#but luna is still closer to him than matteo

[weirfq1]

if i were in the soy luna writers room back in the day i would've sacrificed matteo and kept gastón, but maybe i'm just built different

[countessofravenclaw]

The 2022 writing Advent calendar: Day 16

16. Mistletoe

The academic student association always went above and beyond for the holidays at Oxford. It had been a bit of a culture shock for Nina as a freshman since it was so different from Blake. Blake had celebrated any holidays, it was a good thing it even gave vacation off for the since it was not educational. But now as she had been living in England for one and a half years. It did not face her anymore.

But it was not like she still was not going to appreciate the beauty of the London Christmas lights as Gastón drove then through the streets of London from their apartment to the Campus. Thei both had the lectures start at 8:15 am, so it was still absolutely dark, and the lights were still on. 

“I have that employment and business seminar today,” Gastón said as he parked in the parking lot reserved for students. “When was your last lecture ending?”

“At 15.” Nina answered, “But why do you ask? You probably know my schedule better than I do.”

“The seminar will probably run late so you need to wait for me.”

“That's fine. I can work on the draft at the library.”

“I wish you’d let me read it,” Gastón complained as they started towards the door into the building.

“I told you, it is not really polished,” Nina countered, “I don’t really know what I am doing with it.”

“And you know that I doubt that,” Gastón shot back a took her hand in his. “You are an amazing writer. If someone can write that book, it is you.”

“We’ll see about that,” Nina shook her head and opened her phone. She suddenly saw a text from Luna she had apparently missed the previous night... to be fair, not surprising given what they had gotten up to… “Look at this.” She showed the text to Gastón.

“Luna does not know what a snowman is?”

“Apparently she, Matteo, Simon, and Ambar had full-on debate about the topic. She wants our opinions and so-called experts.” Nina said, looking at the text. Unfortunately, all the snow that had rained in London the previous week had already fully melted. 

“I shudder to think who won that debate.” Gastón laughed, “My money is on Ambar. She and law school will be a deathly match made in heaven.”

“That is a good point but you know Luna won’t stop until she gets her point across…” she could not finish her sentence as she suddenly felt herself being pulled backward by her arm. Gastón has stopped in his tracks. 

“What?” Nina asked as she found her balance.

“Don’t look up,” Gastón said in a low voice. Nina turned her head towards the ceiling. The hallways they had been walking had been lined with a string of garland. Her eyes followed the vine until she saw the reason why they had stopped. There clearly was a mistletoe hanging right above them. 

Right as she realized it, she felt arms sliding around her waist, and Gastón brought her closer.

“I don’t think I saw any of these last year.”

“Well, I did.” Gastón responded, “Do you know hard it was last year when the only thing I wanted to do was to kiss you? Matteo suggested I just trap you under the mistletoe.”

“You should have done it,” Nina slid her hand around his neck and he started pounding faster, like every time they were close. She was sure it was never going to stop being like that. “Would have saved us some time.”

“Well, I can fix that now,” Gastón smiled and smoothly captured her lips with his own.

“Oh, great, we really should not leave those two alone,” They separate once they heard an annoyed English voice. They turned to see Jacob and James standing in the hallway

“Anyways…” Jacob continued as Gastón appeared to throw quite seriously murderous glare at his former roommate, “I am off to class, see you at lunch.”

“I finally found you,” James started talking after Jacob had gone, “I need to talk to you about that last problem in yesterday’s exercise packet. You didn’t respond anything when I texted you about it.”

“Oh, I don’t think I saw that message, because...” Gastón responded.

“You don’t what, I do not need to know why.” James came to grab him by the shoulders. “We need to go to the class. Nina, you won’t mind if I steal him?”

“Not a bit,” Nina laughed, “I need to go myself. Te Amo.” She placed on kiss on Gastón’s cheek and turned to wars the staircase that led to her lecture hall.

“Yo tambien”

“With you two, I am not sure If I am annoyed or glad that I don’t understand Spanish.” Nina heard James say as she started climbing the stairs.

Did you notice the call back all the way to Day 1? I had to add that in here.

[lucy-shining-star]

Pedro don't advice him to go after girl who has boyfriend? (I mean she hasn't but they think she has)

Wait when did Maggie say 'My heart could not stay that' why they didn't do full flashback I don't remember context

I mean he gave her key before kiss

Did Ambar heard Sharon earlier? Why she went to that room?

Lmao Sharon will be exposed by shawl? Like mother like daughter I guess

Was her reaction because of fire? ...Guess maybe it's better to ut them out considering Luna had similar reaction to her to candles in season 1

...That wasn't Simon's idea Ambar you are not eing honest why didn't you tell that he inspired you to do that?

...So I guess Gary didn't need rink assistant to know how to skate like Tamara did? ...But anyway he works there so he doesn't he have to be there anyway?

I don't think it's good time to learn to skate when rink is so crowded

'Look!Cookies'' Now I'm not sure if they want to record them or to eat them. Probably both

If I had nickel for everytime Simon saw how the girl he is in love wwith get kissed against her consent in public when they were close to getting together I will have two nickels which isn't a lot but it's weird it happened twice

Also this is like only kiss that maybe was worse than Matteo kissing Luna in episode 40 of season 1. ...I guess with photo Emilia kissing Matteo might have be there but like kiss itself wasn't. And still not sure about both situations if are were worse

...Although also Ambar did convince Emilia to show that photo so it's a little karma for her too...

Wow that song has luck of being performed in close time to people seeing unwanted kisses that other people don't know they were unwanted by one person

It would be cuter if Matteo didn't think Luna is in relationship now

Emilia wants to go closer to stage with Benicio to ruin things? ....Why can't she do that alone though?

Sorry Luna his solo version sounds better

[lastshadeofme]

I’m gonna tease a little bit of the version of Soy Luna Season 4 I’m writing :

A lot of things have changed since season 3, it’s been years and now all of the characters we loved so much are around 23 to 24 years old.

Luna is the leader of a new team of skaters, and they’re going on competitions and winning some of them (if not all of them ‘cause obviously they’re really good) and Juliana is their coach. Throughout the years, Luna has shown her skills and won a lot of trophies and crystal skate trophies too. And she’s now working on a whole new choreography with her regal for a the first edition of a whole new international competition.

Simón and Pedro are still together in the Roller Band and after some little opportunities they finally have the chance to work on their debut album (not an EP, a real debut album)

After being spotted by a former professional skater who was putting on a show, Ámbar joined the team of skaters who make up the show’s troupe and took the lead role with a talented boy, together they formed the main couple of the show. She has since toured with the troupe away from Buenos Aires but as this story begins the tour finally ends and Ámbar plans to return to Buenos Aires.

Unfortunately, after some time away from home, too busy with the tour and spending all her time with her partner skating together, Ámbar began to question her feelings and after not seeing Simón for almost a year and a half, and getting closer and closer to her partner, she decided to break up with Simón.

Since that day, Simón found himself heartbroken and had to count on Pedro and Luna not to fall into the depths of his pain and the obscurity Ámbar’s absence was leaving him with. To heal, he started writing and composing, with the help of Pedro, some songs that talked about how he was feeling or talked directly about Ámbar. And some of those songs are the reason a producer gave the Roller Band the opportunity to finally work on their album and promised the band a good promotion and a tour after the album is out.

Oh, and I almost forgot about Matteo. He’s… hmm… living his life? Okay okay I’ll say a little more. After his album recorded at Rodeo Bay, on which the Roller Band featured, his career did not grow the way he would’ve wanted. Though, he left Argentina to go on tour in Italia and since then he’s trying his best to make new music and record a new album but he’s not doing great. His jealousy towards other singers who are doing better than him is absolutely playing against him but he’s yet to realize it.

When Matteo started being jealous towards other singers, and towards the Roller Band, his attitude disappointed Luna and slowly they started to grow appart. While he was on your in Italia, she was competing through Argentina and the distance between them grew so much that Luna thought about breaking up with him. And she did. And that helped him because he was finally able to write new music. That is to say Luna will always be his muse. But he won’t always be hers…

Of course, there will be others characters, don’t worry, but I don’t want to say too much about it.

And yes, Simón is my favorite character and I’m always gonna protect him but nobody’s perfect and I gotta show that too. And I love him with Ámbar so don’t worry about that part.

And yes again, I don’t like Matteo at all. like really don’t like him at all. So… we’ll see what happens.

[natashxromanovf]

I want to see you smile

Pairing: Pietro Maximoff × fem!Stark! reader

Word count: 1.7K

Warnings: swearing (I think that’s it? If not, please let me know)

Type: fluff, friends to lovers

Summary: What happens when one friend falls in love with another? Are feelings mutual?

A/N: If you haven’t already noticed, I’m in love with friends to lovers trope. So yes, that’s what I’m writing. Again. In this fic, Thanos doesn’t exsist and everyone is alive. Just for clarification, Jenna is supossed to be Morgan’s babysitter. Also am I passing my obsession with Soy Luna to Morgan here? Yes, I am. This song is just so beautiful, yet sad at the same time. I don’t really like this, but oh weel, not everything can be amazing. Enjoy <3

Here's the link to the song

“And don’t forget to turn in your essays tomorrow!” yells the teacher, right before the bell rings, dismissing you from your last class. You pick up your backpack and look at Peter, who just stood up from his chair. “Are we hanging out today?” you ask. “Yes, we have to go to the compound, remember? Everyone will be there, there’s some important meeting, even we have to attend,” he explains. “But Steve said it’s not going to be long, so we can hang out after,” he says and you nod. Peter and you were best friends, ever since junior year of high school. The first time your dad introduced him to you (not knowing you two already know each other), was hilarious.

“Y/N, come in here honey!” yelled Tony from the common area. You were doing your homework, minding your business when you heard your dad calling you. “Coming dad!” you answered back. Once you got to the dining area, your father immediately started to speak “I want you to meet someone.” he said, gesturing to the boy beside him. As your head turns, you recognize this boy as none other than Peter Parker. “Peter?!” 

“Y/N?!” you both scream at the same time. “What are you doing here?” you asked, your eyes wide, surprise lacing your voice. “What am I doing here? The better question is what are you doing here?” he squeaked, his expression matching yours. “Woah, Woah, Woah, you two know each other?” Tony asked, just as confused as you were. “Yes we know each other, he’s basically my best friend,” you explained, Tony’s jaw dropping to the ground. “So that’s why you never let me come to your house,” chuckled Peter, finally putting all the pieces together. “Yea, that’s why.” you gently smiled. “Let’s introduce again, shall we? Hello, I’m Y/N, Y/N Stark.” you introduced yourself, making Peter laugh slightly. “Hey Y/N, I’m Peter Parker, also known as Spider-man.” now it was your turn to be surprised. “You’re Spider-man?!?” you asked. “And you’re a Stark! We’re even.” 

“I guess we are.”

Once you got to the compound, everyone was already there, even Morgan, to your surprise. “Mom, what’s Morgan doing here?” you question. “Wait a second, mom what are you doing here??” you now almost scream. “Didn’t Dad tell you?” she says and you shook your head no. “Oh, well, I told him to tell you, but what can you expect from Tony Stark?” she sighs. “Last mission went wrong and now a HYDRA base knows the addresses of all the Avengers, including ours, that’s why I’m here. And about Morgan... well we couldn’t reach Jenna, so we took her with us.” she frowns. “Oh, okay-” you were cut off, by none other than the famous Captain America. “Okay, so, I know you’re probably asking yourself ´What the hell are we doing here on our free day?´ but I have a good explanation for it. It has come to our attention that while we were on our last mission, fighting off HYDRA agents, some of them snuck into our jet and stole some information, including our home addresses. Now, since more than half of us lives here, or is from another planet,” he says, gesturing to Thor, “it’s not so serious, except for Tony, Pepper, Y/N, Peter, and Bruce. Your addresses have been compromised, so I would suggest for you to stay here for a couple of weeks, just to be safe.” he ends his long explanation, and all of you agree to stay here. “Wow, I need to call Aunt May,” says Peter, and you nod, gesturing for him to go. After you shoo Peter away, to go and talk to May, Pietro appears behind you, his usual smirk printed on his lips “Hey, printsessa.” he greets and you wave. “Hello Pietro, how are you?” you smile, his presence always making you happy, no matter how hard the day was. “I’m good, you?" he questions. “I’m okay, it just sucks a little, all this not-going-home thing. But at least I get the time to hang out with my favorite speedster.” you chuckle, Pietro joining. You make small talk, just usual things. Somehow you end on the couch and the next time you look at the clock, it’s already time for dinner. Today is Wanda’s turn to cook, and to say you are starving is an understatement. You couldn’t wait for her famous paprikash.

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

It’s been a couple of days since the meeting and you and Peter just came back from school, to a very unusual scene. Before you, there are all the Avengers, looking at something on the big screen. You and Peter look at each other confused, as to what could leave them in such a state. As you get closer, you see what they’re all so interested in. It’s a show called Soy Luna and you burst out laughing, now all the attention focusing on you. “Y-you’re watch-watching Soy Lu-Luna?” you say through giggles, making some of them blush. “Well, as a matter of fact, it really sucks you in.” defends Natasha, receiving hums of agreement. “Sure, whatever you say.”

“On which episode are you?” Peter asks. “I think it’s season 3, episode 25,” answers Wanda. “Oh my god, I love this episode, scoot over,” you say to Bucky, gesturing for him to move. He moves a little to the right, making space between him and Wanda. You sit in the middle while Peter sits on the ground, besides Steve. “Morgan wanted to watch it, right?” you ask, a smirk still playing on your lips. “Yea.” Wanda sighs defeated, and your smile widens, just a little. Right as you were about to turn your attention to the screen, Morgan appears in front of your eyes. “Hey bubba, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be watching the series?” you question, your brows furrowed. “Yea, I just wanted to be with you!” she exclaims and turns around, sitting into your lap. “Awwww,” you whisper, overwhelmed with her cuteness. 10 minutes in, Morgan screams that your favorite song is coming. “Look Y/N, Matteo is about to perform your favorite song!”

“You’re right Morgan,” you say, trying to calm her down from her excited state. “Will you sing it? Pleaseee,” she demands, looking at you with puppy eyes. Oh, damn it, not her puppy eyes, you think, agreeing, because c’mon, who can say no to those pretty eyes of hers. “But only because you asked nicely,” you add, making Morgan smile. Soon enough, the first tunes of Quiero verte sonreir start to play. She looks at you expectantly, as do all the others. Right before you start singing you make eye contact with Pietro. 

“No lo puedo evitar,

yo no te dejo de pensar,

y las noches son frías si tú no estás.

No lo puedo entender,

como no te has dado cuenta...”

(I can’t help it, I can’t stop thinking about you, and the nights are cold, if you’re not here. I don’t understand, how you haven’t noticed...)

There’s something in his eyes, that makes you not look away, not wanting to look away. Finally, your stare breaks, as Morgan bumps you, wanting some attention. “...Pero tengo miedo de pensar,

que no te vayas enamorar...”

(...But I'm afraid to think, that you’re not going to fall in love...)

You bump her nose, making your heart feel loved, because you made your little sister happy, even if just for two minutes.

Your eyes are back on Pietro, decided to dedicate the chorus to him, even if he doesn’t understand you.

“... Quiero verte sonreír,

quiero verte junto a mí,

no puedo ya no quiero,

no es fácil ocultar mis miedos...”

(I want to see you smile, I want to see you next to me, I can’t take it anymore, I don’t want to, it's not easy to hide my fears...) 

But you forgot there’s someone else in the room, who speaks Spanish fluently. As the song comes to an end, you know what’s coming, so right when you finish with your singing, you quickly scream: “Someone cover Morgan’s eyes, she’s too innocent to see what’s coming.” as a joke, not expecting for Bucky to actually cover her eyes. “Oi, Barnes, I was kidding!” you say while laughing your ass off. You spend the rest of your afternoon with your team, binge-watching Soy Luna, completely falling into trance. The duty of cooking dinner falls on you and Peter, others still not turning their eyes away from the screen. You decided to cook Mac and cheese, the only thing you both actually know how to cook. “How long have you been into Pietro?” he suddenly asks, making you choke on your water. “Wh- what?” you struggle while coughing, Peter tapping you on your back, helping you to regain your breath again. “C’mon, you don’t have to pretend with me.” he smiles, reminding you just how of an awesome friend he is. “Is it that obvious?” you ask, looking at him like you just swallowed a spider. “No, but I notice these things, the way you look at him, the way your lips always form a smile, the second you lay eyes on him, the way you speak to him like you’re gonna melt any second. Besides, I speak Spanish, so that right there,” he gestures to the living room, “tells me enough.” he finishes with a light chuckle. “Shit, I forgot you understand Spanish,” you exclaim, joining him. “Soo, you like me?” you hear someone say, his thick accent lacing his voice, knowing who he was. “Fuck,” you whisper under your breath, slowly turning around. “How much have you heard?” you carefully ask, scrunching your nose and closing your eyes. “Enough,” he says, that adorably annoying smirk playing on his lips. “I’m gonna just slowly go, because, well, this is awkward.” Peter quickly exits the kitchen, making you angry at him for leaving. “Is it true?” you hear him say, and you focus your attention back on him. Oh, fuck it, you think before speaking “Yes, it is. But I know you don’t feel the same, so can we just pretend this didn’t happen, because I don’t want to make things akw-” he crashes his lips onto yours, guiding them into a sweet yet passionate kiss. His hands are on your waist, yours travelling up his body till you reach his hair, slowly playing with his blond curls. Cheers erupt from the door, making you look at them. And there they are, the whole team clapping and cheering, a “Finally! I couldn’t take the tension anymore!” escaping Wanda, making you chuckle. “I hate all of you, I swear to god,” you say, looking away from them and into those beautiful ocean eyes of his.

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

Taglist: @voidmalfoy @cunningambitousdetermined @crazy-beautiful @rorybutnotgilmore

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[mylutteoheart]

Cómo Le Digo

I’m finally posting this here. Sorry for the delay! I haven’t been very productive lately due to getting distracted by Siempre Fui Yo and a book I’m reading. Anyway, I wrote this due to a discussion in the sl discord chat, they gave me the idea to do a kind of fix-it fic of the scene where Luna and Matteo talk on the red bridge after the Roller Jam of the day of the dead. You know the one where Michel interrupted them and threw Matteo’s ring in the water by accident. In this fic, Matteo is determined to have a talk with Luna and no one will stop him.

This is loosely based off a song from Siempre Fui Yo

find my other fics here

Matteo couldn't get the roller jam out of his head. All the events that happened kept turning around in his mind.

The way Luna talked so passionately about how much she believed in him. The way she made him believe in himself. How he couldn't stop looking at her while singing Quiero Verte Sonreír. How close they were during his performance. The way she was looking at him while he stood right in front of her while singing. How they almost kissed.

He was all still processing it the next day. He wasn't sure about anything anymore. All he knew was that he couldn't have sung without her. He was more lost than ever for her. He couldn't help it. Loving her was part of him now and he couldn't dare to let it go.

He didn't know how he got to this point but he was looking back on all their moments together.

She taught him how to love, they both hurt each other badly and he couldn't help but blame it on himself. He made so many mistakes.

At first, he thought they could get past it but the more he thinks about it, the less he still thinks that's the case.

How could she possibly love him after everything that happened? But then he flashed back to last night, how close they got and he found himself hoping once again.

They became so close over the past few weeks. The way she helped him, the things she let slip. It all gave him hope she feels the same way as he does.

All the signs pointed to that conclusion but he couldn't allow himself to dream. It would break him if he did. But he knew it would all be worth it if there's even a slightest chance for them.

When they got together, he felt as if they were meant to be. Even if they were too young to think that. The thought never left him, not even now when all seems lost.

He hated that feeling yet it brought him comfort somehow. If this feeling was right, they still need to learn a lot of things but that was the least of his concerns.

He needed to know the truth, he needed to know where he stood with Luna. If he wanted to be absolutely sure about her feelings, they needed to talk. He just didn't know how he could tell her how he felt but he had to if he wanted to get to the bottom of all this.

How could he make it clear? He couldn't just tell her she was the star in the night that illuminated his path in the dark.

He didn't have to think about it for too long because just then, he got a message from Luna asking him to meet her at the bridge in the Japanese garden.

Nerves hit him all of a sudden because he had no idea why she wanted to meet him there. He could take a good guess though. Hope swelled up inside of him and he couldn't stop it.

He had a feeling this meeting was going to be significant.

He jumped up from the couch he was sitting at in the barn. He looked over his outfit, hoping he would look good enough to see her.

He quickly arranged his hair. He didn't think he looked good enough but he couldn't wait to see her. His nerves were getting the better of him.

He hurried over to their bridge, ignoring all the weird looks he got on the way there.

When he saw her, he stopped to admire her when she wasn't looking. She looked beautiful as ever.

As calm as possible, he walked over to her. He tried to look relaxed but he felt his heart beating faster and the nerves kept growing the closer he got to her.

She was about to leave and he called out for her, not wanting her to slip away. Just in time, she turned around to look at him.

She seemed nervous and it made him feel a little better. It meant he wasn't the only one in this.

He was waiting patiently for her to tell him what's going on but the way she talked had him making assumptions. Ones he couldn't afford to have. It didn't keep him from hoping.

She asked him if he really didn't know what she wanted to say but he did. Somehow he knew but that didn't keep him from shooting himself in the foot.

He had to bring up Michel, it was an impulse. A bad one at that and he should know better.

He just had to look back on the way she acted towards Matteo compared to Michel.

He should know better than to think she liked Michel. He was very much aware of it but it was just so hard to believe she would actually feel the same way as he does. It was too good to be true.

He was acting insecure and he realized that he would get nowhere if he kept this up. He had to put his heart on the line one last time to be certain of all his hopes and assumptions.

When she brought out the ring, his fate was sealed and there was no going back now. This is it.

He still had to ask about Michel one last time to be sure.

But then he showed up and Matteo felt his irritation grow bigger.

When Michel said he needed to talk to Luna. Matteo had enough.

"Can it wait? We were talking about something important here," Matteo said, visibly angry.

"Luna?" Michel just asked.

"I'm sorry Michel but Matteo is right. Can we talk later?" Luna said, friendly as always.

"Are you sure?" Michel kept going, he wasn't letting this go, it seemed.

"You heard her. She'll see you later," Matteo interrupted sending a glare his way.

"Okay, bye, Luna," Michel said and left.

Matteo kept looking at Michel, making sure he left for real.

He turned around at the sound of Luna's laugh.

"You really don't like getting interrupted it seems," she said, giving him a loving smile. He was glad she wasn't mad at the way he was acting.

"I just think it's rude to interrupt people when they're clearly having an important conversation," he felt too vulnerable to tell the truth. Not a strange feeling around Luna.

"Haha. Of course, chico fresa," she didn't sound like she believed him.

"Anyway, now that we're alone again. You were saying..." Matteo started, wanting to get back to the interrupted conversation.

"Right, I wanted to talk about us," Luna said, nervous again.

"I'm listening," was all he could say, his nerves coming back for a vengeance. He had to hear her out, it was time they communicated and became honest with each other.

"I'm sure you've noticed how close we grew over the past few weeks and I've really enjoyed all this time," she said, looking down at the ring she was still holding. Finding it too hard to look at him.

"I enjoyed these past few weeks as well. More than I could ever imagine," he said honestly. It felt good to open up to one another. He didn't want to hold anything back anymore but he had to let her say her piece.

She smiled at that and that seemed to relax her a little.

"Look, these past few weeks has made something clear to me. Something I already knew but didn't want to admit until now," she said, looking into his eyes now.

"What's that?" he whispered, waiting until she continued with pure anticipation.

"That I love you, Matteo. I'm in love with you and I can't hide it anymore," she told him, her voice slightly hoarse.

A weight lifted off Matteo ns shoulders and he felt like he could cry but instead, he smiled from ear to ear and laughed with pure delight.

"I love you too, Luna. So much," he practically shouted, "I can't believe this is happening."

"Well, allow me to prove to you that this is real," she said mishievously.

Before he could ask what she meant, he put her hands on his cheeks and pulled him towards her. Before he knew it, her lips were touching his. It only took him a second to answer her kiss with his own. Their lips moved against each other and every bad feeling he felt until then faded away and all he could feel was Luna. Her mouth and her waist where his hands were holding her.

Soon enough they pulled away to get some air. Both smiling from ear to ear.

Matteo's hopes just became more solid and his fears were nowhere to be found.

He felt light, nothing could stop him now and he couldn't help but joke: "Imagine what would have happened if I didn't send Michel away."

She laughed in answer and that's all he needed to hear to know this is real and not a dream.

He couldn't remember why he ever thought Michel and Luna had something. He now sees clearer than ever that all this time, she liked Matteo and no one else. The feeling made him feel the happiest he'd ever been.

He hoped this feeling would never fade away. But right now, he was just glad to be in the moment. With the girl he's always loved. Swearing to himself he would always listen to her and talk to her and be completely open with her.

That's the promise he made for himself, learning from their past mistakes.

[sapphire374]

Soy Sol: Chapter 10 (Hopeful Curiosity)

Wattpad Link

Ch.1 / Ch.2 / Ch.3 / Ch.4 / Ch.5 / Ch.6 / Ch.7 / Ch.8 / Ch.9 / Ch.11 / Ch.12 / Ch.13 / Ch.14 / Ch.15 / Ch.16 / Ch.17

The gang is huddled around each other at the Jam and Roller rink. Ámbar proceeds to glance over her clipboard that carries the original sign-up sheet. “So, Ámbar, do we have enough members to make up a team for the competition.” Ámbar quickly looks Luna in the eyes and decides to call out the list of names. “The official Jam and Roller team members are Luna, Simon, Matteo, Gaston, Ramiro, Jim, Delfi, Pedro and Jazmin.” Everyone starts counting with their fingers but before anyone gets the chance to start counting, Gaston and Nina both yell out “that’s nine members, we’re missing one.” Luna rollers towards Ámbar. “Ámbar you’re not on the list. Are you going to join us? Please, pretty please join us. Whether you would like to admit it or not, you’re one of the best roller skaters out there and we need you.”

Ámbar takes a big gulp of air, processing everything that’s going on. Luna’s pout with her watery eyes has made Ámbar reconsider her decision. Before she always wanted the worst for Luna, but the past few years has made them become inseparable. She now views Luna as her younger sister plus being the manager of the gang’s favorite place has made her feel as everyone’s bigger sister, being the mature one. Ambar gives in. “Fine, I’ll do it. Especially since you guys need me so much. You guys aren’t wrong though, I am the best,” Ámbar jokes. The whole gang cheers, everyone jumps up and down and excitement enters the room.

