#for the new year's party he's going to (this might be a no-band AU but i haven't decided yet)

[theflyingfeeling]

not me being like "oof I just finished writing 24 stories in 3 weeks I'm not gonna be writing anything for at least 3 months lol" but already daydreaming about like 3 different fic ideas 😭

[allwaswell16]

I'm so sorry, but for the first time in 5 years, I just don't have it in me to do an episode of Fanfictional this month. If possible, I'll be back with a new episode next month. But I do want to acknowledge the wonderful One Direction fics I read this month as well as some I revisited for comfort. Thank you so much to these amazing fic writers who have entertained me or given me some respite. For more new fics, check out this month's fic roundup here

- Louis / Harry -

🧡 Stand on Holy Ground (series) by @wishingforloushair

(E, 17k, religion kink) Louis comes back to confess again, and Harry has an idea of how Louis can show God his devotion. 

🧡 My Spiteful Ballerina by sweetkalachuchi / @neverforpickles

(M, 7k, omegaverse) Four times Harry wanted an explanation of Louis' hatred toward him, and one time Louis gives in, in Louis' fashion.

🧡 Die Without the Taste of You by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

(E, 6k, part 2 of Vampire Harry/Human Louis One Shots) the one where human Louis might push his vampire boyfriend a little too far, but it works out in the end

🧡 Ain't a Drop of Bad Blood by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

(E, 4k, part 3 of Vampire Harry/Human Louis One Shots) the one where human Louis is being haunted by a spirit, and he's reluctant to ask his vampire boyfriend for help

🧡 Alone and Back Again by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(T, 4k, omegaverse) what does one do when a feral alpha shows up in town ready to be executed?

🧡 The Shadow by babyhoneyhslt / @babyhoneyheslt

(G, 666 words, dark Louis) Harry should've listened. He should've stayed inside.

- Rare Pairs -

🧡 That's Happiness To Me by @louislittletomlintum

(E, 24k, Zayn/Louis/Liam) Louis’ mind was whirring. He’d wanted to try and get with Liam tonight, but now a new, better idea was forming. Getting Liam with Zayn, if possible, would be something of a dream come true.

🧡 It’s a Craving Not a Crush by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

(E, 9k, Liam/Louis) the one where Liam and Louis are best bros who end up getting married so that Liam has the insurance he needs to go to rehab. Now that he’s sober, they can get divorced. But do they want to?

🧡 I'm the Big Fish by @lululawrence

(NR, 5k, Louis/Pedro Pascal) After an awkward moment at a party he wasn't actually invited to, Louis keeps running into the incredibly attractive Pedro Pascal. Somehow, it's Pedro who manages to keep making a fool of himself

🧡 Spirits by itsraininginengland / @ilovellama14

(E, 4k, Louis/Oscar Isaac) Edwardian music hall performer Louis Tomlinson meets the newest act in the show, the American magician Oscar Isaac. Romance, smut and a seance ensue.

🧡 Ci Ci Leu by @persephoneflouwers

(M, 3k, Louis & His Band) Written for the prompt «bread van fic reimagined with all the guys in Louis’ band».

🧡 Glitz, Glammer, Top Hats, Cigars and Suits by @rockstarlwt28

(NR, 3k, Louis/Dominic Harrison (Yungblud) When Isla found a love for the melody formed by a strumming of strings, Louis didn't expect to fall equally in love with his daughter’s guitar teacher, Dominic Harrison.

🧡 I regret you all the time by @disgruntledkittenface

(E, 2k, Louis/Prince William) Louis’ friends don’t understand, and they wouldn’t even if he explained. But every time William texts, Louis drops everything to go see him.

- For Comfort -

🧡 You're Not My Type (still I fall) by Imogenlee / @imogenleewriter

(M, 38k, omegaverse) This is just a bit of rain; it'll blow over. Then Harry will just... well, alright, he isn't entirely sure what to do when the rain stops because he'll still be stuck and lost. 

🧡  The Journal by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou, RecycledStardust / @wait4ever

(G, 14k, soulmates au) When Harry finds himself purchasing an antique journal in the ancient bookshop of a town he’s never heard of, he doesn’t exactly want to admit that he has no idea how he got there.

🧡 Just Your Jinx by @larryatendoftheday

(T, 10k, witch au) Harry Styles may or may not have accidentally jinxed his extremely fit new neighbor, and it's not so easy to make things right.

🧡 Court Wine by @enchantedlandcoffee , red_panda28 / @red-pandaaa

(T, 7k, omegaverse) after a misunderstanding during a scrabble game, Alpha Louis starts courting Omega Harry without the latter being aware of it.

🧡 Have Me And Hold Me by @letsjustsee

(NR, 5k, established relationship)  a wedding day AU in which Louis will let nothing stand in the way of a perfect day - especially a little rain.

🧡 Good-Old Fashioned Lover Boy by not_fitzwilliam / @not-fitzwilliam-darcy

(NR, 5k, omegaverse) When a miscalculated decision leads to an accidental courtship with the sweetest, most gentle alpha, Harry is torn between breaking the alpha's heart and telling the truth. 

🧡 Pretty and Preposterous by @brightlyharry

(NR, 5k, neighbors) Harry donates a copy of Pride and Prejudice to his little free library. He never expects what comes next.

🧡 Stealing Flowers by @lululawrence

(NR, 4k, meet cute) the one where Louis pines after the Sexy Stranger on the Subway and almost asks him out. That's when the strange posters start showing up around Brooklyn.

🧡 Choo-Choose Me by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

(G, 3k, Liam/Louis) Liam is a commuter with a crush. Louis is the chirpy ticket inspector who occasionally mans the drinks trolley and sometimes makes announcements, his broad Yorkshire accent fighting the outdated train speakers.

[sunflowervoltwentyeight]

Happy 28th! Here is my September 2024 fic rec, organized by word count, from longest to shortest. You can view my other fic recs here. Enjoy!

Godless, Graceless, and Young by kiddle / @bluejeanlouis (110k)

Seattle, Washington, 1991

It takes a special breed to have a slacker persona and still be a millionaire rockstar. Harry is about halfway there. He's the guitarist in a Seattle grunge band that could finally be headed somewhere, but he's also been sleeping on his bassist's sofa for the last three months and has been fired from every day-job he's had. Money doesn't equal success, but it does pay the bills.

When a job offer and a new lead singer stumble into Harry's life, he might be getting a lot more than he bargained for. Like a couple of extra gigs and a boy who can teach him more than just how to mix a few drinks, and it's gonna take a few band brawls and a whole lot of heart-searching to get there.

He's gotta have one somewhere...

Coax the Cold by mediawhore / @mediawhorefics (86k)

England, 1897.  

English Professor Louis Tomlinson’s passion for the occult has been a source of mockery and derision for most of his life. When he hears whispers of a travelling freak show newly established in London claiming the existence of a monstrous sea hybrid, half-man, half-fish, Louis sees it as his ticket to credibility amongst his peers. The summer he spends undercover working on the show, however, gives him much more than that.

Late Nights and Good Intentions by princelouisau / @princelouisau (71k)

“About last night,” Harry says suddenly, as if he’d been debating on whether to say anything. Louis whips back around to look at him.

“Do not finish that thought,” Louis says just as abruptly.

Harry looks at him oddly, as if assessing him. With a small frown, it seems the assessment is over. “I only wish to say that you do not have to dwell on it. The rest of the men will surely forget by tonight.”

“And you?” Louis asks, raising an eyebrow. “Will you forget?”

“I will remember every second of it fondly,” the Lord says, no trace of a tease in his words. or, a Victorian era au where Louis pines for his overprotective older brother’s very charming best friend.

For You, I Would Ruin Myself by wildestdreams / @thelavendrhaze (54k) WIP

It was the perfect last day of summer. They built sandcastles, wrote their names in the sand, and caught crabs, which they eventually let go when one of them pinched Louis and he was near tears. Afterward, they swam in the ocean, splashing each other playfully before moving toward one another in sync, lips pressing together in sweet kisses. When their skin turned prune-like, they returned to shore, laying out on their towels beneath the bright sun, snacking on fruit and chocolate while talking about everything and nothing.

At some point, Harry had shared, “I think this has been my favorite summer yet.”

“Why’s that?” Louis asked, a smile peeking out as though he already knew. He looked so pretty and cool with his sun-kissed skin and black Ray-Bans covering his eyes.

Harry rolled over on his towel until he was half-pressed against Louis and placed his palms on top of Louis’ chest, tucking his chin over them. “Because I had you.”

or

Harry’s unrequited crush on Louis turns into a whirlwind summer romance, only to leave him heartbroken in the end. Years later, a return to his hometown forces Harry to confront his past and the one person he was running from.

Tarnished but so Grand by tilthesundies / @tllthesundies (32k)

Louis hides in places. Harry always finds him.

I'll Be Your Love Tonight by dinosaursmate (20k)

“I don’t know how I’m ever going to walk away from you.” “So don’t.” Harry ran a fingertip over Louis’ thigh. “Stay with me.” - It's the summer of 1999 and Louis Tomlinson has been abandoned at a house party. A dispute over Smirnoff Ice and several night buses later, Louis is unsure how he'll ever walk away from this lovely, curly-haired boy.

Green in the Morning and Blue Afternoon by wildestdreams / @thelavendrhaze (14k)

“Harry,” Louis whispered beside him.

Harry hummed, his hand coming up to stroke Louis’ back. Louis was still on top of him, his body sagging against Harry’s, heavy and warm, and Harry loved it.

“I don’t think it was a one off.”

“Me either, Lou.”

or a Friends AU.

A Few of My Favourite Things by sweariwouldnt / @sweariwouldnt (8k)

Harry and Louis do cat sitting.

[hotluncheddie]

Memories of somethin' even smoking weed does not replace.

wc: 2.9k | cw: alcohol | rated: M | part: 1/2 | tags: pre s4 au, steve harrington centric, stobin soulmates, raised catholic steve harrington

part 2 | ao3

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8:32pm January 3rd: Steve’s car

‘God stop complaining! It’s one party!’ Robin says, her exasperation at Steve finally boiling over.

Steve rolls his eyes, hard, wants to make sure she sees it. He’s stressed and uncomfortable and wants to be petty and petulant and complain because this night is going to end in him embarrassing himself somehow, he just knows it. 

Robin makes just as much of a face back at him but then her eyes are full of concern. ‘You’ve just, been so mopey lately.’ she fiddles with her fingers, bites a nail even though that was her resolution. ‘and I know you say you haven’t been, but you know that I know, that you barely got out of bed on your days off over the holidays and that makes me sad.’ Robin laments, ripping his bitchiness off like a bandaid, seeing whats underneath.  

Steve signs, defeated by her big beautiful brain. She is right, but. ‘Robbie. it was between Christmas and new year, there was nothing going on. What do you expect me to do? it’s literally time made for relaxing.’ Steves own exasperation falling away into something that just sounds tired. He’s so tired. And he hates it when she worries, he’s not, he’s still not used to it. Someone who cares, notices when he spends three days in bed because the thought of getting up when his parents are downstairs makes him want to puke. And, he loves her for it, but, sometimes it makes his skin crawl, makes him feel like he’s not good enough, not hiding well enough. Pitied. 

‘But you don’t relax. You mope. You, like, wallow.’ She pokes his arm a couple times for emphasis, but her voice is softer, still a little sad. ‘And.’ she takes a deep breath. ‘I know you don’t want to talk about it. But I also know this time of year makes you miss Nancy.’ 

‘Oh God, Rob, please.’ Steve whines, desperate now. ‘Don’t start bringing up Nancy.’ He drags a hand down his face, that is the last thing he wants to talk about. Think about. Admit anything to anyone about. 

She’s not, entirely wrong but Steve still hates hearing it. He does miss Nancy, or, well, misses her in theory. He doesn’t really miss her anymore. But, he misses being her boyfriend, a boyfriend. Being needed, and being held, as pathetic as that sounds.

‘I know. Just.’ Robin says, twisting in her seat to look at him looking at the road. ‘I just. I want you to have some fun dingus.’

Steve squeezes the steering wheel. He nods. Glancing at her and giving her enough of a smile that she knows not to feel bad. It’s really not her fault that this time of year makes him want to sink into a hole, makes him think about purgatory and black vines, what he wants for his future if both can exist.

