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neptuneiris · 2 months ago

Text

could you pretend to be in love? (10/10)

The Realization

pairing: modern!aemond × fem!reader (fake dating)

summary: prom is coming and so is the end of a stage in your life. surprises and unexpected conversations take place, the question is, are you able to forgive in order to move on?

word count: 9.7k

previous part • series masterlist

this is not a drill, it's really happening!

first of all, i want to apologize for having left this story aside without finishing it. it wasn't something i decided, the writer's block precisely in this fic made me not try anymore for a while, mostly to clear my mind and my ideas, because i had no idea what to write after chapter nine 💀

so I hope you really forgive me and enjoy the last chapter 🥺 it has been an honor to have given you this little fic, I really enjoyed writing it despite the little mental breakdowns I had haha

and just like my other stories, I keep it in my heart and it will always be here for whenever you want to reread (I will make sure to post it in AO3, don't worry) i'm also thinking of doing a poll about the epilogue where you guys will decide if you want one or prefer this ending. let me know after you finish reading the chapter 🤗

enjoy and I look forward to your comments!

It still all feels like a bad dream that you can't wake up from. An unwanted dream. A nightmare.

And every time a new day comes, you feel like a human being who does everything in automatic mode, not because you really want to.

In front of your dad you must pretend that everything is fine, but as soon as you leave home and get to school, you feel a huge weight and a sadness that nothing and no one can take away from you.

You feel the stares of some people on you, if not all of them. But the truth is that you feel so emotionally drained that you don't even pay attention to them.

Many would say that not being accepted to a college doesn't mean it's the end of the world. Nor does it mean that your chances are over because there is still too much time to be able to do everything you want.

And you accept that they are right. All is not lost because you didn't get accepted.

When you were rejected the first time when you applied in conjunction with the scholarship, disillusionment sets in. There is disappointment in yourself for not being enough and there is this question that constantly floats in your mind; why others do and I don't? Why am I not worthy of the same fate as them?

Maybe it's age, but it's inevitable to feel that rejection and failure after having so many plans and having in mind the idea of making your dad proud by telling him that you've been accepted to college.

And not just any college, but Citadel.

But so far, you haven't had the courage to tell him instead that you won't go to any college. You just can't. You don't know what exactly you'll tell him and you don't want to face it yet. You don't want to see his disappointed face so you need more time.

So instead of dreams and aspirations, as well as preparing to live a college life, you prepare and focus on getting a job. You don't see employment as a bad thing either. You just wish you didn't have to focus on it right now.

You haven't talked to Aemond either. You haven't even seen him.

You're in some classes together. But you barely pay attention. Even though you used to notice his presence before and now, unconsciously, you ignore it. Now your mind is too busy with your worries.

It's like being in a disconnect. You are just there, existing. But you barely talk, barely react and barely do. You just want classes to end soon so you can go home.

Of course, he hasn't stopped trying.

He wants to talk to you, but you won't let him. You just don't want to have anything to do with him anymore. Even though you feel that emptiness he has left, you immediately force yourself not to think about it.

It's like pain and confusion mixed together, but your pride and that same pain makes you prefer to stay away.

You don't even care anymore what people say about him and you. It's obvious that the two of you are no longer in a 'relationship'. No one knows what happened and neither one of you is clarifying anything.

Which you are grateful for, so as not to feed the topic in the whole school.

Meanwhile, Alysanne and Cregan are almost always around you, trying to cheer you up and make you endure school better. You couldn't be more grateful for both of them either.

"So what are your plans for the weekend?"

Alysanne asks as the three of you are sitting on a bench in the outside courtyard. On the bench where you and Aemond made the fake relationship contract, precisely. But you try not to focus on that as the three of you eat lunch.

"We're going to the movies, did you forget already?" asks Cregan, confused.

"Huh? This weekend?"

"You forgot," he assures her.

"I didn't forget!" she lies, nervous.

"We agreed to go on Saturday. To the ten o'clock function for the horror movie."

Oh yes, the two of them are dating. Just as you and Aemond have 'broken up', so you try not to feel more distressed about it.

"Do you want to come, Y/N?"

You raise your gaze to Alysanne, confused, who gives you a smile.

"It's a date, isn't it? Just the two of you."

"We'll have more dates," she makes a nonchalant gesture.

Poor Cregan.

"Besides, it would do you good to clear your head a bit. So, what better than going to the movies? Right, Cregan?"

"Yeah, it'll do you good," he nods.

"No, thank you," you say softly, "I don't want to interfere with your dates. Besides, I'm not in the mood to go out. I'd rather stay home."

"You're not going to interfere with anything. Besides, you've stayed home enough days," she reproaches you, "Come on. Even one night. We'll have a great time."

"If you don't want to go to the movies, we can go somewhere else," Cregan proposes.

You grimace slightly.

"No, thank you. I..." you sigh, "I really appreciate it, guys. But I'd rather stay home."

Staying home to look for a proper job and plan to tell your dad you won't be going to college, like you've been doing for the past few days.

"Are you sure?" Alysanne looks at you not entirely convinced.

"Yeah," you shrug, "Don't worry about me."

"Of course I worry about you."

"You should focus on your date," you say as you give Cregan a meaningful look.

"Totally," Cregan nods, "In fact, she'll plan the next date."

"What?" she looks at him in horror.

"What you heard."

"And why me?"

"Because I always do."

Your talk with them doesn't last long as soon the bell rings and they head off to their respective classes, except for you, who has a free hour.

So you stand on the bench alone, just looking outside and nothing else, enjoying your lunch unhurriedly and in peace and quiet.

You let out a long breath and distract yourself for a few moments in your social networks, watching as some people post their reactions from when they were accepted to colleges. Everyone screams, smiles and cries of happiness with their families.

Except for others who quietly show how they were not accepted. But they open more emails and get accepted to other colleges.

You wish you were part of them.

You close those apps and go to Tiktok to distract yourself for a while by watching funny videos or storytimes.

When suddenly, you hear footsteps approaching behind you, which catches your attention. You turn your head, peeking over your shoulder and then you see him, Aemond.

He stops as soon as your eyes look directly into his, as if you've caught him in the act of robbery. Which reveals how very cautious he was being to approach and not scare you.

You see the uncertainty in his gaze, the insecurity and the wariness all at the same time. Which is rare for him, as he doesn't allow himself to look so vulnerable. But you understand why he's this way with you.

First you think about getting up and leaving him with the word in his mouth, like you've been doing lately. But for some reason, it's like finally your mind resigns and your body will force you to stay where you're sitting. And you don't even know why.

Or maybe it's because he's begging you with his gaze not to leave and listen to what he has to say after so many weeks.

Inevitably your nerves invade you and neither he nor you say anything for a few long seconds. He just stands still, as if testing the waters, waiting to see if you will move away from him again attentively.

Then he swallows hard and watches you with a sad but hopeful expression.

“Can I come closer?”

You press your lips together, think about it for a few seconds and finally give him a barely visible nod.

You turn your gaze to the front and begin to put your tupper with food in your backpack. While at the same time Aemond approaches you, cautious but firm. And surprised that you are allowing him to do this.

You let out a long breath and bring a hand to your hair, nervous, not knowing why.

Then he steps in front of you and only at that moment, you realize he has a folder in his hand. A folder that he sets down on the table in front of you, with smooth, cautious movements.

“I just came to drop this off for you. Nothing else.”

You raise your gaze to look at it confused for a moment, then look back down at the folder in front of you.

“It's the paperwork you need to submit to finalize the scholarship process,” he says softly, “Classes start in two months and by now you should have received an email from the university with all the information as an incoming student.”

Wait, what?

Your mind immediately questions, as you frown more and feel your heart start to beat too fast.

“What are you talking about?” you ask in a low murmur, not understanding.

And Aemond lets out a long breath.

“I'm keeping my promise.”

His words echo steadily in your mind.

And you dare to raise your gaze to him again, confused, serious and incredulous. And what he does is lower his gaze, sorrowful and unsure. However… he is firm with what he is saying.

Then a tingle begins to run through your hands, at the same time as you feel the nervousness sweep through your body like a wave. You part your lips as you look at the folder in front of you and with trembling hands, you pick it up and open it.

The first thing you see is the university logo and an overwhelming sensation sweeps over your body and mind as you see what appears to be a letter addressed to you.

Miss. Y/N Y/L/N, Faculty of Law. Official documentation for the scholarship process.

You feel the air you were holding in your lungs slowly leave your mouth. And a huge weight that you felt in your chest is lifted, allowing you to rest and breathe properly.

At first, you think your mind is playing a joke on you. You think he's doing it. But… this is real. More real than you can imagine.

“I know I didn't do things the right way…

Aemond begins to speak, noticing the mix of shock and confusion in your gaze, breathing hard through your mouth.

“I know I took you for granted and that I hurt you,” he says softly, “But that was never my intention, Y/N. I-I… I thought I would get everything under control. That I would work it out and get everything done on time. But, it's just… I don't even have justification.”

You feel tears begin to form in your eyes. But you control yourself. You bite the inside of your cheek and try not to let his words make you break down in tears.

As if the fact that you have in front of you one of the papers confirming and assuring you that you will finally go to the college of your dreams isn't enough.

“I should have acted sooner and looked for solutions. I should have been honest with you from the beginning. And you don't know how sorry I am,” he says softly and vulnerably, his gaze lowered, ”I also don't expect you to forgive me for keeping a promise and asking for forgiveness. I know I fucked up and things can never go back to the way they were. But I just want you to know…” he takes a moment, "That I really did fall in love with you."

Fuck.

“What I felt for you was real. It was never a game or a pretense. I was just… afraid,” he admits, ”Afraid of fucking up what we had. Afraid it would all fall apart if I told you the truth. But… I ruined everything,” he says with a resigned tone, ”You don't have to talk to me again either if you don't want to. You don't owe me anything. I just wanted to tell you the truth and let you know how sorry I am.”

Each word echoes in your mind, with the weight of his regret and his sincerity. You feel the tremble in your body, not helping the fact that you are still staring at the college sheet addressed to your name.

And you hold back, trying to calm the chaos being unleashed inside you by his words.

When he doesn't say anything else, you certainly won't and you both fall silent for a moment, as the weight of his words and the meaning of them fill the space. Until he speaks again.

“I won't bother you anymore,” he moves forward a bit back to the way he came, “Best of luck at Citadel. You deserve it, you really do,” he tells you with a small smile that is sad but genuine at the same time.

Then his figure disappears from your field of vision and you hear him start to walk away. And at that moment, the world seems to stop for you.

Unable to help yourself, you turn your head and watch him walk away with tears in your eyes. There is something in his walk, in that slight slope of his shoulders, that screams the burden he carries. And you don't know why, but… you want to call him, to tell him something that will ease the knot you both feel.

However, you know that won't fix anything.

You feel the air leave you, his words still echoing in your mind. You stare at the folder again, trying to remember what this achievement meant to you before this moment, before he came and stirred all the emotions in you.

You try to be strong, you try not to let this affect you more than it should, you think of the positive. But you can't.

So still in disbelief, excitement, sadness and with all your emotions mixed up, you take your phone, unlock it and open your emails app. And there, your most recent email, you read: Citadel University.

With your hands shaking, you press the email and read in slightly larger letters: Welcome to Citadel University! Miss Y/N, Y/L/N. Faculty of Law, Registration number: 31982.

Then, finally, you can't hold back the tears any longer and you put a hand to your mouth, letting them out, with confused and intense feelings coming over you.

Your father's loving and proud words, hugs and kisses make you smile.

It took you four days to finally break the news to him. And seeing him so happy, excited and proud, made you finally stop feeling so bad for even a moment. You also broke the news to Alysanne and Cregan, who were very happy for you.

Neither of them mentioned Aemond, which you appreciated. But there is the clear acknowledgement to him for making this possible.

You obviously left the job search behind and instead started contacting the university. You sent the missing and necessary documents, they sent you information about the scholarship, your schedule, classes and also about your dorm.

It's like finally this void in your chest is being filled as you finally see this all happening. And as you look at the pictures of the university, with old, elegant and modern architecture at the same time, that excitement rises in you.

However, what you feel is not happiness in its entirety.

In fact, you feel in the middle of a crossroads; joy is mixed with sadness. And the satisfaction of fulfilling the dream feels incomplete.

The worst part is that you know why.

But you don't think about it too much either. You don't want to. On the contrary, you force yourself to repeat over and over again that this was the plan all along. You force yourself to enjoy it and get excited.

You force yourself to think that what happened outside of getting into the college of your dreams was for a reason, but in the end you got what you really wanted.

But, deep down inside, you think about how you wish things could have been different.

At the same time, prom is just around the corner.

At first, you thought about not attending, but of course, Alysanne wouldn't let you think about it anymore. She dragged you with her to the dress store and sentenced that it will be a date of three, her, Cregan and you.

You tried to persuade her, to make her understand that Cregan only wants her as his date. But, of course, Cregan as the great friend he also is, told you it would be fun.

Certainly neither he nor you nor Alysanne have ever been on a three-way date and he told you; what better than to try it at the prom?

The prom preparations are done. Now the important thing is to turn in final projects and get rid of all the pending with the professors.

And that's what you're doing now.

With your headphones on and a notebook along with a book on your table, you're about to finish a long, boring project. When you notice how a figure suddenly obscures your workspace and you raise your gaze almost instantly, curious.

Helaena.

You remove your headphones, surprised to see her as she smiles softly at you.

“Hi,” you say to her in a soft tone, putting your project aside for a moment.

“Hi,” she says to you in the same soft tone, ”I… am I interrupting you?”

“Oh no,” you say nonchalantly, “I mean, yes, but I'm just about to finish it anyway. Don't worry.”

She looks at you a little unsure.

“Are you sure? It's just… I don't know,“ she shrugs, 'It's been a while since we last talked and I didn't know if I could come up to you.”

Again you ignore the small sharp pain in your chest at the memory of Aemond and try to look like you're not at all affected by having his sister in front of you.

“Yeah, well…” you try to smile a little, ”Things have been… intense lately.”

She nods as she takes a seat across from you.

“So it's official?” she asks you with a sad tone as she watches you with a sad little smile, “Like, I mean… you and my brother aren't coming back together?”

This time, the sharp pain in your chest is stronger and more persistent. As well as her question hits you like a wave.

How can you tell her that, in reality, everything you and Aemond had was false? That it was all part of an agreement?

The guilt begins to consume you as you see her face full of expectations and the worst thing is that it's not something you should tell her. That should be Aemond. But, still, you feel the urge to cry and you feel the need to finally tell her the truth, for the sake of everyone who made you believe the fake relationship.

“Helaena…” you begin, your voice barely a whisper, ”I-I… need to be honest with you.”

You take a breath, expecting the worst and imagining a series of difficult emotions to deal with.

“This whole thing between Aemond and I… it was fake,” you speak fearfully and sorrowfully, ”We were just… pretending for our own convenience. It wasn't…” you sigh, closing your eyes for a moment heavily, ”It wasn't real.”

You expected surprise, indignation, incredulity, anger, and more, all at the same time. But to your greatest surprise and bewilderment, she doesn't seem remotely surprised. Instead, she just smiles softly at you, full of understanding, as if she's been waiting for this moment for a long time.

“I already knew that,” she tells you in a serene tone that disarms you.

You feel your lungs hold all your air and you watch her completely stunned, surprised and confused with your parted lips. Then you blink, processing her words.

“What?”

“Aemond told me everything the moment you set up your rules,” she replies calmly, “The truth is, he never hides anything from me. He can't. So I already knew what you both were doing from the beginning.”

You continue to watch her in shock and disbelief, unable to believe it, trying to understand how she could have kept this to herself so naturally.

And in that moment, with disbelief and surprise beating in your chest, you realize that in every single conversation you had with her, right here at school, at parties, even at that family dinner that ended in disaster thanks to Aegon's drunkenness… she had always known.

“Though I don't always approve of his decisions, I understood why he did it… and why you did too.”

But your mind is still short-circuiting, processing and comprehending.

You relive in your mind every moment you went out of your way to pretend, believing you were fooling everyone, especially her. And yet, there's Helaena, looking at you with an expression of calm and empathy that completely disarms you.

“So you knew?” you are able to formulate in asking in a breathy whisper.

She nods, smiling softly.

“Easy, only I knew.“

“And you're not upset?” you ask confused, still waiting for some sign of reproach.

“Not at all. On the contrary, I'm relieved,” she tells you honestly, ”People made fun of Aemond after Alys. And, well, that left a mark on him. You know what rumors are like here.”

“Oh, believe me I do.”

“And they made him miserable. It also didn't help at all that Alys was his first girlfriend and his first formal relationship but the two of them didn't love each other, it was just obsession and whim,” she says absurdly, "And with you, at least, he got some peace back, even if it was temporary."

“But then…” you look at her blankly, “Why did you ask me if we'll get back together?”

Helaena sighs, her gaze soft but intense.

“Because in the end the two of you really fell in love. I saw you at Dragonstone and it was… too obvious.”

You remain silent, remembering those moments.

