#and she's named after lily's favorite flower!

[aeligsido]

Hellooo! Because I cannot resist it. How is Daisy-raised-by-the-dursleys? I feel like having a sibling at least, does it make it better? Oh. And it just occured to me. Daisy would be left alone for two years, wouldn't she, when Harry goes to hogwarts?

AAAAAH I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED!!!

Daisy, at her core, is brave, smart, curious, and kind, no matter how (or by who) she's raised (she's also pretty stubborn). But it does translate differently in her words & actions depending on which!

For example — she likes to know things. When her parents raise her, it's because they fostered and nurtured her natural curiosity, and made her want to know things. When she's raised by the Dursleys? She needs to know to better protect herself and Harry. It's less about curiosity and more about the safety of knowledge.

So, with that being said—

Daisy raised by the Dursleys is quiet, observing, because she learned it was the best way to deal with them and anticipate their moods. She's pretty skittish, and like Harry, has a hard time trusting people, adults in particular (even more so after he tells her everything that happened in his two first years at Hogwarts!!). She's kind of always on the defense, waiting for the other shoe to drop, especially with settings & people she's unfamiliar with. By the time HBP comes around, for example, she's pretty at ease around the Weasleys and Hermione, at Hogwarts, or with the people in her dormitory.

And like Harry, her bravery tends to go toward self-sacrifice a lot of time. She's very protective of the people she loves, and kind of internalized that she's less important than,,, anyone, hence the self-sacrificing thing.

She also holds grudges like no one else, especially when it's a matter of betraying her or her brother. Always worse when it's her brother, even! OotP was hell for her, she was angry at everyone, probably argued with so many students, ended up in detentions so many times, etc. Harry was angry because he was grieving and traumatized, she was angry because they were all hurting her brother (and she couldn't help). Also she loathes Rita so much.

And aaaaaah Harry & Daisy's relationship in those circumstances is something I love bc. A lot of angst!!! They were always aware they only had each other in life, so they're very protective of each other. Harry assumes that as the older one he has to be the one protecting her (and she always feels safe with him, no matter what — she always finds comfort with him) but she does protect him too, as much as she can. Mostly because she hates seeing him hurt. They're each other's most important person (she's the one in the lake in GoF, not Ron!), and it shows. They usually don't really hide anything from each other, either. They may not say things right away, but they will end up doing it still! Honesty is important for them and between them.

And yeah, as you say, it's a bit easier to have a sibling by their side when raised by the Dursleys! They can support each other and help each other out — they have less chores, or at least they can do it together and create games out of it! But it's also harder, because they have to see each other being hurt, and the Dursleys absolutely use one to hurt/control the other. If Harry tries to escape Dudley and his gang, Dudley tells him they'll go after Daisy. If Daisy burns the food, Harry will have to eat it (even if it's carbonized). And in general, if one is punished, so is the other!

So, it's a bit of both.

Also, yes! She does spend two years alone with the Dursleys while Harry is at Hogwarts, which is. Not great. I do have a lot of ideas about all of this — mainly, Lily's second pregnancy was very secret, with only a handful of people knowing about it (partly because they were in hiding, partly because either the people they would have told were dead, partly because Lily wasn't sure who they could trust anymore). So, of course, Sirius knew, as well as Remus, Peter, and Mary (Macdonald). Add to this Dorcas (who was Lily's healer), and Dumbledore, who last saw Lily when she was very obviously pregnant. Generally, I also add Alice & Frank (Longbottom) bc i HC them as close friends (with James & Alice knowing each other since they were toddlers).

(Peter was going to be her godfather, btw :D)

And out of all of them... Well outside of Sirius, who was here in the aftermath of the attack, and Dumbledore, who dropped them off at the Dursleys (and you can add Hagrid & McGonagall here), no one knows she's alive. There was nothing about her in the newspapers, just about Harry surviving the Killing Curse and James and Lily dying, and since her birth was not announced, they assumed she died with Lily. (So at the beginning of PoA Remus has an instant where he thinks he's hallucinating lmao.)

People are going to be very surprised when it'll come to her Sorting! (She's a Gryffindor all the way.)

So! Harry's first year, she goes to Diagon Alley with him & Hagrid. Her and Harry had a convoluted plan about getting her to Hogwarts secretly so she would be away from the Dursleys but it just never happened because the Dursleys locked her up before dropping Harry at King's Cross. The year is pretty hard on her but she does her best to make it better! She exchanges letters with Harry (Hedwig knows to only come at night and be very quiet), she manages to sneak into Diagon Alley a few times and sit down in a corner of the bookshop to read about this new world, and when she has moments alone she tentatively tries to make her magic work without a wand. (She's pretty successful too!) Harry still stays at Hogwarts for the holidays (she convinces him to), and he sends her a gift bought with his (!!!!) own money. She doesn't know how to access her vault (she thinks she'll get turned down if she doesn't have the key), so she sends him a homemade gift as usual. Harry mentioned her to Ron and Hermione (not a lot because he's still protective and he feels like he has to hide her to keep her safe), so when Ron tells his mom about Harry, he tells her about Daisy too (he tries to keep it vague as to not betray Harry though). So she gets a Weasley gift too!! She's overjoyed and specifically makes a gift for both Molly and Ron, as a thank you. And that's about it!! She spends the rest of the year trying to stay away from the Dursleys (Vernon is even more awful than usual, Petunia is hot and cold bc she misses her son and wants to coddle someone but also ugh magic u know), and doing what she has been doing. Harry and Daisy hug a lot when he comes back (they've never been apart so long before).

The beginning of CoS is basically the same — Dobby comes by, messes things up, and they get terribly punished for it, Ron and the twins come to save Harry. Harry refuses to leave without Daisy, so they sneak her in. She's amazed by the Burrow but also very very quiet and constantly hiding behind Harry. He's not phased, but Ron is very confused (mostly that it doesn't annoy Harry, because if Ginny did that with him he would hate it).

(Bonus points for imagining Scabbers' reaction to seeing Daisy lmao. He probably didn't catch Harry mentioning her before, and here she's in, in the flesh, the girl who would have been his goddaughter. Feel the regret, Peter.)

The Weasleys have to send her back when the summer is over, though :C Molly did want to keep her with them (she wasn't happy about the empty and hey!!! new daughter!!), but it just couldn't happen. The Dursleys are not happy, and she does get punished for what happened, but otherwise things go the same way as the year before. Harry doesn't tell her everything about the petrifications & all right away (he only does it when he's back for the summer), and they both get a bit confused because Daisy is a Parselmouth, too (which doesn't quite work with Dumbledore's theory about why Harry is one).

For PoA — well, Marge is her delightful self once again, she gets blown up like a balloon but neither Harry nor Daisy is sure which one of them did that, and they run away together. They end up at the Leaky Cauldron, meet Fudge (who has a moment of utter confusion when seeing Daisy because he has no idea who she is), get a room for two, and have a blast for the two (three?) weeks they live here. She also has to do her first year shopping, which she's excited about, and they do it together! Which is great! The whole Sirius Black thing is a bit worrying, even more so when Harry learns he's apparently the target, but oh well. Daisy decides to be optimistic. Then they meet the Dementor on the train — Harry has the same reaction as in canon, of course (what he hears changes slightly). Daisy reacts very badly too! She completely freezes up, and basically dissociates. Remus thought for a moment here (when he comes back and she's still not doing well) that she got Kissed with how vacant she looks. (After the Quidditch match, she ends up in the infirmary for the whole weekend.) So that's not a very great start for her first year.

The rest is better, but still bittersweet — she's amazed and curious about everything, but scared by all the new things and people and easily overwhelmed. Also, Snape is creepy and looks at her weird (she looks like her mother). Good point is, ofc, Professor Lupin™, and Daisy joins Harry in his Dementors lessons! She doesn't manage to get anything but a small silver cloud, but she's just a first year, so that's still pretty amazing lmao. (She keeps on training the following years, just in case.) She's very fond of Hagrid too, so she follows Buckbeak's case closely (her best friend is a Ravenclaw by the name of Astoria Greengrass, and she helps her out). Which means she's here when the night™ happens. (The Golden Trio caught her sneaking out and took her with them.) Things really much go the same way, with Sirius promising both Harry and Daisy to take them in, the Full Moon, Peter escaping, the Dementors. She's totally knocked out after so she misses the time travel, though :C (she's knocked out for days to the point they're worried they'll have to get her transferred to St Mungo, which also means she misses Remus leaving, and she's not happy about it.)

GoF goes the same — Quidditch World Cup, attack, Triwizard Tournament, etc. She obviously never believes Harry would put his name in, and yells at the other Gryffindors who plans a party that Halloween's night. She's Harry's most important person, as said previously, and she manages to get herself invited because she wants to go to the Yule Ball too!! She's staying at Hogwarts anyway!! I'm hesitating a bit if she rushes to Harry right away after he and Cedric appear again, and follows him and fake-Moody, or not. Probably yes. In any case, they end up cuddling in his infirmary bed bc she needs the reassurance he's still here (Padfoot's here too!) (Harry probably snuck her out of Hogwarts once or twice so she could visit Sirius in his cave lmao.)

OotP... Idk if she would be here when the Dementors attack or not. I'm not sure yet. She goes to Grimmauld Place, of course, and also she asks Remus to be her godfather because Harry has one and she wants one too (Sirius is laughing his ass off). Remus is flaggerbasted but accepts. She absolutely hates Umbridge, joins the DA, and she comes to the Ministry at the end. I think it would be the year where she really starts wondering about the connection between Harry and Voldemort, and tries to look into it. Ginny says it's not possession and she trusts her, so it must be something else, and she's determined to find out what.

Again, the main events of HBP don't change. She knows about the prophecy (re: Harry and Daisy not hiding anything important from each other), meets Slughorn with Harry, and while she's not in the office with Dumbledore and Harry Harry still tells her about what happened there. Not the details, but the basis, at least, so she ends up knowing about the Horcruxes (she doesn't link it up to Harry right away, though). She's not here in the cave, but she participates in the battle.

For DH, she's probably smuggled out of Privet Drive before Harry, maybe at the same time as the Dursleys. She's not going with them, though, lmao. She ends up at the Burrow too, helps out with the wedding, and is very happy about it. Idk if Dumbledore would leave her something. When the DE attacks the wedding, Remus is the one to take her with him out of danger, so she stays with him for a bit. Either they get found out or she tries to go back to Hogwarts, but in any way the DE tries to get her to use her against Harry, fails, and she ends up living at Shell Cottage with Bill and Fleur during the whole year. She sees Ron when he ends up here and they talk a bit, and then months later she gets reunited with her brother!! Harry updates her on the Horcruxes and everything she helps them out with their plans. She can't come though. She does come to Hogwarts with Luna and Dean for the Battle :D Harry is not Happy™ but she doesn't care, it's her fight too, and she's not leaving him alone in it. She kind of does her own things during the first half of the battle (mostly surviving, trying to find her friends, etc), and then waits for Harry when he's watching Snape's memories. She kind of guessed the Horcrux thing by now, but hoped to be wrong. She makes him swear to come back and then let him go alone in the Forest. She's devastated when Voldemort says he's dead, but then well, the rest happens and she knows he's alive :)

And that's. About it. For Daisy raised by the Dursleys. Jsjdndjndjdbfb I realize that I. Wrote a lot. Probably a lot more than what you expected. Sorry!!!! I couldn't stop. But also while I do have fics planned with her none is a fic following her during her school years in a canon-universe-but-she-exists so... Yeah kdjdjf.

Congrats if you read all of that, and thank you so much! ❤️✨🥰

[qwimblenorrisstan]

Insufficient Pt. 2 | Azriel x Reader

Summary: Following the disastrous breakup between you and Azriel, Nesta invites you out to a night at Rita’s, where you then discover that you might not be as safe in Night Court as you think.

Word Count: ~ 4.3k

Warnings: Stalkings, nasty public bathrooms, alcohol, drunk people, obsessive behavior, painfully bad description of blackjack, etc

A/N: ok so I kinda switched gears with this one, I’m trying to flesh it out before introducing another man, but lmk if you liked it, or if you have any opinion on where you’d like it to go, hope you enjoy <3

Requests are open!

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Only a week had passed since the disastrous breakup between you and Azriel, and as it turns out, it was harder to get rid of him than you’d originally thought.

Beforehand, he’d always seemed so controlled and stoic, that even being one of the main problems in your relationship was that he couldn’t ever let go of control. Being in charge meant he felt safe and secure, regardless of his feelings.

He had always seemed almost above you at times, above groveling and begging in bed, above communicating his feelings and emotions normally as he just expected you to read his mind or moods despite the way he hid any kernel of emotion from his body language. However, all of that seemed to have changed.

After the breakup, you’d gone back to working in the bakery, working specifically in the back making bread with your family, so you wouldn’t have to see him when he came in, probably trying to hunt you down. The heat the ovens gave off also seemed to repel his shadows, for whatever reason, so they wouldn’t spy on you any more than they already had. Though he had come asking for you before at the counter, your family had always shut him down. You felt bad about it for a second, but thinking back, you also didn’t. He’d chosen his words, and he was only sorry because you were his mate.

You’d moved back into the family home for now, your relatives surrounding you in love and empathy, and plenty of righteous fury regarding Azriel, and even a few “I told you so.”’s from the older generations.

Nesta would come by to visit now and then, having tea with you and updating you on all the latest news and developments, if not just funny stories to bring your spirits up, such as Nyx swallowing an ancient coin that he got from Rhys’ desk, only to poop it out shiny and clean a few days later, or how Cassian got so drunk he jumped from the top of the townhouse into a nearby pool that belonged to a neighbor.

On the bad days, she would offer some quiet company, or even open up to you about similar things that happened to her in the past.

Specifically, her past relationship.

She didn’t give a name, simply the details that he was a poor man’s family, his father abused his mother, and he was no better. She only was going to marry him to let Feyre take better care of Elain, really, even if it ended up with her getting beaten by some pathetic man. And then she told you of the night she rejected him, and tried to break it off, and how she almost barely got away before he could take what wasn’t his.

You both sat in silence after that, your hand in hers.

Eventually, though, the conversation continued. You told her of the flowers that would mysteriously appear on your windowsill each morning. Neither of you knew how Azriel knew what room you occupied in your family’s home, or even how he knew your address or favorite type of flower, Ditch Lily’s, but he knew. Or the letters you received nightly, always carried by some bird of prey to your window, and would leave it there.

She snorted when you told her about the letters.

“He’s being ridiculous, seriously, even Cassian isn’t that bad. He only cares because you’re his mate, not because of who you actually are, and until he gets his shit together I wouldn’t even open them.”

She said, taking a sip of the herbal tea your mother had prepared for both of you. It was a special recipe, one that some of your distant relatives in Autumn Court had created, originally meant to relieve muscle tension and stress from overuse of magic, and even assist in alleviating burnout. You were mildly convinced that there might be some healer blood in you, because of that half of the family.

You could’ve sworn you felt a tiny tug on the bond at the mention of Azriel.

“I know, I’ve just been burning them, but he won’t leave me alone. Every shadow feels like they’re watching me now, and I just…”

You sighed, trailing off as your hand went to rub the bridge of your nose, and she gave a hum of acknowledgment, finishing your sentence for you.

“Don’t feel safe in the one place that you used to only feel safe in?”

You glanced up, eyes widening a bit. That was precisely how you felt.

“Yes, how..?”

She took another sip of her tea, glancing over to the window and looking out of it, eyes almost glazing over as some memory must’ve come to light.

“Beneath the House of Wind is the library, though I’m sure you’ve already heard of it. The priestesses stayed there, and it was always quiet, and something about it made me feel…safe, even when I was in an unfamiliar body in new surroundings, the world in the middle of a war.”

She said, and you nodded, waiting for her to go on. You knew plenty of the library beneath the House of Wind and how massive it was.

“One night, me and Feyre both descended nearly to the bottom, for what I can barely remember, and there were two twin males. Sent by Hybern, I think. They were taken out before they could do any harm, but the damage was still done. It took me quite a while to think of the library as a safe space after that.”

The glaze in her eyes faded away as she took another sip of her tea, looking more relaxed than before. She looked over at you, her eyes meeting yours.

“How did you get it back like that? A safe place, I mean.”

You then asked, and she looked away for a moment to think, a common habit of hers. One you’d noticed by now. Always noticing things, something you must’ve learned from Azriel, and as much as you hated the reminder of him, it was useful regardless.

“Changing environments helped me. During and after the war, we were always traveling a lot, which forced me to appreciate the thought of home more. Then again, home was also linked with Cassian for me.”

She said, thinking aloud before eventually speaking again.

“I’d try moving around a bit. Exercise helped me, especially travel and hiking, or breathing exercises. I could teach you a few if you’d like?”

She offered. You would be a fool to refuse any sort of advice or help from Nesta Archeron, and she’d never led you astray before, so you nodded, and she smiled brightly, clearly happy to show you.

The next few hours were spent in the backyard on whatever flat surface there was, practicing impossibly stretched that seemed like whoever made them wanted to turn you into a pretzel. Nesta managed them just fine but didn’t laugh when you fell, only helped you back up, telling you all about how when she’d first started training with Cassian, it had been just as hard for her too.

She’d even outright refused to do it the first few times.

However, after that, she showed you cool-down exercises and helped you practice breathing techniques.

“Wait, so…I hold it for how long?”

You asked, and she held back a giggle at the sheer confusion in your tone as she answered.

“Twenty seconds, but you can-“

“TWENTY??”

At that, she burst out laughing, and before you knew it you were laughing too, both of you laying back on the grass of the yard and hoping none of the seasonal bugs crawled up onto you. She finally sat up a moment later, wiping tears from her eyes as she stood and helped you up.

“Build up from five, you can start at five seconds and build up, is what I was going to say.”

She said, and you sighed.

“And I thought I was in shape before.”

You said in an amused tone, and she snorted again, only for the both of you to look over where you heard another loud snort and see Cassian standing, leaning against a large tree in the backyard. He was grinning widely as ever, his eyes full of pure glee.

“Having fun without me, ladies?”

He asked, putting a hand over his heart in a dramatic expression as he rolled his eyes, acting fatally wounded.

“Honestly, I’m hurt-“

He wasn’t able to finish his sentence before you barreled into him, giving him a tight hug that he chuckled at and returned, ruffling your hair. Nesta was soon to follow, and hugging him in a much more elegant manner than you.

When you finally separated, you spoke.

“Gods, I’ve missed you. We should let him come to tea time, too, Nesta.”

You said with a grin, and Nesta rolled her eyes playfully, squeezing his bicep. A tiny twinge of jealousy seemed to echo down the bond, as if Azriel had seen you hugging Cassian, and didn’t appreciate it. Another tug on the bond that you shut out, now hyper aware of any shadows.

“You’d be surprised at how much of a gossip he is, it’s never-ending with the Devlon-rumors.”

She said, and his expression shifted to playfully offended as he swatted at Nesta’s hand. You giggled, and Nesta glanced over at you, before gaining a thoughtful expression.

“We could do Rita’s tonight if you could make it?”

She asked, and Cassian gave a little nod as if also agreeing with this. You didn’t have any plans tonight, so why not spend a night out with your friends? It would certainly help you get your mind off of things.

“Sure, what time?”

You asked, head cocked slightly to the side. Nesta shrugged.

“Is 6 good for you?”

She asked, and you nodded in confirmation. She gave you one last smile before Cassian scooped her up to fly away.

“See you tonig-“

Her words were cut off with a little shriek as Cassian launched into the air at maximum speed just to spook her like he always did, and you giggled to yourself, heading back inside the family home. Unbeknownst to you, a shadowy figure lurked behind that tree after Cassian left, watching.

To be fair, the shifts were switched out now and then so everyone had a break, but he usually ended up babysitting. Despite his objections and complaints, he was good at it, sort of a baby-whisperer.

“Who was that pretty lady?”

He asked, a slight touch of color on his cheeks as you smirked with a knowing look.

“That was my friend, Nesta. She’s taken.”

You clarified for him, noticing the way his face fell in disappointment all too clearly before you patted your baby cousin on the head, and walked up to your temporary room. Maybe Nesta’s idea of traveling a bit and exploring different places was good. You had all of immortality ahead of you, after all. Might as well use it well.

You walked to your room, before going to the bathroom attached to it. You were more than lucky to get a room with a bathroom attached, and you knew it, since everyone bickered over who got to shower first and who had been in there too long for the normal bathroom in the hall. Stripping your clothes off, you turned the water on, letting it settle to a warm, but refreshing temperature.

You went through your entire hair routine and washed your body off, shaving and everything. Tonight was an everything shower. You wanted to look your best at Rita’s tonight, and you desperately needed a confidence boost after what Azriel had said to you.

Nearly half an hour later, your hair done all pretty, makeup on, and a pretty red dress gracing your form. You’d even painted your nails yourself, forgoing the usual stylist you went to for it.

By the time 6 had rolled around, you were almost to Rita’s, walking down the bustling streets of Velaris as the cool air blew by, the sun already beginning to set as early as it did in this season.

The moment you walked into the bar, already full of people, it only took a few seconds to spot Nesta and Cassian inside. Cassian was drinking and laughing his ass off with some other males, and doing arm wrestling that he never seemed to lose at, and Nesta was playing poker, and by the looks of it had already won a few games before based on the sly smile she wore.

You walked over and ordered your drink, nothing too strong, and decided that you could take a little time away from Nesta for now. You couldn’t help but feel a little guilty, considering she’d been listening to all of your problems every time she’d come over. It was probably best if you gave her a little alone time for herself.

Walking over to a table to try your hand at what looked like a boring game of blackjack, you were about to sit down when something captured your attention.

A lone shadow lurking beneath your feet.

You swallow, getting a weird feeling about it, but you simply stomped one foot down on it before sitting down, determined not to let something so small ruin this night for you. The cards were dealt, and you received a queen of spades and eight of clubs, and as the game progressed, you took risks, choosing to hit, and somehow miraculously not going over 21 the entire time. You felt the lightest tug on the bond, but ignored it.

It was mildly suspicious, considering how bad you usually were at cards. That was until you spied the same wispy shadow from earlier on the deck of cards, hiding in the normal shadow of it. It was discreetly moving cards, changing them for you to win.

Now incredibly annoyed, you excused yourself from the game and walked to the bathroom. Rita’s bathrooms weren’t extremely clean, but you just needed a place to take a breather.

You pushed the door open, not surprised by the few females in here who were either redoing their makeup or drunk out of their minds and crying. Oddly enough, though, they filed out almost as soon as you entered, some giving you off looks as you entered one of the stalls, sliding the lock closed, and sat on top of the toilet seat, pulling your knees to your chest.

Sure, things were weird tonight, but it was probably just Azriel trying to play mind games with you. He was a Spymaster. His entire job revolves around torturing information out of people and playing mental gymnastics to get what he wants from them. You wouldn’t be surprised if he was now hyper-fixated on you, determined to get you back if only to feel better about himself.

You heard the bathroom door open, barely creaking as the lightest footsteps became apparent to you. Probably another drunk woman, or someone looking to fix their makeup or outfit. Nothing out of the usual, you told yourself, even as your body began stiffening and your heart rate sped up. A lock clicked. The bathroom door.

You couldn’t get a decent whiff of the stranger, whether it be the alcohol or the reek of the bathroom in and of itself. Not daring to open up the stall or peek out, you became still as a statue.

Nearly silent footsteps.

A knob creaked, probably the sink, and water began running at its maximum speed.

Another sink turned on.

Then another.

