#anyway good morning have a wonderful thursday my friends c;

[lovingmsjane]

Now we are here...

A Nintendo Switch, a book, a laptop, a sweatshirt, a bottle of water, and a Redbull. What you are really looking at here is an attempt at patience... a thing I am not very good at.

I am not a "sit still in this chair and wait for three hours" kind of person. I am a "the lights are too bright," "too many people in here are talking," "that person is sitting too close to me," "dear God please don't make eye contact with me," "I'm bored," "it's cold in here," "if I don't pace this room I will need to crawl out of my skin," kind of person. If you don't know me that well, or haven't figured it out already, I am autistic.

My similarly neurodivergent partner is also not a "sit still in this chair and wait for three hours" person, which is usually wonderful, because we stay at home and avoid social interactions and unfamiliar places and routines like the plague, together.

This morning, though, I paced the house gathering things into my bag, my unnecessarily spacious bag that I bought to haul around my DSM-5 and other social work literature because I will definitely need those at any given moment in my life and they definitely aren't just a several-years-long special interest of mine, because I needed to be the "sit still in this chair and wait for three hours" kind of partner today. I will need to be that partner for now, and maybe, forever.

My partner was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in April 2024 after a myriad of issues worsened and arose following contracting covid two months prior. We met three and a half years ago, and since then I've heard minor rumblings of nerve pain and numbness, annoyances at frequent migraines and clumsiness, and phone calls to neurologists seeking answers that were so close to the right track, it's amazing they fell short. When her covid symptoms didn't go away with ease and the numbness, migraines, clumsiness, and nerve pain increased, my partner became more concerned. When new symptoms like distorted vision in one eye arose, she became panicked. Of course, Doctor Google came in handy for worsening that panic, but she was assured by her neurologist that it couldn't be that big, scary diagnosis, and she didn't need an MRI. She insisted one anyway.

That doctor called on a random Thursday evening following a review of the MRI, the one who said it was definitely not anything more than small fiber neuropathy, and diagnosed my partner, over the phone, with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We were laying in bed when the phone rang, my head on her chest when she answered. I heard every word.

Don't cry, don't cry, don't you dare fucking cry, is the only thing that ran through my mind.

Unlike my partner, I knew about MS. I knew a lot about MS. My best friend, whom I call my sister, has a mother with MS. It is a disease I had heard about, time and time again, for years, from the mouth of a scared daughter, a future caregiver, a person who knew the ins and outs of that feeling I felt when I heard those words over the phone. I knew the power of that knowledge, the power to make that phone call scarier for her than it already was, by letting out a single tear.

She was told to contact an MS specialist, and without a shred of emotion, positive or negative, she said goodbye to the neurologist who should have caught this diagnosis sooner, and she hung up the phone. We just stared at each other for a while in silence.

When we finally did speak about it, she looked at me, tears welling in her eyes, and said softly, "What's going to happen to me?"

Then came her tears.

"I don't know, love."

And that's the thing about MS. You don't know. No amount of knowledge about the disease can tell you what your future with it will look like.

For now, I'll save the details of what I felt that day and in the days after for another post, and get back to what I feel today.

Suddenly, I understand a lot of medical terminology that I should hear as mumbo-jumbo. We have sat up late at night staring at so many brain, c-spine, t-spine, with and without contrast, MRIs that suddenly, I know what I'm looking at and what I'm looking for. I've watched my partner get an IV steroid administered on our living room couch, the couch I bought for my first apartment 5 years ago that traveled with me to the home we bought together a month before her diagnosis, that was suddenly surrounded by a nurse, an IV pole, a sharps container, and a bag of medical waste. Suddenly, I have a file on my laptop where I keep notes of each medical appointment, a running note of all appointments to date, and an excel spreadsheet calendar to keep track of all upcoming appointments. And suddenly, I have learned that I actually do have patience when it's for her, and was disappointed when her 4th MRI since April took half the time we expected, because I had hoped to read more of my book in the waiting room between our hour-long drive to and from the hospital with the special MS MRI protocols.

I also learned today that I forgot the most important resource a companion awaiting their partner at a long medical appointment could have in their bag... snacks.

I chuckled a bit at that when I realized it in the waiting room. I felt like an amateur. The husband pacing the room with his bag of chips, talking to nurses and techs he knew on a first-name basis, who didn't have to pay the $7 parking fee because he knew of a loophole, made me feel like today was my first day as a partner to chronic illness... because it was.

We got past the neurologist who swore it wasn't MS, the diagnosis, the first MS specialist who I'd have some choice words for if I saw again, the rescheduling of MRIs because our local radiology center can't keep their one and only 3T MRI machine in operation, the switch to a fantastic MS specialist at a big, fancy teaching hospital, the beginning appointments of reviewing imaging and setting things in motion and now we are here. We have arrived at the long drives and long waits for MRIs, labs, treatments, and who-the-hell-knows what else to come.

We got home tonight, and I made dinner. My partner accessed the report from today's MRIs on her patient portal while I was cooking and said, "Do you want me to read this out loud to you now or should I wait until we are done eating? If it's bad, I don't want to stress you out."

"I'm not stressed out. That report could say that you'll lose the ability to walk tomorrow, that you'll never fully regain your eyesight, that the numbness will never go away, and it wouldn't stress me out. I've got you... no matter what."

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #226

Today is Thursday.

We have made the drive to Washington DC.

We are here. And I know it's unwarranted to feel this way, but still… it's almost as though I am just a hair's breadth from you.

Silly. I know. Never mind it.

The air in this place isn't quite as bad as I thought it was going to be. Don't get me wrong, it is some mid-to-upper 90s (32-36 degrees C), but it's not nearly as humid as I expected. Being in this place is kind of like having a hot, wet towel waggled aggressively at you. When I was last in Maryland, it was in Owings Mills, and I remember, even in the morning, going outside was like being beaten half to death with bricks wrapped in hot, soggy towels. I couldn't go outside, except very briefly. I'm glad that the weather here doesn't seem to be like the weather there.

Still, it's enough that I have to be careful about exerting myself if I don't wanna end up using my rescue inhaler. We carried our stuff from the parking garage where the car is to the hotel, and we needed to make two trips to get it done. I am feeling pretty woozy from having overheated, but my lungs didn't close up or anything. Yay!

Along the way, we stopped at a place called Pizza Yeah. That's in a place called Langhorne, Pennsylvania. It was on the route to DC. Last time we were in Langhorne, J was still playing trumpet regularly in all kinds of different places. He had gotten paid to take part in a Christmas performance, so for a number of weeks, we made several weekend trips there, so that J could participate in rehearsal.

I went with him to make sure that he ate and took care of himself; it's a requirement, because if left to his own devices, he'll push himself way too hard, work without taking any breaks, sleep in the car instead of in a bed, try to subsist entirely on granola bars, dry cereal, and water, and then wonder why he's so exhausted and miserable and borderline suicidal.

…I wonder if you two would get along; you and he have more than a few self-destructive tendencies in common, good grief. I swear to goodness, both y'all gotta stop doing that shit. Cut it out, willya???

Anyway, so back then, we went to Pizza Yeah, because it was close to the hotel we were staying in. And Sephiroth... oh my goodness, their pizza is the stuff of LEGENDS. We haven't been back there since we went all those years ago, and this is really sad. But!!! J noticed that it was along the route, so we decided to stop there for lunch! AND!!! It was super convenient, because it was pretty much at the halfway point between our house and Washington DC, time-wise. So we ate there! And it was EPIC!!!

And before you ask, yes, of course I got pictures for you!! You've read enough of my letters by now, no? What do you take me for??? Hahahaha!!

...Of course, I also snagged some pictures along the drive... These aren't in order, though; forgive me...

...I love taking pictures for you, because I love showing you how beautiful this world can be.

Hey? Did you notice? I'm getting better at taking pictures of birds-of-prey in the sky, even in a moving vehicle! Pretty rad, right? Do you like them...?

Well. I had better get ready for tomorrow. We are at the hotel, and I still have to shower, and I have to wash my CPAP and scrub the inside of my face with the tiny bristle brush, and all that stuff.

Hey, Sephiroth...? I'm gonna do the great big scary thing tomorrow. I don't suppose you'd lend me some of your courage, strength, and determination, would you...? I don't suppose you'd lend me some of your ability to be gentle even when I'm tired and frightened... would you...? I don't... I don't suppose you'd watch over me just a little, would you?

I'll do my best tomorrow. And I'll write to you tomorrow, too, when I get a chance, I promise. So please stay safe out there; I'm sure you wouldn't wanna miss hearing all about how it goes...

I love you. Good night...

Your friend, Lumine

[inkykeiji]

SCREAMING CRYING SHOUTING STOMPING MY FEET FOR BONES & ALL

[princecharmingmendes]

Birthday Girl | Raul Mendes

Where Raul makes sure his girl will have the best birthday ever despite anything else

Hello everyone, pausing a bit on the Heart by Heart series (I'll be back to it Thursday as usual) to celebrate the beautiful and amazing @sinceweremutual birthday! This a small blurb/oneshot I started writing as soon as I found out her birthday was today, so I hope this was worth it. Happy Reading!

And honey, happy birthday! Hope you like it!

-*-

*Word Count: 3.5K+

*Warnings: stablished relationship, minor cursing and overly sweet Raul.

*Posted: August 15th, 2021.

-*-

Y/N loved her precious hours of sleep.

Loved the sensation of waking up and knowing she had some time to go back to bed and cuddle back into her pillows (or boyfriend if he haven’t left already). She liked sleeping in just a bit more on the weekends and taking naps after a long hard day. Last night was not an exception. Her day sucked and Raul was stuck at the hospital for a night shift, only being able to make it back home on the early hours of the morning.

They weren’t necessarily living together yet, but they’ve been together for almost two years, having known each other for a lot more than that and nowadays the pretty much were always together, but both had their own apartment, even though they’re barely separated. So she came back to his apartment since he promised he’d come as soon as he was allowed to join her in her sleep.

Her day sucked. Her boss was unnecessarily mean towards her for a mistake she did not commit and wasn’t her responsibility to make sure that wouldn’t happen. Then she had to spend the whole day fixing the other team’s mistake and it took over three hours and a bunch of paperwork, but at the end of the day she was able to figure it out. Only to receive a half assed apology, her boss blaming it on his wife’s strange behavior or whatever lame excuse he could find to put the blame on someone else.

So by the time she reached his apartment she felt dead at her feet, only having enough energy left to shower and pull on one of Raul’s hoodie over her head, burying her nose on his faint scent in the fabric, before falling onto her back in his bed and allowing herself to relax. What was supposed to be a five minute nap, ended up being the whole night, even skipping dinner in favor of resting in peace, nuzzling further into her boyfriend’s bedding.

Raul got home around 2 a.m. and found his girl asleep in his bed, holding his pillow tight to her chest and he could feel his heart swelling in his chest at the sight. He carefully dropped his things in the closet before coming out to check if she was still asleep and unperturbed with him roaming around, and his suspicious were confirmed by her steady breathing and peaceful demeanor. He decided it was best to take a quick shower before diving under the covers with Y/N and pulling her into his chest.

He was at the hospital for goodness sake.

As soon as he was out of the bathroom and back into his dark room, with only a pair of sweatpants hanging low on his hips, he plugged his phone, checking his alarms and carefully climbing onto the bed. But as soon as the mattress dipped under his weight, he noticed Y/N shifting on her side, and he stilled his movements to check if he had woken her up or was just a dream.

Y/N turned her face to his side completely, eyes still hazy and sleep clouding her senses “Baby?”

“Hi, sweetheart, it’s just me” he mumbled hovering over her with his hands planted on each side of her head to hold himself up, before he leaned down to press featherlight kissed all over her face.

“Kissy?” her voice small and soaked in sleep as she puckered her lips at him.

Raul let out a low and warm chuckle, making an involuntary smile appear in her lips as she looked up at him, feeling all fuzzy inside with the sound of his voice and the way he looked at her, before leaning down and placing a slow peck on her pout “you know you can get all the kisses in the world, my love, you don’t even have to ask” he then connected their lips again in a longer yet sweet kiss as she sighed into his mouth happily.

“Missed you” she said as soon as he pulled away, only to place his pillow back in its place so he could lay down properly, then pulling her pliant body to accommodate on top of his.

He hummed placing a kiss to her forehead as she curled her body around his, throwing a leg over his to tangle them “Missed you too, but I’m here now and you should rest, your four minutes voice message was enough for me to know you need to relax”

Y/N just nodded nuzzling her face in his neck sighing contently as he rubbed circles on her back, slowly drifting off himself as well “good night, darling, sweet dreams” he whispered into her hair but she was already asleep, but that didn’t stop her from tightening her embrace on him.

-*-

She had a peaceful night of sleep until being coaxed awake with a bunch of tiny soft kisses being placed all over her face, making her scrunch her nose before slowly blinking her eyes open. She was met with her gorgeous boyfriend hovering over her with his megawatt smile he reserved only for her shining bright. Y/N giggled softly tucking her head on the bicep on her left that was holding his weight above her. Raul couldn’t help but laugh at her.

“Good morning, birthday girl” he murmured a bit raspy as he dragged his lips across her cheek until she looked up at him with a smile on her face.

“Hm good morning” she mumbled sleepily letting her eyes fall closed.

“Oh no, don’t sleep on me” he whined and she giggled.

“I’m not sleeping, silly, just resting a bit”

Raul let out a low chuckle before kissing the tip of her nose “happy birthday, my love”

“Happy birthday indeed” she mumbled before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down to lay on top of her.

But before he could smash her into the mattress he was quick to roll them both over “no, no sleeping again” he laughed sitting them both up with Y/N on his lap.

“Why not?” she was physically unable to stop herself from pouting.

He only smiled sympathetically at her “you made me promise you I wouldn’t let you skip work today, and that was only two days ago and I don’t break the promises I make to you”

Y/N groaned rolling her eyes “stupid past me who thought working was worth skipping a day with you when I’ll have a crowded night and won’t even properly be able to enjoy my time with you”

“Having second thoughts on your night out, sweetheart?” he asked teasingly and she nodded “well, good thing Angela texted me to tell me she’s not making it tonight so she’ll reschedule with you later”

“Really??” she asked with a smile “I know I shouldn’t sound too excited about this, but this week was so long and I needed some chill time, you and a movie would be wonderful”

He only giggled and leaned his forehead against hers “That can be arranged, darling”

“Good” she hummed gently with a smile.

“Kissy?” Raul begged with a pout but a slightly teasing tilt in his voice.

It took her a while to realize he was mocking her from last night and she felt her face burning up “oh fuck you” she said trying to leave abruptly, but his arm around her kept her pinned in his lap as he laughed.

“No, no, drop it, it was just a joke, you were just so cute last night, could never say no to you” he mumbled kissing her jaw “come in, don’t be mad at me, I’ll do that thing you like for dinner, yeah?”

“This doesn’t sound like a food offer” she said with knowing look in her eyes and he had a smirk on his lips before she had even finished her sentence, making a laugh bubble up her throat “you’re the actual worst!”

Raul threw his head back in laughter, placing a kiss on her cheeks “come on, it was just a joke, you know I’ll give you anything you’d want, doll” and his eyes were so serious and so tender she almost melted into his chest.

“Oh God, it’s barely seven in the morning, I’m barely functioning and awake, and you’re already flirting, how do you manage that?” she asked incredulously, looking at him and he just laughed shaking his head.

“Well, I can’t help it when you look like that” he mumbled leaning in closer, rubbing their noses together.

“Like what?”

“Like the love of my life” he answered like it was the most obvious thing in the planet.

And he did it so easily, not even flinching at that, leaving her speechless.

Their relationship started with teasing and mindless flirting, becoming close friends pretty quickly. He flirted with everyone without even realizing, it was just natural, and she was just good with quick funny and slightly flirty remarks they just clicked. Their friendship blurred into a serious romantic relationship so easily, everyone surrounding them rooting hot it to happen. So this wasn’t necessarily a weird situation, they’ve been like this for years, but sometimes he’d utter the sweetest confessions between the little teasings and jokes with such rawness and adoration in his eyes that she’d end up frozen in place.

He did it because it would turn things a little easier to digest and he felt better that way, wouldn’t feel so intimidated since, and Y/N didn’t mind. She knew he could be honest and serious whenever he needed, but these tiny declarations that could be fitted into a casual conversation about their grocery list always caught her off guard. And it was so genuine and spontaneous, she couldn’t help but fall even harder for him.

So she just stared at him in awe for a couple of seconds before realizing she hadn’t said anything in return, before she babbled up a “I love you too”

Raul couldn’t contain the fond smile gracing his lips before he leaned in and pressed a long yet sweet peck at her lips “wait here only a sec, yeah?”

“What? Baby, you said no surprises!” she whined but got out of his lap anyway and he only smiled at her.

“It’s not a huge surprise or anything, I promise” he said before leaving her laying in his bed.

“Of course that is the only promise he’s able to break” Y/N grumbled under her breath grumpily.

Then she heard Raul chuckle as he approached the room again “I can hear you, you know?” and she only rolled her eyes from the bed and gasping as soon as she met him by the door.

He was holding a huge breakfast tray that had absolutely all of her favorite breakfast food and a beautiful flower arrange holding her favorite ones. The smile on her face was enough to make him aware that waking up after only 4 hours of sleep were worth it, and he’d do it all over again just to see her smile like that again.

“You didn’t have to” was all she could mutter.

Raul smiled and nodded “I know, I just wanted to make your day a bit better before work, and we can celebrate later”

“Thank you” she said in a hushed tone as he placed the tray on the nightstand, and as soon as it was out of danger of suffering a strike she lunged forward wrapping him in a hug as she knocked them both on the bed again “thank you so much”

Raul laughed wrapping his arms around her waist tighter “you’re so very welcome” he said as he placed a kiss to her hair.

“I love you so much” she mumbled squeezing him just a bit tighter.

“I know, love” he said with a hand tilting her chin up look at him “but I love you so much more”

“Ew” she teased and he laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and shaking his head.

He snorted making her laugh “Cruel beautiful thing”

Y/N leaned down to press a kiss to his lips “good thing you love me more than” mumbling before sitting back up to eat her breakfast.

And that was how she got ready for work, with one of the best breakfasts she’s ever had in her life, and sure the food as good, but that wasn’t all of it. She was still at home, in bed and content. Then after eating through light banter and little silly jokes, Raul followed her around his room and watched her get ready for work. She had enough stuff in his house she could easily live in there for a while, since it’s where they spent most of their time. So as soon as she was ready, with her boyfriend still hot in her tracks with every move she made, trailing behind her.

“Okay” she said as she grabbed her purse “this is your day off and I know you’re up super early for this and came home super late, so please sleep”

“Why? You plan on keeping me up all night?” he teased with his signature smirk and Y/N shook her head laughing.

She gently cupped his cheeks in both of her hands “you need to sleep, doctor’s orders, honey”

“I'm the doctor here” he protested and she only shook her head in response.

“Well, I’m in control here, mister, so to bed you go”

“Fine, but I’ll pick you up, alright?” he said pressing a kiss to her forehead and she nodded “Love you”

“Love you too”

-*-

Six p.m. sharp she heard her phone buzzing softly, indicating her overly excited boyfriend was already downstairs waiting for her. So Y/N started grabbing her things, letting him know she’d be there soon, and turning off her computer for the weekend. Before she could even get up from her chair, she saw her coworker and friend, Claire running towards her with a big smile on her face.

“Your prince charming is here!” she beamed and Y/N cringed at how loud she exclaimed.

“Keep it down, people are still working” she hissed at her friend but she only rolled her eyes at her antics in response.

“Come on, don’t leave him waiting!”

She shook her head laughing softly “okay, okay, I’m leaving”

“Happy birthday, girl, enjoy your six feet boyfriend”

Y/N looked at her funny “I will, thank you? What did he say to you?”

“Just go! And text me later!” she said as she pushed Y/N into the elevator, pressing the buttons and leaving her alone.

She laughed to herself, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder as she looked down at her phone, her foot tapping against the marble floor as she waited for the doors to open, and as they did, all the stress rolled off of her. Raul was standing just in front of her building wearing a beautiful button up, with a chain necklace hanging from his neck and peaking through the first opened buttons. His black shades covering his beautiful eyes and showing the reason behind his reputation of being a bad boy, when in reality he was just a softie.

But in his hands, he had another bouquet of flowers and as soon as he set his eyes on her, his face brightened up with a big smile. He was just leaning on his jeep and as she got closer he straightened his posture and took the final steps to meet her in between. He pressed a quick peck to her lips and extended the flowers to her, keeping their affection to minimum since neither of them were a fan of PDA.

“Hi there, gorgeous” she said trying to mimic his flirty tone and he only chuckled.

Raul opened the door for her “Hello, my love, ready for our birthday celebration?”

She kissed his cheek as she climbed in, bouquet on her lap as she buckled up “Is there food involved?”

“Of course, homemade and everything” he said closing the door before climbing on the drivers seat.

“Are you for real?” she asked as she turned to face him.

He only smiled starting the car, backing up and starting to drive them both to his place “Of course, could never lie to you, and it’s your favorite, even asked you grandmother for the recipe”

“Oh shit!” she squealed from her seat and he smiled at her nodding “you have to be kidding me”

“You can call her” Raul said teasingly “Or you could trust your very honest and loving boyfriend, both pretty simple options”

Y/N laughed shaking her head “you’re absolutely ridiculous”

“But you love me” he quickly added and she couldn’t stop herself from laughing harder.

“Of course I do, silly, it’s impossible not to when you’re literally being the best human being I’ve ever met and always making sure I’m happy” she said looking at the flowers on her lap before looking up at Raul.

“Stop it, you’re gonna make me cry” he teased and she shook her head with a giggle “I just want to make you happy, promised it to your mom and myself”

“And you’re acing this” she said and he grabbed her hand, planting a kiss on the back of it before parking on the garage of his building.

“Baby, before we go back home, could you please grab me my wallet, I think it's one the glove compartment” he mumbled grabbing his phone probably to reply to someone’s text.

And she did, but she was not expecting what she saw.

Inside the glove compartment there were a bunch of polaroids of them and rose petals scattered around, and right on the back of it there was a little key hanging under the phrase ‘move in with me, please?’ written in his calligraphy. She was still processing the whole thing when he cleaned his throat slightly nervous, making her look up at him with wide eyes and still not sure what to say.

“I know this is your birthday, and this is technically a gift for me, but I really couldn’t wait another day” he said softly, seemingly shyer than his usual confident self, making her heart swell twice its size in her chest.

“Raul, I- yeah, yes, of course I’ll move in with you!” she practically jump on him as much as she could due to the fact that they’re still in his car and space was limited.

Y/N was quick to capture his lips in a searing kiss and she felt him relax under her touch, tucking her bottom lip between his two, a hand cupping her face as the other held her waist to give her some sort of support on the pose she had. She backed way to recover a bit of breath she didn’t think she would need when she lunged forward to her boyfriend, so instead the pecked his lips only about a million times, making him laugh and press one long kiss to her lips then leaning away completely.

