#decided i'm in my catching up consumption era
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Yeah, I feel you with AI and I think it's very important to draw a firm boundary with regards to its usage. I know that machine learning algorithm (that are commonly used in AI) improves efficiency in some workloads but there are times where AI crosses that ethical boundary e.g. copyright concerns and that's a big no-no to me :-/
But I really hope the AI isn't the only thing that will define the Pluto in Aquarius era. I really hope this will be era where we have the technological advancements to move towards something more eco-friendly e.g. the significantly better battery life + lower energy consumption like in my new computer!
That's very valid! Because we only heard two songs from The Good Witch so far, it's too early for me to decide whether I prefer YSUFT vs this album. Though I do notice that the new singles sound vastly different to her pre-2022 work and that's fine!
btw when you've mentioned about preferring You Signed Up For This over the singles from The Good Witch, the former album is a Virgo Sun. So perhaps you might relate more to the Mercury influence of the album (e.g. more focus in the wordplay / storytelling) comparing to the water influence of the upcoming album?
Regarding Taurus albums, I also had to look up my Spotify library but I quite enjoy Two Ribbons by Let's Eat Grandma! I'm sure I'll think of more LP's in due course!
P.S. I'm glad that I'm not alone in the Taylor situation! I'm still looking forward to listening to what she comes up for Speak Now TV, but I also think it's perfectly valid to take a step back & branch out a little bit.
I find that it takes quite a lot of courage to properly branch out - being an astrological Fixed dominant myself I can relate: it takes a long time for me to get invested in something & let it go. This situation really sucks bc I've been into her stuff for more than 10 years, but I've been catching up some some new book / music / cinema releases & learn some new skills, so that's keeping me productive.
I want to assure you that you're not being dramatic: yours is a very valid take & I totally relate as well 💖
i totally agree! haha i probably do love you signed up for this because of the mercurial influence bc i do love the rambles and wit in it. hopefully the good witch is good! yes i need to take a step back with taylor. isn't it annoying that we're NTJs and don't easily get invested in things omg. and when we do, it's 100%. i'm happy you're into new books and music and movies though! and new skills, what are you learning? and thank u so much for the reassurance<3
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derry girls s3 thread pt 1
#YASSS MY BESTIES#decided i'm in my catching up consumption era#i love their accentssssss#june 30 2022#SOBBING THIS IS SO FUNNY IM LAUGHINGN SO HARD#NAUR LIKE IM LAUGHING SO MUCH HARDER THAN I REMEMBER#😭😭😭😭#THE DEAD RABBI THELP ME?::!$/$4&4&;&3&3$:):)2$4)$;$2);&/!; god i love this show#HELPPPPPPPP PEEING MYSELF#OH JY GOD#OHAHHEJSJSHHDHAHSHAHSHAHDHJAHDJSJDHFJSJANDBJSBFNCNEJFJCHEJRJ#also cannot wait for jerin kiss#oh my goshhhhhhhhh i love them#the energy is too goOD i wanna like idk go have a singalong w my friends or smth this is soo ogood#OH MY GOSH#/!&:&3@;#so true#HWHEHAHEEHJEBRJSBDHWNRBFJ IN WHEEZING#HE IS HOT THO#HELP ME#THIS IS SIOOSHEHFJSHDI M DYIBG#this is horribly bleakly funny 😭😭#wtf i love them so much#what even is this white hood thing#RHE SOICE GIRLS IM CRYIBG#sobbing#epdkwjrhjsbwjchehsnsnfbxnsndksjdjenxjdbsbjdjdbejdjedjjdjdjejd snorting#IM CRYING#HELSOEKDJJA#orla joe is so precious
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The Kindling from a Kiss
ONE SHOT
Summary: An annual overnight camping trip and a game of 'truth or dare' ignites something new in these best friends Harry and YN. Well, at least for one of them. Will it create a hot new relationship, or will it cause their friendship to go up in smoke?
A/N: I have wanted to write this for such a long time, and after cuddling under a blanket a few days back, I decided that now is the right time. I'm so ready for Fall weather.
Ps. You can picture Harry however you want, there's no specific 'Harry era' for this, I just like how this photo fit the vibe.
>> Warnings: 18+ ONLY: explicit language, alcohol consumption, and the tiniest suggestion of sexual activities
~~~~~
"You have to come. We do this every year."
"Exactly. I'll catch the next one." Harry chuckles, his eyes fixated on the page in front of him as he lays sprawled across his sofa, his long legs hanging over the armrest.
"Don't be a party pooper, H. You're coming. You'll have a good time! I promise!"
"Nah." He smirks, gaze not moving from the words displayed on the book in his hands.
You make your way to the front of the sofa, kneeling down next to him and bringing your clasped hands up to your face, pushing your lips out into a pout.
"Please?" You whine. "You wouldn't ditch your best friend, would you?"
His enchanting green eyes finally shift, resting momentarily on the pout of your lips, before quickly shifting up to meet your pleading gaze.
He chuckles as he sees the desperation in your eyes.
"Alright." He sighs, closing the book and pulling his legs around to sit up. "I'll go."
"Thank you." You jump up, grabbing his face in your hands and planting a quick kiss on his forehead. "I was worried I'd have to do some serious begging."
He bites his lower lip as he sits up straighter, throwing his arms behind his head as he leans back on the sofa.
"Damn, I caved too easily. I could've got, like, something really good outta this!"
Your jaw drops and you bring your palm up to swat his arm.
"Go pack a bag, you little shit. I wanna leave in twenty."
~~~~~
With your arms crossed in front of your chest, you stare at the ground and let out a frustrated growl.
"I can't believe my tent has a huge hole in it!"
"That's too bad, love." Harry replies, settling the last stake of his own into the ground and stepping back to view his handy work. "Guess you're sleeping outside."
"You're joking, right?" You reply, pressing your hands onto your hips. "You're not gonna offer to let me stay in yours?"
"What if I'm tryna get lucky tonight?" He smirks, wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.
"That's not fair, you didn't even want to come!" You pout. "I persuaded you."
"That's true… you're very persuasive." He brought an index finger and thumb up to his bottom lip, as if to contemplate the choices he has. "Alright, we can share. But be warned, it's a small tent, and I like to cuddle."
"Yeah. Unfortunately I'm well aware of that."
~~~~~
"Julie, there's like twenty extra people here!" You look around at the nearby campsites and take in the amount of people who have joined your trip this year.
It started out, a few years ago, with your group of six- Julie, Flynn and his brother Justin, Avery, you, and Harry. You've all been friends since the beginning of high school, and during the summer after your Junior year, you all decided to go camp at the lake for a weekend.
Since then, now a few years into college, you've always made sure to attend this annual trip, but the size of the group seems to grow each time. A few others come back again, but your group of six has always stayed the foundation.
"Getting bored of us?" You chuckle, bumping her side with your elbow.
"Definitely." She smirks. "You're all so vanilla, and I need a little drama."
You roll your eyes. "Well… fingers crossed for you I guess…?"
"Thanks, doll." She laughs. "And my fingers are crossed for you!"
"For what?"
"That you get a bit of something too…" She winks, nudging you back before walking over to say hi to a few new people whom you haven't met.
You turn around to see some familiar faces, when you're met with the most familiar one of them all, popping out beside you.
"Shit!" You yelp, clutching your chest as your adrenaline has peaked.
Harry lets out a huge laugh. "A bit jumpy?"
"I just didn't know who it was." You swat his arm.
"Hmm. Yeah, lots of newcomers." He replies, scanning the faces of the nearby clusters of people. "Don't think I know most of 'em."
"See? That's why I begged you to come."
"So you like me 'round for ya?"
"You're alright." You stick your tongue out between your teeth as you reach up and grab his beanie, placing it on your own head as you nonchalantly walk away.
"Excuse me!" He exclaims, catching up to you and wrapping his strong, tattooed arms around shoulders, creating a hold so that you are unable to lift them. "Who do you think you are?"
He spins you around with a sarcastic smile on his face. You spread the cheesiest smile across yours and bat your lashes. "I'm your best friend, and my head is cold…"
"Aww, look how cute you look… how could I say no?" He smirks. "Oh, like this. No!"
You let out a huge laugh as he swipes his hand over the top of your head, grabbing the beanie back and securing it on top of the curly brown mop on top of his head.
"Damn you."
"Thief." He smirks again, showcasing those canyon-like dimples that everyone seems to fall in love with. "I'll get you one for Christmas or something, geez."
"Did it look decent though?"
"It actually did look good on ya." He chuckles. "But no one gets to wear this beauty. It's mine."
~~~~~
As you sit on a bench around a campfire with your friends, with the warmth of the fire comforting you, you feel the pressure of a finger stroke down your cheek.
"What the hell did you just put on my face?" You scold, turning to the right of you to see Harry's mischievous grin.
"I wouldn't do something like that." He chuckles. "On an unrelated note, you have Nutella on your cheek."
You run your index over the smudge, bringing it to your lips and slowly sucking the contents off of your finger.
"Bloody hell, YNN. How do you not have a boyfriend?" He laughs. "Because that looked… delicious, and I don't mean the Nutella."
"Wasted skills." You shake your head.
"Shame."
"It really is." You reply, scooping out some chocolate sauce from the jar onto your own index finger. You bring it up just enough to hover in front of your lips before shooting your hand over and wiping it all the way down his face.
"I hate you." He chuckles.
"Bullshit." You laugh, grabbing a graham cracker and bursting into a laugh as you use it to scrape the chocolate off of him.
"Yeah. I hate you."
"Really? Who watches 'The Notebook' with you? Who comes over on a Saturday morning and makes the best blueberry pancakes you've ever had? Who is cleaning the chocolate off your face with a graham cracker right now?"
"Who put the chocolate there in the first place?" He glares, letting a subtle smirk shine through.
"Hmm. Good point. Can't believe you haven't cut me out already." You reply, sticking your tongue out at him.
"Nah. I'll keep ya 'round. You seem to be useful." He grabs another graham cracker, scraping the rest of the Nutella off your own face, placing the marshmallow he was roasting on top, and taking a huge bite of his creation.
"Hmm… there's a new flavor to this one… it taste a lot like… sass." He winks.
You do the same with the graham cracker you have in your own hand. "And this one tastes like… idiot."
