#anyway I’m actually probably going to chop off most of my hair this weekend

[floral-hex]

Okay okay, I usually hate posting selfies, but then again, I also love a little mild attention. So, to strike a balance, here are 4 recent ones, but I’m posting them at 2am so I don’t have to worry about bothering too many people. Yeah? Ok thanks I love you

[moonofthenight]

Welcome to New York

@spookypotato and I (thank you again <3) wrote a fic for the server event that is going on at the moment and I wanted to share it here too, enjoy!

*

O'Darwin and O'Knutzy belongs to @lumosinlove

*

CW mentions of food and beverages 

It knocked on Leo’s door at 2pm sharp, which didn’t surprise him at all; Kasey was always so dead on time, it scared him sometimes. The two had planned this day for over two weeks now and since Finn and Logan had their date today, Leo used the free flat to invite the other goalie over. He closed the fridge before he made his way into the hallway to open the door.

“Hello Knutty, long time no see,” laughed Kasey as he pulled the blonde in for a short hug.

“Come in, come in. I got everything prepared in the kitchen.”

“I hope you can still live here after today.”

“Honestly Blizz? No one is as bad as Finn and Logan at cooking, believe me. What they are able to do to food shouldn’t be possible.”

“I don’t even want to know.”

To prevent that from happening, Leo chose a simple meal to start with. When Kasey asked him to teach him how to cook he was a bit surprised at first, but he actually enjoyed the idea of teaching someone. 

“Let’s start with chopping the vegetables, that should be easy, non?”, Leo suggested. It was better to know now, if this would be like the times he tried to teach Logan and Finn.

Surprisingly, the following minutes weren’t a complete disaster like he had expected, Kasey was actually quite decent at cooking and followed Leo’s instructions without trouble. It was fun to spend time together and their cheeks were still a bit red from all the laughter when they went over to the kitchen table.

Just as Leo was about to sit down his phone rang, “I’ll be back in a minute.”

It was a text from Finn.

Alex will be home over the weekend too, just wanted to let you know.

He was halfway through typing out an answer when he got an idea.

Don’t tell him Lo and I will be there

What? Why?

Let's bring Nat and Kase as a surprise. It won't be as obvious if he thinks we all can't come

I love you

Knew you'd like it, lyt

***

They had lost Kasey and Natalie in the airport, when Finn decided to buy Leo and Logan each an 'I heart NY-boys' shirt. A quick call told them that the couple was already outside.

It was colder in New York, the sky was grey but Finn felt warm when he stepped out of the airport. New York was home to him, it would always somehow be, and bringing Leo and Logan with him, especially Leo, since he hadn't been able to bring him as often yet, felt amazing. A warm body snuggled under his arm and he smiled.

“It’s cold,” Logan pouted and hid his face in Finn’s chest.

“I thought you were used to it. I'm pretty sure you even quoted Elsa on that once, baby."

When Logan just continued to pout, he gently leaned down to kiss his messy airplane curls, "If you let me go you can have my jacket.”

Logan was quiet for a minute, “No, you’re warmer.”

Leo chuckled and grabbed their suitcases, “Kase and Nat are over there. I think they spotted the taxi, let’s go.”

Logan peeled himself off of Finn, still pouting a bit but the thought of a warm car seemed to do the deal. Finn and Leo followed quickly, helping Kasey to put all their bags into the back of the car before getting in themselves. Finn leaned forward to tell the driver their destination.

It was quiet for a while after that, everybody was quite exhausted from the flight, Logan was already dosing off on Leo’s shoulder; he carefully moved his fingers through the brown curls, a loving look in his eyes.

“Thank you,” said Nat suddenly, looking at Leo.

“What did I do?”

“For coming up with the idea,” Kasey added, “We haven’t seen Alex for three months now, so, thank you for thinking of us.”

Leo smiled at them, “It’s unfair that you can't see him regularly and I thought it might be a nice surprise for him.”

“I hope he will like it,” Nat said sleepily, resting her head on Kasey’s shoulder.

“I’m glad my brother found you two, I really am. I mean, the distance sucks but he’s so happy with you. He deserves that more than anything,” said Finn and bumped his shoulder lightly with Kasey’s, careful not to wake Nat.

“I’m sorry.” Kasey said and Finn wasn't sure if it was to himself or someone else.

“What?”

“Well, I knew I loved your brother since Tampa and I didn’t have the guts to do something about it. It probably would have saved us some time.”

“Nah, who knows if everything would have worked out like it did now. Sure, maybe you could have saved some time and pain but I’m just glad you found your way now.”

“Thank-” Kasey started but got interrupted by the driver, “We are here, sir.”

Finn reached for his wallet but Kasey was faster, “Take it as some kind of thank you.”

Finn smiled at him. “Will we do it as planned?”

"Yep, we will wait around the corner, you go in."

Natalie and Kasey walked as quietly as possible but the loud noise of the three other suitcases was enough to drown out the rest anyway. The moment Finn knocked on the door, it flew open, as if the older O'Hara had been behind it for some time. 

"Bubbles!"

"Alex!", Finn screamed with equal enthusiasm, laughing at the silly nickname. He threw his arms around his older brother and just held him tight. Finn missed him too, it's not easy if you grow up in a close relationship with your brother and suddenly you are miles and miles away.

Finn didn't want to let him go just yet and decided to continue their hug. It had been too long, really.

Alex just laughed and squeezed him tightly. "Come in, Mum and Dad already made tea and coffee and they bought your favourite- Leo? Logan? What are you doing here?"

At that Finn stepped back, looking at his brother sheepishly, but determined.

Alex's confused face made Logan chuckle, "Hello to you too, Red. How are you doing? I'm good, thank you. I missed you too." Alex rolled his eyes but gave them both a welcoming smile. "Finn can't go a day without us, so he asked us to come with us."

"I did not say that!"

"Mhh, whatever makes you sleep at night, sweetheart," Leo leaned down to kiss their pouting lover. Finn rolled his eyes at him. 

Alex still seemed to be trying to piece everything together, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Guess I just forgot," Finn shrugged and moved past his brother to greet his parents, pulling Leo with him. The taller boy had of course met the O'Hara's but he was still nervous. They had barely made it into the room before both got tackled by hugs.

"It's great to see you Haley," Leo said when he let go and received a loving pat on the cheek as a thank you. They switched places and her arms were replaced by a firm grip around Leo's shoulders.

"Where is my other boy?" Finn's mother asked, going up to her toes and looking around the room.

"Here," Logan said, who came into the living room right that instant, Alex close behind him. "There you are! Oh, come here I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Why do you get so excited to see Logan? You weren't that excited with me. Betrayed by my own mother, I can't believe it!" Alex complained, holding his hand over his heart. 

His mother snorted at Alex's dramatic reaction. "Stop whining and make yourself useful, get some tea for Leo. You still prefer tea, right?"

"Yeah I do, thank you," Leo said with a smile and then blew Alex a kiss, who just subtly flipped him off in return.

The six settled down shortly after and Leo sent out a quick text to Kasey; not a minute later the doorbell rang again.

"Alex, would you be so kind?"

Alex gave his mother a quick nod, before making his way over to the door. He was expecting the mailman but the people in front of him were most definitely not a package. Alex just froze in place and he was pretty sure his mouth fell open too. 

"Hi, baby," said Kasey with a soft exhale, his smile as bright as ever. 

"Wha- I- What?" Alex still hadn't moved.

"Surprise!" said Natalie who threw herself at Alex, jumping up to wrap her legs around the boy's hips. He caught her easily and after another minute of shock, tears formed in his eyes and he pulled the blonde impossibly closer to his body. Alex put a hand on her cheek, kissing her softly. He blinked rapidly and looked up when they parted and Natalie jumped down to the ground again.

"That bad to see us, eh?", said Kasey softly, who still stood in the doorway and watched the whole interaction with a warm, fuzzy feeling around his heart. 

"God, just- come here."

Alex didn't care about anything at all when he finally locked his lips with Kasey. His hands immediately went into the soft long hair of his boyfriend, craving as much closeness as possible. After another moment, Alex pressed their foreheads together, catching his breath. 

The rustling behind them, broke through their shared breaths, "We'll give you a moment to catch up," Haley told them, a knowing smile on her lips as she ushered the other men into another room.

Somehow his mother always knew what was going on. He turned back to his partners, still unable to grasp that they were actually here, in New York City, with him.

"Missed us?" Nat asked as she stepped up close to Alex again, slotting herself underneath the already held out arm of her oldest boyfriend.

Resting his head on hers, he gestured for Kasey to join their group hug. "More than I could ever put into words."

"Love you, Alex." Kasey breathed out as he felt his boyfriend's arm wrap around his waist, snuggling his face into Alex's neck and placing a few soft kisses there.

Another arm was placed around Kasey's waist as Natalie gathered her boyfriends closer to her, breathing in the familiar smell of Mango Shampoo and of the sanitizer Kasey always uses after flights. It mixed with Alex's aftershave, that she still couldn't assign anything else than home, love and safety. It was Alex.

"Love you." she murmured, not willing to move her head further away that was necessary to get the words out.

Alex smiled at them. Oh, how he had missed this. How he had missed them.

"Love you both."

[keepthyfaithandthylight]

Reincarnation au part 4?

The week went by slowly but surely, and soon enough it was Friday night. Most everyone had gone out partying, including Georges who seemed to talk about only that the entire day.

“You’re not going out?” Max asked, watching his roommate dry his hair with a towel. Always how their conversations started in the evening.

“Nah, I don’t really feel like it. I’d rather just stay in honestly.” He answered, hair now wrapped in said towel.

“I see. Well I picked up some microwave food, which I know is not the healthiest option, but it’s something. If you want some, of course.” Max suggested.

“Oh yeah, sure, I’ll take some.” Antoine replied, focusing more of his attention on other things. Max nodded to himself, before sliding off of his bed and making his way over to his stash of food.

“You know, I was thinking maybe tomorrow we could go and find like.. a shelf or something. I know you have an entire bag of stuff under your bed that you haven’t gone through, some extra storage might be helpful.” He suggested, already putting the food in the microwave.

“Sure, I guess.” Came the hesitant response.

Maybe that’s a bad idea. We’ll see tomorrow.

“Alright, well I hope you like ramen.” Max commented, with a chuckle.

“Of course, it’s a staple of college life isn’t it.” Antoine replied. “Thanks,” he said, grabbing the cup of noodles from Max before sitting back on his bed. Max grabbed his own cup of ramen before settling on his own bed.

In the end they ended up turning on some cheap knockoff Netflix horror movie which managed to last until 10:30.

***

For once the entire week, Max was not woken by the strange remix of Chop Suey, but instead the sun shining directly in his face. Drowsily making his usual cup of coffee, he sat for a moment in thought.

“I knew you were up the moment I smelled coffee.” Came an amused voice from somewhere. Max jumped, nearly spilling his coffee, before glancing to his side.

“Oh, it’s just you. Sorry, forgot where I was for a moment.” He said, airily, and Antoine snickered very briefly.

“I noticed.” He said, with a carefully raised brow. “So, IKEA?” Max slowly lowered his cup of coffee at that.

“Why specifically IKEA..?” He asked, and a glint of mischief briefly flashed in Antoine’s eyes.

“Because,” he began, “have you ever tried to assemble a piece of furniture from ikea..?” He asked, leaning against the counter.

“Yes, it never goes well.” Max responded, with confusion.

“Exactly. But not this time, because at least I’m not putting it together on my own.” His roommate said, digging around and pulling out a t-shirt. “So, finish your coffee and get ready, we’re leaving right after.” Max raised an eyebrow as his eyes went wide.

“Not if I’m the one driving we’re not?” He replied.

“You’re not, I am.” Max groaned, before downing his coffee as quickly as he could, rushing around to get ready. As he stood brushing his teeth, he noticed the shadows under his eyes getting darker, or at least, darker than they were one week ago. Pushing the thought aside, he refocused on getting ready.

“Please tell me you obey traffic laws..” he began, emerging from the bathroom.

“I wouldn’t have passed the test if I didn’t.” Answered Antoine, walking out the door and into the hall, Max sighing tiredly before following after him. The air, at least, was slightly cooler outside to Max’s relief.

Ah, finally fall is coming soon. What a relief.

Max fell quiet before getting in the car, putting the seatbelt on and making sure it was extra tight.

“So you’re telling me you lived in this car for who knows how long..?” He asked, nervously.

“Uh.. yeah. That would be correct. Not like I didn’t clean it out when I got here, calm down.” Replied Antoine, who was more focused on actually starting the car.

“No, no, I have no doubt that you did. I’m just saying it’s.. kind of small. And you had a lot of stuff plus yourself-“ Max continued, weighing his points invisibly in his hands.

“Oh. Yeah, that wasn’t really enjoyable. It wasn’t all bad though, I could just turn on music and look out at the stars through the sunroof. That was the best part honestly. Everything else was shit, and don’t get me wrong I love this car but it is not ideal to have to live out of.” Antoine replied again, already focused on driving.

I won’t press the issue further, it had to be a pretty personal reason. No one just immediately goes to living out of their car after graduating.

The highway signs passed like sand in an hour glass, and soon enough they found themselves wandering through an ikea.

“How about these?” Max asked, pointing to some small shelves. “They’re small but I think they’d be able to hold quite a bit, plus there’s multiple.” He continued.

“Yeah, those could probably work.” Antoine replied, and without a second thought he was grabbing the box. Max stared wide eyed for a moment, before nodding and following him once more.

Once the shelves were actually bought, they traversed the large parking lot all the way back to Antoine’s car, putting the shelves in the trunk and making their way back. Max could tell he was in for a long day.

Once they were sat back in their dorm, with the materials scattered about the floor, Max made himself another cup of coffee.

“Do we have a screwdriver?” Antoine asked, from his spot on the floor, nose deep in the instructions.

“I don’t think so.” Max answered, apologetically.

“Maybe Georges has one, could you go ask him? I really hate to ask him of all people but..” his roommate trailed off, and Max nodded.

And so then Max was marching off towards Georges’ dorm, knocking on the door before he had any time to protest.

“What the fuck do you- Maximilien..?” Georges asked, clearly hung over.

“Hi yes-“

“Who’s at the door?” A woman’s groggy voice asked from somewhere in the room, Max immediately went expressionless.

Of course.

“Just some guy from my art history class, don’t worry about it!” Georges called back in response, before turning back to Max. “Anyway, how can I help you.” The latter cleared his throat awkwardly.

“I was wondering if you have a screwdriver I could borrow.” He asked, and Georges thought for a moment.

“Actually, I think I do, give me a sec.” he said, briefly retreating back into his room, before returning and slapping a screwdriver in Max’s hand. “There you go, man.”

“Thanks.” Max said simply, and made his way back.

***

“I have our screwdriver.” Max said, passing it to Antoine, before grabbing his beloved coffee.

How would I manage to have made it this far without caffeine.

“See?! I told you this time would be better!” Antoine exclaimed suddenly, with triumph clear in his voice. In front of him sat a set of surprisingly logical shelves.

“Nice, now to just put them in the wall.” Max responded, smiling tiredly. It had taken the entire morning and most of the afternoon, the sun was close to setting.

Who knew it took this long to put shelves together? Actually, it’s most likely because they’re from ikea.

Then his phone buzzed.

Camille:

Hey dude, Lucile told me to tell you she said hello.

Anyway, we have a date set. The wedding is going to be March 3rd.

Max smiled at his phone before typing out his response.

‘Alright, I’ll put it in my calendar. Thank you for letting me know.’

He put his phone back down, before passing Antoine a nail that sat on the floor.

“That might be helpful.” He said, with a warm smile.

“Oh, thanks.” His roommate replied, taking the nail from him.

Max couldn’t really be much help with actually getting the shelves up on the wall, so he simply stared out the window and drank his coffee. His third cup.

It was surprisingly quiet that evening, everyone was either away for the weekend, or staying inside.

Somehow, he missed the sound of rustling around in the bag, and only just now registered the sound of what he thought was sniffling. He turned away from the window, face wrought with worry.

“Are you.. ok..?” He asked, and Antoine nearly jumped, before coughing, the cough obviously being fake.

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine I just.. dust. In my nose.” He responded, completely avoiding turning around to face Max. “You know what, I’m going to shower before I go through the bag.” Max watched still as his roommate made a beeline for the bathroom.

Alright, that's troubling.

Max wasn’t going to just go snooping around in his roommates stuff, he figured that if Antoine wanted to talk he would.

The evening was spent ignoring the issue, eating more Chinese food, and watching movies.

The moon shone in brightly through the single window that they were lucky enough to have, as Max sat on his bed. Beside him, he heard the sound of a sigh and the bag being dragged out from under the bed, it’s contents being carefully piled together.

“That’s a big difference from how you treated the other bags,” Max commented, with a raised brow, his tone as light as he could manage.

“Well yeah, the contents are fragile.” Antoine answered, laughing dryly. “They’re pictures.”

“I see,” Max added, nodding sagely. There was a pause.

“Did you.. want to see them or something..?” His roommate asked, and he stared back intrigued. “I don’t really mind, you know.” With that he slid off of his bed, sitting on his roommates when the latter moved a bit to give him room.

In a pile, there sat photos. Photos that Max felt wrong for looking at.

“Who is that?” He asked, pointing to the other person in the picture. It was a girl, and she was smiling rather brightly.

“Right… that’s my ex.” Antoine answered. “And the reason I was living out of my car.” Max fell silent.

“Are you.. are you sure you want me looking at these..?” He asked, and the other shrugged.

“Doesn’t really matter honestly. They’re from a time that at this point is long gone.” Antoine answered. “Oh, this one’s funny. That was at the end of one of the school years, I can’t remember which, she and I and a bunch of our friends all just.. kind of.. spontaneously went camping. May or may not have stolen a car, that’s also the first time we decide to use fake ID’s, it was.. very illegal. But it was fun. Just don’t tell the cops.” He said, holding a picture with a group of teenagers in the middle of the woods by a lake in swim suits. Two familiar faces stood out. “He actually ended up getting stuck in a tree. No idea how he got up in said tree but once he did he could not get back down.” The pair laughed a bit. Picture after picture, Max felt like he was almost intruding. “Oh, that was graduation, oh and this one is when we ended up getting an apartment, and.. that was last Christmas.”

“You guys seemed very happy,” Max commented absently.

“Yeah, I guess we were.” Antoine answered, silence fell once more and before Max could even speak, his question was answered. “But, her parents absolutely hated me. Why I have no idea, but.. because we ended up getting the apartment together I had nowhere to stay so I ended up just living out of my car. In case you were wondering.” There was a pause. “Not her fault, really, but.. honestly she was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. She was funny, too, and always so supportive. There’s no other person like her in the world.” Antoine rambled, voice clearly strained.

“You miss her, I can tell.” Max commented, brows knitted together. His heart hurt.

“Maybe I do, but it’s not like I’ll ever see her again.” Antoine answered.

“What was her name?”

“Thérèse.”

[staceysonier]

Little Red (MxF) Part 2 *NSFW*

*Gnoll Boyfriend!*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I saw Tazz the next day, or his hulking figure, at the edge of the woods.

It still blew me away how dark the woods were, even with the morning sun shining down on my grandma's small clearing.

"You can come out, Tazz," I called as I sat in a rocking chair on the wooden porch with a steaming cup of coffee.

"I don't think you'd like what you saw," he called back but moved closer within the treeline, still covered in darkness.

"I wouldn't like what I saw if I didn't already know you, maybe, but I've never been shallow, and you of all...creatures...should know that," I rolled my eyes.

I listened to him growl and something about it deep and gravel-like down in his big chest had a jolt of energy rocketing straight south within my body.

And then I had to mentally chastise myself because it was much too early to be feeling those kinds of feelings...there, anyway.

But when I looked down at my cup and saw that my nipples had peaked as well, I crossed my arms over my chest and blushed and wondered if he could tell what I was thinking or if he had been able to sense things as well as he had when we were younger.

He seemed to know all of my moods, being more clingy and touchy when I was upset, making me laugh until I had tears rolling down my cheeks when I was sad, and usually kept his distance when I was angry.

Leaves crunching caught my attention and I turned to see him moving closer, his silhouetted head tilted up and his snout-like nose sniffing.

And then those eyes that I had seen yesterday pointed my direction and he made a noise at the back of his throat before he backed away.

"Chette, you need to go inside. I'm sure Rosa has your breakfast ready," he said in a short tone and when I stood up and a sudden gust of wind blew past me that had my nightgown billowing around me and into the trees, I watched him stiffen before he disappeared.

"The fuck," I whispered but made my way inside and had breakfast with my grandmother before getting dressed to help her around her place.

***

I didn't see Tazz for the rest of the weekend. I called for him Saturday evening but I got no response. I called for him Sunday morning--no response.

And when I had to leave, I kept my eyes on the treeline on the way down the path to my car, hoping to catch a glimpse of him...

But nothing.

I thought I saw something huge running in the treeline as I drove down the gravel road that led to my grandmother's road but it stopped at the edge of the woods.

I hated that I wasn't able to stay longer but I was grateful that I got to see my grandmother again... And I was grateful to remember and talk to Tazz again.

Hoping, praying, and wishing was I, that summer break would hurry up and come soon.

***

"You have to, Blanchette," My mother said with her brow raised.

"Again, mom? Seriously? I was just out there! Grandmas fine! I saw her with my own two eyes, for Christ's sake," I cried out in frustration as I sat at the island while she made dinner.

My mom huffed but continued to chop the carrots.