“Glad you agreed to it, cause I already told your parents” he said a bit nervous about it, a sly smile gracing his features to match his rosy cheeks.

“Of course you did” she said with a smile “what about yours? Are they okay with it?”

“Are you kidding me?? Mom wanted you to move in like three years ago” he said as he grabbed the key and the photos from the glove compartment “sorry, sweetheart, this is actually symbolic since you already have a key and this is actually mine”

“Figured” she laughed as she grabbed her stuff “And what do you mean three years ago? We weren’t even officially together back then”

Raul shrugged “guess that’s a mom thing, she said something about having never seen me this happy before and she was sure we were in love with each other, turns out she was right, I already loved you back then and didn’t want to admit it, and yeah, you make me the happiest man alive, sweetheart”

“You're absolutely ridiculous but I still love you” Y/N admitted and he smiled at her.

“I know” he opened his door “your real present, meal and a few other stuff are waiting for you upstairs”

“Oh my God, you really went all in” she giggled getting out of the car, and as soon as she was out, he was quick to pick her up bridal style making her squeak “what the hell are you doing?”

He looked down at her, taking a while to cal the elevator “Isn’t this how we’re supposed to do it?”

“Baby, I’m sure it’s only the door, not all the floors and we’re not married” she said with a giggled

“Well, miss skepticism, just let me be a goofball once in a while” he said with a mocking tone.

“Once in a while?” she asked incredulously.

He had a pout on his lips when he spoke up again “Come on, no teasing when I’m trying to be a hopeless romantic, please let me do this and treat you right” he said with a smile

“Alright, whatever you want” she admitted in defeat as she giggled, wrapping her arms around her neck “just don’t drop me, please”

“Would never, sweetheart”

-*-

*Please reblog or like this post if you liked it so I’ll know.

*I’m sorry if there are any spelling mistakes.

*Please do not repost this without giving me the credit, this is a completely original piece and I do not give permission to copy this!

*Hope you guys enjoyed it!

*xoxo

-🌙

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Happy Hump Day!

Tuesday was a cracking day! No lessons, no marking, just lots of free Lindsay time to do all the things I needed to do. Sadly, after an intense few months (and an inconvenient illness), all Lindsay’s body wanted to do is chill. Oh, well. I have learnt to obey my body so, like a Mars bar, Tuesday was work, rest and play. One of the cures for cellulitis, as you would expect, is to keep the leg at 90 degrees, so I don’t feel guilty for putting my foot up and watching a movie. In fact, I’ve been recording a whole set of recuperation movies. Yesterday, it was ‘Miss Congeniality’; what a great movie! Michael Caine steals the show, of course!

I am clearly not respectful enough towards the royal family. I am shedding 'friends' by the day. Personally, I find it very helpful. It's like the rubbish taking itself out! It’s astonishing how many ‘friends’ and even family members have distanced themselves from us over the last few years over a variety of subjects: Brexit, Covid, jabs, boosters, the hostile environment, police brutality, BLM, boat people, American politics, Meghan Markle, the queen’s funeral etc. There has been so much to talk about, so much to argue about, so much to fall out over! I don’t agree with my friends 100% of the time but that’s cool. That’s why they’re friends because we can disagree about stuff and the love is still there. That’s a mark of real friendship. Nothing affects real friendship. As I mentioned before, on Thursday, we’re having dinner with a girl I’ve known since the late seventies! Real friendships last.

Did anyone see chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng at the Queen's funeral? Erm … what was he laughing about? I have a strong suspicion he was under the influence of something! Erm … very inappropriate behaviour, mate!

Okay, I’ve been hinting at it for a long time but I think I can finally reveal, that other project I’ve been working on is a TV station. Of course, TV has radically changed since I started at MTV in 1999. Now, I can talk to my remote and get Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, BT Sport and, truly, some of the weirdest TV programmes I have ever seen! (Of course, nothing is as weird as ‘Naked Attraction’ but that is a very special show!) These days, I end-up watching a lot of television on You Tube. Of course, it’s not really TV. It looks like TV but it’s not really TV. Because I’m a nerd, I get lost in nerdy little You Tube shows. If you want to talk to me for 20 minutes about the greatest rock riffs of all time – yep! – I will quite happily watch that shit. And that’s not to mention the shortest TV programmes in the world; TikTok! Christ, I can get lost in there! I’m even making my own TikTok videos! Anyway, the TV project I’m working on is quite classy (what do you expect, I’m a classy guy!) and as soon as I can give you more details I will.

Finally, today, I’d like to talk about discretion. There are some people on this planet that know secrets about you, or maybe stuff you wouldn’t really want the world to know about? And you are grateful to those people for keeping your secrets, grateful for their discretion. Now, me, I’ve been in the music business for more than 40 years, so I know a lot of stories about a lot of people. People you know! But I am discreet and those secrets stay with me. They will die with me. Do you ever get the feeling that discretion is slowly dying? Because some people have got nothing to talk about, they just gossip; make stuff up, speculate, exaggerate. Not me! Your secrets are safe with me.

Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom of my status. Many people don’t like reading. It’s too much hard work. So, I thank you for giving me five minutes of your day.

Have a wonderful and well-endowed Wednesday. I love you all. Yes, a crazy, bald man loves and cares about you.

[too-attached-to-fiction]

Love Illustrated | Steve Rogers

Masterlist here

Word count: 2447

Requested: no 

Prompt: I doodle on napkins between orders and i leave them for every regular that comes in and one day you leave a drawing for me 

a/n: not doing any sequels for this. I just wanted some fluffy Steve Rogers content.

REQUESTS ARE OPEN, JUST SLOW!

~~~

Your best friend picked up another doodle you had left on the counter, observing it carefully. Above the hum of the espresso machine, he called out to you. 

“Have you ever considered doing this as a job?” He held up the drawing you had made of them earlier in the morning, just after you had opened up the cafe. “You’re better at this than talking to people.” 

You rolled your eyes, glaring at him. “That’s what I’m going to college for, dumbass.” You said.

Lucky Cafe was a small building, just a few blocks from Stark Tower and right next to a subway entrance. Taylor, your best friend, had opened up the shop the minute he was out of college. You, on the other hand, had been working in the shop since high school, and had started taking community classes a year ago. Due to your anxiety, you found it easier to hide behind the cash register and make whatever low-fat soy chai was ordered. 

“Well, Edith is starting to move toward the counter. Better start on that London Fog,” Taylor said, taking his rightful place at the cash register. 

“On it.” You mumbled, just as the old woman reached the counter. You quickly grabbed the milk to start steaming it and a teal mug from the shelf above you.

“Hi Edith, London Fog?” Taylor asked in his cheerful, my-smile-is-always-this-wide tone. 

“As always.” Edith said, making amicable chit-chat with Taylor. You smirked to yourself. Kiss up. 

As you waited for the milk and water to heat up, you grabbed a pen and started doodling on a spare post-it note. Today, Edith wore a purple sweater, something you’d seen her knitting for the past few weeks. 

You were finally satisfied with the doodle when the water and milk were ready, and once everything was assembled, you took the mug and the post-it to her. She beamed up at you when she saw the small drawing. 

“It’s beautiful, (Y/N).” You smiled back shyly before walking back to the other side of the counter. 

Just as you returned, Taylor’s eyes widened as he looked through the glass doors. “Holy shit.” He mumbled. “New customer, (Y/N)!” He tugged on your apron, and you looked up. Holy shit was right. There was a blonde man coming closer to the doors of your cafe, wearing a brown leather jacket and jeans. 

“He’s a fucking Adonis.” You mumbled, barely coherent. Still, you rolled your eyes. “We get them all the time. Stop ogling him and get ready to have a human conversation.” You sat on your stool, trying to figure out what to draw next. 

The bell over the front door rang, but you didn’t bother to look up. You could still feel Taylor’s nervous energy practically radiating from him. 

“Hi, welcome to Lucky Cafe! What can I get you today?” 

“Just a black coffee.” 

“For here, or to go?” 

“Here, please.”  The man said, and you glanced at the empty coffee pot. 

“We’ll bring that out for you in a few minutes.” Taylor said, knowing exactly what you were thinking. 

As soon as the man left the counter to find a seat, you leapt up, starting a new pot of coffee. While you waited for it to filter, your hands found the pen and post-it, and you sketched a basic outline of the man. 

“Looks more rough than usual.” Taylor observed, making you jump. You swatted his shoulder gently. 

“Shut up.” You shot back, too lazy to think of a proper insult. Taylor only laughed, and the front door rang again. 

The machine beeped, and you carefully poured the coffee into a mug, grabbed the light blue post-it and a small plate. You tucked the post-it underneath the mug and plate in hand before walking out and delivering the drink. 

“One black coffee.” You said, the two of you exchanging polite smiles. “If you need anything else, we’ll be at the counter.” You ducked your head as you walked off, palming the back of your neck. 

Anyone who wasn’t Taylor made you nervous. You were surprised you had been able to get those two sentences out to this new customer. Normally, you could barely utter one. 

Your shoulders instantly relaxed as you got behind the counter again, and carefully, you eyed the stranger as he found your drawing of him. He smiled at it, folding and tucking it in his pocket before he opened the sketchbook he had brought with him. 

Steve knew you were watching him. He’d seen the way you and Taylor had looked at him from across the street. Still, not wanting to embarrass you, he chose to brush that off. 

The drawing you had given him was nothing short of a normal sketch - and yet, it was undeniably him. You had gotten his features down perfectly within a few strokes of your ballpoint pen. 

This continued on for a week or so, with Steve coming into Lucky Cafe and receiving a sketch of himself every day. He kept all of them in his nightstand, safely tucked away from Tony and the rest of the team. 

By now, he had worked up the courage to say something. He knew you were painfully shy, because you never stood behind the register. You were always behind the espresso machine. 

So if he couldn’t talk to you at the counter, he’d have to figure out how to communicate with you. 

He started bringing his own post-it notes. He wondered how you made sketches so effortlessly in between customers, when he disliked everything he drew for you. 

It took another week for him to be happy with his own sketch of you. He had been sitting near the take out counter, where you normally sat on your stool while you doodled. Without thinking too much about it, he drew you - your hair tied up, the black apron over your (F/C) t-shirt. When he left, the post-it note stayed where he had been sitting. 

You made quick work to pick up the empty cup and the tip he’d left, but underneath it all was his drawing for you. You stared at it, wondering how he’d known all this time that you had been sketching him. 

Just below the drawing, he’d scribbled out his name and number. 

Steve Rogers, you thought, you’re going to be the death of me. 

~~~

For the next few days, you didn’t see him. Taylor and Lyra, the other part-timer, had both promised you that they’d tell you if he came in. By the time he came back, he had almost left your mind completely. 

Almost. 

When he entered the coffee shop for the first time in days, you gave him a small wave from behind the espresso machine. He grinned and waved back after ordering his usual. 

You were up in a flash, bouncing behind the counter as you waited for the new pot of coffee to finish. Lyra smirked at you. 

“Ready to talk?” She teased, and your face went hot. “Relax, I’m just teasing you.” 

Steve sat in his usual spot, in the corner of the cafe. You brought the steaming mug over with the post-it tucked into your apron. 

“Thank you, for the drawing. That was really nice.” You said quietly, bringing out today’s drawing. 

“I figured I should return the favor. What’s your name?” 

You pointed to your name badge with a raised eyebrow. “(Y/N).”

“When do you get a break?” 

Twenty minutes later, you were walking along Steve through the crowded streets of New York City. Summer was dying down, and the leaves had started to turn color everywhere. “So, Steve, what do you do?” 

“I work for the government.” Steve said carefully, trying not to act suspicious. “Is the coffee shop a full time gig?” 

“I’m a full time student at CCNY. The cafe just pays the bills.” You adjusted the bag on your shoulder. “I’m actually studying to be an animator. Well, trying to, anyways.” 

“How long have you been drawing?” 

“Longer than I can remember.” You replied, a soft smile gracing your features. 

Steve listened as you walked, your quiet voice flowing nervously. It had been a long time since you went out with anyone that wasn’t Tyler. 

Eventually, you made him talk about his past. He picked bits and pieces from his childhood carefully, which made you all the more curious. 

When you reached the community college, you looked at Steve. “Thank you for walking me. I’ll, um, I’ll text you. I-if that’s okay.” Your fingers unconsciously fiddled with the hem of your sweater. 

“Have a good class.” He said, raising a hand in greeting before going into the crowd of New Yorkers and students leaving CCNY. 

A month passed, with Steve walking you to class after your shift most days. Sometimes, he didn’t come into the shop for no more than a week. Taylor and Lyra did their best to distract you during those times, knowing that he brightened your day every time he walked in. 

“Are you free on Thursday night?” Steve asked one day as you served him his coffee. You stuck the post-it on the table, avoiding his eyes. 

“I think so. Even if I was scheduled for work, Taylor would probably make sure I’m free.” Your face warmed. “What do you have in mind?” 

“I wanted to take you out to dinner. A date, if you will.” 

Your eyes met his hopeful ones. You couldn’t help but nod, too speechless. In no universe did you ever think that you’d be going out with Steve Rogers. 

“Is that a yes?” 

You nodded again. “Um, I-I’ll t-text you my address.” 

He watched as you rushed off, amused as you practically raced behind the counter and whispered something into Taylor’s ear. His smile only grew as Taylor high-fived and hugged you tightly. 

