#anyway I’m gonna finish that damn wedding meet cute if it’s the last thing I do

[crybaby-bkg]

I went to a wedding like a month ago and started a wip about a wedding meet cute with Bakugou that was supposed to be like 2-3k words but never finished it and I’m so mad bc it should be easy but school was so hard and UGH

but!!!!! it made me think about being friends with benefits with Bakugou and having just finished sleeping with him, rolling off of his chest as you both lay beside each other trying to catch your breaths. and you ask him if he’d like to go to to your friends wedding with you next weekend? that he doesn’t have to come, but you’d like to have some arm candy with you?

and at first, he doesn’t answer. gets kind of fidgety, scratches at his chest, murmurs under his breath that he’s not sure, he might have a shift, he’ll have to check later. and how can you not take that as a rejection? as a show of only being good enough for private time spent together, but unable to be seen together, publicly, as his date?

so you gather your things, quickly and embarrassed, stutter out that you were just joking, just fucking around and playing. you’re scurrying out of his apartment before he can stop you despite his pleading to hear him out.

and do you ignore him the entire weekend of the wedding? how couldn’t you, when you show up, dateless, with the memory of only being filled sexually but never emotionally? and does Bakugou regret it the entire time? how couldn’t he, when he was only tongue tied and nervous because he couldn’t believe the person he’s been in love with for months wanted to do more than just lie underneath him?

[thefanficmonster]

Casual

Ranboo x Reader (Female)

Warnings: None, unless talking about the future counts

Genre: FLUFF, Humor, RPF (Real Person Fic)

Summary: Following the arrival of the dreadful invitation to his cousin’s wedding Ranboo turns to the only cover-up he can think of to keep his still-single status hidden from his family.

Requested by Anon. Hi darling! Thank you so much for your wonderful request! I’m so glad you sent your idea to me and I’m so glad you were my first official Ranboo request. I’m really sorry it’s taken me so long to write it but I still hope you’ll come across it and read it! Love, Vy ❤

“Heyyy, so Y/N, I have a favor to ask you...um yeah, call me back, it’s awkward sending it via voicemail. Bye“

Huh - that’s the first thought that goes through my head when I listen to the voicemail left after a missed call from my best friend Ranboo. The favors he usually asks for consist of requesting assistance for his videos in which I also appear with a mask and sunglasses to keep the brand running. I genuinely have nothing against my face being shown but when I think about it, I’m honestly a bit glad people can’t identify me.

Anyways, back to the favors, Ranboo is no stranger to asking me for them but they’ve never been considered too awkward for a voicemail which is why I’m no slightly concerned. I’ve been swamped with work for school and studies for the graduation finals for the past two weeks and it seems like I’ll never get on top of it and I know Ranboo’s been in a similar situation too, so maybe he needs help with that? He’s not used to asking help for school stuff, he sometimes even has a hard time accepting it when I openly offer it to him.

I eventually sigh, decide that playing this guessing game will not get me anywhere and settle on giving him a call as I make my way home from the gym with my legs barely putting up with the task of carrying me around.

He picks up on the second ring.

“Hey! Wh-...“

“Would you pretend to be my girlfriend for my cousin’s wedding next weekend?!“

My legs take that opportunity to stop moving in the middle of the sidewalk which is luckily void of any people at the moment. It’s not my fault my body’s first reaction was to freeze up at the question that came flying at me like an out-of-control jet, almost as though he’s been dying to say it and get it over with.

“Um...run that by me again please, I think I misunderstood.“ I say, blinking blankly as though awoken from a fever dream. No, actually as though I’m IN a fever dream right now.

“Ok, now that the cat’s out of the bag, wanna grab some coffee and talk about it face-to-face. I need to see your facial expressions to gauge what response to expect.“ He says, the previous nervousness gone and his voice calm as regularly once again.

I’m this close to face-palming but I squeeze my eyes tightly shut and bring myself to utter a reply, “Our usual spot. Be there in ten minutes.”

                                                             *  *  *

“No freaking way.“ I shake my head, folding my arms over my chest as I lean back in my seat in the booth we picked when we arrived. Good thing I got an iced coffee cause even a hot one would’ve gone cold by now considering I haven’t yet taken the time to have even a sip of it. I’ve been too busy listening to the long and short of the explanation and begging speech Ranboo probably made last night to try and convince me to agree to this nonsense. “Dude, we’ve been friends since middle school-...“

“Exactly! Who else was I gonna ask?“ He cuts me off, pleading gaze meeting my unimpressed one.

I huff before continuing my previous statement, “We’ve been friends since middle school so you know my opinion on weddings.” I put extra emphasis on the word ‘opinion’, giving him the clear hint at the distaste I’ve expressed on the topic multiple times before.

“And you know we’re on the same page there but there’s no way I can avoid going unless someone kidnaps me.“ He too now gets in the same stance as me, his coffee forgotten too.

I can’t help but snort out a little laugh, “I’d be more than happy to kidnap you considering the other option is far less appealing to me.“

He, of course, rolls his eyes at me as though he didn’t offer to do the same thing so I could avoid an exam but anyways. “So you’re gonna choose to fake a kidnapping that has the potential of landing you in jail over coming to eat some great food and maybe even have some fun at a wedding with your best friend? I’m hurt.“ He says, frowning to cover up the smile that’s fighting its way onto his face.

Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes, “I’d be kidnapping you, dummy...” I cut myself off to let out a long sigh and calm down before I go off at him. His smirk isn’t helping me much with the task either. I’ve known Ranboo long enough to know he’ll eventually convince me and he’s known me long enough to know how to do that exactly. With that in mind, there’s really no point in getting so worked up and wasting my energy. And so, despite my own rationality, I cave. “Fine, but I’m not staying the whole wedding.“

His eyes immediately light up and almost makes me feel the compromise was worth it. Almost. I mean, when you’ve been best friends with someone for so long, seeing them happy is worth more to you than your own comfort sometimes.

And he knows it too. Which is exactly why he outstretches his hand for me to shake and says: “Just one dance and you’re free to go. Deal?”

I take his hand without hesitations. That’s a better offer than I could’ve ever imagined. “Damn straight it’s a deal.“

                                                            *  *  *

“How long until you kick the heels off?“ Ranboo asks, bringing me a non-alcoholic cocktail and sitting down next to me.

I take a sip and giggle, “You kidding? I already kicked them off and replaced them with flats. I need mobility if we dance. They also lower the risk of me severing off a toe of yours if I step on you on accident.”

He laughs, clinking his glass against mine before he gets a bit more serious, “By the way, thanks for handling my family’s attack so well. I know it might’ve been a bit much but you handled it like a pro. Still, I’m sorry on their behalf.”

I shake my head and wave my hand dismissively, “Don’t mention it. I’d probably react the same way if my brother or cousin brought a date to an important family event like this.” I instinctively turn to look in the direction of where the majority of his family has gathered around, chatting with guests, smiling brightly. It’s hard not to immediately take a liking towards these people. They’ve been a second family to me ever since Ranboo and I started hanging out so I completely understand why they were so shocked to see me in the role of his ‘girlfriend’.

“I’ll tell my parents the truth later, our extended family is the ones I wanted to fool to be perfectly honest.“ He looks around as do I and we catch more than a few pairs of eyes fixated on us that turn away when they realize they’ve been spotted, “Mission accomplished by the looks of it.“

I chuckle. I’ve never felt so comfortable at a wedding before. I don’t feel stressed nor anxious despite knowing that there’s quite the number of eyes on me and there are whispers going around about my ��relationship’ with Ranboo. It’s oddly calming and relaxing to be surrounded by some familiar and some unfamiliar faces. This cocktail is pretty great too.

Speaking of which, if it had any alcohol in it I’d blame it for the decision I’m about to make but this one’s entirely on me: I tap Ranboo with one hand while taking out my phone with the other. “If we’re already the talk of the wedding, let’s give them something to talk about.“ I say as I put up my phone, pretending to be taking a selfie leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

When I pull away I can clearly see that he’s still processing what just happened. I can’t help but burst out in a fit of laughter as I reach out to wipe the lipstick stain I left on his cheek. He looks like a lost, clueless puppy with the question: ‘what on Earth just happened???’ replaying in his head and it’s so freaking cute!

Wait....what was that? Since when do I use the adjective cute to describe Ranboo? Didn’t I think he looks handsome in a suit earlier too? The hell is with me today?

Then it hits me - the feeling isn’t foreign. Like, I know I’ve felt it before but I never analyzed it or even bothered to acknowledge it. But now that I do, I’m afraid of what it might be.

“There!“ I say, desperately trying to push the thoughts away along with this little firework show in my stomach, “Now you have pinker cheeks. Well, cheek, singular.“

As if snapping out of his state of confusion, he returns to Earth with a smirk, “Kiss the other to even it?”

Alright, his blush might not be even but mine now is and it’s ten times as intense and very much apparent but I don’t let the feeling shine through anything else as I proceed to actually kiss his other cheek too, wiping the lipstick stain.

“Thanks. You’re the best.” And just like that, as though it’s no big deal, he kisses my forehead.

See, that’s the thing, it shouldn’t be a big deal! It’s never been! This is far from the first time I’ve kissed him on the cheek or the first time he’s given me a forehead kiss. These are regular occurrences after years of this lovely friendship we have. Why do they feel so different now?

Then, much to my relief, the music starts and the lights turn off leaving only one spotlight for the groom and bride to have their first dance. They look absolutely astonishing and I can certainly say I’ve never before stopped to think that about any newly weds of the weddings I’ve preciously been to. I don’t know if it has something to do with the company I have for this particular wedding or it’s maybe the fact that my mindset’s changed over the years without me realizing.

Then I automatically look at Ranboo who just so happens to be looking at me too and all I can say is: my mindset hasn’t changed.

A loud applause takes over when the couple finish their dance, officially opening the dancefloor for any other pairs who’d like to occupy it and I’m happy to see how many people are eager to rush up with their partner.

 Ranboo gets up, putting the glass down and offers me his hand, “So, wanna dance? Don’t take this as a sign to leave though, we said one dance and you CAN leave, not SHOULD.” He says, giving me a warning look.

I roll my eyes and am about to give him some sass right back but he takes my hand and picks me up from my seat, leading me to the dancefloor.  And I gotta admit maybe it’s a good thing he did. If he left it to me I would’ve probably said no to the dance and ran the hell away. Why? - Cause I’m freaking terrified of this new mindset and point of view and these intense emotions I never used to pay any mind to before in regards to my best friend.

Friends don’t feel that way about friends. Friends don’t look at friends that way. What’s happening to me?

When I gotta look him in the eyes like this, not for the first time might I add, I can finally understand how the friends-to-lovers trope works: it’s all meaningless until it starts to mean so much to you. It’s all platonic until it reminds you of a romantic movie moment. It ‘best friends’ until it’s ‘I wish we were more than that’. It’s all casual, until it’s not.

And, unfortunately, it’s irreversible.

Damn do I wish I ran away now...

[golden-barnes]

Plum tarts and red carnations

Pairing: Florist! Bucky Barnes x F! Reader

Summary: Bucky is enamored with one of the employees of the bakery in front of his store.

Category: Fluff

Warning:s some self-doubting thoughts and cursing .

Word count: 2.5k

Author’s note: I have been thinking about this since that one anon and thank you @buckycuddlebuddy because you helped to inspire me further with this. Also think of Bucky as Beefy because I'm a softy for a gentle giant. Comment and reblog pls and thank you!

“Damn Jerry. You’ve been growing nicely. A little bit more, and you will be ready to find a new home, bud.” Bucky whispered to the little sprout he was watering. Bucky loved his morning routine.

Before opening up his shop, he would check on his nursery. Water the plants in his greenhouse, checking them to see how they have grown. He liked talking to them; they never judged him or ignored him. He even named them. Sam would help, too, though he treated it more as a joke.

After checking on the nursery, he would focus on making bouquets and arrangements for the store. Nobody knew he was the one who made those beautiful arrangements, and he liked it.

It was like therapy for him. Matching the flowers and creating bouquets with meaning was a talent Bucky didn’t know he had. By this point, the shop was opened and ready for business.

While preparing a rose bouquet, he saw a woman in an apron running out of the new coffee shop from the table next to the cash register. Oh shit, she’s pretty. He thought. He kept staring at her and forgot the fresh roses next to him, grabbed one carelessly.

“Fuck.” He accidentally pricked his finger with a thorn. He applied pressure to his wounded finger.

“Oh, are you okay, sir?” The pretty woman from the bakery asked. Bucky didn’t notice her entering the shop, and now she was here. Looking disheveled but incredibly beautiful.

“Yeah, happens all the time. What can I help you with?” He said, trying to sound as composed as possible. He could hear Sam’s voice in his head. “Play it cool, Buck.”The woman let out a sigh.

“I’m co-owner of the coffee shop, and it’s our opening day. I was encharged of the decorations, and I ordered some flowers from this other place, but when they got here, they were horrible. Like really bad. And oh god, I’m rambling, but I need a brand new arrangement.” She said all in one breath. Bucky had to fight a smile from appearing. Adorable.

“It’s okay. What colors did you want?” Bucky asked. The woman smiled at him.

“We wanted white and purples. Something simple. But honestly, I know nothing of flowers. I don’t understand why Wanda put me up with this? Now we are late, and I still have to finish decorating the cupcakes.” She explained while Bucky started to search for the flowers in his shop.

“Lilacs, with white peonies and lavender roses, would make a nice bouquet. How does that sound?” Bucky showed her the flowers he was referring to. The woman gasped.

“Oh, they are so pretty! You, sir, are a genius.” She gushed, still looking at the flowers. Bucky felt his cheeks getting red from receiving praise.

“I can bring it to you,” Buckywhispered, afraid that she might not like that idea. “You know, because you still have some stuff to finish, so you can do it, and I’ll bring it to you in less than 10 minutes.” She looked at him and went to hug him. Bucky tensed, not expecting the hug, but soon relaxed.

“You are literally my hero. Just ask for Y/N,” She said, walking towards the exit. “Wait, what’s your name?” She added, opening the door to leave.

“Bucky.” Y/N smiled at him. “See you later, Bucky.”

Bucky has never worked on an arrangement as hard as this one. He was already meticulous, but he really wanted to impress Y/N. Can you blame him? The pretty girl needed his help, and he wanted her to be happy. He even added some baby’s breath and this new white ribbon that had come in for weddings. He was very proud of it but also very nervous.

With a deep breath, Bucky entered the coffee shop. A brunette was at the door, cleaning the tables.

“Sorry, Sir. We are still aren’t open.” She said. Bucky gulped.

“Uhm. I’m looking for Y/N.” He told her; she looked at the flowers in his hands and understood. She yelled for Y/N, who came out of the kitchen with icing on her check, giving him the brightest smile.

“Hey, Bucky! That’s beautiful! How did you make such a pretty arrangement in less than 20 minutes?” She grabbed the vase out of his hands and set it on the counter. Bucky blushed and scratched his neck, shying away.

“It’s nothing.. I’m just happy you liked it.”

“How much do I owe you?” She asked. Bucky put his hands up.

“Oh, it’s on the house. Don’t worry. Call it a welcome gift.” He explained; Y/N jumped and gave him another hug. This time Bucky wrapped his arms around her.

“You are the nicest person on this fucking planet. I have to make it up to you. What’s your favorite fruit?” She pulled away from him and looked at Bucky in the eye. Bucky felt his breath hitch, and his palms get sweaty.

“I-I like plums.” He stuttered. She gave him a big smile and handed him a cookie.

“Hmm, I can make something with that.” She winked at him.

-

“I still haven’t named you, but honestly, I don’t know. You look like a Janelle, but also, I feel like that doesn’t fit.” Bucky said to the new cactus that arrived yesterday, in the afternoon.

“I think she looks like a Lucille.” Bucky turned around and saw Y/N with a box in hand.

“Oh, hi.” He felt embarrassed. She had heard him talk to his plants. Not even Steve had seen that. It was his private thing.

“She’s cute. What type of cactus is it?” She looked at it, not looking weirded out or anything.

“It’s called a Bishop’s cap. They grow to be very pretty and sprout a yellow flower. Not very popular in the shop, but there’s this new cactus crazy going on, and I thought to stock up.” Bucky explained, putting the cactus down next to the others.

“Do you name all your plants?” Bucky gulped and turned around to face her.

“Yeah, and talk to them too.” Bucky fought the urge to punch himself. Why would he say that? Fuck, now she is gonna think he is a fucking weirdo.

Much to his surprise, she smiled at him. She suddenly remembered the box she brought and opened it.

“For saving me yesterday, I made you a plum tart.” She opened it and pulled out the tart. Bucky felt his heart beating faster, and his hands get clammy.

“You didn’t have to.” “Ah! I beg to differ. Everyone that walked into our shop loved the flowers. They were really something. Like I couldn’t stop looking at them. So I had to show you my gratitude the only way I know how. With treats.”

“I couldn’t possibly eat that all alone. Want to share?” Bucky asked, giving her puppy eyes so she wouldn’t say no.

“You drive a hard bargain, Bucky. Has anyone ever told you can get away with murder with those eyes?” Y/N joked.

“I think my grandma’ probably said it. I have some silverware in the shop’s kitchen. When you have to be at your shop?” Bucky said, signaling her to follow him.

“I’m on break—perks of being the boss.” She explained while Bucky grabbed a few paper plates, forks, and a knife. She grabbed the knife and cut a big piece, and gave it to Bucky. Then she cut a piece for herself.

Bucky took a bite and accidentally let out a moan.

“I take it; you like it.” She winked at Bucky. He diverted his gaze from her. Why the fuck did I do that? Bucky screamed internally.

“It’s delicious. I can see why your shop has been packed since yesterday. Reminds me of my ma’s.” Bucky admitted.

“I’m glad, but I can’t take all the credit. You should see the coffee mixes Wanda came up with. They are the real star.” Bucky smiled at her. Nice and pretty… She let out a cough.

“How did you get really good with plants? Like sorry for the personal question, but you have a talent.” She inquired.

“Well, uhm. After getting discharged, my friend Sam suggested that I take classes to handle stress and PTSD. One of the classes was gardening, and I just found it so calming. So I started taking more courses and learning ‘till I decided to start my own business. I don’t think I could ever work anywhere else.” Bucky noticed her staring at him. “What?” He said, smiling awkwardly at her.

“Nothing. Just thinking about how you are the nicest man I’ve ever meet.” She said nonchalantly. Bucky chuckled.

“It’s nothing major. I just found my calling.” Bucky stated.

“I feel the same. I baked a lot in college, and then suddenly I was like fuck, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.” She recalled. Her eyes glowed under the light of the kitchen.

“I felt the same way when I started this shop.” Bucky admitted, she bit back a smile.

“By the way, I like the name—Howling’s flowers. Oh, and how pretty this store is, it looks like I walked in a magical forest.” She complimented.

“I- thanks. I named my store after my squad and the decor well; that’s kind of an embarrassing story.” Bucky chuckled nervously. She rolled her eyes.

“Oh, please. I own a coffee shop named Magic café, and all of our items are named after magical things. I am the last person to judge.” Bucky bit his lip nervously while listening to her.

“I based it on The Hobbit. It was my favorite book when I was younger, and I just couldn’t imagine decoring this store anyway else.” Y/N looked at him with an open mouth.

“Okay, are you government android? Because you are friendly, great with plants and well-read. You are too good to be true.” She laughed. Bucky needs to find a way to blush less in her presence because this is like the fourth or fifth time it has happened.

They finished eating their pieces of tart and talking for a while. Y/N decided to go back to the shop, not realizing how much time she spent there. Before leaving, Bucky gave her some more lavender roses.

“Oh, Bucky, you don’t have to.” She protested.

“It’s just to add to the arrangement. I feel like it was missing a few more roses. You’ll be doing me a favor.” He assured. She grabbed the flowers and smelt them before smiling and giving him a small thanks.

Little did she know that lavender Roses mean love at first sight.

They played that little game for weeks, almost 2 months. Y/N would take her lunch break at Bucky’s shop. Feed him some food and pastries that she was experimenting with, and he would give her flowers.

“To put on the counter. Your store deserves fresh flowers every day.” Bucky claimed. But in actuality, all the flowers meant something. The white camellias? He was telling her that he admired her. The amaryllis? That he found you beautiful. The white and purple stocks? A silent plea for bonds of affection from your part. But he couldn’t bring himself to say these things out loud.

Speaking to Y/N in flowers was much easier. Maybe because she didn’t know and couldn’t reject him.

“Bucky, you gotta tell her, man.” Steve would try to reason with him. “She likes you; you like her. Just tell her that you like her or ask her out on a date.”

“You don’t get it, Steve.” Bucky would argue, which led to an entire discussion on how Bucky is being a coward that ended with him telling Steve and Sam to fuck off.

But they were right; it was simple. She has been an absolute doll with him. She doesn’t mind hearing his rants about the new book he read and helped him water his plants. She even bought waterproof labels to put their names on their planters. She even asked (more like demanded) Bucky to send her the pictures of every bouquet and arrangement he made. She loved seen his creations.

And he loved being her test subject. She would bring him new pastries to try. He was her official taste tester. Anything new in the store, Bucky had already tried it in every one of its variations. Y/N would speak to him of all of her special interests and all of her new hobbies. He had even met all her friends, and they loved him.

So why was this so difficult? Bucky groaned while arranging the flowers at the front of the shop.

“What’s got you all groaning and gloomy, Bucky-bear?” Y/N asked him. She looked radiant in her work clothes. Ugh, Bucky had it bad.

“Nothing, j-just thinking.” He nervously replied.

“Don’t overthink. You might over-heat your brain, bubs.” She joked, entering Bucky’s shop. And like the hopeless romantic he is, he followed.

“Soooooooo I have been trying out this new pasta recipe, and you are the only one I trust to give me the truth.” She said, opening the Tupperware she brought. Bucky’s heart fluttered at her words. He felt light-headed; maybe that’s why he couldn’t stop himself from opening his mouth.

“I like you.” He blurted out. He slapped his hand over his mouth. Y/N turned to him, widen eyes, and mouth gaped.

“Bucky, do you mean that? Because if you are playing with me, I will fight you with this.” She warned Bucky, threatening with a spoon.

“I like you a lot. Actually love you. I- that’s what those flowers meant.” Bucky explained. Y/N put down the spoon.

“What flowers?” She asked, in the softest tone he has ever heard her speak in. Bucky turned his gaze to the floor, embarrassed that this was his confession.

“All of them. They all meant love in one form or the other.” He admitted. Y/N stood in front of him and put her hand on his cheek. He felt his heart do backflips.

“What flower means I’m in love with you, Bucky?” She asked, caressing his cheek.

“Maybe red carnations.” He joked, leaning into her touch.

“I’ll ask this handsome florist with a heart of gold to make me a bouquet to give you.” Bucky chuckled while she let out a little giggle.

“I would love a bouquet, but I would much rather have a plum tart from the sexy baker on the store out front.” Y/N hummed.

“I think I can make that happen.” She said, pulling him closer. “Can I kiss you, Bucky?” She asked; Bucky could only nod.

She grabbed his face and pressed her lips against his. Bucky wrapped his arms around her, pulling her even closer, molding her body against him. Their lips gliding over each other smoothly, as if they were made for each other.

They pulled away to take a breath, and they both had the same dopey smile. Tarts and carnations. Who knew they mixed so well?

[ellohcee]

It Seems Fitting

Summary: (get it cause they meet at the fitting rooms)

Well this is something I’ve had sitting around for a while and it was going to accompany a piece for day 7 of Jaspvid week until the other idea hit me. Since I had this mostly fixed up to post by that time I decided to finish up and post it anyway.

