#brady. (will bark before you even finish asking the first time)

[griavian]

the 36 questions that lead to love

x <- read on ao3

dream finds a list of questions that can supposedly lead to two people falling in love, so him and george try it out on stream. turns out, they don't really need all 36.

“Come on, George. It’s just a couple of questions.” Dream pleaded into the call, making George roll his eyes. He’s been trying to end stream for the past 15 minutes, but Dream always convinces him to go “just a little longer!”.

“36 questions is not just a couple of questions, Dream.” George glances at his second monitor to make sure his green screen was still black and to check a few discord messages. He had no intention to fall into Dream’s trap for another hour of streaming.

“But it says it’ll lead to love!” Dream says, exasperated. He googled ‘questions to ask your friend’ earlier and found a list of them that apparently lead to falling in love. To George, it was bullshit.

“That’s such bullshit.” He expresses.

“You’re no fun.” Dream’s voice lowered, and George can feel the pout Dream has plastered on his face. He can already predict what the next 12 hours would be like with Dream: silent treatment and being a general dickhead. George was used to it when they lived an ocean apart, and even found it amusing, but it was a totally different experience living with him. Dream would mope around, go into George’s room randomly just to not talk to him, and go as far as to blast sad music from his own room across the hall while George was trying to finish up some editing. Sure, it was all light-hearted jokes, and Dream would stop his act in a heartbeat if George was truly annoyed by it, but George still dreaded it.

“Fine.”

Dream immediately cheers up and starts typing on his keyboard while George watches his chat fly by, seeing a lot of emotes and positive messages.

“Okay, um- first question. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom,” Dream mocks the formality, “would you want as a dinner guest?”

George’s nose crinkles. “How is that gonna make me fall in love with you?”

“Just answer the question.”

“I don’t know! The queen?”

“That’s a stupid answer.”

“What!” George screeches and Dream barks out a laugh. “You’re so dumb.”

“You gotta give me a better answer than that, or else we won’t fall in love with each other.”

George rolls his eyes, but decides to think about his answer. Truthfully, he wouldn’t want anyone special as a dinner guest. “Um. My mum.”

George eyes his chat as it’s filled with “aw”s. He almost scoffs.

“See? That wasn’t so hard.” George wants to punt Dream into another universe.

“Alright, who would you want as a guest?”

“Tom Brady.”

“That’s the stupidest answer ever!” George yells, his eyes wide, perhaps offended that Dream picked Tom Brady out of anyone else in the world.

“Question two!” Dream ignores, “This one is kinda dumb, but would you like to be famous and if you do, what for?”

George hums. “Probably don’t want to be famous-famous. Maybe being well-known for being the first person to invent IRL-VR. I want my body to be submerged in the Minecraft universe.”

“That’s sick. I dunno what I’d want-”

“You’re already famous.”

“Shut up. I don’t even- I don’t even want to be famous, really. I just want to make whoever knows me smile.”

“Aww, isn’t that sweet, Dream.” George teases and he knows Dream waved him off. George has his habits practically memorized.

“Whatever. How about you ask some questions?” Dream sends a link on discord and George reads through them.

“There’s no way these can make people fall in love. What even is this question? Before making a telephone call, do you rehearse what you’re going to say and why?”

“Trust the process. I mean, I do that. I don’t want my brain all jumbled up, I guess. Words are hard.” Dream answers.

“I don’t think I’ve ever done that. I wing it.”

“That’s very you. Next question.” Something about Dream saying that made George smile the tiniest bit, made the serotonin flow through his brain.

“What’s a ‘perfect day’ for you?” George reads. It’s quiet for a moment.

“Hanging out with you,” his voice is sincere, “You and Sapnap. Recording, streaming, anything like that. What about you?”

“Hm. Me too.”

George isn’t one to show his feelings often. He remembers being asked if he did, and he answered with “not ones that matter”. It still rings true to this day. His walls are still built up and that’s okay to George. Mushy feelings aren’t important, but he’d be damned if he didn’t say his heartstrings were playing a beautiful melody during this moment.

The questions and answers fall easily after that. George knows it’s around 1 am, and he should go to sleep, but answering the questions was kind of addicting.

“Do you have a hunch on how you’ll die?” Dream reads the question with a chuckle. “That’s such a weird question to ask someone you wanna fall in love with.”

George tries not to read in between the lines.

“Heart failure. For both of us.”

“You know how I’ll die?”

“We’re Minecraft streamers, Dream. We’ll probably die at 40.” They share jokes and giggles of scenarios where they die and what they’d do, and something about it feels a bit too honest.

“I’ll die the day you die, George. Emotionally and physically.” Dream says, dramatic as ever. George only huffs, and they leave it there.

“Name three things you and your partner have in common. Dream, do you have a secret girlfriend?” They start to bicker back and forth, because of course they do.

“It doesn’t mean romantic partner, you dumbass. Like- it’s like a science partner,” Dream sighs, “Well, we do have a lot in common. We have the same job, we care about the same things, and we love each other! Easy.” Dream answers.

“Who said I loved you?”

“You literally did last night.” George had closed chat a while ago, already prepared for what was to come. He can only imagine what they’re saying.

“They’ll never believe you.” George says with a sadistic grin.

“Ugh. Okay, what are you grateful for in life? You have to answer this.” George can hear Dream get a little closer to his mic, almost anticipating George’s answer. Dream knows how much he doesn’t like to express any feelings, and probably expects him to skip the question overall. George prevails.

“You. Obviously,” and before Dream can get out an aww, George says, “You made my career, dummy, and I’m grateful for that. And my friends, family, all the normal things. Chat! I’m even grateful for chat.”

“Well, I’m incredibly grateful for you especially.” Dream’s voice is soft, almost loving. George rolls his eyes. He could’ve guessed Dream’s answer, but it weirdly hurts him when it was spoken aloud. He doesn’t know whether it hurts because it might be a fun little joke or if it’s because someone might care about him that much. George decides to stop thinking.

They answer more questions, from taking four minutes to tell each other their life stories (“There was no reason to add that detail; you’re so gross, Dream.”) to what significant quality they would want to wake up and suddenly have (“You’re already good at code shit, George. That’s the saddest answer ever.”). They move onto section two of the list, which are deeper questions.

“Is there something you’ve dreamed of doing but haven’t yet, and why haven’t you?” George asks. He knows about Dream’s unfinished projects. There’s probably a million answers to the question, and George would listen to every single one.

“Uh, well. You know I was writing a book, yeah? I was halfway done with it, and I can’t make myself finish it. It’s probably writer’s block, but I don’t think I’ll be able to do it.” George frowned.

“You can’t finish it with that attitude, silly. You’re annoyingly amazing at everything.” George says with a snort, “I don’t have an answer to this. What did you say that one time? Your future is my future? Well, your dreams are my dreams, then.”

George cringes a little at what he said. He doesn’t know his viewer count, but knows that at least a million people will watch that clip out of context. Dream doesn’t say anything back and moves on to the next question.

“What is your most treasured memory?” Dream asks, and George immediately laughs.

“I definitely know your’s.”

“Do tell, George.”

“Our first Christmas together. Sapnap insisted on getting a real Christmas tree, and when we started decorating the stupid thing, Sapnap sees a spider and screeches. Then, our neighbors come knocking on the front door and you had to explain to them that nobody was being murdered, it was just your roommate being a big baby. And as if it could get any worse, I got tree-sap all on my fingers and clothes and you couldn’t help me because you were laughing too hard.”

“Pretty sure I almost choked on my own spit.” Dream adds, and George scoffs. “But no, that’s not my treasured memory.”

George sputters. “What? You’re telling me I told that to thousands of people for nothing?”

“To be fair, you were all soft on Christmas morning, so our first Christmas might be your treasured memory. Anyways, remember the first time you helped me with a code?” George stays silent, giving Dream the answer. “Well, that was the first time we had a real conversation. I made you laugh, then I started to laugh because you laughed, and we didn’t get the code done. It sounds dumb, but I always smile whenever I think about it.”

George’s face falters a bit. God, he just wants to hug Dream; he wants to make a beeline for his room and attack him with affection and make sure he knows that George loves him, platonically or romantically, George wants him to know.

He just can’t express it with words.

“That… sweet.” George’s eyes travel down the following questions and panics, seeing how personal the questions are. He fakes a yawn. “As mushy and stupid this thing is, I’m really tired.”

Dream doesn’t say anything. It almost scares George, but he deafens on Discord and bids farewell to his viewers, who were completely freaking out. George doesn’t blame them. He’s abruptly leaving after a sweet moment? That’s a recipe for disaster, and George knows better. Yet, he clicks the end stream button.

The door to his office swings open instantly and startles George. It was Sapnap, someone he didn’t particularly want to see.

“What the fuck was that?” His roommate whisper-yells.

George groans and slides deeper into his chair, covering his face. “I don’t know,” he muffles.

“Are you even trying to hide your feelings at this point?” He can hear Sapnap close the door and flop on his office’s couch. “You might as well buy a billboard that says ‘I’m in love with my best friend! His name is Clay!’ with a big ass picture of your dumb face beside it.”

“I know,” George whines. “Do you think he knows?”

“He’s not the one I’m worried about knowing. I’ve told you a million goddamn times that he’s too whipped to notice. I’m worried about the fans. They’re gonna go fucking bonkers because of this stream. Clips are gonna be shared. People are gonna speculate.”

George uncovers his face and narrows his eyes at his friend. “Thanks for the reassurance,” he deadpans.

Sapnap rolls his eyes. “I’m being serious, dude. I know you’re very deeply in love with him in the gayest of ways, but you gotta be careful in front of the fans.”

“Oh my God. I know, Sapnap! I know. I forgot we were even streaming. It felt like it was just the two of us, and I got too comfortable. And it was so nice. I can’t even do anything about it now, so it doesn’t even matter.”

Sapnap sighs and pulls himself from the couch. “You need to talk to him before this gets out of hand. You know I love ya, and that I’m here for you.” George cringes out of habit, but nods. It reads as ‘I love you too, I guess’.

Sapnap leaves without another word, and George is left alone with his thoughts. It’s not long before he sluggishly makes his way back to his bedroom. He opens the closed door, enters, and shuts it. He turns around, only to be greeted by a familiar person in his bed, and yelps.

Dream laughs. He’s wearing blue pajama pants and a white t-shirt. His hair looks messed with, and his cheeks seem to have more color to them. George can’t help but stare.

“Well? Aren’t we gonna finish it?”

George cocks an eyebrow.

“Finish what?”

“The questions, dummy. You don’t… you don’t have to. I mean, it’s kinda stupid that I want to do it in the first place, but…” Dream trails off. George hops on his bed and grins lightly.

“Go for it.”

They answer questions they skipped, like what is your most terrible memory (“My, uh, grandma. She died when I was about 14. It was… hard on me.” “Oh, George…”).

The overhead light was off at this point, the only light coming from a lamp on his desk and the stars shining through the window. The two are on their sides, Dream on the right of the bed and George on the left, facing each other, occasionally looking at their phones to ask the questions.

“What roles do love and affection play in your life?” Dream asks, his voice softer than ever. George can almost not answer. He doesn’t know.

“I’ve never been a super affectionate person, so I don’t know. I’ll give you guys quick hugs of course, but with really close relationships, I don’t know what to do.”

Dream looks as if he’s searching for something in George’s face, and George can’t tell what he’s looking for. His movements are hesitant, George sees.

“Do- um. You wanna maybe,” Dream pauses, closes his eyes,and scrunches up his face. “Try?”

“Try what?”

“Affection.” Dream lets out a breath and opens his eyes. “Affection is my strong suit, afterall.” His mouth forms into a teasing smirk despite his eyes showing nervousness.

“Um. Take the lead.”

It’s slow. So, very slow. Dream’s hand raises up and lands itself on the dip of George’s waist. He’s whispering instructions, and George listens. His hands are hung around Dream’s neck, and their legs are starting to tangle together. They laugh when they realize how far apart they are, and Dream pulls him closer. George can feel his heart beating out of his chest as he lays his head where Dream’s right shoulder meets his neck.

“Do you want me to ask the rest of the questions, sweetheart?” It sounded like a coo, and George is surprised at how effortless the pet name comes out of Dream’s mouth.

“Was that okay?” Dream whispers after a moment of George going still. He perks up.

“Yeah! Yeah.”

“Okay.” Dream pulls George closer and rests his left hand on his back. He starts rubbing up and down in slow motions.

George simply melts.

The questions and answers go by slower, and their voices become gentler. Dream announces that they’re on section three now, and to state three true “we” statements. Dream goes first.

“We… are cuddling?”

“Obviously, idiot.” George chuckles. “We are really tired?” Dream hums.

“We meant everything we’ve said tonight.”

“We are going to mean everything we say tonight.”

“You can’t just steal my answer.”

“Just do your third one.”

“We will be ‘Dream and George’ forever.”

Forever is a long, long time. And yet, Dream’s statement is still true.

“We don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow.”

There’s a beat of silence.

“Very vague.”

“Next question, Dream.”

“Alright, alright. Complete this sentence: ‘I wish I had someone whom I could share…’”

Without a second thought, George replies, “My emotions with. Your turn.”

George swears he felt Dream squeeze him.

“My everything with. Every single little thing. Physical, metaphorical, emotional.”

“Even Patches?”

A laugh.

“Yes. Even Patches.”

“Next question.”

“Tell your partner what you like about them and be very honest.”

“Your voice. It’s like… I don’t even know how to describe it.”

“Does it get you going, George?”

“Shut up. I definitely don’t like your smart-assery.” George can feel Dream lean down into George’s shoulder and smile. “I like how you act around people. It’s always different depending on the person. Different with me.”

“I like how you act around people too. You’re almost always bubbly, even though you like to say you aren’t. And, God, your laugh. It’s so overwhelming, but in the best way possible. You have no idea how many times I’ve said the stupidest shit just to hear your little laugh.” George digs his head deeper into Dream’s shoulder. “I also… really like it when you say my name. My real name.”

George raises slightly, gaining the tiniest bit of confidence. “Clay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that.”

“Clay,” George whispers.

“George.” Dream sounds weak. So, very weak. George gets closer to his ear.

“Clay.”

George can’t tell if he’s joking.

“You’re gonna kill me, George.”

George’s lips brush against the outer of Dream’s ear, and his friend shivers. He decides this isn’t a joke anymore. He thinks the invisible line they had drawn in the sand many years ago has been kicked and stomped on to the point where neither of them remembers the line being there. George goes further.

“Clay, Clay, Clay,” George is still whispering, slowly brushing his lips across Dream’s jaw, and the hands around his waist get the littlest bit tighter.

George finally raises his head to meet Dream, who was a mess. His cheeks are glowing and his eyes are almost bloodshot. His breath is labored and his hands are shaky.

“Calm down, love.” George whispers and raises his right hand to meet Dream’s cheek, who leans into the touch.

“Kiss me.” Dream begs quietly, as if saying anything louder would shatter the moment in little pieces.

An adrenaline rush fills George’s veins. “Anything you want,” he says, and closes the gap.

The kiss is soft. Dream is maneuvering their bodies to be more comfortable, meaning George is pulled on top of Dream. Their lips didn’t part once.

They move together in harmony, both in the kiss and their bodies, putting everything they got into it. It was unsaid feelings and years and years of thoughts, and George felt every single one of them. George is straddling Dream’s middle and Dream is leaning up to meet George’s touch. His hands are rubbing up and down and squeezing George’s hips and George’s hands find their way into Dream’s hair. It’s perfect and imperfect and everything George has been waiting for, yearning for.

