#by we i mean my family my grandma and cousin families

[tallymali]

When you were growing up, did ya speak Welsh at home? In school did they primarily speak in Welsh? Please ramble.

a lot of my family is first language welsh (my dad didnt speak english until he was 10, for example) but my maternal grandmother never spoke much welsh, which caused kind of a trickle down effect. she only spoke english to her kids (my mother and aunt), and they only spoke english to their kids. grandma, mother, and aunt were the most present figures to my cousins, my brother, and me, so we pretty much only learned english from them. paternal grandpa mostly speaks welsh but like..he doesnt really speak much in general lmao. i spent most of my childhood on my grandparents farm and barely ever saw him.

my little brother also has both verbal and motor dyspraxia, and didnt speak until he was 5. we all learned makaton sign language for him, which is designed to be used alongside spoken english. he never took to learning welsh, which i cant fault him for.

my dads side of the family primarily speak welsh to each other, so i picked up most of it there, but i didnt visit all that often and my paternal grandparents died when i was a kid. so that was pretty limited. i havent spoken to my father since 2019. i didnt get much practice of actual welsh conversation with him as an adult lmao

wales has welsh schools and english schools, and i only ever went to english schools bc i was in the catchment area for them. we sang welsh songs in assembly and would have regular welsh language lessons, which i really enjoyed in primary school.

once i went to secondary school i really fell off bc the welsh teacher HATED me and i still have no idea why. the school had multiple welsh teachers but i was in only her classes for the entire 5 years i was there. sometimes id just disappear and skip her lessons so i didnt have to deal with how much she loved ridiculing me in front of the class. i was in set 1 and did end up getting an A* in my welsh GCSE and was well behaved and quiet (this is how i got away with skipping). but as soon as she twigged that i dont do well with being picked out to answer questions on the spot in front of everyone, she fucking revelled in it. id be getting some of the best marks in class on my written work but she’d still act like i was dragging the whole class down bc id get anxious and freeze when speaking out loud.

honestly her treatment of me as a hurt and edgy teen had me genuinely fucking hating welsh for a little while, and thinking that we should let the whole language die. stopped thinking that once i left school at 16 since i didnt have to see her ever again, but i still kinda have the shame and self hatred she instilled in me about it. i get really anxious speaking welsh around people im not super close with. i know my welsh isnt as good as people whose families and communities spoke welsh to them from day 1. i think id like to bite the bullet one day and attend an adult welsh learners class and get over it. at least if the teacher is mean to you as an adult you can raise a complaint without getting sent to detention snfbjdjsnd

[thoughtfulseason]

17 days until i’m 27

[adiraofthetals]

My Grandma just told me my Cousin wants a kitten. That can only go so well. They have a Greman Shepard. That house also holds my Aunt, my Uncle, and my three Cousins. So chaos it is I guess.

Buddy why???? Why a kitten? You and your brothers begged for a dog for YEARSSS!!!!!

Yk Buddy for being four days older than me I don't think you are the bright one. I say that lovingly. Kinda.

But hey he won't find this and the only time we talk outside of seeing each other irl once every year (if lucky) is when I am saying happy birthday to him. No, I don't get a happy birthday back if you are wondering. (Extra post about my loving cousin, Buddy)

[lesbiansanemi]

Man inventory at work drained the fucking life out of me cuz it’s miserable anyways but also they completely fuck over my entire schedule for it by making me stay until 11 when normally I’m off by 6:30 so I’m exhausted and had a migraine all day yesterday and now apparently my great grandma is dying can I just like. Chill for a few days or something. Jesus Christ. Let me nap and play a video game or something

[imwatchingdowntonabbey]

Hold on just a minute

So I’ve started Downton Abbey a day or two ago and I’m on season 2 ep. 4 and the way Mrs. Crowley (Mathews’s mommy)really came to Mrs. Crowley (everyone else’s mother) And was like “Owl’ll laeve! I’ll dew it.” And Mrs. Crowley of Downton was like “bet” and Crowley no.2 really went “Ehm noot keedang.” And still couldn’t get a single person to care. And personally I think that’s just lovely.

[bundlebrent]

Apparently my not doing well is noticeable because my boss gave me Friday off and was like hey take a long weekend and go see your family

[lizardho]

I was like 11-12 years old when I figured out at a boring-ass church activity that you could put rocks into little plastic spoons and then pelt people who annoyed me with them. I did this for the rest of the activity, and at Sunday dinner the next night was bragging about my victory (cornering the mean kid who picked on my youngest brother and pelting him with rocks). One of my cousins was like “no way, that sounds SO fun! Let’s do that RIGHT NOW!” So we grabbed spoons and went and got pebbles from the back yard and launched them at each other.

The problem was my grandma sold her soul for the world’s most resilient plastic spoons so we could launch those fuckers HARD. I gave out welts like candy on Halloween, and I got them back in kind.

So we resorted to taking cover and giggling until we got whacked, then yelping, then returning fire.

My cousin hid in my grandpa’s little fishing boat. It was a good boat, but simple and honestly underused. We didn’t know the little windows on it, meant to keep the wind out of my grandpa’s face while he drove, were cracking. However, they were definitely cracking. Eventually it became obvious and we realized we had been being dumb.

This was NOT the first time in my life I’d been dumb roughhousing and broken something, and I had developed a reputation in my family as being “suicidally honest” so I was the one to deliver the bad news. My grandpa let out a pretty good chuckle and said it was OK, tousled my hair, and asked my grandma to bring me cake. I am not kidding. I learned later he hated his boat and only bought it for his kids’ sakes, since he thought everyone needed to know how to fish. At the time though I was just bewildered and pleased at my good fortune. FINALLY, at long last, being honest and telling the truth about breaking something expensive was getting me cake. I knew if I kept trying it would eventually serve me, and now so had CAKE. I was pleased as could be.

My dad, on the other hand, was livid. He LOVED that boat. He spent several weeks each summer recovering from breaking ribs in that boat every year for about 7 years prior to this incident. He had great memories and memories that boat. So he told my Grandma NO cake for me AND that I’d be coming by this weekend to fix stuff around the house and pay for the broken window with my babysitting/lawn mowing money.

Obviously I was devastated, but that felt more in-line with the way things normally went when I broke something expensive so I just figured it was OK. My grandpa gave my grandma a look and sadly said “Ok, have her here on Saturday to help me with some yard work.”

That Saturday my dad woke me up at 6:00 sharp and drove me, sleepy and bewildered, to my grandpa’s house. He was mumbling under his breath the whole time but he thought he was teaching me consequences for my actions so he was ultimately OK with it.

We get to my grandpa’s house at 6:15. My grandpa is outside with a ladder hanging Christmas lights. The lawn is freshly mowed, the trees and garden are weeded and well-tended to, the carnations in the front yard look immaculate, and my grandpa has this giddy mischievous look on his face. He tells me he was so excited that I was coming over that he couldn’t sleep, so he did all the yard work himself. He asked me to help him put up Christmas lights and decorate the Christmas tree, which I did, then said that because I was such a good helper I could have some pancakes for breakfast. I was sent home with the slice of cake I had been denied the week before, wrapped to keep it as fresh as possible.

The whole way home my dad looked a little miffed, but told me that he was glad I had been honest and was proud of me for helping grandpa. I know he wanted me to Learn a Lesson™️the cowboy way, like he had as a kid, but didn’t have much room to complain since I’d still been Put To Work.

I think that was a lesson for both of us, although I’m not totally sure what it was supposed to show me. I think it was my grandpa’s way of showing my dad that discipline without tenderness doesn’t count as much. He died last year and I miss him terribly, as does my dad. I hope that my story of victory, drama, punishment, and ultimately a secret second victory is meaningful to someone else out there, but if not it still means a lot to me ❤️

[yupyupppippi]

also I feel both older and younger at 30 than I expected. probably something to do with the life milestones my parents had reached by my age, but also having a small but increasingly noticeable amount of white hair

[ari-ana-bel-la]

Hello, so Alex is my favourite driver and I would like to request something for him.

Imagine him and Lily teaching their daughter traditions from their home countries ( Thailand and China). And reader being very proud of her families tradition.