“I’m so happy for you.” Taylor mumbled as he hugged you. “God, that took way too long.” 

~~~

That Thursday evening, Steve appeared at your apartment door, with a small bouquet in hand. You smiled, promising come back after you had placed the flowers in a vase. 

Three subway rides later, the two of you were sitting in a tiny Italian restaurant in Brooklyn. The waitstaff seemed to know Steve well, offering you warm smiles and earnestly telling you only good things. 

“Do you come here often?” You said after you’d ordered. 

“Enough.” Steve laughed. “My coworkers and I helped them out of a tough spot a year or two ago.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, we helped a lot of places rebuild after the whole alien thing.” You nodded. The invasion of 2012 was a huge deal in New York. You remembered ushering at least twenty people into Lucky’s basement, where you all crouched around the crank radio. Taylor was somewhat of a survivalist, and for once, you were glad that he was over-prepared. 

“That’s incredible.” 

Another two months passed, with Steve going away more and more often. Even though you missed him, you got caught up in work and school often, distracting yourself. You passed your winter finals with ease, and found refuge in Lucky Cafe. If Taylor and Lyra noticed Steve hadn’t been around, they didn’t say a word. 

Your phone buzzed as you were walking home from work. You stopped on the sidewalk only to find Steve’s name on your phone screen. 

Steve

3:45 PM

Can you come over? 

3:45 PM 

Yeah, of course. 

In your two months of dating, you’d only been to Steve’s apartment once or twice, and both visits had been extremely short. He was generally private about his work, and there was a part of you that always felt like he was holding his breath around you. 

Still, you navigated through the streets of New York with ease, as you had done for years, and appeared at Steve’s doorstep. 

He greeted you with a warm hug that made you practically melt. When he was away, there were usually a few texts back and forth, but no calls. Both of you avoided calls like it was the plague. 

“Is there something wrong?” You asked when he finally let go of you, ushering you inside. “Or am I just overthinking everything?” 

“I have something to tell you.” You raised an eyebrow as he sat across from you in the small living area. “We’ve been invited to Tony Stark’s annual Christmas gala.” 

“O...kay?” You looked at him in confusion. “And that’s a problem because…” 

“Promise me you won’t freak out or tell anybody what I’m about to tell you.” 

“I won’t!” 

Steve gave you a meaningful look. “I’m Captain America. I’m the leader of the Avengers.” 

You opened your mouth, at a loss for words. “Steve-” 

“I know it’s a lot to take in, but Stark’s my teammate and he’ll probably make some dumb jokes at the gala and I wanted to tell you before he beat me to the punch.” Steve rushed. “They know about you. Do you… do you want to come with me to the gala? As a date?” 

“Um… can I think about it?” You asked weakly, trying to wrap your head around the news. Looking back, it made sense. Steve was certainly built to be Captain America, and his “work trips” were probably missions for the Avengers. 

A grim look crossed his face. “Yeah, of course.” 

As soon as you stepped out into the cold, you bit your lip. You knew that you should have said yes. That’s what you wanted to say when he had first told you, but all of the new information made your head spin. What if he put himself in danger in the next mission and got himself killed? 

Even with this new information, he was still Steve. Steve, the guy who always ordered black coffee and left drawings as tips. Steve, who made you feel less invisible and didn’t care about your anxiety. 

When Steve walked in the next morning, you perked up as usual. But this time, instead of your usual post-it note, you brought over a larger piece of paper. You shyly presented it to him. 

“I, um, made this. For you.” He opened the folded paper to find a picture of himself, split down the middle. Half of him was him in his civilian wear; the other half was him in the suit, complete with the helmet. 

Down in the corner, in small writing, you had written the following: The world may know you as Captain America, but I know you as Steve Rogers.

“I love it.” 

“Is it too late to RSVP for that gala?” He grinned, leaning up to kiss you. 

“Not at all.” 

[itsadamcole]

graduation day pt.2

fem!reader x finn balor

It’s been two months since reader graduated college. Her and Finn’s new relationship is going strong. She’s applied for a position as teacher’s assistant at the college she graduated from so she has a reason to continue living nearby to be with Finn. The two decide to keep their relationship on the down low since he is her former professor. She finds out that it’s not easy to keep a relationship on the down low, especially when she finds out the teacher she is assisting is the woman that has had a thing for Finn for the longest time .... “you are so fucking hot when you’re jealous”

word count: 3.6k+

warnings: a former teacher/former student relationship, angst, smut

— here’s part 2 of “graduation day” that probably no one wanted. enjoy —

masterlist || part 1 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 ||request an imagine here

~ 18+ content below - read at your own risk ~

You’re getting ready for your first day of work when your phone begins to ring. You see that “finn ♡” has popped up. You answer right away.

“Look who it is,” you say, smiling as you brush out your Y/H/C hair before tying the natural waves up in a high ponytail. “I was just thinking about you.”

Your new boyfriend laughs over the phone and says, “I can only imagine what was goin’ through that pretty little head of yours. Anyway, have ya found out who ya are assigned to assist?”

As Finn talks through the phone, you put on your outfit for the day. When he’s done speaking, you say, “Not yet. I report to the English department head.” I did request to be put in the English department so there’s more of a chance that I’ll be put with you.”

The outfit you’re wearing today consists of a simple short sleeved black dress with converse black and white sneakers.

Finn says, “Well, stop my my office when ya get assigned. Maybe I can tell ya a little about the teacher ya were assigned to so ya know what to expect.”

You add some light makeup to your look as you say, “I will. I have to get to the school so I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Alright,” Finn says. “See ya in a bit.”

The two of you say your goodbyes. You gather your things, including phone, wallet, and little backpack in case you’re assigned to grade something.

It’s 7:30 in the morning. You woke up an hour ago to shower and get dressed. You don’t have to be at school until eight but you want to grab coffee from Dunkin.

You get into your car, throwing your things in the back.

The past two months have been anything but ordinary for you. Since graduation day, you and Finn have been attached at the hip. You're always at his place or he's over at yours. The new relationship between the two of you has needed some getting used to.

He convinced you to stay nearby by getting a job as teacher's assistant. You're getting paid a decent amount too because it's a private college. It was this or go home to New York, which would be over a thousand miles away. You were not interested in leaving Finn this soon. So you applied for the job.

Once you got hired, Finn told you that he wanted to keep the new romance between the two of you a secret. You immediately agreed. Finn's well known among the teachers and students and you had some friends in the grade below you. It wouldn't look good if it came out that you and Finn were in a relationship.

He's your former professor. You're his former student. You only graduated almost three months ago.

There's also an almost seventeen year age difference between you and Finn. You turn 23 in a few months and Finn is 39. Neither you or Finn care about the age gap. It just wouldn't look very good for either of you if the relationship between the two of you was public.

You think about the past two almost three months in the short ride to Dunkin. You go through drive-thru to get your coffee and two donuts.

A medium mocha iced coffee with some cream, sugar, and some extra mocha to make it a little more sweet. You get two glazed donuts to eat on the way to school.

You and Finn both embraced the change of relationship. You went from teacher and student to lovers. Some would find it weird, especially with the age gap, but it never bothered you or him. Finn definitely still moves like he’s in his 20s and not about to hit is 40s.

When you arrive at school, you remember the last time you were here. You pulled up almost three months ago to confess your feelings to your teacher before proceeding to sleep with him in his office. It was the best sex of your life. The few times you've had sex since have been good, but nothing compared to what happened in the office on graduation day.

You pull into a spot in the teacher's parking lot. You park in the back of the lot. Once parked, you reach back and grab your things out of the backseat before getting out of the car. You secure the backpack on your shoulders before walking toward the English building, half drank iced coffee in hand.

The campus has teachers and students roaming around. It's almost eight in the morning. You're sure a few classes have begun by now.

You take the elevator to the fourth floor, walking down the hallway. You pass Finn's office, which is only a few doors down from the head of the English department.

Once you're outside the department head's door, you knock four times then wait.

An older man, probably late 50s or early 60s, answers the door. He's dressed very professional.

"Ah, Miss L/N," he says. "I've been expecting you. Please, come in."

You give him a kind smile before walking into the larger office. You're not surprised it's a big office. He is the department head.

The name plate on his door said "Dr. Dennis Hart PhD. Head of English Department". You sit across from Dr. Hart at his desk.

Dr. Hart says, "It's always wonderful to see former students getting a job here at the school. You did phenomenal in your English classes over the last four years so this department is lucky to have you."

You give a little laugh and say, "I'm just giving back to the school that gave me an amazing college experience. It's good to be back."

The older man smiles and says, "Now. The teacher I've assigned you to is Miss Veronica Rodriguez. She's a wonderful teacher and has been teaching here for five years. She teaches 407 English to seniors and her classroom is right below us, next to Mr. Balor's classroom. I saw you had him last year for English."

You nod and say, "I did. How is Mr. Balor? He was one of my favorite teachers and I never got to say goodbye and thank you to him."

When you and Finn agreed to keep your relationship on the down low, you both also agreed to act like you haven't seen each other since graduation day to throw off any suspicions.

Dr. Hart says, "He's been good. Very excited to be coming back for his tenth year of teaching."

"Ten years, wow," you say, almost shocked. Almost. "That's a long time. I didn't even think he was old enough to be teaching ten years."

The older gentlemen laughs and says, "He's older than you probably thought. Alright, class begins in about fifteen minutes so head on down and introduce yourself to Miss Rodriguez before class begins."

You nod and thank Dr. Hart before leaving the room. You walk down the hallway, checking to make sure no one is behind you before you slip into Finn's now open office. He sits at his desk.

"Hey," Finn says, facial expression brightening when he sees you. "How'd it go? Who ya assisting for the semester?"

You sit across from Finn at his desk and say, "Veronica Rodriguez. You know anything about her?"

Finn blinks at you before he says, "She's been up my butt for years. She's had a thing for me since she started teaching here and it's not a secret either. It's also not a secret that I've been rejecting her over and over again. She's a good teacher. She just needs to leave me alone."

You raise your eyebrows and say, "Wow. Well, don't worry. I'll do everything I can to keep her away from you."

He smiles and you look at the time. Ten minutes before class. You stand up and say, "Well, I've got to go to class. Are we meeting up for lunch here?"

Finn nods and says, "Of course. I'll see ya then."

You smile and lean over the desk, pressing a very light kiss to Finn's lips before leaving the room.

You head downstairs, walking to the classroom.

When you reach your destination, you knock on the door before opening it.

Miss Rodriguez is a younger woman. She's probably early or mid 30s and she's beautiful.

She looks at you and says, "You must be Y/N L/N. Dennis told me I'd be getting a teacher's assistant this semester and he told me you were a former student."

You nod and say, "That's me, and yes I am. I graduated in May." It's now mid-August.

Miss Rodriguez says, "Well, it's nice to meet you. You can call me Veronica or Ver, whichever you like. You don't need to be formal with me since we're co-workers."

You give her a nice smile. She seems like a very nice person. She tells you the schedule of her classes. Two classes on Monday and Thursdays. One class on Tuesdays, three on Wednesdays, none on Friday, and a late night class on Saturday. The only very early classes are on Monday and Thursday at 8:20 in the morning.

As students start trickling in, Veronica says, "I teach seniors who aren't very awake this early. This can be a little tricky sometimes but you'll get the hang of it. When I'm out sick or visiting family, I'd like you to come in and just assign some work then you can dismiss the class."

You nod.

Right as Veronica begins class, you look over at the doorway to see Finn standing there. You try not to have a reaction as Veronica notices. "Mr. Balor," she says. "Nice to see you. How was your summer?"

Finn says, "Eventful." You have to cover your smile. "How was your summer, Ver."

"A little less eventful," she says. "I stayed in most of the time, reading books. Um, why didn't you return my calls?"

You raise your eyebrows a bit and Finn glances at you before he says, "Like I said, my summer was very eventful. I apologize."

Veronica says, "Well maybe we can just skip over the phone calls and you can take me out to dinner."

Jealousy hits you like a truck. You want to say something but you know you can't. All you can do is bite your lip to stay quiet.

Finn gives a breathy laugh and he says, "After class we'll talk. Oh, and Y/N?" You look at him. "Nice to see that ya keep gnawing on that lip of yours. I'd stop doing that before ya cut it open."

He said that to you on graduation day. Your face heats up a little bit and let your lip snap back into place.

The door to the classroom closes and class begins.

***

After class ends, you make your way up to Finn's office. He's still in class so you sit in the spiny chair behind his desk.

Several minutes pass before you hear his voice outside. Not only his voice but Veronica's too. You hide under Finn's desk as the two walk into the room.

"... didn't tell me no in front of my students," Veronica is saying. "I'm thankful for that."

Finn says, "I've told ya no many times. I'm not interested in ya, Ver. You're a nice woman, and I'd even say attractive, but I'm not interested."

Veronica is quiet before she says, "Is it because of a wife? Or a girlfriend? Because I don't care about that, Finny. You know this"

"Get out of my office, Ver," Finn sighs, clearly annoyed. "Now."

You hear someone leave and peek out to see only Finn in the room. He looks over and sees you peeking out from over the desk.

He says, "Ya can come out, Y/N."

Slowly, you make your way out from under the desk and walk up to Finn. "I don't like how she can openly flirt with you," you say, pouting.

Finn's hands intertwine with yours and he says, "I'm all yours, my princess."

You pout some more and say, "It's not fair, Finn."

He says, "Relax, Y/N. I have no interest in her whatsoever. It's only you." He presses light kisses to your cheek and you look at Finn. His light kisses make their way to your neck, making you sigh.

"We are not doing this in your office again," you gasp as Finn grips your thighs right under your butt.

He smiles against your neck and says, “I never said we would, love.”

You giggle and say, “Come by my place when you get off work and we can do that there.”

Finn says, “I’ll definitely be there at four then.” You smile and nod before pecking his lips.

“I should head down to the classroom to make sure everything’s okay,” you say. “I’ll come back at lunch.”

He nods and says, “I’ll see ya in a few hours. Maybe I’ll come check on ya to make sure ya are okay.”

You smile and say, “If you hear yelling coming from my classroom then you should come running because I might be about to kill Veronica.”

Finn laughs and says, “Don’t kill her, Y/N. Please.”

You peck Finn’s lips before leaving the classroom.

Veronica dumps a little work for you to do. Just to make sure that everyone did the in-class assignment and to mark people who didn’t.

Noon hits and you go to the cafeteria to grab your lunch. You are in line when someone comes up behind you. You glance behind you to see Finn.

“Y/N,” he says. “Good to see ya again. How was your summer?”

You nod and say, “Good. Very eventful. How was yours, Mr. Balor?”

Finn says, “Also eventful. How about ya come by my office and have lunch with me so we can catch up?”

As you grab your lunch, you nod and say, “That sounds good.”

Finn laughs softly as the two of you grab your lunch. You pay and Finn pays before the two of you head to the office.

You walk into the office and Finn closes the door behind you. You sigh and sit at Finn’s desk. You begin to eat and Finn says, “I can’t wait for this day to be over.”

“I agree,” you say, swallowing the bite of your veggie burger.

The door opens and Veronica walks in. She says, “We usually have lunch together, Finny.” She sounds like a child and it annoys you.

Finn has a look on his face and he says, “We had lunch together one time, Ver.”

Veronica says, “It’s a little inappropriate to have lunch with a former student.”

“We’re catching up,” Finn says. “And she works in the department now. She’s a co-worker now.”

You look back at Veronica and you say, “You know what’s actually inappropriate? Begging someone to go out with you when said someone isn’t interested.”

Finn’s eyes widen and Veronica says, “Excuse me. That’s no way to speak to me. I can have your job.”

You smirk and say, “Go ahead. Try to take my job, but imagine what would happen if I went to your superior and told them that you harass Mr. Balor here.”

Veronica says, “Dr. Hart spoke so highly of you and you are not what I expected.”

“Yeah, well, I can tell that Mr. Balor is tired of your shit and he’s too nice to say anything about it so I will,” you say, turning in your seat to face Veronica. “I’m telling you now because he won’t. Back off of him.”

She looks taken aback by my comment. Her jaw is almost to the floor and Finn’s hiding a smile behind his hands.

Veronica says, “Keep speaking to me in that matter and I’ll make your life hell for the semester.”

A comeback immediately comes into your head as you say, “It’s already hell because I’m assigned to you.”

Veronica has a pissed off look on her face and she says, “Whatever.” She leaves the office and you look at Finn. He’s looking right at you.

“Ya are so fucking hot when you’re jealous and telling someone off,” he says.

You giggle and say, “Relax Finny Boy. A few more hours then you can do whatever you want to me.”

“Oh, I plan on doing whatever I want to ya,” he says, smirking at me.

***

You get back to your apartment at 3:30. Finn won’t be here for a half hour so you decide to get into something a little sexier than this plain black dress.

You put on a white lacy bodysuit. The whole thing is a little bit see through and the neck dips down low, exposing your cleavage. You keep your hair up and lay across the bed, laying on your side and facing the door.

Finn has a key. You gave him the extra key you had so he can walk into the apartment whenever he wants to. He’s only scared you once and he learned his lesson.

At four on the dot, the front door to your apartment opens and you hear Finn call, “Y/N?”

“Bedroom,” you call back.

The door is open and several seconds later, Finn appears in the doorway. His neatly tied tie now hangs draped over his neck and the first few buttons on his shirt are now unbuttoned.

His eyes darken with lust when he sees what you’re wearing.

“Like something you see, Finn?” you tease.

He nods and he keeps staring at you. You get off the bed and you walk up to Finn.

You hook your fingers in the belt hooks of Finn’s pants and look up at him. You say, “You’re mine, Finn. All mine.”

Finn echos, “All yours, my love.”

You smirk and say, “Good. Now fuck me until I can’t walk.”

That’s all Finn needs to hear before he picks you up by your thighs and walks you over to the bed. His lips are on your neck as he walks over to your bed. You gasp and giggle.

He drops you on your back on the bed and kicks off his shoes while starting to unbutton his pants.

You bite your lip gently as Finn undresses himself in front of you. Your eyes trace every muscle on his body.

Finn’s down to his boxers when he crawls on top of you, hovering over you between your legs. His lips crash to yours and they move harshly. You move your hips so your crotch rubs against Finn’s bulge. He lets out a low groan into the kiss then pins your hips to the bed. “I don’t think so, love,” he says, pulling away from the rough kiss. Ya told me to fuck ya until ya can’t walk so no teasing.”

You pout as Finn gets on his knees between your legs. His fingers hook onto the straps of your lingerie and he pulls the piece down until your naked as the day you were born.

Finn smirks as he admires your body. His hands roam a bit and you smile, watching his hands. They dip below your waist and his fingers run through your folds. You gasp as Finn pushes two fingers into you.

“Oh, Finn,” you sigh. He moves his fingers hard into you, scissoring you open. Your gasps and moans fill the room. You grab onto the silky bedsheets.

Finn move his fingers in and out of you roughly and quickly for a few moments before he pulls them out. You whine and look at Finn.

“Patience, my love,” he says, pulling off his boxers so his erect member is free. You reach out for it and Finn pins your wrists to the bed.

Finn leans down and says in your ear, “Tonight’s about ya, love. I’m gonna make sure ya know that I belong to ya and ya only.”

As soon as he’s done talking, he pushes himself into you. You moan softly and you put your hand on Finn’s biceps. As he begins to thrust into you, you dig your fingers into Finn’s arm.

Finn’s hands are on either side of your head, propping himself up. Your legs are wrapped securely around Finn’s waist as he moves hard and deep into you. His forehead rests on yours.

He moves roughly but almost in a careful way. He’s never moved like this before.

You slide your hands to Finn’s cheeks as he moves. You kiss his lips slowly, moaning as his thrusts get faster.

After a second, you roll and straddle Finn’s waist. You lower yourself onto his member and move your hips. His hands are on your waist, helping you move your hips.

“I’m yours,” Finn moans. “All yours, Y/N.”

You echo, “All mine.” You ride Finn like you never have before. You move like he moved. Roughly but carefully.

Finn sighs, “Come with me, princess.”

You nod and Finn counts down from three. Both of you come together, like the first time the two of you had sex in Finn’s office. You moan and cry out as you release around Finn. He groans as he releases his seed into you.

You roll off Finn and lay beside Finn.

As you both lay on the bed beside each other, you say, “That felt different but a good different.”

He laughs softly and says, “It did. It felt really good. I loved it.”

“And I love you,” you suddenly blurt out. You quickly cover your mouth and look at Finn.

The Irishman smiles and he leans over, kissing your neck softly. He mumbles by your ear, “I love ya too.”

[sapphiewritesandstuff]

So it Turns Out Casper the Ghost is Real

I wrote this weeks ago but was too scared to post it...

Paring: Hanako-kun x reader

Word Count：2574

The sound of the lock clicking open eased your frustrations as the said lock falls away, enabling you to pry open the door of your school. Moonlight shone down on you, and you can almost sense the moon’s face of disappoint as it watched you literally break into your school at night for some stupid dare.

It is currently 2:50 AM on a Tuesday morning. Why are you here? Well, it’s all because of a stupid dare. You swallow back a yawn, cursing softly as you trip over absolutely nothing on your way in. Not a bad omen at all, you thought to yourself, closing the door you had just opened with a soft thud.

You winced, goosebumps appearing on your skin, as you listened intently for the sounds of any security guards (or something more sinister and inhuman) in the dark, silent school. Nothing. You released a breath of relief then stiffening when the next task you have to perform came to mind.

“Hm… let’s see, (Name)-chan…” Your friend narrowed her eyes at you, her cruel smirk sent pangs of fear in your heart. “I dare you to go to the school Thursday night, and at 3:00 AM sharp, call Hanako-san in the third floor bathroom, and stay the night in that bathroom!”

You froze in fear, struggling not to let her see your weakness. Your other ‘friends’ snickered and you heard comments of, “Ha, good one,” and “I bet she’s too chicken to actually do it.”

“Are you s-c-a-r-e-d, (Name)?” She asked, dragging out the syllable of the word scared, giggling.

“O-of course not!” You stammered, cursing the shaking of your voice, knowing all too well what would happen if you refused her request. Mocked and laughed at for months. Whispers of how much of a scaredy-cat you were. No, you are not going to let that happen.

“I’ll do it.”

Those three words made you regret everything.

Still, as you began your climb to the third floor, you chanted quietly, “I’m not scared, I’m not a chicken, I can do it, ghosts don’t exist,” hoping to trick yourself into thinking these words are true.

Second floor. You don’t know why you’re still friends with them. You were always an outcast, not going along with trends or worshiping the ground the school idols walked on (cough, Teru Minamoto, cough). However, they were the first people to ‘accept’ you for who you are. Or so you thought. Deep down, you know what they are doing. Hanging around you just so they can laugh at your misfortunes and damage your already shattered reputation. Yet, you can’t bring yourself to leave them. I wonder why, you thought bitterly.

The quiet sounds of your steps are the only things to be heard in the vast, empty school building. The silence gave you the creeps, you shivered at the thought of the confined girl’s bathroom, the darkness, the-

“Stop, (Name), stop. You’re just scaring yourself. Nothing’s going to happen, nothing’s going to happen.”

The darkness swam before your eyes and you had to lean against the walls to steady yourself. You had spent the entirety of last night twisting and turning in your bed, scenarios of what could happen playing in your head endlessly until the first rays of dawn beamed into your room.

Nevertheless, despite how sleep deprived you were, you felt no sense of exhaustion, only fear and stifling nervousness. You checked your watch, 2:54 AM. You had only 6 minutes to get to the bathroom and begin the ritual.

You fast-walked up the last flight of the stairs, stopping before the doorway of the bathroom. You could see the silvers of moonlight shining in from the windows. You swallowed the saliva that had built up in your mouth, stepping into the semi-darkness cautiously.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, the bathroom is still the bathroom. No creepy ghost girl in red skirts awaited you and you released the breath you had been holding. Approaching the third stall, you blinked at the red door, imaging what would happen, rejecting the other possibility.

You would knock three times, say, “Hanako-san, Hanako-san, are you there?” and an awkward silence would ensue between you and the bathroom door. Then, you can successfully prove that the legend is nothing but a rumor, stay the night, and prove to your stupid friends you are NOT a scaredy-cat.

Or, the door would creak open and the disembodied figure of a ghost girl would-

That would not happen!

You shook your head hard, the momentum almost launching your small form sideways to the floor.

Beep, beep, beep. Beep, beep, beep!

The sound of the alarm on your watch scared you to your wit’s end, heart almost leaping out of your throat.

3:00 AM. Time’s up.

You frantically turned it off, trying to steady your heart rate. Taking a deep breath, you lifted your right hand, knocking softly on the door three times. In a small, soft voice, you breathed out, “Hanako-san, Hanako-san, are you there?”

