#bcrbieworld

[fcxglove]

continued for @bcrbieworld

isla wasn’t sure how else she could say that looking at those texts would kill her without saying it literally. " elián… " she started, cutting herself off. as sure as she was that anyone could be better than her at this, perhaps whichever friend he’d gone to about her. maybe it was just that goofy grin that always managed to stop her in her tracks, but she pushed her crushing heart down and put in a smile. " right, of course, yeah. let me look at them. " her hand reached for his phone, hoping that she could crush him the way he was unknowingly crushing her. " yeah, yeah i’d say she likes you. " how could she not? " i don’t really have advice for you though, just… be yourself and I’m sure it will all work out. but if you need more than that then i'm not your girl. can we just talk about something else? anything else? "

[heartflt]

if false hope had a face, it would be the one daisy wears now, lifting him up just to knock him down. had he been naive to think she was pining after him all these years? not naive—conceited, maybe. or maybe just because he knew what he's always known, even when he was running away from daisy. they belong together. "even after all this time, i still know when you're lying to me, daisy." hudson is bluffing, but if he gave up now, he wouldn't be the person she fell in love with, the monster that had pulled her away from mortal life just to send her out on her own. "what do you think i'm doing now? i'm not runnign away, am i? even when i have nothing to lose. i'm trying to prove it to you, to show you how different i am. i can't do that in a matter of moments—not after decades of destroying that trust, right?" he echoes what he imagines her thoughts are. for the first time since seeing her, hudson has to look away, wounded by the passionate expression on her face and all of the years that he missed out on by his own doing. if he were being honest, his decades of freedom never compared to the solace he found in her arms. once upon a time, daisy made him look at himself as a man worth saving, but he'd destroyed that—for the both of them. "where have you been staying?" he asks abruptly, the real question on the tip of his tongue: who is she staying with? it's a rabbit hole he knows not to entertain, but hudson has never been good at making healthy decisions.

daisy tries to stand tall and remain stoic, but a mixture of emotions stirs within her. she hates that hudson’s presence even has the least bit of an effect on her. "oh, hudson, how comforting to hear you thought of me," she says, her tone dripping with sarcasm. reluctantly, she confesses, "i did miss you," her admission tinged with bitter honesty. she had missed him desperately at first. "but it got easier not to," she continues, her words a fragile facade. "until i didn't think about you at all." it's a lie she's told herself too many times, for deep down, thoughts of him have always lingered. his apology lands like a blow, its impact more profound than she anticipated. it's surreal to hear those two words after all these years, and she struggles to process it. when he touches her, it catches her completely off guard, a wave of emotions overcoming her as his touch ignites something deep within. she tries to pull away, seeking to quell the tumultuous feelings his touch evokes, but his grip on her hand is firm, forcing her to confront the storm inside her. her eyes narrow, the fiery anger still burning within them. "fix it?" she echoes, her voice a low, dangerous whisper. "you think you can just waltz back into my life and fix everything with an apology and some heartfelt words? you left scars, hudson. deep, aching scars that time hasn’t healed. you can't just say sorry and expect everything to be alright." but despite her harsh words, she can't deny the flicker of hope that his presence reignites. the part of her that still remembers the love they shared, the joy they once brought each other. "prove to me that you can fix it, hudson. because words alone won’t be enough."

[fcxglove]

continued for @bcrbieworld

aster, taken aback by his response, could only stare as if that would answer all questions she had. the shouting outside faded in her mind, ears buzzed and took over the sound of her friends. " what— " gaze dropped from him, towards the door she wished would open now so she could run away and hide forever. " what do you mean not like this? it's just— it's just a kiss, a dare, it doesn't have to be... " anything more than that, anything more than this.

[fcxglove]

closed starter for: @bcrbieworld

muse: ezra castro. twenty four. ice skater.

plot: based on this

" thanks for meeting me... i didn't think you'd actually come. " she spoke honestly as she joined the other at the table, handing over the drink she'd just bought for them.

[fcxglove]

continued for @bcrbieworld

ezra didn't think there was much point trying to beat around the bush, making small talk to fill the silence before she could finally come out and ask what she needed to ask. " my bother's getting married. his engagement party is this weekend... " she started, pausing for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to say this. god, she wished she'd at least seen him once and this wasn't their reunion. " and i uhm, i kinda need you to come with me. to the engagement party. everyone's already expecting that you'll be there anyway sooo... are you in? "

[whskyneat]

