#and I can't wait to write the next chapter

[lov3notts]

NOOO THE CLIFFHANGER, I NEED MOREEE😭 but welcome back i’ve missed this series ;)))this is literally my favorite series at the moment & i was giggling the whole timeee

"She deserves better than someone who can't make up their mind. She deserves to be someone's first choice.” YEAHH YOU TELL EM BABE ,protective theo🫦🫦

"And that's you?" hell yeah that’s theo right there

& theo hand picking flowers ?!?? made my heart love him ever moreee<3

the way you write theo is just my absolute favorite ♡

this chapter was so goodddd!!! i can’t wait for the next one babe😫

sending you nothing but love ♡ ♡ ♡

Peonies ; part four

Pairing: Theo Nott x Fem!Reader

Summary: Mattheo is in an awful mood after the party while Theo takes reader to the peony field.

Word Count: 4772

Warnings: Unrequited love & Mattheo and Theo get into it. Reader overthinks for a little bit. Mentions of drugging? One mention of Y/n. Let me know if there’s more!

A/N 💌 I can't tell you how nervous I am to post this, I feel like it's not my best work. But regardless, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. As usual thank you to @moonpascal for reading, helping me with ideas, and just providing support and comfort. I love you endlessly!

SERIES MASTERLIST <3

“Did something happen last night between you and Mattheo?” Pansy asks, throwing the door open with an expectant look. Despite your low mood, you can’t help but crack a tiny smile at the sight of her—hair a tousled mess, mascara smudged beneath her eyes. She’s the perfect picture of someone who had way too much fun last night.

“Is there any particular reason you’re asking?” You reply cautiously, eyes following her as she saunters over and slips into bed beside you. She gives the blanket a hard tug, leaving you to huff in irritation when she claims more than her fair share.

“Because I heard him and Veronica fighting. I didn’t catch much, but I did hear your name.” Pansy looks you over, taking in your rumpled clothes and tired eyes. You’re not in much better shape than she is, and she can't tell if it’s the lingering effects of last night’s drinks or the aftermath of whatever happened with Mattheo.

“Merlin,” you sigh, rolling your eyes and sinking deeper into the warmth of your bed. You haven’t moved since Theo left about twenty minutes ago, and you’re not sure if you’ll find the energy to do so anytime soon. Honestly, the idea of staying curled up here is more tempting than you'd like to admit. “We got into it again last night.”

“Again?” Pansy raises an eyebrow, shifting to face you.

“Apparently, he does care.” Your voice is dripping with sarcasm and frustration.

“He told you that?” Pansy shifts so quickly it’s as if you’ve shocked her. Both of you know very well that Mattheo isn’t the type to open up about what he’s feeling. Years of watching him around his parents taught you why—with how many times you had seen them scold him for even a flicker of emotion, it was no wonder he kept everything locked up.

You sigh, staring up at the ceiling, “He said he wanted me to admit I have feelings for him too.” Pansy's eyes widen, her mouth falling open as she stares at you in disbelief.

“Feeling for him too?” She echoes, and you finally turn to meet her eyes with a weak nod. Your best friend sits there for a moment, studying your face carefully before choosing her next words. She knows she has a nasty habit of saying the first thing on her mind without considering that it might not be what you need to hear.

Pansy sits up, grabbing the pillow she was using and hugging it to her chest as she stares at you impatiently. She’s waiting to hear if you’ve finally told the boy you’ve been head over heels for, for years, that you like him too. “Well? Did you?”

“I couldn’t do it.”

“Please, tell me it’s for the reason I’m thinking.” She all but begs, her eyes wide with hope.

You let out a weary sigh. “I don’t know when I stopped having feelings for him, Pans. I didn’t even realize I’d lost them until he asked me to tell him I felt the same, and there was just...”

“Just..?” Pansy prompts gently.

A pause hangs between you as you search for the right words.

You hardly slept last night; your mind raced with thoughts of the past few months, trying to pinpoint when and how your feelings faded so quietly. You had liked Mattheo for so long, even convinced yourself that maybe you even loved him. But how could you truly love someone who was so closed off? Sure, he turned to you when he was struggling, but that didn’t mean he ever shared what he was feeling. He liked your presence and relied on you to be there whenever he needed support, but he never trusted you enough to truly let you in.

Not in the way you wanted, at least.

If he wasn’t comfortable with his own emotions, there was no way he would be able to handle yours. Maybe that was the heart of it—the realization that he would never fully open up to you, and that had kept you from falling in love with him. And maybe that was the best thing that could have happened, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it was to come to terms with at the beginning.

Then there was Theo. Who had promised to help you get over Mattheo, and from that moment on, he was there for you without hesitation. He held your hand whenever you needed it, and honestly, you had begun to lean on him a bit too much—being close to him had become your favorite feeling. He never made it feel like supporting you was a chore; instead, he made it seem like something he had always longed to do.

In truth, everything had changed for you. Spending time with Theo was no longer just a way to distract yourself from Mattheo; it became where you wanted to be. Being around him made you feel safe and accepted in a way you hadn’t realized you craved.

And that was absolutely terrifying.

You sit up abruptly, fully facing Pansy, “When you said that you thought Theo would give me everything if I let him, did you mean that?”

“Babes,” she begins, sending you a soft smile. “I’ve always thought you would be good for Mattheo. You bring something out in him; he’s happiest when he’s around you. Veronica seemed to make him happy at first—” she adds with a snort—“but nowhere near the level you do.”

“But with Theo…” Pansy trails off. “I’ve never seen you so happy—and not the kind of happy you were with Mattheo. It’s not the relief of him not having a one-night stand or flirting with you a bit bolder at a party. It’s genuine happiness; you’re truly yourself. Theo brings out a different side of you, and you do that for him, too.”

