  She can’t count the number of times Jo has grasped her wrist and pulled her hand from her mouth to chastise her about the habit. “We’re…we’re in Colorado now.”

“Oh, Colorado.  That’s nice.” Brant says over the rustling of papers. “Listen, Y/N, I’ve got some work to get back to, but I’m glad we had this talk. I’ll call you again soon.”

“Uh, yeah.  Sure.  I’ll talk to you later.” Y/N nods, and then the line goes dead.  Out of curiosity, Y/N checks the length of the call.  The time 3:09 blinks back at her.

Tossing her phone back down on the covers, Y/N resumes her relaxed position in bed, despite being anything but relaxed after that phone call.  She should feel guilty, she thinks, for not telling Brant about Harry. But then again, what’s there to tell? She said she was getting a ride with one of Laure’s friends, and that’s true.  She hadn’t lied.  And even if Brant did know that the friend is Harry, why would he care?  It’s just Harry.  There’s no reason for Brant to be alarmed, because there’s nothing going on. And she and Brant…Y/N glances down at the call time again.  Things are different between them.  There’s…they’re comfortable as they are, she thinks.  They’re not dating, and they’re comfortable like that.  So there’s no reason to tell him about Harry, because there’s nothing to tell.  Nothing at all.

Y/N refocuses on the TV screen, where Patrick Swayze is dancing in a tight black tank top. Right.  Nothing to tell.

…

When Y/N leaves her motel room the next morning with her bag over her shoulder, Harry is already waiting by his car, leaning against the dusty black body with two coffee cups in his hands.  He’s dressed in another black t-shirt (Y/N wonders just how many identical copies of the same shirt Harry has) with usual jeans covering his long legs.  His curls are tied out of his face with a dark green bandana, and Y/N knows that if his eyes weren’t covered with his black sunglasses, the bandana would make them even brighter than they usually are.

“Hey.” Harry calls to her, extending a ringed hand that holds a coffee cup towards her as she walks over. “I got the coffee this morning.  You drink it black, right?”

Y/N nods as she takes the cup from him, careful not to brush over his fingers with her own. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“No problem.” Harry crosses around to the back of the car, opening the trunk with a turn of his key. “Here.” Harry holds out his free hand for Y/N’s bag, taking it from her and setting it down on top of the suitcases in the back. “I got it.”

Y/N regards Harry with a bemused look as she wraps both hands around her coffee cup. “Thanks?” She says again, more questioning this time as she looks at him strangely. “I can do that myself, you know.”

“I know.  I’m just trying to be polite.” Harry’s voice takes on its usual bite like he’s flipping a switch. “Is that alright with you, princess?”

Within a second, the familiar irritation with Harry returns to Y/N, and it’s almost comforting to snap back at him in a testy voice. “Don’t call me that.”

Harry snickers under his breath, and although the sound makes Y/N’s annoyance grow, she detects a different tone in it than a few days before.  Before she can place a finger on why it sounds different, however, Harry is climbing into the driver’s side of the car and starting the engine.

The two of them are silent as Harry finds his way back to the highway, and they stay in that silence for the first few hours of that day’s leg of the trip.  As the third hour begins to pass, Y/N is content listening to the throaty and captivating voice of Stevie Nicks fill the cab of the car. By the second chorus of the song, Y/N is humming along quietly, her foot tapping to the same beat that Harry’s fingers are spelling out against the steering wheel.  It’s comfortable, she thinks after a moment.  The silence between them.  It feels different than it did on their first day, when Y/N was questioning her choice to get into a car with Harry and commit to a 42 hour drive. The silence seems to be fueled more by comfort than tension.  It’s…refreshing.

A memory from the first day ignites in the back of her mind, a spark so bright and obvious that she can’t believe it took her so long to see it. “Stevie.” Y/N says suddenly, turning to Harry as a smile spreads over her face. “You named your car Stevie, as in Stevie Nicks?”

Harry laughs, his shoulders moving up and down beneath his black t-shirt from the motion.  One hand lifts from the steering wheel and points a finger gun at her. “Took you long enough.  I was wondering how many days you’d have to listen to my music to get it.”

Y/N gives his hand a light shove. “I was too distracted by the fact that you named your car.” She rolls her eyes, bringing her bottle of water to her lips for a short sip. “I still think it’s weird.”

“It gives her character.” Harry defends himself as he rubs a hand over the steering wheel absentmindedly. Y/N can see the mirth swirling around in his light irises. “A bit of personality.  Just because you don’t value personalities doesn’t mean anyone else doesn’t.”

“I don’t value personalities?” Turning in her seat to stare at Harry head on, Y/N raises an eyebrow in question. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just your taste in men, that’s all.” Harry says it casually, like it really can just be a “that’s all” type of sentence.

Within a heart beat, the comfortable atmosphere in the car turns to ice as Y/N straightens in her seat, her spine tense, tightening every nerve in her body along with it. “What the fuck does that mean?”

When Harry glances at her again, his eyes darken, his guard going up as he senses the shift in Y/N’s tone. “Nothing, just…motel rooms have thin walls.” Harry mumbles, having the decency to keep his eyes on the road as his ears redden slightly. “And from what I overheard, Brant doesn’t exactly seem…stimulating.”

Y/N sputters indignantly for a moment, unable to form a coherent response as anger rises in her chest. “You—” She sucks in a quick breath that hits the back of her throat harshly. “You eavesdropped on me?”

Harry licks his lips once, clearing his throat once before answering.  The tapping of his fingers against the steering wheel has resumed, his nervousness apparent in his movements as well as his facial expressions. “Not on purpose.  I told you, the walls were thin.”

“So put in head phones!” Y/N exclaims, gripping her water bottle so tight that her fingers begin to strain in protest against the metal exterior.  She has half a mind to throw the bottle at Harry in her anger, barely able to talk herself down from the ledge of the idea.

Harry’s posture shifts in his seat as his shoulders square, and Y/N can practically see his defensive side emerge from within his chest. “It’s not like you two were having phone sex.” He rolls his eyes at the idea. “It was the most boring conversation in the world, and lasted, what, three minutes?  Makes you wonder how long he lasts in other ways, doesn’t it?”

“Stop the car.” Y/N’s voice is low and void of emotion as she replies, her body turned back forward in her seat.

“Am I wrong?  It’s not like you know for sure—”

Anger bubbles over in Y/N’s chest, cancelling out any rational thought she has inside her and leaving pure, unadulterated fury. “Stop the car, Harry!  Now!”

Harry half jumps in his seat when Y/N yells, and he quickly jerks the car to the side of the highway without so much as a turn signal.  Pulling her seatbelt off as he pulls over, Y/N is out the door before Harry can so much as put the car into neutral.  While her more rational mind would tell her that she has nowhere to walk to along a highway in Colorado as the sky darkens to an angry black above them, the only thing she’s thinking of is getting away from Harry.  Stupid, self-absorbed, ignorant, and rude Harry.

“Y/N—” The sound of Harry scrambling out of the car and slamming the door behind him pushes her to walk faster. “Y/N, come back—”

Y/N turns around on her heel fast and hard, heart pounding so fast that she thinks it might break through her ribs. “What is your problem?” She hisses, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “Why do you insist on being so—so nasty about him?  You don’t even know him!”

Harry freezes where he is as the wind whips his hair around his face, his bandana barely keeping the messy curls in place. “I don’t—” His speech falters, and he sucks in a sharp breath before continuing. “I don’t think I’m being…nasty.”

“Well, you are!” Y/N takes a deep breath in, placing her hands over her stomach as it expands with air.  It’s a trick that Jo taught her back in high school, as a way to ground herself to her body. Feeling the movement of air in and out of her lungs helps calm her, even if by just a fraction. “Brant is just—he’s someone I’m talking to.  We’ve gone on dates, but we’re not dating, and even though we’re not dating, that doesn’t mean that you can insinuate things about him, or eavesdrop on our private conversations!”

Harry’s jaw tenses as he listens to Y/N speak, waiting until she’s finished her speech to respond in a harsh and clipped tone. “I already told you, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. And I’m teasing you.  It’s supposed to be a joke.  Isn’t that what friends do?”

“But we’re not friends, Harry.” Y/N’s voice is flat, the fury in her tone replaced with a hollow emptiness. “We’re not friends.  I don’t need you teasing me about a boy like we’re buddies, or whatever, because we’re not.”

Although Harry opens his mouth to respond, no words cross over the edges of his pink lips.  His jaw tightens even more as he closes his mouth again, and Y/N can see a million things flitting through his green irises, which are getting darker by the moment.  Y/N’s not certain if the darkness is from her words, or the black sky rolling above them that’s sapping the light of day from the atmosphere, and she’s not sure if she can take the answer either way.  Part of her knows that maybe—just maybe—she’s blown this whole thing out of proportion, and maybe she should examine why Harry making fun of Brant bothers her like it does.  It’s not like she’s unaware of his shortcomings, she thinks, but then she wonders why she’s now seeing them as shortcomings, when a week ago, she saw them as positives.  Y/N never has to worry about Brant being too much for her, or forgetful, or scatterbrained—he’s organized, and secure, and stable, and that’s what she likes.  It’s always been what she likes.

Harry’s delayed response tears Y/N from her thoughts. “Not friends.  Got it.” He mutters, rubbing his hand over his stubbled and taut cheeks. “Just get back in the car, then.  Let’s go.”

…

“Hello!  My name is Gracie, I’ll be your server today.” The waitress in the tiny diner smiles at Harry and Y/N, a notepad in one hand and a half filled coffee pot in the other. “Can I get you guys anything to start?”

“Coffee.” Harry and Y/N speak at the same time, each person’s eyes flickering to the other before looking away.  Y/N keeps her eyes focused on her off-white ceramic coffee cup as Gracie fills it, refusing to make eye contact with Harry again.

The last hour has been almost unbearable.  After they got back in the car, Harry had turned off his playlist, and for the first time since the road trip had begun, true silence had fallen between them. Y/N had thought she would like it, but truthfully, it had been the worst thing she’d ever heard.  Every few minutes, she’d hear Harry shift, or sigh, or tap a tense finger against the gear shift, and she wished that she could say something, but she didn’t.  She couldn’t.  She’d been grateful when he wordlessly exited the highway and parked in front of a diner, as the conversations of stopped truck drivers and the clatter of a kitchen was a good distraction from their argument.

A movement in the corner of her eye catches her attention, and Y/N glances up just enough to watch Harry slip a pat of butter into his coffee, stirring the contents of the cup with his spoon until it’s melted together.  She wrinkles her nose in disgust, and almost opens her mouth to make a comment (“Really, Harry?  Just add milk like a regular person, instead of drinking a cup of grease.”), but bites it back before it can fall off her tongue.  They’re not exactly in the position to make quips to each other, she thinks, especially after she told him that they weren’t friends.

Which they’re not. They’ve never been friends; that fact isn’t exactly news.  Not getting along has been Harry and Y/N’s signature since the day they first met. So why is there a pit in Y/N’s stomach that gets deeper every time Harry looks away from her?

The click of heels alerts Y/N of Gracie’s returned presence before her voice does. “Have you two decided what you’d like to eat?”

“I’ll have a turkey club, please, on whole wheat bread.” Harry folds up his plastic menu carefully. “And a glass of water on the side.”

Gracie nods, taking the menu from him before turning her eyes to Y/N. “And for yourself?”

“Um—” Y/N had barely glanced at the menu, too lost in her thoughts to think about it. “I’ll just have a burger, please.  And a water, as well.”

Gracie nods as she writes down the order, taking Y/N’s menu and giving the pair one last smile before disappearing to the kitchen.  A fresh wave of silence falls between Harry and Y/N as each of them sips their coffee, both of them doing their best not to look at the person sitting across from them.

Y/N’s best, however, is not up to her usual standard, as she can’t stop herself from stealing a few quick glances while Harry looks out the window.  He hasn’t shaved in a couple days, she notices, as the stubble on his cheeks and chin is even darker than it was the day before.  There’s a permanent crease between his eyebrows, his face as tense as she’s ever seen it, and a darkness over his whole expression overall. It’s like there’s a new wall up between the two of them, and Y/N’s never felt more detached from him.  Which, honestly, is saying something.

She’s looking back down at her own half empty coffee when Harry finally speaks a few minutes later, his voice just as tense as his expression.

“Shit.” He says in a low voice, and then the next sound Y/N hears is that of someone ruffling through pockets.  

She looks up to see Harry doing just that, his hands digging through the outer pockets of his army green jacket. “What?” She asks, her curiosity outweighing her need to continue the silent treatment. “What is it?”

“I had the vows in my—my pocket, but they’re—” Harry jams his hands inside a pocket sewn into the lining of his jacket, and Y/N watches as his face visibly relaxes. “Oh, thank God. I thought they fell out.”

Harry removes his hand from his pocket, two folded up notes clutched within his hand.  Each one is labeled carefully, one with Jo written in Laure’s neat penmanship, and the other with Laure scribbled in Jo’s quick writing.  

Y/N recognizes the papers immediately.  It’s easy, really, considering the amount of time she spent helping Jo rewrite draft after draft of the same sentiments. “You have Jo and Laure’s vows?” She questions, her eyebrows raising in surprise. “Why?”

“The same reason you have their wedding bands.” Harry shrugs as he turns the papers over in his careful fingers, making sure not to crease them. “They forgot them.”

A small smile plays on the edge of Y/N’s lips at the memory of her forgetful friends. “Right.  Of course.”

Harry’s eyes flicker to Y/N’s mouth at the sign of movement, and he tugs his bottom lip between his teeth before responding. “Want to take a look?”

“At their vows?” Y/N looks around, as if someone could be watching and monitoring them. “I—that doesn’t seem right.”

“Fine.  Then don’t look at them.” Harry says easily, setting the note labeled Laure on the table between them.  His nimble fingers unfold the paper labeled with Jo’s name as his green irises begin to scan across the sheet. “I’ll read them.”

It only takes a few seconds of watching Harry read over the words for Y/N to crack. “Wait.” She brings her thumb to her mouth, chewing anxiously on her cuticle as Harry quirks an eyebrow at her. “Will you read them to me?”

When she asks, Harry spends so long staring at her that Y/N thinks he’ll refuse.  His jade eyes meet hers with an intensity that almost makes her flinch, but Y/N holds his stare, refusing to be the first to back down. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, Harry gives a sharp nod, looking down at the note before he starts to read from the beginning.

“‘My darling Jo’,” He begins, his voice soft and low, his accent thick. “‘It seems so strange that this day is finally here.  I feel like we’ve been building up to it ever since the day we first met, and yet it’s always seemed so far away.  When I was a little girl, I always’…” Harry trails off as his eyes continue to move across the words, and he clears his throat before attempting to continue to read aloud. “‘I always thought that there was something wrong with me.  I thought that the things that I felt, and the way that I loved, was dirty.  I thought it was wrong.  I thought that—that I was going against God, and against nature, and that I was going to be punished for it.  And then I met you’.”

Harry pauses to take a sip of his coffee, and Y/N does the same.  There’s a shine beginning to appear in his eyes, and Y/N recognizes it as the beginning of tears because she feels the same thing brimming in her own eyes. She feels a bit guilty for reading the vows, but reasons that it’s for the best.  If she were to hear them for the first time at the wedding, she doesn’t think she’d be able to keep it together.

“‘The moment I met you, I knew that the way I loved could never be wrong, or be dirty, because I was loving you’.” Harry’s accent grows thicker the more he reads, and although Y/N hasn’t seem Harry in many different emotional states, she can tell that this is a sign of how the vows are affecting him. “‘Being with you could never be wrong, and God could never get mad at me for it, because only God could create someone as perfect as you.  I promise to love you when you wake me up at 3 A.M. because you’ve stolen all the blankets, and I promise to love you at 6 P.M. when you almost burn down our apartment while trying to cook for me.  I promise to support you through everything, listen to your stories, and watch in wonder as you make a difference in this world.  I promise to never let my anger get the best of me, and to always give you the benefit of the doubt.  I promise to love every version of yourself that you grow into, just as I’ve loved all the versions you once were.  I promise to love you in every way humanly possible, and even in ways that aren’t humanly possible.  I promise to love, period.  I’—” Harry’s voice cracks, and he glances up at Y/N as he clears his throat to continue. “‘I love you’.”

Y/N doesn’t realize just how emotional listening to Harry read Laure’s vows has made her until the first tear wells over the corner of her eye.  She turns her head towards the window to wipe it away as quickly and inconspicuously as possible, but from the way Harry is looking at her when she turns back around, she knows that he caught what she was doing.

“That, um—” Now it’s Y/N’s turn to attempt to clear the emotion from her throat. “Wow.”

Harry carefully folds Laure’s vows back up, taking extra care to re-crease the paper exactly how it had been folded. “I didn’t know she…felt like that.” Harry says after a moment, his voice quiet. “Like she was…wrong.”

Y/N, unsure of what to say, just nods while reaching for Jo’s vows in front of her.  Like Harry, she takes great care when unfolding the paper, smoothing it gently between her hands. “I’ll read Jo’s, then?”

Harry nods as he takes a sip of his water. “Sure.”

Y/N licks her lips once, wetting them with what little saliva she has in her mouth before beginning. “‘Laure’,” She starts, emotion already rising up to form a lump in her throat. “‘I don’t even know where to begin.  I’ve tried to write down all the ways I love you a million different times, but I can never seem to find the right words.  The problem is, I don’t think that there is a big enough word to describe what I feel for you.  ‘Love’ is only four letters, and four letters is just not enough to contain everything I feel.  ‘Adoration’ is nine letters, but even that doesn’t come close.  I think the best way I can describe it is ‘permanent’.” Y/N pauses her reading to take a long gulp of water, the coolness soothing the dry and parched feeling in her mouth and throat. “‘Anyone who knows me knows that I have trouble committing.  The idea of having something forever, of being in one place, normally terrifies me. But the idea of having you forever, and being in one place with you forever…that’s all I want.  I want us to be permanent to each other.  Even when we struggle, and we will struggle, I know that we won’t fall apart.  Committing to you isn’t any trouble.  It’s as easy as breathing.  I’m sure of you, and I’m sure of us.  I love you, permanently.  I’ll love you when you’re sick and gross, and I’ll love you when you’re old with a bad hip.” A small laugh falls out of Y/N’s mouth before she continues. “I’ll love you when you haggle at flea markets for the best prices, and I’ll love you when you do something so stupid that it makes me want to tear my hair out.  I love you permanently, and I want all of our family and friends to witness me saying that.  I’ll never back out, or bail, or run away from you.  You’re the one thing in my life that’s never felt hard. You’re my home base, and my north star, and you bring me back down to Earth whenever I need it.  I love you permanently, Laure.  I’ll never stop’.”

As she finishes reading, Y/N folds the paper back up, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand before grabbing the other note sitting on the table.  She pushes them towards Harry, her misty eyes unable to meet his. “Here. Put these away again, somewhere safe.”

Harry takes the vows from her, slipping them back inside his inner jacket pocket for safekeeping. “It’s probably—” He clears his throat once more, and Y/N knows that the vows have caught him in his chest just as they’ve caught her. “It’s probably good that we read them now, so that we’re…prepared for the ceremony.”

“Yeah.” Y/N wraps her hands around her coffee mug, the warm ceramic surface heating her cold fingers. “You’re right.  They really…love each other.”

Harry taps his fingers against the table top, a concentrative and thoughtful expression on his face.  His eyebrows are knit together above his stormy green eyes, and his pink tongue swipes over his pinker lips once before he speaks. “You know, Laure is my closest friend.  I don’t want her to get hurt.”

Immediately registering the tone of Harry’s voice, Y/N’s head snaps up, her own eyes becoming stormy as they meet his own. “Jo would never hurt Laure.” Y/N says defensively, the hairs on the back of her neck pricking up at even the suggestion of her friend hurting someone. “Didn’t you hear her vows?  I’ve never heard her sound so sure of something in her entire life.”

Harry’s jaw flexes at the cadence of Y/N’s voice, and his is just as agitated when he responds. “I’m just saying, if anything ever happened—”

“And I’m just saying, it won’t.” The tension between them doubles as Y/N shoots Harry an icy glare. “Do you just look for the worst in people?  Is that all you do?”