"Must taste delicious."
"Idiot. Yeah, it definitely tastes like idiot."
"But I'm your idiot!"
"I don't know if I wanna claim that." You giggle.
"Too bad. I know too much about you for you to let me go. You're stuck with me."
~~~~~
After s'mores are devoured, Flynn leaves the group to hang out with a few of the guys he invited, but the remaining five of you stick around to chat. You're still sitting on the bench with Harry, your legs crossed over his lap as you all talk about the college classes you like and the teachers you hate.
You look up when you hear some footsteps approaching, and see a vaguely familiar figure walking up to the bench across from you.
"Hi guys!" She exclaims, immediately darting her eyes over to the guy whose lap is stationary under your thighs.
"Hello, Sabrina." He replies, as everyone else gives her small, unacknowledged waves.
Oh yes, Sabrina. Not your favorite guest on this trip to be honest. If you think Harry is a flirt, this girl is at least double that. And she definitely isn't subtle about it. She joined the trip two years ago, by an invite from a friend of Flynn's, and she wasted no time throwing herself at Harry. He flirted back a little, like he does with everyone apparently, and she took that as a sign to ramp up her attempts to hook up with him. It was a bit irritating to say the least, and you cringed every time you watched it. The next year, which was last year, was no different. Her attempts were constant throughout the entire weekend, annoying as ever to yourself, but he didn't seem to mind. So it did puzzle you to why he has never seemed to fully act on her advances.
"What are you all up to?" She asks, eyes still focused on Harry.
"Just hanging out." Julie replies.
"Fun… I guess…" She shrugs, sitting on the bench she had walked up to.
"Do you have something better in mind?" Justin asks.
"How about a little game?"
~~~~~
"Okay, Sabrina, it's your turn. Truth or dare?"
"Dare." She smirks, quickly flickering her gaze to Harry yet again.
Julie faces Avery, and the two of them lean to each other and whisper, giggling as they seemingly make a plan. They look at Sabrina, then Harry. You figure as much, since she's been trying to grab his attention any chance she can get, and that eat that shit up.
You watch Avery cover her mouth as she whispers some more and you swear her gaze quickly shoots over to yours while she nods, before it snaps back to Sabrina.
"I dare you to kiss Harry, and then rate the kiss."
"Bloody hell, are we twelve?" Harry asks, rolling his eyes, but turning them to Sabrina and giving her a small, closed-lip smile.
"Just do it."
"I guess… rules are rules…" He shrugs, tapping your thighs for you to move them as Sabrina walks around the fire. He gives you a quick glance, his eyes wide, as he exhales heavily. When she arrives she grabs his face and puckers her lips as she leans down for the kiss. He holds her upper arms and stretches his head up to close the gap, placing his lips against hers.
She giggles against him, and you roll your eyes when you hear the popping sound of them releasing their kiss.
It was a small, quick kiss, but everyone whoops and hollers as she walks back around the fire and sits down, a huge grin on her face.
"So?" Harry asks
"I'd say a solid eight." She shrugs.
"What? An eight?" He frowns, crossing his arms around his chest.
"Well…" she smirks, biting her lip. "I didn't have much time to assess it."
"Oh my god." You mumble under your breath, and out of the corner of your eye you see Harry's eyes snap over to you, then swiftly returns back to hers.
"Fair enough." He chuckles.
"Okay." Avery claps her hands together once. "It's YN's turn."
You sigh, picking at your nails. You once again notice that Avery and Julie are whispering to each other, and your stomach starts to twist around. You usually aren't afraid of this game, you always pick 'dare' and rise to the occasion, but something about the way they've been whispering is making you nervous.
"Okay, YN." Avery states. "Truth or dare?"
"You know I'm gonna pick dare…"
"Oh I know." She smiles. "You… have to kiss Justin."
"Wow." You shake your head.
"Hold on!" She puts up her finger. "You have to kiss Justin… and then you have to kiss Harry, and then… rate them both."
"Oh, what the fuck!?" You exclaim. "Can you not think of any better dares than this? Seriously, how old are we?"
"Quit stalling, YN."
You growl, twisting on the bench to your left to see Justin's smile.
"Ready when you are."
You let out a laugh. "Okay then."
You lean closer and your palms grab his shoulders, feeling one of his hands lean against the bench as the other holds your back. Your mouth touches his, and you both begin to giggle, but try to keep your composure. He's been your friend for so long, of course this is comical. You pull away after a few more seconds, and pull your lips inward to stop from laughing.
One the other side of you, Harry's thigh grazes against yours as he adjusts his position, and you hear him clear his throat.
"Shit. If you hadn't been drinking beer…" Your mouth pulls across your face in an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry Justin. It was, like, a seven. It was surprisingly good. I just hate the beer you were drinking."
"Damn it!" He laughs. "That's fine. I can accept that. Although 'surprisingly good' is a little hurtful."
"I'm sorry, bud."
He gives you a small pout, but then a wink. "Maybe one day I'll earn a higher rating."
Harry's thigh grazes yours again, and you turn to your right to see his own smile.
"Let's get this over with, love." He chuckles.
"Yeah that's what a girl wants to hear before she gets kissed."
"Just do it already!" Julie shouts.
You turn to her and growl, then quickly turn back to Harry. As soon as your face is fully in front of him, his hands reach up to your cheeks and he pulls you closer. The sudden motion causes your palm to drop down and rest on his thigh, feeling a subtle smile form against your mouth. Your lips begin to part, your intention being to pull away and come up with some witty remark, but you feel the tip of his tongue push through ever so slightly, enough for you to notice, but not enough for everyone else to.
Your body ignites with a fiery sensation, as a fluttering appears in your stomach. Warmth covers you completely, and you start to feel your body melt. Without hesitation, your free hand reaches up and rests on the back of his neck as you unintentionally deepen the kiss.
It was quick, you think, but it felt like it lasted forever for you. He pulls away, keeping his face close to yours, and stares into your eyes.
"So?" He mumbles.
You stare back into his glistening green eyes, but remember where you are, why you just did that, and who is watching you, so you quickly pull back further, causing his hands to drop and you both to sit up straighter.
"It… it was… I hate this game..." You clear your throat. "I guess I'd rate it as a nine."
In your peripheral vision, Sabrina frowns, subtly crossing her arms around her waist.
"Hey! Harry was drinking beer too!" Justin exclaims, followed by another sarcastic pout.
"Yeah, but now he has gum in his mouth. It was… it was a minty fresh kiss." You shrug.
You hear Harry chuckle, but a blush suddenly rushes to your cheeks, and you refuse to look over to him.
"The magic of Trident, my friend." Harry replies, pulling a piece out of his pocket and reaching past your body to hand it to Justin.
"Two whole points, geez." Justin laughs, popping it into his mouth.
"Okay, okay, okay… It's your turn Justin." Sabrina grumbles.
Your lips purse as you exhale deeply, and your gaze drops to the ground.
"You alright there?" Harry utters, gently bumping his shoulder against yours.
"Mhmm." You nod. "That was just…"
"Amazing?" He chuckles quietly.
"I was gonna say weird." You reply.
"Harsh."
"Okay, not weird. Different." You shrug, your gaze still fixated on the ground beneath your feet.
You've kissed a few times before. Twice when you were both wasted, both times were as a joke and completely platonic. And there was only one other time, when you two were squabbling, and he did it to shut you up. But it's never been like this. This one felt different, like you said. Really different. It felt like there was something else to it. At least, it did for you. The kiss with Justin definitely didn't feel like that, and it really has nothing to do with the beer or the gum. Why do you feel flustered? What made this kiss, this kiss with Harry, feel so different than any other time… or with anyone else?
"I'll take different, over weird, I s'pose." He finally replies, breaking up your sudden and confusing thoughts. "At least I scored higher than beer breath sugar lips over there."
He points past you and you turn to see Justin shove as many marshmallows as he can into his mouth. Seems like a tame dare, except that he despises them. You let out a huge laugh, bracing yourself on the bench with the palm of your hand. You instantly feel another wave of tingles course through your veins as the warmth of Harry's hand barely touches yours. You slowly turn back towards him.
He quickly senses your gaze, and looks over to you, pulling his lips inward as his eyes search your plain expression.
You flash him a small smile, and you see his shoulders relax. But you're not sure if his casual demeanor is comforting or worrisome to you. You're glad he doesn't feel awkward, but frustrated that you do, and that you can't figure out why.
"I'm gonna get a drink." You mutter. "Want one?"
"Yeah." He replies, looking back to you, and presenting a wide smirk that showcases that naughty, deep left dimple. "I've got some gum left, so I'm alright to have another beer."
You roll your eyes and swiftly turn around as you feel another rush of red ignite your cheeks. You try to shake it off and reach into the cooler.
Maybe you shouldn't drink anymore. You are reacting so oddly and you don't want that to show through any more than it probably already does.
You suddenly feel a warm presence behind you and turn around to come face to face with Harry.
"Shit!" You exclaim, letting out a breath as you try to calm the heart beats that shot up at the surprise. "Stop doing that!"
"Sorry." He chuckles, slowly grabbing one of the beers out of your hand. "M'just thirsty and you're dawdling." He adds, flickering his gaze down to your lips for a split second.
"Oops." You manage to quietly reply, gulping down the lump that has formed in your throat.
He lifts the beer to his lips, resting them on the opening of the bottle, and you detect a small smile before he takes his first sip.
"Thanks." He states, raising the beer to cheers with yours, turning around and walking back towards the bench that you both previously occupied.
He stops a few feet away from you, and spins around, a furrow in his brow as he takes another sip of his beer.
"Are you sure you're alright? Y'kinda acting weird." He pauses. "Or… different, I guess I should say."
"Yeah." You state, trying to add a little enthusiasm in your tone to convince him. "I'm good.
"If you feel sick or something, spew outside, far away from the tent, yeah?"
Your expression turns into a glare. "Keep talking shit and if I need to I'll do it right on your pillow."
"Wow. You're just such a good friend." He states, a semi-sarcastic tone with his words.
"I really am." You poke your tongue, but as he reciprocates with a wink, you feel a flutter in your stomach again.
You feel dumb. It's Harry. You shouldn't be getting flustered around Harry. He's your best friend. This is the type of thing that happens when you're around your crush. And Harry isn't your crush.