Glancing over at the vase of red peonies, battling the tightness in your throat and the sting in your eyes. You decide you’d rather not spend the day in bed.

.·。.·゜✭·.·✫·゜·。.

Since last night, Theo has been struggling to push away the thought that maybe the idea of you having feelings for him isn’t so far-fetched. Especially after you’d implied that the two of you were together to the girl who’d tried to flirt with him. The way you’d intertwined your fingers with his, staking a silent claim that he was off-limits, had left him reeling. There was no way you’d be so possessive if you didn’t feel the same. At least, that’s what he’d been telling himself all morning.

And then there was the way you hadn’t been able to answer Mattheo about your feelings. Theo’s whole heart had been in his throat as he waited for you to tell Mattheo that you did have feelings for him, that you’d had them for years. But you hadn’t answered.

In a way, though, you had, hadn’t you? You’d pushed past Mattheo without a word and gone straight to him.

“Are you coming with us to Hogsmeade or not?” Enzo nudges Theo, pulling him out of his thoughts. The boys had all planned to go to Hogsmeade together this weekend, a plan set firmly in stone since last weekend. But when Theo saw you this morning, he couldn’t hold back. On impulse, he asked if you wanted to spend some time together, suggesting—almost shyly—that he could finally show you where he’d been getting the peonies.

“No, I’ve got plans.” Theo shrugs, and Draco sends him an irritated look from the opposite couch.

“We made plans.” Draco huffs, clearly agitated with the change. He always hated it when the boys ditched at the last second.

“Something came up.” Theo sighs, hoping that he’ll let it go quickly. He’s well aware that Mattheo should be coming down the stairs at any second. Enzo had told them that he was taking forever to get ready, probably hungover from last night. 

“You mean your girl.” Blaise corrects, and Draco looks disgusted. His head swings back to look at Theo.

“You’re ditching us for her? Mate, that’s pathetic.” Draco scoffs. “She isn’t even your girlfriend.”

“She’s pretty damn close.” Blaise points out, and Theo tries his best to ignore the feeling that jolts through him when he thinks of you as his girlfriend.

He doesn’t have a chance to say anything—not that he would have—before Mattheo walks over to join the group. He claps a hand on Draco’s shoulder, only for Draco to shrug him off irritably. “C’mon,” Mattheo says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

As the others rise, stretching and adjusting their robes, Theo remains seated, gaze fixed on the fireplace in front of him. Mattheo pauses, giving him a puzzled look, one brow lifting in question. “You’re not coming?”

“No.” Theo answers curtly, clearly uninterested in extending the conversation. The truth is, he hasn't spoken to Mattheo in quite a while, and when they do, it’s nothing but tension—a quiet frustration simmering beneath each exchange.

Mattheo’s curiosity sharpens. “Why not?”

“He’s got plans with his girl,” Draco interjects with a roll of his eyes, impatience seeping into his voice. “Now, can we go? We’ve waited long enough for you as it is.”

“Wait. Hold on,” Mattheo turns to face him fully, and Draco huffs when he realizes they’re not going to be leaving any time soon. “Your girl?”

“You know what he means.” Blaise interjects calmly, his eyes shifting to Mattheo as he watches tension coil through his stance.

Mattheo gives a casual shrug, though his jaw tightens. “No, Blaise, I really don’t.”

Theo huffs, rolling his eyes as he stands, making to push past. “Why the hell do you even care?”

Mattheo’s hand snaps out, stopping him mid-step. “You know why I care.”

Theo’s gaze darkens, voice low. “Oh, you mean because of your feelings for her?” He shakes his head in disbelief. “Does your girlfriend know that you told Y/n you’ve always liked her?”

Theo’s eyes flicker over Mattheo’s shoulder, catching the shared looks between Blaise, Enzo, and Draco. There’s no shock in their expressions—only a knowing look as if they’d been bracing for this moment all along. It’s unsettling, the way they seem almost resigned, like they’ve seen the tension building between him and Mattheo from a mile away.

Mattheo scoffs, an edge of irritation slipping into his voice. “Did she go and tell you everything I said?”

Theo raises a brow, “No, I overheard you. But even if she did, what does it matter to you?”

Matteo narrows his eyes, “Because I care about her.”

“Bullshit. If you cared about her, you wouldn’t have put her in that position last night.”

“I care about her more than you think.” Mattheo bites out, and the boys watch carefully as Mattheo takes another step forward.

“Right,” Theo scoffs, “You care so much you went and found yourself another girl.”

Theo sees it before Mattheo even speaks—the subtle shift in his expression, the tightening of his jaw, the flicker of defensiveness flashing in his eyes. “I wasn’t ready to—”

“So you weren’t ready for her? But you were for Veronica? I don’t get it. You can’t just expect her to always be there when you finally figure out what you want.”

Mattheo laughs in disbelief, “I wasn’t waiting, I—”

“Then what the hell were you doing?” Theo’s voice sharpens. “You had years to tell her how you felt, and you didn’t say anything. Then you get a girlfriend, she starts spending time with me, and all of a sudden, you care? Leave her alone and quit messing with her.”

“I’m not fucking messing with her—”

“You are. You’ve been doing it for years.” Theo’s eyes flash with frustration, and suddenly he feels the urge to make it clear that he wants you—that he always has, and Mattheo isn’t the only one. “She deserves better than someone who can’t make up their mind. She deserves to be someone’s first choice.”

Mattheo’s expression hardens and his tone drops. “And that’s you?”

Theo doesn’t have the chance to answer, because Veronica’s shriek causes both their heads to snap in her direction, “Matty!”

Theo watches as Mattheo steps back, anger giving way to frustration, a quiet curse slipping from his lips at the sight of his girlfriend. Veronica strides forward, pushing right past Blaise and Enzo without a second glance. Blaise shoots her an agitated look, irritation flashing in his eyes as she barrels through.