"I don't understand what happened since then but you said you had a great time with her during winter break," she insisted and brought the carrots to the pot behind her.

"Yeah," I said as I put my phone down, "I don't even really remember all that happened but I definitely don't want to waste my whole summer break at her tiny shack, mom! I have a life, friends, and I wanted to look for a job!"

She glared at me in that 'no-nonsense' kind of way, "I said you're going and that's final. Do you hear me? Your grandmother says she needs help and since your father is away at work and I have to be here for your little sister, it's up to you to go and help her."

It was my turn to huff and drag my hand through my hair.

"Seriously mom, be cool, please? I mean, why don't you just pack up Megan and bring her! I'm sure she'd love the outdoors!"

Her face turned red and then she exploded.

"I am not going out there! You are and that's final! Not another word, Blanchette, and I mean it! Go and pack enough for at least a few weeks and I don't even want to hear a sigh! Now go!"

My eyes widened because she had never really gone off like that so I was sure she meant business. But I stepped down from my stool and headed up the stairs without even a sigh.

But once I got to my room, I was, quietly, cussing up a storm.

***

The closer I got, the more I remembered.

The huge dark figure in the treeline, and the feeling of comfort but also...

That growl.

My heart started to race as I parked my car where I parked it the last time.

I didn't need the cloak this time as it was summer and hot as hell so all I had on was a pair of shorts, tennis shoes for the trip through the overgrown path, and a sleeveless shirt.

And sunglasses, of course.

I grabbed my duffle bag out of the back and knew I would hate the walk this time because the bag was packed to the brim with all the things I thought I would need but now regretted.

"Fuck me," I growled under my breath and kicked the back door closed with my foot before locking the car and placing the keys in my pockets.

I began my trek up the path and then had to switch shoulders when one got tired.

"′Go and visit your grandmother again, Blanchette', 'It'll be fun, Blanchette', ′Just you and her and the peace of the woods, Blanchette'. Yeah, and this mile-long trek to her house with this hundred-pound duffle bag, mom!"

My thoughts were taken from how angry I was when I heard leaves crunching and sticks breaking past the treeline.

And my heart was racing again and that anxiety I remember feeling when I was leaving the last time I was here, was back again.

"Tazz," I breathed out hopefully as I saw a familiar hulking figure of darkness--but now it looked...slimmer.

"Chette," he softly greeted, "And with fewer clothes than the last time, I see," he teased.

I blushed and looked down at how tight my sleeveless shirt was, and how this was probably the wrong shirt to wear on this day because while also trying to carry my heavy bag, I also had to keep pulling up the shirt so it wouldn't expose my braless breasts.

My midriff was showing, as well, and the shorts could've been deemed too inappropriate but it was summer and it was hot and there was no way I was going to go by social regulations while out in the woods.

But something about having Tazz comment on my outfit...

It had my body feeling...things.

"It's summer," Is all I said, though.

"Indeed, it is. I caught on that you needed help with that," he asked and stretched his arm out and I gasped as I caught sight of his hands and claws.

He pulled his hand back as quickly as the sound escaped my mouth and I instantly felt regret.

"I'm sorry, it's just been so long since I've seen you," I moved closer, "Your nails weren't nearly as...deadly when we were kids," I tried but then I watched him disappear again.

"Fuck," I whispered as all around me was quiet again.

***

"Oh, Chettie-spaghetti, I'm so glad you came again," My grandma met me on the porch but then she frowned.

"Tazz didn't help you with your bag," she asked accusingly and then turned her attention to the treeline.

"Oh, he tried, but I scared him off," I huffed as I walked up the stairs and onto the porch.

She laughed as she pulled me into a hug, "You scared him off? What'd you do?"

I grumbled and slumped my bag down on the porch with another huff, "I gasped when I saw his claws. I hadn't meant to and it wasn't because I was scared or anything..."

"Quite the opposite actually," Grandma asked with a knowing look and I blushed under her gaze.

She then chuckled and patted the back of my hand, "Leave your bag here and go take a walk. You need to talk to him. He's missed you."

I rolled my eyes and lifted a brow, "He didn't even see me off when I left in January. If he missed me so much then why did he avoid me?"

Grandma shrugged and smirked, "You'll have to talk to him about that, sweetheart."

I watched as she walked around me and my bag and then into the house before she turned around before the door shut, "Don't stay out too long, I'm making dinner. But then again...Tazz most likely won't let you."

"Grandma, how am I supposed to find him," I asked quietly before she turned back around.

Jutting out her chin, she looked out at the treeline, "Go get lost. He'll find you."

If that's what it would take...then I guessed that's what I would do.

She shut the door behind her and I walked down the steps and out into the clearing but stopped at the treeline.

"Tazz," I said, knowing that he was probably watching and could most likely hear me, "Are you really going to make me come in there after you? You want me to get lost in there?"

No response.

"Fine," I shrugged and stepped a foot past the treeline before I heard branches snapping.

"Uh-huh," I smirked and followed the sound that was just in front but a bit to the right of me.

I lifted branches and stepped over various spiked vines and tree roots as I followed the sounds of breaking sticks through the forest.

"You will help me get back out of here, right," I asked in a chuckle and was then pushed up against the base of a tree, my front to the bark.

"What the he--"

"--You were following a Dryad," he whispered into my ear.

A shiver ran down my spine as I felt his fur all over my half-naked back, his warm breath on my naked shoulder and neck.

"What would she have done," I asked in a whisper.

I felt his cold nose drag up my neck, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

"She would've charmed your panties off," And I heard the smirk in his words.

I let out a breathless chuckle before I sucked in a deep breath, "Is she at least pretty?"

He scoffed lightly, "All nymphs are beautiful. That's why I find you so charming."

"Beautiful and charming, huh? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting, Tazzimo," I tried to say with confidence but it definitely came out as a whimper.

"Your pounding heart...and the scent of your arousal...they are both flirting with me," he said and I imaged he had a brow raised as he looked me over with a hunger in his eyes. I know I would be.

I then felt one of his hands with all of those sharp claws touch my hip and I gasped but he didn't back away. No, he moved that hand around to my front and planted it on my stomach and moved closer.

"You smell divine, Chette," he whispered and I felt his tongue run along my neck.

I swallowed audibly and was focused on those claws sitting against the skin of my lower stomach.

"You could rip me open with just the swipe of your hand," I whimpered quietly.

He growled, "Does the thought frighten you?"

"No," I breathed out and when his other hand wrapped around my throat, I laid my head back against his chest.

"You really aren't scared, are you? You're...you're turned on...by me," he asked and chuckled darkly before his fingers squeezed lightly around the sides of my neck.

"Um," I tried to play it down but I felt the fingers wrapped around my throat let go and then I felt those sharp claws touch the sensitive skin of my neck.

I then felt as he ran them, gently, down to the top of my chest, "Don't lie to me, Chette. You've never been good at lying."

"You always could smell a lie when I told one," I whispered and my chest was heaving with my heavy breathing as his claws played at the top of my shirt.

"Mmh, let's play a game," he suggested and I felt the claws on my naked lower stomach tap there.

"A game," I asked, unsure.

"Yeah. Two truths, one lie. You tell me two truths and one lie and I'll try to guess which one is a lie," he whispered and ran his tongue along my neck again.

"Okay... Um," I thought for a moment.

"I didn't want to come out here again when my mom asked me to. Um, I love my grandma... And... I don't...want to...kiss you."

I was spun around then, my back to the tree, and came face to face with his massive chest until I felt his claws lift my chin. My eyes then met his and he smirked down at me.

"Lie," he growled, "I'll have to punish you now."

I whimpered but my panties were damp, "You wanted it!"

"And so do you," he whispered and picked me up so that I wrapped my legs around his waist and I was face to face with him with my arms around his furry spotted neck.

He looked like Tazz, like he always had but older, more masculine. He had an edge now that he never had when we were growing up but maybe that came with age.

His brown eyes looked black in the darkness with barely any light reaching through the trees and his teeth were sharp in his mouth...

But I wanted nothing more than to feel them on my skin.

I looked up into his eyes again, "I don't want to kiss you," I lied again.

"I'll punish you, for sure, now," he whispered and looked down at my lips.

"Please don't."

He smashed his lips to mine and then we were frenzied as he yanked my top down to sit at my hips and pushed my back against the tree before bringing his claws between us and shredding the small bit of denim that was my shorts before obliterating my panties with just a yank.

And I had to pull back just a bit to moan as I felt one of his claws graze my clitoris a few times.

"Please," I breathed into his open mouth before letting my tongue find his.

I then heard the sound of a zipper and the ruffle of cloth before I felt something hard and hot against my slit.

"So warm, Chette, and so wet," he said and was all but panting with his tongue hanging out.

I pushed my lips back to his and brought my hands down to rub his cock.

It was so big that I had to use both hands to fit around him as one wouldn't close. And once I got down to the base of him, I felt his knot and gasped at the size. There was no way.

"Impossible," I whimpered but he made me look into his eyes with his hand around my neck again.

"All of me will fit inside of you," he growled and brought the tip of his cock to my entrance before he pushed in.

"Oh, fuck," I breathed out and chuckled breathlessly, "Big boy."

"Tight," he grunted and growled when his knot hit against my opening but couldn't fit.

"Go, please, hurry," I whispered and kissed him as I felt him begin to rock in and out of me, each time, his knot hitting against me and each time, I gasped for what was to come.

And as he rutted up into me, he brought both of my wrists up above my head and held them there with one of his large hands as we kissed.

As he sped up his thrusting, we both began moaning into the other's mouth.

"You like that," he grunted before nudging my head to the side so he could have access to my neck.

"Yes! Just like that, please!"

I then felt his teeth drag along my throat, sending jolts of electricity to my clitoris.

"I'm close," I cried out and loved feeling how big he was inside of me, how much he stretched me, "Bite me, Tazz."

"Yeah? You like my teeth on your delicate human skin, Chette? One wrong move and I could seriously hurt you," he whispered but his words were what sent me over the edge.

I tightened my legs around his waist as my walls tightened around his cock. I squeezed the hand that was holding my hands above my head as I wailed out my climax.

He growled and began to thrust harder into me, his knot hitting against my sensitive entrance but I was ready for it--ready for all of him.

"Helpless," he growled and his dark eyes were on mine, "Even if you wanted me to let you go, there'd be nothing you could do to make me. You're helpless, Chette, and you love it, don't you? You're at my mercy and I say when I'm finished with you."

"You're gonna make me come again," I cried and could already feel the build-up again, that familiar feeling of heat rushing through my body.

"Not until I say you can," he enunciated every word with a hard and punishing thrust.

"Please say I can, please say I can," I pleaded as I tried to hold back the flood gates but I was almost there.

It wouldn't be long before I overflowed again.

And then he thrust hard into me, and I had to stretch to take his knot. At the same time, he latched his teeth onto the skin between my neck and shoulder with a growl and I exploded--seeing stars behind my eyelids as I came for a second time.

As I came back down from the heavens, he was licking where he bit me and his fingers were rubbing the tops of my hands.

"Are you okay," he asked gently and widened his stance as his come began to glob out of me and onto the forest floor with how much there was. And because of this, it caused him to shift inside of me.

I gasped and clenched my walls around him and listened to him growl as he pushed as far as he could into me.

"Sensitive," he groaned as he buried his face in my neck and licked the mark he left again.

"Stop moving so much then," I teased and nuzzled my cheek to his.

"I don't want come on my feet," he whined and chuckled as he pulled back to look down at me.

"Then don't come so much," I whispered and grinned.

"That is not something I can help," he admitted and brought my hands up and licked the backs of them.

It was only then that I saw I was bleeding slightly.

There were small dots exactly where his claws had been as he held my hand but it warmed my heart to see him taking care of me as he used to when we were growing up.

"I'm okay," I answered his question with a genuine smile, "Better than, actually."

As his knot reduced, he slipped out of me and then set me down.  

I pulled my top back up to cover my breasts but there was absolutely no salvaging my shorts.

Tazz smiled sheepishly and kneeled down to grab his jean shorts before holding them out to me.

"Sorry about your shorts...and your panties," he chuckled.

I pulled up the shorts but they were several sizes too big so I had to hold them up, and we both laughed at the sight.

"I should be getting you back. Rosa's probably worried and dinner is definitely ready. I can smell it," he said quietly as he looked down at me.

"She's not worried. She's the one who told me to come into the forest and get lost. She said you'd find me," I blushed and began walking in the direction of my grandmothers house.

"I'll always find you, Chette. If you want to be found," he said quietly again and walked with me.

We were quiet for most of the walk back but once I could see the clearing through the trees, my stomach started to knot knowing that we would have to part soon.

"How long will you be here this time," Tazz asked and I could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

"I'll be here most of the summer," I replied and watched the forest floor as we walked.

But then I was pushed against a tree again and his lips were on mine and I was ready to go for round two but he pulled back.

"Then we'll just have to make the most of the summer, won't we," he growled and licked over the mark he left on my skin again.

And before I knew it, I was pushed into the clearing and when I turned around, Tazz was gone.

"Thanks for making me face her along, you asshole," I hissed at the treeline, hoping he was watching before I turned around and started walking up to the porch.

I knew grandma would ask a million and two questions with the way I looked but I had to face her at some point.

It did help that I was more relaxed now...but I was in definite need of a shower.

There was no way I could keep Tazz's shorts up and carry my bag inside so I just kneeled down and grabbed some clothes before going inside.

Grandma had her back to me as she was busy in the kitchen and I tried my hardest to sneak past her but damn her squeaky floorboards!

"Chettie? You're back," she asked and turned around and then let out one loud laugh when her eyes met me.

"And it seems you had fun...but...you lost your shorts, dear," she smirked," And you've got a bite mark on your neck. Oh dear, you were attacked, weren't you? Did you fight terribly?"

I chuckled but rolled my eyes, "For my life, grandma. If you don't mine, I'll be taking a shower now."

"Yeah," she asked as I set off down the hallway, "You need help getting the tree bark out of your hair, dear?"

"Grandma," I cried but could here her hyena laughing in the kitchen as I slammed the bathroom door.

I was never going to be able to live this down.

And I knew I didn't want to.  

Tonight was one of the best nights of my life and I couldn't wait for many, many, many more.

[coffeestainsandcashmere]

hi hi hi, please can i prompt something a lil bit angsty (because i do adore my angst). the first serious fight that theo x draco x hermione have, and maybe how they make up after? thank you.

I loved loved LOVED this prompt, and I’m sorry it took me so long to get round to it. If it’s any consolation, it’s nearly 4k words long...?

Featuring: Draco being the grandiose nobleman he was brought up to be, Theo unthinkingly going along with it, one EXTREMELY tired Hermione who is absolutely not up for surprises or grand, showy, romantic gestures, Hagrid, Fang, Firenze the centaur, and a dollop of fluff to wash the fleeting angst and misunderstandings down.

Hope you enjoy it!

___

After the longest week, with barely a moment to catch her breath, burning the candle at both ends, all Hermione wanted to do on Saturday was sleep, read up on a few more things for an upcoming Ancient Studies test, perhaps lounge in the boys’ room down in the Dungeons, and perhaps convince one of them to give her a massage. Simple, humble plans, every last one of them.  

But the universe, apparently, had other ideas, given that it had seen fit to make the busiest week of term so far culminate not in an ordinary weekend, but in Valentine’s Day.  

Wizarding and Muggle alike the world was awash with pink hearts and red roses, and Hermione wanted nothing to do with it. She never had, and she knew that both boys were unfortunately prone to grand displays of affection, and that made her anxious and snappy. She’d spent most of the previous week - in the cumulative half hour that she’d actually spent in their company - trying to hint and suggest heavily that she had no interest in grand surprises and romantic endeavours. The most romantic thing someone could do for her was respect her wishes, after all.  

Quite deliberately, she’d not made any concrete plans to see the boys that Saturday, helped by the fact that Draco had an extensive Quidditch training session scheduled and Theo had some work to catch up, but after she’d woken at her usual time anyway, and had lain there for an hour, praying for sleep that wasn’t going to return, she got up. Her mother had always said that if you can’t rest, do something productive.  

The Great Hall teemed with excitable younger years, one or two unfortunate howlers, and a plethora of Exploding Envelopes filled with glittering confetti hearts from Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, and she turned around and left before even bothering to step inside. It wasn’t that she hated the sentiments behind Valentine’s at all, but honestly, it just felt rather cheap and the thought of it all simply… exhausted her further.  

Without pausing or returning to the Tower, she made the split-second decision just to bolt out into the grounds and found herself eventually at Hagrid’s hut. He was outside chopping wood and Fang was busy sneakily lapping tea out of the bucket-sized mug that Hagrid had set on a spare stump. The enormous hound looked up suddenly as she caught him in the act, but then gave a low, baying woof of welcome.  

“‘Allo, ‘Ermione,” Hagrid said with a grunt and a little puzzled frown as he straightened from his work. “Good te see yeh. What brings yeh down ‘ere at this time o’ day?”

She shrugged. “Got any jobs I can help with?” she asked instead and he raised an eyebrow and chuckled.  

“Don’t see yeh swinging this around…” the half-giant laughed, hefting the axe that looked like it weighed five times what she did.  

“Preferably not,” she said. “Though I’m not opposed to using magic to get it done.”

“I think I’ve got a few jobs we can do together,” he said. “Fang? Let’s go see Uncle Firenze, eh?” 

They spent the day in the Forbidden Forest with the centaurs, a rare opportunity that Hermione relished, gathering wild mushrooms that only grew in the very depths of the forest and bringing them back carefully in a covered basket for the potions storeroom, among other rare ingredients. She also spent a long time walking with Firenze, the pale centaur quizzing her about the state of the wider wizarding world now, and she in turn asking him questions about the more rigorous sides of the art of divination. The three of them, four if you counted Fang snuffling about in the undergrowth, ate a packed lunch of cheese sandwiches which Hagrid drew out of his top pocket, only slightly misshapen and squashed, and afterwards Firenze showed them some rare, early-spring berries that tasted like pomegranate but had the texture of blueberries.  

At last, her physical exhaustion matched her mental tiredness, and by the time they returned to Hagrid’s hut an hour from sunset, grubby and a little sweaty, she felt fit to fall over.  

“Thank you, Hagrid,” she said, pushing a strand of her ‘witch of the wilds’ hair out of her face, only for it to spring back again. It was so big at that point that a hippogriff chick could probably have nested atop it in perfect comfort. “I needed the distraction.”

He bowed in quiet understanding. “Any time, ‘Ermione. Yeh know that.”

She blessed him silently for not asking any more, and with a nod and a final pat on Fang’s head, she turned her steps towards the castle with no more thoughts in her head than for a long soak in a bath and an early night.  

Again, the universe apparently had other ideas.  

Pacing the entrance hall like his caged namesake, she found Draco looking breathtakingly smart in a set of charcoal grey dress robes and shiny black Oxfords. When he looked up and spotted her, his face did something complicated, the final expression settling on relief, and he came over to her in two quick strides.  

“Where the hell have you been?” he barked, scowling. “Look at the state of you!”

“Out and about in the forest,” she said tersely, hackles rising at his tone. “I didn’t know I needed to report my whereabouts to you, Draco…”

“You —” he began but he broke off and took a breath. “You don’t. Of course you don’t. But I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Theo too. He’s gone to Gryffindor Tower to ask for you again. You weren’t in the library and no one has seen you all day.”

“Why?” she asked. “It’s not like we made plans…”

Draco went still at that, his cheeks first paling and then flushing.  

“Did we?” she pressed, hand on hip, now quite certain that they had not. “Oh god, Draco, don’t tell me you’ve got something dramatic planned for Valentine’s, and you haven’t told me because you wanted to surprise me?” She pinched the brow of her nose. “Please… I told you how I feel about that kind of thing…”

When he spoke again, his voice was cold, defensive, even haughty. “Actually, yes, I do. I wanted to do something nice for you today, and I’d appreciate it if you went and washed the thestral shit off your skin and the twigs from your hair, and changed into something nice. I know you know how to dress up, Granger.”

The frayed end of her metaphorical tether slithered into sight and vanished utterly, and she gasped, “You’d ‘appreciate it’, Draco? Well, you know what I’d have appreciated? Being asked!”

“I’m asking you now,” he said petulantly.  

“No you’re not!” she shrilled back at him. “You’re demanding. This is the classic, old Draco - ‘Go and change, Granger’, ���dress up nicely, Granger’.”

Draco balked visibly but ground his jaw. “I’m sorry,” he snarled, sounding more frustrated that contrite. “But we’re going to miss our booking, and I’d really like to make it. Please… will you go and change?”

She nearly said yes. Damn her, but she nearly said yes.  

Even after the week from hell, with tutoring sessions and tests and homework and prefect’s patrols, she nearly said yes.

But this time, Hermione Granger was going to stand up for herself.  

“No, Draco, I won’t. I’m exhausted, and all I wanted from today was to relax, have a bit of time to myself, and spend the evening in the bath and then in bed. If you’d told me instead of just assuming I’d go along with whatever grand gesture you’re pulling out of your arse, then maybe I’d think differently. But you don’t just get to order me around like I’m some pureblood debutante to decorate your arm for the evening, Draco. Goodnight.”

And with that, she stormed up the stairs, leaving an astonished and fuming Draco at the bottom, his face revolving through a series of expressions and colours.  

She passed Theo on his way back down and he almost didn’t spot her as he scuttled down the staircase looking equally and devastatingly handsome as Draco had. “Hermione?” he asked, skidding to an ungainly stop and having to grab the banister to support himself as she charged past him.  