Both of you walking through those historical corridors, seeing and learning absolutely everything about old Valyria. Both holding hands, fascinated in the aquarium watching everything around or walking together on the shore of the beach, laughing, exchanging glances, hugging and kissing every now and then that everything felt too sincere to be pretending.

You relived every moment and every detail that you wished you could go back to when everything was fine.

Aemond had been different with you those days, a side of him that you had never seen and had thought only existed because of his performance in the fake relationship you had both agreed to.

But even you, being there, without the pressure to pretend, you felt the barriers fall between the two of you, because it was all real.

“He fell in love with you, Y/N,” Helaena tells you sincerely, “You… you did too?”

You feel a lump form in your throat and you let the question float in the air for a moment. The answer is so clear in your mind that it hurts; and yet, saying it out loud feels like breaking a promise you had made to protect yourself.

“Yes, I did too,” you admit, sadness settling in your chest, "But…" you take a deep breath, watching her, ”What happened with Floris even though it was a mistake… and then, the fact that he didn't tell me the truth about Citadel, it really hurt me.”

Helaena nods softly, not judging you, simply listening to you. And when she speaks, her tone is so serene and understanding that it comforts you.

“My brother has this amazing ability to do things in the worst possible way,” she says with a small resigned smile, ”Floris was a mistake. He was drunk and well, he told me that before that both of you have had a disagreement, although that doesn't justify it, I know. I'm just saying, it really was a mistake.”

Your mind momentarily flashes back to that moment, when you tried to end the fake relationship after the family dinner thing.

“And as for the Citadel thing…” she pauses, searching for the right words, “He freaked out, Y/N. He didn't know how to tell you without ruining everything. And I know that doesn't justify it either, but…” she sighs, ”He was going to do whatever it took to hold up his part of the contract. He just didn't count on our grandfather suddenly getting difficult. Our family is already so fucked up as it is, that was the last thing he expected.”

Her words suddenly make you feel interested and curious about a specific topic you hadn't remembered until now. But Helaena continues to speak and you listen to her.

“Even though his method was disastrous, in his mind, he was protecting you,” she says, ”Again, I'm not justifying it. But I know he was desperate to get you that place at Citadel no matter what because he knew you deserved it. And…” she smiles at you with a gesture of resignation, "I think he loves you enough to do stupidly risky things. Even go against grandfather and act behind his back knowing how much trouble he could get into.”

You bite the inside of your cheek and feel a knot of emotions form in your chest. Everything she's telling you opens a door to feelings you'd tried to repress, to thoughts you'd rather bury.

You take a deep breath, remembering again those days at Dragonstone.

You relive every moment, when words were redundant and the silence between the two of you felt so full of meaning. He was always watching you in a way that seemed to say everything and nothing at the same time. He was slowly revealing that vulnerable part of himself that he seemed to have lost after Alys.

But as much as you want to think straight, your thoughts are a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. On the one hand, the pain of it all consumes you but on the other, there's the certainty of how you feel about him.

Even when you're hurting, you know you can't ignore it.

“I know he's still waiting, deep down, for maybe…” Helaena pauses, “Maybe there's a chance for both of you.”

The expression on her face is so sincere and tender that you find it impossible not to believe her, and the thought fills you with a mixture of relief and pain. Because, despite everything, you still love him, and that truth is impossible to deny.

“I don't know,” you confess, biting your lips and feeling your eyes water, ”I-I…I don't know what to do. I mean, we're already graduating. We'll go to the same college but I doubt we'll see each other, you know? And I just… n-no… I don't know….

“Hey, hey,” Helaena tells you instantly, ”It's okay. We don't have to talk about this anymore. I didn't want to overwhelm you or burden you, I just wanted to tell you my opinion and for you to talk to someone in case you needed to,” she tells you softly, comfortingly, ”Still, it's something between the two of you and we can talk about anything else.”

You thank her with a relieved look, her gesture of empathy appearing as she watches you with her soft, understanding expression. And then, she speaks with a more casual tone, changing the subject with a lightness that relieves you a bit.

“You have everything ready for graduation? Are you bringing a date?”

“Hum… yes, I already have everything ready,” you nod, ”And no, I'll go with my two friends. I think you met them, Alysanne and Cregan.”

“Oh yes! I know them,” she says with a smile, ”And I'm going with a friend too. I don't really like the idea of everything being so formal, so going with a friend will make it all more fun.”

Both are silent for a few moments, and although the conversation has taken on a lighter tone, you feel there's still a question trapped in your chest. And at the memory of that day, an impulse prompts you to speak before you can stop yourself.

“Helaena,” you call her softly, "I… can I ask you something?" you ask almost in a whisper, lowering your gaze a little, hesitating.

She watches you curiously and nods without hesitation.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Hum…” you stir in your seat, “That night, at dinner, Aegon said something… about your dad not caring about you. What did he mean by that?”

She immediately looks like she wasn't expecting that question at all, which immediately makes you regret it, but then she softens her whole gaze, not looking at all uncomfortable or upset.

“Oh, well… our dad…” she begins to speak, choosing her words precisely, “Well, he was always very neglectful with us. He always left all the work to mom to take care of us, even when she had to work too so she wasn't totally dependent on him,” she explains, ”It was chaos for a long time. Aegon and I lost years of education because of his lack of commitment.”

“Really?” you look at her attentively and surprised.

“He missed the date to register us for kindergarten in our proper time. He always forgot our birthdays or some important date. But, of course, that never happened to him with our older stepsister, Rhaenyra.”

You remember Aemond mentioning her, though not much.

“And you don't talk to her?”

“Yes, of course,” she says with a small smile, “She was never at blame. In fact, by comparison, she always took us into account and never forgot our existence,” she explains, ”And well, eventually mom divorced him. And the only good thing dad did in the end was to mention us and give us parts of his inheritance in his will.”

Helaena's sincerity and calmness in sharing this about her life surprises you and, at the same time, makes you understand the complicated family history behind them. Now it's no wonder why Aegon was so angry to bring up the subject of parents.

Nor do you ignore the connection you begin to feel towards them, obviously because of your mother and her abandonment.

“It must have been very difficult, for everyone,” you murmur, ”I'm sorry to hear that.”

She nods, though her expression doesn't reflect bitterness, but something akin to mature acceptance.

“Yes, but that made us strong,” she says with a slight smile, "Aegon was the one who resented his absence the most, as you could see," she tells you knowingly, ”You know, being the eldest and all. But we're more… happy now, now that he's gone,” she confesses.

You let out a long breath, watching her with compassion.

“Thank you for telling me. I didn't mean to intrude, really.”

“No, it's fine, it really doesn't affect me,” she assures you softly, ”After that Aegon scene at dinner, it's valid you know. So don't worry.”

You both smile softly at each other, expressions warm and sincere, falling silent. When Helaena stands up, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

“Well…” she says, letting out a slight sigh, adjusting her backpack, ”I should be going now. I also have projects to finish.”

“Sure,” you nod, ”Thanks for coming and talking to me.”

“Oh, there's nothing to thank you for. Anytime. I'll see you later, okay?”

“Okay.”

You both say goodbye and you watch her walk away in the direction of the main building, her silver hair shining in the sunlight, as you let out a long breath and put your headphones back in.

Prom.

You really don't understand what you're doing here. But it's all Alysanne's doing, like the makeup, hairstyle and dress.

You get out of Cregan's car with a beautiful lilac metallic dress on. Finding it wasn't hard at all, since it was like love at first sight, especially since it has a princess cut. And upon measuring it, Alysanne also decided that it was the one.

The hairstyle was also easy, after all, you didn't want anything too voluminous or too fancy. So a wavy style in your hair with a crown of silver flowers at the crown of your head was the perfect touch.

Alysanne on the other hand chose a beautiful wine colored dress that flatters her at every angle, deciding to gather her hair with two strands falling on either side of her face, making her look absolutely elegant and gorgeous.

And once all three of you are ready, Cregan dressed in an impeccable dark suit, offers you both his arms and you enter the grand ballroom of the luxurious hotel together.

The ballroom is illuminated by the typical disco balls hanging from the high ceiling, casting silver and white sparkles that create an almost magical atmosphere.

The decor is elegant and subtle, with centerpieces of fresh flowers and candles giving each table a touch of romantic charm.

You feel a mixture of nerves and excitement as you enter, as if it's all part of a dream. After all, it is your prom and tonight symbolizes a chapter you are about to close, your high school years.

The dance floor is in the center, surrounded by tables in a circle and already some of the guests have started to dance, getting lost in the rhythm of the soft music that fills the atmosphere thanks to the DJ.

Although not only disco balls light up the place, but also some colored lights to make the atmosphere more colorful.

If someone had told you in your freshman year everything that was going to happen in your final year, you would have laughed out loud and wouldn't have believed it at all, because your life was too boring.

But here you are, with still those events in mind, where at the end of the night, you will put them behind you.

You adjust your lilac dress, whose princess-cut skirt falls in soft layers to the floor. The fabric moves with you, as if it were an extension of your own footsteps, and the color shimmers delicately under the silver lights.

The three of you make your way to one of the tables to take a seat and you take a closer look around you as the decorations and you also see familiar faces of some of your classmates, some laughing in groups and others on the dance floor with their dates.

And Alysanne, excited and obsessed with everything, wants to have memories of the whole night and soon the three of you are taking a long selfie session with her phone.

Cregan complains about too many photos and the laughter of the three fills the air as Alysanne continues to make sure she captures the best shots, changing angles and poses.

Alysanne, with a huge smile, spins around on herself and then grabs your hands to dance with her, laughing every time you both take a step out of rhythm. You can feel her pure happiness, an excitement that doesn't take long to become contagious and where Cregan soon joins in.

The dance floor is filling up and the sparkles of the lights reflecting off everyone's costumes and dresses create an enchanting and magical atmosphere.

The DJ starts mixing more upbeat songs, and you see how everyone is having fun, laughing and dancing.

Immediately this catches Alysanne's attention and she drags the three of you onto the dance floor with infectious laughter. Before you know it, you're in the middle of the dance floor with them, surrounded by movement and music.

The music beats on the floor and vibrates in your chest, and, slowly, you begin to let loose, moving to the beat of the songs as the colored lights swirl above you all.

“I'm going to get a drink!” you let them both know over the music.

You have no idea exactly how much time passes that you find yourself dancing, enjoying the night, the echo of laughter and the warmth of the crowd.

The euphoria makes you forget and enjoy yourself as you feel your throat dry and your feet start to ache, with your body starting to beg for water and a little break.

“Okay!” Cregan nods, throwing you a smile, still dancing with Alysanne.

You smile knowingly, since after all, these two deserve to have their moment, and you walk away towards the table where there are different desserts and the drinks for all the graduates.

You take a bottle of water, and as you drink, the immediate relief makes you close your eyes for a moment, enjoying the coolness.

And only at that moment, standing alone and a little apart, you notice the glances of some people around you, mainly girls passing by you and whispering something between them, looking at you out of the corner of their eyes.

Great.

You thought you were past all this but even at prom it doesn't stop.

You take a deep breath and look out onto the dance floor, where you make out Alysanne and Cregan dancing close together, smiling and animated. You certainly don't want to interrupt them and you look around again, trying to distract yourself with anything you can find to rest your feet on.

You try not to make a big deal of it and look back at them for just a few moments with a serious look on your face and again try to focus on regaining your energy, telling yourself that this shouldn't affect you.

You remind yourself that you are here for you and your friends, and that is all that should matter to you.

When your gaze unconsciously focuses on Floris.

With her arm intertwined with a boy, whom you recognize from the lacrosse team, she looks absolutely elegant with a beautiful hairstyle and a gorgeous pink dress.

And as she joins the party, she seems totally focused on enjoying the evening, her expression relaxed and happy.

You look away from her, focused on something else, where your attention slips unintentionally to Alys, surrounded by her friends.

In the distance, suddenly her gaze meets yours and you quickly look away, not knowing why but… you really don't want to deal with or care about those people anymore.

She's wearing dark makeup and a sensual emerald green dress that completely clings to her body and highlights her curves. She looks completely beautiful, but knowing her attitude and behavior, it makes her lose her charm.

You watch Helaena for a few more seconds, her energy lighting up the dance floor, when suddenly, a tall, familiar figure catches your attention on the other side of the room in the crowd.

Instead, you focus on Helaena, who you find among all the people dancing, getting carried away by the atmosphere and in the company of the friend who told you.

Her silver hair is swaying to the music and she shines in the middle of everyone in that beautiful sky blue dress and gold accessories, looking absolutely gorgeous.

Aemond is standing a few feet away, talking to Aegon, both looking absolutely handsome for the evening. Then, the atmosphere around you seems to fade a bit and he's the only one who catches your eye in the middle of the crowd.

And that mixture of emotions about him rises in your chest again.

You take a closer look at who is around him and it is only Aegon. You don't see any girl hanging on his arm or anything, so apparently he has come unaccompanied, just like you.

He is dressed in a dark suit that highlights his slender figure and impeccable posture, just like Aegon. The silver light of the disc balls bring out his silver hair and his face so perfectly detailed, giving it a glow that is almost unreal to you.

Your gaze lingers on him longer than you had anticipated. From a distance, you can notice the lack of expressions on his face and the small twitch of his lips as he speaks to Aegon, looking around him without really showing any emotion.

That eye contact takes the air out of you. The memory of all the things you shared, the conversations, the looks, the touching and kissing… it all comes over you.

And at that very moment, as if sensing the weight of your attention, Aemond looks up and sees you beyond the crowd, apart and alone. The visual connection is instantaneous, almost electric, and suddenly you feel all the people and bustle around you fade away.

You can't deny the attraction and deep affection that, even now, beat intensely in your chest. And, for an instant, you wonder if he too feels the same mix of nostalgia and sadness in the midst of it all.

You notice how he looks you up and down, lingering on every detail of what you're wearing today, his eyes shining, filled with a kind of wary hope and longing, completely stealing your breath.

Then, his body language tells you he's getting ready to move. Coming at you, with her determined gaze.

Oh God.

A sense of panic invades every part of your body. And before he can do anything, you look away and quickly make your way to the dance floor, blending into the crowd, heading towards your friends.

The music booms in your ears and your thoughts are in complete chaos, hitting you one after the other.

Closing your eyes for a moment, you tell yourself that you just want to enjoy the night, to stop thinking about him and what was, even if it's only for a few hours.

So time passes, the energy of the dance becomes more relaxed, and though you manage to avoid crossing paths directly with Aemond, his presence seems to haunt your mind like a lingering ghost, one that doesn't dissipate with the music or the bright lights.

You look around from time to time, and out of the corner of your eye you notice that he also seems to avoid being too close to you, although you can't help thinking that maybe he is also looking for you in the crowd, as you are looking for him.

Until, finally, the atmosphere immediately changes.

The lights dim and the silver and warm tones transform the room into an intimate place. Couples begin to approach the dance floor, holding hands, to dance to the slow songs. And you decide it's the perfect time to take a break.

You smile at Cregan and Alysanne, giving them another moment again, feeling a twinge of tenderness and, at the same time, unexpected loneliness.

You take a seat at one of the nearby tables, watching as the dance floor fills with couples slowly swaying to the music.

Dresses and suits intertwine, and for a moment, you let yourself be enveloped by the warmth of the atmosphere, allowing yourself to feel invisible in the midst of all that harmony.

You watch Floris dancing with that boy, Alysanne with Cregan of course, and Helaena dancing with her friend, both with amused smiles and talking softly without taking the slow dance so seriously. You also see Aegon dancing very close with a girl.

And as your eyes wander around the dance floor, your gaze focuses again on his figure, which seems just as lonely as yours.

A few tables away, Aemond sits alone, surveying the dance floor with an expression you fail to fully decipher. His fingers drum on the rim of his glass, and, for a moment, he seems lost in his own thoughts. He looks calm, almost vulnerable.

You stare at him longer than you think and sigh, averting your gaze, and as the seconds pass, the urge to stand still and do nothing begins to fade.

You bite the inside of your cheek and begin to move your foot up and down rapidly, feeling your heart begin to beat too fast. You watch all the people dancing again, hesitating.

Then you let out a long breath and without knowing exactly why, you take a deep breath and stand up. With slow steps, a momentum and a calmness you try to maintain, you head towards him.

As you get closer, you notice how his gaze, which was lost on the dance floor, suddenly focuses on you, noticing before out of the corner of his eye your approaching figure. Surprise and bewilderment mixed with something else appears in his gaze and you stop in front of him, nervous but determined.

Then neither of you say anything for a few moments. The same nerves make you unable to speak and the two of you just stand there, watching each other.

You feel how some people around you suddenly have their attention focused on both of you, waiting for what you will do, but you don't even pay attention to them. You just focus completely on him.

Until you sigh.

"Do you dance?" you ask softly and nervous.

The words seem to break the spell, and Aemond blinks, clearly surprised and somehow confused.

You watch the expression on his face, as if he's processing every word you've just said, looking for some hint of doubt or change of heart in your expression.

"S-sure," he says still confused, not expecting this at all.

There's a mix of emotions in his eyes, confusion, surprise and nervousness, something you wouldn't have expected to see in him. And you, not wanting to drag this out any longer than necessary, extend your hand to him.