Thank you so much in advance. I'm always so happy when you update.

Learning your culture

The house was glowing. Red paper lanterns swung gently from every ceiling corner, golden dragons curled along the stair railings, and the scent of dumplings, sticky rice, and tangy green papaya salad filled the air like a warm blanket of celebration.

Four-year-old Yn zipped through the living room in a blur of red and gold silk. Her cheongsam, covered in tiny embroidered flowers, glimmered with every move she made. Her little pigtails were tied with red ribbons, and her hands clutched a small dragon puppet that she’d made with her mama the night before. Her cheeks were flushed from excitement, her voice singing out through the house.

“Xīnnián kuàilè! Happy New Year!” she called, running up to her grandma from Lily’s side of the family, who had just walked in with her arms full of red envelopes and fruit.

Lily beamed with pride, hurrying behind her daughter. “Look at you, little firecracker,” she said, leaning down to adjust Yn’s collar. “You remembered the phrase perfectly!”

Grandma clapped her hands. “Wǒ de tiān a, she’s amazing! She even got the tones right!”

Yn giggled, basking in the praise. “I can say more! Gōngxǐ fācái! That means… um… wish you get lots of money!”

Everyone laughed, and Lily ruffled her daughter’s hair. “Close enough, baby. It means, ‘wishing you great fortune,’ but yes—money is part of that!”

A second later, the front door burst open again. Alex stood there grinning, carrying his mother’s homemade Thai desserts in both arms while his dad and younger sister followed behind.

“We brought khanom chan and thong yip!” Alex announced, stepping into the vibrant chaos. “And a very excited Thai grandmother!”

His mother walked in, hands already opening to hug Yn. “Sawadee pi mai, lūk sǎo! Happy new year, sweetheart!”

Yn immediately threw her arms around her Thai grandma. “Sawadee kha, Yáy!” she said proudly, remembering to bow slightly in the Thai wai greeting.

Alex grinned. “She’s switching between Mandarin and Thai like it’s nothing.”

“She’s four,” Lily said with awe. “How is she this good already?”

“She’s got the best teachers,” Alex replied, giving his wife a quick kiss.

The living room became a whirlwind of greetings and hugs as both sides of the family began arriving. Lily’s parents helped hang the final couplets on the doors while Alex’s younger sister taught Yn a Thai song she used to sing every New Year as a kid. The room swelled with the blended rhythm of cultures—Chinese drums and Thai string instruments, Mandarin chitchat and Thai blessings, dumpling folding and sticky rice rolling.

Later in the afternoon, it was time for the red envelopes—hóngbāo in Chinese and ang pao in Thai. The families gathered in a circle in the living room, children sitting eagerly in the center.

Alex and Lily sat beside Yn, who wriggled with excitement. She had helped decorate each envelope the night before, drawing tiny dragons and golden tigers in crayon.

“Okay, sweetheart,” Lily said gently, passing her the first envelope. “Now you bow and say—?”

“Xièxiè nǎinai, gōngxǐ fācái!” Yn chirped, bowing deeply to Lily’s mother and receiving the envelope with both hands.

Lily’s mother was glowing. “This girl is better than all the kids in our village!”

“Next one!” Alex whispered. “Thai side now.”

Yn turned to his mother and pressed her palms together in a perfect wai. “Khob khun kha, Yáy. S̄wạs̄dī pī h̄ım̀!”

“Ohhhh!” Alex’s mom gasped. “She said it perfectly! S̄ùks̄ʹān wạn pī h̄ım̀! Happy New Year, little star!”

Each aunt, uncle, cousin, and grandparent received the same warm greeting in their own language. Her transitions were fluid, graceful, natural—without hesitation or confusion.

When she turned to Lily’s father, she paused. “Wǒ yào yī ge zhēn zhū!” she whispered with a mischievous grin.

Lily’s dad burst into laughter. “You want a pearl? Little one, you’re already the treasure!”

“She learned that from you!” Lily exclaimed, elbowing her father.

“It’s good ambition!” he defended.

After the envelope ceremony, it was time for food. The dining table was practically groaning under the weight of two cultures colliding in perfect harmony—dumplings with Thai chili dipping sauce, crispy spring rolls beside plates of pad thai, nian gao (sticky rice cake) stacked next to khao niao mamuang (mango sticky rice), and bowls of soup filled with bok choy and Thai basil.

Yn stood on her tiptoes, staring in wonder at the spread. “It’s like a food rainbow,” she said with reverence.

“Pick one thing from Mama’s side, and one from Daddy’s,” Alex suggested.

She picked a dumpling and a spoonful of mango sticky rice.

“Two best worlds,” she said confidently, sitting between her parents as the family all squeezed together.

Dinner was loud and full of laughter. Stories from childhood were shared in a mix of languages, and every now and then, someone would pause just to admire how easily Yn flitted between them. She answered her Chinese auntie’s question about school in Mandarin, then asked Alex’s cousin in Thai if she could have another piece of pineapple.

Alex leaned close to Lily as their daughter chatted confidently beside them. “Did you see that? She just switched mid-sentence and didn’t even notice.”

Lily smiled, her hand sliding into his. “She’s everything we ever hoped for.”

As the night grew deeper, the final tradition came to life. Out in the backyard, everyone gathered with sparklers and red firecrackers. Alex and Lily lit up a small lantern—round, red, and glowing.

“Okay, sweet girl,” Lily said softly, lifting Yn in her arms. “It’s time to make your wish.”

Yn pressed her palms together. Her eyes squinted shut in concentration, then slowly opened as she whispered: “Zhù wǒ de jiārén píng’ān, yǒu ài, yǒu hǎo shíwù.” (May my family have peace, love, and yummy food.)

Alex chuckled. “Did she really just ask for good food in her wish?”

Lily kissed the top of Yn’s head. “She’s got her priorities straight.”

Together, they released the lantern into the night sky. It drifted higher and higher, a tiny red star against the velvet blackness.

Everyone stood in silence, watching.

“She’s going to carry all of this with her,” Alex whispered. “Every dumpling, every bow, every wish.”

“And one day,” Lily added, “she’ll pass it down too.”

Yn looked up, watching the lantern with shining eyes. “It’s going to the moon,” she whispered. “To tell the moon goddess we had the best new year ever.”

And she was right.

Because under that glowing sky, with her entire family around her, speaking her languages, eating her foods, loving her with every word—they really had.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♥︎♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Authors Note: Hey loves! I hope you enjoyed reading this story. My requests are always open for you. As you might know, I'm neither Chinese or Thai, butI tried my best to write about Chinese and Thai culture and hope I did a good job. If I wrote something wrong, please don't hesitate to message me.

-♡○♡

[writemekpop]

Morning After | Na Jaemin

Summary: After a one-night stand, Jaemin wanders downstairs naked. The problem is... you don't live alone.

Genre: Suggestive, Fluff

Word count: <1k

As you woke, sunlight streaming through your bedroom window, memories of last night flashed through your mind.

Jaemin's head, pushed back onto the pillow to give your hungry lips access to his neck.

His rough black hair knotted in your fist.

Jaemin biting his plump, dark lip to hold in a groan.

You pushed your hand out to find him… but the bed was empty. You stiffened. This was your family's house - and your parents did not approve of one-night stands.

Oh god, you hoped he hadn't gone downstairs…

Jaemin rubbed his sleepy eyes, pulling your tiny denim jacket tighter around himself as he wandered downstairs.

The jacket was tiny - no match for his broad, muscled shoulders. Most of his sunburnt chest was on display. A breeze sent goosebumps over his stomach.

“Hey, Y/n?” Jaemin called up the stairs. “Shall I bring you breakfast? We had quite the workout last night…”

Jaemin walked into the kitchen - to see your mum, aunt, grandma and two cousins gawking back at him. Your youngest cousin’s spoon plopped back in her cereal.

“I uh-” Jaemin stuttered, tugging at the tiny jacket, feeling more naked than ever. “I should go get-”

“Nonsense!” your grandma said, taking Jaemin by the arm. “Sit right down. How do you take your eggs?”