They part, and Dream pushes their foreheads together. George assumes they look dumb, but how could he care in this moment?

“Beautiful. You’re beautiful.” Dream says, his breath tickling George’s mouth. He lets out a breath and breaks out into a smile. His hands start brushing through Dream’s hair and George backs away to get a good look. Dream is staring back.

George lunges forward and wraps his arms around Dream’s neck, sending him flat on the bed with an “oof”.

“Jesus Christ, George. A warning would be nice.”

“I love you. I-love-you-I-love-you-I-love-you-I-love-you-I-love-you-I-love-you-” George couldn’t get enough of saying it. George’s dam cracked when Dream held him and fucking exploded when they kissed. He doesn’t have to hold back anymore, so he doesn’t.

“Slow down, baby.” Dream says through a chuckle. He makes George lean up with tans hands on pale cheeks and a lot of eye contact. “I love you, too.”

George’s breathing slows down to a normal, less-adrenaline-filled pace, and Dream kisses him again. George forces his head back up.

“What does this mean for us?”

“Isn’t it a little obvious?”

“Not really.”

“Boyfriends, George. We’re dating now.”

“How do you know I wanted to even be your boyfriend.” George narrows his eyebrows in faux-suspicion.

Dream’s stare is blank. “I mean. You’re- well- you know, um-”

George dismisses this shortly and confirms, “I want to be your boyfriend.”

Dream sighs in relief. “You’re such an idiot.”

“Yeah. Whatever.” George slides off Dream’s waist and lays facing him. Dream turns as well. “Was that question the last question?”

“No, actually. There were a few left.” Dream blinks, then muses, “Guess we didn’t need 36 questions after all.”

“That was the cheesiest thing you’ve ever said and I hate you for it.”

“You wound me, George. You wound me.”

George makes up for it by letting himself be engulfed in Dream’s embrace, and feels tiny kisses on the top of his head. George nuzzles closer.

Yeah, everything was going to be fine.

[inkandpen22]

Somewhere (1/?)

Pairing: Sirius Black x Female!Reader  

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1.7k

Series Summary: Based in the early summer of ‘78, tonight Y/N is celebrating her 18th birthday. Her protective older brother and their friends take her out dancing. She envisions the perfect night! 

A/N: In this story, muggles are aware of the wizard world. The series is based on West Side Story and POV switches between Sirius and Y/N. The red dress is based of the Saturday Night Fever red dress btw lol 

Masterlist

Reader

While business slows down in the boutique, I hurry along on finishing last-minute tasks before the weekend. The goal is to get all of these orders done before closing. 

“Hey, Lauren?” I shout for my best friend as she finishes stocking up the backroom for the weekend. 

“Yeah?” She calls distantly. 

“Could you bring me two of those navy cardigans when you come back out?” I recite, looking over the shipment list in front of me. 

“Sure thing!” She complies. 

Today is my eighteenth birthday. To celebrate, my older brother, Brady, is taking me out to the disco with our friends. It’ll be the first time I can go out to a club and drink. That’s not the most exciting part of today either! I’m officially an adult, a functioning, independent, member of society. My brother and his friends will no longer see me as the youngest who’s in constant need of looking-after. Brady has always been overprotective, but Lauren has tried to help convince him that I can take care of myself. Lauren and Brady have been dating since they were in high school, almost five years now. They’ve graduated from college and Lauren is eager to be married. In my opinion, it’s only a matter of time. I can’t see either of them with anyone else. Plus, I already consider Lauren my sister. 

Lauren appears out from the backroom with a bright grin as she joins me at the register counter. “So, are you excited?” 

“Yes! It’s going to be so much fun!” I gush, practically bursting. “Finally after four years of watching you guys go out with me, I can join!” 

She gives me a knowing look, “did you ever end up showing your brother that dress you picked out?” 

I bite down on my lip, pretending to return my attention to the order sheets in front of me. I can already hear her reprimanding, Brady’s too when he sees the bright red off the shoulder dress I picked up yesterday from the shop down the street. The fact that it’s off the shoulder will go over like a led balloon. 

Lauren’s jaw drops, “Y/N!” 

“I know, I know,” I sigh, trying my best to avoid a lecture. Moving around to the other side of the counter, I head to the office with the order sheets. 

Lauren follows on my heels, “he’s never going to let you go, especially if you step out of your room in that dress and those matching heels you bought!” 

“But it’s my birthday!” I plead, turning to face her with puppy-dog eyes. “My eighteenth, the most important one! It’s my first night as an adult.” 

Lauren sighs defeatedly and I continue to express a poor, pitiful, pout. I can tell she’s on my side, but she also doesn’t want to go against her boyfriend. I understand her predicament, yet then again, my brother can be unreasonable too. 

“I’ll see what I can do,” she offers, rubbing her temples stressfully. 

I jump up and down, pulling her into a hug. “Thank you! Thank you! Oh, thank you!” I repeat profusely. If Brady is going to listen to anyone, it’s her. 

“Ah, ah, ah, don’t get excited just yet,” she parts from me with a stern expression. “Your brother won’t be happy. I will vouch for you, but it’s up to you to stay in line. Tonight is your chance to really prove to Brady that you’re not a baby anymore.” 

I nod my head frantically, “yes, yes, of course! Tonight will be perfect! Promise!” 

Lauren narrows her eyes with a smirk, unconvinced. She hums, taking the sheets of paper from me to put them in the office. 

Tonight will be perfect! I can feel it. I’ve been waiting for this night ever since I can remember. After tonight, everything will be different. 

____________________________________________

Reader

As I listen to my Gloria Gaynor record, I stare at my reflection in my full-length mirror. More specifically, I admire the red satin dress that hangs off my shoulder. It’s everything I imagined it would be. As I think about it, it’s funny, I don’t feel any older, I don’t look any older, yet I feel different. 

Over the music, I hear a series of knocks on my bedroom door. "You coming, Y/N?” Brady calls from the other side. “Lauren and the others are here!"

"In a minute,” I announce, lowering the volume of my music. “I have to do my makeup!"

"You look fine as you are!" My brother insists as I hurry into my bathroom. "Besides, someone is really excited to see you..." he insinuates.

"I have to look immaculate,” I argue, rushing to put on my makeup in front of my skin. “Plus, Jay can wait!"

Working as fast as I can, I follow a makeup tutorial Twiggy did for Cosmo. It’s crucial I perfect my eyeliner and large lashes. 

"We're just going to the disco," he huffs, growing impatient. He would never last as a girl.

"It's my eighteenth birthday!” I remind him. “It's the first time I can drink and actually go into a club. Let me do what I want!” I then shoo him away, "go entertain your friends downstairs!"

"You have ten minutes!” He announces as a form of compromise. "Everyone's waiting for us!"

Mouthing the words to Gloria’s latest album, I’m practically dancing already and we’re not even at the disco yet! If only tonight could last forever. I want to ponder every minute, every second because tomorrow will be just another day and the magic will be gone. 

Sirius

James stopped by my apartment to go over things for his wedding to Lily, but I have other plans. 

"A disco?" James repeats with a frown, rolling over to lay onto his stomach on my bed. “And why would we want to do that?” 

"Muggles really love them!” I tell my best friend as I move about my bedroom to get ready. “Plus, it’s the start of summer! We are officially Hogwarts graduates, what better way to celebrate!” 

"Why can't we just go to a bar in Diagon Alley?" He reasons. 

"You'll like this place, promise! Muggle music…” I struggle to describe it. “It’s unlike anything I've ever heard before!"

"But muggles are so... mundane,” he shakes as though he just caught a chill at the thought of them. 

"I invited Remus and others too," I mention, certain that'll help convince him to come.

"At least we'll know people, I suppose," he shrugs, at least now considering the idea. 

"Just give it a chance, James. Watch, after tonight you're going to want to spend every night of our summer holiday there!" I predict, nearly positive it’ll happen. 

"Oh alright,” he complies with a huff, rising up from my bed to get ready. “I guess we don't have anything better to do," he grumbles on his way to the door. "Plus, we won't have to worry about any Death Eaters joining in on the fun."

Reader

I hurry down the stairs, to join Brady and his friends, Jay, Adam, and Henry, in the living room. The boys and their girlfriends have already started drinking while listening to some Queen in the background. They’ve gathered around on the couches and armchairs as they’ve done countless times before and after going out together. My brother is the only one standing, leaning against the fireplace mantel with a glass of scotch. Brady is the first one to notice me enter the room, he takes in my appearance in a scan of his eyes and waves me over. Clenching his jaw, he downs the remainder of his drink. 

“What are you wearing?” He asks rhetorically, wasting no time to reprimand me. 

“A dress,” I sass. 

“Cute,” He remarks sharply, not finding amusement in my response. “Go change, now.” 

“Oh come on, please,” I beg, taking his hand pleadingly. “It’s not that revealing and it’s my birthday!” 

He shakes his head, pointing toward the steps. “Go, hurry up.” 

“One night! One night and I’ll return it first thing tomorrow!” I negotiate. 

He glances between me and his empty glass, twirling around the leftover ice cubes, clearly debating whether he should accept my offer. 

“Please…” I mutter, pouting dramatically to get a rise out of my brother. 

He huffs and turns to the group. "Alright!” He shouts to gain their attention.” All eyes shift to me and my brother. “Jay, boys, I need to keep an eye on Y/N,” Brady commands of his buddies as he wraps an arm around my waist protectively.  “It's her first night out and the last thing she needs is uninvited attention, especially from wizards," he mutters the last part with disgust.

I look up at my brother in confusion. “Do you think they'll actually go to a human club?" I ask him, the idea never once crossing my mind. 

Wizards don’t really interact with us. In fact, they’ve created a whole other system and lifestyle apart of our own to avoid us. Different schools, stores, forms of government. I would imagine they have discos of their own. 

Lauren steps forward, "they're actually considered human-"

"Lauren!" My brother barks, causing his girlfriend to bite her tongue.

"That's debatable," Brady’s best friend, Jay, grumbles disdainfully, focusing on the drink in his hand. 

Henry and Adam hum in agreement, looking at Brady like he’s a preacher. 

"If we do see some, just stay clear, okay?" Brady orders strictly. Based on the sharpness of his stare, I best not test him. 

"How will I be able to tell?" I mumble, having only seen a wizard once or twice my whole life, at least consciously. 

According to Brady, and the others, wizards have the uncanny ability to appear normal just like us. However, in recent years, there’s been trouble amongst the wizard race. There’s a group of wizards who want their society and ours to be completely separate. My family and Brady’s friends are quite fond of the idea. In fact, most people are too. It’s such a frequent topic in the news,  in addition to the tensions surrounding it,  that I’ve grown annoyed by the dramatics. 

"Believe me, you'll know,” Brady assures. “They're so dependent on their magic that they can't help but use it."

"Okay, I will..." I mutter, wondering if I’ll truly see magical-beings tonight.

_________________________

Masterlist

[golbrocklovely]

give your heart a break // colby brock - chapter four: the change

A/N: as promised here is the next chapter! this chapter is a lot longer than the previous, and also includes a bunch of smut, which is probs what you guys are here for in a fwb story lol alrighty i hope you enjoy. let me know what you think. see yall later ;)

story description

taglist: @azurebrock , @daddydobrock , @colbyf-ingbrock , @cuddlingwithcolby , @absolute-randomness-forever , @lovelycolby , @codename-nyx , @sweetxplr , @absolutelynobodyposts