But maybe that kiss started a crush. And you feel like that's fine. He's attractive, and makes you laugh, and you love spending time with him. An innocent little crush is fine. That's all it is. A crush.
~~~~~
As the original six of you stand at the water's edge, bouncing around on your legs, you hear Justin grumble and you turn to him.
"Tell me again why we have to do this?" He asks, his arms wrapped around his body to keep from shivering.
"It's tradition!" States Avery, with a straightforward tone, as if she shouldn't even have to answer such a question.
"Can't our tradition be something… warmer?" He grumbles again.
"You can't change the tradition, mate. That's the point of a tradition." Harry chuckles, placing his hand on Justin's shoulder.
"Fine. Let's get it over with." He replies, jumping up and down in place as he prepares himself for what's about to happen.
"Okay. On the count of three." Julie proposes. "Ready?"
"No." You growl.
"Now who's being a party pooper?" Harry chuckles, bumping your shoulder, quickly glancing down at your swimsuit and licking his lips. "Admit it, you wanted to see me in my swim shorts."
You roll your eyes, but can't deny that his bare, toned and tattooed chest is a nice sight for your eyes to take in. You feel a shiver run down your spine, and feel like you could blame it on the temperature of the air, but you know that's not really what is to blame.
"This isn't a want, this is a requirement." You look over to the rest of the group. "Can we just get this done?"
"One… two… three!" Julie shouts, and you all sprint into the freezing cold water of the lake.
"Fucking hell!" Harry yelps.
"I hate tradition!" Justin adds.
"Don't be babies, unless you wanna just pay up now..." Avery states, holding her hand out as if she is waiting for something to be placed in it.
Standing chest deep in the water, you laugh as you see everybody's teeth begin to chatter. The rule is that the first person to get out has to shell out one hundred dollars to the last one to stay in. You basically set aside extra money each month just for this trip, and this occasion, but it's always a fun challenge and you are usually one of the last ones to crack.
Harry begins to wade his way over to you and your heart starts to flutter. His wet curly hair and his glistening eyes, under the light of the moon, just add to his beauty. Yes, your best friend is beautiful, that's undeniable, but it's never been something you really focused on. It's also never been something that caused an extreme blush to engulf your cheeks. Not until tonight.
"I'm determined to last longer than you this time." He proclaims, getting closer and closer with each word.
"We'll see about that." You challenge him.
You could definitely win tonight, considering you start to feel warmer inside the closer he gets.
"Are you ready to give up yet?" You laugh.
"What? No!"
"Because I feel fine. Warm, in fact. So this will be an easy win."
"We'll see about that, babe." He replies, a mischievous smirk suddenly appearing, causing your nerves to heighten. "I'll do what I have to."
He stops right in front of you, and you hear him let out a subtle, low chuckle. He reaches around your back, and you let out a gasp, feeling the rush of heat become overpowering in intensity.
But all of a sudden, he pulls his arm back, and you see the wide grin on his face as you feel your swim top begin to float around in front of you.
"Are you kidding me Harry? What the hell?" You yelp, grabbing the piece against your chest to keep yourself decent.
"I'm in it to win it, love! And I figure pestering ya is a good strategy." He shrugs.
"You asshole." You huff, still flustered from the smooth motion of his arm as he untied your top, and suddenly wondering what he would've done it fell off completely. Would he have gotten as flustered as he is making you right now?
"Here… turn around… I'll fix it." He offers.
You feel his fingers run down your shoulders, searching for the undone ties, and you shudder at the touch.
"Getting cold, huh?" He chuckles. "Maybe I shouldn't tie this back up."
His hands linger as he holds both strings, moving close enough that you can feel his breath on the back of your neck.
"I could win this, and maybe get a good view too…"
You hold back a whimper, and feel lucky that the water would hold you up if your knees suddenly went a little weak. You turn your head to the side, getting a glimpse of him out of the corner of your eye, unintentionally biting your lower lip.
"Tie it up, you twerp."
"Hey. Can't blame a guy for trying to see a nice pair of-"
"Tie it up, Harry!"
His fingers graze the skin of your back, and you exhale deeply as the heat inside begins to travel up to your heart, but also down between your thighs.
"There." He whispers.
"Thank you." You utter back, and turn around to see that beautiful face again.
"Anytime." He smiles, and your heart races. With your thoughts and sensations swirling inside, you start to find it difficult to catch your breath.
Your eyes travel down to his lips for a moment, and when they move back up to his gaze, a small furrow of his brow is accompanied by a smirk.
Embarrassment floods over you and you wish the lake would just wash you away at this exact moment. You need to pull yourself away from him before you do something stupid and pull yourself in towards him.
"I…" You stutter. "I lose."
"What?" His eyes go wide and his mouth falls slightly.
"I'm taking the loss. I gotta get out." You state, looking past him to the other four in your group. "I'm getting out guys."
All four heads simultaneously snap over to yours, with eyes wide open to match Harry's.
"You're joking!" Flynn exclaims.
"She breaks!" Julie shouts. "Finally!"
"I thought you said you were fine?" Harry questions, with an expression of sarcasm and concern. "What happened?"
"Nothing." You shrug. "I'm just too cold."
"Is it 'cause I untied your top?" He asks. "I'll let ya pull down my shorts to even it out…"
Your heartbeat races as you begin to envision that scene unfold in your mind.
"You're an idiot." You reply. "And you'd likely walk out of the water with them down."
"Well yeah…" He laughs. "Gotta try to make a good impression on someone."
The warmth disappears from your entire body and you feel the color drain from your face. Someone. Not you, someone else.
"Umm… well, you'll have to… initiate that on your own. Sorry." You quickly respond. "I'm gonna go."
"So you're not staying for the show then?" He smirks, and you momentarily get drawn back into his eyes, that smile, and those dimples.
You shut your eyes to focus yourself and clear your throat.
"I'm sure you'll have enough of a crowd, Styles, you don't need me there."
You begin to make your way back to the sand, as the group cheers in their victory, so you turn your head to them.
"No one has won yet…" You scoff, waving them off. You grab your towel, quickly wrapping it around you, and make your way back to the tent to change.
As you get inside and take a moment to yourself, you realize something that you hadn't before. Something that the kiss seems to have sparked for you. You have feelings for your best friend. Not just because of the kiss, but because he is your best friend. Because he knows you, he cares about you, he makes you feel comfortable, and happy. He even makes you feel… loved. Harry makes you feel loved. Yep. You don't just have a crush on Harry, you definitely have feelings for him. And it sucks.
~~~~~
"YN?" You hear outside the tent, from that unmistakable British accent.
"Yeah?"
"Are you decent?" He asks. "I need to change. Kind of freezing out here."
"Yeah. All clear. Come in."
He unzips the tent and pushes his way through. Catching a glimpse of how his shorts are tightly gripping his crotch, you quickly refocus your attention back onto brushing out your hair, and do your best not to stare.
You can't deny you haven't wondered about his anatomy down there, but now is not the time to dwell on that.
"That was fast." You state, keeping your eyes down as he looks for some dry clothes.
"Yeah, well either Flynn was tryna cop a feel or something was swimming 'round my legs." He chuckles.
"I feel like you've used that excuse before, H." You state.
"Hey! M'serious! There is something in that water." He scoffs. "Bloody hell, ya meanie, can I just change now?"
"Yeah, give me one second." You state, moving around to find your phone.
"I've changed in the same room as you before, YN, it's a big deal…"
"Yeah." You begin to blush, feeling that warm sensation building up between your thighs again. "But I wasn't on the same eye level as your dick."
"Shame." He giggles.
"What is wrong with you?" You sarcastically scold.
"What?" He innocently shrugs.
"Why are you such a flirt?" You ask. You normally don't care but it seems to be causing you problems tonight.
"It's fun." He shrugs. "And I know I can get away with it with you, since we're friends."
That sounds like confirmation that he doesn't feel what you feel from that kiss. That he hasn't changed the way that he feels about you.
"Right." You clear your throat, finally finding and grabbing your phone. "Well I'm not gonna stick around for this show either."
"You're not being very fun tonight." His brow furrows.
"Because I don't want to see your ass hanging out?"
"It's a good ass." He smirks. "But, no, you're just being really weird."
"I'm not being weird." You frown.
"You're right. What was it you said?" He frowns back, pulling a shirt over his head. "Different. Yeah? You're acting different."
"I don't know what to tell you, H. I'm fine." You state sternly, unzipping the tent before he removes anymore clothing and you become even more flustered.
"Whatever you say." He shakes his head. "I'll see ya out there."
"Yep." You reply, exiting the tent and letting out a strong breath, realizing your body had been so tense during that entire interaction.
You knew you had been a bit aloof. You're trying to stabilize yourself. You may have all these new feelings for him, but he doesn't for you, and you shouldn't be making it uncomfortable for the both of you. You turn around with the intention of going back in and apologizing, but hover your hand over the zipper when you hear Harry mumbling.
"This is too much."
Your heart sinks and you clench your jaw. So, not only have you made it uncomfortable, but you've now completely embarrassed yourself to the point of him finding you annoying.
You're really beginning to regret playing that stupid game, suggested by that stupid girl.
~~~~~
The night goes on into the late hours, as it usually does, and you feel a little more at ease with the strangers around you, even introducing yourself to a handful of them. The two shots of tequila you took are probably helping with that.
But you are avoiding Harry. You don't want to embarrass yourself or bother him anymore. Especially now since things really do feel weird. Not just different. Weird. You made it that way, and you don't want to be face to face with him right now. And it's probably for the best considering you're a bit tipsy now. You don't want to say or do anything stupid.
But, of course, your eyes catch Harry's and you see him standing with Sabrina. She is definitely not your favorite person here, but she's standing next to him.
You roll your eyes as you turn away, heading towards the campfire, and mentally kicking yourself for not remembering to pack a hoodie.
"I was worried you'd forget a sweater again." You hear, making you turn to your side to see Harry standing over you.
"Yeah, well, typical me, right?" You reply, managing a small smile to try and hide any awkwardness.
"I wasn't tryna put ya down. Here, take mine." He replies, shrugging his down off of his broad shoulders. You unintentionally flicker your eyes down to the collar of his shirt, which is showing off the top of the sparrow tattooes as it pulls down slightly with the sweater.