He watches your face attentively and then your hand, still surprised, to finally take it gently. His fingers intertwine with yours, sending an electricity throughout your body through his touch as he stands up.

You swallow hard, feeling your heart beating like crazy and nervousness invading your whole system. And without another word, you both head for the dance floor.

Then, everything around you fades away, the murmurs and laughter, even the music itself becomes a distant whisper, and only he remains, next to you.

He places a hand on your waist, his touch delicate, as if he doesn't want to do anything that could break this fragile instant. You take his other hand, intertwining it with yours and as you both begin to move to the rhythm of the music, you feel how a mixture of emotions floods each of your senses.

Aemond watches you, his eyes fixed on yours and with a nervous little smile on his lips, as if he can't believe this is really happening.

The music moves forward, slow, allowing you to glide in front of each other. As his steps synchronize with yours, the movements become smooth and natural.

And in a moment you realize that you both are completely absorbed in each other, as if nothing and no one could interrupt this bubble that surrounds you.

Finally, Aemond breaks the silence, his voice barely audible over the music and shy, watching you with a gleam in his eye.

"You look beautiful."

He says to you, his words so sincere and emotionally charged that you feel a surge of warmth wash over you.

You wish his words didn't make you melt. But they do. And everything about him, every gesture, his closeness, the firm, protective touch of his hand on your waist, the way he holds you, as if you were something precious and delicate, envelops and intoxicates you.

"Thank you," you reply, feeling a soft smile appear on your lips, "You too... you look very handsome."

He smiles, marking the dimples on either side of his cheeks.

"I wasn't expecting you to come over," he admits, his eyes revealing something between vulnerability and surprise.

The tone of his voice, so soft and honest, makes you feel a warmth you haven't experienced in a long time.

"I didn't know I would," you reply with a barely perceptible smile, "But I thought, maybe... I don't want to spend the night running away," you confess.

He nods, not looking away.

"I didn't want it to be like that either."

His hand on your waist pulls you slightly closer to him with a firm movement and the slight brush makes you aware of the closeness between the two of you.

You feel your thoughts cloud over and you let yourself become more enveloped by him, unable to help it.

His chin brushes your forehead and you feel that at any moment your heart will jump out of your chest. It's an insistent, powerful beat that seems to resonate with every breath you take at his side.

Then, Aemond lowers his voice, his tone becoming softer, almost melancholy, as if his words are a secret shared only between the two of you.

"I was going to ask you if you wanted to be my date that day, you know? When I gave you the folder.

"I was going to ask you if you wanted to be my date that day, you know, when I gave you the folder," he confesses, with a certain melancholy tone, "But I knew it wouldn't be fair to ask you that and I really didn't want to hurt you anymore."

The sincerity in his tone pierces you, and you feel your own barriers begin to crumble. You listen to him with your heart pounding, absorbing every word.

Aemond sighs and his fingers tighten slightly at your waist.

"And a moment ago, when I saw you so perfect and so beautiful in this dress... I realized how much I wished I had walked through those doors with you on my arm," he says with a longing and sadness.

The music continues to envelop you and you feel his confession reverberate through you, intensifying every sensation, every emotion.

The strength of his words, of the connection that has been created between the two of you in the middle of this song, makes the air seem thick and charged with meanings that don't need to be explained.

Then you raise your gaze to him and you both stare at each other in silence, where your words seem to get caught in your throat.

His eyes roam over your face, as if he wants to remember every detail, as if he wants to take this moment with him. There is a sadness and a softness in his gaze that you haven't seen before, and it makes something in your chest tighten.

And again his voice breaks through the soft silence that envelops you.

"I'm sorry... for everything," he says barely a whisper, laden with a sincerity that resonates deeply.

His fingers trace slow circles on your back, small gestures that seem to try to comfort you and to comfort him too. The contact between the two of you is firm and warm, and yet, you feel as if Aemond fears that at any moment this could disappear.

For a moment, the music seems to fade, leaving only your heartbeat and the echo of his voice in the air.

You feel the urge to speak, to say something that would ease the vulnerability on his face, but you find it difficult to organize your thoughts.

Instead, you opt for a simple but meaningful gesture. You propel yourself a little towards him and leave a soft kiss on his cheek, then rest your head on his chest and gently inhale his expensive cologne, being comforting enough for you.

"It's okay," you murmur.

He lets out a sigh of relief, mixed with longing and makes his grip on your waist tighter, not wanting to let go. Then, he leaves a soft kiss on the crown of your head, resting his head on yours as you both continue to sway gently to the music.

"Thank you for giving me this dance," he murmurs.

You place a soft, small smile on your lips, then raise your gaze to his, watching him with nothing but fondness.

He continues to watch you with that softness and one of his hands goes up to your cheek. In a delicate, almost fearful touch, his thumb runs over your skin in a gesture that is both protective and vulnerable.

Then he rests his forehead against yours and you both close your eyes, as you lean into him.

You both fall silent, letting the slow rhythm of the music carry you away, allowing the moment to linger, in a fragile and honest peace.

You feel that you could stay like this, in this bubble of time and silence, without the need for words, because, in this instant, you both understand what has been said and what doesn't need to be said.

The song changes to another slow one and you both lose yourselves in the moment, enjoying it, not wanting it to end.

Time seems to stand still as you dance together, moving slowly and leisurely, as if nothing and no one else exists. The sounds of the party fade around you, leaving only the beating of your hearts and the faint brush of your breaths.

Your eyes close as you let go, feeling his hand on your back and the warmth his body gives off, so close and so full of meaning.

You both breathe in sync, your foreheads resting against each other, your eyes closed as the moment stretches out and becomes more than just a dance.

This instant is a truce, a refuge where everything else, the doubts, the pain, the past, is suspended and what follows is moving forward.

"You've got everything ready to go to college?"

His voice breaks the silence softly, barely a murmur, as if afraid to disturb the peace around you both.

"Yeah," you murmur, nodding.

"What are you traveling there on?"

"Well, I was checking with my dad about bus and plane ticket prices. But I still haven't made up my mind," you admit, remembering discussions about which was the safest and cheapest option.

Aemond nods, thoughtfully. Then, after a brief pause, he speaks with calm assurance.

"I can take you."

You look at him instantly surprised, definitely not expecting that.

"What?"

"I can take you," he repeats, sure of his words, "Well, sure, if you want," he hastens to clarify, "After all, we're going to the same place and I'll make the trip in my car," he explains, "There's plenty of room for your bags along with mine and so you won't have to spend on a ticket. Besides, it would be safer and I think, I don't know, you'd be more comfortable."

You remain silent, trying to assimilate what he has just said. There is something in his words, in the slow and sincere tone, that strikes a deep chord in you.

The idea of making the trip together, of sharing that important moment of departure, of having one last time alone before facing a new life, awakens a mix of emotions that are difficult to describe.

He lowers his gaze for a moment, nervous, clarifying in a low voice.

"It's just a suggestion... something I thought might make things easier for you. You don't have to do it if you don't want to."

Your heart pounds, and somehow, the simplicity of his offer, the naturalness with which he cares for you, causes a warm surge of gratitude and affection to wash over you.

"Can you really do that for me?" you ask quietly, with a little smile you can't help.

"Sure," he says absurdly softly, as if it weren't obvious, "But only if you want me to. I don't want to force you. It's just an option."

You look up at him, holding his gaze for a second that seems like forever, and nod slowly, allowing the feeling of relief and closeness to wash over you.

"I'd love to," you whisper, your voice barely a murmur, "Thank you."

The shadow of a smile tugs at his lips, and you can see the relief in his expression.

"No need to thanks."

Without another word, Aemond pulls you a little closer to him and again the two of you bring your foreheads together, letting the moment lengthen as the music changes to another slow rhythm.

You both remain like that, moving in silence and enjoying the moment, spending the last moment of your high school lives together, to start college together.

"Are you ready?"

Aemond watches you from the driver's seat, his hands resting calmly on the steering wheel with a small smile on his face.

The car is already loaded with suitcases for both of you and you nod, taking a deep breath to calm the emotions fluttering in your chest.

The thought of heading off together towards this new stage causes a mixture of nerves and excitement to wash over you, though a part of you also feels comforted by Aemond's presence at your side.

"Yes," you reply, adjusting your belt.

You watch him and he gives you one last knowing look before putting the car in move.

Saying goodbye to your dad was difficult, but it was something you were both already preparing for and you knew that moment would come.

Besides, he met Aemond, as your friend who will do you the favor of driving you to college and nothing more. And your dad felt safer with that instead of taking the plane or bus alone.

Especially after Aemond promised him countless times that he would take care of you at all times.

The road is serene at first, and Aemond turns on the radio, letting a soft melody fill the comfortable silence between them.

The roads stretch out in front of you, long and exciting, as the landscape changes shape and the kilometers pass, leaving behind the city where you experienced so much.

From time to time, you exchange glances, small comments about the places you see and the expectations each has for the university.

Aemond seems especially careful, attentive to every sign on the road and every change in your expression, as if he wants to make sure you are comfortable and at ease.

And he especially notices a change in your expression.

"Is something bothering you?" he asks you, his voice low but close, filling the space in a comforting way.

You watch him and after some hesitation, you shrug.

"I guess it makes me a little nervous not knowing what to expect," you admit, "This whole new stage... the idea of being alone in a new place."

Aemond nods, understanding what you mean, his eyes fixed on the road.

"I guess it's normal," he tells you softly, "It's almost obligatory to feel this way, but, for what it's worth... you won't be completely alone."

His gaze meets yours for a second before he turns back to the road.

"I'm going to be around if at any time you need anything or anything happens, anything at all."

You feel a warmth settle in your chest, and a part of your nerves seem to fade. The idea of him being there, close by, offering you that closeness, gives you a strange sense of relief.

"Thank you, Aemond," you murmur with a small smile.

He smiles, marking a dimple in his cheek, and turns his eyes to the front.

The ride continues, where the atmosphere in the car becomes more and more comfortable, chatting about small details, expectations, and the occasional joke that makes you both laugh comfortably.

And finally, as the two enter the town of Oldtown and the university looms in the distance, Aemond slows down, looking at the campus that would soon become his home.

"There it is," he says, a slight excitement in his voice.

The same excitement rubs off on you and excitedly, you take his hand, intertwining it with yours, excited and hopeful.

Hopeful that all that is to come for you in this place are good and promising things. As well as hopeful for Aemond and for you.

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indecisive-capricorn · 10 months ago

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Yandere Cullens Family's Reactions to You Attempting to Escape:

WARNINGS: Yandere, running away, mature language, manipulation, toxic relationship, gaslighting, etc.

SUMMARY: You tried to run away from your kidnapper lover but your attempt failed and now you have to face the consequences of your actions. Problem is, how will your beloved yandere react to it and what are the punishments that lie ahead for you?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: We had the Volturi guards and now, we'll have the Cullens! I guess, I'm in my active writing era for tumblr, so don't be surprised if I end up posting a whole lot more. It can be about Twilight or even other fandoms. I'll definitely be posting more for Miguel O'Hara too. Also, I was supposed to post this later on but it got put on queue and I didn't know how to put it out of the list, so I apologize if it seems a little rushed.

MASTERLIST & REQUESTS: Before you go, have a glass of wine or better yet, recommend a good bottle. any kind of message is always a delight.

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EDWARD CULLEN aka THE MIND READER

He's a mind reader. That is the only thing you need to know about him to know that it's useless to even try to escape because Edward is already reading your mind to see the potential plans of your escape. He'll do everything to ensure you won't escape and if you managed to find a single hint that could bring your hopes up to do so, he'll immediately eliminate it by fixing the problem. If you had somehow— no one knows precisely how —managed to find an escape, then just know that he'll find you soon enough. Not even just because of his abilities as a vampire since he can easily track down your scent with them, but also because well— he can read your mind. Edward will know where you desperately want to go to and he'll know about the decisions that you'll make as you try to escape. So, good luck but it's practically impossible, unless you managed to outsmart him by thinking of some sort of distraction. But yeah, it's almost impossible because he's constantly reading your mind! Very nosy indeed for a vampire but even worse as a yandere vampire.

CARLISLE CULLEN aka THE DOCTOR

He would be disappointed. Carlisle isn't the type to get angry at people, but he would get disappointed in you when you try to run away because he thought you knew better than to do that. Honestly, out of everyone in the family, Carlisle is the yandere who gives the most freedom to his darling partner. Carlisle gives a lot of trust to you but after your attempt escape, which was most likely ruined because of another family member, he will definitely be keeping a closer eye on you. Carlisle will either give you a scolding after your escape or he will be quite silent while checking if you got any injuries while being outside. The latter is actually scarier than the first because it's unusual for Carlisle to be giving you the silent treatment and it would mean that he would be more cautious and give you less freedom from then on. However, instead of immediately locking you up in the house after your attempt escape, Carlisle will show you all the reasons to keep you in the house. It could be by showing you the wounds and deaths caused by a rogue vampire or even just by bringing you to the hospital to show you the potential wounds you could get by being outside.

ALICE CULLEN aka THE PSYCHIC

Same situation as Edward. She's a psychic. Alice can easily check through her gift when you feel even the slightest want to go against her. She'll immediately fix the problem and spend more time with you and be much more attentive too. However, if you decide to rebel against her far too many times, she might just let you attempt an escape. Under her watchful eye, of course, since she doesn't want anything to happen to her precious darling but Alice is sure she can make an accident or two happen around you or maybe worsen your day with some horrible mannered humans to get you thinking that going outside and rebelling against her isn't worth it. She'll be faking her worries when you finally decide to come back home to her and she'll fuss all over your health. Alice might hide it from you but she is strategic and quite smart, especially when it concerne you. Your attempt had also given Alice a chance to guilt trip you into being her personal dress up doll. Not that you already weren't before, but things are certainly much smoother if you follow her order like a sweet darling right?

ROSALIE HALE-CULLEN aka THE BEAUTY

Rosalie would be scoffing at your attempt. She's definitely annoyed and angry at you, but she is also blaming herself for it. Rosalie should have known you would try to escape and she probably had a feeling on that as well, yet she still decided to trust her darling. You could say that she considered it as a test to see your loyalty to her, one in which you had failed horribly. After she has finally calmed down from her anger, which could take a few days, she will return to you with a sweet smile and continue treating you as her precious jewel like she usually does. Now, you can ignore her attempts to win you back over with her charms and even insult her for it, but do remember that Rosalie could be the sweetest person in the world towards her darling, constantly spoiling you with affection and cherishing you with her gentle words. Her actions causes you to be awfully conflicted about your want to escape because why would you want to get away from someone who loves you more than anything in the world? Your doubts could be added if you had terrible partners in the past.

JASPER HALE-CULLEN aka THE SOLDIER

Jasper will definitely be hurt. I mean, which yandere wouldn't feel hurt at some point if their darling tries to escape? But out of everyone, Jasper is the one who shows it the most. He's trying so hard to adjust for his darling on everything. He had made renovations to his home, specifically to accomodate to your taste and comfort. He had to endure more trainings to keep his blood thirst under control because he doesn't want to hurt you, and so much more. Jasper doesn't expect you to return anything, not even your affections since he understands he needs to earn it, but you attempting to escape is almost like you were dismissing all of his efforts in one go or even worse, you didn't give a shit about them in the first place and that was what probably hurted him the most. Jasper will probably get stricter with you after that. He had tried to be fair and tried to respect your space before and to be quite honest, he is the yandere who gives the most freedom to you after Carlisle. His only rule was for you to not leave him. But you had to break the rule and now, you'll pay for the consequences.

ESME CULLEN aka THE LOVER

Esme has the same reaction as Jasper. She's hurt but she is also confused as well. Esme is really patient and she understands that you needed time and space to adjust living in her house, your new and sudden home that was completely foreign to you, and she's trying hard to get you adjusted and be as comfortable as possible. Like Jasper, she's doing everything she can for your comfort but unlike Jasper, she expects your acceptance in return. It's not as if she is expecting it in a cruel type of way with the mindset that she's doing something for you, so you should do something for her. No, Esme is nothing like that. However, Esme made sure she was doing everything right and she expected for your relationship with her to go more smoothly, not for you to suddenly escape. Your failed escape made her think she did something wrong, but she's confused because she had done everything right so far. Esme never forced you to return your affections, she wanted to slowly earn it, which is why after your failed escape, she had a talk with you and asked you why you tried to leave. Esme knows that she's flawed but she wants to improve herself and do everything she can to fix the problem but in no world would she ever let you go.

EMMETT CULLEN aka THE JOKER

Emmett is silent. He was so fucking silent that it actually scared you more than if he got angry at you and he had never gotten angry at you either but it's probably much better than the silent treatment you're getting. No teasings or even some bad jokes. Heck, not even his cheesy pick up lines. Emmett still takes care of you and spend time with you during his silent treatment though. He still cooks meals for you and cuddles with you while watching a horror movie, which is actually his favourite activity to do with you, but he still didn't say a single word. And it was starting to get to you as well. You had no one else besides Emmett in the house, sometimes his "siblings" would visit, but they don't talk much with you and you were beginning to slowly grow insane from the lack of conversations. It didn't matter how long it took but after some time, you broke down and begged for Emmett to speak to you because if the silent treatment continued on, you were sure you would go completely insane. Emmett was surprised when you begged him but he was pleased as well. He was silent all this time in order to make him more tolerable to you, but Emmett also knew that he would eventually break you and hoped it would be enough to get you to want to talk to him.