“You think I look for the worst in people?  Really?” Harry barks out a harsh laugh, pressing one hand flat against the table as the other fixes his bandana. “Christ, if that’s what you think of me—”

“Why would I think anything else?” Y/N asks incredulously, tilting her head to the side as she regards him. “All you’ve shown me is—”

“Alright, I have the turkey club on whole wheat, and the burger here.” Gracie appears suddenly to Y/N’s right, her tray loaded with food. “Here you guys are…” She sets the plates down in front of Harry and Y/N, her gaze darting between them nervously as she reads the tension in the booth. “Is…there anything else I can get you two?”

“No.” Harry’s voice is hard. “We don’t need anything else.”

…

By the time Harry pulls the car into a motel just off the highway in Lexington, Nebraska, all Y/N wants is a moment alone.  The strained atmosphere during that day’s drive had been unbearable, and between the anxiety from her confrontation with Harry and the sound of thunder beginning in the distance, Y/N just needs some space to herself to relax and calm down.

Of course, just because that’s what she needs, doesn’t mean that she’s going to get it.  When Harry returns back to the car with a single key in his hand and a sour look on his face, Y/N knows for sure that the universe is against her.

This room, at least, she’s pleased to find, has two actual beds, which are pushed up against the wall perpendicular to the door with a small night table between them.  However, that’s where her pleasure stops, as the click of Harry turning the lock behind her just reminds her that she’s trapped in here, with no chance to get away from Harry, the oncoming storm, or any one of her problems that have developed over the last four days.  The reality of the situation hits her all at once, and it takes all of Y/N’s self control to toss her bag on the bed and walk brusquely to the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it behind her before she allows herself to show a sign of her emotions.

The rest of the evening passes in silence.  She showers before changing into her sports bra and boxers, but the amount of exposed skin sends a vulnerable shiver down her spine.  Y/N opts for pulling a sweatshirt over her body, and then sets herself the task of braiding her hair to distract herself.  After that’s done, she busies herself with her skincare routine, taking up as much time as she can in the bathroom before she absolutely has to leave its private interior.

Harry, however, seems to want to see as little of Y/N as she wants to see of him, and pushes past her to enter the bathroom the moment that she steps out of it.  His routine, it seems, is designed to take up just as much time as hers was, because by the time Harry exits the bathroom, the scent of his shampoo trailing behind him, Y/N is already tucked under the covers of her bed, although she’s far from asleep.

In the time it took for her to shower and get ready for bed, the storm had picked up, and the only thing audible in the room was the sound of rain pelting against the roof and window, the wind howling through the trees, and Y/N’s shallow, uneven breaths. She wraps the sheets tightly around herself, pulling them taut to her chin with clenched fists that tighten every time a clap of thunder echoes through the room.  Although she’s turned to face the wall, away from Harry, she can hear his footsteps pause as he gets a glimpse of her shivering form beneath the blankets, and she does her best to will herself to appear asleep.  Breathing in as deeply as her tight chest will allow her, Y/N attempts to even her breathing, forcing her shoulders rise and fall in a way that appears natural and normal.  But all it takes is one clap of thunder for the controlled motion to go out the window.

“Y/N…” Harry’s voice is low, but despite its raspy cadence, it lacks the rough edge that it had earlier. The bed behind her squeaks, signalling that Harry’s taken a seat on the edge of it. “Are you—?”

“I-I’m fine.” Y/N says quickly, pulling the sheets tighter to her chin as another shiver rolls through her body. “Go to sleep.”

There’s another creak of Harry’s bed, and Y/N imagines him climbing under the starched linen covers, his damp curls flopping into his eyes as he lays back on the lumpy motel pillow. The image is almost enough to distract her until there’s another clap of thunder.  The sound seems to shake the motel room, and Y/N can’t stop the small whimper that leaves her lips as her body jumps in response.

“When I was a little kid, my mum took my sister and I to the fair every year.”

Harry’s deep voice cuts over the rain, and Y/N shifts in her bed, turning over to face him.  She keeps the covers pulled up to her chin, but readjusts herself so that she can keep her head on her pillow while looking Harry in the eye. “What?” She asks, confusion audible in her quiet tone.

Harry shifts himself as she does, continuing to move down until he’s completely horizontal, with one hand tucked under his pillow as he speaks. “My mum took my sister and I to the fair.  It came to Holmes Chapel every spring, and there were always rides, and games to play, and so many things to see.  It drew crowds from nearby villages every year, really big crowds, and my mum always held my hand tightly so I wouldn’t get lost.”

“I don’t understand, what—” Another clap of thunder shakes the room, making Y/N flinch halfway through her sentence.

“You’re okay.” Harry says immediately, his calm jade eyes focused on her as the reassurance slips from his mouth.  He waits a moment, gauging Y/N’s body language and waiting for his examination to be positive before resuming his story. “So…my mum always told me not to wander off, but when I was six, I did.  I saw some older kids playing games that I wanted to play, and Gemma was busy playing some sort of game with a ball—I can’t really remember what—and when my mum turned her back, I ran off.”

Y/N’s about to open her mouth to ask why he’s telling her the story when the answer clicks into place in her head.  She thinks back to the conversation in the car the day before, how she told Harry that it helps when someone talks to her to distract her from the thunder.  That’s what he’s doing, she realizes, as she forces herself to focus on his quiet and level voice.  He’s trying to keep her calm, even after everything she said and did today.

“I don’t look like it now,” A small smile flits across Harry’s blushed lips. “But I was pretty scrawny back then.  And all the people around me were so tall, my eyes were barely level with their hips. Everyone was rushing around, going in all directions, and I kept calling for my mum, but she couldn’t hear me.  No one stopped to help me.  I felt like I was…trapped.  Like it was a huge forest of legs, running all around me, circling me, and I couldn’t get out.  I was probably only gone for five minutes, but to a six year old, it felt like an eternity.  And just something about it…I don’t know.  It changed me.  I still don’t like crowds because of that day.”

Y/N’s shoulders unclench the slightest bit as another gust of wind blows against the window. “That must have been scary.”

Harry’s own shoulders lift in a slight shrug as he shifts the sheet to cover him more. “It was. But I can’t change it.  I just have to deal with the repercussions of it. That’s all a fear is, really.  A side effect.  We just have to deal with them as best we can.”

More thunder booms loudly outside, but Y/N manages to keep her flinch to a minimum, despite her hands curling into fists again under the covers. “Harry…” She whispers his name into the darkness between them, his outline barely visible save for his green eyes. “I’m—I’m sorry about today.”

Harry shakes his head, his damp hair rubbing against his pillow. “You don’t have to apologize.” He whispers back, his tone as gentle as she’s ever heard it. “I was an arse.  I shouldn’t have pushed the topic.”

“I shouldn’t have been so uptight about it.” Rubbing her eyes with one fist, Y/N lets out a low sigh. “I felt so shitty all day because of our fight.  I’ve never…none of our fights have ever made me feel like that.”

“Maybe it’s because…” Harry’s tentative voice trails off, his eyes flickering to the ground for a brief moment before staring back at Y/N nervously. “I don’t know.  I thought we were getting along better.  For a moment, at least.”

“We were.” Y/N’s teeth tug on her bottom lip, and she feels a sudden shyness overcome her at the admission. “I’m sorry I said that we…weren’t friends.  I think…I don’t know.  I’ve been stubborn for so long, but I can see now that you’re different than I thought you were.”

“Yeah.  Me too.  I was wrong, too.” Harry runs a hand through his damp curls, a soft laugh leaving his mouth. “How did we even end up like this?  I barely remember what made us hate each other so much in the beginning.”

“Seriously?” Y/N raises an eyebrow, barely peaking out from beneath the sheets as another clap of thunder sounds. “You don’t remember?”

Harry mimics her expression. “Do you?”

“Yes!  It was the very first night we met.  We had that double date with Laure and Jo.” Shifting beneath her covers, Y/N moves herself into a better position on her side, so she can be more comfortable while still maintaining eye contact with Harry. “And you were rude, and made inappropriate jokes, and you left in the middle of the date to go chat up a sorority girl!”

“Wait a minute, no!” Harry protests the memory, half sitting up in his bed as he speaks. “That’s not what happened!”

“Yes, it is!” A small laugh falls off Y/N’s lips at his indignant reaction. “I remember it perfectly!”

“No, you remember it wrong!” Although a flush creeps up Harry’s neck, there’s an amused smile playing on his lips, a tiny hint of a dimple just barely appearing in his visible cheek. “I was making jokes to try and break the ice, which didn’t work on the Ice Queen, it seems—” Harry motions to Y/N teasingly. “And you’re the one who started talking to some bloke before I started talking to that girl!”

Another clap of thunder echoes through the room, but Y/N hardly notices as she thinks back to the night they met, and who Harry could possibly be referring to. “A bloke—?  He was a classmate of mine!  I had to talk to him!”

“Yeah, well, you didn’t have to enjoy it so much.” Harry grumbles, crossing his muscled arms over his sheets. “I had been so excited when Laure said she had an American girl for me, and then—”

“You were excited?” Y/N asks, her voice laced with surprise. “Really?”

The flush on Harry’s neck works its way to the apples of his cheeks. “Well, yeah.” He mumbles the words as his eyes drop from Y/N’s, slipping both hands beneath his head. “She said that you were funny, intelligent, witty, beautiful—”

“And then you met me, and realized that it was all a lie?” Y/N finishes for him, rolling her eyes in the darkness.

“No.” Harry gives a small shake of his head as his body shifts, the motel bed creaking under his weight. “No, she wasn’t wrong.  You were all of those things.  But I wasn’t, and it seemed like…I don’t know.  Like you didn’t think I was good enough for you.  I couldn’t keep your attention.”

The teasing smile slips from Y/N’s face as she registers Harry’s words. “You thought that I thought you weren’t…good enough?”

The nervousness is clear in Harry’s voice now, even over the pounding of rain against the window. “That’s what it seemed like, yeah.”

“I never—I didn’t think that.” Y/N says slowly, managing to relax her body beneath the sheets as she keeps her focus on the memory of meeting Harry. “I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be there, but that’s because Jo set the date up without telling me.  I thought you were handsome, and I liked your accent, but then you started to act weird, and you started flirting with that girl, so I thought you were an ass.”

“You still think I’m an arse, princess, be honest.” The teasing tone replaces the nerves, and for once, Harry’s joke has the intended affect on Y/N.  When she rolls her eyes again, it’s more playful, and the same tone is in her voice when she responds.

“I told you, don’t call me princess.” She replies, running her teeth over her lip gently. “So…I guess we both kind of fucked up that day.”

“Yeah.” Harry nods, a sheepish smile playing over his red lips. “I guess so.”

“Can we just restart?” Y/N’s voice is small when she asks the question, barely audible over the sounds of the storm raging outside. “Like, all the way from the beginning. No more grudges, no more yelling. Even if it’s just for this trip, for Jo and Laure—”

“It doesn’t have to be just for this trip.” Harry cuts in, his eyes catching Y/N’s again. “We’re going to have to be around each other for a long time.  It’ll be a lot easer if we get along.”

Y/N nods in agreement, tugging down her covers to extend one arm towards Harry.  She makes a fist, holding out just her pinkie finger to him with half a grin on her face. “Truce?”

The space between their beds is small, and Harry’s long arm easily makes it across the no man’s land to meet Y/N’s pinkie with his own.  He loops it together with a smile that matches hers, tired and content and just at the edge of a humble new beginning.  Harry’s response is almost inaudible as thunder booms loudly outside the room, but Y/N can still pick out the cadence of his accent under the noise.

“Truce.”

(pt II)

[dragynkeep]

hi luke, if you're still doing design critiques may I toss my lil quartet of au Rubies at you? (https://spectralscathath.tumblr.com/post/689717101959806976/a-more-detailed-view-of-antaresruby-outfits)

Hell yeah, more Spec redesigns-

Obviously, like many Beacon designs, not much has been changed from canon, but I really like the changes you made here. The swap of the black for red gradient tights do help in toning back the black, especially since the petticoat isn’t as thick and visible on this design as canon. 

Same with the belt, it, along with the added red on her corset, stops the black belt from blending into the black corset that then blends into the black dress. It stands out and makes it easier for the eye to see amongst all the dark colours on her. I also gotta say that the rose pattern on the corset is gorgeous and I’m stealing it-

Without the cape, you can see that the red still works really well on her, but enough that she wouldn’t be a red blob should you show her with the cape on. The one thing I’m more iffy on is the buttons.

I get why they’re there, since the clasps from canon have been removed, but I’m just not sold on them like I am with everything else. Still, really good attempt to design your own version of her Beacon outfit. 

Those short sleeves are really cute.

I can see a lot of the Mistral influence in this outfit, but with some differences to not fall into the same pitfalls. I actually really like the shorter sleeves. Either shorter or just less puffy, both work to sell a more mature look while keeping Ruby both protected and more mobile while swinging her big ass scythe. The gloves look great for that same reason, and while I get the reason for the red belt around the wrist, I personally am not a fan of it.

It keeps the red on Ruby’s arms, but I just never liked that style of glove personally. 

That being said, the introduction of a darker maroon red was a really good idea. It still keeps to Ruby’s colours, but the darker colour helps to accent the brighter red while not being too much on the eye. It being on her corset and belt works well, since her black corset, skirt, and boots still keep up the work of not making Ruby too bright. 

Like canon Mistral, though, I’m not a fan of corsets that go over the bust, honestly. It’s a personal preference, since they just look a bit too constricting on the chest for me. 

But back on a positive, I like the rips in her tights to show the passage of time. Really sells the rough journey Ruby’s had, while still trying to dress appropriately with the boots and thicker clothes. Plus, I love that she’s referencing more of her loved ones in her design after the tragedy of Beacon. 

Definitely an improvement of her canon outfit.

DARK GREY, DARK GREY, DARK GREY-

Ruby moving towards pants does make her look more mature, even if I prefer to keep her in skirts and leggings personally. The red pouch on the leg pops against the all black pants, keeping the red on that bit with the red trimmed boots. Similar with the red on her corset, but now the cool grey works better with this bright colour compared to the white of her previous outfit.

The deeper maroon gloves honestly work well with keeping the colour on her arms, and I’m glad the cuffs made a return to keep that Penny resemblance on her friend. 

Also, the idea that Ruby getting whiter hair with the use of her silvery eyes really does add a downside from just spamming her power beyond the typical “Stop blinding yourself” aspect. A person with eyes that might be silver? Could reasonably be denied if you’re not 100% sure. A person with eyes that might be silver and greying hair? SEW, get her. 

A chonky scorpion tail, I love it.

This is a cute outfit for Vacuo. It almost look more mechanic and mature compared to Ruby’s previous gothic lolita. The thinner black tights contrast against the red of the short bottoms, shows some wear and tear to highlight just how chaotic Ruby’s life is rn, and both protect the legs while being thin enough to deal with the heat. 

The skirt thing and shorts are an idea for hiding her tail, but the black shorts and black skirt together are very hard to tell apart, even with the little white frill the skirt has. At this point, her red skirt could work better with long black shorts underneath, so you can keep that storage for Ruby’s tail and also help the viewer tell the different. Plus, she’s a bit lacking on the red in her midsection. 

While it can make it look like Ruby is more worn after everything before Vacuo, her colouring is getting a bit too dark here. The red is in small amounts, so while her cape can carry the work when she has it on, you can really see the lack of it meaningfully when she doesn’t have it on.

That said, dark grey still works really well with Ruby’s palette. I love the eyepatch idea for her, especially since it’s an interesting way of showing her emblem too. A nice callback to her main villain outside of Tyrian, Cinder.

I really like what you were trying with this, and a lot works, just the skirt and the duller colours don’t hold it up with the others. More brightness, maybe even the return of the floral designs for some interest too. 

[hstyleshoney]

Loves Me Loves Me Not - new AU fic sneak

Hello! I’ve written something for the first time in ages. I haven't really edited it or anything. This is kind of just a little sneak peak I guess to see if anyone would be interested in the full thing. But I’ll probably keep writing it either way, because I’m having quite fun writing it hehe but any feedback would be very appreciated :) 

AU - bartenderry, grumprry, fake-dating  

READ THE FIRST PART HERE 

“Hiya!” Y/N tried to not sound as weak as her knees felt when she greeted him. He didn’t say anything at first and Y/N shifted her weight from one foot to the other, not knowing what else to say or do. He was dressed in a black t-shirt with a small white deer printed to the left on his chest. The same t-shirt Ruby had been wearing earlier too, only on him it looked a lot more snug than it had on her. It was impossible to ignore how tight the sleeves hugged his biceps and how they teased the dark lines of what looked like the bottom of a tattoo on his left arm.

“Are you going to order something?” he asked her. His voice was flat and low as he spoke.

And Y/N would’ve ran right back to her friends if he hadn’t been staring right at her with those resentful eyes. It was the very same look he had when he looked at the two drunk men just before her, making her freeze where she stood with her heart pounding and ankles crossed.

“Yeah, sorry” Y/N managed to squeak out and laughed awkwardly. “Of course, um, I’ll just have a beer.” He continued to just stare at her though and it took longer than she would’ve liked before she realised she hadn’t told him what kind of beer she wanted. “A Stella, please,” she added and his gaze lingered on her a moment longer before he turned around to get a glass.

When she no longer had his piercing eyes on her Y/N let out a deep breath she hadn't realised she had been holding and wiped her clammy palms on her jeans. She was going to pass out soon if he didn’t ease up a little. How could someone so tense and unpleasant even land a job as a bartender at the local pub? He wasn’t even trying to be nice.

Then he turned back around and Y/N couldn’t stop herself from watching his hands as he held the glass up to the faucet, smoothly drafting her a new beer. He had two rings on his right hand. A silver rose on his ring finger and a simple silver band on the middle one. It looked like there was something engraved on the band but she couldn’t really make out what it said from where she stood. She also couldn’t help but notice that his hands looked very soft compared to how harsh the rest of him was.

Arlo and Margot’s gazes burned into the back of her neck and she knew that they would force her to go back if she didn’t bring them any new information. So she took another deep breath and prepared herself to get told off as well. “Soo, what’s your name?” She already knew his name, but it seemed like a good question to start with. Innocent. Kind. Simple.

He looked up at her again. His brows still furrowed as he pursed his lips and took in her appearance. Y/N shifted her weight from one foot to the other again and tried to give him a smile.

“Harry.”

“Harry - that's a good name.”

Y/N shuddered as she heard the words come out of her mouth. Fuck sakes. She was going to force Arlo and Margot to pay for her drinks for the rest of the year as payback for forcing her to do this. “So, I haven’t seen you around before. Where are you from Harry?”

Fuck fuck fuck.

“London.”

“Right. Cool.”

Somebody kill me, she thought to herself and fought the urge to slam her head down into the bar counter.

Harry placed her beer in front of her and gave her a funny look as she forced another smile. At least he didn’t look like he wanted to kick her out anymore, not that it was giving her any comfort since he still didn’t look too impressed by her presence and all of her questions. “How’d you end up here then?” she still asked when she gave him her card to pay for her beer, once again cursing her friends for making her do this AND pay for her own drink.

“It’s not really any of your business is it?”

“Right, no, of course not.”

And that really should’ve been enough to send her running back to her table but instead, very much on the contrary of what she actually wanted to do, she started spewing out a bunch of different words and watched as his eyes narrowed remarkably at her ignorance. “It’s just not that often someone new shows up here out of the blue. Do you like it? Have you gotten a chance to go out and do some exploring yet? It’s quite a beautiful town despite what some people say about it.”

Her cheeks kept getting hotter with every word that came out of her and she was sure Harry was going to tell her off just like he had done with the two drunk men. White Deer was one out of two pubs in town, White Deer being her friendgroup’s favourite since one of them worked there, and Y/N was never ever going to be able to set her foot inside it again.  

“Can I get you anything else or you good?” Harry asked her, his voice still as low and daunting as before, as he held her card between his slender fingers and waited for her to take it back.  

“I’m good,” she spluttered, taking her card and beer. “Thank you.”  

And she was so close to going back to her table without embarrassing herself further, but as she thanked him she accidentally did a little curtsy and felt every ounce of dignity she had left leave her body at once.

She didn’t stay around long enough to find out his reaction.

However, her friends' reactions were more than enough to let her know that everyone had just witnessed her make a complete fool out of herself.  