MIGUEL can’t recall when he’s last been handled so kindly: with laughter filling space rather than the post glow being cut short with shame. and so when calan points out his contradiction and when he calls miguel dumb with such affection, he has to press the kiss in a little deeper; try to swallow the giddiness to keep warm. but then calan pulls back and calls him friend and no, miguel decidedly does not like that at all. “ these grubby hands — , ” mock offense stains his words though he still pouts as his lips no longer purse for kissing. “ — have done magic today. like five stars on yelp. ten out of ten. will recommend to my colleagues type of magic. so don’t hate. ” again, calan comes close but still out of reach with his teasing. miguel is about to close the distance but the bet catches his attention, molds its way against his competitive nature, and battles it out with the ever present need to have the man pressed up against him. “ i fucking hate statistics. ” stall what he’s sure he’s going to agree to anyway. “ interesting. but what do i get? ” something chaste is pressed against calan’s lips as he considers his own prize. “ i honestly don’t give a shit about homework. ” another kiss given, brows furrowing in concentration. “ and i don’t think i have anything due soon. ” one more. “ oh i know! ” something wicked curves on the pull of his smile. the next kiss given is hungry; taking. it lasts but a moment before miguel — regrettably — pulls away. “ i get one weekend with you. somewhere that’s not my twin xl in this stupid dorm. deal? ”

"you say with your hands literally on me," calan chuckles, glancing at miguel’s hand on his neck. not that he's complaining— he finds it amusing, watching miguel deny something that’s so obviously true. he rolls his eyes playfully at miguel’s joke, a genuine laugh escaping him. "you’re so dumb," he says affectionately. calan gives in easily to the kiss, secretly finding it just as difficult to keep his hands off miguel as it is for miguel to keep his hands off of him. his eyes starting to flutter shut before he catches himself, a smirk playing on his lips as he notices the other contradicting himself already. "no, friends do not get to do this," calan jokes, pushing miguel’s hand away lightly. "so get your grubby little hands off of me, friend," he emphasizes the word ‘friend’ with a teasing tone. he can’t help but find all of this hilarious, that miguel even suggested this 'just friends' thing, wondering where he gets these crazy ideas. "hey, you know what?" calan begins, face close to the other’s, the tension between them palpable. a smirk rises to his lips again, eyes locking with miguel’s in a challenging way. "since you’re so sure about this ‘just friends’ thing," he says, making air quotes around the words 'just friends', voice teasing yet daring, "why don’t we make a bet?" he leans in a fraction closer, almost close enough to kiss, voice dropping to a whisper. "let’s see who caves first. if i lose, you have to do my statistics homework for a month." he knows this will be hard for him as well, he loves miguel’s touch. even when they’re hanging out with friends. he always finds an excuse to be close to him but he's also competitive and doesn't plan on losing.

[luvcrs]

lennon nods at vivi's words, swallowing heavily. truthfully, she feels like there's a part of her that will take a long time to get over the breakup. despite the implications it had on their friendship, she did love vivi very deeply. no one got lennon the way she did. though, as vivi squeezes her, she knows they'll be navigating this new normal together and whatever trial and tribulations it will bring. "i know we will. you know you couldn't get me rid of me even if you tried, right?" she gives vivi a little smile, hoping to lighten the mood at least a little bit.

“there’s nothing for you to be sorry for. we’re both feeling this, and it’s a lot for both of us,” vivi says softly, trying to steady her racing thoughts. the reassurance that they can get through this brings a measure of relief, but vivi can’t completely shake the restless feeling that clings to her. she reaches out, squeezing lennon’s hand gently. “i’m not going anywhere either. i want to work through this with you and find a way back to being best friends. i know it’s going to take time, but we’ve been through so much together, and if we can get through all of that, we can get through this too.”

[sweetsirenitas]

Daisy was so lovely, and effortlessly so, it was the sort of beauty that was hard to really describe. Rose couldn't help but study her as she ordered them drinks. It was lovely to just be around her, watch her, it felt comfortable and exciting all at once. "I mean, I should be used to it by now, but every time I do I get butterflies...and a stomach ache." She laughed a little as she scrunched her nose and lightly placed her hand on her stomach. Her cheeks flushed at the compliments, especially about compliments about her work. "Oh gosh, thanks." She pressed her lips together as she cast her eyes down for a moment. "You are so sweet, I just think it is fun to be able to do what I love to do and hope that I do a good job."

Daisy blushes at the compliment, thinking about how beautiful Rose is too. As they enter the bar, she orders drinks for them, making sure to get Rose’s favorite drink and a glass of white wine for herself. Offering a reassuring smile, she says, "It's not silly at all, Rose. It's a big deal, putting your work out there for everyone to see. I'd be nervous too." She gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I’m not just saying this because I'm your friend, but everything was truly amazing," Her eyes light up with excitement. "The writing is so engaging! I felt completely drawn into the story. And the art—it's stunning. Every panel is so detailed and expressive." She leans in closer, her enthusiasm bubbling over. "I've read it three times already, and I keep discovering new things to love about it each time. You’ve created something really special, Rose. I know everyone else will see it too!”