Silence. You retracted your hand, giddy with the realization that this rumor is false and no ghost is going to appear to-

The bathroom door creaked, a hand reaching around it, “Here I am,” a voice said in a sing-song tone.

You paled, stumbling back a few feet, back hitting the bathroom wall, eyes fixed on the hand. You blinked. It was gone. The bathroom door opened completely, revealing-

Nothing. There were no ghost girls, no red skirts, just a good-old toilet in a bathroom stall.

You let out a breath for what seems like the nth time today, walking forward to examine the stall.

Only to feel a hand rest on your shoulder along with the same voice whispering, “Over here.”

You screamed, stumbling around to see-

The figure of a boy, highlighted by the moonlight leaking through the windows, clad in what looks like uniform from a while ago, two strange, orb-like things floating around him. He himself is floating.

He chuckled, floating closer to you. You could almost see through him. Strangely, in this moment, you could feel no trace of fear, only wild bewilderment.

“Are you okay?” The boy asked, voice full of amusement.

Debatable. “That’s it,” you whispered, slumping down, staring straight into his amber colored orbs.

“Hm?”

“I’ve finally cracked,” you continued, laughing weakly, “sleep deprivation finally caught up to me.” With that, your eyes promptly rolled up into your skull and you lost consciousness.

---

You awoke to someone nudging your cheek.

“Hello? Anyone home?” A boy’s voice asked. Wait. A boy? Your eyes snapped open. The strange ghost boy pokes your cheek one more time before stepping back with a grin, “You’re awake.”

“Who…?” You trailed off, still a little dazed.

“The seventh of the Seven Wonders of the School,” he said lightly, one hand gripping the brim of his hat, “Hanako-san of the Bathroom.”

His eyes glinted with mischief, “Nice to meet you.”

“... But you’re a boy! And what are you doing in the girl’s bathroom anyways? Are you just some perverted ghost pretending to be a School Wonder? If you really are Hanako-san, where’s your bob haircut? What about your red skirt?”

You could see Hanako lean away from your barrage of questions, as if they were a physical force.

“I am Hanako-san, but you can call me Hanako-kun! Yes, I’m a boy, but all the other rumors are true,” he replied, flashing you the peace signs, “and I’m just going to ignore that comment about ‘some perverted ghost’.”

You still couldn’t believe your eyes. You couldn’t decide if you are indeed seeing a ghost that is supposedly haunting the girl’s bathroom or if you’re hallucinating from the lack of sleep. Frankly, you decided the latter is more probable. But you decided to wait and see.

“I grant the wish of whoever summons me and take one thing as payment. You have a wish, right?” Hanako asked, head tilted to the side in an inquiring way that is admittingly adorable.

Wait, what? Adorable? No, no, no. Hanako is just a perverted ghost that lives in the girl’s bathroom (or a fragment of your imagination, you can’t decide). There’s nothing adorable about that.

“Uh… actually,” you purse your lips, reminded of the reason why you’re here.

“Don’t be shy! You can start by telling me your name,” the amber-eyed ghost said cheerfully, pulling out a notebook seemingly out of nowhere.

“It’s (Name) (Last Name).”

“(Name) (Last Name)... got it. Now, what do I have the pleasure of helping you with today?”

You looked off to the side, trying to come up with an appropriate response. “Well, you see, I was dared in a game of truth and dare to summon Hanako-san. I don't actually have a wish.”

His eyes widened, then narrowed. Hanako peered at you, finger on his chin in a contemplative gesture. “Young lady, summoning an apparition just for fun is a dangerous thing to do. If you’re not careful,” his voice lowered drastically, “there will be consequences.”

You shrugged, unfazed. “I can live with one bad decision.”

Hanako took a step closer to you, ducking down to peer up at your face. “Are you sure about that?”

No. “Yep,” you replied, turning around to place your backpack on the floor beside the sink, which at the same time gets your job done and simultaneously creates distance from the close position the two of you were in . Unzipping your bag, you took out a towel and a small blanket.

“What are you doing now~?”

You froze, Hanako’s voice right next to your ear. From this distance, you could feel the chilly air coming off of him. Spinning around, you plopped yourself down, trying to unfluster yourself. Why is he so close?

“I-I also have to stay the night as part of the dare,” you stuttered, turning your head to the side to avoid looking at the ghost.

“Really? Who came up with your dare?” Hanako asked, still floating a few inches off the ground. His voice isn’t as playful as it was before. Maybe it was just your imagination. You riffled through your backpack, shrugging your shoulders, “My friend.”

You heard his sigh of pity?-sympathy?-exasperation? “You must not have great friends.” His words were light, as if it didn’t matter much to him. You paused in your idle search to turn and glare at the amber eyed ghost.

Hanako floated in a relaxed position, hands behind his head. He wasn’t even looking at you. You felt the strange need to defend your friends. “They’re not too bad. Just kind of ride or die.”

In an instant, you fell back against the wall of the bathroom, narrowed amber eyes staring into your wide (Eye Color) ones. Hanako pinned your wrists down against the wall, leaning forward so that his cold breath tickled your ear.

“Ride or die, huh?” He murmured, “well, one day, your luck’s going to run out.” You gaped ahead, heart almost jumping out of your throat. “Wha-what do you mean?” You managed to get out, breath hitching in the middle of the sentence.

Hanako leaned back, releasing your wrists so that they fell limply against your sides. His eyes were weirdly intense. He ignored your question, choosing to stand back up to gaze at you from above. “What if they had asked you to go to a harmful spirit? One that kills humans?”

He bent down, hands behind his back, once again staring right into your eyes, “What then?”

You stared back, saying the only thing that came to mind. “You’re weird, Hanako-kun.”

He chuckled dryly, expression strangely forlorn, floating over to settle on a ledge by the window, “Am I now?”

You turned your face away from him to stare at the entrance of the bathroom. Silence settled upon the small bathroom. His mood sure changed quickly.

Instead of focusing on Hanako’s strange turn of emotions, you took this time to ponder his  words.

Deep down, you had always known these people were not your real friends. They never treated you as their equal, always degrading and mocking you and every one of your little quirks and hobbies. Their eyes flashing with cruel satisfaction whenever they see you down, stepping on your already bloodied form just to hear your pained cries.

Without your consent, a tear slid down your cheek. You stiffened, sitting up to rub the evidence of your weakness away. But they didn’t stop. Every touch only served as blows to the weakening dam of emotion.

“(Last Name)?” Hanako’s voice sounded, urging you to wipe at your damp cheeks more frantically. When you didn’t respond, he stepped towards your quivering form, brows slightly knitted in concern.

Hanako knelt behind you, a hand extended, intended to rest on your shaking shoulder. His eyes widened a smidge when he caught sight of your flushed and damp cheeks as you turned to slap his hand away.

A sob tore from your throat when the amber-eyed ghost’s concerned expression came into view. Seeing it only made your chest tighter. You wanted someone to hug you, a real friend, someone who truly cares for you, for your wellbeing, for your emotions.

With the surges of emotion came your words. “I know they don’t care,” you whispered, voice thick from your tears.

“(Last Na)-?”

“I know they aren’t really my friends!” You yelled, twisting around to glare at Hanako with watery eyes and damp cheeks. “I know they only keep me around to make fun of me, I know everyone thinks I’m weird, and I know you don’t really care either.” Your voice began to grow gradually quieter, so that your last proclamation was barely audible.

You watched Hanako’s mouth open, probably ready to throw more lies at you. “You don’t have to pretend. After all, why should you bother? Why should anyone?”

You buried your head in your arms, turning away from the boy.

“I’ll be your friend,” his voice sounded soft, very close, but you can’t be bothered to lift your head anymore. However, you didn’t expect it when arms snaked around your form, pressing you to a lukewarm body. Instinctively, your own wrapped around him.

It was strangely comforting.

Too tired to protest, you straightened yourself and laid your head on Hanako’s chest, snuggling up to him. You heard a soft chuckle through a haze of sadness and exhaustion. The sensation of someone stroking your hair is comforting and the arm looped around your waist feels right somehow.

You wanted to let yourself fall into the comforting darkness known as sleep, but a particular detail keeps jabbing you in the side.

“You will?”

“Hm?” You could feel his chest rumbling with the sound. “Be my friend?” You slurred.

“Of course. Now go to sleep, you look horrible like this,” Hanako’s voice is teasing, but you’re too tired to care anymore, so you just flopped your arm against his side in protest. He didn’t even flinch.

“One more thing,” you had no idea how you’re still awake but you managed to lift your head and get out, “since we’re friends, please call me (Name).”

You wonder if life would be different after this. You wonder if, with Hanako, you can make better memories than with the others.

You wonder if you can remember to falcon punch your ‘friend’ in her smug, self-satisfied face when you wake up.

[slime-smile]

i accidentally left my phone at life drawing on saturday afternoon. i set it down on a dresser next to the bathroom as i walked in and thought “ok i need to remember that i set that there, i always forget when i set things there” and then of course i forgot about it by the time i walked out of the bathroom.  probably in part because the timer that signifies the break has ended went off so i hurried back to my seat, for the final drawing of the day.  then after the last drawing was done, a guy i have talked to a little bit the last few times i’ve gone asked me if i wanted to go get tacos. i said “i forgot my wallet today so are you okay with buying me the tacos” and he said “yea.” i wasnt wearing shorts with pockets and i had been leaving my phone in my backpack during the drawing sessions so i had a vague impression it was in there.  we walked back to my car so i could set down my drawing pad and backpack, then we walked a few blocks to get The Best Fish Tacos in Ensenada. then we walked back together after we ate.  he rides a motorcycle and parked directly across the street from the figure drawing place.  we hung out on the steps of the house he’d parked in front of for a bit, then i walked two blocks back to my car.  it was soooo hot when i got in, i turned the A/C all the way up, picked up my backpack to get out my phone, and it wasnt in there.  i waited a minute to see if my car would tell me that it connected to my phone, in case the phone was lost somewhere in the car, and it didn’t, then i remembered what happened.  so i get out of the car and hurry back to where the liffe drawing was.  it’s hosted by these two artists in their personal studio, so i was like “ok they’re probably still there doing their own work now that the session has ended”  but i walk up and the driveway is empty (the guy always parks his car in it) so i’m like oh nooo but i walk all the way to the door anyways and it’s closed and locked and they’re gone.  the guy i got tacos with is still sitting across the street looking at his phone, so i walk back over to him and tell him what happened.  he seems concerned and is like “i can try to message the guy on instagram? or we can see if one of the neighbors will let you in?” and i’m like oh no no it’s fine, i’ll just come back monday night to get it. (they do drawing monday and thursday nights and saturday mornings) plus i’ve been wanting to try going on a weeknight anyways.  and earlier he had told me i should try coming on a weeknight some time and that he usually does, too. my main concern at that point was that i had a date planned for the night and i wasnt sure how not having my phone would affect it.  but then i remembered my date had emailed me so i could email him, and then i remembered (duh) that i had imessage on my laptop so i could still text anyways but just in a more restricted capacity.  the tacos guy really seems concerned for me and my phone though, like wonders how i will go two days without it.  but i resign myself to it and walk back to my car to drive home.  for some reason traffic is really bad, worse than usual -- dodgers game?? i dont know.  while i’m driving home i see a fire from the freeway, and i start to scare myself that it’s my house that’s on fire, even though i’m pretty sure my house isnt visible from that freeway and i’m still too far north for it to feasibly be my house.  i keep thinking “oh god all my art and my [most cherished personal item which holds no monetary value] and now i really wont be able to get in touch with [date] how would i let him know what happened and ugh i can’t even get my phone until Monday night, i wouldn’t be able to get in touch with anyone, what would i do if my house burned down??”  but i go home and my house was not on fire, obviously.  i send a message to my date to let him know what happened, and email the guy who runs life drawing about my lost phone.  my date replies “so you’re gonna be phoneless tonight??” and i’m like “yea but let’s just meet out front at 8, i’ll even be early.”  i go downtown to buy my date a bouquet in the flower district, it’s his birthday, but then i can’t conceive of a manageable way to have a bouquet at a bar, so after i bring the bouquet home i take out a single rose from it to give him.  we both like roses, as a symbol and as an object, i know this isn’t especially unique, but it’s nice.  he has a rose tattooed on his arm.  later, before the date, my friend sends me an email subject line “bruh” body text “you left your phone at whatever repair shop you were at this morning.”  which leads me to believe he called it and the life drawing guy answered it and told him he had it.  which was nice because i hadn’t gotten an email back from the life drawing guy yet and was worried that maybe someone else in the class had snatched it even though that seems unlikely.  and also kind of funny to imagine because obviously the life drawing guy’s perspective was that i was probably calling my phone from my friend’s phone trying to find it, when in reality my friend was just calling me not knowing that i didn’t have my phone and then some man answers it.  anyways then i go to my date and i text him when i’m leaving that i’m heading over and will see him there soon.  i look up the directions beforehand but then forget where exactly the bar is that we were supposed to meet and ask a guy on the street who i could tell was smiling at me even though he had a mask on where i needed to go and he told me the way.  i walk up and my date is already there standing outside, i walk up to him and he says “you’re early!” and i don’t say this but in my mind i’m like “you’re even earlier!”  and i hand him the rose and we go upstairs to the bar.  the bartender is really friendly and asks about the rose and makes the date a free drink for his birthday.  there’s a hottub and i’m like “why didn’t you tell me!” we find an uncomfortable bench and are eyeing a much cozier one where a woman is sitting, hoping it will open up.  we’re quickly absorbed in conversation and at some point i happen to look over and notice the cozy bench is free, and we dart over to it.  we’re able to sit there for an hour or so before a staff member comes up to us and informs us that we’re sitting where they plan to put the DJ booth, so we’ve got to move, but another couple is about to leave and they’re going to clear off their table for us.  so we go lurk by the table, where the man is sitting, and he reveals that he’s been noticing us all night, because he and his wife were the ones who had been sitting on the bench earlier, and they themselves had been told that they were sitting where the DJ was going to be, and so they moved.  i think it’s a funny coincidence that we’ve been following this couple around through the night, but i dont really know what else to say to the guy, so that’s sort of it for our conversation.  the table is less fun because now we’re sitting across from each other in chairs, instead of next to each other on a bench.  they set the DJ up as we’re finishing our drinks, and i propose that if the music is good, we dance.  the DJ starts playing but his song selection is terrible so we bounce.  date proposes we go back to his place, which i’m fine with, and i can sense that he wants to kiss, which we do, briefly, in the elevator.  in addition to the Saturday night drinks date, we’d already planned a Sunday afternoon date earlier in the week, so sleeping over made sense.  in the morning we walk to get coffee and i buy him a muffin for his birthday, and he says when we get back to his apartment he wants to teach me to play a Korean card game, one-card.  i say ok and that if we can find two other people who are into it, later (in the future, not in the day), i can teach him a popular Ohio card game.  i talk a lot of smack about how im going to beat him at one-card after we go over the rules, but then he wins 8 games and i only win 3.  at some point i notice that the rose i brought him has been left lying on a table -- hmm?  we go to brunch at a place i’d never been to before, near the movie theater (our pre-planned second date, seeing a movie), which is, i learn, known for their crispy french toast, but which i do not order, because i know it will make my stomach hurt.  at some point i say that i wonder what’s going on on my phone.  i feel kind of zoned out from the point in time after we stopped playing cards to go to brunch.  it’s probably because i didn’t sleep well the previous night, because i have a hard time sleeping in new places, or when i share a bed, or when there’s no white noise, or when it’s too hot.  he’s tired too, and dozes in the movie theater while we wait for the movie to start.  after the movie is over i drop him off and go home, Sunday is supposed to be my chores day, but by the time i get home it’s already 430.  i want to take a nap but i have to run an errand and water all my plants, which i kind of don’t end up doing.  my errand was to go to the video store to return the movies i’d rented the previous week, of which i only was able to watch 1 out of 2.  my favorite video store employee who i hadn’t seen in a long time (i was out of town, he was out of town) was there and we talked and caught up and i learned that he’s a triplet (but he said that the grammatically correct way to refer to both his other siblings was “twin,” he said “my twin” and i said “you’re a twin??’ and he said “well actually we’re triplets but blah blah blah” -- this seems wrong to me but what do i know) and then we were talking about a missing persons poster that someone had dropped off at the video store which was really sad but also that he, the employee, had googled the missing person, and that this missing guy had released music on bandcamp, and that the photo he used for the album cover was of the place that he, the employee, had lived previously and not only that but he, the employee, was actually in the photo that this missing person had used as an album cover on bandcamp.  and then the employee said “do you wanna see?” and i said “yeah” and he let me come behind the counter to look at the computer and i hung out back there for a second and told him about a movie that the bartender had been recommending to a guy next to me at the bar the previous night, but which i had thought sounded interesting so i butted into their conversation about it, and since i still dont have my phone to write the name of the movie down, i’ve been telling people about it so i don’t forget.  the bartender said it was a french movie called “hedgehog” about a little girl who has an existential crisis and decides she’s going to kill herself in two months.  the guy he was recommending it to said, “that sounds really dark, man,” but i said “that sounds incredible and like directly up my alley” and the bartender insisted that the movie was both good and funny.  and i was relaying this story to my video store friend and he looked it up and then said “we can probably see if we have it in the store” and he checks their system and they do, in the general “french” section, and i find it and pick it up.  he asks me if i’m gonna rent it this week and i say “i can’t cause i’m going out of town this weekend! but next weekend.”  and now it’s 11pm and i’m supposed to be finishing my zine but i spent an hour writing this, instead, but i’ve got to finish the zine and send to my friend for his final edits before i can go to bed

[rambling-at-midnight]

Jealousy

Pairing: Five Hargreeves x Reader

Note: in this AU, Five never jumped to the future. Everyone (except Luther) has moved on from the Academy. They’re all 22 atm.

This wasn’t requested but it popped into my head and I just really wanted to write it!

Five seriously regrets signing up for this eight a.m. history class. He has it on good authority that the teacher is going to move it to eight p.m. next semester, but that would conflict with his advanced math class. Of course, he could have pushed that back a semester too, which wouldn’t have hurt his degree or prevented his graduation at all. But at the moment he’d thought to himself ‘Oh, well, waking up at seven every Monday and Thursday morning won’t be so bad.’

It is. It’s so bad. At this point he’s pretty sure that his blood is 99% coffee.

He’d even had the mind to transfer after the first week. He’s simply a night owl and not an early riser, ergo this is torture without fifteen cups of coffee. But there is one tiny little problem with that, and that is why he hasn’t switched out yet, and the only reason he hasn’t yet missed a single class.

It’s a girl.

Yeah, as stupid as that sounds, the only reason Five hasn’t yet transferred out of his stupid eight a.m. history class is because on the first day of the class, when he had been glaring at everybody and hating just about everyone and everything, a pretty girl had sat down next to him without even a glance in his direction, holding a humongous travel cup of tea, and with earbuds blasting music so loud he could hear it.

Your name is Y/N. You love tea but hate coffee. You like history but hate math. You have a boyfriend called Max with gorgeous blue eyes. You’ve got a cat. You’re not a morning person. You’re majoring in biology.

That’s pretty much all Five knows about you.

But God, he’s got the biggest crush.

He can’t help it! You’re just so... you. He can’t even put it into words, but God, you distract him.

But he can’t do anything about it because you’ve got your stupid boyfriend Max that everyone you know gushes about. He’s not about to be a homewrecker. It just sucks that he hadn’t figured out you were already taken until it was way too late to enroll in another course.

He settles for being a friend.

Five rolls his eyes and kicks your chair a little bit when you’re about to nod off. You jolt up, eyes wide for a few moments, before registering that the lecture is about to start. With a wide yawn, you greet him and reach into your backpack for your laptop.

“Late night?”

“Sort of.” You shrug. “Max wouldn’t stop yelling at me for attention and he always wakes up at the oddest hours and wakes me up, too.”

Privately, Five thinks, I’d never yell at you. Even if it’s for attention, he sort of thinks it’s a dick move. If he ever meets Max, he might just give the asshole a piece of his mind. It’s not the first time you’ve complained about him being an asshole but you never even consider breaking up with him. “He a morning person?”

You snort. “You could say that. He’s cute, though, so I love him.”

There it is; the knife in his gut. You love to twist it around without even realizing you’re doing it. Five just nods and looks down at his notes.

Five’s neither an asshole nor an idiot (and you’ve called Max both those names multiple times, not that he really cares). He can tell you like your boyfriend, for some reason he can’t tell, and that it would really be a dick move to make moves on you. So he’s content (not really) to spend time with you, even if it’s a sweet kind of torture.

That includes math tutoring. You’d seen him reading one of his advanced math books before the lecture started one time and pounced on the opportunity. You’re really smart, but not the best at paying attention and it’s not like your professor’s good at teaching anyway.

And Five, like an idiot, had agreed.

He’s not very good at teaching. The first time he’d brought you to tears he’d panicked and accidentally spacial jumped to China. He’d jumped right back, of course, and the shock of seeing one of your friends disappear and reappear had stopped your tears short.

He hasn’t made you cry since (and he definitely doesn’t have nightmares about hearing you sniffle) which is good for his patience, he supposes. Sometimes a few of your friends will join your study sessions, but most of the time it’s just you and Five.

Alone.

In a library.

Alone.

So now you’re friends? Sort of? At least, you talk with his siblings and he talks with your friends and you’re all kind of one group now.

And nobody. Ever. Shuts. Up. About. Max.

“We really need to see Max sometime,” Vanya says while she, you, Five, Klaus, and two of your other friends are all sitting under the shade of a tree, ‘working’ on homework assignments. Immediately a whole chorus of agreements rise from Five’s siblings and your friends and he rolls his eyes.

“Five’s never met Max,” Klaus proclaims loudly. “He doesn’t know what he’s missing out on.”

“Let’s go right now!” one of your friends, Isabella, exclaims.

“I’ve got a lot of homework to do,” Five replies tiredly. “You go on without me.”

“Are you sure?” you ask, looking at him with your hair falling over your shoulder and eyes a little tired but worried.

It’s like getting kicked in the stomach.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Five waves everyone away, wondering how on earth this ‘Max’ guy is so amazing that everyone loves him. You’re the last to go, still sending Five looks over your shoulder.

He pretends not to notice.

Yeah, he’s jealous. So what?

“Max is so great,” you sigh during one of your study sessions.

I’m pretty great too, Five thinks sourly.

“His eyes are so pretty,” you continue. “Such a pretty blue.”

Five, personally, thinks that green is better than blue.

“How’s your cat?” he asks, to change the subject.

“Great!” you smile at him. Five’s stomach falls down at least two stories. “Belligerent and fluffy as always. You really should meet him, you know.” You stick out your bottom lip and pout at him and dammit, but he really doesn’t feel like saying no to you right now.

Five’s impulsive. He says yes. You beam. He’d say it again, a thousand times, just to see that smile.

His stomach falls again when you stand up and hold out your hand for him to take so you can drag him back to your apartment. You live off-campus because of your cat, supported by moderately wealthy parents who are just relieved you hadn’t gone to college in another country.

Maybe he knows more about you than he’d thought.

You drag him across campus, probably to ensure he has as little time as possible to change his mind. You always get confused whenever he refuses to meet either your cat or Max, a little bit of hurt clouding your pretty E/C eyes before you blink it away.

All Five knows about you, and he’s never met your boyfriend or cat. He’s never even been to your apartment before.

It’s in a pretty building with a nice view. There’s a park directly across the building, and Five can imagine you on the swings late at night, holding hands with someone who’s on the swing next to you. First he imagines a scruffy guy with blue eyes, and then he imagines you holding hands with a neat brunette boy with green eyes.

“You’re not allergic, are you?” you ask just before unlocking your apartment door.

Five shakes his head. “I don’t think so.” He’s never really been around cats before. God knows pets weren’t allowed at the Academy.

You smile and open the door. “Good. Max!”

Five instantly tenses. He was brought here to see your cat, not your boyfriend. What will he even think about you bringing a guy here, to your apartment, one-on-one?

A white blur runs into the room, making an unusual high-pitched noise, and you laugh and crouch down. “Hey, buddy,” you coo, picking the cat up gently. “Want to hold him?”

