#Sweet greens are made of these 🎶

[i-really-like-phrogs]

Sleepy little doodle I made while pulling an all nighter

It ain’t easy being somewhere that’s green!

[auspicioustidings]

Devil's Trumpet

AKA the Appalachian horror brain worms would not leave me alone

Summary: You move to small town West Virginia to get your head on straight but the men in the woods start unravelling you instead.

Words: 3.5k

CWs: mild horror, vague reference to mental illness

This is best read while listening to some Southern gothic tunes 🎶 I suggest Big Dark Love by Murder by Death!

Colour leeched out of the world here. There is something almost comforting about that, something familiar. Familiar too is the way this town moves like syrup too thick to be pleasant in your mouth. It was how you moved though the world once. Not anymore though, no, now your mind is your own and not an invading force. Now you can appreciate the drab slowness as something external to yourself, just an environment around you and not a prison closing in inside your head.

There wasn’t much of a plan really. A will reading that left you with not a lot, but enough to get the hell out. Signing with a fountain pen that made your skin crawl with how it scratched. A stiff drink and a dart thrown at a map and tearing a ragged hole in the Greenbrier River as the sharp point didn’t quite sink far enough into the board and tore its way through the paper on the way down. You were never any good at darts.

You aren’t putting down roots. Those were for old growth, not for hardy weeds that broke through concrete and always found another crack through which to grow when killed. Nothing that felt too much like a home, so instead a room at the only inn.

This town is too small to warrant one, but it doubles as a watering hole come evening. It doesn’t seem to have been updated in an age, you wonder idly if the plaque upkept to a gleaming shine declaring the inn to have been opened in 1824 is somehow conveying pride at the fact. The peeling wallpaper in your room was probably pretty once, but the green now seems sick with age and the delicate floral pattern has started to wilt.

There is no routine to your days here until one slowly creeps in as it always does.

Breakfast first. You don’t know if it’s something in the air here, but you wake up with a bitter taste in your mouth and are eager to drown it in food and mint toothpaste. The inn has a small kitchenette for guest use and you make yourself toast with butter and strawberry jam. It’s a little too sweet but the tea helps, black with no sugar.

You stretch out the back of the inn and enjoy the view of the woods. You don’t call it yoga because it makes you less likely to do it, but you had learned when things were bad that quietly engaging your body in the morning was a good way to quiet your mind. There’s a little tension in the back of your neck you try to work out but it sticks there until you finish up and go back inside to shower. The hot water fixes it you think.

The first few weeks here you just sit and watch the world go by, but then you one day you decide to get up and spend some time wandering the town. It’s small, decrepit. There is the inn, a few sparse houses, one general store. The library, despite being the only venue with any chance of entertainment, is usually empty. You meet Mrs Lela Kaletaws who runs it, although she isn’t always around.

Roads here are barely holding together, but the one main road that runs out of town is at least in somewhat better condition. It runs parallel with the woods at one point, curving off just past old Mr Kleer's house. The man in question usually sits on his porch but he’s friendly enough so you don’t pay much mind to the gun.

After you’ve wandered town you make sandwiches for lunch. It isn’t much exciting, but it is routine and is filling enough that you bunker down for a nap after.

In the afternoon you go for a long walk before returning to the inn for dinner. There is a bar downstairs that opens in the evenings and serves food that while not a delicacy by any means is hot and filling. You retire to your room, read some of your book and go to sleep.

It continues that way. Breakfast, stretch, shower, wander, lunch, sleep, walk, dinner, read, sleep.

At first you only really skirt the edge of the woods, but with each passing dreary day you venture closer to the depths down the packed dirt path. The path through the woods is confusing and unmarked. Where you swore just yesterday it went to the right, today it goes to the left. Even so it must be your sense of direction, because the path always leads you past the jimsonweeds that come up to you chest before spitting you out on the road that leads to old Mr Kleer's house. The flowers are beautiful, but there is some metallic tang to their otherwise sweet scent that causes your teeth to ache.

—

More comfortable with the area now, it causes a fright when you see a man in the woods just in the corner of your eye only to snap your head around and have him vanish. You force calming breathes and keep walking. There is no such thing as ghosts in these woods.

Old man Axell calls to you from his porch as you pass, rifle butt settled on the rickety wood that you worry will collapse and left leg stretched straight out towards you like reaching for something.

“Seeing things in the woods kid?”

“I look spooked sir?”

“Like you’ve seen a Ghost I reckon.”

You give a shaky laugh at that.

“Only if ghosts come in flesh and blood and quick feet. Some man gave me a fright is all.”

“Must be out of towners” Axell says.

You do not like the way he says it. You do not like that he looks at you strangely. But you smile and nod and get on your way. He is only an old man.

—

There is someone in the woods. You feel his gaze on you, feel the dull prickle that rests on your nape from those eyes.

“We really must stop meeting like this” you say.

You have stopped trying to catch him. Now you only speak, eyes set on the dirt path in front of you. You do not think you will get a reply and when you do you shudder horribly at how much closer the voice is than you had anticipated.

“Don’t enjoy the company?”

He’s English and you frown. Out of towner. The old man must know something, but maybe you cannot begrudge him having fun at your expense. You have not made friends here.

“Enjoy company where I can see it if it’s all the same to you.”

The man laughs. It is a confusing laugh, warm and cold all at once as it bounces through the trees.

“Careful what you wish for.”

You resist the urge to turn even as his voice moves strangely, like he is swaying from one side of the path to the other.

“Must have a face like sin to keep hiding away” you say.

The next words you can feel. His breath is right at your cheek, a strand of your hair lifted by his fingers.

“Quite the opposite.”

Your heart is a prey animal running from a predator, beating wildly against your ribs as you turn to find he isn’t there. Only you certainly felt him. He leaves a sweet smell behind.

—

Sleep does not come easily that night. The rain against your window casts the moonlight strangely into your room. You spend hours watching as the creeping vines on the wallpaper seem to twist and shift beneath the moon flowers. When you finally fall asleep, it is almost as if you can smell them. Sweet and slightly metallic.

You wake up with the fading scent of damp earth and something on the edge of rot in your nose and the feel of dirt packed uncomfortably under your nails. They’re clean you find, but you spend the start of the morning cutting them down once you see the fading scratches left on your arms and legs through the night.

—

He is not the only stranger in the woods. You swore you would not go back, but routine takes you there without thought.

The Scottish man likes to walk on your right hand side, just enough steps behind you that you can only see him at the very side of your vision. You think he is handsome, but it is difficult to be sure. What you can be sure of is that he is dressed oddly. You have spoken to him for a while now, discussing yourself mostly. Perhaps it is the eerie quiet of the woods that makes you want to fill the dead space, but you tell him more about yourself than you ever would have thought yourself comfortable with.

“Are you a soldier then?” you ask.

“Sometimes, I think.”

You take a moment to chew that answer, wonder at the taste of it. There is a panic when you smell blood on the air, but it is quickly blanketed by sweetness. You have reached the jimsonweeds. It is too early, you have not walked far enough to be here already. But before you can protest the steps to your right stop and you know the man is gone.

None of them ever come farther than this.

—

You try the next day and the next to get answers from him. He seems to make a decision at one point just as the familiar smell reaches you and you think you will leave with no more information than you had before.

“I’m SAS.”

He is not there when you turn to thank him. He is not there at all when you return the next day.

—

The library run by Mrs Kaletaws is added to your routine. Breakfast, stretch, shower, library, lunch, try to sleep, walk, dinner, read, try to sleep. The small building has the peculiar addition of a cat you never quite see. You hear the skitter of claws on worn wood floor that has started to smell of sickly sweet rot, see fading scratches on the legs and arms of the chair, find hairs on your clothing, feel the prickle of eyes focused on you from the dark running up your spine to settle dully on the back of your neck. You have tried before to get a glimpse of the creature, but it only seems to exist in the very corner of your eye and retreats when your gaze tries to creep around to catch it.

Lela never talks about the cat. She told you once that it is only her and her wife that live in the basement below the library. You have never seen her wife and fear she must have some permanent sickness that stops her from being able to do much. You think they should move above ground so she can at least see the world through the windows obscured by racing raindrops, but you keep it to yourself.

The one computer here is old, the white plastic exterior now yellowed. Still, it is the only gateway to the outside world in this little town and you blow at your tea while waiting for your search results. ‘SAS military bases in West Virginia’ is a shot in the dark, but you need to start somewhere. After a sip you dump more sugar into your cup before looking at your finally loaded results.

There are none. No British military installations at all in the USA. You had hoped at least the results would bring up something about training exercises but it is just pages of useless information about bases around the world. You read about the SAS, fall down a rabbit hole of how they torture their soldiers to train them to withstand it. You go through pages and pages of search results until finally one talks about SAS soldiers in this area.

The link takes you to a dusty website that stopped being updated sometime in the late 90s. It’s some sort of conspiracy blog and you are prepared to close it, but you can’t help but get lost in the story it tells.

The details are unclear which you suppose is the hallmark of any good conspiracy. 40 years ago. There was a team of two, or maybe four or maybe seven. They set up just outside the woods with little to no explanation. There’s an interview from a local, not a name you recognise so one you think is likely long dead. She says two of the soldiers went into the woods first. She remembers something bad must have happened, because there was an argument between the five left outside. Nobody was allowed close, but she watched two more men go into the woods. After that the operation seemed to vanish entirely overnight and nobody heard anything more about it.

Whoever authored the blog has a gift with words because despite your logical mind knowing it was probably nothing but a random training exercise, the hairs on the back of your neck raise.

There is a photo of the alleged unit at the end loading slowly. You stare in fascination as line by line appears from the top. The world stops before it fully loads. At first you are confused as to why your whole body is tense, why your heart is racing. And then you figure it out. Silence. Complete and all together sudden silence. No rain hitting the windows, no scratching of the cat echoing, not even the whir of the computer.

You do not want to look away from the screen. You do not want to turn around. The prickle on your neck goes from dull to sharp.

The computer powers down.

—

He says to call him John. This man does not walk to your right like the Scottish one, or behind you like the first one you met. He walks in front of you. You can see the full expanse of his back clad in a vest. He wears a hat. He only ever turns slightly, enough to see that he has sideburns but never enough to see his face.

You are so enraptured by being able to see so much of him so clearly that it takes you a while to notice there is someone on your left. A few steps behind like the Scottish one does on your right. It takes you by surprise enough that you are about to forget the unspoken rules and turn, but John predicts your move.

“Eyes forward.”

“Sorry” you say automatically, fixing you eyes to his back and letting the other man stay as the impression of a creature just in sight of your left eye.

“They’re pretty, Captain.”

“I’m aware.”

It should not make you blush but somehow it does.

“What’s you name?” you ask.

There is no way to direct it specifically to the man on your left, so you simple direct it to the back of John and hope that the trees will send it where it needs to go.

“Captain?” the man asks, not for permission but as if genuinely unsure of the answer.

“Kyle, your name’s Kyle.”

“Right. Kyle.”

You catch the movement of him touching his chest, maybe rubbing at a name tag there but you can’t be sure.

“You can call me Gaz if you like.”

John and Gaz are your company for weeks. Whenever you ask after the other two, the air turns sweet and bloody and you are left alone among the jimsonweeds.

—

“Got intae trouble for ye.”

You’re not sure where you are but you recognise the voice. Is he in your room?

“We both did. Curiosity would’ve killed you little kitten,” comes the other voice from the first man in the woods somewhere behind you.

You hazily look down at yourself. You are not in the bed at the inn, you are in another bed laid on your back. You feel your legs brush against one another, not clad in the flannel you remembered wearing. Silk, you are wearing silk. Delicate against your skin, not much of it. Were you wearing perfume? Something smells sweet.

As you stare at the bare expanse of your leg a hand sinks into your thigh, squeezes.

“Fuck LT, so soft. Fingers just sink right in.”

You fight the urge to look to the right where the hand is coming from. You can’t look, some primal part of your brain knows you cannot look.

“Stay away from the woods” the man behind you whispers into your ear like a caress as his hands settle gently around your neck.

You do not feel the snap of bone, but you hear it. You taste the blood in your mouth.

You do not manage to fall back asleep when you wake.

—

Breakfast, library, try to sleep, don’t go into the woods, dinner, try to sleep, stare at the wallpaper, try to sleep.

—

You overhear Axell and Lela once. You think they are talking about you.

“You think we’re doing the right thing?” Axell asks.

“I don’t think there is a right thing anymore.”

“It’s been a long time now. Maybe we should let them go.”

“You think we could?”

There is a silence. Neither of them thinks so. Paranoia settles over you that you haven’t felt since back when things got bad. It’s like an old vice settling into your bones, or maybe seeping out of them as if it never truly left. You cannot go back to that place again so you take some aspirin for the rhythmic pulsing behind your eyes and the dull prickle at the back of your neck and resolve to put any thoughts of conspiracy out of your mind. Lela and Axell are simply old, there is not something they know that you do not.

—

You do not mean to walk into the woods again. The man behind you is back. He feels different somehow.

“I could eat you right up” he says against your neck.

Old Mr Kleer sees the bloodied bite at your throat and says nothing as you walk by.

—

You book a bus ticket. It feels too much like there are tendrils growing from you to burrow into the ground, to fix you here. If you don’t rip them out now, it is only a matter of time until the roots are so deep you won’t be strong enough to move. You aren’t eating properly, you’ve hardly slept and when you do you wake up with a bitter taste in your mouth and covered in scratches. There is still the shape of a bite on your throat and the B&B owners in Pennsylvania look at you with pity as you check in.

The building is charming and fairly new. You stare at the neutral pink wallpaper. One corner of it has lifted ever so slightly. You fall asleep staring at the peek of green underneath.

—

It doesn’t rain as much here, the sun is out and everything seems more colourful. Weeks pass in a haze and you slowly emerge again, eating properly, sleeping through the night. The town on the Greenbrier starts to fade to an unpleasant dream.

—

There is something comforting about the old man who comes to stay and sits by you for breakfast in the mornings. He has the remnants of a Russian accent and laughs frequently and easily. The stories he tells are fantastical, but he’s non-committal about his visit to small town Pennsylvania although he at least tells you that he likes the nature around here. He whispers that his legs aren’t up for much walking anymore, so he has to take the easy paths through small patches of nature.

It takes a week or so more to work up the courage to accompany him on a walk. It seems silly, but the woods make you feel afraid. Maybe a short walk through the small area he spoke of will help you get beyond it. You rub at your neck, feeling the marks faded but still there.

—

He notices your discomfort and tries to ease it with his stories as you walk the dirt path.

“It’s the most important thing I’ve learned you know” he says, the aching grief in his voice causing you pause, “you cannot leave friends behind.”

You turn to him, intending to ask how much longer the path leads since it is getting dark now. He is not there.

“Nik?” you ask, calm at first but increasingly more frantic.

That old familiar dull prickle settles on the back of your neck as you run back down the way you came to get out of the woods. Drooping tree limbs get in your way and you push through, ignoring the scratches. As darkness falls you slow to a walk, unable to see anything in front of you. You catch the smell the sweetness of the jimsonweeds. You can smell blood.

Foot steps that are not your own surround you. A set in front of you. One behind. To the left and to the right.

“Welcome home.”

[loliwrites]

The One You Need | six

🎶 I spent most my life thinkin’ love was out of reach, so maybe just this once, you could be the one I need, if you let me be the one you need🎶

pairing: neighbor!joel miller x f!reader  rating: explicit, 18+ minors dni  summary: when you move into town hellbent on keeping everyone at an arm’s length, your neighbor Joel finds his way into your life. warnings/tags: au, neighbor joel, age gap [reader is late 20s/early 30s, Joel is late 40s], hyper-independent reader, angst, first real date, discussion of dysfunctional parental relationships, turbulent sibling relationship, joel makes reader cry [not in a mean way], cuddling, terms of endearment [sweetheart, babygirl], female reader, no physical description, protective!joel, soft!joel, dare i say ei!joel, no use of y/n. word count: 6.2k series masterlist | part five a/n: it’s about time, huh? (the last part was released about 10 months ago 💀 but i’m back hunni buns. and back to remembering why i love sweet, emotionally intelligent joel

Make it hurt.

Make it hurt.

The words were seared into Joel’s brain. He even saw them etched into his eyelids when he closed his eyes. If only you’d known that the man standing in the bathroom doorway, watching you get ready, had a mind reeling with worry. Instead you, leaning over the sink, carefully applying eyeliner, snuck a glance at him through the mirror and only recognized how absolutely gorgeous he was.

He’d gotten back into his jeans and green flannel, much to your dismay for the want of his bare chest, broad shoulders, and soft stomach. His arms were folded over that now covered chest, shoulder leaning against the jamb, one foot crossed over the other. Despite you having been getting ready for the better part of an hour now, it hardly looked like his patience was waning. All too willing to have nothing more than your presence for as long as you’d have him. Even when you traded in your eyeliner for the tube of mascara and pulled the firm-bristled brush over your lashes, you heard him take a deep breath but it didn’t sound like an argument to the time you were taking to doll up. After all, it was the first time Joel would see you in any amount of makeup designated for him. You chose to forget the night he’d swooped up on your porch, handgun in his waistband, and shooed your pushy date away. Though that night you hadn’t gotten made up for him.

Face painted and ready to get changed, you waltzed past him in the threshold, keen to the fact that he spun slowly to keep you in his eyeline. Even took a couple steps in the direction of your bedroom before you paused and pressed a hand to his chest, insisting he go on and wait in the living room for you. You hadn’t needed help getting dressed since you were a kid. And it wasn’t like you were getting completely dressed up. Joel was in a flannel and jeans. It was all you needed to know he wasn’t taking you to some Michelin rated restaurant. You ventured to guess he’d take you somewhere a tad nicer than a diner, where food that would stick to your bones was served. So you emerged from the bedroom a few minutes later and pulled the door shut behind you until it clicked back on itself. His boots created soft thuds on the hardwood floor where he paced, waiting, anticipating.

All that stopped when you came into view.

You stood, arms held out to the side to show off the long, simple dress you’d thrown on. Something probably better suited for a day of peak summer day-drinking instead of a dinner date night nearing autumn. But you looked up into Joel’s eyes, seeing if you could figure out what he was thinking before he said it, and it wasn’t hard to do so. It was all written on his face. The way those dark brown eyes darted away from your face and down to the dress and the way the fabric flowed around your legs; a slit in the cotton skirt of it showing just the smallest hint and promise of the skin beneath. His jaw hung slack, forgetting to maintain whatever class or politeness he may’ve felt was deserved. And then all he did was shake his head, eyebrows raised, bouncing a curl loose over his forehead. 

“Good?”

“You look…” he shook his head again, advancing upon you with outstretched arms that eventually found purchase at your waist. Fingers dug firmly into it, squeezing. “You look great… beautiful,”

Though you could tell that’s what he thought, hearing him say the word made your heart jump into your throat. He kept ogling, staring, and now up close. Heat rose in your cheeks and you clutched your hands over his biceps gently, urging him back. “Should we get going?”

He nodded and took your cue. A few quick steps toward your front door and he was pulling it open with a protective and secure hand on your lower back as you passed by. It all started to feel very… adolescent. Like he’d picked you up from home, all nerves and anxiety. Like you hadn’t already seen each other naked a handful of times. Like he hadn’t already been informed of the way you seemed to get a little more turned on when he choked you. The way he opened the front door, and then stood by your side, hand still on your back when you descended the porch steps. How you crossed the street together like that, smiling and talking to each other. You weren’t sure if he noticed but you sure did. Noticed that Mrs. Cole was knitting on her front porch when you passed by, and how she stood from that rocking chair and made for the house as quickly as her old bones could take her, calling for her husband. Or the way Kelly… poor Kelly… paused her progress on helping her kid out of his booster seat in the car and stared, having to witness the man she wasn’t a match for, parade down the street with the new neighbor who seemed to be.

That one made you bow your head, trying to avoid not only her gaze, but Joel’s as well. Had your initial resistance to men and relationships been a game? One that the very core of his primal being couldn’t help but want to chase? Had you trapped him here in a false promise that if he caught you and won, there’d be a prize at the end? There was a very obvious and adult way of figuring that out. You could ask him. Talk it out and see what was there. But that would require you to make it real. To say that you were noticing something between you two, and if he noticed that too, which he surely would after you’d brought it up. So you swallowed it and smiled graciously to him as he pulled open the passenger side door of his truck and helped you up into it.

Once you were settled, he closed the door and circled the truck to his side, wasting no time in getting in the driver’s seat and starting the engine. The truck was in gear in no time, and right as he started off down the street, through the neighborhood, past all the nosy, small-town neighbors, he reached over and placed his hand on your thigh. Wrapping his fingers around it and giving a soft squeeze. You could feel his eyes shifting to you. Back and forth from the road to you; inspecting. And fearing that a conversation you wanted to delay would arise, you kept your gaze out the window. Downtown Austin was coming into view but Joel wasn’t exactly taking the route to get you to it.

“Slide on over here,”

Finally, you looked at him. He was already looking back at the road, but his hand on your thigh tightened and pulled, urging you closer to him. Closer meant he wouldn’t have as good of a view of your face, so you obliged. Moved yourself across the bench and settled in next to him, where his arm released your thigh and migrated up around your shoulders. His hand hung limp just over you.

“Nervous?” He asked and shook you gently. And being met with a questioning expression, he pressed a smile. “You’re kinda quiet,”

“Just thinking,”

“Uh oh,”

You nudged into his side, earning a more authentic smile and even a little chuckle. Foregoing focus on driving for a split second, he pressed his lips against your temple. “Wanna talk ‘bout it?”

A quick shake of the head was all you were hoping to have to do to dismiss the topic. Tell him? About how it was scaring the hell out of you that despite your best efforts and consciousness, you were somehow becoming dependent on him. Absolutely not.

Joel took a deep breath. He’d caught the shake of your head from the corner of his eye, and with your lack of clarification, his brain – which had already been on a witch hunt of its own – picked back up where it had left off. Only now you weren’t in front of the mirror with things that could be turned into eye weapons. You were just here. Next to him. Curled beneath his arm. And he couldn’t get this convoluted duality to quiet down. The one where part of it was riddled with this gentle caring and acceptance of what this was, and the other part that resulted in him finding his handprint on more than one spot on your body.

“I’ve been thinkin’ too, and I…”

He leaned forward in his seat, glancing out the side view mirror before he veered into the left lane. The silence gave you time to look up at him and study his face. The graying scruff at his jaw nearly meeting the curls that had grown long enough to wrap at his neck. 

“M’not sayin’ I didn’t enjoy it. I think it’s obvious I did,” he cleared his throat, attempting to get the image of you bent over the kitchen counter out of his head. His hand circled the steering wheel, fingers outstretched to make the right hand turn, before circling it back, getting it straight again. “Guess I’m tryna figure it out…” he paused and shook his head, deciding to ask a different way, “did your parents comin’ over have anything to do with… it,”

Your eyebrows furrowed, confusion sweeping through you. And figuring his brain was cannibalizing itself more than yours was, you set your hand in his lap and squeezed his thigh, giving him the permission to continue.

“You askin’ me to make it hurt,” his eyes flicked down at you. All you could do was cower a bit more into his side, but he lost the nerve to keep his eyes on you, and shook his head softly again. “I know you said I did what you asked, but I think I might’ve gone a bit overboard and actually hurt you, and…” he cleared his throat again. “If you asked because your parents showed up, and fuckin’ an older guy sorts out daddy issues, I… guess what I’m tryin’ to say is that’s alright if that’s what this is, but I need to know. ‘Cause then you’re saying stuff like you’re mine. And I know that was during sex, and I wouldn’t want to be held accountable for everything I say during sex, but…” He looked back down at you, the realization that he’d gone ranting catching up with him. 

Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, the drive was over. Truck now sat in a crowded parking lot. The world could look in and get a glimpse of something you’d rather have been doing in private. But Joel removed his arm from around your shoulders so he could turn the keys and pull them out of the ignition. “I can’t be the guy that marks up a woman like that,”

“Joel,”

“Not when she says stuff like she’s mine and… yeah I don’t care if it was just a during-sex thing.” He took a breath and cleared his throat, “so I don’t think I’m gonna be able to do that with you again. The really rough stuff. Maybe if you were a one night stand. But you’re not. You’re… you,”

“What’s that mean?”

He glanced at you sideways and pushed his door open, “means we’re on a date. Stay there,” he slid out of his truck and slammed the door shut behind him.

And even if you had been so inclined to move, Joel cut you off by hustling around the front of the truck so he could make it to the passenger-side door first. He tugged on the handle and held the door open for you; his free hand coming down for you to steady yourself on the jump out of the cab. You, however, growing uncomfortable with his honesty, stepped out of the truck by yourself, choosing to forego his help. That was the absolute very least you could do.

If there was any thought or hope that at some point through dinner you’d both snap out of it and return to the chemistry you so obviously had in private, that was squashed by the time the waiter set your plates down in front of you. Conversation had waned – nay, come to a complete stop – and your drinks were the only things keeping your mouths busy.

“Thank you,” you smiled up at the waiter. A quick flick of your eyes to Joel had you seeing that he’d gone straight for his fork and knife, even refusing to say a word to the waiter. Who, also feeling the awkwardness in the air, left your table as fast as humanly possible. 

“You gotta tell me what’s going on,” Joel all but demanded.

“What do–”

Beautiful, divine providence. That’s all that could be said for the way your phone started vibrating in your purse at that very moment. And under any normal circumstance, you would’ve ignored it completely. But it was a sign from God. A get out of jail free card. Only you did just that – scoured through your purse with your hand in the shape of a ‘search claw’ and rifled around until you felt it buzzing against your fingers. Another quick glance at Joel to find his expression now purely unimpressed, before you looked down at your phone screen. And seeing the name across it, you wished you hadn’t seen it at all. 

Joel noted how you re-hid your phone in your purse by clearing his throat. When it grabbed your attention again, he raised his eyebrows, “talk to me. And don’t say it’s nothin’.” He pushed a forkful of food into his mouth, and just when you opened your mouth to say something, he beat you to the punch, “be honest.”

“I’m not just fucking an old man to get over daddy issues, I’m fucking an old man because I like him,” you glared, a little meaner than you thought you’d be.

“Don’t pull punches,” he smiled.

“My mom is weak. My dad’s a steam roller. And I’ve spent my entire life being pitted against my sister in a battle of which one is prettier and which one is smarter. One of us was supposed to find a man to take care of her, and the other was supposed to get a career and take care of herself. Guess which one I am.” You lifted your wine glass to your lips, thankful this place had a somewhat palatable house red. “I asked you to make it hurt because I wanted to feel something. Something that overshadowed the things that their presence evokes in me. And if I’m being completely honest, I asked you to make it hurt because I like you. Because if you hurt me, I mean, really hurt me… even if it’s just in this way, then I can chalk you up as being like every other guy. No good,”

“You–”

“But I fucked up,” you interrupted him and set your wine glass back down. Cocked your head to the side and shook it absently. “Because you didn’t just hurt me like I asked you to. You fucking took care of me after. You ruined my plan,”

“Sorry,” he smirked.

You shook your head again. This time with more intent, “and Kelly saw us walking to your truck. She knows. And it looked like it broke her heart all over again. So I think we should stop doing this and you should give her another chance,”

“What about what I think?”

“Be able to give you the type of relationship you want. I think she’d make you really happy,”

“You make me happy,” he sat back in his chair and pressed a wide smile when that made your eyes return to his fully. “At least you do for now. Think you’re gonna be a pain in my ass in fifteen to twenty years, but maybe I’ll be dead by then,”

“Joel–”

“You know what I think?” He paused for effect but wasn’t actually looking for an answer from you. “I think it’s fucked your parents pitted you against your sister, knowingly or not. I think it’s fucked up that you were made to believe you’re only smart. I think you’re fuckin’ gorgeous. I think you should stop bein’ so afraid of wanting something. Or someone. And I think you should let me try and get you to fall in love with me.”

“Fall in love with you?” You exhaled in a way that sounded like a laugh of disbelief. “Good luck,”

He lifted his beer bottle, “don’t think it’ll be too hard. ‘Cause here’s the thing,” he scooted forward in his chair, a smirk growing across his lips as he leaned over the table toward you, “you ain’t never had a man take care of you before, and now you’re gettin’ a taste of it. You don’t know what it’s like to let a man in and let him love you. You won’t let yourself. Hell, you didn’t even know sex was supposed to come with aftercare.”

“Did too,” it dawned on you that you sounded more like a petulant child than a full-fledged adult.

“Yeah, you tryna sneak outta my house after the first time because I was gone a couple minutes… Sweetheart, you don’t even know what love looks like.” He took a sip of his beer, “how could you know something if it was never taught to you?”

You bit the inside of your cheek to try and keep the tears you felt burning in your eyes at bay. “What’re you trying to do? Make me feel stupid?”

Joel pursed his lips. His eyebrows furrowed and you couldn’t help but notice but the best description for the expression he now gave was remorseful. “To you, bein’ stupid must feel like the worst thing you could be, huh?” His eyes searched yours for affirmation to his question and found more than enough of it. “It’s not. And you’re not,” Joel reached forward and took your hand when you tried to grab at your wine glass again. He intertwined his fingers with yours and squeezed them tight, holding on despite you fighting him to pull away. “You’re not stupid,”

“Joel,”

“You hear me? You’re not stupid,”

“Stop it, Joel,” you pleaded, the first tear falling from your eye, trailing a wet line down your cheek.

“You’re not, babygirl,”

Finally you’d manage to pull your hand out of his grasp and raised both to your face, covering your eyes. You wouldn’t let him see you cry; to show your weakness. Your chest bounced and the breath caught in your throat as you tried to stifle your sobs. For the only thing worse than Joel seeing you cry, was the entire restaurant seeing you cry. And you’d either been at it for longer than you thought, or he managed to pay for the bill rather quickly, but either way, the next thing you knew was you were being hauled up to your feet. Joel kept a hand on your elbow and the other on your upper back. His thumb and index finger cradling the base of your neck to guide you safely out of the restaurant despite your head being bowed.

“Almost back at the car, sweetheart,” he murmured in your ear.

You figured as much. You’d taken far too many steps to not be back at his truck by this point. Just a few more steps. A few more staggered breaths as calmness still evaded you. Then you were pulled to a halt and Joel reached forward for the door handle. He’d only manage to tug the passenger door open before you were turning into him, standing up on your tiptoes to wrap your arms over his shoulders. Your face buried into the crook of his neck.

“I gotcha, babygirl. I got you,” he kept his arms embraced around you tightly. Squeezed you to his body and kissed your temple in the same moment you pressed your lips to his neck for a kiss. 

He rocked you side to side, almost like what you’d do to a baby to soothe them. And whether it was the motion, or the smell of him, or the feel of his lips on the side of your head while he whispered all the gentle things you’d always wished a man in your life would say…

You’re alright, sweetheart. 

I’m proud of you.

You’re safe.

You’re not stupid.

And all these things that sounded a little bit like I love you.

Your breathing evened out. Lungs filled with fresh air that also smelled like his cologne. Once you lowered yourself from your toes and returned to your normal height, you looked up at him and sniffled. If he could like you looking like this, he could like you anytime. And Joel, always unwavering, pinned a genuine smile to his face when you showed him your face again. He lifted his hands and cupped your cheeks; thumbs wiping away the wet trails your tears had left behind.

“Sorry,” you shook your head, giving him an exaggerated pout.

He shook his head in return, “no, no. You been carryin’ this weight a long time.” He wiped his thumbs over your cheeks again, this time with a nod. “Don’t I look like a big, strong man that can carry some of it?”

You looked up into his eyes, really hoping that what you’d find was yes, he did look like someone to carry some of the weight. You also hoped that if that was indeed what you found, that it wouldn’t scare you away immediately. “Take me home, Joel.”

✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿

Home.

Such an odd word to use with him.

Home.

What was that? Your house? His house? Either one as long as he was there? Maybe in this state you were just inclined to read too much into your own words. Let fear build in the recesses of your brain and wonder if they’d be the thing that would eventually scare him off. You figured it was just your own mind playing tricks on you. Making you believe the worst before it ever happened, as if to ensure that it would. A self-fulfilling prophecy. 

Joel certainly wasn’t making you feel that way. Not on the entire drive back home. One of his hands on the steering wheel, the other stroking over the back of your head, playing with your hair. Him checking in with you every time a red light stopped your forward progress. Y’alright? And the gentle smile he’d return when you assured him yes. Not when he walked you back up to your front door and waited for you to unlock it. His hand remained on your lower back, his thumb dragging lazy circles over the fabric of your dress. Not when you asked if he’d come in and his answer was an immediate and resolute, of course.

And surely not now when you returned to your bedroom and found him lounging back in your bed in his underwear, ogling you when you walked in in nothing but the green flannel he was wearing earlier. The buttons undone. The fabric undulating against your body. Desire and lust flared up in his eyes as you crawled up on the bed. 

“C’mere,” he cocked his head back, inviting you forward to his lap. 

Legs straddled his waist with ease as if it had been a move you’d been perfecting with him for years. His hands folded to your thighs. Strong fingers wrapped around supple flesh. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t want you to stay over tonight.” You glanced to the side where Joel was already staring at you. “I’m exhausted,”

He chuckled and closed his eyes, turning his head straight again, “wasn’t planning on staying. Your bed fucked up my back.”

“My bed’s not the–”

Joel squeezed your thighs once, twice, quickly, “shh, c’mere, I wanna tell you a secret.”

You furrowed your eyebrows and pressed your hands to his chest. “What?”

“Come closer,” he whispered, very nearly forcing you to lean in just to be able to hear him.

So you did. Crowded his personal space and leaned in, very ready to turn your head to the side to get your ear closer to his mouth for this so-called secret. But Joel lifted his hand and took hold of your chin before you could turn it away from him. He held you there, and as your eyes widened in confusion, you noticed how his gaze danced over your face – from your eyes, to your nose, mouth, down to your chin where his grip grew gentler, and all the way back up to your eyes. And you opened your mouth to once again ask what the secret was, but your lips parted and before any noise could slip out, Joel met you the rest of the way. Leaned forward and pressed his lips to yours, softly and then all at once. He inhaled deeply and upon releasing your chin, cupped his hand over the side of your face; fingers cradling the back of your head while his thumb stroked over your cheek.

You parted slightly, catching your breath, “that’s a good secret.”

“Got somethin’ else to tell you,” he hummed, not wasting any time in getting you back into a kiss.

You smiled softly against his lips, allowing your tongue to meet his as it searched for entrance into your mouth. Finding it, a gravelly moan escaped his lungs, hung in the air between you for just a moment, until you swallowed it down. Beneath you, you could feel his length growing harder. Joel, too, let you know that he was aware of it. He let out another hum of recognition and reached around you with his free hand, ducking it beneath your ass, and tugged on the fabric of his underwear. 

With another breath, you pulled away from him and set your forehead against his. Eyes pinned downward, focused on your hands on his chest. Fingers dancing over the dusting of hair down the center. “D’you want me to blow you?”

His response was instantaneous. First by shaking his head. Then by the way he leaned in and pecked your lips, and the hand on your cheek drifted down to your shoulder and held you. “No… I–” he rested his head back on the wall behind your bed, “are you okay? I didn’t mean to make you cry earlier.”

For the second time that night, you opened your mouth to say something. To tell him it was alright. You know he didn’t mean to do that. And for the second time that night, your phone interrupted you. There on the nightstand, the whole thing buzzed. The wood tabletop seemed to accentuate the noise and both you and Joel turned to look at it. You know he saw the name flash across the top. And knew he clocked the way you leaned over to quickly turn the screen black again, sending the call to voicemail. It wasn’t the first time you’d done that tonight either.

“Y’wanna get that?” he prodded gently. But you were quick to shake your head and return to your spot on top of him, taking him into another kiss. He took your shoulder again and eased you back. “Might be important if they keep callin’,”

“It’s just my sister,”

Joel’s eyebrows raised. Eyes widened. The very sister that so much of your inner baggage was tied up with. He didn’t want to press. Didn’t want to urge you to divulge too much and end up in tears again. He knew he was treading choppy water.

“I’ll call her back tomorrow,” you mumbled, sounding less than enthused. Running your fingers through his graying scruff, you tried to ignore the fact that you really would have to call her back tomorrow. “Sure you don’t want me to blow you?”

He shook his head again. More insistent this time. “Just want to cuddle up with you before you kick me out for the night,”

You smiled, almost to yourself as you leaned forward, turning your head to the side and resting your cheek on his chest. Legs straddled his lap, arms wrapped around his torso, You couldn’t have been closer to him if you tried. A yawn torn you, absolutely exhausted from the entire day. The fact that your parents had been there that morning seemed like a lifetime ago.

Nuzzling into Joel, you let out a sigh, “your time tonight’s running short.”

He let out a chuckle, and the next thing you felt was his lips pressing down to the top of your head. A subtle nod of acknowledgment. 

✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿

You woke up due to a shuffling around your bedroom. Squinting into the sunlight that poured in through the window, you spotted Joel pulling his jeans up his legs. He fastened the button and looked in your direction.

“Mornin’,” he looked around, searching for his flannel that you’d thrown off sometime during the night. “I’ve got an early job,”

You nodded and pointed him in the direction of the foot of the bed where you knew he’d find his shirt. “So much for not staying the night,”

He followed your tip and retrieved the garment from off the floor, quickly sliding it on and doing up the buttons, “yeah, my back’s paying for it.” Rounding back to your side of the bed, he bent forward and kissed your forehead, “you wanna come over tonight?”

Foregoing everything but a nod, you let your tired eyes drift back shut. The next thing you felt were his lips on yours, giving a chaste kiss. It almost made you think you could do this every morning for the rest of your life.

Sometime between Joel using the bathroom and leaving the house, you fell back asleep. Taken back to recuperate from the previous day. Looking forward to doing nothing but lounging around and knowing you’d actually have to put in some work today. Two hours later when you woke again, the rest of the neighborhood had too. The sounds of the suburbs seeping in through your old single-paned windows. Note to self, get Joel to replace those with double-paned. 

Rising from bed and starting your morning routine, you noted all the other things around the house you’d have to ask Joel to do. Fix that annoying drip of your shower head. Replace the kitchen faucet to something not so antique looking. Blow out your dryer vent so you didn’t accidentally burn the house down. As you added each thing to the mental to-do list, it became increasingly more frightening how much you needed him to do. How much you needed him. And if that just didn’t make your coffee taste like tar.

It really started to weigh on you. How dependent you were on him being around. How you were spending practically every night with him. Thankfully, the buzzing of your phone pulled your attention away from cynical thoughts. Even if it was your sister calling again. Surely talking to her would be less painful than the rabbit hole in your brain.

“Hi–what?” You furrowed your eyebrows trying to make sense of your sister’s frantic words. It almost made you feel guilty for sending her to voicemail the previous night. “What’re you talking about?” Another pause but her voice didn’t get any less agitated. “Slow down, I can’t understand you,”

Once she took a breath you were able to catch up on her rant. And what you’d gathered was unfortunately something you’d seen had been a long time coming. New parents with a single income in southern California, your sister was cluing into the fact that her husband – the father of her baby – wasn’t exactly the dad she hoped he’d be. You wondered why she was surprised by his absent-mindedness. He hadn’t gone to any of her appointments. He hadn’t waited on her when she was nauseous or doubled over in pain. In fact, he didn’t do much of anything for her in the nine months of what you’d heard had been a pretty hard pregnancy. So her surprise at his absence now that the baby was here was baffling. But here she was, complaining to you about how he leaves for work early in the morning, and comes back in the evening. And though she too had spent the entire day working – as a mother – he didn’t help her with the baby when he got back home. He sat  around, waiting for her to cook dinner, and change the baby, and feed and bathe the baby. He bitched at her if the house wasn’t tidied up. Shit, he hardly even acknowledged the baby. 

And though you wanted to ask her why she was surprised – this is who he’d always shown himself to be – you knew that wasn’t helpful. This was your sister’s new reality. Surely she was growing aware of what a mistake it had been to be to hitch her wagon to him. And you pointing that out wouldn’t change anything. It would still be a mistake.

“What can I do?” It was the only remotely helpful thing you could think to say. And it was genuine. You imagined venturing into motherhood was hard enough. Doing so as if you were a single parent when you expected to have the support of a partner must’ve added to the difficulty. So when she told you the thing that would be helpful, you agreed immediately.

✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿

If Joel’s back wasn’t hurting enough before work, it surely was after. He limped up the stairs to his front door. One hand clutching the railing and the other clutching his lower back. The perfect night was looking like it’d include a heating pad and a lot of whiskey. He hoped you wouldn’t mind.

In fact, he’d just poured himself his first glass of whiskey when he heard the knock on the front door. Figured you saw him come home. He was going to be sure to make fun of you for watching him out your front window again. All ready to give you a good ribbing, he tugged open his front door with a big smile on his face. But upon seeing you, that vanished entirely. A large rolling suitcase was beside you. A carry-on sized duffel pack in your hands.

“Goin’ on a trip?”

“I’m goin’ to my sister’s house,”

His breath caught in his throat. He remembered all the calls you’d avoided the previous night. Wondered how catastrophically wrong it had gone for you to be leaving. “Why?”

“I don’t know when I’m gonna be back,”

“Can you come in so we can talk?” He stepped to the side to allow you space to come in. He wasn’t prepared for you to deny him.

“I have to catch my plane,”

“Is this because of yesterday?” He cocked his head to the side figuring you weren’t bound to tell him the absolute truth. Yet, he surmised he knew the real reason. “You’re spooked,”

“What?”

He nodded. Hit the nail on the head. “Something clicked in for you about us and now you’re spooked. Running away,”

“Am not,”

“Okay. Then tell me,”

“Joel, I have to go,”

“I’m not trying to trap you,” he murmured and stepped out toward you. “I don’t know what exactly got you spooked, but I’m guessing it probably has to do with me being around so much. Maybe I’m doin’ too much for you. Gotta get you to mow your damn lawn,”

“Joel–”

“I’m just trying to take care of you,”

“I don’t need you to take care of me.”

“I know,” he nodded and cupped his hand to the back of your head. “But I want to. And I can. If you’ll let me,”

“I gotta go Joel,” you pressed back against his hand, but he did he best to keep you in place.

“Give me a kiss,”

You knew it was probably the wrong thing to do given that you truly didn’t know when you’d come back. If you would come back, or if you’d spend some time back in California and end up selling your home here. You knew it’d be easier to cut him off here. But his lips looked so soft and you yearned to feel them at least one more time. So you did as he asked and leaned in for a kiss. Let him cradle your head with all the fondness in the world and give you the most tender kiss you imagined existed.

Joel didn’t want to let you go. He knew if he did, each day that passed increased the likelihood he’d never see you again. But you eventually won out. Pulled away enough that your lips parted and you took a step back. You stared up at him, not fearing his gaze, almost as if hoping to sear his image into your memory. Then with a sheepish nod, you turned with your suitcase and walked off his porch and to the awaiting car he hadn’t even noticed had pulled up to whisk you away from him.

[accio-victuuri]

(8) cql shoot “fake” moments 📼

i am picking certain contributions in this round up made by 泡沫爱恋的晴空. there are different candies in the linked source but this post i’m making are stuff that supposedly happened during filming. if like me, and stories like this are your weakness, then you will enjoy it. maybe you’ve read some of these before or not — even saw some play out in unofficial bts.

1.) My favorite and i wanted an excuse to add an edited clip of GG singing. 🎵🎶 this may not be the actual scenario described in the fake story but fans are speculating it is.

DD's assistant would also bring DD green tea at first, but later she only brought boiled water because he wouldn't drink it. There was a quarrel between the two, gg held the green tea and drank it by himself, while dd stood by and watched Bichen. GG ignored him. dd said, "I'm thirsty.” The assistant thought that dd would be embarrassed to ask gg for green tea, so she took a cup and gave it to him. dd said it’s not green tea, gg didn’t even look at him, and dd said angrily that I don’t want to drink any more.

It's going to be swollen, and it's very embarrassing with dd's assistant next to me (xql quarrel can't help much) , gg just said that they brought it out to you and you didn’t drink it. DD was so angry that he didn’t say anything.

GG gave him the green tea and asked dd's assistant for a drink from dd's water cup. He was very helpless and said that green tea has a grudge against you. He keeps an eye on Green Tea Balabala every day. dd drank half a cup of green tea in one breath. When gg took it, he was shocked. Web, you are poisonous, you won’t give me some. dd said you drink water, zg you won't be swollen. Then the two of them reconciled inexplicably. After gg was called by the director after the show, dd asked the assistant for water. Even if I drink it, I won’t be afraid of swelling. I don’t know and I don’t dare to ask.

I tried my best to rephrase some of the words for it to make more sense but i hope you all get the gist of it. So it’s all about a quarrel they had and reconciling because of green tea. Do friends even do this kind of shit? lol. No. I’m serious. The way they fight and make up — you would think they are high school sweethearts or something. The video shared points to the time they were fighting and ignoring each other. Look at WYB completely ignoring GG while singing — and how GG was glancing at him, looking at his expression. I always thought this scene was sweet cause GG was singing that beautiful love song, now i’m seeing it in a different way. Still sweet of course, but with some edge to it. 🤍🔪

2.) The two are talking about the pokemon character grumpig, this was used by the OP as a starting point to the story but the main point is as follows: There is really too much "trash talk" between them, it's terrifying, and no one else can get in, they just understand it, and if they talk about it, they probably don't need to cut out the highlights.

LOL. There are bts content that will never see the light of day between these two because it’s either too sweet or too savage ��😂😂😂

3.) When I was on the set before, Xiao laoshi would occasionally pout. I don’t know, maybe it was a subconscious action when he was relaxed. Then Lao Wang would say that Xiao laoshi is so cute and pout, and he would say it every time as a fake. If Xiao laoshi is tired, he will be ignored. If he is not tired, he will say something back to him.

One time I saw Teacher Xiao pouting and he took advantage of it! I drew an ugly picture, look at the picture:

Like this, do you understand? Anyway, after pouting, you put your fingers under his lips and then move them up.

4.) One day there was a scratch on the back of his hand. He said team member asked if it was scratched by someone. He said it was not, pointing to a shallow mark — and said this was scratched by him before.

If there are really scratches on the back of my hand when it is broadcast, I am confused and I don’t know anything.

*** i think this pertains to scratches in WYB’s arms lol. we think it’s jianguo but it could be from someone else 😂😂😂

5.) This next one are bits shared by an OP who allegedly met the boys for the first time a year ago, and we were extremely busy. Allegedly this OP is someone who worked with them during CQL promotions. They said that they didn’t know anything about internal entertainment: I just felt that one person who came was not worldly, and the other person was electric. Now I sincerely wish to be with you, and always listen to my heart.

• One is reserved and mature, the other is childish.