“I thought you said you guys were going to Hogsmeade.” Veronica smiles, reaching out to take Mattheo’s hand, but he subtly pulls away, dodging her touch with a flicker of impatience in his eyes.

“We are.” He grumbles under his breath, but Veronica keeps smiling sweetly, unfazed, as if her boyfriend hadn’t just blatantly brushed off her attempt to hold his hand. Mattheo turns to leave, muttering something to the boys, likely a brief comment about their plans.

Theo watches as an agitated Mattheo strides out of the common room, with the boys trailing behind him. But the boys glance back at Theo, their expressions a mix of caution and confusion. Theo turns to leave as well, but Veronica’s voice stops him, soft and pointed, just loud enough for him to hear.

“You should tell your girlfriend that last night was a mistake,” she murmurs, a sympathetic smile tugging at her lips. “Mattheo thought she was me; you know how he gets after a few too many drinks.”

Theo thinks about correcting her, letting her know that he doesn’t really know what she means at all. From what he saw last night, Mattheo was tipsy—not that drunk—and Theo has had enough years of experience to tell the difference. But instead, he shrugs it off, deciding he’d rather find you than spend any more time in the common room.

.·。.·゜✭·.·✫·゜·。.

“Hogsmeade is that way.” You say, a bit confused, gesturing in the opposite direction as you walk beside Theo.

“I know.” He replies simply, his gaze flickering back to the trail that you’ve never gone down before. Honestly, you had no idea it even existed. It’s evident that this path isn’t used often, as moss and grass have claimed most of the walkway. Vibrant wildflowers dot the sides, their colors brightening the greenery around them. 

He’s been quiet for most of the walk, which feels strange; you’re not used to this side of him. The more time you’ve spent with Theo, the more he’s opened up—sharing memories of his late mum, the weight of his father’s expectations, and his hopes for the future. These walks, where you slowly unravel each other’s stories, have become your thing, something that only the two of you share.

You frown slightly, glancing at him as you try to piece it together. “But I thought you said you got the flowers from a shop.”

“I never said that.” Theo’s lips curve into that soft, gentle smile that never fails to send your stomach into a flutter. “I said I’d take you with me the next time I went to get some. I never said it was in Hogsmeade.”

It takes you a second, too enamored with the view in front of you for it all to click. The walk isn’t long, but as you continue down the path, you spot a patch of red ahead. It stands out against the greenery, a cluster of flowers blooming a pretty, vibrant hue. You can’t quite tell what kind they are, but when you glance at Theo, you notice the way his eyes flicker nervously, and it suddenly feels like you’re walking toward something important.

But then it hits you all at once: “They’re peonies.”

On instinct, you grab Theo’s hand, giving it a playful tug to urge him along toward the blooms. He lets out a soft laugh at your enthusiasm, and a warmth fills you as his earlier mood seems to lift, the tension in his shoulders fading.

When you reach the edge of the flower field, you pause, still holding Theo’s hand as your gaze lingers over the vibrant blooms stretching out before you. Theo glances at you, heart beating a little faster as he wonders what you’re thinking, but he brushes aside his nerves and releases your hand, shrugging off his jacket to lay it carefully on the ground. You murmur to him, urging him not to squish any of the flowers, and Theo smiles, his expression softening as he gently reassures you that he won’t.

There isn’t much room on his jacket, so you find yourself pressed against Theo’s side—though you don’t mind in the slightest. He’s leaned back on his hands, while you sit cross-legged beside him.

The quiet is soothing, broken only by the soft chatter of birds and the occasional hum of an insect drifting from flower to flower. The warmth of the sun on your skin feels heavenly, its heat a welcome contrast to the long, cold months that have passed.

“Is this why you left? The first night you stayed with me?” You ask, glancing to the right to watch his reaction. 

From where you’re seated, you can see how the sunlight catches every small detail of his face, highlighting any imperfections. There’s the faint mole on his cheekbone, his dark lashes that you’re secretly jealous of, and the thin scar along his chin from when he fell off his broom as a kid. Another mark splits through his brow—a scar whose origin he could never quite remember, but has always just been there. It tugs at you, knowing you can recall the origins of his faded scars. It might seem trivial, but it means he’s let you in, sharing parts of himself that not everyone gets to see.

Theo nods, “I had to go early in the morning to give them to Pansy. With practice later, it was the only chance I could.”

A smile creeps onto your face as you imagine Theo, slightly awkward but determined, handing over the bundle of flowers and the little card to Pansy, who no doubt teased him relentlessly. You’d had wondered how she noticed that Theo was different with you, especially when most of your time together was just the two of you. But now, hearing this, you understand perfectly how she recognized a side of him that only seems to surface around you.

“I didn’t want to leave, y’know.” Theo continues, finally glancing over at you, and the effect is instant—those watercolor eyes meet yours, sending a flutter through your stomach as you instinctively lean closer, feeling yourself melt into his side.

“The flowers made up for it,” you tease, a soft smile tugging at your lips. “Aside from you, they were the only thing that made me feel better.”

“Yeah?” Theo glances down at you, tucked into his side, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips. Hearing you say the flowers meant something to you eases any nerves he had—because they were never just a way to cheer you up. They were his quiet, unspoken way of telling you that he was there, that he cared. And that, despite your feelings for Mattheo, he was an option too.

“Yeah.” You confirm.

For the rest of the afternoon, you and Theo sat together, talking about whatever came to mind as you picked flowers. You gathered a few, but mostly you watched as Theo picked the ones he liked the most, adding to the small bundle that sat between you both. Watching him carefully select the prettiest flowers, knowing he was going to give them to you, made something shift inside you. If you hadn’t fully realized your feelings before, you were certain of them now.