"I'm fine, Harry."
"YN, come on, stop being so stubborn." He demands, handing it to you without giving you the option to reject it.
"Fine." You reply, grabbing it from him and instantly feeling the warmth from his body encasing you as you put it on. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, ya grump." He chuckles.
You drop your head down and begin to fiddle with the cuffs of the sweater.
"Yeah, well, I'll let you get back to Sabrina. She's probably a lot more fun than I am."
"That's not true." He proclaims with the most stern tone you've ever heard come out of his mouth. "But what's up with ya tonight?"
"Nothing. I'll just catch up with you later, okay?" You stand up and walk off, hearing him growl as you move further away.
You try to slyly turn back and see him down a shot of his own before heading back over to talk to a small group of people, including the one girl who may want Harry almost as much as you do. The one he probably wants too.
You reach a nearby tree and lean against it, closing your eyes and trying to breathe through the tightness in your chest.
"What are you doing, YNN?" You hear, opening your eyes and finding Flynn standing next to you.
"Huh?"
"Both times Sabrina has come to this thing, and thrown herself at Harry, you've been there to intervene."
"Intervene?"
"Well, like, come to his rescue." He responds.
"I have?" You smack your hand against your forehead. "Shit."
"Wait, that wasn't intentional?" He mutters. "I thought you were just trying to be a good friend."
"A good friend? A good friend doesn't cockblock someone…" You wince. "No wonder he hasn't hooked up with her."
"What? No." He shakes his head. "I'm pretty sure he doesn't like her."
"Really?" You ask, hoping that the feeling of excitement and relief hasn't pushed through. "I just figured he did, since I saw them talking over the-"
As you point over to the spot you last saw them, your eyes don't land on them talking, but your heart lands in the pit of your stomach.
They are still there, but definitely not talking. Sabrina is on her tiptoes, wearing Harry's beanie, with his face squished between her palms and her lips smashed against his. His hands are on her shoulders and he pulls away, whispering something in her ear before she nods and drops her hands down.
"Oh." Flynn states. "I, uh, guess I was wrong."
"Umm… yeah, looks like you were…" You fumble out, dropping your head down and trying to hold back any sign of your disappointment. "Guess… he doesn't need to be rescued anymore."
Your breathing becomes rapid, and there's a tightness in your chest. You were right, he doesn't feel the same for you. And of course the weekend that you finally discover your feelings for Harry is the weekend he's going to hook up with Sabrina. You feel like such an idiot.
You turn around, trying to find a place that will hide and comfort you in any sort of way. Your gaze lands on the multitude of alcohol spread out on some tables, and you instantly make your way over.
You pour another shot for yourself and pound it as soon as the liquid reaches the top of the glass.
"Was that a 'this night is shitty' shot or a 'this night is fucking awesome' shot?" Someone chuckles behind you.
You place the glass down and swivel around, facing a guy who you introduced yourself to earlier. His name was something like… Brendan? Or maybe Brandon?
"I'm Devin..."
You were close enough.
"We met earlier." He states, giving you a little grin.
"Yep. I remember." You smile back, pouring another two shots, and handing one over to him.
"So, what type of shots are these… shitty night or awesome night?"
Your eyes flicker past Devin for just a moment, and land on the intense stare of Harry, his arms crossed over his body as Justin and some new guy talk beside him.
"How about 'fuck this whole trip, I wish I never came here' shots?" You reply, feeling the alcohol begin to take over a bit and suddenly not giving a shit about it.
"Wow. Alright. Let's do this then." He shoots back the tequila with you, both wincing at the burn it causes sliding down your throat.
"So, it's really that bad huh?" He asks.
You just shrug, not even knowing what you could possibly say to this stranger that could explain it all, and also not make him bolt in the other direction after hearing how pitiful you sound.
"Will another shot help?" He chuckles, reaching for the bottle that's sitting on the table.
Your eyes glance back over to Harry, and see Sabrina squeezing her way between him and Justin, placing her hand on his shoulder. His eyes stay fixed on you, but yours glance over to her. She's still wearing his beanie.
"Might as well try."
~~~~~
After some time goes by, chatting with Devin, you start to feel the alcohol wear off and reach back to the bottle for another round.
Before your hand grips it, you feel his hand on your forearm and your eyes shoot up to meet his.
"Is your night getting any better?" He asks timidly. "Not just from the tequila."
You give him a smile and let out a giggle, fueled by the shots but also by how shy he now looks while talking to you.
"Yeah. It is."
He suddenly gets closer, giving your arm a gentle squeeze as he leans forward and places a kiss on your lips.
You gently push him back and scrunch your face when you see his embarrassed expression.
"Oh shit. I'm sorry." He exclaims, a bright red blush forming on his cheeks. "I read this all wrong didn't I? Shit. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, Devin. Can we just keep hanging out, casually?" You respond. The effects of the alcohol apparently click back in or something because you start to wobble backwards a tiny bit, causing him to reach out and throw his arm around your back to secure you.
"Hey mate!" You hear being yelled, instantly registering who those words were coming from. "I think you need to walk away."
Harry shows up right next to you and helps you steady yourself. His arm wraps around your waist right as Devin pulls his away.
"Harry, what the fuck?" You ask, looking apologetically towards Devin.
"He was trying to take advantage of you!" Harry shouts.
"No. What? Shit. No, I was just-"
"Leaving. You were just leaving. Yeah?"
Devin's eyes dart between you and Harry, and your head shoots a glare at the man beside you.
"YN, I'm sorry." He states, with an apprehensive tone to his voice. He places one hand on his chest, with a nervous look on his face.
"No. Devin. I'm sorry… about this..." You mumble, unsure if he could hear you due to the sudden shaking feeling in your chest.
"Fucking leave." Harry growls, causing Devin to simply nod and walk away.
You immediately push Harry off of you and hit his chest with your fists.
"What is wrong with you?" You yell. "For fucks sake, Harry! You're such an asshole!"
"What the hell did I do wrong? I was trying to help you."
Your jaw starts to clench, as hurt and anger start to consume you.
"Help me?… right, okay… except you… damn it, I hate this whole fucking weekend!"
"Yeah that's been apparent." He snarks.
"Fuck you." You scoff. "It's all your fault anyway."
His eyes widen at your statement and a deep frown forms right between his brows.
"What the fuck, YN? How? What the fuck did I do wrong?" He asks again.
Someone catches your eye behind him, slowly walking up to the two of you. The first thing you notice is the familiar beanie, as you then realize that it still sits on top of Sabrina's head.
"Of course… I can't fucking do this with you right now." You reply between gritted teeth. He turns his gaze over his shoulder to see her moving her way towards him, then turns his head back to you. You give him a glare and turn around to quickly make your way to the tent.
"Hey, umm, I'll catch up with you later." You can hear Harry state, soon hearing his footsteps getting closer to you.
"Go away Harry."
"YN, for fucks sake, will you just stop and talk to me?"
"There's nothing to talk about Harry." You growl. "But… let me know if you want some privacy in the tent tonight. I'll just see if Julie has some room for me in hers."
"What? No. You can sleep in the tent…" He finally catches up to you and grabs your arm, spinning you around to face him. He steps as close as he can, holding both your arms as he catches his breath.
You're caught off guard for a moment when you're met with a sweet natural scent diffusing out from him, and you suddenly cannot remember if it's always been like that, or if you're only just now more aware of it.
"What the fuck is going on with you tonight?" He breathes out, his glossy, but concerned emerald eyes burning a hole into yours.
"I… I don't…" Despite everything boiling inside, your body has lost the ability to move, and apparently your brain has lost the ability to form sentences. "I don't know."
He steps closer, which you didn't think was even possible, and his eyes dart all over your face, clearly looking for a clue as to what you're thinking.
"C'mon, YN, we're best friends! I know you. Something's up." His eyebrows quickly pinch together again as he holds his stare. "But I feel like I'm going crazy! Are you just making out with random guys now? Like, what the fuck is that about? Are you that drunk?"
"Don't be dramatic, it was a quick kiss. And why do you care? It's really none of your business." You glare at him, pushing against his chest so you can give yourself some distance. "You shouldn't have butted in, and you definitely shouldn't have yelled at him!"
"He was getting grabby! I saw you pushing him away. What the fuck was I s'posed to do?" His voice is raised, and way more intense than you've ever heard it. Even during your little spats, his tone has always been controlled.
"Could've minded your own damn business. I can handle myself." You snap back, the words falling out of your mouth before you can catch them.
"Minded my-... are you serious? It's absolutely my business if some guy is making you uncomfortable. I don't give a fuck who it is. You're my best friend, YN! I… I care about you more than anyone else here!"
The term 'best friend' has never made you feel any sort of pain, until now. You are best friends, and you have been best friends basically since you met. But now one kiss, one dared kiss, has you feeling so different than you have before. It has you feeling so much more for him, feeling so jealous, and feeling so desperate for him to just kiss you again at this very moment. It even, you think, has you feeling love. But he doesn't feel any of that.
"Really? Is that why your lips were locked with Sabrina's? Because you care about me?" You growl through gritted teeth.
"What?"
You drop your gaze to the ground and take a deep breath. As you look back up into his beautiful stare, your heart drops again for a split second. He kissed Sabrina, and just called you his best friend. Now you really know where you stand with him, and it's too much to handle.
"Just…" Your jaw clenches, as you start to protect your heart, while feeling it begin to break. "Don't worry about me."
"That's stupid. M'gonna worr-"
"Just don't, Harry!" You exclaim, hearing him quietly gasp at the words that just came out and the tone that accompanied them.
"YN…"
You pull in your lips as you feel a tightness build in your chest and tears beginning to form.
"Just please, Harry… please leave me alone."
His arms drop to his sides and his mouth drops open.
"YN, m'sorry-"
"Please." You utter, wrapping your arms around yourself to keep from completely falling apart.
You look up through your lashes and see him nod, moving backwards with the smallest steps as he runs a hand through his hair.
"M'sorry." He whispers, barely enough for you to hear him, shoving his hands in his pockets and turning around to walk away.
You turn and take those last few steps to the tent, fumbling with the zipper and desperate to get inside.
