#cause you don't shoo off family that wants to spend time with you

[pastafossa]

I think they approve of my mom's early Christmas gift to them. 😂

[wileys-russo]

the not so secret II barça femeni

part of the pollito universe the not so secret II barça femeni

"alexia, me voy!" you called out from the front door, body already half outside as you heard the girl yell out for you to wait from the bedroom.

"go!" olga mouthed with an encouraging nod, making shooing motions with her hands as you grinned and blew her a kiss, closing the door and racing toward the elevator.

"hey! home by ten nena, don't do anything stupid!" you caught the last of alexia's sentence as her head popped out, eyes narrowing at you as you wiggled your fingers in a wave goodbye from the end of the hall, stepping into the elevator and out of sight.

"esa chica será mi muerte." alexia muttered, shaking her head and retreating inside, rolling her eyes at her girlfriends teasing she was going to get grey hairs if she didn't lighten up.

as far as your captain knew you were going to see your friends, having roped in a few of the younger girls to cover for you as you always needed when you lied to alexia.

a few well placed promises, edible bribes and now alexia was under the assumption you'd be spending the evening at cata's house with vicky, salma and lucía, your alibi air tight.

you didn't necessarily want to lie, but you knew for now that was far easier than telling alexia the truth and all the hoops you'd need to jump through once you did.

you respected the older girl very much, you'd known of her for many years before you'd been properly introduced. having held her and a lot of the senior girls you played alongside now on a pedestal, you wanted to be just like them when you were in the academy.

and now, here you were.

though you enjoyed causing mostly harmless trouble and chaos, hair dye in shampoo, maybe some honey in someones boots, missing belongings well hidden, or even a nail 'accidentally' lodged in someones tyre if they really got into your bad books.

deep down you didn't have a malicious bone in your body and alexia knew that, you were just young and admittedly quite easily convinced into things if they were alluring enough and seemed to hold a benefit for you.

which is why it hadn't taken too long for you to earn alexia's trust when you moved in with her once you solidified your spot in the senior time.

you still had a good relationship with your family but with the training schedule and transport to and from the grounds it just worked out easier for all parties if you moved in with a teammate.

your request to have your own place merely laughed at you'd huffed but internally were quite chuffed alexia was so open and willing to taking you in.

and as much chaos and trouble you found yourself in around your friends and teammates you'd never dare to do anything to mess up your living situation, and you were always finding ways to help around the house however you could.

this lie though was one you needed for not just your own protection, but someone elses.

you knew you were seen as the baby of the team but you were still a teenager with needs and emotions and far too many hormones running through you to ignore the fact you'd developed a crush.

you'd never been in a properly serious relationship, you'd hooked up with people at parties or when you were still attending school during your time at the academy, but you'd never felt like this before.

she worked at a cafe not too far from alexia's apartment, and you'd often rush there of a morning on the rare occurrence of a day off where you awoke before either alexia or olga to get coffees and pastries for the three of you.

it was normally after you'd perhaps taken a harmless joke or prank a step too far and been found out, but if alexia had caught onto that she never mentioned it, though you were fairly sure she knew and just pretended not to for the sake of a free breakfast.

at first the girl just caught your eye and you thought she was attractive, stumbling over your words a little when she took your order but missing the way she'd suddenly appear by the register every time you walked in, your regular order already punched in even if she was rostered on the floor that day.

one day you'd decided to actually sit down and eat properly, struggling a little with the new set pieces you'd gotten alexia's permission to bring them with you to study before the game on the weekend, and after some caffeine to help.

though all of that went out the window the moment the girl sat down across from you, announcing she was on her break and would you mind if she ate with you, and it was safe to say you didn't even glance at the set pieces that whole afternoon.

she was a month older than you and still in school, she worked weekends and afternoons at the cafe which was owned by her godmother and you quickly learned the pair of you had a lot more in common than you'd first thought.

your crush growing ten fold right after that impromptu lunch together you'd immediately confided in the rest of the kids on the team, with varying levels of helpful and horrible advice about what to do.

but with a lot of the girls already in relationships you took some of their less poor advice and after two failed attempts when you chickened out, the girl caught onto what you were trying to do and asked you out on a date.

that was two months ago and now you were sat next to your girlfriend in a cosy little restaurant on the outskirts of the city that jana had recommended, having taken her own girlfriend jill there after they stumbled across it by accident one day.

your girlfriend knew next to nothing about sports which was refreshing as most of your close connections were all based around football, and it was nice to actually talk about anything but football with someone.

the sneaking around wasn't the easiest but it wasn't as hard as you'd worried, especially with your friends always loyal and ready to create you a solid cover story. plus between both you and your girlfriends hectic schedules with work, school and football you didn't get to see one another every day.

which is why tonight was long overdue and the pair of you hadn't yet run out of things to talk about despite speaking on the phone nearly every night and texting all day long.

but what you'd failed to remember was that alexia and olga had plans of their own tonight, which you'd been informed of but distracted trying to think of what to wear to dinner you'd barely listened, humming your fake interest and caught up in your own thoughts.

which was about to bite you in the ass.

so caught up in listening to your girlfriend you'd missed two very familiar faces enter the restaurant and take a seat at a table on the other side of the room, thanking the young boy who handed them a menu each and left them to decide.

but when he'd then come over to your table to take your order, another set of eyes with a question about the house special had sought him out, and suddenly your secret little date night wasn't so secret anymore.

"what? whats wrong?" ingrid asked with a confused frown as her girlfriend suddenly grabbed her wrist, shaking it to gain her attention and furiously nodding her head across the room.

"what are you-" the norwegian glanced over her shoulder, following the spaniards eyeline and putting two and two together. "is that-" though her question was answered for her as the young boy finished taking your order and moved out of the way.

"pollito told alexia she was at cata's watching movies, when really she has snuck out on a date...furtivo furtivo." mapi tutted with a shake of her head, corner of her mouth tugging upwards into a sly smile ingrid recognized all too well.

"maría, you do not even know what is actually going on. you are jumping to conclusions! they could just be friends." ingrid tried to defend you, though another glance in your direction seeing your girlfriend drape her arm across the back of your shoulders and peck your lips a few times making you laugh shut that right down.

"oh? and i suppose they are just friends, the way that you and i are just friends hm amor?" mapi grinned victoriously as ingrid sighed.

"we could just call alexia and cancel, or say it was too busy here and we should go somewhere else." ingrid again tried to defend you, knowing as much as she was also protective that you did deserve a life of your own.

"too late for that mi amor, the clock has just run out for our dear pollito." mapi chuckled, nodding toward the door where sure enough alexia and olga had just arrived, directed toward the table by the hostess who they both gave a warm smile to and made their way over.

"you could at least warn her." "amor, if the nena wants to date like an adult, then she can handle this herself like an adult." the defender shrugged, waving to their friends as ingrid sighed but none the less plastered a smile on her face.

meanwhile you were none the wiser to the double date and the storm brewing across the room, far too wrapped up in your little love bubble as your sole focus was on your girlfriend.

you were discussing plans for your seventeenth birthday next week, the girl having met some of your friends but not yet your parents you were readying yourself to ask if she would come to dinner with them next week to cross that hurdle.

you weren't worried for their reactions by any means, they'd never had any problems with your sexuality but this would still be the first real partner you'd be bringing home, and that carried a responsibility you knew would affect your girlfriend as well as you.

you'd met her godmother a couple of weeks in, the woman with eyes like a hawk had noticed you hanging around more and caught on that maybe the two of you were a little more than friends.

but sworn to secrecy the woman had never betrayed that, and you thought that maybe if you introduced your girlfriend to your parents, she might introduce you to hers next and everything would feel a little less secret.

but it would seem that fate had other ideas for how your night was to go.

it had taken alexia a shockingly long amount of time to notice you, and mapi an awfully large amount of patience not to tell her right away.

though once the catalan eventually did notice, doing a double take as her neck whipped back around as she was sure her eyes were playing tricks on her, there wasn't anything anyone could say to have her stay in her seat.

"no ale, mi amor we should leave her-" olga couldn't even finish her sentence before alexia was up, shaking off her girlfriends hand which grabbed at the hem of her shirt in a failed attempt to tug her back down.

you'd just finished your entrees, laughing at a story your girlfriend was very animatedly telling about a customer getting publicly called out by his girlfriend for cheating today, with paper print outs of receipts and everything, when a shadow appeared.

you'd assumed it was the waiter coming to take your empty plates, just glancing up with a smile and looking back at your girlfriend who'd suddenly gone silent, unable to look away as your hair suddenly stood on end and slowly you looked back upward.

"hola, pequeña." there was a bite to her tone you recognized right away, having only heard it a handful of times but you knew you'd really stepped in it this time.

"hola capi." you managed out meakly, your girlfriends arm across the back of your shoulders suddenly feeling as heavy as a steel pipe as you shifted a little and felt her pull away, immediately scooting across to set some distance between you both.

"alexia i can explain-" you couldn't handle the thick tension of silence as her eyes bore down into you, the blonde shaking her head.

"sí? bien. you and your...friend, can join us for dinner and i will hear all about it." the girl smiled but it didn't reach her eyes, a glance around her causing you to wince spotting the other three across the room.

"look uh...miss putellas, i really don't want to get her into any-" your girlfriend started nervously. "alexia is fine." the older girl cut her off sharply, the girl beside you mouth opening and closing like a fish, both of your faces flushed bright red in embarrassment.

"ale can we talk in private? por favor." you stood suddenly, nervously playing with your fingers as the blonde looked you up and down for a moment before nodding curtly.

"volveré, lo siento." you apologized quietly to your girlfriend who nodded in understanding, alexia making her way toward the front of the restaurant as you hurried after her, the two of you stepping outside into the warm evening air.

"explain then nena, rápido." your captain demanded firmly, crossing her arms and staring you down as you shrunk beneath her harsh gaze.

"she is my girlfriend, i met her at that cafe near your apartment on the corner, her godmother runs it. i have been seeing her for a couple of months now." you admitted, fidgeting with the rings on your right hand and refusing to meet alexia's eyes.

"and cata? jana? vicky? los niñas have been covering for you, helping you to lie to me." the spanish captain asked as you nodded, knowing anything but the truth right now would only dig you into a deeper hole.

"do your parents know? have they met her?" alexia questioned next and you shook your head. "she is meeting them next week, for my birthday. we actually just talked about it, she'd agreed to come to dinner with them right before you..." you trailed off as alexia hummed.

"ale por favor i will do hill sprints, laps, clean the changing rooms, wash boots, extra training, anything you want but don't make us sit and eat with all of you like kids. i know you all look at me like the baby of the team but this is my first real relationship and i don't want to mess it up." you disclosed quietly, alexia sighing and uncrossing her arms.

"how did you both get here?" the blonde asked as you chanced a glance toward her, seeing her hardened features had softened just a little.

"her godmother drove us. but ale she was going to make sure i was home by nine even if curfew is ten, she has school tomorrow and i have training and-" you started to ramble, falling silent as she held up a hand.

"vale. you may both eat by yourselves but i will drive you home when we are done, and you can tell me more about her." the last few words were a lot more gentle and it had you looking up with a frown, confused by her sudden switch up.

"you are not mad?" you asked hesitantly as alexia cracked a small smile and shook her head.

"a little disappointed you did not feel like you could come to me pequeña but i understand why you did not, you have amigas for that and you confided in them. if they are happy to lie for you to help you, then she must be worth it." alexia nodded behind you and into the restaurant.

"she is, i really like her." you smiled as alexia opened her arms, allowing you to dart into them and exhale. "todavía siento haber mentido." you mumbled, alexia ruffling your hair and letting you go.

"lo sé nena, you can make it up to me with coffee tomorrow...and extra laps for you and your asociados." you sighed at that but nodded none the less, knowing you were not going to be popular tomorrow among your friends at training tomorrow.

"and you will invite your girlfriend over for dinner, friday night." you were stunned at that, alexia looking back at you unfazed. "but-" you couldn't even finish your sentence, the blonde cutting you off.

"i promised your parents i would look after you nena, and i will keep that promise. so you will ask her over for dinner and i will get to know her, make sure she is good enough for you before she meets your parents." the girl smiled as you sighed, knowing there wasn't a point in arguing as you simply nodded.

"ve con tu pollito, and i will be watching." alexia smirked as you rolled your eyes and shoved her playfully, ducking away as she grabbed for you, following after you inside with a chuckle.

"oh no." you mumbled seeing your girlfriend was indeed where you'd left her, but your seat had been filled and she was not alone.

"-but then i found her in the closet and i shaved her eyebrow! it is funny it actually took a long time to grow back and she had to draw it on and-" your eyes widened catching the last of mapi's story as you hurried to the table.

"oye pollito! i was just speaking to your friend about you." mapi grinned, ingrid mouthing an apology and tugging on her girlfriends shirt with a firm look which the spaniard waved off.

"mapi. por favor, váyase." you requested through gritted teeth, ingrid mumbling something to her girlfriend who stood. "

qué? i am just being friendly nena! looking out for our pequeña bebé." the defender pinched your cheeks and cooed, ingrid wincing as your girlfriend hid a laugh behind her hand.

"maría, you can tease her tomorrow. leave the nena to her dinner!" ingrid warned as you caught her eye, all but dragging the smirking spaniard back to their table where olga and alexia were waiting. "hey mapi?" you called out as she raised an eyebrow, pausing for a moment.

"you are back on my list, imbécil."

[mrpenguinpants]

Look, but don't touch. [ Harbinger Edition ]

— You're the only one who's allowed to touch him. Likewise, he's the only one that's allowed to touch you.

— Childe, Pantalone, Scaramouche, and Dottore

[Masterlist]

Love Language Series | Touch [ Here ] | Actions | Time | Words | Gifts

This is written before the Sumeru quest. Harbingers are their own warning.

This was a fever dream, incredibly self-indulgent, don't talk to me about this ok. Honestly don't even wanna tag people in this (´。＿。｀)

Tartaglia

Childe is friendly but he always keeps himself at arm's distance from anyone who isn't his family. The kind of guy that acts like he loves everyone but he truly doesn't like anyone. Always polite but never kind. He won't be outwardly hostile if one of the cicin mages decides she wants to try her luck and cuddle up to him, he sort of admires her bravery, but the hardened stare and indifferent response are awkward enough for anyone to bail halfway.

So what a surprise to everyone when it's Childe himself that pulls you into him. It's not a friendly hug either, he quite literally drags you into his embrace as soon as he sees you, locks his arms around your waist, and spins you around. Before he catches himself and gently settles you down and pretends as if he didn't boldly announce to everyone that you're special.

He is a harbinger at the end of the day so any intimate relationships he has need to be hidden lest he puts you in danger. That said, he doesn't do a very good job. He gets agitated and fidgety if he can't hold you, longing gazes in your direction even if someone else is speaking to him about something important. Whether it's shooing specks of dust off your shoulder, a tap on the arm, or the brief brush of your fingers against his whenever he hands something to you. He always finds some way to touch you.

It's always the worst and best time to speak with Childe if you happen to be there. On the upside, Childe is more likely to give his approval to whatever his subordinates ask just so they go away and leave you both alone. On the downside, because physical touch somehow makes Childe drowsy and almost drunk, he's useless.

It wasn't always like this. During your first months as something more than friends, not quite lovers, he kept you at an arm's distance just like everyone else. Only the occasional arm over your shoulder or a hand on the small of your back, just enough to show you that you meant something to him. But over time, those touches began to linger until the dynamic shifted and he began to rely on your touches to keep him sated. On particularly stressful days, he'll pull you aside into his office with a rushed excuse to just hold you in his lap. He's recharging, don't make tease him.

But he's not a selfish lover. If you need comfort or just want to be held, he'll gladly throw his plans out the window just to spend time with you. What's wrong? Did someone upset you? Want me to take care of them? He'll offer anything to make you feel better while you're cuddled up to him and it makes his heart flutter when you say you just want to stay beside him. He has a bad habit of resting his entire weight on top of you if you're both ever lying down. All that muscle is heavy but sometimes it's comfortable until his elbow accidentally digs into your side.

Childe can be polite if someone else wants to touch him but he's baring his teeth at anyone that has the audacity to place their hands on you. If someone bumps into you? He's fine, accidents happen. Someone moves you to the side? Whatever he won't throw a fit over that. He believes in the below-the-shoulder, above-the-waist, hands not included, rule. If anyone touches you, it's the only time when Childe will throw his reputation out the window.