You lost track of time with Theo, but eventually, he had to leave for practice. He handed you the freshly picked flowers and walked you back to the castle, stalling as if reluctant to say goodbye. In the end, you pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and murmured a quiet ‘thank you.’ You didn’t want to say goodbye either, but you couldn’t bring yourself to be the reason Theo might get into trouble.

It wasn’t until you got back to your dorm, leaning against the door with a giddy squeal, the flowers pressed to your chest, their scent lingering in the air, that the realization hit you. You should’ve kissed him. The thought made your stomach dip with excitement, and for a fleeting moment, you entertained the idea of running after him, catching him just before practice, and kissing him. Absentmindedly, your hand rises to trace your lips, lost in your racing thoughts. 

You’re so caught up in the moment that you don’t notice Pansy at her desk, watching you with an amused look.

“You look like you had a good time.” Pansy smirks as you startle and send her a look before pushing away from the door.

“Pansy, I’m fucked.” You whine and she lets out a loud laugh.

“You were from the second he stayed the night with you.” You pause for a moment, letting the realization settle in, and as it does, you know she’s right. You couldn’t remember the last time you felt so safe with someone—not in the way you did that night. Sure, you felt safe with Mattheo, but it wasn’t the same. It didn’t compare to the way you felt when you were with Theo.

“Did you know he’s been picking me flowers?” You ask instead, setting the new bundle onto your desk before turning to face Pansy. 

“Oh, I knew.” Pansy hums, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. 

“How did I not notice?” You wonder aloud. 

“You were a little distracted.” Pansy shrugs, and you nod in agreement.

After Pansy tells you she’s meeting Blaise after practice, you briefly wonder if you should go with her. You sit on your bed, lost in thought, weighing the decision, but before you can make up your mind, Pansy is already gone.

As much as you want to see Theo, you hesitate, not wanting to assume that today meant as much to him as it did for you. It’s clear from the fact he’s been picking you flowers that he has feelings for you, but you don’t want to get ahead of yourself or risk ruining something before it has a chance to begin. So, you stay in your dorm, trying to focus on an assignment you’ve been putting off for far too long, though your mind keeps drifting back to him.

So when you hear the knock, your heart skips a beat, and before you can think, you're off your bed and rushing to the door. You know exactly who is on the other side and your stomach flutters in anticipation. You pause just before opening it, taking a deep breath to calm the flutter of nerves in your stomach, willing yourself to appear composed. 

You pull the door open, forcing a casual smile as you try to sound unaffected. “Hi,” you say, though your voice betrays the excitement simmering just beneath the surface.

Theo stands in front of you, one hand holding onto the doorframe. His hair is a tousled mess, and his cheeks are flushed—whether from practice or the rush of seemingly running here, you can’t quite tell.

And when he looks up at you, he’s out of breath and looks downright impatient, “I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” You pause, thrown off and completely caught off guard. That was not what you expected him to say, and your mind spirals into the worst possible conclusions. Was he regretting what happened earlier? Apologizing for showing you the flowers, or for picking some for you? Giving you flowers at all? Maybe his feelings for you weren’t strong enough, or perhaps he only thought he had them? The thought that it could be too soon after your feelings for Mattheo crossed your mind, even though you’d started moving on from him months ago, gnaws at you.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats, releasing the doorframe and stepping forward, one step, then another. He pauses, giving you a moment to pull away if you need to, but you stay rooted to the spot, unable to move. Theo stands so close now that you have to tilt your head back slightly to meet his gaze. He reaches up, and your breath catches when his thumb gently brushes against your cheek, his hand settling just below your ear. His voice is quiet, but the weight of his words makes your heart stutter. “I should’ve kissed you, dolcezza.”

He doesn’t give you a chance to respond, his thumb tracing slow, deliberate circles on your skin as he steps even closer, his breath warm against your cheek. His words tumble out in a rush, desperate and raw. “All through practice, all I could think about was you. The moment I walked away, I just wanted to turn around and kiss you.” His voice drops to a whisper, low and thick with a longing that sends shivers down your spine.

You murmur his name softly, but he’s barely listening, his gaze intense as he leans in slightly, his lips just inches from yours. “Fuck, you've been on my mind for months—years, if I'm being honest. I feel like I’m losing my mind, wondering if you feel even a fraction of what I do.” His hand still lingers at your cheek, his thumb brushing against your skin, the warmth of his touch sending a tremor through you as if he’s waiting for something—waiting for you to say what he’s too afraid to ask.

It’s you who closes the distance, your lips meeting his in a sudden, fervent kiss that catches him off guard, pulling a surprised moan from deep in his throat. His body reacts instantly, his free hand snaking around your waist, pulling you closer, pressing you against him. The sound he makes causes a rush of warmth to flood your veins. He’s hardly touched, and you’re already too warm, and your knees threaten to buckle beneath you. You let him guide you backward, the pressure of his hand firm against your back until your steps falter just inside your dorm. Every inch of him feels like fire against your skin, and your previous worries fade into nothing.

Once you’re inside, he kicks the door closed with a thud but the sound barely registers. Without any hesitation, he presses you back against the door, his body close enough that you can feel the heat radiating off him. But you want him closer. So much closer. One hand rests flat against the door beside your head, while the other cups your cheek, his thumb brushing gently over your skin. Then, it’s him who leans in, his lips meeting yours in a slow, deliberate kiss that deepens with an aching intensity. There’s no rush now—just an overwhelming wave of longing, a perfect culmination of the emotions you’ve both held back. Your head spins, your heart races, and you’re certain that if you could take your temperature in this moment, it would be burning hot.

