#everyone’s trying to get to the airport to get home for winter break lol

[foxglves]

there’s literally only 3 uber drivers in my entire city and usually only 1 of them is active at a time so every time I need to order an uber I have to go to fucking war with every other carless 19 year old in the vicinity to get my ride in before them

[mrzombielover]

Hi! Idk if you take requests or even like, emergency requests but, it's obviously Christmas time and I'm feeling really down bc I'm spending it alone. I was wondering if you could write something with Ghost and König's friend calling them and asking them if they could spend the holiday together? Up to you if you wanna make it friends to lovers kinda thing but honestly anything fluff and sweet is more than enough. Thank you so much, and Merry Christmas!

hii i normally don’t take emergency requests (cause i’m not good at themsbahhd) but this prompt is cute. hope headcanon format is okay, that’s the fastest way i could get this out

sorry if this sucks, i wrote it really quickly and didn’t edit it lol

hope your christmas gets better anon :,(

most people are thrilled to get time off for christmas. it’s heartwarming to see dads reunite with their kids during the season, when the majority of people get time off. ordinarily, around this time of year, you’d drown yourself in work and missions to try and take your mind off it, but captain price insisted you guys get this time off to go home and relax. honestly though, you were dreading going back home. it just depresses you.

at the airport, boarding was about to begin, and you found yourself fighting tears. everyone around you seemed to be waiting anxiously, wanting nothing more than to get to your destination. as the minutes went on, you were filled with more and more dread.

at the very last minute, just as they were about to call your group, you found yourself running away from the gate, phone in hand, thinking of anyone to call so last minute.

- simon “ghost” riley

ghost was similar to you in that he also dislikes the holiday season. he’s got no one to celebrate with and nothing but bad memories of it.

when he picked up your call, he told you he hadn’t left the base, and didn’t really plan to soon.

at first he was apprehensive, but he quickly found that he really likes having you on base with him. there were some christmas decorations, but the base was almost entirely empty.

for the first time, ghost was enjoying his holiday break, and quickly got used to your presence.

you guys binge movies in the rec room to pass the time, make a ton of food from whatever’s left in the kitchen, and once you’ve exhausted everything else, you even get a little work and cleaning done.

it’s been a really nice distraction having eachother around. you don’t need to explain anything to eachother, simon will silently accept and comfort you.

the cold pushes you guys together, you’ll cheekily ask to stay in his room to “warm up”, and spoon all night. cuddling while watching movies and forcing him to try your hot cocoa.

some days pass, and even though you didn’t really talk about christmas with him, he got you a gift anyway. it would be something small but sentimental, probably from a mission you were both on or the country where you met. a souvenir or piece of jewelry, or something useful, like a watch. he thinks he isn’t great at giving gifts, but it’s the thought he puts into them that makes it special.

just a few days until you’ve got to go back to work, and you’ve enjoyed an actual relaxing winter holiday. before you go, he’ll catch up to say goodbye, before realizing you’re under the mistletoe. he’ll plant a gentle, almost cautious kiss to your soft lips, letting his hands cup your face, as if begging you not to go. the two of you agree to do this every year.

- könig

(his family life is p much all my headcanon btw)

whenever he has the chance, könig goes back to austria over breaks. he becomes incredibly homesick, especially around the holidays, and when you called, he was ecstatic to show you his beautiful home and share traditions with you.

it made him so happy when you asked to spend time with him, and he was so glad you felt comfortable enough to open up to him about how hard the holidays are for you. he silently vowed to change that for you.

he immediately showed you all his favorite local restaurants and cafes, food he’d been craving so bad during the months he was deployed. you guys did typical touristy stuff along with local traditions and experiences.

he insisted you have dinner at his parents house for christmas, and helped you pick out last minute gifts. horrible at wrapping presents though, that was all you.

his parents are so nice, especially his mom, even though she teased könig about finally bringing a partner home. you made biscuits with her, but she wouldn’t let you help clean, insisting that you were a guest.

after you thank him for making this your best christmas, he’ll tell you how great it was to have you here, and comment on how you should make it a tradition. with christmas lights in the background and snow flurrying around you, you’ll finally make it official.

[rocknrollsalad]

☃️ A quick little thing for both steddimas AND the steddie holiday drabbles again!!

❄️ Steve isn't having the best winter, a snow storm keeps him from all his friends, but occasionally the universe smiles down on people. And then they're kind of shitheads about it.

☃️ content/trigger warnings: i can't think of anything, let me know if something needs adding though. barely edited, I will say that lol

☃️ word count: 1710

The universe hated Steve Harrington.

If there was one thing Steve knew for sure it was that there was a higher power and it had it out for him. And that higher powers didn’t work like Santa Claus. Steve had done plenty of good in his short life, he deserved a few good things every once in a while.

Not like he was asking for much here. Steve didn’t want a million dollars or a fast car. The hot girlfriend they were all trained to want as kids turned out to be a hot boyfriend, which would be way cooler if Steve could brag about it. He didn’t even complain when all his friends moved away to college. That was better for everyone in the long run. So what was four years of missing them?

The job at the grocery store didn’t help him believe any of that though. On days when it was really tough, the job was the icing on the shit cake that Steve was forced to eat. All his friends were off, probably making new friends and going to parties, doing everything from the movies, and Steve was arguing with a woman about whether or not they were hiding cans of tomato paste in the back of the store.

Today was one of those days. Not that anyone cared about tomato paste but that there was nothing good going on in Steve’s life because the universe hated him. It’d snowed last night. Enough to make it dangerous to travel, it was nothing new and Steve wasn’t worried. However, the folks at various airports in the area were. They delayed and canceled flights from all over the country. From all the places Steve’s friends were flying in from.

Winter break officially started and everyone was returning home. Everyone. Steve couldn’t remember the last time he was this excited for winter break. The gang was going to be back together and they could have movie-worthy parties of their own. Steve included.

The first call came in a little after midnight or after three in the morning where she was. Robin’s flight was delayed. She’d get in too late for dinner and sleeping in the airport was going to make her cranky so she just wanted to come right home when she landed anyway. It wasn’t the fun, tear-filled reunion Steve imagined but he understood.

Getting ready for his shift, Karen Wheeler called and said Mike would be on a later flight and wanted to know when and which airport Steve was going to in hopes of saving Ted a trip. None of it worked out but it was enough to plant the seed of worry. The weather was going to get in the way.

Looking out the window would have done the same though. The whole midwest was getting dumped on, it seemed and Steve was looking at too much snow to drive. Against better judgment, he went and woke Eddie up. Explaining he was going to walk to work and stay for his whole shift today. He wasn’t sure how they were going to get Robin but he’d call on his lunch break and they could brainstorm.

Steve took off as fast as he could by foot, with a few shortcuts and an apology, he was only five minutes late to work. Eddie ended up calling sixteen times during Steve’s shift. Something he would likely be written up for but in this weather, the phone never stopped ringing. All Eddie’s calls were doing was stopping the absolute flood of “are you open” calls.

Not a single friend was going to make it in today, most were hopeful for tomorrow but Erica and Dustin might not even make that. By the time Steve walked home, the cold couldn’t even bother him; he was so numb from the stream of bad news.

Eddie had made a special dinner, he knew what Steve would be like, and he didn’t try to force conversation or positivity. When Steve went and laid face down on the mattress for the night, Eddie took up the other side. It was Steve’s favorite part of the day.

The next day was more of the same. No one woke him with news, good or otherwise, but Steve went through it with the same amount of enthusiasm. The lack of calls from Eddie had him hopeful people were making it through but the snow outside the store was rising to levels that slowed the panic buying. This meant Steve had to spend his shift milling around, counting the seconds, and dusting the barren shelves.

He called Eddie at lunch but he wasn’t “available to talk”. Steve wanted to reach through the phone and punch him for that. Sure he was trying to deal with someone’s arrival but they could have waited five minutes. All Eddie did was burst that hope growing by saying Lucas was stuck in Phoenix somehow.

Layovers and getting any flight possible did have them ping-ponging through the country and it was probably more stressful than Steve’s miserable day. Still, it wasn’t too much to ask for his boyfriend to give him some burst of happiness to get through the rest of his shift.

Instead, he was left to wallow through minimum wage hell and walk himself home. He grabbed everything he thought could be of use for the coming days because he’d requested the week off and wasn’t coming in for anything. Unfortunately, the liquor store wasn’t open so Steve made his way home.

There was nothing left but to make the depressing walk home and wait for the news he could finally go pick up Robin. If the others didn’t make it, Steve would be crushed but not like if Robin didn’t show up.

It was out of the parking lots and onto the first street that Steve noticed the little snowman on the hood of a car. Maybe a foot tall, two snowballs stacked up. A little face made out of gravel and one sad-looking stick arm, it looked so out of place there but adorable. Steve tipped his head like he was passing a friendly face and carried on.

When he turned down the next street there were three more. They looked like the one of the car and we’re placed right in the middle of the sidewalk. Each had the correct number of sad-looking arms and one wore a frown. Steve figured the kids who built them must live nearby.

Even when he spotted the one built upside down by the lamp post not but ten steps away from the trio, though across the street. A few houses down there was a group of four and Steve could swear they were holding stick guitars. Continuing down the same street he spotted one in a driveway. Another perfect triangle of three was in the middle of the road and Steve asked them how they were still there.

In one of the spots he had to cross the street, there was a line of six that blocked his way. Two of them had cardboard shields and suggested the culprit wasn’t neighborhood kids banding together but maybe, just possibly, the guy Steve was going home to. Hopefully, Eddie would want to come out when Steve got home so they could take some pictures before all daylight was gone.

Another turn and Steve was on the same road as his place. Five blocks down but home was in his sights. So was an army of snowpeople. At first, Steve was weaving around one or two. He found a couple of trios but the closer he got to his place the more there were. Eddie had to have spent all day at this, it was touching and definitely lifted Steve’s spirits.

In something Steve should have expected, his yard was filled with tiny snowpeople. Not all of them had details, just two circles plopped together and adding to the masses. Standing on the sidewalk, looking at the overpopulated yard, Steve shook his head. He didn’t deserve Eddie. And Eddie didn’t deserve the version of Steve he’d had lately either. Some major apologies were in order.

Against better judgment, Steve put the paper bags he’d dragged through the infestation down. The snow would ruin the bottom but he only had a few more feet to go in. He took in the sights and tried to look at the ones that did get little personalities.

As he looked at two that could be described as kissing, he was attacked. A snowball smacked square against his chest. Immediately, Steve’s eyes scanned the yard. It took ten seconds before common sense kicked in and he remembered they weren’t real, they couldn’t hit him with snowballs.

Before he could look anywhere else, he was hit with two more while one fell at his feet. “The groceries!” Steve cried, like getting any more snow on them would be a problem.

His words were called back in more voices than just Eddie’s. Though each was mocking him. Scanning the area, Steve’s head bounced around as he tried to figure out where the voices were coming from and who they were. Deciding Eddie’s band was the most likely culprit, he bent down to grab some snow and fight back.

When he stood, people materialized among the snowpeople. Eddie, Lucas, Nancy and Jonathan, Will and El, Erica, and on the porch stood Robin. Steve stood there with his mouth open, desperately scrambling for any words.

Rather than his excitement filling the air, Eddie screamed “FIRE!” and they all lobbed snowballs at Steve. Most didn’t make it but that didn’t matter.

Groceries were forgotten, Steve scrambled his way up the slippery, snowy path left for him and was greeted by all his friends. Everyone was talking at once and Steve didn’t catch a word of it but he didn’t care. How could he? Though the holiday was a week away, he’d got his very own Christmas miracle, there’d be plenty of time for understanding conversation later.

“Jonathan and Nance brought us dinner, you’ve had a hard day,” Eddie half-mocked. “Let’s get you inside?”

“Will you get the bags?” Steve asked, trying to look as innocent and helpless as he could.

“No, but Will can.”

[wroteasongabouther]

can’t stand to see you lonely: part 2

a/n: thank you all so so sooooo much for the love on the first part of cstsyl ❤️ i hope you guys like part 2 just as much, and please reblog/leave me any feedback if you can as if really just makes me smile and helps with the engagement and blah blah blah u know the drill lol

and thank you to the lovely jill @havethetimeofyourstyles​​, jess @arrogantstyles​ and wendy @bookwormandtea​ for beta reading for me!

word count: 15k

warnings: mentions of death, couples fighting, awkward silence in elevators, and addicting candy cane pretzels.

fic page // let’s chat! // cstsyl playlist

They were fighting again. Y/N’s voice was booming through the walls, her boyfriend’s echoing after hers. Harry tries his best to focus on anything but their voices, but he can’t. It doesn’t make him feel all that great listening to the girl he had only seen smile and had been making laugh over the past two weeks, now yelling on the other side of the wall between them.

Harry plucks a soft melody on his guitar as he lounges on his couch. His hands absentmindedly playing the four chords that have been stuck in his head all morning while he attempts to write lyrics to the melody. Only, he was having a bit of trouble doing so as he listened to Y/N’s voice again.  

“Honestly, Mark! Really?” Y/N’s shouting is muffled, but Harry hears her still. “You really think that it doesn’t bother…” The rest of her words are a bit harder to hear as she quiets her voice. Harry never imagined he’d hear her raise her voice like that. That soft, sweet and gentle tone that he has spent dreaming about for weeks now.

Harry’s still plucking the chords he’s grown obsessed with, humming along while zoning out on the blank tv in front of him. He feels selfish, and rather ridiculous too, not wanting to imagine Y/N with another man. But he also feels selfish that he’s not upset over the fact they’re fighting for the third time in two days. Harry shakes his head and scolds himself for the thought. Regardless of his feelings, he shouldn't want Y/N to feel this way. He can tell these couple days must’ve been hard on her, working all day and then coming home to only end up in a yelling match with her prick of a boyfriend. 

Harry rolls his eyes and notices that the shouting has stopped. The silence of his apartment, aside from his guitar, only makes him feel a bit sadder. 

“I’m selfish, I know,” Harry sings, “but I don’t ever want to see you with him.” 

Suddenly, his phone chimes from where it’s sat on the table, signalling an incoming phone call from Mitch. A picture of the two of them together in the studio last spring shows on the screen, Mitch tucked under Harry’s arm as they’re both slouching into the couch they sat on. Harry reaches for his phone and swipes his finger across the screen to accept his call. 

“Hey,” Harry mutters into the phone, focusing on getting together his notebook and cleaning up the few torn crumpled pieces of paper littering his coffee table.

“Hey, you leaving your place soon?” Mitch asks. Harry can hear traffic in the background, meaning that he had already left his place that's located much closer to the studio than his own apartment is. Moving his shoulder up a little, he holds his phone between his ear and shoulder in order to use both hands as he sets his guitar into the open case that’s sitting on the chaise lounge of his couch. Then scrambling around to gather the scrap paper and glass of water he had, standing up with his trash in hand to throw away and glass in the other to put in the sink.

“Just about to,” Harry answers honestly, making his way into his kitchen to clean up. He sighs after clearing his hands and returns his phone to his left hand to hold now.

“You get busy with that neighbour of yours again. Got a new crush, H?” Mitch teases him. Rolling his eyes, Harry brushes a hand on his light wash jeans before patting his pocket to make sure his thin wallet was still there. 

“No,” he mutters, obviously lying to his best mate - which Mitch is very aware of as he hums in response. “I’ll be there in, like, 20 if the tube isn’t a horror show.” 

“You’ve lived here for nearly 3 years now, think you can call it the subway yet?” 

“Nope,” Harry sighs. There were a few things his British instincts kicked in for; many different phrases and words he knew would stick in his vocabulary despite how many years he’s been in the U.S. Harry’s grabbing his green winter coat and slipping on his boots as he holds the phone between his shoulder and ear again. “Should I grab the gang some coffee on my way? Seeing as I’ll probably be the last to arrive,” Harry says in a tight voice, his annoyance from hearing Y/N and her boyfriend still clear even in his phone call with his mate. 

“Don’t count on it. Tom hasn't answered his phone all morning, so something tells me he’s preoccupied,” Mitch suggests. Harry recalls the text he had gotten from his friend Tom, saying that he and the Missus were planning to celebrate their anniversary early this year. Mitch seems to be hinting that their celebrations have fallen into the morning too. Harry bets that Tom being MIA was because of his two children. The two of them knew how to gang up on their dad already at a young age—he couldn't imagine how they’d be when they grew up. 

“He’s a dad, Mitch, that's probably what he’s preoccupied with,” Harry states. After putting on his coat, he walks over to clasp the case for his guitar closed and heaves it up before heading for the door. 

“Point being, don’t bother with coffee. I’m in line at Starbucks anyways. Did you want anything?” Mitch asks.

“A slice or two of the banana loaf, please,” Harry requests, his stomach growling at the thought of food. Time had slipped by him this morning, listening to Y/N and her boyfriend argue, and he hadn’t eaten more than an apple for breakfast. 

Harry double checks the lights are off in his apartment before shutting the door behind him, setting his guitar down to rest on the wall to his left, and locking it quickly. Mitch is complaining in his ear about some Karen at the front of the line. Harry chuckles at his friends colourful words and picks up his guitar, not sparing a glance at Y/N’s door as he walks to the elevator and hits the down button to call it to his floor. Not even a ten seconds go by and he hears someone exiting their apartment behind him. Harry doesn’t want to look over his shoulder to check, not wanting to see Mark and Y/N walking hand in hand towards him. So, he keeps his eyes trained up on the red numbers rising above the elevator doors, signalling it’s arrival, soon hopefully. 

“Hey, Harry right?” Mark questions, pointing a finger at Harry as him and Y/N stepped up to the elevator. Y/N tries her best not to frown. She hates the way Harry doesn’t smile at her first before meeting Mark’s eyes and nodding. 

“Hey,” Harry says. He turns his head and catches Y/N’s gaze. “What are you guys up to?” 

Y/N knows he’s simply being polite, something Mark wouldn’t care to be - seeing as he’s already got his phone out of his pocket, and is staring at the screen as he answers. “Y/N’s driving me to the airport,” he states. 

Harry looks at Mark, anger bubbling inside of him as he clutches the guitar case in his hand. The elevator doors open then, a light bing! coming from inside. Mark enters first, not even bothering to look at Y/N or Harry, but then Harry waves his free hand in motion to let Y/N walk in before him. She smiles and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear as she walks into the small space and stands beside Mark. 

“Thanks,” she says in a soft voice as Harry hits the button for the lobby. She takes note of the guitar case in his hand. “Are you heading to the studio?” She asks, pointing to the bulky item he’s carrying. 

Harry looks down at his guitar case, “yeah, last day before everyone gets their break.” 

“No more counting down the days then, huh?” She asks, mentioning their previous discussion about how people typically countdown the days till they have time off - her included this year. But Harry had mentioned that he wasn’t looking forward to his days away from the studio. He didn’t think she’d remember that. 

“Counting the days till I’m back in the studio now,” Harry says. Y/N smiles and Harry’s heart bursts at the sight. Having heard her raised voice earlier today, being sure a scowl was etched on her face, he was glad to see her lips turned upward. Mark clears his throat then, causing both Y/N and Harry to quit looking into each other's eyes and step back into reality - her boyfriend was right beside them. 

“Studio? What are you, a singer or something?” Mark asks Harry. His eyes catch sight of Mark’s arm snaking around Y/N’s back, resting lazily on her left hip as they stood there. Harry licked his lips and almost nodded, but was quick to catch himself and shook his head instead. “What kind of studio then? Movies?” Mark continues to question him. 

“A music studio, I’m just a musician,” Harry answers. 

“Oh,” Mark says, “cool,” he adds with a shrug. The elevator doors open and Mark guides him and Y/N out of the small space. “Well, see ya around, ‘Arry,” Mark says with a smug look, trying to mimic his accent. But he butchers it, of course, sounding more like Hagrid from Harry Potter. Mark then waves and turns himself and Y/N to the right of the lobby that leads to the stairwell that went down to the underground parking lot. 

Y/N only gets to give Harry a quick smile before Mark turns her away. She wants to apologize for Mark’s ridiculous behaviour, feeling embarrassed by it. She also wanted to say that Harry wasn't just a musician, he was a songwriter too, which therefore meant he was a storyteller, and in her eyes songwriters were some of the most creative and talented people. Y/N wanted to shut Mark up and start bragging about Harry, like he was her boyfriend and Mark was just some dumb prick. 

Y/N rolls her lips into her mouth and licks them, glancing quickly over her shoulder before getting to the door. Her eyes meet Harry’s intense stare, him looking over his shoulder at her too, and her stomach erupts with butterflies. But then it flips and flops with nerves and her hands suddenly being tugged on by her boyfriend, holding open the door with his hip as he walks them through the doorway and out of Harry’s sight. 

Harry finds himself thinking about Y/N the whole way to the studio—as if he hasn’t stopped thinking about her and her boyfriend over the past couple days anyways. Did she ever mention being in a relationship, even in the most subtle way? Did he misinterpret her kindness for flirting like an absolute idiot? These questions were on a loop inside of his head until he walked into the studio, flashed the front desk his ID badge, and headed to studio B where he and his mates would be working today. 

“And he’s made it,” Mitch announces as Harry pushes closed the door and walks the few steps to his left where the brown leather couch was against the wall. Adam is sitting on the couch, the phone in his hand chimes as he types on it quickly, merely giving Harry a quick smile before looking back at the screen. Mitch is standing by the switch board, leaning back against it as he stares Harry down. Next to him is Tom, sitting in his chair and facing his many computer screens as he gets everything up and going for the day. 

“And I see we were both wrong and Tom beat me,” Harry states. He sets his guitar down, leaning it against the side of the couch before sitting himself down beside Adam.

“I wasn’t answering my phone because I was already on my way over here way before any of you slowpokes, and then I turned off my ringer once I got in here,” Tom explains, leaning back in his chair while his eyes stay on the screen. But then he twirls around, facing Harry and Adam, and gives Adam a bored look. “Like we all agreed to do, right Adam?” 

“Relax, I’ll do it after I send this last text,” Adam says. 

“Sure,” Tom mutters, swivelling his chair back around and grabbing the mouse to continue his set up.  

“Jeez, Tommy,” Mitch chuckles, “did you not get any last night or something? What’s got your panties in a knot?” 

Harry’s eyebrows pull down as he takes in his friends stiff posture as Mitch’s words seem to sink in. “Wasn’t it your anniversary date last night?” He questions, keeping his voice light and not as daunting as Mitch’s had been. 

Tom turns back around to face the boys and makes a big show of rolling his eyes. “Yeah, it was supposed to be, but then our babysitter called and was all freaked out and of course Jenny got all freaked out too. I tried to tell her it wasn’t that big of a deal and they could handle it, but we still ended up leaving our hotel room at nine o’clock and dealt with our two crying children who just missed their mommy. I was in bed by eleven.” Tom explains his night, ending with rubbing a hand up and down his face as he was clearly annoyed by the whole situation. 

“That’s just life as a parent, man,” Adam states. “Emi and I didn’t have a single date night till Spike was five,” he adds with a shrug. 

“Yeah, I get it but it’s just upsetting to have this whole night planned and then it not happen,” Tom says. Harry knew that feeling; he may have not had a full anniversary night away planned like Tom did, but the other day he was racking up things to do with Y/N before he was introduced to her boyfriend. 

Harry zones out, eyes glued on the coffee table in front of him as he sighs softly, leaning back into the couch as he was getting wrapped up in his thought of Y/N, again. I could still be her friend, he thinks. Even though it’d hurt to see her with her boyfriend, to hear about a date night or see them kiss. The ache already begins in Harry’s chest as the mere thought of it, and he finds himself bringing a hand up and rubbing over his heart subconsciously. 

“Harry,” Mitch calls, forcing Harry to snap out of his thoughts and look up at where he stood. He raises his eyebrows, making Harry think that he had said his name more than once but was ignored. 

“What’s going on?” Tom asks Harry. 

“He’s probably thinking about his latest little crush,” Mitch smirks, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Who is it this time?” Adam asks in a monotone voice.

“His new neighbour. Supposedly, she’s rather beautiful in Harry’s eyes,” Mitch teases. 

“Not just in my eyes,” Harry mumbles, looking at his lap and picking off an invisible piece of lint. 

“What do you mean?” Tom questions. 

Harry hears Tom’s chair squeak suddenly, making Harry assume that he must be leaning back in it again. Harry looks up to see he’s right - Tom’s got his arms crossed at his chest like Mitch while they’re both staring him down. Harry lets out a sigh and shakes his head, leaning further into the back of the couch while he licks his lips and looks anywhere but at his friends’ faces - not wanting to see their taunting looks when he tells them. 

“She’s got a boyfriend,” Harry says in a low voice. 