- - - -

David hummed softly as he turned back and forth in the mirror, tugging the dress shirt down a little and trying to see how it rested in the back. He liked it, it looked good with the slacks and vest but he would have to get the seal of approval first. He turned around and opened the door to step out of the dressing room stall, looking down at himself as he did so. “Okay, how does this look?”

“Rockin.”

David froze because that was most definitely not Gwen, looking up to see a man standing there with a pair of black pants slung over his arm, paused midway to find an open room. He looked nonplussed, but David immediately flushed red in mortification regardless. “OH, I’m- I’m sorry I was expecting my friend to be out here I’m so sorry-” he stammered.

“Hey hey, it’s chill,” the man said with a grin, making David’s stomach flutter. “But for real though, it’s good on you.”

“You really think?” David asked, his shoulders hunching a little closer to his ears.

“Yeah dude. I mean, I’ve been told my fashion sense is shit so take my word with a grain of salt, but I think you look baller,” he said matter-of-factly. “Classy.”

“Oh. Thank you,” David replied, pleasantly surprised.

“David I found you another tie that’s less stupid looking- oh, hey, friend of yours?” Gwen asked as she walked up, looking between the two curiously.

David stammered for a moment before the stranger cut in, rescuing him. “Impromptu outfit rater. I was just tellin’ your boy here he looks-” he paused to click his tongue, rocking a fist side to side with his thumb and pinky extended. “Awesome.”

David flushed as Gwen let out a bark of laughter, giving him a look that doubled his embarrassment and told him he’d never live this down. “You giant dork, did you just barge out here and ask a stranger?”

“I wasn’t looking and I thought you would be out here like you said!” David protested in mortification, his ears and cheeks red as can be and suddenly feeling too hot under the bright lights of the fitting rooms.

“I’m sorry but I had to get a different tie, that one with the pine trees is so fucking stupid,” she shot back while the stranger watched on, obviously amused by their bickering.  

“But I like it,” David whined in protest.

“Fine, let’s ask your new outfit rater,” Gwen teased as David started to protest, holding two ties up to the man while ignoring David’s hurried attempt at intervention. “Which one do you think would go best?”

“Gwen, come on, leave him alone I’ve already bothered him enough-”

“I like the pine trees,” their new friend replied calmly, smiling at their incredulous looks.

Gwen groaned, her eyes rolling so far skyward and her shoulders dropping in defeat. “God, seriously, you too?” she demanded, giving him a betrayed look despite knowing this man for all of two minutes.

“Yeah man! I’m not a big tie guy, but when I am absolutely forced to wear one, I do like me a good fun pattern,” he said, winking at David. “The trees are cute, and the green matches your eyes.”

David’s face went redder, his heart giving a big uncomfortable thump because excuse me pardon but what did the wink mean??

Meanwhile Gwen made a frustrated noise. “Fine, keep your stupid dorky pine trees,” she grumbled, tossing the tie at David and earning a surprised noise as he fumbled to catch it. He blinked down at the tie before looking up to watch Gwen as she left to put the other one back.

David swallowed, looking back over to his impromptu outfit rater. “Um, s-sorry,” he said, trying to smile.

“No worries dude, it’s all good. I’m Jasper, by the way,” he dropped casually, shoving his free hand in his jeans pocket and resting his weight to one side.

“Oh! Uh, David!” the redhead replied pleasantly, straightening out the tie in his hands before he could wrinkle it. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Jasper grinned, making David’s stomach flip again because gosh what a nice smile he was such a sucker for a nice smile and he was so not prepared to have a conversation with someone so handsome in the dressing room after embarrassing himself like that-

“So Fancy Pants, you guys gettin’ ready for a thing?” Jasper asked, breaking him out of his spiraling thoughts.

“Oh, yes, Gwen insisted that I get something new otherwise she won’t be seen with me,” David murmured, embarrassed.

Jasper laughed kindly. “Well I’m sure you two will look great together no matter what.”

David was about to reply, when something hit him and he suddenly furiously did not want Jasper to think the wrong thing even though they’d probably never see each other again but he had to let it be known- “Oh, no we’re not d-dating,” he corrected hastily, making the other man’s eyebrow quirk slightly, that calm smile still on his face. “But we are going together to a friend’s wedding this weekend, since we’re both single.”

Jasper suddenly blinked, losing his amused look. “This weekend? Long shot, humor me here, but it’s not Deena and Sai, is it?”

David’s mouth dropped open just a tiny bit. “Yes, it is. You know them?”

“Yeah dude, I’m goin too!” Jasper said with a grin, holding his arms out a little. “Sai is one of my buds from high school.”

“Gwen and I have worked with Deena for the last two years,” David said in surprise.

“Small world,” Jasper replied, looking amused and a little… delighted? It was an unexpected break from his so-far casual demeanor that threw David a little bit for a loop. “Well then, I’ll let you get back to it. Hope I see you there, Davey,” he said with another wink, making David’s heart to that stupid flip-flop thing again.

Who gave this perfect stranger authority to send him so completely off kilter?

“Y-yes, see you then,” he said, trying to sound like he hadn’t just been run over.

Jasper’s grin stretched a little wider before he headed down the row of dressing rooms, disappearing into one of the doors.

David let out a shaky breath, trying to compose himself just as Gwen appeared at his side again and made him jump. “Are you still standing here? You been talking to your new boyfriend that long? I don’t blame you, he’s hot.”

“Shhhh!” David shushed her frantically, waving a hand in the direction Jasper had gone as his heart raced double overtime now between the interaction and Gwen’s sudden reappearance. “He’s just down that way,” he whispered, still red, still flustered.

“So what? God, what a dork. Are you gonna get that or what?”

“I’m- I was- you-”

“Come on David I don’t want to be here all day, I want to get lunch,” Gwen insisted, crossing her arms impatiently.

David sighed in frustration, retreating back into the changing room to get back into his normal clothes and most definitely not pouting. “You didn’t even tell me if it looks good,” he mumbled petulantly, just loud enough for her to catch.

“You didn’t need my opinion, you seemed to hold his high enough,” Gwen teased calmly from outside the door, making David go red again. Was he that obvious??

“Gwen, please keep your voice down,” he whined, imagining Jasper several doors down probably hearing at least Gwen’s half of the conversation and maybe his whispering and probably deciding that David was in fact a giant mess and now debating whether or not he actually hoped to see them at the wedding-

“Why? What’s the big deal?”

“Because,” David said pertinently as he gathered up the clothes and opened the door, stepping out. “He is going to the same wedding this weekend,” he hissed, his lips pursing in what liked to think was a stern glare but in all actuality looking like a peeved child.

“What! No way!” Gwen exclaimed as the redhead quickly shuffled her out of the fitting rooms.

“Yes, and I’d rather not be a complete mess if we see him and he overheard,” David grumbled softly.

“Why not? He seemed kinda sweet on you and you were a total mess already, like, near disaster levels and he was still cool,” she mused. “You can talk to him again, maybe get his number!”

“I- nonono, I don’t think he- he wasn’t-” David stammered.

“He totally was,” Gwen shot back. “He low-key complimented your eyes and winked at you, he is not straight.”

David took a shaky breath as something hit him. “Twice,” he said softly in realization.

“What?”

“He… winked at me again after you left,” he said, embarrassed. “When he said that he… hoped he’d see us there. And he called me Davey.”

Gwen looked incredulous and maybe on the verge of hitting him or strangling him or both if the mood struck her right. “And you still think he’s not interested?? He thinks you’re cute you idiot!! If you don’t find him at that damn wedding and get his number I will end you! Did you at least get his name?” she asked, her tone clearly pleading work with me here.

“Jasper,” David said, hunching his shoulders a little.

“Well at least you got a foot in the door,” Gwen scoffed, her murder plans paused as she gave him a not-so-gentle but still friendly nudge where he’d slowed a little. “Pay for your shit and let’s go eat, then you can sigh and daydream about his smile and whatever all you want.”

“Gwen,” David whined miserably.

- - - -

Nerves ate him up all week as David found himself simultaneously dreading and anticipating seeing Jasper at the wedding. He had a hard time imagining someone so handsome and easygoing would so easily take a shine to his awkward self when he’d been such a disaster, but Gwen was adamant. That didn’t stop him from dreading making a fool of himself again as he stood there sipping from his water at the reception on Saturday. But also meticulously scanning the crowd looking for Jasper...

So what if he’d mentioned David’s eyes. And complimented his outfit. And looked kind of excited to find out they were going to the same wedding. That didn’t mean anything. Gwen insisted he’d been flirting but no one ever flirted with David how was he supposed to know. There was no way Jasper had been flirting with him. Right?

“You got the threads!”

David whirled around in surprise, his heart racing upon seeing Jasper approaching, looking unlawfully handsome in black slacks and a purple dress shirt. He’d rolled up the sleeves and there was the ends of a black tie with little rainbow polka dots hanging from his pants pocket and now it was going to be ten times harder talking to him. He was toeing the line between causal and formal and it just looked so good on him that it wasn’t fair. “J-Jasper,” he greeted, smiling and trying to control the butterflies in his stomach.

“Hey Davey, you look great, just like I said,” Jasper grinned. “Even better without price tags hanging off ya,” he added playfully.

David just barely stifled his surprised laugh. “Thanks, you- you do too. Purple really suits you,” he said shyly.

Jasper didn’t seem the type for formal clothing, judging by the jeans and well-worn t-shirt he’d been in the other day, but he sure pulled this off nicely. It didn’t even seem out of place that he still wore the few colorful woven bracelets David had spotted in the dressing room. It fit him.

“Thanks dude, I can clean up alright sometimes,” Jasper teased, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Where’s your friend? Gwen, right?”

“Yes, she’s talking with Deena and some of the other ladies.”

“She abandoned you? Weak,” Jasper tsked softly. “I’ll hang with you, if that’s cool?”

“O-of course,” David replied, receiving a grin in response that suddenly rendered him a little bit weak.

They talked for a little while about standard casual things, work, hobbies, interests, the stupid stuff Jasper had done with Sai in high school, and David found himself slowly relaxing as time went on. It was getting easier to talk to Jasper, he was so casual and laid back it was like a vortex of calm that was drawing him in, telling him to stop being such an anxious mess. He would love for that to happen, it would be a lot easier of finding someway to see Jasper again in the future if he weren’t a total anxious mess.

But no matter how nervous he was, he couldn’t help but laugh at the cheesy quips and jokes Jasper made, and the other man seemed a tiny bit delighted at every little laugh and giggle he got in response.

Without realizing it, they’d gotten lost in their own little corner of the reception talking for nearly an hour. When the band started playing again after a break and people headed for the dance floor, Jasper’s eyes fixed in that direction. They’d both gone silent when the music started, Jasper’s keen gaze remaining on the crowd for a few moments before suddenly clicking his tongue as if a decision had been made. “Soooo,” he drawled slowly, casual, glancing over at David. “Yoooouu... wanna dance?” he asked hopefully.

David met his eyes in surprise, a blush burning his cheeks as his mind fought to catch up. “I- y-yes, I’d… love to,” he said softly.

Jasper’s face lit up. “Sweet,” he said happily, holding a hand out.

David took in a quiet, shaky breath before placing his hand in Jasper’s and letting the other man lead him over to the dance floor.

“I’m not like… a super great dancer? So do you wanna lead or should I?” Jasper asked, surprising David because he hadn’t even thought about who would lead.

“Oh, um, either way is fine?”

“Well you’re taller, so I think you should,” Jasper said matter-of-factly, turning to David as they found a spot and bringing the redhead’s hand to his waist without missing a beat. He arranged their hands together on the opposite side before resting his free one on David’s shoulder, giving him a disarming grin.

David flushed at the feel of Jasper’s waist under his palm, swallowing. “Well I don’t think that- has anything to do with it- but- okay,” he stammered, moving to start the dance and placing his feet carefully.

“It’s a way to decide and get us dancing sometime today,” Jasper shot back playfully.

“Fair enough,” David laughed softly, watching their feet for a few moments as they continued to move, slowly getting used to the contact. “You’re not that bad!”

“Gimme time, I’ll fuck it up, don’t worry. And that’s not a threat just a promise,” Jasper replied casually, making David laugh again. “That’ll be the true test, how many times can I step on your feet before you get sick of me,” he teased.

“Well, I have to say your charm far makes up for whatever you may lack in dancing,” David replied.

“You think I’m charming?” Jasper asked, his eyes alight.

“It’s hard not to,” David said, smiling at the adorable and sincere delight on his dance partner’s face.

“I’ve been told goofball, dork, manchild, square, way back when anyone but me still said that, but never has my me-ness been described as charming. It’s pretty cool,” Jasper decided. “You’re pretty cool,” he added, grinning.

“Oh, I am not,” David chastised softly.

“Nah dude, seriously, otherwise I wouldn’t be taggin’ after you like a lost puppy,” he laughed, going a little pink actually. “I’m stoked and amazed I haven’t driven you nuts yet.”

“I don’t mind at all,” David replied, smiling at Jasper’s surprised look. “I um, I really like talking with you,” he added.

“Most excellent,” Jasper said, his grin coming back full force and his cheeks going a little darker. It made David feel better to finally not be the only one who was flustered, even if it was only a little on Jasper’s part.

They continued to talk and dance into the next song, and while they kept a respectful inch between them, it was never tense or uncomfortable. Despite Jasper’s earlier insistence that he wasn’t a good dancer, they flowed well together. No one’s feet ever got stepped on and things got even better when the band switched to something a little more upbeat.

People around them started dancing to match the new mood, and Jasper so smoothly pulled David into a new style of dance he took a few moments to adjust. It was… he didn’t know what it was. He thought maybe Jasper was making it up on the spot but then again it kind of seemed like that’s what most people were doing.

“C’mon Davey, loosen up, this is the part where we just wing it and no one gives a shit if we look like dorks,” Jasper teased, lifting David’s hand up and spinning under it so easily and casually that it pulled a delighted laugh from the redhead before he could stifle it.

“There ya go!” Jasper egged happily, the grin nearly splitting his face, his eyes bright and shining under the lights strung above the dance floor.

David’s face was flushed with delight, his own smile rivaling Jasper’s as they fell into a comfortable rhythm together.

They danced, happily oblivious and lost only in each other for some time. Without even realizing when it had happened, David had grown much more comfortable with Jasper. He was still a bit of a mess and the butterflies would not let up the whole time, but it became much easier to talk and joke with the other man.

He wondered where Gwen went, catching glimpses of her through the crowd sometimes but otherwise it was just them. Eventually they decided to break for some water, leaving the dance floor and heading over to the refreshment table to catch their breath. David felt like he was in a dream the whole time, as Jasper seemed perfectly content to stay with him as they leaned against a low stone wall near the venue’s fountain, talking quietly.

He wasn’t sure when it had gotten dark, but a bit of a chill was definitely setting into the evening air, and it made him very aware of Jasper’s close proximity next to him. He could feel the man’s body heat where their arms were nearly touching, creeping in through the fabric of his dress shirt and making David feel warm, hazy.

During a few moments of comfortable silence, David felt his phone buzz in his pocket and took it out to see a text from Gwen.

Want to wrap up your shit? Go in like 30 min? Tired.

When had it gotten so late? Had it been so easy to just get lost for hours with Jasper?

Sure, he texted back, setting his water down so he could use both hands while Jasper glanced curiously at him. I’ll meet you in front at 10:30?

Better, she responded, and he could hear her grumpy, mostly seriously threat even through text.

He smiled, looking up at Jasper. “That was Gwen, she’s almost ready to go and I’m designated driver. So I’ll be leaving at 10:30,” he explained, half because he felt rude for texting next to Jasper, even though there had been a lull in the conversation, and half in apology to cut short their evening.

“That’s cool,” Jasper replied evenly, not quite hiding a touch of disappointment in his voice. He was graceful about it though. “I’m a night owl but I’m feeling ready to bail too. I’ll hang with you until then?” he asked hopefully.

As if David could possibly turn down even a few more minutes with him. “Of course,” he replied, smiling.

He’d completely forgotten about asking for a phone number and now would’ve been the perfect time, but he just found himself soaking up that last little bit of time together. They talked quietly, worn out from dancing and just the overall noise and energy of the reception. Talking about nothing in particular just to talk, and as much as David loved Jasper’s constant jokes and his fun energy, the low, soft tones of his voice now in the calmer atmosphere was soothing, warm.

A few minutes before he was supposed to meet Gwen, they stood up and started heading for the front, passing through the dwindling reception and into the building where the ceremony had taken place, and finally outside again facing the parking lot. They stopped a short distance away from the doors to be out of the way of people leaving, but still visible to Gwen whenever she arrived.

“Soooo,” Jasper drawled playfully, much like he’d done earlier, scuffing his shoe on the pavement with hands shoved in his pockets, the tie still hanging off to one side.

Even though he’d glanced down when they were dancing, David only just now realized that Jasper was wearing all black sneakers, not dress shoes, and it just… fit him. He made it seem like a perfectly normal thing and not at all out of place for the formal event, and David found it very endearing now that he’d noticed. Dress shirt and pants, sneakers and worn out bracelets, and those piercings… It was all so charming. So Jasper. He came out of his little reverie when the other man continued.

“If you think I’m cool enough, you wanna like… hang out sometime?” Jasper asked, looking up with a hopeful grin.

David smiled back, his heart racing excitedly although a little toned down both from being tired and less nervous around the other man. “Yes, that sounds wonderful.”

“Awesome,” Jasper replied, digging his phone out. “Let me just get set up… okay, number?” he asked, typing the digits as David spoke and saving it into his contacts. He kept typing, clicking his tongue as the glow of his phone lit his face in soft blue. “Wig, here’s me,” he added, just before David’s phone buzzed in his pocket. “So you have mine. Well! Where’s your friend at?”

“I’m… not sure,” David frowned, looking around. He’d seen her from a distance but hadn’t talked to her in some time, and he wasn’t sure if that was intentional on Gwen’s part or not. “She’s only a couple minutes late...” he mused, checking his watch with only a little furrow to his brow.

“I’ll wait with you? Or I can help you look for her if you’re worried,” Jasper offered, sounding a little concerned himself.

“Oh- there she is- Gwen!” David called, waving and catching her attention.

“There you are you bitch,” Gwen greeted as she walked up. “Are you two still just flirting or did you get digits yet?” she demanded, poking David in the chest. She wasn’t slurring but she was definitely drunk, he decided.

“I- we- Gwen-”

“Listen,” she said, turning to Jasper and giving him a deadpan look. “He really likes you, but he’s a fuckin’ mess and I saw you two dancing like forever, so please put me outta my misery and say you two are gonna date or somethin, yeah?”

Jasper stood silently through her tirade, gaze flickering to David, who had a hand over his eyes in mortification. He looked back to Gwen, taking everything in surprisingly easy stride. “Well, hopefully,” he said with a grin, seeing David’s hand drop as the ginger stared at him, wide eyed and blushing. “We did phone numbers and I was planning on asking him out, sooo...” he trailed off, eyes flickering briefly to David with a warm smile.

“Well good!” Gwen insisted, poking Jasper now to emphasize her point. “Cause he’s a weenie and you gotta ask him, otherwise he’ll just be a sad little shit and tell me you don’t like him and whine about how hot you are and how nice your stupid smile is I’ve heard all about it-”

“Okay, Gwen, sweetheart, I think that’s enough please, thank you so much,” David interrupted softly, a little frantic, setting his hands on her shoulders. “How much did you have to drink?” he asked with a frown.

“Daviiid, it’s a fuckin’ wedding, you’re supposed to get plastered,” she complained.

“All the same, I think it’s time we get you home, alright?” he asked, steadying her as she wobbled a little in her heels, the first physical sign that she was feeling the alcohol. Definitely a good time to take her home, both to rest and before she made an unfortunate step in those heels.

“Whatever mom,” she shot back.

“Want a hand?” Jasper asked sympathetically.

“Please,” David replied softly, ducking under one of Gwen’s arms just as she waved her hand dismissively before their new friend could help.

“I can walk David for fuck sake, just gimme a second to get out of these heels from hell-” she grumbled, bending one leg at the knee and hanging onto David as she slipped the shoe off, before repeating with the other and pushing away from him. “Jesus christ, mother hen,” she huffed, holding the shoes by the straps and walking towards the car as the men trailed after her like ducklings.

David trotted ahead a little to unlock and open the passenger door, dutifully allowing Gwen to clamp onto his shoulder as she got into the car, making sure her dress and hands were safely inside before shutting the door. He sighed, straightening up and turning back to Jasper. “Well, thank you, for… everything today,” he said shyly.

“Course, thanks for hangin’ with me,” Jasper replied, holding his hand out.

David blinked, hesitating only briefly before relenting and placing his hand in Jasper’s once more. The other man brought it up and kissed his knuckles, making David flush. If he wasn’t already smitten, the hopeless romantic in him would’ve taken a nose dive off a cliff over that small, but tender gesture. Hell, he had anyway. It was still sinking in that Jasper liked him, wanted to ask him on a date, and he’d momentarily pushed that out of his head while making sure Gwen got to the car okay-

“I had a great time with you,” Jasper said softly, giving his fingers a gentle squeeze and pulling him out of his spiral. “And I really meant it, that I’d like to take you on a date sometime, if that’s cool?” he asked, giving a hopeful look.

David took a shaky breath, smiling. “I’d like that.”

“Rad,” Jasper said, a wide grin lighting up his face.

The torrent of butterflies in his stomach was so strong, and he was so high on cloud nine and a little bit of panic from everything, that before he could overthink it David found himself leaning in and placing a quick kiss on Jasper’s cheek.

Now it was Jasper’s turn to look gobsmacked, as he flushed bright from the action. “Oh, wow, double rad,” he whispered.

David giggled softly, gesturing over his shoulder to the car. “I’d- I’d better get her home.”

“Yeah, yeah, course, take care of Gwen,” Jasper said, releasing David’s hand finally and ruffling his hair nervously, looking a little shell shocked. “Drive safe, yeah?” he grinned, still pink in the cheeks.

“I will, you do the same,” David replied, his smile growing. “Bye Jasp, talk to you soon?”

“Absolute,” Jasper replied, shoving one hand in his pocket and giving a mock salute with the other. “Bye Davey,” he said happily, walking backwards a few paces before whirling around midstep to practically float off to his own car.

David took a deep, steadying breath and let it out slow, unable to keep the silly look off his face as he watched Jasper disappear among the departing guests, his heart still pounding in joy and disbelief...

“Hey!” Gwen barked from inside the car, startling him both with her shout and the loud slap of her palm hitting the window. “Let’s go pinetree, sometime tonight!”

David took one more breath and turned to walk around to the driver’s side, pointedly ignoring Gwen’s rude gesture.

Despite her tendency to get ornery when drunk, Gwen still offered him a playful congratulations on ‘bagging his man’ once they were on the road and heading home. She teased him the whole way about the way they’d been connected at the hip since finding each other, and it confirmed his suspicions that she’d ditched him to give him time alone with Jasper. Why he’d seen her only in passing all night as she seemed to avoid him.

Which was why he was very sincerely thankful this one time to be abandoned by a friend at a social gathering. This thought found him smiling fondly the whole way walking Gwen to her apartment, keeping an arm around her as she fumbled keys out of her purse and unlocked the door. Despite more protests, she allowed herself to be escorted inside and to her bedroom.

David carefully unraveled her hair of it’s pins and twists, got her a glass of water while she changed, and made sure drank at least half of it before bidding her goodnight and leaving, making certain the lights were off and the door was locked on his way out.