But then, slowly, he pulls back just enough to break the kiss, his breath heavy and uneven. His forehead rests against yours for a moment, both of you struggling to catch your breath. You feel the urge to close the distance between you again, to press your lips to his, because there’s something about the way Theo kisses that leaves you breathless, already craving more. But then again, maybe it’s just him—the way his touch makes a thrill course through you.

“I wanted you to kiss me before you left—”

The door jolts against your back, halting you mid-sentence as Pansy’s voice cuts through the moment. “What the hell? Open the door.” You hold your breath, hoping that if you stay silent, she might forget the whole thing and simply go away.

But that’s wishful thinking: “Babes. Please open the door."

“I thought you were hanging out with Blaise.” You call back, stealing a glance at Theo, whose expression mirrors your own surprise. Before leaving practice, he’d told Blaise to keep Pansy distracted—he wanted time with you because he had planned on telling you exactly how he felt about you.

“It’s about Mattheo.” Your brows raise is surprise at the intensity in Pansy’s voice and you fling open the door without another thought.

“What’s wrong?” Theo stands behind you, watching the way your face turns nervous.

“Veronica’s been giving him a love potion,” she says softly, her eyes studying your face as it twists in disbelief. “He’s in the infirmary... and he’s asking for you.”

please please please consider reblogging or leaving a comment! it keeps me motivated to write, and reblogs help to spread my work 🤍

[cinnablu3]

Beautiful Stranger

This is my way of announcing My first Smau series, Beautiful Stranger, is officially canceled. My plan was just to ghost the series, but with the likeness, it did have, especially with the small number of chapters it had. I felt like to write something to make up for it. That being said enjoy Beautiful Stranger as a One shot. :)

Taking a train to Tokyo by yourself was scary, even after the hours that had passed on the train, you still refused to admit to yourself that it was your fault for oversleeping. "Next time I rely on Mai to wake me up." You huff reaching down to grab your phone to check the map.

Realizing you're not that far from reaching your stop, grinning how close you are to Tokyo now. 'Just another hour before finally reaching Tokyo.' A sigh of relief escapes your lips while the train makes its usual stops.

While people are in and out of the train, you pay no mind in your own little world. Your eyes begin to wander around before a figure walks in the cart at the last second, his hair catches your attention, watching him walk towards an empty seat across from you. You couldn't help but admire him, a smile creeps onto your face. Taking in his appearance, his hair was what caught your attention: a Platinum blonde color. 'Such a beautiful color' You thought.

You continue to stare, blushing, wondering how was he genuinely attractive. He feels your stare as he looks up from his seat with a small smile aimed in your direction. Realizing you have been caught staring, immediately look another way. A few seconds later you look back at him. However, this time, his attention was on his phone.

In the past hour, you have been silently encouraging yourself to go up to him and talk to him. Not realizing time is up as the train stops you grab a hold of a nearby pole immediately before you can fall. The door opens while people are in and out. Not saying anything, you frown but grab your things, exiting. You look back at the train, yet there he is, looking out the window, staring right back at you with a small wave before the train starts moving again.

After some time, you finally meet up with your classmates and settle down for your stay. Walking down with your friends Mai and Momo while Mai does most of the talking while Momo and you add your few comments here and there. "You doing all right?" Momo speaks up as Mai stops talking and looks at you.

"I'm fine, just a little bummed out.. when I was on the way over here, I saw a cute guy." They groaned. "It was like a fairytale moment that could've occurred, y'know." You huff. "He was cute I'm just upset I didn't have the courage to talk to him.

"You say that with every guy, you laid your eyes on." Mai replies with a grin while Momo smiles. "I think it's great, maybe you'll see him again one day." You bring Momo into a hug.

"This is why you're the best!" Before looking up at sticking your tongue at Mai. "Such a hater. Just humor me once in a while." Mai rolls her eyes and chuckles. "Whatever."

Walking down the halls of the sister school, unaware just a few steps away, was the same boy that caught her attention. "It's not like Y/n would have a boyfriend first anyway!" Mai laughs, nudging you. You roll your eyes before looking back and seeing him once more, your heart beats as the same feeling you had on the train creeps in. 'My beautiful stranger.' You thought as you wrapped both your arms, Momo and Mai.

"let's go have lunch I can't wait to battle the sister school students! I'm pumped!" While Mai and Momo raise a brow at the sudden change of attitude. "I'll pay it's on me!" You added as the girls giggled and ran down the halls. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

From afar, Inumaki smiled, acknowledging that this won't be the last time he'll see you; it's faith to see the same stranger twice. He won't let the opportunity go to waste. His beautiful stranger.

Taglist: @shutingstar @megumisdivinedogs @yapperalert @walllflowerrrsss @tomikixd @ind1col1te @lostsomewhereinthegarden @corvid007 @1ndee @lovley212

[asukaskerian]

dilemma...

i kinda want to start posting the bleach suburban ot4 fic (no powers humans AU, ichigo and orihime are married, grimmjow and nelliel are dating, they all move in together, poly feelings ensue). but.

pros:

comints???

next ep is when grim and nel are coming back to the anime! a good time for it.

external motivation to keep going with it cause i'm low on internal motivation atm

i wait until it's done and what's left of the fandom will have been dead and buried for half a decade already, i know i'm writing this one mostly for me but i'd still like to have *some* readers

cons:

most of the het fans are gonna be turned off by the slash and femmeslash and the slash and femmeslash fans will be turned off by the het, so the reader base will not be big

((it won't be any bigger if i wait))

i have been writing it for several years without posting it because i wanted to see if i *could* write it all out before posting, so why give up now, it's still not complete!!!

there have been several scenes i needed to move from chapter to chapter and the timeline needs re-checking (that's what happens when you need to follow a pregnancy's timing and can't just handwave it ) and it might happen again

anyway. i can't decide. sigh.

one good thing is my friends helped me figure out a title (four years into writing it). it's "in this economy". u_u;;;

[starlight-eclipsed]

The room is empty. The bed untouched. The window, tauntingly, is wide open.