After you finally make your way in, and zip it back up, you immediately fall down onto your sleeping bag. You don't bother changing, and curl up in Harry's sweater.
With his scent still lingering on it, filling the tent, the tears begin to fall.
You hate that the kiss changed everything for you. You hate that it happened in the first place. You hate all you want is for him to march into the tent, wrap you up in his arms, tell you that he wants you too, and kiss you again with as much passion as you felt the first time. You hate that the kiss changed nothing for Harry, and most of all, you are starting to hate that you actually love him.
~~~~~
You wake up in the morning, alone in your tent, to the sound of muffled chatter in the distance. Still in your clothes from the night before, you do your best to fix your hair, shuffling out and over to the open area where everyone is eating breakfast. Almost everyone.
You grab some coffee, not really feeling like you can stomach much more than that, and sit at one of the nearby picnic tables.
You take a sip but shoot straight up again when you see Devin grabbing a plate of food.
With your coffee in hand, you make your way over to him.
"Hey. Devin. Can we talk?"
He looks at your surroundings before looking back over to you.
"Are you sure you wanna do that?" He asks, surprising you as the question is followed by a chuckle.
"I'm so sorry." You reply, placing your face in your palm, feeling the possibility of tears arriving at any moment.
"Let's go sit." He suggests, motioning to the picnic bench you had just been occupying.
You take a seat across from him, your coffee sitting between your hands and your elbows on the table.
"I'm so sorry about last night." You repeat, dropping your gaze to your mug.
"Don't be. I just read things wrong and… didn't know you had a boyfriend…"
Your head immediately snaps up to his. "No, no, no. Harry isn't my boyfriend. We're just friends, like, best friends. That's all."
"Well…" He pauses to take a small bite of his food. "That was quite an odd reaction then."
"What do you mean?"
"YN, that was an extremely 'boyfriend' type of reaction he had when seeing me kiss you." He looks at you bashfully as he reminds you of what he did.
"He just… thought you… were making some unwelcome advances."
"I guess." He shrugs. "But the way he looked at you, and at me, and the way he held you so close… I don't know… it just seemed like there was something more going on there."
"There's not. Trust me, there's not." You sigh. "Definitely not for him anyway."
Your hand immediately covers your mouth and you hear him giggle.
"Oh okay." He grins. "So that was the reason for those 'fuck this whole trip' shots."
"I'm so sorry. I hope you don't think I was just trying to, like, lead you on or anything…"
"No. You were fine. I was having fun, I just misread the situation." He shrugs.
"Just so you know, I was having fun too." You smile, taking another sip of your coffee.
"And… I mean, I could be misreading this too… but it does seem like there's something more going on between you guys, for him too."
You place your mug down and shake your bed. "Doubtful, considering his empty, untouched sleeping bag."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Well…" He takes his last bite of food and begins to stand up from his seat. "If you need someone to hang out with or want to take some more 'drink your pain away' shots, maybe away from certain tall, angry British men… come find me."
"Oh god." You let out a huge laugh. "I might take you up on that."
He gives you a quick wink and walks off, but his place at the picnic table is quickly taken up by Julie.
"So?" She asks, eyes wide with anticipation.
"So…?"
"Did you and Devin hook up last night?"
"No! Why would you even think that?"
"Well, I heard that something happened last night involving the two of you. I thought it might've been something juicy." She furrows her brow. "You could've waited for me, to play out some drama!"
You roll your eyes at her as she giggles.
"Yeah, well, it wasn't the fun kind of drama, if that's even a thing."
"So, wait, does Harry not know you and Devin didn't hook up?" Her sudden, random question takes you by surprise and your posture becomes rigid.
"I don't know. Probably too busy hooking up with Sabrina to even give it a second thought."
Just the sound of her name now triggers a knot in your stomach.
"He didn't hook up with her." Julie states.
"He didn't?"
"No, he slept in Justin's tent." She replies. "That's the other reason I thought you and Devin had done the deed. I thought he was giving you two space for some alone time."
"Why didn't he sleep with her?" You blurt out, mentally slapping yourself as soon as you hear the question leave your lips.
"That's a super weird thing to ask…" She raises a brow in curiosity. "I don't know. I mean, why didn't you sleep with Devin?"
Your gaze suddenly drops again, and you feel a very inconvenient and unwanted blush appear. It's unfortunate that you've been friends for so long, because you know she can instantly read your reaction.
"Oh shit. I knew it. Avery and I were just messing around with that dare..." Julie whispers. "But after the kiss, I knew something happened. I knew something was up with you."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Like hell you don't!" She raises her voice, causing an immediate shush to come out of your mouth. "Oh my god…"
"What…"
"Is that why you didn't stick around during the water challenge? I saw how close he was to you, and you looked nervous. Plus, you never leave first."
"I was cold…"
"I know Harry's your best friend, so he knows you the best, but I've known you just as long, YNN. And that's a bunch of bullshit."
"What does it even matter, Julie?" You close your eyes, feeling your heart squeeze just as tight. "Our kiss didn't change anything for him. Instead, he went off and kissed Sabrina."
Her hands lift up and hold her cheeks. "Were you even here last night? Seems like you don't know anything that happened."
"What do you mean?" You instinctually lean towards her.
"YN… she kissed him…" She replies, looking around to confirm that no one else is listening in. "I mean, we all know how she flirts with him. Disgusting, by the way. But I guess this time she grabbed his beanie and wore it to get him to talk to her, and when he walked up to get it, she made her move and kissed him."
"Oh?"
"Justin told me that Harry was not having it and politely whispered to her to back off." She shakes her head. "Then Justin said he later walked up to everyone and he seemed super pissed for some reason. She tried to talk to him again, like, one last attempt to get what she wanted I guess. Again, disgusting. But apparently he told her to 'keep the fucking beanie' and leave him alone."
"Shit."
"Yeah. She left early this morning." She chuckles. "Why was he so pissed, YN? What the hell happened with you two?"
You wince at the memories of last night and let out a huge, shaky sigh.
"We had a huge fight."
"For what?"
"I, uh, I just got so flustered after the kiss. Clearly you saw that. And realized… that I wanna be more than friends." You clear your throat. "But he doesn't. And when I saw him kissing Sabrina… or I guess her kissing him… I got jealous."
"Okay…"
"When I was hanging out with Devin later, he tried to kiss me. It was an innocent misunderstanding, but Harry walked up and was super rude to Devin-"
"He was jealous." Julie nods. "Go on."
"He wasn't-... anyway, I got pissed and walked away. He followed me and we had a huge fight. Julie, we've never had a fight like that. I told him to leave me alone and… so he did."
"Oh boy." She pinches the bridge of her nose. "That's… wow… that's intense. Yeah, seems like that kiss changed things for the both of you."
"Seems like you got the drama you wanted."
"I tend to get what I want." She giggles, then immediately reaches across the table and grabs your hands. "But I didn't want that for you. And now I just want you to get whatever it is that you do want."
You sit up straighter. You don't know what you want now. But that's a lie, because you know exactly what you want. You just can't have it, because you want Harry.
~~~~~
You spend the next hour sitting near the edge of the lake, knees pulled up to your chest, arms wrapped around, and chin resting on them.
You keep replaying yesterday over and over in your head. And you can't seem to get the last few of Julie's comments out of your head. She's right, that kiss did change things. Maybe everything. Maybe now you've pushed him away.
You nuzzle your head behind your knees and begin to let the tears fall. Your heart drops at the thought that maybe the two of you won't even be able to be friends anymore.
There's a shift in the sand next to you, and you look over to see Devin matching your position.
"Oh shit." He states as you wipe your cheeks dry. "Do you want me to leave?"
"No." You sniffle. "You're fine. I could use the company."
"Have you talked to that Harry guy yet?"
You can only manage to shake your head.
"I… I saw him talking to Justin…" He looks over to meet your gaze. "He looks sad."
"I think I fucked it all up." You finally speak.
"Well… I'm here if you wanna have a new friend." He chuckles, causing you to look back over to him and give him a smile.
"I do need someone to take shots with." You smirk.
"Sold." He chuckles again. "And for what it's worth… I mean, take it with a grain of salt, considering I have misread things before…"
He bumps your shoulder and you shake your head as you giggle.
"But I don't think you've fucked it all up." He adds. "Just leave the 'fucking things up' to me."
You let out a little laugh, but are interrupted by the shuffling of feet and a familiar presence behind you.
Devin looks over and his face drops. You follow his gaze to see Harry standing there with his hands in his pockets, eyes fixed on you.
"Look, man, I'm just talking to her." Devin explains, standing and throwing up his hands to display his innocence.
"S'alright." Harry replies, still looking down to you, but you turn your gaze back to the water. "M'just wanting to talk to her too."
"Yeah, I'll, uh, head back." Devin nods, stepping forward to catch your eyes. "Come find me if you need me."
"Thank you, Devin. Really, thank you." You nod quietly, shooting a quick smile before he waves and walks away.
You feel another shift in the sand as Harry takes a seat on the other side of where Devin had been sitting.
"Are you friends with him now?" He asks, with a level tone to his voice.
"I guess." You shrug. "He didn't do anything wrong, Harry. You misunderstood the entire thing."
"I know. Julie told me." He admits, his gaze joining yours as he turns to the water too.
"What else did she tell you?"
Out of the corner of your eye, you see him now drop his gaze to his feet.
"Just that I was an idiot."
"Yeah well…"
There's a silence for a moment between the two of you, and your breathing and thudding heartbeats are all you can hear.
"I wasn't kissing Sabrina, YN. You kind of misunderstood that one."
"Yeah." You let out a strong exhale. "Julie told me."
"I don't even like Sabrina." He states furrowing his brow as he looks over to you. "Can't stand her, actually."
Your breath hitches at his admission, but know that doesn't mean he feels anything for you.
"M'sorry, YN. Really sorry." He turns his body to yours and puts one hand on your knee. "Can we please just go back to being ourselves? To having fun together? To being best friends again?"
"I don't think we can just be friends anymore, Harry." You blurt out, a little faster and louder than you intended.
"What?" He replies with a strained voice. "Look I know I was an asshole, but… you… you really just don't want to be friends anymore?"
You quickly stand up with your body now in fight or flight mode, knowing that it definitely wants to pick the flight option, but Harry immediately pops up too and stands directly in front of you.
