#but she could ( potentially ) be alright with or encourage them to take on a third

[wickmitz]

what do you think mitzi’s type in men is?

hmm, this is a fun little ask! especially since her love interests, on a surface level, couldn’t be more different. we have :

zib : former long term boyfriend but not quite … they were very loose with labels, as we know from outside information and the way zib lives life in general. but despite this, whatever feelings fostered between them were intense ; enough so for him to stick around years later, resigned to a chained down lifestyle simply because he doesn’t want to leave mitzi. he’s very loyal in that sense! even if it’s not a conventional type of loyalty. we know that before bitterness seeped inbetween their bond that zib took good care of her, while also being a complete mess of a person ; someone perpetually scared whenever physical conflict is concerned and being a musically inclined man who very much treats himself as a free spirit, with a morbid philosophy and feel towards life. he’s got a major tortured artist aesthetic!! is a little gripped by melancholy and nostalgia … zib is a lot of things, and ambitious is surprisingly one of the many puzzle pieces that make up dorian zibowski.

atlas : ruthless gangster, has an eerie presence that frightens even the people closest to him. he is prone to a more quiet disposition ; never speaking and always a blot of unremarkable grey. but he is an opportunist! someone who can manage a business and take advantage of shortcuts and loopholes to become even more successful … basically he is wealthy and uses his assets well. but all of this is done with a manner of distance, leaving even those closest to him never having the full picture of who he was. it’s also worth noting that mitzi and him had eventual problems, which caused her to seperate. also perhaps has a heart of some kind, but whatever love he possesses is hidden under layers of blood and mystery.

wick : well-to-do bore, and i say this with all the love in the world for wick! but compared to previous paramours he’s rather clean and talkative … there is a constant earnestness to him that bleeds out, an honesty and a more conventional sort of kindness. he doesn’t hide behind smoke and mirrors and there’s never really a front he puts up around mitzi -- or his investors for that matter, hence why he’s treated as an ‘outsider’ so to speak. he is an alcoholic who loathes the details of his job but is more than passionate about the job itself and makes this everyone’s problem … he is a little helpless, in the sense he’d die without someone there to make sure he functions … and is, like zib, perpetually afraid of conflict. can be a little wishywashy and can come across as uncaring due to his cheeky tone … but he’s loyal and caring, with a hobby for the unusual ( bugs and rocks lol ) as well as being able to look past the gossip mill and see the actual mitzi may as he knows her, someone who’s going through a rough time and is either too kind or classy to be a brutal killer. he is hypocritical, a little snobby, and rather forward with mitzi too. kind of a flirt when he wants to be!

something that immediately stands out to me when looking at this lineup is that mitzi doesn’t enjoy a violent man. i don’t think she loathes someone who can so brutally or clinically remove others from this earth, but if she were to go for someone they’d usually be sweeter in a sense. it meshes well with her old personality and kinder heart, perhaps brings it out in her, and that sort of levity and breeziness is more enjoyable than, say, being fully aware of the dangers that lurk around every corner because the man you’re beside is prone to bringing it. she also enjoys more talkative types, someone who’s less quiet and demure and serious, and is keen on her men having a hobby they care deeply for ; some sort of long term goal to work towards doesn’t hurt either. and because of some scenes in the comic, i’m a firm believer that mitzi wants someone who can make her smile or laugh with ease, whether because they’re ridiculous by nature or genuinely funny! she has a sort of funny bone herself, enamored with gallow’s humor and darker jokes, so having someone who either a.) reacts hilariously in the face of her jokes or b.) who can return that energy with teasing or their own brand of silly is desirable. everyone could use a good laugh or two, a sense of joy injected into the bustling life they all live, and this all ties back to mitzi being more drawn towards the less stuffy types of men.

so atlas seems to be an outlier when it comes to her type in many ways, hence the later problems they apparently had in their relationship even if she did love him dearly. but, of course, atlas did have something very appealing to her that zib had failed to give, which she rather fondly recalls in the comic page vestige. whether zib likes acknowledging it or not, mitzi wasn’t as gungho about their normad life as he was … or, at the very least, when she lived another life besides that one, she realized she had a preference! and atlas gave her that path, that knowledge that she wanted something else, and seemingly for the very first time in her life … she felt like a proper lady, a feeling that clearly meant a lot to her. it wasn’t just the dresses or the wealth, it was the constant eye of atlas who could have any dame he wanted, but fancied her his wife regardless. it was having someone so respectable looking, dressed well and groomed well, being able to see her as something other than a sweating, exposed girl in a bawdy dress. atlas’s seemingly polite treatment towards mitzi was enough to garner her affections in spite of everything else, so i think she enjoys that now in others, ; folks who treat her as though she’s a woman in high society, men who don’t gawk at her or make lewd remarks immediately … she probably prefers the courting process now and the quaint dates ( that she doesn’t pay for, mind you ) that come along with it. she just -- likes mutual respect, i think. and who doesn’t? she’s been through a lot to get to where she is now, even if it’s a bad predicament, and she’d like for that to amount to something. some sort of acknowledgment, some kind of recognition.

however, it’s worth mentioning that her views on romance and all that it entails have been warped since the death of her husband. such a loss would change how anyone approaches their dating life, if they were to even have one afterwards … after all, mitzi’s whole problem is that she doesn’t want to move on from atlas and has thus completely romanticized him in her head, to the point that she earnestly believes she’ll be miserable forever without his presence. any problems she had with atlas have long since been erased by her tortured mind, leaving her with a profound misery she’s wallowing in. i think she believes herself as incapble of romantic or sexual inclinations nowdays, leading her to view the advances made towards wick as a necessary ‘evil’ for the sake of atlas may and little else -- when she genuinely does like sedgewick to a degree, and wouldn’t go on dates or kiss a man unless some part of her honestly wanted to do so. ( i also think she was attracted to wick somewhat even while married to atlas, but that’s besides the point ) so this is all a rather complicated affair! she is vulnerable and weak, is too aware of herself and the criminal underbelly squeezing in closer … add this on top of her still heavily grieving and having no one she feels she can talk to, you have someone who is rather changed. mitzi is so far removed from herself and who she truly is, or was, that there’s no doubt it’s affected her type ; now she’ll settle for anyone if they’ll just help her, and even then she’d be dispassionate if romantic entanglement of any kind was involved in that relationship. it’s not something she wants right now, and honestly, it all seems scary and daunting … besides atlas, zib was the only other man she’s ever loved enough to stay around for, so she’s never faced a loss like this before. has kept zib throughout all the turmoil and changes -- so this is, as far as we know, her first major loss where it concerns matters of the heart. it’s not shocking she’s so messed up after it, especially given how fresh it all still is. all of this rambling is to say that mitzi’s a little more stingy and cagey then she used to be about love or sex, and she has a lot of inner battles to face before she can fall for someone and be sure about it. needs to thaw, i think, and she would require patience and understanding from anyone who actually wanted to be with her. mitzi could move on with time ( i do not think she’s the type of widow who’d never date again! ) but it would take quite some time to do so. well, in a world where she’s allowed / is able to heal anyway!

while her type would probably remain the same, i could see her wanting a serious relationship more than she did prior to the death of her husband. has no energy for the loopholes, or the rationalizations, or the fickle nature that can grip someone’s heart. she has matured in a lot of ways since her band days and would take comfort in frivolous things like labels and promises of a future, together, as lovers. while what she had with zib was nice and is cherished alongside the freedom to do as she pleased while on the road with the band, i don’t think she misses it. having the stability and assurance of an actual relationship, with all the hardships that come with it, would be better suited for her. as long as she’s treated like an equal of course! i don’t think she’d be keen on her partner hiding anything from her, even if it’s meant to protect her, due to where that put mitzi when atlas was killed. she’d rather know and be disgusted, or worried, or scared than to not know about something at all until it’s too late … again. naturally patience and compassion would also be of importance, as would the usual things she loves like loyalty and a passion for something in life. and while never required, she’d be happy if the person possessed even a singular musical bone in their body! she still thinks artists, particularly musicans, are sexy after all … likes the angst and brooding that comes with it, the slight flare towards the dramatics … as long as they can handle mitzi in her pitiful entirety and do, to some degree, care deeply for her and will compromise … i think she could find some happiness wherever. bonus points if she can live comfortably for the rest of her days too, lord knows she’s tired of the constant battle of hucking and bargaining.

but yeah! mitzi’s love life is vast and complex and i definitely see her as someone who is more flexible in type than other people are. though there are similarities between her suitors if you really look! anyway, i hope i was able to briefly touch upon this subject because my shipping brain loved your question and kinda went into overdrive, alas. tldr ; her ideal type is wick sable. sorry. once wick learns an instrument the wedding is back on!! … i’m kidding lol. well, mostly <3

[samanthaa-leanne]

“Hinata you idiot! You're not supposed to receive the ball with your face!” Kageyama yelled from inside the gym.

You looked up from your spot on the bench to see Hinata on the floor and Kageyama standing over him with his hands in the air. A bright red spot forming on his face from the impact.

“Yeah I know that Kageyama!”

You were a first year at Karasuno and had gotten talked into joining the volleyball club from your friend Yachi. The last few months had been interesting to say the least. You had some knowledge about volleyball, but after watching the Karasuno boys in action it was like you knew nothing at all about the sport.

Everyone was extremely talented and the team had the potential to go all the way to nationals this year. There were still some minor improvements that needed to be made. One of which was receives, which just so happened to be what the team was currently practicing on.

“You’ll get the next one!” Yachi encouraged from beside you.

Both boys looked over to where you guys were sitting, your eyes instantly meeting Kageyama’s, a small blush adorning your cheeks. Anytime you looked at Kageyama your heart raced. He was so handsome you couldn’t take it. You usually didn’t get flustered when it came to boys, but there was just something about him that made your brain turn to mush. You were better at talking to him then when you first joined. You used to always stumble over your words when you guys had a conversation, but now that you formed a friendship you found it was a lot easier to talk to him. You no longer stumbled over your words when you talked, but your heart beat like crazy anytime you were near him. The crush you had on him growing more and more everyday.

The boys give you both a nod and a smile before returning to practice, training even harder than before.

“Valentine’s Day is coming up. Maybe you should get him something.” Kiyoko said softly enough for only you to hear.

The third years were the only ones who knew about your little crush. Kiyoko was the first to figure it out, then Suga, Daichi, and finally Asahi. They didn’t get it at first, but that didn’t stop them from encouraging you any chance they got.

“Yeah maybe.” You said with a shrug, breaking your gaze from the two boys to look up at her.

Kiyoko was stunning. You could see why Nishinoya and Tanaka were obsessed with her. Not only was she beautiful, but she was incredibly smart. She could do anything she wanted after she graduated, and you couldn’t wait to see what the future held for her.

“Alright bring it in.” Coach Ukai said as the team sat in front of him. “We have a practice game tomorrow against Nekoma, so I want you guys to start cleaning up and head straight home.”

“You heard him, let's get this place cleaned up.” Daichi said standing up. Everyone followed the captain's orders with no push back. The team cleaned quickly and changed in the club room before heading home for the night.

“Hey YN can you uhm stay back for a second.” Kageyama asked nervously once everyone was out of earshot.

“Yeah of course.” You couldn’t help the flutter in your chest at the thought of some alone time with Kageyama.

You both stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before he cleared his throat, his hand reaching into his bag.

“Uhh I know Valentine’s Day is still a few days away, and I know it’s not much, but I got you this.” He pulled out a small teddy bear and a heart shaped box of chocolates with a small note attached to the lid. “They're homemade.” He said softly as you opened the lid, popping a piece in your mouth.

“These are amazing Kageyama!” You exclaimed watchigun his face turn bright red. You threw your arms around him and gave him a big hug. “Thank you so much. I love them.” He slowly wrapped his arms around you, returning your hug.

“It was nothing.” He said shyly, pulling back a little from your embrace. “I, uhm, was wondering if you maybe wanted to go out with me sometime? I really like you YN.” His face getting impossibly more red with his confession.

Your heart did somersaults in your chest. You didn’t think your feelings were reciprocated. “Of course, I would love to.” You answer, smiling up at him.

He pulled you back in for another hug before letting out a breath you didn’t know he was holding. You couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at how nervous he was. You thought it was adorable. He ended up walking you home that night, hand in hand, and you had never been happier.

Once you got home you read his note and snuggled with the teddy bear he got you, eating another piece of the delicious chocolates.

“Best Valentine’s Day ever.”

[aquadestinyswriting]

Once More Unto the Breach

Summary: Edwin arrives at Selene's office to pick her up for their "holiday" away from Toreguarde.

Words: 842

Tags: @druidx, @sparrow-orion-writes @ashirisu , @thesorcerersapprentice, @philosophika , @the-down-upside-finch @flashfictionfridayofficial, @lexiklecksi

Warnings: None, fluffy fluff is fluffy

Notes: Written for the Flash Fiction Friday prompt 'Maybe One More'.

Edwin raised an eyebrow at just how… tidy the office of Toreguarde’s Grand Magus looked as he stepped through the door. Gone were the piles of books and parchment that had been scattered around the various surfaces for the last three months. The barely scuffed out chalk scribbles denoting various casting circles were also entirely erased from the floor and the various knick-knacks that Selene had picked up over the last decade were now carefully and artfully placed among the bookshelves and upon her desk. Even the area around Chrackle’s nest behind the door was spotless.

��I’ll be right there Edwin. Just packing some last minute essentials!” Selene’s voice called from a doorway to the Abouna’s left. Edwin leaned to one side just enough to be able to look into the room Selene’s voice had come from. His vision was met by at least a dozen shelves stacked floor to ceiling with more books,

“Don’t you have books at the tower?” He asked pointedly. He didn’t need to see Selene’s expression to know that she was now pouting at him.

“Well, yes, there are books at the tower.” The Grand Magus’s voice conceded, “But none of them are my personal spellbooks are they?” 

Edwin arched an eyebrow at this latest statement and crossed his arms over his chest,

“And why, pray tell, will you need your spellbook?” He asked, merely cocking his head as Selene’s head popped around the door. She pushed her glasses up her nose, her expression hopeful,

“Well, I know it’s not something that was in the original plan, but I was hoping we could make a little bit of a detour to go look for someone.” 

Edwin pinched the bridge of his nose and huffed out a sigh of exasperation,

“I thought this was supposed to be a chance for you to get some proper rest and recovery time.” 

“And I will get some rest and recovery. After we’ve found the person I want to look for.” 

Edwin inhaled as deeply as he could manage

~Galana, save me from the whims of wizards and their projects!~ he thought to himself before exhaling and looking back up at Selene,

“Alright, fine. How big is the detour, and who are we looking for?” The smile the wizard sent him was enough to keep most of his reservations about the whole idea at bay.

“A week at most. When we got to talking about Alexis and Fai the other day, it reminded me that Elowyn had mentioned Fai had picked up an apprentice at one point. The poor fellow probably has no idea what’s happened to his teacher, and I’d like to see what kind of potential he has.” she explained. The few reservations Edwin had evaporated. He stroked his beard thoughtfully,

“That’s not a bad idea, actually.” He murmured before fixing Selene with a hard stare, “However, once we find whoever this apprentice is, we are heading straight to the tower after. No detours, no sightseeing, and no making plans for casting spells higher than the third power. Got it?” 

Selene’s smile widened as she saluted him,

“Loud and clear.” She replied cheerily. She looked down at her hand wistfully, “Not that I can cast anything more than a couple of first power spells right now anyway.” She added, her expression turning sour. Edwin walked over and took her hand into his and forced her to look up at him,

“Look, I understand that it’s frustrating, but it’s going to take time and rest. Besides, you’re recovering your ability to cast a lot quicker than I thought was possible at this point. As long as you’re careful, you’ll be back to slinging around maximum power Fireballs in no time.” he encouraged. Selene’s smile returned, a little wobbly and uncertain, but she nodded,

“You’re right, I should be more patient with myself.” She agreed, “Thank you for agreeing to this. I know it’s not what you had planned, but… this is important to me.”

“I know. I just wish you’d told me sooner, then I could have at least worked out what inns and taverns were en route. As much as I love the idea of going out on the road one last time, I do not relish the idea of camping out any more.” 

“Given we’ll be travelling along proper roads for most of the journey, I don’t think we’ll need to worry about that. Your old man bones won’t have to worry about going without a bed.” Selene teased. Edwin snorted and carefully teased out a few strands of white from his wizard’s hair and let them fall into her face,

“Pots and kettles, Sel.” He retorted, “Go on and finish finding your spellbook. I’ll find Thazaar or Dwena and update them on our estimated arrival time.” He kissed Selene on the nose, before turning to leave the office once more. He paused at the door a moment, marvelling once more at how clean it was before exiting to look for someone to inform of the change in plans.

[kaito-akimoto]

// Hidden Truth Forbidden Lies [Kaito x Hanoka] - Part 6

“Haha, that’s right Hanoka! Just submit to the darkness, your curse of being the third child, your pointless love with Kaito. But with me, I will give you much better purpose by my side!” Keita declared, if she did not have the guts to kill her own father, he’ll do it himself. Now things had escalated, his partnership with Tomi was over, now he was just looking out for himself.

“No!” He was forced to let go of Kaito from Hanoko’s water vipers instead. “You are a fool, just like him! You two belong together then, so just die together!” Keita went to make some hand signs but was interrupted by Hanoka’s summon, soon frozen like Tomi is. “Damn it, undo this jutsu!”

“It’s beautiful,” Kaito commented at the peahen summon, it reminded him of Hanoka, and her mother’s beauty before her. He sat down with one knee up to support himself, trying to keep his panting to a minimum to now worry Hanoka.

“Hanoka, are you alright?” he asked her in worry, noting the smoke rising from her burns. “Sorry, I pushed myself and now my body’s catching up,” he explained weakly, Kaito really pushed past his limits, prioritising Hanoka’s rescue the way he did.

“Take my hand,” he encouraged her, Kaito knew how much pain Hanoka was in, it was his way of helping her stabilise her chakra like he did in the pasat. He weaved a hand sign to encase his hand in ice. “I may react to a bit of pain, but you can never hurt me.”

“Captain Kaito, we have secured the area. What are your orders?” The ANBU squad sent to support Kaito soon appeared around them, having completed their mission in dealing with the guards outside, allowing for their safe passage to return.

“Please secure these two criminals, and guard us on the way back to Konoha, I’ll be fine here with Hanoka,” Kaito answered, prompting half of them to seal Tomi and Keita for transportation, and the rest to leave to go on standby for their travel later.

“Hanoka, I can barely walk, so I want you to carry me back home,” Kaito requested. Even in front of his ANBU squad, he didn’t care about his pride, he just wanted to stay close to Hanoka and help her cool down from what happened. The last thing they needed was for the village to perceive her as a threat upon her return, if they were careless in showing what a potential danger Hanoka could be, like the Nine Tails in the past.

She wanted to kill him. Take his life like he did for her mother. All of this was his fault! Even if the crystalizing ice was freezing him near his upper part of his body, she was still crying holding the hand sign while the area was still being violently shaken up.

“Hanoka! Don’t do it! He’s not worth it! He needs to confess in front of the rest of your family, your siblings would want that! Your mother too, she wouldn’t want you to do this!” Kaito yelled to get her attention, hoping his words would reach her despite her emotional state.

"!!" She tenses hearing Kaito's voice even if the tears still was falling. Her mother....She always was a gentle loving woman. She never would have wanted this.

"............."

“You are in no position to bark orders like that! The nerve, just like your father, playing god on your moral high ground! Hanoka, if you don’t kill him now, you’ll come to regret it when he comes after you and your family again later!”

"........." Hanoka still kept crying but it hurt knowing her mother die but it was because of him. But...the ice was freezing him more and more to it got to Tomi's throat but he looks at her wondering if she would kill him.

Her choice......

'Mom...you wouldn't want this would you? I..It's not right. Even if I'm so angry with him that he killed you I.....I can't take his life. Kaito is right, he has to pay for sins........I can't go down that path as he would...' she thought but she only closed her eyes still shaking. 'I'm sorry mama...I'm so sorry you had your life taken like this.....I hope you can forgive me..'

"..........." She slowly lowers her arms as the chakra was starting to cool down but she looks cold at him while she keeps him frozen and trapped. "Tch..you really are a weak minded fool! You don't want to kill me! Your weak! Weak as some of the third born brats! I Hope you suffer in hell!" Tomi shouted but Hanoka heard Kaito's voice to look seeing that he was held by Keito.

"K..Kaito.." she was upset but she knew her body was in pain but she didn't stop. She looks to him but quickly looks quiet but looks down like she was giving up. But she wasn't. Seconds later, she quickly did some hand signs showing something familiar. If one guessed, she quickly rushes to summon some water vipers that hits Keita away from Kaito as she gets near him. "I will not let you take him away from me. I'll make you regret it!" she said now forming hand signs.

"What are you doing!?" Tomi shouted but he knew that hand sign and seal. Did she get that from Suki!

"Summoning Jutsu! Help me out, Zimashue!" she said clapping her hands together but her chakra flows around her but it shows a summoning of a peahen that was above Hanoka. Her wings were flapping above but she looks down.

"You summon me my lady?" she asked.

"Please help me out!" she said but she nods spreading her wings before it shows some crystals that was formed of water but she flaps to have them now destroy or freeze everything but nothing could break or melt this crystal ice. Hanoka saw Zima moving but she make some opening to the outside. Hanoka saw but she quickly looks to do another jutsu.

"As for you......" she saw her chakra forming around her arms and hands that she slams them to the ground as it goes towards Keita that forms a spear to show a crystalized spear to trap him. Even if he tries to break it, it won't. She did the same for Tomi too.

"Damn it! Let us out!" he shouted but Hanoka was panting tired but her chakra was burning her still even if she ignores it to bend down near Kaito. "K..Kaito?" she said worried, smoke from the burns were seen coming off of her but she didn't care.

[missdawnandherdusk]

Hufflepuff!Muggleborn Extensive Dating A Malfoy Headcanons:

Okay so this got very long very fast but I apologize for nothing.

So you’re pretty much terrified of getting your Hogwarts letter because you have no idea what magic is but now you’re a wizard???

You go anyway and see a blond little boy at Diagon Alley with his parents and his mother has the same list as your dad does

So maybe you follow the little boy around and pick out the things he does because he seems to know what he’s doing

Then you heard his father hiss “disgusting mud blood” your way and your face kinda falls because you thought maybe you found someone who could help and we’ll never mind

Your dad takes your hand and snaps at Lucius “what kind of example is that for your son? No, I’m not one of your lot but you shouldn’t take it out on my daughter!”

Draco peeks out from behind his fathers robes and looks at the tears in your eyes and maybe he does feel a little bad

You absolutely adore your wand

At the station a few older years can tell you’re new and very Muggle in your tshirt jeans and converse that they sort of adopt you one of them being Cedric

You’re not so scared anymore because it seems like maybe these people aren’t so bad

Some kid named Fred buys you a Chocolate Frog and his twin warns you about their sentience

You meet a few other first years and Hermione Granger whos also a muggle and you sort of lament about all of it. She’s super excited because there’s so much to learn and you start to adopt her perspective

You see the boy from Diagon Alley sneering and bullying other kids and you go up to him with the same fire in your eyes that you dad had and tell the boy off a-al-Muggle

He just laughs and scoffs but you don’t back down which scares him because everyone always backs down

Big brother Cedric comes over and tells Malfoy off for calling you a mudblood again and ushered you back to a compartment of other Hufflepuffs and someone explains to you the house system

“Well that’s kinda stupid,” you decide “why should we be separated based on what a magical hat thinks we might be?”

Cedric grins at you because you remind him of himself and stands clapping when you’re sorted into Hufflepuff

Momma Sprout helps you so much because she knows that her muggle born kiddos need the extra comfort and encouragement

You have Herbology with the Slytherins and that meant Draco Malfoy his name was rattling around your head since the Sorting Ceremony

You end up partners with him. You’re shy and quiet and he’s dismissive and snappy.

“Draco you shouldn’t—“ “Don’t tell me what to do! Filthy little mudblood.” You sit back and watch the Doxy bite him “well get help!” He demands “I thought you didn’t want a mudbloodas help,” you snap. He gives you a hopeless look and you administer the antidote and produce a Bandaid “stupid muggle bandage”

While he’s sulking you handle the Doxy properly and show him how it’s done without being snotty about it. Maybe you smirk at him when you catch him leaning in and watching closely

It’s not friendship but he doesn’t call you mudblood anymore so... there’s that

Cedric nearly has a heart attack when he asks about your first day and you tell him about Draco

You find your footing at Hogwarts and though you’re not the best in class you can still do magic and it’s SO FRICKIN COOL MOM I MADE A FEATHER FLOAT TODAY

You chat with Draco thoughout the year in class well you talk to him he doesn’t say much. “And my mom was so proud when I told her about the Goblin wars and my dad wants to see me leviosa a feather but I told him I can’t do magic outside of school...”

Then there’s a quiet “your parents are proud of you? And interested in all this stuff?”

You look at him, mystified and “...yes? They’re proud of whatever I do,” Draco looks down and continues to sketch the bowtruckle which is almost life like on how accurate it is

You write to your parents immediately asking them to send a letter to Draco and tell them all about his really good drawings in Herbology

It takes a few days but one morning Draco comes up to you in the Great Hall with a parcel

“I think this is yours, your stupid owl gave it to me” he sulks. “It has your name on it,” you point out. “But why would your parents...?” You shrug and go back to talking to your friends and reading your own letter from your mother. Draco huffs and mutters something under his breath and walks away

In Herbology he has a new set of very Muggle graphite pencils and a proper sketchbook and he’s just sketching the Mandrakes on the desk when you come in. He doesn’t say anything and neither do you. He’s less irritable now

It’s second year and you hug your parents and go say hi to your friends before finding a compartment for the long journey. You swap muggle candy for magic candy with your friends

Draco passes your compartment and you wave. He gives a half smile and keeps walking.

“You like him!” Your friends exclaim. “What? No! I don’t!” You turn very red. “He’s just a friend!!” No one is convinced

This year you have potions with Draco and you’re freaking out inside because you don’t know what you’re doing and Snape seems to have it out for you and you’re just a mess.

Draco volunteers to be your partner “to show this mudblood a little decorum and how things are properly done.” He scoffs

You look down, embarrassed but as soon as Draco is next to you, you hear a quiet apology.

You understand the charade he has to put on but you wished he didn’t and you really wish he’d stop calling you mudblood it was rather annoying

He helps you through potions like you helped him through Herbology. This year you have Herbology with the Ravenclaws and he has it with the Gryffindors. He totally whines to you all the time about Harry

Once he’s complaining and accidentally puts in the wrong ingredient and the entire thing threatens to explode. Before you know it, you’re on the ground under Draco who pulled you and the remnants of the potion is shielded from you because Dracos robes are draped over you

Snape scolds you for being stupid and you start to protest but Draco confesses that it was him mistake, not yours. Snape just eyes the pair of you and walks off.

“Thank you,” you stammer out. He rolls his eyes but there’s a soft smile on his face.