• The venue is large, the air outlet temperature of the stage is low, and all has thick coats and it’s bitingly cold. He silently took off his coat and forced the other party to put it on. He breathed silently into his hand, held the microphone to warm it, and exchanged words. To use your description, it means there are stars in my eyes.

• There are a few lines that we hum along while waiting for the venue. It was vaguely him who taught him. I just remember that he sang a line, and my fingertips were moved by the feeling of midsummer.

• His hands were turning the pair of rings intentionally or unintentionally, taking them off, putting them on, and taking them off again. I caught a glimpse of him from the corner of my eye. As they passed by, they kissed each other.

• After the curtain call, accompanied by the deafening song and shouting, a faint sound drifted through my ears several times “Life comes and goes again... I'll be by your side”

AHHHHHH THAT’S ALL IM GONNA SAY. No wonder a lot of people who worked during CQL or interacted with them became cpfs. 👀

6.) Because two people sleep together during ttysj, the younger one is more accustomed to it, and is not so scared anymore. Later, the younger one went out to film a drama alone and slept by himself at night. He was a little scared and not used to it, so he asked Brother Zhan to call him and sing "Bao" "Baby", "My precious baby, let me give you some sweets so that you can sleep well tonight." Then the younger one will not be afraid to sleep well.

this is the song, allegedly, i mean. come on. i wanna fight yibo 😤😤😤 to have xiao zhan sing you to sleep whenever you want to!!!!!

7.) Not necessarily an incident that happened while filming CQL, but during that era in 2018. Most likely from their Bazaar shoot, there is a video of this too, ZZ playing with a dog.

One time when the two of them got together, there was a staff member backstage who brought a puppy to xx and when he was holding the puppy, the puppy licked xx. The person standing next to him looked at the puppy with cold hatred. The staff member was right. Ask xxx, do you want me to lick you too??? No more follow-up, I have other things to do and I'm going out....Don't believe it's fake...

YIBO 😂😂😂😂 I added it here cause it’s so funny! He is even jealous of a puppy!!!! my favorite is how ZZ notices it too, that means he is attuned to WYB’s emotions.

8.) Guizhou has beautiful natural scenery, but the mountain roads are rugged and there are many insects.There are many people. If you want to see the waterfalls during the wet season, you have to hike. After walking for nearly forty minutes with one foot deep and one foot shallow, I happened to hear the sound of water and called out xxx, do you have a wish? When you see the waterfall and you want your wish to come true, close your eyes. It’s fake, don’t believe it.

OP here was talking about what the two of them couldn’t agree on during this interview p1. to those familiar with it, you know what i’m talking about. One was saying there is a waterfall in Guizhou, then the other said there is but they didn’t go. We know that when stuff like this happens, one of them is covering something up. In this case it’s GG.

The fake rumor explains that they did go, WYB asking XZ to close his eyes for a wish was a scheme for him to kiss XZ ( p2 ). He is right tho, if XZ’s wish was WYB, then if he closes his eyes and WYB kisses him— his wish will come true.

I CAN’T. 🥹🥹🥹🥹

WANG YIBO IS SO SMOOTH. 😤😤😤

-END.

[cillianmesoftlyyy]

Wary Sailor Pt. 4 | Matthew Joy x fem!reader

summary: She isn't good for him, but she keeps coming back. What is a man like Matthew Joy meant to do??

warnings: smut, aggression, dubious consent, fingering, penetration, unprotected sex, trust issues lol.

word count: 2574k

Dream Sweet in Sea Major- Miracle Musical 🎶

Another shout out to @everandforeveryours for feeding me inspiration. 1 more part coming... maybe 2? I have an ending in mind for sure!

Matthew awoke with a soft gasp as he felt his body start to fall as he slept. He was still sitting against the wall but had slumped over and forced himself awake. His hands kneaded the straw mattress as he tried to gather his bearings. The whale oil lamp was turned down low so the room was dark and stuffy. Matthew felt sore and feverish after being thrown overboard. He couldn’t get sick, not now. It would be a death sentence to the whole crew. 

Weakly, Matthew lowered himself down onto the mattress and covered himself with the wool blanket. His back spasmed as he did so and he gritted his teeth to keep from gasping in pain. His dark brown hair was plastered against his forehead and he looked more pale than usual. Even his freckles were pale, as if his coloring had been ironed flat. Closing his eyes again, Matthew tried to fall asleep. He returned to the dream he’d been having before with a peculiar quickness. 

In his dream he could see Y/N lying on a rock, surrounded by waves. She was in her human-form and wearing a white dress like a little girl. Beyond her, Matthew spotted a sperm whale breaching the surface for air. Its blowhole sent a spray of water and grime into the air. The girl looked at the way over her shoulder. When the whale finally descended again, she turned and looked right at Matthew. Suddenly, he was there on the rock with her. She could see him and speak to him. Looking between his eyes for a moment, she took a breath and warned him. 

Beware the white whale. 

…

When he woke up again, he looked around the small cabin in confusion. Something else had woken him up this time. Through his squinted eyes he could see only light and shadows, moving with the motion of the ship. He heard the door open, the latch having not been properly secured. It fell open slightly and Matthew could just see into the corridor outside the Captain’s quarters. He forced himself to stand and staggered across the floor to the crude door. As his hand found the handle and started to pull it closed, a hand helped him close it.

He was too tired to react when he turned his head, seeing her standing there beside him, her hand helping him close the door. She was once again in her human-form, her pale legs iridescent with droplets of water. She wore a nicer dress than she had the first time he’d seen her. It was still white but it had long sleeves and ended at her knees. Her neckline plunged deep enough to allow Matthew a view of her glistening sternum. Her hair was braided down her back in a long braid. 

“How did you get in here?” Matthew could only think to ask. His eyes traveled up her body despite his best efforts. Before she responded, she closed and latched the door. When she faced him, her eyes were downcast as if she were embarrassed. Matthew took a deep breath and skipped to his next question, one that seemed more relevant, 

“Why are you here?” He asked and watched as she removed her hand from his and turned away. As she moved away, he felt himself reach for her. His hand gripped her upper arm and pulled her back to face him. Her green eyes rose to meet his gaze and they were wet with old tears. His fingers tightened around the fleshy part of her arm, seeming to forget that she wasn’t human like he was and couldn’t feel the same pain. 

“I said, why are you here Y/N?” His voice was harsher as he spoke through his teeth, “you made it clear the last time we spoke that we couldn’t be together, and yet, here you are… again.” As he said the last sentence, his eyes softened. Despite his best attempts, he loved the girl in front of him, her contradictions and all. 

“I made a mistake… I’m making one now too,” her voice was soft and distracted. She wasn’t making much sense. His grip loosened and she exhaled slowly, her eyes turning fully to hold his gaze. 

“I hope you can understand how much I love you and why that means we can’t be together. Can you see I did what I did because I love you? I’m trying to keep you alive…” 

“Then why do you keep coming back?” He looked her up and down, his heart racing as she licked her lips. 

“I don’t know.” She answered his question honestly and looked between his eyes. Matthew sighed and looked up at the ceiling. He pinched the bridge of his nose and tucked his other hand across his bare chest. His shoulders slumped slightly and his stomach contracted after each breath. His body was sore but he still managed to pull the girl violently to him and kiss her. She was weak in his hold as he held her up on the balls of her feet. His hands held her arms down at her side but it’s not like she was trying to get away. 

He was kissing her so hard that her head was forced back against the wall behind her. Their breathing became heavy as they kissed, teeth pulling at lips and tongues. Pausing for only a moment, Matthew ripped her dress from her body. The fabric split down her chest and slipped down to her feet. 

“Didn’t you know, love? It’s bad luck for a woman to be clothed on a ship,” Matthew went back to kissing her, hauling her away from the wall in his sore arms. He hissed against her lips when he tossed her on the small bunk. 

“Matthew, you’re hurt…” she sat up on her elbows, her brow furrowed. 

“It’s nothing. Just bruising,” Matthew explained in a whisper and leaned over her, his wrists supporting his weight on the mattress. His kiss was slower and softer now that she was on his bed, lying below him. Her hands tenderly explored the muscles on his chest and felt as his muscles contracted below each movement of her finger.��

“God, look at you,” Matthew groaned against her cheek. His hands took her waist and situated her body where he wanted it on the bed. His arm brushed against her bare breast as he moved his hands back to her arms. Matthew pinned her hands above her head against the wreath of her dark hair. 

“I need you… I’d give anything for you,” his breath was hot and heavy against her neck. He kissed her skin, making her peach fuzz stand on end where he kissed. 

“You already have me, sailor.” 

As she said it, Matthew pulled his face back and looked into her pale green eyes. His chest rose and fell so close above her breasts that she could feel the heat from his body. 

“No, not yet but I will.” He responded seriously and let his eyes wander down her body to her knees. With one of his hands, Matthew aggressively spread the girl’s legs and wrapped them around his hips. He’d already had her before but it felt new again as he pressed his erection against her wet cunt. Gasping softly, she pushed against him and moved her hips in a circle. Matthew took his hand and forced two fingers into the girl’s open mouth. She sucked them gently as he kept holding her down. 

“There, that’s it, love.”

Then, removing his fingers from her mouth, Matthew penetrated her with his middle and pointer fingers. He used his thumb to rub her clit, his pressure hard and unforgiving. The girl below him whimpered as he worked her walls into a stretch. The sensation of her natural lubricant on his fingers made his erection even more painful as it strained against his pants. Once he had worked her up enough where she was red in the face and panting, he removed his fingers and sucked them clean. In the next second, Matthew pulled down his pants and teased himself on her entrance. 

“God, just put it in already!” She whimpered before Matthew clapped his hand across her mouth, silencing her. 

“Be quiet, love.” His dark eyelashes fluttered when he finally pushed inside of her. Somehow it was even better than their first time. Matthew hissed loudly as he completely filled her up, hitting the base of her uterus before slowly pulling out again. His back was already spasming from the effort and he tried to ignore it as he thrusted a second time. Sensing that he was losing strength, she pushed him off and forced him back down in her old place.  

“You can still have me, sailor, but perhaps in another way?” She suggested with a shy smile. Still smiling with lust, Matthew smirked and caught on to her meaning. 

“Show me, love,” he nodded and held both of her fleshy hips as she rose on her knees, finding his cock with one of her hands. Holding it straight, the girl lowered herself onto it and nearly gasped out loud. Matthew shushed her kindly and helped guide her down, supporting her so she could go slow. 

“Damn, it feels so fucking good.” Matthew threw his head back, his Adam's apple poking up as he swallowed. He quickly raised it again so he could watch the girl begin to move with more flexibility. She twisted her hips and moved back and forth, working quiet moans from the both of them. She covered her own mouth as she kept up her pace on his cock. She could feel him leak around her, making the base of his cock wet with their sweat and precum. 

She supported herself by pushing one hand against one of his pectoral muscles. Matthew offered her additional support by moving one of his hands to her elbow. Her eyes screamed out in thanks as she changed pace, snapping her hips down and bouncing up and down on her knees. 

“There you go, love. You know just what to do, don’t you?” He gave her a soft laugh and wrapped her hair around his hand, holding it away from her back. Using her hair, he pulled her down to his lips and rubbed his nose against her’s. 

“Do you know how much I love you?” He asked her between their whines. When she didn’t respond, Matthew kissed her. He breathed in through his nose and she nearly melted below his mouth as he bit her bottom lip. 

“I don’t know you at all, and yet, I love you more than anything,” he told her when he released her fat lip. Her eyes poured into his as she sped up her hips. Matthew began to thrust up into her, losing control of his body. She was so wet around him that he could hear the movement of his cock inside her, through layers of muscle and bone. 

“Ride me until the end, love.”

The Siren nodded and arched her back. Matthew grabbed her hand and watched as she worked herself up to a blinding climax. His groans slipped into quiet moans and exhales as she squeezed around him, prompting his own orgasm. They both stifled their shouts of pleasure and stumbled through their climaxes, swapping cum. Finally, she leaned forward again and waited for him to speak. Matthew brushed her hair away from her face and pulled her to his chest. Pulling out as he did, she collapsed against his chest. She could feel every muscle in his chest as she rested her cheek on his body. His heart was racing, the same as hers. 

She rolled over and allowed her head to rest upon his bicep. Matthew rolled his head to the side and watched her. Her lips were parted as she caught her breath. They were both naked save the short breeches caught between Matthew’s legs. Sweat sparkled on the girl’s body, catching his attention. Though he was tired, Matthew propped himself up beside her and lowered his face to her stomach, licking the drops of sweat from her skin. She tasted like salt, both from her body and from the sea. His nose trailed the curvature of muscle leading from her sternum to her navel. The Siren’s hand cupped the back of his freckled neck and ran up into his dark brown hair. She tugged affectionately and petted him like a dog, encouraging a smile from the man above her. 

“I don’t think I have ever loved the ocean more,” Matthew whispered between long drawn out licks. “For having made you was the greatest gift of all.” 

“Quiet now, sailor. Come here and kiss me,” the girl smiled and giggled as Matthew did as she requested, pressing his lips against hers. 

…

“I should leave now, before dawn,” Y/N’s voice broke the calm silence between them. Matthew turned his face to process her sentence. With a disappointed nod, he sat up in the bunk and buttoned his pants. 

“I’ll walk you to the railing.” 

By then, his clothes had dried where he laid them the day before. Having ripped the dress from her body, the Siren was naked, so Matthew handed her his shirt and helped her tie the front laces. 

“It’s bad luck for a woman to wear clothes on a ship,” Y/N laughed softly at Matthew who shrugged his head to the side. 

“That’s true… but it’s only for a moment,” Matthew pursed his lips in faux-thought. Hand in hand, Matthew led her up to the deck of the Essex. Dawn hadn’t breached the horizon but the skin had brightened enough to see a few feet in front of them. The men would be up and working soon, recovering from the storm. She started to mount the railing when Matthew stopped her. 

“Wait, before you go… I had the oddest dream about you and… and a white whale. It’s the same whale the Captain has been chasing, the one that even Owen is beginning to obsess over. They both see it as a trial of some kind. Anyway, you told me to ‘beware.’ Do you know such a whale?” 

She furrowed her brow and nodded worriedly. 

“Yes, I do. Matthew, it’s a red herring. Whatever you do, don’t let these men try to best the beast. You will never win against nature. You can never win against something like me… something born of the sea-”

Voices rose from below the deck and Matthew checked over his shoulder. 

“Promise me you won’t join them in this madness,” her hand grasped his and squeezed painfully tight. 

“I have no control over them-”

“Then make them listen. You must promise, promise that you’ll try.” 

Matthew furrowed his dark eyebrows and took a sharp breath. 

“I promise…” 

“Joy!” 

Matthew turned. She was gone. 

“What the hell are you doing above deck?” One of the deckhands greeted him with a smile and a gentle pat on the back which was still bright purple with bruising. 

“The storm has passed,” Matthew could only think to say and gestured to the calmer sea. 

“For now, I heard Owen saying the Captain wants to chase it, he thinks the whale is following it too.” 

“Where is the Captain?” Matthew’s voice darkened. 

“In his quarters, sir.” 

“Right, watch the horizon. I’ll be back.”

....

End of Pt. 4!

[jade-green-butterfly]

Voila~!😃My fave gay fishes are back, baby!🥰🐍🤎❤️🩷💚💜🎧 I've been meaning to draw some more Synkaa as requested by my sweet sis herself, @x-elyssa-x and I finally got the chance before Halloween and the return of the kitty boop fest, but spookier!😗🐾 I really wanted to draw Kanye being flirty with Synth and hypnotizing him~😏Yush, Kanye has hypnotic powers (just like Kaa) and since he's therapist/hypnotherapist, he uses them to relax and help others during their sessions, especially Synth with his fear in me and Ely's stories. Yet...Kanye still likes to hypnotize him every now and then, for he's just as adorable when hypnotized~😚 And the song that Kanye is singing, is from a really good fanimation called The Sun's Tear (made in 2022) and titled, 'You'll Be Mine'. I made a lowered tone version specially for Kanye, and you can listen to the original song here~🎶

I am also dead chuffed of how Synth's pose came out exactly how I wanted it during Kanye's flirting (this took place after meeting and becoming friends, though for Kanye, it was love at first sight~💘😉) and them resting in bed together with their hair down~💖😍You could say...potential afterglow, hehe~🤭 Hope you all like, dear!👍🏻✨Especially you, my lovely Ely~💗🫂It feel so good to draw our cute gay little fishies once more - I just love them SOOOOO MUCH as you do~!🐍🤎❤️💚💜🎧🤗💕xoxo.

*~Reblogs are also deeply appreciated as well, so please do reblog as well as like! Thank-you kindly!~*

Kanye (c) @x-elyssa-x~💜& @jade-green-butterfly (Me~!)

Synth (c) Trolls TrollsTopia/DreamWorks Animation

[rascalentertainments]

Wish Granted 🌟👩🏾🎶 (Wish Reimagined)

Chapter 7: Royal Pains

Chapter 6

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

"You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?" The queen playfully mocked the two of them. "Time to stop playing games."

"You wouldn't attack two of your citizens in broad daylight. Don't want to damage the precious image you've built up for yourselves." Asha retorted, standing her ground.

Sabor growled as he narrowed his eyes towards her.

"For your information, I don't plan on making a scene here. We can settle this matter quite easily." Amaya gestured to Star. "Hand over the star there and I'll let you return to wherever you came from. With your life intact." Her eyes flickered green as if posing a threat.

"You think I'm just going to give him to you? I'm not stupid, Amaya. You're going to have to go through me if you want him." Asha stood in front of Star, while Valentino bravely jumped in front of both of them. Sabor licked his whiskers as he eyes the goat.

Amaya sighed. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to waste my magic on killing you. But I'll try not to make a mess." she grabbed a small red vial with a skull on it.

Star realized that Amaya wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"WAIT!" exclaimed as he jumped between the two of them. He turned to Asha. "I'll go with her, just run away. Now." He told her. Then gave her a wink.

Asha hesitated for a moment, not sure what he was planning, but she trusted the star. The girl took a few steps back and then took off with Valentino on her heels.

"How sweet of you. Sacrificing yourself for someone you barely know. Its rather foolish, but I'll let it slide." Her voice dripped with fake sincerity.

The star raised his hands to signify his compliance. "All right, you got me. But I gotta ask, why do you need me? I mean, you guys seem pretty powerful. Don't know what you need a star for." He attempted to stall as long as he could.

"Magnifico needs you for something... special in mind for Rosas." Amaya responded, but wasn't telling him the whole story.

"Besides, its not like you're actually a real human." She saw the star's face twitch in reaction to the comment. She found a nerve to hit.

We quickly cut to Asha and Valentino, whom after being far away enough from the queen's view, they decided to sprint around the alley.

"Maaaah??" Valentino questioned Asha's actions.

"Of course I'm not leaving him. I just had an idea. Its a little basic, but I'm just making this up as I go." She admitted.

The two made it around back and Asha quietly sneaked against the wall. There were dozens of crates nearby. She could hear Star talking to Amaya, but he was running out of time.

"Look at yourself." She gestured to his disguise as she took a step forward. "You may look like one of us, and speak like us, but its all just a silly costume for you. You could never be human, or be enough for the girl." Her voice was callous.

Star looked down at his hands. They weren't glowing, but they were still yellow and cartoonish. Humans don't look like that. Or turn into animals.

"...I..." he found it difficult to speak.

She took a look at the crates and got an idea. Asha began to push The crates forward as best as she could, but she was concerned that it wouldn't fall in time.

Suddenly she heard whispering behind her. She turned and saw Gabo from earlier. He seemed rather for someone that was supposed to be being chased.

"Hey, weren't you the guy that was being chased?" She asked.

Gabo snorted. "That snoozer always falls asleep before he can catch me. He's off somewhere taking a nap probably." He waved a dismissive hand.

(Actually, he was.)

"Since you're here, you mind giving me a hand?" Asha usually wouldn't ask anyone in this city for help, but she was desperate.

Gabo took a look at what she was pushing, where it was going to fall and put the pieces together. "I like the way you think, stranger." He rubbed his hands together.

"That's something no amount of magic is ever going to change. You would've been better off in the sky." The woman raised her hand, preparing to throw a red vial at the star, when suddenly—

CRASH!! 💥📦

The large stack of crates crashed down on the woman, and the red vial fell from her hands and rolled away.

Sabor yowled in surprise and rushed to aid his master.

Star snapped out of his trance and he saw Asha and Gabo.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that!" Gabo laughed.

Asha was just relieved it worked. Maybe Star's spur of the moment ideas was rubbing off on her... "Thanks for your help, but we have to go. Like now!" She leaped over the crates and took Star with her.

"Hey, no problem! Need anymore help against these guys, you can count on me!" He said to them as they ran off together. The crates began to move and the guy ran off before the queen could get up or the non sleepy guards arrived.

Just in time, because a few showed up mere seconds later.

"Your majesty, are you all right? Who did this to you?" One of them asked as they pulled the crates off of her.

"I'm fine." She asserted as she snatched her arm away from a concerned guard. "The traitors are here and we need to alert the people. Go warn Magnifico. Now."

Perfect time for us check in on Magnifico:

"You think I'm a fool? You think I can't tell when my own apprentice is lying to me? You've been hiding something from me for far too long, and today I will have my answer." The tip of the king's staff grew a brighter green as he spoke. It was only mere inches from Flazino's face.

Flazino slowly raised his hand in defense. "I wasn't do anything, your Highness! I was just uh..." His voice trailed off, his mind going blank thinking of an excuse.

"You've taking independence with your magic lately. Hearing how you've spreading been it here and there to 'help' some of the citizens. All without my permission." The king continued, his eyes full of suspicion.

The apprentice was only slightly relieved. Magnifico wasn't talking about the Hamlet, but it was still a problem. The king never liked the idea of Flazino using his magic for anything outside of his lessons or demands.

"I was just being a good friend to the people. As you're supposed to be doing, sir." He responded. And we see a shot behind his back where he grabs an item off the table that looks like a magic wand.

"Don't get cocky with me, boy." Magnifico hissed and lowered his staff. He raised his left hand and and motioned for a wish orb from above. One gently came down and he presented it to Flazino. "Remember who holds your fate in their hands."

The image in the orb is fuzzy from a distance, but Flazino already knew it was his own wish: To learn magic and help others with it.

"So choose your next words carefully. Where have you been these past few nights?" He slowly put pressure on the orb as he asked the question.

Flazino could already feel the pressure on his heart. "N-nowhere...sir. I- just go straight h-home." His breathing was becoming slightly irregular and he struggled to get his words out.

Magnifico looked at him with annoyance. "Do you side with the traitors, Flazino?" A small crack appeared on the orb

"No. No....You know I would never side with a traitor of Rosas." His face began to sweat as the strain was growing.

*Knock knock* 🚪

"I am busy at the moment!" Magnifico yelled.

A guard burst through the door, out of breath. The king quickly threw the orb back up into the air and Flazino felt he could breathe again.

"I'm sorry, your majesty...*pant pant* but the queen has had a run in with the traitors." The guard explained.

The king's eyes widened. The star was here! "No need to apologize! I'm greatful to anyone who proves their loyalty to me." He eyed Flazino. "Call the citizens to an assembly. They need to know about this and help us catch them for the protection of Rosas."

He looked at his apprentice. "And you'll be coming with me. Just to keep an eye on you."

Flazino gulped.

We head back outside where Asha and Star had escaped as far as possible from the queen. "Okay, we're officially in crisis mode." Asha said as she pushed through the crowd. "Amaya knows we're here, and its only a matter of time before Magnifico knows too." Her voice sounded shaky.