Five looks at the triangular face. The cat, just like your boyfriend, has blue eyes that are gorgeous against his white fur. You must have a thing for blue eyes. Something curdles in his stomach at the thought and he nods mutely.

“Max, this is Five,” you coo, gently putting the cat in his arms. “Don’t mind his silly name or his scowl. He’s a softie.”

“Hi,” Five says quietly, rolling his eyes at your gentle ribbing. The cat regards him, studying him, and leans to sniff his nose.

Wait.

Max.

Max?

Five looks at you looking at him and your cat with a gorgeous smile on your face. “This is Max?”

“Yeah.” Your smile grows even wider. “Isn’t he gorgeous?”

“Yeah,” Five says quietly. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shiiiiiit.

“He’s also an asshole,” you coo, taking the cat out of his arms. “You’re just the biggest annoyance ever, aren’t you? You know, I was beginning to think you really hated cats,” you add to Five. “You always seemed so annoyed whenever I talked about him.”

“I guess I was focused on other stuff,” Five invents wildly. Your eyes narrow just a little bit at him and you let the cat jump out of your arms. Thankfully, you let him keep his dignity (I was jealous over a cat? Really?) and shrug.

“I have something to tell you,” you say, swallowing.

“Sure.” Five watches as the cat saunters out of the room. Smug, as if he knows that Five is a total oblivious idiot. How did he not know that Max and your cat were the same person? He’s so stupid.

“I like you.”

“Okay. Wait—” Five jerks to look at you, stomach falling again, eyes wide. “What?”

“It’s totally fine if you don’t feel the same way,” you say quickly. “But... I’ve liked you for a while now, actually. It’s why I sat next to you in history, really.”

Five laughs. Then he sits down on your couch pretty abruptly.

“What?” You stay standing, biting your lip and tugging on your hair like you always do when you’re nervous. “I promise I’m not a groupie or anything. I don’t really care about the Umbrella Academy or all that stuff, It’s just—”

“I’m such an idiot,” Five whispers.

“What?”

“I like you, too,” he admits. “I have for a while now.”

Your smile is blinding.

Five x Reader Taglist:

@statsvitenskap @dare-the-punisher @thespian-anon @ask-veronica-sawyer-heathers @fivegallaghers @ggclarissa @akiyamakuro @featuringcone9

Umbrella Academy Taglist:

@fentanvl @deathswretch @lightningidiot @five-hg @iamsnek666 @ameliatrh @ihatecheesyusernames @dora-the-grownup @emilyt0314 @idklol707

Forever Taglist:

@lemirabitur @annymcervantes @queenmissfit @quiet-because-it-is-a-secret @iksey

If you want to be added to a taglist, just let me know!

[shy-marker-pliers]

High school AU thingamabob

Dark

17 year old senior

class president and is kinda high and mighty about it tbh

“yes i know student council can’t really make any changes without the input of the superintendent but IM THE PRESIDENT AND YOU’RE NOT SO SUCK MY DI-“

does sound/lights for all the shows the school puts on

dating wilford and no one knows how or why they’re together

had a deep as hell voice and a beard the second he hit puberty

takes every ethics/psychology class he can

wants to be a lawyer

that one kid that everyone fears but is actually kinda chill if not a little surly

wears a collared shirt and tie to school every day and would totally get made fun of for it if he wasn’t terrifying

listens to classical music unironically

“oh my god i’m so going to fail this test” *proceeds to get the highest grade in the class*

protector of the gays™️

person: *says something mean to a student because they’re lgbtq+*

Dark: *teleports in front of said student* omae wa mou shindeiru

Wilford

19 year old senior

Yes he still has the mustache

doesn’t give a fuck about what anyone thinks of him

deadass wore a dress to school after one of his friends got made fun of because she wore a suit to a school dance

b u f f a s h e l l

could bench press a teacher if he really tried

on the cheer team

“no i’m not wearing pants, this miniskirt makes my ass look great!”

everyone’s bodyguard

usually attracts a crowd of nervous underclassmen

has mild dyslexia

tol

gives his friends piggyback rides

president of the drama club

works hard enough in school to pass his classes but that’s pretty much it

sleeps in class

Bim

15 year old freshman

vice president of the drama club

wilfords shadow

first freshman to help run the drama club and shoves it in everyone’s face

shouts his gayness from the rooftops

secretly super insecure

loves plants and helps out in the schools greenhouse

named all of the plants but if you tell anyone he’ll stab you

gets mostly B’s and C’s

has mild ocd but not enough to affect him severely

talks like a game show host cause he thinks it makes him sound attractive

it doesn’t

Google(s)

16 year old juniors

identical quadruplets

they have to wear different colors every day or else no one knows which one is which

they’re called the googles because their backpacks match the colors of the chrome logo and they’re super smart

straight A 4.0 GPA students but Oliver has to try a little harder than his brothers

all of them are in the robotics team except for ollie

Blue works on programming and red and green are on the build team

Ollie is the sweetest day of sunshine to ever exist and everyone loves him

he’s basically adopted Eric as his lil bro

tutors people in the library every tuesday and thursday

the other googles disapprove of his relationship with bing but he makes ollie happy so they don’t do anything about it

they all work in a supermarket and they’re saving up for college

ollie wants to be a vet, red and green want to be engineers, and blue wants to be a web developer

Bing

17 year old junior

mostly A’s, a few B’s.

his full name is zachary bing but people call him bing because he’s always trying to one up the googles

dudebro

was pining after ollie for months before chase finally felt sorry for him and told ollie how he felt

they’re dating now and it’s adorable

so soft for his boyf

a really good skater and wins a lot of local competitions

doesn’t study but still gets p good grades

wears sunglasses all the time because he has light sensitivity

Has ADHD

s t r o n k

always challenges people to arm wrestle him

can sing really well and plays gitaur

shares a youtube channel with chase where they skate and to challenges and stuff

Dr. ipiler

18 year old senior

Everyone calls him doc because he helps the school nurse and takes every single biology and health class there is

all A’s

really wants to be a surgeon

best friends with Schneep

huge star trek/harry potter nerd (ravenclaw if you’re wondering)

almost always at schneep’s house studying or just chillin’

kind of a control freak

thinks he’s charismatic but he’s actually kinda annoying

but annoying in a funny way

has a pet ferret that he sneaks into school

feral

espresso and sugar flows through his veins

“i actually got a good sleep last night.” “oh really?” “yeah bro i got a whole half hour!”

super dark bags under his eyes

Host

17 year old junior

all A’s except for in gym class

he has eyes in this

his real name is Simon Charles Teller (there are specific meanings to those names btw look them up) but he’s called The Host because he does morning announcements every day.

has gold eyes and a lot of people find it unnerving

“hey i have a podcast you should totally listen to it”

nocturnal

spends all of his free time in the library

always reading in class but the teachers don’t really care bc his grades are good and he does his homework

wants to be an english/poetry teacher

crushing on the cute shy kid from his english class

doesn’t talk much but he’ll still be nice to you

that one kid who’s always correcting the teachers

Runs the D&D club (he’s the dungeon master)

Eric Derekson

16 year old junior

Mostly high B’s, a couple of A’s.

lives with his uncle mark after he ran away from his abusive dad and is living a happy life

the guy that always volunteers to take care of the class pets over the weekend

animals love him

has anxiety, mild paranoia and autism.

animals, harry potter, and pokémon are his hyperfixations.

he also really likes gardening

crushing big time on hostioli

spends his entire english class staring at him and blushing

is seriously considering joining D&D club just to be able to talk to him

he’s in the art club

wants to be a vet and maybe do some freelance art stuff on the side

Ollie keeps yelling at him to just ask host out already but he’s too nervous

my poor bb boi

Wears sweaters all the time

wears headphones to block out noise if it ever gets too loud at he goes into sensory overload

disaster bi

Yan

18 year old senior

gets C’s

non-binary

has a makeup tutorial channel on youtube and has a pretty decent following

That one weeb

dyes their hair a new color every week

also has a new crush every week

everyone knows who their newest victim is because they never stop watching them

draws anime or cute animals for every art class

wants to be a a fashion designer

does MMA

everyone kinda stears clear of them

writes their first initial along with their crush’s on every notebook they own

has gotten suspended for beating kids up on multiple occasions

doesn’t really have that many friends but they don’t mind

spends their lunches watching their crush

in the drama club and the art club

Randall Voorhees

18 year old senior

C’s and D’s

Eric’s cousin/bodyguard

they have a lot of the same classes and walk everywhere together

loves animals and has like 10 pet rats

he doesn’t really care about his grades because he knows that he wants to be a woodworker/construction guy

makes little houses out of scrap wood for his rats and Eric thinks it’s adorable

always sneaks his rats to school and lets them have play dates with dr. iplier’s ferret

“nO IM NOT RELATED TO JASON VOORHEES HES NOT EVEN REAL SO SHUT THE HELL UP-“

used to live in nyc in queens and still has a pretty strong accent

completely incomprehensible when he’s excited or angry bc of the accent

everyone is jealous of his hair

spends like 100 dollars on shampoo and conditioner and stuff but it’s worth it

acts like the straightest guy in existence but could not be more gay

his boots are always muddy

Yancy

16 year old sophomore

his name is Yancy Bird

g...get it? like jailbird? ahaha...ok i’ll stop

permanent resident of the detention room

but he gets to just chill out and read for an hour so he doesn’t really mind

mostly gets detention for beating up kids that bully others

fuck the system

always wears a leather jacket and blue jeans

“hey, the 50’s called and they want their-“ SMACK. “shut up.”

takes a lot of criminal justice and psychology classes ironically

in the botany club but if you tell anyone they’ll never find your body

everyone is surprised when they find out he’s friends with Eric and ollie

pan but in denial

“i’m not gay guys, that ain’t me, i’m just comfortable with my sexuality. so i can admit when i see a guy with a handsome face and pretty eyes-“

that song is great btw you should listen to it

anyway

always makes really dark jokes and everyone is like “are you ok?”

except for his friends they just laugh

“lmao wouldn’t it be funny if everyone like...died”

[dylshoney]

college boy「part two」

synopsis: reader meets shawn during a philosophy lecture

a/n: hey im like sorry? for literally taking two months to post this part,  im still so unhappy with it, but at this point who cares. this is based on something that happened to one of my close friends last year, hope you enjoy :’) 

warnings: language, alcohol, mentions of sex

there will not be a part three

part one 

Shawn didn’t text you. Not that you were expecting him to or anything. Okay, maybe you were expecting him to. But why wouldn’t you? He seemed genuinely interested and you had spent an entire night together.

 But that was four days ago, and he still hadn’t texted you. He hadn’t even shown up to class on Tuesday. And today’s class was canceled, so you didn’t get the chance to ask him then.

 Today, Thursday, also happened to be the day Shawn was supposed to tutor you, but he hadn’t responded to your subtle text.

 Hey. Just wondering what time are you free to study tomorrow?

 You sent that yesterday, and when he hasn’t responded, you texted him again this morning.

 We’re still on for today, right?

 He didn’t respond to that either, showing no signs that he’d even seen it.

 “Stop checking your phone!” Carrie took it from your hands, making you roll your eyes and pout, “I wanted to see what time it was.”

 “No. You wanted to see if Shawn had texted you.”

 You gasp, an innocent expression on your face, “I would never.”

 “Yeah,” Luke snorts, shaking his head, “Right.”

 “Oh shut up.”

 “Did you do something to make him ignore you?” Mason asks.

 “No?”

 He raises his eyebrows, “Hm. Nothing weird?”

 “What are you implying?” You cross your arms, glaring at the shit-eating grin on his face.

“Just saying, I know you.”

“We just talked.” You shrug.

“And kissed – ”

 You ignor Carrie’s interjection, “Nothing weird.”

“You kissed him?” Luke shoots up in his seat, “Why am I just finding out about this?!”

“Because he’s been ignoring me since, not something I wanted to brag about, thanks.”

“But that’s huge!”

“Shawn’s probably huge.”

 Everyone ignores Carrie again as Luke continues, “Shawn hasn’t kissed anyone since freshman year, why would he kiss you?” 

Your eye twitches, “Gee thanks Luke.”

 “No,” he groans, “I don’t mean it like that, I’m just saying – I’ve never known him to kiss anyone he’s not in a relationship with.”

“Aw, he wanted a relationship!” Carrie gushes, squeezing your knee.

 “Maybe you don’t know him as well as you thought you did,” you mumble to Luke.

 “And if he wanted something with me, he wouldn’t be ignoring me – so that’s definitely not it.”

 “Maybe he was drunk?” Mason offers.

 “Maybe,” you nod, knowing full well that Shawn was completely sober the entire time he was with you.

 “Well, I’ve personally never seen Shawn show this much interest in anyone before,” Luke says leaning closer to the table, his eyes trained on you, “and if I’m allowed to share my professional opinion – ”

 “You’re not.”

 “ – then I’d say you shouldn’t forget about him so quickly. Maybe something happened to his phone. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation.”

 Everyone is silent for a second, his words hanging in the room like an ember of hope that you weren’t about to fall for.

 “Okay!” You straighten up, “Let’s go back to talking about – what was it?”

 “Dostoyevsky.”

 “Bless you.”

 Mason snorts, “That’s not – ”

 “But he was so into you!” Carrie throws her hands up, obviously not happy about the change in subject, “He invited you to a party, offered to help you study and took you for a romantic walk!”

 “Technically we broke into the uni’s  – ”

 “He obviously likes you!” She pauses for a moment, “You need to go talk to him.”

 “W –what? No.”

 She narrows her eyes at you, making you sit up straighter, “No. I am not – what – what would I even say?”

 “You’d be casual about it, something like – hey I thought we were supposed to study today?”

 You open your mouth, but close it quickly – hating how much sense she was making. Plus, you really wanted to see him again.

 “That’s not a bad idea,” Mason nods, “Be casual about it.”

 “I don’t know how to be casual about it.” You groan, slumping back into the leather armchair.

 “I can come with you, if you want. I need to ask Miles for my hat back anyway,” Luke offered.

 “No, she should do this alone,” Carrie shakes her head, “C’mon baby. Woman up, and go get yourself a husband.”

 You smile, shaking your head at her, before pursing your lips, and staying silent for a few seconds,

 “Okay.” You stand abruptly before you can convince yourself otherwise, “I’m just going to go to his house and ask him why he canceled on me.”

 “If it doesn’t work out stop at trader joe’s and get us ice cream!” Luke winks, throwing you a thumbs up to which you childishly stick your tongue out.

 “Yes, call me straight after!” Carrie squeals, practically bouncing in her seat.

 “Good luck!” Mason smiles to which you nod, your stomach suddenly in your throat as you tried to calm your breathing.

 *

 You arrive at the frat house twenty minutes later, your heart practically beating out of your chest.

You take a deep breath, wiped your sweaty hands on your jeans and walk up the steps before you can convince yourself to leave.

You knock on the door, once and then two more times for good measure. Your lips are raw from how much you had chewed on them, your eyes flickering up as the door swings open – Brian’s wide eyes staring down at you.

 “Y/n.” He looks behind him, coming out and shutting the door, “What are you doing here?”

 You swallow, trying to smile, “I – uh was wondering if Shawn was here?”

 His face is somber, a stark contrast to the grin you are used to, “He is.”

 You have never felt more awkward in your life, but it was too late to back out now, “Can I talk to him?”

 “I’m not sure that’s the best idea, sorry y/n.”

 You blink, taking a step back as your wide eyes stare at his almost angry expression. What the hell could you have done to make him look at you like that?

 “Oh. Well, can you tell him I was here?”

 He is silent for a moment, before nodding curtly, “Yeah. I’ll tell him.”

 He doesn’t sound genuine, his words sounding more like a dismissal than anything. You nod once, trying to keep your expression as passive as possible before turning around and slowly making your way down the steps.

 You hear the sound of a door opening, a familiar voice filling your senses as you freeze on the last step, “Dude listen – ”

 “Shawn, go back inside.”

 Brian’s harsh tone causes you to turn around, your wide eyes meeting unmistakable golden ones. Goosebumps run over your form, your mouth falling open as you register the way he’s looking at you. It’s something you’ve never seen before.

 “What are you doing here?”

 Your mouth is dry, a sudden urge to curl up in a ball and die coming over you.

 “I – ” you straighten up, trying to seem more composed than you felt, “I wanted to ask why you ignored my texts? I thought we were supposed to …”

 “You should leave.”

 “Huh?” Your mouth opens and closes, making you look like a blubbering fish.

 “Leave.”

 “Shawn – what? I –”

 You stop yourself, a tightness forming in your chest, “Look, I don’t know what I did to make you act like this, but there’s no reason for you to be such a dick.”

 You almost shy back at the deadly look in his eyes, his arms crossed as he takes a step closer to you.

 “Aaaand that’s my cue to leave.” Brian’s inside the house before you have a chance to blink, leaving you alone with Shawn’s glaring.

 “You’re kidding right?” He chuckles sarcastically after a minute; “You think I’m just going to study with you after the stunt you pulled?”

 “What stunt?”

 “I’m not a fucking idiot, y/n!”

 You flinch, taking a step back as your hands began to shake; you were never good with people yelling at you.

 “Shawn,” your voice is weak, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

 “You’ve been telling everyone we fucked y/n.”

 Your heart drops in your stomach, like a heavyweight bringing you down, “No –”

 “No?” He’s looking at you like you are a child,  “The sad thing is – I actually liked you. But I guess that’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

 “I –” You feel like you can’t breathe.

 “I hope it’s brought you the popularity you were craving, please never speak to me again.”

 You nod numbly, watching through glossy eyes as he steps back, his eyes almost softening at the look on your face – before he swings the door open, slamming it behind him.

 You blink, a single tear making it’s way down your face as you practically fall down the steps – your legs moving of their own accord.

 You pull your phone out, trying to make out the screen through your tears, bringing it up to your ear.

 You sniffle as you listen to the dial tone stop, “Carrie …”

 *

 You spent the entire weekend trying to figure out how the hell you were going to walk into class and face Shawn again.

 At Carrie’s request, you had gotten drunk on Saturday. She had hoped that it would help you relax and ease your whirring mind – but it had the complete opposite effect. After six jello shots you were laying in your bed, shaking and relying on Carrie’s soothing voice to send you to sleep.

 No one was more surprised than you that Shawn’s rejection had cut so deep, but it had you out for four days, which is more than you had given your last boyfriend.

 Mason tried to make sense of it, but couldn’t figure out how a guy you had only known for a few days had you unable to get out of bed.

 You were pretty positive that it wasn’t just about Shawn, but more about the way he had treated you. You hated how often you thought about the look on his face, so dark and serious. Deadly.

 You had never been involved in a rumor, much less started one. It wasn’t that you were quiet or shy, people knew who you were – but you were never interesting enough to gossip about.

 You slightly wished you had stayed back and explained yourself, told Shawn that you would never make up rumors, especially rumors like that. But then you would remind yourself that it wasn’t necessary. If Shawn had actually cared, he would have given you a chance to speak your truth, but he had obviously written you off immediately.

 This led you to walk into your philosophy lecture on Tuesday, completely pissed. Luke said angry you was a step up from sad you, and to some extent, you agreed. It was easier to be mad at Shawn, than to admit that you were still hurt.

 You got to class early, making sure to sit in your usual seat, knowing that Shawn wouldn’t sit next to you. Your notebook was open in your lap, with your ballpoint pen twirling in your hand, but your eyes were vacant, staring straight ahead as you saw him enter the room.

 In your peripheral vision you could see that he paused for a moment, before sighing and walking to the opposite side of the lecture hall, seating himself in a top left row. One of the rows with the absolute worst visibility. Good.

 As much as you wished you could say that the class went by without a hitch, that was far from the truth. Your professor seemed to be talking twice his usual heightened speed, wanting to make up for the lost class, and you were having an even harder time keeping up.

 Without Shawn’s notes and guidance, you knew that you would be screwed for the exam coming up in two weeks. It didn’t help that every single time you looked at the empty seat next to you, you thought of the curly haired boys lips on yours, which would immediately morph into the look on his face when he glared at you from his front door.

 Halfway into the lesson, your head is pounding and you realize that it’s completely meaningless for you to be seated there, pretending to be paying attention, when you could be in your bed instead.

 Ten minutes later you finally get enough courage to get up and walk down the steps, smiling slightly at your professor, who consequentially completely ignores you, and walk out of the auditorium.

 You swing your bag over your shoulder, releasing a breath as you speed walk down the vacant hall.

 “Y/n!”

 You recognize the voice immediately, and your headache increases tenfold. You don’t turn back, in fact, your steps quicken and you’re silently praying that he doesn’t follow you.

 “Wait! Y/n!” You can hear his footsteps against the wooden flooring and you’re cursing yourself for not putting in earbuds when you had the chance. He calls your name once more and with a roll of your eyes and a huff you spin around, “What, Shawn?”

 He falters for a moment, almost flinching back at the aggression in your tone, but he doesn’t stop walking until he’s three feet in front of you. “I just wanted to see if you were okay. You walked out of there pretty fast.”

 You feel like you’re having an out of body experience. He can’t really be asking you this? You stay silent, if not for the complete lack of a response, for the dramatic effect of finally getting to be as petty as you originally should have been.

 You stare at him with a blank expression for a few seconds to the point where it’s getting awkward, and Shawn has to look away and clear his throat, “Look I know you’re probably mad and –”

 “Probably mad.” You repeat, almost tauntingly. “Okay. I don’t have time for this right now.”

 You’re already turning around, this time not faltering as he calls your name for a third time, practically running out the doors. You hate the tightness in your chest, your fists clenching subconsciously at the look on his face, like he hadn’t completely embarrassed you not even a week ago.

 You almost want to turn around and yell at him for acting civil and asking you if you were okay, like the two of you had fought over an assignment, not over him accusing you of starting a reputation-ruining rumor.

 The weird thing, you realize, is that if the gossip was as bad and widespread as he made it out to seem, why hadn’t you heard anyone talking about it? Why hadn’t anyone approached you directly?

 Your mind is reeling and it takes everything in you to not send him a very strongly worded text, instead, you opt to head to trader joe’s picking up to pick up some ice cream, for the sixth time this week.

 *

 “Take the fucking shot you dumb – ” You’re downing the vodka before Carrie can finish whatever the hell she was going to say, leading her to promptly switch to shouting in your face.

 You’re almost regretting coming to the after party, but you couldn’t go home now. Not after the hockey team practically annihilated your rivals.

 “Holy fuck.” You’re gagging at the bitter taste in your throat, and taking Carrie’s hand as she leads you further into the party, where people are seated, waiting for the game of kings.

 “Y/n! C!” Marie cheers as the two of you take your seats, with Luke to your left and Marie to Carrie’s right.

 “Perfect.” Mason nods, “Can we start now?”

 “Wait!” Brian and Shawn push forward to seat themselves in the circle, Shawn’s eyes meeting yours as you unapologetically glower at him. His gaze shifts to the floor and you’re grinning, thankful that the alcohol is giving you a boost in confidence.

 “Does anyone need a refresher on the game?” Marie shouts, gaining a rumble of different responses, making her huff loudly, “Okay. So the cards are shuffled. We go in a circle and take drinks based on the card we pick. Each card has a predetermined assignment, so we’ll explain those as they come along. If you refuse to drink, you’re out. If you barf, you’re out. Your drink has to be filled at all times. Blah blah blah … let’s go!”

 “Who wants to go first?”

 “I’ll go!” Luke straightens up and the circle quiets down as he reaches for the pile of cards, before turning over a six.

 “Six means ladies drink!” A vaguely familiar boy shouts and suddenly you’re wondering if it’s the infamous Miles.

 Cheers erupt as the girls pick up their drinks to take a sip. You lower your cup with a slight smile as expectant gaze turn to look at you as you crawl forward to the middle, pulling out a two.

 “Two for you,” you recite, “I get to choose which two people will drink, or which person will take a double.”

 Snickers fill the room, two’s were one of the specific target cards, easy for trying to get certain people drunk. You straighten up, your eyes trained forward on a pair of confused brown ones. “I think I’ll go for our newbies. Brian and Shawn.”

 Brian rolls his eyes and downs the shot without a moment’s notice, but you can see the hesitation on Shawn’s face. You resist the urge to laugh, instead choosing to keep your calm, your gaze on him unwavering. “Problem Mendes?”

 You can see him swallow, and for a moment you feel guilty knowing that he doesn’t drink, but it’s his fault for joining the game. He knew what he was getting into.

 “No problem.” He clears his throat and throws the solo cup back, swallowing the contents inside, drinking way more than needed.

 You blink back in shock as the circle erupts in screams, everyone congratulating him for downing that much at once. Shawn grabs the bottle of vodka in the middle of the circle and adds it to his cups, mixing with some of the pink lemonade also provided.

 He catches your gaze across the circle, raising his cup as a sign of cheers, and winks at you.

 The game continues without a hitch, the next seven people going by in a blur of drinks. You had to drink two more times, but you weren’t opposed, hoping that intoxication could be an excuse for your raging cheeks.

 After Brian’s 3 and his lone drink, it is finally Shawn’s turn. You're anxiously biting your lip as he drags the card of out the center, almost in slow motion.

 He brings the card up to the light and based on Brian’s reaction, it’s a shitty one. Your heart is beating out of your chest and his eyes flicker back up to yours, spinning the card to reveal the only eight in the entire game.

 Your heart is in the pit of your stomach and you know what he’s going to say before he even manages to open his mouth. “Eight for a mate. The player gets to choose a mate to drink with them for the entire rest of the game.”