Boy does Draco flip out when he hears about the Chamber of Secrets because you’re in potential danger and he would willingly sacrifice Granger to keep you safe

He mentions that to you in Potions one day and you gap at him. “Draco killing anyone for any reason isn’t right.” You scold. There’s a cold look in his eyes and a fire in yours. “But... thank you... for worrying about me,”

Your friends still pester you because they can obviously see you like Draco and maybe you do... but you know he doesn’t like you so you’ll just ignore your feelings

Third year comes and your heart skips a beat when you see Draco because he grew a lot over the summer and his hair is no longer ridiculously slicked back and oh Merlin you’re in trouble

Unbeknownst to you Dracos heart flutters when he sees you and has to fight the urge to wave or say hi to you in front of his father.

This year you have History of Magic together

He sits down next to you without a second thought. You smile and say hi and ask about his summer and then he returns the question. Your muggle summer and his magic summer are both a bit lost on the other

“Didn’t you wear glasses?” He asks one day. “Oh, my mom let me get contacts,” “contacts?” “Um... like plasticy little doodads that go in my eyes and help me see?” He just stares and you laugh. “Too Muggle?” You ask. “Too Muggle,” he replies.

Now it’s a sort of game. Youll come in with something Muggle—Pens, notebooks, lined paper, Muggle books, a watch—and Draco decides whether it’s “too Muggle” or not for him. He quite likes pens and lined paper but you can keep your Muggle books

You tell your parents again and Draco gets a package filled with green notebooks and black pens and a pencil pouch with a snake on it.

You hear about the Buckbeak incident and you rush off to find Draco. He’s in the infirmary snapping at Pomfrey but softens when he sees you

“She’s just trying to help,” you scold softly. “Are you alright?” “Doesn’t hurts much anymore but it’s numb so...”

Pomfrey wants to keep him a few hours to make sure that his body is reacting to the medicine correctly and you stay with him.

“You know I’ve been thinking,” you start. “That’s scary,” he mutters. You hit him playfully and notice that he flinches so hard you note it and continue “I’ve been thinking that it really doesn’t make sense for you to call me a mudblood,” “and why not?” He snaps. “Well, I mean... I’m technically all muggle. If anyone was really a mudblood wouldn’t it be halfbloods? With a muggle and wizard parent?”

He doesn’t have an answer to that. So he sulks quietly. “Why doesn’t it bother you that I call you that?” He asks quietly. You shrug. “Sometimes I wonder if I really belong here. Your adamant hatred for me is comforting. Like I’m doing something right enough to make you upset about it.”

He doesn’t know what to say to that either. He didn’t know that you were insecure about being a wizard. Of course, you belonged here you were wonderful with magic and your hexes were remarkable.

“I don’t hate you,” he mumbled. “Sure you’re annoying with your cheery disposition and your... Converse trainers... but I don’t hate you.” You laugh and he thinks it’s a wonderful sound

“Well, I don’t hate you either,” you smile back. You don’t think it’s something but it’s definitely not nothing

You hear about what happens between he and Hermione and you’re furious because he’s better than that and you can’t believe he would still call her a mudblood

You refuse to talk to him for a few days. Which is hard because he tries to make small talk with you.

One day in class he slips you a folded piece of parchment and you open it. Begrudgingly. “Im sorry, I was an arse. I shouldn’t have called her that.” You take your pen and scribble quickly “you’re apologizing to the wrong person.” And slide it back to him

Draco did apologize to Hermione before he apologized to you and he’s frustrated because he thinks you’ll think he’s lying if he said he already did

Then Hermione finds you in the hall that day and asks if you put Draco up to apologizing to her and you admit yes you did. And she tells you that he apologized a few days ago. Your heart soars and you hug a confused Hermione before running off to find Draco

He’s in the corner of the library, not reading, but drawing. You accidentally sneak up behind him and see that you’re the sketch on his paper.

“I don’t think my hair is quite that long,” you whisper softly and the boy about jumps out of his skin. You apologize quickly and he quickly covers his sketch book, red faced.

“I um. That wasn’t you.” He stammers turning a darker shade of red. You laugh. “Yes it was!” You reach for his sketchbook but he hugs it to his chest. “Oh come on Draco? What am I gonna do? Laugh?” “You’re laughing right now.” He points out. “And it’s not that good anyway...”

You roll your eyes and sit next to him. You offer to pose for him so that he could take his time to draw you. “Well I��m not busy now,” you grin and he sulks a moment before nodding.

You watch his hands work and sift through the pencils as he props the paper up on his knees and instructs you to look somewhere and not to move.

It’s odd, being drawn. You close your eyes and hum softly knowing he was studying you the way he might a bowtruckle or mandrake and it feels weird. A good weird.

He refuses to let you see the drawing even though you persist. You pout and drop the matter, just glad to have a friend in him.

You begin meeting in the library on a weekly basis, partly so he can draw you partly because you’re both struggling in History of Magic and need more study time

Cedric is not happy about any of this and goes very “protective big brother” on you. You tell him off and huff.

You start going to his quidditch matches and maybe he almost runs into a goal post because you smiled and waved at him and he forgot to pay attention

The summer comes and you wave goodbye knowing as soon as he’s around your father you’re going to lose your fried.

But he surprises you and hands you his sketchbook on the train home then quickly runs away to his father and you just stare at it and him and he’s gone, all you see is two heads of silver blond hair receding in the distance

Your parents usher you into the car and it’s maybe two hours before you get to look at the sketchbook

When you do open it you see a sketch of a bowtruckle and “Steve” written one his careful script underneath. You had forgotten that you named the bowtruckle Steve that day in class

The next few sketches are from Herbology. And little notes about class that day, a lot of them are about you. Then there’s a break in Herbology drawings and there’s a drawing of his mother almost perfectly. Then of a family portrait of the three of them. A few vases of flowers. Then you see your face. And again. And again. It’s you. Smiling, laughing, concentrating on a book, raising an eyebrow at him, gnawing in your lip, asleep in class, then the library drawings that are much more detailed.

Then you’re crying and you want to call him and thank him but you CANT BECAUSE HE DOESNT HAVE A PHONE STUPID WIZARD FAMILY

But you do have an owl. You have no idea what to write. So you go with “thank you” and then send it.

You get a letter a few months later and it’s from Draco. He’s asking if you want to go to the Quidditch World Cup with him. “I know you’re Muggle and don’t like Quidditch much but...”

So you’re going with Draco and it’s weird because he’s on your doorstep with his mother and it is just a clash of worlds. You stammer goodbyes to your parents and you’re quickly ushered into the limo of a car next to Draco. You notice he’s changed his hair again and he looks quite dashing in his blazer. You get a little self conscious about your jeans and sweater.

Narcissa is a doll. She asks you about your summer and time as Hogwarts and keeps polite conversation and you thaw a little.

Though you have no idea what’s going on Draco is very excited about the game and is cheering and you can’t help but smile and maybe you take pictures with a Polaroid camera and he just rolls his eyes and you get a picture of him rolling his eyes

Fourth year comes and he is ushered away from you by his friends before he can say hi.

The kids from the other schools show up and you’re convinced that he like Fleur and he thinks you like Cedric and it’s just a mess

He’s back to being irritable and you’re slipping into depression not just because of him but everything is really weighing on you

You’re alone in the Astronomy Tower, your feet dangling off the edge. You had no intention to jump, but it was sort of thrilling. 

Draco flips the fluff out and nearly drags you from the edge. 

“What the hell are you thinking!?” He exclaims. You gape at him because it’s probably the first thing he said to you in a week. He’s just so scared that he was actually going to lose you that he pulls you close and doesn’t let you go. You start crying and everything just comes out in a word dump. Your brother is getting worse and stronger and it’s not good for you and he keeps putting you down and calling you a freak and that “no one is going to love me because I’m a freak and mom and dad think I’m fine because my grades are still fine but Draco I can’t... I’m slipping and... and I feel like I lost you and you were the only one who really believed in me and...” You’re just sobbing.

And he listens. He holds you and listens. 

“You haven’t lost me,” He whispers softly. “But you like Fleur... and I can’t ever be her... she’s just so perfect and powerful and...” You sniffle, hugging your knees looking at your beat up Converse. 

“She’s my cousin,” He almost laughs but doesn’t because of the look on your face. “And what about you and Cedric?” He raises an eyebrow and you blanch. “He’s like a big brother to me, gross,” You shove his arm and you’re both laughing. 

“There’s only one Hufflepuff out there for me,” He takes your hand and hello butterflies and blushing. “And there’s only one Slytherin for me,” You lay your head on his shoulder and watch the stars. 

You two start dating and Merlin his friends are livid because how dare he date a muggle hufflepuff? But then they watch him with you and it’s hard to deny that Draco is truly happy for once and they don’t want to take that from him

Your friends exchange bet money. 

Weekends filled with more games of “Too Muggle” and trips to Hogsmeade and Draco explaining wizard culture and you try to explain muggle culture but he just does not understand washing machines. You introduce him to muggle music and is thrilled that he loves ABBA. 

He makes everything hurt less. And it’s nice to feel wanted. 

Then Voldemort returns and everything changes and you weren’t ready for it. Draco gets cold and distant again and you try and try to get through to him but he doesn’t let you in. 

You end up screaming at him one night and walk out. He finds you curled up outside the Slytherin portrait, weeping not minutes later and carries you back inside to his dorm and apologizes and hold you and admits that he’s scared and he doesn’t want to lose you or see you get hurt

You both make an effort to find the sunshine in the proverbial dark times that linger through the next year. It means you become a but more calloused and jaded and he becomes a bit more optimistic and grateful. 

Pansy Parkinson doesn’t exist. It’s just you with Polyjuice potion to keep you safe from Draco’s aunt and Voldemort. It’s an easy charade to keep up. There are still quite nights when you’re yourself with Draco and he reminds you how much he adores the real you with his words and touch

If there’s one thing you don’t do, is break a Hufflepuff and that’s what Harry did after his sectumsempra and holy hell do you lose your cool.

Draco’s mother has to step in before you’re expelled for what you did to Harry

You nurse Draco back to health afterwards and never let Harry forget what he did, nor do you let anyone else forget it when they call him the chosen one

And Merlin does Draco love you for it

Draco can’t kill Dumbledore because your words are still in his head from second year “It’s not right to kill someone for any reason” and he just can’t disappoint you like that

You’re still kind. You’re kind to Luna when she’s locked up at the Malfoy Manor. You’re kind to the house-elves that attend to you. You’re kind, and value fairness and hardwork, but you will not put up with bullshit any longer. 

You and Draco stand with Hogwarts when the battle boils down to it. You give Draco your wand when he loses his to Harry.

When you go back eighth year, you advocate for the removal of the House System and write a very convincing argument against it. It takes about ten years, but the system is disbanded after one too many close calls and ruined lives

You also start a Support Group at Hogwarts for those suffering from mental illnesses and for those who have suffered abuse at home. 

You and Draco get married at the Manor. You wear your Converse. 

.

Want to read a more in depth Hufflepuff!Reader x Draco? Find it Here!!!

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[marjansmarwani]

would’ve loved you for a lifetime

Tarlos || 7.6k || ao3

Prompt: Characters are secretly married and one of them is hurt at work 

-----

The story of how TK and Carlos came together, and how they almost missed out on their future before it even got a chance to start.

For the wonderful @acejuddryder on her birthday! I hope you enjoy this AC and that you have a day as good as you deserve 💕

I came across this prompt a while ago and @bellakitse encouraged me to write it and I am so glad she did! I have been wanting to do a non-linear narrative for a while, and this worked perfectly for that. Shoutouts to both @officereyes and @firefighterstrand for helping me with bits and editing for me, you’re champs 🥰

--------

Judd watched as TK went about repacking the first aid kit with a smile on his face, humming to himself. This had been going on for the majority of their 24-hour shift now and in hour 23, Judd’s patience was finally up. 

“Okay kid, what gives? You’ve been grinning like the butcher’s dog all shift.” 

TK glanced up from his work, startled, “I have not.” 

“Yeah, you have dude,” Marjan informed him as she tossed him more supplies, “want to fill us in?” 

“It’s not just today either,” Paul noted, coming around from the other side of the engine, “you’ve been suspiciously chipper for a few days now.” 

“Can’t a guy just be happy without getting the third degree? Jeez.” 

“There’s happy, and then there’s this.” 

“You too Mateo, really? I thought you had my back, man.” 

“Don’t guilt-trip the probie,” Paul admonished, throwing his polishing rag at TK for emphasis, “just tell us what’s up.” 

TK was saved the trouble of dodging the question by the sound of his phone ringing in his pocket. 

“Saved by the bell,” he declared as he fished it out of his pocket and stepped to the back of the rig for some semblance of privacy. 

“Don’t count on it lasting,” Judd called after him, “we’re getting right back into this as soon as you are done.” 

The others returned to their tasks, eager to finish with the end of their shift in sight. Their focus was soon broken by the sound of a gasp and a clattering sound from where TK stood. They all looked over to see TK, standing on the other side of the engine bay, expression stricken and body trembling. 

“TK?” Paul asked hesitantly but got no response. Not even an indication that their teammate had heard him. They crossed over as a group but Judd got there first and reached down to grab the abandoned phone. The call was still going. He watched as Marjan approached TK, comforting hands reaching for his and Paul reminded him to breathe in his even, calming voice as he lifted the abandoned phone to his ear.

“Hello?” 

“Mr. Strand?” 

“No, this is his friend. He seems to be...a little out of sorts right now.” 

The voice on the other end sighed, “that’s understandable. Would you please just inform him that his husband should be heading into surgery shortly and that he should check in upon his arrival so that the doctor can give him an update?” 

Husband? Judd was so stuck on that word he almost missed the rest of the sentence. He managed to unfreeze his brain long enough to answer, “Of course, I’ll make sure he gets there. What hospital?” 

“St. David’s.” 

“Thank you.” 

Judd hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment. He felt the eyes of the team on him but he took a steadying breath before he looked up. When he did he ignored the curious gazes of the others and looked directly at TK, “they said I should tell you that your husband should be heading into surgery shortly, and that you should check-in when you get there so a doctor can update you.” 

TK nodded, but said nothing else. No explanation, no objection that they were wrong; that he didn’t have a husband. 

Because as far as Judd had known as of a few minutes ago, he didn’t. 

“I need to go,” TK finally said and his voice was so pained it almost hurt to hear, “I need to get there.” 

“I hate to break it to you man,” Paul said gently, “but you are in no shape to drive right now.” 

“I’ll take him.” 

The words were out of his mouth before he had even fully processed them. But when the eyes of the team fell to him, he repeated them: “I’ll take him. Clear it with Cap?” 

The others nodded and he hoped they had picked up on what was left unsaid: tell Owen that he apparently has a son-in-law he doesn’t know about; tell the Captain that TK is a wreck but that Judd had him. 

“There’s only a bit of shift left, we should be able to hold down the fort. Go, and keep us updated.” 

Judd nodded at Paul and the others before reaching out a hand to put on TK’s shoulder, “C’mon kid, let’s go.” 

His voice and guiding hand were gentle, and TK barely nodded before allowing himself to be led out of the station and to Judd’s truck. He climbed into the passenger seat silently and didn’t utter a word for the whole drive. All Judd could do was shoot him concerned glances and try to push back all the unanswered questions in his mind. Now was not the time for answers —his one and only concern was making sure TK was okay. The rest could come later. 

----------

They started on a Tuesday. 

As things went it wasn’t a particularly notable day for a beginning, but there wasn’t much notable about their start. 

They were two people colliding; contrasting desires meeting in the in between, in the common ground. They wanted different ends but the means suited them both just fine. It was hot and heavy; it was rough and quick. It was needy and physical and everything they wanted (if only for a moment). 

Then eventually, it was more. 

Not at first —it wasn’t more for a long time. For months it was just blowing off steam, just mind blowing sex. There were a few dates of varying success, but they continued their dance around each other and the feelings they both had. Then TK got shot and they both watched their potential future teetering on the edge, ready to topple over with the weight of uncertainty. Eventually TK woke up to the chaos of adjusting to life again and a solar storm, and in the quiet that followed the chaos they found themselves in each other. 

From there it was simple: after the start they had it couldn’t be anything but. In all that time they had gotten to know each without really meaning to and now they found themselves fitting together like a pair of gloves; fine on their own, but infinitely better together. They slipped into rhythms like they did embraces, and they were happy. 

They dedicated time to getting to know what they were without an audience and without really realizing it, they had become a secret. A badly kept one, but a secret none-the-less. They existed in the peripherals, their life together a separate entity from their lives as seen by the rest of the world. 

From the outskirts they became TK and Carlos and as time went on, there was less and less space between their bodies, their names, and their hearts. 

And with each passing Tuesday, they grew closer. 

---------

Judd kept stealing glances at TK. 

They were in the waiting room of the hospital, and TK had spent every moment since they sat down anxiously bouncing his leg while he fiddled with the necklace he always wore. 

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay.” 

“You don’t know that Judd.”

His voice was strained and quiet, so unlike the TK Judd was used to. He followed his gaze to the door the nurse had informed them the doctor would be coming through to give TK an update. That was nearly 10 minutes ago and TK’s eyes hadn’t left the door once. 

Judd had so many questions but wasn’t sure how to broach the topic. How do you ask your friend about a spouse you didn’t know they had when they are full of fear of losing them? 

He was saved the trouble of trying when TK spoke beside him, “I know what you’re thinking, just go ahead and ask.” 

His voice was resigned and Judd felt bad for even thinking about the question, but he did need to know. 

“You have a husband. Is it...someone we know?” 

TK pulled his glance away from the door long enough to glance at Judd. After a moment, he nodded: “Carlos.” 

“How long?” 

“Not long.” 

“Are you…” he began, but trailed off. He wasn’t sure what to ask. He had been leaning towards “happy,” but that seemed wrong in this context.  He didn’t know what the right thing to say was;  he had no idea how to approach this situation. He wished Grace was here. She was so much better at this kind of stuff.

They were quiet again until TK spoke, “I love him Judd.” 

The admission was made quietly, TK’s voice low and sad. Judd turned to look at him and TK met his eyes as he continued, “I need him in my life. I don’t know what I’d do without him. I can’t lose him, Judd.” 

Judd swallowed as he studied TK’s expression. It was full of a familiar fear; one that he had felt anytime he thought about the mere idea of losing Grace. He reached out a hand and gave TK’s shoulder a comforting squeeze. He knew better to promise that it would be alright — they had no way of knowing that. Instead he settled on a truth he knew. 

“You’ll get through this,” he told TK firmly, “and you won’t be alone.” 

--------

Time passed and they began to learn the mysteries of each other past the physical. Before TK knew just the spot to kiss to make Carlos moan each and every time, now he could tell you the name of his childhood dog and that when he was 5, he had wanted to be an astronaut. 

Carlos still knew all the ways to make TK melt under his touch but now he also knew how TK had pushed himself in the fire academy so he could feel worthy of the legacy of being the legendary Owen Strand’s son. Their secrets emerged from the shadows into open hearts, more and more revealing themselves with each passing day.

Stolen hours became endless evenings and frantic hookups became languid movie nights. Time passed and they began to feel at home with each other. Soon it became normal for TK to show up at Carlos’s home at the end of his shift as it slowly became more of a home to him. But, then again, the person who lived there was starting to feel an awful lot like home too. 

Their connection was generally known; they weren’t trying to sneak around. But while seeing them dancing at the bar or grabbing lunch at a food truck became more and more commonplace, the depth of their relationship was still a secret from most —including them, for a time. Michelle likely knew, Paul surely suspected; but the fact that they were falling more and more in love each passing day was a surprise to even them. 

It was TK who said it first; in a casual moment without a second thought. Carlos nearly tripped over his own feet when he heard it, but it had been like a dam breaking and soon it became commonplace, almost like breathing for them both. 

Time went on and their love grew. Time went on and they grew together —learning each other's edges and finding out where they fit. They were a puzzle, slowly coming together until the right piece was found. From there, it was a quick solve before the final picture revealed itself. 

And what a picture it was, Carlos thought to himself as he lay in his bed, watching TK sleeping soundly beside him. There were times he had to stop himself from reaching out to touch him, to make sure he was real. Sleep didn’t come easily to the other man and once it was found it was easily lost, so Carlos refrained, allowing his gaze to do the work for him. After everything he could scarcely believe they were here, after everything he couldn’t believe that they had found each other.  

These were his favorite nights, he decided. The ones where he got to fall asleep to the sight of TK beside him, the nights he was lulled to sleep by the sound of his breathing. He knew he wanted more nights like this — really, he wanted every night to be like this. 

But it was too soon for that, so for now he would savor the nights they had.

[continue reading on ao3]

[tsunchani]

heeseung - strangers

࿐ྂ (@enhypenwriters collaboration)

࿐ྂ word count: 5.8k+

࿐ྂ pairing: stranger!heeseung x stranger!reader

࿐ྂ genre: PG-15, strangers to lovers!au and 1990's!au

࿐ྂ warning: a bit sad. heeseung first relationship! lee heeseung fans line up!

࿐ྂ credits:

special thanks to...

1. lovely twinnie @chaoticdeobi! thank you love for being my beta-reader! my twinnie was meant to expand it, i am owning the storyline! + she falls for heeseung.

2. bong-vely sissy @jung-snoopy-woo, thank you for liking the story and encourage me with your lovely words!

࿐ྂ pritty's note: i am sorry, it’s delayed i know T_T!

so this is for you guys! i hope you like it, please comment and reblog! enjoy the story love!

23rd June, 1991.

“Yo, Heeseung, my man!” The mentioned lad grinned, approaching his campus best friend, Jay, and greeting him with a high five. Heeseung smiled widely, delighted to meet his friend even if it was probably the last time he’d see him in person, in a very long time. 

After getting transferred to one of Australia’s universities, it was only appropriate for Jay to host a farewell party, at least.

“Yo Jay, my handsome man!”

“Yeah, I am the handsome man here!” He replied, opening his arms and acknowledging the compliment, although there wasn’t a hint of conceit in his voice.

“Well, I mean, girls are all over you.” Heeseung jokes, right hand inside his pocket as he slung the other on Jay's shoulder.

“Come on now, we both know who’s fooling around, heeseung. Girls are all over you.” Bringing his wine glass to his mouth, he sipped on the cola and savored the flavor lingering on his lips and tongue.

Heeseung chuckled, then turning his head to glance at the waitress holding a tray with drinks placed on it. Heeseung didn’t miss the way her eyes were already fixed on his figure. He grabbed the cola smoothly from the tray when she passed by him, without daring to make eye contact with her. He didn’t want another girl outside the campus to be all over him. He had enough people swarming over for his attention, and he definitely did not want to be held accountable for any future heartbreaks he didn’t mean to make. 

People. All over him. Everyday. 

Heeseung had never dated; he always refused when his friends set him up on blind dates. Many have tried and failed, attempting to figure out how to set him up, but never succeeded. And so they simply gave up. 

Jay opened his mouth, only to close it back again when Heeseung pointed his index finger at him, knowing he knew what Jay wanted to say.

“I haven’t said anything!” 

“I know what you wanted to say. Just shut it.”

Jay rolled his eyes along with a shake of his head, shrugging and muttering, “If you say so.” 

He takes a sip of his drink again.

Heesung changed the topic, and it didn’t take long until the conversation between them drifted well. Soon, and before they knew it, Jay’s girlfriend chirped in, discoursing with them as well.

Soon enough, their conversation went wild; there’s laughing all around, talking about school stuff, the hilarious moments they had, reminiscing the moments they’ve had with their other friends just in an attempt to bring back nostalgia. Then, before Heeseung knew it again, the issue about relationships had resurfaced.

While it was nothing detrimental to him, Heeseung still turned away and tried not to listen to it. Deep inside, he knew where the topic where Jay and his girlfriend were heading to. So instead, he tried to distract himself by looking at the people around him one by one, trying to recognize the familiar faces from the campus. 

Of course. Jay was a sociable person so he invited people that he knew, including his brother and his sister’s friends. Being a ‘known guy’ on and off campus sure had its perks.

Just when he wanted to rejoin the conversation of Jay and his lover, he caught sight of you, in your dazzling glory, from across the room. Heeseung, stunned on his spot, observed you for a whole minute, inwardly hoping he did not look like a weird stalker as of the moment. Then, his brain went outright blank after hearing your laugh from a distance, then finally seeing your pearly smile. 

He felt disoriented, like he’s petrified and doesn’t know what to do next.

All Heeseung knew was that your friend was laughing, followed by you with the topic that she had brought up. Then, to his surprise, you turned around, accidentally making eye contact with just the man who was watching you. That lasted for a brief moment, for in an instant, you were back to laughing around with your friend, your voice seemingly growing louder by the second you get more amused.

Beautiful, Heeseung thought. Your hand covered the wide smile on your lips, and yet he couldn’t bear to take his eyes off of you. 

Didn’t he just tell Jay to shut up about relationships? About potential lovers? But, why did he suddenly feel like he wants to listen to your laugh all day, wants to make you smile for as long as he could, have you in his arms as you rejoice in the euphoria of his love? That isn’t what falling in love feels like, isn’t it? It can’t be.

Heeseung surprised himself when he took a step the moment your friend walked away. He was shy, of course he was, but then you stood alone, hand gently placed on top of your elbow, waiting for somebody to come and entertain you. Then you looked back at Heeseung’s spot again, heart skipping a beat when you made eye contact with him for the second time tonight. And with the way you chewed on your bottom lip shyly before looking away, it was enough for Heeseung to know that you were merely waiting for him to make the first move.

He was about to take a step, then he backed away again. He couldn’t just approach you like that… can he? He probably needed some kind of backup or bridge to get to know you.

But as if the heavens heard his scrambled thoughts, it was thanks to destiny that Jay’s sister just happened to walk by in front of him.

“Hey, Dini.” Heeseung caught her arm. She jerked her head as she munched on her snack.

“Whot?” She asked with muffled words, cheeks resembling that of a chipmunk.

“D-d-do you know that girl?” Dini followed where Heeseung was pointing to, shy eyes barely looking at your figure, who stood stiffly on the same spot, unmoving. Dini chuckled and turned to look at Heeseung.

“So, you could fall in love, Mr. Lee.” Dini eyed the brunette man beside her, smirking as she took notice of the way his eyes clung to your face.

“Oh shut it, Park. Just help me get to know her.” Heeseung hissed, embarrassed with her teasing.

“Oof, nice mouth, Lee.” Dini mocked shock while smirking at the flustered man. Heeseung, who seemed unfazed, only glared at her.

“What?” She blinked.

Seconds later, Dini merely rolled her eyes before she walked ahead of Heeseung, lifting and wiggling her index finger as a signal for him to follow her lead. 

“C’mon Lee.” 

Heeseung's eyes lit up as he followed the little Park. His heartbeat started to race the closer he got to you. Then, Dini stopped to call your name, to catch your attention. Heeseung almost clumsily bumped into Dini’s back like a lost little child.