trigger warning: SMUT, cursing, partying, drinking, mentions of fighting

word count: 2352

~~~~~~

five months, three weeks, two days

The music thumped loudly off the walls of the house, making it hard to think. I was a couple drinks deep, feeling a nice buzz coursing through my veins.

I came to this party with Colby, Mike, and Kevin; all of whom have left me to go have fun with other people. I had circled the party twice trying to find them, finally landing on Mike and Kevin at the corner of the kitchen.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t my favorite losers. Where’s the third one?” I joked, walking up to them.

“I wouldn’t be so sure I’m the loser. Your boy toy has been trying to get with that all night.” Mike pointed out, his eyes glancing behind me.

I turned around to see Colby and a blonde girl dancing with each other. His hands rested on her hips as she swayed back and forth against him.

“Who’s that girl?” Kevin asked.

I exhaled. “Ashley.”

“You know her?” Mike questioned, an eyebrow raised.

“No… I just remember her.” I replied.

On rare occasions, Colby would bring a girl to pizza night, testing out the waters to see if she meshed well with our group. All of the girls he would bring never made it past one night, but Ashley did. But then all of a sudden, she stopped coming around. Apparently, she was an up-and-coming model who had just gotten a gig from some make-up brand and had to leave immediately.

I guess she just came back.

I remember how infatuated Colby was with her, how everything she did was attractive to him. He could never keep his hands off her. That’s still the case now.

“Are you okay, Zo?” Kevin mumbled, nudging me slightly.

I finally tore my gaze away from them. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because your man is grinding up on another girl?” Mike argued.

I huffed. “One, Colby’s not my man. Secondly, he’s allowed to do whatever he wants. Third, we’re-”

“Just friends. We know, we know.” Mike shushed me, smirking.

I glanced back over at Colby, seeing him lean in to kiss Ashley, only for her to slide her finger up to his lips and stop him, shaking her head and walking away. Colby slowly followed behind her.

I spun back to Mike and Kevin. “Care to take some shots?”

The night moved on slowly, the party getting crazier with more and more people coming in. I kept my buzz going, not wanting to get too drunk but definitely not wanting to be sober.

When a spot opened up on the couch, I took it, relaxing back against the cushions. I scrolled through my phone slowly, not paying attention to anything else around me. I felt someone sit down next to me, poking me lightly.

“Hey Zoe?” Colby’s voice started.

I responded, not lifting my head. “Yeah Colbs?”

“Have you seen Ashley around? I went to get a drink five minutes ago and I haven’t seen her since.” He remarked.

“No. I don’t know where she is.” I mentioned.

A silence fell over us. I glanced at Colby who was playing with the rings on his fingers, his face a mixture of bored and mopey. I took a long swig from my drink.

“Are you really just gonna wait around until you find her again?” I nagged.

He sighed. “That’s the plan.”

My eyes searched the party that was happening in front of us, hoping to see Ashley so I could point her out to Colby. My eyes finally landed on her petite form… kissing another guy.

“Hate to break it to you, but she didn’t wait for you.” I stated, pointing at her.

Colby’s eyes followed my gaze and his whole demeanor switched. “What the fuck?”

He jumped up, rushing over to Ashley and the boy she was kissing. He shoved the boy back, breaking their kiss.

Shit, this isn’t gonna be good.

I followed suit, standing behind Colby as he exclaimed. “Brady, really?! What are you doing with her?”

“What? It’s not that big of a deal, bro. You two aren’t together.” Brady retorted.

Colby scoffed. “But you know how much I like her.”

“No, I know how much you want to fuck her. Besides, Ashley came on to me.” Brady stated smugly.

Colby’s head turned to Ashley. “Ashley, how could you? I thought we had something going on.”

“We did. But Brady’s better than you, in numbers and in size.” She jeered, smiling. “Also, I don’t want some lost puppy following me around like you’ve been all night.”

Brady shrugged. “Face it, dude. She’s just not that into you.”

“Shut the fuck up, Brady.” Colby barked, stepping up to him.

I grabbed Colby’s arm, pulling him away from Brady. “Okay, whoa. Alright, Colby. Back up. Let it go. He’s not worth it.”

Colby barely paid attention to me, stumbling back as I pushed him. “Fuck you, Brady. And fuck you too, Ashley.”

Brady began to step towards Colby. “C’mon Colby, let’s go!” I yelled.

I pulled him away by the sleeve of his jacket, yanking him into the nearest bathroom and locking the door.

As I spun to Colby, he was pacing around the bathroom angrily.

“Colby, what the fuck was that about?” I shouted.

“Literally all night Ashley has been teasing me, saying that she’s so happy to be back because she missed me. Before this party, she was texting me all this flirty shit and I thought we were gonna continue where we left off, but apparently, I’m not good enough!” He ranted.

I furrowed my brows. “So because she led you on, you were gonna fight Brady?”

“He knows I like… liked, her. And then he goes and does that shit to me? Fuck him. I was only friendly with him because Aryia thought he was cool, but no more.” Colby jeered.

I crossed my arms, stepping towards him. “I’ve never seen you this upset before, especially over some girl.”

“I’m not upset, I’m… frustrated.” Colby sat on the edge of the tub. “Like, all night she has been up on me and then the second I started to show it back, she backs off like it’s some kind of joke.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, you could go out there and hook up with literally any other girl.” I informed him sarcastically.

He huffed. “Yeah, I’m not doing that… even though I need to.”

Silence fell over the two of us, all that could be heard was the muffled music from outside. Something about the way his voice deepened on that word made a shiver run up my spine. A thought crossed my mind and before I could stop myself, I sauntered up to him and spoke.

“What do you need right now?”

His eyes followed the length of my body up towards my face, his eyes locking on mine. His face was hard to read. The way he stared made my body heat up instantly.

“You know what I need.” He murmured lowly.

I could hear my heartbeat in my throat as I replied. “Then let me be the one to help you.”

Colby stood up suddenly, his chest brushed against mine, causing my heart to skip. He gazed down at me as his hand lightly touched my own.

“Zoe… I don’t know if we should.” He admitted.

I bit my lip. “You’re the one that’s frustrated, not me.”

He exhaled, glancing away. “If we do this… there’s no going back.”

My arms slowly wrapped around his neck as I leaned my forehead against his.

His hands traced my body, stopping on my hips. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

“Fuck it.”

Colby latched his lips onto my neck, kissing slowly. He nibbled on the nape of my neck, a light sound escaping my lips. As he continued, he slowly backed me up until my body was against the wall. He pressed himself into me as my hands traveled down his torso. Pulling on his jacket, I began to slide it off his shoulders. His jacket dropped to the floor with a soft thump.

He pulled his face away from my neck, his cheek resting against mine. His hands glided down to my thighs, gripping them tightly and pulling them up to around his waist. My fingers traced up and down his chest, finding the first button of his shirt and undoing it slowly. He gazed at me through hooded eyes as I finished unbuttoning his shirt. He lifted me off the wall and carried me over to the counter, sitting me down.

My nails raked across his abs, biting my lip as I watched his muscles clench. He tugged at the bottom of my shirt, pealing it off my body quick. With his lips back on my neck, he began to kiss down towards my breasts. As he kissed the tops of them, his hand drifted up my thigh, going under my skirt and cupping my sex through my panties.

A whimper spilled from my lips at the sensation. Colby kissed back up towards my ear, stopping to nip at my collarbone. “You’re already wet.”

“Neck kisses turn me on.” I muttered.

He pulled away, a tiny smile on his face. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Colby buried his head back into my neck and chest, leaving kisses in his wake. I could feel his manhood grinding against my thigh. I smirked, guiding my hand to the button and zipper of his jeans, slowly undoing them and slipping my hand inside. I grasped him, feeling him twitch in my hand. A groan fell from his lips as I slid my hand into his boxers and started to stroke him.

He stopped all of his movements, just letting me play with him for a bit. I could feel him getting harder, precum beginning to leak from his tip. He clutched my wrist as he spoke. “I need you, Zo.”

The desperation and hunger in his voice made my clit throb, my panties getting more wet. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a condom, ripping the packaging open with his teeth. I shimmied my underwear down my legs, tossing it somewhere near his jacket.

Colby glanced into my eyes one final time as he lined himself up with my pussy, sliding in gently. We both let out deep moans of pleasure. We stayed still, letting each other get use to the feeling. After a moment, he began to thrust. I closed my eyes in pleasure, just feeling his shaft inside me. Colby’s hands gripped my waist and the counter, keeping his thrusts steady. Once I opened my eyes, I caught sight of his lips, needing them.

As I leaned in to kiss him, he backed off, stopping his movements.

“What’s wrong?” I asked breathlessly.

“I um…” He mumbled.

Colby looked everywhere but my eyes, something he almost never did. I suddenly realized what the problem was.

“You don’t want me to kiss you?” I stared at him, my eyes never leaving his face.

He didn’t react, his body remained still.

I asked again. “Why won’t you kiss me?”

He stayed quiet, but his eyes soon landed on mine. It was like the words were at the tip of his tongue but he couldn’t spit it out.

“If you can stick your cock in me, you can kiss me.” I sassed, rolling my eyes.

Colby let out a short breath, his eyes turning dark with lust again. “You have a dirty mouth.”

“Then kiss it.” I taunted.

We gazed into each other’s eyes, waiting for him to make the first move. Colby’s hand glided up from my hips to my face, cupping me softly as his thumb rubbed the apple of my cheek. He licked his lips hastily and pulled my face to his. Our lips finally connected. A light hum escaped my mouth from the contact.

His lips were soft and plump, like how I imagined them before. I bit his bottom lip gently, pulling him closer. I wrapped my legs around him as our kissing became more passionate.  His tongue slipped into my mouth, my nails digging into his sides.

Colby pulled abruptly away, resting his forehead against mine. Staring into my eyes, he began to fuck me again. He grunted as his thrust picked up pace, my legs tightening their hold around his waist.

I couldn’t help the noises that spilled from my lips. He was hitting all of the right places inside me, making me a moaning mess.

My own body bucked against him, meeting his pace. Colby thrusted deeper as I gasped his name, unable to form any other words.

“You like this, don’t you?” He hissed into my ear.

I moaned. “Yeah.”

“You’ve wanted this for a long time, huh?” Colby bit my earlobe sensually.

“Uh huh.” I whined.

“My cock is making you feel this good.” He smirked.

I nodded shakily.

He grunted. “You feel so fucking good, Zoe.”

“Colby, go faster!” I whimpered.

His thrusts turned into slams as he sped up. My one hand gripped the mirror behind me while the other pulled at his hair. Colby’s teeth nipped at my neck, leaving love bites all over. His hands drifted up to my breasts, squeezing them tightly.

“Fuck you're gonna make me cum.” He groaned.

I uttered airily. “I’m so close, Colby.”

He dug his fingers into my hips, pounding into my cunt forcefully. I could feel my orgasm building up to its peak. I was unable to say anything other than his name, my eyes rolling into the back of my head.

With one last call of his name, I exploded in pleasure. I bucked wildly against him, moaning crazily as his high finally hit him too. He grunted darkly into my ear, his hips slamming into mine aggressively.

As both of our orgasms came to an end, we stared longingly into each other’s eyes. I leaned in lazily and kissed his lips softly. When I went to pull away, he kept me close, keeping our lips on each other longer.

<< CHAPTER 3 || CHAPTER 5 >>

[thisgirl-writes]

Professor’s Assistant - Part 3

Summary: College Junior, Sophie starts to develop a crush on her Political Science professor. Will it drive a wedge between her boyfriend Cody and her? Will it stay just a silly admiration?

Word Count: 1,675

Warnings: Swearing

Part 2

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

You never caught up to Cody after he left class before you, and since you knew what was waiting for you when you got back to the apartment, you decided to stop and get an afternoon cup of coffee. Since you weren’t going to be home right away and you didn’t want to make Cody more mad, you thought it would be a good idea to call him to let him know.

“Hey Cody, I am stopping for coffee then I will be back. I was calling to see if you wanted me to bring you anything. Just let me know. Love you!”  You ended the call and decided to send a text as well since Cody never wanted to talk on the phone. As you were getting ready to hit send, you felt yourself run into something solid. Now with how clumsy you were, after all, your uncle nicknamed you ‘Klutz’ when you were younger, you figured you ran into a pole or something.

“Oh! I am sorry I wasn’t watching where I was goin’.” You hear a familiar voice. 

“Oh hey there Sophie. Wait how did I beat you here, didn’t you leave class before me?” Professor Evans asked you with a slight chuckle.

“Yeah I did, I took the long way to get here. Plus I walk slow sometimes.” you reply

“The long way? In the middle of winter? In Boston?”  

“Winter is the best season!” You exclaimed.

“Oh I agree, just most people who aren’t from here don’t think that. Actually, most people, in general, feel that way”

“True, but hold up a second. What makes you think that I am not from here?” You questioned his statement.

“Well, as someone who was born and raised here, you just know an outsider” his response dripping with sarcasm, causing you to raise an eyebrow at his reply. “I just messin’ with ya. I can tell by the lack of a Boston accent” he laughed.

“Yeah, I’m not from here, but I have always loved the history that surrounds Boston. So now I am here. Well, that and this was like the only school that gave me scholarship” You told him. Talking with him just felt natural.

“Scholarship, huh? So what sport do you play?”

“When I said scholarship, I meant academic. You know smart people deserve things too, not just all the jocks of the world with dreams of making it to be the next Tom Brady” You may have gotten a tad bit sassy, but it bugged you when people just assumed you meant sports.

“Easy there. Nobody is gonna be the next Tom Brady, He is the GOAT.”

“But you know what I mean, right Professor Evans”

“Sophie.” The way he said your name sent a shiver down your spine and made you feel like you could fly. “I do know what you mean. And I told you that you can call me Chris.” He reminded you of your previous encounter with him.

“Sorry, it is just a habit I guess. I’ll try not to let it happen again”

“It’s really okay, I’m just saying Professor Evans makes me sound old”  You couldn’t help but laugh, because it was so far from the truth. “Oh by the way, are you okay?” He asked you. His question took you by surprise.

“Oh yeah I’m fine, I run into things all the time”

“I am glad  that you’re okay, Sophie.”  He let out a small laugh. “Well, I gotta get going. I look forward to reading your assignment” He smiled as he turned and started to walk away.

You would be lying if you said you didn’t watch him walk away. After all, when you bumped into him, it felt like you hit a wall. A very good looking wall. He was solid muscle. You knew he had muscles from the first day of class. The way the material of the white button-down stretched across his broad shoulders and clung to his biceps, there was no denying that his free time was spent at the gym.

The sound of the ringtone you had specifically for Cody shook you from your daydream.

“Hey baby. I am at the coff--” Cody didn’t even let you get a chance to finish your sentence before he cut you off.

“I really don’t fucking care where you are, because it’s not here, and I told you we needed to have a discussion in private” He barked at you. His response took you by surprise.

“Baby. I just wanted to see if you wanted some coffee before we talk” You tried to reason with him. It didn’t work. At that point, you didn’t even know how to handle what was happening. Part of you wanted to sit down in the snow and just cry because you were so frustrated.

“Look just get back here alright. And don’t get me anything, I don’t fucking care”  

The tears that you didn’t realize had been building up had now started to fall. It happened more than you would like to admit, Cody getting mad at you and you crying because of it. After 2 years, you were used to it. You had convinced yourself that you had deserved it a few times. You had turned around to hide your face from the open window of the coffee shop. When you opened your eyes, you noticed that Professor Evans, Chris, was standing 10 feet from you. You saw the look of empathy on his face. Before he could possibly say anything to you, you turned and walked away. Completely abandoning the fact that you had the intention of getting coffee.

You take a deep breathe as you pull your keys to the apartment. The keys unlock the door and you brace yourself for the conversation that was about to happen. Cody was sitting in front of the TV, it seemed like he didn’t even notice that you were back. You had hoped that maybe within the 15 minutes it took you to walk back that he had calmed down enough to skip having the conversation. The attempt to quietly close the door failed, as soon as you closed the door, Cody turned to look at you.

“It’s about damn time. What no coffee?” Cody asked smugly as he got up and started to walk over towards you. He knew the power he had over you, part of you hated it, but the other part of you convinced yourself that he was only this way because he loved you.

“Cody, you said you wanted to talk, so I skipped the coffee to get home.” You replied with confusion in your tone.

“I’m surprised you actually listened to me.”

“Cody, what did you want to talk about?” You tried to get the conversation started already. You just wanted to get it over with.