[sunliights]

"does he know he's just some random guy?" alix grumbles, the rather stubborn side of her not really willing to just drop the subject on a whim. frankly the fact she's even willing to address it and not just shutting down is progress but she can see why imani might not think that. "you can't blame me for preferring that it would be clear to him that he doesn't have a chance, right?"

"yes, that's what we're calling it because that's what it is," imani responds firmly. she meets alix's gaze, her chest rising and falling with a deep breath as she crosses her arms over her it, pausing to gather her thoughts and avoid escalating things further. "look—i don’t want to fight, especially not over some random guy. i just want to have fun with my beautiful girlfriend tonight." imani reaches out and gently grabs alix’s hand, swinging it back and forth with a pleading look in her eyes and a warm smile. "you're the only one i want, and you know that. so can we please drop it?"

[loveisliquor]

"....would you be calm if someone else's boobs where on my phone?" she shakes her head at the mention of tone-- and it is out of character for her to raise her voice but the shock of it has her vibrating in anger. "well?" she slides the cellphone over to the other. "try again-- what the actual fuck dove?"

dove looks around exaggeratedly, as if searching for who azar might be talking to. "i don’t know who you’re talking to, but it can’t be me," her tone is dripping with sarcasm. she’s barely heard a word of what the other has said, defenses instantly going up when she heard the harsh tone. "maybe you want to walk back out and then back in, and try that again calmly, because i don’t appreciate how you’re shouting at me."

[sickhearted]

shyly returns gaze back to him, nervously chewing on her bottom lip. "made your day?" she repeats with the raise of her eyebrows, tilting her head to the side as a smile pokes through. "i guess i don't entirely regret saying anything then. as long as you don't think i sound dumb."

calan’s smile widened, a faint blush warming his cheeks as he met her gaze. “why would i do that?” he asked playfully, leaning in a bit closer across the counter. “you know you just made my day, right?” his voice carried a hint of flirtation, reciprocating her energy as he prepared her favorite drink.

[myxtorturedxheart]

maya smiled at him, her hands resting against her belly as she shook her head slightly. "you're here on your day off, i'm going to thank you." she assured him. she knew that jermaine was happy to do it for her, she had helped where she could but that had mostly been in putting clothes and other items away. "it means a lot to me that you're here." despite how confident she had been in her decision to have a baby, there had been some worry that people in her life wouldn't be entirely supportive, so far that he been proven wrong. "thank you. i'll make sure to remember that, but i won't disturb you at work, not unless i really need to."

jermaine looks back at her with a smile as he finishes assembling the crib. “there’s no need to thank me,” he says, his tone warm. he’s always been a hands-on person, so this is right in his element, and being able to do something special for maya makes it even more enjoyable. he’s already put together a changing table, complete with neatly stacked diapers and baby clothes folded in the drawers.“it means a lot to me to be here for moments like this,” he continues, adjusting the crib’s mobile. “the baby is going to be so lucky to have a mom as great as you.” he swats the air with his hand in a dismissive yet friendly gesture. “seriously, there’s no place i’d rather be. anytime you need me, i’ll be here, even if i’m working."

[ofcrxwns]

Monica narrowed her eyes at him when he said she looked different. "Different like..." she trailed off, waiting for him to answer only for a second. "Different like how?"

“I'm not looking at you like anything,” he insists, though he was definitely checking her out a few seconds ago. “You just look—” he pauses for a moment, trying to think of the right word, “different.” As he speaks, he lets his gaze linger over her from head to toe again.

[heartflt]

hudson regards her with a look of disbelief. for what seems like such a simple question on the surface, it feels heavy, the kind of weight that he feels in his chest. the more she speaks, the more he can see how angry she is, her emotions splayed out and raw like an open wound—a wound he caused. brows furrow over darkening eyes. "what we had didn't go away just because of my mistakes, daisy. if it did, i wouldn't have thought about you as much as i did. it's been decades of missing you. that's how i know you felt the same thing." of course hudson didn't actually know that with any tangible certainty, but he had to believe it if only for his own sanity. another thought burrows into his subconscious: wouldn't it be the ultimate karma for daisy to have truly moved on now that all of his feelings—the ones he's kept hidden, dormant—are returning to the surface after seeing her again? "i don't have an explanation, not one that does this situation any justice, but i am sorry. i'm sorry. you'll never know how much, but i would say it a million more times if i thought it would help us now." even though her finger poking into his chest can hardly be considered something intimate, the touch makes him dizzy with wanting. he wants to grab her face and kiss her, remind her of the soft creature she used to be, how she was once putty in his hands, but he can see from the fiery look in her eyes that that wouldn't be in his best interest. before now, he had been able to put her in the back of his mind. he spent years telling himself that his actions hadn't destroyed her, at least not in the way she was describing now. he lifts his hand to close over hers, his grip just tight enough to keep her from pulling away. "i don't care if you hate me, daisy. hate isn't indifference, is it?" a barely noticeable raise of one eyebrow before he resumes his pleading expression. "let me fix it now, daisy."