He caught her whispering*, Nice big feet, if you know what I mean…* to your mum, and blushed.

Jaemin bowed, and sat uneasily. “Fried, please?”

-

When you ran in, Jaemin was wearing a frilly yellow apron over his sweatpants, frying eggs on the stove as your grandma watched. The yellow apron ties left little of his broad back and high shoulder blades to the imagination.

“Leave him alone!” you hissed, grabbing Jaemin's arm. “My friend has to go.”

“Friend?” Your grandma said, and everyone giggled. “Now, I know why you're keeping this lad around, and it's not for his terrible cooking.”

You glared at her. “Jaemin, come with me.”

You stopped outside Jaemin's car, leaning on the door.

“I'm so sorry about that,” you groaned. “I forgot about the family brunch!”

Jaemin smiled down at you, his hand resting on the car. “I don't mind,” he said. “Your grandma's cute.”

“Ugh, you even got my grandma to like you. Are you good at everything?” you whispered.

Jaemin leaned in and kissed your neck, long and sweet, over last night's hickey. You felt his breath on your skin as he answered. “Hmm… some things. Not frying eggs.”

—

MAIN MASTERLIST

Let us know what you thought in the comments or on anon! 💋

[eriklehnsherrific]

re: jackie

okay i've been thinking about this for WEEKS and i think some of the younger yj fandom needs to hear this because we are getting stuck in this overly dualistic pattern of thinking where it has to be either "jackie was a mean girl" or "jackie was a sweet, perfect girl", when neither of those perspectives is 100% correct.

shauna's betrayal objectively made her a bad friend to jackie, but i think it would be a disservice to jackie's character to act like she was a good friend to shauna. yes, obviously what shauna did was worse, but let's not forget how the show makes a point of establishing jackie as a sweet, popular, but sometimes controlling/self-centered person during multiple moments in the first season.

for example, in the very first episode, jackie insults shauna's music taste and taste in fashion. at first, it's in sort of a joking manner that feels like that's how she and shauna banter, but the whole "wear the red dress moment" is there intentionally to show that jackie kind of steamrolls shauna, as evidenced by shauna snapping at her after. it's one thing to joke with friends, and its another to insult your best friend's taste to her face multiple times and then be shocked when her feelings are hurt. not to mention that shauna got into brown, an ivy league school, and never told jackie because she didn't want to disappoint her. i saw a tiktok comment that explained it really well, saying "even if the whole jeff/shauna thing never happened, jackie and shauna's friendship would still likely implode once they went to college, as jackie would likely see shauna going to brown as a betrayal".

in the wilderness, when shauna votes with tai to head down to the lake, jackie ices her out right away. she slutshames nat and again insults shauna to her face about how she "makes people feel judged" when shauna is literally the only one defending her for not contributing. during the fight, when shauna admits she only did soccer to please jackie and actually doesn't even like it, there's a sad implication there that shauna could've avoided being on that plane if she had stood up to jackie's steamrolling/if jackie didn't pressure her to do what she does.

that's why the notion that jackie was simply "too pure" for the wilderness isn't quite correct in my mind; in my opinion, one of the reason jackie struggles so much with adapting to the wilderness is that she is one of the few yellowjackets that hasn't experienced that much strife at home. it is mentioned that shauna's parents split up when she was quite young (plus the fact that her room is in what looks like an attic, which gives the impression that she doesn't get a lot of support from her family), tai had that whole experience with her grandma/the one eyed man, van's mother is an alcoholic, nat's mother is an alcoholic and her father was abusive (not to mention the horrible way he died in front of her), misty was severely bullied, mari saw her 4 yr old cousin die from cancer when she was only 12, etc. unlike the rest of her teammates, jackie lived a relatively sheltered life with a big and fancy house, parents who were still together, and was popular at school. that's not to say she didn't ever struggle (ex: she mentions how her mother is on a bunch of pills), but compared to the rest of the girls, jackie hasn't exactly been challenged in life the way they have. that's why she wasn't as ready to adapt as the rest of the girls; she didn't really have to overcome obstacles like this, at least independently of her parents, the way some of her teammates did. the result was a dynamic in which the girl who, at least on the surface, is rich, beautiful, popular, talented, and smart, was one of the first to die because she became alienated from her team.

all this to say, jackie objectively didn't deserve to die the way she did. but let's not forget she tried to kick shauna out first, and it was only because of the aforementioned reasons that made her not contribute that nobody except tai tried to stop it. hell, even coach didn't go out to get her and he was the only adult there. that's why i think the whole "jackie would never have let shauna sleep outside" argument doesn't really hold up. they are all teenagers, and while what shauna did with jeff is selfish and stupid and cruel, she was also just a teenage girl. none of them had any idea it would snow the next day. none of them had even considered that jackie could die out there. and it especially irks me that a lot of people say "shauna is the reason all the bad things happened to her, its her own fault", because nobody deserves to experience child loss (let alone a scared teenage girl who had to give birth without any medication or the support of her family, only for her baby to die). her relationship with jackie, regardless of how much shauna hurt her, did not cause her stillbirth.

what makes shauna's relationship with jackie so compelling is that she does have legitimate reason to resent jackie and jackie has legitimate reason to resent shauna. the idea that only one of them is a bad friend and only one of them is a good friend is an extreme oversimplification that removes the complexity of jackie as a character and their relationship as a whole.

[isak-dot-gov]

can you write something where it’s like a holiday (doesn’t matter which) and the reader is going to meet emily’s paarents but she gets very nervous. they hit it off so fast at the end?

Easter Meeting

Pairing: Emily Engstler x Reader

Word count: 1121

Summary: Emily goes to meet your family for the first time during Easter.

a/n: I wrote this version first before realising I skimmed through the request and ended up completely misinterpreting it, so the actual request will be coming tomorrow. I still wanted to put this one out, though, because I think both versions are cute.

My Masterlist :)

Emily fidgeted with the hem of her shirt as she sat in the passenger seat of your car. She was uncharacteristically quiet, her usual confident demeanour replaced by an anxious energy that radiated off her in waves. You glanced over at her and reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Em, it's going to be fine," you said softly, rubbing your thumb over her knuckles. "My family is going to love you."

Emily let out a breathy chuckle, shaking her head. "Yeah, but what if they don't? What if I say the wrong thing? What if your uncle grills me about basketball stats and I blank? What if—"

"Emily," you interrupted, squeezing her hand a little tighter. "You're overthinking. They're just excited to meet you. And trust me, my uncle will probably try to challenge you to a one-on-one in the backyard before he even asks a single question."

That got a small smile out of her, but she still looked nervous as you pulled into the driveway of your childhood home. The house was bustling with life—kids running around, your relatives chatting on the porch, and the smell of home-cooked food wafting through the air. Before Emily could spiral into more nervous thoughts, your mom came bustling out the front door, her face lighting up the second she saw you.

"There she is! And this must be Emily!" your mom beamed, practically pulling Emily into a warm hug before she could react. "Sweetheart, we are so happy you're here!"

Emily tensed for only a second before melting into the embrace. "Uh, thank you, Mrs. Y/L/N. It’s really nice to meet you."

Your mom pulled back and waved her hand dismissively. "None of that ‘Mrs.’ business. You can call me Mom. Or at least Y/M/N. Now, come inside! Everyone's been dying to meet you."

As soon as you stepped inside, Emily was bombarded with warmth—your little cousins pulling her by the hand to show her their Easter baskets, your dad offering her a drink, and your uncle, as expected, challenging her to a basketball game in the backyard.

At first, she hesitated, glancing at you as if silently asking if she should accept. You gave her a nod, and before long, she was outside, effortlessly sinking shots while your uncle pretended to be unimpressed. Your younger cousins cheered for her every time she made a basket, and soon, even your skeptical uncle had to admit, "Alright, alright. You're good, kid. Might even let you be on my team next time."

Emily grinned, the tension in her shoulders slowly melting away. She had been afraid of feeling like an outsider, but here she was, smack dab in the middle of your family’s chaos, and she felt… at home.

Back inside, she helped your grandma set the table, listening intently as she told stories about your childhood. "You know," your grandma said with a knowing smile, "she’s never brought anyone home for before. Must mean you're special."