Once he was finally home and able to start getting himself ready for bed, his ears rang in the blessed silence after listening to the sounds of the wedding all day. He’d changed and brushed his teeth by the time his phone buzzed, and David was ridiculously elated to see Jasper was already texting him.

J: Hey, sorry for the late text, just wanted to make sure you got home okay and Gwen is good.

D: We’re both fine, thank you. I got her situated and I’m at home now.

J: Cool, good to hear.

D: Thanks again for today, I had a really great time.

J: Yeah totes, me too! I’m really glad the wedding came up cause I thought you were real cute but there’s no smooth way to ask for someone’s number in a changing room without looking like a creep, ya dig?

David giggled softly, flushing.

D: I don’t think I would have minded but I’m glad it worked out how it did. Besides Gwen getting in your face at the end there.

J: No big, she’s cool, outspoken. I like her. Anyway, it’s really late so I’ll leave you alone. Talk to you later?

D: Sounds good. Thanks again, and goodnight.

J: Night!

David let out a happy sigh as he set his phone down, almost unable to believe how lucky he was. He didn’t know what Jasper saw in him, but he wouldn’t argue. He really hadn’t even expected to have that great of a time at the wedding, let alone meet anyone. He’d expected to stay close to Gwen, talk to Deena and Sai and maybe some other people from work the couple had invited. He certainly hadn’t expected to dance with anyone but Gwen.

Then along comes Jasper, looking happy to see him, chatting with him, asking him to dance. He’d never expected someone so fun and handsome to be interested in his dorky self, but Jasper really seemed to like him. He stared at the ceiling of his bedroom in the dark that night, still smiling like an idiot as that sweet but casual kiss to his hand replayed on loop in David’s head, all the while wondering how soon he might see Jasper again.

[the-edge-of-great]

can you do 14 with alex finding out that gay marriage is legal maybe learning about other wholesome lgbt+ progress since '95

(there’s a weird glitch or something on my feed where the ask isn’t showing, so just in case, this is for @lemonwilford)

so after finishing this, I have four tabs open for formal dresses, wedding venues, and lesbian wedding aesthetics on Pinterest AND I have an article from 1993 about gay rights (started as a reference but then it got interesting so really, it’s my fourth article)

in other words I kinda get obsessed and distracted with researching and referencing for anything that I write, so, TL;DR enjoy :)

also juke is totally established in this cause I said so

14. “That’s legal now?”

-------

“Ready?”

“Ready!” the guys call back to Julie. They’re in the studio, patiently waiting for the surprise she wanted to show them. She was eager about something when she came home from school and told them she couldn’t practice on Saturday. They might’ve been bummed had she not been bouncing with excitement. Alex had smiled fondly at her; excited Julie was his favorite Julie.

She promised to show them what was happening Saturday before leaving, and now they’re eager themselves.

Julie throws open both studio doors with a type of dramatic flare that Alex can respect. She saunters in wearing a gorgeous golden dress with lace shoulders, a sweetheart neckline, and a hem stops just above her knee, matching heels clicking across the floor. Her hair bounces against her shoulders: big and curly and gorgeous, like always. She’s wearing red lipstick, and her eyeliner is sharp and precise; Alex thinks it’s called a cat eye. There’s so much lingo he still needs to catch up on.

He meets her halfway with a grin and offers his hand. “You look beautiful,” he says, spinning her in a circle. She twists on the toe of her heel, and her dress flares. There are sparkles in the intricate design across her chest that glisten under the studio lights. Alex catches her around the waist when she stumbles to a stop.

“Yeah,” Reggie agrees. “You look amazing.”

Alex joins Reggie as Luke approaches. They share a knowing smile.

“Where are you going looking so good?” he asks, arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her close.

Julie beams at him. “A wedding for one of my friends from music class. Her moms are getting married.”

Alex blinks. “Moms?”

Luke frowns. “You mean… two women?”

Like a switch, Julie’s bright demeanor falters. She pushes against Luke’s arms, frowning as she breaks away from him. “Yeah,” she answers, eyeing each of them carefully. “Are you guys… okay with that?”

Alex makes a noise—somewhere between a scoff and a snicker. Okay with that? Of course he is. But confused? Yes. Very.

Reggie nods, chewing on his lip. He’s trying not to smile—Alex can see the corners of his mouth twitching. “Yeah,” he says. “Of course we are, we just—”

“That’s legal now?” Alex blurts.

A second passes, but Julie’s eyes widen with realization. “Ninety-five,” she mutters to herself, nodding slowly. “Right.” Louder, she explains, “Yeah, gay marriage was legalized, like, five years ago. Actually, a lot’s changed since the 90s.”

Luke snickers. “No kidding.”

“Oh my gosh, wait until you see Pride in June! LA has the best celebrations.” She shifts her weight, smiling sheepishly. “Not that I have experienced any outside of here to compare, but, you know what I mean. It’s so much fun! Flynn and I went with Sarah and her moms last year—Sarah’s moms are the ones getting married today.”

Julie is looking at him more than she usually looks at Luke—and she catches herself every time, quickly averting her eyes back to him and Reggie—which is really saying something. She can’t possibly know though, right? He certainly didn’t tell her. He knows neither Luke nor Reggie told her. Is it really so obvious, or could she perhaps… actually be a witch? Was Reggie on to something?

Alex rolls his eyes; he must be having an off day or something to really consider Julie being a witch and Reggie to be right.

“… Or not,” Julie says, rocking on her heels and twisting the ring on her finger. She’s looking at him again, much less sure of herself than before. Reggie and Luke are staring too; Luke elbows him in the side and glares.

“What?” Alex whines, pushing him away. “What are you—Oh! Oh, I wasn’t—I didn’t—” He shakes his head at Julie. “I wasn’t rolling my eyes at you! I just… had a dumb idea… Anyway, I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“She said we could go with her,” Reggie explains. “To the wedding, if we want to.” He raises his eyebrows knowingly. How come everyone is so knowing toward him all of a sudden?

“You should,” Julie persists. “Sarah showed us pictures of the venue today at school. It looks gorgeous in the daylight—I can’t wait to see it tonight.”

Luke grins. “Of course we’ll go.” He chuckles at the guys. “I mean, what else do we have to do?”

So, that’s how they end up in the outdoors of Orange County. The guys ride in the back of Ray’s car—apparently, ghosts can ride in cars. Flynn doesn’t carpool with Julie; when the girls reunite, she explains how her mom decided last minute that Flynn’s hair would look better in a bun rather than her regular braids.

They pose for pictures from Ray and the wedding photographer. Then Sarah, Alex thinks—a teenage girl with fair skin and copper red hair in a neat plait against her shoulder—rushes over with the biggest grin on her face. The girls gush over their outfits, the night, the decorations, etc etc. They’re cute; Alex shares a fond smile with Luke and Reggie.

“This place is pretty,” Reggie admits, turning in a slow circle to take in the scenery. They’re in a forest, surrounded by towering pine trees, and there are lights everywhere. Streams of globe bulbs are strung up from tree to tree, creating an arch in the center where a long, white rug leads to a stage filled with golden flowers. The sun was already setting when they left Julie’s house, so by now, the reception is a warm glow in an otherwise dark forest.

“Alex,” Luke mutters, as if anyone could actually hear them, and nudges his elbow into Alex’s side, “look around dude. Most of these couples aren’t straight.”

He noticed when they first arrived that men mostly stayed with men and women mostly stayed with women, but now that Luke has pointed it out, Alex is noticing that the guests are actually couples. A couple to their left is discussing the food. One man feeds the other a bite of a sandwich and gloats when his partner admits it’s actually not bad. To their right, two women are posing in front of the wedding photographer. One is kissing the other’s cheek.

“I think this is the most…” Alex pauses, trying to both find the right word and take it all in because, really, this is a lot. It’s a good amount of a lot, of course, but… These people are openly showing off their partners. They’re happy. They’re proud of themselves. And the straight people aren’t saying anything rude? No one is cursing at them? Claiming they’ve damned themselves?

“Alex?” Reggie asks softly.

“I know a lot is different from, you know,” Alex begins, “but I think this is the biggest change I’ve seen. I mean—” He gestures wildly at the scene before them. “This is legal! This is legal. It’s accepted. They’re just—Everyone is just—themselves! They’re themselves, and it’s okay.”

“I was gonna ask how you feel about it, but—” Luke shares a laugh with Reggie— “I think I have my answer.”

“I feel…” Alex rocks on his heels, considering his answer. He chews on his lip. “You guys will probably think it’s dumb, but—”

“You know we won’t think it’s dumb,” Reggie argues immediately. Alex glances at him. He’s giving Alex this look with a raised eyebrow, like he can’t believe he would even think that. Which is valid, you know, because they’ve never been anything less than supportive of Alex. Of course they haven’t; he really lucked out in the friend department.

“I feel safe here.” He shoves his hands in his jacket pockets. “Like when I could finally leave my house to go to practice, and I knew none of you guys would judge me if I told you about a guy that I thought was cute.” He finds Julie in the crowd, chatting with the lesbian couple he saw earlier, posing for pictures—selfies—with them and laughing when the woman’s partner hid bunny ears behind her head. 

Alex rubs the back of his neck. “I just… don’t think I could’ve imagined feeling safe around people who aren’t my friends.” He finally turns to Luke and Reggie, who are watching him with wide grins. Alex huffs a laugh. “Stop looking at me like that.”

Reggie chuckles. He slings an arm around Alex’s shoulders. “We’re just happy for you, man.”

“Yeah,” Luke agrees. He hums. “Can’t wait to see what the whole thing with June is about.”

“Yeah!” Reggie exclaims. “D’ya think it’s a few days? A week?”

“We can ask Julie later,” Alex suggests.

Reggie snickers. “If she doesn’t stay with Flynn.”

Luke hums. “Yeah, I’m gonna… go convince her to stay home tonight.” He pauses to squeeze Alex’s shoulder before leaving them for the dance floor.

Alex suddenly steps away from Reggie. “I, uh… I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?”

“I just—I want to find Willie. I want to talk to him about something.”

“You’re really going to leave me third wheeling with jukebox over there?”

Alex snorts. “Jukebox? Have they approved of that name?”

“… They don’t know about it.” Reggie pauses, then adds, “And you’re not going to tell them.”

“I promise.”

Reggie chuckles. “You better. Now go, find your boy.”

He’s at the museum, the first place Alex looks. He’s just leaving actually—as soon as Alex arrives at the building, Willie is phasing through the door, about to skate down the street.

“Willie!” Alex calls. 

Willie steps off his board. He turns to him, and instantly, a smile spreads across his face. “Hey, Alex. What’s up?”

“So,” Alex says, stopping in front of him, grinning, “tell me about Pride.”

Willie’s eyes shine at the request, just as beautiful as the lights from the wedding. 

“I’d love to.”

[staywritten]

A Love That Lasts│Bang Chan│II

A Love That Lasts │ Chapter II

Synopsis: You’ve spent the last two years, helping your very handsome next door neighbor raise his adorable daughter. The two of you fell into a routine before you knew it. And now you had this little family. You couldn’t help but fall for him. 

Genre: Parent!Au, Dad!Bang Chan, Fluff, Nonidol!Au, smut in a later chapter

Word Count: 2303

Part I

Felix opened the door to Chan’s apartment, heading straight for the fridge “G’day Channie-Hyung” he grabbed the orange juice, helping himself to a glass.

Chan sighed looking back to his computer “You do know this is breaking and entering right?”

“Hey, you’re the single dad, not locking his door here, who’s really at fault?” He scoffed, tossing back his juice. “Anyway, how’s my favorite niece?”

“Fair” Chan closed his laptop before joining Felix in the kitchen. “And your only niece is fine, just changing her outfit for the umpteenth time this morning.” his eyes narrowed “I feel like it’s for a boy and I wanna fight him already”

“Chan relax he’s five” he chuckled. “Besides you can’t deprive Minseo of dating the way you deprive yourself.”

“I’m not deprived. I just haven’t found anyone” he grumbled to himself.

“You’re not looking either, come on let me set you up on a date” he groaned “You know my coworkers are always asking about you. You know Yeji right? Any time you stop by my shoots she always tries to get me to give her your number” 

“I don’t need to date, I’m content really.” He chuckled lightly. “Besides Felix I’m a dad, I’m sure some twenty-year-old model isn’t trying to date me”

“Ok, first off you’re hot so please give yourself more credit and secondly, I’ll lay off but it’s been like five years since Minseo’s mom... you telling me you don’t have any needs? You don’t get lonely? Or even want Minseo to have a mom? I’m not saying going on a date is gonna change all that but, don’t close the door to it”

“Felix please-”

“Fine, fine. But tell me does this have anything to do with a certain sexy doctor next door? Are you two finally…?” he waved his hands around in the air vaguely while wiggling his eyebrows. 

“No! She’s my friend. My very beautiful and caring friend. But a friend”

“First of all, if she's only a friend, you wouldn’t have had to say it that many times, sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself of that. Secondly, it’s been like two years, You seriously not gonna make a move? You two are practically married, do you realize that right?”

“We are not! She’s just my frien-neighbor, occasionally she helps out with Minseo just like you, Jisung, and Changbin.”

“You guys eat dinner together like every night” he crossed his arms over his chest, looking at him in disbelief.

“She lives alone, and she said it’s no trouble cooking for two more.” he sighed. “I know what you’re thinking, our relationship isn’t conventional but it’s completely platonic. Stop looking at me like that Felix. I can have platonic feelings and recognize that she’s hot”

The door swung open as you popped in. Your smile instantly brightening the room. “Hey, Felix! It’s been a while” you wave before shouting down the hallway “Minseo! Baby let’s go, I’m dropping you off today”

Chan turned to you and smiled, meeting you near the door “Thanks for taking her today”

“It’s no problem, good luck at work today, oh and remember to pick up dinner on your way back. I already placed an order for tonight”  you smiled, absently adjusting his button up, smoothing down the collar. “There, now you look ready for a meeting” 

“I got it, I got it” he smiled shyly. “Thank you” His eyes twinkling meeting yours. He reached for your hand, giving it a warm squeeze. “Seriously, thank you for everything”

There was something about how he was looking at you that just made you feel so shy, before you could say anything you heard Minseo running down the hallway, her little feet padding against the wood floor. ‘I’m reaaaaadddddy!” She came barreling out, backpack bouncing as she hugged Chan and gave him a kiss “ByeBye Daddy, byebye Uncle Felix” You held her hand, before kissing Chan on the cheek and walking her out, giving them a final wave. 

“See you tonight Chris”

Chan knew he was done for the minute you pressed your lips against his cheek, and his first reaction was to try and chase your lips. It was the subtlest of moves, but he caught himself. Hoping that Felix hadn’t noticed. He closed the door after watching you two disappear down the stairs, only to be met with Felix’s judgmental stares. 

“Mate, are you kidding me?”

“I… that was pretty domestic wasn’t it?” he raised his brow nervously. 

“It felt like a damn sitcom, I mean it was cute as hell but still”

“Ok, ok set up your little blind date, I’ll go” he groaned. 

“You sure man? Like you two are really cute, you could just ask her out”

“I can’t man...it feels like I’m taking advantage of her...I don’t want her to date me out of a weird obligation she has for Minseo...and like...what if I mess it up?”

“Bro, I don’t understand how your self-esteem got this low but I’ll handle setting up your blind date. I’ll even babysit Minseo for you”

“Thanks, Man”

You walked into your office, placing your bag on your desk. Traffic was pretty light, and Minseo’s school brought you closer to the highway so you made excellent time. “Good Morning Dr. Lee~” you smiled as you looked over your patient files for the day, seeing your colleague walk in. 

Minho gave you a knowing smile “You sure look chipper today. Did you finally make a move on your hot neighbor”

You groaned covering the rising heat on your face. “Ugh please don’t remind me, I’m mortified. This morning I went to his place to pick up his daughter and bring her to school”

“Ugh you guys are sickening, that’s so cute” Minho rolled his eyes, sipping his coffee. “What happened? You jump his bones?”

“You’re disgusting” you scoffed before sinking in your seat. “He was just so cute, and he had a meeting this morning so he was all dressed up and like, I dunno I couldn’t help it. I was fixing his shirt, and like leaned in and kissed his cheek and ugh” you squealed hiding in your arms. 

“Oh my god, this is like foreplay for you isn’t it? You’re so touch starved, that really got you this worked up”

“Oh shut it Minho” you pouted. “He’s just so cute…”

“So when’s the wedding?”

“At this rate, Minseo is gonna get married before me” you sighed.

“Who’s fault is that? You’re attracted to him, you love his daughter, she loves you. You guys are literally a family. What’s stopping you from dating him?”

“I just don’t want to ruin this…”

“Ruin what? Your relationship? Why do you feel like you guys are gonna fail? Don’t you think it’ll be harder for Minseo to have to adjust to another woman in her life aside from you? She’s known you for half her life, as far as she’s concerned you’re family.” he sighed. “Think about it, you’re trying to avoid awkwardness from failing at a relationship because you don’t wanna lose what you have, but if Chan finds someone else and she is perfect for him you’re gonna lose Minseo and him because what woman is gonna want you around?”

Your eyes widened as his words sank in. He had a point, you were fighting to keep what you could untouched for as long as possible, but there was a chance that someone could take them from you and it broke your heart. 

“I’m not trying to scare you...But just maybe talk to him and see if the attraction was mutual”

His words were in the back of your mind all day, any moment you weren’t throwing into your work or patients it was lingering. Did you really stand a chance with him? Could there be a future? 

“If it isn’t my favorite Doctor” a low voice called out of your thoughts, making you look away from the charts. 

“Oh Hey, Dr. Kim” you gave him a cordial smile. 

“I told you to call me Woojin” he gave you that toothy smile, taking a seat on your desk. “How’s your day going?”

“Steady, it’d be even better if my nurse could finish his rounds” you called out a little louder seeing nurse Hyunjin going for yet another cup of coffee outside your office.

“I’m on it” he chimed.

Woojin chuckled before clearing his throat. “So...tonight me and a bunch of the guys are going drinking.”

“The guys?” you raised a brow. 

“Seungmin from pediatrics, Minho from ER, Jihyo and Naeyeon from neuro, a few of the nurses.” he smiled “You wanna come? It’ll be at the pub down the road.”

“Thank you for the invite but I’m busy after work”

“Can’t it wait?”

“I’m picking up a little girl from school. I’m not gonna make her wait” you gave him a forced smile, not liking to defend yourself. 

“Sorry” he raised his hands in defeat. “It won’t be until later, like 11pm since Minho doesn’t get off until then so...if you find yourself with the time swing by.” he smiled “I’ve worked with you for years but I feel like I barely know you.”

“And your way of getting to know me, is at a loud bar with all our co-workers?”

He laughed “You have a point. Maybe we can do coffee sometime.” he pat your desk before heading out. “I’ll text you the address for tonight just in case.”

“Later” you waived, shaking your head. 

After work you grabbed Minseo from school, and she told you every single thing about her day and how her teacher Mr. Yang complimented her dress and all the new hairstyles she wanted to try. Once you got her home and washed up the two of you winded down with some tv as you practiced making her the perfect pigtails for school tomorrow. 

It took the entire day but you finally built up the courage to talk to Chan about your feelings, and possibly address this obvious attraction. You figured you weren’t gonna jump right into Hey, lets date. But somewhere along the lines of. You feel this too, right?

“I’m home” Chan chimed, setting his laptop down just in time to catch his daughter running at full force into his arms. “Hey Baby” he showered her with kisses. “I missed you!”

“How much?” she giggled between his kisses 

“To the moon and back!” he spun her playfully, laughing with her as she giggled. He gave you a tired smile “I even remembered to pick up dinner”

“Perfect”, I was starting to worry since you were late” you smiled helping him unpack it as he had his hands busy with his daughter. Looking over at his stuff, your brows furrowed at the clothing store shopping bag “You did some shopping on your way home?”

“...I did” he faltered, setting Minseo down so she could grab her ribbon from school. He rubbed his neck nervously. “Felix set me up on a blind date tomorrow, and I didn’t have anything appropriate to wear. He thinks I’m out of touch, so he helped me find something”

“Oh…” you almost hated yourself for how obviously disappointed you sound. “Anyone I know?” you practically slammed the container down, trying to figure out what to do with this surging uncomfortable feeling.

“No... Um she’s one of Felix’s model coworkers...” his voice small, all of his nerve dissipating seeing your shift in mood.

You were never one to hide your feelings. You wore your heart on your sleeve. Deceiving people was not one of your strong points. Your eyes shifted down before you forced a laugh. “Wow, a model...that’s nice. I’m sure you’ll look great in what Felix picked out” you unpacked the dinner quicker, clearing your throat to try to ignore the rising tension. 

Chan just stood there, fiddling with his watch, rocking on the heels of his food. Each tick of the second hand on the clock, acting almost like a constant reminder of how awkward it felt. 

“...Did you need a babysitter for tomorrow?” you finally asked after the suffocating silence.

“No...Felix is gonna watch her…” Chan fiddled with his fingers awkwardly. The mood between you two fell instantly, and suddenly he regretted this whole blind date thing. Was it presumptuous to assume you were upset because of him? “I...are you ok…?”

Are you ok? What kind of question is that anyway? It always prompted such a negative response from you. If you had to ask someone if they were ok, that meant they very obviously seemed bothered. And yet there it is slapping you in the face alongside the only acceptable answer to follow up the question with because of social niceties. “I’m fine.” you gave him a bright, tight-lipped smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes. “I...I’m just starving” you tried to blink away the tears that threatened to fall. 

Minseo came out of her room holding her ribbon “This is what Mr. Yang gave me today he said I had the best outfit because it was a blue day and we learned about everything blue and my dress was blue” she beamed. 

“Beautiful Baby, I’m so proud of you” Chan picked her up “You ready for dinner?”

“I’m so ready!” 

Chan sat her down in the chair and looked back toward you. “You ready to eat?”

And there was something about seeing Minseo’s face that just broke you. She frowned seeing your face. Your eyes were glazed over but you were smiling. But it wasn’t like your warm and bright smile she loved. You looked so sad.

She was always so sensitive to her surroundings, Kids were licked that, they could tell when you were sad, and they weren’t afraid to ask questions. And you couldn’t bring yourself to keep up the act in front of her. “Um actually. I just remembered” you laughed “I had a dinner thing tonight with my co-workers, a bunch of stressed doctors drinking tonight at the pub” you clapped your hands “Honestly I’m such a clutz, how could I forget?”

“But you just said you were hungry…” Chan frowned watching you gather your things. “You don’t have time to eat even a little?”

“I don’t. I forgot I have to dress up for this” you smiled, doing everything in your power to avoid looking at him. 

“You’re not eating dinner with us?” Minseo frowned.

“I’m sorry Baby…” you smoothed down her hair not wanting her to feel sad. “I forgot I had to do a work thing...But I’ll tell you what, I’ll stop by tomorrow after I get off of work to tell you a story.”

“Promise?”

“Promise” you wrapped your pinky around hers before pressing your thumb against hers. 

As you walked out, mumbling a small goodbye to Chan he grabbed your arm. His body moving before he could think, just hating this awkward feeling between you two. “Hey seriously...are you ok…?”

“I’m fine.” you gave him a weak smile.

And he didn’t have it in him to fight you on it. Like it wasn’t his place, because after all, you were just neighbors. 

You returned to your apartment and it suddenly felt far too big and far too empty for you. Sighing and slumping against your door. Of course, he’d start dating eventually... It just really sucked that he wanted to start the moment you realized that maybe you stood a chance to date him. 