"Well, I guess my planning skills end here, cause I'm all out ideas." Star shrugged. "And I really don't want to run into the queen again...but I'm sure I can handle Magnifico though." He assured her.

Asha tried to think of another idea, when she felt a tap on her. "Not now, Valentino. I'm trying to think of how to get inside." She shooed him away.

Valentino looked confused as he looked up at Asha.

Asha realized it wasn't her pet at all. She turned and saw the girl with glasses from earlier. Oh great, another problem...

"Hey. Hi. Sorry to bother you but I saw you earlier with your friend and wanted to ask. Is your name really Asha?" She asked, adjust her glasses.

Asha hesitated. "....Yes?"

The woman smiled and gave her a big hug. Asha was still getting used to be hugged by Star, but now this stranger(?) had the same habit too.

"Its me, Dhalia! Remember when you used to live here?" she beamed as she saw her face.

Asha's memories came back to to her. She pushed anything to do with Rosas from her mind since she was a kid.

"You really know her?" Star asked curiously.

"Of course she does! We were best friends when she lived here!" Dhalia answered for her.

Asha was slightly less enthusiastic. "Yeah, actually we were. I just never expected to see you still here." She couldn't admit it hurt to see her former friend still living under Magnifico's thumb.

"My family is greatful for the king and queen. We came here with nothing but a little food we hand cooked, and now were cooking v for royalty!" Dhalia continued. "He's such a kind king..." She sighed dreamily.

Now Asha understood why Flazino was partially stressed about having a crush on Dhalia.

Dhalia shook her head quickly. "I can't believe you're here! I need to know everything. Like, what happened to you and your family? When did you come back? And how did you get a boyfriend of all things?"

"BOYFRIEND?!" Asha exclaimed.

Star was so flustered he had to pull the hood over part of his face, with only his mouth showing. "You're moving so fast on me, Asha!" He nervously chuckled as a bright glow started to show from his face.

(Extra fact: When stars get embarrassed or flustered, their glow brightens and act as the equivalent of a human blush, showing intense emotion)

"For pete's sake..." she ran her hands down her face.

"Oh no, that's fine we were just-"

"I insist! I'm sure our wonderful King and Queen can help you find a place here. And we'll be able to catch up!"

Oh boy, this was going south.

The sound of fanfare trumpets suddenly filled the streets.

"That's the king's assembly call. It must be important. Please, please, come with me!" Dhalia took a reluctant Asha's arm and walked with her.

"By the way, what's your name?" She asked Star.

Star completely forgot he hadn't picked a name yet. "Uh.....Ast- no, Ori- no, Betel, I mean-" this poor guy struggled.

Asha covered for him. "Cosmo! His name is Cosmo."

Star sighed in relief. "Yeah, a completely a normal human name!"

"Oooo, you must be from an exotic country!" Dhalia pointed out.

As she went forward, Asha lightly hit him on the shoulder. "What was that? All those names you've learned and you couldn't pick one?" She whispered in an annoyed tone.

"Hey, I could've picked Betelgeuse. But I don't think I would've remembered that..." Star said in defense.

A crowd gathered outside the castle, completely packed with people from across the kingdom. The royals (and Sabor of course) stood before them, with Flazino far enough in the back.

"Now, now. Settle down everyone. We brought you here because we have an important announcement." Magnifico announced.

"Is it because of that light you did to help us sleep? Cause I really needed that." Simon asked. He really didn't look all that rested though.

"Yeah, I never had a sleep that restful!"

"It was wonderful, thank you your majesty!"

The citizens voices started to multiply as they agreed about last night's magical sleep. Star got a little bit of joy from hearing he helped others without knowing it.

Maginifco began to look annoyed. He took a deep breath. "Unfortunately, that wasn't my magic last night." He hated admitting that.

The crowd slowly stopped cheering.

"While that power came from a source I can't identify, it was quite clumsy and amateur compared to mine." He chuckled. "Its almost like a child did it."

Star was highly offended. "Amateur?! Why you-" he started in an angry whisper, but Asha shushed him before anyone noticed.

Amaya cleared her throat. "Despite this childish display, its also forbidden. Which can only mean one thing: there's a traitor lurking in Rosas."

A collective gasp and whispers emerged amongst the crowd.

"Yes, they used this magic to challenge us and put you all at risk to do it. They have no shame in who they hurt to get to us." Amaya pretended to look sorrowful.

Dhalia whispered to Asha. "Who would even want to hurt them?"

Asha and Star were dead silent.

"But don't you worry your pretty little heads!" Magnifico assured them and giving some positivity in it. "They're no match for us! We are the strongest sorcerers in the world! And I assure you, when they're caught..."

He put out his hand that two tiny figure made of green magic. With a quick clench of his hand, they turned to dust. "They'll be dealt with permanently."

As the crowd cheered, Asha and Star exchanged a nervous glance. They were in the Lion's Den now. Flazino was visibly sweating, but kept his composure.

"Tell us any news you have. Someone acting suspicious, strange magical sightings or even late night outings after curfew." Amaya advised the citizens. "Starting with you." she pointed to a woman in the front.

The woman looked around. "Me?" she questioned.

"Yes, you..." Amaya's voice trailed off trying to remember the woman's name.

"Wendy." Flazino coughed.

"Wendy, yes. Have you seen anything suspicious?"

Asha knew now was the time to leave before anyone questioned them, or worse yet, they were recognized.

"Oh, I just remembered, we have to go. There's a few things I haven't shown Sta- Cosmo around here, but we'll keep in touch." Asha lied through her teeth. She quickly grabbed Star and they made their way past the crowd.

"Um, sure, sure! Just keep your eyes peeled for those traitors!" She warned them.

Once they made it far away enough without being seeing seen. The two of them tried to come up with a way to get inside. Their options were pretty low at this point.

"Okay, I'll just go so fast that they won't see us coming through. I'll be like a blur!"

Asha raised an eyebrow. "Do you think that's actually going to work?"

Star paused. "Worth a shot right?"

He carried her in his arms in a bridal style while she held Valentino. "You better hang on, cause we're going to infinity and beyond! Well, maybe not that high, but you get what I mean." With that, he took off like lightning.

Magnifico or Amaya hadn't noticed anything, and neither had the citizens. Only Sabor felt something in the sir and looked around for it.

Asha was startled during the take off, but she slowly found herself having fun during the ride. And maybe the view of Star wasn't bad either.

(Screenshot from @orbitalmoonrat's animatic)

A few more moments and the two of them reached the top of the steps and touched the ground. "Wow....that was incredible!" Asha said nearly breathless.

Star gently put her down. "Aw, that was nothing. You should see me when I'm in the sky, I can do all sorts of tricks up there with the extra room!" He gestured upward.

"I'd like to see that, actually." She gave him a warm smile as she helped adjust the hood back on his head. The two of them shared a look for a few moments when they heard a tiny voice from behind them. They looked down and saw Valentino, shaking.

"Oh! Sorry, buddy. I guess I went a little to fast for you." He said sheepishly. 😅

"BAAAAAH!!" Valentino exclaimed in anger at Star.

Star put his hands on his hips. "Well, there's no need for name calling there..."

Asha pushed opened the heavy doors with both hands and they slammed against the walls once opened. In front of them was an unexpected sight. Magnifico's room was filled with artifacts and relics from other lands encased in glass. On the right side of the room was a miniature replica of Rosas. Apparently that caught Star's attention more. 😂

"Look at that! How did he shrink a kingdom down to this size?" Star flew over to get a better look. "And its got little people in it! How do humans do this stuff?" He admired it with curiosity as he picked up some of the figures.

"Star, stay focused here. We have to find the-" She stopped once she got closer to the objects. "No way...All of these are rare artifacts."

Star's pointed ears perked up. "Artifacts?" His curiosity immediately moved to the next thing as he put the little figures in his pockets and joined her.

Asha grabs her sketchbook and flips to a few pages with several random items drawn on each of them. The camera takes focuses on each object she announces. "There's Horvath's Hat, the Glass Slippers, the Enchanted Rose," she gasped at the fourth item, "The Sword of Fa Zhou! Flazino never told me that the king got his hands on any of these!"

"Huh. Finally something that Flazino doesn't know. Hey, what's that there?" He pointed to a golden lamp in another glass case.

"Now that's a genie lamp." Asha explained. "Legend says if you rub it, a magical being will come out and grant you three wishes!"

Star's eyes began to shine. "Wow! Wait, only three?"

Asha was going to respond when she shook her head. "What am I doing? We're supposed to be getting the wishes." She walked off, annoyed at herself.

She couldn't believe she let herself get sidetracked like that. She'd always been fascinated by historical artifacts, magic or otherwise, but she couldn't do that right now! Star's first one Asha's met to actually take an interest in it and she couldn't even enjoy it...

"The wish chamber should be close by, so we don't have far left to check."

Once they continued, they saw a huge black door standing between them and the wishes.

"All we have to do is get through here and we're set." Asha explained. "Flazino never got to tell us how to open this. Any ideas?"

Star stepped towards the door and could see his own reflection along with Asha's. He looked at the door carefully. "Maybe we just knock?" He knocked on the door three times.

Asha rolled her eyes. "It couldn't be that easy-"

The doors automatically opened.

"Oh my gosh, it was that easy..."

Once the doors opened, they finally entered the Wish Chamber. The room had a huge blue tint covering it. Within it were Amaya's potions and a small lab that was filled with all sorts beakers and tubes of different shapes and sizes.

To the left was a large bookcase filled with magic spell books and its histories on every shelf.

"Hey, what's that?" Star pointed to a large bookcase.

Before Asha could question his comment, she looked where he was pointing and saw the the center of the bookcase contained a large book locked up inside. It had a green dragon right in the center.

"I....don't know actually. I've never seen a book like that before, and trust me, I've read enough books to open my own library."

As she was talking, Star suddenly was very quiet. He could hear small whispers coming from the bookcase, they were slowly blocking out Asha's voice.

"Power."

"Give me your power."

"Release me."

The camera slowly zooms in on the book as the voices slowly grow louder, it cuts to Star's face who seems mesmerized by the voices, but still unsure if he should go forward. He felt something hit his leg and heard a different voice.

"STAR!" Asha's voice became so loud the whispers stopped. The star shook his head to come back to his senses. He looked down and saw Valentino had headbutt his leg, only this time it finally worked.

"Are you all right? Its like you were in some kind of trance." the girl asked with a look of concern.

Star blinked a few times. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. I think we need to stay away from that book though. Its the only thing I don't want to touch."

Asha agreed and the three of them walked away from the bookcase. The dragonmarked book's green glow slowly faded.

They walked to the center of the Wish Chamber and Asha flipped through a few pages of her journal.

"All right. The wishes should be over here. You can grab my saba's wish first."

Star nodded. "Sounds easy enough!" He gently floated upwards. "This thing will be a piece of..." His face changed to worry. "Oh boy..."

They both looked up and saw a nearly endless amount of wish bubbles floating around the room. It was like looking for one star amongst the entire galaxy!

"How many wishes do those two need?!" Star exclaimed, taken aback by the sight.

"They shouldn't have any of them." Asha explained. "This is what I was talking about, Star. All they do is take and we suffer for it."

"Seesh, how many are up here? A million?" Star asked, scratching his head.

"1,937." Asha answered rather quickly. Star looked down at her in surprise. The girl shrugged. "I-I've always been a fast counter." She cleared her throat and showed the star a picture of Sabino playing his mandolin.

"You should be able to see anyone's wishes once you look inside them. This is how my Saba's looks. He's wanted to inspire people with his music his whole life."

(Concept art by James Aaron Finch)

Star floated closer to get a better look. He admired how happy he looked in it.

Once he got a good mental image he floated back up to the wishes and began searching. "Say, what are you gonna do? This might take a while." He asked as searched the sky blue orbs.

Asha walked over to the large bookcase across the room. "I'll see what else I can find about the king and queen. There's so many books here, one of them has to have something showing a weak point in their magic. It can help us put a stop to them permanently."

As she took out a book, Valentino brayed, wanting to know his own role.

"You can watch the door and warn us if anyone is coming here." As Valentino trotted away to his ask, Asha looked the cover of the book raises an eyebrow. "What the heck are 'Heffalumps and Woozles"? she questioned.

We cut back outside of the castle, with the crowd not really giving the royals much of a lead they need. Magnifico's face was looking more irritated.

Sabor pawed at Magnifico's feet. "Not now, hairball." He hissed at the lynx, then continued. "Now sir, I assure you that magic isn't good- ack!"

He looked down and saw Sabor had sharply dug his claws into his leg. The lynx growled as he pointed up towards the tower.

The king looked up and saw a quick bright flash shine from it window. His eyes widened dramatically. The star is here!

"I'm sorry Mr...." he started.

"Peter, sir." Flazino told him.

"Yes, yes, whatever. I have an emergency I need to tend to!" Magnifico hurriedly said as he stepped backwards. "You can continue to ask my darling wife or even my young apprentice about anything you might have as well!"

He whispered to him, "Don't get any ideas, boy. Sabor will be watching you closely." He then darted off into the castle.

"Oh good, Flazino usually listens more anyway!" an elderly woman said.

Flazino bristled. "Hey, hey, Don't drag me into this, ma'am!"

Back inside, Star is looking at different wishes. As he touches each one, the color of the orbs turn from blue to yellow.

The orbs themselves have images that move in sand animation. (Think of it like the sandman from ROTG for the dreams)

Star felt connected to each person's wish as he looked. One displayed an elderly woman wishing to sail across oceans and meet other lands. Another one showed a man who wished to fly great heights. (Star really liked that one) A third showed a father wishing to be reunited with his two sons.

Star could feel everyone's desires. He began to feel something he hadn't before now, something stronger than joy. These wishes meant everything to the people, and they couldn't seven pursue their own desires.

He finally reached Sabino's wish, and the particles within the orb formed the man playing for a crowd of people. He looked blissful as he played. The star gently held this wish in his hands as he watched. He could feel all the love the old man had for music, and now he understood why Asha was so determined to get the wishes back.

Asha continued to look through the books. There were books on magic from all across the world, but none of them seemed to match what the royals used. "There has to be something were missing..."

"Asha! I found your saba's wish! Its beautiful!" Star announced from above, with a slight echo.

"Perfect! Bring it down, I just need to find one book that...." Her voiced trailed off once she saw a tattered book amongst the more immaculate ones. She quickly grabbed and opened the book.

Inside were sketches of constellations and variations of stars. Other pages included entries about connecting to the stars and how the man became inspired by them to continue his work. He felt a great power from them whenever he and his daughter looked upon them together.

"That lowlife." She seethed, her grip on the journal tightened. "He stole my father's work! All of it!" Her voice grew louder, no longer caring who heard. "I swear the next time I see him-"

Her threat was cut off when a pair of green hands had grabbed her around her waist.

Star felt something was wrong. "Asha? Are you all right?" Star began to float down when a green chain clasped around his leg. "Hey, hey, what's this?" He began to panic as he tried to pull the chain off.

"So you're that philosopher's daughter, Asha. My you've grown up to be quite a young woman. I hardly recognized you earlier." Magnifico said looking smug. Valentino had been caught as well, with the green magic wrapped around his snout to keep him quiet.

"I have to thank you, Asha. You brought the star right to me and I didn't even have to waste more magic trying to pull it down again!" He chuckled.

"I'll never let you have him! I've seen what you can do with too much magic, and you're not going to do the same to Star!" Asha hissed at him.

Unphased, the king responded, "We'll just see about that. Besides, you're not supposed to name it. Once you name it, you start getting attached to it."

Magnifico then slowly looked above him. "Now then....let's see what this star looks like up close." He used his staff to summon him. The chains slowly pulled down Star to the floor. As he floated down, the hood covered most of his face, making him look ominous. He still held Sabino's wish.

The king held his breath as the music swells. He had been waiting years for this moment, but he was anxious on what this creature could possibly look like, when it could quite literally be everything. "Show yourself!" He commanded.

Star slowly raised his hands and pulled the hood back, revealing his true face: a yellow glowing human(?) with bright white hair.

The music comes to a halt after the reveal, leaving Magnifico dumbfounded. The same stranger with Asha earlier was him? He narrowed his eyes at the star. "What is this?"

Star looked around, but saw nothing.

Magnifico shook his head. "No. No, you can't be a star!" He raised Asha up with his magic as she attempted to free herself. "This is what you called on?" He turned back to Star. "You're a child! I was really scared of a mere child?!"

Star crossed his arms, offended. "Hey! I just turned 18 last month. I'm far being a child, your highness. I could grow facial hair if I wanted to!"

Magnifico chuckled at first, and it slowly turned to laughter. "No wonder I couldn't find you, Amaya told me you could change forms, and you were right under my nose the whole time! I was scared of a boy! Ohhh, I needed that laugh." He wiped a tear from his eye as he finished.

He quickly jerked his staff and it dragged Star to him. He then grabs him by the collar. "At last my years of searching have come to an end. With you, we'll have all the power we desire. My wife and I will rule this world as the ultimate sorcerers!"

(Credit to @kirimanga's Magnifico animated for this shot)

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen." Star grunted as he tried to break the chains.

Magnifico growled. This thing was putting up a fight? Why bother? It had no right, it wasn't even human.

"There is one thing I don't understand. You have the power to be anything you want on Earth...and you pick this?" He gestured to Star's human form.

Star looked him straight the in eyes. "I want to look like this." he said through gritted teeth. "And Asha called me down here because she needed me."

Magnfico's smile faded. "Fine. If you don't want to show me your full power, you can stay weak. But first," He looked over at Asha. She was terrified of him, but she refused to let it show. "You can watch me kill your little friend before I absorb you."

A bright light appeared behind the king. Before he could turn around, Star had turned into a mouse and jumped right on the king's face. "What the devil are you doing?!" He shouted as he tried to knock him off.

"Just mousing around!" the star's tiny voiced squeaked as he scurried across the man's body.

(Trying to reference that Ratatoullie scene with Remy biting Linguini, this is the best image I could find to reference it. 😅)

The magic on Asha dissipated once his attention to her was gone. He was so frantic that for a moment, he didn't seem as intimidating.

She immediately rushed to grab her father's journal and catch Valentino before he fell to the ground.

"You okay, Val?" She asked her friend. Valentino nodded and licked her nose.

"Where's that darn cat when I need him?" The king finally got a hold of the mousey Star and threw him to the study desk.

Another bright flash and he had turned into a parrot and landed on a globe. "Come on, pretty boy. I'm right heeeere! Sqwuak!" He mocked him as he flew over his head.

"You little pest-" Magnifico started shooting green magic at Star, only for him to keep evading him. "Wasting your magic on becoming little beasts for fun!"

Asha ran to the desk and started grabbing anything that was important along with Sabino's wish and put it in her satchel. As she grabbed what looked like a wand, she looked up at the wishes. There had to be a way to get them all down.

As Magnifico kept blasting at Star, he kept changing animals with each missed shot just to mock him. He changed back to a human to deliver this: "Hey, Maggy! I've got some magic words for you: 🎵Meega, nala kweesta!"🎵 He mocked the king in a sing-song tone.

Magnifico was getting furious. "You dare mock me? I'm the most powerful man on Earth! You were just an accident. Called on by a desperate girl!"

Star's expression changed at that last remark.

Unfortunately for Star, the king took advantage of him being distracted. A chain wrapped around his foot and it yanked him from above. "Got you!" He exclaimed in victory.

With all his strength he flung him across the room like a ragdoll and the star crashed onto one of the desks, destroying some of the equipment.

"Its time to finally claim what's mine!" The king took the pointed end of his staff and stabbed Star in the right shoulder. He let out a painful scream. As the yellow magic was beginning to fill the staff.

"Star!" Asha exclaimed.

Her worried eyes turned to hate as she looked the king. The heat of the moment, she looked for anything to use against him. So when she aimed the wand at him, he was met with a burst of blue light at his face. The staff stopped absorbing the magic.

Asha looked down at the wand in her hand, the magic seemed to only have one shot in its reserve. "How did I-"

Magnifico's laugh sounded borderline maniacal. "Well, Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo! You can use magic too!" He then aimed the staff at Asha and the green hands grabbed her instead.

Valentino hid under the other desk to avoid getting caught again.

"I'm ending your little rebellion right here and now. I just need your wish."

Magnifico brought the girl closer until they were face to face. His eyes had a flash of anger in them. He put hid hand near her heart and waited for her wish to become physical.

But nothing happened. How??

"What is this? Why can't I find your wish?" He snapped, frustrated at his failure.

"So much for your threat." Asha smirked. She wasn't even sure how this happened but she was greatful.

The king growled. "Then I'll do this the old fashioned way." The green hands clasped around her began to tighten like a vice. Asha screamed as she could feel herself being crushed.

At the same time, Star was feeling that same tightness around himself. It was as if his heart was being squeezed to death. He weakly opened his eyes.

He was horrified at the sight: Asha was going to be killed right in front of his eyes. Those same eyes that suddenly flared a bright yellow.

"Say hello to Tomás for me." The man grinned wickedly.

A loud, thunderous boom echoed in the room. Magnifico thought it was outside, but it was only cloudy. The room itself turned dark and air chilled.

Maginifico stopped torturing Asha for a moment and slowly looked behind himself.

What stood before him was a large humanoid figure that nearly reached the ceiling. It was a mixture of black and gold with white sparkles within it. There were gold clouds surrounding it as the figure had furious yellow eyes.

"Mother of Gothel..." Magnifico whispered in awe.

Star quickly raised his hand and SMACK!

He hit Magnifico hard enough to send him flying, and crashed into the bookcase in the study, leaving a crack in the glass that contained the dark book. An avalanche of books fell on top of him as he lay unconscious on the floor.

Once the threat had passed, Star looked and saw Asha slowly picking herself up. His anger dissipated and the clouds swirled around him. In a moment he was back to his glowing yellow self. He quickly came to Asha's aid. Valentino was already by her side.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked worried as he held her.

"Thanks to you, I am." she gave him a small smile. She then realized something. "Wait, what about you? You got stabbed!"

Star scoffed. "Oh that? That was nothing. I'm fit as a fiddle!" He lied.

Asha sighed in relief. "We need to get out of here. There's no way we can stay."

"What about the other wishes?"

"We'll have to save the rest of them later, we just need to go. Can you change into something that will get us out of here, fast?"

"You got it!" He placed Asha and Valentino on his back and started running towards the exit. As he passed through and picked up speed, he transformed into-

"AN ELEPHANT?!" Asha exclaimed, dumbfounded.

"Trust me, this is way faster!" he said as he ran though the halls. They could see a group of guards heading towards them, clearly responding to the commotion inside.

An idea sparked into her head. "Star, put some of your magic on the armor!"

"Omigosh, I love that idea!" Star trumpeted some his magic as they passed by and armor instantly came to life.

"Get em' fellas!" Asha commanded them with a grin.

The living armor followed commands and rushed after the Rosas guards. They started to combat each other.

They saw the sight before them and ran back down the stairs. "I feel like I'm going mad!" One of them shouts.

"We're all mad here!" Star answered them and laughed. He leaped over the guards by growing his giant ears big enough to glide over them.

As he flew down the stairs, he saw the doors were wide opened to the outside.

"I sure hope those doors are big enough!" Star exclaimed as he touched the ground and went full speed.

"Any other questions that aren't stup- I mean important?" Amaya asked the crowd.

A blonde teen raised his hand.

"Yes, Dario?"

"Yeah, um, you gonna talk about the elephant in the castle?"

Amaya raised an eyebrow. "You mean in the room?"

"No, I mean in the castle, there's one right behind you!" Dario frantically pointed behind him.

The apprentice started to feel a rumbling underneath his feet growing stronger. He turned and saw a giant yellow elephant stampeding towards him, with Asha on top barely hanging on.

"COMING THROOOOOOUGHHHHH!!!" Both of them exclaimed.

"HOLY- EVERYONE, RUN, NOW!!!" Flazino yelled at the crowd. It didn't take long for them to listen. The people scattered to get out of the way of the stampeding star. His trunk trumpeted as he cleared through the castle entrance and into the city. Not far behind him were a group of soldiers running after them.

Simon, who was slightly dozing off suddenly was wide awake when he saw the giant animal and ran the fastest he's ever ran before.

Bazeema was frozen with fear until Safi jumped in and saved her from being trampled.

Amaya gave a direct order to the guards. "Don't let them escape, you dolts! They're the traitors!" She then ran inside to find her husband.

"These guys just don't quit!" Star exclaimed, looking back at the group.

"STAR, WATCH OUT!!!" Asha warned him as she pointed ahead. Star looked forward only find himself tearing through many of the stalls along the path. Each one crumbled beneath his large feet. "Sorry! Sorry! I'm so sorry!" he kept apologizing with each one he destroyed.

We see Gabo laughing at the sight as Star ran. "Now that's what I'm talking about! Tear it all down!" He cheered on the two of them. He had no idea this was all one big accident.

Sabor was charging in to fight Star, but once he saw just how big Elephant!Star was and fast approaching, he screeched in fear and bailed out quickly. He went to look for Amaya instead.

As the people continued to run in fear, Flazino helped Dahlia get to safety since she couldn't run as fast as the others. "Flaz, what the heck is going on?! Its like the whole kingdom's gone crazy!" she demanded.

"I hate my job, I hate my job, I hate my job, I hate my job-" Flazino swore under his breath. He vowed he was going to quit the minute the royals lost their power.

Star continues to run and getting closer to the castle entrance. The few guards standing there at first stood their ground, but then scrambled to get away. "I'm not getting paid enough for this!" One of them exclaimed.

"Star, I'm not feeling so good." Asha said as she touched her forehead. She was feeling a bit dizzy. Valentino looks at her with concern while thunder was beginning to rumble in the distance.

"No problem, We'll go back to the forest. Just hang in there!" Star exclaimed as he continued his stampede through Rosas. He blew his trunk to warn the rest of the citizens to move. The people dove out of the way just in time. The guards from the castle got blocked by the debris Star left behind and could follow them anymore.

The trio finally made it out of the castle, they may have left a lot of damage in their path, but they were still alive.

The starboy began to feel tired and changed himself to a horse. He appeared to be going slower than he was as an elephant.

"Okay, where do we go now?" He asked, but there was no answer. He looked behind him and saw Asha was unconscious, Valentino was very worried.

His long face was in horror. "ASHA!" Star once again changed his form to a gorilla and continued, but was he was feeling even more tired. As if he'd been running for hours, he began to lose his breath. Rain began to drizzle down but none of them took notice.

Star then changed one more time to his human form and began to move even slower. He was struggling to carry Asha and fly. As they approached the forest, Star assured an unconscious Asha.

"Its...its all right, Asha. We're gonna...make it." He slowly desenced to the ground as his flight wore off and his vision began to blur. Valentino jumped in front of him and brayed.

"Nah. I'm good, buddy." Star sounded more out of breath, his feet dragging on the ground. "I just....need to....rest..." with that, Star had fallen to the ground with Asha still in his arms. The yellow glow around him faded as well and his hair from sparkling white to grey. He had landed at the edge of the forest away from Rosas.

Both of them lay unconscious on the ground as the rain started to fall harder. Valentino brayed with worry. Neither of them were moving no matter what he did. The little goat wanted to go get help, but would that put them in danger? He began to whimper as he gently nuzzled himself between Asha and Star.

After he closed his eyes, a shadow appeared over the three of them. The screen then fades to black.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

FINAL THOUGHTS

*Collapses on couch* My gosh, that was long! I promised so many things to come at the end of the last chapter, and I don't like not keeping promises, so I had a LOT to add here. This is probably my most busy one since "I'm A Star", and literally everything happens! 😂

I actually got a lot inspiration from other rewrites and even many of the classic Disney films I've been rewatching recently. The biggest inspiration for Wish Granted is actually Hercules, since its one of my all time favorite Disney films. I loved how all the Disney Renaissance films had tons of humor, which made the action and darker scenes even better to watch, so that's the vibe I'm going for here. Though I never thought I'd use a Monster's Inc. quote in a cruel way...😅 Also yes, I'm making a point that the royals keep referring to Star as "it" and "thing" while Asha is the only one who addresses him as a person with "he".

And with this chapter, it finally happened: Star and Asha have officially joined the angst club! 😂 (Flazino has had angst from DAY ONE) They both have been messed up by the royals one way or another, its just Star is feeling pain for the first time, while Asha's pent up anger towards Magnifico and Amaya has been building up for years. And now we get a glimpse of what Star looks like when he's angry/hurt without a filter. Mags here pushed him very close to the edge of rage. It was satisfying knocking Mags senseless though. I have a design for that form I'm working on, since it'll fully appear in the final battle/chapters.

One extra thing I decided to add is that Asha carries a little bit of a trait from Belle. Only instead of just reading a vast amounts of books, she's fascinated by artifacts and its history from other lands, magical or otherwise. I thought it would be fun to have her be a closeted fangirl for fairytale relics, and treated it like a Disney version of loving comics. Think of it as a similar thing with Po being a fanboy for Kung Fu history and figures. Or a parallel to Disney experts who grew up with the movies. (Disney objects = world artifacts in a nutshell)

There's going to be another long break before the next chapter, working on the aforementioned Star's rage form, as well as designs for the royals, Sabino and Sabor. And I'll do my best to get some of those art challenges done too.

Thanks for reading!

@signed-sapphire @oh-shtars @chillwildwave @tumblingdownthefoxden

@your-ne1ghbor @snackara @annymation @uva124

@kenihewa @ishadow246 @natsuki208 @cocoapowderpictures

@spectator-zee @gracebeth3604 @emptyblog7 @lazytitans-world

@mythartist21 @emillyverse @flicklikesstuff @cielos-pintados

[wardenparker]

Win a Date with Javi G, part 1

Javi Gutierrez x female reader x Jack Daniels Co-written with @absurdthirst

Rating: Mature, but this blog is always 18+ Word Count: 15.9k   Warnings: Cursing. Food/alcohol. Pure fluff and flirting. A little dirty talk/dirty flirting toward the end. Summary: You and your best friend are huge fans of Spanish pop star Javi G, and she managed to convince you to enter a contest to win a date with the singer himself. No one is more surprised than you when you actually win. ✨🎶🥰 Notes: Hey Guys! It's my birthday! To celebrate, Keri and I conceived of this little one shot that turned into a smutty, kinky, fluffy two-parter and I hope you love it as much as we do. For all the folx out there who remember the movie "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton", you'll recognize the inspiration right away -- and reader's hometown is inspired by the waterfront town from "Bob's Burgers". We're all over the map here! Special shouts also to my darling @julesonrecord for imaging how much glitter Eurovision Pop Star Javi G would actually be covered in at every show.

Your eyes are on the verge of crossing when the phone rings, books spread out on your desk in your home office and countless tabs open on your laptop as you try to piece together this bit of research to send off to your bosses on deadline. You almost let the call go to voicemail, too absorbed in this odd passage from an even odder book, but something inexplicable tells you to answer it. The call is Private, the word splashed across your screen as it continues to ring, and your cat meows curiously when she jumps up into your lap as you hit the green button to accept. “Hello?”

Jack tilts the handset for his desk phone against his shoulder and enjoys the sound of the voice on the other end. It sounds attractive, being in the business long enough, you can tell by a voice if the person is gonna be a looker. “Howdy ma’am.” He greets you and then says your name. “Is it a convenient time for a talk?”

Howdy? You make a face instinctively, wondering why you've got a cowboy calling you in the middle of the day. Probably a telemarketer, but what the hell. You've got time. Your cat meows again and you sit back in your chair to let her settle into your lap to be pet while you're on the phone. "Sure," you say after a moment. "What can I do for you?"

“Jack Daniels ma’am.” He introduces himself with a grin as he twists in his ergonomic chair and looks at the poster that is plastered up on his wall for the upcoming world tour. “I’m the CEO of Statesman Talent Agency.” He hums. “And I’m callin’ concerning a little contest that you entered. ‘Win a Date with Javi G’? Does that ring a bell?”

"Oh!" Shooting up straight in your chair almost tips your sweet cat onto the floor but you manage to recover and hold onto her. "Uh–yeah, yes. Of course." Entering the contest had been a whim. A decision made after too much wine and giggling with your best friend. Spain's Eurovision winner Javi G was trying to break out in America and you had loved the album he released - as well as everything he had put out in Spain that you had hunted down on the internet. Your best friend had been able to talk you into entering after about the millionth watching of his winning Eurovision performance. You definitely didn't think you would actually get a call about it though.

“Good, good,” Jack chuckles as he takes his boots off his desk and leans forwards. “I’m tickled pink to inform you that you have won our little contest.” He tells you. “You will be flown out to L.A. to accompany Javi to the Grammys as well as the Universal Music Group after party.” He rambles. “Hotel and your dress will be provided of course.”

"I—"You almost hiccup, the disbelieving laughter coming out of you right away. "Seriously?"

“Now ma’am, my momma would whoop me if I was leadin’ a young lady on.” Jack grins at your reaction, imagining you are about to start dancing. “We do need to be discussin’ some of the particulars. The NDA and the legal-ese stuff the blaster lawyers like to prattle on about.” He hums. “Plus we need to film your ‘official’ win for the announcement. Are you gonna be free next week?”

"I–um–yes, sir, I am." There's no fucking reason in the world to have called him sir, but the cowboy thing just sinks into your brain and the manners pop out by accident. "I work from home and my availability can be made flexible." Having a conventional job for unconventional employers has its benefits.

“Good, that’s good, darlin’.” Jack might get shit for his sometimes seemingly sexist way of speaking, but it’s not often. “I’ve got your information right here in front of me and will be sendin’ you an email.” He promises. “Congratulations.”

"Thank you very much, Mr. Daniels." There, that's more appropriate. It doesn't help that you're nearly vibrating in your chair and about three seconds away from laughing so hard you scream. "I look forward to hearing from you."

“Real soon, darlin’” Jack hangs up the phone and hums, your social media account pulled up and he’s looking at a picture of you. “She’s gonna be perfect.” He predicts with a grin.

As soon as you hang up the phone you're a giggling mess, hugging your cat and giving her all the scratches in the world as she looks at you with distinct concern. Immediately pulling up your best friend’s contact info to call her, you're not taking no for an answer – tonight is going to be takeout and a bottle of wine and celebrating. For a girl who has never won anything before, this is a very big first.

******

Four days later, Jack sighs as he walks down the stairs of the G5 he had flown to your closest airport. Squinting at the light, he’s delighted to find the car waiting for him. The little perks of having an international talent agency often outweighed the long hours and constant ass kissing.

“Thirty minute drive, Mr. Daniels.” The driver tells him when he opens the rear door to let the man climb into the nondescript black SUV. “Not much traffic this time of day.”

“Is there a lot a traffic…ever?” Jack asks, far too used to L.A.’s horrendous traffic in the years he has spent living there. It makes a normal town seem positively quaint.

“People still have to get to and from work.” The driver shrugs and closes the door, only opening his mouth again when he climbs behind the wheel. “Town’s Art Crawl is this weekend, so it’ll get busy fast.”

“Art Crawl?” Jack would normally be on his phone, answering emails but the driver has piqued his curiosity. “What is that?”

“The restaurants and businesses down on the wharf by the theme park all display art by local artists,” the man explains as he heads for the highway. The address he was given is an apartment on Ocean Avenue, so he isn’t worried about finding it. That’s just downtown. “It’s a fundraiser for I-dunno-what. People buy the art and can donate to whatever the cause is at raffles and things. Always brings in the crowds, though.”

Jack hums. “Interesting.”

“Town’s got a lot of good stuff goin’ on.” The driver continues. Having a captive audience suits him. “Just had a big party at town hall for New Years. Community theater is opening a show this weekend. More Art Crawl stuff.”

“Hmmmm.” Jack reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out his phone. Maybe Seymour’s Bay isn’t quite as small town U.S.A as he had imagined it to be. “Sounds like this place has some culture.” He says, opening his mail. “You like Javi G?”

The driver glances in his rear view mirror. He was given a name, a time, and an address and nothing else. Now this guy in a Stetson is asking him about some pretty boy pop singer? “Can’t say I’ve heard much,” he says with a shrug. “That’s the kind of stuff my fifteen-year-old daughter listens to.” 

“He is going to be touring in the U.S. in the next three months.” Jack tells him, glancing up from his email for a moment. “Tickets go on sale next Monday.” If there’s anything that Jack Daniel’s excels at, it’s promoting his clients. Even if it’s to his driver for the day.

“Yeah?” The man makes a huffing sound, like the wheels in his head needed some extra oomph to get moving. “It’s her birthday soon…”

“Nothing better than tickets for her and her two closest friends to see the concert of the year.” He reaches into his pocket and and pulls out a card. “If you want to really impress her, call that number and my secretary can set you up with VIP passes for a fair price. Meet and greets.”

The rest of the car ride passes with some grateful squawking from the driver and the usual questions about what it’s like to work for celebrities, and by the time the man pulls the car up in front of the big brick building on Ocean Avenue that houses a florist shop on street level and an apartment up above, he probably should have talked himself silly. Instead he pulls the back door open with a beaming smile and waits for this client to exit. “This is it,” he says, excited for whatever is happening that he doesn’t know about. But excited nonetheless.

“Thank you.” Jack nods as he looks at the neat, well kept building. He steps out of the back of the vehicle and reaches for his briefcase, filled with the paperwork that would serve as the agreement for the contest.

The agent’s arrival time was listed in the email you got last night, and you have been hustling all week long to make sure that your apartment is spotless for his arrival. Putting way too much thought into everything as usual, there are tons of drink choices in the fridge, an entire painstakingly assembled charcuterie platter to offer, and a box of macarons from the bakery down the street that makes the best sweets in the entire world. Even Pyewacket is behaving, just lazing happily in a patch of sun on the arm of your leather sofa. You’re dressed decently, styled like an actual adult, everything is perfect. So when the buzzer for your door sounds, you take a deep breath before you answer without panicking. “Coming!” You chirp through the speaker and head straight downstairs.

He waits, looking around the street and peers into the shop to see the bouquets that are on display. They are beautiful, someone with a skilled hand put them together. It’s ideal honestly and he can already see how the promo’s for the advertisement for Javi’s tour will go.

When the back door to the building opens and you step out, you have to hold back a small giggle at first. There’s a man in a Stetson with a Burt Reynolds mustache peering in the shop window right beside your beaten up little car and you clear your throat politely. “Mr. Daniels?”

Seeing you in person, it's even better than your social media page. Your smile is bright, almost irresistible. He reaches up and sweeps his hat off his head and smiles his most charming smile while he says your name. "It is surely a pleasure to meet you."

The features that you noticed from a distance are the least consequential as the man turns to greet you and aims a smile at you that’s brighter than the sun. Oh god, he’s handsome… “It’s really nice to meet you, too.” You put your hand out automatically, meaning to be polite, and motion to the shop beside you. “Beautiful, right? My sister does great work.”

"It’s your sister's shop?" He asks, glancing back over to the window and then back to you. When you nod, Jack grins and straightens up. "Fine work," he praises. "Probably better that most shops that I've seen charge a thousand dollars a setting."

“She ships long distance and does all kinds of special arrangements.” You tell him, puffed up with pride for your hardworking big sister. “I have her card upstairs, and you should pop in before you leave town. Bring something back to your wife or whoever’s at home.”

"No wife." He shakes his head and winks at you. "Yet." He doubts he would ever marry, his life not exactly conducive to having a little lady putter around the house. "But I know that I send flowers all the time to clients and associates."

“I’ll make sure you leave with Kate’s card, then.” Nodding toward the building, you can’t avoid the little shiver that wink gave you, as silly as it is. “Would you like to come up?”

"I never turn down a pretty lady inviting me upstairs." Jack hums, enjoying the way you seem to fluster. You will look amazing on Javi's arm at the Grammys but that doesn't mean that he couldn't flirt with you and pay you a compliment or ten.

It’s just one flight of stairs that opens into your little place, but the meowing is immediate when your black cat pops out of nowhere and starts inspecting the new arrival. “Pyewacket, be nice to Mr. Daniels,” you instruct, giving her fur a ruffle on your way through the living room. “Can I offer you a drink? Something to eat?”

Jack eyes the fluffy black cat as if he might get attacked and edges past it. Never been a cat man, although it seems to be staring at him judgmentally. "I'm good with a drink." He accepts with a nod and looks at the small dining room table. "Perhaps we can go over the contracts and disclosures here?" He asks.

“Of course.” After going through the drink options you end up pouring two glasses of iced tea and setting them down on the clean table. “I understand the basics. Don’t talk about private things that I might see or hear, and to make sure I actually show up at the appointed time and place or legal action can be taken against me.”

"Right." Jack grins, reaching into his briefcase to pull out the paperwork. "There's also a little disclaimer that any and all sexual activity happens with consent of both parties." He winks at you again and shrugs. "Just in case."

“I—um—okay, that’s…” You look at him curiously. “Is that…something that happens? With these things?” It would be the first you’ve ever heard of anything like it — but then again there is also an NDA on your table right now. 

"If you and Javi wanted it to." He admits with a small grin. "Animal attraction and all. This just states that neither you nor Javi are required to provide intimate acts and if any transpire that it is of your own free will."

“It seems way more likely that I’ll overhear something, but I get it. You have to protect your client.” And since absolutely fucking nothing is happening without your consent - thank you self defense classes - you nod and pick up a pen. “So what happens? I arrive at some decent but inexpensive hotel, stylist dresses me so I look halfway decent, and I walk down the red carpet with him then get sent back to the hotel? Quick and dirty, as they say?”

Jack snorts and shakes his head. "Oh no." He hums, sending you a cocky smirk. "You will have a suite at the Biltmore Los Angeles and the stylists will be measuring you the day you arrive to make sure the gowns they pull for you to choose from are your size. We have artists come in to do your hair and makeup following a full spa day." 

“Oh.” That’s a hell of a lot more than you expected, and you can’t help but feel a little special and a lot flustered. “That’s a hell of a way to make a girl feel special, Mr. Daniels.”

"This is a once in a lifetime event, darlin'." Jack admits with a charming grin. "Javi's startin' off his U.S. tour with a bang."

“Yeah, I—um…my best friend and I actually pre-ordered our tickets the day the email went out.” You look down into your iced tea sheepishly, but you entered a damn contest for a date. They already know you’re a fan. “Fan Club early access tickets…”

"Fan club, huh?" Jack chuckles and he bites his lip. "Well, we'll just have to upgrade our contest winner to VIP tickets." He decides. "Can't have the woman who goes to the Grammys with Javi G watching his concert from anywhere but front row."

Sure you could demure and say it isn’t necessary, but you’re not at all going to turn down that kind of offer. The nearest big concert venue to you is a decent drive away and you and your best friend had already planned on having to get a hotel room for the night on top of everything else. It is going to be an extra big deal now. “I’m very happy to be extra positive publicity for you,” you tell him instead, knowing that that is probably his biggest and main concern. It doesn’t bother you one bit. 

"Good." He smiles and nods. "Not necessary but we will take all the social media coverage we can get." He does level you a serious look. "Before the winner is announced...you should probably make security changes to your accounts." He warns. "Just in case."

“What do you mean?” The ink is on the page now, your signature on the dotted line of the contract appointing you the winner of the contest, so you sit up to pay attention.

"Sometimes fans can be...invasive." He's sure he doesn't have to tell you about it if you are part of the fan club but he does want to warn you. "Make sure that you aren't getting random DMs and that you accept friends. I'm sure that as soon as it is announced, you will find you have thousands of new followers overnight."

“It will be a very busy weekend, then, I guess.” The email that had been sent to you said the announcement was coming within days of your contract being signed, so that can only be soon. After all, the Grammys are in three weeks. “I’ll change my passwords and privacy settings and all of that. Lock it down. Thanks for the tip.”

"Don't want this experience to be anything but magical." Jack winks again and snaps his fingers. "Oh! Damn near forgot, Javi recorded you a message."

“Oh, that’s—that’s so sweet.” So what if it was in his contract? Or if it was just a thing he would have done for any person who won the contest? It’s still nice.

Nodding, he pulls out his phone and opens up the video. "I'll send it to you, it's going to be posted on the official Javi G tour site after the announcement of your win as well."

The message pops up on your phone right away while you begin to read the NDA, glad to have just a tiny bit of legal knowledge from this and that over time. This one looks nearly identical to one that you signed for a work event some time ago so you sign it without fear. The last piece is the paper listing sexual activity as unattached to the contest and of the own free will of its participants and you shake your head all over again. How many people really just fall into bed with celebrities just because they’re famous? It seems so silly.

Javier Gutierrez, known as Javi G to his fans, pops up on the screen and he flashes the sweet smile that has melted men and women's hearts across Spain and Europe. Now destined to become a major success in the United States. "Buenos dias!" He waves and says your name. "I cannot tell you how I am looking forward to our date." He seemingly speaks to you, making eye contact with the camera. "Perhaps you will make me not so nervous." He chuckles nervously as he says that and continues on. "We will have a wonderful time at the Grammys and who knows?" He shrugs. "You might inspire a new song, cariño." He blows a kiss to the camera. "See you soon."

“He always seems so sweet.” Who knows if it’s a character or not, but even in his little Instagram posts or things like that, he always seems completely earnest and giddy. Like he can’t believe his good luck or something. “Is there anything else I should know? Before the day, I mean?”

"Javi has requested a brunch, or lunch, depending on how hungover the two of you might be." Jack smirks because he knows that is very likely. "Something simple, low key with no social media. His way of thanking you." 

“No dressers for that, I’m assuming?” You tease because it’s in your nature, but you make a mental note to pack your favourite dress to have brunch in. “I can definitely do brunch. Best meal ever invented.”

“L.A. is the city to have it in then.” Jack sweeps up all the signed paperwork and nods. “You will be sent an electronic version of these papers as well. We just like having physical copies.”

“Sure. Makes sense.” Another nod, as you wonder why this agent came all the way out here himself. “Do you…need anything else from me? Clothing sizes, probably?” There had been no request for physical indicators of any kind in the contest entry, so it’s not like he has them on file unless he’s a creeper.

Jack shakes his head. “The stylist will measure you when you land in L.A.” He explains. “Women’s sizes are so varied from brand to brand.”

“Okay.” Nervous again, you shrug your shoulders and take the last sip of your iced tea. “So is that it? I really have no idea how this works. Obviously.”

“Well…yeah.” Jack frowns slightly and picks up his tea again. “The ticket will be sent to you, we are flying you out two days before the Grammys, then back home two days after.” He shrugs slightly. “What questions do ya got for me?”

“Wait, it’s four days?” You almost startle at that news, but manage to shut your mouth after a few seconds. “Okay, uh…what arrangements do I have to make for myself? Hotel for the other nights? Flight home? Obviously you guys aren’t buying my meals or anything.”