Until all the sinks were on.

Your heart began beating faster. Why would anyone turn all the sinks on, if not to cover up the noise of something else, or someone else making loud noises?

Louder, bolder footsteps in your stall’s direction.

Glancing down beneath the door, you could see a pair of thick, black leathery boots now standing in front of it. You recognized those. How could you not?

A certain shadowsinger’s shoes. His work shoes.

You didn’t dare move, even as you heard a knock against the stall. It would’ve seemed polite in any other situation, but not here, not now.

“I know you’re in there.”

His quiet voice spoke, still filled with that tension you’d seen in his eyes the day you’d decided to finally break free of him.

He knocked again.

“I’m sorry for what I said, I shouldn’t have said that, if you would please, please, just give me another chance, I’ve been trying to talk with you for days but you were busy, and when I saw you here tonight, I thought that maybe we could talk this out-“

He said, voice filled with pleading and desperation as he rambled on. You’d never heard him express so much emotion before in his voice. It was interrupted by the bathroom door almost being opened, despite it being locked. A bang on the door, and Nesta’s muffled voice was heard through the door.

“Bullshit, I’m getting a worker..”

Azriel must’ve known he had limited time now, because he banged on the stall door louder, a bit more panicked.

“Please, just open the door. I’m sorry, just let me in. We can figure this out.”

He said, now shaking the stall door with the handle, and you didn’t dare move. Didn’t speak, didn’t do anything other than sit and pray to whatever gods you believed in. The Mother. The Cauldron. Anything. Whatever would make him go away. You had known the respectful, kind Azriel. The one that had waited centuries for Mor and not pushed anything, even when she openly went to other males and pushed him away. The one who wouldn’t push any boundary, but this Azriel…you didn’t know him.

The jingling of keys outside the bathroom door was heard, the worker Nesta must’ve called, and a frustrated sigh came from the voice outside your stall.

You could almost see it now, him angrily running his hands through his inky black hair, shadows swirling and writhing in agitation as he tried to think on how to fix this.

“You can’t hide from me forever, you’re just confused right now. I will get you back.”

He spoke finally, before the bathroom door burst open, and his presence was completely gone. You released a shaky breath, not daring to move still, even as the worker cursed and began turning all the sinks off.

“Haven’t seen it that jammed in a long time,”

She muttered, walking out eventually, you unlocked the stall door when you felt alone, only to swing it open and Nesta to pop into your vision. You almost screamed, jolting backward and slamming your head into a wall. She raised her hands in mock innocence.

“Easy, it’s just me. I figured you might be in here when I couldn’t find you, and…..”

She looked you up and down, noticing how shaken and pale you seemed, and frowned. Tilting her head sideways, she asked the obvious.

“What’s wrong with you?”

You looked all around the bathroom, finding no sign of him anywhere, no moving shadows or dark presences.

“He was here, Nesta. He kept begging me to come out and—I don’t know what he would’ve done if you hadn’t shown up.”

You said, tears welling up before falling as you began sobbing. She frowned deeper, now scowling as she pulled you against her chest, worry filling her expression.

“It’s alright, I’ll take you home.”

She said, helping walk you out of the bathroom, and as she passed by Cassian she grabbed the big Illyrian by the ear and dragged him out of the bar, outside with fresh air. Cassian immediately looked concerned, brows furrowed, but one look from Nesta was enough for him to nod grimly as his expression darkened, the two of them no doubt communicating mentally as most mates did.

He scooped the both of you up, and despite the alcohol in his system, managed a decent flight to your house. He gave you a pat on the head before Nesta walked you inside, and as soon as the two of you were in the privacy of your room, she spoke.

“Look, I’ll tell Rhys to keep an eye on him, but it’s not like Azriel will listen to anything Rhys orders him to do regarding…this. Just…be careful.”

She said in a hushed tone, and you nodded weakly.

“I can’t stay here. Not when he’s..watching and following me.”

Nesta gave a little nod, as she understood, but she still looked concerned. She was friends with Azriel, you knew as much, but even this was pushing it.

“I have family in Autumn, I could go find them.”

You suggested, and she sighed.

“You do realize he could just have one of his shadows follow you? Unless you left without telling anyone, then…”

The both of you shared a glance, and in a moment, understood what you needed to do to get away. A stalker problem wasn’t one that you thought you would have, but Azriel was obsessive and possessive, even after you’d thrown out all the flowers he’d left, and burnt all the letters you’d given him. He wouldn’t stop at anything, no matter what boundaries you tried to set.

You dragged the duffel bag out from under your bed, the same one you had used to pack your things the day you’d left and began shoving clothes into it, clothes that would suit a few days of travel in the wilderness. You nearly tore your dress off, shoving dark clothing that covered almost every bit of your skin.

If you headed through the main routes of the Court traveling system, Azriel could easily find you. The mating bond would only make it easier from there.

Nesta began helping, choosing clothes from your closet that she deemed acceptable and neatly arranging everything in the duffel bag.

“Are you going to tell your family?”

She asked quietly, and you sighed.

“My grandmother, she’d understand. She fled Autumn when she was younger, some long story about escaping a lover from the royal family.”

You said as you continued packing, and hurried down the stairs. Everyone was asleep this late, except for your grandmother for her nightly tea session. She was sitting in the living room, sipping away, and her eyes shifted to you. Despite her young form, her eyes were old and carried a wisdom you couldn’t explain.

“Grandma, I can’t explain, but-“

“You need to leave, I understand. Under the stairs, there is food. I expected this. Find your great aunt in Autumn.”

That made you pause for a moment, eyes widening, a little twinkle in her eye, and a small mischievous smirk made its way onto her face as she saw your confusion.

“I am not nearly as oblivious as you think I am, now go. Time is of the essence.”

She said, making a little waving motion, and you hurried off to find the little place under the stairs, opening the tiny area beneath it through the small cabinet door, rations were stashed there just like she’d said. You grabbed them, and hurried back up the stairs, and walking into your room you shoved it into the now-full duffle bag and zipped it up. Nesta gave you a confused look when she saw all the pre-prepared food you somehow had, but you only shrugged and she moved on.

“You’re going to need a way to travel, it’ll be thousands of miles to Autumn.”

She said, and you sighed, looping your arm through the handles of the duffle bag and throwing it over your shoulder as you hurried down the steps again, trying to be quiet for the sake of your sleeping family.

Nesta followed you out of the front door as you shut it, Cassian still standing outside, quietly watching with that same grim look on his face as you hopped your neighbor's fence, running across the mass of property they had in the backyard, straight to the small horse stables they had. You went in and opened the first one you could find, a dark-colored mare with a splotchy white stripe down her face, and some white near her hooves.

Pulling the winter coat off of her the gentlest you could, you scrambled to find a bridle that fit the mare as she stomped nervously, and you eventually found one and slipped it on, the horse not seeming eager to get the bit in its mouth, even though you managed to get it in.

Nesta caught up with you and glanced from you to the horse.

“You are crazy.”

She said though she had a slight smirk as she said it. You sighed, grabbing the reins and leading the mare outside of its stall, and you glanced over to Nesta.

“Give me a leg up?”

You asked with a small attempt at a grin, and she sighed, shaking her head in fond exasperation as she held her hands out for you to put your foot in, and you did, and she counted down from three before hoisting you up over the horse.

The large animal did not seem happy about that, either. But despite its protests, and the fact that you were riding it bareback because taking care of a bridle, saddle, stirrups and more was probably more than you could handle, you managed.

“Tell Rhys to ignore anyone complaining of a missing horse for me, will you?”

You said with that weak little half-grin, and she returned it.

“Sure, I can manage that.”

She said in an amused tone.

A moment of silence passed, before she swallowed, and spoke.

“Be careful. Don’t get yourself killed.”

She said, and you nodded, laughing softly.

“I won’t. Once I’m..safe, I’ll figure out a way to let you know. I promise.”

The inky mark of your oath spread around both of your wrists, reminding you of the promise. You didn’t know how you’d tell her without anyone else, or a specific shadowsinger catching wind of where you were, but you would figure it out.

The wind blew by, and you swallowed again.

“Well…I guess this is goodbye.”

“For now.”

She replied, and you nodded.

“For now.”

And with that, she gave a single nod and began walking back over to Cassian, who offered a dip of his head in goodbye. You gently nudged the horse with your foot, gathering up the reigns, and it jolted forward, taking any excuse to run wild after being cooped up in a stall for so long.

It hopped the fence easily, despite how you almost fell off and began bounding off before you adjusted it Southeast, where you would skirt the boundaries of Night Court, and then head to Autumn.

Into Autumn, where freedom loomed, and into Autumn, where the threat of more than just your self-discovery loomed as well.

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[eu-nicola]

her memory

summary: After Grace's death, you offer to take care of Charlie, Thomas, who lives tormented by his pain, accepts. As both spend more time together, both begin to develop something but neither you or him don't know how to accept it.

warnings: mention of death, nothing more i think

word counter: 7682

author's note: english is not my first language

The cold wind cut through the morning with a cruel indifference, as if the world kept turning without stopping for anyone's mourning. The tombstones stood as silent reminders of lives past, names etched in stone, stories that had ended. Among them all, one stood out: Grace Shelby. The letters were carved with precision, the name reflecting both love and tragedy.

You, Grace's younger sister, held a bouquet of white lilies with numb fingers. You had chosen those flowers because they were Grace's favorite, although now the detail seemed ironic. You couldn't remember the last time you had brought her flowers when she was alive. Maybe you had never done so. Guilt nibbled at the edges of your conscience as you walked down the gravel path.

In the distance, a familiar figure emerged from the mist: Thomas. He was dressed in strict black, his face impassive as always. His eyes, though, those blue eyes that always seemed to be calculating, now reflected something deeper. Pain. Or maybe just tiredness.

You hadn’t spoken to Thomas since Grace’s funeral, and before that, your interactions had been tense, at best. You’d made it clear from the start that you didn’t trust him. “He’s not a good man for you, Grace,” you’d warned him more than once, but Grace always found a way to justify it. “You don’t know him like I do,” she’d reply with a smile that was now just a painful memory.

Thomas stopped in his tracks when he saw you standing by the grave. There were no words of greeting or gestures of courtesy. Neither did they need them. You were both there for the same reason.

You carefully placed the flowers on the grave and knelt down, closing your eyes for a moment. The silence between you and Thomas was thick, heavy with everything that had never been said and everything that would never be said. Finally, you stood up, feeling Thomas’ gaze on you.

“She always talked about you,” Thomas said, his voice low and rough, like he hadn’t used it in days.

You looked at him, surprised by the comment. There was an honesty in his tone that was disarming, something rare about him.

“And what did she say?” you asked, not because you really wanted to know, but because you needed to fill the void.

Thomas lit a cigarette, letting the smoke mix with the cold air. His eyes never left the tombstone.

“She said you were strong. Stronger than you believed yourself. That you had always been her rock, even when you didn’t know it.” He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. “And that you were the only one who could tell her the truth, even if it hurt.”

You felt a lump in your throat. Grace had always been the mediator between you and the world, softening your harshest words, interpreting your silences. Now that she was gone, you felt disoriented, like you’d lost your compass.

“I always thought I was protecting her,” you admitted quietly, your gaze fixed on the grave. “But maybe I was just trying to protect myself. I didn’t want to see her suffer for someone who couldn’t give her what she deserved.”

Thomas didn’t answer right away. When he finally spoke, his voice held a tone you’d never heard before: vulnerability.

“Grace gave me more than I deserved. And I gave her back less than I needed.” He stubbed out his cigarette in the dirt and looked up at you. “But I loved her. In my own way, I loved her.”

His words fell heavily in the air. For a moment, you wanted to respond as harshly as ever, to point out that his love hadn’t been enough, that his world of violence and power had dragged her to the grave. But something stopped you. Maybe it was the pain you saw reflected in his face. Or maybe you were just tired of fighting.

“Grace loved you too,” you said at last, almost in a whisper. “I never doubted that.”

Silence settled between you again. Thomas nodded slightly, as if that statement were enough. You both knew that the relationship between you and him would never be cordial, but at that moment, you shared something that transcended your differences: the loss of the woman who had been the center of your lives.

Finally, Thomas took a step back, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat.

“I’ll always be here if you need me,” he said, not looking directly at you. Then, without waiting for an answer, he turned and began walking toward the exit of the cemetery.

You watched his figure walk away until it disappeared into the fog. The fog slowly dissipated as you walked away, leaving the tombstone and the memories behind.

After that encounter, you knew that you didn’t want to part with what little was left of Grace. The decision didn’t come immediately, but rather as a persistent murmur in the back of your mind. The image of Grace, always smiling with her baby in her arms, was etched ever deeper into your memory. Charlie was the only part of her left in this world, a small piece of light in the midst of all the darkness her death had left. And you wanted, no, needed, to be a part of her life.

Days later, you found yourself in front of the door of the Shelby house. You hesitated for a moment, looking at the imposing facade. You hadn’t set foot in that place since Grace’s funeral. You sighed deeply and knocked on the door. It was Polly who opened it, her sharp gaze examining you immediately.

“What are you doing here?” she asked bluntly, her tone neither hostile nor friendly, just expectant.

“I need to talk to Thomas,” you said, straightening up.

Polly arched an eyebrow, but didn’t ask any more questions. She waved you in and led you to the living room, where Thomas sat behind his desk, papers strewn in front of him, a glass of whiskey in his hand.

He looked up as you entered, his expression unfazed.

“Another telling off, then?” she asked sarcastically, though there was a hint of curiosity in her tone.

You shook your head, gently shaking your head as you sat across from him.

“I’m not here to fight, Thomas. I’m here for Charlie.”

He set the glass down on the table, his gaze fixed on you.

“What about Charlie?”

You took a moment before answering, your hands clenched in your lap.

“I want to help. I want to be in his life. I know this may sound strange, but I would like to be his nanny.” You hesitated for a second, but continued before he could interrupt. “I want to be close to him, to help raise him. I don’t want him to grow up without having a connection to his maternal family.”

Thomas watched you silently for a few moments. His face was a mask of calm, but his eyes betrayed that he was processing each word carefully.

“Why now?” he asked finally. “You don’t trust me, you never have. Why would you want to get more involved?”

You leaned forward a little, trying to convey the sincerity of your intentions.

“Grace loved Charlie more than anything. And if I can’t have her, I at least want to make sure her son grows up surrounded by love, by family. This isn’t about you, Thomas. This is about him.” You paused, letting your words sink in. “And because Grace would want us to be there for him.” Both of you.

Thomas leaned back in his chair, bringing his hands to his face for a moment before running them through his hair. Finally, he nodded slowly.

“Fine. If that’s what you want, you can start tomorrow. Polly will show you Charlie’s routines. But I warn you,” he said, his voice lower and more serious, “this world is dangerous. I don’t want you to go near it if you ever think you can’t handle it.”

You agreed with a slight nod, knowing there was no turning back.

The next morning, Polly greeted you with a mix of surprise and silent approval. She wasn’t a woman of many words, but she seemed to appreciate your willingness.

“Charlie is a calm boy, but he needs stability,” she said as she led you to the little boy’s room. “His mother was his refuge, and now it’s up to you to fill some of that void.”

When you entered Charlie’s room, your heart tightened. The boy, who couldn’t have been more than two years old, was sitting in his crib, playing with a teddy bear. His eyes were the spitting image of Grace: big, curious, and bright. Seeing you, he tilted his head in curiosity.

You slowly approached, smiling.

“Hey, little one,” you said quietly, feeling excitement fill your chest.

Charlie watched you for a moment before extending his arms to you, an immediate sign of trust that nearly brought tears to your eyes. You picked him up carefully, feeling his warmth against you. He rested his small head on your shoulder, and for the first time in a long time, you felt like you were exactly where you were supposed to be.

The rest of the day passed in unexpected calm. You fed him, played with him, and took him for a walk in the garden. As you walked, you couldn’t help but notice that Charlie seemed more relaxed with you than you had anticipated. It was as if, somehow, he knew you were a part of his mother, a connection he still needed.

The passage of time hadn’t eased the void left by Grace, but caring for Charlie filled your days with a kind of purpose you’d never felt before. The little boy had a laugh that lit up even the gloomiest of rooms, and his small hands reached for yours with a trust that melted you. With each day you spent with him, you felt like you were helping keep a part of Grace alive.

Charlie followed you everywhere, whether it was in the garden, where he clung to your wobbly fingers as he tried to walk, or in the kitchen, where he babbled incomprehensible words as you prepared his food. What touched you most was the way he clung to you at night, his small hands tangled in your shirt as you rocked him to sleep.

You were aware that every smile you elicited from him was a silent defiance of the pain his mother’s death had left behind. Though you tried hard to stay strong, there were times when Grace’s absence was too much. On those nights, when Charlie finally fell asleep, you stayed by his side a little longer, whispering stories about his mother to him, wishing that, somehow, he could remember her.

One of those nights, after putting Charlie to bed, you went down to the kitchen in search of something warm to drink. The house was silent, save for the occasional creak of wood beneath your feet. The air was cold, and the light from the fireplace in the living room barely illuminated the hallway.

That was when you saw him. Thomas was sitting in one of the armchairs in front of the fire, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees, a half-empty bottle of whiskey on the table beside him. His eyes, normally sharp and watchful, were darkened by a deep sadness. His face, always controlled, now seemed vulnerable, almost unfamiliar.

For a moment, you hesitated. You had seen Thomas in many facets: calculating, furious, even protective. But never like this, broken.

“Thomas, are you okay?” you asked quietly, though the answer was obvious.

He looked up slowly, his blue eyes piercing through you, filled with a pain that seemed to have no end. He didn’t answer right away, instead taking another long sip from the bottle before setting it down on the table with a thud.

“I didn’t know you were awake,” he finally said, his voice hoarse.

You approached cautiously, sitting down on the armchair in front of him. The distance between you both seemed so short and, at the same time, infinite.

“I was thinking about Grace,” you murmured, trying to connect.

Thomas gave a bitter smile, but his eyes didn’t light up.

“There’s not a single moment when I don’t see her. Every corner of this damn house reminds me of her.”

The silence that followed was thick. You felt like any words you could say would be insufficient, but you couldn't just leave him in that state.

“Grace would never want to see you like this, Thomas,” you said softly. “She always saw the best in you, even when you didn’t.”

He let out a dry, humorless laugh.

“Grace was always better than I deserved. I brought her into this world, into danger, and it killed her.” His words came out laden with guilt. “Everything I touch breaks.”

You leaned forward, meeting his eyes.

“Grace chose to be with you. She knew who you were and what your world meant, but she still loved you. You can’t carry all the blame, Thomas.”

For the first time, Thomas seemed to truly hear you. His eyes met yours, and for a moment, you both shared a pain only you could understand. He let out a heavy sigh, as if he’d been carrying too great a weight for years.

“Charlie gives me a reason to keep going,” he admitted quietly. “But I can’t help but think of everything he lost. What I took from him.”

The pain in his voice tore at you. Without thinking, you stood up and walked over to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“You’re not alone in this, Thomas. Charlie has a lot of people who love him. And so do you.” You paused, measuring your words. “I’m here.”

Thomas lifted his head, surprised by the openness in your voice.

“Thank you,” he finally said, his whisper barely audible.

You stayed by his side as the night wore on, both of you silent, but this time it wasn’t an awkward silence. It was the kind of stillness that comes from sharing a common pain.

The days in the Shelby house followed a steady, almost predictable rhythm. The mornings were Charlie's: from the first light of day, the little boy filled the house with his laughter and babbling, and you were there for each of those moments. But the nights... the nights were different.

Since that first time you found Thomas broken in front of the fireplace, something had changed between the two of you. They didn't always talk, but the presence of each other was enough. So, every night after putting Charlie to bed, your steps inevitably led you to the living room, where Thomas waited for you, his silhouette illuminated by the flames of the fire.

The first few nights were a timid exchange of words. Thomas offered you a glass of whiskey, which you accepted although you barely touched it, and the two of you sat in silence, watching the flames dance. Every now and then, he shared fragments of memories about Grace, little anecdotes that made you smile or sometimes let out a stifled laugh.

“Grace always made fun of my smoking,” he commented one night, with a slight smile. “She said I looked like a cheap actor trying to look sophisticated.”

You laughed softly, imagining your sister with her sharp wit and love of little jokes.

“That sounds like Grace,” you said, your voice heavy with nostalgia.

Over time, conversations became more fluid, less restrained. You shared memories of your childhood with Grace, little secrets that only the two of you knew. Thomas listened intently, his eyes softening with each story, as if through your words he could feel his wife’s presence again.

“You know?” you said, staring into the fire. “I always thought you were Grace’s worst mistake.”

Thomas, who had been staring at his glass of whiskey, looked up slowly, one eyebrow arched.

“And now?” he asked, his tone neutral, but his eyes heavy with curiosity.

You sighed, playing with the rim of your glass.

“Now… I’m not so sure.” You looked at him, your words softer than you’d planned. “Grace was happy with you. And that’s what matters, isn’t it?”

Thomas didn’t answer right away. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he watched you closely.

“I’m not a good man,” he finally said, his voice low, almost a whisper. “I never have been. But with Grace… she made me want to be better.”

You nodded slowly, understanding the weight of his words.

“We all have our shadows, Thomas. But I’ve seen how you are with Charlie, how you talk about Grace. Maybe you’re not as bad as I always thought.”

He let out a dry laugh, but there was a glint of something else in his eyes, something that seemed like a mix of relief and gratitude.

“That’s the closest thing to a compliment I’ve heard from you,” he said, his tone mocking, though his smile was genuine.

“Don’t get used to it,” you replied, smiling back.

With each passing night, the relationship between the two of you transformed. The conversations became deeper, more sincere. Thomas showed you a side that few knew about: the man behind the boss, the husband, the father struggling to find balance in a world full of chaos.

One night, after a long silence, Thomas confessed something that surprised you.

“I didn’t think you could forgive me,” he said, his words laden with a weight he seemed to have been carrying for a long time. “Not after everything.”

You stared at him, sensing the sincerity in his voice.

“It’s not easy to forgive, Thomas. But I also know that life is too short to hold on to hate.”

For a moment, you thought you were going to see tears in his eyes, but Thomas just nodded, clenching his jaw as he looked away.

Even if everything was fine between you and Thomas, there was always something off. The next day, the sun was shining softly that afternoon, and a light breeze rustled the leaves, making everything seem almost calm, almost normal.

Charlie was swinging happily in a baby swing that Thomas had had installed months ago. You stood nearby, watching him with a smile as you gently pushed the swing, making sure it wasn’t too high.

Charlie giggled, and when the swing stopped, he raised his arms to you, asking to be pulled out. You picked him up easily, holding him against your hip as he wrapped his arms around your neck. He looked at you with those big, bright eyes that reminded you so much of Grace, and something in your chest tightened.

“I love you, little one,” you murmured, gently kissing his forehead.

The little boy stared at you for a moment, then rested his little head on your shoulder and, in a barely audible voice, whispered,

“Mommy.”

The world seemed to stop. The air became thick, and for an instant, you couldn’t move or breathe. Your heart skipped a beat as the weight of that word fell upon you. You didn’t know what to say. Charlie didn’t fully understand what he had just said, but to you, the meaning was overwhelming.

Before you could react, a deep, sharp voice broke the silence.

“What did you say?”

You turned around suddenly and saw Thomas standing a few feet away. His face was tense, his eyes dark and filled with a mix of surprise and suppressed fury. He had returned earlier than expected and had clearly heard his son’s words.