“Not a damn word,” Y/N warned them as she sat down. Margot nodded quickly and moved her fingers along her lips to zip her mouth. But seeing her cheeks look like they were about to explode from laughter Y/N knew her friends were not going to let that one slide.

“Did you just fuckin’ curtsy?” Arlo howled and put a hand over his mouth to cover his loud laughter. “What is he? Royal?!”

“I hate you so much,” Y/N scowled and took a long, big drink for her beer to drown her own embarrassment and her friends’ tittering. She was definitely not sharing any of the information she had found out about Harry with them. Not that he had really answered any of her questions. Only that his name was Harry, which they all already knew, and that he was from London.

And she definitely wasn’t going to tell them that, even if it only was one thing. They could find out for themselves if they wanted to know so badly.

One thing was certain though, Y/N was never setting her foot inside White Deer again.

Even if she wanted to, Harry had probably already reached out to the owner of the pub and told him all about her unpleasant behaviour, begging him to ban her for life to make sure he would never have to see her again.

However, if she hadn’t been so busy wallowing in self pity she would have noticed the curious green eyes looking over at her whenever someone didn’t crave their attention at the bar.

--- 

[fific7]

Unexpected - Part 3

King Caspian x Reader

Summary: What happens if you push the respectful and well-behaved King Caspian a little too far? You’re about to find out.

A/N: The final chapter. This does not follow canon, it’s mainly a mix of fluff and angst with some lemon zest 🍋 Friends to Lovers AU.

Warnings: 18+ NSFW due to sexual content including debatable consent at first, loss of virginity and oral and unprotected* sex between consenting adults. Some drinking & swearing.

*Irl, please don’t go wild in the country without protection.

(My video edit)

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Ever since his hasty departure from your study, Caspian had not exactly avoided you but had taken to just popping his head round the door and wishing you a cheerful good day before disappearing again. You had smiled to yourself. It certainly did seem that you had some kind of an effect on the King. You weren’t absolutely sure what that was, but it appeared to be a positive one.

You were excitedly planning an outfit for that evening as a banquet was being held to celebrate Cornelius’ birthday. No-one had mentioned how old he actually was and you weren’t sure if that was because they didn’t know or if they were just being tactful. You’d bought him three new quills as his gift, which he’d accepted gratefully as he was always snapping the tips off his.

Later that afternoon, there was a brief knock and Caspian’s smiling face appeared round your door. “You are coming to the birthday banquet tonight, aren’t you, my lady?” You nodded, “I am, Caspian.” “Well… I’ll see you there,” he grinned, and then he was gone.

Smiling, you went back to mentally reviewing the dresses in your wardrobe. Tonight you’d make sure you looked your very best for Caspian.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Meanwhile Caspian walked off down the corridor, deep in thought. He was sure that she’d noticed that he was keeping a physical distance between them the past few days, but it was the only way he could think of to avoid making a complete fool of himself. Again. Like he had the last time. His face burned every time he thought about it. She’d known why he’d rushed off, he was sure of it.

He would have to dance with her tonight. It would look strange if he didn’t, and he felt his stomach tie itself into a knot. How on earth was he going to keep himself under control? He would just have to figure out a way… somehow.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Eventually, after several changes, you’d chosen a deep ruby red velvet dress with a sweetheart neckline, your hair was artfully pinned up and you had added a sparkling necklace and earrings.

The music played, the tables were laden with food and drink and Cornelius was thoroughly enjoying himself as the centre of attention. The courtiers whirled around the room in spirited waltzes and you watched as Caspian danced with girl after girl after girl. Everyone apart from you, in fact. You had a sick sinking feeling in your stomach - it looked like you’d got it all wrong, he obviously didn’t have any feelings for you at all. You blinked fiercely as you felt your eyes fill up. Well, your mother always said pride comes before a fall, and you supposed that you’d been prideful in thinking that he felt something special for you.

Taking a large drink of your wine, you considered leaving the banquet. What use was there in staying? Just to watch Caspian dancing with all the other women, while you - a sorrowful heap of jealousy - sat in the corner by yourself? No, that was not going to be you, you thought.

Standing, you smoothed your dress and started to move out from behind the table, only for Cornelius to lightly grip your wrist. “You’re surely not going already?” he questioned you. You nodded, “Yes, my lord. I.. I have a headache and should retire to my chamber, I think.” He did not let go of you, “Oh, my lady, can’t I persuade you to stay just a little longer? It is my birthday after all!” he smiled mischievously at you. Oh, he had to make you feel guilty, didn’t he? You sighed, “Very well, my lord, just for a very short time though.” He refilled your wine cup, “Have some more wine,” he encouraged you, “I’ve heard it’s very efficacious in treating headaches!”

Laughing, you sat down and took the goblet from him. “Indeed? I confess I haven’t heard that said of wine, my lord.” Nodding vigorously, he replied, “Oh, yes - I am sure I read that recently somewhere - in a medical book or suchlike.” Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a figure approaching you, one of the Kingsguard. Before you turned to look fully at him, you saw a look of annoyance flit over Cornelius’ face, before his usual small smile returned.

“May I have the pleasure of the next dance, my lady?” asked the handsome soldier, whose name you didn’t know. You nodded and stood, taking his outstretched hand and allowing him to lead you onto the dance floor. The orchestra finished playing the previous waltz, and prepared to play the next one.

Caspian’s dark eyes met yours as he straightened up from bowing to his partner. Something flashed in them and you looked away, up at your own partner. Wasn’t he happy to see you dancing with someone? Well, that was a shame, you thought - he can just have a taste of his own medicine! The music began and you and the soldier began to dance, thankfully neither of you treading on each other’s toes. You saw that Caspian was dancing with yet another lady. Hmmm, not so bothered then, you thought somewhat bitterly.

Throughout the dance, however, any time you looked towards Caspian his eyes were on you. Continuing to look away, you’d wait a few moments and look again. Yes - still looking. Now you were confused, if he didn’t care, why was he staring? Maybe it was just a ‘big brother’ kind of thing. The dance came to an end and you and your partner bowed to each other, and as you stood straight again you realised with a start that Caspian was standing slightly to the right of your soldier, gazing at you.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Caspian’s heart had jolted in his chest when he saw her take the floor with one of his Kingsguard. Jealousy raged through his veins. She was only supposed to dance with him! He continued staring over at them as the dance progressed, barely looking at his own new partner, and as soon as the dance finished he quickly bowed, mumbled a thank you and hurried over to her and the soldier.

The soldier bowed his head to his King and took himself off at speed. Caspian was still looking at her, and eventually she cleared her throat and said, “Good evening, your Majesty,” bowed her head slightly and also started to leave the dance floor. “No!” he exclaimed, and her eyes met his again, a confused look in them. “I mean… don’t go, I was about to ask you to dance.” She gave him a small smile, “And are you asking me, your Majesty?” Now it was his turn to look confused, “Why, yes… I am,” he replied and extended his hand towards her.

Taking it, she followed him to a more central area of the dance floor and as they reached it he swung around, pulling her close against him and drinking in her scent. He heard her give a small gasp and realised what he’d done - the waltz the orchestra was playing required a side by side promenade at arms’ length for a few steps before traditional waltzing then took over. Hastily, he released her and they performed their promenade steps, before he was able to take her into his arms once more.

“You look absolutely beautiful,” he breathed next to her ear, “I was overwhelmed when I saw you arrive.” She laughed, not meeting his eyes, “Really, your Majesty? I didn’t think you were even aware I was here.” “What?” he said, totally confused, “Of course I knew you were here!” She still wouldn’t meet his eyes as they moved around the dance floor. “Well, it’s just that you were so busy with all your dance partners I didn’t think that you were, your Majesty.”

Caspian felt like a thunderbolt had hit him. Of course! What a damn fool he was. He’d been so busy trying to distract himself from mooning over her, that it hadn’t dawned on him what it might look like to her - that he was totally ignoring her. He’d noticed that she’d gone back to calling him ‘your Majesty’. He desperately thought of how he could explain this without giving himself away. “Oh… no, no… I’m, I’m always aware of… of where you are,” he said then winced as he realised how lame that sounded. “I thought I would save the last dance for you,” he added, hoping this would redeem him somewhat.

She finally looked at him, a slightly reproachful look in her eyes but she didn’t speak. “I’m so sorry if it looked like I was ignoring you,” he said in a rush, “I just didn’t want to seem too eager.” She laughed but he could tell there wasn’t a lot of humour in it, “Don’t worry, your Majesty, that definitely wasn’t the impression you gave.”

Caspian was panicking. How could he be so stupid? Now she was upset with him, and he only wanted her more than ever - she looked stunning in her ruby red gown. He held her even closer to him and decided to stop talking, maybe he could just show her how he felt by holding her close. He saw her eyes widen and realised that had been a mistake too. There was no doubt that she’d felt his rampant erection, even through the heavy fabric of her dress.

He made a sudden decision and danced her rapidly across the floor back to the table, hastily sitting down and tugging her into the seat next to him. He pulled his tunic down as far as he could over the bulge in his lap and leant forward slightly, embarrassed and running his hands over his face. “Are you alright, my King?” she questioned him. He looked sidelong at her, “I think you know exactly what’s wrong with me.” Then in an even quieter voice, “The same as in the orchard that time.”

He saw a blush start to rise over her face. So she did remember it.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Oh! you thought, your mind racing back to that encounter in the gathering dusk. You had thought about it frequently over the years with a mixture of excitement and embarrassment. You knew you’d been quite forward in your curiosity, and often wondered if Caspian ever thought about it too. And now it seemed that he had. With a frisson of jealousy, you’d also wondered what other sexual experiences he’d had since.

“I… we said we’d never talk about that, Caspian.” While dancing and when he’d pulled you closer to him, you’d felt that hard length of his against your stomach and knew exactly what it meant. But now here he was, bringing up the subject himself.

“We said we’d never speak of it to other people,” he corrected you, gazing into your eyes, “but maybe we need to discuss it further between ourselves. Come, let us leave the banquet for a while so we can speak in private.” He stood up and held out his hand so you also stood, taking it and following him as he led you out of the banqueting hall, aware of the many envious glances from the other women as you left with the King.

They could think what they liked, you thought. They will know you were childhood friends, although you’d made a point of never telling that to any of them. Castle gossip will have ensured that they all knew about it in any case.

Caspian led you upstairs to one of the empty salons and outside onto the large balconied terrace which was attached to it. He knew his castle well, you thought. Due to its position in one of the towers it wasn’t overlooked by any other window or balcony, and the size of the large terrace prevented anyone from seeing anything if they looked up from the grounds.

He came to a halt and turned towards you, his eyes blazing with something - you weren’t sure what - as he looked into yours, “I…I want,” he faltered, “I need…!”

You opened your mouth to ask him what he wanted and needed but before you could speak, he pushed you up against the terrace wall, you felt his mouth on yours and he was kissing you passionately. You realised he was also raising your dress and felt the fabric creep past your knee and then halfway up your leg.

Looking down you saw that Caspian had unlaced his breeches, just as you felt his fingers brush past your undergarments. Because unlike last time, it was he who had hold of his manhood and before you fully realised what he was doing, he’d slid his erection inside you and continued to push until he was fully sheathed. You were gasping and his dark brown eyes looked more like deepest black as he stared into yours, before he lowered his head onto your shoulder, groaning and whispering your name.

“Caspian!” you eventually managed to breathe, “what are you doing?!”

“What you wanted me to do that night in the orchard,” he said through gritted teeth, his voice rough.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Caspian gripped her hips through the dress fabric and began to thrust up into her. She’d wanted him to do this to her those few years ago, right? She’d told him he was a coward because he’d pulled out. So now he was only taking what he could’ve had under the pear trees that evening, wasn’t he?

He heard her voice, through her gasps, “We were children, Caspian, who didn’t know any better. Now we do. What if you get me pregnant?” Caspian stopped thrusting, she needed to hear the truth.

“I don’t care! I’ve wanted you every second of every day since!” his voice broke, “Don’t you realise I’ve always been in love with you?!” He leaned his head back slightly and looked into her eyes, “Tell me you don’t want me to do this and I’ll stop.” She hesitated and he immediately began thrusting again, kissing her and pulling her closer to him. Eventually he felt her fists pummelling his chest, “Caspian! Please! I can’t get pregnant.”

He stopped with a heavy sigh, resting his forehead on hers for a moment before straightening up and pulling out of her. Taking his dick in his hand he turned away from her, frantically rubbing and squeezing his length before finishing quickly, bending over slightly and catching his seed in the palm of his other hand.

Turning back towards her, he found he was looking at empty space. She was gone.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

You ran as fast as your fancy dancing shoes would let you to your chamber. Throwing yourself headlong onto your bed and beginning to sob, you wondered how on earth you’d got yourself into this stupid situation. Because you teased him! your brain yelled back at you, it’s all your fault and you know it! Caspian is such a polite, shy, well-behaved boy and look what you made him do!

Eventually your tears stopped flowing and you wearily got up from the bed, struggling a little to unlace your dress at the back but eventually managing it. You’d had to learn how to do that as you didn’t have a lady’s maid, unlike at home. Having washed your face, taken down your hair and changed into your nightdress, you had just lain back down in bed and pulled the quilt over your head when you heard a single knock at your door.

You knew it was Caspian, that one knock had been a special signal between the two of you since you were children. Knowing in your heart that you shouldn’t answer it, you nevertheless got up and opened the door.

It looked as if Caspian had also been crying, his dark eyes were as wide as saucers. “I need to explain.”

You nodded and stood back, allowing him to come into your chamber.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

He locked the door behind him, he didn’t want any interruptions during the discussion he was about to have. She’d walked back to her bed and sat on the edge of it, looking down into her lap. He followed her over there, also perching on the bed next to her.

He drew in a deep breath then said in a low voice, “I’m truly sorry for what I did earlier.” He looked down, “You looked so beautiful but you danced with him, you were in his arms and I was so very jealous! I wanted you so much. But what I did was unforgivable.” He heard her exhale then she said, “I have to say, it’s not how I imagined losing my virginity, Caspian.” His head flew up, “But that… we… didn’t that happen when we…?” She shook her head, blushing, “No, not properly. You didn’t get far enough inside that time,” and looked up at him, “but you did this time.”

Now he felt himself blushing. “Oh! I always thought I lost my virginity to you that evening,” he said, “And you? That means you haven’t been with anyone else?” He held his breath and then she shook her head, her eyes downcast again. He felt an immense sense of relief, blowing out a big breath of air. There was a short silence and then he heard, “Caspian?” He looked over at her, “Yes?” “How many women have you been with since then?”

He leapt up off the bed, drawing himself up to his full height, “None!” he shouted, then as he saw her jump, lowered his voice, “I have been with no woman except you.” Suddenly he knelt in front of her, and he met her intent gaze, “I’ve never wanted anyone else apart from you.” He noticed her eyes welling up, and a few tears slid down her cheeks. He reached up and gently wiped them away, “Why are you crying, my darling?” he asked, “Doesn’t that please you?” She managed a feeble smile, “I’m crying because I am pleased to hear that, yes.”

Caspian’s brain hurt a little as he heard this; he wondered if he’d ever understand women. He decided the wisest course of action would be to remain silent and just smiled back at her, nodding as if he fully understood. She sniffled a little and then said more boldly, “Caspian, when you were… you know… earlier, you said you’d always been in love with me.”

His mind rapidly rewound to when he’d been trying to make love to her, had he said that?! He really didn’t recall - his mind had been on other things! - but as it was the truth in any case, he nodded. He took hold of her hand, “Yes, it’s the truth. I’ve loved you since I met you.” “But we were just children.” “It doesn’t matter. You’re my soulmate, I’ve always known that. It was truly awful when I had to flee the castle as I knew I wouldn’t see you - maybe ever again - but I had no choice, and I just had to try and put you out of my mind until Narnia was safe.”

He got up and sat next to her on the bed again. “It was really difficult. Just recently, everything was starting to return to normal and I was about to try and find you, when you arrived here as Cornelius’ assistant. It seemed fated that we should be together. But you kept on saying how I was your dear friend and.. and my heart broke. I was sure that’s all you felt for me - friendship.”

She shook her head, “No, Caspian. I don’t think I realised it until I came to the castle and saw you again, but I think I’ve always loved you too.”

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Caspian’s face had the hugest grin on it as you finished speaking. “Really? You love me?” You nodded, “Yes, I do.” Suddenly he was back down on one knee, “Then please - make me the happiest man in Narnia and marry me!” You must have looked like an idiot with your mouth forming a large O, but eventually you managed to say “Yes!” Then he had jumped up, pulling you off the bed and wrapping his arms around you, whirling you round while you squealed and he kissed you.

After the two of you had calmed down somewhat, he left to go back to his own chambers as even although you were now betrothed, it wouldn’t be seemly for him to spend the night with you, even if you just slept in the same bed. He promised that he would have a ring for you by the next day and while you’d assured him there was no rush, he’d insisted that he wanted a betrothal ring on your finger as soon as possible.

You lay awake most of the night, too excited to sleep. It seemed incredible but all of your most precious dreams had come true.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

The next morning, Cornelius had appeared in front of your desk as usual and throwing aside his usual decorous manner, had hugged you. “I am so pleased to hear your news!” he declared. “I’ve never seen Caspian so happy. He was bouncing around like an over-excited rabbit this morning,” he chuckled, taking your hand and squeezing it while you laughed at his description of Caspian’s reaction. “I know the two of you will be so happy together,” he continued, “Now! We must start planning the wedding!”

When Caspian came to your study later that afternoon, he led you out from behind your desk, went down on one knee and proposed to you once again. This time, he produced a small jewellery box from his tunic pocket and opened it, showing you a ring with a large pear-shaped diamond as the centrepiece. It was beautiful and as Caspian slipped it onto your finger, he whispered, “To always remind you of the pear trees in the orchard,” with a small mischievous grin at you.

“How did you get the ring so quickly?” you asked him, as you were amazed that he’d managed to find such a beautiful, perfect ring in the space of one morning. He’d winked at you, “I have my contacts, that’s all I’m going to say.” You never did find out for sure, but there was one diamond merchant in the town nearest to Cair Paravel who had similar gems and you thought it might be from there.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

One thing you did know for sure, the other ladies of the court’s eyes were out on stalks as they glimpsed your new ring when you joined them for dinner that evening. Every single one of them was praying you were going to tell them to whom you were now betrothed and eventually - when you had still said nothing and dinner was nearly over - one of them could keep quiet no longer.

“My lady… umm, I cannot help but notice your beautiful ring!” You dipped your head, “Why thank you, my lady,” you replied. She smirked at you, “But you are not willing to share the name of your betrothed with us?” You shook your head, a faux-regretful look on your face, “I cannot as yet, my lady. My betrothed has to be the one to announce it,” you went on, with a small shrug. Of course, this just meant that their curiosity ate them up even more.

But Caspian had advised you that he had to firstly tell the Grand Council, then your parents, the courtiers and the people of Narnia in that order - that was the accepted, traditional procedure and that was that. So you had to keep quiet, although in truth you were literally bursting to tell everyone!

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

When the news was finally announced, everyone showered congratulations onto you and Caspian. Although you did get the feeling that the other ladies of the court gave their best wishes through gritted teeth and with fake smiles. You knew that they were secretly devastated as you’d won the prize they had been trying to win, and you felt slightly sorry for them as you knew you’d have felt the same if Caspian had asked one of them to marry him.

In the meantime, Cornelius - much to your surprise - had indeed become almost your sole wedding planner, and very good at it he was too! He’d already arranged just about everything. In fact the only thing you had left to worry about choosing was your dress.

Caspian was getting nervous about the actual ceremony; he was worried he was going to forget his vows when he tried to say them to you. You had just told him, “Make them up! As long as you mean them, it doesn’t matter what you actually say.” He’d laughed, pulling you into his arms and kissing you hungrily, but then the two of you had to spring apart as two female courtiers appeared round the corner without warning. You’d all nodded to each other; they pretended they hadn’t seen you and Caspian kissing, and you two pretended you hadn’t been caught.

Until you were married this was frowned on in public, in what you considered to be one of various out-dated court traditions. You’d be shaking up some things once you were Queen, you smiled to yourself.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Caspian was super-excited on his wedding day. He was nervous, yes - but it was a good nervous. Apart from the fact that in a few moments he’d be joined together for all eternity to the woman of his dreams, tonight, their wedding night, they would finally - finally - be able to make love properly. He couldn’t wait.