Mitch inhales a sharp breath, hissing through his teeth as he walks over and clamps a hand down on Harry’s shoulder. “That’s tough man,” he says. 

Harry shakes his head again and sits up, causing Mitch’s hand to fall off his shoulder. “It’s not just tough. I get I have these crushes on people a lot, but I don’t know, there was just something different between us. We really clicked and I just thought we’d at least get to go out a few times,” he speaks softly into the quiet room,the support of some of his closest mates surrounding him.

“Have you written about how you’re feeling?” Tom asks. Harry nods and reaches for his guitar without a second thought, taking it out of the case and positioning the instrument in his lap. 

“This is gonna be good,” Mitch nods his head and rolls over the second chair that occupied the room. Harry shakes his head at his friends comment. 

“I’ve just had this tune in my head for a couple days now, and I’ve only come up with a few lyrics really, so I don’t know how good it will be,” he explains. 

Harry plays the song he’s been playing all morning for the other three in the room. The soft acoustic guitar fills the silence, the twang from his guitar strings echoing off the walls. Harry shuts his eyes and lets his voice build up as he sings the two lines he’s been thinking about for a few days now. He feels it deep in his chest, the truth behind his words. Suddenly, more lyrics filter out of his mouth that hadn’t come up before. 

“I’m selfish I know,” he sings, “I’d tell you but I know you’d never listen.”

It’s not entirely the truth, because he’s sure that Y/N would listen to anything he had to say. He’s also sure that if he walked up to her right now, ran out of this studio and back to the apartment and waited outside her door, begging for her to break up with him, that she wouldn’t listen. Harry believes that she’s a better person than that - that regardless if she felt what he had over their past few encounters, she wouldn’t listen to what he wanted and would figure things out herself. 

“I hope you can see, the shape that I’m in,” Tom suddenly sings along to the tune that Harry’s still playing. Harry opens his eyes in a flash and looks at his friend, but Tom’s back is already to him as he’s facing his computer again. “I have the perfect piano and drums mix for this. I’ve had it kind of hidden away for the right time and I think this is it.” 

And that’s when the magic happens. Harry puts down his guitar and gets right into the lyrics, pouring himself into yet another song. He lets his feelings out about the situation he’s gotten himself into with Y/N, and mixes it with some poetry he’s written previously in his journal. You flower, you feast, is something he’s had for quite some time but had never felt it really fit into any of his other songs. And yet somehow in this song full of duck noises, a guitar solo, and many lalalala’s, it somehow found its place. 

Not to mention that Mitch absolutely murders the guitar solo. His long hair acts as a curtain as he sways to the music and lets himself go. Nearly every time that Mitch goes in for a solo, he doesn’t remember what he plays because he’s in such a trance, so Tom has to play it back for him if he needs to fix anything up. Overall, the song inspired by Y/N and her shit boyfriend is pretty great. 

“Anything else you’ve got to bring to the table, Harry?” Tom asks after nearly six hours of working on perfecting their new song ‘Woman’ - named solely because of the repeating of the word in the course, which was chosen because he felt like he was calling out to Y/N in this song. Saying woman over and over again at her in hopes to get her attention. He simply shrugs and stretches back into the couch, sprawling his legs out in front of him while staring down at his journal that’s sitting in his lap. 

“I’ve been writing this one based off a man I see everyday during my breakfast at the cafe down the street from my apartment,” he says. Harry clears his throat and sort of talk-sings what his idea of the melody is with the lyrics he’s got. “Nine in the morning, man drops his kids off at school. And he’s thinking of you, like all of us do. Sends his assistant for coffee in the afternoon, around one thirty two.” 

“Alright, I like it,” Adam nods his head.

“Who’s he thinking of?” Mitch teases, “like all of us do,” he adds with a smirk. His lips then wrap around the straw that was in the can of Pepsi he had gotten from the mini fridge a while ago. Harry rolls his eyes and kicks out his foot in order to nudge Mitch’s leg from where he’s sitting in the desk chair he’s gotten comfortable in. 

“Shut up,” Harry grumbles. Adam, Mitch and Tom all chuckle at their friend’s pout, which just makes him smile. He knew that coming into the studio and writing and making music about his situation with Y/N would ultimately make it feel even a little bit better. During the making of their newest song, his friends did give him some advice. 

“If it’s meant to be, it’ll work out, H,” Adam had said with a smile. 

But there’s no way of knowing how he’ll feel when he bumps into her again, whether she’s with her boyfriend or not. 

It’s been a tough few days for Y/N. Not only has work been crazy because not one, but two interns got sick with a stomach bug; meaning she was currently filling their job on top of her own and running around the city - but she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about Harry. 

She is in her own head again as she walks into the Gucci store on Fifth Ave. for the third time in two days. As Greg approaches her, she appreciates his light pink suit with a white ruffled shirt underneath. His bald head shines under the lights of the store, but that smile was much brighter and obviously, professionally whiten. Greg gives her a kiss on the cheek, saying they are a bit behind with her packages since it’s such a busy time for them as well. Y/N just nods and gives him a smile, accepting the flute of champagne as she takes a seat and waits. This is honestly the first time she’s gotten a chance to sit all day, but of course, she spends it zoning out on a sparkly dress hung up a few feet away from her as her mind begins to think of anything but work. 

Mark and her started dating only a mere four months ago. After meeting at a bar in the Upper East Side, he practically stalked her - which isn't too hard considering her social media following - and sent her flowers to work for three days straight till she agreed to go on a date with him. Turned out that he wasn’t just some business man out on the town with some work buddies, but an heir to one of the country's biggest companies. Therefore, meaning that when the gossip started of the two of them seeing each other, Y/N’s mom was the first person to call. 

“You hit the jackpot, baby!” She basically screamed into Y/N’s ear. 

Y/N only rolled her eyes at her mothers words. Her mother was the typical New Jersey girl that grew up with big dreams of pinning down a wealthy New York City man - and kudos to her for doing it. Her dad, bless his heart, was an older naive man who somehow managed to fertilize her mother’s gold digging eggs and voila, Y/N was born. But with that being said, Y/N was lucky enough to have family money, so she never felt the need to be in a relationship just because a man had more in his bank account. She also had better morals than her mother, and knew that money wasn’t a factor when you really loved someone. So no, Mark was not the jackpot because of his bank account. Y/N just thought he was really nice and attractive too, so she agreed to be his girlfriend those four months ago. But it wasn’t till a month ago that that nice streak ended. 

All of a sudden Y/N’s cell phone is ringing. She blinks out of her daze to realize she’s finished her glass of champagne while so deep in thought. Pulling out her phone, she looks at the screen to see it’s Mark calling. His ears must be burning, Y/N thinks.

“Hey,” Y/N answers softly, crossing a leg over the other and resting her elbow on her knee as she holds the phone to her ear. 

“Hey, babe,” Mark sighs. Y/N knows right away what he’s about to tell her, all by the tone of his voice and the use of that nickname. He used it when he asked her to drive him to the airport yesterday, which he forgot to mention he needed her to do till an hour before he had to leave - resulting in Y/N being very behind on work for the day.

“How’s Arizona?” Y/N asks politely anyway, mentioning the state he was in for business this time around. He was always traveling for work; his father wants him to know all the branch executives, so therefore he’s been to pretty much every state in the country over the course of six months. The moment they started to date Y/N knew he’d be working a lot, but she didn’t expect him to be working all over the country. She’s lucky if she gets a weekend with him, and honestly, she was looking forward to the almost two weeks work free they’d be getting together. But something told her that was not going to happen. 

“It’s good, hot,” he says, seeming distracted by something in the background to which he moves the phone away from his mouth to respond to someone around him. “No, no, not those, the red ones,” he orders. 

“Mark?” Y/N questions, keeping her voice down as Greg and one of his associates come from the backroom then with a few boxes in hand. “I’m just a bit busy with work, was there a reason for you calling, hun?” 

“Right…Well, unfortunately my time at the Arizona office will be extended. So, I’m not going to make it back to New York before Christmas,” Mark explains. Y/N frowns at his words even though it’s just as she imagined when she answered his call.

“When will you be back?” She asks, her eyebrows pulled together and lip pouting out slightly. 

“That’s the thing, there’s really no point in me flying back to the East Coast so close to the holidays when I’ve got to be in Los Angeles for my family’s big festivities.”

“Oh,” Y/N says. She’s only sad for a moment, noticing that Mark is distracted by something in the background once again as his voice is muffled. “So when exactly are you planning to come back to the city, Mark?” She asks as she sits up and projects her voice louder into her phone. Greg and his associate seem to notice Y/N demeanour change, his baby blue eyes widening slightly as he sets the boxes down on the couch beside her.

“I don’t know-”

Y/N doesn’t let him speak, though, her anger getting the best of her for what feels like the millionth time since she began dating Mark. It’s so unlike her, she thinks. She shakes her head and says, “you don’t plan to come back to New York and spend any part of the holidays with your girlfriend? Your girlfriend who very much loves the holidays, by the way.”

“I’m aware of your love for the holidays, Y/N, little hard to not know when your apartment looks like a four year old decorated it with all that crap,” Mark huffs into the phone, his voice matching her tone. 

“Oh my god, whatever, Mark,” Y/N snaps in a low voice, having to take a deep breath as she stares down at the floor. “Just go and have fun on the West Coast, don’t worry one bit about me ‘cause it seems you haven’t bothered to to begin with,” Y/N finds herself seething into the phone, keeping her voice low before pulling her phone away from her ear and hanging up before he can say one more thing to upset her. 

She shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath. Focusing on making her heart beat slow down and her hands to stop shaking. Did she just break up with him? No, no I didn’t say the words, I didn’t say it’s over and maybe I should have, Y/N thinks while letting out another short breath through her nose. She did not deserve this and she knew she didn’t, and yet she keeps putting up with his extended work trips and him disrespecting her opinions. Mark wanted a woman like Y/N’s mother. One that didn’t have her own hobbies and her own dreams, and who just wanted to be on his arm and live with whatever he put them through. Or did she even give him a real chance? That little voice in the back of her head, the one that was planted by her own mother, asks her. 

“You look like you need another glass, mi amor,” Greg says softly, bringing her to open her eyes once more and realize that she did in fact just have a fight with her boyfriend over the phone in public. In front of a supplier too. Her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. Thankfully, she thought of Greg as more of a friend than in a professional view. She smiles at him, forcing it, while he holds up the bottle of champagne and fills her glass. 

“Thank you,” she says quietly. 

“You’re welcome,” he nods, turning to his left to grab the second tall glass and fills it as well. Y/N chuckles as he brings it to his own mouth and has a sip. “What? The holidays are stressful, I deserve a glass too every once in a while.” Y/N only laughs again and raises her flute, Greg lifts his own to cheers her before they both take a sip. “Did you want to talk about it?” He asks after a beat of silence. 

Y/N licks her lips, tasting the expensive champagne all over again. “It’s just,” Y/N sighs and runs a hand through her hair before she continues, “I thought that Mark was different when I first met him. He sent flowers to my work and took me to nice restaurants. He seemed to be really into me, and now, he’s really into his work and he thinks my love for the holidays is childish, and that my opinions and my time don’t matter. So, I’m starting to think I jumped into this relationship, maybe a bit too fast all because my mom approved of his last name and Sammy thought he was hot.” Y/N rants in a rush of words, bringing her flute to her lips afterwards for another sip.

Greg doesn’t respond right away, instead he too sips his champagne and looks around the room they sat in. He sighs and brings a hand down on Y/N’s thigh, causing her to look at him. He smiles and gives her a comforting pat. 

“You are a young woman in New York City who’s really got her shit together, you know your worth, Y/N,” Greg says. Y/N mirrors his smile, feeling the back of her eyes threaten with tears at his sweet words. “You’ll know what to do about this man,” he adds with a wink. Greg removes his hand and lifts his flute to finish off his champagne. “Plus, men are trash anyways,” he mutters as his eyes wander around the room that’s quickly filling up with customers. 

Y/N laughs, “yes, Greg, they can be.” She agrees. But there’s one man that comes to her mind. One with enchanting green eyes, beautiful dimples, a contagious laugh, and a certain swoon worthy accent. 

And yet, Y/N is not surprised when her thoughts drift off to Harry again. In fact, she thinks about him the entire way back to her office, the few boxes from Greg in her arms as she travels on the subway and walks carefully on the slushy shovelled snow that covers the sidewalks. What is he up to today? She thinks, knowing that he must’ve gotten home from the studio late yesterday - maybe even this morning. She worked late on emails last night, only having her Christmas playlist playing softly from her TV, and she didn’t hear him get home. She wonders if he sleeps in when he does that, or if he still manages to get up early and do whatever it is he does every day. She doesn’t know his daily routine, but she admits to herself that she’s curious.

Having done the errands that were needed for the day, Y/N ends up sitting at her desk for the remaining three hours of her work day. Her and Amanda go over new interns to hire, seeing as Y/N’s boss doesn’t want her away from the office doing intern work forever. And then she and Sammy are walking out of the building together at five o’clock sharp. They endured yet another eleven hour work day today. And this was one of the easiest days this week, since it was spent shopping around and organizing the office. Tomorrow there would be two A-list clients coming in for their last styling of the year, both finalizing their outfits for the upcoming Grammy awards too.

“You seem off today,” Sammy says as they walk down the stairs to the subway. 

“I, um,” Y/N licks her lips and narrows her eyes at the screen that reads when the next stop would be. She looks at her friend and sighs. “I got into a fight with Mark earlier,” she states. 

“Another one?” Sammy questions, raising a brow and giving her a look that said ‘really?’.

“Yup,” Y/N says, rolling her lips into her mouth and nodding. “He’s too busy with work to come back to the city for the rest of the month, said he doesn’t see the point in coming back even for a day before he has to go back home to the West Coast. So, I ended up yelling at him in the middle of the Gucci store.” 

“Are you for real?” Sammy asks in shock, his eyes widening as Y/N explains what her boyfriend had told her earlier. 

“Yup,” she repeats, nodding her head again too. “Oh, and he said my apartment looked like a four year old decorated it and it looked like crap,” Y/N chuckles, realizing now how stupid Mark’s fighting words were. 

“Y/N,” Sammy sighs, “dump him,” he says while placing a hand on her shoulder and giving her a sympathetic smile. “I get that you wanted to give this guy a chance, but all you guys ever do is fight and I don’t want to say it but I’m going to,” he sighs again dramatically, “I’ve seen you smile over that new neighbour of yours more than Mark in the past few weeks. That’s a sign.”

“But what if I didn’t give Mark a real chance? And what if I’m just playing Harry up in my head-”

“No, none of that,” Sammy shakes his head and stares deep into Y/N’s eyes. “You are the most polite and sweetest person I’ve ever met. There’s no way in hell you didn’t give Mark a chance, hell you gave him a million chances, let’s face it. And as for Harry, you’ll never know unless you get to know him.” 

Y/N rolls her eyes as Sammy drops his hand and tilts his head to the side. She notices the platform getting busier and louder then, as the subway makes way towards them from the North. This was her ride, while Sammy had to wait another ten minutes for the one that went to Brooklyn. Y/N thinks about what Sammy had said. Maybe she did give Mark plenty of chances and maybe their time was up, but that doesn’t mean she feels comfortable jumping right back into the game of dating with Harry. Plus, how bad would that make her look. Harry would probably think she didn’t care about relationships and typically shuffled around boys, which was so far from her case. In fact it was why she was so hesitant to date Mark in the first place - she didn’t like to give her time and love to just anyone. It’s just too bad she didn’t realize that Mark wasn’t worth it sooner. 

“If I’m just getting out of this relationship with Mark, I can’t just start dating Harry,” Y/N exclaims to Sammy.

“I didn’t say date him right away, I said get to know him,” Sammy states, “hang out, be his friend, and if things happen then they happen. The world works in funny ways,” Sammy says matter of factly, pointing a finger at her while she starts taking a few steps towards the subway that’s coming to a stop. “We’ll talk later! Dump the fucking guy though!” Sammy shouts as Y/N just shakes her head and rolls her eyes while getting into the mass of people cramming on the subway. 

“Yeah, dump the son of a bitch,” a croaky voice startles Y/N as she gets through the door. An elderly woman is smiling back at her, her yellow teeth contrasting against her dark skin as she smiles wickedly at Y/N. She chuckles awkwardly and nods, walking across the space to an open seat. 

Opening her purse, she finds her Airpods and puts them into her ears. They connect to her phone automatically and she begins to tap on her phone, deciding on which playlist she wants to listen to on her way home. Once she clicks shuffle on her ‘girl freaking power’ playlist, she turns it all the way up and lets the anger in Halsey’s voice fuel her own anger towards her shit boyfriend. She thinks of their fights that have happened recently the whole ride on the subway, then she thinks if it’d be too cruel of her to break up with him over the phone as she walks the few blocks to her apartment building. If he broke up with me over the phone I’d be a little upset, Y/N thinks with a frown as she walks across the lobby to the elevator. 

Y/N, who was so in her own world with her music still turned up all the way as a new song by Olivia O’Brien, doesn’t even realize when Harry walks up beside her. He can hear her music blasting through her earphones. He leans forwards a bit, hoping to get in her line of sight. But she is still focused on the elevator doors, nodding her head to whatever song she’s got playing. Harry’s lips tug up into a smile. When he first saw her standing there when he entered the building he got a little nervous, unsure how this interaction between them would go. Should he apologize right away for not knowing she had a boyfriend and asking her for dinner?

“Hello?” Harry sings. “Y/N?” He calls in a normal voice. This time she seems to notice that someone is beside her. She jumps slightly, placing a hand over her heart and reaches up with the other to take out an Airpod which causes her music to stop completely. 

“You scared me,” she breathes out. 

“Sorry,” Harry says, giving her a timid smile. “I tried getting your attention a few times, it must be a good song.” 

She looks down at the earphone in her hand and nods, “uh, yeah, just really into empowering female music today.” She states. 

Harry hums and nods, then the elevator opens, revealing a few people inside which causes Y/N to step towards him as they move out of the way. If he hadn’t taken a step back fast enough she'd practically be right up against him. He breathes in and smells her perfume, the intoxicating scent of rose filling his nostrils with her being so close. Y/N gives a quick ‘you’re welcome’ to the people who step out as they thank them for moving before they both step into the elevator together. Harry was too busy thinking about how close Y/N had been to step up and hit the number six button before he could. He gives her a smile in thanks.

The elevator begins to ascend as the space falls into silence between them. They’re both overthinking. What should I say? Is what is on both their minds as they pass the first floor, and then the second. Harry lets out a short breath through his nose before leaning his back against the railing. 

“I’m sorry for being so clueless,” he states, pausing when Y/N’s head whips up and her eyes meet his. “I didn’t think you’d have a boyfriend and I just didn’t think twice before asking you if you wanted to get dinner,” he says, finally getting the thought off his chest. 

Y/N furrows her brows, “and why did you think I wouldn’t have a boyfriend?” She asks, teasing him, but Harry’s face falls and he stands straight once again, bringing both his hands up and waves them in front of himself as if in surrender. 

“Not that you’re like not pretty enough for a boyfriend, or nice enough, cause to be quite honest I would be surprised if you didn’t have a boyfriend cause you are like the prettiest girl I’ve ever met and not to mention really nice and super cool too-” 

“I was just teasing you, Harry,” Y/N stops him. But his words had caused quite the feeling inside her stomach, butterflies were multiplying like it was nobody's business while she swore she felt her heartbeat in the soles of her feet. 

“Oh,” he breathes out, “right. Well, still, I’m sorry.” He casts his eyes down to the floor, feeling his cheeks warm up from embarrassment. The elevator sounds a quiet bing! as the doors open for them on the sixth floor. Harry lifts his eyes to meet Y/N’s once more, motioning with his hand for her to exit first. She smiles and walks out with him right behind her. 

Y/N doesn’t say anything till she’s at her apartment door, her key in the lock, and she notices Harry is at his door a few feet away. She sighs and stops twisting the key, letting her shoulder sag as she looks over at Harry. 

“I’m sorry too, by the way,” she says. Harry looks up at the sound of her voice, thinking she was simply going to take in her apology and go about her merry life with Mark. He watches her tongue dart out and wet her lips as she leans into her door. “I should have mentioned Mark, even just in a quick comment, but honestly our relationship is sort of new and even a little non-existent at times, it seems, so I guess I was just enjoying making a new friend. I didn’t even think about it,” Y/N explains herself. 

Harry takes in her words; that her relationship is new, and non-existent? He wonders what she means by that. But he can’t help but smile at her mentioning that she enjoyed becoming his friend. Harry nods his head and let’s his smile grow wider, knowing his dimples would show. 

“I’d like to keep being your friend,” Y/N adds, “if that’s okay?” 

“It’s totally okay,” Harry nods. Y/N smiles and nods back. 

“Okay,” she says softly. 

Harry fits his key into the lock without looking, keeping his eyes on Y/N’s as he notices her cheeks glowing a shade of pink. “How about a movie night? Tomorrow? If you’re not busy, of course,” Harry suggests, twisting his key and unlocking the door. 

“I think I’m free. It’ll have to be Christmas themed, of course,” Y/N says, narrowing her eyes as if to challenge Harry to fight her on it - like Mark would. 

“Well, yeah,” Harry scoffs, eyebrows pulled together and head shaking in faux disbelief. “Wouldn’t have it any other way during the month of December,” he adds. 

Why couldn’t I have moved in like six months ago? Y/N thinks to herself as she smiles at Harry. She finds herself liking him more with every word that comes out of that pretty mouth of his. If only she had met him before she met Mark. Things would be easier, that’s for sure.

The two of them agree on a time for tomorrow, six in the evening, before saying their goodbyes and walking into their homes that were side by side. After Y/N takes off her shoes and coat, she walks towards her bedroom to get changed into some workout clothes for a quick at home video before she ate dinner. Just as she’s changing she hears the muffled sounds of Harry’s guitar - something she’s grown fond of hearing through their shared wall. Maybe she’ll get him to play her something tomorrow, she thinks with a smile. 

Y/N makes her way back into her living room and starts up her workout video. She does some jumping jacks to get her warmed up, but honestly, her heart is already pounding in her chest from her interaction with Harry and the plans they have made. Without a doubt she knows she’ll be counting down the hours during her work day tomorrow till six o’clock.

Elf or Polar Express? Both were very different Christmas movies, and they were the two she was torn between taking over to Harry’s. They hadn’t talked about who’s apartment they would hang out in, but as it was ten minutes to six, she hoped to get out the door and knock on his first, in order to get the chance to ask him to play his guitar for her maybe. But that’s not how it’s going to work out because Y/N’s too busy being stuck between two of her favourite movies when suddenly, there’s a knock at her door. She frowns knowing that it’s Harry and wouldn’t get to hear him play guitar, but gets up from where she was sitting crossed legged on the floor to answer the door. 

Her fuzzy socks pad across the hardwood floor as she walks to her door, peering through the peephole quickly to double check to see it was Harry. She smiles at the sight of his floppy brown hair and unlocks her door before swinging it open. Harry looks up as she opens the door, meeting her gaze for only a moment before he watches her take in his apparel. 

He had thought about it for way too long, what he was to wear to hangout and watch movies with the girl he liked, but ended up staying dressed down as he was all day. Y/N liked how the plain white shirt he wore fit him, only a small brand logo that was over his heart, but she really liked the pastel rainbow coloured sweatpants he wore too. He looks comfy and ready to lay back and relax for a few hours with her. He’s not wearing any shoes though, which makes Y/N furrows her brows for a second. 

“I didn’t really see any point in putting on shoes for the few feet out of my apartment,” Harry states quickly to let her know. Y/N nods, chuckling under her breath, but understanding what he means. She steps back and lets him into her home. 

Harry takes in the atmosphere of Y/N’s apartment for the second time now. The glow from her many Christmas lights makes him feel warm inside, and her Christmas tree was the focal point of it all. He likes the odd ornaments that are littered among the branches, and he can’t quite make out what they all are, but something tells him that they each hold a special meaning to Y/N. Maybe some from her childhood, others from some trips she’s had - he could see her collecting them from anywhere she’s travelled to. Harry makes a mental note to ask her at one point. 

“I was thinking of making some hot chocolate, and I have a bag of, like, this candy cane and white chocolate pretzels that I’ve been obsessed with lately and was going to munch on that during the movie, but I have a bunch of other snacks too, honestly,” Y/N starts to explain to Harry. He turns on his heels to see she’s already locked her door and is now moving into the kitchen. 

“I’m cool with some hot chocolate,” Harry nods, “and I’ll give the pretzels a try, they sound good.” 

“They are so good, oh my god,” she moans at the mere thought of eating them. Bending down to open her bottom drawer, she reveals a well organized array of munchies that looked like a stoner's heaven. 