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astrobiscuits · 1 year ago

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Solar Return obs 1

Before we start...

For the best results, always ALWAYS compare your Solar Return chart with your Natal chart. For pinpointing the exact timing when something will happen in your love life, look up at your upcoming Venus Return chart. When does it start? Now compare it with your next Solar Return. If you have planets in your 7th house in Solar Return, notice if they are proeminent in your current Venus Return chart. Bingo! You've just found out when these planets are going to get activated (around the date of the Venus Return chart)

Without further do, let's roll the SR observations!💗

🦩 Jupiter in 4th house indicates moving abroad that year

🦩 While Uranus in 4th house brings sudden, unexpected changes in your home life. Moving to another house? You bet. Redecorating your whole house because you just woke up with the urge to do so? Could be another possibility

🦩 Jupiter trine Venus in SR brings an easiness to manifesting everything you want that year. If Jupiter/Venus is in 2nd house trining the other planet, then you might also get lots of gifts

🦩 Venus in 2nd house also indicates spending more than usual on material possesions that year (compulsive shopping much)

🦩 Sun conjunct Saturn and Venus in 6th house = becoming "that girl". Your main focus will be on building a solid, stable routine for yourself, that also looks aesthetically pleasing

🦩 Stellium in 10th house/11th house = high chance of becoming (internet) famous. Bonus points is Jupiter is involved (i started my blog while my current SR has a 10th house stellium and i have to thank you guys for showing such big support for this blog🥹 thank you)

🦩 Jupiter in 9th house can indicate travelling abroad for the purpose of experimenting different lifestyles (For ex. you visit Guatemala because you want to experience what is like to be a Guatemalian - you want to try all their traditional dishes, learn their traditional dances and open up your mind to a different culture)

🦩 Another meaning of Jupiter in 9th house is that you might go abroad for college or if you start college in your homecountry, then you're probably going to major in foreign languages, philosophy or religion

🦩 Pluto in 4th house could mean uncovering a family secret. Don't be surprised if you find out that you're adopted or you have family members alive that you didn't know about👀

🦩 Moon in 4th house means that you'll feel much more nostalgic that year. You might spend more time with your mother than usual, reminescence on your childhood memories or look through old photos of you and your family

🦩 If you're in a relationship and you've got Neptune in 7th house in your next SR, then i'm sorry to disappoint you, but expect a year where you might question your partner's loyalty. I'm not saying your partner is going to cheat, but for some reason you might feel more suspicious of them than usual

🦩 Mars in 8th house = expect more sex than usual lol

🦩 If Pluto squares Mars and one of these planets is in the 4th house/5th house/7th house/10th house/11thouse, beware of power plays and toxic dynamics in your family/friendships/relationship (for 4th,5th,7th or 11th house) or at your workplace (for 10th house)

🦩 Moon in 12th house indicates that you're going to be more secretive with your emotions. You won't tell people how you feel and at times you might be confused about your own emotions, because you'll have the tendency to surpress them

🦩 With Jupiter conjuncting Ascendant (doesn't matter if it's in the 12th house or 1st house), expect to be constantly blessed by the Universe without doing anything. One of the most luckiest placements you could have in your SR

🦩 Neptune trine Mercury indicates a high chance of coming up with a creative masterpiece that year (it can be in any domain: arts, music, writing, acting, u name it)

🦩 Saturn in 2nd house can indicate going on a diet that year

🦩 Mars in 3rd house indicates being more argumentative that year than usual. You might speak at a faster pace or speak before thinking twice

🦩 Indicators in SR for meeting your future spouse:

SR Juno conjuncts SR Sun/Moon/Venus

SR Juno conjuncts SR Descendant

SR Juno conjuncts one of your natal, personal planets

Natal Juno conjuncts one of your SR planets

If the 5th house/7th house is involved, then you'll also start dating them/be in a relationship with them that year!!

🦩 If you've been struggling with fear of dying, Sun in 12th house indicates a year when you'll probably overcome this fear. During this year, you're more prone to dive deeper into what happens after death, which will naturally ease your anxiety

🦩 I had Capricorn rising with Pluto and Saturn in 1st house this year and it was ROUGH. Capricorn risings sets the theme for the year as a year with hardships, obstacles and difficulties in achieving happiness. Saturn in 1st house brings a lower than usual sense of self-esteem, while Pluto in 1st house tells us about a major change when it comes to how others perceive us. This change isn't as sudden as the changes Uranus brings, more like something that has been boiling for a while in the dark and now it finally comes up to the surface. This year i decided to pursue astrology as my (future) career and i've also told people in my life about it. I felt like i was truly reborn compared to where i was last year

#regarding venus return #i had uranus in my 7th house in my 2022 SR and it was proeminent in my venus return for 2022 too #i was in a situationship around my birthday and it ended out of nowhere #AROUND MY VENUS RETURN CHART'S DAY (cuz i don't remember the exact date)#if astrology isn't real #then idk what is #astrology #astro #astro community #astro observations #astro placements #astro notes #astrology notes #solar return #astroblr #astrology observations #astrology community #astrologyblr #astrology blog

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telleroftime · 5 months ago

Text

"Vessel" doesn't seem like a word to me anymore... anyways Sukuna is very OOC me thinks, but happy comfort means everything to me ,,,

Warnings: Mentions of the general effects of depression; implied eating disorder, insomnia, self deprecating thoughts, self sabotage. (Nothing caused by Sukuna)

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where, for one reason or another, you are forced to consume some of his fingers. Maybe it was a dare your friends threw at you or maybe it was an order from the the Jujutsu higher ups. Either way, you consume them. Of course, Sukuna thinks you're going to be an easy person to take over and control. A measly human? You're not that strong and yet your soul is just a little too hard to overpower.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he tries to sabotage you. One way or another, he wishes to weaken you. He will take over your body... or so he thinks. He tries to mess with your sleep but you already had it pretty bad. He tries to mess with your eating but you already weren't doing too great. Nothing works because you were already sabotaging yourself before Sukuna came into the picture.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where your soul still isn't giving in and he cannot afford to switch vessels. No one had caught his eye as worthy enough and with the fact that he can't even force control onto you, he has no way of switching anyway. So now he has to desperately try and keep you functioning. At least long enough for a solid plan to form.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he forces you to eat and drink and sleep because he'd be damned if your body gives out on him. He'll try and tease you into it, but when he notices that doesn't work he'd come up with some sort of excuse. He's not a liar, he's never been a liar, and yet he's barking out a "I need to eat too" like he's a desperately starved dog. "Let me have a taste," "cook me something," "there's two of us so eat it." It's so demeaning for him to have to say that, but you will live for his sake.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he originally made your dreams a living hell, suffering is his forte after all, but now he feels your body weaken. He can feel your hazy mind, your sluggish movement, your tired eyes. He doesn't like it. He'll stop the nightmares if it means you won't break.

"Oi, wretch, sleep if you're so tired. I ain't dragging this body to bed for you." // "You'll just torment me so what's the point?" // "Would you rather I tuck you in? Sleep."

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he's been watching you long enough he ends up picking up when your thoughts end up bothering you. He hates it. The way you just stop and freeze? He finds it such a troublesome 'weakness' and so incredibly dull. Your misery isn't caused by him and he has to watch it regardless? He nags you so much that you have no time to think of anything negative.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he keeps on using the excuse of needing an adequate host. "I have no use for someone so weak, so eat/drink/breathe to not disappoint me". In reality, he has started to fret over you. He's worried, especially as the only place he can truly look you eye to eyes is when he personally drags you into his soul. Where you see him through a reflection of yourself.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he finally finds a different body. Someone far more befitting his needs. Someone far more adequate to house his soul. Not you. It happens right at the moment that you let him in too. Where the eventual banter you two share is far better than the memory of his terror. You know you shouldn't, but have grown to like his company. Which is what allows him to finally take over your body and switch.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where your head feels suddenly so... empty. He's gone and you know it and everything is just so quiet. Unbearably so. You probably would have gone back on your bad habits too if it weren't for him. Your soul was alone, yes, but he didn't leave. He came back, like a dog to its owner.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he's so much firmer now. It was one thing having his voice in your head but now you see him in front of you, a body other than yours. His gaze is firm and intense as if even beyond your mind he can still hear your thoughts. Bringing you food, tossing you things. Indifferent in everything but his actions.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where the King of Curses has taken a liking to you and comes back to stay, at least for a little while.

#sukuna x reader #ryomen sukuna #sukuna #jujutsu kaisen #toonce writes #he got really OOC at the end there whoooppppssss #i know this fandom eats angst like it's a vitamin #these are actually fun to write #I'm projecting my bad sleeping habits here #because it was 3am when I first drafted it #anyways #this counts for forced proximity #i think so at least #Sukuna experienced the stockholm syndrome #also yeah kinda a sudden ending but like I said I drafted this at 3am i don't actually remember where I was going with it

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thelovinghost · 1 year ago

Note

It is sad that I found this account before your main. ANYWAY!

I don't know your rules so funny little thing.

The yandere host club finding out that Y/N wants kids (gn Y/N) like adopting them or having them

Only if you want.

(Yandere if you can but if you don't want to that's fine to!)

Honestly, quite a few of my secondary blogs have more followers and interactions than my main :( I don't know if people know it's me, but I also have like 50+ different blogs Yet again I didn't include Mori, because I don't like him

Reader Gn, but briefly implied FAB

!!CHARACTERS AGED UP!!

Tamaki Suoh

He has so much love to give

He's wanted a kid the whole time, so he just needed you to come around

He's ecstatic! Practically jumping off the walls

If you have a child together, it would make it harder for you to leave

Even if you were once unhappy with your relationship, you'll fall for him eventually and this just hits the nail

If you're looking into Adoption, he probably already has all the paperwork and the agency

Though, if you want to conceive a child, he's trying any chance he can get [Sex drive goes up 500% Trying to get his dog wet 24/7]

He has a fear that you might end up like his mother, but luckily there's medicine for it now, thanks to his and Kyoya's dad

He's the best dad 100/10. He wants to be there for every moment of his child's life

He'll lose his mind if he misses something

Say he misses his child walking, he'll cry for like a week straight. You better have gotten it on video

Speaking of video, he records everything they do. He wants to save every moment

He gets more emotional when his child goes to school

He wants to hold onto them forever

He wants so many kids

You have to be a voice of reason

If you happened to have another child, he's not going to be mad

Your child can always look at Tamaki for Emotional comfort. If they have a crush though, they'll come to you.

Before you have the child, he imagines what they'll be like

Man has so many daydreams about your happy, average, family life :)

Kyoya Ootori

Genuinely could give or take a child

He's not the biggest fan of kids, but it'll be a mini version of you both. Or a mini version of just you

He doesn't want to be like his father, so of course he'll be more present in his child's life

He gets a better control of his emotions

Has their whole life planned out

He even has different plans if something goes wrong. Has every possible situation possible and has connected it all together

Kind of obsessed

Tamaki visits a lot just to see their kid

It annoys Kyoya to no end

Honestly, your child is probably just like Kyoya, much to your annoyance

That's all you need is another Kyoya

Kaoru Hitachiin

Okay... You want a kid?

He's never really thought about it

But, he's open to it... I mean you used to hate him

He'll spend time with you looking into your options

He's the second best dad, only beat by Tamaki

Your child will probably get Kaoru and Hikaru mixed up, much to Kaoru's disappointment

Called Hikaru dad once and Kaoru was mad at about it all day, while Hikaru teased him about it

Speaking of Hikaru, you're kid loves to annoy and bother his uncle. They'll ask Hikaru a million questions and Hikaru tells you to get your kid

^Kaoru is kind of proud

He'll love his child no matter what happens

He loves taking care of his kid. He has a more 'feminine' roll in the relationship, even if you're a stay at home mom

Hikaru Hitachiin

As he grows up, he gets more mature, though he has his moments

He doesn't know how to be a parent [But who does]

He's the most stressed about it, because he doesn't know what to do

You'll have to calm him down

Maybe this is a good thing?

He'll make sure his kid doesn't mix him up with his brother

But, you might have twins if you can give birth

^ If so, he'll have a deeper connection with them, because he's a twin

Your kid pranks you both a lot

Smashes food in your face, trip you, switch your bodywashes, tricking you

You're the main target for the pranks, because Hikaru is less likely to fall for it. Man invented twin pranks

There's nothing they can do that he hasn't done

He hadn't wanted a child, but he's so glad you both did

He might even want more kids

Mitsukuni 'Honey' Haninozuka

Having a kid with him would probably be an accident

Was NOT planned

Kinda funny if your kid is taller than Honey

I... Uh... Don't know what else to write... I'm sorry

Haruhi Fujioka

If you do have a child together, she'll probably carry the child

Though, she is the most open to adoption

She would love to give a child a home

Either way, she'd love being a mom

Granted, she never really thought about children. It was kind of at the back of her mind

She's more mature than you and takes on most of the responsibility

She doesn't mind, she enjoys it and she wants you to be happy

You're more emotionally connected than her. You sympathize with your kid[s] more

If the kid wants something, they'll ask you, because Haruhi will say no

#ohshc #ohshc x reader #tamaki x reader #tamaki suoh #kaoru hitachiin x reader #kaoru x reader #hikaru hitachiin x reader #hikaru x reader #kyoya ootori x reader #kyoya x reader #haruhi fujioka #haruhi fujioka x reader #honey x reader #ohshc honey x reader #mitsukuni haninozuka x reader #mitsukuni x reader #tamaki suoh x reader #kaoru hitachiin #yandere ohshc

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nogenderbee · 9 months ago

Text

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ 𝕋𝕖𝕒 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 ₊˚ˑ༄

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ anon request: hihi! platonic blade, welt, jing yuan and dan heng with a lynette (genshin) teen!reader?

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Hii!! Sure, here it is! I don't think I know Lynette the best but I tried my best so hopefully it's kinda alright!

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ platonic

✧ Dan Heng is most than happy to have someone calm around, he already has to deal with 2 energetic kids so having 1 calm is a nice change

✧ he definitely took notice if how sly you can be, with sneaking sweets here and there for example

"You're observant... alright, run away and hide as soon as you can as well. We're being chased, so if they see you, they'll chase you too."

✧ but when he sees it in much more impressive action, he's happy to see you know how to get out of sticky situation and won't say no to you helping him if he happens to be in one himself

✧ he doesn't mind tea so of course he doesn't mind little tea parties with you either!

✧ but he'll act like a parent when he sees you getting your 5th sweet

✧ he for one cares about your health but if you tell him simple "later", he'll just sigh and leave it to someone else to get sweets away from you today

✧ and even when your cat features come in, he doesn't really mind! If anything, he thinks it's useful that you can most likely hear better

✧ he'll make it clear for others to not treat you like an animal but a living being if anything like that will take place

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

@miya-akane @toyaswif3y - come get your quiet but scary trabilazer!

✧ Welt is honestly glad to see you're so calm, because that only means less problematic kids for him, or so he thought...

✧ you are indeed calm and quite smart, but apparently very sly too... March spilled out one time that you were distracting Welt just so she could spend more time on a planet and... he couldn't even be mad, he was just impressed how he didn't realized that

✧ he now definitely is more caucious around you and keeps the thing that needs to be done this day in mind, to not accidentally forget it

✧ but as if it wasn't enough... he also needs to watch over sweets with you...

✧ don't get him wrong, he doesn't mind if you resch for little treat from time to time but 5 A DAY?! Even if you brush your teeth and exercise often enough to catch up for it, he's still worried about your health...

"Which chocolate bar is it for you today? That's it then. You can eat more tomorrow, for now let's put it away and maybe go on a walk?"

✧ but something he doesn't mind is your love for tea! Himeko often makes coffee so water stays for you to make tea instead~ and he finds it better than if you were to drink energy drinks or so...

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

@vodka-glrl - come get your father of the express!

✧ Jing Yuan definitely took a like of you rather quickly

✧ you were certainly a nice teenager to had around and who knows? Maybe even Yanqing could use some company of someone younger but wise?

✧ tea parties are a MUST with you, he's definitely tea enjoyer as well!!

✧ during these he usually catches up with any rumors going around that he failed to hear and you in exchange get a little sneak peaks on his side~

✧ he thinks you're wise so he won't mind telling you about a bit more serious stuff as long as you won't spread it around, but there are still some stuff he doesn't tell you obvs

✧ he finds your ability to always get our of sticky situation and know what's going on despite just arriving impressive and sometimes also amusing

"Oh? Exit? How nice... I was just thinking of looking for one. Thank you, young one."