Their first two attempts hadn’t exactly been stellar successes - and of course, they shouldn’t even have been trying the first time around! - but he just knew that it would be third time lucky. No guilty childish fumblings, no adult angry/jealous sex… it would be just the two of them, lying in amongst the crisp cotton sheets and deep quilts of their marital bed. No prying eyes, no interruptions, no rush - it would be just heavenly. He already felt a little thrill of arousal.

He heard the musicians begin to play the joyful wedding music and he turned to see his beautiful bride - in a gorgeous white dress and holding a bouquet of delicate white flowers - bathed in sunlight and standing in the entranceway. Would he ever feel as happy as this again, he wondered? He didn’t think he would.

She paused for a few seconds and then began to walk gracefully across the Great Hall towards him. Approaching him, through her veil she met his gaze and gave him a dazzling smile.

His smile in return was even brighter and totally blissful.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

@paracosmenthusiast @jessevans

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

[katsukikitten]

Warnings: Stripper AU, dub con, 18+ N!SFW, Ayo it's gonna be lit okay?  @bakugotrashpanda thank you for always beta reading and encouraging me to write 😂

The girls around you giggle as you finally arrive to whatever hell hole dive bar they planned to take you to for your 25th birthday. They wouldn't tell you where you were going or what the general theme was going to be. The only thing they gave you was your outfit on your bed and a strong promise of getting SHIT FACED. Which you so desperately needed, especially after the shitty birthday you had today. 

And since you didn't know exactly where you were going you felt...a bit uneasy. Especially so when they blind folded you as soon as you got in the car but only AFTER placing you in a guady sash that read "Birthday Bitch" and a tiara that screamed princess. Still these were your close friends you were talking about. Women you've known since highschool. 

But Jhiro, Asui, Uraraka, and especially Mina had been far more adventurous than yourself, so you were totally unsure of what to expect. Your only hope was that it wasn't a strip club. 

They guide you through the boisterous club filled with whistle calls and screams for more shots or drinks. The music competes with the unsteady beat of your heart causing it to race in an attempt to keep pace with the high BPM of the song. It smells of sweat, liquor, and expensive perfumes and colognes, you were beginning to wonder just where the hell they were taking you. 

"M...Mina when can I take off the blind fold." You ask, words slightly slurred from the pre gaming the five of you did as yall got ready. Her only response is her bubblegum pink lips curling upwards as she giggles. The sound of the music begins to fade as you seemingly stumble further into the building, you hear a door open before it is shut, sealing away the outside music. 

Mina and Jhiro as gingerly as they can guide you into a plush armchair, keeping the blind fold on. 

"Yall, am I where I think I am?" A bit of your temper shows through in your tone of voice as you feel up the luxurious fabric of the chair, the soft ambient light that you can see through the bottom of your blind fold and the godly smell of caramel, spice mixed with clean, almost mountainous air. 

"Hold out your hands!" Mina squeals, Jhiro helps you hold them together. A large stack of paper is set into your palms setting your mouth into a harsh line. You pull the blind fold from your eyes to be met with a delectable nightmare. 

Two sizable men laze atop rugs, pillows and cozy furs making them seem more exotic than what they are. One with ash blonde hair pushed back by rushed fingers, looking put together and yet wild, with the sides faded. The other's hair long, almost unruly as it trailed down his back, a red hue so deep you first mistake it for black. 

But what really grabbed your attention was their eyes. 

Harsh deep garnet and dazzling ruby red gaze at you. One dissects you leaving you feeling vulnerable, raw, as if by one glance he could see through your bones to your soul and all the things that made you tic. While the other set felt softer, pretty boy brooding yet inviting, adding balance to the intensity that his ash blonde counterpart had. 

A shiver collectively runs down the female's spines. 

Suddenly you feel a bit self conscious and stupid in your barely there body con black dress. You pull at your hem with futile haste, their eyes linger on your powerful thighs.

"Welcome ladies to the private show of the Deadly Duo." A sharp toothed smile pairs nicely with the introduction. 

Deadly Duo indeed.

"I'm Red Riot and this is Ground Zero. The men by the door are Chargebolt and Cellophane, they will bring you whatever food or drink you so desire." You follow his sultry voice to the two men by the door. An electric blonde stands tall and flirty in his crop top and tight black jeans while a raven haired man stands on the other side shirtless, leaving the print in his grey sweatpants to do the talking for him. They both wink in yalls direction. Your focus falls back to the men before you, finally you notice what they are wearing. Their broad chests are bare, glistening from either glitter or their own sweat from an earlier escapade. Their theme seems to be a set of sorts Ground Zero wears a silky black fabric around his waist that does not shy away from a certain outline, his ash blonde hair is adorned with a black grotesque crown. It was made of sharp things, shattered glass, razor blades and two old switchblade knives giving it the illusion of horns. Paired nicely with pitch black wings, glistening as if silver stars were sprinkled on the feathers. 

While Red Riot wore white fabric wrapped around his defined abs. His head piece was golden, circling behind his head as if they "rays" of light, making him look much more like a rare subject  of a renaissance painting. His pair of wings were white glistening in gold. 

Their wings flutter, one seemingly agitated the other curious. Although you knew they were a prop, you would have sworn they were real. 

The lights turn low, leaving only their eyes and crowns to glow. 

"Are you sluts ready?" Ground Zero's voice is dangerous and low. Causing your gut and thighs to clench. Unknowingly you nod causing his wolfish grin to grow.

This was going to be more than the tacky fireman and cop duo Mina dragged everyone to for her own birthday. They were less like pieces of meat and more like Gods. 

A God seducing a mere mortal such as yourself. 

You gulp, all of you mesmerized by the movements of their hips, the sway of their bodies and fluttering of their fake wings. King of Hell and Heaven pulling you in making it hard to keep focus on anything but them. 

"We don't dance for free." Ground Zero's voice comes out as a harsh bite. Bringing the five of you back to planet Earth. 

"Birthday girl, the money!" Mina stage whispers a bit behind you. You stare down at the stack 2,000 and 5,000 yen bills. You nervously take a few and let them float to the floor. The girls behind you hollar for more as they toss their own money towards the men. 

"Heh she's already flustered." Bakugou whispers to Kirishima as he comes behind his friend, hand snaking up Kirishima's abs, nails leaving red marks along his skin.

"It's cute." The red head whispers as he throws his head back in mock pleasure. 

"Well cute doesn't cut it. Let's step this shit up a notch." The blond snarls, grabbing onto Kirishima's throat, giving it a squeeze. 

Kirishima allows a genuine groan to leave his lips while you let out a small whimper. 

"Are we gonna do the thing if they tip enough?" Kirishima's whisper is breathy as Bakugou makes him sway in beat with his own hips. The hot head's only reply is a deadly grin. He takes his large palm and places it on the back of Kirishima's nape before harshly shoving him to his knees before he places a black gladiator shoe onto the small of the red head's back. 

"Collect our money from the birthday bitch." Kirishima fights to keep the smile off of his face, knowing full well Bakugou intends to milk these women dry. 

You're frozen in place as doe like rubies gaze up at you. He crawls towards you slowly, his face slightly pained or maybe it is twisted with pleasure. It makes you think horrible, rancid thoughts.

Is that what he would look like on top of you? 

He ignores the bills, as if he is in a trance, keeping his eyes locked to yours. He stops at your feet before he can do anything else you offer him a 5,000 bill with shaking hands, he takes it gently and sets it aside. Instead he gets up onto his knees, hands hesitantly hovering over your ankle and calf. 

"Permission to touch Princess?" He looks up at you through long dark lashes. The light plays tricks on you as your mouth grows dry, you truly were staring down at an angel. 

"P...permission granted." A wicked smile plays on his lips and for a moment you think you've been fooled. His hands are calloused and yet far from rough, one hand holds firm onto your ankle while the other follows the natural curve of your calf all the way to just above the back or your knee. Long, strong fingers inches from the hem of your dress. 

"Mina this is good shit!" Jhiro whispers to her friend who giggles in response. Almost breaking the spell. They throw more money but earn the blondes agitation. Yes, most of the time it was about the money, but in some rare moments it was about the looks on people's faces. To have them so enthralled by their own fantasies that they forgot who they really were. 

He could see you were dipping into that space quickly, Kirishima is about to seal the deal. 

Trailing slow kisses up your smooth legs, sharp teeth glinting in the golden and red ambient lighting. 

Depending on your reaction to what Kirishima is about to do determines Bakugou's next few moves. 

Kirishima's doe creature mask breaks for a fraction of a second and the wicked smile happens again, his mouth just above your knee as he opens wide, letting his teeth sink into your thick thigh. 

The whimper that leaves your lips, the fluttering of your half mast eyes and the shape of your mouth send Bakugou into that rare state. 

He gives a harsh head tilt to the men at the door before glaring at the extra women in the room. 

"Are you ladies feeling neglected?" Chargebolt asks, lips a breath away from Jhiro's ear, her ear jacks twist on their own as her face flushes. Meanwhile Cellophane is purring in Mina's ear. 

"How rude of them to ignore such beauty. Let's get the four of you a private showing." 

"A..ah okay." They agree, getting up to squeeze your arms and drop off more cash onto your lap. 

"Don't get too wrapped up!" Mina teases before exiting with the rest of the crew. Leaving it to just the three of you.  

As soon as the door shuts, Bakugou falls to his knees, crawling slowly. Much slower than Red Riot, agonizingly so, his hard set eyes locked with yours even as Red still holds your leg captive. You push back into the plush chair in exhilarating fear, chest rises and falling in shallow and quick movements unable to break his molten hot gaze. His movements are methodical, quiet and not even his wings twitch as he makes his way, as if he does not want to make a sound. Like a panther hiding in the shadows, stalking its prey. 

The light play tricks as the muscles of his back and broad shoulders seem to be highlighted. These men were strong, more fit than you've ever seen and yet, yet your eyes were glued to theirs. 

Especially the ashe blonde's. Finally he reaches your feet, hands hovering over your left leg and before he can ask you're nodding frantically. He sucks his teeth, locking over your soft skin before grabbing onto you with a bruising grip, eyes holding yours once more. 

"I wasn't going to fucking ask." He yanks your leg towards him, away from the other. You frantically try to push your dress down to cover your lacy, barely there thong that Mina convinced you to wear. A steely grip is at your wrist. 

"Ah, ah ah, it's only fair, Princess." Bakugou teases before letting his hands trail up your leg, causing you to tense and yet ease into his touch at the same time. He trails biting kisses up your leg and lets his fingers actually touch the skin beneath your hem. 

You yelp, hand hesitantly hovering over his washed out golden strands. You were unsure of the rules, of if you were allowed to touch them. 

A soothing hand pats your knee. 

"Don't worry, he isn't as much of a brute he seems to be. Plus." His ruby eyes gesture towards the corners of the room, "Cameras are always watching." 

You give a slow nod, as Ground Zero comes up from his bite above your knee, black blooms on your skin before he presses a chaste kiss atop the purplish flower. He shoots Kirishima a glare, it was going to be hard to get you back into the fantasy. 

Another shaking bill is offered causing Bakugou to sigh. He grabs the stack from your lap and sets it aside. 

"Let's forget that for now, okay?" Kirishima beams and you nod slowly. 

Bakugou gets an idea, knowing Kirishima will adapt quickly to Bakugou's intent. Zero shoves Red to the side, placing himself between your legs, climbing slowly up your body as if you were his lover. 

He pants heavily as he does and you feel something as he grinds onto you. You cannot tell if it is an actually hard on or a semi, either way you're flustered and unbelievable aroused as this man, no this God among men stares into your very fucking soul. He stands, placing his hands on both sides of the armchair, leaning in close as you back away, cornering you like the prey you are. 

His breath fans your ear, he wants to give it a bite, sink his teeth deep into your semi exposed neck as your smell pulls him in a little too far into the fantasy. He comes closer and his heat is almost unbearable. 

"Do...do you do this for every show?" You squeak out, buzzing from excitement and primal fear. His eyes narrow as if he is lost in thought before the question finally registers in his mind. That deadly smirk returns, lips brushing your ear as he speaks, his rough hand grabbing onto the sash. The sound of tearing fabric fills the room for a moment. You squeeze your eyes shut. 

"This is all for you, kitten." Suddenly the warmth is ripped away from you as massive arms wrap around Zero's middle. 

"Don't forget about me, Princess." He drops Bakugou roughly on the ground before he falls to his knees. Worshiping you as if you were the star of the show. 

Kisses trail up your legs, stopping on your inner thigh just before your hem. This time a whine leaves your lips, as two sets of red eyes gage your reaction. He continues his work, crawling up between your legs until you could easily wrap them around his torso, he motions you closer with a single finger and you follow, he knocks away the ugly tiara and places a black and golden flower crown atop your head. He lets his fingernails scratch gently along your scalp as he moves away. Before holding you by the nape of the neck. Keeping you nose to nose with him.  

"That is more fitting for you my Princess." Kirishima gives you a lazy cat smile. Before a cocky laugh sounds behind you causing your core to flutter. 

"Your Princess?" He fists Kirishima's hair forcing him to let go of you before Bakugou yanks him back, holding intense eye contact with his counterpart, "More like my slut." 

"F..fuck." You groan before Bakugou leans down to Kirishima, he's close. So close their noses brush before Bakugou tilts Kirishima's head kissing him with a passion unseen and unmatched. Kirishima groans, giving Bakugou access to his mouth and you can do nothing but stare as you watch a struggle for power between two wet muscles, you barely notice Bakugou's broad other hand snake to Kirishima's throat giving it a good squeeze. 

You're salivating, cunt clenching before a moan escapes your mouth. Bakugou pulls away and a lewd string of saliva connect the two before it breaks off. For a moment Kirishima looks as starstruck as you, his cheeks are so red, eyes lost as they stare endlessly into the man who is just a smidge shorter and smaller than him but God damn if he doesn't hold Kirishima's heart and yours in the palm of his sharply manicured hands. Bakugou speaks without his eyes leaving Kirishima's making sure he doesn't fall too deep into subspace. 

"Tch. Sounds like you like what you see huh slut?" You whine again at his crude words. You watch his hand so softly sweep away hair from his counterpart's face smiling down at him cruelly. 

"Oi, you still on cloud nine there? Or are you present enough to have a bit of a competition?" Kirishima's eyes come to life at the thought of a friendly fight. He gives him a sharp toothed smile, letting his hand trail up Bakugou's abs stopping over his slow beating heart. Kirishima can never understand how he keeps such a level head over so much heated contact, how he never slips up and gets a little too caught up. Or maybe the look in Bakugou's eyes say that he is. The hot head grabs his jaw line roughly, turning him towards you and looking at you at the same time.

"Alright let's see if you're my slut or his Princess." 

"O...okay." You whisper pulling another deadly laugh from the horned devil. His wings unfurl a bit, making him seem bigger before his weighted gaze settles on your skin.  He let's go of Red, trapping you in the chair again, leaning as close as he did to the red head. Nose grazing yours. 

"You don't even know what you've blindingly agreed too. Are you that desperate or just stupid?" His voice drawfs the rushing blood in your ears. His hand tentatively hovers over your throat, reading your gaze before he takes an extra step. Cutting off a bit of the blood flow to your brain, gasping for delighted breath you stare him down. Heart hammering in your chest as you felt like a small lamb ensured in the sharp teeth of a wolf. 

"Answer me." A nasty bite, dark eyes clouded with his own dom space but still attentive enough to watch for queues. 

Although you are more than willing, he is playing a dangerous game. He doesn't know your kinks, worse yet your safe word. This session had turned more into a scene than anything else. Even though the three of you are not having sex he needs to he sure of your limits. 

Or a least a good dominant should. Still you answer and still he is a damn good guesser. 

"I..I'm desperate." Bakugou's smile sends a rush of heat to your sex and an endless amount of endorphins to your brain. You feel a bit high, head light from lack of air. He turns your face slightly away from him, pressing his cheek to yours as he breaks the spell for just a moment, easing his grip on your throat. 

"You say black when you want us to stop. Got it." It takes you a moment to process what he's saying before you frantically nod yes, "You gotta say it around baby girl." 

God you melt, melt and die right there in the chair. His voice feather soft in this moment making you want more, more, more as if he really were the demon king brought here to corrupt you. 

"Yes, King." It's a whisper but it's enough to make Bakugou's dick twitch. 

Fuck what a good name and one he hadn't heard before. He presses a soft kiss to your hairline before using his soft voice for a final time. 

"That's my good kitten." It's a soft growl and somehow you melt even more. He trails kisses along your jawline, giving you a moment to say yes or no before he kisses down your throat, pushing away the fabric of your dress to expose your shoulder. You moan as his breath tickles the perked skin, waiting impatiently for that anticipated kiss. Although it never comes. Instead he settles for sinking his teeth into your shoulder instead of your throat. Pulling and gnashing his teeth leaving a bruise as dark as your dress. Teeth outlined the black blossom. He drags his tongue along your throat before his replaces it with your hand. Pulling you into a bruising kiss that has you seeing fireworks, earning a moan. He slips his tongue in and you do not even attempt to fight, only attempt to keep up. He squeezes your throat tighter and you're floating. Clinging onto Bakugou with dying strength, nails biting into his biceps. 

Too soon he pulls away, a hazed look in his eyes surely matching your own. His cheeks slightly flushed as the two of you pant. He gives a cocky grin as if he already knows that he's won. He steps back a bit, hitting Kirishima on the shoulder before whispering in his ear. 

"Black means stop got it?" Kirishima holds contact with him and nods before coming close to you. 

Unlike his counterpart Kirishima uses more of his hands, letting them trail on your legs, your arms, nails raking against your scalp. Pulling at your hair. It is hypnotic in the same sense that Bakugou was. You sigh deeply, happily as you look into a deep set of ruby red eyes. He takes his side of you, the right side, especially since Bakugou already claimed your left. Gently he allows one hand to rest on your hip. He gives you a moment and when nothing comes out of your mouth he squeezes. Kissing slow, soft kisses on your jawline, throat. Lips pressing on the crook of your neck before he too removes the fabric exposing your other shoulder. He does not breathe hotly over his meal, he dives right in.  Pointed teeth sinking in as you groan from the pleasure.  He almost draws blood. He does not suck, no he only bites. All teeth marks set deep in blackish blue when he pulls away. He checks on you again before he methodically he leans in, grabbing your chin to tilt you to him, kissing you so softly, lips moving at a snail's pace before they begin to quicken. Faster and faster until those teeth are pulling at your bottom lip, tongue finding its way in as you sigh into the kiss. 

Just as before the kiss ends too soon and you cry out in mock rage but true agitation. 

God you just wanted them. Kirishima makes room for Bakugou to push his way into the small space before you. Each trapping you from their respective side. 

"So…" Kirishima pants, Bakugou finishes for him. 

"Who wins? Who owns your dirty mouth?" Their voices low and breath mingling with yours as they stare into your face. 

"Can..can you please show me my options again." 

[midnightmoonkiss]

Oh, What A Ghost!

Ghost! Izuku Midoriya X Fem! Vampire! Reader

Summary: Being a pervert gets you punished, not that he minded.

WARNINGS!: Biting, oral (male and female receiving), face riding, fingering, butt stuff, blood, voyeurism, masturbation, orgasm denial, toys, a lot of nsfw content. Sub! Izuku

Category: Smut

Word Count: 5.4k+

A/N: Did I shove as many kinks into this as I could? yeah<3 HAPPY HALLOWEEN! :) 

Just To Clarify:

They’re consenting third years (aka 18+)

There is a heiarchy but Izuku totally tears it down 

This was a fun monster!au I made up :)

It’s Halloween lmao.

Perm. Tag List:

@coupsieddori​ @desia2​ @strwbrry-lia​

“You’re such a pervert, Izuku~”

“H-HaaaH! (L/N)..! Pl-please-! I’m- mmMM!! I’m s-ssorry-!”

“Is that so?”

To be honest, you never thought this would happen, never thought you’d be given the opportunity to make a move on your crush in such a.. bold and licentious fashion.

He did have it coming, though, considering you caught him red handed.

Ghosts were always so sneaky and aberrant, their ability to walk or float through walls and turn invisible offering a plethora of possibilities for activities, both good and bad. You didn’t expect such an ‘innocent’ and kind boy to partake in such activities that his race was known for, and yet, you weren’t all that surprised when you found out that he lived up to the stereotype.

Then again, most monsters did.

It was mostly inevitable, after all.

Just like how ghosts were perverts, vampires were sadists. And that’s exactly what you were.

Poor little Izuku, he had no idea the true trouble he got himself into, and on such a respected night as well.

Halloween.

October 31st.

The holiday was bigger than any other, the entire island, or at least the participating parts, went all out with decorations every year.

From lights to festivals, everyone went nuts.

It was the day that worshipped the supernatural, after all.

In a world where humans and creatures, previously thought as myths, coexist, humans have always overpopulated the monsters, and so schools built just for them popped up all over the globe. The one you and your dear friend, Midoriya, attended happened to be the most famous one, known for using monsters ability to fight against those who used it for wrong. It truly was thrilling, and it saved those previously in public schools from the bullying that occured all too much.

The school, UA, was like a pot of stew, all kinds of monsters mixing together. Werewolves, witches, wizards, zombies, vampires, ghosts, and so many more. Though, most typically stuck with their own group, but it wasn’t uncommon for people to branch out, just like how you were friends with a ghost and a zombie.

It took society a long time to accept monsters, and some still dont, but who needs them anyway, right?

Besides, to you, monsters were much more fun, especially when vampires and sirens were considered the top of the hierarchy.

Ghosts, ghouls, and zombies were at the bottom, their power not all that great, but vampires and sirens, alongside werewolves, were at the very top, the most well respected and feared monsters.

Though you were looked down on by your fellow vamps by befriending a ghost, you couldn’t care less.

As months flew by, and two school years came and went, you found yourself falling madly in love with the man who captivated you.

If he didnt float and walk through walls sometimes, you wouldve assumed he was a different class from how he held himself, strong, and not weak and defenseless.

You loved it.

But there was always something that made you question him sometimes, how he’d disappear without saying a word, how he’d be flustered around you one day and not the next. It was strange, but you never looked into it.

Little did you know, the dirty little ghost was up to absolutely no good.

His.. habit manifested out of fear, ever since that summer camp that occurred the first year, and he saw how badly wounded you were, he grew protective of you, even if you were miles ahead of him in strength. He’d check up on you somtimes, turning invisible and poking his head in through your dorm room window.

He knew it was wrong, peeking into a girls room- at night.. but.. he couldnt help himself.

He swore he would stop, but he never did.

One day, he happened to catch you.. doing quite a lewd act. He knew in his gut he shouldve floated away, to not be a peeping tom, but his large green eyes were glued to your perfect body, and how your fingers dipped in and out of your wet flesh with a squelch and moan that made his virgin cock twitch in his shorts.

Was it wrong to grab his dick, bucking into his hand as he watched you get off to an audio?

Maybe.. 

No, it definitely was!

But you.. you were so!!

So hot!

He lost count of the amount of times he’s cum on his hand watching you cum on your own, far too many.

But he slipped up today, let a moan escape past his hand and suddenly your ruby red eyes met his own.

He knew you couldnt see him, but he knew that you knew he was there!!

You smirked, showing off your sharp fangs, “Izuku.”

The pure shock he felt from hearing you say his name made him manifest into thin air on accident, collapsing to his knees as ghost costume covered his indecency.

There was a Halloween party tonight, and he dressed up as his race thinking it was funny- but it wasn’t really funny anymore.

And so, that led him to where he was now, willingly beneath your naked body glistening with sweat from the full moons silvery light pouring in through the window as you ground your bare pussy against his sensitive cock.

You pinned his arms above his head, your hungry gaze boring into his soul, he couldnt deny how hot it was, or how true your words were.

He was a pervert.

“Y-yes!” He cried out, tears pricking at his eyes from the embarrassment he felt at being caught, “I’m s-sorry..!”

His breath caught in his throat when you leaned down, your face hovering over his own.

“Mmm.. I don’t know if I can believe you, ‘Zuku.. How can I know you’re really sorry?”

You batted your eyes at him, pouting, such a devious thing to do.

“I-I’ll do a-anything t- haaahh.. nn.. t-to prove it..!”

He was so cute.

“Anything?” You pondered.

“Yes-“

You cut him off with a kiss, and you couldnt help but grin when he moaned against you.

This kiss turned into another, and another, and soon you were finally making out with him. It was sloppy and uncoordinated, but eventually you both fell into a rhythm, him whimpering each time you rolled your hips against him.

Swiping a tongue over his quivering bottom lip, he eagerly opened his mouth, just for you to invade his maw, greedily sucking his sweet tongue into your mouth, causing him to give in and buck up against your sopping warmth, giving your clit delicious friction.

“Mm-!”

Pulling away, his mouth chased your own for a second, “H-hah-! (L/N)!”

Pressing a finger to his plump lips, you pushed his head back down against your pillow.

“Say.. you wouldn’t mind if we’re a little late to the party, would you?” You smiled coquettishly down at the squirming boy covered in scars and freckles.

Gulping rather loudly, he shook his head, eyes wide and face burning red, his hormones going wild. How could he say no, when his crush was rubbing her naked self against him and enjoying it?

He would be a fool, a damn fool to say no, he wanted it too much. He wanted you, and he would say just about anything, do anything you wanted, to have you.

“Mm~ Good boy.” The praise went straight to his gut, butterflies forming and going wild inside him, making his hands clammy.

Reaching over, you dug around the drawer of your nightstand, pulling out a pair of red and black leather handcuffs that matched your curtains and rug.

Izuku let out a whine as his wrists were cuffed to the bed, giving in immediately.

“Bad boys don’t get to touch.” You teased, tapping his nose and watching as it wrinkled.

But this just meant you couldn't get his shirt and ghost sheet off, not that you particularly minded. You didn't need him completely naked.

Fulling slipping off him, you watched for a moment as his cock twitched, begging for you to come back to it. 

It made you giggle, and he flushed like a cherry.

Sauntering over to your closet, swaying your hips in a hypnotic way Izuku couldn’t ignore, you dug around, soon finding the glittery box you were looking for and pulling it out, showing it to him with a cheeky grin.

“W-whats in that.. (L/N)..?”

“(Y/N).”

“Huh?”

“Call me (Y/N), love.”

“O-oh…” Biting his lip, he looked conflicted for a split second, clearly inwardly debating if it was okay, before stuttering out your first name, only adding to the joy you felt.

Flipping the light switch off, your red fairy lights hung around the room made it glow crimson, your favorite color, especially on him.

The red glow made the atmosphere that much more romantic and sexy, his eyes reflecting the colors. It was like you were in the red light disctric in a dirt cheap hookup hotel, about to fuck your boyfriend who insisted upon not getting caught. How utterly disgraceful, and yet the thought excited you.

Setting the box down beside him on the bed, you sat at the bottom of the mattress, in front of his sock covered feet, noting how his hips wiggled impatiently and how he looked away with his teeth digging into his bottom lip.

Still so shy despite you rubbing yourself on him earlier.

“Look at me, darling.” You purred, dragging your nails up his leg to catch his attention.

Hesitantly, he turned his head, nervous eyes meeting your own.

It was rare that he saw them so red, the signature sign of a hungry vampire. They were captivating, and he found himself diving into their depths, drowning in you without you even touching him.

Placing your hands on his knees, you spread his legs apart, eliciting a mouse-like squeak from him. 

Even with his pants on, he felt so bare..

His heart jumped to his through when you gripped the hem of his pants and boxers, “Mind if I take these off?”

How polite of you..

He nodded his head, unruly green locks bouncing as he did so, squeezing his eyes shut.

“GAH” He screeched when you suddenly used your vampiric speed to pull them both down quickly and toss them so fast to the other side of the room that they slapped against the wall like a wet fish.

He was stunned, staring blankly at them, about to question it when he was cut off with a guttural groan, your lips suddenly wrapping around the tip of his weeping cock.

“H-hah-! A-ah! (L/-)- I me-an (Y/N-N)—! Wh-! MMMM!! Oh!!”

Despite your own mess covering his member, which definitely delighted you, you could still taste the salty precum dripping out as your tongue licked over his slit, his back arching from the stimulation.

He couldnt help but buck up pathetically with a mewl,  only to have his hips pinned down to the mattress with one of your hands.

“Ah, ah, ah~” You whispered against his tip, piercing eyes cutting into his skin like a poisonous knife as you dared him to fight against your hold.

He gulped, accepting his fate with a shaky breath.

Content with his obedience, you licked along the underside of his cock, savoring his musky flavor.

“Hnn! Hoahh..”

He was so.. vocal.. even with the slightest touch, you’d get a reaction out of him. It was fascinating, and only made you want to see how much more you could pull from him before he lost the ability to speak a coherent sentence.

Slipping his member back into your mouth, you swirl the tip of your tongue around his bulbous, flushed head, reaching up to grab the discarded lube you had left on your bed, 

“MmMm! O-oh..! My G-gosh..! Haa-!”

Squirting some of the clear jell-like liquid on your palm, you wrapped your hand around his shaft, smiling when he jumped, just to start pumping you fist up and down.

“G-GAaAh! Oh, (Y/N).!”

He himself found it hard to not thrash around from the intense pleasure he was feeling at the moment.

He couldnt help the drool slipping from the corner of his mouth as you began to bob your head up and down his member whilst simultaneously twisting your hand up and down his shaft, squeezing in places that made his mind go blank for a second.

He just felt so good!

It was so much different from pleasuring himself!

He had no control over his ecstasy, no control over how fast or how slow you went, and he loved it-!

“HyAAh!” He cried out like a girl when you suddenly deepthroated him, his tip pressing down your throat as you wet mouth squeezed and sucked on him like your favorite lollipop.

His hips fought against your hold as his head flung back, tears pricking at his eyes as you sucked him for all he was worth, his poor, over sensitive cock.

“O-OH! Oh, NnnNGH!! HaaA ! AAaaAh! (Y-Y/N)..!!!”

His handcuffs clinked together as his body began to shake, a warm feeling spreading in his lower stomach as his muscular thighs began to tense.

His orgasm hit him like a freight train, out of nowhere, intense, and electrifyingly cosmic.

His hazy green eyes rolled back, tongue flopping from his mouth as white hot and tangy cum squirted from his dick down your throat.

You greedily sucked it down around him, causing his entire body to jerk and twitch, cries and babbles fleeing past his spit-slick lips, the oversensitivity making his nerves burn in an oh-so good way.

Popping off his softening cock, you crawled back up his body, staring down at his cute, chubby, sleepy face.

You pinched his cheeks, pulling at it, successfully catching his attention and making his darkened eyes focus on you.

“O-oh-!” He stuttered,  face burning impossibly hotter as he watched you seemingly savor his flavor with lidded eyes.

“We’re not done yet, Izuku.” 

Your statement made him freeze like a deer in front of headlights. What else was there to do?

He already came.. oh!

Wait!

“Y-you didn’t.. c-cum..” He bashfully averted his gaze as you nodded, gears turning in his head again as he recovered from his high.

He knew exactly what you wanted.

“You know, you have such a soft and adorable face,”

“Wh-“

“Do you mind if I sit on it?”

Was this your way of asking him to eat you out?!

How bold!

How could you be so bold! 

Despite being nervous, he nodded his head, smiling giddily.

He had watched plenty of videos, had taken a plethora of notes, and even, as weird as it was, practiced on multiple fruits.

He was nearly positive he could please you.

He wanted to.

He needed to, to hear your own sweet moans caused by him.

He wanted that so bad.

Without thinking, he opened his mouth, eyebrows pinching together as he stared pleadingly up at you with his tongue out and ready to please.

He was such a good boy.

Standing up on your knees, you walked forward, your dripping pussy soon hovering over the excited boys mouth.

Lowering yourself, your thighs wrapping around his head, you were immediately met with an eager tongue lapping at your dripping folds.

“Oh~! My, s-someones enthusiaststic-!”

Bracing up urself on your hands and knees. You made sure not to suffocate the poor man as he rapaciously ate you out, sucking your puffy clit into his mouth and giving it much needed attention.

“Haaaah.. Izuku..! You’re such a good boy for me, eating my mm.. pussy like its your dinner!” You gasped, fingers threading through his messy green locks, pulling at them just to feel the vibrations of his moans against your clit.

You bucked against his mouth, riding his tongue and grinding down against his teeth.

“Mm-mmh! Hnmm…” His moans were muffled, wet licks filling the room.

He could feel your juices dripping down his chin as he was willingly smothered with your womanhood, completely trapped under you and beyond happy to obey.

His tongue dragged over your pretty pink labia, prodding at and slipping into your clenching entrance, slurping up your mess.

He could eat you out all day and never get tired, he was sure of it!

And your noises of pleasure were heavenly.. music to his straining ears. And the way you combed through his hair, he somehow felt like this was just as good as cumming, making someone else feel good..

But you suddenly lifted off his face, his tongue still moving for a second before he stared up at you with childish confusion.

His face was red and covered in your liquids, a true mess.

Chucking, you leaned back, wrapping your hand around his cock that sprung to life over the course of his meal, “I want to cum on your cock, Izu.”

Your dirty words made his heart jump and his member twitch in your grasp.

“P-please..” Though he knew he was going to get just that, he couldnt help but beg, it felt like he was supposed to, or that he had to- for himself just as much as for you.

“But first..” you trailed off, finally reaching into the box and pulling out multiple things that made him involuntarily buck impatiently into thin air.

In your hands, you held egg vibrators, a black cock ring, and a red ribbed vibrating dildo.

He gulped audibly once more, and you were positive if he were a werewolf, his tail would be wagging with those hearts in his eyes.

“Do you know what these are?”

He nodded his head. Gaze trained on them as you fiddled with the devices.

“Have you any idea what I’ll be doing with them?”

He shook his head, innocently smiling at you, the cheeky shit. 

“How about I show you?”

With that, you lubed up your finger, diving between his legs, pressing against his clenching hole, circling around it.

“H-haah..” His heart was pounding so hard it felt like he was at a concert as your finger slowly pushed in his tight hole.

“Nngh!” His cheek pressed against the pillow at the weird feeling of someone entering his body in such a way.

You finger thrusted in and out of him slowly, feeling around his warm, gummy walls for a certain button you knew he would enjoy having pushed.

His thighs were splayed wide for you, cock resting on his toned tummy covered by a white sheet.

You could only hope he didnt ruin his costume with how much he was leaking. He certainly had a sloppy dick.

Leaning down, you pressed kisses to his freckled inner thigh, pushing in a second finger and watching in amusement as he slowly got into it, embracing the feeling of being filled with your digits.

It wasnt long before you managed to fit in a third finger, grinning at how his ass practice swallowed them, “God, Izuku.. your ass is so greedy for my fingers, you keep sucking them back in~”

“A-aah! (Y/N)!! D-don’t say such-!! Nnghnn! Lewd th—things!”

“Hmm… I wonder… where is that pesky little spot..”

“W-what-? AH! H-AahAh! NGHH! Oh-oH! F-FaH! FuCk!”

“Bingo.”

You finally located his prostate, giving it no mercy as you aimed your fingers to press against it with each time you pushed and curled them inside him.

But from his thighs tensing beneath your lips and his cock twitching, you knew he was close again, and that was no good.

“A-AAaaAh! I’m!! I’m g-gonna! C-cu- hAh?!”

You pulled your fingers out, wiping the lube onto the sheets below you as he wiggled like a worm on the sidewalk, desperately bucking his hips and begging for you to give him more.

“Oh, I will..” Smirking over at him again, the glint in your eyes made him moan and feel like prey. You, a lioness on the prowl, and him, a mouse with nowhere to hide, completely bare for you, “But not just yet, baby. This is a punishment, after all.”

Though he was embarrassed at first with having his thighs spread so wide open, exposing every intimate part of himself to you, he didnt feel too shy anymore. You didnt judge him at all, in fact, you swallowed him whole. It was mind numbingly pleasant, and he never thought he would ever get to experience this, not even in his dreams.

For it to come true.. and to find out you were a kinky lady.. he was enthralled. 

Leaning up, you captured his lips in a kiss again, giving him time to calm down as you once again molded your lips together in a lustful heat.

He learned quick, his kisses becoming lasting as he met your pace with wet smacks and tongues brushing against eachother. His own passed over your fangs, and you both shivered when a drop of blood entered your mouth.

You inhaled sharply through your nose, eyes practically glowing in the red light of the room as you tasted him. He surely had the best blood you had even tasted before, nothing at all like how ghosts usually taste! They were bland and boring, but him-! He was nectareous and saporous. 

“Fuck, Izu.. you taste so.. magnificent..”

You licked his tongue again, holding onto that single drop of blood for as long as you could, his flavor making you keen with delight.

His lips parted to speak, but he was once again cut off with a lewd moan as you shoved the dildo halfway into his readily awaiting ass.

“GuaAh! W-wait!! It’s..! Too much!” He panted heavily, tears streaming down his cheeks from how good the vibrating phallic shaped object felt inside of him, almost like it was mixing his insides up like a blender.

“Mm, should I? You look like you’re enjoying this, Zuzuku.”

“Mmm..!! H-aAAaA..!”

Pushing further into him, you got the entire toy burried deep in his walls, pulling it back out, fucking him with the plastic object.

His thighs were spread so wide he feared they’re snap off at the hip as he rocked his ass on the toy, vision hazy as continue to cry out.

“HAAAAHH!! AAAH..!”

He screamed when the toy pressed against his button, pounding against it and making his legs turn to mush as he bucked so hard his heavy cock bobbed in thin air, slapping down against his stomach continuously.

Just when his eyes were rolling back again and his jaw was lax, about to cum, you pulled the toy out, “(Y/N)!!”

He sobbed in frustration, desperation building inside him to cum, even going as far as to try and drag you back with his legs.

“You cant cum yet, Izuku! We havent even used all these fun vibrators yet!” You held up the three vibrators with one hand, an all too innocent smile plastered on your face whilst he looked completely wrecked.

“M-mmh! B-but-!”

Not giving him time to talk, you grasped his leaking cock, pumping it a few times, watching as he tried to fuck into the tunnel you created. 

Grabbing the black cock ring, you stretch it on his awaiting member as he whines, knowing full well he cannot cum with such a device on. It would be torturous, but he was being punished after all, even if he had aready cum and his mind was turning to goo, he still remembered that. Of course you would make it so he couldnt cum again.

Taking the vibrators, you taped them around him, one snug just under his slit, and two against his sensitive spots.

Turning them on, his back arched impossibly high off the bed with a wail, involuntarily fucking up into the air from the intense stimulation.

Content, you sat back, pushing the vibrator in again and turning it on. 

You swore he was going crazy as he let out garbled moans, “G-guAAh! F-fucgh!! NAAh! Mm! Yo-ou.! Youguhhh..! MmeaaAAh!”

He was finally incoherent, steams of tears pouring from his eyes nearly consumed by his pupil, trying to fuck himself onto the vibrator and fuck into air.

He was a slobbering mess, body twitching and convulsing like a possessed child, your name spilling from his lips and muddling with other words on a praise.

“You’re so beautiful like this, Izuku… so wrecked and horny.. my little cum baby.. I bet you wanna cum, huh?”

Your hand slipped between your own thighs, slowly rubbing your clit as you got off to the gorgeous view before you.

Sweet and innocent Izuku Midoriya, the nerd of class 3A, your best friend who always helped others before himself, driven mad with pleasure, practically going insane- all by your doing.

It made you feel even more powerful than you already were.

Hearing a wet squelching, his curious gaze traveled to you, moaning heartily once he saw you fucking your pussy with your fingers, all while gazing at him with such a smolder he felt he was going to burn up. Hell, he already was burning up.

He felt hotter than the sun, and so ready to burst at the seams, but he couldnt.

“M-misstress! Pl-ehHAH.!! NHh! RidehuAh! Me..!”

What did he just say?

“Say that again, Izuku,”

“R-rAhIde-!”

“No, no, sweetheart,”

You pulled your fingers from yourself with a wet pop, pressing your hands to his sides and feeling him up under his shirt, gazing into his own once more, “before that.”

“Mmm..! Misss.. tress! H-haH.! Nnhgh..!”

Mistress. Now theres a word you never thought would fill you with joy.