Art for chapter 21 of A Dark Among the Lights by LuckyLectio on AO3! You all know the drill--go check it out if you haven't already ^-^

[ell-arts]

Background teaser for the next chapter's artwork ;)

[lescarbille]

Je t'aime l'été | Landoscar | Summer love AU

Lando needs a break. Lando needs a break from the heavy chaos of light and fame his life has become. His friend Charles suggests that he come on vacation to the Leclerc old country house in the south of France; there is no network or anyone likely to recognize him. Only them, George, Alex, his little brother Arthur and his friends. Lando thought it would just be two weeks of peace between wheat fields, in the shade of olive trees. He doesn't expect to fall in love, again, with a boy who only avoids him.

release on ao3 sunday

[nostalgia-tblr]

What do English people call a close? You know, the stairwell bit where all the flats are in a tenement? If you go to visit someone at their flat, what do you call the bit where you wait for them to answer their door? That communal stairs… area?

("Modern AUs don't require research" MAYBE IF YOU'RE ENGLISH THEY DON'T 😭)

[reescrever-as-estrelas]

- Look At Me: Chapter 16 (fanfic) by @writingwife-83

⚔️🛡️⚔️🛡️⚔️🛡️ SPOILER ALERT 🛡️⚔️🛡️⚔️🛡️⚔️

“Ben!” Rey cried out, wasting no time in rushing to where he lay. She lifted him a bit, cradling him in her lap as he blinked up at her with shallow breathing.

“Rey? Rey, are you alright?” He touched the arm of her gown which was soaked in blood.

“That is nothing!” she replied dismissively. “It is you I fear for.”

Ben shook his head. “No, no. There’s nothing to fear now. I swear it.” He winced even as he reassured her.

“But the signal on the tower!” Rey suddenly remembered. “He was sending soldiers to Theed!”

“We intercepted the signal.”

“What?”

“I knew,” he wheezed, giving her a little smirk. “Thanks to Sir Finn, I knew you had done something dangerous and selfless, for the sake of our family. I sent some of our men back to Theed before we attacked. And we removed any soldiers on the towers as soon as we made it through the castle walls.”

Tears flowed anew as Rey leaned down, weeping across her husband’s chest. “Can you ever forgive me? I’ve brought nothing but pain and danger to you and your-”

Ben caught the back of her neck, pulling her down and crashing her lips into his, kissing her far more passionately than a man in his condition should have been able to. She was rendered speechless when they separated.

“I don’t ever want to hear you ask for forgiveness again,” he murmured. “I have everything right here. Everything I prayed for. You’re safe, our people will be safe, and soon you’ll be back with my mother.”

“We both will,” Rey corrected, angry at the tremor in her voice.

Ben reached up, his hand caressing her face as his eyes fluttered a little. “It’s alright, sweetheart. It’s going to- to be alright.”

“Ben?” She clasped his hand tight before it dropped. “Ben, look at me!”

He did as she commanded, but only for a moment, his lids appearing heavy again almost instantly. 

“We’ve got to go,” Rey urged him. “I can help you.”

Ben didn’t respond, as if he didn’t even hear her, smiling up at her instead. And then his eyes shut completely, head dropping to the side.

“Ben?” Panic flooded her. “Ben?! Ben!” 

Rey called to him, shook him, screamed and wept until it echoed through the wall of that cursed castle, but Ben remained still. 

She’d become a Queen that day. An entire Kingdom and land was hers. She’d ridded the land of a tyrant, and ensured the safety of hundreds. But none of that mattered to her one bit, not without him. Rey felt helpless, broken, with nothing to do but cradle her soulmate against her chest, wishing for nothing more but to be with him, wherever he was. 

How else could she ever be whole?

[aauroralightss]

happy work in progress wednesday!! here's a passage from my current multichapter wip! the premise is fallen angel vash au, but this is an interaction in chapter nine with livio :)

---

“A roommate?” Livio’s eyebrows shoot up. “In that tiny rental?”

“Well, it wasn’t—planned. He’s sleeping on the couch.” Wolfwood scratches the side of his neck. “But yeah. His name’s Vash. He’s…” Wolfwood struggles for the right word to use to describe his roommate, actively fighting the urge to call him angelic or heavenly, knowing how that would sound to his brother. (Even if it would be really funny to recount to Vash later.) “He’s a nice guy. You’d probably like him.”

Livio’s eyes widen. “A nice guy. You like him!”

“I—what?”

“As a person,” Livio clarifies with a hand lifted. “Unless—”

“No.”

“Okay, then as a person.” Livio grins. “But you definitely do. The only other person you’ve ever outright called nice is that Millie Thompson.”

Wolfwood can’t deny that—or at least he can’t deny that Millie is nice—but it’s a little humiliating that Livio has been keeping track. “...So? I’m living with him, I’m allowed to like him.”

[hirazuki]

For Now [Chapter 18 snippet]

Sasori/Haruno Sakura, Sasori & Haruno Sakura | T | Blank Period | canon divergent | angst, hurt/comfort, enemies to friends | ongoing [AO3]

•────────────────────⋅☾ ☽⋅────────────────────•

“Human bodies are an inconvenience, in multiple respects,” he elaborates. “Surely you can appreciate this.”

Sakura sighs and flops on the bed, her back to him. “I am not debating life philosophies with you at – ” she cranes her neck up to look at the clock on the nightstand “ – three forty-two in the morning.”

“Oh? Is there something else you’d rather be doing?” Sasori smirks, knowing full well that he’s annoying her.