Emily’s ears tinged pink, and she glanced at you with wide eyes. You only shrugged, a small smile playing on your lips.

During dinner, Emily found herself in the middle of endless conversations. Your cousins asked about her basketball career, your dad tried to convince her that his favourite basketball team would be better if she would just join it already, and your mom kept piling more food onto her plate despite Emily's protests that she was already full.

"Nonsense," your mom said. "You're too tall to eat so little."

Emily shot you a helpless look, but you just laughed. "Just go with it, baby."

She blinked at the term of endearment but didn't say anything, instead allowing your mom to scoop more mashed potatoes onto her plate.

After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room for a round of board games. Emily sat beside you, her long legs tucked under her as she listened to the animated debates over which family member was the most competitive. She quickly realised it was a tie between you and your uncle.

At one point, she looked over at you with wide eyes, almost overwhelmed by the immediate acceptance. You simply grinned and mouthed, "I told you so."

By the time dessert was served, Emily had fully relaxed. She laughed at your aunt’s stories, let your little cousin sit in her lap as they ate cake, and even let your cousins put bunny ears on her for a family photo. You watched her with a soft smile, heart swelling at the sight of her fitting in so effortlessly.

As the evening wound down, your dad invited Emily to join him and some of your uncles outside for a late-night bonfire. She hesitated at first but quickly found herself sitting by the fire, roasting marshmallows and listening to your family's hilarious and sometimes embarrassing stories about you.

"So, she was always the one getting into trouble as a kid?" Emily asked with a smirk, nudging you playfully.

Your dad let out a loud laugh. "Oh, absolutely. There was this one time she tried to build a treehouse with no nails, just rope and some plywood."

"It was structurally sound!" you defended, crossing your arms.

"It collapsed in three minutes," your dad countered, and Emily laughed, her anxiety from earlier long forgotten.

Later that night, as you both sat on the swings in the backyard, Emily let out a deep sigh, leaning her head on your shoulder. "I can't believe how worried I was. Your family's amazing."

You pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Told you they'd love you."

She lifted her head to look at you, her blue eyes shining under the soft porch light. "I love you."

Your breath hitched, and a slow smile spread across your face. "I love you too, Em."

She exhaled, a look of pure happiness washing over her face. "You know, your uncle still wants a rematch tomorrow."

You laughed. "Oh, you're officially family now if he's that competitive with you."

Emily smirked. "Guess that means I have to win, huh?"

You shook your head fondly, pulling her closer. "Just don’t make him cry."

Emily chuckled before falling into a comfortable silence, just enjoying the warmth of your presence. The air was cool but not too cold, and the distant sounds of your family still talking inside made everything feel so peaceful.

"This might have been the best Easter ever," Emily murmured sleepily.

You smiled, wrapping your arm around her. "It definitely is for me."

And as the stars twinkled above and the laughter of your loved ones filled the night, Emily knew—she wasn't just meeting your family. She was becoming a part of it.

[verycoolusername1]

At Home With Nobody To Hold

Summary: You're missing your boyfriend during the holidays, unaware you're about to get the best present ever.

Track 5 of fruitcake - is it new years yet?

A/N: Gave family members some names(Nora, Ray, Sara, Ava, etc) definitely not from any DC show... *sigh* I miss legends

And I'm so jealous rn I need a bf like this now!!! This one shot is so cute got my giggling and everything-

I also was gonna have a comedic ending, but this ending is too cute that I just couldn't do it(but there is a jack hughes reference that I could not write without laughing)

You sipped on your soda for what felt like the five hundredth time. You were on the balcony trying to ignore your grandmother's questions about grandchildren. The holidays sucked... but then again, you wouldn't have met your boyfriend Ethan if you hadn't gone to the Christmas party before break two years ago.

It sucks being so far away from him for a week, but you two had regular calls now and then. You just wished you could be with him right now.

Your cousin Nora opened the screen door and joined you outside.

"Oh god, you look like a mess." She chuckles. "Missing the boyfriend?"

"Missing the boyfriend." You confirmed with a sigh. "I thought I would be fine with it, but here we are."

Nora nodded to your words. "Yeah, long distance is a bitch but you'll live. You two been through this sort of stuff before."

"I hope so." You mutter under your breath.

"Dinners about to start, think you'll be able to suck it up for an hour." Nora looked at you.

You rolled your eyes. "Yeah yeah I'll be fine."

Suddenly your phone starts to ring, seemly ending the conversation there. You looked at your phone, it was Ethan.

"You guys go on without me, gotta take this." You placed your soda down and answered the phone, Nora going back in the house.

"Hey baby." Ethan's voice rang through the winter air.

"Hey. What are you doing?" You asked, fiddling with your sweater.

Ethan hums. "Oh, nothing. Just watching some Christmas movie."

You nod. "We're about to have dinner."

Ethan stayed silent for a moment. "Oh damn I called you at the wrong time then."

"No, you didn't." You laugh. "I'll always make time for you, you know that."

Ethan's heart swells at your words, a smile breaking out on his face. "Where are you again? Your moms?"

"No, I'm at my grandma's house. She keeps asking me about you and... grandkids." You explained. "Wish you were here to suffer with me."

Ethan laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure that'll be fun, watching you get all flushed."

You laughed at his words. "If anything, it's embarrassing. I mean, we aren't even out of college yet."

Ethan lets out a sigh. "Yeah, just a couple more months. Then we can finally move in together just like we always wanted."

"Yeah, in jersey." You groaned. "I love you and all, but I didn't know there were even cities in New Jersey. And the apartments... they... actually look nice."

Ethan laughed loudly over the phone. "You did not just say that."

"Well I've never been to New Jersey before!" You argued.

I'm so telling Luke about this." Ethan mutters.

"You aren't telling him anything." You hiss.

"Texting him as we speak." His voice was stern.

You looked back to the kitchen to see your family sitting happily and chatting. You start to imagine Ethan sitting next to your dad, laughing at whatever joke he said or him talking to your niece, agreeing with her on anything and everything. It made your heart break slightly.

There was shuffling on Ethan's end as he heard your sniffle.

"Hey babe you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah, just the cold." You answered.

"You should get inside then, get warmed up." Ethan noted.

"Yeah, I should." There was more shuffling on Ethan's end. "What are you doing?"

"Just getting in the car, quick stop to the store." He answered like it was obvious.

"Is it freezing there in Canada?" You asked.

"Uh, not really, which is surprising." Ethan joked.

You went back inside and sat on the couch, suddenly there was a doorbell at the door.

"Maybe you should get that." Ethan said.

"Right cause I'm the only one that isn't occupied with food in their mouth." You chuckled. "Be right back."

You got up and headed towards the door, expecting trade marketers. You unlocked the door, and your jaw dropped.

"Ethan? Ethan! What-what are you doing here? I thought you were with your family."

"You needed me more." He looked down at you as he kissed your forehead.

"Y/N, who's at the door?" Your grandmother, Sara appeared in the doorway. "And who is this fine young man?"

Your face flushed as you cleared your throat as you came up with a reply, Ethan coming up with one before you did.

"Oh, my name's Ethan." He introduced himself. "I'm Y/N's boyfriend."

"Ethan?" Your dad, Ray appeared. "Oh come on over here."

Ethan chuckled as he gave your dad a hug.

"Looks like you won't be grumpy this holiday after all." Nora joked, to which you scoffed at.

Ethan made his way back to you. "I forget something." His hands resting on your waist.

Ethan grinned at your confused face and leaned in and kissed you passionately, ignoring the cheers from your grandmother. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against yours for a moment.

"I love you." He mumbles seemly lost in your eyes.

Your hand caresses his cheek. "I love you too."

[scribblesofagoonerr]

— Yeehaw' it's cowgirl era!

pairings: leah williamson x reader

summary: readers' in her cowgirl era as she goes to nashville with leah and her family, she tries to contain her excitement, but its' too much to handle at the end of the night.

↪ this is my fav one shot to write, because I love country music!

and as always thank you to @alotofpockets for the help/inspiration to keep going with this fic!