Jack frowns. “Darlin’, I’m sorry, I guess you didn’t read the fine print.” He tuts, shaking his head. “Everything is included. There and back. You are not going to pay for a thing. At least I hope the $300 a day spending money for meals is enough.” They had wanted to make this contest as popular as possible, garnering attention and excitement for Javi G’s tour and it seems as though you didn’t even know what you were getting. 

The disbelieving laugh that that news earns him bursts out of you like an explosion and you end up giggling nervously. “I…had had a lot of wine that night,” you admit. “And I never went back to reread the contest information because I didn’t figure there was any chance I would win.”

“Surprise.” He chuckles and tilts his head. “The prize includes first class flights to L.A. and back, the entire stay at the Biltmore and twelve hundred dollars to be spent at your discretion for food. For four days. And the room service in the hotel is included with the room.”

“I’ll grab a city map and a rental car when I land and I’ll be good to go.” Sitting back in your chair, you blow out a breath and laugh again. “This is a hell of a contest, Mr. Daniels. It’s really a very impressive prize.”

He sighs and rolls his eyes. “I knew there was something they forgot.” He hisses, shaking his head. “We will make sure there’s a car at the hotel.”

“Oh no, that’s not—!” You bite your lip and hope you haven’t gotten some poor office lackey in trouble. “It’s very generous of you.”

“Convertible okay?” He wants to make sure he smooths over this oversight so you are happy as a pig in the mud when you post your stories online. “Drive down Hollywood Boulevard Marilyn style?”

Nearly choking on the first sip of a new glass of tea, your eyes go wide when you look up at him again. “I—that car? The broken down piece of crap you were standing next to downstairs? That’s been my car for seven years and she has been that bad the whole time I’ve had her. A convertible is insane.”

“Then the videos you post – safely – of you driving it with the wind blowing through your hair will be spectacular.” Jack winks.

“Very safely.” You can promise him that with your hand on your heart.

“It’s gonna be a great trip, darlin’.” Jack predicts. “Javi’s gonna love you and you’re gonna feel like a star.”

“I’m very excited.” It felt like a dream to begin with, but now all this? It’s incredible. It’s a fairy tale.

“Perfect.” Jack thinks you’re beautiful and if he didn’t have this contest that needed to be fulfilled, he would be hitting on you. “Only three weeks until you will be in L.A. and posing with Javi on the red carpet.”

******

The first two days in LA are like a whirlwind, posting things to your social media in between sending texts back to your best friend and your sister, doing as many touristy things as you can manage and eating some of the best food you've ever had in your life. This city is like nothing you've ever experienced before and you're enjoying every second of it. The day of the Grammys is an all-day spa treatment for you until you head back to your hotel room. Room service is waiting for you there, and the team of stylists arrive very soon after. The army of dresses that they have with them are all so stunning that you can barely get a good look at one before you're sighing over the next, and they are ready and excited to get to work.

“Knock knock.” Javi can hear the chattering and laughter inside as he stands outside the hotel room with his suit. His hair is already carefully styled and the stylist that is working with you right now is going to finish his look here in your room. Jack had wanted candid photos of you and him getting ready together.

"Oh my god." Sitting at the vanity in the hotel room in your robe and slippers, you swear you nearly fall over right in your chair. "It's you!"

“It’s me.” The door had been left open, due to the people coming in and out of your suite, so he pushes the door open and pops his head inside. “Can I come in?”

"O–of course!" Making sure you're covered by your robe, you get up to offer him your hand and find the smile on your face is even broader than you thought it would be. He's even more handsome in person...how is that possible?

The stylist quickly takes the suit from Javi, leaving him free to take your hand and pull you in for a hug. “Are you excited? I am excited. What a thrilling night!” He rambles, squeezing you tight and pulling back to beam at you, “Jack was right, but he always is.” 

"Jack was right you'd be excited?" He smells amazing despite it probably just being soap, and he's so warm that it radiates through you like you're hugging a ball of pure energy in the form of a man. Or maybe the form of a Golden Retriever Man.

“Jack was right that you are even more beautiful than your picture.” Javi corrects with a shy smile.

"I..." What the hell do you even say to that, when it's being said by the most attractive man you've ever seen in real life? "Thank you." Lame. "You're–I mean–you're incredibly sweet." Thank god you stopped yourself before you told him that he is beautiful, too. That would have been a hell of a way to start the night.

Javi frowns slightly as he panics slightly. “I did not mean to offend.” He hastily corrects, biting his lip. “I– I messed it up, didn’t I? Now you are uncomfortable and will not want to attend the Grammys with me.”

"Javi..." Surprising both of you, you reach out and put your hand on his arm. "I got tongue tied. I was about to tell you that you look beautiful instead of saying handsome. It's...you did nothing wrong. I'm just excited and very nervous."

He swallows, taking a deep breath and sighing out softly. “I–I’m sorry.” He apologizes. “Normally I can pretend to be more collected but I am nervous.” He admits.

"It's okay." Both of you end up laughing a little, and you step back to let him further into the room. "We were about to have a great debate over which gown to put me in. Do you want to weigh in?"

“You have not chosen yet?” He is surprised but delighted. “Have you tried any on yet?”

"They took my measurements when I got into the city two days ago and now I get to try stuff on and pretend to be a model." It's completely surreal and you're enjoying every second of it, if you're honest with yourself. The fact that people have whole lives like this is insane.

“You will look incredible.” Javi has no problem slipping into the chair that you had just vacated and he taps his chin as he thinks. “Is there a dress that matches my suit?” He asks the stylist. “Or should we not coordinate?”

The woman tips her head at Javi for a moment before nodding slightly and pulling away to sift through the garment bags that she brought. "We can make your accessories match," she tells him confidently. "You have pearl and gold cufflinks and gold horsebit on velvet loafers. For her," she nods to you while she talks. "I have two velvet gowns. Both will work with gold and pearl accessories." One gown is lush black velvet and the other is seductive red, both in vintage cuts. "How about one of these?"

Javi looks to you for your opinion. You will be wearing the dress after all. “What do you think?” He asks, genuinely wanting your input. “If you would rather something else, that is perfectly fine too.”

"Velvet is great. I'm not upset about that option." You're not upset about any of this, and you step toward the stylist with the dorkiest thumbs up known to man. "Let's try both on and see which one looks better."

Javi chuckles and nods. “That sounds like a perfect plan. Shall we have some champagne?”

Champagne. On Grammy night. With your favourite singer of all time. While you try on designer gowns. If you could go back in time and tell Little You about all this you'd never believe yourself. "Absolutely. Let's do it. You pour and I'll be right back."

Javi knows that the bucket of champagne is going to arrive soon. Jack had assured him that he was ordering one for when you were meeting him. Knowing that some champagne would calm him down.

Disappearing for the time it takes to wiggle into the red dress, you glimpse yourself in the mirror long enough that you almost sigh. It's stunning. Reminiscent of old Hollywood, it fits and flares in all the right places and the back hangs low enough to show off a whole lot of skin. Unfortunately, you note as you step out for Javi to see the dress on you, it's a little hard to walk in because it is so form fitting.

Immediately, Javi frowns when he sees your lips pinched together in concentration. “What is wrong with it?” He asks, leaning forward. It’s stunning, to be sure, but he will not have you uncomfortable for the entire night.

Biting your lip just gives you away even further, and you shrug a little helplessly. "I'm not very good at being elegant, I guess," you have to laugh to not be embarrassed. "It's a little hard to walk in."

Javi nods seriously, his brows pinching together. You look sexy in the dress and he knows it is flattering, but if you aren’t comfortable, it’s not the dress for you. “No.” He decides, shaking his head. “I wish for you to be comfortable.” He flashes a grin with a roll of his eyes. “As comfortable as you can get in a formal dress.”

The horror stories of being sewn into red carpet gowns, not being able to breathe, or walking in one specific way all night are thankfully not in your future, and you smile gratefully. “Okay. I’ll put on the other one. Be right back.”

“It is beautiful though!” Javi calls after you, watching you toddle out of the room into the bedroom of your suite.

He’s right, obviously. It’s a stunning gown and gorgeously made, but the one and only time you ever walk a red carpet is not going to be a night you have to hold your breath and tiptoe in order to exist. The black velvet dress is slightly shorter, the silhouette is much more comfortable, and the intricate pattern in the material is accented by an off-the -shoulder neckline that makes you feel elegant without being too exposed. It’s perfect, and you know the second you walk out that the difference is immediate.

Javi sits up straight in his chair, captivated by both the dress on your body and the shy smile that lights up your face. You feel good in this dress and that makes you even more stunning. “Estás preciosa. Impresionante.” He murmurs as he stands. “Yes, this is – it is beautiful.”

“It’s so comfortable,” you barely stifle a giggle, gleeful and unable to really wrap your head around your own good luck. “You, um…you like it?” As surreal as it is to have this monumentally talented international star sitting there gauging your appearance in red carpet fashion, you don’t feel as nervous as you thought you would. As you did right when he came in. He just had such a positive energy about him that it puts you right at ease.

“It’s is perfect, no?” Javi bobbles his head enthusiastically as he looks at the stylist for some back up. “She looks like she is a celebrity herself.”

“She will be after tonight.” The stylist hums her approval. “Sit down, honey. Have a drink, chat, whatever you like. Just don’t move your head a lot while we’re putting your look together, okay?” 

“Drink. Chat. Don’t move,” you laugh lightly at the directions and sit back down again, delighting when Javi himself hands you a glass of champagne. The last two days have been surreal, and this has just leveled up to crazy.

“It is easy to do once you remember not to look at everyone.” Javi assures you, sitting down in the chair that has been set up next to yours for last minute touch ups. It will allow him to chat with you and get to know you before the red carpet. “Are you looking forward to the awards?”

“Yeah, absolutely!” It’s such a once in a lifetime chance for you, what’s not to love? “I have no idea what to really expect, though.” A laugh comes easily but you have to remind yourself not to shrug. “I watch it on TV like most other people, but I have a feeling that a lot of stuff happens that isn’t shown on the broadcast.”

“We will find out together.” Javi admits with a giddy grin. It will be his first American Grammy Awards show and he is looking forward to it. “But we will have fun. I am sure of it.”

“We absolutely will.” Looking at him in the mirror as the stylists go to work on both of you, the whole thing is just…it’s perfect. It’s the story you’ll tell for the rest of your life. That time you reached Peak Awesome by winning a contest.

“And then we have the after parties.” He chuckles with an excited grin. “Sharing a drink with all my favorite artists.”

“Are we supposed to go to certain ones?” You had re-read the contract and contest rules over the last few weeks and there was a lot you had missed in your wine haze when you had entered.

“We will make an appearance for Jack. The main party….” He snaps his fingers, unable to think of the name. “Then we can choose where we would go.”

“Universal Music Group.” You remember that one, considering it’s such a big deal. “Jack did a really amazing job setting all of this up.”

“Jack is wonderful at everything he does.” Javi assures you with a small smile. “He has guaranteed my success in the States.”

“Well,” the smile you aim at him in the mirror is shy. “I already have my ticket for the tour. Jack, um…upgraded it. To VIP. So tonight won’t be the only time you see me, it seems.”

“Wonderful!” Javi lights up happily. “I might have to pull you up on stage with me.” He teases with a small wink. “Croon a few songs while you are there and make everyone in the stadium jealous.”

This man just does not do things by half, does he? It makes you wish you had about three more glasses of champagne to justify this bubbly feeling. “Well…he also put me and my best friend in the front row…so if you wanted to, we’ll be right there.”

“Your best friend? Is she a fan as well?” He asks, his eyes wide and sincere. “Or are you dragging her along for someone to attend with you?”

“She’s a fan, too.” You assure him, watching in the mirror as the stylist carefully sets the curls in his hair. “We watch Eurovision together every year, and the first time you performed for Spain…three years ago? You absolutely should have won, by the way, but we’ve both been fans ever since.”

“Thank you.” Javi still has a hard time accepting compliments, even as long as he has been performing, so a blush darkens his tanned features. “I am grateful that you think so. That is what matters to me, people enjoy my music.”

"There are a lot of us out there." If you thought he was sweet before, now you just want to wrap him up in cuddles and protect him with everything you've got. He's just a nice man who wants people to connect to him, and he's so endearing that it makes you ache. "You have a huge community of fans out there. All over the world."

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” He ducks his head, causing his stylist to huff and remind him about staying still. “Oh! Sorry.” He catches your eyes in the mirror and winces, although he is grinning slightly.

"I promise, you do." Considering you're a member of that community, you would know. But either way, you beam his smile back at him in the mirror. "There are a lot of people in the States who are very excited to see you come over here. It's going to be great."

“I hope so.” He gushes. “I have always dreamed of coming over to American music billboards. ‘Crossing over’.”

His excitement is so sweet and pure, and you can't help the way your smile spreads and spreads the more you talk to him. "I don't know anything about distribution or profits or tours or any of that. But as a fan? There are so many of us who are so excited about this. I think it's going to go really well for you."

“Fingers crossed as the saying goes.” Javi is grateful that you seem to be such an encouraging person and his eyes light up. “We should call your friend!”

"Would you mind it?" Your phone is out on the vanity in front of you and you had thirty seconds worth of forethought this morning to change your lockscreen from a picture of Javi to one of you and your friend and your sister in her florist shop so that when he nods and you pick up your phone it isn't a cringeworthy moment.

“Not at all. You should FaceTime her!” He insists, eyes sparkling with the excitement of surprising your friend.

"Her name is Esme." You're practically giggling as you tap your phone screen, and grateful when the stylists move him slightly closer to you while they work so that you can both be seen in the small screen. "She's going to absolutely lose her mind. So...just be warned."

“That is okay.” He grins as he leans over a bit more to smoosh his face next to yours in the screen as you try to connect to your friend.

The phone rings twice before she picks up, but Esme is currently cat sitting for you and it's Pyewacket's face that greets you instead of your best friend's. "Hey Pye!" You coo at your cat, who looks confused as hell to see you in a little window instead of all in front of her. "Es...put the cat down and say hello," you giggle, still making faces at your cat.

“Aren’t you calling for a Pye check in?” Esme laughs as the feline jumps down and she turns the camera towards her face. “So how is it–” Her eyes widen and she starts to squeal. “OH MY GOD, Oh my god! Javi G!”

"I'm calling to say hi," you cackle, nearly keeling over in your chair to the dismay of your stylist. "Javi thought we should give you a call."

“Oh my god, oh my god, hiiiiiiiiiii.” She gasps out, nearly about to pass out from not taking a breath yet. “I can’t believe that I’m talking to you!”

"I told you," you smirk to the man beside you, but it's all good natured. Everyone deserves a little love and encouragement, right? His just comes from fans. "Es, you have to breathe, babe," you remind her over the camera.

“I’m so sorry.” She looks stricken for a moment. Embarrassed that she might be embarrassing Javi G. 

“Hello.” Javi finally has a moment to speak and he smiles indulgently into the camera. “Do not be sorry. I am happy to meet you Esme. You have a beautiful name.”

“Y-you’re beautiful,” she giggles, like she isn’t a grown ass woman of thirty. “I mean— ah, my friend is the smart one. I’m okay with that. You’re meeting her, she’s the smart one.” 

“Oh, you’re going to lose it even harder at the concert in a couple of months,” you can’t help but laugh, really. Esme wears her heart on her sleeve and doesn’t apologize for it.

“I will send your friend home with an autograph for you. Is that okay?” Javi asks, raising his brows in question.

“That would be amazing!” Esme squeaks. She would be clapping her hands with glee if she didn’t also have to be holding up her phone. “I’m gonna record the whole thing on your DVR tonight, babe,” she promises you eagerly. “You’ll have it to watch over and over.”

“I will talk to you again before she leaves.” Javi promises before kissing his hand. “Ciao Esme!” He knows they can’t keep talking, needing to finish getting ready and there needs to be behind the scenes photos taken. 

“I love you, honey, I’ll call you later!” You promise her before having to end the call. The clock is ticking and it’s almost time to go. “That was incredibly sweet of you. I know she’ll never forget that in a million years.”

“It was a small thing.” He shrugs one shoulder and gives you an embarrassed grin. “We will have to call during brunch so you can talk longer.”

“Jack said the brunch was your idea?” You ask, setting your phone back on the vanity. “I think it’s absolutely perfect. Brunch is absolutely my favorite meal.”

“I figured that even though the Grammys are exciting, we won’t get a lot of time to talk.” Javi reasons. “But brunch? Brunch is perfect for talking.”

As if to prove his point, the stylists move over to do a full face of makeup on you and just a few small touches on him - bits of eyeliner and glitter that the naked eye would hardly perceive but that enhances his look so much.

Javi grins in the mirror as you open your mouth so the lipstick can be painted on the interior of them far beyond what women normally do. “It should withstand any eating or drinking,” the stylist tells you when she is done, and she puts the tube down next to your phone. “But keep it with you for touch ups just in case.”

“I am glad I do not have to wear that.” Javi hums.

“It’s not so bad.” Lipstick always feels glamorous to you, adding to that elegant celebrity vibe that tonight is giving you, especially after spending all day at the spa. “Besides,” you grin and it wrinkles your nose. “You have more glitter on than I do.”

“To make me sparkle on camera.” He rolls his eyes but he knows the effect will look good on film.

“It’s cute,” you promise him easily. The jewelry and accessories have come out now – the very last thing before you are ready to get into the car to head to the red carpet.

Javi stands and smiles at you. "Now I must put on my own suit to match your beauty."

The whole thing takes less time than you would think, but by the time you’re ready to take pre-show pictures the stylist who is snapping them for you is making silly jokes about adult prom while he does his tie and you check your purse one last time to make sure you have everything. The night is going to be absolutely incredible and you’re starting to vibrate with excitement.

"I must confess." He takes your hand and leans close. "I have been so nervous for tonight that I have not eaten anything." He whispers. "Have you?"

“I’m the opposite.” His hands seem almost twice the size of yours, enveloping yours and keeping you close. “I’ve been nibbling all day to try to take my mind off being nervous.”

"So you would not want a pit stop by In & Out?" He asks, almost pouting at the idea. "I have a wish for their fries and American Coke."

“Well, I think we have to.” You’ve been nibbling today, picking at fruit and cheese, charcuterie and spiced nuts at the spa. As much tea as you could drink. The room service tray was delicious but definitely picked over. But fast food with a pop star is way better than some of the things you had on your proverbial Bingo card for tonight. “I’ve never had In & Out. We don’t have them where I’m from.”

"We can have the driver swing through the drive through on the way." He grins mischievously and nods. "We can experience it together."

“It will make a very silly story in an interview one day. I think it’s an excellent idea.” His phone goes off on the table again, flashing as it sits beside yours, and you see Jack’s name pop up on the screen. “I think you might have some instructions, or hopefully some encouragements, incoming.”

Javi picks up his phone, his face lighting up when he hears his agent's voice. “Rey,” he hums, grinning at you as he speaks. “We are just about to leave.”

“Está bien, zorro.” Jack’s voice on the other end is pleased and honeyed. “Y’all got everythin’ you need? Clothes fit, stylists done their duty? Car should be downstairs waiting for you.”

“Sí.” Javi bobble his head even if Jack cannot see him. His hand reaches up for the necklace around his neck. “We have already taken some pictures, rey. They are fantastico. She is more beautiful that I imagined.”

“I knew you’d like her.” Jack seems satisfied at the choice, and his voice pitches low for a moment. “Now you two behave and I’ll see you at the party. Buena suerte esta noche.” Good luck tonight.

“Sí.” He hums warmly, smiling as he pulls the phone away to look back at you. “Jack will be joining us at the party.”

“Then we better make sure we have fun before that.” Boldly putting out your hand to him, you nod to the door of the suite. “So we can have plenty to tell him.”

He takes your hand and grins. “Are you enjoying your prize so far?”

“It’s absolutely amazing.” And why does holding his hand feel like the sweetest, giddiest thing in the world? Esme’s going to be hearing about this forever, she really is. You could just melt over it. “I still have two more days here after tonight and I just…it’s more than I ever thought it could be. Going home is going to be such a bummer.”

"Where are you from?" Jack had told him the town, but he couldn't remember off the top of his head. You both are out the door and striding down the hallway with the stylists snapping photos of you. Jack probably told them to do that.

“Seymour’s Bay, New Jersey.” It’s a small town that almost no one has ever heard of, and you shrug a little. “We’re a ninety minute drive from New York City, and we have an old style amusement park. Those are about the only notable things from my town.”

"I see." He nods and once you are on the elevator, he squeezes your hand. "So what do you do, Belleza?"

“It’s…kind of weird.” You admit, feeling very schoolgirl in your beautiful dress while the man of your dreams holds your hands on the way to a very fancy party. “I’m a researcher for a podcast. True crime, a lot of history, some supernatural stuff. Sometimes we talk about movies made about true events and what they got right or wrong. It’s basically me and my cat and a whole lot of books.” 

"Interesting." Javi doesn't think it's weird, but he frowns slightly. "Do you do the podcast? Or do you just research for it?"

"I research for it." The frown makes you certain that you've completely weirded him out or made him uncomfortable, and you shrug again. "I studied to be a librarian, but through a series of random events, I ended up becoming a researcher instead. My bosses are great, though, and I can work from home. So it's way better than a lot of other jobs based on just that."

"That is unfortunate." Javi shakes his head. "I think you would be good at the podcast." He smiles. "You have a beautiful voice and I was hoping I could listen to you sometime."

"Anytime you want to hear it, you just give me a call," you joke, never thinking for a million years that he would actually do such a thing.

Javi nods seriously, making a note to himself that he needs to have Jack give him your number. The elevator starts to slow down and he sighs, squeezing your still joined hands. "The car should already be waiting for us."

It is, just as Jack had promised, and the crowd of fans and paparazzi outside that had gotten wind of where he would be are held at bay as you and Javi are ushered quickly into the backseat. More luxurious than any sedan but not quite a limousine, you're glad all over again to be wearing the less cumbersome dress of what you tried on. There is plenty of room to stretch out and be comfortable as the driver pulls quickly away from the hotel entrance.

"I didn't think that there would be so many outside." His eyes widen and he looks back at the crowd that gathered and was still snapping pics as you drive away. "That's crazy."

"Some members of your fandom are...a little more zealous than others." No one was overtly rude or acted out or anything like that, which was fortunate, but it's a very good thing that the car's windows are tinted. The further you get from the group, the harder it will be to pick out your nondescript car from all the other black cars with tinted windows in LA.

Javi scoots forward so he can tap on the the divider between the driver and the you. When the window rolls down, he shoots the driver a grin. "Can we stop by In & Out?" He asks. "We want to grab some food and drinks before the red carpet."

The driver chuckles, obviously having heard this request before, and he nods. "Sure thing, Mr. Gutierrez. There's also some drinks in the cooler built into the seat between you, if you want them. Not sure what Mr. Daniels put in."

"I'm sure Jack put in all my favorites." He grins and nods before he sits back. "Jack stocked the drink cooler in here." He tells you before he reaches for the pull down for the seat.

"He seems to think of everything." When Javi pulls the cooler open there are half bottles of Spanish cava from a vineyard on his home island along with a plethora of canned cocktails in every flavour imaginable and, of course, water bottles. You have to admit to being impressed. Jack seems to be an incredibly thorough man. And that thought turns dirty very quickly.

"He does." Javi nods as he pulls out a bottle of the cava and starts to twist to the wire off the cork to open it. "Shall we share a drink before our fries?" He offers.

"Wine and French fries is actually a combination I've done before," you roll your eyes at yourself. "Because I'm clearly the classiest person you know. But yes, absolutely let's celebrate."