As she’s ruffling through the drawer Harry takes in her outfit. She’s got on a pair of Christmas themed pajama bottoms with little snowflakes scattered along the dark blue material that matched with her plain dark blue shirt. Her hair was thrown up into a messy bun, wispy hairs falling around her face as it looks as though it’s been up all day and she hasn’t cared to fix it. Overall, she looks comfortable and at ease - as she should be in her own home. He had wondered if she ever dressed down, seeing as he had only ever seen her after a day of work dressed in trendy high fashion, but somehow casual clothing. Christmas pajamas suit her, he thinks with a smile.

Y/N gets a hold of the bag of pretzels she’s talking about and opens it, taking one out for herself right away to bite down on before turning to Harry who’s standing in her kitchen. She smiles at the pretzel and lifts the bag to him. Harry takes a few steps towards her before reaching into the bag and grabbing one for himself. He brings it to his mouth and Y/N watches for his reaction. His jaw flexes as he chews down on the sweet yet salty treat. 

Harry hums and nods, reaching into the bag again, “not bad,” he says before chewing on another one. Y/N smiles and passes him the bag all together, turning towards the stove top to turn on the kettle already filled with water. 

“Can you find two mugs in that cabinet?” Y/N asks Harry as she looks to her left and sees him standing in front of the cabinet that held her many mugs and glasses. She points to it and Harry nods. He puts the bag of pretzels down after sneaking one last one into his mouth, and opens the cabinet door to reveal Y/N’s collection of mugs. He goes for the two at the front, which were Christmas themed, of course; one shaped like the Grinch and the other like Santa. As he sets them down on the counter in front of him, beside the bag of pretzels that he sticks his hand into again, he notices a glass container full of brown powder that he assumes is her hot chocolate mix. 

“Is this your hot chocolate mix?” He asks, just to be sure.

“Yes,” Y/N nods, “I honestly make myself a cup almost every night during the colder seasons.” 

“Are you a coffee or tea person?” Harry asks, keeping his eyes on the container as he twists it open and sees a metal teaspoon measuring cup inside already. He starts to scoop some into each mug as he waits for Y/N’s answer. Although he is very aware of her possibly liking coffee, considering how he’s seen her with many Starbucks cups before. 

“Yeah, I enjoy both too. I have way too much coffee during my work days, and tea reminds me of the days at my grandparents,” she explains, watching Harry scoop her preferred amount of mix into each mug without even asking. She smiles softly, seeing him reach for yet another pretzel too. 

“Are you saying tea is for old people?” Harry questions, raising a brow as he peers at Y/N in the corner of his eye. Y/N rolls her eyes, a smile still on her lips. Her kettle begins to squeal into the air, but she’s quick to turn and take it off the heat. She turns off the stove and uses a tea towel to bring it over to the mugs - Harry steps back out of her way, but not before grabbing the bag of pretzels. 

“Old people and the British too, of course,” Y/N teases. 

Harry chuckles, “of course,” he says in agreement. He waits till Y/N fills the mugs and sets the kettle back down on the stovetop before he steps back to the counter and wraps a hand around the handle of the Grinch mug. Y/N is quick, stepping towards him and gently slapping his hand. 

Harry flinches his hand away and raises a brow at Y/N, jokingly taken back by her action. Y/N bites down on her bottom lip to prevent herself from giggling over how cute that look on his face was. 

“I have whipped cream that’s in a can, but it’s still good,” Y/N states, giving him a look that said ‘back off and let me do this’. Harry only chuckles again and nods. “Also slow down on the pretzels, if I don’t get any during the movie I’ll be very upset.”

“They’re addicting, sorry,” Harry mumbles through his mouth full of pretzels, a smile tugging at his mouth. 

“Trust me, I know. That’s like my fourth bag this week, I swear,” she states with a chuckle. 

As Y/N walks to her fridge Harry steps up to the mugs once more and takes a chance on the drawer directly under them for a spoon. His instincts are right as he pulls the drawer open to see her utensils; he grabs a teaspoon in order to stir the hot chocolate. Y/N turns back from the fridge with the whipped cream can in hand, turning around to see Harry focused on the mugs. She smiles, tilting her head as she watches him nudge the drawer closed with his hip, and begin to stir the contents of them till the powder was all mixed in with the water. Look at them being all domestic, she thinks. Licking her lips, she shakes her head a little and walks up to Harry, shaking the can of whipped cream and waits for him to finish stirring. He sets the spoon in the sink and watches as Y/N tops off the mugs with a heap of whipped cream. 

“You better actually eat the whipped topping this time,” Harry says to her teasingly, referring to when they had hot chocolate in the park, and she let her whipped cream melt. Y/N chuckles and brings the tip of the whipped cream can to her open mouth. 

She puts pressure on the top again and makes the sweet cream pile into her mouth as she tips her head back, the aerosol can is the only noise in the room as Harry watches her do it. His breath catches in his throat and he blinks several times as he imagines an entirely different scenario with this whipped cream can and her mouth. Y/N brings the whipped cream away from her mouth and swallows, watching Harry do the same thing - did she make him feel uncomfortable? She thinks to herself as she licks her lips and looks down at the ground. Don’t overthink it, don’t overthink it, she thinks while walking back to the fridge to return the whipped cream to the shelf. When she turns back, she sees that Harry has both mugs in his hands. 

“Maybe I should just have both of these, since you’re probably full from that mouth full of whipped cream,” Harry teases her, bringing both mugs to his lips, acting as if he’s going to slurp up the whipped topping that’s nearly flowing over the side.

“Absolutely not,” Y/N gasps, reaching forward quickly for the Grinch mug, but Harry moves it out of her grasp faster. 

“I want the Grinch one,” he says with a slight whine to his voice. Y/N can’t stop the giggle this time, blushing afterwards as she thinks of how freaking adorable he is. 

“Fine,” she sighs and takes the Santa mug from him instead.  

Harry grins and lets her lead the way back into her living room, the bag of pretzels in his other hand. Y/N sets her mug down on the coaster on the coffee table, just like she had with her glass of wine the last time Harry was over. He watches as she sits cross legged on the floor in front of her tv stand. Y/N grabs the two movies she was debating over earlier in each hand and lifts them up for Harry to see. He loves them both of course. 

“Which one? I can’t decide,” Y/N states. Harry hums and lifts his mug to his lip to slurp up some whipped cream. 

“Elf,” Harry answers, “I’m in a Will Ferrel comedy kind of mood,” he adds. 

“Alright,” Y/N chuckles under her breath and turns away from Harry to open her DVD player and then open the case for Elf. He liked that she had the movies on physical DVD, not just clicking away on a streaming app. She places the DVD in the player and then closes it again before standing up quickly and skipping over to the couch, plopping down excitedly but gently that Harry isn’t even scared that he’ll spill his hot chocolate. 

“We can watch the other one next time,” Harry suggests, feeling brave in the moment as the trailers start to play softly on the screen and Y/N is reaching for the remote that sat on the coffee table. She looks at him and smiles.

“‘kay, yeah, next time,” she pauses but then points the remote at Harry. “But next time you’re hosting, I feel like we should switch it up sometimes,” she adds and waits to see Harry nod with a smile before she turns to the TV and gets to the main menu of the movie.

“Fair, I just think my place lacks the holiday cheer that we would want,” Harry explains. Y/N stops her from hitting play right away and leans back into the couch, flopping her head to the side to look at Harry. He’s still holding his mug, which reminds her that her own is sitting there untouched, so she sits up again and grabs it.

“Well you know what would fix that?” She questions, bringing the mug to her lips and slurping up some of the whipped cream that was in fact already melting. Harry watches her as her eyes are glued to her mug, focused on not spilling it over the sides it seems. 

“Decorations?” He asks, still watching her. He smiles as she licks her upper lip that’s covered in melting whipped cream.

“Exactly,” she nods enthusiastically. She takes another few sips of her hot chocolate before leaning back into her couch once again, getting all snuggled up before lifting the remote to the TV and hitting play.

“I’m not really good with decorating - my sister and mom did my apartment to be honest,” Harry admits. Y/N watches the opening scene of one of her favourite Christmas movies, feeling all giddy inside as it’s the first time she’s watching it this holiday season. She gets like this every year with every holiday movie.

“Well, I can help you out. Maybe we can do a little trip to Target before our next movie night. Then do a quick set up and then watch the movie after,” Y/N suggests, nervously peering over at Harry over the rim of her mug after. She doesn’t know if she’s crossing a line or anything. She just wants to spend more time with him, even if it’s just as friends. 

Harry gives Y/N a half smile, one of his dimples making an appearance as he looks into her eyes. He would love that, honestly. The idea of them wandering through the Christmas isles at Target as she gives him advice on what decorations would go together and fit his apartment style; they would set up the decorations after and he’d watch her be in her element. Maybe he’d put on some Christmas music and hope she would dance around. Harry gives Y/N a short nod. 

“I like that plan,” Harry tells her. 

Y/N smiles and nods back at him. “Then it’s a deal, we’ll set a time after the movie. It’s about to get good,” she says, looking back at the TV screen again as Will Ferrel’s character makes his appearance. 

“The whole movie is good,” Harry states. 

“Shh,” Y/N hushes him, taking another sip of her drink and keeping her eyes on the movie. Harry smiles and watches her watch Elf. He notices her hand gently tapping the cushion between them after a moment. Harry chuckles under his breath and nudges the bag of pretzels open, taking a few for himself before facing the bag her way. Once she’s got one between her teeth she feels completely content. 

She’s got a cup of yummy hot chocolate, her favourite snack, Christmas lights are twinkling around her, one of her favourite Christmas movies is playing, and she’s with good company too. In fact, she finds herself not once thinking of Mark the rest of the night. Even in her dreams, it’s Harry, again. 

They exchanged phone numbers. It’s not a big deal, Harry thinks to himself as he gets a third text from his newest contact in his phone. But it felt like a big deal; it was an easy way to get a hold of her whenever he needed to or wanted to even. Not that he would just bother her for no good reason. As much as he’d like to text with her all day, he knows that they really just exchanged phone numbers in order to plan to hangout easily. Like for today, Y/N had a long work day, but still wanted to take Harry Christmas decor shopping, so she was asking him if he could just meet her at the closest Target. 

There’s one a few blocks away from the apartment, I’ll send you the location, are you able to meet me there? She texts along with a Google Maps link to the store. Harry tapped out a response right away, letting his focus sway away from the TV show he had on when her name lit up his screen. 

Sounds good to me, what time? Harry hits send and notices the bubble with three dots pop up right away. She must have a moment at work right now; he checks the time to see it’s just past noon, assuming she’s on her lunch break. 

I should be leaving the office by 3pm today, then it’s like a 15 minutes subway ride and 5 minute walk to get there for me. So like 3:30ish, is that okay with you? Wait. Are you busy today? I didn’t even ask if you were working too, sorry. She sends the texts in a few separate bubbles, realizing that she didn’t even ask if Harry was working or not today. Y/N has no idea what the schedule of a songwriter was like. Harry chuckles at her little panic and types out his response. 

Super busy…. Watching mindless TV shows on Netflix. He adds a laughing emoji for good measure, to which Y/N replies with some of her own laughing emojis before saying God I wish that was how my day was going. 

Y/N ends up texting Harry her whole lunch break. He asks about what she’s been doing today, his responses seeming very interested in the adventures she has had in the office being a stand in model since her measurements were close to a clients. She then asks what show he’s watching, to which he tells her about this Netflix baking show called Sugar Rush and he tells her about the challenge the contestants on the most recent episode endured. Y/N finds herself smiling at her screen, nearly forgetting to even eat her lunch. Sammy clears his throat just a few minutes before their time is up and causes her to look up at him, raising her eyebrows at his own. 

“What?” She asks, stabbing her fork into the salad she had Sammy pick up for her earlier. 

“Nothing,” Sammy hums, Y/N rolls her eyes. “Just noticed you’ve been quite busy on that phone of yours for the past, oh, I don’t know, twenty five minutes,” Sammy teases her, eyes widening slightly and motioning his hands in the air with his words. He did that a lot, talking with his hands, that is. 

“So?” Y/N tries to brush off her friend's pushy behaviour. 

“So? Really? We’re just going to act as if you’re not giggling at your phone screen like a little school girl?” Sammy questions. 

“I am not doing that,” Y/N huffs. 

“Yeah, sure, sweetie and I’m straight,” Sammy rolls his eyes dramatically and then pouts while shaking his body in his seat. Y/N furrows her brows at his behaviour. “I live off your love life. Please give me something, anything. Please just tell me that you’re talking to that hot neighbour of yours and let me continue on my merry little day knowing that your love life is about to be thriving while mine is dead.” 

Y/N sighs and tries to ignore as her phone vibrates again, signalling that Harry had texted her back. She sits back in her chair and crosses her arms over his chest, covering the deep v-cut of her black body suit that she was wearing with a pair of red slim legged slacks, and a matching red blazer that was currently laying over the back of the chair she sat in. Amanda didn’t have any sort of dress code for work, merely to come in looking professional and stylish, which for Y/N, meant a good pant suit moment every once in a while. But with still keeping it sexy and young by pairing it with a bodysuit. 

“Fine, I’m texting Harry,” Y/N tells Sammy, feeding into his gossip need for the day. “We actually hung out two night ago, he came over for a movie night-”

“What?! Why am I just hearing about this now?” Sammy questions, sitting up quickly and throwing his hands in the air. “What happened? Touching? Did you kiss? Oh my lord, tell me what his peni-”

“Sammy! Oh my god, relax, please,” Y/N cuts him off, putting a hand up to stop him from talking. “Nothing happened. Sorry to disappoint, but I am still in a relationship with Mark. Harry just came over, we made some hot chocolate and polished off a bag of those delicious candy cane pretzels.”

“Those pretzels are good,” Sammy nods in agreement.

“Yeah,” Y/N nods, “but anyways, nothing happened, and nothing is going to happen. We’re just friends, and I enjoy being around him a lot. So, today after work we’re going to Target to buy his apartment some decorations, then we’ll probably order in some food and watch another movie.” 

“Sounds pretty couple-y to me,” Sammy says in a high pitched tone. Y/N just shakes her head and rolls her eyes at her friend again. 

Y/N couldn’t lie, though. The few hours later in Target, they looked like a couple. Harry pushes the cart down the aisle while she tilts her head and debates which tinsel really fit Harry’s aesthetic. She brings the Starbucks cup to her lips and sips the warm caramel flavoured latte. Y/N was pleasantly surprised when she saw Harry walking up to her outside the Target with two Starbucks holiday cups in his hand. He gave her a timid smile and explained what both of the drinks were, saying he hadn’t tasted either and wanted to see what she wanted first before taking the other for himself. It was unexpected and ridiculously sweet of him to do. 

“I think red would look really nice around your apartment, kind of spice up the place a little,” Y/N explains, her free hand skimming over the many different tinsels that were hanging up before her. Harry agrees, red would look nice in his apartment and spice things up a lot, except his mind is thinking of this red pant suit she’s wearing right now. He thinks it would look rather nice on his bedroom floor.

When she walked up to him and he took in her outfit, he nearly tripped over his own feet and spilled the two coffees he brought with him. But he kept himself together, well, sort of. He stumbled over his words, rambled like a fool about why he got the two coffees for her, but they finally got into the store, which now, he’s just been checking her out as they walked to the Christmas section. Get it together, Harry thinks to himself. 

“Red’s nice,” Harry says, his voice cracking slightly. So, he clears his throat and steps away from the cart to pick up a piece of tinsel that Y/N was looking at. “I like the bit of silver mixed in too,” he comments. 

“I was thinking the same thing,” she says with a smile before grabbing four more of the same one and adding it to the cart. Harry does the same with the one in his hand and then puts his hands on the cart once more, pushing it back and forth just a few inches. Harry can’t stop himself from admiring that suit once more as she bends down to check out the many different boxes of tree ornaments. 

“Which ones?” Y/N asks, quickly turning her body. Y/N catches his gaze on her body, but Harry blinks quickly and meets her stare. The corner of her lips tug up into a smug smile at the thought of Harry checking her out. 

“The ones in your, uh, your right hand,” Harry answers her questions, clearing his throat again and watching as she stands straight before putting the ornaments into the cart. 

They continue their way through Target, still looking very much like a couple as they grab a few bags of the candy cane pretzels that Y/N got Harry hooked on the other night before heading to the check out. Harry insists on paying for the few little items of Y/N’s in the cart, telling her over and over again that it wasn’t a huge deal. He almost doesn’t let her carry a single thing, but she quickly gets a hold of a standing Santa decoration that was too big for a bag and hugs it to her chest their whole walk home. 

Harry unlocks his apartment door for them, noticing how their neighbour Mr Matthers is opening his at the same time to peer out and see who’s in the hallway. Harry holds open the door for Y/N, she thanks him in a small voice and smiles at him. Looking back out into the hallway, Harry waves at Mr Matthers, who simply returns it with a scowl on his face before Harry steps inside and shuts the door behind him. Suppose their neighbour is a bit jealous of Harry, he’s seen the way he looks at Y/N. Hell, especially today in that suit, everyone on the street was looking at Y/N with wide eyes and big smiles - Harry felt like quite the lucky guy, little did everyone know they were in fact not together. Just friends, Harry reminds himself for the millionth time. 

“Oh, I love the tree,” Y/N states, her voice bringing Harry back to Earth as he locks the door and walks over to his coffee table to set down the many bags in his arms. Y/N is still holding the Santa decoration to her chest, looking at the fake Christmas tree he had purchased on Amazon yesterday on a whim. He was thinking about them decorating together again, and thought that it wouldn’t feel right if he didn't have a tree too. It’s a good thing he told Y/N over text, otherwise they wouldn’t have gotten ornaments or anything for it. 

“Yeah, I just got the first one that included lights on Amazon, to be honest,” Harry tells her. Y/N chuckles and walks over, setting the Santa decoration just beside the tree gently. 

She brushes a hand over the tree and smiles, “it’s wonderful, really pulls the whole festive look together in my opinion.”

“I agree,” Harry nods. He grabs for the TV remote and turns it on, quickly turning the volume down before he sets it up to the music channels - clicking on the Christmas tunes without a second thought. Y/N watches Harry, her heart hammering in her chest as the soft sounds of Michael Buble fills the room. Mark would never do any of this - he wouldn’t voluntarily put on Christmas music, ever. In fact, he shut off the station in her car on the way to the airport. And he definitely wouldn’t decorate with her either, seeing as he thinks that her apartment looks childish. She pouts at the thought of her and Mark’s phone call the other day. He hasn’t called or texted her since.

“Did you not want to listen to Christmas music?” Harry asks suddenly, snapping Y/N out of her thoughts and turns to look at him. He’s taking off his jacket, revealing a white shirt underneath with a bumble bee and some blue writing around it, paired with his purple trousers and a pair of white socks on his feet after slipping out of his shoes too. Y/N loves his simple yet not basic style.

“No, no,” Y/N assures him, finally unbuttoning her blazer now and taking off the mittens and beanie she had worn in the cold. She stuffs them into the blazer pocket and slips out of it. “I love Christmas music so much, honestly maybe a little too much, Mark hates it,” she admits. 

A shiver falls over her body as she realizes then she’s simply in the rather thin bodysuit that also dipped very low in the front. Y/N doesn’t look at Harry as she feels her nipples harder from the coolness of his apartment, embarrassed as she didn’t prepare for her attire after going out. Harry suddenly lifts up a hand, his pointer finger up as if to say ‘one second’, then he’s walking down the hallways and returns not even a minute later with a black sweater in hand. 

“It’s clean, just washed today, I promise,” Harry tells her, holding out one of his favourite jumpers for her. He had been given a few merchandising pieces from the label over the years and this plain black jumper that read ‘Columbia’ on the front in white has been in his possession for a couple years now. In his opinion, it was very comfortable due to how much he’s worn it.

“Thank you,” Y/N says softly while taking it from him. 

She puts it on and is immediately warmer. Her hands cover completely because of how long the sleeves are and it falls down past her bum too, due to the large size. She looks good, Harry thinks as he takes in her wearing his clothing. Y/N smiles and turns to grab things from the Target bags they had just brought in. 

“Okay, let’s begin with the tree then,” she says excitedly, trying to clap her hands together but just ends up smacking the sleeves of Harry’s hoodie together.

It’s just as Harry imagined it. The soft lights from the Christmas tree glow over the shadows of Y/N’s face as she wraps the red tinsel around the base of it before passing it to Harry in order for him to reach the taller portion of the tree. She dances when Jingle Bell Rock plays on the TV, his jumper swaying around her body because of how big it is on her. They’re both smiling and singing along to the music, jokingly of course. Harry wasn’t about to show her all his little secrets and start belting out White Christmas along with the singers of Wham!

“Can you pass me a couple of the silver balls?” Y/N asks Harry, her eyes on the tree as she put the last red ball ornament she had grabbed onto a branch. Harry raises his eyebrows in a joking manner. 

“The what?” He questions, but still making his way to where the array of different coloured ball ornaments laid on the couch. 

“Like two of the balls,” she says again. Harry laughs, his eyes crinkling up and his dimples fully showing as he does. Y/N furrows her brows, but then gets why he’s laughing. “You’re a child,” she scolds him playfully. 

“I couldn’t help myself,” Harry states, grabbing two of the ornaments she’s asking for and passing them to her. 

“Thank you for the balls, Harry,” she says. They both end up laughing this time, she can’t help it. His laughter is contagious with how his eyes squint up and his dimple somehow deepens, not to mention the little vocal ‘aha’ he does before laughing. It makes Y/N’s stomach ache, not from laughing too, but with the butterflies. Those stupid little butterflies that have made a home inside of her stomach since meeting this kind, handsome, British man. 

Once the tree is done, Y/N beats Harry to ordering them food. They decide on getting sushi, which is something she could never order with Mark since he has this personal vendetta against seafood for some reason. But Mark isn’t on her mind for long. It’s all Harry, all the freaking time. She likes how he beams a winning smile at the delivery guy and thanks him three times in the sixty seconds he’s at his door, and how he barely pays his phone any attention the whole night besides when it chimes with a few texts that he explains is his workmates group chat. Now, she can’t stop watching him chew his food; how his jaw flexes with each bite and how his eyebrows furrow when he can’t get the chopsticks to grab the California roll he wanted. Why do I find him eating so attractive? Y/N shakes her head slightly and forces herself to look back at the TV that’s playing the Sugar Rush show on Netflix that Harry was texting her about earlier. 

Harry collects their take out containers after a few moments to ensure that Y/N is done, asking her just to be sure she doesn’t want the two pieces that are left over. She thanks him, but says no, and he manages to grab all five containers in one trip to the kitchen. His mom most definitely raised him well, Y/N thinks as she lays back on his couch and watches the TV show. It suddenly hits Y/N, his brows pulling together as she pushes herself to sit up and turns her body to look behind her through the open concept to look at Harry. 

“Are you going home for Christmas?” She asks him. Y/N assumed home was England, besides obvious factors, but she remembers him telling her about driving in London once. Harry brushes his hands on a tea towel that's hanging off his stove before turning to walk back into the living room. 

“Um, no, not this year,” Harry says. 

“Oh, do you typically go home and visit your family? You mentioned your mom and sister had decorated this place though, do they live here?” She throws the other questions his way as he walks around the couch and sits in his spot again. 

“They all live in England, yeah,” he nods, “my mom, my step dad, older sister and her boyfriend all flew out here with me to help me settle in the few years back when I got my job. But I do usually go home for holidays, or just casually during the summer. Earlier this year I had to make an unexpected trip,” Harry pauses and clears his throat as he looks away from Y/N as he feels that familiar pain in his chest, “my step dad passed away. So it just took a bit of money out of my account, I decided not to fork out the money for expensive flights during the holidays.”

Hearing that Harry had lost his step dad recently torn Y/N’s heart in two. She frowns, taking a deep breath before reaching over and placing a hand over Harry’s that rested folded in his lap. Harry looks at where their skin touched, it felt like his hands were vibrating under her touch. She swipes her thumb over his knuckles, the touch so soft like a feather just barely skimming over his skin. Harry has to stop himself from flipping his hand over slowly and intertwining their fingers together. She has a boyfriend, she’s just being a good person and comforting a friend. 

“I’m very sorry to hear about your step dad, Harry,” she soft and gentle voice, rubbing the pad of her thumb over his knuckle again as she watches him inhale deeply through his nose. 

Harry clears his throat of the threatening tears and shakes his head slightly, a piece of his hair falling onto his forehead as he does. He takes one of his hands and lays it over Y/N’s, giving it a few pats. Tonight had been good

and fun, and he didn’t want to go ruining the mood with his tears. So, he lifts his head and looks at Y/N, finding her somber eyes staring at him already. He forces a smile, licking his lips before clearing his throat again. 