And it wasn’t your place to tell him to not go. What were you even supposed to say? Hey, I know you’ve been completely platonic friends for the past two years but, hey I really like you sorry I waited for you to literally have a date before I told you? You wiped away the stray tears that fell down your cheek. 

Would it have been better if Minho never made you come to terms with your feelings? Perhaps, but a part of you knew that you would have been heartbroken regardless. All you could do now is to pick up the pieces and cherish what’s left of the time you had with Chan and Minseo. 

To be continued… 

▶Chapter III

I’m sorrryyyyyy 

this chapter went on a little longer than I planned so my series went from a 3 parter to 5 parter but don’t worry it’ll be uploaded quickly

<3

Let me know if you want me to tag you :3

[duskypinkbow]

Shitty weather II Jeff Wittek

summary: You meet Jeff again after a long period of time.

word count: 3,4k (upsy daisy)

note: This is my first fic ever so pls bear with me! :)

A veery very big shoutout to my lil angle @geoffwittek for proofreading and correcting my mistakes! Love u gurl u r the best 🎀

“The house could be packed“ Natalie took the time to warn you. You waved her off while putting your bag between your legs „that’s totally fine“.

As you two drove through LA traffic you looked out at the sky and noticed the clouds are getting grey. „it might rain today..“ you determined, while the two of you continued your conversation. Finally, you pulled up at her house, or to be more specific, David’s house she happened to be living in. Nat parked the car in front of the gate due to the fact that the entrance was already blocked by other cars. Your friend looked at her phone „yeeep“ she said as the scrolled through her messages „there is definitely something going on here…“ - „oh, well I can always leave right away if it gets too much“ you promised while unbuckling your seatbelt and making your way to the house.

„Daaaaavid!“ she screamed, falling to the ground in fear. „You can’t do that to me!“ she complained as her hands rested over her heart. The brown-haired boy giggled, his phone still recording in his hands. After putting it back in his pocket he helped Natalie stand up again. „That’s my idiot roommate..“ Natalie explained to you. „aaaaand boss“ he added smugly, smiling from ear to ear. He stuck his hand out towards you. „David“ he said - „y/n“ you introduced yourself in return.

Once the introductions were done, you observed a big living room further down the hallway. „Come with me…“ Natalie instructed “I’m gonna show you my closet“. You followed her steps through the living room, which was indeed packed with people. Some of them sitting on the big white couch while others were leaning on the kitchen island. Natalie greeted them with a shouted hello, while you just waved shyly in an attempt to symbolise a well meant greeting to all of them.

In the bedroom, your best friend showed you her very well organised closet filled with dresses and fancy skirts alike. „What size shoes are you?“ she asked. “umm.. y/s/s..“ you answered while looking through the endless hangers. „damn, so I can’t give you those fanc-„ before she could even finish her sentence a loud „Naaataaalieee“ came from the hallway. „ugh“ she groaned, reluctantly setting the pair of high heels down. “I’ll be right back..“ you softly nodded and continued to look through her closet.

After some time had passed you still couldn’t decide between three of her alluring dresses. You put the hanger of one of them above your head so that it was hanging clearly in front of your body. „Oh you would look so cute in that one!“ Natalie said as she was re-entering her room. You smiled at your reflection in the big mirror. „Don’t you think it’s a bit too much for a wedding?“ you asked, still a little uncertain. „Absolutely not!“ she denied your worries. „When is the wedding anyways?“ - „in like three month..“ you answered, still glancing in the mirror while posing a little for yourself in assessment. „Then just take this one and the other two… you can decide closer to the day.“ you looked up, in slight disbelief at her offer.  „I mean it..“ she asserted „I won’t need them…at least not in the next couple of months“ her words reassuring you.

With the dresses in your arms, you made your way to the hall in order to leave the big house again. You waved your goodbyes to the people still sitting and chatting in the living room.

As you made a turn in the hallway your head collided with a solid chest, your body almost falling down at the sudden loss of balance. Instead, two hands rested on your shoulders, effectively preventing the fall. „sorry i didn’t see-“ you said while looking up to be met with a pair of brown eyes. Your mouth remained slightly open, the rest of the apology stuck in your throat. It’s been almost six years since you last saw him.

~ 

You met on a rainy day in late autumn. Your clothes soaking wet as you stepped through the door of the studio. „shitty weather out there huh?“ first words he ever spoke to you. „tell me about it“ you nodded, focused on trying to wring out your soaked hair. „I don’t think that will help“ he chuckled lightly. The first time you heard his laugh, the handsome boy looked at you with a little smirk. „heey..can we get a hairdryer or somethin’ for her?“ he requested the man who was passing through the room, his right hand pointing in your direction. „Yeah I can grab one, you guys here for the shoot?“ the employee asked. Both of you nodded simultaneously „Perfect. Could you get ready in here?“ he instructed you on where to go and promised someone would bring the hairdryer.

It was silent on your way in before he decided to end the quiet by asking: „Sooo..is this your first job?“ - „umm, second“ you answered shyly, a bit intimidated by his hight, especially next to your smaller figure. „Is it that obvious?“ you asked, now a little embarrassed, questioning if you already did something wrong. He chuckled again „not at all“ he reassured, holding the correct door open for you „Jus’ wanted to start a conversation “ you smiled, feeling your cheeks flush at his straightforwardness.

„Yeah, I actually have another job in like two weeks“ you said while on the phone, a little after you two began to take some photos for the launching clothing line. „No…- I guess.. - no I need to find a new place for that time.. - yeah.. - worst case scenario I will just go to a hostel or rent a cheap hotel room…- i mean I’m just sleeping there right? - no yeah...i understand.. - i should really get going now.. - i’ll call you back okay? okay.. bye“ you end the call and return next to the tall stranger you just met, waiting for instructions on what’s next in the shoot.

„uhmm“ he begins shyly, still looking to the cameraman who was adjusting his camera. „not to be nosey..but did i hear that right? You need a place to live or something?“ you looked at his side profile, explaining your current situation. „Alright, so about that..“ he interrupts, glancing between you and photographer. „A friend of mine has a spare room going in his apartment. He’s actually already looking for a new roommate, but that could be postponed. If you want to I could call him up and ask if it would be okay for you to stay there?” - „wait.. deadass?“ you ask, his generous offer shocking you. „well, I mean only if you want to?“  He looked down to observe your reaction. „I- yeah..- i mean your friend won’t murder me right?“ you joke, looking up and into his warm. He’s the first to break the eye contact, glancing at the cameraman again. „He’s one of the nicest guys I know out there…“ he assures with a small smile present. „He is so fucking nice, wouldn’t even kill a fly…“ his words of comfort continue. „Well, then yes, please I am totally willing to take you up on that offer“ is your enthusiastic response, his full attention back on you & a genuine smile decorating the handsome features. „Alright...I will ask him after the shoot is over then..“ - „Thank you so much!… it really means a lot -...umm?“ you begin, hopeful of catching his name „Oh shit yeah, guess I never introduced myself right?“ the man realised. „..My name is Jeff“ he said, reaching out for your hand „Yeah right“ you chuckle, not about to fall for his joke. „No, really..“ the smirk is back on his face. „Oh, so you are an undercover police officer just like me?“ you whisper, hoping he might catch the 21 Jumpstreet reference. „damn..“ he mutters while searching in his back pocket „this fuckin’ movie really ruined my life..“ his hand emerges with a wallet, the ID in it soon handed to you. „Jeffery Wittek..“ you read aloud „the one and only..“ he confirms still smiling softly at you.

After the shoot was over Jeff called up his friend, confirming it would be alright if you stayed with him. The very next day he helped you take all of your stuff over to his friend’s apartment.

In the weeks that followed, the two of you grew inevitably close. Although both busy with work & other responsibilities on some days, you still managed to spend at least a few hours each day together.

Sometimes he just checked in on you, making sure to ask if everything was alright. On other occasions, he visited his friend and stayed the whole day to do nothing but spending time together.

You showed him pictures of places you have been to, in return, he would share his childhood memories. You even told him about your plans for the future, while Jeff opened up about his past. It became your favourite pass time to make jokes about his inability to read properly, to which he would only tease about your short height.

Throughout your stay, the pair of you talked almost every night, about everything, just because it came so easily between you two. Always enjoying every second of valuable time together, not wanting it to end.

One of those nights, you finally built enough courage to admit that you were moving out of the country to live in Italy with your boyfriend. In reply, Jeff confessed his plans to move out to LA cause he met a girl.

Your friendship started innocently. Neither of you would have thought that it could ever build into such an intense and deep connection within the short amount of time. You were strangers only days ago, now openly sharing secrets usually too afraid to tell even the closest of friends. Maybe it was because both of you understood the reflected lack of ulterior motives in honesty. After all, you made sure to just keep things friendly, flirting carefully avoided. Or because you knew both of you were leaving, that alone reason enough not be dishonest with each other. Whatever it was, it started to become a little dangerous with time, you all too aware that the two of you were playing with the fire.

Time continued to pass, you could feel yourself begin to like the familiar boy more and more. Your heart would beat faster any time you saw him, breathing stopping for a second every time his skin touched yours. It continued on: you would get lost in his beautiful eyes whenever he looked at you, asking yourself if he could feel the same way you were. If there could ever be more. You did your best to stop those thoughts immediately, reminding your mind how you were about to leave the country for your boyfriend, whom you loved and didn’t want to betray. Besides, Jeff started to see that girl.

One night, Jeff's friend decided to hold a little get together with some of his friends, your stay in the apartment effectively forcing you to take part. Everyone had their fun, all chatting & playing drinking games on a cheerful night.

After a while, some of you somehow ended up on the rooftop of the building. Most of the people out there just wanting to get a bit of fresh air or have a cigarette, but you went up solely to enjoy the view. You loved going up to the roof just to see the shining lights of the city that doesn’t sleep.

„So your stay here is coming to an end huh?“ Jeff was the one to interrupt your admiring, walking up to you, while you looked out to the lights. You nodded „yeah“ the word spat out sadly before taking another sip of your drink. „I never thought three weeks could be over with so quickly..“ his words carried a sad undertone. „Me neither..“ you acknowledged, „i think i did and saw more in those three weeks with you than ever before“ he chuckled at the true words. „yeah.. we experienced quite a lot of New York together“ he made sure to exaggerate with his accent, sight remaining locked on you.

When you finally looked up at him, you couldn’t help but tease „So.. Is the tough Wittek gonna miss me?“ you asked jokingly while running your hand through his wind tousled hair. „Of course i will.“ he admitted. „Haven’t had so much fun in a long time..“. A smile sneaked its way across your face „oh your gonna have fun again when you are reunited with your special lady.“ you rebutted, oblivious to how his smile faded a little. Of course he would have fun again he thought. But the girl he was seeing right now wasn’t you. She was funny, but her humour couldn’t compare to yours. She was beautiful but she didn’t have those cute little dimples, which only showed when you laughed aloud. She had a promising career in front of her, but she just wasn’t you. „I guess…“ he eventually replied, still deep in thought about the girl who couldn’t compare.

You took another sip of your drink and gazed away into the distance before finally glancing at the man who had your heart.  „I think you- ..you have a little eyelash on your cheek“ Jeff said, abandoning his drink in favour of stepping a little closer and moving his hands up to your face.

One of them rested gently on your cheek, to give your head some balance as he titled it upwards, the other grazing right under your eye to get the fallen lash. His fingers lightly brushed over your skin, grasp so gentle on your face as if it was something precious. As if it could break if he put too much pressure on your little cheek. It was the very first time you really let yourself look him in the eyes tonight. Not that you haven’t looked into the brown pools before, but this time, in the light of the city, just inches away from your face, you really saw the artistic strokes of the different shades of brown melting together. You saw how the dark parts covered up the few light spots,  saw his kindness and how much he truly cared about you, all by simply looking into his beautiful brown eyes.

His hand stayed on your cheek, despite the lash being long gone. You breathed out audibly, lost in the present moment. The scent of his cologne travelling up and into your nose in the proximity you two shared right now. „we should-..probably get back to the party…“ he whispers slowly, involuntarily glancing at your lips while his palm moved from its hold on your cheek to the back of your neck. „mhmm“ you could only hum lightly in response, feeling your heart starting to beat faster, slowly rising to your tippy toes. Your face is slowly inching closer to his &  then you can feel his breath on your lips, eyes starting to close on their own accord, the two of you so close and right before your lips could touch - „Paarty time!“ one of Jeff's friend accidentally interrupts, tipsy shouting entering the rooftop. The two of you pull back immediately, not wanting him or anyone else to witness the kiss you almost shared. The friend walks obliviously towards Jeff. „man we thought you’ve left already!“ his word stuttered drunkenly. „No, I wouldn’t have left without saying goodbye“ he chuckles away as if  the moment you two just had never happened.

You had three more days in New York after that slip up before you finally left for Europe. Neither Jeff nor you mentioned the moment you two had together. After that night, and after you both finally sobered up, you convinced yourself that Jeff was too drunk to even remember what could have happened. His own thoughts were similar. Both of you far too scared to say something and ruin the time left. You were too embarrassed because Jeff had already started to date that girl he thought he liked, not to forget you were in a relationship with a boy you thought you were in love with . Both too cowardly to admit that there is indeed a spark there.

As your last day has come Jeff and his friend escorted you to the airport. „Man it will be so weird not having you around anymore y/n“ Jeffs friend said while driving through New York traffic. You looked out of the window in the backseat of the car. „I’m really gonna miss this..“ you stated, now slyly looking at Jeff, sitting in the passenger seat without returning your longing glances. In reality, what you would really miss..is him. You would miss his high pitched laugh, dark sense of humour and dry jokes, his warm and caring hugs and especially, his presence in your life. Not knowing if you would ever see him again or if you will ever come back to America again.

Jeff and his friend lead you to your gate, saying their goodbyes, promising to visit you in Italy someday, assuring that you’ll always be welcome if you decide to return. You hugged your new friend, who allowed you to stay in his apartment so graciously  before looking up at Jeff. „Come here..“ he says, opening his arms for your embrace. Your arms wrapped around his waist, his head resting atop of yours. You breathed in heavily, trying to hold back the inevitable tears. He stroked your back in comfort „I’m really gonna  miss you y/n/n..“ he conceded in a whisper. „me too..“ you admitted as well. „Promise me we will see each other again?“ Jeff asked, now looking down at you, while your own gaze travelled up to his eyes. You smiled sadly „I promise..“ you nodded with watery eyes. He hugged you again, saying your last goodbyes before you left to get your flight.

~

Jeff’s hair was slightly wet from the rain outside, a similar expression of shock on his face.„wow..uh, what?“ you let out, first to break the silence between you. „wow…“ he repeated dumbfounded. His hands were still resting holding onto your upper arms before he eventually raised them to his head in an act of disbelief. He shook his head, not sure if this was really happening right now, if it was really you in front of him. „I-„ you started again, but before you could keep talking he quickly forced you into a tight embrace.

His hands went back to your shoulders, still unsure if it was really you „This is insane..“  He muttered eventually, „it is..“ you confirmed. „How long has it been?“ Jeff was quick to ask while you still struggled to grasp the situation. „Almost 6 years..“ you uttered lightly.

„How’s Vince?“ he couldn’t help but ask with interest. „Oh...we uh, we broke up a while ago..“ you admitted, remembering your days in Italy. „oh I’m so sorry.“ the reply was sympathetic. „Yeah..how is Cierra?“ you asked in return, curious about the girl he started to see when you guys just met. Jeff glanced over into the living room, suddenly aware of all who were witnessing your reunion. „we also broke up a while ago..“. The information delivered with no emotions. You nodded lightly, unsure on how exactly to react or respond.

You checked your phone to look at what time it was, „I should probably go now..“ you mentioned, breaking the short moment of silence between you two. „Yeah..“ Jeff nodded, freeing your way to the exit. As made your very first step towards the door he stopped you by saying „Listen, before you go, can i get your num-“ before he could even end his sentence you interrupted „-just ask Natalie for it“ you informed him, „‚cause if you won’t, i’ll promise you that i will..“ you stepped closer to the door while teasing. „I’m not gonna lose touch with you again Wittek..“ you reveal and he chuckles.

Just when you were reaching for the front door again Jeff stopped you „y/n..“ you turn to look back at him, seeing that his stretched out hand held an umbrella „Here, take this..“ he demands softly „S’shitty weather out there..“ he adds with a little knowing smirk.

[amerrierworld]

Curtain. (i)

Carol (2015) fanfiction 

Summary: An on-and-off job as photographer can only pay so much, so Therese Belivet has taken a job at an elementary school's art program to help pay the bills. One of her last jobs before the school year begins is photographing a preview night of a successful play where she meets the well-known artistic director of the show, Carol Ross. She forgets about their meeting until September rolls around and she starts teaching an inquisitive young six-year old by the name of Rindy.

Characters: Carol x Therese

Word Count: 1,491

Warnings: none yet!

June.

Therese was staring intensely at her laptop, watching as all the little photo icons from her camera began transferring over to her drive. Rain tapped gently against her windows and a can of Coke sat on her desk, half-empty. She had shut all the windows to avoid any light or outdoor distractions as she tended to daydream while looking out in the distance, but this time Therese was determined to get this job finished.

As she waited for the files to continue transferring, the brunette arched her back, yawning as her body creaked and popped from sitting for so long.

It had been three days since her lucky photography gig at the Hudson Theatre. Thinking about it still made her limbs jittery. It was a smaller theatre, but being the oldest theatre in the city and having hosted many successful shows, it was still a landmark. Therese had been overjoyed at the prospect of working inside the theatre for once and seeing all the ins and outs of the show she had been asked to document.

Her phone pinged from where she had haphazardly tossed it on her bed. She stood up and shuffled over, stretching again and giving her legs a shake as she opened a message from Dannie.

preview done. again.

how was it?

tbh a little messier than when u were there, richard kept missing his mark

of course he did.

yeah ross wasn't too pleased with him...

At the mention of the director's name, Therese's stomach lurched a bit, though she couldn't tell why. They had only exchanged a few words during the preview when she'd been there.

...anyways, manager wants to know how ur doing with those photos

workin on em right now actually

tsk that's too bad

why? did she need them now? i thought i had until next week

nah i was just gonna ask if u wanted to get some food and then get plastered w me and phil

Therese snorted and looked back at her laptop, which lit up, indicating all the files had been successfully imported. Temporarily forgetting about her conversation she hurried to glance through them, immediately noticing the faulty pics that she knew she wouldn't be able to use.

Her phone rang and she picked up.

"Is that a no?" Dannie asked from the other end. Therese rolled her eyes.

"Dannie, not responding in 30 seconds does not automatically mean no. But yeah, I don't know if getting drunk right now is such a good idea, I have a lot to go through. Plus, don't you have to work tomorrow?"

"Preview isn't until the afternoon, Belivet. I have all morning to sober up."

Sighing, Therese flicked through a few photos, stilling as she found one of the director whose back was to the camera as she directed Gen, the lead actress, who stood off to the far side of the stage.

"Therese?"

"Hm? Yeah, for sure. I'll come for food, but I'm going home afterwards, I really don't want to be hungover. I've had three cans of Coke already, alcohol and caffeine don't mix well for me."

"Alright, sounds good."

"When do you wanna head out?"

"...now?"

At that, the intercom buzzed at Therese's front door, indicating someone was in front of the apartment building.

"Jesus, Dannie, really?"

"I know you're always hungry, Therese. Plus, getting off the subway from work at your place is so much closer than mine. Forgive me?"

"Ugh fine, give me 20 minutes to get ready though. I don't care if you're stuck in the rain outside. That's what happens when you constantly drag me out for last minute plans."

"Yeah, yeah, Belivet, just hurry your ass up. We're not going anywhere fancy cause God knows I don't get paid enough to afford anything like that."

"Is Richard coming?" Therese asked, brow furrowing in a split second of worry.

"Him? Nah. I actually think he somehow managed to lure Gen into a date tonight. I saw them talking after the show."

"Oof, poor girl."

"Yeah, maybe I should warn her, y'know. Get her out while she still can."

"Terrible idea, McElroy. You know how actresses are with stage hands."

Dannie barked out a laugh. "Shut the fuck up, Belivet. You're one to talk, considering you were ogling the director the entire night."

"I was not."

"Yeah you were. Now get going, or I'm gonna melt in this downpour."

Therese smiled and ended the call, closing her laptop and hurrying to put on some decent clothes before meeting Dannie outside.

-

"C'mon Terry, not even one shot? As a celebratory drink for this job and the next."

"No, Phil," Therese laughed. "I already told Dannie, I have work to do later."

"Alright, suit yourself, but that means I'm gonna drink extra just to make up for you!"

After having grabbed a bite at a cheap Thai restaurant, the McElroy brothers had dragged Therese to their usual bar even though she was still determined to stay sober.

"Do you even know how to deal with kids, Therese? Elementary school can be vicious, y'know," Dannie said, sipping his beer as he ignored Phil stumbling from his seat to order another drink.

"It's only part-time, Dan," Therese shrugged. "Plus, what kid doesn't like art? If one of them throws a temper, I'll just let him go ham on a canvas with some paint, no big deal. It's therapeutic that way."

"How'd you manage to get a job there anyway?"

"Well, their usual art teacher had to take a break for a year 'cause of an injury, so I'm just filling in for the younger grades. They were desperate for more staff for their programs."

"Jeez, is that allowed? You've barely worked with kids until now."

"I dunno. I did a full police check and stuff, besides I'm not hired for the school, just the programs afterwards so I'm not technically a teacher. But it's a small school with a shit ton of younger kids that often need an after-school program. Chances are they won't even need me in the New Year if the other teacher comes back."

"So they just really need extra hands on deck?" Dannie concluded and Therese nodded. Phil came staggering back with a glass of water, grouchy and mumbling something about the bartender not letting him have another.

"Yeah. What about you though? What's happening after Woolf?"

Danni sighed and slumped back in his seat. "Who knows at this point? Ross is taking a break too, from being artistic director-,"

"Wait, really? She's not retiring is she?"

Dannie smirked at Therese but ignored her sudden eagerness in the conversation.

"Nah, just something about needing to be home with her family. She's worked her butt off for the theatre more than anyone, so it makes sense she wants a break for a little while after this show's done. But she'll probably be back in no time, cause she's like that. In the mean time, Gerhard is taking over. I don't know what she has up her sleeve yet, but I'm thinking a typical Christmas show is coming up."

"Any idea what it might be?"

"Nope. Everyone's talking and wanting to do A Christmas Carol but it's been so overdone, and Abby's always doing unexpected things."

"Damn, I wonder what it could be," Therese chewed her lip in thought.

"You sure you're not just upset at the idea of Ross not working there anymore?" Dannie teased. Therese smacked his arm.

"Dannie," she scolded.

"What! Even a blind person could see she's literal eye candy, though she can be a tough boss. I'm not blaming you for liking her, but I am telling you that she's not as sweet as she looks."

"Hmph, whatever. She's probably got someone anyways, if she's taking a break with family."

"I dunno, Belivet, I've never noticed a wedding ring." He winked at her.

"God, you're the worst y'know?" Therese sighed, though her eyes were twinkling. "I never should have come out to you when all you do is tease me about every girl who I just happen to find kinda cute."

Dannie grinned. "That's what you get for being besties with the McElroys, Belivet. Besides, since Phil doesn't like girls, who am I supposed to go to when I get lady problems?"

Therese shook her head and chuckled before checking her watch.