 People are losing their minds, even the bystanders passing by are curious to see who the smirking boy will choose. But he hasn’t taken his eyes off you for a second, and you’re almost tempted to leave the game, but it’s far too late now. “Y/n. I choose y/n.”

 Carrie’s hand squeezing your knee brings you out of your trance and you smile, raising your cup into the air, everyone cheering at your acceptance. But only Shawn recognizes that act for what it truly was, a challenge.

 Another few rounds and your words are considerably more slurred, and you’re finding things way funnier than they actually are. But it’s a consolation that everyone else seems to be as drunk, if not more than you are.

 The game starts getting a little repetitive with the same few cards getting pulled, with having to drink almost every round. People seemed to think it was funny that you and Shawn were linked, purposely choosing the two of you for most of the targeted assignments.

 Finally, Mason pulls out a queen, and the entire room gets silent once more.

 “The queen.” Mason smirks, twirling the card through his fingers. “The questions card. We’re going ask each other questions one by one, until someone is unable to answer. You can’t ask someone that’s already been asked, until we get through everyone.”

 There’s a flutter of agreement, people straightening up as Mason clears his throat, “Carrie. Have you ever had an STD?”

 She snorts, “UTI,” before turning to Marie, “Last person who went down on you?”

  “Uh Sarah I think?” There are hollers, but she ignores them as she points at you and your heart picks up a bit. “When’s the last time you had sex?”

 You bite your lip, unapologetically looking at Shawn again and answering without hesitation, “Seven months ago.”

 There are a few murmurs around the circle before Alisha, the girl who you vaguely remember from the last party with Carrie, snorts. “Seven m - months? What about Shawn?”

 “I never slept with Shawn.” You have to resist glaring at the obviously drunk girl.

 She’s tilting her head in confusion, “Are you sure? I could have sworn …”

 “You could have sworn?” Brian asks, speaking to the circle for the first time since he joined, “I thought you said y/n told you it happened?”

 Alisha shrugs, her eyes barely open, “N – no I said I assumed. Because Carrie s –said stay safe.”

 You can feel your right eye twitch. 

No one makes a move, as even the people who were unaware of the situation begin to process her words.

 “You fucking idiot!” Carrie slams her hand on the wooden floor, making a few people flinch back, and you’re knocked out of your thoughts – pulling her arm back. It was no secret that Carrie was easily agitated when drunk, and she was currently fuming.

 “C.” You’re whispering into her neck, “Let’s go.”

 “No!” She’s shouting, the entire room silent as they anticipate her next movements, but your terrified eyes meet Mason’s across the circle, and he’s on his feet immediately, helping you drag you vicious best friend from the space.

 Carrie’s shouting curse words you’re not even sure exist, only pausing once you’re in the backyard – far from everyone’s earshot.

 “The cuntbag ruined everything.” She’s tiny, but at that moment you’re positive she could take down even the fucking hulk.

 “No.” you’re wrapping your arms around yourself as the frosty air pinches your exposed skin. “Shawn ruined everything.”

 “But – ”

 “If he cared, he would have asked me. Not ghosted and then embarrassed me.”

 Mason places a hand on your shoulder, “I know I’m biased, but guys fucking suck.”

 “Not news.” Carrie’s still angry.

 “But at least people know the truth now?” Mason’s still trying to make you feel better.

 “Yeah. Although it seems that this was everyone’s first time finding out.” You shrug, “I can’t help but think that the only person Alisha told was Brian.”

 “Guys!”

 The three of you spin around at the sound of Luke’s panicked voice. “You’re missing a mess back there. Brian is yelling at Alisha –”

 “Good.”

 He ignores Carrie, “- and Miles is puking. I think I got some on video if you want to see, it’s literally like projectile and –”

 “Luke!” You shudder, raising your hands, “Okay. We get it.”

 “No! I wanna see!” Mason’s pushing past you to take Luke’s phone.

 The second the gagging sounds started you were shaking your head and head back inside, leaving your three giggling friends alone.

 The party is significantly more crowded than when you first came, and you’re pushing through a mass of bodies just to get to the kitchen.

 You’re looking for a familiar face, but it seems like another primarily upperclassmen party and you suddenly have the urge to go home. Not wanting to ruin Carrie’s fun, you opt to instead find Mason’s room and hang out there until she was ready to go.

 You have to squeeze through way too many people on the stairs, until you can finally breathe, heading down the hall of the frat house, and finding Mason’s room.

 You’re pushing the door open before you can think and you’re greeted with two moaning bodies on the bed. Your heart falls into the pit of your stomach and your scrambling out of the room, slamming the door behind you and shutting your eyes as you try to erase the image from your mind.

 “Y/n?”

 Your eyes snap open, not expecting to see Shawn’s concerned eyes so close to you, making you flinch back – slamming your head into the door behind you.

 “Fuck!” You bring your hand up to cradle the back of your head, and Shawn gets even closer to your shaking form.

 “Holy shit, are you okay?” You don’t have the strength to push his hand away from your arm, your ears still ringing from the impact of the hit.

 “Just peachy.” You hiss through gritted teeth.

 “Let’s get you some ice.” Shawn’s leading you down the stairs before you can argue, arm wrapped around your waist as he clears the path for you both.

 He leads you to the counter before rushing over to the freezer, pulling out an already wrapped ice pack, and you’re silently thanking that you’re in the football frat, filled with easily injured boys.

 “Here.” His voice is soothing as he brings the ice to your head, holding it gently against you and you’re stepping away from him as your hand wraps around the cold. “I can handle it.”

 He’s nodding, but either not taking the hint or ignoring it, as his hand wraps around your wrist, tugging you further into a secluded corner of the kitchen.

 You subtly remove your hand from his grasp, pretending to switch the ice pack between hands, quiet as you wait for him to say whatever was weighing his mind.

 “Can we talk?” Shawn’s more nervous that you’ve ever seen him and you’re almost tempted to make this harder for him, but you’re too tired to argue.

 “What do you want to talk about, Shawn?”

 He’s chewing on his bottom lip, “About what Alisha said during kings.”

 “What a surprise, eh?”

 He looks at you with an exasperated look, “I didn’t know.”

 “Exactly.” You’re nodding, your voice coming out angrier than you mean for it to, “You didn’t know. And you didn’t even bother to find out. You just accused me without a second glance.”

 Shawn’s silent, his doe eyes blinking a few times before he tilts his head, stepping closer to you. “I – I know this isn’t an excuse, but I’ve been screwed over so many times, and I vowed to not get involved with anyone this year – but I met you and you were so. Vibrant and funny and gorgeous and I couldn’t resist liking you.”

 You can physically feel your shell breaking as he pouts slightly, “And then Brian came in the next morning, shouting about you bragging that you ‘bagged me’ and I couldn’t.”

 He swallows, rocking on his feet a little, “I couldn’t let myself get hurt again.”

 You’re silent for a few seconds, practically hearing the gears turning in his head as he anxiously awaits your answer. “I would never do that to you. I would never do that to me.”

 “I know that now.” He nods.

 “The worst part, was that you didn’t even let me explain. You yelled and accused and practically kicked me off your porch. It was embarrassing, Shawn.”

 “I know, and if I could take it back, I would. But I was so mad, and you were standing there looking so innocent and so you, and I couldn’t believe you had betrayed me like that. But- but it makes more sense that you didn’t.”

 “Yeah.” You roll your eyes with a small laugh, “It does.”

 He’s waiting for you to make the next move, hesitant on how you’re going to react, and you’re reveling at the power you currently hold over him.

 “Why would – ” You bite your lip,  “Why would us sleeping be the worst rumor the hit the mill?”

 You can practically hear him swallow, “I thought you were doing it for popularity and bragging that –” He’s grimacing and you’re cutting him off. “Well if I did ever get with you, I would be bragging about it, I mean …”

 His laughter erupts so violently that he seemingly scares himself, throwing his head back as his eyes crinkle adorably and your heart clenches at the realization that you missed this. Missed him.

 He calms down after a few moments, “I think I would be the one bragging.”

 “Oh don’t flatter me, Mendes,” you roll your eyes, hitting his bicep playfully.

 “I can’t help it.” He shrugs. “I intend to grovel until you’ve forgiven me.”

 “I like the sound of that.” You hum. “How far are you willing to go?”

 Shawn pretends to think for a moment, “You need money? To beat someone up? A kidney?”

 You’re both laughing and it feels like you’ve never separated, like you’re still sitting on the stadium roof with him.

 You shake your head, smiling as your eyes meet his twinkling ones, “How about we start with philosophy tutoring, and then go from there?”

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[awrestlinggirlwholoves80sbands]

School sucks but you don’t( Slaxl Highschool AU)

A/N: There’s chapter 2 ! The next one will be the last one. Also a big thanks to @duffshairdye​ who edited this for me (ya know, ‘cause English is not my first language)

Part 1

The next day Axl didn’t come to school.

Slash noticed it during math, the only class they shared. He was worried something could have happened to him, but also hurt because he didn’t understand his behavior; Axl seemed to be happy with him but then he suddenly left. What if he was trying to avoid him?

“What’s on your mind, lovebird?” Duff said, and Slash jumped. He had just realized that he’d been staring his locker for 5 minutes.

Saul told him everything that happened the day before. His best friend was listening with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Man, I’m sorry, but I told you that Axl is a heartbreaker!” The blond replied firmly.

“Oh c’mon, you’re my best friend! You should support me!”

“You’re my best friend and I hate seeing you suffer because of him. Next time you two see each other, be cold and distant. If he really wants you, he has to show you! Now, I have to go, but see you later dude.” The taller boy said, sympathetically, as the bell rang.

When Slash entered the classroom, something weird happened: a black-haired boy started walking towards him. Slash recognized him as Izzy Stradlin, Axl Rose’s best friend. Now, Izzy’s never talked to many people, let alone Slash, but still he sat next to him, and in his most serious tone, he said:

“Don’t mess with Axl.”

“Sorry man, what?”

“I know that you’re helping him with his homework. Don’t expect anything in exchange and don’t hurt him.” The pale boy said, without any hesitation.

Slash was utterly confused by Izzy’s words, but before he could reply, Izzy was already gone. Who was he? His father? Why the hell was he basically threatening him?

When the last bell finally rang, Slash bolted out of the classroom and hoped tomorrow wouldn’t be as weird.

---

Axl showed up at Slash’s house on Thursday afternoon, just like he said he was going to. He had a busted lip and a black eye, and he seemed a lot less cocky than usual.

“What happened to you?” Slash asked, worried.

“I fell off my skateboard and hit the concrete. Let’s go study?” The redhead simply replied, and Slash didn’t push him any further. Well, the concrete must have pretty strong fists to cause that!

This time, Axl was way more distracted, but he managed to somehow understand some pretty complex stuff (even if it took double the time). Slash tried to be as indifferent as possible, like Duff told him to, but it was really hard when Axl looked like a puppy in danger.

They were laying on the bed, several books scattered on the floor as they were trying to answer the questions.

“You said that you weren’t very good at this, but you lied!” Axl said, looking the other boy firmly in the eyes.

“Maybe you’re the smart one and youwere lying!” Slash replied with a hint of a smile.

“Damn, Slasher, you’re just as soft as your hair. I can’t believe you didn’t have anyone to go to prom with.”

Slash felt his cheeks heating up a bit, while Axl only smirked. He didn’t want to fall that easy so he decided to just continuing reading.

After two hours of studying, the redhead interrupted him again.

“Dude, sorry for asking you this, but can we be done for today? I feel like my head is going to explode!” Axl said dramatically, and Slash simply nodded.

“I’ll go downstairs and grab us some beers!” Saul said, but Axl stopped him.

“I have a joint, we can spilt it if you want!”

Slash was a bit unsure at first, but then his wild instincts took on and he happily agreed.

Fifteen minutes later and they were both high. Slash had his head on Axl’s shoulder while the other boy was petting his hair. The younger boy started to rub some circles on the older one’s leg, as he felt sleep taking over him. They stayed like that for a while, neither of them were embarrassed by their display of affection.

“Is this annoying?” Axl asked, referring to the hair touching.

“No, I love it, please keep doing it sweetie!” Slash almost wanted to punch himself for the stupid nickname, but he was too tired and his eyelids started to slowly close.

“Dream On” By Aerosmith was playing in the background, and Axl was softly singing along, almost like a lullaby. The redhead’s wonderful voice and the weed’s effects made Slash completely fall asleep in a couple of minutes.

“You’re too good, Slash. I can’t ruin you!” Axl said as he got up, trying not to wake Slash. He took what was left of the joint, then he shut the front door.

The next day at school, Slash was confused even more than before. He didn’t understand why he woke up to an empty bed: it was too early for Axl to go back home, but he still decided to leave. He seemed so sweet and careful while petting his hair, but then he disappeared.

This shit was getting old and Slash was tired of it!

Since he wasn’t ready to deal with teachers, or people in general, he decided to hide into the infamous broken bathroom until he could calm himself down.

Just as he was about to open the door, he suddenly stopped in his tracks: it was already half open and he could see Axl Rose kissing a girl who looked like Lita Ford, a blonde badass who shared biology class with him.

Slash had no idea how to feel, his head too confused and his heart too hurt to understand anything. He knew that Axl and him were not together, that it was stupid to act like this because they weren’t boyfriends, but it still hurt; it hurt to know that Axl never meant his beautiful smiles or his all flirting. Maybe Duff was right. Maybe it was just a game for the redhead, maybe he just used Slash for his help and he regretted proposing to go to prom with him.

The last thing the curly-haired boy wanted to do was to listen to a teacher, so he decided to ditch school all together. However, as he was grabbing the door’s handle, he felt somebody pulling him.

“Hey man, can I ask you something?”Axl said, a bit hesitant.

Of course it would be Axl! Slash just wanted to scream at him, say a big “fuck you” and walk out of the door; but there was something weird about the other boy: he looked absolutely terrified. Now everyone who knew Axl Rose would also know that he’s the one scaring people, not the other way around.

“Sure. What’s up, man?” Slash said, trying to sound as neutral as possible.

“C-can I crash at your place later?”

Saul was a bit taken aback by the redhead’s question, but how he was behaving told him that he couldn’t refuse. But he promised to himself to treat him as cold and as neutral as possible, maybe even confront him about it. Yes, Slash, totally. Do you wanna look like a crazy boyfriend?

“Yeah, sure. Now, I have to go, but you know how to get to my house. It’ll just be me and you, so don’t worry about ringing the bell.”

“Oh, well, then we could make plenty of noise!” The redhead replied, and Saul almost choked on thin air.

This time Slash was more than just nervous; he was pretty irritated. Part of him felt like Axl was taking advantage of his help, but at the same time he didn’t ask to come to study this time, just to crash at his place. It was like Axl trusted him, for some unknown reason.

When he opened the door, he tried to be as neutral as possible. Axl seemed to not notice it, too tired to actually do anything.

“Man, I hate asking you this, but c-can I take a nap?” He said, with an embarrassed voice and Slash was even more confused than he already was.

The curly-haired boy really wanted to be mean, to tell Axl to do whatever he wanted, to just give him an annoyed look, but there was something about Axl that was stopping him: Axl looked so vulnerable.

“Yes, sure dude, take my bed. I’ll just stay here in case you need me.”

The redhead gave him a soft smile and then went upstairs.

In the meantime, Slash started playing guitar, without plugging it of course, in an attempt to distract himself. He was also debating whether or not he should talk to Axl about what he had seen earlier this morning. He knew too well that keeping it a secret would kill him, so he decided to just be honest. He would have helped him anyway, even if their prom deal was cut. He would be really sad about it, but he would never obligate him to do it; he just hated people playing with his feelings.

About twenty minutes later, Axl came downstairs, his hair all messy and his eyes still sleepy.

“Hey, there’s something I need to tell you.” He said as soon as Slash acknowledged him.

“Me too man, wanna grab a beer and go to the backyard? It’s a nice day and I feel like I’ve been trapped inside too much!” Slash proposed, and the redhead nodded.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

“I think a found a date for you. For prom, I mean,” Axl stated, and Slash felt like his heart broke a bit. He looked down, unsure of what to say and how to hide his disappointment.

“W-who?” He settled for, his voice trembling a bit.

“Joan Jett. She’s Lita’s best friend. A cool chick, a totally badass.” He replied confidently.

Slash looked him directly in the eyes, and he felt a weird feeling in his chest.

“Prom is in four days, man. If you didn’t want to go with me, you could’ve just said it. If you wanted to play with my heart for all this time, please don’t.” Slash said, and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

He went back in his house, closed the door, and then he let himself slide down against the wall as he started to silently cry.

Maybe Axl Rose really did break his heart after all.

Taglist: @duffshairdye​ @slashscowboyboots​ @cosmicrealmofkissteria​ @ozzy-dumbass-of-darkness​ @smokeandmirrorz​ @thespacecowboyyy​

[heartbeatan]

No Expectations (Chapter 5)

Return to Chapter 4.

Return to Table of Contents.

Return to Taehyung Fanfictions.

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Chapter 5

The week leading up to the wedding didn’t go much better than the week following the bachelorette. In fact, things became a little more uncomfortable – and not just because you masturbated to the thought of Taehyung three times over the weekend. Taehyung didn’t show up Sunday afternoon the way you had previously talked about. He called you from the road and said he was tired and wanted to sleep in his own bed that night. It was possibly true, but your mind spun wondering if maybe your weirdness last weekend made him feel unwelcome – or if maybe something had happened at the bachelor party and he too was having a miniature meltdown.

He showed up on Wednesday to help you rake the leaves before Thursday’s pickup. He was going to stay for dinner as he usually did, but the tension between you hadn’t subsided. You two couldn’t communicate as authentically as you normally did. You kicked yourself for being so awkward. Part of you was still trying not to send any mixed messages until you could sort out your feelings for Taehyung, but the other part of you was trying not to jump his bones – which made the former task even more difficult.

In the end, he went home early and Woori cried the moment he stepped out the door. You didn’t speak to him again until Saturday – the day of the wedding. It gave you time to think – perhaps too much time. But you did manage to come to a conclusion… sort of.

“Wow, you look amazing,” Taehyung said when you entered the kitchen all dolled up for the wedding. A smile pulled across your face and you blushed a little. You were in a red, cross-necked, crossed-back dress that hugged your body at every curve and cut off at the knees. It was sexy, but that’s what you were going for – this was the first time you’d be seeing Jae after all. You certainly didn’t want him back, but you could at least let him know you were doing fantastic without him. You even had your hair done at the salon that morning, and symbolically you wore a pair of consignment tear-drop crystal earrings you had bought yourself with the money you got from hocking your wedding band and engagement ring.

“You look quite dapper yourself,” you feigned a pompous accent. He did though. He had a on pleated dress pants with a matching grey wool suit jacket on over a white dress shirt which he left casually unbuttoned. It was a perfect look for a fall wedding, in fact he looked like the cover model for it. Without intention, he matched Woori’s outfit near perfectly, who had on grey plaid pants – also wool – a white shirt and a red bowtie that matched the colour of your dress. If you were being honest with yourself, the three of you looked like a real family who had coordinated their outfits. You weren’t a real family, though… at least not today.

But, today was about Amy and Jin, not you and Taehyung and Woori. Whatever was going to happen between you and Taehyung, you were resolved in postponing until the wedding was over.

The wedding went off without a hitch. It was both unconventional and beautiful… just like Amy and Jin. Much different from the traditional route you took when you and Jae got married. They had written their own vows and you cried as they recited them out loud to each other. You were pretty sure you saw Taehyung try to sniff away a tear of his own. When he noticed you caught him, you smiled teasingly at him and he winked back at you. Your heart skipped a beat. There was something about weddings that made everything, and everyone feel the romance.

You had managed to make it through both the ceremony and cocktail hour without seeing Jae. You caught a glimpse of him across the room at dinner (you suspected the seating chart was arranged to keep you two separated) but, overall you were having such a wonderful time you almost forgot he was even there. But, unfortunately, he was there and the barrier of sobriety between you didn’t last.

You had been sitting at your table, Woori on your lap, Taehyung at your side, and Suna, Hyorim and Suzy along with their husbands. You had been having a lot of fun and laughs when you heard his voice.

“Ayee,” he called out in an obnoxiously loud tone. He was clearly inebriated. “There’s my boy!”

You shot him a look over your shoulder. This was the kind of thing you had been afraid of. You let it slide this time, partly not wanting to cause a scene and partly because you wanted to assess this situation before you became confrontational. He fumbled his way towards you and Woori. Instinctively, you shifted Woori to your other hip and away from him.

“He’s gotten so big. Look at that! My boy!” he slurred his words.

“He’s not your boy,” the words slipped out of your mouth.

“What’s that?” Jae’s tone increased in intensity.

“I said he’s not your boy,” you spoke firmly.

“Sure, he is! Look at him. He knows who his papa is!” Jae stuck his hand out towards Woori as if he was approaching a dog. Woori let out a little whine of discomfort. Jae was a stranger to him, and he probably sensed your unease.

“Awweee, c’mon, son!” Jae stumbled and almost fell into you. The table let out a synced “oh!” at the scene. Woori let out another whine and turned his head and reached for Taehyung. Taehyung pulled him onto his lap and Woori turned back to stare in apprehension at the drunk stranger.

“What’s this about?” Jae said, anger slowly building behind his words. “I heard you were fucking my wife, but I didn’t know you were playing dad to my kid.” You felt your face flush at his crude implication and in a heated moment you fired back.

“He’s NOT your kid!”

“Oh yeah? Well, I remember how you screamed my name when we were making him, baby.” You felt bile rise in your throat at the thought. “I sure as fuck have paid enough for him.” Your face heated with his every word.

“I think you should go, Jae,” Hyorim spoke up. Her bluntness may sometimes cause you an existential crisis or two but bless her she knew how to use it for good as well.

“What’s that?” he shot daggers in her direction. How the hell did you ever love this neanderthal?

“We think you should leave, man. Go enjoy the party,” Taehyung spoke up. Jae looked back at him. His already rouged face had darkened to a shade of crimson.

“Don’t you fucking speak, MAN,” he shouted. The neighbouring tables all turned to look. “I didn’t go slithering my way into any of your girlfriends’ beds when you were done with them. And you…” he turned to look at you. “…since when did you become such a whore?”

You could feel Taehyung tense beside you. He was trapped between wanting to confront Jae and having an infant in his arms. You stood up and your chair scraped loudly across the floor. You knew more eyes had fallen upon the scene.

“Don’t speak to me like that,” you said.

“I’ll speak to you whatever way I want,” he seethed. “Especially when you’re a psycho, whore raising my kid and fucking my best friend.”

You knew you didn’t need to justify yourself to him, but with an audience listening in on your exchange for a moment you were afraid they would get the wrong impression, so you shot back. “We’re not sleeping together, we’re just friends!” You regretted saying anything the moment the words crossed your lips.

“Is that all?” Jae replied condescendingly. “Won’t be for long. You are a whore. A whore for the white-picket fence. That’s why we never worked out, baby.” You froze. You didn’t know what he meant. “Jae, cut the lawn. Jae, paint the shutters. Jae, I want a baby. You never wanted a marriage. You wanted someone to be your lap dog so you could tell the world you had a perfect little life.” He turned to Taehyung. “And that’s all you will ever be to her. A lap dog.”

Your mouth fell open, wanting to respond but you were in such disbelief that you couldn’t say a thing. The table too fell silent, as did the peanut gallery. You were stuck – was what he said true? Why couldn’t you find the words to defend yourself?

“It’s time you called a cab, Jae,” came a voice nearby. It was Jin. He must’ve seen things heating up and come over to break it up. Your mortification couldn’t have gotten any worse.

“No, Jin. I’ll leave. I’m so sorry,” you said as you choked back tears.

“No,” said Jin firmly. “This is our wedding and we want you here. Not him. Not anymore.”

“You serious?” said Jae. His tone had lost some of its gusto. Jin was the kind of person Jae listened to and thank God he did.

“I am,” replied Jin. “Let’s go, I’ll get you one now.” The table fell silent again and everyone stared at Jae waiting with anticipation for his response.

“No,” he finally spoke. “I can get one myself. I don’t want to be here anyway.” With that he turned and stumbled off towards the exit. You heard the front door slam shut as he left. It made you jump, and from the sound of some of the other guests, apparently it startled them too. You were completely embarrassed. Jae was no longer your responsibility, but you couldn’t help but feel humiliated.

“Are you okay?” asked Jin.

“I’m so, so sorry, Jin.”

“Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have invited him anyway.”

His words were so kind. How did you get so lucky that after being the outsider in this group, they somehow had your back?

“I think I’ll just go too,” you said.

“No,” replied Jin. “It’s our wedding and we say that you’ll stay. At least for a while longer.” He placed his hand on your shoulder and gave you a warm smile. You nodded your head. “Good!”