—Thomas… —you started to say, trying to calm him down.

—Why is he calling you "Mom"? —he interrupted, his voice low but full of intensity.

Charlie, oblivious to the tension, clung to you with an innocent smile, his small hands playing with your hair. The image must have been a shock to Thomas, a painful reminder of what he’d lost.

“He’s just a kid, Thomas,” you said calmly, setting Charlie down so he could play again. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying. I would never try to take Grace’s place.”

Thomas took a step forward, his posture rigid.

“But you are,” he said, his voice raspy. “You’re looking out for him, you’re comforting him, and now he thinks you—” He paused, as if the words were too painful to say out loud.

“I’m here because I wanted Charlie to have someone to look out for him, to love him. I’m not trying to replace Grace, Thomas. I never could,” you replied, trying to keep your composure.

“Oh, yeah?” he snapped, his tone bitter. “And what do you think is going to happen if you keep this up?” He’ll see you as his mother.

His words were like blades, and you felt a lump in your throat, but you weren’t going to back down.

“That’s not fair!” you exclaimed, raising your voice. “I’ve done everything you asked of me, Thomas. I’ve been here, taking care of Charlie, helping you keep this home standing. And now you’re blaming me for something I can’t even control?”

Thomas clenched his fists, his eyes burning with frustration.

“You don’t understand. This isn’t your place. You’re not his mother. You never will be.”

The words were like a blow, but you refused to let them affect you any more than necessary.

“You’re right, Thomas,” you said, your voice cold. “I’m not his mother. But at least I’m here for him. And you? Where are you when he needs you? Or do you prefer to hide behind your whiskey and your business, letting others deal with the pain?”

Thomas took a step closer, his face now just inches from yours.

“Be careful what you say.”

“Why?” you replied, challenging him with your gaze. “Because you don’t like hearing the truth?”

The silence that followed was sharp, both of you breathing heavily, the tension between you almost tangible. Finally, Thomas took a step back, his face hardening.

“If you can’t understand your place here, then maybe you shouldn’t be here.”

Those words were a final blow. You nodded slowly, your expression cold but hurt.

“Understood.”

Without saying anything else, you turned and walked into the house, leaving Thomas alone in the garden. You felt a mix of rage and sadness as you climbed the stairs to your room. Everything you had done, all the effort, seemed to have been in vain. You leaned against the closed door, trying to control the tears that threatened to spill out.

The days that followed that tense confrontation with Thomas were tinged with an awkward silence in the house. The air seemed heavier, as if the very walls held back unspoken words and hurt feelings. But the most noticeable change was in Charlie.

The little boy, who used to be an endless source of laughter and energy, now seemed to be caught in a cloud of restlessness. His demeanor changed dramatically; laughter had been replaced by sobs, and his usual enthusiasm for play had given way to an irritable, brooding attitude. Every little inconvenience, from a toy that didn't work the way he wanted it to the lack of his favorite snack, made him burst into tears.

It hurt to see him like this, but the worst thing was that you knew why. Charlie missed the closest thing he'd had to a mother in the last few months. And even though you'd tried to keep your distance after the argument with Thomas, you couldn't help but worry about the boy.

That afternoon, Charlie was sitting on the living room floor, tightly hugging a teddy bear that Grace had given him. Tears ran down his cheeks as he murmured between sobs:

"Mom..."

You knelt beside him, feeling a lump in your throat.

"I know, honey," you said softly, stroking his hair. "I know you miss her."

Charlie turned to you, his little eyes full of desperation.

"Mom," he said.

It was like a dagger straight to the heart. Your instinct was to hug him, but you stopped, remembering Thomas' words.

“Oh, little Charlie,” you said finally, your voice breaking.

The little boy didn’t understand, and you knew it. To him, absence was a void that was impossible to fill. His sobs increased, and in the end, you couldn’t hold back any longer. You lifted him into your arms, holding him tightly as he cried against your chest.

“I’m here now,” you murmured, trying to calm him down. “I’m not leaving, okay?”

At that moment, the door opened, and Thomas entered the room. His gaze hardened as he took in the scene before him: you holding Charlie, trying to comfort him like a mother would.

“What’s going on here?” he asked, his voice cold.

Charlie turned to his father, his little face still wet with tears.

“Dad… Mom.”

Thomas tensed his jaw, his gaze darkening even further. He took a step toward you, his eyes fixed on you.

The boy clung to you, but was eventually led to his room by a maid. Once he was out of the room, Thomas turned to you.

“What part of ‘you can’t be his mother’ didn’t you understand?” he said, his voice low but filled with contained anger.

You stood up, crossing your arms.

“Thomas, don’t you see what’s happening? Charlie is hurting. He misses his mother, and for now, I’m the closest thing he has. Why can’t you just accept it?”

Thomas laughed, but there was no humor in his voice.

“Accept it? You want me to accept my son starting to call you mom while Grace is in her grave? Is that what you want?”

“No, what I want is for you to stop being so selfish,” you replied, raising your voice. “This isn’t about you, Thomas. It’s about Charles. He needs someone, and you can’t be everything to him.”

Thomas took a step closer, his presence imposing.

“You don’t decide what my son needs. I’m his father.”

“And I’m the only person who’s been here for him while you drown in your own pain,” you said, not backing down. “But it’s okay, Thomas. If that’s what you want, I’ll leave. But when Charlie keeps crying at night, when he asks you why I left him, you’ll be the one responsible.”

Thomas didn’t answer right away. His gaze was hard, but there was something else going on, too: an internal struggle, a battle between his pride and the reality that was hitting him harder and harder.

Finally, he took a step back, breaking eye contact.

“Do what you want,” he murmured, before exiting the room and leaving you alone.

The next few days were marked by an awkward silence between you and Thomas. Even though he had made it clear that he didn’t want you anywhere near Charlie, you couldn’t just walk away. Not when the little boy needed you more than ever. So, defying Thomas’ orders, you continued to look after the boy. After all, someone had to do it.

That night, the Shelby house was unusually quiet. Charlie had had a long day and was restless, his small body still shaking from time to time from residual sobs. You held him in your arms, gently rocking him as you walked around the room, whispering soothing words to him. Eventually, his eyes began to close, and his breathing became more rhythmic.

The house was empty. Thomas had gone out, as he often did lately, immersing himself in his business and affairs. Everything seemed calm, but there was an uneasiness in the air that you couldn’t shake.

Suddenly, a noise downstairs broke the silence. At first you thought maybe Thomas had returned, but a quick glance at the clock made you dismiss that idea. You clutched Charlie to your chest, your senses heightening. Another noise, this time clearer: the creaking of a door carefully opening.

Your heart began to pound, but you kept your cool. You couldn’t allow yourself to lose control. Slowly, you made your way to the bedroom door, making sure Charlie was safe in your arms.

The sound of footsteps ascending the stairs grew clearer and clearer. Then, a figure appeared in the doorway, a tall, burly man with a cold, cruel gaze. He held a gun, his face partially hidden by a handkerchief.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” the man said, his voice deep and full of mockery. “I didn’t expect to find a babysitter.”

You said nothing, your mind working quickly. The man pointed the gun at you, a gesture that made it clear he wasn’t there to talk.

“Where’s Shelby?” he asked, taking a step forward. “I know she’s not far away. But in the meantime…” his eyes fell on Charlie, who began to fidget in your arms, sensing danger. “Maybe we can send her a message, huh?”

“You don’t have to do this,” you said in a firm, yet calm voice. “Thomas will be back soon, and when he does, you won’t want to be here.”

The man laughed, a harsh, cruel sound.

“And what are you going to do?” he snapped. “Another empty threat? I’m here to settle a score, and if it means hurting the one you care about most…” He motioned to Charlie with a shake of his head.

Charlie began to cry, his small fists clinging to your shirt. Your instinct was to protect him, positioning him so that his body was out of reach of the gun. Despite the fear you felt, you kept your voice calm.

“You’re not going to touch him. If it’s Thomas you want, then he’s him you’ll face. But not a child.”

The man paused, considering your words, but his expression showed no sign of mercy.

“The world is not so kind, young lady.”

Before he could move, another noise echoed through the house. This time, the unmistakable thud of a door slamming shut. The man turned quickly, raising the gun, but before he could react, Thomas appeared in the doorway.

His gaze was deadly. In a quick, calculated move, he pulled out his pistol and fired without hesitation. The sound was deafening in the small room, and the man fell to the floor with a thud, the gun slipping from his hand.

Thomas moved forward slowly, his eyes fixed on the intruder’s body to make sure he posed no further threat. When he was sure, he turned his attention back to you and Charlie.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low but urgent.

Charlie was still crying, his tears soaking your shirt. You nodded, though your heart was still pounding.

“Yeah, we’re okay,” you murmured, trying to calm Charlie as you cradled him against you.

Thomas moved closer, placing a firm but gentle hand on your shoulder.

“Take him downstairs,” he said. “I’ll take care of this.”

You nodded again, walking out of the room with Charlie still in your arms. His sobs began to subside as you descended the stairs, the warmth of your embrace providing him with a modicum of comfort.

When you reached the living room, you sat down on the couch, holding Charlie close. Shortly after, Thomas came down, his steps slower, his expression hardened. He sat down in front of you, his gaze assessing you.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone with him,” he finally said, his voice heavy with a mix of guilt and concern.

“Thomas… it’s not your fault,” you replied, though you knew it wasn’t enough to ease his burden.

For the first time in days, his eyes showed something other than fury. There was fear there, fear of what could have happened if he had arrived a minute later.

As you rocked gently, Charlie’s little face buried in your chest, while you ran your fingers through his hair, murmuring soothing words.

Thomas sat across from you, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together, staring at the floor as if he was trapped in thought. The dim light from the lamp cast deep shadows on his face, highlighting the hardness of his features. But his eyes… his eyes showed something different that night: vulnerability.

“I shouldn’t have taken you away from Charlie,” he said suddenly, breaking the silence with a low tone, almost a whisper. He wasn’t looking at you, but his voice was heavy with remorse. “It was a mistake.”

You look up, surprised by his words. You had expected many things from Thomas Shelby, but not an apology.

“Thomas…” you began, but he held up a hand, indicating that he wasn’t finished yet.

“Ever since Grace died, I’ve tried to protect him, protect us both. But in doing so, all I’ve done is fail him. I can’t give him what he needs.” He finally looked up, his eyes meeting yours. “But you can.”

The words hit you with a mix of relief and pain. You knew how much it had cost him to admit that, how much it meant to him to acknowledge that he couldn’t do everything alone.

“Charlie needs you, more than I wanted to admit. I’ve seen you with him, how he calms down in your arms, how he trusts you.” Thomas ran a hand over his face, sighing deeply. “And I was an idiot to try to push you away from him.”

You looked down at Charlie, who was breathing easier now, his fingers gently clinging to your shirt. A feeling of warmth and relief settled in your chest. You had been willing to do anything for that little boy, even if it meant facing Thomas Shelby.

“Thank you for saying it, Thomas,” you finally said, your voice soft but firm. “But I need you to trust me, to understand that I would never do anything to hurt him.”

Thomas nodded slowly, his eyes still locked with yours. There was a weight in his gaze, but also a sort of unspoken truce.

“I know,” he admitted. “And I’m grateful. More than I can express.”

He leaned forward, his hands resting on his knees as he watched Charlie with a mix of tenderness and pain.

“I never wanted him to grow up without a mother. And I know you’ll never be able to replace Grace, but what you do for him… that’s the closest thing to a home I can offer him now.”

The lump in your throat tightened, but you forced yourself to keep your composure.

“I’ll do everything I can for him, Thomas. Always.”

For the first time in what seemed like weeks, Thomas smiled, albeit a weak, tired smile.

“I know,” he said simply.

Silence fell between you again, but this time it wasn’t awkward. It was a silence of understanding, of acceptance. Charlie had fallen asleep, his little rhythmic sighs filling the room.

Thomas stood up, walking towards you with slow steps. He leaned down slightly, placing a hand on Charlie’s head and stroking his hair gently. Then, his eyes met yours again.

“Thank you,” he murmured, his voice barely audible, but loaded with meaning.

You simply nodded, no need for words.

The next few days were quieter in the house. Thomas allowed you to care for Charlie without interference, and even began to participate more in the moments you shared with the little one. There was a routine that was beginning to feel, if not normal, at least less tense.

You and Thomas also began to talk more. At first, it was practical conversations, about Charlie or about how to reinforce the security of the house. But little by little, those dialogues transformed into something more personal. Moments when, for a brief moment, Thomas Shelby wasn’t the ruthless leader of the Peaky Blinders, but simply a man trying to navigate loss.

One night, after you’d put Charlie to bed, you found Thomas in the living room, a glass of whiskey in his hand. The soft light from the table lamp illuminated the room, creating a warm, almost intimate atmosphere. He was sitting in the armchair by the fireplace, his gaze lost in the flames.

“Everything okay?” you asked, carefully entering the room.

Thomas looked up, his expression relaxing at the sight of you.

“Yeah,” he replied, though his tone said otherwise. “Just… thinking.”

You walked over and sat on the couch across from him. You didn’t want to push him, but there was something in his gaze that night that worried you.

“About Grace?” you asked softly.

He nodded, taking a sip of his whiskey before setting the glass down on the table beside him.

“Always Grace,” he murmured. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about her. What could have been if…” He paused, his jaw tightening.

You didn’t say anything, allowing him space to speak if he needed to. You knew that, as hard as it was for him, these moments of vulnerability were important.

“Sometimes I think I’m losing her,” he continued, his voice barely a whisper. “Her face, her voice… it’s all fading away, and that scares me more than anything.”

Your heart clenched at his confession. Thomas, the man who always seemed so strong, was pouring his soul out in front of you. Without thinking too hard, you stood up and walked over, standing next to him.

“You won’t lose her, Thomas,” you said softly. “She’ll always be a part of you, of Charlie. Nothing will change that.”

He looked at you, his blue eyes shining in the firelight. There was something in his gaze, a mix of pain, gratitude, and something else you couldn’t quite put your finger on. Without thinking, he raised a hand and gently brushed it against your cheek.

The gesture took you by surprise, but you didn’t pull away. Instead, you found yourself leaning slightly into him, until his lips met yours in a soft kiss, laden with repressed emotion. It was a brief moment, but it was intense, as if both of you were allowing yourselves to feel something you’d been denying for far too long.

But as soon as it was over, Thomas pulled away, his expression changing from vulnerability to guilt in an instant.

“This shouldn’t have happened,” he said, his voice hard and laden with regret. He stood up quickly, moving away from you as if the contact had burned. “I can’t… I can’t do this to Grace.”

The pain in his voice was palpable, but it didn’t hurt any less that his words were hurting you, too. You stayed on the couch, trying to process what had just happened.

“Thomas…” you tried to speak, but he held up a hand to stop you.

“No. I can’t,” he repeated, his tone harsher. “It was a mistake. I shouldn’t have…”

You stood up, the lump in your throat getting tighter with each word he said.

“A mistake?” you asked, your voice shaking slightly.

He didn’t answer, but his silence was enough to confirm it. You felt your eyes begin to fill with tears, but you refused to let them fall in front of him.

“I understand,” you finally said, your voice firmer than you expected. “Maybe I shouldn’t have stayed so long.”

Without giving him a chance to respond, you turned and walked out of the room, your heart pounding in your chest. You climbed the stairs, each step feeling heavier than the last, until you reached your room. You closed the door behind you, letting the tears finally fall.

The days following the kiss and the rejection were unbearably tense. You and Thomas had gone back to barely speaking beyond what was necessary. Conversations were limited to the basics: directions for Charlie, changes around the house, or simple mechanical greetings. Any vestige of the connection you had begun to build seemed to have faded, leaving an awkward chasm between you.

It hurt, more than you wanted to admit. You had accepted that Thomas still carried Grace in his heart, but you hadn’t expected the kiss you shared, brief but full of meaning, to become a wall between you.

Finally, one night, after you had put Charlie to sleep, you found yourself unable to bear the coldness any longer. You knew you couldn’t continue living in the same house, taking care of Charlie, and pretending everything was okay when it wasn’t.

You found him in the living room, as always, with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He barely looked up when you entered, but you didn’t say anything right away. You closed the door behind you and stood there, watching him.

“How long are we going to keep this up, Thomas?” you finally asked, breaking the silence with a voice filled with frustration.

Thomas didn’t even flinch. He took a sip of his whiskey before answering, his tone indifferent.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Your jaw tightened, and you took a step forward.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. This. Us. Pretending like nothing happened, when we both know it did.”

Thomas finally looked up, his blue eyes cold and calculating.

“There is no ‘us,’” he said harshly. “There can’t be.”

His words were like a punch to the gut, but you didn’t back down.

“And that’s it?” you replied, your voice rising slightly. “Are you going to keep hiding behind Grace’s memory, using your guilt as an excuse to keep everyone at a distance?”

Thomas’ expression hardened, and he set his glass down with a thud.

“Be careful what you say,” he warned, his voice low but dangerous.

But you were too furious to stop yourself. The pressure of the past few days, the built-up tension, it all came crashing down.

“Careful?” you repeated, taking a step closer. “I’m tired of walking on eggshells around you, Thomas. What’s wrong with you? Why do you insist on pushing everyone away?”

Thomas stood up suddenly, his imposing presence filling the room.

“Because that’s what I do,” he snapped. Because the people I care about always end up hurt or dead.

“And that’s an excuse to treat me like that?” You took a step closer, your eyes flashing with fury. “I’m not Grace! You can’t keep punishing me for something I can’t change.”

The tension in the room was palpable, each word a sharp dart. Before you could think, you grabbed an empty glass from the table and threw it hard. The glass crashed into the wall behind him, shattering into pieces.

Thomas reacted immediately, crossing the distance between you in a matter of seconds. Before you could move, he roughly grabbed you by the arms, his grip firm but not painful. His eyes burned with an intensity that took your breath away.

“Enough!” he growled, his voice hoarse and heavy with repressed emotion.

You were about to retort, to fight against his hold, when suddenly, without warning, his lips crashed against yours. It was a desperate, hungry kiss, as if both of them were trying to drown all the pain, frustration, and guilt in that moment.

You resisted for a moment, surprised by the abruptness, but quickly gave in, kissing him back with equal intensity. His hands, which had previously held you tightly, slid down to your waist, pulling you closer.

The world around you disappeared. There was no more arguing, no more awkward silences. Just the warmth of his lips, the frantic beat of your heart, and the feeling of being, for the first time in days, completely alive.

His lips left yours for an instant, moving down to your neck, as his hands eagerly explored. Everything about him was urgency, need held back for too long. There were no words between you, just the ragged sound of breaths and the steady throb of a dormant desire that had finally exploded.

“Tommy…” you murmured in whispers, your fingers getting lost in his dark hair as he lifted you slightly, leaning you against the nearby wall.

He responded with a growl, capturing your lips again, as if afraid that moving away for a second might break the connection. It was a forbidden moment, but you were both too far away to stop.

The room seemed to fill with heat as every barrier crumbled. Thomas was all fire, and you consumed yourself with it without remorse.

Finally, when the intensity subsided, you both lay still, breathing hard, still entwined. His eyes searched you, and for an instant, you saw something more than desire. It was a vulnerability he rarely showed, an acknowledgement that he needed you more than he was willing to admit.

He didn’t apologize this time. There was no room for words; the silence between you spoke for itself. And in that moment, you knew nothing would ever be the same again.

[shomatoriashi]

10/19/24; 03:55pm

e.rank!sung jinwoo x fem.reader

your boyfriend appears a little jittery when he arrived at your workplace today, hands placed behind his back while meeting your gaze with a nervous smile. giggling at the sight of him, you lean across the counter to give jinwoo a gentle kiss.

“hey, jinwoo. i don’t get off work for another 3 hours. what brings you here?”

he begins to flush red with embarrassment, lifting up a hand to brush back his messy ebony locks of hair. “i know, but i was running some errands and saw something i thought you’d like.”

a sweet smile paints your expression, “oh? and what is it that you wanted to give me that it couldn’t wait until later?”

cue jinwoo’s nervous laugh as he reveals something to you. it was a slender box wrapped neatly and tied in the ribbon that was your favorite color. beneath the ribbon was what looked like a printed sheet of paper. curious as to what the contents were, you untie the ribbon while picking up the paper, eyes scanning it momentarily before going wide.

“j-jinwoo, is this a prank?”

your boyfriend flashes you a happy grin while shaking his head.

“you actually got reservations to that restaurant? the one i’ve been dying to try?!”

he chuckles while giving you yet another nod. “yes, but the reservation is just part of your surprise. unwrap the gift and see what’s inside.”

your hands were slightly shaking, placing the reservation page off to the side. with gentle movements, you tear through the wrapping on the side, revealing a long, black velvet box. as you open up the box, you felt your breath hitch at the sight settled in front of you.

inside the box was a gorgeously crafted bracelet that held a variety of flowers as its charm. the flowers were all beautifully decorated with a variety of gemstones, each seeming to shine brighter than the other as you fell in love with the design. “it’s so beautiful… and all of the gemstones are so utterly gorgeous…”

a ruby red rose,

tourmaline pink tulips,

orange lilies,

and a pure white diamond daisy-

just the sight of it all was too much for you to take.

overwhelmed with pure love for him, you lean forward to press a lingering kiss against his lips, giggling when you feel his smile. you keep on kissing him, not daring to move away from him until you were satisfied.

your expression maintains its dreamy quality, with you taking a step back to admire the bracelet and the reservation confirmation. shaking your head at the sight of both gifts, you meet his gaze once more, “oh jinwoo, i truly love it so much! b-but, how are you able to afford something so magnificent?”

a flash of something was seen in his stormy gaze, and it disappeared just mere seconds later. jinwoo shakes his head while taking the bracelet out of your hand, focused on removing it from the confines of the velvet box as he unclasps it.

“what? i’m not allowed to spoil my girlfriend on her birthday?”

his question makes you feel a bit flustered, and you couldn’t help but simply watch when he grips at your wrist to wrap the bracelet around it. “i-i mean, i do adore these gifts, b-but don’t you have jinah and your mother to take care of?”

jinwoo shakes his head after fastening the bracelet around your wrist, now gently gripping at your chin to force your gaze to meet with his. “don’t be silly… it’s about damn time that i’m able to spoil you, too.”

you open your mouth, ready to protest when he suddenly surges forward to capture your lips into yet another unsuspecting kiss. once he was sure that he had properly silenced your words, jinwoo pulls away while resting his forehead against yours, “it’s okay; everything that i do- every gift that i give to you, it will always be done out of my pure love for you.”

you smile back at him, ready to give him another kiss when your boss suddenly appears behind you. she says your name while clicking her tongue, “what’s this i hear about you having a birthday today?”

gasping, you look back to see your boss smiling back at you, “ah, s-sorry! i didn’t think it was necessary to tell you, since i was on schedule to work today.”

she shakes her head and lifts up the palm of her hand. “say no more, i think we’re a bit slow at the moment. how about you take the rest of the day off and enjoy your big day?”

“wait, you mean it?!”

she gives you a smile before disappearing into the back of the shop, “of course. you go ahead and enjoy your day.”

you could barely contain your excitement, practically jumping up and down before pressing a quick, chaste kiss against jinwoo’s lips. “wait for me, i’ll get my stuff and then we can head home and get ready together.”