“Thank you,” he says, “I don’t want to make this good night all emotional now, so yeah, the short answer is I’m not leaving the city for the holidays this year. I do have a trip planned in March to see my mum for mothers day though,” Harry explains, rubbing Y/N’s hand that’s between his. 

Y/N mirrors his smile, although it’s not as full as usual, a bit sad still as she thinks about what Harry and his family must’ve gone through this year - and that his mother won’t see her son her first Christmas without her husband to top it all off. Maybe she could buy his flights? But no, no she couldn’t, she thinks sadly. They sit there like that for another moment, her hand between his much larger once, and they stare at each other. Finally, Y/N lets out a sigh and tries to get out of her head before she ends up crying. Harry lets go of her hand slowly, and she brings both hands to her face to brush back her hair. Harry does the same to get the strand of hair that had fallen on his forehead back into place. 

“Well I’m glad you can go see your mom for mothers day, at least,” Y/N says, looking at the positive. Harry nods and then leans back, throwing an arm over the back of the couch to stretch out.

“Yeah, me too,” he agrees, “she’s already telling me all about the plans she’s made for my trip and talks my ear right off as if it’s happening tomorrow.” Harry tells Y/N with a chuckle.

Hearing his little laugh brings a real smile to her face this time. “I’m sure she’s counting the days till you fly in,” Y/N says. She is starting to feel a little tired as she lays back on the couch, laying her legs out on the chaise. Harry watches as she pulls the sleeves of his jumper back down, she had rolled them up while eating so they didn’t get in the way, but he likes the sweater paw look on her as she snuggles into the couch. 

“Do you spend Christmas at home still?” Harry asks her, keeping his voice soft as he realizes it’s gotten late and both their eyelids are getting heavy. 

“My parents have something on Christmas Eve, sometimes I spend the night, other times I make my way home,” she exclaims vaguely. 

Y/N doesn’t love her times at home anymore; she finds her parents ‘I’m too rich for anything' attitude to be tiresome. As she grew up into her own person, she realized the privilege she had with the wealth she grew up with. She started to see how pointless some parties her mother threw, and how little she would have to try to just coast through life. Y/N didn’t want to grow up like every other bratty kid on the Upper East Side, so she moved out right after graduation, got into fashion school, focused on herself, and earned her own money - all while learning of how to use her privilege for good, like donating her time and money to good causes. Something her parents only did to look good within their social circle. 

So, going back home for over the top holiday parties, getting gifted a new car every year, and seeing her parents throw their money at whatever, really only bothered her more than anything. Y/N would simply stop in for Christmas Eve, enjoy a few hours with family and then go home to her own world again. 

A yawn slips past Y/N’s mouth as she’s deep in thought, which then makes Harry yawn as the both of them bring their hands to cover their mouth and then letting out soft laughter afterwards. Y/N sits up and stretches both arms above her head. “I guess I should head home,” she says before standing up slowly. 

“Yeah, you’ve got a long way to go,” Harry jokes. 

“Oh yeah, it’ll take me ages,” Y/N adds onto the joke with a smile. “Thank you for having me over, I really enjoyed it,” she says. 

Harry nods, “well thank you for helping me with all this,” he says, motioning to the decorating they had done. They both glance around the room then at their work. The red and silver decor matched Harry’s aesthetic perfectly, just as Y/N thought it would. 

“We didn’t watch Polar Express,” Y/N realizes suddenly, pouting. 

“Next time, Y/N,” Harry chuckles. She huffs and lets out a sigh, muttering a quiet ‘fine’ before making her way towards his front door. Harry follows behind her, planning to lock the door and listen till she gets into her own apartment before getting ready for bed. 

“Should I text you when I’m home safe? It’s just so far away,” Y/N continues to joke around, causing Harry to smile as he watches her grab her blazer and slip into her shoes. 

“You never know, Mr Matthers across the hall could intercept you on the way home and kidnap you. I wouldn’t sleep till I got that text knowing you got home safely,” Harry says, half joking. Cause you never know with Mr Matthers, he thinks. Y/N laughs and hugs her blazer to her stomach while standing beside the door, reaching for the handle but keeping her gaze on him.

“Mr Matthers is harmless,” Y/N says. 

“He’s obsessed with you,” Harry counters back. Y/N just rolls her eyes and unlocks the door before swinging it open. 

“Goodnight Harry,” she says sweetly. 

“Goodnight, Y/N,” Harry says back with a smile. She mirrors his smile and then walks off into the hallway. Harry watches the door shut behind her and walks over to lock it before turning off the few lights in the living room and entryway. As he is turning off his TV his phone buzzes with an incoming text. 

Made it home safely and in bed! Sweet dreams read Y/N’s text sent seconds ago. Harry breathes out a chuckle as he walks down the hallway to his bathroom to begin his nightly routine. As he turns on the light for his bathroom he types back a response. Cheeky.. Sweet dreams Y/N. He turns off the screen before he stands there and waits for her to reply with anything, his heart would even flutter over an emoji.

He was so far gone for this girl, he couldn’t stop himself from falling any longer - but it had felt inevitable from the moment his eyes had met hers in the elevator.  

>> part three <<

thanks for reading, please reblog/leave some feedback if you enjoyed it! until next week 😘

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[wintrcaptn]

Forbidden Ch. 3 | Andy Barber

Summary : You used to babysit Jacob when he was younger and had the biggest crush on his dad, Andy. But being in High school at the time, you knew it was just a stupid fantasy that could never happen. Now, six years later, you were visiting your hometown while on winter break. Once you found out the news about Jacob, you knew you had to go check up on them. But things take a turn when you find yourself alone with Andy Barber.

Chapter One // Chapter Two

A/N : I can’t believe we are here. I never thought my little one shot would be so liked! Thank you to everyone for all the love and the amazing feedback! It’s seriously has helped me and motivated me to write more lol.

Please know that this is NSFW! Thank you. And please let me know what you think!

Your bags were packed and ready for the trip back to California. Soon things would be back to the way it was. You’ll be overwhelmed with school and work and trying to stay afloat, you’ll be too busy to think about Andy.

And honestly, you were looking forward to it.

As every second passed, you couldn’t help but grow more nervous. Andy was coming to take you to the airport, which meant you would be alone with him...again.

This wasn’t how you wanted to spend your last day home. You were hoping to have breakfast with your family and enjoy the last few hours with them.

But he was persistent. And as much as you wanted to ignore him and move on from it, you knew you had to get closure. You both did.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you?” Your mom asked.

You shook your head and flashed a soft smirk. “I’m sure. There’s a few people I need to see before I leave and I don’t want to drag you around town.” You lied, forcing a chuckle.

She only nodded and pressed a kiss to your head.

You weren’t sure how she would feel if she knew Andy Barber was coming to pick you up. With everything that’s happening, and doesn’t help that he is much older than you, keeping it from her felt like the right thing to do.

“Well your dad and I are going to get some brunch. I hope you have a safe flight and please text me when your board the plane.”

“I will. Now go, enjoy yourselves.” You said. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

With that, she and your dad left.

Not long after, Andy pulled up to your house. Your heart began to palpitate in your chest, while heat radiated off your body.

Not knowing what was about to happen. What you would say, or how this would go, you were beyond nervous. And there was no turning back.

Andy knocked on your door, feeling just as nervous as you.

He felt like a kid in high school all over again. Something he hadn’t experienced in quite a while.

But you had this power over him that made it impossible to even think straight.

Taking a deep breath, you opened the door.

“Hi.” You said.

“Hi.” He exhaled, with his hands deep into his pockets. He couldn’t help but look you up and down, and suddenly he wanted nothing more than to feel you again.

The two of you stood there for just a moment, gazing at one another, until you forced yourself out of his trance and collected yourself.

“Um—do you want to come in? I just need to grab my charger and make sure the back door is locked.” You said.

Andy nodded and stepped into your house. It was his first time actually being there. Sure he had dropped you off countless times, but he never stepped foot inside.

You could feel his gaze on you and it was making it harder to concentrate.

“You excited to go back to California?” He asked, following you up to your room.

You swallowed hard knowing he was close behind, and he was about to see your childhood bedroom.

“Mhm.” You hummed. Looking for your charger.

Andy leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms over his chest. Not once taking his eyes off of you.

The longer he watched you, the more it drove him crazy. He was ready to sacrifice everything just to have you.

“Found it.” You turned to leave the room but abruptly stopped just a few feet in front of Andy.

He was like a statue, locked in his stance.

“We should leave—“

“Not until we talk about this.” He said, almost harshly. “You can’t dance around it anymore. We need to lay it all out there.”

Letting out a sigh, you decided to give in and get through it. He was right, you couldn’t ignore the inevitable.

“Alright. Let’s talk.” You exhaled. “That kiss was—“

“Don’t say it was a mistake. Because if it was, you wouldn’t have kissed me again.”

You were taken aback from his sudden response, and from the look of his body language, he seemed frustrated.

“Admit it Y/N.” He said, slightly glaring at you with his dark eyes, almost like he were trying to undress you with just his gaze. “You want me just as bad as I want you.”

Your breath quivered in the back of your throat. How did he manage to make you so flustered without even touching you?

“And what if I do?” You managed to get out.

Andy bit on his lower lip just before clenching his jaw. Every part of him knew this was wrong. He knew he shouldn’t feel this way for you. But damn, he needed to have you.

“Then show me.” He said, his voice was low, almost growling.

How did he make something so wrong look and feel so right?

It was instant. Before you had a chance to think clearly, you dropped your charger, and closed the distance between you.

Your lips pressed against his, moving in sync, as his hands grasped your waist and halted you up in his arms, making your legs wrap around him.

Andy walked over to your bed, holding you close to him and not once tearing his lips away from yours. As he laid you on the mattress, he quickly slipped his shirt off before climbing over you.

His firm body pressed against yours made you clench in anticipation, yearning to feel him push himself deep into you. Just the thought made you let out a soft moan.

Just the sound made me want you that much more. His kisses became harder, almost as if he hungered for you.

How was it possible for a kiss to have this much power of someone? How could it turn you into this? Into someone that let themselves fall for someone they couldn’t have.

There were too many different emotions coursing through Andy, and he needed to catch his breath before anything else happened.

You could see the pain in his eyes, he was torn and honestly you hated knowing you were doing this to him.

The ball was in your court, and you had to choose.

“Just this once.” You said, cupping his face and forcing him to hold your gaze. “Let’s pretend we are two people in a room who can’t keep their hands off each other, and tomorrow...”

You paused for a moment, “tomorrow we will be Andy and Y/N and we will go back to our lives and move on as if this never happened, okay?”

Andy stares into you, waiting to see if you will change your mind, but hoping you wouldn’t.

It looked like he was nervous to move, and you knew just what to do.

“Show me how bad you want me.” You whispered. “Right now—I belong to you.”

He swallowed hard and felt his shaft grow under his clothes. It was an instant turn on and before he knew it, he quickly returned his lips back to yours.

Not everything had to make sense. Sometimes, two people can’t control falling for one another. It was involuntary.

But it happened.

The two of you left it all on the table and you were both lost in each other. Surrendering to one another.

You let out a loud moan, quivering and clenching under his touch. In this moment, after finally caving in to each other, you were both slowly falling deeper.

All of his frustrations, all of his pent up tension and desire had been expressed with every thrust, every kiss and touch. He made sure to make you feel it all.

“Fuck, Andy!” You would scream whenever he thrusted deep into you, instantly making you reach your peak.

The way his name fell from your lips only made him more aroused and eager to fuck you that much harder.

“Fuck, baby you feel amazing.” He hissed, pumping faster and faster into you.

Pleasure ran through his veins and he couldn’t help himself.

“Get on your hands and knees.” He growled. “Now.”

You did as you were told, panting from the sensation.

He’d tangle his hand into your hair and pull just enough to arch your back, as he shoved himself back into you. Forcing yet another moan out.

“Good girl.” He exhaled, thrusting faster.

Andy couldn’t take it anymore. The way you clenched around him, making him throb inside of you, he knew he wouldn’t be able to control it much longer.

“Cum with me.” He demanded.

It wasn’t hard for you to get to that point. The way he controlled the situation, took over and showed you his dominance. It only stimulated you more.

All the built up tension would soon be gone in just a few more thrusts.

It was all too much to handle, and neither of you could fight it anymore. Suddenly, his thrusts grew deeper and slower, and before you knew it, you were both lost in the pleasure, reaching your peak simultaneously.

For just a moment, Andy’s mind went blank. Something that he honestly needed after only months of chaos.

Your breaths were heavy, but you could care less. And the two of you fell into the bed, panting.

Andy glanced over at you, knowing what this meant. And though he knew it was going to end eventually, he wanted to savor this, laying here with you.

He pulled you into his arms and held you close to him.

Laying your head on his chest, you could hear his heart beat, absentmindedly running your finger over his glistening skin.

You weren’t his, and yet he knew he couldn’t lose you. He just couldn’t.

Being there with you, it felt real and right. And that was more confusing than anything. Because even after having you, he still only wanted you.

Since the day you knocked on his door, he had only been losing his mind. There’s just something about you that made him dazed and confused.

Even with no words shared, just silence, this was the only place he wanted to be.

For that, he knew he was screwed.

“We should head to the airport now.” You said, wishing you didn’t have to leave.

“Right.” He muttered.

And just like that, it was time to face the real world.

[sincerelysaraahh]

Let me know if you think I should continue!

Forbidden Ch. 3 | Andy Barber

Summary : You used to babysit Jacob when he was younger and had the biggest crush on his dad, Andy. But being in High school at the time, you knew it was just a stupid fantasy that could never happen. Now, six years later, you were visiting your hometown while on winter break. Once you found out the news about Jacob, you knew you had to go check up on them. But things take a turn when you find yourself alone with Andy Barber.

Chapter One // Chapter Two

A/N : I can’t believe we are here. I never thought my little one shot would be so liked! Thank you to everyone for all the love and the amazing feedback! It’s seriously has helped me and motivated me to write more lol.

Please know that this is NSFW! Thank you. And please let me know what you think!

Your bags were packed and ready for the trip back to California. Soon things would be back to the way it was. You’ll be overwhelmed with school and work and trying to stay afloat, you’ll be too busy to think about Andy.

And honestly, you were looking forward to it.

As every second passed, you couldn’t help but grow more nervous. Andy was coming to take you to the airport, which meant you would be alone with him...again.

This wasn’t how you wanted to spend your last day home. You were hoping to have breakfast with your family and enjoy the last few hours with them.

But he was persistent. And as much as you wanted to ignore him and move on from it, you knew you had to get closure. You both did.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you?” Your mom asked.

You shook your head and flashed a soft smirk. “I’m sure. There’s a few people I need to see before I leave and I don’t want to drag you around town.” You lied, forcing a chuckle.

She only nodded and pressed a kiss to your head.

You weren’t sure how she would feel if she knew Andy Barber was coming to pick you up. With everything that’s happening, and doesn’t help that he is much older than you, keeping it from her felt like the right thing to do.

“Well your dad and I are going to get some brunch. I hope you have a safe flight and please text me when your board the plane.”

“I will. Now go, enjoy yourselves.” You said. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

With that, she and your dad left.

Not long after, Andy pulled up to your house. Your heart began to palpitate in your chest, while heat radiated off your body.

Not knowing what was about to happen. What you would say, or how this would go, you were beyond nervous. And there was no turning back.

Andy knocked on your door, feeling just as nervous as you.

He felt like a kid in high school all over again. Something he hadn’t experienced in quite a while.

But you had this power over him that made it impossible to even think straight.

Taking a deep breath, you opened the door.

“Hi.” You said.

“Hi.” He exhaled, with his hands deep into his pockets. He couldn’t help but look you up and down, and suddenly he wanted nothing more than to feel you again.

The two of you stood there for just a moment, gazing at one another, until you forced yourself out of his trance and collected yourself.

“Um—do you want to come in? I just need to grab my charger and make sure the back door is locked.” You said.

Andy nodded and stepped into your house. It was his first time actually being there. Sure he had dropped you off countless times, but he never stepped foot inside.

You could feel his gaze on you and it was making it harder to concentrate.

“You excited to go back to California?” He asked, following you up to your room.

You swallowed hard knowing he was close behind, and he was about to see your childhood bedroom.

“Mhm.” You hummed. Looking for your charger.

Andy leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms over his chest. Not once taking his eyes off of you.

The longer he watched you, the more it drove him crazy. He was ready to sacrifice everything just to have you.

“Found it.” You turned to leave the room but abruptly stopped just a few feet in front of Andy.

He was like a statue, locked in his stance.

“We should leave—“

“Not until we talk about this.” He said, almost harshly. “You can’t dance around it anymore. We need to lay it all out there.”

Letting out a sigh, you decided to give in and get through it. He was right, you couldn’t ignore the inevitable.

“Alright. Let’s talk.” You exhaled. “That kiss was—“

“Don’t say it was a mistake. Because if it was, you wouldn’t have kissed me again.”

You were taken aback from his sudden response, and from the look of his body language, he seemed frustrated.

“Admit it Y/N.” He said, slightly glaring at you with his dark eyes, almost like he were trying to undress you with just his gaze. “You want me just as bad as I want you.”

Your breath quivered in the back of your throat. How did he manage to make you so flustered without even touching you?

“And what if I do?” You managed to get out.

Andy bit on his lower lip just before clenching his jaw. Every part of him knew this was wrong. He knew he shouldn’t feel this way for you. But damn, he needed to have you.

“Then show me.” He said, his voice was low, almost growling.

How did he make something so wrong look and feel so right?

It was instant. Before you had a chance to think clearly, you dropped your charger, and closed the distance between you.

Your lips pressed against his, moving in sync, as his hands grasped your waist and halted you up in his arms, making your legs wrap around him.

Andy walked over to your bed, holding you close to him and not once tearing his lips away from yours. As he laid you on the mattress, he quickly slipped his shirt off before climbing over you.

His firm body pressed against yours made you clench in anticipation, yearning to feel him push himself deep into you. Just the thought made you let out a soft moan.

Just the sound made me want you that much more. His kisses became harder, almost as if he hungered for you.

How was it possible for a kiss to have this much power of someone? How could it turn you into this? Into someone that let themselves fall for someone they couldn’t have.

There were too many different emotions coursing through Andy, and he needed to catch his breath before anything else happened.

You could see the pain in his eyes, he was torn and honestly you hated knowing you were doing this to him.

The ball was in your court, and you had to choose.

“Just this once.” You said, cupping his face and forcing him to hold your gaze. “Let’s pretend we are two people in a room who can’t keep their hands off each other, and tomorrow...”

You paused for a moment, “tomorrow we will be Andy and Y/N and we will go back to our lives and move on as if this never happened, okay?”

Andy stares into you, waiting to see if you will change your mind, but hoping you wouldn’t.

It looked like he was nervous to move, and you knew just what to do.

“Show me how bad you want me.” You whispered. “Right now—I belong to you.”

He swallowed hard and felt his shaft grow under his clothes. It was an instant turn on and before he knew it, he quickly returned his lips back to yours.

Not everything had to make sense. Sometimes, two people can’t control falling for one another. It was involuntary.

But it happened.

The two of you left it all on the table and you were both lost in each other. Surrendering to one another.

You let out a loud moan, quivering and clenching under his touch. In this moment, after finally caving in to each other, you were both slowly falling deeper.

All of his frustrations, all of his pent up tension and desire had been expressed with every thrust, every kiss and touch. He made sure to make you feel it all.

“Fuck, Andy!” You would scream whenever he thrusted deep into you, instantly making you reach your peak.

The way his name fell from your lips only made him more aroused and eager to fuck you that much harder.

“Fuck, baby you feel amazing.” He hissed, pumping faster and faster into you.

Pleasure ran through his veins and he couldn’t help himself.

“Get on your hands and knees.” He growled. “Now.”

You did as you were told, panting from the sensation.

He’d tangle his hand into your hair and pull just enough to arch your back, as he shoved himself back into you. Forcing yet another moan out.

“Good girl.” He exhaled, thrusting faster.

Andy couldn’t take it anymore. The way you clenched around him, making him throb inside of you, he knew he wouldn’t be able to control it much longer.

“Cum with me.” He demanded.

It wasn’t hard for you to get to that point. The way he controlled the situation, took over and showed you his dominance. It only stimulated you more.

All the built up tension would soon be gone in just a few more thrusts.

It was all too much to handle, and neither of you could fight it anymore. Suddenly, his thrusts grew deeper and slower, and before you knew it, you were both lost in the pleasure, reaching your peak simultaneously.

For just a moment, Andy’s mind went blank. Something that he honestly needed after only months of chaos.

Your breaths were heavy, but you could care less. And the two of you fell into the bed, panting.

Andy glanced over at you, knowing what this meant. And though he knew it was going to end eventually, he wanted to savor this, laying here with you.

He pulled you into his arms and held you close to him.

Laying your head on his chest, you could hear his heart beat, absentmindedly running your finger over his glistening skin.

You weren’t his, and yet he knew he couldn’t lose you. He just couldn’t.

Being there with you, it felt real and right. And that was more confusing than anything. Because even after having you, he still only wanted you.

Since the day you knocked on his door, he had only been losing his mind. There’s just something about you that made him dazed and confused.

Even with no words shared, just silence, this was the only place he wanted to be.

For that, he knew he was screwed.

“We should head to the airport now.” You said, wishing you didn’t have to leave.

“Right.” He muttered.

And just like that, it was time to face the real world.

[luvlyrv]

Just Vacation Girlfriends (Seulgi x Fem!Reader)

Genre: Fake dating, fluff

Summary: You and Seulgi enter a precarious fake dating situation, hijinks ensue. Except the hijinks aren't light-hearted, but rather deeply personal and intimate experiences. What are you and Seulgi really?

Word Count: 2k

A/N: Hi, it has literally been 5 months since I last wrote lol, I'm sorry. It's not like I hate writing it's just that there were other things I could and had to do. I apologize for taking so long to upload again, especially for the amount of feedback I got for my first post! 68 followers and 90 notes! I know it may seem like rookie numbers to some but I really want to thank you all. I'm having my winter break now so I should be able to post a lot during this short period. If I'm lucky I may be able to semi-consistently post during the school year as well ;). Sorry if there are any grammar mistakes/wtf moments I'm writing at 3AM and have slept for two hours total for the past 40 hrs, cut me some slack please.

Date: 12/24/20

The chops of your knife against the cutting board were interrupted by your phone ringing. You stop making dinner as you look over your shoulder to your phone a couple inches away on the counter. Your eyebrow perked up as you read the caller ID, it was Seulgi. Of course, you immediately set your knife down to talk to her.

"Hey Seul, what's up?"

"Hi..." Seulgi began to yawn. "I just wanted to hear your voice today."

You can't help but to let out a small smile as you felt your face getting warmer. Luckily Seulgi wasn't actually there to tease you about it.

"Ah, well, here's my voice. Is it relaxing enough, your majesty?"

You can hear a faint and muffled sound of laughter from Seulgi before you hear her tired voice through the speaker again.

"Hm, well I guess that'll do. I'm actually calling to make sure you wanna come with us on vacation again."

"Of course I do, I've been going with you guys for years. I'll make sure it works with my schedule."

"Yeah, I know that and I'll send you the dates, it's just that..." Seulgi let out a long sigh, "there's some other things you need to know."

"And that would be?"

"Pretend to be my girlfriend."

"What?"

"Please, Y/N. It'll just be for a week. I know it's a lot to ask but I need it."

You're speechless for a bit and deliberate on what to say next. Not wanting to worry your friend with your silence you ended up just saying, "Yeah, uh okay, I can work with that... why though?"

"You know how dating is like. Not a lot of time, not a lot of privacy. My parents understand this but they're still worried you know? They worry about how my future will be like if I'm spending basically over a decade just working. Something about it takes time to find the right man, settling, babies, blah blah blah. If you pretend to date me that'll ease their worries and I won't even have to worry about a scandal since it isn't real and only my parents would know anyways. Besides... we're close enough where we can pull this off convincingly, right?"

You take a second to think. It was a strange situation to be in, but as far as you knew you would only have to pretend for the week you would spend with her family. Her family wouldn't be seeing either of you after then, and maybe you could also fake breakup if things get sticky. With Seulgi's last statement... it was true that you've been really close with her and her entire family since you were both little. All it would take would be amping up the friendly touches and banter.

"Yeah, we are. Alright. I guess we should iron out the details about our fake relationship later though. You kind of sound like shit. Rest up if you can."

"Talk to you soon, Y/N."

With that, Seulgi ended the call and you were left with dinner still unprepared and a lot on your mind.

* *

The plan was to go to the airport and fly out to the island with Seulgi, where you could rehearse your story until you would meet up with the rest of her family and go about the vacation as normal. Except for the not so minor detail of you having to be Seulgi's girlfriend.