He regained composure the moment you turned your head, hair flipping back as you looked at their direction with a smile. Heeseung’s heart,  now unpredictable, thudded like crazy against his chest as beads of sweat rolled down his temple and gathered on his palms.

“y/n, this is Heeseung. Jake’s best friend. Heeseung, this is y/n, my friend and Rina’s sister.”

Heeseung instantly extended  his hand to you, shyly enough for you to know that he’s quite hesitant as you are. Slowly,  you enclosed your hand in his in a handshake. 

You had to admit, even you cannot look into his beautiful eyes.

The moment your hand touched his, he felt sparks sparkling inside his stomach and his mind instantly went crazy. His breath became shaky, though he still tried his best to give you a smile.

“Hi, y/n. Glad to meet you.” Your ears and the stars in your eyes perked up when a manly yet cute, soft, voice came out of his lips and called your name. Deciding to lift your head, your gaze then met the galaxy in his eyes. Your heart raced against your chest again, like a teenager with a clumsy little crush, your skin crawling and tingling from head to toe. But then you tried your best to conceal your shyness, and gave him a smile.

“Hi, Heeseung, I’m glad to meet you.” At that moment, Heeseung was already smiling from ear to ear.

Thoughts started to fill his mind, and suddenly, he thought that maybe having one more person fall for him wouldn’t seem to be too bad after all— but rather what he somehow wanted. With both of you standing there, hands still clasping each other’s, you shyly looked away as Dini cleared her throat.

“Excuse me lovebirds. Don’t wanna be a third wheel here.” Dini said with a faux annoyed voice, glancing at Heeseung with a smirk on her face.

“Start your move, Lee.” She whispered just as she patted his shoulder before passing by him completely.

As Heeseung withdrew his hand, you shyly tucked stray strands of hair behind your ear. From here, everything would be alright. 

After all, all it took was for you to meet Heeseung, a mere stranger a few moments ago, and yet you don’t know why you want to believe in love again. But it’s special, isn’t it? 

It must be.

Heeseung had his head buried into his hand, fingers brushing over his features as he sighed. He sat beside the home telephone, the wind blowing harshly from outside the open window as if to boo him. 

24th June, 1991.

The whole day, he’d been thinking about stuff, and it wasn’t exactly one you would ever want to hear. Why?

“What’s her name again?”

“I forgot.”

“Lee heeseung, you idiot!”

“Says you!”

And he couldn’t believe it himself. After a whole night of talking, and maybe even flirting, he still forgot your name.

Dating mustn't really be for him.

No. More like, falling in love really isn’t for him.

But then, it might be too early to actually declare anything, right?

As if the lightbulb above Heeseung’s head lit up, he lifted his head, backtracking the events that had happened in the party. Dini left, you both began to talk, hours passed, you were both delirious, he was borderline drunk, so Jay came in to rescue his friend from embarrassing himself, and then you waved goodbye, he started babbling, and so to shut him up… Jay slipped something into his palm.

That’s it.

Heeseung stood up and ran into his room. Taking a small paper in his hand, he ran back to the living room, grabbing the telephone and began punching the numbers written on the paper. 

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Heeseung placed the paper beside the telephone, still anxiously eyeing the number, praying it’s your home’s phone number and not some prank. It continued ringing, until on the seventh ring, the phone was finally picked up.

“Hello?” —came from the other line. Heeseung’s ears perked up in a mix of surprise and embarrassment. It’s not your voice, it’s a man’s voice. And if this was not your phone number, he swore to himself he’d pummel Jay for it.

“Hello, Mr., This is Heeseung. Lee Heeseung. I’m looking for, um— is this, um—” 

“Are you perhaps… looking for y/n?”

When the familiar name left the man’s mouth, Heeseung’s eyes widened, and he found himself inhaling a shaky breath.

“Y-yes, sir. That’s her name.” Heeseung mumbled, blinking blankly while he licked his lips anxiously. 

“Alright,” He said, and then there’s a plop from the other line. Heeseung bit his lip and anxiously bounced his legs, hoping he wasn’t too late to finally hit a score.

On the other side of the line, you sat peacefully atop your bed, nibbling on the crown of the pen in your hand— brows drawn into a furrow.

Something about the prose you wrote didn’t seem right.

“y/n, honey!” Called your dad, his voice muffled from the other side of your door.

“Yeah, dad?” You replied without removing your gaze from your little notebook. When he didn’t respond, you looked at the door for a few seconds. Still nothing.

Sighing, you slipped your slippers on, dragging your feet to approach the door.

“Yeah, daddy?” Opening the door and poking your head out from its crack, you turned your head to face your dad’s distinct figure. With the phone in between his shoulder and ear, it was his turn to turn to you, jerking his head towards the phone on the table.

“Heeseung.” He mouthed, and so your eyebrows jerked up reflexively.

“Heeseung?” You repeated softly, blinking as you closed the door behind you and approached your father. Softly, you took it from his hand, sitting on the little couch just beside the table. 

Just before you were about to say something, you glanced at your father, who chuckled and generously urged you on, that it’s okay for you to talk to him. Slowly, you placed the phone beside your ear.

“Hello?” Your voice was a little shaky, and the fact that you know very well it was obvious made blood rush to your cheek. Luckily, Heeseung didn’t seem to mind.

“Hey,  y/n, it’s Heeseung.”

And oh god, do you feel butterflies at the sound of his voice. Shyly, you tucked stray strands of hair behind your ear.

“Hi, Heeseung.” You greeted him right before chewing on your lower lip. Like a teenager in the peak stage of delirious puppy love, your fingers found its way onto the ringed wires of the phone, and you started to twirl it repeatedly around your finger in giddiness. “What’s up?”

“So, uh… I—” He paused, and with the way he repeatedly hissed at himself, you bit on your bottom lip to keep yourself from laughing. “I just— ugh, fine, I will go straight to the point.” 

He gulped, and then there was silence on the other side of the line for a while. You heard his stuttering, the loud shaky breaths that he kept on taking. He sounded like he was in the peak state of panic, and when the silence grew longer, your brows slowly started to furrow.

“Heeseung? Are you there? Are you o—”

“Go on a date with me?”

Pause.

And then, you could only break into a wide grin.

A mix of words began to flow into your mind, and even though it seemed to be coming in out of excitement and shock, it made sense.

You just know that after the phone call, your notebook will be filled with everything you’ve never thought of. And by the end of the night, your prose will become the most phenomenal one you’ve written yet.

Heeseung still couldn’t believe he was standing in front of your front door, because he asked you out on a date.

1st July, 1991.

He asked you out.

On a date.

Normally, he wouldn’t have given himself so much praise because he wasn’t conceited, but even he himself could not believe it. He finally asked somebody out, not the other way around, and he was pretty damn sure he’s got the hots for you.

And to top all that, you said yes.

The car key clanged against his ring and the jittery boy couldn’t help but slightly jolt on his spot. Upon hearing footsteps come closer to the door, he reached up to make sure his shirt was properly buttoned. The front door opened and he quickly tucked his shirt a bit out from his pants, then inwardly praying you were into that kind of style.

“Bye mum, bye dad!” Rung your voice as you opened the door, giving your smiley parents a wave before finally facing the stupefied man on your doorstep.

Do something.

Lee Heeseung, do some freaking thing.

It was what his mind was telling him to do, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Heeseung stood frozen on his spot, adoring your stylish get-up and the equally shy look on your face.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” Heeseung’s eyes widened as he spoke, snapping out of his trance at the same time shaking his head at himself. “Y-you look… gorgeous.” He said in a whisper-like voice, his hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck shyly.

You chuckled, tucking strands of hair behind your ear. “Thank you.”

“S-shall we?” He asked, stepping aside and extending a hand to gesture to his car. Looking ahead, you saw how badly his hand was shaking, and although you felt the urge to laugh, you didn’t want to embarrass him further, even if for you, it was terribly cute.

“We shall.” You nodded, and heeseung cleared his throat with a bashful smile on his lips.

“Excellent.” He mumbled before making way for you to walk ahead. On the outside, he seemed to look like a semi-calm lad on his first date, maybe a little jittery here and there. But on the inside, he was internally cursing at himself on whether he should’ve held his arm out to you or not. For one, he did not want you to feel uncomfortable about how bold he might’ve seemed. But two, it was supposed to be an act of chivalry. 

And yet, the little grin on your face said it all.

Comfortable. That’s how you felt, and it was more than enough.

Lee Heeseung, with the way he moved and acted, showed how he wasn’t rushing to start a relationship, but at the same time made it known to you that he’s seriously interested in you. That he doesn’t want this date to be another mere joke time or something to pass the days by with.

At that moment in time, maybe, you were a little more than strangers, but still a little less than friends.

But something inside of you seemed to assure you that you will be more, in due time.

“Well, my father was driving and his fart was… rather… gut-churning.” 

17th August, 1991.

Choking on your food, Heeseung’s laugh seemed to echo in your space inside the restaurant. Immediately, his hand came up to cup your jaw, carefully tilting your head whilst his other hand reached over for the cup of water.

Your hand flew up to cover your mouth out of shyness, but your hand landed above Heeseung’s instead. With your other hand, you took the glass of water from his hand, mumbling a little ‘thank you’ to him. Quietly, you drank the water in one go to relax your throat. 

You made sure to mumble a quick apology, and Heeseung merely shook his head with a little laugh as if to dismiss it.

 The restaurant was elegantly decorated; slow music coming out of the phonograph on the corner where couples danced around at. Both of you kept talking, telling funny stories to each other, relishing in the romantically funny atmosphere. He kept bringing up topics that you were interested in, like how he met Jay and spent most of the time benefiting off of the free meals he’d bought him from being a third wheel. 

To say the least, hearing the ‘boring’ life that he had, as what he had claimed, before you arrived, was piquing your interest. And it’s not because you’re a chest-full of pride for going on a date with the rather ‘undateable’ Lee Heeseung, but because he seemed to really be sincere in liking your presence. Like you had made a significant difference in his life, stronger and harder than you never even thought you would.

Seconds later, silence engulfed the atmosphere, with you and Heeseung staring down onto your now empty plates while the music began to waltz louder into your eardrums. You both exchanged shy glances before snorting at your awkward selves, then looking back down again. 

Just then, the faint screech of a chair being pushed back catched your attention. Lifting your head, you saw Heeseung extending his hand to you. As if to clarify if you were thinking of the same thing, you locked eyes with him for a moment. 

Heeseung nodded and smiled, urging for you to take it, and so you didn’t waste any more time. Holding the napkin from your lap to put on the dining table, you pushed your chair back and stood up, and Heeseung brought you to the dance floor.

Slowly, you began facing each other, and you felt your heart patter wildly against your chest. You were face to face, and it’s not like usual, but you liked it. You liked the feeling. 

Heeseung brought your hands to loop behind his neck, though he wasn’t looking you in the eye. A faint blush graced his cheeks, and so teasingly, you stepped in even closer. Heeseung blinked rapidly for a few seconds before you bursted into a fit of giggles.

“Oh, Lee Heeseung. It’s okay to touch me, you know. You can’t keep your hands on your sides forever while we dance.” You grabbed his hand gently, placing it onto your waist. Heeseung inhaled a deep, shaky, breath, but he was trying to bite back a smile.

Soon, both of you swayed along to the music, and the soothing mellow tunes made you slowly begin to lean your head on his shoulder. Your head touched his clothed chest, and you immediately felt his body tense up for a bit before he finally let loose.

“Are you comfortable with this?” Asked him, and a buzz ran down your spine upon hearing his honey-like voice next to your ear. Nodding, you snuggled even closer to his chest, to which you felt it rumble as he let out an adoring chuckle. 

A few more seconds into the song and Heeseung calls your name.

Slowly, you lifted your head to give him a curious look, but you were immediately met with his startlingly sparkly orbs. His gaze remained on you for a while until he finally inhaled a breath and said,

 “Would you like to be my girlfriend?”

To say the least, Heeseung felt his heart lighten a bit after he asked you to be his. ‘Twas like a heavy weight was lifted off of his chest, though the uncertainty of what you have to say still beared much weight. Something inside him told him that somehow, it’ll be alright.

For strangers, it might seem to be a little too soon.

But Heeseung believed he shouldn’t wait a lifetime for his happiness to come through when you were already standing right in front of him, shimmering eyes waiting for him to pop the question, lips ready to share the sweetness of your answer.

17th August, 1992.

A year later,

After a year through all of it, Heeseung was more than happy. Euphoric, even. One of the things you’ve both grown to love was having to ride a bike to each other’s houses to bond, sneaking out at late nights to watch the stars, or just going out together on day dates. It was your favorite quality time bonding with him; spending hours on the telephone, or maybe even having to meet at your favorite diner downtown. 

Even with the clashing schedules of work, Heeseung made an effort to make you feel happy and loved. There was not a day that passed that he didn’t.

In front of the calendar stood Heeseung, in all his formally handsome glory, staring at the red mark on the paper with a joyous grin.

1st Anniversary with y/n.

He smiled, straightening his back and fixing his brown shirt before he walked to the garage to pick his old bike, a lily bucket flower in his hand. With a little frown on his lips, he sighed, internally cursing Jay for having to have a date with Rina on the same day of your anniversary, and had to borrow his car.

But even though Jake’s beating could wait, your anniversary could not. He’ll deal with him later. For now, he’ll have a long journey ahead of him.

In which, he really is.

“Heeseung? Oh my, you’re sweating.” You gasped as soon as you opened the door, brows drawn into a furrow. But Heeseung was still smiling widely at you like an idiot in love.

“For you, dear. Happy anniversary, I love you.” 

Heeseung interjected, ignoring the way you looked so worried while wiping the beads of sweat on his temples. Handing you the bucket of lilies, he placed a sweet kiss on your temple which caught you off guard. Taking the bucket, you inhaled the flowers��� scent. 

Just what you love.

Just the thought of Heeseung going through a whole lot to bike his way to your house, and give you a little token of love was enough to make your heart and day full. Tucking your hair behind your ear, you looked up at Heeseung before jumping into his arms, hugging him with a huge smile on your face. Heeseung stumbled a bit backwards due to the shock, but a few seconds later and he was hugging you back, an enamored smile on his lips as he placed a peck on your cheek.

“Thank you, sung!” You backed away, staring at his pretty smile before pinching his cheeks hard. He whined and groaned in pain, though he was laughing along with you. Until he couldn’t feel his cheeks, you let go, making it up to him quickly by placing a quick peck on his lips, then looking around cautiously to see if anybody had seen it.

Upon seeing the coast was clear, you giggled and looked up to adore his smiley face.

“Let's go inside, join the dinner with mum and dad.”

23 March 1993

It was everything you could ever ask for.

You and Heeseung never knew that a sheet of paper could make somebody tremble so badly.

The paper, printed with the logo where Heeseung works at, is shaking in his hand, lightly crumpling by the edge with the way he gripped it. The pounding of his heart was no joke, it reached his ears

“Heesung…”

Quickly, he shut his eyes to stabilize his breathing, inhaling and exhaling so many times, fingers clenched into a fist. Soon, he felt another hand take his; one that helped him throughout his ups and downs in life. A hand that always encouraged him with what he had to do, for his best in his life and for his future. You rubbed circles on the back of his palm and he let out a shaky breath and opened his eyes. His eyes darted from the front to lock with yours, your eyes full of worry yet it made him calm.

Encouragingly, you gave him a smile, he nodded. It’s time.

Letting go of his hand, his index finger and thumb slowly opened the folded paper. 

Top left, and you saw the company name. 

You just needed the bottom fold. 

Heesung trembled a bit before he finally slid his thumb to reveal the answer at the bottom page.

And then, he exhales the breath he was holding.

He took one glance at you, and he saw that your eyes were shaking as you stared at the piece of paper.

Rome.

His company sent him to Rome to continue his work. For two years. 

Placing your hand on top of his, you slowly faced him, and he felt his heart hurt at the sight of your worried face. You kept on mumbling, ‘“It’s going to be alright. It’s going to be alright.” But the quiver of your voice and the tears rolling down your cheeks said otherwise. 

“I can… I can—” He stuttered, gulping as he tried to come up with something to say. At that moment, you were already letting your tears flow, although you choked back your inaudible sobs.

Silence.

Both you and Heeseung knew that he needed to do it for his dream. He needed it so he could live, and make a living. And you both knew that a long distance relationship like this wouldn’t work. It just wouldn’t, because love is never enough, even when it’s all that you have.

But of course you knew that Heeseung was willing to give it all up for you, too. And yet, as selfish as you want yourself to be, you still don’t want him to give it all up for you. He has to put himself first.

And so, with a facade, you sniffled, shutting your eyes close as you mumbled under your breath,

“Let’s break up. If it’s what’s best for us.”

And just like that, everything that you could ever ask for, was taken from you in the blink of an eye.

You could only hope that by the time he’s back, he wouldn’t become a stranger you just used to know.

September, 1995.

Two years later. 

“y/n, do you want to go home together?”

Snapping out of your daze, you quickly shoved the piece of printed paper back inside of your binder. Looking up, you flashed your campus friends a smile with a quirked brow.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, sure. I should just fix up first. You two can go ahead, I’ll catch up!” And so they nodded, doing as you told them to do. When the door slammed shut and they were out of your sight, your smile fell off of your face. And for a brief moment, your fingers, still halfway inside the binder, slowly pulled the photograph back out again.

Not a day passed when you didn’t look longingly at the only memory you have left of Heeseung. Every single day, you even think you forgot how he looked, a little bit more.

Maybe you regret that you broke up with him.

You sighed hopelessly to yourself.

You really do.

But was there anything you could’ve done, and could do?

Sliding the photograph back in, you shoved the binder inside of your bag before you grabbed it and headed out, not wanting to keep your friends waiting.

In fact, there is one thing you could still do.

And it was to continually hope that Heeseung is safe, even if he was no longer in your arms.

Refusing to succumb to the calling of sleep, he rubbed his eyes before straightening up again, working on the papers he’d received from his boss in record speed in hopes of avoiding getting scolded. 

Heeseung sighed heavily, sinking deeper to his office chair. One that he’d been repeatedly wearing out by occupying every single day for two whole years. Heck, he couldn’t even feel uncomfortable in it anymore now that he’d gotten used to it; not like he wanted to, though.

Focus.

Focus.

Focus—

He took a glance from a picture on his desk.

Okay, now back to work—

And then his eyes went back to the photograph. A longer stare. 

A bitter smile graced his lips as he saw the look on your face when he’d surprised you on your graduation day. Your smile was the most precious thing for him, he loved seeing it on you. Perhaps, it still is and he still does, too.

Lifting a hand, his finger caressed the frame. He missed you like crazy, mad crazy. If only…

Thoughts began to cloud his head again, and so he shook his head aggressively in a poor attempt to redirect his thoughts. He successfully snapped out of his trance the moment the intern named Jungwon cleared his throat from behind him before sliding a few stacks of papers onto Heeseung’s desk.

The intern had always found him staring at the photograph clipped onto his desk, and it went without saying that the younger understood. At times when Heeseung was starting to get miserable, the least he could do was disturb him with a ton of work, just like he asked.

December 1995.

But deep down, Heeseung still wished for a chance to meet you again.

Heeseung stood stiffly on the familiar grounds of his childhood, his knees still slightly wobbling and fingers still trembling even though he’d been catching up with a lot of people for hours now. Tens and hundreds of other people were still pushing past him, relishing in the night with loud chattering and laughter, the nostalgia of meeting each other in a reunion oddly exciting enough for them.

Perhaps it wasn’t much of a good idea, but Jay had convinced him to come for it was something “harmless”. It didn’t exactly work the same way for them, but he found himself coming, anyway.

The campus looked the same, the people who attended were the same, the people who attended asked the same questions. There was nothing much to see.

Heeseung couldn’t do anything but swirl his drink around his glass repeatedly to amuse himself. Then, he blankly looked down at the liquid, his other hand fiddling with the cloth of the standing bar table. As a sigh escaped his lips, he lifted his head, and it was as if time stopped.

There you were, having just arrived, one of your childhood friends making your presence known to your other batchmates. It was as if Heeseung had no control over himself, for before he could make himself aware of what he was doing, he was already calling for your name.

“y/n.”

Just like that, you turned your head and faced him, the smile on your lips fading, but your eyes made a sheer glimmer.

“Heeseung.” You whispered out, clearing your throat before excusing yourself from your batchmates and taking a few steps closer towards him. “Fancy seeing you here. I really thought you wouldn’t come.”

You fiddled with your clothes, not making eye contact with him. He did the same, his hand now stiffly pressing his wine glass on the table while he tried to calm himself down.

Heeseung gulped, “You too.”

And then silence. Awkward silence. 

Thankfully enough, the emcees on the stage began to announce the start of the countdown for the fireworks display. It was enough to bail you out of the awkward situation, so you tried to take advantage of it.

“Well then, I should—”

“I missed you.” Heeseung blurted out just as you turned away to leave. He hissed at himself, shutting his eyes close as he ducked his head down. “So much.”

His voice was almost a whisper as he spoke, and slightly, you turned to face him, looking at him with mellow eyes from over your shoulder. He inhaled a deep, shaky, breath, and then he boldly reached for your wrist, but his grip was gentle and almost pleading for you to stay.

“I know that this is probably not the right time nor the right place to talk about it but—”

Without any more words being said, you pulled him in, cutting him off with a kiss. The tears of longing trickling down your cheeks contrasted the blasts of fireworks from the skies, but your passion and love for one another was still as intense as the crack of the colorful lights.

And so, you meet again.

Not as lovers, not as friends.

But then maybe, just maybe, when the night ends, you will be more than just two strangers with some memories.

[let-me-write-shit]

So, I had this idea for a harry imagine where they met during the 1D days and they took a trip for the summer alone and Harry wrote 'Summer love' for the reader. Then the reader got famous with a solo album and they never saw each other after that summer besides award shows and stuff. But then the reader puts out a song 'Summer by Kesha' which is a response to Summer love and Harry approaches the reader after the Brits (where she preformed) and wants to reconnect. You can end it yourself ❤️.

A/N: First Imagine after having covid. I’ve been trying to write this for weeks and my head was stuffy half the time, so I hope this turned out okay. Sorry it took so long. <3

Word Count: 4,378

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Summer Love

It was always there; that weird underlying tension that fizzled in the air after releasing a particularly personal song. It was easy to write about, and even to perform in front of thousands of strangers, but when it came to interviews it seemed more difficult. Doubts started to settle in and you’d start to kick yourself about releasing something so obvious.

Y/N should be used to the feeling by now. She’s been doing this, professionally, for nearly six years now, and although she quickly and easily built thick skin, always pulling herself out of potentially awkward questions without getting too in-depth about personal meanings of songs and whom they might be about, always handling it with the right amount of grit and edge, to be performing at an award show in front of hundreds of fellow musicians whom she’s looked up to for years was a terrifying prospect. Especially considering he would be watching from the audience as she performed a song written about him.

She didn’t intend for this to happen. She didn’t even want to perform that song. But when she tried to fight against it, they almost pulled her out of performing and it wasn’t worth being cut. It was her first year performing at the Brits and her third year attending. She was still fairly new on the scene despite the amount of time she had been recording, and this was her biggest year in her career so far since the release of her new single. It was mostly due to the rumors behind the song, though the rumors did hold some truth.

She wrote it in response to a song He released about her years ago, but she’d been thinking of the right words to say and the perfect song to write for so long that she was sure people had forgotten by now. Back then, Y/N was too afraid to sing in front of people. But her stage fright didn’t affect her ability to make new friends. She was a wild child at heart and could make friends anywhere she went. She just happened to meet all the right friends in all the right places and it worked out in her favor. It’s how she met him in the first place. Y/N was lucky, and she knew it.

It was about ten years ago, now, when One Direction was dominating the scene. They had just finished their first tour and were on a short break for the summer when some of the boys attended a little party of a mutual friend of Y/N’s. She remembered the first time she saw him. His curly hair unruly and his dimples dreamy. It was at that party that she and Harry exchanged numbers. That was the start of it all.

They had spent nearly every day that summer together. Their differences in behavior would have a huge impact on each other and would set a tone in their own personalities for years to come. Y/N’s wild spirit and carefree energy was something Harry tried to implement in his life as often as he could. It was because of Y/N that he took more risks and started living increasingly by his own rules where he could. And Harry showed her peace. His calm and acceptance taught her how to take a step back and relax. They were yin and yang.

That summer was one they’d never forget and would find themselves randomly thinking about for years after, Getting high, drunk, hanging with friends, kissing until their lips hurt, sex whenever they could get an ounce of privacy, laughing until they cried. Two stupid teenagers having the time of their lives.

The thing about spending so much intimate time with someone for nearly two months was that you’d start to actually fall for them. Harry was the first to say the words ‘I love you’. Their friends would joke and make fun of them for thinking it would be anything more than a summer fling. How could it? They were having too much fun together. All of Harry’s friends loved Y/N, and Harry was the first person outside of her immediate family to hear her sing and encourage her to pursue music. Neither of them wanted it to end. But as August turned to September they both knew. They were young and naive to think it could last.

Y/N remembered the last time they saw each other. She found herself often thinking about it when she was sad and alone. They were at a private beach and the water was too rough to swim in so they stayed on the sand and talked. Harry was about to leave for London the next day and Y/N would be starting back at school soon. They whined about how they didn’t want summer to end. Y/N started getting emotional and Harry began to cry, too. They kissed and cuddled, crying to each other. They told each other that they’d try to keep in touch, but they both knew this was goodbye.

Pictures of them together leaked of that day and rumors began to spread like wildfire. It got even crazier when their next album came out and they released a song called ‘Summer Love’. Fans immediately linked it to the leaked pictures of her and Harry at the beach and her social media blew up with people in her DMs asking for details and stories that she never entertained.

She got angry. How could he write a song about her but not keep in contact? She started pouring herself into her music. It was barely two years later that one of her friends introduced her to a producer and she began to make music. No one expected her career to gain momentum so quickly. Her, least of all. She had no clue what it took to be famous and the first year was the hardest. Especially the interviews.

It was difficult, at first, figuring out how to navigate her ‘girl next door’ image when she couldn’t seem to break free from the narrative of being one of Harry Styles's ex-girlfriends. It would be brought up in nearly every interview and it got tiring. That’s when Y/N made the decision to stop caring about her ‘image’ and to be true to herself. She started shutting down questions related to her personal relationships and showed more of her goofy and real side. Eventually, it became less about Harry and more about how people connected with her as a person. Y/N was refreshing to see amongst all the same talent that’s been on the scene for a while.

There were times where Y/N and Harry would attend the same events and cross paths. He definitely remembered her and they’d share a quick nod or wave in passing, but they’d always be whistles in different directions, unable to speak. Until one event, in particular, last year.

Nothing crazy happened. It was just a fundraiser dinner and a lot of celebrities were in attendance. There were theatrical performances and a few bands playing while they ate, along with intermittent speeches and auctions. Photographers and videographers circled the hundreds in attendance, getting some behind the scene shots, but for the most part, everyone just mingled.