"It's not that-"
"Then what the fuck is it? Because I would never just throw away our friendship for something like this. You're my best friend. I don't wanna lose that. I can't lose that!"
Tears immediately start pouring out. You don't want to lose that either, but you're lying to yourself if you think you'd be fine just staying friends. It will rip your heart apart.
"But I don't think I can do that. Not just that anyway. Not anymore."
"What does that even mean? What was so bad that it's made you not want to be my friend anymore?"
"The kiss!" You shout, your head swirling with all of the racing thoughts and emotions. "That kiss yesterday. It… it just…"
He steps closer, causing your breath to hitch when you meet his intense, and concentrated gaze.
"It just… what?" He asks in a low, hushed voice which makes your knees weak.
"It just… it changed how I feel about you. It… made me want to, umm, to be more than friends. I want to be with you, actually be with you." Your gaze drops straight to the ground and your chest tightens with your confession. "But I feel like a complete idiot, like I'm ruining our friendship, because the kiss didn't change anything for you."
He takes another step towards you, and one hand wiping away your tears as the other settles under your chin to meet his gorgeous green eyes.
"No, you're right, it didn't change anything for me." He clears his throat, still fixated on you. The knot in your stomach twists tighter and you want nothing more than to bolt. "Because I already felt that way."
"What?" You take a half step back, shocked by the words he just uttered, a little unsure if you even heard him correctly.
"YN, I love being your best friend. Really. And I'll take what I can get. But, I've wanted to be more than friends with you for a long time."
You feel your chest rise and fall at a much faster pace, and your heart begins to race.
"But... why didn't you say anything?"
"Well, 'cause I'm an idiot." He chuckles, moving his hand and running two fingers up and down your arm. "And I didn't want to push anything on you. Or push you away."
You begin to feel butterflies over just the mere understanding of his consideration. You lift your palms up and gently cup his cheeks, your eyes scanning every inch of his face to memorize the moment.
"I… I was worried I was the one pushing you away." You wince. "I can't believe you just stuck around, willing to just stay friends."
"Apparently I like to torture myself, I guess." He clicks his tongue. "But I felt like it was worth it. And now I'm glad I did."
"I'm glad you did too. And actually now kind of glad we played 'truth or dare' too." You bite your lower lip, feeling his breath on your nose and he lets out an exhale and licks his lips.
The hand that was grazing your arm slowly moves down to your waist, and his other moves to the back of your neck. Instantly, your hands grab his flannel shirt as you bring him in even closer to you.
He stares into your eyes, then down to your lips, with a smirk forming on his face. His head moves closer and your heart beats even faster as you feel a rush flow through your body.
Then your lips meet, and it's as if your entire body is finally awakened from a sleep you didn't know it was in.
Your mouths move together, sighing against each other as you grab tighter to his shirt. His tongue, once again, attempts to part its way into your mouth, and this time you fully let him. He pulls you in to deepen this kiss and you melt right into his arms. The heat inside you erupts and you begin to feel it in every part of your body.
He finally pulls away to catch a breath, resting his forehead against yours.
"Better than last night?" He asks, keeping his eyes closed as he smiles. "Higher than a nine?"
"Definitely a ten. And you didn't even have gum this time!" You joke.
His eyes open and meets you with the most tender gaze as he moves his lips back to yours.
"Woo hoo!"
His mouth stops before it touches yours, and both of your heads snap towards that noise, seeing your group of friends clapping and cheering as they watch the two of you.
"Bloody hell, fucking creeps!" Harry shouts, as you hide your face in his chest.
"Oh shut up!" Avery shouts back.
"Yeah!" Julie adds. "We're just happy for you!"
He looks over to you, then your lips, letting out a low and deep exhale.
"Would you, umm, wanna go back to the tent? Just for some privacy?"
You instantly bite your lower lip and nod, grabbing his hand as he leads you away.
He quickly unzips it and trips as he makes his way in, causing you to fall right on top of him on his sleeping bag and burst out into a fit of giggles.
"Well that worked out in my favor." He smirks, wrapping his arms around your waist.
"Yeah, smooth move." You roll your eyes.
He reaches out and holds the back of your head, pulling you down and pressing his lips passionately against yours. He doesn't hesitate to slip his tongue inside, and you let out a breathy moan. He begins to press his hips up into yours, causing you to let out yet another breathy moan.
"You're okay with this, yeah?"
"Mhmm." You hum back, moving your lips across his jaw and down his neck.
"F-fuck, babe." He whispers, grabbing your hips and bucking up into you again.
Your run your hand down his chest, sliding over the bulge pushing against his pants.
He throws his head back, eyes closed, and displays the widest smile you've seen from him.
"I've imagined this moment so much." He moans. "Feels… so… much better than I thought."
"I, uh, I definitely want to do so much more with you… just not here, on the hard ground, with our creepy friends nearby. But… I do want to show off my Nutella skills right now…" You see his eyes shoot open and his head snap down to meet yours, causing you to bite hard on your lower lip.
"Should…" He chuckles. "Should I go get a jar of it then?"
"No. I don't want you to leave." You lick your lips. "I think I can find something else to taste…"
~~~~~
You lay nuzzled in Harry's arms, your head on his chest as you feel it rise and fall.
"Harry?" You whisper.
"Yeah babe?" He whispers back.
"Truth or dare?"
"What?"
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth…" He replies hesitantly.
"What was the moment you realized you liked me?" You ask, tracing his sparrow tattoos with your finger.
"Remember that trip here, when you came to my tent to spend the night, because you had invited your cousin
and found her throwing up all over the floor of yours?"
You can't speak for a moment, taken back by how quickly he responded to the question.
"Ew. Yes." You cringe at the memory.
"And you had on that blue fucking bikini."
"That's how you knew you liked me? Because I was looked good in a swim-"
"Lemme finish. Geez." He chuckles, softly running his fingers up and down your shoulder. "No. You had to borrow my shirt and boxers to sleep in. I liked it. That's what you looked good in."
He grabs your body and brings you in closer to him, kissing your forehead before resting his cheek on it.
"You had to share my sleeping bag with me, and we talked for a while, and when you fell asleep you ended up cuddling into me." He clears his throat. "You smiled when I wrapped my arms around you, and it felt so natural, so good… I realized I wanted to do that with you every day."
You slightly tilt your head to place gentle kisses on his chest.
"Man, these camping trips are magic or something." You giggle.
"Okay, YN, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Do…" He inhales his breath, so you places more kisses on his chest. "Do you think… fuck, do you think it's too crazy that… that I love you?"
Your heart beats faster than it ever has before, and you unintentionally let out a whimper as you feel his breathing increase in its pace.
"No." You utter. "Because I love you too."
His breath hitches and he reaches under to chin to being your eyes to his gorgeous greens.
"Thanks for persuading me to come this year."
He places a gentle kiss on your lips and then rests his cheek on the top of your head.
"Well, I did promise that you'd have a good time."
~~~~~
If you'd like to send extra support, I love coffee 💗Bee xx
~~~~~
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#harry styles#harry styles fanfic#harry styles x reader#harry styles angst#harry styles fluff#harry styles imagine#harry styles x y/n#harry styles smut#harry styles fanfiction#harry styles x you#harry styles one shot#harry styles friends to lovers#harry styles story#harry styles concept#friends to more#friends to lovers#best friends to lovers#be with me so happily
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the public (me) would like to hear about your impressions of the Victorian Theodora Novel 🎤🎶
Oh my god, I have so many opinions about the Victorian Theodora Novel, I don't even know where to begin
First of all, I read the entire thing over the course of several late night study sessions in between trying to memorize every aspect of the complement system, SO my memory is probably a little fuzzy. But oh my god was this book weird
I mean, obviously there were a lot of plot points that were just absurd and unhinged on their own (Theodora's dad and John the Cappadocian being a members of a secret society called "the Brotherhood of the Rising Sun???" I literally looked this up because I was wondering where the author got this from and I couldn't find anything except for one Masonic lodge in Saratoga Springs, so maybe I'm just clueless, but the entire thing read as totally insane to me. I cannot imagine what the author was inspired by) but the main thing that got me was the sheer Victorian-ness of it all. Like, there were so many classic Victorian Tropes that it almost read like a parody of Victorian literature at points. Acacius dying of Brain Fever like Sara Crewe's dad in A Little Princess cracked me up right from the start and it just got less coherent from there. And Anastasia!! That entire plotline was bonkers. You could kind of tell that the author was desperate to have the requisite "Beautiful Saintly Ingenue Who Dies Tragically Of The Consumption To Motivate The Less Perfect People" character in his book, and Anastasia came the closest to fitting that role, but it obviously wouldn't work if she was a prostitute because then she wouldn't fit Victorian standards of innocence and perfection. So he just got around it by having Juliana Anicia adopt her? I mean, granted, it's more like Juliana volunteering to take her in as a handmaiden, but she's clearly loved and raised well and there's no real difference in the end. So Anastasia becomes a quasi-noblewoman who can safely catch romanticized tuberculosis and die for Theodora's character development without challenging Victorian ideas about purity along the way, and it's all well and good except for the fact that it makes no sense. And she's so saintly and holy that she even gets to astral-project to Theodora in Africa to encourage her to come home. Truly astonishing, 10/10 stuff.
Theodora and Justinian's romance was also amazing, for different reasons. Justinian comes across as such a useless asshole for like 80% of his pagetime. I'm obsessed with the fact that he decided that the appropriate way to greet her upon her return from Africa was to randomly show up as she's crying at her sister's grave, kiss her on the mouth, and then run away? And then they get married the next chapter! I know a lot of the weirdness of their interactions can be attributed to Victorian ideas about romance and affection, but still, God.