✧ and if you happen to have any sticky connections smth aka Fatui he'll most likely know even before you met but chose to give you a chance and he wasn't disappointed so he now had more trust, but still hides some stuff in case you'll be forced to say everything you know

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

@miya-akane - come get your soft general~

✧ Blade is happy from someone calm and wise finally but your slyness is sometimes still a bit unbearable for him

✧ don't get him wrong, if you want to flee, feel free, he's never gonna take your advice buuut at least you're not persistive with it!

✧ he's quite observant so if you all of the sudden start showing around you because of a mission for someone (Fatui alike) he'll notice, even if you're being stealthy as much as you can

✧ but if that doesn't happen and you stay on neutral ground, which believe is a lot for someone like him, you should be able to avoid his death stares

✧ he doesn't really like tea as much as you but he did tried it once and now he'll SOMETIMES agree to have a cup with you

✧ and cat features? He couldn care less. It's just part of you... he has ears on sides of his head, you have on top, if anything he thinks you should be proud from having better senses

✧ despite him so "not liking you", if someone gives you a hard time, he won't mind giving them a quick glance to shut them up and never approach you again

"Who said that? .... Go get ice cream with Kafka, I'll go clear the area."

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

@vodka-glrl - come get your cold man!

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babyleostuff · 1 year ago

Note

If you asks are still open can I please request a reaction to something big breaking around the house and you fix it like it's nothing?

i think i kind of changed your request a bit, sorry about that

seventeen when you fix stuff around your house | ot13

CHOI SEUNGCHEOL

𓆩♡𓆪 Will get sulky and pouty if you don't ask for his help. It's not that he doesn't want you to be independent or anything, but he loves doing stuff for you *heart eyes*. But if it's remotely dangerous or includes any sharper objects, you're out of the room in a second. He knows you could have probably fixed that, he's just scared you'll get hurt.

YOON JEONGHAN

𓆩♡𓆪 Oh my god, did my baby just fix that??? They're amazing, now I have to shower them in kisses and affection. Is so proud of you. Even if you just fix the smallest thing, he doesn't care. In his eyes everything you do is praiseworthy and he has to let you know.

HONG JOSHUA

𓆩♡𓆪 He doesn't stop you from fixing stuff, but always asks whether you need his help. Always hangs around you if it includes any heights, in case you trip or fall. He has one hand on the chair and the other on your back. Afterwards tells you how good of a job you do and that neither he or the house would survive without you.

WEN JUNHUI

𓆩♡𓆪 Looks at you with the most awestruck expression. What do you mean you did it all by yourself and didn't need his help??? Always scolds you that you should have waited for him to do it, but it's only because he doesn't want you to hurt yourself.

KWON SOONYOUNG

𓆩♡𓆪 Will tell everyone around that yes, my partner just fixed that and that they're perfect and beautiful and the smartest and everyone are like OKAY WE GET IT!!! As much as he wants to help, he is just so amazed with what you can do and the fact that you do it all by yourself *chefs kiss*.

JEON WONWOO

𓆩♡𓆪 Because you usually fix stuff by yourself, it's not often that you ask for his help, which makes him (would never admit it) a little bit sad. He always gets this warm and fuzzy feeling whenever you ask for his help :(((( He'll try to help you anyways, even if you push him away. He mutters something about it being too dangerous (even if it's just a photo that needs to be hung).

LEE JIHOON

𓆩♡𓆪 "That's my girl", he thinks every time he sees anything that you had fixed. As much as he doesn't mind changing light bulbs or putting together the furniture, every time he sees you doing it all by yourself makes him so so proud and happy that you can take good care of yourself.

XU MINGHAO

𓆩♡𓆪 Could not be prouder of you. Buys you your favourite snacks and tells you how amazing you are. It's basically an excuse for him to gush about how incredible you are. But he also reminds you that you can always ask for his help, because there is nothing wrong with that and it doesn't make you any weaker.

KIM MINGYU

𓆩♡𓆪 Sad, sulky, angry (not really), disappointed (just because he really wanted to fix that for you). Just let him fix stuff for you or at least ask for his help. No matter how good you are at fixing stuff at your apartment, just please, let Mingyu do it. He gives you lectures about what could happen if you are not careful enough. Every. single. time. So please, for Mingyu's peace of mind, ask for his help next time.

LEE SEOKMIN

𓆩♡𓆪 Could go two ways: "oh my god, you're the best, amazing, I love you, what would I do without you honey" or "no no no, are you hurt? you should have waited for me, I told you to wait for me." No matter how proud he is of you and how much he trusts you with fixing dangerous stuff, there is always this thought at the back of his head that you could possibly get hurt.

BOO SEUNGKWAN

𓆩♡𓆪 Heart attack. "Why did you do it by yourself?" Side eye. "You could have gotten hurt." Sad puppy eyes. "Ask me for help next time." An angry stare. He goes through at least ten different emotions in a span of twenty seconds. He just doesn't know whether he's supposed to be proud, worried because you could have gotten hurt or angry that you didn't ask for his help.

CHWE VERNON

𓆩♡𓆪 So cool. He thinks you're so cool. You're absolutely the best, because like come on??? You just did that. All by yourself. He's not even sure what goes with what and you fix such complicated stuff like it's nothing. He swears the house would be all in despair if it wasn't for you.

LEE CHAN

𓆩♡𓆪 No no no. Please let him fix things. He has been treated like a baby his whole life and now he wants to do something for you. No matter how much you try explaining that he doesn't need to prove that he is strong and capable of fixing stuff (because you know that he is more that capable), he just wants you to be proud of him and find a source of safety and comfort in him :(((

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galaxiasgreen · 2 months ago

Text

🍺🖤This Hell We Create

Sebastian x F!Muggle!Reader with eventual smut, minor Garrinis [E-Rated, 6.2k words]

"Yes, well, where's this Imelda now?" "Playing professionally, that witch." He laughs to himself. "It's all right, bar girl. Kath, Imelda... they don't matter. I've only got eyes for you." You roll your eyes, sweeping all the crumbs onto your hand. "You're a right flirt, Sallow." "I mean it," he murmurs. "You're beautiful."

You do a favour for Sebastian... and meet an unfriendly figure from his past.

[MASTERLIST][FIRST][PREV][NEXT] [read on AO3, read on Wattpad]

TW: alcoholism, coarse language, gendered language, blood/ injury, violence.

4. terms of endearment

One mild October morning, the delivery gets dropped off before scheduled time, and the carriage driver doesn't bother to knock.

You stand at the threshold of the pub's entrance, clutching the note of paper with a scrunched fist. Five barrels of beer left outside at nine o'clock in the morning. How the hell are you meant to carry them inside? Lazy gits. Without Cook you'll have to roll them in yourself, and that'll take some muscle strength, let alone time.

You tip the first barrel over gently, grumbling to yourself.

"Struggling, bar girl?"

Your least-turned-most favourite customer strolls over from across the street, hands stuffed in pockets. You don't spare him a second glance – this time of year you're wrapped up in a coat and liveries, but he's only wearing a pair of leather bracers over a linen shirt, the sleeves rolled up. God, he looks good. There's only so much of the sight you can handle without getting flustered.

The barrel wobbles to a stop. "I'm fine. Don't want to accept a customer's help."

He rests his hand on the barrel's rim.

"How about a friend's?"

When you stand to give him space, you catch a hint of his scent, for once a change from stale beer, an enticing concoction of dusting powder and musk. You take him in proper, his handsome face, gorgeous freckles and that half-smile, pretty enough to run your tongue over. Friend. Lately he's started to feel less like an innocent companion and more like someone you want to spend a long night with, every night. Why's he here? To see me? Your heart beats wildly, but you feign annoyance.

"Fine, but you better not drop it."

In one smooth motion, Sebastian sweeps the barrel onto his shoulder. His head tilts to adjust to the girth, and you notice his arm, strained and bulging – the snake tattoo has nothing on the wide rivulet of a vein that contours the muscle.

"My eyes are over here, bar girl."

You snap to his face. That grinning, obnoxious bastard—

"Just can't quit it with my arms, huh?"

"Get the barrel inside, Sallow."

You stomp into the back room, trying to excavate the blush on your cheeks. Just fantastic. As if this ridiculous school girl's fancy can't get any worse. Sebastian saunters behind like the barrel weighs no more than a handful of pennies and sets it by the cellar door.

"I was hoping to catch you, actually. I was wondering if you'd do me a favour."

The disappointment makes your heart shrivel.

"What sort?"

"I'm seeing a... friend." He says it delicately, like he's handling the thinnest sheet of glass. "Haven't spoken to her in a long time."

Her. "Okay..."

"Asked to meet her tonight."

"Right..."

"Was wondering if we could do it here."

"Don't need my permission to meet someone, Sallow."

"I want you to keep an eye. We didn't exactly part on good terms."

"Why?" Once you never would've pried, but you feel compelled to ask now because you're comfortable – and perhaps something else. "The bad terms, I mean."

"We went to school together. Something happened during my fifth year. Something," his wince is slightly bashful, "I can't tell you."

"Because you'll have to kill me?"

For once he doesn't rise to the joke. "It's a story for another day."

You acquiesce, because you don't think he'll tell no matter how many times you bat your eyelashes. "Bring 'er 'ere, then. Want me to get her drunk?"

"I want you to make sure I don't get drunk," he says instead. "Last thing I need is to make an arse of myself. A few drinks to be social, but no more."

"All right, can do."

He brushes his hand with yours. "Thank you."

You have to pull away before you let the touch linger. "You can thank me by bringing the rest of the stock in."

"Fair payment, is it? You watch over me while I meet my friend, and I let you ogle my arms?"

He winks. You decide not to dignify that with an answer.

Sebastian's friend is certainly – grudgingly – pretty. Draped in satin that skims her hips and cinches to her figure, her bronze complexion is richly painted, smoothing all blemishes and spots, and her hair bun, a deep, ash black, is laced with a string of dewdrop pearls. It makes you think she comes from money, but when she greets you at the bar, her accent strafes with northern twang, and her grin is too boisterous to be moulded from upper-class rearing.

"A scotch, please?"

You wonder if Sebastian ever liked her how you wish he liked you.

"Two pence."

She hesitates, staring at the coinage in her hand, before sliding the right ones over.

"You're here for Sebastian?"

Her brow tightens. That bodes well.

"You know him?"

"Not much. He's a bit of a puzzle to me."

"Really?" she snorts. "I haven't seen him in years. Can't imagine he's been up to any good."

Your temper hatches into being. How can she say that? He's shrouded in more mysteries than a penny dreadful, yeah, but after everything you've been through together, Bonny, your parents... you trust his process. You trust that though he struggles, pushed and pulled by the tide of his inner demons, he'll do the right thing in the end.

"Save some of your charm for me, Kath?"

You didn't notice Sebastian come in – neither does the girl, Kath. She flinches backwards.

"Merlin, Sallow—" He clears his throat, gaze flickering briefly to you. She fixes you a quick glance as well, clearly embarrassed. "That's really the first thing you say after all these years?"

"Considering the last things we said, I think this is a vast improvement."

You nod once to Sebastian and pour drinks as the pair get settled on a reserved table, high on the balcony overlooking the hall. The table seats ten, but it's the most private one in the pub. Something feels off about it all, you think, when you sort a tray of nibbles. He seems blasé, flippant, his usual vain self – but the way her face darkened, thick with some unresolved tension... she doesn't know him anymore. Doesn't want to be there. Whether they were close before, now they're so different the space between them might as well be a chasm. You'd think he committed murder for how high her walls appear to be.

They're exchanging small talk when you walk up with a plate of warm bread, goat's butter and complimentary nuts. Sebastian looks grateful when you put the food down – he's already finished half his stout. They mumble their thanks and wait for you to go before their conversation resumes, and you linger by the stairs.

"— and here, of all the places. I know you picked it for a reason."

"I like the drinks here."

"You like the anonymity," Kath retorts. "Or I suppose you did before you decided to come crawling back—"

"I haven't crawled, Kath. I asked for your help because you, most of all, know what they're capable of."

"So I'm only here when I'm useful to you?"

"Please stop twisting my words." You've never heard him so injured. "You know why I haven't been in contact."

"Anne was eight months ago."

"And I'm still recovering."

"And that's exactly the problem. What happened to her was tragic, I cried over her too, but look at yourself. You're a bloody mess."

"I... I'm getting better."

You back down the stairs, stiff with mortification and shame. You have a job to do, tables to clean, customers to serve... but that was so unnecessarily cruel. Isn't it good enough that he's trying? You wish you could sit with him, hold his hand, show that someone cares. Your shoulder is there for him to lean on; Kath's shoulder is cold.

You serve a few more drinks before Bonny tugs your sleeve.

"What you doin', Miss? Go keep watch!"

"I can't," you say, flushing. "It's real private, their talk."

"How'd you know that fancy lady won't make a move on your man?"

"He's not my man," you grouse. "And I really don't think we have anything to worry about—"

"Tosh and balderdash." She flutters a hand. "If she gets all in a tizzy, you have to swoop in there and remind him who's the lady of the house. Off you pop. Go on!"

She practically shoves you towards the stairs – she can be quite pushy when she wants. There's some truth to it. You're not worried Kath will make a move, but you are worried they'll go to a place from which they can never return. Sebastian doesn't seem to have more friends beyond Ominis and the Garreth fellow, and you don't want him to lose out because he couldn't control his tongue.

Curiosity winning out, you take a cloth and sneak up the next few steps, pinching your skirt so the fabric doesn't rustle. Their voices are sharper now, harsher but quieter. You poke your head up to see Sebastian on his feet. His drink is drained, hers is untouched.

"It must be doable," Sebastian's voice is as resolute as his clenched fists. "It must."

"Think how this looks for me. I go after a man without due reason, I look like I'm acting rogue. Then what happens to me?"

"It's not without due reason, though." The first shade of annoyance – of distress. "A fucking psychopath is coming after not just me, but my other friends too. Your other friends. Ominis. Garreth. He might even get the Muggle bar girl involved."

"Which is your fault! If you hadn't goaded him—"

"Goaded, she says, after what happened to Anne! How many people do I have to beg for someone to pull a finger out their arse? Listen to me, Kath. People like him don't miraculously change. He's going to strike again, and if he lays a finger on any of our friends, or my bar girl—"

"His record is clean," Kath cuts across swiftly. "I looked into it before I came."

Sebastian hesitates. "All right, but—"

"I need an official warrant or my job is at risk. There's nothing I can do." The chair scrapes back. "Take some time off. Go to the countryside, get a hobby, wet your wick if you need a real distraction. But you won't drag me back to whatever hell you've created for yourself, no matter how hard you try."

The floorboards creak. You scramble back downstairs and slap the cloth to a table before Kath lands primly on the last step. She passes you a wordless, narrowed look, suspicion mixed with unease, before she leaves without another word.

You give Sebastian five minutes, but when he doesn't come down, you go up. Both drinks are drained, and he's moved the chair to the window, staring listlessly outside where he no doubt watched Kath disappear out of sight.

"She sounded like a bag of kittens."

He grunts, not bothering to look up. "Figured she wouldn't help much, just didn't think it would be nothing. I know I fucked up during school, but I really hoped..." A hysterical laugh bubbles out of him. "Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck."

"Wanna' talk about it?"

"Can't. Personal business I'm handling, don't worry."

You might, when your name is being thrown around.

He fishes into his pocket, taking out two pence and wordlessly flicking them to you.

"Can you get me a stout, please?"

You frown. "Sebastian..."

"Bad day," he chokes out, turning back to the window. "I just... I can't today."

There's nothing you can do. When all is said and done, he's a customer and you're a barmaid, helpless to watch him overindulge until he's collapsed on the table giggling to himself. You bring him more bread with the drinks, hoping it will soak up the alcohol and keep him sober for longer, but eventually he stops eating it.

The conversation replays in your head. A psychopath? During the brief pauses in service you scour the latest issues of The Daily Mail for clues, a newly-released convict, or someone on bail, but no one fits the bill. Local gossip turns nothing up either, when you ask the regulars Squiffy Joe and Beer-Belly Boris if they've heard anything.

You don't want to give Kath any credence, but it's like Sebastian invented a man out of thin air. How can there be such a dangerous fugitive without anyone's knowledge? Wouldn't Kath care if it was true? Would Sebastian care if it wasn't?

My bar girl. You didn't miss that either. From anyone else the possessiveness would unsettle you, but from him it drives up your blood pressure, sending it pulsing in places it shouldn't.

"Can you stay?" he asks on the fourth beer, fifth drink. The table is littered with used glasses, and he flops forwards, head turned to face you. "Please."

His smile is so soft for someone hurt so deeply.

"I'm working, Sebastian," you say gently.

He takes your hand anyway. The way he holds a beer glass and the way he holds you are oceans apart.

"Five minutes? Just so... I'm not alone with my thoughts."

You haven't felt pity for him in so long, yet it rears up like it never left. Cautiously you sit, scrubbing and tidying the table as you do, and he watches, tracing every movement with almost beguiling interest. Leant down on the table, the muscles in his neck are pronounced, thick and strong.

"Kath gave you a nickname," you say, hoping to distract him. "Wanna' explain that to me?"

"A nickname?"

"She called you Merlin."

He scrubs a hand through his hair. "Hah, well... it's just an old joke."