Seulgi sits by the window as you sit next to her. You try to get comfortable, but you really can't. There's a churning mixture of nervousness in your stomach. Even though it was all pretend, it was hard to imagine yourself trying to make it look real. Although you and Seulgi both felt like it would be easy to pull it off convincingly... there was something you couldn't quite place tugging at your heart-strings.

Your thoughts are interrupted as you hear her sweet voice.

"When did we start dating?"

"Uhm, ah, I know this! It was... er-"

"July 7th."

Seulgi begins to look at you. Her eyes are filled with both a pleading look and a disappointed look. She starts quizzing all the little, and very fake, details of your relationship. You answer them correctly for the most part and Seulgi's mood seemed to improve knowing you weren't completely hopeless. You're starting to get into the swing of things when all of a sudden Seulgi asks something completely unexpected.

"And what's our favorite position in bed?"

You felt your face immediately heat up as your eyes opened wide in shock.

"I- I mean, uh, what?"

"K-kidding of course." Seulgi says this with a smile, yet she seems to shake a little. Maybe she was also surprised with her sudden crude sense of humor. She begins to reach down and grab a small book from her bag. "I think we'll be good for now, just relax until we get there."

You just nod your head in response and slip in your earbuds.

* *

Although it wasn't like you have never spent a vacation with Seulgi, things felt weird.

First was the way her family treated you, especially her parents. The both of you walked into the beach house hand in hand. Her parents were completely unbothered. Later that day when eating dinner, Seulgi decided it was time to announce your relationship. As the conversation at the dinner table seemed to finally be dying down, she set down her fork and began to talk.

"Guys, listen up, I've been holding onto this news for some time now, but I really wanted to do it when everyone could see each other. What I've been wanting to say is... " It seemed to you, that maybe just for a little moment, Seulgi was trying to steel her nerves.

"Y/N and I are dating."

Silence. The two of you were met with utter silence. It wasn't the type of condemning and judging silence, but rather one of indifference. Everyone seemed completely unbothered with this news. The silence was thankfully quickly broken by Seulgi's mom.

"Well, I'm glad you guys have finally sorted your feelings. I'm sure you're both very happy now." Her mom said it with a small but warm smile. Everyone else seemed to nod in agreement. You couldn't help but to ask, "No big congratulations? What about the fact that we're both girls? "

Seulgi's brother laughed a little before talking.

"I mean... sorry. We can act a bit more excited if that's what you want. It really is something to be celebratory about... it's just that you don't usually clap for a fish when it swims, right? You know what I mean? It's just all a bit... expected and natural. As for the 'we're both girls' I don't care, and everyone else probably doesn't either."

To say the least, that was not the reaction that you and Seulgi expected. After dinner the two of you were stuck trying to think about what it all meant. You guys were also both stuck with the fact that you'd share one room and one bed for the rest of the week.

Again, it wasn't like you haven't done things like share a bed with Seulgi before. It was just that the relationship business was getting stuck in your head. Everything normal suddenly felt dangerous. Things like even looking in Seulgi's way felt like it took caution. That night, it was decided that there would be a pillow barrier between the two of you.

By the third night the pillows were all on the floor as the you hung onto each other for warmth, finding comfort in the contours of the other's body.

Things like this kept on happening. You would set up arbitrary rules to feel normal again and destroy them all within a blink of an eye. You just kept on acting on things without intending to.

For example, the other day Seulgi woke up early to cook breakfast. You couldn't help but to feel the absence of her body and warmth and followed her out to the kitchen soon after. Even though you were in a half-asleep state your feet found their way behind Seulgi and your arms snaked around her waist.

You burrowed your face into the crook of her neck. Taking in that familiar and oh-so-comforting scent that is Kang Seulgi. Since when did her scent make you feel at home? Since when did you feel so at ease with her? You had a sneaking suspicion that it has been this way for a very, very long time.

These thoughts didn't matter though, as your body began to move with hers to the soft music she had playing from her phone. She didn't try to resist your touch at all. Instead, it seemed that she melted under your touch, with you seeing her shoulders dropping and feeling her backing in further to your embrace. Before you knew it the serene moment ended when Seulgi finally finished cooking breakfast.

You would frequently hold hands whenever the family was around, yet even though you could spend your free time wherever with whoever, you were attached to Seulgi's hip and she to yours. You two would always end up doing something together, or perhaps you would do nothing, and instead just enjoyed the fact that the other was there while quietly still holding hands.

Holding her hand quickly became your best comfort. Her soft and warm hands seemed to fit perfectly with yours, fitting together just the way you'd want them to. Something about her hands electrified you every time.

The once seemingly distinct line between platonic feelings and romantic feelings began to get blurrier and blurrier with each passing second. This doubt and confusion culminated when going on one of the last outings planned for the vacation.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, during the outing a spontaneous couple's event was hosted. Your mouth began to dry up as the host looked at you and Seulgi, urging each other to kiss.

As far as everyone else knew, you've been dating for a decent amount of time now. Enough of an amount of time for them to assume you had kissed already. You looked into Seulgi's eyes in distress. You could feel the host boring his eyes into you. You could feel practically everyone's eyes staring in anticipation.

Seulgi drew her body closer and that was when you knew your fate was sealed.

* *

A couple hours later and you're back at the house now. Laying in the bed you've shared for the past few nights you finally look at her. She looks back at you with waiting eyes. Slowly you reach your hand up from under the blankets and softly laid it on her soft cheek. She responds by placing hers on top of yours.

Staring at the deep brown of her eyes, you take it all in. You feel heat radiating from her body. You watch her body rise and fall with a mix of a calm yet eager breath. The close proximity that the two of you share is something that was typical, yet so different in the moment. With bated breath you finally say the unspoken words. The words that should've been said long ago. The air and sound barely passes through your lips.

"I love you."

The two of you close in, giving the lightest kiss in the world. There was barely any pressure but you could feel her lips touching yours. Even though you've kissed already, this one meant so much more. Even if this was such a small and innocent kiss, it was the shyness of it all, the realization that it means something that made your heartbeat race.

Putting your foreheads together, Seulgi said with a quiet voice.

"It's been like this since forever, hasn't it?"

"Yeah. Let's keep it that way."

In the back of your head you wonder, was this to please her parents or was this to please her?

[youralternantpersonality]

Christmas III

Okay, so let yall know, there might be more to this than planned (if you know me and my writing, you knew to expect this), but also, I should have mentioned how the packs are set up here. It is essentially the same as how it was in the original series, but occasionally, Jake, Leah, and Seth will help out with La Push and vice versa. You can’t have two Alphas in one pack. Ness is 18 (Like 18 years has passed, type of 18) and does patrol with Jake’s pack.

Also, I know that Jake made Leah his Beta (second in command), but I also have her as the best tracker in this because let's be honest… it's Leah. Queen will track a motherfucker down even without being a shapeshifter.

Gamma’s (Third in command)—Paul—is basically head Worrier. He trains everyone. Not saying he does with Jake's pack, but they might. I don’t know, didn’t really overthink that.

Okay, anyway, I just wanted to put that out there.

BTW, still have no idea what is going on. Love yall!

_______________________________________________________________

Over the past few days, Paul had an increase in his duties at work due to higher active crimes in the La Push area and in the woods. He said he’ll make it up to me, and I have no doubt that he will; it just sucks not seeing him—but I love catching up with the girls in the meantime. Tomorrow, Emily and I are going to head to the airport to pick up Lajohn and Leah. When I talked to her on the phone about what was happening, her demeanor sounded strange, and it slightly shifted.

I’m not stupid. I know everyone is hiding something big from me. I noticed a lot of keywords and the body language shifting. I don’t want to push anyone, but it has not only started worrying me, but it is also slightly irritating. I wanted to take the opportunity to ask about it in the car with Emily but decided against it. I can tell this has more to do with those who secure La Push (i.e., Paul, Sam, Jared, Embry, Jake, Brady, Collen, Quil, Seth, Ness, and Leah) and decided it was just best to wait until I can ask them. Preferably Paul and Leah.

While helping Halulah set up the kitchen for lunch, I received a text from Elly, finally.

Elly: Hey, sorry about just getting back. You know it is around here with me! Lol, but that’s a bummer…I was really hoping we could spend time over winter break.

Y/n: Lol, you’re good. No worries. Well, we can always hang sometime at school.

Elly: Or…. we can meet up! So, we can exchange gifts and stuff! Oh! What about New Year’s?!

Elly: This is so exciting!!! Yeah, let's do that! Can we meet up for New Year’s? Just us? I know you may want to bring Leah, but I would rather not have someone look at me like they want to kill me while trying to have fun, lol.

I ponder for a moment before replying. I think back on before I left with Paul when she and her boyfriend were heading out. I remember paying attention to my inner self and feeling unease slightly with her, but downright terrified when I was around him.

Y/n: Let me get back to you on that. I’m staying with my (now and finally) boyfriend, and I know he might have something planned.

At least, I hope he does.

Y/n: But I’ll see when it gets closer to New Year’s, lol.

Elly: Kk, just lmk (let me know).

I brushed off my feelings towards Elly and decided to live in the present and meet up with her later. I walk towards the kitchen to set the food down when man-made howls and laughter can be heard from the distance. Any average person (knowing it’s the guys and Ness (who says she never howls, just rides in on Jake's back)) would think nothing of it when hearing it. But for some reason, I get a sense of ease, mainly from hearing one voice in the mix of the rowdy men who tumble inside. Ever since meeting Paul, I've become hyperaware of his presents and when he calls out like that. Like he’s telling me he’s coming home. It makes me feel warm inside…Jesus, this is weird. I've never been the lovey-dovey type, so feeling like this is fun, exciting, yet awkward. Doesn’t help that Paul knows it and uses it against me.

Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear.

“Hello, beautiful.” I hear next to me, feeling a kiss on my cheek.

“Are you talking to me or the rolls on the table?” I ask, raising a brow. He thinks for a moment.

“Both? Yeah, I’m going to say both.” I smack his hand before he can reach for it and point to the bathroom to wash up. He sulks and does what he is told.

“I swear, if it wasn’t for his good looks, I don’t think we’d make it,” I say next to Halulah, who told the same to Embry before eating.

“Amen to that.” After everyone had settled down, we crowded into the living room, minus Jake, Seth, Jared, Paul, and Sam. This usually happens once a week, from what I have been told. They basically go over the La Push/Forks area to cover security with the cops—even though they’re not cops. I asked Ness about it since her grandfather, Charlie, is one but she brushed it off and changed the subject.

“Hey, we’re done with everything. You want to head home?” Paul asks above me over the couch. I smile and nod my head. We grab our things and head towards his truck home. I take this opportunity to risk it all.

“Paul. Is there something you guys aren’t telling me?” I say, looking at him. A worried expression was placed on my face. He takes a deep breath before looking over at me. He doesn’t show any emotion on his face and looks ahead, tightening his hand on the wheel while the other is balled in a fist. I look down at my hands and wait for a reply.

I never received one.

When we make it to the house, he is still quiet and heads towards his room. Two minutes later, he comes back out in his jogging gear and tells me he’ll be back; not waiting for my response, he leaves. What the fuck?

Paul POV

I know I shouldn’t have left out like that, especially when we all planned to have someone watch over the girls when we couldn’t, but I couldn’t face her. Not yet. Am I stupid for withholding possible information that is more than likely directed towards her and her safety? 100 times, yes. But am I stupid enough to tell her everything by myself? 100% no.

I meet up with Sam and Jared not far from the house to tell them to notify the elders to gather together to explain to Y/n what we are and what is going on. Everyone is right. Hiding this from her until after isn’t going to help but hinder her. Potentially hurt her. He agrees and will try to have its plan soon. Since Christmas Eve is only tomorrow, I’m hoping I can tell her then. But for right now, I have to explain what I can without giving too much away.

In an instant, Sam and I stop and look towards the direction of my house. Not caring who is around, we run as fast as we can towards my place to see smoke coming from the kitchen. I bust inside and see a passed-out Y/n on the kitchen floor, the back door busted open. Sam and Jared chased the intruder while I put out the fire and brought my mate to the living room. Not a minute later, Sam calls out for the guys, and as expected, I can hear everyone going off to chase after the intruder.

The vampires that have been after Y/n.

Third Person POV

*Back at Emily and Sam’s house*

Jake, Ness, and Seth went back to the Cullen’s territory to switch shifts with Jasper, Rosalie, and Carlisle when they were suddenly stopped by a howl. Without even a second glance, they take off and head towards the treaty line. They were met up by Edward and Bella, with everyone not too far behind.

“They’re back. We know who they’re after.” Edward states.

“Yeah, they’re after Paul’s mate, Y/n. We just don’t know why or how they know her.” Jake said. Within seconds they get the scent of the intruders on their land and chase after them.

“Just don’t cross the border!” Emmett says, referring back to a time when they were after Victoria. They all roll their eyes and catch up to the three nomads.

The first guy was around “5’11” and frumpy-looking. He had shaggy brown hair and red eyes. His eyes are fiercer than what his body let on, and he has thin lips with a round nose. Not the most attractive-looking vampire, that was for sure.

The lady with him was around “5’0”, thin with cropped wavy black hair with black eyes—she’s hungry. Her tiny nose was disproportionated to her fuller lips and her high cheekbones. As if she had plastic surgery before her shift, but it just went wrong. Still beautiful than her (what they could assume) mate.

The last guy was an eerier, terrifying, yet had a frightening resemblance to Jasper than the rest. Tall with longer hair, almost the same eyes, lips, and nose shape. The only difference is that he was more silver, and Jasper’s was more blond with topaz eyes and black eyes like the woman. This kid made Jasper look like the happiest person on the planet.

With both supernatural species on both sides of them, they unexpectedly (yet expected) split up into different directions.

“He’s going to cross!” Alice says as her eyes glass over. “Jake! Ness! Follow her.” She pauses, looking for anything else, “He’s heading towards La Push!” she yells out. The three nomads are confused, and while silently communicating, they switch ways.

“SWITCH!” Alice screams, and everyone takes off.

*La Push Hospital*

Stirring awake a few hours later, Y/n looks around to see nothing but plane white and forest green walls and furniture. By smelling the sterilized…well…everything, she instantly knew she was in the hospital. Taking a moment to get her head straight, she finally notices a familiar sound of light breathing, unlike his regular obnoxious snores and warmth on her hand.

Paul.

Slowly moving her hand from under him, she lightly scratches her nails on his scalp to wake him up like she usually does when they’re not in a rush for anything or when he’s having a had time going to sleep. Paul slowly starts to open his eyes and contacts Y/n. he instantly starts apologizing for everything and not telling her everything like he should. Y/n lets him ramble on for another while before stopping him.

“It’s okay, Paul. I forgive you, my love. Just please, tell me what’s going on? who was that? or really, what was that? that was in your kitchen?” She says, worrying. Paul swallows, clear his throat, and proceeds to begin to tell Y/n what is going on. Before the nurse and doctor decided to come in, at that moment.

“When can she be let out?” Paul asked hastily. He wants to just be with his mate in their own privacy.

“Tomorrow. We want to keep her overnight since she hit her head pretty hard on the countertop. The burn marks, we aren’t too worried about since it is a slight first-degree burn, but we want to make sure it heals a little before we let her go.” They check her through and leave the room. Paul sulks next to Y/n, and she can’t but giggle at the sight of a giant “6’4” man, sulking as if she took his favorite toy truck.

“This is stupid.” He says under his breath, causing Y/n to laugh at him. He grins slightly at her and reaches for her uninjured hand, and kisses it.

“How are you feeling, babe?”

“I’m okay. Just tired, it’s all.” Lacing their hands together.

“Why don’t you get some rest? We can-”

“No, Paul. We need to talk about what is going on. I don’t like being in the dark with this, and I’m not going to get any sleep anyways if you’re not going to tell me. So, say it now, please, Paul.” She says with desperation in her eyes. Paul nods and goes on to tell her about La Push and their history. From how it was founded, the name, their culture. He then moved on to the secret that he had been withholding for as long as he could. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to tell her; he was just afraid. Lajohn nearly ran 20 mph towards Forks when they told him, who’s to say she won’t do 15 mph?

He took a deep breath and told his mate about shapeshifting and how it was in their DNA. What triggers it, what, and who started it. When he got to the cold ones and started to describe them, her eyes went wide. She didn’t say anything, but pieces began forming together. Paul says it but makes no comment on it. Once he was done, he looked at her. Waiting for her reaction—any reaction, really. What he wasn’t expecting was for what she said next.

“Elly’s a vampire.” She whispers and looks at him with realization. She was not bothered about the fact that her boyfriend/mate could shapeshift but that her friend was a vampire. It wouldn’t have been bothersome (seeing how she realized the Cullen’s are one too), but it was the fact that Elly hid hers with harmful intentions. From thinking back on her appearance, her inner intuition of telling her to get away from her, but seeing as unnaturally beautiful, cold, and hard intrigued her. Her eyes being a strange dark maroon-ish color—almost a red-ish/black—were sometimes unsettling, so she would avoid eye contact with her. Whereas the Cullen’s (still creepy) was more topaz or gold. If Leah trusts them (although half-ass she does) but not Elly, that says more than anything.

“Who’s Elly?” Paul says after a minute or so of watching Y/n contemplate and put everything together.

“A friend, or really, “friend” from school who Leah and Lajohn hate. I never thought much of it since Leah hates 98.30% of the population; Lajohn, I could see more of, even without dating Leah. But it makes sense—her eagerness to always be around me and to get away from Leah as soon and as much as possible, the death glairs and insults they pass at one another. The weird feeling, I get around here but ignored. Leah was protecting me from her. But why didn’t she tell me sooner? Why didn’t you guys tell me sooner?”

“We can only speak for ourselves. It’s part of the treaty that was set in place when we called a truce to live in harmony with the Cullen’s way-back-when. Don’t be mad at Leah; it’s basically an ancestral gag-order. It really bothered her and didn’t help when we found out we are mates…shit.” As if time stopped, Paul realized he slipped up by telling Y/n the one information he was hoping to not say for a bit longer.

“We’re what?” Y/n asked calmly and confused. Paul dropped his head in his hands and then explained what it meant to be mates with someone. What the feeling is, what it is like, how the universe just gave a valid reason to continue with life, even when times start getting harder and harder. The one person who could put you out of your misery. When he was done explaining, he took his chance and looked up at his mate and saw she had a cheeky smile on her face. He rolled his eyes.

“So, I’m your mate, huh?” she says, Paul already knowing where this is going.

“Yes, ma’am, you are.”

“So that means I can annoy you for the rest of your life? Right? Like, you can't get away from me even if you wanted to?” she says, smiling as big as possible. Paul laughs and nods his head. The one thing he and the other shapeshifters only know and refuse to say anything towards their mates is that they can reject them. But the thought of it never is fitting, and it never seems like information worth saying.

“Oh, thank God! The last thing I want is to leave. You know too much about me. You and Leah, so you’re stuck with me.”

“I should’ve made better life choices in another life if I had known I was going to be stuck with you.” He says with a playful grin, kissing her hand.

“Hey, it goes both ways. I must have killed a witch or something to be cursed with you. Gawd!” she says, laughing. They go back and forth, insulting playfully at each other. Occasionally sharing kisses from time to time until Y/n called it quits for the night. Before taking the cot (that did no justice for a man as large as Paul), Paul took a moment and almost felt as if he was having a premonition of their future. The only difference is the room would be filled with baby necessities and a bassinette of their child…or children. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of that and fell asleep peacefully.

*Christmas Eve at Emily and Sam’s Place*

Coming home in the afternoon was…interesting for Y/n. And by interesting it was Leah barging in the house after hearing the news of what happened to her one and only true best friend, going through the works of emotions and then threatening to kill every living being within a 2-inch radius if they were to ever hurt her, Y/n, again.

“Leah, it’s okay. I understand everything now. And I’m sorry I didn’t really see this or took your warning seriously. Really though, I should have since you have no problem with my roommates and some other people we study with. Hell, you’re friends with some of them too! I should have paid attention to it. I don’t know how I didn’t.” Y/n said, looking at her hands—one covered from the burn in the kitchen.

“No, Bunny, it is not your fault. NEVER think it is. You couldn’t have known. And Sam talked to Carlisle. They suspect that she might have some kind of supernatural ability or something. One that could have blocked your sense of danger.” She says, holding me. Lajohn nods his head next to Paul in the corner.

“Plus, we caught all but one. The other female got away, and the two guys were dead on site.” Seth said, jumping over the couch next to Leah. Y/n asked what they looked like, and Ness decided to show her. Mind you, Y/n only knows about the wolves, nothing of the Cullen’s. So, you can expect a surprise when she sees what Nessie sees through touch. Disregarding the fact of what she did, Y/n tells them who one of the guys was.

Elly’s boyfriend. She had never seen the other two. Once Y/n said who one of the guys was, everyone looked at one another, deflated, knowing that this could be another Victoria situation.

“How about we stop worrying for right now and be appreciative that Y/n is here and enjoy this time together?” Clair said next to Quil on the floor. Everyone agreed and headed towards the kitchen, where the food was ready to be served. For the remainder of the night, the air was only filled with laughter and joy. Now that Y/n was in on all of the information about the pack and officially was part of it, they could openly tell embarrassing stories about one another without any problems.

She still hasn’t seen Paul in his wolf form yet.

Elouise POV

“Elly!” Rebecca called out, coming home from up north. She went to go see the location and area of Y/n. I told them about the possibility of meeting up with her for New Year’s. Their agitated passive-aggression towards my “obsession” over her was getting to the point where they just wanted to get this done and over with. They understood that she was my siren, that her blood just calls to me. They just don’t know how bad it does.

“ELLY!!! THEY KILLED THEM! THOSE FILTHY MUTTS KILLED THEM!!!” Rebecca screamed at me. I turned around to see her fuming and running towards me. She shoved me so hard into the countertop that it broke. “If you didn’t have that stupid obsession over that stupid human, my Hector would be alive! THEY KILLED THEM, YOU SELFISH BITCH!!!” before she could cause any more harm to me, I ran outside. I can block dominant sensory from people. For example, Y/n, where she should run and hide away from me anytime I am near, I stop her flight or fight mode, and she responds as if she was like me or if I was human again. I use it towards Rebecca, causing her to break down in front of me. I go to the one I have always seen as a sister and hold her, holding back my own grieve. Until it hit me.

They killed them.

They killed my mate.

All I see is red and toss aside the idea of waiting until New Year’s.

Those mutts and their pets are going down.

   Holiday Love

[dc41896]

Warm Welcome

This is based off the adorable instastory of him holding the puppy☺️ (Please don’t judge my overly soft, emotional self lol). Like other people, I thought about what it would be like if he was holding a baby instead, so this popped in my head and I hope you guys like it! Also sorry if it’s a bit short.

Pairing: Chris EvansxBlack Reader

⚠️: None all fluff💕!

The setting sun outside casts an orange hue throughout the quiet house while you sit at the long, wooden dinner table anxiously bouncing your knee. You tried to focus on the words of the magazine in front of you as you sipped tea from the Christmas themed mug, but can only think about how your husband would walk through the door at any minute.

After being away filming for what felt like the longest three months you’ve ever experienced, Chris was finally coming home and you couldn’t be happier. Not only so you could hold him and snuggle into his side like you loved to do, but also for him to finally meet your son.

As luck would have it, a winter storm cancelled all outgoing flights from his location in Canada, and with his strict schedule it made it nearly impossible for him to come home. You’d never seen him so hurt when he FaceTimed you from the private lounge of the airport with red, puffy eyes saying he wouldn’t be able to be there when you gave birth. Of course Chris offered countless times during your recovery to catch a red eye so he could see you both, but you couldn’t let him tire himself out traveling back and forth in the span of hours.

So until he could be home for good, you settled on video calls when he was free, updating him on Elijah, Dodger, and yourself. No call ever seemed to last long enough though.

Padding against the floor, the light jingle of metal brings your attention to an excited looking Dodger lying his head in your lap nuzzling your arm with his nose for pets.

“Hey Dodge. You excited about daddy coming home too?,” you speak just above a whisper, hand smoothing down the brown hairs on top of his head as he peers up at you. “Honestly I’m a little nervous. I know I shouldn’t be and I’m probably just overthinking, but what if your dad and little brother don’t get along?”

Licking your palm, his paw reaches up to rest on your knee making you giggle as you bend down hugging the relaxed looking pup. “Yea you’re right bubs, everything’s gonna be fine and I need to calm down.”

The knocking of keys against the front door cause Dodger to race to the foyer leaving your heart pounding in your chest as you stand up to follow the blur of brown and white fur. Just hearing his voice as he played with his best friend; laughing as the hyper dog nearly knocked him over almost brought tears to your eyes the closer you stepped towards the noise.