“Don’t play dumb right now. You know damn well what this is going to be about.” He spat back at you. You tried to take a step back, to add distance, but your back was against the wall.

“I’m not playing dumb. I have no fucking idea what you wanted to talk about. And can you please take a step back or something?” You say back to him. It backfires and he takes another step closer to you.

“What's a matter sweets? Wish I was someone else?” You couldn’t believe the words that just left his mouth.

“What the actual fuck Cody?”

“You’re the one that was drooling over what’s his face in class today!” With that he raised his voice. You were sure your neighbors could hear you at this point.

“One comment about how I can see why OTHER women are drooling over him does not mean that I was one of them dumbass!” You raised your voice back. You didn’t like confrontation, but you also didn’t run from it.

“You don’t sound so sure of that.”

“Are you serious right now Cody? Where is this jealousy coming from? You have NEVER acted this way! Never in the almost 3 years we've been together!”

“Where is this coming from? Are you kidding me? It’s coming from you!”

“From me? How in the hell is it coming from me?” You ask, completely in shock of how he brought himself to this conclusion that it was your fault.

“Yes from you! You’re the one that said he was attractive. And for your information, I’ve never acted this way before because you’ve never looked at another guy in 3 years and now you are saying that a professor is cute.”

Cody had never been the jealous type, and the fact that he was so mad about the one comment you accidentally made in class. So you chose your next words carefully. You took a deep breath and spoke

“Cody, babe. Just because I said he was cute, doesn’t mean I want to be with him. I live with you. I come back here to you. I share a bed with you. I love you.” You say as you put your arms around his neck and give him a quick kiss. He smiled and stared at you for a second before he started to speak again.

“I know” with that he gave you a kiss on the check and walked back to the couch to watch more TV. You honestly expecting him to say he loved you back, instead of saying ‘I know’. But then again you had made him watch Star Wars before.

“Hey babe?” you call getting his attention again.

“Hmm?”

“I appreciate the Star Wars reference”

“What? C’mon sweets you know I don’t watch that nerdy shit.” A little piece of your heart broke when you heard his response. You knew it wasn’t his favorite thing ever, but still, the fact that he didn’t even pay attention to something that made you happy. It put a little piece of doubt in your mind if he really did love you, or if he was just going through the motions.

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

tag list:

@patzammit,

[oskea93]

Think of You: Seven (Part two)

Warnings: Sexual situations, language

A/N: ENJOY!  (PS: please excuse the grammar issues.) 

“Make sure to stay in a single file while walking down the hallway.”

I watched as my second graders made their way towards the cafeteria. Today was a new day. I was back in teacher mode and my escapades from the weekend were behind me. Granted, it was close to 80 degrees and I had to wear a long sleeve dress. I’m not the type of girl to show off the presents that a guy had left. “Okay-“ I spoke again. “Since Lilly’s the line leader, she’s going to hold the door for everyone.” I watched as the little girl stepped out of line, grabbing hold of the door, allowing her classmates to go in one-by-one.

“Ms. Daniels?” I heard my name being called. I looked down and saw Teddy, a student of mine, standing close to me. He motioned for me to come down to his level, waving his little hand in a downward motion. I bent down to face him more directly, “Yes, Teddy?” I asked. I placed my hand on his arm, seeing as he looked somewhat worried. I watched as his bright blue eyes danced from mine to something behind me. “There’s a weird man behind you.” He whispered. I was confused at first, slowly turning my head to see who it was. Looking as out of place as he could, Nikki stood feet away from me. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as I turned back toward little Teddy. I assured him that everything was fine, taking his hand and walking into the cafeteria. I couldn’t believe he would show up here of all places. This was my place of employment, and his kind was not welcomed around here. The people that worked here were some of the snootiest people I’ve ever met. Plus, they were very religious and did not take kindly to the new wave of music that was taking over the world. I would hear certain teachers talking about how their students were more interested in the bands on MTV than their studies. Even the principle was trying his hardest to keep his school pure, innocent, and out of the hands of guys like Nikki Sixx.

Once I made sure my students were all set with their lunches, I quickly made my way back out to the hallway. I didn’t bother saying anything to him, simply grabbing his hand, and marching us back to my classroom. “You in a hurry to tear my clothes off again?” He started to laugh. I didn’t answer. Once inside the classroom, I locked the door behind us, turning to look at him. “What are you doing here?” I asked. “And how did you know where I wor-“

“Why did you leave?” He cut me off. I looked at him confused. “The other morning, why did you leave?” He seriously came all the way to my job to ask why I left him alone yesterday? He couldn’t have just called and asked me this question? “Carol-“

“You can’t just come to my work and start asking all these questions, Nikki.” I explained. “I left because it should have never happened. What happened between us was just a one-time thing and should never happen again.” Everything that Mac and I spoke about last night had flown at the window. I admitted to her that I had feelings, strong feelings for Nikki. My heart wanted to be with him, but my brain, as usual, was taking over and messing everything us.

A smirk found its way onto his face, “It was more than just one time, darling.” I wanted to slap that sexy smirk off his face. “You may think that I’m just using you because that’s the kind of person I am, but-”He stopped mid-sentence. “I really and truthfully care about you, Caroline. Hell, I may even love you.” My heart began to race as he expressed his feelings. “Yeah, I’m in a band and there’s girls throwing themselves at me, but you’re honestly the only girl I think about. Ever since the first night I met you, all I do is think about you. I can’t fucking shake you. I don’t want to shake you.”

“Nikki-“ I sighed.

“No-”He cut in again. “Let me finish.” He stepped closer to me, blocking me between him and the bookshelf. “When I woke up and you weren’t there, that fucking hurt, Caroline.” His voice sounding more serious, a bit emotional. “I didn’t think what happened between us was just a causal fuck.” I grimaced at the word. “Sorry, casual sex. I honestly had a meaningful time with you. You’re the first girl I ever had slow, meaningful sex with. If that doesn’t tell you anything then I don’t know what will.” I looked down at my shoes, taking in everything that he had said.

I let out a sigh, “Can we just talk about this some other time? Maybe we cou-“

His lips smashed into mine, taking me by surprise. Involuntarily, my hands entwined in his raven hair, grabbing a fist-full so I could be as close as possible. I was still pinned against the bookshelf as Nikki’s hands traveled to the hem of my dress. “I’ve always wanted to fuck a teacher.” He muttered against my lips as his hand moved further up my leg. I was back in Veronica mode. Caroline, sweet and innocent Caroline, had left the building and Veronica was in control. I couldn’t help but start moaning as his lips moved to my neck, nipping at the already tender spots from before. The whole notion of being at work, especially in a Christian Elementary had left my mind, only focusing on Nikki and his skillful hands and mouth. Without warning, Nikki’s fingers slipped past my underwear, finding the most sensitive part of my body. I let out a whimper, well it was more a moan, a very long moan. This was also a first for me as well. I guess you could say I had a pretty boring sex life up until now. My body reacted as he slowly pumped his fingers into me, going extremely slow to garner a better response. I couldn’t help but bite down on his neck, causing him to let out a hissing noise, as his fingers worked their amazing magic. My whimpers and moans filled the classroom. 


“I want you out of this fucking dress.” Nikki whispered against my lips. I finally made eye contact with him, seeing his green eyes turning darker with lust. Like I said before, Veronica was in charge, causing me to nod my head. It was as if I was watching myself from above. Nikki’s hand was up my dress and his lips were on my lips and all over my neck. I was in a state of lust and if I didn’t stop, things were going to escalate to a whole other level.

“Nikki-“ I gasped. His fingers accelerated to a faster pace, causing my breath to hitch in my throat. “Oh god.” I whispered. I could feel myself start coming unhinged. My legs were getting weak and starting to hurt. My heart was racing a mile a minute and my breathing was becoming more raged. With one last stroke, I finally broke lose. It was as if I was a damn and I had finally broke free from the barrier. That sounds kind of gross now that I think about it. “Oh my gosh.” I exhaled. My head remained buried in Nikki’s neck as his left arm held my body in place. “Pretty good, huh?” He laughed. I slowly lifted my head and placed it against the bookshelf, looking straight at him again. I watched as he slowly licked clean his fingers that were inside of me clean. I thought it was incredibly gross but I was also incredibly turned on at the same time.

“Now-“ He began to smile. “Let’s get you out of that fucking dress.” I remained frozen as he started working on the buttons of my dress. His lips once again found my neck, as my hands held onto his shoulders. Before he could get the last button undone, the bell rang, snapping me out of the lustful trance.

‘Shit!” I exclaimed, roughly pushing Nikki away from me. “Shit, shit shit!” I continued to yell as I hastily re-buttoned my dress. “What’s the problem?” Nikki asked confused. I ignored him as I ran to the mirror that I kept in my classroom. I looked like a woman who just had sex. My hair was sort of matted to my forehead, which was covered in sweat. My dress was wrinkled where it had been pulled up, and I had a small wet spot near the bottom. “Caroline?”

My eyes cut to where Nikki was standing, still unsure what was happening. “You need to leave, like right now!” I raised my voice. He tried to speak but I started pushing his body toward the classroom door. “What the hell, Caroline.” He barked back. I roughly opened the door, pushing him out into the hallway. I was in a panic haze that it didn’t occur to me that the other teachers were also out in the hall.

“Ms. Daniels?” I turned from Nikki, seeing Mrs. Brady, the Librarian looking between Nikki and I. “Is everything okay?” She asked. Most of the teachers at this school talked about each other like they were back in grade school. I’ve learned that they’d be nice to your face but tear you to shreds behind your back.

I must have looked like a deer in the headlights, “Uh-“ I stuttered out. “Eve-everything’s fine, Mrs. Brady.” She gave me a disapproving look before making her way down the hallway. Everyone that passed by us were staring, some even whispering to one another at the scene Nikki and I had caused. My eyes moved back to Nikki, who was staring right at me. “Care to explain?” He smirked.

I didn’t bother answering his question. I needed to get my students from the cafeteria and he needed to get out of here before the principle showed up. “Just, please leave.” I stated firmly. I didn’t bother showing him to the door, he obviously knew where it was. I made my way to the cafeteria, trying my best to keep calm and professional.

“Who’s your friend, Ms. Daniels?” Vanna, a fellow second grade teacher, asked. She had been one of the many that walked by as I was pushing Nikki out of my classroom. I nervously moved a strand of hair behind me ear, “He’s um-” What was I to say? He’s the guy I’ve been having sex with? He’s a rock star and I’m his groupie? “He’s nobody.”

Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Caroline!

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

“Who are you and what have you done with the real Caroline Vanessa Daniels?” 

I rolled my eyes as I took a sip of my milkshake. I had called Mac from the office phone once school was over, asking her if she could meet me right away. Ever since my encounter with Nikki, my mind had been in panic mode. During my math lesson today, I forgot how to do the problem, causing my students to get even more confused. I had to skip over the whole chapter, telling the kids that we would go over it tomorrow.

“He just shows up like he owns the place, telling me how he feels, ex-“

Mac began to wave her arms around, “Woah, woah!” She exclaimed. “He told you how he felt?” I nodded my head. “You didn’t think to tell me that part first? Don’t get me wrong, I love hearing about your sex life, which is now a hell of a lot better than mine, but him expressing his feelings is more important!”  I looked down at the table. “Tell me exactly what he said to you.” Mac’s body was now leaning right against the counter, getting as close as she could to hear what I was about to say.

I took another drink of my shake, “He, he-“ I stuttered. “He, uh, He to-
 “Spit it out already, woman!” Mac yelled, causing those around to look at us. My face instantly turned red with embarrassment. Maybe telling Mac this in public was a bad idea. “He told me that he thinks he loves me.” I rambled. “He told me that I wasn’t like any other girls he’s been with and that he loves me.” I could feel tears well up in my eyes. “He told me he loves me and I don’t know what to do.” I was over analyzing again. I was breaking down for the second day in a row due to one man.

“Oh my God.” Mac muttered, moving herself back against the booth.

“What?” I asked confused. I used my sleeve to wipe away the tears that were falling from my eyes. “What’s the matter?”

The smile that formed on her face grew larger, “You don’t just like him, you love him.”  

“No, no, no.” I shook my head. “I am not in love with him. I can’t be in love with someone I barely even know. He could be a secret serial killer or something. I can’t be in love with a guy like Nikki Sixx. I mean, who the heck names their kid Nikki Sixx? I bet that’s not even his real name, so I can’t be in love with him even more now. He’s to-“

“Caroline!” Mac exclaimed. The people across from us were now sending dirty looks our way. I’m pretty sure the whole restaurant was at this point. “You’re looking for any excuse you can find, and the excuses you are using suck.”

I looked down at my melted milkshake. Yesterday, I only had small feelings for this guy. You know, the kind of feelings that someone with a crush has. Nikki was sort of a crush to me but I meant more to him. Maybe he meant more to me as well. “You need to fucking tell him how you feel before some other bitch comes along and steals him.” Mac said pointedly. “Tom Zutaut is having a party tonight and you’re gonna tell Nikki exactly how you fucking feel.”

“But-“ I tried to speak.

Mac held her hand in face, “No buts, Caroline. You are going to that party and if I have to lock you and Nikki in a room so you can admit how you feel, I will find the darkest, tiniest room, and lock you two in there. Do you understand me?”I slowly nodded my head like a child who just got scolded by their parents.

“Fabulous.” She shifted in her seat. “I’ll see you at eight!”  

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

“If you’re gonna tell someone you love them, you can’t wear what you’re wearing!” Mac exclaimed as she rummaged through my closet. “You’re not purposing your love to the Pope, Caroline. You’re telling a fucking rock star, a fucking hot rock star, that you’re in love with him. You have to look the part!” I watched as dresses, shirts, and pants flew out of my closet. “I know I say this all the time, but you are a fucking prude!”

“Enough with the F word, Mackenzie.” I groaned.  I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was down and my makeup was light, as usual. I looked at the dress I was wearing. It was the same material as the dress that I wore to work today but it was green. It had long sleeves and reached to my knees. I decided to wear stockings with it, along with a pair of boots. I thought I looked pretty good but Mac’s always the judge of that. “Aha!”

Mac removed herself from my closet, a white romper in her hands. “Put this on.” She threw the garment in my direction. I had forgotten that I owned this, probably only wearing it back in Georgia. I did as I was told and made my way to the bathroom. I removed my dress and stockings, placing the romper on in its place.

“I can’t wear this.” I muttered to myself. My reflection stared back at me, as did the many hickeys that still lined my neck and collarbone. “Mackenzie!” I cried out. Mac showed up seconds later, worry written all over her face. “I can’t wear this!” I told her. “I can’t go out in public looking like this.” I pointed towards my neck, her eyes going wide as she took in the evidence.

“He did a number on you didn’t he.” She chuckled as she began to look through my makeup bag. “Of course.” She muttered. She jetted out of the bathroom, back into the bedroom. I heard her rustling in her purse before she came back to the bathroom. “This should help.” She held a bottle of liquid foundation. “Your skin tone doesn’t match mine.” I wined. She ignored my comment, placing the liquid on a cotton ball. I felt her dab on the makeup, making sure to cover as much as she could.

“Ta da!” She smiled. I looked at myself in the mirror. The spots were still visible but not as bad as they had been. “No one will notice.”

“I hope you’re right.” I muttered. I gave myself a glace over, making sure I did in fact look okay. “You look fine!” I heard Mac yell from the other room. I let out a sigh, closing the light and making my way to the front room. I grabbed my purse and made my way out the door, ready to face whatever was gonna happen tonight….

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

Even though I barely knew Tom, he didn’t seem like the type that would have parties at his house. Maybe a get together with a couple of friends but not a party with drugs, alcohol, or rock stars. When Mac and I arrived, the place was so crowded that it took me 20 minutes to find a place to park. I had to park my car halfway down the block and walk back up the hill to where his house was. I had asked Mac in the car how she even got an invite to Tom’s party. She explained that it was more of an Elektra Record party for the Motley guys. It was being thrown at Tom’s house since he signed the guys and worked with them. For a guy that just got promoted, I never expected him to have a big house. Maybe a regular size house in the valley somewhere? To say I was surprised when I saw the size of his house would be an understatement. His house was huge! It was mansion size and even had a pool in the backyard.  