There were just so many weird bits, though. I don't know how I could possibly list them. The Brotherhood of the Rising Sun. Everything about Anastasia. Everything about the central romance. The narrator describing Theodora's eyes as "orbs" like it's a bad Harry Potter fanfic from 2007. That scene where Antonina is, like, sitting at her father's knee as he's in the chariot, and it would be cute if she was a child but she's a grown woman about to get married. Theodora having a dead older brother who was eaten by a lion. The evil stepmother. The bit when Theodora leaves Hecebolus in Africa and the fishermen on the boat are lecherous creeps and one of them touches her and she straight up decks him even though she was too weak to walk just paragraphs prior (and then one of the sailors tries to drag her away and she's like God help me! and God does!) Just a truly questionable novel all around, seeped in Victorian-era moralizing and deeply questionable ideas about women. Incredible, I loved and hated it at the same time. Thank you so much for making me aware that this exists
#blue and green or god's gift: a novel of old constantinople#if anyone was wondering#it's on some library websites and archive.org#I think it was written in the late 1800s? so it's very much public domain#it's insane. go read it
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Pairing: Lee Taeyong X Gender Neutral Reader
Song: The Louvre - Lorde (lyrics mentioned)
Genre: Fluff/Artist!You + Poet!Taeyong
Warnings: suspicions of cheating, alcohol consumption, slightly tipsy-ness, some kissing, implied sexual content but not explicit.
Word Count: 4000 approx.
Summary: As wandering, travelling college students on a gap year, meeting each other in the Louvre was purely coincidental, and usually summer flings weren’t your thing, but Taeyong was different. And like a moth to a flame, you were entranced.
☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼
The floorboards creak as the tour group shuffles down the hallways of the Louvre, passing many other tourists. The tour group leader stops at another painting and begins his explanation of the painting you see in front of you; well, you would be able to see it if you weren’t at the back of the group. Craning your neck to see, you stand on your tiptoes, before realising it is all in vain. Forgetting the other artwork, you swivel to see another painting on the wall adjacent to it and peer upon it instead. A young icy blond haired man stands beside you, examining the artwork too. He wears a baggy striped t-shirt that shows his delicate collarbones, tucked into a pair of black skinny jeans, a necklace gently hanging around his neck. He looks positively comfy, but effortlessly chic; you can’t help but stare at his chiselled jawline either. The man looks as if he was carved out of marble, angular lines with delicate features, he was stunningly beautiful. And suddenly, you realise you’ve been staring way too long when he turns his head and catches you.
“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” He says, but you sense no malice in his voice as a warm smile creeps up his face. Looking at the ground, the painting, anywhere, you apologise; “Ah, I’m sorry… uhm I like your outfit.” You reply gingerly, unsure of what to say to remedy the situation. “Thank you! It’s new.” He sits down on a near bench, eyes trained on the painting ahead. “As great as this painting is, I cannot stand scenes of suffering - I really struggle to find the beauty in them.” He blurts out after a moment. “Why’s that?” You curiously reply. You’ve always liked paintings from the romanticism era, the painting in question being ‘The Raft of the Medusa’ by Theodore Gericault. “For instance, this painting shows their suffering, and just that itself is not nice to see, but the colour palette is so murky to me. What do I know though, I’m no artist.” You understand what he means, as an art major, you had to analyse this piece one semester. “I get where you are coming from, the aging of the paints makes it appear murkier than the artist intended, and I think that adds to the whole ‘suffering’ aspect.” As you end your sentence, you turn your head and realise the tour group has moved on. You pat him on the shoulder and point in the direction of the crowd. He swears under his breath before standing up and leading the way back with the group. What a beautiful stranger.
Once the tour group has ended, you vacate the Louvre, more sightseeing to do. After a busy day of staring up at the Arc De Triomphe and climbing the stairs of the Eiffel tower, you end up walking by the Louvre again since you previously spotted a cute cafe you wanted to try out. Now dusk, the water display is illuminated, bathed in light and bubbling. You see a familiar figure sat on the wall beside it, looking slightly lost and reading from a notebook. Unsure whether to help, you continue walking on to the cafe, this would only take a minute or two. Once done, with two coffees in hand, you walk back to the Louvre and the figure still sitting on the wall.
“Are you ok? You seem a bit lost?” You gently ask, testing the waters. The man from the gallery looks back up to you, big expressive eyes staring back, and you sense a hint of worry in them. “Hi, yeah, I’m a bit lost. My phone died and I can’t find my way back to my hotel.” He says, forlorn. “Well, I bought you a coffee, if you’d like it, and I don’t mind helping! I can maybe help with directions.” You hand the coffee towards him, and he takes it from you, eyes lighting up as he does. “Aww thank you! That would mean a lot to me, and thank you for the coffee.” You sit down on the wall next to him as you pull up Google maps on your phone. “It’s no problem. Where are you staying? I’ll put it into maps and have a look.” “I’m staying at the mur de coquelicots hotel.” “Oh no way! I’m staying there too! I know exactly where it is, we can walk back together.” “That sounds great.” He replies with a smile, eyes shining.
The pair of you walk through the city as the sun sets and the moon begins to shine. Conversation flows easily, and you find yourself totally enamoured with this stranger. He’s bubbly and friendly, charismatic and charming, simultaneously shy and chatty. It’s hard not to stare as he speaks to you, it’s an added bonus that he’s gorgeous. Unfortunately, the walk is over quicker than you’d like and you two enter through the lobby of the cheap but nice enough hotel. You make your way into the elevator with him, and press your floor. “Well it was nice meeting you. I just realised I don’t even know your name.” You giggle. “I’m Y/N.” “Thank you for your help Y/N, I’m Taeyong by the way.” “You’re welcome, goodnight Taeyong.” You bid your farewell and exit the lift, the doors opening as you finish your sentence.
As you reach the door to your room, you fiddle with the key card, excitement bubbling up inside of you. What a lovely guy. You flop down on the comfy hotel bed once you’re inside of the room. Spending all summer in Paris was becoming more and more like a dream come true.
The sun shines through the translucent curtains as you gather your things into your tote bag and get ready to leave the hotel room for breakfast. You wander over to the quaint bakery across the road from the hotel, and spot a familiar figure sitting in the outdoor seating with a newspaper. The blonde haired man sports a beret, and looks positively relaxed as he munches away on a croissant. You pick out a pastry, before walking over. “Is this seat taken?” You ask, and pull out the chair to sit down. “No, feel free to sit.” He replies with a smile. You sit opposite to him and shift in your seat to get comfortable. “What a lovely morning, right?” His smile beams as he looks your way. “Definitely! I love the warm weather.” You say, “it’ll be perfect to paint in.” “Oh so, you’re a painter? That’s cool, Paris is perfect for inspiration. It’s certainly aiding me.” “Yeah, I’m a painter, I’m here as an international student on study leave. What do you do?” “I’m an English literature major, specialising in poetry, so I’m here finding inspiration for poems of my own.” “Well, you’re certainly at the right place. Speaking of inspiration, I’m going to visit the Palace of Versailles today if you’d like to come with me and are not busy. I thought since you’re alone here, you might want to?” You ask, rubbing your hands over your arms, a slight shiver of nervousness at your sudden offer. “That sounds amazing! Thank you for the invite. What time are you thinking of leaving?” His eyes light up at your offer and your nervousness is put at bay. “Around 12pm, and you’re very welcome.” You reply. “Sounds good, I’ll meet you here at 12pm then?” He responds chirpily. “Sounds good to me.”
Okay I know that you are not my type (still I fall.) I'm just the sucker who let you fill her mind
(But what about love?)
Nothing wrong with it
Supernatural
Just move in close to me, closer, you'll feel it coasting
This wasn’t something you usually did. Asked our strangers or chose to spend time with ones you are not familiar with. But it was almost a supernatural attraction. He was not your usual type at all, but something strong and lulling was moving over you. Something indescribable, beyond enchanting.
Walking around the luscious gardens of the Palace of Versailles was just a sight to behold. The beauty that is held within was stunning. It was as you strolled around it that Taeyong took your hand in his; so casually that you didn’t think anything of it at first, but then it hit you and your heart fluttered. You smiled wide as he looked at you with tender eyes. It’s not wrong to move this fast right? Nothing wrong with a summer fling.
Nothing wrong with it, supernatural.
As the two of you walk around, conversation flows freely. You speak of previous art pieces and he talks about writing, he tells you about how long he’s been in Paris and so many other things. Before you know it, you two find yourselves under a grand stone archway, and conversation trails off delicately. “You’re so beautiful, I love the way the sunlight hits you. I think you’d make a beautiful painting yourself.” He says unexpectedly. A bubble rises through your chest, and you know what you want to do. You lean forward, placing your hands gently either side of his head and you kiss him. His soft lips meet yours and you are drinking each other in. The kiss is brief but heavenly all the same. As you pull away you notice a light blush over his cheeks and a dorky grin on his face. You feel the same grin on yours.
After a lovely day together walking around the palace’s gardens and opulent rooms, you decide to head back and get some food together. Being students and not having a ton of money, you both decide to get food from a local convenience store and to eat it on the hotel room balcony. “What do you fancy eating?” He asks, his hand still grasped around yours as you peruse the items in the shop. “I think I fancy some quiche, what are you thinking?” “I think I’ll get some cheese and crackers.” He adds, checking out the foreign cheeses. Once the pair of you have your haul, you head back up to the hotel room, and lay out your spread on the balcony table. The sun is setting gently in the distance and it illuminates the skies in gentle peaches and pinks. In his company, it just feels so comfortable, so cosy.
A rush at the beginning.
At the shop, you also purchase a bottle of wine, and the two of you share it together. Perhaps the cosy feeling is from that, you don’t know, but either way; you enjoy being in his company and don’t regret talking to the beautiful stranger in the Louvre. After some time, you’re both positively tipsy, not drunk, just giggly and happy. Taeyong starts dancing on the balcony, languid movements and sharp ones intertwined into a beautiful choreography. You’re not quite sure how he learnt to dance this way, he deserves to be on a stage. But for tonight, you were his audience.
Drink up your movements, still I can’t get enough.
He flows freely, not unlike a puppet on a string, controlled by some unseen forces to move his body in ways you could never. “Where did you learn that dance?” You ask, intrigued to no end. “I’m freestyling, just making it up.” Of course, he’s beautiful, intelligent, kind, and talented. “That’s crazy, you’re amazing.” You reply, and he blushes at your compliment. “One minute, I’m just going to go to the bathroom.” He replies, and sets his phone down on the table. “See you in a sec.” Whilst he’s gone you sit and stare at the beautiful dusk sky that is out ahead. You’re aware that what you have with Taeyong is quite the whirlwind, but you really can’t find the space to care. There isn’t any damage being done, and you’re young so now’s the time to have fun and be carefree. You’re in Paris, maybe it’s called the City of Love for a reason?