"Cava and papas fritas are a match made in Heaven." Javi insists, popping open the bottle and taking a swig directly from it before offering it to you. "I can open your own if you do not wish to share."

"I'm not fussy." He's charmingly normal, and yet also you don't think you've ever met anyone like him before in your life. He is simultaneously vibrating like an overexcited chihuahua and as laid back as any housecat. When he offers you the bottle you take it, enjoying the heady buzz of more bubbly in your system. Nowhere near even tipsy, you're simply relaxed.

"I must confess." He turns towards you with an earnest expression and leans in close. "I am surprised by how normal you are." His eyes widen, realizing how horrible that sounds. "I mean, how normal you are taking all of this" He rushes out, cursing himself for insulting you. "I would be about to jump out of my skin and you are so cool and composed."

"It's partly the bubbly," you admit with a guilty grin. "But..." Pressing your lips together when you move the bottle away from them makes you look even guiltier, but you can't help it. "I'm just trying really really hard not to weird you out. Like Esme's reaction when we called? I've been doing that on the inside for the entire time."

"Do you want to know a secret?" Javi asks, his eyes widening and he leans in closer to you.

"Very much." And you will keep it secret and safe for as long as you live, just glad to have these memories to hold on to.

"I feel like that all the time." His eyes widen in seriousness and he bites his lip. "I am always anxiously bouncing off the walls and wondering if everyone around me thinks I am crazy."

"How many people have ever referred to you as a puppy to your face?" You ask with a grin, knowing that the majority of the American fandom refers to him as a 'golden retriever boyfriend' with maximum affection. His brow furrows in confusion and he tilts his head to the side as he looks at you. Trying to figure out what you mean by that. "It means you're excitable and sweet and you have really positive energy." The last thing you want is for him to think that you're covertly taking a dig at him or something, because it's completely the opposite. "Your happiness is infectious."

"Oh." Javi nods as he smiles at you, understanding what you are saying now. "Then it is a good thing."

"It absolutely is." You would never have said it otherwise, but you feel a little hazy from how close he is. His presence really is intoxicating.

"I look like a puppy, hm?" He asks, leaning in a little more. "A cute puppy?"

It's criminal the way your heart leaps in your chest, but you're flustering before you can even blink. "I think the agreed upon term is...'Golden Retriever Boyfriend'," you admit sheepishly.

"Golden...Retriever...boyfriend..." He says it slowly, letting the words roll on his tongue. Biting his lip again as he thinks about the nickname that he is apparently known by. "Do a lot of people call me that?"

"I–" You could lie. You could. Or play it off. But you just sort of giggle as he passes the bottle back to you to sip from again. "...yeah. At least, in America they do."

"Maybe I should get a dog." He thinks with a grin. "They have such loving little faces and always love you."

"You should do what makes you happy." It's good advice that you can never seem to follow for yourself, but he absolutely deserves all the good things in the world.

"Do you have any pets?" He asks, feeling the car slow down and turn. He looks out the window and grins when he sees the iconic sign for the west coast fast food joint. 

"The cat in the phone call?" You grin at the excited look on his face. "She's mine. Pyewacket...like the cat from Bell, Book, and Candle."

"Ohhhh, she was pretty." He nods, grinning. "Sleek looking, have you had her long?"

"She's two now and I've had her since she was twelve weeks old." That beautiful black cat is your favourite roommate and only child, and you love having her. "Someday maybe I'll get her a puppy sibling. But the apartment I live in is a little too small for that right now."

"Mr. G." The driver clears his throat. "We are nearing the window. "What would you and your guest like to eat?" He asks politely.

The two of you collaborate on an order in the backseat just in time for the driver to order at the speaker, and only a few minutes later you have a bag between you and Javi's craving for American Coke is being fulfilled. "Should have enough of a drive to enjoy your snack before we get there," the driver tells you, fully amused before he puts up the separator again.

"I'm so excited." Javi confesses, even as he starts opening napkins to start draping over your lap to protect your dress. "I have heard so many good things about this and have not had time to try it before now."

"Are you that busy getting ready for your tour?" It must be an immense amount of work, but you don't really have any bearing on what goes into it. Not really.

"Rehearsals are normally fifteen hour days." He admits with a rueful grin. "Another reason I have been looking forward to the Grammys. It's a break."

"Fifteen?" That sounds like torture, and you immediately offer him some French fries like an apology. "Please tell me you have all kinds of people whose literal job it is to take care of you, because that's insane."

"Jack makes sure that I am well rested." He assures you, smiling at how thoughtful you are to worry about him. "It will get better. Hard work now to insure that the tour is perfect."

"It will be perfect." Of that you have no doubt. He's an amazing performer with incredible talent and dedication. "And I'm glad you have someone to look out for you. I know...people always say that being famous is lonely, and you're too sweet for that."

"It– it can be lonely." He admits, frowning slightly and reaching for his Coke to take a sip of it. "I do not have many friends." He shouldn't admit this to you. Opening up too much, you could tell people even though there is a NDA that protects him.

"Well that's shitty." Turning to face him completely in the back of the car, you decide that the frown on his face is completely unacceptable and you shake your head. "You have one more. If you want to, I mean. You want to talk to somebody, or vent about your day, or whatever, you just drop me a line, okay? And if you ever want to see the lamest town in New Jersey sometime, I'll take you to the broken-down amusement park for the probably-unsafe rides and rigged carnival games."

"Really?" He asks, surprised by the offer. People often want to be close to him, to get things from him, but it's never an offer to just listen. "That is– that is very nice of you." He chokes out, emotional from the gesture.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it." In a moment that might qualify as juvenile if it didn't feel so honest and pure, you stick out your pinky finger to him and grin. "Pinky promise. Jack has my number and my email, but I'll give it all to you at brunch tomorrow if you really want it. Friends shouldn't be hard to come by for somebody as nice as you are."

His grin lights up his face and he eagerly hooks his finger around yours. "I know it seems silly to not have friends." He admits. "My family kept me isolated. Practicing to become famous was more important than friends."

"My family put pressure on me in other ways. And I know I don't have any kind of demanding career like you do, but I get it. When they decide they know what's best for you they never let go." Squeezing his finger gently in yours, the two of you are back to your snack in no time. "I do shifts in my sister's flower shop to keep them quiet. The whole family are all florists except me."

"Florists?" His brows shoot up and he hums. "They create beauty and they can't understand why it doesn't fulfill you."

"I am...not very artistic," you admit, picking up another French fry. It's official. In & Out is amazing. "I can appreciate beauty, and music, and art, and theater, and all of it. But I'm not good at making it myself. So sometimes I run the cash register for my sister on busy days or help with shipments. But arrangements? Esme and Kate do all that."

"There is nothing wrong with that." He shoves some fries into his mouth and follows it up immediately with a sip of Coke, moaning at the taste of it combined. "You have to have a sip of Coke with your fries."

It's not exotic for you at all, but he is so excited that you lean over and accept a sip of Coke without a second thought. There really is something so fantastically satisfying about simple, greasy fast food while you're all dressed up that is so much fun. "So are you right back to rehearsals tomorrow after brunch, or do you still have time to relax?"

"I will start back rehearsals next week." He tells you with a grin. "The last week before the tour starts. They don't want me to be too tired at the start of the tour." One more week of practice and then the last week before the kickoff will be spent relaxing. 

"So you have time to relax and enjoy yourself." That makes you nod with authority you definitely don't have. "Good. You should do things with your time that make you happy. Collect lots of memories. You never know where inspiration can strike, right?"

"I am hoping to." He smiles although there is a hint of secrecy in the curve of his lips as he says it. "There are a lot of things that I wish to experience. Especially if I am going to make the move to America permanent."

"Are you?" That rumor hasn't even hit the most in the know members of the fandom as far as you can tell, and you make the motion of an ‘x’ over your chest. "I signed the NDA, Javi. I won't say a word, I swear. But that's so exciting!"

He flushes again, realizing he has misspoken and yet with your hand reaching out to take his, he relaxes slightly. "I shouldn't have said that, but I'm glad someone knows." He admits, knowing that only his people, Jack, know of his plans.

“And hey.” You squeeze his hand gently, a moron he seems to find reassuring. “Even if I hadn’t signed it? We’re friends now. Friends get excited and keep secrets for each other. It’s part of the deal.”

"Thank you." The last few fries are gone quickly and he carefully starts to wipe his fingers free of salt and grease before he checks his suit for any dropped grains.

“Here.” There’s just a few specks of salt on his lapel but you lift them off in the curve of one of the fake nails that the manicurist at the salon gave you earlier today. “There.” There is no stain or mark left behind. No one would ever know you’ve been naughty. “Perfect.”

“Thank you.” He smiles, reaching up to brush a fry crumb from the corner of your lip. “You still look beautiful. And that was delicious.”

“I should check my lipstick, since it’s the one thing the stylists sent with me.” Having him call you beautiful makes you shy. You’re just a normal girl from a normal little town. Not someone Javi G should be calling beautiful.

“Yes.” Javi nods seriously and picks up your purse to hand you, “I will hold anything you need.”

The ride took less time than you thought, and you’re putting away your lipstick and mirror as the car enters the line to deposit you and Javi on the red carpet. “Don’t be nervous,” you encourage, taking his hand briefly. “You’re going to be amazing. I know it.”

"It is show time." He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a moment. Clinging to your hand when you try to pull it away and flashes you an apologetic grin when the moment passes. "Sorry." He hums.

“Sorry.” You instinctively apologize at the same time, and the two of you end up feeling silly but thankfully not too awkward. “If you need to grab my hand on the carpet, go for it,” you tell him, right before the car door opens. You’re not going to be mad if there is a picture out there in the world of him sweetly holding onto you for support. Just a nice man being nice to his fan.

Javi slides out of the SUV, adopting a charming smile and lifting an arm and waving to the first wave of fans and photographers, buttoning his jacket and turning to help you out of the car. While there are porters to help guests out of the cars but he wants to do it himself. Flashing you a smile as he reaches for your hand.

What you see on tv is so different from what is happening the second that Javi helps you out of the car. It’s so much louder than you expected and with so many more people everywhere. Red carpet interviews and photos give you the impression that things are all very organized and to some degree they are, but there are far more people milling about than you ever would have guessed. The two of you are ferried into a sort of arrivals line - as you make it down the carpet there will be certain places to stop for photo ops and for interviews, and there are handlers to make sure that you go where you need to. But the sheer scale of the event is so much greater than you had ever thought watching it from home.

"Here we go." Javi murmurs under his breath as he smiles and starts to wave again. It's big and loud and reminds him of stadium tours while he was in Europe. You are new to this and he keeps your hand curled around his and when he drops his hand down, he pats your hand and looks at you. "Are you okay?"

“I’m great,” you admit, thoroughly surprising both of you. The whole thing is massively exciting and you’re just soaking it up. “How are you doing? Nerves okay?”

Surprisingly good. He is normally way more nervous about things like this but you are calming him down with your down to earth friendliness and happiness. "I'm good." He insists with a smile, leaning in and kissing your cheek before his hand drifts up to touch his necklace again.

The crowd apparently loves this moment, fans nearby cheering loudly to see something so sweet in front of them. “They’re loving every second of you,” you promise him, grinning from ear to ear.

He smiles shyly, biting his lip as he looks at you soulfully. "I should have asked if that was okay." He murmurs, hoping you didn't mind it too bad.

“More than okay.” Hell, for all you care the guy can stick his tongue down your throat in the middle of the red carpet. Fuck…that’s a thought that is going to fester…

He smiles and nods, kissing your cheek again and this time he doesn't flush when he pulls back. The permission gives him confidence and he sends you a small wink before an event coordinator comes over to guide you down the carpet.

For the first real time tonight, that sheet of paper you signed concerning the possibility of sex pops back into your mind. Not because a kiss on the cheek is inherently sexual but because the nearness of him is so intoxicating.

The first few stops fly by. Charming and vivacious, Javi manages to win them over with a smile and his enthusiastic love of everything American and the joy of being here. He displays you just as much as he can, gushing over how he is enjoying being here with you and pushing you to talk as well.

The first reporter to not know anything about the contest is the first one to ask him to introduce his girlfriend to the world. He looks eager to hear all about it, thinking he might be getting a scoop, but despite the hand holding you both shake your head politely.

"She is my date." Javi clarifies, leaning in. "But she is beautiful, no?" He asks, looking back at you. "Won a contest and inspired the next song. I swear."

“I’ll be very excited to hear that song when it comes out.” He surely doesn’t mean it, but it’s still a nice thought to have. “I’m honestly just having the best time in the world.”

"We are planning to make sure we enjoy everything." Javi beams, happy you are enjoying yourself and he hopes that you mean that. You are inspiring his next song. He's already come up with the hook in his head and actually cannot wait to jot it down.

“What kind of everything are you enjoying?” Disappointed to not have unearthed gossip, the reporter digs for more. You’re clearly smitten, even if you are just a fan.

“The show, the parties after.” Javi flashes you a grin. “Tomorrow, we will nurse our hangovers with a delicious west coast brunch.”

“You’ll never want to leave LA after this.” The man chuckles to you, and you can’t shrug or risk looking weird. 

“I already don’t want to leave,” you admit with a blinding smile. This moment is supposed to be for you and yet all you want to do is make it good for Javi. He chuckles and the two of you move down to the next reporter. Smiling as he grips your hand tightly. “He wanted us to give something away so badly,” you grin guiltily.

“He did. Secret relationships are always titillating.” Javi hums, reaching up and touching his necklace again to calm himself.

“Too bad for them.” Still holding his hand, You flash him the same smile that you had the reporter to hopefully reassure him. “Everything’s going great.”

“Let me know if that changes.” He asks softly, wanting you to enjoy this entire experience. “Although they are going to be jealous of me standing beside someone as beautiful as you are.”

"When you write your song, put that in the lyrics," you tease affectionately. "It will be my favorite forever."

“I will.” Javi nods seriously. “The hook is already written. ‘No star shines as bright as your smile’” He sings softly.

"I—I thought you were just...saying that." The flash of a camera isn't as dramatic as a wasted bulb anymore, but there is now one photographer in the world with an picture of you looking at Javi with soft astonishment written all over your expressive face. "It's...it's beautiful," you murmur back, feeling your cheeks heat up so much you might become your own sun.

“You are beautiful.” Javi counters, unraveling your hand from his arm to kiss the back of it. “Inspiration struck, thanks to you.”

******

If he was enjoying himself before the awards, Javi is ecstatic afterward and you are powerless but to roll along with his excitement at the afterparty. His award for Best Global Performance will be delivered to his LA residence and the adrenaline from his win might never wear off. Happiness looks so well on him, though, and he's all but glowing when you walk into the party together.

"I can't believe I won!" He gushes for about the five thousandth time. It's incredible and he's nearly overwhelmed with how many people, famous artists, came up to congratulate him. "Can you believe that I won?"

"I absolutely can," you assure him just like every time before. He's a brilliant entertainer and it isn't the first award he's ever won, but his desire to break America means that winning a Grammy holds enormous importance for him. "You more than deserve it."

"Is that..." His eyes widen and he cranes his neck over the crowd and then ducks down and around The Weeknd to see better. "Is that Gloria Estefan?" He asks in a near reverent whisper. "Oh my god, it is." He hisses, looking back at you almost panicked. "It's Gloria Estefan!"

"You should say hello." He is very near to a kid in a candy store at this party, and while you are just sort of absorbing the glitz, glimmering chaos around the top of you, he has transformed into a fanboy. It's actually reassuring to see – the way he is acting on the outside is very much how you felt on the inside when he walked into your suite tonight.

"No!" He shakes his head and straightens up, looking back at you like you had suggested he spit in her drink. "I could not possibly. She is...she is iconic. I cannot bother her."

"Did it bother you to meet me?" The question is posed as entirely theoretical, and the hint of a smile on your lips tells him you aren't judging him in the least. "Having someone who admires you tell you that you mean something to them is wonderful, Javi. Don't be afraid."

Javi shakes his head, still too starstruck and he looks back at you, “Maybe after a drink, sí?” He asks, raising his brows at you.

"Well, let's get you a drink, then." There are waiters passing by with trays in every direction and a full bar against the far wall, so getting him whatever drink he wants will not be a problem whatsoever.

“How do you feel? Are you still having fun?” He asks, wanting to make sure that he’s not boring you or you wish you were back in your suite.

"The answer to that will always be yes," you promise him. The two of you have gotten used to walking hand in hand tonight, and now it is natural to put your hand in his as you walk to the bar. "What are we drinking to celebrate your victory?"

“Tell me your favorite drink.” He begs, turning those puppy dog eyes as you call them on you and smiles.

"Usually just wine," you admit, albeit a little sheepishly. "Sparkling or even sangria if there's a party. "But I am absolutely open to trying anything." A rule which goes for more than just cocktails, but he doesn't really need to know that.

“Should we try some of the signature cocktails?” He asks, pointing to the placard with a list of yummy sounding drinks. “Jack should be here soon.”

“Absolutely.” The only way to survive winning this contest has been to go with the flow, so you’re just going to roll with that a while longer. People are already starting to drink and dance, catching snacks from passing trays of hors d’oeuvres or from the long buffet of sumptuous offerings along the wall adjacent to the bar. Tables for chatting and resting sit ready but most people seem ready to party. At the bar, a half dozen specialty cocktails are listed with cheeky names and full descriptions. Some are fruity, some are smokey, some sound downright dangerous. It’s all a matter of taste.

"Award Winning Whiskey Sour." Javi decides, looking at the menu. "I think I will start with that." He looks over at you and waits for your decision.

“The Sweet Victory Raspberry Limoncello Cooler sounds like my speed,” you decide with a grin. An open bar with a reason to celebrate always means trying something wonderful.

"Then that's what you will have." He winks at you and darts off to grab the drinks. It doesn't matter that he is the award winner, he is going to treat you like the star since you are with him.

“Javi!” There is a crowd forming and you end up losing the fast-moving Spaniard in the thick of it, but you just laugh and hang back. You’ll stay where you are and he will find you again. In the meantime, this party is incredible and a few covert pictures won’t hurt anything.

At the bar, Javi orders the drinks, smiling at the bartender and he reaches up to touch his necklace as he looks around the crowd, searching for a Stetson.

“Lookin’ for somebody?” Jack’s voice comes from behind his left shoulder, the warm smirk of amusement evident in his honeyed tone.

"Jack!" Javi lights up again, delighted to see him and he lunges forward to hug his agent. "Can you believe I won?" He knows that Jack had kept tabs on the awards ceremony, even if he had been working while he was watching so he could attend the party.

"Of course I can believe it." He had no doubts about it, but he's glad to see Javi happy. Jack pats his star on the back and looks around before raising an eyebrow at Javi. "Where'd our girl get off to? Run away to powder her nose?"

"I left her..." Javi bites his lip and looks around the crowd before he spots you. "Just there." The bartender brings over the drinks and Javi shoves a generous bill into the man's hands. "Can we also get a glass of whiskey?" He asks, nodding towards Jack. "For my friend."

"Enjoying your night?" Jack asks him, honestly wondering if the sweet shows of companionship he saw during the broadcast were real or if Javi was learning how to charm Americans along with everyone else in the world.

"She is wonderful." Javi confides with a small grin, leaning in closely. "Just like you said she would be. I like her, rey. I really like her."

"I thought you would." That news pleases Jack, who presses a bill into the bartender's hand when he comes back with his whiskey. "She signed on the dotted line, ya know," he reminds Javi under his breath. "Could be a well-deserved way to celebrate."

"Does she know?" Javi asks under his breath, reaching up and touching his necklace again. "What that entails?"

"Not yet." Jack shakes his head and picks up his drink, holding it to his lips a moment and considering the next course of action before he drinks. "If you'd like to tell her, we can. But I'd say let's see how she dances before we go invitin' her to the rodeo."

"No." Jack's idea makes sense and Javi nods. "I want to see her dance. Plus I need to deliver her drink."

"Then lead the way, zorro," Jack murmurs quietly, a smirk gracing his lips.

Javi smiles as he moves through the crowd of people, nodding and slightly awestruck by some of the people who greet him by name. He doesn't stop, eager to get back to you with the drinks and with Jack.

You get one more discreet picture in on your phone before you see Javi reappear with a distinct Stetson-wearing mustachioed cowboy behind him, and you quickly pull up your text messages to fire one off to Esme to cover up the fact that you were being an absolute fangirl for the five minutes he was gone.

"Jack is here." Javi rushes out with a happy smile on his face as if the man's presence behind him isn't announcement enough.

Murmured thanks to Javi for delivering your drink come with a broad smile, and you are right back to beaming when you turn to Jack. "You must be very proud tonight."

"Pleased as punch, darlin'." Jack hums, sending you a small wink. "Only a few things that I can think of that would make me happier and it wouldn't be polite to speak about that in public." He winks again and takes a sip of his whiskey.

When your smile turns shy it seems to please the cowboy even further, and you take a sip of your drink with a happy hum before looking back to Javi. Not that Jack isn't damn fun to look at, but it's Javi's night. "What are you thinking, Javi? Grab something to eat? Get on the dance floor?"

"Dancing." Javi sneaks a look over at Jack before back to you. "I wish to see how you move." He smirks, taking a sip of his whiskey sour and biting his lip.

Well damn. Get a couple of drinks and an award win into Javi Gutierrez and suddenly he's all but purring at you in front of his agent. While a prouder woman might have played it off or demurred, you have reached a point in the night where not caring anymore is a virtue. There are no paparazzi inside this party. No fans to speak of other than you or a few other lucky guests. So Jack is here? Fuck it. Jack's a flirt, too. "Well, come on, then," you toss him a grin after taking a long drink of your cocktail. "I'm sure Jack won't mind guarding our drinks for a few minutes."

Jack chuckles and takes your drink from you, making sure that his fingers linger over yours and he practically coos at you. "Enjoy yourself now, darlin'." He encourages, grinning at you like he's the cat that is edging closer to the canary.

"I'll try to keep up," you tease Javi as he leads you out onto the dance floor. Considering how many of his performances you've seen on television, you know how well he can move. It really will be trying to keep up with a pro tonight.

Jack watches with interest as Javi pulls you into his arms and starts to move. It's obvious that you are infatuated with Javi and he doesn't blame you. It's a part of his charm, his ability to draw people in.

The song has a beat to move to, thank god – something hip hop and Latinx that makes for fantastic party music at the beginning of a night. There are no speeches here, no cameras to pose for, only people enjoying themselves, so that is exactly what you decide to do when you put both arms around Javi's neck. When are you ever going to get a chance like this again in your life? Never is when, so you're damn well going to enjoy every second of it for everything it's worth.

Javi laughs breathlessly as he twirls you around and dips you. Happy that your dress allows for you to move so easily. He wouldn't have been able to dance with you like this if you had worn the red dress. And it would be a shame to not get to press his body to yours like this.

"I think we picked the right dress," you laugh breathlessly, obviously having the same thought as him at this moment. This fairy tale - your fairy tale - keeps getting better and better at every turn.

"Depends on how it looks on the floor." Javi teases, pulling you closer and flashing you a grin.

"I–" The shock on your face is abundantly evident. For all the teasing, or flirtatiousness, or even the fleeting sweet moments you've shared tonight? Neither of you has been as bold as to make that kind of comment or make any intentions known. On your end it seemed utterly ridiculous to even think he would be interested, assuming his gestures to simply be those of a sweet man with good manners. But maybe it is actually more than that? "Now that is a very interesting question," you admit, lips curling up into a grin.