You took your seat back next to Taehyung. Jin talked for a while with the table and after he left to converse with other guests, your friends began chattering about the whole mess; reassuring you that you handled yourself well and that Jae was an asshole. They then continued to gossip about all the ways he had been spiralling the last few years and you discovered that really, most of them had lost interest in being his friend long ago. How could you have not seen it? How could you have been so blind to not know what a dogshit person you had married? As they did, Taehyung reached down and squeezed your hand. You gave him a faint smile.

You stayed for another hour or two but eventually it came time to leave. You argued with Taehyung about him staying to enjoy his best friends wedding, but he insisted he was ready to go home too.

The drive home in Taehyung’s truck was incredibly quiet. Jae’s words swirled in your mind and you found yourself recounting your entire relationship and everything you thought you knew about it. It also made you question everything about you and Taehyung.

Taehyung’s aura seemed also to be a bit strained. Something was going on in his head too, but you didn’t know exactly what.

You looked back at Woori and, as expected, he was in a deep sleep in his car seat.

“I’m sorry,” you spoke first, breaking the silence.

“Don’t be sorry,” he said quietly. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“I mean, I’m sorry about what I said about us.”

He went quiet. You think you found the source of his mood.

“What did you say about us?” He sounded as if he was making a statement rather than asking a question.

“That we were just friends.”

He said nothing.

“We’re more than just friends,” you continued. “I know that. We have been for a long time.”

“But we aren’t lovers.”

His statement shocked you and another silence fell over the vehicle.

“No,” you replied. “No, we’re not.”

You weren’t sure how to continue after that. You had hoped to have this conversation with him in better circumstances – not when you were tired from a long day and irritated by an idiot like Jae. You decided to switch topics and try to brighten the mood a little.

“It’s still kind of early, what do you want to do when we get home?” you asked.

“It’s not my home,” he said curtly. You froze at his words unsure of what to do. You had never seen this side of Taehyung before. He had always been so patient with you and you had never seen him in a mood. It made your heart ache. Yet another silence fell over the two of you.

A few moments later Taehyung let out an audible sigh.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” The attitude he had was replaced by guilt.

“No, Tae, you have a right to be upset with me…”

“I’m not…” he interrupted you and let out another sigh. “I’m not upset at you. Please don’t think that. I just…” He paused. “Jae just got under my skin and I didn’t mean it. Please, just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

“Ok.” But you couldn’t. You stared out the window as you contemplated the meaning of his words, your relationship, your future and your feelings.

“Stop,” he said breaking you out of your thoughts. You had driven at least another two miles or so in silence.

“Stop what?”

“I can hear you thinking, just stop. I didn’t mean it. Please just forget I said anything.” He sounded almost desperate. He was afraid of whatever was going on in your head.

“Ok.”

“How about we watch that movie we didn’t get to on Wednesday?” he too was now trying to lighten the mood. You contrived a smile, willing to pretend for now as if this was over. But the time had come; it was time for the big talk you both had been putting off.

When you got home you put Woori to bed and then you retired to the bathroom for a few minutes to rid yourself of the hairpins and makeup; and maneuver yourself out of your dress and into sweatpants. You took a deep breath before you left to join Taehyung in the living room.

He was already on the couch in his grey sweatpants, feet stretch over the ottoman as he flicked through the movie options.

“Do you want me to make some popcorn or are you too full?” he asked as you entered the room.

“No actually, Tae, I think you and I should have a talk,” you replied as you sat down next to him. He closed his eyes and exhaled.

“Y/N, I said I didn’t mean it, please just forget about it.” He knew where the conversation was going before it had even started.

“I know, Tae, but we have to talk at some point. We can’t keep going on like this.”

“Why not?” he asked sternly. He turned and looked you dead in the eye as he did. “Why can’t we? I’m happy. Aren’t you?”

“Because it’s not fair to you, and it’s not fair to me.” That answer made him look away from you. You could feel his anxiousness and it made your stomach tighten, but you knew what you had to do. “Please, we need to.”

After a long pause he agreed with a simple “Fine.” He waited with bated breath as you twiddled your fingers and considered your next words carefully.

“Are you still in love with me, Taehyung?” you finally asked.

“Yes,” he replied instantly. You swallowed hard before continuing.

“I… I think I’m in love with you too.” You were almost solemn in your declaration, and of course Taehyung picked it up.

“You think you are?” he asked. You nodded. “But you don’t know if you are.” You nodded again. “Then you aren’t, Y/N.”

“That’s not true!” you protested.

“I think it is.”

“Shut up and let me speak!” He went silent again and waited.

“The thing is, Tae,” you began with a deep sigh, “you came into my life when I was at a real low point. The lowest I’ve ever been, actually. And you brought me back to life. I will be forever grateful to you for that you have no idea. I’ve never truly thanked you for that.”

You took another sigh, and he waited, unable to look at you as he anticipated your “but” coming.

“I’ve come to love you – I know that. But I just can’t be sure right now if it’s a romantic love. I want it to be, but I’m afraid.”

“What are you afraid of?” he asked.

“I’m afraid of going back to that dark place if you’re not around. I’ve come to rely on you so much, Tae, that I’m afraid that I think I’m in love with you because I’m afraid of going back there. I need to figure out what kind of love I have for you.”

He closed his eyes and you could see his jaw clench. He was afraid too of what was coming. “Don’t let Jae get to you, Y/N. He’s just a drunk idiot.”

“This isn’t about him. This is about you and me.”

Another pause ensued.

“What is it you need to figure it out then?” he finally had the courage to ask.

Your chest tightened as you prepared your answer.

“I don’t think we should see each other for a while.”

He nodded slowly.

“I need to know that I can do this on my own. Just for a little bit,” you continued.

“You don’t need to do everything by yourself.”

“I do. Not just for my sense of self-worth, but so that I know whether or not I want you around because I want you or just because I like having the help and the company.”

“That’s enough for me, Y/N,” Taehyung replied. “If that’s all you have for me, then I’ll be happy.”

“I don’t believe that. I also know that it won’t be enough for me. I want to be with someone who I love completely. And you have so much to offer, Tae, you deserve to be with someone who can love you like that. I just need time to figure out if that person is me.”

He rubbed his forehead and you watched him as he absorbed your words.

“How much time do you think you need?” he asked.

“I don’t know… a while.”

“How does 10 weeks sound?”

“That’s a really specific number. Is something happening?”

“I was offered a temporary promotion at work. I’d be overseeing a construction project in Jindo. I’d have to move there for 10 weeks starting Thursday.”

“Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“Because I wasn’t sure if I was going to take it. I have to give an answer by Monday.”

You feared the answer to your next question, but you asked it anyway.

“Why wouldn’t you take it?”

“Because I wanted to be with you. I was going to talk to you tonight and ask if you and Woori would come with me.”

You were shocked.

“But,” he continued. “Since you need to get away from me, perhaps I’ll take it and we can see what happens when I get back.”

“This is what I was afraid of,” your voice rose in frustration. “How could you even consider not going? I don’t want you putting your life on hold for me!”

“I didn’t do it for you, Y/N. I did it for me.” His voice too rose. “I didn’t want to take it because I’m happy here. And I don’t know how long this was going to last, but I knew that I wanted to be with you for as long as possible. This has been the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. But if you need a break to figure whatever out, then I’ll leave. You do what you need to do. Hell, date if you need to – I never wanted to be the kind of person who held you back.”

You felt something inside of you snap. You were angry.

“How can you say that to me?” you spat. “How can you one minute profess you love me, and you want me to move to an island with you, and the next minute be telling me to go date other men? What is this?”

“I promised you when all this started that I had no expectations…”

“Fuck your no expectations,” you interrupted. “If you want me, show me. Tell me. I don’t feel that passion from you, Taehyung, ever. When Jae and I were together he couldn’t keep his hands off…” you stopped yourself. Taehyung’s eyes snapped up to meet yours and you could see the vein in his neck throb. He was angry.

“I’m so sorry,” you quickly tried to correct your word vomit. “I didn’t mean…”

“I’m not him, Y/N,” he interrupted you this time.

“I know that.”

“Do you?”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said it. I didn’t mean too.”

“Yeah, but you did.”

You closed your mouth. You didn’t know what to say to him. This was the first fight you two had ever had. He wasn’t your boyfriend, and you suddenly became terrified that meant he had no reason to stay if you weren’t careful.

“I have passion,” Taehyung spoke up. He was more composed, but his words were still heavy. “I feel passionately about you. I don’t show it because I didn’t want to force you to love me.”

He turned his body to face you and his face leaned in dangerously close to yours. You suddenly felt flush, but this time not the flush of anger. He continued.

“I haven’t shown you passion because I was being patient. Because I love you and I want you to be happy… but, Y/N, do not mistaken my patience for a lack of passion.” His last line cut through you like a knife and you felt a jolt between your thighs. You were seeing yet another face of Taehyung tonight. A face that was assertive, and ardent. The kind of intensity you wanted to feel from someone who wanted you.

“You think I don’t have passion just because I don’t chase you around begging to fuck you the way Jae did?”

Your eyes widened at Taehyung’s colourful language. You don’t think you could remember ever hearing him swear before.

“You think I haven’t thought a dozen times already tonight how easy it would be to slip those flimsy pants off of you and pound you into this couch.”

You metaphorically clutched your pearls. Who was this guy who was making you wet?

“If you think sex is a display of passion – then, Y/N, trust me – I have more than enough passion for you; and if you let me, if you were mine, I’d show you that passion every night before you went to sleep and every morning when you wake up. I’d show you right now if you would just say the word.”

His lips were mere inches away from yours. His breath had become shaky, as did yours. His lips parted and yours mimicked them. In that moment, your mind went blank from everything that had happened today… except for the image of being fucked by Taehyung into the couch. You knew you wanted those lips to crash against yours. But they didn’t. After a few moments, Taehyung pulled back.

“But I want you to want me like that too. So, if time is what you need, then I’m willing to be patient. Is that what you need?”

You blinked, unsure where you were caught in the hot and cold exchange. Taehyung had almost seduced you in that moment. But you deduced from his words that he wouldn’t until you proved you wanted him too – and you still weren’t sure.

“Y…yes…” you coughed out, trying to find your voice again. “That’s what I want.”

“Okay, then,” he whispered. “I’ll see you when I get back then.” He stood up from the couch.

“You’re going now? It’s late you should stay,” you called after him.

“I’ll be fine. I’m wide awake anyway.”

He took off to the spare room to pack up his bag. When he returned, he found you standing cross-armed and tearful at the front door. His features softened, and you were sure you saw a tear threaten to form. You walked to him, wrapped your arms around his waist and snuggled into his chest, the way you always wanted too. He dropped his bag and pulled you into him with his strong arms.

“I’m so sorry Tae,” you whispered. “I’m gonna figure this out. I promise.”

You felt him nod against your neck. “Say bye to Woori for me, please. And take care of yourselves.”

“I will,” you sobbed.

“Call me anytime you need me. You still know you can do that, right?”

You nodded into his shoulder.

With the closing of the door and the crackle of gravel under rubber, Taehyung was gone.

[howrry]

forbidden fruit

a/n: i made something new! self indulgent high school enemies with benefits ok! i was high writing a lot of this so.. hope it doesn't show. tiny bit of 5sos sue me. this will probably have a pt 2 eventually

warnings: smut, and harry’s a jerk

w/c: 4.3k

You pushed the front door to your school open and the A/C of the building blew your hair back a little. You adjusted your bag on your shoulder and let the door slam behind you. The halls were loud with student chatting and lockers slamming and feet scuffling before first period began.

"I love your skirt, Y/N," one of the school aristocrats complimented, beaming a bright white smile.

"Thanks babe! From the boutique off 2nd street," you said with a wink.

"Hey Y/N!" some girls with wet hair called from the lockers. The volleyball team practiced before school and had to shower before going to class, and most girls couldn't be bothered to dry their hair.

"Hey guys! See you in history," you waved, tucking your textbook closer to your body.

You finally reached your locker and popped the door open. You switched out your books for your first class and checked your face in the mirror you'd taped to your locker door.

"You look great, no need to even look," a voice said from behind the door. You shut the door to reveal Luke, the school's star baseball player and one of your academic rivals.

He stood a bit taller than you, with his hands shoved into his bomber jacket pockets. The corners of your mouths curled up bashfully. "Aren't you sweet? What's going on, L?"

His head lulled over and rested on the locker. "Just wanted to say hi. And thanks for the help in trig-- you could've left me in the dust with that one to be valedictorian, and for that I'm very grateful."

You giggled. "It's no big, Luke. Let me know if you need help on other stuff, like your times tables," you teased, readjusting your bag again.

It was Luke's turn to laugh, but his was more hearty. "Ah, your banter is the highlight of my day." The bell rang, indicating it was time to go to class. "Saved by the bell. I was out of stuff to talk about. I'll catch you later?" It was a statement, but him walking away gave it a bit of in inflection. You were still smiling by the time you got to your first class.

Life was so good. You never understood where the stereotype about hating your high school years came from, because you were having quite a good time. You never found the curriculum too difficult and thus were near the top of your class, you were overall liked by your teachers, and you got along with everyone at your school.

"Good morning, babe," you heard a new voice call, making your insides shrivel and your face pinch.

Well, almost everyone.

"What do you want, Harry?" you groaned, intentionally pushing past him to get to your desk.

He feigned being hurt, clutching a ringed hand to his broad chest. "And I thought Bradley Cooper over there would have put you in a good mood this morning. Why so sour?"

"Being within even a hundred feet of you can kill flowers, no wonder it kills my mood."

Simply put, you couldn't stand Harry. He was arrogant, selfish, condescending, and for the past couple of years the two of you had been at each other's throats. Neither of you were quiet sure who started this feud (though, knowing Harry's behavior, it was probably his fault) but neither of you could even look at each other without making a biting remark or glaring at the other.

"Styles, get your feet off the desk," your teacher reprimanded. You looked at the desk next to you and saw Harry had kicked his boots up onto his table and laced his fingers behind his head.

He sighed heavily and slid his legs over lazily until they drop off the edge of the desk, choosing instead to lean his chin on the heel of his hand, one lone dark curl dropping into the center of his forehead.

As much as you couldn't stand his personality, you hated how attractive he was. He had such an aura of power that on some rare occasions rendered you speechless. Not only was he was gorgeous, but sometimes the two of you would make eye contact during an argument in class that would make your knees go a little weak. You were pretty good at keeping your composure, but it still bothered you from time to time. He was like forbidden fruit; so beautiful, yet so hate-able.

Today he was in a black jacket and dark jeans with a white t-shirt. Across his chest laid a simple cross necklace and his fingers were adorned with rings. His hair always looked like he just pushed it back with his hands and left it as is, but there's always one curl on his forehead giving him a Clark Kent kind of look. His head was cocked to the side, showing off his jaw. Son of a bitch probably didn't even realize how hot he was being-- that's just Harry in his natural state.

Then you were suddenly reminded that you were totally staring down Harry, and your eyes tore from him to the board in the front of the class. You made a note to yourself to get your thoughts and your life in general together.

Fortunately, you only had one class with Harry. For the rest of your day you could go about being yourself, without having to deal with his attitude and desire to annoy you in addition to your weird thoughts about how hot he is.

The next day, your car wouldn't start in the morning because of the cold front that swept over your area. Your parents had already left for work, and you were left with the only option of walking to school. You didn't live too far away, but the freezing weather made the walk miserable.

Perhaps Harry had sensed your already bad mood and decided not to make it worse, but he was actually quite tolerable during the school day. The rest of your school day went without incident, and you thanked the universe for being so kind to you after your rough morning.The walk home was slightly better, as the temp had warmed up a little bit, but the small remedy quickly ended when Harry rode up next to you walking down the sidewalk on a blue bicycle.

"Hey, Y/N," he chirped, immediately irking you. He pedaled slowly to match your walking pace.

"Should I call Harvard and let them know there's a strange kind of ape who learned to use a human tool?" you bit, shoving your hands in your jacket pockets.

"Mm. Seems like you've put on a little weight in these winter months," Harry noted.

You whipped your head and glared viciously at him. He was smirking a little but kept his eyes on the sidewalk. "So how am I supposed to respond to that other than punching you in the face?" you growled. Frankly, it wasn't even true-- your heavy coat just added a lot of volume to you. And even if it was true, how dare he?

He pretended to think. "You could start by taking off some of those clothes and proving me wrong."

"Ugh!" You grabbed a stick next to the sidewalk and jammed it into the spokes of Harry's slow moving bicycle, effectively snapping the branch and making him tumble off the bike.

He lied on the ground in a daze, blinking a couple of times before jumping up and catching up to you. "Alright. I deserved tha' one."

"Glad we agree about something," you muttered, then turn back to look at the abandoned bike. "What about your bike?"

He shrugged. "Wasn' mine anyways."

At this point you should expect this of him, or at least not be surprised when you hear about it, but you can't help but sigh. "Ah, right. Always forget you're a criminal."

He threw an arm around you, pulling you into his chest. It was awkward to walk like that, but you were just sure-footed enough to make it work. "'M a fun person to be around, though, aren' I?"

"On the contrary," you groaned, jerking your way out of his grip on you. "Actually, for someone who claims to hate me, you sure do bother me a lot. What's up with that?" you hissed.

He stopped in front of you and towered above you, staring down. This... was one of those times where your stomach flipped when his green eyes locked onto yours. "Well, am I annoying you?"

Your eyes rolled back almost involuntarily. "Yes!"

"That's why."

All you could do was glare. "Go find someone else to annoy, I have to go study for a midterm tomorrow. Ya know, that thing you've never heard of because you don't care about school or anything, for that matter." At this point you were just unleashing random things you didn't like about him, but it still felt good to vent.

"I care about some things," he said bluntly, raising and dropping his shoulders.

You scoffed a bit, but then sighed in defeat. "Glad you took something important from that. Now please, fuck off for the rest of the week." Before Harry could counter that, you'd already slipped past him and went back home.

That Thursday, after school had ended and you were getting things out of your locker as the halls quickly emptied of the eager-to-leave students. You'd nailed the exam you'd taken that day and were ready to go home and enjoy the rest of your day. A friendly voice said your name, and you glanced up to see Luke.

You smiled at his presence. "Hey L!"

"So, Y/N," Luke began. "Some of my friends and I were wondering if you like to party." He flattened his hands against each other and pointed them at you.

A little laugh escaped from your lips. "Uh, yeah, I do. Why, are you offering one?" One of your eyebrows shot up in curiosity.

The corners of his mouth lifted a bit and he leaned his shoulder against the locker next to yours. "Actually, yeah. We throw this cool rager every year after midterms. Josh's parents always go skiing in the Poconos and leave us the house, and his older brother buys us so much alcohol. It's a good way to kick off winter break, and you should totally co--" Luke was cut off by none other than fucking Harry marching up.

"Luke. Coach Bass needs you," he spat, eyeing the athlete up and down.

"What for?" Luke asked, irritated.

"Fuck do I look like? Your secretary? He didn't tell me, just saw me and asked to find you. Which, mind you, was generous enough on my part." Harry punctuated his sentence with his big arms crossing over his chest.

"Can it wait like 5 minutes? I'm trying to have a conversation here," Luke gritted, gesturing at you.

Harry's eyes drifted over, as if he hadn't even realized you were standing there until then. Without looking back to Luke, he muttered, "Nope. Think yeh should leave now."

The blonde boy groaned and stood up off the wall. "Fine. See you around, Y/N, I'll text you about the party!" he called, waving goodbye and headed off to the coach's office.

"The hell are you doing talking to 'im?" Harry questioned the second Luke was out of ear range. He replaced his spot leaning on the lockers.

"Not really any of your business, is it?" you snapped back. You couldn't even look at him, so you grabbed all your books out of your locker.

Harry caught on quickly. "Oh... I see. Yeh don't wanna be messin' with him, love," he advised with a small smirk on his lips.

"What are you talking about?" you asked, exasperated.

"Heard he's been seeing Sierra lately." Harry rolled from leaning against his shoulder to leaning on his back, staring across the hallway.

You stopped your movements. "What does that have to do with me? That's her business."

His head lulled back to look at you. "Jeez, Y/N. Didn't think you'd be fine dating a two-timer."

"Who said anything about dating?" It was your turn to smirk, giving Harry a little glint in your eyes before slamming your locker shut and walking away from him.

Harry's eyes widened as he chased after you. "Yeh little minx. Perfect little Y/N doesn't mind being the other woman. Or any woman at all. Who woulda thought?"

You rolled your eyes. "See. You don't know shit about me. And you definitely don't know shit about Luke. What were you even doing near Coach Bass's office in the first place for him to have asked you?"

He snickered. "Oh, I lied. I think Bass already went home."

Your jaw dropped a little as the two of you reached the door at the end of the hallway. "You little scoundrel. Why did you do that?"

He shrugged, following you outside. "I lie to get things I want. I wanted him gone. This isn't uncommon for my behavior, Y/N," he explained without emotion. "Anyways, 've got to meet up with someone soon. Great talking to you," he concluded sarcastically, before simply turning and walking away.

"Hey Harry!" you called after him, making him stop and do a 180. "Is Luke even really seeing Sierra?"

He smiled. "Nope." Harry turned again leaving you with a swirl of emotions.

The party had been on Friday, the night after Luke invited you. Your parents were glad you were finally getting to relax after your obsessive studying for the past week or so. You excitedly got ready to go while listening to Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored, and made plans for a DD to drop you off and pick you up at the end of the night.

You were just tugging on your short boots and fluffing your hair when you got the text that it was time to go. One jacket, a quick wave to your parents drinking wine on the couch, and you were off.

By the time you finally arrived to the party it was late in the evening and the house was bumping. The lights inside had been replaced like blacklights, turning everyone's white clothes into ultra bright purple and some girls' bad bleach jobs appeared green.

You showed up just in time; and by just in time, you mean when Mo Bamba started playing and all the people dancing and screaming the lyrics provided a good cover for you to sneak around the house to find someone you knew. You fought your way through the hot living room, back to the kitchen where freshman sorority girls from the local university were trying to steal alcohol from kids, to the backyard.

You opened the door to the back porch to find a group of seniors passing around a bent joint. Your nose instinctively wrinkled at the smell and you bounce back inside, slamming the door behind you.

"Y/N!" you heard Luke call. You whirled around to see him holding a cup in one hand and a Juul in the other, arms extended to hug you. He engulfed you and you breathed in the cologne clinging to his jersey. You couldn't lie... he smelled good. "Glad you made it. Can I make you something to drink?"

"Vodka soda, please," you requested, and Luke poured out a drink for you. Meanwhile, you scanned the room to see who else had come to the party.

Hmm. There was Andrea from trig, the host, Josh, Hannah from chemistry, Lucy, Sam, Harry, Claudia from English. You cocked your head a little, surprised that Claudia partied, and Luke handed you your drink.

Wait. Your head whipped back to see Harry talking to one of his friends, and his attention drifted towards you with a devious smile. When he realized who you were with his smile was replaced with a grimace.

You immediately start drinking from your cup, trying to forget who you just saw. Nearly half the drink was gone before Luke stopped you. "Slow down, there, cowgirl," he laughed, taking the red cup from you. "You drinking away your problems or what?" he teased.

You rolled your eyes flirtatiously, and intentionally avoided his question. "Give me my drink back! Or we will have a problem."

"Feisty," Luke noted, handing you your cup back. "Redirect that energy to dancing," he suggested, gesturing over to where everyone was bouncing to the music. He grabbed your free hand and pulled you into the middle of the crowd where the two of you started dancing... pretty close. The music was well selected so that there were no awkward pauses in between songs, and you and Luke danced until your drinks were empty and you were too sweaty to keep dancing.

He led you to a corner of the living room, where not as many people were. "Damn, it's dead," he declared after pulling his Juul out of his pocket and tapping it twice. "My charger's upstairs, I'm gonna go plug this in."

"I'll go with you," you offered, trying to get out of the party area and away from Harry. God knows how he'd try to bug you if you were alone.

Something in Luke's eyes glinted, but he nodded and the two of you trudged up the stairs and the noise quickly died down. He casually walked into a room and you guessed it was the host's room. Luke plugged in his Juul and plopped down on the bed.