“Yes,” she snaps, sitting up and whirling on him, throwing her second pillow at his face. “Sleeping. I have a job to show up for in the morning, unlike some.”

She prepares to dramatically fling herself back down again but stops, abruptly, likely realizing that she has relinquished both of her pillows to him at this point, leaving her with only the mattress to lie on. He can feel the debate going on in her head – to just grit her teeth and live with the situation that she created, or to swallow her pride and ask for them back – and it looks like the latter is winning out, as she slumps her shoulders and starts turning towards him.

So, naturally, he does the only thing possible in this situation.

Sasori swings both pillows at her, trapping her head between them.

She sputters, briefly, and once the initial shock is over, yanks them out of his grip and attacks him with them. He grabs one of his own to defend himself with, and they exchange several blows until, predictably, she gets too invested, and accidentally channels some of that monstrous strength – and they hear the crack of wood.

“Okay, stop, truce!” Sakura calls, shielding her face with her pillows. “I can’t afford a new bed.”

“I win by default,” he announces, as she’s rearranging her side of the bed.

“I said 'truce!'” she argues, and snatches his pillow from his hands, clearly claiming it as a prize. “Hmph.”

Holding it close to her chest, she sticks her tongue out at him, turns around, and lies back down.

He doesn’t need it, to sleep; he doesn’t need to hold that particular pillow, though it's the one he's been using, nor does he actually need to hold anything at all. It’s simply that insomnia still breathes heavily down his neck – two years of being back in his human body is not nearly enough to overwrite almost two decades of experience, no matter how this body craves the rest – and he has discovered that clutching something physical against him helps to ground him, for whatever reason. 

But he doesn’t need it, and even if he did, he has his chakra threads at his disposal, growing stronger by the day – he can simply pull it out of her grasp.

Like her, though, he has a near-addiction to having the last word, and one of his favorite pastimes is making her squirm.

Sasori leans over, well past the unspoken boundary between their respective sides, and hovers above her for a moment, before lowering himself snugly behind her body and wrapping an arm around her – waist, pillow, and all.

“What are you doing?!” Sakura immediately startles – he can feel her muscles tense, and the way her heart is beating wildly – and attempts to throw him off.

His grip tightens.

“You stole my pillow,” he murmurs into the hair at the back of her head.

“You can have it ba –”

“Silence.” 

“But – !”

“Shut up,” he mutters again, holding her down more forcefully. “I’m trying to sleep.”

[dicenote]

4, 6, and 8 (specifically weekend at ryuzaki's for 8, please) for the ask game? :3

Ooh okay! Thanks for the ask :3

4. Is there a popular pairing you don't necessarily dislike but aren't too invested in?

Hm, probably MikaLight (that's popular, right?). While I love a little bit of religious imagery (*screams in ex-Catholic*), I haven't yet sat down and read a MikaLight fic that I've been totally invested in. If I sought out something from Mikami's perspective specifically, I could see myself liking it a little. But for now I'm kinda meh on the ship.

6. Show us a bit of a WIP!

I wrote this bit who knows how long ago, so idk if I'll keep it in the final draft, but I do like the vague direction it's going in.

“Maybe the world is better off without people like L.”

“What?!” 

Ide knows he's struck a nerve. “I don’t mean it like that,” he replies quickly. “It’s terrible that he died, but… no person should have the kind of power and influence that L had over his cases. If we say that Kira is evil because he is—he was— one person controlling the justice system, then we can’t allow people like L to do whatever they want to solve cases that interest them.

“We’re cops, after all. The world may be terrible, but we work within the system to try and change things. It may be slow, but it’s fair…” He pauses. He think he's talked for too long. “Does that make sense?”

Matsuda nods, and Ide’s phone rings.

“Hello?”

His eyes widen. He turns to Matsuda and mouths, “Aizawa”. "Are you okay? Did they-?"

8. How did you come up with the title to [Weekend At Ryuzaki's]?

Well, it's kinda funny that you mention it:

*waves hands wildly* All will be revealed... (once I finish writing this chapter, lol)

When I posted the first 2-ish chapters, I think the fic was called "Lingering On" or something like that. I was listening to a song called "Linger" while writing and thought that it would work as a good placeholder. Eventually, once I figured out what I wanted to do with the fic, I changed the name to something that I thought fit the tone a little better, vaguely referencing an old movie that I've never seen. Also, the confinement plot point literally involves spending a "weekend at Ryuzaki's", but I can't remember if I'd come up with that specific detail when I decided on the fic title.

[kquil]

Hey lovely! It’s so good to have you back, I missed you! I hope you’re doing well and so is your Grandma and other family. I read part 5 and loved it! It’s just so good! I’m so interested in how the boys will act in the next fic. I feel that they are done playing the friend game and I am really excited to see Sirius. Anyways! Great to see you and I’m excited to read Divorcing Orion too!

my darling! i missed you so sooo much! thanks a bunch for the warm welcome back and yes! my grandma (both of them hehe~) are feeling much better - they were both being stubborn old ladies and not wanting to go to their doctors appointments but we made sure to take them there as soon as we got back haha! (˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶)˖⁺‧₊˚

hehehe~ our boys are definitely DONE with playing the friend game, especially sirius (˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧ so you'll be seeing a lot of him in the next chapter! it won't be all fluff, the whole vibe of the chapter will actually be very different from everything i've written for this series so far ⏤ i'm actually kinda nervous as to how you darlings will respond to it (ó﹏ò｡)

but yay! i'm excited for my Divorcing Orion Black series too! it'll be completely new and different to the types of fics i usually write so it'll be my go-to for when i want a break from my usual writing (⸝⸝ᵕᴗᵕ⸝⸝)

[warm-mangoes-with-chai]

Okay so what bothers me the most is three things:

How the hell did this man go from the bottom of the Japan Trench to main crew?!?!?