Stupid hormones making you even more emotional than usual.

You weren’t even able to entirely round the corner before you felt strong arms lifting your body and holding you close as his lips molded perfectly with yours in a kiss so long overdue, neither of you wanted to stop so you didn’t have to go without the feeling anymore.

“Hi,” he whispers, bright smile spread on his face with lips still dangerously close to yours.

“Hi,” you giggle pecking his a few more times after as if trying to savor the feeling.

You knew he wouldn’t change during his time away, but that didn’t stop your hands from finding his cheeks as you took in his familiar features. Thumb lightly brushing over the new cut trailing from his eyebrow to the outer corner of his eye, he softly chuckles turning to kiss the inside of your wrist. “I’m fine. Just a little accident on set.”

“I know. I’m still not over you trying to hide it from me though.”

“I didn’t want you to worry, I’m sorry.” Batting those long eyelashes as his bottom lip pokes out, your smile interrupts your joking glare as you kiss his lips once more.

“You and your son with those eyelashes and that pout.”

“How is he?,” he asks, eyes lighting up as he places you back on the ground.

“Good, but you can come see for yourself.” Taking his hand, you guide him to the living room where the sleeping baby sat in his motion swing being gently rocked. You could practically feel Chris’ excitement radiating off him as he gently squeezed your hand following close behind.

“I-I don’t want to wake him or make him upset,” he stammers as you cut off the machine and unbuckle him.

“It’s okay, it’s about time for him to get up anyway so I can change him.” Passing Elijah on to your husband, you see him slightly tense as he craddles the now wiggling baby in his arms.

“He’s okay right? Or does he not like lying like this?”

“He’s fine, he’s just waking up,” you smile grazing a finger over Elijah’s chubby cheek to get him to calm down. “Who is that Eli? Is that daddy? Say hi daddy, me and mommy missed you!”

“I missed you guys too,” he sniffles playing with Eli’s hand as the curious baby looks up at him with Hazel eyes. He told himself not to cry, but finally seeing his child in person and getting to admire everything about him from the dark curls growing in at the top of his head to his cute button nose and tiny feet currently covered with white socks, the tears seemed to come naturally as he lifted him to lie on his shoulder. “God, he looks just like you Y/N.”

“Yea that’s what everyone says,” you smile, sniffling yourself as you wipe his tears. “He has your smile though, and freckles like you.”

“And he’s grown so much already!”

“I know! It kinda makes me emotional, but I know he can’t stay a baby forever.”

“I just wish it wasn’t going so fast. Or that I didn’t miss everything.”

“You didn’t though. Yea you missed some things in the beginning, but you’re here now,” you respond hugging his waist. “Plus it’s not your fault. Being away is just one of the crappy things that comes with the job.”

“...You’re not mad at me are you? For not being there?”

“No, of course not. Although we didn’t see it coming, we both knew that was something that could happen. Again, you not being there was work related, which I understand. It’d be different if you were off drinking with friends and missed it, then I’d be pissed,” you answer making him chuckle.

Lifting his tiny head the best he could, a short noise comes from Eli’s mouth before he smiles staring up at his father.

“See? Eli understands too,” you laugh kissing Chris’ cheek.

“Thank you bud,” he laughs kissing the top of his head. “Now, fill me in on what you and mommy have been up to.”

He carefully sits down on the couch continuing his “conversation” with his son making single noises as if trying to speak himself. Quickly opening your phone, you start to record their adorable talk as you sit down beside them smiling to yourself.

“Wow you guys did all that? I hate I missed it,” he responds gently rubbing his back. “I’ll tell you what though, daddy’s gonna take a bit of a break from work so he doesn’t miss anything else you guys do. How does that sound?”

Giggling with his fingers in his mouth, both you and Chris laugh as he leaves multiple small kisses on his temple.

“I think he’s fine with that,” Chris answers winking as you end the video.

Taglist: @fumbling-fanfics @honeychicanawrites @honeychicana @lady-olive-oil @themyscxiras @melinda-january @lovelymari4 @maxcullen @literaturefeen @damnitaa @curlyhairclub @plokyu23 @fullofmelaninsarcasmandepression @nunubug99 @felicity-x0 @ellixthea @jojolu @jnk-812 @brwn-sgr @captainsamwlsn @wildfirecracker @nina-sj @iammyownlover @chaneajoyyy @scoop93535 @secretmysteriousperson

If anybody wants to be tagged, has asked to be tagged but don’t see your name, only want to be tagged for certain people I write for, or no longer wish to be tagged just let me know🤓!

[joon-ipersgirl]

O5 - “airplane pt. 2″

O5 - “airplane pt. 2″

genre: strangers to lovers!au, angst, fluff

pairing: jimin x reader (f)

summary: they say home is where the heart is. you’re convinced yours was taken the day your father died. until you meet jimin. 

you believe in love but after watching men cycle through your mother’s arms, rocky relations with ex-boyfriends, and broken friendships, you no longer see it in your future. so much so, you never settle in one place long enough to call it home, choosing a job where you’re always on the go and on your own. 

on a chance encounter on a flight from new york city to bali, indonesia, you meet. flustered by jimin’s flirty advances but understanding and good-natured tendencies, you start to fall. what starts off as a work-trip soon blossoms into a budding romance, but will jimin’s secret destroy the relationship before it’s had the chance to truly begin?

word count: 5.4k

warnings: cursing, mentions of anxiety, talks of heartbreak

a/n: i thought i should post this while i had the motivation lol. this has a lot of background for their past relationships with a lil twist so i hope you enjoy it. this is the last part i have completed so updates for this story might be a while but winter break is coming up so i should have more time. i just really want to do the next part justice you know? anywhoo. as always, thank you vi for reading this beforehand and pls leave any comments and thoughts in an ask. i’m curious to the reactions of jimin’s relationship history. enjoy everyone and think you for reading!

full masterlist // series masterlist // previous // next

There were no thoughts of Tiago when you woke up that morning. Your cheek was pressed against Jimin’s back as your arm was draped over his upper body and your leg slung over his lower back. His breathing was deep and even as he slept peacefully beside you. You realized you’d technically only taken a nap as no sunlight peeked under the curtain, only the artificial lights from the street signs gently illuminating the room.

The events of last night came rushing back to you and you pulled away from Jimin, surprised at just how bold you’d become.You’d truly felt comfortable enough to share a deep part of your life story with a man that you’d known for two days. A man that you had a crush on. A man that had almost kissed you in the middle of a dive bar in the middle of Hong Kong. Jimin was encroaching on dangerous territory.

A ping! came through on your phone which you realized was across the room with the rest of your things. You groaned at the thought of having to leave the comfortable confines of the bed. Another loud ping! dragged you from the warmth of the sheets, choosing to crawl over Jimin’s legs instead of his lap, remembering the previous morning’s antics. Checking your phone, you saw three unread messages from Michael.

Michael: Good afternoon Y/N! Have you any word on when you’ll arrive in Bali? [1:09]

Michael: So I haven’t received a call or text from you. I assume everything is fine, or Park Jimin has killed you. I hope it’s the former [4:17]

Michael: So clearly he’s killed you. I’ll be sending his name and social security number off to the authorities [4:19]

You snorted at Michael’s messages as you inched your way back into your spot though Jimin had claimed the majority of your space in his sleep. He didn’t stir as you slipped under the covers, but rested his head against your chest as you laid on your back; you didn’t have the heart to move him as you responded to Michael.

You don’t have his social security number Michael. I’m fine. We just had a long night. And our flight is leaving some time this afternoon. I’ll get the details from Jimin and send them to you

[4:22]

Michael: You don’t know that. And a long night? Y/N, don’t tell me you were in the arms of this man when you’ve only known him for at most 2 days [4:24]

So what if I was? You’ve definitely done worse

[4:25]

Michael: You’re right. But this is one of the areas where I don’t lead by example. Please tell me you used protection at least [4:26]

Gross, Michael. Nothing happened. We just went to the museum (I saw Garland Sans) and then went for dinner and some drinks

[4:27]

Michael: A museum, dinner, AND drinks? In ONE night? Sounds like a date. A classy one at that since you said there was no fucking [4:29]

Michael: AND YOU SAW GARLAND SANS WITHOUT ME?! WITH HIM?! HOW DARE YOU! [4:30]

You’re honestly so crude. There was no fucking. It was just a casual hangout, nothing crazy. Also, I didn’t know his work was going to be there. I don’t think it’ll be the same exhibit in New York so we’re fine

[4:33]

Michael: A casual hangout where you forget to text me back? I beg to differ. Spill [4:34]

You chewed on your lip as you stared at Michael’s message. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to tell him what happened; Michael was more than just a manager, he was also like a best friend. The problem was you didn’t really know how to describe last night. You barely understood what had transpired yourself. Throwing caution to the wind, you laid out all the details of the previous night.

Michael: … [4:53]

Michael: Y/N, this man did NOT wine and dine you and you left him hanging out to dry! Have I taught you nothing? [4:54]

Michael: I just - I cannot believe you got lucky like this. Well, not that kind of lucky. Either way, he didn’t actually kiss you so maybe he deserved that. An art curator at that. And he lives in NYC? You really are living in the moment. I’m so happy to hear after that S.O.B. [4:55]

Michael: Wait, does this mean you’re in bed together now?! [4:55]

It wasn’t that type of night! Like you said, I’ve known him for TWO DAYS. We can’t just have sex. And

I guess so; Tiago hasn’t been on my mind as much lately. Yes, Michael. We’re currently still in bed. Jimin’s sleeping

[4:58]

Michael: It’s the 21st century, Y/N. Live a little. You’re a modern-day woman. It’s been a year and a half love, I would hope he wasn’t. Not when you have a man that sounds like he’s sex on legs wrapped around your finger. [5:01]

Michael: Please send a pic. Thanks! [5:02]

He is not wrapped around my finger! And I’m definitely not just going to send you a picture of him sleeping! That’s weird!

[5:05]

Michael: Booo! This would be for the authorities Y/N. Think about your safety [5:07]

I am. So safe from you and your antics when I’m on the other side of the world. I’m going to shower, I’ll text you later

[5:09]

Michael: Oh you’re a dirty girl! Ask Jimin to join you. Remember to text me the flight details [5:12]

You chuckled at Michael’s attempt to make you uncomfortable. There was no way in hell you would do that. Jimin wasn’t wrong when he said you could barely look at him with clothes on and you blushed as the increasingly inappropriate thoughts tried to break through the barrier of unconsciousness and consciousness. You felt Jimin tug you closer as you tried to slip out of his grip again.

“Where are you going?” he mumbled, still half asleep.

“To go take a shower,” you said while trying to push him off you.

“No,” he whined. “Don’t leave me.” He snuggled closer and you laughed.

“Let go, Jimin. I smell gross; I’m basically leaking alcohol from my pores at this point.”

“I don’t care. You’re warm and I want to sleep more.”

“You can still sleep while I go and shower.” You pinched his side and he jerked away from you. His glare was comical as he struggled to locate you with sleep-heavy eyes. “So you’re ticklish? Good to know.”

“You’re mean,” he pouted as he rolled over onto his stomach after you’d successfully vacated the bed. “And it’s early as fuck. Wake me up when it’s a reasonable hour to be a human being.”

“You don’t even know what time it is,” you mumbled as you closed the door on any reply Jimin could make.

You welcomed the sting of the hot water against your shoulders, soothing the knots in the back of your neck. Letting the water run through your hair, you smoothed it out of your face. Massaging your scalp was therapeutic nowadays, especially since it was so much shorter. You hadn’t grown it out in a year and a half, now enjoying the short dry time and the new woman you were; Tiago would have hated it. You sighed as he resurfaced and you washed him away again with the simple smelling body wash. By the time you were dressed in your last clean emergency clothing, your hair was already drying.

The smell of coffee welcomed you as you sat down to add the final touches to your Saipan video. It wasn’t hard to get lost in editing, your brain working overtime to adjust the exposure of the film, fade out the titles, and sync up the music. You relished the peacefulness of the early morning quiet, your life seeming to return to its normal rhythm even if just for a few moments. Your moleskine journal with edited itinerary notes sat next to the steaming second cup of black coffee just as the breakfast rush started to roll in and along with them an extremely flustered Jimin.  

“Y/N!” he crashed into the seat opposite you. “I thought you left!” His backpack sat beside yours on the floor as you stared at him confused.

“Where could I have possibly gone, Jimin?”

“I don’t know. You weren’t there when I woke up and neither was your stuff. I thought I overstepped last night and made you uncomfortable,” he said. Droplets of water fell from his hair and onto his white t-shirt. Your face softened.

“I needed some coffee. And to get some work done. You really thought I would have left you?” you asked curiously.

He shrugged and pushed his hand through his damp hair. “What reason would you have to stay?”

You opened your mouth and closed it. Jimin was right. You didn’t have to stay. It was possible that you could have just gone to the airport, given them your name, and be set - though that would have made for an awkward conversation whenever Jimin arrived as your seats were next to one another. You watched him head over to grab some food, greeting Sonia in passing, as he piled his plate high. He returned shortly after with Sonia and handed you a plate of fruit.

“She says you’ve been down here for hours and haven’t touched a thing; you need to eat. And she wanted to know if you enjoyed yesterday.” Sonia stood at the end of the table expectantly.

“It was really great. The museum was incredible. I really can’t thank you enough. And Jimin was a great tour guide. Did she see the pictures?” Jimin shook his head, his mouth stuffed with food as usual, before he thumbed the polaroids out of his wallet. Sonia cooed and the two of them chatted again, a slight blush overtaking the tips of Jimin’s ears.

“She said you look really beautiful and she’s happy you enjoyed yourself so much.” You thanked her as you chewed on a grape, wondering what else Jimin had left out of his translation. Too much was said for it to be condensed into a two-part sentence.

“What time is our flight leaving, Jimin? Michael wants me to send him the details.”

“So flight leaves at 1:40 pm and we board at 1:10 ish -“

“Holy fuck Jimin!” You slammed your laptop shut. “It’s 12:17! We have to go. Now. Fuck!” You shoved your journal into your backpack, the chair almost tipping back as you shot up from your seat. It took a few seconds for Jimin to realize just how far away from the airport you were before he too was out of his chair and shoving the last piece of pastry into his mouth. Sonia looked alarmed as you tried to return your dirty dishes until Jimin explained and she grabbed the plates out of your hands and yelled for William.

You bounced your leg as you watched William weave through the midday traffic. The leather of the seat bench stuck to the underside of your thighs. Lunch hour traffic in Hong Kong was just as bad as in New York and you willed yourself to remain calm as you cruised down the highway. The wind roared through the open windows and whipped your hair around your face. It was torture leaving the fate of your on-time arrival in the hands of a man you had literally met yesterday in a pickup truck that you were sure was a few years older than you. You envied Jimin’s ability to look peacefully out of the window at the bustling city while the coil of nerves bundled tight in your belly rolling like the waves of the deep sea.

Michael had not texted you back and you worried that somehow your phone service had been cut off again. An irrational thought because it was nearing 1 am in New York, but your brain had seemed to have left rationale back with Sonia. The comfort that your early morning wake up had given you in addition to the previous night’s adventures had been ripped away from you. It was no longer only you and Jimin in the back seat; anxiety had squeezed in beside you. Tears pricked your eyes in frustration as you prayed you wouldn’t have another delay in finally getting to Bali.

“Don’t worry, Shutterfly. We’re going to make it. You’re not missing this flight. I promise,” Jimin said to you as William followed the signs for the departure terminal. You could barely offer him a smile as the looming structure that was Hong Kong International Airport grew closer.

William pulled his truck over to the sidewalk between a Kia and a Buick, the vehicle looking extremely ancient compared to the other two. “Have a safe flight. And Sonia expects to see you both again soon okay?” William declared. Jimin hopped down and turned to help you out of the truck.

“We’ll do our best,” Jimin muttered, glancing at you. “Thank you for everything, William. I’ll let you know when we land.”

“Thank you, William. It really meant a lot, you taking me in and stuff,” you added and he gave your shoulder a squeeze through the open window as Jimin shut the door.

“You two should hurry. Go,” he shooed you towards the terminal doors. Jimin said goodbye once more and then was pulling you through the automatic doors.

The two of you breezed through the other passengers checking their luggage as you used the machine kiosks bypassing any potential cheery airline workers. Jimin trailed behind you as you zipped through the slow-moving passengers, your eyes focused on the glass doors leading towards the security checkpoint.

“Hey! Slow down, Shutterfly. We’re going to make it, even if we have to run,” Jimin said as he picked up his pace to catch up with you. You did not want to have to run. You had never run for a flight in your entire life and you did not want to start now. You bounced from side to side as you moved painstakingly slow towards the immigration officer perched on her high chair. It was already 1 pm, but no one else seemed concerned, probably actually on time for their flight. You rolled your shoulders, trying to loosen the tension nestled between them.

“It’s okay, Y/N. It’s okay.” Jimin slipped his hand under your hair, his thumb rubbing gentle circles between the base of your neck and shoulders. You sighed and removed his hand, turning to face him.

“It’s not okay, Jimin. I don’t even know if they have my bag,” you huffed. You stepped forward to hand your passport and boarding pass to the officer.

“I’m sure they do, darling. As long as you have your -”

“I remember what you said about the tag, Jimin. That doesn’t change the fact that I could land in Bali without my bag. I don’t even have enough time to ask someone about it,” you snapped while placing your camera bags into the grey bins, your shoes following after. Jimin said nothing further as he emptied his own backpack, the book he had been reading more dog-eared than when you first saw it along with a leatherbound book.

Just as you were passing through the body scanner, an announcement blared through the terminal. “This is the last boarding call for passengers Park Jimin and Y/N Y/LN on flight 7860 with services to Bali, Indonesia at Gate C9. Again, would passengers Park Jimin and Y/N Y/L/N please report to Gate C9 for flight 7860 to Bali, Indonesia? Thank you.”

“Shit,” you exclaimed, shoving your hands through your hair as another TSA officer looked over your scan. “Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!”

“Alright, you’re good.” You didn’t wait for the last word to spill from his mouth before you were back in front of the conveyor belt waiting for your stuff to pass through its own scanner. Quickly and as carefully as you could, you zipped your cameras back up and tucked them into your backpack. Your hands were shaking.

“Don’t worry, Y/N! I got you!” Jimin called out as he moved around you. He was already packed up and taking off by the time you’d secured your things. You stared in disbelief as you watched him run through the departure terminal, not caring how many people stared at him. It looked like you would be doing the same.

You chased after him, clutching your passport and phone in your hand, chest heaving as you watched Jimin’s head disappear further into the crowd. Fuck, he was fast. You dodged the small children that waddled along with their parents and the elderly couples that squinted up at the screens to find their correct gates. Your legs burned as you pushed through the pain, the hallways of the airport being much longer than you remembered. You couldn’t afford to miss this flight.

Rounding the corner to gate C9, the seats were empty. The rest of the passengers had already boarded the plane. A few of the airline employees milled around getting ready to close the gate. One was arguing with Jimin who refused to walk through the doors so they couldn’t close it.

“Look! There she is. I told you!” Jimin was standing in the doorway leading down the aircraft gangway, blocking the airline employees from closing the door. They looked highly irritated.

“Miss Y/L/N?”

“Yes, that’s me. I’m so sorry!” you apologized while handing over your boarding pass for it to be scanned. Your face felt hot from all the attention but you pushed it down. There was nothing else to worry about.

“Have a safe flight,” the employee mumbled as he handed you back the pass. You smiled, relieved.

Jimin grinned at you as he jogged towards the plane, his hair bouncing with every step. “I told you we wouldn’t miss the flight, Shutterfly.”

Ignoring all the nasty looks you received as you walked down the aisle of the plane, you and Jimin flopped down into your respective seats, tired from your sprint to the gate. The usual airplane routine started up as the plane left the gate and you relaxed in your seat as you watched the tarmac roll by through the window. Running was not your forte and you wondered if you should have considered Michael’s offer to be his plus one at Planet Fitness more seriously. You could feel the sweat bead around your hairline. A shower would be great once you reached your accommodations. You sat up abruptly.

“Fuck,” you whispered, grabbing your phone.

“What’s wrong?” Jimin asked, fastening his seatbelt.

Scrolling through your numerous email notifications, you saw the one you were praying wouldn’t be there. Airbnb reservation canceled in the subject line. Fuck.

“Ma’am, could you please turn off your cell phone or switch it to airplane mode? The plane is getting ready for departure,” a stewardess chided you. You nodded and tucked it back into your pocket, dazed. In 5 hours and 5 minutes, you would be landing in Ngurah Rai International Airport with nowhere to stay for 9 days. Shit.

“You’re chewing your lip again.”

“Huh?” You looked over at Jimin who was still reading The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, his body feigning disinterest but you knew he was paying attention to you.

“You were chewing your lip. It’s your tell-tale sign that something’s wrong,” he replied as he turned the page. You opened your mouth to protest but closed it quickly. He was right.

“How did you know though?” you asked, tucking your hair behind your ear, now extremely conscious that he had been observing you.

“What are you worrying about? Your project? Y/N, it’s going to be amazing. This is what you love doing, right? You can do it,” Jimin encouraged, bookmarking his page and looking at you.

“I don’t know, Jimin. A romantic getaway? That displays passion and love? Those are things I haven’t felt in a very long time,” you noted. The memories of Tiago swirled at the corners of youe mind and you sighed in frustration that you thought about him again.

“Bullshit,” he said. Jimin tucked his book into the seatback pocket in front of him. “Love doesn’t have to only be romantic, Y/N. There are so many incredible forms of love out there. The love people have for their families, for their jobs, for their - I don’t know - neighbors they only see on Sundays because they do laundry at the same time. We love just because. There really doesn’t have to be a reason,” he finished. You stared at him. His brown eyes were bright with passion and his face was set in determination to convince you what he was saying was true. You were amazed at his belief in his own words.

“Do you think you could say that again? On film, though.” He laughed at you as you went to pull out your camera but he stopped you.

“I keep telling you, Y/N. If you want me to be your muse, all you have to do is ask,” he said with a smirk. You rolled your eyes as you rested the camera in your lap. “But if you really do want my help, I’ll be happy to work with you on your project.”

“Seriously?”

He nodded and smiled. “Seriously. This is important to you. I want to help.”

You tried to hide your smile. Though it was something simple, Jimin supporting your craft was something you hadn’t experienced in years. People didn’t believe in the arts as much as they liked to consume it. “Thank you, Jimin. That really means a lot to me.”

“Remember I told you I’d show you what love is? This is a great way to do it.” Jimin grinned as you laughed at him.

“And what do you know about love, Mr. Park?” you asked jokingly. Jimin averted his eyes, his smile less vibrant than before.

“You’d be surprised,” he said with a shrug.

“More lessons from Mr. Park Sr.?” you joked again, poking his shoulder, trying to lighten his sudden change of mood. He chuckled lowly.

“Some. A lot I learned on my own.”

“A lot? What’s your favorite one?” you posed. You were intrigued about a Jimin who had seen these many sides of love. Who was he beforehand? How had he changed? “Have you ever had your heart broken?”

“Yep,” he said, popping the ‘p’. “A few times. I guess you could say the last one was the worst,” he commented.

“Would you like to share?” you asked gently, not wanting to overstep your boundaries.

“I can. Especially if it’ll help you believe in love.” He wiggled his eyebrows and you shoved his shoulder gently. “I assume you’ve also had your heart broken?” You nodded. “Hmm. Well, Shutterfly. Sit back, relax, and let me tell you the story of Alexandria.” Jimin eased his seat back and turned his head to face you, his fingers laced and resting in his lap. He looked as though he was in a therapist’s office to talk about his trauma and the feelings associated with them. Depending on the nature of the story, he might need to go and see one.

“Lexa and I met during my Freshman year of college. She was tall, slim figure, very ‘plain Jane’ except for her copper-colored hair. She was really a brunette, but in certain lighting, it looked red. Then she started toning it - it doesn’t matter. Anyway, I was hanging out with a bunch of friends in the library studying for this major test when she walked by and that was it; I was a goner. We ended up having a class together the following semester where I found out she was a Sophomore -”

“Ooh! An older woman?!” You perked up in your chair at the new detail. “I never would have -”

“Pegged me for the type? We’re back on that, Y/N?” he asked with a wry grin. You blushed at the memory and sank back down.

“Continue,” you whispered sheepishly.

“So she was a Sophomore studying Psychology with a minor in Creative Writing. She was a force to be reckoned with and I thought I had no chance with her until she asked me to hang out. I honestly couldn’t believe she was interested in me. We didn’t start dating until my Junior year of college, both of us traveling abroad the previous year, and we were really happy together.” Jimin smiled fondly as he recalled the memories and your heart fluttered in anticipation of what went wrong. “I proposed at my graduation while she was -”

“Excuse me? What?!” you exclaimed, staring at him in shock. “You proposed?!” He laughed at your reaction.