"Damn, it's getting late. Alright boys, I'm going home. I really need to work on those photos. Don't drink yourselves to death, please?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, Belivet!"

She grabbed her purse before going to hail a cab as Phil and Dannie waved goodbye, her mind whirling with thoughts of the intriguing blonde director. Therese wondered who she was, besides the 'literal eye candy' that she'd managed to capture on camera. Sighing, Therese shook her from her mind during the brief cab ride home, deciding it was best to leave her daydreaming behind for the rest of the night.

A/N: heh... hi. here's my take on carol/therese because i can’t get enough of them honestly. Let me know what you think; this’ll be a pretty packed series so enjoy :3 

I’ve also been posting my stuff on AO3 if any of you use that as well so you can find this and my other stories there too! <3 

[dreaming-of-assclass]

Uncover

A/N: So this is officially my longest work on this blog...over 2K words. I’m happy with how it turned out. Also a lot of asks I’ve completed or am in the process of writing, I just can’t post until a few more days :’( I’ll post them all together very soon.

~~~

“Ah, we’re here. Thank you, sir!” After greeting her driver, Izuki Mina gracefully stepped out of her car. Her silky dark hair was tied up into a tight chignon and her kimono was an elegant shade of orchid. Her heels clacked loudly upon the pavement and she extended a hand towards one of her companions. “Come on.”

6-year old Nako grumbled under her breath, taking it anyways. She looked absolutely precious in her pink dress and space buns, which Mina had accomplished after two hours of fighting her. “Can’t we just turn around now?” She whined. “I wanna go home. This is gonna be so boring.”

Before Mina could respond, Rise replied, “Now, sweetie, that’s not the right attitude to have. Be respectful, we were invited to this wedding.” The older woman, Nako’s mother and Mina’s elder sister, gracefully followed them. 

Mina still had a hard time accepting whose wedding this was. She honestly believed hell would freeze over before Karasuma Tadaomi married someone.

But nope, it was real and happening that very moment. His soon-to-be-wife was also unbelievable. She was a foreign beauty, apparently his co-worker too? Mina knew very little details… it had been a couple years since she’d spoken to Tadaomi. Their families were friends and they saw each other often, eventually becoming good friends as well. Then Tadaomi left for military training...and simply disappeared. Next thing she knows, he was a part of the whole moon exploding business, became a teacher, and was now getting married? Mina couldn’t wrap her head around it all.

The wedding was a very traditional one...unsurprising considering the Karasuma family. The venue was a beautiful Japanese garden, greenery everywhere and the soft pink of the Sakura trees. A faint babbling was heard as water ran in the stream, and a bridge stood over it. Guests were everywhere, chatting casually as more people trickled in along with them. Mina looked a bit further and saw tables filled with appetizers and small snacks to serve as refreshments. She quietly whistled to herself. Damn, this is amazing. It probably was crazy expensive too.

There was a large group of teenagers hanging out in one area of the event, a mixed group of boys and girls. Mina instantly placed them as Karasuma’s former students, from that year he apparently spent as a teacher.

Out of the corner of her eye, Mina spotted Tadaomi, standing with his family. She walked a bit faster, ignoring Nako’s “Where are you going?” 

“Tadaomi!” She called with a smile.

He looked up instantly, surprise splashing across his face. “Ah, Mina,” he greeted with a small smile. “It’s good to see you.”

His dark hair had been styled and gelled back, leaving his handsome facials open. He was dressed in very nice, classy traditional attire. Mina tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, suddenly feeling self-conscious for some reason. “You too! It’s been a long time.”

He tilted his head slightly, as if considering that sentence. “Yes, it has. How are you?”

Mina gave a light laugh. “How am I? How are you, Tadaomi? You’re about to get married! Holy shit!”

Tadaomi smiled amusedly. “I’m fine...just a bit eager to get through all this.” He glanced at everything, from the bridge overlooking the water to the bouquets that were everywhere. “It’s...so much.”

Mina sighed. He would always be the same: just his simple, straightforward self. “It’s your wedding, silly. It’s the one day of your life you can splurge and do everything, then go back to normal.”

She looked past him, searching. “By the way, where is the wifey?”

“Ah, she’s talking with our former students.”

Mina raised an eyebrow. Our? So they met on the teaching job...huh. She looked back at the cluster of teens, and lo and behold, the foreign beauty was there. She was gorgeous, with long light curly hair styled to perfection. Her eyes were a vivid blue and her makeup was perfectly applied. Mina couldn’t tell because of the elaborate bridal attire, but she was guessing the woman had a model-esque figure...she looked quite tall too.

How on earth had Tadaomi met this amazing woman?

“Karasuma!” A voice called, and Mina swiveled around to see two men in dark suits waving him over. Their greeting was casual but they had an air of professionalism surrounding them. Mina assumed they were his government co-workers or something.

Tadaomi saw them too and faintly grimaced. “Ah, I’m sorry, we’ll have to finish catching up sometime later today,” he apologized.

Mina shook her head, smiling. “No, it’s okay! I’ll be around...so whenever you wanna talk, it’s fine.”

He nodded and left to talk to his colleagues. Mina stood there for a moment before feeling a tug at her arm. “What-” Oh, it was just a very ire Nako, scowling. 

“Can we get food please?” She demanded. “Mom told me to ask you to go with me.”

“Where’s your mom?”

“Over there.” Nako gestured to her right, where Rize was talking to Tadaomi’s mother. Great. Mina would be stuck babysitting her very grumpy little niece.

“Okay, let’s go,” she sighed.

They made their way past the many guests and towards the tables lined with delicious-looking food. There were so many platters of colorful sushi...Mina had heard a guest mention in passing that it was because it was the bride’s (what was her name again...Ivanka?) favorite food. Mina glanced around, looking at all her options. Her stomach began to grumble in hunger.

Then she saw it. What in the world -

In the midst of all these elegant tables filled with dishes of tasty, delectable, presentable classy food...was a takoyaki street cart. It looked so incredibly out of place, Mina actually blinked. Once. Still there. Twice. Ok, nevermind, it was real.

“Oooh! I want takoyaki!” Nako exclaimed, already pulling Mina towards it.

“Hey, wait!”

They were at the end of a line now, in front of the cart. Mina could hear the guests in front of them murmuring about the oddity as well. “Wasn’t expecting this at all, but hey, I love takoyaki,” a young man said to the girl next to him.

“Yeah, same,” she replied in agreement.

Mina sighed, feeling her stomach grumble even more. All she wanted was to dig into the platters of sashimi on the fancy table, not wait in line for takoyaki of all things. She glanced down. At least Nako would stop complaining for a while.

“Oh, man, I can’t believe Okano started crying at that, of all things,” Mina heard from beside them, and a few of the teenagers from earlier were walking by them. There was a tall boy with dark hair, a shorter boy with orange hair that reminded her of mushrooms, a girl with straight purple hair, and the last girl was the shortest with dark curly hair. They were all dressed in appropriate formal attire.

“I know, right?” The purple girl laughed. “Ooh, let’s try the takoyaki from here!”

There was a short pause until the orange mushroom boy agreed. “Yeah!”

Now they were standing right behind Mina and Nako. She turned and politely smiled at them. Maybe they’d have an answer for this out-of-place food. “Hello!”

They jolted for a moment, before returning a bright grin. Well, the orange boy had a small, cute smile but the dark curly girl looked deadpan. “Hello!”

“Ah, you guys are Tadaomi’s old students, right?”

The tall boy smiled and nodded. “Yes, we are! I’m Sugino, and this is Fuwa, Mimura, and Hazama,” he listed them off, gesturing to each kid accordingly. Sugino definitely seemed like a chatterbox, a very friendly charming one too.

Fuwa rubbed her chin, giving Mina an odd look. “Hmm...you call Karasuma-sensei by his first name? How close are you?”

“Fuwa!” Mimura exclaimed in embarrassment. Fuwa struck Mina as someone who was usually unfiltered, judging by his reaction.

“You can’t just ask her that. It’s none of our business,” Hazama sighed, almost sounding apologetic.

“What? I’m just wondering...you guys are, too! Don’t deny it!” she protested. Yep, she definitely didn’t have a filter.

Mina laughed, slightly put off but more amused than anything. “It’s ok! No worries! I’m Mina, and this is my niece Nako. My family is friends with Tadaomi’s, we grew up together for a little bit when we were young,” she explained.

“Ooohh,” they chorused. “Nice to meet you both!” Mina laughed some more. Okay, that was kinda cute.

“Say, do you guys have any idea what this street cart is doing here?” she wondered, deciding to just go for it. She chuckled. “It’s just surprising to see since sushi from the finest place in Japan is sitting right over there.”

They all laughed. Sugino ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, it is weird,” he agreed. “We were the ones who actually asked for it. Our class, I mean.”

Mina furrowed her brows. “Oh, really? Why?”

Fuwa smiled softly. “Our old teacher, he worked with Karasuma-sensei and Bi-” she paused, looking at Nako. “Jelavic-sensei. He, um, really liked...takoyaki.”

“Yeah, he loved octopi a lot,” Mimura chimed in. “One could say he was basically one himself.”

Mina was slightly lost now. “Like a spirit animal?”

Hazama shrugged. “Yeah, something like that.”

“Oh. Well, that’s cool.”

Hazama gave her a look. “It’s okay, it’s weird. We know.”

Mina wasn’t sure what to say to that. “Um, so tell me more about this teacher! He seems like an interesting guy.”

Sugino laughed. “Yeah, he was definitely interesting. He had a lot of weird habits. He loved junk food, for one. Always blew his teaching money on that.”

“He really liked po-” Mimura paused, glancing at Nako. “Um, magazines. He had a huge collection of them.”

“He used to fry tissues to eat sometimes, because he was so broke,” Fuwa added.

“That’s terrible!” Mina exclaimed.

Hazama waved her off. “Oh, don’t worry, he was okay.”

“He was obsessed with soap dramas,” Mimura continued. “Always used to try and ship us all together to try and emulate them.”

“Oh...that’s a bit odd,” Mina stated politely.

“Yeah, we hated it. We shot him with bb pellets whenever he was being too annoying.”

“Wow, that’s -”

“It’s fine! He encouraged it all the time!”

Fuwa sighed. “Even with all those irritating quirks, he was still the best teacher ever.” The atmosphere had shifted into a more somber, nostalgic one as all the kids looked down slightly.

Sugino nodded. “He always cared about us and looked out for our wellbeing all the time.”

“He was great at explaining concepts, and we even made personalized practice tests for every student,” Mimura added.

Hazama averted her gaze. “He made all of us feel welcome and like we belonged in that class,” she said softly. “Like we were all a piece of one big puzzle, meant to be there from the start.”

“He built a pool for us,” Fuwa sighed again.

Mina blinked. “Wow, he sounds like an amazing person!” She glanced around her. “Is he here? I’d love to meet him!”

The kids stiffened, and she instantly regretted her question. Stupid Mina! Obviously, something happened or they wouldn’t sound so sad! But she’d been distracted by all that they were saying, she’d forgotten.

She took a breath. “I’m sor-”

“No, he’s not here,” Sugino finally spoke. “He...passed away at the end of the year.”

Mina felt her stomach lurch. “I’m so sorry…”

“No, no, you’re fine,” Fuwa replied, shaking her head. “It’s okay.”

Mimura laughed slightly. “You know he would’ve freaking loved it if he were here.”

The other two laughed while Hazama smirked. “He’d be a bawling mess. Probably would badger those two constantly until he got kicked out.”

“He’d insist on personally handling Karasuma-sensei’s hair and styling,” Sugino continued. “But he’d go overboard and mess it up.”

“Seventy-percent of the food would already be devoured,” Fuwa added with a grin.

Hazama raised an eyebrow. “Only seventy-percent? That’s being generous,” she commented dryly, amusement in her tone.

“True!” They burst out laughing again. Mina smiled, relieved to see that they moved on from her little mishap and weren’t sad anymore.

“Oh, Ms Mina, it’s your turn,” Sugino pointed out, and she turned around to see the vendor waving at her.

“Oops, sorry!” She smiled at them once more before turning to place her order. Hard to believe that the answer to why this takoyaki cart was here was all thanks to an old teacher with odd quirks who liked octopi...and guided a lot of bright, good kids. She definitely would continue that conversation with those four and hopefully get to meet more of Tadaomi’s students.

[writers-hes]

christmas record.

hello! thank you so much for reading cherry, falling, and late christmas. if you haven’t read them yet, you could do so by clicking the link here. 

if you want to be a part of my taglist, you can do so by clicking this link. 

this is a fluffy christmas fic and even though christmas is done, i hope you enjoy it! this is my longest fic yet, with 6785 words! how cool is that? anyways, read and enjoy! send me feed back and requests, i really appreciate them :) 

HAPPY 100+ FOLLOWERS I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!

warning: unedited ! i was rushing to post this before christmas but i’ll be going over my fics soon to edit everything. thank you! 

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

you were a photographer. you liked going to free shows around town, taking pictures of everyone in it. you liked how music swayed them and made them live in the moment. photography was your way of immortalising that fleeting moment. still, you weren’t as successful as other photographers to make it as your main source of income and that was okay. as long as you get to share your art with an audience, you knew you were doing something. you were on a break from your shift at baskin robbins when your phone notified that you just received a message.

helenepamburn.photography: Hello i just want to say i absolutely love your work!!

your phone read. helene pemburn was a photographer you’ve never heard of before. you decided to look at her instagram and check out her work and damn, it is amazing. it seems as though her muse was harry styles, your best friend’s favourite male artist. you have listened to his songs before, even downloaded his first album and he was good.

35mmdiary: oh my god!! thank you so much. i love yours too!! portrait is something that i’m not entirely good at :-)

helenepamburn.photography: Im helene, by the way ! What camera set-up do you usually use? 35mmdiary: hi, helene!! i’m y/n. i usually just use a minolta xg-1 camera and i switch up on the lenses…i’m more of a film photographer than a digital one…
helenepamburn.photography: Ah! so you don’t use dlsr cameras?? 😮

35mmdiary: i do but i just take whatever photo and then edit it on lightroom…with my old presets hehehe

35mmdiary: oh im sorry i have to go i have to finish my shift!! 


the conversation ended at that at first but weeks into it and you found yourself really enjoying talking to helene. she became an instant friend, exchanging tips and tricks on photography. she would even talk about how it was touring with harry and etcetera. you wanted to meet each other soon but it was hard, seeing as your finals was right around the corner and harry releasing his new album.

———

“helene, who are you talking to? you’ve been on that phone for so long!” jeff azzof asked. it wasn’t unlike helene to type away at her phone 24/7. she was usually in her corner, editing harry’s photos for the world to see. “y/n,” she muttered. “who?” 
“i found her on instagram and she really has amazing shots! look,” helene said, showing your instagram to jeff. “and this is all film! no editing,” she praised. “oh wow, she is good,” jeff commended. “yeah, well…about that. i think i’m gonna take a break from work first,” helene started. jeff looked at her quizzically. “i know harry’s about to release his album and there’s the thing at the forum and etcetera but i think y/n is gonna be a good replacement, no?” 
“does harry know?” he asked. he was a little concerned that helene’s leave was a little sudden. sure, she’s been working hard, always going where harry was and taking photographs of him but still, it was abdrupt and it wasn’t quite what he was expecting. “ah, no not yet. i was hoping you could talk to him about it?” she shyly asked. harry’s been a ball of stress lately and helene knew that if something out of the schedule were to happen, harry would freak. “helene…” jeff warned. helene looked at him, practically begging him to go tell harry. jeff only sighed and nodded. “thank you!” she gushed. “i owe you one, big time,”

———

it was almost the holiday break, and you can already feel the christmas in l.a.—it’s not snowing, particularly and it’s not as iconic as new york christmas but you can already see christmas lights hanging downtown and at the grove. starbucks already released their holiday drinks and their holiday cups. you were finishing your last paper for the term, ready to finally get back to photography. you finished ahead of everyone else in class and begged some of your professors to let you take some quizzes and tests in advance. perhaps you were lucky this christmas because they allowed you to and you passed your term with good grades.

helenepemburn.photography: y/n I have a question to ask…
35mmdiary: sure what is it??

helenepemburn.photography: Are you done with classes? The semester?? 35mmdiary: yeah why?? helenepemburn.photography: How would you feel about replacing me as a photographer??? Im about to go on a break and I want you to be my fill-in??? You will be paid the same fee as I do during those days too

35mmdiary: What??? are you sure?? helenepemburn.photography: Yes!! The team will be in l.a. next week for a couple of interviews and etc so would be able to meet you and show you the ropes and hang out!!

35mmdiary: sure!! send me the details…i’m free until christmas anyway :)

helenepemburn.photography: See you then !! Im so excited to finally meet you !!

———

it’s been a few days and your best friend was absolutely ecstatic to know that you were harry styles’ photographer for a few weeks. you’ve been thinking about backing out but from your conversations with helene, it seems like she was really craving for a short break. she told you about going to japan and malibu with harry to take behind the scenes photographs. she loved it, of course but she was getting drained. besides, you will be paid a good amount of money for your services, unlike some of the previous bands who told you that you will have a shoutout for the ‘free’ photos you would give them. artists who don’t support artists suck, don’t they?

“i can’t believe! harry fucking styles!” your best friend, gina, exclaims. she was a harrie, the biggest one you’ve seen. she went to the forum, the closing venue for his first solo world tour, bought merch, and runs a fan account on twitter. “shh! keep it down, gina! it’s just a temporary job. i just took it as a favour to helene and also because it pays well. i can pay a little more to my college debt,” you muttered. “still! once you’re on tour with him, don’t you ever forget me,” she fake cries. “i just want a video greeting for harry, okay? like the one that i got you when i met adore delano,” she told you. you nodded and she squealed, jumpy in her seat because she was about to receive a personalised video from harry styles.

———

helenepamburn.photography: Im free right now if you want to meet up!! Im in la and i forgot how much i hated la traffic ://

35mmdiary: sure! where do you wanna meet? helenepamburn.photography: Harry rented an airbnb for all of us in beverly hills…would you like to meet in a coffee shop near it?? Im really craving for american starbucks right now 35mmdiary: sure! i’ll meet you there at 2:30? helenpamburn.photography: Ok and then we can go to the airbnb to meet up with jeff so he could walk you through the details sound good? 35mmdiary: okay…i’ll see you in a bit! be safe ! 


you immediately went inside your shower to take a bath. you were finally meeting helene! you didn’t know who jeff was but you decided to dress a little nicer today just in case this jeff guy was a little strict. opting for minimal make up, your favourite floral pants, white shirt, and your boots, you decided to head out with your iPad and film camera to show helene some of your photos.

it’s almost 2:30 when you arrived at the coffee shop. helene was already there, waving at you excitedly. you smiled and jogged up to her. “helene!” you called as she greeted you with a hug. “y/n! i’m so happy i get to finally meet you!” she laughs. “i hope it’s alright, i already ordered for you,” she says. “oh! thank you. how much was it? i’ll pa—“
“don’t be silly now! it’s okay, you don’t have to worry about it. now, tell me, how have you been?” she asked. you chuckled. “i’m good! i finished all my papers early to focus a little bit on my photography,” you tell her. “college is really sucking the life out of me! i worked part time in baskin robbins too so the stress is just too much,” you grumbled. “ah, well, i promise photographing harry isn’t that stressful. he’s quite chill with whatever you present him as long as it’s in black and white,” she joked. “kidding aside, harry’s whole crew is kind. very approachable and very good people,” she informed you. her words brought comfort over you as you were worrying about how they would treat a newbie. “i’m just really taking a break because i’m so tired! besides, my best friend will get married on christmas and i wanted to be there and take some pictures,” she says.

“you did mention that you like wedding photographs too,” you told her. “i love them! they’re so fun and the vibe is so different. i’m a bridesmaid so i just have to be there, you know? i’m wearing a really cute dress too! here, i’ll show you,” she gushed. she took out her phone and opened the picture. it was a great dress. it was a long peach dress and helene said that all the bridesmaids had dresses inspired by the colours of the sunset. “that’s so cool! i wanna get married someday but then again, not really,” you shared. helene nodded at that. you both spent the afternoon together, walking around beverly hills and just talking.

“hey, let’s go back to the airbnb so i can introduce you to everyone!” she gushed. she booked an uber and then immediately dragged you to the car. you loved how chatty and enthusiastic she was, basically telling you her life story and her friend’s life story in just a few hours. you rode the car once it arrived and it zoomed past the fancy beverly hills neighbourhood. it was a few minutes after when you arrived at a big house. “we’re here! i’m so excited for you to meet jeff, mitch, sara, claire, and everyone else!” she squealed. she beat you into paying for the fare and then dragged you again to the main, where she knocked and cursed at jeff for not opening the door immediately in french.

“fuck’s sake, helene! hold on!” a man called from the inside. “that’s jeff, he’s the oldest in this house but doesn’t seem like it,” she snickered. you were about to reply to helene when a friendly-looking man opened the door. he was scowling at helene, a facial expression she only chuckled at. “hello, jeff! this is y/n, y/n, this is jeff,” she introduced. “hi, it’s nice to meet you,” you told jeff. “same here,” he brushed off. “come in, enter,” he said cooly. you frowned, helene said that they were nice people but jeff seems so intimidating. “give the poor girl a break, jeffrey!” helene said. she guided you to the living room and made you sit on the the couch. “so, i take you’re helene’s replacement while she’s away?” he asked.

“uh—yeah,” you replied, picking on the loose thread of your white shirt. he chuckled at your nervousness. “you dress like harry,”
“sorry?” you asked. helene laughed, noticing how similar you dressed with the star. “she does! i just noticed that!” your friend exclaimed.

“anyways, i’ll be fetching some papers and documents you have to sign. harry’s a big star after all, we can’t trust everyone,” he said before going to god-knows-where. “i’m sorry! he’s not really like that. it’s just that many people before you came here with me as an intern or something but they always end up leaking photos, putting harry in trouble and all that,” helene apologised. “oh, i totally understand. it’s no problem,” you reassured. you were fumbling on your shirt, once more, when jeff arrived. “here,” he put the folder on the coffee table. “read the document over and sign it if you agree, of course…it’s just about harry’s privacy and all that,” he said. “call me when you’re don, i’ll just make us a drink,” he left the room again and probably into the kitchen. you read over the document a few times before signing on the required pages. it was basically concerned with harry’s privacy and how you couldn’t sell harry’s photographs to the tabloids. helene was there with you to explain the whole contract and how the ropes would work.

“she’s done, jeff!” she called. jeff emerged from the kitchen with a tray of iced coffee and some fruits. he laid the tray down on the table gently and took the folder from your grasp. you watched as he made sure that you signed all of the pages on the papers and smiled. “welcome to the team!” he suddenly beamed.

“thanks,” you smiled at him.

“i’m sorry for being rude earlier. it’s just that some photographers and ‘newbies’ take this job for granted. so, anyway,” he coughed. “help yourself to some coffee and tell me about yourself,”

“well, uh—i’m y/n y/l/n. 21 years old and i’m currently taking up business ad. i really love photography but my parents aren’t really set on supporting me have it as my profession in the future. i, uh, also take photographs of artists in free shows but i mostly do film, if that’s okay? harry’s photos will be developed after four hours if we’re here in l.a. but probably more than that if we’re not here, which i’m assuming won’t happen? i have a friend from one of my electives who knows how to develop film,” you told him.

“it’s worth the wait, jeff! do you have some photos, y/n?” helene interjected. you nodded and took out your iPad.

“uh, you can just swipe through the images of the scenes and people i took,” you told him, opening the photos app and into your digital portfolio. you handed jeff the ipad and waited anxiously. “wow, these are good. helene actually showed me your instagram already and i’m impressed. now, we will give you some money for the films and the development process when you start working, which is tomorrow—“

“ah, it’s okay.  the salary is enough to cover for everything,” you reassured. “no, no. i insist. helene also had the same budget. besides, you’re doing us a favour for agreeing to this job instantly,” he said. you nodded shyly. “anyways, you could stay here in the house or something since helene will leave the day after but that’s your choice, completely.” he said. “i’ll just stay in my apartment,” you told him. he nodded and looked at the time. “well, dinner’s about to start. i suggest you attend so you could meet everyone,” he smiled. you nodded, not really wanting to piss your new boss. “i’m sure everyone’s excited to meet the baby of the team,” he chuckled.

“ah! i’m so excited for you to meet claire and sara. you’re gonna love them!” helene squealed. “wait here, okay? i’ll just change into my pyjamas,” she said. you nodded and watched her leave the living room, leaving you alone with jeff.

“so, where did you grow up?” he asked. “i actually grew up here in california and then moved here in l.a. for my studies,” you informed him.

“that’s great,” he nodded. “let’s just wait for everyone else to come,” he said. you nodded and spent the following minutes chatting with helene and jeff. he may have been intimidating at first but he was a pretty chill guy. you liked his humour and immediately clicked once helene told him about the time some bands were lowballing you with a shoutout, to which jeff told you you should be charging more for your shots. it was nearing eight when two girls barged in the door, bringing some takeout.

“sara, claire!” jeff greeted. “this is y/n, the newest baby of our team,” he said. you waved at them shyly.

“she dresses like harry,” sara observed. “that’s what i thought so too!” jeff chuckled. he took the paper bags from the girls. “i’ll just fix this up in the kitchen while your girls chat,” he said while going back to the kitchen. “jeff is such a dad to all of us,” sara said once she sat in front of you with claire. “yeah, it’s nice knowing that there’s parental love going around here or it would be such a mess! mitch is the slobbiest person ever while sara here, hates his mess!” claire said. “so, how did you know helene was about to leave?” she asked. she wasn’t asking in an intruding way, she was just curious.

“well, helene and i are ‘internet friends’,” you told them. “i’m a photographer and i mostly use film. it was her who told me to come fill-in for her while she was away,”

“wait, youre 35mmdiary?” sara asked. you nodded. “she’s been raving about your work and harry seemed to like it too! i follow you on social media!”

“me too! i love your work! so, so good,” claire added.

“thanks, guys! that really means a lot to me,” you said. you took a mental note to follow them back once you go back home.

“where are the guys, anyway?” helene asked. “we couldn’t start dinner without them,”

“mitch told me he was with harry, buying some chinese food. they’re on their way back, though.” sara said.

“oh well, let’s just wait for them to come back,” helene said. you girls nodded and chatted for a bit until eighteen minutes later, the door opened, revealing the harry styles himself and mitch.

“i told you, haz! you should’ve bought soup dumplings instead of the fried ones,” a guy with long hair complained.

“but there might be holes in the dumplings and all the soup would fall out. fried dumplings are the safe option, honestly,”

“guys—“

“sarah, tell harry that soup dumplings are better that fried o—“ he stopped, just realising that there was another person in the house. “hello, who are you?” he asked, utterly confused.

“i’m the photographer filling in for helene while she’s away,” you spoke. “ah, well in that case, hello! my name is mitch,” he said. when he noticed that harry wasn’t speaking soon, he spoke again. “this is harry and that over there is adam,”
“oh yeah, i know. hi, harry,” you shyly waved at him. you also waved a greeting to adam to which he returned. harry gave you a tight-lipped smile. you always imagined this moment to be somewhat chill but right now, your cheeks were absolutely burning because of how beautiful he was. pictures didn’t do him justice, no offense to helene but it was the reality. “i’m y/n,” you added.

“hi, y/n. i’m harry but mitch already beat me to it,” he muttered. mitch only laughed and told him to go to jeff so he could set up the table.

“she kinda dresses like you, no?” mitch commented once he thought they were out of earshot.

it was less than ten minutes when jeff called you girls to go to the dining room. you were sat beside helene and in front of harry, who seemed to look everywhere but you.

“well, this was supposed to be a simple dinner but it isn’t. let’s welcome y/n into the family and bid farewell to helene,” jeff started. “everyone say ‘welcome to the family, y/n’!” there was a chorus of welcomes around the table and you only managed to mutter a shy ‘thank you’ to everyone.

“so, how did you know helene?” mitch asked. “oh we met through the internet,” you replied. “she messaged me about my work and then i looked at her profile a bit and decided that i loved he work too,”

“we’ve known each other for months but only met today, actually.” helene said. “huh, i would’ve thought that you knew each other for years but then again, helene has always been the noisy one,” adam commented.

“you’re just as noisy as i am! i cant believe this is how you treat me on my last day until i come back,” helene faked sobbed.

“let’s jusy eat dinner, yeah? poor y/n must’ve been so tired and hungry from all the talk you’ve been drilling into her,” adam said. everyone nodded and took their food. you shyly opened your chinese take-out box.

“y/n, i’m sorry if this is rude but i haven’t seen any of your work before,” mitch suddenly said.

“i’m not really a big photographer,” you started. “honestly, i just go to free shows and then offer my services for a cheaper price,”

“you should definitely see her work, babe. so, so, good! she does film and that’s like, super hard,” sarah added. babe? “y/n, show him your ipad so they’ll believe me!”

“alright...” you nodded and fished for your ipad, opening the album that contained your beat shots so far. you handed it to mitch. you stared at him for any reactions and was glad to see him focus on your pictures, zooming in on some of them.

“these aren’t filters? damn, you’re good. yo, look at this, adam! isn’t this the band you’ve been listening to on soundcloud?” mitch asked, showing adam your photograph of the vocalist of peach pit. adam looks over and gapes.

“y/n, this is so good! what’s your username on insta? i’ll give you a follow!”

“it’s 35mmdiary! i’ve been showing you gus her work for months now,” helene grumbled.

the dinner started and ended like that, with friendly banter from what seems to be a loving environment. jeff was definitely the father of the group. you liked everyone but harry. he hasn’t talked to you all night, just stealing some glances at your direction. helene booked you an uber and told you to text her once you’re home. you nodded and bid her good bye before riding into the car.

———

“harry, what do you think of y/n?” jeff asked once you left.

“pretty cool girl, yeah?” he commented.

“you barely looked at her! she’s quite lovely,” claire added.

“probably because he finds her cute or something,” mitch teased. “always does that! playing hard to get but really, what is there to get?”

“shut up, mitch,” he blushed. it was true. harry did sort of find tou attractive. you were so kind to everyone, taking their compliments gracefully. you got along so well with the other members and he wanted to talk to you but adam and helene hogged the conversation. perhaps he should talk to you alone, sometime?

“okay so, christmas is coming soon and once again, we will be needing to have our secret santa!” sarah said, changing the subject as harry looked like a poor fish gaping.

“should we include y/n?” adam asked.

“of course! she’s a part of our family now, even if it’s temporarily,” helene said.

“yeah and we should take you out instead...” harry teased.

“hey! that’s not nice,”

“well, she’ll be coming in tomorrow and basically everyday to accompany harry on photoshoots and to get some shots as well. we could talk to her about it tomorrow,” jeff informed. everybody nodded at that.

“gotta go back to my room, m’tired from today,” harry yawned. everybody said good night as he left tahe living room.

———

unknown to them, harry was actually looking theough your instagram. he decided to follow you once he reached his assigned room. everybody was right, you are good. he was so excited to have you as a part of the team.

harrystyles: Nice meeting you today, y/n. x

35mmdiary: hi hi!! it was nice meeting you today too :-)

harrystyles: Your works are lovely. I’m so excited to see more of your work.

35mmdiary: thanks ! i hope you like what you see so far. thanks for hiring me by the way

harrystyles: It’s quite alright! I loved what Helene showed me. I tried to get into film photography but it never worked out. So hard to figure out the settings. :(

35mmdiary: i actually started with dispposable cameras! they really helped me know what i like! i could teach you some of the stuff i know if you like. im not a pro or anything but i think there’s a few things i could teach you?

harrystyles: That sounds great! When are we doing it?

harrystyles: Can we do it tomorrow? I’m free tomorrow.

harrystyles: Only if it’s okay with you. :)

35mmdiary: yes of course ! i could meet you in the house tomorrow morning ?

harrystyles: No, it’s okay. I’ll just have someone pick you up just send me your address. I’m not a serial killer, I promise.

you gave harry your address and your number, just in case he needed it. that night, you looked for your spare disposable films while harry told jeff that you would be accompanying him tomorrow. jeff only teased harry but allowed it anyway.

———

“good morning!” you chirped as you entered the black range rover. harry smiled at you. the driver at the driver’s seat nodded at you.

“good morning, love. i got you breakfast, if it’s okay. if you don’t like it i could eat it and we could go somewhere else for breakfast,” harry rambled, offering you a brown bag. you looked into it and saw a ham and cheese croissant—your favourite sandwich.

“this will do just fine. this is my favourite sandwich,” you said as you dug into the bag to get your sandwich. “would you like some? we could share if you like,” you offered. harry shook his head no, telling you that he already ate the same sadnwich as you did.

“by the way,” you started as you swallowed the pastry. “i got some disposable cameras that you could use in my bag,”

“you shouldn’t have...” harry pouted. “i basically hogged your whole day and now you’re giving me stuff too?”

“it’s okay. i wanted to. as long as we end just in time for me and helene to say goodbye to each other,” you smiled.

“lunch is on me then! i know this place near santa monica that served the best chicken wings!” he declared. you chuckled at his etermination to get even with you. “what are we doing today, by the way?”

“well, i was thinking we could go on a classic photowalk. it’s basically just us walking and taking photos of the things we like,” you told him. “i was thinking we could take photos downtown...” you trailed off, not realizing that the paparazzi might see harry. “or somewhere else you like so we could avoid the paparazzi,”

“we’ll go downtown then!” he said, not really caring about tomorrow’s tabloids. harry liked your presence. for some reason, it made him feel at ease. he didn’t care if you’d be labelled as harry’s girlfriend tomorrow. he just wanted to have a nice afternoon walking around and taking photos that he like.

“well, for me, it’s the perfect place. if you’re into portraits, you could photograph people! if you’re into sceneries, you could do that too,” you gushed as you finished the last of your croissant. “i like sceneries and candids a lot. taking portraits is something that i’m not really good at,”

“at least you know something! i’m such a beginner,” he admitted. “drop us off here, please, thank you.” harry told the driver. the driver nodded and stopped the car. harry immediately went out, dragging tou by the hand to hide from onlookers. it’s not like he didn’t want to meet fans, he did. it was just that he’d rather be unnoticed when dealing with private matters, such as spending time with a girl whom he finds cute to gain some brownie points. he led you to an empty alley.

“you alright?” he asked. you nodded and fished out for the cameras in your bag.

“harry? here are the cameras. there are 36 shots per camera and because i brought you theee, you could do more than a hunderd. just give them back to me after you use it so i could have my friend develop them,” you breathed.

“thank you so much, y/n! you didn’t have to because i also have my own camera. just don’t know how to adjust it,” he frowned, looking down at the expensive camera hanging on his chest.

“i could take a look at it, if you like,” you offered. harry beamed at you and nodded rapidly. that day, you spent the afternoon taking photos of people living their daily lives. it was such a great day, walking downtown with cameras at hand. the day consisted of you and him talking about the most embarrassing stories you could think of when you were younger. he told you about the many times he fell onstage during his concerts, to which you laughed at, saying that you tripped on a wire once when you were photographing a gig for a local band. onlookers wouldn’t think that you were strangers at all but you didn’t mind.

that night, at the beverly hills mansion, you and the team huddled together to pick names for the small exchange gift. you left the house with a smile on your face a few hours after, really loving the group.

“alright, who picked y/n?” harry asked as soon as he walked back in from waiting outside until you left.

“why?” mitch asked. “well--” “he obviously likes her, dumbass,” adam said.

“you just met twice why would you like her immediately?” mitch asked again, clearly missing out on something. “she’s really a nice girl. besides, what’s wrong with finding her cute?” harry asked, clearly giddy about the day he spent with you. “she’s so cute especially when i told her earlier that she looked good in what she was wearing! then, she gave me these disposable cameras,” he added, showing off the cameras hanging on his wrist. “i really wanna get her something for christmas but i think it’s a little straightforward to just give her one, no?”

“what would you do for you to get her name?” sarah asked. “i’ll pay you a hundred dollars and treat you and a friend to a nice dinner,”

“i got her,” jeff said, giving the paper to harry and harry giving another piece with a different name on it. he gave jeff 300 dollars for the dinner and the monetary gift and said thank you. he smiled with his dimples showing and retired to bed.

“he’s whipped,” mitch mouthed to sarah. sarah only nodded, really finding it cute how harry found y/n cute.

-------

you’ve been photographing harry and his band for so many days now, rarely even having the time to clean your apartment, which was fine. it was always clean, only feeling like it wasn’t because harry was at your place, going over the photographs that he would be posting on his social media. you told him that you could come by the house in beverly hills but he told you to just stay at home so it would be safer. you didn’t protest but you did stress clean for a little bit.

“i really like this photo,” he pointed at your laptop. “i think mum would really like this, yeah?”

you nodded. it wasn’t your best shot but so far, it looked like it was harry’s favourite image of himself. you were done for the night and you were tired but you didn’t want harry to leave yet. you were enjoying his company and it seems as though he was feeling the same when he decided to open a new conversation.

“so, who did you pick for secret santa?” he asked as you opened your spotify christmas playlist and played it softly on the bluetooth speaker on the coffee table. “i can’t tell you that! it would ruin the whole thing,” you replied. you were perched on your couch, facing harry.

“why not? it’s not like you got me, unless you did…” he teased.

“maybe, maybe not,” you shrugged. harry pouted but started to hum to the christmas music anyway before sipping on his hot cocoa. “you know what i would love from you?”

“what?” he asked. he’s been tearing his hair for a perfect gift for you but nothing really came up. he wanted to get you a film camera but that would be too basic. “a christmas record from you! your voice is so good,” you gushed. “it would sound so great and i’m sure you’d sing christmas classics like the one paul mccartney sang,” you mused, clearly unaware of what was going through harry’s head. he finally found a perfect gift for you. “if you ever release a christmas album, hit me up immediately! i’d stream and buy the hell out of it. i’ll even wear your christmas merch,”

--------

“everyone shut up! i’m gonna record something in my room, don’t bother me,” harry breathed as soon as he arrived in the rented home. everyone’s eyebrows shot forward. they were huddled in the living room, playing uno. “okay, i’m sorry just don’t make too much noise!” he apologised. he ran to his assigned room after that, locking his door and taking out his guitar. clueless as to where he would start off, he decided to text helene.

harry styles: Helene! 

Helene.: Harry !

harry styles: Do you know y/n’s favourite Christmas songs?

Helene: Not really but she’d be into classics dont you think?? Why ??

harry styles: I kinda got her for secret Santa and I don’t know what to give.

harry styles: Do you really think she’d be into the classics? Helene: Yes now stop talking to me i have to attend the dinner rehearsals why do you have to rehearse for dinner?

that night, harry set up his personal microphone, a device that he could just slip into his laptop’s usb, and sang at least three songs that he would sing with gemma whenever he was home for the holidays.

-------

it was after harry’s successful live show at the forum. you were busy capturing every moment of the tour with your camera. gina, your best friend was in the crowd too. it was your early christmas gift for her, along with a personalised video from harry like you promised. she squealed and hug you for being the ‘best best friend ever’. you laughed and received her hugs with joy. you were supposed to have a small staff-only after show party but decided not to come. you were tired and all you wanted was sleep. you told jeff about it and he nodded, hugging you and asking you if it was okay if you left alone. you nodded and wished him a good party. that night, you went home to your apartment, looking over the new photos that your friend e-mailed you so you could show them to harry the next time you see him. you took note of the pictures you liked alot.

“where’s y/n?” harry asked as soon as he greeted everyone. “oh, she left! said she felt tired and just wanted to sleep,” jeff shouted over the loud music and the loud people. the party became bigger as staff invited friends and family to come over. harry didn’t mind, he liked crowds. harry nodded at jeff, a little disappointed because he was hoping to get to you. he would be leaving for london next week for another live show and he was sure that you wouldn’t be able to come. the live show at the forum was supposed to be the big ending for the celebration of harry’s album in america. if he wouldn’t be able to see you now, he wouldn’t see you at all, probably.

--------

it was nearing 1 am when your doorbell rang. being a light sleeper, you woke up from your slumber in the couch. you must’ve fallen to sleep while finalising images you wanted to show harry next day. you fixed the coffee table a little bit then begrudgingly walking to the door, only to reveal the man who’s been keeping you busy.

“hi, y/n. may i come in?” harry asked. you nodded and opened the door wider, the cold from your air conditioning unit greeting harry.

“what are you doing here?” you asked as you and your guest settled on your couch. “well, i was at the party and i noticed you were gone so, i decided to come by. i’m sorry if it was so sudden it’s just that, i picked you for secret santa and i wanted to give you my gift before i leave for london next week,” he rambled. he the handed you a pretty christmas box.

“thank you, harry. what about your party?” you asked. “it’s fine, they’re fine. i just wanted to be here with you more.” he smiled. “go on, open it!”

you opened the box that revealed a red sweater.

“you said you wanted christmas merch, right? that you would wear it?” he asked. you nodded and unfolded the sweater to reveal a ‘harry’ sweatshirt in red. it was the one that gina wanted for so long but in the colour pink. harry’s name was embroidered on the soft red sweater in white, and his motto ‘treat people with kindness’ was embroidered on one of the sleeves in red.

“i picked out the colours and i hope you like it! it’s not from the same manufacturer but i figured you would like it,” he said. you looked deeper into the box to find a cd and a flashdrive. the cd cover was you and harry, a selfie he took using his phone when you were out having a photowalk. “you said you wanted a christmas record and here it is,” he said. you were smiling widely and thanking harry for the thoughtful gifts he got you. “i, uh, you have to listen to the songs and text me if you liked them, alright? text me as soon as you finish it.i have to go back to the party and entertain but i’d really love to hear your thoughts on the record, okay?” he asked, standing up from his seat and kissing your forehead. you nodded and watched him go outside your door, too overwhelmed with his thoughtful gift. you inserted the flashdrive in your laptop’s usb and clicked on track 1.

track 1 was harry’s rendition for paul mccartney’s wonderful christmas time--your favourite christmas song. you casually mentioned it to him once but didn’t think that he would remember. there were 8 tracks in the flashdrive, harry’s voice and guitar playing filling your apartment. you were wearing the sweater he gave you, feeling giddy at the gifts he gave you. you just finished track 7 and waited for track 8 to play when harry’s talking voice was heard from the speakers.

“hi, y/n,” he started. “well, i hope you like my gifts for you. the truth is, jeff was actually the one who picked you and i picked claire but i bribed him so i could give you this gift. truth be told, i like you. like, i’m crushing on you and if you feel the same way, i’m waiting in the parking lot. i just wanted to say this and was wondering if you wanted to go out on a date before i go back to london for the show and the holidays. wow this feels like a goddamn movie and i sort of like it. i hope you really love my gifts. i’m waiting outs--” you stopped the audio and immediately ran to the door, opening it. it revealed harry who was sitting beside the door, waiting anxiously. once he heard you go out, he stood up and smiled at you.

“silly boy! of course i’d go out on a date with you,” you said as you hugged him. he was chuckling, thanking the heavens for giving hime a wonderful christmas.

“what about when i’m in london? how would we talk then?” he asked. “we’ll make it work, yeah? see how it plays out,” you said. you felt him put his chin on the top of your head after kissing it.

it was the perfect ending to a perfect night and as the christmas lights surround you with your wreath hung on your door, you both wished for this christmas miracle to last.

-----

im soff

taglist:

@giitterysuits / @floral-suits @bree082 @dezzym17 @bouncebackbyers @lolapuffs@belleamoree @demolition-lovers-blog

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

The Matchmaker: Six

Bucky dodged out of the way, panting and finally starting to work up a sweat. “So,” Sam said grinning, “You didn’t make it home last night.” Bucky snorted, “Nope.” He launched his next attack and Sam laughed, “ C’mon man,” he said, “Give us the gory details! Does she giggle? I bet she giggles.”

Bucky feels his cheeks color at the memory of your soft moan when his lips grazed your neck. The way you gasped softly when he swatted your backside. “All we did was sleep,” he protested, “we put in a movie and she fell asleep about 10 minutes in.” Sam laughed, “Netflix and Chill doesn’t actually mean you chill, Buck.” The Brunette sighed, “We’re taking things slow for now,” he explained, “But... It was really nice. She’s something.”

Sam softened a little, chuckling, “You got it bad huh?” Bucky nodded, “She’s fucking amazing,” he said. He smiled a little, “I’m not even sure how she does it but, she feels like home.” Sam swung at him, “Damn, a girl blue balls you and you just go all to pieces huh.”

Steve snorted behind them, taking a drink from his water bottle, “Nah, Bucky’s a good boy. He stopped before it got that far.” 

Bucky half turned to glare at Steve and the blonde grinned unrepentantly, “What? Becky called me this morning after Y/N left for the day. She wanted details since Y/N wouldn’t tell her. So I might have told her you didn’t come home last night.”

“Steve,” he groaned. Steve laughed, “Oh my god. She was thrilled... She also told me to tell you ‘I told you so’.” Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose, “Swear. She opens her mouth and Ma comes out.” 

“Right?” Steve said. “So, you fell asleep... How was breakfast?” he asked stretching. Bucky felt his cheeks color, “It was nice. We talked.” 

Sam grinned, “Got the wedding planned yet?”

“Shut up,” Bucky murmured, cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. 

_________________

Bucky strolled through the library looking for you. You’d told him the Study room number and that it was on the 4th floor. You’d told him your meeting would be done around 4. That after that, you were all his. 

He liked that idea. He also wanted to take you to meet his friends. Maybe once they met you they’d stop teasing him. He took a seat in a vacant chair outside and settled in. He was running a little early, happily. It gave him a chance to just watch you.

He loved the animation in your face and the way you lit up with warmth as you talked with the people at the table. He knew it was a creative writing group, you’d told him that. He wondered what you liked to write about.  Judging by the fact that you finished reading and were summarily told variations of “Fuck you,” and “Go sit in the corner” he assumed you were good at making people feel feelings. 

At the end of the meeting, as you erased the board and gathered books and things to put in the box now sitting on your chair, he walked into the room. “Hey!” you say smiling up at him, “You found me!” You stand on your toes to kiss his cheek and he melts, pulling you into a hug. “Of course,” he said, cold metal fingers tucking hair behind your ear. “You did basically tell me I could have my way with you this weekend. I wasn’t gonna miss that.” You snort and shake your head, “Has it really been 70 years since you had sex?” Bucky shook his head, “No. But... The last time was. A bad idea,” he said, “She was... possessive to say the least.” You frown, “I’m possessive,” you tell him. 

“Not like this,” he said, “You like when I pay attention to you. You just want me to be faithful... She didn’t want me to talk to anyone. About anything. Like we dated for like 6 weeks and if I didn’t call her every day she’d lose her goddamn mind.” You wince sympathetically, “I’m sorry. That’s some shit.”

He shrugged, “You’re a lot more comfortable,” he said softly. “I’m glad,” you tell him, slipping your arms around him and snuggling into his chest. “Is it weird that I missed you today?” you ask him.

He chuckled, “I missed you too, darlin’,” he murmured. You look up at him, “Really?”

You look up at him all wide-eyed and sweet and he kinda wants to break things off. He’s terrified he’ll hurt you. But he can’t bear you never looking at him that way again. So he leans down and kisses you. The barest whisper of a kiss that makes you shiver for want of just a little more. “Of course I did,” he murmured, “You’re my girl.”

He smiles when your cheeks color and you start to pull away. “We better get going if I’m gonna get cute to go out with you tonight.”

“You’re already cute,” he says, “But I wouldn’t mind seeing you in another dress.” You giggle, “Horn dog,” you scold without any real heat. “I like what I like,” he said smirking, “And I love what you look like in cute little dresses.” You blush and kiss his jaw, “I’ll see what I can do.”

_________

Bucky enjoyed waiting for you to get ready. You chatted with him as you did your hair and make up, answering his questions about the apps on your phone, telling him about your nieces and nephews. He liked listening to you. He loved hearing you be passionate. He loved how curious and bright you were. 

You asked him questions. About his life, about being an Avenger. About places he’d been. He was thankful you avoided asking about his time as the Winter Soldier. 

“Darlin’,” he called tying his shoes, “Are you almost ready?” You give your hair a last fuss and slip into your heels, “I think so, what do you think?” 

He pauses, looking up from his shoelaces. For a moment, he couldn’t think. You were wearing a soft hunter green dress. Heels, and your hair was tumbling down your back. You looked, to him, like you had stepped out of a fairy tale book. “I think I’m gonna have to beat guys off of you with a stick,” he said grinning. You blush and he stands up, “You look beautiful,” he says.

“Nice enough to be seen anyway,” you allow. Bucky doesn’t like that but for now, he lets it go, helping you into a jacket. 

_________

Bucky watched, sipping his drink, as you schooled Steve and Sam both in pool. Laughing as they tried to figure out how you’d gotten so good at it. 

Your shyness had been endearing, and it was still there. Bucky could see little flashes of anxiety as you looked for him from time to time. He knew though that Steve and Sam weren’t going to do anything to make you uncomfortable. They liked you. 

Liked you enough to tease you. They’d both pitched baby names and Sam had recommended Tiffany for your engagement ring. You’d rolled your eyes and kissed Bucky’s cheek, “Guys,” you told them, “If you don’t quit it, we’ll just live in sin and adopt dogs.” Bucky had chuckled and hugged you close, “Yeah, and we’ll name the dogs after you.”

Tags:  @lancsnerd​ @stevieang​ @golddaggers​ @blameitonthecauseway @qxeen-of-hearts​ @process-pending​ @xmarveled​ @beautybyfire, @etherealwaifgoddess, @mschellehitt, @mistressoftorture @thorfanficwriter, @ctinadiva, @innerpaperexpertcloud @amalthea9

[rustybutterknife]

I kinda want to know more about Lydia and Hazel... their names just go really well together? also lesbians? (btw what does hazel look like? lowkey want to draw her)

Okay okay okay! I haven’t finished the full concept drawing, but this is Hazel!

Her hair is pastel pink, and she’s got green eyes!

Anyway, onto the headcannons!!

So Hazel!!

She’s basically the embodiment of pastel GF

Her aesthetic is a mix of harajuku, kawaiicore, Lolita, and kidcore.

She’s just,,, bubbly baby

She likes anime!

Her favorites are Sweetness and Lightning, Sailor Moon, and Ouran Highschool Hostclub!

So onto her and Lydia!

When Lydia first walked into Spanish class on her first day, she met eyes with Hazel and her heart immediately went “!!!!!!”

I guess her teacher must’ve known that Lydia would’ve liked her before she did because she was seated right next to her

They started talking, Hazel trying to explain to her what Spanish class was usually like, what the students were like, and half of Lydia listened. The other half was just straight up 💞💖💕💗💘♥️💓

Lydia got pretty settled in after about 2 or 3 weeks, and got used to how everything worked. Even then, she couldn’t get used to Hazel. Every time she saw her felt like the first time seeing her. Just pure bliss.

Little did she know, Hazel felt the same way. She just didn’t know if Lydia was The Big Gay™ or not. Oh honey.

One day, Hazel complained about how she couldn’t understand the unit and Lydia offered to help her study. Of course, they studied at Hazel’s house because they can’t exactly study at Lydia’s. (Thanks, BJ.)

After Lydia tells her parents that she’s going over to a friend’s house to study and gets permission, they head to her house.

They head inside, Lydia meets Hazel’s parents (they’re very sweet) and younger brothers Mason and Dallas (4 and 7), they head up to her room.

It’s… very pink, to say the least. Anime posters everywhere, stuffed animals on shelves, little accessories carefully put away, cartoon strawberry sheets.

It’s very… her.

And Lydia loves that.

So they get to studying, which lasts about maybe 20 minutes or half an hour before Hazel asks if she wants a snack.As a thank you for helping her, and because she wants a snack too. Lydia says “sure,” and she yeets down to the kitchen.

When she gets down, she’s gotta give herself a little pep-talk.

“Alright, Hazel. There’s a cute girl in your room. She’s helping you learn Spanish. She wants snacks, so you gotta give her snacks. Quick, what are some good study snacks? Apple slices? Panda cookies?? Iced tea???”

She does a little dance to pump herself up, punching the air dramatically and just shaking her head all around.

She brings up all of the above on a little tray.

(It’s peach iced tea, in case you guys are wondering!)

Lydia’s just kinda sitting on the bed, looking at all the stuff in the room and messing around with the hem of her skirt.

They continue studying, enjoying their snacks and drinks. Eventually, Lydia mentions the fact that her and her mom used to have little tea parties, and how she used to dress up in a little tiara and feather boa.

Hazel is about to ask her about it, when she says “You know, there are things I wish I could have told her when she was still alive…”

Hazel just. Freezes. Quick, think of words!

“Like what?”

Smooth. Real smooth.

She immediately face palms.

“Sorry, that was rude-“ “no no, it’s fine! I like talking about my mom and stuff! It helps to keep her memory alive, you know?” “I guess so…”

they sit in awkward silence.

“I kinda wish I could have came out to my mom…”

YES!! SHES GAY!! Inappropriate time to celebrate, but yes!! Gay!!

“Oh… I still haven’t really come out to my parents, if that makes you feel any better?” “Oh, what are you, if you don’t mind me asking?” “I’m bi…” “oh cool, I’m just… a plain ol lesbian.” Lydia does jazz hands for added effect.

Hazel chuckles, putting her hand on the bed. Lydia rested her hand on top of hers, smiling and blushing. Hazel put her free hand on Lydia’s cheek, and leaned in.

Lydia leaned in as well, and…

They accidentally bumped noses. Damn it.

They immediately pull away before falling into a fit of giggles and try again. It works this time.

After a little while, they clean up and put everything back. Lydia waves goodbye to Hazel and gives her a little kiss on the cheek before leaving.

When she gets home, she’s got a bounce in her step that she hadn’t had since before her mom was diagnosed.

She’s giddy, and humming as she settles in at home.

At dinner, everyone looks at each other for possible answers while Lydia is just smiling, enjoying her dinner. She’s unusually nice to Delia. Not that she hasn’t been nice to Delia since they came to terms after the wedding. But she’s… a lot nicer than she usually is. It’s sickeningly sweet.

Everyone eats in silence for a few minutes before Charles decides to break it.

“Are you alright, Lydia? You seem unusually happy. Delia, can you take her temperature?” “No no, I’m fine! Really!”

Barbra joins in from where she’s drying the dishes as Adam washes them.

“Oh, I think she has a case of the L-word!” “Lesbian!” “Juicebox, no, she means love…” “oh!! Yeah, that makes more sense.”

She doesn’t tell anyone until later at night after Charles and Delia have gone to bed. She sneaks up to the attic, and tells the Maitlands she has something important to say.

They immediately drop what they’re doing, and ask if she’s being bullied. They’ll ask BJ to help, and they’d look the other way. She laughs and says no, she’s not being bullied.

“Oh, then what is it?”

She’s quiet for a moment with a huge smile on her face before she says “I had my first kiss today!”

They’re immediately gasp and celebrate with her. Barbra and Lydia are bouncing up and down in excitement (but gently so they don’t wake the Deetz’s), Adam’s trying to give Lydia pointers on what to do on dates. She’s just happy chirping and flapping her hands.

She doesn’t tell Beetlejuice until later, and his reaction is exactly as you’d expect.

“You know if she breaks your heart, I’m gonna make her shit herself in fear, right?” “Please don’t…”

Once it’s official, they go on little dates!

To the park, ice cream shops, the mall, and to a little bakery between their houses!

They’ll usually get macaroons and a couple of cupcakes, then sit on a bench outside, holding hands and eating their snacks while just enjoying each other’s company.

Soft GFs,,,

When it comes to birthdays, anniversaries, and Valentine’s Day? They go all out.

Once, for Valentine’s Day, Hazel got Lydia a sword. A full working sword. She decorated the sheath with little bat and black cat stickers.

Lydia almost started crying, because now she could make the “is she... ya know... *sword swinging motion* a lesbian?” Joke.

(Also it’s a sick ass sword that she keeps next to her bed. So she sees it when she first wakes up and thinks of Hazel, also because she can threaten BJ with it.)

In return, Lydia made her a basket with stuffed animals, her favorite snacks, those cat ears that move with your emotions, a few pairs of fuzzy socks, and a sweater that Barbra helped her make.

She wears it all the time.

In conclusion, they’re baby!

[xxisxxisxxis]

Gateway Drug | Part Ten

Part Nine

Pairing: Douglas Booth!Nikki Sixx X OC

Word Count: 2.1K

Warnings: Language, mentions of violence

Tag List: @itsametaphorbriansblog @miriampraez @allie-mcginn @rebeccaphillips14 @nicholeh7 @fandomshit6000 @lilmou5ie @tamedhearts @divaanya @kingbouji3 @evrsncnewyork @6ixx6ixx @ratedrkohardychick91 @floregrohlssard @oldschoolimagineblog @thanks2pete @abaldboi @swoopygorl @justjodeye @liith-ium @caos18blog @ytwahsog @shamlessobsessions @scarecrowmax @toadspleen @random-internet-user-4471

**Let me know if you want to be tagged**

———————————————————————

“So," I start, trying to fix my hair in the dressing room mirror, flattening the red strands between the irons of the hair straightener in my hands. "Tansy's wanting me to stay with her for a few weeks." I tell Nikki slowly, waiting for his answer as he smears lipstick on his lips.

"Tansy lives in New York, though." He points out and I lick my lips and start on the next section of my thick hair.

"Yeah...and she wants me to come see her for a few weeks." I reply and he puts the lid back on my lipstick and looks at me.

“Do you want to go see her for a few weeks?"

“It would be nice." I raise my brows, giving him a smile.

He thinks a minute before saying:

"It'll be good for you two to spend some time together since you're not gonna see each other much after March, anyway." He tells me.

"Why? What's in March?" I ask, finishing my hair and making sure the tangles are out.

"Our wedding?" He asks me as if I'm stupid and I drop the hair brush and look at him.

“I'm sorry, March of 1983?" I ask in disbelief and he furrows his brows.

“Uh, yeah?"

“Nikki, that's like two months away. We don't have time to plan a wedding in two months. You're working on an album."

“Well, when were you thinking we get married?"

“December of '84." I state and he bursts in to an unamused laugh.

“Oh, bullshit. I'm not engaged to be engaged for two more fuckin' years, Viv. Fuck that." He stands up straight after teasing his hair, looking down at me.

"You guys will be working on music. This album will be done and you'll probably have a tour, then when you get off tour you'll start on a new album and tour some more. We need more time to plan a wedding. Not to mention it'll give us more time to save up more money for it."

“I was thinking Tansy, the guys and a judge at the courthouse. Not a guest list and minister and everything else in between."

"We're celebrating coming together in holy matrimony and you don't do that by having a rushed shotgun wedding." I argue and he takes a swig of Jack.

“You'd have to be pregnant in order for us to have a shotgun wedding."

"People will think I am if we get married less than six months from now." I state.

"Do you think I give a fuck what people will think?" He asks and I lick my lips.

“I want the guest list and the minister and everything in between." I admit and he exhales and leans his head back, groaning a little before he stays silent for a few moments. After a while, he looks at me and sighs.

"Let’s just do it December of next year." He tells me. "We'll save up the best we can and I'll get you whatever the hell you want, that we can afford—except for the minister."

“Nikki, we need a minister." I scoff, standing up from my chair and stepping to my change of clothes.

“Not really. Anyone can be ordained, Viv."

“God created marriage and I think it's important we acknowledge that by being wed by a minister."

“Whatever, let's just agree to disagree." He tells me flatly, and I swear I see him sneer a little from the corner of my eye before he plops down on the couch to tune his bass as I pull my shirt over my head and get my shorts off.

“You don't believe in religion anyway, so what's the harm of me having some representation of my beliefs?"

"I said 'whatever'. Just drop it." He orders, not bothering to look up from his task.

I avoid further arguments by shutting my mouth and leaving it alone, grabbing the bottle of lotion from my bag to put on before I get dressed.

By the time I'm done, Nikki's through with his tuning, and I notice him staring at me, obviously enjoying the view of me in nothing but a bra and thong.

I smile to myself, taking my bra off and grabbing my red tube top. I pull it over my head and fix it comfortably before reaching for my white leather miniskirt. Once I'm dressed, I pull on my thigh-high heeled boots that match the color of my top and step to the mirror to put my lipstick on.

Within a few seconds, Nikki's behind me, his eyes meeting mine in the mirror. I look away to focus on perfectly putting color on my lips, nearly smearing it when I feel his fingers tickle at my exposed midriff.

“Nikki!" I scold, swatting at his hands and he laughs, ignoring my protest. I go back to finishing my lipstick, but I'm interrupted against when I feel his hair on the inside of my arm, and before I can ask what he's doing, his teeth are sinking into my side. "Ow!" I grab his hair and pull him off of me, looking at him like he's crazy.

Again, he thinks it's the funniest thing he's ever done and I close my eyes and exhale, quickly getting done with what I'm doing before putting the cap on the lipstick and turning to face my man-child of a fiancé.

"What the hell am I going to do with you?" I ask him, examining the bite mark he's given to me.

"I can name a few." He mumbles, his hands grasping at my waist as he pushes me against the counter, picking me up and placing me on it.

Just as his lips go to my neck and a giggle leaves my throat at his advances, the door swings open to reveal Vince.

“Dude, c'mon, you can fuck later." Vince rushes us and Nikki excitedly kisses me one last time before grabbing his bass and rushing out the door.

It was their biggest showed they had played at the time, a New Years Eve show called "New Years Evil", that featured some other bands and had a crowd of 3,000 people at the Santa Monica Civic Center.

They did enough to catch the attention of Doc McGhee who, soon after, became the band's manager.

During the show, Nikki and Vince teased that Nikki was no longer available because he was going to be getting married. It would've been cute, had I been ready to announce to three people, let alone 3,000 people, that I was engaged. I hadn't even known Nikki told Vince already.

The announcement popped up in a local newspaper that was reporting on the glam rock show, and that was enough to catch the attention of the one woman I wanted to avoid as much as possible.

"I told you I didn't want everyone to know about us, yet, Nikki! I know you're constantly hammered but I expected you to at least understand, just a little bit, through whatever haze you found yourself in at the time when I expressed to you why I didn't need our engagement to be announced to over 3,000 people when I haven't even told some of my closest family!"

"Right, because you actually were going to tell anyone aside from the guys and Tansy!"

Nikki and I are screaming at each other the second I toss the News Paper, with Mötley’s picture plastered on it, on to the counter for him to see.

"I was going to tell my family when I was ready! Whether that means now or a day before the wedding, is my business and my decision to make! You had no right—"

“I had every fuckin' right! I'm not gonna hide shit just because you feel guilty and embarrassed about who the hell you have a relationship with!"

“I'm not guilty and I'm certainly not embarrassed!"

“You wouldn't even tell fuckin' Tommy we were dating, Vivian!"

I feel the color drain from my face and my stomach drops.

“Oh, God, Tommy.” I pace, shaking my head a little. “I haven’t even thought about Tommy. He just got over being pissed at us and now—”

I stop abruptly when he starts chuckling humorlessly, rubbing his face, and I cross my arms and raise my brows.

"What the hell is so funny?" I ask venomously.

"You are so fuckin' hypocritical. That's what's so funny. No, it's sad, not funny." He accuses and I roll my jaw. "You're always on about how Tansy needs to stop doing whatever the fuck anyone wants her to do because she's scared of upsetting someone or letting them down. At least she's fuckin' honest about every damn thing she does and doesn't make excuses for any of it."

"Oh, so I'm dishonest and sneaky now, is that right?" I motion to myself.

“You tell people you won't do something and then you do it and then decide it'll piss them the fuck off—rightfully so if they didn't want you to do it to begin with—so you lie and keep secrets about it instead, just to save a little fuckin' face!" He barks, stepping closer to me and I stand my ground, anger rolling through my entire being. "If you wanna marry me, you should be screaming from the fuckin' rooftops that you couldn't give less of a shit about what anyone thinks of you spending the rest of your life with a sleazy sinner! And I get it, it's your family and their opinion matters to you but it fuckin' shouldn't. You say all the time you don't agree with half of what they swear by and can't stand them so why the fuck does it matter what they think?"

“Because this is not what I do!" I state, looking him in the eyes.

I don't have to elaborate, the impact of that single sentence settling between us.

I don't lie to my parents, I don't hang around people they don't want me to hang around, I don't have premarital sex with a rockstar I barely know who doesn't believe in a God I believe in, I don't drop school and dance for him, I don't move in with him and I don't plan on marrying him.

All of these things are one, straight forward, "this is not what we do, Vivian”, waiting to spill from my mother’s lips.

"Well, let me know when you figure out what it is exactly that you do so I won't waste anymore of my fucking time." He seethes before heading to the door to storm out and I follow after him, staying on his heels.

“Nikki—”

I stop speaking when he opens the door, the two of us stopping in our tracks.

There are three disagreements I’ve gotten in to over the course of my life that I categorize as catastrophic. Three particular instances where “messy” doesn’t do enough justice in terms of describing exactly how disastrous the exchanging of words and eventual throwing of objects across a room, really was.

The third was my biggest fight I’d ever had with Nikki, the night they wrapped up on their North American leg of the “Girls, Girls, Girls” tour, and involved everyone closest to us because almost all of them knew something critical about either me or Nikki that the two of us hadn’t bothered to confess to each other being we couldn’t communicate without arguing.

The second one took place only days before the third one, and was between me and Sparkie. I got tired of seeing him be one of the main enablers of everyone’s heavy drug addictions, and told him to stay away from Tansy and Nikki. He in turn smugly hinted a threat to tell Nikki something I’d done with someone from the opening band, as if that would keep me off his back any time he gave Tansy or Nikki their Persian fix. I ended up snagging a clean needle from Nikki’s boot before anyone could see it coming and stabbed Sparkie in the shoulder with it before trying to claw his eyes out in a blind rage. If it weren’t for Mick, Doc, and Steven Adler getting me off of him, I would’ve killed the bastard. He was too busy crying to tell Nikki what he had threatened me with.

The first catastrophe I was at the center of, however, didn’t involve drugs or affairs or years of wear and tear disguised as marriage. It was simply, complicatedly, rooted to my mother showing up at our doorstep with “good intentions” that God will judge her for when the time comes.

Nikki is just as quiet as me as we stand face to face with my mother, my father...and my former Pastor.

[jackscnfck]

secret nuptials // jude and jackson

trigger warnings: none!

featuring: @judexhernandez

jacksonLast Friday at 8:23 PM

jackson was feeling a little stupid for actually staying awake and working the whole night before his impromptu wedding. he couldn't believe he was actually going to marry jude today. he decided to get ready at greyson and serenity's house before they met jude at the court house. he stole a suit from his twin because he wanted to actually look nice. he didn't want jude to blame him for their wedding pictures looking bad if he just showed up in his usual black jeans and leather jacket. he finished shaving his beard before he called jude, "good morning, almost husband. are we meeting at the courthouse or should we all drive in the same car?"

judeLast Friday at 9:00 PM

after jackson had asked him to get married that next day he had gotten very little sleep that night. jude had been waiting for this day for as long as he could remember. jack was the only man he ever loved and now it was going to stay like that for the rest of their lives. instead of sleeping he opted for watching their daughter sleep. he couldn’t wait to have the same name as her and the man he loved. when she woke up the next morning he explained to her what was going on. “but you can’t tell grandma and nana. we are still going to have a a wedding for them to see.” she nodded her head before picking out one of his suits and explaining, “cause it’s daddy’s favorite papa.” jude was about to start on his hair when his phone rang. “papa. papa. it’s daddy.” he rolled his eyes. “i know baby. hand it over.” the girl did so jumping up and down. “say that again. i can get used to that.” he whispered dreamily. “i wanna say meet there but i miss your face.”

jacksonLast Friday at 9:59 PM

jackson smiled brightly at the sound of jude's morning voice. he could picture exactly what he looked like and was a little sad he didn't get to see jude with his morning hair and stubble. "i know what you mean," he chuckled. he didn't want to wait to see his fiancee and their little monster. "i guess it would be more fuel efficient and better for the environment if we all went together."

judeLast Friday at 10:14 PM

jude was not usually a morning person and it would take him a few hours to fully wake up on his own. so he knew jack could hear it and it made him smile. he just wanted to see jack, kiss him, marry him. time could not speed up fast enough. “i think your daughter is more excited then i am.” jude turned slightly to see brooklyn jumping on the bed. “brooklyn penelope smith. stop. before you fall.” he cleared his throat before returning to their conversation. “tell your brother to hurry up.”

jacksonLast Friday at 10:18 PM

jackson wished he was there to be getting ready with jude. he knew it was unorthodox, but really everything in their relationship was. maybe it was a good thing to do something traditional. he smiled fondly when he heard jude talking to brooklyn, "she'll be fine, let her jump. it's a good day!" he exclaimed. "i actually think i'm the one running late. i couldn't help but stop to call you. i've still got to shave," he admitted.

judeLast Friday at 10:38 PM

jude knew their relationship was a little to clingy but he knew it was because they were in love. he also knew people were not going to understand that but he didn’t really care. the only thing that really matter is what they think. “if she falls and breaks her arm jackson. i’m blaming you.” he playfully joked only slightly. this was his wedding day and he didn’t really want to spend it in the emergency room. “don’t.” he said a little quickly and impulsively. but he wanted jackson here as soon as possible. he was better at doing the actor’s hair anyway.

jacksonLast Friday at 10:44 PM

"she's not going to break her arm, love," he laughed. though, he quickly leaned down to knock on the wood floor so he wouldn't be eating his words later. "hey, you're the one who told me i couldn't have a beard on our wedding day," he chuckled. "but if you really don't care, i'll leave it." he personally didn't give a shit what he looked like, he just wanted to be married. "oh, ariella painted my nails while we we're having breakfast, so i now have sparkly purple nails. kind of clashes with this suit, but i can't tell her no."

judeLast Friday at 11:20 PM

"i will hope not j because if i have to spend my wedding night in a hospital instead of being fucked by my husband you are not getting near my ass for a month." he ranted, thankfully that the girl did not hear him. she was currently distracting herself by trying to sing one of her daddy's songs. "i don't care what you look like or what your wearing right now. i just miss you and love you and wanna marry you so fucking bad." jude wanted to roll his eyes at himself. he didn't know how he was able to agree to wait two months when he couldn't even wait 24 hours. he growned loudly. "i need you to come do my hair. it's not going what you normally have it do!" jude was always the one more intuned with fashion so he would pick out everyone's clothes while jack did everyone's hair since he was awesome at it.