As almost to interrupt your thinking, Taeyong’s phone buzzes on the table and the screen illuminates in front of you. You can’t help but see what the message says, it’s right there in front of you. The message is from “이 소연” and it reads: “Missing you, my dear, can’t wait to have you back in my life. Enjoy Paris <3”
Is it possible he has a partner? Were you not the only one? It’s entirely possible that you were just a summer fling to him, and he actually has a partner back home.
I overthink your punctuation use. Not my fault, just a thing that my mind do. A rush at the beginning. I get caught up, just for a minute.
Were you just getting caught up with everything? Did you really just rush into things without even a second thought. Of course, you were being naive, you didn’t even ask if he was single before kissing him. And yes, he reciprocated but what did that mean? You were just the enabler.
Alas, you had to move on with the night, getting suspicious of him and acting weird wouldn’t help right now. So when he comes back onto the balcony, you continue the night as normal, pushing down your feelings. Perhaps it was his sister. You really cannot presume. Despite your logical side being sensible, your emotional side still fought a battle. Warring to be front and centre of your thoughts. You know you can’t let it get the better of you though. And so, you carry on with the night, albeit slightly stilted now; and you make an excuse to go to bed earlier than you normally would. You scuttle off to your hotel room across the hall and settle in for the night. Thoughts swirling around and around in your mind.
Can you hear the violence? Megaphone to my chest, broadcast the boom, boom, boom.
The sun rises overhead, almost fully above the buildings as you nibble on your croissant quietly. The streets are starting to come to life as you watch from the local bakery with your morning coffee. Desperately, you try to put your mind at ease, try to push down the onslaught of intrusive thoughts; illogical as they come. After 20 minutes, you start to feel more at peace, you watch the dainty flowers sway in the morning breeze in their pot. You almost expect to feel worse when you see him. He approaches you, leather satchel hanging at his waist, and waves as he comes. Instead you don’t feel worse, you just feel oddly numb. Completely sensationless as you put on a smile in return to his wave. He sits down in the chair across from you, and places his satchel on the floor next to his chair.
“Good morning! How are you today? I hope you’re not hungover from the wine last night.” He says with a giggle. “I know I certainly am, but I’m trying to be positive.” He adds, and you notice his slightly ruffled bed head, must’ve been from a rough sleep. “Ahh, you certainly are doing a good job of being positive then,” you reply with a smile that reaches your eyes and crinkles them, “luckily, I don’t feel hungover. I’m just enjoying the morning slowly and as it comes.” Which is true, you decided you’d take today as it comes. “I’m glad you don’t feel too bad then. I’m just going to nip inside to get something to eat, do you want anything?” He rises from his chair and gestures to the shop door. “No thank you, I just finished a croissant before you came, but thanks anyway.” “No worries.” And he leaves to enter the boulangerie.
I’m just the sucker who let you fill her mind.
You didn’t want to make things awkward with Taeyong. It wasn’t worth it, at the end of the day, all you did was kiss him once. Perhaps you needed to find out more about him, get the full context at least. When Taeyong sits back down the conversation starts back up again and turns to family life. “So do you have any family back home?” You ask curiously. “What, in Korea? Yeah, I do. I have my parents back home and a sister. Yerin, she’s 15 and quite the handful. I miss her, but for now FaceTime calls will suffice.” He lets out a low chuckle at his own joke, making the situation a bit lighter. His answer doesn’t provide any clues to your questions though. “Aww that’s nice, I have a sister too. But she’s older than me. Do you have a partner at all?” You ask now, testing the waters. “Nope, just me, myself, and I.” “Same for me.” Well, that also doesn’t answer your questions. You’re pretty sure that the text earlier wasn’t from his sister, and you expect his mum to be down in his phone as a term of endearment; not a full name so it can’t be her. Is it better to give up the search? Maybe asking Taeyong more later would help. But what to say? Future you would deal with that. For now, you had the whole day ahead.
“So what do you have planned today?” He inquired now, breaking you from your thoughts. “I’m just going to go paint in the local park, do you fancy being my sitter? I need more anatomy practice.” “Ooh of course! I’ve never done anything like that before.” And so today’s plans were set. How could you pass up on the opportunity to paint someone built so divinely like Taeyong? Personal interests aside, Taeyong was made to be immortalised in artwork forever. His sharp jawline, large emotive eyes, and slim frame all coming together to create the perfect sitter for you. A painting of him, no matter the artist who painted it, should be hung in the Louvre. A masterpiece deserving of being viewed by everyone and adored.
Our thing progresses
I call and you come through
The spot you are situated in is perfect, a lush knoll leading out onto a tulip field, the many colours like a rainbow behind Taeyong. You’d decided to paint him in watercolour, partially because of the easy clean up, partially because you want to capture his true beauty, the delicate tones of his skin, hair, and eyes; the gentle dips of his collarbone, the sinewy muscle of his arms.
Taeyong poses quietly, the silence a comfortable one, as you begin painting him. He looks thoughtful, looking out into space behind you, he almost seems meditative, eyes blinking slowly and breathing even. As you mix the colour of his skin tone on your watercolour pan, you see him sigh, and wonder what he is thinking about. From what you know, Taeyong’s an introspective person, much like you, and perhaps that’s the mood he is in today. You are the same. It’s hard in the silence for your thoughts not to turn to the message. Intrusive thoughts fly around like bats in the night time; even if he was cheating, could you not push it aside for the sake of a summer fling? Logical thoughts cross out that of the intrusive ones - of course not, how could you be the other person in his relationship for the sake of selfishness? It’s important to be communicative, and if you have your worries - suspicions - then should you not speak to him about it? Sometimes things are better left unsaid, yes, but this is not one of them.
With a new resolve, you decide to talk to him come the evening. Clarification is what you need, and you must bolster up the courage to get it.
I am your sweetheart psychopathic crush
You know what they say about alcohol, it’s liquid courage, and after a glass of wine or two, you finally feel bold enough to approach Taeyong. You open your hotel room door, and cross the hallway to his. A sharp rap on the door brings you to Taeyong’s attention, and he pads across the room to open the door. You stand near the threshold, looking almost alarmed, like a deer in headlights. Perhaps you came underprepared and unrehearsed. “C-can I talk to you?” You ask, words stuttering on their way out. “Of course, come in.” He replies gently, sensing your unease as he gestures for you to come in.
Once you’re both situated on the balcony in those damn uncomfortable plastic chairs, you begin to talk. “Do you have a partner, Taeyong?” You fiddle with your hands, eyes glued to them in aversion from his eyes. “No, why?” He replies, head cocked to the side in confusion. “When you went to the bathroom the other day, your phone was on the table directly in front of me, and pardon me for breaking your privacy, but I couldn’t help but read the preview of the message that came up. It said “missing you, my dear, can’t wait to have you back in my life. Enjoy paris,” and then there was a love heart at the end. I’ve probably got the wrong end of the stick, but I’ve been so cautious because I don’t want to be that other person in a relationship. I don’t think you’re lying to me, I just wanted to be sure, and ask you since it’s been bothering me.”
Taeyong takes a hold of your hand in his and smooths his thumb over the back of it in a comforting gesture. “I promise darling, I’m not dating anyone. That was my crazy ex. I broke up with her roughly six months ago, and she’s still sending me random messages. The only reason why she knows about me being in Paris is because she keeps hounding my mother for information. She keeps mentioning about me being back in her life, but I promise to you that I have no intention of even seeing her or speaking to her. She’s a mad woman.” At his words you feel tension release inside your chest. Your body feels lighter and you feel a wave of relief. Thank goodness for that.
“I’m sorry you’re having to deal with that Taeyong, and thank you for clearing things up. None of this is my place but, I appreciate you filling me in.” Now you look into his eyes, the dark earthy spheres look back at you as the remaining sunlight gives them a glossy shine. You smile back and he leans forward, lips meeting yours in a kiss. You drink him in now, no longer hesitant to taste him. To him you taste so heavenly, the remaining mature hints of red wine mixed with something inherently just you, has him high with the feeling. He moves his hands to your waist now and you climb onto his lap, eager to be closer to him, to touch him. He fiddles with the hem of your shirt in his grip as you kiss down his neck now, lapping at the warm tan skin. “Let’s go inside, yeah?” He whispers in your ear, and you nod in agreement.
Well, summer slipped us underneath her tongue,
Our days and nights are perfumed with obsession, Half of my wardrobe is on your bedroom floor, Use our eyes, throw our hands overboard.
The morning light spills into the room through the translucent dainty cream curtains as they flow in the wind. The window is open to let the summer air flow in, and you don’t feel a chill at all. Taeyong’s warm skin radiates a heat you’ve never quite experienced, it’s so homely and cosy. The feeling of your head on his chest as you listen to his heartbeat unlike any other else. It’s nice to just be held, to feel the closeness of another human being and feel utterly comfortable.
You think back to the portrait of him you painted yesterday, and somehow you think it’s your best piece. There’s nothing like being able to capture a person with the aura whole. The piece emits something wholly him, just him. You think that’s why it might be your favourite. Maybe someday they’ll hang it in the Louvre, you giggle to yourself at that thought and Taeyong stirs underneath you. “What’s so funny, baby?” He asks, spoken with a gruff morning voice low and gravelly. “I was thinking about your portrait, and I thought about how you could hang it in the Louvre. But only because it’s you.”
“They’ll hang us in the Louvre, down the back, but who cares, still the Louvre.” He replies, a blissed out look on his face. He’s right, maybe not about yourself, but about him. He might just be the ultimate muse.
But we’re the greatest
They’ll hang us in the Louvre
Down the back, but who cares - still the Louvre
thank you for reading! this fic is for the ‘Now Playing’ collab by @haechanblr and it was a joy to take part!! I hope everyone liked this hehe :))
If ur interested in more of my works my masterlist is here <3
#nshitty frathouse#taeyong fluff#nct fluff#lee taeyong#taeyong smut#nct smut#lee taeyong smut#lee taeyong fluff#nct 127#nct#nct u#superm#superm smut#superm fluff#kpop fluff#kpop smut#kpop angst#nct angst#taeyong angst#nct one shot#kpop one shot#collabs#now playing collab#collab
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