Scaramouche likes to compare him to a dog and he'll gladly growl and bark if that's what it takes for people to get the hint and leave you alone. He'll slide his arms around your waist, tilt your chin up, and without any concern about the scene that this will cause, kisses you deeply. All the while sending the nastiest glare to the person that touched you. Look, don't touch. You're his.

Childe likes to believe that he has self-restraint. He's a soldier first and foremost so he has discipline beaten into his bones. But right now he's close to snapping the pen in his hands and hurling it into that bastard's forehead. He can feel Ekaterina's concerned gaze on him, shifting on her feet nervously, as she struggles to push through her explanation of his assignment quickly. Unfortunately, it's all white noise to Childe as all of his attention is on the cicin mage whose being a bit too friendly for his liking.

"Lord Tartaglia?"

Of course, you don't blink twice at it. He's seen how that loud electro pirate dotes on you and is overly physically affectionate herself. Maybe he should also fight her as well after he's done dealing with this cicin mage.

"Childe?" Ekaterina tries one last time, using a more familiar name to see if that would catch her superior's attention but alas, he was too busy glaring daggers into her college. Ekaterina raises a hand to lightly tap on her superior's shoulder to get his attention but just as her fingertips brush against the fabric of his uniform, Childe's death glare is directed at her. She flinches away from the otherwise easy-going Childe, her mask doing little to hide her startled expression.

"Sorry, sorry, not meant for you," Childe blinks away the hate from his ocean eyes, coming to his senses as he runs a hand through his hair, "What were you saying?"

"There is no need to apologize, Lord Tartaglia, I overstepped," Ekaterina, bless her heart, waves off the sudden aggression but takes a step back. Before she can continue, she overhears you saying goodbye to the mage and your footsteps coming closer. A small surprised noise escapes your chest as Childe pulls you into his arms immediately. If she didn't know Childe, she could almost say his expression was a bit cute with how pouty he was being. Although the look in his eyes says otherwise now that she was just on the receiving end. This seems to be a common occurrence because you just giggle and hug him back just as tightly.

"Please don't harm her. She was just being nice," you mumble into his chest.

"I'll think about it," he says, his eyes never leaving the mage.

Pantalone

On the one hand, the banker always carries this prestige that makes most people stay away in awe. No one wants to get on the wrong side of the man who basically funds the country of Snezhnaya. On the other hand, Pantalone has an ethereal beauty that compels people to come closer and touch. To see if the porcelain skin is real, feel if he's muscular or lean under the heavy fabric, or sneak a peek at what colour the banker's eyes are. It makes you kind of giddy knowing that this man belongs to you. That you know the answer to all these speculations.

You aren't sure when it started happening but at some point, he always ends up sort of mindlessly touching him. Placing a hand on his arm or knee, running your fingers through his hair, or gently rubbing away the stress from his shoulders. There wasn't an ulterior motive, Pantalone was just too handsome that you can't help but touch him just to make sure he's real. He thought you were overexaggerating a bit but he seemed deeply pleased at your confession since it was coming from you personally. That egotistical bastard.

But he always reciprocated your touch. Offering an arm for you to hold onto, brushing the hair out of your face, or rubbing small circles into your hand. Small gestures of affection would occasionally lead to more. The fact that Pantalone of all people let you be this close was something you secretly prided in yourself. You couldn't help but rub his newfound privilege in front of anyone that got too close that this elegant man was yours to hold. Look all you want but you're the only one that gets to touch.

You weren't aware of Pantalone's level of aversion to touch until he almost caused a scene at a gathering. It was meant more for looks and reputation, the occasional business talk, but overall a lax evening. One of the ladies thought it would be a good gesture to place her hand against Pantalone's arm. A bit flirty but innocent enough that the sheer disdain that swirled in Pantalone's eyes made her flinch away surprised. He struck her hand away, the sound carrying through the now-silent ballroom as everyone turned to the sound. You were surprised as well that Pantalone of all people, the image of control and ever-smiling, lips turned down into a repulsed scowl. Your feet quickly moved over to him, quietly excusing the woman for her careless act, and ushering her away before anything escalated. No one spoke of that night.

Ever since then you've always kept your hands firmly glued to your sides lest you feel his anger. If you happened to brush against his finger you would splutter out apologies and scamper away. If you felt his hand hover near you, you always assumed you were in the way and quickly moved aside for him. Overall, you acted as if it was you that was uncomfortable with touch. With each passing day that you fled from his hand, the crease in Pantalone's frown grew deeper.

It comes to a head one night when you get to see how Pantalone's aversion to touch applies to you as well. Occasionally some wealthy noble will host a gala and as one of the Tsaritsa Harbingers, Pantalone will be required to be present for at least one of them. Given his status, most of the attendees flock over to him which leaves poor you to meander about and find something to do with the time. Despite being his lover, you're not privy to what goes on with his work and frankly, the business talk and parties bore you. At least these places have food.

He sees you conversing with a man he knows is from Liyue, hoping to find more investors and trade partners here in Snezhnaya. He's already spoken to the man and rejected his offer so that's most likely why he's speaking to you, the banker's partner to garner sympathy. Although from the looks of things, you don't seem that impressed either. You notice his stare, perhaps his expression betrays him because your eyes grow concerned before giving a polite bow and turning to walk away and to him. If that was all then perhaps tonight wouldn't have ended so badly.

The man grabs your arm painfully enough for you to whimper and that's all Pantalone needs. He doesn't even try to hide his expression behind a smile, his lips set into a straight line. He grabs the man's arm tightly, the leather of his gloves crinkling from the force, and he nearly breaks the man's arm. How dare this inferior social climber put his filthy hands on you. You have to plead with him to let the man go, desperately trying to pry his grip away as the businessman begs the Harbinger on his knees that he didn't know.

Pantalone-

Pantalone is pissed.

You've never seen him this angry before. The lady all those nights ago doesn't even compare close to the anger radiating off him. His fingers flex still as he leads you away into an isolated hallway. You're not even sure if he knows where he's going, completely blindsided by rage. So you quickly step closer and throw your arms around him, stopping him in his tracks as you bury your face into the soft fabric of his suit.

"It's okay. I'm okay," you whisper softly into his back. You're not afraid, he won't get angry, not with you. Never with you. But it still pains you to see him this way. You feel more than you hear his deep sigh before slowly turning around and taking you into his arms. "Thank you. I didn't mean to start anything, you just looked displeased and I got worried. Oh, I'm sorry-"

You quickly move to shuffle out of Pantalone's hold but you can barely get two steps back before his touch grows firm and you're trapped. Despite how strong his hold is, he gently tilts your chin up so you can look into his pretty eyes. He really does have a nice eye colour you think in the back of your mind.

"You've been avoiding me. Care to enlighten me as to why that's the case? Did someone feed your mind with little lies?" Pantalone sounds coy but you can hear the undertone of worry. As if he's done something wrong which you quickly shake your head to.

"W-Well, that incident with the lady from a few weeks ago, the one in the red and black dress, you looked really angry when she touched you so..." you trailed off as your eyes look at anywhere that isn't the man in front of you, nervously twisting the cuff of your sleeve. When you actually hear it back it does sound a bit ridiculous to believe that but you just didn't want to make him uncomfortable. Or make him act a certain way just because you liked physical touch or to uphold appearances.

"And you thought you were comparable to people like that? That I would allow special treatment just because you were mine? That I would reciprocate to anyone but you?"

You fumble a bit at how honest his words are, searching for some way to justify yourself but at the end of the day, you'll knock your head against the wall for how stupid your logic is. So you stand on your tip toes and reach hesitantly up towards his face. Pantalone's face reminds neutral but he slowly leans into his touch, his muscles finally relaxing just by your touch.

Scaramouche

How the hell he tolerates you is anyone's guess. How the hell you tolerate him is Celestia's guess. He has the worst attitude, is quick to anger, flaunts his authority wherever he goes, and is overall a terrible person to be around. Yet every time he looks over his shoulder, you're always one step away from kicking at his heels. Which you have accidentally done before and somehow survived so he must like you a smidge. You tell him it's because it's out of spite that you're still here and spite is a powerful feeling. He of all people should know.

Scaramouche despises anyone being within his personal space, which is already a pretty big range, so the idea of someone touching him is repulsive to him. If he somehow was in danger and someone touched him in order to save his life, he would probably throw a fit and shock them. Their only reward is that he doesn't kill them. It's not like he has to worry too much, no one really wants to be in his presence longer than they have to and any admirers are quickly turned off within the first couple of seconds. Which makes it all the more baffling that you still hang around him and test just how far you can poke his limits.

The first time you touched him was by accident. Someone had bumped into you causing you to fall into Scaramouche. Luckily for you, you managed to put your hands out first and brace yourself against the wall but you had successfully caged the Balladeer between your arms. If you weren't currently fearing for your life you might have laughed at the horrified expression on the Harbinger's face. The only reason you survived that day was that Tartaglia chose that exact moment to waltz in and frankly, he was a far bigger headache than you were.

He's not sure how you managed to worm your warm into his cold non-existent heart but at some point, he got used to your presence in his life. A few words to take care of himself, extra paperwork being filled, or shooing away other soldiers so he could have space. All of these acts of kindness were met with half-baked insults and suspicious looks. Every time he asked you why the hell you were acting like he was some helpless doll you always answered the same, you just felt like it and he looked like he kinda needed it. Which was so baffling to him that you managed to walk away with your head intact.

It started off with small things. Like you're both feral cats that are trying to co-exist in the same alleyway. You always announce your presence, give him enough time to leave, and your touch is barely there. You never do anything close to intimate, never hold his hand or hold his face, and he never reciprocates ever. Although it speaks volumes when he doesn't push you away ever. You're always nearby, sitting close, and you both exist contently.

But just like a feral cat, with enough time and love, even they will begin to grow comfortable and domesticated. The look on his subordinate's face was hilarious when little old you waltzed over to the sixth harbinger, plopped down into his personal space, and literally sprawled yourself over his lap to see what he was looking at. Just to one-up the absurdness, Scaramouche didn't seem bothered in the slightest, only calling you an idiot for not being able to read the document that was right in his hands.

Although there are some downsides to being so close to Scaramouche. He's possessive with the power the enforce his pride. You have to constantly scold him that he can't go frying anyone that comes within two feet of you. It's hardly efficient and it's annoying having to scream just to know what time it is.

The you from years ago would have balked at how casual you were speaking with the infamous Balladeer.

"All I'm saying is you sound like a possessive maniac," you huff, your arms crossing over your chest as you frown down at the sitting man. You doubt he's even paying attention to you because if he isn't throwing spite around then he's filtering you out of his mind. Scaramouche barely acknowledges your words, still fiddling around with the Electro Archon's gnosis. It gives off faint sparks of electro every time he rolls it over his fingers but he doesn't give any signs of pain. Maybe because he's an electro-user? Either way, he's obviously not listening to you. You let out a loud sigh before shrugging and turning on your heel to walk back into the camp. Suddenly, his hand shoots out and latches onto your wrist and he's yanking you down. The you from years ago would have fainted seeing you sprawled over your superior's lap. As your vision tilts to the sky you can't help but think that for such a small body, he sure has a lot of strength. He wears a bored expression, his other hand is cradling his head while his elbow is on his knee, before a nasty smirk makes its way over his face.

"Yeah? So what?" Scaramouch says, his hand stopping to firmly hold the gnosis, though now one of his hands is now settled on your hip. You blink. Huh, you...weren't exactly expecting the ever-prideful Balladeer to blatantly admit that.

"Well, the "what" is that it makes it incredibly inconvenient to talk to anyone. Everyone avoids me like the plague because their scared you're doing to kick down their door and attack them," you pout, grumpily adjusting your head to lay on his knee, "Also you need to eat more. You make a horrible headrest."

"That's fine. You won't need anyone else," he says dismissively.

You open your mouth to say something but the look in his eyes makes you falter. He's serious. A mixture of a past memory, the present moment of you both together, and a far-off dream all dance in his eyes. It's a look you've never seen before on Scaramouche's face despite how long you've worked under him and you can't help but be mesmerized by it. It's likely the first and last time you'll ever see him be honest. But it's quickly over as his eyes morph into snarky glee, his lips pulling into a mean grin.

"You look stupid."

Il Dottore

People are downright terrified to even be in the same room as the infamous doctor. There's never a safe moment and anyone could be the next test subject depending on his mood. It doesn't matter who it is, even his own segments, if someone touches him that means they've just volunteered to be his next experiment. It's suffocating when Dottore is out and not locked in his lab because everyone need's to be hyperaware of where the doctor is located in the room. So to say that Dottore tolerates you is a massive understatement.

He actually quite likes to parade you around, almost like you're his newest addition to his collection. Touch isn't a problem for him if he's the one initiating it given how often he's dragging you around like you're some pet. He's not gentle in the slightest, nearly pulling your arm out in his crazed rush to show you his newest creation. You would joke and say that in moments like these, he's the one that acts like the pet. Too excited to show its owner its newest achievements. But you have a sliver of sanity in your mind so you keep your mouth shut.

Every moment with Dottore is a warped sense of time. You've been with the Doctor for a long time, before he became a Harbinger, and you don't know how your relationship progressed to this stage. You're walking on a tightrope of old colleges that are too intertwined with history to be separated or co-dependent individuals that need death to finally leave each other. So when he touches you softly, affectionally, you stumble and fall off your rope. The mad doctor laughing from above, arms still outstretched from where he's pushed you.

Half of it is madness, and half of it is out of genuine love. Although, to Dottore, madness and love are the same things. His acts of affection are spontaneous and equally as fleeting. One second he's rattling off medical terms and theories, pauses in his rant just to give you a deep kiss no matter who's around you to witness the act, and proceeds as if nothing happens. That's not to say you don't enjoy it when he decides to reward you, you just wished it wasn't in front of so many people. You suspect he does it on purpose.

There's no softness or quiet time aside from the very very few and far between moments Dottore decides to indulge you. He's a busy man, his mind only built for progress, and he has better things to do than to play pretend. But for you, the one who forcibly carved space into his heart, he can make arrangements. Only for a short while. Some days he may hold you as if you'll shatter if he squeezes any harder, other days he'll push your hair away from your eyes quietly, and one day he kisses you as if you're something more.

Unlike Dottore, you don't have an intimidating reputation. People can touch you if they want to. It makes you a bit happy when Childe will pat you on the back or ruffle your hair cheekily. He's also one of the few who can get away with it as well since Dottore can't physically harm him for touching you since he's a fellow Harbinger. Besides, people speak with their eyes more. Since that doesn't qualify as anyone touching you, Dottore won't do anything. So they stare.

They stare at how the Harbinger holds you in a special place. You aren't remarkable, you're the same as the rest of them. Yet you're untouchable and invincible from the man who can change their entire lives. Mistakes occur frequently when Dottore is in the room, the slip of a finger because everyone is too focused on staying out of the Doctor's way. You get to stand beside someone like that.

It's been a hard day. A very hard day. You're absolutely exhausted and ready to curl up into a ball as soon as you get to your room. You aren't even sure what exactly happened. One second you were doing your job and the next your head was on the ground with a pulsing pain on your right cheek. It's not unusual for patients to lash out but under those circumstances, they don't have anything to do with you intimately. You know what people think about your relationship with Dottore. What people who only glimpse into the relationship you have with him think. Usually, they stay silent, only judging you with their eyes but always silent. That is until nearly 10 minutes ago.

"You're late."

You barely react when you hear his voice. Of course, it's him. God, what bad timing. He's the last person you want to see right now, especially in this state. You only give him a nod and mumbled out apologies, stumbling over your feet like a newborn lamb when his hand latches onto your wrist to drag you off again. You think you might have his fingerprints as bruises now. Another thing people can mistakenly think about your relationship. You only know you're crying when you hear the splatter of your tears against the tiled floors and Dottore's footsteps come to a halt. His grip on you has gotten tighter.

You're startled out of your wallowing when warm hands cup your face, brushing your tears away. His gloves are off. When did he take them off? Dottore simply looks at you as you silently cry. You're too tired to apologize, too tired to break down in sobs. Your arms hang uselessly at your sides but you close your eyes and lean into his touch.

"Give me their name."

He whispers it softly. You think back at the girl that struck you. You think she's new, she has to be. You know that if you say her name, you won't see her tomorrow. But you're too tired right now. So with no hesitation, you volunteer her to become the next test subject.

[wonderlandleighleigh]

Lenny realizing he finally has the stable family he never had as a kid

Sundays are good.

Yes, he's tired from the gig the night before, but when he wakes up in the morning, Midge is using him as a pillow, and he can hear the TV playing softly in the living room, meaning at least one kid is awake.