“Let’s party!” Mac screamed. I stayed close behind her as we entered the house. People were everywhere. It was as if we were back at the party from the other night. Music was blaring from the speaker, allowing people to dance freely in the living room. From where I was standing, Vince was talking with some girl and Mick was sitting on the couch next to Tom. I didn’t see any sign of Nikki, relief coursing through my veins. “I’m gonna go find Tommy.” Mac shouted. I nodded my head, watching her get lost in the crowd. I stood in the archway awkwardly for a couple more seconds before going over to the couch where Tom and Mick were sitting. 


“You mind if I sit here?” I asked. Tom’s head snapped up, a smile forming across his face.

I watched as he scooted over, giving me more room to be comfortable, “Sure thing.” I took a seat next to him, pulling down the shorts of my romper in the process. “Caroline, right?” I nodded my head. From what I remember of our first meeting, he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. He was a little nerdy, looking like he should be crunching numbers instead of working in the music industry. “How have you been?” He asked.

“Fine.” I smiled. “How about you?” I was probably the worst person to make a conversation with. I was awkward and never knew what to talk about, especially with a new person. “Just living the Motley life.” His smile turned bigger. “I heard you and Nikki are really hitting it off.” My eyes widened. Did everyone know what Nikki and I had done? “What do you mean?” I asked. He looked at me a bit confused, “You guys are together.”

Before I could reply, I felt a hand on my bare shoulder. My head whipped around as my eyes connected with Nikki’s. “We need to talk.” He stated. His eyes were dark, making him look even more pissed off. I wanted to tell him that I was talking to Tom and would find him later but I just nodded my head, biding farewell to Tom in the process. In order not to get lost on the way, Nikki grabbed my hand and led me through the crowd to an empty room. I looked around, seeing it was the laundry room of all places. My heart started to race as Nikki closed the door behind him, taking a deep breath before turning to face me. I couldn’t help but stare at him once he did turn around. His hair was wild and his leather pants were tighter than ever. He looked really, really good.

“What’s going on?” He blurted out.

I looked up at him confused, “What are you talking about?” He rolled his eyes as his hand ran through his raven locks.

“I need to know what the fuck is going on with you and I? One minute you’re tearing my clothes off and then you’re pushing me away. I need to know what this is, Caroline.” He pointed between him and I. “I need to know if you feel the same way as I do.” He seemed so vulnerable. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone except you. You make me feel things that I thought I would never feel for someone.” He was pouring his heart out to me, making my own heart swell.

I let out a sigh, “Nikki-“ I began.

“No-“ He raised his hand to stop me from talking. “I came from a life where the word love was foreign. My mom never said it, I never said it, nobody said it. From the time I was 10 years old, I never thought I would be able to say that word to someone, especially if I really meant it. I never thought I would have feelings toward a person that were genuine. I’ve been with a lot of girls, but they were just bed warmers. I never felt a single emotion for them. When I met you, without even talking to you, I knew were the one.” I could feel tears forming in my eyes as he spoke. He was pouring his heart out to me. “I know how cliché that sounds but there was something about you that had me hooked. You aren’t like any of the girls that flock to our concerts or try to get with us at parties. You are your own person and I fucking love you for that. I fucking love that you’re shy and reserved. I love that you have your own personality, even if it’s boring.” We both chuckled. “You are nothing like I’ve ever seen and I love you for that. I fucking love you, Caroline.”

I wiped away the tears that had fallen during his speech. My heart was beating a mile a minute, my emotions going into overdrive. “Everything about you scares me.” I started. “I’m scared of the lifestyle you lead. I’m scared of the things you do. Most importantly, I’m terrified that I’m falling so hard for you and there’s nothing I can do about it. You are the last person on the earth that I thought I would ever fall in love with, but I’m in love with you and that scares me to death.” I explained through tears. Nikki instantly pulled me into his body, his arms wrapping around my waist as mine wrapped around his neck.

“I promise I’ll never scare you again.” He whispered.

@triplehaitches @fandomshit6000 @sighsophiia @divaanya @primal-screamer @theabductionofpersephone @ithinkimhardcore @lauravic @jonesie32 @queen-introvert

IF YOU WANT TO BE ADDED TO THE TAG LIST, JUST LET ME KNOW!!

[thatsweetbobbyfacetho]

Perspective flip: Robby's thoughts on Christmas with Johnny and Bobby in Peaches

You sent me this AGES ago but since it was the holiday season I felt in the mood to play around with this. Obviously it’s very close to the original scene as it’s the exact same situation just from a new perspective. Hopefully you enjoy it! And thank you for the ask!

--

“Robby, good to see you!”

Robby was pulled into the embrace before he could protest. His dad's partner could be a little extra sometimes but that didn't exactly mean that extra was a bad thing. He hugged back before pulling away, shyly looking at his dad wondering if he was going to hug him too.

“Wait, where are your bags? I thought you said you were staying the weekend?” his dad asked giving him a look

Robby combed his hand through his hair, hesitating before he spoke.

“Yeah… about that, some stuff came up so I thought we could just hang out for the evening.” Robby hated to lie but he was still trying to adjust to whatever this was. Did he have two dads now? What exactly was Bobby's role in his life?

“That’s fine, we’re just glad to see you. You can stay over next time.” Bobby smiled.

There was a sudden, shrill bark and the three looked down to see Peaches begging for a little attention.

“Hey, Peach!” Robby grinned, kneeling down to scratch behind the pug’s floppy ears, “I brought something for you…”

Johnny groaned. “As if it wasn’t bad enough how much Bobby spoils the damn dog, now you, Robby?”

Robby pulled a Santa toy from out of his backpack and placed it down in front of the pup. He had never been allowed a pet growing up so Peaches was probably the best thing to come out of his Dad's new arrangement. His dad would never have gotten a dog without Bobby.

Peaches tilted her head to the side before gingerly taking it between her teeth, the toy emitting a loud squeak as she bit down on it.

“Oh, perfect, it makes fucking noise,” Johnny said unamused.  

Robby gave the dog another pat on the head before she trotted off to her bed and curled up to gnaw on her newest toy.

Standing slowly Robby then looked between the two adults. “So, are we decorating a tree or what?”

He felt bad, his dad had kept asking him when he was free to set up the tree and he had kept putting it off. It was getting so close to Christmas now and he was sure they had put it off because of him. It was just a lot, everything was just a lot.

Growing up Christmas had just been him and his mom in a small apartment with sparse decorations. He was pretty sure they had been an angel tree family more than once in his childhood. Now not only was his dad in his life but they were in an Encino mansion with more Christmas decorations than any of them probably knew what to do with.

He knew that this was mostly all Bobby, he seemed to be the family oriented type of guy. He and his dad were just going to have to learn to do things his way.

Walking into the living room Robby's eyes widened in surprise as he gazed upon a large gorgeous fir tree. He had never had a real tree growing up, it was always a sad looking fake tree.

He couldn't help but notice the Christmas music playing faintly in the background and a plate of cookies placed on the coffee table. Did he belong to the Brady bunch now?

He watched for a moment as his dad and his partner started to sort ornaments out onto the tree, the lights had already been strung prior to him arriving.

“Johnny! You can’t keep putting things so close together! Look, they are all clustered right there! And there are bald spots everywhere!”

Robby chimed in with a snicker, “He’s right dad, it looks awful.”

His dad shot them a glare, his blue eyes dark as he put down the box of ornaments. Without a word, he stomped over towards the couch and plopped himself down, a plate of cookies in hand.

Peaches was dancing around their feet, wanting to be a part of the action and begging for any attention she could manage. She gravitated towards him, excited about their visitor. Robby loved the way that Peaches always went crazy any time he visited.

It wasn’t long before he and Bobby had finished off the tree and stepped back to admire their efforts. It was looking pretty good.

“And now for the finishing touch.”

Bobby reached into an old box and pulled out an angel that looked like it was probably older than he was.

“Hey, Isn’t that the one your family always had on the tree?” his dad asked from the couch as he munched on cookies.

Bobby nodded as he handed it off to Robby. 

“My mom gave it to me when she downsized. My sister got some of the other ornaments. You don’t mind do you?” Bobby asked his partner

His dad shook his head.

“Are you sure you want me to put it up? I mean, it looks pretty fragile…” Robby gave his father’s partner a worried look.

“It’s fine, I want you to.”

Once the angel was placed on top of the tree the three of them now stood to bask in the beauty of their first tree decorated as a family.

“It’s perfect,” Bobby smiled, an arm reaching around Robby’s shoulder in a half hug.

He didn't fight the show of affection as Robby nodded in agreeance. “Yeah, it is." He inhaled to recenter himself. He didn't feel great about what he was about to do but he was still going to do it anyway.  "And I hate to say it but I should probably run. Thanks for tonight though. It was actually kind of fun.”

Hasty goodbyes were exchanged and soon he was back outside on his phone to arrange an uber. He looked up at the house again and sighed. He felt bad ditching out early but he still didn't feel comfortable staying. Maybe one day he would be able to feel comfortable with a life in Encino with his two dads but until then he was going to take it one day at a time.

[hellomissmabel]

Debut part II/II

MASTERLIST

Pairing: Bucky x reader

Warnings: Someone being called a slut. Fluffiness overload.

Word count: 1.7k

Summary: You’re a small town actress catapulted to fame when you land a role in an immensely popular TV show. After turning down the flirtations of the lead male character, the media paints you as a bitch and you end up being bullied by his fans. Struggling to stay true to yourself, you find comfort and friendship in one of actors who makes his debut on the show.

Find part one here

All Sebastian Stan’s characters & fics can be found here

A/N: Written for @bbparker aka @bxckybxarnesstar

You can hear him playing the piano even with the door closed, the melodic movements of his fingertips creating an ecstatic atmosphere, never mind if it’s a slow or sad song. Yesterday you caught him playing ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham and today he’s playing ‘All I want for Christmas’. He doesn’t stop when he notices someone opening the door, continuing with marvellous rhythmic intent.

When you sit down next to him on the bench, he eventually nudges your side and stops playing with both hands, his left hand resting on your knee while the right finishes off the song and ebbs into another one of his own creation. The silly tunes make you giggle and with a quick peck to his cheek, your fingers ache for the same workout and you join in to the best of your abilities.

“What took you so long? You’re nearly half an hour late?”

With a deep sigh, you tell him the break-up scene. You gave Brady shit about how he started seeing Dixie behind your back, yet Brady also had a field day barking at Harley for kissing his half-brother August. The necessary dramatics ensued and Harley slapped her now ex-boyfriend right across the cheek.

“I didn’t enjoy hitting him, you know. Even though he deserved it,” you admit to the brunet as you miss a couple notes, noticing how he’s smiling from ear to ear. “He called me a slut.”

He stops playing as he notices the melody you’re playing is horrendous. “Well, if it’s any consolation, I thoroughly enjoyed making out with you.”

Caressing the keys of the piano with absent-mindedly, you think back to the moment where he confesses his love to you. It’s the plot twist of the entire fifth season and supposed to feed the fans throughout the entire sixth and seventh. You didn’t rehearse your first kiss with Bucky like you did with Steve, because you actually like Bucky and didn’t want all the kissing to dull down the special moment between Harley and August.

And maybe you were a little bit selfish too, because you’ve been taking piano lessons from Bucky for almost four months now and you’ve only grown fonder of the brunet with the baby blue eyes. “Me too,” you chuckle, leaning your cheek on his shoulder and listening to him play song after song. “You never did tell me why you started playing the piano,” you ask him after some time has passed.

Humming along to the melody, you feel the soft press of his lips to your hair. “I’ve never told this to anyone before, so…” He drops his hands to his lap and coughs. “My mother, euhm, she’s… a music teacher. I never really had a taste for music, didn’t consider myself to be very musical either. Until she passed away… Then music became a way to stay in touch with her.”

Looking up at the pianist, you cradle his cheek in the palm of your hand and smile sadly. He gives you a tight-lipped smile in return and presses a chaste kiss to your lips. “Don’t worry about me, babe. Worry about your lack of rhythm.” His warm lips find yours again with a tiny wink. “Which song do you wanna play next?”

“I do my best but I’ve never really had a sense of rhythm,” you smirk in a teasing tone, your fingers rapidly conjuring up the first song that pops into your head. “How about –“

“Cut! Cut, cut, cut! Cut!”

Tony comes barging in on the set, pushing past the camera crew and elbowing his way towards where you and Bucky are sitting at the piano. “I need more chemistry! Y/N, Harley just left the guy she’s been seeing since first year for his brother, the love of her life. I need you to be more broken up about it. And you,” he turns to Bucky, pointing a stern finger at him, “You have to be more charming! You just stole your half-brother’s girlfriend! I wanna see you flirt your way into her pants for God’s sake!”

“Alright, let’s just take a break first, okay?,” Peggy saves the day. “We’ve been shooting since 5 a.m.”

You and Bucky slide off the bench and both head into different directions, Bucky being called to the wardrobe department because Tony doesn’t like the way his jacket fits around his shoulder. Natasha and Maria as well as the other dancers aren’t on set today so you feel a little lost without your usual crew. You can’t exactly go sit with Sharon and Steve, their mutual scene up next after you finish up with Bucky.

So you head over to the makeup department where you find Wanda scrolling on her phone, checking out guys on Tinder. “Hi there,” she pipes up, a little startled when she sees you leaning against the door frame with a knowing look in your eyes. “Just… checking my e-mails. How was your scene?”

“Checking your e-mails, hm?,” you wink knowingly. “With that big of a smile? Come on, Wanda, please…” Sitting down next to her on one of the chair for the makeup artists and hair stylists, you look over her shoulder at the guys she’s checking out.

“You’re not with Bucky?,” she asks you after swiping left on a certain Sam Wilson, the millionth aspiring actor on Tinder, the perks of finding a boyfriend in Hollywood. “You usually practice in between scenes and never spent any time with us anymore.” With a fake pout, she nudges your side with her elbow and smiles cheekily. “Is there something wrong in paradise?”

“No, he got called to wardrobe for a new fitting,” you grin as you poke her back in the ribs. “And there’s nothing going on between me and Bucky.”

“Right,” she chuckles dryly as she locks her phone, the face of a certain Clint Barton vanishing as she closes the app. “Now, missy, you get your ass to the rehearsal room and text Bucky to join you. Tell him you wanna practice the scene again to please Tony and so that you can all go home early.”

Pushing you out of the room, she stands her ground and even pickpockets your phone to do the dirty work for you, sending a quick text to Bucky who immediately replies with an ‘OK’ and a smiley. “You can thank me later, Y/N.”

With a soft groan you make your way down to the rehearsal room at the far end of the hallway, right next to Peggy’s private office. You arrive just in time for you to sit down at the piano and start playing the show’s theme song, the only song you know by heart, before Bucky gets there too and stands behind you with his hands on your shoulders and his lips pressing an affectionate kiss to the crown of your hair.

“You did great, you know. Tony’s just on edge because there’s this new show airing tomorrow that supposed to be the next Pretty Little Liars. Now we’ve all got to be more sexy, more scheming, more dramatic,… More fake if you ask me…,” Bucky chuckles dryly.

You stop playing as soon as you feel and focus on his touch. “But I thought we were the next Pretty Little Liars?,” you feign sadness as Bucky takes a seat next to you.

“No, Y/N, we are the next Gossip Girl,” he corrects you with an amused smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Huuuuuuuuuuge difference!”

Ardently he erupts into a play of tones and tunes, trying to impress the girl next to him. “You know, I did enjoy kissing you, Y/N. Too bad it was only on set…,” he throws his bait at you to see if you’ll bite. “And I’m not saying that just because we’re supposed to be the new power couple on the show. I’m not Steve.”

He glances at you from the corner of his eye to see a small smile break through your stoic, surprised façade. “C’mon Y/N, at least admit you liked kissing me, too.”

You place a hand on top of his and he halts his movements, looking at you with curiosity and hope in those beautiful baby blues. “I really liked kissing you, Bucky. And I never really thanked you for teaching me how to play the piano, so…”