“of course.” watching you with a gaze that was filled with love and adoration for you, jinwoo settles himself off to the side, now getting a chance to bask in his thoughts.

his last mission was a success, with him finding thousands upon thousands of essence stones. once he scooped up all of the stones while keeping them safely tucked away in the inventory space the system had given him, he knew he was able to afford all the things he wished to give you upon selling them. he knew that his family would always take first priority-

but you deserved it as well, being someone who remained by his side even when he started out as being weaker than the rest.

when jinwoo hears your incoming footsteps, jinwoo looks back at you and gives you a playful grin, relishing in your laughter and the way your newly gifted bracelet shone so brightly against the light, matching with the brilliance of your smile.

and when he takes you into his arms, pulling you flushed against his side while walking with you out of the shop, jinwoo knew that he would do just about anything to protect that smile of yours.

end notes: my birthday is coming up in a few weeks, and i wanted to write a self indulgent fic where the love of my life celebrates it with me 🥹

all stories are written by rei; please do not repost, plagiarize, or translate my works!!

[asdfghjklmals]

LILIES & ROSES 2.0✩༶‧˚

GENRE + T/W: sfw, fluff. suggestiveness and mentions of sex. WORD COUNT: 4.1k words. TAGS: satoru gojo x fem!oc, dad!gojo, mom!oc. established couple.

SYNOPSIS: oc gojo girlfriend and satoru celebrate baby gojo's first valentine's day! AUTHOR'S NOTE: happy early valentine's day everyone! sorry i've been so mia. i hope this fic will make up for my absence. the first ‘lilies & roses’ fic was for oc gojo girlfriend’s mother’s day so make sure to read that. 💚 REMINDER: if you want to imagine yourself in oc gojo girlfriend's character descriptions instead, please do!

you and satoru woke up at exactly 5am to your five-month-old human alarm clock babbling in her snoo.

you felt slender, yet strong arms slide under your shirt to pull you closer, even if it was just for a moment. a quick, welcoming kiss by soft tender lips pressed onto your exposed shoulder blade.

“good morning, sweetheart.” satoru whispered into your ear, finally pulling away from you so he could start his morning routine with his daughter.

you turned to face him, half-awake eyes following each step from his side of the bed to your daughter’s bassinet across the room. you let out a tired sigh.

“there’s daddy’s big girl!” satoru said with a quiet, yet cheery voice. a gummy smile appeared on the face of your 5 month old baby girl. it was a smile that satoru never got tired of seeing.

he reached down to pick up sayuri, holding her close to his chest so that her head could rest on his shoulder. you saw her peeking at you. you shot a soft smile at her as her lips trembled. she wanted mommy right now. and where the hell was her milk?

before sayuri could even let out a cry for you, satoru quickly left the master bedroom and shut the door behind him. this was the start of his morning routine, bonding time with his daughter that he always looked forward to.

and so, you shut your eyes for a couple more minutes before satoru and sayuri would come back with their special delivery, your morning coffee. (read ‘morning routine 2.0’ here)

**********************

“okay, yurs—here’s the game plan,” satoru said to his baby girl, “today is something called valentine’s day. usually mommy and daddy go out on a date and then participate in love-making-physical-activities at night, but since we have you this year, i think we should change it up a little.”

sayuri drooled on satoru’s shoulder, unsure of what her father was babbling on about. she pursed her lips and continued to drool.

“we need to stop by the flower shop first so we can get her a nice big bouquet of ros—i mean lilies. those are your mommy’s favorite flower you know. did you know you’re named after them?” (read 'hello baby' here)

sayuri. sayuri meant ‘small lily’ in japanese. it was the perfect name for your perfect baby girl.

satoru continued on with explaining his plan to his partner in crime, “then—i was thinking that while you take your afternoon nap, i can cook a late lunch for mommy. i haven’t done that for her in a long time.”

satoru stirred sweet creamer into your cup of coffee and smiled. he felt as if his plan was going to be perfect—another successful valentine’s day for satoru gojo in the books.

as he imagined how the day would progress, he warmed up a packet of your stored breast milk for sayuri before she started to fuss. but sayuri gojo was no fool, she knew she was going to be fed in a few moments so she decided to give grace to her trying father. she decided that she’d throw a tantrum later.

**********************

“what do you mean you’re taking sayuri out by yourself?” you frowned after taking a sip of your morning coffee. you had hoped to spend some time with your little family today—it was valentine’s day after all.

last year, you told satoru that you didn’t want to do anything extravagant because you were still in the early stages of your pregnancy. you were nauseas and tired during your first trimester. knowing him, he would have already had a trip to somewhere tropical planned if you hadn’t told him that you wanted to stay home.

satoru mischievously grinned, rubbing salt into your wound, “we are going to have a daddy-daughter date for valentine’s day.”

“what if i wanted to have a mommy-daughter date?” you pouted back at your baby daddy, “it’s our baby girl’s first valentine’s day, can’t we spend it together?”

an imaginary lightbulb lit up above satoru’s head. he did need time to cook for you without you being in the apartment, so maybe you could take sayuri during that time.

“how about you take sayuri out for a couple hours?” satoru suggested, “we’ll be home by 2pm.”

“—but 2pm is her nap time, satoru.”

‘of course you wouldn’t forget about her nap time.’ satoru thought to himself. he shifted his milk-drunk daughter in his arms so he could face you.

“okay, how about this, sweetheart—i’ll take yurs and be home by noon. she can take an early nap, and then you can have her at 3pm. i have an appointment from 3pm-5pm anyways.”

satoru may have lied about having an appointment, but he needed to have an excuse not to be with you and sayuri so he could prepare for your valentine’s day surprise.

“can we celebrate after your appointment?” you asked eagerly. your daughter’s first valentine’s day was important to you. not only was it sayuri’s first, it was yours and satoru’s first as parents.

“of course, sweetheart.” satoru said as he leaned in for a kiss on your forehead, a sneaky grin plastering his face, “we have a tradition to uphold.”

“if sex is the tradition you’re talking about, i swear to—”

a whimpering cry interrupted your empty threat to satoru. sayuri was still hungry. she started to wail as if she was screaming, ‘more food, please!’

“—and that’s my queue to leave,” satoru said as he handed off sayuri to you. he quickly jumped out of the bed to make sayuri another bottle.

you shook your head and chuckled.

“your daddy is so silly,” you looked down at satoru gojo’s mini-me. everything you loved about satoru reflected back at you in your daughter. her slender nose, soft pink lips, and her thin white eyebrows. you had the most perfect child. of course you did, she was satoru gojo’s copy and paste.

“so baby girl—i was thinking that while we go on our mommy-daughter date, we can go see grandpa kiku and grandma fuku. daddy would be devastated if we didn’t get him anything for valentine’s day.”

sayuri looked up at you as you patted her back gently. she felt content being in your arms. it gave her comfort and soothed away any fears she may have had, just like daddy’s—and it was the exact same feelings that satoru felt whenever he was in your arms.

“then we can come back home and spend the night with daddy!” you said excitedly with a giggle, “you have to protect mommy from daddy tonight, okay?”

sayuri gojo wouldn’t understand your joke, but you knew what satoru gojo’s intentions were on a day like valentine’s day.

later that morning

“your mom must be loving the fact that she can sleep in today,” satoru chuckled to his daughter as he opened the glass door to the flower shop.

satoru, you, megumi, and tsumiki have been going to this flower shop ever since you moved to the apartment. at first, it was just convenient for satoru. satoru always bought you flowers whenever he upset you or whenever he wanted to surprise you with them just to see you smile. and now, after years of giving the flower shop owner business, you were regulars—to the point where the owner, mrs. itose, had a customized bouquet on hand made just for you whenever satoru or the kids needed it.

“good morning, satoru! good morning, miss sayuri!” the flower shop owner greeted the father-daughter duo.

satoru smiled, presenting his baby girl, “say hi to grandma itose!”

grandma itose had been around for the growth of yours and satoru’s relationship. she was like family. when you gave birth to sayuri, she sent the world’s most beautiful bouquet of lilies you had ever seen. mrs. itose placed her bets that baby gojo was going to be a girl and because of that, she was one of the first people to know sayuri’s name.

“i’m guessing you’re here for valentine’s day?” the shop owner smiled as she continued to wrap rose bouquets to sell for the day. it was a busy day for mrs. itose.

satoru scratched the back of his head and grinned, “that obvious?”

“don’t you worry, satoru. i have (y/n)’s bouquet ready for you.” mrs. itose said with a smug, yet confident grin. she wiped off her hands on a towel and walked to the back of the shop, disappearing for a moment.

satoru watched sayuri as her small, curious eyes scanned the store. her eyes were always full of wonder. she gave a gummy smile to the shop owner who smiled back at her while holding your large bouquet of lilies and roses and a smaller bouquet of lilies alongside it.

“what’s that small bouquet for?” satoru asked, knowing he didn’t order a small bouquet.

mrs. itose smacked satoru’s shoulder, “not only do you have (y/n) to buy flowers for, but you have to buy them for your daughter too!”

satoru’s heart sank. he felt guilty that he didn’t even think about buying his mini-me, his adorable little girl, a bouquet for valentine’s day. he now had two girls in his life to think about.

“i didn’t even think about that before we had sayuri.” he sheepishly admitted, giving sayuri an apologetic kiss to her chubby cheek.

“being a girl dad will make you realize a lot of things.” mrs. itose teased, “a reflection of how you treat (y/n) is a guideline to how sayuri will expect to be treated by her significant other when she grows up.”

the thought of sayuri growing up, dating, and eventually getting married gave satoru the chills. he didn’t even want to think about it. all he knew was that whoever his daughter ended up loving, they better love her the way he loved you.

“grandma itose, thank you for teaching me how to be a good dad. and you’ve always helped me be a good partner to (y/n).” satoru said with appreciation. mrs. itose was always a listening ear when he would pick up flowers after an argument.

the shop owner smiled warmly at satoru and sayuri, “have a happy valentine’s day, you two.”

satoru held the two bouquets up with his cursed technique and paid the shop owner double the amount of what the flowers actually costed. he made sure to leave before mrs. itose could say anything.

“say bye to grandma itose, yurs.” satoru sang as he held sayuri’s arm to wave goodbye.

next year, he would make sure to remember to order flowers for his precious little lily too.

later that afternoon

“i bet your daddy wishes he could be here with us.” you sang smugly as you pushed sayuri’s nuna stroller down the familiar streets of tokyo. “he loves seeing grandpa kiku and grandma fuku.”

sayuri was bundled up warmly in her swaddle, enjoying the stroller ride. her view was a beautiful you. your long black hair flowed behind you in the wind, green eyes sparkling as you looked on ahead. sayuri looked at you just like satoru did. with awe.

“i’m sorry you had to change your nap time today.” you apologized, “mommy couldn’t help it. she wanted to spend time with you too.”

you weren’t mad at the fact that satoru and sayuri always got to spend time together, in fact, you loved that they had a bond. it was more of the thought that one day, your baby girl wouldn’t need her mother anymore.

you made your way to the kikufuku stand that you and satoru had been visiting since you were high schoolers. the stall owners recognized you immediately and rushed towards you.

grandma fuku called out your names excitedly, “(y/n)! sayuri!”

“hi mrs. fuku.” you laughed, knowing exactly what she wanted. you picked up sayuri and placed her in grandma fuku’s arms as she cooed at your baby.

grandpa kiku and grandma fuku were family, just like grandma itose. you remembered the moment when your belly started showing during your pregnancy. you wanted to surprise and visit grandma fuku to see if she would notice. grandma fuku was so excited when she realized you were pregnant, she wanted to close to shop immediately so she could sit down and talk to you about motherhood. that day, even grandpa kiku ended up giving satoru a lecture on how to be a good husband and that being a dad changes your entire life.

you were grateful for the kikufuku stand couple. they had been there for you and satoru when you were both in high school. their kikufuku stand was where you and satoru had your first date, and many more dates after that. they had become important parts of your lives and you hoped that they would be in your daughter’s too. (read 'love at first fight' here)

“grandpa kiku packed up all of satoru’s favorites.” grandma fuku said with a smile as she held sayuri in her arms. your baby enjoyed being held by anyone—she was a friendly baby, just like her friendly father.

grandpa kiku called out with a grin, “we figured one of you two would be here to pick these up.”

he held out a pink box of kikufuku towards you, all in satoru’s favorite flavors. you placed them in sayuri’s stroller and quickly paid the shop owners a generous amount of money, far more than what the sweet treat was actually worth. it was the least you could do for them after all these years of satoru terrorizing their kikufuku stand.

a visit to the kikufuku shop with sayuri always lasted longer than expected. they always wanted to hold her and talk about how she was doing. in a blink of an eye, an hour had already passed. you had to meet satoru back at home.

“on our next day off, satoru and i will bring sayuri.” you promised as you placed sayuri back into her stroller.

“that would be great! happy valentine’s day, (y/n) and sayuri! tell satoru we said hi!” the shop owners called out to you.

you gave them a bright smile and waved back, “we will! happy valentine’s day! don’t work too hard!”

“make sure to have lots of babies for me!” grandma fuku made sure to add.

you laughed at her request. you were pretty sure satoru’s sobo and your grandma wanted the same thing too. but for now, you and satoru wanted to enjoy the time you had with your little accident, sayuri.

at the gojo/(l/n) apartment

on your way home, a burning smell wafted through the apartment hallways, worrying you.

“is your father already home?” you asked your daughter as if she could answer you. you already knew it was satoru, you could sense his cursed energy residuals.

you typed in the code to the pin pad lock and pushed sayuri’s stroller in. the burning smell was coming from your kitchen.

“babe, are you okay…?” you called out.

“goddamn it—oh hi sweetheart!” satoru turned around attempting to mask his apparent frustration, he sucked on his thumb that he burned while attempting to grab something from the oven.

“did you burn yourself?”

“yes…” he mumbled, “can you come kiss it better?”

you laughed at how much of a baby the strongest sorcerer could be.

“let me grab sayuri, run it under cold water first.”

while you picked up sayuri from her stroller, satoru obediently ran his thumb under the kitchen faucet, the icy cold water soothing his burn.

you approached him from behind with sayuri attached to your hip, rubbing his back in soothing circles.

“you okay, babe?” you attempted to stifle a laugh.

satoru pouted and answered dramatically, “no, i might just die right now, it hurts so bad.” as a jujutsu sorcerer, you were pretty sure he’s felt worse than a simple cooking burn.

“hold her,” you demanded while you handed your daughter off to her father, “give me your hand.”

he quickly put his hand in yours. the red spot on his thumb was starting to blister. you focused your reversed cursed technique onto his burn, water appearing from the air to cover the spot on his thumb. when you released your technique, it was as if the burn never happened.

sayuri blinked in awe as she watched you and satoru. sayuri gojo was born with cursed energy, but you and satoru didn’t know what her innate cursed technique was yet. was it limitless from the gojo clan? or was it an elemental technique from your clan?

“you’re such a baby, satoru.” you teased, “you can use reversed cursed energy yourself but for some reason, you always come to me to heal you.”

“guilty as charged.” satoru grinned before pulling you in for a kiss, “i’ll always be your baby.”

you pulled away from him, biting your lip with a seductive grin. curious sayuri leaned towards the kitchen, grabbing your attention. you turned to stare at the oven, “so what happened to my kitchen?”

“i tried to make us dinner but i forgot about the food in the oven while i was cleaning and decorating.” satoru said, face palming his forehead.

you turned to look at the decorations satoru was talking about. a large bouquet of lilies and roses and a smaller one sat on the glass dining table, rose petals decorated the floor with candles lit all around the kitchen and living room area. it reminded you of your 25th birthday. (read ‘forget me not’ here)

you blinked twice. you didn’t even notice how clean the apartment was or all the valentine’s day decorations that satoru put up when you first came through the door. the burning smell must’ve distracted you.

you walked over to the patio door to open it, airing out the burnt smell and smoke. as you made your way back to satoru, he sunk into the couch, white cushions engulfing him, sayuri sitting on his chest. she gently patted his chest as if she was consoling him.

“what’s wrong?” you asked with concern.

satoru crest-fallen, mumbled, “i had the perfect valentine’s day planned out for us, but i burnt our dinner.”

“the only thing that matters is that our apartment isn’t burnt down.” you giggled.

“but sweetheart, i wanted today to be perfect.”

“it’s already perfect,” you smiled at him and then at your daughter, “i have my perfect man, my perfect baby, and you got me flowers. what more could i ask for?”

“a perfect dinner?” satoru added sarcastically.

you shot a glare at him before grabbing his chin with your hand, positioning his face to look straight at you.

“what were you cooking anyways?”

“a prime rib roast.”

you really would’ve enjoyed that prime rib roast today, but you had to save satoru’s pride. satoru gojo couldn’t be perfect at everything.

“it’s fine, who cares about a roast!” you bluffed while letting go of his chin, “how about we get take out from sushi go?”

“not splendid sushi?” satoru asked, knowing that you liked splendid sushi, while his favorite was sushi go.

“no, we can get sushi go tonight.” you said with a smile in hopes that it would make satoru feel better, “and before i forget, sayuri and i got you something for valentine’s day.”

sayuri babbled while attempting to eat the buttons of satoru’s dress shirt. she reached for satoru face as he playfully nipped at her stubby fingers with his mouth.

you made your way back to the couch with satoru's box of kikufuku. a smile crept back on his face. he couldn’t stay mad if a box of his favorite sweets were being presented to him by an extremely captivating and beautiful woman.

“my girls went to see grandpa kiku and grandma fuku without me?” he teased, squeezing and poking at sayuri’s chubby cheeks.

“mhmm.” you laughed, “we had to make sure we didn’t forget about daddy on our mommy-daughter date.”

“speaking of forgetting… you know what mrs. itose said to me today?”

you tilted your head to the side, waiting for him to continue on with his story.

“she said whenever i buy flowers for you, i should buy some for yurs too. she mentioned that how i treat you is gonna be a guideline on how sayuri is going to expect to be treated from her significant other when she grows up.”

“well, mr. satoru gojo, it’s a good thing you take very good care of me and treat me very well.” you smiled back at him, eyes full of adoration for the love of your life—and the father of your child.

satoru added, “—and don’t forget i love you very much.”

you snuck a kiss on satoru's cheek, “i love you too, babe.”

you looked back at the flowers sitting on the dining table. mrs. itose’s work was beautiful. you have never received a subpar bouquet from her and satoru. you spotted sayuri’s baby bouquet, noticing hers exclusively had lilies.

“i like how baby girl gets a bouquet of just lilies but mine still have roses in there even though you know lilies are my favorite flower.” (read ‘lilies & roses’ here)

“it’s an inside joke for us now. it’d be weird if you didn’t have roses in your bouquet.” satoru chuckled as sayuri laid on his chest, looking up at you. you admired the sweet sight, your child and your lover both looking back at you with the same eyes you loved so much.

“so how about that take out order?” satoru asked with his fingers on the speed dial for sushi go.

“don’t forget my salmon nigiri!”

EXTRA:

“i’m exhausted,” satoru huffed as he laid down on his side of the bed, his arm covering his eyes and forehead.

he had spent the last two hours cleaning the oven from the failed prime rib dinner while you and sayuri went through her night routine. (read ‘grateful for you’ here)

“too tired for your love-making activities?” you asked curiously, wondering if the baby blue lingerie set you wore under your robe tonight was going to go to waste.

“for once in my life, i think i am.” satoru sighed.

you pouted, “that’s a shame. i bought the cutest lingerie set just for you. it has a garter and everything!”

satoru sat up, interested in what you had to say. “well, when you put it that way… how about you show me? is it see through? is it edible? does it have ease of access?”

you giggled at his silly questions. he pulled you into his lap as he starting to unravel your robe, tracing kisses along your collarbone, the sensation tickling you.

you sensed a familiar cursed energy waver. immediately, you put your hands on satoru’s chest, stopping him from his ministrations.

“what is it?” he asked impatiently as he bit at your hands.

you furrowed your eyebrows, “you don’t sense it? she’s gonna cry, daddy.”

satoru was hoping in all honestly that sayuri would self soothe and fall back asleep on her own.

you heard sayuri whimpering. her whimpering turned into a full on cry, your motherly instincts were spot on.

“oh come on, yurs…” satoru groaned.

“maybe next friday we can get a hotel room.” you laughed, knowing that megumi would be home for the weekend to babysit. (read ‘date night vs. babysitting night’ here)

you wrapped your robe around yourself again and stepped out of bed to comfort your crying baby. you carried your fussing daughter to the king sized bed that you and satoru shared, placing her right in the middle between you and the white haired sorcerer.

“you can sleep with mommy and daddy tonight.” you said softly as you patted sayuri gently, coaxing her to fall asleep again.

“nice one, yurs,” satoru chuckled. he noticed sayuri had stopped crying and fell right back asleep as soon as she laid in the bed with the two of you. “saving your innocent mommy from your monstrous daddy, huh?”

you laughed, remembering how you had asked sayuri to protect you from satoru earlier. satoru turned to face you and sayuri. the both of you watched as she breathed in and out, her tiny body relaxing and sleeping so peacefully in the presence of the two of you. your heart swelled watching her, she was the best thing to ever happen to you and satoru.

“happy valentine’s day, sayuri and mommy.” satoru whispered across his sleeping daughter.

you looked down at your baby girl before smiling back at satoru, “happy valentine’s day, sayuri and daddy.”

© 2024 ASDFGHJKLMALS — ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PLEASE DO NOT COPY, TRANSLATE, OR REPOST MY WORK.

DIVIDERS PROVIDED BY @/ANLIAN-AISHANG

[leosxrealm]

004 - ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ

★— pairing(s): Max Verstappen x Male! Leclerc! Reader

★— warning(s): possible grammar mistakes, a little angst? not proofread!

★— (a/n): guess who's alive and breathing (unfortunately) how are you guys?

★— character information | series masterlist

18-21

You raised your hand, ready to press the doorbell, before lowering it back again. Taking a deep breath, you ring the doorbell. You cleared your throat while waiting for the door to open. Hearing the door open, you look up.

Max sucks in a deep breath, not expecting to come face-to-face with you. Is that a suit you're wearing? Are those flowers in your hands? "Wha-what are you doing here?" He questions you, suddenly remembering how to speak.

"Oh... Um... I'm here for-" you begin to say before stopping abruptly. You look up suddenly, and Max thinks it's to look at him, but instead, you look behind him. The corners of your lips lift up into a soft smile.

"Richie!" The sudden exclaim of your name makes Max look to the source of it. He looks behind him, watching as the young woman makes her way over to the door. He watches from the sidelines as you hand her the flower in your hands.

Lilies, he notes, White Lilies. Victoria's favorite. He frowns, not understanding what you were even doing here.

"You ready to go?" Your voice, laced with that thick French accent of yours that he had gotten used to, breaks him from his thoughts. It takes him a while to realize that the question was directed at his younger sister, not him. A confused "huh" leaves him, directing both your attention to you.

"Remember that art exhibition I was telling you about?" the young woman questions him. "Well after you said you were too busy to go with me, I asked Richie! And he said yes! So, that's where we're going right now," she finishes her explanation with a bright smile.

It almost made Max want to smile back. Almost. He couldn't help it. He knows he should be happy for his sister. She looks like she has found someone who makes her feel giddy and happy, and all those feelings they describe in those silly rom-coms Victoria makes him watch. He watches as she smiles brightly, looking at you. This was the first time she had shown such an interest in a guy.

He couldn't watch it anymore. He leaves you two at the door. Walking back inside the house, the last thing he hears is Victoria's reply to the question you had asked previously. "Let me get my purse really quick and then we can go!" He hears his sister's footsteps run up the stairs, probably to her room. to get her purse.