He messily grabs for his watch on his bedside table and squints. Eight.

"Sweetheart," he mutters. "We have about ten minutes before the kids bust down the door."

She huffs and snuggles in closer. "That's not enough time for a quickie."

"We'll fit one in tonight after we put 'em to bed," he promises.

Midge giggles a little against his chest. "Fit one in."

He laughs. "Midge."

"Getting it out of my system before-"

"Mama!" Esther calls, swinging open the door. "Mama the milkman skipped us again. Did you call him a bad name?"

Midge lifts her head and thinks for a moment. "No. Yes. Maybe. I'll fix it."

"What did you say to the milkman?" Lenny asks, bewildered.

"Nothing a grown adult can't handle," Midge promises.

"I'm making toast!" Kitty calls from the kitchen. "Who wants toast?!"

"Me!" Lenny calls, and is joined by everyone else in the house. "I'll go help."

Midge holds him tighter. "Esther go away for a second."

"But-"

"Shoo, we'll be right out."

She does, and once she's gone, Midge leans in and kisses Lenny slowly.

It's easy to fall into it, wrap his arms around her and hold her close.

She smiles against his lips. "Mm. Morning."

"Good morning, Wife-shaped person in my bed," he teases.

She grins and they both get up and start getting ready for the day.

*****

Everyone eats toast. The kids drink juice and the adults drink coffee, and they watch a little TV together before the flurry of activity starts up again.

Ethan heads out to play baseball with some friends, and Kitty and Esther go to the park, taking snacks and jump ropes with them. Lily is too small to go without a grownup, but she does get handed off to Rose a little while later so Abe can give her a piano lesson.

They spend the afternoon doing some cleaning, and working on their acts, and Lenny winds up being the one to call the milkman, telling him Midge has a deep psychosis that causes her to say terrible things, but also, he's got to stop rubbing her long-ago divorce in her face.

It goes south from there.

"How'd it go?" Midge asks as she folds laundry in their bedroom.

Lenny flops down face first onto the bed. "I call him a twat waffle."

Midge bursts into surprised laughter. "Lenny!"

"I'm right!"

"We're never getting milk again," Midge keeps laughing. "Ethan will murder us all."

Lenny rolls over, grinning as he rubs his face. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine," Midge shakes her head. "We'll figure it out."

"Maybe we can let Ethan kill the milkman and then we'll have a new one who doesn't know you're on your second marriage."

Midge laughs again and sits down next to him, kissing him softly. "We'll figure it out."

*****

Ethan comes home and grabs a shower, and the girls get back from the park. Rose and Abe come over with Lily and stay for dinner as Midge cooks for everyone, and Lenny plays cards with the kids on the floor.

"Really, Lenny they can entertain themselves," Rose points out.

"They're the ones entertaining me," Lenny grins at her.

They all eat dinner together, and Lenny cuts up Lily's food for her, simultaneously making sure Esther doesn't pilfer anyone's wine.

It's nice.

It's really nice.

Abe and Rose don't stay too late, eager to get home and turn in so they can get up early in the morning, and eventually they manage to get the kitchen clean and the kids to bed.

"it's funny," he says quietly as they get ready for bed. "When I was a kid I always wanted this. Just...normal days spent with family. And then when I got older, I told myself I didn't want it anymore. That it was boring. That it wasn't for me."

"I hate to break it to you," Midge says, wrapping her arms around his middle. "But we're not that normal. You called the milkman a twat waffle."

"I'm still-"

She kisses him deeply before he can finish that sentence, and he drops the subject in favor of holding her close.

"So you wanted this as a kid," she says softly. "And then you told yourself you didn't want it. And now you have it. How does it feel?"

Lenny takes a breath, thinking that over. "Good. Milkman drama notwithstanding."

Midge laughs softly and tugs him towards the bed.

[aurorasilverthorne]

Vampires Don't Fall In Love: Chapter #1

Disclaimer: I own nothing! The Bailey School Kids book series and all its characters belong to the authors Debbie Dadey and Marcia Jones.

Note: Mr. Lobo is my OC and belongs to me. If you want to use him in fanart or fanfiction, you are welcome to do so, but please remember to credit me as his creator. Thank you!

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

Summary: Ben has known Kilmer's grandmother, Madame Hauntly, since he was nine. This story chronicles their friendship and the ways in which it changes throughout the decades while also telling Mrs. Jeepers' love story. All the children still believe Madame Hauntly, Mrs. Jeepers and Boris Hauntly are vampires and that Mrs. Jeepers' ex-boyfriend is a really werewolf. Turns out they're right! Now what?

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

Chapter One:

~◇~

Ben had never met anyone like Kilmer Hauntly’s grandmother. Madame Catalina Hauntly was a willowy, pale woman with a Romanian accent, green eyes and raven black hair that fell to her hips. She wore a black dress so long it hid her feet and had lengthy, bright green fingernails that seemed to glow in the dark.

Most adults said she was weird. Children in the neighborhood thought she was a vampire. Ben didn’t care. He adored her.

Madame Hauntly was different from other grandmothers. She only came out at night, told the most amazing stories and loved to climb trees. Ben always spent time with her when she visited the Hauntlys.

Well…not always.

Ben sighed.

He’d broken an arm a week ago doing stunts on his skateboard. The cast itched!

He tried to use a fork to scratch the skin beneath the fiberglass, but that ended the moment his mom saw. She confiscated the fork and sent him to his room.

Ben plopped down in front of his bedroom window to watch all his neighbors go about their day. Mr. Davis, the principle at Bailey Elementary, watered his garden and shooed Kilmer’s cat Sparky off his lawn. Ben waved to Mr. Lobo, the music teacher, who had been spending his free time at Mrs. Jeepers’ repairing and renovating the old Clancy Estate.

Annie and Jane ran by on their way to the local playground to play soccer with Carey, Eddie and the other kids.

“We’re going to Doodleburger afterward. Want us to pick you up a milkshake?” Annie asked.

Ben shook his head. “It would melt by the time you brought it back. Thanks anyway though.”

Jane shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Ben watched them hurry down Dedman Street and disappear around the corner. He wished he could go, but all the jostling would mess up his arm worse than it already was.

What bummed Ben out most was knowing he’d have to miss out on Madame Hauntly’s visit. She was due to arrive early that evening.

He wouldn’t get to hear about her childhood home at the feet of the Transylvania Alps, learn more about the Hauntly family history or take her to a movie at the cinema that had just opened over on Main Street. Ben knew how much she liked dark, cool places.

He and Kilmer had planned on treating her to dinner at Jewel’s Pizza Castle. Madame Hauntly had promised they’d all climb the old oak tree together.

“This stinks!” Ben glared at his cast. “I can’t climb trees or play ball with this stupid thing stuck on my arm.”

He tried playing video games, but it was practically impossible to reach the next level when he only had one good arm. He eventually gave up and turned off the television figuring he’d skip supper and go to bed early.

Ben was beginning to doze off when he heard a tapping at his window. He turned over to see what it was then remembered he’d closed the drapes. He slid off the bed and pulled them open.

Nothing.

Ben frowned. “Huh? I could’ve sworn I heard-“

A face appeared in the window. Ben cried out and jumped back before realizing it was Madame Hauntly perched gracefully on the ledge outside his window.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” she said. “Kilmer told me about your arm. I hope it isn’t causing you pain.”

“I’m okay. It’s just…I can’t have any fun with my arm stuck in a cast. The doctor says I’ll have to keep it on until the bone heals. How am I gonna play sports or climb stuff with this thing?”

Madame Hauntly hummed in thought. “Well, climbing trees and playing sports might be out of the question until your arm is healed, but there are other ways to have fun.”

“Like what?”

Madame Hauntly smiled giving him a glimpse of her sharp eye teeth. “A movie? Or pizza and ice cream, perhaps? I spoke to your parents. You and I will be eating pizza and going to see a movie. Wash up and meet me out in the yard. Kilmer and the others are waiting for us.”

Ben perked up. “Really?”

Madame Hauntly smiled. “Of course, silly boy. Did you think I would exclude you from being part of my visit because of your injury?”

“I didn’t hink you’d want me around slowing you down,” he admitted.

“Oh, darling…” She patted his shoulder. “I am your friend as much as you are Kilmer’s. I will always make time for you.”

Ben smiled genuinely for the first time since he’d fallen from his skateboard. “Kilmer’s right. You’re the best.”

Madame Hauntly laughed. “I am not the best, but I certainly appreciate the compliment. I will wait for you outside.”

Ben threw on clean clothes and ran his hand through his hair. A quick glance in the mirror and he was on his way out the door.

Maybe having a broken arm isn’t so bad after all,” he mused, keeping in step with Madame Hauntly as they headed toward the pizza castle.

Madame Hauntly noticed him staring at her and offered him a reassuring smile. She didn’t act like other adults. Ben believed wholeheartedly that she was the coolest person in Bailey City.

After they were done eating and the movie had ended, Madame Hauntly took all the kids back to Hauntly Manor Inn. Ben sat on one of the dirt mounds in the conservatory while she told stories about Romania and the Transylvania Alps.

“It is late,” she said, “I will walk you all home.”

She made sure everyone made it safely back to their houses. It was past midnight, but Ben just couldn’t sleep, so he snuck out the back door and struggled up the ladder of his tree house.

He was less than half way there when a hand gripped his ankle. He gasped and looked down to see Madame Hauntly standing at the base of the tree.

“You should be in bed resting,” the Hauntly matriarch stated as she helped him back down. "It is not good to climb about with a broken arm. I do not wish to see you harmed”

“I can’t sleep,” he explained.

“Is it your arm? Does it hurt?” she asked. “I can speak to your mother. She ought to be able to give you something to quell the pain.”

Ben shook his head. “It’s not that. I just had so much fun that it’s hard to turn my brain off.”

Madame Hauntly nodded in understanding. “You must have a lot on your mind. Would you like to share your thoughts with me? I am a good listener.”

Ben sat on the grass and leaned his back against the tree while Madame Hauntly made herself comfortable on one of the low lying branches above.

True to her word, she listened as he told her about school and stuff going on in his family. He talked to her about his favorite games and how he and his dad were training so he could try out for the football team next year.

After another hour or two, Ben grew tired and ended up falling asleep. Madame Hauntly lifted the exhausted fourth grader and carried him up to his room.

How she ever managed to do so without waking either him or his parents, Ben didn’t know. He woke the following morning in his bed with a blanket draped over his body and a leaf stuck in his hair. If Madame Hauntly was a vampire, she was the good kind.

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

[fics-a-plenty]

Can you do a Luisa madrigal x plus size reader story

A swim day

Luisa x plus size!Reader

Word count: 1,959

Thank you so much for the request, and I can absolutely do that. I hope you like it.

It's a record hot day, and the Madrigal grandkids decide to go for a swim. Luisa wants to invites you along, but your insecurity makes you a little wary.

It was a record hot day in the Encanto. Even with Pepa trying to bring in some clouds and rain, it did nothing but raise the humidity and make it even worse. The streets of the town were unusually empty, everyone trying to keep out of the sun and stay cool. Even the great Madrigal family all took shelter in their home, somehow all finding themselves relaxing in the cool water of Antonio's room.

The relaxation was interrupted by a knock at the front door. "I'll get it." Antonio yelled, rushing to get out of the water before everyone else to go get the door. "Dolores, it's your boyfriend." He called from the front, causing Camilo to snicker at what he taught his little brother.

Antonio and Mariano soon appeared in the doorway, the older man looking obviously nervous at seeing the whole family together. "I... uh.... Some of the people in town are going down to the river to cool down and hang out. I was just wondering if... if Dolores could go." He said nervously, his eyes darting between the family members.

"Of course I can go!" Dolores said excitedly, jumping out of the water and grabbing Mariano's arm to drag him out before the parents could say otherwise.

"Absolutely, Dolores and Camilo can go. That's so kind of you to offer, Mariano." Pepa said with a smile, causing Dolores to try to argue. Camilo laughed and run to grab his sister's other arm and shift into another Mariano.

"Come on Sis. We'll have so much fun." He said, copying Mariano's laugh. Dolores quickly hit his arm, causing him to shift back to himself.

"That is a wonderful idea. You all could use some cousin bonding time." Julieta added, already shooing her daughter's out of the water. "Don't forget Y/N. I'm sure they would enjoy it too." She called out as Casita started moving the all grandkids out to the front door.

"From six kids down to one. That seems like a pretty good deal. Thanks, Mariano." Félix said with a laugh as he floated in the water, only for Antonio to jump onto his stomach and cause him to sink.

Mariano seemed even more nervous now, but at least happy that he got to spend some time with Dolores. She on the other hand was visibly irritated, Camilo's comments and jokes just making it worse as they all walked down to go to the river.

"I'll meet you all down there. I think Mamá was right. I'm gonna go get Y/N." Luisa said after hesitation at the junction to your house. She rubbed the back of her neck in a mixture of nervousness and excitement, as Mirabel and Camilo shot jokes back at her to make sure that she actually came to the lake and didn't run off to go hide with you.

You weren't sure who to expect when you heard the knock at your door, but you were incredibly happy to see it was Luisa. You quickly ushered her in, not wanting to let too much of the heat in. "I'm surprised you're out and about. Hopefully you aren't working in this weather." You said, bringing her a glass of water, which she turned down.

"I actually came to invite you out to the river. I figured that you would want to cool off." Luisa offered, a big smile spreading across her lips when you excitedly agreed. "Great. Well my sisters and cousins are already down there waiting for us. Oh, and Mariano, it was kind of his idea."

It took her a second to register as the excitement seemed to drain from your face. She quickly asked if you were okay, reaching for your hand and causing you to take a step back, "I actually just remembered that I have some stuff to do around here." You said quickly, looking around for something to use as a better excuse.

"Y/N, what's wrong? You were so excited to go when I asked. Is it my family? Did someone upset you? Did I upset you?" Luisa's mind started racing, trying to think of some reason why you would be so against spending time with them.

You raced forward to grab her face, "No Amor! You didn't upset me. You're wonderful. I just... I thought it would be the two of us. I guess I'm..." You hesitated, not able to bring yourself to look at her. You didn't want to have to explain that you didn't feel comfortable being in a bathing suit around her family, especially since they were all so petite. Part of you tried to argue that she would understand, being different from her siblings and cousins. But at the same time, her family was always so supportive, and her body type was so much more useful to her miracle.

You were brought out of your thoughts by her calling your name. The worried look on her face making you feel so guilty. "I don't want your family to see me in a bathing suit." You blurted out quickly, the words blurring together. You weren't even sure she would be able to decipher what you said, but as you watched her worry turn to confusion, you knew she understood. You had never felt the need to hide from her, but as her eyes looked you up and down, you wanted nothing more than for the world to open up and swallow you whole.

"I don't understand. Why would you not want them to see you? They see you all the time. What does it matter what you're wearing? We're all wearing bathing suits. It's not like you'll be the only one." The confusion still evident on her face as she tried to wrap her head around your reasoning.

"My body isn't like all of theirs. I'm so much bigger than any of them, and I don't want them to see me like that. I can wear clothes that shape me a certain way, but I can't do that with a bathing suit." You tried to pull away from her to create some distance, but were stuck in place when her arms wrapped around your waist and pulled you close to her.

"So what if your body is different. Everyone is different. Nobody is going to think any different of you." She spoke softly, wanting to chase away any doubt in your mind, "Mi Vida, there is nothing wrong with you. You have no reason to hide. Your body is wonderful. You are wonderful. And if anyone doesn't see that, then that's their problem, not yours." Her lips met yours before you had a chance to let any other thoughts escape. "Now go change into your suit before I do it for you."

You hesitated for a second before she started to move towards your room to find you a swim suit. "Okay. Okay! I'll find something!" You said quickly, rushing to get their first. "Just wait here. I can do it myself!"

"Are you sure? I can help you change, if you need me to." Her voice low and teasing as a smirk moved her lips. Your face flushed hot before you shut the bedroom door in her face, not sure how else to respond. The laughter coming from the other side let you know that she didn't take any offense to it.

After a few minutes, you came back out in normal clothes, much to Luisa's confusion. She opened her mouth to say something before you shifted your clothes to show the swimsuit underneath. "I just want to be covered until I'm ready. I want to enjoy this, and I can't if I'm just worried about people looking at me." You said quietly, wringing your hands together to relieve some of the nervousness.

You didn't even notice her approach before her lips pressed against your forehead. "Whatever makes you most comfortable. I want you to have fun too." She grabbed your hand and lead you outside and down towards the river.

As you got closer and heard her family in the distance, you started to drag your feet, trying to prolong the walk.