"So, do you wanna go back downstairs?" you guessed, though Luke appeared too comfortable to be getting up any time soon.

"Nope," he responded casually, affirming your suspicions. "Can you do me a favor? Hand me that guitar." He pointed to the corner of the room, where a shiny guitar was nestled in a stand.

You passed the instrument to him and he began plucking out the song Twin Sized Mattress. He hummed some of the lyrics and dropped off just after the first guitar solo. You were amazed while watching him.

"Luke! You're so talented, I had no idea!" you fawned, making the blonde boy blush a little.

"Thanks, that means a lot. I've always loved playing but never told anyone so I wouldn't look like a hipster or anything. But honestly, I wanna be a musician." His eyes gazed over the strings, then up to yours.

"Sounds like a glamorous lifestyle. Think you could handle it?" you cooed, leaning in slightly.

He matched your movements. "I think I could," he practically purred. You and Luke were inches from kissing, and all you wanted to do was close the gap, but you were unfortunately interrupted by the door swinging open, making you jump back from Luke, frightened.

None other than fucking Harry, stood in the doorway. You groaned and Luke blurted annoyedly, "You again?!"

"Yep, s'me. I'd love to verbally have it out with you some other time, but I'd like to talk to Y/N right now, so find somewhere else to be, Wonderwall," Harry announced, filling your veins with anger.

"Seriously, Harry? You can't leave me alone for five fucking minutes?" you jumped up to face him, but any attempt at being menacing was futile as his sheer height dwarfed you.

Luke placed the guitar on the ground leaning on the wall and awkwardly creeped out of the room. "I'll, uh, I'll just go," he noted before slipping out.

But you weren't distracted by Luke ambling around, and still had a bone to pick with Harry. "You follow me around, you go to parties you know I'll be at, you interrupt my attempts to get laid. Why won't you just go away!"

The corners of his mouth curled up. "Because you're so cute when you're angry." He reached up to pinch your cheek but you smacked his hand away.

"You make me so mad I wanna slap you sometimes," you huffed, shrugging your shoulders.

Harry's green eyes rolled dramatically. "Yeh won't." Several heavily silent seconds passed, and the palm of your hand collided with his cheek.

His hand drifted up and cupped his red face. "Did yeh just fuckin' slap me?" he asked, in awe.

"Yeah," you deadpanned. "You stupid or something?"

Harry stared at you, his eyes not showing much emotion other than shock. Without even saying anything, he lunged forward, grabbed your face with both of his large hands, and pressed your lips together. Your knees immediately buckled, Harry's scent infinitely better than Luke's. His mouth was so soft and he easily kissed into your mouth, licking and biting at you.

You came to your senses, trying to pull away, but Harry had his arms wrapped around you. You made a move to escape his grasp, only making him tighten around you. "Stop being so scared of what yeh really want, Y/N," Harry huffed, eyes scanning all over your confused face.

"What?" was all you could say.

"Tell me yeh don' want this, n'I'll stop." His eyebrows lifted slightly, in almost an amused manner. You really, really, really hated yourself to say it, but you didn't want this to stop. So you closed the gap between you two yourself.

When Harry kissed, there was no option of being gentle. He wanted to devour you, kissing so deeply your back was starting to tilt backwards a little and you could feel the electricity on your lips.

"Yeh're a real minx, yeh know tha'?" he huffed over your lips in between kisses. "Actin' so cute and innocent when yeh're really a good time and a half. Trailin' around school and parties with that other guy. Then, when I kiss the life out of yeh and make y'weak in the knees, you've got the audacity to act like you 'aven't wanted this all along. Hmm," he tsked, staring down at you, making you feel tiny. "I truly believe the only way I can get yeh to behave is to fuck yeh into bein' good," Harry hypothesized, staring up and down your body until settling for staring at your heaving chest (and you were glad you picked a good bra to wear to this party).

His words sent sparks to your core and a whimper left your lips when he pressed his against your neck, licking and sucking at the soft flesh. One hand gripped your waist, bunching up your shirt with his fingers.

"S'that what you want? To be silenced with m'cock?" he mused, breath fanning across your skin. All you could do was nod and you felt his mouth curl into a smile. "Fine. But keep quiet, pet, we don' wanna disturb the other party goers. Do we, now?" he purred, making you shake your head no.

Harry's hips bucked into your thigh involuntarily, and you dropped down to your knees to be eye level with his crotch. Your nimble fingers ghosted over the zipper of his pants, making him exhale shakily, but when you lifted your gaze to his, his face was extremely focused on your actions.

You decided not to beat around the bush and popped open the button on his trousers, and the zipper practically undid itself. You licked him through his black boxers, making him groan a little and thread his ringed fingers through the hair on the back of your head. It was easy to read what he needed, so you pulled down the elastic of his underwear to free his cock.

It was big. You weren't a stranger to seeing big dicks, so you knew one when you saw one. The last thing you wanted to do was feed into his ego, so you dove into sucking it before he could read any surprise in your face.

You went about as far down as his head resting on the middle of your tongue. You sucked around his cock and fluttered your tongue, stimulating the super sensitive spot on the bottom just below the head. Harry was nothing if not responsive, and groaned while trying to push you down further using his big hand. Normally you would refuse and take it at your own pace, but something about him fucking your mouth sent even more sparks to your center.

You relaxed your throat and let him slide down your throat. It burned, you had to admit, and breathing through your nose with a huge cock in your mouth is no picnic. Just before you were about to gag, he pulled you off his member and let you breathe for a second. A thin strand of spit connected your now red and puffy bottom lip to the tip of his cock.

"Fuck, pet, tha' feels way better than I'd like to admit," he huffed as you took him back in your mouth again. You swirled your tongue around him with your cheeks hollowed out, your comparatively small hand gripped the base while you paced yourself. When your jaw got tired from accommodating to his size, you stroked him from base to tip.

Harry was starting to lose his composure; you could see it in his eyes. You decided to play all your cards and made the most innocent look you could muster with his cock buried between your lips. "'f yeh keep lookin' at me like tha', no chance I'll last."

So you went wild, licking, sucking, stroking his cock with your hand, pushing it all the way down your throat until your nose was buried in the coarse dark curls at the base. This sent him fully over the edge, and his grip in your hair was tighter than ever as he came.

He emptied himself down your throat, pulled his cock out, and wiped the head on your lips before pushing himself back into his boxers.

"Wait, wha--" you stammered, shocked at his sudden motions to leave as you were still on your knees with glassy eyes.

Harry rebuttoned his pants and straightened himself out. "'m going to go home. Thank you for helping me out, love, I'd love to reciprocate another time. Let me know." He nodded at you scrambling to stand back up and left you in Josh's room with pink cheeks, puffy lips, and a racing mind.

[futurewriter2000]

Coffee addicted

A/N: So this imagine has been in my drafts for so long but that is becuase I have been writing it for so long and I just wanted to make it perfect and even though I don’t like it as much as I do some of my fics I still think the idea is good and all of that. I really hope you guys like it and enjoy.

PAIRING: George Weasley x Muggle!reader

TAGS:  @siriusly-loves-snuffles, @slither-in-a-half, @nadinissavage, @shadyladyperfection, @geeksareunique, @ashkuuuu, @xinyourdreamsx, @maralisa124, @loserslytherpuff, @chloe-geoghegan1, @musekala, @moonysmilkshake, @crispyfrenchfrieschrusis, @unicorn-sparkles123, @queenofravenclaw05, @redhead-weasley, @fashionlive15, @quokkatrash, @bennie-badeend, @sly-vixen-up2nogood, @rosegoldquintis

(REQUESTS ARE CLOSED)

XX

It was another one of those days. Those dark days where he couldn't sleep. Torturous days where his other half kept reappearing, sometimes smiling and laughing with him and sometimes laying on the ground, cold and pale. He couldn't stop thinking about him. He could never stop. Not even after a year he still felt cold and alone.

That is why he wasn't home. He wasn't at the apartment he used to share with his brother. It just didn’t feel home without him. Nothing ever felt the same without him. Not the warmth that came from the fireplace, nor the comfortable sofa they came up with the ideas on and not even the sunlight that shone through the windows in the enormous living room. It was cold and dark.

So he walked the night, the streets of the Muggle world. It's better there. Nobody knows him and nobody stops him to ask how he was holding up.

Here, he was just a muggle. He was a person and only that.

So as he gazed up at the stars, thinking about his other half looking down on him, probably thinking he was being sappy, he simpered but the moment his mouth curved into a smile a girl appeared out of the corner and bumped right into the man.

"Oh my god. I am so sorry. " you quickly apologized, dropping the map from your hands and looking up at the boy.

"It's okay. I'm sorry. I should have been watching where I was going. " he smiled awkwardly, bending down to pick up the map you were struggling with.

" No, trust me. It is not your fault. " you reassured him, sending him another smile. " I have been wandering these streets for about 15 minutes and I think I am even more lost than before. "

Stretching his smile into a beam, he ran his finger through his red hair and chuckled. " You're not from here, are you? "

"Is it that obvious? "

" The accent gave you up. " he grinned and lifted the map in his hands. “ And the map.”

" Oh..that. " you smiled and took the map from his hands. " Anyways, since you are from around here, might telling me where to find the cheapest motel. "

" Yeah. It's just a few streets down. Don't worry, you can't miss it."

You turned around with your gigantic backpack on your shoulders almost knocking him off his feet. " Oh. Well, crap. " you cursed, narrowing your eyes at the distance and seeing a big sign few blocks down. " That's for not wearing my glasses. " you smiled at him and started backing away. " Anyways thanks for the help......"

" William. " he replied, waving at you.

" Nice to meet you, William. I'm (y/n). " you shouted back, almost falling over your feet before awkwardly smiling at him. "I'm fine! I'm fine."

He chuckled, shaking his head at you. A muggle, completely new to this world. New to his world to say the least. Due to the dark night, he couldn't see you but he knew you must have looked beautiful. To who else would that adorable laugh belong to. And that smile, that smile was gorgeous as well. It was the only thing that kept pondering in his head all the way home.

The memory kept pondering in his head the whole next month and he felt lighter, better. He felt like he should at least have done something to see you one more time. Get your number or walk you to the motel.

Ron, who has been helping him around, hasn't seen George crack a smile in a long time. There was still no joking but he was glad to see him smiling again.

Until the night came again. A terrible nightmare that made him walk back to the window and gaze upon the stars. A tear wanted to escape his eyes but he couldn’t. He couldn’t cry anymore. It was just a big sad hole in the pit of his stomach that wanted him to at least force himself to cry. To let it all out. 

But all of a sudden you appeared in his mind.

' (y/n). ' he thought, saying it out loud and remembering your smile.

He knew he should have used his real name but Bill didn't use his so why should he? Why should he be the sad, twinless brother while Bill gets to have such a wonderful life with his gorgeous wife and daughter? 

So he decided to walk the night again. To get some fresh air and clear his head but honestly, he kept roaming the night, hoping he might run into you.

But nothing happened. No smile, no giggle and no girl with the name of (y/n). Nothing happened until he was walking down the empty streets of London and looking for an open coffee shop. He was exhausted but he didn't want to sleep. Not tonight at least. 

He entered the only coffee shop with a light on, punching the bell a few times.

Nobody came. There were only a few groups of friends and drunks at the tables. Irritated, he punched the bell a few times until he became impatient and continued to punch it nonstop.

"I'm coming! Geez!" A familiar voice came from the back, causing George to turn his frown into a beam. A girl, your height and your messy (y/h/c) hair walked from the back of the shop, hair in a low ponytail while a few strands fell from your barista hat. The mascara was a little smudged under your eyes and the clothes you were wearing were overloose and covered with coffee stains.

Not even looking up at the man, you grabbed a pen and a cup. " How can I help you? "

" How about a direction to the cheapest motel in London?" He smiled and you quickly looked up at the familiar voice.

" William. " you stretched a smile, putting down your cup and taking off the stupid barista cap, throwing it somewhere in the back and trying to fix your hair. “ Uhm, wha- what are you doing here?”

He looked so much more handsome in the light. Stocky, tall and lovely brown eyes. Few freckles with matching ginger hair. " Hello, (y/n). I don't know you worked here."

" Well, my dreams are finally coming true. Becoming a barista was always a passion of mine. " you spoke sarcastically, earning another chuckle from him. " So what can I get you, Will? Can I call you Will? I mean it kind of feels wrong saying it-"

"Will is fine." He spoke softly, looking up at the menu and reading the orders.

That gave you a perfect opportunity to observe the man. He had a gorgeous smile. So bright and lovely just as his laugh. What made you more keen on your attention was his left ear. He didn't have one.

" I'll have a vanilla cappuccino." He looked down on you, catching you in your action and causing you to blush.

" Right! " you exclaimed awkwardly, searching for the cup you placed down before. " Capilla- I mean vanilla cappuccino coming up."

" How much?" He chuckled, reaching for his wallet before you stopped him.

" Oh, no, no. It's on me. It's the least I can do for the man who helped me. " you smiled, writing Will on the cup and filling it in a creamy mix of milk and coffee.” Here you go. “ you gave him the cappuccino, smiling. “ And thank you again. “ 

“ Thank YOU. “ he smiled, lifting up the cup and walking out the doors. 

‘ (y/n). ‘ 

Now, he can finally put a beautiful face to a beautiful name because just like you, he has been observing you as well. From the corner of his eye, as he pretended to read the menu, he caught your beautiful features and he was right; you were beautiful.

----

He became your favorite customer. He didn’t miss a day of his coffee. Mondays and Tuesdays was an expresso, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays was a latte, Saturdays was a strawberry and vanilla tea while Sundays were usually a hot choco. 

It was a routine but there came days where he would ask for a vanilla cappuccino. It happened twice, maybe three times a week but when he ordered it, you knew something was wrong. To be honest, there came days where you wanted to ask him about it but you couldn’t let your curiosity ruin the relationship the two of you had. 

“ Good morning. “ his voice was cheerful and loud, as it was unusual for a Monday morning. 

“ An expresso? “ you smiled, reaching for a cup. 

“ Actually give me two, my brother is being grumpy without his morning coffee.” he smiled and you turned around with a smirk. 

“ A brother? I didn’t know you had one of those. “ 

“ A pack of them actually. And the coolest sister might I add. “ 

“ And what is Mr. Grumpy’s name? “ you held up a cup and marker. 

“ Ron. “ he smiled. “ But Grumpy will be fine. “ 

“ Alright. “ you smiled, writing down the name and filling it with coffee, both of the cups before giving them to George. “ And have a nice Monday. “ 

“ Likewise, madam.” he bowed and exited the coffee shop.

---

He entered the shop, smiling and climbing the stairs to find Ron. “ Honey! I’m home! “ he shouted, finding his brother packing up the new toys. “ Brought you some coffee. Thought it might cheer you up a bit.“ 

“ The hell have you been, George. “ he got up, grabbing the coffee from his hand before grabbing another box. “ You’ve been gone for twenty minutes. “ 

“ It’s a whole new world out there, Ronikins. Had to go explore it. “ 

Ron turned around at his sudden change of mood, taking a sip of his coffee. “ Oh, this is some good stuff. Where did you get it? “ 

“ Up and down, here and there.” he wiggled his eyebrows at him.

“ Uh-um. “ he threw him a suspicious look before leaning back on the desk and taking another sip. “ Speak. “ 

“ Okay, there is this girl.” he smiled, throwing himself on the chair and giggling. 

“ A girl? “ another voice entered the room, revealing a beautiful young lady with a few bruises on her arm. 

“ Ginny? What are you doing here? “ Ron asked but was completely ignored by her. 

She sat down next to George and smiled. “ Who is this girl? “

“ She is so gorgeous Gin. “ George swooned, not believing the words he spoke out loud right now. “ She has this smile that just makes me smile. And an adorable laugh that just makes me want to kiss her. “ 

“ Than why haven’t you asked her on a date yet? “ 

The question got him thinking. Why didn't he ask her on a date yet? Maybe because she doesn't know about the wizarding world. Or maybe it was because he was not ready. Not ready to love someone, someone who he might love more than his brother. A brother he has lost.

" I can't."

"You can't?" Both Ron and Ginny spoke together, a shocked expression on both of their freckled face.

" I can't." George got up and walked through the door.

He walked slowly as the night crept in. This time he didn't walk the streets of the Muggle world. He walked the path to his brother.

He knelt down, looked at the gravestone for just a moment before glancing down on the grass.

"Freddie...I miss you." He spoke glumly, his finger playing with the grass. " I miss you quite a lot but I know you're here. I know you watch over me...and all of us." He simpered, fell back on the ground so that he sat opposite of his brother's gravestone. " And if you are watching over me then you probably know about her. The girl in the coffee shop. (Y/n) is her name." His simper turned into a smile. "Isn't it just a lovely name?"

' (Y/n) with lovely (y/e/c) eyes and the way, they glow up. The way they match her smile and the way they lurk around whenever he decides to sit and read a book.' He thought, smiling foolishly at himself.

' You're such a git, Georgie.' He thought of his brother's voice in his head, almost as he was there. 'You like her and here you are, sitting like a fool and talking to a ghost.'

"I know."

'Than what are you doing?'

"She's a Muggle, Freddie."

' Bollocks! She is a muggle. You are bloody right, George Weasley should never date a Muggle. Oh dear god no.'

"Okay, I get your point."

But there was nothing now. Not a single voice in his head that could reply to him back. The only thing he knew right now was, what the hell was he doing sitting here and talking to a ghost?

So he ran. He ran into the Coffeshop, stumbling over and dodging Muggles until he was back in the coffee shop.

Though you weren't there. Not in your usual spot, nor any other table. Where were you?

"Hello, hi." He spoke to a girl behind the counter, her barista hat on and one hell of a sad expression.

"What can I get you?" She spat out.

" Might telling me where (y/n) is?"

" She went home. Probably pack or something."

"Pack?"

"Yeah. She's leaving tomorrow."

Leaving? You can't be leaving? What about - you can't.

'' Wha- When? '' George realized his tone was desperate, something he hasn't heard in a long time since his brother's death.

'' I don't know, Red. You ask me too many questions.'' She turned around, leaving him behind in his own desperation.

He ran his hands through his hair, over and over again, pondering the thought of how to find her. Running back to the girl, he put his charming smile on his face and leaned on the counter, calmly this time.

---

You huffed, placing another T-shirt on the pile. '' I hate this.'' You grumbled, turning around, leaving for the living room and putting your hair in one shit of a bun. Grabbing the basket of unfolded clothes, you heard your back crack and you huffed once again, lifting the basket and heading back to the bedroom. '' I really hate this.''

Back down the hall, to the living room, this time heading towards the kitchen for a glass of water, you opened the cabinet to reach up for the glass but was interrupted by a knock instead.

'' Who is it? '' you shouted, closing the cabinet and walking towards the door.

'' It's Ge- I mean Will.'' George replied, hating to call himself after his brother.

'' Shit! '' you started to panic, looking in the mirror and seeing how awful you looked. Shit of a bun, sweaty top, unshaved, shorts. '' I'll be there in a minute! '' you bolted into the bedroom, putting down your bun and changing into longer sweatpants that fell down your hips perfectly. You rumbled through the clothes, looking for a nice sporty shirt but your ginger cat was getting in the way. '' Get lost! Shoo!'' you shooed him and the cat ran off while you ran back, putting your hair in a tight ponytail and opening the door.

' Fuck! I forgot to put deodorant!' you thought, hoping you didn't smell like a pig as he stood in front of you with those gorgeous brown eyes.

'' Hey.'' You smiled. '' Come in.''

''Hi.'' He beamed, coming in your apartment and try to pass you in a tight hall, causing the two of you to be closer by only an inch. '' Oh wow, this hall is small.'' He smiled awkwardly, trying to walk past you.

Blushing, you closed the door and reached your hand for his coat '' Here, let me.''

» Thanks.« he replied and walked into the living room.

It was small, old with clothes scattered all over the floor but you could still see it was quite a cozy apartment.

» Sorry about the mess. I didn't know I had this many clothes until I decided to clean my wardrobe.« you laughed awkwardly, walking into a messy living room and picking up the clothes from the ground. 

» I don't want you to leave.« he blurted out, turning around so you were faced with his back instead of those gorgeous brown eyes. He ran his hand down his face thinking of what to say to you after what he just said.

» Leaving?« you quivered, throwing the clothes in the basket and leaning on the kitchen table with your arms crossed. » What do you mean leaving?«

» Isn't that why you're packing? Cleaning your wardrobe?« he turned around, catching your confused gaze.

Uncrossing your arms, you walked back to the living room and grabbed the clothes from the sofa. » I told my boss I need some time off. I haven't cleaned this place since I moved in. I work every day and have no time for myself. I told her I want some time off.« you explained, walking back to the kitchen table and throwing all the clothes in the basket which sat on the chair.

And then it suddenly hit you.

» William?« you turned around, your voice soft and shy. » Wha- I mean, did you come here to prevent me from leaving? Or-.« you started to blush at your own words.

» George.« he spoke, lifting his gaze to meet your eyes and simpering. » My name is not William, it's George.«

» What?« you replied, this time louder and with a sharp edge in your tone. You crossed your arms once again, leaning back on the kitchen table as you did before and glaring at him.

»Don't be mad. Please.« he took a few steps towards.

» Well, I am mad, Will- I mean George.« you corrected yourself, uncrossing your arms. » I'm mad because I found myself liking you and now I just found out you've been lying to me for months.«

» You like me?« he smirked, taking another step closer so the two of you were only an inch apart. His hand took a hold of yours, causing your fingertips to burn from his touch and your cheeks turn red.

Avoiding his gaze, you kept your eyes on the ground and tried to brush off the burning feeling on your fingertips. » That's not the point.« you moved away, finally being able to breathe and look him in the eye. » Why did you lie?«

» I-I..« he sighed, took a deep breath then looked away. » More than a year ago, I lost my brother in a war.« he paused, turning around and walking to sit on a sofa. »  He was everything to me. Literally everything.« he smiled and finally looked up at you.

You softened your expression, uncrossed your arms and continued to listen.

» The worst part was that he was my twin which meant I shared my whole life with. It's not that I had to share my life with him, it's the fact that I wanted to. He was a nutter, I'll tell you that, but he was my nutter and my brother and my best friend. And I know my siblings kept trying to make me feel better after I've lost him, but they never truly understood my connection with Fred. And after Fred died, everybody kept asking me how was I holding up and that he's in a better place and all of that but honestly I just wanted them to leave me alone.« he kept his eyes on the ground, glancing at you from time to time but as he did you weren't in the kitchen, leaning back on the kitchen table. You were sitting beside him and held his hand on your own. » I met you that day after I had another of those dreams. Dreams of him. And he was laughing with me after we blew up that new project of ours for our shop. So, when I woke up smiling, I just felt sad immediately because he was gone and I was still here. And I went for a walk and I bumped into you. » he smiled wider and brushed his thumbs over the back of your hand. » And you were new and you didn't know who I was or who my family was or that I lost a brother and I needed someone to look at me normally, Not from pity or grief. So, I introduced myself as William.«

» And the vanilla cappuccino?« you asked out of the blue, though you pretty much knew what it was about after hearing his story.

» You noticed, didn't you?« he asked and you simpered.

» I'm a barista, of course, I noticed.«

» Yeah.« he chuckled. » Whenever Fred and I got into a fight, which was rare but it happened, mom made us vanilla cappuccino as some kind of peace offering between us. I don't know how it worked but we were kids and vanilla cappuccino somehow always made us forget about the fight. So whenever he was sad or I was sad, we made each other a vanilla cappuccino and it somehow got better.«

» Oh.«

» Don't feel sorry. Please don't. I get that from my family enough as it is.«

» I'm not.« you denied and he chuckled.

» Yes, you are. You're just trying not to.«

» Look.« you took his hands into yours. » I'm upset that you lied to me about who you are but I'm glad you told me the truth. To be honest I like George more than I like William.«

There was silence in the room now, only your cat's paws hitting the floor as she approached George. 

» Shoo.« you tried to shoo your cat away but he only crawled into George's lap and purred.

George removed his hands from your hold and started petting the cat, scratching behind his ears and down to his neck until he found it's collar. » Aren't you just an adorable little kitty.« he cooed and the cat turned on her back so he could scratch his belly. » What's her name?« he asked, placing his both hands on each side of cats head and massage it.

» Well…it's a he.« you chuckled and let your fingers wander to the cat's fur. » And his name is Jack.« you smiled and took George's hands from the cat and to your own hold.

He looked at you, grinning and letting one hand place itself on your cheek. Leaning in, he pressed his lips onto yours and started to kiss you softly. You smiled into it and let your hands run through his messy, dense, ginger hair. That was until a little furball at your feet started meowing and scratching both of your legs.

The two of you pulled away, chuckling and looking down at the cat. You smiled at George, giving him a soft peck on the lips and playing with his hair. » Anything else I should know?«

He smiled, prepared to give you a clear no but then there was something he clearly couldn’t hide from you. » Do you believe in magic?«