Everyone is huddled as they all set their hands out and chant, “ready! One, two, three Jam and Roller!” Juliana enters through the chaos of excitement. “Opa opa! Seems like the group has never separated and feels closer than ever.” The gang all turn around facing her, their faces show signs of shock. No one was expecting this except one certain person in the room. “Juliana! You’re back! Wait how did you know we got the team back together for a competition?” Simón asks. “A little birdy called me and said that a certain team needed my help so I came as quick as I can.” The whole gang starts whispering, wondering who was it that reached out to her. Luna gives Ámbar and Simón a little smirk.

“So have you guys chosen which song you all are going to skate to?” Juliana questions. “Nope,” Ámbar answers. That’s when the idea hits Simón. “I have an idea! Maybe not only the team gets back together for this competition, but also the band? What do you guys say, Nico, Pedro?” Simón suggests. Nico and Pedro look at each other in disbelief and with a loss of words. “Uhh yes of course! You have no idea how long I’ve missed playing on the drums,” Pedro states. “And you guys have no idea how long I’ve missed collaborating the three of us together again,” Nico chimes in. “I guess that settles it. The band is back!!” Simón announces. The room is filled with so many emotions as everyone is so excited about what’s to come next. True nostalgia and memories really do start coming back to them since working together and competing to save their beloved place truly brings them back to old times. Just like how Matteo and Luna wouldn’t stop stealing glances at each other through the midst of it all.

This competition will be fierce including what’s called two stages. The first stage is the basic entry in which they record a video of their performance, the second stage is where they have the official competition. They first though have to make it through the first stage. For the next few days, Juliana tries to prepare them with some exercises since it has been years some of them roller skated. Then they gradually learned again how to do some simple routines as pairs then as groups. Before the gang knew it, in a week they have mastered all the skills and are ready to practice the actual choreography for the performance. Luna and Matteo still haven’t talked much though, yet they’re constant staring proves to show that they still miss and love each other.

Monday Evening at the Jam and Roller (after about a week and a half)

Juliana tells the gang that they can rest, and training has just finished. The group has finally mastered the double turns alignment but are struggling with air spins. Matteo heads over to Luna like old times, while she’s drinking water near the rails. “What’s the matter Chica Delivery? Has all the training finally tired you out?” Matteo flirtatiously says. Luna tries to hide her blushed cheeks and smirks at his comment. “Chico fresa you know that can never happen. My internal adrenaline is endless.” Luna and Matteo begin to laugh. Luna stops once she remembers why she was trying to avoid him for the longest. “Matteo don’t think I forgot everything that has happened.” She begins to stare at the floor, holding back a tear. “I’ve already apologized, what more do you want?” Matteo begs.

“You know that’s not the issue. I just feel like I can’t trust you anymore. You promised me you wouldn’t lie to me anymore and that’s exactly what you did. I don’t want our relationship to be built out of lies. I’d rather stay single instead of having someone stab me in the back unaware.” Matteo widely opens his eyes, it feels like someone has sucker punched him in the gut. For a long time, Matteo has tried to prove to Luna he has changed and does truly care about her, how can one little lie bring all the pain back. “Luna, you know I would never want to break your heart or ‘stab you in the back.’ I just lied about this because I knew you would get jealous of me hanging out with Viviana.” Luna gasps in astonishment. “Jealous! Now that’s a joke right there. For me to be jealous of her, that would mean I would want to be like her or want something she has but that’s not the case at all. I’m happy with the life I live and don’t want to change it. I just don’t like how close she’s been with you. You know I’m okay with you having female friends, but not when one tries to kiss you when I’m not around and constantly wrapping her arms around you. Even the news outlets think you broke up with me and dating her because of how much ‘quality time’ you guys spend together.”

Matteo responds with, “You know how much I miss it when you call me Chico Fresa and miss these fun bantering moments. I would never fall for her because you’re my one true love. You may not be jealous of her but you’re jealous of her getting to spend time with me. Is that it? You want to hang out more with me? How do I make it up to you?” Luna shakes her head and says, “You just don’t get it and it’s okay. I don’t feel like arguing today.” Luna rollers away and Matteo covers his face as he lays his elbows on the silver polished rails. Gastón heads to him and pats his shoulder. “She still hasn’t forgiven you?” Matteo shakes his head in response. His phone begins to ring in the pocket of his jeans. He lifts himself up and pulls it out. “Hello…. yes……. Already in a week? ..... ah I see, okay that seems appropriate I guess…...tomorrow okay, I’ll see you then.” Matteo hangs up and places his phone in his pocket again. “Who was that?” Gastón questions. “It’s my manager. They’re planning to release my music video with Viviana at the end of this week. Usually, we don’t release music videos this early but apparently she demanded for it since it would look good and perfect for this summer. Well to prepare for the release, they want me to perform with her in a live concert.” Matteo’s expression shows his stress and frustration. “But what about the Jam and Roller training?” Gastón asks him. “I’ll try to practice for the concert before the Jam and Roller training starts every day and the concert is on Saturday so that day I guess I’ll just miss training for that one day. I have no other choice.”

Gastón keeps thinking and doesn’t say a word till an amazing idea slips in his head. “I just got it! I just thought of the perfect plan that’ll get Luna to forgive you and get back together with her.” Matteo starts smiling as Gastón whispers the plan into his left ear. “Hermano, you’re a genius.”

The Benson Mansion

Ámbar doesn’t stop glaring at the letter in front of her. It was the original copy that was locked up in Sharon’s vault. This was what her biological mom wrote to her before she gave her away, it includes her phone number. She wants to call that number, desperately wants to but what if this number doesn’t work anymore? Or what if it does? She feels so confused. The closer the wedding gets, the scarier it feels for her. She wants to invite her biological mom and maybe even Sharon, she’s just undecided. It’s more than just complicated for her.

She sucks up every bit of courage left in her, grabs her phone and types in the numbers smeared at the bottom of the letter. It’s…. ringing. The longer she has to wait, the faster her heart beats. The phone stops ringing. “Hello,” the person on the other end answers. Ámbar’s voice begins to crack, “Uh… yes is this Sylvana Ariel?” Ámbar takes a big gulp of air. The person on the other end responds, “yes this is she. Who do I have the pleasure speaking to?” When Ambar hears that it’s her, she decides to move forward with the plan of meeting her. Maybe it was destiny for her to still have this phone number for so many years? “Yes, this is Ámbar, Ámbar Smith. We need to talk. Are you available today?” Ámbar takes control of the situation showing no signs of hesitation, even though her heart says otherwise. “Oh Ámbar? Yes, I’m available today.” Ámbar takes one good look at the letter and answers back, “Good. Meet me at Pachani’s restaurant today at 7 p.m.” The lady answers with an okay before Ámbar hangs up the phone.

She didn’t know this day would come so soon. Getting to meet her birth mother. What should she say? What should she do? Maybe this would help her understand her whole story and discover more who she really is before she gets married. Simón walks into the living room. “There you are. I thought you would be at the Jam and Roller; you never miss an afternoon of work?” Ámbar quickly folds the letter and slips it into her purse. “Oh yeah I just came home to… find another bridal magazine. I thought I left one of my favorite ones here in the living room.” Simón scrunches up his face, “here? In the living room of the Benson Mansion? But you always look at them at our apartment?” Ámbar clasps her purse and places the strap around her arm. “Oh well I sometimes look at them here whenever I visit the Valentes and have a cup of coffee, by mistake one of these days I left my bridal magazine.” Simón nods showing how he understands. “So how are bridal things going?”

“Pretty smooth. Luna and Nina agreed to go order the sets of flowers and decorations at the boutique right across town,” Ámbar states. “Oh, that’s nice. Luna and Nina were so kind to offer their help. What would we do without them?”

“Yes, I agree. We’re very lucky to have them indeed. Um there is one thing I forgot to tell you. At around 7 p.m I won’t be at home yet, I have a meeting with some other law school students for this project we have going on, so I won’t be home.”

Simón’s smile fades away. “Aww I’ll miss you, but I do wish you good luck on the project. I know you’ll do great on it.” Ámbar smiles from thinking how lucky she is to have a caring, understanding partner by her side. They hug each other and head out of the mansion.

*Gif not made by me. Owner of gif's name is at the bottom right hand corner :) *

Lacey’s Boutique

Luna and Nina wait at the front desk holding a slip of paper that carries a list of things they need to purchase for Ámbar’s wedding. “He said that?” Nina whispers. “Yep, I can’t believe he called me jealous when he was the one who lied and created this whole mess in the first place. When we got back together, we agreed on no secrets and to always communicate. That’s the only way a relationship can go well, just look at Ámbar and Simón?”

“I absolutely agree. I felt awful when Gaston spied on me that day, so I understand what you mean. Luckily everything is fixed now,” Nina cheers. “I’m happy for you Nina, sadly in between Matteo and I is a person who doesn’t stop flirting and hanging out with him. Plus, it’s so obvious too, even Simón thought he was dating Viviana and broke up with me. I can’t believe Matteo doesn’t believe me and instead calls me jealous. After everything we’ve been through.” The cashier heads to the counter and Luna and Nina’s conversation ends. “So, is this the list for everything?” Luna nods in approval. “Okay great, everything will be prepared in time and the delivery will be sent to the place on the date of the card.” Luna picks up the card and puts it away in her tiny backpack.

“Thank you,” she begins to head out before the cashier stops her. “Wait, I have something to give you.” He pulls out another card from his pocket. “Here’s my phone number, maybe we can have a cup of coffee together someday if you’d like?” Luna is speechless and turns to Nina for a choice of words. Nina shrugs and seems to be just as confused as her. “Um... well the thing is I’m in a relationship… well right at this moment I’m not sure…. Honestly I don’t know it’s complicated me and my boyfriend well after what he did, I don’t think he’s still my boyfriend but I don’t know…” Luna stops talking when the cashier extremely perplexed expression shows vividly. “Um… well once you get all that resorted and decide not to be with this… complicated person feel free to give me a call.” He leaves and heads to the back of the store. “Luna, I’m shocked he’s still into you after everything you blurted out. I think you even fried his brain.” Nina and Luna giggle their way out.

Jim and Yam’s Apartment

Ramiro adjusts the collar of his nicely firm long sleeve button up shirt. He’s holding a bouquet of sunflowers and is trying to collect the right words to say to Yam. He knocks on the door and waits for a response. “I’m coming,” she says. For Ramiro, hearing Yam’s voice is like a breath of fresh air.

She opens the door and is surprised to see Ramiro’s well put together fit. “Before you say anything I want to do this right. Yam, I know our relationship has been like an ongoing rollercoaster, we’ve been through the ups and the downs but the one thing that has always stayed constant is my love for you. After everything that has happened, I always knew I love you and my path ends up meeting yours. Yam would you like to go on a date with me?” Yam covers her mouth in amusement. She’s appalled from the beautiful surprise he’s presented her, and with a speech too. Usually, Ramiro is too cool for all of this but seeing what he has done has proven enough to Yam that he’s committed. “Ramiro of course, I would love to. In fact, I was always thinking what took you so long?” Yam begins to chuckle. “I guess fear from this not working out, but you can’t always live in fear for the rest of your life.”

Yam jumps into Ramiro’s arms and kisses him on the cheek.

[marciego]

I know that l am annoying when l always ask this, but it is interesthing to see how people's views develop.

Your opinions on all the canon SL ships this far?

you're not annoying don't worry :) you like these ships and it's only natural you want to know what people think about them!

so here we go!

luna/matteo: I AM SO ANGRY ABOUT THEM because if i take some of their scenes out of context i can kind of see it? there are times where they HAVE cute scenes if you ignore everything matteo has done outside of that, and it's just...sad to ruin what could be simply cute because matteo is one giant dick 92% of the time. i'm sorry but i just can't forgive what he did to ambar (and is STILL DOING because since luna got with simon he went back to using ambar lmao, also how the fuck does no one point out how fucked up it is that he starts being cold and annoying with luna again when she gets a bf lmao he's such an asshole). also there's possibly nothing more boring than the "uwu misunderstood boy who is not actually that mean changes when he meets the Right Girl tm (and obviously if he was awful to women before that it was their fault because they were evil and shallow gfs right)" trope, it's annoying on every single level and i couldn't care less about it. in conclusion sometimes they have cute scenes and i find myself smiling at them but then i remember it's matteo i'm smiling at and i immediately stop, why the hell is he endgame

luna/simon: they're not endgame so i'm not sure you wanted me to include them? but oh well it's my post and they're the only canon ship i like so i have to say it. I LOVE THEM, if i were to write their story myself i would write a lot of things differently because after matteo kissed luna their whole drama wasn't very good (i have my hc on simon's life that kinda justified it, but from a canon point of view i've never been fan of the fact that he left his COUNTRY for luna, and the fact that he was willing to give up everything because of her doesn't really sit right with me, but bad writing decisions won't stop me from shipping them) and after that the daniela arc was genuinely super bad, plus since they started dating they're super cute but i'm WORRIED of what they'll choose to do with them but. BUT. they're just so so wholesome? their relationship is SO good and i love some good best friends to lovers, i know the show wants me to believe luna doesn't actually love him etc but it's just not true lol (the things you write for drama) and i adore how cute she is when she's with him, but more than that i love how despite their feelings they are still and will always be best friends first, that's simply the kind of thing i fall for. also the fact that they gave lumon eres but didn't make them endgame is beyond me but anyway

nina/gaston: i have.....conflicted feelings about them. at the beginning of the season i had a very bad first impression of them, but when i learned to know gaston better and saw their scenes during the photography class i was like, you know what, maybe i can get behind it. but then felicity appeared and i just...feel very weird about it. first of all i find this plotline so fucking boring, but outside of that i just....don't believe in gaston's feelings for felicity. it just feels fake so i can't get behind it, and the thing is, since they started their felicity plotline they completely ignored nina? like idk i think i could have liked gaston and nina, not gaston and felicity. idk but i assumed their development would be gaston and nina getting closer naturally and maybe giving up a bit on the felicity part? but it's not the case at all, i have 15-ish episodes left and gaston is nice to nina because he's a nice guy but he doesn't feel anything for her and he's solely focused on felicity, so what's next? he's gonna find out she's felicity and be like "oh yeah i'm actually in love with nina"? because if that's what they're gonna do with them i simply do not want to see it tbh. i don't believe in his feelings for felicity, and i don't think loving felicity and loving nina is the same thing, so if that's what they're going to do i know i won't like it. now i hope it won't be the case and i'll like them! who knows! but yeah so far i'm...conflicted. tho i gotta say, props to them for the felicity costume because that's definitely a glow up from roxy, you actually don't recognize her

jim/nico: next time they have a scene together i'm straight up closing disney+ idc i have reached my limit

yam/ramiro: they're both very good characters and their relationship is fun but sometimes a girl gotta be a lesbian. but they're the canon couple i'm the most neutral about i think, they're here, that's cool you know, i don't have strong feelings about them

pedro/delfi: i think i like them? i loved their friendship but i'm afraid they're gonna ruin them szdefrg. but so far very wholesome, i love delfi and i feel like pedro can be really good for her so let's go!! the only canon couple i like with lumon hell yeah

i didn't say anything about them but miguel and monica are the goat and i can't say anything about simbar yet! i wasn't that kind to most couples here so i hope you didn't mind, but this was my honest and detailed answer, thank you for the ask <33

[hide-in-imagination]

"Roads That Cross... on a Day Off"

You can read the previous chapters here: (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16), (17), (18), (19), (20), (21)

——————————————————————————

Inspired by 'Call it what you want', which is honestly THE simbar song. The author regrets nothing.

——————————————————————————

Simón’s left arm was asleep.

He noticed it the moment he woke up, but he refused to move. The prettiest head of blonde locks was using it as a pillow, and who was he to disturb her?

It was a rare occurrence that he woke up before Ámbar. She was a natural early riser while he liked to sleep as much as possible. He usually woke up from her movements as she started her day, or— and this was his favorite— with some caress or kisses from her part. He could start becoming a morning person if that was what awaited him.

So, uncommon as it was, he wanted to cherish this, just this, having her close in complete calmness. Ámbar’s back was to his chest, their legs close together, and his free arm was around her middle, holding her against him. He wanted to run his hand over her skin, or maybe take hers in his, but he didn’t want to risk anything putting an end to this moment.

He fleetingly wondered how long his arm could go without blood flow before it did some damage.

Oh well, who cared.

He couldn’t see her face spooning her like this, but he noticed when she started waking because the even rhythm of her breathing he had been following changed. She began to move, stretching slightly in a way that pressed her back more into him. Simón did hold her hand then and kissed her shoulder. She hummed softly and turned her head to look at him.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” he said with a smile.

“Good morning,” she murmured, her voice groggy from sleep. She rolled to rest her head on his chest, which his left arm appreciated. He laid on his back. “What time is it?” She asked after a moment of just relishing the closeness.

Simón extended his right arm over to the nightstand to check his phone. “Almost eleven.”

“Eleven?!” Ámbar jumped, as if he’d said four in the afternoon. “Wow, I hadn’t slept in this much in a long time…” She said, recovering from the surprise. She brought her gaze to his with a coquettish look. “You really wore me out.”

Simón smiled smugly and gave a small shrug. “Well, what can I say? I like to be very thorough,” he said playfully. “Or… maybe all of this was part of my evil plan to get you to let me sleep until a decent hour.”

She raised her brows. “Decent hour? By the time we go downstairs, we might as well have lunch.”

He gave her a look. “You’re totally exaggerating, it’s not that late.” He turned on his side and ran his knuckles softly over her right arm. “And anyway, I wasn’t planning on going to the dining room.” He smiled at her. “How does breakfast in bed sound?”

Her eyes sparkled. “Really?”

“Of course. It’s the least my queen deserves.”

She tilted her head to the side with the cutest melted smile.

“Aww.” She cupped his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. “I love you.”

He gave her another peck. “I love you more.”

She drew back with a gasp in fake outrage. “You do not want to start that discussion, mister.”

“Oh really?” He said, playing along.

“Yep, because you’re going to lose,” she said confidently. “So better give up now while you still can.”

He smirked. “Or what?”

Ámbar’s eyes narrowed with challenge just as he wanted. With the hint of a smile on her lips, she rose and sat astride him, keeping his gaze from above.

“Or I’ll have to show you just how wrong you are.”

Simón kept his mask of a straight face. “That remains to be seen.”

One beat later, he went and flipped her over, making her explode into giggles that he captured with kisses in between his own smiles.

Maybe breakfast could wait.

*****************

The instant that “Esta Noche No Paro” stopped playing, claps and cheers replaced the music. Gastón was fascinated with the final product. It was magical to see everything put together when he’d been right there, in front of the camera, not knowing the shots that would come out of it. He was happy to see that both his dance moves and the choreography’s synch had come out great, but even more than that, he was happy to see the twinkle on Matteo’s eyes and the huge grin that split his face in two. They’d watched the video at the Roller with Delfi, Jazmín, Pedro and Ramiro, and Gastón could honestly say that Matteo and Delfi deserved all the praises that came their way— The video was amazing.

Everyone was very excited, so much so that Pedro gave them all smoothies on the house. Gastón had missed hanging out with his friends like this, a lot. Just their cheery conversations were sweeter than any drink. It was good to be back, no matter how short the visit.

The group dispersed after a while, everyone continuing their daily routines. Gastón and Matteo stayed on a table, Matteo still stuck on the video.

“It’s just… I really think if there is one person that should be receiving praises right now, it’s Luna,” he said, half awed by her, half lamenting she wasn’t there. “I mean, she came up with the video, shemade it happen… I really don’t know how to thank her for all of this.”

Gastón looked at his friend and pretended to think for a second. “Mmm, I don’t know, maybe you could give her a bouquet of flowers,” he proposed, which Matteo seemed to like. “… And, while you’re at it, get back together with her.”

Matteo immediately became self-conscious. Gastón pushed forward. “Come on, dude, I’ve been here for a total of two days and it’s already obvious to me that you two still care about each other. Can you explain to me why you’re not together yet?”

Matteo averted his gaze, looking disheartened. “… A lot of things happened. Every time we get closer, we end up hurting each other and… Luna doesn’t feel the same way anymore.”

Gastón looked at him in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? Matteo, she organized a whole music video for you. To cheer you up, to make youhappy. What else do you want? For her to write it in the sky?”

Tentatively, Matteo brought his gaze to his. “You really think so?”

“Everyone thinks so,” he declared. “You just need to gather the courage and go for it.”

Hope and worry mixed in Matteo’s expression. He looked down, seeming deep in thought. Gastón wished he didn’t drown in those thoughts of his so much and listened to his heart.

Just then, Nina entered the Roller with Jim and Yam and his eyes followed her as she walked over to a table, settling with her laptop as they talked about one thing or another.

Gastón filled his lungs with a big, deep breath. Time to start following his own advice.

***********************

By the time they finally deigned to leave the bed it was like two in the afternoon, and only because Ámbar thought it’d be a bad idea to introduce herself to Simón’s mom while in bed with him. She wanted to make a good impression— The woman didn’t need to know how she was defiling her son.

They sat on one of the couches in the living room for a more neutral setting. Ámbar chose a white top with a white linen sweater over it for the occasion. It made her look harmless enough. She also liked how its black and cream pearl embellishments combined with her dark jeans, and the weather had been a bit cooler lately. Simón had also opted for wearing his jean shirt over his purple t-shirt instead of tying it around his hips for that same reason.

They settled in front of her laptop’s screen for the video chat. It had been Ámbar’s idea to have it through there so it was more comfortable, that way neither side had to be holding up a phone.

Just as Simón had told her, the call hadn’t been a serious affair at all. She’d been a little nervous at the beginning, but Simón’s mom’s wide smile and warm personality put her at ease quickly. The woman didn’t seem to hate her at all, and she seemed too genuine to be pretending to like her. She reminded her so much of Simón. She knew that he mostly looked like his dad from the photos she’d seen on his Instagram, but he had his mother’s eyes, and the more Ámbar talked to the woman, the more pieces of him she found in her. It warmed her heart.

It wasn’t a very long chat, but Simón’s mom found the time to tell her a fun story of when Simón was a kid, much to his embarrassment and her insurmountable enjoyment. She promised to show her the family photo albums when she visited Cancún. Ámbar loved the idea.

“You’ll have to show me your photos too then,” Simón told her, his eyes shining with excitement and curiosity.

Ámbar did her best to keep her smile in place. She didn’t have any photos from when she was a kid that she knew of. Sharon wasn’t one for sentimentalities like that. If she had any, they were probably taken by Amanda on specific dates like her first day at kindergarten and at the Blake. Maybe some from old birthdays. Ámbar had no idea where those could be though… if Sharon had kept them at all.

The only old photos she knew she had were from photoshoots. She’d first asked for one when she turned twelve, and had some more done after that. When all cellphones started having decent cameras, it became easier to have photos.

Ámbar chose not to say any of it, and tried not to let it darken her mood, but the bitter reminder stuck on the back of her mind. The contrast between Simón’s mom’s sweetness and the cold, scolding texts she’d been receiving from Sharon was too great. Ámbar was ignoring them. Her godmother had no right to reprimand her for anything when she was keeping her secret at the expense of jeopardizing her happiness.

The video call ended with Simón’s mom teasingly warning him to behave and giving Ámbar permission to put him in his place if he didn’t. The irony of Ámbar promising to keep him on the right track was not lost on her, but it was just playfulness in the end. She only hoped that the future plans they’d talked about did come to pass.

After that, Simón insisted on inviting her out for lunch. “When was the last time we had time for an actual date? We need to seize this opportunity!” He took her to a restaurant he’d visited before with Pedro and Nico. It was nothing fancy, completely unlike the restaurants Sharon took her to the times they ate outside, but it was nice, and the food was delicious. The company was the best part, of course. Ámbar felt like she could’ve eaten anything and anywhere as long as she was with Simón. She nursed her drink slowly just so they could stay there longer, smiling and conversing. She suspected he did the same.

They had a brief fight over who would pay the bill. Ámbar argued that there was no need for him to spend money on her when she had more than she needed, but Simón insisted that he had invited her so it should be his treat. She proposed splitting it, but Simón wanted to pay for both. Sensing that it was important to him, she relented.

She grabbed his hand as they left and they walked down the street with their fingers interlocked. Ámbar would’ve been happy to just walk around with him for the rest of the afternoon until the sun went down, but he proposed they went back to the mansion.

When they got there though, she didn’t get to cross the front door before Simón stopped her.

“Wait for me right here, don’t move.”

Ámbar frowned but did as told while he disappeared inside, curious as to what idea he’d come up with.

He reappeared about five minutes later, with both hands behind his back, sign that he was hiding something.

“Okay, so, um, I want to make you a surprise,” he started.

She smiled with interest. “Okay…”

“But, in order to do that, I’m going to need you to be out of the mansion for a while.”

Ámbar raised a brow. Now this was unexpected, but she was too curious to say no. “Like for how long?”

“I don’t know, an hour?”

“And… what am I supposed to do in the meantime?”

Simón finally brought his hands forward, revealing one pair of her skates and her helmet. “You can rollerskate,” he said cheerily. “I’ve noticed that with so much work you haven’t found much time to do so lately. And, I mean, it’s a shame really, to deny the world the chance of seeing the queen of the rink in action.”

Her heart melted with the flattery, and especially for how thoughtful a gesture it was. “You’re so cute. But the idea of this day was to spend it together,” she argued, moving closer to place her hands on his shoulders. “I would rather skate with you. I miss it.”

He showed a sympathetic smile. “Me too. We can do that if we find some time at work one of these days. But now,” he handed her her things, “you can have some alone time and clear your head.”

Ámbar received them with an acquiescent smile. “Okay.”

“I’ll text you when you can come back.”

“Okay. Just try not to destroy my house with whatever you have planned.”

Simón chuckled. “I won’t. I may have to borrow a couple of things though, you don’t mind?”

She shrugged. “You live here, grab whatever you like.”

They shared a short parting kiss.

“Have fun,” he said with a smile.

Ámbar gave him one last peck just because she could and left.

**********************

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.”

Nina smoothed her hands down her skirt. They were sweating so hard, and she knew it had nothing to do with the mellow autumn sun shining over them in the quiet square.

It was all about the boy in front of her, who’d always had the ability to make her heart pound. And to whom, she realized, she still hadn’t said anything.

“Yeah, well, we’re still friends, right?” She somehow managed to articulate nervously, trying to show a smile. “I mean, if you need something, advice or anything like that, I can help. Although, I don’t know if I’d really be much help. Maybe you should talk about it with Matteo?”

Gastón looked at her in silence, in the eyes, in a way that did nothing to calm her heart.

“Matteo can’t help me with this,” he said, just the slightest hint of sadness in his voice showing he wished it were not so. “No one, really... It is about you and me.”

Yes, that was exactly what she’d feared. “…You wanna talk about us?”

Gastón nodded solemnly.

“Could we take a seat?” He invited her gently, signaling to the bench right next to them.