“Ask Draco,” she said over her shoulder. “But whatever it is, I’m not going. You two should go and indulge your penchant for lavish evenings on each other.”

“Fuck. I knew it,” she heard him hiss, but to his credit, he didn’t follow her either.

Hermione fumed all evening, and even the bath did nothing to calm her down. Despite her agitation, however, she did sleep soundly, the exertions of the day robbing her brain of the ability to over think itself into ever tighter and tighter circles. Sometimes she could see how far Draco had changed in what would be a year this May, but other times he defaulted to his pureblood upbringing; to the son of a nobleman, used to having people do his bidding without question. She tried to be patient, but at times like this, it irked her more than she would have thought possible.  

The fact that this was their first major falling out - sure, they’d had little misunderstandings and had snapped at each other before now - was also a major contributing factor to the free-floating stress and anxiety coursing through her. What if he never learned to ask instead of demand? Was that the kind of person she wanted to spend her life with? And Theo had been Draco’s boyfriend before he’d been hers. Would he always just go along with what Malfoy wanted? Doubts chased each other like kneazles and bats in her brain when she woke in the early dawn, until she thought she might go mad.  

Malfoy really had been a wonderful boyfriend so far, but he was undeniably prone to bouts of showy, melodramatic romanticism. Her mind conjured images of the diamond necklace he’d gifted her for Yule, and the staggeringly expensive watch he’d gifted Theo, and she struggled to brush them away. He’d come a long way, and he’d changed a lot, but some things took their time, and she doubted whether other things would ever change.

When she stepped out of the Fat Lady’s portrait the next morning, she ground to a halt and almost walked straight back into the tower before the portrait could swing shut. She didn’t, however. She held her ground and stared at Draco who was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, looking like he’d been there all night. The charcoal grey robes were the same, if dishevelled, the shirt open at the collar. Merlin, he really had been camped out there all night.  

He levered himself to his feet and stared at her sheepishly. “I’m sorry,” he blurted before she could open her mouth. “Hermione, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t listening to you at all, and I should have asked, and I never should have just… presumed like that. I’m so sorry, Hermione.”

She stared at him. “So you know why I’m angry.”

“I didn’t ask,” he said immediately. “And I didn’t respect you. I knew that what I was doing wasn’t the right way to treat you, to show you… but I wilfully ignored that and went ahead with it anyway. I was a giant ass and I’m sorry I hurt you.”

His handsome face looked ashen and wan, his eyes pink behind the silver of his irises. He also carried the sleepless smudges of a night spent in a draughty corridor beneath his eyes.  

Looking around, she asked, “Where’s Theo?”

“Hiding,” Draco said bashfully. “And brooding. It’s awful. Sitting here on the floor all night was actually preferable to being around him.”

Fighting a smirk at his humour, she asked, “Did the two of you go last night?” Wherever it was they’d planned to take her.  

Draco’s brows dipped into a deep scowl. “Without you? Of course not.”

At that, she did twitch her lips. “Go and change out of last night’s robes, Draco,” she said gently, well aware that that was one of the things Draco had said to her, sparking the argument off in the first place. “And take a shower while you’re at it.”  

“Hermione —” he began, taking an aborted step towards her, but he swallowed thickly and nodded. “I’ve said what I wanted to say,” he added dejectedly, and turned away to walk down the corridor with his head held in a distinctly un-Malfoy bow.  

Before he’d gone two steps, she reached out and latched her fingers around his wrist. “I’ll see you in the Great Hall in a bit for some breakfast, ok?”

With eyes wide and achingly vulnerable, Draco tried out a little smile on his worried lips. It didn’t stick, but at least it had been there. “Ok. Thank you.”

She rolled her eyes as he walked off, hands in his pockets. “Such drama,” she said as she turned to find the Fat Lady watching their exchange with avid interest.  

The Fat Lady popped another chocolate into her mouth as if it were cinema popcorn, and giggled. “Young love,” she crooned. “I’ll enjoy telling Violet all about this later on! You mark my words. You know,” the portrait added thoughtfully as Hermione started to walk away too, and the witch halted immediately.  

“Know what?” she asked, warily.  

After another chocolate and a quick giggle, the Fat Lady said, “He tried every trick he could think of to get me to let him in. I know very well who he is to you, but I very nearly had to leave my painting in frustration. He kept it up until at least two in the morning.”

“When Draco sets his sights on something, he’s very difficult to dissuade,” Hermione agreed. “Thank you for not letting him in. I wouldn’t have welcomed his presence last night. I was still too angry with him.”

The Fat Lady looked horrified and said, “As if I’d let someone in that wasn’t supposed to be here!”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Hermione said. “But thank you all the same.”

With a soft ‘harrumph’ around another praline, the Fat Lady nodded.  

Theo was already in the hall when she entered, and she spotted him almost immediately. He was stirring his ceramic tankard of coffee listlessly with his spoon and staring into it like it held the secrets of the universe.  

“Drama queens, the both of you,” she muttered fondly to herself under her breath. Ignoring the Gryffindor table, she turned her steps towards the Slytherin one.  

Her presence there was now not such a surprise that most people ignored her approach without comment, effectively giving her the chance to sneak up on the lone Slytherin, sliding into the space on his right before he’d even realised she was there.  

“Morning,” she said in a low voice, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. The spoon clattered against the mug and coffee slopped over the sides as his fingers released it unbidden.  

“Hermione,” he breathed.  

His whole face was a question, and she laughed. “Yes, I’ve spoken to Draco, and yes, he’s still got his pretty face and both his bollocks.”

“What about his cock?” Theo joked reflexively, nervously.  

“You’ll have to find out later, won’t you?” she deadpanned without looking at him, reaching out to pour herself a mug of tea from a nearby pot.  

After a pause, in which Theo vanished the spilled coffee that had pooled around the base of his own mug, he asked, “So… how badly did we fuck up yesterday?”

She took a sip of her tea and added a splash more milk before responding. “Not going to lie, I was really annoyed with both of you for just assuming I’d be ok with being whisked off to wherever without a moment’s warning. I hate surprises, and you both know it.”

“Yeah…” Theo admitted.  

“So what were you thinking?” she almost shrilled. “That it’d be different if it came from you? That I’ll magically stop hating surprises just because they’re from you two?”

Theo half-shrugged, half-twitched, and said, “Kind of… Look, Hermione, I’m not trying to excuse us - we didn’t listen to you, and that’s the bottom line - but…” he broke off and ground his jaw for a moment.

“Just spit it out, Theo,” she said, turning and resting her elbow on the table to regard him properly.  

“We were raised in a different world from you, ok? From most witches and wizards actually. Purebloods like us are expected to behave in certain… coded ways with the women we’re… courting.”

“‘Courting’?” she snorted, unable to help herself.  

Adopting a sycophantic, over the top manner, he gestured and said, “Wooing, of whom we are seeking the favour, ingratiating ourselves… making our intentions known…”

“Shut up, you pompous prick,” she laughed and his face cracked into a tentative smile.  

He was clearly relieved to find laughter in her reaction, not anger. “So…” he continued in a more normal tone, returning his hands to the table and running his thumbnail along the grain in the wood, eyes downcast. “So… there are certain behaviours we kind of default to, and… honestly, there are certain behaviours that the women in our circles also expect of us. Big, showy, romantic gestures being one of them. You should consider yourself lucky you didn’t wake up to a room full of messenger owls all hooting imperiously and bearing enormous bunches of the rarest roses on earth or something…”

“I suppose I should,” she said, beginning to see it now from their point of view.  

“A pureblood wizard is expected to show that he can take care of the witch he intends to —” he cut off and swallowed, freckles briefly disappearing behind a rising flush. “—to court. That there’s nothing on earth he couldn't provide for her at the drop of a hat. I think we just… we just wanted to show you that we’re serious, but… we may have underestimated the calibre of the witch we’re dealing with here…”

“Maybe just a little bit,” she said dryly, and then sighed. “Did Draco really spend all night outside Gryffindor Tower?”

“Yup.”

“Big, showy, romantic gestures, huh?” she said, plucking a croissant off a nearby platter and tearing one end off. “I’m half expecting him to come in here with a single white rose in his hand,” she scoffed, looking up to find that Theo eyes were now fixed on a point just behind her. Draco had apparently arrived then.  

She saw his pale hand reaching down to the table out of the corner of her eye and when he picked up a silver spoon, she closed her eyes and laughed softly to herself. A tingle of magic nearby told her what he was doing, and sure enough, when she turned around to look up at him from her seat, Draco stood there with a single, transfigured white rose in his right hand.  

“Unbelievable,” she said, rolling her eyes again.  

Silently, Draco held it out to her and she took it. It smelled like summer evenings and she exhaled.  

“Apology accepted, Draco,” she said, glancing around. “Now sit down. You’re causing a scene.”

He slid onto the bench on her right and stared at the empty plate in front of him for a moment, hands resting elegantly on either side of it.  

She reached out and placed her palm over his, feeling the slight twitch beneath as their skin made contact. Hermione squeezed his long fingers until he looked up at her, his eyes shining and his face wracked with a complex mixture of emotions that she had no hope of deciphering.  

“Theo and I talked,” she said. “And he may have pointed out to me a certain ‘difference in upbringing’ that went some way towards explaining why you went to the lengths you did yesterday.”

“I still —” Draco began but she cut him off.  

“We’ve established already that you could have opened your lugholes a little sooner, but I feel like we’ve also moved on from that. It came from a place of love and good intention, and as such, I’d like to propose a compromise.”

At that, Theo and Draco both gave her their absolute and undivided attention and curiosity.  

Stifling a smirk, she said, “I don’t know what it is you had planned for yesterday, and frankly at this point, I don’t ever want to know. But how about we go into Hogsmeade next weekend and have dinner together. I’ll know it’s coming and what to expect, and you two can argue over who foots the bill if you want to make it a romantic gesture. Or we can split it three ways.”

“Absolutely not,” Draco said instantly and something hot flared inside her at that. “I meant splitting the payment three ways,” he added bashfully, seeing where her mind had gone instead.  

At that, the tension shattered and she tipped her head back and laughed, gripping his hand for support as she leaned almost perilously far back. Theo put his hand between her shoulder blades just in case, and half the Slytherin table began to stare at them.  

Theo leaned in close and said in her ear, “You’re causing a scene, dear Hermione.”

She squeezed Draco’s hand and let out a long, slow sigh as the laughter faded. “What am I going to do with you two?” she said, shaking her head.  

“Be patient…?” Draco all but begged, mumbling into his coffee. Where Theo took his black, Draco piled cream and sugar into his until it was barely recognisable as coffee in the first place. She smirked fondly to herself as she contemplated his ridiculously sweet tooth, and wondered if, with his penchant for apples, he also liked sour sweets. Perhaps she’d get Harry to owl her some Haribo to try out on him.  

“Hermione?” he asked, looking up at her. His skin was so pale it was like marble in the soft light of the Great Hall, and he looked eerily like the statue of a saint at a shrine in that moment, all hope and tentative expectation.  

For her answer, Hermione slid her left hand into Theo’s, and then reached up and took Draco’s chin in her right hand, turning him by his sharp and now-just-perfectly-pointed chin. His eyes were wide, gleaming, silver mirrors, fixed unyieldingly on her own.  

Hermione held him there between thumb and forefinger, and as she pressed a searing kiss against his pale lips, she felt Theo’s grip tighten on her left hand.

___

If you enjoyed, please reblog and share! I’m new to the fandom on here and appreciate all the help I can get!

___

writing masterlist | Ao3

[anarcoqueer1994]

Don't Let Me Go

*This is a Trans!TJ story I wrote a month ago on Archive of Our Own. Hope you like it. (Also you are still so valid if you dont pass or dont want to pass <3)

TJ was a boy. He had always felt like a boy. Even when he was young, and he would be put into cutesy little dresses like the girls in his class(he knows some boys wear dresses, he just doesn't feel great in them.), or when people would call him she/her, or when the other boys would exclude him because "No Girls Allowed", he knew he was a boy.

In the third grade, his wonderful mother, let him chop off his long hair and let him start wearing "boy's clothes." Some kids were mean of course but his big sister, Amber, wouldn't let anyone mess with him.

The most painful person to remember was Jay. Jay promised to be his best friend. But as soon as he started dressing more like a traditional boy, Jay made fun of him for being a freak. He said he was not a real boy. It broke his heart.

TJ never wanted to feel hurt like that again. TJ began forcing himself to be meaner, tougher, anything to make himself seem more masculine. He desperately wanted to pass. He did not want anyone to question who he was, that he was a boy. Unfortunately, one thing held him up from being able to hide that he was a trans boy, everyone in his class remembered when he presented as a girl, and many of them never quite treated him like a "real" boy. It was not fair. He was a boy just like all the other guys in his class but just because he was born with different parts, he was treated differently.

This all changed in middle school. Shadyside had a few different schools depending where you lived in town. TJ's mother talked to the school district, and managed to get him sent to Jefferson. It was across town from him and no one from his elementary school would be there. Only a few teachers would know that he was trans. This was an opportunity for him to blend it.

Unfortunately, this was also a time where puberty was kicking in. So even though he was in a new school, he was still nervous. He began binding the summer before 6th grade. On his first day of Jefferson, he made sure everyone knew that he was a tough guy that should not be messed with. He established himself early as a bully. He figured no one could hurt him if he pushes them away first He also made it clear that he was the best basketball player and by the end of the year he knew he was going to be the captain of the basketball team the following year. Plus he was so glad that he was allowed in the boys team, no question. He goes out of his way though to stay after practice to clean up so he doesn't have to deal with the locker room awkwardness. He has pulled it off, no one knew his secret.

By 7th grade, he could basically do anything. He was a popular jock. But he also had built up a thick wall around him. That's when Buffy Driscoll ruined everything for him. How could coach let a girl on the team? It was a boy only space. No one questioned him being in it because everyone knew he was a boy. Then here comes Buffy, a girl, intruding in. Plus...she was just as good of a player as him. That's really scared him. Basketball was all he had. He wasn't good at math, he felt like a freak whenever he looked in the mirror, he had to work harder and harder to keep his voice deep, but basketball made him feel like he was worth something.

So he was a jerk to her. Part of him felt bad about it but he needed to protect himself. He was even crappy when he was forced to ask her to tutor him. He was doing fine at keeping up being mean until she introduced him to that short, adorable, dork, Cyrus. The moment TJ laid eyes on him and his cute smile, he felt like his world was going to crash down around him. On one hand, he loved that he helped this sweet cutie get a muffin. It made him feel like a tough protector, very manly.

But on the other hand, the butterflies in his stomach were making him feel weak. He can't believe his first crush...is on a guy. He couldn't believe it, not only was he trans, but now he is worried he is gay too. But no matter how worried about getting close to Cyrus or being gay he was, he couldn't help himself.

He remembers seeing the boy swinging alone and he could of just passed by but he didn't. Against his better judgement, he walked up to the boy and started to talk. He was a little saddened when Cyrus thought of him as a scary basketball guy, but that was his own fault. But when he said his name, Cyrus said he knew. TJ smiled to himself thinking about Cyrus knowing his name. .And then that boy smiled at him...no for him.That beautiful smile was for TJ and TJ alone. Cyrus was enjoying hanging out with TJ. TJ thinks about how he laughed and screamed while TJ pushed him on the swing. When his hands touched Cyrus' back, he almost forgot to breathe. Then he ran under the swing and yelled "Underdog." That's when he got to see Cyrus' sweet face as he was swinging.

It was a few weeks later though that he knew for sure that Cyrus had his heart. TJ was angry about feeling stupid and not being allowed in the game. He decided letting Cyrus get close to him was too much of a risk at that moment. He was so mean when Cyrus came to check on him. But then instead of giving up, that persistent boy followed TJ. Cyrus had left the game where his best friend was the star to be with him. Cyrus managed to help him with his feelings towards his learning disability. When he said there was nothing wrong him, TJ knew this Cyrus could see past the mean exterior he put up, and still liked what he saw underneath. And like that TJ's walls started to crumbled down, even if it was just for Cyrus at first.

In the year that followed, he started opening up for others too. He lost some friends, Reed and Lester, but gained better ones in Cyrus' friends. He has to admit he was a little nervous at first with Jonah, given that they played little league together but it's fine. Jonah either doesn't remember that TJ is trans or is just respectful enough not to out him.

He was truly happy right now. It was the first time in his life he felt good about everything going on. It was the weekend during the winter break of his eighth grade year. He, Amber, Andi, Buffy, Marty, Jonah, and of course, Cyrus, were going sledding. They meet up at The Spoon, and walk over to the tallest hill in Shadyside together. On the way over Cyrus is visibly nervous.

Cyrus lets out a nervous laugh. "So anyways, I think I will stay back on the top of the hill and watch every one's stuff. I'm cool not sledding."

Buffy rolls her eyes. "You know you have to face your fear sometime. Come on sledding can be fun."

"Yea, didn't you dirt bike a few months ago? This is way less scary." Andi chimes in.

"Wrong. I had a helmet and padding on. There is nothing separating me and the icy ground if I fall out of the sled. " Cyrus retorts.

TJ lets out a little huff of a laugh. "Underdog, you can go down with me if you want. I mean I can protect you from the ground. I promise I won't let go." TJ smiles. Andi and Buffy exchange knowing looks. TJ become self conscious all of a sudden. "I mean of course if you want to...you don't have to."

"No actually that would be great. Cross another thing off my bucket list. But you gotta keep your promise to protect me, deal?" Cyrus smiles and slips in a little wink.

TJ blushes but hopes people don't notice because of the cold air. His heart feels like it is going to beat out of his chest. He wonders if Cyrus realizes that he is flirting. No, of course he is not flirting. He is probably not even gay. TJ is just reading too much into it, right? He composed himself and says "Deal, Cy."

"Alright Cyrus!" Jonah pats him on the back. "You're going to sled!" TJ subconsciously gets a little jealous of the smile Cyrus flashes at Jonah but ignores the feeling.

They finish making their way to the hill. Marty and Buffy waste no time, already making it a contest to see who can get down to the bottom first. The others are moving more leisurely. Despite the earlier conversation, TJ notices Cyrus standing back. He looks apprehensively at the hill.

TJ walks up to him and says softly, "You don't have to do this, Cyrus." He tries to ignore how close Cyrus is to him right now. He can't believe Cyrus can make him feel so weak.

"No Teej, I...I want to. Let's um do this, okay?" He gives a small smile.

TJ leads the shorter boy over to sleds. He sits down in the back of a long plastic sled and puts his leg on either side of it so Cyrus has room to get in. TJ says one more time. "You don't have to Underdog."

"No I'm going to." Cyrus gets into the sled as confidently as he can. His back is resting against TJ's chest. TJ is pretty sure Cyrus can feel his heart pounding even through a thick winter coat, a hoodie, a t-shirt and his binder. Cyrus says "Now remember, you said you promise you won't let go." The brunette says while looking down at TJ's hands just resting on the sides of them.

"Oh...yeah ..um...sorry." TJ nervously wraps his arms around Cyrus' body. He keeps telling himself that this is no big deal. You are just helping your friend. "Ready, Muffin?" TJ suddenly gets really stiff. He can't believe that came out of his mouth.

"What did you just call me?" Cyrus twists his head around to look at the blonde.

"Oh God, I'm sorry...it just came out...I'm sorry…" TJ starts to ramble.

"No, it's fine. It's cute." Cyrus gives a big smile before turning back around.

Cute. Did Cyrus just call something he did, cute? His head was racing with so many thoughts. He has to remind himself to kick off.

"As I was saying, ready?"

Cyrus nods as TJ kicks off. He feels Cyrus place his own hands over TJs arms as they speed down the hill. Cyrus is yelling like he did that first day at the swing set. TJ can't see his face but know he smiling. And TJ is smiling too like a love struck idiot. He couldn't be gladder that Cyrus could not see him.

Eventually they come to a stop at the bottom of the hill. Cyrus turns his head to look back at TJ again. "That was exhilarating!"

"I told you I would not let anything happen to you." TJ gives a big grin then stares at Cyrus for a moment. Suddenly he realizes he is still holding onto Cyrus' waist. He haistedly goes to remove his arms.

"You could of left your arms there for a bit longer." Cyrus says casually. Oh God, TJ thought, was Cyrus really flirting with him? He doesn't know how it is possible but his heart was beating even faster. Luckily he is saved by Andi calling out to them from the too if the hill.

"Are you guys going to sled some more or sit there all day?" TJ sees Amber giggle by her side.

"We should get back up there." TJ says nervously.

"Yes, that's a good idea." Cyrus agrees before both boys get up and walk back up the hill. The kids spend the rest of the afternoon sledding and then head back to Cyrus' dad's house to warm up. Everyone brought clothes to change into because the snow made the clothes they were wearing soaked.

Marty goes up to the second floor bathroom to change. Unfortunately, Marty doesn't realize someone is already in there when he opens the door to find TJ in the middle of changing. TJ looks mortified as the other boy quickly closes the door, apologizing as he does. TJ's back was to the door, so he isn't sure what Marty saw but he definitely feels exposed. All the worst scenarios play through his head. What if Marty goes and tells everyone what happened? He is pretty sure his friends wouldn't hate him or anything but what if they treat him differently if they knew.

He finishes putting his clothes on and slides quietly out of the bathroom. Marty isn't in the hallway, and he is relieved that he doesn't have to face him yet. He needs a bit before he goes downstairs. He sees an empty guest room a few doors down, so he goes in there to collect his thoughts. He sits on the edge of some really nicely made bed.