‘It’ll just be some band kids there, a few stragglers, no one’s going to care that you’re there too.’ Robin explains. ‘Plus, if they say anything I’ll be there to defend you.’ And Steve can hear that care again, but its lighter, said through the joke. He lets his shoulders drop and Steve smiles for real. He can’t help it. 

‘Yeah, yeah.’ he says, like she isn’t his everything. Glancing away from the road a second, Steve catches her smile. Happy she’s won but happier that he’s going to at least try and have fun.

‘And, don’t forget you promised to help me with seeing if any of the girls there are even remotely available to me.’ Robin sits back normally in her seat. Talking normally again, worry about her soulmate time over. ‘Plus, who knows, your new favourite customer might just be there too.’ She says into the window, head leaning on her palm. 

‘Robin!’ Steve near shouts, scandalised that she’d bring that up. 

Robin just cackles.

‘Man, you say a guys jeans fit him nice one time and then it’s all you hear about.’ He grumbles, pretending his cheeks aren’t flaming red. He really hopes any discomfort tonight has nothing to do with that. He almost prays on it. But monsters come out of walls so he stops himself. 

Robin wriggles around in her seat, delighted by his suffering. ‘Hey! Hey! No, okay you ragged on me over Tammy! I can make fun of you for making goo goo eyes at Eddie Munson!’

9:00 January 3rd: Kitchen

Steve shivers as the heat from the house mixes with the cold evening air he just walked through. Robin at his side but she’s quickly swept up in a little crowd to say hellos. She looks for him but Steve just waves her on with a scrunch of his eyebrows and a gesture to the beer he wants to find a sport for. 

The kitchen in strewn with bottles and cups and snacks, not a total disaster but people have definitely been helping themselves. Steve is a little laser focused on getting the cans set down so he can start on one, relax his nerves a bit, so he doesn’t even notice Eddie sitting on the counter until he nearly gets kneed in the crotch. 

He takes a hasty step back and gives himself a mental shake, get out of his own head. Eddies smile looks amused, his eyes able to look so sharp. Steve swallows, grateful for Eddies silence. 

‘Hey man. You want one?’ Steve offers Eddie a beer and makes a spot for them on the side. 

Eddie takes it, nodding in thanks, their fingers don’t brush, Steve would know. ‘You looking for anything stronger tonight? like King Steve back in the day?’ Eddie asks, taking a drink, hair framing the long line of his neck.

The old name makes bile raise in his throat. Eddie didn’t mean it like that, probably, wouldn’t have said it if he’d known how much that name feels like a brand on Steves skin. Itchy and scarred. Like ‘Harrington’, like ‘Bullshit’, like something that makes people think they know him, like his body and self isn’t his own.  

Steve looks away. ’Uh, nah, I’ll stick to the classics.’ Popping the lid and taking a long gulp, going for casual, slouching against the counter.

Eddie nods like it’s no big deal. ‘I won’t make this awkward by asking you about college. I know you know I’ve seen you at family video.’ 

‘Your late back on ‘Poltergeist’.’ Steve says without thinking. Winces, why is he acting like such a loser? ‘But uh, yeah. Thanks.’ He finishes lamely. No way any colleges wanted him on his concussion grades and zero extra curricular credits. 

‘Shit, so you do actually do your job.’ Eddie shakes his head, like Steve had deeply wounded him, sarcastic and mocking, pretty little glint in his eye. But it still makes some ugly, desperate little part of Steve rear up and want to take it back, beg for forgiveness. 

Steve drowns that thought and chugs the rest of his beer. 

Someone must motion something to Eddie from one of the other rooms because he nods his head up in understanding. But before he goes he leans in closer to Steve, smirking. ‘Oh, and, don’t thank me yet. I also saw you in that sailor get up at the mall.’ 

Steve chokes on his spit, coughing and spluttering like an idiot.

‘Thanks for the beer.’ Eddie says, patting him once on the shoulder before hopping off the counter and into the throws of the party.

Steve watches him go, skin of his shoulder tingling through his sweater. He feels an itch, like he’s being watched and turns his head to find robin staring at him from where she’s still by the door, talking to friends. Her smile wicked. 

Robins parting words from the car float back through his mind and make his stomach twist. ‘Lucky for you, Eddie makes goo good eyes right back.’ She’d said, quiet and teasing, and Steve hates her. her hates her. 

It’s going to be a long night. 

10:54 January 3rd: Staircase

It’s a little quieter at the front of the house.

It had been going pretty well and then someone mentioned Starcourt. A couple pairs of eyes flashed to him in recognition. Someone murmuring to another,  mentioning Hop. And then Steves eyes were prickling and his wrists were tingling and he had to excuse himself. Squeezing Robins shoulder for her not to follow. Just a minute alone to breath. Sip his drink to get the copper to wash from his lips. Get his teeth back where they’re supposed to be.  

Orange streetlights filter through the window of the front door. It catches the dust, makes it sparkle. 

He thinks about midnight mass with his parents, their one Christmas plan that he’s not allowed to get out of. Thinks about how the light filtered through the stained glass, made patches of the floor look red. Thought about the ceiling of Starcourt, the taste of red metal on his tongue as the world spun. 

Went up for communion and crossed himself. Looked up at the crucifix. Thought about how the gash that opened in Joyce’s living room was red. How somethings grow in darkness, in cracks and out of sinew. A nail bat ripping through skin. 

He looks at the drink Robin made him as a joke, its almost wine coloured, a murky, deep red. It makes Steves insides twist, she didn’t mean it, she didn’t. But blood of the lamb is making the back of his eyelids flash red and brown, flash lightning and ash floating through the air. His nose filled with mould. 

‘Yeesh what is that Harrington?’ Steve looks up, Eddie’s blocking some of the orange light, head haloed and face in shadow. 

Steve looks back into the cup, seeing it for what it is again. Remembering how her face lit up with laughter as she dumped in whatever she could find, knowing it would be awful but knowing Steve would still drink it. She made it for him, how could he not? 

He looks back up at Eddie, Steve can smell his cologne. It smells good. ‘Don’t ask, Robin made it.’ He waves his hand and tries to clear his head of red and black. The spirits mix with the beer and now his hands and feet tingle, he focuses on that, it’s nice.

Eddie eyes it warily. ’You wanna trade?’ and he holds up a beer, a different brand that the ones Steve brought, he has two, for some reason. 

Steve looks into his cup, ‘Its honestly not that bad.’ He swirls the contents around a little, there’s something floating in it. 

‘Seriously?’ Eddie asks. Steve looks up at him and his eyebrows have disappeared behind his bangs 

Steve smiles, his lips tingling. ‘No.’ and his smile grows at Eddie laugh, he has dimples.

He looks at Eddie and decides, then, to take. See what he gets given. He can confess later.

The alcohol made a couple of the awkward conversations he had tonight bearable and the couple less awkward conversations he had enjoyable. Maybe it’ll do the same for him now. Steve takes the beer and places his other drink carefully on the stair behind where he’s sitting, makes a mental note to dump it out when he moves. 

He shifts, sitting in a way he hopes looks casual, like he wasn’t just thinking about divine sacrifice. The staircase it wide and the carpet is soft, a nice place to take a break. A nice place to talk to a boy. A boy who makes his heart beat in his throat. Steve can confess later. 

‘You run Hellfire right?’ He asks, sipping his beer and cataloguing again how the orange light shines on eddies hair, over his shoulder. 

Eddie faces him fully, bobbing his head slightly to the music, Steve doesn’t recognise the song, he doesn’t think its one they play on the radio. ‘Yeah?’ 

‘Yeah. like X-men’ Steve says.  

Eddie blinks at him, but then the corners of his mouth curl and his eyelids droop and Steve feels too hot suddenly. ’Okay, I’m gonna need his majesty to explain how he knows about either of those.’ 

Swallowing, Steve goes for honest. ’Well first off you used to put new posters up every, like, two weeks man, kinda hard to ignore.’ Steve says, lifting up a finger. he paid attention, eddies doesn't need to know yet how much. But Steve paid attention. 

Eddie stays silent, looks at him, eyes roaming over his face, lip still curled. Steve feels his adams apple bob. 

‘Second, I babysit some of the dweebs who are current members.’ Steve lifts a second finger, takes another sip of beer. ‘And three, X-men is like super popular. And, like, super good.’ And Steve takes another drink, just because, just to help him be. 

Eddies lips curl into a full smile, all teeth and a little tongue. He sips his own beer, looking away from Steve then back at him a couple times, like he thinks he’ll vanish, change before his very eyes. He shakes his head. ‘What changed with you man? I never expected any of that to ever come out of your mouth, like, ever.’ And eddies sounds kind of delighted, voice musical and tinkling. 

Steve just shrugs, feels hot, Eddies voice too close to happy, words too close to praise. ‘Grew up a little, I guess.’ He crosses his arms, looks down at his shoes. 

‘Yeah? That why no more parties?’ and Eddies voice is soft, Steve can feel his body heat, his knee by eddies hip. 

‘I’m just not so big on, that much attention any more. That much noise.’ Steve says, looking back into Eddies face. Finds him staring, lips quirked in a little smile, softer, then before. Leaning his chin in his hands on the banister, leaning into Steves space.

‘So, you and Buckley, what’s that about?’ Eddies whispering now, like he knows it’s precious. The orange light kisses his cheek.

Steve clears his throat, whispers back. ’Summer job. We scooped ice cream and she, uh, scooped up my heart.’ he smiles, just from talking about her, thinking about them. 

‘Oh.’ Eddie says, drawing away just slightly, eyes hardening in a way Steve hates. 

He almost reaches out, something drastic, desperate. But he pulls back, fiddles with the tab on his can. ‘No, um. Not that kind of oh. I mean in, like, a friend way. Totally platonic oh.’ 

‘Right’ Eddie comes back, but it’s not quite the same, the moment lost. Steve feels a rosary between his knuckles. 

‘Seriously, platonic soulmates. It’s a thing.’ He tries to lighten, tries to make Eddie read his mind the way robin does. It takes a moment, but then Eddie lets his eyes drink in Steves face again. His smile unfurling, sweet and pretty and different than before. He nods once, taking a drink. Looking away, cheekbones flushed pink. 

Steve can confess later. 

Robin comes barrelling down the hall calling out for Steve. But she skids to a halt when she sees Eddie. Then her eyes find Steve and she looks at him with raised eyebrows and barely contained glee bubbling under its surface. ‘Munson.’ She greets, eyes staying on Steve. ‘You’re late back on ‘Poltergeist.’

Eddie laughs, big and delighted. ‘Hey Buckley.’ He says. ‘Looking for your boy?’ but as he said that he’s gone back to the same position, still leaning on his hands, still looking right at Steve. 

Steve feels his cheeks heat. 

‘Ugh, not my boy. You are definitely not getting out your late fee for that.’ And she shoves him out of the way to get to Steve and grab his hand. ‘They want me to play beer pong, you’re on my team.’ And she’s pulling him up and away. 

Steve cranes his neck back to give Eddie a little wave goodbye but he’s pushing off the banister, he’s following. 

He walks slow, lazy, almost sauntering. Looking right at Steve still, with that little smirk. He knows. He knows. Steve feels the eucharist on his tongue. ‘What?’ Eddie asks, innocent but his smile isn’t. ‘I wanna watch.’ And Steve just squeezes Robins hand tighter, lets her pull him into the kitchen. 

11:45 January 3rd: Kitchen

People cheer as Steve neatly sinks the ping pong ball into the final cup, Robin nearly jumping onto his back she’s so exited. The first couple games with Robin and some of her random band friends really weren't great, he drank a few times, helped Robin get through her shares, they barely won. But by the third game he basically played alone and won pretty easily. The crowd seem entertained, cheering for him and random people kept patting him on the shoulder. it’s weird, a little stale on his skin to be congratulated like that, over something like this again. But he’ll be that guy again for one night, if just to make Robin smile. 

He downs a cup someone offers him in celebration. Accepting a couple high fives from Robins band friends. Tries to not be weird, to not show how the praise makes him itch. 

Steve lifts his wrist up to wipe at his mouth. His eyes drawn to the far side of the room. Eddie is leaning against the wall, black jacket against stark white. He claps slowly once, twice, his eyes shining with something. Like Steve is something funny, something interesting. 