"I'm so tired, why's the airport so noisy?" You grumble in complaint, all you want to do is sleep but with the news around the airport, its' difficult to do that.

You're tired, so tired. You weren't going to miss the chance to speak to your best friend in Australia though.

Stupid time zones really do suck.

"Well, that's what you get when you don't sleep, monkey," Leah chuckles, glancing at you while you are curled up on the floor.

"Its' not my fault though-- Kyra phoned me!" You whine in protest.

Leah chuckles and shakes her head, "Surely you can't be comfy down there?" She wonders, trying to understanding your reasoning to lie on the floor.

"Its' fine," You murmur, keeping your eyes shut and trying to ignore everyone around so you can sleep.

"Why don't you come and sit up here, love?" Berny, Leahs' grandma suggests, "You can't be comfortable down there."

"M' fine here," You repeat, trying to be as polite as possible.

"Shes' fine, Grandma. I'm happy for monkey to sleep wherever as long as I don't have to chase after her," Leah tells the older women, speaking nothing but the truth about the matter.

"What?" Jordan, Leahs' older cousin chuckles.

Leah exhales a sigh and locks her phone from where she's previously scrolling through Instagram, "Monkey likes to do this thing where she bolts, at literally any single chance that she gets. So as long as she's not making me run after her then I'm fine with that," She explains to them both.

Jordan blinks her eyes in confusion, "Uh, er, what?"

"Don' make me move, I'm comfy!" You whine from your position on the floor still.

"See?" Leah gestures to you with an amused smile, "Be grateful shes' not trying to pet the dogs over there." She adds.

"That was one time!" You exclaim in protest.

You try pet a few dogs' in the airport and suddenly everyone starts to make a big deal out of it, pft.

All you wanted to do was say hi to them.

You like animals, so what?

"I have so many questions right now," Jordan remarks.

Leah chuckles amusedly, "Well, we might be here a while then."

"The floors' not comfy anymore," You complain, huffing in annoyance.

"I thought you said it was?" Leah teases you at your own expense.

"Well now I'm not and everyones' been too loud," You whine in frustration, scrambling to get up from the floor, "Everyone needs to shuuuut up!"

"Uh, Le, is she okay?" Jordan turns to look at Leah in concern.

"Oh, yeah, this is just monkey being well, this is just monkey being her normal self-- Ooft, I didn't think you'd literally flop yourself down on me there," Leah groans as she feels your whole body weight completely slump down on her.

You let out a yawn and rest your head on her shoulder, "You make a comfy pillow, so deal with it." You state.

"But, you know..." Leahs' words are cut short by you.

"Shush, you're bein' too loud, Le," You grumble, not happy with her continuing to yap in your ear when you just want to sleep.

"Oh you poor baby," Leah mocks you.

"Mean Malfoy," You murmur under your breath, but it's still loud enough for the blonde to hear.

"What-- Whos' Malfoy?" The blonde's completely thrown off by the namedrop of a certain character.

"You are," You don't hesistate to admit.

"What? I am... I am not--" Leahs' still in disbelief to even realise that you'd managed to drop off to sleep while using her shoulder as a pillow, "Oh, she's asleep. Would you look at that?" She mutters.

"Must've been tired," Berny chuckles, amusedly.

"I still-- I... I don't look like him," Leah is still continuing to have a full blown crisis over the newfound nickname, "Do you guys think I look like Malfoy?" She questions, confused.

"Hey, monkey. You're quiet," Leah pokes her head around the door to check in on you, after not hearing much from you since you had all arrived at the hotel, "Whatcha up to?" She questions.

"Watchin' Black Widow," You pause the current film your watching and  peer your head up from your iPad, "Wouldn't it be so cool to have Widow Bites?" You wonder.

That would definitely be so cool.

Apparently Leah thinks different by her facial expression.

"I think I'd fear for everyones' safety around you with them things," Leah remarks, shaking her head in disagreement, "What would you even use them for anyways?" She asks.

Shrugging your shoulders, you fumble with the strings of your hoodie, "Hurt my enemies and stuff, ye know'?" 

"Enemies?" Leah questions in amusement.

"I got 'em, Le. Loads of 'em!" You tell the blonde.

Leah continues to look at you bewildered, "Right, oookay then. Well, we're gonna get ready to head to the festival soon, so are you ready to go?" She wonders.

"Uh huh, just watchin' this to kill the time-- Ooh! I still need one of them fancy hats!" You exclaim in realisation, jumping up from the bed.

"Slow down there cowgirl," Leah chuckles, making the reference to the jumper that you're wearing, "I've got you covered." She gestures to the cowboy hat which she just so happens to have in her hand before she plonks it on top of your head.

"Yeehaw! Howdy there partner!" You beam a wide grin as you try and put on the perfect accent.

The blonde continues to laugh in amusement, "You are something else sometimes, monkey," Shaking her head, she slings her arm around your shoulder, "C'mon, lets' go and find my family." She adds.

"Whatcha mean by that?" You turn your head to look at her in confusion.

"Well, you've heard the phrase 'one sandwich short of a picnic', right?" Leah explains to you as the two of you start to head out of the hotel room.

"Uh huh," You nod your head slowly in understanding.

"You're that sandwich, monkey," Leah states as she smiles.

Now its' your turn to look at the blonde bewildered, "What? I--"

"Anyways, let's go before we're late!" Leah interjects, tugging you in the direction to go and meet her two family members down in the lobby of the hotel.

"Whoa!" Your eyes are lit in excitement as you take in the sight around you of the festival, "We're in Nashville!"

"We are indeed, monkey," Leah chuckles in amusement, using her usual nickname for you since your well, a cheeky monkey.

The blonde also has another nickname though, menace, but that's usually referred to when you're being well, a typical little shit in her eyes.

So, most of the time... You guess.

You still to look around at the atmosphere in awe, "Whoa! This is so cool!" You whisper in awe, not actually believing you were here right now, "Like, I can't believe we're here-- It's so awesome, isn't it?" You turn to the blonde for her answer.

"I can see somebody's excited, huh?" Leahs' grandma, Berny chimes in as she watches you take it all in.

"Hey!" You gasp excitedly, spotting a girl nearby who just so happens to be wearing the same boots as you are, "That girls' got the same boots that I've got! We're totally matching!" You can't help but squeal.

"That's bound to happen here monkey," Leah remarks as she rests her hand on your shoulder and you sense that she's got something to say, "Listen, I know you're excited to be here, but I don't want you to be running off at all, alright?" She questions, knowing just what you're like.

"C'mon Le, I know that. I'm no idiot!" You dramatically whine.

"I didn't say that, but you know, sometimes you get distracted--" Leahs' words are cut short when you do in fact get distracted.

It's only a matter of seconds before it would happen.

"Look, they've got Churros!" You gesture over to a nearby van that's selling them and try to walk off in that direction.

"Ah, ah, no you don't," Leah's quick to yank hold of you by the back of your jumper, "See? This is exactly what I mean!" She states, firmly.

"But there's Churros, Le-- Churro's are life!" You all but insist, you couldn't get enough of the sugary treats.

"Don't even think about running off, menace!" The blonde is quick to warn you seeing that it looks like you're keen to bolt in that very minute, "I can see that look in your eye!" She adds.

However, the blondes' made the rookie error of letting go of you as they start to walk over to enter the arena where the music would be, at least the blonde still thinks you're following behind her.

Only for her to turn round and her eyes' widen when she realises you had not followed her at all, but went wandering off because of course, when there's Churros around... It's an easy decision to make.

So you bolted, running right in the direction for them without even second guessing it.

"Where the hell has she gone?!" Leahs' throwing her hands up in the air and looking fed up already, not even making it near the arena yet and you're already up to your old tricks, "I swear to god, I need to put a tracker on that girl!" She grumbles under her breath.

Both Berny and Jordan can't help but laugh, "You've got your hands full there, huh?" Her cousin jokes.

"Yeah, you're telling me," The blonde pinches the bridge of her nose, "I need to go find her, I'll be back." She huffs, very much not in the mood to deal with your antics.

And here Leah thought you will be tame tonight...

Ha, no.

"Good luck, love," Her grandma tells her, amusedly.