Leaning in very close, you give the brunet the impression you’re going to kiss him. There’s chemistry in the air and an electrifying pull between you and our co-star, yet as your lips just about brush his, you lean back again and start playing the piano. “But first, practice!,” you chuckle with a girly giggle.

Bucky’s lips chase after you when you leave him hanging mid-air, his eyes already fluttering closed, and when he figures out you’ve played him, he laces his arm around your waist and pulls you into his side. His fingertips tickle you, drawing high-pitches squeals from your lips as you’re very ticklish.

“Practice? Practice, hm? I’ll show you some practice?,” he chimes in a sing-song voice before the soft press of his lips on yours catches you off guard. Instantly you melt into him, hands splayed on his chest and gently fisting his shirt while Bucky cups your cheek in one hand and holds your neck with the other.

Gasping slowly when the pianist elicits a low moans from your lips, he deepens the kiss and caresses your tongue with his. “How’s that for practice, babe?,” he chuckles as you are both panting slightly.

“Practice makes perfect, they say. So let’s try again, even if it’s just to keep Tony satisfied with your charms,” you joke playfully, a seductive tone to your voice as the piano lessons are long forgotten and another searing kiss from Bucky takes your breath away.

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[like-a-bag-of-potatoes]

Roots

A/N: My entry for @roxyspearing One and Done Challenge. Betaed by the wonderful @thorne93. Feedback is highly appreciated.

Prompt: Family doesn't end in blood.

Characters: Bobby, Daughter!Reader (kind of.. You'll see). John, Sam, and Dean (barely). Rufus (mentioned)

Warnings: A little angst and a little fluff…

Wordcount: 1346

The house was now empty, the nest of vampires had all been beheaded and the two humans they used as snack packs where safe in Rufus’ car. Bobby went back inside after the newly rescued man asked them about the little girl.

He searched high and low for this mystery girl, and finally found her in the back corner of a walk in closet. When he flipped the light, she flinched and wrapped her arms around herself as she tried to get as far into the corner as she could.

Bobby sat down in the doorway, taking his cap off so the little girl could see his face. She couldn't be more than five or six year's old. “Hey, sweetheart,” he tried as softly as he could. “My name is Bobby, what's your name?”

She didn't respond. She wore a light blue dress, her hair fell in big, silky curls around her face, a hairband that matched her dress…  Bobby's first thought was that she looked like a doll, except for her eyes, they were blown wide in fear.

“This is a very nice house,” he said casually as he looked around a little, “do you live here?”

The girl nodded her head slowly.

“Have you always lived here?”

At that she shrugged her shoulders.

He spent the next hour up there while Rufus took care of the other two victims and started to clean up the massacre that had taken place. The girl still didn't speak, but eventually she had crawled out and taken Bobby's hand.

He could still remember the feeling of her little hand in his, even now, twelve years later.

Rufus and Bobby had spent days looking through police records and news articles to try and find the missing girl, but no luck. The closest they came to any leads was a pregnant woman who was reported missing six years earlier.

They had tried to take the little girl to child services, but by then, Bobby had already grown attached to the kid, and she was attached to him. She still didn't speak, but she constantly held Bobby's hand. She refused to let him go, and truth was, he didn't want to let her go either.

It was hard to imagine that little girl now as he looked over at the eighteen year old in his kitchen, cleaning out her gun. He had tried to keep her from the life, but she had been born into a world of monsters, and that wasn't an easy thing to put behind you.

“Dad?” her voice brought him out of his current trip down memory lane, but he couldn't help but smile. She had been ten years old when she had called him that for the first time, and it still filled his heart with joy.

“What's up?” he quizzed, getting up from his seat to go join her in the kitchen.

“I want to try and find my father… my real father,” she added.

“I thought we'd been over this, (YN),” he noted as he pulled out the chair across from her and sat down.

He had always been so nice to her, so telling him this broke her heart as much as it did his, but she had this need to find out where she came from and it was getting harder and harder to ignore it. “We have, it's just that… He must be out there somewhere, right? Unless my mom was the virgin Mary, which I highly doubt.” She added that last joke to try and lighten the mood a little bit.

“We looked for him, sweetheart, but Rufus and I couldn't find anything,” Bobby tried to reason with her. It wasn't that he didn't want her to know where she came from, or that he didn't want her to find her father, but Bobby had looked for him, and he was nowhere to be found. He didn't want her to get her hopes up for nothing.

“I know, but maybe if I go back there and ask around a little… I know it's been a while, but someone might remember something.”

“(YN).”

“I have to do this, Dad. Just to get some closure on this,” she explained, hoping he would understand.

“Okay,” he said, getting to his feet, “let's do it.”

She took a deep breath before she said what was on her mind next. “I gotta go alone.”

Bobby's first instinct was to get angry, to forbid her from going alone, but fact of the matter was that she was an adult now, and could make her own decisions, as much as he didn’t like it.

“Alright. I'll get a car ready for you,” he said, taking both of them by surprise.

While (YN) went upstairs to get packed, Bobby went out to the garage to look over her car. Oil, brakes, gas… just checking the essentials. When he slammed the hood shut a sleek, black Impala pulled up right outside and he stepped out to greet his new guests.

“John,” he said as the man and his two boys exited the car.

“Hey, Uncle Bobby,” the youngest boy, Sam said with a smile.

John and Bobby went way back, and it wasn't uncommon for him to bring the boys around as the kids grew up. Bobby never minded though, at least not until recent years when the eldest boy, Dean, had started showing an interest in (YN). Dean was a good kid, a year older than (YN), but no one would ever be good enough for his little girl.

“Sorry to drop by like this,” John started, jumping right to the case, “This hunt has me kind of stumped, and I could use another set of eyes if you have time.”

“Yeah. Just give me a few minutes.”

At that moment, (YN) came out the front door, a bag thrown over her shoulder. She froze for a second when she spotted the Impala, but collected herself within a fraction of a second and made her way down to the men.

She greeted them all with a smile and a hug, happy to see the Winchesters again. Dean was the last one to get a hug and after she let him go she disappeared into the garage to put her bag away.

Dean's eyes followed her every move, that's until all he could see was Bobby giving him a stern, warning look.

“You keep your eyes to yourself, kid,” he barked.

“Yes, sir.”

Bobby suggested that the Winchesters headed inside the house so he could have a moment alone with his kid.

“You got everything?” he asked and she nodded. “Salt? Gun? Pepper spray? Stun gun?” he listed. He wanted her to be safe from everything, not just monsters.

“Yes, Dad,” she said with a small chuckle. “I'll be careful,” she promised.

“I know you will. Doesn't mean I don't worry about you,” he countered.

“I want you to know that whatever I find, it won't change anything. You'll always be my dad,” she said, needing him to know that this wasn't about him. “I just…”

“I know, kid,” he assured, a sad smile hiding under his beard. “I just don't want you to get your hopes up. This might be a dead end.”

“It might. But I have to try.”

Bobby took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug, he couldn't even begin to imagine how hard this must be for her, and it killed him that he couldn't help. “Just remember, whatever you find, that family doesn't end in blood. You will always have me-” he let her go, smiling softly at her- “and the Brady bunch in there,” he finished, pointing over his shoulder towards the house.

They said their goodbyes and she hopped in the car and drove away, Bobby keeping his eye on her until the car disappeared around a bend.

“Hope you find what you're looking for,” he mumbled as he started making his way back inside to his guests, a hollow feeling settling in his heart.

Tags:

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[misssophiachase]

Spellbound

This just came to me. I'm watching Charmed and listening to Black Magic by Little Mix and it just happened. Not my usual genre but I hope you like it and I'd really like to hear your thoughts : ) This is a very short fic (three-four parts max), I just wanted to break it up a little rather than do it all in one drabble.

Part 1: Magical Mystery Tour

The Magical Mystery Tour...is coming to take you away

Royale St, French Quarter - Thursday

"Caroline, do you think you could maybe, I don't know, do something?" Bonnie asked exasperatedly, dropping the large cardboard box on the front counter. Caroline stared wistfully out the window at the passing foot traffic not bothering to turn around immediately.

"You know manual labour isn't my thing, Bon," she replied. "Plus, I just did my nails and I'd prefer not to break them."

"You've obviously been around Katherine too long," she growled.

"I don't understand why you insist on doing such menial tasks when you could just use your powers instead," she scoffed, spinning around to face her friend. "I mean there has to be some advantages to being a witch."

"Says the newbie who just managed to shatter my latest bottles of potions whilst trying to turn an eraser into a mouse," she teased. Caroline had only just recently discovered her powers but luckily had Bonnie and Katherine to rely on during the difficult transition.

She'd arrived in town a month back and had been at a bar on Frenchman Street and accidentally set the napkin under her drink on fire. She'd been noticing emerging abilities the past six months but had no idea what they were or how to control them especially when they unexpectedly reared their ugly head. Luckily two strangers had also been at that bar and managed to extinguish said fire and cover her accident to the curious onlookers.

"Look, I thought the same thing when my powers first appeared but one of the most important things you'll learn in your training is that witches need to conserve their energy."

"For what exactly?"

"For sex of course," a mischievous voice interrupted. "I'm surprised you even needed to ask that, Caroline."

"Geez, you have to stop appearing like that," Caroline gasped in fright. Katherine Pierce had a habit of eavesdropping on conversations and then dropping in unexpectedly.

"Yes, Katherine," Bonnie scowled. "Number one, that is not a proper use of your powers and number two, we have a perfectly functioning door at the front of our shop."

"Why are you always such a buzzkill, Bonnie?" She whined childishly. "You're like Darren from Bewitched, Samantha had so much promise and then she had to go and marry a mortal."

"Because someone around here needs to be," she muttered ignoring her television reference and pulling things from the box and placing them on the counter. "Last time I checked we have a business to run and I'm not the only one who works here." Spellbound was a small shop in the French Quarter that sold an array of potions, oils, incense and spell ingredients. It hadn't been open long hence Bonnie's anxiety, even though business had been relatively good so far.

"Exactly why I was out doing some reconnaissance," Katherine said. "Turns out Spell bound's popularity has reached the higher echelons of New Orleans hierarchy."

"Just great, that's the last thing I need right now," Bonnie groaned.

"Higher echelons?"

"The Mikaelson family," Katherine explained. "They rule New Orleans like the Queen rules Britain and the Commonwealth."

"What? Like sitting on thrones and wearing crowns?" Caroline joked.

"Probably a bad comparison in hindsight," Bonnie offered. "They're the Original family of Vampires; I'm actually surprised you've never heard of them, Caroline."

"Well, excuse me if I've been too busy with my training."

"They're extremely powerful."

"So, why are they interested in this little shop?"

"It's no secret there's been no love lost between witches and vampires, even more so in New Orleans. The Mikaelsons have always controlled the witches; it's the way things work here. Word of our arrival and subsequent success obviously hasn't sat well with them."

"Why? Because we've sold a few potions?" Caroline scoffed. "These Mikaelsons really need to get a grip."

"Something I hope you won't say to their faces given our attempt at making our business a success," Bonnie replied.

"Are they really that scary?" Caroline asked doubtfully. Before either witch could respond the bell above the door jingled and a tall brunette strolled inside, his chocolate eyes trained on the three girls at the front counter.

"Well, not this one," Bonnie drawled knowingly. "If it isn't the court jester."

"That's no way to talk to an Original, Bonnie," he muttered, picking up some incense from a shelf and holding it to his noise curiously. "You know I've never understood the appeal of incense."

"Well, feel free not to buy it then," Katherine muttered.

"I'm surprised business is going so well given your poor customer service skills, ladies," he quipped. Caroline watched him with interest, this guy was definitely gorgeous but she wasn't in the slightest bit scared of him. "And who might you be blondie?"

"Who are you?" She shot back, folding her arms across her chest. Caroline refused to be intimidated by anyone. He raised his eyebrows curiously, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You're joking right?" He chuckled.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" She scoffed.

"I suggest you change your tone, witch," he growled, those brown eyes darkening slightly. Maybe there was something a little sinister hiding under the surface than she'd first expected.

"Caroline, this is Kol Mikaelson," Bonnie interrupted. "Don't worry his bark is worse than his bite." Kol's eyes darted to the brunette, drinking in her appearance slowly, a knowing smile on his face.

"Don't tempt me, darling," he murmured. "As much as I'd love to chat I'm actually here for a reason."

"And annoying us isn't a reason?" Katherine joked.

"You've always had too big a mouth for your own good, Pierce," he growled. "I'd like to see you try and flap that in my older brother's presence." Suddenly the room went quiet and Caroline sensed something resembling fear. Just who was this older brother that had her friends frightened?

"What is it you're after?" Caroline asked, probably against her better judgment.

"My brother has requested your presence for dinner at our compound, tomorrow night. Eight o'clock sharp, he has a thing against tardiness just so you know."

"Why us?" Bonnie asked.

"That's not for me to say, but let's just say it would be a big mistake not to attend."

Before any of them could reply Kol had swept out of their shop, taking a handful of incense with him as he went. So much for not liking it. They were silent for a moment, processing just what had happened. Why did the Mikaelson family want witches, of all creatures, at their dinner table?

"We can't go, this is obviously a trap," Katherine insisted, voicing what they were all thinking. "It's a well-known fact that their compound is immune to magic. We would be powerless and unable to fight back if they attacked."

"That's if something was to happen," Bonnie intercepted. "Did you ever think that maybe the Mikaelsons are desperate for dinner company because they've alienated everyone else in this town?"

"I know that you and Kol..."

"That's ancient history," she snapped, making Caroline more curious. She'd sensed a connection between the two but wasn't quite sure what their background was. Witches and vampires didn't consort, in her limited training that was the one thing she did know. Caroline had to admit Bonnie was the last person she expected to break the rules in that regard, which made everything even more interesting. "If we don't go then they will come after us. I don't see much choice, Katherine."

"Who is this wonderful sounding brother he talked about?" Caroline asked. Both girls glanced at each other wearingly before responding.

"Kol has two older brothers and a sister," Katherine explained. "We haven't met any of them but have heard stories."

"Well, don't keep me in suspense like that," Caroline argued.

"Rebekah is not like any of them. Beautiful but dangerous, if you cross her she will attack without hesitation," Bonnie said.

"Elijah is said to be honourable and family orientated but like Rebekah has the power to attack if provoked, his favourite party trick is to rip your heart right from your chest before you even realise he's doing it." Caroline swallowed, wondering why she'd asked in the first place.

"That doesn't compare to Niklaus though."

"Why?" She murmured, almost scared of the response.

"He's not just an Original, he's also a hybrid. Half vampire, half werewolf. The most powerful creature on earth." Katherine finished.

"So, why are we considering this weird, little dinner party then with the Brady Bunch?" Caroline squeaked.

"The best thing we can do is just sit through until dessert and hope our powers are still intact afterwards."

"Wow, I've never known you to be so submissive Bonnie," Caroline whistled.

"Unfortunately we have no choice," she shot back, busying herself with the inventory on the shelves. Caroline wasn't sure what to think and would be lying if she wasn't just a little scared about what she'd just heard.

Jackson Square, French Quarter - Friday AM

Caroline loved beignets, that much was obvious. She'd been in New Orleans only six weeks but she couldn't last a day without her sugary fix. All of the reputable retailers knew her so well she'd actually been given a discount but even now they were wavering on that deal given her addiction.

She managed to get some from her favourite shop front on Jackson Square and munched happily on it making her way towards Spellbound. Katherine had sworn off sugar because of her latest diet apparently and Bonnie was gluten intolerant so she'd stuffed a paper bag full of the goodies glad she didn't have to share. She was so immersed in her beignet that she didn't notice the person coming in the opposite direction, banging into his shoulder in the process. The remainder of her beignets fell out of the bag and onto the street in a white cloud of icing sugar.