"And you called me muggle."

He goes rigid. "You heard that?"

"You asked me to keep an eye, can hardly do that without keeping an ear. What's muggle? Some sort of insult?"

The rigidness melts, and he traces you fondly.

"It's not an insult, bar girl."

"Then what is it?"

"Call it... a term of endearment."

"Oh please, term of endearment..." When he smiles, you bite out, "You're muggle," which only makes Sebastian smile wider.

On his sixth drink, he's still lying half on the table, only this time he faces the ceiling, and his speech is slurred.

"I should start guessing your name. So many to try, you know. Have to get on top of it."

"Eat some bread, Sebastian."

"Is it Jessica? Evie? Stephanie? Or something unique and exotic? Graven? Venus? Aura?" Each name he pays individual attention to, a unique jewel his to cherish alone. "I'd like you no matter what you were called."

It flutters down your spine, and you have to fight the shiver. "We're closing soon."

"When I used to play Qui— sports, I was real popular with the ladies."

I bet. "Rugby?"

"More like... rounders."

"You do not look like a rounders type."

"I swing a bat good. So good sometimes I knocked out the opposing players... used to be Imelda's favourite."

Imelda. Another woman in his life. "Mmhmm."

"You should be thankful. Without it I wouldn't have such nice arms for you to stare at."

Just to prove his point, he flexes, showing off the muscle. Good God. You flush deeply and spin away.

"Yes, well, where's this Imelda now?"

"Playing professionally, that witch." He laughs to himself. "It's all right, bar girl. Kath, Imelda... they don't matter. I've only got eyes for you."

You roll your eyes, sweeping all the crumbs onto your hand. "You're a right flirt, Sallow."

"I mean it," he murmurs. "You're beautiful."

The air parches. You try to look for some hint of a lie – a wink, crossed fingers, or a tongue eking out from his lips, but not even the alcohol seems to work against him, making his pupils in those coffee eyes round and engulfing. You could topple in and never regret a thing.

Is that true that he thinks you're beautiful?

Or is it simply the stout talking?

"Don't drink anymore, Sebastian," you say gently. "Try to sober up."

Those eyes never leave you when you head back downstairs.

Two hours later, Sebastian breaks his record for most drinks consumed.

He's lying across three chairs, belting shanties so off-tune you don't recognise them when you reach the top step. "Pub's closing, Sebastian!" you yell over him. "Time to pack up!"

"My favourite Muggle!" he cheers instead, sitting up and sloshing his seventh beer over himself. "Sit and sing with me!"

Definitely an insult. "You have to go home."

"Only if I get to take you with me."

He starts to sing again. Cook and Helene have sometimes thrown out a few of the rowdier sorts, but you don't want to manhandle Sebastian, not when his heart is so fragile.

Then you remember a little scrap of parchment in your apron.

"I'm going to call Ominis if you don't move it!"

"Tell him to bring Garreth!" Sebastian hiccoughs. "We can start a band!"

That's as good as permission as you'll get, so you send the rest of the staff home and lock the doors, then head to the telephone installed in the stockroom. Sebastian's ear-splitting shrieks still drum against the door as you dial the number and press the receiver to your ear.

It rings once, twice—

A loud thump on the line make you flinch back, followed by a shrill, "Shit, fuck, balls!"

You tentatively put the phone back to your ear. "Er, hello?"

"HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

"God above—" You yank the phone away. "Yes, I can hear you!"

"GREAT! HELLO! WOW. I LOVE THIS TECHNOLOGY."

"Why are you yelling?"

"WHY— oh. Sorry. Can you still hear me?"

"Yes."

"I've never used one of these before, you see. New device. DARLING!" he bellows again and you wince. "IT WAS THE PHELETONE RINGING! I GOT IT TO WORK!"

If you went through this entire ordeal for it to be the wrong number, heads will roll. "Sorry about the late hour, but I was told to ring by Mr Gaunt...?"

"Yes! Yes. That's right. Wait. Oh." The speaker makes a sad noise. "Then this is about Seb, isn't it?"

"Yes. Is Mr Gaunt present? Can I speak to him?"

"'Course!" You manage to pull the phone away in time before he yells, "IT'S THE LADY FROM THE TAVERN! ABOUT SEB! Say, I really should pay a visit, he says you've got the best stout this side of the—"

The phone fumbles again, accompanied with an "Oi!" before someone, Ominis, clears his throat down the line.

"My deepest apologies, madam. You rang about Sebastian?"

"Yeah." You take a deep breath. "Got drunk, refuses to leave."

"For the love of—" He lets out an aggravated sigh. "I apologise. We will come pick him up immediately."

Ominis doesn't kid about immediate. Ten minutes later there's a knock at the door. He's about as impeccably dressed as last time, full suit, waistcoat and breeches, tidy to the nth degree – and just as irritated.

His companion, however, slouches with hands tucked in pockets, stands shorter but stouter, and wears a ragged linen shirt and typical work trousers, both singed with scorch marks. Ginger hair tickles his shoulders, left bedraggled and uncombed. His only mark of opulence is a gold band on his ring finger. Even his expression is distractingly boyish – it's like he's never seen a pub before, the way he looks around, oohing and aahing.

"Pardon the late intrusion." Ominis steps inside. "Where—?"

"HOGWARTS, HOGWARTS, HOGGY WARTY HOGWARTS, TEACH US SOMETHING PLEEEEEASE!"

"Never mind." Ominis sighs and taps his companion with his walking stick. "Mr Weasley, if you could lead the rescue."

"Nice to meet you properly!" Instead, Mr Weasley clasps your hand and shakes enthusiastically. "Ominis told me all about you. Name's Garreth. I'm his partner."

"Business partner," Ominis says quickly, with that practiced smile. "At work."

"Oh, er, yes, right. Business partner."

You extract your grip. Jesus, he could take your arm off. "Nice to meet you as well. Sorry to interrupt your police duties so late."

Garreth turns to Ominis; his smile looks rather crooked. "Yes, we were so busy with our police work, weren't we, colleague?"

"Forgive my work partner," Ominis says smoothly. "He despises his role as my assistant."

"Your—!"

"You'd better fetch him, Weasley. As I am blind, I cannot help you."

There's an insufferable quality to Ominis' expression. Garreth sticks out his tongue as you head upstairs, where Sebastian is now rolling on the floor yelling the unfamiliar shanty at unbearable levels.

"JUST DO YOUR BEST, WE'LL DO THE REST, AND LEARN UNTIL OUR BRAINS ALL— Garreth!"

"Galloping gargoyles, Seb." Garreth pads forwards like his friend is an easily-spooked mouse. "Look at the state of you!"

"You know this one! Sing with me! HOGWARTS, HOGWARTS—"

"Okay, that's not winning any awards." He gracelessly hooks Sebastian's arm over his shoulder, hauling him upright. "You're so heavy."

"And you're so... ginger."

When Garreth eventually manages to drag Sebastian to the front door, you tidy him up until he's somewhat presentable. "Will you be all right?" you address Ominis. "You don't have a carriage. Did you walk?"

Ominis seems momentarily put-out. "I— yes. We... do like a walk."

At two in the morning? They've hardly dressed for outdoor weather. This time of year the nights are less forgiving. "You're going to struggle carrying him between you."

"It's a short walk to our— my office."

"There might be a train running? Or a bus?"

"Let's take a bus, Ominis!" Garreth bounces so excitedly Sebastian's head bobs. "I've always wanted—"

"That won't be necessary," Ominis says. "We'll be fine."

Sebastian and Garreth get a head start into the street, though not before Sebastian blows you a terribly sloppy air kiss. He might find that embarrassing once he sobers up.

"Mr Gaunt."

Ominis pauses at the door – just as Garreth lists precariously to his left, treading on Sebastian's foot. Sebastian yelps, "Ow, you great troll!" as Garreth laughs.

"Did he forget to settle the bill? I apologise—"

"No, no, I wanted to ask about... something Sebastian said earlier. Someone's coming after him?"

His jaw clenches. He knows too. "How much did he tell you?"

"What's going on?" you pointedly ignore the question. "Is it a fugitive?"

"Of a sort," he hedges. "I wouldn't fret. You aren't the target."

Target. Like a fox shirking the hunt.

"Your friend Kath turned him away," you say, haunches rising. "Said there was nothing you could do. Sebastian was really worried about me, and you and Garreth."

This must be news to Ominis; he scowls. "Katherine is part of a... unique division of our department. She would certainly help if she were amenable, which I knew she wouldn't be. Sebastian is on leave. It's not his job to meddle." He lifts his chin, putting it all behind him. "I can assure you, the situation is under control, madam. There's nothing to worry about."

The market streets are busy so late in the afternoon. You despise it – normally, if you have to make a trip, you pay Ada to watch your parents early and go at the crack of dawn. Most of the good stock will be gone before midday, and now, by the riverside and crammed with paupers and beggars, the place reeks of body odour, brine and fetid meat.

Inventory was off this morning, whole crates of vegetables missing. There was no sign of break-in, the back door intact and locked, and Cook reassured he'd received and secured the stock in the iceboxes yesterday. It's a very strange situation, but without the veg, he can't make stew for the evening rush, so you put it aside for now and brave the crowd, clutching your purse close and blotting out the vendors hawking their wares. Expedited delivery won't come cheap.

You find the stall in the centre of the street, its contents ransacked by previous customers. Only the worst bits are left, spotted sheaves of dried herbs, fruit blackened with age and dense cuts of shoulder and shank. You wait for the grocer to appear, but he's nowhere to be seen.

"Bit dangerous to be out all alone, ain't it?"

Your eyes dart left to the man, twice your height and weight, in his mid-fifties. He looms over you sheathed in leather and broadcloth, neither of which disguise how thick his arms are, like sewage pipes, and a face gnarled, sneering and unpleasant to look at for too long. Tattoos creep up his neck and hands, dark and precisely rendered like knifepoint.

"It's three o'clock in a busy market," you reply. "I'll be fine."

"Brave girl. Mouthy, maybe."

"And proud. Please excuse me."

"Hold on now," he says, stepping closer, too close. "We was just getting acquainted." He tips his bowler hat. "You're the bar girl."

Coming from him, it's not a term of endearment. It's a threat.

"I think you know a good friend of mine," he continues, voice slick like fatty oil. "Fairly tall bloke. Annoying grin. Freckles."

Sebastian. "You know how many customers I get through the door?" you say, even when your heart threatens to burst.

"Stout's his favourite. That's your least popular beer, I know. You get your shipments same time every week, and for the past four, you only got the mahogany barrel in twice." He leans forwards; his breath stinks worse than the market. "Pretty impressive he drinks enough to make it worth stockin'."

You glance furtively to your left: half a dozen set of eyes watch the exchange, all burly, menacing henchmen. Your feet itch to move, but there's no way you can outrun them all.

You force the fear back down your throat. "Don't have a clue who you're on about."

"You'll remember fast. See, bar girl, there's bigger things at work than your little pub." He reaches into the produce and plucks an old, shrivelled grape clean from the stem. "Things he'll never tell you."

"Thrilling stuff. You should write for the paper."

"Sebastian Sallow ain't the pretty, innocent boy he pretends to be. He got his hands dirty then played victim when the rot came. It don't work that way. There's always consequences. Like this grape, you see? Delicate thing. One wrong move, and you might cut it." He slices across with his nail, breaking the skin. "Peel it." He pinches the skin and rips it down, exposing the flesh beneath. "Or, my personal favourite..."

He closes his hand, and the juice dribbles down his wrist.

"Crush it."

Your heart thunders.

"In the end," says the man, "I'm the almighty fist, and the weak grape is just a weak little grape."

"Cute metaphor," you mutter. "Still don't see the relevance."

"Just pass on the message. You tell him when he comes back – eight o'clock, right? You tell 'im his ol' mate Harlow says hello." He makes a flicking gesture, recalling his dogs. "Shame about your stock. Hope it weren't stolen."

You don't look away until they eventually melt into the crowd, when you finally grasp the hem of your dress, trying to stop trembling.

The moment Sebastian comes shouldering through the door that evening, you snatch his arm and drag him to the stockroom.

"In public, bar girl?" He laughs. "I didn't know you were so frisky."

His grin drowns when you glare at him.

"I got a visit at the market today. Some bloke called Harlow."

"Fuck." It hisses out, like a short burst of steam from a loose pipe. "Fuck. I knew it. I knew it."

"Who the hell is he, Sebastian? Is this the psychopath you were worried about?"

His jaw clenches. "Yeah. We've got a history."

"And the Pope's Catholic, well done."

He manages to look guilty. "He got involved with my business, and I... in a word, retaliated. We've been at each other's throats since."

"Well that's just brilliant," you snap, that fear morphing into anger. "As if I haven't got enough to deal with, now I have to worry about a bloody crime syndicate. I'm already walking tightrope here with— my parents," you whisper the words. "Can't you get Ominis to sort it?"

"He can't do anything either."

"What if I lodge a complaint? As a respected member of the community they might listen to me—"

"They won't do anything, bar girl. The woman I was with, Kath? She's high up and can't do squat either, not until there's unquestionable evidence."

"I'm the unquestionable evidence! He all but admitted to theft. And he made some bloody grape analogy at me!"

"They won't listen to you."

"Why not?"

He sighs. "Because you're Muggle, that's why."

"This stupid term of endearment—"

"Because I care about you. Because they'll assume you're compromised, because of me."

Out of everything, you weren't expecting him to say that. He's so battle-scarred and jaded that the admission is jarringly soft. All your frustration near-dissolves, replaced with that honey-warm longing that won't leave you alone.

His eyes sweep you down, and hesitantly he reaches forwards, cupping your shoulders. "Did he hurt you?"

The touch warms your cheeks. "No."

"Did he touch you?"

"No."

"But he ambushed you?"

You're silent. His eyes darken.

"I'll sort this."

"You said that last time." He heads to the door, and you hurry to catch him. "Sebastian—"

"I'll be careful." His voice is hard and unforgiving. "And I'll make sure he never goes near you again."

You wake to a door clattering.

It's true when they say a city never sleeps. There's always something moving outside, making noise, an errant drunk lost on his way home, a fox howling for its pups, the hum of gas lamps or the churn of smoke in the far distance. It's never quiet, not so quiet that one noise breaks your slumber.

Sebastian hasn't been in for the last few days. His face crosses your mind, as it always does in the morning, when you groggily spill out of bed, lighting a candle to retrieve a shawl. Truth be told, you've been antsy. Sebastian's retaliation, whatever it is, will likely dunk you in hot water with the gang, and you can't risk it with your parents, and your pub, on the line. You pad downstairs to check them, but they're fast asleep. If that gang wants to beat you to bloody pulp, fine, but they can't take the people you love.

The clattering resumes.

You douse the candle and tiptoe to the ground floor. A draught cleaves at your bare skin, and dread sluices through you. The back door's open. That doesn't make sense. You locked it, you're sure, but when you check it there's no sign of forced entry again – like someone simply willed it open by mind alone.

Gooseflesh prickles down your arms. You snatch a pan from the side, gently nudging the door closed with your foot, then crouch and sneak into the main hall. If there is an intruder, you can catch them unawares—

A sudden spasm in your hand makes the pan fly away. You flinch backwards just as someone seizes you, hauling you up. One of Harlow's gang.

"Unhand me," you snarl when he drags you into the back alley. "I don't want any part in your pathetic spat—"

"Too late for that. Sallow pissed us off, and now Harlow wants you taken in."

Behind you, you hear a strange popping noise, but you don't dare turn around.

"The police will investigate. People will report me missing."

"No one's gonna' remember who you are," Harlow's voice behind makes you shudder, betraying your true feelings. "So you'd better hope he comes, bar girl... or else it's you who's payin' the price."

You swing around to the sight of him and three others – how the hell did they sneak up so fast? – closing in and reaching for something in their pockets. Batons, maybe. Your fight-or-flight kicks in, and without another thought, you shirk the henchman's grip, swing back and punch him in the nose. He mustn't have been expecting it because he staggers back, and blood spurts outwards in an arc.

"Bitch," he snarls, as his henchman grabs you again, digging dirty nails into your skin. "I'll fucking—"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, don’t you know there’s better ways to address a lady?”

Everyone looks up. Sebastian hangs off the metal stairwell zigzagging up the side of the adjacent wall. Dressed in all black, he's drumming something on his thigh, but it's too dark to see. Your heart leaps into your throat.

"Sebastian, you have to run—"

"Really risking everything to settle the score? Wouldn't have thought you'd want to dirty your pristine hands, Theo."

Harlow recovers quickly, grabbing you and pulling you close. "You're really testing me, you little shit. The fuck you think blowing up our stores was going to do? Come down 'ere or your Muggle cunt gets it."

"Let her go first. You want me, not her."

"Nah." Harlow sneers. "I'll keep her close so you don't get too big for your broom."

"Boots," you correct tersely.

"Shut up." Harlow rattles you hard, making your joints ache. "What'll it be, boy?"

Sebastian uses the fence to break the drop between the stairwell and the ground. "You realise if you do anything to her, you'll have the entire Ministry on your arse? You can't wipe everyone this side of town. I know you're a couple of Knuts short of a Sickle, Theo, but breaking the Statute is the worst offence of all."