Leahs' shaking her head in annoyance, wandering through the various food vans' to get to where you where, currently being served the battered sweet treats, "There you are, menace! C'mere!" She states, annoyed.

You whip your head round and give the blonde a cheeky grin, "Le, look. Check out all the Churros I got! Do yer' want one?" You offer one out to the blonde, completely unaware of how peeved she is.

"What, no, I do not want one. What I want is for you to stop wander off," Leah looks at you in disbelief as she is quick to yank hold of the back of your jumper, "C'mon, now!" She states, firmly.

"Sooo, you don't want a Churro then?" You repeat the question, clearly not getting the idea of how annoyed Leah was, "Oh well, more for me then..." You shrug your shoulders and continue to shove it in your mouth.

Keeping a hold of you in one hand to not make the same mistake for you to run off again, Leah uses her other hand to rip the Churro out of your hand and toss it in a nearby bin, "You know you shouldn't be eatin' that many. You're going to get sick!" She tells you.

"But they're so good though!" You whine in protest.

Leah shakes her head, "No, no, that's enough of them. I'm not dealin' with you being sick. You know what you're like with that much sugar!" She states, firmly.

"COUNTRY GIRL, SHAKE IT FOR ME, GIRL," You sing along to the lyrics of the song that's currently being performed at the top of your lungs, having the best time of your life, "SHAKE IT FOR ME!"

If there was a table to stand on top of right now, your damn sure that you would be standing on it and pumping your fist in the air.

"Enjoyin' yourself there, monkey?" Leah glances at you and smiles, although slightly concerned for the impending sugar crash that's going to follow anytime soon.

"Hell yeah! I'm in my cowgirl era right now!" You scream in response, swaying to the music and continuing to live in the moment, "I never ever wanna leave this place!" You exclaim.

Leah laughs slightly and shakes her head, "Stay here, alright? I'm goin' to get some drinks-- Don't even think about moving!" She warns, following what happened earlier on when you went on an adventure for Churros.

"Ooo, drink. I want one!" You insist, whipping your head in the blondes' direction, "I'll take a vodka coke, please!" You declare.

"Sure, nice try. How about we hold the coke, eh?" Leah remarks, amusedly, "Legal age is 21 here, sorry, monkey." She pats you on your shoulder.

"Boo!" You huff in protest at the news, "C'mon, the rules don't have to apply to me!" You tell her.

Rules are there to be broken, right?

Definitely.

"Yes they do," Jordan chimes in.

"Pft, says who?" You scoff and roll your eyes at the older women. Your definitely not a rule follower most of the time, "Rules don't mean nothing to me."

"Me, because the rules really do apply in this case, monkey. I'm not being the one bailing you out of jail," Leah tells you, laughing in amusement.

You can't help but huff once more, "Meanie, complete meanie, Malfoy."

"I do not look like Malfoy!" The blonde exclaims.

"Yer you do, carbon copy of him," You remark cheekily, sticking your tongue out at her.

"You little-- I'll be back. Stay put here, don't even think about moving or I'll follow through with the threat of that tracker!" Leah warns, wagging her finger in front of your face, "Stay." She repeats.

"Woof," You reply to the blonde by barking, being completely, well, being completely you.

"Le? Pst, Le!" You not to gently nudge the blonde in the ribs as you start to get bored in the middle of a performance and want her attention, "Le... Leeeaaah!" You continue be that lovely irritating twerp that everyone seems to put up with.

"What?" Leah turns to face you confused, "What's up, monkey?" She questions.

"Hi," You can't help but snicker in amusement, just winding her up for the sake of it.

Mission success when you see the facial expression is unamused.

"Your such a pest sometimes," The blonde grumbles, shaking her head before she takes a swig of her drink.

You smirk and take the opportunity to be even more of a pest per say, "Malfoy's cranky." You murmur, just loud enough to still be heard.

Leah's head whips around in your direction, "I heard that, you little shit!"

"Language!" You gasp dramatically and widen your eyes, "You said a bad word!"

You feel a swat around the back of your head, "You're a menace sometimes."

"Le, love, don't hit the child," The blondes' grandma chides.

"She's not a child, she's a literal devil," Leah remarks, scoffing as she scowls at you as if to be cautious of your next move.

"Regardless, don't hit Y/N," The older women states.

You can't help but stick your tongue out at the blonde, "I win!" You exclaim, doing a little victory dance in your spot where your sat.

"I can ground you again, so be careful with your next move!" Leah warns, giving you a pointed luck.

Where's the fun in that?

You faux hurt and rest your hand on your chest, "Who, me? I didn't do out. You can't prove anything," You play innocent in front of Leah's family members.

"I was right, you really are a devil sometimes!" Leah murmurs, shaking her head in disbelief, "A complete menace to society."

"Yeah, but you still keep me around, right?" You can't help but grin cockily, letting out a sudden squeal when you feel an arm wrap around your neck and pull you down slightly, "Agh! Lemme go, lemme go!" You whine in protest.

Soon enough the wave of the sugar rush soon turns into a sugar crash.

Eating a bunch Churros was really, really not a good idea.

Although they were too good to not eat, so definitely worth it at the time in your opinion.

However, now, it is a completely different story now your energy is starting to wear off.

The state being where you somehow manage to slump off your chair down to the floor and curl yourself into a ball on the ground in front of Leah and her family.

You just want to get comfy, and the ground seems acceptable.

No judgement here, alright?

Leah's a bit drunk from the alcohol but seeing you in the way that you are and shes' sobering up pretty quick, "Monkey, what an earth are you doin'?"

"I'm tired," You murmur in half asleep state, finding it hard to keep your eyes open.

Leah exhales a sigh and shakes her head, "Why don't you come back up here and sleep on the chair, like a normal person?" She suggests.

You barely are shaking your head in response due to the tiredness, "No thanks, I'm comfy here."

"That can't possibly be comfy though?" The blonde continues to look at you in disbelief.

Jordan can't help but look over at the chaos and chuckle slightly, "Are you okay, kid?" She asks.

"M' tired and the grounds comfortable," Your voice is just loud enough to be heard, as your eyes flutter shut as your just content enough to listen to the music, "Night night."

"Monkey, come on. The grounds dirty and cold, get up please," Leah looks at you in bewilderment, trying to get you up of the floor where's there no doubt several amount of things you definitely shouldn't be lying in, "Monkey, come on. Up here." She repeats.

There's not much response from you, because somehow bizarrely, you have managed to get curl yourself up in a ball and fall fast asleep.

The soft snores are a dead giveaway that you are indeed out cold.

"Is she... Is she really asleep?" Jordan looks completely baffled.

Berny peers over at you and chuckles, "It appears she is."

"Monkey can sleep anywhere. I've never seen her fall asleep in the middle of a festival though," Leah snorts in amusement, before she takes pity on you and moves off her seat to crouch down and gently scoop you up into her arms, settling back onto her seat with you nestled against her.

It takes a few minutes before you shift in your sleep, burying your face in the blondes' neck and letting out soft snores, which make all 3 women smile in amazement.

"Shes' out for the count so it seems," Leah murmurs, swaying to the beat of the music and softly patting your back to allow you to still stay asleep for the rest of the concert, "Hopefully she can make it all the way through the acts tomorrow before she sleeps." She jokes.

Another day in Nashville, a whole lot more for you to see.

© scribblesofagoonerr

[maybankslover]

so why is argentinian reader living in america and how do you think rafe'd react to her saying she wants to go back to her country? ;)

going back home

rafe cameron x argentina!reader

warnings: kinda angst, kinda fluff, raising their voices, rafe saying mean things about her country/home town. rafe's mom is alive.

summary: the request. for context they're 23/24 and have been together since they were 18.

playlist: cuando no estas by andres calamaro. it's been translated.

a/n the woman in the picture is celeste cid

they moved when she was twelve, her dad's work being the reason they packed their whole lives to end up on the other side of the continent. it was hard at first but the girl next door, a little sarah cameron, made it easier for her to adapt, it's common for middle-class families to send their kids to learn english from a young age so the language wasn't a problem for her or her siblings.

but she missed it, she always missed it even if they went back for the holidays and she spent at least one month of her summer break at her grandma's home in the cold weather. it wasn't enough, the missed birthdays, graduation's and many more things weighted a lot on her back.

being with rafe made it easier tho, being with him made her see the bright side of being on the other side of the continent even if it was away from her roots. she had by her side an amazing boyfriend, someone who cared about her more than anyone else in the world, being with him stopped the feeling of being an outsider.

he knew that, she had told him how being with him made it easier so he went out of his way to bring back little things for their house in every trip they made to her country.

and everything had been fine, she missed being back home less and less until last week when her cousin sent her a picture of her grandparent's and things stopped being okay.