Y/N brought her manager and boyfriend at the time, and she sat at a table with James Corden, his wife, and manager, as well as a few other lesser-known celebs that were more into the business aspect of things. Everyone was talking. She found out that James’s wife was a big fan of hers and they were all laughing at something Y/N said, making promises to be on his show again soon, when a figure loomed behind them, tapping James on the shoulder but getting everyone’s attention, turning to see Harry.

“Oh, Harry! Hello mate! How are you doing?” James asked, attempting to hug him from his seat.

“Alright, man, how are you?” Harry asked, grinning coyly and awkwardly, waving at the rest of the table, “Hello!” and then he looked at Y/N, eyes glistening and nodding, “Hi.”

“Hey,” she grinned back nicely, tight-lipped, as her boyfriend’s arms snaked around her waist, pulling her just a little closer to him.

Her boyfriend, well-known for having a famous dad, had no clue of the history between Y/N and Harry but was a fairly jealous guy. He didn’t trust anyone around Y/N and it was something she resented in their relationship.

Harry turned his attention back to James after eyeing the couple, “I was just checking to see if you’d be performing tonight, too?” Harry joked, “Maybe a little number from Into The Woods?” he smirked, earning a laugh from the table and roars from James.

“No, no. They can’t afford me,” James played along.

“It’s a charity, James,” Harry shot back, “Or maybe they were worried people would walk out.”

“Excuse you! That musical had eleven nominations and three awards, thank you very much!” James laughed, pointing out the empty seat across from him and Y/N, “Would you like to join us?”

Harry agreed, taking the seat, and he stayed there for the rest of the night. He talked with everyone at the table, watched the speeches, and listened to bands play. Eventually, he got enough courage to start conversing more with Y/N, shocked to find that, although she’s grown in the last several years and had a pretty shitty boyfriend, she was still relatively the same carefree, wild spirit he met at that party.

They talked about the release of his first solo album and his time on his first solo tour. They talked about how she was working on a new album herself and the recent interview she had with James that seemed to be a contender for most-viewed. Harry had seen it, as well. He was enjoying being in her company again but could do without her boyfriend that seemed to butt-in at every chance he could. And from the looks of it, Y/N was annoyed about it, as well.

By the end of the night, Harry was kicking himself for not getting her number. As he lay alone in bed, those memories of that summer began flooding back as it did every few months since, and speaking with her today struck him. He felt nostalgic, missing their sandy kisses and midnight strolls. How they used to stay up all night talking on the phone just to see each other again when the sun rose. He contemplated reaching out via Instagram or Twitter but ultimately decided that she had long since gotten over him and that there was no point considering she had a boyfriend.

Except that wasn’t true. The whole car journey back to her hotel, Y/N sat in silence recalling every moment of the night and longing for that old connection for Harry back. The second she and her boyfriend got back to her room, she grabbed her notebook, ignoring her boyfriend’s beckons to join him in bed, and went to work. It was the fastest song she had ever written, taking a total of two hours. And she broke things off with her boyfriend not two weeks later. The news broke in less than twenty-four hours and it was the top story for weeks.

She almost didn’t include the song in her album, but at the last minute, she decided to add it. She figured enough time had passed where people wouldn’t know who it was about. She was wrong. Big time.

Her impending performance at the Brits was all anyone could talk about, and now that the day was here, Y/N’s nerves were reeling. The thought of singing this song and knowing Harry was here watching was enough to make her want to throw up. Every time the camera panned to Harry during the awards with his face plastered on a large screen off to the side, Y/N was certain she’d pass out. Luckily they were on separate ends of the stage and she couldn’t really see him from where she sat, so she just avoided the screen. Her normal ‘don’t care’ attitude was gone.

Soon, she was taken backstage to get wired and ready for her performance. She bounced up and down in her heels trying to summon some energy and shake the nerves, messing with the dangling strands of hair that framed her face and wiping her sweaty palms on her sleek, satin red dress with one off-the-shoulder draping sleeve and a long side-slit.

She was led out to a pitch dark stage and was positioned in the center, hands gripping tightly on her mic as a presenter on another stage finished a short speech and introduced the next act. Y/N looked down at her feet, listening, waiting for her queue, afraid to look up amongst the crowd of very talented, very famous peers.

“The incredible Y/F/N Y/L/N, with her new single, SUMMER!”

The lights shone brightly on Y/N and she began to sing, followed by the sounds of piano.

“I haven’t seen you since the summer

But you feel just like I remember…..”

Her heart pounded as she walked towards the edge of the stage, finally getting the courage to look up and into their faces, everyone smiling, bobbing their heads, and most even singing along. She scanned the audience, her mind racing, terrified and shocked that she had even found the courage to go through with singing this song here. And then she saw him. He sat towards the left of the stage at a circular table, close to the front, looking up at her, listening intently, with a lopsided smile, and their eyes locked.

That’s when something weird happened. The anxiety she felt just seconds before had washed away. For weeks, this had been her worst nightmare; having to sing this song to his face. She had given herself countless pep talks and dozens of plans to avoid eye contact with anyone in the audience while she sang just in case she ended up looking at Harry. But now that it’s happened, a sense of relief has washed over her. There were so many things she wanted to say to him over the past few years, but for some reason, singing this song at him seemed like enough for the time being. It summed it all up.

He could feel eyes on him, not just from Y/N, but from his table and those around him, as well. Everyone knew of the rumors about this song. Everyone assumed it was about him. Honestly, he figured it was about him, too. Some of the lyrics seemed to point to that summer. But assuming he meant enough to her, especially enough to write a song after all this time, seemed extremely arrogant of him, so he avoided vocalizing his thoughts on the topic and always pushed it aside when it was brought to his attention.

When he heard that she would be performing the song at the Brits, a part of him was scared. He didn’t know how he should react. Should he play it cool? Should he sing along? Should he ignore her performance? But when he saw her on the stage in front of him, he couldn’t take his eyes away. A smile formed on his face and all he could feel was pride. He was proud that he got to know her before all of the fame and got to see the talent before she blew up. He was proud that she worked so hard to get to where she was.

And then they locked eyes.

He was speechless. It wasn’t a particularly heart-wrenching song in its own right, but he could feel the meaning behind the lyrics deep in his chest. Harry could see the tension fading from Y/N’s eyes, something that would barely be noticed unless you were looking for it. And he laughed as she bounced and skipped around the stage. She kicked her heels off which earned an outrageous amount of screams and claps and he laughed as she spun around the stage, barefoot. There she was; that beautiful, carefree girl he’d known when they were just teenagers. And as the song ended and she began to slow down, they caught eyes once more and they smiled before the lights began to dim and everyone in the audience stood, clapping. Harry among them.

“Wow. That was incredible,” his sister, Gemma, awed beside him.

They shared a look; one of both knowing and apprehension. He never told Gemma about Y/N. Sure, she knew of the rumors and saw the pictures, but they never went into detail about their love lives with each other. She didn’t want to push anything out of her brother, but she was a fan of Y/N’s and didn’t want to make her brother feel uncomfortable if she was supporting an artist whom he had any sort of resentment about. But by the look of his smile and nod of agreeance, she knew that it was no trouble.

He found himself often peaking over the heads of the crowd in an attempt to steal a glance at her. And whenever he stood to clap, or collect an award, no matter how hard he tried to conceal his curiosity, he would always end up locking eyes. When she won the first award of her career, he clapped louder and longer than anyone else, and he knew that he was giving himself away. Everyone who had come with him had realized that he was increasingly becoming more interested in her as the night progressed.

When the award show was finally over, he attempted to shuffle amongst the crowd, hoping to catch her before she left, but that proved difficult as he kept getting stopped by other friends and celebrities wanting to congratulate him on his winnings and aiming to have a conversation with him. By the time he had reached her table, she had already gone.

The afterparty was brimming with people, with both celebrities who had gone to the awards, and some who hadn’t. The music was so loud in areas that you could hardly hear others speak. Servers were weaving in and out of people with trays of food and drinks while people talked, danced, and consorted. He was always surprised by the mix of people he saw at afterparties and the friendships he had never expected.

He was in the middle of a conversation with his sister, Alexa Chung, and a few others, when a reflection of glistening light just beyond their group caught his eye, and he looked past his friends to see Y/N standing towards the other end of the room laughing with James Corden, just like she had been the last time he saw her. He had made up his mind in an instant and politely excused himself, making his way over.

“Hello,” he dragged, cautiously edging up towards the two.

They both looked up and he noticed the surprise in Y/N’s eyes before James exclaimed, “Harry! How’s it going, mate?”

“I’m alright, James. And you?” He asked, and before James could respond he turned towards Y/N and muttered, “Hey.”

“Jesus Christ, Harold, you’re not very subtle, are you?” he joked.

It was only a joke, but both Y/N and Harry began to blush. James, too, knew of the rumors and even pressed his friend, off the record, about his brief encounter with Y/N. He knew that there were some reserved emotions between the two old lovers, but by the look of their reaction, it seemed to be a bit greater than he had anticipated and he knew he might have just inadvertently created a bit of tension between the two.

“Well, it was nice to see you both, but I’ve got to go look for my wife before she leaves me for Shawn Mendes,” James lied, giving both of them a friendly hug and kiss on the cheek, “Have a good night.”

They watched as James snuck off and stood there in a moment of silence as the room around them only got louder. Y/N smirked, waiting for Harry to say something. Years, she had pictured this moment. Years she had imagined having a conversation as more than just a passing node or group discussion. Still, if he didn’t get a move on, someone could interrupt them and it’d be just another fleeting moment in their years worth of run-ins.

“You look lovely,” he finally noted, motioning towards her dress.

Y/N snorted, raising an eyebrow, “Come on, Harry, what’d you really want to say?”

Harry grinned nervously, shaking his head, she could see right through him, “Could never get anything past you, could I?”

“Never,” she smiled, crossing her arms.

He looked at her a moment, scanning her eyes before his face turned more serious, “...I missed you.”

“Oh? Did you?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled, teasingly jutting his head forward matter-of-factly, “I did.”

“I guess I missed you, too. If you couldn’t tell by the song,” she added, giggling.

“Oh, was that about me?” he asked sarcastically.

Y/N rolled her eyes, “Nah, couldn’t be. Some other bloke, some other summer.”

Harry laughed, astounded. So much time had passed and Y/N was seldom not on his mind. Sure, he had seen her in passing at the many award shows and alongside him on the internet, but he always wondered what time had done to her. He, himself, had learned and evolved with time and with knowledge. He hadn’t considered himself a ‘changed’ man, like so many that had gained money and an ounce of power, but rather he considered himself just grown. He wondered if she would be the same and often worried that the lifestyle would have sucked her dry. He sees it time and time again, lively people turning into shells of their past while trying to keep up with the scene.

But seeing her here, now, he knew that not to be true. She seemed every bit herself, just….grown. More confident, smarter, but just as playful and beautiful as ever. The nerves he was feeling before had gone, replaced with the silliness that he remembered always feeling when he was around her.

“So, we’ve established that I missed you and you missed me. What should we do about that?” he asked, rather flirtatiously.

She raised an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side and as if it was the simplest answer said, “Well, I suppose that means you should ask me out to dinner.”

Harry smiled wider, “So no boyfriend, then?”

She shook her head, a playful smirk forming on her face, “Not unless you’re asking.”

His mouth fell open slightly. Her forwardness was always something he fawned over, and before he could speak, a dark-haired girl slunk up to the two of them and they turned to see Gemma. Y/N had never met Gemma before and only knew of her from the stories Harry told her when they were younger. Of course, she’s seen pictures of his older sister, but seeing them side-by-side she could see the similarities between the two siblings.

“Hi, sorry to interrupt…” Gemma started.

Y/N shook her head, “No, you’re not. It’s Gemma, right? I’m Y/N. Nice to meet you.”

Harry watched as his sister attempted to stop ogling and accepted Y/N’s offer for a hug and polite kiss on either cheek. He knew Gemma must be internally freaking out as she admitted, “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m a big fan.”

“Thank you. You look gorgeous, by the way. I can tell who got the good genes,” Y/N smiled, poking fun at Harry.

He feigned hurt and elongated, “Heeeeyyyyy.”

“Hush, now. The girls are talking,” Y/N winked.

The three spent most of the night together, conversing with dozens of other celebrities who approached them, but they hadn’t strayed from each other all night. Their conversation seemed endless and never ran out of things to say. They even started getting a little childish and would sneak off and explore the hotel in which the party was held. Harry was happy to see that his sister and Y/N had quickly become friends, even if it was at the expense of his ego. But as the night continued and the three fought to hide their exhaustion, it had gotten too late and Y/N’s manager had finally found them.

“Come on, Y/N, we should get going,” the blonde tugged at Y/N’s arm.

Y/N nodded, “Yeah, alright.”

They all stood up and gave each other hugs goodbye, “It was nice to see you again,” Y/N whispered into Harry’s ear, lingering in his embrace just a second longer before pulling away, smiling, and following her manager towards the exit.

Harry watched after her, sad to see her walking away again. Why was sleep even a thing? He could spend hours more talking to her about utter nonsense, filling in the gaps of all of their missed time together. He felt a nudge to the left of him from Gemma and he turned to see her urging eyes. He knew what she meant. And he didn’t need another nudge. In seconds, he bolted up and jogged ahead, catching up with them. Y/N must have heard his footsteps, because she turned, amused to see Harry yielding, out of breath.

“Forget something?” she joked, crossing her arms with a smile.

He grinned, nodding, “Your number.”

She smiled wider, holding her hand out for his phone and when he passed it to her, she quickly inputted her number and saved it, handing it back. “Please pass my number along to your sister, too.”

“Are you just using me to get to Gemma?” Harry joked.

“Of course I am,” Y/N laughed. There was a moment of silence before Y/N leaned in, kissing him softly on the cheek before stepping back towards her manager, “Don’t lose my number this time, yeah?”

Harry shook his head, lips twitching, “Never. I won’t make that mistake again.”

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

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@odetostep @mylittleangel9403 @thurhomish @fallingfordolans

[flovey-dovey]

I want to say something about Klaus

I’ve been waiting a very long time to see this movie, and when I finally could I loved it to pieces. But the ending broke my heart- in more ways than one.

There will be no “tldr” here because my feelings about this film are too strong to let me minimalize what I have to say about it (but I might have to make a part 2 since this is pretty big). If you don’t agree with me, that’s fine, it’s okay, I don’t blame you. I won’t tell you you’re wrong, because in your own life you’re as obligated as ever to have an opinion of your own, correct or not. One other thing I want to say before I start rambling is that this will be messy. Also I do not- nor have ever- claimed to be a critic, and this is not a review. This is just a single person on the internet expressing their opinion, and for the love of all that is holy let’s keep it at that.

Foreword over, on to my pure thoughts. Oh, and spoiler alert for those who haven’t seen the movie yet. No matter what I think about it it’s definitely worth a watch, and going into this without seeing it will probably confuse some folks. Maybe.

Okay, since my main qualm is with the characters, let’s start with Alva. I like her. She’s not the generic “tough girl who don’t need no man” I was fully prepared to have shoved down my throat. She has some genuinely good moments on her own as well as funny and pleasant interactions with both Jesper and the children of the town and is a fine character. She is jaded and determined, though not to the point of that being her entire personality, and I loved watching her find happiness as the teacher she wanted to be. She is a victim of circumstance that eventually has her environment changed and finds herself changed with it for the better. Her design and personality were very pleasing (to me) to see as well.

However...

Why did she have to be the love interest? Just- why? What warranted her eventually desiring a relationship of any description when she was shown to be more devoted to her position as a teacher- and as a single woman- throughout 90% of the film? This is especially frustrating since it turns almost every scene with her into one that involves Jesper in some way rather than build her as a character outside of this perspective. It takes away from Alva “the character” and instead focuses more on her as Alva “the love interest”. In media stuffed to the rafters in heteronormative relationships, and from those that I’ve seen, as afraid as I was to see it happen I was also prepared to have this aspect of the movie gracelessly thrown into my face. So, as might be expected, I actually groaned out loud when I saw it come to pass. I’m not mad, just... actually that’s a lie I am rather irritated by it, but also just... sad. Very, very sad. Disappointed, you might say. She and Jesper don’t have a lot of interactions showing that this was the obvious outcome. The best I can think that people would draw this conclusion would be a) she’s a woman and he’s a guy and they looked at each other that one time, and b) when he was trying to be charming to wriggle out of her wrath. Also, same scene, I don’t buy that it’s further implied by the boat-guy (I forget his name and can’t find it on IMDB) teasing Jesper over “young love” after she leaves in a huff. He’s not a reliable look into any feelings Jesper might feel towards her since all he’s done up to that point is tease him. It’s not enough, it just isn’t. Not to me.

In regards to her feelings for Jesper, the most I see from her is gratitude. The scene when she’s showing Jesper what he unintentionally did for the town is just that, and as she’s looking at the townsfolk Jesper looks... distressed. This is because he is conflicted about what to do at this point in the story, not necessarily because of any feelings for Alva, but it doesn’t even look like he’s thinking of her- romantically- at all. They don’t share any additional conversation, either; not a single flirtatious joke or anything that would lead me to believe they were bonding. I feel horribly conditioned to see her as the love interest and nothing more because that’s all I’ve ever seen done with a man and woman who only share a single line of dialogue before some narrator is telling me “of course” they got together in the end. Oftentimes, that line of dialogue is in an unpleasant or downright aggressive scenario, and that’s not romance. Seeing it happen over and over and over and over in almost every piece of media I subject myself to makes me want to take a blowtorch to my brain. I’m literally at my wit’s end. If it was more built-up and actually there, then fine, I take it back, but the thing is I hardly saw anything at all in terms of either Jesper or Alva or both of them thinking about each other, wanting to be together as more than just friends, throughout the entire hour and a half of the movie. The most scenes I can say they shared (not counting the ending because I’ll get to that in a bit) are four, with each one being little more than a minute long, two of them being more on the aggressive side, the third being when Alva shows Jesper the new Smeerenburg. Pleasant and humorous, yes, but not inherently romantic (neither of them share more than a glance and Jesper looks pretty preoccupied internally). The fourth is of Alva helping Margu translate what she wants from Klaus for Jesper. When Margu hugs Jesper and he and Alva exchange silent looks, the expression on Alva’s face, to me, says something like “you’re not half bad” and a note of good humor for how he handles children. Just so we’re clear I’m not against her finding happiness with Jesper. I just want it to be warranted. Not narrated.

Oh, but their love for each other is obvious and clearly meant to be from the start, is it? Okay then, show me when Alva says or does something and makes Jesper laugh, or vice-versa. Show me when she thought of him OUTSIDE of simply showing him what he did for everyone and how their hands touched, their gazes met and shy or flirtatious smiles spread across their faces as they drew slightly closer, and how she felt something more than gratitude and impressment for him. Show me when Jesper wanted to do something for her OUTSIDE being the means to a letter-related end. Show me the parts when they pined for each other and how happy seeing the other’s smile made them and how they were happy for each other’s progress and encouraged each other. Show me the parts of the movie where Jesper visited as often as he could manage to squeeze into his busy schedule just to chat. Show me kisses, hand-holding, lingering looks and happy little half-smiles cast from across a crowded courtyard. Maybe they do share something more than friendship, but no matter what I can’t get over how little there was between them to give me the impression it was going to lead to romance. It’s not even subtext, in my opinion.

Do you remember when Jesper’s father came back and it all came out in a part known as “the liar revealed” (a trope I quite hate for the oftentimes needless forced drama it creates, but whatever, for now I’ll let it slide) that he had ulterior motives which, at that point, he no longer had? Alva was the FIRST to turn her back on him in spite of their “lovey-dovey” merry-go-round painting MOMENTS earlier. She didn’t even want to hear out Jesper, who was clearly upset, and jumped straight to accusing him without showing that she was just as upset by the revelation that he could’ve been using her and playing with her feelings. How romantic. Meanwhile, the last one to return inside was Klaus, who was far more saddened and disappointed, leaving slower and leaving Jesper looking the worst, like he was heartbroken by his words- an echo of his own- most of all.

In fact...

Speaking of Klaus, I’d say Jesper is far more attracted to him than to Alva. This movie, while nearly devoid of interactions serving to build romantic chemistry between Jesper and Alva (which it absolutely should’ve if they had the ending be what it was), is littered with moments, wordless and otherwise, between Klaus and Jesper. So let’s go over them. I mean, if you’ve left by now then like I said at the start, I don’t mind. But if it’s alright I’d like to talk about them anyway, because holy holly I love them.

The scenes in question are clearly shown to develop their friendship and only get more romantic from there, and I could run out of breath trying to ramble them off all at once and what it meant to me to see them portrayed in such a beautiful way- artistically as well as in terms of the story.

Fairly early on, we learn that the wind is kind of its own “character”, guiding both Jesper and Klaus to ultimately meet each other as well as bringing them together more than once afterwards, and later on with what we learn about him it’s heavily implied to be the spirit of Klaus’ dearly departed wife. I’d like to think she was trying to tell Klaus to move on and find new love in Jesper and for Jesper to find purpose by Klaus’ side. The instances involving the wind are scattered throughout the film, so this is going to be a bit out of order.

To start, Jesper, while trying to get Klaus to donate his toys to the children of Smeerenburg, doesn’t notice the wind swirling around behind him like it was telling Klaus to follow him even if at the time Jesper’s intentions were selfish. Because he changes. They change each other, and their dynamic progresses so much more naturally, directly and clearly than Jesper and Alva’s.

There’s another scene when it leads Klaus to his workshop, where he opens the door to see a silhouette distinctly meant to parallel his wife- the one he loved- and revealed when he pulls back the cloth to be Jesper- his potential new love.

It’s one of the most explicit scenes enforcing my idea that Klaus’ wife was trying to get him to love again. Anyway, Jesper then excitedly starts going on about his gift and trying to get his mojo back before making an unintentionally big mistake by revealing a painful reminder of Klaus’ wife. A mistake he deeply regrets, mind. Not too long later, Jesper tries working on his own to make Margu’s wish for a boat/sleigh come true. While he works, the shot fades to see Klaus back at his workshop. He sees the picture Jesper drew of them and sighs, giving in and going to see him at the post office [also not to mention the drawing fades with the family shelf thing Klaus made so that’s pretty neat; took me a year to edit this in but hey better late than never]. My favorite scene is Klaus showing up to work on Margu’s present, giving Jesper a tool as well and interrupting Jesper to wordlessly point at the task at hand as if to say “If we work, we work together”. And that spoke to me. More than anything else in the movie and more than I’ve heard from any movie I’ve seen that I can remember. Also, Jesper’s soft, shy, willing smile put the biggest grin on my face. It was the last nail in the sled that made me convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were forming a romantic bond from this moment forward.

Part 2 because this is long:

https://flovey-dovey.tumblr.com/post/189133807093/part-2-of-my-thoughts-on-klaus

[purplerose244]

Thoughts journal Ninjago season 13!!! 🤩🤩 (3/4)

I am enjoying the season A LOT. The reveal has been thrown already, everything seems to be leading towards something special about Rock Mom and I couldn't hope for something better!! I know Lou will be back so I guess a flashback?... I'M SO EXCITED 💕💕

Alright, let's start!!

DUNGEON PARTY!

Side note, we're past the season and no Nexo Knights reference. Me sad, but me not quitting like ninja!! 💪💪

Korgran of METALONIA?!?! WHERE KARLOF COMES FROM!!! Oh you just love to feed me with good throwbacks, now do you Ninjago crew 😍

Plundar the thief, yeah, the attire gives it away although it is nice. And Fungus... huh... well that explains the mushrooms on the hat I guess 😅

Yep, there we go, a party of adventurers, the DnD situation promised 👈👈 He said loot, I saw a 20 faced dice, nice nice

In these recent seasons adventurers just won't like to do adventures for one reason or another, first uncle Powers, now these guys? I mean Ninjago is in danger every freaking time and you risk your life at every step and there's a new formidable villain every like five seconds but... huh... what was my point again?

THE ANIME STYLE IS BACK 😂😂 Oh boy I can tell we're in for a train to crazy town

I'm thinking this dude looks a lot like He-Man... of course he does, the HECK, am I noticing this just now? 😑

I do agree with mister Korgran's father reluctance about talking like that (I saw too many anime characters like that 😂), but Karlof uses the third person too. Either it's common in Metalonia, or there's a general lack of education there 😅 (I LOVE METAL BOY I MISS HIM 🖤🖤)

Talking axe that doesn't talk, nice 😂

Okay... okay, I need a moment

This is too cute. I know her head is a bit too big but LOOK AT THEM 💛🤍💛🤍 Has Chompy never grown?... wait he did got big that one time... okay... okay, never mind

Well that's a pretty nice party, you got your barbarian, your magic user and your rogue. Kinda misses a healer but still... tomorrow I'm doing a DnD session with my friends and I wanna sound like I know stuff 😂

I just noticed that I haven't seen hidden trap doors like that since Chen, the ABC of villains right there my friends 👆

So the King didn't become evil just because of the skull, he actually wished to obtain it and use the dark power. I get that he wants to defend the city but he is basically remorceless about everything else, so he is guilty. Also DRAGON ABUSER 😡

Poor Vania, but she overcame her Skylor situation very quickly. Proud 💛

There we go with the encouragement, you go Rocky!! We have a crazy Skull dude to turn into dust!! 👿👿

Wait, a promise he made a long time ago? Rock mom?

DUNGEON CRAWL!

ROCK MOM!!! YAAAASSS!!! FINALLY SHE'S HERE!!! 🖤🖤🖤

Oh holy FSM, my heart 💔

MY HEART HURTS SO MUCH. Cole as a kid, Lou is back, Rock Mom IS SICK AND WILL DIE, all the drawings, the picture of them together 😭😭

I cannot, freaking, this kid doesn't want his mom to be sick and he's gotten into troubles at school and she wants him to fight and be strong and right and SHE HAS HIS SAME EYEBROWS 😢😢😢😢😢😢

This scene was really heartbreaking, such a genuine situation with a kid that wants her mom to be fine and proud of him 🖤

Just looked at her VA and it's Erin Matthews 🤩 So first I'm counting it as a Nexo Knights reference just because MACY AND ROBIN ❤🖤❤🖤 Second, wasn't "the mom" going to be voiced by Jillian? Is it... is it Maya? Is she coming back? MAYBE NEXT SEASON??? NYA SEASON?!?!? 🤯🤯

Oh, we're moving on? So... so there's still the stuff about Rock Mom's past to uncover, still unsure if she was the one of the blades for the two tribes

PLUNDAR WE DO NOT DISRESPECT COLE INTO THIS HOUSE VANIA MY GIRL YOU ARE SPEAKING FOR ME TOO 💪💪

The connection between Cole and his mom is the earth itself, I'm loving this concept so much. It's true that he never found himself this deep into his element before, the Caves of Despair were mines but never this deep. This really is rock bottom... HECK YEAH

Well Cole...