Licking your lips, you decided enough was enough.

Grabbing his cock, you pull the vibrators off of him, immediately hovering yourself over him and sitting down with a hearty hum until he bottom out inside you with a cry of pleasure.

“GuAAAH!! (Y/N)!!! You’re!! So-!! NnnGh!! Mmmh! So tight-! Hahh..!” The vibrator still in his ass mixed up his insides, turning them into a liquid as you began to bounce on him like a trampoline.

He felt so good he didnt know what to do anymore, words he couldn’t comprehend bubbled past his parted lips, an onslaught of tears pouring from his ducts, pins and needles stabbing him everywhere in such a good way as he was overstimulated to the max.

Your walls hugged him like a vice, so warm and cozy, he wanted to be buried inside you all day.!

Inside you.. he was inside you!

You were fucking him so good-!

A smile made its way to his wrecked face, tongue hanging out of his mouth, sweat making his hair stick everywhere, he was connected with you…

He loved it.

And you loved him, that smile on his face warming your heart, but that familiar thirst stung the back of your throat, and your eyes were hyper focused on his neck covered in a blush and freckles.

His own cock was so big you felt like you were being stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey, but that wasnt enough to take your attention away.

Collapsing against his chest covered in clothing, you buried your nose into the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply as the vibrations of his ecstasy rumbled in his chest and sung in your ears.

His scent overwhelmed you, made you delirious as you couldnt help but lick at his neck, nibbling and pulling at the skin.

His head lolled to the side, “bite— h-Huah! aaAH! Nnghhh!! MmMMmmhh! Bi-aAh-te! Me!!”

Bite him..? He was? Okay with it?

Well..

If he said to…

Your fangs sunk into his skin, blood spurting into your mouth and making your hips move inhumanly fast, he was so good..! Your eyes rolled back as you greedily sucked, his moans growing chopped, stuttered and louder.

He was slowly turning translucent beneath you as your fangs sunk into him again, and again, and again, blood flowing down your mouth like a delicious waterfall, savory and sweet, honeydew pine forest.

Blood smeared his skin growing more clear with each second as he lost his grip with reality.

“NgGHH! HAAAAAH!! MISTRuhUuESS! HAA-Ah!!”

The bed began to creak beneath you, your bounces growing more and more powerful as you felt yourself grow closer to sweet release, the blood pulling you higher up the mountain of ecstasy,

Suddenly, there was a loud snap, and a copious amount of thick cum filled your pussy, stuffing you even more to the point your belly had a small bulge from his cum. The feeling made you clamp down on him and cum with your own cries of pleasure mingling with his, fire exploding behind your vision as lighting shot down your body.

The bed suddenly broke beneath your bodies, but you were both too lost in ecstasy to even care, crying out eachothers names.

You collapsed on top of him completely, and it was then you noticed you couldn't see him at all, entirely invisible.

Catching your breath, you stared on in confusion, fleeing up his body but unable to see it.

“I-Izuku??”

No answer.

Had he passed out?

“Izu-?”

You’d feel around for a heart beat if he had one, but he didnt, no undead monster did.

Taking a deep breath, cheeks flushed and skin sweaty, you sat up, Izukus now flaccid cock pulling out with a wet pop, his cum immediately flowing messily down your thighs. 

He mustve had a pretty fucking intense orgasm if the damn cock ring snapped. Who’s ever heard of that happening before? Certainly not you.

Given a minute, you uncuffed his invisible wrists and pulled the vibrator from his ass, turning it off and tossing it to the sheets.

Geeze.. what a mess…

Checking the time from your alarm clock, you were now 34 minutes late for the ghoultastic party being thrown in the school.

Oh well.

If Izuku was a human, you were sure he wouldve died from the blood loss by now, but being undead certainly gave more leeway for fun activities.

Sitting back, you gathered his spare blood on your fingers sucking them into your mouth and savouring his taste. God, you could get used to something this good.

It was like his blood had nicotine in it, you were instantly hooked.

By the time Izuku woke up, he was fully wiped down, dressed, and practically ready to go.

It was clear to him you had cleaned things up, but how long had he been out for?! How embarrassing! He even lost control of his invisibility! Ugh.. you must think he’s a toddler… only kids lose control!!

“You okay?” Your honey sweet voice caught his attention, eyes snapping to the other side of the room where you emerged from the bathroom.

“O-oh! (Y-Y/N).. I.. um.. I’m okay..” He felt so awkward now.. would you pretend nothing happened? Ignore him? Tell everyone he was.. a peeping tom? 

He wanted to believe you were the nicest person out there but he was so terrified of you shunning him, even after such.. licentious activities.

Besides, he wasn’t entirely sure how to act right now, after having s-sex with you. He felt clammy and nervous.

“You look pale,” you chuckled, grasping his cheeks and pulling them so he’d be distracted.

You noticed that look in his eyes, and knew it well. Self doubt. You wouldnt accept that.

“Hahah… well, I am a ghost..“

Your lips pressed against his, for the thousandth ime that night, but he didnt mind.

Sighing out his nose, he relaxed into the innocent kiss with a small smile.

You cupped his face when you pulled away, admiring him.

“Hey.. your eyes are (e/c) again!” And just like that, his face lit up, “Well, I did have a nice dinner.” Your tone was playful, yet he couldnt help but burn with a fresh blush, rubbing at his neck where no doubt a bunch of bite marks laid.

“Quite a delicious one too,”

“(Y/N)!!”

Sitting down on his thighs, you wrapped your arms loosely around his shoulders, nuzzling your cheek against his, “How does your ass feel?”

“GAH!” He wrapped his arms around his head, leaning forward as practical steam came from his ears from how embarrassed he suddenly was. What a nice change of scenery.

“Hm?” He was clearly a virgin after all, you wanted to make sure he could walk.

“I-it’s… okay..”

Pecking his warm, freckled cheek, you hopped off him, diving into your closet again and pulling out a basic vampire costume, one you had purchased days before at a costume shop.

Izukus heart leaped in his chest, “You had.. the s-same idea as me?”

You nodded your head, easily slipping the attire on in front of the flushed boy, “I guess we can go as a goofy couple!”

He felt warm, so very, very warm. How you accepted him after catching his perverted act, he had no idea. All he knew was this warmth was something he wouldnt mind getting used to, monsters werent known for being warm, after all.

“Yeah.. that sounds nice.”

Here’s hoping no one spiked the punch.

[drsenkustone]

Dance Partner (Senku x Reader)

A/N: Just a little drabble since I haven’t written anything for almost 5 months T_T Covid crap has taken a lot of spirit out of me. But please enjoy!

Ship: Senku x Reader Anime: Dr. Stone Rate: PG Warnings: None (Somewhat AU, if the stone age didn’t happen, they all still in high school.) ____________________________________________________

You stared at Yuzuriha before taking a bite of your sandwich, in shock to what she just suggested. You two were sitting together at a picnic table outside the school enjoying your lunch until she said those words that made your cheeks turn pink.

“You can’t be serious…?” You asked.

“Of course I am!” She smiled, tapping your hand lightly in comfort. Even in your disbelief, you still went back to eating. “You’re coming to the dance and need a date and Senku will need one too! You should ask him to go with you, even as friends.”

“Senku is going because they asked him for tech support, not because he wants to dance,” you rebutted. “He’s not the type to dance either, it makes sense. Besides, no body NEEDS to have a date, it’s just something peer pressure does.”

“Okay, forget the date part. I think he would dance with you, I think there’s a part of him that treats you a little bit different from everyone else.” Her words had your heart race in excitement, but you didn’t want to believe a possible lie. “But no matter that, I know how you feel about him, (y/n),~ and you should confront those feelings” she stated, glancing up to see the loud child Taiju heading over with Senku in tail, both carrying lunches. She glanced back to you.

“Don’t even…” you warned, earning a giggle from her.

“I won’t…but at the dance, you should at least ask him to dance.”

“I never said I was going!” You huffed quickly before the boys got to the table to join lunch.

You glanced down at yourself in the mirror of home, dressed in one of your finer dresses. It was a deep navy blue with some tints of glitter lightly placed through a mesh overlay. The top fit as a halter and the dress ended above your knees. You added simple black short heels (since high heels hurt horribly on any occasion) and a white, clean jacket to keep you warm. Yuzuriha was a great talker when she wanted to be, you couldn’t believe you were going to this event.

At arriving at the school, you entered the loud cafeteria, running at least a half hour late to the event. Many students were partying to the beat or drinking or snacking, it seemed like fun. That’s when Yuzuriha and Taiju snuck up on you from behind and you let out a small gasp at their cheers.

“Ahhaa! You really did come (y/n)!” Taiju cheered, looking snazzy in his chocolate brown tuxedo, bow tie and all. Yuzuriha seemed to try to match, wearing a chocolate brown dress, it was really cute couple things you didn’t understand.

“Well…she kind of bullied me,” you teased Yuzuriha, earning a grin from the latter.

“You’ll have fun, we’re all here and can dance together! And Senku’s here too!” She smiled and pointed up to the tech booth on the side of the cafeteria. Your eyes automatically followed, seeing the spikey haired man talking to another tech squad on the platform. You didn’t even consider that Senku would dress up a bit too- he was wearing a smile black and white tuxedo, tie done properly and his eyes glowing in the lights. You felt your heart skip a beat watching him work. “C’mon, let’s go!” Yuzuriha interrupted your thoughts and the couple dragged you onto the dance floor.

As you figured, over the time, your feet grew tired and you sat yourself out during a couple high energy songs and now they played some slow, romantic songs. It was nice seeing two of your best friends so happy in each others arms, they really seemed to be made for each other.

“You jealous?” You glanced up at the voice besides you to see Senku suddenly sitting next to you at the table. You knew he looked handsome from afar but up close felt very threatening to your heart. You huffed at his comment, trying to hold your heartbeat in your chest.

“No…I’m just happy for them, that’s all” you responded, looking back to your friends, Senku’s eyes doing the same. You were happy for them, that wasn’t a lie…but you couldn’t help but picture that being Senku and you. Him holding you close around the waist, your arms over his shoulders staring into each others soul. The idea felt so nice…

“Senku?...” He looked over to you, his ruby red orbs meeting your (e/c) ones. You had to be brave like Yuzuriha said, otherwise you’d be dreaming forever. You choked down the frog in your throat. “Do…do you want to dance..with me?” You tried to keep eye contact, it was so hard. He was the one that broke it and looked down to the floor. It seemed like he had a sad smile on his face.

“I’m sorry (y/n), I don’t dance.” He responded somewhat solemnly, refusing to look back up to you. You also stared at the ground now, biting your bottom lip to hold back what felt like tears on the edge of your eyes. You knew that was going to be his answer…you were just hoping you’d be the one above that answer…the only one he would dance with.

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it,” you were able to say and stood up. “I have to head to the ladies room, excuse me,” you muttered and respectfully walked away. No matter what, the last thing you wanted was to make your friendship awkward. Senku probably thought it was a simple offering, but it held more to you, you just needed to let some of it out alone. Little did you know, Senku sighed softly before going back up to the platform, he couldn’t do it.

Eventually, Yuzuriha found you camping out in the restroom and was there to provide some comfort. She got you to dance with her and Taiju for some more fun songs, but your heart wasn’t in it. It wasn’t much longer until students start to leave, the dance floor becoming more empty. Soon, all the students were gone besides a few to clean up, including your trio. You went over to grab your coat when the tables and floors were good before Taiju had grabbed your hands.

“(Y/n)!” he yelled, causing you to wince a bit, but you were use to it. “I..I have something I need you to do before you go!”

“You do?” He nodded vigorously. “What is it?” He quickly covered your eyes with your own hands and proceeded to guide you somewhere.

“Keep your hands on your eyes til I say! It’s a surprise!” Taiju instructed while you two walked.

“Didn’t you just say you needed me to do something? How can I do it if I’m blind?”

Taiju bit his lip, “Uhh, well you’ll do it when I show you!” he grinned, you could basically hear his grin. Eventually, the two of you came to a stop and he let go of your shoulders by which he was guiding you. “Okay, so count down from three and then remove your hands!”

You sighed softly. “Three…two…one.” When you dropped your hands, you saw Senku standing in front of you, a soft smile on his lips and his red ruby eyes large. “S-senku?” You questioned and then noticed you were STILL in the cafeteria, but the lights were darker and soft, no one else was in the room and the doors were closed. You looked at him in confusion.

“I’m no dancer, whether separated or partnered,” he stated, taking a step closer to you and offering a hand. “But I am your friend, I want to be there for you.” He stared directly into your eyes, and you weren’t sure if you were more hurt by his words, or happier. Regardless, you took his offered hand and stepped closer to him. His other hand, seeming to hold a remote, clicked a button before putting it in his pocket, and a slow, romantic lullaby began to play.

He put his hands around your waist, connecting them at the back. It was awkward, he wasn’t the physical touch kind of person. You rested your hands over his shoulders and connected behind his head, and the two of you began to sway side to side, seeming like a good start. You felt over the quiet time, his arms became more relaxed holding you. It wasn’t until you spoke that either of you realized you had been staring each other in the eyes the whole time.

“Senku…” you began, voice as soft as a cloud. “I want to know…if you can be there for me more…than just a friend.” It took so much courage for you to say that. Being you don’t know why he was here right now, dancing with you alone in the cafeteria.

“From what Taiju has told me, I need some time,” he replied, voice almost equally as soft. “I think with time…I can be…just like this dance.” His cheeks grew a tint of red while he watched your reaction. Your eyes were widened by his words, your own cheeks flushing and a smile trying to pry onto your lips, somewhat successfully.

“So..you’re saying..this dance…?”

“…It’s hard for me to do this in general, to be close to someone on this level. But I considered with a little help from two lovebirds, maybe there was another option.”

“You thought of all this for me?” You watched Senku nodded shyly.

“I just need time…” he repeated softly, closing his eyes and dropping his head a bit.

“Take all of it you need Senku, I will wait for you,” you dropped your head slightly too, both heads resting against each other while dancing slowly to the song.

[blossom-hwa]

Kingdom |Prologue: Catching Fire|

And so we begin :) please don’t forget to reblog and leave a comment if you enjoyed!

Pairing: Juyeon x gender neutral!reader

Genre: fluff, angst, fantasy, royalty!au

Triggers: death, semi-graphic depictions of blood

Word Count: 1.8k

A spark of betrayal lights the flame of a war. 

Tag list [ dm or send an ask to be added! ]: @itsapapisongo​ @dearseungie​ @chrisbahng​ @reverienostalgia​ @wingkkun​ @juyeo-on​

TBZ Masterlist | Kingdom

Changmin can’t breathe. He can’t see, can’t hear, can’t even think over the pounding of his own heart as he strains helplessly against the chains that bind his arms. They dig into the stinging cuts on his skin, iron burning the magic that seeps from his blood.

How could everything have come to this, just days before Juyeon’s coronation, the coronation that was supposed to bring his kingdom to peace?

He struggles in his bonds, chains that bind the remaining magic in his veins, erasing the humming thrum that usually bubbles below his skin. It leaves him cold, empty, helpless as he strains against harsh metal imbued with spells he knows but can’t break.

His magic is gone.

Gone.

And the simmer in his blood isn’t the only thing that’s gone silent.

Bom steps around his kneeling body, her footsteps the only sound in the still air. Changmin raises his head to meet her solemn eyes, gazing down at him with a stony pity flashing in the darkness.

Changmin never liked Bom, never got over the crawling of his skin whenever she brushed by a little too close. She always seemed too cold, too uptight, and several times, he wondered how she was even ordained as a mage. Even now as he stares, refusing to back down even when he knows he can’t escape, his mouth twists into an expression of the faintest disgust, disgust for her single-mindedness that has plagued him, the Board’s gray mage, for the past five years.

“Why?” he finally asks, voice hoarse with remnants of shouts, cries of surprise and betrayal as he tried to fend away the mage standing before him. “Why would you do this?”

She’s opening her mouth, probably about to give some pithy reply to make his blood boil, but the shrine door opens with a crash and a bang before she can start. Another mage walks out, ivory robes stained with red.

High Mage Jung Sungkyu of the Ivory Kingdom. Changmin’s former mentor and a father figure.

Covered in blood.

Changmin blinks once. Twice. 

The red doesn’t disappear.

So none of this is a hallucination, a nightmare he’ll soon wake up from.

Yes, this is the mage from whom he learned, the mage who bound him and his queen together in their promise, the mage whom he looked up to for so long. That kind, powerful mage is the same, the very same as the one walking toward him with bloodstained robes and an expression of pain on his face.

Blood stains.

Changmin doesn’t even want to think about what that means for those who didn’t manage to escape the shrine, for the guards who defended him, for the queen who told him to flee, the queen he left behind.

Oh, my queen…

A mask falls over Changmin’s features, and he stops struggling against the chains now cutting into his skin. His eyes bore into those of the mage walking forward, piercing holes into his skin until the man can’t even hold his gaze anymore and drops his head instead.

“You thought you could escape and warn your friends, didn’t you?” Bom asks, eyes impassive. Her lips curve slightly, coldly, blade-like under the crescent moon. Iron. “Don’t worry, young gray mage. We’ll pass on the message soon enough. We’re just not ready, not quite yet.”

We’re not ready.

We…

“We” doesn’t only include Bom and the high mage. This is something bigger.

We.

Changmin swallows, trying not to go dizzy from the realization. With every word that falls from his lips, he only becomes more certain that he’s right.

“You’re working with the princess.”

Pawns and kings, how can he warn Juyeon and his sister when he’s miles away, stuck in magic-binding chains, and, judging from the knife at Bom’s waist, about to die?

Stall. Stall, keep stalling. “How could you betray the orders like this?” he asks, desperation dripping from his lips. “You swore loyalty to the Board above all, not to your kingdom – why would you do this?”

“I believe the Board’s balance lies in supporting the ivory queen,” Bom says, a faint but manic glint of excitement entering her eyes. It makes Changmin’s skin crawl. “I am sworn to protect the balance, no? This is what I believe is best.”

“The princess is not the queen,” Changmin snaps, brain still running. How can he do anything without his magic? “She has no title other than that of a royal pawn.”

“Oh, she’ll be queen, soon enough.” Bom smiles, a curve of the lips that feels more like a knife blade than a grin.

What does that –

Oh.

Oh, no.

No.

His queen…

His queen must be dead.

Changmin’s head snaps upward, the gold insignia around his neck thumping painfully against his chest. Desperately, he looks at his old mentor.

He wouldn’t have killed his queen, would he? Might have subdued, might have knocked them out, but – he couldn’t have killed –

The mage refuses to meet his eyes.

Red clouds Changmin’s vision, mixes with the black of night and the cold light of the moon overhead. A scream builds in his chest that fights to leaves his lips as his head drops once more.

Lost in pain, barely able to breathe, he almost doesn’t feel the gold at his chest, the carved queen and king that always rest at the base of his throat. As he breathes, though, clearing his mind, the insignia dragging his neck to the ground catches his attention.

It’s charmed as it always has been, never to leave his side until death. The gold symbol, a queen and king standing next to each other on a miniature chessboard, is a gift passed down from one gray mage to another, one of only three keys that exist to unlock a kingdom’s crown jewels. It hasn’t left his neck since the day it was given to him by his predecessor when he was ordained at fifteen, one of the youngest to take on the mantle of gray mage.

They will take it when he dies. Undoubtedly they will – it holds magic, magic they will need for whatever it is they’re planning. At the very least, they wouldn’t leave such a powerful relic to be burned with his body.

So what are they planning?

“What do you plan to do, when your princess is a queen?” Changmin tries to make his voice sound as disbelieving as possible, hopes they can’t hear the shaking in his words. He’s rewarded with a twitch of Bom’s eye. “Surely you don’t think the ivory citizens will accept her, not when their current rulers are so loved?”

“That won’t matter.” Bom’s grin makes her look ghoulish under the moonlight. “Not when the entire Board is under our control.”

Changmin’s heart almost stops. Never, not once in the history of the Board, not even when the high orders had to intervene and send down the current laws of the land, has one kingdom attempted to completely take over the other. There have been revenge plots and assassination plans, even one notable attempt by the former ruby bloodline to murder the onyx royals, but nothing… nothing of this scale.

He needs to warn Juyeon.