He is still in shock over what happened. How could he be so careless to not lock the door? He did so good blending in. He had so many plans. This coming summer, he had convinced his mom to let him start taking T. But now, no matter what he does, his friends are going to see him like his old classmates did. God, just when things were going right.

Then another thought crossed his mind. This is going to blow his chance with Cyrus. How could Cyrus want him if he knew the truth. He felt so defeated. All he wants to do is go home and lay in bed. And to think, a few hours ago, he had Cyrus against his chest and if he did not know any better, he swore Cyrus was flirting with him. He sits alone with his thoughts for a while.

He does not realize how much time he had been in that room until he hears a faint knock on the door.

"Teej? Can I come in?" It's Cyrus. His voice sounds so little. TJ knew it, Cyrus must be disappointed about TJ's secret.

TJ takes all his strength to say "Come in…" He does not turn his head to face Cyrus as he comes into the room. He is not strong enough to face him.

Cyrus speaks first. *TJ, I'm so sorry.'

This catches the blonde off guard. He turns around to meet Cyrus' eyes "Wait, why are you sorry? You didn't do anything."

"I made you feel so uncomfortable today...that's why you are you here avoiding everyone."

"Underdog, I don't know what you are talking about. I'm so confused." TJ scrunches his eyebrows up.

Cyrus starts rambling. "Today, when we were sledding. I mean before we were sledding, Buffy and Andi got it into my head that maybe you liked me the way I liked you. Buffy said I should face my fear and put myself out there. So when you met up with us, I had an idea. I tried my best to flirt, and I thought you may have been flirting back. Like you called me muffin and you held onto my waist for a long time, and I think I read to much into it. I crossed a line and now you can't even be in the same room as me.'

Did Cyrus Goodman just tell him he likes him too. TJ can feel his cheeks go bright red. He is blushing like crazy. Marty must have kept the secret to himself if Cyrus thinks this is the issue. "Wait. Cyrus? Is that what you think? You think I don't want to be in the same room as you? You have to be the oblivious one. I like you so much...I just can't believe you like, like me too." Cyrus steps closer to TJ as the older boy continues to speak. "I loved holding you close to me and I love anytime that I'm with you. I love listening to you talk about anything, and I love that I feel like I can be myself around you. I love when our hands brush together and I love when you smile at me like I'm the only one in the room. I'm not really sure what it means to be in love but if I had to guess, I would say I'm in love with you."

Cyrus' face was now mirroring in redness from blushing. "You mean that Teej?"

"I've never meant anything more."

Cyrus, who is now standing right in front of TJ, leans down and places his fingers under TJ's chin. He gently tilts the basketball player's head to look up at him. His eyes flash down to TJ's lips. Then abruptly, TJ pulls away. "Wait .."

"Oh no, I'm sorry. Am I moving too fast? I just never thought the guy if my dreams would say he loves me as much as I love him." Cyrus goes to step away but TJ grabs his hand.

"It's not that, Cy. I have something I need to tell you before you commit to dating me. You may change your mind."

"You're scaring me TJ." Cyrus says rubbing the rough skin in TJ's knuckles with his thumb.

"I'm honestly scaring myself. But you deserve the truth about me. I'm not like most guys."

"If course you are not. You are better." Cyrus gives a weak smile.

"That's not what I mean. I'm not built the same as you, or Jonah, or Marty. I'm...I'm transgender. And, like, don't get me wrong, I don't hate my body or anything...most days at least, but it is not like most boys our age. And I was in here because Marty walked in in me changing. I didn't have my binder in and I was worried he saw. But it seems like he kept it to himself, which I appreciate. But I wanted you to know and I would understand if you don't want to date me anymore. I get it…" TJ was looking down as he trailed offj, afraid to look at Cyrus' face

Cyrus sits on the edge of the bed next to TJ, still holding the other boy's hand.. He puts his free hand on the side of TJ's head turning it to face Cyrus. "I like...love you TJ. I didn't fall for you because I thought you were a cisboy. I fell for you because you were the cute, sweet, basketball playing boy that managed to steal my heart a little more every time I hung out with you."

"You don't think I'm a freak?"

"Of course not. There is nothing wrong with you."

"You know dating me isn't going to be easy. I plan on transitioning more over the next few years, things like hormones, and maybe surgery. That is alot to deal with."

"Well bring it on. I don't plan on going anywhere as long as you want me, not-so-scary basketball guy. I promise I won't let go."

"You won't? Let go, I mean. You won't leave me even when it is hard?" TJ sounds desperate to believe him. He is so scared of being hurt again like he was when he was younger. He thinks back to the old best friend that abandoned him.

"Never, never ever. I could never let go of you " Cyrus says sincerely.

TJ feels like his insides are on fire. Cyrus was truly the most amazing person he could ask for in his life. Without thinking, TJ leans in and places a gentle kiss in Cyrus' lips. He pulls away slightly to see what happens next. Cyrus answers the unspoken question by leaning back in and deepening the kiss.

When they pull away for air, both boys can't help but grin. "Wow." TJ says. "That was my first kiss and just ..wow."

"I wish it was my first kiss...mine was with a girl, Amber's friend, Iris. I liked it much better with a guy." Cyrus smiles.

TJ knew he made the right chose telling Cyrus. After everything Cyrus just found out, he still sees TJ as just as much a boy as he has ever been. TJ says softly. "Does this mean we are dating now."

"Only if you want it to." Cyrus says in a hopeful voice.

"Then yes, we are dating." TJ smiles and sits in a comfortable silence with his new boyfriend.

[fancat-not-fangirl]

It’s Not You Pt.9

a/n: ok so that took wayyyy longer than expected SORRY :/ (for those of you who haven’t seen Princess Bride, it’s an amazing movie and I totally recommend watching it)

3 weeks later

24 hours. Cas was 24 hours away from Saturday. 24 long, grueling, endless hours. He didn’t think he could wait that long. Yes he’d made it through the four previous days, but now that he only had mere hours until Saturday, Cas thought that the waiting would never end.

Because since he saw Dean Winchester’s car drive off the college campus the week before, Cas had been counting the days, hours, minutes, seconds, until he could see him again. Until he could look into those apple green eyes, and count the freckles on his face. Until he could hear that simultaneously soft but husky voice in his ear. Until he could wrap his arms around his soulmate and never let go.

24 hours. 

Well, to be exact, 23 hours, 49 minutes and 14 seconds. 

All he had to do was get out of bed, manage to sit through his classes without constantly getting distracted, finish his homework, and go to sleep. And then when he’d wake up tomorrow he’d get to finally finally see Dean again.

But first things first, he had to accomplish the first thing on his list. He had to get out of bed.

So Cas heaved himself off of his comfortable mattress and pillow, rubbing tiredly at his eyes as he glanced over at Sam’s bed, which was empty. Sam’s first class was at 8:00am, so he was always up and about much earlier than Cas was. Cas, on the other hand, preferred to sleep in, so he specifically chose his first class of the day to be Constitutional Law, which started at 9:00am. 

Looking at the clock, Cas let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. It was 8:20.

23 hours, 40 minutes, 38 seconds.

This was going to be a long day.

******

He made it through his first four classes of the day. Barely. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Dean’s smiling face gazing down at him, and Cas practically had to hold his eyes open through most of his morning lectures.

But it was finally lunchtime and Cas took a deep breath of the crisp autumn air as he opened the front doors and strolled outside. He grinned and waved at Sam, who was already sitting at their usual table in the courtyard. It was a Friday, and although the weather had gotten colder over the past few weeks, Cas welcomed the chilly air. People were milling around, discussing their weekend plans, inviting each other to various parties. Cas breezed past groups of teachers and students, dropping his bag down at Sam’s table. 

Sam already had a mouth full of salad as he tried saying something to Cas before realizing that all that came out was a garbled mess of words with a side of ranch dressing. Cas chuckled and waited for Sam to swallow, sitting down across from his roommate, who seemed to be growing by the minute. Cas nearly had to break his neck with the amount of craning that was necessary to look Sam in the eye. If he was being honest, Cas was probably more familiar with Sam’s various array of flannels than with his facial features.

Sam got the food down quicker than Cas thought was possible; a trait probably inherited from his brother. A brother who they both missed terribly, although for different reasons. Ironically, Sam talked about Dean even more now that he started seeing his brother more often. Before the Columbus Day weekend, Sam would bring Dean many conversations he shared with anyone that’d listen, talking about how much he missed his brother. But once Sam started seeing him at a more regular rate, Dean was all he ever talked about. Well, other than Gabe. Not that Cas minded. He could talk about Gabe for hours, sharing stories upon stories about his older brother. And Dean. Cas couldn’t stop pestering Sam about telling him facts and stories about his soulmate. But he didn’t think that Sam minded either. Any chance Sam had to show off his brother, he’d take it.

“I’m leaving for the weekends.” Sam’s voice brought Cas back to reality. He realized that he’d spaced out, and brought his eyes back around to Sam. “Me and Kevin have to work on a project for my Nutrition and Dietetics class, so I’ll be staying over at his place. I’m leaving with him today after my last class.” Sam winked at him. “Just don’t have too much fun with Dean while I’m gone.”

Cas blushed and quickly looked down. He heard Sam chuckle and raised his head, then whispered with a smirk, “Don’t worry. We’ll be sure not to use your bed.”

Sam choked on his next forkful of salad, and Cas left him that way, grinning from ear to ear as he got up and strode over to the food trucks. What was he in the mood for today? Not sushi or any type of fish. Salads were definitely off the list. Nothing spicy, so that eliminated Mexican and Indian food. Aha. Burgers.

“Double bacon cheeseburger please. No pickles. Thank you.” The line at the truck was short, and Cas placed his order without thinking twice. Wherever he went, wherever he ate, he always ordered the same burger. College was no different. Sam had tried ceaselessly convincing him to try something different. Either to eat one with pickles, or maybe to have BBQ sauce instead of ketchup, but Cas refused. He knew what he liked, and he’d stick to it.

“One double bacon cheeseburger please no pickles thank you.” Came a familiar voice, and Cas started. “Here you go, angel.” And he looked up as the 20 hours, 31 minutes, and 24 seconds came spiraling down to zero. Because Cas found himself looking up into Dean’s smiling face as the older boy stretched out a carefully packaged burger towards Cas.

“What? Dean? You- I don’t-” Dean let out a laugh that made Cas’s heart jump in his chest for the first time that week. 

“Hey, Chuck, can you take over for a second?” Dean turned his head and called back to the other man in the truck. A muffled “Sure thing” was heard, and Dean sent Cas a sharp grin as he clambered out of the truck and to Cas, who threw himself into Dean’s arms the second his feet hit the ground.

“I missed you, too.” He whispered into Cas’s hair. They stayed in the embrace for only seconds before Dean grunted and pulled away. “The burger’s leaking ketchup all over my uniform”, he grumbled, viciously trying to wipe off the now red patch on his sleeve. Cas giggled, overjoyed that Dean was here. Remembering Sam, he swiveled around and was about to wave his roommate over when Dean put a hand on his shoulder.

“Sammy already knows.” Cas’s incredulous gaze found Dean’s. Sam knew? And he didn’t tell Cas? If Cas had known that Dean would be here, he would have chosen a different outfit to wear. Oh god, Dean probably thought that his knit cardigan was atrocious. If Cas had known, he would have at least attempted to arrange his hair into a presentable shape. If Cas had known…

“Don’t take it out on him, though. I told him to keep his cakehole shut about it or I’d chop off his balls and feed them to a zebra.” Dean winked at Cas. “I wanted it to be a surprise.” 

Cas’s heart melted at that and he smiled up at Dean, although still a little confused. “Wait, so when did you-”

“Deano! Get your ass back in here!” Came the call from inside the truck. Smiling sheepishly at Cas, Dean ruffled his soulmate’s hair and gave him a quick kiss on the nose. “My shift ends at 8:30. I’ll explain everything later.” And with that information he left Cas standing behind the truck and returned to working the job Cas never knew he had.

Feeling a little dazed, Cas walked back to his spot at the table, everything snapping back into focus only when he sat down and was met with hysteric giggling coming from Sam. 

“Oh, you should have seen your face!” Sam cackled. “It was definitely worth the wait.”

Blushing now, Cas looked down at his cardigan with a frown and started running his hands through his hair. “You could have told me to dress nicer today”, he mumbled.

Sam laughed and leaned forward on his elbows, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “But then you’d have gotten suspicious. It was better this way.” He giggled again. “The look on your face was priceless, though.”

Cas unwrapped his burger and smiled at the heart draw on the wrapper in sharpie. He hoped it hadn’t bled through onto the actual bun, and was relieved when he didn’t taste sharpie in his first bite. He didn’t know why or how, but this particular burger seemed to taste better than any other burger he’d ever had.

He and Sam finished their food in peace, but Cas’s mind was reeling. Dean? Here? Since when did Dean work in food trucks? And anyway, Cas thought he worked at the repair shop. It surely payed better than serving food, even though he knew that Dean didn’t like the, and he quoted, “Black Hole chock full of people with sequoia trees shoved up their asses”.

He shook his head and remembered that Dean promised that he would explain everything later. After his shift ended at 8:30. Cas smiled and set the timer.

11 hours. 30 min. 22 seconds.

******

Sam had left with Kevin an hour ago, so Cas used the peace and quiet without his roommate to finish his homework. Not that Sam was loud or annoying, but he and Cas always managed to start a conversation about something or other every time they were put in a room together. Whether it be sports, books, movies, art, food, or pencils, they always found something to talk about. Cas would be writing an essay when he’d head a small gasp from Sam’s side of the room, and swivel around just in time to see Sam sit upright in bed and ask Cas if fish felt wet or dry all the time. What would follow would be a long, winded argument ending in them not wanting to take up any more time with discussions and give up. Cas still firmly believed that water was not wet, but he never brought it up again to Sam. With a little smile, Cas decided that he would ask Dean and see what he thought.

Dean. Who would be arriving in 0 hours, 6 minutes, and 47 seconds.

Cas had made and remade his bed twice now, and he almost laughed at the irony. The first time he had heard that Dean was coming over, it had been Sam that went completely Control Freak, neatening his bed and rearranging his books to impress his brother. Now Cas was the one that was going crazy trying to make sure that his room looked presentable.

Realizing that he was pacing the room and probably annoying the hell out of the people on the floor below him, Cas sat down on his bed. His eyes travelled to his signed vinyl record. Dean kept promising that he would play some of his songs for Cas on his guitar, but he never actually did it, something about not risking any “tiny tot college twerps” bringing harm to his Baby 2.0; the guitar. In fact, Cas had never even heard Dean sing. Yes, at times Cas would hear snippets of a song here and there, maybe even some humming. But never any actual singing. Cas made another mental note for himself to ask Dean about his guitar, too.

Cas almost jumped out of his skin when he heard a knock on the door, and was up and across the room in a flash. He thrust the door open and was met with a bear hug from Dean. Smiling into Dean’s neck, Cas returned the hug and kicked the door shut behind them.

“Hey, angel.” He heard Dean whisper into his hair, which he then placed a soft kiss in. To be honest, Cas loved his new nickname. Well, not exactly new. His mother had been calling him ‘angel’ since he was a kid, and it had always annoyed him. But whenever Dean said it, Cas melted. The way Dean’s mouth formed the word, not to mention the gravelly way he sounded out the letters, almost had Cas on his knees. Like at the moment.

Their mouths collided in a kiss, and Cas moaned and arched his back into Dean. This kiss was hungry. Desperate. As if neither one could get enough of the other, which was true. Cas loved this. Loved the almost feral way Dean’s lips ravaged his own, and the small growls Dean made when Cas’s tongue traced the inside of his mouth.

“You look so damn cute in this”, came the soft murmur from Dean, and before he knew it, Dean’s hands were under his cardigan and all over his skin. Cas inhaled sharply as the warmth from Dean’s calloused fingers seeped into him. They were running up along his back, around his torso, on his chest. Dean was everywhere and Cas didn’t ever want it to stop. 

Soon his cardigan was off and on the floor, quickly followed by Dean’s flannel and shirt. Their hands were all over each other, warm and sure. Dean’s mouth now decided to chart its course down Cas’s neck, and he arched his head back to give Dean more access. Dean’s mouth then traveled lower, down, down, down his chest. Cas was gasping, hands woven into Dean’s hair. Every time Dean sucked at a spot of his skin just right, Cas moaned and pulled on Dean’s hair. Dean obviously enjoyed it, and smirked devilishly whenever he got a particularly loud keen out of his soulmate.

And then they were on the bed (not Sam’s, just as promised), and Cas was a writhing mess under Dean’s hands and mouth. They traced his hips, his stomach, his chest. They turned Cas into a moaning, sweating, begging pool of goo that was addicted to the touch of his lover. But this was a healthy addiction. It was one that made Cas the happiest man in the world.

Cas suddenly remembered something. 

“Dean?”

Dean stopped his meticulous worshipping of Cas’s body and raised his eyes to meet Cas’s. “Hmm?” He asked, his voice vibrating through Cas’s body, making him shiver.

“Do fish feel wet or dry all the time?” 

Dean’s face broke into a smile and he laughed, bringing himself back up to kiss Cas in the mouth. They stayed like that for a while, just kissing. Cas didn’t necessarily care that Dean hadn’t answered his question, because this kiss was slow and soft, nothing like the one they had earlier. Cas couldn’t decide which one he liked better. 

When the kiss deepened, he realized that he didn’t have to decide. A kiss from Dean was still a kiss. And Cas loved them all the same.

***

“So, you never answered my question.” Cas poked Dean in the side as they settled down into the blankets to watch a movie the following day. They had just returned from having dinner in the city, where Cas had learned that Dean had taken the job at the food trucks because he was lonely and bored back at the repair shop. Dean admitted that the pay wasn’t as good, but he’d also taken on the morning shift at an indoor pool not far from the college campus. Cas was thrilled at the chance of seeing his boyfriend more often. He still grinned at the thought. Dean was his boyfriend. He never thought that he’d be saying it, but he was glad that he had found his soulmate. And so was his mom. She had been ecstatic when Cas had called and told her that he’d found the person with his name on their wrist. After relaying the whole story of their little mix up to her, his mom had insisted that she get a chance to meet Dean, and invited him to stay at their house for Winter Break. Dean had looked like a happy puppy when Cas had suggested the idea, and had immediately agreed.

During the dinner in the city, Dean, in turn, had also learned that Cas had never seen the movie Princess Bride. From the sound of it, Cas was surprised that such a movie had even peaked Dean’s interest, but Dean had firmly stated that this was a movie worth watching.

So there they were, cuddled together on Cas’s bed, surrounded by a mountain of pillows and blankets, Dean’s laptop in front of them. On their way back from dinner, they’d bought popcorn and snacks, and were now up and ready to begin Operation Watch The Girly Movie That Dean Insists Isn’t Girly. Well, they’d be ready if Dean could just get his Amazon prime account to work.

And while he was doing that, Cas was determined to wring an answer out of Dean.

“Which question are you referring to?” Dean asked, scrolling through the saved passwords on his phone, trying to find the one for his account.

“The one I asked on Friday.” At Dean’s confused sideways glance, Cas elaborated. “The one about fish. Do they feel wet all the time?”

Dean chuckled and looked up at Cas with those startlingly green eyes. Cas didn’t quite understand how eyes could be that green. Most of the green-eyed people he’d met had more of a dull, stormy sea gray/green colored eyes. But Dean. Dean’s eyes were different. Something about them was so bright, as if they were a field where the grass was made of emeralds.

“I think that depends on whether or not you think water is wet.” Dean’s voice brought Cas’s mooning and staring to a stop.

“Water is not wet.” 

Dean snorted. “Yes it is.”

“No. It’s not.” Cas shook his head. Dean was taking the same approach to this as his brother had. 

Arching his eyebrow, Dean said, “Yeah it is. Something is defined as ‘wet’ if it is surrounded by water. Water is surrounded by water, therefore it is wet.”

“But if you look it up, water isn’t wet by itself, only when it comes in contact with other materials.”

“Oh and we should believe everything the Internet tells us. That’s rich.” He then threw up his hands and let out a whoop of triumph as he finally found the correct password to his Amazon account.

Cas rolled his eyes, and decided that they’d save this conversation for another time. Because right now Dean’s arm was around him, pulling him down towards his chest. Cas, in turn, wrapped his arms around Dean’s waist and snuggled closer to him, breathing in the scent that had now become so familiar to him. He smiled and sighed in content as Dean’s fingers started tracing soft patterns up and down his back. 

The movie started, and everything else soon faded away until it was only him and Dean, giggling during the fight scene between Montoya and Westley, jumping when the R.O.U.S attacked, gasping at Montoya’s fight with Count Rugen, and smiling happily at the end.

And when the movie was over and they pulled the blankets tighter around themselves, Cas had to admit; he had liked the movie more than he first thought he would. But maybe that had a little something to do with the person watching with him. The one that was now enveloping Cas in warmth and burrowing his face in Cas’s neck. 

The one that Cas suddenly knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

[writingwitchly]

I’m gonna do it, anyway

Hey could I please ask for a Sirius black x Slytherin female reader fanfic based of the song Rude by Magic! References from the music video too could be added if possible? ~ @arianna-17-11

Pairing: Sirius Black x fem!reader

Word count: 2,2k 

A/N: Phew… My first reader insert since… ever? I think I sticked to the request right enough XD, just skipped the Slytherin specification.  Hope you’ll like it. PS: I need a Sirius in my life RN.

The clock shows 9:23. The night only displays darkness.

You curse.

It’s quite usual for members of the Order to- ‘get lost’, in these times, with nothing to be done to find them.

The vegetables and white plastic planch on the kitchen counter suffer your aggressive stress.

It’s been two days and… and you haven’t heard of him…

A noise reaches you from the outside. Was it a crack? Your shoulders tense.

You’ve heard several of them, this weekend. Or at least, imagined you had. Every time you got to the window, there was nobody in the street below, apart from a couple of cats or a strolling brownish dog.

You don’t dare to check now, fearing that another desillusion might break your heart for good.

What if-

The thought makes you shiver, and the knife almost escapes your grip. You lay it down, next to the halfway chopped onion. It would be stupid to wound yourself without needing an enemy for that.

The beating of your heart climbs up to your ears. If at least he’d told you where he was going… None of the boys knows, either.

If he ever comes back alive from this, you’ll sure as heck won’t let him breathe until he draws a calendar and fills it whenever he plans on disappearing.

“Y/N!”

The voice carries its amusement through the whole flat, and makes your heart jump to your throat.

It takes you a good second realize who just closed the door.

For a good hour, you were thinking that-

For Merlin’s sake.

What kind of boyfriend disappears without leaving any trace, making you suffer the worst anguish for two days, to come back and greet you as if nothing had happened?

That’s right, a boyfriend about to be told off.

You storm out of the kitchen. “Sirius Orion Black!”

If James had been here, he’d ran for cover.

But Sirius is waiting for you, his arms wide open, at the entrance of the apartment. His leather jacket does not bear any trace of battle, except the one it fought against the wind on the drive home. His boots are firmly planted on the floor.

You stop when you are barely centimeters away from his body, and hit his chest with your fist at each word you articulate. “How. Do. You. Dare. To. Fr-”

Without waiting for you to finish the reprimand, he wraps you in a tight embrace.

You burst into tears. “I- I- I was so afraid. Wh- Where- Why did you leave with- without telling me-”

One of his thumbs draws circles on your back, his other hand is lost in your hair. He murmurs some words, but so low you barely hear them. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat calms you down.

When your hiccups have considerably diminished in intensity, Sirius makes you look up at him.

“I’m safe and sound, love. Look, no new scars.”

You count the marks on his face, on the bluish skin that hints a new beard, and are quite reassured to find none you haven’t already mended. “Your arms? Your back?”

“As sane as ever, Y/N. I promise.”

Finally, you allow yourself to sigh in relief, until you remember about your anger.

“How many times,” you blurt, “Have I asked you to- Why are you smiling like an idiot? I’m being very serious!”

His wide grin stretches the blemish on his lips. Even if it has suffered attacks and injuries, his smile hasn’t lost its appeal.

Sirius shakes his head a little, as to dissipate some fog around him. His eyes then root in yours. “You’re just so fucking gorgeous.”

You trail a finger along the rough skin that borders his grin, slumping your shoulders in a sweet defeat. “Why don’t you ever let me be angry at you, uh?” You smile faintly. “I was so worried.”

The man leaves a tender kiss on your forehead, from which a burning sensation invades your cheeks. Then, he inhales deeply. “Were you- Were you cooking?”

He accompanies his questions with a playful grimace.

Vexed, you punch his shoulder. “What does that tone mean, Black?”

He snorts. “Nothing, darling. Just that- It’s very unusual. Do you only cook when I’m not around?”

“I had to release the stress. So yes, I only cook when you’re not around. Talking of which, I should probably put the pasta on.”

And you disappear in the kitchen, a bit bitter.

A furious ripping sound announces the opening of the food box, and Sirius grins again. He loves it, when you get angry. It makes you look cute.

A few minutes later, he joins you, his hair dripping water all over the floor. He abandoned his leather jacket for a crepe t-shirt.

“It’s ready in two minutes,” you claim, stirring a the red sauce. “You can set the table.”

Sirius moves toward the cupboard, but then seems to think about it. His eyes follow the spoon with which you’re tasting the flavoring. He crosses his arms, and leans against the counter.

“I went to talk to your father.”

You choke on the pasta’s sauce, and have to spit it out in the sink to avoid asphyxion. Your eyes seem to double in size as you turn to look at your boyfriend. “You did what?”

With a sideway smirk, he simply states, “That was disgusting, darling.”

You could eat the napkin instead of using it to whip your lips. “You did what now, Sirius?”

The man’s arms fall to his sides, but he doesn’t lose his amused expression. As if he wanted to avoid crossing your stare, he bends down, and grabs the plates to set the table.

“I had to ask him something,” he finally explains, as the porcelain hits the fabric of the table cloth.

“Something to ask him!” You repeat, in a strangled voice. “You know it was a stupid thing to do.” You spin the wooden spoon in little circles, pointing at him, still shocked. “This- I would have preferred a hundred times if you’d faced an Order mission.”

“Oh, come on, darling,” he says nonchalantly, as if you were talking about what kind of spice to add to the condiment. “Your father doesn’t hate me that much.”

Your raised eyebrows are the answer he didn’t even need to confirm that yes, your father does hate him that much.

A pause installs itself, troubled only by the boiling liquids on the stove.

Sirius is the reckless boy who betrayed his family, the crazy guy who joined a pack of weirdos with a very unfavorable reputation outside their group of friends, the mischievous teen who got involved in a war without knowing how to fight properly, the irresponsible man who decided to live an unstable life, and the unforgivable idiot who took his only daughter away from home. Add to this that he’s a Black, son of Death Eaters, and has long hair, and he’s the perfect hate aim for your father.

A bubble explodes in one of the pans, and you turn the fire down.

You finally start to digest the news. “And- We couldn’t have- owled him?”

Sirius shrugs, dropping the cutlery next to the plates.

“It was hard to make him listen to me in person. I s’pose he would have thrown the letter away without even opening it.”

You nod, as if it was a reasonable argument, but don’t really consider it. “And- What was so important as to take you two days of discussion with my father?”

His smirk does not foreshadow anything good. “It didn’t take me two days. The first day I- I had to do something else.”

You were about to ask what, but you don’t want him to get an occasion to flee the topic. “So what did you talk about?”

“You’re like him, you know. Very stubborn.”

Merlin, he irritates you. “Will you just tell me?”

In response, Sirius grabs you by the hips and pulls you toward him. He drags a chair, and sits you on it.

“Fine,” he says, smiling like a child. “I will tell you.” He kneels on the floor, like he does every  time he needs to tell you something important, so you have to look down at him. “I had an idea on Friday. I mean, I have been thinking about this for a long time, but on Friday it became- really clear.”

You nod, wondering what in the world can make him so serious.

“And it was- Important to tell your father about it. So on Sunday, I knock-”

“On Sunday, because you had to do something on Saturday,” you say, a mocking perplexity influencing your expression. If you weren’t so worried about the outcome of the declaration, you’d probably find the situation comical.

Sirius nods. “I love you because you’re clever, too,” he teases. “I- had to buy something on Saturday. So I knocked, and Godric, you should have seen his face when he opened the door.”

A hint of amusement lights his eyes up, and you can indeed imagine your father opening the door to one of the people he’d most want to forget in his life.

“Did he close it back immediately?”

“Well, yeah.” His embarrassed grin makes you tilt your head back in laughter. “But I knocked again, like- a thousand times, because Moony told me to do s-”

“Wait a second!” You hold your palm up. “Remus was there with you?”

Sirius’s face contracts in a I-shouldn’t-have-said-that mask, a perfect copy of Hagrid’s.

“And- The other boys too?”

Your boyfriend opens his mouth to answer, but no words come out of it.

“I worried like crazy, and their letters said they didn’t know where you were, but never mind it,” you say, creasing your brow, in a tone which clearly communicates to actually mind it. Sirius caresses your arm in apologize. “Go ahead.”

Mental note of calling them all, one by one, after that.

Sheepishly, he continues. “Your father ended up listening, after all, and he was rud- not too thrilled about it. He first told me to- go count the daisies in the prairies, or something like that. He may have thought it was all a joke. But then, he saw my serious face and he just blurted that ‘no, never’. And he told me to disappear forever from his life and from yours.”

You know your father doesn’t like him at all, but you didn’t think it was to this level.

“What the heck, Sirius? What-”

But your boyfriend is unstoppable in his speech, “I said that this was going to be difficult, that we’re madly in love, and we’d go anywhere together.” To your dark look, he corrects himself, “I mean, apart from those last two days, but that was an exception. He said that his answer was no, and would always be the same. So I said that I would do it anyway, and he told me to-”

“Sirius!” You call him back to the present. “You’re not making much sense. I don’t think I can understand unless you tell me what you talked about.”

The man closes his eyes, and nods. “Sorry… Just- just the stress, probably.”

You realize that the topic must be really important. Why would he be avoiding it so much, if not?

An army of little soldiers start marching in your stomach.

“Stress?”

He smiles, “Remember that time when you were having a family dinner and your father invited a- special guest?”

You roll your eyes, “They wanted to set me up with Avery. Too bad I was already in love with you.” You grin too, pushing one of his loose dark curls behind his ear. “But what’s the-”

“I came to your rescue, with the boys. And we brought you to the park.”

Flashes of that night dance before your eyes. The music floated between the trees, Remus shot sparkles into the air, Peter and Kingsley sang an old lullaby, completely out of tune, and Frank and Alice flirted heavily as you cried at them to get a room.

It’s one of the best moments you’ve ever lived. Lily and James’ bubbly laughter, your flower crown, Sirius’ warm lips on yours...

“What did you tell me, that night, darling?”

There is no need to dig too deep in your memories to remember. “I said you’re the man I want to live with for the rest of my life,” you whisper. The soldiers in your stomach light up a million fireworks. “Are you-”

A loud bang cuts you off, followed by loud conversation, cheers, and whistles. You both raise up, and turn toward the door of the kitchen. There’s some worry on your traits.

A second later, Marlene’s face peeps out from behind the wall. “What did she say?”

The sweet smell of the forgotten pasta sauce makes you dizzy. As all of your friends gather before your eyes, your hand looks for your boyfriend’s presence behind you to steady yourself.

When you finally get a grip on his shoulder, you slowly turn around, “Sirius-”

But Sirius silences your question with a soft kiss, while he closes your fist over something small and cold. Something circular.

Then he kneels down again.

Permanent tag list: @miss-nerd0905 @funnymrspotter @obsessionsandothersandmore @daytodayfun @electraheart-isdead @laurenslines @rochelle-the-ravenclaw @wildfire-whizbangs @beaubcxton @reggieblck

Sirius tag list: @glitteryfreakslimeegg @janhvi11

[deadmomjokes]

Well yesterday was rough.

Went to my prenatal checkup, learned I’ve gained double what I should have in 3 weeks, with no changes in diet or exercise, so their only guess is I’m retaining fluid for some unknown reason. (My bp was fine, so that’s good news, and I passed my glucose tolerance test, so that’s also good, but it’s still weird.) Now I’m not only needing to restrict sugar (which I was doing anyway), I’m supposed to cut largely down on carbs. Cool.

Then I found out I can’t go to my best friend’s wedding next month, because due to family and personal health history, I’m not allowed to fly or even do major car travel after 32 weeks. You know, my best friend who flew out to my wedding, and who I promised years ago that I’d be at her wedding even if I had to walk there. The friend who started me on Dead Mom Jokes (both as a concept and this tumblr), the one who had my bridesmaid bouquet designed before her own bridal bouquet, the one who let me live with her when I was depressed and had nowhere to go. Only my very best friend in the whole world, who’s finally getting married after years of heartbreak and personal tragedy. Yep. I’m not allowed to be there for her on her wedding day.

Then, after getting to talk to said friend (she was so gracious and kind, of course, she totally understood and we got to chat and catch up for a long time), I was so distracted that I accidentally went on autopilot and took a second dose of my meds, and had to call poison control to make sure I wasn’t going to hurt myself or baby with the oops--I’m more than fine, it was about 12 hours apart (morning dose and evening oops) and well under the danger dose anyway, but still, I was totally panicking.

Also I got my TDaP booster yesterday so my arm is super sore and I’m exhausted today. And I have to call a person later. (It’s to set up an appointment to chop my hairs off, so it’s a good thing, but I still don’t want to call anyone.)

Also also our baby shower is Friday, which is good, but also 25+ people have RSVP’d, with several that haven’t yet answered who said in person that they’re probably coming. Which is both good and bad-- good, because we’re poor and first time parents and need all the baby gear we can get, bad because holy crap that’s a lot of people all going to be looking at and cooing over me, and probably trying to touch my belly, and I don’t actually know that many of them because most of them are folks who know my husband.

Basically I’m just leftover grumpy and sad from yesterday, stressed about the weekend, exhausted and hot, and if anyone needs me I’ll be taking copious couch-naps please try again in a few hours.

[kyloswarstars]

Now or Never

Star Wars, Request, AU

Request: Can I request one for Kylo ren x reader. Where he likes her but isn’t sure how to flirt with her And he comes off a bit intimidating. He ends up giving her a weird gift but she finally realizes what hes been doing.

Pairing: Kylo Ren x Reader

Warning: none (but swearing as always)

Words: 4.0K

A/N: I turned it into an AU 😊 for a request it’s kinda long, idk what happened… I kind of drifted away 🙈 I hope you like it!! Any similarities to other writers’ work are not intended. All ideas used in a fanfiction I post are made up in my brain (as long as it is not a request).

/////

There was always that wall of noise you ran into, when you left the museum after your shift. Inside it’s silent and peaceful. Museums had that special atmosphere of safety. A place where you felt protected. Libraries had that atmosphere too. And as soon as you stepped out of the backdoor, reality and the hectic and loud daily life of Hanna City was thrown into your face.

The sun was setting, flooding the small streets with orange and red. Hanna City always seemed like you could look to the end of the horizon. There were no hills, no up and downs, just plain straight and houses neatly placed at the curbs. Feeling the last bit of warm sunshine on your face felt good. It was the opposite of dipping your face into a flat water surface. But both felt good.

When Kylo left the museum through the backdoor you were already standing there again, waiting. Not for him of course. You waited for that tall, blonde girl to pick you up. And she was late. Even if he never met her, Kylo liked your friend that was always too late because that gave him a chance to stand next to you for a few minutes.

He didn’t think he would enjoy the insides of a museum so much, when he first started working at the register. But soon it seemed like the museum was a portal into another galaxy. He didn’t only find a relaxing silence in there, which his friends joked about whenever Kylo mentioned it, he had also found you. He had never met someone who was as introvert as you but at the same time the most open and kindhearted person. In the mornings you were a little rubber ball, unstoppable and full of energy. And in the evenings you were a balloon losing air.

He didn’t understand why it was so hard for him to talk to you. Words just left him, when he found the courage to approach you. He wasn’t that shy around women usually. But you had something that made him insecure. Not about himself but about how he should interact with you. He couldn’t figure this out. He had heard you giving tours for the visitors, speaking with a lot of passion about the exhibits, but when someone asked you a random question your eyes locked with the ground and you seemed uncomfortable. And he didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.

When Kylo came to a stop beside you at the curb, you looked up from your phone. He didn’t stand too close to you but not too far away that you wouldn’t recognise him standing there. What he had figured out yet: you pulling up the corners of your mouth was the most of a smile you offered someone. You did it out of politeness but still it draw Kylo even more into the mysterious you were for him.

When you worked the same shift, the new guy always waited with you behind the museum after it had closed. It wasn’t annoying, it would have been annoying if Blake would stand next to you because he never shut up, but the new guy was alright. He never talked to you, you didn’t talk to him, so waiting with him until Phasma would arrive was actually okay.

„W-why are you here?“

„Sorry?“ You looked up at him again. His hands clasped the hem of his sweater and he tried not to look into your eyes. He was strange. Always dressed in black, attitude of one of those guys that got drunk every weekend, and he talked to simply everyone but you. Why did he now? Why did he ruin the no-words-waiting-thing?

„Sorry.“ The stare of you made him feel guilty. But why should he feel guilty? For asking a question? For being kind and trying to talk to you? „What I meant was why are you at the museum? W-working in the museum. Why?“

His stuttering made him less intimidating than he usually was. He had this broad shoulders and that deep, soothing voice and that sharp face and that flawless hair, all the features you expected in a guy that played with girls. Damn, my prejudices. It wasn’t okay to have them and you were still working on getting rid off them. Most times it worked but sometimes it didn’t.

Now that he actually talked to you, stuttered to you, he didn’t seem that intimidating anymore. His chopped words made you nearly comfortable in his presence.

„I’m here for the dinosaurs.“

I was right. Kylo always noticed your increasing passion when your tour came to the dinosaur section. What about if the museum didn’t have replicas and skeletons of dinosaurs? Would you still be here? Probably not.

„And why are you here?“

„For the money. I need it.“ You nodded and looked away. When your eyes settled on your phone again, Kylo covered the face in his hands. How could he actually say that?

„Well, dinosaurs and money.“ You had seen his reflection on your screen and decided to show him that nothing was wrong with his statement. Everyone needed money. That’s how it works. Even in Hanna City.

Kylo didn’t know what to return and he couldn’t even return something. Your friend pulled up and you left with a shrug of your shoulders. And one corner of your mouth pulled up.

When you got in her car you didn’t mention that she was twenty minutes late. For Phasma time was a structure that was flexible. Meeting at five? Phasma comes around three hours later. So twenty minutes was like one red traffic light for normal people.

„You saw that guy?“ You settled yourself in the passenger seat, feet against the dashboard and fishing the aux cable from her phone. As much as you loved your best friend, you couldn’t stand her taste in music.

„That tall one waving an awkward goodbye?“

„He waved?“ You turned around even if you were too far away to still see him.

„Yeah.“

Connecting the cable with your phone, you chose a playlist. „That’s the guy who talks to everyone else besides me. But today he talked to me.“

She eyed you over the frame of her sunglasses. „He is kinda cute.“

„Phasma.“

„What? You know I appreciate beauty in all kind of ways.“ She did but that was not why she said it. You knew her too good.

„Let us appreciate beauty in milkshake form, okay?“

/////

Poe had an unhealthy addiction for ice cream. Kylo liked it but Poe was extreme. Yesterday Poe had told him he needed to borrow Kylo’s car. For a really important mission. Today Kylo found out, after his friend had picked him up at the museum, he only borrowed his car because then he would be able to drive to the best ice cream shop in town, and Kylo would be unable to do anything about it.

„Oh, wow, wait!“ Kylo grabbed Poe’s arm and held him back. „We can’t go in there!“ He dragged him away from the door, pulled him back to his car.

„Why? I want ice cream. You won’t stop me from getting my ice cream.“

Kylo looked back to the window. He could only see your back and a bit of your profile, but he saw your tall friend. „She is in there. We need to go!“

„She? Who?“

„She.“ Kylo starred at Poe, his eyebrows met technically his hairline.

„She?“ Poe turned around to get a look at you. „Where?“

„Not! What if she sees us.“

Poe crossed his arms and took a deep breath. Oh no, lecture time. „Kylo, my friend. You’re talking to me about this girl for two months, constantly. Three days a week because you saw her again in the museum, two days a week because she doesn’t work the other shifts with you and on the weekends you cry about yourself and your mouth that won’t work when you’re around her. We’re going in there, we’re getting some ice cream and you’ll flash a smile when she sees you. Alright?“ He walked off and held the door open for him.

Kylo concentrated hard not to look up. He wasn’t prepared to see you outside of the museum, or not behind it. He was scared he would melt right in front of you, seeing you with a friend of yours doing normal stuff and being you in an environment you probably felt comfortable in. Kylo wanted to know so bad how different you were or if there was no difference at all. Still he wanted to walk out of the shop again. He had waved like a freak and you didn’t even register it.

Poe had already ordered for the two of them, he always did that. Kylo didn’t have a favourite ice cream so he didn’t care what he would get.

„Come on.“ Poe pulled at his sweater and headed for a table behind you and your friend. Fuck, keep cool. Be cool. Don’t look up, they won’t notice you.

„You followed us?“ It wasn’t your voice but he looked up anyways. And right into the eyes of your friend. She looked like she would call the cops any second.

„Oh, no. No, I didn’t follow-“ You saw the new guy from the museum with another guy passing your table. He looked so confused and embarrassed under Phasma’s stare.

„Phasma,“ you called her out and then looked to him. „She is joking. She has a strange sense of humour.“

Your voice sounded indeed different. Nearly nonchalant and a little amused. Kylo couldn’t move his eyes from your face. In the museum he never had the chance to get all the details of it.

„We’re here for the ice cream, girls.“ Poe always pulled that charming smile that made all the girls adore him. But your eyes were still locked with his. Kylo needed to break the eye contact when Poe pulled him along. He took the seat where he would sit with the back to you so Kylo needed to sit on the chair where you could see his face. And his most certainly red cheeks.

„Which one is it?“

„The one with the glasses.“

Poe didn’t turn around to take a second look. Kylo would have hit him if he did. „She’s cute.“

„You think I didn’t see that?“ Kylo’s eyes drifted away from Poe. Directly into yours. He expected you to look away but you didn’t.

You sipped your milkshake, hearing Phasma talk, but you didn’t follow her words. What was his name? You never got it. He was just the new guy, even if he was working in the museum for about two months now. You had never looked long enough at him to notice all the small moles covering his face. They looked like constellations you would find at the firmament if you connected them with a marker. Cool, now you wanted to draw lines on his face.

„Y/N!“ Phasma snapped her fingers before your eyes and forced you to look at her. „You heard a single thing I said?“

„Yeah.“

„Good, now come on.“ You followed her out. The guy was watching you when you left. But you didn’t know what Phasma had said. Your thoughts had been a little distracted.

She didn’t drove in your apartments direction. When you arrived at the edge of town you knew where you were going. Some nights Phasma woke you up because she couldn’t sleep. You always went to that abandoned public swimming pool no one cared about. You didn’t get why that thing still existed, Hanna City was a fussy clean city, they usually got rid of places like that. Phasma liked to smash some windows. After a dozen visits there weren’t a lot of windows left. That night she destroyed the last ones.

/////

Your bright voice guided visitors through the museum again, it was still early in the day. Last time Kylo saw you was in the ice cream shop on Thursday. On Fridays you didn’t work and on the weekends the museum was closed. He had been thinking about you all the time. Mostly about your look over the shoulder when you had left with your friend, Phasma. Or about the dark circles under your eyes that shone through the layer of powder. Or about the small, bloody parts of your lips where you chewed on.

In his short break around four, he tried to build up some courage to talk to you again. The last two times didn’t went so well.

You stood in front of that huge Tyrannosaurus rex replica, the last group of visitors had left only a bit ago.

„Hi.“

You turned around when you heard his voice. „Hey.“

„You enjoy the silence?“ Only a few visitors had been around, no one that was loud.

„Actually I do, yes.“ Your arms were crossed but your voice was invite. He felt relieved about that.

„I like it, too. I didn’t know a museum could be such a peaceful place until I got here.“ You nodded, scrunched up your nose a little, out of agreement not refusal, and pulled up the corners of your mouth. God, she was so cute. „I’m sorry for Thursday. I didn’t follow you or anything.“

„I never thought you followed us. That’s literally the best shop around town, I understand why you went there.“

„Poe tricked me into going there. He is addicted to ice cream.“

„The milkshakes are great.“ You dropped the arms to your side and turned completely to him. „I never got your name.“ It was hard to look into his eyes but you didn’t want to look away.

„It’s Kylo.“

„Y/N.“

I know. Your name is beautiful. I want it tattooed on my skin. Someday. Kylo was being a creep again. He loved the sight of someone he knew so little about. That was ridiculous. „I should leave you be.“

You didn’t say something else so he went back to the register. The other two hours were horror. Kylo constantly checked the time but it didn’t move forward. Finally he had a little bit of courage and now he needed to wait. And in that two hours the possibility of losing the recent found courage was high. Very high.

But it didn’t leave him. When he made it to the end of the shift he still felt the courage inside of him. Or so he thought. Because you, waiting at the curb for your ride, made him forget everything and admire your hair, tugged behind your ear. And how it fluttered in the wind when a car drove by. But he needed to do this. He wanted to talk to you.

„Are you waiting for your friend again?“ Oh god, Kylo. Sure she is. What is wrong with you?

„Yeah,“ you looked up. He liked how small your eyes looked in that big glasses. „Usually she texts me around lunch time if she makes it or not, but she didn’t text.“ Your voice was different. He had never noticed anger in it until now.

„You’re alright?“

Turning your full body to him, Kylo did the same. „Honestly? No. She does that all the time. She forgets to charge her fucking phone because her charger is broken and she uses mine. I don’t mind when she uses my stuff, we live together. But she doesn’t care if her phone is charged or not, and then she can’t text back and she won’t make any other effort to tell me if she can take me home or not.“ There was no garbage laying around in Hanna City you could kick, so you kicked some air. „But I shouldn’t complain.“

It was rude for even thinking that but you, angry, were an awesome sight. Kylo didn’t know why but you seemed more alive, more energetic and that suited you. That, and swearing.

He wanted to offer you a ride but he realised he couldn’t. He always waited with you behind the museum until you got picked up. If he would tell you, his car was parked around the corner, what would you think? You would think he was a creep. Which he was. „I would offer you a ride but Poe has my car. Can I help you otherwise?“ Lying was bad, but that was an emergency lie.

„No, thank you.“ Your hands gripped tighter around the straps of your backpack. „Actually, yeah. If she should show up before your friend picks you up, would you tell her I took the bus?“

„Sure, will do.“

„Thanks, Kylo.“ The corners of your mouth pulled up again, a little higher than usual, Kylo thought. He returned it. There was no way not to.

He watched you walk off and waited five minutes after you had disappeared, but your friend didn’t show up. When he got to his car and climbed in, he knew he had to make a stop before he would head home.

/////

You never liked dress codes. You hated the concept in general. You got why they existed, still you didn’t like them. With the dress code for the museum it was different. You were part of the team for six years, starting off at the register, finding out what you wanted to do in college, and staying because you loved sharing information about the exhibits the visitors got to see.

Olivia, curator of Hanna City’s museum of natural history, loved having you around. You loved being around, that were two things that matched up perfectly. She had been responsible for the little, blue and violet triceratops under your name, stitched onto your shirt. And that was why you liked the museum’s dress code. You were happy with the little things in life because life didn’t offer happiness for bigger things. At least not often to you.

You always smiled when you grabbed the uniform from your locker and pulled it on. There was nothing cuter than this little embroidered dinosaur.

Slamming the locker door shut, something fell to the floor. You didn’t notice it when you had entered the breakroom. You kneeled down to pick up a little package wrapped in newspaper. Glued to the package was a little paper with your name on it. You ripped it off and found more words on the other side.

‚Maybe she charges her phone more often now, so you can contact her when she doesn’t show up. But I can give you a ride too, if you need one. Got my car back.‘

Unwrapping the package you found a phone charger. Wow. You wondered who had got you the present, even if you knew it could only be Kylo. Yesterday you had ranted to him about the Phasma-phone-problem, who else could leave a present at your locker that fitted those rant so much? No one. You were even more surprised that he got the right phone charger. Did he actually pay so much attention to remember your phone brand? Did he pay so much attention to you? He had got you a present, that indirectly wasn’t even for you, to solve the Phasma-phone-problem. Why did he? It was weird. It was also very kind.

Life was always like this. When you wanted to confront someone, and you actually had the guts to do it in that moment, karma came around and threw stones in your way. Uncommonly many visitors showed up at the register, a tourist group, that wanted to be given a tour through the museum.

Two hours later you tried it again, but then Kylo wasn’t at the register anymore. Where was he? You searched around the museum but couldn’t find him. You even asked Olivia in her office. She pointed out Kylo was taking smoking breaks form time to time. You tried your luck at the backdoor and there he was.

„Hey.“

Kylo was shocked, hearing your voice out of a sudden, he nearly dropped his cigarette. „Y/N. You smoke, too?“

You wished you still did. „Gave up on it.“

There was this unspoken rule to offer a former smoker a cigarette, just in case. Kylo held out his package.

„I shouldn’t.“ But you needed something that distracted you from confronting him. You weren’t good at things like this. You took one and he offered you fire, but you still carried your own lighter and declined his. That was a habit you didn’t get rid off because lighters were also good for a lot of other things.

The first drag instantly flooded your brain with nicotine. You hadn’t smoked in a year, it felt strange but so familiar. „I received your present.“

„I figured it could be useful. But if you don’t… I mean, if you-“ His stuttering came back around.

„It’s very kind. I appreciate it.“ You had never been that good with social interaction but with Kylo it was simply awkward. On both sides. „But why? I really appreciate it, but why?“

Kylo didn’t think about that part. He tried to come up with a fake reason while he finished his cigarette. Nothing came to his mind. „I always see you being so kind to everyone. I thought it would be only fair to return this kindness.“

„You see me?“

„Sure. You’re like the best to look at in there.“ Fuck, did he actually just say that?

„But there is an one-to-one replica of a Tyrannosaurus rex in the museum.“

Kylo may be clumsy around you, but you were totally blind for someones affection for you. „You are the most beautiful to look at no matter where you are. You understand?“

Your puzzled look lasted a few seconds until your eyes went wide. Red appeared on your cheeks and you couldn’t keep the eye contact. „Oh.“

„I’m sorry. I didn’t want to like… scare you or something.“

„No,“ you snapped, in a good way. „It’s just, I didn’t expect it.“

„So… it’s okay? You’re okay?“ His heart pumped heavy in his chest. After work he needed to find a hole he could bury himself in. This level of embarrassment was hard to cope with physically.

Just when he thought karma was a total bitch, the most fascinating thing happened. You smiled. More than only pulling up the corners of your mouth. Your lips stretched out, over your whole face and your eyes lit up, sparkling in the sun. It felt like a cloudy sky was breaking up, just for Kylo to stand in a ray of sunlight. You made him feel like a corny metaphor.

„I’m absolutely okay. You’re okay with giving me a ride after work?“

„Yes! Sure.“ His chest nearly exploded because of his high pulse. „Do you want to grab a milkshake on the way home?“ Now or never.

„Would that be like some sort of a… date?“

„No, absolutely not. Unless you want it to be.“ Again you smiled at him and that sight killed him.

„Yes, absolutely.“

Bang. He was dead and the most alive he ever was at the same time. He couldn’t wait for six o’clock. He couldn’t wait seeing your smile again. He couldn’t wait hearing you say his name. He couldn’t wait.

He did wait.

And he died and was reborn over and over again, every time you smiled at him with all you got. That was the most beautiful sight he ever saw. He could walk into a hundreds of museums of any kind, and he wouldn’t find a better piece of art to look at than you.

[mldrgrl]

These Days

by: mldrgrl Rated: PG-13 Summary: Trying to fill in those gaps and reconcile the new MSR preview with what we know so far.  Basically it’s all about the burgundy shirt.

Special thanks to @kateyes224 for being a great cheerleader.

Mulder has always been about as subtle as a bull in a china shop, especially when it comes to telling Scully exactly what he thinks and feels.  That’s why it came as a surprise to her how much he initially stuttered and stammered once they’d finally crossed the line into physical intimacy.  She’d wondered how he could be so impossibly nervous until she realized it wasn’t nerves at all, it was just a great need on his part to say and do what he thought was the most eloquent or right thing.  It had also surprised her just how much and how often he deferred to her and gave her the reins.  Though he asserted himself as the dominate force in their partnership, he was almost downright submissive in their relationship.

Now here they were, full circle from where they started, working together, but going home separately at the end of the day.  It’s less than ideal for her.  They’d made it through a very rough time together and they should be rewarding themselves for it.  Instead, she walks out the basement door at night, with Mulder by her side, but ends up in her car alone while he takes his commuter bus in the opposite direction.  She keeps offering to drive him home, but he keeps telling her he doesn’t want to trouble her.  She can see it in his eyes though, when he touches the small of her back to tell her goodnight, he doesn’t want her to walk away.  And dammit, she doesn’t want to walk away, but she always does.

He flirts with her more nowadays than he used to.  Back then, it was mild and innocuous, not something she took seriously.  Now though, it comes from a knowing place.  It’s teasing and tantalizing, because he has the experience of knowing how to get her blood flowing.  It’s why he must bring up the D-word so often; something that was almost a little bit of a bone of contention between them at one time, but mostly for her.

Mulder, do you realize we’ve never even gone out on a date?

What are you talking about, Scully, we’ve been on hundreds of dates.

When?

The stakeout on the Modell case when we shared the thermos of hot chocolate.

That was a date?

The ghost hunt on Christmas eve.

That was most certainly not a date.

Unbuttered popcorn and beer at my place.

Mulder, do you even know what a date is?

The popcorn was unbuttered, Scully.  Unbuttered.

He says it freely now, like saying it out loud makes it so, but now that she knows, in hindsight, that foggy cemeteries and abandoned houses were his unique way of wooing her, she can’t really help but fall for it all over again.  The problem is, for all this dating they’re doing, the date is over once the case is closed.  She just can’t take it anymore.

It’s Friday, and Mulder walks her out of the office.  She waits as he snaps off the lights and locks the door.  The walk to the elevator is unhurried.  He’s already loosening his tie and unbuttoning the top button at his throat.

“Big plans for the weekend?” he asks, relaxing against the back wall of the elevator.

“No,” she answers.  “You?”

He shrugs.  The elevator dings and they step out into the parking garage.  They stroll to her car like they’re out for a Sunday walk and not headed anywhere in particular.  Their steps seem to slow as they get closer, as though they can extend the time together before saying goodbye.  He waits while she puts her bag in the back seat and then they face each other, bodies angled towards one another as they lean against the car.

“Well,” Mulder says.  “You have a good weekend.”

“Can I drive you home?”

“It’s out of your way.”

“I’m actually headed your direction anyway, so it wouldn’t be.”

“Really?  Where are you going?”

“Home,” she answers, her gaze unwavering.

Mulder’s lips twitch and purse, like he’s trying to hide a smile from her.  She opens her eyes a little wider and lifts her brows as she tilts her head a fraction, challenging him to take the next move, but he doesn’t say anything.

“Come on, Mulder,” she says, and then pauses to throw his own words back at him.  “It’ll be like a date.”

His lips twitch again and his chest swells with a swift intake of breath.  This time, he can’t stop the grin from spreading wide across his face.  She sees the innuendo in his eyes before he opens his mouth and she stops him by pushing away from the car and turning to the door.

“Get in,” she calls over her shoulder.

They listen to public radio on the hour long drive to the house and they don’t speak.  Scully is lost in her own thoughts most of the time.  She barely concentrates on the road once they’re outside the city and she’s just lucky there are hardly any other cars on the rural roads and that she can make the trek in her sleep.  Her brain is occupied with anticipating all the things she’s missed about being with Mulder, anywhere from the smell of his cologne on the pillows at night to the downright simple fact that she’s missed the sex.

She isn’t willing to admit that the reason there’s an overnight bag in her car and that she finally decided that tonight she would break this lonely habit of going their separate ways is because she misses the sex, but it is a very big part of why she’s making this drive right now.  It is, she’s decided, the only thing that’s lacking in the current incarnation of their relationship and she can’t think of any good reason to go without it any longer.  

When they get to the house, Scully makes no pretense about her intentions.  She pulls her overnight bag from the trunk, and without even asking, heads upstairs to the bedroom to wash her face and change out of work clothes into something more casual.  She’s got her hair pinned back and her blouse off and she stands at the bathroom sink, splashing water on her face, when she hears the creak of the stairs.  She smiles into her hands as she rubs face wash over her cheeks.

As she washes her face, she sneaks glances at him in the mirror and she knows he’s doing the same.  His tie comes off, his shirt, his belt, his undershirt, and then he turns his back to her as she pats her face dry and watches him more openly now that he’s not looking.  It seems he’s wearing boxer-briefs now instead of boxers.  His shoulders seem broader and his arms a bit more muscular.  That’s all she notices before he steps into a pair of jeans and turns around again and she has to go back to surreptitiously checking him out as she dries her neck.  That’s okay, there’ll be time for a thorough inspection later.

One of the things that Mulder used to appreciate, that she still finds endearing, is the pleasure he found in the mundane.  A moment like this, for her to be comfortable enough to stand at the sink in her bra while he changes behind her, she knows does more for him than if she’d greeted him at the door completely naked.  He’d like that too, but he takes more pleasure in the everyday and domestic things than she’d thought he would.

“What should we make for dinner?” she asks, hanging the towel back up on the rack by the sink.

“I think I might have some pork chops,” he answers from inside the sweater he’s pulling over his head.  “Rice, maybe.”

“Wine?”

“That too.”

She nods as she pulls a white tank top and burgundy colored shirt out from her bag.  Mulder goes into the bathroom and shuts the door.  She finishes getting dressed and lets her hair fall loose again just as he returns.  She’s dropping bobby pins into a the pocket of a small make-up bag when he comes back out and without stopping, spins her around at the hips and kisses her.

A part of her is taken by surprise and she makes a tiny ‘mmph,’ noise in the back of her throat before her eyes fall shut.  His lips are warm and soft, just like she remembered.  He also tastes like Listerine, so he obviously planned to kiss her before he left the bathroom.  It isn’t a frantic, have-to-have-you-now-type of kiss, but it is intense enough to pull a whimper from her.  He’s the first to pull away and she holds firm to his shoulders as she presses her forehead to his chest.

“Chicken breasts,” he says, running his hands up her sides to the back of her shoulders and then down again to her hips.

Scully chuckles, her shoulders shaking slightly as she twists her head against his chest.  One might think it absurd that he’d stop kissing her to talk about dinner, but it was very much like Mulder to do just that.  It was part of the way he extended things, by breaking them up into bite-sized moments.  It’s fine with her.  He can take all the time he wants, just as long as she ends up back in their bed before the night is over.

Sure enough, he finds ways to touch her as much as possible in the kitchen.  He puts a hand low on her back as she presses buttons to preheat the oven, ostensibly to reach above her for the bottle of wine in the cabinet above the stove.  He holds her hips as he squeezes by her to the refrigerator, even though there is plenty of space to move around.  He rubs her shoulders as she stirs rice into a pot of boiling water.

She’s just as guilty as he is at this game they’re playing though.  When he hands her a glass of wine, she takes care to toss her hair over her shoulder first and to bring her chin down and her eyes up to his as she sips.  She requests items she knows he needs to cross the kitchen for and presses back against him when he brushes by.  They’re both even worse at dinner.

“Could you pass the pepper,” Scully asks, casually dropping her hand to Mulder’s thigh as she leans towards the table for the shaker that she can definitely reach if she wants to.

Mulder reaches over and runs his thumb across her bottom lip.  “You’ve got…”  He doesn’t finish his sentence and it’s probably nothing anyway.

It’s one of the few times in her life that Scully can recall not caring the slightest about the dishes or putting away the leftovers.  When it’s clear they’re both finished, she stands and tips her head back to finish what little remains of the wine in her glass.

“How about a movie?” she asks.

“I believe the kids these days call it Netflix and chill.”

She takes his hand and pulls him to the front room.  She doesn’t even comment when he turns the TV on to an episode of Ghost Hunters, because it isn’t like they’ll be watching anything for long anyway.  She just sits beside him and waits.

And waits.

And waits.

She’s waiting for Mulder to make his signature move; to feign a yawn and stretch his arm out behind her.  It’s stupid and cliche and absolutely juvenile, but she’s loved it from the first time he’d done it because it was so ridiculous.  He slumps down a little and she tilts her head towards him, still waiting.  After a few more minutes, she slumps as well and leans closer, closing her eyes and feigning sleep.

When still nothing happens, she rolls her eyes open and looks at him.  He’s asleep.  At first she thinks, how?  Second, she thinks, dammit, we shouldn’t have had that wine.  Third...is there someone outside?

The End

[abdicatedarchive]

Lexi’s House Party || Rose and Marina

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: pool house @ lexi’s house party // 29th of january.

𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: rose x marina.

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒: none?

𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒: rose has rolled her ankle and needs her sister’s help.

Rose was sitting down at the bottom of the stairs looking at her ankle while she waited for Marina, "Hey" she whispered, so they wouldn't hear her at the top of the stairs where the two were making out. "Can you get me out of here? I rolled my ankle" the girl whispered again as she put her arms out so her sister could help her up.

Marina had met up with Rose after she got a text from her, noticing her sister sitting down at the bottom of the stairs. "You rolled your ankle? Are you okay?" she asked with raised brows. She already knew their dad would be pissed if he found out about this since competitions were coming up. She went down and put Rose's arm around her shoulders to help her up. 

"Be quiet, people are upstairs getting busy" said Rosemary as she was helped up. She knew her dad would be mad if she tried to walk on it and make it worse, "Just take me to the kitchen please and I will tell you everything" she whispered as she put her arm around her sister and hobbled over to the house. Once they were outside she started talking, "I walked in on Noah and Bliss making out, and then I tripped and fell down to the first landing on the stairs" she explained.

"Yeah, I'm good. I just need some frozen peas or something" said the girl as she got herself onto a chair with the help of her sister. "Dad is going to kill me, but I should be fine by Monday. I can move it" Rosemary added as she moved her foot around to show that she could, even though she winced. "Yeah, I think he saw me kiss Juniper earlier and so our little agreement might be off? I'm not sure" said the girl as she was handed the peas. "Also I kissed Juniper earlier, long story, oh and LONGER story Caleb is coming by to get his necklace on Saturday and I would love it if you would give it to him so I don't ever have to speak to him ever ever again"

Rose put the bag on her ankle, "It's just a small thing, as long as I don't put any weight on it over the weekend I should hopefully be good to go? Maybe benched for one practice? Dad is going to have a cow" she said looking up at the ceiling, just thinking about how upset their dad was going to be. Marina had a lot of questions, probably because Rose had put so much out on the table. "I would appreciate you punching him, but yes okay long story... well long stories, plural. Sooooooo, I hung out with Noah again and it was ... it was hot. I was really into it, and after I suggested that we do the friends with benefits thing but like actually do friends with benefits and not catch feelings like everyone in every movie ever about friends with benefits. So that went well" said Rose, catching her breath as she continued to ramble. "The thing with Juniper is just that we've been hanging out a lot and I dunno, she's just always there and everything and ... I really don't know how to explain it. I mean she's really pretty and everything, but I've been boy crazy since I could breathe? So when I say idk, i mean it" Rose continued on, taking a water bottle from the counter and taking a long sip. "So anyways ... we're on the couch and I'm playing with her hair, again don't ask, and internally I was like you know what would be fun, making out. So I leaned over and kissed her and I was getting into it, did you know that girls have way softer lips than all these gross boys, I'm getting off track." Rosemary took another sip of water before she continued, "Soooooo, I'm pretty sure that Noah saw because I saw him walking away, I think. Not one hundo on that because .. drunk. ANYWAYS, Caleb saw and he was being a total asshole about it because that whole mistake the other day when I slept with him? Well he's coming at me with all this stuff about how I'm not working on our relationship and I'm like ... buddy. I don't have anything to work on I'm not the cheater" said Rose getting huffy about it. "I was already pissed about those garbo disgusting ass tweets about girls in dresses here tonight because he wasn't even talking about me. I'm clearly wearing jeans and a very cute corset top. The disrespect honestly. Like if he was going to thirst tweet, like make it vaguely about me. It's just embarrassing, because everyone can see that and that he's being a pig and he's not even being a pig about me. So yeah, I told him he was wasting my time, that he's been wasting my time, and that he's not allowed to waste my time anymore" Rose finished her statements, "There's more but that is the brief summation, and I'd like to give my time to the chair" she said, referencing how you end your time in a debate.