Steve’s hands and feet tingle, his lips a little numb. Feels warm. Doesn't think about churches or blood or monsters. Just lifts his eyebrows, sucks some of the sticky beer from the pad of his thumb, and winks. 

Eddie rolls his eyes and rolls off the wall, disappearing into another room. 

But Steve saw his smile. 

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part 2 | ao3

written for Lex’s Spicy Six Winter Challenge! run by @thefreakandthehair and using the prompt: 'spiked eggnog'. ty for putting this on always!! sorry im posting on the last day again lol xoxo

title from 'stick season' by noah kahan (edited slightly to fit better)

@pearynice and @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx ty for the kind words and guidance getting me unstuck with this fic <3 its alive now

lmk if you would like a tag for part two :)

[sam-loves-seb]

steddie christmas party au

the thing is--there's an office holiday party coming up.

steve, who works as a guidance counselor at hawkins middle, knows that every year the staff throws a holiday party. he wasn't here for the one last year, off visiting nancy and robin in boston for the holidays, but everyone says it's always a good time and the teachers have all been hounding him to go.

the thing is--he wouldn't even mind going alone. he actually likes some of his co-workers, and he has enough natural charm to survive one night of bad food and christmas music and punch that's just a little too strong to have more than two glasses without getting wasted. he knows that he could go alone and everything would be fine.

but he doesn't really want to.

"plus one?" the school secretary says with raised brows as he hands in his rsvp card. "i didn't know you were seeing anybody."

steve just shrugs as he turns to head back to his office. it's not like people haven't tried to pry into his love life before--some of the female teachers make their availability blaringly obvious to him every time he answers the question "do you have a girlfriend" with "no"--they just haven't gone about it in the right way.

it's not like he's hiding his relationship, people just assume, and they assume incorrectly. that's not his fault.

"the staff christmas party?" eddie asks that night as they're getting ready for bed. "you seriously want to go to that?"

"you don't have to come," steve tells him around a mouthful of toothpaste, then spits. "i just thought it might be nice for you to meet some of my co-workers, and for some of them to meet you. but if you don't want to come with me, that's okay, really."

"babe, if you want me there, i'm there," eddie tells him as he ditches his jeans for flannel pajamas. "just don't be surprised when i get tipsy off the punch and make a fool out of you on the dance floor."

and so, they went to the party with steve dressed in his usual khakis with this favorite ugly christmas sweater worn over a casual dress shirt, and eddie in his usual black on black, though he switched the band t-shirt for a button-up. he added a red tie last minute to try and be more festive for the party, even though steve kept telling him he could wear whatever he wanted.

they walk into the gym hand in hand, and more than a few people stop talking to turn and stare.

but eddie's not paying attention because he's looking at the tinsel hung up on the walls and wondering how they got it that high up, and steve ignores all the surprised faces looking at him until he spots his group of friends tucked together in the corner, some with their spouses, some without.

he drags eddie over to them and introduces him as his boyfriend--saying it loud enough for every goddamn eavesdropper to hear it clearly--and eddie shakes hands and smiles as steve's friends greet him without missing a beat.

they eat and they drink and they dance, and most of the party gets over their initial shock pretty quickly after seeing how happy steve is with eddie around. the rest of the night goes by quickly, and someone even snaps a picture of steve kissing eddie under the mistletoe hanging over the gym door.

by the time the students come back from break in the new year the rumors about mr. harrington sexuality are basically non-existent--thank you short attention spans--and most of the teachers have stopped asking him if he has a girlfriend. steve feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, one he didn't even realize he was carrying. it's freeing, having everyone--everyone who matters--know about about eddie.

and when the staff christmas party rolls around again next year, steve has twice as much fun dragging eddie under the mistletoe with a ring on his finger and a date picked out for the spring.

[gerec]

Gerec’s Favorite Fics - 2023

Here's a list of some of my favorite fics posted this year. A great big thanks to everyone still writing for this fandom; I know I'm very grateful to have all these amazing stories to read and to share!

Repeat Offenses by populuxe

“Prickly bits aside—hell, for the two of them, prickly bits included—it almost felt like a date. Which is stupid on multiple fronts. Grudgingly buying your ex a meal after he grudgingly bails you out of jail is obviously not a date.”

Five times Charles bailed Erik out of jail—and one time he didn’t.

melt your headaches, call it home by joshriku

Two decades later after the last time he saw Charles Xavier, Erik's children lead him right back to him.

Of course, it's never easy to look at the ex love of your life and realize you're not over them, not even in the slightest.

superposition by borninsideatornado (wip)

erik is a race car driver coming off the worst year of his life. charles xavier may be his last hope.

The Plus-One by populuxe

When Erik grudgingly agrees to play Raven's boyfriend at her terrible family's holiday party, he'd thought the biggest challenge would be staying sober enough to make it convincing. But then he meets Raven's extremely hot—and extremely infuriating—stepbrother, and everything starts to get complicated.

my heart knows your name by borninsideatornado

Once they’ve finally got him in bed, Charles works up the courage to ask if he might stay for a few days, because being rejected can’t be worse than seeing Erik in pain. But Erik only says, “I think that would be good.”

or: charles and erik have been broken up for years, occasionally falling into each other. things might change for good when erik lands himself in the ER where charles works. it’s all a bit of a hanukkah miracle.

This Terrible Desire To Be Loved by riais (jeriais)

Erik clings to his past, Charles detaches from his present. Somehow, they meet in the middle. Modern Au, no powers.

the pride and disgrace by ballantine

I am grand, said Charles. Did you know, I can make people think the sun is shining? I am giving them the most beautiful weather they have ever seen. They don't feel the wind or the rain, only the love of their companions. I am fostering the brotherhood of man, one heart at a time.

“Okay,” said Hank.

twenty four hours from tulsa by intentation

After having self-emancipated (aka run away), Erik's been holing up in a shitty motel while he figures out his next step. When Charles Xavier moves into the room just down the hall, Erik discovers his new favorite pastime: sex.

the pain will remind us of each other by borninsideatornado

It’s always felt alien, the way he feels about Erik. Too big for his body, too much to hold in his heart. But finally, finally, it makes sense.

Because at the end of the world, it’s him. It’s always going to be him. —

when logan lets charles see his future in days of future past, he talks to erik instead.

rendezvous by inthebelltower

“Tell me no,” Erik says. “Tell me to leave.”

Heartbeat by druswriting

People say that it’s a bad idea to be friends with your ex. People say that it’s an especially bad idea to be friends with your ex, if your ex is Erik Lehnsherr.

Unfortunately for him, Charles is an optimist. Unfortunately for him, Charles believes he can make friendship work with anyone. Unfortunately for him, Charles believes no one is beyond repair. Fuck, he’s such an idiot.

Well, at least the sex is good.

Dead Box by ByCandlelight

“We should keep moving,” Raven said softly, and so Erik rose to his feet. There was an ache in his knees that didn’t used to be there.

“Charles would love this planet,” he said unthinkingly, and something shuttered across her face.

Travels with Charles, in Search of America by midrashic (wip)

The world ends, but life goes on—until it doesn't.

Seventeen-year-old Erik Lehnsherr has never left the underground shelter that protects a small band of survivors from an Earth wracked with radiation as its magnetic poles reverse. When the settlement encounters a deadly threat, he embarks on a dangerous odyssey with new arrival, walking encyclopedia, and enormous pain-in-the-ass Charles Xavier in the hopes they can find what they need to save the settlement—before the coming winter or unpredictable magnetic storms bring death to not just them, but everyone they love.

Weak by Sotano (comics cherik)

For an hour he keeps himself alive without a heart, pumping his own blood with his powers. It was never going to last. Magneto dies on the Red Planet.

He's the only mutant in history Charles can't bring back.

Containment by feathershollyandgolly

Guilt swirls within as Charles watches the concrete door slide open. As he enters a hollow prison, both modest and intimidating. He is well aware that what he is about to do is a terrible thing.

Detours Along the Way by AndreaDTX (wip)

Erik Lehnsherr has been elected as the President of the United States of America, the youngest in history and the first ever known Mutant. Charles Xavier, his mate, is right by his side. But as Erik's first term begins, the couple braces themselves, knowing that getting elected is the easy part.

twice saying pardon (In Every World There Is You and Me Remix) by winter_hiems

After the events of X-3, Erik is powerless and alone. By chance, he ends up in an alternate universe – in Genosha, where mutants rule and are safe from harm. In Genosha, there is another version of himself. A version that has Charles Xavier by his side.

Another Love by Mataolma 

One bad day, a stranger arrives at Charles' house. The soldier says his name is Logan and that he was Erik's best friend when they served in the Mexican War. Logan brings bad news: Erik died in the war, and Charles must decide what to do with his life now that the man he loves is gone.

[hlficlibrary]

✤ New Year's Eve Fics ✤

A series of posts with the top five fics of each category by kudos plus five more hidden gems from that category! Remember to leave kudos and a comment on the fics you enjoyed to show your appreciation! You can find our other recs here.

- Top 5 H/L Fics -

1️⃣ You’ve Got My Devotion (Hate You Sometimes) by lucythegoosey / @harryrainbows {E, 95k}

Harry was in the biggest boy band in the world. He was also one half of the best (or worst, depends on who you ask) kept secret relationship in the music industry.

Now, almost five years on, after One Direction has broken up, and Harry and Louis' relationship has as well, a video threatens to put everything at risk.

One determined Irishman, a massive publicity stunt and two begrudging exes are all it takes to bring One Direction back to life and maybe, just maybe, Harry and Louis' mangled love life too.

Or: Harry and Louis are forced to fake-date after an old video from when they were dating emerges.

2️⃣ baby we could be enough (i'll make this feel like home) by orphan_account {M. 52k}

“Did you clean the table?” Harry asks Louis once Rose is done speaking, now occupied with trying to see if she can reach over and touch Harry’s hair from where she’s sat. At Louis’ nod, Harry frowns. “You didn’t have to do that. You’re my guests here, I could’ve dealt with it later.”

Louis just smiles easily, though, adjusting Rose on his lap so that she’s facing Harry better. She manages to tug on a loose wave of hair, and she makes a noise of triumph that both Louis and Harry smile at.

“I don’t mind,” Louis murmurs to Harry, even though he’s looking at Rose. “This one here seemed very excited to talk to you.”

And, okay. Harry can’t help but think of how domestic this feels, all of a sudden.

[harry is a photographer who's trying to find his place. louis is a single father with a smile that feels like home.]

3️⃣ Can’t Hide It, You Might As Well Embrace It by supernope {E, 67k}

Together since they were teenagers, Harry and Louis are professors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They may also secretly be married.

4️⃣ And Touch Me Like You Never by runaway_train / @runaway-train-works {E, 35k}

“Lets move back a bit yeah?” Harry clutches at his waist with a free hand and tugs him to move through the crowd until they are almost at the back of the group and settles them both beside the far wall. “There. That better?”

Louis looks up at him, as if he’s a tad dazed. “Uh, yeah, thanks. Can’t really see much from back here either though.”

Harry lifts a shoulder and grins at him, placing a hand on the wall behind Louis to pen him in. “We’ll just have to create our own fireworks then, won’t we?” He says it jokingly with a wink, and Louis laughs but he seems nervous. He must know that Harry is harmlessly flirting. Harry flirts with everyone after all, including Louis.

“Do you think this is a good idea Haz?” Louis asks quietly, almost too quietly in the clamour of the room, his head bowed as he scuffs his shoe on the carpet.

“Stop over thinking it Lou, it’s one kiss. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Or The one where Harry and Louis agree to be each other's New Year's kiss and it ends up being a lot more than they bargained for.

5️⃣ six feet beneath the moon by @starseas {NR, 25k}

AU. takes place over one night. harry and louis meet at a going away party.

HIDDEN GEMS:

💎 like cranberries on a winter evening by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou {G, 57k}

Louis hates Christmas. With good reason, too. And no, he doesn’t want to talk about it.

When research for his next novel leads Louis to the website of a quirky little hotel in Northumberland, there is exactly one room available for the two weeks that Louis really wants to get away from his family.

Will the fairy lights, kind smiles, homemade pastries, and genuine friendships awaiting him in Harry Styles’ hotel be enough to cause Louis a change of heart?