They both sat, keeping some small distance between them, but they were still very close. When had been the last time they’d been this close? Alone? Nina was having a hard time keeping his gaze. She was gripping the strap of her bag so hard her fingers would probably hurt later.

“Look, Nina,” Gastón started, his tense shoulders the only thing that betrayed he was nervous too, “I’ve been thinking a lot these past few weeks… and you have no idea how much I miss you.”

Her heart clenched painfully.

God, how many times had she dreamed with him saying those words? So many scenarios, so many things she’d wished to say. And now she was frozen.

“Every second I’m not studying I think of you,” Gastón continued, his emotion-filled voice hitting her with each word. “Hell, even when I’m studying I think of you— That I haven’t failed a class is a miracle.” He looked down, ashamed. “And I know that saying this now is unfair when it was me who wanted to end it but… I need to correct my mistake.” Gastón looked up. Honest, determined eyes bore into hers. “I want us to be together again, Nina. I want you to be my girlfriend.”

Nina felt herself tremble.

“I… I don’t understand,” she uttered, her brain registering the words but unable to process them. Or perhaps she was too scared to. “What happened with all you said? What happened with not making each other suffer and letting destiny bring us back together someday if it was meant to be?” She’d held on to that. To the belief that their names were being kept by the sea and maybe they’d find each other in the future. She’d accepted that, and now he…

“That was before my best friend fell off a fence,” Gastón said, somber, and his expression just quieted her once more. “He could’ve died, Nina. One bad hit in the head is all it takes. And I would’ve been a hemisphere away.” His hands clenched. His face reflected how much the idea tormented him. “I started thinking of possibilities. Matteo could’ve died or ended up in vegetative state or in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Accidents happen every day— And what if it had been you?” He said, his eyes dancing between hers in fear. “What if something had happened to you and I wouldn’t have been able to be there?” His jaw set. His head shook slightly. “I can’t trust a hypothetical future when I could die tomorrow.”

Nina’s throat tightened. “Don’t say things so horrible, please.”

“It’s true,” he dismissed her pleading, not harshly but with the calmness of someone who has complete certainty of what he’s saying. “That’s why I had to come. For Matteo, and for you. To ask you to give me another chance.”

He seemed to want to hold her hands but didn’t dare to do so. They fell back on the bench, right on the edge of the flounce of her skirt. Nina had no chance to be either disappointed or relieved by that because his eyes held her captive.

“I’m so sorry,” Gastón said, like from the bottom of his heart. “I gave up on us too soon. I was a coward; I see that now. I thought I was doing what was best for us, so we wouldn’t have to suffer from being so far apart. But maybe I was just thinking of myself and what I thought would hurt me less. Maybe I was just too afraid of you finding some other guy… And now, because of that, my greatest fear came true,” he said dejectedly, averting his gaze. “I’ve been told that you have a thing with Eric…”

“No!”

The word was pulled from her lips before she made a conscious decision. She was not surprised to see the surprise in Gastón’s eyes because she was caught off guard too. She began to backtrack rapidly.

“I mean… He’s a very sweet guy,” she said, because not saying it would be unfair. Just the fact that she’d denied him so adamantly made her feel mean. “We see each other every day and we talk. We’re kinda similar, we get along very well. And…” She doubted. She felt awkward telling him all this, but after everything Gastón had said to her, she had to be honest, she couldn’t act like there was nothing there. “…He likes me…”

She decided not to mention the kiss. It’d been a mistake and Eric had apologized. But by Gastón’s face, she might as well have.

He looked down, putting on a solemn mask. “…I understand.”

“No, you can’t understand,” Nina said immediately, and this time she meant the strength with which she spoke. She didn’t know where it came from but suddenly it was burning, and when he met her gaze this time, she looked at him straight on. “You can’t possibly understand because I don’t. Everyone’s telling me that I should give Eric a chance and, honestly, there are many reasons why I should, starting with the fact that he’s here and wants to be with me, but I can’t even think about being with Eric because I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Now it was him that was rendered speechless. His eyes searched hers, a new light in them, and she’d already taken the jump, so she let the words fall whenever they led her.

“You may have gone very far away physically, but you stayed in my heart,” she confessed. The most real, hardest truth she’d ever had to admit. “And with it stayed the sadness, and this horrible feeling that I’m missing something…”

Gastón didn’t doubt this time— He took her hands in his.

“I feel the same,” he said with both relief and desperation. “I’ve been feeling the same way all these weeks, Nina. I miss you like I didn’t even think I could miss someone. I’ve been so angry at myself for letting you go when it was the last thing I wanted.” His right thumb ran over her knuckles and he followed the caress with his eyes. Nina felt it like a spark. “I know I have no right to ask you anything… But I just can’t go back without at least trying to get you back.”

“…But then… we’d be together but apart again?” She said, discouraged by that bleak future. They’d already been through that— Did he really want to go back to it?

“You were the one who said that I was never really gone,” he noted. “As long as we still have each other here…” He brought their joined hands to his chest. “…Isn’t that all that matters?”

She didn’t know if she could feel his heart against her fingers or if it seemed so because she could see it through his eyes. She was too overwhelmed. “Gastón—”

“Say yes, Nina.” He squeezed her hands. “Please.”

She wanted to say yes. She wanted to jump into his arms and hug him tightly. She wanted to believe that love conquered all and they would be okay.

But she had thought that once. She’d believed it with all her heart, all through that summer, only for him to put an end to the story she’d been trying to write.

She couldn’t just forget about all the nights she’d spent crying over him since then. Names in the sea or not, it had been the death of something and she’d mourned it. Her heart was just starting to heal a little and he wanted her to rip all the carefully placed stitches and re-open the wound once more?

What if it just bled out again? What if their love wasn’t enough?

“… I need to think about it.”

Gastón looked disheartened but nodded and let go of her hands, lowering them slowly. “Yeah, of course. I understand.” He tucked his hands inside the pockets of his jacket, like stopping himself from reaching for her once more. “I leave in three days. If you could tell me by then…”

Nina nodded, utterly unsure of how she was even gonna make heads of what she felt to come to an answer, but knowing that it was the least Gastón deserved, and she as well.

She either chose to give themselves another chance… or she closed this chapter forever.

She knew it wouldn’t be easy no matter which she chose.

****************

Luna couldn’t understand what was happening.

She’d gone out for ice cream with Michel just like they’d promised. One second they were goofing around, laughing like always, and then the next, Michel was kissing her.

She froze, her brain scrambling to comprehend the situation. She hadn’t expected a kiss. She hadn’t given any sign for a kiss. He hadn’t just stumbled and fallen into her mouth, right? Nono, he was holding her face, and the way he was pressing against her lips was way too deliberate. Which meant it wasn’t a joke either, and even if it had been, it’d be a terrible one.

Finally, the repulsion she felt broke through the paralysis of confusion and she pulled away from Michel.

“What are you doing?” She asked, shaken up.

Michel was grinning. “I don’t know, I kissed you,” he said with a dreamy expression like something magical had just happened.

Meanwhile, it must have been one of the few times in her life Luna couldn’t see any good in a situation.

“Yeah, I realize that,” she replied, and she really couldn’t help the bite in her voice. “But, why? I mean, I didn’t— I never told you to kiss me!”

Michel’s shoulders deflated and his smile began to fade. “What are you saying? You didn’t like it?”

“Michel, how could I like it?” She honestly couldn’t believe he was even asking right now. Was he that detached from reality? In what world did he think this was okay? “We talked about this, didn’t we? Yesterday.”

“Yes, but,” he showed a tentative smile, “you said we are like birds of a feather and that you like hanging out with me…”

“Yeah, as friends,” she declared, keeping his gaze so he knew she was serious. A grimace wrinkled her face from all this situation. “God, Michel, you misunderstood everything, I thought we’d made things clear.”

Michel’s face finally lost all its light and became covered with remorse. “Luna, I’m sorry. Can we talk about this?”

“Why, I don’t know— Are we gonna talk and then you’ll try to kiss me tomorrow?!”

At seeing him wince in pain and regret, Luna’s outrage decreased somewhat; she didn’t want to be mean.

She closed her eyes, sighing heavily. “Look, Michel, I’m sorry, but this made me very uncomfortable and I need to go.”

She passed by his side and walked away, not looking back once, even when she heard him calling her name.

She wasn’t just shocked, she was hurting. She trusted Michel, she thought they were friends, she thought this outing had been as friends— Had he been just waiting for an opportunity to do this? Couldn’t he have at least leaned in slowly so she could move away instead of grabbing her face like that?

She rubbed her lips with the back of her hand as if that would somehow erase it. She knew it was just a kiss and she was probably exaggerating but… If she said she didn’t want something and then he just did it anyway, that was… that was just wrong.

She speed-walked to her house, wanting nothing more than to forget this happened.

A few meters away, a fresh bouquet of flowers laid discarded on the ground.

**********************

Ámbar felt the fresh air against her face. She closed her eyes for a moment, just taking in the feeling of her racing heart and the energy flowing through her muscles. She really had missed this.

She was standing by the lime green railing of the center of the park, her back and elbows resting on the metal as she took a break to refill her energy. She’d done pirouettes and jumps around this fenced circumference for a little over an hour, earning some appreciative stares from people passing by, which she enjoyed greatly. She loved feeling admired, especially because she loved what she did and knew how hard it’d been to reach this level. She remembered how her love for rollerskating had been born and wondered if any of the people who’d seen her today had left wanting to learn how to do the same. She hoped they tried it— It was a beautiful sport.

Eventually, she’d dropped the techniques and just skated around the park, looking at the scenery, at the sky, just letting her mind wander as the homely feeling of sliding on wheels lulled her accumulated stress away. When had been the last time she’d skated just for the sake of it, no choreographies or competitions in mind? It seemed like a lifetime ago.

A vibration on her jeans pocket made her open her eyes. Her heart jumped with excitement. She pulled out her phone and saw the contact she had been waiting for.

My love💙: All done, you can come back 👍

My love💙: Go directly to your room

Ámbar skated to a nearby bench to take off her helmet and change back into her boots. She wondered what Simón had planned. Maybe he’d cooked her something? She knew he and Pedro used to take care of cooking when they lived in the loft. Nico apparently couldn’t be trusted to make toasts without burning them. She wondered what kind of dishes Simón knew how to make. Maybe he could teach her some and she could make him pancakes. She was sure she could do it with some guidance from Mónica.

The idea made her smile as she made her way back to the mansion. She quickly wiped it off when she realized, showing a neutral face instead. Oh god, she’d just smiled to herself in the middle of the street. Was this what had become of her? Ámbar Smith, smiling in public like a love-struck fool. She blamed Simón.

She welcomed the heating system when she entered the mansion. She hadn’t realized how the early evening air had cooled her until she felt the contrast with indoors. Following Simón’s instruction, she rearranged her stuff in her hands and climbed up the staircase.

The minute she walked into her room, she stopped in her tracks.

“What the…”

Half her room had been invaded by bedsheets. From the foot of her bed to the back was some kind of tunnel made of different blankets, which didn’t reach higher than her waist. Some things from her shelves were on top of the ends of the blankets on each side; she gathered they worked as weights so the blankets didn’t fall off. The back of the tunnel opened into her closet. She could hardly see it— It was completely covered by bedsheets. It was like having a tent in her room.

At the front of the tunnel, she recognized the pink round ottoman she usually kept in her closet. It was standing on its side instead of the usual way, so it blocked the entrance to the archway of fabrics. Just then, she watched it slide to the right, leaned against her bedside. Behind it, crawling to fit under the blankets, appeared Simón, grinning from ear to ear.

“Surprise.”

Ámbar’s mouth was hanging open.

“I… What is all this?” She said with a stupefied smile.

“You said you’d never built blanket forts before, so I decided to make one for you,” he announced cheerily. “Come on in, check it out.” He crawled to the back. “Close in your way in!”

Still dumbfounded, Ámbar left her rollerskates and helmet on the floor next to her vanity. Usually, she’d put them back in their place first thing, but considering her closet was now a fort, that would have to wait.

She kicked off her boots and got on her knees to enter the tunnel. As she went inside, the construction became more evident: The blankets were hanging from her vanity’s chair, one of her sofa chairs and her desk on the left side, and from her bed, her second sofa chair and her pink bench on the right. She turned to put the ottoman back in its place and realized it basically worked as a sliding door. Wow, her boyfriend was so clever.

She crawled to the back, where Simón was waiting for her, sitting crossed-legged. The whole floor was covered in her dark grey carpet, and there were many pillows and blankets placed around. Bedsheet walls —there was no other way to describe it— flowed down at her right, left and in front of her closet’s shelves. Ámbar simply couldn’t believe her eyes.

“I asked Mónica to make us some snacks,” Simón said, still smiling, placing a small tray with food and drinks between them as she sat on his left. “I gathered you’d be hungry from skating. Oh! Wait, I forgot something.” He reached for an extension cord on his right and flicked the switch. Light shone all around them. “There you go.”

Ámbar looked around. Two garland lights had lit up, one on each side of them. She looked up, finding an arrangement of tiny golden lights illuminating the bedsheet ceiling. Were those Christmas lights? Where had he even gotten those?

The more she looked, the more details of his work she noticed. The bedsheet walls existed because he’d attached two parallel strings from the back of the closet to the front to hang them from. He’d taken care of hiding the cables of the lights so they wouldn’t disturb the space. There were at least three bedsheets, and she wasn’t even going to count the number of blankets he’d used in all of this.

She remembered his words that morning in the bathtub. “Don’t you feel like we’re in our own little world like this?”

It did feel like that. Like he had built a world just for her.

“Wow…”

“Do you like it?”

She could feel his eyes on her, but she couldn’t tear her own from the splendor around her.

“It’s… perfect,” she said with some difficulty. Her throat had gotten tight. No one had ever put this much effort into doing something for her.

“I mean…” Simón relativized, looking around with a little grimace. “I did have to tape a lot of things together because they kept falling off…”

“Do not mess with my fort; it’s perfect,” she countered him strongly, trying to hide the tremble in her voice.

Simón chuckled lightly. His eyes stared into hers, and he must have noticed the emotion in them because his expression softened. He didn’t comment on it, just handed her a snack from the tray with a gentle smile. “Let’s eat then.”

They shared the food in comfortable silence until conversation arose naturally. How had her skating gone, how he’d found Christmas lights. It didn’t go any deeper than that.

Once finished, Simón slid the tray outside of the bedsheet wall. “To make sure we don’t knock over anything. I’ll take it back later.”

Ámbar leaned on her hands to move closer to him and kissed him. She needed to do so for a while now. He tasted of the juice he’d just drunk. It stayed on her lips as she pulled away.

“So,” she said curiously, “what do we do now?”

“I’m not sure,” Simón replied, and began to pile some pillows behind them, against the closet’s doors. “Usually when I did this I was with a friend or a cousin.”

Ámbar settled against the pillows as he did the same. “And what did you do with them?”

“We talked about kid stuff, like videogames or cartoons we were watching…”

“Uh huh…”

“Or we imagined that this was our secret base and we were professional spies, and we had to crack some code to get into the bad guys’ files or infiltrate their base to beat them.”

She gave him an appreciative look. “You’re saying I’m dating an ex-CIA agent? That’s hot.”

“Who said I ever retired?” He replied with a flirty brow lift.

Both chuckled. They shared a soft peck and Ámbar snuggled closer to him, circling her arms around his middle and resting her head on his shoulder.

“What about you?” He asked, moving some strands of her hair back. She looked up at him. “What did you play with your friends?”

“We usually invented stories for the barbies.” She dug deep into her memories, bringing back those moments long past that she hadn’t thought of in years. “Like, there was Sofía, Nicole and Camila and they were best friends, and they did everything together, from shopping to saving the world…”

“That sounds very cool.”

“It was, until Camila found out that Nicole had hooked up with her boyfriend.”

His eyes widened. “Nooo.”

“Yes.”

“That bitch.”

“Right? How could she do that to her after she bought her tickets to Milan’s fashion week?”

“The audacity. I hope Camila put her in her place.”

“Hell yeah she did. We cut her hair and everything.”

Both laughed. The things one did as a kid.

“There was this other story,” she continued after a while, “in which the doll was in love with this guy that was about to fly to another country, so she had to run to the airport to catch him before he left to tell him she loved him, but the craziest things happened to her on the way there, making it suuuper difficult.”

“Did she ever catch him?”

Ámbar turned pensive.

“I wanna believe she did,” she responded. “That she told him she loved him, and he loved her too, and they lived happily ever after.” She looked up at Simón.

“Even with the distance?” He asked, caressing her arm softly.

“Well, no one says he could never come back,” she stated. “Or she could’ve gone to him. I’m sure they found a way.”

Simón smiled, looking into her eyes as he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Yeah, I think so too.”

Their gazes stayed locked until the gravity pulled them in. Their mouths met for a long second, fitting perfectly against the other’s. The kiss turned into many— Soft, languid touches of their lips that felt better than even skating.

“Did you do this with your friends too?” She couldn’t help but quip.

Simón let out a laugh. “Definitely not.” And he went back to kissing her.

Ámbar felt light; lighter than she ever remembered being. Safe, calm, warm— Like wrapped in a blanket after having been cold. Simón was like that. Like the first sunny days after winter. Like a warm bath after a long day. Like sitting in front of the hearth after having been drenched in the rain. Little things that made everything better. He was made of them, and he took care of giving her each one.

He didn’t only help her find who she wanted to be, but he also allowed her to be the carefree little girl she never got to be. Simón gave her things she didn’t realize she needed until she lived them.

Ámbar pulled back slowly and looked into his eyes.

“My love?”

“Yes?”

She curled her fingers around his t-shirt, trying to find the words to express everything she felt.

“Really, thank you so much for this. It’s… the nicest thing someone has ever done for me and…” She swallowed. “I love you. So much. So much so that it kind of makes me wanna cry.” She chuckled weakly, a little strangled.

Simón’s eyes danced with hers, deep and soft and yet burning.

He smiled and held one of her hands. “Ámbar Smith… You are my heart. I swear if it beats it’s because of you. Why should you thank me for anything if thanks to you I’m alive?”

Ámbar’s throat got too tight to answer. Her heart was beating hard in her chest, like trying to go to him. All of her, from the tips of her fingers to the soles of her feet, yearned to cling to him.

She pulled his face to hers and joined their lips tightly.

Simón responded like he felt the same, with the same depth and intensity, but she doubted he could love her a third of how much she loved him.

They unclothed each other slowly, kissing reverently each extension of skin they uncovered. Under those sheets and golden lights, Ámbar felt like they were the only thing that existed. The universe started and ended with him— With each touch of his hands, each kiss from his lips.

The fur of the carpet was soft against her back as he slid inside of her. They gasped against each other’s mouths, a shared sound of rightness. Ámbar embraced him with her whole body and breathed in his scent as she followed the gentle rocking.

Simón left kisses on her cheek, her neck, her collarbone. Ámbar dug her fingers into the softness of his hair and she stared at their fort. The lights above looked like stars. Her eyes absorbed each wrinkle, each mix of color, each scotch tape attached to a fabric. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She would’ve changed all her wealth for having this. For having Simón. Always.

He was pushing deep between her legs, as if he too wanted to live inside her and never leave her side. He panted her name and she held him tighter, feeling how the sensations flooded her and stole her breath.

He touched her where they were joined, looked into her eyes, and then everything exploded, turning Ámbar into stardust.

She was barely corporeal as she felt Simón let go, dissolve in her with his breath against her neck.

A tear fell down her cheek.

Simón saw the wet trail when he straightened and, instantly, his face filled with worry. He opened his mouth and Ámbar could see the questions in his eyes. What happened? Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?

But he didn’t voice any of them. Because he looked into her eyes and he understood. Just like that, he understood. Ámbar loved him even more for it.

Simón gave her a soft smile, with just the slightest speck of sadness, and kissed the salt off her skin. That was what he always did— Accept the fragile and unsure her, not just the laughs and her best moments.

She used to think she had to be perfect to be loved. He showed her that wasn’t needed.

Simón grabbed a blanket to cover them both and brought her to his chest. Ámbar pressed her forehead to his warm skin and closed her eyes.

“I wish we never had to leave this fort,” she said softly. “We could just stay here forever. Freeze time, right on this moment.”

Then she wouldn’t have to worry anymore. She wouldn’t have to keep secrets. She wouldn’t get scared every time she felt happy. They’d never have the chance to break each other’s hearts.

She felt the vibrations on his chest as Simón hummed.

“That would be nice…” He agreed, weakly gracing her shoulder with movements of his thumb. “But I’m more excited about all the new things I can still share with you.”

Her breathing stopped for a second. Ámbar looked up and found Simón smiling at her, that smile that was the sweetest she had ever known and sometimes wondered how her life had been before she saw it. His eyes were shining, full of possibilities.

Ámbar looked at him, and against all odds, she began to laugh.

“What?” Simón asked, but she just shook her head, looking away in disbelief.

How was it that he could brighten everything with just one phrase? One second to the other, just like that? It wasn’t fair. It almost made it seem like everything she’d been worrying about were just silly things. So not fair.

Ámbar sighed, and after a beat, brought her gaze back to him.

“Do you like pancakes?”

Simón frowned, clearly confused by the change of topic. “Yeah, why?”

Ámbar smiled and settled back with her head against his chest.

“No reason.”

…

..

.

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

(I had never written Gastina, so apology to the shippers if I didn’t get it right, but I believe it turned out pretty decent.)

Not a lot of plot advancement on this one, but I really wanted to give them, and you, this one sweet moment to hold onto. I've had the draft for this last scene since July 16th of *last year*, just so you get an idea of how long I have to wait to post the things I have in mind.

I really love this chapter, I hope you do too <3

I'll leave some reference pictures here. The first one is a drawing that I made. It was only meant for me to visualize the fort, so I apologize for the mess. If I had planned back then to share it with you guys, I would've made it prettier 😅

[from-red-string]

Before the Storm

It's finally here!! The first day of 2021 Soy Luna fic week!!

It's been a few years since I last wrote a Soy Luna fic, so I took this chance to look for characters and interactions I didn't explore before.

I hope you enjoy reading it!

Day 1

Prompt: “Hey, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve turned your entire living room into a blanket fort and I have no plan in taking it down any time soon.” 

Summary: Matteo told them he never had a blanket fort since he kept moving and his parents were too strict to let him have friends at home. Gastón and Ámbar decided to surprise him.

Warning: probably not canon accurate, they're 14

Genre: fluff

Pairing: Matteo Balsano x Ámbar Smith, Gastón

Matteo got home feeling strange, it became unusual for him to be alone after school. Ever since he came to Buenos Aires, Gastón would never leave him alone, and even when Gastón wasn't around Ámbar was, there's not a lot of time to feel lonely with them. Gastón spent so much time in his house, that Matteo's dad once questioned if Gastón didn't have a home while Alana, the housekeeper, knew Gastón better than her boss' likes.

But today, he couldn't find them anywhere, not in school, not in the Jam & Roller, even Delfi and Jazmín didn't know where exactly Ámbar was. They only know each other for 4 months, he didn't want to go to their houses.

Opening the door, he was surprised to see white shapes moving in the center of his living.

"This won't stay up. You need to fix that end on the couch." He recognized that voice as Ámbar, immediately felt puzzled about what she was doing. Gastón stepped out of the white cover.

"I think I know how to build a fort, Ámbar. I did that all the time when we were younger, you always did the inside." Matteo had no idea what he was talking about but giggled what the image of younger Gastón and Ámbar in a tent his mind created, the sound got Gastón's attention. “Hey, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve turned your entire living room into a blanket fort and I have no plan in taking it down any time soon.”

"I don't, but did you kidnap Alana? She would never allow this." Matteo set his backpack beside the couch taking his shoes off while Ámbar came out of the blanket fort.

"She'd when she learned about a certain 14 years old sad Italian who never had a friend’s sleepover." She stated but didn't look at him, Ámbar's eyes analyzed the fort making sure it wouldn't fall.

"Plus, she loves me." Gastón gave a smug grin and Matteo laughed. He couldn't believe they were in his house making a blanket fort. When he was a kid, he always wanted to have friends around and build a blanket fort, but his parent never let his friends stay over, he never had close friends since he was moving around. Matteo gave up on having a blanket fort with friends when he was 10. It's not like he's an adult at 14, but at some point, he accepted it wouldn't happen, he got used to getting friends quickly but also letting go of them as fast. Now he felt silly for being happy at such childish desires.

"Are you Matteo or Gastón? I can't tell the difference anymore, you need to spend less time with Matteo." Ámbar teased waving her hand in Gastón face while he pouted at her then smiled.

"I don't want to… Unless that's your way of saying you want him to yoursel..." Ámbar interrupted Gastón by throwing a cushion on him. Matteo noticed she was getting closer to him in the last months, he wasn't aware Gastón knew it too.

"Are you okay?" Ámbar asked Matteo who was quiet for too long. Before he could answer her she continued. "We said we hope you don't mind but you don't have an option, it's already so just enjoy it." She said that but started walking toward the door with her bag.

"You're leaving?" Matteo followed her confused. "Can't you stay? You made all this." Ámbar's step slowed down, he could see her hesitance. "Is it about your aunt?" Matteo worried, he didn't want to trouble her relationship with Sharon. For the little he could get even though they weren't too close, the aunt is Ámbar's only family. Deeper he could see that everything she did was to get Sharon's attention, although her aunt didn't seem to know it, Ámbar minded her opinions. He saw once how broken she looked after she made a mistake at the school's lab which made their class evacuate the room, the first thing she told him by the time is how disappointed her aunt would be, Ámbar did everything she could to cover it from her aunt, she volunteered to help their science teacher for a month. He wondered how far she would go for Sharon, he feared for Ámbar.

"No, she wouldn't care..." Her feet stopped and she turned around. That answered pain Matteo, she felt alone in her family just like he felt so many times before and it was eating her alive.

"Defli and Jazmín?" Gastón's head appeared at the door. "I told you could call them here, the more the merrier." Matteo wondered how his friend could've known his feelings for Ámbar if he couldn't see Delfi's feelings for himself. Ámbar shook her head.

"They wouldn't like it. Blanket fort is not their thing."

"You can't leave. This was your idea, Ámbar." Gastón insisted surprising Matteo once again. "You said it would be nice for Matteo." He went to the room, leaving the couple in the hall.

"Is it your thing?" Matteo couldn't help but be genuinely curious about Ámbar, she never seemed to step out of her way and always plan her steps. Just like in her skating, she knew all her moves, training them day by day until they were perfect, if her partner fell she'd ask for another one, no hard feeling just her way.

"Blanket fort? No, never." He knew she got what he meant. Is it your thing surprising people for the sake of making them feel better? Being soft for someone else? She began to walk again.