Like am i missing something? Bc the last time I checked it was in kenny's hands in Shibuya- and I know neither noritoshi nor tsukomo managed to snatch it back. I know i haven't been going that closely these past few arcs but i feel like i would've noticed if they retrieved it??? I just hate that this happened off screen 😑

They've been fighting for a month (3 YEARS) and it only took 3 minutes to unseal him?!?

Where's the pizzazz, the drama? At least we should've got a cool explanation on how Angel's technique works, man idk. All that buildup for nothing, it's so lackluster 😒

(plus there was an earthquake caused by him teleporting right? Did he do it in the split second he breathed fresh air so we couldn't see him?? 😵‍💫)

He was locked away in a space with no concept of time, completely isolated and surrounded by cursed energy- and he came back normal? 🙁

Boooo- i wanted him to be feral or a little cursed himself like give us something- I want to see visible signs of the toll it took on him. Though maybe his true state will make itself evident later.

( bro wasn't even disorientated when he traveled xxx kilometers in 5 seconds like where's the lag, the fatigue- his energy wasn't sapped from his time in prison realm? He could just bounce up n get moving?!?! Make it make sense like give me SOMETHING PLEASE)

I understand why he's maintaining his composure with kenjaku- man thought about his ex for 30 seconds and was locked away with swiftness- but towards megumi? His younger brother-more-than-son but still someone he mentored and spent a lot of time with.

It's implied that sorcerers/ curses can probably see the extra eyes or mouth of Sukuna but the marks are likey only distinguishable for us readers. So Gojo must've sensed Sukuna's rank vibes immediately and went on the offensive.

... Hmmm 🤔 since he didn't even want to engage with him yet i suppose he's just being cautious. Maybe he's already accepted that Megumi may be collateral to the bigger picture... though that's so cold though 😥

I'm still holding out hope that he's just compartmentalizing very well and we'll see the cracks of his true mental state soon 🤞🏿

He's the strongest for a reason but even he has a breaking point.

[thatonecrookedsmile]

*kicks the front door with all the strength I have*

WAKE UP, CHILDREN. I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU TO PLAY WITH.

Hey there IRIS fans. It's been a while. More than 3 months to be exact. I came once again to offer you my gifts. Behold…..breadcrumbs! :D

Yeah, that's all I have at the moment. I'm sorry.

I was reflecting on the idea of posting things that are more....small? Don't just post finished drawings. Maybe WIPs or, sketches, or in the case above, a doodle! Basically, I don't need to ONLY post finished drawings. Or drawings. Sometimes I can just. Post words, you know. I had the realization about this a while ago when I remembered that I'm on Tumblr. I can post (almost) anything here without limiting myself. Now, will I fulfill this? I don't know. Maybe I'll do that, or I'll just post it when I have a drawing ready to post. I don't promise anything lol.

Anyway, IRIS! I made this little doodle of Goliath while I was out of the house. I only drew his Pre-Explosion version once and it was in that Transmission 3 drawing. As a joke too. So I tried to do something a little more serious. This time…he has a face! I thought it turned out good. I think I found a good way to do his hair too. I decided to color it (and do a light digital lineart over it) to make it more pleasant. Simple, but it looks nice! (I'll leave the normal scribble unedited at the end of the post) Also, I know that in the only art we have of P.E Goliath it doesn't show him with irises and pupils in his eyes. I drew them here because I thought it would be cool.

Next stop is to practice drawing his body. I have to learn how to draw more muscular bodies. Goliath has to live up to his name (and he deserves the muscles tbh)

It goes without saying that I did this after watching the new chapters of Story of Vegala. And speaking of that: i'm gonna be honest with you: I think this is my favorite part of the IRIS story/lore drops posted so far.

It's quite intriguing to see the very story that happened before everything we've seen so far. It's also nice to receive what I've wanted for a while: Tyrant and Fate Lore. It's good to have more information about two characters that we've known (more or less) for a long time now. Especially their origins (broader origins than just *the first beings that walked the Earth* or *beings that came from distant worlds in search of the emblem*)

SOV also makes me excited for other things. Like, obviously, HOAA:R. Releasing soon! December is knocking on the door, you know. But I also really want to see Jaws of Vegala now. And whatever happens in the story that takes place after GT.

So again, SOV is currently my favorite part of the lore, I believe. The anguish of waiting for the next episodes this past week was real.

I'm talking too much once again, SHIT. Yeah, Pre-Explosion Goliath. He deserves the world (He's NOT a monster, he's just BIG and STRONG, and needs a functioning family *cries*)

I don't know when I'll do my next Big Piece related to IRIS. I had something in mind but I lost the will. But I was thinking about doing something related to Solitude for a while. Hold this thought,then. Until then, I'll sketch Tyrant next. Because I like his official design.

Also, here is the unedited scribble:

[vladdyissues]

Just popped in to tell you, that i'm rereading Familiar. Even better second time and I know you've put in little hints here and there, but Im so bad at catching them! Lol The UST is Even better on a second reading too.

There's nothing I love more than re-reading a work and picking out all the clues I didn't spot on the first pass. That's a technique I've always dreamed of replicating myself, and I'm simply delighted you're enjoying Round 2. Thank you!

[labyrinthofdreams]

In which the asl brothers continue to cling to the bond they share with teeth and nails however difficult life becomes and Luffy continues to bring in strays to share the warmth of home.

Luffy’s arms, so so small, reach out to Sabo, desperate to do something, to stop his brother from hurting, but not knowing where to touch with so much gauze and so much damage, and how can Sabo tell them. How can Sabo explain to his baby brother, his little shining light that his tears are a byproduct of sheer relief and happiness because whatever happens, his brothers are here and they have not left Sabo behind.

-

Chapter 03 is up!