He's in the kitchen, pacing around endlessly, trying to distract his mind, when he hears his younger sister's voice again. He knows he's going to regret listening in on your conversation, but he does it anyway. 

"How do I look?" Victoria questions you, doing a little twirl for you. You give her a fond smile, she gives you a bright one in return "You look gorgeous, Vic"

He inhales deeply. His body suddenly feels numb. His brain felt fuzzy. His throat felt dry. He looked around; his eyes couldn't focus. He looks back at the door where you had been standing. The ghost of you still looming over there.

He feels like the last of his senses has been taken from him. He couldn't breathe. Your features soften, as if you uderstood what he was feeling. 

Did you really? 

Could you even? Could really understand the pain he was in?

Did your heart stop at the thought of him just as his did? 

Did you think about him as often as he thought of you? 

Why did your eyes say you were going through the same thing if you didn't yearn for him as much as he did for you?

Why were you here for his sister? He is right there. Your hand twitches, as if to reach out to him. You clench your fist, slowly exhaling through your nose; stilling yourself.

His eyes follow your every movement. Why did you stop yourself? It was the question plastered all over his face. You look back, towards the car that was parked in his driveway. Victoria was already in there, waiting for you.

You look back at Max again. You could feel your heart breaking. You wanted to reach out to him, hold him in your arms. He wanted you to. To say something To do something. Anything.

You didn't.

(a/n): guess who has midterms in an hour but was writing a fic

ᴛᴀɢʟɪꜱᴛ (ᴏᴘᴇɴ): @miloformula123fan @its-ares @fangirl-dot-com @wolf-knights @zyonsay @1obsessedwithfictionalmen7 @fevndue @erinpiastri @v3lnys @woozarts @sebastianstansblog @badblondebisexualboy @lovecarsgoingvroom @kurating @saintraikkonen @evans-dejong @maxcuntstappen @eugene-emt-roe @thedecalcomania-blog

[ohsugar-honey-iced-tea]

Hi!

I wanted to send you this request: could you please write something with pregnant!wanda being very insecure about her body, and reader shows her that she loves her no matter what??

It can be fluff, smut. It’s up to you!!

All I will ever need

Wanda Maximoff x fem!reader

A/n: I have missed writing so much and I am so happy to finally put all my thoughts and ideas on here again

Summary: where Wanda is being haunted by thoughts and memories of her past

-------------------------------------------------------

Ugly. Fat. Hideous. Stupid. Loser.

Wanda remembers each and every word that was thrown to her growing up.

The names, the mean pranks, the cruel beatings. Wanda remembers them all like it was yesterday. Day in day out, high school felt like a true horror every day she went.

Maybe they were right. Maybe she was indeed ugly and hideous. Why else would they feel the need to say this to Wanda every moment of every day?

Hot tears rolled over her reddened cheeks as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Wanda is around 14 weeks pregnant now, and she could see. She could see how her belly was growing a little more every day.

She remembered how happy you were the day she told you she was pregnant. And although there was happiness, her thoughts soon filled with doubt. Would she be good enough? Would you still find her attractive whilst her body would change? Would you get bored of her? Would you leave?

Harsh words and anxiety filled her thoughts, and she could feel panic settling into her body.

As Wanda's heart started racing and her breathing quickened, you came home from work.

You had brought Wanda her favorite flowers, white lilies. The same ones you gave her on your first date, and which ones she held on your wedding day.

"Hey Wands, I'm home!"

Silence.

Usually you would be greeted warmly by your wife or find her in the livingroom, painting, reading or cooking. As much as you wanted her to relax for her and the baby, Wanda wanted to stay busy. It helped keep her mind quiet.

"Wanda?"

A cold feeling came over you as you saw the bathroom lights on. As you rushed on the stairs to get to her you could hear fast breathing coming from the bathroom.

You quickly opened the door and there she was. The second you saw her you rushed to her, and Wanda immediately fell in your arms, making both of you tumble to the floor. As you held her close you felt Wanda shake, as she sobbed into your shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Please stop, I promise I'll be good!"

All you could do was hold her as Wanda was deep into reliving her horrible nightmares from the past.

"It's okay, Wanda. You're okay. I am right here, I promise. Let it all out, we are here together. It's okay, you are safe"

Wanda cried and cried and you silently cried with her. It was in that moment you swore to yourself you wouldn't ever let anything or anyone hurt Wanda again.

After a good ten minutes, Wanda looked at you, tears swimming in her eyes and voice shaking with sobs.

"Please don't leave me"

Your heart broke for the frail little girl you suddently saw in Wanda. A girl who loved so much and wanted to give so much, and got so much she didn't deserve.

Giving her a little smile, you softly stroked her tear stained cheek.

"Oh my love, I wouldn't ever leave you. Don't you know you are stuck with me? You are all I will ever need. Past, present and future"

You moved your hand to her pregnant belly.

"You and our little peanut, of course"

Wanda smiled a little, but it quickly turned into a frown.

"But my stomach is getting so big, and I am getting more tired. What if we end up arguing a lot? And what if I get so big by the end that you won't love me anymore? And what if-"

You cut her off with a kiss as you held her hands.

"All I heard in that sentence was 'we', Wanda. We are in this together. Now and forever"

You pressed little kisses to each of Wanda's fingertips, earning you a watery giggle.

"And I wouldn't mind forever with you"

Wanda's smile brightened, and she leaned into you, cuddling her head on your shoulder.

"It's actually not one, but two peanuts"

You looked at her with wide eyes and you4 mouth open.

"You mean...?"

"Twins"

"Twins?"

"We are having two little boys, detka"

You suddently picked her up, and swirled the both of you around in the tiny bathroom, smiling widely.

"We are having twins!"

You spent the rest of the day celebrating, just the two of you.

Bad feelings come and go, and difficult memories will always be there, but when you're with the right person there is nothing in the world you can't conquer.

-------------------------------------------------------

Let me know if you want to be added to the Wanda taglist! If you have any requests, send them! Reblogs are much appreciated :)

Taglist: @wandanats-goodgirl

[osmanthus-wine-addiction]

h-hey.. s-senpai.. so i-i r-really l-love angst, a-and i-i was w-wondering i-if y-you can m-make z-zhongli x hanahaki disease r-reader.. 🥺 skibidi

Zhongli x Reader / SFW / angst / Hanahaki Disease trope / love triangle / reader is Guizhong and Morax's close friend / mutual pining / misunderstandings / canon was hijacked for trope purposes / inspired by Zhongli's violetgrass voiceline / btw quick trivia: violetgrass is called 琉璃袋 (glaze/glass pouch) in chinese, which shares the same two characters as glaze lilies 琉璃百合 / Zhongli is called Morax in here / takes place during the archon war and a few decades after he becomes Archon

The glaze pouch, often referred to by its more common name violetgrass, is not to be confused with a flower with a more whimsical reputation; the glaze lily. It's rumored that those beautiful flowers with glasslike petals once covered the Guili Plains, but now has become a rare sight in the wild. What little is left of them can now only be found in remote villages deep in the mountains and in Liyue Harbor, where they had been painstakingly planted, but could hardly be considered thriving from the faintness of their fragrance.

Violetgrass on the other hand, thrives all over Liyue, clinging stubbornly to rocky cliffs, swaying in the breeze. The moisture in the morning air often turns the petals translucent, thus earning it the name glaze pouch. The bell-like flowers retain their fragrance year round and only requires the occasional rain to continuously blossom. It is believed that the flower's downward droop keeps its sweet scent from dissipating, like a drawn pouch.

The glaze lily was her favorite flower. She often wore it in her hair and had it embroidered to her robes. Morax also shared a fondness for the curious flowers, fascinated by how it seemed to be able to sense when there was happiness or sadness in the air. Whenever he was around, the flowers always seemed to blossom more vibrantly, letting their fragrance permeate through the plains. What nobody ever tells him was that whenever he rushes off to fight whatever gods happened to be terrorizing the region at the time, the flowers in her immediate vicinity closed up, reflective of her sadness and worry.

All of this fell into your eyes, including that one time you found her coughing up glaze lilies. You initially thought she had just knocked over a vase of them, because there were porcelain shards on the ground and blood staining those pale petals. When it finally dawned on you what was actually happening, your chest constricted helplessly. Your friend was in love with him.

Just as you were.

You wished you didn't understand what she was going through in such a visceral way. When she gripped your arm for support, bent over the pile of damp lilies, shaking from the coughs raking her body, you wondered just how long she had kept this a secret from you, from him. The flowers must've been strangling her from the inside out for years, piercing through her insides, draining her strength and will to live. Tears welled in your eyes as you watched her struggle to get up. How could she possibly protect the Guili Assembly in this state?

"Did you tell him?" You asked her.

She shook her head, meeting your eyes with desperation. "Don't... please. He can't know."

"He has to know! You're supposed to be the level-headed one. How can you be so foolish?" You shook her, attempting to wake her sleeping sense. "Maybe...maybe he'll come around..."

Who were you kidding? This was Morax you were talking about.

The only reason you stopped coughing up the damn flowers was because you made your peace with it long ago. You put him down, along with all your unanswered feelings and unrealistic expectations. He was a wonderful friend and a valuable ally in this grueling war. You'd never regret meeting him, but you wished you never loved him. Perhaps you still did, a little bit, reminded by the occasional petal that you would sometimes cough up, but at this very moment, you couldn't help but resent him with every fiber of your being. Your friend's body was unbearably light and frail as you clutched her against your chest. How much longer would she live?

You were about to lose one of your closest friends to these damned flowers, all because Morax wasn't capable of reciprocating her. For the first time in your life, you prayed to Celestia. You'd gladly pray to anyone who would listen, even the Abyss, if it'd save your friend. Deep down though, both you and her knew that the only one who could do anything to reverse this impending tragedy was Morax. If only he could love her, your heart wouldn't have to break a second time.

The day she died, you sealed yourself away in that subspace Cloud Retainer secretly built for you on the cliffs overlooking the Guili Plains. Years turned into decades. The hilichurls down in the plains often witness a lone figure sitting along the edge of the cliffs, the tassels along your skirt swaying in the breeze like the flowers you so adored. Aside from the most determined of herbalists, few bothered to scale the rocky cliffs to pick violetgrass, ensuring its abundance. Despite all the regretful things that were sure to eventually find you at some point in such a long lifetime, at least you could always look forward to fresh blooms after a rainfall. That was when the little glaze pouches opened up and let out their subtle fragrance.

Morax had sent out the Millelith to scour Liyue for traces of you again, but you had disappeared like morning dew, just like all the previous times he caught wind of you. It must be frustrating trying to find someone who did not want to be found.

Did you still resent him?

You still thought about him sometimes, but you no longer blamed him like you did when you first retreated here. You heard from Cloud Retainer that he had not taken her death any lighter than you did. From her recounting, he had changed drastically ever since her death, sometimes even taking on a mortal appearance and walking among his people in the streets to learn more about them. Perhaps she did rub off on him. In that sense, she would always be alive in his heart. He did love her deeply, just not in the way she so desperately needed to be. If your friend had been able to look past those stubborn sentiments, perhaps her flowers wouldn't have bloomed as ferociously as they did. The dull ache that came with accepting that your love would go on unrequited would eventually go away. Even if you still occasionally coughed up a violet petal or two, it had already become such an afterthought that it barely disturbed your day.

Of all the things you pegged Morax to be, an idiot was never one of them. He was ruthless in battle, but not at the expense of his cunning. Although the Goddess of Dust was known for her brilliance, Morax was in no way lacking in it. As soon as you began spotting Millelith soldiers in the Guili Plains, overturning every bolder and scouting the vicinity around the entrance of your hidden domain, you knew that he had either managed to fish the location out of Cloud Retainer or he had actually managed to find you all on his own. Perhaps it was finally time to pay an overdue visit to your old friend Morax, or should you call him Rex Lapis now, like everyone else did?

A pair of stone doors appeared in the cliffs, opening to the now-desolate plains. It looked nothing like the Guili Plains that you remembered. The skies were shrouded in a thick veil, signifying a coming storm. Your gaze fell on a hooded figure standing beside one of the crumbling stone structures that littered the area. As if to confirm that you were indeed seeing the person in front of your eyes, your heart involuntarily skipped a beat.

"Morax." His name drifted from your lips.

How long had he been waiting here?

"You're finally willing to see me." He turned, making his way towards you. A tired smile clung to his lips as he approached.

"Say it took me long enough and you can go right back to Liyue Harbor." You crossed your arms.

Morax sighed, his steps slowing to a stop. "Indeed. It is not up to me how long it would take."

A drop of rain landed on your face, then another.

"Will you invite an old friend into your abode to escape the weather?" He asked softly. Uncertainty threaded his voice.

"It depends." You decided to observe him a bit before allowing him to get any closer.

You never minded rainy weather, enjoyed it even. There was just something calming about letting the tiny droplets run down your cheeks and soak into your clothing. The scent of petrichor gradually rose from the earth as it was quenched by the rain.

"You have not changed much." He noted, seeing you tilt your head towards the sky and inhaling deeply.

"The same can't be said about you. I heard you've taken up some new hobbies." You opened your eyes to glance his way.

"Oh. Is that so?" He sounded pleasantly surprised that you've heard anything about him at all. With the way you stormed off, he'd have thought you'd avoid all mention of him.

You nodded. "Heard you've been going incognito in the streets. Did you have fun?"

"Humans are always a joy to watch. They seem to have limitless motivation and creativity when it comes to overcoming life's obstacles."

"You're beginning to sound like her."

"Perhaps." He replied, glancing at you with a slight crease in his brows.

You fell silent after bringing her up. This wasn't a discussion you had expected to have so soon with him, but perhaps it was better had sooner than later.

"I don't hold it against you anymore." You folded your hands together inside your sleeves. "I never should've. It was unfair of me... I'm sorry."

The droplets were coming down a little harder now, but you didn't want to retreat just yet. Under the cloak of the rain, it was alright to let a bit of your sadness seep out.

"That is comforting to hear." He said gravely.

Although you had just given him the confirmation he had come all the way here for, it felt like there was still something heavy weighing down on his chest. It was an obscure and intangible sensation, a familiar ailment that plagued him ever since your disappearance. Everytime your tearful face surfaced in his mind, everytime news of your whereabouts ignited his false hopes, everytime he was reminded of how close she had been to you, a crippling sadness would wash over him. He set out looking for you like a madman, despite having no clue what he would say to you once he found you. Now, decades after that fateful parting, after he had inevitably come to terms with the possibility of forever being cut off from you, you were suddenly standing in front of him once again. He should be relieved. All these years, all he wanted was a chance to explain to you why he could not save her.

"You don't owe me anything, Morax." You continued. By now, the rain was pouring, drenching you from head to toe. Still, you refused to retreat. "Whatever happened in the past, just let it go. I'm sure that's what she would've wanted."

"I cannot say for certain what she would've wanted, but have you perhaps considered what I may have wanted?" He asked you.

You looked up, past the heavy curtain of rain, to find Morax's face hovering directly over yours. The droplets falling from the upper lip of his hood landed on your face, momentarily distracting you as he leaned in even closer.

A sudden fit of coughing came out of nowhere, forcing you to clutch your chest. Perhaps it was his sudden proximity, causing your heart rate to speed up. The dreaded flower petals rose up into your throat, blocking your airway. You had no choice but to push Morax away.

Pain that you hadn't felt for decades pierced your chest as you turned your back to him, coughing up those dreaded flowers that had vehemently returned to torment you. It was a mistake coming out to meet him. Perhaps even with a few more decades, you still wouldn't be ready to face him. You foolishly began sprinting towards the entrance of your domain, determined to leave him behind in your desperation. If you couldn't stop coughing up the flowers, at least you'd be able to salvage some of your dignity by not letting him see you in this pathetic state.

You would've made it, if not for his hand catching your wrist and tugging you back around to face him. Petals were still rising up in your throat and you were helpless to stop them. Tears sprung into your eyes as the vines constricted your lungs, choking you from the inside. You struggled against his grip, incoherent pleas lodged in your mouth as the violet flowers overcrowded your airway.

Morax grabbed you by the shoulders and pinned you against one of the stone doors. His lips crashed into yours, guided by a sense of urgency that defied his own comprehension. The sight of you coughing, of the petals spilling from between your lips, this was all eerily reminiscent of that one particular disease. He had witnessed it claim the life of someone close to him once already. Riveting fear shot up his spine.

He couldn't afford to lose you to it too. His heart clenched in excruciating pain at the thought of holding your lifeless body in his arms. He hadn't searched tirelessly for all these years just to see you wither away. If this was the consequence of his actions, he should be the one to bear it, not you. He was the one who had complicated things, the one who had trouble putting things down, forgetting, staying away.

"I love you." He uttered against your lips, hands buried in your hair as he trapped your body against the stone door. "Please... I love you."

Morax kissed you with increasing fervor, possessed by something that transcended his own understanding. He had never kissed anyone, much less with this sort of intensity. The way his lips moved against yours was crude and unrestrained. He needed no guidance. It was simply an unleashing of raw emotion.

You tasted saltiness on your lips.

"Morax..." You gasped.

He finally pulled away, movements sluggish from the onslaught of emotions that had just battered his mind. His ragged breaths fanned over your face. A steady warmth bled through the damp fabric clinging to your trembling frame. His rigid body surrounded yours like amber encasing a flower.

"I love you." He repeated breathlessly.

You swallowed harshly. The flowers had disintegrated as soon as you heard those words, but your throat was still sore from all the coughing.

"I heard you the first time." You managed to say.

"I love you." Morax panted as he closed his eyes, letting his forehead fall against yours in exhaustion and relief.

"Is that all you can say now?" You laughed.

"Perhaps you should repeat it back to me. I deserve to hear it for all these years of searching for you, do I not?" He chuckled.

His arms still trapped you against the door of your domain. The protruding entryway created a shallow alcove that sheltered you against the pelting rain but left Morax exposed to the elements. His hood had fallen to his shoulders and he had not pulled it back up. The discomfort brought on by the rain soaking into his robes was the least of his concerns. You even found the sight of him drenched and in disarray comforting in a strange, indulgent way. Just moments ago, he had also seen you in your most vulnerable state.

"Petty." You crinkled your nose. "I love you."

There was no point denying it. The flowers had already confessed for you. He could see with his own eyes how hopelessly in love with him you were.

"How long had you been stricken with that curse?" He asked, his tone authoritative as if he were interrogating you.

"What do you mean how long?" You scowled. It was wasn't enough for this pompous bastard to know that you loved him. He also had to know how long you had been pining over him? "You're pushing it, Morax."

"Am I?" He raised a brow.

A smile spread over his lips as he raked his own memories for evidence of when his own feelings of fondness had emerged. He traced the side of your face with a wet fingertip.

"I have desired you for quite some time, my dear, although I may not have been fully aware of what that desire entailed."

Your cheeks burned at his choice of words. "Desire and love are two different things, Morax."

"I beg to differ." He leaned in again, lips ghosting over yours briefly. "Love may come in many forms, but there is only one sort that would compell me to kiss you."

"Fine." You turned your head, deliberately avoiding his lips. "But you probably don't even remember when we first met."

"You know very well that of all the things to accuse me of, forgetting should be the last."

You crossed your arms, an expectant look on your face.

"It was raining heavily that day, much like today." He began.

His gaze followed a raindrop that had slid along your jaw, falling from your chin and disappearing into your soaked clothes. Suddenly a strange expression rippled across his face, followed by a faint blush. He averted his eyes, looking anywhere but your chest.

"Perhaps you could use a change of dry clothes." He suggested after swallowing the sudden lump in this throat.

You looked down and realized what Morax was so flustered over. The doors opened behind you as you dragged him into your domain.

"We'll continue this conversation later." You muttered under your breath.

As soon as you closed the door to your bedchamber, you pressed your back against it. For the first time, the rapid beating of your heart did not come with the painful constriction of vines and the coughing up of flowers. The joy blooming in your chest filled you with hope. These newfound sensations were accompanied by exhilaration, weightlessness, and relief. It was sunlight finally peeking through the clouds after a long rainfall. Your love was no longer a burden but a sweet scent that you could now release without any shame or guilt. Your heart was now as transparent as the petals on those little violet bells, with no secrets to hide.

[geotjwrs]

Hey could u possibly do Jenna x Single Dad Male Reader. Where Jenna meets r in store and they both flirt w each other so they go on a date and after a few months r tells Jenna he’s a dad and didn’t tell her earlier bc people in the past left after he told them but Jenna decides to stay and becomes the step mom of the child? Thank you

better care

Pairings ; Jenna Ortega x Male!Single Dad!Reader

Warning/s ; none

The grocery store buzzed with the familiar sounds of carts rolling and the murmur of conversations. Y/N maneuvered his cart through the produce section, his mind occupied with the mental checklist of items he needed. Being a single dad meant his time was precious, and efficiency was key.

As he reached for a ripe avocado, his hand brushed against someone else's. Startled, he turned to see a petite woman with striking features and a warm smile.

"Oh, sorry about that," she said, her voice melodic and sincere. "I didn't mean to invade your avocado territory."

Y/N chuckled, the tension easing from his shoulders. "No worries. Avocado lovers unite, right?"

She laughed, a sound that was both light and infectious. "Exactly. I'm Jenna, by the way."

"Y/N," he replied, extending his hand. As they shook hands, there was a moment of unspoken connection.

"Do you come here often?" Jenna asked playfully, glancing at his half-filled cart.

"Pretty much every week," Y/N admitted. "Being a single parent means constant grocery runs."

Jenna's eyes sparkled with interest. "That sounds like a handful. Mind if I join you? I could use some company while shopping."

"Not at all," Y/N said, feeling a flutter of excitement he hadn't felt in a long time. "I'd be happy for the company."

As they strolled through the aisles, they chatted effortlessly about everything from favorite foods to embarrassing childhood memories. By the time they reached the checkout, Y/N realized he hadn't enjoyed someone's company like this in years.

"Would you like to grab coffee sometime?" Jenna asked as they loaded their bags into their carts.

Y/N's heart skipped a beat. "I'd love that."

Their coffee date turned into another date, and then another. Over the next few months, Y/N and Jenna's connection deepened. They discovered a shared love for old movies, hiking, and trying out new recipes. Y/N found himself looking forward to their time together, the spark between them growing stronger with each passing day.

One evening, as they sat on a park bench overlooking the city skyline, Jenna turned to Y/N, her expression serious. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Sure, what's on your mind?" Y/N asked, his heart pounding in anticipation.

"You mentioned you're a single parent, but you've never talked about your child," Jenna said gently. "I'd love to hear more about them if you're comfortable sharing."

Y/N sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I was planning to tell you, but... I've had bad experiences in the past. When people found out I had a kid, they often left. I didn't want to risk losing you."

Jenna reached out, taking his hand in hers. "Y/N, I understand why you were hesitant. But I care about you, and I want to be a part of your life—all of it."

Y/N felt a weight lift off his shoulders. "Her name is Lily. She's six years old and the most amazing little girl. I think you'd love her."

Jenna's eyes softened. "I'd love to meet her."

The following weekend, Y/N invited Jenna over for dinner. As he prepped the meal, he couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. Introducing Jenna to Lily was a big step, and he hoped it would go smoothly.

When Jenna arrived, she brought a small bouquet of flowers and a board game for Lily. "I thought we could all play together after dinner," she said with a smile.

Lily, who had been shy at first, quickly warmed up to Jenna. By the time dinner was over, the three of them were laughing and playing the board game, the room filled with joy and camaraderie.

As the months went by, Jenna became a regular part of their lives. She and Lily formed a special bond, and Y/N couldn't help but marvel at how naturally Jenna fit into their little family.

One evening, as they all sat on the couch watching a movie, Lily snuggled between them, Y/N felt a sense of contentment he hadn't felt in years. He turned to Jenna, his heart full. "Thank you for staying."

Jenna smiled, her eyes shining with love. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Jenna's presence brought a new level of stability and happiness to their lives. She attended Lily's school events, helped with homework, and even joined in on their weekend adventures. The bond between Jenna and Lily grew stronger with each passing day, and Y/N felt more grateful than ever to have found her.

One sunny afternoon, they decided to have a picnic at the park. As Lily played on the swings, Y/N and Jenna sat on the blanket, watching her with fond smiles.

"Y/N, I've been thinking a lot about our future," Jenna said, her tone thoughtful. "I love you and Lily so much. I want to be here for both of you, always."

Y/N felt his heart swell with emotion. "We love you too, Jenna. You've made our lives so much brighter."

Jenna took a deep breath, her eyes meeting his. "I've been wondering... how would you feel about me becoming Lily's stepmom? Officially, I mean."

Tears of joy welled up in Y/N's eyes. "Jenna, that would mean the world to us. Lily already adores you, and so do I."

They embraced, their hearts full of love and hope for the future.

As time passed, Y/N and Jenna's relationship continued to flourish. They supported each other through life's ups and downs, their bond growing stronger with each passing day. One evening, as they sat on the porch watching the sunset, Y/N felt a surge of emotion.

"Jenna, there's something I want to ask you," he began, his voice steady despite the butterflies in his stomach.

Jenna turned to him, her eyes filled with curiosity. "What is it, Y/N?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Opening it, he revealed a beautiful ring that sparkled in the fading light. "Jenna Marie Ortega, will you marry me?"

Jenna's eyes widened with surprise and joy. "Y/N, yes! Yes, I'll marry you!"

They kissed, their hearts overflowing with happiness. Lily, who had been watching from the doorway, ran over and hugged them both tightly. "Does this mean Jenna is going to be my mommy?" she asked with innocent excitement.

Y/N and Jenna exchanged a loving glance. "Yes, sweetheart," Jenna said, her voice filled with emotion. "I'm going to be your mommy."

The wedding was a beautiful and intimate affair, attended by close family and friends. As Y/N and Jenna exchanged vows, they couldn't help but feel a profound sense of gratitude for the journey that had brought them together.

After the ceremony, they celebrated with a reception filled with laughter, dancing, and heartfelt speeches. Lily, dressed in a flower girl dress, stole the show with her adorable dance moves and radiant smile.

As the night drew to a close, Y/N and Jenna stood hand in hand, watching Lily play with the other children. "We've come a long way, haven't we?" Y/N said softly.

Jenna nodded, her eyes shining with tears of happiness. "We have. And I wouldn't trade this for anything."

They shared a tender kiss, their hearts full of love and promise for the future.

Years passed, and Y/N, Jenna, and Lily continued to build a life filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories. They celebrated milestones, and supported each other through thick and thin.

One sunny afternoon, as they sat in the backyard watching Lily play with her friends, Y/N turned to Jenna. "Thank you for staying, for loving us, and for becoming the amazing wife and mother that you are."

Jenna smiled, her heart full. "Thank you for giving me the chance to be a part of your lives. I love you both more than words can express."

They embraced, knowing that their love was a testament to the power of second chances and the beauty of finding happiness in unexpected places.

As they watched the sun set, Y/N and Jenna knew that they had found their forever home in each other's hearts, and that no matter what the future held, they would face it together, as a family.

[tiredofthehumanlife]

Our children yearn for violence

Barbie dolls: jegulus x reader (James, regulus, you)

Words: 3.6k ish

Summary: the school calls you in bc your son got into an altercation what happens when the other kids' parents are hot

Warnings: your son is named Elliot, also you're referred to as Ren and Rena like the gn term for your parent so just yk it's not an oc i promise, you're a highschool art teacher, pushing the trans James agenda, misgendering James from the principal, honestly you pour coffee all over the principal and I'm pretty sure that's assault so just yk, no consequences very fictional world, condoning violence, abortion mentioned, James is a baker and regulus is a stay at home dad/writer just so you know, modern au I'm SORRY, Lily has a wife but she isn't here Lily is just mentioned, actually kinda unwarranted meanness toward the principal but yk whatevs, kinda extremely fanficy if that makes sense but let's just close our eyes and laugh along okay, that's all I think man

Your son, Elliot, was quite kind. You weren't one to toot your own horn, but he was a pretty well raised 6 year old. He was more introverted so when he came home telling you all about his new friends you were very proud of him. He loved Lightning McQueen and he was absolutely giddy to tell you his new friend, Harry, had a Lightning McQueen backpack. And his other friend, Luna, loved Tinkerbell almost as much as he did. Elliot loved art too, he took after you in that field. You were a high school art teacher. Luckily for you the same bus that picked up the first graders for his school, also picked up from your high school. Elliot would ride the bus and after dropping off all the other students the bus-driver would  drop him off at the high school. Elliot would spend the last few minutes of the school day with your last class. They loved him, they thought he was adorable. They often made him little cards or gave him candy. Elliot was the best and nicest, if you do say so yourself, first grader you ever met.

When his school called you in the middle of your class, telling you he got into an altercation, you were shocked. You sent your class over to classroom next door, another art teacher who gladly helped you. Then you quickly gathered your things and got to the Elementary school as fast as you could. You spoke to the front desk. They pointed you down a hallway. If you were a third grader, you'd be scared shitless walking down this hallway.

Finally at the end of the row was your son. He was in a short sleeve plain red shirt and his favorite pair of shorts that has a little lightning bolt towards the bottom. Elliot's backpack was sitting next to him on the floor. He was digging his hand into a little ziploc bag of pretzels, a ziploc bag you didn't remember putting in his lunchbox. Elliot glanced up when he heard you approaching. He memorized the sound of the keychains on your bag clinking, thinking of home. He smiled brightly, and scooted out of his chair. He ran towards you, latching onto your leg.

You saw a row of three chairs, each filled with a small child, sat next to a door. The door had a small sign that read 'Princapal' so you assumed it might be the principal's office.

The child closest the the door was a girl with curly white hair tied in two pigtails down by her ears. She was wearing a shirt with Tinkerbell on it and a bright pink tutu. Her tennis shoes looked to light up. Her backpack was sat next to her. It was green and had beautiful flowers embroidered on it. She had what looked to be a thousand keychains, all of which were characters to another children's show. She was snacking on a small ziploc bag of goldfish. Luna.

Next to her was a boy. He had glasses that looked to large for his face, and curly hair that looked tossled from what you assumed was the altercation you were called in for. He had on a Spider-Man shirt and jean overalls. One of the straps to the overalls was unhooked and thrown over his shoulder. His shoes were of Lightning McQueen, they looked to light up too. They matched his backpack. That must be Harry. He was snacking on a ziploc bag of cheezits.

"I missed you, Ren. Am I going to get kicked out of school?" Elliot mumbled against your leg. You squated down and clutched onto his hands. You pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"No, baby. Why did they call me? Are you okay?" Elliot nodded as you asked him questions, holding up his bag of pretzels.

"Luna's dad gave us snacks. I took the pretzels because the cheezits are white cheddar and Harry likes those the best. And Luna likes the pizza goldfish, but I don't because they don't taste like the good pizza. But look, Rena, these pretzels have butter inside." Elliot quickly pulled out a pretzel and bit into it, showing the inside to you. Sure enough the pretzel had the fake cheese filling inside.

"Oh yeah look at that it does have cheese inside." Ignoring the fact he called cheese butter, you looked around Elliot as he continued to tell you all about his snack. You noticed two men  standing next to another water fountain. One of them was holding a green lunchbox that looked eerily similar to Luna's backpack. The other was holding a matching Lightning McQueen backpack, Harry's dad. They looked as confused as you, talking to each other quietly so their kids couldn't hear them in the near empty hallway.

"Okay baby I'm going to go talk to your friends' parents,  you go back to your chair and keep working on those cheese pretzels for me." Elliot quickly nodded. You kissed his forehead before standing up. Elliot turned back to his row of friends and started talking to Harry. You headed toward the water fountain.

Luna's dad was dressed in all black, you were curious as to how he had such a colorful kid. He was in a black button down that was tucked into his black slacks. His shoes were shiny and they made you wonder if he just came from a board meeting or whatever people who don't spend their entire day listening to your mom jokes as they teach high schoolers how to weave do. His hair was black and curly and looked to be perfectly set in place.  The only pop of color was his nails, bright green and pink splattered on each finger. Luna's doing. If you weren't deeply worried for your son, you'd say he was hot.

Harry's dad, and you do mean this in the nicest most respectful way, was fucking jacked. He was just as attractive as Luna's dad. He was in jeans and red converse. He had on a t-shirt that had red text on it. It said 'Boys with Tits' and little stars printed around the text. You wondered how strong that cotton t-shirt was because the sleeves around his biceps and pecs looked tired. Holding on for dear life. Harry's dad had what looked to be flour smeared on his cheek. His hair was also curly and black but was much different from Luna's Dad's hair as it was more messy. He looked a lot like Harry. He even had on very similar glasses. On his own Lightning McQueen backpack, was what looked to be the same number of keychains as Luna's bag had. Although his had less children's shows. You spotted a trans flag and a raccoon eating a sandwich among them. You glanced down at your own appearance, realizing you most definitely looked like an art teacher. Your hands were covered in paint. You grimaced before shrugging. One of these men had bright pink and green splattered on the tips of his fingers and the other was holding a Lightning McQueen backpack, you doubted they would care much. When you finally reached them, they both looked away from the other to stare at you.

"Hi. I'm Elliot's Parent." You gave them a light wave, giving them your name as well. They both nodded.

"Hey. I'm Harry's dad, James." you smiled at him.

"I'm Luna's Dad, Regulus."

"Do you guys know what happpened? They just said altercation on the phone." Regulus shook his head at the question. James shrugged. At this point you honestly felt sympathy for his sleeves.

"Luna won't even tell me what happened. She's just been sadly eating her pizza goldfish." Regulus said, looking between you and James.

"Oh yeah. Hey thanks for giving Elliot those pretzels. He thinks they're a hoot." Regulus shrugged at you.

"Luna's the one sharing." James moved the subject back to the whole reason you three were here.

"I asked Harry what happened and he told me 'name calling' and then continued with his cheezeits. So that's all I have." James explained. You thought you might be putting the pieces together now. Yes, Elliot was a kind boy but he was also loyal to a fault. You were both the type to self sacrifice in the name of love. You'd kill someone for Elliot and any one of your friends. Elliot does take after you in a lot of areas...

"Okay well I only see three children, they all seem to still be friends so who were they fighting?" You asked. There wasn't even another backpack sitting near the chairs. From what you spied in window to the principals office, the only person in there was the principal herself.

"Do you think our kids would actually get into a fight?" James asked. You and Regulus glanced at each other.

"Yes." You said in sync. You glanced back at Elliot. He had finished his snack and pulled out his Lighting McQueen picture book, showing Harry all the pages. Sweet boy, but also a tad rabid. You wouldn't be shocked if the principal told you he bit somebody.

"Luna's lovely don't get me wrong, but her favorite uncle has had to pay for a lot of bail." Regulus said, zipping open Luna's lunchbox. He peered in there. You wondered if he was looking for a shank she made during her art class. James huffed.

"If this is some stupid bullshit, I think I'll riot." James whispered.

"That's something Barty would say." Regulus muttered, stuffing his hand into Luna's lunchbox.

"Listen, I'm sure we're all just a little peaved because it's our kids, but surely this is something serious that truely needs me to leave 17 high schoolers alone with another teacher." James and Regulus gave you a knowing look. "Okay so I'm lying." Regulus pulled out a bag of apple slices. He held them up above his head and leaned to look around you.

"Lue, I'm stealing your apples. Is that okay with you?" Regulus yelled down the short hallway. Luna looked up from making her goldfish swim in the air, to look at Regulus. She nodded and held up a thumbs up. Regulus zipped her lunchbox again and pulled open the bag of apples.

"So what if they threw a couple punches, I taught Harry that we don't start fights, we end them." James explained. Regulus nodded as he bit into an apple. You huffed.

"I'm pretty sure I taught Elliot the difference between oil and acrylic. I'm honestly shocked he even knows the word fight." You felt a little behind on your parenting. Regulus set down Luna's lunchbox by his feet.

"Well to be perfectly honest, I am not shocked that Luna got into a fight. Her mother was, in the best way, fucking rabid. Love her to death, literally, but she got into a good number of fights while we were school." Regulus said. He chuckled after he said 'to death'. You kinda felt like he kept making inside jokes but he was the only one in on them. James nodded along.

"High school sweat hearts?" James asked, giving Regulus an understanding look.

"No," Regulus laughed as he bit into another apple. "Hell no. Um I knew her mother in high school. We were really close. She passed and I adopted Luna." You and James both let out sad ohs. Regulus didn't seemed bothered by it at all though, continuing to much on his apple slices.

"Well me and Harry's mum were high school sweethearts. After Harry was born though, we got divorced. His mum and her wife are both stuck at work so that's why they aren't here." James said, filling the awkward silence. You nodded.

"Really glad we're spending this time trauma dumping." You joked. Regulus snorted and held an apple slice out towards you. You great-fully took it as Regulus held one out towards James too.

"What is the Principal doing in there? Feeding her hostages?" James muttered not even a breath later he was following up his comment. "Sorry, that was mean." You and Regulus both laughed, looking at each other to make sure someone else thought it was funny, too. With that the door to her office opened, the Principal's head popping out.

"Sorry for the wait." She said, holding the door open.

The Prinicple would be terrifying to any first grader. She was in a perfectly pressed suit. Her perfectionism rivaling Regulus'. Her hair was back in an extremely slick bun and you questioning whether or not her name was Trunchbull. She sat down in the chair behind her desk, turning to her computer and typing away. She listed off each of your names, started with what you assumed was James' last name as he nodded at her and ending with yours.

"You should be." Regulus muttered before plastering a smile on and helping Luna out of her chair, shooing her into the office. James carried Harry's bag for him as they entered the office. The principal grimaced at James as he entered.

Elliot took his time, gently putting his book back into his backpack. You smiled at the care he took with his favorite book. Then he scooted out of his chair and pulled his arms through the straps. Elliot clutched onto your hand, as you walked him through the office door. There were three chairs sat in front of the Principal's desk. James was sat with Harry in his lap, James' arm crossed over his stomach. Regulus was sat similarly, Luna deciding not to face the Principals and instead sitting sideways in Regulus' lap. You sat in the chair in between Regulus and James. Elliot hopped up into your lap, placing his backpack next to you. He leaned back against you and held onto both your hands. You were pretty sure he was scared shitless, but you completely understood.

"Today your children got into a fist fight with another student. We do not accept bullying of any forms here so we will-" Regulus cut off the principal, pausing from digging into his bag of apples.

"Well what caused the fight?" Regulus asked. The Principal stayed silent for a moment before continuing.

"What started the fight does not matter. What matters is that your three children ganged up on one student, and beat him. We do not accept physical-" It was James' turn to cut her off this time.

"Well who swung first?" The principal clenched her jaw. She glared at James. Harry took it upon himself to answer for her.

"Charles did." Harry said as he swung his feet back and forth in his father's lap. James hummed.

"So you didn't start it?" James asked. Harry shook his head.

"One could say that he didn't start it but he did finish it." Regulus muttered chomping into an apple. You stuck your hand out to him. Regulus dropped a slice from the bag into your hand.

"Listen, if you three would please let me finish-" The principle started.

"Actually I have a question for you, Mrs. Principle. I didn't have time to learn your name, I was quite busy with my job," James snorted at you. "I was wondering, what happened before the fight? What triggered it to start? I am quite confident that my son wouldn't just beat some other kid up for fun. At least not unwarrantedly." Regulus nodded at you. Luna wouldn't kick somebody in shin just for breathing wrong, well actually.

"Again that does not matter-" Harry took over the principal's speaking time yet again to answer the question himself.

"Charles called Luna a bitch." Harry said, matter of factly. Regulus scoffed and James leaned down to ask Harry if he was serious.

"Yeah he did, so I called him a bootlicking, slimy, vomit inducing, retched, failed abortion." Luna said. You glanced over at her. It was actually the first time you heard her speak. You felt a small smile grow, understanding what Regulus said in the hallway earlier. Regulus was smiling brightly. He held his hand out in front of her. Luna slapped her hand in his, giving Regulus a loud high five.

"Then Charles said she was a dumb idiot." Harry explained, still swinging his feet back and forth. "Then Elliot said something, I don't 'member but it pissed Charles off so he punched Luna in the arm." Harry continued. You looked down at Elliot.

"I told him the only time anyone will ever love him is if he was cremated and turned into a diamond." Elliot whispered. You laughed. Elliot looked up at you, a small smile growing on his face. You gently kissed his on his forehead.

"Oh I love you, you know that Elliot?" Elliot nodded and looked back to the empty Ziploc bag he was tearing holes in.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you three would take this seriously, this is no laughing matter. " The principal said, clenching her jaw.

"Well I would greatly appreciate it if you took this seriously. A boy called this girl a bitch and then punched her and yet we're the ones who had to leave work to meet with you. It seems to me that these kids were just defending themselves. I think you just grabbed the nearest kids and blamed them. Luna didn't do anything she's the victim. Elliot and James were just protecting their friend. Sure maybe they should've gone easy on him the failed abortion comment would've been just enough but-"

"Your children broke a boy's nose."

"Well, maybe he should've kept his mouth shut." Regulus said, sitting up in his chair.

"I think he'll be too busy breathing out of it to call anyone else names, now." James said, setting Harry on his feet. James stood and swung his backpack over his shoulder before holding out Harry's.

"Ms. Potter we are not done here." The prinipal said.

"Seems to me we are, see you Monday." James said. Luna took that sign and hopped off Regulus' lap, pulling her own bag on.

"Well Ms. Potter I do hope over the weekend you find a new shirt, along with new manners." The principal said. You stood up, letting Elliot run out the door after Harry and Luna.

"Well Mrs. Principal I do hope you learn how to shut your mouth on matters that don't concern you, you foul, lothesome, grimy, bottoming-feeding, transphobe. Enjoy your night." You said. You reached over her desk and knocked her mug over. Her coffee spilled over the papers on her desk dripping into her lap. You assumed it was cold by now because she just clenched her jaw.  You gave her a bright smile and left out the office door. Regulus and James shared a look before following. You three lead your children out of the school building and stopped on the steps. The three kids ran off towards the nearby tree, attempting to climb it.

"We are probably going to have to enroll our kids somewhere else, huh?" You asked. James shook his head.

"No, schools almost out and luckily for us she's actually transferring in about a month anyways." James explained. Regulus nodded, setting Luna's bag down.

"I do mean this in the most respectful way, but that was extremely attractive." Regulus said. You heard Elliot laugh over in the tree at something Luna said. James nodded at Regulus.

"Oh yeah extremely Pilf-y." James grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Regulus turned to him with a confused look.

"Public Interest Legal Foundation?" Regulus asked. James, smile fell.

"No, Parent I'd Love to Fuck. Like milf or dilf." Regulus laughed and reached out for James. He gripped onto James' bicep as he laughed. You started chuckling along with him, his laughter very contagious. Regulus wiped at his eyes and he stood again.

"Oh that was good, James."

"I don't think it was that funny." James muttered. You shrugged.

"I thought it was good." Regulus sighed and straightened his back.

"So our kids beat another kid up." He said. You nodded. You glanced over at Harry and Luna helping Elliot climb up.

"Your kid has a filthy mouth Regulus, if she said that to me I think I'd cry." James said, nudging Regulus with his elbow. Regulus smiled proudly.

"I know, right? What a psycho first grader." Regulus said. His chest seemed to puff out a little more.

"Where did she even learn half those words?" You asked. Regulus' face fell as he stared at you with serious eyes.

"Her uncle." You and James shared a look.

"well Elliot isn't innocent either, that diamond comment was wild." James said, jumping topics. You nodded.

"I'm extremely proud of my son, I personally think they derseve some ice cream, what do you guys think?" You asked. They both looked at each other.

"Sounds good to me." Regulus muttered, Pulling Luna's bag over his shoulder.

"They'll have napkins there so I can give you guys my number." James said, winking at you both. You chuckled.

"Ah ha yeah that was smooth, James. Good one." You complimented.

"Yeah I thought so." James said, turning towards the tree and calling the kids down. You looked to Regulus.

"Oh by the way I love Luna's bag it's so pretty." You said. Regulus' ears turned red. He glanced down at his shoes before looking back up at you.

"Thanks. I actually made it for her." You gave him a shocked look.

"Did you really?" Regulus nodded. "Well you're extremely talented Regulus." Soon enough all six of you were in an ice cream shop. The kids were giddy. They were getting sticky ice cream all over their faces and hands, but it didn't matter. This was a celebration. you spent the time laughing along with James and Regulus. When the kids finally finished their ice cream James stayed true to his word and gave you both his number. He made a group chat before you even left the parking lot, starting up a conversation about a date.

part two

[elizadoll]

Wedding Bells for Dolls!

CW: Dolls.

The dolls have decided to get married! All of them! They aren't quite entirely sure what marriage is, and they're not quite sure about all the intricacies of a wedding, but what they do know is that Miss had one very recently and now she has a Wife! All of the dolls decide they want a Wife too! How do they get a Wife? Well, Miss's Wife is a human like she is, so a doll's Wife should be a doll!

They all gather together in the garden and decide to hold a wedding! One of the dolls remembers an important-looking person that stood next to Miss and her Wife during the wedding, they said a lot of words before Miss got to kiss her Wife, so they must be important! A doll volunteers and takes its position at the end of the aisle. The person at the wedding was holding a book, so it brings along its favorite cook book to hold.

Oh, and there was a person there that played a violin too! Or was it a viola? The dolls could never manage to remember what the difference was. None of them could play the violin or viola, but one of them had a harmonica, so it volunteers to be the viola person! Or violin person!

Another doll points out that it remembers there was a huuuuuuge cake at the wedding! At least three dolls tall! They have to have a cake too to have a wedding! A trio of dolls look at one another and nod. They know how to bake! They've made Miss pancakes and biscuits and cookies before! A cake should be easy! They all run off towards the kitchen, ticking loudly with glee.

So a book doll, a music doll, and three cake dolls. That's important. The dolls put their heads together. What else does a wedding need? One remembers that Miss and her Wife held bouquets at the wedding, and it runs off to go pick flowers. Another remembers how Miss called it a 'flower girl' and asked it to spread petals down the aisle, so it follows the one that went to make the bouquet. A third pipes up, pointing out that they still haven't picked out which dolls will be married!

It is a tough decision with much deliberating, but eventually, the matter is settled! Two dolls step forward, one the tallest of all Miss's dolls, and the other the shortest of them all! Miss is taller than her wife, so the dolls conclude this pair makes the most sense!

Thus the dolls scatter and begin their preparations in earnest, until finally they all convene back in the garden where Miss's wedding was held. The doll in charge of bouquets hands each of the future Wife-dolls a handful of roses, pansies, and daisies, bundled together by strings of yarn tied around their stems. The 'flower girl' doll emerges soon after with a basket full of all sorts of petals of numerous colours and varieties.

The music doll begins to play its harmonica in an off-key tune, and finally the cake-dolls return with a towering stack of flapjacks. Miss told them not to mess with the oven unsupervised, so they couldn't make a proper cake, but when they realized that pancakes have the word "cake" in their name, they knew just what to do!

Finally, the preparations were complete, and together, the tallest doll and the shortest doll walked together down the aisle, bouquets in hand, trailing after the 'flower girl' who scattered the petals of lilies, dandelions, snapdragons, and many more in their path. When the two of them reached the book doll, it briefly panicked, unsure what to say, but it quickly settled on reading is favorite recipe from the book: spaghetti bolognese.

When the doll finished its recital of its recipe, it repeated the only words it actually remembered from the wedding: "You may now kiss the bride." The tallest doll and the shortest doll both blurted out the words "I do," half-certain those words were important when Miss and her Wife said them, before pulling one another into a nice, tender kiss.

And thus, two dolls were married! They were Wives! They weren't entirely sure what that meant, of course, but they were happy about it nonetheless! They celebrated, they cheered, and they shared many a pancake together. A doll wedding! A joyous occasion to behold!

[peachsukii]

✮ content. mentions of hospital equipment. grief. angst w/ happy ending.

Walking along the pathway of the riverbank, you listened to the soft sounds of the water lazily flowing by while finding a spot in the grass. You lie back with your hands behind your head, gazing up at the sunset in the sky. The clouds were painted with beautiful streaks of peach, lavender and fuchsia, swirling into a perfect blend of tropical bliss. The colors offered a semblance of comfort after a long day of patrol - 14 hours, to be exact. The current condition of your hero suit was more than enough evidence of the grueling day. If it could talk, it would be begging to be washed. Reaching into your pocket, you pull out your phone to check the time. 5:47pm The exhaustion was creeping along your aching muscles, warning you to head home before you lack the will to do so. There’s one thing you came here to do - that you needed to be here to do.

You tap the lock screen of the phone and swipe to your contacts. In the favorites list, you click on your favorite name in the whole world.

“ 💥 Katsuki 🧡 ”

The line rings a handful of times before it goes to voicemail, beeping in your ear. Taking a deep breath, you begin to speak excitedly.

“Hey ‘Suki. Today was a busy as hell - sorry I didn’t get a chance to call earlier. I had the sweetest little girl thank me today for helping her and her mom bring their groceries to their doorstep. She came running over to me and asked for help, I couldn’t resist. You should have seen her cute little cheeks, Kats, covered in freckles around her precious blue eyes. It was only six bags, the mom was so embarrassed! I kept telling her it was no trouble, that’s what heroes do. And then…,” you pause.

“Sorry, I’m rambling again. I must be picking it up from Izuku. Anyways, I’ll be heading home in a bit. I needed to clear my head after a long day and swung by our favorite spot by the river.”

A shaky breath escapes your lips, unable to hold back the tear rolling down your dirt stained cheek.

“I’ll be stopping by to visit soon. I’m sorry for not coming by earlier this week, you know how it is with our line of work. I'll be sure to grab your favorite flowers, too. Tiger lilies, right?”

You bite your lip to swallow the sob lodged in your throat.

“I miss you…more than you could ever know. I love you, Katsuki. I’ll talk to you later.”

You click the “End Call” button with trembling fingers. A picture of Katsuki, smiling ear to ear with your face squished up against his cheek on a sunny day, appears briefly as his contact picture fades to black.

“You’re going to wake up, I know you are,” you murmur to yourself through broken hiccups. “You’re not gone…you’re going to wake up, Katsuki. You have to.”

The reality of the situation weighs on your shoulders, but that didn’t mean you had to live in said reality…not yet, anyways.

Until the faint droning of Katsuki's heartbeat monitor was silenced, he was alive.

He's just resting.

i've been listening to "my tears ricochet" too much and the 'just not home' lyric always reminds me of not being able to return to someone you love, or somewhere you loved :(

You can read part two here!!

[gucciwins]

something new

wembley brings love and celebration 

Word count: 5190

A/N: posting something for the first time in months (since april) and I am very excited for you to read.  please let me know what you think. I enjoyed writing and promise I'm already working on the next thing 💜 asks

_____

Wembley Stadium.

It’s a place you had heard many stories about and even attended a show in 2019 as a gift for your father to watch his favorite band, Fleetwood Mac. This entire week has been remarkable, but tonight is the final night. You are here supporting your boyfriend, Harry, and because it’s the last night, there will be a celebration after with the attendance of everyone who knows Harry from family, friends, and workers.

When you first met Harry, you didn’t know he was Harry Styles. Many people would ask how you could not recognize the Harry Styles, but when you met him, he had a full beard and hair full of messy curls. He was dressed in mini running shorts wearing a black jumper and bright running shoes. The reason you spoke to him was his shoes. This brand is known for its style of color combination and lightness in weight, making it the running shoe. You had been debating buying a pair, and his looked well-loved. It wouldn’t hurt to hear an opinion from someone who wasn’t an online user.

“Excuse me,” you called out softly behind him.

He jumps and moves away from the counter. “Sorry, was I in your way?”

You do your best not to melt hearing his deep voice; it was comforting for some odd reason. You smile and shake your head. “No, uh, actually. I’m sorry to bother you. This is actually such a silly question now.” You pause, debating walking away while you can, but he encourages you to continue. “It’s about your shoes. Are the Hoka’s worth it? The online reviews have not been able to convince me, and I’ve read too many articles at this point. Yours look like they’ve seen a few miles,” you point out.

Harry looks down at his shoes and laughs, “so they do.” He meets your eye, stepping closer and away from the counter. “I’m on my fourth pair,” he confesses sheepishly.

You wince, knowing the price for these shoes is not cheap. “Are you constantly running? Are they easily worn out?”

His face reddens, and he fiddles with his necklace. “No, uh…I like having more options to match my outfits.”

You laugh, “that makes sense.” You pause. “Does that mean picking my first pair will be harder? I saved for one pair, and my pocket will hurt if I decide to bite the bullet.”

“I debated a few choices at my computer and ultimately bought two pairs. They were orange and yellow. Bondi are a good first choice.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” You notice the barista, Lily sliding a coffee on the counter and gesturing it’s his, meaning it’s time for you to go. “Sorry for bothering you, but this was very helpful. Sorry, I never got your name. I’m Y/N.”

“Harry. It was no bother.”

You doubt that.

“Bye, Harry.” You collect your bag and walk out, knowing you were going to overthink buying these shoes, and Harry would never leave your mind.

To no surprise, you’re back at your favorite coffee shop the following day, but this time dressed in your favorite jeans and a cardigan your grandma helped you knit over the summer last year. It’s pastel pink with flowers placed randomly all over. You didn’t dress cute for a guy. You dressed cute for yourself. At least, that’s what you kept telling yourself. Lily is a good friend, and after walking your iced latte to your table, she sat down for a moment.

“Nice conversation yesterday?” She ponders.

“Mhm…nice fellow.”

“Was surprised you bothered him?”

You look at her, confused. “Was it rude of me?”

“Some would say so.”

“I’m confused. We talked about shoes. What did I do wrong?”

Lily stares at you, trying to see if you’re joking. “Y/N, be serious.”

“I am.”

She looks around, leaning closer. “You spoke to Harry Styles. Popstar sensation. Most loved man on the earth.” Lily sees you processing her words, and before you can make rebuttals, she pulls her phone out and shows you a photo of Harry, the guy you met, under a Harry Styles update page.

“Well, shit!”

“Yeah, he at least looks interested in your conversation.”

You roll your eyes, “geeze, Lily, thanks for making it seem like it’s awful to talk with me.”

“Not what I meant,” she apologizes.

“It’s fine. The beard threw me off.”

“He’s a regular here. Comes every other day.” Lily excuses herself needing to get back to work, and with that reassurance, he wouldn’t be coming in; you enjoy your coffee.

You took out your laptop and began to work while keeping an eye on the door. Pretty soon, you got deep into your research and didn’t even notice when the door chimed, signaling someone knew had entered.

“You look really focused. Are you working?” Harry had walked up to your table, startling you.

The truth was you were not working, although you should have been; it was a Wednesday morning. You feel your cheeks warm up, knowing you’ve been caught. “Won’t lie to you, Harry. I’m looking at shoes.” You turn your screen to let him see you have a page pulled up for running shoes with multiple open tabs.

Harry laughs in surprise and gestures to the empty seat to join you. You move your bag, and he happily slides in. You move your laptop closer to him, giving him a better view.

“Those are cute.” You had been looking at a lilac pair.

“Right! But look at these.”

Harry frowns when you switch the screen to display a cherry-pink design. “Now, that’s a tough choice.”

“Ugh…I know. I’ve been alternating back and forth.”

“Okay, close your eyes,” he orders.

You look at him skeptically but do as he says.

“It’s a sunny day which is just a miracle here in London,” you laugh, and he continues. “You’re out on a walk deciding where to go for the day when a stranger points out your shoe is untied. You bend down to tie it. Now what color are your shoes?”

“Purple,” you answer without thinking.

“Well, there you go.”

“That was helpful, Harry. Thank you. Are you a therapist or something?”

“In another life, I would be.”

“Well, what do you do now?” You ask, genuinely interested.

Harry looks at you, confused as if you’re really asking the question. “I sing for a living. Uh…” he feels embarrassed sharing this for some reason. “I go on stage and perform.”

You frown, looking at him closer. “From my eye level, you look like a rugged Harry Styles.”

Harry looks amused. “Rugged. Huh, I thought the beard was good.”

“It is,” you quickly agree. “Sorry, I’m used to seeing videos of him—well, you clean-shaven.”

“I’m on a break. It’s a nice way to let go.”

Right.

You were at a crossroads now because you liked Harry. He was friendly and easy to speak with, but would this new information change everything for you?

“Maybe we can go on a run when your shoes arrive?” Harry suggested.

Your eyes lit up, “really?”

“Mhmm…I like running around the park.”

“Oh, I love finding new trails,” you gushed. “I bet you have found the best-hidden roads.”

Harry shrugs, “we’ll have to see.”

“Uh… I’m sorry for not recognizing you. I don’t know if that was weird or not.” You decide to apologize.

“You’re fine, Y/N. When you came up to me, I thought you wanted a photo, but clearly, my shoes were more interesting,” he teased. “It was nice being just Harry.”

You smile sheepishly at him, “you’re still Harry to me. Feel like you’ll turn into Harry Styles when you’re clean-shaven on stage.”

“Not for a few weeks, then. I have shows in Los Angeles at the end of January,” he tells you because he wants to bask in being just Harry for a few weeks more.

“Oh, fun,” you wiggle your eyebrows at him.

“Mhmm…” Harry waits for you to ask more, but instead, you turn the conversation to his workout routine.

From then on, conversation flows easily. You tell Harry you’re the oldest of three. Two younger brothers who live to embarrass you whenever they get the chance but love when you drive them around. You tell him about your job in publishing and that you worked your way up to being an editor. It’s a job you love dearly. Harry lets you ramble on, asking questions and wanting to learn more. He learns you’re allergic to mushrooms. Your first tattoo was a cherry you got at eighteen on an impulsive night out. That you’re the only family member in generations to be born left-handed.

Harry shares that he loves to travel because it gives him a place to miss and come home. He loves his sister and calls her his best friend. That he’s too competitive and loves a long game of Scrabble. He dreams of having a pet dog but does not want to commit when his life is on the road. You mention your family dog, Woodstock, named after the iconic yellow bird from the Peanuts comics. A yellow Labrador who runs up to strangers, always asking for belly rubs. You promise to take him to visit.

Your friendship with Harry grew from there. You would meet most mornings outside the coffee shop for a run and then for a coffee that turned into hours of conversation. You liked Harry and reckoned you liked him more than a friend, but there was no way you would change that dynamic and instead settle to be his friend. When Harry showed up one day clean-shaven, you were taken aback because it made him look younger, and it was as if you were seeing him for the first time.

“Don’t recognize me anymore,” he teases.

“I could spot those green eyes in a sea of people,” you promise him.

Come April, a shift in your dynamic happened. Harry wanted you to work out with him and his trainer. You thought he was crazy, but really Harry was dying for you to meet his friends. They couldn’t stop teasing him that you were made up.

“Harry!”

You both turned and found a man in a white shirt and shorts, similar to Harry, approaching you. Harry welcomed him in a hug before going to stand next to you. “This is Y/N. Y/N, Brad.”

Brad shot you a smile, “pleasure to meet you.”

“You as well.”

“It’s nice to put a face to a name. He can’t shut up about you,” Brad confesses.

“Oi! Stop that.” Harry frowns, but you can tell he doesn’t mind.

You end up having the worst workout of your life. Brad, not taking a moment of pity for you until he finally called it quits an hour later. You threw yourself on the grass, closed your eyes, and took slow breaths. You heard Harry laughing above you but did not acknowledge him.

“Come on, petal. I’ll buy you a coffee,” Harry offered.

You peeked one eye open, “and a scone?”

“I’ll get you all the goods you want,” Brad chimes in. “You were a trooper out there.”

“Fuck, I never want to work out with you again,” you huff.

“Don’t think we will if he has a say,” Brad points to Harry. “Never seen him so angry.”

“She’s my friend. Didn’t want to explain her death to her parents.”

After that, it seemed you only saw more of each other until one night at your home, Harry made a move you didn’t see coming. After the film finished, Harry turned serious.

“Y/N?”

“Harry, what is it?” You ask, concerned.

“I like you.”

You sigh in relief, “gosh, you scared me. I like you too, silly. You’re my best friend.”

Harry shakes his head. “You’re not listening to me.”

“Heard you loud and clear.”

He sighs, frustrated. “These last few months as your friend have been amazing. I feel so lucky you approached me to talk about shoes. While I enjoy being your friend every time we get together, these feelings I have continue to grow, and I can no longer keep them to myself. I like you, and I want to see where this goes.”

You sit there shocked because you never expected Harry to reciprocate your feelings, but he is pouring his heart out for you. “Harry,” you breathed out. “I-I-I like you too. I have for some time, but I didn’t want to lose you.”

“Me either, but Brad said a person as amazing as you would not wait around for me.”

You laugh, “tell him I’m a fool because I think I would have waited a lifetime for you.”

“I know it’s too soon to ask you to be my girlfriend seeing as we haven’t been on a date, but—”

You interrupt him. “Why can’t we say this is our first date? If we think about it, every time we have spent together could be considered a date.”

“Do you end a first date with a kiss?” He asks sheepishly.

“Only if it’s you,” you promise him.

When your wine-stained lips meet his, you feel a wave of peace surround you knowing that it might be soon, but the universe sent Harry to you. He was your other half. He made you better. You pulled him closer, loving the closeness this kiss brought you. Harry sighed, ending the kiss. You went in for a second kiss needing more of him for a little longer.

“Petal, baby. I’m here,” he spoke against your lips.

You giggled out of breath. “Sorry, I think I like you a little too much.”

Harry leaned his forehead against you. “I feel the same.”

“Good, let’s kiss some more and then have a sleepover.”

“Don’t you think it’s too soon, petal?” Harry asked.

You frowned, “you slept here two nights ago.”

Harry sighed, “you’re right.”

It wasn’t until a week later you made it official. Life was perfect, and you were happy. Harry knew starting a relationship as he began touring wasn’t the smartest option, but he was close to home and promised to check in at every chance. In each city he visited, he picked up a souvenir for you as a reminder he was thinking of you. It was cheesy, but he wrote you postcards from each city because even though they wouldn’t arrive quickly, they would remind you of him when you did receive them. It only made you like him more and knew you were falling in love quickly. There was no stopping it.

While you joined him at his special show at Slane Castle, you didn’t have the chance to meet many of his family, mainly only the band. They welcomed you with open arms, and how Harry never stops talking about you. It made you nervous. You hoped to live up to his words because these people and his band members meant the world to Harry.

____

Now being here to celebrate four sold-out nights at Wembley, it felt overwhelming knowing Harry’s entire family and friends from his childhood would be here. You’ve known Harry for months but loved him like he’s always been yours. It was a joyous day, but even that wouldn’t take away your nerves for the final night of seeing Harry shine on stage.

“No one is going to believe I didn’t recognize you when we first met,”  you tell him as the driver drove down a road that arrives at the back of Wembley, away from the crowd.

“Course they will.”

You give him a deadpan look, “you’re basically the face of the UK. A prince, some would say.” You sit up and clear your throat. “Oh, how’d we meet. Well, I met him at a coffee shop and asked him about his shoes.” You rolled your eyes, “sounds fake to me.”

“Good thing it’s the truth. Plus, I thought you were cute. Would have never worked up the courage to walk up to you, though.”

“Stop. You’re only saying that.”

“Nope, I mean it. Brad and the band like you.”

“I hope they do,” you muttered. “Only people I’ve met now. I’m meeting everyone.”

“You met Mum and Gem,” Harry reminds you. “Spent time with them for three nights.”

You sigh because, for a moment, you feel Harry doesn’t understand how overwhelming this is. Everyone here knows Harry. They know Harry from Holmes Chapel, and they know the amazing person he is. You feel happy to know and love him, but they’ve got a lifetime of Harry, and you’ve got months. It differs for everyone because you would move mountains to ensure he was happy. Except, everyone doesn’t know that. They don’t know you.

“Y/N, petal will you look at me,” he begs softly.

You take a deep breath and allow yourself to meet his emerald eyes. Harry takes in the worry shining bright, and smiles. “Petal, I love you. I know you love me. You remind me every moment we’re together and when I’m away. I don’t doubt it. My family knows you, maybe not your physical form, but they have heard stories and seen endless pictures. They will love you because I love you. If you get overwhelmed, you can always sit back and watch, they’ll understand. Most importantly, I will understand. I wish I could hold you as Mum introduces you to everyone. I told her to hold off, but she’s excited. Brad will be on the floor, and I know you enjoy that. You’re in safe hands.”

“I love you. Thank you. I know it’s your day, and I’m making it all about me.”

Harry shushes you, “hey, hey. We’re a team. Your feelings are just as important as mine. Now give me a kiss.”

You loved him, simple as that. He was the missing piece in your life.

___

The show was like no other. Harry, from the moment he got on stage, radiated happiness. The fans were the loudest they had been all week, filling you with so much joy. Anne told you to join her at the family box, but you decided to be on the floor as close to Harry as possible by the Jonny pod; you noticed Harry favored the side more, knowing his dear friend was in the audience tonight. From surprise songs to dancing and Mitch receiving his Grammy, you knew it would be a night you would never forget. As Harry began his encore with “Sign of the Times,” the rain started falling, and so did your tears. The fact that over 90 thousand people were here for Harry said enough. They chose to spend their evening with him, and he delivered to make it memorable.

You didn’t even notice that Brad captured a photo of you staring at Harry on stage with a giant smile and hands over your heart you would only see later when Harry made it his lock screen. Harry thanks the crowd for a magical night stating over and over again that he’s never been happier.

Brad wraps an arm around you and walks you towards Harry, who’s sharing long hugs and meaningful words with his bandmates. This is the man you love, and there’s nothing you’d change about it. You followed Harry to the dressing room, wanting a moment alone before the madness. Harry bounces around quickly to change, removing the overalls and shimming them down his waist. He slips on shorts, throws on a random shirt, and puts on his new Adidas Love on Tour sweater with his initials.

You lean against the door admiring him in all his glory. He didn’t bother for a shower, too eager to see everyone.

“I’m proud of you,” you whisper. “I know it might not mean much, but I am.”

Harry pauses, finishes tying his shoe, and walks over to you. He stops before you, his hands finding a home on your cheeks. “It means the world. Don’t ever think it doesn’t. We might only have been together for two months, but my heart has loved you my entire life. You being here is enough. I could feel your love from the stage.”

He connects your lips together, and you melt against him. Harry breathes life into you, and you never want him to stop. “I love you, Y/N.”

“I love you, Harry. So much.”

“Good. Let’s go mingle.” You move away from the door and make your way outside when he tugs you back in. “Forgot one last thing.”

He hurries over to his bag, pulls out an identical sweater, and hands it to you. You accept it moving and look it over. Your eyes quickly find your initials on the right side, similar to his.

“Harry—this isn’t necessary.”

Harry shrugs, “it was your idea.”

You don’t fight him as he slips off your red leather jacket and helps you slip on the thin material. He fixes the collar making sure none of your hair is tucked under. Harry decides you look good, giving you a pat on the butt. “Now we can go.”

Harry held your hand as you walked over to the area Jeff had set up for the celebration. He mentioned there would be another location later in the night, but it would be good to let the crowds outside die out. On your walk over, Harry told you about outfits and signs he saw in the crowd. How overwhelmed he came when the rain came down. He felt at home.

You expressed how much fun you had, told Harry how Jeff and Tommy taught you the boot scoot during “Treat People,” and assured him many videos of your failed attempt were taken. Harry paused outside the door where you could hear the loud chatter, and you knew what was waiting for you behind those doors. Harry shoots you a look, and you give him a reassuring smile letting him know it’s okay to go in.

The cheers are loud when the man of the hour walks in. Everyone was quick to gather around him. You try to sneak away, but his grip on your hand stays tight. Every person who thanks him, he makes sure to introduce you.

“Love, go celebrate. It’s alright. I’ll be fine,” you tell him in a low voice.

Harry shakes his head, instead kissing you and pulling you along to meet and chat with new people. You felt a bit overwhelmed, but everyone has been so sweet. They asked where you were from? Scotland. What was your job? An editor. How did you meet? Coffee Shop. How proud were you? Immensely.

You kept trying to hang back, but Harry seemed to notice when you drifted away. He would kiss you and ask for your input in the conversation. You told him you were getting a drink and would be back momentarily, except you got a vodka cranberry and hid in a corner. Harry found you when your drink was half gone.

“Babyyy,” he called out. “Missed you.”

You felt your cheeks heat up as he wrapped himself around you. He moved you away from the wall, making you face the crowd, his hands around your waist, his chin resting on your shoulder.

“I love you,” he whispered.

You lean against him, happy to be wrapped in his arms, feeling safe. “I love you, bub.”

Harry takes a sip of your drink and hums at the bitterness of the cranberry. He knows you’re a social drinker because it allows you to relax and not be as anxious. You and Harry get lost in your world as you let him talk your ear off. He tells you about people around the room, who they are, and how they’ve helped them. Surprisingly, Harry can name everyone in the room, though it shouldn’t shock you much. It’s just the type of person he is.

Your boyfriend is an affectionate person. He loves having a hand on the small of your back or your hand in his. He wants to be close because he says he wants makeup when he’s away. Some would say it makes him look clingy, but lucky for you, you love his touch; it’s comforting. You could feel his smile against your skin as he planted kisses on your face.

Even while in your corner, people come up to you. When they see Harry begin to kiss your shoulder or whisper in your ear, they excuse themselves. You can’t help but feel you are keeping Harry from celebrating with everyone, not realizing he’s happy to celebrate with you in his arms.

“Harry! Sue!” Is yelled from across the room. You see a short, dirty-haired blonde yell and wave for him, but Harry is too busy peppering kisses all over your neck to realize.

“Bubby, love. They’re calling for you.”

He hums against your neck. “I’m perfect here.”

You sigh because the yelling continues, and you’re starting to feel overwhelmed because he’s not celebrating. Instead, Harry is ensuring you’re not nervous, which seems like the most boring job in the world. He should be taking shots with friends and telling stories about the last four nights.

“Go on, I’ll be right behind you,” you promise him.

Harry tightens his hold on you, “baby, you sure?”

“Yes, no go. I’ll even bring you a drink.”

“Te–”

“Tequila neat,” you tease. “I know you.”

Harry pecks your lips once, twice, and a third time before making his way across the room, but not before looking over his shoulder one last time at you. You shoot him a wink and exaggerate, looking at his bum and making him laugh. He moves his hips a little extra just for you. As Harry easily falls into the conversation, you use this moment as an opportunity for a breather.

You were alone for around five minutes when you heard footsteps coming your way. You were in a corridor that led you out to the stage if you continued walking down but stopped halfway, knowing no one would come this way. You were wrong.

Harry is who you expected to see, but to your surprise, it’s Gemma, his older sister.

“Hi,” you greet softly. The conversations with Gemma have been short, but from what you can tell, she’s wise beyond her years and always ready to listen.

“You okay?” She asks, straight to the point.

“A bit loud,” you gesture towards the hallway where the music can still be heard.

She nods, “I get that.” Gemma looks around before moving to stand next to you shoulder to shoulder. “Are you okay?” She asks again.

You sigh, “I—i-i.”

“A bit much for a family gathering.”

“A bit,” you exhale, knowing Gemma understands what you might be feeling.

“It’s the perfect opportunity, I feel. I did forget how overwhelming it was. I don’t even remember my boyfriend’s first family gathering.”

“Are you saying I won’t remember this in a few years?”

“Oh, you’re never forgetting tonight.” She smirks, “unless you keep drinking.”

You scrunch your nose at the thought. “Better not.”

The two of you stand in silence, and you know it’s because Gemma is giving you a minute to gather your thoughts.

“I just—I love Harry. I do. I hope you don’t doubt that, but I don’t know how to celebrate when you’ve all been here for him every step of the way. Year after year.”

Gemma deflates, “oh, Y/N.”

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have—” Gemma cuts you off.

“It’s okay,” she assures you. “It’s difficult because of his job, not because of who he is. But trust me when I say he loves you.” Gemma’s words are firm, and you believe her. As an older sister, you would do anything to protect your siblings but never lie to someone important.

“Harry talks about you every chance he gets. Did you know Y/N ran a marathon? She’s swam with sharks in a reservation center. Y/N’s CPR certified. She edited and helped publish five number-one books this year,” Gemma rambles off. “We all know so much because he’s proud and wants to share it with those close to him.”

“I-I didn’t know.” You let all of this process, but it’s a shock because some of the things Gemma listed mean nothing, but clearly, to him, mean everything.

“Everyone in that room,” Gemma points over her shoulder, “knows who you are and what you mean to him.”

“Everyone?” You whisper. It doesn’t feel real. You’d never been so loved, and it might be why you’re feeling overwhelmed because he wants to bask in your love. It’s not a show; it’s simply his way of showing he loves you in front of everyone he cares about.

“Celebrate how you want but know all we want is to see him happy. It’s clear as day that you make him happy. This is the happiest I’ve seen him, and it’s because of you. Maybe even happier than selling out Wembley.”

“Thank you, Gemma.” She hugs you tight, and it’s so familiar yet different from Harry’s. His is light and full of love, while Gemma’s is tight and warm. “He wrote you a beautiful song.” You’re referring to “Sweet Creature,” which he dedicated to her tonight.

“It’s a special one. Don’t worry. I hear you’ll be getting yours soon enough,” she teases. “I’ll see you inside.”

A few seconds later, someone else joins you. It’s as if your body knows who it is without seeing them because you feel the familiar flutter in your stomach as his smell wraps around you.

“Baby, where did you go?” Harry whines. Baby is a term of endearment that comes out a lot when he’s had more than one to drink. It’s your favorite during these times.

“I’m here,” you open your arms, and he happily falls in your embrace. “I’m proud of you, love.” You run a hand through the back of his head, keeping him close.

“Thank you, baby.”

“Like really proud. You’re so loved. What you do is incredible. I feel so lucky to be able to love you.”

Harry pulls back, and you see his beautiful eyes glistening with tears threatening to fall soon. “I love you.”

You press your lips against his and put all your love into the kiss. You wish you could spend the rest of the night kissing him, but there is more celebrating to do. Harry doesn’t let you pull away, instead deepening the kiss. You melt against him, forgetting your worries and enjoying this moment with him. A moment only for the two of you to remember.

“Let’s keep celebrating, my love,” you whisper against his lips.

“Still nervous?” He checks.

“Only a smidge.”

Harry smiles, “that’s okay. I’ll hold your hand.”

“You won’t let go?”

“Never,” he promises.

As you return to the party holding tight to his hand, he asks an important question. “Can I keep kissing you?”

Your laugh rings loud, echoing through Harry’s heart. You bring your hand up to rest at the back of his neck and pull him down for a kiss. “As much as you like.”

[natti-ice]

The Blind Date- Sirius Black.

Pairing: Sirius Black x fem!reader

Summary: Hogwarts annual valentines party has a twist. A test that pairs you with the best match

Warnings: written in third person (she/her pronouns) (1.6k words)

Author’s note: this is a reupload, I wrote this a while ago!

Reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated<3

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Valentine's day.

The one day of the year card and candy companies thrive. Couples around every corner, corny love songs on the radio. The perfect day to make all single people feel bad.

This year at Hogwarts they have decided to do a cupid event. Sixth and seventh years who are interested, take a test to see which student they are most compatible with. Each pair can attend the valentine's party together the following week. Most students were excited to be paired with someone, and then there was Y/N,

"Come on Y/N it'll be fun." Lily Evans said dragging her friend into the great hall

"No no, it won't" Y/N protested

"And why is that?" the redhead questioned

"Going on a blind date isn't really my style"

"Lighten up Y/N, who knows maybe you'll meet the one" James Potter chimed in as he sat down wrapping his arm around his Girlfriend Lily

"Right, maybe you won't be so lonely. Honestly, it's getting depressing." Sirius Black said strolling alongside his best friend James.

"Shut up Black, Why are you two here anyway?" Y/N asked the boys

"I came to see my Lily flower" James gushed causing Sirius and Y/N to make faces. Earlier this year James and Lily became an official couple, Ever since they've been inseparable.

"Ew. I'm here because I don't have a date this year, couldn't pick one" Sirius said shrugging

"How humble of you" Y/N said sarcasm in her voice

"Attention please students," Dumbledore announced to the great hall. Heads turned to face him faces full of wonder. "As most of you are aware, we will be hosting a Valentine's party this 14th. For all the sixth and seventh years who are interested in being paired with a date, please see Professor Flitwick for a compatibility test"

"I think it's a great opportunity to put yourself out there Y/N" Lily said wanting to get her friend out of her comfort zone.

"Fine okay I'll do it" Y/N agreed in hopes to get Lily off her back about it. She hesitantly stood up, walking over to the growing line.

She hoped that she didn't get some creep who only tries to get in her pants. Please not Gilderoy Lockhart she thought. Patiently waiting to get the test, glancing around to see all who were in line. Turning around she comes face to face with Sirius Black.

"So who do you want to get?" Sirius asks her

"anyone, I don't care" she lied

"What if you get me?" he smirked

"okay anyone BUT you" she grinned at him

"Ouch, I'll have you know I am the best date anyone could have." he said pretending to be offended

"Oh yeah I bet" she said rolling her eyes. It was her turning in line, thanking the professor as he handed her the paper. Taking it back to her table to fill out the form, pulling out a quill. Filling in the basic information, name, grade, house.

Okay, first question "what's your favorite color?" she read in her head. Easy, Y/F/C. This won't take long, she thought.

She was right, it took her about 5 minutes to fill it out. Walking back up to the table to turn in her paper.

- February 13th

The day before Valentine's Day, the results of the test come out.

Nervously a group of kids walks up to the bulletin board to see who they've been paired with. Most were happy about their partner, others were nervous, some were just confused.

Y/N saw the crowd and knew the list must've been posted. She worked her way through the swarm of people to find her name, scanning it carefully.

Y/N L/N ..... Sirius Black

You have got to be kidding me, she mentally groaned. Of all people, it had to be him. Maybe she could get it changed before he found out. Moving through the sea of people once again.

"Well, it looks like we matched after all" Sirius said leaning up against the wall with his signature smirk.

"You seem awfully happy about this" Y/N said with a questioning eye.

"I just think it's kind of funny" he replied with his hands up in defense. "You seemed so confident we wouldn't be paired" Sirius said wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"Did you copy my answers or something?" She lightly knocked off his arm.

"Of course not, I never cheat on test" he said defensively

"Really?" She furrowed her eyebrows

"Okay okay maybe once or twice but not on this, I swear" He crossed his heart "don't act like this is the worst thing that ever happened to you"

"It kind of is" she said playfully

"Oh please, do you know how many girls would kill to be you" he matched her tone

"They can have you"

"But in all seriousness, do you want to go to the party with me?" Sirius asked slightly hoping she'd yes

"Well" she sighed "I did promise Lily I would go with a date so, I'll go with you." She agreed

"Fantastic! I promise I'll make it worth your while" he grinned from ear to ear sending her a wink.

"I'll see you tomorrow then" Y/N says walking off

"It's a date!" Sirius yells into the hallway knowing he'd embarrass her

- "Are you excited about tonight Y/N?" Lily asked Y/N walking out of their last class of the day

"Terribly" she replied with a straight face.

"I'm sure you'll have a great time, but you know what this means right?" The redhead said with a mischievous smile

"What?"

"Make over time!" She was ecstatic

"Yay" she faked excitement. But honestly, a makeover didn't seem THAT bad

- As the night approached, the tension in the air rose. Everyone was nervous about this big group date the school has decided to have. What if it's totally lame and they're stuck with awkward conversation for hours?

"Okay, I'm ready to see myself now" Y/N said impatiently, antsy from sitting in a chair for so long

"Alright alright, open your eyes" Lily told her friend

Opening her eyes allowing them to adjust, glancing at herself in the mirror. Lily had only done light makeup that enhanced her already beautiful face. "Wow. I look quite pretty." Y/N said admiring Lily's work

"You always look pretty Y/N" Lily spoke genuinely "Now, go get dressed the boys will be here any minute"

Doing as told,  putting on an outfit she thought was "fancy" enough for the occasion. It was a school function so, not fancy at all.

A rapping on the door in an unrhythmic beat told the girls one thing. James is here.

Lily opens up the door and is greeted by 2 slightly spiffed young men. "Greetings miss Evans, are you prepared for our gala this evening?" James said in a posh accent. Taking her hand and kissing the back of it gently, causing Lily to blush

"Gross" Sirius commented "Is Y/N here?"

"Yeah she's just getting dressed"

"Hi boys" Y/N said walking out of the bathroom. Lily and James head out first leaving Sirius and Y/N alone.

"I must say, you look very beautiful tonight." Sirius told the girl

"Thank you, Mr. Black" she said mocking his friend

" Are you ready madam?" He offered her his arm

"Certainly" accepting his gesture

- As one could expect, school parties are lame. Sappy songs couples awkwardly slow dance to. That one teacher who thinks they're one of the kids. And of course the infamous punch bowl.

"I knew it would be bad but not this bad" Sirius cringed

"Most of the paired couples didn't even show up." Y/N stated

"Do you want to get out of here?" Sirius suggested

"Gladly"

Walking out of the hall, they figured out why some of the couples didn't show up. They were in the halls, snogging.

"Looks like Hogwarts is a great matchmaker after all" Y/N stated not sure to believe it or not.

"Yeah I guess you could say that" The boy replied

Wondering the halls, discussing the uncomfortable things that were seen at that said "party". Eventually, the two make their way into the Gryffindor common room. A few younger students were scattered around probably catching up on homework, sitting on the couch not knowing what to do. Sirius came up with an idea.

"How about a game of wizards chess?" He asked

"Sure, let's play" she agreed

"Good, if I win... I get to kiss you" Sirius said calmly

"You're crazy" Y/N said dismissing the entire idea

"C'mon, afraid you'll lose?" He challenged

"Alright Black you're on. If I win you have to run around the halls in a ballerina outfit, deal?"

"Deal."

- A tough neck and neck game of chess with great concentration and skill led to one's defeat. As Y/N's pawn captures Sirius' king, victory overcame her.

"Checkmate Black, time to get your tutu"

Accepting his defeat and holding his deal of the bargain, he ran around the school acting like a ballerina. He actually kind of liked it, but you didn't hear that from me.

Y/N's stomach hurt from laughing so much. She was glad he didn't get upset with the deal, he was so lighthearted and good-natured. It was hard not to like him.

After Sirius retired his ballet flats, it was already late. This "date" had come to an end, Y/N felt a little sad but didn't know why.

"I should probably go to bed, but I had fun tonight, really" Y/N smiled

"I'm glad you did, I thoroughly enjoyed your company" he brought back the fake posh accent. "Goodnight m'lady" he bowed

"Goodnight good sir" she curtsied.

"I still can't believe you beat me at chess, who knew you were so good" Sirius laughed

"We all have our secrets" she shrugged. Standing on her tippy toes giving him a small peck on the cheek. "Goodnight Sirius"

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Tags: @thebiggestnaturaldisaster @madwcman @timbradfordisbae @de-duchess

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[lizzy06]

Toyomitsu Taishiro(Fat Gum) x Reader Fic Recs!! (Tumblr/Ao3/Wattpad)

My Hero Academia Fic Rec Masterlist

100% USDA Lean Beef✨ by  tustinjomimori (oneshot, fluff) Taishiro is Taishiro no matter how skinny he is. But it IS a surprise when you first see him after his fight with Rappa. [COMPLETED]

My First And Last✨ by cxsmicdxst (oneshot, fluff)[COMPLETED]

Lily Of The Valley✨ by KawaiiBatman (oneshot, flower shop au, fluff) Your hobby for baking, pulls people into your flower shop with the enticing smells of sweets. On this day, it entices your favorite pro-hero.[COMPLETED]

Helpless✨ by DaftLittleOwl(oneshot, hurt/comfort)You can't stop wallowing in this pit, seeing no light at the end of the tunnel before you and yet getting so tired of the dark. Yet, as you keep trekking on, someone shines through the darkness you are surrounded in. He's so kind, so strong and seems to understand without having to pry.[COMPLETED]

Your friendly neighbor Fatgum✨ by  Dawnfighter07(oneshot, fluff)here is a wholesome request, a child of a single mom confuses fatgum with totoro and he just follows him like lost duckling.[COMPLETED]

fat chance!✨ by restwellsoon (oneshot, fluff)You learn about the real history behind bobbing for apples, leading to a sweet encounter / “Our young miss here assigns a name to each apple, usually the names of certain eligible bachelor heroes.”[COMPLETED]

Gazing/tumblr✨ by @nyxdelanuit/NyxDeLaNuit (oneshot, jealousy, childhood friends) Taishiro couldn't stand to see you in another man's arms, but you had been his friend for so long. How could he tell you how he feels now?[COMPLETED]

Big, beautiful and nice / tumblr✨ by @dira333/ Fogfire(oneshot, fluff)Fluffy fic about Single Aunt/Single Mom Reader who starts working at Fatgum's Agency.[COMPLETED]

Everything needs a little work✨ by  Dawnfighter07 (oneshot, angst, fluff) You met Taishiro in school, being high school sweethearts you two married after you graduated. You had the picture perfect marriage really. You two never really fought and you both supported each other in your careers, him being the pro hero he is, and you being a support hero making gear for whoever had enough money. [COMPLETED]

out of reach✨ by @sleepybutwriting (oneshot, fluff)Your tall boyfriend is there to lend a hand when things are out of reach.[COMPLETED]

fatgum x reader✨ by @faulty-writes (oneshot, fluff) the reader has never seen him without his fat and when she does is she doesn't recognize him.[COMPLETED]

Fatgum Doesn't Know How to Flirt by @deleteddewewted (oneshot, fluff) Fatgum is an amazing person but he's not the best at flirting.[COMPLETED]

“just take care of yourself.” by @pinkjeanist (oneshot, insecure taishiro, comfort, fluff)After his doctor tells Taishiro to slow his eating for his health, you start to sit with him while he eats. Talking becomes a good way to distract him, but it soon becomes his path to healing- and surprisingly, it does for you, too.[COMPLETED]

He Protec But He Also Atac by  tustinjomimori (oneshot, fluff) You and Fatgum encounterq a villain while walking home one night. Fatgum does some hero-ing and you help, sorta. There's a cat involved.[COMPLETED]

Sweetheart by PlushRabbit(oneshot, angst, fluff)taishiro and reader gets in an argument and he says something mean to the reader and is extremely sorry for doing so and trys to fix it as best he could.[COMPLETED]

With or without the suit by SpecialN (oneshot, self-confidence issues, strangers to lovers, fluff) With everone else being dressed in their personal best at the party, Fat Gum begins to feel self-conscious about his looks. He tries to let it go, but when he meets you, he decides to impress you by changing into his slim form. If only he knew, you had already developed a little crush on the hero.[COMPLETED]

Seasons In Floral✨ by Hey_Brittannia042 (oneshot, childhood friends to lovers, flower language, fluff) Time and circumstance pulled you apart from your childhood friend. What will it take for you to find your way back?[COMPLETED]

Crush✨ by SheerXFiction (oneshot, fluff) You've got a big fat crush on Taishiro, but little did you know that he had another physical form. That knowledge set your heart over the edge.[COMPLETED]

Fatgum X Reader Coffee shop AU April Writing Peice by Logan_K (oneshot, coffee shop au, angst, fluff, hurt/comfort) You work as a barista and Fatgum comes in often and you both flirt a little but it doesn't go anywhere till one night he saves you from your jealous co-worker.[COMPLETED]

A Date? by HeroAssociation (oneshot) Reader just wanted an evening out. She didn't consider Fatgum coming to her rescue.[COMPLETED]

The Sweet Hero! by DeletedDewewted (oneshot, mention of boddy issues, fluff) Fatgum has been coming into your shop almost every week. You appreciated his support but as a pro hero, it was exhausting. You don't see how there was room to squeeze in a new friend such as Fatgum or even a relationship.[COMPLETED]

Fatgum Accidentally Eats You by  nerdelation8 (oneshot, crack lol)What the title says. It’s lighthearted, silly vore, and you’re fine after he vomits you out.[COMPLETED]

A Harsh Meal [Fatgum x chubby fem!reader] ✨ by Zobiiia(oneshot, angst with happy ending, reder has eating disorder) You and Fatgum meet by chance, and you start having a relationship. Everything seemed to be fine, until…[COMPLETED]

Confidence is Only Skin Deep✨ by  Silverphish(friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, angst, fluff)your relationship with your best friend is thrown for a loop one day, and you must come to grips with these new circumstances as well as prove to Taishiro that you love him no matter what form the golden-haired young man takes.[COMPLETED]

Such A Lonely Number by  IWillBeTheEndofYou (oneshot, fluff) You can't stay away from Fat Gum. You've caught him looking at you, too. It's just a lunch invitation.[COMPLETED]

Purge by tustinjomimori(oneshot, reader has ED, comfort, fluff) Reader has a secret they're ashamed of. But they also have the best boyfriend in the world.[COMPLETED]

A Shared Umbrella by PlushRabbit(oneshot, fluff) Baker reader x Fatgum!![COMPLETED]

[nightmare-grass]

Odd Moon-related Connections in Genshin Lore

- Glaze Lillies and Nilotpala Lotuses only bloom at night

- Glaze Lillies may have been the favorite flower of Guizhong, who’s hair was grey/white and who’s outfit had stardust on it (she was the god of dust, so unless she was a god of stardust specifically that’s some odd things about her)

- Nilotpala Lotuses bloomed at the bleeding feet of the Goddess of Flowers after being cast out of Heaven in the wake of the Seelie disaster

- There is at least one account in Sumeru that claims Liloupar came to the people in a moonbeam. Quote: “Our prayers to the Goddess of Flowers have borne fruit. Her envoy came to us in a moonbeam, granting us life-saving medicine and clean water … …She called herself Liloupar, born of the lilies” and later in that same passage, Quote: “At moonrise, she warned us that the water from the canal may carry disease.” So many mentions of the moon in one text about Liloupar and her relation to the Goddess of Flowers.

- Seelies seem to have a moonlit sky with sparse clouds reflected in their bodies, the bright orb in their heads looks like a moon.

- Guizhong’s death produced a cloud of dust that blocks out the sky and creates a darkened area in Liyue.

- Istaroth was said to be responsible for the Sin Shades, who only show up in Evernight in the dark.

- Nahida has some moon connections in her titles, and she has white hair and pale skin, like Paimon, who has a starry pattern on her scarf like Guizhong had on her robes.

- The Goddess of Flowers built a city for her offspring, the Jinn, and she called it Ay-Khanoum, translated to English that’s the City of the Moon Maiden.

- You can link the mythologies of the Goddess of Flowers and King Deshret to King Solomon and Astarte, who was a version of Ishtar, who is the root for the name Istaroth

- The power of the Aranara is the power of dreams, they exist in the dreamscape. And with how much we use a harp to connect with Aranara, it’s just as likely that music is linked to dreams. And Venti, one of Istaroth’s thousand winds, is a bard who knows all songs past and future, and plays a harp.

- The moon sisters were named Aria, Sonnet, and Canon, literally musical terminology.

- There’s probably a connection between the three moon sisters and Teyvat’s concepts of Time, Memory, and Dreams

- One of Venti’s powers is that he can pull up memories from the far flung past

- The quest for Time and Wind has these sun dial looking things that are actually moon dials since the puzzle only activates at night

- Seelies make a jingling tune, Nahida makes a jingling tune, the Goddess of Flowers taught Rukkhadevata the “source song” which birthed the race of Aranara, and the Pari fought the abyss using the Great Songs of the Khavarena, which seem to summon pure elemental energy aligned with Dendro.

- One of the fairytales that was weirdly important to the Abyss Order before we learned that fairy tales could hold the truth about the past if it’s been rewritten/deleted in Irminsul was the Pale Princess and the Six Pygmies. I’ve already noted a few pale characters with crowns or royal status but there was also a character called the Night Mother, who seemed to be the villain of the story. Another odd Night connection.

- Andersdotter wrote The Boar Princess, her signature rose design is on the cover. A rose is also on the cover of The Pale Princess and the Six Pygmies, so could she have written that too? As a member of the Hexenzirkel, it’s pretty likely.

- The Seelies were said to be beautiful pale people, and Rukkhadevata is pale with white hair, as is Nahida. Another trait they share are elf ears. Klee is pale with fair hair, and she’s an elf; from what we know of Alice, her mom, she could look much the same. Although he’s old, Pulcinella of the Fatui Harbingers is also an elf with white hair and pale skin, fitting the description. Seelies are fairies, and elves in real world folklore are considered fae, so could the Seelies have given us the elf race in Genshin? Or the Moon Sisters, who presided over the Seelies? Elves seem to be as long lived as gods, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

- I think Aria, Sonnet, and Canon represented Memories, Time, and Dreams, symbolizing the past, present, and future respectively. I don’t know the order of the goddesses in their roles, but I do know they had a fight and two died, leaving only one, and wouldn’t it be something if that surviving moon goddess became Istaroth, the god of Time? Maybe even Irminsul came from the death of the moon goddess of Memory? I don’t know what could’ve happened to the goddess of Dreams, but maybe her death caused the constellations that are canonically made up of the crystalline fruits of Irminsul in the sky box of the Firmament.

(If I could post more than 10 pictures I would but you have the internet, you can look up photos of the stuff I’m talking about.)