"Ámbar, please..." Matteo said one last time. "I won't tell if you don't." Ámbar froze, her hair whipped around her head, she opened her mouth and Matteo tried to read her but it's impossible to know what was going on in her mind. Was it keeping from Delfi and Jazmín they built a blanket fort? Was it her loneliness beyond the school halls?  Was it her soft side from the world? Whatever she got from his question, Ámbar nodded roaming back to his living room.

During that day, Ámbar seemed a bit freer than outside those walls, Matteo wondered if she felt safe with them, they've already seen her celebrating acing an English test as much as yell frustrated at a failed move when skating, her best and worst.

Later that same year, Matteo and Ámbar started dating but he remembers that day as the major proof of Ámbar's care. Maybe it was the last time he saw a glimpse of who Ámbar was before high schoolbefore she became La Reina de la Pista. He held on to this for as long as he could, believing this Ámbar still lived inside of her somewhere, but the new Ámbar took over and there's not much for him to expect, not when they love each other anymore.

[smolfangirl]

Cómo te pido

Based on the song and mv for “Cristina” by Sebastián Yatra, and some of my own experiences. I hope you enjoy this ♥

Word count: 5.8k

///

Entre tanta gente yo te vi llegar

Algo en el destino me hizo saludar

///

One day off. One single day of getting lost in the city, not found by anyone except himself. That’s all he wants, craves, after weeks and weeks of being praised as someone who exists solely in the minds of the media and his fans.

One day, and he couldn’t even get that.

It starts with some teenagers chilling on the staircase to the metro, asking for pics, and soon they’ll be all over Instagram and a group of paparazzi and reporters will follow him – Matteo knows the deal. The business.

And frankly, he’s tired of it.

///

The moment he steps into the bar, he wonders if this was the right decision. The air feels hot in his lungs, the smell of cigarettes and cheap beer burns in his nose, while his eyes struggle to find the barkeeper in the crowd blocking the counter. He pulls the hood of his sweatshirt deeper into his face before he slowly makes his way to the bar.

No one looks at him for more than just a second.

///

She’s looking at him.

The stage light creates the illusion of a halo around her, and she’s looking at him with a smile so bright and honest, he can’t tear his gaze away from her. At first, he feared she recognized him, saw through his terrible disguise, but the longer he watches her, the more he relaxes. During his career, he’s seen hundred versions of people spotting him and freaking out. That girl is not one of them.

So, he winks back at her.

///

Her voice sounds as sweet and golden as on the stage, like honey that’s sticking to his soul instead of his fingers. She appears next to him out of nowhere, asking if the seat is taken as she already casually jumps on it. With a chuckle, he replies that he won’t ask her to leave, and the moment she directs another smile at him, the burden of being a superstar whirls off his shoulders.

“Do you usually arrive only to see the last performance of the night?” she asks, head tilted. Her hair falls freely over her shoulder, a tangled mess that somehow frames her face perfectly.

Grimacing, he reaches for his drink. The wine still tastes like a grape took a piss in his glass, although that detail is forgotten the instant he figures out what to answer. “No, but usually, the last performance isn’t worth paying attention to.”

“You’ve never been here before.”

“And you’ve never had a drink with someone as cool as me.”

That makes her laugh. He feels pride rushing through his veins, like when his music makes someone happy or when his mom looks at him with tears in her eyes after watching a performance from him.

She leans closer. “Technically, I’m not having a drink right now.”

The smile on his face never leaves, only deepens. “Then it’s about time we change that.”

///

At some point after midnight, long after his phone ran out of battery, the barkeeper releases a heavy sigh and asks them to leave. They’re the only ones left in the entire room.

At the exit, he stops. Glances over his shoulder, at this place he’d never expect to find (or look for). For a few hours, he had a safe haven, away from fans, flashing cameras and obnoxious voices chanting his name. It was worth the stifling air, the hint of vomit out of the toilets, the headache the cheap wine will give him in the morning. Whatever happened tonight will end too soon, even when he’s not ready to give it up just yet.

“You okay?” Luna’s hand lingers on his arm, gently guides him back to reality, where her last laugh still echoes through the bar.

Upon facing her, he discovers a frown on her face. “Yeah, sure. Just wanted to make sure I left nothing behind.”

“Okay.”

The air leaking inside from the entrance hits him with all its coldness, reminding him of what kind of world he’s returning to.

Silencing the sigh rooted in his chest, Matteo hides in his hoodie again. “Okay, let’s go.”

She holds him back. Lets her hand hush over his cheeks, carefully tugging the fabric until the hood falls on his back. “You shouldn’t hide such a beautiful face.”

His breath hitches. Eventually, he whispers back, “You can never be too careful in a city like this.”

“I keep wondering if you’re new around here, you know?”

That’s the curse of being a star, he thinks. He’s not new to this city – or any other – yet knows nothing that exists outside of his hotel and the venue. And with Luna, everything feels new altogether.

“I am.”

She smiles, again, and if every camera in the world had only one picture left, that’s what he’d photograph. “I can show you around then, if you’d like.”

///

Y empecé mis planes para vernos otra vez

///

“You want me to put skates on my feet?” Half protesting, half questioning her, his mind already paints vivid pictures of him in an emergency room, sitting in a wheelchair with one leg and two arms broken, as his manager yells at him.

“What did you think the helmets were for?”

“I don’t know, something less dangerous? Cycling, maybe?”

“Are you trying to tell me you never skated before?”

Matteo sighs, rubbing his arm. “I used to. As a kid.” In the street where his grandparents used to live, back in Italy. Some part of his body always carried a scratch or a bruise during those summer days, he remembers ending up on the ground a lot, and the band-aids his mom used to ease the pain. (With funny little fruits on them.)

Luna dangles her boots in front of him with a smile that sends his heart into overdrive. “Then this will be even more fun.”

“Luna…” His heartbeat picks up at the mere idea of falling. When he was younger, he felt invincible enough to risk it, but looking at her, at the skates, he feels like his whole body is made of glass.

“I’ll hold your hand the entire time.”

Maybe he won’t fall.

///

He can’t remember the last time it’s been so dark around him. On the street, cameras blind him even through his sunglasses. At home, his phone never gives him a rest, blinking for every message, every notification that comes in. Even in the bar they met in light leaked behind closed doors, from the stage or as a broken reflection from a cocktail glass. His whole world is bright and open and cruel – there’s no shadow to make one wrong move in.

Here, everything is dark and soft and honest. When he glimpses behind the curtain, he can see the stars sprinkled over the sky. Next to him, Luna is dozing off, the silver moon light dancing on her cheekbone. He can hear the beat of his own heart, calm and steady in a rhythm it hasn’t found in years.

Just as he closes his eyes, Luna shifts on the mattress until he feels her gaze settle on him. “I can’t believe I’m doing this”, she whispers.

“What, camping?”

“Going on a road trip with someone I barely know. You could be an axe murderer.”

Or worse, a popstar who could get you on the front cover of every gossip magazine you ever heard of. Out loud, he chuckles. “Damn, you caught me. How will you fall asleep now that you discovered my darkest secret?”

She tries to slap him on his arm only to hit his blanket, and he keeps her fingers locked and secure in his own hands. “You know what, Luna, you put up too much of a fight. I’m gonna have mercy on you.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“And you’re freezing.”

Her voice grows softer, shy almost. “The blanket’s not very warm.”

For a moment, they fall quiet. The wind creates a melody in the tree tops, plays with the leaves like a five-year old chasing a ball, and Matteo thinks about the bottom drawer in his mom’s kitchen, the one that doesn’t close completely, because of this one pot that’s a millimeter too big. He thinks about the empty jars his mom keeps in there for her strawberry marmalade, and how he wants to store this feeling in them, forever. This moment, this peace, won’t last, but perhaps he could lock it away, remember it, completely: the wind outside, the muffled rustling from his blanket as he robs closer to her. How her body curves against his like she’s a matching puzzle piece.

How he falls asleep, wondering if all these coincidences that lead him here are just his destiny in disguise.

///

He’s been to many beaches. Beaches in Italy during his childhood, where he mostly cared about how good the sand would build up to castles. Beaches on vacations, where he was surrounded with people who didn’t wish to be bothered by anyone, just like him. Once or twice he performed at a beach festival. He got his skin burned, got tanned. Went swimming and snorkeling and hired jet skis to cruise on the ocean.

He never just stood and watched.

“What a view, huh?”

Next to him, Luna stands in the breeze, eyes half closed as she wears this smile again that could replace the sun. Her dress softly flaps around her legs, and the wind plays with her hair. Yeah, what a view.

“I wonder if there’s a way to get down there,” he says out loud.

Grimacing, she glances down the cliff separating them from the ocean. “Unless you wanna jump down there, I don’t think so.”

“That’s a shame.”

“There’ll be other beaches, you know. That we can actually go to.” Her fingers dance over his arms, the silent encouragement only contradicted by the soft laugh that follows. Goosebumps run over his skin, his stomach ties itself into a knot, but Matteo can’t quite fathom a smile. As long as they’re alone, his mind is too full of her and the rush of emotions she brings along like a fresh breath of air after sitting in the studio all day. But she’ll say something like this, reminding him that there’s more out there, people and social media and another life for him, and his chest tenses until he’s almost suffocating.

Luna has no clue, of course. She doesn’t know better, so she lets him discover her, lets him read through her past and thoughts and feelings like it’s nothing more than a sweet novel to get lost in during vacations. And he knows better, so he turns page after page, trying to memorize the lines, the ticking clock a constant noise in the back of his mind.

The more he gets to know her, the more he dreads going back to the spotlight. (The more he falls for her, too.)

“Let me take a picture of you. With this beach, okay?” he begs her. The dimple on her cheek deepens as she carefully places her camera in his hand. Her touch still lingers on his palm when he snaps the first picture, and he can’t hurry enough to capture the softness in her gaze, or the brightness in her smile. He hasn’t grown tired of admiring her, and with the camera in his hands, he finally allows himself to keep more than just a fond memory. If a few pictures are going to be the only thing left when reality catches him in its iron fist again, he’ll hold onto every tiny snippet of them.

///

Luna takes pictures of him, too. On that cliff, in front of the crystal-clear sky which is only outdone by the shimmering blue of the ocean. In a small town when they wander through the streets and follow graffities bursting with color. When they stumble upon the kid bringing the grey walls to life with his spray cans, and he poses with him as if they were best friends. When she invites him for ice cream and a hungry seagull steals his cone directly out of his hand.

Every night after dawn, she cuddles up to him in the campervan to show him her favorite pictures.

Once, she’s fast asleep next to him, he scrolls through his phone to the file with the pictures from photoshoots and magazine covers. The Matteo in there smiles too, but it isn’t real. Luna brings out the smile in his eyes, and in the picture he’s staring at, the curve on his lips is plastered on like the make-up on his forehead. For his work, he acts like a mannequin, nothing more than a prop to polish someone’s Instagram page and give his fans the illusion of knowing him.

In Luna’s pictures, he’s happy. Silly even, if he wants to. When she focuses her camera on him, there’s no expectation in the little click of the lens, so he lets go and smiles because one look from her pulls the corners of his mouth up. Sometimes she pulls a grimace at him that he copies, and sometimes, he leans down to kiss her cheek right before she takes a selfie.

He hopes that when this is over, she’ll look at these little moments, knowing she unlocked a side of him no one else saw before.

///

Recuerdo todo lo que te gustaba

Y tu camisa que llega a los pies

Esa carita cuando te cantaba por primera vez

///

Her phone died. In the middle of the song, two seconds away from her favorite part, and he expects the pout on her face before he tears his gaze away from the street. Before he met her, he never even heard of the band, too busy with his own music. Now, his fingers tap the melody on the steering wheel with ease, and he finishes the song so naturally like the words were tattooed into his veins. It’s not until he falls silent again that he glimpses over to her.

Tears glisten in her eyes.

“You have a beautiful voice,” she whispers.

“Thanks,” he replies, smiling to himself. (After signing his first contract, he never thought these words could mean so much again.)

“I mean it. I can totally see you becoming a singer or something. Hey, maybe I could ask Simón if he’d be up for a collaboration, or…” Her enthusiasm intensifies with every word she rambles, but it’s not contagious this time, not when his mind already paints a new picture of the worst case. She probably knows her best friend’s phone number by heart, and she’ll sneak his phone out of his pocket to call him, and he’ll know more about a certain Matteo Balsano than she imagines, so she’ll find out who he is (or who everyone else knows him as) and hate him and he’ll have to let her go, and he’s not ready for that.

“Matteo?” Her voice snaps him back to reality. “Are you okay?”

Is he? His knuckles turned white as he’s driving, and he clenches his teeth so hard that his jaw hurts. “Um, sure, yeah. I’m fine. I just don’t think I’m the type for a boy band.”

The frown on her forehead tells him he seriously needs to work on his white lies. But before she gets to needle him with more questions, Matteo gives her his most charming smile and asks, “Are you in for a duet though? Like, right now?”

A few minutes later he thinks that no professionally recorded and produced duet could ever live up to the harmony that is her voice melting into his.

///

Y si pudiera mostrarte

Que estando juntos ya no hay nada que falte

///

She asked him to pull over, again. The coastal view tempted her too much, and she’s sorry and hiding behind her open hair, even when he’s coming to a stop without as much as raising an eyebrow. Leaning against the van, Matteo watches her standing in the breeze, arms wide open, a huge smile on her face. One glance over her shoulder, and he’s by her side. She raises an eyebrow at him, more a challenge than a question, so he smirks and twirls her around until a laugh pearls over her lips. Bumping into his chest, Luna is still giggling, still making his heart feel like a race car that’s cruising his ribcage. With her arms around his neck, she pulls him into a dance along to the rhythm of their heartbeats. (A scene just like a music video, he thinks, except that it’s real.)

She takes the lead. Whirls him around just like he did, fuels him with every look out of her dazzling green eyes. There’s the thought of kissing her, again. A part of him already suspects that he’ll never stop writing songs about her once his lips get to know hers, but this urge never burned him so fast from the inside.

This time, he won’t fight it.

Matteo allows himself to give in, every move is now aimed to get him closer to her, every breath he takes hopes to be shared with her, and he’s falling, falling, falling.

They’re slow dancing now. Her face is hidden in his chest, both arms wrapped around him as if he’s her favorite stuffed animal. The sun creates the illusion of diamonds on her hair, and he feels endlessly torn between soaking up this pure moment, and finally pressing his mouth on hers. Her fingers sneak over his shirt, caress him light as a feather. Matteo is done, defeated, desperate, as her name slips out in nothing more than a whisper.

Their eyes meet.

He leans in.

Thunder growls above them.

Her, ducking away. Pulling him along, towards the van. The moment he blinks up at the sky to the dark clouds sneaking in, she hastily explains, “I think we need to leave now.” He stumbles behind her, speechless. (Because all he feels is her hand intertwined with his fingers.)

///

They don’t talk while Matteo is driving. He’s focused on the road, and the rain clatters on the windscreen too loudly anyway, killing any hope for a conversation. Luna tried to ask him if driving in this weather was a good idea, but the noise swallowed her voice, so she gave up. Now she’s staring into the angry sky outside, pretending she’s not tempted to sneak another glimpse at him, and then another.

Her mind is overflowing with things left unsaid, with confessions and too many questions. He wanted to kiss her, she’s pretty sure about that. And he might still want to kiss her.

Everything else, though, remains a mystery.

How can she be sure she knows him at all, anyway? A book in a foreign language wouldn’t be as hard to decipher as he is. He never mentions his everyday life, or his job. The one time she asked, he said he worked in the entertainment industry, and then he changed the topic. He talks about his childhood, but never his presence. She still doesn’t know why he refused to leave the back of the van three days ago, when she refueled the van and got some snacks in a small city by the coast. Maybe he’s just weird, maybe he’s hiding something, an ex who he’s not keen on running into, or something worse. Maybe she doesn’t want to know.

But these doubts never linger in her mind long enough. Because their eyes meet or he gets her without a single look, or they laugh for ten minutes straight about the same dumb joke, or he smiles at her so gently it takes her breath away. Like right now, as he catches her glare and in an instant, her mouth runs dry.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.” A bold lie. She’s thinking about a lot of things, like how soft his lips look, or how her stomach feels like it might burst and how she wants to be close to him for the rest of her life.

And how he better kiss her soon, because otherwise she definitely will.

///

They end up stranded in the middle of nowhere.

The storm rages on, too harsh for them to keep going, and now they’re in bed, listening to the wind howling. Lightning crushes down somewhere close to the van, for a moment, everything is silver and bright and scary. Then, darkness returns. With a shaky breath, Luna pulls her blanket closer.

“Are you okay?” Matteo whispers. The mattress gives in to his weight as he shifts around, before his hand finds her clenched fist underneath the thin fabric. “You’re cold.”

“You’re hot.”

“May I?”

Her reply, “Sure”, already dies on her tongue. He must have heard it anyway, because he robs closer until she’s in his arms, surrounded by his warmth and his scent and the daydream of his lips on hers. “Thank you,” she says, turning to what she hopes is the outline of his face in the dark.

Lightning, again.

He’s close, closer than she expected. His breath hovers over her face. The memory of this afternoon flickers through her mind, the anticipation that built up ever since they sat in that little bar, the tension in the air when they glimpse at each other at the same time and –

Finally, Matteo kisses her.

///

Solo tienes que saber

Que yo quisiera quedarme

///

Sunlight caresses her cheek. Matteo is feeding her grapes, piece after piece, as he snuggles up to her left side until her blanket becomes kind of redundant. The morning is nothing like last night, quiet and soft, the early sky a canvas of pastels.

“Do you think we can go to the beach today?”

“If we find one, sure.” He nips on his coffee cup, the grapes now out of her reach, then pats over the blanket, probably in search for his phone.

“How come you keep looking for the same things every morning?”

“I don’t know, I swear it was just right here… ah, got it!” A frown finds its way on his forehead while he begins to type. Then, a soft groan, followed by more typing.

She nudges him with her shoulder. “Let me guess, you’re still trying to find a beach where it’s just us?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“There’s nothing wrong with any beach either.”

“Why don’t you just…” He falls silent, gaze suddenly stuck on the screen. The wrinkle above his eyes deepens. His thumb lingers in the air, frozen.

“Why don’t I just what?” Luna asks, her hand finally getting a hold on the grapes, so she at least has something to do.

The sigh he replies with doesn’t exactly promise good news. “I got a text message from work and… seems like they need me back soon.”

Her eyes flutter shut. She thinks of last night, of the dawn, when the first thing she felt upon waking up was his arm loosely wrapped around her, and the second thing his lips greeting her. She thinks of sitting on the beach, a golden sunset in front of them as she steals a kiss from him, safe in his arms. She thinks of the deadlines and unwritten reports and papers waiting for her at home. “How soon?”

“A few days. A week, if I really push it.”

“We’d have to drop off the van early.”

“I don’t want to. I’d rather stay here. With you.” With one hand, Matteo pushes a strand that escaped her ponytail overnight behind her ear. His words hit her straight in her chest, from where a thousand butterflies escape into her bloodstream. “And why can’t you?” she whispers.

“I can’t just… quit. I’m too important there.”

Chuckling, Luna hides her face in his shoulder. When he asks her what’s wrong, she glances up at him, grinning only harder. “You are such a chico fresa, Matteo,” she explains, and the confusion sticks on his face even after she tucks a grape behind his sweet lips.

///

The ocean underneath her feet. The smell of sunscreen lingering in her nose. His smile around her, more constant than the sun in the sky. Her, trailing after him like she’s indeed a silver rocket in the universe and he’s her earth.

For an instant, Luna ponders about this moment, certain she’ll miss it at some point later. But then, he makes her laugh again and all that matters is now.

///

No sé cómo te pido que te enamores

Cuando al final no voy a estar cuando tu llores

(Cuando de ti me enamoré)

///

“Oh my god, guys, that’s Matteo Balsano!” Half a scream, half a whisper. It’s too soon for him to be pulled back into his superstar life, but too late to escape it – that life, his fans, and the realization dawning upon Luna.

“Matteo! Can we take a picture?” Louder. Flashlights. A forced smile on his lips.

“Can you sign this? For Kaylee?”

“Can I have a photo too?” Three phones all up in his face. Four. “I can’t believe we’re running into the Matteo Balsano, just like that!”

Hands, trying to touch whatever is closest to them, trying to nudge him away from where he wants to be. “Why did you disappear for two weeks?”

Luna, gone from his side.

///

Time moves too slowly. She needs answers, explanations. Now. He’s still standing at the other side of the street, those girls stuck to him like fruit flies trapped in honey. She wants them gone, and she wants to be home already, in the silent comfort of her room.

Time moves too quickly. She needs space, something familiar. Her brain is still catching up on what happened, and she’s only halfway through his Wikipedia page. She wants to wake up in bed so this can just be a dream, and she wants yesterday back, with the soft embrace of his arms.

Time moves on. He’s walking towards the van. His face disappears under the hood of his sweater, and she feels like a paparazzi watching him, his every move.

All at once, he’s a stranger to her.

///

“Why?”

“I’m so sorry, Luna.”

She huffs. The sun hits her directly through the windscreen, yet her cheeks heat up for a whole other reason.

“This wasn’t how I wanted you to find out.”

Her gaze fixates on the view outside, the house fronts and parked cars. It’s motionless, not even a breeze softly ruffling through the palm trees. Inside her, everything seems to be moving and stirring. “And how was I supposed to find out? Never?”

If making him speechless is an accomplishment, it doesn’t feel like one. After seconds or minutes or whatever excruciating amount of silence it equals on the clock, he sighs. “Do you know how hard it is to find someone who doesn’t treat you like some kind of god? You made me feel… when I’m with you, I’m different. Someone…”

“Normal?” Bitterness leaks out of her tone, and it poisons her heart. “That sounds terrible, Matteo. And I’m not going to pity you.”

“Happy,” he replies. “I wanted to say that you made me feel like someone happy.”

You made me feel happy too. Those words don’t cross her lips, though. Instead, she turns on the engine and starts driving. (Away from the place where her heart broke, but not away from him.) Taking a shaky breath, he opens his mouth but before he says anything else, Luna drowns his voice with the first radio station she finds. After two minutes, the host announces one of his songs.

She almost smashes the radio with her fist.

///

All day, she waits for dawn to come, for the darkness to match her mood. An hour into driving, Matteo quietly asks her to stop by one of the beaches to their left. She follows him in a safe distance as he watches the ocean. There’s no smile on his face, just a wrinkle on his forehead. Her phone weighs heavy in her pocket, tempting her to snap a picture of him like all the days before. But she no longer feels like she has the right to take a photo of him, which shouldn’t add to her misery this much.

So, now she’s aching for the night to hide him from her eyes.

///

His eyes flutter open in the darkness. The blanket is tangled between his legs, and he feels some part of Luna bumping into him. His heart clenches at the memory of her silence today, or the looks she sent him. He doesn’t know what he expected, only that he hoped, with a little luck, that she’d stay in his life.

There’s no such faith anymore.

Her touch startles him. Slowly, her fingertips draw patterns on his arm, and Matteo isn’t sure if he’s dreaming. “Luna?” he whispers into the silence.

Her hand stops moving, but it stays frozen where it was, which is everything he needs to hope again. “What are we gonna do?” she finally says.

His heart skips a beat, only to riot harder than ever before in his chest. “I don’t know,” he admits, unsure. “I can’t escape this, you know? People will recognize me wherever I go, whether I like it or not. That’s just a part of my life.”

“So, after this, I’ll never see you again?”

He closes his eyes. Sighs. “Would that be a good thing for you?”

Luna hesitates, he can feel it in her fingertips leaving his skin, in the breath she’s holding. Every second in which she keeps him hanging on to the last thread of hope hurts. All he wants is to pull her back into his arms, back to a time where it was just him and her, and reality got no hold on them. And he feels stupid for believing any of this could have lasted.

“No. It wouldn’t.”

Luna buries her head in his shoulder. A sob pearls over her lips, and out of words, he presses a kiss on her hair. “But I can’t do this,” she adds before she rolls over to her side of the bed and shatters his heart into pieces, just like he must’ve earlier.

When he finds his words again, he whispers “I’m sorry I can’t stay”, but she seems to already be asleep.

///

Este amor ya no es mío

///

He’s watching the van being driven away by one of the employees. The sun is setting behind the rental office, sealing the end of his little run from real life. Turning around, his eyes land on Luna, wo’s holding on to her bags as if her life depended on it.

“So, this is it,” he concludes.

She returns his gaze, and the tears shimmering in them feel like a knife to his chest. “I guess.”

“Maybe we could…”  

“Matteo, no.” It sounds as if he’s torturing her, as if nothing brought her more pain than the mere chance to see him again. (If only he knew how to make her smile again…) “We can’t. You know this wouldn’t work.”

With that, she leaves him.

///

Sé que la vida se pasa pero no pasa contigo

///

The next months bring her a lot of opportunities to cry. His new single that her roommate plays on repeat for hours, unaware that the Luna in his song is the same one yelling at her to use headphones. The music video for said single, where he replaces her with a girl who looks nothing like her. His new album, titled Chico Fresa out of all things, and every song that speaks to her. Every single time her thumb hovers over his contact in her phone, until she remembers why she refuses to see him again.

But she learns to stop asking herself “What if”, to stop torturing herself with daydream after daydream. She learns to ignore his voice on the radio and the gossip on the internet. She learns to sleep alone again and get mad enough at him for his lies and songs and calls to move on with her life.

And then she walks into the skating rink on her birthday to a package with her name scribbled on it, inside brand-new skates in the colors of a sunset, along with a card signed by him.

After that, she can’t pretend anymore that she hates him.

///

No tengo la certeza de volverte a ver

Recuérdame

///

The beach in Cancún hasn’t changed. The palm trees along the way, offering some shadow in the merciless midday sun, the scent of salt and sunscreen in the air. The pathway along the ocean she led him to, with her hand in his, which often enough was the only reason his ass didn’t kiss the ground.

Matteo, however, has changed. He has grown, as a person, as a songwriter. Even as a skater – he doesn’t need anyone’s hand anymore in order to keep his balance.

Still, he keeps thinking about her.

Especially here in Mexico, where a year ago, he kissed her, and she claimed his heart only to walk away with it. He wonders what she’s up to, which skating competition she’s training for right now, and if her studies are going well. If there’s someone else, someone new in her life. Someone who isn’t followed by ecstatic fans and paparazzi.

His mind always stumbles over this idea, sooner or later. Not that it’s any of his business. He just wants her to be happy, that’s all. (Is it wrong if he wants her to be happy with him?) And who can blame him when sometimes, missing her overwhelms him, and he can’t stop thinking about what ifs – what if he gave up his career? What if he insisted on seeing her again just a little bit more?

It’s a dangerous path to walk on, and never a gleeful one. So, every time it gets too much to bear, he goes skating.