"i wanna go live back home." was what rafe heard first thing in the morning.

"what? to your parents place? why?"

"no amor, home, argentina." he chocked on his coffee.

"argentina? are you serious?" those four words almost sent him into a heart attack, she said yes with her head. "nah words you gotta speak up."

"si en serio [yeah really]" she knew it was unexpected.

"why?" he didn't really understood what she was telling him.

"no se [i don't know] i miss it too much, mi abuela [my grandma] i feel like i'm perdiendo tiempo valioso [missing valuable time.]"

"speak in english for god sake y'know i can't understand it as much when you start going back and forth." he was angry as hell, how could he not? the had been talking about buying a house near the beach until two days before.

"i need to go live back home."

"last week you were crying because you were fucking scared of something happening to them because of how dangerous the place they live is getting and now you want to go back? are you fucking delusional?" she looked down. "we'll bring your grandma here."

"she'll die sooner if we take her away from the family, it's not only her, there's my cousins my aunts." rafe slammed his hand into the marble counter.

"I can't do this right now." he stood up from his seat.

"amor." she whispered.

"no! no!" he raised his voice, thing he had never done. "I won't listen to this nonsense right now."

she watched as he picked up his keys and left the house with a loud bang of the door. it was only four hours later that rafe appeared again in their shared flat.

he could see she had been crying and she could see that he had been too.

"do you really want to go back?" she nodded yes. "how long?"

"no se [i don't know] a year?" she watched as he sat in the couch in front of her.

"you'll want to stay longer, i know you." she took a deep breath in.

"I'll come back for summer, i promise." he nodded no.

"I won't do long distance to only see you three months a year. we were talking about buying a house, about marriage y/n." the use of her full name and the hint of breaking up swelled her eyes with tears again.

"you want to break up?" he looked down and then up to her again.

"I won't make you choose but if you really want to go live and study back there, you'll go and you'll live your life there." his hands went to his freshly buzz cut. "I'm not doing long distance, I'm not in that stage of my anymore."

"you're making me choose." he didn't answer or looked at her. "alright."

10 days later most of her things were packed on suitcases, what she wasn't taking to argentina she left them at her parents home.

"so I guess this is it." she said in a low tone to him, dark circles under her eyes and an incomprehensible expression in his.

"yeah I guess it is." her dad's car waiting outside to take her to the airport.

she took a step forward, wrapping her arms around his neck bringing him a little down while he hugged her waist tightly.

"te amo mucho, sabes no? [i love you so much, you know that right]." she was starting to cry.

"I know, I love you." not the 'te amo' she always asked him to tell her because she felt it had more meaning, he kissed her head before letting go and kissing her lips one last time. "let me know when you get there yeah?" she nodded.

as she sat in her plane seat she wondered if this was the right choice, to leave him behind, if her future was actually in her hometown.

When you're not here,

or I find myself in another part of the world,

when you're not here,

I make mistakes every half a second,

when you're not here,

loneliness gives me bad advice

text

y/n 'llegue."

rafe 'thank you for letting me know.'

rafe 'i hope you really have a nice life baby.'

rafe 'be happy.'

y/n 'you too amor.'

y/n 'i guess I'll see you around when i go back.'

rafe 'yeah.'

y/n 'te amo.'

seen

When you're not here,

the parachute doesn't open, and I jump anyway,

and I get lost in empty rooms,

when you're not here, when you're not with me…

the following morning rafe realised he was alone, all by himself, there wasn't someone kicking him in his sleep or the shower running while music could be listened from outside of that bathroom. half of the closet was empty like his life now that she was gone.

When you're not here,

the empty house asks me, "When will you come back?"

And I write cruel verses to myself,

when you're not here,

I'm just waiting for you to return.

she was happy, her family, her childhood friends, not having to translate everything in her head before saying it. she was happy until she went to bed or someone asked about the boy in her instagram feed. four months later she still hadn't taken down and time to time she checked if he had.

"lo extrañas no?" [you miss him, don't you?] mery, her childhood best friend said to her as they sat in a park watching life go by.

"si pero bueno, ya está. fue mi decision venir." [yeah but what is done it's done and it was my decision.]

"no significa que no te pueda doler, estuvieron una banda de años." [doesn't mean it can't hurt you, you were together for so many years.]

"y si me equivoque?" [and if i made a mistake?] she took a sip of the soda she had in her hand.

"la vida te lleva a los lugares donde tenias que estar, si tomaste la decision de volverte es porque sentias que era lo correcto y si en algún momento sentis que te queres volver, lo haces pero no pensando en el. pensando en vos." her friend looked at her before kissing her cheek and resting her head on her shoulder. "disfruta que estas aca" [life takes you to where you should be, if you took the decision to come back here it was because you felt it was the right thing for you and if at some point you want to go back to the usa. you do it but not thinking about him, you do it thinking in yourself. (...) enjoy that right now you're here.]

even when november came around and the jacaranda's blossomed, with the city feeling warmer and the nights out he wouldn't leave her mind.

he was radio silent after she left, didn't texted her to see how it was going, he stopped posting things on his instagram. the only glipses she could get was by his mom's instagram or sarah's, maybe topper's if the guy posted more than once every two months.

he watched her stories, it pained him to see her but he wanted to know how it was even without talking. the tiktok her cousin posted when they received her in the airport, the surprise to her grandparents, the happiness of her entire family and friends to have her back in every picture was palpable.

her account was so private with only family, friends and some other person she might know that her post where the same way.

the christmas pictures, the summer pictures, some other weekend out. he felt she posted for him to know how she was doing after all they weren't talking.

they missed their best friend but she looked happy.

that's what matter's he kept repeiting to himself.

When you're not here,

I spend the day counting minutes,

when you're not here,

or I get lost in a dark labyrinth,

when you're not here,

loneliness gives me bad advice.

but the loneliness talked to him in the dark, the loneliness made him want to hate her. he couldn't but he wanted to.

"she left like it was the easiest thing in the world." he said to luke, one of the few friends he kept from college.

"i don't think it was easy for her." luke said setling his coffe cup on the table. "i mean we don't know what it must be like to be a foreigner and being away from your culture."

"yeah it's something she always used to say citing some modern family scene." he looked around the cafe.

"the one where sofia vergara says something about being inteligent in spanish?" rafe nods yes. "i think you were harsh giving her the ultimatum but i respect you if long distance wasn't something you could do."

"i expect to see her walk to our front door everytime i hear noise outside." he chuckles.

When you're not here,

I just hope to see you walk through that door.

What happens when you come back

is that I love you even more.

I'm just waiting for you to return.

when february ended and winter started to shift into spring, rafe found himself being able to go on a date.

had he stopped loving her? no. had he stopped talking to her family? no but he needed to move on with his life.

so when the bell rang while he was getting ready, a confused look invaded his face. he wasn't expecting anyone. 'must be topper' he thought

"topper i've got plans." he said assuming it would be his friend not imagining who would actully be behind the door.

"hola" with shorter hair and a little smile in her face there she stood.

and his heart beated as hard as it always had for her.

"y/n/n."

masterlist

taglist: @chenslucy @gillybear17 @imliterallyamirrorball @nichmeddar @gillybooboo @julczimozart @bellbottombabe @silkylovey @droppedyourhnd @jaydaaasworld @congratsloserr @carrerascameron @m1santhropicc @wearemadeofstardust0 @chiaraanatra @rlalliehayes @ijustwanttoreadlols @sunny1616 @theoraekenslover @isaidoop @ethanthequeefqueen @rafesdrew @loverdrew @frankoceanluvr11 @josephandrewstarkey

[wbbpls]

Platonic Plus One

Chapter 3: Azzi POV

The girls finished getting ready, naturally working around each other. They went down for dinner and started greeting the family. The first to greet them was Azzi’s grandma. 