💎 Never Walk Away (A Man Can Be Kind) by LiveLaughLoveLarry / @loveislarryislove {T, 8k}

Louis and Harry have recently ended their three year relationship. But maybe a little holiday magic can bring them back together.

“I don’t know why you’re so nice to that louse,” Oli says as the taxi pulls away from the curb.Louis glances back through the window. Harry is still standing on the sidewalk, hands in his pockets, watching them go. “He’s not a louse,” he says absently.“He hurt you.”“I hurt him,” Louis replies. “And he didn’t mean to. It was inevitable. It’s not his fault. It is what it is.”Oli is silent for a long moment. At last, he sighs. “Someday you’re going to have to stop being afraid.”

💎 Rapture by @allwaswell16 {E, 3k}

It was New Year's Eve in Victorian London, and a lonely vampire could no longer resist the stunning lamplighter he watched night after night.

Or, a vampire Harry fic because what says the holidays like Victorian vampires?

💎 so c'mon c'mon (and dance with me baby) by theweightofmywords / @lil0 {NR, 3k}

Determinedly, he rushes back to where the DJ’s loud music can drown out his loud and racing thoughts, where there is free champagne, and where there is a kind man, hopefully, still waiting for him.

His chest unfurls with relief as he spots Harry, now with a martini in hand. He is standing steadfastly at their cocktail table, and Louis feels an odd sort of kinship when he sees his new friend. Harry straightens up as he sees Louis approaching.

“Did you find-”

“Let’s dance,” Louis cuts him off. Thankfully, Harry doesn’t ask questions.

Louis and Harry meet at a corporate holiday party, drink copious amounts of champagne, dance like fools, steal rich people's food, and possibly, just maybe, fall in love.

💎 Know What You Need by nonsensedarling / @absoloutenonsense {E, 3k}

Harry always thinks he knows what he needs, but Louis knows better.

[blouisparadise]

Today we have the third part of our angst rec list for you to check out! You can find part one here and part two here. The fics on this list are all amazing, so please be sure to read them, give them kudos, and leave a comment for the author. If you enjoy our rec lists, please like this post and reblog it to help spread the word. Happy reading!

1) Please, Don’t Say You Want Me | Explicit | 9,320 words

Prompt 496: ABO/royalty AU. Where Omega Prince Louis is forced to marry alpha King Harry by his father for the benefit of their kingdom. After the wedding, Harry lets Louis know that he didn’t want a mate and to not expect a relationship from him. Since they are already mated, Harry has to officially reject Louis’s omega to break ties. This practice is so taboo that he doesn’t know the omega has a maximum of a year left to live after rejection. As time goes on, the omega gets weaker and weaker.

2) All This Delusion In Our Heads | Explicit | 15,088 words

After Harry and Louis break up, they cope with it in very different ways. What will happen when Harry keeps calling his ex over when things go wrong in his life, but Louis just can't take it anymore?

3) Dandelion Heart | Explicit | 17,563 words

After his sister’s death, Louis is granted full custody of his 4-year-old nephew, TJ. It isn’t easy, but with the help of TJ’s other uncle, Harry, they learn to make it work.

4) Death Wish | Explicit | 22,067 words

Louis hates vampires, he lives his life trying to kill as many as he can, night after night, year after year. He hates them. Then why the fuck is he kissing one? Again. “I mean it, Harry.” Louis says, into his mouth this time. “You need to get the fuck away from me.”

5) The Games We Play | Explicit | 23,448 words

Louis is a political lobbyist who chose his career over his personal life a long time ago and has never regretted it. Then he met Harry.

6) Bloom | Explicit | 24,887 words

When they first meet at Harry’s flower truck, Harry falls hard but Louis’ unavailable. Only before long, Harry reignites a spark that Louis thought long forgotten.

7) Somebody's Got Your Trainers On (It's You) | Explicit | 28,000 words

Louis hasn't thought about Harry since half an hour after the shift started, when Krystle told him that she was binging Gogglebox last night and therefore didn't get enough sleep - a sure reminder of Harry’s temporary Gogglebox obsession. Five hours isn't much without thinking about someone, but that's as long as it gets. Louis came to terms with that two years ago. When Harry walked out the door with his stupid New Balance trainers and never looked back.

8) The Road Not Taken | Explicit | 30,393 words

The one where Harry returns back home for the holidays after a successful debut album, leaving Louis to unwrap gifts as well as old complicated feelings. Cue: hometown holiday hookups, overbearing siblings, and a disastrous New Year’s Eve party. A 'Tis’ the Damn Season' inspired AU.

9) Compass To The Soul | Teen & Up | 31,439 words

Harry Styles, alpha, is 1/4 of the perfect pack, and 1/5 of world famous boy band One Direction. He spends his time touring the world with his best friends and family. Louis Tomlinson, omega, is 1/5 of world famous boy band One Direction. He spends his time hoping his bandmates don’t notice him.

10) Like The Stars Above | Explicit | 33,759 words

Louis has a witchy little secret that is slowly ruining his relationship. When that secret comes out, it turns out that he has a lot more to worry about than just losing the love of his life. He might lose everything.

11) Close To Nowhere | Explicit | 34,589 words

Louis and Harry are psychics who kind of hate each other. They go to Tennessee to investigate a haunting.

12) Just A Pretty Boy | Explicit | 35,614 words

The alpha in front of him wasn’t only tall, but used every inch of his body to look even more threatening. He looked as shocked as Joseph felt, in his eyes he could clearly see horror and anger mixed into an odd and painful mix. It was as if he just watched a ghost or a monster from a nightmare come to life.  “Louis…” he said with a low voice. It wasn’t a question, he was calling Joseph by that name.  The crease between Joseph’s brows deepened. “Who?” Louis and Harry were married until, one day, Louis passed away in a tragic accident. Years later, he is found alive and with a thousand questions plaguing his mind. The most important ones; was his husband involved in his disappearance? And, how long did it take Harry and his best friend to fall in love after his supposed dead?

13) Best Colours For Your Portrait | Explicit | 37,717 words

Louis bites his lip in, his eyes leaving Harry's face, they are cast low as he takes a deep breath before sighing, "In solitude, I felt the liberty you spoke of." "But," The omega glances up, his eyebrows twitching as he brings his face closer to Harry's neck to overpower the alpha's scent with his scent, "I mostly felt your absence."

14) Give Me Love | Explicit | 41,041 words

Despite being an omega, Louis’ always had a blatant dislike of alphas.

15) Letters To June | Explicit | 41,150 words

It's 1915, Europe is in the middle of the Great War. Omega Louis decides to join the Letter Home Project to become someone’s penfriend. Through this he meets a lovely soldier who hasn't got anyone else to send a letter to. Along with his letter, comes a picture of the most handsome alpha Louis has ever seen.

16) Strangers In Love | Explicit | 42,207 words

Louis wakes up to find himself in a marriage with the last man he thought he'd ever end up with.

17) This Glass House | Mature | 43,072 words

While deployed, Alpha Harry gets injured by an IED explosion, leaving him to deal with severe injuries in its devastating aftermath. During his road to acceptance and recovery he learns with the help of Louis and their children just how important family can be for the mind, body, and soul.

18) Oubaitori | Explicit | 48,822 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

After a year away, Harry comes back to his hometown ready to shoulder the responsibilities that come with being a Styles. However, an unforeseen return will greatly setback his plans as he finds himself confronting ghosts of the past, his prejudice, and a torrent of feelings he thought were long-buried. In the midst of a battle between protection and progress, trust that was once broken will try and pierce through walls of convictions he built around himself, leaving him grasping for power he is unsure he even wants. Meanwhile, Louis merely tries to save his family and make the next day better than the last. As he faces his past wrongdoings and the scars they left, chances will be granted to him - either to repair what was once broken or finally find closure. Torn between the desire to defend himself and the fear of the truth being rejected, he will learn peace comes from honesty - and that sometimes, what appears to be the easiest solution simply was the most coveted one.

19) Untamed Hearts Align | Explicit | 55,795 words

For as long as Louis has known her, Lady Margaret Tomlinson has had two aspirations for the remaining years of her life. The first was to out-dress the Duchess of Kent at every soirée and gathering. The second was to marry off her omega nephew to the most honorable – and highly ranked – alpha suitor she could find. He does not expect for her to arrange a marriage between him and the crown prince, and he certainly does not expect to fall for him. Everything changes when Harry disappears.

20) If You’re Out There (I’ll Find You Somehow) | Explicit | 55,916 words

Harry looks so intensely into Louis’ eyes it’s as though he’s reaching in and touching his very soul. “I never thought… I never… I’ve been searching for so long, Louis, but I never gave up. I couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop trying,” Harry says, bottom lip trembling as he strokes the backs of Louis’ knuckles. “I just knew that if you were out there, I’d find you somehow.”

21) Of Lost Things | Explicit | 57,980 words

Louis comes with a familiarity Harry has never felt with anyone else before. After their fateful meeting, their chemistry became undeniable, and soon after, Harry had felt like he hit the jackpot when it came to finding the person he would spend the rest of his life with. But all relationships come with their own unique problems, and Harry soon realizes that their relationship is no different. When their problems go from unordinary to nearly bizarre in nature, he takes it upon himself to find an answer to their troubles. What he stumbles upon are terrifying coincidences between his and Louis’ story, and the ill-fated mythological couple, Orpheus and Eury. But it’s all they are; just coincidences, ones that feel as frighteningly familiar as Louis. Except… what if none of this is a coincidence? What if everything Harry has always seen as fiction is true, and myth—or rather, history, is about to repeat itself?

22) But We Have Promises To Keep | Mature | 62,608 words

Note: This fic is the fourth part in a series. We'd recommend reading the other fics first, though none of them have smut.

Maybe, Louis thought, from the beginning to the end, he had always known exactly what he wanted. He had always heard it, a quiet song in his head never giving up, because it had never been a thing apart from who he was. Someone who wouldn’t stop. Someone who could walk out into the dark, seeing nothing, having little, and still looking. The undeniable, terrifying, gorgeous truth was always going to be this: that he had a heart, and that that heart wanted to live.

23) Sink Into Your Sunlight | Explicit | 79,601 words

Louis hadn’t forgotten about Harry as much as he tried. It wasn’t due to the strange nature of their meeting, more so the magnetic pull he somehow had on Louis. He couldn’t fathom why this complete stranger stayed in his mind as much as he tried to stop it. Any time his phone sounded his heart skipped a beat at the thought of it possibly being Harry. In all honesty, it made him feel sort of pathetic. Gay guy falls for straight guy, what a cliche he had become.

24) The Rose Of Whitechapel | Mature | 100,180 words

Jack the Ripper AU. Detective Constable Harry Styles and his partner, DC Liam Payne, lead the case on the Whitechapel murders. Louis Tomlinson, the Rose of Whitechapel, is harbouring secrets of his own, along with a dark and sordid past. When their paths cross, truths are revealed, and perhaps hearts are mended... A darkness is brewing, and it's finally come to collect on the promise it was made.

25) Our Endless Numbered Days | Explicit | 120,815 words

“Harry?” whispered Louis, his mouth dry, his nose pressing against the other’s warm skin. “Mh?” Harry’s humming was gentle, his fingers lightly caressing the younger boy’s arm, his chest steadily rising and falling beneath Louis’ cheek. A couple of seconds passed, and Louis looked up at him in the darkness of the cave, barely able to make out the expression on his face. When he tried to inhale deeply, his breath hitched. He struggled to find the words to tell Harry what he was thinking about. Another couple of seconds passed, and Louis listened to the reassuring beating of the prince’s heart beneath his cheek. He couldn’t. “Nothing,” he whispered, his voice weak. I think you’re half of my soul.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[hoseoks-reader]

Tiny Dancer, Part 1. [JUNG HOSEOK]

Tiny Dancer AU: Jung Hoseok x Y/N

Summary: Y/N has been a dancer for as long as she can remember. She started small and eventually built a reasonable following through her YouTube channel, and around 5 years ago she was contacted by the Dreamz label, that presented her with a very appealing contract. It so happened this label was a direct rival of Big Hit… which had BTS signed. Which happened to be the band where her boyfriend, Minho, performed as a back-up dancer.

