#cmbyn fic recs

[selmasdaydreams]

Ogni Parte È Viva (Every Part Is Alive) by euphorial_docx on ao3 is my favourite thing i’ve ever read (142k words, completed). literally ever in my life im not exaggerating.

it is a jegulus call me by your name au, and it is the best writing i have ever experienced. the thing that really gets me about this fic though is the characterisations, specifically of regulus. the tags state that he is autistic, and while it isn’t explicitly stated in the writing, it’s presented so beautifully. the things he says and does, and even the things he doesn’t say or do but are parts of his thought processes all just makes so much sense i can’t even explain it.

i am fully and completely obsessed with it and i reread the epilogue like twice a week.

it also has two incompleted fics as a part of a series; one of them is described as a collection of moments before and after the summer of 1979, and the second is a sequel that currently has 4 chapters up.

every single word in this fic and the ones connected to it just hit so hard and i’m genuinely obsessed with it. it’s so different from anything else i’ve ever read and i very highly recommend it

you will need an ao3 account to read it though <3

[ssseashell]

About Italian Summers and an Italian boy | newtmas

by ssseashell on ao3, 2.9k words, 1/1

Life in northern Italy is tedious; unexciting. Well, at least Newt thinks so.

But then, he finds himself at a party in Crema, the closest city to his Villa. And he’s introduced to a sweet, bright-smile brunet boy named Thomas.

or

that cmbyn newtmas au i needed to write so i would heal my heart (i’ve been daydreaming abt writing this since i made this moodboard and now i’m officially back with my one chaptered fics agenda, catch me!)

[z0mbieb0ys-recs]

Ogni Parte È Viva (Every Part Is Alive)

by: @euphorial-docx

Chapters: 35

Words: 142,421

Ship: Regulus Black/James Potter

Rating: Explicit

Summary:

During the summer of 1979, Regulus Black lives with his uncle, Alphard, and other Black family pariahs in the outskirts of Trieste, Italy.

When his older brother Sirius, who’s been studying abroad in America, returns for summer break with his university friends, the last thing Regulus expected was to be swept up in a furtive romance with his brother’s new best friend.

[junhannies]

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ao3 minsung fic recs

hi hii! here are some of my favorite minsung fics from ao3, i wanted to keep them as a list + share them with you <3 since you can see the tags by clicking the links i won’t categorize them deeply here!

the blue ones are honorable mentions since they are my all time favorites, links are under the cut!

ᡣ𐭩 what if we bought matching turtle shaped mood rings at the aquarium and we were both boys | fwb, virgin hjs, mutual pining, weird lmh

ᡣ𐭩 hoodie season | friends to lovers, straight han jisung, smut

ᡣ𐭩 the sweet salt of peaches | food sex, friends to lovers, cmbyn inspired

ᡣ𐭩 la la lost you | angst w happy ending, friends to lovers, long distance

ᡣ𐭩 until we get there | nerd hjs, dancer lmh, strangers to lovers, virgin hjs, developing relationship

ᡣ𐭩 hands-on learning | tutor lmh, straight hjs, friends to lovers

ᡣ𐭩 the one for me | best friends brother, top hjs, bottom lmh

ᡣ𐭩 don’t blame me | vampire hjs, hunter lmh, enemies to lovers

ᡣ𐭩 we're at the beginning | roommates, friends to lovers, smut

ᡣ𐭩 dancing amongst the flames | ballet lmh, skater hjs

ᡣ𐭩 light me up | childhood friends to lovers, bugs

ᡣ𐭩 seven years | friends to lovers

ᡣ𐭩 so darling, come on in (the water’s fine) | merman minho, human jisung, 5+1

ᡣ𐭩 everything changed (and nothing changed at all) | best friends to lovers, idiots in love, loss of virginity

i hope you enjoy them!! lmk if you want more of these 🩵

[kyeomniscient]

seventeen ao3 fic recs

other rec lists

pt. 2 (completed mid-length fics, <50k words)

pt. 3 (completed shorter fics, <10k words)

pt. 4 (incomplete fics)

so i recently got into reading svt fics and this is a compilation of a few of my favourites :) all recs here are completed (yay no cliffhangers)!

these are mostly minwon, but there are some other pairings as well and i'll be updating this as i go~

also props to anyone who writes!! both fics and in general bc writing is not easy and the creativity and flair that some of these authors have... simply unmatched

edit: i've split the original post into several shorter lists (according to fic length) so each post is a little more readable - links above, happy reading!

---

all-time faves (last updated 9/5/2024)

as y'all can tell i love the longer fics bc they are j so immersive and memorable esp when the characters capture the essence and little quirks of svt so well sooo here goes

Catch the Stars (minwon, 150k words, completed)

this is often hailed as one of the top 3 minwon fics of all time and i wholeheartedly agree!! this might be my fave fic of all time - i really love the city boy x country boy trope, where the mcs form a connection in spite of their different backgrounds and life experiences hehe also random but some of the scenes reminded me of cmbyn (small town italy peachy summer vibes) lolol

Kalon (minwon, 200k words, completed)

my heart broke for wonwoo in this fic and it was absolutely worth the read :"") it's by the same author as catch the stars and her writing is just *chef's kiss* really loved how each conflict and setback was handled and built upon, and wonwoo's inner conflict due to his fear of relationships was really well-depicted and realistic, and the intimacy of them spending time together in the spectacle shop after hours was everything i could've asked for

Love Stuck (minwon, 200k words, completed)

don't usually read parent aus because i prefer stories where the mcs are closer in profile to the actual pair but this was very well-written!! loved how the author handled the struggles of single parent-child dynamics as well as the slow burn - each character was really fleshed out, the chapters didn't feel repetitive despite the fic being quite long and it was all in all a vv wholesome fic hehe

'til kingdom come (minwon, 160k words, completed)

this was a historical au and the writing was so poetic!! and exquisite!! not forgetting the tension and drama of it all, how the world-building was so intricately wrought out, the language so befitting of the period, the development of the entire war arc beyond the romance, each character so original yet still bearing hints that remain true to their persons, the chapters being well-paced, the epilogue that wrapped things up so beautifully... i can't even begin to fathom how long it took the author to come up with this gripping masterpiece askshdfjkdsf i'd give a million kudos if i could

---

others (in order of descending word count)

the sun and the silver lining (minwon, 60k words, completed)

this one made my heart feel things :"") really loved this author's descriptions (the metaphors in this fic were unparalleled) and how they give nuance to the internal thoughts and feelings of the characters!! slight b99 vibes with policeofficer!wonwoo x paramedic!mingyu lolol

Like the Beginning (minwon, 55k words, completed)

this was heartbreak/comfort with a second-chance romance and slight hospital playlist vibes lol i relish in the pain of reading about wonwoo trying to go back to how things were, mingyu being torn between indulging him and wanting to keep his distance, that feeling of looking at someone you once loved only to realise that you never moved on in the first place ugh

in defense of the side character (minwon, 55k words, completed)

actor!mingyu x scriptwriter!wonwoo - super well-written and it even has art!! the scripts made it all the more realistic and i have a soft spot for fics on the entertainment industry bc the overall atmosphere is always a little different from the slice of life/school aus like there's this underlying tension of being under public scrutiny and the pressure of being public figures and i j love when the fics capture these nuances in the story hah

Change of Ends (soonwoo, 52k, completed)

tennis!au - this might actually be my favourite soonwoo fic ever?? loved how their relationship was fleshed out over the years with the use of a non-linear narrative to sprinkle in memories from their past between their moments at present, and wonwoo was so sweet and loving here and it was such a refreshing take on his character bc he is usually the colder one. also, the level of detail for the sport was incredible and made the reading experience extra immersive so highly-recommend!!

A Mighty Stranger (minwon, 50k words, completed)

a fantasy minwon au for a change! really cool concept for a fic and there was so much effort and research that went into this bc the story spanned across different continents and time periods so i'd recommend this to those looking for smth diff

feel free to rec any fics based on what i've shared!! would really appreciate it thank you hehe

[antidotetogo]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers! Spread the self-love 💞

Even though I have a F1 sideblog, I am going to talk about those fics too because that is what I have written most recently and I am v proud of some of those fics

(If you are Grace or SG or Melanie please pretend you aren't seeing me post links to my nsfw stuff ok? ok.)

When the Lights Go Out

One Direction Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

aka my gateway into being obsessed with F1. I cranked out 80k in six months having not written seriously for a few years and I am just still so proud of what I achieved with this fic.

Only the Good Die Old

MCU Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers

Throwing it back to 2016. This was my first Stucky fic and the concept was just so out there and it never really got much of a reception but I am still just so proud of how creative this was.

Erosion

Formula 1 RPF Charles Leclerc/Max Verstappen

My F1 pièce de résistance, my first long F1 fic, and the fic I don't know if I will ever top. Save me Italian, CMBYN vibes, save me (you did, you literally did)

In the Silences

Formula 1 RPF Carlos Saniz/Lando Norris

This is fairly recently posted but I do think I did something here. Formula RPF, meet Twilight: New Moon heartbreaking break up vibes. Also, still summer vibes too.

Outshining the Stars

One Direction Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

The fic I ripped out in one long weekend camping after not having written for like a year. There is a pattern here of fics I love for getting me off of breaks from writing.... But this story meant a lot to me at the time and I do think it holds up some to this day even though I wrote it like 5 years ago.

[twopoppies]

hiiii! have you got any call me by your name larry fic? hopefully with an actual happy ending lol

I don’t, love. You can look through some of my rec lists like Age Difference or Secret Relationships. But I don’t think I have anything that’s really like CMBYN.

[camille-bee]

My top 4 oliver x elio fics (or what I will be reading instead of... *cough* *cough*)

Daring to desire you series by Eva_Marlowe (THIS SERIES SHOULD BE A NOVEL!!!! seriously, I am soooooo in love with this, I always reread it, it's so true to oliver and elio. And oliver actually gets chapters. And Oliver is actually treated with respect. And fuck, this is my favorite and just feels so REAL)

Poetry in motion series by mae428 (THIS IS THE FLUFFIEST THING EVER!!! And I absolutely love how the author touches on some real topics, like fuck yes, thank you!)

Cruel Summer by Miranda_Glass (.......This is such a delicious slow burn. You can feel the heartbreak and the history and the longing between them, its unreal)

Tikkun Olam by noodle_kugle ( this is set in 2006, and it's also another sloooow burn... until its not and things move fast and smut! Smut! Smut!)

These are just my fave fics that I feel are a great continuation for cmbyn 🙌

I will update this list for my faves AUs.

[robazizo]

Call Me By Your Name Fic Recs #3

- Finding The Stars by Woodentrain (aka @natures-cunning-ways​) Oliver's side of the story-Oliver's a normal kid, from a normal family. He's not like the rest of them, though- nobody expected him to want to sit with his nose in a book all day. Nobody expected him to want to go to college. Nobody expected him to go to stay with a professor in Italy to edit a book he's actually written himself. And when he gets to Italy there’s this kid, the professor’s son. He’s intimidating as hell. But when he smiles, really smiles, Oliver’s heart turns over...

- Bring Me Back With You by thecosmicfragments Did you know that a broken heart doesn't make any sound?

- Il Respiro Trattenuto by JWAB Their last night together in Rome.“We’ve still got hours.” “Hours,” Oliver repeated. So little, when he wanted decades. When other people got a lifetime.

- Per Aspera Ad Astra by Albione Oliver leaves B once more leaving Elio behind. Both live their parallel lives, but this time they have to face the reality of who they are and what they want. Twenty years is a heavy weight to deal with and time has changed them and those around them. The people they have loved and lost, family and friends, all have shaped them; can they still be happy living in a coma or is it time to reach for the stars? And if they do reach for the stars, will it be too late? 

- To Be A Room Without A Flame by labeledbones When Oliver finally sees Elio again, they’re at a funeral. Oliver and Elio reunite in New York in 1988 during the AIDS crisis.

- Closer Still by @thereisalwaysroom​ "Abbastanza,” I rasped. “Want you now.”

- Then, So Be It by @servem​ Oliver's last trip to the villa, and all the things he wanted to say.

- If not later, when by lq_traintracks “They can never undo it, never unwrite it, never unlive it, or relive it—it’s just stuck there like a vision of fireflies on a summer field toward evening that keeps saying, You could have had this instead.” ~André Aciman, Call Me By Your Name

- Mise En Abyme by @everyforkedroad​ A collection of vignettes of Elio and Oliver's coming together after the events of the novel. Adheres to the novel's timeline but vignettes are posted in non-chronological order. Stories will alternate between Oliver and Elio's POV.  This is the only WIP on this rec list, but the chapters are standalone.

- Husbands And Wives by nygirl26 After eight years together, there are still confessions to be made and concerns to quash. And dinner parties to throw.

- Waiting by @lookingforatardis​ It’s been six years since that summer, four of those spent in silence. Elio never let go, he was always there, waiting. When he stumbles upon Oliver by happenstance one day, he finally tells him.

- Somewhere On Twitter, May 2017 by mae428 (aka @all-things-all-the-time​) Set in 2017. Elio and Oliver meet on Twitter.

- At Last by Shelly_Webster Elio now an old man back in B. still remembers the love he has for Oliver...

- Traviamento by blackvogue (aka @terxture) basically read a particular part of cmbyn again the other day and it fucked me up so when i was feeling particularly angsty i just wrote this and nope i'm probably never going to finish it. wish i could end it on a mic drop moment but im too emotionally exhausted. also: im shit at writing so please enjoy

- And I’ll Call You By Mine  by ZombieAmoeba The entire story of Call Me By Your Name but from Oliver's POV. Mainly based on events in the film but with a few details from the book that I liked. As in the film, starts off slow burn then slash in later chapters. My Oliver is the shy, caring man hiding behind a casual carefree facade as guessed at by Samuel Perlman, if you prefer a different interpretation of Oliver then this might not be for you.

CMBYN Fic Recs #1 / CMBYN Fic Recs #2 / CMBYN Video Recs / My General Rec Tag

[getmehighonmagic]

Chapter 16 ♥

It was early enough for the beach not to be littered with families yet, the only noise coming from the restaurant further up and the seagulls on the rocks, screaming for no apparent reason. They’d gone down before sunrise, because - as Timmy had so eloquently put it - they were on vacation for a reason and if you had something to celebrate, you’d better not do it halfway. As it turned out, that meant watching the sun come up, having mimosas for breakfast and starting the day with sex. Armie wasn’t complaining.

[headbandsandflats]

This took me on a fun trip through my AO3 bookmarks! I don’t generally do fic recs because I can’t imagine anyone would care, but I definitely have fic feels. Here are some favorites, the only caveat being they are all at least a year old. 

The Vampire Armand - one of the first (if not the first?) RPFs I ever read, AU though it is. (I do not like twilight-ish vampires, but I like the aching loneliness and epic time spans and deep emotions of vampires, so I really love this one.) 

The Night Wanderer by Clementizing - I love a good missing moment from Elio and Oliver’s two weeks together, and this is so lovely. 

Dont_touch_the_phlebotinum’s Better Than Never - I ALSO love a good fix-it, especially one that fixes it relatively early on in their lives. I would have loved more of this version of them, and this has been a fave re-read for me. 

I’ve mentioned her stuff before, when asked directly about CMBYN fic, but Hollybush is a forever fave. The brief renaissance of new fics she posted in her previous universes earlier this year was such a gift. These are two older faves of hers: A Mile Wide - an Elio/Oliver road trip across America, when Oliver just can’t say goodbye in Italy, and Call Across Landmines - Elio and Oliver’s mother coming to an understanding of sorts when Oliver is in the hospital, both plots I am so fully here for. 

@etal-later is another absolute, total fave. Only linking to two favorite favorites here (in the interest of trying to keep this list from going even more nuts than it already is), but could probably link to them all: Day 34 - omg have I mentioned how much I love a groundhog’s day trope fic?? Because I really do. And this one is so perfect. And Office Party - I love this (and it’s sequel) so, so, so much. Give me all of the finance Armie and warehouse Timmy coworkers, please and thank you. 

Could’ve gone with anything, really, by @iworshipyou-oliver, but in keeping with the at least a year old thing, going with Avoidance - full of A & T goodness. 

By @lion-from-the-north, It Looks Good On Your CV - a series that’s basically just Timmy continually getting fired from jobs because he can’t stop fucking Armie. What’s not to like?? 

The rare beast that is pure fluff by @lookingforatardis, Stranded - Christmas, and delayed flights, and an Armie/Timmy meet cute. My heart. 

I mean, I debated between which of these two to pick and then was like why I am debating, this is my list, and it’s already out of control. So two totally unique and absolute favorite versions of Armie and Timmy, Ulliva’s Master of None and Diamonds - truly some of the best, most interesting characterizations around. 

And last but not least, I’ve probably shouted about this story and its sequel a hundred times, but a permanent re-read for me. @angel-in-new-york-city‘s Kaleidoscope, one of the best fix-its in existence. 

As with everything I’ve ever done in my entire life, basically, it’s a much more unwieldy list than intended, but here, have some A++ (imo) older fics. (And apologies if I missed tumblr tagging anyone on here who’s got one!)

Fic Back Friday

Make a post recommending a fic you love from at least a year ago. Dust off the archives, dig through your AO3 history and share those old fics with newer fans who might not have seen them - and the fans who’ve been around forever and might want to revisit an old fave.

Reblog art, edits, and gifsets from seasons past. Dig out those hold headcanon and meta posts and bring them back. What were the popular fan theories? What was everyone writing fic about 2 years ago? Five? Go comment on an old fanvid that got you right in the feels. Queue up that OTP playlist and break out the tissues.

[ficwriterhub]

friday i'm in love

by @sheisraging​​​

Summary: Elio is not a lunch lady, but it doesn’t stop the kids from calling him one.

Read it on Ao3!

[obviouslygenuinely]

A Very Sincere Shout-Out To Fic Writers

Seasonal depression is an absolutely horrible struggle. I can't speak for other mental illnesses aside from my own or individuals who have the same ones. But, it's not an easy time in general.

Fic writers absolutely saved my sanity every fall/winter season starting in 2018. I was a major part of the CMBYN fandom then. The last two years have been the 1D fandom fic writers.

Last year, I binge read @this-onegoes Zarry fic collection at my lowest points. The break from my own world and immersing myself in fictional ones was so helpful.

I cannot remember author names for the life of me aside from @greenfeelings and @twopoppies - both of you have tremendously helped with my seasonal depression. Special thanks and shout to twopoppies for fic recs, too.

I don't comment on fic a lot (always kudos of course) because I don't know how to say "hey, you're an incredible writer and kind of saved me from myself" without sounding overwhelming.

So, this is a major thank you to the writers of this fandom and all fandoms. This year is hitting early for me and discovering new-to-me fics is such a blessing.

All my love to you and those who are in the same or similar positions, too.

[lcdrarry]

10 May - Double Feature | LCDrarry Fic:

It is on the other side of my soul (where your name is written)

Prompt: "Call Me By Your Name", 2017, Luca Guadagnino Prompted by: @dynazty Author: Anonymous Word Count: 16,372 words Rating: Explicit Warnings: implied switching, rimming, anal sex, no age difference (HP canon-compliant age difference)

Notes: Huge thanks to my beta O, who gets things done at the speed of NASA's newest rocket ship, and carries my fic to its end like Hermione does for Ron and Harry's shitty essays. Also, kudos to the LCD mods, who reply to emails at the highest velocity ever achieved by adult human beings (that aren't actually robots). Finally, to you who come across my story: this fic is best taken with the entire CMBYN soundtrack.

Summary: Harry’s having it all, now that the unpleasantries of being treated like a loose cannon is gone: the war is well over, and Voldemort is long dead. He’s made the choice to stay in B, an unplottable magical town in Northern Italy, whose protection wards had kept him in one piece at the height of the second wizarding war, and whose seclusion provides him with the quiet, normal life that he now lives. Harry adores the grassy hills that enclose B like the warm arm of a mother; Likes playing the grand piano from dawn to dusk; Cherishes his current life, on the whole. He gets himself Mocaccino every morning and sometimes has dinner with the Weasleys at their cottage nearby. With the majority of his friends and family falling in love with B and gradually settling down as well, Harry feels like this is the last place he would ever want to leave. To say that the arrival of a certain wizard—a razor-sharp, infuriating blond—makes anything remotely different for Harry would be absurd, of course.

Read it now on AO3.

Please help promote the fest by sharing your favourite submissions, so more people can enjoy all the amazing new Drarry works of LCDrarry. Thank you!

Author and artist reveals are on 15 June.

[cmbynwritingfests]

💕 CMBYN Bingo 2021 Masterlist : Part 2 💕

Hi!

Here is the second part of the CMBYN Bingo 2021 masterlist. Part one were the non-RPF stories, and here are the RPF stories.

Again, a big thank you to everyone who participated! And for those who haven’t checked out these stories yet, please go check them out and give our writers some love!! 💕

* After Midnight by Pluperfect_Lover Timothée / Armie | T | 3478 Words Prompt : Midnight The one where Armie meets Timmy (or Timmy meets Armie)... in an usual location.

* Alfresco by Pluperfect_Lover Timothée / Armie | T | 1250 Words Prompt : First Time The one where Armie can't concentrate because there's a brat distracting him.

* A tiny piece of heaven by embersandturquoise Timothée / Armie | E | 2590 Words Prompt : First Time Armie and Timmy are on their way to some red carpet event. Armie has a surprise for Timmy...

* Beautiful boy by embersandturquoise Timothée / Armie | T | 1737 Words Prompt : Hurt / Comfort During the filming of "Beautiful boy" Timmy stays with Armie. Timmy takes it too far for this role and Armie cares for him.

* [ Different Kinds Of Breakfasts ] by VesperCat Timothée / Armie | G | 284 Words Prompt : Domestic Fluff Just as Timothée raises the bagel to take a bite, Ford asks, "Why doesn't Papa eat bacon and eggs or cornflakes?"

* [ Double Ice ] by VesperCat Timothée / Armie | G | 486 Words Prompt : First Time “Now I really want to know. Come, out with it,”

* Dreams are my reality by embersandturquoise Timothée / Armie | M | 1654 Prompts : Different prompts from the NSFW Bingo card Armie remembers everything.

* [ Fun In The Sun! ] by VesperCat Timothée / Armie | G | 405 Words Prompt : Epistolary From: Timothée Chalamet To: Armie Hammer Date: 03 Jul 2023 01:45 PM Re: Contract obligations

* [ In The Summertime ] by VesperCat Timothée / Armie | G | 1118 Words Prompt : High School AU Mr Chalamet smiles shyly, "It's Timothée,"

* Midnight by embersandturquoise Timothée / Armie | E | 1824 Words Prompt : Midnight Filming the midnight scene...

* [ Mints ] by VesperCat Timothée / Armie | G | 489 Words Prompt : Morning Kisses “I want to kiss you,” Timothée states, un-curling themselves to prop their head up by leaning on their elbow. “And good morning to you too,” Armie says, voice rough from sleep and brings a hand to their face, rubbing some of the sleep away.

* [ Sticks And Stones ] by VesperCat Timothée / Armie | G | 343 Words Prompt : Hurt / Comfort They sit in silence, just listening to all the different sounds present in the emergency bay area.

* Study Date by Pluperfect_Lover Timothée / Armie | M | 3731 Words Prompt : Love Confessions How can Armie motivate his boyfriend to study, when they’re home alone? How about ‘strip trivia’? Featuring the “After Midnight” pairing.

* Sunny days by embersandturquoise Timothée / Armie | E | 2638 Words Prompt : Reunion Armie and Timmy meet in Joshua Tree. Do I need to say more?

* Sweet Dreams by Pluperfect_Lover Timothée / Armie | M | 2433 Words Prompt : Sweet Dreams More general cuteness with a side of horniness featuring the “After Midnight” pairing.

* [ Taking A Chance ] by VesperCat Timothée / Armie | G | 338 Words Prompt : Love Confessions "Maybe take the chance and see what happens," If only telling them was that easy.

* Unicorn Surprise by Pluperfect_Lover Timothée / Armie | T | 4239 Words Prompt : First Kiss This is for those of you who requested a little more of the “After Midnight” pairing… I don’t know if this is what you wanted, but this is what the couple insisted on what happened next. Tooth-rotting saccharine could cause readers a sugar-high.

* You know exactly why by embersandturquoise Timothée / Armie | E | 1600 Words Prompt : Angry Sex Timmy is a brat, Armie is angry. Timmy gets it hard.

[germanjj]

Sunday Six, August 1st

And I’ll Watch, Chapter 11, teaser

Jo is careful not to make too much noise walking downstairs, mindful of her mother who might already be asleep. The room is cleaned and tidy when she comes down, but Oliver and Laurie are nowhere to be seen. Jo almost calls out for them, but then she catches herself just in time and instead, goes looking for them.

She stops in her tracks when she spots Oliver, standing in the kitchen, his broad shoulders blocking the view so that it takes Jo a moment to see Laurie as well. She sees his curls first and then his arms, circling Oliver’s waist.

They’re in an embrace, Oliver’s face pressed against the top of Laurie’s head as if he’d wanted to place a kiss there and time had stopped and frozen them for all eternity.