It’s a routine by now. Matteo puts on his helmet and sunglasses, then his boots. He never goes fast, simply cruising up and down the beach while painting pictures in his head, of her by his side. He imagines her whirling around in pirouettes, jumping and showing off all the tricks he doesn’t dare to try. He imagines the sun adding a soft shimmer to her hair, and her laugh ringing in his ears as he recites the lyrics of the last song he wrote for her. About her. He imagines that he’ll never has to write another song about the moon, because he gets to tell her everything in person.

Her laugh, again.

First, he wonders how clear his memory makes it sound in his ears. Then, he realizes it’s not just an imagination anymore, because Luna is here, for real, a mere hundred meters away. Wearing his skates.

In that moment he knows he’ll have to write another song for her.

[countessofravenclaw]

World es mi Familia

Families grow like threes, there are branches, there are root. Sometimes a branch gets cut off or some branch dies... Sometimes you don't know everything about your family until it's find you, but the case might be that you didn't know that someone was looking

Okay, I'm just gonna drop a note here. This is more a niche story that relies heavily on my several headcanons about Gastón's family. So, if this somehow is your first venture in Soy Luna fanfiction and specifically into my writing, I don't recommend that you start with this. Go read something else of mine first, and get your se acquitted with my version of the post and pre canon of Soy Luna and especially my characterization of Gastón's parents.

“Unión Ferroviaria 2B, Unquillo” Gastón said to the cap driver as he got in and offered his hand for Nina to help her in. 

“I hate that we have to take a taxi,” he said to her as the car pulled away from the Airport of Cordoba. 

“Well, we could not have come by car,” She shot him a pretend annoyed look. “I wasn’t about to allow you to drive for over seven hours straight. And since you don’t let me drive…”

“Hey, that's not the case, I just wanna teach you how to do it first. You have only ever driven in England on the other side of the road. The transition is not as easy as you’d think.”

“Okay, but at least I have a license,” Nina laughed briefly. Gastón was right in a way like he was almost every time. Nina had never driven a car on the ground in Argentina as she only had gotten her license once she had moved to England for college, “I am not like Luna.”

“Yeah,” Gastón laughed, “I don’t envy Matteo if he ever tries to teach her… or worse try to make me do it, since I am a better driver than him.”

“She won’t need a car, she has her skates … but you can be honest if you just don’t want me to damage your car.”

“That is not the case,” he suddenly turned to look at her in the eyes on the back seat of the cap, “Plus it is not my car, it is OURS. You better get used to that.” He took her left hand and drew his finger across her engagement ring. 

“We are there in 10 minutes,” the driver said suddenly, and Nina looked out of the car window. They had exited the centrum of the province of Cordoba to a much more rural area. 

Gastón had decided to take her to see the place where he had been born after they had moved back from Oxford. They were meeting with the rest of his family, whom Nina had never met, to tell them about their engagement. His mother’s whole family still lived there and Gastón had nine cousins. 

They got out of the taxi in front of a small house. Nina looked at it for a while. Isla and Marco were both extremely successful and had acquired large amounts of wealth over the years, so it was easy to forget that they were from extremely humble beginnings. 

“So, this was your aunt's house?” She asked Gastón, feeling the nerves arise in her. She had never met anyone from Gastón’s family outside of his parents and his uncle. She knew that, even if they didn’t get to meet that often, these people meant very much to Isla and Gastón. 

“Yep, it’s Aunt Mía’s and her husband’s. Grandma lives with them nowadays. Aunt Elise and her family live just down the road, but this is the bigger house so that's why we are meeting here.” Gastón opened the gate to the yard. “Mom had tried for years to convince them to let her get them places closer to the city center, since none of them wanted to come to Buenos Aires.” 

Nina nodded. She knew enough about Gastón’s parents’ family history, to know what he meant. Isla and Marco’s success and wealth did not range to their family, since they had acquired all of it themselves. The rest of the Vasquezes—Isla’s family—lived a lower-working-class life, both of her sisters were nurses and brother-in-laws first responders, and life still from time to time was rough on them, especially with so many kids. Gastón’s parents always tried to help them as much as they were allowed. 

“Your grandmother’s name was Jakinda? Right? I don’t want to get any of the names wrong.”

“Hey,” Gastón turned to her, as they came to the door, taking her hands, “don’t be nervous. It is just my family.”

“Yes, “just” your family.” She laughed nervously.

“And you are my future wife, they will love you. It is impossible not to, I would know.” He leaned down to kiss her briefly before ringing the doorbell. 

“Gastón!” After a small moment, a woman in her early forties opened the door. Nina could easily see that this was Isla’s sister. You could see the resemblance very easily. “He’s here!” She turned to shout inside before embracing Gastón thoroughly. 

“Mía, it is so nice to see you again!” Gastón said after being released. 

“You literally look exactly like your father… come on in.” Nina was not sure if Mía had even noticed her, but Gastón grabbed her hand and led her inside the house. 

After they had gotten into the atrium, Nina noticed that there were two other women waiting for them there. A short elderly woman and woman in her late 30s. Gastón was pulled almost immediately into a hug by the elderly woman, who had to be his grandmother. 

“You have grown so much!”

“It has been way too long, grandma,” Gastón responded laughing, “I am sorry I have not been able to come here.”

“I don’t think we can blame you,” The younger woman, who had to be Elise, started speaking after hugging Gastón as well. “You do know that Isla can’t shut up about you usually nor should she. Masters from Oxford, that is huge. You really are Isla and Marco’s son.”

“Well, are you not going to introduce us to your companion?” Mía said after all three women had had their turn hugging Gastón again. Nina had been standing behind all of them during it and three pairs of eyes turned to her as they had finally noticed her.

“Of course,” Gastón walked up to Nina wrapping his arm around her and he brought her forward. “This is Nina, my fiancée.”

“Fiancée?”

“How has Isla been able to keep this to herself? We knew you had a girl, but nothing more. Or have you not told her yet, since then you are in a different type of trouble.”

“Mom knows.” Gastón laughed as they walked toward a room that was supposedly the living room. “I used some heavy words to keep her quiet.”

“That is a task,” Mía laughed as they walked deeper into the house. 

Nina tried not to look like she was inspecting everything while looking around, since she wasn’t. She hadn’t ever been in a house quite like this, and was feeling super snobbish for even making that note. Her parents weren’t millionaires, but she was upper middle class and the daughter of an extremely in demand lawyer and successful game designer. It was maybe good to get reminded of your own privilege sometimes. 

There was nothing wrong with the house, it was well kept and tidy, but clearly there wasn't much money put into it. You could call it a bit of a culture shock in a way, to see how simply Isla’s relatives were really living. There obviously was a better place where the money was going… She felt pretty terrible for making these observations, like she was Jazmin, Delfi and Ambar when they had been kids. 

“Hi guys!” Gastón greeted when they walked to what looked like a living room, filled with kids of varying ages. Nina let go of Gastón’s hand as the youngest ran to hug him first. From what Nina was able to gather was that all of the kids were definitely school age. One of them was 17, soon 18…

“Are you like British now?” One of the younger kids asked Gastón. He had told Nina all of their names, but she had no idea who was who, nor did she know which one of them were Mía’s and which Elise’s. Everyone looked around school age with brown hair and they all seemed to have the golden-brown eye color that Gastón did. 

Nina had noticed how Gastón’s accent got steadily thicker as he kept talking to his family, who obviously lived right here at Cordoba and shared the accent. Normally, his accent was there, but it was a little bit diluted while around everyone else who didn’t have the accent. Nina had only really heard Gastón speaking like this when speaking to his parents privately… 

Right now, she was trying not to get distracted by how attractive the accent sounded when Gastón spoke. This was a family event, and there were children around. She would need to save those thoughts till they got to the hotel. 

“No, I am not British,” Gastón laughed, “But I do speak with a British accent, though.”

“That’s the last thing you need,” The oldest of the kids, a girl in her teens, hugged Gastón. Was this April? “You’re already so high and mighty.”

“I don’t think that’s ever gonna happen” Gastón reached into his pocket, “Oh, and April, I have something for you. I know that your birthday is at the end of the month, but Mom wanted this to be delivered in person.”

“What is it?” 17-year-old April, Mía’s second child, took the card from Gastón. 

“Your birthday present, but Mom said you can open it now.”

Nina watched as April opened the envelope and her eyes scanned the words written on it, before she jumped to hug Gastón again. 

“Please tell Aunt Isla I love her!! I need to call all of my friends! I AM GOING TO UCA!”

During the flight Gastón had revealed that his parents had given him April’s 18th birthday present, so he could give it to her early. The present was that Isla and Marco were going to cover the whole of her college tuition wherever she wanted. They were planning to do that to every one of Isla’s nieces and nephews.

“By the way, where is Jonathan?” Gastón looked around the room.

“He could not get out of university for the weekend.” Jonathan was Mía’s oldest son who was studying at the university of Cordoba. He was the first one Isla and Marco had financed. 

“Okay, shame, I would have liked to see him. Well, I’ll send him a message, we won’t probably have time to go see him there.” Gastón sighed, “Would have liked him to hear the news, but he’ll hear it later.”

“What news?” One of the other girls asked. “We already know that you have a girlfriend, somehow, and a fancy degree from a fancy school. Aunt Isla can’t keep that to herself.” 

“That's the thing,” Gastón went to grab Nina’s hand again, “I don’t have a girlfriend.” 

“Then who's that?” Nina felt the eyes focus on her for the first time. 

“You wanna tell yourself who you are?” Gastón asked. 

“Well, I’m Nina,” Nina started, “Simonetti… for now anyways…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”��

“It means that she’ll be changing her name soon,” Gastón continued, “Nina used to be my girlfriend, but not anymore, since we’re getting married.” 

Nina hadn’t really been sure how the flock of Gastón’s cousins were going to react… At this far, they all kind of seemed to have a sibling relationship with each other. She definitely hadn’t expected the storm of questions that came their way.

“No, you’re just messing with us, right?”

“How much is he paying you?”

“You hate jewelry. How were you able to get a ring?”

“Just because I don’t wear it, doesn’t mean I can’t buy it.” Gastón answered simply and wrapped his arm around Nina. “And I’m not messing with you. At least the last time I asked the answer was yes.”

Their eyes locked a for a moment in a way that surely wasn’t completely appropriate, but who cared—

“Did you say Simonetti?” Nina snapped back into reality, when two of the girls, also in their teens, but definitely younger than April, started staring at her. 

“Yes, my name is Nina Simonetti,” Nina reiterated…as the girls kept staring and then one of them, the shorter one, ran around the corner. 

“She is not Italian if that's what you’re wondering,” Gastón responded, “If she was, I definitely would have some sorta thing for Italians.”

Nina watched the girl who had remained, she did not know her name, was typing something on her phone and glancing at her. Nina got a really uneasy feeling about it. 

“What are you doing Liliana?” Gastón had noticed it too and pulled her closer. At that point the other girl came running from where she had gone—holding a book.

At that moment Nina suddenly remembered Isla saying, when they had been on their way to Gastón’s graduation, that… that couple of her sister’s girls were obsessed with her book. It had completely slipped her mind. 

That was what was definitely going on as the two girls kept staring at her and the book, before suddenly starting to scream. 

“Whoa, okay.” Gastón put himself between the girls and Nina as they dashed toward her. He had noticed how uncomfortable she was looking. “Back it up, 2 meters. Angelina, Liliana, what are you doing?”

“But but, WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL US??” Nina had no idea which one was Liliana and which Angelina, but the two teenage girls were now jumping on their feet in a very Lunaesc manner. 

“OMG!!! This came out over a year ago. You mean that you have known her this whole time, and that you’re marrying her!?!”

“Okay, girls,” a man from the corner, the husband of either Mía or Elise, said, “This is not a way to make the first impression on your cousin’s fiancée, was she some sort of author or not.”

“Oh, sorry.” The girls seem to calm down a bit… “But the book is amazing, I’ve read it so many times. We tried to do some social media stalking but couldn’t find anything. You've been Gastón’s girlfriend this whole time?”

“I’ve known Nina for years, almost ten,” Gastón explained while brushing some hair out of Nina’s face, “She has always been an amazing writer, you’re right about that.”

“Can you sign it?” The shorter of the girls held the book up to Nina, “Please.”

This was definitely the first time this had happened. Well, Luna had made Nina sign three different copies of her book, but she was Luna. Nina hadn’t ever considered herself as somebody who people would be excited to meet, even if they liked the book. 

“Of course.” She was handed a permanent marker and wrote her name onto the back cover. 

“Did you really get it published while you were 22?”

“Well, I wasn’t really serious when I started it.” Nina handed the book back, “I didn’t know what it was going to be, well, until Gastón convinced me that it was worth a shot…” 

“Wait?” The girls were staring at Gastón again, “This exists because of you? I—I can’t even…”

“Sorry about the screaming circus,” Elise said as they sat down on sofas after a while, “We don’t often meet celebrities.”

“No, I am not a celebrity,” Nina shook her head violently, “It’s just one book.”

“There aren't any Matteo Balsano fans here, right?” Gastón asked, “Or Roller Band or even Yamila Sanches, because I think we’re maxed out of fangirling.”

“I have heard of them,” April said while sitting on the armrest of the couch, “Don’t tell me you’re marrying them too.”

“Not like that.”

“Anyway, moving away from that topic,” Mía continued, “Now you need to tell us. Did you meet at Oxford?” 

“No, it is actually quite a long story,” Gastón started explaining. “You know I used to skate, and I was part of the team of Jam & Roller, and so was Nina’s best friend, so we were in the same circles. We both also went to Blake South College. Nina was my high school girlfriend. But then I left for Oxford, but a year later she showed up there and her roommates were my friends… we just could not stay away from each other. I’m kind of surprised that you don’t know about all of this. Mom isn’t good at keeping things.”

“She hasn't kept things. We just didn’t realize that it was just one girl,” Elise responded, “Sounds like you pretty much-repeated history. Just like our darling sister went to college, met and married a rich man, and moved to Buenos Aires leaving all of us behind.”

Nina looked confused for a moment. That was the backstory she had heard about Isla and Marco.

“Elise, don’t tease the poor girl,” Mía slapped her sister on the shoulder. “Only thing true about that was that they met at college. Isla is the best big sister we could have ever hoped for. So, when’s the wedding?”

“Well, we got these for you,” Nina handed Gastón two cards. The save the dates had been their first order of business that they had taken care of as soon as they had come back from their Europe trip with Luna, Matteo, Simon and Ambar. 

“Winter?” Gastón’s grandmother asked, “That’s so soon.” 

“We don’t want to wait,” Nina squeezed Gastón’s hand, “And we’re not going to have a big wedding anyway.”

“It’s gonna be at the Villa?” Mía asked and Nina saw her and Elise exchange a couple of glances with each other and with their husbands. 

“I know what you’re gonna say,” Gastón quickly interjected, “I want all of you to be there. Mom told me to tell you that she and Dad will take care of everything. It’s about time for you to come and visit Buenos Aires.” 

***

“I have honestly missed this so much,” Gastón said as he hugged his grandmother, “I’m sorry we weren’t able to stay longer, but I have to get back to work and everything.”

“I think this was well worth it,” Jakinda stroked him on the cheek, “She’s a pretty girl.”

“Most beautiful in the world.” Gastón smiled as he looked at Nina. “There has never been anyone else for me.

“I trust your judgment on choosing well. Your grandfather would have been proud.”

“I need to call Isla to thank her myself, but please tell her that she is doing way too much for April.” Mía said as she hugged Gastón, “She did not need to do that.”

“You know Mom and Dad do not take no for an answer on this.” Gastón responded. “They want everyone to have the best chance they can for the future.”

“We told April not to expect anything, even after Jonathan. She was already considering other schools, even after getting accepted into UCA and looking for a job. But now my little girl will be a neurosurgeon. It’ll be hard to let her go that far away.”

“We’ll look out for her. One of our friends went to law school at UCA.”

***

“Was it just me, or did your aunt act a bit strange after she learned that your parents are paying your cousin’s tuition?” Nina asked Gastón as they were laying on the bed at the hotel. “And when you were talking about what I suppose was about them being able to come to the wedding.”

“No, it was not just you,” Gastón rolled over to face her, “This whole thing… It is complicated. There is no getting away from the fact that Mom and Dad have money, while Mom’s family does not. Mom wants to help them, but they are not always letting her. It is not charity, they know it is not, but it is not always easy for them to accept that they are not able to give my cousins the opportunities they want.” 

Nina could not even imagine what that kind of family situation would be like. She did not have any cousins, so she did not even know what that was like. Well, she was going to marry a man in six months who had a million-inheritance coming his way down the line, but it was not like she herself didn’t come from money. But she could easily tell that there still was great love between Isla’s family, even considering Isla’s majorly better economic and social stature.

“Mía and Luis could have never afforded DCA for April, and Mom said that they can put everything they have saved to better use. Mom and Dad adore every one of her sister’s kids. There is only one of me and they always wanted to have a lot of children but couldn’t. They would pay any of their way to Yale, if that’s what it comes to. Mom wants to give them the choices she or her sisters’ did not have, like they have done for me. She also wants to prevent this from becoming a generational thing that I just managed to escape from.”

“Family is really important to her,” Nina reached out to take his hand, “I can’t even pretend to understand. I mean I have more than a fair share of my own family problems and dysfunctions, but it has never been more than Mom, Dad and Mora, not a lot of extended family to speak of. Dad has a lot of cousins but that's it. Your family seems really tight-knit, and that is wonderful.”

“They are everything to Mom, especially after everything they have been through. Grandma is really a superwoman in this situation. I mean you won’t meet a more badass woman. Mom’s biological father left her, then her husband died in a car crash, and she was left to raise three girls on her own. Mom got all of her determination from Grandma.”

“I can see that.”

Gastón sighed, “She loved her dad, or well her adoptive father if we are being technical, even if she doesn’t see it like that. Jorge Sulandre abandoned her, and Joakim Vasquez took her in and raised her as his own, there is no question who actually her father to her is. The funny thing is that Mom always sometimes says that I remind her of him, but we’re not related so it’s biologically impossible. It’s Jonathan who probably actually has his features.” 

“I never realized you were named after him.”

“How many Joakims do you think exists? Especially at this side of the Atlantic, written like that.” Gastón laughed, “Literally in school I always had to spell it out for the teachers, anytime they for some reason needed my middle name, because it is written with the k. Okay, enough about my family, it just gets gloomier from here if we wanna dig into the history, but at least I don’t have any hidden ones like Luna and Ambar.”

“Plus, now there is the future.” Nina said while running her hand on Gastón’s arm pushing his sleeve up. “We’ll have our own family, down the line.”

Gastón just smirked at her, and his arm was quickly around her waist pulling her tight against him on the bed. “Exactly. Like we could start by getting that dog.” He brought his face millimeters away from hers.

“Just kiss me.”

Over two years later…

“Newton! Come on.” Gastón sat down on the couch and tapped the spot beside him. The one-year-old chocolate-colored Labrador hopped on the couch at lightning speed and then rolled over to wait for belly rubs. 

“We should have never allowed him on the couch,” Nina, who came to the living room carrying two cups of the tea that she placed on the coffee table, laughed.

“Well, too late now,” Gastón remarked. “He is literally better behaved than Luna at times, so I think we're good.”

“I know. He is very good at a lot of things, like stealing my husband.” Nina joked. “But he has been here for a year, I have been your wife for two so—” she leaned over and kissed Newton on the top of his head before shooing him away. “—sorry Newton. I was here first.”

Newton gave her offended look and curled up on the other corner of the sofa to sulk.

“That is absolutely ridiculous,” Gastón laughed as he sneaked his arm around Nina’s waist, “no one could ever steal me. I did not make myself appear ridiculous to catch an invisible internet girl for nothing.” He playfully twisted her wedding ring around before reaching for the remote. “So, we have three shows that we need to catch up on… Alphabetical order or do we wanna switch it up?”

“Absolutely not.”

About two hours later Gastón’s phone, which he had left on the bureau in the living room, started all the sudden ringing. 

“Really?” Gastón groaned, pausing the TV. “Who is calling me at this hour?”

“It isn’t that late,” Nina, who had almost accidentally dosed off on Gastón’s shoulder, said as he had to get up from the couch to get the phone. “Who is it? Matteo?”

“No, unknown number, again.” Gastón sat back on the couch. “It better not be work.”

“You should answer it. It could be important.” Nina sat up. “I’ll go get some more tea. You want any?”

“Sure.”

Gastón stared at the ringing phone for a fraction of a second before answering it. It was probably a work call, which annoyed him to no end. Ever since he had started, he had made sure to not focus on work outside of the dedicated time for it. He loved his work, but he was never going to be a workaholic. His priorities would always lie elsewhere, in what actually mattered. His friends, family, his wife and eventually their children. 

“Hello?”

“Is this Gastón Perida?” An unknown female voice rang from the other end of the line.

“Yeah, it is.” Gastón tried to hide his annoyance. “My office hours are done for the day, so I am sorry, but you’ll have to come back to me on Monday starting from 9 am. If this is urgent, you’ll have to contact the team member who is on call today from Castillo Corporation. I can give you the contact…”

“Oh, no,” the voice responded, “this isn’t anything like that.”

“Then, what is this about?” Gastón asked, confused. He didn’t receive that many calls from random people that were not work-related. He had no idea what this could be about. There was no telemarketing anymore, and she didn’t sound like a reporter either. He had met his fair share of them when Nina had briefly worked as a journalist when they had been engaged. She had quickly given it up to focus on her writing more, which worked for them fine since he had a nice steady paycheck coming in every month. The journalists were often confident and eager. The woman on the phone sounded almost nervous. 

“Uhm, well,” the woman continued, “my name is Evelyn, and I think you are my cousin.”

Gastón’s brain blacked out for a moment. What on earth? Was this some kind of a joke? Yes, he had nine cousins, but he prided himself in knowing all their names: Jonathan, April, Angelina, Cris, Liliana, William, Camellia, Iris and Matias, 

“I am sorry, but I don’t understand.” He finally said after figuring out that he should probably say something. “I don’t have a cousin called Evelyn.”

“Are you the son of Isla Vasquez?”

“Yes…” he said, hoping he didn’t sound too weary. It was impossible not to, whenever he was addressed as a son of his parents by someone who wasn’t a family friend or anything. 

“Then you are my cousin.” The woman’s voice on the phone perked up.

“I’m sorry, I still don’t understand. Who are you?”

“I’m Evelyn Sulandre.” Sulandre. Gastón formed the word with his mouth. It could not be. “Jorge Sulandre was my grandfather.”

Cold blood ran into his veins from those words. 

“I know, I should have thought that you might possibly not know…”

“I am aware of the circumstances concerning Mr. Sulandre, my grandmother and my mother.” Gastón got out of his mouth. 

“Oh, thats good,” Evelyn’s voice got excited. Gastón was not sure if you really could describe what they were talking about as anything good. 

“What do you want?” He asked, hoping that he was not sounding that confrontational. 

“I want to meet with you, Gastón.”

Meet? With him? Gastón was still having a hard time wrapping his head around that this was even happening. Or what was happening at that.

“I will need to think about it.” He finally answered.

“That is okay, I understand.” Evelyn responded, “Can you contact me when you decide? And… I just want to say that I really would like to meet with you.”

Gastón dropped his phone on the sofa after the call disconnected. He closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. What was happening? Thoughts were starting to swirl in his head, and he was not able to make sense of any of them. 

“What is it? What's wrong?” He opened his eyes as he heard Nina’s worried voice come closer to him. She had come back from the kitchen and was approaching him.

“Did you hear the call?”

“NO! Who was that?” Her voice grew more alarmed as she saw his face. 

“Someone claiming to be my cousin.”

“Claiming? What do you mean by claiming?”

“She said that she was a granddaughter of Jorge Sulandre.”

“You mean your…?”

“Mom’s biological father, yes.” Gastón answered. “The man who abandoned her and has never tried to rectify anything. It has been 50 years.”

“How did she know?” Nina had taken his hand as she sat on the couch.

“That is a good question. It is a good thing that I even know, and I only know his name. Never even seen a picture, not that I would have wanted to.” Gastón sighed, “I have no idea how she found me.”

*

“I don’t like this.” Mateo crossed his arms while he was sitting on the couch. “Sounds like a scam.”

Luna, Matteo, Ambar and Simon had come for dinner at Gastón and Nina's place and Gastón had briefed them on the situation at hand. 

“The problem is that it can’t be,” Gastón leaned back on the couch, “This is not common knowledge. The only people who have known about Mom’s biological father’s situation outside her family are Dad, Sofia and Maria. I’m even surprised that she ever even told me about it. She has to be who she says she is. The business tabloids would have had a field day if it had leaked.”

“I still don’t like it,” Matteo continued, “Why now? Surely that man wasn’t going around telling how he abandoned his daughter… They have probably just found out about Isla and Marco and connected the dots. They are after something, and we all know what.” 

“They are not entitled to anything,” Ambar’s started speaking. Good thing that she was some sort of an expert on a topic like this, given that she had specialized in family and inheritance law. “I mean there would be some murky ground to challenge some claims on the estate if Isla didn’t have any children, but even then, it’s super shaky and would most likely be ripped apart at court. That being said, none of that matters since she does have a direct heir. Everything the Peridas have will eventually go to Gastón, unless your parents give some of it to someone else in the will.”

“Which they won’t,” Gastón sighed, “They will never do that, even if I begged them to. This is all so confusing. I am not fully sure if it is even they or them. This Evelyn only talked about herself when she asked to meet, didn’t mention anyone else. Not that we know who she is at that.”

“This might sound stupid,” Simon, who had been pretty silent this far, started, “But did you try googling?”

“I did try to look her up,” Nina nodded, “Both Evelyn and Sulandre are pretty common names. There were at least ten different Evelyn Sulandres on instagram, twitter, linkedin. I even looked on facebook. If it’s even written like that.”

“What does your mother say about this?” Luna asked. 

“I haven’t told her,” Gastón shook his head, “I don’t know if I will. I am technically twice removed about this issue. It has never impacted me. She’s the one who got abandoned. I don’t know why she is contacting me.”

“How old was she?” Ambar asked.

“No idea,” Gastón shook his head again. “It’s hard to tell over the phone. I could say that she sounded younger than us… but surely, she was an adult, at least I hope so. I don’t know how she even found me. Mom has been a Vasquez since she was four, Perida from her early 20s. How she untangled all that, all the way to me, is interesting.”

“She somehow found out about your mother and thought it was easiest to contact you, for some reason.” Nina ran her hand on Gastón’s shoulder, “Your contacts can be found from Castillo Corporations.”

“I need to get a separate work phone and change my number if this goes south,” Gastón looked at her before the others. “I honestly do not know what I am supposed to do. This is not a situation I thought I would ever be in.”