"If you don't hurry up. I'm gonna pick you up and carry you down there." Luisa said, snapping you out of your worry. She laughed as you arguing, saying that you were to heavy, "Amor, I move churches and reroute rivers. You are not to heavy for me. Do you think you're heavier than 6 donkeys?" She saw the look of doubt cross your eyes, causing her to stop and pick you up bridal style.

While you enjoyed it, you fought against the hold, still arguing that you were too heavy. "Mi Vida, you are not heavy. You are perfect the way you are, and I won't have you putting yourself down like this." She said sternly, only tightening her grip with each time you struggled.

When you came into view, Mirabel waved and welcomed you excitedly, followed by the others. You gave a half smile back and returned the wave before being set down by a few feet from the water, you were assuming it was so that you could take off your outer layer.

"Why don't you go get in? I'm gonna just take a minute and relax." You whispered to Luisa, hoping Dolores was too distracted to hear. You frowned as she shook her head no, lifting you to sit you up on a rock at the waters edge.

She turned and leaned her back against the same rock, putting her torso between your legs and tilting her head to rest on your thigh.

You didn't think much of it, but as you felt her hand start to move against your calf, you knew that it was her way of offering support and showing that she loved your body the way it was. You smiled down at her, reaching down to twirl a loose strand of her hair between your fingers.

The two of you stayed like that for a couple of minutes, lost in your own little bubble until Camilo's voice came and popped in. "So are you two gonna get in, or are you just gonna stand there and be gross?" He asked, pretending to be grossed out.

Dolores quickly grabbed his shoulders and shoved him under the water. "Don't listen to him! You two do whatever you want." She said quickly with a huge smile, trying to hide that she obviously heard everything between the two of you earlier.

"We're fine here. It's cool eno-." Luisa stared to say before you tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to look up at you.

"Actually, getting in the water sounds nice." You said, not realizing how quiet the words came out. Luisa kept eye contact with you for a second, wanting to make sure that you actually mean it and weren't just giving in to please her family. When you gave an assuring nod, she helped you down from the rock and stood back as you took off your outer layer of clothes.

Before you even realized what was going on, you felt yourself being lifted again followed by the feeling of falling and the sudden coolness of the river water. You forced your eyes open to see you and Luisa paused for a second under the water. She moved forward to press her lips against yours before you both swam up to the surface.

You were quickly tackled back under the water by Mirabel, coming back up to laugh and hug your friend. Luisa watched on with a smile, happy to see that you were genuinely enjoying yourself and there didn't seem to be an ounce of doubt or worry in your eyes.

[drakenology]

Ma'am, DILF!Asahi. Soft lil chubby/curvy housewife. Babysitting friend's lil tot. Bigger family, more breeding, and utterly filthy, filthy lovemaking. Tiny size kink, wifey like being picked up, makes her feel small and safe in his big strong arms. Mating press and nipple sucking okay?

Asahi wants to be a daddy and he asked politely... enough, don't you think? 👉👈

-🦑

ᵇᵃᵇʸ ᵐᵃᵐᵃ ˣ ᵃˢᵃʰⁱ ᵃᶻᵘᵐᵃⁿᵉ

꒰ఎ ♡ ໒꒱⠀synopsis : asahi catches you being the cutest little caregiver to daichi’s sons when you babysit and the sight just makes him feral. it makes him want a baby of his own. ;)

꒰ఎ ♡ ໒꒱⠀warnings: smut, dilf!asahi, smidgen of size kink, breeding kink, cunnilingus, some fluffy stuff and just Asahi being a service top

You had to be about the sweetest little wife Asahi could ever ask for. He knew the day he met you that he had to spend the rest of his natural born life with you. You had this warm aura about you that made him fall for you all over again. Every morning, he’d find himself missing you on the drive to work; missing your touch and the soft kisses you give him on the cheek as a goodbye present. 

When he got home to see you in the kitchen cooking up dinner for you both to eat together his eyes almost teared up. Home for Asahi was wherever you were, and he always made sure to show you. 

“Hi, sweet baby.” He’d coo at you, smothering you with kisses on your cheek and down your neck. You look up from the pot and kiss him on the lips, giggling at his big, goofy grin. 

“Hey, honey. You’re just in time for dinner.” You chime, shooing him away from the stove so you can fix your plates. Just like routine always called for, you shared a meal together and then you shared each other’s bodies in the sanctuary of your bed until it was time to go to sleep to start the next day and do it all over again. 

Today was a little different. You agreed to watch Daichi’s sons while he went away to practice, welcoming them in your home with open arms and fun activities to do. You spent the day trying to keep them occupied, a little nervous since you don’t have any kids of your own with Asahi just yet. But the boys ended up loving you as if you were part of their family and you had a blast looking after them too. Asahi got to come home early from work today, practically jumping out of his car to hug and smooch to his sweet baby. 

But when he opens the door to see you in the living area covered in finger paint and running around screaming and laughing with two 5 year old boys something stirs within him. His intentions with you were no longer innocent. He’d always wanted a family with you -- in fact it was his ultimate goal since marrying you. Watching you play with Daichi’s kids made his cock stir, his sperm itching to leave and enter your fertal womb to make his own children with you. 

You turn and look at Asahi; who was just standing in the door way with his briefcase in hand. 

“Honey! I forgot to tell you the boys were coming over today. Sorry about the mess.” You say sheepishly, rubbing the back of your head as the boys run around in circles where you stood. Asahi just smiles brightly and kisses you on the forehead after snapping himself out of his hazy daydream.

“We can clean together when Daichi picks them up later. Let’s have some fun!” 

                                                      ꒰ఎ ♡ ໒꒱⠀

“Thanks again for watching the twins guys. I hope they didn’t give you two too much trouble.” Daichi says, laughing a bit when he sees the state of you and your husband - covered in finger paint and flour from baking cookies with them.

“Not at all. They were angels.” You say, waving them goodbye as Daichi walked the small boys to his car to return home. When the door shut, you turn to start cleaning up your now trashed and trampled living room. Asahi wanted to help, really he did. But the way your clothes were clinging to your curves - the way you became a second mother to Daichi’s children; running around playing and rough-housing with them and filling his mind with fantasies of you with children of your own all swollen and plump from being pregnant pitched a tent in his pants he could no longer ignore. As you tried to mop the floor, Asahi’s strong arms wrap around you, kissing your neck sweetly. 

“H-Honey! Stop it, the living room’s a mess.” You whine at him - half giggling half moaning as his hands caress your hips, causing him to chuckle - lust thick in his tone. 

“I know, baby. I need you. We can clean later.” Asahi cooed, lifting you off your feet to whisk you away to the bedroom - your lucky mop dropping to the floor with a clang. 

The sound of Asahi’s big feet against the hardwood of the stairs boomed as he climbed them, practically running with you in his arms to get you out of your paint-covered clothes. He rests you on the bed gently, sliding your shorts and panties off with one swift move. He takes off his shirt and tosses it aside eagerly, his back muscles on full display for you as you watch him in the mirror in front of your bed. 

His big hands pull you to the edge of the bed, his mouth devouring you as soon as he took one look at your pretty cunt. His tongue glided along your folds, groaning when he tastes you. Your hands catch his long locks, tugging lightly as his fingers rub your clit softly. His eagerness to be inside you overtakes his want to taste you, pulling away from your now sopping wet cunt to crawl on top of you. He tugs off his pants, his weighted cock springing free from his boxers as his hands grab the plush flesh of your thighs to put them over his shoulders. 

“Haah, ‘m sorry, baby. Need your pussy so bad. Be good and take me, okay?” He said, sliding into as he talked. The dull stretch only made you wetter, your weeping hole pulling him in so deliciously Asahi saw stars. 

“You feel so good, honey.. always so fuckin’ good ‘f me.” He praised as he folded your body in half, leaning into your neck to kiss it. You felt him so deep you swore he was reaching your stomach, yelping with every slow thrust of his cock - feeling his thick veins dragging alongside your velvety walls.

“A-Asa-hi!” You gripe, your nails clawing at his back as his muscles flexed. He held himself back from completely pounding you for way too long now, his mouth latching onto your hardened nipple as his hips start to snap against you.

“F-Fuuck, baby you feel so good. I love you, baby just keep takin’ it. Keep takin’ it.” He huffed, his balls tightening as you clamp around his thickness. You’re gasping for air as he railed you into the softness of your bed, every thrust knocking the wind out of your lungs as your eyes tear. 

“’M gonna cum, Asa- nngh!” You mewl, your back arching up into Asahi’s body, your pebbled nipples pressed against his chest. Once Asahi felt those slick walls squeezing him tightly, there was no holding back anymore - his balls emptying every drop of his hot stick cum inside you with a loud and hungry groan. You feel him cum in ropes inside you, locking eyes with him as your hands brush some of his hair away from his face. Asahi slumps over top of you, his cock still inside as you both pant and bask in the after glow of your love making. He peppers sweet kisses on your cheek, smiling in your hair as he finally pulls out and rolls over next to you. Asahi’s big strong arms pull you into an embrace once more, seeming like he didn’t wanna let you go. 

As his lips press more kisses into your skin, you both doze off in each other’s arms - sweet dreams of parenthood filling your minds as you snooze away. 

[faelicy]

Miss Faelicy I would love to get your opinion on Bingqiu.

I see people posting things like how they are "problematic" and how they don't really love each other and SQQ only feels sympathy etc. Obviously there were struggles between them as there should be (considering all that happened) and just because sqq wasn't very open and super obvious about his feelings doesn't mean they are not there..this is how I interpreted it. I would love to know your opinion

Hello! This also covers part 2 of the previous ask.

First, massive spoilers for the end of the novel. Second, a disclaimer: I despise shipwars, which I think are behind most of those comments. I hate them because it's usually all in bad faith: everyone's already committed to their interpretation of the ships, and any discussion is just a guise for justifying their preferences.

So to any readers: I don't want anything here to be used as shipwar fuel. This post is about Bingqiu's canon arc and themes. Basically, I don't know or care if Bingqiu is a good ship, but I do think it's a well-written one.

I'll start by saying directly: for most of the novel, Bingqiu is neither healthy nor romantic. And that this is not bad writing, but on purpose.

A relationship that drives one party to mental breakdown isn't healthy. A relationship where that party says it's okay to hurt or kill them can't possibly be healthy. That happened because there was something deeply wrong with their relationship, something that can't be reduced to Xin Mo, miscommunication, or LBH throwing a tropey yandere fit.

And out of all three MXTX novels, only SV lacks a love confession from the MC to the ML. Again, I don't think it's an oversight, or just because SQQ's face is too thin. There are plenty of ways MXTX could have worked a subtle one in if she really wanted to.

In my opinion, Bingqiu's narrative can be split up into four arcs: Qing Jing Peak (ch 1-27), Jin Lan City (28-43), Post-revival (29-55), and Reconciliation (56-81). Other than the first arc, where their relationship is pretty straightforward, Bingqiu spend most of the rest in direct conflict.

I'll give an overview of the arcs here, but what I truly want to say about Bingqiu starts in arc 4, so if you're impatient you can scroll down. But the overview might help add context.

Jin Lan City arc is about LBH's anger at being brutally betrayed by the one person he thought he could trust. Here he tries to force answers out of SQQ, who he believes both hates him and is a hypocrite. He's driven by a desire to return to the past, but his rage and love makes his actions contradictory: on one hand he tries to win SQQ's approval constructively, by climbing to the top of Huan Hua Palace and performing good deeds, on the other hand his belief that SQQ doesn't care about him so it's all futile anyway (reinforced by SQQ's own actions) causes him to lash out destructively, going as far as to hurt and imprison SQQ.

LBH's bitterness is portrayed very negatively, because all it does is instill despair into SQQ, until SQQ ends up believing that he's only been a blight on LBH's life, and that he must make up for it by killing himself. Whereupon LBH breaks down, regressing into a childlike state. Some might ask, why does LBH never bring up the Abyss again afterwards? It's because he gives up here. This entire arc is about getting LBH to let go of past wrongs and to stop seeking answers, whether the reader believes it's fair to him or not. Because SQQ's life is more important.

Post-revival arc then is about SQQ trying to come to terms with a blackened LBH who also loves him. Interestingly, despite SQQ's horror at realizing LBH was romantically interested in him all along, SQQ actually has a very subtle but telling secondary reaction. To explain, let's back up to the first arc.

Starting around ch 9, probably as a sign of his growing affection, SQQ begins addressing LBH as 这孩子, or "this child," in his internal monologue, instead of LBH's name. He does it once each in ch 9, 12, 17, 21, 25. However, once Jin Lan City arc starts, SQQ drops the address entirely. LBH and "child" are never brought up together except for one snarky comment on LBH's tantrum being disgracefully childish in ch 38.

At first glance this doesn't look noteworthy because LBH by this point is no longer a kid. But when LBH kisses him in ch 49, SQQ changes again: right away he returns to using "child" on LBH, and the "this child" address starts popping up at a much higher frequency. By the end of SV SQQ has referred to LBH as a child in some manner at least 35 times (yes I went and counted), with the vast majority after ch 49, and he continues to do so right into the last extra.

Why was SQQ unwilling to use this address of affection for over 20 chapters? Perhaps because he too thought LBH hated him, and couldn't bear to think about him so intimately knowing that. So SQQ immediately falling back into it the moment he learns LBH loves him is a sign of his relief. He's still dismayed at the romantic part, but though SQQ likes to deflect from his real emotions (this is the guy who focused on bad naming sense after being fatally poisoned, who cavalierly commented only after it was all over that he'd expected to die), the fact that LBH loves and doesn't hate him, means a lot.

Here SQQ's feelings towards LBH are at their most complicated. He still assumes the worst of him like in Jin Lan City, but now because of the above, also sees a lonely child whenever LBH is unhappy and lost. It's like he has two filters actively interfering with each other, "crazed criminal" and "pitiful child," and so he flip-flops between pushing LBH away and comforting him. But when LBH drags CQMS into it, and even seemingly takes advantage of SQQ's love for him, SQQ's negative image and frustration with him only grows, until he finally snaps and tells LBH to never come near him again.

At this point SQQ still believes that LBH is the same black-hearted, invincible, devil incarnate that og!LBH was portrayed to be. The Reconciliation arc starts by chipping away at this filter that's been plaguing SQQ for so long. First the revelation that TLJ/ZZL was behind the sowers, thus clearing LBH's name at Jin Lan City. Then we see how unloved he is by his own father; we see him injured and helpless and unconscious. Meng Mo yells at SQQ, reinforcing that image of a vulnerable, terrified child. So by ch 62 SQQ has thrown away the "crazed criminal" filter completely, and in that same chapter they cling to each other and finally make up. Because while it's true that the current LBH is misanthropic, antisocial, and mercurial, SQQ has also finally accepted that he's still the same LBH he'd raised and doted on, back on Qing Jing Peak.

Now I'm going to talk about what I see as the most important part of Bingqiu. Yes, despite the wall of text already.

A common sentiment of Bingqiu shippers about their issues seems to be, "SQQ is dumb and oblivious; he can't figure out what LBH needs even though he loves him because he sees LBH as a novel character," but I think the problem is far more complicated and insidious than that. If that was everything, why give SQQ the epiphany that he misunderstood LBH so early? Why have him think in ch 66 that "truthfully, he'd never really trusted Luo Binghe, and that's why he kept accidentally hurting him?" If he's already realized that he shouldn't treat LBH like og!LBH (he even meets og!LBH in ch 71 to rub it in further), why do we go another 13 chapters believing their relationship is good and well, even giving us a sweet, happy moment in ch 75, only to show LBH having the worst breakdown of the novel just 4 chapters later? Was it all just padding to demonstrate the danger of Xin Mo?

Or is there something else beneath the surface?

In ch 66, the same chapter where SQQ implies he doesn't want to accidentally hurt LBH anymore, he says something telling. When LQG is skeptical that LBH can be trusted, SQQ thinks, 家里孩子不懂事，大人不容易做, or "when your child doesn't know any better, as the adult you don't have it easy." The child here of course refers to LBH, and the adult is SQQ, who's complaining about smoothing over LBH's messes. But what is SQQ implying here?

Doesn't know any better? That's what you say about a toddler who can't think for themselves, not a grown man. LBH is 25 and SQQ thinks he doesn't know better. Doesn't know better about what? LBH's wants, his needs? His feelings? Or even what's good for him?

And then you realize that's exactly how SQQ's always treated him, like a helpless child who can't make his own choices.

