#emma song packs

[ecile]

Got the flow, I want it more

정해진 role, I'm getting bored

[oneoksiyeon]

YOU  RECEIVED  A  GIFT  ! 

by clicking on the source link, you’ll reach the page with ninety ( #90 ) gifs of EMMA SONG : main dancer and rapper of BADVILLAIN! all gifs were made in 268x150px size and were taken from her most recent videos! emma was born in 2000 ( 24 years old as of 2024 ) and is ethnically korean! 

# warning(s) : flashing lights in two gifs 

all gifs were made by me from scratch, so no reposting or stealing is allowed! like or reblog if you’re using or planning to use them! do not use my gifs in celeb rp and smut threads ! 

[growingup-swift]

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)

Song Title Sticker Pack

Get it here

[narrycherries]

ivy: how’s one to know..

(enemies to lovers) harry is just an ass and (Y/n) is just a stranger

masterlist // ivy series (link coming w part 2)

word count: 8.6k

warnings/tags: enemies to lovers, harry x reader, fem reader, angst

[before you start: I wrote the female character with a description (blonde, blue eyes, short, thicker build) but of course feel free to change the descriptors to whatever you prefer!]

The holiday season had wrapped up a handful of days ago and things were slowly starting to go back to normal. The sparkling strings of lights decorating neighborhoods and businesses all around the city were being taken down and shoved back in their storage boxes until the last month of the year circled around again. The weather was staying consistent, though. The gloomy overcast skies and chilly wind that whipped through the streets were enough to keep people bundled up and wishing for spring to arrive.

Most people she knew enjoyed the holidays a lot more than she did. Sure, she loved to see the colorful lights lining roofs and windows of boutiques and restaurants along the main strip. There was something so juvenile, so innocent about the giddy feeling that would fill her stomach as she saw a pile of fake presents and a decorated tree in a shop window. Somewhere deep down inside of her heart, she still had that spark that a child would have.

When she was growing up, she sought happiness during the holidays by admiring other people’s outdoor decorations or gazing in awe at the displays put up in her schools. She didn’t have what most people had that she went to school with, but she tried to be grateful, even as a young chlid, and appreciate what surrounded her.

A strong sadness was building in her chest as she slid the ceramic Santa Claus into his box to pack him away with the other Christmas decorations. She thought about the many years she questioned if Santa was real. There were so many nights when she’d squeeze her eyes shut and whisper out loud, her knees on the floor as she put her elbows into the mattress. There was so much hope in her. She believed that if she wished and prayed and dreamed enough, Santa would leave a present or two on the coffee table next to her dad’s stained coffee mug. There wasn’t a tree most of the years of her childhood, but her dad give gift her things (there was no magical Santa though). There were no twinkling lights outside of her window, hanging down from the roof with a clumsy droop. There were no ornaments to place on the branches of a fake tree, lined with a dusty skirt that would be covered with presents. There were no fresh baked cookies and steaming hot chocolate topped with marshmallows. The television never displayed joyful Christmas movies and specials. The radio on the kitchen counter never once sang a tune of a wintery song about snow and ice. No, none of that. It was just her dad, her brother, and herself for a while.

“Did you keep the box for this guy?” Emma’s curious voice snapped her from her trance.

She cleared her throat and looked up from her spot on the living room rug. Her ‘new’ roommate was holding a ceramic snowman who’s decorated style matched the Santa she just put away. She reached into the plastic storage container and grabbed the box, passing it up to Emma.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks, (Y/n).” She smiled back, noticing that there was a glimmer of disappoint on her face, but she didn’t mention it to her. “You didn’t have to put everything away so fast. I would’ve been fine with it for a few more weeks.”

Emma had just moved in before Christmas. Her things were half way unpacked throughout the small house they now shared.

“I didn’t want it to crowd you. Besides, Christmas is over.” (Y/n)’s tone was partially rough as she began to pack away the miniature houses placed across the console table that the television hung above.

“I’m so excited to actually be here, like, full time. Niall’s a bit upset.. but I told him he’d survive.” She said with a laugh as she started to collect the small figurines that went with the village.

“I’m excited, too. I’m glad you’re actually up for decorating the space and not just.. letting me do it all. My last roommate was not particularly outgoing.” (Y/n) snickered at the thought, knowing she wouldn’t be missing that person at all. The girl was nice and all, but she was quite boring.

“Oh, totally! I’ve already got some stuff I want to show you in my room. Maybe we could put it out here or something.”

“I’m fine with anything as long as it’s cute.” She shot her friend a grin.

Emma wasn’t a new friend by any means. They met early on while they were both at university. Emma was actually her first partner for a project in one of their biology classes. They met on the third day of class and became friends very quickly. Their chemistry went far beyond the confines of the science lab. Emma was joyful and adventurous and offered (Y/n) that motivating spark to actually go out and have fun. Not that (Y/n) couldn’t match Emma’s energy once her veins were filled with alcohol, she just didn’t go out as much.

“Speaking of Niall, I haven’t seen him a while. How’s he doing?”

A proud smile crept to Emma’s lips. “He’s been good. But he’s been super busy with the store.. almost never get to spend time during the actual day with him.”

“But it’s going well, the store, I mean? Like he’s having success?”

Emma nodded. “It’s been great. I told him it would do good around here, especially with the college students. And besides, people are always looking for music lessons. I’m glad he took my advice and decided to offer those through the business.”

Niall was an excellent musician, or so (Y/n) has been told. She hadn’t actually seen him play anything in person, only through recordings and videos Emma had shown her. She knew Niall was talented, though. He played the guitar and the bass, both of which seemed entirely too complicated in (Y/n)’s mind. When they started dating last year, Niall was in the midst of finalizing a business plan and opening his music store. Emma told her all about it, including her fears and anxiety about the situation - but only because she was afraid Niall would get so caught up in the store that he would abandon their relationship. Niall ended up not doing that, obviously, and was able to balance everything in his life. He and Emma would be celebrating their one year anniversary on Valentine’s Day - which (Y/n) thought was particularly sweet and romantic.

“I’m glad everything’s working out.”

The store opened back in the summer, and (Y/n) had only gone by once to see the place. It was in a part of town she didn’t frequent very often, so the opportunity to casually stroll in was rare. It wasn’t like it was Emma’s store. While she did know Niall well enough to refer to him as a friend, she wasn’t close with him. She was supportive, of course, but not overly involved.

“He’s coming by later to help me put together the dresser. Well.. he’s going to do it for me, not help me.” She snickered as she joined (Y/n) on the floor to start gently laying the mini figurines in a small cardboard box they knew as home.

“I can make dinner if you’d like. Niall likes that pasta I make, right?”

“Yeah! He actually asked me about that a few weeks ago. He said I have to get your recipe.” She grinned back, rolling her eyes at the thought of her boyfriend’s obsession with food.

“He’s only had it like twice.. but it’s flattering to know I’m such a good chef.” (Y/n) laughed under her breath. “I’ll give you the recipe.”

The rest of the afternoon was spent on putting away the last of the decorations and moving them into the hallway closet. The box fit perfectly in the bottom of the closet. Emma disappeared into her room to continue unboxing her belongings. (Y/n) was mostly occupied with dusting the wood furniture and wiping down the kitchen. She liked a neat, tidy home and she was very glad to know that Emma did as well. She checked the cabinets to make sure she had the ingredients required for the pasta she’ll be making later on.

Every now and then, she’d hear a crash of something hitting the floor come from the hallway, presumably from Emma’s room. She would just giggle to herself as Emma’s dramatic cries of curses and sighs would fill the small home. Despite being friends for a handful of years, they had never lived in the same space before. Even while at university when it was mandatory for them to live on campus, they lived in different dorm buildings. Emma was in a sorority and definitely more comfortable with herself than (Y/n) was. She kept to her small dorm with her roommate, whom she didn’t have anything in common with but she was kind to her. If she were being honest, she thought Emma would try to move in with Niall once her old lease had expired. But, Niall was comfortable where he was in his apartment and he already had a roommate. As much as Emma wanted to live with him, it was just too soon anyway. They tossed around the idea, but (Y/n) mentioned to her that perhaps she needed to wait, just in case. Niall wasn’t upset with Emma’s decision to move elsewhere, as long as she was in the city close to him. (Y/n) was also informed that Niall’s roommate wasn’t too keen on letting someone else share their space. She had never met him before, didn’t even know his name, but she couldn’t blame them. She wouldn’t want her house to be permanently crowded either. Niall let Emma stay over there a lot, though, but spending the night for the weekend or on a random weekday when it was too late to drive back home was different than staying full time. And of course, Niall was allowed over whenever he wanted and she made that clear to Emma before she signed the lease. As long as he respected their home and didn’t leave a mess behind, he was welcomed.

A gentle sigh slipped past her thick lips as she trailed back to the living room. The open concept of the front of the home meant the living room was attached to the kitchen with no barrier other than the island. She sat down on the end of the couch, the damp kitchen towel she used to wipe down the furniture sat on the side table. She picked it up, along with the framed photo that was next to the pretty gold lamp. The gold of the frame didn’t quite match the lamp, but it was still beautiful to her. The ornate metal that decorated the frame was cold as she carefully rubbed the pads of her fingers over it. She stared at the photograph locked behind the glass, the speed of her heart beating increased only slightly.

The image was of her and her mother when she was around three years old. It was Halloween, she was dressed in a pink dress that was modeled after Princess Aurora, and her hair was curled and a little makeup playfully swept over her features. Her mother was dressed in a Cinderella themed costume, her matching golden blonde hair curled, too, and pinned up. It wasn’t the last holiday they spent together, but it was one of the only ones (Y/n) remembered. She doubted herself at times about the memory - she was only three and a half, did she actually remember it or was she imagining it? Despite always doubting herself, she knew too well that the memory was burned into her brain. She can remember the smell of the burning iron as her mom curled her hair. She remembers getting tickled by the fluffy makeup brush as a bit was applied to her face just to add to the illusion. She remembers the taste of the mini chocolate bar her mom unwrapped for her in the car in between neighborhoods - the night was full of trick or treating and giggles and squeals. She even remembered the way her mom’s hand carefully adjusted her curls when they got caught in the zip of (Y/n)’s costume. It was a memory she held dear to her heart, one she prayed she’d never lose. (Y/n) had always tried her hardest to find things to fill in the void of not having her mother around. But no matter how determined she was, nothing ever seemed to be enough. She found joy in little things, like collecting whatnots and trinkets that reminded her of the ones that littered her house when her mom was alive. She enjoyed searching for squirrels and birds in the park, collecting odd looking rocks during her walks, listening to her favorite songs on repeat, and a plethora of other things. But nothing could really fill the space in her heart.. It was quite a big space, after all.

That evening, after the sun nestled below the horizon and stars littered the dark winter sky, Emma invited Niall over for dinner. It was third day of actually staying here, since she opted to spend two weeks with Niall for Christmas between her parent’s place and his. (Y/n) was working on preparing the ingridents for the pasta when Niall knocked and was let in with a grinning Emma planting a kiss to his mouth. He laughed and brushed her off, not a big fan of showing affection in front of other people, even though he knew (Y/n) wasn’t watching.

“Hey, long time no see!” Niall said with a smile as he followed Emma into the kitchen.

(Y/n)’s eyes glanced over her shoulder. “Hi, Niall. It’s been a while, yeah?”

“I think you guys haven’t seen each other since the day we moved my crap in.” Emma said with a slight unsure tone.

“Your crap that still isn’t unpacked.” Niall sighed as he leaned against the counter, his arms crossing on his chest.

(Y/n) chuckled to herself as Emma began to give him excuses for why her things weren’t put away and in their new spots yet. The list included things like being busy with work, having errands to run, and of course ‘spending all my time with you’ that made Niall smack his lips and give her a sarcastic ‘okay, sure’.

They kept up their banter for a bit while (Y/n) rinsed her hands at the sink. She had finished everything she needed to do before actually cooking the food. When she turned towards them, Niall was peering his eyes into the pot of boiling water, frowning as he saw it was empty.

“She’s making the pasta you said you like.” Emma said as she grabbed his forearm to tug him away from the oven.

“Oh, really? That stuff was so good.” Niall’s eyes shot to (Y/n)’s. “I want a whole pot of it for my birthday, please and thanks.”

She shook her head in disbelief as a laugh rolled out of her mouth. “Isn’t your birthday in September?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, just don’t want ya to forget.”

“C’mon, let's start with the dresser, Niall. Let (Y/n) cook.” Emma said after checking the time on her phone. “We’ll clean up the kitchen after dinner, okay? Don’t worry about it!”

“Alright, that’s fine. I’ll let you know when it's done.”

And just like that, she was alone in the kitchen again. It didn’t bother her to be alone, she had been for most of her life, especially her late teenage and adult years. Finding something to occupy her bored mind was not a new task for her to learn. She opted for sitting at the small dining table after setting the timer on the oven in case she forgot to check the time.

(Y/n) pulled her phone from the pocket of her sweatpants and started to maneuver through the notifications that had come through since she last checked. One was a message from a random company that was offering a sale this coming weekend, there were two texts from Niall - the first asking if he needed to bring anything, the second saying Emma told him not to and to just ignore the text - the rest were random notifications from different apps.

Her attention went to her photo app as she scrolled to a few days ago, just a day or so after the New Year began. She went for a walk in the park close by one day during lunch when she had nothing else to do. She snapped a few photos of little random things, like a wild flower that had somehow managed to survive the low temperature, a bird that was perched on top of the black metal fence that lined the park, and a snapshot of the sky with the clouds parting in such a way that made it look like heaven. After having lost so much in life, she learned and forced herself to appreciate the little things that were around. Details of daily life, like the fall of a leaf to the ground or the chirp of a bird in a tree, were almost therapeutic for her.

Dinner didn’t take too long to cook, but the dresser was seeming to take much longer than Emma had expected it to. When (Y/n) knocked on the bedroom door and stuck her head in, she grinned as she saw Niall sitting on the floor with his head thrown back and Emma pacing the room with her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. Her once neatly fixed dark hair was messily tied in a bun on the back of her head. The instruction booklet for the dresser was laid out in between Niall’s legs, along with a torn bag of hardwear.

“Food’s ready.” She said with a singsong voice that made Niall pop his head up.

“Finally.” He quickly rose to his feet and grabbed Emma’s wrist, tugging her behind him as they followed (Y/n) down the hall and towards the kitchen.

“Eat as much as you want, I made plenty.” She said as she let them make a bowl first.

“Don’t have to tell him twice.” Emma’s mouth shaped to a smile as Niall practically pushed her aside to be first.

“Guests eat first, right?” He joked as he gave them both a quick glance, a smirk on his face as he grabbed the serving utensil.

Once the three of them had fixed what they wanted and claimed a spot at the table, (Y/n) offered to grab everyone something to drink. Emma and herself chose a glass of ice water while Niall requested a Coke. Emma had just brought home a box this morning after her quick run to the grocery store. The food appeared to be a big hit as Niall scarfed it down, spitting out compliments and satisfied hums that made the girls giggle and roll their eyes jokingly at him.

“Em told me the store is doing great.”

Niall nodded as he sipped his drink. “Yeah, it’s been good, actually. I’m glad.”

“I’m glad you do the lessons. I told her that people are coming in pretty much all day long.” Emma said.

“Yeah, if it’s not someone who’s into music already or just curiously out shopping.. The sign about the lessons really brings people in. And even if they don’t go through with it, they end up looking around and finding something.” Niall told them with a pleased smile, he was relieved his business was staying crowded and people actually enjoyed coming to the store.

“Did you end up finding someone to teach the guitar lessons? I know Emma said something about you were looking for someone else, since you got so busy with your bookings.”

“Yeah, my roommate actually. He’s decent at guitar and he’s just working with the beginners. I’m sticking to the people who sorta know how to play around that just wanna get better.”

(Y/n) nodded as she took another bite. “That’s good.”

The cooking had made the kitchen a bit warmer than it was before, so she pushed her sleeves up to her elbows. The exposure of the small tattoo on the inside of (Y/n)’s elbow caught Emma’s eye.

“Oh!” She chirped suddenly, making Niall flinch. “I forgot to tell you, (Y/n), I’m getting a tattoo in a few weeks. Already got my appointment.”

“Oh, really? Where at this time?” (Y/n) asked with genuine curiosity.

“On my foot. Just a cute little flower. Niall says it's going to hurt.”

(Y/n) squinted her eyes and pursed her lips. “You don’t have any, do you?”

Niall chuckled. “No, but I’ve been told the foot is terrible.”

“I’m not a baby, Niall. It’s not my first one. Besides, Zayn said it would be fine since I’m used to the feeling.”

“Zayn is lying to you to spare your feelings and get your money. He is my friend, I think I'd know when he lies.” Niall was only teasing her, but it brought a flush to Emma’s cheeks.

“Shut up.” She mumbled through a pout.

(Y/n) was amused by their interaction, but she chose to move on with the conversation so Emma wouldn’t get too sensitive. She wasn’t over emotional or anything, but sometimes she would get embarrassed if Niall playfully taunted her in front of other people.

“Zayn.. is that the guy I met that time at the bar?” (Y/n) couldn’t remember the person’s name, but she was sort of sure that it was the same person they’re referring to.

Niall nodded to her. “Yeah. The one with all the tattoos.. I would say the one with the black hair but right now it’s platinum blonde.” The lift of Niall’s brows made her think that maybe he didn’t approve of the look, but he had no choice but to accept it.

“I thought that was the same guy. I’m pretty sure he told me he owned a shop.”

“He’s the best around.” Emma said with a laugh. “Plus.. he gives me a discount.”

“You’re welcome for that.” Niall puckered his lips and leaned her direction, demanding a kiss that he knew he wouldn’t get.

“Hush.” She pushed her fingers to his mouth and gently shoved his head back.

He laughed at her reaction. “Just saying, Em. He’s my friend.. like I said before.”

Emma ignored him and turned her eyes to (Y/n). “Anyway, Niall can’t come with me.. so I was going to see if you wanted to go.”

“I can see if I can.. just let me know the date and time.”

“Alright. I will. Niall, don’t be a pig.” She groaned as she saw he had slipped from the table and was at the stove, piling his bowl full again.

“Let him eat it. That way we won’t have to worry about leftovers.”

Emma shook her head. “He’d eat the actual house if you’d let him.”

—•—

(Y/n) was puckering her lips in the mirror of the car visor as she applied her lip balm. It was chilly outside and the weather wasn’t being kind to her skin at all. She huffed as she saw the patch of dry skin right in the middle of her forehead. She had just applied her moisturizer before they loaded in the car to drive to the tattoo shop. Emma was driving, and every now and then she’d glance (Y/n)’s way and notice she was still staring in the mirror.