Welcome to the colored eyes because of elemental power ninja team!! 💚❤🧡 (without counting the forbidden scroll moments) I LOVE WHEN IT HAPPENS!!! I'M GETTING SO PROUD AND EMOTIONAL!!! I'M PROUDOTIONAL!!! 🤯

Aww, Cole saving his son sensei, very nice. They did save each other a lot 🤷‍♀️

This place reminds me a lot of the Fire Temple where Kai got himself into trouble in season 1 but then saved Lloyd, one of my favorite and most memorable episode of the show... I'M TOO NOSTALGIC RIGHT NOW LET'S MOVE ON

NEVER MIND COLE IS TAKING CHARGE LIKE OLD TIMES HE IS FINALLY THE LEADER AGAIN I'M GONNA CRY ROCKY I'M SO HAPPY YOU DESERVE THIS 🖤

Wu's spinjitzu!! Always nice to see it 😊 And yes Adam is a good boy, and for my arachnophobia is a little freaky saying it 😅

Ah, good Plundar, Cole needs all the appreciation of the world because HE IS SUCH A GOOD PERSON AND AMAZING WARRIOR AND I LOVE HIM AAAAAA

This is probably my favorite episode for now, got Rock Mom, got elemental powers, got a lot of Cole in all of his glory: the leader with a clear smart mind able to lead even strangers, with big heart for what's important 👏👏

I feel like this season is giving him glory, I'm curious about how it will end!!

GRIEF-BRINGER

Okay I know it's the name of the dragon... and it gets me a little antsy 😅

Back to the munce! Still doing as good as ever I see! 😅 And lol, you can't blame Nya for not being nice Jay! Although she is kinda best friends with Ronin who double crossed her multiple times... okay, I see your reasoning Bluebell

There we go, Nya making them listen. I honestly could have seen her just grabbing one of them and make them fly through the the room, still cool though 😎

Back to the geckles! Also doing as good as ever! 😅 These little purple guys are so dang cute, seeing my flame babe trying to lead is so PRECIOUS, and even more PRECIOUS is Zane giving him support... and a rock in the face 🤍🤍

Gotta say

I'm more and more fascinated by their culture 😂😂

Aww little Gleck, everything had started with him after all... wait... HER NAME IS LILLY?!?! ROCK MOM HAS A NAME!!! AND SHE IS GILLIE/MILLIE!!! I KNEW IT!!! 🤩🤩

I think I saw the name somewhere, didn't think it was actually her. I always headcanoned her as Gaia, but Lilly is a very sweet name too 💕

It is pretty nice that even though we as viewers didn't know what happened to Lilly, the ninja knew. It's obvious, they've known each other for so long, but still. It feels nice to see this 😊

Oh-oh, Skull dude is up to something... and he said the title 👈👈

Zane keeps being the sweetest thing ever created, le cute dude 🤍🤍 Never thought I'd see Tin Can and Hothead discussing about lies while two slugs race each other...

I don't know if it's the new animation but the armored suits look CRAZY GOOD, the metal and the details are awesome!! I approve the suits of this season 👍

Pff, they are talking down his sister, if he knew they would be literally toasted 🔥

HUG HUG BEAUTIFUL LEGO HUG!!! And she lifts him up, omg the Smith siblings are back and they are so CUTE 😍

Yep, only he can talk down his sister... and possibly be annihilated right after 😅

Oh, the dragon that almost destroyed the two tribes... OH THE DRAGON THAT ALMOST DESTROYED THE TWO TRIBES!!! 😱😱

NO GUYS DON'T LEAVE LLOYD AND ZANE BEHIND, THEY ARE THE MOST PRONE TO SACRIFICE THEMSELVES 😭😱😭😱😭😱

The cringe Kai, the cringe never leaves you alone you beautiful idiot ❤

I cannot believe the animators managed to make Lloyd's LEGO hair swoosh, I must applaude them 👏👏👏 Also POOR BABY ON THE GROUND GIVE HIM A VACATION FOR CRYING OUT LOUD

Well aren't things getting even more complicated 😅 Where is Cole? We need season superstar pronto!

MASTERS NEVER QUIT

Awww, major throwback to the show's most famous motto right in the title! NINJA NEVER QUIT!!! LET'S GO THEN!!! 🤩

The upply team! With the lava beast back... I could easily make comment about how it could be a representation of Cole's feelings since it's LAVA with EARTH and FIRE, and he is running from them... I'M JUST RAMBLING MOVING ON 🖤❤🖤❤

Cole misses the Caves of Despair maybe, he wants to have a round with the carts like in Possession 😂 Was that why he knew it was going to work eventually? That would be histerical, especially since back then they all almost fell into the lava 😅😅

The Heart of the Mountain? Secret temple of the masters of Earth? Possibly hidden in Shintaro? Spinjitzu Burst? Wu, let me ask you this... just in case... is there... perhaps...

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD'VE TOLD US??? 😡😡

He is definitely and officially old, only reason why he keeps forgetting to warn people about stuff 😑 I mean, it's not major like with Morro or Aspheera, I guess it's an improvement?... kinda?

So you learn spinjitzu burst if you're surrounded by your element, that sounds pretty awesome! I wonder how it could be with all the others, this can open up kinda like a quest for the true potential but with different places and lots of OP powers and I'M INTO IT 🤩🤩🤩

Okay season, I get it

YOU WANNA MAKE ME CRY 😭😭 I love this aztec vibe, so cool and appropriate she looks STUN 🖤

I didn't expect this much introspection about Cole, I thought it was going to be kinda last minute like with Jay in Prime Empire. I'm so thankful it's not like that, freaking yes. YES. GO COLE BURST OUT!!

... okay, take your time sweetie, no rush. The other ninja are just going to be fried but eh, happens all the time 🤷‍♀️

VANIA MAH GIRL 💕 I understand Wu, I mean the guys kinda learned all they needed already back when they started to train Lloyd. Ever since then, they had been not master and students, but just family. And you always need family, no matter how far you go 🖤

Awwww, Wu! You got your own development too! 👍 So nice to hear "ninja never quit" again, can't be too sure but it's been a while 😍

Let's hope the guys are doing fine resisting while Team Cole arrives 😎😎

[self-proclaimed-chaotic-good]

Worth the Risk | Bodhi Rook x Reader (1/2)

Words: 1970

A/N: Ey, guess who's back with the rare posting again. This was in my draft for a while, along with many others, but I finally got something done.

Summary: Childhood friends separated at a young age, never having a chance to say goodbye. They had gone on different paths of life, but the Force had brought them together years later, only to miss the opportunity to either say goodbye or stay. The Force works in mysterious ways, and if was meant to be, then they may meet again for the third and possibly final time.

Continuation to [Run Away With Me]

-

Bodhi’s friends watched as he flitted around the U-Wing, busying himself with tasks that were unnecessary and repetitive. Chirrut seemed to have already known why he was acting odd, but he would simply say to give it time. Jyn made sure to include him with meet ups with the other Rebels and there were times where he accepted the offer, though he’d end up keeping to himself. Over time, he had been opening himself to others and talking more again. Still, there was something that he had not been telling anyone. It was no secret to the Rogue One crew that he’d always pause and stare up at the stars longingly.

He had been cleaning up his cargo ship for the second time that day when he heard a knock at the ramp. He turned and saw Cassian leaning against the ship with his arms crossed. The captain’s eyes roamed around the ship before landing on the pilot.

“We’ve got a mission,” he said.

Bodhi nodded. “When do we start?”

“In forty-eight hours. The details will be sent to your datapad tonight. Make the necessary preparations before meeting here.”

“Alright.” When Cassian didn’t move to leave, Bodhi walked up to him and cleared his throat. “Is there anything else?”

“We need you to focus on this, Bodhi,” he said, “No more staring at the stars until the mission is done.”

“I know that-”

“We almost got caught because of your distractions!” Cassian snapped.

Bodhi sighed, taking off his goggles and tossing them on the side. He slumped down on a bench and Cassian moved forward to join him.

“I thought I lost them. (Y/n). We had lost contact for years and now that I know that they’re actually out there…”

Cassian patted his back. “The Rebellion keeps tabs on their allies. We know how to contact them when we need them and they are free to come back any time.”

“Why did they leave?” Bodhi asked quietly. “They could have stayed. You know, I ran into their parents once when I was still an Imperial cargo pilot. I had stopped at a planet for fuel when I saw them at the local market. They were like family to me and helped me when I had to take care of my mother. When I saw that (Y/n) wasn’t with them, I asked. They said that they hadn’t heard from them for a while, but there were always credits flowing in to keep them going and even buy a house. It was the only way they knew that (Y/n) was alive. Still, I never thought I would ever see them again.”

He raised his head as Cassian stood up. “You’ll see them again,” he said firmly with a faint smile before heading out.

For others, Cassian didn’t seem to be the type of person for warm words of encouragement or sentiment, but for those who knew him well knew the truth. When it mattered, he was always there for his team. So if Cassian Andor said that Bodhi would see (Y/n) again, he believed it.

-

It had been almost two weeks since Cassian and Jyn began working undercover to trace back black market exchanges with Imperial associates. Bodhi had also been doing his part as a stranded tradesman who had a nasty encounter and was forced to be grounded until he could fix his ship. He lingered near the docks and watched who came and went and what they were carrying.

Bodhi had come back from the local farmer’s market when he saw a familiar ship landing two spaces away from his cargo ship. A tall rusty red droid walked off the ramp first, followed by a hooded figure. A man waited at the end of the ramp and immediately greeted them. He took out a datapad and began walking with them towards the nearest tavern as the ramp raised. Bodhi quickly dropped off his things and followed them at a distance.

Night had fallen by the time their meeting was over. The man left first, subtly looking over his shoulder before heading out. You and Desa lingered, finishing up your drink as you discussed the offer.

“Is he still watching?” you muttered at Desa into your cup.

“Yes.”

“What do you think we should do? This is important information. Giving it will help the Rebellion, but it will paint a big target on our heads and we’ll stray further from being neutral.”

“I’ll follow whatever decision you choose, (Y/n).”

You sighed, setting down your cup. “Of course you’d say that. Let’s head back.”

You left the ramp down as you Desa took stock on your current inventory. While you were noting down your rations, Desa made her way over to the ramp where Bodhi stood with wide eyes. She gestured for him to come in and waited to close the ramp behind him.

“(Y/n),” Bodhi said softly. “I…” He trailed off when you didn’t budge. Desa made her way over to you and took over your task, giving you no excuse to avoid him.

“Here on rebel business?” you asked, finally turning to face him.

He nodded. “What about you?”

“Needed to stop by for some supplies and then meet with a potential client.” You paused to take in his face. “How’ve you been?”

“Pretty well. Honestly, hoping to run into you again.”

“Why?”

“You’re my best friend… were. And also, for an explanation on why you always left without saying goodbye.”

“The first time wasn’t my fault,” you pointed out. “The last time was all me.”

“Is it foolish to hope that that was also the last time that you’ll do that?”

He stepped closer, heating radiating off his body and warming you. When was the last time you allowed someone this close to you? All you were used to now was the cold steel of your ship and Desa’s metal hand when she’d steady or reassure you. Seeing him this close in such a long time, you could see he was older. The stubble and moustache, the faint lines forming near his eyes and his mouth. From laughing, you hoped. But his eyes were still the bright eyes that you’ve known him to have. But he was no longer the Bodhi you used to know, you reminded yourself.

“And for what reason would I completely side with the Rebellion?” you asked, side-stepping him towards the chairs behind the cockpit. You sat down with a sigh, leaning back and propping your feet on the chair across.

“It’s not like you’re with the Empire,” he countered. “Especially not after what they did to our home. To your parents.”

Your head snapped up. “What do you even know about my parents.”

“I met them while I was still under the Empire. They told me everything.”

“Then you know why I’m doing this. This whole line of business to get us by.”

“Smuggling refugees was never a part of it, though, was it?” You remained silent, staring at the metal wall with your arms crossed.

“When Galen Erso sent me on a mission to deliver a message to Saw Guerrera, I felt like I could finally take a hold of my fate. I was no longer just a pawn being played in this war. The people of the Rebellion… they chose to rebel, to fight back against the Empire. Just ordinary people that saw the injustice happening in the galaxy and decided to do something about it. If that’s not what you are doing, then what is it?”

You couldn’t keep a neutral expression up, not around Bodhi. Not after giving his little speech with passion in his eyes, the same way that he used to have when he talked about flying to reach the stars. That was all so long ago.

You dropped your feet and curled them under your chair. Bodhi took it as a silent invitation to take a seat. “Is there a place for me… in the Rebellion? It all seems… I don’t know. This is war, and having attachments would only hurt you in the end.”

Bodhi sighed, scooting at the edge of his chair to gently lift your head up, his fingertips burning your skin. “Love and hope is what’s keeping the spark from burning out against the darkness that the Empire is spreading. We’re so close to ending this. I can feel it.”

After leaving the Rogue One crew, you wondered what would have happened if you had stayed. It felt that there were loose ends to tie before you could make a decision like that. Besides, at the time, you felt like you could do more by being out there on your own terms instead of following orders. You could always feed them information if it was important enough without completely joining them.

“Why are you so against joining us?” Bodhi finally asked.

There was a muffled sound coming from Bodhi’s hip that drew your attention away. You pulled away from him and nodded over to his communicator. He pulled his lips into a thin line before answering it, moving over to another corner of your ship. You heard Desa, who had been giving the two of you space, come over and lay a cold metal hand on your shoulder.

“Your heart has already made a decision, but your mind is trying to fight it,” she said.

You placed your hand over hers and sighed. “We’ll give them the information, then we leave,” you said quietly.

“(Y/n)-”

“My family has had a target on their backs for a long time and I’m not going to have them a target again. They’ve finally settled someplace. I don’t want them to pick up all of their things and go on a run again because of me. They just can’t keep doing that anymore.” You rubbed your temples in frustration at the thought of what you were about to do. Again.

Bodhi finished up his status report with Cassian before turning to the ramp. The mission was being wrapped up and he needed to start up the ship as soon as possible. But first, he needed to know where you stand.

“(Y/n), I have to go,” he said slowly, adjusting the goggles on his head.

“Oh,” you said, your throat tightening as you walked over. You grabbed your datapad and scrolled through until you found your recent client. “Before you go,” you paused to clear your throat and push down the anxiety threatening to spill out, “There’s a man that came to me to retrieve specific weaponry similar to the models on Imperial vehicles. Not sure if it relates to what you guys are looking for, but I thought it’d be worth investigating.”

He grabbed the datapad and scanned through the information. “Send this to me and I’ll bring it up with the crew,” he said, handing it back. When you reached forward to grab it, he laid his other hand on yours. “So, this is it? At least I could say goodbye, right?”

He looked at you with those round eyes that were always filled with passion and longing to fly and reach the stars. Yet now, they seemed to be longing to reach something else. Your heart was torn. As soon as he walks out of your ship, what if this would really be the last time you ever see him again? Was it a risk to let him into your life again and let him get this far? Would it be selfish of you to join him? All this time, everything you did was for your family.

“Be safe out there, Bodhi,” you said softly, slowly pulling your hand away, the warmth leaving with him.

His brows furrowed, then he shook his head. “You, too, (Y/n).”

[judediangelo75]

How Talbott Dropped the Question

Hello everyone~ 

I have another fanfic featuring our resident bird boy at Hogwarts, Talbott. Ugh, I love him to death (and I would protect him at all costs). As most of you can guess by the title, this is how Talbott asked Judith to marry him. But of course there’s backstory, hope you don’t mind ^_^”.

Side note: This is kinda playing on the idea that the MC did run away.

Alright enough of my blabbering. Enjoy!

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

After the death of Talbott's parents, the young boy didn't want to let anyone else in his heart, fearing that he'll lose them too. Only other person who made him happy was a little girl that he never saw again after just one day together... 

Coming to Hogwarts, he was sorted into Ravenclaw. He listened to Professor Flitwick give a welcome speech from the corner he resided in, watching everyone with cautious eyes.

Time seem to pass slowly. During that time, he befriended the most popular girl in his year, a Hufflepuff by the name of Penny Haywood. She was kind girl, a bit too preppy for his taste but he like the girl nonetheless. She was his only friend until his third year, where he met one of the Cursed Children, Judith Harris.

Anybody who read The Daily Prophet knows of what happened to best friends Jamal Harris and Jonah Brown.

How ironic that their sisters are best friends as well. 

So they already had an infamous reputation preceding them. 

Brooke ended up being sorted into his house. Judith had potential to become an Eagle as well, seeing how she experienced a Hat Stall between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. But she opted to become a Hufflepuff instead. Talbott was secretly glad for this development for awhile, seeing how her best friend was, he didn't believe that Ravenclaw could handle both of them at the same time.

At least, that's what he thought at first. 

Hearing her voice for the very first time, Talbott was almost taken aback at how soft and almost shy it sounded. He had to look up from his book to make sure he was speaking to the right person. Sure enough, gold eyes bore into his own. Looking into her eyes, Talbott felt an unexplainable warmth inside his heart. He didn't understand it and pushed away as he interacted with the Hufflepuff witch.

As he slowly learns more about her, he realized that she was definitely more quieter and calmer than her scheming best friend. Though, he could tell she possess a sneaky side to her, judging by the smirks she would give him. As well as the mischievous spark that danced in those gold orbs.

During their time together helping her become an Animagus, Talbott watched her closely. 

An old memory would come up to his mind where the little boy version of himself was watching the sunset in one of the trees the surrounded his home with a girl. He remembered promising her that he'll teach her to be just like him, hopefully that she would become an avian Animagus and they could go flying together. But they never got the chance to meet again, so Talbott thought he may never fulfill his promise...

Or so he thought.

It wasn't until after he got closer to Judith, after losing the necklace his mother gifted him, and following her to a graveyard is when he realized it.

That little girl was Judith. 

Talbott couldn't believe that after all this time he was reunited with his little bird. He felt the feelings that he had as a child come back full force like a wrecking ball. To the point he found himself admiring the girl secretly from afar.

Words couldn’t describe his disappointment when Judith took down her locs. He loved them because it made her unique. It suited her. But he loved her hair in general, secretly yearning to tend to those dark brown curls...

His breath would catch in his throat whenever he sees her in top that reveals more of her skin and upper body. He noticed the scars that scatter on her chocolate skin. He would sometimes unconsciously curl his hands into fists whenever he feels the desire to touch and study her skin.

Sometimes when she's next to him or passing by, he finds himself taking in deeper breathes to take in the scent that seem to cling onto her hair and skin. She told him about her homeland and how the scent was mainly coconut and cocoa butter and he found himself secretly yearning for more of it. Where he wants to just to bury his face into her hair or her neck and just relax with her in his arms with that intoxicating scent wrapping around him.

He loved to look at her face. He could tell how she felt by her expression, some of them were just too funny not to chuckle at. Though one expression that gets him the most is when she pouts. He always does his best to look away or focus on some other part of her face, and not her tempting, full, soft lips...

There were times he found himself to be acutely aware of the sound of her voice. Especially when she sings, he would feel himself unconsciously relaxing to the sound of her voice then. If he didn't pay attention or hear her the one time that she was cursing Merula to hell and back, he could've sworn she was born and raised in Britain. But the foreign accent he remembers hearing as a child would slip on occasion. He liked how different it sounded, to him it was cute.

It wasn't until one day he finally realized what the hell was going on and why he feels like he gets butterflies every time she smiles at him-

He had a crush on her. A major crush on her...

And to his joy (and minor fear), she felt the same way about him too. Although he was happy about this development, he was also deeply confused. He was nothing like the other wizards at Hogwarts. Especially not like Andre, her Celestial Ball date.

 He was loner and preferred it that way. 

Plus... he wouldn't admit out loud that he was insecure about how he looked. With such sharp features for a 15 year old, a lot of people would give him strange looks. It didn't help that he hung out with the owls that the Owlery, people would whisper he was their long lost cousin.

To have a beautiful witch like Judith crush on the likes of him? He would've suspected some kind of prank.

But sure enough, when Judith shyly asked him out on a date, he sound himself at loss for words. And at the wrong time, since Madam Pince had them shelving books for being too loud. But when he spotted an opportunity, he called the girl over and said he accepted to go on a date with her. Her smile made him feel secretly excited for their date.

It was going to be a double date with Brooke and Penny. He was fine with that. He actually sought out the his friend's help, completely unsure of what to wear for his first date with his crush. They settled for a dark blue tux, a bronze tie and dress shoes to match. As the two waited outside Hogsmeade for their respective dates, Talbott couldn't help but to feel nervous. As he readjusted his tie, he couldn't help but to wonder what kind of outfit Judith would show up in and if he did too much showing up in a tuxedo to a tea shop.

When Brooke and Judith did arrive, while Penny was gushing over Brooke and her outfit, Talbott was blushing to the tips of his ears as he took in the Hufflepuff standing before him. Judith's face was just as flushed as she looked at Talbott who was openly staring at her. She wanted to clobber her best friend for putting her in an short off the shoulder dress, revealing a lot of skin-

"You look smart, Talbott." the girl blurted out, unable to handle the silence anymore. Talbott finally came back to reality after realizing that he was staring at his crush.

"Y-you look lovely, Judith..." That didn't sound as confident as he would like and he felt stupid when he realized that he didn't get to compliment her first. 

He wanted to smack his forehead. 

He was already messing up their first date and they haven't even gotten to the place yet!

The two pairs made it to there date spot and that's where things went downhill. 

Talbott wasn't the social type whatsoever. 

He had no idea what to talk about and he wanted to kick himself when Judith would glance at the entryway where Madam Puddifoot disappeared through to make their order, the discomfort obvious on her face. 

It didn't help how beautiful his crush looked and he couldn't stop staring.

The retreating sunlight washed over her in a gentle glow. Her hair was pushed to one side, curls falling over her right shoulder while a red rose was tucked behind her left ear. Her eyelids were dusted with a dark shadow, enhancing those gold eyes. Her neck was free from any necklaces. Her bare shoulders and fully exposed neck was rather distracting...

To top everything off, Tonks and Charlie came to watch their date. Even though this encouraged conversation, it still felt a little awkward. They didn't remain so for long, seeing how Tonks knocked over a display of teacups that closed the shop. 

The walk back to Hogwarts felt like the walk of shame. 

This was suppose to Talbott's first date with the girl from his childhood. He felt like he ruined it for her. Which is why he went to the Courtyard to wallow in his shame. 

Until Judith showed up...

He felt like his heart was suddenly in his throat as he watch the Hufflepuff take a seat next to him. When she said she wanted to talk about their first date, he had to distract her. He didn't want to hear the girl's inevitable rejection. His heart wasn't ready for that sort of blow...

But he couldn't keep up with the "shooting star" gist for long. 

He knew he had to tell her the truth. He just silently prayed that she would quickly rip the bandage off...

He came clean to the girl, a little surprised to see that she was surprised when he hinted at her rejection.

They had a much needed "heart to heart" conversation, dispelling any fears and doubts that lingered between them. Ending it with the promise of a possible second date in their future...

As the two gazed up at the starry night sky, he heard Judith shuffle closer and the light touch of her fingertips against his. He glanced at her quickly to find her looking in the other direction. Taking a chance, he inched closer, laying his fingers on top of hers. He felt his heart race at the fond look that Judith graced him before their fingers intertwined. They looked up at the night sky to find a shooting star.

Talbott felt like he could never feel more complete outside of that very moment. Under the starry night sky, with Judith's warm hand intertwined with his own.

He was proven wrong.

It would be some time until their next date happened. It was February, which meant Valentines' Day was approaching and fast. Talbott never cared for the frivolous holiday. 

He had no interested in anyone... until his little bird. 

Their first date never left his mind. On more than one occasion, he finds his heart sighing after the young Hufflepuff whenever he saw her. He could still remember the feeling of her hand in his...

If he ever wanted to have a Valentine, he'd want it to be her.

Hell, his Valentine Howler made it bloody obvious. He felt quick to follow Brooke's example and light the Howler on fire as it spoke. Luckily no one was truly paying attention to him so he didn't need to take such drastic measures.

"Oh how my heart longs for you, pretty gold eyes..." Talbott turned red and immediately glanced at the Hufflepuff, silently relieved to know she didn't hear that. 

So much for being innocent. 

His feelings were definitely more intense than he expected...

As the day went on, Talbott felt like he could've gone without Gilderoy Lockhart and his party. But he was secretly glad to be working alongside his little bird.

As he was on a fruitless hunt for doves, Judith came to check on him. He tried to focus at the task at hand and not how on a night like this he was holding her hand.

Even with her help in their Animagus forms, they couldn't find any doves. Talbott felt annoyed that he was dragged into this party planning situation and that he was being forced to dress up in pink. But he couldn't lie that it would an opportunity to ask Judith out on another date with him. Especially if Lockhart's party was gonna be a complete mess, he could give her the Valentines' Day she deserved...

"You want to be my date too?!" Talbott caught onto her wording and felt his heart plummet to his feet.

"Too?" The girl blushed at her error.

"Er... I mean, again..." Talbott wanted to fly away but he knew that he had to ask to be sure.

"So, you've been asked to the party already?" The girl bit her lower lip.

"Yes but I didn't give him an answer..." 

Him. 

Andre. 

A twisted feeling settled inside his chest.

'Is this what jealousy feels like?'

"Oh... I can give you time to decide then..." The Ravenclaw wizard didn't give the girl a chance to reply as he flew off.

When they finally decorating the tea shop, Talbott couldn't help but to feel slightly bitter at the idea that Andre and Judith will being having a date here after they came here on their first date. He meant what he said, there was only one person that he would want to go with, and that was her. Judging by Andre's words, she hasn't picked yet. But he wouldn't be surprised if she did pick the style wizard.

He was a nobody after all...

He would admit he was surprised when the girl requested to have a word with him for a moment. He wasn't sure what she had planned to say so he stuck to a party related topic. She giggled when he misread her answer and said she would love to be his date to the party. Talbott was surprised that she chose him over Andre.

But it didn't make him less happy to know that he's gonna have a second date with the girl that he couldn't stop thinking about.

Though he wasn't too keen on his outfit. He felt ridiculous. And felt it even more when Judith and Brooke walked in the tea shop for the party. The Hufflepuff was a similar dress to the one she wore on their first date but the sleeves were long and the dress gradients from pink to white. A black chain that had a blue and sliver ring on it resided around her neck.

One look in Talbott's direction, Judith stifled a giggle before walking towards him. Talbott felt a blush rush to his face.

"I know, I know. I look ridiculous." Gold eyes widen and Judith shook her head. Her high ponytail swaying behind her.

"No! I think you look rather cute, like a Muggle cowboy." She reassured the tall wizard, fiddling with the pink pendant around his neck. The young wizard looked down at her, skeptical.

"Are you sure you're not saying that to make me feel better?" Judith rolled her eyes and got her toes, placing a light kiss on the tip of his nose. 

This was enough to set the boy's face ablaze.

"Of course I'm not just saying that, you silly goose. I like how you look..." Despite feeling like his face was melting off, Talbott smiled down at her.

Just Talbott expected, the party was a whole sham. 

It pissed him off that Gilderoy Lockhart casted a misfired Memory Charm on everyone before apperating. He felt scared that Judith may have forgetting all about their date because of this.