It's SQQ who chooses to throw LBH down into the Abyss without trying to talk to him. It's SQQ who decides that keeping silent is the best choice. It's SQQ who believes self-destructing in front of LBH will help, who thinks that breaking off their relationship is for the better. And it's SQQ who scolds LBH into tolerating CQMS, even though they hate each other and CQMS is hostile towards him. Who forces him to leave first at Zhao Hua Temple despite LBH's pleas otherwise, who shoos him out the window when CQMS walks in on them.

Every single one of these decisions, SQQ made believing it was for the best (repair LBH's relationship with his family, help him avoid arrest, not wanting to make excuses, wanting LBH to be free of his hatred), and every single one of them only damaged LBH further. Because SQQ's never listened to him, even once. Never consulted him or considered his feelings.

(And LBH did try to bring up his feelings on one of the matters in ch 75. He insinuates to SQQ that he doesn't like LQG calling him "little beast" or "ingrate." And SQQ's response is to dismiss them entirely, saying that LQG's "not wrong.")

SQQ has always loved LBH, but he's never once respected LBH's agency or personhood. Because LBH doesn't know better and SQQ does, so SQQ must make all his decisions for him.

And this, amplified by Xin Mo, is what finally drives LBH mad in ch 79.

To LBH, the important part isn't whether SQQ loves him, which I think he knew after ch 43 (it's why he can be so daring and pushy with SQQ's boundaries). What's important is that the moment SQQ believes abandoning LBH is justified for whatever reason again, SQQ absolutely will.

Ch 80's two-way noncon (since LBH was basically unconscious and couldn't consent) tends to draw most of the attention, but I actually think that what happens afterwards is one of the most important scenes for Bingqiu. There SQQ tries to sacrifice himself a second time for LBH, drawing Xin Mo's demonic qi into his body. Yet the novel claims that SQQ's actions here are completely different than in ch 43. SQQ himself says that this time he's doing it for LBH, while last time he was doing it for himself. But can the reader see a functional difference?

There is one, in fact: it's SQQ's response to LBH's choice afterwards. LBH decides to follow SQQ in death, even though this would void the point of SQQ's sacrifice. But instead of insisting otherwise, SQQ just accepts it. Because he finally understands that whether LBH's life is worth living, whether LBH will be better off, is for LBH and only LBH to decide.

It's the first time he respects LBH's agency. And this is the only reason why he and LBH can finally begin building a healthy relationship on the mess they've had up to now.

So that's what I see as the true beauty behind Bingqiu. It's about communication and mistaken assumptions, yes, but it's also about the nature of love between parent and child. The romantic developments were left to the extras, I believe, because this was the main story MXTX wanted to tell with them. Their relationship as lovers only starts afterwards, hence why SV ends with, "the story between you and I, has only just begun." It was never meant to be a whirlwind romance where they fall in love cleanly. It might not to be to everyone's tastes, but an incredible amount of thought was put into the narrative, and that's what amazed me when I first finished this novel.

(This post went on way too long and I ended up cutting off a huge chunk of tangential stuff and how SQQ came to his realization in ch 79: he didn't do it alone. It took him seeing the LBH in TLJ and the himself in YQY for him to understand. In fact, YQY and og!SQQ's relationship has a similar parent-and-child dynamic. I've touched on it before on twitter; if there's interest I might try writing that up here too.)

[toastedkiwi]

First Man

Summary: you debut a song on stage at the AMAs.

Pairing: Chris Evans x Daughter!Reader, Harry Styles x Popstar!Reader

“No, I got no clue to what she’s performing,” Chris said to the interviewer and looking at you.

“You’ll just have to wait,” you said.

“POPS!” You both hear.

Chris turns knowing exactly who it is. He opens his arms and hugs his son-in-law who’s in an elaborate suit. You smile.

“I’ve missed you,” Harry exclaimed as your dad cups his face.

“I know, Bubba,” Chris said smiling.

You greet Harry’s mother Anne and sister Gemma whilst your dad and husband hug each other like long lost lovers. It took awhile for your dad to warm up to Harry but after seeing the way his only daughter and only child was being treated warmed his heart. It took some convincing from you as well. Chris couldn’t let just anyone marry his little girl.

Yes I'm gonna stay with him tonight

I'll see you in the mornin'

No of course, he won't drink and drive

Chris immediately gets teary eyed seeing you onstage in a gown at a grand piano with spotlight shinning down. He hasn’t heard this song and neither has Harry as he hears you singing. It brings Chris back some memories.

“No, I’m gonna be with him tonight,” you said into the phone.

“Excuse me? Who’s this boy? Is it Tyler? Adam? Tom? If you’re back with Holland, I’m gonna fuckin—.”

“No, Daddy. It’s somebody else. I’m not dating one of your costars. That was a mistake.”

Chris sighed and said, “be careful. Don’t drink and drive.”

“No, of course not,” you said.

“Call me if anything happens, I’ll be there, comet.”

“I know, Daddy. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Oh you'll like him, he's really kind

And he's funny like you sometimes

And I found someone I really like

Maybe for the first time

Chris sniffles and tries his hardest to keep it together especially with a camera pointed at him and Harry. He focuses on the stage where you’re singing.

“Daddy, please! You’ll really like him. He’s really kind,” you said. “And he’s funny like you sometimes.”

“Excuse me?! My jokes are killer all the time, Comet! —Knock, knock,” your dad said truly offended.

“Come in,” you said.

He gives you one look and you start running. He runs after you growling. You scream when he grabs you and lifts you off the ground.

“Have I taught you nothing?!” Chris exclaimed. “We’re gonna try this again, Miss Thing.”

“Oh Jesus,” you rolled your eyes and you can’t help but smile.

“Knock, Knock,” he said.

“Who’s there?” You asked playing along.

“Boo,” he said still holding you tightly not wanting to let you escape.

“Boo, who?” You said confused.

“Aww, munchkin, don’t cry,” your dad said pressing a kiss to your cheek. “It’s just a boy. No need for crying over him.”

You laughed and said facing him, “but Daddy. He’s really good to me. And I think I really found someone I really like— maybe for the first time.”

He can’t help but frown and narrow his eyes.

“Who is he?” He asked.

“His name is Harry,” you said smiling.

No I don't need a jacket

It's not that cold tonight

And you worry, I get it

But he's waiting outside

“Grab a jacket!” Chris yelled at you before you can leave.

“It’s not that cold,” you said as he comes over to you from the kitchen. “And I’m 21, Dad.”

“I know how old you are. I was there and I know you’re a popstar and I—,” he said.

“And you worry, I get it,” you said.

“Yes, so grab a jacket, comet,” he said pointing to the hallway.

“But he’s waiting outside, Daddy,” you said.

“And he can wait longer. Also, you still live under my roof which I don’t get when I know you’re making a shit ton of money off of your music,” Chris said.

“You know they’re still renovating my house,” you said. “And I’m pretty sure you like having your own daughter around again.”

Chris scoffs and shoos you back down the hallway. He knows you’re right. He loves having you around even if you both get very busy with work. It’s nice to know you’re around safe and sound.

You’re quick to put a leather jacket over your outfit. He follows you out without hesitation. You give him a look but he’s got his murder glare.

“Hey, I was thinking that I got the wrong house,” the Brit said as you get in and he’s got the windows down.

Chris looks into the car and you said, “dad, this is Harry. Harry, this is my dad.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” Harry said.

“Comet, didn’t you have a poster of him on your wall with some other boys?” Chris asked looking at you.

“DAD!” You looked at him mortified.

“It was One Direction, right?” Chris said.

“Yeah, but we split off into different directions,” Harry said.

“But she didn’t like you,” your dad said. “It was a different one.”

“Was it Liam?” Your boyfriend asked.

Chris shook his head and said, “it was the dude with the bleach blonde hair.”

“Oh, Niall. He’s a cheeky little Irish fucker. I don’t blame you, Y/n,” Harry said.

You try getting out of the car to get away from the embarrassment but Harry locks the doors on you. Chris smiles a bit.

“Have fun, comet,” Chris said pressing a kiss to your temple as you hide your face into your hands.

He steps away from the car and threatened, “I’ll fucking destroy you, Harry, if you hurt my little girl.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Mr. Evans,” Harry responded honestly.

I swear on my heart

That he's a good man

I know you'll stay up late

Just waiting for me

“You should be asleep, Daddio,” you said putting your arms around his shoulders.

“Had to make sure you got home safely, munchkin,” Chris said putting a hand over your forearms.

“But you’ve got a plane to catch in the morning,” you said. “And he’s a good man.”

“He was in a boyband, Y/n,” he said.

“He’s in a man-band now,” you said with a giggle.

Chris can’t help but laugh as he stood up from his spot on the couch.

“I still don’t trust him,” your dad said making you frown.

You held me so tight

Now someone else can

But you were the first man that really loved me

You looked to the crowd with a tear rolling down your cheek. Your dad is openly letting the tears stream down his own cheeks. Harry smiles at you with tears of his own building up. He knows it’s about him and your dad but mainly your dad.

Now you're driving to the airport

Not just me you pick up anymore

I've got eight days off coming up

And I can only come home for four

Yeah I just met his family

“Harold,” Chris said.

“Mr. America!” Harry exclaimed throwing his arms around your dad.

You smile happily at your dad and he gives in hugging your boyfriend. He hugs you next and kisses your cheek before helping Harry load your bags into the car. There’s not much— only your carry-ons. It’s a short trip to Boston so everyone can meet Harry and you can spend time with your dad.

“How was London?” Your dad asked as Harry is outside playing with your cousins.

“I met his family,” you said.

“So, it’s getting serious?” He asked.

You nod your head. It breaks his heart but he won’t tell you that.

He makes me really happy

I think he might be the one, oh

I swear on my heart

That he's a good man

I promise he loves me

He'd never hurt me

You held me so tight

Now someone else can

But you were the first man that really loved me

“I promise you! He makes me really happy, Daddy,” you said.

Chris scoffs. You’ve always been a pretty happy kid and even with a chaotic life you live, you’re sunshine peaking through the clouds on a rainy day or more like a shining star around a world of darkness. No boy or man will change that. You’ll cry for a week or so over them and your dad will be there to comfort you or at least try to.

“Dad,” you said.

“Come here,” your dad said seeing you aren’t too happy with him.

You plop down next to him and he pulls you into his side.

“I worry,” Chris said.

“You always do,” you mumbled.

“Yeah it’s my job as you’re my daughter. I don’t want you with an undeserving man of you,” he admitted. “You deserve the best.”

“I think he might be the one,” you said.

“You sure?”

You nod your head.

“Well, shit,” he said.

“Dad,” you said.

“You’re growing up on me, comet.”

Now you're on the driveway

Faking a smile

You wish you could tell him he doesn't deserve me

So I had to stop the car and turn around

To tell you, you were the first man that really loved me

Your dad wants to yell at Harry and tell him to stay the fuck away from you because nobody is good enough for his little girl. But Chris bites his tongue and smiles from the driveway as Harry drives off with you.

“Wait! Stop the car!” You exclaimed.

Harry does and you’re quickly out the car. You run to your dad and into his arms.

“You know I love you, right?” You said.

“Yes, comet,” Chris said.

“You’ll always be the first man I love,” you said. “He’s just in second place.”

“HEY! I heard that!” Harry yelled making your dad smile.

“Shut it, loser!” Your dad yelled back.

And before they open up the doors

I say I've never seen you cry before

You say "You've never looked so beautiful

You know you'll always be my little girl"

You're looking at me, while walking down the aisle

With tears in your eyes, maybe he deserves me

“I don’t think I’ve seen you cry before,” you said.

“Only when you aren’t looking, bubs,” your dad sniffled adjusting your veil. “And you’ve never looked so beautiful.”

“Dad,” you said.

“You know, you’ll always be my little girl, Y/n,” Chris said. “My little shooting star.”

You nod your head with tears streaming down your cheeks. Your dad hugs you tightly.

“You sure you wanna do this?” He asked.

“Yes,” you said.

“Alright, just let me know ‘cause I’ll drive you outta here and we can watch Disney movies at home,” Chris said holding you still.

You shake your head no and said, “he’s the one, Daddy.”

Chris smiles at your words and said, “we can’t keep him waiting any longer.”

“Yeah, we can’t,” you said.

The doors open and you take your dad’s arm. You both start walking down the aisle. Chris can’t help but smile looking at you as you look at Harry. Your eyes sparkle looking at your soon to be husband. Maybe Harry isn’t that bad.

You don't even know how much it means to me now

That you were the first man that really loved me, that really loved me

You really love me

You’re quick to get off stage and go to your dad who’s in the first row with everyone. Chris stands up just as quickly. You go into his arms and wrap your arms around his waist. Everyone cheers and applauses for you.

“Fuckin’ shit, comet,” your dad whispered into your ear and holds you tightly as you cry into his chest. “I wasn’t expecting that at all.”

“I love you, Daddy,” you said.

“I know. I love you too,” he said wiping away your tears.

“And I love you both,” Harry said putting his arms around you both.

[antipodeanpineapplelump]

WIP... Tuesday?

Just in case anyone was wondering what useless novelty project I’m spending my time on now, may I introduce:

Or more accurately: “Shisui Uchiha and the Saga of the Overly Complex Movie Poster that’s Taking Up all of the Author’s Writing Time.”

Or: “Shisui Uchiha and the One-off Story that Accidentally Turned Into a Trilogy, much to the Author’s Total Lack of Surprise.”

So anyway, I have 30,000 words (3/9 chapters of the first part) so far and as usual, no timeline for completing this story. But I’m definitely in too deep to back out now! My new approach to stories is to write the whole thing, then post week by week. So this one is still probably several months away at least...

But here’s a quick preview:

The list of things Shisui Uchiha regrets in his life is pretty small.

A handful of ill-considered one night stands, several embarrassing bets with members of his family, the summer he decided to turn emo, oh—and one particularly notable fuck-up early in his career that very nearly ended it prematurely. But, for the most part, it’s been smooth-sailing.

Sure, maybe the odd rival takes a pot shot at him here or there. Ancient booby traps try to kill him, or the local wildlife steps in where they’ve left off. He and spiders are categorically never going to get along. But he’s never had cause to regret his career itself. He loves everything about treasure hunting—the adventure, the danger, the intellectual challenge of it all. The way his heart races when he finds some ancient artifact supposedly lost for good.

So, all in all, his current position—perched twenty feet up a silk cotton tree in India, surrounded by about two-dozen armed thugs personally out for his blood—well, that’s just another day at the office.

Two of the men walk below Shisui’s hiding place and he holds his breath, watching. They’re thick-built meat-heads; improbable amalgams of every jackbooted thug to ever grace a movie screen, with jawlines Chuck Norris could break a fist on, and brows that would make a Neanderthal proud. Supressing the snicker that threatens to escape him at the thought, Shisui wonders where Gato keeps finding these idiots. Some sort of steroid-fuelled body building conference maybe…

Comfortable they’re far too stupid to realise he’s here, he swings his legs back and forward, checking his bag to make sure his prize is still undamaged. Thankfully, despite having beaten a hasty retreat through the crowded city streets, the jewel-encrusted golden elephant winks up at him like a winning lottery ticket. One that’s going to pay for fancy canapes, champagne and extra leg room on Shisui’s flight home. Then a lot more afterwards.

But karma, as they say, is a bitch.

And karma, for Shisui, makes itself known in the form of a fluffy grey creature that plops down onto the branch beside him, joined in short order by half a dozen other partners in crime. At first, the macaque just fixes its intelligent gaze on Shisui, as though assessing what to do with him. Then, one very pregnant pause later, after the apparent realisation that no food is immediately forthcoming, the ringleader opens its mouth and screams. Loudly.

Shit.

“No, shhh…” Shisui orders in a loud whisper. “Oh come on, don’t be an asshole.”

The screaming continues, soon swelling to a cacophony as the others join in.

“Shoo!” he pleads, waving his arms around to try and scare them off. “I’ll buy you bag of bananas or something when I get down from here, just please shut up…”

But the little bastards don’t stop and, if anything, Shisui’s heated objection only seems to be pissing them off more. Which is fantastic, because truly the last thing he needs today is to catch rabies or—

From the bottom of the tree, someone clears their throat. “Ahem.”

Or that.

It’s smug, officious, and quite frankly, about the last voice Shisui wants to hear right now. Every part of him sinks. On reflection, maybe it was a bit arrogant to think he wouldn’t have been followed to the temple. To think he was just going to walk in, pilfer a several-centuries old treasure, and walk out again, a comfortable five-figure sum the richer for it.

But then, it wouldn’t be the first time.

Sighing, he looks down to see his least-favourite human approximation of a turd. “Gato.”

“Well, well, if it isn’t my favourite globe-trotting Uchiha. Fancy seeing you here,” Gato says, appearing inordinately pleased. His trademark sunglasses sit awkwardly atop his bulbous nose, straddling a pencil moustache that looks like a worm met its unfortunate end on his face some years ago, and he never bothered to wipe it off.

For reasons he can’t currently articulate, it annoys the shit out of Shisui. Possibly because if there’s anything he hates more than someone getting the better of him, it’s someone who’s as much of a fucking waste of space as Gato getting the better of him.

“Yeah well, you know how it is,” he says, glancing around for a quick exit. “Ancient treasures to find, damsels in distress to rescue…”

But unfortunately, the crowd of highly armed men around Gato is growing by the second, and Shisui’s options are looking somewhat thin on the ground. At least, all the ones that don't end with him riddled in bullet holes. Damn macaques…

Gato grins. In the pre-monsoon heat, sweat rolls down his neck and spreads like an oily stain across his collar. “Oh, I’m well aware of how you operate... You’re a businessman, just like me. Always taking jobs for the highest bidder.” Before Shisui can open his mouth to disagree, Gato holds up a hand, adding, “I know, I know… you don’t see yourself that way. Moral code or whatever it is you like to call it. But in reality, the only difference between us is that you have the air of legitimacy that comes with an academic backing, whereas I’m willing to admit what I really want.”

“And what do you want, Gato?” Shisui asks flatly, already knowing the answer. The tired old game they’re playing here.

“That trinket you have in your bag.” Gato licks his lips, as though he can taste the champagne he’s going to be drinking once he returns the statue to whoever hired him, to disappear into some private collection, never to see the light of day again.

“What do I get in return?” Shisui asks, even though it’s obvious from Gato’s expression that he’s not going to like it, whatever it is.

A mirthless laugh assaults his ears. “I’ll let you live to cross paths with me another day.”

As offers go, it’s not very believable. But as much as Shisui hates to admit when his luck’s run out, even he can see the writing on the wall. Today really isn’t his day. Sure, he might trust Gato about as far as he could throw him, but even Gato isn’t stupid enough to shoot him on a main street, in broad daylight. Probably…

Retrieving the golden elephant from his bag, Shisui tosses it carefully down.

Turning the trinket over in his hands, Gato lets out a hum of appreciation. “Very nice. My client will be pleased.” He hands it off to one of his many thugs to box up, then peers back through the branches, looking more like a slug than Shisui would ever have thought possible. Reinforcing the impression, his lips twist with a slimy smile. “Well, as always, it’s been nice doing business with you Shisui. But I think, unfortunately, you’ve caused me trouble for the last time.”

Far too pleased for Shisui’s taste, Gato steps back, raising his hand in a gesture that looks awfully like it’s intended as a final farewell. Or a smug ‘fuck you.’ Either way, the message is perfectly clear.

Shisui rolls his eyes, mentally scratching off another predictable villainous turn on his treasure hunting bingo card. “All right,” he calls after Gato’s retreating back. “Nice doing business with you too! See you next time...” Under his breath he mutters, “Asshole…”

Truly, Gato doesn't have an original bone in his body. It's like he once read The Idiots Guide to Being a B-Grade Movie Villain, then internalised it on the spot to make up for a lack of anything remotely resembling a personality. But, pathetic imitation of a villain or not, his bullets are still effective.

The leaves around him shred beneath the pop, pop of gunfire as Shisui sucks in a rushed breath, bracing himself for what he’s about to do. The branch wobbles precariously beneath his feet as he races along it, pushing off into air that rushes past, disconcerting and empty. The slender gap to the building seems to widen to the span of a gaping abyss—

He hits the rail of the apartment with thud, clambering quickly over it to fall on his back on the balcony, winded, but mercifully unharmed. A macaque peers over the guttering at him, with a leering grin that clearly threatens more screaming.

“Don’t you start,” he warns, waggling a finger at it.

But there’s barely a moment to catch his breath before the sound of splintering wood below indicates another problem. Or an extension of the same one. Bounding to his feet, Shisui scoops up his hat, settles it back on his head, and checks over the railing. A bullet clips the plaster nearby—a pretty good indication that Gato’s men have every idea where he’s gone. That, combined with the way they’re currently pushing through the lower doors to the complex probably doesn’t mean anything good for him.

“Shit,” he announces to no one in particular. It’s times like these he really wishes he carried a gun…

Forcing his way into the mercifully empty apartment off the balcony, Shisui slips quickly through it. Cracking open the door on the far side, he checks the coast is clear. It is.

Of course, it doesn’t stay that way for long. Halfway along the open air corridor, there’s a cry of discovery from his pursuers, followed by more shooting. Seriously, why are the bad guys always bringing guns to Shisui’s knife fights?

Ducking, he runs faster, bursting into another apartment filled with hazy cigarette smoke and shocked faces before finally making it to an exterior stairwell on the far side. Looking at the next building over, it’s immediately apparent the gap is way too far for him to use the same trick he did before. But with Gato’s men advancing on him from below, maybe he can just make it to street level and bypass them altogether…

A thicket of power cables criss-crosses the span between the buildings, with one nearby running almost to the level of the shop awnings below. Sending a rash of silent prayers to whatever gods take care of Indian power line maintenance, Shisui detaches a length of rope from his belt and flings it over the wire, gripping each side like a makeshift zipline. Holding his breath, he pushes off into empty space. To his surprise and considerable delight, the line holds.

It sweeps him across the street, picking up more and more speed, until the side of the other building is rushing at him like—

Shit.

He impacts it with his shoulder, coming to an uncomfortable and jarring stop. Pain shoots down his arm and he lets go of the rope, crashing through a fabric awning and landing ungracefully in a huge stack of bagged flour. Dust floats down around him and Shisui groans, moving each of his limbs in turn. By some miracle, nothing seems broken. Not even his tantō in its leather holster at his back.

Oh well. Fall down seven times, stand up eight…

Apparently his exit was none too subtle though, because Gato’s men are leaning over the stairwell railing, yelling and pointing at the mess he’s made. Dragging himself to his feet, Shisui evades an angry store owner, brushes flour off of his clothes and resumes running for his life.

Never let anyone say archaeology is boring.

As he emerges back onto the main street, searching for quick and easy exit, the sound of screeching brakes and angry honking carries from the road. Cutting a wild path through traffic is an old open-top olive-drab Jeep with several gold charms dangling from its rear-view mirror. It jerks to a stop just before hitting Shisui, both side wheels riding up on the curb.

“Need a ride?” the female driver asks, grinning.

Her windswept hair hangs past the fashionable silk scarf tied at her neck. Unmanicured nails wrap around the slender metal of the steering wheel, like they couldn’t be more at home there. They’re a stark contrast with the cream suit linen she’s wearing, rolled up neatly to her elbows. Speckled with dirt, it looks like she’s probably travelled halfway across the country to be here, and been up to her elbows in the grease of the Jeep’s engine at some point to do it. She’s a walking contradiction—albeit one Shisui is delighted to see.

“Izumi!” he exclaims happily.

Eyes sparkling, she waves. “Hey.”

“I thought you were practicing on the course in Reno this weekend… What’re you doing here?”

A shot rings out, kicking up dust near one of the tyres. Glancing behind him, Izumi rolls her eyes, reaching across to throw open the door. “What am I always doing? Saving your ass, you idiot... Now get in before one of us gets shot, or I have to find out whether my rental insurance covers illegal firefight damage.”

[yoongsicles]

warning: almost cheating

wc: 1,673

genre: lil' fluff, angst

Track 2: One Last Time (Ten Lee)

Sometimes you still question yourself if choosing your modeling career was the right choice or even leaving your family just so you can go to Paris.

There's still a lot going on inside your mind to this day. Ever since you've been chosen to become one of the models in your agency to go to France, you have never been so happy in your life. It was a dream come true for you but being there made you realize how incomplete you are.

Sometimes you still question yourself if choosing your career over him was the right choice.

Him. Ten Lee.

You two were inseparable ever since elementary. He was there in your ups and downs, you were there when his parents got divorced. You were his first everything and he was yours.

For him, you were the love of his life, his everything. But that was before you broke his heart.

You are officially invited to Ten and Lisa's wedding.

You've read this countless times but it still hasn't sunk in. Lisa was your high school best friend. You knew from the beginning how he feels about Ten but since you were still his girlfriend back then, Lisa didn't have a choice but to accept the fact that you're his.

And now. They're about to get married.

"It's good to have you back here" your sister, Yeri held your hand while she's driving. She just picked you up from the airport.

You're still looking at the invitation when Yeri noticed you.

"You don't have to go, you know" she sighed still focused on the road. "I can't miss Lisa's big day," you said putting the invitation inside your purse.

"Don't you think it's kind of insensitive for her to send you an invitation?" she asked and added "Three years ago when she told you that she's dating Ten, that was foul. I mean you're her best friend and dating your ex is just" she sighed again.

"I have no control over their feelings, Yeri. All I have to do right now is to support them" you tried showing her a smile but failed.

It was exactly six years ago when you chose your career over Ten.

When you got to Paris, you still tried continuing your relationship with him but you weren't happy anymore. Long-distance doesn't work for you but for him everything was possible.

Until he was the only one left trying. Ten knows that you're about to give up but you already did.

Ten supported your career still even though in return, he'll lose you.

When Lisa told you that he was dating Ten two years after you broke up, that made you realize that breaking his heart was a mistake.

And now you're too late.

"We're here" you got back to your senses when the car stopped. Looking at your house, you can't express how happy you are now that you're finally home.

Two days after returning to Seoul, you and Yeri went to Lisa's bridal shower.

"Now you're nervous" Yeri teased you, "I told you this is not a good idea. What will happen to you at the actual wedding? Passed out?"

"I'm fine" you smiled at her. You saw Lisa entertaining her guests and took her a minute to saw you too.

"Oh my God, you're here!" she ran towards you giving you a hug "Hey," you said still hugging her "Six years, y/n. Six freaking years and the only thing that can get you back here is my wedding" Lisa squealed holding both of your hands.

"Well, I can't miss this," you tell her smiling. Yeri scoffed beside you giving Lisa a fake smile.

The night went well. You saw your high school batchmates, got to drink your favorite wine, and you also got to bond with your sister.

Lisa's bridal shower was about to end when you saw Ten entering the venue. You felt like everything stopped. Seeing him again after six years was overwhelming that you can't even think properly.

He went to greet Lisa and the other guests. "You're not supposed to be here! This is an all-girls party" you heard Lisa shooing Ten away but he just held Lisa's hand tighter "I'm here to pick you up. It's getting late" Ten replied.

You were waiting for him to notice you until he did.

"You never told me that Ten got way hotter now," you told Yeri still looking at Ten "Uhm because he's already your ex?" she answered.

"Y/n! Come!" Lisa called you but your feet were glued on the floor so Lisa decided to bring Ten and walked towards you.

Both of you and Ten had an awkward greeting but he made sure he's making you feel comfortable by having a proper conversation with you.

"I'm glad that you'd get to attend," he said. You don't know how to answer that so you just gave him a smile. Ten has known you enough that he can see the pain in your eyes.

He tried not to think about it but seeing you so beautiful tonight can't deny the fact that he missed you too. After all, you were his best friend.

On the way home, you don't even know if it's the alcohol that's making you sad or seeing Ten earlier. You still can't move on from how good he looked.

You still love him. You still do and it sucks.

The night before the wedding, you've decided to visit Ten in his apartment. You knew Lisa's not gonna be there because she's not allowed to be with his groom until the wedding.

Different emotions filling you up right now as you knocked on his door. Drinking too much will make a person too vulnerable and make you do something you'll regret the next day.

And here you are at his doorsteps.

"Y/n?" Ten was clearly surprised because the last thing he wants was a visitor this late at night.

"Can I come in?" Ten was hesitant but he was worried that something's up so he decided to let you in. Walking past him, he smelled the alcohol all over you.

"Are you-" before he even gets to finish his question, you cut him off by saying "I still love you" which shocked him. He was confused, so confused that he became mad at you.

"Why now?" he asked "I know I don't deserve you anymore but please hear me out for the last time" you started crying in front of him.

"I'm sorry it took too long for me to realize the mistake I've done. I swear I tried coming back but Lisa was already there"

"Yes! She was there and is still there. She never gave up on me, y/n. Unlike you who made it seem so easy"

You were sobbing and Ten was just looking at you.

"I'm so sorry" you hugged him and he was doing nothing. Just letting you hug him. Ten missed you so much but this isn't right at all.

When you let go of him, you looked him straight in his eyes still crying "I missed you" you whispered. This isn't supposed to happen, you both thought but your emotions are fighting back.

Both of you know that the love is still there but for Ten, it's the love for his best friend and not for the person who broke him before.

On the other hand, all you wanted to do was kiss him again but before you could even do it, you passed out in his arms.

Waking up to familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings, you see yourself wearing a man's shirt. Realizing where you are, the events from last night flashed in your head.

You facepalmed. You swear in your life that you'll never gonna drink again.

You get up immediately to get your things. You saw Ten sleeping on his couch. I can't wake him, you tell yourself.

You just felt horrible that you're in his apartment, six hours before his wedding but thankful as well because nothing regretful happened last night. Yes, saying those words last night wasn't regretful at all for you because now you have the chance to fully move on.

Ten woke up to the sound of his alarm. Turning it off, he got up to see if you're still in his room but you already left. He sighed remembering what happened last night.

He noticed his and Lisa's wedding invitation on his table alongside a letter.

It was from you.

Dearest Ten,

I'm sorry I wasn't able to bid goodbye properly but what I'm sorry the most is the pain I've caused you. You didn't deserve it at all. The consequences I got when I lost you were enough for me to let you go and what happened last night was a part of it. Even though it wasn't my plan to get drunk and barge in like that, I'm still thankful that all is out now. I'm finally free from the burden inside me. I have decided to go back to Paris and never come back again. It's the least I can do for both of you and that means I can't attend your wedding as well. I'm just scared that everything will come back again if I see you getting married so this is the best solution. Yeri was right, I shouldn't have come in the first place but I think that was because I wanted to see you for the last time again. You were my best friend and you still are but unfortunately, everything has its ending and I'm afraid this is ours. Our history will always have a special place in my heart and I thank you so much for being a part of it. Please make a much better history with Lisa. You deserve each other and I'm glad she's the person you're gonna spend your forever with. Be happy always :)

Thank you for bringing me back home. I will always love you, Ten.

Y/n

••••••••••

The Breakup Playlist

Masterlist

[the-one-eighteen]

Okay for the prompt request, how about Buck plans a picnic with Eddie and Chris and they're once again mistaken for a couple? Bonus point if it leads to love confession and a first kiss (and no pressure if you don't feel like writing this, okay?)

Thank you so much for the prompt, and sorry for the delay! Hope you like it ^^

I Don’t Want Them to be Wrong

(read on ao3)

Buck couldn’t ask for a better day. The sun was shining without burning everything to a crisp, the park was busy without being crowded, they’d managed to find a perfect spot under a couple of trees - close enough to the playground that Chris could easily make it without help, but out of the way enough that they weren’t in any danger of being trampled on by excited kids or harried parents - and...well, he was out and about with his two favorite people.

The day honestly couldn’t get much better.

Eddie had given him a bit of a weird look when he’d suggested the picnic about a week ago. But Buck was smart, and had suggested it in front of Chris, who was immediately on board and helped him convince Eddie that it was a great idea without much prompting. He was pretty sure it was physically impossible for Eddie to say no to Chris over fun, easy stuff.

No one ever said he had to play fair when it came to Eddie.

And now, here they were, and even Eddie had to admit this was a good idea when he saw Chris light up, saw the spot Buck had picked out, and saw the food Buck had put together and just…

Yeah, it was a good idea, and Buck was a little proud of himself, honestly.

They’d needed a day out. Eddie’d been complaining about the never ending stream of take out he’d been having to get lately, and how, with it being summer, Carla and his family were having to watch Chris more, and while they were all great and wonderful, there was only so much they could do with an excited eight year old who didn’t have school and homework as a distraction.

Buck hadn’t thought of a picnic originally - it wasn’t generally his go-to, which tended more towards beer, pizza and video games, because, honestly? He didn’t need a whole lot, if he was spending the day with Eddie and Chris. Hell, he’d probably be happy with just hanging out on their couch for a couple hours, he was that far into it.

But Eddie had just looked so...upset, about the fact that Chris was bored out of his mind, and Eddie...hadn’t really been able to do anything to help relieve that boredom lately.

He might have also gone to Hen for suggestions.

Hen had given him a weird look - she’d been giving him a lot of those lately actually - before just shaking her head and suggesting one of the parks her and Karen took Denny to when the summer blues hit.

So, yeah. Picnic.

Eddie was currently stretched out beside him on the blanket, leaning back on his arms and watching Chris play, a pair of sunglasses perched on his nose, and a little dab of sunscreen there too, from where he’d been trying to cover Chris and Chris had been having none of it.

Buck kind of wants to tell him it’s there. Kind of wants to see how long it’ll take him to notice.

The sandwiches Buck had made are already long gone, a couple snacks still laid out here and there for when Chris decides he wants to come back.

They’re in absolutely no rush, and Buck is just enjoying the moment. He’s stretched out on his back, hands behind his head, enjoying the heat and the sounds of laughing kids and parents, and, honestly, if he wasn’t feeling so bright and full, he’d probably doze off, just absolutely content with life.

“...Thanks. For this.” Eddie murmurs a little while later, and Buck blinks slightly as his brain comes back online. Maybe he did doze off there for a moment. Whoops.

“Huh? Oh, of course man.” He grins up at Eddie, cheeky and bright. “You looked absolutely miserable last week. Had to do something.”

And Eddie looks at him, sunglasses making it impossible to actually decipher his expression. “No, you really didn’t.” And Buck doesn’t really get that, feels himself frowning, “But I’m glad you did.” And Eddie smiles down at him - that small, surprised one that he so rarely shows that makes Buck’s heart skip a beat or two every time he manages to tease it out.

And then he’s looking back towards the playground, and Buck gets a moment to just. Breathe. In through his nose, out through his mouth.

Calm down.

It’s something he has to tell himself a lot these days.

Calm down, when Eddie invites him to stay the night ‘cause they’ve been watching movies and it’s now midnight and there’s no point in him going home at that hour. Calm down, when Eddie tells him Chris misses him and he should come over soon. Calm down, when Eddie accepts invitations to his place for just the two of them for a night. Calm down, when Eddie asks if he can pick up Chris from school, or from his abuela’s because he’s picking up the end of a shift and knows Buck will without hesitation.

Calm down, when Eddie smiles at him, laughs with him.

Calm the fuck down, when Eddie does...anything.

It doesn’t ever really work, but he says it a lot. Likes to think it keeps him from doing something stupid.

“Daddy!” Chris calls, causing Buck to glance over, even if Eddie’s already on it.

“Yeah, buddy?” Eddie calls back, pushing himself up to actually sit.

“Can we get ice cream?” Chris asks, clearly already set to start heading for the ice cream cart that Buck had clocked when they’d gotten there.

Eddie frowns slightly, exaggeratedly, pretending to think on it for a moment.

Chris just huffs and turns to look at Buck instead, “Buck, can we get ice cream?” which causes Eddie to bust out laughing, and Buck just grins and shakes his head.

“Not how that works buddy. Good try though.” Buck says, even as Eddie mutters something about kids too smart for their own good.

Chris pouts a bit, but Eddie’s already throwing his hands up in defeat, “Go over and tell the nice lady what you want. We’ll be right there.” And Chris is off as fast as his little legs can carry him.

“Come on, let’s get over there before he orders more than he can carry…” Eddie says, trying for grumpy and put out, but Buck can see the smile, so he just shoves Eddie when he tries to get up, laughing when Eddie sprawls out with a squawk and a curse too low for any close by parents to be offended.

“You good there, Diaz?” Buck asks, smile as innocent as he can make it. Eddie’s not buying it for a second, if the look he shoots him is anything to go by, and Buck guesses he’s got about two seconds before Eddie tackles him in retaliation, so he’s up on his feet and gone in one. The shout that follows him as Eddie goes sprawling again just proves him right.

He laughs to himself, slowing down a good couple of feet from the cart, where Chris is waiting patiently, a frozen orange pop already in hand. “Looks good buddy, why don’t you go help your dad up while I pay?”

Chris beams at him and bolts back the way he came. Buck looks back long enough to see Eddie scoop up an excitedly shrieking Chris a moment later, both of them laughing and spinning around, enough that Buck’s vaguely worried about Chris losing his popsicle.

“He’s adorable. And incredibly polite. You two are doing a good job with him.” The woman behind the cart says and Buck blinks, glancing back over, what he’s sure is a dumb grin still in place.

“What? Oh, uh-” This isn’t the first someone’s mistaken them for...for more than what they are. Isn’t the first time Buck’s heart has flipped over itself at the very idea. “Thank you. He’s a good kid.” And she smiles kindly, and he orders two chocolate pops for him and Eddie and pays for all three with a thank you before heading back to their blanket, where Eddie’s losing at trying to keep Chris clean.

And, maybe, just maybe, it’s a little selfish, that he doesn’t correct them, every time it comes up. But the very idea of being able to call Chris his, of being able to call Eddie his...going along with it for one moment, just a moment where he can smile and be loud and proud about what he supposedly has…

It’s never hurt anyone, and it takes less time than explaining that no, they’re not together, no, Chris isn’t his, and yes, it hurts every single time he has to come back down to reality.

So.

Yeah.

He drops back down on the blanket, offering over the popsicle to Eddie, who just looks at him, utterly defeated, while Chris grins at him, smile orange and sticky and so, so bright.

“Give up Eddie. We’ll soak ‘em with the hose when we get home.” And Buck can feel his face heating up as his jaw snaps shut. He didn’t mean to say that, sneaking a look at Eddie to see if he noticed.

Thankfully it doesn’t look like it, as Eddie just sighs and takes the popsicle that’s being offered, giving up on getting a napkin to Chris’ face. “He needs a bath anyway…”

Chris finishes his popsicle in record time after that, muttering that Eddie and Buck eat too slow before asking if he can go play again. Eddie makes one last attempt at wiping his face off, but Chris is too hyper now to really sit still for it, though Buck will give it to him that he tries. For a second.

“Fine, fine, ya little sugar demon. Go burn off that energy.” Eddie says, shooing a now laughing Chris off towards the playground.

Buck tosses his popsicle stick into their small bag of trash, laying back to rest his head on his hands again, watching Chris with a smile as Eddie goes quiet. God, he just wants this day to last forever.

“Why do you never correct them?” Eddie asks after a long couple of minutes. He’s still sitting crosslegged next to Buck, and in theory, he’s watching the playground, but who the hell knew with those sunglasses that Buck was starting to hate. His popsicle is mostly forgotten in his hand, melting onto a napkin in front of him while his arms rest on his knees.

Buck doesn’t get what he’s asking at first, frowning and pushing himself up to his hands, “Correct them?”

“When people assume Chris is ours.” Eddie says, still not really looking over, though Buck has a sneaking suspicion he’s watching Buck out of the corners of his eyes.

But Buck’s not really concerned with that right now.

No, no, he’s mainly concerned with the fact that it seems his stomach has suddenly relocated to his knees, and he’s pretty sure that’s not where it’s supposed to be.

“Uh…” Okay, think. Calm down and think. “...It’s faster to just agree?” Buck tries, hating how his voice goes a little shaky.

And there’s a pause. A long one that has the hair on the back of Buck’s neck standing on edge.

“...Oh.” Is all Eddie says though, his shoulders slumping slightly. And Buck can feel his gaze going back to the playground, even if he can’t actually see it.

...What the ever loving hell was he supposed to do with that?

He sits up completely then, moving to sit crosslegged in a mirror of Eddie, just eyeing him for a long moment. Eddie’s not...avoiding his look, but he’s definitely pretending like he doesn’t notice, if the sudden tension he can see in his shoulders is anything to go by.

Buck’s stomach is back where it’s supposed to be, but now his heart is beating double time as the very possibility starts worming its way into his mind. Was Eddie...disappointed?

Calm down. There had to be another explanation.

Calm down. But what could it be?

Calm down before you do something stu- “And…” Buck begins, slowly, testing the words in his mind over and over again before he actually lets them out, “I really like the idea.” He hesitates, before adding, softer, “I don’t want them to be wrong.”

And Buck’s like. Ninety percent certain Eddie’s stopped breathing. Which, you know, is only fair, since Buck’s holding his breath now too, waiting for Eddie to respond.

It’s quiet between them for long enough for Buck to go a little light headed before Eddie sets down what’s left of the popsicle. He reaches up to pull off his sunglasses, finally looking at Buck.

Really looking. Intense eyes bore into Buck for another long moment and it’s all Buck can do not to look away. Look away from this, whatever this turns out to be.

And then Eddie’s face breaks into a smile - one Buck’s never seen, but one that immediately takes his breath away, it’s so damn bright. Well, looks like he has a new favorite smile. Or, you know, he could just stick to loving all of them. That works too.

“I really like the idea too.” Eddie says, almost shyly, and Buck just...he needs to do something stupid. Again.

He leans in to press a kiss to Eddie’s lips, grins when he feels Eddie lean into it immediately, only for them to have to break apart way too soon because they’re both grinning too hard for it to work. Both of their smiles are a little stupid as they laugh softly,

“Maybe try that again?” Eddie asks, and Buck has to actually school his face so he doesn’t laugh again before he’s leaning back in to steal an actual kiss, all sweet intensity and soft breath, and it damn near takes his breath away when Eddie shifts just enough to slot them together just right.

Yeah, Buck couldn’t ask for a better day.

[imagine-that-one-thing]

Styles Towers’. || 17

Hope you’re wearing your best clothes.

Harry. 

When you die, your brain tends to shut down starting from the top, claiming the most human characteristics first. Then, as the wave of blood-starved brain cells spreads out, the memory and language centre shorts out, until you’re left with just a core.

They say it feels like you’re floating— maybe falling— before your life sort of flashes before your eyes, but not like how movies portray it. It doesn’t happen in chronological order.

You don’t relive your beginning, middle and end like a novel— no.

I don’t know how I can explain it, I don’t think I have the capability of it. At first, Elise’s face was branded into my thoughts; I heard her lovely voice calling my name— and then my whole universe was black. And it stayed black for quite a while. But it didn’t bother me, I liked it. It was peaceful and rejuvenating.

There wasn’t a pressure weighing down on me anymore, nothing devastating loomed over my head.

A sweet serenity.

My peacefulness ran out eventually,  and I began to experience what quite possibly were the best moments of my life, for the second time.

The first was Elise’s smile: glowing beautifully like a thousand songs, it brought light to my dead world. When I first saw her smile, my heart stopped, in the most wonderlust way possible. Her smile was radiant and captivating, of one like an angel. Now, her smile is like coming up for fresh air after drowning in a deadly tragedy, still beautifully captivating but more empowering. From there, all I observed were things I had enjoyed: blissful moments with my mother, sister, and Elise.

The times that seemed to brighten my vision and warm the feeling inside me weren’t the ones I’d expect to feel the most from. When I associate myself with dying, I expected it to be like taking my last breath and slipping away into a state of peacefulness. What I didn’t expect was to feel nothing yet everything all at once; pain, sorrow, happiness and regret.

I didn’t expect to feel the most happiness at the moment I did, it was not when I proposed, or my wedding, or the many years ago, when I first met Elise. No. It was the moment Elise told me she was pregnant, and the moment I heard the first heartbeat. Those two moments filled my heart with overflowing joy, bringing light into a darkened world. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say they were the only two moments I was put on this planet to live for.

We all have a purpose in life. Despite being fortunate enough to experience and achieve extraordinary circumstances, I never felt uniquely complete. Sure, I had my moments where I thought I was satisfied, but it was never full. There was always something missing. Like a puzzle with a piece askew, or mismatched socks. As I fell deeper in love with Elise, that feeling faded. But, it never fully diminished until she told me that she was pregnant. A few months earlier, if she had told me this, perhaps I would have flipped out a little bit, lost my self-control. Like I said before, I never thought I would be the one to settle down and have a family, I never thought I was capable of it. I never wanted to make my fathers mistakes, I never wanted to bring a child into the world without knowing for sure that I could give he or she the best possible life. Never.

When I said my vows to Elise— I meant them with every inch of my soul. I truly wanted to grow old with her, to experience our own great love story, even if we didn’t get to have it all. I just wanted to spend my life with her. You can strip me of everything: the fortune, the house and cars, materialistic things, my business, the art collection. Every. Single. Thing. The only thing I won’t give up is her. It sounds so cliche, but she really is all I need in this life. When she tells me she loves me, I have no doubt that anything could take me from her…

Up until now.

I’m not quite so sure where this world leaves us no, where it leaves me.

A voice I thought I would never hear again distracts me from the sound of my child’s heartbeat. Logan.

“You’re wearing your best clothes just for me, I’m honoured,” Logan smirks, as he comes into view wearing his standard business suit and white button-down combo.

I frown for a moment before I glance down and see I am wearing my signature black suit attire– complete with red tie.

I look back up at Logan, “Am I dead?”

Just a moment ago,  I was reminiscing the best parts of my life. Now, I am standing in front of my dead brother, and suddenly the serene feeling goes away.

Logan chuckles before he lifts his shoulders into a shrug, "well, mate, that depends on you.”

I raise a brow, a little bothered by his cryptic comment. The bloody man hasn’t changed a bit since leaving earth. Go figure. “It does?”

He nods, “indeed.”

I ponder this for a moment while I stare at my brother, cocking my head to the side.

I guess the question of the hour is how this depends on me?

I don’t say a word, just stand in silence, utterly confused. I can’t decide if I want to challenge Logan or just go with whatever he says. I have learned that questioning him never ends up well in my favour. It seems that while he was alive, all the answers to my questions were shameful.

“It’s sink or swim Harry, which is it?”

Logan’s voice permeates the silence and again I just gaze at him, “Harry, we don’t have all day, mate.”

I give him a shrug, I don't’ really know what the fuck I am meant to say, I can’t even tell if I am alive or not. I don’t think I am? I jus’… I don’t understand. I don’t think I want to understand.

I want my untroubled serenity back. I open my mouth to speak but close it again, grappling to figure out to express this. Is it sinking?

Logan sighs heavily as he crosses his arms and narrows his eyes at me; almost as if he knows what I’m thinking and disapproves. “Do you have the will to fight? I don’t think you do at all. I think you’re a coward who will take the easy way out.”

Ouch, that’s harsh. How dare he?

I shake my head, “That’s not true.”

Keeping my voice as low as possible as I utter those words. I don’t know who I was trying to convince more: Logan or myself.

“If it weren’t, we wouldn’t be here, Harry.”

His words feel like a knife to my heart. I can feel it slicing in half and my chest tightens. I can’t catch my breath. “And what the hell do you know?” I snarl.

“I know your love for Elise alone isn’t enough for you to fight anymore. You know she deserves better and you’re willing to give up.”

I nod my head, “She does deserve better. Much better.”

We all know she has always deserved better, I never was good enough for her. I could give her expensive jewellery and designer bags, but she isn’t a trophy wife. She deserves someone who will devote every moment to her and worship the ground she marches on. I did my best with doting on her hand and foot and loving her with everything I have, but all I have just isn’t enough. She warrants the world and I have only been able to give her half of it.

“But she wants you. She loves you more than anything.”

“That’s debatable,” I shrug. It’s the truth, it’s debatable on whether she loves me. I question her love purely because of how my business has put a strain on us. She supported me and our business, but I know she doesn’t want any part of it. I spent too much time on my business and not enough listening to her and considering her thoughts and emotions. I neglected her to raise an empire— an empire that although successful, failed me— an empire that has been the cause of my destruct and my current predicament.

How ironic, I have killed the best part of me.

“Coward.”

My body stiffens at the remark. “Shut up, Logan.” I abruptly raise my voice, attempting to defend myself even though I undividedly agree with him.

I am a fucking coward. Perhaps I am just like Dad— a coward.

Logan shakes his head at me, “you’re a coward who won’t fight.”

“Yes, I will,” I mutter, trying to convince myself that I have the will to actually fight for what I want. But, I still don’t really know what the fuck I want.

It’s hard sometimes, to decipher on what is right and wrong, just as it is hard to figure out what one truly wants and doesn’t want.

“So what are you doing here?”

My brows bump together in a scowl while my lips screw into irritation and exasperation,  “The fuck am I meant to know? I’m not fucking God, I don’t know everything.”

“Go back to your wife.”

I slump my shoulders in defeat, as bitterly poignant words leave my lips and pierce my heart, “she. doesn’t.  want. me.”

“She’s the mother of your children, she wants you. She put up with you for this long. Now go.” He strives to shoo me away but it doesn’t work. My feet stay planted where they are.

I inhale a deep breath and blow out gradually, buying time to discover words, “I change my mind, you’re right. I’m a coward. I can’t go back. She deserves better. Look what I have put her through. Dad has fucked me up.”

My — our— Father has done his damage with me, emotionally, mentally and now physically. He has caused havoc in my life from since I can remember. Even the most wonderful parts of my childhood, when he was a decent father, are still horrible times. His presence in any memory good or bad is shrilling. Even the good doesn’t outweigh the bad. No matter how hard I try to suppress the memories that creep up on me at my most vulnerable moment, I just can’t forget them.

“Your son needs you.You can’t use Dad as an excuse.”

I refuse to repeat my father’s mistakes of having children when I am not ready. I don’t want to raise children when I am not the best fit for them.

“He’s better off without me too. What father image do I have to look up too?” I sarcastically chuckle, “like I can be a decent father.” I laugh again, attempting to hold back tears.

A wary smile surfaces on his lips, “Your son is waiting to meet you.”

Oh, my son…

I shake my head. “I can’t do it.”

“Yes, you can. Go back to your family.”

“My son is better off without me.”

“He’s not the only one who needs you.” Logan remarks. But, I don’t really care. I don’t have it in me. They’re all better off without me. Mum and Gem can get through life without me and so can Elise.

Sure, maybe it will be hard for a while, but eventually, it would get easier, right?

“Elise can do better. She’ll move on.”

“She wouldn’t.” Logan shakes his head, “your daughters need you. You have your chance to do things over, take it.”

“I don’t have daughters.”

“with that attitude, you won’t. If you love Elise. You’ll fight and go back to her. If you want to be a coward fine, take my hand.” Logan offers me his hand and I stare at it, contemplating what to do.

I stand for a moment, debating what the fuck to do, I can either go with my brother and live in a well-disposed bliss or I can choose the other path and presumably go back to Elise. I glance at Logan and I can see the smile on his face; I can feel Logan radiating this energy and slowly drawing away from me.

I don’t say anything, I just gulp and breathe for a moment. Logan grants me a wider smile and nods his head as though he is condoning the choice that I have yet to verbally expose.

He stands straighter and smooths his tie, a smile dangled in the corner of his lips. “I’ll see you when I see you, Harry.”

*** ***

My eyes gradually open and at first, everything is blurry and hard to make out, a cluster of white patches, but it gently clears as I come into focus and overhear the beeping sound of machines that are familiar.

If this is what heaven sounds and looks like then all those movies got it wrong.

It takes me a moment to grasp my bearings and come to terms with being awake in the real world, at least I assume it’s the real world. I doubt heaven resembles like a dismal hospital room and the feeling of being barren and exhausted.

I feel heaviness on my shoulder and it takes me a moment to come to terms with Elise’s warm body nestled into me and her head on my shoulder. I curve my lips into a petite smile and swiftly, I no longer feel hollow.

As I take a deep breath, I am overcome with all the pain I didn’t physically feel while asleep.

Fuck.

There goes my sweet serenity.

I don’t move or wake Elise amidst my pain, instead, I do my best to pull the blanket to rest on her.

I feel her stirring against me, something I have grown to understand as the baby gradually waking up. Elise doesn’t know this, but she unknowingly wakes me when the little one is beginning to wake up, she continuously wiggles against me in her sleep and draws me closer to her and doesn’t part from my body until the little one has successfully woken her. Sometimes he lets her sleep while I stay awake just stroking her hair or stroking her stomach, other times my company isn’t sufficient enough for him and he insists on waking his mother.

I caress my hand against her stomach tenderly, feeling our pride and joy moving beneath me. And to think I almost took Logan’s hand and went with him.

It’s this sudden moment that makes me appreciate that I didn’t go with Logan- that I stayed.

It won’t be easy, but I know it will be worth the struggle.

“You’re awake?” Niall murmurs ever so softly, articulating more of a question than a statement.

I hum as he stands up from his position in the chair, “how ye’ feeling?”

I can’t help but smirk as a way to mask any discomfort, “like I was shot.”

Niall rolls his eyes at my remark, “still a smart ass.”

“Oi,” I breathe in a breath and grimace slightly, “still yeh boss.”

Niall nods, “Almost thought I lost you, mate. You gotta stop doing this, kinda like you as my boss.”

“Kinda like bein’ your boss,” I grin softly, uplifting the mood.

“Looks like you’re not making that trip to New York over Christmas though.”

I sigh heavily, remembering that I had jam-packed my schedule over the Christmas period coming up, against Elise’s wishes, and now here I am, completely unable to make any of the arrangements.

At least I will be home for Christmas.

“Your wife— she’s the definition of a ride or die— never let her go,” Niall gestures towards Elise.

“Don’t plan to.”

“She tried to bribe the authorities to let her have 5 minutes with your father while he was handcuffed.”

I chuckle to myself, essentially because I can envision her becoming extremely ferocious and pleading to get her way. I wouldn’t be surprised if she batted those sumptuous eyes of hers, dangled that attractive smile and applied her charm.

If there is one thing I can say, Elise has always had my back even when I haven’t noticed it.

“Do you want me to wake her? You seem… pained.”

I instantly shake my head. My discomfort is nothing compared to how she must feel when waiting for me to wake up. If the shoe was on the other foot, I would be a mess if I had to assemble by a hospital bed and wait for her to wake up. “No, let her sleep.” … “But some morphine would be nice… And ice.”  

Through the pain, I chuckle to myself, a sudden remembrance of something I wrote years ago in my journal coming back to mind. The lyric I once wrote for my own personal self, “give me some morphine. Is there any more to do?”

Obviously, at the time I was not literally meaning I wanted morphine, it was more of a metaphor for the pain I was feeling when Elise broke up with me very early on in our relationship. Just like an addict craves to get their drugs back and relapse— I needed to get back with Elise— a pretty simple understanding. I was desperate with my desire to preserve what was there between us. I was the one that stirred her to breaking up with me for my own selfish tendencies, I accused myself and denied to give up hope.

*

Niall keeps me awake and speaking for a little bit, explaining to me the obligations I have missed in the hours I have been in another universe. Apparently, I have been out for nearly twenty-four hours which writhed my nurses. I guess I took my sweet time deciding whether I wanted to live or not. Niall informs me of how detectives have been waiting for me to wake up and how they received quite a few words from Elise, needless to say, they won’t be back until they are called.

I assume I have to call them when I am not on morphine to nurse the pain.

“Damn,” I hear Elise mumble as she lets out a heavy breath and her body moves from mine.

“Well, good morning, sunshine,” I snicker.

Elise grunts, “Shut it, Styles.”

Ouch, someone’s grouchy.

Her enrapturing eyes gleam into my iridescent, malachite-green eyes before she goes wide-eyed and springs up a little, surprised, to say the least. “Fuck, no, don’t shut up, I am so sorry. You’re awake.”

“Careful, darling,” I mutter, reminding her that this bed is not ever ending. The last thing I want is for her to fall off the damn bed. “You okay? Ye’ just staring.”

“Fine, how are you? How do you feel? D you need ice? Do you need anything-”

“Hey, relax. I’m fine considering my father shot me.” I grin at her, attempting to alleviate the mood.

She doesn’t need to fret and dote on me hand and foot for the next however long it takes for me to recover. I am alive, therefore; I am fine.

Elise caresses a kiss on my cheek before she gingerly sits herself up and her eyes flick towards Niall. “You knew he was awake, didn’t you?” She crosses her arms and raises a brow with that glare that can burn through walls.

I can only assume she is not pleased that she was not woken up the moment I decided to make my grand appearance.

Niall shifts off of the wall and nods, “Indeed… Need some help?” Niall proposes graciously.

Before Elise can shake her head and refuse his assistance, I speak for her, “Yes.”

Elise cocks her head and her knife cutting eyes gaze at me, “don’t need you falling.” I murmur before she sighs and enables Niall to assist her.

“Don’t need you pulling your IV out,” she gestures towards my left arm with the IV.

Damn, I hate them. They’re so fucking bothersome.

It is like she is reading my mind and my desires to pull the damn thing out.

*  

I flip aimlessly through the boring channels on the television while Elise is perched comfortably in the seat with a blanket draped over her legs and a book in her hand.

“Elle?”

She looks up from her book, “you in pain?”

I shake my head, “No, I am bored.”

Elise rolls her eyes and flicks her eyes back to her book. As we all know, I am not the person who can assemble in a hospital bed or any bed and simply twiddle my thumbs. I have to be doing something and keep myself entertained.

“Elise…Elle…baby…love…darling-”

“Harry,” she sighs as she glances over at me and keeps her hand in her book to mark the page, “would you prefer to read a book?” she proposes.

“Ha, no,” I shake my head.

“Harry, take a nap.”

“No.”

“You’re being bothersome.”

I pout my lips and screw my nose up at her comment before I glance away from her and look back to the television.

I hear Elise heavily huff before her book closes and I feel her eyes on me. “I am sorry… Wanna talk?”

“No.”

“Well… maybe we should talk about baby names?” Elise suggests, gradually intriguing me and drawing me from being bratty. “He needs a name and we haven’t had time to think of a name.”

I cock my head to the side and glance over at her with a small smile. “Anything in mind?”

She thinks for a moment, “I like the name, Tommy and James. You?”

“No on Tommy.” I shake my head, “No offence, but Tommy will not make a good name on a desk. It sounds…. weak.”

“Harry, it isn’t guaranteed he will be like you and be a CEO. Maybe he wants to be a pilot or a dancer or an engineer.”

“I know, but Tommy is a sweet name and I jus’, I don’t like it suited. Tommy Styles. Eh.” … “I like James, it is nice. What about Noah?”

“Nah.”

“Thomas?” I suggest.

“No, don’t like it.” Elise is quick to shake her head.

“Luke?”

“no.”

“Are you going to say yes to anything?” I challenge, staring at my apparently very picky yet beautiful wife.  I assume she has a name picked out that she is pondering in that mind of hers.

Elise shrugs, “Nathan?”

“Not a fan of it. Hey, I do have a question.” I inform Elise and she waits for me to continue on. “How about Logan as the middle name? I know it probably isn’t what you-”

“Yes,” Elise doesn’t let me finish my sentence, “of course,” she nods.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am. I like it. Tommy Logan Styles.” Elise smirks playfully at me and I roll my eyes.

“Nice try, darling.”

“It was worth a try.”

“I love you for trying.”

Elise smiles before she pushes herself up from the chair and steps over towards me, “And I love you.” Elise leans down and kisses my lips sweetly, reminding me that she does love me and that I made the right decision.

___

(I’d like to thank my lovely friends for allowing me to constantly send them bits and pieces and for allowing me to bounce off ideas of them. @lostinreality014  @haroldsflowerchild @ca-sunsets @not-nessasarily and @latersdiana) On another note, thank you to my readers for enjoying this journey with me and for reading! P.S There is one more chapter after this, just one. :( Xx

[georgeluz]

I just saw your ask game from another friend and really wanted to give it a try! My face is my icon :) I am a nice little mix between a Virgo and a Leo. Outgoing, but also likes alone time. I love crop tops and sneakers. Musical theatre is my passion and my college major! My favorite animal is a meerkat. I love Disney, Game of Thrones, American Horror Story, and the original Star Wars saga! I don't really mind which you write me in :)

NO MORE ASKS FOR THIS PLS.

IM SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG BABE WOW. I accept death! I’m gonna go ahead and only do two, mostly because I’m also not super familiar with AHS and I’ve done Star Wars enough times ;D

The Character I See You As: Ariel! Sweet, out-going, knows what she wants and is always trying to get it. I love her because, while she’s bold and unafraid at times, she’s also clearly not an extrovert in the typical sense. She still needs her downtime. Her best friends are fish, not other merpeople, and she spends time in her own little caverns, collecting things. I just love my small redheaded child.

Your Three Best Friends: Belle, Tiana, Jasmine

The One You Don’t Get Along With: Flynn Rider! Sometimes you really do wish you could hit him in the face with a pot or a pan. He’s obnoxious at times, not exactly your type of guy with his theatrics. He grows on you eventually, but not without some kind of trouble first.

Who I Ship You With: Human!Simba. Okay, who didn’t have a slight crush on Simba as a kid? Or is this some weird thing only me and my friends did? Anyway. Totally reliable, reluctant and stubborn but protective of his friends, Simba is honestly the best SO material honestly. He knows how to have fun, but also super responsible? I mean, if I met anyone like Disney’s Simba, I would be deceased.

Wildcard: Your sidekicks are totally Simone and Pumba ok.

————————-

The Character I See You As: Sansa Stark! Let’s think post!Joffrey badass here. I love Sansa, I love her because her character arc is so special to me. She owns her femininity, but she also owns the side of her that absolutely kicks ass. I mean, she wants to rule the North? But on the flip side, let’s talk about how she loved to be social, even the center of attention, but turns out she’s also wickedly smart and needs her down time too? She’s more like her family than she used to believe. Anyway. Honestly someone talk to me about Sansa, she’s my favorite GoT character.

Your Three Best Friends: Brienne of Tarth, Missandei, Bran Stark

The One You Don’t Get Along With: Ygritte. She’s every bit as naive and stubborn as you used to be, but about different things. She only sees things the way she wants them to be seen, and sometimes she makes mistakes that you could have easily calculated (or at least you can now, past you probably couldn’t, which is why all of her mistakes burn you so much).

Who I Ship You With: Robb Stark! Okay ngl I feel awkward putting this as I saw you as Sansa, but that’s okay because who I see you as has nothing to do with the little blurb! But anyway, I love Robb, alright. He’s actually sort of the human version of Simba? Responsible, but slightly naive at the same time, wants what’s best for everyone and sometimes puts himself in harms way for that cause. I just love him though because he’s got some serious loyalty. I mean, he died for everyone he loved when he really didn’t have to (and trust me, I will kick him forever for it. He was my fav before Sansa).

Wildcard: Peasant, Blacksmith’s daughter in Winterfell.

Lil Blurb: There was nothing you loved more than sitting atop the iron fence running along your father’s shop, feeling the smooth metal underneath the material of your skirt pressed up against the back of your thighs. There was something reminiscent about it. You always stood or sat there when parades of nobles and their parties rode by, or when the Starks came out on business. You never interfered, but you always watched, dreaming of a better life for yourself than the butcher’s son down the street.

And there was something you loved about the wolves. You were biased, you were certain, but they were the most magnificent creatures you had ever seen. You loved all hounds of all shapes and sizes, but the direwolves held a special place in your heart. You knew them, the way they looked, their names, who was bonded to who. You had always read about them as a child, and you’d always wanted one yourself. It would never happen, and the Stark children all getting a pup was the closest you would ever get.

So it was a stroke of luck, or fate smiling upon you, when Robb Stark visited your father’s business personally. With Grey Wind at his heels, he perused through the gallery of fine weaponry. Your father was the best in the area, one of only three who provided weaponry nearby, and Robb liked to stretch his legs and take a look from time to time. Normally you were out with your mother running errands or you were shooed out, but his presence was a surprise to you and your father, not giving him enough time to send you away.

You pressed your back up against the wall near the entrance, staring wide-eyed at Grey Wind as he looked up from his master’s feet and gave you a curious sniff. Instinctively, you reached out your hand, palm up and invited the beast forward. The thought crossed your mind that it was silly, a terrifying thing. Grey Wind was notorious for being protective over his boy, just like the rest of the wolves. But surprisingly, he nosed your hand, forcing it up over his head for a scratch behind the ears.

When you looked up, the delight radiating off of your face, you realized that Robb had been watching, an eyebrow quirked. “He must smell my lunch on me,” you practically stammer, cursing yourself for being so nervous in front of the Stark heir.

“I’m surprised, he normally pays no mind to people. What’s your name again?” His eyes are twinkling. He reaches forward to thread his fingers through Grey Wind’s fur, and your father watches from behind between furrowed eyebrows.

“Y/N. I’ve always loved the direwolves. I never imagined I’d see one up close like this.” You squatted down, scratching between Grey Wind’s ears. He didn’t pay his master any mind for once, and Robb looked both stunned and amused.

“Well, why don’t you come meet our Kennel Master after this? I think he could use someone with a gentle touch like your’s.”

You turned red, but grinned up at Robb, bold despite the way he was looking at you. He was inspecting you, like it was the first time he’d ever seen you before. Maybe it was the first time he’d noticed, you were just proud he had talked to you at all. In fact, you had impressed him.

“It’s a deal,” you agreed with a short nod. You realized you were probably a little in over your head, but you didn’t care.