She didn’t know much about those seven boys other than the fact she became good friends with Yoongi at a party last week, and they had incredible dancers. Incredible dancers.

NOTE: This is a semi love triangle kind of story. There's gonna be some angst, fluff and eventually smut (always with a warning). I hope you enjoy! You might recognize Minho from Skz, in here he's purely a dancer. Some other characters may show up during the series but it’s not worth mentioning right now. The first chapter might be kinda boring but bear with me, I have to introduce the story first ahah. I’ll be using referential pictures for outfits, makeup and such, as well as text messages. We switch povs sometimes, but I’ll always mention it.

Part 1 (15.04.2024) Don't copy or repost on other accounts. Y/N - your name Trigger warnings: loneliness, kissing that doesn’t really end in anything sexual it’s very brief.

Wordcount 2,2k

Y/N: 1 more chapter!

Is what you kept repeating to yourself for the last hour while you slipped through the book’s pages. You had to be up at 6am the following day and the hours of sleep you’ll be able to get are only decreasing but you really need to know what happens next.

You enjoyed reading. Not as much as dancing and singing, but it held a close third place in your heart. When it came to reading thrillers, well, anyone should be scared to take the book out of your hands for they might become the subject of the next Holly Jackson book. You forced yourself to close the book and looked at the time. 2am. Well, shit. Not gonna get much sleep either way might as well read one more chapter- until your phone interrupted your thought.

She hit her head with the book and put it in her nightstand. She stared at the picture of her and her dad and smiled to herself.

Y/N: You’re not here to tell me to turn the damn light off and sleep like before. Someone’s still trying to take care of me though, don’t you worry.

She tucked herself in and turned off the light. Before she knew it, the alarm would go off.

[THE FOLLOWING DAY]

You were making a toast while you scrolled through the most recent news. You took a sip of your coffee and when you were about to put your phone down it started ringing.

Y/N: Hello. Hyejin: Y/N! Good morning honey how are you? Ready for the day? It’s gonna be a long one. Y/N: Manager! I’m great (she was lying, she had maybe 4 total hours of sleep on her), excited and energized (yet another lie y/n). Hyejin: Awesome! See you in 30!

In 30- You looked at the time while you let out a barely audible “bye” and you felt the first bit of energy of that morning. You gulped the rest of your coffee and took your toast to go as you looked for your car keys. While you headed down your building and your thoughts were filled with “What if I didn’t love my job”.

You got into the car and started it in a rush. No, for real, what if you didn’t love your job and had to seat in front of a computer for the next 8h after this miserable night of sleep. You shook your head, and you felt the coffee kick in.

Y/N: Let’s go.

[TIME SKIP]

You arrived at the first part of your day: the photoshoot. You thanked whoever presented you with hair and make up because even you were afraid to look at yourself in the mirror after the rush to get here.

Your new single was very close to coming out and you had to prepare a bunch of things today. There was the photoshoot, the interview, the practice for the upcoming shows, and… Yoongi’s birthday. Oh my god. You quickly grabbed your phone.

You sighted while sending Minho a message to let him know of the plans for tonight and put down your phone giving the makeup artist a better access to your face. You praised yourself for the mental recap because you knew for sure you wouldn’t remember during the rest of the day given how tired you are and how much more tired you were about to become.

[OUTFIT AND MAKEUP]

Banger, you thought. You left the dressing room after a good second look at the mirror. You walked towards your manager who was already talking with the photographer. Hyejin immediately expressed her joy with a smile.

Hyejin: You look incredible. Photographer: Ready? Y/N: As I’ll ever be.

[TIME SKIP]

After a good hour and a half passed by, you applauded everyone and excused yourself to use the bathroom. You took the opportunity to reply to your boyfriend’s message and check your makeup. You looked at the time and saw you had had about 20 minutes until the interviewer got here. After that you had 2 hours before practice. That was enough time to eat and maybe get a power nap. You fixed your hair and left the bathroom, heading towards the room where the interview would be held. You figured you might as well stay there already.

Your phone buzzed.

You were already sat by the time the interviewer arrived and she complimented you with a smile and a bow.

Interviewer: Thank you for meeting with me. Y/N: Thank you for wanting to meet with me! Interviewer: (she smiled) I’m going to be recording the interview on my phone. Do you have any questions first? Y/N: Not really. You can start whenever you’d like. Interviewer: Okay so let’s start simple. What’s the name of the new single and what can we expect from it? Y/N: Well, it’s called “Blissful.” I think the song actually translates the feeling itself. I’ve been gate keeping the lyrics for a couple of years now, but I’ve been working on them more throughout the last few months. It brings me right into the feeling I had in my transition from “amateur” to “professional” you could say. Interviewer: So it’s about your journey, your transition in the industry you would say? Y/N: Definitely. It encapsulates the feeling I had when I could finally say that this is my full-time job. Someone recognizing my capability. Interviewer: It seems like a major recognition for sure, especially considering that at the moment you’re the only solo artist under Dreamz. Does it ever get lonely? Seeing everyone in groups and being able to do all of the things you do but together? Y/N: Sometimes. But at the end of the day I’m grateful that I even got this chance. I have amazing friends, a very supportive boyfriend. I might work solo, but I know I can rely on others at any given minute. Interviewer: That’s amazing. So I’m guessing maybe you’ll give an exclusive party with everyone once this single finally turns into an album, right? Y/N: Well, I guess we’ll see.

[TIME SKIP]

You looked at the time, it’s only 4pm and you’re already as good as dead. You were still halfway through practice, you had Yoongi’s party later, before which you had to stop home first for a much-needed shower.

You looked at yourself on the mirror. You can do it. This is what you wanted. What dad wanted for you. He fought for it. You took a deep breath and endured the next couple of hours.

[AT BIG HIT, YOUR OUTFIT]

You entered the building, uneasy, with the “yeah I don’t belong here, and they know it” kind of feeling. Not that anyone was rude. But they were indeed her rival at some level. You talked with a woman that kindly approached you as you looked lost and directed you to the correct floor.

You had been here maybe twice? But always outside or at the entrance, mostly to wait for Minho. Now you were actually inside the elevator of the building, going god knows where. As the door was about to close a hand stopped it. You almost choked on your own saliva out of surprise.

The door slowly reopened, and two men were looking back you, slightly surprised as well. Park Jimin and Jung Hoseok. This is absolutely fine. It’s not like you’ve watched these two dance about a million times.

They both entered the elevator and noticed you had already pressed the button they were going to. As the doors close Jimin broke the awkward silence.

Jimin: Hi, Y/N, right? Y/N: Y-yes, sorry- (you stuttered a bit) Hoseok: Nice to finally meet you. I’m Hoseok, this is Jimin. Y/N: Yeah, I obviously know (you laughed nervously; why are you acting like this, you’re basically on the same level??). Jimin: Oh, flattered. Yoongi has talked a lot about you! We’re happy you could make it. Hoseok: Yeah, and your work is amazing.

You were pretty sure you should pinch yourself. 6 years ago you were practicing Blood Sweat and Tears in your dad’s living room and now Park Jimin and Jung Hoseok are happy to meet you? You had to snap out of it before you scared them.

Y/N: That means a lot coming from you guys thank you.

They smiled at you and before you knew it you were already leaving the elevator. At a distance you saw your boyfriend talking to Yoongi and what appeared to be a very loud Seokjin (as expected, the soul of the party). Minho quickly spotted you and smiled.

Minho: Hey (he opened his arms to hug you), how are you? (he pecked your lips) Y/N: Tiring, but good. Yours? Minho: Same mostly. Y/N: (you gave him another kiss and turned to Yoongi) HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN! (he started smiling shyly and offered you a hug) Yoongi: Thank you, Y/N, it’s great to see you again!

You let go of him as you scanned the rest of the room to see who else was there but most of the guests had already entered the room where they had everything set. You looked at Minho and held his hand.

Y/N: Do we know were the good stuff is? Minho: (he smiled), This way.

The rest of the night passed by too quickly to be honest. You met a few people, including the rest of the BTS members, Namjoon’s girlfriend (well hasn’t he kept that one well hidden from everyone so far??), as well as Jimin’s and some other friends of Yoongi’s.

Everyone was extremely nice. Especially that band you’ve only seen much of on a screen.

Namjoon was incredibly smart. Seokjin was hilarious, he spent so much time showing you pictures of the fishes he caught that you found yourself agreeing to schedule a trip with him to go fishing. Yoongi was pretty busy, but you managed to talk to him for a bit. Jimin was also pretty busy with his own girlfriend, apparently, she arrived today from a 2-week trip. Can’t blame him for not letting her out of his sight, she’s stunning. Taehyung was a lot more talkative than what I thought he would be at the beginning of the night, you just had to pull the right strings in the conversation! Jungkook quickly joined us when we started talking about painting. And Hoseok, well. I think I talked to him the most, at least for an hour. His knowledge in dancing didn’t fail to amuse me and he’s a very interesting person. Very layered I would even say. He’s very joyful but can turn from goofy to serious at any moment. And he’s a great listener.

You were arriving home with your boyfriend who would stay with you for that night, and you felt both happy and sad. Well, you lied today in that interview, and it almost came to bite you back tonight. You didn’t have friends. At least not that many. You had your boyfriend. You had Yoongi, a complete miracle that probably only happened because you two were left alone and he started making small talk. Your old school friend who hasn’t called you back in over a month. Your grandparents were 3 hours away and your best friend… your dad, was no longer with you. And seeing all off Yoongi’s friends there to celebrate him… made you happy for your friend but you would be lying again if you said you weren’t also sad you didn’t have that.

You shrugged it off and looked at Minho.

Y/N: You brought everything? Minho: Yeah (he said, putting everything on top of your bed) Y/N: (you cursed yourself for what you’re about to say) You know, this could just stop if we just finally moved in… Minho: I know but- Y/N: Yes, you live close to Big Hit, you got a good deal for the rent, you’re sharing the flat with Hyuno, I know. I was just saying, I’m not looking for a fight, I’m just tired, I didn’t sleep much last night.

This has to be the 5th time you talk about this, but you don’t have it in you to continue pushing through, at least not tonight. You got into your pjs and laid in bed.

You were about to put your phone on the nightstand when it buzzed. A hundredth times.

You felt Minho cuddle you in a spoon as you replied to the guys all giggly.

Minho: What’s happening? Y/N: The guys said they enjoyed hanging out with me and added me to a group chat! Very nice of them. (you said, putting your phone on the nightstand for good this time) Minho: Hm-Hm- (he started kissing the back of your neck and shoulder)

You couldn’t feel much from how exhausted you were, your head still filled with those silly messages. You fell asleep smiling and when Minho noticed your eyes closed he gave up whatever he was trying to start and gave you one last kiss on your shoulder, turning away to sleep.

Thank you for reading! Part 2 coming soon! Check my blog for more fics! See you soon.

[pipperoo]

no one asked, but i’m yapping about it again! i have still not been able to stop thinking about my “steph and the phantoms au” and i spent a lot of my free time developing it this week (instead of working on my current wip :/) here are some of my more fleshed out ideas, once again it is long and i ramble a bunch

(for more context, look at “steph and the phantoms” tag or look at my last post)

wilbur cross’ big evil plan is to resurrect himself and bring the libs back with him to take over the world or some shit like that. he’s been a ghost for awhile and became the libs disciple after he died. he uses the black altar in lakeside mall for spells (which is also his version of caleb’s club) he’s a pretty strong ghost at this point and has a few abilities from the libs from gaining power from them. right now he can summon wiggly’s tentacles, the seals that go on the ghosts when they make a deal are blinky’s eyes (he can observe through anyone that has the eyes), has some control over the ghosts with seals (pokey), nibbly allows him to suck souls to gain power easier, im still working on tinky’s. his spells are fueled by soul power, in other words, ghosts, the stronger the ghost, the more power he gets. but once he uses the energy from a soul, they cease to exist. and in order to resurrect himself, he needs a shit ton of ghost power, which means nothing good for the nerdy trio.

the spell that occurred on the night the nerds died in the starlight probably has some connections to summoning webby or something dealing with her. steph’s mom had met the band before their rehearsal and got the cd and a picture that steph finds then. she was visiting someone there and was around when the spell triggered. webby’s power flowed into her which she then passed down to steph. steph and her touch of the gift are the entire key behind stopping wilbur’s plot.

max and grace both died in 2008 (year might change) max fell in waylon hall during a party and grace died in hatchetfield high (still figuring her death out). they didn’t know each other but they were both seniors. they piqued wilbur’s interest bc they died at black altars and he recruited both of them. max was struggling with the fact that ppl only briefly cared he died bc he was the star quarterback and that means they would lose now and grace is struggling with the fact that her beliefs were wrong and all her faith was for nothing. grace needs a new code to follow and max wants to feel valued so they throw themselves into serving wilbur and start competing with each other. their squabbling annoys the shit out of wilbur so he puts in place that they are his number twos and that it’s impossible to rank any higher and they will always be at the same level. when they aren’t fighting for approval they become friends bc they are the only two ppl in the same situation and they start to work together. their jobs are wrangling the ghost population, keeping them away from black altars, and tracking down the ghosts that could be of use to wilbur. (they first need to gather evidence that a ghost is strong before bringing it to wilbur’s attention) max does his bully tactics to keep them away and grace leans more into the research and investigation of strong ghosts.

i’m still trying to figure out what the nerdy trio called their band, but the band with steph is called “ghost whisperer”

now here are my bases for the dynamics

lautski is probably staying pretty similar to how they have been depicted. i feel like i’ve barely thought about them bc their dynamic seems so cut and dry in this au. pete helps steph with school work and makes her feel worthwhile. running bit of only working on songs after steph has finished her hw. steph raises pete’s confidence. they both fall for each other but how can a ghost and an alive person be together?

richie meets max when max is trying to teach himself how to skateboard and he is just eating pavement. richie doesn’t realize that max is also a ghost and says his snarky comments out loud. max of course hears and immediately gets pissed and starts to stomp over (through his job in controlling the ghosts he also keeps them away from areas that he just wants to hang out at, the skatepark being one of them) richie learns of the other ghosts and quickly starts to ramble to hopefully avoid max’s wrath. max changes his tune when richie unconsciously lets slip that an alive person can see him. he plans to show richie the ropes of being a ghost in general and in hatchetfield and teaches him all the ghostly abilities they can do (teleport, summon objects that are important to the person ie their instruments, pick up real things, etc) to start max is scouting out how strong the nerds are through hanging out with richie, but as they get closer and max enjoys having friends, he starts trying to make richie stronger so he can maybe stand up to wilbur.

ruth meets grace on the streets and they bump into each other as grace is going somewhere to research. ruth is instantly fascinated with grace bc she’s another ghost and ruth thinks she’s hot. grace tries to get back to what she was doing but ruth keeps rambling to maintain her attention. ruth let’s slip where she died which piques grace’s interest and she stops being so rude. it becomes her new focus and she starts researching the deaths that happened by the starlight. they continue to hang out only bc ruth keeps finding her and grace stops finding reasons to send her away. she learns to enjoy ruth’s company and uh oh, they start to fall in love. grace starts using research as a way to get closer to ruth instead of just learning. maybe ruth also writes grace a song at some point.

these are just some of my bones for this story at large, there’s still a lot i haven’t discussed yet. i pretty sure now that this will become one of my next writing projects and i don’t want to give everything away. of course, if anyone want to know more, i will gladly divulge.

just so you know, this whole concept was made up after i had celsius for the first time and i thought it up on the clock too which is always fun. thinking about this has also disrupted my work on my most recent fic, so i really need to catch up on that. anyways, thank you to the ppl that liked this concept, it always means a lot <3

[corrodedcoughin]

Modern au Eddie loves to play video games on this beat up old laptop he's had for years that is held together by duct tape and covered in stickers

Steve loves to sit next to Eddie and keep him company but while doing his own thing - texting Robin, scrolling through Instagram, looking up basketball scores - but occasionally he'll watch Eddie play. Pointing out characters he thought were hot, collectibles Eddie's missed, or a potential answer to a puzzle.

Idk I just love the idea of them happily keeping each other company and hanging out together even when they're not doing much at all or doing different things

Oooh!!! OOOH!!! Do we think Eddie is a rattle through the story line because he wants PLOT! And Steve is a completionist who collects every possible coin, item and weapon? That he speaks to every single npc because ‘Eddie! They might have had stuff for you!!’ And Steve just wants to have all the Things, wants his character to be prepared!

They are AWFUL at two players, at opposite ends of the gaming spectrum. When it isn’t free world games they are both pushing their characters to the edge of the screen to get to go they way they want to go. Neither of them are willing to compromise because they both think they are right. It ends in Robin turning the console off and both of them complaining because apparently they were having fun? You could have fooled Robin with the pouting and arguing.

OH OH!! They get a Wii!!! And they absolutely sabotage each other! Erica buys just dance because it’s fun and she knows she has more rhythm than tte rest of the party. Only Steve and Eddie commandeer it and don’t let go. Steve goes out a buys a new copy for Erica when they accidentally scratch her disk when Eddie lifts the whole console and shakes it when he loses another round to the computer player. (Steve won’t play with him anymore. Well that’s what he tells Eddie. Steve actually plays whenever eddie is out at band practice, determined to get better than him. They both tragically have two left feet)

Don’t mention mario kart anywhere near them. Eddie goes pale and Steve’s lip starts to curl. It’s not safe for anyone.

Eddie does online gaming with the party and the corroded coffin boys? They all talk all the time and Steve is just doing his own thing, listening in to the conversation and smiling to himself. He interjects every so often, shit talking people or laughing at Eddie being a sore loser.

BUT they actually really love playing the sims together and Steve has accumulated hours of watching eddie play Minecraft. It’s a weekday evening ritual they developed that they will reluctantly reschedule only in the most dire or circumstances. Their evenings usually end with Eddie on one side of the couch, Steve on the other but Steve’s feet in Eddie’s lap and trying to catch whatever food steve throws at him. It’s comfy, it’s easy and it’s them.

[thepepsislvt]

Punk!Ace x Male Reader Modern AU

Inspired by Cupid’s. Chokehold/Breakfast in America By Gym Class Heros

Warnings: cursing, mention of bad home life for Ace, reader cries bc overwhelmed, kinda spicy at the end but very minimum, was crying internally making this, Ace being the best boy, fluffy

Today was Ace’s and your first anniversary. you had been best friends since you were children and as best friends should do you would always spend time together. You both had spent so much time together when you were little that in your teen years, your parents gave Ace a key for whenever he wanted to come over and hang out.

Thankfully your high school years had come and gone. You had just started your first year of college with Ace where he was learning to become an engineer. You both decided to get an apartment off campus with two other people, Marco and Deuce. Ace had known them from playing video games online in high school. Ace had formed a band with Deuce on drums, Marco on lead guitar and Ace was bass and lead vocalist. Ace had tried to convince you to join their little band but you decided it wasn’t for you. You still listened to them practice whenever you had free time from your apprenticeship to be a tattoo artist and piercer. you were taking classes for design and you were content with it.

In your second year of college, you came out to Ace as gay. He apparently knew since y’all were 12.

“am I supposed to be surprised?” Ace had said while tuning his guitar

You only shook your head and laughed it off as he explained to you every single time he knew you were gay. He even laughed at knowing that before you did.

During New Year the same year, you both had gotten a little too drunk at a party and may have hooked up. That morning on Ace’s birthday after a long awkward conversation you decided to at least try being together. That was the best decision of your life. Ace and you were perfect together. Everything was going smoothly. Perfect even. You guys would cuddle and watch movies almost nightly. When he was practicing with his band he would make sure you were always near him and had his eyes on you.

Since his band is pretty popular online, he and his band would have livestreams of band practices or whatever wacky shit they were doing at the time. One time during a Q&A when you had the day off of classes and apprenticeship, one of the viewers asked if they had a S/O. Ace, being the golden retriever boyfriend he was, immediately shot up out of his seat, tackled you when he found you in his room, and had you sit on his lap while he gushed about you and how you’re the perfect boyfriend.

Everything was perfect. That's why today, your 1st anniversary had to be perfect too. but it seems as if the world didn't agree with that. You had planned on going shopping with Ace to make dinner together. You woke up at 9 am to get ready for the day but Ace didn’t even wake up till 1:30 Pm. he said he was up all night working on something. That's fine you can both still go out together and enjoy the perfect sunny day. Except when you finally started leaving it was pouring. You looked at Ace with a pout and he shrugged.

“Hey it’s okay, I like the rain, the store is indoors silly, we won't get wet” He reminded you as he grabbed one of the umbrellas from behind the door.

You smiled at him and kissed his freckled cheek causing his face to heat up. Even though you always gave him kisses he was always flustered.

“so why are we getting dinner again? we have food at home so what's the occasion?” Ace asked you as he opened the driver's door of your car for you

“you don’t remember? Today is a special day!” You had replied while giggling with joy

“Shit I know it is my birthday but usually we just make a cake and call it a day” Ace says shrugging once more before making his way to the passenger seat

He forgot. Maybe he might remember in a bit. You had to give him some credit he did just wake up a little under an hour ago. Just give it some time it will be fine. You took a deep breath and started heading to the grocery store. It could still end up a great day.

But nothing could ever work out as planned. not too long into the drive you had got a flat tire. You let out a groan of annoyance and went to get the spare from the back. You knew how to change a tire so it wasn't a big problem. You were just slightly overwhelmed by how nothing was going as planned today. when you opened the back to get to the spare tire, nothing was there

“ACE!” you yelled for your boyfriend over the rain and he quickly came over to you

“What's up babe- oh fuck” Ace stopped himself when he saw that the spare wasn't there “Oh right… Deuce needed it for whatever he was doing and did not return it yet”

you had it. you went back into the car and just started to cry. Ace hurried up and called the tow company nearest to you since both of your roommates were visiting their family for the holidays. While you both waited for a tow man to come out, Ace held you in his arms and helped calm you down. The stress over everything had been too much for you and it was all just overwhelming.

After a long wait for a tow man and a longer wait to get the tire changed you finally were heading home. Ace decided it was best to doordash something for dinner and a cake for him. The sun had set and Ace was driving you both home as you sat in the passenger seat quietly. The car ride was quiet so halfway home Ace decided to play some music. your ears perked up as you heard the first notes of the song you and Ace had decided was your guys’ song, Cupid’s Chokehold by Gym Class Heros. only it sounded slightly strange. The instruments were more distorted and electric and the vocals sounded like…

Take a look at my boyfriend

He’s the only one I got

Not much of a boyfriend

I never seem to get a lot

…Ace

You quickly took his phone to look and saw that it was a cover of the song by the White Spades.

His band

You looked at him with tears in your eyes to see him smiling softly at you, not realizing you were already home and parked in your parking spot.

“Ace…” you whispered softly as you continued to listen to the song “You Didn’t Forget”

Ace cupped your face in his hands and wiped away the tears from your eyes with his thumbs. Your face turned upright as you smiled widely and started to sing along

I mean he even cooks me pancakes

And Alka Seltzer when my tummy aches

If that ain’t love then I don’t know what love is

We even got a secret handshake

And he loves the music my band makes

If that ain’t love then I don’t know what is

You were overwhelmed with joy. You quickly wrapped your arms around his shoulders and kissed him deeply which he returned immediately. he moved his hands to hold your hips from under the hoodie you stole from him and rubbed gentle circles into your skin. After a few moments, the two of you pulled away to get a chance to breathe. That didn’t last long as you pulled him back in for more desperate and lustful kisses. Ace moved his seat back and pulled you into his lap as things got more heated in the car.

Everything was finally perfect.

[lonelywhalien22]

pretty lies - part two

pairing: vernon x reader

rating/genre: enemies to lovers, slow burn, ANGSTY fluff, band au

summary: supporting your friend mingyu becomes way more than you ever could have bargained for when you become involved with one of his bandmates

warnings: cussing, vernon has issues in this story but please remember this is a work of fiction, mingyu stans don’t hate me but mingyu and reader are just friends

word count: 2.2k

prev. chapt. | series masterlist | next chapt.

Next Tuesday rolled around and you pulled up in front of Mingyu’s apartment again. You opted to just wait in the car, sending him a quick text to let him know you were there. He came out with just one black bag this time.

“Need any help?” you asked, hoping he would say no. Since finding out that the guy from the party was not only your friend’s bandmate, but was also living with him, the commitment you’d made to Mingyu seemed like a disaster waiting to happen.

“Nah, most of the setup is left over at Jay’s place.”

“Great,” you said a little too eagerly before pulling out of the driveway and heading to the house, Mingyu once again guiding you along the way.

“So. How has it been living with Vernon?” you asked, hoping it didn’t seem like an out of place question.

“Fine. I don’t see him much and when I do he keeps to himself. He’s clean, so that’s a plus.”

“He’s the new singer and guitarist?”

“Yeah, and he’s really good too. We might actually have a chance to win Battle of the Bands this year with his help,” Mingyu responded with a hopeful glint in his eye. 

You’d heard Mingyu mention this event before. It was an annual competition with an impressive lineup of amateur artists. The winning group or artist got a recording contract with a major record label from the region and a two month long tour as the opening act for one of the label’s artists. You remembered cheering for Mingyu when he and the band had made third place years ago. Since then however, the group had made several changes to members, a lot of them being duds. He hadn’t even invited you to watch him the previous two years, so the fact that he was mentioning it again meant he was really excited about their chances this time around. With the recording contract, Mingyu would finally be able to make the transition to making music full time. You wanted to do whatever you could to help your friend succeed in making his dreams come true.

“I’ll see you at eight,” you told Mingyu as he got out of the car once you pulled into the house driveway.

—————

Eight came and you were back at Jay’s house, waiting in your car to pick up Mingyu. Last time he’d been ready right on the dot, but this time there was a delay, so you entertained yourself on your phone for a little bit. After fifteen minutes of waiting, you sent him a text to see if they’d be finishing up soon:

You: checking to see if you’re done? haven’t had dinner yet so I’m starving.

Another fifteen minutes passed, and still no response. Sighing in frustration, you got out of the car and made your way to the front door of the house. The sound of drums and guitars could be heard as you walked up the driveway. You knocked before realizing they probably couldn’t even hear you, and then decided to take a chance at the door being unlocked again as you started to make your way inside.

The music had stopped abruptly shortly after you’d cracked open the door, and you could hear a discussion going on.

“I’m telling you, it sounds better if we do it like this -” You didn’t recognize this voice as much; it must have been Vernon’s.

“This song has been a crowd favorite as is,” you heard Mingyu cut in. “I just don’t think we should take a chance doing something new so close to the competition. We can work on fleshing out your other song idea next Tuesday.”

“You said that last time and we still haven’t done anything with it. Stop bullshitting and tell me the truth if you’re not gonna take any of my ideas seriously.”

“Ok, why don’t we all just cool down,” you heard Jay interject before Mingyu could respond, seemingly trying to keep the peace. “We still have plenty of time before the competition. Plus I’m hungry. So let’s stop here and -”

Before you could hear the rest of the conversation the door pulled open completely, and you came face to face with Vernon again. He moved so quickly neither of you had enough time to react and he bumped into you, letting out a startled grunt as he nearly knocked you over. Your head came into contact with his chest, and you caught a whiff of what smelled like a mix of smoke and shower gel. You steadied yourself and as he backed up, he gave you another one of those intense stares, but his eyes looked a little glassy this time.

Without a word, you quickly stepped out of his way and he quietly brushed past you. You turned and watched as Vernon shoved on a black denim jacket he was carrying in one hand before securing his guitar case on his back and hopping on his motorcycle parked in the driveway. As he forced on his helmet and started the ignition, you noticed something on the ground near your feet. It was his journal. The same one he’d snapped at you for touching at the party. You crouched and picked it up, your thumb smoothing over the leather surface. You could still see a red stain on the page ridges. Hearing the loud revving of an engine, you remembered he was about to leave.

“Hey! Wait!” you shouted, trying to be heard over the sound of the motor as you quickly walked towards Vernon. But he pushed up the kickstand on the bike with his foot and peeled out of the driveway. The sounds of the engine grew fainter and fainter until all that was left was a deafening silence.

“Y/n?” The voice startled you out of your trance. It was Jay.

“Hey,” you said, still a little shaken. You tucked the notebook under your arm before speaking again. “It was getting late so I came in to see if Mingyu was ready to go.”

“Damn, of course. I’m so sorry we lost track of time tonight. Hey Mingyu, come on man, y/n’s waiting for you.”

“I’m coming,” Mingyu responded, looking a little ruffled as he appeared in the doorway.

“You ok?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry we were so late.”

“Treat me to some food and all is forgiven.”

Mingyu’s smile appeared again at your words.

“Deal. We can go to that ramen place you like by my apartment. You mind if Jay comes along?”

“The more the merrier.”

—————

Thirty minutes later, you, Mingyu, and Jay were slurping up noodles in a booth tucked away in the corner of your favorite restaurant, the broth warming you up from the chilly winter weather outside. You silently continued eating as Mingyu and Jay joked with each other over beers, their earlier spat with Vernon seemingly forgotten. Said person’s notebook was hidden away in the glove compartment of your car. You knew he’d likely realize it was missing immediately and thought it’d be best to give it back to him tonight when you dropped Mingyu off, assuming he didn’t rip your head off first when he saw you with it. Maybe you’d just set it on a counter somewhere noticeable where he was likely to find it and leave, you thought to yourself assuredly.

“What’re you thinking about in there,” Mingyu asked as he playfully poked your forehead.

“How was practice today? You guys have a gig this Saturday, right?”

“We went through the whole setlist today a few times and I think we’re all set,” Jay piped up excitedly.

“What about Vernon? He didn’t seem too happy with how things were going from what I heard.”

“So you did see that,” Mingyu sighed in exasperation.

“What was he so worked up about?” you pressed.

“It was just a little disagreement over some stuff that’s still a work in process. He’ll get over it.”

“Was he late again? Is that why practice went over?”

“Vernon’s clearly been through some shit,” Jay intervened as he downed the rest of his beer. “Doesn’t have any friends or family from what I can tell. Maybe we should cut him some slack.”

“He’s an amazing singer. The best the group has ever had if I’m being honest,” Mingyu circled his finger around the lip of his beer glass, deep in thought. “Dream housemate too. Just don’t touch his shit and the two of you will get along fine,” he consoled you as if you were scared, patting your head. 

You thought back to the notebook, safely tucked away in your car. Was there something you should be scared of?

—————

After seeing Jay off, you and Mingyu made your way back to his apartment. When you parked and Mingyu got out, you reached over and grabbed Vernon’s journal out of the glove compartment, tucking it under your arm again. You helped Mingyu up to the apartment entrance and unlocked the door for him to speed things up, too cold to waste time laughing at him fumbling with the keys drunkenly.

“Thanks y/n,” Mingyu said cheerfully.

“Of course, buddy.”

He started making his way towards the stairs to his bedroom. Perfect, now all you had to do was find someplace to leave the notebook where Vernon would easily find it. Maybe over -

“Oh hey!” you heard Mingyu exclaim.

The owner of said notebook appeared from around the corner, dressed comfortably in black sweats and a matching hoody. For a moment you were surprised he was actually there. Mingyu had made it sound like he was rarely ever home, but then it clicked.

He must’ve already realized the journal was missing and waited for Mingyu to get back.

“Mingyu, have you seen - ”

“What a nice surprise seeing you here on this lovely night!” Mingyu interrupted with a goofy laugh, bringing Vernon in for a hug. He looked completely startled, awkwardly standing there as Mingyu patted his back. You almost bursted out laughing at the sight, forgetting how friendly Mingyu got when he was inebriated. 

Quickly realizing he was drunk, Vernon looked away from him, whispering a, “damnit” as Mingyu finally let him go and continued upstairs. Vernon raked a hand through his hair roughly, clearly in a deep internal panic. Seeing him so frazzled, you were tempted to play with him a bit. Make him suffer for the way he’d treated you last night.

“Ahem.”

Vernon turned towards you, and you saw the mix of frustration and worry in his eyes. You thought back to how glassy his eyes had been when you bumped into him back at Jay’s house. Then you thought about Jay’s words from earlier:

~

“Vernon’s clearly been through some shit,” Jay intervened as he downed the rest of his beer. “Doesn’t have any friends or family from what I can tell. Maybe we should cut him some slack.”

~

“It’s Vernon, right?” You decided to offer an olive branch instead.

“I think you already know the answer to that.”

You took a deep breath. The two of you would be seeing each other a lot for the foreseeable future. Might as well get on speaking terms after starting off on the wrong foot. You didn’t want Vernon’s hostility towards you to potentially jeopardize Mingyu’s and Jay’s chances at winning the Battle of the Bands competition. You’d feel terrible if that happened. So you tried again.

“I’m y/n.” You introduced yourself, walking closer and extending the arm that wasn’t holding his journal, offering your hand.

Brown eyes still stormy and lips in a tight line, Vernon looked down at your hand for a second before looking back up at you. You nervously waited another few beats before feeling his hand suddenly grasp yours slightly and give a light shake. His skin was surprisingly warm and soft, save for the few bands of cold silver that adorned his fingers. You studied his face, waiting for him to say something, but he stayed silent.

Guess that’ll do for now, you finally conceded, reaching under your arm with your other hand and pulling out the journal, holding it up for him to see. You felt Vernon’s hand quickly drop yours, warmth immediately leaving your fingertips.

He grabbed the book from you, gingerly this time. 

Sensing he was ready to bolt, you quickly said, “I didn’t read it. Just so you know. And I’m sorry again about last night. It honestly was an accident.”

Assuming he’d once again remain silent, you turned around and began to let yourself out of the apartment.

“I’d get in the bathroom before him tomorrow unless you want to be late to whatever you’re doing,” you offered one last thing as you opened the door, speaking of Mingyu. “He takes the longest showers ever when he’s hungover.”

“Sorry.”

“Huh?”

“About last night. And earlier tonight. Sorry.”

You tried not to show your surprise as you looked over your shoulder back at Vernon.

“Consider it forgiven. And good luck on the performance this Saturday.”

You finally stepped outside and closed the door, unable to shake the feeling of his hand against yours as you drove all the way back home.

prev. chapt. | series masterlist | next chapt.

taglist: @twogyuu

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (5-11 May 2024)

another absolutely unhinged episode from this crew. i love them all so much.

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🙂 Lessons in Exposing a Deadly Alias (Cambridge Fellows Mysteries) (Charlie Cochrane) - this series is now the equivalent of watching criminal minds or some other long-running procedural: it's certainly not for the plot/mystery but for the characters who are family. I do love that as the series has gone on their friends & family have taken on a more active role in the investigations. that said, I think I might be done with this series; it took me forever to get thru this bc I wasn't remotely motivated to get back to it.

🥰 No One Likes Us But We Don't Care (Rainne) - 45K, modern Steve/prewar Bucky - an accidental interdimensional swap drops a 1940s Bucky into the present - he & Steve figure out what that means for them (3rd in a series)

😍 Spectred Isle (Green Men #1) (KJ Charles, author; Ruairi Carter, narrator) - [reread] very old world supernatural shenanigans in 1920s England - truly sad that there won't be any more in this universe because it's sooooo good and so rich but forever grateful we at least got this marvelous (and complete) story

🥰 it's good to see you back in a bar band, baby (LiarsandThieves22) - 139K, Steddie modern musician AU - absolutely adored this! enemies-to-friends-to lovers speedrun, understandable & character appropriate mutual pining, fantastic supporting characterizations - it had it all!

😍 You Should Be So Lucky (Cat Sebastian, author; Joel Leslie, narrator) - baseball player Eddie & newspaper writer Mark are both dealing with some devastating life events. They find each other and some solace and healing. This book, like We Could Be So Good, is absolutely incredible. It knocked my socks off and healed my heart. It almost made me like baseball! I'm just going to quote from a review written by kiki124 in the Romance Salon server because she is great with words and captured it exactly: "I was just blown away by the writing and the ways Sebastian drew these two utterly believable and interesting characters, plus all the side characters, plus the literary notes, plus the queer history plus the New York history. I think that what I love the best about these books is that the story doesn't end when the characters fall in love--there's a whole second half of the book to come as the relationship has room to breathe and grow and work out kinks. Literally everyone who has a heart and a brain should read these books."

💖💖 +115K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

the Steve Rogers problem (relenafanel) - MCU: stucky AU, 36K - "Bucky doesn't consider his Steve Rogers problem as a problem so much as the solution he hadn't realized he was hoping for to help him through the transition from the Bucky Barnes he'd been before his accident to the new, shiny version of himself. No, the problem isn't with Captain America and The Howling Commandos fandom. The problem is the amount of porn Bucky managed to write and draw about Captain America before finding out that he's less than one degree of separation away from Steve Rogers. 'Less than' as in he's sitting across the table from him."

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Is It Cake? - s2, e4-5

Girls5eva - s1, e1

QI - series U, e4-8

Beyond Paradise - s2, e4-6

Game Changer - s6, e8

Strange Way of Life (2023)

Um, Actually - s6, e6

The Brokenwood Mysteries - s10, e2

Smartypants - s1, e2

D20: Fantasy High: Junior Year - "Rock The Boat" (s21, e18)

D20: Adventuring Party - "Blimey" (s16, e18)

Doctor Who - series 14, e1-2

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

Re: Dracula - May 5: The Dead Travel Fast

Wiser Than Me - Julia Gets Wise with Patti Smith

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Sans-Souci Palace

Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! BONUS - The animal that terrifies Peter, and other 'Wild Card' topics

Re: Dracula - May 7: Stranger in a Strange Land

Short Wave - 'Stealing The Past': A Spat Between Twins Leads To A Theory Of Disputed Memories

Re: Dracula - May 8: Foul Bauble of Man's Vanity

Vibe Check - Oh, How We Have Fallen From Taste

Re: Dracula - May 9: Castles in the Air

Today, Explained - Israel, Gaza, and Eurovision

Consider This from NPR - From utility man to one of California's foremost journalists

It's Been a Minute - A 'Wild Card' game with Rachel Martin

Wild Card with Rachel Martin - Issa Rae thinks a little delusion goes a long way

⭐ It's Been a Minute - Drake and Kendrick are beefing, but who pays? Plus, moms as our social safety net

Today, Explained - The real victims of Baby Reindeer

Re: Dracula - May 11: Pray for my Happiness

Twenty Thousand Hertz+ - TikTok’s Boom-Bling

⭐ Lost Notes - Go with the Flow: Community, Virality, and the Politics of Dancing

Why Won't You Date Me? - Love in Theater (w/ Jesse Tyler Ferguson)

Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! - Chappell Roan

⭐ Big Gay Fiction Podcast - Baseball, 1960 New York, and Bad Dogs with Cat Sebastian

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Beauly Priory Wych Elm

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

'60s Sunshine Pop

'60s Folk Rock

Dance Party Hits

Carly Rae Jepsen

Presenting Charli XCX

Presenting Dua Lipa

Energy Supermix

Women of Electronic

Essential Proto-Metal

Rock Radio • 1980s • Popular • High variety

Presenting The Beach Boys

Classical Workout

Instrumental Hard Rock

[allegra-writes]

"Baby Claudia and The Vampires"

Lestat De Lioncourt x Louis De Pointe Du Lac

All Human, Rock Band AU. Kid fic. Drabble.

General Audiences

Warnings: None. Tooth-rotting fluff.

There is someone everyone Lestat knows seem to love more than they love him. For once, he is ok with it.

SERIES MASTERLIST | MY MASTERLIST

For as long as Lestat could remember, he had always felt torn inside. A part of him longing to be a rockstar, longing for the adrenaline and the lifestyle, the fast pace of it all, the long nights, the crows, the fans; another part of him longing for the simple life he never got to have as a child, the routine, the support of his own little family, the comfort of coming home to a house that wasn't empty and cold but filled with laughter, joy, the smell of fresh homemade food and even one or two messes here and there…

It seemed like whatever he choose to do with his life, he was always going to feel the lack of something. He didn't think he could ever have them both, have everything... Until he met Louis.

Louis De Pointe Du Lac had had enough crazy days -and nights- as a teenager and a young adult that by the time he turned thirty, his hunger for adventure was completely sated. Partying, drinking, gambling and gluttonous whoring held no appeal to him anymore. He was perfectly happy to live a quiet life as an English teacher… Until he met Lestat. 

Their lifestyles couldn't be more opposed, their worlds more different. But you know what they say about opposites, and so Lestat and Louis fell for each other like rain falls in July in New Orleans. And against all odds, somehow, their love worked. 

And suddenly, Lestat was able to blend together both aspects of his dreams, both sides of him, so seamlessly and naturally, it made him wonder why he had ever thought about them as antithetical in the first place. 

He didn't missed staying out till later at night, because he knew the real fun woud start when he got home. Or sometimes to the car, when Louis and him were too impatient to keep their hands off each other any longer. He didn't envy the models watching his bandmates record their parts from the other side of the glass, because his husband was far more beautiful than any of them. He didn't envy their sports cars cause now he owned something far more precious than any expensive watch or drones or toys, and he needed a backseat to carry it. 

No, the jewel currently in his arms was getting him more attention than any flashy possession he could think of. 

Little Claudia was currently perched on his knee, banging the drums with all the might her toddler arms were capable off, as he juggled keeping her balanced and keeping the huge noise canceling headphones rightly placed on her tiny head to completely cover her teeny baby ears. He could feel Louis' hawk eyes on the both of them even from the other side of the glass, and it was totally unnecessary, cause he was perfectly capable of keeping his baby girl safe. But far from finding it annoying, the thought of his husband worrying and loving the delicate being he was holding as much or even more so than himself did, made him love Louis even more.

He had never thought that was possible.

"Alright, Lestat, I think thats a wrap. We totally have what we needed" Daniel’s voice resonated through the speakers, the red light turning off, signaling they weren't recording anymore and it was safe for him to talk now.

"Really? And how did she do?"

The goofy smiles from all his bandmates were a real sight: four grown men, looking every bit the rockstars they were, totally wrapped around the finger of his two year old.

"Amazing. She is a prodigy, Les, I'm telling you. We might have to replace you with her. Maybe even have her lead the band"

"Baby Claudia and The Vampires" Armand decided, making Lestat chuckled. 

It had a nice ring to it.

Next part

[sourw0lfs]

the very first night part two

OR: the one where Chrissy joins Corroded Coffin, a 5+1 fic wc: 1086 | rating: M | pairing: hellcheer | modern au | AO3 written for @strangerthingsreversebigbang art inspiration by @sunflowerharrington beta'd by @just-my-latest-hyperfixation

2. after the band gets signed

When Chrissy made the decision to join Corroded Coffin, something so far out of her comfort zone that it had initially felt like a mistake, she never anticipated actually getting anywhere. The only expectation on her list was: have fun. 

Sitting at a table far too large for the number of people at it now, she thinks she might have to reevaluate that list. It’s also the only time in her life she’s been glad her father is a lawyer. Mostly because none of them had been able to make heads or tails of the contract they’d been given, and Chrissy, at least, had given it her best shot. 

So she’d called home and asked for help. 

It’s a rare thing these days, her asking her parents for any sort of help, but this is something she wants to work out no matter what. It’s given her purpose in a way none of her other activities or hobbies growing up did. It’s given her people that she can’t imagine her future without in a way none of her friends in school ever had.

It’s made her happy, and if asking her dad to read a contract keeps it that way, it’s just a small sacrifice to make. 

The fact that he agrees initially surprises Chrissy, but she doesn’t question it. She just takes it for what it is, the pair of eyes they need to make sure they’re not getting screwed over. And as things turn out, they’re not getting screwed over. Sooner than later, the contract has all five of their signatures alongside the necessary parties and the band decides to go out and celebrate. 

“I can’t believe we just did that,” Jeff says as the five of them pile in around a table at the first bar they find. “Did we really just do that?” 

“Hell yeah we did!” Grant crows with the widest grin Chrissy’s ever seen on him. 

A familiar arm finds its home around her shoulder and she feels herself being jostled against Eddie’s side as he grins at all of them. “I always knew we could do it,” he announces proudly. “Just had to find the right lure.” 

He jostles Chrissy again, enough that she gets the hint he’s talking about her and she grins too. “This is just the start. We still have a lot of work to do,” she points out but the smile in her voice doesn’t fade. “There are no better people I’d rather do it with.” 

The rest of the band raises a collective cheer at her words. “I’ll drink to that,” Gareth declares. “First round on me.”

Then he’s gone before any of them can protest, not that any of them try to anyway. Chrissy takes the moment to look around at her bandmates, to feed off their infectious excitement and mix it with her own. It feels good, it feels right. She doesn’t know how she got so lucky. 

Eddie’s still pressing her into his side and she takes the chance to rest her head on his shoulder. “Comfy?” he asks as he glances down at her. 

Chrissy nods, grinning back up at him. “Perfect,” she confirms. 

Though she’s not sure she is actually perfect. Things could always be better. There are things she’s found herself yearning for in the last several months of gig after gig, words left unspoken and actions unexplained. But she’s never found just the right moment to ask Eddie about them. There’s always something going on or someone poking their head in every time she thinks they’re about to make it somewhere new. 

But Chrissy still can’t complain. Even if she never gets her answers, she thinks she can still be happy. Her life finally means something on her terms, and that’s more than she could have ever asked for. Especially since she hadn’t asked. It had simply been handed to her over an overheard moment in a hallway that feels a million years ago already. 

Gareth comes back with the round of drinks a moment later, and the rest of the night passes in a wild, excited, and somewhat tipsy blur. Chrissy finds herself pressing against Eddie’s side for the majority of the night, except the times he bounces away to grab the next round of drinks. The energy between the five of them is contagious and carries them well into the night. 

Stumbling out of the bar as a group several hours later, laughing and shoving at each other, the band finally say their good nights, grabbing various rides back to their homes depending on the direction they needed to go. 

“Let me take you home,” Eddie says in Chrissy’s ear as the other boys wave out of car windows. 

“We live in opposite directions!” Chrissy protests weakly, because honestly she doesn’t mind the sentiment. In fact, she appreciates it. 

“Gotta make sure my best girl gets home safe, though,” Eddie argues back. 

The words light up in Chrissy’s chest, somewhere between her heart and her stomach, with an intensity she’s missed recently. It pulls her back to the night of her first show, when she thought they were maybe at the start of something more. She doesn’t try to push it away again. 

Instead she just nods and tucks herself into Eddie’s side, waiting as he calls a ride for the two of them, only moving when he nudges her to get settled once it arrives. The ride to her place is quiet, comfortably so but there’s a spark trying to ignite in the air between them, even though the two of them aren’t touching anymore. 

Once they arrive, Chrissy gets herself from the car and hesitates. “Do you want to come in?” she asks softly, offering a hand back out to Eddie. 

Eddie, for what it’s worth, doesn’t seem to have the same hesitation, taking her hand with a smile. “I’d love that,” he tells her as they head into the building. 

It’s not the first time she’s had Eddie over, but it is the first time it’s just the two of them. Usually it’s the whole band, alternating homes each time they meet up. The electricity that’s been crackling between the two of them flares up with new life as they make their way to the door of Chrissy’s apartment. 

Once Chrissy lets the two of them in, she turns to Eddie. “Probably not up for more drinks, are you?” she teases with a smile. “But I can offer a snack or two or three, if you’d like that.”

“That sounds wonderful, dinner feels ages ago.”

“It was!” Chrissy giggles as she leads the way to her kitchen. 

The space is small, pressing the two of them together as they try to share it, but Chrissy doesn’t mind. She also doesn’t mind the silence that hangs between them again. Being able to be quiet feels just as important as being able to talk to them. Especially if it’s going to move anywhere besides friendship. And Chrissy thinks she wants that rather badly at this point. She really, really does. And it’s not the few drinks from the bar talking for her. 

The silence stretches between them, with Chrissy trying to work up the courage to say something or do something. But then Eddie’s glancing at the clock and back at her with a smile. “I should probably… head home myself. Don’t want to keep you up too late, you know?” he says. 

It’s nearly enough to get Chrissy inviting him to stay the night, but only nearly. She’s not sure she’s brave enough to make a move yet or brave enough to face the morning if nothing happens. “Yeah!” she agrees with a nod. “Yeah, uh, if you’re sure.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Eddie promises, tucking a piece of her hair back and sending a jolt down her whole body. 

Then he’s kissing her cheek and out the door before she even has a chance to process it. If she wasn’t already sure that Eddie feels the same energy she does, Chrissy is very sure now.