Even when he patiently waited in the Transfiguration classroom holding a red rose with yellow tips, he felt the dread building in his system. He was scared that the girl forget about being his date to the party. Though it was too late to cancel as he heard the doorknob turn.

Judith was in awe of the grand display, reassuring her crush that she didn't forget about being his date. She was sincerely touched that the stoic Ravenclaw would plan such a romantic evening for the two of them. 

Treasured items were exchanged that night, a symbol of the boy's heart and a ring that spoke who the girl's heart belonged to.

Talbott couldn't have felt more complete when he leaned over a pressed a chaste kiss on his little bird's cheek. The adoring look that she have him was cemented into his memory forever. 

He felt like nothing could top this moment.

He was proven wrong yet again.

After Valentines Day, Talbott was strongly aware of his feelings for the girl. He knew what he wanted.

He wanted to be her's and for her to be his.

He wanted to be her boyfriend. 

He knew that he wasn't like most wizards who would openly shower a girl with affection and such, but he knew he had deep feelings for the girl. Just like she did for him, she gave him a ring gifted to her by her grandmother for Gods' sake!

He'd figured it would be best to be direct about it. Seeing how it helped saved their two precious dates.

He asked her to accompany him on a walk through the forest, which she readily accepted. As they walked through the trees, he couldn't help but to notice how at peace she looked.

"So, Judith... T-there's something I... want to ask you..." The wizard stumbled and silently cursed his awkwardness. Gold eyes trained on him, paired with an adorable owl like head tilt.

"Yes?" Talbott took in a deep breath and reached out for her hand.

"Will... will you..." Talbott felt his face heat up as he tried to get the question out.

'OUT WITH IT!' His mind screamed, but his throat seem to close up. Caught up in his emotional turmoil, he missed the girl's smile or even noticed that she got closer. A soft kiss to his cheek finally brought him back to reality.

"Yes. I'll be your girlfriend, Talbott..." The Ravenclaw blushed but smiled nonetheless, hugging his now girlfriend close to his chest.

On top of their new found relationship, they had a small surprise. Talbott was in the witch's room, where she was sharing some of her memories that she kept in her little safe. She was showing an old Muggle romance novel when a white clover appear underneath one of the pages. Both seem to having a recurring memory of each other from their childhood, where Talbott gifted a white clover to Judith before never seeing each other again. As Judith touch the flower, both found themselves standing before their deceased parents.

It was then they realized that the other knew of their identity, remembering each other from childhood. Words couldn’t describe the relief and bliss they’ve felt in that very moment.

Until Talbott's mother starting talking about marriage. The two were flustered at this but they wouldn't oppose to the idea. 

Judith thought about marriage, but as a mere fantasy. She thought no one would truly love her enough to even considering bonding to her for life. 

Seeing her dead father for the first time in seven years brought tears to her eyes. 

He would never be able to walk her down the aisle, which broke her heart.

Talbott has considered it as a passing thought. He knew what he felt for the girl, even when he never truly understood it as a child. It would be a dream come true to see her walk down the aisle to him in a wedding dress and have her proclaimed Judith Winger. 

His wife. 

He unconsciously rubbed her left ring finger, imagining what it would be like to feel a cool metal band around her finger.

His mother did make herself clear the next time she sees them, he better have "wifed her" or she'd box his ears...

As embarrassing the situation was, it became a lingering thought in the back of his mind. 

A life with Judith, his little bird. 

Marriage. 

Living together. 

Her becoming pregnant. 

Them holding their baby. 

Building a family.

He wanted that. All of it. She was everything to him, he wants to be with her forever.

But not everything seems to go according to plan.

Stress landed Judith in the Hospital Wing and Talbott fussed over his girlfriend, doing what he can to keep her calm. What meant to be an innocent massage lead to a passionate embrace, which was nothing new to the pair. They've been intimate before on a few occasions, Judith made sure to drink her potion that kept her from becoming pregnant.

Except Judith hasn't been keeping up with her potions. It wasn't until she went to tell Madam Pomfrey about her sudden sickness is when she realized what happened.

She was pregnant with Talbott's child.

The girl didn't know what to think, nearly becoming an emotional wreck when Madam Pomfrey informed her that she would have to tell her mother about this.

Whatever relationship that existed behind mother and daughter was destroyed when Sade disowned her daughter in front of the school's Headmaster and never looked back. Judith was left with a stinging cheek and a broken heart.

She had no real family left.

Her father was dead.

Her brother disappeared again after she freed him.

Her mother disowned her.

She was alone.

Then she remembered the father of the baby living inside her. Talbott was one of the brightest students of their year and they were so close to graduating, with just one more year and they would go into their respective careers.

He wanted to be an Auror. But now he was a father. They didn't plan for this.

Judith didn't know how to tell him. 

So... she didn't. 

Time passed and Judith didn't speak a word about their child. After finally cracking under the pressure of everything, Brooke and her decided to leave.

Judith could resign to the idea of not really having a future becoming a professional Healer like her father. 

She made peace with that. 

But she refused to bring Talbott down with her. He had a chance.

With a tearful letter leaving out any mention of their unborn child, Judith left Hogwarts. Helping train her best friend during the months she was still light enough before taking a plane back to her homeland.

During that time, Talbott felt like he regressed back to the time when he first came to Hogwarts. 

This time, it was the loss of the girl he loves. 

She was all he had left, he would follow her to the ends of the Earth if it meant staying by her side. Her ring nearly never left his finger. Bill seemed to be the only one who understood what the young man was going through, considering he felt like he was going through the same. The two men became close during this time period.

It would be months before the two crossed paths again. After finding out the whole truth, Talbott left Hogwarts and Britain to head to Barbados, the land Judith was born and raised. Where he stayed to be with his girlfriend and son, Bakari. He was surprised to see how the little boy came out to be the perfect mix of the two. He had Talbott's skin color and red eyes but the facial features of his mother. Most of his hair was dark brown like Judith's but he had a tuft of hair that hung over his forehead that resembles Talbott's.

He was their little miracle.

After months of tension, Judith and Talbott had a necessary heart to heart which lead them to being in each other's loving embrace.

As much Judith felt happy to be with him again, she still want Talbott to achieve his dream. But he made himself clear that he wasn't going anywhere if she wasn't with him. Judith relented and offered a deal. If he agreed to go back to Hogwarts, she'll return with him to stay in Hogsmeade. But she will not be attending the school since she still needs to be there for their son. Talbott agreed, as well stating he'll be keeping her up on their studies. Judith grumbled at this but agreed nonetheless.

The two flew back to Scotland. With Brooke's and Dumbledore's help, they were able to get a small house in Hogsmeade. Some of the group that associated themselves with Brooke and Judith were curious to where Talbott could've gone for nearly a whole year, but Talbott never answered them. 

Not even Penny, who was his first friend at Hogwarts. 

Penny was suspicious to where Talbott would go every few days. She would normally respect her friend's space but eventually she cracked.

She followed Talbott out one day in Hogsmeade. She was surprised to see him enter a house. Doing her best to stay quiet, she peeked through a window to find a surprise. Judith holding a young babe in her arms, but the child looked like both of them. Putting two and two together as she watched the couple share a kiss, Penny stared on wide eyed.

Judith was pregnant with Talbott's baby.

She nearly squeaked when the little boy suddenly stared out of the window and directly at her. She quickly left before Judith and Talbott realized she was there. But she didn't hesitate to tell Jamal and Jonah about Judith.

Who later that night, paid the young witch and her little family a visit. Jonah nearly got thrown out of a window when he started demanding on his sister's whereabouts, but a simple hug and kiss from Talbott helped calm her down. As Judith continued to converse with her brother and Jonah from Talbott's lap, his mind was occupied with something else.

He felt a bit angry that Penny found about this, but he wasn't ashamed. 

He loved Judith. 

He loved Bakari. 

And he loved their little family. 

Watching Judith interact with their son filled him with a sense of warmth that he could never truly describe. She was such a wonderful mother and loving partner. Everything nearly felt complete. The only thing missing was a ring on her finger...

Fast forward nearly a year and half after graduation and becoming an Auror, and thanks to his prodding Judith was able to "graduate" and become a Healer, he sat in front of Jamal Harris as the older man processed his words.

"So let me get this straight, you want my blessing so you can marry my baby sister," he recounted. Talbott gave him a single nod. Jamal grew to respect Talbott a bit more, seeing how he takes care of his sister and little nephew. But he was still her big brother at the end of the day, he'll always be protective of Judith. 

Especially after missing out on so many years of her life.

"Why do you think I should give you my blessing, huh," Jamal stubbornly asked. Talbott sighed, predicting this.

"Your father seems to be happy with the idea of me marrying your sister. He sees something in me deeming me worthy of her." Jamal stiffen and glared.

"Watch your words, Winger. You don't even know my father." Talbott knew that bringing up Kendrick would be a sensitive topic for the man before him. From what he remember, Judith told him that Jamal ran away just several weeks before their father's death. To suddenly to come back to hear about his father's death, struck a cord in Jamal. And Talbott is more than happy to give him the closure he needs.

"Jamal, do you trust me?" Gold eyes narrowed at him.

"Why are you asking me this," Jamal asked instead. Talbott ignored his question and asked again. Seeing how he's not going anywhere, Jamal let out a simple "I guess". This was good enough for Talbott. Going into the bedroom he and Judith shared, went under the bed to retrieve the safe Judith showed him. Whispering the password, the safe unlocked, revealing the contents inside. He quickly grabbed what he needed and moved the safe back to it's original place before returning to where Jamal sat.

Before Jamal could ask what Talbott was doing, the Auror grabbed his hand with the shark tooth enclosed in between.

"What the f- Where the hell are we, Winger," Jamal growled as he looked around, bewildered.

"Aye, don't be disrespecting my resting place with all that noise, young man." Jamal stiffen at the voice he hasn't heard in years. Turning in the direction which it came from, Jamal stared in shock at who he saw. Talbott felt like it was just yesterday whereas he had the same reaction as Jamal.

Kendrick was sitting in the exact same position as the time Talbott met the man, in the same white clothes and all.

"D-Dad... is... is it really you," Jamal asked, his voice much softer. Tears sprang in the young man's eyes, blurring the image of his father. Jamal gasped when he felt a pair of strong, familiar arms wrap around him in a tight hug.

"It's good to see you too, son," Kendrick whispered, hugging his boy close. The dam broke and Jamal outright bawled into his father's shoulder, not caring if it wasn't really manly.

He missed his dad.

Talbott watched the scene silently. It reminded him where Judith and her father were in that same exact position. The Harris siblings were truly close with their father and it showed tremendously. It was also kinda interesting to see that Jamal didn't resemble his father too much other than eyes and hair color...

"H-How is this p-possible. Judith showed me..." Jamal trailed off as he remember the time his sister brought him to their father's grave. 

November 27th, 1981. 

Their dad's birthday and deathday. 

The same damn year he ran away. 

His dad been dead for years and he nearly truly known until he wanted to check in with how his family was doing. Only to watch from a distance to find his mother home but his father was nowhere around. It wasn't until he read an old article of the Daily Prophet when he learned of his father's passing. He felt guilty about it ever since. To see his father for the first time in years... he could've sworn he was dreaming.

"I am dead. Make no mistake son," Kendrick said as Jamal winced at his bluntness. Definitively a trait his sister got from him.

"But when I died, I left my magic imprint on my old necklace and gave it to your sister. That's how I met Talbott again many years ago." Jamal's brows furrowed.

"What do you mean by again," he asked. The older Harris smirked.

"Do you remember Ava and Trent?" Jamal still looked lost until his father motioned to a mirror. Which was replaying a memory from when he was a little boy. A couple walked up to him and his father while they were at Honeydukes. The woman had Talbott's hair and skin color and the man looked like an older version him. Jamal's eyes went wide.

"Those are..."

"My parents," Talbott finally spoke up. Jamal looked at him and back at the memory.

"They were my old friends back in my Hogwarts days. We stayed in touch over the years, even after Talbott and your sister were born. We managed to arranged for them to meet twice before our deaths," Kendrick summarized as he watched his son look at the memory of Talbott and Judith as toddlers and then as little kids.

"Ava always wanted to bring these two together but we couldn't make it make before we died. Luckily, they found each other again on their own," Kendrick said with a fond smile in Talbott's direction. Jamal turned to his father.

"But Dad, how can you trust him after he-OW!" Kendrick smack Jamal upside his head. Kendrick's eyes were steely.

"I know of their son, Bakari. Things happen Jamal. I don't hold against Talbott for getting Judith pregnant. It was her choice to keep Bakari. Just like it was his choice to willingly abandon Hogwarts to be with her and their son. You will not fault him on a situation that happened years ago and he's done his best to make the most of it," Kendrick said coldly. Jamal rubbed the back of his head, he felt like he was a child being chided for doing something stupid...

"Bloody hell, you hit like Judith," he grumbled. Kendrick let out a dark chuckle.

"Good. I expect nothing less from my little girl. If I can't be around to strike fear into the hearts of the men around her, I want her to do it herself." Talbott and Jamal both shuddered, seeing a variations of her rage and strength.

"But I trust Talbott here with Judith’s heart. Which is why he already has my blessing," Kendrick said. Talbott gave the older Harris a grateful smile, fiddling with the ring Judith gave him years ago. 

Kendrick saw this and smirked.

"And I'm sure my mother would've said the same thing..." Jamal's eyes went wide, recognizing the ring.

"I always wondered why that ring looked so familiar. That's the same ring that Judith always wore around her neck..." Talbott blushed and nodded.

"Mercy gifted it to her before she died. That ring is only able to fit the person Judith loves wholeheartedly. If not, the ring will immediately reject the person. I'd like to think my mother would've loved you Talbott..." Talbot felt his blush grew worse. 

Now he didn't know that part...

Jamal studied the Auror in silence before cracking a small smile.

"If my grandmother and dad are able to trust you, Wi- Talbott... then I have no reason to stand your way. Especially since you help me after I've been such a hardass... you have my blessing to marry my sister." Talbott gave the Harris men a smile.

"Thank you, both of you. I'll take good care of her, I promise..."

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

"This is lovely," Judith breathed out a gentle sigh as she leaned against Talbott's chest. They were able to moved into an apartment, slightly bigger than the previous home they resided in their 7th year.

It was New Year's Eve. Bakari was sound asleep and the couple were watching the night time sky from the couch outside on the balcony, awaiting the fireworks. Talbott gave a small nod, willing his heart not to pound out of his chest. He had the small black box in his pocket and as the moment grew closer, he felt himself grow more nervous.

"Something wrong, love?" He heard Judith ask before she planted those soft lips against his cheek. The young man bit lip as he glanced at his watch to check the time. 11:55 PM.

"There's nothing wrong, darling. But there is something I would like to say," he said softly. Judith leaned off his chest and turned to face him properly.

"What is it?" Talbott took a deep breath.

Now or never...

"I honestly would've never thought I would see myself in this the position. I never thought I would feel a bond so indescribable as the one we share ever since we were children. I never thought I would lose my parents at such a young age. I never thought I would ever find the same happiness I felt from we met when we were 7 years old. Until I met you again. Neither of us fully realized who the other was until we met the others’ parents again. It was hard to express how I felt when I saw you through your father's memories. You looked so happy and carefree before you came to Britain. Even more so when we met again... But your smile dimmed when your brother disappeared... and you lost the same glow when Kendrick died. And I wanted nothing more but to bring that back. To make you feel like you were never alone. Like you never lost your smile. To make you feel loved. You're precious and dear to me, Judith. I've loved you for a long time, even before I could truly realize the depth of my feelings. You gave me something worth living for. You gave me you and Bakari... and I'll be damned if I let anything happen to either of you..." Talbott watched as a cute blush colored his beloved's adorable confused face.

"W-Why are you telling me all this," she asked softly. She watched as her boyfriend slid off the couch to kneel before her on one knee. Those who were out enjoying the holiday began chanting the countdown.

"I'm telling you this because I love you, Judith Harris. And I wish to spend the rest of my life with you..." Judith gasped as she watched Talbott reach into his pocket to pull out a small box. Her vision grew misty and she rapidly blinked away any tears, wanting to make sure this was real.

That she wasn't dreaming.

That Talbott was-

"Judith Harris, my sweet little bird and queen of my heart, will you marry me," Talbott softly asked as he displayed the ring he picked out.

Judith smiled at Talbott, a single tear sliding down her face. In the distance, they could hear the people approaching the T minus 10 countdown.

"Yes... yes I will marry you," Judith whispered. Talbott smiled at her, the brilliance of his smile rivaled the stars twinkling above them. He held her left hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. Judith leaned in and kissed him just as the fireworks went off.

"I love you, Talbott," she whispered against her fiancé's lips. Talbott chuckled, looking at her with an adoring gaze.

"I love you too, my future wife..."

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Weird, “Synchronization.”

This idea came to me this morning, thought it was really fun and hope you guys like it too :) 

The, now semi-annual, GA summit had been called to order on Irus, the homeworld of the Rundi. Thousands of ships came to land under the green sky and on a launch field dusted with scorching blue sand, blown in from the arid, and near constant breeze than blew in from the east. Rundi bureaucratic assistants were heavily monitoring the weather pattern in fear of a sudden and unexpected sandstorm that could potentially strand the delegates planetside until the piled up sand could be removed.

Not to mention that special considerations had to be made for those species who did not do well with sand, that specifically being the Gromm, who had to be carried form their ships and down to the capital city inside protective bubbles.

The peace summit was not just a gathering of normal delegates, who stayed on Irus more than one third of the year to work out business between the different species, but was actually an open invitation to anyone importantly influential in their government. Of course attendance was not mandatory, and many people chose to skip going, but an even greater amount was obliged to come.

This year, the gathering was larger than ever.

A stir was caused almost immediately when a burg ship descended from the sky and touched down on the sandy landing field. Drev and human guards, paid to work the summit filtered forward, seeming to appear from the azure sand as the ship doors open and a troop of burg royal guard scuttled out onto the sand.

The guards were waved down as king Zaran regent of the burg nation fluttered from the opening, carrying in his arms the grub-like and slowly developing queen who had been placed on the throne during the recent insurrection.

Chairwoman of the Galactic Assembly was first to greet him, and with great respect he greeted her and thanked her for inviting them to the summit despite only being a protectorate nation.

All around the landing field members of other nations looked on in distrust.

The last ship to arrive was actually a small fleet of shuttles from the orbiting Omen, which carried with it both Drev and human representatives. Admiral Vir was accompanied by Chalan/Sunny Lanus’s Daughter and her brother Kanan/Cannon, leader of the Wandering tribe.

They made their way across the open field towards the burg delegation, striding with purpose, but without hostility.

King Zaran seemed to light up when he saw the approaching Drev, and waved his hand enthusiastically as they drew closer. Sunny and Cannon bowed as did their human companion.

Admiral vir stood straighter, “King Zaran, a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m sorry I wasn’t present initially to help free your people.”

The colorfully-wing burg waved a couple of dismissive arms, “No trouble, no  trouble at all Admiral. I heard you were tied up at the time, and besides, your crew members were more than enough help.”

The burg watched as the human flashed a set of pearly white teeth reminding himself of his readings, and how the showing of teeth for humans was a good thing, “They are quite extraordinary aren't they.” Head tilted to the side he stepped a bit closer, “And this is the new queen.” The tiny grub opened wide black eyes to stare at the strange creature standing over her.

“Yes, she is coming along quite well I think. Hopefully, one day she will be a merciful and just ruler where her mother was not.”

“Let us all hope.”  The Admiral acknowledged, falling into step beside the burg King as they began walking towards the Irus capital city and the GA Chambers within. The rest of the delegates, still standing on the launch field, suddenly broke ranks and followed their lead.

Those who had once been skeptical of the burg delegation, slowly moved closer, comforted and encouraged by the human’s presence and civil conversation with their king, not to mention that the humans had brought a burg of their own, which all in all, seemed to ease their concerns.

Furthermore,  Admiral Vir had brought along his own Celzex crew members, carried on the shoulders of Drev and humans, which made the trek to the city much easier as the other Celzex found it appropriate to ride on the shoulders of other species instead of insisting on walking over the scorching hot sand and taking forever.

Admiral Vir stopped by a familiar ball of fluff who was grumpily making his way across the hot pavement, “Lord Celex, I believe my shoulder would b less scorching than the desert sand.”

Lord Celex turned to look at him, eyes narrowed. Admiral Vir bowed, ‘And I believe my station is high enough, that my presence would not dishonor you.”

They stared at each other for a long moment before the Lord Celex’s eyes wrinkled in amusement, “It is good to see you Admiral. I am sorry we could not meet after your return. I was angered to hear of your demise and delighted to learn of your survival.”

Admiral Vir knelt down giving the Celzex a way to climb up onto his shoulder before standing.

“And I am flattered that you so quickly came to the aid of my people in a time of need.”

“Nonsense, you have shown my nation great honor, and I consider us to be friends.”

Admiral Vir flashed his teeth again, though the gesture did not concern lord Celzex in the slightest, 

“I am flattered by your friendship, as I have a feeling you do not hand it out lightly.”

“That is whee you would be right.”

The group of them were least through the shaded city streets, mostly cleaned of sand and towards the center of the wheel, where the GA hall was positioned. The massive tower was created at the hub of the city and shone down on them, a glowing white beacon against the blue sand and green sky. THey said it could be seen from anywhere in the city, a symbol of power for the GA.

The courtyard at the front of the GA council chambers had been covered by a massive force shield blocking out the wind, sand and direct sunlight. The air had even been infused with water to turn the 0% humidity up just slightly. Of course they could not bring it up more than a few percentages as it would begin to cause issues for the Rundi, but it at least helped those species who required water to live to feel less parched: most importantly the Gromm.

Refreshments were carried around the massive courtyard, and all of its rising balconies, though they were assured the food had all been tested directly prior to serving.

A large basket of Anin orb fruit had been provided for both Drev and Human delegates, who seemed to have a proclivity for the treat. In fact they didn’t even bother to provide human food at all as they knew the humans would simply ignore it in favor of new and exciting alien cuisine. 

Admiral Vir had already gotten his hands on an orb fruit, and was busy trying to determine whether or not he liked the strange squishy berry suggested to him by one of the Tesraki.

From there, they were slowly filtered into the meeting chamber where Summit discussions began in earnest. It was mostly talk about what was going on in the next year, the integration of the new burg nation into the GA, trade agreements with the Prodigum, whether they should try to make full contact with the Lumins (species of light worshiping squid-like creatures) Admiral Vir had contacted after an accidental crash land on their planet.

At about the halfway point in the meeting, they were let out for an intermission, and most of the delegates filtered into the courtyard.

There were so many people and so many species that the abscess of the Vrul went unnoticed. The delegates slowly spread out filtering up onto the balconies and out across the courtyard floor. The humans did the same, a large portion of them milling about the floor or leaning against the upper balcony.

Admiral Vir was standing and speaking with a few of the other delegates, though they noticed that he seemed rather distant, glancing over his shoulder on occasion to where some of the other humans were conversing on the side of the courtyard.

The Tesraki delegate leaned in, “Are you alright, Admiral.”

The human smiled at him, and the Tesraki tilted his head thinking for a moment that he had seen a sort of glittering in the man’s single eye before it suddenly passed.

“Yes, of course. ”His smile stayed on and he glanced one more time over his shoulder, “Will you gentlemen and ladies excuse me.” 

The group of them nodded him off watching him with confusion as he walked off towards his companions, and then suddenly stopped in the middle of the floor. They continued to watch him in confusion, the only ones who seemed to notice, as the man cracked his neck, then his knuckles, adjusted his cap on his head, and then took a couple of very deep breaths.

He lifted his hands and began to clap. The Rhythm was very seedy, and the acoustics of the outdoor yard was more than enough to echo the sound around the chamber and grab the attention of anyone and everyone in the courtyard. Head turned and conversations dwindled to nothing.

He continued to clap on Rhythm body swaying slightly back and forth. Soon after came the thudding of his foot against the ground. Everyone had now turned to watch the human in great confusion. The clapping hands and feet turned slowly into a side to side movement that matched with the beat. Everyone was staring now, and that is when the human’s voice rose up to match with the beat of his hands as the human drew out the vowels in that way humans had when they were singing.

He turned around to face them his movements growing more exaggerated though he stayed on beat as he did.

He continued to sing.

People stared.

And then another voice joined him from up on the balcony, taking over from him ringing clear and loud across the open space. Another human walking behind the Admiral suddenly turned sharply and fell into step behind him taking up the same movements on the same beat.

More voices joined with the second, and the clapping grew louder and louder.

Aliens watched in shocked confusion as more humans filtered upwards taking up the movements of the first two, until there was a large group of humans moving in synchronization with each other and with the beat, and with the voices that echoed down from overhead. 

Their synchronized movements pulled them left and then right and then onto the ground and then briefly into the air. Another human took a running start, leaping over his companions and flipping in the air before landing on beat at the very front. Two other humans flipped into the group from left and right springing onto their hands, then back to their feet, and then flipping over backwards to land in time with everyone else.

THe singing only grew louder, and those that were singing filtered down the stairs from above to join their companions on the floor.

Their moving feet beat out a complex rhythm on the floor just under the rhythm of the singing. Their hands moved in completely different patterns and shapes to their feet, requiring full body coordination that was unheard of from most of the species who stood stunned and watching. Almost all of the humans had filtered onto the floor beside the UN president and GA delegate who seemed just as surprised as the rest of the aliens.

however , unlike the aliens, their shock soon wore off and turned into clapping along with the beat and cheering.

The aliens all stood around in confusion, that is until the Burg King began to clap his hands together in delight  explaining how awe for the feat of coordination an entire group of humans could pull off. His delight drew some of the other aliens closer murmuring in awe as the humans moved like a single body in time with their overwhelming music

It was transfixing, and fun, and shocking and delightful.

The beat of the music was fast, and, what little they understood of the words were upbeat and positive. Slow moved into fast, until their movements were barely visible. Feet crossed over and then crossed back, figures crossed over and then crossed back.

Then all the humans fell back onto the ground, and those on the balcony watched as a giant circular pattern began shifting before them, made up by numerous human bodies moving in unison. They sat up, laid back down, rolled over and then leaped to their feet, all while the group behind them was singing at the top of their lungs.

The clapping beat did not abate once during this time, made by feet or hands or the singers.

Delighted and awed the aliens had gathered in a large circle, assuming they couldn't be more surprised, that is until a group of Drev filtered out from the crowd, and suddenly and inexplicably took up the same beat.

Admiral Vir, who had started the entire thing was suddenly shadowed by Sunny who mirrored his movements from behind, his body framed by hers, and occasionally giving him the appearance of having six arms, four legs and two heads. The fact that most of the humans were also wearing military uniforms added to a sense of sameness that pulled the entire thing, whatever it was, together.