“Well, you haven’t been in this before,” Ambar said after sharing a look with Luna, “But we have.  Right now, a family branch of yours, that you haven’t been in contact with and didn’t really know that it even existed, is seeking you out, and you don’t know how to react… I get that. I for first wanted nothing to do with Silvana when she reached out. She had abandoned me, to Sharon of all the people… but in the end, now I am glad that I heard her out. I am happy that we have been able to build some sort of a relationship.”

“And you don’t know her side of this,” Luna added, “Maybe she’s the one looking for her family and answers, just like I was. This might be more about her than you, and she might not even have the whole story.”

“I still don’t like this,” Matteo huffed, “Okay, I get that I can’t tell you not to do this, but if you do, then you need to tell us when and where and don’t go alone. You need to text me before and after.”

“You sound like Mom when we got that security gate installed.” Gastón sighed. 

“Well, sorry I don’t want you to get kidnapped.” Matteo snapped.

“Why would you want to kidnap me?” Gastón looked at Matteo questioningly.

“Gee, I wonder why,” Matteo continued, “Have you looked at your parents’ bank accounts lately? You know they’d move heaven and earth for you.”

“I know that,” Gastón nodded, “That’s why this is so hard.”

*

Gastón rolled over in the bed and checked the time, something that you should never do when having a hard time sleeping, but not like he would be able to sleep anyway. 

3 am… Of course, it was. At least it was going to be Sunday, or well already was. 

He glanced at Nina who was sleeping peacefully on his left side. Newton was snoozing curled up at the foot of the bed. 

Gastón sat up on his side of the bed and ran his hand through his hair and face. Right now, he really envied his sleeping wife and even the dog. They didn’t have a family tree sized conflict going inside their mind.  

“Why are you awake?” Nina’s voice came from behind him after a while. 

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Too late for that,” Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as she leaned herself on his back, “What is it?”

“Things just keep swirling around in my head,” Gastón admitted, “I don’t know what I am supposed to think.”

“There is no one way you should be thinking,” Nina responded as she drew a circle in his shoulder, “You never expected this to happen.”

“But now it has. I can’t just ignore this side of my…life? Like I have my whole life. I don’t know what I am supposed to do. With Mom and everyone…”

“Don’t think what everyone else is gonna think. This isn’t about them. She called you, she asked to meet you. This is about you, no one else. You need to think, do you want to meet her? Are you willing to hear what she has to say or let her find the answers she’s seeking? That’s what this is about, not about your mother or grandmother. Definitely don’t think what Matteo’s gonna say.”

“I guess so.” He reached up to take one of her hands to his.

“But you can think about all of that in the morning. Now come back to bed.” She kissed him on the shoulder. 

“Okay.”

*

“The publishing will start next year. We’re just finishing the final manuscript with my editor right now,” Nina said while she and Gastón were having dinner with his parents. “The saga will be finished.” 

“What are you doing next?”

“Not sure yet. I have few ideas, but nothing set in stone yet, but I’m not in any hurry.” 

“What?” Gastón shot his gaze off his plate as Nina slightly nudged him. 

“I was just saying that you were in the paper again,” His dad repeated, “Pictures from that hydrofuel reveal event.” 

“Oh right,” Gastón shook his head, “There was press there, obviously. I don’t remember what I said to them. I don’t read the coverage anyway.” 

“They got a very handsome picture of you,” Isla added. “I had to send that to Mom. She’ll have something new to frame next to your and Jonathan’s wedding pictures.”

“Sure,” Gastón said quickly and felt Nina squeeze his hand under the table. 

“Are you okay?” Marco furrowed his brow at Gastón, “You seem very distracted.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Gastón nodded, “Just haven’t been sleeping great.”

“You sure?” His mom also looked at him concerned. “You didn’t even protest over me sending pictures to Grandma. They better not be overworking you.” 

“It’s not about the work,” Gastón looked at Nina and she nodded to him slightly while squeezing his hand again. As Gastón had been thinking about the whole “Evelyn situation” it had become really evident in his mind that he couldn’t just keep this from his mother. “But there is something…”

“Are you sick? Have you been to the doctor?”

“No, I’m not sick,” Gastón shook his head, “Nothing is wrong, but there is something I need to talk to you about, Mom.” 

“What is it?” Isla looked confused. 

“Okay,” Gastón took a deep breath, “About a week ago, I received a call from a woman called Evelyn…Evelyn Sulandre. She said that she was my cousin and that she wanted to meet up.” He looked up at his mother. Her expression was impossible to decipher, but the fact that Dad had put his hand on her shoulder definitely signaled how she was feeling. “I didn’t answer anything to her then, but… but I have been thinking and Nina and I have been talking since then and… I think we’re gonna do it. Meet her and see what she has to say. I just wanted to tell you.”

“You don’t need my permission.” Isla finally said. 

“I know I don’t,” Gastón responded, “But I don’t want to start doing things behind your back. If you’re—”

“You’re an adult and make your own choices. If this is something you want to do, then of course you should do it.”

*

“That went better than I expected,” Gastón said to Nina that night as she came out of the shower. 

“How did you expect it was going to go?”

“I don’t honestly know,” Gastón shook his head, “She could have told me to never have contact with any Sulandre ever again or…I don’t know. I never really expected her to want to be involved so that’s not surprising. Maybe, because this is my generation, reaching out for me, she doesn’t see a threat in it or anything. If it was her generation, then it could have been different.” 

He took his phone out and opened the contact that Evelyn had left. “I’ll tell her that I am willing to meet up. She can determine the time and place, since she’s the one who actually wants this.” 

“You know, I think you made the right choice,” Nina said as she sat on his lap, “If you won’t do this, you probably would wonder forever what if.” 

“Maybe,” Gastón said as he sunk his hand into her hair. She often tied it up to a braid for sleeping purposes but had left it open for him. “but I’m not gonna be some sort of healing instrument for them.”

“Healing a broken family is nearly impossible. I would know.” Nina responded, “I don’t see that being what’s going on here. Obviously, that shouldn’t be on you. But it’s like Ambar said, hear her out and then you can decide what you want to do in the future.”

“I think we have been talking about this enough,” Gastón sighed, “The ball is on Evelyn’s court. Her move. We can do something else.” 

“What do you suggest we do?” She ran her hand on his arm, tracing the defined muscles with her fingers. 

“Well, I have couple ideas.” He wrapped his arm around her waist tighter as she leaned down to kiss him, before he flipped her over and down on the bed.

*

“At least we know they aren’t completely out of money,” Nina said as she held onto Gastón’s arm tighter as they walked toward a coffee shop where they had agreed to meet Evelyn. “This place is pricey. I walk by here often if I need to meet my agent and don’t always care to get something because it is so expensive… even though we could afford it.” 

“Let me text that to Matteo to put his mind at ease.” Gastón responded. Matteo had insisted that he shared their live location to him, so that they were not getting kidnapped. “Thanks for being here.”

“Of course,” Nina looked at him, “It’s not a conversation. Of course, I'd be here with you, kind of made a vow about standing by your side, no matter what, two years ago. Would you have let me go meet a secret relative alone?”

“Absolutely not,” Gastón shook his head, “but I’m still glad you’re here. Plus, this way Matteo wasn’t able to tag along. He would chew her out.” 

“Let’s hope that won’t be necessary, since we can still call him,” Nina laughed slightly, “We should probably go in.”

“Yeah,” Gastón squeezed her hand tighter, and they walked in. He scanned the place as Nina placed their orders, so if this was gonna get awkward, they’d at least get coffee out of this. The place was relatively empty, mostly occupied by students of the nearby university. 

In one of the back tables was sitting a young woman with light brown wavy hair. She was on her phone but glanced up from time to time. 

“I bet that’s her,” Gastón said to Nina. 

“You sure?”

“No, but only one way to find out.” he said, and they started approaching the table, “Evelyn?” 

“Yes?” Her face shot up, “Uhm… Gastón?”

“That’s me.” Gastón nodded as she hastily got up. 

“Oh, hi.” She was visibly quite nervous. “I wasn't sure if you were actually gonna show up.”

“We’re not late,” Gastón looked at his watch.

“I know you’re not.” Evelyn shook her head. “I was just afraid that I was gonna be left to sit here stranded for two hours and it would look like I was being stood up on a date… wouldn’t have been the first time… Anyways, that’s beside the point and I’m not sure why I ever even opened my mouth on the topic.” She breathed heavily and extended her hand forward. “Besides all of that… I’m Evelyn Sulandre. It’s great to finally meet you. Thank you for doing this… I caught you a little bit off guard, didn’t I?”

“Gastón Perida,” Gastón shook her hand, “This certainly was unexpected. This is my wife.”

“Nina Perida.” Nina shook Evelyn’s hand as well and they sat down. 

“So, well—You start.” Gastón said to Evelyn. 

“Okay,” Evelyn took a breath and started, “I honestly can’t believe that you actually agreed on this… It wasn’t easy to track you down. You don’t exactly overshare on social media so…”

“You've been stalking me?” Gastón interrupted her and Nina grabbed his hand again. He realized that his tone had come across a little more confrontational than he had intended. 

“Well, not exactly.” Evelyn responded, “Your socials are public.”

“Yeah, I guess they are,” Gastón nodded, “I’m sorry. I hope you understand why I may seem a bit apprehensive about this. There is no way you don’t know who my parents are.”

“Yeah, of course I know.” Evelyn looked at him. “And I do understand why you would think that… This is not a scam. I am who I say I am and I am willing to do a DNA test if that’d make you feel better about this.”

“That’s not necessary,” Gastón waved his hand, “You wouldn’t know about this otherwise.”

“I get that you don’t trust me, taking the circumstances of how we’re related into account…but I’m not after anything. My dad is a police officer, Mom is a social worker, uncle a doctor and my aunt works for the church. I don’t know if that proves anything about what kind of people we are and I am not pretending that it will, but I just wanna put it out there. Nobody is after money.” 

“Okay,” Gastón nodded slightly, “I believe you, for now. Why did you reach out? How did you find me, or anything about this? Have you always known that your grandfather abandoned his daughter?”

“It’s a long story,” Evelyn started, “But to answer your question, no I have not always known. I guess I should start this by saying that my grandfather, Jorge, is dead. He died three months ago.” 

“Okay.” Gastón said simply. It was not like he was going to feel saddened by that fact, actually he was relieved. That meant that in no way, this would turn into meeting him, since that was not something he was ever going to be up to. 

“He suffered from long standing Parkinson's,” Evelyn continued, “Had for years, ever since I was a child. That’s not an excuse, I’m not here to defend him, obviously not, but it does factor in how we found out about this. So, getting back on track. He died and the months leading up to it, he was completely out of it, not making any sense at all. When he made some sense, it was when he talked about my dad and my uncle…but sometimes he also talked like he also had a daughter. But like I said, he didn’t make any sense most of the time, so we all just dismissed it. That was until… I was helping Neile, his wife—Grandma and him are divorced—sort through his drawers and stuff like that. If I just cut to the chase here, I found an old, wrinkled birth certificate, from the 70s.”

“A birth certificate?” Nina questioned. 

“Yeah, you know… those paper thingies that we as gen-Z members have never seen in our lives.” Evelyn made a few wild hand movements. “Anyways, it read that he had a daughter born years before my dad, named Isla… Your mother.”

Gastón just nodded again before opening his mouth, “So your whole family knows about this?”

“Actually not,” Evelyn said and took a sip of her coffee. “Like I said, it’s a long story. We did show the certificate to everyone, and Dad and uncle Jay did try to figure out who and where she was, but there was nothing to be found…since there is no Isla Sulandre, is there?”

“Obviously not,” Gastón shook his head, “She has been a Vasquez ever since she was four, and that didn’t even last for 20 years.” 

“So, since we found nothing, everyone gave up until… I work in IT, actually graduated recently with a bachelor’s and like I said before my mom is a social worker, so I helped her with digitalization of some old adoption files and low and behold I stumbled on a file about Isla Sulandre being adopted by Joakim Vasquez. After that, the dots were easy to connect, and we did that with my cousin Isaac. He is in his first year at the police academy. So, no we haven’t told anyone else about these developments, cause I was not gonna drop on Dad and uncle Jay that their sister is a real estate mogul married to a high profile finance expert. Not before I get to the bottom of this.”  

“So, why are you talking to me then?”

“Because I didn’t think she would want to hear from me,” Evelyn brushed some of her hair that had fallen onto her face, “I am right, aren’t I?” 

“You are,” Gastón nodded, “I did tell her that you have reached out and wanted to meet. She didn’t really comment on it. I’m operating on the need-to-know basis at this point. If she asks, I’ll tell her, but otherwise I won’t bring it up. She hasn’t asked, and I doubt she will. Mom and Dad both have worked extremely hard for the better life they wanted me to have, which has taken a toll on them in more ways than one. They’re in a good place right now.”

“And I totally understand that,” Evelyn looked down. “But I’m glad that you agreed on this. We thought you might actually be open to this, given that we were the same age… about and I thought if I reached out as a cousin, it would work better.” 

“How did you find me?”

“Isaac did,” Evelyn explained, “From the start, after it was just us, we were trying to find a cousin, because just like I said they would probably be more willing to meet. That being said, we were already starting to believe that Isla had no children. There was no mention of you in the media coverage about your parents, which we did find a fair amount.” 

“I officially don’t exist,” Gastón laughed slightly, “It has been more for my own safety when I was a child, that they don’t mention me. I’m my own person and haven’t exactly followed their career paths, they didn’t want me to get caught up in that. They have wanted me now to get involved with some charities they headline and stuff like that.”

“Yeah, that way he did read your name somewhere.” Evelyn nodded, “And then we did some insta stalking, trying to find your contacts from somewhere. Then he stumbled onto the construction side of the media and found a mention of a Gastón Perida in some press release about some hydrofuel construction. First we thought we had the wrong person, since from what we had gathered that far, you were in your twenties, so there was no way in our minds that you would have that high of a rank in a worldwide known construction company… but the  we saw the pictures and you definitely looked like Isla’s husband so it had to be you.” 

“Figure that’s how it happened, “Gastón nodded, “Don’t ask why I have that position…It’s a long story.” 

 “So, you do work in the Castillo Corporations’ executive team?”

“As an assistant engineer, yes.” Gastón responded, “And yes, I am only 26. I don’t sometimes understand it myself.” 

“He likes to be modest,” Nina ran her hand on Gastón’s arm, “It had been said that he's invaluable. I’m not the only one who can believe it.”

“What do you do?” Evelyn asked Nina, “Like I said, we did scourge through Gastón’s instagram, so I did know that you were married. I almost have to ask where you got that wedding dress because I want one… not that I’m getting married anytime soon…”

“It was a custom made Barza.” Nina explained, “But she is planning a bridal line now… But I’m an author, mostly. I do some other writing stuff too.”

They kept talking for what must have been at least 45 minutes, conversation starting to flow quite naturally. 

“Are you in a hurry to get somewhere?” Evelyn asked as Gaston’s phone dinged. 

“No,” He shook his head, “It’s my best friend. Matteo wasn't exactly a fan of this, so he’s thinking that we’re getting kidnapped if he doesn’t hear from us soon.”

“Well, I think we have made significant time here,” Evelyn nodded, “It is starting to get late and Isaac is waiting for me to report in as well. But are you willing to meet again, at some point soon?”

“Yeah, it’d be great,” Gastón nodded and signaled the waiter, “I can get these.”

“No no, you don’t have to,” Evelyn tried to protest as Gastón gave his card to the waiter. He had intentionally picked the humblest looking debit card from his arsenal, definitely not touching his personal Chase Sapphire reserve credit card or the black mastercard that his parents still insisted that he had for their accounts. Even if Evelyn knew his financial status, he didn’t feel like it was the smartest move to just show it out in the open. He didn’t usually anyway. 

“Too late.” Gastón shrugged as he took his card back, “Sorry.”

*

“How are you feeling about all of this?” Nina asked as she flung her legs on Gastón’s lap as they were sitting on the couch later in the evening. 

“I don’t really know.” Gastón sighed, “I mean this is doing nothing for me… because there is nothing to be done. I have never been bothered by this. I have a family, I have cousins, there has been nothing missing. It’s pretty clear that this isn’t about me, this is about them. They discovered something…frankly said horrible about their grandfather/father and this is them seeking answers and closure.” 

“The question is are you willing to let them have that?” Nina traced a pattern on his palm, “Are you willing to let them get that closure by letting them know you? Letting them into our, your life. Are you going to be okay with it?”

“Are you okay if I do that?” Gastón asked.

“My opinion doesn’t matter,” Nina shook her head, “I’m okay with it, if you are. This is about you and how you’re feeling.” 

“I think I have to—” Gastón started saying as they both were startled by Newton jumping on Nina’s legs and straight in between them. “Hey! Watch it buddy.” 

“His fine motor skills aren’t quite refined yet,” Nina laughed and scratched Newton from behind the ears. “And he likes to third wheel. Down. So, what were you saying?” 

“I think I have to be okay with it.” Gastón continued while he ran his fingers on Newton’s fur. “I am okay with it…” 

Bing!! 

The doorbell suddenly rang and Newton jumped off the couch, his tail hitting them both. 

“I need to make a study about that tail on how much force it actually has. We should attach a generator to it and get some electricity out of it. It’s time he starts paying his own bills,” Gastón joked, “Who on earth is at the door?”

“I’ll get it,” Nina got up from the couch and walked to the door. 

“What took you so long?” She was met by Matteo and Luna at the door. “I was about to use the key.”

“So, you’re into breaking and entering now?” Gastón walked up to the door as Nina let Luna and Matteo in. 

“I just wanted to see how you were.” Matteo patted Gastón on the shoulder. 

“I’m fine,” Gastón responded. “It was an interesting experience.”

“Tell us, tell us!” Luna asked excitedly, “How was your cousin?”

“She was really nice. At least I thought so.” Nina responded first. “Definitely younger than us…”

“She said she had just graduated so maybe four five years,” Gastón added, “She felt like April’s age, about.” 

“Did you figure out how they tracked you down?” Matteo crossed his arms, “So there are no safety compromises.” 

“There are no threats,” Gastón shook his head, “He, my biological maternal grandfather is dead.”

“He is?” Luna questioned. 

“Yes,” Gastón nodded, “I’m actually glad about that, because I would not be willing to go any further forward with this if he was still around.” 

“So, when are we meeting her?” Matteo asked. 

“What do you mean?” Gastón asked. 

“You think I wasn’t gonna do this?” Matteo raised an eyebrow, “She’s still the person who called you very ominously late at night…I wanna see what she’s about myself.” 

“Well, I don’t know when she’s gonna be up to meeting you,” Gastón shrugged, “You look like you wanna skin her alive right now…and I mean, we’re related so I have to look out for her somewhat here.” 

*

“We unfortunately have to get going. It was great to meet you.”

“It was fun to meet you too.”

“So, they didn’t completely rip you apart?” Gastón asked Evelyn after he had shown Matteo and Luna to the door. “I feel like the most apprehensive person about this all has been Matteo. Like I told you before, he was fully convinced that you were going to kidnap me.”

“You’re lucky that you have such friends who care so much.” Evelyn smiled, “Not everyone does.”

“We are really lucky,” Nina nodded, “Our group from upper secondary has somehow stayed tight all these years. We were at Oxford in between and everything but still nothing has changed. We obviously also have another group from Oxford as well.”

“But Luna and Matteo have been through it all with us,” Gastón said as he sat back down to the couch next to Nina, “Even when we were oceans apart.” 

“And they are your respective best friends as well, while also being married,” Evelyn pointed out, “How did that happen? I mean it is interesting… who match made who?” 

“Interesting is a very good way to describe it,” Gastón laughed, “No one actually set anyone up. It just kind of happened. We were together first, even though Luna and Matteo have been consecutively longer together, while we got engaged and married first, our anniversary actually is next week… It’s a very long story. Honestly at this point, more often than not, if someone new asks, we tell just the university part of our relationship. Saves me from looking like a complete idiot.” 

“He was an adorable idiot,” Nina smiled at him, “Not that I was any smarter. Teenagers do dumb things with their feelings. There is a reason why most high school relationships don’t last, but there are no statistics in love.”

“If you’re ever up to telling the whole story, I am more than willing to listen,” Evelyn leaned back on the couch, “My love life is dryer than the desert, I could use some tips. I mean, you’d think it was easier as a pansexual, but nope, it is not…” Her voice suddenly trailed off and her face turned very uncomfortable. “...I just outed myself, didn’t I?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Gastón started speaking, “This isn’t the first time for us. Two of our friends are a lesbian couple, and Nina’s roommate was also a lesbian while mine calls himself unlabeled queer. I think he has a boyfriend right now. And…” He looked at Nina. 

“My mother is in a relationship with a woman,” she added. 

“So, you’ll have no problem with us,” Gastón continued, “So don’t worry.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s good to hear,” Evelyn let out a breath, “I’m sorry, you can just never know with people, even in this day and age. We don’t know each other that well yet and…”

“It’s no problem.” 

“Anyways, moving away from that topic,” Evelyn shook her head, “I have been meaning to bring this up… so we were talking with Isaac that now that it has been a few weeks, any chance you’d be open to us telling our dads about this? About you, I mean. I understand that Isla doesn’t want to be involved, but I think they really would want to hear about you.”

“I think you can do that,” Gastón nodded. He had not yet met Isaac outside of a couple of facetime calls. He and Evelyn were quite similar, and Nina had actually been saying how she could pick out a couple of mannerisms Gastón shared with them. 

“That’s great,” Evelyn sighed again, “I mean, this all kind of still feels little surreal, that we ever even found you and are agreeing to all of this…or that I didn’t scare you off with my long-winded speech when we first met about how we found you and stuff. I was so nervous about it that I wrote it down and asked my director for notes on my delivery—I do theater. He said we can modify that into a monologue piece for me down the line.” 

“You do theater?” 

“Yeah. Ever heard of Teatro del Pueblo? It's this smaller place in Lavalle. I’m actually going straight into rehearsal from here, but I’m not in any hurry quite yet. We're doing this grittier dark musical piece. It’s premiering in a month. I don’t know if that’s something you’d be interested in.”

“Oh, we love dark gritty stuff,” Gastón responded, looking at Nina. 

“I write for a living, so I’d be really strange if it wasn’t something we’d not be into. As longs it’s not horror,” Nina noted, “That is something I stay far away from.”

“Actually, I need to ask,” Evelyn asked, “I tried looking your stuff up, but could only find lyrical credits under your name.” 

“Oh, that's’ because Nina Perida doesn’t write books—” Nina responded.

“Huh?”

“—but Nina Simonetti does,” She continued, “I use a pen name. Simonetti is my maiden’s name. Writing is the only place I still use it, since the publishers were worried about brand confusion. It’s actually quite a nice way to separate the public from personal and private. But that only applies to the books, like you said, the lyrics I write for Matteo for example are under Perida because that’s my name now.” 

“No way…” Evelyn looked pensive for a moment, “...my little sister might be doing her senior book project on your book. Huh, small world I guess.” 

“I have gotten the word that a lot of schools like them for deeper theme study. Blake does—” Nina was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. 

“Luna and Matteo must have forgotten something,” Gastón sighed and started getting up, “For that kind of stuff I think they could actually use the key for…”

“I’ll get it,” Nina put a hand to his shoulder. “You can stay here.” 

“Okay,” Gastón nodded as Nina got up. 

“Was it hard to study in English at University?” Evelyn asked Gastón after Nina had left. “I am trying to improve my spoken English, but my pronunciation sucks.”

“It just takes practice,” Gastón started saying, “It definitely was an adjustment, but in the end we both have British…”

“Is Gastón home?” He started hearing noises from the door. The words were spoken with very distinct and familiar accents. 

“Those are not Luna and Matteo,” he got up from the couch, “I’ll be right back.”

“What are you doing here?” It indeed had not been Luna and Matteo. At the door that Nina had opened were standing Jonathan and April. “I thought you’d be at work, April. Has something happened?”

“I only covered half a shift. Jonathan was giving me a ride.” April responded. She was still wearing her paramedic jacket, so she obviously had come straight from work. 

“So, in other words nothing is wrong, but we got this awesome idea,” Jonathan continued. “Are we interrupting something?” 

“No,” Gastón shook his head, a little too violently to look convincing. Jonathan was a master at reading body language. 

As Jonathan and April had been the first of his cousins who had migrated over to Buenos Aires from Cordoba, they had become extremely close. Closer than they had ever been as kids. They got on extremely well with Nina and Jonathan’s wife Windy fit right in as well. 

That being said, Gastón definitely hadn’t told them about things considering Evelyn and that side of his family seeking him out. Asking their advice would have been a conflict of interest, given the family sides. 

“Are you sure?” Jonathan asked again.

“Yes. What was the idea you mentioned?” 

“We were talking and got this perfect idea for Grandma’s birthday,” April started. “And then we thought that we’d come to talk to you about it now.”

“And you forgot how text messages work?” Gastón questioned. He wasn’t really sure how to get out of this situation. Nina placed her hand on his arm. She definitely had realized the tensions in the situation. 

“No, but we came up with it and then realized that we were just a block away from your street…”

“Gastón, Nina, I’m sorry but I need to get going. The rehearsal got pushed up…” Evelyn suddenly walked to the foyer. She raised her face from her phone and stopped as she saw Jonathan and April, “Who are they?”

“So, we are interrupting something.” Jonathan and April looked at Evelyn and then at Gastón, “You could have just said so.” 

“Yeah, it’s not that simple,” Gastón shook his head. Well, this was bound to happen at some point. If he was going to have a relationship with Evelyn, he couldn’t keep it a secret forever. 

“What’s the complicated part?” April crossed her arms. 

“Well,” Gastón felt Nina squeeze his hand. There was only one way to do this, “I guess some introductions are in order. Evelyn, these are my cousins Jonathan and April Ruiz. They’re the oldest of Mom’s sister’s kids…” He took a breath, “Jonathan, April, this is my cousin Evelyn Sulandre.”

“I thought you didn’t have any cousins from Marco’s side.” April questioned. 

“That's the thing,” Gastón looked at the ceiling for a moment, “I don’t.” 

“What? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Wait?” Jonathan’s eyes were traveling between Gastón and Evelyn. “Sulandre?”

“What am I not seeing?” April was looking at her brother before a sudden realization came evident on her face. “OH MY GOD!”

“What are you doing?” Jonathan asked Gastón. 

“Okay, I think we all got there so that’s my cue!” Evelyn suddenly piped up and stood herself in front of Jonathan and April. “My grandfather is dead. Me and my whole family had been unaware of the pain caused to your grandmother and Gastón’s mother by him. I contacted Gastón some time ago, and he was gracious enough to meet me and let me talk. Don’t blame him.”

“Does Aunt Isla know about this? That you’re talking to them?” April asked. 

“I did tell her that Evelyn had reached out,” Gastón started, “She didn’t want to be involved, but she’s not against this either.” 

“Why didn’t you tell us about this?” Jonathan asked Gastón. 