"Sí?" He asks, eyes widening slightly in shock as if he is surprised that the line actually worked. Jack's presence has given him confidence that he normally does not possess or represses because of his poor self esteem, but the grin on your face captivates him. "You would like to find out? With me?"

Thinking about it for a second, you end up surprising yourself and laugh a little right out loud. "You know..." you shake your head in amusement. "I was really about to say that I was only serious if you were actually interested in me for me and not in some wish fulfillment thing about fucking a fan. But honestly? I don't really care what the motivation is. I'm one hundred percent on board. We'll dance, we'll drink, we'll go back to the hotel and have a night. Why the hell not?"

If you had told him that he was the world wide star, top of the charts for all the countries, he couldn't have looked any happier about your agreement. "Yes!" He crows happily and pulls you even closer to kiss your cheek. Since you are in public, he would not cause a scene.

He is nearly crushing you to him as he revels in your agreement, and you have to admit - this whole contest, this trip, this night, all of it - it's so surreal that why shouldn't it include sleeping with an internationally known musician that you've had a crush on for literal years? That's completely tracks with the tone of the whole thing. Esme and Kate are never going to believe half of what actually happened even before this.

When the song ends, Javi pulls away and he searches your eyes. "Do you want to stay?" He asks. "Or do you want to go?"

"Jack won't be upset if we don't stay longer?" After all, you had really only been here for what feels like a few minutes. Perhaps it was as long as a whole half hour, who knows. And Jack seems like a man who prefers to do things 'right'.

"Why don't we see what he wants to do?" Javi asks, taking your hand and leading you off the dance floor. "I need my drink anyway!"

There is definitely something you're missing here, unless Javi is about to ask his agent's permission to take you back to the hotel, but since you're already decided to just roll with it you let him drag you back to the table where Jack is waiting and gratefully accept your drink from the tall, dark, and handsome Southerner when he offers it back to you.

Javi is nearly bouncing on his toes with anticipation, grinning as he takes his drink from Jack and tosses it back quickly. “I would like to go back to the house, rey.” He tells Jack before he turns to you. “Unless you would be more comfortable in your hotel room, of course.”

"It's where my stuff is," you point out needlessly. "But nobody ever died because they were embarrassed about a walk of shame."

“There’s no shame in that walk, darlin’.” Jack smirks, taking a sip of his whiskey. “Maybe a little hitch in your step dependin’ on how hard you’ve been ridden is all.”

"Traditionally is it not the lady who does the riding?" Throwing caution to the wind, you have another sip of your drink and tilt your head at Jack. "What's the song? Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy?"

“Oh you are perfect, darlin’.” He chuckles, leaning in and chucking your chin with his fingers. “How’d you like to find out?”

For a second you freeze, not sure that you've understood him correctly, and you look between the two men to find Javi looking just on the edge of nervousness and Jack smirking confidently. Well that's a surprise... But really, is it a bad one? Hell no. Cowboy Burt Reynolds is a look you didn't know you were into until a month ago when Jack Daniel's showed up at your apartment, and you're just going to throw up your hands and go with the flow. "Ya know what?" You toss back the end of your drink, enjoying the way the bubbles go straight to your head - you're making the decision with a clear head but you might be a little floaty by the time you get back to wherever you're going if you have another. "Sure. Let's go find out."

“Really?” Javi’s eyes widen happily and he reaches for your hand, “You know he is talking about…” He looks around and lowers his voice to a whisper. “Both of us, sí?”

"I understood that part," you promise him, squeezing his hand just as you have every other time that he has been nervous tonight. "And I've got no clue why you're asking, or why you're asking me, but since I'm never going to get an offer like this again?" You shrug again and end up laughing a little. "Let's go."

“You will not regret it.” He promises you, turning and beaming at Jack. “I want you to know that you have the most exquisite taste, rey.” He hums. “I feel relaxed already.”

"Okay." Setting your glass down on the table beside you and picking up your evening bag instead, you look between them curiously. "I thought your name was Jack?" You ask quietly. "Not Ray?"

Javi flushes and he ducks his head in embarrassment, reaching up and touching his necklace. Jack chuckles and decides to answer for him. He sets down his whiskey after he drains it. “Not ‘Ray’ like ‘Howdy my name’s Ray’.” He explains. “‘Rey’.” He exaggerates the punctuations slightly. “My little zorro named me his king the first night he skipped a step or ten on his own walk of shame.” 

"Zorro?" As far as you know, that's just a guy in a mask with a sword running around Mexico in the movies, but clearly it means something different. Whatever it means, though, one thing seems to be growing clearer: Jack is much more than just Javi's agent.

“Fox.” Jack smirks, reaching out to run his finger down Javi’s smooth jaw with tender affection. “He’s my sexy fox, isn’t he?” He asks, looking up at you. “Or foxy?”

The absolute hard right into unbelievable that an already crazy night has taken makes your whole body feel like it's been instantly set on fire and like your system has been flooded with instant arousal all at once. Jack is his dom...that makes so much sense... "He's been very good tonight," you tell Jack, humming a little to see how Javi lights up at the praise. "He should definitely be rewarded for it."

“That’s good.” Jack coos, smirk growing wider when he sees that you understand the dynamic and are either intrigued or approving. “I bet his cock is aching for some attention, isn’t it, zorro?”

"Por favor, mi rey," Javi turns his wide eyes on Jack, the very same ones he has used on you multiple times tonight. The party is so raucous all around you that barely anyone has even noticed you, and the three of you seem to have entered your own little world anyway.

“Now that you know this…” Jack turns his dark gaze on you. “Are you still willing to go home with us? The agreement doesn’t cover me. But a good old fashioned verbal consent will do.”

"I thought it was a little weird when that page was in with the others, but...anything can happen in the world, right?" You smirk at Jack, feeling far bolder than you ever thought you could. "Now I see you were just being thorough for your man. That's very considerate, Jack. And...I think that deserves a reward, too."

Jack arches a brow and a slow smirk rides across his face. “What kind of reward are we talkin’ about, darlin’?” He asks, interested in see what you think is a reward.

Cheeks on fire, your eyes slide away for a second to compose yourself so you can look back at him. "I was really hoping you'd just be impressed that I was being cheeky and I'd have the car ride to think up something creative," you admit sheepishly. "Called my bluff."

He tosses his head back and laughs. A deep, belly laugh that rolls through his body. Javi squirms slightly, his own grin on his face and Jack finally looks back at you with pure admiration in his expression. “Good for you, darlin’.” He chortles, reaching out and pulling you close so he can whisper in your ear. “Might have to spank you for that, but only if you want me to.”

There’s no way he can know that he’s offering you something that you very much enjoy, but he’ll most likely be able to figure it out by the way you reflexively shiver a little at the suggestion. “We should get going,” you tell them most, nodding with as much authority as you can. “Sounds like our own party is going to be far more fun.”

“Oh it will be, darlin’.” Javi whimpers in agreement with Jack and he takes your hand, squeezing it gently. “You don't seem surprised.” He murmurs as Jack guides you both towards the exit.

"I decided about ten minutes ago to just throw up my hands tonight and go with the flow, so I'm just leaving all of my confusion and surprise for tomorrow when I think about what happened." You lace your fingers through Javi's and offer him a smile. "I basically have decided that all of this is just an amazing dream and so anything can happen."

"That is a good way to look at things." Jack hums, his hand sliding to your back as he leans close. "I thought I was dreaming the first time Javi begged to suck my cock, now I hope to never wake up." He teases. "Why don't we go see what kind of fevered dream we can cook up for you?"

______

Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @katheriner1999 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @haylzcyon   @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73 @iceclaw101 @loveslide @elegantduckturtle @becsworld @julesonrecord @its-nebuleuse

My Masterlist!

[saradika]

First of all Happy Birthday my sweet friend and congrats on your new followers! 🥳🎂🥂I adore you so much and I'm always in awe of everything you create, your creativity knows no bounds and this is such a fun event to cool way to celebrate your milestones!

I had such a hard time deciding what to pick because I loved all the options, but I'm always 😍 over whatever you come up with and I finally managed to settle on something!

🖼️ - favourite character: Klaue (naturally) / favourite colour: phthalo green / trope: caught in the rain / I couldn't settle on a specific aesthetic so do with that what you will!

🥂Afterparty! - A fave song that always ends up high in my rotation in the summertime is "Silver Linings" by Mt. Joy

Thank you Jess, I hope that you have a wonderful birthday filled with things you love (you deserve them all!). 💗💗💗

this made me so 🥺💖🥰, I adore you as well! your fics always being so much comfort and your talent is so incredibly inspiring. thank you so much for your kindness and birthday wishes, it truly made my day a better one!! sending so much love your way!

and ahh this was such a cool idea (yess so here for Klaue! and love that color, too), I hope I combined your ideas okay!!! 💖 I did a teeny drabble as well, based on some thoughts while combing through pinterest!

walking to dinner had seemed like a great idea until now. trapped together beneath the eaves of the little shop you ducked under - hands shading eyes as you gaze up at the cracked sky above you.

“sorry, darling,” klaue is murmuring in your ear. acutely aware of the desire that thrums inside you from wandering hands at dinner, for it courses through him as well.

there’s a beat, before you’re stepping out onto the sidewalk. a smile thrown from over your shoulder, before you’re holding your hand out for him.

“why?” you ask, as the rain drips against your skin - easing the heat of summer. it’s no burden - you’re only going home, after all. “i’ve always liked the rain. don’t you?”

“something like that.” he answers, though his eyes aren’t on the sky above, or the patter on the concrete. those blue eyes fixed solely you.

only a heartbeat passes, before his hand fits into yours.

and thank you for the song, I was listening to it today!! 🎶💖

—

[saradika’s summer soiree - closed]

[razrogue]

Describe your OC - Anaya Jefferson (Infamous)

For my @infamous-if OC, Lia Rose (her stage name)

🎶 - How do they sound? Describe their voice.

I'm strictly going to go for her singing voice (she is in a music band universe after all lol) and Kelela is closest to what I imagine for her.

👀 - How do they look like? Give an overall description of them

I made them in this picrew until I figure out a face claim. She's dyed her hair green since she was 13, has seven piercings - got her ears first pierced as a baby & got the rest of them between 14-16 (Seven went with her for her eyebrow at 16 and held her hand throughout). She's got deep brown skin, the biggest brown eyes to lose yourself in, big lips, is 5'7" tall, and usually wears her hair in braids, flat twists, a top bun, or a flat twist out (her natural hair is about mid back length). Besides Seven's initials on her right wrist, she has a butterfly tattoo on her right upper arm, the name of the first song she wrote (find the light) underneath the left side of her ribs, and a big bouquet of flowers on her left upper thigh. She definitely plans to get more, just hadn't decided on what else she wants yet.

💐 - Their favorite plant/flower

Her favorite flowers are coneflowers, zinnias, and peonies.

👗- Describe their style

Very boho for the most part. Flowy tops, crop tops, maxi skirts and dresses, wide leg pants, sweaters, sundresses, leggings, scarf wraps. She lives for cute comfort.

💌 - How would they react to a love letter?

Flattered and she'd cherish it. She's kept the handful she's received from people.

🤦‍♀️ - Something that continues to embarrass them to this day

When she first dyed her hair, she tried to do it alone and ended up not getting the color all over. Her parents decided to let her live with her patchy multi-toned hair but a friend's mom ended up helping her try to fix it. That led to her first set of braids to hide the issue. Whenever someone remembers her terrible first dye job, it still makes her embarrassed.

😊 - Something that always makes them smile

When she's writing songs and the words flow freely, when butterflies are all over the garden she has at home, first spoon of ice cream on a warm day, when her flat twist out turns out just right

💢 - How do they handle being annoyed?

Anaya usually lets most things slide but when she can't, she has to walk away and be alone. She might go outside and just walk for a bit or she'll go meditate for a bit. She knows annoyance can quickly escalate to anger for her so she tries to remove herself from the situation in order to prevent that.

🐕 - Favorite animal?

Lemurs & otters (thanks to nature shows growing up), rabbits, and cats

🥘 - Favorite food?

Grilled citrus salmon, oxtail with rice and peas, roasted sweet potatoes, red velvet cake, mint chocolate chip ice cream

🍸- Favorite drink?

Mango smoothies, honey citrus mint tea, pineapple serrano margaritas

🌹 - Do they have a signature scent? Perfume, shampoo or alike?

This is the closest I can think of for her signature scent as far as perfume. Her shampoo would smell like white pepper lavender or tobacco vanilla. Anaya's favorite scents can lean spicy or fresh/clean/herbaceous or a little woody.

🎳 - Do they have hobbies? If yes, what are they?

Painting, swimming, writing poetry, cycling, playing piano, writing songs, gardening, axe throwing

👤 - Do they enjoy being alone, or do they thrive around people better?

Anaya definitely thrives around people. Growing up like she did, her parents barely paid attention or were always absent, it affected her a lot so now she doesn't really like being on her own too much.

🍁 - Their favorite season and why?

Summer! Anaya's always loved being outside in the warmth and sunshine, getting to hang and practice with friends uninterrupted, and writing at night beneath a clear starry sky.

[someunholyhiddles]

Thank you for the tag @auroraesmeraldarose

🎶Last song - Frontier Psychiatrist. My best guy friend is a streamer and this is the song that plays for his intro. Has been stuck in my head for weeks now and it's pretty weird but in the good way. I love it.

🌈 Favourite colour: Pink and Mint (green I guess? it's just a different shade)

📺 Currently watching: Dr. House, again. My husband never watched it and it's a good excuse to rewatch it myself

🎥Last movie: Chicago (2002)

🍩Sweet/spicy/savoury: All of them really, but I love spicy food the most. There's always space for dessert ;)

💖Relationship status: Married, 5 years and counting :)

💘Current obsession: The Rizzard, duh.

💻Last thing googled: Shangri La Card, Yakuza Kiwami. My husband is playing on the SteamDeck next to me and was dumbfounded when he realized he had to pay a fuckton of money to get it ingame and asked me to help him google how to get it for cheaper. Spoiler, he had to sell stuff which is ironic considering the game is about punching and killing your way out the mafia, so it didn't made sense to me he couldn't just punch the guy and take it from him hahah

I don't really have tumblr friends since I disappeared for so long and came back thanks to your writing @auroraesmeraldarose and shared obsession for Gale related anything. So I'll tag @sorceresssundries and @miradelletarot since I lurk in the shadows and love their content :D

[biconickyoshi]

tag games :)

Woooo thanks for tagging me @the-cloud-whisperer!! :) I’ve never done one of these before!

* Last song I listened to: Telephone Number by Junko Ohashi (classic city pop bop)

* Favorite color: Forest green - I painted my home office this color and it’s very calming (plus gives off hobbit vibes)

* Currently watching: Dungeon Meshi, didn’t expect to like it as much as I do but I look forward to every new ep and even binged the manga the other day :)

* Spicy/savory/sweet: Savory all the way, can’t handle too much spicy or sweet at a time T-T

* Relationship status: Married

* Current obsession: Strongest and longest running special interest is A:tLA since 2007, specifically Zukaang now ever since late 2021 when I had an epiphany about the ship and started writing The Avatar and the Fire Prince :)

-------------

🎶✨when u get this, list 5 songs u like to listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favourite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨

* Take A Chance With Me - NIKI (literally fits Zukaang so well so I listen to it a lot)

* Lovegod - Sarah Kinsley (the piano in this makes me feel so nostalgic and gives me extreme Debussy vibes)

* Naked in Manhattan - Chappell Roan (sapphic bop)

* That’s Me - Gnoss (celtic music is just 🤌🏻✨ i love it so much)

* Bewitched - Laufey (I feel like im in an old disney movie when I listen to this)

-----------------

nickname: KJ

zodiac sign : gemini, but none of the gemini traits fit with my personality so I don’t much believe in astrology lol. if I’d have been born just a day or two later I’d be a cancer and much more inclined to believe in it bc it fits me way better

height : 5'4"

last thing I googled: tripleS members (a kpop group my sister recently introduced me to lol)

amount of sleep: usually 6-7 hours, I recently got diagnosed with mild sleep apnea so I wake up literally every hour or two and i have to use a cpap 😔

dream job: hmm well I guess I’m working it right now (I’m a therapist)? when I was a kid I wanted to be on broadway (I was big into musical theater/choir)… now I honestly kinda don’t really “enjoy” working in general even though there are parts of my job that I enjoy. I honestly get the most satisfaction out of doing things I like for my own enjoyment (like writing and drawing) rather than for monetary gain.

movie/book that describes me the most: uhhhhhh I guess I’d say LotR, I very much relate to Frodo lol (which is one of the reasons he’s my pfp on my main blog). I also love its portrayal of wholesome masculinity and kindness/goodness conquering all.

favorite song: hard to choose… there’s literally so many I like lol. I really love 1of1 (both the album and the song) by SHINee (my fave kpop group)

favorite instrument: I would say the mandolin or the fiddle

favorite aesthetics: I really enjoy the vibe of whimsigoth, though my personal style does not incorporate it. I attempted it a couple years ago but felt it was too femme - nowadays I wear “fashionable” men’s clothes (layers, button-ups, men’s jeans)

favorite author: Charlotte Brontë simply because I love Jane Eyre so much. She made me feel so many emotions with that novel 😭 I related to Jane a bit too much

random fun fact: hmmmm well I was the lead in two different musicals when I was in high school which was pretty neat! I mentioned somewhere above that I wanted to be on broadway growing up so that’s the closest i’ve gotten to that lmao

Gonna tag some of y’all if you wanna play (no pressure tho) :)

@finn0cchio @my-cabbages-gorl @veggiesforpresident @buncly13 @asukas-numberone-defender @zeno-zero @rennelelorren @gordielaweirdo @isthei @kirinjaegeste

[paintedbutton]

Catch up Tag

@oh-no-another-idea tagged me in this one and I thought it was a really nice idea!

💛 Favorite color - It's a tie between a deep, foresty green and a petrol kind of blue.

🥽 Last fun activity - Went on two hiking trips the past two weekends, which were both lovely. But I also just vegged out this weekend. That was nice too.

🎶 Song (s) stuck in my head - Chop the Head off by Storm Seeker

🥟 Favorite food - I don't really have a specific type of food I enjoy above all tbh. I really like it when food is well-made and interesting. And when it comes from my garden. That's great too. ;)

🏖 Dream trip - After Norway last year, Scotland for sure. It's in the plans for next summer, and I am so hoping it'll work out.

🍰 Spicy/sweet/savory - All of it (to an extent). I don't like food that's spicy for the sake of being spicy. But other than that I'm game.

🧭 Last thing I googled - Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 case. Mine's kind of going in terms of the plastic stability. Unfortunately, I have yet to find something that meets my needs.

🤩 Current obsession - Sims 2, I guess. I've been really enjoying playing my own neighbourhood.

🍀 Something you're looking forward to - Medieval fair next weekend! I can't wait for outfits, mead and terrible bagpipe music!

Tagging: @malimaywrite @fayeiswriting and (since this isn't really writeblr-specific) @crystalprism and @elvimoon if they're feeling up to it. :)

[marimayscarlett]

I was tagged by the lovely @m---e---l and finally came around to do this 😌

Last song: Come over by Emigrate 🎶

Favourite colours: dark forest green and bordeaux red 🎀

Last movie: I watched 'The Equalizer 3 - The final chapter' at the cinema some time ago, I don't have much time to sit down and watch movies at home currently.

Last TV series: Rewatching Golden Girls for the like 17th time (mostly watching it on the side while cooking or doing chores) 💛

Sweet, spicy or savoury: Savoury 🌮

Relationship status: happily married to one of the biggest R+ fans I know (apart from the fandom on here), talk about being made for each other 🖤

Last thing I googled: the recipe for the marmalade I'm currently making 🫙🍒

Current obsession: Rammstein in general, Richard's various interviews, Emigrate (especially the first and the last album) and putting mozzarella in almost every food (looking at some people on here very intently, thanks for the inspiration 👀). Oh and one German YouTube channel which makes super interesting videos about the medieval times, very informative.

No pressure tags for @wizzardclown @gothtoast @dandysnob @vulnerant-omnes @samshinechester @meinewellemeinstrand @woodswallow @gloomy-blonde @morgana-lefay 🤍

[jade-green-butterfly]

‘Cooper, understand...’💗

‘Peaches’, but it’s Coossy~🥰

This one is for my one and only true love, Cooper...~

🎶Cooper, you're so cool...~ You are my star, you always rule! Cooper, understand... I'm gonna love you 'til the very end!

Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy~ Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy~ I love youuu sooo! Ooh! Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy~ Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy~ I love youuu sooo! Ooh!

My sweet jellybean and you're my Cupcake King, You burn my soul, yes, you are my everything, Cooper, dear, at the end of the line... You'll always be mine! Ooh!

Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy~ Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy, Coopy~ I love youuu sooo! Ooh!

Coopy! Coopy! Cooper! Cooperrrr~!🎶

Hehehe, I just had to~😊Ever since seeing the epic Mario Bros. Movie last month, ‘Peaches’ has been living in my head, rent-free😆Ooh, and the one playing the piano as I sing, is a dear buddy of mine, Pixie The Techno Troll (KaitlinEXE’s sweet OC~) ;3 But in all seriousness, I just had to draw this with me and Cooper, not only for the memes and pure romantic joy of it, but to also celebrate the 1st anniversary of Coossy becoming officially💯% canon~❣❣💖✨💜💗💚✨💖As seen in this post here I made last year -> https://www.tumblr.com/jade-green-butterfly/687610687259885568/guys-guys-guys-trolls-fandom-listen?source=share💓😍💓

I can’t believe it’s been a year already since this happened and I still feel like the luckiest gal alive to have the sweetest and most lovable troll ever by my side~!🥰💘💗💘🥰As always, thank-you ever so much in a million to all you awesome peeps out there for greatly and wonderfully supporting my ultimate OTP!!💝🥹💝Always deeply appreciated so~!💞🫂💞xoxo.

Love you forever & always, my sweet jellybean and Cupcake King of my heart~💗😘🫶💗

❣❣~🧁💜COOPER💗JUSSY💚🦋FOREVERMORE~❣❣ *~Reblogs are also deeply appreciated as well, so please do reblog as well as like! Thank-you kindly!~*

Cooper (c) DreamWorks Trolls/DreamWorks Animation

Trollsona Jussy/Justina Butterfly (c) @jade-green-butterfly​​ (Me~!)

[ataviisms]

❤🎶 ayyyy

Send ❤🎶 for a mini playlist for our muses --- accepting

silk - wolf alice

just looking for a protector / god never reached out in time / there's love that is a savior / but that ain't no love of mine

lady macbeth in chains - sufjan stevens, angelo de augustine

now the two allegories of pity and terror / one for the money, for trial and error / telling the story, anointing its pleasure / lady macbeth in chains

alligator teeth - mother falcon

alligator, teeth made of gold / i will never have you to hold / and i see some things, yes, they're all in my dreams / and no, they never add up, and no, they never make sense

angel of small death and the codeine scene - hozier

feeling more human and hooked on her flesh, i / lay my heart down with the rest at her feet / fresh from the fields, all fetor and fertile / it's bloody and raw, but i swear it is sweet

i love you, but i need another year - liza anne

you're sticking around, but how can you stand it? / i can't salvage your mind while i'm losing mine / and nobody should have to deal with this / but i need ya, i don't wanna leave ya

deep green - marika hackman

just because i love your skin / doesn't mean i'll jump in / the water's clean, and warm, and green / i'm not allowed to swim / i'm scared of getting in