The beat rose to a crescendo, Admiral Vir and a group of other humans at the front, stepped back onto the waiting hands of a Drev, and were suddenly flipped into the air, doing one rotation before landing and taking a kneeling position with the last beat as the music stopped

They held that position for a single moment until the clapping and cheering began from the two human delegates, quickly mirrored and taken up by the other observers still in absolute awe,

The Burg king could be heard exclaiming his admiration over the noise fo the crowd, as the group of human and Drev dispersed wiping sweat from their foreheads and dusting themselves off.

Admiral Vir walked over to where a congregation of some of the alien leaders had formed a sort of conglomerate.

The UN president looked him over, “Admiral, I didn’t know you could dance.”

He smiled, “I usually don't but we've been working for a few months now.”

The GA delegate looked him over, “Not everyday someone in your…. station … breaks into song and dance.”

The Admiral shrugged, “I know its a wide misconception but the star on my shoulder doesn’t actually come with a stick up the ass. Those are generally acquired earlier in a military career.”

Just then the Chairwoman pushed forward through the crowd breathless, “Admiral, that was… impressive…. We have never seen anything like….. What even was that?”

He smiled, “A great human tradition spanning centuries where a group of humans get together and choreograph a dance or a song, and then do it randomly in public without warning. It’s called a flash mob.”

“That is the most pleasant Mob I have ever been witness to.”

“I’m glad you liked it, chairwoman. I thought it might be nice to bring a little human culture to the summit for entertainment.”

“I assume that is why the Vrul are not here.”

He shrugged, “We wanted to avoid making an entire delegation pass out.”

“And was this your idea?”

“Partially, it started out as a joke, but the more we talked about it the more fun it sounded, besides it had the happy side effect of being great for crew morale. Getting together working out, learning a dance and singing together was great crew bonding, and definitely helped to integrate new members.” He smiled again, “So it was mostly beneficial to us, but the rew didn’t want to let all their hard work go to waist.”

The UN president shook her head, “I just don't understand how you got an entire group of career military men to dance.”

“When everyone behaves weird, no one behaves weird.”

Of course, the little exhibition was a bit detrimental to the second half of the Summit as delegate members couldn’t stop whispering about it or watching it over again on recording as the GA tried to regain momentum. IT took less than a day before the video was spread across the galaxy by news outlets and other media.

To some, the coordination of the humans was rather scary, while, to others it was an amazing feat of skill,  and proof that, while humans were dangerous, they mostly used their abilities to create fun little dances and songs for amusement

No one wanted to mention the military application of such coordination.

It was too bad for them, the humans already knew

Hopefully no one would ever have to see weaponized synchronization in action. 

[riverleyk]

SCRAPPED CHAPTER: Dimitri Watches his father's broadcast (MK3: Dimitri Project)

Dimitri watches his father’s broadcast Jack and Dimitri go to a cafe. A small ginger boy greets them Emilien: Hewwo! Welcome to Flavorsham Bistro! I’m Emilien and I’ll be your waiter :3 Jack: How old are you!? Emilien: 13! I started working here 2 weeks ago! I’m so excited- do you want chocowate!? It’s on special! She turns to dimitri in shock: What kind of labor laws do you even have in Canada!? Dimitri shrugs: Hey dont look at me, I dont know why a kid is working here either. Emilien: I dont work here, I volunteer! I do home schwool, and my mummy’s sick so I take her shifts He points to a small can with a picture of a woman on it Emilien: Will you donate, pwease? Jack: you lisp and accent are disgusting. What is she sick with? Emilien whistles out of his 2 buck teeth. He’s missing them because, ya know baby teeth fall out. Emilien: I don’t twalk like this normally! I’m missing teeths! Jack: How cute, but I dont care. Emilien (nervous): I was told to tell people that she has cancer.

Jack: How suspicious, I’ll send a formal complaint to the bureau of investigations. They sit down and get hot chocolate, because they’re just teens. Jack: I’m glad you could meet me here dimitri. Dimitri: Yes… just us eating croissants at our favorite British cafe that serves French cuisine. And its not a date. Jack nods: Not a date. Anywho… You’re interested in why my father and I moved to canada? Dimitri: yes Jack: Yes… it’s a top secret case, but… it’s so cool! Antonio Dreyas escaped from prison lately, and canada reached out to MY FATHER, the world’s greatest detective to go find him! Dimitri goes pale: Tony drey? Jack: Yea! Antonio Dreyas. Dimitri: Nobody calls him that, and your dad is going after my dad!? I didnt even know he escaped Jack: No… the probability that- *gasp* That’s why I recognized you when we first met! You cant be serious… you look so much- Dimitri: I know I look like my dad… I hate my face. Jack: Well… thats great! She gets out a note pad and pen: Tell me everything you know about him! This cafe isnt exactly a prison cell but I can interrogate you here! Dimitri glares Jack: What? I’m just curious Dimitri: Jacquelyn, this is impolite on so many levels. Jack: ok, well I supposed I can tell you the information I have first. Tony broke out in the middle of July, and Canadian officials have been on high alert ever since. The public wasn’t informed because it would cause panic, but my dad is close to finding me. We located a safe in northern Montreal, and right now my dad and the rcmp are negotiating with those thugs to let us have access inside. It contains a lot of cash, and potentially, Tony. Dimitri looks away: Then why did you want to interrogate me? I havent seen my dad since I was a kid. 6 Jack: its interesting that you still refer to him as your father. Havent you disowned him? He’s done so many terrible things… Dimitri: Because I still have memories of him as my dad. He was kind, and caring. He was there for me when I was a kid. it’s… he was a family man and a criminal, why dont nobody understand that? Jack: because its a confirmed fact that he was a womanizer and potentially god a dozen or so women pregnant. Havent you seen the trial where all those women testify against him? Dimitri whimpers: I have… a memory of it, but I watched it when I was young Jack gasps: wait thats right… you’re 16! You must have only been- Dimitri: 7. I was 7 when he was arrested. Jack: how did it happen? Dimitri: I was in third grade. Coming home from school. There were police officers all around my house and my dad was in cuffs. I was really small so I ran thru the crowd and hugged onto my dad’s leg. Nobody pulled me away ///////////// Flash back /////////////// Young dimitri: Daddy! Whats going on? Tony: Its alright, Walt. Dont cry. He kneels down by his boy and pets his hair Tony: I have to go. I’ll be gone for a very long time, but even tho I wont be with you, daddy loves you, Walter. I really do. Dimitri just cries and goes under the cuffs to hug him: Where are you going? Tony: Prison. I made a lot of mistakes. But promise me dimitri, you wont watch the new with mommy anymore. Dimitri: uh… what did you do??? Tony kisses his forehead before being forcefully put into the care Kiel picks up the boy and holds him. /////////// Back to reality //////////////// Dimitri: I did watch the news. My mom encouraged me too. It was confusing. There were so many words I had to look up in the dictionary. I remember him arguing with a woman about a baby that she killed… and him being guilty… It took me years to understand, but those who knew my dad, they started to hate me. My own mother stopped talking to me, I grew up into his face and people on the street give me bad looks. I was 13 and some woman called the cops on me. She thought I was him. Jack and him stay quiet for a bit Jack: I have that broad cast recorded at home. I- Dimitri: Can I watch it again? Jack: Why? Dimitri: I want to understand what it means. Im old

enough now, I can handle it. Jack sighs but accepts Later that night they do to her house and sit on the couch They watch the broad cast Im getting really tired of typing but essentially They accuse Tony of rape, murder, theif and drug selling Annabelle testifies that he was at raves trying to sell drugs and would cause violent riots Kiel testifies that she didnt know he was a monster. She cries and apologizes saying she would have called the police sooner if she knew and that her heart is broken due to the number of women he raped Nick’s mom testifies that he raped her Then theres Stellas mom. She was his second in command in the mafia. They grill her about her cries but she’s silent on trial, until they mention a baby. Tony eggs her to know where the baby is, but she’s quiet until she cracks… “I disposed of it.” Tony for the first time on trial breaks and shows fear. He screams what he wanted that child, that he wanted to be a father and run away with her Dimitri breaks while watching that. Knowing his father wanted to run away to start a new family, as well as finally understanding the severity of the crimes he committed. He cries I’M REALLY TIRED OF WRITING THIS Basically Jack sucks at comforting dimitri, and he explodes at her Calling her out for trying to be better than him even tho he has no dad, is failing school, has no friends and his life sucks. Her trying to be better than him, a guy with a pathetic life makes her worse than him by default cause its pathetic . He tells her he refuses to tutor her in French and leaves.

[cagestark]

*New Year’s Kiss*

Peter getting drunk on champagne and begging Tony to be his New Year’s Eve kiss. 

About this: tiny lil 2k fluff. Sfw. Ff. Adult (20yo) Peter. Posting a little early so we can enjoy it on this thirty-first. 

-

In the third hour of the party, Pepper at last manages to corner him beside the band. Tony has been avoiding her all night, strategically placing waiters and waitresses laden with trays of hors d'oeuvres and flutes of champagne between them, because while Tony wouldn’t put it past her to tackle him to the floor, he doesn’t believe she would accost an innocent. Her face is flushed, whether from anger or alcohol, Tony can’t say. 

“Tony,” she says, urging him to the side of the room away from the blaring swing band and writhing mass of bodies. “You need to cut off Peter.” 

Ah. Until then, Tony couldn’t have been sure why Pepper was hunting him during the party like a shark smelling blood (there were a whole host of potential reasons to be fair), but this reason—it’s not a bad one. Against his will, he glances towards the dance floor where Peter is currently being taunt how to Charleston by Natasha, whom Tony doesn’t believe he has ever seen smile nor laugh so much in one evening. His mouth goes dry at the way Peter looks, curls plastered to his forehead with sweat, the sleeves of his dress-shirt rolled up, cheeks flushed. 

“What?” Tony shouts. “I can’t hear you, this band is so goddamn loud, I love it though, don’t you? What a way to bring in the 20’s, am I right?” 

“Cut! Him! Off!” she says through her teeth. “If the press get wind of us letting a minor—” 

“Peter is twenty!” 

“Which is underage, Tony, don’t undermine me.” 

“Come on, Pep,” Tony pleads. “Look at him, he’s having such a good time. If he’s going to drink, I’d rather he do it surrounded by the Avengers and SHIELD employees than anyone else in the world. That way we’ll have tons of documentation to blackmail him wi—ow, God, woman! Mercy!” 

“Take him outside,” she insists. “Get him some air to help him sober up, and tell the bar not to serve him another drop. I mean it. If you’re quick enough, you can make it back inside in time for the countdown.”

Sighing, Tony relents. While his guest rooms were open to any Avenger who became too intoxicated to walk, drive, or portal themselves back home to the proper dimension, he isn’t sure if May expects Peter home at a decent hour or not. Sending the kid back to her drunk would be a poor idea in the best of terms. 

Wading through the dance floor (nearly getting elbowed by an over-enthusiastic SHIELD agent who is flapping a little too enthusiastically), Tony approaches Peter and Natasha with his eyebrows up. She’s dressed the way many other party-goers are, in typical Roaring Twenties style. The beads on her dress glitter in the light and with every energetic step. Peter is no less a specimen, though he has shed his pinstripe overcoat. The vest beneath fits him like a glove, emphasizing his trim waist. 

There’s no harm in looking, he thinks. And he certainly can’t help the images his brain conjures at a moment’s notice. Tony has had enough with trying to keep a leash on the things that are beyond his control. 

He places a hand on Peter’s back as the music changes to a ballad. The kid’s skin burns his palm, shirt thin and nearly see-through with sweat. Peter glances over his shoulder, eyes heavy-lidded. They widen at the sight of Tony, a smile blooming brighter and more beautiful than any flower Tony’s ever seen. 

“Mr. Stark!” Peter says. At once, he abandons Natasha (who slips off into the crowd with a shimmer of beads, ever adept at knowing when to drift back into the shadows), and throws his arms around Tony’s neck, plastering himself to the billionaire and beginning a drunken sway, like Tony has simply tapped Nat’s shoulder and asked, can I cut in?

He lets them sway together for a few long moments, keeping his hands primly above his partner’s waist. When he feels Peter turn his head so that his breath fans hot against Tony’s neck, he works to clear his throat of the knot that’s tied itself there. Even though it hurts to pull away from the kid’s drunken embrace, he does it. He’s good at doing the things that hurt. 

“Come on. Outside, Valentino,” Tony rumbles into his ear. 

Peter follows happily enough, stopping to hug Clint who is equally as drunk. They spend a long, semi-homo-erotic moment pressed together, like lovers who are seeing each other for the first time and not teammates who were wearing feathered headbands and taking photos together in the picture booth thirty minutes before. 

“Alright there, come on,” Tony says, coaxing Peter away. “I hate to break up such an arousing display of affection, but I need to get this little spider outside, stat. Pepper’s orders! Pepper’s orders!”

The last thirty feet to the balcony are traversed with Tony carrying most of Peter’s weight, the kid’s breath still hot on Tony’s neck while he babbles about how swell the party is, how much fun everyone seems to be having. It’s charming enough to listen to. 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the suave singer of the band murmurs into the microphone as Tony opens the door to the balcony, letting in blustery air that sobers even him. The room behind them falls as quiet as it can when filled with eighty of Tony’s closest friends and loved-ones who have been indulging on authentic French champagne for the last three hours, glossy eyes turning towards the platform where the band sits above them all. “It is five minutes until midnight. We encourage you to find your favorite guy, gal, or pal to ring in the New Year with. If anyone has any declarations of love to impart, now is the time.”

“Where’s Bruce?” Thor shouts at the top of his lungs. 

Howls go up around the room until Tony closes the door and cuts them all off. 

“Do you think we’re going to miss Thor make a move on Dr. Banner?” Peter asks. He’s not slurring but there’s nothing sober about him, eyes glossy, swaying where he stands with Tony between him and the balcony. The cold air enhances the pink flush in his cheeks, and the kid shivers, sweat cooling in the breeze. For a moment, Tony gets an idea in his head of taking off his jacket and slinging it over the kid’s shoulders. He bats it away. 

“Even if we do, there will be footage I’m sure,” Tony says. “How are you feeling kid? Tell me the alphabet backwards.”

Peter laughs, head tilting back. Tony’s eyes drop to the pale, unmarked throat before he urges them away. “Come on, Mr. Stark. Give me something hard—I mean! That’s not what I meant. You know what I meant. Not hard like your—not that you are—fuck.” 

“God, I hope FRIDAY is filming this right now. Who am I kidding, FRI sees all,” says Tony, glancing out over the city. Manhattan is lit up like a Christmas tree, full of people eager to leave the year behind, hopeful that the future is as bright as the city lights. Tony cranes his neck to take in the party beyond the frosted glass, everyone moving like a movie with the sound off. “Take some deep breaths, Pete, try and clear your head, okay? We’ll both be back in there before midnight.” 

A firm presence leans against him. He nearly jerks away (like he doesn’t know who it is, like there’s anyone else out on this empty balcony save for them). Peter presses his nose to the crook of Tony’s neck and breathes in, one hand resting firm against Tony’s hip. “Is Miss Potts going to be your New Year’s Kiss, Mr. Stark?”

Heart in his throat, Tony struggles to respond. This close, he can smell the kid’s body spray and beneath it the sharp but not unpleasing scent of his sweat. Peter’s eyes glitter black, like lights off of the Bay. Instinct urges him to set Peter straight, to remind him that he and Pepper broke it off months ago, and the relationship had been more platonic than romantic even long before then. Instead, all he says is, “No.” 

Peter hums. “Do you know who I want to be my Kiss?” 

Tony swallows. “I can make an educated guess. Kid—” 

Peter’s hands fist the fabric of Tony’s suit. His strength is unmatched, pulling the billionaire close until they are flush against each other. He’s hard in his JC Penney dress slacks, hips leaning forward to nudge against Tony’s hipbone until the kid groans, a sound that makes Tony’s mouth go dry and his heart pound like a bird beating its wings against the bars of its cage. “Please, Mr. Stark?” Peter asks. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since I was a little boy, ‘m a man now, aren’t I? That’s what you said to Captain Rogers when he didn’t want me on the team.” 

“Peter,” Tony groans, glancing back towards the party. No one has taken any notice of their absence. “Come on, kid. You know I can’t.” 

“Why not?” Peter breathes, pauses to press his lips chastely to Tony’s shoulder. “Because you’re straight?” 

Tony sighs. “Don’t insult me like that; you know I’m not—” 

“Because I’m underage?” 

“I know you aren’t—” 

“Because you aren’t interested in me?” 

“I am—” He snaps his teeth shut on the words just a moment too late. He squeezes his eyes shut, wishing he could reach out and snatch the words right back out of the air, hide them somewhere down deep. He mutters under his breath, “Fuck.” 

“Don’t worry,” Peter says, smiling with glassy eyes. He looks more tired than drunk, exhausted, too young and with the weight of the world on his shoulders. And Tony can’t add himself to that burden; he just can’t. “I already knew. But if you want to kiss me, and if I want to kiss you, then why can’t we?”

“You make it sound easy,” Tony says roughly. Something in him, some fault line that has existed in relative inactivity until now while the pressure builds and builds—it finally snaps. He grips Peter’s wrist which was creeping around towards his tense abs, towards the bottom of his vest like he’s going to dip it right down the front of Tony’s pants. Pulling him into the shadows away from the glass doors, Tony presses Peter against the wall of the Tower and looms over him. “You make it sound innocent. You think that a kiss will be good enough for me? I’m the most famous glutton alive, kid. If I pour myself a drink, I have to have another. If I kiss you—it won’t be enough for me. It will never be enough for me.”

“You act like I could ever want you to let me go,” Peter laughs. 

Inside, the countdown begins, the roar of the entire room just audible through the glass doors of the balcony. 

10

“Please—” 

9

“No, Peter, I can’t.” 

8

“I’m begging you—7—Please—6—Even if this is all I ever get—5—then at least let me have this—4—this one moment—3—Tony, please—2—”

—And one must come next. It must. But Tony doesn’t hear it, not for the rush of blood in his ears (his heart, that’s his heartbeat pounding away), not for the wind whistling around them when he closes the distance between them, presses them chest-to-chest so that he can capture Peter’s mouth with his own. It’s not a first kiss, no tentative questioning movements. It’s a well-seasoned lovers’ kiss, fierce and wet, a tsunami that drags him under until Peter’s all that’s in his mind, his mouth, his lungs, his scarred chest and broken-open heart.

When they part (Peter breathing the softest thank you), their mouths are raw. The cheers from inside might as well be for them for the way Tony’s heart has swelled. He rakes his eyes over Peter’s face, seeing him with new eyes even as the kid gives him a sad, trembling smile. 

“That’s it, then,” Peter says, tears glittering in his lashes. “Party’s over, huh?”

“No,” Tony promises, taking the kid’s hand and pressing his lips to the arch of his knuckles. “I meant what I said; I haven’t had enough of you, Peter. The party is just starting, kid. Come on, let’s get out of the cold.” 

[jasperwhitcock]

03. OBSERVATIONS

my bella as a cullen & edward as a vampire fanfic inspired by an au from @bellasredchevy is now on AO3, so you can read the new third chapter here or the full work thus far here. also all of my chapters are now being tagged as #equinoxjw if you want to follow along on tumblr. i’m new to using AO3 as a user, so...bear with me. i feel like a boomer. 

My stomach tightened in strange, foreign ways as if it could fall into my abdomen at any moment. There was a vague familiarity about the sensation, and after some thought, I realized that this was something like the faded memory of what anxiety did to my body as a human. It was an entirely different feeling in my unchanging form. Far more unnerving.

I felt silly and small walking directly behind Emmett and Jasper while Rose and Alice flanked me. We were positioned like some ridiculous protection detail, though the danger – myself – was in the center of the defense. I longed to curl into a ball on the floor of my room, but I was far too stubborn to spend another day at home avoiding school like a coward.

At the same time, I was not stubborn enough to have the confidence to completely sell my bravery to my overprotective siblings, so I allowed them to hover more than I would have liked. It felt unnecessary, but I wasn’t entirely sure whether or not I could trust myself yet.

Once we were a few yards from the old building of my first class, I halted our formation.

“Alright, I’m fine. Thanks. I’m sure that didn’t look weird at all,” I grumbled sarcastically, moving forward to step between my brothers at a slow, human pace.

They all held their positions, hesitant.

“This is getting ridiculous.” Their vigilance displayed no signs of relaxing. “I swear that I am fine! Alice?” Irritated, I snapped my head around to examine her vacant expression, hoping she’d foresee something that would support my claim.

“It looks as if...everything will be okay,” she smiled a brilliant, annoyingly over-encouraging smile when the light returned to her golden eyes.

I repressed a sigh of relief to keep from exposing my own concern and setting off any alarms as a result. “See? Another obnoxiously perfect, boring day.”

In case they continued their reluctance to move aside, I walked around rather than through the frontline.

“And I don’t require any further chaperoning. If Alice sees anything, I trust that she’ll take the preventive measure of biting my head off,” I whispered too faint and fast for human ears as I entered the classroom.

“Exactly,” Alice smugly agreed, making me smile for the first time today.

I had been wrong earlier. There was nothing obnoxiously perfect nor boring about this day. I spent the majority of my morning classes hyperalert, over-examining every noise from the clicking of ants on the aged tile to the trickle of a raindrop sliding down the rooftop to the sneeze of a student on the other side of the school grounds. I overthought every movement of air that brushed against my skin, nervously awaiting the circulation that would carry his irresistible scent and once again derail my self control.

Of all my ongoing polarities, I preoccupied myself with deciding between the choices of the simplest question: should I hold my breath or should I not? It would be irrational to think I could deprive myself of a sense of smell forever. Of course, I was physically capable as my body didn’t require oxygen, but I’d need to speak in school eventually. That would require inhalation.

And then the boy would die.

With how incoherent my resolve had been at first encounter with my unfortunate biology partner, was it worth the risk? On the contrary, would the memory of his scent allow me to anticipate the upheaval, and therefore equip me with the mental preparation to withstand more effectively if I did choose to breathe? Would the potential desensitization if I allowed myself this provide him a better chance to live?

I couldn’t decide, so I endured long stretches of both. Instinctually, I preferred the flow of air to my lungs, but with every breath, it seemed I was inhaling more apprehension and exhaling none of it. I was relieved that the air was diluted with the scent of the other students. Of course, if I wanted to, I could find him. I could track him down easily with the treacherously appealing aroma perfectly recollected in my mind guiding me towards him…

I decided against breathing again. I wished that I could decide against thinking as well.

In the duration between periods, I noticed that I could easily locate a member of my family lingering casually in my peripheral vision as I headed to my next class. Casually, if their schedules had qualified them to walk along the same route that I did. That was rarely the case. The distant escort was far more awkward than the tightly knit huddle from the morning.

Rosalie’s expression seemed embarrassed during her surveillance of me, and I hoped it was because she trusted that I could handle this and was simply fulfilling a duty asked of her by the remaining members of my family.

Who had been the one to ask the others to keep an eye on me? Esme?

I didn’t mind when Jasper had been nearby. I never saw him directly, but recognized his footfall and even felt grateful for the sudden deluge of peace that comforted me briefly.

Emmett was particularly irritating. Although I knew he felt concern for me, I also knew he found the situation slightly comical. I didn’t appreciate the suspicion that he may be mocking me as he watched me responsibly walk to my next class without any attempts to escape his supervision and hunt down any unsuspecting teenage children. 

Alice didn’t care to conceal herself during her passing period shift, so she waited outside the door to walk alongside me to a lesson we shared together.

I hadn’t crossed paths with the boy yet, so when this morning’s bodyguard configuration began to form on the way to lunch, I said nothing, knowing that it would be far more prudent to have the guarantee that four other vampires would stop me if I made any mistakes when I first saw him again.

The bizarre sensation in my abdomen returned, intensified greatly by the certitude that I’d face the object of my avoidance soon.

Once we had purchased our lunch for appearances, I kept my head down and my lungs empty as we settled into our regular table, buying myself a few more moments of forced oblivion to his presence – as if I could ever be oblivious to his presence again.

I tried to build up my confidence as I studied the patterns in the plywood of the cafeteria table under the laminate. Surely, I would fare much better this time around now that I knew what to expect, wouldn’t I? I hadn’t succumbed the first time, so why should I the second? Besides, as an added measure, I was overly satiated from the hunting trip Esme and I embarked on once the boys had returned. The odds were far better.

I had stayed home a couple of days when Esme and I had finished. My conversation with Carlisle greatly encouraged me, and so my mood began to improve. It wasn’t enough for Emmett to feel satisfied when he easily overtook me in our rematch, suspecting that I wasn’t giving him my full attention, but it was still an improvement.

Today, it had been a week since I’d last seen the boy.

“Edward Masen is walking in,” Alice cautioned. I froze in place, halting the loop my pointer finger was tracing over the grain of the table.

“Nobody look at him!” I hissed with the air from my last breath, nearly inaudible. I halted the sensation of breathing.

“Why would we look at him? You know, you really insult our intelligence sometimes.”

I didn’t look up to see what repelling piece of food I hurled at Emmett’s head. “What intelligence?” I mumbled. I forced myself to continue tracing loops over the wood. 

“Relax, Bella,” Rosalie laughed. “Oh, he’s looking this way.”

My eyes narrowed as I finally glanced up to see Rose turn her face away from the cafeteria back to me indulgently, her angelic face feigning innocence.

Some of my edginess began to ease. I eyed Jasper suspiciously.

His lips pulled into a guilty half-smile.

“I’m really growing tired of everyone acting as if I’m a sideshow today,” I sighed, releasing the last of my oxygen supply.

“You’re always a sideshow,” Emmett corrected, baiting me.

My siblings couldn’t resist laughing before the expression on my face silenced them.

Cautiously, I took a deep breath.

I was fortunate; the air near me hadn’t been tainted with any hint of his scent. I inhaled mostly the wonderful fragrance of my family and the slightly tempting aroma of high school students, though it now seemed far less mouthwatering by comparison to what I came across last week.

“I will commit murder today,” I promised, gritting my teeth. “Now, whether that murder results in your death or the kid’s is entirely up to you.”

My curly haired brother laughed. “Alright! Finally some action again!”

Rosalie’s features were apologetic.

“Em, I’d back off if I were you… she’s serious. I see…” Alice made a show of closing her eyes and placing her slender fingertips on either side of her forehead. “I see… a pyre…”

Even I couldn’t keep myself from laughing.

“Are you kidding me? She’s way too distracted lately. I could take her down easy today.”

“It says a lot that my distraction translates to easiness for you,” I taunted before suddenly feeling as if I was being watched.

“Then I correct myself. I could take you down easy any day.”

Not wanting to waste any more of my precious air supply as a precaution, I simply rolled my eyes.

“Bella definitely has an edge with her frustration lately. I wouldn’t be so confident,” Jasper warned, smiling wickedly.

“You willing to bet on Bella?” My brawnier brother challenged cockily.

“Absolutely.”

“Anybody else?”

Alice opened her mouth to speak, but Emmett rapidly cut her off. “You don’t count, pipsqueak. You cheat.”

He turned to face Rosalie. “What about you, babe?”

She bit her lip remorsefully to keep from giggling. “Bella.”

Emmett scoffed before a large, cocky grin spread on his face. “Fine. Whatever. I don’t need any of you.” He leaned back in his chair, his biceps bulging as he flamboyantly rested his massive arms behind his head. “Candy from a baby. Good luck, Bella!”

But I was no longer paying attention. I had already fallen victim to the first irresistibility I’d face today.

Following the suspicion that I was the object of a gaze belonging to the same eyes that had haunted me the past week, I turned my focus towards the cafeteria.

There he sat with some of the more popular students – though if recognition constituted popularity in high school, then all of the children in this lightly populated student body were popular – trying to appear deceptively over-interested in the sleeve of his beige, expensive-looking sweater. His jaw was tight, highlighting his prominent bone structure.

I guess maybe I could understand to some degree why this irrelevant boy had sent the male-interested student body into a frenzy. By their kind’s standards, he must be considered of above-average attraction. But with his strange shade of reddish-brown hair, wouldn’t that be considered a flaw? Didn’t humans have some kind of teasing prejudice towards gingers? Though it was ridiculous, I had the urge to apply the methodology of attraction based on the golden ratio to his face simply out of curiosity.

“Bella Cullen is staring at you,” the student next to him, Naomi, whispered in shock.

“So?” The boy dismissed.

I was taken aback by how flippantly he disregarded the mention of me. Had something in my leaving offended him? What would make him think my absence concerned him?

Emmett found his response hilarious.

“Damn! I’m glad someone can put you in your place!” He guffawed.

I turned to scowl at him.

“A pyre…” Alice teasingly resumed her poor fortune teller impression, her fingers again on her temple.

A warm smile spread across my face, and as a result of my family’s stupid banter, I found myself finally feeling calmer.

My smile dropped immediately when I heard the boy sharply breathe in.

“Relax,” Rosalie reminded me, her brilliant eyes reassuring.

I nodded, though I felt my face contort in pain and stress.

“You’re looking sick, Bella,” she accused.

“Do you wanna leave?” Emmett offered, his amusement having vanished.

Jasper raised an eyebrow, sensing my building emotion.

“No!” I snapped, exasperated. It took everything in me to keep from slamming my hands on the table. Now was not the time to destroy public property.

“She’ll be fine, really. No, great, actually. I’d say we’re not helping, but I wonder if her frustration with us is what’s strengthening her resolve,” Alice grinned. “Her future keeps getting clearer. If anything, maybe he’ll stay alive just so she can prove a point.” 

Everyone joined my dark-haired sister in her melodic laughter.

I’d had enough of lunch for today.

I rose from the table, carrying my full tray.

“Oh, don’t leave, Bella! Where are you going?” Rose asked.

“I’m going-”

“-to the biology classroom,” Alice finished for me.

“You’re all particularly vexing today, so please don’t follow me. But if you hear a massacre of screaming children, feel free to join.”

“Shall I call Carlisle and Esme? It’d be poor manners to not extend an invitation if we’re slaughtering the townsfolk.”

“Oh, yes, of course. Let’s go out with a bang,” I frowned, speaking quietly enough to where only my family could hear, dumping my tray in the garbage can and exiting the cafeteria.

I felt his eyes on me the entire time.

I was fortunate that Mr. Molina wasn’t in his classroom during his lunch break. I had no desire to attempt civil conversation that would make the both of us uncomfortable. The door was unlocked, though that didn’t matter much.

I sat at my usual seat, neatly placing my books atop the lab table. Closing my eyes, I distracted myself for the remainder of the lunch hour by focusing on the flux of unchanged oxygen expelling from my lungs and the thrum of raindrops against the roof slowly becoming the feather-soft flutter of snowflakes.

Once my peers began to file into the room, I uncomfortably suspended my breathing once again. I listened to the rowdy sound of the footsteps, wondering which would be the boy’s, hoping to distinguish them from the rest as if they’d be any different.

Shortly after the cheerful whistle of the lively biology teacher sounded the room as he entered, I became aware of a sturdy footfall approaching my table.

Though I couldn’t smell him, I knew at once it was the boy as the heat of his body warmed the air around me. Nobody else in this classroom would dare get as close unless they were condemned to sit in the chair beside me as he was. Even the temperature enveloping my skin was enough to warrant venom to pool in my mouth. 

I restrained myself from sighing aloud at the oncoming war that would rage within me, refusing to waste the oxygen I had stored.

Though the responsible and kind action to take would be to introduce myself as to not make myself even more distinguishable from the other humans with unwarranted ignorance and hostility, I continued to face forward with my eyes closed, my forehead puckering.

My eyes snapped open as he noisily settled into his seat, carelessly spilling his books across his side of our lab table.

After a moment, I decided I wouldn’t want to be held accountable for potential whispers about my family, so it’d be better to say something.

Just as I was about to speak, turning my head in his direction, he surprised me by speaking first.

“Hello,” the boy greeted me quietly, his smile charming and polite. His green eyes were soft and wise, full of some meaning I couldn’t decipher. I listened to the beating of his heart, trying to detect if the rhythm would expose any fear. I never needed to blink, but habitually my eyes fluttered rapidly as I processed the shock that this human had the bravery to speak to me first. Habitually, because of the years I’d adjusted to mimicry of human responses and expressions, but the action was still wrong. Much too fast. I wondered if he had picked up on the blurred motion. “You’re back.”

I didn’t know how to respond, so I simply agreed. “Yes.”

I turned away again, forgetting that I had intended to share my name out of courtesy. My brain was much too full of distracting thoughts. Here my temptation was willingly conversing with me. Was he mad? Where was his innate sense of self-preservation? He should be recoiling away from the proximity as I was, though for different reasons. I could easily talk him into walking away with me to his death. For both of our sakes, it’d be preferable to keep our interactions to a minimum. How much acquaintanceship did biology partners really require?

As the teacher wrote out today’s objective on the chalkboard, it seemed it’d require more acquaintanceship than I’d like – or that the boy could afford.

“My name is Edward Masen.” He spoke with a calculated, inviting voice. “You’re Bella Cullen,” he continued when I hadn’t replied.

I nodded stupidly, refusing to look anywhere but ahead of me. It was both wonderfully and terribly warm next to his body heat. I swallowed the venom that did nothing to quench the ever-present thirst.

“I take it you’re not too enthused to have me as a biology partner,” he chuckled gently, his eyes intrusively still focused on the side of my face.

I frowned at this unpleasant assumption that was absolutely spot-on.

“I wouldn’t take it personally,” I stated gingerly, trying to speak in a voice he wouldn’t find frightening.

“The expression on your face last week seemed a very personal reaction,” he pressed, an edge to his voice despite his attempt to say this casually.

He had noticed.

I hadn’t thought it’d be possible to feel any more uneasy.

“I was sick,” I defended myself lamely.

“And now you’re feeling better?”

“Not particularly.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his thick eyebrows slightly pull upwards at my response. His eyes continued to study me, full of that puzzling emotion.

Whatever his reaction meant I couldn’t focus on now even with my simultaneously thinking brain. I was out of air, and the fear that accompanied the thought of inhaling to speak again was overwhelming.

My body tensed for the brutality, my muscles frozen as I turned my head even further away to quickly breathe through my mouth so as to avoid his scent.

The potency was just as painful as it had been last week, a wrecking ball of desire desiccating my burning throat as the taste of the tainted air settled onto my tongue.

I was a creature of ice brimming with fire.

I wrestled for coherency, desperately trying to compose myself again as Mr. Molina explained today’s assignment, rescuing me from the agony of conversation.

Today’s lab required working together alongside your table partner.

I hadn’t experienced such a series of bad luck since I had been human.

The boy – or I suppose I should refer to him by his first name now that introductions had occurred – turned to face me again once our teacher finished instruction. He smiled a crooked smile. “Ladies first, partner?”

“Why don’t you begin?” I offered, utilizing all of my strength to uncomfortably half-smile in return.

He paused for a moment, his eyes suspended on my face. It was the first time he had lost some of his inexplicable coolness. The pace of his heartbeat – a painful reminder of his fragility – sped up. Had I done something to frighten him?

“If you wish,” he recovered, slightly shaking his head, his tousled bronze hair swaying with the movement. While I was mystified as to what his reaction meant, most of my thought was absorbed with relief that I had breathed prior to this action. I had no doubt that it would have sent the craving slamming into me like a wall of cement. I tried to ignore the appealing flush of a subtle, light pink that briefly colored the skin beneath his cheekbones.

He reached for the shabby microscope on the table along with a slide from a small cardboard box.

“Prophase,” he announced after a very brief examination. “Can I look?” I asked.

“You don’t trust me?” He smirked as he pulled his face away from the equipment.

“No,” I replied.

He laughed at my genuine answer, and instinctually, I reached to stop his hand from removing the slide.

It was an idiotic mistake. How many feelings of violence could I experience? This severity was different but no less overpowering. The heat of his skin burned mine electrically as if I had been struck by lightning. The sensation shot through my arm, and I was ablaze like a live wire.

“Sorry,” I blurted, grinding my razor-sharp teeth together. I didn’t want to see his reaction to the strikingly chilling temperature of my granite-like skin, so I buried my face in the microscope, looking through the eyepiece, allowing my long, dark hair to spill across the table as a wall between us.

“Prophase,” I whispered. He had been correct.

The thirst was ferocious and the charge in my body exorbitant. I concentrated very intensely on filling out the lab sheet, writing our answer along the first line.

He silently switched the slide to the next, and I cringed, wondering how my touch had felt to him.

“Anaphase,” I whispered again after a peek through the eyepiece.

“Do you mind if I look?”

Surprised, I glanced up to meet his expectant viridescent gaze.

“You don’t trust me?” I repeated his words from earlier. As if I could be incorrect.

“Definitely not,” he smiled wryly, humor lighting up his irises before leaning in to examine the slide.

I couldn’t help but smile too.

“You shouldn’t,” I joked, though partly I was unable to restrain myself – stupidly, as if I could truly be honest with him – from providing him a fair warning.

He paused, his hand on the tube of the microscope, turning his face towards me. His eyebrows pulled together inquisitively, but his lips curved upwards slightly. “And why is that?”

I glanced away, turning my attention back to the sheet of paper, desperately trying to think of anything other than his blood.

When it became clear I wasn’t willing to provide an answer, he resumed his observation. “Next slide?”

He reached for the following slide, and I dropped it into his hand, avoiding contact with his skin this time. 

We continued the lab with minimal conversation, sliding the microscope between us and double checking the answers. I wrote the majority of the answers down, though he wrote a few at the end. His script was far more elegant than I was expecting from a teenage boy.

We were the first students to complete the lab while the rest of the class seemed to be struggling to properly identify the stages of mitosis. Maybe I should have hesitated longer in my examinations so we wouldn’t be left with so much remaining time for tension and uncomfortable silence to fill. I periodically took excruciating breaths, hoping to build up more resistance.

I noticed a sandy blonde student – I think her name was Sara – at a table diagonal from us overly engrossed in making continual glances back this way. I was shocked to catch her shooting me a dirty look, unaware anyone felt antagonistic towards me.

I wondered if she was interested in Edward. I found myself amused by the thought she could be developing resentment for that reason. If only she knew the kind of interest the boy held for me.

Mr. Molina made his rounds to check on the students’ progress. When he saw our lack of activity, he approached our table.

“Miss Cullen,” he began, looking over our answers through his glasses. “You didn’t want to share your microscope with our new student?”

I withheld a smile, unused to anything remotely related to chastisement in classes I didn’t share with Emmett, though even in those lessons we rarely got in trouble.

“Actually, Mr. Molina. She was very accommodating. We both identified the slides and double checked each other’s answers. Bella was just our primary scribe.”

“Ah,” our teacher nodded, still skeptical.

“I’ve done this lab before,” Edward shrugged. “I was always in advanced placement programs at my other schools.”

I processed this information, unsurprised by the confirmation of his intelligence. The assertiveness of his words also confirmed my suspicions that he was pretentious.

“Wonderful,” the man smiled, his tan face impressed. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “It’s a good thing the two of you are partners. You should have raised your hand to let me know you completed the lab. Let me go grab the golden onion, so I can present it to you-”

“That’s alright. We don’t need the award, prestigious as it may be,” Edward chuckled. “You can let some other students have it. I don’t mind missing out on the bonus points.”

“And you, Miss Cullen?”

“I’m fine,” I smiled reassuringly.

“Very well. Good work,” he left to check on another table. As he turned, I took advantage of the fresh gush of uncorrupted air that flew in my direction.

After a moment, Edward spoke again, slightly leaning towards me. Was this stupid man lacking a sense of danger?

“The kids here have a lot of commentary about your family.”

Of course I knew that to be true, but I was taken aback with his bluntness. “I’m sure they do.”

“So what led you to move here?” He asked too innocently, clearly attempting to uncover secrets.

“I would have thought the students here would have provided you with satisfactory gossip.”

“I’d rather hear the story from you.”

My eyes narrowed slightly, trying to discern the motivation behind his interest. Was it simply curiosity or was there more? “Esme, my oldest sister, prefers life in a small town… Shouldn’t I be the one questioning your reasons for moving here?”

Despite my harsh tone, he smiled his crooked smile. “You’re the first student who’s not expressed much interest in me.”

I shrugged stiffly, returning my attention back to staring blankly at the front of the room.

“Well, other than your incomprehensible opposition to having me as a partner on my first day. I’d say that qualifies as interest.”

“I already told you I was sick.”

“Oh, that’s right,” he conceded, though something in his tone implied he didn’t completely believe me. “...You said oldest sister...I thought the other two weren’t your siblings.”

I froze.

“I consider Rosalie and my cousin Alice to be my sisters as well.”

He nodded, taking in the information.

“So, are you going to ask?” He asked after a moment.

“What?” I snapped, turning to him again.

“You’re not questioning my reasons for moving here?” He grinned.

“No,” I retaliated, growing irritated. I should attempt to be warm and pleasant the way a responsible Cullen would, but I was already too preoccupied with the terrible physical ways he was affecting me that I cared little for the mental ways.

“Oh,” he laughed softly. “Am I annoying you?”

I could tell he was used to being considered charismatic by the way my indifference amused him.

“No,” I lied and he chuckled again, not believing me. I turned to meet his gaze and found myself trapped there. His eyes were warm and captivating. My frustration nearly evaporated. “Though you are very much arrogant.” The grin didn’t leave his face at my words. He seemed appreciative of my honesty. “I’m more annoyed with myself than anything.”

“Why?”

“Okay, now, you’re annoying me.” I turned away to inhale, pausing to let the desire simmer until I could control myself once more.

“Then I’ll leave you alone. I should know better than to have bothered you when you were clearly in a bad mood.”

“A bad mood?”

“Yes, I saw you when you were at lunch before you left. It seemed your family was provoking you. You looked as if you were about to fight the bigger guy.”

“My brother, Emmett.”

“Emmett,” he nodded, trying out the name for recognition. “Something tells me you could take him,” he teased, and I surprisingly found myself smirking.

“I don’t imagine you’ll share what’s causing you to be in a bad mood...but can I ask why you were staring at me?”

“Are you always this direct?” I asked, exasperated.

“Not always. I just find you particularly difficult to read.”

“You must be a very good reader then.” If he considered me a difficult case to decipher but nevertheless made the astute observations that he did, he must be immensely perceptive, a factor that made this situation immeasurably worse.

“Usually.” He smiled his crooked smile again.

After a minuscule measure of time, I responded. “No, you cannot ask.”

“I didn’t think so,” Edward’s smile grew into a beam, revealing near-perfect, white teeth.

“Why do you care?” I demanded, the thirst festering around the edges of my resolve.

At this question, his face dropped into a thoughtful frown. “That’s a very good question.”

Though I unexpectedly found myself engrossed in the meaning of this response and the answer behind the question, I was interrupted as Mr. Molina called for the class’s attention. He over-dramatically presented the golden onion to a pair composed of a ridiculous class clown of a boy and his quieter female partner. The boy enthusiastically received the silly prize as the rest of the class hooted and hollered. Mr. Molina cut the boy off as the kid began to address his peers, notifying him that the award didn’t require an acceptance speech.

But my attention was absorbed in something other than the class shenanigans.

Suddenly, I was fascinated in the boy’s fascination. Of course, we were interesting. That was undeniable. Our kind was designed to draw in the curiosity of his kind. Everything about me – the sweet scent of my skin, the beauty of my features, the velvet sound of my voice – was intricately fashioned to bring him closer. It was enormously unjustified the abilities we were equipped with to trap and kill our prey. There was no abnormality in a human having interest in us. It happened often. When we moved to a new place, we expected the initial inquisitions, though eventually, they died down once our disinterest in fully assimilating into their community became clear. We became then simply a strange story about a strange family. Occasionally, a human would hold particular interest in us, overly intrigued in what we are. The differences between us were abundantly clear, but this particular human wouldn’t dismiss them for the comfort of preserving their carefully constructed world of normalcy like the others around them. It was a rarity for that kind of human to guess what we were correctly.

However, Alice would watch for us, and before they could, we’d vanish.

He might not be the particular human who guessed correctly, but what were the odds that this human, the human whose blood sang to me, would be the particular human who was too curious for their own good?

I was fascinated with this absurdity.

Must it be him who sees too clearly? Suddenly, despite his arrogance, his pretension, his invasiveness, I was curious about this human boy with too many questions.

The odds were towering above us both. Here was a human who unwittingly, perfunctorily threatened everything that made up the tiny niche of peace in this existence. Whatever the differential may be, I lusted more so for the blood in his veins more than I had for any blood. And because I refused to be a monster, this human boy would live. And because he would live, he’d be able to devote thought to his observations about me. Here was a human who was watching too carefully, noticing nothing consequential yet, but seeing enough to warrant caution about his surveillance. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was damned to expose us in some way. Either by taking his life or by being watched too closely.

And it was worse for him. If I made a mistake either way, we could clean up the mess left behind. After a few decades, the guilt would hopefully ease as it did for my siblings. But for him, here was a vampire whose previously impressively stable sense of self control was in incoherent disarray. Here was a vampire who had a desire seemingly tailored precisely for the scent he carried. Here was a vampire who had a sudden intrigue in why it was him, this intruding, annoying man of a boy, to be the one to weaken her. There’d be nothing for him if I made a mistake. No more life to live.

The best case scenario would be that I’d become a distant nightmare.

Why had we been placed on this earth if not to be a perfectly designed pair of predator and prey?

Perhaps it was kismet. Sickening, grotesque kismet.

Well, I would fight fate. I would not allow this boy to bother me any longer. He would not make a monster of me, and I would not be the cause for any suspicions that my family was anything other than what we portray ourselves to be.

He can ask all of his questions, but his scrutiny will eventually fade just as it did for most of the other humans like him.

His attempts to read and examine will be futile and disappointing.

I felt satisfied enough with my conclusions that I almost thought to smile victoriously and say goodbye to him, but the part of my brain still devoted to annoyance kept me still.

When the bell rang, I leaped from my seat and exited the classroom, leaving the boy behind.

Once I was a safe distance away, I thankfully breathed in the wonderful, clean air, even inviting the subtle burn from the students’ less appetizing blood that almost unnoticeably singed my nose and throat.

As I passed by the door of the Spanish class that was my next period, I yanked the arm of my brother Emmett, who had been waiting for me against the wall of lockers, dragging him alongside me, though no one watching would recognize my strength.

“How did it go?” He questioned as he began to freely follow beside me with no resistance.

I took advantage of his wariness.

“We have to clean up,” I whispered harshly in a low volume.

“Seriously!?” I sensed his body tense at the news. “Damn, Rose is gonna be pissed! I mean, I know she won’t be that upset with you, but-”

Before his light-speed prattle could go on any further, I cut him off.

“No, you dummy. I was joking. Do you smell a classroom of dead children?”

“Oh,” his nostrils flared slightly as he inspected the air. “No, but I thought maybe you really let loose and drained them all.”

I frowned. “I have to say this is one of our more morbid conversations.”

“We’re not going to Spanish class?” “No.” We exited the brick building into the grey, showery parking lot. The surrounding firs were heavily saturated in their shades of dark green against the clouded sky.

“Alright! I like when you break the rules! Where we going?” His right hand made a large fist that eagerly met the palm of his left hand as if we were about to embark on some adventure in which I required backup.

“The car?” I answered the obvious question as the rain poured down, soaking his curly hair, making it appear even blacker, drenching my dark hair into a slick waterfall against my back, and washing away the small amount of snow that had fallen an hour ago.

“The car?” He asked, confused. 

The rain smelled wonderful – like pine needles, spearmint, and eucalyptus. The droplets massaged my skin as they slid across the smooth surface, warm against the similar temperature.

Although I was free from Edward for now, a small part of me was reserved with some caution, so I crossed the parking lot at a slow pace as if we were being watched.

Once inside the vehicle, I placed a new disc into the CD player, unwilling to wrestle with the sometimes fickle bluetooth that often refused to surrender its connection to Rosalie’s cellphone. I was too impatient to continue life at a human speed right now.

I leaned the driver’s seat all the way back, and Emmett mirrored me in the passenger seat.

“So how was it really?” He asked.

“It was...odd,” I hesitated. “Better in some ways than last week but worse in others.”

“How’d he smell?”

“Just as good,” I groaned, placing my hands over my face as venom collected in my mouth at the memory.

“Well, that sucks,” Emmett chuckled, his long fingers tapping along to the rhythm of the song against the door of the car.

“I actually spoke to him today. Well, I guess he spoke to me.” I sighed, removing my hands from covering up my expressions.

“Oh, yeah? Did he explain his weird apathy about you? I got a real kick out of that.” My brother turned to face me, his head laying against the headrest, beaming widely, his snowy teeth blinding.

“That’s the thing – he’s not apathetic about me. I’d do anything for some apathy! I don’t understand his reaction in the cafeteria, but that along with his line of questioning today-”

“Line of questioning?”

“Yes, he’s very annoying!” I huffed.

“Sounds like you.”

“Keep in mind I promised murder today, and so far the boy made it away from me without so much as a scrape. You might not be so lucky.”

He snorted, rolling his eyes, and facing the car roof.

“Anyways, he was far too...overly invested. He noticed my expression last week. I didn’t think he’d assume that the way I left the classroom had anything to do with him, but he’s seemed to have made the connection somehow. Maybe that offended him in some way, but I’m concerned he’s...noticing more than he should. I’m not sure, but I have a bad feeling.”

“Humans have wondered about us before. He’s the new kid, so I mean, it makes sense he has questions.” “We are an odd looking group,” I agreed. “Hey, speak for yourself. I think the rest of us look pretty normal. Now, you...you’re a little funny looking.”

“Every day, I mourn that I have to spend eternity with you,” I snickered with him.

After a moment, I nodded. “I guess you’re right. His curiosity will fade.”

“And will your thirst, do you think?”

To that, neither of us had an answer.

“Hey, nobody died today.”

“Yet,” I reminded him.

“Yet,” Emmett agreed tauntingly. “I’m impressed you’ve lasted this long.” “What choice do I have!?” I demanded. “What would you have done?”

He shrugged. “We all mess up. Sometimes a person just smells too good.”

“Your regard for human life today is really amazing,” I glared.

“Sorry I’m not the patron saint of human life,” he chuckled.

“Well, I’m not either,” I shrugged.

We fell into a comfortable silence, something unusual between us lately. This kind of moment was more common between Jasper and myself. With all the time we’d spent together in this eternity we share, we could of course spend long amounts of time quietly beside one another, but in the past few years, Emmett and I had been in another phase of mischief. Often, the quietness was a thing of suspicion, a warning that one of us was conjuring up some plan to mess with the other. But the two of us laid back in the car, entirely motionless, listening to the music and the rain.

An hour or so later when the bell signaling the end of school rang and students began filing out of the old buildings, I raised the seat back into its previous position and exited the car so that Rosalie could take her usual place behind the steering wheel.

Emmett remained in the passenger seat as I leaned against the car, the drizzling rain wetting my long hair again. 

Alice and Jasper arrived at the car first. In addition to the excited after-school chatter, I could hear what was stalling my other sister in the farthest building: Rosalie was in conversation with her psychology teacher, subtly encouraging the educator to branch from the syllabus, suggesting that another day with greater focus on analyzing physiological, cognitive, and behavioral strategies to combat psychophysiological reactions to stress and trauma would be very beneficial for the class and interesting information to learn. As if someone with a doctoral degree in psychology had anything to learn from a high school senior level psychology class.

“I saw a vision of you and Em skip class just to listen to music. Very angsty teenage human of you,” Alice grinned.

“I’m all about upholding our image,” I winked.

“You’re in a much brighter mood,” Jasper remarked.

“Well, just like my angsty teenage peers, I’m very eager to escape the hell that is high school and go home.”

“Hell, indeed,” Jasper half-smiled, intaking one last shallow breathful of the students’ scent as he slid into the back of the car.

“How can this be hell when I’m in the presence of an angel?” Alice sang to Jasper while Emmett and I groaned.

“Oh, shut up,” she chortled as she joined my brothers in the car. She gently – as to not destroy the interior – kicked the back of Emmett’s seat.

“I’d have said purgatory prior to last week,” I sighed wistfully.

As Rosalie wished the teacher a good night and exited her classroom, I listened for the willowy sound of her feet against the rain-soaked pavement.

In waiting for the appearance of her otherworldly face, I watched as the boy exited one of the brick buildings into the rainfall that had become a mist. The droplets falling into his tousled hair made it appear darker than it had looked under the fluorescence of the biology classroom. The moisture didn’t seem to bother him as he strode across the parking lot, not concerned with rushing to reach his car. A small, leather-bound journal was clenched in his right hand.

His vehicle was sleek, black, and much nicer than the other students’ cars. I wondered if his aggravating self assurance came from wealth.

It seemed he sensed the intensity of my stare. Edward looked up inquisitively, glancing around him. He waved to one of the students that called out to him before his green eyes settled on mine. Seeing that it was me who was gazing at him again, his face lit up in a smile. I could hear the softness as he laughed, shaking his head, and ducked into the drivers’ seat of his car. Our hold was lost until he readjusted the rearview mirror, and once again I could see the half moons of his enlivened eyes.

“Are you ready, Bella?” Rosalie asked, already turning the engine on. I had barely paid any notice to her approach.

“Yes,” I turned, sliding into the seat next to Alice.

Despite myself, the fact that something about my stare was of some ambiguous amusing importance to him had a smile pulling at the corners of my lips as well.

i hope u enjoyed <3 and...i know, i know... we all love to roast edward. & we all love the idea of a nerdy little redhead. i KNOW. i'm sorry. but i think what we all forget sometimes is that our sweet, sensitive, easy to make fun of edward is also an annoying, smug, cocky know-it-all. and bella, even in her newfound vampiric confidence, is still a quiet bookworm trying to mind her own business. u can fight me in my ask box. pls be gentle. also, i have adopted mr. molina of the film twilight because we do NOT support pedophiles. green is what? good. having a crush on ur high school student is what? weird & u should be fired immediately & should have NEVER been in a position where u work with children.