although she wishes it had, the spark she once felt between them hasn’t entirely faded, but it’s buried underneath layers upon layers of hurt and resentment. “and why would i miss you?” she challenges, keeping her expression stoic, tone a blend of annoyance and anger. she hopes her eyes are playing tricks on her because did she just see a hint of a smile on his face? surely not. daisy doesn't know why she’s still standing here, but it’s like her feet are rooted to the ground, unwilling to move even as he shifts closer to her. she scowls, but there's a hint of nerves at being this close to him after all these years. still, her guard remains up. “i don’t believe in fate,” daisy says dryly, with a definiteness that is a stark contrast from the girl she used to be a century ago. she used to believe in fate and fairytales—it’s the reason she wanted hudson to turn her in the first place—so they could have their happy ending. but all she got was bullshit. “you’d think after all this time, you’d come with some sort of apology or explanation, but chalking it up to fate?” she laughs humorlessly, “the only thing i see is you making excuses.” daisy jabs her fingers into his chest, her eyes blazing, as she continues to dig into him. “did you really think i’d be happy to see you? that we'd just be able to pick up where we left off?” she snaps. “you hurt me in a way i didn’t even know was possible. it was like you—” she stumbles over her words, struggling to find the right ones in her frustration. “ripped my heart out and left me to pick up all the pieces by myself!” her voice trembles slightly as she continues, “i hate you.” the words sound strange on her tongue, and deep down, she knows she doesn’t mean them. but right now, she wants him to feel even a fraction of the pain she's endured.

[luvcrs]

lennon, too, had always feared what would happen to their friendship if things failed romantically between them and now here they were. it had felt like a whole other ballpark juggling their relationship; the pressure she put on herself to make sure things were perfect had contributed heavily to their downfall in the end. lennon flinches at vivi's tone, but knowing she's completely justified. "i'm sorry." lennon says out of reflex, trying to tamper down the urge to run and hide from everything. saying sorry isn't going to fix anything, of course. and doing that would only lead her to losing vivi which is a far more terrifying concept. "i know. it's — it's just a lot, okay?" she runs a hand through her hair, inhaling through her nose. "we can get through anything. i'm not going anywhere. we'll... figure things out. just like we always have."

vivi’s eyes widen in disbelief, her heart sinking at lennon’s words. since the breakup, things have been strained, but that was expected as they navigated a new dynamic. this is exactly what vivi had feared before they even started dating—that their close friendship would be irreparably damaged if things didn’t work out romantically. now, hearing lennon verbalize those fears feels devastating. she opens her mouth to speak, her expression pained as words initially fail to come out. finally, she finds her voice, though it’s shaky with emotion. “i can’t believe you’d say that,” vivi starts, her voice trembling. “we were best friends before anything else, lennon. you know how much i feared this exact thing happening.” feeling her voice rising she takes a deep breath to steady herself, “i thought we could get through anything, even if we weren’t together together. i can’t lose you, lennon. i need you in my life.”

[sweetsirenitas]

Daisy was so cute, and pretty, and when she smiled Rose felt her cheeks turn a little pink. Particularly when she was being complimented by her. "Oh gosh, thanks, I just thought it was right for this sort of thing." She said a little sheepishly as she looked down at her own body. Her cheeks were nearly burning when she said she looked beautiful. "Thank you, you do too." She always looked beautiful, in this effortless kind of way. "Did you really? That is so funny and sweet!" She giggled as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "Great," she said as she lead her over to the bar. She felt her arm wrap around her shoulder and she exhaled. "Truthfully, I know it is silly but I'm a little nervous, and hear I thought getting it done and publishing would be a relief."

Daisy's eyes light up with pure joy, smile spreading wide. "I mean it, that dress looks like it was made just for you," she exclaims, voice brimming with genuine admiration. "You look beautiful." She continues, her tone softening with affection, "I know you would’ve gotten me a copy, but I wanted to support you. I even moved all the copies to the front of the store so everyone could see them.” She giggles, thinking about how the employees at Barnes & Noble gave her funny looks. “A drink to celebrate sounds wonderful!" Daisy's enthusiasm bubbles over. "And they're on me, because tonight is all about celebrating you, Rose." She wraps her arm around Rose’s shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze.