#damien calabaza

[bex-la-get]

Exile (An Open Heart Fic)

Book: Open Heart

Characters: Ethan Ramsey, Natalie Cusack (MC)

Special Appearance: Damien Calabaza (OC)

Word count: ~1000

Summary: He comes to terms with knowing that she’s happier with someone else.

Rating: T

Category: Angst? Ish?

Author’s Note: You ever come across a song that you’ve listened to a million times but this time it hits different and suddenly you’re overcome with inspiration? That happened last night with Exile by Taylor Swift. This is the result. Enjoy!

Also, special thanks to @liaromancewriter​ and @jerzwriter​ for helping me figure out some nitty gritty details. Y’all are the best! 💙

He didn’t belong here. 

These weren’t his people, no matter how hard they tried to make him believe they were. These people showed off their wealth and their connections at every turn, which only made them feel more like phonies than anything else.

He adjusted the bowtie around his neck and sipped his drink, waiting until it was an appropriate time for him to leave.

He scanned the crowd around him, finding most everyone exceedingly boring or snobbish, until his eyes fell upon a familiar head of bright red hair. His eyes widened as the head turned and he saw Natalie, smiling and laughing with a group of people he didn’t recognize. 

She looked beautiful. She always had been, but now, with her deep blue gown and her hair curled, falling around her face, she looked almost ethereal. 

He didn’t realize he had been staring until she made eye contact with him. It only took a moment for her to recognize him, but when she did, she gave him that dazzling smile of hers and immediately began to make her way over to him. His heart skipped a beat and he quickly checked his appearance in the nearby window before she appeared. When he turned back to look at her, his heart got stuck in his throat hearing his name on her lips again.

“Damien!” She exclaimed. She opened her arms wide and pulled him into a tight hug. He returned her hug just as tightly. 

“What are you doing here?” She asked, pulling out of the embrace.

Damien smiled sheepishly. “I’ve taken on an Assistant Professor position at Columbia. I’ll be teaching classes on Environmental Engineering. My appearance at this event is my ‘coming out’ to the other academics and high society folk of New York.”

Natalie grinned. “What?! Damien, that’s amazing! Congratulations!!”

His smile widened. “Thank you, Nat. What are you doing in New York? I thought you were in Boston?”

“Oh, I am. I’m just here for a medical conference. My mentor’s the Keynote speaker this year. And... I may or may not be speaking on a panel about affordable patient care as well.”

“Look at you, moving up in the world,” he said, smiling with pride.

Natalie laughed. “We both did pretty good for ourselves, huh?”

“You could say that.”

She took her hand in his and he fought the urge to squeeze it. “Come on, there’s someone I want you to meet!”

Following her lead, Damien stuck close to her as she led him across the room towards the back, where a tall man in a sharp suit was in conversation with an older couple.

“Ethan!” Natalie called as they approached.

The man called Ethan turned around and smiled at her, excusing himself from his previous conversation. Natalie let go of Damien’s hand and reached out for Ethan, placing a gentle hand on his forearm. “E, there’s someone I want you to meet.” She turned back to Damien.

“Damien Calabaza, meet Dr. Ethan Ramsey. Ethan, this is my dear friend Damien.”

“Ah, the engineer,” Ethan said, smiling and shaking Damien’s hand. “I read your article in the Times on renewable energy resources. I was very impressed.”

“Thank you,” Damien replied, his eyes narrowing in concentration. “Are you that Ethan Ramsey? The one Nat never shut up about?”

Natalie lightly punched Damien’s shoulder while Ethan laughed and nodded. “The very same.”

Damien smiled. “Look at you, Nat. Meeting and working with your hero. Teenage you would have fainted.”

Nat rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Nah, teenage me would have fangirled a little hard but she wouldn’t have fainted. Finding out she’s engaged to her medical hero though? That would have made her faint!”

Damien’s stomach dropped as he glanced down and noticed, for the first time, the diamond ring sitting on Nat’s left hand. He had always held a torch for Nat, even all these years later. He knew it had been foolish, but he had hoped she’d been unattached. Now, he knew she wouldn’t be ever again.

He cleared his throat and forced a smile. “Forgive me, I didn’t realize. Congratulations! When’s the wedding?”

“October,” Ethan answered. “Though I’d be happy with a simple courthouse wedding.”

“And face my mother’s wrath?” Nat said. “No way in hell am I risking that.”

Damien nodded. “Yeah, that’s smart. I’ve only seen your mom mad once and it still haunts me.”

“See?” Nat said, pointing at Damien. “He knows!”

Ethan laughed. “Fair enough.”

The three continued to stand a chat for a while, Damien observing how well attuned Nat & Ethan were with each other. When he moved, she moved, when he stopped speaking, she kept the conversation going. It was clear to anyone who looked at them that they were a perfect pair. And even though Damien didn’t want to admit it, he liked Ethan. Despite being one of the best doctors in the country, Ethan was very down to earth and not at all like the snobs that populated this event. No wonder Nat was drawn to him.

Eventually, the conversation came to a natural end. Ethan glanced around them and whispered conspiratorially. “Think we can get out of here now?”

Natalie nodded “Definitely. We’ve been here long enough to leave without anyone raising a stink.”

Nat pulled Damien into a tight hug goodbye. “Don’t be a stranger, okay? Keep in touch. Oh, and reach out to Dani! She’s also here in New York, and I know she’d love to see you.”

“Will do,” Damien replied, smiling. He turned to Ethan and shook his hand. “Good to you meet you, Dr. Ramsey.”

“Ethan, please. And the pleasure was mine. I look forward to hearing more about your work in the future.”

Damien watched as Ethan wrapped his arm around Natalie’s shoulders as the two of them made their way out of the event. He smiled as he watched Natalie look up at Ethan and give him a gentle kiss on the cheek. He was happy for her. She’d found her person and was very clearly happy and thriving. 

And maybe one day, he’d find that for himself as well.

A/N: Tagging separately.

[the-moon-pal]

Damien (the mayor) but as Jack Skellington

very neat..

[xneushwansteincannos]

• Nombre completo: Damien Daagard Apodo: Dam • FC: Danny Griffin • Fecha de nacimiento: 29/02 Ocupación: Alumno • Padres (Nombres): No los conoce, • Hermanos (Nombres): No tiene Mascota (Animal y nombre): Sapo llamado griffyn Casa: Bonisagus Materias: ◘ Alquimia, ◘ Historia de la magia ◘ Astronomia ◘Runas antiguas. ◘ Pociones ◘ Leyes CARACTERÍSTICAS MÁGICAS • Boggart: Arañas °estatus de sangre: "pura" • Patronus: Gato Himalayo • Varita: Madera: Nogal. Centro: fibra de colmillo de basilisco. 20cm • Amortentia: Manzana y canela, pan horneado. • Espejo de Oesed: Ser mago • H I S T O R I A Verán, la historia de Damien es algo triste, al nacer sus padres murieron, o eso fue lo que le dijeron, no tiene hermanos pero creció con su tía en la villa perteneciente al castillo Neuschwanstein, pero su tía murió cuando él tenia apenas, 7 años de edad y quedó a merced de: NADIE pero una noche, la noche previa a los 11 un señor de aspecto chistoso, le dijo que podría ser parte del castillo ¿Cual?- preguntó el El de la montaña - le respondió el hombre señalando hacia esa dirección - Pensó que estaría soñando y se dejó llevar, pronto sabría que. ese castillo albergaba gente excepcional, y qué él era como ellos, Pasaban los años y a veces se despertaba pensando que se trataba de un sueño largo. Pero, apenas iniciaba su vida, y sus frustraciones, a pesar de los muchos intentos, Damien, era algo que lo llamaba SQUIB. no importa cuanto se esforzara el no era capaz por un momento realizar algo, magia basica, pero director veia en el magia,... A pesar de ello, las burlas no le hacían efecto negativo en el. V I D A E S C O L A R: Su vida como Squib, se vio afectada en ciertas materias por lo que tuvo que cambiar de materias, donde el usar magia avanzada no era algo primordial. Con dificultades, pero, ha sabido destacar. • VIDA ACTUAL: LAs burlas, lo han invitado (al principio) a dejar el castillo, escapar de noche, llorar, renegar de su destino, pero la ayuda psicologica ha servido. No pierde la espeanza de demostrar que es tan poderoso como los demas alli Se inscribió en la materia de duelo, pero, se basa mas en defensa corporal, pelea cuerpo a cuerpo, usando, katanas, o cualquier arma que le ayude de defensa. con el profesor, CALEB LAUFEYSON • PERSONALIDAD: Es un chico serio, pero claro, cuando se quiere divertir, es bueno en ello. Podría ser un don juan pero, sinceramente ¿que hechicera quisiera ser algo más, con un squib? nadie, puesto que la genetica podría ser a favor de el • DATOS EXTRAS: - es muy agil en combate. -fanatico del chocolate - Adicto al pay de calabaza - tiene un sapo llamado griffyn • R E L A C I O N E S ??? • FUTURO: Formar parte de la guardia

Ocupado

[bex-la-get]

The Way I Loved You (Open Heart AU): Part 1/?

Book: Open Heart Book 2 (AU) - Series

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Natalie Cusack x Damien Calabaza (OC) - Love Triangle

Word count: 836

Summary: When Ethan runs off to Amazon, Natalie rekindles an old relationship. But tensions rise as Nat and Ethan navigate the feelings they still have for each other and the impending closure of the hospital looms.

Rating: T

Author’s Note: Whoo boy! This idea came to me after reading this poem and, lemme tell you, it’s gonna be a doozy of a story. I’m really excited for the things I have planned for it, however, and I hope you like it too!

A/N II: Please Note: This is a love triangle. Which means Nat is going to be torn between two people. Please keep that in mind as we continue through the story. And without further adieu, please enjoy. 💙

Chapter 1

New Year’s Eve, 2017

Natalie wrapped her arms tightly around Damien’s neck, holding him close. “I’m not ready to say goodbye,” she whispered.

“I know, me either,” he replied, his own arms wrapped tightly around her waist. 

Nat could feel the tears well up and she shut her eyes tight. She felt Damien rest his forehead against hers and he nuzzled her with his nose. “I love you, Nattie,” he said.

“I love you too.” She opened her eyes, blinking back the tears that were threatening to spill. Distant counting could be heard from the party they had taken a break from, signaling the impending drop of the Ball; the telltale sign of the New Year. Damien would be leaving in a matter of hours; and she’d never see him again. 

“Don’t forget me,” she whispered.

“It’d be impossible to forget you, Nat,” he said, smiling. Then he kissed her, and the rest of the world faded away. He’d be leaving soon, pursuing a great job opportunity… but he’d be leaving her behind. They had agreed to break up, neither wanting to go through the strain of a long-distance relationship. It had been mutual, it had been amiable, it should have been easy. But as she held him in her arms for the last time, Natalie’s heart shattered. 

Tears slipped down her cheeks as they shared their last kiss, imprinting the memory in her mind forever. When they finally broke apart, they rested their foreheads together, eyes closed shut. Come morning, Damien would be in a moving van, driving across the country to his new job. Come morning, life as Natalie knew it would change. But for now, they were here and they were together. For now, it was enough.

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

April, 2019

Nat’s stomach dropped as the realization of what Ethan was saying sank in. “What do you mean you’re leaving?”

“I’m in the cab on the way to the airport. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, I--” Ethan cut himself off, sighing on the other end of the line. “Things happened so fast, I’ve barely had a chance to process it all. But I didn’t want you to find out from someone else. I thought you deserved to hear it from me.”

Natalie took a deep breath, fighting back tears. “Are-- there’s more to you leaving than just the epidemic, isn’t there? You’re leaving because of me.”

“Natalie, I--”

“Don’t,” Nat said, her voice cracking. “Please don’t. Ethan, don’t run from this, from us. Please.”

“I’m going to be your boss, Natalie,” Ethan argued. “I can’t allow myself--us-- to get involved, it could be detrimental to your career. I won’t have people saying that you slept your way to the top. I won’t ruin you.”

“I don’t care what people say, Ethan--”

“I do. And I’m not going to risk your budding career for whatever this was between us. You're a brilliant doctor, Nat. I refuse to be the one to hold you back.”

“You wouldn’t be holding me back! Do you hear yourself?!” She was beginning to get hysterical, her breathing increasing rapidly. “Ethan, please. We could make it work.”

“I’m sorry, Nat. But my decision is final.” He sighed and paused for a long moment before he spoke again. “I don’t know how long I’m going to be gone; hopefully, it won’t be more than a few months. In the meantime, do some research on the Team. Get to know Baz and June, start looking up rare diseases and ailments. It’ll benefit you in the long run. When I get back, we’ll take it from there.”

Natalie said nothing, the tears falling freely now. She sniffled and pinched the bridge of her nose, desperately wishing she was dreaming. Ethan was silent for a long moment on the line before he spoke one last time. “Take care of yourself, Nat. I’ll see you... soon.” And then he hung up.

Nat threw her phone onto the bed angrily, collapsing onto the duvet and burying her face into her pillow, and began to sob uncontrollably. How could he do this? How could he just walk away from her? From them? Did he really feel nothing for her? Did the last several months mean nothing?

She screamed into the pillow, a white knuckled grip on the cover. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be real. She loved him. She’d known since Miami that she was madly in love with Ethan and she thought… she had thought that he had felt the same way. The night they fell into bed together, Natalie thought that maybe, just maybe, he loved her too. And that, maybe, they’d be able to make it work. 

But instead, Ethan was running away, leaving her heartbroken. God, she felt like such an idiot. 

She let out another sob into the pillow and silently cursed Ethan’s name, unaware that just miles away, Ethan, now waiting at his flight gate, was fighting back tears of his own, with regret as his only companion.

A/N: Tagging separately.

[bex-la-get]

The Way I Loved You (Open Heart AU): Part 3/?

Chapter 3: Dinner with an Ex

Previous Chapters Found Here

Book: Open Heart Book 2 (AU) - Series

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Natalie Cusack x Damien Calabaza (OC) - Love Triangle

Word count: 1983

Series Summary: When Ethan runs off to Amazon, Natalie rekindles an old relationship. But tensions rise as Nat and Ethan navigate the feelings they still have for each other and the impending closure of the hospital looms.

Chapter Summary: Nat and Damien have dinner and make up for lost time.

Rating: T

Author’s Note: Hello friends. It has been a very long week and I am very tired. Thank you for your love for the previous chapters and thank you for your patience as I try to finish the semester strong. I love y’all. And thank you to @jerzwriter​​ for proofreading this for me! 🥰

A/N II: Please Note: This is a love triangle. Which means Nat is going to be torn between two people. Please keep that in mind as we continue through the story. And without further adieu, please enjoy.

Chapter 3

May 2019

Natalie took one more deep breath before stepping inside the restaurant. She and Damien had coordinated their plans for dinner and had decided to meet at a new pub downtown. It’s not a date, she had told herself, there’s no need to do anything fancy.

Despite this reminder, she still put on one of her nicer blouses and Dani had curled her hair for her, insisting it would boost her confidence. As Nat caught a glance of her reflection in the window of the restaurant, she had to admit, she did look good. 

Upon stepping into the restaurant, her eyes immediately began to scan the dining room until they locked onto a familiar face. Damien was already seated at a table, scanning the menu. Her stomach erupted with, what felt like, millions of butterflies. Suddenly, she no longer felt like a twenty-six year old medical resident; instead, she was a twenty year old college student, being introduced to Damien for the first time... 

A memory flashed behind her eyes: Dani pulling her though a crowd at a party, loud music thumping in the background. Dani’s voice saying “I want you to meet someone,” echoing in her head. And then the memory of getting lost in those chocolate brown eyes for the first time swallowed her.

Nat was pulled out of her reverie by a waiter approaching her. “Can I help you find someone, Miss?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m alright, I see them over there. Thank you.” Taking one more deep breath, she made her way over to the table where Damien was sitting.

As if he sensed her approaching, Damien looked up as she neared his table and grinned, making her pulse increase. He stood and pulled her into a hug. “Hey you.”

“Hey back,” Nat replied, smiling as they pulled out of the hug. “How was the wedding?” she asked, sitting across from him. 

“Great!” he exclaimed, returning to his seat. “Diego made a beautiful bride.”

Natalie laughed. “I know you’re kidding but I wouldn’t put it past Diego to wear a dress to his own wedding.”

“He joked about it several times,” Damien agreed, chuckling. “We actually pranked him with a wedding dress on the day of.”

“Oh? How so?”

Damien grinned. “During the ‘first look,’ instead of him seeing his soon-to-be wife, he saw his college best friend in a wedding dress, veil and all. It was easily one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.”

Natalie burst out laughing and the last of her nerves faded away. The conversation began to flow easily after that, the two of them chatting like the old friends they were. She told him about her intern year and her friends and Mrs. Martinez and the events that followed; and he told her about his career and the work he’d been doing in renewable energy at the National Labs.

“We’re working on a form of compostable recyclables. It’s a work in progress but we think we could have a decent starter product within the next few years.”

“That’s incredible,” Nat exclaimed. “Do you think it’s something that would be able to be mass produced over time?”

Damien shrugged. “We’re not sure, yet. That’s the hope but we’re having a hard time getting the materials to break down; the whole point of this project is to reduce plastic usage. We can’t go much further until we have more success on that end. But we’re determined to keep trying.”

Natalie smiled. “Look at you, making the world a better place.”

He returned her smile. “The same could be said for you; after all, you took on a huge pharmaceutical company and won.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” she replied, chuckling. “Panacea’s too big to be taken down by one ethics trial; but at least we were able to make a difference in the research for treating Rhodes. And, if we’re lucky, that research will be able to make some patients’ lives a little easier too.”

“You still made a difference,” Damien reasoned. “That’s what matters.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she said, smiling. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

Lifting up his glass, Damien smiled. “To making the world a better place.”

“Trying to, anyway,” Nat countered, lifting her own glass.

Damien chuckled. “All right then, to trying.”

“To trying.” She clinked her glass with his and sipped her wine, leaning back from the table as the waiter arrived with their plates of food. They began to dig into their dinner when Damien spoke again.

“So, you’re working with your medical hero. What’s that like?”

Ethan’s face flashed in Natalie’s mind and a wave of sadness overcame her. She’d been doing her best not to think about him, wondering where he was or how he was doing. Wondering if he missed her or thought about her at all. She had done her best to push him from her mind, even when all she could see when she closed her eyes was his ocean blue ones staring back at her. She took a deep breath and pushed him from her mind again, choosing to focus on where she currently was: at dinner, with Damien… her ex. 

“Uh… it’s definitely different,” she answered. “He’s brilliant, of course, but also cold and demanding. At least on the surface; when you get to know him, he’s kinder and funnier than you’d expect. And he cares deeply about his patients and his friends. He did everything he could to help Naveen; if we hadn’t succeeded in finding a cure, I think losing Naveen would have destroyed him.”

“You talk as if you know him well,” Damien observed. 

She shrugged. “We spent a lot of time together over the last year when trying to save Naveen; we learned a lot about each other. I’d even go as far to say we’re-” What? Colleagues? Would-be lovers? Almost exes? “--friends.”

Damien nodded. “I see; well, I’m glad you landed where you did. You seem happy.”

She smiled. “I am.” It was true; despite everything that had happened with Ethan, Natalie was grateful to be in Boston, surrounded by her friends and working a job she loved. She knew how lucky she had been to survive her ethics trial and to have the support she did; she also knew that if her friends hadn’t been there every step of the way to hold her up, she wasn’t sure she would have survived intern year-- or the last few weeks-- without them. 

Dinner passed quickly, the conversation flowing easily between them. It was almost as if no time had passed between the two, with inside jokes being made and memories talked about with fondness. When dinner was over and the check was paid, the two made their way out of the restaurant and began to wander the streets of Downtown Boston, neither quite ready for the night to end.

“So, when do you leave?” Nat asked.

“Saturday morning,” he answered. 

“So soon?”

Damien shrugged. “Gotta get back to my compostable plastic.”

Natalie laughed. “Of course; I’m sure it misses you, dearly.”

“I’m sure it does but I don’t miss it; or at least, I don’t miss the smell.”

She laughed again and linked her arm with his when he extended it out to her. The two of them walked through a nearby park and joined a small crowd of observers as a street performer played a romantic tune on a violin. Natalie smiled and watched the performer enchanted, unaware that Damien’s eyes were fixed on her the entire time.

When the performer finished, they began to move on, a comfortable silence settling between them. As they reached a quiet area of the park, near a fountain, Nat pulled away and looked up at the fountain, watching the way the water poured down from the tallest point, an absent-minded smile on her lips.

Damien watched with rapt attention, entranced by the way the park lights reflected off her red hair, giving it an auburn hue. His pulse increased at the sight of her smile and he couldn’t help but draw himself closer to her, needing to feel her presence more than ever. Diego’s words echoed in his ear: The perfect opportunity to rekindle things with her is right in front of you and you’re letting her get away! 

His brother was right. He still had feelings for Natalie; he probably always would. It would be now or never to try to see if she still felt something for him too. Taking a deep breath, he spoke. “Nat.”

“Hm?” she replied, looking at him.

He swallowed hard and stepped closer to her. “I-- I know this is probably coming out of nowhere but I have to ask… are-- are you seeing anyone? Currently?”

Nat looked down at her feet, briefly thinking of Ethan, before shaking her head. “No; there was someone, for a minute. But… it didn’t work out.” 

He frowned. “I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work.”

She shook her head. “It’s alright. Just wasn’t meant to be, I guess. Why do you ask?”

Don’t lose your nerve now. “I--” he stuttered. “I still care about you, Nat. And… I know we said we didn’t want to do a long distance relationship but I can’t help but feel like we were meant to run into each other again. Like, maybe the universe is giving us a second chance.

“I know I’m asking a lot here, and I understand if you’re not in the same place emotionally. But, I don’t want to go back home regretting that I didn’t at least ask. Are-- would you like to try dating again? Me, dating me.”

Nat’s stomach did a somersault. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t felt a spark between them, like embers trying to turn into flames; but she had pushed it aside, telling herself it wouldn’t work since they’d have to be long distance. But would long distance really be so bad? They could plan trips to see each other and FaceTime when in their home bases; and, well, they do say absence makes the heart grow fonder… whoever they are.

“I-- Damien, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel that old spark between us but long distance is a lot of work. It wouldn’t be easy.”

“Nothing worth fighting for ever came easy, Nat; you taught me that.”

She gave him a small smile. “Using my words against me now, are we?”

“For you, Nat; never against you.” He stepped closer to her, space between them practically nonexistent. “So, what do you say? Think we can give us another shot?”

Her smile grew as she got lost in his chocolate brown eyes, the memory of ocean blue ones fading away. She bit her bottom lip and nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. “Okay; yes.”

Without wasting another moment, Damien wrapped his arms tightly around Natalie’s waist and kissed her soundly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with a fervor, the spark she had felt earlier now burning like the brightest fire. Memories of their relationship came flooding back to her: their first kiss, the first time they spent the night together, the first time he said ‘I love you.’ These memories swallowed Natalie whole and she welcomed it, allowing herself to be consumed by the feel of Damien in her arms once more. 

When they finally broke apart for air, they rested their foreheads together and stared into each other’s eyes, passion, longing, and enduring love shining in them. Nat smiled and bumped her nose against his. “I missed that.”

“So did I,” Damien replied. Then, without another word, Damien kissed her again, his kiss sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. Pulling him closer, Natalie sighed into the kiss, as the rest of the world around them faded away.

Tagging separately.

[bex-la-get]

The Way I Loved You (Open Heart AU): Part 2/?

Chapter 2: A Reunion

Previous Chapters Found Here

Book: Open Heart Book 2 (AU) - Series

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Natalie Cusack x Damien Calabaza (OC) - Love Triangle

Word count: 2718

Series Summary: When Ethan runs off to Amazon, Natalie rekindles an old relationship. But tensions rise as Nat and Ethan navigate the feelings they still have for each other and the impending closure of the hospital looms.

Chapter Summary: While at dinner with her friends, Natalie runs into someone from her past. 

Rating: T

Author’s Note: Thank you to everyone for your love for Part 1. I hope you enjoy Part 2! Thank you to @jerzwriter​​ for proofreading this for me! 🥰

A/N II: Please Note: This is a love triangle. Which means Nat is going to be torn between two people. Please keep that in mind as we continue through the story. And without further adieu, please enjoy. 💙

Chapter 2:

May, 2019

“Why the fuck did you order the calamari if you don’t want to eat it?” Jackie asked.

“I didn’t know it was squid!” Bryce exclaimed in reply. “I thought it was something Italian!”

“It is Italian, dumbass,” Jackie retorted.

“Technically it’s Mediterranean,” Natalie interjected, popping a calamari into her mouth. 

“Same difference,” Jackie said, waving her off.

Natalie laughed and slid the plate closer to her where she, Jackie, and Aurora began eating the calamari by the forkful, much to Bryce’s horror. Their friend group was out for a fancy dinner night; they were currently sharing appetizers and horderves and drinking the best wine they could afford. So far, it was turning out to be a fantastic night, and one Natalie desperately had needed.

She hadn’t heard from Ethan since the day he left. She had been tempted to text him a couple of times but thought better against it, figuring he wouldn’t respond, even if he wanted to. He was, after all, assisting with an epidemic in the Amazon. It wasn’t like he was on vacation. 

But he, frustratingly, wasn’t even on social media so she couldn’t even check in on him through that. She just wanted to know if he was okay; how he was doing. If he had thought about her at all since he left… 

She shook her head. Stop thinking about him, Nat. He’d made his position clear. And god knows, she’s cried more than enough over him over the last few weeks. Whatever it was they had, it was clear Ethan didn’t want to pursue it further and, as much as it killed her, it was time she let it go.

Nat was pulled out of her thoughts by the sounds of a loud group entering the restaurant. She turned her head to find a group of men at the front entrance chatting with each other excitedly as they waited for their table. “Huh, wonder what they’re excited about,” she mused to herself.

“Mm, they look like a bunch of frat boys,” Aurora said, disinterestedly. “They’re probably here to get blackout drunk.”

“I second that observation,” Jackie concurred.

“Mm, I don’t know,” Elijah mused. “They don’t strike me as frat dudes. I get more of a ‘group of guy friends burning off steam after a long work week’ vibe.”

Sienna grinned. “Ooh wait, let’s make this a game! Let’s try to figure out what they’re here for and what they do for a living and whoever wins, gets their drinks covered for the rest of the night!”

“I like how you think, Trinh,” Bryce smirks. “You’re on!”

The group agreed to the game and immediately began to make their guesses.

“I stand by my statement of frat dudes,” Aurora stated.

“I’m with Aurora here,” Jackie agreed.

“My money’s on a bachelor party,” Rafael suggested. “They definitely give off the vibes of a dude celebrating his ‘last night of freedom.’”

“Ugh, gross,” Jackie said with disgust. “I hate that term. If you see getting married as ‘losing your freedom,’ here’s a crazy thought: maybe don’t get married!”

“Well said,” Natalie agreed, raising her glass of wine.

Rafael laughed. “I mean, I agree; but I’m just an observer here.”

“Ooh, okay, cute dude with the red tie,” Sienna interjected, “what are we thinking? I’m thinking he does some kind of finance job.”

The group’s attention was returned to the individual members of the party, now seated a few tables away from them. A debate began over several members and what the group thought each member did for a living, when Jackie spotted one particular member of the party. “Ooh, okay, what are we thinking about Mr. Blue Suit over there?”

The group looked to find a tall gentleman in a dark blue suit sitting near the end of the table with his group of friends. He was laughing at something his friend next to him had said and Nat cocked her head to the side. Something about his smile made him look oddly familiar. She narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out what it was about the guy that was ringing a bell for her… and then his eyes met hers and it clicked.

“Oh my god,” she said, quickly looking away and hiding her face in her wine glass.

“What?” Sienna asked.

“I know him,” Nat replied, her voice just above a whisper. 

“You do?” Bryce asked, getting another look at the guy. “Who is he?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s my ex-boyfriend, Damien,” Nat answered, still hiding behind her wine glass.

“Wait, Damien? As in your first love Damien?” Sienna asked.

“Yeah,” Natalie said, nodding.

“Wait, first love? There’s a whole story here that we don’t know!” Elijah said. “You gotta share!”

“I--” She glanced over at the man she thought was Damien again only to find him staring at her intently. Shit, what do I do? Do I go over and say hi? Wait for him to come over here? Just leave it alone and see what happens? “Uh--” she said, returning her attention to her friends, hyper aware of his presence, “long story short, we dated for about four years in college and started having serious conversations about our future when he was offered a job at one of the National Labs out of state. Neither of us wanted to do the whole long distance relationship thing so we broke it off.”

“So, this is a good ex, then?” Aurora asked for clarification.

Nat nodded. “Yeah; but I haven’t seen him in years. God knows what the hell he’s doing here.”

“Well, you can ask him in a minute,” Raf said, “‘Cause he’s on his way over here.”

“What?” Nat glanced over to him and, sure enough, Damien was making his way over to their table. Shit, shit, shit. It’d been so long since she’d seen him, it never occurred to her what might happen if they met again. There wasn’t any bad blood between the two of them but still; running into an ex could always be an unpredictable experience.

“How do I look?” she asked her friends.

“Amazing, as always Nat,” Sienna reassured. The rest of the table agreed, reassuring Nat that, no, she did not have anything in her teeth and her hair looked great. Before she could relax, however, Damien approached and her pulse sped up.

“Natalie?”

She smiled at the familiar face and stood up from her seat. “Damien, hi! It’s so good to see you.” She greeted her ex with a tight hug, silently noting how familiar it felt to embrace him.

“You too,” he smiled. “What are the odds, I never imagined I’d run into you here.”

“Well, I do live here,” she joked.

He laughed. “I meant the restaurant, Nat.”

“I know,” she replied, smiling. She turned to her table and gestured to her friends. “Damien, these are some of my best friends and roommates. This is Bryce, Sienna, Jackie, Aurora, Rafael, and Elijah. Guys, this is Damien.”

Damien greeted everyone with a friendly smile and the table briefly chatted with him, Nat standing aside and watching with a wistful smile on her face the whole time. “So, what are you doing in Boston?” she asked.

“I’m here for a Bachelor party,” Damien answered. The table briefly glanced at Rafael who grinned victoriously, before returning their attention to the conversation before them. “You remember my little brother, Diego. He’s getting married!”

Nat’s eyes widened. “Shut up; Diego’s getting married? Little Diego?”

Damien laughed. “The very same.”

“That’s amazing!” she exclaimed. She glanced back over at Damien’s table and saw, for the first time, a familiar face she hadn’t seen since before she and Damien had broken up. The last time she had seen Diego, he’d had long hair and rocked a leather jacket that he seldom took off. Now, he was clean shaven, his long hair had been chopped off, and his signature leather jacket was nowhere in sight. How much had changed in such a short amount of time; he looked all grown up now. “Wow, I almost didn’t recognize him.”

“He’s grown up quite a bit over the last few years,” Damien mused. “Would you like to come say hi?”

“Oh no, I wouldn’t want to intrude--”

“You wouldn’t be, he’d love to see you!” Damien encouraged.

Nat glanced at her friends who gestured for her to go. “I’ll place your order for you,” Sienna offered. “Go, we’ll be here when you get back.”

Smiling, Natalie nodded and excused herself, following Damien back to his table.

Nat’s Table:

“Well, that certainly took an unexpected turn,” Aurora mused.

“You can say that again,” Elijah agreed. “Who would’ve thought Nat would run into her ex of all people?”

“He seems nice,” Sienna stated. 

“Among other things,” Jackie mused, sizing Damien up from afar. “I’ll give Nat this, she sure has good taste in men.”

Aurora chuckled and nodded in agreement. “Too bad this one doesn’t live in town; Nat could use some happiness.”

“Speaking of,” Raf interjected, “do we know anything about He Who Shall Not Be Spoken Of? His name, for example? I’d like to slug the guy.”

Nat’s heartbreak over Ethan leaving had not been overlooked by her friends; it was next to impossible when she lived with most of them. But with the exception of Sienna and Dani, no one knew the identity of her mysterious would-be beau. All her friends knew was that she had been in the throes of a budding relationship, and then it came crashing down, utterly devastating Natalie. It had taken a few weeks but Nat was finally returning to her old self, thanks to her friends’ dedication to helping her feel better, this dinner being one of them.

“She never gave me his name,” Sienna lied. 

“Bummer,” Bryce mused. “I would’ve liked to give the asshole a piece of my mind for hurting my friend the way he did.”

“We all would, Bryce,” Sienna agreed, unable to hide her frown as she thought of the attending who had broken her best friend’s heart. 

“Let’s just hope he doesn’t show his face,” Jackie stated. “For the sake of his health and for Nat.”

“She looks happy,” Elijah mused, watching Nat at the other table. “It’s good to have her back.” The rest of the table nodded in agreement.

Damien’s Table:

“Natalie Freaking Cusack!” Diego exclaimed, standing from his seat at the table. “I almost can’t believe it.”

Nat laughed and hugged Diego tightly. “Neither can I!” she said, pulling out of the hug. “I didn’t even know you were living in Boston, I would’ve said ‘hi’ a long time ago!”

“Technically, I live in Cambridge,” Diego said. “But had I known you were in Boston, I would’ve made a point to see you sooner.”

“Well, better late than never right? And you’re getting married?! Where has the time gone, the last time I saw you, you were still in high school!”

Diego laughed. “A lot’s changed over the last few years. Except you, you look exactly the same… well, with shorter hair.”

Nat ran her fingers through her recently cut bob and smiled. “Yeah, it was... time for a change.”

“It looks good,” Damien said, smiling. “You wear it well.”

Nat blushed. “Thanks.”

The three chatted for a few minutes longer, Damien and Diego introducing Natalie to the rest of the Bachelor Party members before Nat excused herself back to her table. “It was so good to see both of you,” she said, hugging them goodbye. “Don’t be strangers, okay? And congratulations, Diego. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks, Nat!” Diego replied.

“It was good to see you, Natalie,” Damien said, smiling at her.

Nat returned his smile, making his heart skip a beat. She waved goodbye and made her way back to her table, unaware of Damien’s gaze locked on her retreating form. 

“Damn, still holding a torch for her, huh?” Diego asked, bumping Damien with his elbow.

“Huh? Oh, no, it-- it was just good to see her, is all,” Damien replied.

“Uh huh,” Diego said, smirking. “I know that lovestruck look on your face, D. You’ve still got it bad for her.”

“She meant a lot to me, Diego. Seeing her again… it brought a lot of those feelings back up to the surface.”

“Well, you’re here for a few days for the wedding; why not ask her to dinner while you’re in town?”

“To what end? I’m still living in Albuquerque, dude; and she’s clearly well established here. We broke up because we didn’t want to do a long-distance relationship.”

“Yeah, but it’s been two years, D,” Diego reasoned. “Things change and people change; maybe she’d be more open to it now.”

“I mean, I guess,” Damien said, in thought.

“Look, there’s no harm in just catching up for dinner, right? If it goes somewhere, great! If not, then at least the two of you will have had a chance to catch up. It’s like you told me when I first asked out Tori: there’s no harm in trying right?”

“Don’t use my own words against me, that’s my job!”

Diego laughed. “Where do you think I learned it from?”

Damien rolled his eyes and lightly punched his brother’s shoulder. He looked back to Natalie’s table where she was laughing with her friends and he sighed. “I guess it’s worth a shot, yeah?”

“The worst she can do is say ‘no.’”

Damien nodded. “Okay; I’ll ask her before she leaves.”

Later That Evening

As dinner wrapped up, Natalie made her way back to Damien’s table to say goodbye. “Just wanted to wish you congratulations again,” she said, giving Diego a hug. “I’m thrilled for you.”

“Thanks, Nat,” Diego said, returning her hug. “Don’t be a stranger, okay? Let’s catch up after everything settles. You can meet my new wife too!”

“I can’t wait,” Nat agreed. She turned to Damien and smiled. “It was good to see you, Damien.”

“You too, Nat,” he replied. “I’m glad you’re doing well.”

“You too.”

She gave him a hug goodbye, then began to meet up with her friends at the front of the restaurant. As soon as her back was turned, Diego punched Damien in the arm. “Ow! What?”

“What do you mean ‘what?’ Your window is closing fast! Move.”

“I--” Damien hesitated.

“If you don’t want to ask her to dinner, fine. But you’ve been in love with her for as long as I can remember and I remember vividly how much it killed you when you broke up. The perfect opportunity to rekindle things with her is right in front of you and you’re letting her get away!”

Damien watched Natalie’s retreating form and nodded resolutely. “You’re right. Okay, here goes.” Making his way over to her, quickly, he called out to her just as she stepped outside. “Hey, Nat!”

Natalie turned around and smiled at Damien, waving at her friends to go ahead. “Hey, what’s up?”

“I, uh-- listen, I’m going to be in town for a few days for the wedding. Um-- would you be interested in maybe getting dinner one night? To catch up.”

She rolled her lips together in thought. “Um, yeah. That sounds great!”

“Really?” he asked, hopefully.

She nodded. “Yeah; it’d be good to catch up properly.”

“Okay, great. Um-- how’s Thursday work?”

“Thursday’s perfect,” she confirmed. “Is your number still the same?”

Damien chuckled and pulled out his phone. “It’s not, actually; I changed it to one with a New Mexico area code. Is yours still the same? I can text you my new one.” Natalie nodded that it was and Damien shot off a quick text, her phone pinging immediately afterwards. “Okay, so we’ll talk details later?”

“Yeah, sounds good,” Natalie said, smiling. “See you Thursday?”

“See you Thursday.”

Nodding once more, Nat waved goodbye and walked away, meeting up with her friends, her heart pounding in her chest. He doesn’t live here full time, Nat, she told herself. It’s just dinner; nothing else.

Unbeknownst to Nat, Damien was having a similar conversation in his own head. You don’t live here full time, D. Don’t get your hopes up. 

Regardless, neither of them could fight the hope bubbling up within them that this reunion could be the beginning of a second chance.

Bonus:

Tagging Separately.

[bex-la-get]

The Way I Loved You (Open Heart AU): Part 4/?

Chapter 4: Making it Work

Previous Chapters Found Here

Book: Open Heart Book 2 (AU) - Series

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Natalie Cusack x Damien Calabaza (OC) - Love Triangle

Word count: 664

Series Summary: When Ethan runs off to Amazon, Natalie rekindles an old relationship. But tensions rise as Nat and Ethan navigate the feelings they still have for each other and the impending closure of the hospital looms.

Chapter Summary: Nat and Damien make it work.

Rating: T

Author’s Note: Hello friends! Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and I hope your new year is prosperous and fulfilling. Chapter 4 is a little short but there will be some additional edits that I will post at the end of the chapter to supplement. Again, all my love and gratitude to @jerzwriter​ for proofreading this for me. Enjoy!

Chapter 4:

May 2019

Natalie woke in unfamiliar surroundings with the sun shining in her eyes. Squinting and groaning at the intruding sunlight, she turned around, colliding with the other body in the bed. At the sound of a deep chuckle, she opened her eyes to find Damien smiling at her and Nat suddenly remembered where she was and what had happened the night before.

Flashes of their prior evening ran through her head. Passionate kisses, discarded clothing, and the feeling of hands exploring each other’s bodies all over again ran through her mind as she recognized that her unfamiliar surroundings were Damien’s hotel room, as she had never made it home last night. 

Settling deeper into the bed, she stretched her arms above her head and groaned. “Morning,” she mumbled.

“Good morning,” Damien replied, nestling closer to her. 

“I forgot I didn’t go home last night,” she said.

Damien chuckled again. “Was last night that forgettable?”

She rolled her eyes and lightly punched his shoulder. “I’m not about to stroke your ego… but no, it wasn’t forgettable.”

“So, you’d say it was memorable, then?”

“Ugh, Damien.”

Damien laughed and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. “Oh come on, don’t pretend you don’t like it when I tease you.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Depends on the kind of teasing.”

He smirked and leaned in close, kissing her softly. “Shall we find out what you like best?”

He leaned in to kiss her again, his hands slowly trailing their way down her body, when they were interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing. Both of them groaned and Natalie turned towards the source. She searched blindly for her phone for a moment, her hand patting the floor before making contact with the device. Seeing Dani’s contact number on the screen, she sighed and answered the phone, nuzzling into Damien’s side.

“Hi DiDi,” she said.

“Ah, there you are!” Dani exclaimed on the other end of the line. “I got her, Sienna,” she called to their friend in the distance. “Sienna got worried when you didn’t come home last night.”

Nat rubbed her eyes and sighed. “Yeah, sorry. I, uh-- I’m still with Damien.”

“Hi Dani,” Damien called.

“Hi Damien,” Dani replied. “You treating my girl right?”

“Always,” he replied.

“Good. Alright, well we just wanted to make sure you were okay. We’ll leave you be. Call me later, Nat.”

“Will do. Give Sienna and the roomies my love,” Natalie replied.

“Will do. Love you.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too, Dani!” Damien called.

Her only response was the sound of the other line hanging up. Damien shook his head and Natalie laughed, placing the phone down on the bedside table.

“Good to know she hasn’t changed a bit,” he mused.

Natalie giggled and adjusted herself in bed, so she was facing Damien. He smiled and brushed his fingers along her cheek softly, brushing her hair behind her ear.

“I’m not ready for you to leave,” she whispered. 

“Me either,” he replied. “This little bubble we’re in… I never want to break it.”

“Then don’t.”

He chuckled dryly. “I wish that were possible.”

“Now, that’s just quitter’s talk. It’s entirely possible for us to stay here and forget all responsibilities. You just gotta believe.”

He laughed. “Yeah, who cares about bills or rent or, you know, basic necessities to live.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, okay, you win. But that doesn’t mean we have to break the bubble just yet.”