“What’s the matter?” She finally asked as (Y/n) slid the cover over the mirror and flipped the visor up, her back hitting the seat as she felt defeated.

“My skin is horrible right now.” She rolled her eyes to herself, upset that it was bothering her this much. It was just a bit of dry skin and chapped lips, she shouldn’t be so affected by it.. but she was. “Even my lips are dying.”

Emma smiled. “I’m sure lots of people are struggling right now. I’ve got a dry spot on my cheek. It’s been there for a few days. Just the weather.”

“But it's annoying. Y’know my hormones are whacky sometimes.. feel like as soon as I get it under control, I break out or have something like this happen.”

“When we get home, we can look up some different products. Maybe we can find something better for seasonal dryness. My cream isn’t working either.”

(Y/n) shrugged and took out her phone to mindlessly look through one of her social media apps. “Yeah, we can do that.”

Even though the shop wasn’t too far from where they lived, Emma didn’t want to walk in the cold and she didn’t want to have to cover the tattoo with thick, tight shoes afterwards. So, (Y/n) agreed to drive back after they left, and after they grabbed some food. The shop was right around the corner, and it caught (Y/n)’s attention as they turned onto the street. It was just off the main road of the downtown area. The street was lined with different restaurants, stores, thrifting spots, boutiques, and a few law firm offices and an emergency clinic that stayed open during the weekend. She was familiar with the area, and had actually looked towards the tattoo shop’s sign plenty of times. They pulled into a spot and Emma took in a deep breath before pulling the keys out.

“Are you nervous?” (Y/n) said with an amused grin plastered over her lips as she opened the car door.

“What if Niall’s right? What if it hurts real bad?”

“You’ll be fine. You got one on your ribs and your spine. You can take it.”

Emma was still nervous as she followed (Y/n) to the door. She grabbed the handle and pulled the door open, allowing Emma to slip into the building first. It was warm in the small lobby of the tattoo shop. She was unfamiliar with the specific shop, but not the reality of one. It looked like the others she had been to and the place she got her tattoos done at. The walls were dark grey and decorated with interesting pieces of artwork and posters. There were rock band posters, most of which she recognized, on the wall behind the dark wood desk that acted as a check in counter. Nobody was at the counter, though. There was a small sleek, black leather couch pressed against the side wall, above it hung a large canvas with what appeared to be an original artwork painted on to it. She saw the signature in the lower left corner and smiled as she read over the name she had heard Niall use a few weeks ago during dinner. So this Zayn character was more than just a tattoo artist? She was intrigued by the brush work on the canvas, the beauty of the image was breathtaking. The muted colors stood out oddly bold against the stark white and midnight black areas. It was nothing like she had ever seen before. Although she didn’t partake in any form of art herself, she was an admirer. She enjoyed frequenting art galleries and museums and contributing to artists as much as she could. She once got a commissioned painting of a bouquet of flowers from an older woman in the area who was a somewhat known artist. The piece lives on the wall near the hall closet.

“Zayn?” Emma called out suddenly as she grew impatient with standing in the middle of the lobby.

(Y/n) sighed to herself as Emma disappeared through a door. It lead to the main tattoo room, with three different stations placed in it. The back room was Zayn’s private room that his clients were able to be secluded in. Emma knocked on that closed door and waited patiently. A few moments later, Zayn opened the door with a smile, happy to see her.

“Hi, Em.” He said, his accent thick as it rang through the small building.

(Y/n) heard them chatting, so she decided to peek through the door, a nervous smile on her face. Zayn’s eyes caught hers as he towered over Emma. He offered a friendly wave and gestured for her to join them. She nervously stepped over the threshold and swallowed gently.

“Zayn, do you remember (Y/n)? You guys met a while back.” Emma said with a gesture of her hand as (Y/n) approached them.

Immediately, she recognized his features - from his dark eyes to his nearly fully inked arms. His tattooed sleeves wrapped over his shoulders, around his neck, crept over each wrist and wiggled around his fingers. He was covered, to say the least. She could only presume the rest of him looked like that. Colorful tattoos mixed with jet black ones littered his skin. And she noticed, of course, that his hair was blond now like Niall had mentioned.

“I think so, yeah. You’re the chick Niall said could outdrink me, right?” Zayn asked with a laugh.

“I don’t drink that much.. but yeah, that’s me.”

Emma gave her a nudge of her elbow. “She can out drink anyone when she actually lets loose.”

Her eyes rolled as a smile toyed on her lips, still slick from the lip balm. “Yeah yeah.”

“Let me get my chair cleaned off and you ladies can come back here.” Zayn said just as he grabbed the knob to his private room.

They heard something hit the floor and then a shuffle of shoes moving against the tile. Emma furrowed her brows and gave Zayn a curious look.

“Someone in there?”

“Yeah, I just finished a piece.”

He opened the door and went inside, shutting it behind him again. (Y/n) turned towards Emma and gave her a smile, unsure of what to do next. Emma grabbed her hand and nodded towards the open lobby door.

“We can wait in here.”

They returned to the lobby, where (Y/n) was easily distracted by the art on the walls again. There was a print of a skull near the door. It had flowers pouring over the crown of it, which then melted to puddles as they hit the imaginary ground. She thought it was interesting and quite cool. From what she could tell about Zayn’s vibe, it fit it well. The music playing from the speakers in the ceiling was loud enough to be heard but not too invasive. She could tell it was a curated playlist going, because the song that just begun seemed to be sung by the same person as the one before.

“Zayn just texted me.. he said we can come back.”

“I thought someone was-“ (Y/n) stopped speaking the second a body appeared in the doorway. “Oh.”

“Hey, Harry.” Emma said with a friendly tone as she stood up, motioning for (Y/n) to follow her.

“Hey, Emma.” The stranger replied with a quick lift of one corner of his mouth.

(Y/n) was slightly confused because it obviously appeared that the two knew each other. She had never heard Emma refer to anyone by the name of Harry, at least not that she could recall. She licked her lips and let her eyes fall down his tall, broad frame.

“What did you get?” Emma asked with her usual curious voice.

(Y/n) was listening, but she wasn’t paying that much attention. She couldn’t help but be taken aback by the appearance of the person in front of them. He was tall, much taller than Niall but probably close to Zayn’s height. He looked like a sky scraper standing in front of Emma and herself, both of which were shorter than average. His long, dark hair shaped into curls that were messily laying on his shoulders. He suddenly swept his hand through his roots the second she realized he had such long hair. The motion caused the lights above them to ricochet off the rings covering his fingers.

“This.” He said as he extended his right arm to them, well mainly to Emma.

There was a freshly inked snake curling around his forearm, each scale placed perfectly on his tanned skin. There were remenents of blood speckled across his skin, and a deep redness that hazed over the entire tattoo.

“Wow! That’s so good.” Emma beamed at the delicate work.

“Yeah, took two sessions. Zayn got a bit tired last time.” He smirked gently at the girl he knew, completely ignoring the one he didn’t.

“Well, it was cool seeing you! Are you headed home?”

He shook his head. “Gonna sit here for a while. I’ve got to be at the store in an hour to help Niall.”

She checked the time. “Yeah, he said he was the only one closing tonight.”

“Emma?” Zayn called from the back room, his head looking around the doorframe searching for her.

“Coming!” She hollered back, taking one last look at Harry’s freshly inked arm. “It was good seeing you. If you leave before I get out of here, I’ll see you later.”

(Y/n) didn’t even realize she was tracing her eyes over his body. His arms were like tree trunks, muscles taut under his skin and veins popping out, rolling around as he moved. His legs were tightly wrapped in a pair of dark jeans, she could tell through the fabric that they were toned as well. It wasn’t until he suddenly walked past her, not even sparing her a glance, that she realized she had been standing frozen.

Emma started towards the back room, (Y/n) in two as she felt an embarrassed blush cover her cheeks. She didn’t know this Harry guy, but she hoped she wasn’t staring too hard at him. It definitely wasnt polite to just stare at a stranger, especially when she was blanking out. What if she was making a face at him? Something nasty, or something rude looking? She was unsure, but chose to ignore it. He didn’t seem bothered by anything as he took a spot on the couch.

Zayn’s office was just as she expected it to be. It was a deep shade of green, the walls coated in framed prints and a few smaller canvases of what she figured was his work. There was a small accent chair placed in the corner for guests. She sat down and started darting her eyes around the room. The type of work that Zayn had pinned to a board on the back wall caught her eye. He seemed to be good at everything, but most of it was bold color work or extremely detailed realism, sort of like the snake she saw on Harry’s arm moments ago. She wondered if Zayn had given himself any of his own tattoos or if he went to someone else. Surely, not every place on his body was accessible by his own hands, but maybe some of them were done by him. She felt like an amateur compared to him. She had a few tattoos placed on her body, but nothing quite as big or detailed as what she saw on the board or on Zayn’s skin.

“(Y/n) is your new house mate, right?” Zayn asked Emma as she got comfortable on the chair.

“Yeah. I moved in before Christmas.”

“But.. you’ve known each other for a while, right? I can’t exactly remember.”

Emma nodded. “Yeah, since we were in college together.”

“Zayn.. do you mind if I look through this?” (Y/n) asked politely as she picked up the small binder off the console table next to the chair. A few figurines of characters she recognized, an hour glass with black sand, and a plant lived on the table as well.

“Of course not, that’s why it’s there.” He gave her a chuckle, but kept his response nice.

She opened the book and started to slowly flick through the pages. She saw his signature on the bottom of the designs. They were all so perfect. Some were executed with such detail and precision that she could've sworn they were fake, others were more loose drawn in a free handed style or just more whimsical in nature. She saw a sketch of a few bees on one of the pages. They were in black and grey, mostly realistic with subtle, soft shading and delicate lines. The drawing was pretty and neat. She glanced to the corner, searching for his signature, but she didn’t find it. Instead, in the corner opposite of where Zayn favored to sign his name was a small H. She hummed to herself, curious to know why Zayn had someone else’s drawing in his book. She quickly shook the thought out and reminded herself that there three other stations in the front. They were not abandoned by any means, she could tell people worked at them based on the different things displayed and the personal trinkets and objects adnoring the areas. Maybe this was one of his college’s work or maybe it was random.

For the most part, the book was filled with things Zayn did. Some of them were his own creations while others were common tattoo designs just drawn by his own hand instead of being pulled from the internet. She liked the way he had a bunch of his own things offered in styles that were more popular. He appeared to be a well versed artist with the talent to create just about anything.

As Zayn prepped Emma’s skin for her tattoo, he was talking to her about Niall’s store. He asked how it was going and if she had heard any horror stories yet of Niall messing up payroll or forgetting to stock an item. She only laughed and said she was surprised he was staying so calm and organized. Everything about the store was going more than according to plan, as at least as much as (Y/n) could tell from what she’s heard. She was still so happy for Niall. His hobby had turned into a passion and a business and he was able to share it with others, it was like a dream come true she bet.

“Alright, are y’ready?” Zayn said with a deep breath of his own as Emma grew more and more nervous in the chair.

“I think so.”

“You’ll do fine, Em.” (Y/n) encouraged from the corner, her eyes now focused on her friend.

“Just take some deep breaths. Tell me if it’s too much.” Zayn told her as he pulled the stencil paper off her foot. The flower wasn’t that big, but there were lots of tiny details that Zayn knew would probably hurt her more than anything else she’s gotten. “Just a tattoo.”

“If I cry, you can’t tell Niall. I told him I could handle this.” Emma mumbled out with a frown as she stared at her foot.

Zayn smiled and leaned back, the gun still buzzing in his hand. “Before I start, is it in the spot you want?”

“What do you think? Is it good?” She asked him, twisting her foot to a different pose.

“It’s not my foot, love.”

She groaned and looked over towards (Y/n). “Can you check?”

(Y/n) laughed a little but nodded as she stood up. Just as she was about to step towards them, Emma called for someone else to take a peek at the design.

“Harry? Are you still in there?” Her voice echoed through the room, she hoped that it spilled into the lobby so he could hear her. After a few seconds, she grunted and pulled her phone out to shoot him a text. “I’m so nervous.”

“It looks fine to me.. but it’s your decision.” Zayn told her with a gentle sigh.

(Y/n) looked down at the placement of the tattoo, her arms behind her back with her hands locked. “Yeah, it’s cute.”

She gave Emma a hopeful smile before turning around. The door opened just as she moved her body, the stranger that wasn’t a stranger to anyone but her, walked in the room, chuckling as he saw Emma fanning her face, the heat swelling her skin with sweat and her eyes with tears - she was nervous.

“You always do this.” Zayn couldn’t resist laughing as Harry walked to them.

(Y/n) was back in her seat now, her eyes fixed on her phone as she waited for Emma to decide her fate. She could hear snickers coming from Zayn and Harry as they talked about the tattoo and Emma’s apparent hesitation that always came out when she was in Zayn’s chair.

“It’s fine, Emma.” Harry said, giving her a smile before looking to Zayn. “Make sure it hurts.”

“Harry, shut up!” Emma groaned and tried to kick at him. He laughed and took a step back. “You guys are bullies.”

“You’ll be alright, Em. It’s not like it's your first.” Zayn reminded her.

She shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest. “Whatever. Go ahead, then. Thanks, Harry.”

“Welcome.” He said lightly before disappearing out of the door again.

(Y/n) wondered why he didn’t stay in the room with them. Was he not interesting in hearing the painful grunts Emma would sure be letting out soon or watching Zayn draw his design perfected for Emma into her skin? Maybe he was tired of being near the tattoo gun since he spent however long getting his own. She pushed the thought aside entirely the moment she heard Emma groan, curses falling form her lips but not directly towards anyone.

Zayn leaned over her foot, his fingers pulling her skin tight as he worked the needle into it. It didn’t look like it was much fun, and (Y/n) became grateful that she had no intention of ever inking anything onto her foot.

—•—

There was a freshness in the air as she looked around Niall’s music store. It smelt like freshly picked lemons, probably because he had just sprayed down the counter before she came in following behind Emma. Niall was in one of his usual band tees and a pair of jeans as he sat on a stool with a guitar resting on his thigh. He was talking with a customer, comparing the similarities of two different guitar brands. Emma found herself busy with the items on the checkout counter - dropping loose pens back into their cup and adjusting the pile of papers Niall had pushed to the side.

(Y/n) stayed curious as she looked around the store. It was very easy to get caught up in the different items, especially since she had little to no idea what some of the accessories were for. Niall provided more than just items for guitars. She didn’t try to decipher every thing on the shelves, just simply moved her eyes across the packages, curiosity settling in her instead of blurting out questions to Niall. The girls came by to bring him some lunch before they did some grocery shopping for the week. Niall was appreciative, but he was unable to entertainment right away.

Emma smiled as the customer approached the counter, the one Niall had been chatting with. She stepped aside and let Niall take over the register. He had another employee here, but he was in the back room looking for a specific thing they needed to restock on one of the shelves. (Y/n) waited near by as Niall scanned the guitar music book the customer wanted to get and told him that he’d see him when he returned for the guitar - the customer hadn’t made his decision just yet.

When it was just the three of them at the counter, a few customers were lingering around the store just browsing, Niall gave them both a warm smile before wrapping his arms around Emma for a quick hug.

“Thanks for lunch. I’ll eat it when Josh gets off his break.” He said with a sigh, folding his arms and leaning them on the counter.

“The store is so nice, Niall.” (Y/n) complimented as she glanced around.

“Thanks.”

Emma walked from behind the counter to where (Y/n) was standing. She was about to ask her something about their plans for the day when her eyes fell on the few pieces of paper taped to the front edge of the counter. One was the refund policy, one was about the instrument lessons, and the other was new since the last time she was here.

“Oh, a flyer? That’s unusual.” Emma suddenly said as she pressed her finger against the pink dyed paper. “For the show?”

“The show?’’ (Y/n) asked with a drop of her brows as she read over the words printed in bold black letters.

“Yeah, Niall’s band. They play at a bar across town every couple of weeks.” Emma told her.

(Y/n) remembered as soon as she heard it. Emma had told her before, long ago when she first started dating Niall, that he was in a cover band. It wasn’t anything serious, not trying to search for record deals or gain stardom, it was just him and his friends having a good time. They got decent money for it, including tips from audiences, and it allowed them to play the instruments each member enjoyed. She wasn’t sure who was in the band as Emma never got to that detail before.

“Oh, right.” She nodded as the memory returned to her brain. “That’s cool.”

“Can’t believe Emma’s never brought you to a show.” Niall said with a somewhat surprised expression.

“I invited her a few times but she’s usually busy with work stuff.” Emma defended herself, even though there was no issue with it.

(Y/n) smiled at her and shrugged. “I remember you asking a couple times.”

“Well, you’re more than welcome to attend if you’d like.” Niall offered as he pushed himself off the counter the moment the bell jingled above the entrance door.

He went to greet the customer, someone he actually was used to seeing come in the store, leaving the girls alone again.

“Yeah, it would be fun if you came! You could finally meet Alyssa. She’s usually just home with her and Zayn’s kid.. she doesn’t go out much anymore, but she loves the shows.” Emma exclaimed with a sparkle in her eye.

“I dunno.. when is it?” She asked, glancing at the flyer.

“Next Saturday night. It would be cool, (Y/n)! We haven’t went out since Halloween.”

The stress building up at work during the holidays definitely set her back from enjoying a lot of things, including several invitations from Emma to join her and Niall at a bar or go out for dinner with just the two of them. It truly felt like forever since she got to have fun with her friend. She thought about it for a moment, but only lifted her shoulder at the idea. The mention of meeting Zayn’s fiancé was intriguing since she had heard so much about her from Emma, but she doubted that would be enough to pull her out for the night.

“Maybe.. depends on how the week goes.”

Emma gave her a partial smile. “Okay. I really hope you can go with me.”

“Yeah, you should definitely come, (Y/n).” Niall said as he appeared next to them, the customer gone to look for the item they asked him about.

Once again, she let out a small sigh and faked a smile for them. “I said I’ll see how the week goes, but no promises.”

He gave her a fake, dramatic frown. “C’mon! Live a little!”

“I live a lot.. at work.”

Emma grabbed her elbow and gave it a squeeze. “I’ll convince you before the week ends.”

“M’sure you will, Em.”

After spending a few more minutes talking to Niall, and then waiting in the car as he and Emma disappeared into his office to say a private goodbye, (Y/n) was ready to get the grocery shopping over with. The store they frequented was near by, so the drive was short and easy. It wasn’t close to their shared house, but the prices were better than anywhere else. Emma offered to take her car, so that left (Y/n) in the passenger seat with her eyes glued to whatever passed by the window.

“Are you okay, (Y/n)?” Emma asked as they strolled through the fruit section in search for the items on their list.

She gulped gently, distracting herself by collecting a few apples for the cart. “M’fine, just tired.”

Emma watched as she walked towards the basket of lemons and grabbed two, she’d need them for a receipe she was going to try later in the week. (Y/n) was normally not this quiet. She enjoyed the task of grabbing their groceries and checking things off their combined list while Emma pushed the cart and double checked everything. Something about doing such a mundane thing made her feel content and comfortable, even if they decided randomly to try a new store they’d never been in. But today was different, Emma was growing concerned with her unusually quiet friend.

“If you’re irritated with me and Niall pushing you about the show.. I’m sorry. You don’t have to go.” Emma said with a soft frown as (Y/n) returned to the cart with a handful of bananas.

She sat them down and lifted her hesitant gaze to meet her closest friend’s. “I’m fine, Emma. Just tired.”

She shook her head gently. “No, you’re too quiet. What’s wrong?”

“You and Niall didn’t bother me, I swear. The bar thing is.. whatever. I’ll think about it, I promise. It’s just.. one of those days.”

Emma wasn’t believing it all the way. Sure, maybe (Y/n) was being truthful about the role her and Niall played in her newfound mood, or didn’t play - but something else was up. She licked her lips and decided to stay quiet as (Y/n) busied herself with grabbing the rest of the fruits before moving onto the fresh vegetables.

Although she didn’t want to press it any further, Emma couldn’t stop thinking about what could’ve happened at the music shop or on the way to the grocery store. Her worry was growing quickly and it wasn’t very long before she was asking another question.

“(Y/n), please tell me. Are you alright?”

She received a sigh as a response, a couple of tomatoes and a bag of baby carrots joined the cart. “Emma, please.. I’m fine.”

“Something is wrong with you. I don’t want to see you so down.”

(Y/n) walked towards the next section of the store, knowing that Emma would follow her with the cart no matter if they were talking or not. She held her breath as she thought about what was bothering her. She was too caught up with her racing mind to realize she was actually expressing her emotions on the outside. Emma noticed everything, so clearly she wasn't doing well at hiding it. There was no real issue, really, nothing that anyone caused by saying or doing anything. A lump slid down her throat, Emma was her friend - there was no need to keep anything from her.

Just as they turned down the aisle where the bread was, she stopped in her tracks and turned towards the cart, her hand reaching out to stop it. Emma froze, a lift of her brows offering confidence like a good friend should.

“The guy that walked through the door right before we left.. at Niall’s store..” She started with a strong voice, but it slowly faded to almost a whisper.

Emma nodded, encouraging her to continue. She looked down to the floor as the moment replayed in her memory. It wasn’t an unusual thing for her to experience, in fact it was more common than not. One little thing, one random glance from a passerby, one glimpse of someone with a similar shade of hair as her own, one note from a list of songs she knew were special..

“He reminded me of my brother. I.. I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Her response made Emma’s stomach turn to knots. She knew that the conversation was over then, and there wasn’t anything else she could try that would break (Y/n). The forbidden topic had been brought up, and quickly dropped back to the vault she kept it locked away in. Emma didn’t mention it again..

[a/n: this is a series! It’s a lot longer per part than my other stuff so I hope you enjoy! This is just the intro so it will be more interesting and exciting as it goes on! reblog, like, do all that lovely stuff!!]

taglist: (notified for all // if you want to join a taglist for this series, lmk in a comment or message and I’ll start one)

@walkingintheheartbreaksatellite @victoriasigaard @ariiscringe @harlowsgirl @lomllover @haniaaa04 @sideboobrry11 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @fangirl509east @fruity-harry @sassamanda77 @lizsogolden

[gotta-winwin]

💌 new event dropping ... 500 followers special

hello! thank you all so much for 500 followers - what an insane amount of love and support 💖 in celebration, come join us as we fall in love with seventeen through songs! these fics will be full length and will be released as time allows.

🎧 1. HEART OUT by the 1975 with VERNON "it's just you and i tonight, why don't you figure my heart out?"

🎧 2. BED CHEM by sabrina carpenter with WONWOO "come right on me - i mean camaraderie"

🎧 3. THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT US by one direction with MINGYU "one touch and i was a believer"

🎧 4. BLACK FRIDAY by tom odell with JEONGHAN "every time you touch me, i feel adrenaline"

🎧 5. NUMBER ONE GIRL by rose with WOOZI "isn't it lonely, i'd do anything to make you want me"

🎧 6. IMGONNAGETYOUBACK by taylor swift WITH SCOUPS "whether i'm gonna be your wife, or gonna smash up your bike"

🎧 7. SUNDAY MORNING by maroon 5 WITH JOSHUA "driving slow on sunday morning, and i never want to leave"

🎧 8. PILEDRIVER WALTZ by arctic monkeys WITH DINO "you look like you've been for breakfast at the heartbreak hotel"

🎧 9. PACKING IT UP by gracie abrams WITH HOSHI "was so damn close to packing it up, but that's just when you happened"

🎧 10. WHEN EMMA FALLS IN LOVE by taylor swift WITH DK "when emma seokmin falls in love"

🎧 11. FOREVER by noah kahan WITH SEUNGKWAN "i'll meet a girl in the heat of july and i'll tell her so she knows"

🎧 12. FOREVER STAR by 张洢豪 WITH JUN "wherever you go, dripping on my soul"

🎧 13. WINTER AHEAD by V WITH THE8 "you'll realize where you can find paradise"

🗂 all these works will be under the tag #gottawinwin500event. comment down below if you want to be on the taglist for a specific member or the whole series. anticipate slower updates as this is a side quest !

[aemondwhoresworld]

ELOWEN’S SECOND VISIT

a drabble & part of: y/n, ewan and elowen mitchell

summary: elowen returns to the house of the dragon set with you and ewan, eagerly awaiting a reunion with her favorite “uncle” tom glynn-carney. while it’s her second visit, the experience is just as magical as the first, filled with love, warmth, and playful interactions with the cast. elowen’s bright energy lights up the set as she bonds with the actors and crew, especially her beloved uncle tom.

warning: english is not my first language. pure fluff, contains overwhelming amounts of cuteness.

Elowen’s excitement was palpable from the moment you mentioned she’d be visiting the set of House of the Dragon again. Her little feet barely touched the ground as she bounced around the house, eyes wide with anticipation. She clutched the small dragon plushie Ewan had given her from the last visit and couldn’t stop asking when she’d see “Uncle Tom” again. Tom Glynn-Carney, the actor who played Aegon Targaryen, had quickly become her favorite after their first meeting, much to Ewan’s playful chagrin.

You smiled as you gathered her things, watching as she practically danced around the living room in excitement. Ewan, already dressed and ready to go, leaned against the doorway with a grin, arms crossed. “She’s more excited than the first time,” he noted, glancing at you with a wink.

“I think it’s Uncle Tom’s doing,” you teased, shaking your head.

Ewan chuckled. “Of course it is. She’s his biggest fan.”

With Elowen finally ready and everything packed, the three of you made your way to the car. The entire drive to the set was filled with Elowen’s chatter about dragons, knights, and her favorite “pretend uncles.” She even hummed the House of the Dragon theme song as you drove, occasionally asking how much longer until she got to see Tom. You and Ewan exchanged amused glances but couldn’t help but get swept up in her enthusiasm.

When you finally arrived on set, Elowen’s excitement only intensified. The massive castle walls, dark banners, and smoke from the props made everything feel larger than life. Ewan lifted her onto his shoulders, giving her a better view of the bustling scene below. As the cast and crew went about their work, Elowen waved happily, her little hands high in the air.

“Look, Mommy! Daddy!” she exclaimed, pointing toward the familiar sight of the dragons on set. “Dragons!”

“Yes, sweetheart,” you laughed, resting a hand on Ewan’s arm. “But we’re here for someone else too, remember?”

At that moment, a voice called out behind you, one that Elowen immediately recognized. “Is that my favorite little Targaryen?” Tom Glynn-Carney strode over, a broad smile on his face. He was dressed in his regal Aegon attire, which only added to the magic in Elowen’s eyes.

“Uncle Tom!” Elowen squealed, wriggling in Ewan’s arms until he set her down. Without missing a beat, she darted toward Tom, who crouched down just in time to catch her in a big hug.

“Well, hello there, princess,” Tom chuckled, lifting her up and spinning her around gently, much to her delight. “I’ve missed you!”

Elowen giggled, clutching her dragon plushie tightly in one hand while resting her head on his shoulder. “I missed you too, Uncle Tom! Can we play dragons today?”

Tom feigned deep thought, raising an eyebrow. “Hmm… I think I can make that happen.” He glanced at you and Ewan with a playful grin. “Mind if I steal her for a bit?”

Ewan, ever the protective father, crossed his arms with a mock-serious expression. “Only if you promise to return her in one piece.”

“Deal,” Tom laughed, holding Elowen up like she was flying. “Come on, princess, let’s find some dragons.”

As Tom carried Elowen toward the set, a few other cast members noticed and waved. Emma D’Arcy, who played Rhaenyra, approached with a warm smile. “Well, if it isn’t our little visitor again,” they said, their eyes lighting up as they saw Elowen.

“Hi!” Elowen waved back enthusiastically from Tom’s arms, clearly enjoying all the attention.

Emma ruffled her hair gently. “How have you been? Are you ready to see more dragons today?”

Elowen nodded eagerly. “Yes! And I’m gonna fly with Uncle Tom!”

“Is that so?” Emma chuckled, glancing at Tom. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full today, Aegon.”

Tom smirked. “What can I say? I’m a popular uncle.”

You and Ewan stood back, watching the scene unfold with smiles. It was heartwarming to see how much love the cast had for your daughter. They didn’t treat her like a simple visitor—she was family. You noticed Matt Smith, who played Daemon, walking over next, his hands casually tucked into his costume pockets.

“Well, well, well,” Matt drawled with a smirk. “Look who’s stealing the show again.” He winked at Elowen, who beamed in response.

“Uncle Matt!” she giggled, clearly having assigned honorary “uncle” titles to all of Ewan’s co-stars.

Matt gave a mock bow. “At your service, princess. What mischief are you getting up to today?”

Before Elowen could answer, Tom chimed in, “Flying dragons, of course.”

Matt raised an eyebrow. “Flying dragons, huh? Sounds dangerous. You’d better keep an eye on her, Aegon. She might take over the throne if you’re not careful.”

Elowen, ever quick to play along, puffed out her chest proudly. “I’m gonna be the queen of dragons!”

“That’s the spirit,” Matt grinned, offering her a high-five.

As the day went on, Elowen explored the set with Tom, her eyes wide in wonder as she watched the actors rehearse scenes and the crew work behind the scenes. She was particularly fascinated by the dragons—especially when Tom lifted her up so she could “fly” with them. You and Ewan followed closely behind, content to let her enjoy every moment of the magic around her.

At one point, Tom knelt beside her, pointing out one of the large dragon props being prepped for a scene. “Think you could ride that one someday?”

Elowen, with all the confidence of a true dragon queen, nodded. “I could! I’m not scared!”

Tom smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “That’s because you’re the bravest little Targaryen I know.”

The rest of the visit was filled with laughter, warmth, and joy as Elowen soaked up the love and attention from the cast and crew. Even between takes, actors would come over to say hello, some offering small props for her to play with, while others asked about her day. It was clear that she’d become the little darling of the set.

As the day drew to a close, and you and Ewan prepared to head home, Elowen clung to Tom’s leg, not wanting to leave. “Do I have to go, Uncle Tom?”

Tom knelt down, looking at her with a soft smile. “You’ve got to come back soon, though, alright? You’re our good luck charm.”

Elowen nodded solemnly, and Tom gave her one more big hug before setting her down gently. “I’ll miss you, princess,” he said, his voice warm.

“I’ll miss you too,” Elowen replied, her eyes already sleepy from the excitement of the day.

As the three of you walked back to the car, with Elowen happily nestled in Ewan’s arms, you glanced back at the set one last time. It was amazing how much love and warmth surrounded your little family there. What started as just another workday had become a cherished memory, filled with laughter and love.

Elowen’s second visit to the set was, without a doubt, a magical one—and you knew it wouldn’t be the last.

[the-apocrypha]

Dream the Olympic diver gets a concussion and gets rescued by Hob. He could be his diving partner, a lifeguard, a hunky medic...dealer's choice. :D

Meant to write like 500 words. Ended up with 5000 instead.

song of a swan dive Dream of the Endless/Hob Gadling || 5k || Complete

Alternate Universe - Olympics, Alternate Universe - Human, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Hurt Dream of the Endless, Author Knows Nothing About Diving

Dream is aware that he should probably not be doing this.  His shoulder is beginning to ache, after that most recent dive, and though his lower back feels fine right now, it had also given an ominous crack during his last back dive. Experience informs that Dream will be microwaving a heat pack for it tonight before bed, and then downing neurofen well into tomorrow afternoon.  But after a lifetime of dashing his body upon the rocks of athletic greatness, it is hard to view pain as a deterrent, even with sixteen years gone since his last competition and all possible rewards long since reaped. Pain is as temporary as joy, and so why should one preclude the other?  Dream makes a note to remember that particular line for his next appointment with Emma, his long term physical therapist.  It has been some time since they had a proper argument as to whether joint pain is merely a tedious illusion of the brain meant to waylay the fickle-minded and thwart the weak (Dream) or a genuine and physiological warning sign that should not be ignored (Emma). She will already be cross with him for neglecting his exercises in Paris. He might as well funnel her inevitable frustration into an engaging debate.  And so he stands upon the platform, toes hanging over the thirty foot drop, staring down at the rippling water below. A thousand times, perhaps ten thousand times, he has perched on the edge of this precipice. 

Read on AO3

[kamotecue]

not your u23 anon, but maybe some aggie fluff? maybe both the r and aggie finally joining the chelsea first team after going through the academy ranks together! x

we made it დ a. beever-jones

pairing: aggie beever-jones x reader

summary: you and aggie finally joined chelsea’s first team after claiming the academy ranks together.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⋆✦⋆ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

you slowly opened your eyes, the sun rays streamed through the window, casting a warm glow in the room. you slowly sat up straight and then used your hand to shield your eyes from the sun, as you looked beside you to see aggie sleeping very peacefully.

you chuckled, despite being a couple you had your own individual rooms. there were times, you’d sneak into her room to cuddle, or she’d sneak into yours to talk about the little things, eventually falling asleep in your bed.

“what time is it?” you heard aggie asked, as you hummed grabbing your phone only to see the time.

“it’s 6:54, love.” aggie hummed, before she grabbed your hand that was the closest to her, placing a soft kiss on the dorsal side.

“i’ll sleep for a few more minutes, mmkay?” you snickered at her sleepiness, but gave her a nod.

“in the meantime, i’ll prepare our stuff.” you heard her hum, as you slowly slipped out of the bed. you both had made it to the chelsea first team, after being in the academy together.

you had gotten the empty kit bags, there were labels on it so you wouldn’t get your bags mixed. but it didn’t really matter, as aggie mostly wore your clothes. she claimed it was more comfy than hers.

you both had a successful season while being on a loan, aggie was at everton while you were at lyon. you were a bit sad at the hate she had gotten against her game with arsenal.

you remembered how she called you in the middle of the night, a bit in disbelief about the red card. you did your best to comfort her, and it worked.

you had rummaged through your closet, picking two after training outfits. the chelsea training kit was already prepared, neatly folded on the desk table.

“what else?” you said, humming to yourself. you snapped your fingers, as you rushed to get the boots and shin pads.

“always prepared, love.” aggie said, as she stretched her arms. she was sitting on the bed, her back was against the headboard as she looked at you in adoration and amusement.

you’d always pack the kit bags, she was always thankful for it but insisted that you don’t really have to do it.

“better ready than never.” you said, as aggie snickered. you purposely had gotten the saying wrong, but you were fine with it. as it always made her happy.

“it’s better late than never, love.” aggie said, slipping out of the bed. you gave her a soft look before glancing at the wall clock.

“let’s get ready.” you said, as she gave you a kiss on the cheek before taking her training gear to her room to shower.

you had breakfast together before rushing out the apartment doors, afraid to be late for training. you had the kit bags in your hands, as aggie had opened the back door for you, placing the bags in the back.

“the keys.” aggie said, tossing you the car keys that hit you in the head, as you groaned.

“shit—sorry, love.” you shook it off, grabbing the keys on the floor before heading to the drivers seat. you may be the younger one, but you were the driver and she was the passenger princess.

the road to the training grounds was filled with music, you both were just vibing to the songs. you had pulled up in the parking lot, millie your national teammate gave you a soft smile.

“lovebirds.” millie teased, as you playfully shot her a glare. aggie just gave her a soft smile, before getting her kit bag. you swung yours over the shoulder, before quickly closing the door, locking it when you were done.

the first part of the training, the team worked on their possession before breaking out into 5v5’s. aggie was on the opposite team, and you wore the white bib.

“alright, let’s take a short break.” emma announced, as she clapped her hands a few times. you sat on the pitch, as aggie beelined her way towards you.

the team looked at the two of you with amusement, as you hummed. she sat in front of you as you opened your arms.

you spent the whole break, hugging talking about random things that would come up on her for you page. the day ended with the two of you watching movies in the living room.

you were both cuddled up, as a big blanket was placed over the two of you. you rested your head on her chest, as she had massaged your scalp.

you were playing with the string of her hoodie, twirling it around your finger as she looked at you in adoration. but you didn’t know that, you were so focused on the movie, you didn’t see her look.

[dumbistsmartass]

saying something about every hatchetfield production

spoilers, some nonsense, zero consistency with what I talk about, hurriedly written text, and back Cinderella’s Castle, QUICKLY, the kickstarter ends on May 4th. Also I mostly won’t be talking about the message to take away from all of them because I plan to make that another post.

TGWDLM: the catalyst of it all, it set up many fan favorite characters. Also my personal interpretation is that the musical we watch is actually happening in canon and is being put on by Pokky/Paul. Also how much of someone’s personality remain after infection?

Black Friday: it does pretty good as our first (true) intro to the LiBs it works very well. We get more General Macnmara who quickly becomes one of my favs. It also adds a lot of my other favs to the Hatchetverse, Hanna, Lex, Ethan, and Tom

NPMD: probably my favorite of the mainline musicals. I really hate Dirty Girl tho. The musical version of Hatchet Town is better than the OST version. The characters all have really good chemistry. I love Grace as a warning about the consequences of using religion as a fear tactic, when she sinned and wasn’t instantly punished for it she decided to take matters into her own hands and became a bloodthirsty maniac. The fact we got so close to a good ending if Max hadn’t fallen is darkly funny.

Hatchetfield Apeman: I don’t know how to feel about this one, it’s an interesting story but I think shouldn’t have been the first nightmare time story as it set a bad precedent for a lot of people.

Watcher World: I FUCKING LOVE WATCHER WORLD. The horror buildup of “what the fuck is happening here?” was genuinely amazing. The idea of a paranormal amusement part made for the amusement of an elder god id so cool. I feel uncomfortable saying the work “Sniglet”

Forever and always: one of my favs, the mystery of the two Emma’s is amazing, and the twist of which Emma Paul chose is amazing. It does make me wonder tho, is Emma a robot in every timeline? Also im just gonna assume that Tinky is connected to this one.

Time Bastered: another of my favs, the way it connects with FaA and the very clever time travel writing were highlights. The Ted is The Homeless Guy twist is really clever, and the ending is tragic

Jane’s a Car: holy shit my opinions on this one is so mixed. I love the bonding of Becky, Tom, and Tim is so wholesome. I REALLY hate that scene. Also is Jane turned into a car in every universe?

The Witch in the Web: our true into too Webby. Massive lore dumbs sort of weighted it down for me but it was still good.

Honey Queen: god I love this one. The fact that the LiBs aren’t mentioned until the very end was a really good choice. Both Zoey and Linda going to any length to win was some great tension.

Perky’s Buds: I went into this one expecting it to be kinda mid, and I was right but it was on the high end of mid. Ziggy being NB and played by a real NB actor is great! The bird hive mind is genuinely kinda unnerving despite how cute they are. I personally think they should have died, then content on the rooftop with the fire would have been such a good ending, but the police showing up to arrest them packs less of a punch.

Abstinence Camp: again, one of my favs, I fucking love this one and it also has the best Nightmare Timr song. It’s a fun way of exploring the “if you have sex in a horror movie you die” trope. Grace once again gets some sort of power and abuses it.

Daddy: I have mixed feelings, it’s a genuinely interesting plot but it get pretty uncomfortable. The song at the start made me think it would be a more empathetic take on Sherman Young but it definitely fucking wasn’t.

Killer Track: what is there to say? Killer track is actually so fucking amazing, if you will watch anything from this list watch this. I’m saying nothing else

Yellow Jacket: not at all what I was expecting, but it was great! From what I heard I was sort of expecting a high school drama with Pokky doing his bullshit in the background, but I loved this too. Also the ending hurt me.

Workin’ Boys: Pokky strikes again, but I’m not sure why TBH. Motherfucker just decided to fuck with his one most loyal subject and for what?

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Friday, September 13th

XANDER: No, it's just... this Malcolm guy? What's his deal? I mean, tell me you're not slightly wigged. BUFFY: Okay, slightly. I mean, just not knowing what he's really like. XANDER: Or who he really is. I mean, sure he says he's a high school student, but I can say I'm a high school student. BUFFY: You are. XANDER: Okay, but I can also say that I'm an elderly Dutch woman. Get me? I mean, who's to say I'm not if I'm in the elderly Dutch chat room?

~~I, Robot... You, Jane~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

cherry lipgloss by sapphistically (Buffy/reader, not rated)

Oblation by The_Crazy_Knight (Buffy/Giles, E)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Shadowed Suspicion, Chapter 341 by madimpossibledreamer (Ensemble, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure crossover, T)

Don't Swerve, Chapter 9 by thisyearsgrrl (Buffy/Faith, E)

My (love) Kill, Chapter 3 by witchywriter3 (Buffy/Spike, G)

Book Stew! Chapter 5 by MGAllan (Michael (from Gingerbread)/Lance (from The Pack), G)

After Life, Chapter 5 by Alwaysandforevermylove (Buffy/Faith, E)

A-Z of Sex, Chapter 1 by KatyAmberAuthor (Buffy/Giles, E)

Soul Mate Magic, Chapter Three by emma-m-black (Giles/OC, 18+)

Out of this World, love..., Chapters 7-8 by Miss Kitty (PG-13, in French)

The Neighbor's Point of View, Chapter 130 by the_big_bad (Buffy/Spike, PG)

Little Light, Chapter 7 by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Way Beyond Chaos, Chapter 1 by Girlytek (Buffy/Spike, R)

Wallflower, Chapter 24 (complete!) by Girlytek (Buffy/Spike, R)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Manip: MerMade For You by Claire (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Lego: my custom Lego Buffy the Vampire Slayer by buzzlymuzz

Artwork: Collage #160 by thedecadentraven (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Collage: Spike by thedecadentraven (worksafe)

Gifset: Buffy/Cordelia by lovebvffys (worksafe)

Fanvid: Andrew Wells | Puppet Boy [slight flash warning] by homoeroticvillain

Fanvid: Spike/Buffy - The Albatross by DarkEleni

Fanvid: Andrew Wells | Puppet Boy [slight flash warning] by homoeroticvillain

Fanvid: Don't Stop Me Now [BTVS Season 6 BLOOPER REEL] by Aurora Edits

Fanvid: Buffyverse by juliaroxs241

Fanvid: willow and tara | i know the end by editsbysarahx

Fanvid: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2 Opening Credits (Charmed Style) by Rotten Lemonade

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - Are You That Somebody By Aaliyah by Naki-a Littlejohn

Fanvid: Buffy and Spike - Bang Bang By Ariana Grande by Naki-a Littlejohn

Vidlet: hello kitty | buffy summers | mep part by DreamingWithDragons

Vidlet: Buffy summers || legends never die || by CaptainSwann

Vidlet (untitled) by cupcakexmeow (Buffy/Spike, Buffy/Angel)

Music: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER THEME SONG / ‪by JETT Fighter Drumming‬ (age 12 )

Acting: Anya's Monologue by Skyler Brown

Song: Something to Sing About - Singing - by Sparkly Rainbow Kaz

Song: Rest In Peace - Spike - Once More, With Feeling - Buffy - Singing by Sparkly Rainbow Kaz

[Reviews & Recaps]

Video: Top Grumps - Buffy The Vampire Slayer by Nerdy Up North

Video: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 4: Episode 7 - The Initiative by The Cheshire Kiwi

Video: Our Love of Buffy The Vampire Slayer PART 1 by It Crept From The 80s

Video: Buffy 2.15 Phases by Jen Katz and Ryan Something

Video: Buffy Vs Charmed | An Observation of Unnecessary Comparison by They Call Me MR. G

Video: Buffy S02E22 "Becoming (Part 2)" Spoiler Review by LGRN - Entertainment

Video: Sleeper-Slayer Sunday by Jane Talks Buffy

Podcast: Showtime S7 E11 Buffy and the Art of Story by Lisa M. Lilly

Podcast: BwB 609 - Point Insertion [Smashed] by Beer With Buffy

Podcast: Tales of Music and Film Season 8 Episode 8 Buffy The Vampire Slayer Take Two by Tales of Music and Film Hosted By Christian Taylor

Podcast: Tales of Music and Film Season 8 Episode 9 Angel by Tales of Music and Film Hosted By Christian Taylor

Podcast: The Quintessential Buffy The Vampire Slayer by Sure Look Sure Listen Podcast

[Search & Recs]

Fic search: Actor spike fic lost by YummyCookies333

Vid rec: Anya Jenkins | Why? [Character Study.] by HostilePoet17 recced by IceStorm22

Fic rec: The Devil's Elegy (Buffy/Angel, M) by coalitiongirl recced by I Will Remember You Marathon

Fic recs: favourite Spuffy recs by userttpd

Vid rec: Charles Gunn - The Loss and Recuperation of the Self by Honeycutt Videos recced by umbralsong

[Community Announcements]

Buffybot and Gilesbot, sitting in a tree… by Buffyverse Kinkmeme

[Fandom Discussions]

Buffy saying “I just wish my mom was here” really falls flat by canary-prince

Rewatch thoughts and questions [Shells, Underneath] continued by multiple posters

Two comics artists who've worked with Joss have died this week by Skippcomet

What happened to the parents in Buffy? continued by multiple posters

Podcast : "Alyson Hannigan Reveals Her #1 Hidden Theory About Me" by Klaus Kartoffel

Spikes justification for not reuniting with Buffy from the episode Harms Way by wtffu006

If I were her relatives, I’d request a refund from the funeral home by Jade_Pratt953

Anyone else believe that the police/coroner/hospitals knew about the undead Americans? by CountChocoula

What is your favourite single scene in the Buffyverse… by tommywest_123

Which ep would you choose [to watch for 24 hours straight]? by No-Jaguar8044

On S2 - watching for the first time and loving it! Will it continue with this quality? by RedRxbin

So I watched a theatre show called Buffy Revamped by CaptainZir0

Your Own Buffy The Vampire Slayer Episode Concept? by Big-Restaurant-2766

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

Video: Buffy The Vampire Slayer | Full Q&A | For The Love Of Fantasy (London) 2024 by Monopoly Events

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Video: Episode 364: Interview With Julie Benz by Don't Go Out There Podcast

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[themultifandomgal]

From 2010- Let’s Go On Tour!

2011

Part 15

15th December 2011

The fact that the boys and I are going on our first tour is mind boggling. How did we go from being just normal people with normal jobs, to having sold out shows across the country. The first part of our tour will be in England, then we will head to Scotland. Of course I’m excited, but I’m also terrified!

“I don’t want to leave you” I squish cookies faces (gently) and kiss her all over “you have to be a good girl”

“YN stop being dramatic” Emma says zipping up one of my suitcases “you will see us in a few days and of course we’re bringing cookie with us. Your dad, Alex, me and our parents will be seeing you in London, then Wolverhampton, Manchester and Birmingham. And I’ll face time you whenever your missing her”

“Thanks Em”

“Your very welcome. Now come on get packing”

“Ok ok” I raise my hands up in defeat

“YN hurry up!” I hear Louis shouting from our living room area

“Hey!” I yell back “I bet Harry hasn’t even started packing!”

“Oi ya cheeky thing” Harry’s head pops round my bedroom door making both Emma and I giggle “I’ll ‘ave ya know I started days ago”

“Hmmm sure you did H” I laugh rolling my eyes

“Harry back to your room and pack, and YN please hurry up” Emma groans

“I don’t even know why we are staying in a hotel since our first show is in London. Like we could literally just drive there”

“Yes but you are all going to be tired. Plus you’ll be going on the tour bus to go to the next location. Now stop whining and pack”

“Woah” I gasp standing in front of the stage where we are set to perform tomorrow night with the boys on either side of me “anyone else feeling a little nervous?”

“Yep” Harry says next to me

“I’m so going to forget my words to at least one song” I say breathing out

“In that case just move your mic to the audience and get them to sing” Niall places an arm around my shoulders “or you can look at one of us and we will help, but I have a feeling we will all forget our lyrics at some point”

“Are we ready for one last full run through?” Zayn asks. We all nod our heads in reply

“Let me get my heals on because I swear if I don’t practice I’m gonna fall”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be here to catch you when you do” Liam pats my back and walks a head of me to the stage

“Thanks for the bode of confidence Liam” I pout slightly

“You’ll be fine, but Liams right if you fall we will be here” Niall gives me a little squeeze

“Don’t know why the stylist insists on you wearin’ these” Harry says taking the heals out of my hand “they’re a fuckin death trap”

“One of these days you’ll be running in heals trust me” Zayn says running onto the stage “now come on let’s get rehearsing”

[stvlti]

the last of the (false) prophets | a Dune fanmix

I've made the general Dune Part II mixtape and I've made the ironic FeydPaul mixtape, it's time for a Paul-centric playlist. This one is also made in the context of Part II because that film has bewitched me mind, body and soul 😔

► TRACKS

01. Eat the Acid - Kesha /// 02. Brutus - Emma Blackery /// 03. DNA - Kendrick Lamar /// 04. THE REV3NGE - Joey Bada$$ /// 05. Burning - Yeah Yeah Yeahs /// 06. Darwinism - Halsey /// 07. Found Heaven - Conan Gray /// 08. Only in My Dreams - The Marías /// 09. Routines in the Night - Twenty One Pilots /// 10. Jesus Lived In A Motel Room - HYUKOH /// 11. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I–V) - Pink Floyd /// 12. Writer In The Dark - Lorde /// to be continued...

Tracklist updated on 18 Nov 2024.

► META

I think the song choices are pretty self explanatory, so I'm not gonna write a big long song-by-song breakdown this time. I do have some notes on the choice of cover artwork and the pov of this playlist though.

If it isn't apparent by now, Paul isn't my fave character in Dune canon – Feyd-Rautha is. So why am I making a playlist dedicated to a character I don't even love?

In my years of consuming and creating art for my fandoms, I don't think I've ever come across a morally grey character that's half as complex and intriguing as Paul. Sure, I'm familiar with corruption arcs and self-styled messianic figures (Light Yagami from Death Note comes to mind). I've written for and continue to love characters who underwent cataclysmic deaths and resurrections, and came back wrong (see: Jason Todd from DC/Batman). And sure, Paul's character arc can similarly be boiled down to these familiar story beats of resurrection and corruption, but he's no angel at the start of his journey. He's aware of the trajectory of his story in ways these other characters aren't by virtue of being a seer of prescient visions. To walk clear-sightedly into his own ruination is such a fascinating thing to me.

Those familiar with the Major Arcana suit of the tarot cards will know the significance of The Fool: he is at the start of his journey, appearing to walk leftwards off a cliff with an optimistic smile because he's as yet unburdened by higher knowledge of lurking dangers. Like The Fool, I have Paul facing leftwards on this cover (flipped horizontally from the original Dune 2021 IMAX poster), because he too is embarking on a transformative journey when he enters the Arrakis deserts. The difference is, of course, that he becomes aware of his terrible destiny as a messianic figurehead for a holy war as soon as he sets off for this journey. And so it isn't with carefree optimism but the knowledge of his ruin hanging heavily on his shoulders that he takes his first steps into the desert.

The other major difference between the playlist cover and the Fool's tarot card design is how much smaller Paul's figure is in the composition of the whole image. The desert background easily dwarves his figure, which is something I've always loved about the IMAX poster. Despite all his visions of futures where he ascends to the mantle of a messianic leader, he is still just, at this moment in the canon timeline, a child. Small, and all alone in his journey. Not even his mother Lady Jessica would come to understand the weight of the transformation he will undergo.

Many of the songs on this playlist were ones that didn't make the cut for my general Dune playlist. But as I went along I realised it's grown into a love letter for Paul's character from the perspective of a sympathetic reader. "Found Heaven" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" only make sense as monologues addressed to Paul.

Your heart is breaking as you leave that door

You never meant to start this holy war

But you're trapped, pack your bags

Don't look back

Don't be scared, little child

You're no demon

Rewatching Dune Part I really brought it home for me just how much of a child Paul still is when he enters the Fremen's deserts. He is frightened out of his mind by the knowledge that he will come to be the figurehead for whom millions will wage a holy war to the devastation of entire planets and deaths of billions, and it's a burden for him to bear alone. Did anyone ever stop to tell him not to fear?

Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun ...

Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky ...

You were caught on the crossfire of childhood and stardom,

Blown on the steel breeze ...

Come on you raver, you seer of visions,

Come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!

If I'm not mistaken, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" was written for Pink Floyd's own Syd Barrett, a genius lyricist whose declining mental health forced him to quit the scene too soon. Obvious parallels to Paul's madness aside, I like the metaphor this adds to Paul as not only a prophet but a painter / artist – which he is to an extent. He is an architect shaping the world into a future only he sees. The tragedy is of course that visionary artists often go where their lovers can't follow.

Now she's gonna play and sing and lock you in her heart

Bet you rue the day you kissed a writer in the dark

I am my mother's child, I'll love you 'til my breathing stops

I'll love you 'til you call the cops on me

But in our darkest hours, I stumbled on a secret power

I'll find a way to be without you, babe

[mythicxly]

▪ 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ▪ 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋𝐋 ▪ (chapter one)

'I'M IN HARRY POTTER!'

It was a shocking realisation. One moment, you were sobbing in bed over the death of Dobby, and the next, you found yourself in a completely different house with a woman named Emma on your way to Hogwarts. It was overwhelming, yet thrilling, as you would finally have the chance to meet your favourite childhood characters and see the Hogwarts professors in person. The thought of it all fills you with excitement.

As you hurriedly packed your suitcase, you came across a Walkman in your favourite colour, complete with headphones. It reminded you of Max from Stranger Things. After figuring out how to use it, you were surprised to hear your favourite song playing - even though it was a modern one from years ahead. Despite the confusion, you were thrilled to have music for your trip.

Upon completing your packing, Emma approached you with a warm smile and graciously offered to lend a hand with your suitcases. With some extra time to spare before departure, you sat on the floor and leaned your back against the wall. It was then that you realized you were in an entirely new universe without the comfort of your loved ones. This realization weighed heavily on you, leaving you feeling sad and uncertain. Emma's kindness was appreciated, but her lack of explanation only added to your confusion and sense of isolation.

But now it's more important to find a way out of here while getting to know the people and characters around you. You know you're not alone because Emma was here.

"(Y/N)! COME! WE HAVE TO GO NOW!" "COMING!"

As you were ready to depart, you grabbed a compact bag to stow away a few things for the train ride. You carefully packed some items inside and slipped your trusty Walkman into the pocket of your sleek dark green jacket. As you hurried down the stairs, you caught a glimpse of Emma patiently waiting outside by a car.

"Are you prepared?" Emma inquires, to which you reply with a nod. She graces you with a charming smile as she opens the door of her crimson car to allow you to climb in. Emma walks around the vehicle and settles into the driver's seat. The ambience during the drive is serene, with neither of you uttering a single word. Emma focuses on manoeuvring the car while you retrieve your Walkman and belt out Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You." You're unsure why you selected that particular song, but the desire to listen to her voice was undeniable.

'Wait a minute, how old am I? I mean, I'm 18 in my world but what about here? Why am I thinking about this?' But you got curious, you asked Emma, to which she responded with '13'shocking you.

'Okay, not only am I in another universe, but I turned back into a 13-year-old... What the hell, universe?'

A few minutes later, and before you knew it, you arrived at the train station you were familiar with. Getting out of the car, Emma grabs your suitcases and guides you to Platform 9 3/4, uneasiness bubbles in you, making you feel butterflies in your stomach. "Okay, (Y/n), I have to go now, but I'll see you-" "Can you come with me to the station?" You ask quietly, your shoes suddenly becoming interesting.

While this was your childhood dream, you never thought you'd be so scared.

Emma looks at you for a second before giving you another one of her charming smiles and nodding as she stands in front of the wall. "You go first." You give her a nervous nod, breathing in and out before running with your cart into the wall.

As you predicted, you didn't crash, instead phasing right through. After a few seconds, Emma comes in, standing right next to you as you stare at the bright red train before you. Emma softly places a hand on your shoulder, making you turn to face her. "Well, you need to get on the train... I'll see you during the holidays, and I'll send letters to you. Okay?"

Suddenly, Emma gets pushed back a couple steps as you tackle her in a hug. She freezes as she looks at your (Hair Colour) hair, before slowly wrapping her arms around you with a small smile, "Sorry for attacking you earlier..." You mumble and Emma snorts, "It's okay?" She answers almost questioningly.

After like three minutes, you both let go of each other and you grab your suitcases, boarding the train. Finding a seat, you place your bags in the overhead bin, before seeing Emma through the window. You squish your body on the window, you wave at her and she waves back. The train began to move and you wave at her faster as it moved forward, before speeding down the track as her figure began to get smaller and smaller.

You sigh, sitting back down in the comfortable seat. A few moments went by as you sat there staying out the window with your head headphones on. 

Suddenly, you hear a knock come from the sliding door, you slowly take off your headphones as someone opens the door, to reveal a tall and handsome young man with chiselled, dark hair and bright grey eyes. A bright smile is brought up on your face as the boy begins to talk, though his voice is drowned out by your own thoughts. 'Oh no, he's hot!'

"Excuse me?" The man, known as Cedric Diggory, interrupts your train of thought. "Oh, yes?" You answer, mentally slapping yourself at your zoning out. "I just wanted to ask if I could crash here? There were no other compartments, and you were by yourself." You raise an eyebrow at his last statement, which makes him realise his mistake. "No- wait, I didn't mean it like that- I just..." He stammers as he struggles to correct himself and you laughed softly, shaking your head "Chill, dude. You're good, come, sit."

He smiles as he sits in the seat in front of you, holding out his hand "I'm Cedric." You shook his hand with a firm grip, "(Y/n)." You both let go of each other's hands as silence comes between you two. "So~ What house are you in?" Cedric chuckles, "That's the best way to start a conversation?" "Do you have a better way to start one?"

Cedric shakes his head with a small smile, "I'm in Hufflepuff, you?" You pause, 'Wait, house am I in?...'  "I... I don't know?" Now Cedric is the one who raises his eyebrow, "How do you forget what house you're in?" You shrug your shoulders in response, "I'll probably know when I check my uniform."

Soon, you two just began talking about each other, with you telling jokes on the side. The atmosphere feels chill the more you two chatted, then the Sweet Trolley came along, where you buy Honeydukes and Cedric buys Pumpkin Pasties. Another silence fills the room as you two ate your bought sweets, in which you adored and savoured the taste.

"Okay, favourite Quidditch player?" Cedric thinks about it for a minute before answering with 'Viktor Krum' "Okay, okay. Your turn." You say as you took another bite of your Honeydukes, "Favourite activity to do." "(Favourite Activity)" You answer almost instantly, Cedric looks down at his watch. "We need to get changed now, we're almost there." You hum in response, grabbing your bag which had your uniform and pulling it out.

Cedric sits there awkwardly as he watches you pull out your uniform, you glance at him before telling him to get out, respectively, in which he dies immediately while bidding you a 'goodbye'. Chuckling to yourself as he leaves, before closing the door and window. Making that it was locked, you began to change into your uniform.

Moments passed and you were finished, thought you were fiddling with your tie, trying but failing to tie it right. A few failed attempts latter, you gave up with a groan, choosing to just leave it untied as you unlocked the door and opened the window, looking out it, see the dark sky with small golden flecks in it. Softly smiling to yourself, you continued to look at the scenery.

Humming to yourself a random tune, you waited for Cedric to return, though you weren't expecting him to be back. He was probably back with his friends.

And then you saw it. The place you wanted to be you're entirely childhood...

...Hogwarts...

Hello, gals, pals and non-binary pals! It's me, rose~ Just wanted to say, since I can't decide on a Hogwarts house, you guys can vote! Just vote for one of them, love you~

🐍 𝐒𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧 🐍

🦁 𝐆𝐫𝐲𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫 🦁

🦡 𝐇𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐟𝐟 🦡

🦅 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰 🦅

[indigosunsetao3]

Would It Be Enough?

Chapter 13 - Blown Cover

Masterlist of Chapters

Warnings: 18+ - No minors Rated E - Please read the tags on A03 for any of your triggers

Johnny "Soap" MacTavish x Original FMC 12.9k words - AO3 Link

Snow was falling lightly now as Gaz pulled open the door and extended his hand to Emma, his normally smiling face gone to be replaced with a stern stoic look. They weren’t friends in this role, he was her paid bodyguard and she probably should barely even know his name. Emma took his hand and pulled herself out before quickly letting go and walking to the door, leaving Soap and Crane to get out on their own. Trying not to fidget, Emma waited as Gaz spoke to the bouncer at the door, getting patted down and his gun removed, before they were all let inside. Their car pulled off down the street as they stepped inside and Emma squinted a bit to see.

It was dimly lit inside the jazz club, most of the light only coming from the stage where a live band was playing. There were tables scattered about the place with small candle lamps on them and the bar was directly in the middle of the floor with seating all around it. Despite it being open concept the décor itself was anything but modern, red velvet was the theme for all the upholstery, and gold tassels accented everything, including holding open curtains on the booths along the walls. Easy to drop them off if guests were looking for privacy. The place wasn’t packed per se but there were still plenty of people milling about, all dressed like they had just walked out of a magazine in their expense suits and dresses.

“He’s at a table,” a voice in Emma’s ear said and she nearly jumped. She had forgotten about the earpiece and Alex’s voice had jarred her from her observing. He must have tapped into the cameras because Emma glanced around and didn’t see Mikhail. “Other side of the bar, he’s talking with one of his men,” Alex explained and Emma gave the faintest nod before walking that way.

Crane and Soap had broken off on their own, one of them finding an empty table and waving a waitress over, the other going to the bar so they had a straight-line view of Mikhail and ordering a drink. Gaz had moved off toward the back of the place near what Emma suspected was the kitchen door, standing in a parade rest position with his hands in front of him. He looked the part of a bodyguard as his eyes swept around the room but always going back to Emma every few seconds to clock her movements.

“Cherry vodka cocktail,” Emma stated to the bartender as she leaned up against the bar, careful to bend in just the right way. Mikhail was close to her and she had picked a spot that would be right in his view to see her long legs that disappeared under a short skirt. The move worked because Emma heard the voices behind her stop talking for a second and she peered over her shoulder to see them looking at her. A grin spread across Mikhail’s face and he locked eyes with her for a brief moment, Emma smiled before quickly looking away pretending to act a bit shy. He didn’t move to engage her yet though, instead reverting his attention to his conversation. Now all she had to do was wait.

The bartender returned with her drink and Emma sipped on it casually, her eyes watching the band play as if it were the most engrossing thing in the world. Emma had read in the file that Mikhail loved jazz music, he had hired a jazz band for his first two weddings in his twenties and was often at this bar to listen. After a couple of songs, Emma glanced over Mikhail again to find him watching her from the corner of his eye as he continued to talk with two men. She smiled again, not quite meeting his eyes, before reaching in to swirl the ice in her glass with her fingers before fishing out a maraschino cherry and popping it in her mouth. She was deliberate in the way she ate it before she pulled the stem from her equally red lips and tossed it into the glass. He wasn’t even trying to hide his stare at that point as he shifted in his seat which made Emma laugh lightly before turning around to watch the music again.

“He’s eating this up,” Alex’s voice came in Emma’s ear and she playfully smirked. “Soap’s not too happy though,” Alex tacked on, a chuckle evident in his voice, but Emma didn’t dare turn around to look him across the bar.

When Emma turned to order another drink, a man appeared at her shoulder. “Mister Lebedev would like you to join him at his table,” he stated as Emma turned to look up at him. He was a hulking guy with long hair tied back in a small bun atop his head. His suit looked too small for his body and was in desperate need of a shave, which told her that he was not one of the aristocrats here this evening. “This way,” he stated gesturing for her to walk, he wasn’t giving her much of a choice but that’s what Emma had been going for.

Grabbing her latest drink, this one with multiple cherries in it this time, Emma pushed off the bar the follow the man. She tucked her clutch under her arm took the man’s offered elbow and let him lead her to the table. She could feel eyes on her as she walked, it felt as if the whole club was looking at her. She spotted Crane at that moment over at the stage talking to a band that was about to go on, his eyes trailing over her before going back to his own conversation.

“Good evening,” Mikhail said, his English was perfect but he had a heavy Russian accent nonetheless. “Please join me,” he extended his hand to offer to help her sit. Emma took his hand lightly as she set her drink down on the table before sliding in right next to him. All of the tables were semi-circle booths that faced the stage with low-set tables to hold drinks. Emma was deliberate in her movements to make sure she was close to him, letting her dress ride up her leg a bit.

“What are you drinking this evening?” He asked as he eyed her exposed leg, Emma was certain the clips to her garter were showing, a bit of a tease. He raised his glass in the air to signal to the bartender to order his next drink, a straight whiskey which was odd to Emma since that seemed so American.

“Cherry vodka,” Emma answered him, “I figured Vodka would be the best choice, when in Rome and all that” she mused as the bartender came over with two drinks. One was for her, even though she wasn’t even done with her second, and one for Mikhail.

“Where are you visiting from?” Mikhail asked as he took a sip of his whiskey, sliding his arm along the back of the booth so his hand was behind her. She knew he could tell she had an American accent but he was keeping the conversation going.

“America,” Emma said simply as she raised her glass to her lips, “one last little hurrah around the world on my father’s dime,” She tapped her left ring finger on the glass so it clinked softly. The ring itself was obnoxious, a giant rectangle diamond on a gold band with no other embellishments on it, definitely not something she would ever pick out.

“Ah, you are getting married?” Mikhail asked raising his eyebrow, “I’ve had two of those and I can tell you they aren’t what they say they are. Single life is much more…fulfilling, I would run while you still can,” he glanced down at the ring and seemed satisfied with the size of it. So he now knew she came from money and enjoyed it as well.

“Why do you think I booked this trip?” Emma inquired as the band changed to include a singer this time. “I’m attempting to delay things as long as I can,” she sipped her drink again, “though my father threatened me with disinheritance if I didn’t follow through.” She rolled her eyes at that and shifted again in the seat, her skirt hiking up another inch, her garter was definitely on display now and his eyes zoned right in on it.

“What’s your name?” He asked after a moment of looking her over, swirling his drink in his hand so the one large ice cube bounced inside of the glass.

“Colette,” Emma replied as she sipped her drink, the liquid almost gone. She would need to pace herself, she hadn’t drank alcohol in months and the bartender wasn’t exactly light with his pours. “LeBlanc,” she added after a moment. It was a well-known family in Louisiana with lots of grandchildren and cousins that she could just feign relation to. They were a wealthy family that made their money on investments, construction, and sports teams, the patriarch of the family having owned the football team at one point before he sold it off.

“LeBlanc,” Mikhail mused over in his mind, the name jarring some memory of his. Good. That meant he had heard of them, something Emma was sure was a planned thing. “So a French American heiress running away from her marriage in Ukraine,” he grinned, “seems like an odd place to choose to visit. Wouldn’t you have preferred Paris?”

“When you spent all your summers there growing up, it loses its charm,” Emma answered. “My mother’s family is originally from Ukraine so I thought I’d go see my roots or something along those lines,” she laughed. “It also pissed off my fiancé that I picked here with everything going on, so that was an added bonus.”

“Oh? What does your fiancé do that makes him so important to your father you marry him? Is he in your family business?” Mikhail inquired.

“Oh no, he deals in military contracts,” Emma said offhandedly which caught Mikhail’s attention. “I honestly don’t really know what all he does; I just know he makes money and it eats up a lot of his time. I barely see him anymore, makes for a rather lonely life,” she grabbed the newest glass and slid her empty one away.

Mikhail seemed very interested in her now, aside from the fact he could almost see up to her underwear he had honed in on the military. She knew the cogs were working in his brain if he could get more information out of her, her fiancé worked with the American military, the biggest competition for his Russian military. He didn’t dwell on it though, not yet anyway, Emma had a feeling it would come back up later.

“What brought you into this club of all places?” Mikhail asked as a sultry singer began singing, her glittery dress sending the lights about her like a mirror ball. “It’s not very well known,” he lied. It was one of the top spots in Kiev if you were looking for a quieter scene with live music, and some shady dealings.

“Is it not?” Emma feigned as she turned to face him better and she felt his fingertips graze the top of her bare back, his legs spreading out in a more relaxed state as if trying to touch her bare skin there as well. “It was hard to even get in, I had to have my assistant send a special request,” she stated which wasn’t exactly a lie, it was just Laswell wasn’t her assistant by any means. “I wanted to see for myself if it lived up to the jazz bars back home in Louisiana,” she smiled.

“I rented it out,” Mikhail said casually as someone walked toward the table to talk to him but he waved them away. It was yet another show of his money and power to rent this club out. “Which is why it was hard to get in. I like to conduct my business here sometimes but I don’t want prying eyes,” he grinned. His fingers were still tracing lightly over her upper back before sliding up under her hairline to graze her neck but his eyes were back on the band playing, specifically the singer.

“Did you rent her too?” Emma asked as she looked at the singer on the stage, her ample figure filled out her dress in all the right places.

“I have no need to rent women,” Mikhail said after a moment cutting his eyes back to Emma. His hand moved to tug lightly at one of the curls at the nape of her neck so it forced Emma’s head back gently. “Especially when I have a beautiful one sitting right here with me. One that I think needs a little attention since her fiancé mistreats her so, always too busy working,” he smirked and let go of her hair but still kept his hand on her.

Emma gasped a bit at his sheer boldness but she played it off, acting as if the hair tug itself was what she was pleasurably gasping at. “I believe you are misreading the situation here,” Emma teased as she sipped her drink to draw out time. “I am merely here to enjoy the music,” she smirked behind the glass, “and company.” In her quick glance around she spotted Soap again, his eyes were narrowed and he was holding his beer so hard his knuckles were white, if he gripped much harder Emma was certain the glass would break.

“Am I?” Mikhail asked as he slid his hand to the side of her throat, his thumb pressing down lightly on her pulse causing Emma to swallow. Her eyes darted to the side to see Gaz in the shadows talking rapidly into his microphone, obviously communicating with Alex or the rest of the group there. Crane had also reappeared, walking close enough to their table that one of Mikhail’s men stepped forward to run him off, to which Crane held his hands up innocently and went to the bar.

Emma lowered her glass down to the table and gently grabbed Mikhail’s wrist to pull it off her neck. “You’re making my bodyguard nervous,” she laughed, covering up her nerves before nodding her head in Gaz’s direction. He indeed did not look happy about the situation, his shoulders tense as he stood and stared blatantly. “He doesn’t like when people touch me,” she explained and lowered Mikhail’s hand down from her throat into his lap. She moved to pull her hand away, but he flipped his hand and grabbed her wrist pulling her forward a bit so she was leaning into him.

“No?” Mikhail asked as his thumb rubbed along her wrist before he slid his hand up her arm and brushed away some hair on her back. “Then how did you get these bruises lisichka, was he not doing his job properly?” He touched the mark Soap had left where her neck met her shoulder, one Emma opted to not cover-up. It had been a dark hickey a few days ago but now it had faded to a faint yellow blemish.

“What I do in the bedroom is none of his concern,” Emma answered, her voice a bit breathless as his thumb swiped at the spot again. “His job is just to make sure I don’t get hurt or make a scene in public. Need to keep up the family appearances and all that,” her grin was a bit devilish as she downed the rest of her drink in one go. She needed something to stop the nerves that were beginning to make her hands shake.

“Then let’s go somewhere private,” Mikhail said after a moment and waved over one of his men. They conversed in Russian for a moment and Emma took that chance to find her companions, her eyes wide in a silent plead for someone to come get her. Soap was already on his way, his hand moving into his pocket as if to grab something. Crane quickly intercepted him with a chest bump, his hand going to his shoulder to hold him back. They exchanged some hard words and Emma was certain Soap was going to deck him before he stood down. She was glad this was happening behind them because if Mikhail had seen it there would have been too many questions.

“Come,” Mikhail said as he moved out from the table. It wasn’t a request, it was an order and Emma hesitated as he curled his fingers toward his palms twice, impatient.

Emma froze, her eyes darting over to Gaz who was already walking over but Mikhail’s man intercepted him, clearly by Mikhail’s orders. Gaz halted and he rolled his neck, the irritation in his body language palpable but he couldn’t disobey an order and risk blowing their cover.

“I can’t stay for long,” Emma said blithely as she slid out of the seat, “my companions will get antsy, they are my fiancé's lapdogs.” Despite the fear, she took Mikhail’s hand. She had no idea how she was going to get out of this, Mikhail’s men were all over the club and she could see a few of them watching. None of them could make a scene now because she was effectively trapped.

“Your companions will find something else to do to occupy their time,” Mikhail mused as his hand rested on her lower back to push her along toward the stairs. They walked right past Crane who had been accosted by a woman and he stared at them for a brief second before darting his eyes over to Soap.

“Emma, don’t,” Alex suddenly cut in but Emma didn’t respond, what choice did she have? “Emma. We don’t have eyes up there and I won’t know what is going on. Duck out, come up with a stupid excuse and we’ll recoup.” Still, Emma didn’t answer or stop walking. “If you go up those goddamn stairs Soap is going to murder him and we’ll all be fucked.”

She knew Alex was right but she climbed each step anyway, not wanting to risk what would happen if she bolted. Mikhail was multiple drinks deep and he stumbled a bit as they cleared the landing using a keycard to open the door. Emma set her drink down on the wide railing, opting to leave it behind before she muddled her own mind too much. She wasn’t planning on doing a single thing with the man but she could tease him into oblivion and keep plying him with drinks. If she played her cards right maybe she could just get him to pass out and she could run out the door.

Slipping inside Emma shut the door behind her to find the room was a small office with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the club below, the music pumped in over some hidden speakers. There was a couch by the window and she slowly walked over to it as Mikhail did something at the desk, her fingers walking along the back of it as she watched the floor below. She couldn’t see too much but people were milling about and she thought she spotted Soap’s stocky figure heading toward the kitchens.

“Emma, talk to me. What is happening?” Alex came over the earpiece, though it sounded a bit garbled. “You have got to give me something, I’ve barely got the reigns back on the guys downstairs”

She opened her mouth to answer Alex, pretending to talk to Mikhail about what the office looked like when Mikhail suddenly came up behind her. His hand was on her neck as he forcefully pushed her forward over the couch causing Emma to shriek and throw her hands out to catch herself on the cushions to stop herself from toppling all the way over. “What are you doing?” Emma demanded as she pushed back against him and he pinned her hips against the couch with his own. “Get your hands off of me.”

“Emma what the fuck is happening,” Alex cut in again, his voice panicked and she could hear him cut over to another microphone to talk to Gaz but the voice was distant and garbled.

“I should ask you the same question. Who are your friends?” Mikhail stated as one hand slid over her body, patting her down as if he were looking for something. Shit, he was suspicious. He kept his hand on her lower back as he bent down to feel up and down her legs, his fingers pausing on the garters to search for any weapons strapped there.

“Satisfied?” Emma spat when he didn’t find anything and he finally let her go to stand up fully. “My friends? You mean my fiancés spies and my bodyguard?” Her heart was pounding, not only from the rough handling from him but the fact he was implying he didn’t trust their cover. “I don’t know who you think you are,” she started but Mikhail grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back hard so she was staring up at his face, “let go of me.”

“You truly have no idea who I am do you?” Mikhail asked, the seductive flirtatious voice from downstairs was gone. This was pure lethal loathing, “typical idiotic American,” he spat as he shoved her hard away from him causing her to stumble over her heels. He moved to a drink cart by the door poured another drink for himself and downed the two fingers of whiskey in one go before making another one, his body swaying a bit. “I know your friends aren’t who they say they are. I recognized one of them as soon as they walked in.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Emma said as she moved toward the door, preparing to wrench it open and leave, but the handle didn’t budge as she jiggled it. She looked for a lock and didn’t spot it and Mikhail just laughed at her feeble attempt. Apparently, you needed to badge in and badge out and he had the key card. “I’d like to leave,” she stated, for both Mikhail and Alex to hear, “now.”

“No,” Mikhail said simply and set his glass down with a rattle on the cart.

“No?” Emma answered with a small laugh, sounding much braver than she felt as he stalked toward her. “You are mistaken, I wasn’t asking.”

“I’m trying to hack the system. We need to cut the power,” Alex’s frantic voice came through, but once again his voice was garbled and cutting in and out. “They’ve got,” it cut out before it came back, “intricate,” then it was quiet again.

“You practically threw yourself at me. It was a weak distraction but I let it go on because I wanted to know what you were trying to get out of me,” Mikahil stated as he backed her up into the door with his body and grabbed her jaw hard, “you have to be careful what you are willing to do lisichka, not all of us are gentlemen.” He laughed and spun her around against the door so her chest was pressed against it as his hands slid down to pull at her dress hem and yank it up over her backside.

Emma shrieked as she fought back against him, pleading in her mind for Alex to finish whatever he was doing so she could get out. The sounds from downstairs were getting louder, she could hear it through the door that her ear was pressed against and in the background of the music coming over the speakers. Thrashing a bit, she attempted to stamp on his foot but he knocked her foot away and wedged his knee between her legs to keep her still. “When my fiancé finds out what you’ve done,” Emma threatened. While she didn’t have a fiancé she knew that Soap would rip his throat out for what this man was attempting to do. “You won’t live long enough to regret it,” she finished, before driving her elbow back to knock him in the ribs. That hit had found purchase.

Mikhail doubled back, his grip on her loosened as he snarled a curse word at her. Emma quickly turned around and ducked as he made another grab at her, all the alcohol in his system made him sluggish. Pushing up off the door Emma grabbed at the discarded glass on the drink cart and threw it as hard as she could at his head. It hit its intended target causing his head to snap to the side before the glass fell to the floor with a shatter, glass pieces scattering everywhere. She needed to get to her clutch, she had a knife in there but Mikhail had kicked it away when he pinned her against the door. Diving for it on the ground she grabbed it but Mikhail was back on her, his hand ripping hard at her hair to drag her backwards. She felt the glass cutting into her legs as she scrambled and screamed at the pain in her head as he continued to pull.

“Sleeper!” There was a loud shout on the other side of the door followed by what sounded like a kick. Then another kick and the door shuttered on its hinges. Emma knew it was Soap, he had thrown all caution to the wind and had come for her.

“Who’s Sleeper?’ Mikhail snarled, a smirk on his lips as he finally let go of Emma’s hair and flung her toward the ground. Her palms shot out to catch herself and she felt the glass bite into the skin. “Are you a fucking agent?” He asked as he made his way over to the desk and pulled open a drawer, rustling around for a bit before Emma heard the telltale sound of a gun being loaded.

“Soap he’s got a gun,” Emma yelled out right as the power cut. Screams erupted all around the club followed by gunfire which made Emma flinch, thinking Mikhail had shot off his gun only to realize it was coming from downstairs.

“Emma stay low to the ground and get to the door,” Alex’s voice came in, clearer than he had before now that the power was out. “Soap is there, Gaz went to get the car and Crane is keeping Mikhail’s men occupied.” So that had been the gunfire.

The door banged open on its hinges on another one of Soap’s kicks, the frame splintering and wood joined the glass scattered on the floor. Ducking Emma quickly crawled toward it, toward Soap’s shadowed outline from the emergency lights that had kicked on. Soap stepped into the room and she reached for him, her fingers finding his slacks as he extended a hand down to pull her up. Her knees and hands were screaming at the glass and cuts on her skin and she could feel the blood running down her legs.

As Emma moved toward the door so had Mikhail and this time the gunfire was in the room which made Emma scream as three shots went off, it sounded like they were right by her head. That was all it took. Soap let go and stepped around her, shoving her behind him and out the door, and went right for Mikhail now that he had given away his position. There was a scuffle and Emma crouched her hands holding onto the shattered doorframe to try and see what was happening. She heard grunts and thuds before the sound of the gun hitting the tile floor met her ears followed by a sickening crack of someone’s head on the tile.

“Soap?” Emma hissed as she moved to stand up and see, her whole body shaking from fear. A shadow in the dark room moved toward her and she flinched until it stepped into the dim emergency light to reveal it was Soap. “Oh my God,” she breathed out in relief and reached for him, her fingers gripping the front of his shirt.

“I’ve got her Alex,” Soap said into his microphone as he pulled Emma tight against his chest. “Tell me Gaz is ready.” He pressed a hard kiss to the top of her head as he listened to Alex talk in his ear before releasing her. “We’ve got to go lass,” he breathed, “Gaz has the car and it’s only a matter of time before the lights come on.”

Emma nodded and followed Soap to the stairs, having to squint to try and see, her free hand going out to the stair railings to steady her as she held onto Soap’s hand. They were down the steps quickly and practically ran out the front door into the full-on snowstorm that had kicked up outside. The bouncer that was there before was gone and Emma saw drops of blood in the snow that led down toward the alleyway.

“Get in,” Soap instructed as he pushed her toward the car they had come in. Gaz was in the front seat, both hands on the steering wheel though one hand also held a pistol. “We have to go right now before they catch up,” he said as Emma wrenched open the door and climbed in. Inside she found Crane already sitting there and gasped at the sight of him. He had blood on his shirt, face, and hands as he dug around in a duffle bag at his feet pulling out pieces of a gun and screwing it together.

“Go Gaz!” Soap yelled as he slammed the door shut behind him and looked out the back window. Emma stared at him as he discharged the magazine from the pistol and checked the amount of ammo he had before he shoved it back in again and chambered a shot. “We were fucked before we even sat down,” Soap cursed as he looked out the back window once again, “Alex said he heard Mikhail tell you he recognized one of us.”

Emma nodded, “yes but he didn’t say who. He said he wanted to see what our play was. He searched me for weapons or a radio when he got me upstairs.” Emma hissed as she bent down to pull some glass out of her shin, her fingers shaking as she dropped the bloody piece into the cupholder. “Where are we going? Back to the safe house?” Emma asked as the car took a sharp turn causing her to topple to the side.

“Can’t,” Gaz answered, his eyes darting to the rearview mirror every few seconds before back to the road, “we’ve got a tail and we can’t trust the valet didn’t plant something on the car.” He swerved down another road, the back tires fishtailing out in the snow before Gaz got control again and pressed his foot to the pedal hard.

“Still on us,” Crane said as he finished assembling the gun and turned to look toward the window.

“I fucking know,” Gaz snapped as he took a speed bump fast, causing them all to rattle around in the backseat, Emma’s teeth clicking together hard. She had her hand pressed against the large cut in her knee before Crane leaned over and handed her a rag out of the gun duffle to press against it. “Hold on,” Gaz called before he hit the brakes hard and turned the wheel to the right to spin them into a u-turn using the slick road to their advantage. He hit the gas again and flew past the car that had been behind them and turned down another road.

“Get Price on the phone and find out what he wants us to do,” Gaz yelled as he threw a phone over his shoulder and aimed for a tunnel, cutting the lights on the car as he did so before slamming on the breaks to hold their spot. “We need to ditch this car and find a place to hold up for a few hours,” he kept his eyes on the road as Crane dialed Price.

“Duck down,” Soap said suddenly and they all crouched down as headlights swept past them before it turned dark inside the car again.

Crane was talking quietly with Price, his eyes level with the back window as he watched the car that went by circle back once again. “He said to find a place to stay for the night, that Emma had plenty of cash on her to get rooms,” he looked at Emma who just nodded. “Ditch the car in a well-lit parking lot so they find it and stay off the radios. It’s too much of a risk using them long-range, they could tap them now that they know. He wants us to stay in groups of two in case they come back we’ll be harder to corner.”

Soap nodded before he looked at Emma who was digging in her clutch for money, “they’re going to question when they see us walk into a hotel looking like this,” Emma breathed as she indicated to herself all cut up then at Crane who was covered in blood himself. “How are we going to get around that?” She pulled out a wad of cash and moved to start counting it up before realizing she had no idea what the denominations were.

“We’re not going to be staying at a five-star hotel,” Soap answered as he snatched the phone from Crane and started looking up hotels close by. “I can go in for us,” he stated as he scrolled, he looked the least bloodied of the four of them, “you pay cash and give them a good tip no one will ask any questions.” He found a place and leaned forward tapping Gaz on the arm to take the phone for the directions. Gaz took the phone and quickly pulled out of the tunnel and headed back down the way they came, taking side roads and doubling back a few times.

“Take this,” Crane said as he handed Emma a pistol from the duffel and then tossed her an extra magazine clip as well. Emma checked the gun before stuffing it into her clutch, it was too big to close the flap on the small purse but it was concealed enough, she had nowhere else to put it otherwise.

A few minutes later they pulled up outside of a hotel, which more or less looked like something you’d see when the characters were in a shady part of town in a movie. There were no streetlamps outside, the windows were dingy and the light coming from the inside was a dim yellow. Soap quickly climbed out and went inside to book rooms as the rest of them sat inside in silence waiting for him to return. Emma was constantly looking out all the windows like Crane and Gaz but no one was out in the snow, not a single car came up the street.

When Soap wrenched open the door again Emma jumped, the blast of cold air sent snow swirling into the backseat. “Here,” he handed Crane a key before extending his hand out to Emma, “guy said there’s a grocer about two blocks away. Shouldn’t be too long of a walk for you two, your room is on the second floor facing the back. We’re on the third facing the front, wanted to make sure we’ve got eyes on the whole place.”

“So what we are going to do? Just wait out the night and have Price pick us up in the morning?” Emma ventured looking between Crane and Gaz, the latter merely shrugged.

“He’ll reach out when he’s got a plan,” Crane said, “he’s probably got Alex pulling cameras all over the city to try and track them down and see what they are doing. Or he set Ghost on them,” he grinned a bit, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

At that, Emma climbed out into the freezing air and carefully walked with Soap, heels in the snow were not the best combination and she had to lean into him heavily to get inside the front door. The hotel itself seemed like some mom-and-pop place that may have been a family house at one point. It was run down inside and there wasn’t even an elevator to get up to the upper floors. She glanced down at her legs in the light and saw they were streaked with blood under her ripped hose and Soap quickly tilted her head back up to watch where they were walking. If she stared at herself, others would as well.

“Lots of stairs,” Soap stated as he helped her up the steps, his eyes watching her as she gingerly took each step. “Sorry,” he added as he watched her struggle a bit climbing the steps, “it’s just a better vantage point.”

“I’m fine,” Emma breathed as they cleared the third story and turned toward a room at the end of the hallway that faced out the front of the hotel. When Soap opened the door Emma looked inside to see a basic room with a large bed in the center a small dresser in the corner and a bathroom off to the side. She moved to flip on the light but Soap stopped her, covering her hand with his own. He deposited her down on the bed before going to the window and peering out of the sheer curtains.

“Leave the light off for now, and take out your earpiece and mic. Flip them off,” Soap stated as he looked up and down the street, removing his audio equipment and setting them on the window pane. “It’s late and we don’t want to draw any attention as the only room on the street with a light on,” He further explained his first instruction as he kept his watch at the window.

Emma quickly removed the earpiece and microphone from her bra strap, triple-checking they were off before bending down and removing her shoes. She sighed in relief as she freed her feet before she threw the heels toward the door before moving to unclip her garters. She hissed as she slid the torn-up hose down her legs and Soap abruptly turned around at the sound to look at her.

“Shit, sorry I should have…” he cut himself off as he went right to the bathroom. Emma heard running water and a moment later Soap returned with a wet washcloth and some other dry towels. “How did this even happen?” He asked as he knelt down to gently wipe at her legs. Just the soft touch was enough to make Emma hiss again and she grab at the sheets, but Soap didn’t stop cleaning her up.

“I threw a glass at his head,” Emma replied, trying not to smile at how ridiculous it sounded, “it hit him then shattered everywhere. He wasn’t a fan of that so he dragged me through it by my hair,” she explained and felt Soap tense up at that. “I’m fine,” she stated after a beat of silence, “I mean I’m cut but I’m fine. I’m not dying.”

“You never should have been alone with him,” Soap stated quietly, his fingers gently holding up the back of her knee as Emma’s legs shook a bit. “Alex said you ignored him when he told you to call it,” he snapped his eyes up to her, a demanding look on his face, “why did you ignore a direct order?”

“What was I supposed to do?” Emma asked, “run? I wouldn’t have gotten very far with all of his people around me,” she stated, “you certainly couldn’t have done anything. They probably would have just shot you right in the middle of the club.”

“You’re underestimating what I can do,” Soap answered simply, his hand moving to her other leg where the deeper cut was. Emma cursed as the wet washcloth hit that cut and Soap finally hesitated with his cleaning to give her a moment to breathe before going back to it. “We could have gotten you out of there before he was able to get his hands on you.”

“I wasn’t going to put any of you at risk,” Emma answered back as Soap held his hand out for her hands now. She leaned forward and gently gave them to him, her eyes watching his as he worked over the raw skin on her palms. “I got out, didn’t I? We’ll call that enough of a win,” she reasoned.

“When I heard you scream in there,” Soap started before he cut his eyes up to her, “and I couldn’t get to you,” he swallowed for a moment as if temping down his anger. “Don’t ever do something like that again,” he finally stated.

“It’s part of the job, Johnny,” Emma reasoned with him, knowing full well she was throwing his own words to her back in his face.

“Don’t,” Soap said as he tossed the wet red-tinged washcloth onto the nightstand. “It is not part of your job; your job is to patch us up. My job is to keep you safe and dispatch the threats,” he stated as he dried her hands off and then let go of them to stand up again to tower over her. “You shouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

“I’m okay,” Emma reasoned again as she stood up, ignoring the tinge of pain in her legs. “I have minor injuries that will heal in a couple of days, that is nothing compared to what could have happened. He had a damn gun Johnny, and you walked in there like it was nothing.”

“Because it was nothing,” Soap said as he produced the pistol he had taken from Mikhail from the back of his pants and set it down on the nightstand next to the washcloth. “I’m trained for that, I am trained to disarm, to overpower, to kill. This was another fucking ambush and we just waltzed you right into the middle of it.” He huffed, disgusted with the whole situation, and went back over to the window to look out, leaving Emma standing there staring at his back.

“Johnny,” Emma stated after a moment, walking over to him and gently placing her hand on his back to get his attention. He didn’t turn from the window though, his eyes locked on the area outside, scanning the snow swirled air and buildings around them. He was looking for threats, for anything that could possibly come for them. “We’re okay, we got out and we shook off our tail,” Emma stated as she pulled a bit on his shoulder to try and get him to look at her.

“We thought were okay when Alex got shot, we thought we were okay when we walked into that club, I’m not taking any more chances Emma,” Soap said when he finally moved to look at her. “Please just let me do this okay?” He sounded defeated and Emma sighed as she reached up her hand to his cheek and pulled him down for a quick kiss. He didn’t fight her on it and he returned it softly, his hands moving to grab her waist before he rested his forehead on hers. “You should rest, I’d suggest a shower but I doubt they have any hot water and it’s already freezing in here,” he stated as his thumb came up to brush over her cheek. “I’ll take the watch.” He jerked his head toward the bed.

Emma nodded as she gently pulled away from him before turning and giving him her back, sweeping her hair off her shoulder. “Can you just get the zipper?” She asked and peered over her shoulder at him, he was already staring out the window, probably looking for Crane and Gaz to get back so he knew they were safe. He blinked as if pulled from a deep thought before abruptly reaching up to slide the zipper down her back before popping the clasp of her necklace as well. Emma debated on teasing him a bit but he was so locked in what was happening outside she opted not to. Instead, she stepped away and slipped out of the dress, tossing it onto the small dresser, and made her way toward the bed.

Standing in the cold barren room in such nice undergarments felt so out of place as she tugged on the quilt and multiple other covers to get down to the sheets. The room was freezing but the hotel had provided them with an ample number of blankets and tucked them in so damn tight she had to wrench all of them free.

“They’re back,” Soap said suddenly which caused Emma to stop moving, “Crane and Gaz,” he clarified. For a split second, she thought it had been the people chasing them and they had found the hotel they were in somehow. “They must have hoofed it,” Soap stated before he turned from the window and spotted Emma still in her lingerie wrestling with the bed. “Fucking hell,” he breathed as he looked at her bent over at the waist untucking the top sheet. The underwear was a poor excuse for a thong and left nothing to his imagination. “Get into bed Emma,” Soap demanded after a moment, flexing his hand a bit before fisting it again.

“What?’ Emma asked as she stood up and faced him to find him leaning up against the window openly staring at her. A thrill of excitement went through her at the look and command, her eyes darting down to his hand before back to his face. “I was working on it when you interrupted me,” she explained before sitting down quickly and sliding her legs in, a smirk on her face. “Better?”

“Not really,” Soap answered before he turned to look out the window again, “but it’ll do.” He pulled the curtain back with his fingers to look down the street again. Even from the bed, Emma could see how heavy the snow was coming down outside now, the wind was howling and causing the glass panes to shake. “I can’t see shit,” he grumbled, pressing his head closer to the glass to look down the street.

“If you can’t see anything, neither can anyone else,” Emma reasoned as she shimmied down further into the sheets and pulled them up to her chin. “Come lay down for a bit,” she prompted before flipping a corner of the quilt up for his side. “I’m frozen,” Emma added, which wasn’t a lie, she had to clench her jaw to keep her teeth from rattling, the bed hadn’t warmed up yet and the stiff sheets were cold.

“If I get in that bed with you, I am not getting out of it,” Soap muttered but he had begun to undo the buttons on his shirt and untucked it from his belt. “And I can’t risk missing anything,” he stated as he shrugged off the shirt to reveal the white undershirt below. It was too tight on him, the shirt looked as if he were to move wrong it would split at the seams and as he bent down to undo his shoes Emma watched his back flex under the material.

“Crane and Gaz are here,” Emma tried reasoning, “they aren’t going to let anyone in. We lost our tail a while ago, they ditched the car and it’s a blizzard outside. It would be a waste of their resources, and a risk, to send anyone out to try and find us.” She swallowed as Soap moved to the dresser yanked the belt out of his belt loops in one swift motion and tossed it on top of her dress sitting there.

“I hate this fucking dress,” he muttered as he laid his button-down shirt atop everything as well. “As soon as Mikhail looked at you bent over at the bar and licked his lips, I wanted to burn the damn thing,” he explained before he yanked the undershirt over his head and began work on his pant button and zipper. “I hated watching him touch you, how he acted like you were something he could even have. Alex was in my ear all night talking me off the ledge,” he looked over his shoulder at Emma before grabbing the whole dresser itself and sliding it in front of the door. It was loud as it scraped against the floor and Soap grunted a bit at the weight; it was solid oak. Someone would be able to get in the door if they really tried but that would at least slow them down a bit.

“I didn’t enjoy it myself,” Emma agreed as Soap slipped out of his pants and walked over to the bed now. He paused at the edge staring down a her, as if battling with his last bit of resolve, knowing that he could just walk away now but if he sat down, it was over. “I wanted it to be your hands, all I could think about was I wished it were you,” Emma breathed as she lifted the sheets to push him to join her, knowing it was revealing her upper body to him, to the lace that stood stark against her skin. He swallowed hard looking over her before his eyes met hers “Please?” She asked quietly.

Soap gave in at her please. He sat down and slipped into the bed next to Emma before reaching out and pulling her tight against him. Her skin was freezing against his and he rubbed his hands up and down her arm and her back to generate some heat. She twined her legs into his and pressed her head against his chest as he continued his ministrations, his hands moving down over her backside and thigh before he hitched one of her legs over his hip to pull her closer. He felt her breath catch at the movement and he grinned leaning down to kiss the top of her head before tilting her head up to look at him, his fingers under her chin. “Something the matter?” He asked teasingly.

“Nothing,” Emma answered back, her fingers moving to wrap around his back, to which he flinched since they were like icicles. “I just seem to remember a certain promise you made me just a few hours ago,” she wriggled her hips against his and watched as his eyes fluttered shut for a moment. “Something about peeling my lacey undergarments off when you got me alone.”

“Aye, well, things have changed in a few hours,” Soap reasoned as he danced his fingers down her leg and back up. “A few hours ago we were planning on being back in the safe house and not in this place after getting chased,” he grabbed her hip and pulled her tight against him. He let out a soft groan at the pressure he created. “And you weren’t injured.”

“It’s a few cuts!” Emma admonished before rolling her hips against him, “you had broken ribs and came into my room to seduce me in the middle of the night. I think I’ll be just fine,” she huffed as Soap grabbed the back of her hair gently and tilted her head even further back so her lips parted slightly as she looked at him. “Plus, we are alone so we won’t have to be as…quiet,” she grinned and that was all it took. Soap leaned down at captured her lips in a crushing kiss, his hand gripping the back of her head as his tongue swept in.

Emma reached down and pushed at his boxers, her fingers still a bit numb as she scrabbled at the material before Soap helped her, pushing them down to get lost at the foot of the bed. He was already growing hard and she gripped him gently with one hand and pumped, causing him to arch his hips up to her. She repeated the movement for a bit, her thumb teasing his head slowly and she felt precum gather and smear. Her hands were aching at the movement, the skin still tender from all their cuts, and she gently let go before moving to inch down him, rustling a bit under the sheets.

“Lass, you do this and I am not going to be able to,” Soap muttered, his words trailing off, as she pushed on his hip to get him to lay back. He moved easily with her before shifting up a bit in the bed so his back was up against the headboard to give her more room. He was grinning from ear to ear as Emma maneuvered her way between his legs, slowly so as not to irritate her raw legs. Once she was settled she gripped him again and leaned down to run her tongue from base to tip on him. Soap’s hands gripped the sheets as his head slammed back onto the headboard, letting out a loud groan as Emma slipped her mouth around him before he lifted his head back up again to watch her.

“Fuck,” he groaned as he reached his hand out to push her hair out of her face to see her better, his fingers winding it up and away. He took a few steadying breaths and Emma began to move on him, her eyes looking down before Soap tugged slightly to catch her attention “eyes on me,” he ordered.

Emma felt another thrill straight to her core at the order before she instantly flicked her gaze up to him. He grinned at her following his direction before he gently pushed at the back of her head as a silent command to continue. Emma did as was asked, bobbing her head over him as she worked herself up to relax her tongue and throat before sliding down him fully, feeling him nearly suffocate her before going back up. Soap let a strangled noise out of his throat at that action and Emma repeated it, settling all the way down and nearly gagging before coming back up again and pulling off of him to take a breath, grinning a bit as she swirled her tongue over the tip.

“You like this don’t you?” Soap inquired and Emma merely nodded as she stroked him again, the pain in her hands forgotten. “And you like me telling you what to do,” he stated, it wasn’t a question. It was a fact. He had seen the way she had reacted to him just now, in the warehouse and even in other situations that weren’t purely sexual. She followed anything he told her without hesitation and seemed glad to do it. “But you’ll tell me if you don’t want to,” he stated as Emma squirmed a bit under the sheets, he knew she had to be on fire and dying to be touched. But she nodded her agreement and Soap gripped her hair a little tighter. “Well then, I wasn’t done,” he said as he moved her head back over him again and pushed her head down, groaning as she took him fully to the base again.

Using his hand in her hair he moved her head at the pace he wanted, moving her faster and harder, groaning as she gagged around him the vibrations sending shockwaves throughout his whole body. He was panting as he watched her with tears in her eyes as she kept up the pace without complaint before he pulled her off him fully and dragged her up his body to kiss him. It was a sloppy one as she caught her breath and Soap wiped the smeared makeup away from her eyes as he looked up at her, adoration on his face.

“My turn,” he stated before he gently pushed her off of him so she was on her back on the bed. Emma was grinning ear to ear as Soap rose over her before he roughly grabbed her hips and flipped her over onto her stomach. She let out a shriek at the movement but didn’t fight it as he grabbed her hips and lifted them up and back toward him where he was knelt and she pushed up onto her hands. Emma felt exposed as she looked over her shoulder at him taking in the view and she bit her lip willing herself to not feel embarrassed.

“These are such a poor excuse for undergarments,” he tsked before his hands grabbed the lace of her thong and tore at it easily, the straps over her hips ripping and falling to the side. He balled up the material in one hand and threw it across the room. Emma gasped as his knee wedged her legs apart a bit before his hand moved to cup her, her head dropping down as his fingers slid along her entrance but pausing before he made it to her clit. “You’re always ready for me aren’t you?” Soap nearly groaned as he ran his finger through the slickness.

“Always Johnny,” Emma gasped out as he finally found her clit and he rubbed small circles. She rolled her hips against him but he quickly grabbed her with his other hand and held her still. She whined a bit but he merely chuckled before running his hand up her spine and pushed on her upper back so she dropped down to her elbows. If she felt exposed before it was nothing like she felt now and she could feel a blush creeping up her face as she hid her face.

“None of that,” Soap said, picking up on her tell of how she always hid her face when she was feeling embarrassed. He adjusted to bend his body over hers to push some of her hair off her face and press a kiss between her shoulder blades. His finger was still making slow antagonizing circles over her clit and Emma fought to not move her hips as he had ordered. “You’re beautiful,” he complimented as he kissed a little further down her back, “I never want you to hide yourself from me.” With his free hand, he undid the clasp of her bra, letting the material fall away as he kissed along her spine. He planted another kiss on the small dimple of her back as he kept moving down, shifting his body weight. Emma nearly hummed in anticipation before he gave her what she was looking for.

His mouth was on her in an instant and Emma nearly fell into the pillows at the feel, her body shaking on her elbows. He had grabbed her hips with both of his hands now, his fingers giving up on their prior ministrations, and pulled her back into him as she arched herself to give him better access. His tongue swept through her slowly, teasingly, as she moaned out his name before he plunged his tongue into her without warning. She wanted to move her body so badly on him but he held her fast, taking control of the situation himself as he taunted her with his mouth, one hand on her hip slipping under to her clit again to give her the friction she was desperate for. He continued his slow torture of sliding his tongue in and out, his fingers working her up into a frenzy.

“Fuck Johnny,” Emma gasped out as he finally yanked on her hips giving her permission to move again. Without thinking she began to rock her hips into his hand and against his face, needing more of him, needing that release. He was taunting her right up to the edge and she was going to scream with frustration if he didn’t give it to her. “Please,” she begged, actually begged, her voice nothing more than a whimper.

Soap chuckled at that, his breath vibrating against her before he pulled back and licked a stripe straight up her center, over her asshole, and then bit into the soft skin of her ass gently. She certainly wasn’t expecting that and Emma hitched her hips forward a bit at the new sensation. “Did you not like that?” Soap asked, as he pulled her hips back toward him again and slid two fingers into her without warning, or resistance, his head resting on her ass to watch himself work and admire how his fingers glistened on each pull out.

Emma groaned and dropped her head into her forearms, biting her lip to keep from being too loud since the walls in this place had proven how thin they were with how cold it was. “I did,” she breathed finally as his fingers pumped, curling into her at just the right angle, ”I’ve just never,” Emma groaned again as he picked up the pace with his fingers in her.

Soap just nodded as he pushed her toward the edge, his teeth grazing along her skin before he bit down. His mouth was dangerously close to her hole again but he didn’t move, waiting to see what she did, before Emma arched up to him in silent permission and curiosity. Not needing to be told twice Soap’s tongue darted out graze over her hole, gently lapping and pushing against it before Emma shattered around his fingers in a stream of moans and curses a minute later.

He continued to move his fingers so she could ride through the high, his tongue probing ever so slightly into her before finally pulling back as he felt her body shaking to hold herself up. Emma felt him move away, felt the bed adjust as he rose onto his knees behind her and grabbed her hips with both hands to pull her right onto him with one swift jerk. She collapsed forward on her chest, her arms fully giving out for a moment as he slid home and she pushed her hands against the headboard as he began to thrust, her cheek resting on the bed.

“Fucking hell,” Soap groaned out as his hands moved her on him, his fingers digging hard into her ass as the sound of slapping skin filled the room. “Fuck you feel good Emma,” he continued, “so good for me,” his praises were like lightning along her body and Emma shifted to look back at him to find his eyes were locked on her face. He continued to thrust into her, his arms flexing as he moved her just how he wanted and Emma saw the sweat break out over his face. “You like watching me don’t you?” He inquired after a moment and Emma nodded, biting her lip.

A feral smirk came across his lips as he bent down a bit and slid his hands along her ribs before grabbing at her shoulders to pull her up, up and back toward him so she was kneeling, her back pressed against his chest as he held her there. This angle was hitting a different spot and Emma reached one of her hands around to grab the back of his head to pull him tight against her. She moaned as his teeth sunk into the soft spot at her neck and shoulder. Both of their bodies were slick as they moved against one another and Soap’s hands were all over her as her breath started to become ragged, another climax threatening to take hold of her.

“That’s it,” Soap muttered as he himself was losing the ability to talk, “fuck I need you to come for me,” his voice was strangled as his fingers found her clit again and began to rub furiously, his other hand on her breast holding her tight against him. “Now Emma before I do,” he demanded as his hips snapped into her, his climax right there. He wasn’t going to finish first though, he was determined she would and at the command, Emma felt herself come undone for the second time. Her hands were scrambling for purchase behind her to hold onto Soap to keep herself up but Soap’s arms held fast so she wouldn’t fall forward.

“Fuck,” Soap moaned out into Emma’s ear as he felt her clamp down on him and he reached his release, spilling into her as he rode her through it. He continued to move until Emma’s head tipped forward onto her chest and he could feel her shift her body weight fully into his hands, unable to keep herself upright any longer. Gently he slipped out of her and helped her lay onto the bed before moving to lay next to her. She was face down with her cheek pressed on the pillow and Soap propped himself up on one arm and drew lazy circles on her back with his other hand. “You alright?” He teased, knowing full well she was perfectly fine, just so thoroughly fucked she was exhausted.

“I feel boneless,” Emma answered as she took a deep breath through her nose and pushed some sweaty hair off her face. “I’ve never done that,” she gestured vaguely, “position and other…thing before. I didn’t even know you could hit those spots,” she laughed a bit and turned to hide her face in the pillow for a brief second trying not to be embarrassed by her lack of experience compared to him. She certainly was not a naïve woman but she had always been with men who seemed to just want to get themselves off and certainly never tried anything new.

“Never? Lass, you have been sorely mistreated then,” he grinned and leaned over to kiss her gently on the lips, “good thing I’m here now.” He smirked to himself, glad to know that he would be the first for a few things with her. He wasn’t someone that necessarily ‘got around’ but he had a few partners and was someone that did his research and learned a few tricks.

Emma smiled at his words before yawning a bit, using the back of her hand to cover her mouth to try and hide it. She didn’t want to sleep just yet, she wanted to bask in this moment they had where they weren’t in a rush to leave. The warehouse certainly left no chance for pillow talk and she wasn’t sure when she’d get it again with their current situation.

Soap caught it though and reached out to her. “Come here,” he pulled her gently to him, curling her back against his chest, and reached down to drag the blankets up over them. “I think you should be sufficiently warm now so you can sleep,” he teased as Emma pinched his arm gently before she settled in against him. They lay in relative silence, listening to one another breathe as Soap’s fingers still caressed her arms, dancing them up her bicep then back down to her wrist and up again.

Emma was lulled to sleep by the movement, her hand resting atop one of his as it splayed against her stomach. She felt peaceful, warm, and most importantly protected as she rested against his body. It wasn’t much longer after Emma fell asleep that Soap did as well, though he was still on high alert. Every noise caused him to stir and listen before falling back into a doze, but he never let Emma go even as she rolled over to face him and curl up into his chest. He grinned to himself a bit as she burrowed into him and watched her for a few seconds before she settled again and he fell back asleep.

Some time passed before Emma awoke to the still dark room, blinking a bit as she remembered exactly where she was. After everything in the past two days, it was a bit disorientating waiting for all her memories to catch up with her sleep addled brain. Shifting her head back a bit to look up, she found herself curled into Soap’s chest, one of his arms was locked around her waist the other tucked under the pillow to prop his head up a bit. Not wanting to disturb him she stayed there looking at him, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest and how relaxed his face looked in his slumber. She had seen him taking catnaps and he had even passed out on her bed one night when they were reviewing intel but this was different. He looked perfectly at ease and she found herself grinning happily to herself before he opened his mouth to speak.

“Something the matter mo cadalach?” Soap murmured, his voice deep and raspy from sleep, his Scottish accent thick, as he blinked his eyes open and tilted his head down to look at her. “Did I wake you?’ He asked after a moment, his fingers on her back gently moving to draw circles again.

“No, I just woke up on my own,” Emma answered before asking, “what is mo cadalach?” She knew she butchered the words and Soap grinned with his eyes closed again, as if sleep were fighting to take him back under.

“Mo cadalach,” he said a bit slower then sighed happily, “it means ‘my sleeper’, just a little play off your callsign.” He cracked open his eyes again when she didn’t respond to find Emma staring up at him, her face unreadable and he hesitated, “I…can not use it if it bothers you.”

“Say it again,” Emma breathed and that caught Soap’s attention. He opened his eyes fully now to look down at her before repeating it. Emma smiled finally before scooting up his body to kiss him, her leg wrapping around his waist as she cupped his cheek. “I like it,” she kissed him again and pushed her body against him, “I like it a lot.”

“I should have said it sooner then,” he answered before groaning a bit as she pushed her hips against his already hard length. “Keep doing that and you aren’t getting back to sleep,” he muttered before Emma pushed his shoulder so he would lay back on the bed, moving her body to sit on his hips.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” she responded as she rose on her knees to grasp him. She was still pleasantly sore between her legs as she rubbed him along her entrance but she wanted more. Watching him sleep peacefully, knowing she had done that for him, hearing him use his nickname for her in his native tongue then his hard length pushing into her side when she woke up had been enough to get her going again. She notched him at her entrance before slowly sinking down, biting her lip at the stretch. She was soaked, a combination of their tangle in the sheets earlier and her need for him now, which allowed him to slip right in.

“Fuck Emma,” Soap ground out as he arched his back a bit, his hands finding her hips as she settled herself down on him fully. He seemed shocked at how easily he was back inside of her and he had to breathe for a moment. “You’re insatiable,” he stated, though it didn’t sound like a complaint. Instead, he used his hands to help her move on him, acutely aware that she was still injured, his fingers digging into her hips as he ground her down on him. The rest of his words were a mix of moans and Scottish words that Emma didn’t know and couldn’t discern anyway.

“Just for you,” Emma said as she threw her head back, her hands planted on his stomach to help hold her balance. She kept this slow and soft as she moved on him, grinding herself down into the perfect spot, and watched his face as she rode him. Soap’s eyes kept darting between her own and down where they connected, a determined sort of concentration gracing his features. Eventually, the burn in her already tired muscles got the best of her and Emma slid her hands up his body before coming to rest on either side of his face bracing herself.

Soap’s arms instantly wrapped around her as he adjusted himself, moving so he could arch his hips up into her as she came down on him. He could feel her arms shaking to hold her weight and he lightly tapped one of her elbows, “lay down. I can take it from here,” he grinned cockily as Emma let her body go to relax on him, her hands finding their way into his hair and gripping. Soap picked up the pace now, his hands back on her ass to pull her down into him.

Emma was a moaning fumbling mess in Soap’s ear as he fucked up into her. Her nails dug into his head and shoulders as she kissed at his jaw and at one point bit him hard enough he cursed and she instantly flinched back afraid she had hurt him. But Soap just turned his head a bit to the side to give her more access to his neck, silent permission to bite him all she wanted, and she did just that before licking the spot. It didn’t take long for her to be close to a climax and she wanted to see him this time so she pushed up on her shaking arms, just enough that her face hovered over his.

“I can feel you’re close,” Soap breathed as he leaned up to give her a few quick and rough kisses, “you’re already so tight but I can feel you start to clench on me as if you don’t want to let me go,” he grinned as Emma slammed her eyes shut moaning at the way he was talking to her. “Look at me,” he said for the second time that night and Emma obediently opened her eyes, “that’s my girl.” He gave her a crooked grin before he picked up a ruthless pace, his hands slamming her down on him before he came right as Emma toppled over the edge again, her arms giving out as she collapsed onto him none too gently. He rolled his hips a few more times before gently sliding out and cradling her body against him, both of them laying in silence enjoying the moment.

Sleep found her faster that time as she curled into Soap’s side, her head resting on his chest listening to his heartbeat as it went from erratic to slow. She didn’t wake again until there was light outside and she stretched her hand out across the bed expecting to find Soap there but it was cold and empty. A jolt of fear caused her to sit up, afraid something had happened in the middle of the night that they were found or he had left to go take care of something. But she found him leaning on the wall by the window looking outside, dressed in his clothes from the night before.

“Storm’s let up,” Soap stated as he looked over at her, smirking at her sleep and sex-mussed hair. “Price checked in; Ghost’ll be here in about an hour to take us back to the safe house.” He pushed up off the wall and moved to sit on the bed next to her, “Alex was able to keep track of the men most of the night. They gave up their search pretty quickly after they found the abandoned car. We’re going to regroup and figure out the next steps, Price’s been in touch with Laswell and has more information.”

“I, right,” Emma said as she looked around for her discarded bra finding it in a heap on the floor. “Have you talked to Crane and Gaz?” She asked as she worked on the clasp behind her back to secure the bra before looking for her underwear and realizing it was torn to shreds like her pantyhose had been. She was going to have to get back in that flimsy dress and it felt so out of place, almost dirty, to even think about putting it on.

“I have, they didn’t see or hear anything last night either, they gave up their watch around one am. Crane said he didn’t get much sleep thanks to Gaz’s snoring though,” he laughed before gently reaching his hand out to pull her in for a quick kiss on the lips. “I’ll leave you to get dressed and freshen up, I’m going to see if I can find some coffee.”

Emma watched Soap pull the dresser back to its rightful spot before disappearing out the door, noting the pistol was tucked under his shirt as he went. She did her best to clean up her face, her makeup was everywhere, and finger combed her hair until it was passable. She hoped Price had more information about everything that had happened at the club the night before, especially on how Mikhail had recognized one of them.

She wanted to know who it was Mikhail had known and how he knew them. A feeling of unease settled in her stomach on the thought that maybe there was a mole leaking information to the Russians. She pushed the paranoia aside going with the more logical thought that the Russians also had intelligence agencies and they could spy just as well as anyone else.

[a-lanterninthenight]

Shrike - Part 1

Hi there! This story has been sitting in my Google Docs for quite a bit, and I had honestly forgotten about it until I found it in when I was going through them. I really hope you like it. I feel like there aren't enough Danny fics out there, so hopefully this one will be able to aid all my fellow Danny laners out there. The title was inspired by the gorgeous song Shrike by Hozier, which I'll link here: Hozier - Shrike (Official Audio) - YouTube I'd greatly appreciate any feedback you have, so don't be afraid to drop something in the comments or message me. My deepest thanks to @kaedepo for helping make the moodboard and reading the draft as I wrote it. Now, without further ado, let's get started...

Reader x Danny

TW: none

Word Count: ~2.7k

Sunlight streamed through your gauzy white curtains as you opened your eyes. As they adjusted to the bright summer sunshine, you sat up, taking in the view of your small but cozy bedroom. You had just moved to Nashville last week, and this small apartment was your first real place of your own. It had taken several years of waitressing, pet sitting, and other odd jobs to pay your way through school, but you had finally done it. Nashville was your dream home ever since you were little, and to your elation, a small bookstore in town had offered you a position as a marketing manager. Graduation was three weeks ago, and after a short but much needed vacation, you had packed your things and moved in. 

The soft meows of your cat Stevie greeted you as you walked down the hall from your room into the kitchen. Stevie rubbed up against your legs, purring loudly and leaving some of her ginger colored fur on the pant legs of your black sweatpants. “Good morning, Stevie girl, today’s a big day,” you said to her. Today you started working, and you were eagerly but also a little nervously looking forward to it. “Let’s hope that everything goes ok.” After feeding Stevie, you went back into your room to get dressed and ready for the day. Opting for a comfy but dressy enough pair of jeans and a flowy blouse, you applied a light dusting of makeup and curled your hair in loose waves. Right as you were putting away your curling iron, your phone buzzed. Looking at it, you saw a text from your best friend from school, Stella. “Hey! Big day today, but you’ve got this! Good luck and let me know how it goes.” 

You and Stella had been best friends since your freshman year of college, where you had been in the same freshman seminar. She was heading off to medical school to become a cardiologist in the fall, and despite the big difference in majors, you had been inseparable since you first met. “Thanks, I really appreciate it. I have to be in at 9, so I’m going to be leaving soon. I’ll keep you posted.” Once you clicked send, you slipped into your comfy white Vans, grabbed your keys and small purse, and walked to the front door. “Bye Stevie,” you said to the cat as you walked out the door and down the stairs to your car. The drive to work was only 15 minutes, and after a quick stop at a local Starbucks to buy your usual iced latte and a croissant, you were pulling into the parking lot behind the bookstore. 

The bells on the door rang as you stepped foot inside. You took in the rows of bookshelves and the comfy reading nook in the back corner. You could definitely get used to working in a place like this. 

“Hello! You must be y/n,” a cheery voice called from behind the cash register. A woman with beautiful auburn curls smiled at you, and you immediately recognized her as your new boss, Rosalind. “Hi, you’ve got that right,” you said as you walked and shook hands with her. “We’re so happy to have you here with us! I promise I’m not the only other person working here right now, the others are back in the breakroom.” She led you to a small door in the back that said employees only, which opened onto a tiny but nicely furnished room with three people in it. Rosalind introduced them as Emma, Owen, and Allie. Emma was the store’s resident children’s book expert, while Owen and Allie handled the other genres. Along with being a marketing manager in charge of publicity for the store, you had accepted a part time role as a salesperson, which you were more than happy to do. Sharing your love of books with others was a passion of yours, and you were excited to interact with the customers. Rosalind gave you a quick crash course in how to deal with certain situations, and soon you were out amongst the shelves in the store. Today was going to be entirely about selling books, and you were going to meet and discuss marketing tomorrow.

The store was fairly busy throughout the morning, and you patrolled the floors of the store, ready to be of assistance to any customer who needed it. Around noon, you had stopped to look at the back cover of a new book when you glanced up and saw a young woman with light brown hair staring at a bookshelf. Sensing that this was your cue to sweep in, you strolled over and asked if she needed any help. “Actually, I would love that. I came here for some new books to get while I’m here on vacation and I’ve read pretty much every book on my tbr list,” the young woman said to you. “Well, I can definitely help with that. What genres do you enjoy reading?” you prompted. She listed off several ones, and you immediately got a few ideas. Walking over to the fantasy section, you grabbed a few that you thought she might enjoy. “I think these should be perfect for you. They’re quite popular right now.” 

“These sound great! Thank you so much for the recommendations.” She smiled at you, and you walked over to the cash register to ring up her purchases. While you scanned barcodes and completed the transaction, you made small talk. “So, you’re here for vacation?” you asked. “Yes! I usually come here a few times a year, but mostly for weekend trips. I’m staying for two weeks this time though.” “Wow, you must really love Nashville.” The girl laughed, “You could say that. My brother lives here, so I’ve learned to love the city. How about you?”

“Oh, I’m brand new to this place. I just moved here last week. This is my first place post-grad,” you explained. “I’ve wanted to live here since I was very little though.” The girl smiled, and she explained that she had just graduated college too. She had come down from Michigan to stay with her brother as a vacation to celebrate her graduation, and after her visit she would be heading back home to work as a real estate agent outside of Detroit. The more you two chatted, the more you realized how much you had in common. You were both younger siblings, and reading had been one of your favorite hobbies since you were little. Your birthdays were only a week apart, and you both had pet cats that you loved dearly. You were amazed at how in a few short minutes, a complete stranger had become as close to you as a friend you’d had since grade school. 

“My name’s Josie by the way,” the girl smiled as she put her credit card back in her wallet and slung her purse over her shoulder. “Unfortunately, I should really let you get back to work, so how would you like to meet me for dinner tonight? I’d love to chat more with you.” You enthusiastically agreed, and she gave you the name of a bar within a short distance from the heart of the city and your apartment. She headed toward the door, and waved goodbye as she walked out. The bells jingled, and you smiled to yourself. It felt good to make a new friend. 

…

The bright lights of the neon signs on the wall and the familiar smell of alcohol greeted you as you walked into the bar that Josie had suggested. The place was the perfect mix of old and new, and the vibes matched yours to a T. Josie was sitting on a stool at the bar and she waved as you headed towards her. “Hey there! So glad to see you again.” She gave you a hug before you sat down next to her. The bartender turned to face you, asking for your order, to which you responded with your old faithful, Jack and coke. The drink was quickly placed in front of you, and you sipped it as Josie began to speak. “Since you’re new to Nashville, I had an idea. Why don’t I introduce you to my brother? You can never have too many friends in a new city.” “That does sound nice. To be honest I don’t really know anyone else here besides people from work, and you,” you replied. “Perfect, I’ll text him now,” Josie pulled out her phone and began typing. Shortly after she hit send and put the phone down, her lock screen lit up with a notification from a contact named Danny. “Ah, that was fast,” she exclaimed as she read the message. “I’ve got even better news. Danny said he’s actually in the neighborhood right now and he’d be more than happy to swing by and say hello. This is great!” You weren’t sure what to think about this news, as you could be a bit shy when meeting new people, but you happily responded with “Wonderful, I can’t wait!” 

About fifteen minutes had passed by, and suddenly you were broken out of your conversation by Josie calling someone’s name. You turned around, and realized someone was walking through the door of the bar. Not someone, it was a group of 4 men. The first one to walk in was short, with hair that could only be described as a cross between a mullet and a mohawk. He was wearing a brown linen jumpsuit and white sneakers, and he had a big grin on his mustached face. Following right behind him was another man who looked very similar, though he had wavy brown hair cut in a bob and no facial hair. His outfit reminded you of a rockstar, as he was wearing sunglasses and a shirt with only the bottom few buttons done. He oozed confidence, and you found yourself wondering just who he was. Next to walk in was a man who looked like he could be related to the first two, except for the fact that he had a few inches on them. This one was tall and lanky, with long brown hair and facial hair in a look that was very George Harrison-esque. He wore a button-down shirt in a blue paisley pattern, and he had navy pants with a shoestring belt. Finishing out the group was a man who you could only describe as looking like a Greek god. He was tall, taller than even the long haired one, with dark curly hair with a few faded blonde highlights. He had an angular face and tanned skin, and he was wearing a blue and white striped shirt with the top buttons undone. The tiniest bit of chest hair peeked out, and you had to quickly stop yourself from staring. Given that the other three men looked like they were siblings and Josie had only ever mentioned having one brother, you deduced that this man must be her brother. 

“Hey guys!” Josie exclaimed as the four men approached you. The lanky one wrapped Josie in a hug as the mustached man greeted her with a “Hello sunshine!” Hugs were shared all around as each of the other men gave Josie a hug. “Hello there!” the mustached man said to you. “Y/n, right? Danny said his sister would be introducing us to you. My name is Josh.” He flashed you a smile as you confirmed your name. Josie leaned in, saying “Y/n, meet the Kiszkas and my brother, Danny.” You quickly learned that the other short man was named Jake, while the taller brunette was Sam. Your hunch proved correct, and the curly haired one was identified as Josie’s brother, Danny. 

The six of you moved from the bar to a big table towards the back, and the boys ordered their drinks while you and Josie chit chatted. Once they returned, they took their seats and conversation resumed. “So, how are you liking Nashville so far?” Sam asked you as you finished your drink. “I love it! I’ve wanted to live here my whole life, and it’s everything I could have wanted it to be. Granted, I’ve only been here for a week, but I’m very happy with it.” 

“That’s great! It’s honestly kind of impossible to not fall in love with the city. I know it was love at first sight for me.” Sam confessed. “Well, anything beats Frankenmuth.” Jacob joked, and Sam shrugged in acknowledgement. “Frankenmuth? I’m assuming that’s your hometown?”

Josh nodded, and Danny quipped “It’s not exactly the most… cosmopolitan place. Don’t get me wrong, it was a wonderful place to grow up, but you can only live in a tiny town for so long before the walls close in on you.” Josie raised her glass in agreement. You pondered this, agreeing with their points. You had grown up in a small town in upstate New York, and you were all too familiar with the remote, rural life. Escape was necessary, and college had provided that for you. Like them, you loved your home, but you knew how stifling it was to be in a town where everyone knew everything about you. You had yearned for your independence, and Nashville was the place where you could finally strike out on your own. 

The rest of the evening was spent playing darts, pool, and taking shots with the boys and Josie. You learned that Danny was VERY good at darts, and Sam was a sore loser when it came to it. He complained that “Daniel’s hand-eye coordination is unfairly good because he’s a drummer,” to which Danny retorted that Sam should have just as good coordination from playing the keys. Sam was silenced by this remark, and he returned to the booth where Josh was sitting and sulked for a short while before Jake was able to drag him and Josh over to play pool. The dynamic between the four men was very entertaining, and you eventually learned that Josh and Jake were twins, while Sam was their younger brother. Danny and Josie were unrelated to them, but they were equally family, with Jake emphasizing that Danny was just as much a brother to him as Sam and Josh were. You smiled at this. You could clearly see the bond they had, and it warmed your heart. 

Once the clock struck 12:00, you all agreed that it was time to start going your separate ways. You hadn’t been able to figure out what the guys did for a living, though they did mention instruments, so you wondered if they were involved in Nashville’s vibrant music scene. You tucked that question away in your mind, hoping to ask Josie in the future. Without a doubt, you knew you’d be seeing her again before she returned to Michigan. The June air was warm as you stepped outside the bar to wait for the Uber you had called. Soon after a car pulled up, and you gave Josie a hug and waved goodbye to the boys before climbing in.  

As you got into your Uber, you couldn’t stop seeing Danny’s face in your mind. Though he hadn’t spoken much, you were drawn to him. It wasn’t just his good looks though. He had an energy that oozed comfort. You felt like you had known him forever, and you found yourself wondering how you might see him again. 

The front door creaked as you let yourself into your apartment, and you smiled as you heard the soft tinkle of Stevie’s bell. You went into your room and put on your pajamas, taking off your makeup shortly after. Once you were all ready for bed, you climbed under the blankets, and you decided to put on a playlist of quiet music to help you drift off to sleep. The last thing you heard before you succumbed to sleep was the gentle acoustic guitar and quiet tenor of Hozier singing “Remember me, love, when I’m reborn, as the shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn…”

[cryptidsurveys]

Sunday, December 22nd, 2024.

Are you better at science, maths or art? Art. I am also okay at science as long as it doesn't involve any "complicated" math. Complicated to me, anyway; not necessarily complicated in general.

Do you have any songs in your head at the moment? Jingle Bells.

Do you ever get more than one song stuck in your head? Sometimes.

What is your favourite kind of cheese? Lately, it's been pepperjack, but I also enjoy swiss, mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and even questionable American cheese singles.

Are you happy with your height? Would you change it if you could? I'm fine with my height. I have no desire to change it.

Did you ever call any teachers by their first name? Who? No.

How old were your parents when you were born? They were in their mid-thirties.

Were you born in a hospital, or somewhere else? A hospital.

Do you often have doors held open for you? Fairly often. Mostly at the animal shelter. Not as frequently in other settings, but it does happen.

Have you ever shoplifted, even just once? What did you take? Yeah. Just once when I was around 12 years old. A stupid impulse. I took a t-shirt.

Have you ever witnessed someone else shoplifting? Did you say something? Possibly…? Maybe not knowingly, but without being aware of what they were doing…?

Do you know anyone who volunteers a lot? Lol, me. Aside from Leslie and Iris (they're managers, but they're also unpaid because they're on the board), I'm pretty sure I log the most volunteer hours out of anyone there. Other regulars include Paul (he's there most days of the week to hang out with dogs in the yards), Katy and Dina (they help with Pack Walk and walking dogs in general), and Nan and Wanda (they handle a huge bulk of our laundry pile).

Have you ever been cheated on? Tell me your story. Yeah.

Which would you choose between choc chip cookies and oat & raisin cookies? Ahhh, so many "choose between" questions involve options I like just about equally.

Write the first person you think of whose name begins with T? One of my sibling's ex-partners.

When was the last time you got a haircut? I gave myself a buzzcut a few weeks ago. I'm so impatient for it to grow out because next time I want to go to a salon and get an actual style.

What did you have for dinner tonight, or last night if you haven't yet? A chicken and cheese sandwich with baked bbq chips. My meals have been so devoid of fruits and veggies lately. My body just isn't digesting them very well. :'(

Do you plan ahead for your dinners? I used to just know what I was going to eat because it was basically one of two options - either a salad or a sandwich with mixed veggies. Recently, I've been going with whatever sounds appetizing / tolerable.

Do you have a night of the week where you usually get takeout? No. I rarely ever get takeout.

Is your hair thick, thin, or somewhere in between? Somewhere in between.

Are there many baby photos of you? Where are they kept? Yeah. We used to have a ton of baby and childhood photos. I think I remember going through them at one point and dividing up the doubles so my mom could take half, but I honestly don't know where the bulk of them are kept anymore. I have a small selection of favorites in one of my nightstand drawers, but that's it.

Are you the eldest child? I am.

Have you ever worked with someone named Kelly? I haven't.

Have you ever been in the same class as someone named Emma? Not that I can recall.

Have you ever kissed someone named Luke? No.

Do you have any neighbours with loud animals or children? Not really.

How old were you when you had your first crush? Middle school.

When was the last time you were so sick you couldn't get out of bed? I don't think I've ever been so sick that I literally could not get out of bed. Didn't want to, definitely. Would have been hard, sure. But couldn't, no.

What colour is your bath towel at the moment? Bright pink.

Do you blow-dry, towel-dry or air-dry your hair? Towel dry and then let it air dry the rest of the way.

Are your parents smokers, or have they ever been? They were both smokers in the past.

Can you count to ten in any other languages? Which one(s)? Spanish and German. Used to be able to count (not just to 10, but beyond) in Japanese, but have lost a lot due to lack of practice.

What have you eaten today? Ughgh. I hate talking about what I'm eating at the moment because it's a huge mess. Like I said above, it's whatever sounds good and hopefully won't throw my digestive system into another tailspin. If things don't improve soon, then I need to find a doctor and get checked out… (The doctor I mentioned I will be seeing in January is for social security disability renewal and not my actual doctor. Haven't had a primary care doctor for a while now because I'm such an excellent procrastinator!!! And now I'm kind of regretting it!!!)

When was the last time you stayed in a hotel? Where was it? In 2011 - after backpacking through segment one of the Colorado Trail.

Do you drink alcohol? Verrry rarely. Maybe once or twice a year and not in great quantities.