“And how would you have reacted? Better than this?”

“Maybe a valid point…Uhm, this is clearly a bad time, so it’s better if we go. I’ll call you later.” 

“I’m so sorry.” Evelyn said after April and Jonathan had left through the door. 

“You didn’t need to throw yourself onto the line of fire like that.”

“No no,” Evelyn shook her head, “This is my fault in the first place. I am very good at putting myself onto the line of fire and an expert at improv so don’t worry about me. But, I’m so sorry if they’re gonna be mad at you now.” 

“They won’t be mad,” Gastón waved his hand away, “At least for long. Maybe a little shocked but that's it.”

“I didn’t know that your cousins were this aware of the situation.” 

“I mean in our family everyone knows that Mom and Aunt Mía and Aunt Elise are half-sisters and that grandpa isn’t her biological father. The older ones know as much as I did, that his name was Jorge Sulandre but that’s it. It’s not like it had been important in any way.” 

***

“Good, you're finally here.” Isaac was waiting for her when Evelyn got out of her car outside of her parents’ house. 

“Uncle Jay’s here?” She asked him.

“Yep, Dad’s here with yours.” Isaac nodded. “I hope you have a plan.”

“I was just thinking that we just tell the truth,” Evelyn shrugged, “Has worked out this far.”

“How good of an idea is this really?” Isaac shook his head. 

“This was your idea,” Evelyn looked at him, “And they deserve to know. Gastón agreed that we can tell them.”

“But how will they take it? He’s a millionaire.”

“Technically our aunt and her husband are millionaires. He’s just gonna get it all when they die.” Evelyn rolled her eyes, “We really need to get you to meet them in person. He and his wife are very down to earth, not exactly how you’d imagine a son of millionaires to be. Money doesn’t make grades appear out of thin air, even at Oxford. You and I both know how much work that is.” 

“I guess so, but he clearly also makes good money just on his own.”

“Evelyn darling,” Her mother walked past them in the hallway as Evelyn and Isaac walked through the door. “Great to see you… I’ll be right there, just need to take one more call.”

“Can you keep it down?” Her sister Maxima was sitting on the couch buried in her laptop and books, “I am trying to study for the finals.”

“Those are in December,” Everlyn leaned on the back of the couch, “It’s June, winter.”

“You can never be too early.” 

“Anyways, are Dad and uncle Jay here?” 

“Somewhere,” Maxima didn’t look up at Evelyn. “Dad! Evelyn wants you!”

“Darling, you are here?” She watched her dad and uncle walk into the living room. 

“Yep, I’m here.” Evelyn nodded. 

“So, what is it? Isaac didn’t tell us anything.” 

“You start,” Isaac nudged her, “This has been your show.”

“Well, there is something that we—” She grabbed Isaac’s arm, “—need to talk to you two about.”

“About what?” 

“About that birth certificate.” 

“I thought that was a hopeless case?” Maxima piped up. 

“Shut up, grown-ups are talking.” 

“Max is right though,” Evelyn’s father spoke, “I asked advice from one of our detectives but there is little we can do anymore, unless we get a PI but those are hard to come by and expensive. Still hard to believe that Dad could have done something like that. I don’t think we can find her.” 

“That’s the thing,” Evelyn continued, “It’s not hopeless.” 

“What are you talking about?”

“This,” She pulled the adoption form she had come across from her pocket and put it on the coffee table, “We have been looking for the wrong person. Isla Sulandre doesn’t exist and hasn’t existed since she was four and was adopted by her mother’s husband Joakim Vasquez. She grew up, went to University where she met her now husband Marco Perida.” 

“How do you know this?” Evelyn’s uncle Jay asked, “And did you say Perida…? That can’t be true.”

“It is,” Isaac piped up, “Your sister is Isla Perida, the top talk of real estate world here and beyond.”

“You mean you’ve found all this out and reached out?!” 

“Not exactly,” Evelyn looked down, “As of now, she doesn't want to be involved, and we can’t blame her… Gastón said—”

“Who?”

“Isla’s son, Gastón Perida, our cousin,” Evelyn explained and pulled out her phone, “I reached out to him, and I have met him and his wife multiple times.” 

She scrolled down on Gastón’s instagram to find a good-looking pic of him. He really didn’t overshare, most of his socials featured artistic photography over personal updates. The pictures from the wedding were of those rare occasions. 

“Here,” She gave her phone to her dad. “That’s him.”

“So, if Isla doesn’t want anything to do with us… then would he, Gastón, be willing to meet us?”

“I can ask,” Evelyn shrugged, “He has been willing to meet me. He’s a really nice person, he and his wife both. He’s 26, they both have master’s from Oxford. He works as an assistant engineer at the Castillo Corporations. His wife, Nina, is an author—” Evelyn eyed Maxima’s pile of books and saw the one she was looking for, “—actually, the writer of this book.” She held the book up. 

***

“You’re ready for this?” Nina squeezed Gastón’s hands after he had parked the car at the side of the street. 

“I am.” He nodded as he turned the car off. 

“I’m proud of you,” she put her hand on his cheek, “You didn’t need to do this, but you’re giving them a chance of conclusion.”  

“As long as they don’t start saying that I look like him,” Gastón sighed.

“Surely, they won’t do that. They have to have more tack than that.” Nina made a disapproving face, “You look like your father, so there shouldn’t even be a reason for it.”

“I love you.”

“Hey! Great to see you made it.” Evelyn was waiting for them outside as they got out of the car with Isaac, who they had not yet met in person. 

“Hopefully we know what we're doing,” Gastón said after he shook Isaacs hand. 

“This means so much to Dad and Uncle Jay.” Evelyn said as they were walking through the door. “They’re waiting.” 

“Okay then,” Gastón nodded and Nina wrapped her arms around his arm as Evelyn opened the door. 

As they made their way through the foyer and deeper into the house, two tall and blonde men in their forties came into view. Two women and a younger girl, in her teens, were also in the living room. 

“Dad, Toni, these are them.” Isaac spoke. 

Nina saw all the eyes focus on Gastón and rubbed a circle on his forearm with her fingers. 

“You’re Gastón? Isla's son?” 

“I am, yes.” 

{}

Well, this is a story that I have been thinking about writing for a long time. Like I said at the start, this is very niche and bit of a deep dive to all of the headcanons I have about Gastón's family and his parents' past. I know this kind of open ended, which is kind of was the intention, because I don't really know how I would have wrapped this up completely. Lost of these stories are jut slice of some life and this won't really have that many longstanding impacts in Gastón and Nina's life. Like it's said over and over again in the fic, this isn't super impactful development for Gastón, he is just allowing this other branch of this family to get some conclusion. This isn't impacting him as a person or changing his life in any significant way. Things that will carry on to other works from this are maybe Evelyn and Isaac popping up again. They very easily could, if I need to somene to need an IT person or a police officer in the future as their acquaintance. Other thing I aimed to do with this was to fully introduce Gastón's extended family on Cordoba. His grandmother, his aunts and his cousins. Mainly Jonathan and April, who have appeared before, will keep popping up again. And a last thing: I love doing this where I have a lot of people, who are related to Gastón, love Ina books, without even knowing her connection with them. It's to show how amazing writer she is, but also is kind showing that even genetics are backing gastina up and how compatible they really are.

[lucy-shining-star]

Oh Tino and Cato quick thinking

...Wait...wasn’t Nico...with group saying he won’t be in team...and now he is back...I think I need to check previous episode. 

Checked he was but now he is doing exact same thing he was doing before that...And Jim and Yam continue the scene from before...I’m so confused

Pfft okay they didn’t hear everything

...Why Gaston doesn’t want to join

...Lmao at the fact that when Simon said about spending time with them he looked at Ambar. Foreshadowing?XD

...How is Matteo closer guess you have a problem with the fact that Simon might not be in team so you don’t have enough team members? And Matteo is on team? ...Actually closer guess will be you having problems with same person as Nina since Gaston decided to not be on team, which is why it’d be so bad if Simon decide not to also

Not every girl have rings and probably also from these who do not every wear different everyday but still Matteo has a point. ...Not to mention more than one girl can have same looking ring

...These girls just agreed to it? Well I guess they could have heard them...

...She wasn’t even that late

...But Nina is not ‘impersonating’ Felicity? 

That might be not good reason for break up but still good for her. 

Girls in Roller agree to this too?

Nina saying that she will faster go on the scene and sing than tell Gaston truth. Hmm. Yeah that’s definitely foreshadowing

Simon didn’t seem to mind when she called him that right before Nina telling him she is Felicity, I think he just got insecure because of Matteo stupid face. And I think Luna is doing it ouf of habit (no I don’t care that that’s probably not what creators wanted me to think)

[ac-ars]

high for this

i know i suck but i lit have never been that busy in my life, i gave away today's shift since i was until 3:30 at the airport on my internship and i've been dying ever since, this is finished and its very long ass chapter, i hope you enjoy it 

also tumblr has been pretty dead but well xD 

Luna Valente doesn’t expect much fun when she gets accepted to the University of Oxford, but it’s the only way to stay away from her controlling aunt. She doesn’t expect also Matteo Balsano, who is the most helpful out of everyone there. Is he really as perfect as it seems though?

previous chapters here

🌙

5/  and I will try to let you go if we get in too deep

The first thing she sees after opening her eyes that very morning, is blurry picture of the windows on her left, and the light coming in through them is unbearably blinding and she needs to hide her face in the pillow once again. It’s a soft, soft pillow, smelling with very boyish scent, but at the same time it smells a little like a furniture store and Luna is worried that by accident she ended up being locked in Ikea.

After last night’s blackout everything could have happened and she is very afraid of what she will see, but at least now she remembers there is no windows in Ikea. Bless the one last brain cell fighting for survival during this awful Saturday morning.

The mattress shifts next to her and Luna panics, wondering what the fuck had she done last night and with whom, and where, though currently she isn’t ready to face the truth, so she waits for her head to stop hurting so badly, with her face pressed into the pillow.

Using the moment, the brunette tries to collect what she remembers from before she lost the control, but everything she can focus on wondering whether this kiss with Matteo was just a drunk dream of hers or if it was real. Asking him wouldn’t look the best, so she is on her own with that.

Regaining some senses to herself, she can feel that she is wearing her skirt and tshirt, but also some warm sweater over this, which means the someone is a nice person; that they cared about her wellbeing enough they gave her something warm to wear. This gives Luna enough bravery to turn to be lying on her back; it’s always been awkward to stay in bed longer than the person whose place she was at, but today she doesn’t really care. Especially after seeing how the ceiling is turning around in weird way, if she got up, she would probably end up having her sight go black and her knees go weak.

There is a soft chuckle on her right and Luna hums, blinking to get some better vision before she turns to the source of the sound, and even if she didn’t control it, her body immediately relaxes completely.

Matteo is lying on his side, facing her, as his hand is supporting his head and there is a book in front of him. Surprisingly he has some tshirt on, it’s black and looks really well on him, not to mention the curiosity in his eyes while he waits for her to react. When she doesn’t do anything except staring at him, he does.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty. How are you feeling?” His smile reaches his eyes, but just a little, and that’s enough for Luna to smile back. Before she panics.

“Have I done something weird or creepy last night?”

Matteo laughs softly as he closes the book without bothering to put any bookmark in. Her eyes move to his hand and higher to his arm until she spots some black lines on his skin and this is not the best for her sanity, but she will ask about it later.

“To be honest, you had done nothing that would be weird, you just drank too much most likely, got super clingy and sleepy, so I took you here since you left your purse at your friends’ place which means no keys to your place.”

She watches him as he keeps talking and it doesn’t sound that bad. Except the fact that she was clingy, probably all over Matteo makes her blush a little, but that’s all. “And then we came here and went to sleep?” She asks with raised eyebrows and the corners of his mouth go up slightly. “Yes, I went to get a shower and you crashed on my bed before changing into stuff I gave you, so I made you put on at least the sweater and let you sleep.”

Luna nods slowly, thinking deeply of what he said, being definitely too slow because of her hangover, but the boy in front of her apparently decided to wait patiently, and she really appreciates that.

“So,” she starts softly. “Nothing happened?”

Matteo scrunches his nose grinning, she thinks he will move closer to interact with her, touch her in any way, but he doesn’t. “Nothing happened. Don’t worry, sweet thing, I am not this kind of guy. I don’t need to get anyone that drunk for anything to happen.”

The brunette growls and rolls her eyes, turning away from him when he bursts into laughter. “You know, I wouldn’t do anything especially when you were this drunk,” he continues with a little softer of a tone and rests his hand on her waist over the blanket.

She looks at him over her shoulder. “Yeah, and you know that comment was very unnecessary.” He laughs again and pulls her to his chest, which has her a bit tense, but as soon as he plants soft kiss on top of her head, Luna relaxes and leans into him more.

“How are you feeling anyway, because I still haven’t asked,” he murmurs in her hair and she sighs. “My head hurts badly, but could be worse I guess.”

“I would offer you painkillers, but this requires me getting up and I don’t know if you want me to get up now.” He teases with tiny smile and Luna turns to him. “Yes, I will die if my head bursts so there would be no cuddles ever again.”

Matteo nods with small smile and kisses her shoulder before pulling away and humming something as he leaves the room closing the door behind. Luna just stares at his back and weird lines on his arm peeking from under the sleeve, apparently there are things she still didn’t know about him, and honestly there is probably a thousand details more she maybe will never find out about.

Her head pulses with another wave of pain and Luna growls, covering her eyes with her forearm, hoping it will stop. It really doesn’t, and Matteo seems to be away surely longer than just to get pills and a glass of water, but she doesn’t have enough power to just get up and go to look for him.

Eventually the mattress is moving again and she look from under the sweater.

“I have tea for you, maybe it will help a little too.” Luna smiles at this and slowly sits up with his help, he is sitting right next to her and moves her hair away from her face before passing her two pills. She takes them with small thanks, and soon she will melt under his touch, when he is caressing her back, almost reassuringly and she forgets about trying to be sane around him.

Luna decides to focus on warm tea, slightly sweet as if he added honey or a little sugar to it, probably not sure if she likes it sweet or not. That’s definitely more appreciated than his attempts at feeding her with coffee every morning, and the brunette keeps sending him smile from between glances around his bedroom.

It’s spacious and rather comfy, the bed is big for them to sleep next to each other without any touching; like last night, and it’s really, really great thing to sleep on. The mattress is soft, but not too soft to have her drown in it, or at least she tries to think of practical stuff instead of wondering if he brought any girl here before her, and if he did - how many?

There is a ton of volumes staying steadily on the tall, wide bookshelf, the covers in different sizes and colors, probably different languages as well. Luna has heard he had travelled a lot before going to college, but Matteo himself has never told her anything about that, neither has he any souvenirs from places he’d seen. Maybe he doesn’t like putting little things on the shelves, or maybe he is a practical human being, too serious, too proper for unimportant stuff gathering the dust.

Matteo pokes her softly, waking her up from zone out. “Are you okay? You are really tense,” he mumbles, taking the tea cup from her hand, even though she isn’t done yet.

“Yeah, I’m just looking around.”

He raises his eyebrow, it looks funny, because this small wavy wrinkle appears on his forehead just to disappear back smoothly when he gives up on weird looks. “You know how my bedroom looks, sweet thing. You have been here before.”

Luna shrugs softly, trying to make up some excuse. “Um-,” she starts, very vocal. “I never really got to check what kind of smart books you have up there, looking pretty and probably never read.” She sticks her tongue out at him as he gasps, making her giggle.

“Luna Valente, how do you even have a heart to make fun of me as you are sitting on my bed?

“Well, maybe find me some better thing to do?” She throws before she manages to think and he has surprised face, just for a mere second though and then small smirk covers his face. “And what means ‘better’ for you?”

The brunette panics a little, blinking slightly too fast as she searches through her mind for something, which isn’t easy when you look at the fact she has a headache of the century.

“Show me your what’s on your arm maybe,” she says softly, with genuine curiosity and Matteo seems confused until she takes her hand to the edge of his left sleeve and touches his skin without breaking the eye contact. Her fingers caress his shoulder under the thin fabric of his tshirt and this surely distracts him enough.

He clears his throat. “Ah, this. It’s a tattoo.”

“I had no idea you have a tattoo.” Luna hums, “do others know about it?”

Balsano shifts under her touch, as if it made him feel too much at once. “Not really. Just people that have seen me without a shirt on, you know.”

Luna nods, taking her hand and sighs, taking deep breath and staying in silence, because it soothes her headache.

“I wanna see.”

“What do you wanna see?” Matteo asks and she rolls her eyes. “The tattoo, duh.”

He licks his lips, sitting away on the bed and just takes off his shirt, but in a way it stays on his elbows. His chest and his back, just like his shoulders are visible, so Luna guesses he just didn’t wanna ditch it completely, or keep his hands to himself.

The latter most likely isn’t real, because Matteo Balsano never denies himself things.

She takes her eyes to his shoulder, the one she was curious of and she sits closer to see it. It’s nothing really special, or with some idea, it’s just a pretty pattern, geometric one and definitely took a lot of time to complete.

“Can I ask why did you decide to have it?” She asks, her voice quiet and chill since the moment is soft and she’s afraid loud talking would ruin it.

“I liked it. I thought it would look nice and it does.” He answers, but his answer doesn’t seem complete to Luna. “Is that all?”

It sounds a little pushy, and she wants to back away when his eyes change for a second, he boops her nose quickly. “Tattoos don’t need to have special meaning, sweet thing. Though maybe I wanted to piss someone off.”

His voice tells her that the topic is done, she won’t ask anything more to avoid any possible collision. She just keeps her fingers on his forearm, not sure what now, when he clearly cut the conversation.

“There is another one, though,” he murmurs near her ear, and Luna jumps confused with her nose scrunched. Matteo only chuckles and turns away to sit with his back facing her and having Luna gasp at the sight of straight lines and circles, bigger and smaller, some tiny, with thin shape or rather bold. Some are filled.

She lets out small sigh, it’s so pretty, but also. “Oh, Matteo. It must’ve hurt so, so much.”

He laughs loud, turns as he puts back his tshirt and pushes her down on the pillows. He leans over her, touching her nose with his and sighs with his hands on both sides of her head. “Stay soft, Luna Valente. It looks good on you.”

With that he kisses her quickly few times. And then again, and this time it’s not a soft kiss by any meaning.

🌙

Ambar doesn’t take her eyes off her phone screen even when she is sitting with Luna during their usual late lunch meeting. The brunette is having rather hard time; she is living for human interaction, for small talk and gossip, for normal conversations about the other, but her cousin gives her nothing but cold glances.

Luna eventually gives up, as always around the time they get their food. She tries to focus on today’s lasagna, and not mess up her new blouse she got few weeks ago during shopping with friends.

She is already used to those cold afternoons with Ambar, just quiet until someone just asks one question, that has answer either yes or no, so the talk dies quickly. Today they already shared like 5 lines, so the limit is reached and Luna is sure she will be able to enjoy the lasagna fully.

“I have heard you and Balsano have a thing.” Smith asks matter of factly as she digs her fork into fish she ordered.

Luna can’t remember the day she choked on her dinner as much as today, but definitely lasagna would be the one to blame if she died. “What? I wouldn’t say we have a thing.”

Ambar rolls her eyes. “Yeah, call it as you wish, it’s your business, but when you make out with a guy in a visible place, Lunita, people start talking. You can of course deny, because everyone was too drunk to record a video, or too scared of Balsano, but I don’t approve that.”

“No offense, Ambar, but I don’t need your approval to do things.”

“As long as you use brain while doing things I don’t care. I just don’t need people to keep asking me around whether I know shit to gossip about or no.”

Luna huffs, slightly offended even though she started with the no offense, but that’s the charm of her cousin, who is able to annoy everyone, even Luna herself who is always forgiving and tolerant.

But when she doesn’t say anything, Ambar continues. “I am here not to trash you, even though I would love that. It’s Sharon’s job and you surely have enough of it. I just want to remind you that since you already chose yourself this boy to, I don’t know, do stuff with, you have to remember you are exposed to other people. You should decide yourself if all the stages of recruitment you’ve come through and the interviews to actually get here were worth it.”

Luna sighs, playing with the molten cheese on top of her lasagna and tries to analyze what Ambar just said. It makes sense, at least she guesses it does. Though, there is one thing that has her unsure.

“Um, does he do this often?” She asks with soft voice, calm and powerless and the blonde sends her uncomfortable look.

“Hardly ever.”

🌙

It’s been quiet for some time already, which could be surprising, but the fact they all have tests in following days made them stop trying to gossip at least for this afternoon. Luna manages to focus amazingly, or at least since when Nina told Jim and Yam to shut up, it’s been quite chill and calm around. Her phone isn’t buzzing anymore since Matteo had some important union stuff to do and Luna hasn’t been pushing in any way, she has her own things to do. Maybe there is less and less of them since she met the Italian boy, but there is something still only hers and this is definitely studying with the girls.

She is going for the record of read and understood pages in a row when someone kicks her on the ankle. She just huffs and throws a glare at the table, yet her ginger friend is just sending her subtle signs to look behind, and Yam is just staring.

Luna rolls her eyes and turns back to the book, but now even Nina clears her throat, so it’s most likely thing at least worth of a glance behind. She leaves a bookmark between the pages last she read and sighs before turning towards the direction all the girls keep staring at.

Now Luna should appreciate the long hallway in the middle of this one of Oxford libraries, because she can see Matteo walking through it slowly, just at the same time flipping through some book with dark cover, and talking to the boy with curly hair he’s been hanging out with more often recently. He doesn’t seem to know that she is there staring at him, but Luna hopes he will spot her as soon as possible since her silly heart already wants to jump out of her chest and run to him quickly.

As Matteo and his friend pass her table on their left by she feels small tiny disappointment and Jim huffs loudly, earning the attention of the boys. Luna gasps, not sure if she should be thankful or regret this. When Matteo‘s eyes rest on her for few mere seconds, just to slide away slowly in lazy, very typical for him manner, Luna feels like throwing up. They keep walking and she doesn’t even check where, because she needs to focus on not looking like she feels; which means like a total fool, even if she hasn’t told her friends about how comfy she has gotten with Matteo, chilling and watching tv show in his bed few days ago.

“Have you seen that?” Jim huffs once again, her face just as red as her hair. “I have no idea what this ‘that’ even was, but who does he think he is?” Yam answers, blinking her eyes in disbelief.

Luna doesn’t really know if it’s such a big deal; if it should be such a big deal, or at least as big as her friends make it be. She knows it wasn’t really normal, no matter if he ignored her, if she can call it that of course, on purpose or just was in hurry somewhere only he knows. To be honest, the brunette only wants to forget any boy stuff that’s going on, and focus on study, because God’s a witness that’s what she should be actually doing right now.

“I don’t believe this though.” Jim speaks again, or more like murmurs finishing the conversation Luna missed here, too busy with her thoughts, too distracted. Nothing new, and the girls normally let her slide with this, but apparently not today. She feels a nudge on her ribs. “Come on. Are you gonna just sit and let him think he can be all hot and cold?” The ginger haired girl continues. Nina sends her helpless look and Luna just shrugs at them all, not sure how to act now.

She guesses that she will have to talk to Matteo about this, but first she will most likely ignore him for a while. If it’s possible to ignore Matteo Balsano when he doesn’t want to be ignored, because from what she has learned about him is that he never wants to be ignored, and he doesn’t like that.

“I think,” Nina starts, for the first time in the entire conversation about Matteo. “That you should let Luna do whatever she wants to, and that he deserves to have his ass kicked for not even stopping by to say hi.”

“I agree!” Yam raises her hand almost hitting Jim on the head. “Nina maybe you can speak Luna back to her senses. I still remember daily morning coffee special for you, and now he just ‘blesses’ you with his look.” The word ‘blesses’ her friend says with such a disgust, she actually wants to laugh. Though everything here seems true and makes very much sense, at the same time Luna can’t believe this. She knows Matteo wouldn’t do anything asshole-ish, at least not the same Matteo who kept playing sleepy with her hair, wrapping single strands around his fingers. He wouldn’t be an asshole.

“Girls, please. You are making drama and I am able to handle this by myself. But not here and now, it’s not the right place and time, and I would love to remind you that no matter how much you will stress, the test is still coming.” Jim stares at her very pouty, so she just continues. “No matter how much you bitch about a boy. If any of you says one more word, I’m going to my place, because I really want to pass and I don’t have time for distractions like this.”

“So you are really going to let this go? For real, Luna?” The only blonde girl by the table asks and Luna stares at her unsure, everything happened like five minutes ago so she doesn’t have any plan for this. She will see when she meets him in person, most likely alone, avoiding attention of weird people.

“I don’t know. I will see when I have mind for this. And you should drop this finally, since Matteo fills most of our conversations and it tires me up. Plus throwing all accusations and making up all stories and weird reasons before even knowing what the other side has to say is very wrong. I don’t want to jump into conclusions.”

With this she gets up, gathers her stuff and leaves, hoping her brain will let her do anything productive that day.

🌙

Matteo, 16:54 Hi, how are you?

Matteo, 17:02 Are you okay?

Matteo, 17:20 Luna

Matteo, 17:47 Text me back

Matteo, 18:14 I hope you didn’t fall asleep while studying

Matteo, 18:45 Luna Valente, please

🌙

She actually had managed to study, she turned off her phone and made notes, promising herself that the sooner she is done, the sooner she will do nice stuff like procrastinating other things, avoiding Matteo and avoiding her friends. It’s not that she wants to ignore the guy, and make him feel guilty, because that’s not the point. The point is that it’s expected from her to make a drama, or something. Yeah, she indeed felt hurt and offended, but it’s not like they are anything, there is no promises, or words what they will do or what they will not.

She hasn’t seen Matteo for whole day, not since the library time, and it made her somehow calm and peaceful. Though, her brain was trying to pull her into weird places and conclusion space, but chemistry has been too messy to think of Italian boys and their chocolate eyes.

That’s why she is so surprised to see hundred of texts after turning her phone back on; almost all of them from the chat with the girls, a message from mom and few texts from Matteo. She decides to answer him as the first.

Me whats up?

After this, she goes to change into some comfy stuff and makes some tea. It’s her me-time and Luna plans to enjoy it to the fullest, calling her mom after dinner time in Mexico, hopefully she will catch her dad and it will be perfect evening. Her phone buzzes and she automatically reaches for it.

Matteo I should be asking you that I mean I hope you are fine How has your afternoon been?

She rolls her eyes softly at three texts at once, but she guesses if she had this ability to fast typing not only in emergency or tea spill moment, she would’ve used it.

Me ive been eating cake and stalking spanish models on insta no jk i was studying bc the girls didnt let me

Matteo Very funny, really Do you have time now?

The brunette bites on her lower lip, wondering what he wants from her, why is he asking her about her time, if he wants to go out somewhere or come over. It kind of ruins her plans, but her inability to say no is showing.