“That, I can agree with.” Damien cupped her face and kissed her, softly at first but then with more intensity as she pulled him closer. He rolled over on top of her, entwining his fingers with hers as he briefly broke the kiss to look at her.

“We’re gonna make this work, Nat. I promise,” he said.

She smiled at him and nodded. “I believe you.”

He kissed her again, passionately this time, and the rest of the world around them faded away.

Bonus:

A/N: Tagging separately.

[bex-la-get]

Hi! May I know who your FC for Damien on TWILY is? For uhm research purposes, of course. Thank you!

Hi Nonny!

I’m so glad you asked! I’ve been waiting to do a proper face reveal!

I’m pleased to introduce to you Damien Calabaza’s FC: Michael Trevino. I hope you enjoy staring at him as much as I do! 😍

Also, I know you didn’t ask, but here’s my FC for Damien’s brother Diego: Anthony Ramos 😍

Those Calabaza genes are something else, man! 🥵😍

[bex-la-get]

ATTN: In light of recent events (i.e. men are trash), Anthony Ramos has been fired from his position as Diego Calabaza’s FC.

I now introduce to you, his new FC: Diego Boneta.

Will this effect TWILY series in any way? No, not likely.

Will Diego be a major player in the series? Too early to tell.

Am I aware that a person’s actions can be separated from their FC? Yes. But I’m petty and angry and I refuse to have a cheater (especially someone who had the AUDACITY to cheat on Queen Jasmine Cephas-Jones) representing Damien’s younger brother. Not in my house.

And for those of you wondering: yes, Michael Trevino is still Damien. This beautiful man is stuck with us for the course of the series! Please enjoy the eye candy below for proof. 😘

Thank you for reading. This has been your evening PSA. Carry on.

Also, thank you @jerzwriter for helping approve the FC change. 🐑💙

[bex-la-get]

Natalie Cusack - About the Past

Natalie Cusack - About the Past

Meet my MC

Family Life & Childhood:

Natalie Cusack was born on July 4th, 1993 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is the youngest of two children.

Her older brother, Victor “Vic” Cusack, was born August 14th, 1990.

Her parents are Julie (nee Dabrowski) and Elias Cusack.

Julie is the daughter of Polish Jewish immigrants and speaks fluent Polish. She works as a real estate agent.

Elias is third generation Irish-American and was raised in the Catholic faith. He works as a middle school history teacher.

Julie and Elias met at a mutual friend’s New Year’s Eve party. Julie had been seeking refuge from the noise in the backyard of the house and Elias had struck up a conversation asking if she had a match for his cigarette.

She had none and instead, lectured him about the risks and dangers of smoking. The lecture turned into playful banter which led to a proper  conversation that lasted the rest of the evening. When the Ball dropped at midnight, they shared their first kiss and have been together ever since. They married a year later and Elias has never smoked another cigarette.

As both Julie and Elias were raised in different faiths, they made a point not to emphasize one religion over the other when it came to raising their children. They did, however, share their favorite traditions with the kids and celebrated each respective holiday so Vic and Nat would know their heritage.

Neither Vic nor Nat are particularly religious but they do enjoy celebrating the holidays that align with both faiths.

As Julie’s parents are both primarily Polish speakers, Vic and Nat do speak some Polish and can hold a steady conversation in the language, but neither are fluent.

Family Dynamics:

Nat is very close with her family.

She considers Vic to be one of her best friends, even when he’s annoying her to no end.

Vic was a quiet and sensitive kid which would often lead to him being bullied at school. When Nat heard about it, she quite literally pummeled the bullies, sending them to the nurse’s office and ending up in the Principal’s office on more than one occasion.

Eventually, the bullies backed off and never bothered Vic again.

While Vic and Nat occasionally annoy the living daylights out of each other, they would gladly drop anything and come to the other’s rescue, no matter what.

Nat is close with both parents but is particularly close with her mother.

Nat is a spitting image of her mother, and inherited many of Julie’s mannerisms as well. When they team up on something, they’re unstoppable; both Vic and Elias have learned that they’ll lose any argument against the two if they’re in agreement.

Education: 

Nat was always a pretty ambitious student and that reflected in her studies. She was an honor student, worked as Editor for her high school newspaper, and took every AP class she could get into. 

She was also incredibly social and had a close circle of friends.

She graduated as Valedictorian of her high school.

College was a bit of a culture shock for Nat when she started Undergrad. Having taken so many AP courses in high school, she thought that she could handle a heavy workload in college, only to find she was sorely mistaken. 

In a moment of weakness, she confessed to her brother that she thought she should drop out of college since she didn’t seem to be cut out for it. Vic talked her out of that mindset and encouraged her to cut herself some slack. He also told her that she didn’t have to take an insane amount of credits every semester and if she needed to drop a class or two for her well-being, it was more than okay.

Taking his advice in stride, Nat dropped a couple of high level courses she had been taking and added a yoga class to help her destress. College became a lot easier to manage after that.

Always the ambitious one, Natalie dedicated most of her time to her studies, graduating at the top of her class.

Love Life:

Nat had a few boyfriends throughout high school though none of them were ever particularly serious.

Her first serious boyfriend was Josh Goldman. They had met in their Sociology class during her Freshman year of Undergrad. They dated for a year before he broke it off abruptly, telling her that she had grown too clingy and he wanted his freedom back. It was Nat’s first real heartbreak.

A year after her abrupt breakup, Nat began dating Damien Calabaza. While Nat loved Josh, she didn’t know what it was like to be in love with someone until she met Damien. He was kind, funny, and just as ambitious as she was. They dated from the end of Undergrad and through most of Nat’s Med School/Damien’s Masters Program.

Nat had thought she and Damien would end up together but that dream was dashed when Damien was offered a position to work at Sandia National Labs in New Mexico. After a long conversation between the two, Damien decided to accept the position and the two decided to break up.

Though the breakup was amicable, Nat was still heartbroken and hoped Damien would come back. He never did.

During her residency at Edenbrook, she fell madly in love with her medical hero and boss, Ethan Ramsey. After a rocky beginning, the two are now in a committed, loving relationship. And while Ethan denies the existence of it, Nat knows she’s found her soulmate.

For @openheartfanfics​ “Meet my MC” Event.