"Excuse me?" A distinctly English voice exclaimed. She was so used to thick southern accents around New Orleans that it came as a surprise.

"You were the one who made me drop my beignets."

"Because you weren't looking where you were going," he muttered. It was at that point Caroline realised that this stranger was kind of good looking with those dark, blonde curls and some teasing crimson lips. His dark jeans were hanging low on his hips and the black Henley he wore fitted snugly across his toned chest. Pity his behaviour left a lot to be desired and her witch senses were telling her this guy certainly wasn't human.

"Obviously chivalry is well and truly dead," she growled. He may have been gorgeous but there was no reason to be rude about it.

"Well, given all you women want is equality these days I'm surprised you care."

"I don't," Caroline huffed, facing him directly. "But you do owe me some beignets."

"I think we've already established that this wasn't my doing," he insisted, raising his eyebrows.

"You know I've got far better things to do than waste my time with some clumsy stranger," she growled. Instead of a snappy retort he was strangely silent for a moment, his blue eyes flickering over her body causing a few foreign shivers to ripple over her.

She crossed her hands over her chest wishing she'd worn a top with a little less cleavage on display that day. He leaned forward and surprised her by placing his thumb on her cheek and rubbing it softly. It was impossible not to get lost in his dark, blue eyes at that point he was that close.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, mister?" She growled, slapping his hand away, even if it was spreading warmth to places that hadn't felt it in a while.

"You had some icing sugar on your cheek, wouldn't want you walking around town like that now, would we?" He smirked. "Consider that my payment for the beignets."

"Thanks for nothing."

"No need to get your knickers in a twist, love," he grinned, his eyes dipping lower almost like he was trying to ascertain whether she was wearing any and what colour they might be, Caroline was glad he didn't have x-ray vision because then he'd know just how little her white G-string was covering.

"I'd say it's been a pleasure but I'd be lying," she shot back, stalking away so she didn't need to see that smug grin any longer.

"The pleasure was all mine," he called out to her retreating back. All Caroline knew was that she needed more beignets, not sure whether it was her sugar addiction or something to combat residual thoughts of a certain idiot touching her.

Cafe du Monde, French Market - Decatur Street

Caroline knew it wouldn't be a good look to go back to the same place after her massive purchase earlier so found herself at Cafe du Monde, waiting impatiently to be served.

"Don't even think about pushing in line, gorgeous." Caroline looked up into a pair of penetrating, brown eyes surprised to hear her second English accent that morning. What were the odds?

"I'm surprised you don't just compel your way to the front of the line, isn't that what your kind does?" She enquired.

"Well, I'm surprised you don't just conjure up a spell and make your own," he shot back. At least they didn't have to go through the formalities of what they were and could get straight to the point which was something.

"I have a feeling they wouldn't be as good," she muttered, thinking just how woeful her powers were at the moment.

"So, do you come here often?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Seriously that's the best you've got?" She scoffed.

"It was a joke," he teased. "At least you're finally smiling; I was a little worried you were going to kill everyone in your path with that frustrated look on your face."

"It's not that bad," she drawled. "Anyway what is it with you Englishmen?"

"Well, that might take a while to explain," he chuckled. "Fancy a coffee with your beignets?" Sure he was a vampire but he seemed okay and after her earlier encounter a friendly face wasn't unwelcome.

"As long as you're buying," she joked, knowing that he wouldn't be paying for anything.

"I'm Enzo," he introduced himself. "Enzo St John."

The Mikaelson Compound, French Quarter - Friday PM

"Oh for the love of god Katherine, hurry up!" Bonnie complained, turning around to face the brunette who was teetering precariously on her nine inch heels. "I don't know why you insisted on wearing those given how unbelievably impractical they are."

"Hey, if I'm going to die tonight then at least I want to look pretty doing it," she argued, holding onto Caroline for support navigating the cobbled pathway leading up to the Mikaelson's intimidating residence.

"You are not going to die," Bonnie groaned. "Why must you be so melodramatic all the time, Katherine?"

"It's a talent," she quipped. "And why aren't you telling Caroline off for her ensemble?"

"Because at least she can walk in her heels, that dress though could be a few inches longer."

"Gee, thanks mom," Caroline drawled. "If you must know I was hoping they'd be less likely to inflict bodily harm if my hemline was on the shorter side."

"I can't believe you both," Bonnie stopped. "I wouldn't have suggested we come if I thought we were in danger. The Mikaelsons might be dangerous but this is an intimidation exercise pure and simple."

"I still don't understand why we're considered such a threat," Caroline murmured.

"Business is good and with that comes a wider network of contacts in the witch community; they want to make sure we behave with all of our increased popularity."

"Well, they've come to the wrong witch if they want that," Katherine laughed. "I'm impressed you got all of that from Kol's vague invitation yesterday, although you two never really did need words."

"Shut it, Katherine," Bonnie hissed, Caroline's curiosity only increasing about their past. "You realise they probably all just heard that, right?"

"Well, consider it an icebreaker then, dinner parties can be so awkward," she teased, just as the large doors opened without having to knock. Caroline was fairly certain they'd heard everything if that was the case.

The courtyard was impressive, Caroline's eyes widened at the sheer size of it and the number of levels it spanned. Given only the four siblings resided there Caroline was betting there were quite a few spare rooms. Lanterns were dotted around the courtyard and on the balconies above, creating a mysterious glow but no sign of their hosts as yet. They all looked around curiously, wondering if this delayed entrance was all part of the drama, the Mikaelsons were well-known for that after all.

It was at that point they noticed a few figures emerge on the upper balcony, Caroline was immediately impressed these Original vampires certainly knew how to dress. The only female, obviously Rebekah, was stunning in a long black, gown that hugged her curves. Kol and a tall, dark haired male were equally handsome in black suits but it was the blonde that caught her attention. It was him, the idiot from earlier. He smiled at her knowingly, those dimples she'd briefly caught a glimpse of earlier returning. He didn't seem at all surprised to see her either.

"For the love of God," Caroline cursed under her breath. Of all people and he had to be a bloody Mikaelson! She was torn about whether it was better she angered the one who was the big, bad hybrid or the one who removed hearts. She figured both scenarios were pretty damning for her. They continued to stare downwards without speaking when a loud voice interrupted the prolonged silence.

"Oh, am I late for all the scary 'we are the Mikaelson family' theatrics?" A familiar voice enquired. Caroline turned around slowly hoping it wasn't who she thought it was. Unfortunately it was her coffee companion from earlier that day who she had regaled with stories about a certain, arrogant, English idiot that also happened to be a Mikaelson. This was certainly going to be an interesting evening.

You can read on FF HERE Let me know what you think : )

[footballleague0]

Eli Manning on empty? New York Giants QB might be running on fumes – New York Giants Blog

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Eli Manning walked off the field in the third quarter of Sunday night’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys as television cameras zoomed in on his face. The look was eerily reminiscent to what New York Giants fans had seen countless times before, especially early in his career.

“Manning Face,” as it is known, is a mix of disgust and bewilderment. It was there on more than a few occasions Sunday night and has become more common to see over the past few years, including during Sunday’s 19-3 loss to the rival Cowboys.

Manning had just thrown an off-target pass to wide receiver Roger Lewis on third-and-goal from the 13-yard line that was 7 yards short of the end zone and off target. Lewis made the catch on the ground but had no chance of scoring a touchdown. The Giants settled for a field goal and didn’t score again, with star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. out of the lineup. “No part of the offense was functional,” according to coach Ben McAdoo.

Manning finished 29-of-38 for a hollow 220 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

The quarterback play was far from the only offender, but it wasn’t good. McAdoo angrily barked at a reporter this week who asked how Manning graded out in the contest and failed to provide an answer. Offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan said Manning didn’t play well.

It’s more than Sunday night that has spawned legitimate questions about Manning and the Giants. A game here or there has morphed into a full season and now a trend.

Manning didn’t play particularly well by any standard last season, even if it was somewhat masked by an 11-5 record. The Giants averaged 19.4 points per game last season. The six teams that averaged fewer points had Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Blaine Gabbert, Jay Cutler, Brock Osweiler and Robert Griffin III as their starting quarterbacks at the beginning of the season.

The Giants had Manning, considered head and shoulders above that class of quarterbacks.

But Manning’s 44.6 QBR ranked 27th among quarterbacks last year and tied for the worst of his career. He was also 27th in QBR in 2013, when he threw 27 interceptions. McAdoo arrived the next season with his offense from Green Bay.

QBR is a metric that accounts for his teammates’ contributions — such as Beckham’s taking a 6-yard pass and turning it into a 61-yard touchdown — and gives credit or a lessened penalty based on the position he was put in by the blocking. It accounts, to some degree, for the Giants’ subpar offensive line that makes life difficult for its immobile quarterback.

Manning is 36 years old and not playing well. It’s possible the inevitable decline is happening before our eyes, only to be masked by his résumé and the line’s poor blocking.

“Combination of age and questionable offensive line isn’t a favorable pairing for Eli,” one NFL executive said prior to the season. “No one seems to think of their [quarterback] situation as a potential weakness. I do.”

Three executives or scouts were surveyed prior to Week 1 about whether they would rather have Manning or Dallas’ Dak Prescott as their quarterback for this season. All three chose Prescott, the Cowboys’ second-year signal-caller. That might be indicative of where Manning stands at this point of his career.

Cause for concern

The past few years have seen steady decline, even though Manning did compile some impressive touchdown numbers — including a career-high 35 in 2015 — in McAdoo’s pass-heavy, quick-hitter offense.

2006-12 QBR: 61.0 (Rank: 16)

2013-15 QBR: 50.7 (Rank: 25)

2016-17 QBR: 44.6 (Rank: 27)

It isn’t just Manning’s QBR that indicates his play has slipped since 2011, when he carried the Giants through the playoffs and into the Super Bowl while facing constant pressure. Manning ranked 19th and 20th in Football Outsiders’ passing DVOA in 2015 and 2016. He ranked 10th and then 22nd in Pro-Football-Reference.com’s adjusted Net Yards Per Attempt (ANY/A) the past two seasons. His 44 interceptions put him third behind San Diego’s Philip Rivers and Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles for most interceptions in the past three seasons.

YearQBRRank200652.320th200754.618th200863.26th200969.87th201061.113th201164.010th201267.09th201339.327th201462.514th201560.516th201649.327thESPN

Nothing Manning did Sunday night against the Cowboys assuaged fears that he might be in the midst of his decline. He threw for 33 yards in the first half, and his longest completion, of 12 yards, came on a swing pass in the flat to Sterling Shepard.

Manning didn’t complete a difficult throw — under duress or not — throughout the entire half.

“I have to play better,” he conceded. “I think there were some opportunities to make some plays, to get some things going, get into a rhythm, and I can make some better decisions on some things. So, I can do my part to help us out, get things going. You have new players. When the guys get off to a slow start, that’s when the leader has to step up and do their part.”

Manning undoubtedly remains the Giants’ starting quarterback. That’s not going to change no matter how long the offensive struggles persist this season. He’s a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback and a two-time Super Bowl winner.

But he might be as much a problem with the Giants’ offense, which hasn’t topped 20 points in seven straight games, as the offensive line. They need their highest-paid player to overcome non-optimal situations, make plays and help their weakest link.

Manning has seven touchdown passes and eight interceptions in his past seven games and might have embarked on a late-career decline, which is no shame.

Legends such as Dan Marino, Joe Montana and Brett Favre all fell off dramatically by the time they were 37 years old. Only a select few all-time greats — led by Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees — excelled in the latter stages of their career. They are the exceptions, not the rule.

Eli Manning has said he would like to play into his 40s. He is signed through the 2019 season, but the Giants have also started preparing for the future. General manager Jerry Reese conceded Manning was “probably on the back nine” of his career earlier this year. Reese drafted Davis Webb, now serving as the team’s third-string quarterback, in the third round of the year’s draft.

Geno Smith is the backup. Webb isn’t ready. For better or worse, it’s still Manning’s show.

Giants coach Ben McAdoo has no great options behind Eli Manning if the veteran quarterback continues to falter, with Geno Smith as the backup and rookie Davis Webb in a developmental role. Brad Penner/USA TODAY SportsReasons for optimism

While there are considerable concerns about whether Manning’s best years are behind him, it would be a mistake to count him out during the final act of his career. There were similar thoughts about his inability to perform when he was in his early 20s and early 30s.

Manning has experienced more than his fair share of ups (two Super Bowl MVP runs) and downs (25- and 27-interception seasons). He’s also not showing signs of a player who appears mentally and physically done.

Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck played until he was 40, with his final three seasons as a backup in Indianapolis. Hasselbeck said there are usually signs a quarterback is on his way out. Are they still looking to improve in the offseason? Is the desire there? Is football what they love to do or is their golf handicap more important? It’s what Hasselbeck called life choices.

“It doesn’t have to be bad things,” he said. “Some guys are ready to say, ‘Hey, had a good run’ and move on.”

Manning doesn’t appear to fall into that category. He’s all-in on football and continues to be the first in the building and last to leave every day. He has been healthy, having never missed a start because of injury.

Other members of Manning’s 2004 draft class have shown signs of being closer to the end.

“[Manning] doesn’t at all. Ben Roethlisberger is in the opposite boat,” Hasselbeck said. “He’s talking about retirement; he doesn’t seem to ever have a season where this is not drama as a game-time decision, ‘Will he play?’ That is hard for a coaching staff to game plan. You don’t know if you have him Wednesday or you have somebody else.”

Manning’s commitment has never been questioned. He is a team captain, universally respected in the locker room and tasked with what one player recently described as “soooo much responsibility” because of what he’s asked to do on the field and at the line of scrimmage every single play. This is partly why the Giants coaches have confidence in their quarterback; he handles all the “other stuff” effortlessly.

Manning’s skills also don’t appear to have diminished much. He has never been mobile, and his arm strength isn’t an immediate concern.

“I still see him throwing the ball really well down the field,” said veteran Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas, who has also played with Brady and Brees.

Manning has insisted his arm strength and velocity are the same now as they were earlier in his career, in part because of a throwing program he adopted several years ago. The Giants think, despite the slip in numbers and the poor performance in the opener, they will be just fine.

Their quarterback will be just fine.

“I would say Eli, like everyone else on the offensive side of the ball, had a bad night, had a night that was not up to our standards,” Sullivan said. “Seeing his work ethic and how he prepares and seeing the things he’s done out on the practice field and the communication that is continuing to get better and better with the receivers and the protection adjustments and so forth, that it is one bad night.

“To rush to conclusions where he’s at or [where] anybody is after one game would be premature.”

The post Eli Manning on empty? New York Giants QB might be running on fumes – New York Giants Blog appeared first on Daily Star Sports.

from http://ift.tt/2wBJjiM from http://ift.tt/2hd0qlk

[giantsfootball0]

Eli Manning on empty? New York Giants QB might be running on fumes – New York Giants Blog

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Eli Manning walked off the field in the third quarter of Sunday night’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys as television cameras zoomed in on his face. The look was eerily reminiscent to what New York Giants fans had seen countless times before, especially early in his career.

“Manning Face,” as it is known, is a mix of disgust and bewilderment. It was there on more than a few occasions Sunday night and has become more common to see over the past few years, including during Sunday’s 19-3 loss to the rival Cowboys.