“An ambitious plot,” he chokes out, all of his former nonchalance gone. The insignia quivers at his throat, a reminder of what will be lost if the ivory princess succeeds. “I suppose you’ll be going to the Onyx Kingdom next.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Bom dismisses him with a flick of her hand, ready to unsheathe her knife. “You’ll be dead then, anyway.”

But Changmin doesn’t hear her. He focuses on the knowledge that they’ll be going to the Onyx Kingdom, that they’ll probably take his insignia with them.

A plan springs into his mind, fully-formed and wholly impossible. Impossible because he needs magic, magic that’s been stolen from him by the chains that bind his wrists.

Wait.

He closes his eyes, blocks out the sound of Bom’s droning voice and the cold twinkling of stars overhead.

And focuses on the faintest thrumming of magic beneath his skin.

His magic isn’t gone. It’s subdued, yes, but it isn’t gone. There’s some left, simmering in his blood, and if he concentrates it, it will be just enough for…

A smirk threatens to form on Changmin’s lips as he strains, invisibly, against the chains. Magic coalesces under his control, forming a small but warm stream as it travels through his blood, coming to a stop at his chest, just beneath the insignia resting against his skin.

Find Juyeon.

“I see,” Changmin says blandly, not having heard a single word of what Bom just said. “Interesting.”

Find Juyeon.

An eyebrow raises. “Interesting, that I’m about to kill you?”

Changmin blinks. “Hasn’t it been obvious from the start?”

Find Juyeon.

The magic in his chest grows warmer, brighter, as Bom’s face twists into an embarrassed scowl. “Any last words, then?” she snaps.

The bland look stays on Changmin’s face, even though the bejeweled knife in Bom’s hands sends shivers up his spine. “No, not to you.”

Find Juyeon.

The insignia sears against his chest with heat. His skin must be burning – he can’t smell cooking flesh just yet, though it’s probably only a matter of time – but he grits his teeth and bears it. It means it’s working. 

It means it’s working.

Silver flashes down, the knife arcing towards his neck. Changmin shuts his eyes, prays, thinks those two words over and over again, find Juyeon –

“Wait.”

The blade stops at his word. He blinks his eyes open, looking up not at Bom, but at the High Mage who’s frozen to the spot. It’s one question, a question whose answer has only been implied, an answer that he needs to know. “Is my queen alive?”

Silence follows his question, which only confirms what he knew but dreaded. And even though it feels like his heart is tearing apart, even though tears are beginning to in his eyes for the second time tonight, Changmin musters the strength to use that brief silence to speak those two words once more.

Find Juyeon.

“I see,” he finally says, staring fully at the old mage. High Mage Jung, his former mentor, one of the most powerful high mages, looks smaller than Changmin has ever believed him to be – small, weak, helpless as he gazes helplessly at the ground, robes stained with blood. “Well, you may proceed.”

“It’s not a question of whether you’ll permit it,” Bom snarls, bringing his attention back to her. “You’re at our mercy now.”

Find Juyeon.

This time, as the insignia sears its mark into his flesh, Changmin allows a smirk to spread across his face. “I suppose that’s what you might like to think.”

Bom’s snarl only grows harsher in the moonlight, but unlike before, Changmin doesn’t feel fear at the ghoulish twist of her lips. Instead, he takes a last comfort in the harsh burn of the insignia resting against his skin as the knife comes slicing down.

My queen, I’ll see you again, soon.

If you enjoyed, please don’t forget to reblog and leave a comment to tell me what you thought! Thank you for reading and have a lovely day <3

(1 reblog = 1 prayer for changmin and me please don’t kill me)

[kmomof4]

CS AU- Coming to Storybrooke (1/5)

It’s FINALLY here!!!!!! I’ve only been talking about this fic for over a YEAR!!! I’m so excited to finally share it with all of you!!!

I have to acknowledge and send all the love and internet hugs to all those who helped me with this fic. I can truly say that I would have given up on it LONG AGO without them.

First to @hollyethecurious​. She was my brainstorming partner and never-ending fount of encouragement. She pulled me back from the brink of deleting this fic entirely so many times. So when I say that this fic wouldn’t be here without her, I’m not exaggerating. 

Second to @profdanglaisstuff​. The best beta in the world!!!! Her suggestions and insights make this writing business so much better! Thank you, babe!

And finally to all the ladies on the @captainswanmoviemarathon​ discord. Y’all’s encouragement and sprinting dates helped keep me motivated and got me over the finish line. 

This fic is a S1 Canon Divergence, sort of, inspired by the 1988 Eddie Murphy movie Coming to America. It is complete with five chapters and I’ll be updating every Saturday.

Fic Summary: Prince Killian of the Enchanted Forest refuses to marry the woman that his brother has chosen for him, so he travels to Storybrooke in the Land Without Magic to find his own bride.

Rating: T for some strong language

Words: Ch1 2224 of 18K Total

Tags: S1 Canon Divergence, Inspired by Coming to America, Neal is an idiot, romantic fluff

AO3 Link

Tag LIst: @hollyethecurious @winterbaby89 @snowbellewells @stahlop @resident-of-storybrooke @jennjenn615 @kingofmyheart14 @profdanglaisstuff @branlovestowrite @thisonesatellite @ultraluckycatnd @flslp87 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @let-it-raines @shireness-says @kymbersmith-90 @darkcolinodonorgasm @bethacaciakay @searchingwardrobes @ilovemesomekillianjones @teamhook @aprilqueen84 @qualitycoffeethings @superchocovian @artistic-writer @donteattheappleshook @doodlelolly0910 @seriouslyhooked @tiganasummertree @lfh1226-linda @nikkiemms @xsajx @klynn-stormz @jrob64 @wefoundloveunderthelight @zaharadessert @elizabeethan @xhookswenchx @gingerpolyglot @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 @sailtoafarawayland @justanother-unluckysoul @veryverynotgoodwrites @jonesfandomfanatic @deckerstarblanche

Please let me know if you’d like to be added or removed.

Under the cut unless Tumblr ate it

Ch1

“Oh, she’s beautiful,” David whispered, awestruck.

Tears filled his eyes as he looked through the door at his other True Love. The little girl sat cross legged on the bed and slowly turned a page of the book in front of her.

David stared, dumbfounded, as a firm resolve filled him.

“We can’t waste another second,” he stated, vehemently. “We can’t wait another second.” He took a step toward the door when Snow’s softly spoken wait stopped him. “What? What’s wrong?” he asked, looking at his wife.

Her eyes were glued to their daughter until they skittered away to their surroundings and the door in front of them. Anywhere but at him.

“We can’t go through there.”

David was stunned, incredulity coloring his features. “Snow, we have to.”

She continued as if she hadn’t heard him. “If we go through that door, Emma will never become the savior.”

He turned back to the open door. To his daughter. He was heartbroken. He knew exactly what Snow was thinking. If they went through that door, they condemned their subjects, their friends, their family, to live under Regina’s curse, separated from their own loved ones, forever. But that couldn’t be true. Rumplestiltskin said to keep the child safe and she would return on her 28th birthday. No mention was made about the circumstances of her return, only that she would.

“She’ll have a new destiny.” He looked at Snow again. “With us. We will teach her. We will tell her everything. And when her 28th birthday arrives, we’ll all come back and she will break the curse.”

Snow’s tear filled eyes finally turned to him. “How do you know?”

“This family finds each other. We’ve found each other,” he said, taking her hands. He tilted his head slightly toward the open door, “We’ve found Emma. We will find the rest of our family when it’s time for her to break the curse.”

He saw the moment doubt was swallowed up by hope in her eyes. With a small nod and a smile, they turned and walked through the door.

Together.

~*~*~*~

18 years later

Emma Swan sat in the back seat of the family SUV with her brother Leo as they sped through the backwoods of rural Maine toward an uncertain and possibly perilous future. It was her 28th birthday and it was the day that her parents had been preparing her for ever since they came through the closet door to claim her so long ago.

The scenery outside her window went hazy around the edges as she got lost in the memory of the first time she met her parents. She hadn’t been frightened when these two strangers entered her bedroom through her closet door. Something about them seemed familiar. She knew in her marrow that she could trust them and when the woman fell to her knees with tears in her eyes, her arms open wide, and calling her name, Emma hadn’t hesitated to run into them. She rose to her feet with Emma held tightly in her arms, sobbing into her hair and placing kisses all over her face. Emma only caught snippets of what the woman was saying, but the words I’m your mom, I love you, we’ll never leave you, we’ll always be together sent Emma’s heart soaring. It was exactly what this little lost girl had always longed to hear. The man wrapped one arm around them both and cupped the back of her head with the other. She had never felt so safe and loved in all her life.

Now all these years later, it was time to fulfill her destiny. It wasn’t long after their reunion that they settled in Portland, Maine and her parents told her a story. A story through the pages of the book that her mother had brought through the door with her. A story that was more than just a fantasy. It was true. All of it. It was their story. It was her story. The story of where she came from… and what she was meant to do. Beginning with the day she was born, her parents told her why they had to get her to safety. How Doc of the Seven Dwarves delivered her only minutes before her father placed her in the magical wardrobe and the queen’s curse swept over the land. From there, they told her the true story of how Snow White and Prince Charming met and fell in love - very different from the Disney version - her mother’s history with the Evil Queen and how her father came to be in the position to even meet his True Love. She’d become intimately familiar with all the true stories in the book as she grew up, first her, then her brother Leo, and now it was time for her to save them all. She had to admit to being rather nervous about it. It was one thing to hear the story from her parents and believe it because of how young she was and because she trusted them. But it was entirely different to be a grown woman and solely responsible for bringing back all the happy endings for real people that her parents knew and loved. She was about to see everything from the storybook come to life.

Suddenly, her mother’s excited voice from the front seat roused her from her musings.

“There it is, David!” she exclaimed. “The town line!”

“I see it, I see it,” he replied.

Moments later, they crossed the town line and a chill passed over Emma’s entire body before something exploded out of her that nearly made her dad lose control of the car.

“What the hell was that?” Emma cried as her mom and brother shouted in alarm. She reached toward Leo’s shoulder while her other hand tried to find purchase on the door handle as her dad brought the car back under control. She looked out the window and saw a white shimmering something traveling across the sky toward the town. She saw her mom, dad, and brother craning their necks to see it too.

“I think…” her mom began, “that you just broke the curse, honey.”

“That’s it?” she asked, incredulous. “Just crossing the town line? That was all it took?”

“Apparently so,” her dad answered. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t still have to be on our guard.” His grip on the steering wheel tightened and his brow furrowed. “We don’t know what we’re going to find when we get to town. Regina and the Dark One are presumably still here somewhere.”

Silence reigned as they continued to drive toward the center of town in the direction of the white blast. A few minutes later, they turned onto the main street of the small town. Filling the street in front of them, people were laughing and hugging each other in reunions that were 28 years overdue. Her dad slammed on the brakes as her mom cried out, her hands flying to her mouth.

“Ruby! Granny!” She bolted from the car and ran toward a leggy brunette and older matronly woman. Emma could see the surprised joy on their faces as they turned and ran toward her mother. Emma and Leo got out slowly as their dad ran toward his wife as she embraced the two women. They approached the reunited and happy foursome just as seven men got their mom’s attention. Wide grins broke out on Emma and Leo’s faces as realization came over them. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Emma could hear her mom’s sobs as she tried to embrace them all at once. Once she’d finished greeting her dearest and oldest friends, her mom turned toward them.

“Everyone,” she began, “these are our children.” Her mom motioned them closer. “Emma and Leo.” Her brother suddenly looked quite different from the brash and bold teenager she knew. He looked equal parts dumbfounded and like he’d like to melt into the ground. Her father didn’t miss a beat. He grabbed his son’s shoulder and started introducing him individually to the dwarves, placing his arm around him.

“Emma?” asked Granny, drawing her attention again. “The Savior?” The old woman took steps toward Emma and tenderly cupped her face with her hands before kissing her on the cheek and drawing her into a hug. Emma knew the elderly woman from the storybook, but to be held in her arms in love and acceptance was nearly as good as the hug she received from her parents when they came for her.

“Papa,” another man further up the street shouted. He ran toward an older man that was walking toward the group with the aid of a cane.

The man turned, his face infused with disbelieving joy as the cane dropped and he took a hesitant step toward the other man. “Bae?”

Emma could feel the tears forming in her eyes as the men embraced each other. She had done this. She was the savior and she had given all these people the happy endings that the Evil Queen had taken away all because she refused to place the blame for the death of her love where it truly belonged. She turned back toward the crowd again as more reunions were taking place. She saw her parents embracing a red haired man with a dalmatian. Jiminy Cricket, she remembered.

Just at that moment, a joyous cry reached their ears and they all turned toward the sound. A young woman with wild brown hair and wearing nothing more than a dirty white shift ran toward the still embracing men as she launched herself into the older man’s arms and kissed him. A rainbow blast burst from them startling everyone gathered. They separated as the blast flew through the air and yet also concentrated around the man. The young woman’s eyes grew wide as the rainbow light grew brighter and brighter around him before finally fading away to nothing. The man had tears running down his cheeks as he reached for the young woman again. Emma watched her melt into his arms and could just hear him murmur, “Belle. It’s gone. You saved me.” The kiss they shared made Emma’s cheeks flame as she turned toward her dad.

“Huh,” he said. “Rumplestiltskin has a True Love. Who would have thought that?”

The couple separated again and the man she now knew was Rumplestiltskin, the practitioner of the darkest magic in the realm, the man that she had always thought of as the puppet master, since he seemed to have a part in every single story in the book, gathered both the young woman and the younger man to him as the three made their way toward their own group.

“Dark One,” her dad greeted the man with a curt nod.

“No more,” he answered, raising his chin just a bit. “Belle’s True Love’s Kiss just destroyed the Darkness. With my son here, I was ready to let go of the Darkness and find my happiness with my family beside me.”

Then a stately woman in a nun’s habit approached them.

“Your highnesses,” she began with a bow, “the curse is indeed broken. As is the Darkness that made the Dark One.”

Her dad reached out and placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Blue,” he said. “Thank you.” He turned back toward the crowd and raised his voice in an exuberant shout. “The curse is broken and the Darkness is no more!” The gathered crowd cheered along with him. Emma wiped away her tears and met the eyes of the man that had embraced the former Dark One. His eyes twinkled as he grinned broadly at her. She felt her heart rate increase and cheeks flush again as she turned her eyes back toward her parents.

It was moments later when she felt a presence at her back. She turned around and found herself captured by a pair of laughing brown eyes.

“Neal,” he said, holding his hand out for her to shake. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head as if a sudden headache had come over him. “Baelfire. Neal Cassidy was my cursed name. But you can call me whatever you want.” He smiled again.

She took his hand and smiled back. “Emma,” she replied. “It’s nice to meet you, Neal.”

She could see her mom and brother over Neal’s shoulder exchange a stern and sheepish look. She knew that Leo, at 17, would love nothing more than to tease her about the man in front of her, but thankfully, their mother caught his eye before he could. She rolled her eyes at them before directing her attention back to him.

“Uh, thanks,” he said, “for uh, breaking the curse.” She couldn’t help but smile wider at his clumsy attempts to make small talk.

“You’re welcome?” she answered, with a shrug. “I mean, I didn’t really do anything, just crossed the town line…” she trailed away.

“But, I m-mean,” he stammered, “it was more than that. You…” he shrugged helplessly, apparently at a loss for what to say next. “Listen,” he said, brightening, “Could I show you around town? Maybe buy you a cup of coffee?”

Emma grinned widely. “I’d like that.” She looped her arm through his and he led her away from the rest of the crowd.

[cant-think-of-anything]

Pirate AU (Part Five)

Lucie watched Alastair gently clean his sisters wounds before bandaging them up.

Knowing how much they cared for each other, she had expected Alastair to be angry. And though he was ready to quite literally murder Tatiana, he didn’t seem mad at her. Lucie couldn’t say the same for herself. 

Cordelia had gotten hurt. She could’ve been killed if she wasn’t protecting Lucie. Dragging her out of her spiraling guilt, Thomas pressed a cup of tea into her hands, warming her cold fingers. He was also watching Alastair. 

“You could not have done anything to prevent this Lucie.” 

Lucie stilled. Thomas had arrived with Alastair who ended up sending a message to Eugenia. The three of them had helped Lucie clean up the glass and left Alastair to address Cordelia’s shoulder since he was the only one who knew any form of medical training. When Lucie had questioned him, he responded he knew how to do many things, like baking and tattooing. She had decided not to ask if he was being sarcastic. 

Thomas and Eugenia seemed fueled with purpose. Upon telling them Tatiana Blackthorn, the same woman responsible for the public marriage scandal between James and her daughter a few years back, was the one who had killed Barbra, they seemed more focused on vengeance than anything.

Eugenia snapped her fingers loudly. “Oi! Lucie, Thomas get over here.”

Alastair and her cousin had spread out a map of London they had acquired from the library. Combining the information that had come from Alastair and Lucie, they had placed that Tatiana was indeed another pirate, and apparently belonged or led one of the scariest crews to exist. Which was really just delightful for them.

After locating the ship’s docking point, Alastair had gone earlier, confirming that the ship was there and, judging by the symbol carved into its wood, the correct ship. 

“We need to get in somehow,” He said quietly while studying the maps.

Suddenly, Thomas looked up. “Christopher.”

“Who?” Alastair asked, staring as if Thomas had lost his mind. 

“My cousin, he makes things, if we need to break into a ship he’s quite good at making destructive things.”

And that, seemingly, was all it took. As her friends packed their items, discussing quietly, she watched Cordelia, still asleep, breathe softly in the firelight.

“I don’t want to leave her,” Alastair said, startling her. “But I trust you’ll take good care of her.” 

Lucie turned her face away. “For what happened… I’m sorry.”

Alastair looked up, surprised. "You needn’t apologize for that. My sister makes her own decisions, however ill-advised they may be sometimes. She won’t blame you and nor do I.”

Before Lucie could respond Eugenia rapped her knuckles on the door to grab their attention. She watched as they left, leaving her alone with an unconscious Cordelia. Mostly alone she thought, looking at her very tall friend who was staring at the fire. She sat next to him, crossing her legs on the couch and letting her head fall against his shoulder.

“Pirates,” He whispered, shaking his head lightly.

“Indeed,” Lucie responded before adding “Thomas, darling, have you seen what they wear?” 

Thomas laughed and bade her goodbye, following Alastair and Eugenia. 

~~~

Eugenia thought she had met her fair share of quiet people, but being in a carriage with Alastair was like being in a carriage with a well dressed mannequin. Thomas had mentioned needing to drop by one of his other friend’s houses and promptly abandoned Eugenia. 

“You found my brother.” She said, cutting into the silence.

“I did,” Alastair replied, still staring out the window.

How was it even possible for a person to talk this little? Eugenia made a frustrated noise and waved her hand in front of his face, smiling at his scowl.

“I’m trying to thank you,”

“I found your brother entirely by accident. I don’t think that’s praise-worthy.”

“Well you saved him by the sounds of it.”

“He told you?” Alastair sounded surprised. “Well I suppose I did it out of instinct. And a bit of thought went into how you would feel.”

Eugenia smirked, pretending to swoon. “He cares!”

Alastair swatted her arm before reaching into his coat. When his hand withdrew, there was a silver longsword in his grasp, the hilt littered with rubies. She sucked in a breath and reached her hand out to touch the engraved handle. She felt a jolt of surprise when Alastair gave it to her.

“All our weapons are gold anyway. It wouldn’t match. Try not to get yourself killed.” He went back to staring out the window, but Eugenia found she didn’t mind. 

~~~

Thomas ducked into Christopher’s lab, cursing London’s tiny doors to find his sister and Alastair already seated there. 

Christopher’s head was bent over his notebook, his hair nearly catching flame on an open fire before Alastair threw a damp towel at his head. 

“Thomas!” Christopher greeted, his face lighting up. 

“We need your help,” Alastair said. He seemed to hate any form of pleasantries. 

“With?”

“We need to get into a… very thick wooden box,” Eugenia cut in.

Christopher’s face clouded, and Thomas could practically see his mind working. Christopher was the smartest scientist in London and that Thomas could say with entire surety. He didn’t like keeping things from him, they had been inseparable for so long but this was not his secret to tell. 