January 25, 2020

jacksonYesterday at 11:04 PM

"well, if she broke her arm now, we wouldn't even have a wedding night today," he replied a little snarkily. he was sure jude could picture the smirk that donned his features. "okay, okay, don't talk like that in front of her! but you and i both know you could never last a month," he chuckled. jackson smiled softly. he was so lucky to be in love with someone who loved him just as much a jackson loved him. "i know, baby, i know. i'll be there soon we have all day to do this," he tried to calm jude's nerves a bit. he could hear just how stressed he was. "babe, i literally just blow dry it and put some pomade in it. you don' need me for that. take a deep breath and calm down. this is a good day. a happy day. stop stressing."

judeYesterday at 11:25 PM

"you are soo lucky you aren't here right now, i'd slap the smirk clean off your face." he said with no vemon in his voice. at this point in their relationship they knew eachother so well it was like they always were facetiming without having to facetime. they knew every expression just by thesound or tone of the others voice. "chill out handsome. she can't even here me. dancing and singing her daddy's music." brooklyn really was the eptiome of a daddy's girl. "i have no idea what your talking about." jude shrugged, knowing very well jack was right. he tried to calm down but between brooklyn, his hair no cooperating and going on like sixteen hours without feeling jack's lips on his, jude gave up and sat on the bed. "i'm gonna wait for you." the actor knew he was pretty much the wife in their relationship but he loved when jack did things for him. he even had tricks he used to his advantage.

jacksonYesterday at 11:30 PM

jackson laughed loudly at jude's threat, "ooh, i'm so scared," he replied sarcastically. he loved the moments when they went back and forth at each other like this. "she's so cute, i can't handle it," he groaned. "was she good last night?" he knew that it could be a little difficult to handle brooklyn alone. she was really an energetic toddler. "yeah, i'm sure you don't," he shook his head. jackson laughed softly at jude giving into the defeat, "okay, but don't blame me if we're late. that's all on you now."

January 26, 2020

judeToday at 12:21 AM

jude rolled his eyes but did not say anything. he was so lucky to find someone who balanced him out perfectly at such an young age. “she’s totally you baby. she and ari are gonna continue the smith family legacy.” he smiled softly. “nothing i couldn’t handle.” jude had become a master at handling their daughter. he had to will jack being away a lot. they were still on the phone ten minutes later when he heard the door open. “that better be you or some asswhole is currently breaking into our house.”

jacksonToday at 12:54 AM

"i don't know how i feel about that," he hummed. he knew greyson had already told ariella that she could pursue music as a career when she was older, but jackson wasn't entirely sure he wanted his children to follow in his footsteps. the music business was lonely and harsh and it was hard for him to find people who were genuine. "that stresses me out to even think about, but i'm glad she wasn't too crazy for you," he laughed. he tried to be quiet while he got in the car and drove the short distance to their house, but of course the door gave him away. he hung up the phone when jude caught him, "damn, babe, i was trying to surprise you."

judeToday at 1:09 AM

“i know baby. i don’t know how i feel about it either but it’s a possibility she could want to be a singer or an actor.” their daughter wasn’t exactly normal. her daddy and uncle were very successful musicians and her papa played one of the most beloved characters of the past decade. they needed to get their minds around the possibility so it doesn’t catch them off guard when she is older. “she is a mini you mister. and i handle you just fine.” jude smiled as he heard jack’s voice. “it’s not my fault i have super good hearing.” he turned so he could see when his soon to be husband walked through the door of their bedroom. “now can you come kiss me?”  he pouted

jacksonToday at 2:00 AM

"i think we can discuss it when she's older," he really did not want to get into any fights on his wedding day. it was still weird to say that it was his wedding day. "i know she is and that's so sweet but i'm hoping she'll have other passions. like, maybe she will want to be a teacher when she's older. no matter what our kids do, they'll be taken care of financially," he shrugged. jackson laughed softly, "i can never be sneaky with you." he leaned down and kissed jude softly, "yes, always."

judeToday at 2:29 AM

“of course.” the second his lips touched jack’s he was trying to pull him down on top of him but he was stopped by brooklyn saying. “gross daddy.” he sighed lightly as he reluctantly let go of jack and let the blonde climb onto the bed to sit behind him to fix his hair. within a half hour they were standing in front of the door that lead to where they were getting married. “are you absolutely sure about this?” the brunette asked, suddenly insecure.

jacksonToday at 2:47 AM

"i love you," he smiled. he laughed softly at brooklyn and picked her up quickly and kissed all over her face, "you think it's gross now?" he laughed and tickled her before he put her down. jackson quickly got to work on jude's hair and made it like he liked it. it wasn't too hard to get it done. "i'm more sure about this than i've been about anything in my whole life."

judeToday at 3:00 AM

jude sighed softly as he pulled jackson into the room where they would begin the rest of their lives. he got nervous as the judge spoke. “how would you like to do this? You can do vows before you sign or you can just sign it.” jude looked at jack to see what he wanted to do. the young man did not know if he would be comfortable telling the judge all of their business. they could always say what’s on their mind when they are alone. he just wanted to be jack’s husband and make love as husbands for the first time.

jacksonToday at 7:26 PM

jackson held onto jude's hands tightly, "what if we just sign today and then do our vows at the ceremony? that way we have more time to think of what we want to say and it can be in front of all the people we love?" he liked the idea of just waiting and sharing their love with everyone. "i just want to be married to you right now."

judeToday at 7:41 PM

jude's eyes widened, slightly surprised even after all these years he could read his mind so well. "i think that's perfect." he bit his lip as the judge spoke. "just double checking. only one of you is gonna be changing your last name? no hyphenating?" jude nodded his head. "i'll be changing mine." soon their marriage licence was past in front of them. the actor looked down and his eyes watered. with one signature his name will be forever be jude smith. "i love you."

jacksonToday at 7:44 PM

jackson was glad that jude was on the same page with their vows. he wasn't entirely comfortable sharing something so intimate with a strange judge. "you can finally be done with that name, love," he smiled. he knew that jude had struggled with his family, namely his mother, so he could only imagine how it must have felt for him. "i love you so much. more than anything in this whole world." he signed his name quickly and leaned over to kiss jude softly. he would save the passion for a bit later.

judeToday at 7:57 PM

jude was not one to be so open with his feelings around our people, not because he was embarrassed or ashamed of his relationship but because it was extremely personal. "the only name i've ever wanted for as long as i can remember." he whispered, writing his new name for the very first time, he no longer was tied to his parents if he didn't wanna be and that was a weight off his shoulders. he smiled into the kiss. "you're my husband."

jacksonToday at 8:06 PM

"it's the only one you'll have for the rest of your life," he whispered back. a small part of jackson still couldn't believe that jude actually loved him and actually married him. he was so beyond happy he wasn't sure there was a word for what he was feeling. he smiled and kissed his forehead. "and you're my husband. forever and ever." he thanked the judge and held jude's hand before leading him out to the car. "grey and ren are taking b..we've got a flight to catch."

[sunshinelukee]

Story of our lives

Pairing: Ashton x reader Warnings: a bit of angst every now and then, but mostly just fluff and I didn’t proofread it sorry Word count: 1600  Summary: You take a trip down memory lane with Ashton A/N: Everything in italics are memories :) Also you and Ash are like in your fourties here and it was really weird writing about that lol, so I’m not sure if I like the way it turned out 

Edit: if you’re on mobile, you can’t see the italics everywhere (because tumblr’s not working) so I’m sorry if it’s not quite clear what are memories and what aren’t

“Y/N?” 

You look up from your book when you hear Ashton walking into the room, carrying a big photo album.

“Look what I found, it’s our old photo album.” 

He sits down next to you on the bed, wiping the dust from the cover with his hand. You put your book aside and move closer to Ashton, touching the old book gently.

“Wow... Actually I had forgotten about this, it’s been such a long time since we last looked at this.” You smile when he opens the book and you see the first pictures of you together. You were about 19 here and had just started dating

Ashton. You’d seen him in the coffeeshop every day for a few months now. He stopped by every single day at exactly 7.30 am for his daily iced coffee, which you already prepared in advance by now. You couldn’t deny that you felt attracted to him, but after all those daily 3 minute conversations you had learned he was the drummer in the famous band 5 Seconds of Summer, so you knew you had no chance with him as a simple barista. However, you really enjoyed seeing him. But today it was already 8 am and you hadn’t seen the boy with the bandana tied in his messy hair. His prepared coffee is still standing on the counter, his name written on it in your neatest handwriting. You already want to throw it away, but at that moment someone bursts through the door and you can’t help but smile when you recognize the band tee and black skinny jeans. He almost runs towards the counter, nervously checking the time on his phone.

“Shit, I’m way too late.” Sighing he stows his phone back in his pocket while you quickly grab the cup of coffee and slide it across the counter.

“Oh, you’re an angel, I could kiss you.” he says relieved and hands you the money. You look at him surprised on hearing his words and then he realises what he just said.

“Oh. Oh! I didn’t mean that like... literally. Well, it’s not like I wouldn’t want to kiss you, ‘cause you’re like, really cute, but I’m not sure if you want to kiss me too, but I’d love to kiss you, but what I’m trying to say is-”

Before he can ends his sentence, you lean over the counter and quickly press his lips against his on a whim and he starts to blush even more. You pull back, shocked by your action, and mumble a quick apology.

“No, no, don’t be sorry. I liked that.” He smiles and grabs his cup. 

“But I really gotta go now, ‘cause I’m like really late, but could we maybe like, meet here tonight?”

Lost for words, all you can do is nod.

“Great, see ya then.” With a last gorgeous smile he turns around and leaves the shop.

“I still can’t believe I actually did that, kiss you.” you say, shaking your head while Ashton turns to the next page.

“Well, I’m glad you did, because I was too scared to do anything.” He laughs and you look at the next pictures.

The next few pages show memories from your first years together, you were both young and reckless and did the craziest things together. Giggling you point at a thread of pictures of the two of you covered in flour.

“Remember?”

Ashton laughs. “I could never forget.”

“Add the flour... Well, that can’t be that hard.” Ashton mumbles while taking the flour. 

You look up from the recipe. “Just make sure you don’t add everything at once, or it’ll-”

Right at that moment Ashton turns around the cup full of flour and starts to mix, causing the flour to fly all through the kitchen. For a few seconds all you can see is a big white cloud of flour but then you can see Ashton’s face, covered in the white mixture. 

You burst out laughing. “You look like a ghost!”

At first he looks slightly annoyed but then he starts laughing too. “Oh yeah? Want some too?” 

He takes a handful of flour and throws it right at your face, covering you in a layer of the white powder too. Soon you’re both caught up in a flour fight, until you grab the bag with the remaining flour and turn it upside down above Ashton’s head.

“Yeah! I guess I’ve won.” You smile and Ashton walks up to you, kissing you gently with his in flour covered lips.

“Congratulations.”

You smile thinking back to that moment. “It took us so long to clean the kitchen again, that flour was literally everywhere.” 

Giggling you turn to the next page, looking at all the photos.

You’re slowly growing older, maybe a bit wiser, but the weirdness doesn’t disappear. Ashton flips the page and your heart melts when you recognize the pictures of your engagement and wedding. You move closer to him and wraps his arm around your shouder.

Smiling he kisses your cheek. “We kept our promises, huh?”

The next thread of pictures shows the journey of your pregancy, ending with one of your favorite pictures ever. It’s you and Ashton together, holding your newborn baby in your arms. You look like such a happy, small family and there’s so much love. There’s also a lot of pictures of the band with your daughter, especially from the time she was a toddler. You point at a photo of the four grown men sitting at your little girl’s tiny table on tiny chairs while wearing fairy costumes and sipping fake tea from tiny cups.

“What a time was that..” Ashton smiles.

“Daddy? Do you and Uncle Cal and Uncle Mike and Uncle Lu want tea?” Ashton smiles at the sight of his baby girl carrying the pink plastic tea pot, but he knows the band has to work on some new songs right now. But just when he’s about to explain to her they don’t have time, Luke bursts through the door.

“Wait, did I hear tea? I’d love some tea!” he exclaims and she starts to giggle. Ashton quickly finds the rest of the band and soon they’re all sitting on tiny pink chairs, their long legs squished underneath the tiny table.

“We all have to be fairies!” 

Before the guys can say anything, she’s run away to grab her fairy costumes. When she returns they all have to wear the fairy wings and skirt and they know they look absolutelt ridiculous, but they’d do anything for her.

A big smile appears on her face. “Now it’s perfect!”

“Those good old days...” Ashton sighs and a smile plays around his lips. That smiles disappears when he flips to the next page, though. You both look at the pictures from 5sos’ last concert. You know it was the right decision for them, but Ashton still misses being in a band. And to be honest, you miss it too. The band and their music had always meant a lot to you and being at that last show had really hurted.

You’re crying like a baby and you don’t give a damn. From your spot backstage you can clearly see and hear the band’s final show and it’s making you more emotional than you’d expected. The band had been Ashton’s life for so many years and now it’s over. Even though that does mean he’ll have more time for you and the kids, it hurts so much. You listen to his speech while the tears are streaming down your cheeks. When he’s finished, the guys all wrap their arms around each other’s shoulders and say those so familiar words for the last time, but now slightly different:

“We were 5 Seconds of Summer.”

The crowd goes crazy and after they’ve said their final goodbyes, they walk towards the side of the stage. You keep some distance when they all hug each other backstage, a few tears here and there. When Ashton notices you, he walks up to you and wraps his arms around you, pulling you close to his chest. For a moment you’re just standing like this, until you gently pull away and look at his watery eyes.

“I’m so, so proud of you, you were amazing.”

“What a show was that, huh.” he mumbles before turning to the last page. It shows photos from your 20th wedding anniversary, which you had celebrated with all your friends and family. It had been an amazing day and you still found it so special that even after so many years, you and Ashton still loved each other so much. Your marriage hadn’t been easy at times, especially when he was still in the band it was hard for him to combine his hectic job with his family. However, together you managed to get through everything.

Ashton sits up straight and stretches his arms. “So... If that was are 20th anniversary, our 23rd is coming up, right?”

You giggle. “Oh c’mon Ash, you still don’t know? It’s gonna be our 24th.” 

“Oh crap, you’re right. I’m such a bad husband.” He turns his head and looks at you with sad puppy eyes.

Smiling you press your lips against his.

“I love you anyways, even after 24 years. Especially after 24 years.”

[arteacactus]

47, Roceit.

(In human AU, in which Roman is friends with Logan and Virgil and used to date Logan, and Deceit is close friends with Patton, who introduced him and Roman, though they don’t know each other all that well)

Also this is long as hell im sorry,, and will be read easier on desktop to get all the formatting correct- their are pagebreaks and blockquotes that i dont think are visible on mobile and might completely mess up the story. 

047: “My ex just invited me to their wedding and I need you to be my date so it doesn’t look like I’ve spent the last few years failing to get over them.”

Roman would be lying if he said his heart didn’t ache when he got the invitation to Logan and Virgil’s wedding.

He was happy for them, truly! He was glad they found each other and they’re happy enough to get married; hell, he helped Logan plan his proposal. 

But there was a bit of him that, even after years, yearned for Logan to come back to him. 

This part of him craved to have his nerd back in his arms. He knew it was dumb, Logan was happy with Virgil and he was, quite frankly, very unhappy with Roman, so he shouldn’t be begging for things he won’t ever get, but he just couldn’t let go.

There was a void, and he wasn’t sure how to fill it. 

Now, he was hit with a new dilemma, though.

He was definitely going to the wedding. If not to see Logan in a suit, then to support them as their friend. 

But he didn’t want to show up alone.

It would be weird, wouldn’t it? He had to make it look like he was over Logan. He didn’t want it to look like he’d been trying to get over his past relationship after all this time.

So, he started going through a list of friends he could ask to be a fake, temporary date.

He thought of Logan’s brother, Emile, but that was just creepy, so he crossed him out.

Perhaps Patton’s brother, Remy? Though, Remy was a little too much sass and not enough romance. He couldn’t handle that.

Patton was out of the question. They’d be suspicious that they hadn’t heard about it before then, and Patton wouldn’t like lying to their friends.

Wait..

Lying.

Patton’s new friend Dolion.

Roman himself met the man only a few months ago, and he’s hung out with him more than once. They didn’t know each other all too well, but he knew Dolion enough to know that he had absolutely no problem with lying.

And a plus- Dolion was hot as hell.

Besides, Logan and Virgil haven’t met Dolion yet.

It was perfect!

Roman slammed the invitation on the counter and pulled his phone out, texting Dolion,

Ro: Hey, can you do me a favor?

Lio the Lyin: It’s nine in the morning.

Ro: Yeah, okay, I get it, you sleep late, but this is seriously important!

Lio the Lyin: Get on with it, then.

Ro: My ex just invited me to his wedding and I need you to be my date so it doesn’t look like I’ve spent the last few years failing to get over him.

Ro: Dolion?

Ro: Hey, you there?

Ro: Doll?

Lio the Lyin: I told you to stop calling me that.

Lio the Lyin: Do I know this ex?

Ro: Indirectly?

Ro: I mean, he’s one of Patton’s friends. 

Ro: Logan?

Lio the Lyin: Oh. 

Lio the Lyin: Him.

A few minutes passed, and Roman’s nails tapped against his marble counter nervously. He almost screamed out of frustration until he finally got an answer, five minutes later.

Lio the Lyin: I’ll be there in an hour, I have a plan.

Roman was, admittedly, a little concerned. Not all of Dolion’s plans held malicious intent, but enough did to cause him to feel a little careful when faced with “I have a plan”. 

It was exactly an hour later when Roman heard a knock at his door, stumbling over his feet as he scrambled from the couch to the door, swinging it open to stand face-to-face with Dolion.

Dolion was unusually well-dressed, with a black button-up shirt and nice jeans on.

“Get dolled up. If we’re fake dating, we’re gonna kick it off by making it look non-suspicious that we suddenly start dating right on the day of the wedding. There’s, what, a week leading up to it? We have this week to gradually make it known we’re together, to get rid of suspicion.”

Roman was a little stunned, but he sure wasn’t complaining, because somehow, the idea of fake dating was a little fun. Or perhaps that was just his gay ass being overwhelmed at the picture of Dolion dressed nicely as opposed to his usual punk-like wear. 

He invited him in, and he ran up the stairs, throwing his wardrobe doors open to be faced with an utter mess of various styles. 

Oh dear.

The week passed surprisingly quickly, and Roman found that Dolion was one hell of an actor. 

If he didn’t know any better, he’d have thought that Dolion really was head-over-heels for him. 

He treated him sweetly, respectfully, and never pushed things too far. He took him out to nice places, they did things that both of them liked, and he was an all-around great person to him.

Perhaps that’s why Roman felt the hole in his heart start to fix, and he felt like he was a whole new person around Dolion. 

He was.. getting over Logan, finally. But falling for an entirely new person. 

“Roman. You’re not going to a wedding like this.”

Roman let out a loud groan, pulling the blankets over his head as his bedroom was raided by three new humans.

“Don’t eeeuuuuughh me, mister!” Patton scolded, ripping the blanket off Roman and exposing him to the freezing room. “I’m only gonna be here long enough to get your suit on and dolled up, because then I’m handing you over to Doe and Rem so I can help Lo and Vee.”

Roman sighed heavily, letting Patton grab his arms and pull him into a sitting position, tossing a suit at his face. 

“Put it on. Technically you shouldn’t wear white but we made an exception since this isn’t that big of a deal, as Virgil requested. Logan is wearing dark blue and Virgil is wearing purple.”

“Red and gold, too?”

“Yes, Ro, red and gold, too. You’re gonna match with Doe, who’s wearing black and gold.”

Dolion in a black and gold suit.

That shouldn’t have made his heart race and butterflies flutter in his stomach, but it did. 

Roman grabbed the suit and sleepily stood, letting his eyesight adjust to the light as Patton ripped the curtains open. “And you’re wearing..?”

“I’m wearing light blue, Em’s wearing pink, and Rem’s wearing this weird sort of wine color. Kind of maroon, but too light.”

Roman nodded.

So they’re all gonna be their own unique colors. 

That was.. honestly pretty cute.

Patton left the room as Roman showered and got dressed, his curly blond hair almost falling over his eyes in a fringe as he blow-dried it, and he decided to leave it like that- it looked nice. 

He studied himself in the mirror, smiling. 

He thought he looked nice!

Walking out of his bathroom, Roman rushed down the stairs, where Patton was getting ready to head out, breakfast made at the table- Dolion and Remy eating.

Roman’s breath was caught as he saw Dolion, who had slicked his dark, dirty blond hair back against his head, somehow making his cheekbones more defined, his black and gold suit bringing out his pale skin.

Barely visible freckles peppered across only one side of Dolion’s face, much to Roman’s amusement and awe. He was.. a cross between hot and adorable.

He loved it. 

“Bye, Roman! I’ll see you in a couple hours!” Patton waved him goodbye, some sort of knowing grin on his face that Roman didn’t quite enjoy, and left Roman alone with the two men.

“Ro,” Dolion greeted, lifting his eyes to meet Roman’s flustered ones, lips curling in a smile.

“Doll,” Roman replied, pleasantly shocked by how steady his voice came out.

“Remy. Now c’mon, greetings over, let’s get to work.”

“Roman,” 

The voice took him by surprise, despite the fact it was his own wedding.

Roman turned to face Logan, who was gazing at him in warm affection. Just a week ago, that look would have made Roman’s heart thud with longing, but now, he felt.. weirdly, nothing. 

Roman’s face broke in a smile. “Logan!” He greeted, throwing his arms around Logan in a hug that took the other by surprise, almost knocking them over, but Logan managed to hold them steady.

“Pleased to see you could come,” Logan grunted, letting Roman go once the other was satisfied with his hug.

“Happy to be here!” Roman replied, and was surprised by how much he genuinely meant it. He expected to be heartbroken, somehow, but..

Bumping his hand against Dolion’s, Roman took it and interlocked their fingers.

“Dolion. Pleased to meet you, Logan. Roman’s told me much of you.” Dolion introduced, holding his free hand out for Logan to take.

Logan didn’t seem bothered by his presence, though a little curious as how close he and Roman were. “Likewise. I’m assuming you’re..?”

“Roman’s date.” Dolion finished his sentence, flashing a pretty smile, “I’m his boyfriend.”

He said it with such a prideful tone that Logan never held when talking about Roman, and it made his face heat up and butterflies flutter in his stomach, his smile stretching wider across his face, and Roman almost worried his face was going to split in half. He was falling hard for Dolion, damn it. He wasn’t sure if this was good or bad.

Logan hummed, looking at Dolion’s proud face and Roman’s red one and flustered expression, allowing a smile of his own to fall on his face.

“I’m glad Roman could find someone to love him like he deserves.”

And something about that made it final.

Roman.. held no feelings for Logan, anymore. No romantic feelings, anyway. And Logan felt the same.

He was.. free from his heart’s desires, as they now lied with someone else.

Someone he could have.

And somehow, that made him happier than he’d been in a while.

Now.. onto ending the fake-dating and making it real-dating.

He had a plan.

101 Fluffy Prompts (please don’t send anymore, unless they include Deceit)