Manning had just thrown an off-target pass to wide receiver Roger Lewis on third-and-goal from the 13-yard line that was 7 yards short of the end zone and off target. Lewis made the catch on the ground but had no chance of scoring a touchdown. The Giants settled for a field goal and didn’t score again, with star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. out of the lineup. “No part of the offense was functional,” according to coach Ben McAdoo.

Manning finished 29-of-38 for a hollow 220 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

The quarterback play was far from the only offender, but it wasn’t good. McAdoo angrily barked at a reporter this week who asked how Manning graded out in the contest and failed to provide an answer. Offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan said Manning didn’t play well.

It’s more than Sunday night that has spawned legitimate questions about Manning and the Giants. A game here or there has morphed into a full season and now a trend.

Manning didn’t play particularly well by any standard last season, even if it was somewhat masked by an 11-5 record. The Giants averaged 19.4 points per game last season. The six teams that averaged fewer points had Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Blaine Gabbert, Jay Cutler, Brock Osweiler and Robert Griffin III as their starting quarterbacks at the beginning of the season.

The Giants had Manning, considered head and shoulders above that class of quarterbacks.

But Manning’s 44.6 QBR ranked 27th among quarterbacks last year and tied for the worst of his career. He was also 27th in QBR in 2013, when he threw 27 interceptions. McAdoo arrived the next season with his offense from Green Bay.

QBR is a metric that accounts for his teammates’ contributions — such as Beckham’s taking a 6-yard pass and turning it into a 61-yard touchdown — and gives credit or a lessened penalty based on the position he was put in by the blocking. It accounts, to some degree, for the Giants’ subpar offensive line that makes life difficult for its immobile quarterback.

Manning is 36 years old and not playing well. It’s possible the inevitable decline is happening before our eyes, only to be masked by his résumé and the line’s poor blocking.

“Combination of age and questionable offensive line isn’t a favorable pairing for Eli,” one NFL executive said prior to the season. “No one seems to think of their [quarterback] situation as a potential weakness. I do.”

Three executives or scouts were surveyed prior to Week 1 about whether they would rather have Manning or Dallas’ Dak Prescott as their quarterback for this season. All three chose Prescott, the Cowboys’ second-year signal-caller. That might be indicative of where Manning stands at this point of his career.

Cause for concern

The past few years have seen steady decline, even though Manning did compile some impressive touchdown numbers — including a career-high 35 in 2015 — in McAdoo’s pass-heavy, quick-hitter offense.

2006-12 QBR: 61.0 (Rank: 16)

2013-15 QBR: 50.7 (Rank: 25)

2016-17 QBR: 44.6 (Rank: 27)

It isn’t just Manning’s QBR that indicates his play has slipped since 2011, when he carried the Giants through the playoffs and into the Super Bowl while facing constant pressure. Manning ranked 19th and 20th in Football Outsiders’ passing DVOA in 2015 and 2016. He ranked 10th and then 22nd in Pro-Football-Reference.com’s adjusted Net Yards Per Attempt (ANY/A) the past two seasons. His 44 interceptions put him third behind San Diego’s Philip Rivers and Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles for most interceptions in the past three seasons.

YearQBRRank200652.320th200754.618th200863.26th200969.87th201061.113th201164.010th201267.09th201339.327th201462.514th201560.516th201649.327thESPN

Nothing Manning did Sunday night against the Cowboys assuaged fears that he might be in the midst of his decline. He threw for 33 yards in the first half, and his longest completion, of 12 yards, came on a swing pass in the flat to Sterling Shepard.

Manning didn’t complete a difficult throw — under duress or not — throughout the entire half.

“I have to play better,” he conceded. “I think there were some opportunities to make some plays, to get some things going, get into a rhythm, and I can make some better decisions on some things. So, I can do my part to help us out, get things going. You have new players. When the guys get off to a slow start, that’s when the leader has to step up and do their part.”

Manning undoubtedly remains the Giants’ starting quarterback. That’s not going to change no matter how long the offensive struggles persist this season. He’s a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback and a two-time Super Bowl winner.

But he might be as much a problem with the Giants’ offense, which hasn’t topped 20 points in seven straight games, as the offensive line. They need their highest-paid player to overcome non-optimal situations, make plays and help their weakest link.

Manning has seven touchdown passes and eight interceptions in his past seven games and might have embarked on a late-career decline, which is no shame.

Legends such as Dan Marino, Joe Montana and Brett Favre all fell off dramatically by the time they were 37 years old. Only a select few all-time greats — led by Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees — excelled in the latter stages of their career. They are the exceptions, not the rule.

Eli Manning has said he would like to play into his 40s. He is signed through the 2019 season, but the Giants have also started preparing for the future. General manager Jerry Reese conceded Manning was “probably on the back nine” of his career earlier this year. Reese drafted Davis Webb, now serving as the team’s third-string quarterback, in the third round of the year’s draft.

Geno Smith is the backup. Webb isn’t ready. For better or worse, it’s still Manning’s show.

Giants coach Ben McAdoo has no great options behind Eli Manning if the veteran quarterback continues to falter, with Geno Smith as the backup and rookie Davis Webb in a developmental role. Brad Penner/USA TODAY SportsReasons for optimism

While there are considerable concerns about whether Manning’s best years are behind him, it would be a mistake to count him out during the final act of his career. There were similar thoughts about his inability to perform when he was in his early 20s and early 30s.

Manning has experienced more than his fair share of ups (two Super Bowl MVP runs) and downs (25- and 27-interception seasons). He’s also not showing signs of a player who appears mentally and physically done.

Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck played until he was 40, with his final three seasons as a backup in Indianapolis. Hasselbeck said there are usually signs a quarterback is on his way out. Are they still looking to improve in the offseason? Is the desire there? Is football what they love to do or is their golf handicap more important? It’s what Hasselbeck called life choices.

“It doesn’t have to be bad things,” he said. “Some guys are ready to say, ‘Hey, had a good run’ and move on.”

Manning doesn’t appear to fall into that category. He’s all-in on football and continues to be the first in the building and last to leave every day. He has been healthy, having never missed a start because of injury.

Other members of Manning’s 2004 draft class have shown signs of being closer to the end.

“[Manning] doesn’t at all. Ben Roethlisberger is in the opposite boat,” Hasselbeck said. “He’s talking about retirement; he doesn’t seem to ever have a season where this is not drama as a game-time decision, ‘Will he play?’ That is hard for a coaching staff to game plan. You don’t know if you have him Wednesday or you have somebody else.”

Manning’s commitment has never been questioned. He is a team captain, universally respected in the locker room and tasked with what one player recently described as “soooo much responsibility” because of what he’s asked to do on the field and at the line of scrimmage every single play. This is partly why the Giants coaches have confidence in their quarterback; he handles all the “other stuff” effortlessly.

Manning’s skills also don’t appear to have diminished much. He has never been mobile, and his arm strength isn’t an immediate concern.

“I still see him throwing the ball really well down the field,” said veteran Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas, who has also played with Brady and Brees.

Manning has insisted his arm strength and velocity are the same now as they were earlier in his career, in part because of a throwing program he adopted several years ago. The Giants think, despite the slip in numbers and the poor performance in the opener, they will be just fine.

Their quarterback will be just fine.

“I would say Eli, like everyone else on the offensive side of the ball, had a bad night, had a night that was not up to our standards,” Sullivan said. “Seeing his work ethic and how he prepares and seeing the things he’s done out on the practice field and the communication that is continuing to get better and better with the receivers and the protection adjustments and so forth, that it is one bad night.

“To rush to conclusions where he’s at or [where] anybody is after one game would be premature.”

The post Eli Manning on empty? New York Giants QB might be running on fumes – New York Giants Blog appeared first on Daily Star Sports.

from https://dailystarsports.com/2017/09/18/eli-manning-on-empty-new-york-giants-qb-might-be-running-on-fumes-new-york-giants-blog/ from https://dailystarsports.tumblr.com/post/165474877896

[inkandpen22]

Somewhere (4/?)

Pairing: Sirius Black x Female!Reader 

Warning: None

Word Count: 1.6k

Part Summary: Y/N and Sirius have been together for a month now. He’s hesitant to show her his world, but Y/N is eager to see it all. 

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A month later... 

I dance around the boutique, distracted by the thought of seeing Sirius after my shift. Soon, we’ll be together again and who knows what he has planned! He’s already shown me such amazing things! Yesterday, we apparated to Scotland on a side of a mountain for a sunset picnic. It was a beautiful picnic blanket too. Sirius used a magical basket that set itself up! He thought it was funny how fascinated I was by it. Some nights he’ll appear in my room when I’m in the bathroom getting ready for bed. He’ll stay until morning, then leave before Brady wakes up. It’s though keeping this from Brady and everyone. They believe I’m out with girls I graduated with when really I’m with Sirius. Maybe one day I can tell them the truth.

“Are you alright, Y/N?” Lauren gives me a curious look while she hangs up new items on the racks.

“I’m excellent!” I gleam, humming a sweet tune.

“Does this have anything to do with Jay?” She insinuates.

“Why Jay?”

“He did have those flowers delivered here last week. He was over for dinner last night,” she lists.

“Brady invited him,” I remind her of that crucial detail.

“So your Sleeping Beauty dancing has nothing to do with him?”

“It could,” I lie as Sirius’s face crosses my mind.

She hums, sending me a knowing look. “Sure...”

I go about my business, finishing up some paperwork before I sign out for the day. There is T-20 minutes before I’m out that front door and down the block. Sirius is picking me up on his bike. He hasn’t told me what we’re doing today, whatever it is I’m looking forward to it.

Lauren places the remaining unused hangers on the counter in front of me. “Are you still meeting going shopping with friends from school?”

“Yes!” I blurt out, a tad too enthused. “I’m taking the bus to meet them right after work!”

“Okay,” she giggles at my reaction. “Be careful! Call if you need me or your brother to come to get you,”

I hum, eager for this shift to end. The sooner it ends, the sooner I can be with Sirius, and the sooner these daydreams will be satisfied.

_____________________________

Sirius has surprised me with a visit to Diagon Alley! He’s spoken so much about it and I’ve begged him to go nearly every time he brings it up. He’s taken me to a place called The Leaky Cauldron. It looks like any other pub on an ordinary road. However, Sirius tells me it acts as a gateway between the non-wizarding world and his world. I wasn’t surprised to see Sirius’s friends gathered around a table when we arrived. I’ve met them frequently over the last few weeks and have grown quite fond of Lily in particular. Remus and Peter are sweet as well. James and Marlene, however, are apprehensive of me and understandably so. Marlene isn’t nearly as bad as James though. He believes I don’t like Sirius for the right reasons and he holds a grudge against me because of my brother. Sirius pays no mind to James’s subtle comments so nor do I. I understand he’s just trying to look out for his friend.

As we sip on some butterbeer- I think it’s called- I continue pestering Lily with questions. I find myself up at night constantly conjuring up more and more! As soon as I learn an answer, a new question comes to mind.

I lean forward in my seat, eager to learn more. “Is it true guys can change your appearance?! Like into animals?!”

“See, you muggles believe everything you read about us,” James remarks to the rest of the table with a sly grin.

“Um but we actually can do that...” Remus points out at the other end.

I glance down the table, my jaw basically on it, “wait, what?!”

“Okay well, we’re special!” James justifies.

“Even you?” I ask Sirius, astonished.

He chuckles, leaning back in his chair and resting his arm across the back of mine. “Yes, even me.”

I turn to face him swiftly. “What are you?!”

“He’s a mutt,” Marlene snickers from beside Remus.

“A black dog!” Sirius corrects proudly.

“What about the lack of technology? Are you against modern science?” I rush out questions, consumed by my curiosity.

“No, we don’t live in the stone age!” James laughs.

“We just don’t have a use for it,” Lily rephrases more kindly, giving her husband the side-eyed with a swat to the arm.

“So misunderstood,” James grumbles to himself, referring to the wizarding world.

“Tell me more!” I direct my enthusiasm at James.

The boy glances between me and Lily, unsure of how to react. “You want to hear more from?”

I nod frantically. I’ll listen to anyone, but I know James will be the most honest.

“Oh,” he sits up in his seat. “Um okay. Well-”

“Nice thing only!” Sirius warns.

“Boring!” James argues, snickering.

“No,” I tell Sirius. “I want to know everything, good and bad.”

“If you say so,” James chuckles, resting his arms on the table. He hums, “where to start...” Then, a smirk forms across his lips as he meets my eye. “Firstly, muggles expect us to be these foreign, extraterrestrial, things that are no bloody good!”

The table erupts in protests from everyone, except Marlene who likely agrees with James.

“What happened to play nice,” Sirius groans, tossing his head back beside me.

James holds up his hands in surrender. “It’s not that I’m anti-muggle. I’m anti-immiscible,”

“Hey!” I bark at the boy.

“Not you lovely, Y/N,” he assures, taking my hand across the table with a slick grin to tease me. “You’re just perfect!”

I roll my eyes, slipping my hands-free from his grip. Sirius wraps his arm around my waist, bring me into his side protectively.

“The trouble is they’re too lazy!” James mimics a squeaky voice, which I imagine is to be a non-wizard woman.

“The trouble is they’re too advanced!” Marlene adds to the mix with a snarky smirk directed at me. “The trouble is they’re too different!”  

“The trouble is their men are too handsome and they’ll take all our women,” James adds, sending me a wink.

“They don’t want to be troubled with our issues,” Remus states simply, in a much more diplomatic way than Marlene and James.

“Oh yeah right, because muggles have never had diplomacy issues!” James sarcastically remarks, spinning his butterbeer glass around. “Civil wars? Never heard of them!”

“They say ‘we’ve got problems of our own!’” Marlene snickers bitterly.

“They want us to slapping ourselves on the wrist for being the special kids in the class!’” James demonstrates, tapping himself on the hands with a pout.

“On our knees pleading with your Prime Minister!” Marlene laughs, glancing at James beside her.

“Because no one wants to deal with us,” Remus adds, not feeding into the theatrics as much as the other two.

James clasps his hands together, jokingly pleading to me.“We need your help! What are we to do?!’“

“Dear Mr. Prime Minister, bibbidi bobbidi boo!“ Marlene teases.

“Do you really say that?” I whisper to Sirius.

“No,” Sirius laughs.

“Are you really interested in what we do?” James cuts the mocking abruptly. He peers at me with narrowed eyes and a mischievous smirk.

I trust James about as far as I can throw him. He’s not fond of non-magic people, though he claims I’m fine. I’m sure that’s sole because Sirius has given him trouble about playing nice.

“What would you like to know?” Remus asks specifically.

I shrug, releasing a breathless laugh. “Show me everything! Tell me how it all works!”

“Everything?” Peter repeats, sounding overwhelmed already. “Can we show her?” He asks around the table.

“I don’t see why not?” Sirius defends casually with a shrug.

“You say that every time you break a rule,” Lily teases with a snicker.

“I wanna learn everything!” I interject, switching my sight between each person around the table.

“A muggle who wants to know more about wizardry?” Marlene raises a brow.

“Do you work for your government or something?” James fires.

“Yes! I’m genuinely fascinated by it!” I assure them.

Sirius rubs his hand up and down my back comfortingly as I await James to make a decision.

“Well okay then, let’s do it,” he determines. “But let’s do it right!”

Sirius and the others take me through Diagon Alley. James leads the way like he’s a tour guide. I peer into all of the shop windows in amazement. I just knew their world would be miraculous! I had a feeling it was far bigger than any one of us could’ve imagined! It appears like any other shopping centers, except there’s so much charm to it.

"Are you happy?" Sirius leans down to whisper in my ear.

I wrap my free hand around his arm as we stroll and he interlocks our fingers.

"I'm over the moon! This... how is it possible?!" I don't know where to look, to my left or right. I'm like a child in a candy shop.

"It's like I'm seeing the world for the first time through you," Sirius admires, kissing my temple.

"You too are sickening," Marlene grumbles as she passes us to catch up with Lily.

"Ignore her," Sirius instructs, bitterly glaring at the girl.

"I am," I mutter. I don't plan on giving Marlene a second thought.

"That's my girl." He brings my hand to his lips for a peck.

There’s magic in every corner! Floating books, mythical creatures, unique foods, it’s a whole new world! It’s incredible that it exists hidden within my own and has now for centuries. How did it remain hidden for so long without everyone noticing? There’s so much to learn and see! It's utterly remarkable!

___________________________

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