He listened as Christopher told them what all he needed to create such a substance and Eugenia rose, offering readily to go to the market. Thomas thought he saw a flash of silver in her coat but she was gone before he could ask. His cousin’s face was in a deep revere of thought it seemed so Thomas left the room, Alastair close behind. 

~~~

Eugenia wished the cobblestones on the ground of this godforsaken market would swallow her up whole. She quite liked the boisterous activity and the loud arguing. What she did not feel so fond of was crouching in the alleyway like a lowlife trying to avoid her own family. Matthew Fairchild and Anna Lightwood were known to frequent illegal places and as much as Eugenia loved them, she wished she could snap her fingers and make them disappear. If they found her here they would certainly tell the rest of their friends, and Eugenia couldn’t risk putting Lucie and Thomas under scrutiny now. 

“Hello?” 

Eugenia cursed vehemently before turning around to face whatever person called out to her. 

And oh, Eugenia was going to positively faint. Someone would have to drag her out of the market and send her body home. There was a woman standing in the alleyway, a hat shaded half of her face but Eugenia knew it was just as lovely as the rest of her. The mystery woman brushed long black hair out of her dark brown eyes to study Eugenia. 

“Are you all right?” The woman asked with her perfectly shaped lips moving to help her up. 

No. “Yes! Of course.” 

She looked amused. “Is there a reason you're crouched in a dirty alleyway then?”

“A perfectly normal, justifiable reason yes.” When the woman waited for her to elaborate she added “I can’t let my family see me here.” 

“Ah,” She responded before sticking out her hand. “I’m Kamala.” 

“Eugenia.” 

“I came in through a back exit, I can take you through there.” Kamala hesitated then, and Eugenia realized that their hands were still interlocked. “If you would like that.” 

Well she couldn’t have said no to that.

~~~

Alastair, it seemed, liked to perch on dangerous places such as the third floor balcony. Thomas was caught between the urge to join him to see the appeal or pull him off so he wouldn’t get hurt. 

Thomas watched as he tipped his head back, his perfect dark hair rustling softly in the wind. Moving closer hesitantly, he placed his forearms on the railing, seeing Alastair’s eyes open from the corner of his vision. 

“Are you okay?” The words slipped out on their own accord.

Thomas turned, facing the shorter boy fully. Alastair’s entire being seemed stressed and worried and while Thomas understood why, an irrational part of him wanted to see if he could fix that. 

“We might die.” 

“Not a pleasant thought.” 

“I don’t care much what happens to me, but Cordelia and my mother can’t survive on their own.”

“Why? Cordelia seems capable enough.” 

Alastair shook his head, turning his eyes away as if he’d said too much. 

“Where have you sailed?” Thomas questioned, leaning back onto piller, sensing the signal for a subject change. He also couldn’t quite wrap his head around the “pirate” thing. 

“Many places. All of them were better than this repulsive town.

That startled a laugh out of Thomas. “I can understand that. I wish I could leave this city too sometimes.”

Alastair leaned closer and cocked his head to the side “Where would you go?”

Thomas flushed and leaned back. “Anywhere I suppose.”

Alastair looked as he was going to respond but the door banged open. Thomas jerked away, just realizing how close the two of them had been to look at Christopher. 

“Eugenia’s back.” He called, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked back and forth between them. 

~~~

Cordelia felt as if someone had an iron arm clamped to her shoulder and was shaking her brain vigorously. She opened her eyes and groaned at the stabbing light. 

“Cordelia?”

Lucie, she tried to say but found that she could not. She felt an actual hand wrap around hers and soft fingers brush hair from her forehead. 

“It’s okay, don’t say anything.”

Slowly, Lucie’s outline cleared and she could see her lovely blue eyes hovering a few inches from her face. Suddenly it was hard to breathe for entirely different reasons. 

Lucie gently laid her hands on Cordelia’s arms, careful not to disturb her wounds. Cordelia found herself suddenly overwhelmed with how close her fire-lit skin was, the hesitant brush of an escaped curl against her neck. She never wanted to pull away. 

“I know you just got hurt on your shoulders,” she started hoarsely, “but I thought…” 

Cordelia, finally able to find her voice said “Never blame yourself Lucie. If it were to protect you I would do it a thousand times over.”

She heard Lucie’s breathing stop before she pulled away slightly, much to Cordelia’s disappointment. 

“They found the ship. We’ll find her too.” Lucie’s eyes blazed bright. “I want you to teach me, show me how you wield your weapons, set your ships on water. She took far too much already and I refuse to let her take more.” 

~~~

You know that one tik tok audio that’s like- “Everyone is just who they are and who they are is just stone cold gay?” Yeah that’s this fic

ALSO someone help me out who’s taller in Joshwood?

Tagging: @adoravel-fenomeno and @barbra-lightwood (Also I didn’t say this before but I can add you if you want)  

[kiribaku-queen]

Unexpected [1/8]

Pairing: Dabi x reader, Hawks x reader, Touya x reader

Fluff, angst, AU

Word count: 3.5K

A/N: Welcome to my second series「UNEXPECTED」! Hopefully, I will update this series every Monday and maybe upload a oneshot on Friday???? I hope you enjoy this series as much as you did 「HOME」and let me know if you want to be added to the tag list!

Summary: Being quirkless wasn’t so bad. Especially when you had two badass best friends that had amazing quriks to make up for it. That is until one of them breaks your heart by disappearing in thin air. And the other breaks your heart by wanting to focus on his hero work. After coming back to Japan after studying abroad for 5 years, you were in for a whirlwind of surprises.

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Nothing stays the same forever. No matter how much you wished it was, no matter how happy you were, things were bound to change. Most of the time for good, but on rare occasions for worse. Yet, you didn’t know that when you met them.

Keigo was always the outgoing one of the group. Always the one who says whats on his mind and jumps into action when he sees something wrong. He always cracked jokes and made everyone smile even when he wasn’t trying. You guess you could say he was pretty popular, especially with the ladies.

Touya was the opposite. A shy kid, often left out of group activities. He was someone who you wouldn’t expect to be friends with but once you were, he would treasure you like ruby that was hidden away for thousands of years. He was shy but that didn’t stop him from having fun or making friends. He liked to watch from afar and enjoyed watching others have fun. Even though Touya was a shy kid, he still had friends.

That’s where you come in. You were his first ever friend. You might not have been popular but you were friendly with anyone you came into contact with and tried to make friends with everyone, regardless of character. A red head with sapphire blue eyes caught your eye. While all the other children were playing with each other, he was standing by himself, eyes darting to different groups of people. He looked like he wanted to join but decided to keep to himself. You weren’t having that. No way were you going let someone be alone during playtime. So you took a deep breath and strutted right towards him. But it looks like you weren’t the only who wanted to make a change. A boy with golden blonde hair and an impressive set of red wings was also making his way towards the same boy. And the rest was history really.

You would never regret that day at all. Because you met two people who were going to be by your side forever. Takami Keigo. Todoroki Touya. The three of you would do everything together. Spend free period together. Eat lunch together. Walk to and from school. Hang out after school. There was never a moment where you three weren’t seen together. And you were the perfect trio. Keigo, the loud, pretty boy who brings attention to him wherever he goes. Touya, the shy, handsome one who tags along to anything and everything. Then theres you, the one who is a good combination of both of their personalities. The one who helps keep these two idiots in check.

Even though you guys were the best of friends, there was one secret that you were holding. You might have a small, itsy-bitsy, very minor secret crush on Todoroki Touya. He might not talk much or show much emotion but when he does, it’s the most sincere reaction. When he smiles, his eyes completely disappear and he is rolling over laughing. You can’t help but smile whenever he does. It’s like you accomplished this big mission to make him smile. You and Keigo could be arguing all day long but Touya would step in to finally stop the fight with a few words a wisdom. Did you mention that Touya acted way more mature for his age? The one thing Touya does that just makes your heart go doki-doki is when he tries to cheer you up after lots of teasing from Keigo. You would be puffing your cheeks at Keigo because was laughing at you. Right before you were about to explode from frustration, Touya would come to pat you on the head to cool you down. But his pat on the head was definitely something else. He would pat from the top of your head all the way down to the back of your neck twice before always tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. This little action never failed to make your heart flutter.

 It was another day of walking home from school, of course arguing with the one and only Takami Keigo. You and him were walking a little ahead, leaving Touya to walk behind you guys as he watches you two bicker as usual. This time, you were arguing about who likes Touya more.

“Of course its me, you idiot!” you insult Keigo, pointing a finger at him. He slaps it away and points a finger right back at you.

“You’re the idiot! I was the one to talk to him first. So that means me, Takami Keigo, likes him more. And I bet he likes me more too,” Keigo smirked at your disbelief face.

“Noooo, he likes me more!” you tried to argue. Only one way to find out the answer. You both look behind you at Touya who stops in his track. He glances between the two of you and looks back down again.

“Which one is it, Touya? Me or this loser here,” Keigo snickered, pointing to you. This time, you slapped his hand away and awaited Touya’s answer. Your heart started racing and your palms were starting to get sweaty. You wanted to act like you didn’t care but secretly, you wanted your name to be called out. A blush appeared on Touya’s cheeks as he looked back up at the two of you.

“(y/n), of course,” he mumbled. A cheer ruptured through your veins while Keigo is drowning in defeat. He grasped onto Touya’s shoulders, shaking them and asking why he wasn’t the favorite. “(y/n)’s a girl, of course I’m going to like her more,” he shyly said. That just made Keigo groan even more. You couldn’t have been happier. Touya said your name. And he didn’t even hesitate! That was for sure a win.

All three of you stopped at a street that split into two directions. This is where you usually split up and continue to head home. Keigo’s home is in the left direction while you and Touya’s place is in the right direction. Keigo parted ways with you, leaving you alone with Touya. Walks home were quiet but a pleasant quiet. You could take quick peeks at him and he would never say anything. Did he know you were looking at him? Maybe. But he never said anything to stop you so you’re just going to assume that he doesn’t know.

Touya’s house arrived first, leaving you to walk home by yourself. There would be times when Touya would skip his house and walk you all the way home but today was a little different. When you arrived at Touya’s, his father was already there waiting for him. It was no secret who his father was: the number 2 hero, Endeavor. He was waiting by the gate in his regular clothing but he was still as intimidating as ever. Touya physically shrunk at the sight of his father, quickly saying his goodbye to you and running inside.

“Oh, bye Touya…” you barely managed to say. He ran past his father, head down. Endeavor gave you a look before also going inside, sending chills down your spine.

“Scary…: you mumbled to yourself, turning in the direction of your house. You occasionally looked back to see if Touya would appear again but he didn’t.

Ever since then, Touya was getting more and more distant. He wouldn’t walk to and from school with you guys anymore. He would either leave really early or really late, you guys missing him each time. He would be missing during free period or lunch. Even when you guys were hanging out with each other, he wouldn’t talk much or be his usual self. You were started to get worried about him. But you didn’t say anything because you thought you were imagining it. It started to get serious though when he would come to school with bandages on his arms.

“Touya,” you called his name, going up to him during break. “Are you okay?” you asked, touching his arm that was bandaged. Touya jumped and got up from his chair. You jumped in response, shocked by his reaction.

“Don’t touch me,” he snapped at you, pulling his arm away from your grasp. Keigo immediately jumped in between you two, trying to protect you and glaring at his other friend.

“She just asked if you were okay,” Keigo tried to calm the situation. Touya just looked away angrily. That seemed to push Keigo’s buttons. “Oi, why are you acting like that? We are just worried about you!”

“Well I don’t need you to worry about me! Just… Just leave me alone!” Touya yells and storms out of the classroom. You were left baffled and confused. You were just trying to be a good friend but he exploded in your face. Did you do or say something wrong? Keigo was just as confused but more mad. His wings could be seen shaking as he was trying to suppress his anger and control his wings from spreading wide.

Touya got more and more distant until one day, he stopped coming to school. Something was really wrong. You felt a great sense of uneasiness and it wouldn’t go away no matter what you did. Days passed. Weeks passed and Touya was still no where to be found. Since his disappearance, you would stop by Touya’s house every day after school. You thought maybe, just maybe, Touya was just at home and that you would get a glimpse of him somewhere. But you were met with disappointment each time. You would do that every day until you got the news. The worst news of your life. Touya passed away.

 Touya’s death was hard to get over. When you heard of the news, you were completely devastated. A crying mess. Your heart tightened with even the smallest thought of him and there was an endless amount of tears running down your face. You felt guilty everyday following his death. You could have done something about it. You should have asked if he was okay earlier on. You should have persisted in trying to help him. You should have been a better friend. You didn’t even get a chance to tell him how you felt.

Keigo was there for you every step of the way. He was equally as devasted with the news but was better at hiding it. He felt an overwhelming amount of sadness enter his heart when he saw you bending over, crying at his picture at the funeral. Keigo kneeled beside you, holding your shoulders in a side hug, half of his red wings moved to cover your body in comfort. You leaned into him, crying into his chest.

“Keigo,” you croaked out. Your voice was hoarse from crying nonstop and you barely got it out of you. Keigo looked down at you with love and concern in his eyes. “Let’s make a promise. To not leave each other ever. I don’t know what I would do if you left my life too,” you barely managed to get out that last sentence because it was too devastating to think about. You started to cry again and he hugged you even tighter.

“I promise. We’ll get through this together,” he promised, resting his chin on the top of your head.

And he kept his promise. You two were stuck together by the hip. It was you guys against the world. He never abandoned you and you never abandoned him. You continued to do everything together. After school classes. Free time. Applying to the same school. Commuting together. The only rule you kept together was to never bring up Touya. His memory was too sad and would always result in depressive episodes. But he was always in the back of your mind. Keigo knew that and would constantly try to get your mind off him by distracting you with things you liked. That would range from bringing you flowers, taking you to your favorite arcade or watching your favorite movie at home. The more time you spent together, the more you got closer, and the more feelings started to grow. Eventually, Keigo asked you out during your first year of high school together. It definitely came as a surprise but you couldn’t have been happier. And then for the first time, Touya never returned to your memory.

You two were happy. And it was the happiest you’ve been in a long time. Keigo was so sweet to you. He only had eyes for you since the beginning. Ever since elementary school where you two first met. He was determined to make you his but after all those events that happened, he wasn’t going to rush things. Keigo knew that you only had eyes for Touya and when he died, he was still on your mind. It was going to take time for you to get over him, he knew that. And when you were ready, he would be there to love and protect you from anything and everything.

But everything started to change when your third year rolled around. It was time to think about college and life after high school. You had started to think about options that were close to your home but you really wanted to go abroad. You had always dreamed of studying abroad and if there was a time to do it, it would be for college. You really didn’t want to pass up the chance, but you wanted to talk to Keigo about it first. Walking down the hallway with all your college options in hand, you were on a hunt to find your boyfriend.

You found him talking with a group of girls in the hallway. But you got a strange feeling. One girl was getting way too close for comfort to your boyfriend. She was fake laughing at everything he said, touching him at every chance she got and stood close enough where her chest was touching his arm. You went to him and cleared your throat, grabbing everyone’s attention. The girl that was all over Keigo let go of his arm and backed away while giving you a dirty look. But you ignored her. Instead, you put your attention on Keigo.

“Can we talk?” you asked, gently pulling on his sleeve. He look down and then back at the group of girls.

“Uh, I’m kind of busy right now,” he said. You cocked your eyebrow. That wasn’t the usual response that you would get.

“Well, it’s kind of important,” you inform him, lifting up the college options in your hand. One pamphlet caught his attention. He took that one out from the pile and started going through it.

“America, huh? You want to study abroad?” he questions looking disinterested.

“I was just thinking about it. You know I really want to-”

“You should go,” Keigo interrupts you, slamming the pamphlet together and handing it back to you. You looked at him in disbelief.

“Well I was hoping we could talk about it first,” you say, a bit angry and annoyed at his actions towards you.

“And I told you that I was busy. Later,” he patted the top of my head and turned back to the group of girls. “Anyway, where was I ladies?” and the group burst into a fit of giggles. You couldn’t help but stay frozen in your spot. Did you really just get dissed like that? From your own boyfriend? You let out a scoff and walked away. There was no point in standing there, looking like an idiot. You’ll definitely need a talk later. Keigo’s smile falters and he hears you walking away. His heart clenches and he wants to run after you so bad but he couldn’t. He had to do this.

You were itching in your seat. You leg was vibrating under the table. Your eyes glued to the clock. Could time go any slower? Finally, the last bell of the day rang and you sprung out of your seat to walk next door to Keigo’s class. He was already packing up when you approached him.

“What was that all about?” you asked, crossing your arms together. He didn’t look up. He didn’t acknowledge you. He just continued to pack his stuff.

“What are you talking about?” he asks right back.

“Earlier today. You brushed me off like I was some nobody. I wanted to talk to you about something important and you made me feel like you didn’t care,” you confessed, pouring out all your feelings to him. He stopped packing his stuff and straightened his back, letting out a big sigh.

“Maybe I don’t.”

“What?” Did you hear that correctly? You hope your ears were just playing tricks on you. Keigo turns to you with hands in his pockets. His face was expressionless.

“Maybe I don’t care.”

“What are you talking about? Why are you saying that?” you started to raise your voice, tears were on the brink of your eyes. Your boyfriend let out another sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’m just trying to tell you how I’m feeling. It doesn’t matter to me what college you go to. You can stay here in Japan or move across the world to the States. But I’m not going to college or chase after you if you go.” He said. Your heart was breaking with each word and it was clear in your face that you were hurting. Keigo sensed your heartbreak from miles away but he continued. “Come on, why the sad look. You knew that this was coming. You knew after high school I was going to focus on becoming a hero. And not just any hero. One of the best in the nation. I don’t have time to be fooling around in college or chasing after you.”

“Is that why you’ve been so distant lately?” you asked, eyes glued to the floor. You didn’t want to believe that he was being distant. That he was drifting away from you. It brought back too many bad memories. You started to feel something tight in your chest and a heavy weight was being pushed on you. It was starting to get harder to breath but you tried your hardest to keep your composure.

“Come on (y/n). Don’t act like you didn’t know. This was never going to work out. You’re quirkless and I’m going to become a top hero. The equation doesn’t add up.” God you were beyond furious, hurt, upset, baffled, shocked. You were feeling so many emotions at the moment that you didn’t even know how to express it.

“You promised,” you barely let out a whisper but that seemed to cause a reaction out of Keigo. But it disappeared as soon as it came.

“We were kids,” he responded. You wiped away the tears that you didn’t know where streaming down your face. You sniffled and just nodded your head. You got the picture now. You understood. There was no point in trying to fight him or scream at him. Quite honestly, you couldn’t process what was happening because it was all too sudden. This all happened out of nowhere. And you were feeling numb.

“I guess I will go study abroad. Thanks. Good talk.” You say before turning and walking away.

 All that was 5 years ago. You haven’t seen or talked to him since. You went to study abroad in the States for your whole 4 years of college. And as much as you loved it there, you loved Japan more. It’s been a hot second since you been on Japan grounds but it felt good to be back. Even more exciting, you were on your way to your new job as a teacher.

You didn’t have a quirk so you weren’t very useful in most situations growing up. But becoming a teacher was like giving back to the community and being useful to others that are specific to them. Thankfully, you were a quirkless teacher teaching at a school full of quirkless students. They still need an education afterall, and need to learn how to fit in society without a quirk.

You were taking your time getting to the school. You wanted to take this time to take in the city atmosphere and the air and basically let it all in. Everything looked the same. The streets. The people. The shops. The villains?

A scream could be hear and you whipped your head in that direction. A villain took to the streets, a huge bag of money in his hands. You started to panic and searched your surroundings. Where there no pro-heroes nearby? Looking back at the villain who was speedily coming closer to you, you caught sight at the scene behind him. Part of a building was destroyed, leaving glass shards everywhere. The villain, big as he was, started throwing cars and large objects out of the way, hitting the other buildings around him. One large object came dangerous above your head, hitting the building behind you. You looked up to see large, sharp glass coming straight at you. Bracing yourself, you prepared to get hit any minute now. But it never came. You opened your eyes slowly. You were being embraced by someone. Looking up to see who had saved you, your breath got caught in your throat.

Golden blond locks of hair. Sharp, fierce, yellow eyes. Majestic, red wings.

Takami Keigo saved your life. 

Tagged: @bestgirlkonan