You have no idea what he's talking about it, but after a second of mulling, Harlow shoves you forwards, right into Sebastian's arms. He pulls you close, and you're wrapped in all of him, his scent, his muscle, his safety. The bubble of calm pops once his hands slide around your waist, and his head finds the crook between your shoulder and neck. You don't realise why until everything hits you, all at once. Harlow hurt you. He almost did worse. You wrap your arms around Sebastian, trying to anchor to his predatory stillness, but the tremors don't stop once they start.

"It's all right," he soothes. "I've got you."

"Don't let go," you whisper. "Please."

Pulling back, he smooths the strands of hair from your forehead and the tears trailing down your cheeks. Coffee eyes. It's a substance that wakes you up, grounds you in the passage of time, but now you feel almost weightless, a feather in the infinite, ephemeral void. Is this what it means to feel his love? To feel like he would let the world burn around you, if it would grant him the gift of your smile?

"I have to let go," he says, never once looking away. "Do me another favour? Turn around, face the wall, and close your eyes."

When did he represent the beacon of comfort that makes you cling harder at the thought of letting go? When did his orbit begin to arc so perfectly in time with yours?

"What are you going to do?"

"Finish it."

"Sebastian—"

"I'll be all right." He winks. "Be a lot easier if you believed in me."

"I do," you say, no hesitation.

He steps back. Casting a wary look to Harlow and his goons, you face the strip of wooden stakes that separate the alley from the garden.

"Close them, love," Sebastian says.

Love, you ruminate as you shut your eyes. As far as terms of endearment go, that one might be your favourite.

Everything seems to happen at once. Sebastian and Harlow both yell something unintelligible, but you don't hear knuckles cracking or bones crunching, just bursts and pops and odd grunts. You keep your promise, squeeze your eyes until you can't possibly shut them anymore, but the noise of the mayhem confuses you. You can't make sense of what's going on – fist fights don't normally sound so... volcanic.

Harlow makes a grunt. "You little shit—"

Something bursts again. Sebastian laughs, Harlow curses. Without warning a hand seizes your arm. Your eyes fly open, panicked – but it's Sebastian, panting hard, alive.

Covered in blood.

"We have to go. Hold onto me, quickly."

In your peripheral, Harlow's men are scattered on the ground, injuries numerous. Harlow's teeth shine red. You do as instructed before he can get to his feet, and hold tightly to Sebastian's arms.

"C-Can you run?"

"Don't need to." He smirks. "Hold me tightly."

So you do, and he cups the back of your head, bringing you close to his chest. Blood, dirt, sweat, musk. It combines into a seducing cocktail that stirs your longing. Crushed against him, you only see darkness, and inadvertently you shut your eyes again, lost in the safety of his embrace.

Suddenly everything twists. The sensation feels like your body is being stretched and contracted at the same time, pushed and pulled, beaten and reshaped like dough in a baker's hands. By the time you think to open your eyes, the world is still again, and you clutch Sebastian tighter.

"Safe." A beat. "You can let go now."

When you pull away, dizzy and nauseous – what the hell was that? – your face is wet with blood. There, just above where you rested your head is a giant gash weeping through his shirt.

"You're injured!"

He grins – face pale and teeth full of blood. "I'm all right, bar girl. Barely... a scratch."

He takes one step away, then collapses into your arms.

Please like/ reblog if you enjoyed! <3

[MASTERLIST][NEXT]

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@morelikeravenbore

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#hogwarts legacy #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #sebastian sallow x reader #ominis gaunt #garreth weasley #ominis gaunt x garreth weasley #garrinis #muggle reader #hogwarts legacy fandom #azkaban seb #thwc #the bar girl #my writing #my stuff

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notmorbid · 2 months ago

Text

their vicious games.

dialogue prompts from their vicious games by joelle wellington.

life has never felt like a game to me.

stand up straight, honey.

there's no place for me here. there never was.

i've got to look better than 'nice'.

no wonder they're secretly terrified of you.

you don't have to prove anything to everyone.

you always make me feel like i'm the main character in a movie.

with knowledge comes the responsibility to know when to keep your mouth shut.

rich people aren't weirdos, they're 'eccentric'.

i don't believe in fate. not for people like me.

everything is going to change, but maybe it should.

you have a smart mouth. i like that.

i can't believe you showed your face here.

what makes you think that there are no rules?

all i want is for you to do better than i did.

if you open the box, there's no turning back.

you pretend you have nothing to say, but i can tell you do.

i know i don't belong, but it only makes me want it more.

i could be convinced with a well-structured argument.

why are you apologizing for ___?

it's fine. i'm fine. i just need to breathe.

you'll never be one of us, and you shouldn't want to be.

getting them before they get you is the only way to win.

what is going on? no talking around the real answer. tell me the truth.

i suspected, but i didn't know. not for sure.

i have to disappear myself.

god, this house is creepy.

will you trust me to help you?

i could have made you prouder. i should have made you prouder.

you look different without your makeup.

get a fucking grip. this isn't a period drama.

you're an adult now. you can pick your own friends.

fearful people make boring conversationalists.

what do you like to eat?

i worry you won't recognize me when i get out.

there are so few secrets when one revels in their own wickedness.

the trick about lying is that you have to believe yourself, for anyone else to believe you.

there is nothing worse than a boy who is lovely and knows it.

i'd do anything for you. be anything for you.

when has a girl ever been allowed to want?

if you don't stop it, you're endorsing it.

there's something different about you.

integrity doesn't mean much to the dead.

it's been so long since i felt anything but afraid.

you strike me as sneaky.

you think you have me figured out yet?

i don't remember it, but the body keeps the score, right?

there are no girls like me. there is only me.

i'd rather you hate me than you be dead.

are you ready to behave?

you are playing a dangerous game, and you will lose.

i am not one to be vexed. people get hurt when i am.

don't get soft on me now.

you're wearing boat shoes? unironically?

you don't get to walk away from me.

why do i take up so much space in your head? i'm practically living there rent-free.

i've got your back. do you have mine?

we are long past sense. sense doesn't belong here.

how do you think i'm feeling?

you're just like your father in a different font.

i've seen enough. i've heard enough. i've had enough.

my loyalty is to ____ alone.

i don't want to hurt you.

why can't you just leave me alone?

i saved you because you weren't going to save yourself.

it's all so easy for you, isn't it?

if you're not going to stop bad things from happening, have the decency to watch. eyes open.

i could love you. i know i could.

your room looks like you.

you were always so disappointing.

i won't leave you until i have to.

____ would want more for you.

stop throwing yourself in front of projectile objects for me.

i'm pretty sure if we survive this, i'm going to have a goddamn concussion.

i'm not the villain of your story.

i don't think i'll ever be sure of anything again.

even my eyes have betrayed me over and over again.

is that what you think of me?

i think that you ruin everything you touch. you want to devour everything you see.

i'm still here.

i didn't know you could cook.

are you sure you don't want to do anything different?

you're the only person who understands.

i never want to forget about you.

don't touch my shit.

i don't know if i'll ever be okay.

there will always be someone new to become.

#rp meme #rp memes #sentence starters #ask memes #rp prompts #inbox memes #horror meme #thriller meme #action

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cwritesforfun · 3 months ago

Text

Art x Patrick x Tashi x Fem!Reader: Four Peas in the Pod

now hear me out... four people in a relationship ... this doesn't get too smutty (mainly just implied), sorry to disappoint ... you end up with all of them separately and together at least once in this oop... Bold and Italics from the movie *** I Do NOT own the lines from the movie or the characters *** I also did change the plot Y/N = Your Name

Masterlist

Tashi asks, "So how often does this happen?... Going after the same girl?" Patrick answers, "Not as often as you'd think actually." Tashi asks, "Really?" Art answers, "No, no we uh...we usually have different types." Tashi asks, "So you're saying I should be flattered? Art asks, "Aren't you everybody's type?" Tashi laughs and asks, "Was the last time with Y/N?" Art and Patrick exchange confused glances before Patrick asks, "How do you know Y/N?" Tashi asks, "Do you mean reigning mixed doubles tennis champion, Y/N? She literally plays with Ivan and they win almost every game they play together. Did you see that Ivan is moving and retiring? Y/N is out of her doubles partner. Are either of you stepping up?" Art asks, "How do you know all of this? Y/N hasn't said anything about it to us." Tashi smirks and replies, "Oh yeah we're best friends. We met at tennis camp 2 summers ago and we talk all the time... It seems like you two were replaced by me in her life." Patrick replies, "No, we weren't replaced... and if Y/N is your best friend, why is she not here right now supporting you?" Tashi answers, "Because she's competing in Florida dum dum." Art sighs and asks, "How did you know that the last time... that we ..." Tashi says, "That you two liked her?" Art shrugs and nods. Tashi exclaims, "Girls talk boys. You two came up and she promised me not to tell anyone. You two were involved, so I figured I could ask you about it. I want to know if you two actually liked her and if one of you is still hung up on her." Art points at Patrick and says, "He misses her." Patrick snaps, "Do not. You miss her." Tashi laughs and says, "I'm calling her real quick." Patrick asks, "Why?" Tashi answers, "I don't have to answer that."

((Start of Conversation)) Y/N - Hello? Tashi? Tashi - Hey Y/N. You'll never believe whose room I'm in. Y/N - Art and Patrick? Art already told me. Tashi - Omg he didn't tell me that. Art - I didn't think you knew Y/N when I told her. Y/N - *laughs* Oh sweet Art, there are not many bada** female tennis players out there. And the few out there are my friends. Patrick - I wouldn't call you bada** sunshine. Y/N - Ok Mr. Sour Puss Art - He's just angry you haven't texted him back...Ow Patrick that hurt. Tashi - They keep fighting about missing you and not missing you. I wanted to tell you and I wanted to be on the phone for you to find out. Y/N - Aw well I miss them. I would've been there this weekend if I wasn't competing. My last match with Ivan is today, he is retiring tomorrow. It's quite insane. Art - Why didn't you tell us? Y/N - You get sappy and Patrick would say I told you so. Patrick - I was thinking it but wasn't going to say it. At least not today. Tashi - So how is the week going? Y/N - Fine. We advanced to the finals. Patrick - Hey, I think Tashi likes you as well, Y/N. Why else would she call you before a threesome? It's some kind of foreplay for her. Art - Patrick really? Patrick - I'm just saying what we're all thinking. Y/N - See, Tashi, I told you they were like this. Ugh, I have to go, my Coach is calling me into the next room and I don't want her to be mad at me. But, you three have fun. I miss and love each of you. Bye. ((End of Conversation))

Tashi slaps Patrick's arm and says, "You weren't supposed to tell her that I liked her. I don't even know if she likes girls too." Patrick replies, "Y/N is pansexual. She likes everyone unless they're jerks, which you are not." Art replies, "Pretty sure Y/N doesn't want you spouting her private info like that." Patrick replies, "You're too sensitive, Art."

SKIP to one year later ~ Your POV

You invited Art, Patrick, and Tashi to your vacation home for the weekend. Your family wasn't on vacation with you and for that you were grateful.

You missed all three of your crazy friends. Patrick and Tashi were dating now, which seemed weird. Patrick stopped checking in with you as much and Tashi would explicitly tell you every detail of her sex life. You talked to Art when he felt alone, which was a lot and you visited him a few times at Stanford to "talk" in person. While you visited Art, you secretly visited Tashi to also "talk" in person.

You invited them all together because you had big news to share and wanted to see their reactions to it in person. You made sure there were plenty of drinks and food for the weekend. You even ordered robes with their first names on them as a keepsake. You were drunk when you ordered them one night and thought it would be cute.

You hear a car pulling into your driveway and you open your front door. You run down the steps and Art is the first one out of the backseat of the car. You run up to him first and hug him tightly. He says, "God I missed you." You reply, "I missed you too. Thank you for coming this weekend." He replies, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

You turn around and see Tashi. You open your arms and hug her tight. You say, "Thank you for being here. I missed you, Tashi." She replies, "Thank you for inviting me." You reply, "Of course, you're part of our group now whether you like it or not."

You turn to Patrick and say, "You don't text." He replies, "You don't text either." You smirk, he smirks, and then you hug him. He whispers in your hair, "I missed you, my Y/N." You reply, "I missed you too."

You lead them into the house and show them all of the rooms. You exclaim, "My parent's room is off-limits, but you can stay in any other room here. Toss your stuff upstairs then come down for dinner. I have something to tell all of you."

You rush off to the kitchen to prepare your surprise. You take the prosecco out of the fridge and grab 4 Red Solo cups. You do not trust your friends with glass. You pop off the cork and pour 4 equal cups.

Art walks into the room first and exclaims, "I guess I'm first." You reply, "I knew you would be." He asks, "Is ... is that a good thing?" You answer, "Yes, it means you're reliable and punctual. Those are both qualities I respect and admire." You notice his cheeks blush a little and you smile. Good to know you have the same affect on him after all this time.

Patrick and Tashi walk into the room next. You hand them each a cup and say, "Don't sip yet. I just need to tell you one thing then we can cheer to the news. I bought extra drinks for tonight too." They all look at you weirdly and you exclaim, "So all of you know that Ivan retired and moved last year, which meant I was in search of a new mixed doubles partner, right?" They all nod and you exclaim, "Well my parents complained that I need a back-up plan in case I really cannot find a replacement that I like, which has been the case. I don't mesh well with anyone so far, so I'm going to college... and I'm going to Stanford starting next year. I've been taking online classes this year to waive the basic courses, but I'll be in business management starting in August. We'll all be seeing each other a lot more now." All of their jaws drop and you say, "Stanford offered me a full ride for tennis and I'll be on the team. I don't know who will be my partner, but the coaches were adamant that I could find a match there. I mentioned that I knew you two, Art and Tashi. The Coach was pleased with that...So now we can cheer and drink to the future of us!" Art exclaims, "Congrats. Truly. I can't wait to see you next year." You smile and Tashi says, "Oh my god, we have to be roommates. I need one more person to sign onto my apartment. This is perfect. Oh wow, I'm excited. Congrats." Patrick says, "I'll be the only one not in the Stanford club now. It'll be good to see you again, Y/N." You smile and say, "Ok now drink! Drink!" They all smile and you all drink.

You show them the dinner you prepared, which features food that you know each of them likes. You all talk, laugh, and enjoy your dinner together. You also drink more. You bring drinks outside, so Patrick can smoke. It makes him happy, so you don't mind going outside to hang out with him for that. You choose to not smoke, you hate the feeling of it and how it leaves your brain feeling. That and the smell give you a horrible headache.

You're on the couch with Tashi passing the bottle between each other as Art and Patrick sit across passing a joint.

Patrick laughs to himself and asks, "Do you guys wanna know something funny?" You all stare at him expectantly and he says, "Every single one of us has hooked up with the whole group." Art asks, "Wait, Tashi and Y/N hooked up?" You laugh and say, "Yeah when Patrick spoiled that she liked me before you three made out, we talked and we hooked up at our next tournament. We also dated for a summer, which was chill. And we won all of our matches." Tashi replies, "Of course we won, we're winners at heart." You smile. Patrick asks, "I'm just thinking that I wouldn't be opposed to a foursome." You laugh at the thought and see all of them looking at you with serious faces. You say, "Wait, I thought he was kidding. You're all freaking me out." Art says tentatively, "Uh ... we might have thought that you invited all of us to hook up this weekend." Tashi adds, "And you said your parent's room was off-limits, but your room was wide open. We thought that meant we were all invited in." You reply, "I see how it sounded now... oh wow... I hadn't even considered it for this weekend." Patrick asks, "When did you consider it?" You answer, "You always call me on my sh** haha! I thought about it when you three called me that first time." Patrick replies, "God, you've been thinking about it for a year. That's kind of pathetic." You reply, "Believe it or not, but sex wasn't the only thing on my mind this year." Tashi adds, "It was sex and tennis." You laugh and pour more drinks.

The next morning, you wake up naked lying with Tashi wrapping her arms around you and Art on your other side. You see Patrick on the other side of Tashi too. You don't want to wake them, so you slowly sneak out of bed. You see a messy pile of clothes and smile.

You put on a robe and walk downstairs to the kitchen. You start the coffee machine and wait for it to be ready. You feel arms wrap around you and you smell Patrick. You lean against him and he starts talking in his husky morning voice, "I didn't get to cuddle with you because those two are needy, but I missed you more." You reply, "I missed you too. I'll text you more, I promise." He replies, "Good. I'm glad. Can you make me a coffee too?" You answer, "Sure, love." He kisses your head before hopping on the counter next to you. He's wearing his robe and he's smiling at you warmly. You make coffee for you two and you sit outside. You lean your head on his shoulder and you talk about your lives.

Art makes his way outside at some point with a coffee mug and he curls against your other side. You all talk and just laugh.

Tashi makes her way outside with coffee and starts complaining about tennis. She had to talk about tennis right now, didn't she? You can hear the boy's annoyance through their gritted teeth and tense posture.

You all go on a run around the water because Tashi doesn't want to miss a workout and then it's time for breakfast. You cook with Tashi and you all eat together outside.