Marina nodded her head throughout the whole explanation, looking at her sister with a blank stare. She was still pretty buzzed from all the drinking she did, but she was trying her best to take everything in. "Right... so friends with benefits with Noah, girls have softer lips, Juniper playing with your hair, and Caleb being gross as usual." she said mostly to herself to make sure she remembered everything. "Well Noah shouldn't be upset or anything about you kissing someone else. Isn't he hooking up with someone right now? That was the plan." she nodded as she spoke. "Caleb is a piece of shit. Period. End of story. Moving on from him is the best option. There's just too many bad things about him. Is there anything left of him that's good? Like honestly?" she rolled her eyes as she thought about the boy. Marina used to really like Caleb before, she would have never thought he'd turn out like this. But the moment he disrespected Rose to Marina's face, she decided he was no good for her sister. "But now that he's out of the picture for good, I'm assuming, you can do whatever you want with whoever you want. So everything should be getting better from here on out, right?"

Rose nodded as her sister went through the rundown, "Yeah, I don't think he's mad. It was Caleb who got mad, and yeah Noah is hooking up with Bliss right now, but I walked in on them making out and then I tripped" said Rose shrugging a little, "I'm not jealous or whatever, I was just hoping that he and I might ... ya know, tonight" she added. Rose nodded and looked at the ground as Marina talked about Caleb, "Yeah it's 100% done, I honestly ... I never want to see him ever again" said Rose firmly. She smiled when Marina said she could do whatever she wanted, "Yeah, I guess I can do whatever I want with whoever I want. Everything will be better, and now we can do double dates with ... whoever I want" she said thinking about the question again. She wasn't sure who she wanted, or if she was actually even ready for any of this.

Marina patted Rose's shoulder, "Well there's always tomorrow." she responded with a small smile. Once she heard Rose say that she never wanted to see Caleb again, Marina nodded. "He hurt you a lot, he doesn't deserve you." she told her sister, and she meant it. She was glad that her sister was wanting to move on from her ex, she hoped that this was a step in the right direction. The mention of double dates caused Marina to force a laugh and shake her head, "I'd first need a date to participate in that." she tried to joke to keep the mood light, but her love life wasn't doing so great at the moment.

"He doesn't deserve you, now go chop his dick off!!" said Rose quoting one of their favorite vines. The two loved sitting around and watching vine comps, it was a good way to pass time. When her sister said that she didn't have a date to go on double dates with, she replied "What about tony???" shocked that her sister wasn't all in on it. "Did you two talk about the whole ... he might be gay thing?" she probed, wondering if she should have phrased it better, but she was still a little drunk. There was no way she could have not told Marina, it had to be known.

Marina bursted out into laughter once Rose quoted the vine. "Now go chop his dick off!" she repeated. She held back the urge to quote a random vine right after. If she did, the two would be there all night going back and forth. "Yeah we did. From our talk it seems like he's into guys and girls. He told me I mean the most to him, but I don't know." she crossed her arms and looked down at the floor. "I just thought he wanted to get back together, I thought everything was going to go back to how it was. But I think I got too ahead of myself."

Rose put her hand on her sister's shoulder, "If he hurts you, I will go chop his dick off" she said with a smile, "But I think he meant it when he said you were the most important thing, I know I wasn't there, but you're the most important person to me so he must feel the same way" the girl replied sweetly. Her sister was great, and if Tony was going to ditch her for anyone? That would be a major character flaw. Even if it was Sammy, who she was fond of. But Marina was Marina. 

Marina gave her sister a sad smile and nodded her head. She had hurt Antonio many times. It felt more than deserving for her to get hurt back, but she kept the thought to herself . "If I was, he wouldn't have hooked up with someone else." she shrugged her shoulders. "But thanks, you know you're the most important person to me too." she said with a more genuine smile. Marina felt more lonely than ever since she'd been back in town, but she knew she'd always have her sister. "Oh, I know you won't, but he wanted to make sure I told you to not say anything about all of this. He's not ready to be out to everyone."

"Maybe there's just some stuff you don't know about" said Rose, doing her best to be optimistic about everything. It was what they owed each other, her and her sister. Optimism in the face of it all. "I would never out someone" said Rosemary, she had her own thoughts to think about when it came to that. Paola coming out to the family was just accepted immediately, but she just didn't know what she wanted to label herself. "Do you think you're like 100% straight?" she asked, curious to what her sister's answer was. They had always been boy crazy, the two of them. It was always one boy or another.

"Yeah maybe. I think I just need a distraction, a pretty one." Marina suggested as she forced a smile on her face. She had to act like this didn't faze her until it actually didn't. "I know, I'm just telling you just in case he comes to you asking about it." she clarified. Marina knew Rose wasn't like that. "Me? Nah I don't think so." she shook her head. Marina had become pretty laid-back in regards to her sexual orientation, but it was also something she didn't bring up to others too often. "I would always get those 'haha what if we just kissed' thoughts towards some girls during summer camp back then. You know what I mean?" she asked with a small laugh.

Rosemary wiggled her eyebrows, "A tall distraction?" she said with a smile, "Like a very tall brooding awful guy that only has one use?" Rose added as she gave her sister a playful nudge. They were both in agreement that Cody Summers had one purpose on this earth that benefitted anyone. "I mean I kinda get what you mean now, but I've just been ... I don't know. I've liked Caleb since forever, and then I liked Bradley, and then Asher, and then Noah, and I haven't really stopped being like all about them in years" Rose said, thinking out loud a little.

"I think our twin telepathy is growing stronger and stronger every day." Marina tapped on her forehead with a small smirk on her face. She wasn't in a relationship, so if Antonio wanted to go back and forth between hooking up and with her and other people, Marina would try to do the same. "Well I remember just shoving those feelings down when I was younger cause I thought I was just being silly, but I think seeing people like Paola helped me a bit." she tried to explain what she never really said out loud before. "When it comes to people I'm attracted to, I try not to view it by gender. Like yeah, I've been interested in a lot of guys, but they're all just individual people. Maybe the next person I'll be into won't be a guy, who knows?" she raised her shoulders. "But that's just me. I'm not even sure I've found a label I feel completely right with yet. Sexuality is fluid. Everyone's different." she looked at Rose with a small smile. "I don't know if I'm helping you out in any way."

"Oh our twin telepathy has never been stronger. Boo to scientists for thinking just because we're not blood twins does not mean that we do not get all the perks!" she said, the room filling with the sound of her laughter. She listened to her sister explain, and she understood. It was just different. She was worried about how she wasn't ready more than anything, and how she'd been piling on distraction after distraction ... and she felt like she was using people. "I just don't want to use her and lose her, which is kinda what I've been up to with most people" said Rosemary with a shrug, "I don't want her to hate me if I'm not ready, or it turns out I don't want that".

“It was just a kiss, and you’ve been drinking. I don’t think she’ll think too much into it.” Marina told Rose with the shake of her head. “You can’t control how you feel. If you’re into her, go for it. If you’re not, don’t feel bad for that.” she continued to explain. “She’s always seemed pretty understanding to me. Can she really get upset if you’re not ready for something?”

"That's fair enough" said Rosemary, trying to not think about it too much. "Well, don't let me ruin your night, go and have some fun. I'll be here whenever you want to leave. I want to rest it for a bit and also wait until Dad is in bed" Rosemary added.

"Everything's gonna be fine." Marina tried reassuring Rose with a smile on her face. "Antonio said he wanted to meet up for a bit, but I'll text you when I'm ready." she told her sister before looking down at her ankle. "We could always spend the night at Paola's, but we'll figure it out later. Love you." Marina gave Rose a hug before going off to find Antonio. //END

[engagedtobefree]

The Uncertainty Continues

Monday - So I fucked up my neck over the weekend. I woke up early Saturday morning and moved my pillow on top of my other pillows and fell back asleep in a bad position. I could not turn my head whatsoever up until about Tuesday or Wednesday, and I was in agonizing pain. No matter how many painkillers I took or how long I left hot patches on for, the pain was still constantly there. So I go into work Monday and put my last thermapatch on. It looks really stupid, even with my hair down, but the heat feels good. I go into Scott’s office doorway during my lunch and pretty much the first thing he asks me is what’s wrong with my neck. He keeps some icy hot patches in his desk since he has neck issues, but I tell him I’m okay with my hot patch. We talk about our weekends and he actually occasionally mentions his daughter now. He mentioned how he took her to the park. I start talking about how I’m excited for the upcoming weekend because I’m seeing Infinity War, and he’s never heard of it. He laughs at my face and says “You looked at me like I’m crazy.” Well, duh. I can’t see how no one has heard of this movie. I tell him how literally everyone I know wants to see this movie, and then add, “And then there’s you.” He tells me to ask Steve and that he bets Steve doesn’t know what it is either. I do ask Steve when I see him later in the day and Steve does say he has heard of it but hasn’t seen it yet. I don’t tell him that it’s not out yet lol. Anyway, during my lunch Scott and I also get on the topic of cats. I had a volunteer shift Saturday that I still managed to get to despite my neck, and Scott asks me what I do there with the cats. He mentions how he had a cat and brought her to Petsmart once to get bathed and they told him to never bring her again. So he is not opposed to cats. But then he says, “yeah, she liked us though. Just didn’t like getting bathed, which I guess most cats don’t.” Us. Honestly, the fact that I still talk to this man on a daily basis is in and of itself a miracle, because if I was one of the deadly sins it would for sure be jealousy. I have gotten way better than I was when I was younger, but any tiny little hint at his wife sends my mind into a downward spiral. At the end of the day it’s really quiet in the office and I hear Scott answer his cell phone. He just keeps saying, “Yeah” and “It’s cool” and “Alright”, and then before he hangs up he says “I’ll see you soon.” I have no way of knowing who he was talking to, but it really just makes me sad thinking it could be his wife. Again I question what to even do with this whole situation because I don’t know. I’m doing some overtime today and I’m standing at the edge of my cubicle when Scott leaves. He says, “Bye, Dane.” He used my nickname again. I’m not sure what to think of this. 

Tuesday - I don’t see Scott at all during the first half of the day. Not purposely, but because I had missed him coming in and then we just happened to not see each other, which is rare. By around 11, I really feel like I miss him and would like to at least see him and say hi. When I finally get to stop by his office on my lunch, the first thing out of Scott’s mouth is how he hasn’t seen or talked to me all day. I tell him I’ve had more computer work and not a lot to print today. He asks me if I’ve been hiding and I say “Yeah, but not from you.” Scott asks me how my neck is, which he continues to do every day for the rest of the week. I tell him how Steve has in fact heard of Infinity War and Scott is surprised. I tell him I win this one and he smiles at me. We get on the topic of sleeping and then he starts telling me about how he’s getting his buddy to fix some wheels for him so he can put them on his car. So then we get on the topic of cars. I tell him my dream “car” is a Vespa scooter and he says he can picture me riding one of those, which of course makes me happy. Steve comes in so I know my lunch is over, and as Scott and I are saying bye to each other, Scott is really giving me one of his glowing looks. The way he looks at me sometimes just makes me melt.

Wednesday - I have to ask Scott about an order in the morning. Without going into too much detail, the order I had was to send the correct part to the customer after they were sent the wrong part. Usually this means that the warehouse guys packed the wrong thing. We send the part out as no charge, but I still need a price for customs, and the prices vary in the system, so I go to ask Scott for the previous order number so I can compare prices. Scott’s doesn’t understand what I’m asking for at first, and then he says, “It’s no charge”. “No, I know that. I still need a price.” Steve tells him to stop busting my chops. I have to tell him yet again I need a price for customs. Turns out the wrong part was ordered completely, not that the wrong part was sent, so I can’t compare prices. Scott is technically supposed to give me a discount price but he tells me to just use the price I have, to Joyce’s annoyance. She gets mad at him and Steve because they don’t really care sometimes lol.

Joyce got Pete a card for everyone to sign. It comes around to me and I see Steve and Scott still haven’t signed it, so I take it in their office. Scott is taping up a box of shoes he’s sending back to Amazon and Steve is on the phone. I come in with the card and ask if they want to sign it. Scott beams at me and says yeah. Steve comes and brings it back to my desk when they’re done and before I pass the card off, I look inside to see what Scott’s handwriting is like. Mind blown. His handwriting is actually incredibly nice. I can tell he writes fast, but still neatly, and he writes in all capital letters with his letters close together, and it just looks pretty. I’m not a fan of my own handwriting, so I’m both impressed with and slightly jealous of Scott’s.

I think Wednesday is the day I go in to Scott’s office during my lunch to give him a cookie. Now anytime I’m in close proximity to him, my affectionate side starts wrestling with my sane, rational side. I am standing a foot or two from him and I just want to sit on his lap, cup his face in my hand, and kiss him. If I could slap myself I would. I try to get a grip on myself because he is married, and I haven’t been flirting with him like before (just smiles now, really), and yet my affection and desire for him are really putting up a good fight despite my attempts to ignore it all.

Thursday - Scott takes these next two days to ask me quite a bit of questions about myself. He actually asks me about when I became a vegetarian and a few things about that. He asks me some other things too that I don’t remember, but I just know that he was being curious. When he comes in from his lunch, I’m standing at the printer and when I turn to look at Scott, he raises his eyebrows up at me in a quick succession. So he’s back to flirting now? I give him a small smile in return. 

Friday - Scott once again takes to asking me a lot of questions. He asks if I’m excited for my movie, if I’m into all that superhero stuff, if I read the comics too, if I like Star Wars (which is a no - just LOTR and HP), and if I’ve seen GoT (which is an unfortunate no). He says he likes GoT and when I ask him later on in the day if he likes any other fantasy stuff he says no, and he says he’s into comedy mostly. During our lunch convo I ask him his plans for the weekend and he doesn’t really have any except yard work and going to the Nike store. I can always tell when Scott is holding back though, and then I remember from my Facebook stalking days that his wife’s birthday is on Monday. (I know it’s so weird I know this because I don’t even know Scott’s birthday, but literally all she has public on her facebook is their wedding stuff and posts of her birthday from a few years back). I don’t want to think about whether they have plans together for this occasion so I am happy when the conversation goes in a different direction.

I don’t talk to Scott at the end of the day, which is very odd for a Friday, excluding last Friday when he left early. I had walked by his office twice but he didn’t turn to me so I didn’t go in, though I still could have. I get the feeling that Scott may still be slightly scared of me, or maybe a little apprehensive at the least. He probably thinks there’s a possibility of me approaching him again about this situation, and so he’s probably trying to avoid it, at least for the time being. If I really wanted to approach him though I would, whether he was inviting toward me or not, but I really don’t want to bring it all up again. I’m pretty conclusive when it comes to that. If he brings it up himself, that would be great, but I am for sure done mentioning it. As I’m leaving and getting ready to head to Scott’s office to say bye, he actually comes walking out to head down the hall, so we say bye to each other and exchange “Have a nice weekend”s. I really need to decide what I want in this situation so that things can change. This sort of limbo state is fine for the time being, but I know that my impatience will not be okay with it for too much longer. There is still no easy decision, but I know that one really needs to be made. Judging from what I’ve observed of Scott, and the fact that he hasn’t yet given me an answer, he’s still unsure of what to do too.

[n00dl3gal]

Someone To Skate For (Voltron Secret Santa)

Hi @lceithkogane! This is my gift for you from the @voltron-ss!! You asked for a hockey au with shance/klance/shallura, so I hope you enjoy. Happy holidays!

Read on AO3 here

If you had asked Lance seven months, two weeks, and three days ago if he’d ever play ice hockey, he’d probably laugh in your face. Lance Fuentes, playing hockey? It wasn’t that he was unfamiliar with the sport- he’d seen it on TV a couple of times- but actually standing out on the ice, batting around a disk like it offended your mother… yeah, that wasn’t for him.

Of course, seven months, two weeks, and two days ago, Lance saw Takashi Shirogane.

And that’s how it began.

…

He was probably the hottest person Lance had ever seen in his life, regardless of gender. Chiseled chin, sculpted muscles, delicately wind-swept hair, and a scar running across his nose that didn’t detract from the appearance in the slightest. Rather, it added to it.

“W-welcome to the Quiznak Snack Shack, what can I g-get for you today?”

The man smiled, scratching his cheek in thought. “How about a medium lemonade and a fruit cup, please?”

Lance nodded, busying himself with pouring the drink and slicing the fruit. Pidge and Coran were likely in the back, and this guy was their only customer- a little flirting couldn’t hurt, right? “I-I’ve never seen you here before. You new?” he asked in his most casual voice, chopping a strawberry.

He laughed, eyes crinkling. “Ah, no. I just haven’t been able to stop by before. I’ve been meaning to, though.” He fished in his back pocket for his wallet. “My name’s Takashi Shirogane.”

“Lance,” he replied, ringing up the food. “That’ll be $5.86.” Takashi paid and dropped the change in the tip jar, prompting another smile from Lance. “Enjoy your food!”

“I plan to,” Takashi said, heading towards the door. He paused just before opening it. “Hey, do you mind if I put up a flier for work on the community board?”

Lance’s gaze flicked over to the corkboard of pamphlets and posters for events around the city. He shrugged. “As long as it’s not for anything illegal, go ahead.” Takashi lifted his lemonade in thanks before tacking a sheet of paper on top of an ad for a tanning salon. Then he left, vanishing into the crowd on the street, leaving the tinkling door chime and a wistful sigh in his wake.

Once his shift ended, Lance took a moment to memorize the address on the flier he had left. The Voltron Ice Arena, huh?

Works for him.

…

“You mean to tell me-” Keith said, pushing the puck away from the goal effortlessly, “that you decided to play hockey to impress a guy you hadn’t even spoken to.”

Lance panted and dribbled the puck back to the neutral zone. “I mean, when you say it like that, it sounds creepy.”

“It is creepy.”

“Alright, alright, so I wasn’t really thinking and I ended up signing up for tryouts. And you remember how that turned out.”

…

It wasn’t that Lance was unfamiliar with ice skating. He’d done it a few times with his family and friends. Wasn’t too shabby at it, either. He knew hockey well enough, too, or at least had seen enough on TV to get the gist of it.

So while he wasn’t expecting much when he tried out. Probably to be rejected outright. But… somehow, he wasn’t. Not that he was pulling off last-minute nosedive saves or cross-rink goals, but he still managed to control the puck well and keep himself upright, which was more than most of the other tryouts were doing.

The woman in charge, a tall, pretty thing named Allura, smiled and patted him on the back once he finished. “You did well, Lance. Have you played before?”

He shook his head. “Never in my life. Don’t know how I did all this.”

“Well, whatever the case, with a bit more training, you could be a valuable member of the Paladins. Tryouts continue for the rest of the weekend, but don’t be surprised to hear from us come Monday,” she said cheerfully. “Once you return your skates, you’re free to go.”

Lance skated over to the penalty box, where a young man about his age sat. For some god-forsaken reason, he had a mullet. “Name’s Lance,” he said, sticking out his hand.

The boy grunted and shook it once before dropping it like it bit him. “Keith. Goalie.”

Well, this guy was easy to talk to. Not. “So, you already tried out, then? I thought results weren’t up until Monday.”

“I’m still on the team from last year. Only replacing a few people.”

Lance pulled off his left skate, shaking his foot loose. “Well, I may be one of those lucky few, which would make us teammates. Should probably get to know each other then, right?”

Keith rolled his eyes. “You’re not on the team, yet, so what’s the point?”

OK, now he was just being purposefully difficult. But Lance wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, be it trying out for a sport he’s never played or befriending a jerk. “Just cuz I’m not on the team doesn’t mean we can’t talk. How long have you been playing?” he asked, smile somewhat forced.

“Since I was in middle school. Look, why don’t you just return your rentals and leave? Tryouts are over for the day anyway, I’m just sticking around for my ride,” Keith said, crossing his arms.

“Well if you’re gonna be like that, fine. Maybe I will leave,” Lance countered, picking up the skates. “Don’t even know why I bothered talking to y-” Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something. Something that made Lance shiver.

Takashi Shirogane, dressed in sweats, twirling across the ice. “Oh, holy crow,” he breathed, moving closer to the rink to watch.

Keith stood and glared at Lance all the harder. “Wait, do you know him?”

Lance blinked and turned back to the other boy. “Um, maybe? So what if I do? Can’t I watch him practice his hockey?”

There was a second of silence, and then a snort as Keith doubled over, laughing. “What the hell, man? What’s so funny?”

“Shiro playing hockey, now that’s something I would like to see!”

…

“You seriously thought he played hockey?”

Lance batted the puck out of Keith’s reach and launched it across the ice. Keith blocked it with ease, but Lance chalked it as a victory to even get it away from him. “Well, given his physique and what little information I had to go on, it was a reasonable assumption,” he argued.

Keith huffed and rolled his eyes, smiling. “But still an assumption, and you know the old saying.”

“Yeah, yeah. And then I found out he was taken…”

…

His eyes tracked Shiro as the latter drifted across the ice. Keith sat a few rows behind him, no doubt pouting. In the two weeks since Lance had joined the Paladins, he hadn’t seen Keith smile once. If it wasn’t for them laughing when they met, Lance might’ve thought it was impossible.

Nevertheless, he focused on Shiro and his routine. Once he had seen Lance and they both laughed awkwardly about the misconception, he was happy to let Lance watch him practice. “New source of feedback,” he said, patting Lance’s shoulder.

Lance blushed and mentally made that his favorite shoulder.

Shiro transitioned from a triple lutz to hydroblading, zooming past were Lance stood. Despite the glass, Lance could feel the passion and friction Shiro’s skates were creating. After a quick mohawk turn, Shiro pulled into a lunge before striking his final pose. Lance clapped wildly, slightly muffled by his mittens.

Shiro stood and smiled, waving at Lance. He waved back eagerly. There was a snort from somewhere up in the bleachers- oh yeah, he had forgotten about Keith. Lance spun on his heel and glared at him. “He did fantastic- much better than what you could do!” he snapped.

Keith stretched and walked down to rink level. “Oh, you’re not wrong about that. It’s just how obvious you’re being with that silly crush of yours,” he said.

“S-so? Why would that be a problem?“ Keith pulled a hand out of his pocket and pointed across the ice. There stood Allura, who Shiro was skating towards. “And?” Lance asked. “They’re co-workers, it makes sense for them to-”

And then, in a decidedly NOT co-worker-like fashion, Allura leaned up and kissed Shiro on the lips. Shiro responded by equally unprofessionally wrapping his arms around her waist.

If Keith said anything else, Lance didn’t hear it. He just curled his fists and shook.

…

“You’re not… still mad about that, are you?” Keith asked suddenly, skidding to a stop. Powdered ice shot up in his wake, splattering Lance’s knees. “About him and Allura being engaged.”

Lance sighed but shook his head. “I mean, I was at the time, but I don’t really know why. I barely knew the guy and I was already infatuated with him… it was stupid. I’m glad I found out pretty early, though.”

Keith nodded, skating back to the net. “I guess I’m just surprised you stuck around.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lance accused, pointing a gloved finger.

“I mean that you only tried out to get close to Shiro. It wasn’t for a love of the sport or for exercise or anything, it was cuz you were being a stalker,” Keith explained.

“I was not being a stalker!”

Keith shot the puck back towards Lance and rolled his eyes. He lowered his faceguard, saying “we’ve been over this, you were being creepy-”

“Yeah, yeah, just get ready for this shot, Samurai.”

As they practiced, Keith had to admit it- Lance had improved quite a bit since he tried out, and even then he was no slouch. He would never say it out loud, but he was glad Lance had stuck around, even after finding out about Shiro. They still bickered- a lot- but in the past seven months, they formed a strange sort of friendship that Keith wouldn’t trade for anything.

Suddenly, Lance stopped and beckoned Keith closer. Keith wondered for a second if Lance was injured and skated over, dribbling the puck idly. “You alright?”

“You asked me why I stuck around- there’s a couple of reasons. First of all, you’d all be dead without me on the team and you know it,” Lance boasted, grinning.

Keith exhaled. “Whatever lets you sleep at night,” he muttered.

Lance dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “It’s also good exercise and it’s fun and it’s something to do when I don’t have work. But… in regards to Shiro, well…” His voice fell a few decibels as he leaned into Keith’s ear. “I may have found someone else to skate for.”  

He couldn’t help the shiver that ran down his back when Lance said that. Who was it? Hunk? Pidge? Maybe- it couldn’t be him-

Lance took the shot and scored. “HA! I knew that would throw you off!” he laughed. He kicked off and made his way towards the door to the stands.

“B- La- you- I was nowhere near the goal, it doesn’t count!” Keith sputtered, chasing him. “Get back here!”

“Nah man, I wanna get out of this smelly jersey-”

“They are called sweaters and you know it, Lance!”

Lance just chuckled some more. Maybe one day he’d score a real goal against Keith. Maybe he’d score something else with him, too.

[angies-team]

92 Questions Tag!

TAGGED BY:  @hello-em75 (who is in every way awesome) 

last:

drink: A wierd grape juice fruit blend thingy. I don’t really know but it was good.

phone call: my mother

text message: ditto ^^^^

song you listened to: Two Feet- I feel like i’m drowning.

time you cried: This morning I was watching Stranger Things okay 

have you:

dated someone twice: neyooo

kissed someone and regretted it: yeah. Every night i put my younger brother to bed and regret giving him a kiss of the cheek when he makes some sort of annoying comment.

been cheated on: sorry that role goes to my tests.

lost someone special: yeah, family, I’ve had a few friends who have passed away for multiple different reasons, some more painful than others. Uhhh... I’ve lost a few fictional characters close to my heart.

been depressed: oh look it’s the title of my autobiography.

gotten drunk and thrown up: nopers

list three favorite colors:

blue

blue  aquamarine

also blue multiple other colours that are also cool

in the last year have you:

made new friends: I HAvE. I sweaarrr. I have friends! It’s hard to sit alone ever though, but I wouldn’t change things even if i had the chance.

fallen out of love: nah, my heart still belongs to my one true love, Hayden Christensen. 

laughed until i cried: did that yesterday, actually. 

found out someone was talking about you: probably, but i don’t remember.

found out who your friends are: Iii’mmm not exactly sure what this means but one of my friends did turn out to be Batman soooo...yeah. no i didn’t i’m kidding i swear

kissed someone on your facebook list: nope

general:

how many of your facebook friends do you know in real life: probably most if not all of them

do you have any pets: we have two turtles: Spock and Chopper. (Chopper is the biggest lil shit too it’s perfect)

do you want to change your name: i mean not really. If i were going to i’d just make my nickname my legal name since it’s what everyone calls me already anyway.

what did you do for your last birthday: Which was TODAY WUT. uhhh idk played a little BATTLEFRONT 2 (IT’S AMAZING GAH), 

what time do you wake up: well i should wake up by at least 7 to get to school on time but lately I've been sick and i’m always sleeping in and late for school. Usually ranges from 8-8:30 on schooldays and i have no idea for weekends. 

what were you doing at midnight last night: uh i was totally sleeping. I wasn’t watching stranger things at all. nope. nuh uh. not a chance.

name something you can’t wait for: The last JEDI. gah just give it to me now i’m already dead you can’t kill me any more.

when was the last time you saw your mom: today

what is one thing you wish you could change in your life: my math and Physics mark. that or get rid of my stupid concussion so i can do things again.

what are you listening to right now: 

have you ever talked to a person named tom: yeah, my late grandfather. There have probably been other Tom’s in my life but i can’t think of one off the top of my head. 

something that is getting on your nerves: MATH. and this guy who keeps following me around and WROTE ME A FRIKIN POEM nopenopenope abort.

most visited website: youtube honest

mole/s: i don’t think i have any?

mark/s: freckles (if that counts, but i have like five and they’re practically invisible when it’s not summer), the large scar that appeared on my cheek this week, cuts, scrapes and bruises here or there.

childhood dream: teacher *shudders* glad i gave that one a rest.

hair color: dirty-ish light blond sort of thing i have no clue what my hair is. My eyebrows are black though and no i haven’t ever dyed my hair, except for that one time this year i went as sabine for Halloween

long or short hair: short. my hair was halfway down my back in around March and i chopped it all off for star wars.

do you have a crush on someone: sort of? I mean i don’t think it really counts as a crush i just think this guy is kind of cute but he also looks IDENTICAL TO EZRA I KID YOU NOT i swear on my life it’s crazy. but yeah that’s kind of the only reason i’m sort of obsessed with him i guess? But yeah I honestly dont even know who he is and I’ve only talked to him like three times and two were like “oh hey sorry is someone sitting here?” “oh no. sorry i’ll move my bag because its on your chair.” so yeahh. fun stuff.

what do you like about yourself: ummmmm... things? I love that i can find beauty in music and the world in ways alot of people can’t and i feel lucky because of that. My artistic personality is realy what defines me other than my constant use of sarcasm and dry humor, as well as terrible jokes and combacks that aren’t even comebacks and it’s helped me become who i am and will be fore the rest of my life. i love that i can use not only pictures but song, as well as words to express myself and other things to the world. I’m also terrible with words when i’m speaking so being able to write down what i mean with the detail needed to paint the picture into your mind is great. i also make no sense. like all the time.

piercings: one simple hole in each ear is enough for me

blood type: I....don’t actually know.

nicknames: Angie, Ange, Angeasaurus, tangeriene, angerine, Rey (it’s a long story), Bob, Frank, Joe (i am being serious, actually) 

relationship status: single not like a pringle because pringles come on tins which hold alot more than a single pringle (heh) soooo what am i even sayig

zodiac: scorpio

pronouns: she/her

favorite tv show: ooohhh that’s an unfair question. 

right or left hand: right

surgery: i don’t think so?

hair dyed in different colour: oh look i just talked about this. uh yeah, but temporarily for halloween

sport: ice hockey, water polo, tennis, swimming, baseball, something else i’m 100 percent forgetting.

vacation: i legit just went somewhere and i kid you not i cannot remember where it was. my memory is actually really bad.

pair of trainers: either my white sneakers or, if it’s winter or fall i’m always wearing my boots.

more general:

eating: a lolipop :)

drinking: lemonade

i’m about to: draw something stupid (probably)

want: to just feel like I’ve made a difference. To be happy. 

get married: one day. but i’m like 17 so...

career: broke student(?)

hugs or kisses: hugssss

lips or eyes: eyes mostly, but both

shorter or taller: taller

older or younger: older

nice arms or nice stomachs: both is the way to gooo

sensitive or loud: really depends on the time, place, and people

hookup or relationship: relationship

troublemaker or hesitant: troublemaker

have you ever:

kissed a stranger: nopers

drank hard liquor: uh yeah. i accidentally downed my mom’s vodka when i was like 11 because i thought it was water. heh mistakes.

lost glasses/contacts: i’m using my mom’s glasses actually right now because i lost mine

turned someone down: all the time tbh. just the other day actually (in my defense he was stalking me and it was getting creppy)

sex on the first date: uh nooooooooooo

personal:

broken someone’s heart: yeah (i feel like a terrible person saying yeah, but the things this guy did to me to try and get me to like him back were ridiculous)

had your heart broken: everytime my favorite fictional characters die okay in all seriousness, nope. I’ve never really liked someone that way. except for that one time when i was 12 but that’s a story for another time

been arrested: nope

cried when someone died: yeah. my grandfather earlier this year, a friend of mine commited suicide last year, and another one just died this yeah in a hit and run accident. so. other than that... *glares at stoick*

fallen for a friend: not as of current date

do you believe in:

yourself: sometimes 

miracles: yeah.

love at first sight: nah. romeo and Julliet is a LIE. sort of.

santa claus: nope. (i blame my mother for not being more stealthy when i was 11)

kisses on the first date: i guess it would depend

other:

current best friend: doesn’t have tumblr and would rather i didn’t say his name.

eye color: blue (except when it’s really bright outside they turn almost white. it’s creepy)

favorite movie: The Empire Strikes Back

TAGGING: @twiggy242 @tarched @leffie-draws-fanart @jeditimelordinthetardis @fanwriter02 @fangirling1998 and anyone else who feels like doing this!

[topimagines]

Perfect Only Last So Long- Tyler Joseph Part Four (smut)

The next morning you woke up feeling yourself again. Nights like last night happened but you always were on your own. This time you were happy to have Tyler to help you through your doubt, insecurities, and tears.

“Wanna ride again?” Tyler asked rubbing his eyes from just waking up.

“No ty, I can drive myself.” You said already knowing he was going to drive you.

“It wasn’t really a question.” He said getting out of bed and kissing your cheek.

“You’re too good to me.” You blushed.

“I only want the best for my girl.” He said putting on a shirt.

“Well that’s all you give me and I love you so much. Thanks for taking care of me.” You said pulling your hair into a messy bun.

“I’ll take care of you until the world ends.” He told you and you could swear you head heart skipped a beat.

“Are you out early today?” Tyler asked as you pulled up to your school.

“Yes and today is Friday and I was thinking maybe do you want to have a party at my house. It’s bigger than your apartment.” you asked not sure if he was going to be okay with it being at your house.

You typically partied at his apartment with all his friends getting drunk.

“Um, yeah I guess. I’ll tell the guys. Are you inviting your friends?” he asked.

“If you don’t mind. Kaylee seemed to like you the other day and I know how much they actually want to meet you.”

“Whatever you want to do is fine with me.” he said kissing you on the cheek. “Now go before you’re late.” he said unlocking the car doors.

“Alright love you.” you leaned in to kiss him on the lips quickly but it turned into more than that.

You broke away for the kiss for air.

“Y/N go or I’ll take you home and we can continue this.” he said with a smirk on his face.

“Just one kiss can get you this wild up?” you teased him.

“That was not just a kiss. That was a long kiss from a hot girl. You always get me wild up.” he winked at you.

“Oh my god.” you rolled your eyes. “Be here at 10 to pick me up. I love you.” you said getting out of the car.

“Love you too hottie.” he said pulling away.

You rolled your eyes and walked into school where you met up with Stephanie.

“Well that was a heated kiss.” she said and you looked at her confused. “I’ve been waiting here for the past 5 minutes looking out the window for you when I saw you and your lover boy going at it in the car.” she teased you.

“We weren’t going at it, it was just a kiss that was long and nice.” you said and you blushed.

“God you love him don’t you.” she said as you both walked to your first class together.

“I do. I really do, so much. He’s such a  sweetheart and-” you started but you saw her rolling her eyes. “Sorry.” you apologized.

“Don’t be. It’s cute and all seeing you happy. Anyways you always talk about how fun going to a party with Tyler is. Any plans this weekend?”

“Yeah. party at my house. Be there at 9 and bring some people with you.” you said waving goodbye to her as you entered your classroom.

You still had 2 minutes until the class started so you sent a quick text to some of your other friends telling them to come.

After listening to some of your teacher’s powerpoint you got bored and pulled out your phone, carefully hiding it from the teacher’s view. You saw you got a text from over 15 people saying they would be there. You knew there was probably going to be about 30 to 40 people so you thought you better text Tyler.

To Tyler

Hey babe, so it’s probably going to be a big party. Will you pick up beer and snacks and stuff?

Sent 7:46 am

From Tyler

Sounds fun. I’ll grab some stuff before picking you up, but only if you promise me one thing.

Received 7:48 am

To Tyler

And that one thing is???

Sent 7:49 am

From Tyler

I think you know what I want.

Received 7:49 am

To Tyler

Omg. it’s too early for this.

Sent 7:50 am

From Tyler

But you got me going in the car this morning and I realized that it’s been over 5 weeks since I’ve seen your beautiful body of yours. God I love you so much.

Received 7:51 am

Thinking you have control, but baby, you know I’ll always be in control in the bedroom ;)

Received 7:51 am

To Tyler

I’m in school and you’re distracting me.

Sent 7:52 am

But you know if you get me drunk enough it always happens.

Sent 7:52 am

From Tyler

Sounds like it’s going to be a fun night at the Y/L/N’s house. See you later babe.

Received 7:03am

“Huh, Ms.Y/L/N would you like to share with the class what you’re smiling at your lap about.” you teacher spoke from the front of the room which made you jump from your stare at your phone.

Everyone was turned in their seat and looking at you.

“Ms.Y/L/N you know the rules. Phone up on my desk until the end of the day.”

“Ms. David I’m sorry I had to text my mom and tell her I made it to school okay. She’s out of town.” you said keeping your phone in your hand.

“Okay fine, but if I see it again it’s mine for the rest of the day.” she said and stating her lesson again.

You tried to listen to the lesson, but now your mind was in a different place. Tyler seemed to have that effect on you a lot. When he texted you things like that all you could think of was how much you wanted to be with him. Alone.

Finally your last class was over. You were walking out of the building when suddenly you heard someone calling your name. You turned around to see one of the school jocks jogging towards you.

“Hey Y/N, I heard there is going to be a party, is that true?”

“Yeah my house at 9.”

“Is that Tyler kid involved. Are you still dating him?”

“Yeah and yes he will be there.” you said.

“Good, he knows a good party. Well see you later than.” he said and walked away.

If he knew about it then your friends really did invite other people.

Later that night you and Tyler had just finished putting out the last of the chips and stuff when you heard a few familiar voice enter you house.

“Let’s get this shit started.” you heard Kaylee shout.

Before you knew it your house was full of drunk partying high schoolers. It felt like half the school was there from all the noise and the loud music wasn’t helping.

Your were in the kitchen talking with Tyler, Stephanie, Kaylee.

“As her best friends we have the role of protecting her, so you hurt her your dick gets chopped of.” Stephanie threatened Tyler in a joking manner.

You were happy seeing that your friends and Tyler were all getting along. They really liked him and he seemed to liked them too.

“Well I’m not as drunk as I want to be so anyone up for a round of shots. I’ll take a bottle from my dad’s liquor cabinet.” you offered.

“Babe you sure he won’t notice?” Tyler questioned.

“It’s fine.” you said then leaned close to his ear to whisper. “Plus you’ll like the outcome, if you know what I mean.”

He smirked and you walked away to walk to the cabinet stumbling a bit. Okay maybe you were a little more drunk than you thought, but fuck it right?

“Woah you good there Y/N.” the same jock from earlier asked you.

“Yeah, just a bit tipsy.” you said.

“A bit.” he laughed. “Anyways, Tyler and you really do throw a great party. I hope your neighbors don’t mind the noise or that we almost burned down their rose bush.” he said.

“Fuck them, I never liked any of them.” you slurred and he laughed.

“You’ve always been funny.” he said moving closer to you.

“She has and still is.” you heard Tyler’s voice behind you and felt him pull you closer to him by the waist.

“Yeah. anyways, I’m gonna go. See you in school Y/N.” he winked them walked away.

You turned around and saw Tyler glaring at the jock as he walked away.

“Someone got jealous.” you teased him.

“Just get the alcohol.” he said not wanting to address it.

You  grabbed the bottle and a few shot glasses from the cabinet. After sharing the drink with your friends they decided they were going to head out.

“We’re gonna leave soon Y/N it’s already 2 in the morning and most people left already.” Kaylee said.

“Okay, love you guys.” you slurred hugging both of them.

“You got her Tyler?” Stephanie asked pointing at your drunken state.

“Yeah.” he nodded and then they left.

About half hour later you got everyone to leave. You wanted the house to just you and Tyler. You had plans for the two of you and you were to drunk to even let the last person leave the door before you turned around and started kissing Tyler passionately.

“What do you say we go upstairs and have some fun by ourselves?” you asked Tyler moving closer to him.

He bit his bottom lip and picked you up. You wrapped your legs around his waist and he brought you upstairs. He put you down on your bed closing the door in the process. He pushed you down on the bed and hovered over you with either hand on the sides of your head. He collided his lips with yours, your tongues fighting for dominance but of course he won.

You played with the hem of his shirt and he broke the kiss to pull it off. You took the opportunity to do the same to yourself. You unbuttoned your jeans and pulled them off too. Tyler stared down at your almost naked body and bit his lip a little hard. You noticed the growing bulge in his pants so you sat up and started unbuckling his belt.

“So egear today aren’t you baby girl?” he asked as you pulled the belt off and started pulling down his jeans.

“I’ve been waiting all day for this Tyler. You’ve been on my mind and I just want to fuck you.” you said, or more correct the alcohol said.

“Then how about you get on your knees and show me how much you’ve been wanting this.” he said and you moved off the bed and kneeled in front of him.

You looked up at him as you looped your finger in the waistband of his boxers and pulled them down. You pump him a few times before sucking his tip. You hear him start to groan lowly as you wrap your mouth around his cock and move farther down his cock.

“Fuck, baby.” he groaned bucking putting his hands in your hair and pushing himself in and out of your mouth.

You hollowed your cheeks and took him as deep as you could. You bobbed your head over him until you felt him twitch inside your mouth.

You immediately pulled off and stood. He grabbed your face and kissed your lips sloppily. You were back on the bed laid on your back and Tyler hovered over you. You felt him line himself up with your soaked entrance. He looked at you asking for permission like he always did. You nodded your head and he pushed inside of you which made a gasp escape your lips. He stopped his movements and looked back at you.

“Are you okay baby?”

“Yeah, you can move now.” you said once adjusted to him.

He began to thrust in and out of you at a good pace for the both of you.

You felt the familiar tightness in your abdomen start and Tyler’s pace started to get sloppier.

“I’m close.” you tell him as your high threatens to tear throw you.

“Me too baby. Let it go.” he said and his words worked like magic. Your walls clenched around him and he came inside of you. Tyler helped you get dressed throwing on a pair of shorts himself. You curled into his side and he pulled you close whispering I love yous in you ear as you fell asleep.

“I love you Y/N.” you heard him whisper.

“I love you too.” you mumbled.

You took in the warmth and the smell from him knowing you only had 3 more nights of this. You were going to miss waking up next to him and falling asleep curled into his side.

A/N- I promise it gets better after this. I just wasn’t in the mood to write smut but I wanted to post the next part. Please don’t hate me. I'm aware it sucks. Thanks.