Me why are you asking? Matteo Haven’t seen you much today, just want to catch up

🌙

He promised her tea.

He promised her tea, in a nice coffee shop, with not many people around and soft music in the background. It’s warm, just like he said, and really pretty; there is floral pattern on one of the walls, the rest has dried flowers in glass frames. There are armchairs instead of the chairs, with pillows and Luna wonders whether it’s a place to hang out with people, or more like nap time, when there is no place to stay.

She is sitting on one of those very comfortable, light brown armchairs, her legs are curled up next to her as they are waiting for their drinks be ready. Matteo is in front of her, in dark shirt, softly checkered with white, and black vest over it. When Luna did see them first, she honestly lost her shit and she needs to calm herself until now from time to time, reminding herself that yeah, he is real and the waitress hasn’t really tried to throw herself over his lap.

“To be honest, I’m surprised I managed to drag you out of your place,” he throws in the middle of the conversation as she was flipping through dessert card.

“And why is that?” she asks, looking at him from over the menu and she wonders if those sparks of the feeling of attraction in her stomach will ever chill whenever her eyes are on him. Most likely no.

“Because it’s already late afternoon and since you were studying I was sure you would tell me to chill my ass and leave you alone.”

Luna pouts, scrunching her nose. “You know I would have never done that. I am a nice person Matteo, and if I turn someone down, I do it as nicely as possible.”

He sends her soft look, even if a little amused. “Okay then, I’m sorry and I am really happy you decided to probably change out of your sweats to meet me.”

“Yeah, though as soon as I see that you indeed ordered tea with milk, I’m leaving and you shall never see me again, Matteo.” She sticks her tongue out at him as he rolls his eyes. “I drink it only when I need to soften some professor so they see I’m proper English student. But privately I rarely drink tea.”

The brunette hums, as the ice cream on this page looks delicious. Sadly it’s too cold for that today. “And yet here you are, taking me out for a tea.”

“I am and I’m very proud of that.” He grins and wants to say something else, but the waitress puts the tall cups of tea in front of them. Matteo thanks her with small smile and Luna does the same, yet doesn’t receive any look from the waitress named Olivia, whose eyes are glued to the Italian boy and it’s as funny as annoying. She still thanks her for bringing her order and hopes Matteo ignores the girl more or less.

🌙

It’s around nine when he they leave. He helps her with putting on the jacket and gives her his scarf, because it got windy. She keeps sending him small smiles, hoping that he will answer her when she asks about earlier; she didn’t want to ask before to not ruin the nice, soft mood and the brunette herself enjoyed it enough to postpone the uncomfortable questions.

They aren’t in any hurry, walking slowly and talking still just like they have talked for past hours, she listened to Matteo talking about classes and union and tiring classes in the morning. Hopefully they do this again, just hang out without drama around, people gossipping, because she doesn’t really like this kind of attention. She never minded it before, but this is very unhealthy and better if avoided.

His fingers tense slightly when she slides hers around them, maybe he isn’t used to holding hands while walking with someone, but Luna decides to try and sends him small smile. After this, Matteo smiles back and his grip on her hand tightens.

“Can I ask you something?” she mumbles, just slightly unsure as they get inside the building.

He raises his eyebrows, but still relaxed. “Yeah, sweet thing, you can ask me whatever you want.”

“Um,” Luna starts, already fidgeting with his fingers. “I just wanted to know if you were okay this morning. In the library. Because you didn’t even say hi or something.”

Matteo sends her a little sheepish look, but it lasts just a second, before it’s back to those thinking eyes, as he appears in front of her having her crashing into his chest since they were walking. Slowly, but still walking. She pulls away embarrassed with red cheeks, but he smiles. She didn’t even notice they got to the door of her dorm. “This morning I had to finish my paper for astronomy, because it was due to noon so I went to the library and I was just in hurry. I’m sorry if it made you feel bad, you should’ve told me earlier, or even back then.” He takes her face in his hands, his thumb caressing her cheeks so softly, so gently she can’t really breathe. Luna stares at him with wide eyes, not wanting to blink when he is so close, so she can take all his face and memorize it; every tiny freckle and the length of his lashes and the small dimple when his mouth curls in a smile.

Matteo Balsano is an unusual man and he knows it, and she doesn’t mind that, as long as he is looking at her like that, speaking his voice this soft. “I had no idea it would upset you so much. I wanted to see you later to catch up so I texted you.”

She just nods softly, overwhelmed with the way he is talking to her. His nose brushes hers with some kind of tenderness. “I mean it’s not even that I was upset. I was just surprised, plus the girls-” he cuts in. “No offense to the girls, but they seem overly dramatic most of the times.”

Luna blinks surprised, because how would he know how her friends are? “What do you mean?”

“I don’t mean anything bad of course, just that they seem impulsive, quickly jumping to conclusions. Not to try to get between you and them, but maybe you should just take things as they are, without listening that much to their huffs and puffs.” The brunette hums and opens her mouth, but Matteo continues. “That’s of course my suggestion, you will do what your pretty head decides.”

She nods, smiling a little again, because that actually makes sense for her melted at this point. “You are right. Anyway, do you want some hot chocolate?” The question is just a tool to change the topic, and they both know it, but it apparently works.

“Sure, with whipped cream and chocolate stars.”

He kisses her slowly on the forehead, the nose, and finally on the lips, relaxing all of her muscles that have been tense and she hasn’t even known that.

🌙

but right now I'm gonna let this slide, you'll be mine, mine, mine

[sky-girls]

Your Colors Burn so Bright

I don’t know what this is, you don’t know what this is, no one knows what this is. I just know it’s the same universe as this one. Also nice reminder I don’t know shit about art.

“Please.” Matteo says, for what feels like the ten thousandth time already. “Come on Luna, please.”

“No.” She says firmly.

“Why not?” He asks with a pout and Luna turns to him with a sigh, they are on his bed, she is spending the night at his place, she has been doing it a lot lately, so much most of the time she doesn’t even need to go home to pick up her own stuff, her books are here, her clothes are here, she has a toothbrush here, Matteo has started to buy her sugar filled cereals and her favorite fruits.

She likes this so much. She is almost thinking of always being here, if that was in any way possible.

Matteo is facing her too, his eyes full of pleading, his hair is messy, still wet from the shower they just took, he has stopped drawing so this is a very serious topic, he must really want this.

“Because it’s weird.” She exclaims. “I won’t feel comfortable.”

“Why?” He asks. “I always draw you.”

“But I never know that you are doing it.” She retort and a small smile tugs at his lips as he rolls his eyes.

“It’s not that different.” He tells her, he is giving her the puppy eyes, though maybe kitten eyes would be more fitting, and she knows deep down that she will end up doing it.How could she say no to him when he is being like this. “It’s a study in color, Luna, you know you are the only thing I am one hundred percent comfortable drawing in color.”

“You should broaden your horizons.” She tells him.

“This is really important.” He says with a sigh. “And a very important part of my final grade in this class, baby, please.”

“But I have to pose.” She whines a little. “That’s so boring and uncomfy.”

“I will make it more interesting for you.” He says leaning closer to her, his breath tickling her lips and making her shiver. She still rolls her eyes at his innuendo, she has to even if  he makes her stomach twist with want yet again.

“Will you?” She asks shaking her head slightly, he licks his lips and her eyes instantly go to them.

“Of course, I will.” He says caressing her cheek.

“And how will you do such thing?” She asks with a sigh as his hand slowly moves down her neck and heat spread to her body.

“So this means you will do it?” He asks, playing with the collar of his shirt on her.

“This means I am considering it.” She sighs and just now that his hand has slided under the covers and fond his way to her thigh she has realized that he put his notebook away. She is really doing this.

“How can I convince you, my love?” He asks in a deep voice so close his lips brush against her when he says it.

“I am sure you will find a way.” She tells him and pulls him closer into a deep kiss.

⭐

“So how are we doing this?” She asks, they are in his studio, the room in his apartment that has the best lighting and is filled with empty and full canvases, there’s some type of pencil, of paint brushes, paint tubes everywhere.

She had always imagined an artist’s studio being cluttered, messy, filled to the brim with the chaos of creativity but Matteo’s is incredibly organized, every little thing has its place and order. And not surprisingly it’s extremely monochromatic, there are some splashes of colors, some paints, some pencils, some canvases, each and every one of those has her face. Things are a little off since he has moved the couch that he usually keeps next to the wall she usually hangs out in when he is painting to the middle of the room.

He is busy arranging paints, pencils, he keeps sending looks at her and taking up some more before neatly putting them on the table next to him.

“So I have to do three pieces.” He tells her and she scrunches up her nose slightly, he chuckles and pokes it softly making her giggle. “And I have to inspire myself on a color palette that my prof suggested for each one of them but I can pick it myself so I will cheat just a little bit.”

“Such a rebel.” She tells him shaking her head. “So with what are you gonna start?”

“It’s a surprise.” He tells her. “But I just need you to sit and stare at me for this one, it shouldn’t be too hard for you.”

She huffs at him and sticks her tongue out when she is on the way to the couch, he tries to pull her into a kiss but she just pulls away and plops down into the couch.

“Okay, so please.” He starts try not to look away from me please he says looking at his phone, just then she realizes that most colors on his table are greens, some are pink and skin like colors but most are every shade of green she didn’t even know existed.

“Do I have to keep my eyes open too?” She asks widening her eyes comically and he just sighs as if she was crazy.

“No, babe.” He says trying not to sound amused. “That’s biologically impossible.”

“Is it?” She asks. “I had no idea.”

“Don’t you have like 3 biology courses?” He asks laughing and she pouts.

“Yes, I do sadly.” She says. “Which reminds me I need to go back to my place tonight.”

“You do?” He asks and he is already drawing something, she wishes she could see what.

“I left my bio books there.” She says sadly and he sighs.

“I don’t like going to my place.” She mumbles after a while.

“I don’t like it when you go to your place either.” He tells her, almost in a whisper, the conversation they are having a distant worry for him he is much too focused on his art.

She has learned this makes him very honest.

⭐

“You are so ridiculous.” She mumbles stifling a yawn.

“Why?” He asks he is drawing, the sun rays are barely awakening and he is drawing her, she knows he is stressed about this assignment but it’s so damn early.

“It’s like six am.” She complains and she wants to hide her face on the pillow away from the sun, he actually opened the curtains for this of course, but she doesn’t dare he looks so focused.

“Almost seven.” He corrects her. “You can sleep still, though.”

“The sun is on my face.” She complains and he just looks at her seriously before going back to his drawing. “Babe, love, darling, please just go the fuck back to sleep.”

“No.” He says decisively. “This is perfect, the lighting, the pose, you look perfect like this, I need to use it.”

“But it's so early.” She keeps complaining just a little less forcefully than before, sleep is coming back to her and the compliment softened her quite a bit too.

“Think of it this way.” He says leaving the orange pencil he has on his hand and picking a yellow one. “This way you can nap while I do this and you don’t have to pose for boring hours as last time.”

“You have a point.” She concedes.

“I always do.” He says softly. “Now go back to sleep, my love.”

She just hums hugging the pillow slightly tighter, her eyes are feeling heavy already and before she knows it the sound of Matteo’s pencils against the paper becomes so distant that it fades away.

⭐

“Okay, this one is uncomfy.” She mumbles.

“But you are lying in bed.” He tells her from the chair and she lifts herself on her elbows.

“But I am wearing lingerie.” She tells him.

“It’s a silk robe.” He says. “And I have seen you in less why is this uncomfy.”

“Because all of your class will see me like this.” She tells him. “Isn’t that an uncomfy idea for you?”

“No.” He says simply. “That way they all can see what they are missing and I have.”

She giggles despite herself and Matteo sends her a quick wink.

She sighs, it’s true it’s not lingerie, the lace of he bra peaks a little from under the fabric but the robe is long enough she has felt comfortable using it around many people before, it reaches slightly lower than the middle of her thighs, she uses wears skirts shorter than this a lot of the time, but she still doesn’t feel comfortable.

Matteo has done these kind of drawings before, even more daring ones of her but those are for him, those are the things he draws by memory and keeps close to himself they are not meant for the eyes of hundreds of people and some professors.

“Okay, this is not working.” He says after a while and she pouts. “You look stiff.”

“It’s because I feel uncomfortable.” She defends herself, he sends her a look, a little harsher than he probably intended but she makes herself smaller still, she doesn’t want to feel like Matteo’s assigment is not working because of her.

After a while he stands up and goes to the closet before coming back with one of his few t shirts.

“What if you wear this?” He asks and she shrugs.

“That would probably be better, yes.” She says in a small voice and Matte sighs, he gets closer slightly and his hands go to the belt of the robe and starts undoing the loose knot she made just minutes ago.

“I am so sorry if I have been difficult about this.” He tells her kissing her jaw and she melts against his touch.

“I know you are stressed.” She takes her hands around his neck playing softly with the hair of his nape, his lips go lower and into her neck, he sucks ever so slightly but she still gasps at this. “I know it’s a very big deal.”

“It is.” He agrees and his hands slide to her waist, caressing her bare skin. “But you are being so nice and so great in helping, I mean you are nice and great about everything, though.”

She is about to say something nice back, maybe tell him not to worry when he bites her skin softly, sending her body into overdrive, she tries to press herself more against his body, suddenly she is wearing too much to be comfortable.

“And the fact that I am stressed is not your fault.” He says and his free hand slides the robe off her shoulder, following its path with soft feathery kisses.

She pulls him into a kiss and he accepts gladly, teasing her lower lip with his tongue before searching hers, she moans slightly against his lips, he lets the robe fall to the floor and takes a step away.

“Now we put this in.” He says in a deep, raspy voice and she is feeling too dazed and confused to process that he is putting the t shirt on her and she is actually helping him. He takes a look at her, his eyes going down her body, they are incredibly dark, but they are still analytical. He messes her hair just slightly and goes back to his chair.

“Just kneel on the bed.” He tells her and she can feel how incredibly amused at the state he left her in.

She positions herself at his request, one shoulder of the too big shirt ends up falling leaving her more exposed than before even.

She can’t focus on that at all.

⭐

“Oh my god, I am so excited, I am so pumped, I can’t wait to see them.” She says excited and she bumps into something with her hands as she gesticulates.

The three drawings are finally ready and Matteo is of course being dramatic about it, he is leading her to his studio as he covers her eyes and rambles excited about them.

“Okay so the names are not final.”She feels them stop so she guesses they are where he wants them to be. “I need to find better ones, or I don’t know actually, not yet.”

“I don’t think the names matter that much.” She tells him softly and she feels him sigh. “But I am sure you will find the perfect ones.”

He doesn’t answer this, he just softly slides his hands away from his eyes and Luna’s breath is taken away the moment she sees his work.

They are much bigger than what he usually does but this she knew of course. She still needs to get closer, she needs to focus on each one individually is what they deserve.

She approaches the first one he made, a little piece of paper next to it with a color palette consisting of greens and pinks, the most contrasting of them, this little paper tells her it’s titled happiness and it’s just a her eyes.

Or more like a close up of her eyes, except that they are so deep, so enchanting, so beautiful. She doesn’t think her eyes are really this way, so bright, so vibrant, so clear, seeming to contain every shade of green the world has ever seen and some that she could swear are new ones. Her lashes are long casting shades on them and you can see each and everyone of them, no wonder he took hours.

He also took the time to detail each and everyone of her freckles, they are a darker pink color here instead of fully brown but it works perfect as they grace her scrunched up nose, just then she realizes she is smiling, she takes a look back at the eyes, they are smiling too.

She walks to the next one, this one is the way he drew in that sunset, so so early and now she sees what he means that the lighting was perfect for it, it’s all yellows and oranges. Her curls and bare back seem to be made entirely of the sunrise light and she seems a little softer around the edges, the sheets around her look like they are fading into the morning. It feels her heart with a comfortable warmth

She looks at the paper next to it, the color palettes is of course, soft yellows and oranges, the title is peace, she takes a deep breath, try to calm herself a little, this is overwhelming, in the best sense of the word.

She moves to the next one and she blushes as soon as she sees it, it’s probably adequate, this drawing is full of red, they are strong reds, deep reds, soft reds, she sends a quick look to the color palette, it has devotion written on it and it feels completely right.

She would be the last person to say something like this of herself, but here she looks like a goddess, she looks powerful, strong and sexy, the shirt hands loosely on her showing parts of her bra, not that much but enough that the lace calls the eyes, her hair is messy and so are her eyes, sucha dark red that they are almost black, her lips are a dark red too, the rest of her just a soft shade of it. She can’t look at this one for too long but she can’t take her eyes away either. It’s such a strange sensation to see herself like this. Is this how Matteo sees her?

“So what you think?” He asks and she turns to him, he is almost jumping from one feet to the other but of course he is trying to be casual about it, just like he is shifting his position, she smiles at him, she is too struck by the feelings these paintings caused her to manage a full smile but she hopes that it’s still enough.

“They are amazing, Matteo.” She says in a breathy voice walking to him.

“Really?” He asks resting his hands on her hips and bringing her closer.

“Of course really.” She exclaims. “They are just incredibly, I don’t think I have ever seen anything like these.”

“You don’t know much about art.” He teases but she can see he is pleased.

“I know enough to know that these are great.” She says surely. “They are so incredibly beautiful,I feel like I should be saying more but I just don’t know enough words to describe just how perfect they are.”

“I love you so much.” He says softly. “You are the best, you helped me so, so much here, I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“You could have.” She tells him resting her hand on his cheek.

“Okay, maybe.” He says quickly and Luna giggles. “But I don’t want to do this without you so…”

“I love you.” She says when he doesn’t finish the sentence and he just grins at her. “You are gonna get the best grade possible.”

“Thanks to you.” He says and he kisses her before she can say anything against it.

[mylutteoheart]

Playing Cupid

It’s finally here, the next chapter of Playing cupid. This took me forever, I don’t have a lot of time to write anymore. Anyway, this was a fun chapter to write, we’re moving forward. The long awaited face to face is coming closer and closer. I don’t know when the next update is but enjoy this chapter in the meantime.

Luna and Matteo have been building their lives together slowly. Fresh out of college, they’re planning their future. But by planning this, they have an underlying plan no one knows of. Bringing their best friends together after 4 years of not being happy without the other. How well will their plan of playing Cupid work?

Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | find my other fics here

Chapter 4: A Shocking Surprise

Nina hesitated and she was conflicted about what she would tell Luna but deep down, she knew it's better to tell the truth. She would feel better afterwards. So that's what she did. She told her best friend everything. From the way she felt when Gastón left to getting together with Eric to breaking up with him to realizing what she truly felt when Gastón went to Oxford.

"Looking back on everything, I realized that we shouldn't have broken up. There was no point." Nina looked sad admitting this but continued anyway, "I know we could have figured it out. We were strong enough to have a long disctance relationship and thinking back, it wouldn't even have been for that long since I wanted to go to Oxford as well." she sighed, "How did everything get so wrong?"

Luna was speechless, she knew Nina still had feelings for her ex-boyfriend but she didn't know how strong they still were. This has made her even more determined to get them back together no matter what.

She thought of saying something so she ended up saying: "I can't possibly understand how you feel right now but I do know that life can take an unexpected turn and it will all be okay in the end. If your love is strong enough, you will get through anything, I'm sure of that so don't give up. You'll find your way."

Nina just nodded, she wasn't truly convinced about what her best friend was telling her but she hoped that there will be light at the end of the tunnel, even if the tunnel seems too dark for it to be possible.

"I hope you're right. I really don't like feeling like this."

"Just look at me and Matteo or Ámbar and Simón. It seemed hopeless for all of us but look at us now. Me and Matteo are engaged and Ámbar and Simón are already married and living their best life right now, visiting Simón's family in Mexico."

Nina smiled at Luna's shot at trying to cheer her up. The image of her friends being happy and in love did cheer her up and have her hope that she would have a chance to feel like that as well at some point.

"I don't know but I don't want to talk about this right now. We need to make plans for your wedding. That's the priority at the moment." she tried to change the subject because she didn't want to feel sad anymore. She needed a distraction.

Her trick worked since Luna started talking about her plans but she knew Luna was just humouring her and not letting it go anytime soon and she didn't know if she liked it just yet.

***

Luna and Nina were still talking when Matteo came up behind Luna and startled her by giving a kiss on her cheek. He chuckled when she jumped a little from her seat and she laughed along with him.

When she saw him, she was dying to ask him how his meeting with Gastón went but she couldn't ask him just yet. Nina still didn't know about his arrival and the role he was going to have in their wedding. She was a  little afraid of her reaction but she had to find a way to prepare her for what's going to happen. A meeting was going to be inevitable between them and Nina wouldn't like a surprise like this.

Matteo was a little nervous to see that Nina was here too. He should have expected to see her since they're still in Jam & Roller but he believed that Luna was taking her out to eat somewhere else. He had to be careful, Gastón was with him and he would wait outside since he wasn't ready to go back in yet but he was sure that if he stayed inside for too long, his best friend would come looking for him.

"Hey, chico fresa. What are you doing here?" Luna didn't seem to notice he was nervous and that was a good thing but there was still a possibility that Nina would notice it.

"I'm just stopping by to get a smoothie." he said and looked back to see if his friend had followed him, he didn't.

Luna noticed this and asked if everything was alright. "Everything's fine, there's just someone waiting for me outside." he gave her a subtle hint.

Realization appeared on her face and tried to help him: "Right, you shouldn't let them wait for too long then. I'll see you later."

"Sure, we should talk after I get back." he warned her, they needed to come up with a good plan now that that they talked to the two clueless lovebirds.

"Okay, no problem, we'll talk when we get back home then." Luna shrugged and Nina was confused, she had a feeling there was more to this conversation than they showed. She didn't want to pry, if they had problems, Luna would go to her when she's ready.

Matteo kissed her goodbye with a quick but passionate kiss. He turned around afterwards and Matteo had to hide the gasp that left his lips when he saw his best friend walking in. He looked around the cafeteria and Matteo really hoped he wouldn't see the two girls he was standing next to. It would be too soon now. He just got back and Matteo just knew he wasn't ready to see her again.

But it was too late, his best friend saw Nina and shock appeared on his face. He was frozen like a statue and he had no idea what to do. Luna noticed what her fiancé was looking at and before Nina could turn her head to see what grabbed their attention, she asked her: "So what do you think we should for the wedding first?"

The distraction worked and with one last kiss on the nose, Matteo left the two girls talking and he walked over to Gaston, still standing still at the entrance of the cafeteria. He turned him around and with an arm around his shoulders, they walked out of the Jam & Roller. They had things to talk about and this wasn't the right place to do that.

***

When Luna and Matteo got back home, they settled into the couch before making dinner. They had priorities that had to be dealt with now.

"That was so close." Luna broke the silence.

"Yeah, I was a little scared this would happen." he answered her.

"He looked like he saw a ghost." she said thoughtfully, "Did he say anything to you about seeing her again?"

"I tried asking him but he just changed the subject, I think he needs some time to process." he frowned, he was worried about what Gastón was feeling right now.

"It must have been hard to see her but I think it was something he had to do, to figure out what he's going to do about her." they already talked about the conversation Matteo had with Gastón earlier today on the way home.

"I think you're right. He might need a little push to try to tell her how he truly feels."

"She might need one too." she paused, "She told me everything about the entire Eric-Gastón situation. They're both too scared to admit anything."

"There has to be some way to convince them that they should have an honest talk. Avoiding each other is only going to cause them pain." he was in deep thought.

"But how do we do that?" she looked up at him frowning.

"I think seeing each other again is the first step but maybe not when the other knows about it. Seeing her again shook him but I think it was necessary. She might need to do this as well." he thought out loud.

"I'm not so sure about this." she answered, "She's still hurting over everything that transpired."

"We have to prepare her some way. They're going to see a lot of each other now that they're going to be part of the wedding. We need to take this step by step. It might not seem like a good thing at the moment but I think it will all be worth it in the end. They deserve to be happy and if they're honest with themselves. They'll see that the make each other happy."

"That's true." she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "Let's just get this over with."

Matteo raised his hand and carressed her cheek with the top of his fingers. "I can't wait until this is all over. I can't wait to be married to you and I can't wait to see my friends happy again." he smiled when she leaned into his touch, "We make quite the good team, chica delivery."

She opened her eyes and smiled at him: "We really do. I'm excited to see what's to come."

They leaned into each other and their lips touched carefully at first, but the kiss turned deeper and more passionate soon after. Everything that still needed to be done was forgotten at the moment and all they could focus on was each other. Dinner had to wait for now, they wanted to forgot about the world and be together and nothing would get in the way of that.

***

The day after, they started up the plan they came up with last night. It was risky but something they had to do. Matteo and Gastón were going to meet up in the same park they had yesterday. They still needed to talk about Gastón seeing Nina but they also had to make up for lost time.

Talking and seeing each other over the phone just wasn't the same. Gastón had friends at Oxford but they couldn't compare to his best friend. They've been through a lot together and they know everything about each other. He missed having his best friend around, as did Matteo.

They were just walking around in the park, still catching up to everything that they didn't want to say over the phone. It felt nice to be able to do this again. Matteo seemed a little more tense than usual though. Gastón didn't know what was going on but he just enjoyed talking to him like this again that he didn't think about his behaviour that much.

But unknown to him, two girls were walking close to them. Both Nina and Gastón were oblivious to what was going on. Without her noticing, Luna lead Nina close to the spot that Matteo said he and Gastón would be. Her best friend was talking to her about a book she was reading, she really liked it and couldn't stop talking about it. Luna was only half listening but she noted in the back of her head to ask Nina to borrow the book once she's done with it because it does sound interesting.

Luna was nervous about what's going to happen but she wasn't going to back out now. She needed to do this. Soon, the guys were in eyesight. This was the moment, it was now or never.

"Hey, Nina, is that...?" Luna paused and pointed ahead of her. She was pointing at Gastón and Matteo.

It took Nina a moment to realize what Luna was referring to, she was too distracted by her rant about the book she was reading to process what was going on quickly.

But as soon as she realized what Luna meant, she froze and she was in a state of shock. She couldn't believe her own eyes. Gastón was there standing with Matteo and joking about something. They were too far away to hear what they were talking about. It had been a while since she last saw him but there was no mistaking him, she couldn't forget what he looked like. He did look a little older than the last time she saw him but she still could recognize him easily.

Luna stopped and gauged Nina's reaction. She couldn't see anything but shock on her face. She didn't know what she was thinking and she was desperate to know but she didn't say anything, she didn't want to ruin this moment.

After moments of silence, she couldn't take it anymore and asked softly: "Nina?"

The sound of her voice brought Nina out of her trance and she turned around and ran away. It was too overwhelming for Nina. Luna just let her go, she needed time to process. She felt guilty for doing this to her but she knew this was the best way to prepare her for what's about to come.