“Of course. I loved her and it was the right thing for me to do at the time,” he replied. That couldn’t be it.

“You got her pregnant, didn’t you?” He laughed again, this one vibrating through his entire body as he clutched his stomach; he didn’t seem concerned about the noise level.

“No, Y/N. I proposed because I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.”

“Wow,” you breathed, amazed at his level of commitment at such a young age. To know who you wanted to spend the rest of your life with and be ready to take that risk? He had to be crazy. “Wait. How old are you?”

“I’m 26. This happened around 2 and a half years ago, I think. Well, it’s been 2 and a half years since she called off our engagement,” he added matter-of-factly.

“Fuck,” you grimaced. “What happened?”

“She fell out of love. She wasn’t there when I woke up the following morning - we had moved in together while she worked on her thesis and I started grad school. The ring was placed on a neatly written note and all of her things were gone. Said she needed a man that had a little more - she ‘couldn’t put her finger on it’. Less stoic, more spontaneous. Something like that.” Jimin shrugged, the smile no longer reaching his eyes.

“But she knew how you were when you first got together. That’s some bullshit,” you muttered. Anger flared deep in your gut as you thought about this Alexandria stealing away in the middle of the night leaving Jimin alone to deal with the consequences of her actions as the sun rose.

“No need to crucify her, Shutterfly. She made the best choice for her -”

“But she hurt you,” you interrupted, frowning.

“I don’t disagree, but she taught me my favorite lesson: love freely and without expectations. I lost myself trying to prove that I could be this manly man. That I was man enough to deserve a woman as incredible as her. I lost her because of impossible expectations I placed on myself. We were both at fault; she could have said something sooner. I just wrestle with my own transgressions more. At the end of the day, it made me a better man.”

Love freely and without expectations. How could he say that when the woman who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with left him? Alexandria was foolish to leave someone as admirable as Jimin behind. Your heart ached at him waking up and her no longer being there, having to read that she no longer wanted him. You guessed some explanation was better than having the door closed right in your face.

“And you survived all of this?”

“I’m here, aren’t I? Broken hearts aren’t as bad as they seem, Shutterfly.”

“To you, Jimin. Though I don’t know how you got through that,” you said shaking your head in disbelief.

“The same way you got through yours,” he replied seriously. “Tell me about him. Why don’t you believe in love anymore?”

“It’s not that I don’t believe in love anymore. I just don’t expect it to happen to me for a very long time,” you said pushing your hands through your hair. Jimin waited for you to continue expectantly. You sighed and threw your head back against the seat. “Alright, fine. His name was Tiago. I met him when I moved to California with my best friend. He was a TA in one of her classes and she introduced us. He was tall, Hispanic, with the tight ringlet curls. They were sun-bleached because he spent so much time at the beach. He had the most beautiful hazel eyes too,” you added. You don’t think there was a woman alive who could deny how attractive Tiago was.

“He was smart too, attending law school - Gould School of Law at USC to be exact. I was working as a photography assistant in a studio downtown and he seemed interested in my work. We started hanging out and after a few months, we started dating. Things were really good for a while. I thought I had found my home in him, especially after leaving Milo back in New York. I thought he understood what I was going through. He didn’t.” You closed your eyes as you breathed through the memory of the pain.

“After a year of good times, things started to get weird. Some random phone calls he started taking in other rooms, less planned dates, less attention overall. I ignored it, especially after we had a conversation about possibly moving in together. That was a little too far for me so I was thinking of giving him a key to my apartment - I had gotten a promotion at the studio I was working at and could finally afford my own place,” you said with a grin. “I went to his apartment with the key in a little box and when I knocked on the door, a woman answered.”

“Shit,” Jimin whispered. He rested his hand on your knee and you looked at him with a small smile.

“Yeah. She asked who I was - if she could help me, and before I could answer, Tiago appeared looking fresh out the shower and said I wasn’t ‘anyone important. Just a friend of a friend’s who was supposed to take their anniversary portraits’ and closed the -”

“What the fuck, Y/N?! Please don’t tell me that he closed the door in your face.” Jimin’s grip tightened as his jaw clenched. You nodded with another small smile. “That fucking asshole!” he roared. The lady in front of you turned to hush him. He ignored her.

“Mhm, he closed the door in my face. I think I stood there for 2 minutes before I called an Uber and headed home. A few days later, he texted me and told me that we couldn’t be together anymore - like no shit, dumbass. I found out through the grapevine that she had been his girlfriend for 2 and a half years on and off. They were very much on when we were dating. Remember that friend I told you I moved to Cali with? Apparently she knew but didn’t know how to break it to me. I packed up and moved to San Diego which is where I met Michael. He had seen some of my short films from a little exhibit we had on campus and thought he could help me get more work. That was a year and a half ago,” you finished.

“Y/N, I’m so sorry. He was a fucking dickhead to do that to you.” You waved Jimin off.

“Michael says the same thing - actually he calls him a son of a bitch. It’s fine though. But that’s the story. I’m still healing and building up trust with people. So I believe in love, I’ve just had some bad luck with it,” you said with a shrug. “I try not to dwell on it because -”

“It makes you anxious?” Jimin suggested. You gave him a tight lipped smile. His thumb stroked over your knee in soft brushes. “Well, we won’t talk about him then. Fuck him,” he grinned.

“Thanks, Jimin,” I laughed.

“And we’ll get this project done, yeah? Together?”

You looked at Jimin. He was smiling at you, his front tooth a little crooked but gleaming nonetheless. Tiny dimples appeared around the corners of his mouth - something you hadn’t noticed before. The little sun you had been in while in Hong Kong had started to turn his skin a caramel brown and you remembered the smoothness of his skin as you laid in bed. As the corners of his eyes wrinkled with warm affection and you smiled.

“Together.”

full masterlist // series masterlist // previous // next

joon-ipersgirl, 2020

[wanderinglotus7]

The Legacy Continues

Well, I made it! I made it. There are three days left of 2020 until we roll into 2021. This year has been a game changer. Game changer doesn’t seen correct...life altering sounds better. My life drastically changed within the past month. Though these events threw me off my game, I recovered and bounced back even stronger. This speaks to my tremendous strength in the Lord & within myself. I continue to tell myself that the fortune teller I spoke with summer 2019 has been spot on y’all. August 2020 to now, adjust to my new life has been challenging, but I don’t regret my decision moving to Massachusetts. This decision is part of the life-course God has plan for me.

Yes, I miss my family. However, my experiences of attending Bridgewater College and traveling to Thailand has prepared me for this moment in my life. Because of covid I haven’t really been active in my new environment, but I try to take advantage of the opportunities I do have to explore my surroundings. Last week I took a nice walk and ended up exploring another part of Newton and almost ended up in the inner city of Boston (I think I walked about 8 miles in total). I took another walk into town and walked into HomeGoods on my way to Starbucks. Leaving and returning to Boston, I took the train and was able to get myself to and from the Logan airport. Small victories in my book! I am in no rush to try to experience everything all at once. I have around 4 to 5 years to embrace Boston as my new home. I already feel like it is anyway. This is my true testimony to see if I can really be responsible for myself. So far, I feel confident in achieving/excelling in this area of my life. My upbringing has prepared me, yet again, for the challenges of [young] adulthood. 

I am getting ahead of myself. I have to rewind a bit give y’all an update. December 18th was the last day of classes and finals week. I have successfully finished my first semester of grad school!!! YEAH ME!!!!! I’m telling you the hard work paid off. I did have my moments of doubt and feelings of not being good enough. I was overwhelmed. I felt like I was drowning trying to balance school, work, and my internship. On top of that, I am trying to balance a relationship along with working on my mental health. My mind & body is always on the go. No time for rest...actually there are moments of rest, but I chose not to rest instead. I have a bad habit of pushing through and bulldozing my way through my life. I don’t take the necessary time to be present and focus on what is in front of me. Sometimes, I get too focused on the future and forget to enjoy the present. I have been in this mode since mid October to the 18th. Midterms kicked me in the ass because that was around the same time I began working at chipotle. Even before Chipotle, I was falling behind on the readings and assignments for my classes. On the other hand, my internship with Amirah is not a stressor in my life because it is an experience that I am passionate about. I’m not bothered having to wake up early and end my days late when it comes to my internship because I am that committed. Being overwhelmed and stressed I passed all my midterms with good grades (all As and one B)! Then the unexpected happened...

October 29th at 11:18pm, I received a phone call from my mother informing me that my Grandmother Shirley unexpected passed away. I think they determined her cause of death was because of a heart attack. I’m not sure. Honestly, I don’t think I really want to know. I’m hoping she passed away peaceful. The news sent me into shock. I just couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it. I just had a conversation with that previous Thursday or Saturday, and the conversation went so well. She was so proud of me. She was excited for me to be home for Christmas and all these other things. It’s not the same, but at least we were able to say “I love you” before she passed. Who would’ve known that would be the last time I will ever speak to her again. And this had to happen around the holidays and around the same time that Laura Mae (my great grandmother passed away). In less than three weeks, I received a phone call and text early in the morning from my Grandma Louise and my dad telling me that my granddaddy unexpectedly passed away too. Two grandparents removed from my life at the snap of the finger.

With help from my family, I was able to fly to Virginia for both funeral services. This time I said my final good-byes unlike with Laura Mae. I didn’t want to live with that guilt. Everyone has been very compassionate, understanding, and accommodating to my situation and has given me time to grieve & heal especially regarding BC, Amirah, & Chipotle. I missed a few classes and had to receive a few extensions on a couple of assignments. I pulled through the best way I could manage in my emotional state. My emotional state didn’t get any better dealing with my relationship during this time. Some of my boyfriend’s recent decisions added more unnecessary stress in my life. I was already stressed about me introducing him to my entire family because the timeline got rushed and I wasn’t for sure if I wanted him around while I’m going through a mental & emotional meltdown. At the end of the day, he wanted to be there for me to provide his live and support and I wasn’t going to deny him of doing so. It would’ve been selfish of me to tell him “No”. Everything happens for a reason. Instead of spending maybe two weeks together, my boyfriend and I spent basically all of November together bouncing between Gloucester and Woodstock. It sucked that it had to be under sad circumstances.

Decisions, decisions, decisions that is where my mind was at. Only a few individuals gave me the needed space to focus & process my emotions. From all angles I was being pressured to make some permanent decisions in which my mind was not in the right mind frame to be thinking. I did reach out and have been receiving counseling services from the university which has been helpful. I am in the process of searching for a therapist outside of the university for long-term treatment. Though I tell myself sometimes I feel like quitting, I decided to remain a full time student, declared my concentration, and completed my field placement application for 2021-2022 academic year. I’m on tract to graduating Spring 2022. Being blessed again, I was able to receive extensions on two of my finals and on my field placement assignments. I passed all my finals! I received all As and one B+. I ended the semester with a 3.6 GPA. Not too shabby (lol). I know my grandparents are very proud of me.

I’m proud of myself! I didn’t surrender and take the easy way out. I turned 24 on the 7th which is another milestone in my life. I was shown much love that exceeded my expectations. I spent the Christmas alone, but I made the best out of my situation & was still able to connect with my loved ones. Since the 18th I devoted my downtime, and overall winter break taking better care of myself. The last week I was home, I noticed that I’ve been severely neglecting myself and it was heavily damaging my well-being. I’m growing in setting and maintaining my boundaries, learning to be present with emotions & resting, being okay with saying “no” and not feeling guilty about it. The most important lesson is not overworking myself in every aspect of my life. I am no good to myself or others if I am completely burnt out. 

I am praying that 2021 isn’t a continuation of this year. Yet, 2020 has not been all too horrible. I have been able to grow in so many ways that I am becoming a better individual. Most important, I’m continuing to learn how to be a better person for myself!

[esther-ti-designs]

Hey everyone, uhh so I have some tea for you all.

So I met this guy (I’ll refer to him as J) during the last meeting of the quarter for the graphic design club last fall.  Here’s everything that happened between December 5 through February 22.

December 5

Honestly, I haven’t noticed J at any of the previous meetings, but that one night, he just came up to me out of the blue and complimented me on my cozy winter gear.

So J and I happened to be taking Intro to Design that quarter and we talked about our group projects for the class, which we just turned in earlier that day (I had just pulled two consecutive all-nighters and had just taken a 3-hour nap prior to the meeting, so I was very sleep deprived at this point).  We continued our conversation while walking down some stairs and outside the building, and he asked me about other clubs that I’m involved in, to which I told him that I’m the secretary and Head of Hufflepuff for the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) and that I’m also in the ballroom dance club.  He seemed very interested in HPA.  He mentioned that he played second violin in the video game orchestra (VGO) and that they were having a quarterly concert that weekend.  A friend in HPA had promoed the VGO concert the night before, but I wasn’t really interested, as I had no knowledge of video game music.  J and I exchanged Instagram handles and later that night, I answered all of his questions about HPA.  Then on Sunday, sort of at the last minute, I found out that a few friends from HPA were going to the VGO concert and I went along because $5 for a concert is not bad, and I haven’t been to an orchestra performance in a while.  The concert was so much better than I expected!

December 9

Finals week just started and J randomly asked if I was studying on campus 👀

December 11

We met up at a boba shop near my apartment to study for the Intro to Design final (it was raining pretty hard and J refused to have me bike out to campus in the rain).  We studied off a Quizlet set for about 3 hours until my laptop’s battery was running low, and then we talked for another couple hours!  It turns out we have a lot in common!  We’re both only children, 22 years old, left-handed, design majors (J is actually a design and managerial economics double major), and we play the violin (I used to play violin and cello, but I digress).  Oh and we both have an iNTeResTinG injury story haha.  Then, before we went our separate ways, he gave me a one-armed hug, which I couldn’t reciprocate because I had my arms full with a cup of boba and my umbrella.

December 12

J DM’ed me out of the blue asking for my Spotify wrapped up.  I normally don’t give in to trends easily, and this was something I wasn’t really interested in sharing with the entire world, but I shared it with him anyways (Spoiler: It’s mostly Game of Thrones soundtracks, Taylor Swift, and BTS).  Despite being an orchestra nerd, I find it really difficult keeping up with popular music, and my musical taste stays fairly consistent even several years later.  I was kind of expecting him to laugh at my musical taste, but he actually complimented me for liking dramatic tv/film soundtracks.  And then we arranged another study session right before the design final.

December 13

The Intro to Design final was supposed to be 50 questions, all multiple-choice, no trick questions.  It was supposed to be really easy, and I thought we got almost everything down at the previous study session.  So why were we having another study session right before the exam?  I thought either he really wanted an A in the class, or he wanted to see me again before we went on winter break.  Right before going in for the exam, he asked if I wanted to meet up again for a “post-final celebration” when we were done with the exam.  Okay, now I was really starting to think he wanted to spend some more time with me before winter break 👀

So after the design final, we walked down to one of two boba shops on the edge of campus and downtown.  We both ordered our drinks, he got some popcorn chicken, and we talked for four hours!  I can’t remember everything we talked about, but time really flew by.  And then, before we went home, he gave me a one-armed hug again.

December 14

I had plans to fly home to LA today.  I had spent the previous night cleaning my apartment and packing stuff (I managed to forget to bring a pair of sneakers because, for some reason, dumbass me decided to wear heeled boots to the airport because ~fashion~).  I was sitting in the airport, about to board the plane, when I got a message from J.  He remembered that I was flying that day and was asking if I got home safely.  Aww he actually cares.  I told him that I would be boarding soon and will be offline for the next couple hours.  And then I updated him when I got off the plane, when my parents picked me up at LAX, while we sat in the typical LA traffic, until we all made it home.

December 15 - January 5

Over the next few weeks of winter break, we messaged each other a couple times every day.  We shared pictures of the holiday decorations in our home, and I shared pictures and video clips of my pet bunny too.  On Chistmas Eve, he asked if I had any plans, to which I told him we were going out for dinner to celebrate my mom’s birthday.  He wished my mom happy birthday and I passed the birthday wishes to my mom. “Hey mom, my friend says happy birthday.” “Thank you — who???” And I had to tell my mom about J (whoops).  Her judgmental ass was not exactly happy to hear that J is a Caucasian dude from yeehaw country, and after showing her J’s Instagram feed, she was not a fan of his art style smh.  Anyways, the day I was coming back to Davis, J was like AHHHH you’re back!!!!!!!  Just pure excitement 💖

January 9 - 16

We met up at yet another boba shop after the first week of classes.  Our meeting was shorter than all our previous meetings, because I had to bike back to give an apartment tour later that afternoon.  Two weeks into the winter quarter, we met after our design studio classes and walked to an HPA meeting together.  We also went to a graphic design club meeting together, after which he offered to drive me home so that I wouldn’t have to bike with the cold wind on my face.  I trusted J at this point, so I gratefully accepted.  I think my trust in him went up at least 10 times in this moment, because J managed to secure my small and heavy bike to the bike rack on the back of his car, which already had his bike strapped in.  After dropping me off at my apartment, he invited me out for dinner that weekend (it was also MLK weekend).

January 18

J picked me up at 7.  The restaurant he chose was hella ~ f a n c y ~.  It was an Italian restaurant downtown with dim lighting and pasta priced at $13 - $16.  He said he didn’t know the place would be that fancy and that he trusted Yelp’s description of “casual Italian.”  I told a friend about our sort-of-date night and she thinks J picked a date-y restaurant on purpose 👀  Oh and my mom went the extra mile of writing down J’s name, the place we were going to, and I was to call home at 10 PM (I ended up getting back and called an hour early).

February 14 - Valentine’s Day ❤️

Unfortunately, J never came to another HPA meeting because the campus radio station, KDVS, holds meetings at the same time, and he’s trying to get a job with them.  And we don’t really see each other very often because design classes are usually 3-hours long and J is really busy with 5 classes.  But J has been super excited about Yule Ball ever since he met me.  J came over while I was tabling for ticket sales.  He mentioned that VGO was going to see Sonic that night, and invited me to hang with VGO.  Let me tell you, it was quite an experience and definitely not the typical Valentine’s Day date.

We pulled into a Sonic drive-in for dinner (because gotta get in that Sonic mood lol).  A girl introduced herself as D (name altered to protect identity, of course).  She clearly has some sort of leadership role in the group because everyone pays attention to her, but she constantly makes jokes about being everyone’s daddy.  The jokes are so vulgar and obscene.  It was like weirdest video game nerd and band kid hybrid (J later tells me she’s a violinist.  What?!  Orchestra people are usually super chill lol).  After dinner, we get in our cars and head down the street to the movie theater.  The VGO had reserved seats in Row J.  J and I had just booked our tickets several hours earlier and we were in Row F.  Throughout the movie, someone in the theater yelled at every pivotal moment (including, yes, that Tails reveal in the post credits).  J thoroughly enjoyed the movie and laughed along with whomever was yelling behind us, while I knew absolutely nothing going into it, except that Sonic is a blue hedgehog that can run super fast.  J also gave one additional bit of info before the movie: Sonic really likes chili corn dogs for some strange reason???

So that’s how my Valentine’s Day went lol

February 18

J came by around 3 in the afternoon, right before we were going to pack up for the day, and purchased a Yule Ball ticket.  He’s obviously very excited to go to Yule Ball with me but he says he doesn’t know how to dance.  I told him we have a waltz lesson planned.  He’s like aww and says he wants me to personally teach him (my heart 💕).  And as always, he gave me a hug before leaving to go to class.  Recently, I noticed that J has been giving full hugs instead of his usual one-armed hugs, though it depends on the situation.

February 22

✨❄️ Y u l e   B a l l ❄️✨

J and I arrived separately at Yule Ball because I had to help set up the venue for the event and I had spent the entire day working on an Azkaban wanted poster prop and literally finished it two hours before our meeting time for setting up the venue.  The dance was supposed to start at 7 PM and J got there early enough to help me out with last-minute decorations.  I had signed up to be in charge of the photobooth from 7 to 7:30, but no one came for pictures during that 30-minute period, so I was free for the rest of the night.  J and I had a fantastic time admiring the detailwork in the decorations around the venue and laughing and dancing to the weird selection of 2000s music.  J did pretty okay with learning waltz basics and I gave him tips here and there on standing in closed frame, balance, the slight tension in the left hand, etc.

Sometime towards the end of the night, my ballroom friend pulled me aside for a bathroom chat and asked if we’re dating.  I don’t know???  We haven’t decided to call it official so ??

After helping clean up everything at the end of the night, J dropped off a friend and right before turning to drop me off (I live across the street from that friend), he remembered that I hadn’t had actual food all day prior to Yule Ball (aww he actually cares, and he probably wanted some extra time with me even though my apartment was right there).  So we went downtown for (a very late) dinner.  While we chatted over food and boba, our conversation drifted towards soundtrack music and I mentioned The Theory of Everything soundtrack, my favorite soundtrack besides Game of Thrones.  J immediately searched up The Theory of Everything soundtrack album and streamed it on the way home (that’s some serious dedication right there), and he liked it!

Oh and I forgot to mention that J forgot to bring a jacket and I had a very warm scarf and coat, so we held onto each other with a one-armed hug while we walked to his car.  I really love his hugs, one-armed or full hugs.

I usually post a picture from Yule Ball every year so here’s this year’s!  Yep, that’s J.  And we’re both Ravenclaws :)

I’ll end this post here, so I don’t end up with a romance novel in a single post lol

[i-am-a-closet-fanfic-fiend]

Missed Connections ~ Steve Rogers x Reader College!AU (Part 2/7)

A/N: Hi my lovelies! Happy weekend! I decided to continue this one and it refused to be put second to Primary Colors lol. Just kidding I’ve been writing both but this one got finished first so I figured I’d share. Enjoy! 

Summary: It’s been a whole semester of missed connections with Steve, will you talk to him before you head home for break? 

Characters/Pairings: Eventual Steve x Reader, Natasha, Pepper, Bruce, Tony, Wanda, Bucky, Sam, Thor, Clint and Vision mentioned (like I said, the whole gang) 

Rating: T (minor language) 

Warnings: Nothing really 

Word count: 2013 

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 

“I’m loving the earmuff and peacoat combo, y/n.”

“Thanks,” You smiled at Wanda as you waited for the subway.

“I’m partial to the pompom hat look,” Natasha grinned.

“I didn’t want to mess up my hair,” you admitted.

“Hoping to run into somebody?” Tony asked as he waggled his eyebrows.

You glared at Pepper’s boyfriend who shrugged as he held her hand. “I’m going to take that as a yes.”

Tony had been extremely amused when he heard about your “ships in the night” romance as he liked to call it. And he took every opportunity to tease you about it.  

“If you run into him today, will you please talk to him?” Pepper begged.

Your friends had been pressuring you to strike up a conversation all semester, but so far you had only managed to smile and wave (which you considered an accomplishment). The conversation was interrupted when the subway arrived and you all hurried in. Luckily the car was almost empty so you sat on either side of the aisle.

“So? Will you?” Tony prompted.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Come on, running into him on campus is one thing. Running into him roaming around the city is a sign.”

“Okay, maybe it’s a sign,” you conceded. “If I see him tonight, I’ll go say hi.”

Your friends cheered, excited you were finally going to take a leap.

“How come it wasn’t a sign when we saw him at the museum?”

“Bruce!” you hissed.

“Wait, wait, wait. You saw him at the museum?”

You sighed and glared at Bruce before answering.

“We may have passed each other when we were roaming through the modern art wing.”

“And the Aztec wing, and the China wing,” Bruce added unhelpfully.

“So that’s why you were so happy when you got back. I assumed you just really liked art.”

You rolled your eyes at Pepper’s observation.

“That boy’s face is art,” Wanda sighed wistfully.

“Forget about his face. His ass is art.” Nat winked at you and you flushed scarlet.

It was a relief when you finally got to the tree lighting, because your friend’s were too busy enjoying the holiday cheer to rag on you. The six of you roamed around, popping into stores to do some holiday shopping.

The rest of your friends went to stake out a good spot to watch the tree lighting from while you purchased the ornaments you had picked out for your parents. By the time you had made it through the line, the marketplace was filled to the brim and you had no idea where your friends were.

When none of them answered your calls or texts you decided to just weave through the crowd towards the front. You had made it about twenty feet when you saw him. He and his friends stood well above most of the crowd and even in the chaos his laugh was recognizable.

You froze. He hadn’t seen you yet and you still had no idea where your friends were. You could either walk towards him and hope he noticed you or you could walk the total opposite direction. Before you could make your decision you heard Nat yell your name.

You finally spotted your friends standing on the stone wall that surrounded one of the trees. You caught her eye and waved and started weaving through the crowd. Once you had fought your way through to them you eyed the two foot wall warily.

“Get up here, y/n!”

You planted your foot on the wall and pushed with all of your might but it wasn’t quite enough and you were quickly falling backwards. Before you could hit the ground though, a pair of hands grabbed you and pulled you up.

“Thanks, Bruce.”

“No problem. You alright?’ He asked still holding onto your hands.

You nodded and self-consciously fixed your jacket as you glanced at your friends. Clint and Viz had joined the group so everyone was paired off except for you and Bruce. You and he shared a wry smile as you stood together.

Tony had tried to set you up on multiple occasions. And Bruce was a good friend but you just weren’t attracted to him. Besides he had a massive crush on this girl, Betty, in your bio lecture. Still more often than not you were the awkward single friends together. It was a comfortable arrangement, so it was no surprise when he wrapped an arm around your shoulder and you wrapped yours around his waist.

As you listened to the last few performers before the tree was lit, your eyes scanned the crowd. You easily spotted Steve and his friends. They were all looking at you, but before you could smile and wave, they abruptly turned around and you frowned.

Hoping it was just a coincidence you focused on the music and the lights. It really was beautiful. Once the crowd thinned after the tree was lit, your group made your way to the front to take pictures. Once Tony started formulating plans to steal an ornament off the tree that was surrounded by security guards, you all decided it was time to go.

When you got back to your dorm you passed Steve on the way to the elevator and smiled and waved, but his return smile was just a bit dimmer than normal. You wanted to say something but before you had the chance he was gone.

You didn’t have time to look for or even really think about Steve in the following week. You were in the Science building by five a.m. every morning and you left long after midnight. You pretty much only came out to take your exams.  

By the time you finished your last final (you had the last exam slot in the entire week, naturally) you were exhausted and all you wanted was food and your bed. You groaned internally when you walked into the dining hall and realized they had closed the majority of it since most people had headed home.

You unenthusiastically loaded your plate with pizza and grabbed a drink before trying to find a seat. Clearly the dining hall had overestimated how many people would leave early for the holidays because every chair was taken and every booth was filled. You made one final loop before spotting an empty chair at a corner table, a table full of Steve’s friends, although he was nowhere in sight.

You took a deep breath and forced yourself to walk over to them. You felt like there was lead in your stomach as you approached the rambunctious table.

They abruptly stopped talking when they noticed you.

“Hi,” you squeaked out. “Do you mind if I borrow that chair?”

There weren’t really any open tables but you could just sit in a corner somewhere.

“Why don’t you just join us?” The dark haired boy who you saw Steve with most often offered.

“I don’t want to bother you,” you shook you head slightly.

He grinned and you knew immediately he was aware of how charming he was.  

“You’re not, doll. I promise.”

“Well, thank you. I’m y/n by the way.”

“Bucky. It’s nice to meet you.”  

You slid into the open chair and took a sip of your water as the other two guys introduced themselves. Their names were Thor and Sam.

“So, y/n, what’s your major?” Sam asked.

“General biology. For now,” you added before biting into your pizza.  

“Are you thinking about changing?”  

“Probably not changing, but I might specialize. What about you guys?”

“Poli Sci and Econ,” Thor reported. “Kind of a family thing.”

He didn’t sound thrilled and you nodded understandingly.

“I’m a psych major. And Bucky’s an engineer,” he added elbowing him when he noticed his friend was busy texting.

“What?” he looked up suddenly. “Yeah. Engineer.”

“I’ve seen you around the science building,” you admitted nonchalantly.

You so desperately wanted to ask about Steve but you didn’t want to be creepy. They all smirked though at your comment. Obviously you hadn’t gone unnoticed.

“Stevie and I have seen you around too.”

“Oh is he an engineer too?”

Bucky snorted slightly.

“No. He’ll probably be bio. He’s pushing off declaring an actual major until the last possible second. Aka May of this year. But he is pre-med. Which is why we’re taking orgo right now. Actually, I think we have orgo with your boyfriend.”

You gave him a confused look.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.”

Sam and Thor looked smug and Bucky looked relieved.

“Really? Dark-haired, glasses, really smart.”

It clicked then.

“Oh you mean, Bruce.”

“Yeah. Him.”

“We’re not dating,” You chuckled. “We’re just the only single friends in our group so we get shoved together all the time.”  

“Got it.”

After a moment of awkward silence, you asked about their plans for break.

“Sleeping. And eating home cooked meals,” Bucky grinned.

“Sounds about right,” you agreed.

“Excuse me. I’ve got to make a call.”

You smiled and turned your attention to Sam and Thor.

“What about you two?”

They were both going to spend some time hitting the slopes and their conversation quickly devolved into an argument about which snow conditions were the best. You used the distraction to finally scarf down the pizza.

When you glanced at your watch you realized that it was after nine and you still had to pack for your five a.m. flight.

“It was really nice meeting you both. I hope you have a great winter break.”

“You’re leaving?” Thor asked, disappointed.  

“I’ve got to pack. I need to be at the airport in a few hours.”

“Well, have a great break. I’m sure we’ll see you around.”

“Say bye to Bucky for me.”

You quickly dumped your dishes on the conveyor belt and exited the dining hall. You were waiting for the elevator when the fact that you were done finally hit you and you started to do a little happy dance. You weren’t expecting the doors to slide open to reveal a yawning Steve as you were doing said happy dance.

“Just finish finals?” he asked, clearly trying to hold back laughter.

“That obvious?” you asked as you switched places in the elevator.

You were surprised your voice came out as steady as it did, considering most of your brain was cataloguing what he looked after a nap (you suspected). His hair was stuck up at odd angles and he was wearing plaid pajama bottoms and a half-zipped hoodie without anything under it. Your imagination was having a field day.  

He shrugged. “That’s a classic post finals happy dance.”

The elevator started dinging angrily for you to either get in or out at the same time his phone started ringing.

“See ya. Have a good break,” you said quickly before hitting the button for your floor.

“You too. Oh, wait.”

He started to say something else but the doors closed before he got it out. You leaned against the wall heavily as you giggled to yourself. You were slightly mortified but mostly you were just giddy.

As you were waiting to board your plane, your phone vibrated twice. Once for a facebook notification and once for a text from the group chat you had with the girls.

You opened the facebook notification first. It was a tag from Natasha in another Missed Connections post.

MC#578: To the beautiful y/h/c girl who I (still) see all the time. I finally got to talk to you tonight but I was too flustered by your killer post finals happy dance that I didn’t manage to catch your name. But I’m still calling it progress. Next time maybe I’ll manage to introduce myself. But for now thanks for ending my semester on a high note. Have a great break. See you in January.

You covered your mouth as you tried to suppress the giddiness that was rising. When you managed to get it under control you opened the text. It was a one word command from Nat.

Natasha (4:15AM): SPILL!

Unfortunately for her that would have to wait until you landed.

A/n: So there you go. A little bit more fluff. I am going to continue this story. I have like three more parts planned so let me know if you want to be tagged! As always thanks for reading and feedback is appreciated! 

Tag Lists are Open! 

Missed Connections Tag List @lovethroughthemiles

Steve/Chris Tag List @isaxhorror @peachykeen3502

Marvel Tag List @hdthdthdt​   @sophiatomlinson23 @misty-panther @supermusicallee

Permanent Tag List @iamwarrenspeace @jayzayy @bexboo616 @neoqueen306 @santheweird @rowenaravencalw @buckitybarnes @prxttybirdz @the-marvel-dc-peasant @samwinchxtr @broitsmydick @ailynalonso15 @nyxveracity @queenoftrash97 @walkingtravesty97

[choir-tales]

S1E8 - And That's The Tea

[7/8/18]

Well for a start our conductor ditched us to take my old school choirs to Australia so we had sectionals and then did a full choir run through of Credo and Lord of the Dance.

.

Totally not bitter about not getting to go with the choirs btw.

.

Not at all.

.

THEY GOT PERSONALISED HOODIES

AND THEY GOT TO BUSK ON THE STREET IN MELBOURNE

AND THEY GOT TO SING FOR OUR PRIME MINISTER IN THE AIRPORT which was actually pretty funny because she was just coming back from being on maternity leave and apparently the reporters who were trying to ask questions were slightly annoyed because they wanted to talk politics and she stopped paying attention to them in favour of this group of forty teenagers who randomly burst into a Maori waiata right next to them and Jacinda was just like lol thanks for sending my baby to sleep guys

And then all the reporters had to put "Jacinda was met with an impromptu performance by a bunch of choirs on their way to Melbourne" instead of answers to the questions they were actually trying to ask

-

A lady gave me tea during the break and we hid in the kitchen and talked about sleep schedules and people who leave choirs while everyone else sat in the auditorium and had to listen to the notices.

-

Me: *turning jersey into a pillow and lying facedown on the floor*

Lady in front of me: Oh come on, you can't be thaaatt tired.

Me, an eighteen year old who hasn't experienced being fully rested in years and often brings rugs to rehearsal in winter: nggghhhh

Lady: Pleaassee we need your voice for the high bits

Me: fINE but then I am going back to sleep

Lady: *sigh* very well then

-

Random person: Can we have the piano a bit louder? We can't hear it.

Lady beside me: It's probably because we're all going deaf in our old age.

Me, the youngest member of the choir by about twenty years and sitting right next to her: .........

-

(About to sing Lord of the Dance)

Conductor: *looks at sopranos* Are any of you willing to give the descant a shot?

Me: *raises hand*

Everyone else: *silence*

Me: Look guys someone had better back me up on this because I am NOT GOING TO JUST DO IT ON MY OWN

A few other people: *slowly raise their hands*

-

We kinda mangled the line but kudos to us for trying.

-

I attempted to record Lord of the Dance, but because I'd just recorded seven minutes of Credo my iPad ran out of space after about forty seconds so yay for that.

-

I did watch the livestream of the school choirs when I got home though and they sounded just as beautiful as ever and I wish I had a recording of them singing Children of Eden and In Flander's Field because I love them

[cheollies]

Fanboy!Seungcheol

Seungcheol is your biggest fan

Well, that’s what most people think since they’ve never seen someone so hyped up about you than Seungcheol

literally has no chill when someone brings you up in a conversation

‘did you just say Y/N well here’s 100 reasons why her smile brightens my whole day’

bought your album on iTunes, bought the actual album, bought a bunch more so he could go to your fan signs

really really loves your music, has all your songs on repeat

is one of the fans that look deep into the lyrics

how he discovered you, you ask?

well, he used to not be hardcore into idols or celebrities

but fanboy Soonyoung really wanted to see his favorite artist perform on a music show, and so here Seungcheol was, standing outside in freezing weather with hot packets in his pocket glaring at Soonyoung who was excitedly talking to the person next to him about another artist

then it happens, everyone starts screaming when a black van pulled up and Soonyoung was almost shoving Seungcheol

and Seungcheol swears he was about to go deaf but he now has a judging look on his face as he watches girls pile out of the car and he thinks ‘why are there so many group members’ (13 to be exact lol)

“SEUNGCHEOL LOOK! THERE SHE IS! THAT’S MY BIAS! THAT’S HER!!”

Seungcheol’s just about to shove Soonyoung when he sees you step out of the car, unlike the other members who are bundled up in coats, you’re simply wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a bomber jacket

You’re the last of your group, so you’re doing a half walk half run to them while you’re waving and smiling to the fans

Everyone’s attentions seemed to be on the 12 girls in the front, but Seungcheol’s eyes are glued onto you, and you’re nearing where Seungcheol and Soonyoung are standing

star struck by you, Seungcheol foolishly takes out both of his hand warmers and holds them out when you’re walking by

and to his surprise, you actually stop, you look curiously at them before a wide smile spreads on your face and you take one of them before saying ‘you keep one so you can stay warm too! Make sure to go home quickly after the show so you don’t get sick!’

and you’re off running because your manager is calling for you

but Seungcheol has the reddest face ever and Soonyoung is FREAKING OUT BECAUSE

“SEUNGCHEOL YOU WERE JUST TALKING TO Y/N YOU WERE TOUCHED BY HER SHE TOOK ONE OF YOUR HAND WARMERS SEUNGCHEOL!!!!!”

Finally, Seungcheol and Soonyoung get to go into the building, and Soonyoung is still freaking out and he says something about having to tell his group chat about what just happened (guess who’s in the group chat: the svt members)

And Seungcheol tries to push that moment aside but then BUT THEN, Seungcheol sees you on stage performing. He hears you rap, then he hears you sing, then he sees you dancing, and Seungcheol is melting inside out

and thanks to fanboy Soonyoung, a whole new world of you is opened to him

Seungcheol is really lowkey at first about him liking you

But then all hell breaks loose soon when Soonyoung just encourages his love for Y/N

got added into Soonyoung’s group chat which is where he meets the other boys

Seungcheol knows your whole profile

“Y/N is the main rapper, sub vocalist, likes oranges, favorite color is all of them, drinks milk to help her sleep, talks in her sleep sometimes, her morning routine is to wake up the other members and make breakfast for everyone while they get ready and she gets ready last”

And he could go on and on and on

learned all of your rap parts and can literally break out your parts in the car

believes you need more parts (but who doesn’t think of this with their bias)

when he was reading the album, he found out that you write a lot of your parts and he’s swooning now because MY GIRLFRIEND IS SO TALENTED

fights with everyone in the group about how you’re the best one in the group, ends up in an all caps battle with Jihoon

has a lot of your merch in his room, just you, no one else

he gets some shit from his parents for spending all his money on a girl that won’t notice him but he doesn’t care anymore

was watching an interview and you were asked about a memorable moment you had with a fan and you start smiling, talking about how it was the middle of winter and a fan standing outside the music show building had offered you a hand warmer

cue Seungcheol screaming in the group chat and then everyone else screaming alongside with him

created a fan site for you because he discovered that you didn’t have as many as the other had and he was now determined to promote his girlfriend

follows your schedule and takes a bunch of pictures for your fan site

he isn’t good at first but thanks to Jeonghan, who he always meets at the schedules meant for the whole group, Seungcheol learns quick from him how to take more high-quality photos

Seungcheol’s fan site became a big one in the kpop community because his pictures are always the best quality with little filters because Seungcheol just loves your natural beauty

He cries when you post a cover of a song

Cried with Seungkwan because you and Seungkwan’s bias did a duet

Also cries when he sees you playing with little kids at the fan signs

From what he sees on cameras, Seungcheol just knows you’re the sweetest person ever, you always have a big smile on your face, and you take care of your member so well, although you tease your members Seungcheol knows it’s out of love

Attended a fan sign and had the loudest scream/cry when you walked out

You were placed at the end of the table so Seungcheol had to go through 12 people before he could get to you, and it was so obvious that he was your fan because he only stared at you when he was with the others

The members are snickering and finally one of the members take a mic and whine “Ah! Y/N, this guy here doesn’t even look at us, he only stares at you, this isn’t fair”

You look over at Seungcheol who is bright red, trying to hide his embarrassed face, he peeks back at you who cutely smiles and waves before you go back to the person in front of you

side note: sweetie Seungcheol got Joshua a signature from his bias and sent it to him in the States and Joshua called in tears because he didn’t expect it

but finally, Seungcheol reaches you and he doesn’t even know what to say, all the words in his mouth are suddenly gone

he has the biggest doe eyes and you find them so cute, and the way he looks at you kind of makes you want to pinch his cheeks and the more you look at him, the more he looks familiar and then it hits

“you’re the boy that gave me the hand warmer! Right?!”

The reddest blush occurs on Seungcheol’s face and he nods saying a ‘yes’

While you’re looking at his question, he’s asking you if you ate and when you say no, he gets kind of sad

But you give him a reassuring smile “I was waiting for you, I wanted to eat with you”

that statement made him burst from the inside out and Seungcheol is shyly smiling and you start cooing at him because he’s cute

Seungcheol is sad now because he’s being ushered off the stage and you wave at him goodbye

He doesn’t have the time to look at your answer to the question because he’s gotta take pics for his fan site

When he finally does look at it, he’s screaming

Question: what is your ideal date?

Answer: Winter walk holding your hand instead of hand warmers

Seungcheol wants to die happily at that moment

He laminates your signature along with the question and hangs them up

Seungcheol can’t believe that he can love you more but it happens,

The next time he’s at one of your schedules, he’s at the airport waiting for you because you’re leaving to go to KCON and just as he got his camera to work properly, you’re walking closer

and he’s snapping pic as quickly as he can, and in one of the pics, you’re looking straight into his camera with a smile

he takes the camera off from his eyes, you grin waving at him, “you better get good pictures of me Seungcheol!”

do you and Seungcheol get together? Well that’s for you to decide, but just know, behind the camera of the fanboy, is a very devoted Seungcheol who loves and appreciates all your music and everything you do. Not once did he sway from having you as a bias. 

[everlastingbutterfly]

japan life thus far

I know the majority of you probably don’t really want to know what I get up to in my daily life but I think there *might* be one or two people who wanted to know? (I don’t know). 

I’m not bothered to make/maintain another tumblr just yet so I’ll put it under the cut for now (it’s long sorry). Only read if you are super bored!

Just some random thoughts and things that happened during my one week (actually 10 days) in Japan. Sort of in order but not necessarily. Sorry if it's long.

(All conversations that took place were in Japanese, unless specified or unless I was talking to a fellow jet)

Can't believe it's been a week. We went through so much physically and emotionally that it feels like even more time has passed

Although I love summer to death, summer in Australia is dry heat. Here, it's at least 32°C every day already from 7am which doesn't sound like much (that's the low end of Australian summer), but the humidity really gets you. Still, having come from Winter which I hate, I feel okay but I will admit I am 2% struggling (mostly due to having to wear business attire). But if I'm 2% struggling I'm most certain the rest of my Australian friends would die.

As a further point to the above, all my friends and coworkers constantly complain about how hot it is (because it is) but I can only smile politely back but not agree because it's still better than winter lol (but seriously, the summer is really hot and words aren't enough, you need to come and try)

Freaking wearing business heels and dying. Although I fared well in the beginning, after a week I had completely scraped the back of my heels such that the skin was raw and red, and layers of skin were missing such that I had an actual "dip" into my skin

As a science student, I hate business attire (but everyone looks so good)

The fact that there are so many US jets (which of course was anticipated) such that if you sat next to someone you didn't know in a lecture, it's probably 80% chance they are an American

Me talking to Americans which I understand have a long flight, but they go "oh Australia isn't that far is it. It's a what, 4-5 hour flight?" And I'm like lololol you misunderstand how far we are from everyone, it's still 9.5 hours (then they are shocked)

Having the overnight flight on Saturday, and getting to airport at 6am and hotel around 8am and couldn't check in since that's at 2pm. Wandered Shinjuku (aye!) but couldn't do too much since things don't open til at least 10am lol. Ended up walking 23,000 steps and 17km that day

Orientation on the Monday and Tuesday. Story of my life is sleeping late, waking up at 6:30 to prepare and get breakfast, then lectures 9 to 5 both days. Not much time to explore at night. Shinjuku was fun, but there wasn't any real time to explore and enjoy

Even though it was only 2 days, I made some really good Sydney and American friends (because you know, you hang out with Sydney people from flight, your roommates etc. due to how organisation works). I got super depressed Tuesday afternoon as the realisation hit me I'd basically never see them again afterwards, as most of them are based in Fukushima prefecture (more east than Tokyo) while I'm in the complete west at Okayama (look up to truly understand the distance difference)

And since I spent so much time with them when I met my fellow Okayama jets I felt really disconnected and wasn't sure how it'll turn out (because usually those close to you will become your good friends, due to it being hard to see people far away frequently)

Certain lectures being super boring because people are dumb and ask things like "can we read manga at our desk?" -- > Umm how about you think about it??

Being depressed about having to wake up at 5 to pack, eat and get on a bus to go to the airport at 7am

Heading to, and living in Okayama

Thinking it would take ages (weeks) to set up my wifi and phone plan but thankfully it didn't

Being so busy and tired it took a whole week to unpack properly

Being poor from the get go because I spent money buying big things you slowly use over time (eg. rice, soy sauce, etc) and also some furniture, just for the sake of making my life more comfortable (eg. chair, table -- I did already have one but I wanted more surfaces available to use)

Successfully setting up my own wifi after spending ages reading the convoluted and hard to understand Japanese menu (supervisor was gonna help me the next day but I wanted it sooner lol)

Meeting my Board of Education (BOE here on out) and I thank my friend Shirley for having showed me the SkyCycle because people at BOE asked me what was something I wanted to do when I heard I got placed in Okayama. It was the first thing that came to mind and I answered truthfully and the BOE spent a GOOD HOUR laughing and saying things like:

"Tracy-sensei must be brave" "I would never want to do that" "You must really not fear dying" "That thing makes so many sounds it makes you wonder" "It's been there for so long, when you ride it, it makes you wonder when exactly it's going to break" and more...lol

Seriously the story of my life. Everyone (non-jet) who meets me and after I introduce myself (or someone introduces me) they go "I thought she was a Japanese person!!!" Seriously like everyone. BOE people, elementary kids, now even my fellow Okayama jet friends (who are also Asian mind you, says yeah you look Japanese!!)

BOE asked me about things I liked, I mentioned ice-cream and then they went to the fridge and got me some!! They did this on both days I was there. I felt so bad since it was just me eating it. And they gave me a choice between azuki (red bean) and a vanilla chou cream ice cream and I chose azuki and they were surprised, saying "how unexpected, lots of people don't like beans." Umm, do they really not see my Asian face??

BOE saying I "look" Japanese because my hair is so black. I confess it's cause it's dyed black to cover my pink and purple streak and they said "oh what a shame, you should've kept it." Ugh and everyone (and common sense cause conservative Japan) told me not to!!! Now my jet friends say to get it back but ceebs... also just cause BOE says yes doesn't mean my schools will take to it as well

Not knowing much about my situation and where I go to work, feeling like I got thrown into the deep end whereas all my friends get told great details and are basically hand held by their supervisors...lol

When I deny that I'm not Japanese, and then everyone goes on to ask if my parents are Japanese?? Like do we know how genetics works or..

Embarrassingly not knowing how to ride a bike. The BOE bought me one for convenience and said I could ride it home but I hesitated (haven't ridden since primary school) so they asked if I wanted to walk instead (yes). I said I'd practice later but

I live in super inaka. The roads are narrow, and there are basically no foot paths. If a car is also coming from the other direction, you are screwed and need to pull over to make way. So riding is gonna be dangerous for a noob like me

Knowing the rubbish system was going to be hard but not expecting to struggle THIS MUCH. Literally asking everyone (BOE and jets) how rubbish works because it's not bad enough that in general, Japan sticks the red sticker of shame if you didn't sort your rubbish properly (they won't sort your trash for you, if you screw up they will not collect it and leave it) but in my town you HAVE TO write your name on your trash bag otherwise they won't take it. Oh you screwed up and it's left behind? We now all know it's you cause your name IS ON IT!

Also recycling is once a month and isn't left outside your apartment, but at a special recycling centre which you have to go to, just to recycle. Newspapers, cartons (washed), etc must be flattened and tied a specific way with string :(

At this rate I might have to dump certain small pieces of trash at the station bin just so I don't get things wrong

So inaka, that I only get two trains an hour. You think it's one per half hour? WRONG! It's 07 and 22, and if you miss the 22, you gotta wait til 07 of the next hour!

Being so inaka that lived here only 3 days, went out to Okayama city on Saturday with jet friends and being so mesmerised by the level of activity, noise and amount of people. Already acting like a country bumpkin according to my friends :(

Taking two days to stick up a shower shelf because 1. instructions were in Japanese and 2. even though I got it right it wouldn't stick properly. Says it can hold 3kg? I do not trust in the least

YOU DON'T HAVE LINE??? -- > Everyone to me during Tokyo Orientation. Of course I know LINE is the main messenger in Japan, it's just in Australia I only use fb messenger and wechat (ugh family) and not line because no one was on it

That feel when EVERYONE knows more Japanese than you. By no means do I think I know a lot nor am I fluent. But both times I'd previously been to Japan I was the main guide/translator. Now story of my life is everyone else has friends in Japan, has done exchange in Japan (I couldn't do that, course didn't allow it) and everyone else speaks fluently with no pauses, and speaks correctly grammar wise (to my knowledge)

which makes me super embarrassed when people at my BOE or school say I have good Japanese (I don't, and they should meet my friends instead)

That Saturday I walked home late (around 10pm) from the station and a guy in a car randomly stopped me to ask for directions (later my friends: "see told you you look Japanese!"). But then he also asked where I lived :( Not sure if nice or creepy. He even did a loop around the block and found me again and stopped again to ask :(

Wanting the freedom to wear shorts on the weekends (cause it's hot, and it's fine to do so in Australia) but sigh, conservative japan. And also according to my friend I got checked out a lot that day in the city sigh (which I didn't notice at all)