“Sweetheart, I missed you!”

“I missed you too, Grandma.” Azzi bends down to hug her grandmother. The three women spent time catching up about school, basketball, and summer plans. Eventually, her grandmother switches gears. 

“So no boys to bring home with you, huh darling?”

“No, Grandma. Just focused on basketball.”

“You know Jonathan is here? That sweet boy you went to prom with. His older brother is close to Brandon.” 

“We’re just friends. I’m really fine and just focused on basketball right now.” Azzi tries to smile politely, but she's already heard this a million times.

“Okay, okay, I’ll leave it alone. I trust Paige is looking after you in the meantime.”

“You know it, Grandma Fudd!” 

“Ugh, Paige, don’t enable her.” Azzi whispers when her grandmother walks away. Azzi’s aunt notices the girls from across the room and makes her way over.

Azzi rolls her eyes and whispers to Paige. “Time to get reamed out part 2 about not bringing a guy.”

“Azzi, my love! Paige! It’s so good to see you, beautiful girls.”

“Hey, Aunt Chrissy!” The girls say simultaneously.

“Azzi, before we catch up, I must say it’s so sweet to see how happy you are.”

“Oh, wow, thanks…it’s always nice to see the family.”

“And you, Paige!” Her aunt grabs her hands. “It’s always been you. I’m just so happy!”

Paige had no idea what to say to that. What does it even mean? Before either of the girls could respond, one of the many cousins yelled from the other side of the room. “Yo, Mom, we need you for a picture!”

“Well, duty calls. Oh, and don’t worry, sweetie, I already told the boys to leave you alone.” She winks at the girls and smiles as she walks away.

“Uh, that was weird.”

“Really weird. But like oddly nice? I don’t think she’s ever greeted me like that at a family event.”

“Maybe she’s just a romance gal, you know? Feelin' the vibe of the wedding.”

“Also, when has she ever told a boy to leave me alone?” Azzi is completely lost now. 

“I don’t know, man, but take what you can get. For example, I see a bar that likely has shirley temples. You want anything?”

Azzi chuckles, “Yeah, I’ll take a glass of red wine.”

“You got it, Princess.”

When Paige walks away, one of the groomsmen accidentally bumps into Azzi. “Shit I’m so sorry. Oh my god. You’re Azzi Fudd.”

“Haha, it’s okay. You’re one of Brandon’s groomsmen, right? What’s your name?”

“I’m Jake! I’m pretty sure we are paired to walk down the aisle together.” 

He’s handsome, tall, and respectful, but Azzi finds herself looking to see if Paige is done getting drinks. Azzi tries to make small talk, knowing she needs to spend time with more people than Paige. “I think we are going to have tons of events together this week. Seems like it’s packed with events.”

“Seriously, so many events! My girlfriend is a little annoyed I’ll have to leave her so much. I’m sure Paige gets it, though.” 

“Yeah, luckily, she’s really close with my family, so she’ll get along just fine.”

“Plus, pretty much all of us are coupled off, so our partners can hang together when we are off with our wedding party duties. You and Paige are definitely the coolest couple here, though.”

Azzi freezes. What did he just say?

Her and...Paige? A couple? Not best friends. Not the UConn duo, but a couple. Like...the dating kind of couple? The kind that holds hands, and kisses, and-

Paige walks up, handing Azzi her drink. “Sorry that took so long, Az. It was a long line.”

“Aye, speak of the devil! Sup, I’m Jake, one of the groomsmen.” 

“Oh, hey man, nice to meet you.” 

“You too. I’m a huge fan, by the way!”

“Thank you, I really appreciate it.” 

“It looks like everyone is starting to sit down for dinner. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

As the girls went to sit down, Paige pulled Azzi’s chair out for her, and Azzi noticed her cousin wiggle her eyebrows suggestively. Between her aunt, cousin, and Mrs. Miller, Azzi starts to think no one thinks she and Paige are best friends anymore. She decides to test this theory. 

Azzi leans into Paige, gently touching her shoulder to get her attention. “Do you know if there was anything else for tonight on that schedule?” 

“Hm, no, I don’t think so. Jose brought his PS5 portal remote, so we might play fortnight after this if you’re down.” Paige keeps babbling about random video games, and Azzi notices one of the other bridesmaids smiling at them adoringly. Time to push the limits some more. Azzi begins to run her fingers through Paige’s hair. “Looks like something is in your hair, P., Just getting it out.”

Paige’s eyes flutter closed for a second at the feeling of her fingers. “Thanks, Az.” That same bridesmaid now practically has heart eyes, and she notices her Mom glance over a smile. Did people do this before, too? Nothing is over the top. If anything, this all feels almost normal, as if nothing really changed. 

It’s suddenly getting hard to breathe, and Azzi begins to shake her leg. “Paige, sweetie, could you help me with something real quick?”

Paige looks up from her food mid bite and looks at Azzi as if she asked her to cure some disease. She swallows her bite dramatically. “Uh, sure. You okay, darling?” 

Azzi grabs Paige’s wrist and quickly drags her toward the nearest bathroom. “Yep!” Azzi says with a high voice. Thankfully, it's a one-person bathroom, so no one else is here to hear what she will say, if she can even get it out of her. She paces back and forth, trying to piece it all together. 

“Azzi, what’s wrong? Did someone say something to you?”

“Everyone thinks we’re dating,” Azzi blurts out and stops to look at Paige. She doesn’t want Paige to freak out and leave. 

Paige contorts her face in confusion. “Dude, literally who thinks that?”

“Literally everyone!” Azzi covers her face with her hands. 

“Okay, but why would they think that? Your family knows we’ve been best friends for years.” 

“I don’t know! It’s you and me. Paige and Azzi. It’s just weird.” 

Paige crosses her arms and mumbles, “Aight, it's not the weirdest thing in the world to date me, damn.” 

“Ugh, Paige, not now.” 

“It’s fine, Az. Let’s just go clear things up. They probably assumed that since you brought me as a plus one. You don’t need to worry about anyone thinking you’d actually date me.” Paige moves towards the door to go back to the dining room, but Azzi grabs her arm again. “No, wait.” 

“Dude, you really need to stop grabbing my wrist. There’s going to be an Azzi handprint permanently there by the end of the week.”

“Maybe we just don’t correct them.”

Paige has never whipped her head so fast in her life. “What? W-why would be do that?” 

“Were you not in the same room with my grandma hounding me about dating? Did you not see how nice the rest of my family has been to me since they thought we were dating?  It’s going to be such a long week of everyone up my ass and us dating would this would fix it. Please?”

“Fix it? Us? There isn’t actually an us though, Az!”

“Oh, now the thought of dating me is oh so horrible?

“No! Az, you know I think you’re perfect. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Okay, so date me! It’s just a week, P. We still just act our normal selves most of the time. Then the next time a family member asks I’ll just be like oh yeah, we were better off as friends or something. I just need one week of peace with my family. Please, Paige, I’m begging you!”

“Alright, man, I’ll think about it. I just feel so bad lying to your family.” 

Azzi leans in to hug Paige and sighs. “I get it, P. I won’t pressure you. I’m happy to even have you here.” They stand in that hug for much longer than friends who definitely aren’t dating should. 

Suddenly, a knock at the door breaks them apart. They open the door to find Azzi’s aunt on the other side. “You okay, ladies? The next course is coming, and welcome speeches will start soon.” 

Azzi starts to stutter, not knowing what direction she and Paige agreed on. Luckily, Paige steps in. “Yeah, we’re good.” Then she laces her fingers into Azzi’s hands. “Ready to head back, baby?”

“Uh, y-yeah, babe.” Azzi stutters as she tries to ignore the heat that went through her body when Paige called her baby. Meanwhile, her Aunt Chrissy simply smiles and walks back towards the dining room as if they’ve been calling each other baby for years.