The next two days repeat similarly: calm coffee with the boys, workout with Tashi, breakfast, tennis practice (how did Tashi find the one court within 15 miles of you?), lunch, tennis talk or sex, dinner, movies, sex, and sleep. It was a great weekend for you.

Things between you four stayed casual.

You moved in with Tashi, but you refused to have her put too much pressure on you. You set boundaries and rules with her, which seemed to anger her. She accepted it though. You now texted Patrick a lot and he visited Tashi when he wasn't competing. Art only visited when he visited, but you still kept in contact with Art. You were playing on the same team as Art, so you saw him at practice every day. You four were blissfully happy when it was just you four, no tennis talk, at night. But you noticed Art slowly falling for Tashi and she didn't even notice. Patrick didn't seem worried either.

You had a new partner and he was decent. You hoped that you both could get some wins for Stanford.

You didn't see Tashi's injury happen because you were playing a mixed doubles match two courts away, but you did hear the bloodcurdling screams. You had convinced yourself that it was nothing to be worried about, but you should have known something was up when you saw Patrick at your match in the audience. He was supposed to be supporting Tashi with Art in the audience.

After you finish, your Coach tells you that Tashi has been transported to the hospital and you ask to see her. Your Coach bans you from going because you have a match tomorrow and need to be ready for it. You don't have a car because you all took a bus, so you don't fight them even if it's taking everything in you to not go.

You find Patrick outside and walk up to him. You ask, "So uh what happened today?" He answers, "Tashi and I fought last night when she was trying to Coach me as we had sex. I was angry she wouldn't just focus on us. She must have cared at least a little because she tripped and tore her ACL. I went to see her to make sure she was okay, but she kicked me out and ended our relationship. Art then told me to get out because she allowed him to stay. I don't want to see them anymore. I wanted you to know because I hope we can still talk." You reply, "Of course, Patrick. You'll always have me... And if you ever decide you might want to try mixed doubles when I graduate, give me a call." He smiles and says, "I will... I'm going to leave town, but great job on your win." You reply, "Thanks." You hug him and he heads out.

You graduate with your business management degree in three years and help with several tennis wins along the way. Art and Tashi had cut Patrick out of their lives completely after her injury. They also started exclusively dating each other and got super weird. Tashi was still uptight about tennis and she would randomly try to kiss with you if Art was out. Art would talk your head off about his relationship and his overall feelings about life claiming that Tashi didn't care. He stayed loyal to Tashi... you didn't have the heart to tell him that Tashi had tried to kiss you a few times. You text Patrick some, but he seems busy, or at least he stops responding to you.

Tashi had asked if you wanted to live with her and Art, to which you refused. That was too awkward and you didn't like being the third wheel.

You move to NYC and start working with a new Coach that you had met at a random tournament when you were younger. You create routines that work for you, find a decent partner named Mario, and you start practicing. You get an invitation to Art and Tashi's engagement party, which you attend and it's beautiful. They seem happy to you.

You're in Atlanta when you see a few familiar names on the list for this tournament. You decide to see if they're already here and Mario follows you confused.

You see Art hitting the balls with Tashi yelling and throwing them. You see Patrick sitting and watching. It's then that everything happens ... Art sees you, Tashi sees you, Patrick sees you, and then they see Patrick. It's the first time all four of you have been in the same space in years. Mario asks, "Is this weird or just me?" You turn away and say, "Come on Mario, let's go practice." He follows you and replies, "I heard you three were friends at one point." You reply, "We were the best of friends, but sometimes you outgrow your friends." He replies, "You do... did I ever tell you..." Mario keeps rambling and you think about the good times you all had together. Things were good. Too good for that one year... well you have to admit the best time was that first weekend together.

You practice and practice.

Your Coach checks you into the hotel when you notice Patrick walk in. You get your key from your Coach and decide to say hi to Patrick because you really did miss him and you want to know why he stopped texting you. You walk up to Patrick who is with a girl and he looks to be shamelessly flirting with her. You laugh and exclaim, "Hi Patrick, I didn't know you would be here." The girl turns to you and asks, "Oh, you know him?" You answer, "Yeah, we're old friends." She replies, "Great, you can take my seat and catch up then. I'm sure that would be better than talking to me, bye." She rushes off and Patrick says, "Great, you just ruined my chances of sleeping in a hotel room tonight." You slump into the seat opposite him and say, "Oops well what can I say? I wanted to ask my old friend why he stopped texting me. You disappeared on me, Patrick." He sips his drink and says, "You seemed happier without me." You gasp and he adds, "Especially with Mario... have you two slept together yet?" You answer, "No, we're just friends and tennis players. We've never kissed nor do I want to kiss him." He replies, "Oh well I guess I just assumed you did. Sorry." You reply, "It's fine. I guess... Need a place to sleep? I don't want to have sex, but you can have half the bed. I mean if I lose first, you'll have to leave, but my Coach is hopeful that Mario and I will make it to the final." He asks, "Why would you do that for me? We haven't talked in years and you're angry with me." You answer, "It's plain and simple. I miss you and care about you, no matter what. Yes, I am angry about not texting, but now you're going to see how awesome I am and start texting again." He laughs and says, "You're funny, sure. I'll be right up. I need to pay my bill. What room are you in?" You answer, "Do not charge it to me, my Coach will throw a fit. But I am in room 312." He nods and you head up to the room.

You see a text from Tashi: Good luck this weekend. And a text from Art: Good luck this weekend. I hope we can see you at some point. I missed you.

An hour passes ~

There is a knock on the door and it's Patrick. He looks upset. It's best not to push him to speak. He's already barely talking to you. You let him in and he puts his stuff on the other side of the room. You say, "You can shower first if you want." He nods and asks, "You don't want to shower together, do you?" You answer, "Fine, sure."

After you lay in bed all cozy in pajamas, you finish setting your alarms and say, "I'm getting up at 6:00 am, so I'm sorry if I wake you." He replies, "It's okay. I'll need to be up anyway for check-in." You reply, "I'll leave a card for the room by your stuff, so you can come and go as you like." He replies, "Thanks, Y/N."

You turn off the lights and Patrick says, "Tashi cornered me in the bar and was all angry with me for being her. She told me not to mess with Art and we made out. I just wanted you to know." You reply, "Ok." But inside, you're screaming. You knew letting Patrick into your room meant something complicated. You just didn't know it meant this...

Every day passes in the same way, you wake up cuddling Patrick, you compete, you get back first, you bring him extra food, he gets back late, he eats, you have shower sex, and he confesses something random to you in the dark.

Tonight goes a different way... The lights have been off for five minutes and you have no idea if Patrick is going to say something. You ask, "How did your match go today?" He asks, "How did yours go?" You answer, "We advanced to the semi-finals." He replies, "I lost." You ask, "How long are you staying in town?" He answers, "I wanted to see you play at least once." You reply, "I play at 5:00 pm tomorrow." He replies, "Ok, and maybe we can talk about hanging out more later." You reply, "I would like that very much."

You win, Patrick is cheering for you, and you both talk that night about your lives.

You text Art and Tashi, but you them you don’t wanna see them this weekend outside of tennis.

You win the mixed doubles final and are immediately on a plane to Los Angeles for meetings with sponsors. You and Patrick were talking again. Patrick left when you did and he started the long drive to Los Angeles, so you two could hang out more.

Patrick moved in with you. He met Mario and they hit it off as friends.

Life seems to be happy again for a year.

And then it isn’t.

You get back from a tournament that you won with Mario and notice your house looks different. You see less pictures on the wall and less clutter. You notice your dog, Spots, run up to you and you pay his head. You run to your bedroom expecting to find Patrick only to find a note on the bed. You rush over and read it:

Hey Y/N ~ I’m sorry. I couldn’t do it. It felt too real. It’s scary. I don’t think I can commit to dating any longer. You are a winner and I’m not one. Be with a winner. If you need me, Tashi & I are running away together. We’ve been secretly together for years. Sorry for not telling you sooner. Oh and I left this morning. Spots had breakfast. Your grocery delivery arrived and I put it away. Xx- Patrick

You fall to your knees and cry. You get up and notice everything that Patrick had is gone. No trace of him remains, except him in group pictures. Why does he say he doesn’t care than he feeds Spots and deals with my groceries? I’m so confused and honestly angry.

You text Tashi: You deserve him. Don’t text again.

You text Patrick: You deserve her.

After a while, you hear a knock on your door, slide the letter into your back pocket, and wipe your tears a little before opening it. Outside are Art and Lily. Lily looks happy and Art looks defeated. You understand why. You feel the same way. You exclaim, “Hi Art and Lily. Um, what are you doing here?” Art exclaims, “I think we both know… but Lily here wants a sleepover and a sleepover is what she will have.” You laugh and say, “Well then welcome in. I hope neither of you is allergic to dogs, this is Spots. Spots is a 6-year-old Dalmation.” Lily excitedly asks, “Can I pet him?” You answer, “Yes, Spots loves to be pet. Here come inside, I’ll show you his favorite place.” Lily skips after you into your living room. You sit on the floor and Spots sits in front of you. You say, “Okay Lily, now that he is sat, you can pat his head. Once he likes you, he’ll flip onto his back and you can scratch his stomach. He also likes you if he gives you his paw.” Lily pets him and is excited.

Art asks, “Hey Lily, do you mind if I borrow Y/N for a second? We’ll be right over here. We just need to talk about grown-up things. You can let Spots.” Lily nods and you follow him across the room. You pull out the letter and ask, “Did you get one too?” He hands you his and answers, “Yeah. Here is mine.”

Art ~ I’m leaving with Patrick. We’re going on a trip. We’ve been seeing each other for years. He just plays tennis more passionately than you. Tell Lily that I will see her soon. I’m her mother, so I will return. The divorce papers are underneath this. Sign them and give them to Mr J this week if you can. I want the house. Also give Mr J the paternity test in the box. I want to know if you or Patrick is the real father of Lily. Xx Tashi

You exclaim, “That is horrible parenting.” Art replies, “Yeah well… she was a great parent at one point. Just not now. We still have the house, but I had to get out of there. It feels like it’s suffocating me. I assumed you got a letter, so I just told Lily we were going to visit you for a sleepover and she was happy… she likes Spots.” You smile and reply, “Spots is my emotional support dog and my best friend.” He replies, “Damn… I lost my best friend status.” You reply, “Sorry, you just got too attached to Tashi and your only conversation topics when we talked were her. It felt like I lost you.” He replies, “I should’ve opened up to you… I realize that now.”

You notice Lily run up to Art and she pulls his hand then says, “Daddy, I’m hungry.” Art sighs and you say, “I have food. We can cook up something. What are your favorite foods?” Lily answers, “Noodles and cheese and strawberries and chocolate and crackers and cakes.” You reply, “Let’s go see what I have in the kitchen then.” She asks, “Can I help?” Art says, “Lily, you can’t just do that.” You notice how defeated Lily looks and you reply, “I don’t mind, come on Lily. Let’s cook dinner. Art, there are two bedrooms upstairs. You can put you and Lily’s stuff in whichever one you prefer. You can also take a shower if you need too. Lily & I got this.” Lily looks up at Art and says, “Yeah Dad, we got this.” Lily takes your hand and you go to the kitchen with Spots running after you. You find the pasta and you let Lily help out a few times. She sits on the counter and you let her choose music. It’s some group that does piano covers of pop songs. Very odd choice for a kid, but better than Kidz Bop.

Art returns and you notice his hair is wait, so he must have taken you up on your offer. You’re glad. He looked rough when he walked in.

You sleep on the couch the next couple of nights. You can’t sleep in your bed without thinking of Patrick and you in that bed.

You’re reading in the living room and you hear your name spoken in a small voice. You see Lily standing there and she is in her pajamas holding her teddy bear. You say, “Hey Lily, sweetie, do you need something?” Lily asks, “Can I sleep with you tonight? Daddy never used to kick, but this week he is. He is annoying me. I want to sleep.” You answer, “Sure, let’s go to my room.”

You text Art: Lily is with me. If you wake up and worry about where she is.

You then walk with Lily to your room and you ask, “Is it okay if Spots sleeps in the bed too?” She answers, “Yes. I want doggy cuddles.” You laugh before helping Lily on the bed. You then make sure Spots’ ladder is set for him to climb onto the bed. He runs over to Lily and licks her face causing her to laugh. You yawn and say, “If he does something you don’t like, tell him to stop, okay?” Lily answers, “Okay.”

You fall asleep fairly quickly and you wake up to your arm being shaken. You see Lily and she says, “We should make breakfast in bed for my dad.” You forgot that kids have wild sleep patterns and also will disrupt your sleep. Great. You say, “Okay, let’s do it. What does he eat for breakfast?” Lily answers “Eggs and fruit and smoothies. But I like pancakes more.” You reply, “Okay let’s go see what we have.”

You text Art: If you read this after you get up, stay in bed. Trust me. Lily wants to make you breakfast in bed.

You help Lily carry Art’s breakfast in bed and you deliver it to his room. Lily goes back downstairs to get her food and she says she can do it by herself. You let her and hope for the best. Luckily Spots stays next to you, so you feel better that he won’t steal her food. As she’s gone, you exclaim, “Uh sorry about stealing her. She found me last night and complained about you kicking in bed… she also woke me up asking to make you breakfast. I texted and I’m assuming you saw that because you’re still in bed. I didn’t want to leave a note. I thought it would be too soon. But I felt a text was the right in-between thing.” Art replies, “Yeah thanks for the text. I was stressed for a second, but I heard her voice downstairs too… and thanks for being so great with her. I know you didn’t ask for this right after a break-up.” You reply, “It’s been a great distraction.” He replies, “Good, I’m glad… the movers should be taking Lily and I’s out of our house today then we’ll be gone soon.” You ask, “Why don’t you both stay here until you find a new house? I don’t mind the company and you’re both sweet.” He blushes a little and just then Lily walks in. Art helps her onto the bed with her food and asks, “So Lily, remember how I told you we were moving?” She nods and Art asks, “How about staying here with Y/N and Spots until we find a place for just us?” She smiles widely and says, “Yay! I like Y/N and Spots. I finally get to have a pet dog. Does this make Y/N my new mommy?” Oh … She looks between you and Art before saying, “Daddy, I thought you liked Y/N. She’s very pretty and she lets me cook. She has a dog! And she let me stay with her in bed! And her bed stayed in the bed too!” You laugh and Art says, “Let’s just call her Y/N for now.” Lily frowns and eats her breakfast.

You leave to go eat your breakfast and Spots follows you. You eat at your table outside and let Spots roam the backyard. You hear the door open and Lily is there. She asks, “Can I play with Spots?” You answer, “Yes, put some shoes on first. You don’t want to hurt your feet.” Lily returns with her shoes on and Art behind her. Lily skips off the deck and to Spots where she starts chasing him. You look over at Art who looks nervous, so you say, “You know you can sit down, Art. I promise I don’t bite.” He replies, “You did that once… oh sorry for saying that…” He sits down and says, “Tashi was never close with Lily. She never let her cook or get a dog either. Lily just wants to be a kid and I thank you for letting her do that.” You reply, “Of course, Art. She deserves it. She is a good kid.” He places his hand over yours and rubs his thumb along the back of it before saying, “Sometimes I think about if I had chosen you instead of Tashi… if we had dated and if you were my wife and the mother to my kid who may not even be my kid.” You place your hand on his and say, “Art, don’t beat yourself up about the past between us… you have been more of a parent to Lily than Tashi was. She even left her with you. Even if you aren’t her dad, you’re the best father figure she’s going to ever have.” You notice tears in his eyes and you reach over to hug him. He cries into your shoulder for a while. Lily runs over and asks, “What happened to Dad?” You answer, “I think he just needs a hug. Lily, why don’t you give your dad a hug?” You let go of him to hug her and she says, “I love you dad. No more crying. Be happy.”

Art and Lily move in officially later in the week. Art asks to join you two together in bed and Lily makes him pinky promise not to kick. He sleeps on the other side of you and Spots is cuddled against Lily. You sleep very peacefully and it's nice.

You and Art never talk about the break-up, which is fine. But when you return to work, you talk to your friends and go out with them to confide in someone. They now hate Patrick.

When you get back home after a long day, you drop your bags in your bedroom and hear, "Hey uh Y/N, I got you these." You see Art standing there with roses and he's dressed up. You say, "Thanks, Art. What are you all dressed up for?" He answers, "I uh found a babysitter for tonight, so we could go have dinner just the two of us." You ask, "So like a date?" He answers, "If you don't want it to be one, no. If you do, yes." You reply, "I do want it to be a date." He smiles and replies, "Great, uh the babysitter should be here in 30 minutes and we'll head out after that." You nod.

You get ready for dinner and you leave with Art to a nice Italian restaurant where you both eat yummy pasta. You also drink some wine and you talk. It's nice to be together.

Now, Art stays in your bed every night and you cuddle. Lily has her own bedroom and Spots stays with her at night. You're happy.

Art's divorce is finalized and you get married the next day at the courthouse with Lily present. You go on a honeymoon to Hawaii :)

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